Rapid Collapse (GL) - Chapter 64

Since Shen Xi had already made her decision, Han Ning didn’t say much more. After all, she knew Shen Xi had things under control and wouldn’t let Shen Fengmei worry too much.

After a satisfying meal, the two walked out of the hotpot restaurant and strolled toward the entrance of the film studio. Shen Xi suddenly said, “Oh, by the way, I haven’t had the chance to congratulate you yet, Ning Ning—global ambassador for Ruidian!”

Han Ning smiled brightly. “Thank you~ Honestly… I was a little surprised myself.”

“Why? I think you fit their brand’s image perfectly—free-spirited, confident, and a young woman chasing her dreams,” Shen Xi said.

“Maybe, but this is a century-old luxury jewelry brand. Their previous brand friends took a long time to secure deals, and I never expected to be appointed as an ambassador so suddenly,” Han Ning replied. The two had walked several hundred meters before finding a bench by the roadside to sit on. A gentle breeze brushed past, lifting their hair—a quiet and beautiful moment.

“The good news came too fast. I was so happy I felt a little dazed…” Han Ning chuckled, reaching out to fix Shen Xi’s hair, which had been tousled by the wind.

Shen Xi looked at her, then reached out and ran her fingers through Han Ning’s short hair.

“Do you like your short hair? Do you regret it? Cutting it for Thorned Rose was a big sacrifice.”

“No regrets. Not even once.” Han Ning shook her head. “I’ve never been too particular about hairstyles. As long as it’s not something overly masculine, I think I can accept it.” She then took Shen Xi’s hand and looked into her eyes, filled with warmth. “Besides, I wanted to become the character you wrote. So, for me, this wasn’t a sacrifice—it was fulfilling a dream.”

Han Ning spoke so sincerely, as if she were looking up at something she deeply admired.

Shen Xi felt a little uncomfortable with that level of devotion and playfully pinched Han Ning’s cheek. “Well, isn’t this perfect? I get to see my character brought to life by you—that’s my dream come true too~”

“Really?” Han Ning asked.

“Of course~” Shen Xi grinned.

“…What happens to Thorned Rose in the end?” Shen Xi hesitated before asking.

Back then, she and Han Ning had no choice but to fake a breakup. She even completely offended Chen Rong, whom she had always admired. Not to mention, she had no involvement in the script changes and filming afterward, so she had no idea how things turned out.

Han Ning had originally planned to brush it off lightly to comfort Shen Xi, but seeing how serious she was about it, Han Ning realized she really cared. So, she decided to tell her the truth.

“Chen Rong was really mad. She called you out in front of the entire crew, saying that you, Shen Xi, were all show and no substance—completely irresponsible…” Han Ning sighed, still remembering how furious Chen Rong was at the time.

“She’s older now, with gray hair, and scriptwriting is such a mentally exhausting job.

She’s been struggling with hair loss, so there’s a bald spot near her temples. Most of the time, she wears a hairpiece to cover it up,” Han Ning explained.

“She wears a hairpiece?” Shen Xi blinked in surprise. She had never noticed.

“Yeah… But that day, she got so worked up. Her face was red, and she was so emotional that the hairpiece fell off…” Han Ning pursed her lips.

Shen Xi: “…Huh?”

“Yeah, and I was the one who picked it up and gave it back to her…” Han Ning covered her face, her voice tinged with laughter. After calming down, she continued, “When I handed it to her, she looked a little embarrassed but still kept her composure. She didn’t take it out on me—she even thanked me.”

The image was so vivid that Shen Xi almost laughed too. But she couldn’t bring herself to.

After all, Chen Rong was her most respected mentor.

“Stop laughing… Help me think of a way to fix this~” Shen Xi poked Han Ning’s waist. Han Ning was ticklish and flinched instinctively, then wrapped her arms around Shen Xi. “Don’t worry. How about this—I’ll take you to her house, and you can apologize in person?”

“Really? Wouldn’t that be too abrupt?” Shen Xi’s eyes lit up with hope.

“It should be fine. You had a reason for what you did. We’ll explain the whole situation to her—honesty is the best policy. And besides, this is about personal relationships and work. She helped train you; you’re like her prized student. Who wouldn’t want to see their students succeed?” Han Ning reasoned convincingly. Shen Xi decided to give it a try.

They immediately went to buy some gifts in preparation for their visit to Chen Rong.

At 2:30 in the afternoon, Han Ning sat in the car parked outside Chen Rong’s apartment complex.

“I’m still nervous…” Shen Xi was anxious. From what Han Ning had described, Chen Rong had been furious. What if she kicked them both out—gifts and all?

She hesitated. “Maybe we should just go home today… We can come back another time, when the timing feels better. What if she’s napping in the afternoon?”

As she spoke, she buckled her seatbelt again, curling up in her seat like a timid little quail.

“No way. We settle things today,” Han Ning declared. “Besides, it’s not like you committed some unforgivable crime. We just need to explain things to her. Chen Rong is a respected professional, and you’ll apologize while I flatter her. With our teamwork, we’ve got this!”

Han Ning unbuckled Shen Xi’s seatbelt and metaphorically snatched away her hesitation.

“Ugh, Ning Ning… What ‘wife’ nonsense…” Shen Xi muttered as she was dragged out of the car, shooting Han Ning a resentful look.

“Model wife! You can’t back out now—it was your idea to come here… Silly Xi Xi!” Han Ning pinched her cheek and whispered teasingly, “I’ll spank you when we get home…”

“…Hmph!” Xi Xi said nothing, but she was fuming inside.

Han Ning had been to Chen Rong’s home a few times before to discuss the script. She was hardworking and eager to learn, which made Chen Rong appreciate her as an actress. Every time she visited, Chen Rong was always hospitable.

When they arrived at the right floor, Han Ning called ahead. The call connected, and she said, “I hope I’m not disturbing you, Chen Rong? Sorry for the sudden visit…”

“No, I wasn’t napping. I just finished some work and was tidying up the house,” Chen Rong said, putting away the mop and picking up a cloth to wipe the table. “Did you need something?”

“Yeah, sort of… Uh, I’m actually at your door right now. It’s been a while since I visited, and I was craving your jasmine tea. Oh, and I brought someone with me to see you,” Han Ning said with a bright smile.

“Oh, you’re outside? I can hear your voice from inside. Hold on, I’ll come open the door.”

Chen Rong put down the cloth and quickly walked to the door. When she opened it, she greeted Han Ning warmly. But when her gaze landed on Shen Xi, her expression immediately changed—her eyes filled with doubt, then obvious displeasure.

She asked coldly, “The person you wanted me to meet… is her?”

“Yep!” Han Ning was still all smiles.

Without another word, Chen Rong tried to shut the door. But at the last second, Han Ning swiftly placed her hand on the doorframe. “Chen~ Rong~ Jie~”

Han Ning resorted to her ultimate move—acting cute!

Faced with her shamelessly adorable plea, Chen Rong twitched at the corners of her mouth.

“You little…!” She sighed in exasperation, unable to stay mad. A few seconds later, she relented and let them in.

Shen Xi was stiff and nervous, like a student who had failed an exam standing in front of their strict teacher. She didn’t even dare to look Chen Rong in the eye.

“Alright then. Since you’re already here, let’s hear it—what kind of hidden truths does our so-called promising newcomer, Shen Xi, have to share?” Chen Rong said sharply.

Shen Xi took a deep breath and began to explain…