Reborn! Entangled with the Obsessive Best Actress - Chapter 18

Turning on the shower, the perfectly warm water cascaded over her, scalding yet comforting, washing away the day’s fatigue and the lingering scent of alcohol.

Song Qingxing stood awkwardly to the side, avoiding Xie Jingcheng’s gaze. Despite her extensive acting experience and having faced tens of thousands of fans on stage as an idol, she had never felt this nervous.

Xie Jingcheng’s long hair was soaked, and without her glasses, her vision was slightly blurred. She reached for the shampoo, preferring to use the purple crystal bottle her assistant had prepared earlier. The bottle seemed to glow under the light, and with a gentle squeeze, a pearly white shampoo pooled in her palm.

Her slender fingers delicately worked the shampoo into a lather before she turned to face Song Qingxing.

“Why are you standing so far away?”

“The sooner we wash up, the sooner we can sleep. Dark circles won’t look good on you.”

There wasn’t a trace of lust in Xie Jingcheng’s eyes. It seemed Song Qingxing had misinterpreted things. Unlike men, Xie Jingcheng didn’t become aroused at the sight of a naked body.

Song Qingxing edged closer, little by little.

Her bare feet pressed against the patterned ceramic tiles. The shower was now off, and tiny droplets of water clung to their milky-white skin, slowly sliding down.

Xie Jingcheng squeezed some shampoo into Song Qingxing’s palm.

Her technique was clumsy, but her patience was unwavering.

“Xie Jingcheng, do you ever find me annoying when we’re together?” Song Qingxing asked, letting Xie Jingcheng wash her hair. She felt a pang of guilt for drinking so much, like a farmer’s wife passed out in a cornfield, her face nearly buried in fertilizer.

“A little,” Xie Jingcheng replied.

Song Qingxing took a deep breath, inwardly cringing at the lack of emotional intelligence in that answer. She had expected something more tender. But then she remembered: her sugar daddy wasn’t obligated to flatter her.

“But I like it,” Xie Jingcheng added. “I’ve never taken care of anyone before.”

With that, Xie Jingcheng released her grip. You shouldn’t wash hair for too long anyway; moderation was key.

As the shower rinsed away the shampoo, Song Qingxing tasted the fragrant shampoo and a strange, soapy flavor, as if bubbles were about to form in her mouth.

“Pah, pah…” She spat twice, trying to get the shampoo out.

Xie Jingcheng was right—she really wasn’t good at taking care of others.

After showering, drying their hair, and finishing their skincare routines, it was already quite late.

Song Qingxing and Xie Jingcheng practically fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows. Fortunately, the hotel’s king-sized bed was spacious enough that they didn’t have to sleep close together.

Ah, bliss… utter bliss.

Song Qingxing finally didn’t have to endure Xie Jingcheng’s scorching, alluring body heat. Otherwise, even if she did nothing, she’d inevitably have those unspeakable, erotic dreams.

On Xie Jingcheng’s bedside table were daily necessities like eye patches and silk sleep masks—perfect for those with poor sleep quality.

After confirming she could use them, Song Qingxing put on the sleep mask.

With her eyes closed, her mind drifted through a jumble of thoughts. Over the past few days, she had grown accustomed to her reborn life.

She rarely dreamed of her life before reincarnation anymore.

Now, her parents’ problems were no longer severe. They didn’t have to cram into that cramped rental apartment or worry about money every day.

She slept soundly through the night.

But when she woke up, Song Qingxing felt something soft and fluffy pressing against her nose, making it hard to breathe.

Song Qingxing’s eyes snapped open, but darkness still enveloped her. She reached up and removed her eye mask, finally making out her surroundings.

She was practically pressed against Xie Jingcheng’s chest.

The soft, fluffy thing her nose was touching…

Xie Jingcheng’s “cotton”!

Song Qingxing’s face flushed crimson, as red and scalding as a boiling kettle.

Sensing movement beside her, Xie Jingcheng groggily opened her eyes. Before she could speak, her phone began to ring.

Ding-ding-ding, the rhythmic ringtone echoed in the air.

It took Song Qingxing a moment to realize it was her own phone. With a slightly apologetic glance, she answered the call.

“Hello?”

“Sister Song, when are you coming back?”

“I asked the crew earlier, and they said you and Xie Jingcheng had already left, so I didn’t want to bother you. But the sun’s been up for four or five hours now. Aren’t you coming to the office today?”

“If you’re not coming, I’ll cancel the tickets.”

Song Qingxing had finished filming yesterday. According to her schedule, she was supposed to fly back to the company today and begin her next project.

That’s just how it is for celebrities.

Especially for top-tier stars. It’s far better than being a washed-up, 18th-tier nobody stuck at home picking their toes. They have a steady stream of resources and acting opportunities year-round.

Manager Old Chen, aware of the complicated relationship between Song Qingxing and Xie Jingcheng, gave the company a vague explanation, allowing Song Qingxing to postpone her return.

“Cancel my flight?”

“What time is my flight?” Song Qingxing asked, still dazed.

“It’s this morning, Sister Song. The flight’s almost boarding. If you regret it now, there’s still time. But I’d advise you to rebook for the afternoon. You don’t want to exhaust yourself.”

Rumor had it that most patrons who engaged in such arrangements were notoriously demanding.

Yu Zhi spent the entire night devouring so-called “patronage literature,” her brow twitching with each page. The patrons in these stories were utterly inhuman, practically torturing their “canaries” with every imaginable cruelty.

Meanwhile, she silently wept for her boss.

Song Qingxing’s sudden enlightenment doesn’t need to be this extreme, does it? she thought.

Industry opinions on Xie Jingcheng were sharply divided. Some described her as warm and courteous, while others saw her as cold and selfish.

Song Qingxing had already negotiated with the company. Given her star power, securing a role in this web drama was practically effortless.

As a result, the company had directly invested in the project.

The male lead’s character design was still under discussion, but Song Qingxing had strict requirements for the actor.

She wanted someone without a scandalous past or a reputation for loose morals.

If any dirt came to light, the entire drama would be dead in the water.

“No need, I’ll head over right now.”

Song Qingxing jolted awake from her near-death dream, realizing she couldn’t let her desire to linger in Xie Jingcheng’s luxurious bed distract her from business.

This campus drama, Lemon is Sour, had been a viral sensation online years ago.

Song Qingxing wasn’t actually that old. She’d become an idol at a young age, skyrocketing to fame around fourteen or fifteen, and transitioning to acting by eighteen or nineteen.

Now barely in her early twenties, she maintained her youthful appearance impeccably, making her perfectly suited to play a high school student.

Far more appropriate than those actresses in their forties, fifties, or even sixties who stubbornly insisted on playing teenage girls.

But perhaps because she’d gotten up too hastily, Song Qingxing stumbled and fell to the floor.

Xie Jingcheng scrambled to her feet, half-crouching to help her up.

“Don’t rush when you get up.”

“My back hurts…”

Song Qingxing gasped sharply, and Xie Jingcheng heard her soft panting.

Xie Jingcheng’s fingers clenched tightly around the hem of her robe.

This Song Qingxing…

She’s so unknowingly provocative.