Reborn! Entangled with the Obsessive Best Actress - Chapter 26

Feeling a slight weight on her neck, Xie Jingcheng found herself unaccustomed to being so close to someone. She took a deep breath, suppressing the discomfort.

Every time she made physical contact with anyone, Xie Jingcheng felt a sense of repulsion. But she had overcome this through acting, leaving only a lingering unease in her heart.

Yet this initial urge to push Song Qingxing away lasted only a moment before transforming into a desire to pull her into an embrace.

Xie Jingcheng wasn’t surprised by this shift in her feelings.

She had noticed it when they first began rehearsing together. Despite her aversion to physical contact with others, she felt something different with Song Qingxing.

Even toward her own mother, Xie Jingcheng harbored a sense of resistance.

But with Song Qingxing, there was none.

“I want you to help me rehearse,” Song Qingxing said. Xie Jingcheng’s breath hitched for a moment, a flicker of disappointment crossing her heart. She had expected some severe punishment.

But this was all?

“Is it for Lemon is Sour? Song Qingxing, you seem to value it so much, but I’ve read the script. It’s just another ordinary campus drama.”

No one can predict the future, except for those who have been reborn.

Even Xie Jingcheng, who had worked on countless blockbuster projects, couldn’t predict which drama would become a massive hit. Popularity itself was a mysterious phenomenon.

If people could grasp the underlying patterns, then every breakout success would cease to be a surprise.

Song Qingxing couldn’t pinpoint why that particular drama would become a sensation either. But she was determined to give it her all. Only by securing more endorsements and increasing her market value could she fully repay her parents’ debts.

Then I’ll retire, she thought.

Who wouldn’t dream of buying a beachfront villa in the Maldives or Hawaii, then lounging on soft sands with the sea breeze in their hair?

But dreams are beautiful, while reality is harsh. Who wouldn’t want to retire in glory after achieving fame and fortune? The problem is, you need the ability to persevere until retirement.

Song Qingxing had now latched onto a major player.

She didn’t need to worry about being fired like programmers at big tech companies, who are often dismissed once they reach a certain age, leaving them burdened with car loans, mortgages, and the costs of raising and educating their children.

It was a truly miserable existence.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I just think it’s a good story, and I want to act in it. Is that so wrong?”

Song Qingxing couldn’t be bothered to concoct elaborate excuses. She had simply been reborn and knew which dramas would become hits—it was that simple.

“Okay,” Xie Jingcheng replied.

“I’m free these next few days. We can rehearse whenever you want. Just send me the script.”

Xie Jingcheng nodded.

She got out of the car and walked around the hood to the driver’s seat. Song Qingxing hesitated for a moment, realizing she couldn’t be so oblivious. She also got out and settled into the passenger seat, fastening her seatbelt.

A sudden thought struck Song Qingxing. She quickly texted Little He, sending him a generous 300-yuan red envelope, asking him to pick up Yu Zhi, who was still at the bar.

Leaving her best friend stranded like that was truly irresponsible.

Song Qingxing felt a pang of guilt.

Xie Jingcheng drove in silence, her phone chiming incessantly. Song Qingxing glanced over and saw the name “An Wenqing” flashing on the screen.

The name felt strangely familiar.

Before Song Qingxing could dwell on it, Xie Jingcheng’s cool voice cut through the silence.

“Could you block this account for me? She’s being a real nuisance. I don’t want to hear from her.”

“Isn’t that a bit harsh? What if she needs to reach you urgently?”

Xie Jingcheng’s social circle was meticulously curated; she never added contacts without a good reason. This sudden urge to block someone likely stemmed from her current irritation.

“If I tell you to block them, just do it.”

Xie Jingcheng’s rare outburst of temper left Song Qingxing almost speechless.

With a trembling hand, Song Qingxing tapped the block button. The car fell silent, save for the gentle rocking and the hum of the tires.

Just as Song Qingxing exhaled in relief and was about to return the phone, it rang.

“It’s Xie Ze calling,” she said, looking at Xie Jingcheng, uncertain.

“Then answer it for me,” Xie Jingcheng replied, her mind racing. If Xie Ze needed her for an urgent matter, she couldn’t miss the call. But if it was An Wenqing, the moment her voice was heard, Xie Jingcheng would order Song Qingxing to block Xie Ze immediately. They could unblock him in a few months.

“Hello? What do you need?” Song Qingxing’s voice was gentle, a stark contrast to Xie Jingcheng’s cold, aloof tone.

Only static crackled through the line. Just as Song Qingxing was about to hang up, thinking Xie Ze was playing a prank, she grew angry.

Just as Song Qingxing was about to demand answers, a stranger’s voice came through the phone.

“Are you Song Qingxing?”

An Wenqing, who had finally managed to get through to the phone number, hadn’t even had time to smile before the stranger’s voice cut through her joy like a bucket of cold water dumped over her head.

It was completely unexpected.

“Yes,” Song Qingxing replied.

“So it’s you. No wonder Xie Jingcheng has been ignoring me lately. She’s found a new lover. She really is something.”

An Wenqing’s lips curved into a smirk, her crimson lips captivating.

Meanwhile, Xie Ze leaned against the wall, bl00d trickling from the corner of his mouth.

“An Wenqing, give me back my phone!”

“If you keep making a scene, your elder female cousin won’t be happy.”

But his voice was too weak, quickly muffled by the bodyguard beside him, leaving only muffled whimpers.

Song Qingxing was stunned by the woman’s words.

What?

Xie Jingcheng had an ex-girlfriend?

How had she never heard about this?

Even in her previous life, she’d never heard of such a person. It was possible that fans outside the industry wouldn’t know, but it was impossible for celebrities within the industry to be unaware.

Song Qingxing wanted to deny being the “new flame,” but after a moment’s reflection, she realized her current position was indeed awkward. A mistress could be considered a new flame, so she couldn’t bring herself to deny it.

“If you know what’s good for you, break up with her now,” An Wenqing hissed, her voice low and threatening. “Xie Jingcheng is terrifying. Someone ordinary like you can’t handle her.”

“I’m sorry, but telling me this won’t change anything.”

“You think your words matter? Let me tell you, Song Qingxing, don’t get cocky just because you’re a female celebrity now. You’re just a singer!”

“Just wait. If you don’t break up with her yourself, I have plenty of ways to make you…”

“I’ll make sure…”

The last few words were cut off by the dial tone as An Wenqing’s call was abruptly disconnected.

Beep… beep… beep…

Damn it!

This bastard dared to hang up on me!

An Wenqing hurled her phone to the ground. The latest model iPhone shattered, its screen spiderwebbed with cracks.

“What are you doing?!”

Xie Ze shoved aside his bodyguard in a panic, his voice exploding into a thunderous roar as he dropped to his knees. He cradled the broken phone in his arms.

Everything becomes family with time.

Xie Ze was genuinely heartbroken.

More importantly, the phone held irreplaceable treasures: his photo album and his beloved e-books!