Reborn! Entangled with the Obsessive Best Actress - Chapter 32

Such a grand entrance couldn’t have gone unnoticed by Song Qingxing alone; the entire advertising team turned to stare.

One crew member, so focused on identifying the newcomer, even lost his grip on the rain tarp, which was promptly blown away. After a harsh scolding from the director, he finally scrambled to retrieve the tarp, now drifting far off.

Xie Jingcheng moved swiftly, arriving beside Song Qingxing in moments. A thick mist clung to her, but what truly shocked Song Qingxing was the vivid red mark on her cheek. From a distance, it was barely visible, but up close, it looked unmistakably like the aftermath of a slap—as if she’d been caught in an affair.

Who would dare treat Xie Jingcheng like this? Song Qingxing wondered. That takes some serious guts.

“What happened to your face?”

As if anticipating the question, Xie Jingcheng simply shook her head and patiently explained, “I ran into An Wenqing on the way here. She was furious about my connection with you and slapped me.”

Song Qingxing’s eyes widened at this revelation. Ever since An Wenqing had threatened her that day, Song Qingxing had spent countless nights buried under her covers, researching An Wenqing’s name and family history.

A woman who has her own entry on that blue paw-print app is definitely no ordinary person.

Song Qingxing had indeed looked into the woman’s background.

She was the youngest daughter of the An Group’s chairman. When she turned eighteen, her father gifted her a private island, which even made the trending news.

The woman certainly had reason to be proud, but even the proudest person shouldn’t slap Xie Jingcheng.

Ahem… Now was the time to unleash her green tea… no, her girlfriend powers!

Song Qingxing rummaged through her bag and pulled out a pack of wet wipes. The cool wipes offered some relief from the summer heat, and pressing one against Xie Jingcheng’s flushed cheek helped soothe the stinging pain.

“You’re so foolish! Why did you just let her bully you like that? You should have dodged when you could!”

The genuine concern in Song Qingxing’s voice wasn’t feigned. In her previous life, Xie Jingcheng had been untouchably arrogant. To see her reduced to this now was almost unimaginable.

“I didn’t expect her to hit me,” Xie Jingcheng said with a helpless smile. “I guess I underestimated her.”

So it was true—some people really do fly into a rage when their advances are rejected. This wasn’t just a male phenomenon; women were just as capable of such irrational fury.

After all, everyone is human, with countless flaws.

“But appearances are important. I’ll have someone send over some swelling-reducing medicine when we get back.”

“Don’t worry, it’s very effective. I sometimes use it on set when I have to act in scenes where I get slapped.”

Not all actors use stunt doubles for slapping scenes. Over a decade ago, two veteran actors were filming a scene where they were supposed to blame and slap each other.

The two seniors got so carried away with the slapping that they nearly sent each other to the hospital, truly capturing the essence of brothers turning against each other.

In the end, the director had to intervene to stop the escalating conflict.

Due to the heavy rain, filming the commercial couldn’t continue. Song Qingxing and the director discussed it and decided to call it a day.

The unfinished scenes would have to wait for better weather. If time ran short, they’d have to shoot the remaining scenes in a studio with a green screen.

Yu Zhi quickly packed her belongings, held her own umbrella, and wisely kept her distance.

Xie Jingcheng took an umbrella from her bodyguard, shaking her head to indicate she didn’t need assistance.

“I’ll hold the umbrella for you,” she said.

Having just been slapped, most people would be in a foul mood.

Xie Jingcheng, however, remained remarkably cheerful, her upturned lips giving her the air of a proud little white cat.

“Xie…”

Song Qingxing was about to express her gratitude when she suddenly hesitated, realizing Xie Jingcheng might not appreciate it. She swallowed the words and quickly changed her tone.

“Xie Jingcheng, you were slapped. Aren’t you going to punish her?”

How could anyone just let a slap go unpunished?

Song Qingxing couldn’t accept this. If Xie Jingcheng continued to indulge this childhood friend, the woman might actually dare to steal her position.

Song Qingxing couldn’t claim to be deeply in love with Xie Jingcheng, but she had already developed some affection and didn’t want to relinquish her role as Xie Jingcheng’s lover so soon.

Perhaps if they stayed together, sparks of love might truly ignite?

“I haven’t decided yet. I don’t want to escalate things too much. The Xie and An families still have business ties.”

“But you can’t just endure it because of those ties!”

Song Qingxing began strategizing on Xie Jingcheng’s behalf, determined to ensure the actress wouldn’t suffer this injustice.

Seeing Song Qingxing’s genuine concern, Xie Jingcheng felt deeply moved. Being questioned by someone she was attracted to made the moment even more special.

“I understand. I’ll…”

Xie Jingcheng didn’t reveal what decision he would make. Song Qingxing leaned closer, the sound of rain pattering against the black umbrella filling their ears.

To avoid getting wet, Song Qingxing pressed herself tightly against Xie Jingcheng, almost completely against him. When she noticed the umbrella tilting toward her, she gently shifted it back.

“Xie Jingcheng, you can’t just brush this off. The best way to resolve this isn’t to tell your parents, but to tell An Wenqing’s parents.”

Having lived seven or eight years longer, Song Qingxing had evolved from a naive and clueless girl into a cunning strategist, enduring countless hardships along the way.

If they told Xie Jingcheng’s parents, who valued work above all else, there was a 50% chance they would ask him to endure it to maintain harmony between the An and Xie families. Song Qingxing refused to let Xie Jingcheng suffer such injustice.

He was her patron, and she was duty-bound to protect him!

“Qingxing, your plan is sound,” Xie Jingcheng said, shaking his head. “But I don’t need it.”

Xie Jingcheng’s rejection caught Song Qingxing completely off guard. A sudden thought flashed through her mind: Could he also be in love with An Wenqing?

Damn it, am I about to become a substitute?

Song Qingxing’s mind raced, her thoughts spiraling into increasingly dire scenarios. But before she could follow this train of thought any further, they arrived at the parking lot.

The bodyguard opened the car door, while Xie Jingcheng, holding an umbrella, graciously allowed Song Qingxing to enter first. As Song Qingxing settled into the car, she noticed Yu Zhi and the company driver standing behind her, their faces blank with confusion.

They clearly hadn’t expected her to get into someone else’s car so casually.

“You can head back now,” Song Qingxing said.

She knew she would be stumbling through many years with Xie Jingcheng, and her companions would eventually have to adjust.

“But Sister Song, the company instructed me to take you back to the office,” the driver protested, his inexperience showing. He was about to continue when Yu Zhi abruptly pulled him away.

Xie Jingcheng slid into the car, leaning close to Song Qingxing.

“Qingxing, I want to take some photos with you to make An Wenqing give up.”

As longtime friends, Xie Jingcheng knew exactly how to crush An Wenqing’s heart and shatter her hopes.

Telling An Wenqing’s parents would only result in a scolding, which might actually fuel her possessiveness.

Far better to take intimate photos that would completely break An Wenqing’s defenses.