Reborn! Entangled with the Obsessive Best Actress - Chapter 35

Having endured countless trials, Song Qingxing was no longer the impulsive young woman who had once dared to point her finger at a paparazzi and call him a scoundrel.

Offending the paparazzi meant damaging her reputation, as these reporters were the primary source of gossip in the entertainment industry.

Song Qingxing took a deep breath, then flashed a radiant smile at the camera, fully aware that every word and gesture was being recorded.

“What’s between Actress Xie and me is a private matter. I hope everyone will respect our privacy. I promise to give you an answer someday.”

This was the equivalent of mastering the art of Tai Chi to its highest level. Yu Zhi and the driver, who had just stepped out of the car, exchanged astonished glances.

Neither of them could have imagined that this little firebrand would refrain from arguing with the paparazzi. Instead, she spoke with such composure and grace, demonstrating the emotional intelligence of a true master.

After a moment, the two assistants finally snapped out of their daze. They remembered they had important work to do—otherwise, why would the company pay them such high salaries?

They quickly rushed to Song Qingxing’s side, pushing back the swarm of reporters who had surged forward.

“Is it true?”

“Qingxing, your refusal to deny it proves there’s something romantic between you two!”

“Are you already dating?”

Song Qingxing had anticipated these questions. She simply struck a pose for the cameras, flashing her signature smile, and replied calmly, “Well, I can’t say anything definitive just yet.”

Yu Zhi marveled inwardly. Song Qingxing’s “Tai Chi Divine Skill” had reached its peak, making her seem as if she had lived a decade longer. If Yu Zhi hadn’t kept such a close eye on her, she would have suspected Song Qingxing had been reborn.

Hearing that Song Qingxing was coming to see her, Xie Jingcheng’s heart had been fluttering with joy all day, making it difficult to focus on the auction items.

This particular auction featured jewelry, with a wealthy Indian tycoon putting several hundred gemstones from his private collection up for sale.

Xie Jingcheng had come specifically to purchase some gems as a gift for Song Qingxing. After all, everyone said women loved such things, right?

Giving her these would surely be a hit.

Xie Jingcheng felt utterly confident in this, recalling how Song Qingxing’s eyes had sparkled like stars when she’d given her earrings before.

She must have really liked them.

To avoid making the wrong choice, Xie Jingcheng had even scrolled through Song Qingxing’s Weibo photos, discovering that she privately favored blue jewelry.

She promptly switched her planned purchase from purple to blue.

As a result, whenever a beautiful blue gemstone came up for auction, Xie Jingcheng bought it, even when others deliberately bid against her, driving the price far beyond its market value.

By the end of the auction, Xie Jingcheng hadn’t seen the person she’d been waiting for in the waiting lounge. She assumed Song Qingxing was simply running late.

Just as she was about to continue waiting, a bodyguard approached, his expression urgent, as if something had happened.

“What’s wrong?” Xie Jingcheng asked, her voice remaining calm and steady.

“Young Miss, paparazzi have surrounded a celebrity outside the auction hall. The nanny van looks a lot like the one Miss Song usually uses…”

The bodyguard hesitated, unsure of his assessment.

“What?”

For the first time, Xie Jingcheng felt a surge of panic. Ignoring whether the bodyguard was still there, she bolted out of the reception hall.

The bodyguard scrambled to catch up.

As she reached the plaza, she saw a swarm of paparazzi surrounding a vehicle. Xie Jingcheng frowned slightly; she loathed these fly-like pests who accosted people with intrusive questions regardless of the time or place.

She wondered if Song Qingxing was panicking inside. After all, Song Qingxing had come to pick her up. If she were trapped because of Xie Jingcheng, she would feel deeply guilty.

With her long legs, Xie Jingcheng moved swiftly, covering the distance to the plaza in just a few strides. By now, auction attendees were beginning to trickle out, their eyes drawn to the commotion.

While celebrities occasionally attended auctions, they weren’t the mainstream of high society. There were only a few present. Xie Jingcheng’s acting was merely a hobby; her true wealth came from the shares her parents had given her. Without that, the money she earned as a celebrity wouldn’t have allowed her to splurge so freely at auctions.

“Make way.”

Xie Jingcheng pushed through the crowd, finally spotting Song Qingxing. Contrary to her expectations, Song Qingxing wasn’t panicked or crying.

Song Qingxing wore a confident smile.

“Xie Jingcheng?”

Clearly surprised, Song Qingxing glanced at her wrist to check the time. It was later than she’d realized, which explained Xie Jingcheng’s presence.

“They have no right to photograph you,” Xie Jingcheng said through gritted teeth, her gaze sweeping over the paparazzi. At her glare, the crowd instinctively recoiled.

It was only then that Song Qingxing truly grasped the sheer intimidation Xie Jingcheng exuded.

“Delete any unauthorized photos you’ve taken today. Understand?” Xie Jingcheng’s voice dropped to a low growl. Every head nodded in unison, and some photographers even switched off their cameras, fearing Xie Jingcheng’s bodyguards might smash their equipment.

The paparazzi, who had been swarming around moments earlier, scattered like they’d encountered a plague god.

After a moment’s hesitation, Xie Jingcheng climbed into Song Qingxing’s car. Song Qingxing closed the door and pressed the button to raise the privacy partition separating the passenger compartment from the driver’s seat.

To ensure the artists’ comfort and privacy, the vans were equipped with partitions that could isolate the passenger area from the driver’s seat.

Yu Zhi glanced at the partition and promptly moved to the front passenger seat. She wouldn’t dare intrude on Song Qingxing and Xie Jingcheng’s private rendezvous.

The car fell silent. Song Qingxing waited a long time before speaking.

“Xie Jingcheng, are you angry?”

Xie Jingcheng’s earlier fury had led Song Qingxing to believe he was upset because she was late. After all, she had promised to pick him up but had missed the appointment—a careless oversight.

This also indirectly implied that she didn’t care much about Xie Jingcheng, so his anger was understandable.

After all, a patron might not care about their pet, but the pet must care about their patron. That was the unspoken rule.

“No,” Xie Jingcheng replied, turning around. Though a flicker of anger still lingered in his eyes, he stubbornly denied it, as if determined to be difficult.

“Don’t lie to me,” Song Qingxing said softly, leaning closer. “Your face practically screams ‘angry.'”

She mustered her courage and gently cupped his cheeks, her voice softening from its earlier imperiousness.

“I was wrong. I shouldn’t have been late.”

“Making you wait inside for so long.”

The stuffiness in her heart instantly cleared. Anyone would soften their heart when a beauty begged so sweetly.

“I’m not blaming you.”

“I’m just angry at those paparazzi.”

Xie Jingcheng suddenly opened her eyes and looked at the person before her, a feeling she couldn’t quite describe stirring within her. At first, she thought she wanted to kiss those lips. Later, she believed it was mere lust, a craving for the other woman’s body. But only now did she truly understand.

This was love.

And a morbid kind of love.

A desire to make the other woman act solely for her sake, undisturbed by anything else.

This was wrong…

Xie Jingcheng knew it in her heart, but what could she do?

She had already fallen.