The Ice-Queen Actress Used Her Acting Skills to Reel Me In! - Chapter 12

Shen Niannian’s pear and rock sugar soup arrived punctually at Qin Zhaoman’s desk the following afternoon.

Normally, food items rarely made it to the floor where Qin Zhaoman worked. However, Qiao Qiao had been eagerly anticipating the cookies Shen Niannian had promised and had been waiting at the café for Shen Niannian’s driver to deliver them. She casually took the soup upstairs along with the cookies.

Outside Qin Zhaoman’s office, Qiao Qiao knocked on the door, entered, and placed the food container on the desk.

“Niannian made you pear and rock sugar soup. She said she added some medicinal herbs—clears the lungs and soothes coughs. Want to try it?”

The brown paper bag rested atop some documents, containing a white porcelain thermal soup container. In the lower right corner of the lid was a tiny “neve” and a brown bear’s head.

Qin Zhaoman moved the bag aside and asked, “You came all the way here just to deliver soup?”

Qiao Qiao crunched on a cookie. “Pretty much. Niannian said you don’t need to return the container—just toss it after you’re done. Not going to drink it?”

Qin Zhaoman replied, “Not a fan of soup.”

Qiao Qiao set down her cookie. “Then give it to me. I’d love to try Niannian’s cooking.”

Qin Zhaoman swatted her hand away. “There’s medicine in it.”

Qiao Qiao teased her deliberately, “I don’t mind. ‘Better to die under the peony—'”

Qin Zhaoman’s gaze turned dangerous. Qiao Qiao withdrew her hand, wisely shut her mouth, and stood up. She even remembered to close the door on her way out.

Once the room was quiet again, Qin Zhaoman turned her attention to her computer. On the screen was an invitation from a motorcycle racing league.

The digital invitation video played a promotional teaser for the upcoming MotoGP, featuring clips from Shen Niannian’s film.

On the circular track, a professional motorcycle racer in full gear leaned low into a turn, speeding past the camera to the rhythm of an intense dance track.

Qin Zhaoman recognized a few familiar faces before closing her laptop. Suddenly, she coughed.

A message popped up on her phone.

Antoine: Not coming again this year? People are going to forget about your Thunderfire.

Qin Zhaoman took a sip of water and replied: Still sick.

It wasn’t just her leg—over the past two winters, her coughing had worsened to the point where she could barely manage riding a motorcycle outdoors.

Antoine: How bad was that crash? You never told us. It’s been a year, and you’re still not healed?

Qin Zhaoman didn’t respond. Antoine called directly.

“Zelmer, even if you’re not competing, you could at least come watch this afternoon. Everyone misses you. It’s all just a bunch of guys without you.”

Someone else shouted at the phone, “Yeah! Zelmer, come hang out! If you can’t ride, you can always be the starting flag girl!”

Qin Zhaoman retorted, “Why don’t you be the starting flag girl?”

Antoine yelled, “Neve might be commentating this year! You’ll get to see a superstar. Seriously, not coming?”

Qin Zhaoman knew that after Shen Niannian finished filming the motorcycle championship movie, she had been invited to commentate at last year’s competition. By then, Qin Zhaoman had already been injured and missed the chance to hear her commentary.

She took a spoonful of the pear soup and said, “We’ll see.”

Shen Niannian had prepared two weeks’ worth of medicinal herbs—just enough for two weeks of pear and rock sugar soup. For the first couple of days, she had time to deliver it personally, but then she suddenly became swamped with work, pulling overtime meetings and leaving the office only when the sun went down. No matter how busy she was, as long as she had free time in the evenings, she would go sit at Qin Zhaoman’s café.

At this time, Qin Zhaoman was usually nowhere to be seen. Though Qin Zhaoman was also busy, it was the kind of busyness that came with being in a high position—only occupied during limited working hours, never staying late at the office.

Secretary Li didn’t understand her persistence. Watching Shen Niannian resting in the back seat, she asked, “You’re already so tired. Even if you go now, you won’t see Qin Zhaoman. What’s the point?”

Shen Niannian didn’t even open her eyes, but her voice was firm. “I’ll see her soon.”

Secretary Li was about to argue when she spotted Qin Zhaoman sitting by the café window through the car window.

Surprised, she said, “She’s really here. Did you two arrange this?”

“No.” Shen Niannian opened her eyes. “The soup wasn’t sent for nothing.”

Secretary Li clicked her tongue in admiration. “Now I really think Qin Zhaoman might actually sign the contract with us.”

Shen Niannian unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. “Don’t be so sure. I haven’t finished revising the contract yet.”

As she entered, the twins whispered to her, “President Qin has been waiting here since this afternoon!”

Their animated expressions practically screamed that Qin Zhaoman had deliberately come to wait for her.

Shen Niannian smiled at them and glanced toward the window, where Qin Zhaoman was reading a book.

She sat down beside Qin Zhaoman and asked, “Is your lung feeling any better?”

Qin Zhaoman closed the novel she hadn’t turned a page of in the last two minutes and replied, “Much better. But you don’t need to brew it anymore—it’s too much trouble. I’d like to buy the recipe and have Daisy make it from now on.”

Shen Niannian said, “No need to buy it. It’s a very common prescription. I’ll write it down for Daisy later.”

Qin Zhaoman acknowledged with a hum and handed her two boxes of chocolates from the side. “With hazelnuts.”

Shen Niannian accepted them and said, “I feel a little flattered. Did you wait here today just for me?”

Qin Zhaoman replied, “Well, President Shen is so busy managing affairs of state that she only has time to visit my humble shop in the evenings. I had no choice but to wait.”

What a masterful twisting of the truth.

Shen Niannian indulged her. “Once I’m done with this busy period, I’ll definitely visit President Qin’s place more often—at your beck and call.”

Sometimes, Qin Zhaoman wondered if Shen Niannian truly just wanted to be friends with her and not ask for anything in return.

Otherwise, how could she be so composed, showing no signs of ulterior motives while quietly doing her own thing?

Shen Niannian noticed her gaze and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Qin Zhaoman took a sip of coffee and said, “The World Motorcycle Championship is starting this year. I heard you’re going too?”

Shen Niannian had indeed received an invitation but had already declined. “Are you going?”

Qin Zhaoman said, “Most likely.”

Shen Niannian calculated in her mind—the contract revisions would be finished by the end of the month. Going with Qin Zhaoman would give her one last chance to review it. If successful, it would be a happy outcome; if rejected, the environment would make it less awkward.

Qin Zhaoman lifted her cup to drink, though she barely registered the taste, her attention fixed on Shen Niannian.

Shen Niannian made her decision. “Then I’ll probably go too. Want to go together?”

Qin Zhaoman said, “I’m leaving in three days.”

Shen Niannian sighed slightly. “Then I might be a little late. You go ahead, and we can return together.”

Qin Zhaoman had already achieved half her goal—now only the most important half remained.She asked, “Did you bring a motorcycle?”

Shen Niannian replied, “I was invited here as a commentator.”

Qin Zhaoman said, “Since you’re already here, why not take a ride?”

Shen Niannian looked into her eyes, feeling she’d vaguely grasped something, and said, “It seems too late to prepare now.”

Competition-grade motorcycles aren’t something you can just get. Most are sponsored by major manufacturers for their own team riders. Of course, you could custom-order one at great expense, but the higher the specifications, the longer the production time. There’s no way one could be ready in just three days.

Qin Zhaoman said, “You can use my bike.”

Shen Niannian felt that subtle sensation grows stronger: “Isn’t it said that a motorcycle is like a wife to its rider?”

Qin Zhaoman replied, “Then my bike is now a widow.”

Shen Niannian smiled faintly, certain now—Qin Zhaoman really wanted her to ride the motorcycle. But why?

“Then I’ll take a couple of laps later. It’s been a while since I last rode, so if I’m not good, you’ll have to give me some pointers.”

Qin Zhaoman closed the novel she was reading: “That’ll cost extra.”

Shen Niannian rested her chin on her hand and asked, “What’s the price, Professor Qin? Do tell.”

Qin Zhaoman thought of her on-screen persona, unsure whether it was anticipation or some other emotion, and said, “I don’t think you’ll need it.”

If she really was as skilled as in the movies.

Three days later, Qin Zhaoman drove to City N.

She had loved motorcycles for a long time and, before her serious injury, had never missed a race.

Because she had invested so much—too much—the sunk cost was high. Out of some subconscious avoidance, she had never touched a motorcycle again after getting hurt.

She had never avoided anything before, always believing that if she didn’t want to do something, it was only because she chose not to. It was only after that incident that she realized everyone had moments of powerlessness.

Qin Zhaoman lit a cigarette and, upon getting out of the car, immediately spotted Shen Niannian sitting in the commentator’s booth.

Though she had known in advance, it still felt… novel.

Shen Niannian had changed into a racing suit and was greeting the group of people below who were supposed to be there to welcome her.

As if sensing something, she suddenly turned and looked over.

More precisely, she first looked at Qin Zhaoman’s face, then at her cigarette.

Qin Zhaoman somehow understood her gaze—Shen Niannian was asking why she was smoking.

Antoine was the first to notice Qin Zhaoman’s arrival.

He squeezed out of the circle surrounding Shen Niannian and, like a golden retriever spotting a friend, bounded over cheerfully.

Qin Zhaoman raised a hand to block his head, rejecting his hug: “Stay away. You didn’t even have anyone at the gate to meet me.”

Antoine scratched his blond hair and grinned sheepishly: “Didn’t expect you to arrive so soon. Neve happened to show up, so everyone went to gawk at the big star.”

Qin Zhaoman glanced toward Shen Niannian and saw her still staring intently—along with everyone else now looking her way. Most people here knew Qin Zhaoman and cheered in greeting.

She waved back, then pulled Antoine aside a few steps—though she didn’t put out the cigarette.

Putting it out would have been strange, as if she cared too much about Shen Niannian’s opinion.

Antoine, confused by the tug, asked, “Where are we going? Aren’t you going to say hi to Neve?”

Qin Zhaoman stopped and asked, “Why would I greet her?”

Antoine looked surprised. “Because she came here for you!”

Qin Zhaoman paused mid-step. “For me?”Antoine said, “Neve had already declined to come as a commentator this year, but changed her mind later because the player she likes is coming.”

Qin Zhaoman asked, “The player she likes is me?”

Antoine nodded, wagging his tail in envy. “Yeah. When will I ever have a stunning beauty like that fancy me?”

Qin Zhaoman didn’t respond and walked toward the bar. “When you can ride as well as I do.”

Antoine called after her, “It’s about to start! Aren’t you going to watch the match?!”

Suppressing the urge to cough, Qin Zhaoman said, “You go ahead.”

She entered and sat down, only realizing after ordering a drink that the cigarette in her hand had burned to the filter on its own. There was no ashtray on the table.

Just as she was about to speak, an ashtray was placed in front of her.

Shen Niannian sat down opposite her and said, “The match starts in half an hour. Aren’t you going?”

Qin Zhaoman studied her for a moment longer before replying, “You always seem to appear by my side at just the right time.”

Shen Niannian’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Mm, because I want to be friends with you, so I have to make a good impression.”

Qin Zhaoman said offhandedly, “You’re doing very well. I almost don’t know how to handle it.”

Shen Niannian curved her lips slightly. “Really? I thought many people would want to be friends with President Qin.”

There were indeed many, but in over twenty years, Shen Niannian was the only one who could stand by her side and even get Qiao Qiao and her secretary to speak up for her.

Shen Niannian’s phone rang. She answered, exchanged a few words, and said, “I have to go now.”

“Mm.”

“See you later.”

Qin Zhaoman lazily waved her hand, watching Shen Niannian leave. A waiter approached with a tray and set down a bowl of pear and rock sugar soup.

She had clearly ordered a cocktail, and pear soup seemed out of place in a bar.

The waiter said, “This is a gift from our boss.”

The boss’s identity was obvious.

Qin Zhaoman picked up the spoon. The sweet syrup soothed her throat, which had been bothering her all this time, gradually easing the discomfort.

She hadn’t been lying earlier.

Shen Niannian was truly hard to resist.