Married in a Daze - Chapter 132

Chapter 132

After the female lead of The Means to Survive was confirmed to be Tang Ya, the promotional machine kicked into gear. Most of Tang Ya's previous film and television roles had been of the strong, capable woman type. This time, changing her image to go for a comedic style still garnered quite a bit of support from netizens.

For two days in a row, the news online was dominated by Tang Ya, even overshadowing the news of Qin Zhenzhen's recent collaboration with SP for a while.

When SP contacted Meng Xin, they felt the timing wasn't ideal, clashing with this promotional wave. Meng Xin's plans were also disrupted. Originally, Zhenzhen had been the most promising candidate to land the role in The Means to Survive, and they had prepared extensively for it. Who would have thought Tang Ya would appear out of nowhere and snatch it right away?

Her original plan was for SP to announce their collaboration with Zhenzhen first, followed by the successful audition for The Means to Survive. Exposing both pieces of news together would have surely boosted SP's March sales figures.

But now, The Means to Survive had been taken by Tang Ya, and the news of the SP collaboration had been buried.

Meng Xin was criticized by Director Shen and came out hanging her head with a sigh. She called Qin Zhenzhen. Because they had been preparing for The Means to Survive, they had turned down other films from the same period. Now, re-screening options would take some time, so Qin Zhenzhen was temporarily put on leave at home.

Qin Zhenzhen had just finished her own promotional activities, so some rest was actually quite nice.

When Meng Xin's call came, Qin Zhenzhen was in the middle of making soup. These past few days, she had free time, but Lu Ruyun had become busy. Drunken Dreams of Jianghu had just started filming, and Duan Qiuhan's Like a Dream was about to be released soon. Lu Ruyun not only had to film but also rush to do promotions, her schedule mirroring Qin Zhenzhen's previous hectic pace.

So, Qin Zhenzhen felt sorry for Lu Ruyun and decided to personally learn some culinary skills to make soup for her.

Meng Xin's call came in just as she stepped out of the kitchen. She answered, "Sister Meng."

"What are you up to?"

Qin Zhenzhen glanced toward the kitchen and smiled, "Nothing much, learning some cooking."

Hearing her relaxed tone, Meng Xin couldn't help but smile too. After a moment, she pursed her lips and said, "I'm sorry, Zhenzhen. This time, it was my mistake..."

"Sister Meng," Qin Zhenzhen interrupted her, her voice light and clear. "This isn't your fault."

Changing roles within the industry was nothing new. Sometimes, even after confirmation, actors could still be replaced. She had thought about it later; if she were the investor or the director, she would probably have chosen Tang Ya too.

Last time, Yu Changlin chose her; besides her capability, part of it was also due to luck—the luck that Yu Changlin was making an art film.

This time, it was a typical commercial film. Commercial films care about box office, about money, different from Yu Changlin's project.

So, her failure was within reason.

Meng Xin had thought the same, hearing her words, but she still felt some self-blame. She shouldn't have been so decisive in rejecting all other opportunities back then, shouldn't have put all her eggs in one basket without leaving a way out.

Now, having to re-screen resources was wasting Zhenzhen's time.

Qin Zhenzhen, on the other hand, comforted her, saying she needed the rest. She had been busy from after the New Year until now, and finally having a chance to rest was good. She asked Meng Xin to give her a few more days off.

Meng Xin could tell she was trying to prevent her from feeling too guilty and accepted her kindness. Qin Zhenzhen sat on the sofa and changed the subject. "Sister Meng, has SP contacted you recently?"

"They have."

Meng Xin walked into her office. "The magazine set the time for 8 a.m. on the first."

Qin Zhenzhen nodded. "Okay, I'll keep an eye on it then."

Meng Xin: "Don't be too nervous."

She had been closely monitoring online developments these past few days. Setting aside the fans of Qin Zhenzhen and Lu Ruyun, other loyal readers of the magazine had also voiced support for the magazine's reform this time. The momentum wasn't small. Moreover, SP had also invited Lu Ruyun this time, and their photos had the suspicion of being wedding photos. Fans were already going crazy, flooding screens, impatient to make purchases. So, the results shouldn't be too bad.

Hearing Meng Xin's words, Qin Zhenzhen chuckled softly. This certainly wasn't her first time shooting a magazine cover, but Meng Xin was right—she was nervous this time.

It was her first time on the cover of a heavyweight magazine like SP. Saying she didn't care about the outcome would be lying to herself.

This wasn't just SP's gamble; it was a gamble for her too.

Because if the results weren't good this time, it would directly affect some of her future opportunities.

These considerations weren't just hers; they were within Meng Xin's scope too. So, Meng Xin was actually more nervous than she was.

Seeing a notification for another call on her phone, Meng Xin said goodbye to Qin Zhenzhen and hung up. Qin Zhenzhen placed her phone on the coffee table and got up to return to the kitchen.

Lu Ruyun didn't return to the apartment until after 9 p.m. When He Shuangshuang dropped her off at the door, Lu Ruyun asked, "Coming in for dinner?"

He Shuangshuang thought of Qin Zhenzhen's "dark cuisine" and shook her head vigorously. "No thanks, I'd rather eat takeout."

Seeing her visibly startled expression, Lu Ruyun laughed.

A few days ago, Qin Zhenzhen said she wanted to learn to cook. Since she didn't have much else to do at home, Lu Ruyun let her learn. That evening, when He Shuangshuang brought her home and saw a table full of dishes, she couldn't stop praising it. Little did she know it was all looks and no substance. He Shuangshuang couldn't remember how much water she drank that night after going home. Recalling it now, she couldn't help but shudder.

"Zhenzhen has been learning these past few days, she's made quite a bit of progress."

He Shuangshuang looked at Lu Ruyun, who was defending Qin Zhenzhen, and clicked her tongue. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, huh?"

No sooner had the words left her mouth than the apartment door opened. Qin Zhenzhen's cheerful voice sounded behind them. "Ruyun, you're back."

Lu Ruyun turned to look. Qin Zhenzhen was wearing loungewear, her long hair tied up in a bun, her lovely face free of makeup. Facing the light, she looked pure and clean. Lu Ruyun's heart suddenly softened. Her voice gentle, she said, "Yes, I'm back."

Qin Zhenzhen looked past her at He Shuangshuang. "Have you eaten?"

He Shuangshuang spoke before Lu Ruyun could. "Not yet. But I have something to attend to at home. I need to head back now."

"Zhenzhen, see you later."

With that, she got into the car, her movements so fast it was astonishing. Qin Zhenzhen blinked, and by then, all she saw were the car's taillights leaving the apartment entrance. Lu Ruyun turned around and led Qin Zhenzhen back inside.

"Is my cooking that bad?"

"No, it's delicious."

"Then why did Shuangshuang run off so fast?"

"She had something to do."

"Lu Ruyun!"

Bits and pieces of their conversation drifted from the living room. Lu Ruyun entered the apartment, took off her high heels, her expression relaxed. The living room was filled with the fragrance of food.

Actually, Qin Zhenzhen's cooking skills had improved quite quickly. While the beginning truly resembled dark cuisine, now, her home-style dishes looked proper, complete in color, aroma, and taste.

Lu Ruyun washed her hands and helped Qin Zhenzhen bring the pork rib soup to the dining table. After they sat down, Qin Zhenzhen said to her, "Sister Meng called. SP has finalized the time."

"Mhm." Lu Ruyun took a bite of rice, glancing sideways at Qin Zhenzhen. "Shuangshuang already told me."

Qin Zhenzhen nodded. "When do you start promotions?"

Lu Ruyun thought for a few seconds. "Mid-month, probably. Still waiting for news from Qiuhan's side."

Because of the incident with Zhang Yiyao last time, Duan Qiuhan's affairs had become known to everyone. However, the subsequent clarification was relatively reasonable and well-supported. So, the television drama that had been shelved was put back on the agenda.

Still, something that big inevitably had some lingering impact. To this day, many netizens still believe Zhang Yiyao was innocent, believing Duan Qiuhan fabricated evidence. Although torn to shreds by Duan Qiuhan's fans, this narrative never disappeared.

He got stained with filth through no fault of his own and couldn't wash it off.

Qin Zhenzhen heard that the follow-up investment for the low-budget TV drama he was currently filming might also fall through.

Lu Ruyun nodded while eating. "Yes, that was the situation when I last contacted him. He said he would think of a way."

Qin Zhenzhen made a sound of acknowledgement and continued eating.

After dinner, Lu Ruyun was in charge of washing dishes. Qin Zhenzhen, holding her pajamas, went into the bathroom for a bath. Her cooking skills had made great progress these past few days, but she had been spending her whole time in the kitchen, resulting in her being covered in the smell of cooking oil. She needed to soak in the bath for a good while before she was willing to come out.

The bathroom next door was finally put on the agenda. After having the bathroom monopolized by Qin Zhenzhen twice, Lu Ruyun shifted her target. Of course, all the things He Shuangshuang had prepared were relocated, thrown by Lu Ruyun into the study.

When Qin Zhenzhen finished her bath and came out, light spilled from under the crack of the next-door bathroom door. Lu Ruyun was probably washing up inside. She dried her wet hair with a towel and walked to the sofa to sit down, watching a variety show on TV.

By the time she had completely blow-dried her hair, Lu Ruyun still hadn't emerged from the bathroom. Qin Zhenzhen frowned slightly, tied her hair into a ponytail, walked to the bathroom door, and called out, "Ruyun?"

She called twice, but there was no response or sound of water from inside. Remembering Lu Ruyun's past episodes, Qin Zhenzhen grew worried, pressed the door handle, and walked in.

Seeing Lu Ruyun with her eyes closed in the bathtub, Qin Zhenzhen let out a sigh of relief and closed the door.

The door clicked shut. The noise woke Lu Ruyun. She stirred, a slender, pale arm emerging from the bathtub. Seeing Qin Zhenzhen standing before her, she asked, "What's wrong?"

Qin Zhenzhen leaned over the edge of the bathtub and said, slightly annoyed, "I called you from outside just now, and you didn't answer. I was worried, so I came in."

Hearing this, Lu Ruyun smiled faintly. This door was specially chosen by He Shuangshuang, who claimed it had top-notch soundproofing. So, when Qin Zhenzhen was standing outside just now, she hadn't heard a thing.

"Sorry, I fell asleep just now."

Filming had been a bit tiring these past few days, and she hadn't rested well after returning at night. So, she had fallen asleep while soaking in the bath. Seeing her apologetic look, Qin Zhenzhen's gaze drifted downward. Lu Ruyun's body was hidden beneath white bubbles, only her rounded shoulders and arms resting on either side were visible. Qin Zhenzhen couldn't resist reaching out and gently pressing a finger against Lu Ruyun's shoulder.

Her fingertip was warm, pressed against Lu Ruyun's damp skin. Both of them froze for a moment. Seeing Lu Ruyun's rare, dazed expression, Qin Zhenzhen's lips curved up. Unable to resist, she replaced her finger with her mouth, biting lightly on Lu Ruyun's shoulder. Lu Ruyun's hands gripped the edge of the bathtub tightly, her voice slightly lower as she said, "Zhenzhen."

Qin Zhenzhen looked at her, the clear depths of her eyes growing a shade darker. She was wearing a silk nightgown. As she leaned forward, the nightgown brushed against the water, soaking a large patch on her chest. It clung to her, and with no bra underneath, the outline of her breasts was distinct. Lu Ruyun shifted slightly to the side. Qin Zhenzhen took the hint and, still in her nightgown, stepped into the bathtub.

The silk nightgown, meeting the water, clung to her body like an extra layer of modesty cloth. Lu Ruyun, wearing nothing at all, turned her head to the side. Qin Zhenzhen's hands traced the lovely curves, the slick bubbles and delicate skin offering a completely different sensation.

Qin Zhenzhen bit her lip and leaned close to her, whispering softly into Lu Ruyun's ear, "Teacher Lu, weren't you tired just now?"

"You can go back to sleep. I'll take care of things."

Beneath the foam, the water rippled and churned. Lu Ruyun bit her lip, her lips red and alluring. She couldn't hold back a muffled moan.

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