Chapter 79: A Baffling Encounter

Chu Luoxi stared at her empty chopsticks, utterly bewildered in the midst of the gentle breeze. Wasn’t Master Xiao supposed to have a strong aversion to anything unclean? The kind who wouldn’t eat if someone spoke near his bowl? Then why, with these chopsticks that had clearly touched her lips, did he show no disdain whatsoever?

Seeing Chu Luoxi’s dazed expression, a trace of amusement flickered in Xiao Jingxuan’s dark eyes. He spoke lightly, “Weren’t you giving it to me?” He hadn’t tasted it before; indeed, the flavor was quite good.

Chu Luoxi glanced at Xiao Jingxuan, biting her chopsticks with conflicted thoughts. Honestly, she wanted to reply that it wasn’t for him at all, because deep down, she believed he would never eat it. Yet, her impression of Master Xiao was once again turned upside down…

Preoccupied with the bizarre fact that Xiao Jingxuan had actually eaten, Chu Luoxi didn’t even consider how ambiguous her actions had been. She simply felt that after her rebirth, the Xiao Jingxuan she encountered was so different from what she’d known, constantly unsettling her composure, breaking her calm so thoroughly.

Once she’d finally calmed her “ghostly” feelings, Chu Luoxi handed Xiao Jingxuan a pair of clean chopsticks and shifted the topic, “Senior Xiao, what brings you here? Is there something you need?”

She couldn’t recall Xiao Jingxuan ever making a guest appearance in “Rivers and Mountains,” so why had he suddenly shown up late at night?

“It’s Leng Lu who came to see Qiu Xian about something. I just tagged along to take a look.” Xiao Jingxuan glanced at Chu Luoxi’s food container, then at his newly opened one. Why did it seem the taste was so different?

“To take a look?” Chu Luoxi was puzzled again. Usually, only agents accompanied artists; when had artists started accompanying agents to handle business? Besides, she’d heard Leng Lu complain so many times—turn around and Master Xiao would vanish without a trace.

“I can’t come?” Xiao Jingxuan picked up on the nuance. Was she really that surprised by his presence?

“No!” Chu Luoxi answered swiftly, pure reflex, because she deeply sensed the displeasure and danger in Master Xiao’s voice.

Xiao Jingxuan smiled, and silence settled between them. Yet the atmosphere wasn’t awkward at all. On the contrary, Chu Luoxi found the quiet soothing, warm, and relaxing.

After a while, Xiao Jingxuan seemed to hint, “You live here—has anyone else visited?”

“Huh?” The abruptness of the topic caught Chu Luoxi off guard. “I just moved in two days ago. How could anyone have come?”

Xiao Jingxuan mused, “Then what did you do? Why did Huang Zixue have a nosebleed as soon as he saw you?” A man bleeding in front of a woman—that wasn’t a trivial matter.

At his words, Chu Luoxi’s whole mood darkened, entering a low-pressure zone. Mentioning this incident always made her depressed. The thought of someone mentally leering at her made her want to tear them apart, but everyone seemed to think she must have done something to provoke such a strong reaction from Huang Zixue, who was no naive kid. Heaven knows, she was more wronged than Dou E.

“What do you mean, ‘what did I do’? And what’s with ‘nosebleed on seeing me’? Senior Xiao, who told you that? It has little to do with me, okay?” Chu Luoxi frowned, black lines crossing her mind. Huang Zixue—it seemed the two were at odds now. How could her reputation from two lifetimes be sullied!

Indeed, there were no secrets in the entertainment industry. Look at how fast the rumors spread, who knew what they’d been twisted into.

“If you don’t believe it, ask Sister Yao Xiao. She saw everything from the start.” Chu Luoxi added, emphasizing her innocence. Luckily, there were plenty at the scene; many witnessed it from beginning to end, so it wouldn’t be hard to verify…

“As long as it’s nothing, don’t worry—it won’t be leaked.” Xiao Jingxuan, upon hearing the story, was equally exasperated. He’d thought the scene when he entered wouldn’t be witnessed by only him. Such an alluring Chu Luoxi—anyone would get a nosebleed. Fortunately, he remained calm.

“Huang Zixue—don’t let me run into him again,” Chu Luoxi said with a hint of embarrassment, though relief welled up inside her. The incident wasn’t too big or too small; it all depended on how the parties and director handled it. She knew that if Xiao Jingxuan said so, it meant it wouldn’t leak to the media or be reported—that was definitely good for her.

Xiao Jingxuan asked about the details, and he, too, was thoroughly embarrassed, even developing a hint of dissatisfaction toward Huang Zixue. As a man, to harbor such thoughts and let everyone know—it was truly…

Finding Master Xiao’s visit utterly baffling, Chu Luoxi was still at a loss after he left. Why had Xiao Jingxuan come? Surely not just to ask about the “nosebleed incident”?

Ah, the master’s ways were always so unexpected!

After Xiao Jingxuan left, Ding Ju hurried back, immediately searching for food and savoring it with relish.

“Hey, Ding Ju, you bought a whole lot—whose money did you spend?” Chu Luoxi checked her wallet and found nothing missing, growing serious.

Ding Ju wasn’t her assistant, so she felt awkward having someone serve her, let alone pay on her behalf. That’s why she’d given her wallet before heading out.

“Oh, Xiao Jingxuan paid. I ran into him as soon as I left,” Ding Ju replied honestly—she hadn’t even touched the reserve funds given by Cold Manager.

“Senior Xiao?” Chu Luoxi paused, but soon dismissed it. Master Xiao was certainly wealthy; such expenses were mere trifles.

Yes, yes, what’s one more debt when there are already so many? She owed Xiao Jingxuan enough; this wouldn’t make a difference…

Well fed and watered, Chu Luoxi slept soundly and woke the next day refreshed, ready to start work.

Thus began her official life in the “Rivers and Mountains” crew. Though things started off a bit imperfectly, Chu Luoxi fared well. The period wouldn’t be too long, though she had more scenes now than Yun Tianxue ever did, but it would end quickly nonetheless.

With her solid acting skills and attitude, Chu Luoxi quickly earned the director’s recognition and the respect of peers and staff, her personal reputation steadily rising.

Especially since her role wasn’t as tight or prominent as the main leads’, yet every scene she filmed shone with a special brilliance, holding her own among the many powerful actors and often providing a fresh spark. By the end, even Qiu Xian was reluctant to let her go, insisting the scriptwriter add more scenes for the gentle consort.

It made Chu Luoxi sigh—previously, the gentle consort had barely appeared, her camera time countable; now, with her in the role, the script itself had more scenes, and they were still adding more. Though she could never surpass the established leads, the impression left on viewers would be deep.

Indeed, in terms of reputation, she might not fall short of the main cast. Qiu Xian truly took great care of her.