Director Liu stared at the camera monitor and said with excitement, "Brilliant! That despairing collapse was played with such intense emotion. Xinxin, you are truly a natural-born actress!"
Hearing Director Liu's voice, Song Xinxin cast her gaze around at the surrounding crew members. There were sound engineers, lighting technicians, camera operators, and a few other young actors.
Song Xinxin was dazed. She slowly stood up from the ground. She had clearly just been burned to death in a raging fire—how could she possibly be here at the Film and Television City? Furthermore, this death scene was a role she and her best friend Li Xuan had secured back in their university days after passing several rounds of auditions.
She remembered this scene well: the little maid she played was killed while trying to protect the female protagonist. She had carefully analyzed the inner emotional state, designing it so that after collapsing to the ground, her gaze would follow the direction in which the mistress departed. She had to convey both her anxiety for the mistress's future path and her utter despair at her own impending death, thereby highlighting the little maid's unwavering loyalty.
Song Xinxin looked in disbelief at the living, breathing people all around her. They were not ghosts, and this was certainly not hell. This proved that she had not died in that raging fire at all; instead, she had been reborn—reborn to five years in the past, back when she was still a student at Media University.
At that moment, a woman with flowing long hair and a light blue floral dress walked over. Her features were delicate, her eyes filled with tenderness, and upon seeing Song Xinxin, she looked as though she was about to take flight with joy. She grabbed Song Xinxin's hands, hopping and jumping with delight.
"Xinxin, you were simply amazing! Your performance just now, especially the acting with your eyes, was so incredible. That fierce determination to protect your mistress—even I was moved watching it!" As she spoke, she pulled Song Xinxin over to sit down on a bench behind them.
Song Xinxin allowed herself to be pulled along without any resistance. Her eyes stared fixedly at the woman's lovely face. Perhaps she stared for too long, because a string of tears silently slid down her cheek.
*Li Xuan, Li Xuan,* Song Xinxin chanted silently in her heart, reaching out to pull her into an embrace. She remembered that Li Xuan was her best friend in college; the two of them used to share everything, each considering the other her most trusted person. Li Xuan had a bit of a temper like a spoiled young miss, and Song Xinxin had always yielded to her. Yet Li Xuan was also deeply loyal; back when Song Xinxin was being bullied in school, it was always Li Xuan who stepped in to protect her.
After graduating from university, Song Xinxin got married, while Li Xuan became a big star, and their life paths diverged drastically. Contact between them grew less frequent, yet whenever either of them felt low, the other remained their very first thought. Sudden phone calls in the dead of night were their usual way of confiding in each other. But as time went on, even this way of communicating gradually faded away, until later on, when news reports revealed that Li Xuan had suffered from postpartum depression and committed suicide by taking pills.
At that moment, Song Xinxin had cried for a very long time, thinking that if only she had stayed by Li Xuan's side to comfort and encourage her, perhaps her friend would never have had such suicidal thoughts. Li Xuan used to say she could walk through a forest of ten thousand flowers without a single leaf touching her clothes, yet in the end, she had still been trapped by romance and perished because of it.
A single word—*love*—could wound a person so deeply! Song Xinxin thought about how she herself was any different. Because she believed in love, she had thrown caution to the wind, abandoned her career, and plunged headfirst into family life. For the sake of that family, she had all but given up her social life, given up her friends, and spent every single day revolving around a single man. Even so, he had never once made public the news of their marriage; she had remained the hidden wife behind his back. She had given so much, but what had she gotten in return? Betrayal, humiliation, abuse, and in the end, being burned to ashes by him until not a single piece of her remained intact.
A sudden thought popped into her mind: she not only needed to break free from this tragic "love-brain" curse, but she also had to help her best friend, saving Li Xuan from her doomed fate of suicide.
At this thought, Song Xinxin tightened her grip around Li Xuan's arm. Li Xuan looked slightly surprised, but still asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
"I just thought I was actually dead for a second. That feeling was too terrifying. Fortunately, seeing you made me realize I'm still alive..." Song Xinxin said with a hint of grievance.
"Of course you're still alive! And full of boundless energy, too! Let go already, you're choking me to death!" Li Xuan put on a pained expression.
Only then did Song Xinxin realize she had been too emotional and used a bit too much force.
After they pulled apart, Li Xuan looked at the tears on her face. "Why are you crying for no reason?" she asked, handing over a tissue. Then, with a mischievous grin, she asked, "Today is your wrap party, do you want to go out and live it up somewhere tonight?"
"No thanks, I'm going to pack up and head back to campus!" Song Xinxin answered out of habit.
Hearing this, Li Xuan looked distinctly disappointed. "You're not going to go fawn over your 'once in a millennium' Yuan Lai again, are you?" She didn't forget to flash a look of disdain as she finished speaking.
"Yuan Lai!" Hearing that name, Song Xinxin's expression shifted slightly, a trace of imperceptible ruthlessness flashing deep within her eyes.
*In my past life, you treated me that way; in this lifetime, I will most certainly make you experience it as well...* Perhaps even Song Xinxin herself hadn't realized that, having lived a second life, her state of mind had grown so ruthlessly cold.
Was this the mindset a twenty-year-old college student ought to have?
"What's wrong? Are you lost in thoughts about Yuan Lai?" Li Xuan teased. She had never been able to stand him, always feeling that Yuan Lai was thoroughly unreliable.
Song Xinxin didn't speak. Right now, she couldn't care less about any Yuan Lai. There was only one thought in her mind: either live brilliantly herself, or make the lives of those who had hurt her utterly miserable.
She smiled faintly, like a blooming little white flower—pure and lovely. Perhaps she ought to try experiencing the kind of life she had never dared to touch before. Living conservatively was hardly a good thing.
"No, I was just thinking about where we should go wild tonight."
Li Xuan widened her eyes in astonishment, staring in disbelief at Song Xinxin's smiling, flower-like face. "Oh my god! Has my living Buddha decided to return to secular life?"
Song Xinxin kept smiling. "What do you mean return to secular life? I never became a nun in the first place, alright?"
"Ever since you started dating that Yuan Lai, didn't he say he liked that innocent, worldly-unaware, pure little white flower type of girl? You've never once gone out to party with me. If this isn't becoming a nun, I don't know what is!" Li Xuan exaggerated without a trace of falsehood.
Hearing this, Song Xinxin reflected on the foolish things she used to do. Indeed, to date him, she had practically cut off all contact with male friends, let alone accompany her best friend to bars and dance clubs to watch guys dance and sing. Whenever she ran into male acquaintances out on the street, she would deliberately avoid them.
Song Xinxin shook her head. Her past self had truly been too foolish.
"Fine, since you think I've been living as a nun, then starting this very moment, I am returning to secular life for your sake. Tonight, I'm going to party hard right alongside you..."
"Really? That's simply wonderful! Let me tell you, there are several handsome guys tonight..." Li Xuan said excitedly, the joy on her face fit to burst.
Nighttime, inside Fanxing Bar.
Song Xinxin and Li Xuan wore matching sister outfits consisting of silver sequined dresses in different styles—one halter-neck, one slip dress. The halter-neck was a loose, long gown, while the slip dress was a form-fitting mini. Song Xinxin wore the halter-neck, looking casual and intellectual; Li Xuan wore the slip dress, appearing alluring and sexy. To avoid being recognized, both of them wore matching silver wigs. From a distance, they could easily be mistaken for a pair of twin sisters.
Both of them were striking, standout beauties. The moment they stepped into the bar, they drew the gazes of a whole crowd of men. When they walked straight toward a particular booth, disappointment and envy appeared on everyone's faces—with the sole exception of the three occupants sitting inside the booth.
Seeing the two women approach, the three men could hardly contain their excitement. The one leading them was a very cool-looking guy, flanked by two others who were also well-dressed, though rather ordinary compared to the eye-catching centerpiece.
The cool guy immediately stood up from his seat, his eyes gleaming as if he had just laid eyes on Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. He was so stunned by their beauty that visible panic washed over him. Before they even reached the table, he called out, "Li Xuan, you're here!"
His greeting came out in a soft, babyish, feeble voice that made it utterly impossible to connect him with the cool, badass handsome guy he had been trying to portray just a moment ago. A high-and-mighty gray wolf had instantly transformed into a squeaky little puppy.
Song Xinxin couldn't help wanting to laugh. These naive young boys were truly adorable.
Li Xuan gave Song Xinxin a couple of sharp jabs with her elbow, signaling her to keep a lid on it.
"Ahem, Qi Yun, you guys got here pretty early," Li Xuan said with a smile.
Hearing this, Qi Yun scratched the back of his head with mild embarrassment; he wasn't used to making appointments with girls. "I... was afraid of being late and that you wouldn't be able to find me, so..."
"Hahaha..." Song Xinxin was thoroughly amused by this blockhead persona. Qi Yun looked rather aloof and cool, but who would have guessed he was the awkward type? That head-scratching gesture was simply too adorable.
As she chuckled, her peripheral vision caught the four people in front of her staring at her in bewilderment. She instantly clamped her mouth shut, took a deep breath, and offered an explanation: "Sorry, sorry, I just thought of a really hilarious joke, so I couldn't help it. Please don't mind me, don't mind me..." With that, she walked a short distance away to continue laughing on her own.
"Is that your friend?" Qi Yun asked, feeling somewhat displeased inside while keeping a smile plastered on his face.
Li Xuan wore an embarrassed expression as she threw an irritated glare back at Song Xinxin. "She's my best friend, Song Xinxin. She's always like this—a bit scatterbrained. Please don't mind her."
Qi Yun's expression grew even more awkward. "Not at all, not at all. What would you girls like to drink? I'll order. Waiter..."
Li Xuan offered an embarrassed smile and looked back at Song Xinxin, who was still trying to suppress her laughter. "Song Xinxin, are you done yet? Facial expression control—how do you even practice your facial expression control?"
Seeing her good friend flare up, Song Xinxin quickly reined herself in and turned around with a straight face. Before she could even speak, she caught sight of Qi Yun ordering with utmost seriousness, his cautious and careful demeanor making it completely impossible to keep a straight face. "Hahaha... Sorry, I need to use the washroom..."
She truly found it all too hilarious—it was just like high schoolers trying to play grown-up. Back when she was younger, she might have thought it looked really cool, but now, for some reason, she found it overwhelmingly funny.
With that, Song Xinxin turned and headed toward the restroom.
Li Xuan smiled helplessly, while Qi Yun's face cycled through shades of green and white, shifting like a chameleon. He had no idea what he had done wrong to make his crush's best friend find him so ridiculous. He had clearly done his homework to make himself look cool, handsome, and reliable. Yet right now, his heart was pounding with panic, and it felt as though everything he did was wrong, everything he did felt awkward.