A Max-Level Film Queen Takes on the Scumbag Alpha Script [Transmigration] - Chapter 37

The following morning.

A thin mist enveloped the quiet hilltop, and the surrounding air was damp and cold. A blast of biting wind struck Jiang Baihe, who was still groggy, making her shudder and instantly snapping her out of her early-morning daze.

Currently, she was dragging a small suitcase, followed by her assistant, Xiao Xu, who was busy contacting a vehicle. The two were preparing to leave the filming villa and head to the airport to catch the earliest flight back to City A.

“But Sister Baihe, why are we heading back so early?” Xiao Xu covered her mouth and let out a quiet yawn, looking puzzled at Jiang Baihe, who was staring blankly with heavy eyelids.

Sister Song hadn’t arranged any schedule for Jiang Baihe for the next few days, so they could have easily chosen a different time to return. Yet, Jiang Baihe had insisted on booking the very first flight this morning. It was as if City A held some hidden treasure that she had to rush back to claim before anyone else could; her entire being radiated a sense of eager anticipation.

Jiang Baihe herself was exhausted, but she forced herself to perk up and said to Xiao Xu, “I have some things to do back home. Thanks for the hard work. You can get some good sleep once we’re on the plane.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xu immediately shook her head and said, “It’s no trouble at all! This is exactly what I should be doing!”

As an artist’s assistant, her primary rule was to take care of the artist’s daily life. Moreover, Jiang Baihe had been wonderful to her during the month of location shooting, showing no sense of hierarchy and treating her entirely like a friend. This made her cherish this hard-won job even more. Her question earlier was merely out of curiosity, not complaint or accusation.

Therefore, Jiang Baihe didn’t need to feel sorry for her at all. On the contrary, Xiao Xu felt she should rein in her curiosity and avoid prying into the artist’s private affairs in the future.

Unaware of her assistant’s sudden burst of motivation, Jiang Baihe simply stood in place. Seeing no strangers around, she raised her arms and gave a lazy stretch. Because the movement was quite large, her thick hemline rolled up slightly, revealing a patch of fair skin and the faint, deep lines of her abdominal muscles. The contact of her warm skin with the cold outside air brought a sharp, distinct chill.

Jiang Baihe sluggishly stopped her movement. She tugged at the hem of her clothes to tuck them back in, wrapping herself up tightly. She wanted to make sure she didn’t catch a cold upon her return and pass it on to Yan Shu, who was waiting at home.

After waiting in the cold wind for two minutes, a small white car slowly drove toward them from the foot of the hill. Xiao Xu pulled out her phone to check the license plate. Once confirmed it was the car she had booked, she signaled Jiang Baihe, and they climbed in together.

Bathed in the gradually rising morning light of the east, the two embarked on the journey home with hearts full of expectation.

The flight from City J to City A took only an hour and a half. It was the kind of duration where you barely fell asleep before having to wake up for landing.

Sister Song was the one picking them up at the airport. Having not seen her for a month, Jiang Baihe felt a surge of emotion. Before she could even step forward to greet her, Song Jia stroked her chin, looked her up and down, and sighed, “You’ve lost weight.”

Jiang Baihe: “…” Tsk.

Filming on set involved braving the wind and rain every day, and the catering was mediocre at best. It would be a miracle if she hadn’t lost weight.

The group chatted and joked for a few minutes. Before getting into the car, Jiang Baihe suddenly remembered the favor she had asked Sister Song while half-asleep last night: “By the way, the groceries I asked you to buy…”

“They’re all at my place. We’ll pick them up on the way.”

It was fine until she brought it up; as soon as she did, Song Jia felt a wave of speechlessness. In the middle of the night, just as she was getting ready for bed, she had received a sudden call from Jiang Baihe. Usually, Jiang Baihe rarely contacted her personally for minor matters, so a midnight call had terrified her. She thought there had been an accident on set and was about to get up and get dressed to rush over.

As it turned out, after a few anxious sentences, she realized Jiang Baihe just wanted her to help buy some meat and vegetables in the morning. Although the quantity wasn’t huge, Jiang Baihe’s requirements were extensive—especially for those high-end steaks. She had gone to great lengths in the middle of the night to contact a familiar restaurant to ensure they would be delivered to the door this morning.

So, it wasn’t just the two travelers who woke up early; Song Jia had also been up since dawn.

Sensing the resentment in Song Jia’s eyes, Jiang Baihe gave a guilty smile and thanked her sincerely, “Thanks for the hard work, Sister Song.”

“Eh, don’t be so polite with me. But I have to ask, what are you planning to do with all this?” Song Jia looked through the rearview mirror suspiciously. “Don’t tell me you know how to cook Western food?”

“Mm-hmm.” Without a direct answer or a denial, Jiang Baihe gave a mysterious smile.

She did indeed know how to cook Western food, thanks to her extensive acting experience before transmigrating. In her ten-plus years in the industry, she had taken on all sorts of roles, including many in modern “urban elite” dramas. During those times, she had learned various dishes from Michelin-starred chefs, covering both Chinese and Western cuisine. Preparing a delicious meal herself was no problem at all.

Today was the day before Christmas—Christmas Eve. Jiang Baihe wanted to take this opportunity to invite Yan Shu for a private dinner to spend this festive day together. Therefore, she had even secretly asked Jin Wen for info to confirm that Yan Shu’s schedule was clear tonight before deciding on this date.

Song Jia, unaware of Jiang Baihe’s intentions, only felt that the constant traveling was exhausting. She clicked her tongue. “Traveling all the way back from City J just to cook a meal? Is it really worth it?”

“I think it’s very worth it.” Jiang Baihe’s face was calm.

She never felt like she was getting the short end of the stick. Yan Shu had set aside her work to travel from City A to the film set just to visit her and had even brought warm drinks. So why couldn’t she return the favor on this special day by coming back to prepare a candlelit dinner for Yan Shu?

Jiang Baihe always believed that love required a “two-way street” and mutual growth to be maintained. Relying on one-sided effort and sacrifice would eventually tire out both parties. Yan Shu had done many things for her, yet she hadn’t done much for Yan Shu. Now, she simply wanted to use her skills to bring a bit of joy to Yan Shu in their ordinary lives.

She didn’t dare ask for much. She only hoped that with her companionship, Yan Shu could live a safe and happy life.

Returning to Shallow Water Bay, the house hadn’t changed much, though some flowers in the garden that were in full bloom before were now withered by the frost. However, their vitality was resilient; by next spring, they would likely be a riot of color again.

The interior was exactly as she had left it, but Jiang Baihe’s sharp eyes caught sight of some cat food bowls and litter boxes in the corners. She assumed Yan Shu had specifically asked Auntie Chen to prepare them for the two kittens.

Song Jia helped her carry the suitcases in, along with the large bag of ingredients. On the way to Shallow Water Bay, Xiao Xu had gotten off halfway. Since she had been busy filming away for so long, Song Jia wanted her to take two days off. So for now, it was just the two of them.

Auntie Chen wasn’t due for work yet, and the cats were still at the pet hospital. Opening the door, the house felt empty until the two of them walked in, adding a bit of human warmth.

Song Jia went to the kitchen to put down the groceries and asked worriedly, “Can you manage this alone?”

“It’s fine, I can handle it.”

The kitchen was fully equipped with tools and appliances. Jiang Baihe didn’t plan on making too many dishes today; it was just that some required meticulous preparation. An entire afternoon would be more than enough time.

“Alright then, take care of yourself.”

After seeing off Song Jia, Jiang Baihe first went to her room to unpack. Afterward, she headed to the kitchen and put on a suitable apron. She laid out the ingredients one by one on the counter, a look of satisfaction passing through her eyes. Then, she began to work in an orderly fashion.

Winter nights usually arrive early. Before the sky was completely dark, the streetlights had already flickered on. Yan Shu sat in the car sent by her private driver to pick her up.

She leaned against the comfortable back seat, picking up her phone to reflexively refresh her contact list. But the screen remained empty; the person at the top of her chat list hadn’t sent her a single message. Yan Shu shifted her gaze to the street scenery outside the window.

It was Christmas. Although the trend of avoiding “foreign festivals” was spreading domestically, some businesses still took advantage of the festive atmosphere to put up Christmas trees. The small lights on the trees complemented the streetlights, and the area was filled with tourists out for the holiday. The environment overflowed with a jubilant atmosphere.

Yan Shu picked up her phone again. Looking at the silent message interface, she frowned in confusion. Is Jiang Baihe… that busy today?

Usually, when there was nothing going on, she would receive bored messages from Jiang Baihe—teasing someone for another “NG” on set or sharing something new she had discovered. A situation like today, with not a single message, was quite rare.

Realizing she had become irritable because of a lack of messages, Yan Shu was momentarily startled. Then, as if to hide something, she turned off the phone screen.

The driver in the front saw Yan Shu propping up her forehead in the rearview mirror. Thinking she was unwell, he asked thoughtfully, “President Yan, are you feeling okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“No,” Yan Shu said flatly. “Go to the pet hospital.”

The two kittens they had brought back had stayed at the pet hospital for a week. Everything at home was ready, and today was the day to bring them home.

“Understood.”

The high-end luxury car drove unhurriedly through the streets. Under the envious gazes of other drivers, it headed toward Shallow Water Bay.

Until she got out of the car, Yan Shu hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary. She carried a cat carrier containing two white cats, who were curiously peering at their surroundings through the transparent film.

Yan Shu set the carrier on the ground and was about to enter the door code when the door creaked open from the inside. Realizing what was happening, Yan Shu’s eyes widened slightly, and her heart began to race. She stared in astonishment at the slowly opening door and finally saw the familiar figure behind it.

The lights weren’t on inside, but there was a faint, warm yellow glow. The person before her was dressed in a tailored suit set, holding a red rose with the thorns removed. She gave a slight bow and a smile, then took Yan Shu’s hand like a loyal knight and left a soft kiss on it.

“Little President Yan.” She heard the person call her.

“Welcome home.”