Chapter 23

***

At a nail salon next to Xiaoyue Studios, Yu Dong and Xiang Xiaoyue were having their nails done.

“It’s such a hassle being pregnant. You can’t do anything!” Xiang Xiaoyue called Ren Xinxin to get their nails done, but was rejected on the pretext of pregnancy.

“What do you think of Xinxin getting bigger? I’ve read that a woman’s figure will never be the same even after she gives birth.” Xiaoyue sounded so horrified, as if she was talking about something terrible.

“I want this pattern for my nails.” Yu Dong pointed to a photo then quickly placed her hand back into the dryer.

She then looked at Xiaoyue and said, “Look, I know you’re scared, but it’s not like you need to have children when you get married.”

“If it’ll really affect my figure, then I’ll have to think about it.” Xiang Xiaoyue said after some serious thought.

“Rest assured, not everyone will be affected and with good exercise, their figure can be recovered.” Yu Dong said, “You’ve seen so many female stars in TV, it’s not like you can’t live without a child.”

“That’s what I said!” Xiaoyue seemed to have perked up, so she asks “Your expression today can rival a bright spring day, are you going to go on a date later?”

“Date? How can I go date when you just gave me a job?” Yu Dong tilted her head towards the documents in her bag.

“Oh yeah!” Xiang Xiaoyue exclaimed with a smile. “Isn’t that unexpected? But Xia Feng just came home, we can talk about the contract later?”

“Forget it!” Yu Dong sighed. “Xia Feng’s really busy, getting up early in the morning without telling people. If we’re talking about dating, you’re the one who looks like they have plenty of things to do today.”

Deliberately dressed, Xiang Xiaoyue winked at her and said: “I need to look ambiguous and play with mens’ fantasies. Unlike you, I have to dress meticulously!”

“You’re too beautiful to look ambiguous. Sigh, I’m all dressed up but all I’m doing is working, totally wasted!” Yu Dong regretfully shook her head as she spoke.

“And you’re not tired?” Before her rebirth, Yu Dong used to spend the whole day in her pyjamas during weekends. Being beautiful all the time sounded tiring.

“What’s there to be tired of?” teacher Xiang Xiaoyue started bestowing her knowledge. “As long as you have the 3 cards – beauty, hairdressing and fitness, and every dress is paired with exquisite shoes, you’ll naturally be surrounded by beautiful things. No need to deliberately work hard, you’ll be beautiful and delicate all the time.”

“Don’t forget one more, the nail card!” Yu Dong wiggled her fingers.

“They also include hairdressing now too, ah!”

“No, no you don’t understand. Beauty salons that have hairdressers are all chain stores, not professional at all. I have a dedicated stylist.” Xiaoyue said, “You shouldn’t be penny pinching when it comes to these things!”

“I understand!” Yu Dong bowed, after her rebirth she had spent some money to maintain her looks, but she definitely cannot be compared to Xiang Xiaoyue who looks like she just tosses her money.

“Now that you’ve listened to my teachings, I was going to ask – how’s your progress with Xia Feng?” Xiaoyue started to gossip.

“Everything’s going well!” Yu Dong smiled.

“Ouch, look at that heart eyes, was last night very…..” Xiaoyue asked with a leer.

The little sister concentrating on the manicure couldn’t help but take a peek up at Yu Dong. Quickly realising she was butting in, she hastily lowered her head again and pretended not to hear.

“OK, OK I won’t ask.” Xiang Xiaoyue changed her question. “When I met Xia Feng at the hospital, I didn’t know your relationship with him then. After he went to America, just when do you plan on bringing him out and introducing him to us?”

“Wait a little but more!” Yu Dong said.

“More waiting?”

“Wait until our relationship is a little more solid!” Yu Dong thought about it then eventually replied.

“When your feelings are more solid?” Xiang Xiaoyue looked at her in disbelief. “You two still haven’t professed your love? Didn’t I tell you before: The ink’s long dry, you have the necessary certificate, just directly throw him into the bed and jump him!”

The little sister doing her nails couldn’t help but look up again.

“Xiang Xiaoyue!” Yu Dong roared.

Shanghai, a film and television studio.

The contract Yu Dong had to negotiate this time was a TV show being filmed in this studio. Because it was going to be broadcasted during the New Year, the TV show was going to be edited and dubbed at the same time.

Yu Dong wore the ID badge a staff member gave her and followed them to the filming venue.

“Wait here for a bit, when Director Liu finished filming this scene, I’ll go over and inform him!” The staff member explained.

“Alright!” Yu Dong learned beforehand that the Director had a hot temper during filming.

Yu Dong silently stood at the side. When watching TV, she usually feels a sense of grandeur when she sees the actor’s performances and mystical environments. However looking at the scenes being filmed in person, she found them to be a little boring.

Sitting down, Yu Dong thought about the fact that it was Christmas today. She should have the time to have dinner with Xia Feng. She took out her phone to send him a text.

[ What time do you finish work today? ]

After waiting for another half an hour, no reply was received. Yu Dong was somewhat disappointed. Looking back up towards Director Liu, she sees him do another re-shoot for the hundredth time. She shook her head and turned her gaze elsewhere.

Suddenly Yu Dong sees a 6-year-old boy dressed in an ancient costume crouching on the floor, crying.

Seeing that there was no adult beside the child, Yu Dong went over, crouched down next to the boy, and asked: “Little actor, why are you crying?”

“Alright, you’re not crying. It’s just that it’s pretty windy today and you got sand in your eyes.” Yu Dong didn’t call out the boy’s lie. At this the boy blushed, and Yu Dong became distressed at his expression, asking: “Did the Director say anything to you?”

The little boy bit his lip, but eventually said: “I can’t speak my lines well!”

“You’re still young, it’s normal for you to make mistakes sometimes.” Yu Dong comforted the boy.

“But my line is very important, the Director let me try again and again, but I already did it 50 times and It’s still no good!”

What line must be said well, it’s a given that children can’t continuously act perfectly. And can’t bad lines be later dubbed anyway?

Yu Dong thought for a moment then asked, “Which line? I’ll take a look at it for you.”

“Are you acting in the show too?”

“I’m not, but speaking lines well is my job too.” Yu Dong laughed.

The boy was suspicious, but dubiously took out his script anyway. Yu Dong saw that it was Director Liu’s TV show that he was filming right now. She looked at the lines that the little boy pointed out. It was on the last episode of the show, when the country was at unrest and the young emperor ascended the throne. The ministers wanted to arrange a queen for the 8-year-old emperor, and the lines were the dialogue between them.

“Prime minister, I’m still young and reluctant to marry…” After reading through the scene, Yu Dong imitated the boy’s voice and read the line out loud.

“Because this sister is a voice-over actor!” Yu Dong explained with a smile. “This sister needed to talk to Director Liu about something, but since he’s busy I’ll help you with your lines.”

“OK!” The little boy nodded happily.

So the 2 returned to Yu Dong’s seat and began to practice. In order for the little boy to get into the mood quickly, Yu Dong switched to several voices, whether it was the majestic baritone of the Prime Minister, an Eunuch spy, or the gentle voice of the Empress, they were all vividly expressed by her.

“Sister you’re so good!” The little boy praised, his eyes sparkling.

“You’re also very good!” Yu Dong patted the little boy’s head and said, “So small yet you can act so well, this sister can only dub.”

“Hello, how’s the lines going? still trying to figure it out?” Director Liu looked at the little boy and asked.

“Good….I think I can do it now.” The little boy was a bit scared.

“Then go back to make-up first, then we’ll retake your section soon!”

“OK, good-bye sister!” The little boy waved back at Yu Dong as he rushed away.

Yu Dong smiled at the retreating boy, the extended her hand to Director Liu: “Hello Director Liu, I’m Yu Dong.”

Yu Dong arched an eyebrow.

“All your previous dramas were idol dramas, I’m not even going to mention the lines.” Director Liu continued, “My show is a historical drama. I want everything, even the voices, to have a strong sense of history.”

“Director Liu we don’t just do idol dramas, but also Hollywood blockbusters.” Yu Dong added.

Yu Dong didn’t get angry. She simply smiled and said, “Director Liu, whether they’re contracted to our studio or not, our strengths have always lied in our capability of bringing them in!”

“Oh?” Director Liu raised and eyebrow and asked, “What if I want Lin Lin as the dubber for the female lord?”

Director Liu was surprised as he looked at Yu Dong. If fact, if he didn’t just see her act with the little boy, playing several characters with ease, he wouldn’t even have bothered to talk with her for this long.

Yu Dong naturally saw Director Liu’s change in attitude and began her next step: “Director Liu, your show is an epic historical drama. You chose skilled actors with care, naturally you should be doing the same for its dubbing. You have several important characters in your show and our studio has many people to recommend….”

“Haven’t they stopped dubbing?” As Director Liu listened to the names being said, his heart rate increased and he couldn’t help but interject.

“Which god doesn’t get lonely, it’s just that there’s no work worthy of such big shots. But I think that your show will definitely impress them.”

“Are you saying that if I don’t get them to dub, my drama will be no good?” Director Liu asked.

Finally, Yu Dong successfully won the contract. As she returned to her car, Yu Dong called Xiang Xiaoyue to report the good news.

“You really got it! Even Director Liu is no match for you!” Xiaoyue was very surprised.

“You’re going to have to beg though.” Yu Dong listed a few names and said, “You have to get all these people to dub.”

“Rest assured, I’m on it!” Xiaoyue was confident.

“Alright, Director Liu’s on a tight schedule. Someone will send you the edited shots tomorrow, so go back home early and start working as soon as possible tomorrow.” Yu Dong said.

“Don’t worry, early tomorrow morning will have a beautiful woman named Xinxin in the dubbing room.”

“Did you forget that Xinxin is a heavily pregnant woman?” Yu Dong couldn’t help but raise her voice.

“Yes, yes, I’ll be back by 12:00 on the dot!”

“Also Xinxin has a maternity check-up tomorrow morning, remember to accompany her.” Yu Dong reminded.

After ending the call, Yu Dong looked at her phone and saw there was still no reply from Xia Feng. Disappointed, she drove back home.

At the entrance of her district, she happened upon a fruit stand selling organic fruit. The colorful wrapping paper made the various fruits feel festive, and Yu Dong couldn’t help but buy a few.

It wasn’t until 10:00 p.m. that Xia Feng returned home, exhausted.

“What’s wrong?” asked Yu Dong.

“Nothing!” Xia Feng smiled, he obviously didn’t want to say.

Xia Feng caught her hand and asked Yu Dong: “What’s the matter?”

“I’m trying to rub it!” Yu Dong worried, “You’re much older than me, what if you get wrinkles?”

Xia Feng was stunned, before smiling and asked her, “Would you dislike me if I get wrinkles?”

“It’s alright if you get them on the face, but you’re not allowed to have them in your heart.” Yu Dong looked into Xia Feng’s eyes as she said this.

Xia Feng blinked, he didn’t know what to say.

“I can help you with the wrinkled on your face, but I can’t get in and rub your heart.” Yu Dong’s voice was somewhat lost.

Xia Feng looked at Yu Dong for a moment, before suddenly leaning onto her. His head rested on Yu Dong’s slender shoulders, their hands gripping each other’s on their sides.

“It really isn’t a big deal. It’s just that after a year of research, the results were a failure and I feel a little discouraged!” Xia Feng explained, his eyes remaining closed.

Contrary to his words, Yu Dong could feel his obvious loss as she half supported Xia Feng’s weight. She squeezed his hands and said, “Doesn’t that one book say that every failure is a step closer to success?”

“Un.”

“I believe that you’ll succeed.” Yu Dong knew that Xia Feng’s research would eventually be successful, but she has no way of proving this.

“Don’t be afraid, I’ll always be here,  every step of the way!”

Xia Feng didn’t speak again, and the couple quietly snuggled until it was time for Yu Dong to go to work.

“I’m alright, you go to work!” Xia Feng returned to his usual self and told Yu Dong this.

“Then you go to bed early tonight, don’t wait for me!”

“Alright!” Xia Feng smiled and nodded.

“Oh that’s right!” Yu Dong remembered the fruit packages she had bought and went to go hand Xia Feng a silver-wrapped apple saying, “Carve your name into this.”

Xia Feng looked at the apple in his hands in puzzlement.

“Go on!” Yu Dong urged.

Xia Feng took the apple she offered and saw that there was a rough carving of Yu Dong’s name on it. It seems to have been carved a while ago, the exposed flesh has oxidised.

“You have to finish it all, I’ll eat the apple with your name on it as well.” Yu Dong said with a laugh.

“Why carve our names?” Xia Feng asked.

“The engraved apple with my name is me.”

“This apple represents you?” Xia Feng hazarded a guess. “So you’ll be eating me?”

“Yeah!” As Yu Dong said this, she suddenly realised the implications of what she just agreed to, and her face turned red.

“Oh…then I shouldn’t waste even one bite!” Xia Feng couldn’t help but smile.

“You…hateful!” She stamped her feet and ran out the front door.

Xia Feng was left standing at the living room with a huge smile as he held the apple with Yu Dong’s name carved on it.

***

The full title of this chapter is 把我送给你（抓虫）or Give Me to You (grab a lowlife) which is so confusing I don’t even know. If someone somehow can make a connection with the latter half of the title to something that happens in the chapter feel free to let me know!