Chapter 23: The Film Emperor Keeps a Black-Hearted Fox Spirit as a Pet

Su Tang scrambled back into her room and hurriedly stuffed some tissues into her nose.

She sat on the edge of the bed, covering her face, feeling as though she would never be able to hold her head up in front of Song Heqing again. It was just too embarrassing—all that over a glimpse of his abs...

001 asked uncertainly, "Don't tell me this is the first time you've ever seen a man's abs..."

Su Tang swapped out the tissue. "That’s not it; it was just a bit too stimulating this time..."

001: "You’re really lacking in resolve. Look at your predecessors."

Su Tang sighed. Fine, she admitted she had been pathetic this time.

Su Tang: "Who knew this body would be so prone to getting all hot and bothered?" she attempted to defend herself.

She crouched in her room, listening for a long while. Once she heard the sounds of Song Heqing opening the door, stepping out, and walking away, she grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom.

By the time she finished showering, the others had already started preparing dinner. Everyone was gathered around the kitchen area helping out, and naturally, Song Heqing was there too.

Su Tang hesitated for a long moment while watching him, but eventually walked over. She consciously made her way to the water-boiling station and sat down to tend the fire. It was still too awkward; she would try harder tomorrow.

Just sitting behind Song Heqing made her toes curl in discomfort.

The atmosphere over there was lively and filled with laughter, which made Su Tang’s side seem all the more lonely by comparison.

SheepAreNotSheep: [Why isn't Su Tang helping over there? Does she not want any screen time?]

PoorSecondGen: [By the way, what actually happened between Su Tang and Song Heqing in the bathroom? We only saw her go in and then run out with her head down. There was no other footage.]

SheepVillageBigBroLazy: [I hope the production team installs a camera in the bathroom too, to satisfy the girlies.]

SaltedFish: [+1 to the above.]

BalaLaLittleFairy: [+2 to the above.]

SelfRighteousGirl: [+1008611 to the above.]

SelfRighteousMan: [I have a feeling something unknown happened...]

Seeing that Su Tang hadn't joined them, Shen Lü picked up some vegetables and sat down next to her to prep them. "Why aren't you over there?" he asked.

Su Tang glanced at Song Heqing from the corner of her eye. Seeing that he wasn't paying attention to her, she breathed a sigh of relief. "I just finished processing the wild pheasant, and we were running low on water, so I’m boiling some more."

"Hey, when you go hunting tomorrow, you should really teach me those techniques of yours," Shen Lü said, nudging Su Tang in a friendly, brotherly way.

Su Tang added more wood to the fire and replied, "Don't worry, I won't hold anything back."

"That's great! By the way, can you fish? Do you know how to catch fish with rocks? I saw a video where someone threw a rock and caught a fish."

Su Tang had lived for many years; she certainly knew those tricks. She nodded. "Of course I do, but you want to learn all of that?"

Shen Lü nodded repeatedly. "Don't you think it’s cool?"

Su Tang felt that Shen Lü was currently like a child brought home by relatives during the New Year.

"What are you two talking about?" Song Heqing suddenly appeared beside Su Tang. He leaned over, scooped up some water, and poured it into the iron basin in his hand.

Su Tang’s body stiffened abruptly. Feeling him moving right next to her, she didn't dare to move a muscle.

Shen Lü had just finished prepping the vegetables and stood up, clapping his hands. "I was asking Su Tang what she’s good at so she can teach me."

Song Heqing put the kettle back, turned his head, and looked at Su Tang. "Oh? Is that so? And what exactly is Little Su good at?"

Watching Shen Lü’s back as he walked away to wash the vegetables, Su Tang felt a bit bitter. *Why couldn't you have left at any other time? Did you have to leave just as Song Heqing arrived?*

*Don't go, brother, I need you!*

Su Tang unnaturally avoided Song Heqing’s gaze and gave a sheepish laugh. "Haha, just those things."

Song Heqing didn't leave either. He handed the iron basin to someone else and sat down in the spot Shen Lü had just vacated. "Oh? Those things? Could you tell me about all of them? I’d like to learn, too."

Facing such a top-tier man, combined with the earlier embarrassment, Su Tang felt a rare sense of nervousness.

She gripped the fire poker tightly and poked at the bonfire aimlessly. "Just... just those tricks for hunting birds, pheasants, and catching fish. If you want to learn, I can teach you all of them."

Song Heqing nodded. "Since you want me to learn, then I suppose I will."

Su Tang: "............" She was speechless. She snapped her head toward him, only to see Song Heqing looking at her with a playful glint in his eyes.

Su Tang realized instantly that she was being teased. She turned back and began poking at the fire with some frustration.

Song Heqing sighed helplessly, reached out, and firmly took the fire poker from her, rearranging the bonfire himself.

"Keep poking like that, and the fire will go out," Song Heqing said with a smile.

Su Tang pursed her lips. Humans really do have two faces.

When they first met, he was so cold and aloof; the second time, he was gentle and refined. Only a day had passed, and by night, he was a completely different person.

Song Heqing didn't know what Su Tang was thinking while she sat there with her face set in a pout, but seeing her angry expression made his palms itch just as they had earlier.

However, after glancing at the people around them, he restrained his impulse to reach out and pat her head.

"How is your nose?" Song Heqing asked in a low voice.

"It's fine," Su Tang replied in an equally low, yet fierce tone.

Song Heqing chuckled. Counting on the fact that his back was to the camera, he acted without restraint. He raised an eyebrow. "Glad to hear it. But... is this something you've done before?"

Su Tang froze. If she nodded, she would be admitting she was pathetic. But if she shook her head, wouldn't that imply she was simply overwhelmed by Song Heqing's good looks?

Although that was indeed the case, looking at his face, she suddenly wanted to provoke him.

Su Tang pinched her nose. "Yeah, well... I guess it’s been a while since I've seen anyone like this, so I'm just not used to it anymore."

Song Heqing’s expression stiffened, his smile gradually fading. He looked her up and down. "I didn't realize Little Su was so experienced."

Su Tang sighed dramatically and whispered, "Well, you know... we're young, aren't we? Isn't everyone like this?"

Song Heqing nodded. "Indeed. Quite full of youthful vigor."

"What are you two talking about?" Wen Tian, having found a spare moment, approached them.

She brought a stool and sat down opposite Su Tang.

Song Heqing sat up straight. "I was just asking Little Su if she could teach me some of her techniques."

"Hunting techniques?" Although things had been awkward that afternoon, Wen Tian acted as if nothing had happened. She looked at Su Tang. "Tang Tang, can you teach me too?"

"Ah? That..." Su Tang looked troubled. "Actually, there's not much to teach. It’s really just about having good aim and a sharp eye."