Running Over The Head Of My Ex [Rebirth]

Chapter 26

The filming location was at He Qingqi Middle School’s playground.

The thirteen contestants, except for He Qingqi, were all astonished by this school because it was enormous and luxurious.

Tao Jinghan exclaimed, “I feel like a country bumpkin entering the city.” Although her family was well-off, she had attended a public school.

He Qingqi remained silent, gazing dreamily at the familiar, expansive lawn, experiencing a sense of being in a dreamlike state.

Just now, she had found the route eerily familiar. She was completely stunned when she spotted the large character, “Shirui Middle School.”

“Shi” as in Gu Shi, “Rui” as in Gu Mingrui—this school was run by Gu Mingrui’s family.

She considered the likelihood of Gu Mingrui suddenly appearing before her eyes, which was virtually zero since Gu Mingrui was still studying in H City.

Feeling a bit down, she sniffled.

“Xiao Xi!”

She didn’t see the young one, but the older one showed up.

He Qingqi’s mouth slightly opened in surprise, her eyes wide as she looked up at the familiar tall figure.

With his signature messy long hair and large gold-rimmed glasses, unlike Gu Mingrui’s refined and handsome face, he had a touch of decadence that made him attractively unique.

Everyone except the top 3 was stunned, standing there helplessly, their faces turning red.

Gu Shi, the most famous photographer in the country, was initially known through his verified Weibo account, which identified him as the second generation of the Gu family. Even now, despite being a renowned photographer, he hasn’t changed it.

At seventeen, he made a stunning debut with a series of landscape photos, winning Japan’s Best Newcomer Award. He later transitioned to the fashion industry, winning various international awards. His skills were top-notch, and he wasn’t short on money. If he didn’t want to shoot, no money could persuade him, so being photographed by him was a matter of pride in the industry.

No one expected him to shoot for a small talent show! The production team had given them such a big surprise!

“Uncle Gu!” Without hesitation, He Qingqi called out, her expression filled with astonishment. She stood up from the lawn and ran over. “Is it you doing the shoot? The production team went all out.”

Gu Shi spread his hands. “It wasn’t the production team going all out. I’m doing this as a favor.”

“A favor?”

Gu Shi laughed. “It was your dad. One call to my dad, and I was dragged here like a little chick.”

Tao Jinghan, who had been abroad for a long time, didn’t recognize this famous domestic photographer. She only came to understand his significance based on everyone’s reactions. She felt no pressure and poked He Qingqi, laughing. “Hey, thanks to little He.”

He Qingqi laughed and poked back. The two of them started playfully punching each other.

Gu Shi set up his equipment and prepared for work.

The theme for this magazine issue was youth. Everyone changed into T-shirts, jeans, or dresses prepared by the magazine in the dressing rooms and applied simple makeup.

Gu Shi stood in front of the camera, looking at He Qingqi. He took a couple of shots, finding suitable angles and taking excellent photos, but he still felt dissatisfied. After thinking for a few minutes, he waved to He Qingqi.

“Uncle Gu?”

Gu Shi took out the Shirui school ID card that his father had given him and handed it to He Qingqi. “Here. Do you remember where the supermarket is?”

He Qingqi nodded instinctively.

“Go buy fourteen sets of fall school uniforms and some band-aids. Change into your uniform and come back.”

The prepared outfits just didn’t feel right; he planned to shoot another set in school uniforms.

He Qingqi, somewhat dazed, took the school ID card and led a staff member to the supermarket.

School uniforms made sense, but what were the band-aids for?

Shirui Middle School’s uniforms were usually custom-made by the school, but for emergencies, the school supermarket kept spares.

Instead of buying fourteen sets as Gu Shi had asked, He Qingqi bought one set each for boys and girls, totaling twenty-eight sets.

She picked out a set of boys’ uniforms in her size and couldn’t help but feel sentimental. Shirui Middle School was indeed the kind of school people referred to as “someone else’s school.”

Beautifully designed in a British style, the uniforms included white shirts, black trousers, dark brown ties, and brown blazers with the school logo.

He Qingqi instructed the staff to deliver the uniforms and went to the restroom to change.

Looking at herself neatly dressed, she felt a bit dazed and smiled wryly. She had never worn her school uniform this neatly before.

When she wandered back to the set, some members had already finished shooting and changed into their uniforms.

“Uncle Gu, here are the bandages.” He Qingqi handed them over and took out the school ID card. “And the school ID.”

Gu Shi opened the bandages and stuck them on He Qingqi’s nose. He loosened her tie, unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt, and had the makeup artist highlight the scar above her eyebrow, tying her hair up casually but leaving some loose strands.

She looked clean-cut and spirited.

“Uncle Gu, you’re very willful,” He Qingqi joked. “Change the sponsor’s clothes just like that.”

Gu Shi examined her face and replied indifferently: “I did take photos in their clothes, and besides, Shirui is also a sponsor. What’s wrong with taking a few more shots?”

“Promoting Shirui at the same time?” He Qingqi raised an eyebrow, half-smiling. “Impressive, Uncle Gu. You’re always one step ahead.”

Gu Shi glanced at her. “I’m doing this as a favor. I should get some benefits. I have shares in Shirui Middle School.”

“Alright!”

Satisfied with the new look, Gu Shi nodded.

“This is much better.”

“Hey, you,” Gu Shi called out to Zhuo Zhiwei. “Come over here.”

Zhuo Zhiwei pointed at herself, puzzled.

“Yes, you are the prettiest one. Come here!”

Blushing, Zhuo Zhiwei walked over to He Qingqi.

He Qingqi tilted her head and winked. “Uncle Gu says you’re the prettiest.”

Zhuo Zhiwei winked back. “That’s why I’m Zhuo Zhiwei, the chosen beauty with 92 votes.”

He Qingqi was stunned, her face full of disbelief. She hesitated. “You… you’re Zhuo Zhiwei?”

When did Zhuo Zhiwei learn to talk like that? For a moment, He Qingqi thought Tao Jinghan had taken over her body. They must have gotten close, revealing their true selves.

Zhuo Zhiwei continued earnestly, “But you are my idea of the most beautiful, He Qingqi,” before He Qingqi could say more.

“Hmm?” He Qingqi’s eyes lit up. She didn’t take it seriously and scrutinized Zhuo Zhiwei playfully. “You’re good with words.”

Zhuo Zhiwei smiled slightly, saying nothing more. She genuinely thought He Qingqi was stunning, embodying the sincerity and passion of youth she admired but couldn’t achieve.

Click. Gu Shi had already begun shooting.

The two stood there, momentarily confused, looking at each other.

“Why are you standing there like idiots? He Qingqi! You’re a professional! Take off your jacket and drape it over her! Control the specifics yourself!”

During the shoot, Uncle Gu seemed different and fiercer.

And he said nothing more, leaving them to figure it out.

Feeling awkward, He Qingqi rubbed her nose and draped her jacket over Zhuo Zhiwei. “Zhiwei, tilt your head in the opposite direction, look down, act shy, and grab the uniform from inside.”

Zhuo Zhiwei nodded in understanding.

He Qingqi ran to the school fence, stretched her arm to pluck a blade of grass, and returned, crouching beside Zhuo Zhiwei with it in hand.

With each click of the camera, they changed poses.

“Excellent!”

Gu Shi took several shots. He Qingqi dragged Zhuo Zhiwei into various poses, getting into the spirit.

They played and chased each other, and in one photo, He Qingqi leaned on Zhuo Zhiwei’s back, smirking mischievously, one hand on her waist. Zhuo Zhiwei pushed back, lifting He Qingqi’s feet off the ground.

This was the only photo where Zhuo Zhiwei smiled broadly, looking exceptionally cute.

Gu Shi, seeing this photo, smiled. He had initially thought the girl didn’t know how to smile, but it seemed she had a good relationship with He Qingqi.

The final shot was a group photo of the fourteen girls in their school uniforms.

“Okay, that’s a wrap!”

…

He Qingqi had always been very conscious of her appearance. That day, when she saw Gu Shi, the biggest benefit for her was getting new inspiration for her clothing and style.

She thought Gu Shi was very cool and felt that if she dressed like him, she would look even cooler.

However, she didn’t quite like Gu Shi’s messy and disheveled style, which was more suited for a middle-aged man. So, she only borrowed Gu Shi’s hair color and glasses.

He Qingqi had a remarkable sense of style. With her long blue-black curls tied up in a high ponytail, a white pullover sweatshirt, and gold-rimmed wide-frame glasses, she exuded a refined yet rebellious vibe.

This impression was most prominent when she sat next to Zhuo Zhiwei, seriously discussing stages and formations.

During such moments, the other five members of the team didn’t think about how the two captains might treat them in the future. Instead, they transformed into avid fans, whispering to each other excitedly.

“Ah Wei is dead!” Fang Caiying couldn’t contain her joy, excitedly squeezing Zhang Qizhi’s hand and hopping around, whispering, “Xixi is so A! How can a human be so good-looking?”

He Qingqi didn’t know before that “Ou Shi” also had her fans. She didn’t know Fang Caiying; they hadn’t worked together in three performances and only greeted when they met.

As soon as they were on the same team, Fang Caiying dropped any pretense of fan modesty. Every time she saw He Qingqi, she would get excited, with hearts practically leaping out of her eyes.

He Qingqi would have to be blind not to notice that Fang Caiying was her fan.

Initially, she felt a bit shy, but over time, she got used to it. Listening to the endless stream of compliments, she could keep a straight face.

“Since ancient times, red and blue have made a perfect CP, and look how close they are! The CP I ship must be real.” Zhang Qizhi blushed and squeezed back.

Unlike Fang Caiying, Zhang Qizhi was a dual fan of Qingqi and Wei, loving both equally, but most of the time, she shipped them as a pair.

Recently, Zhuo Zhiwei dyed her hair burgundy. When these two top beauties of “Ou Shi” stood together, they created a unique chemistry! They looked perfect together!

Zhang Qizhi was so deep into her ship that she could barely hold her head up.

At this lighthearted moment, He Qingqi smiled, her dark blue hair falling from behind her ear, mingling with Zhuo Zhiwei’s burgundy strands on the table, inseparable.

Then He Qingqi gathered her hair, turned to Zhuo Zhiwei, and exchanged a smile.

Ah, I’m dead!

Ah, I’m alive again!

Seeing them exchange glances, Fang Caiying and Zhang Qizhi automatically filled in a ten-thousand-word romance novel, grinning from ear to ear, looking like their legs couldn’t support them as they clung to each other, happily indulging in the scene.

The two subjects, however, were completely oblivious.

Zhuo Zhiwei ruffled He Qingqi’s hair, her voice sounding gentle.

“The next performance is the finals. Are you nervous?”

He Qingqi enjoyed her touch, proudly lifting her chin higher than usual and humming twice. “Me, nervous?”

In front of Zhuo Zhiwei, she couldn’t help but act childish, wanting to show off.

This state felt familiar, but since it seemed a long time ago, she didn’t think much of it.

Zhuo Zhiwei was amused by her; ripples formed in her clear eyes. “Then let’s do our best together.”

Just as He Qingqi liked to show off in front of her, she also enjoyed and willingly indulged this girl, who never seemed to grow up.

At four o’clock in the afternoon, the show prepared dumpling skins and fillings for everyone. Five mentors and fourteen girls gathered to make dumplings.

He Qingqi eagerly observed the removal of the dumplings from the pot, focusing on the one that Zhuo Zhiwei had prepared. She was eager to sample it, and she was taken aback by the taste, exclaiming, “Wow, that’s not bad.”

“Zhiwei, your dumplings are really good!”

Tao Jinghan: “…”

I can’t watch this.

The show prepared the dumpling filling, which is too thick for this kid’s filter. All the dumplings in this pot taste the same. Why praise Zhuo Zhiwei?

Zhuo Zhiwei gave her another dumpling: “If you like it, have another one.”

He Qingqi also picked up one she made and gave it to Zhuo Zhiwei: “Zhiwei, you try this one too.”

Tao Jinghan: “…” Fine.

Better not look at these two; it’s too much stimulation. I’ll just quietly eat on my own.

While everyone was eating, Yan Huan stepped forward: “Do you all want to see your families?”

Zhang Xiaoyu: “Impossible, right? Are they here?”

Jin Zhiyang, looking skeptical, waved her hand: “No way, they can’t all be here. My family is in Korea.”

Yan Huan: “Though bringing them here isn’t practical, with modern technology, we can fax them over!”

Yan Huan pulled hard, revealing an LCD screen in front of the girls.

“Wow!!!”

The staff turned the display on remotely. He Qingqi kept eating while counting with her chopsticks, one, two…

Hmm? She straightened her back, put down her dumplings, and recounted it honestly. Still thirteen.

He Qingqi immediately became interested and whispered to Zhuo Zhiwei, “Zhiwei, look, there are only thirteen. One person is missing.”

Zhuo Zhiwei pursed her lips, furrowed her brows slightly, and her eyes darkened as she took small bites of her dumplings.

After a while, He Qingqi observed her say, “Hmm, it should be me,” with a cold tone. Her tone was very casual, as if she were talking about something extremely ordinary.

“Huh?”

“I don’t have any family.” Zhuo Zhiwei stopped using her chopsticks; her tone was a bit stiff.

He Qingqi tilted her head, feeling that the chill around her had intensified, causing her a bit of heartache.

She pressed her lips together, glanced at Zhuo Zhiwei with a bit of worry, and opened her mouth to speak but hesitated.

She couldn’t ask too much on camera, but based on this single sentence, she couldn’t determine the situation. Was it like her past, where she had a bad relationship with her family, or did she truly have none?

He Qingqi licked her lips and leaned closer to Zhuo Zhiwei, asking in a small voice, “What happened?”

“They’re dead.” The tone was cold, with no intention to elaborate further.

He Qingqi understood. It appeared that the former was easier to handle. However, seeing Zhuo Zhiwei’s pale face, she still felt a lump in her throat and a pang in her heart.

He Qingqi sighed lightly, forgetting she was eating, and rubbed Zhuo Zhiwei’s head, whispering gently in her ear while pretending to be confident.

“It’s okay; no matter what happened, you still have me! My grandparents, dad, and brother are all very nice. I’ll ask my grandma to adopt you as her god-granddaughter, and we’ll be family!”

Zhuo Zhiwei remained silent. Just when He Qingqi thought she wouldn’t say anything, she heard a muffled response: “You smell like dumpling soy sauce.”

“!!!” He Qingqi quickly sniffed her hand, and it was true.

Alright then.

Seeing her flustered expression, Zhuo Zhiwei couldn’t help but smile.

He Qingqi glanced at her with aggrieved eyes, but upon catching the smile at the corner of Zhuo Zhiwei’s mouth, she suddenly felt it was worth it. She smiled in satisfaction and turned her head.

She intended to make Zhuo Zhiwei laugh. Although the process differed from her expectations, the goal was still perfectly achieved, wasn’t it?

Zhuo Zhiwei sneaked a glance at He Qingqi’s profile and sighed inwardly. As He Qingqi was distracted, she suppressed her emotions, adopting a sarcastic smile.

So many years had passed, and she thought she had forgotten. It turns out she had overestimated herself.

Ridiculous.

On the other side,.

“Who do you want to see first?” Yan Huan inquired.

“Little He General!!!” The girls shouted in unison, with half of them yelling He Qingqi’s name.

“Let’s feel the aura of a wealthy person!”

“Yeah, I want to see how rich people live!”

Hearing her name, He Qingqi straightened her back and focused on the display.

“Alright then, based on everyone’s opinions, let’s show Qingqi’s.”

With a light tap,.

“Ahem.” An extremely enlarged, handsome, and clean face appeared on the screen.

He Qingzhou was there.

He Qingqi blinked, a bit surprised. He was different from her past life.

He Qingzhou fixed the camera, then slowly retreated and sat on the sofa.

Grandpa He, Grandma He, and He Dongche were also present.

Three stern-looking men who resembled each other and a smiling Grandma He. They were a family.

There was also a German Shepherd beside them, facing away from the screen and wagging its tail wildly.

Looking at He Qingqi’s luxurious living room and the artfully arranged wine rack in the back, the girls exclaimed in awe.

“So wealthy!”

“Little He General is indeed Little He General.”

“Qingqi, are you doing well in there? We all miss you very much.” He Qingzhou spoke very seriously, with an imperceptible tremor in his voice.

He Qingqi, sensitive to such things, couldn’t help but laugh. Her older brother, who later appeared on numerous financial magazine covers, was nervous in such a simple situation.

She playfully scolded, “What do you mean ‘in there’? It sounds like I’m in prison!”

The girls politely laughed.

Grandma He seemed to read He Qingqi’s mind, reached over to Grandpa He, and gave He Qingzhou a smack on the head. “What do you mean by ‘in there’? Watch your words!”

Grandma He turned back to the camera, her face immediately softening with a loving smile. “Qingqi, we know you’re doing well. You’re outstanding and dazzling on stage. Your grandpa and I have become your fans! You’ve loved dancing since you were little, and now you’ve fulfilled your dream. The finals are coming up; do your best. Your grandpa and I believe you can do it!”

He Dongche, eagerly watching the camera, quickly added, “Dad too.”

“Yes! We all believe in you! The chairman too!”

Grandma He then pulled the German Shepherd onto her lap, facing the camera. Her actions were rough but efficient.

The chairman lay there helplessly.

Zhuo Zhiwei remarked, “Grandma is strong.”

He Qingqi nodded in agreement, “Absolutely. Grandma is in her seventies, but she still takes the chairman out for walks every day. If the chairman doesn’t come home, Grandma carries him back, scaring our maid half to death. Grandma even demonstrated it again to reassure her.”

Zhuo Zhiwei laughed out loud, then softly asked, “With such a good grandma, are you willing to share her with me?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? Grandma told me on the phone that she likes you.”

Tao Jinghan, seeing the two whispering intimately whenever they had a chance, was already too exhausted to make any comments.

Grandma He continued, “Chairman, look at your sister. Isn’t she the best?”

Grandma He changed her voice and said, “Yes!”

“Do you miss your sister?”

“Miss her!”

Grandpa He said, “We’re waiting for your triumphant return. On the day of the finals, our whole family will be there to watch you!”

Grandpa He glanced at the German Shepherd and said, “Bring the chairman, too. No one can be left behind!”

The four of them, along with the dog, sat in a row and pulled out a two-meter-long sign from behind the sofa.

Grandma He directed, “One, two, three.”

In unison, they said, “Like a white crane among the clouds, clear and bright as Xi, He Qingqi, we love you!”

The video ended there.

Wang Qiyu swallowed the last dumpling, raised her hand high, and asked with some confusion, “Qingqi, I have a question. Why is your dog called Chairman?”

He Qingqi was silent for a moment, adjusted her glasses, and felt a bit embarrassed.

“Because… I used to like going against He Dongche. Others called him Chairman, so I named my dog Chairman.”

He Qingqi stuck out her tongue, her lively eyes filled with nostalgia. “I remember that He Dongche had an assistant named Han. When Chairman was one year old, Assistant Han came to our house to find He Dongche and asked me, ‘Where’s Chairman? He needs to sign some documents.’ I shouted upstairs, ‘Chairman!'”

He Qingqi paused. “Then my dog came downstairs.”

“Hahaha!”

“It got even funnier later. Assistant Han was a bit embarrassed and couldn’t directly say the chairman he was looking for wasn’t a dog, so he hinted he needed the chairman to sign. When he emphasized signing, I thought for a moment. He assumed I was stumped, but then I promptly stamped the documents with my dog’s paw.”

“Hahahaha!” Wang Qiyu laughed so hard that her stomach hurt. “I thought I was mischievous enough, but you’re even more devilish when it comes to messing with your dad.”

“Huh? You like messing with your dad too?” He Qingqi’s eyes lit up, feeling she had found a kindred spirit.

Wang Qiyu nodded. “When I was little, my dad was very busy, always running around for work. One time, I couldn’t stand it anymore and swapped his script for my homework. I heard his face turn green when he saw elementary school math on set.”

Yan Huan, standing in front, couldn’t hold back his laughter. Mr. Wang and He Dongche must have done something wrong to have such a troublesome daughter.

If anyone ever told him that having daughters was better because they were sweet and caring, he’d skin them alive for lying!

Several more videos played, and sure enough, none were from Zhuo Zhiwei’s family. He Qingqi didn’t pay much attention, focusing on eating dumplings and cheering up Zhuo Zhiwei.

Though Zhuo Zhiwei seemed as usual, He Qingqi felt she was a bit sad.

When there was an opportunity, she still needed to find out what exactly was going on.