Chapter 38 "I'll kiss you now."...
After the person left, Liang Kongxiang glanced at the doorway.
The overlapping footsteps faded into the distance from the ward.
"Aren't you worried they'll find out?" Jiang Jiaoming asked.
"We can't always be the enemy in the dark while we are in the light." Liang Kongxiang withdrew her gaze.
Jiang Jiaoming didn't offer any opinion. He calmly sat in his chair, took a bite of his dry bread, and looked at her.
Liang Kongxiang turned her head. The window was wide open, and the morning light was just right. Thin gold light clung to the branches and leaves. She took a soft breath: "It's their turn to be nervous and at a loss."
They encountered only two situations when checking the surveillance footage.
The first possibility is that the hospital staff did not allow them to view the surveillance footage, so they could not trace it back to Jiang Jiaoming.
If things continue to develop in this way, Zhuang Yexue knows perfectly well what she meant by "wipe it clean" just now, and if Jiang Jiaoming leaves the ward under the pretext of buying breakfast, they will also suspect that Jiang Jiaoming may have made prior arrangements for the surveillance, which is why they cannot find it.
What makes people nervous is never the predetermined outcome, but the sword of Damocles hanging between yes and no.
Liang Kongxiang mentally rehearsed possible solutions for this outcome. Should they confront Jiang Jiaoming? They might not dare, because they were also gambling on how much Jiang Jiaoming had heard, so they dared not preemptively strike. Or should they simply pretend to be confused and swallow their anger? Zhuang Yexue might not be willing to accept that; Liang Kongxiang had already roughly guessed her bargaining chips.
Jiang Jiaoming snapped his fingers to bring her back to her senses. "Do you want them to find out, or not?"
To be honest, Liang Kongxiang preferred the latter, "You have a recording, you can use it to threaten Zhuang Yexue to make her explain herself."
However, it probably won't have much effect. It just depends on whether they lose their composure and easily fall into the trap. After all, the release of this audio won't have a significant impact on them. The three parties are already at odds, and in the end, it will only drag them back to the fandom's internal strife and won't damage their commercial value. Once the storm passes, they'll still receive all the business and script offers they need.
Feeling Jiang Jiaoming's unwavering gaze, Liang Kongxiang awkwardly looked away, but she could still sense a strong stare in her peripheral vision. He seemed completely unconcerned about being discovered, as if the word "embarrassment" didn't exist in his dictionary; he was born only to bring "embarrassment" to others.
She had no choice but to pretend she didn't know and rest with her eyes closed. Suddenly, she remembered the terrible idea he had come up the stairs panting for breath.
He immediately turned around and closed the door, then briefly explained what he had overheard.
As she frowned and sorted through the clues, Jiang Jiaoming's voice suddenly rang out, unexpectedly calm: "I have a way."
"...What method?" Liang Kongxiang sensed something was amiss when she saw his serious expression.
“I,” he pointed to himself, then to her, “will kiss you now.” As he spoke, his index finger slowly moved down, landing on her lips.
At times like these, he would start playing pranks again.
Before she could finish speaking, footsteps echoed from the doorway, the soft rustling of their footsteps reaching her ears.
This distraction gave Jiang Jiaoming an opportunity.
"Don't move."
Jiang Jiaoming had already lowered his gaze, his strong and sharp features suddenly magnified in front of Liang Kongxiang, his aggressive gaze suddenly lowered, as if he had seen some satisfactory scenery, he suddenly laughed, and then looked up and stared into her eyes: "You've had a pretty good life these past few years."
Liang Kongxiang frowned slightly and subconsciously raised her hand to stop him from going further insane, but Jiang Jiaoming pressed down on the back of her hand and rubbed her collar.
"Your face is so red. You're shy already, huh?" He chuckled, pinching Liang Kongxiang's fingertips as he opened his collar and slowly slipped his hand inside.
“You…” Liang Kongxiang tried to pull her hand away slightly, but he held it tightly and wouldn’t let go.
"Please recognize the situation, Miss Liang," Jiang Jiaoming said softly. "I'm sacrificing my innocence to play along with you. If my wife complains that I'm not a virgin in the future, will you feel sorry for me?"
Liang Kongxiang could no longer bear to listen to his foul language. With her other free hand, she covered her right ear as if she were stealing a bell, forcing herself to listen to the sounds coming from the doorway.
Fortunately, the door was pushed open with a bang less than two seconds later.
It was immediately shut with a bang.
Liang Kongxiang pushed him away forcefully, her face flushed. She opened her mouth and met Jiang Jiaoming's innocent expression, unable to utter a word of condemnation.
"What," Jiang Jiaoming said, turning the tables after taking advantage of the situation, "you ruined my reputation and you still dare to be angry?"
He was always like this, leaving Liang Kongxiang feeling helpless. Criticizing him too much over such a trivial matter seemed like making a mountain out of a molehill, but not pointing it out would only lead to his next act of insolence.
Why.
Even Liang Kongxiang herself didn't realize that from the moment she closed her eyes, she was thinking about Jiang Jiaoming every single second.
Jiang Jiaoming, who was standing to the side, did not disturb her rest. He crossed his arms and quietly gazed at her calm face.
The word "grown up" feels somewhat incongruous when applied to Liang Kongxiang. She has always been rational, mature, and calm, yet beneath her calm and gentle exterior lies a sharp edge, which she doesn't easily reveal. In the past, she rarely displayed this edge, almost exclusively showing it to him. The entertainment industry is truly a grueling place. Even those who only care about and analyze the works are now forced to participate in these complex intricacies, including relationships, suspicions, power struggles, and backstabbing—things she used to dislike the most, but now she handles with ease.
You've really grown up, Kong Xiang.
He suddenly raised his hand and gently touched Liang Kongxiang's face with the back of his hand. Long ago, he had wondered whether he wanted Liang Kongxiang to be happy or miserable after leaving him, but he didn't want to hear either answer. Now, however, he suddenly had the answer.
The ward became quiet, a gentle breeze blew in, and a corner of the white medical record on the small table curled up slightly before being stuck back on...
Liang Kongxiang suddenly felt her heart slowly rising inside her body.
She leaned against the bed with her eyes closed, but her heart was wide open.
Someone knocked on the door.
Liang Kongxiang opened her eyes and calmly met Jiang Jiaoming's gaze. She raised her voice slightly and said, "Come in." Then her gaze went over the top of Jiang Jiaoming's head.
They've arrived.
As soon as the door opened, Geng Jiali smiled and waved her phone, "Thank you for your kind words, I found it soon."
Liang Kongxiang wasn't in a hurry to ask, she just smiled and said, "It's good that you found it."
She's not in a hurry, but plenty of others are.
“I wouldn’t call it a hobby,” Jiang Jiaoming said. “I’m a bit of a gossip, though. I’ve heard quite a bit of gossip just passing by the company’s break room. These kinds of nooks and crannies are the best places for rumors.” He smiled and asked them, “What, didn’t you hear anything juicy?”
Zhuang Yexue feigned composure: "I'm unfamiliar with this place, how could I understand what others are saying... From what President Jiang is saying, what did you hear?"
After she finished speaking, her heart pounded as if she were walking on a tightrope.
Jiang Jiaoming was still smiling, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. Because he had single eyelids, when he raised his eyes, his eyelids flipped over like silver knives, revealing sharp points, and flew coldly towards Zhuang Yexue, saying in a light tone: "That depends on what you all said."
This is practically an open secret.
In an instant, the ward was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Geng Jiali, Zhuang Yexue, and Zhuo Qiyun's fake smiles froze, and they almost couldn't breathe.
Jiang Jiaoming raised his hand in a gesture that left no room for refusal, clearly showing his subconscious impatience with employee reports, a habit he had developed from attending meetings. "You're all veterans in the entertainment industry, be smart."
He didn't have the patience to play along with their act.
No one said a word.
"Alright." Since things had come to this, Geng Jiali decided to be blunt and tell the truth. Besides, Jiang Jiaoming only seemed intimidating; he might not actually have any real dirt on her. "Mr. Jiang, to be honest, this is indeed a misunderstanding."
"I don't know what you heard, but you also know that backstabbing among celebrities is commonplace, and they almost always make light of things occasionally, so don't take it seriously."
Jiang Jiaoming nodded and said, "Your accomplice didn't say that," he pointed at Zhuang Yexue, crossing his legs, "Now it's your turn to speak."
Geng Jiali gave Zhuang Yexue a cold glance.
Zhuang Yexue didn't give her a look, appearing quite calm. "I have nothing to say, Miss Liang. You know this has nothing to do with me."
This means she needs to speak on her behalf to Jiang Jiaoming.
Liang Kongxiang smiled faintly, "Teacher Zhuang, you only told me half of what you meant, how am I supposed to know?"
Just as Zhuang Yexue was about to say something, Jiang Jiaoming started playing the bad cop again, his voice cold and ruthless, "Just because Liang Kongxiang is generous and easy to talk to doesn't mean I'll let this matter pass easily. If the recording is released, none of us will be able to get away with this."
“Stop,” Jiang Jiaoming knew what she was going to do, but he had no soft spot for her. “I know you have River Pictures backing you, but the film industry is so big, River Pictures can only give you so many resources. Miss Zhuang, think it through before you speak.”
This means they want to effectively blacklist her.
"What do you want to know?" Zhuang Yexue asked. Beating around the bush wouldn't work; she had to quickly extricate herself from Geng Jiali's mess and try to clear her name as much as possible.
Jiang Jiaoming glanced at Liang Kongxiang, who then spoke up, "What did Teacher Zhuang originally want to say to me?"
She eventually circled back to the point of doubt from that morning.
“I said you guessed wrong because I know you’re only guessing at me. And our relationship is hostile, which is not good for me at this stage, only trouble. So I wanted to remind you not to only be wary of me,” Zhuang Yexue ignored Geng Jiali’s threatening look and continued, “I can only guarantee that what I said is the truth. You can ask Geng Jiali about the rest. She knows much more than I do. After all, apart from that trending topic that everyone knows about, everything else has nothing to do with me.”
When Geng Jiali heard the news that Zhuang Yexue had come to Xisa Port, she subconsciously worried that Zhuang Yexue would use what she had done as a pledge of loyalty to Liang Kongxiang or Jiang Jiaoming in exchange for some benefits, so she traveled a long way to keep an eye on her. She didn't expect her intuition to be so accurate.
“That’s strange. Zhuang Yexue said it had nothing to do with her, and you say it has nothing to do with you,” Jiang Jiaoming asked. “So there are other people involved, right?”
"If I say yes, are you going to let me go?" Geng Jiali wanted to get some promise from Jiang Jiaoming first.
“Talking without action and knowing the answer isn’t very useful,” Jiang Jiaoming asked her. “Are you sure you want to portray yourself as someone who has no value?”
I understand, they mean they want her to get things done. But what can she do?
Geng Jiali was feeling stifled and hadn't figured out how to deal with the cold and aloof Jiang Jiaoming when Liang Kongxiang suddenly spoke up.
"I'll say it again, it wasn't me." Geng Jiali felt there was no need to hide it any longer; anyway, whether it was black or white, everyone thought it was her. "It was Gao Ling, and Tian Lei."
For several seconds, Liang Kongxiang remained silent.
Geng Jiali knew that Gao Ling was outwardly calm but inwardly shocked because she had hidden herself so well and looked harmless. She told Geng Jiali everything about Liang Kongxiang and Jiang Jiaoming, including her suspicions and the men's jeans that were drying in the room. Geng Jiali then sent the information to Zhuang Yexue.
"Who orchestrated that massive wave of negative trending topics before the start of filming for 'Brilliant Past'?" Liang Kongxiang asked. "And who sent me the anonymous email? Who sent me those three negative trending topics? What was their purpose in deliberately hurting me? What are their next plans?"
Liang Kongxiang asked a series of questions, and Geng Jiali remained silent for a few seconds at first, seemingly considering her answer.
“Jiali,” Liang Kongxiang called out to her, “Tian Lei is no good person, he’ll make a move on you sooner or later.”
Geng Jiali hesitated because she knew Tian Lei was no good. If she didn't expose Tian Lei, she would face a subtle blacklist in the industry from Jiang Jiaoming; but exposing him was also very risky—if he found out, she wouldn't have a good ending either. Those caught in the middle, straddling the fence, have never had a good ending throughout history. Liang Kongxiang's words were clearly an attempt to lure her into switching sides; she wasn't oblivious to this, but did she have a better option now?
Liang Kongxiang: "How do you know about Gao Ling's matter?"
“She’s brainless. After I introduced her to some resources, she automatically clung to me and told me everything.”
Geng Jiali vaguely saw the message, her heart pounding. She typed a question mark and sent it, but the other party hadn't replied yet.
Having received Jiang Jiaoming's assurance, Geng Jiali finally breathed a sigh of relief, but inwardly she couldn't help but sneer. Wishing him to die in some woman's bed before was too lenient of him.
After such a long and winding road, things are finally becoming clearer, and the guesses that were once uncertain have all been answered definitively.
After the three of them left, Jiang Jiaoming asked Liang Kongxiang, "Why did Tian Lei go to such lengths to frame you?"
“I know he’s narrow-minded, but I still underestimated the extent of his narrow-mindedness.” Liang Kongxiang was slightly lost in thought, and then told Jiang Jiaoming about what happened two years ago.
At that time, she was an unknown actress, and Cao Lengyu was a new director who was being ostracized. They were powerless and vulnerable, like wild grass on the edge of a cliff, about to fall to the bottom if the wind was too strong.
Two years ago, on a late autumn night, Cao Lengyu couldn't sleep all night after learning about the movies competing with hers in the same release window. For the next few days, her house was always filled with smoke, and Liang Kongxiang could smell the pungent smoke as soon as he stepped inside.
Cao Lengyu sat on the balcony enjoying the breeze, while Liang Kongxiang sat quietly beside her. They analyzed the market and the competition from other films released at the same time, concluding that the situation was not optimistic, and began to devise countermeasures.
Later, Cao Lengyu had no choice but to go to Tian Lei. Although what Tian Lei had done was immoral and unforgivable, as long as she wanted to continue living in the underworld, she had no choice but to bow her head and go to him.
Cao Lengyu used the condition that "her inspiration being stolen be wiped clean" as leverage, hoping he could persuade General Manager Wu to give her more screen time. General Manager Wu was Tian Lei's brother-in-law, and Tian Lei himself also had shares in River Film Industry. In addition, he was more familiar with managers and distributors of other cinema chains. If he wanted to completely destroy Cao Lengyu, her situation at the time would only become more difficult.
Cao Lengyu knew that Tian Lei was petty, vengeful, and vindictive, so he might not accept her invitation. After all, when they parted ways, the kick she gave him in the groin was enough to send him to the hospital for surgery. Therefore, she asked Sun Hanwei to arrange the meeting with Tian Lei.
When Liang Kongxiang found out, she said without hesitation, "I'll go with you." It was too dangerous for her to face two adult men alone.
However, Liang Kongxiang insisted on accompanying her, so Cao Lengyu had no choice but to go to the restaurant together.
Liang Kongxiang stared at him coldly and indifferently, and although they were both sitting, she gave off a condescending feeling.
His greasy gaze lingered on Liang Kongxiang for a few seconds, then he changed his mind, threw his cigarette butt on the table, crossed his arms and said, "If this leading lady sleeps with me, I might consider what you're saying."
Cao Lengyu felt a burning anger rising in her throat. She told herself a thousand times not to act impulsively at such a crucial time when the film was about to be released, but she just couldn't swallow her anger. Just as she was about to get up and take Liang Kongxiang away, she suddenly heard Liang Kongxiang speak.
“This is really your own narrow-minded prejudice,” Liang Kongxiang said calmly, looking at him and calling him by his name. “Tian Lei, I bet you’ve never really gotten close to a woman in your life.”
Bang!
It shattered into pieces, and wine-red liquid gushed out, rolling down the white wall with a splash. Fragments and liquid splattered all over Tian Lei's back. He touched the back of his neck in disbelief, staring at Liang Kongxiang and Cao Lengyu. After realizing what had happened, he immediately reached out to grab Cao Lengyu, who was closest to him, but he only managed to grab a corner of her clothes before Cao Lengyu easily slipped away.
Liang Kongxiang grabbed Cao Lengyu's wrist and ran downstairs, dashing into the stuffy kitchen, startling the chefs who were cooking. She ran along the street behind the back door, panting as she ran faster and faster.
The streets were empty and quiet on a winter night. Under the streetlights, two long, womanly shadows appeared, hand in hand, running towards the distance beneath two rows of bare sycamore trees.
No one looked back.
...
Jiang Jiaoming listened intently, lost in thought. After a while, he asked her softly, "Why didn't you come to me back then? Did you think I would make things difficult for you in this kind of matter?"
Liang Kongxiang chuckled, unusually bringing up old grievances: "Didn't you dislike having anything to do with your ex-girlfriend at work?"
“You’ve been in this industry for so long, and you only come to me when you’re at your wit’s end. Can’t I be angry?” He thought of Liang Kongxiang’s cold attitude towards him back then and quietly watched her.
That being said, Jiang Jiaoming knew that Liang Kongxiang could solve all problems without seeking his help. She seemed to be a natural nemesis of difficult problems, able to resolve any messy and unsolvable issues with ease. She would not go crazy or become hysterical, always holding her head high and never lowering herself for anyone or anything.
Jiang Jiaoming suddenly recalled a quote from Hannah Arendt in "Men in the Dark Ages".
"When a person is inviolable, untemptible, and unshakable, he possesses something captivating."
But it was a coincidence.
Jiang Jiaoming's favorite thing to do was to stir up Liang Kongxiang's emotions and see her waver only for his sake.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Liang Kongxiang asked. But she actually had her own guesses about his aggressive gaze.
Sure enough, Jiang Jiaoming suddenly raised his hand and precisely pinched her chin.
I want to kiss you.
"I'll take that." Liang Kongxiang slapped his hand away and got down to business: "Tian Lei is going to such lengths to mess with me and Cao Lengyu, most likely because we're in his way. Is it possible that his film will clash with ours?"
"But it's too early to talk about these things now. If 'Brilliant Past' can wrap up filming in early March, the editing will take at least four or five months of non-stop work... It would be best if it could make it to the Berlin Film Festival's jury period."
Liang Kongxiang knew a little about the movie Jiang Jiaoming mentioned; it was an art-house crime film. Before filming even began, the internet was abuzz with speculation about the core creative team, and fans of popular celebrities on various apps were debating whether their favorite artists would be involved, arguing endlessly about billing order and screen time.
If Jiang Jiaoming's plan is followed, then she will have to prepare for the Berlin Film Festival.
"Don't worry," Jiang Jiaoming knew what she was thinking. "The thing Ou San doesn't need to worry about the least is Berlin. We know the people who select films for the Berlin Film Festival."
Liang Kongxiang: "How do you know I know him? Does President Jiang have a penchant for collecting information about his ex-girlfriends?"
"Need to ask around? Armani has given you a billboard right across from Zaiying. With that kind of treatment, it won't be hard to meet the film selectors. Besides, didn't you go to the opening banquet of last year's main competition?"
During that time, Jiang Jiaoming could see huge advertisements whenever he looked up from his office. Liang Kongxiang's face, as clear as lake water, permeated the spacious office, making him feel like he had nowhere to stand.
"You know so much about it." Liang Kongxiang smiled and didn't ask any further questions, because she already knew the answer.
Jiang Jiaoming looked at her: "And you, have you inquired about me these past few years?"
Jiang Jiaoming immediately covered her mouth, trying to deceive himself, before she could finish speaking. He narrowed his eyes and said with a hint of dissatisfaction, "Why are you being so honest now?"
Liang Kongxiang could only give up speaking as he forcefully covered her mouth. Her eyes were curved as she met his slightly fierce gaze for a few seconds.
Then he gently placed his hands on both sides of Jiang Jiaoming's ears, cupped Jiang's face and pressed it against himself, and gently touched his forehead with Jiang's forehead.
Outside the window, lush greenery abounds, and a gentle breeze seeps into the room.
She didn't need to speak; Jiang Jiaoming could tell what she was saying just by looking into her smiling eyes.
You idiot, did you get fooled?
-----------------------
Author's note: Is it sweet or not? Hehe.
They'll still be sending out red envelopes in a little while. Please, please, give King ZZ some nutrient solution! (^ω^)
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