Chapter 14 Violet "Do it, can't you tell?"...
—"So, are you going to sleep with him or not?"
The answer is, of course.
Once you enter Ji Jiazhen's hunting grounds, no one can escape.
She wanted the role, and she wanted Zhuang Yan too. After all, before considering benefits and exploitation, the first thing she saw in him was the word "conquest."
Zhuang Yan's attitude clearly showed that the role of Wang Qiao was not easy to get. She was mentally prepared; she was willing to try her best, but she also couldn't afford to give up.
She had to get either a man or resources; otherwise, it was a waste of time. Her life motto was: if she couldn't be happy, she had to be happy too.
Zhuang Yan was busier than she had imagined. She didn't know exactly what he was busy with, but he flew to the Northwest the next day, and his return was yet to be determined.
During this time, Ji Jiazhen was also busy. She read "Sacrifice" twice more, wrote a short biography of Wang Qiao, and studied a highlight scene of hers, repeatedly acting it out in front of the mirror.
I even dug out that movie directed by Wei Yikai and watched it again, studying Meng Xu's acting techniques in it—which were somewhat different from her performances in other films.
That difference definitely has Wei Yikai's touch.
What Ji Jiazhen had to do was to align himself with Wei Yikai's preferences.
Zhuang Yan could only be her introducer; she could use him as a stepping stone to get him to willingly recommend her to Wei Yikai, but she couldn't wholeheartedly rely on him to help her get the role.
After all, a puppet director has no say.
Just as she expected, Duan Qiyin really kept his word. Sister May hadn't contacted her for a week. Jian Yi, on the other hand, was constantly busy with activities and her fan base was growing, but she was still in the fourth tier.
However, Duan Qiyin is not all-powerful; she has an endorsement she earned herself, so it's impossible for her to fall into a state of zero exposure.
Tingun has an offline event at the end of the month, and Chi Chia-Chen, as the spokesperson, naturally has to attend. Her makeup and styling were done by two well-known artists in the industry, and her clothes and jewelry were all sponsored by Tingun. The spokesperson is given a lot of prestige.
Just before she was about to leave, she removed Duan Qiyin's name from her blacklist and sent him a photo.
In the photo, she has a smug smile on her face, the jewels around her neck are exaggerated and dazzling, and her middle finger with a ring is held up in front of her, which is arrogant and provocative.
After sending the message, she immediately blacklisted the person. It was a rather childish act, but she seemed to enjoy it and was in a great mood.
This was a confidential event, and no information had been released beforehand, so the moment Ji Jiazhen appeared, the trending topics exploded.
The scene was packed with people, and exclamations of surprise swept across the area. Countless cameras focused on her, unedited photos spread everywhere, and online discussions were constant. The number of followers she gained from this event was equivalent to Jian Yi's in a week.
A successful and effective public appearance.
After the event, she received a text message from Duan Qiyin using his assistant's phone.
Two words.
"ability."
*
With a third of November gone, Zhuang Yan finally returned to City A and invited Ji Jiazhen to dinner the following night.
When an opportunity is presented to you, there's no reason not to accept it.
When Zhuang Yan came to pick her up, he brought a gift—a bouquet of red roses, a must-have for dates. Ji Jiazhen only glanced at it and tossed the flowers to the back seat as if they were a burden.
That's too cliché.
From the type of flower to the packaging, the perfume on the flowers, and even the gift itself, everything was too tacky.
Bouquets are the cheapest gift, requiring almost no thought, and she dislikes such generic things.
"dislike?"
She touched her nose and lied without batting an eye: "No, it's gotten cold so fast lately, I caught a bit of a cold, my nose feels uncomfortable, and I can't stand the smell of perfume."
Zhuang Yan's eyes showed concern, "I'll take you to a medicinal cuisine restaurant tomorrow. Their chicken soup is good; it helps to dispel cold."
Ji Jiazhen fastened her seatbelt and pulled a strand of hair out of her coat. "You haven't even had dinner yet, and you're already asking me out for tomorrow?"
Zhuang Yan glanced at the rearview mirror and asked with a smile, "Would you do me the honor?"
"It depends on how you perform."
The restaurant is a bit far, located in a mountain forest in the south of the city. It's a two-diamond Black Pearl restaurant with a quiet and secluded environment, and it's quite difficult to book a table.
The waiter led them inside, through a long corridor to a secluded courtyard. Transparent glass replaced the walls, and the courtyard was surrounded by trees on three sides, a verdant expanse filling their eyes. While the trees in the city center had long since withered, these trees remained vibrant and full of life.
Ji Jiazhen had been on a long-term diet and wasn't particular about food. There was nothing unpalatable to her, so she wasn't good at ordering. She tossed the menu to Zhuang Yan, took a sip of Pu'er tea, and casually glanced at a tree that was growing crookedly.
Before closing the menu, Zhuang Yan asked her, "What kind of wine would you like to drink?"
Ji Jiazhen lazily withdrew her gaze, "Drinking alone is no fun, tea is fine."
The man smiled gently, "I'll drink with you."
"The car isn't going anywhere?"
"You can choose to have a designated driver or stay overnight, either is fine."
Ji Jiazhen accurately caught the word "stay overnight," a smile flashed in his eyes, and he casually said "Oh," before telling her what kind of wine he wanted to drink.
The waiter left, leaving them facing each other.
"Did you go to the Northwest for so many days for work or just for fun?"
Zhuang Yan replied, "We went to check out the location, find suitable scenery, and also took a trip around."
"A suitable location? Something to shoot?"
"I'm preparing to make a movie."
Chi Chia-chen left it at that; she knew the movie's name but didn't ask further, saying, "I look forward to Director Zhuang's work."
I still prefer to hear you call my name.
After they finished speaking, their eyes met.
Beneath the quiet atmosphere flowed an unspoken passion; the adults' eye contact was direct and naked, yet no one dared to speak of it.
As the dishes were served one after another, the waiters passed by repeatedly, but Ji Jiazhen did not respond to that remark until all the dishes had been served.
She raised her glass to Zhuang Yan, as if to toast him, but remained silent, only looking at him with smiling eyes.
Zhuang Yan raised his hand, the cups clinked together with a "clink," and the dark red wine flowed into his mouth.
Ji Jiazhen's silence made him a little anxious, and he couldn't hold back any longer, so he spoke first: "Aren't you going to ask me what movie it is?"
She shook her head. "You'll say what you want to say."
Zhuang Yan put down his knife and fork and looked at her seriously. "I apologize for what I said that day. I know you were unhappy to hear it, but that was not my intention."
Ji Jiazhen knew he was referring to what he said that night about her not being suitable for Wang Qiao, but she pretended to be clueless, "What did you say? I have a bad memory."
“It’s not that you’re not suitable for Wang Qiao, it’s…” He trailed off again, as if he was still struggling with himself, wondering if it was the truth that was hard to say or something he couldn’t say.
Ji Jiazhen recalled another sentence Zhuang Yan had said that night.
—"You know the rules of this circle better than I do. There are many things that can't be said openly, but they still exist."
What does he mean by "things"?
Ji Jiazhen said understandingly, "It's okay, I didn't take it to heart. Don't force yourself to say things you don't want to say."
The more she said that, the more guilty Zhuang Yan felt. He sighed and said frankly, "Sacrifice will be adapted into a movie, and I will be the director."
Ji Jiazhen's hand holding the wine glass froze in mid-air as she looked at him with surprise, then chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Looks like I'm really not suitable. Director Zhuang didn't take a liking to me."
Zhuang Yan hurriedly explained, "I didn't mean that! It's not that you're not suitable for Wang Qiao, it's just that this role... has already been decided." He lowered his head, avoiding her eyes, "The reasons I listed for you not being suitable were just to cover up this matter."
Ji Jiazhen's eyelashes trembled slightly, and a hint of disappointment showed through the shadows under her eyes. "Then why are you telling me now?"
"I don't want to lie to you, I still want to pursue you."
He looked up, his melancholy evident in his eyes, her image reflected in his pupils, his gaze filled with longing.
Ji Jiazhen asked softly, "Which one do you think is true?"
Such a casual question was enough to make him surrender.
"I really like you."
She finished the rest of the wine in her glass in one gulp, then poured more in. "So many people say they like me. How am I supposed to tell if they're true or not, how am I supposed to know how many?"
Zhuang Yan's Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice grew hoarse. "The year you debuted, I was twenty, the age when I should be starting a relationship. I was captivated by you. Later, as more and more rumors about you spread, they said you only liked virgins, and I rejected all the girls around me."
"..."
"I don't know what type you like, but if they're all okay, could you perhaps consider me too?"
Ji Jiazhen pondered that Wen Siyu's appearance that day probably made Zhuang Yan feel threatened, knowing that she had no shortage of men and that he didn't have much of a competitive advantage, so today he simply revealed everything to her.
Her gaze was too calm, which gradually made him lose confidence, and the spark of fire in his heart slowly turned to ashes.
All was silent.
Suddenly there was a knocking sound on the glass. Ji Jiazhen turned her head and saw the tree branches swaying up and down, and the leaves about to fall.
It's raining.
The wind and rain couldn't break through the three glass walls; they were still in the same atmosphere as before. But Ji Jiazhen asked a rather provocative question, "Who is the person pre-selected?"
Zhuang Yan hesitated for two seconds before revealing the man's name.
"Li Zhuorong".
This must have been pre-arranged; otherwise, she wouldn't have even gotten the chance to audition for the role of Wang Qiao.
However, Ji Jiazhen was still somewhat surprised. Li Zhuorong was forty-two years old this year. The age difference was too great, and their acting styles were different. They had basically never met. But Li Zhuorong's dramas had good reputations. She had always thought that Li Zhuorong was a very capable senior. Now it seemed that she had to change her opinion. Ability was not necessarily only in terms of acting skills.
"Unfortunately, I also wrote a short biography for Wang Qiao during this time, but I won't need it now."
The regret and disappointment in her tone were too heavy for Zhuang Yan to bear seeing her dejected.
“You are much more suitable than her for the role of Wang Qiao. Before the official announcement, everything can change.”
Ji Jiazhen looked at the increasingly heavy rain and said, "It's all pre-arranged, and the possibility of change is very small."
"Between lovers and relatives, those with blood ties are more likely to have a conversation."
This statement reveals quite a bit: Li Zhuorong has actually gotten involved with Wei Xikai.
The sound of raindrops hitting the glass was rapid and muffled. Ji Jiazhen turned around amidst the noise, and the deep green scenery behind her made it look like a scene from a movie.
Zhuang Yan's heart skipped a beat.
She said, "It's raining so hard, let's stay here tonight."
The desire ignited on the night of their reunion now burned intensely within him, crackling and popping.
Tonight, his whole heart beats for her.
A long corridor, an artificial hill, and a waterfall in the backyard.
Everything left only an empty phantom in Ji Jiazhen's eyes. Zhuang Yan's back swayed in front of her, her hand was being held by him, gripped tightly.
Through the thick glass, she could hear the continuous sound of rain.
Only one thought crossed my mind: Is it appropriate to sleep with him today? What if he can't handle the role for a while and then wants to sleep with her two or three more times?
She only sleeps with one man.
The loud slam of the door brought her back to her senses. Zhuang Yan took off his coat and the next second he impatiently kissed her, his lips and tongue sucking haphazardly, making her feel uncomfortable.
Ji Jiazhen pushed him away, raised her chin slightly and pointed to a certain spot, "Take a shower first."
Their first time was in the shower. The steaming heat blurred their vision, water vapor covered the tiled glass, and behind them was a cold, hard touch, while in front of them was a hot, firm chest.
A world of extremes.
Hot water flowed down her body, touching every inch of her skin. Zhuang Yan's breathing grew heavier and heavier in her ears, and she felt a strong sensation under the extreme stimulation of her body and hearing.
It was exciting to do it in the bathroom, but ultimately not very comfortable. Both of them were in the mood, and Ji Jiazhen was pushed onto the bed before she was completely dried off. Zhuang Yan remembered that she had mentioned having a cold in the car and was worried that she would catch a chill, so he turned up the air conditioning temperature a bit.
With her hair pressed against her back and the constant friction between her body and the sheets, it was a bit unbearable. She arched her knees and pushed Zhuang Yan's shoulder with her hand, "Let's change positions."
He rolled over, so she was on top.
Sweat trickled down her neck and onto her collarbone, glistening softly. A few strands of hair clung to the side of her neck. Feeling uncomfortable, Ji Jiazhen shook her hair, tilted her head back, and placed her hands on Zhuang Yan's legs, rising and falling rhythmically, a soft pant escaping her lips.
The rain grew heavier, blending with the sounds inside. Outside, early winter was bleak, but inside, spring was in full bloom, and desire had nowhere to hide.
The phone on the bedside table rang at an inopportune moment. Zhuang Yan's hand was on Ji Jiazhen's waist. Worried that someone was calling to talk to him about the movie, he turned his head to look and found that it was Ji Jiazhen's phone.
Should I answer it?
Ji Jiazhen glanced over and saw a note with a "w" on it; she knew who it was.
"I'm busy."
It rang for a while but no one answered, so they just hung up.
With the noise gone, Zhuang Yan propped himself up on his arms and sat up to kiss her, but his phone rang again the very second their lips touched. The caller had been persistent and called a second time.
"Is there something you need? Aren't you going to answer?"
Ji Jiazhen wrapped her arms around his neck, her voice broken, "I'm busy right now, aren't I?"
Zhuang Yan wrapped his arm around her back, his gaze lingering from her lips to her ear.
The call ended, and then it was redialed, as if she wouldn't give up until she answered.
Zhuang Yan stopped what he was doing, took the phone and handed it to her, "Take it, just in case something urgent comes up."
Ji Jiazhen's eyes never left his face. She held the phone in her hand, then put it to her ear. The moment the call connected, she lowered her head and kissed Zhuang Yan passionately.
His shoulders began to rise and fall slowly, and his breathing became rapid.
Seven seconds, eight seconds.
The voice on the other end was cold and indifferent, low and hoarse with suppressed emotion. She trembled slightly when she heard Wen Siyu call her name, and accidentally let out a syllable.
"Ji Jiazhen".
"What are you doing."
She placed her index finger between her lips, and Zhuang Yan wisely let her go, instead biting her fingertip to give her space to reply.
Saliva still clung to the corners of her lips, which were utterly eroded. She replied:
"Go ahead and do it, can't you tell?"
A note from the author:
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The next chapter will be available for purchase. It will be updated tomorrow night at 9 PM. There will be a long chapter of 10,000 words combining the three chapters, waiting for you to devour it!
Thanks for following the updates, muah!
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