Chapter 28 Violet "I only care whether you're a victim or not..."
Wen Siyu said he would cause some trouble for Qin He, and he did just that. But Qin He really didn't have any scandals after so many years in the industry. The only thing that could be used to stir up trouble was the movie that was going to be released in half a month. It was obvious that he wanted to use that movie to compete for awards. Coincidentally, that movie was going to clash with the movie that Ji Jiazhen was going to be in. They were going to be released on the same day, which inevitably led to a bloodbath.
Wen Siyu's idea was to trip up Qin He's path to the award, ensuring he would stumble, but not guaranteeing how badly he would fall. Whether he could get back up depended on his own ability. The award was still there; whether he could win it depended on his skill.
As he said this, Ji Jiazhen was sitting on the sofa reading the script. The plot was about Qiu Shan's arrest. She couldn't say whether it was sympathy or pity, but perhaps it was more because they were in the same industry and she knew how difficult it was to win an award. This year was Qin He's 20th anniversary in the industry, and he hadn't won a single mainstream award, always just barely making it into the running. This year was his best chance. She knew what this award symbolized for him, and she also knew what not winning it would mean for him. So, she lowered her eyes and thought for a moment, then said, "Forget it, let's try a different approach. Let's not make things difficult for him in this regard."
But Wen Siyu didn't think that way, or rather, he simply couldn't be bothered to think about it for him.
"His acting skills are solid, and the quality of his work is also good. Do you really think he's just unlucky with awards and hasn't won one in twenty years?"
Ji Jiazhen looked at him, waiting for his next words.
"I said I couldn't find any dirt on him not because he's completely spotless, but because those things wouldn't bother him, and I don't need to waste my time on them. He's been in this industry for twenty years, and his sanctimonious appearance is only good enough to fool the audience."
“You pity him for always missing out on the trophy, but I don’t pity him. I only care if you’re being bullied, and then I’ll take responsibility for bullying you back,” he continued.
As the wind picked up, Ji Jiazhen's hair fluttered by her ears. Wen Siyu reached out and closed the ventilation window. She tossed aside her script and beckoned to him with her finger. Without a word, he went over, stood behind her, and placed his hands on the sofa on either side of her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a quiet kiss.
"Don't let anyone suspect me."
He took the cardigan that had slipped off her shoulder and replied, "Don't worry at all."
*
Wen Siyu has been staying here for so many days and hasn't been discreet at all. Chen Li was the first to notice something was wrong. From Ji Jiazhen not letting her into the room to Ji Jiazhen not riding in the same car with her, and then she noticed that Ji Jiazhen's driver had become thinner, taller, and looked much younger. Before she could even ask him, Ji Jiazhen cut her off, saying that she would give her some extra pay and that she should think about what she should and shouldn't say, and remember to prepare a draft when reporting to the company.
Of course, the salary was paid by Wen Siyu.
The second person to make the discovery was Zhuang Yan.
Perhaps it was because of Wei Yikai's presence that he had been so well-behaved since joining the crew, maintaining just the right distance from Ji Jiazhen. So, Ji Jiazhen was not expecting him to knock on the door.
Ji Jiazhen assumed it was Chen Li bringing her makeup remover pads, so she opened the door without any precautions. When she saw who it was, she was momentarily stunned.
Zhuang Yan was also bewildered.
When they saw who was sitting on the sofa behind Ji Jiazhen.
Wen Siyu rested his left elbow on his knee, poured wine into his glass with his right hand, and leisurely glanced at the door, where he met Zhuang Yan's gaze.
"Jiazhen... what's he doing here?"
Ji Jiazhen frowned slightly and stepped aside to let him in.
Walls have ears; if they stand here and talk to others, their names will be trending on social media tomorrow.
The door closed, and Zhuang Yan looked at her with wet eyes. "I thought you and he were over."
The word "also" is quite interesting. Wen Siyu sat there and scoffed at his words.
Ji Jiazhen was too lazy to explain to him. She shook a cigarette out of the pack, put it in her mouth without lighting it, and asked, "Did you need something?"
Zhuang Yan glanced at Wen Siyu again, "You two are together, aren't you?"
Wen Siyu also became interested, swirling his glass as he looked at Ji Jiazhen, curious about her answer.
"This doesn't seem to have anything to do with Director Zhuang."
Zhuang Yan's Adam's apple bobbed, but he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue, realizing that he really had no right or qualification to ask these questions.
"I haven't replied to any of the WeChat messages I've sent you these past few days. I came tonight to ask how you've been feeling lately."
She saw all the messages he sent; they were either asking how she was feeling or how much she was resting. They were long-winded and useless, and she didn't want to reply.
"It's fine, I can eat, drink and sleep well."
She's been back from the hospital for almost a week now, and she's already fully recovered.
Zhuang Yan looked hesitant again, and Ji Jiazhen lost her patience. She opened her palm to Wen Siyu, who understood her meaning and tossed her the lighter on the table.
The sound of ignition clicking rang out along with Zhuang Yan's voice.
"Why did he become so cold to me after just one night, refusing to even see me? Why was he able to stay by your side for so long? When you were with me, you said you were afraid of being photographed, but you even agreed to let him come to the film set to accompany you. Why? Is there something I did wrong?"
Why?
That's a good question.
Because he was too indecisive and always hesitant in his actions, his wings were not strong enough to protect himself, let alone help or protect her.
Because he has so little influence, he can hardly say a word even in front of Wei Yikai, let alone in front of other truly difficult people in the industry.
Because what he pursued was too idealistic, always talking about love and affection, but what she wanted was profit and gain. Love and affection were just a means for her to gain benefits. Now that he had no more use to her, she was even less likely to talk about love and affection with him.
But people are constantly building their public persona, and she couldn't possibly reveal all of this, as that would make her seem too realistic, too shrewd, and too calculating, and would only invite more questions and pleas from him, which would be too troublesome.
Therefore, Chi Chia-chen chose the one that was the hardest for him to refute and the one he was least able to refute.
She exhaled a puff of smoke, met his gaze through the smoke, and parted her lips slightly, uttering words that were utterly devastating.
"Because you're not living a good life."
...
The room was so quiet that you could hear the sound of snow melting on the distant Gobi Desert. Zhuang Yan stood frozen in place, never expecting such an answer.
"cut."
It was Wen Siyu's laughter.
*
Filming days can be monotonous, filled with exhaustion and boredom. Ji Jiazhen, however, is a high-energy person with boundless vitality. She keeps her work and life separate. For her, being on set is work, but once she leaves the set, it's life, even if it's just staying in a comfortable hotel in such a remote county.
Her focus on quality of life isn't on food, clothing, housing, or transportation; it's more about having fun and maximizing emotional well-being.
Wen Siyu understood her logic very well, and he also knew where her excitement lay. She was good at playing in bed, and she was equally good at other kinds of fun.
She would experience neck and shoulder pain when filming late into the night, so he learned massage techniques and prepared hot water for her when she returned. He would massage her while she soaked in the bathtub.
He drove her out for a stroll early, planning the route meticulously so she wouldn't stray too far from the city and could have a good time, while ensuring they were back at the hotel before 10 pm so as not to disturb her sleep.
There were two night shoots where they didn't finish until after 4 a.m. She was quite tired, but very excited. He stayed up with her on set until dawn and then took her out for breakfast. They went to unassuming but delicious little shops, and you could tell he put thought and time into finding the right places.
He enjoyed doing these simple things with her, from breakfast face-to-face in the morning to saying goodnight to her late at night. It made him feel that she was accepting him and that one day he would be able to fully enter her life.
Ji Jiazhen was indeed speechless after hearing his one act after another, and even interpreted "virtuous" from his various behaviors. She felt that she hadn't made a mistake in giving him the opportunity, and that others might not have been able to do this.
With comparison comes insight, and with insight comes the willingness to talk nonsense to him and listen to his nonsense.
—Under normal circumstances, she neither likes to talk nor listen.
At five o'clock in the morning, in the cramped breakfast stall, there was no air conditioning or heating, the doors and windows were tightly closed, it was neither cold nor very warm, the entire shop was supported by only a small light bulb, the light made people look pale.
The mutton soup on the table was steaming hot. The owner brought over the pan-fried buns they had ordered. Wen Siyu poured vinegar into a dish, added a small spoonful of chili, and then pushed the dish in front of Ji Jiazhen. Ji Jiazhen blew on the spoon twice, took a sip of soup, picked up a pan-fried bun, dipped it in the dish twice, and then took a bite. Her movements were smooth and natural, and the dipping sauce was also her favorite flavor.
While she was doing these things, Wen Siyu sat opposite her watching her, his face blurred in the rising steam. This down-to-earth atmosphere perfectly complemented his cold and brooding temperament.
After finishing a pan-fried bun, Ji Jiazhen asked him, "How do you know my preferences so well?"
"Your little habits are all very consistent; just pay more attention and you'll figure it out—it's not difficult."
It's not difficult, but Duan Qiyin didn't know, and neither did anyone else.
She put down her chopsticks, pulled her coat zipper down a little, looked at him, and said, "You've spent a month here with me, do you think it was worth it?"
He reached out and tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "I'm not the only one sitting across from you watching you eat breakfast right now, am I?"
The implication is that it's worth it, very worthwhile.
"You haven't graduated yet? You don't need to go to school?"
Do you think I'm the kind of person who cares about grades?
She lowered her eyes, stirred the soup gently with a spoon, and asked, "What will you do if I keep keeping you hanging like this?"
Wen Siyu added vinegar to his mutton soup and said, "Then I'll just keep hanging on like this."
She laughed: "Awesome."
He became serious and looked at her, saying, "Ji Jiazhen, do you know that you lack a sense of security?"
Ji Jiazhen paused for a moment, not looking up, still focused on the swaying soup, but all other senses were on him, quietly listening to him speak.
“You love asking me questions like how long I can stay with you, why I love you, how much I love you, whether loving you is worth it. I answer every single one of them, and you don’t believe a word I say, but you still keep asking and seeking confirmation. Essentially, you love hearing those kinds of questions.” He took her hand, his entire palm enveloping hers. “Then don’t shut me out. If you don’t feel safe with me, you’ll feel even less safe with others.”
He spoke arrogantly and confidently, but his attitude was very sincere, and what he said was indeed reasonable.
She kept her head down, avoiding eye contact with him. She knew what emotions were in his eyes, so she didn't want to look. She picked up her chopsticks again and said, "Eat."
Wen Siyu looked at the tip of her nose, the furrowing of his brows so deep that he didn't even realize it himself.
"You're running away again."
"..."
*
After leaving the breakfast shop, they went to the gas station across the street to refuel their car. Ji Jiazhen stood to the side, holding a bag of soy milk to warm her hands, the lower half of her face hidden in her collar, her brows furrowed by the wind, and her long hair dancing in the cold wind.
Wen Siyu came out of the convenience store with a box of mints in his hand and one in his mouth. He walked up to her, handed her the mint, put his hat on her head to block the strong wind, and then suddenly squatted down.
Ji Jiazhen looked at the top of his head. Less than half a minute later, he stood up again, met her gaze, and swallowed the chewed candy in his mouth. She tilted her face up, her chin peeking out from her collar, grabbed his collar, and kissed him as if no one else was around. The cool mint flavor reached her mouth, like eating a mouthful of winter snow.
She didn't know when the shoelaces came undone, but he just saw it.
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Author's Note: The next chapter will be updated at 10 PM on the 5th. It will be there on time; you know how it is, it will be locked within an hour and a half at most.
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