Chapter 54 Butterfly "Would you like to be with me and..."
The lights in the police station's mediation room were a stark white, making everyone's faces look pale.
Ji Jiazhen held a cup of hot water. The policewoman found her a clean set of clothes, which were a little too big and hung loosely on her.
Duan Qiyin sat opposite her, his eyes as still as stagnant water staring at her, his whole demeanor somber, almost decadent.
Both individuals have special identities, and evidence is still lacking. The police cannot easily convict Duan Qiyin based solely on Ji Jiazhen's unilateral accusations. However, in the current situation, Ji Jiazhen is indeed a victim, and the police cannot allow the perpetrator to hold his head high in front of her.
Outside the mediation room, people peered anxiously through the transparent glass. The news that night was too explosive; not only did the case involve "rape," but the two parties involved were also celebrities, and they had even been frequently trending on social media together lately.
But this matter is a bit difficult to handle. There was no surveillance footage at the scene, and no additional evidence to prove that the rape was true. Based solely on the torn clothing on Ji Jiazhen's body, the incident could only be classified as attempted molestation. However, her demands were firm: she wanted to sue Duan Qiyin for rape.
She wanted to ruin Duan Qiyin's reputation by going all out.
No matter how the police questioned him, Duan Qiyin did not offer a single word in his defense, neither admitting nor denying, and the situation remained at a stalemate.
Time ticked by, and Ji Jiazhen hadn't touched her phone for two hours. She knew that paparazzi and reporters were all scrambling to publish what happened tonight for the sake of hype, and she guessed that the internet must be in an uproar right now.
She glanced at the clock on the wall, calculating the time; the people who were supposed to arrive should be here soon.
Sure enough, after she finished looking at it, there was a knock on the door of the mediation room. Behind the police officer who knocked on the door stood Duan Lan and Fang Wei, both with serious expressions.
The difference is that Fang Wei's seriousness is tinged with confusion, while Duan Lan's seriousness is tinged with obvious anger.
Duan Qiyin showed no reaction to Duan Lan's arrival, glancing at him for a second before turning his head away.
Duan Lan walked past the police, glanced briefly at Ji Jiazhen, and then walked straight towards Duan Qiyin. Before she even reached him, her hand was already raised in mid-air. As soon as she stood still next to him, her hand landed on his face.
Ji Jiazhen stared blankly at the mother and son in front of her. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she turned her head and saw Fang Wei's questioning gaze. The corners of her lips curled up slightly, full of sarcasm.
Duan Lan is usually calm and collected, so why did he slap Duan Qiyin without asking any questions this time?
Because she knew very well that Duan Qiyin might actually do such a thing to Ji Jiazhen.
Duan Qiyin remained silent after being hit, his face tense, his cheeks twitching slightly, before he looked up at Ji Jiazhen, still staring at her without uttering a word.
Duan Lan took a deep breath, exchanged a glance with Fang Wei, and then asked Ji Jiazhen, "How do you plan to resolve this?"
Ji Jiazhen spoke firmly, slamming the cup she was holding onto the table. The water sloshed around, splashing some onto her hands. She crossed her legs, pulled out a tissue, and slowly wiped her hands.
"I'm going to sue him."
"Change to another one."
Duan Lan responded almost immediately.
Ji Jiazhen paused in wiping her hands, crumpled the paper into a ball in her hand, and stood up without warning. She raised her hand and threw the paper ball at Duan Qiyin's cheek, meeting his gaze, but speaking to Duan Lan instead.
"Get this straight, you're not in a position to negotiate with me right now."
Duan Lan's aura was no less imposing: "You don't have sufficient evidence at all. If this matter gets out of hand, your reputation won't be good either."
Upon hearing this, Ji Jiazhen looked at her, and Duan Lan subconsciously pursed her lips, her eyes even showing a hint of evasion.
How can the perpetrator act so self-righteously in front of the victim?
Just as Duan Lan was about to retort, she saw Ji Jiazhen suddenly raise her hand in mid-air. Her eyes were devoid of warmth, and her movements were swift and decisive. The slap landed squarely on Duan Qiyin's face.
Ji Jiazhen tilted her head, her gaze falling on Duan Qiyin, and said lightly, "Whether you are guilty or not is up to me to decide, it is up to me, the one who was truly hurt, to decide."
Fang Wei spoke up promptly: "The subsequent responsibilities and compensation will be discussed with you by the lawyer. Please do not cross the line. Contact me before contacting my artist."
Ji Jiazhen turned around when Fang Wei said those words. After she finished speaking, she felt Fang Wei's hand on her shoulder. She lowered her head, straightened the slightly rolled-up hem of her clothes, and followed Fang Wei for two steps toward the door. Suddenly, without warning, she turned around, picked up the glass of water on the table that was eight-tenths full, and splashed it at Duan Lan. Duan Lan was stunned by the sudden splash of cold water. She opened her mouth wide in surprise, her eyes tightly closed. Water droplets ran down her forehead, past her eyelashes, and down to her chin before finally falling to the ground.
Fang Wei was stunned by the scene, raising an eyebrow at the back of Ji Jiazhen's head. The police outside craned their necks to see what was going on; it was bad enough that they were seeing a big star for the first time, but to witness her losing her temper was even worse. Duan Qiyin, however, remained surprisingly calm, still sitting there, showing no emotion whatsoever when Duan Lan was doused with cold water.
Ji Jiazhen's voice trembled slightly, a mixture of anger, rage, and a touch of grievance.
"You are the least qualified to speak to me."
"..."
"My reputation was ruined by you from the very beginning."
How can I let go of this feeling?
Those were three real years.
Those were the three years she wasted.
Duan Lan didn't even have a tissue at hand, so she could only wipe the water off her face with her bare hands, looking disheveled.
Ji Jiazhen looked at Duan Qiyin and pointed a finger at him, "Whether it's rape or indecent assault, these charges will follow you for the rest of your life. No one will want to cooperate with someone with questionable character in the business world. You'll live with this rotten reputation for the rest of your life."
*
Fang Wei's car was parked outside the police station, but he was in such a hurry that he didn't notice where he was parked and was blocked by Duan Lan's car. He could only wait for Duan Lan to move the car first.
Ji Jiazhen was also exhausted from all the fuss. He wilted as soon as he came into contact with the night breeze. His fingers unconsciously tapped the side of his leg as he craved a cigarette.
As Duan Lan passed by, the bag on her shoulder hit her elbow. Her tolerance for this mother and son was zero. The hit had hurt her, so she slapped Duan Qiyin on the back, who had just stopped next to her. The slap was so hard that Duan Qiyin groaned.
Duan Qiyin said nothing, staring straight ahead just like her. "Your plan is full of flaws, but you turn a blind eye because you love you."
Ji Jiazhen sneered: "Stop trying to justify your stupidity, and stop trying to glorify your pathetic love. Do you really think being loved by you is a good thing?"
"You've gone to such lengths, you can't just be trying to frame me for something you didn't do, can you?"
Ji Jiazhen looked at his profile and said, "Since you guessed it, then be sensible. I need to see the termination contract this week."
Just as Duan Qiyin was about to speak, Duan Lan honked the horn at him, urging him to get in the car. At the same time, the car turned around, and with less obstruction, the view became clearer. Ji Jiazhen and Duan Qiyin saw the black car blocking the exit at almost the same moment.
Ji Jiazhen clenched her fists at her sides, her heart tingling, then trembling, and then burning hot when she saw the person getting out of the car.
He was walking this way, towards her, at a fast pace. She knew his manner very well; he was completely enraged.
Fang Wei knew his temper all too well and had a vague idea of what he was going to do. He immediately rolled down the car window and called his name in a deep voice with a warning tone.
Duan Lan looked at Wen Siyu passing by her car window, saw his profile filled with hostility, and also saw the menacing aura of his back in the rearview mirror.
It was directed at Duan Qiyin.
"Wen Siyu!"
The shout came out almost before the brain had fully processed it, but the sound was muffled inside the car and no one heard it.
She hurriedly opened the car door, unbuckled her seatbelt, and called out again, "Wen Siyu!"
But it was too late.
As she got out of the car, Wen Siyu's fist landed on Duan Qiyin's cheekbone, his voice heavy and ruthless, trembling slightly with the movement.
"If you want to die, I don't mind helping you."
Ji Jiazhen was standing close by, his hair was lifted by the wind when he swung his arm, and he stood there steadily, watching Wen Siyu and Duan Qiyin wrestling together.
Wen Siyu's every punch was aimed at killing him, he spared no effort, and his punches were fast and ruthless, leaving Duan Qiyin with no room to fight back.
Police officers quickly heard the commotion and rushed out to separate the two. Duan Lan completely disregarded her manners and knelt down next to Duan Qiyin to check on him.
Ji Jiazhen looked at Wen Siyu's profile, her eyes trembling slightly. Then she pursed her lips, lowered her head, took a deep breath, and looked up at Duan Qiyin, whose face was stained with blood.
Duan Lan turned around angrily, met Ji Jiazhen's gaze, and gritted her teeth to say four words: "I will sue him."
Ji Jiazhen knew that she was trying to use this to threaten her and make her give up the idea of suing Duan Qiyin.
She shrugged indifferently: "Go ahead and sue."
It was Wen Siyu who hit someone, and it's Wen Siyu who should be sued. What does it have to do with her?
Fang Wei rubbed his temples a couple of times, then patted Ji Jiazhen's shoulder wearily: "Let's go back first, I'll handle it."
Ji Jiazhen couldn't help but say to Wen Siyu before leaving, "Couldn't you find a place far away from the police station to make the call?"
The police arrived too quickly; she hadn't even had a chance to vent her anger.
*
The trending topics have been more lively than ever these past few days. The heat of Ji Jiazhen accusing Duan Qiyin of rape hasn't died down yet, and now the trending topic of Wen Siyu punching Duan Qiyin in front of the police station has risen again. Everyone loves to watch the drama of brothers fighting.
Ji Jiazhen was very clever. She immediately bought PR articles for herself, portraying herself as the absolute victim from being injured on set to being raped by her boss. She garnered a wave of sympathy, but those who hated her still hated her and refused to buy her story, demanding that she provide evidence to prove that the rape did indeed occur.
Of course she couldn't produce it. After all, her goal wasn't to send Duan Qiyin to prison. As long as he was universally hated and she could successfully terminate the contract, that was enough.
So when public opinion was divided, Ji Jiazhen released another video with the caption: "I've had enough of seven years of molestation and harassment."
She took the photos herself and posted them on her main account, never considering the consequences of not being able to terminate the contract.
In the video, Duan Qiyin sits on the sofa with his legs open. A distinct and suggestive mosaic is placed in the middle of his legs, while the up-and-down movement of his shoulders and arms is clearly visible.
What he's doing is obvious.
The dialogue in the video has been edited, and the editing technique is so sophisticated that it is almost impossible to see any problems with the transitions between the parts.
“Standing so far away, in my dreams, you’re sitting on my lap.”
"..."
"If you're willing to call out, I can make my fantasies even richer and my oral sex even faster."
"Right now, you're no different from an animal in heat."
The video ends here. In just a few seconds, it further confirms Duan Qiyin's beastly nature and Ji Jiazhen's helpless situation. However, it was too explicit and was taken down in less than forty minutes. But Ji Jiazhen's goal has already been achieved.
What's most interesting is that people in the industry are also paying attention to this. Someone accidentally liked a post that was criticizing Ji Jiazhen at this critical juncture. The person in question is also quite famous, so this incident also became a trending topic.
When Ji Jiazhen saw the name, she smiled slightly, then typed a message to Fang Wei: "What has Li Zhuorong been up to lately?"
She almost forgot what she had promised when she reached a cooperation agreement with Fang Wei. Fortunately, Li Zhuorong was a bit reckless and his outburst reminded her.
Fang Wei replied: "Quietly, I haven't had any work since filming wrapped up the month before last."
This is the strangest thing. How could someone who was working so hard to grab roles and resources just a few months ago suddenly be quiet for two months? Her comeback hasn't even heated up yet, and not having any roles to play at this time is like pouring cold water on a small flame.
Fang Wei also realized that Li Zhuorong's motives for jumping out at this moment were impure, so he made inquiries and came to the following conclusion:
Li Zhuorong's latest film is in production and she's rushing to meet the deadline for the Berlin Film Festival.
As luck would have it, if she wanted to be nominated, her opponent would be Chi Chia-Chen's "Sacrifice".
Chi Chia-Chen will not allow this to happen; she is determined to win the award at the Berlin Film Festival.
But winning Best Actress at this year's Berlin Film Festival won't be easy. If the subject is Ji Jiazhen, then the difficulties are even greater. Putting aside the wolves eyeing her in the industry, her biggest obstacle right now is Duan Qiyin.
Duan Qiyin would not allow her to win international awards, or rather, he would only allow her to win awards within the scope of his control.
Bird owners would imprison birds in exquisite cages, calling such imprisonment "protection." The birds, confined in their cages all day, were kept for the bird owners to play with. Over time, they forgot that they could fly and were eventually domesticated, becoming two-legged creatures with wings.
That was Duan Qiyin's goal.
He wanted Ji Jiazhen to have beautiful wings, but he wouldn't allow her to grow full wings, and he couldn't tolerate anyone else coming for her beauty as well.
So whether Ji Jiazhen becomes famous or falls to the bottom, he doesn't care.
In his eyes, she was just a bird.
Birds' emotions don't need to be taken seriously.
But Ji Jiazhen didn't have the soft, gentle body of a bird, nor their harmless eyes. What she did have were sharp claws and a beak that could peck and hurt, just like a bird.
A fierce battle is about to break out.
*
The power of public opinion is beyond imagination. Even someone of Duan Qiyin's status cannot act as if nothing has happened. He must avoid the limelight for a while; he cannot go to the company or show his face.
Duan Lan was busy with this matter, ignoring all the lawyer's messages and maintaining one attitude: she wanted to talk to Ji Jiazhen face-to-face.
She knew that just saying that was useless and that Ji Jiazhen wouldn't pay any attention to her, so she added a threat before and after her words. For example, she said that she would pursue Wen Siyu's legal responsibility and that she had already hired a lawyer. She also said that she could use some means to make him go to jail for three to five years.
Ji Jiazhen remained unmoved by these statements, only replying with one sentence: "It has nothing to do with me if he stays in prison for the rest of his life."
Seeing that Ji Jiazhen wasn't buying it, Duan Lan instantly changed tactics. She knew Ji Jiazhen's weakness very well, and it seemed that all her previous threats were a prelude to this. In short, her words made Ji Jiazhen's blood boil but her hands go cold:
I can blacklist you once, and I can blacklist you a second time. Qi Yin has promoted you to where you are today, and it seems that you have forgotten where you came from.
Ji Jiazhen read the sentence three times, and for the first time, she truly understood what it meant to laugh in extreme anger. She knew that Duan Lan was serious; she did indeed have the ability to shut her down a second time. Therefore, these words were not a threat, but a warning.
Her easily triggered temper made it impossible for her to continue pretending to be calm and composed. At this moment, she was typing with great force, and the edges of her nails were hitting the screen with a loud thud.
Reply: Don't censor me, if you're so capable, then kill me.
Then she made a phone call to Duan Qiyin, venting all the anger she had suffered at Duan Lan's hands on him, yelling at him, "Where the hell are you?!"
She heard a crisp sound, followed two seconds later by a "thud," like a billiard ball hitting a pocket. Duan Qiyin then gave her the address.
Ji Jiazhen told him to wait, to wait patiently.
*
The place Duan Qiyin mentioned was an underground club, which he invested in and built; she had been there once.
The club cleared the area for him these past two days; he was the only person in the nearly 1,000 square meter space.
When Ji Jiazhen arrived, he was still at the pool table, his back to her, applying chocolate powder to his cue in preparation for aiming at the only remaining black eight on the table.
She strode toward him, her footsteps completely enveloped by the carpet. Duan Qiyin seemed to have timed it perfectly, knowing she would arrive around this time. Without hearing a sound, he put down his cue and turned to look at her.
Ji Jiazhen casually grabbed the pool cue and held it against his neck, forcing him to back up until he was against the wall. The cue pressed heavily on his Adam's apple, forcing him to tilt his head back and raise his hands in the air, looking helpless and completely unable to do anything about her.
"Nobody can trip me up on this path again! I've learned my lesson and learned my lesson! I have low morals and no manners, I can't play those tricks, I'm best at solving problems with violence. Your mom doesn't want me to stay in this industry, right? If she has the guts, she can kill me! If she can't kill me, you and your mom can die together!"
At this moment, Duan Qiyin could only look down at her, his eyes filled with exhaustion and devoid of emotion.
"She'd better put away those tricks and schemes, learn to be quiet, and obediently watch how I become famous. Let's see if my fame is due to my father's support or my own efforts!"
She practically yelled out every word, a way of venting her anger and releasing her pent-up frustration.
Duan Qiyin suddenly laughed. His indifferent face and the way his lips moved looked like mockery.
The cue stick pressed against his throat continued to press forward, and the feeling of suffocation gradually intensified. He remained motionless, making no attempt to stop Ji Jiazhen, allowing him to continue, but the words he spoke were still unpleasant.
"No matter how much you deny it, you have to face reality. You can't get to where you are today without me."
"I will only live better and go further without you!"
Duan Qiyin chuckled: "Did you think I would say 'We'll see'?"
His face was flushed, but the strength in his grip on her wrist was no less. Ji Jiazhen was no match for his strength and was defeated first, letting go of his hand. The cue stick fell to the ground with a loud thud.
"I've said it before, don't even think about terminating the contract. Aside from feelings, you're valuable to me. Nobody turns down money. Even for the sake of profit, I won't let you go."
How much do you want?
Ji Jiazhen's shoulders trembled as she heard a voice that belonged neither to her nor to Duan Qiyin, yet it was a voice she knew all too well.
She turned around and saw Wen Siyu, who had been standing there at some point, asking her the questions she wanted to ask. Her heart clenched instantly, as if an electric current was spreading through her body.
It was this turn of her head that allowed Wen Siyu to see her wrist being tightly held by Duan Qiyin.
He narrowed his eyes for a moment, his tone unfriendly: "Let go."
Duan Qiyin probably thought of the pain in his cheekbone from that day's punch, and subconsciously let go. But instead of lowering his hand, he stretched it out in the air and made a number. Ji Jiazhen was looking at Wen Siyu at that moment, but by the time she looked, Duan Qiyin had already withdrawn his hand.
Only Wen Siyu saw the exact amount.
*
It was already dark when they left the club. It was nearly a hundred meters from the entrance to the parking area. Ji Jiazhen and Wen Siyu walked side by side for a rare moment in the quiet. She didn't ask him why he was there, and he didn't say why he came. They had argued too many times and broken up and got back together several times. Right now, neither of them wanted to break this precious harmony.
As they reached the car, the sound of Ji Jiazhen unlocking her car signaled their impending separation. She was heartless; without saying a word to him, she turned to open the car door.
Wen Siyu finally couldn't resist and hugged her from behind. He smelled an unfamiliar scent on her and knew that she had changed her perfume.
Ji Jiazhen didn't speak or push him away. She silently let him hold her, and she couldn't say whether it was because the weather was getting colder that she began to crave the warmth of his embrace.
"You lied to me again."
Wen Siyu's lips pressed against her neck, his voice muffled.
"What are you lying about?"
Ji Jiazhen was startled by the hoarseness in her voice and felt Wen Siyu tighten his arms around her.
"You clearly don't love him."
She didn't speak, silently watching their reflections in the car window.
Wen Siyu continued, "This is how you handle problems."
She knew he was referring to the incident where he risked his life to accuse Duan Qiyin of rape.
Her stubbornness flared up again, and she asked him coldly, "What's wrong with how I handled it?"
“You could have just told me directly.”
Ji Jiazhen took a deep breath, raised her hand and then lowered it, but in the end she still didn't push him away.
"That's also how you handle problems."
He didn't tell her anything, keeping everything a secret from her. Now he's experienced firsthand how unpleasant it is to have your heart constantly hanging in the air.
"I know I was wrong."
Ji Jiazhen knew in her heart that this person was now completely subdued in front of her, and had completely abandoned his dignity. After she said so many hurtful and harsh words, he could still hug her as if nothing had happened, and lower his head to admit his mistakes again and again.
Her throat tightened, and for a moment she didn't know what to say.
"Are you willing to forgive me?"
He asked her this question while kissing her cheek, his eyelashes lightly brushing against the corner of her eye, making her heart tingle and her whole body feel electrified.
"Are you willing to make up with me?"
He pressed his lips to her ear again and whispered, "I want to make up with you."
-----------------------
Author's note: Happy National Day! Wishing you a pleasant and successful October.
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