The scent of breath grew closer. Shen Jianxi, with both hands on the man's arms, abruptly pushed down and then shoved him forcefully, breaking free from his hold.
She sidestepped, turned on the light, and stood with her arms crossed, looking at the person before her. "Ex-partners shouldn't be too intimate, Young Master Ye. Mind your image."
Ye Chuan Ci's feelings at this moment were a jumble.
Something was wrong with his approach. Why did male leads in other novels succeed, while he failed?
Ah, right. Because he wasn't the male lead.
"...Haha." Ye Chuan Ci let out a dry laugh, then his expression turned serious. "I was just testing your reaction. It seems you're excellent!" He even gave a thumbs-up.
Shen Jianxi rolled her eyes ungracefully, too lazy to banter with him further. "Say it, what do you need me for?"
Ye Chuan Ci pouted aggrievedly. The expression didn't seem out of place on him, instead carrying a peculiar sort of cuteness.
"I missed you. Even though we're on the same show, we haven't even had a chance to talk."
Ye Chuan Ci paused at this point. He had been faking his grievance, but now he felt increasingly wronged, his gaze turning resentful.
"I only see newcomers smile, and never hear the old ones cry. You scumbag!"
Shen Jianxi: ???
With her arms crossed, she looked at the man full of accusations with amusement. "You can cry now."
"......"
Her words, however, stifled the emotion Ye Chuan Ci had managed to muster. He stopped being playful, stood up straight, and looked at Shen Jianxi earnestly. "If you ever need me, just say the word."
He didn't specify what he meant, but both of them understood the underlying implication.
This genuinely surprised Shen Jianxi. However, perhaps with Ye Chuan Ci's help, some things would be easier to accomplish, especially concerning Luo Yuqi...
She gave Ye Chuan Ci a look of complex emotion. He met her gaze with a full smile, as if guessing her thoughts. Ye Chuan Ci spoke first. "I don't have many expectations right now. Just seeing you is enough. You never have to apologize to me."
"...Thank you." Shen Jianxi hesitated for a moment before finally saying thank you. Then, she looked up into his eyes. "I do have something I need your help with."
......
Finally released by Father Shen, Luo Yuqi looked around but found that Shen Jianxi had already disappeared somewhere. He stood in place, drained the rest of the wine in his glass, and then headed upstairs.
When he reached Shen Jianxi's door, just as he was about to knock, he heard a male voice from inside.
"Are you adjusting well?"
The voice was unfamiliar. It was definitely not that Ji Zhaoyun's voice. Luo Yuqi gritted his teeth inwardly, wondering how many men this person had been involved with.
He amplified all his emotions, and even his usual subtle jealousy became clearer.
Despite his anger, Luo Yuqi lowered his hand and listened intently to the conversation inside.
"...It's fine. I'm not uncomfortable with anything."
He was familiar with this female voice. It was indeed Shen Jianxi's.
Confirming this, Luo Yuqi moved closer to the door, afraid of missing anything.
However, his worry was somewhat redundant. After all, this conversation was specifically for him to hear. To ensure he could hear clearly, Shen Jianxi and Ye Chuan Ci had deliberately stood by the door, making sure each word was articulated precisely.
"I will find a way back."
This sentence made Luo Yuqi frown. Back? Back where?
There was silence inside the room.
"You're not... you don't want to go back, do you?"
The person who received no answer for a long time seemed to grow anxious, their voice suddenly rising. "You're crazy... Are you crazy?"
The man's voice lowered again. "Do you want to stay in this world forever? What's so great about that immature brat? Listen to me. When I find a way back, we'll go back together, okay?"
Immature? Brat? Luo Yuqi pointed at himself with a look of confusion. Was he talking about him? Unsure, he listened more intently.
"...I'm sorry." This was the only thing Shen Jianxi said after such a long silence, but it infuriated the other person. Luo Yuqi only heard a loud bang from inside, as if something had been slammed to the ground, followed by the sound of pacing.
"Don't apologize to me. I only ask you this: What do you think that kid would think if he knew you were from another world? Aren't you afraid he'd send you off for dissection research! Do you think he would..."
Luo Yuqi couldn't process the words that followed. His mind was filled with the phrase "from another world." He shook his head forcefully, then felt it wasn't enough, and vigorously slapped his face, trying to sober up.
The conversation inside continued. He walked back to his room in a daze. What the absent-minded Luo Yuqi didn't know was that the moment his door closed, the argument inside almost simultaneously stopped.
Then, Ye Chuan Ci slipped away downstairs while no one was looking.
......
Company.
As Ji Zhaoyun put down his pen, the collaboration was officially sealed.
He and Shen Xingzhi stood up simultaneously, shaking hands. "Pleasure doing business with you."
Shen Xingzhi replied with a smile, "Pleasure doing business with you as well."
They exchanged pleasantries and walked out together.
In fact, this collaboration didn't require Ji Zhaoyun to negotiate in person. However, an employee had mishandled a previous negotiation and offended Shen Xingzhi's team.
Furthermore, Shen Xingzhi was the most suitable person for the promotion of this product. Coupled with the fact that they had met on the show, Ji Zhaoyun had no choice but to personally handle it.
Shen Xingzhi was indeed surprised for a moment when he saw Ji Zhaoyun, but he quickly regained his composure.
After all, those who participated in the show couldn't possibly be ordinary people.
At first, he had speculated that Ji Zhaoyun might be the young master of some prominent family, but he hadn't expected Ji Zhaoyun to be in this position.
As they walked out of the building, just before Shen Xingzhi got into his car, Ji Zhaoyun suddenly called out to him. "My resort is almost completed. Would Actor Shen be interested in visiting it together?"
Shen Xingzhi pondered for a moment and then asked, "May I bring my girlfriend?"
Ji Zhaoyun smiled. "Of course."
"Then thank you for the invitation, Mr. Ji." He finished speaking and got into his car, then left.
Ji Zhaoyun glanced at his watch. If he rushed over now, the banquet would have surely ended. He rubbed his temples and took out his phone, typing a message: [My resort is almost completed. May I invite you to visit as an apology?]
[Sure.]
Looking at the message on his phone, Ji Zhaoyun broke into a genuine smile. "Prepare the car. I'm going back."
He lowered his head to reply to messages, chuckling several times along the way.
......
Back home, Luo Yuqi lay on his bed, unable to sleep for a long time.
He ripped the blanket off his head and sat up abruptly, running his hands through his hair in frustration.
"Whatever, I'm sleeping! So annoying!"
......
The next morning, Luo Yuqi dragged himself out of bed with dark circles under his eyes, yawning uncontrollably.
He had spent the entire night thinking about the conversation he overheard. Even though he told himself not to care, the words wouldn't leave his mind.
Although he didn't fully believe it, the conversation had planted a seed of doubt in Luo Yuqi's heart. As a result, when he met Shen Jianxi at the door that morning, he uncharacteristically failed to maintain a neutral expression.
"Good morning." Shen Jianxi greeted him as usual.
Luo Yuqi looked at her with a complex expression. "Morning, good morning."
"What's wrong? Are you still feeling unwell?" Seeing his pale complexion, Shen Jianxi stepped forward worriedly, intending to touch his forehead to check for a fever.
Unexpectedly, Luo Yuqi seemed startled and took a large step back.
It was a subconscious reaction, but he immediately felt it was inappropriate. He let out a dry laugh under the girl's hurt gaze. "I just didn't sleep well. It's nothing. Sister, you don't need to worry."
Shen Jianxi hummed softly, her mood slightly dejected. However, she didn't say anything further and turned to walk downstairs.
Luo Yuqi followed closely behind, his gaze uncontrollably drawn to Shen Jianxi.
No matter how he looked at her, it seemed impossible.
Yet, the conversation was something he had genuinely overheard. The two ideas clashed in his mind, and combined with the sleepless night, Luo Yuqi felt like his head was about to explode.
Downstairs, Father Shen was also nursing a headache. Having dealt with the "pig" trying to "拱" his "cabbage" yesterday, he was in such a good mood that he drank too much, leading to dizziness and nausea now.
Mother Shen served him the hangover soup she had prepared, not forgetting to scold him. "Do you still think you're a young man in his twenties? Drinking endlessly. If I don't watch you, you just go wild, right?!"
Father Shen meekly lowered his head and drank the soup. Upon hearing the sound of them coming down, his eyes lit up, and he looked at Shen Jianxi.
Shen Jianxi smiled helplessly, pursed her lips, walked to the dining table, and sat down. Luo Yuqi sat opposite her.
"Mommy, why didn't you let the maids make the hangover soup?"
Upon hearing her address, Luo Yuqi choked and glanced at her quickly, muttering to himself: If this wasn't the original Shen Jianxi, then calling her "Mommy" was too natural.
Mother Shen's scolding was interrupted. She glared at Father Shen, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, and turned back to reply gently, "Your dad just likes mine."
"...Oh."
She shouldn't have asked that question. Good heavens, she just got a mouthful of dog food.
After that, she stopped speaking and just ate her breakfast in silence, listening to Mother Shen nagging Father Shen.
When this gentle person got fierce, it was unbearable!
......
After breakfast, it was almost time for her appointment with Ji Zhaoyun.
Shen Jianxi changed into a light blue gauze dress.
Wearing the dress, she sat before the vanity, applying her makeup. Looking at the girl in the mirror, she suddenly sighed.
"What a worry. Shen Xingzhi is in the afternoon."
Her phone on the vanity lit up. Shen Jianxi saw a message from Ji Zhaoyun saying he had arrived. She sped up her actions, finished her eyebrows, and grabbed her bag before heading out.
As soon as she stepped out of the house, she saw Ji Zhaoyun in a casual short-sleeved outfit, leaning against a car by her door. This attire made him look years younger.
Seeing her approach, Ji Zhaoyun opened the car door for her like a gentleman, his hand instinctively shielding her head. After she was seated, he closed the door and went around to the other side to get in.
"Shall we go to Times?"
Times was the largest amusement park in the country, with many thrilling rides. Shen Jianxi had always wanted to go. To be honest, Ji Zhaoyun's suggestion struck a chord with her.
"Sure! I've always wanted to go, but I couldn't find the right person to go with. Now it's perfect!"
Her joy infected the man driving. Ji Zhaoyun also felt a bit happier.
He had initially chosen this place because he thought girls would like it, and he hadn't had many expectations himself. But now, seeing her so happy, Ji Zhaoyun suddenly felt that an amusement park wasn't so bad after all.
......
Times was as crowded as ever today. Ji Zhaoyun hadn't booked it out, as he needed the lively atmosphere. Anyway, he could have the staff arrange a fast track, so they wouldn't have to wait in line.
"What do you want to play?"
As he said this, he naturally took Shen Jianxi's hand. Seeing the girl's confused look, he nonchalantly said, "I have a bad sense of direction. You'll have to lead me."
His tone was righteous, with a hint of guilt.
Shen Jianxi recognized the truth, but she didn't expose him. Instead, she smiled sweetly and tightened her grip on his hand. "Okay, then I'll have to hold on tight to you."
The big CEO felt a bit unnatural here, with people coming and going around him. He was led to an ice cream stall.
"Ji Zhaoyun, what flavor do you want?"
The girl asked him enthusiastically while looking at the menu.
Ji Zhaoyun glanced disdainfully at the ice cream in other tourists' hands and shook his head. "I don't eat it."
"Strawberry or peach?" Shen Jianxi ignored his answer and asked again.
Ji Zhaoyun blurted out, "Strawberry, I guess."
Although peach was also good, he preferred strawberry.
"Got it." Shen Jianxi turned to the order taker and said, "One peach flavor and one strawberry flavor, thank you."
Three minutes later, Ji Zhaoyun stared at the strawberry ice cream in his hand, lost in thought.
Then, looking at the girl beside him who was eating with relish, he tentatively brought it to his lips and licked it.
Hmm? The taste was surprisingly good!
It didn't taste cheap at all. The strawberry flavor was rich, and he could even taste strawberry pulp.
Ji Zhaoyun seemed to have discovered a new world, and he sped up his pace of eating the ice cream, not even noticing Shen Jianxi's sly smile.
They finished their ice cream before it melted and also arrived at the roller coaster.
Looking at the hundred-meter-high vertical track, Ji Zhaoyun swallowed. However, the girl beside him was enthusiastic, pulling him to the end of the line to queue up.
Ji Zhaoyun looked at the roller coaster, then at the extremely long queue. Forget it, he'd keep the fast track information to himself for now. Better late than never.
Time ticked by, and no matter how much he prayed, he couldn't escape.
As he fastened his seatbelt, his face was one of utter despair. Shen Jianxi, seeing his state, expressed her concern with a touch of worry. "Are you okay? If you're scared, you can wait for me below."
Hearing her words, Ji Zhaoyun sat up straight, his expression righteous. "I'm not scared. I'm worried you'll be afraid and have no one by your side. Here, hold my hand."
Looking at the large hand extended to her, Shen Jianxi could even see a slight tremor. Then, looking at the person who was pretending to be brave, she coughed to avoid laughing out loud and reached out to grasp it.
With a clatter, the roller coaster began to move, and that hand tightened its grip.
Shen Jianxi turned her head to look. Ji Zhaoyun had his eyes tightly shut, and the other hand was clutching the safety bar in front of him for dear life.
As the roller coaster reached its highest point and stopped, Ji Zhaoyun didn't even have time to sigh in relief before it plummeted vertically from a hundred meters. His screams were unstoppable, his mind a blank canvas as he yelled loudly.
Shen Jianxi also let out a hearty scream.
She enjoyed this feeling. It was more conducive to thinking.
After one round, Ji Zhaoyun's legs were weak, and his face was pale.
"How about we go back?" Shen Jianxi looked at his condition, which was far from good, and felt a bit worried.
"No, no need. I'm perfectly fine. This roller coaster is nothing," Ji Zhaoyun was still bluffing.
As soon as he finished speaking, he stumbled due to his weak legs. Shen Jianxi found it amusing and, with a playful thought, spoke excitedly, "Since you're fine, let's go again!"
Ji Zhaoyun: "...... Are you hungry? How about we go get something to eat?"