Fang Ning: "..."
Director, even though you praised me, I didn't feel very happy.
Thanks.
The director had showered him with praise, but Ji Xiangchen barely reacted. He stood there in a daze, his gaze vacant, the sorrow in his eyes yet to fade.
Fang Ning was the first to notice that something was off with Ji Xiangchen's mood. She turned her head and waved a hand in front of his eyes. "Hey, Ji Xiangchen, what's wrong?"
The director said, "Has this kid gotten too deep into character?"
Only after hearing their conversation did Ji Xiangchen snap out of his wandering thoughts. He turned his head blankly. "What's wrong?"
You're asking me what's wrong? I was about to ask you. But since Ji Xiangchen wasn't himself, Fang Ning patiently asked with concern, "Ji Xiangchen, we're done filming for today. Are you okay? Why do you keep spacing out?"
A light breeze brushed past. There was some confusion in the young man's cold gaze. Looking at Fang Ning's face, he breathed a sigh of relief. So they had only been filming. It hadn't been real.
Ji Xiangchen didn't know how to answer Fang Ning's question. The truth was, he had gotten so deep into character just now that he had thought Fang Ning had really died.
He hadn't kept his emotions under control, and they had erupted far too fiercely. Thinking of Fang Ning's vibrant face losing every trace of life, he had actually believed something had happened to her.
If he said that, would she beat him to death?
But as he looked at Fang Ning's face, so full of life, Ji Xiangchen reined in his gaze almost imperceptibly, and his anxious heart finally settled completely.
Thank goodness. She had only been acting. Nothing had really happened to her.
Looking at Ji Xiangchen's expression, Fang Ning suddenly understood something. To her surprise, Ji Xiangchen actually cared about her so much.
Having suddenly entered the world of this book, she would have been lying if she said she wasn't afraid, confused, or hesitant.
Previously, she had helped Ji Xiangchen in the hope that she could get a little more money when she divorced Ji Xiangnian someday.
But today, with someone caring whether she lived or died, Fang Ning unexpectedly felt that it was rather nice.
Ah, yesterday the director said the two of us were quite like sister and brother. If only Ji Xiangchen really were my ready-made little brother.
"All right, all right, Ji Xiangchen. That was just acting. I'm fine. Don't worry so much."
With his thoughts exposed, Ji Xiangchen's ears grew faintly hot. But as a boy who never said what he really meant, he had to keep a stiff face. "Who cares about you? Don't make things up."
Despite what he said, his expression was as warm as a spring breeze.
Meanwhile, Xia Qing had taken in the entire scene.
Her brows furrowed slightly. Ji Xiangchen had looked like a bashful little husband just now. One glance was enough to tell that he clearly had feelings for Fang Ning.
She hadn't expected Ji Xiangchen to like an improper actress like Fang Ning, who relied on connections to get roles. She couldn't understand it.
Xia Qing felt that nothing had even begun between her and Ji Xiangnian yet, so she had no standing to speak up about Ji Xiangchen's affairs.
But she still wanted to help Ji Xiangchen, hoping he could see Fang Ning's true colors.
The assistant had just brought out a food gift box as Xia Qing had instructed. Seeing Xia Qing deep in thought, the assistant asked quietly, "Miss Xia, I've brought it. Where are you taking this?"
Xia Qing drew herself out of her thoughts. Looking at the gift box in the assistant's hands, she paused, then smiled. "It's a gift for someone. Let's go."
With that, Xia Qing signaled with her eyes for the assistant to follow, then headed toward Ji Xiangchen's hotel room.
Unexpectedly, the timing was perfect. Ji Xiangchen had just removed his makeup and was heading back to his room, so Xia Qing ran into him as soon as she arrived.
Facing the younger brother of the man she liked, Xia Qing was very friendly. She brushed back the hair behind her ear and smiled slightly. "Xiangchen."
Ji Xiangchen looked at the woman addressing him so intimately and instinctively frowned. "Who are you?"
She was addressing him so intimately. Unless his memory was muddled, he hadn't had another girlfriend since graduating from university and breaking up with his ex.
Hearing Ji Xiangchen's distant response, Xia Qing's expression stiffened.
Chapter 16
Ji Xiangchen's reaction caught Xia Qing a little off guard, but she quickly adjusted her mood.
Although she had met Ji Xiangchen several times, most of those encounters had been at banquets. It was perfectly normal for him not to remember her.
Xia Qing brushed back her hair and introduced herself. "Hello, my name is Xia Qing. I'm your brother's friend. We've met at a cocktail party before. Have you forgotten?"
With that reminder, Ji Xiangchen felt that he did seem to have seen her somewhere before.
Wait. Ji Xiangchen took a closer look. She seemed to be that celebrity who was very popular right now, Xia Qing.
If she hadn't said anything, he would have thought she was someone he owed a romantic debt to from his university days. She had scared him to death. Ji Xiangchen steadied his breathing. "What do you want with me?"
She's Ji Xiangnian's friend. Why isn't she having tea and chatting with Ji Xiangnian? Why come looking for me out of nowhere?
Xia Qing brushed back the loose strands behind her ear and handed the gift box to Ji Xiangchen. She was always full of enthusiasm when facing that man's younger siblings. Ji Xiangyi was on very good terms with her; through Xia Qing's efforts, Ji Xiangyi already regarded her as a friend.
She believed it would be the same with Ji Xiangchen.
"Here's the thing. I happen to have a part in Director Wang's drama too. I heard from your brother that you were here as well, so I brought you some food when I came over."
Ji Xiangchen's gaze stopped on the food gift box. Its packaging looked exquisite. It took no thought at all to know it had been carefully prepared and wasn't cheap, either.
However, Ji Xiangchen wasn't particularly interested in such things. Besides, he had hated Ji Xiangnian from the bottom of his heart since childhood.
Of course, that also extended to Ji Xiangnian's good friends.
In Ji Xiangchen's mind, anyone who associated with someone who practiced □□/ism like Ji Xiangnian couldn't be any good.
Who knows whether Ji Xiangnian sent her to poison me? "No need. I have money to buy it myself."
After Ji Xiangchen rejected her repeatedly, Xia Qing found it a little hard to maintain her composure. As the young lady of the Xia Family, she had never been met with such repeated, unmistakable coldness, whether at home or at work.