Shi Wei huddled miserably on the sofa, tears shimmering in his eyes. He stubbornly refused to let them fall, refusing to let the heartless man before him look down on him.
"Me, or him..."
Ji Hanchuan's tone was indifferent. "Then I'll choose you for now."
"You chose him after all... huh?" Shi Wei was utterly dumbfounded.
What had he said?
What had he said?!
Ji Hanchuan lounged in his seat, leisurely admiring the marvelous changes in Shi Wei's expression, a trace of amusement blooming in his deep eyes.
He had turned the tables.
Now Shi Wei couldn't stir up trouble.
Shi Wei asked hesitantly, "Hubby, I think I went deaf just now. What did you say?"
"I said I'd choose you for now." Ji Hanchuan kindly repeated himself, then asked, "What, aren't you happy?"
"Happy. I'm so happy!" Shi Wei's face was wreathed in smiles, his words coming through gritted teeth.
"Good, then."
Shi Wei ventured, "Hubby, if you don't love him, have you already fallen in love with me?"
Ji Hanchuan stared into Shi Wei's eyes and, sure enough, heard it.
-If he dares say yes, I'll turn his room into a murder scene!
Ji Hanchuan gave Shi Wei a dark look. "Until I persuade Grandpa, we're still married, even if I don't want to be, so stop wasting your energy on these pointless schemes."
Shi Wei breathed a sigh of relief, then remembered he couldn't break character and immediately squeezed out two tears.
"Then I'll work really hard to make my hubby love me a little more."
Ji Hanchuan said, "...Suit yourself. I'm not interested in you anyway."
Shi Wei didn't even feel like snapping back. Dejected, he lay on the sofa like a salted fish.
Who would have thought that, right at the final shot, he'd be possessed by the national soccer team and fail to score no matter what?
This was so haaard...
Just as he was about to melt like ice cream in his despondency, a thick script landed squarely on his head, making him see stars.
"Don't come here to waste time. Let's run lines." Ji Hanchuan glanced at him.
"Run lines?" Shi Wei asked, puzzled.
"Director Zhang is a good judge of people. If he thinks you have a problem, then you definitely do. For the sake of this production, we'll do as he asks."
Shi Wei froze. "But didn't you say we should pretend to be strangers outside, hubby?"
Fuck, I don't want to follow Ji Hanchuan around every day.
"Didn't we already meet today?" Ji Hanchuan couldn't be bothered to explain. "Read your lines and get into the right emotional state."
Shi Wei had memorized his lines at home, so he simply tossed the script aside and said defiantly, "I'm ready."
Ji Hanchuan nodded and picked a scene.
The next instant, Ji Hanchuan slipped into character, his gaze icy, like a bloodthirsty blade.
Holy shit!
His gaze startled Shi Wei.
So this was Great God Ji's ability...
No, I couldn't lose!
Shi Wei took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, they held contempt and triumph, and his exquisitely handsome face took on a sinister allure.
"General He, this servant has come to read the imperial decree today. To behold the decree is to behold His Majesty. Why aren't you kneeling?"
Ji Hanchuan's tall, straight figure remained immovable, his eyes fixed on the smug, petty smile at Shi Wei's lips.
This fiend had bewitched His Majesty and brought disaster upon the people, yet he didn't care in the slightest if rivers of blood flowed.
Ji Hanchuan's expression turned malevolent, uncontainable killing intent in his eyes. He took a menacing step forward. Shi Wei's gaze flickered, and he instinctively stepped back.
Shi Wei froze.
I'm chopping these legs off!
Ji Hanchuan had already come out of character and was looking at Shi Wei seriously. "You shouldn't have stepped back."
It seemed Zhang Zixiang had been right after all.
Shi Wei was frustrated too. Why had he been afraid just now?
He could clearly smash that bastard's head in anytime, anywhere.
"Hubby, I'm so useless." Shi Wei couldn't help covering his face, saying pitifully, "I'm sorry. I've embarrassed you, hubby. I'll leave right now."
Ji Hanchuan: ...
He caught Shi Wei's arm and turned him to face him.
That incomparably handsome face was right before his eyes, and Shi Wei felt his breathing quicken a little.
"Why do you hate me?"
"Huh?" There were so many reasons that Shi Wei thought he could keep listing them until tomorrow morning.
Ji Hanchuan repeated, "Why do you hate me?"
"I..."
Shi Wei came to his senses.
The Ji Hanchuan before him wasn't Ji Hanchuan, but He Ming.
Shi Wei paused. "Because you caused the deaths of my entire family, General."
"Then what did you do?"
"Your achievements are immense, and the people all love you. I knew killing you would be difficult, so I wanted someone more powerful than you to want you dead too."
"Who was that person?"
"The emperor."
"How did you get close to the emperor?"
"I... became a eunuch."
"You chose to end your own bloodline?"
"My whole family was gone. What did it matter whether I had descendants?"
Ji Hanchuan's eyes darkened. "Then why are you afraid of me?"
Exactly.
The hatred of having his family slaughtered, the pain of castrating himself-each was etched into his very bones. As Liang Fang, how could he fear He Ming at the moment of victory?
Shi Wei blinked and suddenly understood. He really hadn't been immersed enough in the role.
Ji Hanchuan was unusually calm. "Take your time feeling it out. Go back for now. We'll continue tomorrow."
"Oh, okay." Shi Wei couldn't help staring at Ji Hanchuan.
Ji Hanchuan looked at him too.
-Who knew this bastard could actually be useful.
Ji Hanchuan looked away, exercising restraint again and again before he managed not to say, "Get lost."
"You can go."
"Okay. Good night, hubby."
Ji Hanchuan ignored him and turned toward the desk.
Shi Wei stared at his back. Ji Hanchuan had broad, level shoulders and a narrow waist. Even in his loose sweatshirt, the firm, powerful muscles throughout his body were apparent. As he set the script down, the smooth lines of his arms and the distinct joints of his fingers were visible.
His weakness for good looks instantly seized control of his brain. By the time Shi Wei came to his senses, he had already rushed over and wrapped his arms around Ji Hanchuan's waist from behind, pressing his cheek against his back.
"What are you doing?" Ji Hanchuan caught his wrist in disgust, abruptly a little surprised by how slender it was.
Just as he was about to pull Shi Wei away, the door opened.
"Brother Hanchuan, I brought you a late-night snack..."
His assistant, Li Xiaochen, stood rooted to the spot in shock at the scene inside.
Ji Hanchuan: ...
Shi Wei: ...
Li Xiaochen couldn't believe it. "Y-you two, how..."
Shi Wei immediately let go and stammered an explanation. "D-don't get the wrong idea. I was measuring O-Old Ji's waist!"
He gestured a couple more times. "O-Old Ji, your waist is just like before. You haven't gained any weight, hahaha."
Ji Hanchuan: ...
How clever of him. He dared to hug, but not admit it.
"Even if you're measuring his waist, you should lock the door!" Li Xiaochen hurriedly shut the door, completely forgetting that he had only been able to open it because he had a key card.
"Enjoy your food. I'll be going." Shi Wei rushed out with his head lowered.
I'm out of here.
Ji Hanchuan could have the final say on the explanation.
When Shi Wei returned to his room, he saw that Ma Xianbei had left him a large bag of snacks before leaving.
Brother Bei was so nice.
Ma Xianbei's thoughtfulness soothed Shi Wei's embarrassment.