BDB Chapter 48

“Beep beep!” “Beep beep!”

As the car lights illuminated Jiang Rao, she saw the taxi driver raise a finger pointing upwards. She looked up and noticed the bright sign that read “Vacant”, realizing that her taxi had stopped without her noticing.

Carrying her bag, she walked toward the rear door of the cab. The evening breeze had cooled a bit, which helped clear her mind.

He didn’t like her; he liked the original female lead.

Her previous lack of exposure didn’t mean he wouldn’t notice any flaws if she let her guard down later.

She just wanted to live her life peacefully, without making things so complicated.

That kind of life was exhausting and terrifying; she really didn’t need to live like that.

…

With these multiple mental hints, she took a deep breath before reaching the car door, “Li Jueyan, but I don’t want you and I don’t like you. How could I be with you?”

If words could become physical objects, Li Jueyan felt that the little one with no conscience on the other end might have stabbed him a million times, each wound cutting deep into his flesh.

However, he seemed to be masochistically indifferent to the pain, constantly trying to get closer to her.

After a long while, his gaze shifted slightly, “It’s okay.”

Jiang Rao didn’t think the male lead would be so generous or easy to appease.

Sure enough, he didn’t finish his sentence, “Jiang Rao, do you know what the troubles of the rich are?”

“No, I don’t.”

“It’s the excessive flattery that becomes nauseating; it’s the thrill of midnight racing that becomes boring; it’s the indulgence in pleasures without care, with subsidiaries making huge profits every year…”

Jiang Rao: “…”

So?

“I’ve gained so much, and you’re the only thing I can’t have. I appreciate your firm principles. You’ve given me a goal to strive for in this bothersome and tiresome life.” Li Jueyan smiled, “Jiang Rao, feelings can be cultivated. I’m just in my early twenties, successful in my career, and healthy. I still have at least seventy or eighty years to nurture our feelings. Even if you run away, I’m not afraid. I have money and power; wherever you go, I will follow. We’ll always be together, and you’ll eventually like me, love me, and be with me.”

Jiang Rao was left speechless.

She had thought that the male lead would never come to the mountains and show up in front of her, but with his current statement, she was no longer so sure.

However, this path was the most advantageous one for her that she could have thought of, and it couldn’t change. So she simply replied, “Got it.”

“Got what? Jiang Rao, it’s rare for me to be so sincere with someone. Aren’t you moved?”

Sometimes he was very flirtatious. Sometimes he was irritating. This particular remark gave off an irritating vibe.

As Jiang Rao was about to respond, she heard a prolonged busy tone in her ear. When she pulled the phone away, she realized that this time it was the male lead who had hung up first.

Her tense nerves finally relaxed. The driver in front then said, “Little young lady, we’ve arrived. Twelve yuan.”

Jiang Rao paid and got out of the car. The moment she walked down the elevator to her room, she felt her phone buzzing again.

She picked up her phone, saw the familiar caller ID, and quickly ended the call. Finally, she turned her phone off, shutting down the noisy phone that had been bothering her all the way.

Li Jueyan dialed several times. Seeing the female voice on the line go from “The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable” to “The user you are trying to reach is out of service,” something he had heard more than thirty times, he couldn’t help but curse, “Fuck!”

At that moment, a cautious female voice came from behind, “Um… there’s something I don’t know if I should say or not?”

Li Jueyan’s eyes turned cold, “Then don’t say it.”

However, Qiao Yan felt it was necessary to speak up.

The reason she chose to “sell friends for personal gain” was partly due to the allure of the luxury car club membership card and partly because she had just learned that her scholarship was funded by the Li Group.

Though the funds were not substantial when considered individually, they added up to a staggering amount.

While many listed companies boasted of their charitable acts with mere millions, true philanthropists remained quietly generous without seeking publicity. Therefore, although the President’s words were not always pleasant and he seemed a bit rough around the edges, she didn’t think he was a bad person.

Hesitating, she asked, “President Li, are you pursuing Jiangjiang?”

Mentioning Jiang Rao made Li Jueyan’s eyes soften a bit, “What’s the matter? Do you have any opinions or thoughts?”

Qiao Yan didn’t dare to have any opinions. Her relationship with Jiang Rao was pure friendship, and her only thought was that being around Jiang Rao, who appeared soft on the outside but had a strong personality inside, might help her become a better person. “President Li, you haven’t been in a relationship before, have you?”

Li Jueyan paused, his face showing an unnatural expression, but he stubbornly refused to admit it. “Do you think it’s possible? I’m 26.”

Qiao Yan couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Well, she had heard President Li say he was just in his early twenties, which was why she had guessed.

But even for a 26-year-old man, his approach to pursuing women seemed as clumsy as a teenager’s. After some thought, she attributed it to a lack of emotional intelligence.

Since she couldn’t teach anything too sophisticated, she pondered and said, “President Li, do you know what kind of man women like? Tall! Rich! Handsome! You’ve got the height and wealth, but you’re a bit lacking in the handsome department. Not that you’re unattractive, but your behavior isn’t very charming. Women like gifts, surprises, and skinship. You need to make her feel excited and touched, not just rely on sweet talk!”

“Skinship? Physical contact?”

He remembered how much she despised being touched in his dreams, and the incident with the IV bottle had proven her aversion to physical contact. Fearing a repeat of that mistake, he had restrained his restless heart.

He murmured, “She doesn’t like those things.”

Qiao Yan said, “That might be because you’re not using the right approach. Teasing words and skinship need to go hand in hand to be effective. If you had said what you said on the phone in front of Jiangjiang, she’d have run away, and if you pulled her in, she’d have snuggled into your arms. If you leaned down and kissed her, and then called her ‘darling’, you’d definitely win her over. Even if it didn’t work the first time, try a few more. Good women are afraid of persistent men, President Li.”

Facing the other party’s intense gaze, Li Jueyan’s expression remained indifferent. “Do you think I need you to teach me these things?”

However, once inside the car, he told Xiao Zhang, “Add ten years of membership fees to that luxury car club card.”

…

On the eighth day after changing her SIM card, which was also the eighth day Jiang Rao had joined the crew.

The sacrificial feast was held in City A, but apart from that day, Jiang Rao spent the remaining seven days in a small village called Zhang Clan Embankment, trailing behind the film crew.

The village was located in the northwest region. Although there were no mountains or rivers to cross, cars couldn’t drive in. They and their filming equipment were transported by tractors arranged by the director’s local contacts.

The scenery of the mountains was as beautiful as an ink wash painting, but with the triple challenges of water shortages, power outages, and lack of internet, the actors’ enthusiasm quickly waned within a few days. Thankfully, the tightly packed shooting schedule made the days more bearable.

This was a serious film crew, and the movie they were filming was a serious artistic film about human trafficking.

But those in the industry had never experienced such a mundane nightlife! Actors who weren’t filming at night had to go to bed by eight o’clock, and counting sheep was only interesting for a day or two. After three or five days, it became tedious.

They wanted to slaughter a sheep to go with their alcohol.

In such a situation, a bonfire party was organized by popular demand.

In June.

The temperature in the mountains dropped to a chilly level amidst the dense green shadows and surrounding peaks.

The bonfire was lit on a flat, open area in front of a round lake.

About 26 people, including actors, camera operators, lighting technicians, and makeup artists, sat together. The fire blazed, alcohol flowed continuously, and two sheep, which had troubled many actors for several days, were bought from the villagers and roasted over the bonfire.

Most of those present were open-minded, and there were many talents among them.

The bonfire party was mostly filled with traditional dances, but their group was dancing cha-cha, tango, disco, even the moonwalk and K-pop.

After tiring themselves out from dancing and singing, they inevitably played the classic game of “Truth or Dare.” Once a rural game like this started, it couldn’t be stopped. The game of passing the flower with drumming was played with great enthusiasm by the film and fashion festival stars. The first person to lose was Su He, the female actor who had first met Jiang Rao and asked if she had a boyfriend.

The second person to lose was Jiang Tang, who, like Jiang Rao, had remained quiet and reserved since joining the gathering.

Jiang Tang lifted her gaze slightly and said, “Truth.”

Su He smiled, “Has Tangtang got a boyfriend?”

“No boyfriend.”

After a pause, Jiang Tang added, “I’m divorced.”

Her first answer caused a stir and loud cheers, but her second answer silenced everyone who had been whistling.

Feng Ke, who was aware of the situation, turned his gaze to the young woman with slightly awkward acting skills but who had kept up with everyone’s pace. She remained calm and composed, her back straight without a hint of stoop.

He quickly tried to smooth things over, “Why is no one picking dares? It’s all truths and no fun. The next person who gets the flower must choose a dare. Hurry up, or we’ll end up attracting wolves in these mountains.”

The atmosphere perked up again.

However, much to Feng Ke’s dismay, the flower landed in Jiang Rao’s hands by a stroke of bad luck.

As the lead characters in the show, and also the most prominent figures at the party, the crowd cheered loudly. Jiang Tang, though, said, “I forfeit. You decide on the punishment.”

With everyone already tipsy and fired up, some shouted, “Give a kiss, give a kiss!”

Others yelled, “Give a hug, give a hug!”

Unable to unify the opinions on kissing versus hugging, the decision was handed over to the highest authority present—Feng Ke.

No matter whether it was a kiss or a hug, the one who would face the consequences was the dream goddess of Young Master Li, who would ultimately be the one to suffer.

Just as Feng Ke was caught in a dilemma, a voice came from behind, “Playing so wild, huh? Can I join in?”

Jiang Rao’s body tensed up instantly.

Turning around, she saw the man’s shadow stretched long and large in the glow of the bonfire.

His eyes were dark, but when their gazes met, a bright light suddenly ignited in them.

Then she heard him say, “Feng Ke, hurry up and speak.”

——