Chapter 16: Tell Me a Story, Baby

Night fell, and the city lights flickered on.

The darkness of the night was thick, almost impenetrable. The moon was hidden behind heavy clouds, and only a few stars twinkled faintly on the distant horizon.

Jiang Yaoyao was applying a face mask in front of the mirror.

She had an audition tomorrow, and she needed to be in her best condition.

Spreading the creamy mask evenly over her face, she smiled at her reflection, and the little beauty in the mirror smiled back sweetly.

Jiang Yaoyao picked up her phone, opened Pei Heng’s WeChat, and slowly typed a message:

[Mr. Pei, do you want to sleep?]

That’s weird.

She pressed the delete button and erased it one character at a time. Then, she retyped:

[Good evening, Mr. Pei. This is Jiang Yaoyao. May I ask what time you usually go to bed?]

That still felt strange.

Just as she was about to delete and rewrite it again, a small notification popped up at the top of her screen:

“The other party is typing…”

Jiang Yaoyao: “!!!”

What a coincidence! Did he see her hesitating and deleting messages like a sneak?

A new message quickly appeared on the screen.

[Yaoyao, are you available right now?]

Her long eyelashes fluttered down, casting deep shadows under her eyes like tiny fans.

[I am, Mr. Pei.]

The moment her message was sent, a voice call came through.

Startled, Jiang Yaoyao fumbled to answer, quickly bringing the phone to her ear.

A deep, magnetic voice drifted through the speaker, laced with an almost tangible warmth and a quiet breath that seemed to echo in her ears.

“Yaoyao.”

Her heart skipped a beat.

Her ears tingled, as if tiny fire-wielding ants were marching through her veins, spreading warmth through her entire body.

Pei Heng’s voice was…

So seductive.

She quickly pulled the phone away, rubbed her flushed ears, and responded softly.

The man’s voice was slightly lazy, his deep timbre like a small hook that snagged onto her heart.

“Yaoyao sounds like she’s in a good mood.”

The delicate little beauty shyly tightened her grip on her phone and brought it back to her ear.

Suppressing her wandering thoughts, she responded in an honest, gentle voice.

“Yes, Mr. Pei.”

Thinking about what had happened today, she felt an undeniable excitement.

But in this world, she had no friends to share her happiness with.

Now that Pei Heng had asked, she couldn’t help but curl her eyes into a smile, like a little squirrel proudly showing off its acorn to a passerby. Her tone lifted slightly with excitement:

“I have an audition for a very prestigious film!”

Her cheerful voice softened the man’s usually sharp gaze.

“The director is incredibly famous in the industry. Every film he’s made has been a hit!”

“Many well-known actors would rather work for free just to be in one of Director Gu’s films. But he has very high standards. A few years ago, he held a nationwide casting call, refusing to settle for anything less than the perfect fit for the role!”

As she spoke, her voice was full of enthusiasm but carried a slight hesitation, a hint of confusion that was almost imperceptible.

“But… I don’t know why he chose me…”

On the other end of the phone, a low chuckle came through, teasing yet affectionate, as if coaxing a child.

“Why wouldn’t he choose Yaoyao?”

“Yaoyao is very talented.”

Jiang Yaoyao instinctively shook her head. “I’m really not.”

The original owner of her identity had already offended half the industry, and her acting skills weren’t particularly outstanding.

As for herself, she was just a newcomer—a student with no professional experience, who had never even filmed a proper production before.

Thinking about the famous director she would face tomorrow, nervousness crept up on her. Her fingertips turned slightly white as she gripped the edge of her phone. Her dark eyelashes fluttered anxiously.

From the other end of the call, the man’s voice came steady and deep, each word firm and convincing.

“Based on what Yaoyao just said, Director Gu is a man of integrity, highly professional, and strict about his films.”

“If he’s that dedicated to his craft, then Yaoyao shouldn’t doubt herself.”

His voice was soothing, almost hypnotic, like a warm reassurance settling over her anxious heart.

“Maybe, in Director Gu’s eyes, little Jiang Yaoyao is the female lead who stepped right out of his script.”

A script tailor-made just for her.

She was, without a doubt, the female lead.

On the other end of the call, the man chuckled lightly, his phoenix eyes shimmering with amusement.

Meanwhile, the little beauty obediently nodded, feeling genuinely encouraged.

Her soft voice carried gratitude as she thanked Pei Heng for his words of reassurance.

Then, his deep, languid voice sounded again, his tongue curling around her name—”Yaoyao.”

Gentle, yet lazy.

Like a noble young master straight out of a novel, indulging his childhood sweetheart.

Every syllable dripped with tenderness, indulgence woven into his tone.

Jiang Yaoyao had barely calmed her racing heart, yet it suddenly picked up speed again, thumping like a little rabbit trapped in her chest.

Her voice came out a little unsteady as she timidly asked,

“Mr. Pei, do you… want to sleep?”

She spoke too quickly, afraid she hadn’t fully conveyed her meaning, so she hastily added,

“I can keep you company—”

On the other end of the call, the man’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, his gaze darkening.

Realizing her words sounded completely wrong, the little beauty clamped a hand over her mouth and quickly swallowed the rest of the sentence.

“I mean, I can tell you a bedtime story. Would you like that?”

Her voice was sweet and soft, like honey dissolving into warm water.

That lilting, slightly rising tone—sounded just like she was acting spoiled.

“Yaoyao, have you finished washing up?”

The little beauty instinctively shook her head, then belatedly realized he couldn’t see her. Touching the mask on her face, she answered softly,

“Not yet.”

“I’m in no rush. Go freshen up first.”

“You have an important audition tomorrow, don’t you? You should be well-prepared for such a big opportunity.”

“So, once you’re done, we’ll go to sleep together.”

The little beauty’s face flushed, a rosy hue spreading from her cheeks to the tips of her ears.

The man on the other end seemed to realize the implications of his words. His deep voice, usually crisp and composed, now carried a trace of helplessness.

“Apologies, I misspoke.”

“What I meant to say was—”

“I know!”

The little beauty cut him off, her voice still tinged with lingering embarrassment as she mumbled,

“Mr. Pei, wait for me.”

“I’ll be right back!”

When she returned, Jiang Yaoyao was snuggled under her blanket, phone in hand, the lights now turned off.

The screen’s soft glow illuminated her delicate face—rosy lips, pearly white teeth—a stunning little beauty who spoke in a voice as tender as a cloud.

“Mr. Pei, would you like me to sing or tell you a story?”

The man’s voice was low, and in the enveloping darkness, where all other senses blurred, his words became even clearer—deeper, more alluring.

“Tell me a story, Yaoyao.”

In the dark, the little beauty’s cheeks flushed red once again.

His deliberately lowered voice was far too suggestive.

So suggestive, it almost felt like he was saying—

“Tell me a story, baby.”