Chapter 44: So Sweet It Melted His Heart

Jiang Yaoyao’s cheeks flushed an even deeper red.

Her fair, delicate face bloomed like a peach blossom, her long, thick eyelashes lowering as they cast faint shadows beneath her eyes, making her look even more fragile and delicate.

Even her ears were pink, and so were her collarbones.

Like a perfectly ripe honey peach, as if just one gentle bite would release a burst of sweet, fragrant juice.

Pei Heng swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly as his gaze drifted from her face to the place beneath his fingertips.

Her posture was stiff, yet she remained obedient.

Holding herself still, her eyes full of shyness, she looked just like a little fox caught by its tail.

She was so sweet and well-behaved—it melted his heart.

“Does it hurt?”

The man’s deep voice broke the silence. With his head lowered, his warm breath brushed against her exposed ankle.

The petite beauty tensed as if she had been scorched by a spark.

Her voice was soft, almost inaudible.

“It… doesn’t hurt…”

The next second, the man leaned in again, gently blowing over the small protruding bone on the outer side of her ankle.

A thin scratch was there, left by a tree branch—nothing too painful.

But the warmth of his breath sent a shiver through her, like a cat’s tail brushing lightly against her skin—warm, tingling, and unbearably ticklish.

Jiang Yaoyao’s slender fingers gripped the sofa. Her dark, fluttering lashes trembled as she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

“You… you can apply the medicine now…”

The milky-white ointment was squeezed out and spread onto her skin, bringing a cooling sensation the moment it touched her.

The chill soothed the heat rising on her face and body.

Jiang Yaoyao secretly let out a small sigh of relief.

Pei Heng, on the other hand, maintained a serious expression as he carefully smoothed the ointment over her ankle before beginning a gentle massage.

The wound was small, so the massage didn’t take long.

After a short while, the man—his gaze downcast—finally released her soft, delicate ankle with some reluctance.

Jiang Yaoyao, whose heart had been dangling in suspense the entire time, finally felt it settle.

But before she could even say thank you, the man’s deep, magnetic voice filled the space again, laced with an unmistakable hint of teasing.

“Yaoyao’s skin is this delicate?”

“Just a little squeeze and gentle rub, and it’s already turning red?”

Jiang Yaoyao’s beautiful face flushed again.

She didn’t know why, but such simple words, when spoken in his low, sultry voice, carried an unmistakable air of flirtation.

Her voice stuttered, the words barely making it out.

“Is… is that so…”

The man’s gaze darkened, a quiet ripple stirring in his eyes.

Suddenly, he recalled the conversation from the night before.

Soft, delicate skin—just a slight pinch, and it would leave a mark.

No, he wouldn’t even need to pinch. Just the lightest bit of pressure, and her skin would already bloom with the faintest pink…

If it were in a different setting… if it were in a more intimate moment…

Pei Heng swallowed again.

His throat suddenly felt dry.

It seemed that whenever he was around his precious Yaoyao, he was losing more and more of his self-control…

---

After the atmosphere finally settled, Jiang Yaoyao asked Pei Heng about his thoughts on the assailant.

His voice was calm, clear, and composed.

“It’s nothing to worry about. I heard the police have already caught them. I believe in the justice system—they’ll get the punishment they deserve.”

He spoke with an air of righteousness, as if he had no doubt about it.

Jiang Yaoyao listened, momentarily stunned.

Holding her phone, she absentmindedly replayed his words in her mind, mulling them over for a long time.

And only then did she slowly come to a realization—

Ever since she arrived in this world, the storyline had truly changed.

Pei Heng had been rescued without paying a terrible price. And even after his rescue, he hadn’t sought revenge on the mastermind behind it all.

He wasn’t nearly as terrifying as the novel had described him.

---

Meanwhile, the film production was going smoothly. Some promotional materials were released, creating quite a buzz online.

Especially the clips featuring Jiang Yaoyao, the actress playing the imperial princess—they left everyone in awe.

One short behind-the-scenes clip showed Jiang Yaoyao in modern clothing, riding atop a majestic black horse. She looked bold, elegant, and strikingly beautiful.

A brief moment of her galloping across the field spread like wildfire on the internet.

Fans flooded the comments, calling her “wife” left and right. Some even pulled up past performances of male actors using wooden horses in their scenes, drawing comparisons—Jiang Yaoyao’s skills were leagues ahead.

Comments flooded in:

“Oh my god! Is this really the same Jiang Yaoyao we used to talk about? That mounting technique was so smooth and effortless!”

“The director’s vision is spot on. Seriously—so delicate yet so fierce at the same time. She’s like a real imperial princess come to life!”

“I think… I just fell for her. What do I do, guys? Am I about to become a Jiang Yaoyao fan?”

“Who was it that said Director Gu didn’t know how to cast actors? Jiang Yaoyao is absolutely perfect for this role!”

Many people started to change their opinion about her.

In just three days, Jiang Yaoyao’s fan count skyrocketed, and it was still rising.

Even the negative comments in her comment section had significantly decreased.

As she scrolled through the comments, she even saw several fair and constructive ones:

“This time, she finally picked the right kind of role. Looks like the problem with our entertainment industry isn’t the lack of talented actresses but the lack of good directors. If you find a great director, you should learn from them properly—no more relying on trending topics to stay relevant.”

“Play to your strengths and avoid your weaknesses. This kind of role suits you well—just don’t go back to playing those scheming ‘green tea’ characters!”

Besides that—

The majority of the comments were overwhelmingly filled with people calling her “wife.”

Jiang Yaoyao scrolled through her phone, using her alternate account to browse her own Weibo. A sweet smile played on her lips.

Suddenly, a notification popped up.

[Wei Changze liked Jiang Yaoyao’s post.]

Jiang Yaoyao’s long lashes lifted as she immediately saw her name trending across the platform.

“What’s going on? Teacher Wei, are you confused?!”

“With that face in front of him, I’d be confused too. Great like! Amazing like! Chef’s kiss!”

“Wasn’t Jiang Yaoyao the one chasing after Wei Changze before? Why does it feel like the roles have reversed? Is he making the first move now?”

“Waaaaahhh is this one of those sweet, dramatic ‘chasing his wife after a breakup’ novels? Mom, I’m shipping them!”

“Comrades, I hereby declare the ‘ChangJiang’ ship officially sailing! Join me, let’s ship them together!!!”

Jiang Yaoyao: “…”

Tapping her delicate fingers on the screen a few times, she entered the ChangJiang fan forum and posted a clarification:

“Everyone, you’ve got it wrong. Jiang Yaoyao and Wei Changze have no special relationship—we’re just colleagues.”

Then, in a thread where fans were analyzing every little detail for “evidence” of their supposed romance, she even commented to correct their timeline, proving that their speculations were completely off.

However, the next second, a pop-up message appeared on her screen:

[You have been muted in this fan forum.]

Jiang Yaoyao: “…”

Footsteps approached, and a familiar voice, low and laced with warmth, reached her ears.

“Yaoyao, are you done packing? What are you looking at?”