Chapter 18: I’ve Always Been Thinking About You

Duan Qingyu raised an eyebrow, glancing at her with a look of disdain as he curled his lips into a smirk. “Is this request about START Entertainment?”

“Aren’t you the boss of START Entertainment? Then yes, it’s about that,” Ji Xueli replied seriously, twisting logic in her own way.

“Do you think it’s reasonable to say that, given your current position?” Duan Qingyu’s voice was cold.

It seemed unreasonable. Ji Xueli took a few steps back, her gaze falling slightly, her eyes tinged with a sense of loneliness. “If you don’t agree, then fine. Anyway, all these years I’ve been abroad, I’ve always been thinking about you…”

An eerie silence fell over the room.

“How’s my acting, system?” Ji Xueli continued to put on her act but couldn’t help asking.

“Impressive, but it seems the male lead isn’t reacting much. Maybe he doesn’t trust you because of your past,” the system praised, before adding.

Hmm?

Ji Xueli immediately looked up, meeting his gaze.

Duan Qingyu placed the water cup on the table. His black shirt was rolled up at the sleeves, revealing an arm that was fair yet showed the defined lines of a mature man.

His long, dark eyelashes fluttered slightly, and his eyes seemed hard to read, yet there was an unmistakable hint of excitement hidden beneath the dim blackness of his pupils.

“You’ve always been thinking about me?” Duan Qingyu asked, his words slow and deliberate.

Ji Xueli couldn’t understand his current mood, but she felt the cold aura radiating from him.

Was there something wrong with this question, or was it like the system said—her past mistakes were making him not believe her?

Oh! That made sense. In novels, this kind of scene often happens—the female lead asks for reconciliation, and the male lead gets furious. She had earlier said she wouldn’t bring up the past, only focusing on the present.

Damn it, she really couldn’t control her mouth.

“You and I still have our past…” Ji Xueli forced a smile, trying to cover up.

Duan Qingyu watched the fleeting look of regret in her eyes, his gaze darkening as he grew more confused by her actions. Her words, her attitude toward Ji Yanzhou… everything about her seemed off.

What was her real purpose in approaching him?

Ji Xueli noticed he had been silent for a long time and thought he might be angry. She tentatively spoke, shifting the subject. “Are you hungry?”

Duan Qingyu’s voice remained cold. “Eat if you want, but eat it at home.”

“Eating alone is boring. Besides, now that we’re sort of friends, we haven’t even had a meal together. I’ll just order takeout,” Ji Xueli said as she picked up her phone.

“I’m not eating,” Duan Qingyu replied, turning to head to his room. “Whether you eat or not, it’s up to you.”

It seemed like he didn’t care about that matter anymore and was still keeping her around.

“Host, this male lead is really stubborn but soft-hearted. He can only say things like this to keep you around,” the system chimed in.

“Really?” Ji Xueli gave him a suspicious look as he walked away. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he had murderous intent toward her…

“Based on my experience, once you order takeout, he’ll definitely come and eat with you,” the system affirmed.

Ji Xueli didn’t say anything. She didn’t dare to believe it…

“System, all your experiences must be fed to the dogs,” Ji Xueli said as she looked at the large spread of food on the table and the still-closed bedroom door, her lips twitching.

“……”

The system fell silent.

She had already stopped hoping the system would be of much help. As long as it didn’t cause trouble, that was her greatest wish.

Ji Xueli turned on the TV and took a bite of fried chicken, leaning back on the sofa. Whether he ate or not, she was hungry, and she didn’t have the energy to deal with him anymore.

The TV was just in time to show a drama, and Ji Xueli glanced at the female lead on the screen, her face feeling oddly familiar…

It was Ren Tang.

Tsk, this acting is so bad, Ji Xueli shook her head. Oh, right! She suddenly remembered that in a few days, they would be selecting scripts. But she had never studied acting, and she also had to manage her body because, as they say, you look three pounds heavier on camera…

Ji Xueli glanced at the fried chicken in her hand and reluctantly placed it back.