Chapter 18 – Blushing

Time was tight.

Jiang Wan quickly gave Jiang Qi a WeChat call.

She hadn’t expected it.

After all this time, she still had Jiang Qi’s contact info.

The call rang for a while before it was answered.

Jiang Qi deliberately put on an impatient tone:
“You must have dialed the wrong number.”

Jiang Wan greeted him enthusiastically:
“Hi there! Do you want to re-audition for Meng Yan’s new drama?”

Her idea was simple.

The contract hadn’t been signed yet. As long as Jiang Qi could gain Meng Yan’s approval, the male lead could still be replaced.

If the male lead changed—

She could take the role.

Jiang Qi let out a sarcastic laugh:
“How do you know I wasn’t chosen?”

Did she call just to humiliate him?

That audition he gave… Even if he auditioned a hundred more times, he still wouldn’t get the role!

He’d performed a scene where the male lead secretly protects the heroine out of a one-sided love, and he could still remember Meng Yan’s evaluation:

“Next time I have a role for someone trying to assassinate the heroine, I’ll call you.”

That review—what the hell! No respect at all. Pure humiliation.

Frustrated, Jiang Qi had given up fighting for the role. (He also knew Meng Yan’s mind was made up.)

With a cold face, he walked out.

Jiang Wan responded,
“If nothing unexpected happens, I may be playing the female lead.”

Jiang Qi sneered:
“You’re already saying that. What unexpected thing could possibly happen?”

Jiang Wan’s voice grew serious:
“If you can’t take the role, then I won’t act in it either.”

Jiang Qi was stunned.

So shocked that he dropped his phone to the floor.

Jiang Wan patiently waited for his response.

After a while—

Jiang Qi’s voice became low and awkward. It had none of the irritation from before. In fact, he almost sounded like he was backing down:

“…It’s not like I can just take the role because I want to.”

---

Later

The door opened.

Jiang Qi bent down to take out a pair of pink slippers from the shoe cabinet for Jiang Wan. After a moment’s hesitation, he kicked over the pair he was wearing instead:

“Here, wear these. They’re new. Barely worn.”

Jiang Qi paid attention to hygiene. His own household items were regularly replaced. But guest slippers? Not so much.

This pair had been sitting in the cabinet for months. Every visitor had worn them.

Jiang Wan said it was fine.

After all, the pink slippers in Jiang Qi’s hand might’ve been reserved for someone special. She knew to be mindful of boundaries.

Jiang Wan sat down on the sofa.

Jiang Qi followed and sat beside her.

He asked,
“What did you mean earlier?”

Jiang Wan had already forgotten:
“Eh? Which part?”

Seeing how casually she responded, Jiang Qi gritted his teeth in frustration:

“Isn’t Wei Hao already confirmed as the male lead? Why are you still dragging me into this mess?”

Oh, that?

Of course, she couldn’t tell the truth. No one would believe her. She’d be lucky not to be sent to a psychiatric hospital.

So Jiang Wan’s eyes flickered as she came up with a clever excuse.

She spoke seriously:
“Because I think you suit the role better. Wei Hao can’t act as well as you. I hope we can work together to overcome your current challenges and create a piece that audiences will truly appreciate.”

Jiang Qi looked at her suspiciously:
“You really think my acting is better than Wei Hao’s?”

Jiang Qi and Wei Hao were classic rivals.

But because Wei Hao had gotten a major mainstream award nomination first, and bought tons of shady PR pieces to drag Jiang Qi down, things between them—and between their companies—were tense. Almost hostile.

Jiang Wan didn’t hesitate:
“Not just better acting—you’re way ahead in every aspect!”

Sensing momentum, she piled on the compliments:
“You’re better looking, have more fans, your endorsements are twice his, and anyone with eyes can see it!

Plus, I know Wei Hao’s team bought PR to smear you. They said his performance crushed yours, and that’s why Meng Yan chose him without hesitation. This grudge must be avenged!

They haven’t even signed the contract and they’re already acting smug?! Let’s take him down while he’s weak! Steal the role!

Defeat Wei Hao! Victory to Jiang Qi!!!”

…

This entire slick routine—

By the time Jiang Qi realized what was happening, he was already holding the script, starting to memorize lines.

Jiang Wan was full of confidence. No one was sleeping tonight! She was going to help Jiang Qi nail the emotional scenes and win over Meng Yan’s approval!

Seeing that his delivery was still a bit off, she decided to help by running lines with him, playing the female lead herself.

Jiang Wan lay across Jiang Qi’s massive sofa and said:
“Come on! Stop reading the script! Look at me!

Right now, I am the female lead! The moonlight you’ve secretly loved for years! Even though I’m disguised as a man, you know the truth!

Now! I invite you to share my bed and pillow! What would your reaction be?”

As she finished speaking, she patted the sofa beside her.

The AC was set way too low in Jiang Qi’s house. She casually pulled over the blanket and covered herself.

The blanket hid most of her body, including her clothes, leaving only a slender and elegant collarbone exposed.

Under the soft lighting, her clean and delicate face looked even more touchable. Her lips were rosy and soft, like a freshly ripened peach, radiating an inviting sweetness from the inside out.

Jiang Qi stared at her, not sure what fantasy he was suddenly playing out in his head, but—

His entire face flushed red, all the way to the tips of his ears.