After a Contractual Romance with the Scumbag Movie Queen - Chapter 14

Qi Puzhi was pressed against the wall, the back of her head cushioned by a warm, soft palm.

Breaths mingled, lips scorching as they were repeatedly caressed, then gently nipped and teased.

“Jiejie.”

Jiang Tian tightened her embrace around the woman in her arms, gradually slowing her advances but still unable to resist pecking at those rosy lips once, then again.

Qi Puzhi let her continue, her bright eyes now misty, the corners tinged with a seductive flush. Her breathing was rapid, her expression still carrying a hint of dazed innocence.

A look both pure and alluring.

Jiang Tian watched her intently, her throat bobbing slightly before she leaned in again, only to be stopped by Qi Puzhi’s hand against her chest.

Qi Puzhi’s lips were red and glistening from the teasing, her gaze soft, with a faint trace of lingering pleasure.

In that moment, Jiang Tian suddenly realized, Qi Puzhi seemed to like it when she took charge.

When Qi Puzhi spoke, her voice was slightly hoarse. “The agreement.”

“Mm.”

Jiang Tian released her and took a step back, obediently yielding to Qi Puzhi’s unspoken words, the agreement was back in effect.

Qi Puzhi took a moment to steady herself, the haze in her eyes gradually clearing as she regained her usual composure.

Then, her assessing gaze settled on Jiang Tian, full of unspoken meaning.

After a pause, she remarked with a faint smirk, “And you said you weren’t plotting a rebellion.”

To suggest temporarily ignoring the agreement and then proceed to kiss and nibble on her now, whenever Qi Puzhi looked at Jiang Tian, she could practically see a big wolf’s tail wagging behind her.

Jiang Tian blinked. “But Jiejie seemed to like it a little.”

Qi Puzhi paused, narrowing her eyes slightly. “Making wild assumptions again?”

Jiang Tian put on an utterly earnest expression. “But just now, Jiejie ”

Before she could finish, the warmth of a palm covered her lips, silencing her mid-sentence.

Qi Puzhi, flustered and annoyed, had effectively gagged her.

Jiang Tian lowered her gaze, hiding her amusement, and wisely chose not to say anything more.

Qi Puzhi’s eyes held a mix of irritation and awkwardness. “You seem a little too bold, don’t you think?”

This contractual relationship was supposed to be her playing with Jiang Tian yet here the girl was, pushing her luck as if she intended to tear the roof off.

Earlier, it had been Qi Puzhi who felt unsettled seeing Jiang Tian sitting close to Xu Qinye. But in the end, she was the one being hugged, kissed, and nibbled on.

After all her years as a businesswoman, she had never struck such a lopsided deal.

If she didn’t assert her authority now, this little wolf cub might run wild tomorrow.

Yet Jiang Tian lowered her eyes meekly. “How could I dare? I’m just too afraid.”

She looked up at Qi Puzhi, her gaze utterly sincere. “Jiejie, I adore you with all my heart. You’re the one who can always afford to be bold with me.”

She even addressed Qi Puzhi’s earlier jealousy in one breath. “I only just found out about the trending topic with Xu Qinye. I’m sorry, I should have handled it better before. But as for her”

“You don’t need to apologize,” Qi Puzhi interrupted. “I know you didn’t do anything wrong.”

Of course she knew Jiang Tian wasn’t at fault, it was all due to the filming and editing.

That little knot of discomfort in her chest wasn’t so much jealousy as it was.

Seeing Qi Puzhi hesitate, her expression growing slightly somber, Jiang Tian couldn’t bear to see her like this.

“If Jiejie is unhappy, then it’s my fault.”

She spoke slowly. “Jiejie, will you give me a chance to make it up to you?”

Qi Puzhi quickly composed herself and smoothly changed the subject, casually asking, “What opportunity?”

Jiang Tian pursed her lips slightly before softly replying, “Sister can do whatever you want.”

Qi Puzhi looked at her and fell silent for a moment.

Jiang Tian was indeed very clever. She knew that her brief moment of assertiveness earlier might have made Qi Puzhi feel the agreement between them had been overstepped, so she immediately yielded to let Qi Puzhi regain the upper hand.

Truly the only daughter of a wealthy family, she understood all the nuances perfectly.

Since the chance to assert dominance was handed to her on a silver platter, Qi Puzhi wasn’t one to refuse it. She wasn’t actually in the mood to quarrel either.

So, taking the offered olive branch, she put on a flirtatious “I’m going to take advantage of you” expression and gave Jiang Tian a deliberate once-over.

If anyone else had done this, it might have come off as sleazy.

But Qi Puzhi was unfairly beautiful, with clean, elegant features that carried an air of grace. Instead of seeming vulgar, her gaze held a mesmerizing, teasing allure.

Remembering how Jiang Tian had leaped during the sports meet, revealing those well-defined abdominal lines, Qi Puzhi had an idea.

Just as her gaze settled on Jiang Tian’s abdomen, the younger woman seemed to read her mind like an obedient little parasite, lifting the hem of her top unprompted. “Sister, want to touch?”

The offer made Qi Puzhi’s breath hitch slightly, but her face remained flawlessly composed, a testament to her acting prowess as an award-winning actress.

She took a few steps forward. Under the light, Jiang Tian’s cool, pale skin stood out even more, the beautiful muscle lines taut and full of vitality.

Under Jiang Tian’s slightly heated gaze, Qi Puzhi reached out and lightly traced her fingers over the skin, feeling the vibrant energy beneath the seamless contact.

A warm, ticklish sensation spread from her abdomen, and Jiang Tian suppressed a shiver. But then she noticed Qi Puzhi’s ears turning red again.

She quietly averted her eyes.

Qi Puzhi was an outstanding actress, capable of flawlessly masking her expressions and emotions.

Yet the body’s natural reactions always betrayed the truth, laying bare her innermost feelings.

Of course, it took someone like Jiang Tian, who paid obsessive attention to every little detail about Qi Puzhi to notice.

Qi Puzhi withdrew her hand and remarked breezily, “You’ve trained well.”

She exercised regularly herself, but something like defined abs disappeared after just a few days of neglect. Lately, work had kept her busy, so while her stomach was flat, it was now just soft and smooth.

Jiang Tian asked, “Does Sister prefer this kind, or the more defined six-pack kind?”

Her tone suggested that whatever Qi Puzhi preferred, she’d work to achieve it.

Qi Puzhi chuckled. “This kind is fine.”

A knock came at the door. “Ms. Qi.”

Qi Puzhi acknowledged it, knowing it was time to head out for the outdoor barbecue banquet recording. She glanced at Jiang Tian. “You should go now. Be a little careful.”

During the earlier panel discussion, she had deliberately avoided interacting with Jiang Tian, partly due to her own lingering discomfort, but mostly to maintain distance.

After attending Jiang Tian’s performance last time while wearing a fan-made bracelet with Jiang Tian’s name, rumors had already begun circulating. While Qi Puzhi didn’t care, it was clearly unfavorable for Jiang Tian.

Jiang Tian nodded, casting what seemed like a reluctant glance at her before restraining herself, adhering to their agreement and leaving without another word.

The door closed softly behind her. Standing in the unchanged dressing room, Qi Puzhi suddenly felt the space emptier than before.

The young woman, who appeared cool and detached, always managed to fill her surroundings with warmth.

Qi Puzhi closed her eyes and bit her lower lip.

The girls had already known during the panel discussion that Qi Puzhi would be attending tonight’s barbecue party.

So many of them eagerly anticipated her arrival, chatting while they waited.

When Jiang Tian returned to the contestants, she heard the name “Teacher Qi” frequently popping up in the surrounding conversations.

“Jiang Tian, where have you been?”

During the break when everyone had returned to the dorm, He Jing hadn’t seen Jiang Tian at all.

“Had some things to take care of,” Jiang Tian replied casually.

He Jing guessed it was probably the production team discussing an advertisement shoot with her.

Except Jiang Tian’s lips seemed slightly swollen, standing out on her usually cool, jade-like, and distant face.

“You didn’t sneak off to eat something spicy without us, did you?”

He Jing, always cheerful, teased her offhandedly. Seeing Jiang Tian smile without answering, she thought she had guessed right.

After all, Jiang Tian rarely smiled so easily.

“Why isn’t Teacher Qi here yet?” He Jing, a devoted fan, was getting a little impatient. But just as she spoke, her eyes lit up. “Ah, she’s here!”

The contestants all greeted Qi Puzhi enthusiastically.

Unlike the panel discussion earlier, where the contestants sat on one side and Qi Puzhi on the other—always maintaining a certain distance—now Qi Puzhi was right in front of them, within reach. Some of the starstruck girls couldn’t help but bounce around her, chattering “Teacher Qi this” and “Teacher Qi that,” their enthusiasm making Qi Puzhi chuckle.

She never put on airs and was always warm and approachable.

Since she often barbecued with friends in her villa’s backyard, she knew exactly how to bring out the richest flavors in the ingredients. Caught up in the lively atmosphere, she started grilling steaks by the barbecue stand.

The girls crowded around her, chattering away, but Qi Puzhi suddenly remembered the moment in the lounge earlier when Jiang Tian, claiming to be jealous, had pinned her against the wall and kissed her.

The smile at the corner of her lips faltered for a second.

Her peripheral vision had been tracking Jiang Tian, knowing that someone of her temperament wouldn’t deliberately push into the crowd. That person was just watching her from afar, outside the throng.

The lingering itch from the bite on her lips seemed to still be there. As Qi Puzhi chatted and laughed, she reined in some of her usual flirtatious and coquettish charm, focusing instead on grilling.

The steak sizzled over the charcoal, and upon closer inspection, droplets of hot oil slowly trickled down the rich marbling of the meat.

“So fragrant!”

He Jing was practically drooling from the aroma, her eyes sparkling as she stared at Qi Puzhi.

“If it’s so fragrant, why are you staring at Teacher Qi instead of the meat?”

Someone teased, making He Jing deliberately glare at them.

The steak was sliced and finally distributed to the eagerly waiting contestants.

Even after getting their share, no one left. They all stayed clustered around Qi Puzhi, savoring the juicy meat and praising her culinary skills.

Qi Puzhi watched the young woman who neither fought nor rushed, the last to approach.

The barbecue was held on a spacious lawn, the autumn night breeze cool, gently lifting Jiang Tian’s long black hair.

It should have looked a little disheveled, but on Jiang Tian’s strikingly beautiful face and ethereal demeanor, it only added to her effortless grace.

Though she knew cameras were rolling, seeing Jiang Tian standing outside the crowd, the last to get her share, looking almost pitiful Qi Puzhi couldn’t help but raise a brow slightly. Deliberately teasing, she smiled and said,

“Jiang Tian, you don’t seem very excited about my cooking.”

Jiang Tian swallowed the word “sister” at the last moment and replied softly, “Teacher Qi, I’ve actually been craving it for a long time.”

She spoke with utmost seriousness, yet the word “craving” was subtly emphasized as if by accident, her gaze lingering briefly on Qi Puzhi’s lips.

To an outsider, it would have seemed entirely innocuous. But for the two who were well aware of what had transpired in the break room, it was anything but.

Jiang Tian actually dared to tease her in front of the cameras.

Qi Puzhi met her gaze, contemplating how to counterattack.

Just then, a girl nearby bumped into Jiang Tian while laughing and playing around. Caught off guard, Jiang Tian swayed toward Qi Puzhi.

“Ah! S-sorry!”

Amidst the girl’s reflexive exclamation, the moment Jiang Tian’s arm brushed against Qi Puzhi, her eyes narrowed slightly.

All she felt was her right hand, which had accidentally touched Qi Puzhi and now hung by her side

A mischievous fingertip slipped in and lightly scratched her palm.

Jiang Tian turned her head to look and saw the instigator holding her steady with a perfectly straight face, asking with feigned concern in front of everyone, “Are you okay?”

In those stunning eyes was a triumphant glint of amusement, visible only to her.

Earlier, I said I’d strive to have them flirt in public soon well, here it is.