After a Contractual Romance with the Scumbag Movie Queen - Chapter 16

Although their matching looks had garnered some shipper fans, Qi Puzhi and Jiang Tian had no apparent connections on the surface, so the gossip remained trivial.

As Star Journey aired episode after episode, Jiang Tian’s popularity soared.

By the second ranking announcement, her votes had skyrocketed to an undisputed first place.

To think that in the previous announcement, she had only narrowly beaten Xu Qinye.

After the rankings were revealed, more contestants were eliminated, leaving only 36 in total.

Outside of Star Journey recordings, the production team arranged an offline brand fan meeting for the remaining 36 contestants to capitalize on the momentum and strengthen engagement with fans.

When the plane landed in City B, the contestants were greeted by a sea of fans waiting at the airport Star Journey’s popularity was simply too high.

“Jiang Tian!”

Among the fans, those shouting Jiang Tian’s name were especially numerous.

They held fan banners in one hand and raised their phones with the other, snapping photos of Jiang Tian.

Pre-arranged security guards formed a protective barrier to prevent the contestants from being jostled.

Jiang Tian greeted the fans, and among the countless banners, she spotted a few shipping banners.

Her gaze lingered on one held by a young woman standing at the very edge

It featured her and Qi Puzhi.

The banner was small and inconspicuous, but Jiang Tian subtly glanced at it a few more times.

The young woman seemed to notice and timidly lowered the banner.

Nearby, many other fans held banners shipping Jiang Tian with Xu Qinye or He Jing.

In survival shows, chaotic shipping was the norm. Though ever since her last conversation with Xu Qinye, they had barely interacted.

But for shipper fans, that was no obstacle.

What was the beauty of a tragic love story? Only if the love was real could it truly be called tragic.

Regarding the flourishing variety of Jiang Tian’s ships, one fan of Jiang Tian x everyone (JiangAll) sharply commented:

“Jiang Tian’s cold, Bking aura makes her chemistry with anyone irresistible. Her avoidance is restraint, her rejection is suppression, and when she occasionally smiles, it’s unbearably sweet. She doesn’t even need to do anything, just her existence is a grand love story.”

Having been isolated during filming, Jiang Tian had no idea she had so many shipper fans. On the way to the fan meeting, she opened Weibo to check the trending list, just in case another popular shipping tag caught Qi Puzhi’s attention.

Instead, she saw Qi Puzhi’s name on the hot search.

[Qi Puzhi spotted embracing XX at a dinner party, are old flames reigniting?]

XX was a young actress who had been romantically linked to Qi Puzhi before.

The top post under the tag included photos indeed, the actress was nestled in Qi Puzhi’s arms, with multiple angles provided.

Jiang Tian pressed her lips together, her gaze darkening.

After being cut off from her phone for so long during filming, she had nearly forgotten Qi Puzhi’s soap opera-like, monthly, sometimes weekly stream of gossip.

He Jing, who was in the same car, called her name several times without a response and finally leaned over to pat her. “What’s wrong?”

Glancing at the screen, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Jiang Tian, don’t tell me you’re a girlfriend fan who can’t stand seeing Teacher Qi in gossip?”

Jiang Tian paused before replying, “No.”

“Right,” He Jing shrugged casually. “You’re the aloof type who seems indifferent to everything.”

She added, “I’m a mom fan, as long as Teacher Qi is happy, she could date five or six people at once for all I care.”

Jiang Tian glanced at her but didn’t respond.

He Jing continued, “What, are you a career fan then? But it’s fine, Teacher Qi’s romantic escapades don’t affect her work.”

Jiang Tian shook her head and turned off her phone.

She wasn’t a career fan or a girlfriend fan, she was the girlfriend herself.

That evening, just as the offline brand meet-and-greet officially began, the latest episode of Stellar Journey was released on schedule.

This episode featured the second stage performance, and shortly after it aired, a certain hashtag began steadily climbing the trending charts.

[Jiang Tian’s Pink Knight Outfit in Stage Performance]

The click-through rate and video views surged rapidly.

By the time Qi Puzhi saw it, the hashtag had already claimed the top spot on the trending list.

Having learned her lesson from the last accidental slip-up, she meticulously switched to her alternate account and clicked in with a hint of anticipation.

The caption of the top trending post read: [Who wouldn’t say Jiang Tian is the ultimate top?!]

Her gaze lingered on the word “top” for a moment, and she raised a brow slightly before clicking on the video.

The stage performance unfolded like an epic narrative.

The grand set, the hazy lighting, the ancient-style banners waved by the backup dancers, and the soft, collective chanting

It was like an ancient incantation, or perhaps a tender summons.

At the precise moment the prelude paused, the two banners that had just closed were suddenly flung open, revealing a young woman in a light pink knight’s outfit, her back straight and her long legs slender.

Her dark, voluminous curls cascaded over her shoulders, her eyes bright and sharp, her lips curved in a composed yet unrestrained smile.

Though she wasn’t mounted on a steed, her dance moves, perfectly synced with every beat imbued her with a dashing charm, as if she were a valiant knight who had stumbled into an ancient forest, cutting through thorns to rescue a princess.

The battle-worn makeup on her face was the finishing touch. The faint trace of red at the corner of her lips melded her fearlessness and sharpness, elevating them to their peak.

She was poised, commanding, yet seemed to carry an elusive tenderness.

In the closing close-up of the performance, she turned to face the camera, her eyes dark as ink, the battle scars on her fair cheeks a vivid crimson. The slight panting after the intense dance and singing made her look irresistibly alluring.

Qi Puzhi turned off her phone.

Her breathing was slightly uneven as she stood up to pour herself a glass of water, taking a small sip.

After standing in silence for a while, she grabbed her robe and headed to the bathroom for a shower. Passing by the mirror, she caught a glimpse of herself, her cheeks faintly flushed, her gaze seemingly tender.

Pausing, she adjusted her expression with a flick of her fingers, and the woman in the mirror instantly regained her usual calm and aloof demeanor.

Satisfied, she sank into the bathtub.

It was Sunday night, and by all accounts, Jiang Tian should have called her at eight.

Though their agreement stipulated that Jiang Tian couldn’t initiate contact, Stellar Journey’s fully enclosed filming was a special circumstance, and the two had an unspoken understanding about the weekly call.

The program allotted call time from eight to nine, and Jiang Tian usually called at eight sharp. If Qi Puzhi wasn’t working, they’d linger until nine.

But it was already past nine now.

Glancing at her phone, she confirmed there were no messages.

She set it aside casually, not dwelling on it. Jiang Tian couldn’t always spend that precious time on her—she had family and friends too.

Relaxing into the hot water, the image of the young woman in the pink knight’s outfit, poised and striking, surfaced in her mind, refusing to fade.

Recalling the post’s caption, she pressed her lips together.

She really did exude top energy.

Radiant with vigor, dazzlingly beautiful.

Amid the steam rising from the bathtub, the woman bit her lower lip, her lashes fluttering, the air thick with mist and restless dampness.

The soft, involuntary sounds that escaped were fragile yet tantalizing.

Just then, the phone rang inopportune timing.

Qi Puzhi was still basking in the afterglow, too lazy to move, waiting for the phone to stop ringing on its own.

However, the call was persistent, starting up again shortly after it had ended.

She frowned slightly and weakly reached for her phone, only to see Jiang Tian’s name on the caller ID.

This was Jiang Tian’s personal number, not the one usually provided by the production team.

Clearing her throat, she answered the call.

“Sister?” Jiang Tian’s voice came through, accompanied by the sound of passing cars.

“Mhm.”

Hearing the slight hoarseness in Qi Puzhi’s voice, Jiang Tian asked with concern, “Do you have a cold, sister?”

“No,” Qi Puzhi replied softly. “Are you outside?”

“We had an offline fan event in City B today,” Jiang Tian explained. “We’re staying at a hotel tonight and returning to City A together tomorrow.”

“Mhm.” Qi Puzhi casually asked, “So, are you at the hotel now?”

Jiang Tian sensed that Qi Puzhi seemed a bit low-spirited. Instead of answering immediately, she asked, “Are you in a bad mood, sister?”

“…”

Qi Puzhi fell silent for a moment. She couldn’t exactly tell Jiang Tian she was actually in her post-climax state.

After a pause, she mustered a bit more energy and replied, “No.”

Only then did Jiang Tian answer the previous question. She glanced out the car window at the luxurious building outside. “I’m near the hotel.”

“But it’s your hotel.”

Qi Puzhi propped herself up in the bathtub. “What?”

“Sister, my hotel is very close to yours. I missed you a little, so I couldn’t help but come over,” Jiang Tian said slowly. “I just wanted to let you know, you don’t have to come see me.”

Qi Puzhi ran her fingers along the edge of her phone, silent for a moment.

Jiang Tian’s actions seemed flawless, not breaking any of the agreement’s rules

She wasn’t actively seeking Qi Puzhi out, just coming near her. If Qi Puzhi didn’t want to meet, she would leave. If Qi Puzhi was willing, they could see each other.

The choice was entirely in Qi Puzhi’s hands.

But Qi Puzhi was no naive child who could be easily fooled. She immediately pointed out Jiang Tian’s cunning ploy: “Are you playing a new version of ‘waiting by the stump for a hare’?”

She had calculated that Qi Puzhi might soften and willingly jump into the trap.

Unfazed by the accusation, Jiang Tian merely chuckled softly. “Then, do you want to meet, sister?”

Her laughter was especially clear through the phone, and her low invitation carried a hint of allure.

Qi Puzhi found it hard to resist. After all, not long ago, she had indulged in thoughts of this very person to satisfy herself, her body still tingling with lingering desire.

Suppressing her emotions, unwilling to be led by Jiang Tian, she deliberately turned the tables, adopting a flirtatious tone. “Fine then, little idol. Come to sister’s room.”