After a Contractual Romance with the Scumbag Movie Queen - Chapter 18

Qi Puzhi didn’t go so far as to make Jiang Tian sleep on the couch. She pointed to the center of the bed and said, “No crossing the line.”

“Mm.” Jiang Tian was utterly obedient as she changed into the sleep robe Qi Puzhi handed her.

She had already showered before coming over. After a quick freshening up, she lay properly on the right side of the bed.

Qi Puzhi briefly considered calling for staff to bring another blanket but then felt it would make her seem like she was backing down. In the end, she hung her coat on the nearby stand, turned, and lifted the covers on the left side of the bed.

Jiang Tian lay quietly under the blankets, watching her.

Living alone most of the time, Qi Puzhi usually chose sleepwear based on comfort and aesthetics. The spaghetti-strap nightdress she was wearing now was made of minimal fabric, revealing her delicate collarbones and shoulders, with the hem ending above her knees, perfectly accentuating her graceful figure.

In her haste to change before Jiang Tian arrived, she had forgotten to put on underwear, which was why she had been taken advantage of earlier.

The lingering sting from the bite on the peak still itched faintly. Suppressing her embarrassment, Qi Puzhi said irritably, “Close your eyes and sleep properly.”

“Mm.”

Jiang Tian, who could be wild and unrestrained when assertive, was equally docile when obedient, never straying from the given command. She immediately closed her eyes in compliance.

Qi Puzhi slipped under the covers and lay down, only belatedly realizing that a certain area felt slick.

“…”

Resigned, she climbed out of bed again. The culprit beside her lay with eyes tightly shut, long lashes casting a soft shadow under her eyes, a picture of purity and innocence.

For the first time, Qi Puzhi felt that signing the agreement with this woman wasn’t about toying with her but rather digging her own grave.

But she wasn’t the type to endure things passively.

So, as Jiang Tian lay with her eyes closed, trying to drift off, she suddenly felt the covers being lifted in front of her.

“Sister?” Jiang Tian murmured, opening her eyes to look.

Qi Puzhi had repaid the favor in kind. After delivering the bite, she finally felt satisfied and raised an eyebrow at Jiang Tian, whose calm demeanor had shattered, replaced by surprise and restrained tension.

“What’s wrong? Go to sleep.” With an innocent expression, Qi Puzhi pulled the covers back over her and headed straight to the bathroom to clean up.

Though her movements were composed and unhurried, Jiang Tian couldn’t help but sense a hint of fleeing in disarray.

This was the epitome of being all bark and no bite.

Jiang Tian chuckled to herself. When the woman returned from the bathroom and lay back down, she was about to speak when Qi Puzhi preemptively covered her mouth. “No talking.”

Seeing Jiang Tian’s eyes convey agreement, Qi Puzhi released her, reached over, and turned off the light.

In the darkness, drowsiness crept in. Lazily closing her eyes, she asked, “What time are you leaving tomorrow?”

Earlier on the phone, Jiang Tian had mentioned she needed to return to City A first thing in the morning.

But Jiang Tian remained silent.

Qi Puzhi realized she was still adhering to the “no talking” command and chuckled. “Now you decide to be obedient.”

Only then did Jiang Tian reply, “The staff will come at seven. I’ll leave at six-thirty.”

It was already past two in the morning, just over four hours of sleep. Qi Puzhi immediately said, “Then hurry up and sleep.”

“Mm. Goodnight, sister.”

“Goodnight.”

Perhaps exhausted from the earlier teasing, Qi Puzhi fell asleep quickly.

But because that teasing had left her unsatisfied, her dreams smoothly carried out what had been left unfinished.

Jiang Tian slept in a proper, restrained posture, but in her half-asleep state, she felt a warm, soft heat rolling into her arms.

The familiar fragrance filled her senses, and she instinctively embraced it. Yet the body in her arms was restless, shifting and rubbing against her, making it hard for her to stay still.

When she groggily opened her eyes and looked at the woman in her arms, it took her a moment to process what had happened.

She wouldn’t go so far as to take advantage of someone while they were asleep. Gently patting Qi Puzhi’s back to soothe her, her voice was low and hoarse, laced with restraint: “Sis you seem a little unsatisfied.”

Fortunately, Qi Puzhi couldn’t hear her words, or she would have been mortified.

After patting and coaxing for what felt like ages, the woman in her arms gradually settled into peaceful slumber, while Jiang Tian was left tormented in both body and mind.

All traces of sleepiness vanished, and she lay awake until dawn. In her dazed state, only one thought remained.

One day, I’ll make sure to collect on this debt.

The alarm was silenced the moment it rang. Jiang Tian carefully moved Qi Puzhi’s hand from her waist, laid her flat in the center of the bed, and tucked her in.

By the faint light seeping through the blackout curtains, she gazed at the woman’s gentle features in sleep, then leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead.

“You’re back.”

He Jing had already finished getting ready and opened the door for Jiang Tian.

The show arranged double rooms for the contestants, and Jiang Tian had been paired with He Jing.

After showering the night before, Jiang Tian had announced she was going out.

He Jing knew Jiang Tian was a local of City B and assumed she was heading home for a visit.

“Yeah,” Jiang Tian replied, picking up her makeup bag to conceal the dark circles under her eyes.

He Jing glanced over and teased casually, “Did you sneak off for a night of passion? You look exhausted.”

Jiang Tian’s hand paused almost imperceptibly.

He Jing immediately shook her head with a laugh, realizing she might have gone too far. “No, never mind. Someone as cool and detached as you doesn’t seem the type to rush off for a secret rendezvous in the middle of the night.”

If it were anyone else, she might have assumed it was just a young person unable to resist the urge to meet their lover, squeezing in every possible moment after all, young people nowadays weren’t usually so homesick.

But Jiang Tian, that aloof air of hers made it hard to imagine her being the type to lose herself in romance.

The recording for Stellar Journey was already halfway through. Upon returning to City A, they would begin preparations for the third performance.

This round would be a collaborative performance, with contestants divided into groups, each paired with a well-known artist in the industry, former idol competition winners, popular singers and dancers, and the like.

As the leader of her group, Jiang Tian was called in by the production team for a meeting.

When she entered the conference room, the staff smiled and said, “Xiao Jiang, come take a seat. Your group’s guest collaborator will be here soon.”

Jiang Tian sat down as instructed.

Noticing her usual calm demeanor, the staff asked, “Aren’t you curious who it is?”

Truthfully, she wasn’t. To Jiang Tian, it made no difference, it wouldn’t be Qi Puzhi anyway.

But since she hadn’t been back in the country long and didn’t usually follow other celebrities, it might be good to know the name in advance, just to make introductions easier later.

Before she could ask, however, the conference room door was knocked on and then pushed open.

A woman with an alluring figure walked in, removing her sunglasses and waving at everyone with effortless charm.

Her gaze lingered on Jiang Tian for a moment, carrying a hint of something unspoken.

Jiang Tian froze. She recognized this woman.

Her surname was Qi. They had crossed paths at banquets a few times. Strictly speaking, she was Qi Puzhi’s cousin.

After the meeting, Jiang Tian was stopped in the hallway by Qi Hui.

Arms crossed, the woman spoke with casual arrogance:

“Never thought the daughter of the Jiang family would dare to venture into the entertainment industry. Need some advice from your big sis here?”

Jiang Tian looked at her calmly, “I’m in a hurry to meet my team members. Is there something urgent?”

Seeing Qi Hui remain silent, she said, “If not, I’ll be on my way.”

The young woman walked away with a straight and composed posture, while Qi Hui stood still, her gaze deep and unreadable.

Qi Hui had built her career in the industry as a rising star, releasing several dance performances each year with solid skills.

When Jiang Tian’s team members saw her, they were overjoyed, crowding around and calling her “sister” sweetly.

Watching Jiang Tian sitting alone on the other side, writing something, Qi Hui blinked like a fox and asked the team members, “Is your team leader as cold as she seems on the show?”

One member replied, “She doesn’t like crowds, but she’s really nice!”

“Is that so?” Qi Hui smiled. “Before coming here, she was my one pick.”

A member instinctively asked, “And now?”

“Now? You’re all so adorable, I want to pick every one of you.”

The atmosphere between Qi Hui and the team members grew lively. Meanwhile, Jiang Tian finished organizing her things and glanced up. “Shall we run through it once now?”

For this performance, the choreographer had already taught them the formations and moves, all that was left was to rehearse with Qi Hui.

As the center of the performance, Jiang Tian naturally had more partnered dance moves with Qi Hui.

Though the theme of the performance wasn’t romantic, some physical contact was unavoidable.

But… Qi Hui seemed to be standing too close, and the grip on her arm felt off.

Unlike when Qi Peizhi had teased her on camera, deliberately squeezing her arm lightly and heavily back then, Jiang Tian had tolerated it silently. This time, she immediately called for a stop.

The team members looked puzzled. “What’s wrong?”

Qi Hui stared at her calmly, as if certain Jiang Tian wouldn’t make a scene in front of the team.

True to form, Jiang Tian didn’t directly expose her. Instead, she suggested modifications to the choreography, explaining her reasoning.

The revised moves eliminated all physical contact between them.

Her arguments were logical, and the changes would enhance the performance. The team members nodded in agreement.

But Qi Hui frowned. “Can we just change the moves like that? The choreographer ”

Jiang Tian actually called the choreographer over. After discussion, everyone agreed that Jiang Tian’s proposal would better convey the theme.

So the changes were made.

By the end of practice, as everyone dispersed, Jiang Tian sat cross-legged in a corner of the studio, finishing her notes. When she looked up, Qi Hui was still there.

“Is there something?” Her voice was even colder than during the meeting that afternoon.

Qi Hui walked toward her, smiling meaningfully. “Jiang Tian, you’ve really broken my heart.”

“Staying pure and untouched in the entertainment industry isn’t much fun,” Qi Hui crouched beside her. “Why not indulge in some excitement while you can?”

Jiang Tian remained expressionless, her gaze cool. “What are you trying to say?”

“Tsk, why so cold?” Qi Hui seemed unfazed by her indifference. “From preparation to the actual performance, we’ve only got a week. Want to play with me for that week?”

She emphasized the word “play” suggestively. “After the week, we’ll act like nothing happened cut ties like strangers.”

Jiang Tian’s appearance, demeanor, and that aloof temperament of hers perfectly aligned with Qi Hui’s preferences. Even before Stellar Journey, at industry banquets, Qi Hui had entertained the thought of having some fun with Jiang Tian.

It’s just that Jiang Tian had always been abroad, rarely returning, so Qi Hui never got the chance.

In wealthy circles, few didn’t indulge in play. The most typical example was her cousin Qi Puzhi, whose escapades were practically known to the world.

She refused to believe Jiang Tian was truly as unapproachable as she appeared.

Yet, she heard Jiang Tian respond without hesitation, utterly devoid of flirtation: “You don’t actually think that just because we’re the same gender, it doesn’t count as sexual harassment, do you?”

Qi Hui: “…”

With that, Jiang Tian stood up and walked away, as if she couldn’t stand being near her for even a second.

Over the next few days of practice, aside from necessary stage-related discussions, Jiang Tian and Qi Hui had no other interactions.

The other group members didn’t notice anything amiss after all, Jiang Tian had never been the sociable type.

During their usual Sunday phone call, Qi Puzhi asked as always, “How was your week?”

Jiang Tian gave a soft hum in response before adding, “Just that the guest collaborator tried to sexually harass me.”

“Hmm?” Qi Puzhi’s brows furrowed slightly.

Jiang Tian briefly recounted the incident, then asked, “Sister, are you satisfied with how I handled it?”

“…” Qi Puzhi paused before replying, “However you handle it doesn’t violate the agreement.”

After all, the agreement didn’t stipulate loyalty between them.

She deftly sidestepped the topic, but Jiang Tian wasn’t about to let her off the hook. With a light laugh, she repeated, “So, are you satisfied?”

Her voice was low and unhurried, laced with a hint of enticement.

Jiang Tian had only meant to tease Qi Puzhi, not expecting a response.

Yet, after a brief silence, the woman’s voice carried a trace of pride and awkwardness as she let out an almost imperceptible, “Mhm.”

Satisfied with how she handled it, concerned about whether her heart remained steadfast.

Beneath the surface of their simple exchange, undercurrents surged, emotions usually buried deep beneath the agreement, hidden and unspoken.

Jiang Tian was momentarily stunned, then lowered her gaze with a faint smile. “In that case, I’m very happy.”