After a Contractual Romance with the Scumbag Movie Queen - Chapter 46

Qi Puzhi finally regained her composure.

Belatedly realizing she had been clinging to Jiang Tian in front of the cameras and all the staff, she couldn’t help feeling a bit embarrassed.

Clearing her throat lightly, she put on the calm and detached expression befitting of Teacher Qi.

Jiang Tian released her and, seeing the familiar awkwardness in the woman’s eyes, found it endearing. Worried that Qi Puzhi might be upset, she lowered her gaze to hide the amusement in her eyes.

The script was filmed in two parts, with each part taking three days to shoot. Due to time constraints, it was impossible to capture every detail, so only key moments were presented.

However, the parts left unfilmed became suggestive blanks that sparked imagination.

This part of the filming ended right at a turning point in the script, leaving many of the staff feeling somewhat somber.

They wished they could continue filming the next day, all the way to the beautiful ending.

That dedicated Jiang Tian fan among the staff secretly wiped away tears, taking a long time to recover. In a moment of resolve, she decided to treat Jiang Tian and Qi Puzhi as substitutes for the characters Ye and Pei, gritted her teeth, and joined the CP fan community to indulge in sweet moments.

By the time they wrapped up for the day, it was already past 10 p.m. Jiang Tian had work in City A and needed to catch a flight that night, while Qi Puzhi also had matters to attend to.

The car to take Jiang Tian to the airport was already waiting by the roadside, but she first followed Qi Puzhi into another car.

Driver Jiang was very perceptive; as soon as Jiang Tian got in, she stepped out to make a phone call.

A pair of arms wrapped around Qi Puzhi’s waist, and she didn’t push them away, only softly saying, “Don’t you have a flight to catch?”

“But just now, Sister looked at me with such reluctance.” Jiang Tian leaned her head against Qi Puzhi’s, gently nuzzling. “Haven’t you snapped out of it yet?”

Qi Puzhi felt a warmth in her heart from the nuzzling and shook her head. “I’ve already stepped out of character.”

“Oh… So it’s not Pei Ying reluctant to part with Ye Su.” Jiang Tian chuckled, speaking unhurriedly. “It turns out it’s Qi Puzhi reluctant to part with Jiang Tian.”

Qi Puzhi bit her lip.

Although she had stepped out of character, a lingering ache spread deep in her heart, as if warning her. to cherish the hard-won present, for who knew what unforeseen challenges the next moment might bring.

She lowered her gaze, her long, thick eyelashes fluttering slightly, and whispered, “A little.”

During these days of filming, they had rehearsed together during the day and held each other at night, spending every second with one another. It felt like something that could become addictive.

Jiang Tian was caught off guard by her sudden honesty.

Then, her heart seemed to soften, filled with a gentle joy.

Her features were naturally cool and aloof, but now, softened by the tender smile on her face and accented by the dimples on her cheeks, the coldness melted away, leaving only the refreshing breeze of spring. It made Qi Puzhi’s heart itch.

Jiang Tian held her tighter, her lips brushing against the delicate skin of Qi Puzhi’s neck as she murmured, “I’m so reluctant to part with you too, Sister.”

Still feeling it wasn’t enough, she lifted her head, caressed Qi Puzhi’s cheek, and kissed her.

The lights in the car were off, and the narrow backseat was dimly lit.

In the midst of their entangled lips and tongues, their heated breaths seemed magnified infinitely in the excessive stillness.

They nearly lost control, but Jiang Tian restrained herself and let go of Qi Puzhi, planting soft kisses on her cheeks. “I should go.”

Qi Puzhi, her eyes misty from the kisses, gently withdrew her arms from around Jiang Tian’s neck and let out a soft “Mm.” “Send me a message when you arrive in City A.”

As soon as the car door closed, Driver Jiang happened to finish her phone call and returned to drive.

Qi Puzhi closed her eyes. As the car moved, the light from the streetlamps swiftly swept across her face, alternating between brightness and shadow.

The lingering scent of the young woman in the backseat seemed to make her feel even more hollow inside.

Why was it that over the past three days of filming, while portraying someone else’s love story, she felt as though her own relationship with Jiang Tian had grown a little deeper?

Before she could ponder further, her phone suddenly rang. She answered it.

Zhang Hua chattered on the other end of the line, “I don’t know what your Jiang Tian said to the Jiang family, but they’re taking the investigation into the car accident so seriously, it’s as if Jiang Tian herself was the one in the crash.”

Qi Puzhi glanced out the car window. “Any results?”

“Well.” Zhang Hua seemed hesitant. “Do you want to know who it was?”

Qi Puzhi understood immediately. A cold smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “It seems it’s him.”

Zhang Hua fell silent for a moment. People often say that even a vicious tiger wouldn’t harm its own cub, but the Qi family had been truly ruthless toward Qi Puzhi.

Qi Puzhi didn’t seem upset, only asking softly, “Have the pieces of evidence been secured?”

Zhang Hua replied, “They were very careful, even deliberately sought help from the Jiang family’s peripheral connections, you know how your father and the Jiangs have always been sworn enemies. They probably used this unexpected tactic, afraid you’d uncover the truth.”

At this, she added sarcastically, “Little did they know, the ones helping with the investigation were the Jiangs themselves. Thankfully, that’s the case. Otherwise, even if we could’ve uncovered it eventually, it would’ve taken longer and led us down more detours.”

Qi Puzhi rubbed her temples. “I’ve suspected it was him for a while. He’s been causing trouble for me frequently lately, probably getting desperate.”

After a pause, she said, “My guess is that Grandma’s condition is worsening.”

Zhang Hua chuckled dryly. “How could he not be desperate? Most of the Qi family’s assets will go to you eventually. Your father is practically just working for you right now. Once…”

She started to say something else but caught herself, feeling she might have sounded too eager. “I don’t mean to wish ill on your grandmother.”

Still, she couldn’t help muttering under her breath, “Even though your grandmother hasn’t been kind to you either.”

Qi Puzhi didn’t mind her friend speaking from her own perspective and simply said, “He wants me dead, but his grand plan with the car accident failed. I wonder if he has a backup plan.”

Zhang Hua asked, “But you already have plenty of evidence now. Aren’t you going to act?”

Qi Puzhi seemed to have other plans. “Let’s not alert the snake just yet.”

She lowered her gaze, her expression unreadable. “If all we do is send Qi Ke to prison for a few years. how would that ever make up for everything the Qi family has done over the years?”

Zhang Hua nodded fiercely. “Don’t you dare fall for any forgiveness nonsense. Don’t let those scumbags off easy.”

Jiang Tian’s business trip lasted half a month.

The music for her solo album was already completed, and she was traveling to various locations to shoot the music video.

She sent Qi Puzhi photos of every outfit.

Qi Puzhi felt as though she had adopted a traveling frog, receiving postcards from time to time.

She scrolled through a specific album on her phone, where the young woman’s charm unfolded in every frame.

In one, mist hovered over a lake as she stood barefoot on a rock, dressed in flowing white, her gaze cold and detached, like an immortal looking down upon the mortal world.

In another, she wore a light green gown, her skin pale and her figure slender, moving gracefully among lush greenery like a forest spirit. Her eyes curved with laughter, as lively as an April day.

She effortlessly embodied every style to perfection.

That night, Qi Puzhi habitually opened her photo album to browse for a moment before bed. Just as she was about to turn off her phone and sleep, she saw a WeChat message from Jiang Tian pop up on the screen,

[Are you asleep, sis?]

[Not yet.]

Jiang Tian called.

“Are you at home, sis?”

Qi Puzhi hummed in response, “It’s so late, aren’t you resting yet?”

She knew Jiang Tian had returned to City B today and still had work in the evening, so she must be exhausted by now.

“Just finished showering,” Jiang Tian said. “If it’s convenient for you, can I come over now?”

Thinking of Jiang Tian’s residence, Qi Puzhi replied gently, “It’s too far, and it’s so late. You should rest well first, no need to rush.”

“But I am rushing.” Jiang Tian lowered her gaze and whispered softly, “I miss you so much.”

Qi Puzhi’s words caught in her throat, suddenly finding it hard to refuse.

Besides, she wanted to see her too.

After a moment’s thought, her eyes held a compromise she herself couldn’t see, and she said, “Then wait for me, okay? I’ll call the driver to take me over.”

Jiang Tian said, “No need, I’ll be there soon.”

Qi Puzhi was about to argue about who should go to whom.

Then she realized just how soon within minutes, Jiang Tian was already at her door.

Looking at the newcomer, she said with slight surprise, “Were you already near the neighborhood when you called?”

“No,” Jiang Tian said. “I’m in the building next to yours.”

“…”

Qi Puzhi watched as the young woman skillfully took slippers from the shoe cabinet and changed into them. She couldn’t help but cross her arms and give a half-smiling, half-interrogating look. “This home of yours next door did you buy it recently, or before you stayed over at my place last time?”

Jiang Tian blinked lightly, her expression completely unapologetic as she confessed, “I’ve had it for a long time. Sis, you didn’t notice that day. my car entered the neighborhood without any trouble.”

She took a few steps toward Qi Puzhi, reached out to hug her, buried her face in the crook of her neck, and inhaled her scent. “I didn’t lie to you that day either… I only said I was going back to the Jiang family.”

She hadn’t said she didn’t have a place here; it was Qi Puzhi who had assumed she had to travel late at night and kindly let her stay over.

Realizing belatedly that she had been played by this little wolf cub, Qi Puzhi let out a light hum and pinched her ear. “So full of schemes.”

But she didn’t push her away.

Jiang Tian let her pinch her ear. Hearing her slightly annoyed muttering, she couldn’t help but chuckle softly, her warm breath brushing against the skin of Qi Puzhi’s neck, making her a little ticklish.

The pressure of the pinch on her ear also lightened, almost like a teasing caress.

Qi Puzhi could feel Jiang Tian’s ear growing hotter under her fingertips, the warmth spreading all the way to her heart.

Her breathing involuntarily quickened slightly. Just then, Jiang Tian, still holding her, began to walk forward, forcing Qi Puzhi to stumble backward until her back pressed against the wall in the entryway.

A soft palm cushioned the back of her head, and her chin was lifted.

Jiang Tian gently nuzzled her nose and kissed her.

Light and breath were stolen away. In Jiang Tian’s deep, burning kiss, Qi Puzhi felt just how much she had meant by “I miss you so much.”

The atmosphere grew increasingly ambiguous and dangerous. Before completely succumbing, Qi Puzhi struggled to find a gap between their lips and murmured, “I’m on my period.”

“I know,” Jiang Tian said, her voice slightly hoarse. “Just an innocent kiss.”

Though she called it innocent, her kiss was anything but, lingering and impassioned.

Moreover, those on their period tend to crave certain things more than usual.

In the end, Qi Puzhi’s legs grew weak, and she feebly pushed against her, her moist, crimson lips parting as she murmured, “Annoying.”

It was meant as a reproach. Yet, with the corners of her eyes tinged red and her gaze soft as water, she was brimming with allure.

Jiang Tian gazed at her, a faint, leisurely smile dancing in her eyes, and asked unhurriedly, “Sister, are you annoyed with me, or with your period?”

Qi Puzhi: “…”

The answer was obvious.