After a Contractual Romance with the Scumbag Movie Queen - Chapter 6

The wine table was a lively scene of clinking glasses and toasts. Qi Puzhi, dressed in an exquisite smoke-blue shirt with the top button undone, lounged casually in her seat.

Lost in thought, her fair, slender index finger habitually tapped lightly on the table.

The flush of alcohol added a touch of rosy allure to her face, making her breathtakingly beautiful, yet no one at the table dared to stare too boldly.

After all, from any angle, Qi Puzhi was an influential figure in the industry someone not to be trifled with.

Once the business discussions concluded, the conversation at the table turned more relaxed.

Qi Puzhi clinked glasses with Jiang’s father and asked casually, “I heard your daughter recently graduated and returned to the country.”

Jiang’s father chuckled at the mention. “Ah, her she’s quite the homebody.”

After several rounds of drinks, Jiang’s father couldn’t help but ramble a bit more about his daughter.

Qi Puzhi appeared to listen attentively, but in truth, she was silently pondering Jiang Tian’s words from that day Don’t believe a word my dad says.

If that were the case, then the obedient, docile, and demure image Jiang’s father painted would have to be interpreted in the opposite light.

Since the interview, the two hadn’t seen each other for some time.

Only occasionally, in the midst of her busy schedule, Qi Puzhi would suddenly recall Jiang Tian’s wild gaze as she danced provocatively during the interview, or the way her slender fingers strummed the guitar strings, her voice soft yet deeply emotional as she sang Falling Slowly…

At times, she couldn’t tell which version of Jiang Tian was the real one or if they both were.

Truth be told, she knew very little about Jiang Tian, even after spending some time together.

Jiang Tian was always compliant, accommodating, indulgent aside from the occasional blunt confession, she rarely spoke or revealed much about herself.

Thus, under the influence of first impressions, Qi Puzhi had also come to assume that this was simply who Jiang Tian was.

But now, it seemed there was still much to uncover.

As the gathering neared its end, Qi Puzhi checked the time and pulled out her phone, dialing a number with practiced ease.

After all these years, the driver’s contact was second nature to her. Feeling a bit weary, she pinched the bridge of her nose, half-closing her eyes as she listened to the dial tone.

The call connected quickly, faint background music audible on the other end.

“Xiao Jiang, pick me up from Jiang Banquet in an hour.”

A moment later, a quiet acknowledgment came through.

Amid the noise of the wine table, Qi Puzhi barely caught the response before hanging up without another word.

Jiang Tian’s car pulled up by the roadside, and she sent a message to Qi Puzhi.

The gathering had just ended. When Qi Puzhi checked her phone and saw Jiang Tian’s message, she froze for a moment.

Scrolling through her call history, the recipient of the call an hour ago was unmistakably Jiang Tian.

“Jiang” and “Jiang” were homophones, so Jiang Tian likely hadn’t noticed the mistake.

But it was already past one in the morning, how had this kid come without even asking a single question?

While the other executives took the elevator straight to the underground parking lot, Qi Puzhi headed for the main entrance of the restaurant.

Just a few steps out of the elevator, she spotted a young woman sitting on the lobby’s waiting sofa, her long black hair cascading down, the ends slightly curled, her silhouette graceful.

As if sensing her presence, Jiang Tian turned her head, her gaze locking directly onto Qi Puzhi.

She immediately stood and walked over, stopping at a respectful distance beside Qi Puzhi. “Jiejie.”

Though the mistaken call to the driver had caused an awkward mix-up, Qi Puzhi was adept at going with the flow.

So she didn’t mention it, simply studying her little girlfriend before her.

Jiang Tian’s outfit today was unlike her usual soft, elegant style. A black denim jacket, combat boots, long legs, she looked effortlessly cool.

With her cool and delicate features, she appeared aloof yet captivating at first glance.

Seeing Jiang Tian in this style, Qi Puzhi said with a faint, teasing smile, “Hmm? Now that you’re exposed, you’re not even pretending anymore?”

Jiang Tian, however, deftly sidestepped the question: “Sister, don’t you like this style?”

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

After waiting briefly, Jiang Tian curved her eyes into a smile and said, “Seems like you do.”

When she smiled, the dimples on her cheeks appeared. In the past, they had only seemed sweet and endearing.

But now, Qi Puzhi couldn’t help feeling there was a hint of mischief hidden within.

She let out a light hum and said, “No speculating.”

Jiang Tian obediently fell silent and simply handed the hangover soup she was holding to Qi Puzhi.

Now she was being well-behaved again.

Qi Puzhi held the hangover soup and leisurely walked out with her.

As they reached the door, before the cold wind could even blow in, Jiang Tian had already stepped in front to shield her.

Young people these days were so considerate.

Jiang Tian opened the car door for her, reaching out to protect her head from bumping against the frame.

Once Qi Puzhi was safely seated, she went the extra mile, fastening her seatbelt for her.

Qi Puzhi silently watched her busy movements.

The distance was too close the tips of the young woman’s hair brushed against her neck, carrying a faint, refreshing fragrance.

It tickled slightly.

Within her line of sight was Jiang Tian’s fair chin and her rosy lips.

The hangover soup hadn’t taken effect yet, and the lingering buzz from the drinks earlier slowly crept in. Slightly tipsy, Qi Puzhi lifted her gaze, reached out to tilt Jiang Tian’s chin, raising that ethereally beautiful face to meet her eyes.

“Sister?” Jiang Tian had just fastened the seatbelt and obediently met her gaze under the gentle pressure of Qi Puzhi’s hand.

But Qi Puzhi didn’t speak. Her eyes, soft as water, shimmered with the haze of alcohol, exuding tenderness.

There was a saying in the industry: if you ever locked eyes with Qi Puzhi face to face, you’d suddenly understand why, despite knowing she was both heartless and wicked, so many people still threw themselves into her romantic traps like moths to a flame.

Her amorous gaze, elusive yet tantalizingly close, always gave the illusion that one could almost reach her yet never truly grasp her.

In the boundless quiet of the night, the mingling breaths in the confined car felt ambiguously intimate.

“Sister.”

After a long moment of eye contact, Jiang Tian called out again, her voice slightly hoarse now, her gaze deepening as she looked at her.

Warm breaths brushed against each other’s faces so close that Jiang Tian needed only to lean forward slightly for their lips to almost touch.

She moved in slowly, leaving ample room to be stopped.

But Qi Puzhi never called for a halt, and so the last sliver of distance vanished.

Soft lips met.

Yet not long into the kiss, Qi Puzhi seemed to snap out of a dream and pushed Jiang Tian away.

Her breathing was slightly uneven, her expression unreadable as she stared at Jiang Tian without a word.

Jiang Tian showed no trace of timidity, quietly meeting her gaze.

After a pause, Qi Puzhi finally spoke, her tone composed as if delivering a verdict: “The agreement doesn’t allow you to kiss me, does it?”

The earlier tension in her expression had faded, replaced by her usual air of nonchalance and alluring charm.

“Wasn’t that what you wanted just now, sister?” Jiang Tian asked, feigning innocence.

They had been so close chin tilted, gazes locked, eyes lingering without a word, leaning in without resistance.

Qi Puzhi arched a brow. “I said no speculating.”

Jiang Tian lowered her eyes and obediently replied, “Mm.”

Seeing her somewhat pitiful expression, Qi Puzhi took mercy and said, “Forget it, I won’t hold it against you this time. But don’t let it happen again.”

Jiang Tian agreed, closing the car door for Qi Puzhi before walking around to the driver’s side.

As soon as she turned away, she couldn’t help but curve her lips in amusement.

Shouldn’t a heartbreaker kiss whenever she wants, playing freely without restraint?

Yet she chose to deliberately lure the other person in, only to coldly push them away afterward, acting as if she had never intended to kiss at all.

Those few silent seconds after pushing her away had even seemed like shyness.

During the drive, neither spoke again. Qi Puzhi leaned back in the passenger seat, closing her eyes to rest.

By the time the car came to a smooth stop at their destination, it was nearly two in the morning.

Qi Puzhi checked the time on her phone. She didn’t know where Jiang Tian lived, but if it was far from here, wouldn’t she only get home by three or four?

Calling someone out to be a chauffeur for no reason was already inconsiderate enough. Letting her drive long hours in the middle of the night would be downright inhumane.

Thinking this, Qi Puzhi asked, “Is your place far from here?”

Jiang Tian didn’t answer immediately.

Perhaps too tired or slightly tipsy, Qi Puzhi hadn’t seemed to notice earlier how effortlessly Jiang Tian’s car had entered this residential complex, renowned in City B for its top-tier security.

Recalling her own property in this neighborhood, Jiang Tian parted her lips slightly and said softly, “Sister, I might have to go back to the Jiang family home.”

The Jiang family’s villa was located in another district of City B, forming a diagonal line from here. If Jiang Tian went there tonight, she’d likely be exhausted.

And judging by her words, it sounded as though her own place was even farther than the Jiang family home.

Analyzing this, Qi Puzhi looked at Jiang Tian and made a quiet invitation: “Then why don’t you stay at my place tonight and head over tomorrow morning, hm?”

The corners of her eyes carried a lazy smile, like a femme fatale luring a young thing home.

Jiang Tian blinked her clear, bright eyes and quickly agreed, “Sure.”

Qi Puzhi had always indulged in comfort. Her solo residence was a spacious unit, with everything from the carpets to the sofa to the flooring made of premium materials.

At a glance, the place exuded refined elegance and had undoubtedly cost a fortune.

Opening the shoe cabinet, there were two pairs of slippers inside, identical in style but different in color, looking very much like couple’s slippers.

They had been casually bought by a former assistant.

Handing a pair to Jiang Tian, Qi Puzhi noticed her gaze lingering on the slippers and knew she had likely misunderstood.

Without explaining further, Qi Puzhi simply led her to the guest room.

She took out an unworn set of pajamas and undergarments, gave a few instructions about where things were, then turned to leave.

“Goodnight, sister,” her little girlfriend murmured, gazing at her. On closer inspection, beneath the calmness, there seemed to be a hint of reluctance.

Qi Puzhi reached out and ruffled her soft hair. “Goodnight.”

When wearing the slippers, Jiang Tian stood a few centimeters taller, so she obediently lowered her head slightly to let Qi Puzhi tousle her hair.

Looking at the dense lashes, straight nose, and lightly pursed red lips before her, Qi Puzhi was inexplicably reminded of their brief kiss earlier and suddenly felt awkward.

So she withdrew her hand. “Get some rest early.”

The door clicked softly shut. Holding the clean clothes, Jiang Tian stood motionless for a long while, staring down at the cute cotton slippers on her feet.

All traces of her earlier expression had faded, leaving her face cool and composed, her dark eyes as deep as obsidian, unreadable.

After a moment, she touched her lips and sighed softly.

No need to rush.

As soon as Qi Puzhi returned to her room, her agent called.

Qi Puzhi casually asked, “What’s up in the middle of the night?”

Her agent, Zhang Hua, replied with a hint of amusement in her voice, “Were you just on a date with some young girl? The paparazzi took photos and sent them to me.”

After a moment’s thought, Qi Puzhi responded, “Yeah.”

Zhang Hua burst into laughter on the other end of the line. “What’s this? An old tree finally blooming? Are you really out there having fun like the rumors say?”

“What do you mean ‘having fun’?” Qi Puzhi chuckled. “It’s a serious relationship.”

“You’re drunk,” Zhang Hua said flatly. “Stop talking nonsense and wait until you’re sober tomorrow to explain. The paparazzi got a pretty good angle it looks like you were kissing. But they didn’t ask for much, so I’ll handle it for you first.”

With that, she hung up, as if delaying even a second longer would subject her to the drunken ramblings of a tipsy person.

Qi Puzhi:

Why wouldn’t she believe it?

There are two kinds of bad women in the world.

One: Wants to kiss but won’t admit it, seduces you into kissing her, then acts like it never happened.

The other: Her own house is right in front of her, but she pretends to be homeless.