After a Contractual Romance with the Scumbag Movie Queen - Chapter 60

That night, Jiang Tian stayed over at Qi Puzhi’s place again.

She only sent a quick message to her parents to let them know she was safe.

Qi Puzhi finished showering first and lay down on the bed. Glancing toward the bathroom, she picked up her phone and pulled up a photo.

Ever since the puppy had passed away, she hadn’t dared to look at this picture.

But now, with the other person in the photo just steps away in the bathroom, it felt like she had found a bit of courage.

Her fingertip gently traced the puppy’s round head on the screen, and her eyes reddened before she even realized it.

Her grip on the phone tightened so much that her hand trembled.

Just as the puppy had left her, the other person in the photo was merely passing through her life temporarily.

She would fly toward a broader future, one without Qi Puzhi.

In the end, this warm photo of two people and a dog would only have her left in it. Just like the childhood photo with her mother still sitting by her bedside, now only she remained.

History was merely repeating itself.

With a soft click, Jiang Tian pushed the door open and stepped out of the bathroom.

Qi Puzhi quickly lowered her head, letting her loose hair hide her reddened eyes.

At that moment, she didn’t know that the person walking slowly toward her was never just a fleeting presence.

Long ago, she had already paused for her and would stay forever.

She wouldn’t be left alone again.

That night, Qi Puzhi unconsciously pulled Jiang Tian into her arms again, using her as a pillow.

The woman wept in her sleep, murmuring incoherently, clearly trapped in a nightmare.

But this time, Jiang Tian didn’t blush in flustered panic or try to pull away.

After gently waking her from the nightmare, she held her tightly in return, soothingly patting her back.

Grateful that, in this moment, she could offer Qi Puzhi the warmth and comfort she needed.

The next day, Jiang Tian had to return home to pack.

Qi Puzhi walked her to the intersection Jiang Tian would turn left, while she should go right.

She said, “Goodbye.”

Expecting Jiang Tian to respond in kind, she instead saw the girl gazing intently at her, saying word by word, “Sister, I’ll wait for you.”

She was probably the only person in the world who knew how deeply Qi Puzhi had fallen into despair and who so eagerly wished to see her break free and soar into the skies.

Qi Puzhi met her gaze for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

Under such a gaze, even someone at their lowest could feel a surge of confidence.

She took a few steps closer, slightly lowered her head, and pressed her lips to the girl’s fair cheek. “I know.”

That promise seemed sealed with that light touch.

Qi Puzhi looked at Jiang Tian, about to say something more, when she noticed the girl’s face suddenly flush a visible crimson, spreading all the way to her ears and neck.

She stood frozen in place, as if about to steam over, her usually lively eyes turning somewhat dazed.

Qi Puzhi was momentarily stunned.

“Sis-sister… goodbye,” Jiang Tian stammered out before turning to leave.

She even took a few clumsy, uncoordinated steps as she walked away.

Watching her retreating figure, Qi Puzhi couldn’t help but laugh, her shoulders trembling slightly.

How could she be so adorable?

She turned and walked away leisurely but suddenly halted. Belatedly, she seemed to understand something.

Qi Puzhi bit her lower lip.

It took Jiang Tian a while after settling into the backseat of the taxi to regain her composure.

The woman’s lips had been incredibly soft, carrying a floral fragrance.

That brief touch had sent her young, inexperienced heart trembling, completely entranced.

She hadn’t even managed to say a proper goodbye to Qi Puzhi.

As she savored the memory, she scolded herself for being so uncomposed.

After a moment of contemplation, she resolved to grow up properly and no longer remain so naive and shy.

This resolution allowed her to forgive herself a little.

Jiang Tian lowered her head and looked at the jade in her palm. The jade was of considerable value if given to Qi Puzhi, it could spare her from financial struggles for the next few years.

What she could offer was truly limited, but she wanted to give Qi Puzhi everything she had.

So, earlier, on her way to the intersection, she had impulsively reached out in her eagerness.

Fortunately, she came to her senses in time and quietly withdrew her hand.

Though only sixteen, innocent and pure, she had, out of deep care, instinctively understood in that moment, some forms of giving could be harmful.

“I had no idea you were in such a situation.”

Zhang Hua, having just returned from abroad, was furious upon discovering that her friend, who always claimed to be doing well over the phone, was actually living in a mess.

She handed over a bank card and sighed, “Move out of here as soon as possible. This building looks like it could collapse at any moment.”

Zhang Hua had grown up in the same upscale neighborhood as Qi Puzhi. Pampered and accustomed to luxury, she had never seen such a dilapidated living space.

Her heart ached for Qi Puzhi, but the woman was too stubborn.

She refused the card and any form of assistance.

Frowning, Zhang Hua tried to persuade her: “It’s not like I’m short on money. With this, you could immediately return to your previous comfortable life. Why put yourself through all this hardship?”

Qi Puzhi understood her friend’s good intentions and gently reasoned with her, “The Qi family has always looked down on my mother, believing she came from an ordinary background and only achieved a privileged life by marrying into wealth.”

“I’ve held onto this resentment. I left without taking a single penny from the Qi family, determined to make it on my own and ensure they face the consequences they deserve. If I rely on your help now, what would that make me?”

Even between close friends, some pains and obsessions are hard to fully comprehend.

Under Zhang Hua’s disapproving, hesitant gaze, Qi Puzhi felt profoundly alone.

She recalled that day when Jiang Tian, before leaving, had secretly taken something out of her pocket, only to startle and hurriedly put it back, as if afraid of disturbing her, unaware that Qi Puzhi had inadvertently seen it all.

In that moment when Jiang Tian withdrew her hand, Qi Puzhi felt completely understood.

She closed her eyes, suddenly missing the girl’s clear, bright eyes.

She saw Jiang Tian again two years later.

During those two years, Qi Puzhi had struggled and persevered in the entertainment industry, finally completing her first film.

The Qi family hadn’t interfered because they utterly dismissed it an unknown rookie director, a cast of obscure actors, and a financially strained production team.

It seemed like nothing more than child’s play.

Given the high likelihood that the film wouldn’t be released, the entire team had been somewhat demoralized during that period.

But they still persisted in completing the roadshow screenings.

Very few people attended the roadshows, mostly passersby killing time for amusement.

At the first screening, Qi Puzhi had been a bit nervous.

Entering the venue and seeing that less than half the seats were occupied, she didn’t even have time to feel disappointed before her gaze suddenly met the bright eyes of the girl sitting in the front row.

In that instant, she lost her breath.

After the roadshow, she had to catch a flight to the next city, so Qi Puzhi didn’t get a chance to speak with Jiang Tian afterward.

Yet, across all four screenings, each in a different city, Jiang Tian had attended every one.

She was accompanying her through the hustle.

After returning to City B, Qi Puzhi finally met Jiang Tian again.

This was a family banquet at the Zhanghua residence, and only the two of them were in the backyard garden.

Jiang Tian, now eighteen, had grown taller than her.

The girl who once had to look up at her now had a slightly more mature face, tilting her head down just a bit to meet her gaze.

Her features had blossomed into an ethereal beauty, yet her eyes remained as clear as they were two years ago.

Still, they were filled with her reflection.

Perhaps it was the indulgence in wine at the banquet earlier, but the corners of her eyes were tinged with a faint red.

Jiang Tian took her arm and sat down on the nearby swing.

Qi Puzhi followed suit, their arms pressed closely together.

Jiang Tian no longer blushed to the tips of her ears at the slightest touch, as she had in the past.

Whether it was the influence of alcohol or not, she even leaned her head gently against Qi Puzhi’s shoulder.

She was also more talkative than before.

Chattering incessantly, she shared her thoughts on the films she had watched.

Having seen Qi Puzhi’s movie four times during the roadshows, she had carefully savored every nuance of her performance.

Qi Puzhi couldn’t fathom how attentively one had to watch to uncover the subtle details she had intended as her own personal interpretation.

Every word Jiang Tian spoke was a testament to the promise she had made two years earlier: “I will wait for you.”

She had waited for Qi Puzhi’s first film, and even took a long leave to return home just to catch all the roadshows. She didn’t just skim the surface but earnestly delved into every effort Qi Puzhi had poured into the filming.

That day, Jiang Tian imprinted the kiss from two years ago back onto her.

As her lips lightly brushed Qi Puzhi’s cheek, unlike the previous “I will wait for you,” this time she whispered, “Sister, wait for me.”

Still too young. Still too far away. Could she wait for her?

Later, Jiang Tian fell asleep on Qi Puzhi’s shoulder and, upon waking, had even forgotten she had uttered those words.

The sober Jiang Tian would never use her devotion to bind Qi Puzhi, demanding love in return for her own affections.

Only in her drunken state did she inadvertently reveal the longing buried deep in her heart.

The fervor of youthful love burned fiercely, too sincere, too intense.

Faced with such love, anyone might succumb, yet also feel apprehensive.

Especially Qi Puzhi, who had witnessed how easily hearts could change amidst life’s turbulence. Bearing scars all over, she dared not believe she could forever remain a deity in the eyes of the moon-like girl she held dear.

Having witnessed such brilliance, how could one bear the ashes left after it faded?

So, at that moment, she did not answer with “I will wait” or “I won’t.”

Unfortunately, Qi Puzhi did not succumb because she was loved. Unbeknownst to her, she had already mustered the courage to go through fire and water.

She pretended not to care, convincing herself not to fall.

Yet, the moment Jiang Tian returned to the country after graduating at twenty-two, Qi Puzhi hastily canceled her schedules to attend the Jiang family banquet.

The young woman made a belated entrance and promptly expelled anyone who spoke disrespectfully of Qi Puzhi from the Jiang household.

After four years, her first words were still about liking her.

Those four years had been incredibly busy for Qi Puzhi. Since her debut film made her a dark horse at the film festival and earned her first golden award, she had welcomed the dawn of her career.

Unstoppable, she was no longer someone the Qi family could easily hinder.

Old Madam Qi, seeing how Qi Puzhi had endured nearly three years of suppression and hardship only to stage a remarkable comeback and forge ahead relentlessly in her acting career, as if she truly had no intention of taking over the Qi family, was so infuriated she fell gravely ill.

Qi Puzhi had cut ties with the Qi family and was unaware of this at the time. She traveled globally, shooting advertisements and films, and never saw Jiang Tian.

She didn’t see her at the roadshows either.

She thought that person had seen her win the award, waited for her to soar, and then stopped waiting any longer.

So that night, when Jiang Tian said under the bright moonlight, “Sister, I’m not seeking justice; I just like you,” she felt a mix of regained joy and bittersweet sorrow.

Being drugged that night was an accident, but luring Jiang Tian into bed wasn’t entirely due to the drugs.

She was at least thirty percent aware of her actions.

The more her career flourished, the closer she got to her revenge against the Qi family.

She had already fallen from one kind of abyss into another, and both made her hesitant to yearn for the other.

If Jiang Tian’s feelings for her were merely an adolescent obsession, then perhaps letting her have her would make that obsession fade?

That night, Qi Puzhi decided to take advantage of the situation and give herself to Jiang Tian, hoping to extinguish her feelings in time. It would be better than letting Jiang Tian continue to desire her, only to grow weary and leave upon discovering her murky, shadowed side.

But it didn’t happen.

The next morning, when she woke up, Jiang Tian was still holding her tightly, murmuring her name with lingering affection in her dreams.

As Qi Puzhi sobered up, she gazed at the young woman’s jade-like face in the sunlight and felt an unprecedented greed.

Perhaps she could selfishly keep her, even if only for a short while.

A love agreement seemed like Qi Puzhi’s way of toying with Jiang Tian, even going so far as to deliberately add the clause that “both parties can have others.” Yet, every word on that agreement was telling Jiang Tian:

“I’m not good enough; you can run at any time. If you meet someone better than me, leave without looking back, without any burden.”

But it didn’t stop there. She deceived herself into thinking that a love bound by an agreement wasn’t true possession.

That way, it wouldn’t be so easily lost.

After all, in the past, the familial love, friendships, and even her puppy had all left her so abruptly.

Perhaps, with the agreement as a barrier, her love could escape this curse.

How contradictory, this agreement was both the leeway she gave Jiang Tian to leave her and the proof of her desperate attempt to keep her.

And perhaps that person understood it all, saw through everything, yet pretended not to know and did her utmost to play along.

The Jiang Tian before her was almost twenty-three, and her love for her still bloomed as fiercely as it had at sixteen or eighteen.

Whispering softly, worried that everything tonight, having her completely might just be a dream.

Qi Puzhi closed her eyes, her fingers trailing from Jiang Tian’s long hair down to her smooth spine.

Lightly and slowly, inch by inch, eliciting shivers from the one beneath her touch.

She whispered, “It’s not just you who feels like it’s a dream.”

Just as between them, it was never just Qi Puzhi who was Jiang Tian’s moonlight.