After A Secret Marriage Agreement With A Rival Omega - Chapter 26

Chapter 26

◎She was wearing traditional clothes, her robes fluttering. With wild abandon, she opened her arms to Jian Jixing, inviting her to ride on the same horse.◎

With Jian Jixing’s hand, during the latter half of the meeting, whenever Sheng Ruxi’s mind began to wander or she showed a sign of wanting to cause trouble, Jian Jixing would press her thumb into her thigh, the warning becoming even more pronounced.

Sheng Ruxi didn’t move or speak, spending the rest of the time quietly.

When the meeting ended, Jian Jixing took her hand back.

Sheng Ruxi remained silent, still slumped in her chair. She looked at her leg, the warmth still lingering.

The rain outside had finally subsided, and the gloomy clouds had dispersed a little, revealing some of the afternoon’s original appearance. People came and went, opening the tent flap, and it wasn’t as cold as before.

Jian Jixing picked up the empty enamel mug, turned her head to look at Sheng Ruxi, but Sheng Ruxi acted as if she hadn’t seen her, still huddled by the fire.

“Not leaving?”

Sheng Ruxi slowly moved her leg: “My leg feels a little numb, I don’t know what it was pricked by.”

Jian Jixing scoffed, did nothing, and didn’t insist. She took the mug and left.

Sheng Ruxi sat for a while longer, then hugged the pillow and followed her out, carefully trying to avoid getting her shoes wet from the rain.

Jian Jixing was washing the mug. Sheng Ruxi walked past Jian Jixing and went into her tent.

Once inside, Sheng Ruxi found that her hot water had been changed, and there was a beautiful, large blanket on the bed. The unique pattern quickly caught her attention.

Putting aside everything else, the service here was actually quite good… Or perhaps it was because of the environment; as soon as things were a little better, she felt as if she had arrived in paradise.

Sheng Ruxi touched it and found the texture was as soft as woven clouds, many times softer than the blanket in the pickup truck. It was on par with, and even better than, the countless high-end custom brands she had received.

She looked at it carefully, unable to tell whether it was machine-woven or handmade; it was too exquisite.

The colors were also cheerful, a harmonious blend of many shades. It felt warm to the touch, was brand new and beautiful, and had a faint sandalwood scent, with no other peculiar smells.

“Hello, are you adjusting well?”

Sheng Ruxi looked out and saw Wang Renqing standing politely outside the tent. She recognized Wang Renqing as the person in charge of this ranch and tent campsite.

She nodded, allowing Wang Renqing to come in.

Wang Renqing had a healthy beauty about her. Sheng Ruxi felt Wang Renqing’s gaze on her was a little curious, and something else she couldn’t pinpoint, but she was sure Wang Renqing meant no harm.

“I’m very unaccustomed to this place,” Sheng Ruxi answered truthfully. “How long have you been here?”

“That’s normal. It’s not easy for people who come from the city at first; it takes some time. I’ve been here for five years,” Wang Renqing smiled. “We often have tourists who want to experience this life, but they usually don’t stay for too long.”

Many people who were tired of the hectic life in the concrete jungle hoped to come here to breathe. They would stay for a day or two at the shortest, or ten days to half a month at the longest.

Wang Renqing saw Sheng Ruxi’s eyes on the blanket: “This is called the Eight Treasures Blanket, made of sheep wool. It’s the most suitable gift for newlyweds here. Jixing asked me to lay it out for you.”

From Wang Renqing’s tone, Sheng Ruxi could tell that Jian Jixing and Wang Renqing must have known each other for many years and had a good relationship; she even knew about their marriage.

Wang Renqing just came to check on her, gave a polite introduction, and was about to leave. By the curtain, she suddenly heard Sheng Ruxi ask, “What about her?”

Wang Renqing immediately understood: “When she first came, she was already different. Hardship and exhaustion didn’t seem to affect her. Well… Jixing is a very ruthless person toward herself.”

Sheng Ruxi looked through the gap in the curtain that Wang Renqing had opened and saw Jian Jixing holding an umbrella and filming something in the rain with Yu Miaolan from the photography team. Her boots were already completely covered in mud, but she didn’t seem to care.

It had been so long, and she still hadn’t seen Jian Jixing take a break.

Sheng Ruxi frowned and said, “I think she enjoys suffering unnecessarily.”

Jian Jixing’s conditions were top-notch in the industry. The stars or the moon in the sky were within her reach, but she stubbornly did not choose the path her family had arranged for her.

Wang Renqing did not refute her words, but just said gently, “If you stay longer, you might find this place very beautiful. I hope your collaboration goes smoothly.”

Sheng Ruxi thanked her, and Wang Renqing left, closing the curtain. Not long after, she heard a clear voice from outside: “Sister Jixing! Sister Jixing! I’m here!”

Sheng Ruxi held back for a moment but couldn’t resist. She secretly pulled back a small gap in the tent and peeked outside.

She only saw a child of about eleven or twelve, who reached up to Jian Jixing’s chest, standing in front of her with a bulging camouflage satchel.

Jian Jixing was giving the child money and took a new pair of boots from them.

Another person she doesn’t know, Sheng Ruxi thought. But Jian Jixing seemed more at ease here than she did at home.

Jian Jixing was walking toward the tent. Sheng Ruxi quickly put away her messy thoughts, dropped the curtain, and sat down by the stove.

Soon after, Jian Jixing’s voice appeared outside the tent: “Can I come in?”

Sheng Ruxi straightened up: “Come in.”

When Jian Jixing entered, she was holding the pair of leather boots. She glanced at the blanket on the bed and stood in front of Sheng Ruxi, but she didn’t mention whose boots they were.

Sheng Ruxi couldn’t contain her impatience: “What are you here for?”

“To remind you to go to bed early tonight and to close the curtain properly. Don’t be scared if you hear wolves and leopards, and don’t go outside.”

Sheng Ruxi looked up at her: “You’re trying to scare me, aren’t you?”

Jian Jixing held up the shoelaces of the leather boots and answered with a non sequitur: “It won’t rain tomorrow. The car will come in, and the stylist and makeup artist will be brought over then.”

Her tone was businesslike, and she only talked about work the whole time.

Sheng Ruxi remained silent. The two of them were still awkward when they were alone because of the fight they had not long ago.

She felt that thinking Jian Jixing was here to bring her things was a bit of self-indulgence.

Jian Jixing continued: “What are you trying to prove by not bringing anyone and suffering like this?”

She had asked Cen Jing, who said Sheng Ruxi came alone because the production team requested “everything to be real.” But this was only a relative thing; how could someone like Sheng Ruxi, who was used to being the center of attention, come alone, without even an assistant?

Jian Jixing thought this was perfectly reasonable, completely unaware that in her mind, there were two completely different standards for Sheng Ruxi and for everyone else.

She would scold her, and she would teach her a lesson, but what needed to be given to her would be given.

“To prove that I want you to see that I value you,” Sheng Ruxi said stubbornly. “Didn’t I tell you? I like bossing you around because I feel you are important to me.”

“That line doesn’t work on me. If that’s what you think, then why didn’t you call Chu Wu back from abroad to solve your problems?”

“Don’t bring up Wu Wu so easily! She’s doing research abroad; she has a proper job, do you understand?”

Sheng Ruxi didn’t want to hear Chu Wu’s name from Jian Jixing’s mouth now. They had just fought over Chu Wu, and she always felt that it wasn’t the right time for Wu Wu to appear.

Jian Jixing sneered: “What, in your heart, am I the representative of not having a proper job? Then what do you call us working together? We’re both being unprofessional.”

“You dare to insult me and mention Wu Wu? I’ll go complain to her about you.”

“How old are you, still wanting to complain? Go on, then, complain now.” Jian Jixing took out her phone and made a call. Sheng Ruxi thought Jian Jixing was joking, but then Jian Jixing turned on the speakerphone, and Chu Wu’s voice came through.

Sheng Ruxi’s eyes widened in astonishment, and she stood up.

“Are you two together?” Chu Wu’s voice was as gentle as ever. Jian Jixing put the phone directly in front of Sheng Ruxi: “You talk.”

After the meeting ended, Jian Jixing saw a message from Chu Wu mixed in with her other messages.

It turned out that she had found out about the freezing rain here and called to check on them.

She had originally just wanted to tell Jian Jixing not to argue with Sheng Ruxi, but Jian Jixing called her back directly.

“Wu Wu!” Hearing Chu Wu’s voice, Sheng Ruxi was very happy and quickly adjusted her mood.

She took the phone and started chatting with Chu Wu, complaining about the inconveniences here. Chu Wu laughed and said, “The weather in Shanmi is awful. It’s a good thing you have Xiao Jian there; you can take care of each other.”

“She doesn’t take care of me…” Sheng Ruxi pouted, looking at the boots Jian Jixing was holding.

“Don’t argue. It’s a rare collaboration for the two of you. The final film will be very beautiful.”

“And you can breathe some fresh air.”

“It stinks. Only Jian Jixing likes it,” Sheng Ruxi said.

“Everyone’s the same as you. You’ll get used to it gradually.”

Sheng Ruxi said: “Who’s the same? Jian Jixing feels at home here. She has a very rich nightlife and even has a suitor visiting.”

Jian Jixing: “…”

She could tell that when Sheng Ruxi was chatting with Chu Wu, her tone was cheerful, even soft and charming.

In short, it wasn’t at all like when she was talking to herself, where every sentence was like a thorn that pierced a person’s heart without any softness.

Her phone was in Sheng Ruxi’s hand, so she stood on the side and waited for Sheng Ruxi to finish the call.

Sheng Ruxi seemed to have a lot to say to Chu Wu, but it was all about Jian Jixing. While she was talking, she would look at Jian Jixing and occasionally glare at her.

Jian Jixing: “…” This was really strange. Did she anger her again?

“Who knows why she’s so used to it? Well… I don’t have altitude sickness, so that’s a good thing. I don’t like the food and drinks here. I hate that it’s so greasy.”

“The tent feels like it has a smell, too. I used to use incense when I slept, and there are no such conditions here.”

Chu Wu laughed and said, “With Xiao Jian there, she can still spoil you.”

“No way!”

After finishing the call, when Sheng Ruxi returned the phone to her, Jian Jixing finally placed the boots she had been holding for so long at Sheng Ruxi’s feet.

“This place is not suitable for sneakers. Don’t wear flat shoes either. Change into these tomorrow.”

Sheng Ruxi had been waiting for a long time, and now she finally received them. She said in a low voice, “You didn’t just casually grab a pair of shoes for me, did you?”

Jian Jixing laughed, neither confirming nor denying. She had delivered the item, so it was time for her to go. She was too lazy to say anything more. Sheng Ruxi wouldn’t listen anyway; she was so inconsiderate.

That night, Sheng Ruxi didn’t come out to eat. The logistics crew delivered food to Sheng Ruxi’s tent. When they came out, they happened to meet Jian Jixing and said, “…Miss Sheng asked if there was any delivery service here.”

Jian Jixing admired the whimsical nature of Sheng Ruxi’s thoughts.

However, that night, Jian Jixing surprisingly didn’t receive any of Sheng Ruxi’s usual pre-sleep antics. In the quiet night, she had a good night’s sleep.

The next day, Jian Jixing woke up quickly. The sounds of cows and sheep outside were very noisy. She had told Wang Renqing to continue doing his own things as usual the next day and not to mind the production team’s schedule.

The rain had stopped, but the ground was not yet completely dry; it was muddy and easy to get stuck in.

When Jian Jixing came out, Old Zhang had driven the car over. There was also Xie Ruizhang’s business van and a pickup truck. The three cars would take them to the nearby helicopter station.

The stylist and makeup artist got out of the car one after another. Jian Jixing glanced at Sheng Ruxi’s tent; the curtain was not even open. It wasn’t time yet anyway, so she didn’t insist.

She took a dried peach branch from the fire rack, trimmed it cleanly, and threw it into a cup. Then, she added a few drops of essential oil and called out to Little Dove, who was helping Wang Renqing.

“Come here. After that sister gets up, take this to her.”

Little Dove sniffed it: “The peach blossom scent is so nice. So you’re giving it to the beautiful Miss Sheng. Sister Jixing, do you want me to cut some sheep wool to give her, too?”

Little Dove’s sister had told Jian Jixing before that this was the local way of expressing friendliness to a person they had just met.

She was carrying a bag when she came yesterday, and now it was empty with all the things she helped Jian Jixing carry.

Jian Jixing: “She probably won’t like it.”

Little Dove winked and said, “Does Miss Sheng know you bought her boots, essential oil, and honey? My sister said you’ve never been like this to anyone before.”

Jian Jixing: “Don’t you want to earn this guide money anymore? Then ride your horse back yourself.”

Little Dove giggled and ran off, waiting by Sheng Ruxi’s tent.

Sheng Ruxi came out of the tent with a sore back and waist.

She couldn’t get used to sleeping on these mattresses at all!

On top of that, she seemed to have really heard wolves howling at night. Sheng Ruxi didn’t even dare to turn off the lights and barely got any sleep in the second half of the night.

It was all Jian Jixing’s fault for scaring her before bed.

Little Dove got up from the ground and put the cup of essential oil into Sheng Ruxi’s hand.

Sheng Ruxi was still in a daze from waking up. She saw the familiar clothing and realized it was the child who had made the trade with Jian Jixing yesterday.

When she saw the face, she realized she was a pretty little girl with short hair. Little Dove smiled innocently and pulled out a small, rough leather pouch from her bag, putting it in Sheng Ruxi’s hand.

“This is for you, Miss Sheng,” Little Dove said. “Sister Jixing asked me to give this to you.”

After saying that, Little Dove ran off.

Sheng Ruxi opened it and saw a small handful of sheep wool twisted together. It was very clean and soft.

She didn’t understand the meaning behind it and couldn’t find Jian Jixing. Crew members came over to help her with her styling. Sheng Ruxi thought for a moment, then placed the leather pouch on the bedside table.

At 9 a.m., filming officially began.

Little Dove joined the production team as a local guide.

The first stage of filming was difficult, but it mostly consisted of shooting distant landscapes using drones.

These were all scheduled for the morning. Other than it being a bit troublesome when filming Sheng Ruxi running, as she almost fell due to the muddy ground, everything else went smoothly.

When they got on the helicopter, the shot of Sheng Ruxi’s profile was as beautiful as a movie scene.

Today, Jian Jixing wasn’t the cinematographer; she was just doing overall supervision. Sheng Ruxi, in work mode, no longer bickered with Jian Jixing and followed the schedule one by one.

Near the campsite was a high mountain called Snowy Goat Peak. The resources here were abundant, and many beekeepers had brought their beehives. They all observed and filmed the scenes.

Sheng Ruxi wore the leather boots today, which were indeed better than her previous sneakers. They were also very comfortable and fit exceptionally well.

It was her first time participating in a project that required her to travel through the wilderness and climb mountains. When she returned to her tent, her body felt like it was falling apart from exhaustion.

She should have slept well after such hard work, but for three consecutive days, as soon as she closed her eyes, she would faintly hear wolves howling.

Sheng Ruxi couldn’t take it anymore.

Whoever caused the trouble should clean it up. That was a very reasonable principle. She decided to go find Jian Jixing.

It got dark early in the mountains, and they would finish work after the sun went down. After 9:30 p.m., the campsite would become quiet.

It was only 9:45 p.m. now, so Jian Jixing, that workaholic, definitely wouldn’t be asleep yet.

Sheng Ruxi got out of bed, wrapped herself in a blanket, and hadn’t even opened the felt flap when she heard the sound of hurried horse hooves.

Who is it?

When Sheng Ruxi opened the felt flap, she saw a woman riding a horse toward her, moving from a distance through the night.

She was wearing traditional clothes, her robes fluttering. With wild abandon, she opened her arms to Jian Jixing, inviting her to ride on the same horse.

Sheng Ruxi couldn’t see Jian Jixing’s expression. All she could make out was that she was standing casually in the night, clearly waiting for someone.

In response to the woman’s invitation, she also reached out and, with the help of the woman, mounted the horse gracefully.