After A Secret Marriage Agreement With A Rival Omega - Chapter 41

Chapter 41

◎ Her answer. ◎

This kind of question had never come up in a conversation between Sheng Ruxi and Jian Jixing.

It was like a barrier. If anyone were to cross it prematurely, the state of things would be completely different from before.

So, when she heard Sheng Ruxi ask that question, Jian Jixing finally realized that the distance between her and Sheng Ruxi had gotten a little too close.

Her fingers stiffened. She didn’t answer Sheng Ruxi’s question right away. After adjusting her breathing, Jian Jixing withdrew her hand from under Sheng Ruxi’s chin. The grainy texture of the cookie crumbs rubbed against her palm.

“Now you’re thinking about digging into my past?” Jian Jixing said. “I thought you didn’t care about any of this.”

Sheng Ruxi said, “I’m asking you as your wife. I advise you to confess honestly.” She started drinking the preserved plum water again, her eyes never leaving Jian Jixing.

Jian Jixing was about to tease her, but she changed her mind when she saw Sheng Ruxi’s gaze. She said no. Sheng Ruxi laughed, and the plum happened to float to her lips in the cup.

She hooked it and put it in her mouth. The sweet and sour taste burst in her mouth. She didn’t know if Jian Jixing was telling her the truth. She always had an indifferent expression, which made Sheng Ruxi think that whoever her real wife was would feel incredibly insecure.

Sheng Ruxi felt a little sour inside. She suddenly realized that all the care Jian Jixing showed her could be completely transferred to someone else.

“I haven’t had any,” Jian Jixing said suddenly. “Don’t you know everything about me?”

In middle school, it was Chu Wu. Even after they went to different high schools, their names were frequently mentioned. The two most popular people at their respective schools were in a fierce competition, chasing after each other.

In high school, Sheng Ruxi and Jian Jixing competed for the top spot in mock exams, with a determination comparable to when she wanted to win Chu Wu in middle school.

Their families occasionally had gatherings, and Sheng Ruxi and Jian Jixing were never truly absent from each other’s growth. It wasn’t until they went to different universities and different departments that they tacitly acted like strangers and had their own social circles.

Although Sheng Ruxi would argue with Jian Jixing after just a few sentences, she had never missed any news about Jian Jixing behind her back. Jian Jixing knew all of this.

Sheng Ruxi’s face flushed. She would never admit it: “Give me a break, who knows you? You’re always wandering around. I don’t know how many times you’ve been confessed to on the school’s confession wall by omegas.”

Jian Jixing was very famous in college and was the student council president. Every time she stood up at a school event, Sheng Ruxi could hear gasps and cheers from the crowd.

In fact, she didn’t see Jian Jixing much in college, but every time she appeared, it would cause a stir on the confession wall.

Even the students in the drama department class would still talk about Jian Jixing, who was studying in the finance department at the time.

Jian Jixing said, “I don’t know who it was. There were once four alphas who confessed to you at the same time at the bottom of the dorm building, causing a crowd and a traffic jam. Not to mention the petals and heart-shaped candles, which almost caught fire, right?”

But the female protagonist never showed up. She was the most carefree and proud swan in the eyes of outsiders, who couldn’t be bothered to even politely acknowledge a confession from someone she didn’t like.

Sheng Ruxi had unconsciously slurped down most of the noodles, and her tone became a little hurried: “What are you talking about? What does that have to do with me? In the end, a kind dorm supervisor poured water to extinguish all those candles.”

As soon as Sheng Ruxi finished speaking, she saw Jian Jixing looking at her with a half-smile.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I think you’re a bit nearsighted,” Jian Jixing said slowly. “What kind dorm supervisor? I was the one who poured the water.”

Sheng Ruxi laughed: “Jian Jixing, you’ll say anything just to get a rise out of me.”

Jian Jixing said, “The fifth-floor stairwell, the window on the far left. You were peeking from inside and saying, ‘Oh, what do I do? These people are so annoying. Can’t someone just come and extinguish all this stuff? Please, please, it’s so embarrassing—'”

Sheng Ruxi “jumped” up and covered Jian Jixing’s mouth, her face flushed: “Jian Jixing, how could you extinguish the candles of my marriage?”

Jian Jixing had never seen anyone so inconsistent. Just a moment ago, she said it was a kind dorm supervisor. Now, she was the bad person who cut off the marriage line.

She raised an eyebrow, pulled Sheng Ruxi’s hand down, and made her sit back down: “Well, I’m sorry then. Haven’t I paid you back?”

“Paid me back with what?”

“Me,” Jian Jixing said.

Sheng Ruxi slowly let out a breath and pushed the remaining half of the noodles towards Jian Jixing. “Do me a favor and eat a little and stop talking.”

“I’m not hungry. You eat,” Jian Jixing refused, but after a moment of silence, she said, “I just haven’t had any exes.”

Sheng Ruxi said “oh” and quietly ate her noodles. She wasn’t angry just now, just mad at herself. Why did Jian Jixing always see her in her most embarrassing moments?

When she finished eating, Jian Jixing finally didn’t have to worry about Sheng Ruxi choking, so she asked, “Now that you’ve said your piece, let me talk about you. Zou Xinjie likes you.”

“So what if she likes me?”

Seeing Sheng Ruxi’s calm expression, Jian Jixing didn’t hesitate to ask, “An ex?”

“…Well, yes and no,” Sheng Ruxi blinked a few times. “What is your role in asking me this question?”

Jian Jixing said, “A current alpha wife who has a desire for possession, is that okay?”

This answer was accepted by Sheng Ruxi. She said, “Since I’m in a good mood right now, go ahead and ask.”

Jian Jixing was a little curious, but she felt that if she asked too many questions, she might not be very happy.

After all, she was already Sheng Ruxi’s legal wife. Even without feelings, this status was bound to have some impact.

She came to Sheng Ruxi’s room tonight with a strange, chaotic feeling and hoped that Sheng Ruxi could give her some answers to clear the fog.

Sometimes, looking at Sheng Ruxi, Jian Jixing was a little unsure of what she was thinking.

Her body seemed to know how to take care of people better than her mind. Whenever she saw Sheng Ruxi, some actions were just a natural reaction.

“I spent time with her during filming, but I realized that wasn’t the kind of relationship I needed,” Sheng Ruxi thought carefully, her expression no longer joking. “Because in the movie, our love was unrequited, and on set, Director Bian also told us to maintain a couple-like state to get into character better.”

At that time, they weren’t actors who relied solely on technique. To achieve the best result, they had to fully immerse themselves in their roles.

And at that time, Sheng Ruxi and Jian Jixing had no connection. Zou Xinjie was also someone from a well-known family, and especially her elder brother, who wanted her and Zou Xinjie to develop a good relationship back then.

Sheng Ruxi did immerse herself. After the film wrapped, Zou Xinjie would often come to see her. They had some pre-signed events that required them to appear together, including the movie’s promotion period, which was when fans got the most “content.”

“I said she’s an ex but also not, because I never agreed to be in a relationship. But for a short time after filming, I did spend time with her. It was more because of the regret from the characters in the show,” Sheng Ruxi curled her lips into a smile. “My character didn’t get her in the show, and I don’t like that feeling of not getting what I want.”

Indeed, no matter what Sheng Ruxi wanted to do, whether she wanted to do it herself or not, someone would do it for her. What she wanted was even simpler. She had a kind of aura that said she would get whatever she wanted, and no one could truly escape her side.

Jian Jixing was silent for a while: “You didn’t get out of character.”

But to be precise, Zou Xinjie couldn’t be considered Sheng Ruxi’s ex. She was just a suitor who had been favored by the princess for a short time.

Sheng Ruxi said, “It was just a special period. It ended later. Because I grew to hate seeing her and talking to her.”

That wasn’t the kind of relationship she wanted. Although she didn’t know what kind of relationship she wanted, she knew what she didn’t want.

As long as she knew that, things were much simpler.

Sheng Ruxi wasn’t a wishy-washy person. Once she realized she didn’t actually like Zou Xinjie, she saw things clearly. What followed was Zou Xinjie’s relentless pursuit.

But it was useless.

She found that she was completely unmoved, and it was more fun to provoke Jian Jixing and see her flustered.

Jian Jixing’s eyes widened slightly: “Isn’t that just another me?”

Sheng Ruxi was angry: “Yes! You’re her replica, okay? But you’re way better at being annoying than she is.”

This was a rare moment. Jian Jixing didn’t say a single thing to retort. Instead, she listened quietly and nodded.

Sheng Ruxi thought that nod was very bad.

But Jian Jixing very stiffly changed the subject.

Jian Jixing said, “There’s something… After we finished filming this, Doctor Tang said we should find time to go for a checkup together.”

Sheng Ruxi was very unhappy whenever it came to going to the hospital for a checkup. She didn’t hate hospitals, but she hated getting her pheromones checked: “You can go by yourself. Don’t take me with you.”

“Don’t be difficult. You have to go too,” Jian Jixing seemed to have expected her to say that. “If you don’t want me to know your physical condition, I won’t ask Doctor Tang about it.”

Jian Jixing saw that Sheng Ruxi was almost done eating. She put the trash in a bag, ready to take it with her. Sheng Ruxi asked, “…Wait, do you feel any better now?”

Jian Jixing turned and smiled: “Thanks to you, I feel pretty good now.”

Sheng Ruxi felt her thanks were so flippant and insincere: “Give me a break. Are you coming back after you take out the trash? I want you to tell me a bedtime story later.”

A bedtime story? Jian Jixing knew that her “Little Xi’s Bedtime Stories for 365 Days” was very clumsy. “Do you want a bedtime story, or do you want me to stay and sleep?”

Sheng Ruxi said expressionlessly, “Just get lost.”

The topic switched so quickly. Jian Jixing got up and left. Sheng Ruxi counted to three in her heart. Sure enough, at the count of three, Jian Jixing opened the door and came back in, sitting back down at the table: “Sheng Ruxi, you’re really good at bossing people around.”

It was so natural, as if they were born this way. She didn’t even have to coax her, and Jian Jixing came back on her own.

Mainly, if this little ancestor were to complain about not sleeping well or being cold, which would affect tomorrow’s filming, it would be a loss for the crew.

Jian Jixing thought to herself that she just didn’t want any situation to delay the crew’s progress. Accompanying Sheng Ruxi was just a form of loving her work.

“Thanks for the compliment.” Sheng Ruxi understood Jian Jixing’s subtext and didn’t even get angry. “Are you very familiar with this place?”

“Kind of. Snow Sheep Peak has a high altitude, and it became famous because of its blue lake and cliff. Many people came to climb or to pilgrimage. The more people that passed through, the more this place was discovered,” Jian Jixing said. “I wasn’t familiar with it before. This is my first time staying here, otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten lost on the hunting trail.”

Sheng Ruxi asked, “You always came here alone before?”

“Just occasionally. I haven’t come here many times. I just carry a heavy backpack up the mountain alone and find a place to sleep when I want to rest.”

“Then why do you always come to these out-of-the-way places?” Sheng Ruxi looked at the treated wound behind Jian Jixing’s ear, her voice faint. “I’m just a little curious.”

There were many things she didn’t know about Jian Jixing. If they could communicate well, it would be best to learn directly from her.

The condition was that Jian Jixing didn’t have that annoying look on her face that said, “Oh, are you asking these things because you’ve fallen for me?” That would make Sheng Ruxi feel like she had lost this battle with Jian Jixing again.

Ever since Chu Wu asked her that question before they left, she had been looking for the answer.

What is love?

Sheng Ruxi used to naturally think that love was the switch between not having and having. When she liked something, she would feel her heart itch, wanting to get it. Once she got it, after a brief period of newness, she would lose interest.

But it didn’t matter. There were many things in this world that she liked, and many beautiful things were waiting for her to grace them with her favor, so she naturally thought that was what love was.

It was like in middle school when she thought she had fallen for Chu Wu, but Jian Jixing was going to snatch her away. She had to get her back. If she couldn’t, she would keep trying.

But Jian Jixing was such an equally matched opponent that she never gave up either. After Chu Wu’s words, Sheng Ruxi realized that 90% of her feelings in that “love” were about possession.

She was so confused. Now, that elusive answer was constantly bothering her.

“I don’t know who said it, but you can find mental relaxation in harsh environments,” Jian Jixing said casually.

“Like those people who have to endure physical discomfort and insist on coming here to climb or for a pilgrimage?” Sheng Ruxi didn’t believe in these things. Her first reaction was, wasn’t this just asking for trouble? But in front of Jian Jixing, she couldn’t say those words.

Jian Jixing smiled: “Maybe? But I’ve never been a pilgrim.”

Sheng Ruxi, on the other hand, felt that Jian Jixing was like a layer of fog. She was like a thin cloud shrouding the moon at night, hazy and indistinct, making it hard to see clearly.

“Time to rest, isn’t it?” Jian Jixing was like a human alarm clock. She reminded Sheng Ruxi to wash up and lie in bed. When Sheng Ruxi came out, she was still waiting in the same spot.

Just as she lay down, she heard some noise outside. Then she heard Zou Xinjie’s voice: “It’s only a little past nine. I’m going in to find Ruxi. I’ll be out in a bit.”

The village chief and Granny Liang happened to be outside and stopped her. They said very seriously, “You can’t do that. You can’t go in. Our custom is that outsiders cannot enter a single girl’s room after nine-thirty without an invitation.”

“Director Jian went in, too!”

“That’s different. They’re a couple,” Granny Liang said. “It’s very bad luck to disturb lovers here.”

Zou Xinjie’s voice grew louder: “You’ve got it wrong. They’re not a couple. They are the least likely to be a couple. I don’t have time to mess around with you guys. Let me in.”

Zou Xinjie’s commotion outside was a bit much. Jian Jixing stood up: “Alright, to prevent this person from coming in and disturbing your beauty sleep, I’m going to leave now.”

“Leave for what? You stay right here until I fall asleep,” Sheng Ruxi said. “If you go out now, Zou Xinjie will come in. Didn’t you hear Granny Liang say there’s a custom? We, the ‘perfect couple,’ need to stay together to cultivate our relationship.”

“I thought you always saw these old traditions as a waste of time?”

Sheng Ruxi threw a pillow at her. “That’s enough! Hurry up and tell me a story!”

Jian Jixing couldn’t do anything about her, so she had to comply. When she saw Sheng Ruxi sit up, her skin seemed to shine. At this temperature, she couldn’t be so carefree just because the room had a stove. Jian Jixing wrapped Sheng Ruxi in a blanket.

“Lie down.”

Sheng Ruxi was wrapped like a silkworm cocoon and looked at her speechlessly: “Are you trying to suffocate me?”

“Storytime,” Jian Jixing said, releasing a very faint, but definitely sleep-inducing scent of her pheromones. “There once was an ant named Little Xi. She went out to find food and discovered a big bed made of flower petals. So she said to Little Xi numbers two through twenty…”

This time, Jian Jixing didn’t even need to look at her phone. Sheng Ruxi didn’t know why, but as soon as she heard Jian Jixing’s voice and her head hit the pillow, she felt sleepy. The sound of the chief and Zou Xinjie arguing outside became white noise.

She asked in a daze, “Why are all the protagonists of these bedtime stories named Little Xi?”

Jian Jixing said, “I felt like calling them Little Ru or Little Sheng would be too specific.”

Sheng Ruxi reached her hand out of the blanket to pinch Jian Jixing’s ear. She didn’t think for a second that Jian Jixing was trying to trick her. Halfway there, Jian Jixing grabbed her hand, gently pressed her palm, and spoke in a low voice.

“Sleep,” she said. After that, Jian Jixing didn’t let go of her hand and continued the rest of the story. She had heard her mother say that children like to hold onto something when they sleep. It makes them feel more secure and helps them fall asleep.

After her hand was held, Sheng Ruxi truly stopped moving.

Sheng Ruxi, on the other hand, was watching Jian Jixing as she told the story. The light cast a gentle glow on her, making Sheng Ruxi feel that the person in front of her had also become gentle.

Maybe she was just sleepy.

Gradually, she couldn’t hear what Jian Jixing was saying, but she could see Jian Jixing’s gaze, which enveloped her like water.

She remembered the gems she used to collect as a child. The way they sparkled on the wall when light hit them was just like this. Sheng Ruxi hoped that look would never disappear.

All the care Jian Jixing had shown her tonight, the fingers that had wiped her lips, the irritating words, and the way she had left and then returned, all came together on one side of her vision.

And on the other side were memories of Jian Jixing feigning nonchalance while having a high fever, the video clips of her jumping from great heights, and her expressionless face while eating at home.

This Jian Jixing could really make her angry, but she also liked all the good things Jian Jixing did for her.

It was a unique kindness that she wanted to keep all to herself. She didn’t want Jian Jixing to be this way with anyone else. But if this kindness could only be enjoyed by one person in the world…

If only one person could enjoy it.

Sheng Ruxi didn’t want to fight Jian Jixing for it. She hoped Jian Jixing would give that care to herself. In the last moment before she fell asleep, Sheng Ruxi thought this.

Jian Jixing told the story in a gentle tone twice. Once she was sure Sheng Ruxi was fast asleep, she turned off the bedside lamp, tucked Sheng Ruxi’s arm back into the blanket, and quietly left.

As soon as she closed the door, Jian Jixing turned around, grabbed Zou Xinjie’s shoulder, and pulled her three feet away. Zou Xinjie didn’t even have time to gasp; Jian Jixing had her mouth covered.

“Be quiet. She’s asleep.” After making sure Zou Xinjie was stable, Jian Jixing released her. Zou Xinjie was about to say something, but when she met Jian Jixing’s gaze, she suddenly shivered.

She didn’t feel Jian Jixing’s pheromones, but she felt an extremely strong sense of oppression. Zou Xinjie gritted her teeth: “Director Jian, this isn’t very appropriate. Coming out of Ruxi’s room so late. If someone were to casually take a photo and post it online, public relations would have a hard time.”

“You sound very familiar with this, but I don’t have time for your nonsense,” the curve of Jian Jixing’s lips was cold. “Sheng Ruxi has already rejected you. To keep bothering her would be shameless.”

Zou Xinjie’s face went from red to white: “By what authority are you saying this to me, Director Jian? You can’t possibly hate Ruxi so much that you have to control who pursues her.”

Under the cold moonlight, Jian Jixing’s face was always adorned with a faint smile. She raised an eyebrow, and the thin layer of ice seemed to condense on Zou Xinjie.

“I wonder why her brother had you bring those things for her at this specific time? Zou Xinjie, why don’t you go back and ask your parents? Find out if there’s any good news coming from the Sheng family lately.”

Jian Jixing said nothing more and walked back to her room. After a half-second pause, she added, “Behave yourself, and I might let you continue filming here. Replacing you would be simple for me.”

A cold wind blew, and Zou Xinjie couldn’t help but shiver. She was the same height as Jian Jixing, but every time Jian Jixing stood in front of her, she always felt she was a head shorter and didn’t even dare to talk back.

The next day’s filming was very tiring. Everyone woke up early, and not even Sheng Ruxi got to sleep in.

At nearly four thousand meters, many staff members were showing signs of exhaustion. However, their task for the day was not easy. Sheng Ruxi and Zou Xinjie had three scenes to film together: one of them walking towards the blue lake one after the other, another of them running while holding hands, and a third of them walking side by side at dusk.

Zou Xinjie didn’t show any signs of strangeness during the filming. It was as if last night’s events had never happened. She gave her phone to a staff member and asked them to film lots of behind-the-scenes footage.

The only way to work quickly was to get each take right on the first try. So, whenever a scene started, Sheng Ruxi was fully invested. From the camera’s perspective, they looked like a natural couple.

As soon as Jian Jixing said, “Cut,” she would immediately run to her side and proudly ask for a reward.

The day’s filming ended after dusk. Jian Jixing had just returned to her room in the village and hadn’t even changed her clothes when she received a message from Sheng Ruxi.

[I’m out of makeup remover. Send me some.]

[puppy head.jpg]

Is this person addicted to bossing me around? Jian Jixing closed her eyes, grabbed her makeup remover, and replied: [Someone else’s stuff is just better, right?]

Little Green Bean: [Anyway, stuff you steal just smells better, doesn’t it?]

Jian Jixing: …

Just as she was about to leave with the makeup remover, a trending news alert popped up on her phone.

#Thank you, Director Jian! You gave our Rose CP the best fan service!!!#