After A Secret Marriage Agreement With A Rival Omega - Chapter 83

Chapter 83

The more they kissed, the harder it became to discern their hearts. That surge of tartness nearly burst through her throat.

Regarding what happened later, Jian Jixing’s memories were fragmented—shifts in posture and position, the teardrops she shed, and the tide beneath them that felt like a mist, drenching her body.

It wasn’t that she and Sheng Ruxi hadn’t done this before, but it had never been like tonight.

Sheng Ruxi cried but refused to stop. It was a total, reckless surrender of heart and soul. Jian Jixing didn’t know if her strength had caused Sheng Ruxi pain or if it was something else, but she wondered why Sheng Ruxi was crying so sadly. Those tears, falling one after another onto her skin, made Jian Jixing vaguely realize that they weren’t just being shed for Sheng Ruxi herself.

What were they for, then?

For her?

The questions that couldn’t be asked were crushed into the kisses.

In the middle of the night, Jian Jixing still managed to change the sheets, setting the old ones aside and laying down a soft pillow towel. She did these things herself, as she had become accustomed to. Usually, Sheng Ruxi couldn’t hold out for long after they were finished; she would take a soak in the bath and fall straight to sleep.

Today was different. When Jian Jixing came out after washing up, she saw Sheng Ruxi still spirited on the bed, eyes wide open, not asleep. It was already two in the morning, well past Sheng Ruxi’s “beauty sleep” window.

Sheng Ruxi patted the spot next to her, her palm making two soft thuds on the fluffy pillow.

Jian Jixing said nothing, simply walking over. “Not sleepy yet?”

Her words carried a slight double meaning, causing Sheng Ruxi’s face to heat up imperceptibly for a moment. She gave Jian Jixing a mock-reproachful look. “I have something to tell you.”

If Sheng Ruxi hadn’t said that, Jian Jixing would have assumed she felt tonight’s effort hadn’t been enough.

Jian Jixing: “Want a bedtime story?”

She lay down beside Sheng Ruxi and dimmed the lights a bit more. The room was filled with a scent that brought peace of mind.

Sheng Ruxi shook her head. “Jian Jixing, I feel like you’re very afraid of me liking you.”

At the same time, Sheng Ruxi left one sentence unsaid: Beneath that fear, she could feel that Jian Jixing clearly needed her. Otherwise, Jian Jixing wouldn’t push her away only to be unable to resist coming closer again, pulling back and forth in a cycle that ultimately only brought her own unhappiness.

This kind of heart-to-heart time hadn’t happened since they descended from the pastoral areas of Renqing. They had too few moments where they truly opened up.

Jian Jixing remained silent for a moment. Sheng Ruxi asked softly, “Why?”

Sheng Ruxi had grown up pampered, having everything she ever wanted. She had never experienced this kind of insecurity or fear of loss. She didn’t know that such a feeling, besides being painful, could actually be so captivating.

There were far, far too many people who hoped she would like them—so many that she never cherished them, barely even noticing them. Previously, Sheng Ruxi had briefly thought that her fleeting infatuation would only last until the day Jian Jixing reciprocated.

But when that day actually arrived, the lack of interest she had anticipated didn’t materialize. Her feelings for Jian Jixing seemed to have entered a new stage, moving beyond a simple “like” based on provocation and competitiveness.

She still wanted to be Jian Jixing’s “rival-lover”; she was fine with however Jian Jixing wanted to interact with her. Vaguely, Sheng Ruxi finally understood why Jian Jixing had told her back then to “just be yourself.”

She seemed to understand now. And because she understood, those teardrops began to fall on their own. She really didn’t want it to be this difficult for Jian Jixing to simply acknowledge being liked.

Though she knew Jian Jixing was an instinctive coward in this regard, Sheng Ruxi couldn’t help the tartness in her heart while waiting for a response. Her tone dropped. “I just want to ask you… is an answer from you really so hard to get?”

Sheng Ruxi didn’t want to stay this low; she wasn’t the type to let herself drown in such emotions for too long. “Then forget about your answer.”

Jian Jixing turned her head to look at her. Sheng Ruxi didn’t bury her face in the pillow; instead, she met Jian Jixing’s eyes.

“Jian Jixing,” she called out softly. “I think I like you more than I imagined. Even if you don’t.” Finally, she added quietly, “And it’s not because we just did it.”

This was what she had intended to discuss with Jian Jixing all along.

Jian Jixing’s breathing quickened for a split second, and her thoughts were no longer calm. Just as she was about to speak, Sheng Ruxi took the initiative to seal her lips, biting them and saying indistinctly, “Forget it. Tonight was beautiful. I don’t want to hear you reject me again, okay?”

How could she be so sure that what was about to be said was a rejection? At this moment, regardless of what was in her heart, Jian Jixing wanted to validate Sheng Ruxi’s courage—a courage that made her feel ashamed of herself.

Jian Jixing kissed her tenderly, allowing Sheng Ruxi to take whatever she wanted from her, even letting her bite. Tonight, Sheng Ruxi had left many marks on Jian Jixing’s body—the neck, the collarbone, the scent gland, the waist, and the abdomen.

Jian Jixing remarked that she was truly like a spoiled kitten—scratching, clawing, and biting. This made Sheng Ruxi angry. If it hadn’t been for Jian Jixing’s particular move, would she have lost control enough to scratch Jian Jixing’s back? So, it was Jian Jixing’s own fault.

Sheng Ruxi bit Jian Jixing’s lip again before whispering, “In any case, you still don’t like me right now. I know. You said you’re going to pursue me, but you still don’t like me.”

She had let go of Jian Jixing, her words calm, as if she had already accepted this as fact. After speaking, she didn’t give Jian Jixing a chance to respond; she started burrowing into the blankets to rest.

Jian Jixing frowned, lifted the blanket, and leaned over her. “Is that what you think?”

She blocked the light from above, a posture that should have felt oppressive, but didn’t coming from her. Because of this, Sheng Ruxi felt free to be willfully arrogant, unafraid of her. “Is it not? At dinner today, Xie… Xie Jinheng. She came to give me a show of strength.”

Did she think Sheng Ruxi was blind? That name tag was placed there specifically for her to see the name. Sheng Ruxi understood everything.

“Xie Jinheng?” Jian Jixing’s breath hitched. She didn’t know exactly how much Sheng Ruxi had seen or guessed.

Sheng Ruxi said with no small amount of jealousy, “Both the first film and the first female lead. Quite the deep impression.” Usually, such things were mutually beneficial and held great significance. Thus, the small instances of unnaturalness and stiffness in Jian Jixing when facing Xie Jinheng tonight had been sensitively noticed by Sheng Ruxi.

“No, she and I only worked together in the past. The impression is deep because things ended unpleasantly. Towards the end of the filming, she suddenly changed her acting style, the script, and the props… even her mother, Qin Yu’an, was dissatisfied with the film.”

Jian Jixing had once thought these matters would rot in her stomach; she thought she would never mention them again. She deliberated for a moment, unable to find the right words. “At that time, my family didn’t really want me to make movies. Something went wrong immediately, and later my mother suppressed the issue for me.”

Because of that, Jian Jixing’s subsequent film productions no longer had any connection to her family. Qin Yu’an was a prominent figure in high society; though her mother, Jian Yanchuan, had no personal friendship with her, a few words were more than enough. This matter was difficult for the Jian Jixing of that time to handle, but for Jian Yanchuan, it was just a matter of a single sentence and a nod.

Sheng Ruxi sensitively felt that the story was definitely not as simple as it sounded. Her eyes were peeking out from over the blanket, fixed on Jian Jixing’s face. “Why would Qin… Teacher Qin is angry just because she changed the script?”

And why would it involve Jian Yanchuan stepping in?

Even Sheng Ruxi understood how strict Jian Yanchuan was with Jian Jixing. In Jian Yanchuan’s eyes, such a thing might have been an outrageous scandal. But just changing a script and an acting style… how could it blow up like that?

“The end of that film was about a reconciliation with the mother. Xie Jinheng had asked me for advice on how to play it. She said she couldn’t get it right no matter how she tried.”

“I did a demonstration for her on set.” In a film set, a director demonstrating for an actor is perfectly normal.

“At the time, she said she wanted to add a line of dialogue. I said no, and I performed it for her once, saying that line didn’t fit the context or the emotional state.”

“What line?”

Jian Jixing looked at her for a long time before leaning against Sheng Ruxi’s ear and whispering those three words.

Sheng Ruxi froze instantly.

I love you.

For a moment, she couldn’t tell if Jian Jixing was stating a past fact or trying to seduce her in her ear. She forced herself to stay calm, but the flush on her ears gave her away; her ears felt so itchy.

Jian Jixing was doing it on purpose, wasn’t she? How could she be so good at this!

“Later, these clips were taken out of context and leaked, eventually reaching Qin Yu’an,” Jian Jixing said nonchalantly. “So, it’s not what you think. Understand?”

Sheng Ruxi finally recovered from her shock. “Why would she say that to her mother?”

A bold guess formed in her heart, and the conclusion made her realize something. Jian Jixing must have suffered quite a bit back then, yet she said nothing—at least, not to her. Although what she was saying now was the truth, she was still hiding things.

Jian Jixing shook her head and placed a finger to her lips. “Shh. Want to sleep now?”

She just needed Sheng Ruxi’s little brain to know that there was absolutely no possibility between her and Xie Jinheng. As for the rest, Jian Jixing didn’t plan on telling her tonight, fearing she would scare her out of sleeping entirely.

In Sheng Ruxi’s eyes, however, things were different. They had just shared such a deep level of communication and intimacy, yet when Jian Jixing turned off the lights to sleep, she felt the hard-won closeness between them drifting away again.

She didn’t like it. Sheng Ruxi recklessly burrowed into Jian Jixing’s embrace. Feeling that wasn’t enough, she simply slept entirely on top of Jian Jixing, like a koala. Jian Jixing held her quietly and firmly, the strength in her arms tightening as if she wanted to embed Sheng Ruxi into herself.

It was so tight that Sheng Ruxi could hardly breathe. Her hand rested on the rise and fall of Jian Jixing’s chest as she whispered, “So you still don’t like me…”

With a hint of grievance and a small complaint, it became an irresistible, charming pouting.

Jian Jixing followed the line of her leg, cupped her hip, lifted her up, and continued to kiss her. She kissed her lips, her cheeks, her forehead, and behind her ears.

The more they kissed, the harder it became to discern their hearts. That surge of tartness nearly burst through her throat. She said in a hoarse voice, “How could I not like you?”

How could someone as hesitant, vacillating, and lacking in security as she was not like Sheng Ruxi?

What she feared was—liking her too much. Before the love could even arrive as promised, she began to panic at the thought of the loss when it would eventually be withdrawn. What should she do to ensure Sheng Ruxi loved her for a long, long time?