After The Forced Marriage, I Ended Up With The Top Celebrity - Chapter 32

“Come here, Nian Shu.”

Qiao Jinyan’s voice was as usual calm and without any hint of ulterior motives or desire. Yet, Luo Nianshu raised an eyebrow, seeing through all her tricks.

They were too familiar with each other. No matter how much Qiao Jinyan tried to pretend, she couldn’t fool Luo Nianshu’s eyes.

Luo Nianshu stepped closer to the bathtub, feeling the warm steam envelop and embrace her, sending a shiver through her body that made her feel warm all over.

“Are you trying to seduce me?” Luo Nianshu asked with a smile, handing over the bottle of white body wash.

“No,” Qiao Jinyan replied innocently.

Her hand, glistening with water droplets, rose but didn’t take the bottle. Instead, she used two fingers to mimic a little person climbing up the bottle, then up Luo Nianshu’s fingers, stopping at her wrist, gently holding it.

“Help me wash up, Nian Shu.”

A deeper light shone in Luo Nianshu’s eyes. She put the body wash aside, tied up her hair, rolled up her sleeves, and knelt by the bathtub.

“Still say you’re not trying to seduce me?” she teased, grabbing Qiao Jinyan’s arm and gently stroking it with water.

Qiao Jinyan’s skin was soft and smooth like fine cream. Luo Nianshu’s fingers slid down from her shoulder, moving in circles along her arm.

Suddenly, Luo Nianshu froze.

There was a faint red mark on Qiao Jinyan’s forearm  a scar left from a fire.

Though it was almost faded and hard to see, Luo Nianshu still found it glaring, and her heart ached. Her smile vanished instantly.

Seeing Luo Nianshu fixated on the scar, Qiao Jinyan’s expression darkened. She shrank back into the bathtub slightly, trying to pull away, but Luo Nianshu held her firmly.

“Am I ugly?” Qiao Jinyan asked cautiously, looking at Luo Nianshu with hesitant eyes.

“No.” Luo Nianshu struggled to say, “You’re beautiful.”

She hated herself for not protecting her.

Qiao Jinyan smiled, “I had plastic surgery over the past two years. The injury wasn’t severe, so my body healed quickly. The scar has faded a lot, and the doctor said it will keep improving.”

“Does it hurt?” Luo Nianshu’s fingers brushed repeatedly over the pale red scar.

“No.” Qiao Jinyan smiled, “It will be completely healed soon.”

“So, Nian Shu, please don’t dislike me.”

She smiled firmly and gently, but her voice trembled on the last few words.

The words she once said echoed in Luo Nianshu’s mind: “Besides, you were famous for your beauty. Now your skin is burnt you have no beauty left.”

Those words made Luo Nianshu’s mind go blank. She closed her eyes, feeling torn apart.

She regretted it.

Even if it was to push Qiao Jinyan away, she shouldn’t have said that.

Physical wounds are wounds; emotional wounds are wounds too.

Her eyes blurred with tears.

“I don’t dislike you,” Luo Nianshu choked out.

I like you.

She gently stroked the pale red scars, from the forearm to the wrist…

Suddenly, her body trembled violently, eyes wide with disbelief.

What was this?!

Luo Nianshu grabbed Qiao Jinyan’s wrist tightly and demanded,

“What’s going on?!”

Her knuckles turned white, wiping all color from her face.

Qiao Jinyan’s wrist bore five red finger marks.

On the slender wrist, there was a long, thin white scar with blackened edges, like a twisted worm crawling densely.

Luo Nianshu bit her teeth and asked slowly, “Did you cut your wrist?!”

A thunderclap outside shattered the sky and Luo Nianshu’s sanity.

She felt a cold chill, the steam in the bathroom nearly froze.

“Why wear a wristband in such hot weather?”

“For looks,”

But it wasn’t for looks.

It was to cover the scar.

Luo Nianshu staggered, as if punched in the chest. She couldn’t breathe, sharp pain piercing her heart, making her eyes red.

Qiao Jinyan was scared by her reaction. Usually quick-witted, she suddenly didn’t dare say a word. She tried to pull back her hand, but Luo Nianshu gripped it tightly. Lowering her eyes like a guilty child.

“When was this?” Luo Nianshu asked harshly.

Qiao Jinyan hesitated, then said bitterly, “Two years ago, after you left.”

“I thought you didn’t want me.”

“Without you, I didn’t care if I breathed or had a heartbeat.”

Her voice was calm, like reporting the weather, but to Luo Nianshu, every word was like thunder.

Without you, I didn’t care if I lived or died.

She had left Qiao Jinyan to protect her, but leaving didn’t save her.

What was the meaning of her departure then?

“Just thinking you hated me makes my chest hurt.” Qiao Jinyan smiled self-mockingly.

I don’t hate you.

I like you.

Luo Nianshu repeated it in her heart, fingers gripping the white scar tighter.

All her emotions surged out.

I like you.

I like you.

“I like you,” Luo Nianshu looked up, her expression clear and resolute.

She would stay by her side.

The light cast shadows of her eyelashes on her eyelids.

Qiao Jinyan was stunned by Luo Nianshu’s firm words, frozen for a few seconds before recovering.

“What did you say?”

“I said I like you. I don’t hate you. I never thought you were spoiled or unreasonable even if you were, I like it. I like every side of you. As long as it’s you, I like it.”

Luo Nianshu looked at her, eyes deep like a tunnel suddenly lit by a bright light, illuminating all darkness.

Qiao Jinyan was stunned again by the confession. She suppressed the urge to smile, biting her lip, “Then why did you leave me?”

“Because…” Luo Nianshu stopped mid-sentence.

She looked at the white scar.

As water dripped and rubbed, it seemed to fade?

Thinking she was mistaken, Luo Nianshu squinted and rubbed more water over it…

It disappeared!

Luo Nianshu: “???”

That scar was drawn on???

Luo Nianshu, furious, growled “Qiao! Jinyan!”

Qiao Jinyan realized she was caught, quickly withdrew her hand and put on a pleading smile.

“Nian Shu, listen to me.”

“Go ahead, explain.”

But she was at a loss for words.

The truth was, she wanted to trick Luo Nianshu into telling the truth, so she used makeup to fake a wrist scar.

Having been a celebrity, she often had makeup artists work on her, and although her makeup skills weren’t perfect, she could fake something like this.

Besides, Luo Nianshu was upset earlier and distracted, so she had been fooled by the fake scar.

“Um, Nian Shu, don’t be mad…”

“Can’t explain?” Luo Nianshu sneered, shaking off Qiao Jinyan’s hand and walking out of the bathroom.

She could joke about anything but not this.

Qiao Jinyan hurried after her wrapped in a towel.

“Nian Shu, don’t be mad. I was just concerned about you.”

“Concern? Can you joke about this?”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry.”

Qiao Jinyan caught up and gently bumped Luo Nianshu, who fell on the bed. Qiao Jinyan immediately hugged her arm, acting pitiful and coquettish.

Her face was soft and lovely, but Luo Nianshu was too angry to be moved.

Giving up on coaxing, Qiao Jinyan decided to strike first.

She bit her lip and cupped Luo Nianshu’s face.

“Nian Shu, I know everything. You left me because you were forced.”

Hearing this, Luo Nianshu’s eyes flashed with shock.

“You…”

“I know.” Qiao Jinyan acted cunning, pretending her guess was fact. “I investigated. The private detective gave me solid information.”

Luo Nianshu’s mouth opened then closed, then said hoarsely, “You knew.”

“If I want to investigate something, is it hard?”

Indeed, it wasn’t.

Luo Nianshu stayed silent.

Qiao Jinyan continued, “You were really cruel to leave me.”

Luo Nianshu hooked her arm around Qiao Jinyan, pulling her close, feeling comforted by her presence.

She stroked the hair from Qiao Jinyan’s forehead.

“If I didn’t leave you, how could I watch you get hurt?”

“Hurt?”

Confusion flickered in Qiao Jinyan’s eyes, then she understood.

So it was Zhang Weiyin who threatened Luo Nianshu by endangering Qiao Jinyan, forcing her to leave.

Qiao Jinyan’s hand tightened on Luo Nianshu’s shoulder, causing her to wince and look at the hand.

Suddenly, Qiao Jinyan lifted it, turned Luo Nianshu’s face, and bit her lip with a hint of resentment, the taste of blood spreading between them.

She slowly released her lips and stroked Luo Nianshu’s swollen lip.

“Why didn’t you tell me the truth all these years and keep me in the dark like a fool?”

“Are you going to fight Zhang Weiyin?” Luo Nianshu joked but her eyes were serious.

“Yes, I will.”

No one could bully Luo Nianshu.

Luo Nianshu sighed, “I don’t want you to do that. I kept it from you because I was afraid you’d do exactly that.”

“You don’t trust me that much.”

Qiao Jinyan’s eyes showed anger and hurt.

“I may be spoiled and willful, but I know my limits. You underestimated me.”

“So what will you do?”

“I’m going to personally take down Zhang Weiyin.”

She was no longer the old Qiao Jinyan.

Luo Nianshu hesitated briefly.

“Better let Molly handle it. She can contact the agency as backup. If the company supports you against Zhang Weiyin, the chances of winning are higher.”

The only unknown was whether the agency would side with the actress against a famous director.

But Qiao Jinyan’s focus was elsewhere.

“Molly knows about this too?”

“Yes, I told her.”

“You told Molly but not me?”

An awkward tension filled the room.

Qiao Jinyan pushed Luo Nianshu away, “You’re sleeping on the sofa tonight!”

“How can that be?” Luo Nianshu smiled awkwardly, shamelessly leaning closer. “I just moved in today. Don’t I deserve the big bed as a reward?”

“Nope. Punishment,” Qiao Jinyan crossed her arms and stared.

Luo Nianshu rubbed her nose, then whispered in her ear, “Which is more satisfying: having me lie on top of you or making me sleep on the sofa?”

Qiao Jinyan: “…”

The first one does seem more satisfying.

“A little absence makes the heart grow fonder. Haven’t seen me all day, aren’t you going to make a move soon?” Luo Nianshu said as she unbuttoned her clothes, eyes shining.

“Better hurry then,” Qiao Jinyan smiled and nodded.

Luo Nianshu’s eyes brightened and her hands moved faster, but next moment, Qiao Jinyan pushed her out of the bedroom.

“Sofa it is!”

Bang The bedroom door closed.

Luo Nianshu stiffened, then helplessly held her forehead and squeezed into the small sofa with a pillow.