After The Forced Marriage, I Ended Up With The Top Celebrity - Chapter 35

Luo Nianshu stepped out of the flower shop, gently sniffing the roses she held in her arms.

 

The faint fragrance filled her nostrils.

 

A warm breeze brushed past, lifting the corner of her shirt jacket.

 

She smiled faintly, her eyes soft and gentle.

 

Today was Qiao Jinyan’s birthday, and she had a mysterious gift to give her.

 

A black SUV stopped right in front of Luo Nianshu, blocking her way.

 

Without noticing, Luo Nianshu naturally tried to walk around the vehicle, but the rear window slowly rolled down.

 

Zhang Weiyin took off her sunglasses, crow’s feet forming wrinkles at the corners of her smiling eyes.

 

She glanced at the flowers Luo Nianshu was holding.

 

“Are these for Qiao Jinyan?”

 

A familiar face, a familiar voice.

 

Luo Nianshu’s body stiffened, her grip on the bouquet tightening.

 

What was meant to happen had happened.

 

“Have dinner with me?” Zhang Weiyin’s tone was a question, but there was no room for refusal. “My treat.”

 

Luo Nianshu’s gaze sharpened, but her body deliberately relaxed.

 

She smiled calmly.

 

“Sure.

 

Zhang Weiyin’s car took Luo Nianshu to a Western-style restaurant. The location was chosen by Luo Nianshu herself, with seats by the floor-to-ceiling windows, surrounded by many well-dressed people.

 

Crowded and bright, Zhang Weiyin could not easily use dirty tricks on her here.

 

Zhang Weiyin cut her steak, the knife and fork scraping the plate with a sharp noise, but she seemed oblivious and kept cutting hard.

 

“I’ll give you a heads-up. Next week’s Golden Film Awards Best Actress will be a double winner: Tang Fu and Qiao Jinyan. You know how much Jinyan cares about her career, don’t ruin it for her because of you.”

 

Zhang Weiyin rambled on, but Luo Nianshu remained alert.

 

She imitated Zhang Weiyin, cutting her steak, the knife and fork clashing with an unyielding sound.

 

“No wonder she’s my goddess. The Best Actress is rightfully hers. These past two years, Qiao Jinyan’s career has progressed better than ever. Her agency is very protective of her.”

 

Luo Nianshu emphasized the last few words.

 

Zhang Weiyin ignored her and scoffed: “Look, Jinyan hates me so much, yet she still won Best Actress because of the movie I directed.”

 

Zhang Weiyin bit into a piece of steak, chewing forcefully.

 

“The unruly cattle in the slaughterhouse are always the first to be slaughtered.”

 

She leaned forward, lowering her voice so only the two of them could hear:

 

“You two are so disobedient. Should I slaughter you both?”

 

The sound of cutting steak abruptly stopped. Luo Nianshu squinted.

 

“Zhang Weiyin, do you remember the illegal things you’ve done?”

 

“I’ve done plenty of bad things,” Zhang Weiyin sneered.

 

“I have evidence.”

 

Luo Nianshu looked into Zhang Weiyin’s narrowed eyes and continued:

 

“Not just one piece of evidence.”

 

“The tax evasion, the assault on minors, and other messy crimes I’ve collected them all.”

 

“You’ve offended so many people in this industry. Do you really think anyone would help you if you got into trouble?”

 

Surprise flashed in Zhang Weiyin’s eyes. She slowly leaned back and sized Luo Nianshu up from head to toe.

 

After a while, she lit a cigarette.

 

The smoke made Luo Nianshu wrinkle her nose.

 

“Two years, and you’ve changed a lot.”

 

Daring to challenge her now.

 

Zhang Weiyin’s eyes showed annoyance but also a hint of admiration.

 

“Likewise.”

 

Luo Nianshu cut a piece of steak and put it in her mouth.

 

“But now you can try posting on Weibo and see if it goes through.”

 

Zhang Weiyin blew out a smoke ring calmly.

 

Luo Nianshu was stunned. “What do you mean?”

 

“It means I’ve been prepared for you all along. All your communication devices have been blocked since you returned to the country. Even if you have evidence, there’s no way to make it public.”

 

“Don’t even think about reporting to the police,” Zhang Weiyin took another drag, her cheeks deeply sunken, “If you do, I’ll hire people to publicly ruin Qiao Jinyan at the awards ceremony next week.”

 

Then she leered:

 

“Unlike the messed-up way I destroyed your wedding before, this time I’ll ruin her completely. I’ll find some men to humiliate her in public…”

 

“Zhang Weiyin!”

 

Luo Nianshu’s face went pale, and the small knife in her hand slammed against the table, scratching a line.

 

“Feeling heartbroken?” Zhang Weiyin glanced at the glaring red roses.

 

“Since I was destroyed back then, dragging Qiao Jinyan down with me wouldn’t be impossible.”

 

A pervert.

 

This pervert.

 

Luo Nianshu trembled with anger.

 

“Don’t even think about running away. If you look carefully, you’ll find I’ve planted spies around Qiao Jinyan’s residence.”

 

Luo Nianshu clenched the knife tightly.

 

“What do you want to do this time?”

 

She coldly questioned Zhang Weiyin.

 

Zhang Weiyin smiled triumphantly and pressed out the cigarette butt on Luo Nianshu’s steak.

 

“Simple. I just want Qiao Jinyan not to be with the one she loves. You broke our agreement last time, so this time, I’ll have to get serious.”

 

Zhang Weiyin laid out her terms:

 

“I want you to marry someone else.”

 

Luo Nianshu suddenly looked up at Zhang Weiyin, her mind buzzing.

 

The air conditioning blew a chill, and the whole restaurant felt colder.

 

Like falling into an ice cave.

 

“I’ve already found someone for you Wang Xu.”

 

“You have my info, so you know he’s one of my lovers.”

 

“Don’t worry, he’s good in bed. You won’t be shortchanged.”

 

“How do you feel about this idea, Miss Luo?”

 

Zhang Weiyin feigned concern.

 

Luo Nianshu’s palm was cut by the knife and fork, bleeding, but she didn’t notice at all.

 

11:50 PM.

 

Qiao Jinyan sat impatiently tapping her foot, tilting her head to watch the second hand tick across the clock face.

 

Why hadn’t Luo Nianshu returned yet?

 

They had agreed to celebrate her birthday together. She had turned down all her friends’ invitations in the circle just to spend the day alone with Luo Nianshu. Now the day was almost over, but Luo Nianshu still hadn’t come back.

 

Just then, the door opened.

 

Luo Nianshu entered lightly, holding the flowers, instantly sensing the tense atmosphere.

 

“Are you mad?”

 

Luo Nianshu leaned toward Qiao Jinyan, pushing the flowers into her arms.

 

Qiao Jinyan crossed her arms and didn’t take the flowers, turning her face away with a frown.

 

“Don’t be mad. I’ll apologize, okay?”

 

Half coaxing, half pushing, Luo Nianshu got the flowers into Qiao Jinyan’s arms.

 

Qiao Jinyan reluctantly accepted them, her expression softening a bit.

 

“Do you know what day it is today?”

 

“Yes, it’s your birthday.”

 

“Then why did you come back so late?”

 

Luo Nianshu smiled and pulled Qiao Jinyan to sit by the table.

 

She took out candles and inserted them into the cake, patiently lighting them one by one.

 

“I’ll explain later. Hurry and make a wish before midnight, or you’ll miss it.”

 

Qiao Jinyan grumbled but obediently sat at the table.

 

“Make a wish, hurry!”

 

Luo Nianshu glanced at the clock, acting as if she were worried the wish would run away.

 

Qiao Jinyan smiled at her anxious expression, her mood lightened.

 

She clasped her hands and closed her eyes. The candlelight flickered inside the room.

 

The same fire, but this time it didn’t scare her.

 

A warm kiss pressed against her lips.

 

Luo Nianshu leaned in to kiss her.

 

The white wall reflected their shadows.

 

Lip to lip, candlelight flickering, shadows moving and rippling, yet always close together.

 

Qiao Jinyan’s long lashes fluttered. She half-opened her eyes, glanced at Luo Nianshu, then quickly closed them again.

 

Two slender arms curled up, wrapping around Luo Nianshu’s neck, pulling her closer.

 

“I’ve made my wish. We can do something else now.”

 

Her voice was lazy and soft.

 

“After you make a wish, eat the cake.”

 

Luo Nianshu hid the smile in her eyes and let go of the hands around her neck, standing to cut a piece of cake to give Qiao Jinyan.

 

When Qiao Jinyan didn’t move, Luo Nianshu grinned mischievously:

 

“What, are you thinking about that kind of thing now?”

 

“No!”

 

Qiao Jinyan quickly denied, looking frustrated. She grabbed the knife and fork and fiercely stabbed a piece of cake into her mouth.

 

“Good.”

 

Luo Nianshu cut her own cake quietly, the smile on her lips growing deeper.

 

“I’ll give it to you tonight.”

 

She added.

 

Qiao Jinyan didn’t reply, her ears slightly flushed.

 

It was already night; what a liar.

 

“I’ve thought it through. I plan to start my own business soon. I want to open a wedding planning company, specializing in planning weddings for others.”

 

“That’s great,” Qiao Jinyan smiled, “Let the first one be ours. Let’s keep it simple—invite Grandma, Molly, your good friend Jiang Chengzhi, and…”

 

“Not with you.”

 

Luo Nianshu cut off Qiao Jinyan’s excited words, her expression more painful.

 

Her voice was hoarse, as if a fishbone was stuck in her throat:

 

“I’m getting married next week, to Wang Xu.”