Deliberate Possession [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 47

Chapter 47: One Minute

The entire day of the live broadcast, until it ended, Jing Xiaoyan and she maintained this state.

Afterward, the director arranged for a car to take them back to the hotel. Jing Xiaoyan was still staying across the hall from Jiang Yumian.

If she hadn’t felt Jing Xiaoyan’s restraint and her occasional protective gestures, Jiang Yumian would have genuinely thought she was starting to dislike her.

When no one was around, Jiang Yumian opened her room door, looked at the door across the hall, hesitated for a while, and finally knocked, planning to go talk to her.

Jing Xiaoyan was about to remove her makeup. She paused for a few seconds when she heard the knock, walked to the door, and opened it.

Her gaze fell on Jiang Yumian’s face. She involuntarily gripped the doorknob tightly, her red lips lightly pressed together. Jiang Yumian coming to find her was a pleasant surprise, but seeing her expressionless face made her a little scared, afraid of what she might say again.

The moment she saw Jiang Yumian, many thoughts raced through her mind. The entire day’s interactions flashed quickly.

It seemed aside from giving her a hair tie, she hadn’t done anything else to offend her today.

Jiang Yumian opened her mouth, momentarily speechless. She tightened her fingers. After a few seconds of silence, she pointed inside the room. “Can we go in to talk?”

Jing Xiaoyan’s grip on the doorknob tightened even more. She was a little nervous, hesitant to be alone with Jiang Yumian, but since she had asked, there was no reason to stop her.

Her stiff body slightly moved aside. Without saying a word, she made way for Jiang Yumian, signaling her to enter.

As Jiang Yumian walked in, she hesitated about whether to close the door. After thinking, she closed it. What Jiang Yumian wanted to say to her was probably not simple.

Hearing the door close, Jiang Yumian’s heart fluttered. She walked to the edge of the bed and sat down, her gaze fixed on Jing Xiaoyan’s face.

Jing Xiaoyan stopped walking, no longer heading toward the bed. She stood about two meters away from Jiang Yumian, opened her mouth, and asked, “Did you want to say something?”

Jiang Yumian looked at her. “Are you angry?”

Jing Xiaoyan was startled, then shook her head. “No.”

Jiang Yumian lowered her eyes slightly and asked again, “Did you cry?”

Knowing that she had suspected this today, Jing Xiaoyan gently shook her head. “No.”

Jiang Yumian watched her silently for two seconds. “I’m sorry.”

She added, “I made you unhappy with what I said this morning. I apologize to you.”

Jing Xiaoyan froze, a hint of surprise in her eyes. She didn’t come to scold her after all.

The reason Jiang Yumian acted that way this morning was probably because she found her annoying, so she intentionally provoked her, using that method to remind herself not to cross the line again.

She could understand.

Jing Xiaoyan swallowed. “You’ve already apologized, and I’m not angry.”

It was just quite hurtful.

She was very sad.

Jiang Yumian slightly raised her head. Judging by Jing Xiaoyan’s tone, she probably wasn’t lying to her. She wasn’t angry, but she was unhappy.

She sighed softly, lowered her head, and repeated, “I’m sorry.”

Hearing her apologize again, Jing Xiaoyan’s long eyelashes fluttered. The sudden tension because of her presence quickly disappeared. After thinking for a moment, she walked over and sat down beside her.

“Don’t apologize anymore. I know you didn’t mean any harm.”

Jing Xiaoyan sighed softly. She didn’t expect Jiang Yumian to blame herself for this all day and even come specifically to apologize.

Feeling the helplessness in Jing Xiaoyan’s tone, Jiang Yumian blinked guiltily. “I, I…”

Jing Xiaoyan paused. “Hmm?”

Jiang Yumian didn’t dare to look at her. After stammering for a long time, she forced out some boldness. “I meant harm…”

Not knowing how to explain, she thought for a while, avoided Jing Xiaoyan’s confused gaze, and said honestly, “I just, I just wanted to deliberately make you unhappy.”

Seeing her head almost turned completely away, Jing Xiaoyan moved closer to her. “I thought you found me annoying and wanted to teach me a lesson.”

Her sleeve was tugged. Jiang Yumian turned her head, meeting Jing Xiaoyan’s aggrieved eyes. Her heart warmed. Had she finally reverted back to normal?

Her apology seemed to have some effect.

Jiang Yumian bit the tip of her tongue, recalling her initial intention to deliberately bully Jing Xiaoyan, and then her own act of running over to apologize afterward. She felt a mouthful of suppressed blood, unsure whether to spit it out.

“I was wrong, I’m sorry.”

Her mouth moved faster than her brain. She apologized again.

Jiang Yumian forced a smile.

Jing Xiaoyan didn’t understand. “Since you wanted to do that, why did you come to apologize to me?”

Jiang Yumian’s face fell. Did she have to ask?

“Because I’m mentally ill.”

Seeing that she was unwilling to talk, Jing Xiaoyan pondered for a moment. “Alright, you really don’t need to apologize. I haven’t complained about you, nor have I taken it to heart, let alone gotten angry with you.”

Jiang Yumian picked at her fingers and lowered her head. “Yes, you did. Why didn’t you take it to heart? You ignored me all day.” There was a hint of grievance in her tone that she didn’t even notice herself.

Jing Xiaoyan’s eyes shifted, and her gaze landed on the face that was bowed in self-blame. So she came to apologize because I wasn’t talking to her?

“Mianmian, do you really not like me even a little bit?”

The sudden question startled Jiang Yumian, making her heart jump. She felt a little confused. She thought for a while, and finally answered honestly, “I don’t know. Maybe a little. I haven’t liked anyone else before.”

Jing Xiaoyan was stunned. After a few seconds, she felt relieved. She hadn’t been in a relationship either. It took her a long time to realize she liked Jiang Yumian, only belatedly realizing it was love.

Asking Jiang Yumian, who was relatively clueless about relationships, this question was a bit difficult for her.

Jiang Yumian didn’t know what she was thinking. Her fingers curled slightly, and she frowned. “So you still shouldn’t like me.”

The smile on Jing Xiaoyan’s face hadn’t fully bloomed yet. Hearing her words, it instantly froze. “Why?”

Jiang Yumian lowered her head. “Liking me is too tiring. It will also make you unhappy. I’m not a good person. I hold grudges, I’m petty, and I’m very mean. So don’t like me. It’s not worth it.”

Jing Xiaoyan was a little anxious, not knowing why Jiang Yumian was suddenly disparaging herself like this. She moved closer to Jiang Yumian again, finally daring to sit right next to her.

She sighed softly, gently nudged Jiang Yumian’s arm with her elbow, her voice gentle: “If you’re not a good person, then I’m even less of a good thing. If you talk like that, I’ll start to think I’m not worthy of liking you.”

Jiang Yumian turned her head to look at her, her expression very serious. She frowned, wondering if Jing Xiaoyan had some kind of ‘love-blind’ constitution. Why didn’t this make sense?

She had talked about herself like that, yet why was she still like this?

“What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?” Jing Xiaoyan blinked.

“I think you’re like a total fool.” Jiang Yumian sighed quietly, then turned her head to look at her again, giving her earnest advice: “You’re so good. Who couldn’t you pursue? Why waste time on me? Isn’t it better to cut your losses in time?”

Jing Xiaoyan pursed her lips, unhappy with that last sentence from Jiang Yumian. She said stubbornly, “I don’t want to like anyone else. Liking you is not a waste of time.”

Then she muttered softly, “I’m not that good either. I can’t even successfully pursue you…”

Jiang Yumian was silent for a few seconds. She felt that if she continued, Jing Xiaoyan would start to sound pitiful again.

She stood up, intending to leave. “I actually didn’t have much to say when I came over. I just wanted you to be happy.”

Jing Xiaoyan nodded, following her lead to stand up. “I’m happy now.”

She smiled and added, “Thank you.”

Hearing that “thank you,” Jiang Yumian really wanted to spit blood. What kind of situation was this? What kind of decent person apologizes after bullying someone, and then gets thanked for it?

Jing Xiaoyan made her feel so embarrassed…

Jiang Yumian held it in, but finally couldn’t help it. “Thank you for what? I don’t want to talk to you.”

Jing Xiaoyan grabbed her, preventing her from leaving, and asked directly, “Do you find me annoying?”

Jiang Yumian looked at the hand gripping hers and glared at her.

Jing Xiaoyan tightened her grip, moved closer, and continued, “That’s why you bullied me, but I didn’t find you annoying, and I kept my distance from you. You felt very uncomfortable, didn’t you?”

“So you came to apologize, first because you were afraid I was sad or angry, and second because you wanted me to pay attention to you, right?”

Her tone was somewhat aggressive, making Jiang Yumian extremely nervous. She took a step back, feeling insecure because her secret had been exposed, but she still insisted stubbornly, “I, I just felt a pang of conscience.”

Jing Xiaoyan’s eyes held a smile. She didn’t quite believe what she said. She gently tugged on her, reached out to wrap her arms around Jiang Yumian’s body, finally embracing her.

“I didn’t dare to get close to you all day today. This hug is to make up for it.” Jing Xiaoyan said this justifiably.

Jiang Yumian thought for a moment and didn’t move. Being held by Jing Xiaoyan actually made her feel much more secure. The anxiety she had been carrying was finally relieved.

She snorted softly, resting her chin lightly on Jing Xiaoyan’s shoulder, and said haughtily, “Fine, you got off easy. But I’ll only let you hug me for one minute. No more.”

One minute?

Jing Xiaoyan, who was about to let go, paused, her eyes narrowing into a smile. She was afraid of offending her by hugging her for too long.

She summarized to herself, “Mianmian, you’re not rejecting me now, nor are you uncomfortable, so you don’t find me annoying.”

Jiang Yumian forced a smile and decided to play dumb. “When did I say you were annoying?”

Jing Xiaoyan paused. “You didn’t say it. I guessed.”

Jiang Yumian snorted softly. Suddenly remembering something, she quickly slapped Jing Xiaoyan’s back hard.

The force was considerable. Jing Xiaoyan gasped, and her grip loosened. She thought Jiang Yumian wanted her to let go, but before she could retreat, she heard her speak.

“You don’t need to tell me that thing you didn’t dare to tell me. Whatever it is, I forgive you. I won’t be angry with you. Since I made you unhappy today, let’s just consider it even.”

Jiang Yumian ground her back teeth together, raised her head, stood up straight, and pushed Jing Xiaoyan away.

Seeing her bewildered face, she couldn’t help but say, “You really got off easy.”

Jing Xiaoyan’s eyes lit up. “You can forgive me no matter what it is?”

Jiang Yumian tightened her clenched fist and forcefully grunted, “Mhm.”

She felt it was quite unfair. She had even come to apologize and let her hug her, yet she was just forgiving her like that.

Jiang Yumian recalled those embarrassing chat logs that made her want to die of shame. Her heart hardened again. Her refusal to retaliate was already extremely lenient towards Jing Xiaoyan. She was being very good.

Now, she wouldn’t let her confess. She would just let her agonize over it every day. Let her torment herself.

Jiang Yumian’s eyes brightened. She suddenly felt quite smart. That’s what she’d do!

She cleared her throat. “I’m leaving. Don’t tell me about that thing. If you tell me, I’ll definitely be unhappy, and it will affect my mood. If you dare to tell me and make me angry, I’ll really ignore you. When that happens, I’ll be just like you were today. We’ll keep our distance and ignore each other. You better stop liking me too.”

Jiang Yumian left Jing Xiaoyan with an extremely childish warning and started walking towards the door.

Jing Xiaoyan’s red lips moved slightly. Only when Jiang Yumian reached the door did she speak again. “Mianmian.”

Jiang Yumian paused with her hand on the doorknob and looked back at her.

Jing Xiaoyan leaned close to her and reminded her, “You said before that if you seriously considered being in a relationship, I would be the first person you’d consider. I took that to heart, so I only like you. I will wait until you realize you like me.”

“I won’t like anyone else anyway.”

Seeing her bring the conversation back to that, Jiang Yumian felt helpless. “Alright, alright. Just be stubborn and keep liking me. I suddenly realize I’m a pretty good person too.”

How generous she was! She wasn’t holding a grudge against Jing Xiaoyan for this, and she even came to cheer her up.

Jing Xiaoyan didn’t easily believe her perfunctory words. She reached out and held the door, blocking her way. She asked seriously, “Do you really not care if I go and like someone else?”

Jiang Yumian opened her mouth. This question made her chest feel tight. She didn’t know how to answer her.

Looking at the blocked door and Jing Xiaoyan, who was staring intently at her for an answer, she had a sudden stroke of genius. “It’s not that I’m letting you like someone else. You can like whoever you want. What do I have to care about? Besides, I have my own girlfriend. Why would I be greedy for what others have?”

Jiang Yumian pursed her lips, forcing a smile at Jing Xiaoyan. She felt so smart.

Jing Xiaoyan took a deep breath. She suddenly felt that by deliberately occupying Jiang Yumian’s “girlfriend” position, she was successfully preventing others from getting close, but she was mainly preventing herself.

She felt so aggrieved.

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