I Didn’t Want to Fall, but My Arch-Nemesis Is Just Too Handsome - Chapter 16

By the time Jiang Xu realized something was off, he had almost finished his meal. He looked up and noticed everyone staring straight at him, so he subconsciously touched the corner of his mouth. Did he have something dirty on him? He quickly grabbed a tissue and pressed it against his lips, only to find nothing there.

That was strange! Why were they all looking at him with such peculiar expressions?

Ni Wentian had joined the dating show specifically for Jiang Xu. Seeing him getting along so well with Xu Zhiyan left a sour taste in his mouth. “Jiang Xu, you and Film Emperor Xu seem to have a great relationship. It does not look like what the rumors say.”

“What do the rumors say?”

Jiang Xu took the fruit juice Xu Zhiyan handed him and took a sip. “The juice is good.”

“I have tried it; it is very tasty.”

Xu Zhiyan’s voice was gentle, and he remained turned toward Jiang Xu. The two of them went back and forth, their interaction harmonious yet laced with a hint of intimacy.

Ni Wentian felt even more bitter. “Rumors say you and Film Emperor Xu are not on good terms, but now it seems the atmosphere between you two is quite harmonious.”

Jiang Xu lowered his head to look at the juice cup in his hand, then glanced at the food still left on Xu Zhiyan’s plate.

！！！！

Help! When did he develop the habit of serving food to his arch-rival? It must have been during those three lost months; he had been brainwashed by Xu Zhiyan and had developed these slavish habits.

He had to change this. He absolutely had to!

Jiang Xu suppressed his chaotic heartbeat and said with a blank expression, “My relationship with Film Emperor Xu is just average.”

Luo Yuan chimed in obliviously, “Jiang-ge, but you just served food to Film Emperor Xu!”

Jiang Xu’s expression stiffened again. “I… it is just a habit. If you were sitting next to me, I would serve you food too.”

Luo Yuan had a lively personality; he giggled and said, “Then I am coming over to sit!”

“Come on, sit on your brother’s lap.”

Jiang Xu patted his thigh.

Luo Yuan lifted his bottom to move over, but his arm was gripped. He looked to the side and saw Ling Jiuxiao with a dark face, staring at him with gloomy eyes.

Luo Yuan blinked in confusion: “What is wrong?”

Ling Jiuxiao snorted from his nose. “You are trying to sit on his lap? Am I dead to you?”

Question marks slowly popped up in Luo Yuan’s mind: ?!!!

Ling Jiuxiao pressed him back onto his chair, his demeanor extremely domineering. “I am the partner you dug out of a coffin. Since you chose me, you have to be responsible for me. You are not allowed to leave my side for even half a step today. If I find out you went near anyone else, I will absolutely not forgive you.”

“Luo Yuan muttered softly, “What kind of normal person looks for a partner inside a coffin?”

Ling Jiuxiao looked at him sideways. “What did you say?”

“I did not say anything. Your hearing is bad, and you misheard me.”

Luo Yuan buried his head in his food, not daring to say another word.

【The cute little wife and his domineering CEO, I am truly obsessed with this pair.】 【Are the fans of those explicit novels here yet?】 【I have already imagined 100,000 words of censored content in my head.】 【This is so good to ship; it feels like they are not even acting. Ling Jiuxiao really likes Luo Yuan! Lock this pair up for me, they are not allowed to collapse; I want to ship them for a lifetime.】 【Cui Qinglan and Ni Wentian are so awkward; there is zero interaction.】 【Ni Wentian knows how to strike up a conversation with Jiang Xu and how to share chicken legs with Jiang Chuhe, so why does he not know how to pay more attention to Cui Qinglan?】 【It is simple: Ni Wentian does not like Cui Qinglan at all.】 【It is just a partner for a show, is it necessary to be this serious?】 【This is a dating show; the audience watches for sweet interactions. If you do not want to cooperate, then do not come on the show. Participating while acting pretentious and playing both sides is disgusting.】

Cui Qinglan did not care about Ni Wentian’s attitude; he was a person who took things as they came. His management company had told him to join the show to gain audience favor, so he came. Cui Qinglan was following company orders, but Ni Wentian was different.

He had joined the show to leach off the popularity; he clung to whoever was famous and sought out whoever could bring him traffic.

The entertainment industry is an arena for fame and fortune; only by being good at sucking in traffic and drawing attention can one survive long-term in a circle filled with talent. Ni Wentian’s original target was Jiang Xu.

Jiang Xu was a national idol with nearly ten million fans; as long as he could spark some chemistry with Jiang Xu, he would gain heat. But he had never expected Xu Zhiyan to make a sudden surprise appearance, and now, the popularity was almost entirely snatched away by the top-tier Film Emperor.

Jiang Xu and Xu Zhiyan pairing up successfully left him with no chance to get close to Jiang Xu. More importantly, Jiang Xu’s tepid attitude toward him meant he was constantly left with a cold shoulder. Not only was his self-esteem wounded, but it also invited external criticism, affecting his reputation.

After weighing the pros and cons, Ni Wentian decided to give up on Jiang Xu and look for a new target. He set his sights on Jiang Chuhe.

This glittering wealthy young master was not only a quality Omega but also a famous jewelry designer. Rich, handsome, and resourceful; although not as popular as Jiang Xu, if he could really hook up with him, it would be a huge help for his development in the entertainment industry.

It was just that Qin Ruizhe, the person by Jiang Chuhe’s side, was quite troublesome. However, seeing that there was not much interaction between them, it was likely just a political marriage without feelings.

Such marriages were common among wealthy families and conglomerates; no feelings, only interests. After marriage, they played their own games; as long as they did not make too much of a scene, no one would care.

Ni Wentian made up his mind. He adjusted his clothes and said seemingly casually, “Chuhe, I heard you are a jewelry designer. Is the brooch you are wearing today your own design?”

The scene was quiet, and Ni Wentian’s speaking naturally attracted a lot of attention. Those gazes first fell on him, and then on Jiang Chuhe.

The camera also provided a close-up shot, allowing the viewers in the livestream to see the brooch on Jiang Chuhe’s clothes more clearly.

The pattern of the brooch was planets orbiting the sun, accented with diamonds. Every diamond was large and bright, shining brilliantly under the high-definition camera. Jiang Chuhe fiddled with the brooch with his fingers. “I did not design this; it was a birthday gift from my father when I was twenty-four. It is a limited exclusive design; there is only one in the world.”

Ni Wentian immediately flattered him, “I saw at a glance that this brooch was no ordinary item. It seems my eye is good.”

Jiang Chuhe was extremely smug; he liked seeing envious expressions on others’ faces.

Luo Yuan tilted his head, staring at the brooch, and the more he looked, the more familiar it felt. “This brooch… Jiang-ge has the same one!”

Jiang Xu, who was busy eating, was namedropped. He raised his head blankly and asked, “What same one?”

Luo Yuan pointed at Jiang Chuhe’s chest: “Jiang-ge, do you not have a brooch like this? I saw one on your clothes before we started recording the show.”

When Jiang Xu had come to record the show, he had worn casual clothes. All the clothing had been prepared in advance and placed in the cloakroom, including accessories that were matched together. He had not paid attention at all when dressing. He vaguely remembered having a brooch, but he could not recall the exact shape or style.

“You must have seen it wrong.”

Jiang Xu did not want to get tangled up with Jiang Chuhe, so he deliberately changed the subject. “The barbecue sauce is gone; I am going to the kitchen to get some.”

He stood up from his chair and walked away.