I Didn’t Want to Fall, but My Arch-Nemesis Is Just Too Handsome - Chapter 18

Jiang Xu felt that Xu Zhiyan was truly an expert at acting. As expected of a triple-threat film emperor, he could play the role of the big bad wolf just as well as he could play the role of the humble, pitiful soul. If it were anyone else, they would definitely be deceived, but Jiang Xu considered himself wise and sagacious; he would absolutely not fall for such tricks.

“Stop acting! I still have a score to settle with you.”

Xu Zhiyan licked his lips, tasting the flavor of roses. It was the scent of Jiang Xu’s pheromones, and it was incredibly sweet! He curled his lips and asked, “How would my treasure like to settle it?”

Jiang Xu felt his earlobes tremble from the heat caused by the word “treasure.” Even though the distance between them had been opened up, he could still feel the fragrance of brandy lingering by his side.

Jiang Xu took a step back and said, “What did you promise me last night? You said you would not come to participate in the program. Have you fed your words to the dogs?”

“I signed a contract and cannot break it. Besides, I was not supposed to be a guest at first; I was only meant to be an NPC.” Xu Zhiyan stared into Jiang Xu’s eyes, a smile hidden within his gaze. “It was you, my treasure, who chose me.”

“…” Jiang Xu regretted his decision. He had chosen to be an NPC guest precisely to avoid trouble, never expecting that his cleverness would lead to his own undoing. Now that the mistake had been made, nothing could be done to remedy it.

“You can be my partner, but I am warning you, do not do anything inappropriate on the program. Remember, we are not close.”

Xu Zhiyan raised an eyebrow. “Yes, we are not close! But we sleep in the same bed every night.”

Jiang Xu clenched his fists. “Are you looking for a beating?”

“Fine, I will listen to you.” Xu Zhiyan leaned over to look at him. “You have finished asking your questions, so can I ask you one now?”

Jiang Xu: “No.”

“Fine, then I will ask.”

“I said no!” Jiang Xu gritted his teeth.

“Do you know Qin Ruizhe?”

Jiang Xu glanced at him. “Does that have anything to do with you?”

Xu Zhiyan could sense that Qin Ruizhe had ill intentions toward Jiang Xu and that coming to participate in the program was likely aimed at him.

“It does not have much to do with me.” Xu Zhiyan’s tone shifted suddenly, becoming gloomy. “But he released his pheromones in front of you.”

Jiang Xu frowned. “It was just to show off his grade. So what if he is S-grade? I hate you top-tier Alphas the most.”

“Treasure, you are wrong! Usually, when an Alpha displays pheromones in front of an Omega, it is nothing more than suppression or courtship.”

Courtship? Jiang Xu wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Do not go sticking rotten cucumbers onto me.”

Xu Zhiyan laughed out loud. “Indeed! My Xu Xu has been pampered with such high standards that he would not set his sights on a person like that.”

“And you, stop sticking yourself onto me, too.”

Jiang Xu gave him a warning look and walked away with his dinner plate. The smile on Xu Zhiyan’s face gradually dissipated. Without the gentleness he showed when facing Jiang Xu, his entire body was filled with a chill. Qin Ruizhe, is it? Those who dare to covet my person must pay the price.

Jiang Chuhe’s gaze shifted to the opposite side intentionally or unintentionally. There were two empty seats: one for Jiang Xu and one for Xu Zhiyan. The fact that both of them had disappeared at the same time and for so long was obviously suspicious.

Jiang Chuhe asked seemingly carelessly but with intentional purpose: “Where did Jiang Xu go? He still has not returned. How strange, why is Film Emperor Xu also missing?”

Reminded by him, everyone present realized that Xu Zhiyan had left the restaurant at some unknown point.

Ni Wentian said: “Teacher Jiang and Film Emperor Xu are inseparable, so it seems their relationship is quite good. Perhaps the two of them went to get some barbecue sauce together and are hiding somewhere whispering to each other.”

“Even primary school students know that whispering behind others’ backs is impolite behavior.” Jiang Xu walked into the restaurant with his dinner plate, his sharp gaze fixed on Ni Wentian. “I had only been gone for ten minutes, and already someone has started spreading rumors.”

Ni Wentian’s expression was awkward. “I, I did not mean it that way. Teacher Jiang, please do not misunderstand.”

“What would I misunderstand? It is what you said that is quite easy to misunderstand.”

Jiang Xu sat back in his chair, but his imposing manner did not weaken because of the change in posture. Ni Wentian felt guilty under his gaze and looked away without speaking.

Jiang Chuhe clenched his fingers, unwilling to let the direction of the conversation be skewed by Jiang Xu. However, since Jiang Xu and Xu Zhiyan had not entered or left together, it was difficult for him to make an issue of it. He had originally planned to let his paid trolls control the rhythm and guide the comments to make the fans of Xu Zhiyan and Jiang Xu tear each other apart. Now, it seemed that this plan would have to be temporarily shelved.

Jiang Chuhe’s fingers touched his phone, preparing to tell his assistant not to activate the trolls to manipulate public opinion. A tall, upright figure entered his sight. He looked up quickly and saw that Xu Zhiyan had returned.

However, Jiang Chuhe exclaimed in surprise: “Film Emperor Xu, why is your lip swollen?”

With his shout, everyone’s attention was drawn to it. Even the cameras provided a close-up, clearly capturing the wound on the corner of Xu Zhiyan’s lip. Although the red, swollen wound that was seeping blood was tiny, it had nowhere to hide under the high-definition close-up lens. The bullet comments were instantly exploded by the wound that had appeared for no reason on the top-tier film emperor’s lip.

[Why is my idol’s lip swollen?]

[He bumped into a wall, bit it by accident, was bitten by a mosquito, or scratched it himself. Film Emperor Xu, please pick one!]

[Jiang Xu and Xu Zhiyan disappeared together, and Xu Zhiyan came back with a wound on his lip. I will not say anything, you guys guess for yourselves!]

[If you do not explain, I will start spreading wild rumors.]

[I am officially spreading rumors!]

[Ni Wentian was not wrong; they were just secretly hiding and being intimate.]

[Jiang Xu, how dare you bite my idol’s lip? My heart aches for him.]

Jiang Chuhe’s shout made Jiang Xu’s heart beat wildly. He stared straight at Xu Zhiyan, sending a warning with his eyes: “If you dare to talk nonsense, I will definitely kill you!”

Xu Zhiyan understood the meaning in his eyes and gave him an ambiguous look. Jiang Xu clenched his fingers. “You jerk, just you wait!”

Under the camera, Xu Zhiyan raised his hand and touched the corner of his lip. “I have not been drinking enough water, and the corner of my lip cracked.” He beckoned to the makeup artist: “Excuse me, can I have a lip balm?”

The makeup artist immediately brought over a brand-new lip balm and also brought an anti-inflammatory ointment.

“Thank you!” Xu Zhiyan accepted them with a nod.

Jiang Chuhe stared at Xu Zhiyan’s wound, and the more he looked, the more he felt it was not as simple as being dry and cracked. It was clearly a bite. Xu Zhiyan would not bite himself for no reason, so there was only one possibility. Jiang Chuhe suddenly looked toward the direction where Jiang Xu was.

A hypothesis in his mind was gradually growing: Jiang Xu and Xu Zhiyan really had an intimate relationship.

Qin Ruizhe had the same thought, but he was not one to merely guess like Jiang Chuhe. He asked bluntly: “Jiang Xu, where did you and Film Emperor Xu go just now?”

Jiang Xu’s expression darkened instantly. His lips moved, and just before he could make a sound, Xu Zhiyan’s voice rang out: “I am not sure where Xu went, but I went to the restroom just now and found something…”

His long, slender fingers tapped gently on the table. Everyone’s eyes focused on it, and they were all stunned. It was a brooch.