Love Contract with the Queen Actress - Chapter 8

“Did you see that super cool red sports car that just passed by?”

“No idea which celebrity was driving it. The windows were tinted so dark you couldn’t see who was inside.”

“I really want to go take a look!”

Beside the security checkpoint of the film studio, a low-slung red sports car pulled over to the side of the road.

The car’s body gleamed, its streamlined design from front to back as eye-catching as its fiery color.

Passersby couldn’t help but turn their heads for a second glance.

Su Yuchen, clutching her phone, tiptoed to the car door like a thief, crouching beside it before lightly tapping on the window.

The person inside seemed to have been watching for a while before finally rolling the window down.

Shen Wu, her face half-hidden behind oversized black sunglasses, tilted her head slightly. “Here to steal the car?”

“…”

“N-no!” Su Yuchen pressed herself against the car door. “I just didn’t want to be seen. It’s… a bit too flashy.”

And when she said she was pressing against the car door, she really meant it.

Though tall, her slender frame was delicate, and as she crouched outside the door, she looked like a small bundle, her hands gripping the edge of the rolled-down window, half her face buried against the door, leaving only a pair of round, almond-shaped eyes peeking timidly at Shen Wu inside the car.

Like a little kitten.

They say a guilty conscience betrays itself, but she was just nervous about being near something expensive, adorably so.

“It’s a legit paycheck. Nothing to be afraid of.”

Shen Wu tilted her head slightly toward Su Yuchen. “Get in.”

Su Yuchen let out a soft “Oh” and began fumbling along the car door.

After a long while, she leaned back against the window, peeking out with half her face, and asked weakly, “Whe-where’s the door handle?”

Winter nights fell early, and the dim sky was now shrouded in a dusky cobalt blue.

The streetlights flickered on, and by chance, a warm yellow glow fell on her soft, fluffy hair, making Su Yuchen look as if she were bathed in light.

Her long lashes, the sharp bridge of her nose, and her soft, rosy lips were illuminated, while her cheeks remained in faint shadow, giving her an overall warm, fuzzy glow.

The corner of Shen Wu’s lips twitched almost imperceptibly as she pressed a button, causing the car door to whoosh upward in an unconventional motion, revealing the passenger seat.

If Su Yuchen really had been a kitten clinging to the door, she’d have been left dangling mid-air.

But as it was, she wasn’t much better off. The sudden movement caught her off guard, and when she finally reacted, she stumbled back a step.

The gazes of passersby felt like needles against her back.

Not daring to lift her head, Su Yuchen scrambled into the passenger seat, sitting quietly and obediently with her head bowed.

This time, Shen Wu didn’t tease her. She pressed the switch again, and the door descended with an almost inaudible mechanical hum, finally sealing shut.

“Phew.”

Su Yuchen secretly exhaled in relief, thinking she’d hidden the motion well, unaware that Shen Wu had caught every bit of it.

Completely oblivious, she even stole a glance at Shen Wu’s profile.

“Um… thanks for picking me up.”

“No need.” Shen Wu withdrew her gaze from behind the sunglasses and started the car, focusing on the road ahead.

The scarlet sports car roared to life like a blazing flame, piercing through the encroaching night.

In the deepening darkness, a crowd emerged, bustling around them.

Liu Ruomeng was wrapped in a long down jacket, her costume bundled inside, her eyes still following the receding silhouette of that audacious red sports car.

“Xiao Meng, we should head back to the hotel to remove your makeup.”

Before her assistant could finish, her gaze followed Liu Ruomeng’s. “Wow, whose sports car is that? So flashy.”

“Who else could it be? There’s only one like it in the country,” Liu Ruomeng snorted coldly. “Seems I underestimated that co-star of mine.”

She glanced at her assistant. “What was the name of the one I acted with this morning?”

The male assistant eagerly piped up, “Su Yuchen.”

Then he waggled his eyebrows, as if waiting for praise.

Liu Ruomeng shot him a sidelong glance. “Go feed the rescue food in the trunk.”

“Did you even feed the cats yesterday? All the bowls were empty when I checked today.”

“Can you even do your job? If not, get lost! I don’t keep useless people around!”

The male assistant was so frightened he didn’t dare get in the car. The other assistants helped the little princess into the vehicle, each tapping away on their phones.

“Xiao Meng, your co-star is practically a nobody, not even on the radar.”

Liu Ruomeng leaned back in her seat, idly admiring her long nails. “Hah, a nobody? Probably doesn’t even have a few press releases to her name. Must be hard to dig up info on her.”

“Well, actually… it was pretty easy.”

The assistants chimed in, “Yeah, really…”

“What?” Liu Ruomeng, used to getting her way, immediately scowled, her delicate brows furrowing as she glared at them.

“Uh, Xiao Meng, don’t be mad.”

“It’s just that she seems to be joining Shen Wu on a dating show. It’s been all over the news lately.”

“Probably fake, though. Just riding Shen Wu’s coattails for clout. Seen this kind of trick a million times.”

“But that…” Liu Ruomeng stomped her foot. “Isn’t that Shen Wu’s car?”

…

“So,” Su Yuchen pursed her lips, breaking the silence in the car. “How about one yuan?”

A pause.

“It’s fine.”

Shen Wu stared calmly ahead before leisurely uttering three words: “I am not.”

“Huh?”

“You-what’s wrong?” Su Yuchen stole a glance at Shen Wu.

Dressed in comfortable loungewear, her wavy hair cascading casually over her shoulders, she looked effortlessly elegant and all the more captivating for it.

“Go home and see what your daughter did.”

Her tone was clipped, as if recalling something infuriating.

Shen Wu abruptly yanked the steering wheel, forcing the car into a violent turn. The rear tires skidded as the vehicle aggressively swung around in a U-turn.

The red sports car streaked across the road like a bolt of crimson lightning, drawing a chorus of whistles like an honor guard sending it off before leaving them far behind in the glow of its taillights.

Su Yuchen clung to the sides of her seat, terrified by Shen Wu’s rough driving. She felt her face nearly smash into the window.

At that moment, it wasn’t much different from being interrogated under torture.

Her inner monologue had already painted a vivid scene: Su Yuchen, with knife-sharp eyes and shark-like teeth, pointing at an utterly innocent little cat and roaring,

“Ahhh! One yuan, what on earth did you do to piss off Shen Wu?!”

…

Su Yuchen followed Shen Wu back to her penthouse apartment. The moment the door opened, she froze.

The original leather sofa was now blocking the entrance. Looking further in, the spot where the sofa had once been was now occupied by a sleek, minimalist black sofa with slender legs, simple in design but unmistakably expensive.

The entire wall behind the sofa was originally floor-to-ceiling glass windows, offering a stunning view. Now, it was lined with the largest cat trees and cat condos imaginable. At this moment, One Yuan was leisurely licking its paws amidst a playful assortment of high and low toys.

Shen Wu probably also found the sofa by the entrance a bit in the way. After kicking off his shoes, he nudged the sofa aside with his leg before walking in.

“This will be moved out tomorrow.”

“…”

In just one week, Shen Wu’s home had undergone a dramatic transformation.

Though the last visit had been brief, the understated yet luxurious ambiance of the place had left a lasting impression.

Today, Su Yuchen was shocked to find that even the curtains seemed to have been replaced with new ones.

“Um, why are you changing the sofa?”

Su Yuchen couldn’t help but ask.

Shen Wu had already walked into the living room. At the question, he raised a finger and pointed at the little creature happily grooming itself, his tone far from pleased: “Ask it.”

“…”

Su Yuchen grumbled inwardly: I’m not a cat.

But guessing that One Yuan must have done something wrong, she asked uneasily, “What did it do?”

“It,” Shen Wu sat back on the new sofa, crossing his long legs and removing his sunglasses, “Nothing much. Probably just didn’t like that white sofa.”

“…”

Su Yuchen fell silent for two seconds before looking down and spotting shredded paper all over the floor.

It wasn’t just scraps, it was torn paper, the edges jagged and messy, with clear bite marks along the sides.

She silently crouched down, picking up the pieces and smoothing them out in her hands. She could see annotations in different colored highlighters.

This was unmistakably a script.

“…”

Su Yuchen swallowed hard. “Did… did it bite this?”

Shen Wu folded his sunglasses and tossed them casually onto the sofa. “Unless I did it?”

“…”

Su Yuchen: “…”

So One Yuan really had done something bad.

“Um… I’m really sorry about it.” Su Yuchen tried her best to gather the torn pieces, smoothing out the creases with her hands. She wanted to return the script to Shen Wu but hesitated, finding it too pitiful to hand over.

“It’s fine. Just a script someone brought to discuss with me,” Shen Wu gestured vaguely at the mess in her hands, adding emphasis, “A ghost story.”

“Ah…”

Su Yuchen couldn’t help but glance down at the mutilated script, her eyes skimming a few lines before a shiver ran down her spine.

“Even in pieces, it’s not bad,” Shen Wu smiled. “You can take a look.”

“…”

Su Yuchen’s cursed eyes slid over a few more lines.

“…”

Oh no, I’m a little scared now.

She wanted to return the script to Shen Wu.

But before she could speak, she felt something warm brushing against her pant leg.

“Ah, One Yuan.”

Carefully rolling up the script, she picked up the little one, noticing it had grown significantly heavier.

Holding the now much larger kitten, Su Yuchen smiled, her almond-shaped eyes curving as she met One Yuan’s big, round eyes, clear and innocent. “You’ve grown so much in just a week! Do you still remember me?”

The kitten nuzzled familiarly into her arms, adjusting itself into a comfortable position before letting out a happy “Meow.”

Su Yuchen stroked its fur, her face beaming with joy.

Anyone could see how much she adored this little cat.

Shen Wu watched her, one eyebrow quirking up.

“You really are its birth mother.”

“Alright, now you’ll solve a century-old problem.”

Upon hearing these words, Su Yuchen reacted as if facing a formidable enemy. She lifted her gaze, her clear, large eyes filled with a trace of panic: “What?”

“Give it the medicine.”

Five minutes later, Su Yuchen scratched One Yuan under the chin, speaking to the kitten in a coaxing tone as if talking to a child: “Good kitty, so brave, you ate it all in one go.”

“Now eat this one too, okay?”

Su Yuchen handed over a pink capsule. Without hesitation, One Yuan opened its mouth and swallowed it, then even licked Su Yuchen’s fair palm afterward.

Looking up obediently, it let out a soft “Meow.”

“…”

Shen Wu, who had gone through hell and back, even replacing the sofa, stood frozen on the spot, utterly petrified.

“So…”

“It just… ate it like that?”

Shen Wu’s voice trembled slightly.

“Lactoferrin, lecithin, fish oil, it ate all of them?”

Then what was the point of her sneaking around like a thief, wrestling with the sofa as if trying to steal a bird’s egg?!

Su Yuchen rubbed the kitten’s head, basking in the joy of a child taking its supplements on time every day: “One Yuan is so well-behaved! It’s definitely going to grow up strong and healthy!”

“Hmph, it’s growing up strong and healthy, but my knees are about to bruise from kneeling so much.”

Shen Wu plopped heavily back onto the sofa. The slight upward tilt of her eyes, combined with her unsmiling expression, gave her a rather sharp demeanor.

One Yuan shrank further into Su Yuchen’s arms, too afraid to even glance at Shen Wu, letting out a soft, helpless “Meow.”

The sound was sweet and tender but brimming with grievance, which instantly stoked Shen Wu’s anger.

“Do you know how much research I did for you? I bought everything, made all the preparations, studied like I was about to join a film crew, only to not even be able to feed you medicine! Did I abuse you or something? Why are you so scared of me?”

Though she claimed to be angry, there was more hurt than fury in her tone.

But this only made the kitten shrink even further into Su Yuchen’s arms in fear.

“One Yuan, don’t be scared, no one wants to hurt you. Be good, okay?”

Shen Wu said coolly, “You see? I’m not suited to take care of it. Maybe you should take it.”

Su Yuchen looked at Shen Wu with hesitation. “My home… isn’t suitable for pets.”

Hearing this, Shen Wu’s expression didn’t change, but her fingers, resting on her crossed arms, tapped lightly.

“Oh? What’s your home like? Why can’t you keep it?”

Shen Wu was sharp, she sensed that this wasn’t an excuse but a genuine incompatibility.

“I…” Su Yuchen hesitated. “There are people at home.”

Shen Wu frowned, leaning forward slightly. “So, who’s at your home?”

Su Yuchen pressed her lips together.

Shen Wu asked, “Is it inconvenient to say?”

Su Yuchen shook her head. “It’s my mom. She’s bedridden, and my uncle and aunt are taking care of her. Our home isn’t suitable for pets.”

Finally, Shen Wu’s tense posture relaxed. She leaned back against the sofa and said leisurely, “Since you can’t take it, then you’ll have to come every day to fulfill your duty of caring for it.”

“Otherwise, if I can’t feed it medicine, it won’t be good for its health.”

Su Yuchen hugged the kitten and looked at Shen Wu. “I have to go to the set every day now.”

In the industry, it was common knowledge that wrap times were never guaranteed to be consistent.

Shen Wu waved a hand dismissively. “I know. Come whenever you finish, no matter the time.”

“I happen to be relatively free these days. If I have time, I can even pick you up.”

“If you don’t come, she’ll go hungry. It’s as simple as that.”

Despite Shen Wu’s seemingly harsh words, Su Yuchen was convinced that she wasn’t as tough as she appeared.

Otherwise, why would there be a wall full of cat climbing structures and stacks of toys at varying heights? If she didn’t genuinely adore the kitten, she wouldn’t have even bothered replacing the sofa.

After a moment’s thought, Su Yuchen nodded. “Alright.”

But then she frowned. Though Shen Wu’s upscale residential area wasn’t far from the subway station, the route from the station to her home wasn’t exactly convenient, requiring a bus transfer, and at this late hour, there might not even be any buses running.

Shen Wu seemed to read her mind and said nonchalantly, “If it’s too late, you can stay at my place. There’s a guest room available.”

The clock on the wall ticked past the time when Su Yuchen could still catch public transport home.

Outside, the night was dark and starless likely due to the blazing sunset earlier, a sign that tomorrow’s weather would be far from pleasant.

Inside, the warm lighting softened the cold, heavy weight of the night.

The faint fragrance clinging to Shen Wu wafted through the air as she casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, subtle yet intoxicating.

“Alright, take good care of the cat. I’m going to shower first.”

The relationship between them was already ambiguous, further complicated by that one reckless night.

Now, with those words hanging in the air, it was impossible not to feel the tension.

“You?” Su Yuchen stiffened, the question slipping out before she could stop herself. “Going to do what?”

Shen Wu paused at the bathroom door. “Shower.”

Then she turned back, her cascading waves of hair spilling over her shoulders, her gaze brimming with undisguised allure as she added,

“What, you want to join me?”