Make Her Heart Flutter - Chapter 25

At eleven o’clock, when Jiang Qi stepped out again, the room next door had fallen silent. She tentatively knocked twice on the door. “Chi Shuang?”

No response.

She must have already gone downstairs.

A flicker of disappointment crossed her mind, but she quickly composed herself and adjusted the single-strap backpack slung over her shoulder.

“Sister Jiang, are you ready? We’re just waiting for you,” Jiang Ran’s voice echoed from the stairwell.

“Mm, coming,” Jiang Qi replied, making her way downstairs.

The car was already waiting at the entrance. The director waved at her. “Hurry up!”

The car assignments seemed to be based on room arrangements. As Jiang Qi settled into the back seat, she noticed Chi Shuang beside her. However, Chi Shuang didn’t look too well, so Jiang Qi simply nodded in greeting.

The weather was stiflingly hot, and Jiang Qi could feel the air conditioning running inside the car. With the windows closed, there was no other option. She pressed her lips together but said nothing.

The director rode in their car. Once everyone had fastened their seatbelts, he called out, “Let’s go!”

Three vans set off in a grand procession toward Jiangcheng.

The ride was bumpy. The director propped his head up, observing the two top-tier beauties of the show, his prized assets, guaranteed to attract fans with just a single frame.

But his two prized assets weren’t as close as he had hoped. How was he supposed to stir up drama or create a CP dynamic? All his efforts to pair them up in the same room seemed wasted.

“Sigh!”

He sighed helplessly and shook his head. Glancing in the rearview mirror, he saw Chi Shuang leaning against the seat, gazing out the window. Jiang Qi, on the other hand, seemed uncomfortable, likely because her long legs didn’t fit well in the limited space. She was looking out the other side of the window.

They were practically giving each other the cold shoulder.

“Sigh!”

The director sighed again. These two were a perfect match, a dream pairing, yet there was no spark between them.

Maybe he should script something for them? But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he dismissed it. Who would dare assign a script to Miss Jiang? Who would dare force her into a CP? She was practically royalty.

No, no! he couldn’t risk it. Did he even want this variety show to continue?

“Sigh!”

He sighed once more.

Jiang Qi hesitated but finally spoke up. “Director, is your throat bothering you? Or are we not heading to take promotional photos but to the executioner’s block instead?”

The remark was so amusing that even Chi Shuang couldn’t help but crack a smile.

Snapped out of his thoughts, the director turned to Jiang Qi, only to be left speechless by her comment.

“Ah, you!” he sighed again, exasperated.

Jiang Qi mimicked him with a sigh of her own.

The bumpy mountain road jolted the car, and Jiang Qi, unable to brace herself in time, accidentally bumped her head against the window.

“Ouch!” She winced, rubbing her head.

The director, sitting in the passenger seat, had just begun to smirk when Jiang Qi’s icy glare froze the expression on his face.

As Jiang Qi shifted to adjust her position, she noticed Chi Shuang’s unusually pale complexion. Setting aside her own discomfort, she instinctively reached out and took Chi Shuang’s hand. “Are you okay?”

“I…” Chi Shuang started to speak but was overcome by a wave of nausea. She could only shake her head helplessly, her gentle, innocent eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“Motion sickness?” The director turned around. “Is it bad? There’s a place to buy motion sickness medicine in about half an hour. Hang in there, Xiao Shuang!”

Probably because he was used to narrating, the director’s words carried a vivid and emotional tone, making one feel as if motion sickness had suddenly escalated into a terminal illness.

Chi Shuang took a moment to recover, licking her pale, bloodless lips. When she spoke, her voice was a little hoarse: “I can manage. I might need to sleep for a while. Could you help me buy something later, Director?”

“Of course, of course, no problem. You should rest quickly,” the director hurriedly agreed.

Jiang Qi: “…”

Just as Chi Shuang closed her eyes, something sour and sweet was slipped into her mouth, her lips brushing against the slightly cool index finger of the person feeding her.

It was a plum coated in sugar, with a tangy center.

Without even thinking, Chi Shuang knew who had given it to her. The silence was likely because she hadn’t asked for Jiang Qi’s help earlier but had instead turned to the director, which had clearly displeased her.

So now she was being moody and throwing a little tantrum.

The sourness of the plum helped settle her churning stomach, making her feel a bit more comfortable.

Half an hour later, after taking motion sickness medicine, Chi Shuang managed to open her eyes with some effort.

“How much longer?” she asked.

“We should arrive by one-thirty,” the director replied, glancing at his watch with a smile.

Jiang Qi’s actions had just caught the director’s eye. He thought to himself, Could it be that one side is interested while the other remains indifferent?

Well, no matter. As long as one of them showed some interest, he could edit the footage accordingly.

Whether it ended up as a joyful happily-ever-after or a tragically beautiful “limited-time romance,” as long as there was a couple, there would be something to talk about.

The director happily mused, his expression growing even more solicitous toward Chi Shuang. “If you’re feeling unwell, Xiao Shuang, just let me know.”

Chi Shuang seemed a bit startled by the director’s fawning tone and oddly sweet yet rough voice. She pressed her tongue against the roof of her mouth, barely suppressing the nausea that threatened to return.

Jiang Qi swiftly slipped another plum into Chi Shuang’s mouth.

Perhaps Chi Shuang had recovered somewhat from her bad mood, but her voice was still a little hoarse. “I never knew before how thoughtful Xiao Qi could be.”

Seeing that Chi Shuang was finally acknowledging her, Jiang Qi’s unhappiness and frustration instantly melted away. Still, her words came out a bit awkwardly, unlike her usual self: “When have I ever not been considerate toward you?”

Hearing what sounded almost like an accusation, Chi Shuang couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, alright, you’re the most considerate.”

Teasing Jiang Qi had lifted Chi Shuang’s spirits a notch. She leaned back in her seat, humming softly with her eyes half-closed.

Jiang Qi watched Chi Shuang’s relaxed expression. Though her face was still a bit pale, she clearly looked much better, and Jiang Qi breathed a sigh of relief.

For the next hour or so, whether due to the motion sickness medicine or her improved mood, Chi Shuang hardly felt nauseous again.

Still, the over-two-hour journey was excruciatingly long.

Jiang Qi got out of the car first and walked around to open the door for Chi Shuang.

“Thank you,” Chi Shuang nodded, offering a faint smile.

Jiang Qi, as always, wore no makeup. She wasn’t skilled at it, nor was she used to wearing any. But her eyelashes were long and incredibly thick, and from Chi Shuang’s angle, they looked as if they were lined with eyeliner.

Jiang Ran and the others had arrived a bit earlier, having made no stops along the way. They were now waving from the entrance of the building.

“Come on, put on your masks and hats,” the director said, handing each of them a black mask and a black hat, matching sets.

Years of experience as a performer had allowed Chi Shuang to quickly complete her disguise.

Jiang Qi glanced at the four identical black masks and hats beside her, hesitating before speaking, “Are you sure this won’t make us even more conspicuous?”

A lineup of black masks and hats, anyone who didn’t know better might think the mafia had just hit the streets.