Make Her Heart Flutter - Chapter 3

Jiang Qi followed the two at a distance, neither too close nor too far. With her sharp hearing, she overheard Xiao Yu recounting the earlier incident to Chi Shuang, ending with a compliment on her looks and demeanor.

Jiang Qi nodded to herself in approval, good taste.

Then came the twist: Xiao Yu began complaining that Jiang Qi was a bit intimidating, enough to send chills down one’s spine.

Chi Shuang chuckled softly, “Is that so?” before glancing sideways at Jiang Qi.

Her gaze swept over, and Jiang Qi felt a shiver run down her spine. Oh no, she thought, I must seem like a total creep.

Xiao Yu was about to nod in agreement when she followed Chi Shuang’s line of sight and froze in horror. Crap, she’d been caught bad-mouthing someone right to their face.

Xiao Yu tugged Chi Shuang forward a few steps, her ears and cheeks burning with embarrassment. “Chi Jie, why did you…”

Chi Shuang sighed and tapped Xiao Yu’s forehead with a slender finger. “Feeling awkward now? Words have consequences, you know. After all this time with me, you’re still such an innocent.”

Rubbing her sore forehead, Xiao Yu grumbled inwardly: You’re no better, or else why would you have let the company exploit you for three or four years? Of course, she only dared think it, not say it aloud.

Jiang Qi, who had intentionally put more distance between herself and Chi Shuang, breathed a sigh of relief and silently hummed “Grateful Heart” twice in her mind.

Once on the plane, Jiang Qi didn’t see Chi Shuang again, their seats probably weren’t together. Scanning the first-class cabin, Jiang Qi let out a derisive snort. After all the money Chi Shuang had earned for her agency, a first-class ticket was the least they could afford.

Combined with what Xiao Yu had said earlier, Jiang Qi became even more convinced that Chi Shuang’s agency was no good.

The variety show was being filmed in a remote mountainous area of Jiangcheng. The production team had arranged for airport pickups, but the directors hadn’t expected that the flight numbers provided by these two guests would be the same. Their minds began to wander with speculation, though reason told them it was likely just a coincidence.

To maintain an air of mystery among the guests, the production team had arranged separate vehicles for each. Sticking to the idea that it might just be a coincidence, they still sent two cars to pick them up.

As soon as Jiang Qi stepped off the plane, she was met with a massive crowd outside the airport, packed tightly in layers. Her eyes widened in disbelief. She checked her watch, it was only 7 a.m. Did these people not sleep?

Meanwhile, Chi Shuang, surrounded by security personnel, removed her mask and sunglasses, greeting her fans with a sweet smile.

Jiang Qi wasn’t far away and could even catch a glimpse of Chi Shuang’s faint, dimpled smile.

The early summer airport was stuffy and poorly ventilated, but the star-struck boys and girls paid no mind to the mingling scents of sweat around them. They pushed and shoved their way forward, screaming and shouting that name.

“Chi Shuang!”

“Everyone, slow down, please be careful,” Chi Shuang reminded them gently, steadying a girl who had nearly fallen in the jostling crowd.

This sent the fans into another wave of ecstatic screams.

Jiang Qi blinked, her usually aloof face showing a hint of bewildered disbelief. She couldn’t quite relate to the fervent passion of these fans.

Yet, she envied them, the genuine enthusiasm radiating from their faces was something she lacked.

Jiang Qi exited the airport first. At 177 cm tall, she stood out in the crowd, and the staff member assigned to pick her up spotted her immediately, approaching with a work pass in hand.

Recalling the director’s instructions, he felt a bit nervous, his palm sweating as he clutched his work pass. “Hello, are you General Manager Jiang?”

Jiang Qi nodded, trying to soften her expression as much as possible. “Just call me by my name. What’s yours?”

Seeing Jiang Qi’s expression shift, the staff member’s heart skipped a beat, wondering if he had somehow offended this young master. Before coming here, the director had warned him, this young master was not to be trifled with and had an unpredictable temper.

When he didn’t respond, a faint cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Jiang Qi tried to make her expression appear even more sincere and friendly.

Noticing the young master’s expression change again, he swallowed hard. “Just call me Xiao Chen. Let me take your suitcase and put it in the trunk.”

Jiang Qi nodded. “Thank you.”

Hearing Jiang Qi’s gratitude, Xiao Chen shook his head frantically. “No, no, it’s nothing.”

Pointing to a low-key black SUV nearby, Xiao Chen said, “General Manager Jiang, you can get in the car first. I’ll put the luggage in the trunk.”

Once inside the car, Jiang Qi noticed two cameras positioned directly in front of her, one on each side. She understood, they were likely recording behind-the-scenes footage.

Not long after Jiang Qi’s car departed, Chi Shuang, surrounded by fans, boarded another vehicle and headed in the same direction.

In Jiangcheng County, towering buildings gradually gave way to two-story villas and self-built houses. The car twisted and turned through narrow alleys, emerging and re-entering them repeatedly. Fortunately, Jiang Qi didn’t get carsick, or she would have been vomiting uncontrollably.

As for Chi Shuang, her face was pale as she leaned against the window, eyes closed. This time, she was actually doing better than the previous two trips, she had taken motion sickness medicine in advance and hadn’t experienced any adverse reactions like vomiting.

The assistant director riding with her couldn’t help but worry. “Do you need to rest?”

Chi Shuang shook her head, forcing a faint smile. “It’s fine. I just took motion sickness medicine. Stopping here would delay the filming schedule.”

The assistant director had indeed considered this. Every participant in the show had millions, if not tens of millions, of fans, well, except for Jiang Qi. Delaying the filming would create a domino effect, potentially disrupting others’ schedules.

Still, she was concerned about Chi Shuang. Her face was so pale; she must be feeling awful.

Moreover, for the upcoming behind-the-scenes footage, there probably wouldn’t be much to capture on the road. And among the recent participants, Chi Shuang had the most buzz. The assistant director could already imagine the backlash from fans accusing the production team and herself of giving their idol less screen time.

The cars eventually pulled into a small courtyard.

The setting was clearly arranged by the production team, with cameras installed in every corner to capture moments the main cameras might miss.

The air in the countryside was exceptionally fresh. As soon as Chi Shuang stepped out of the car, a gentle breeze enveloped her, as if cleansing her soul.

The nausea from the car ride began to dissipate. Seeing Chi Shuang looking better, the assistant director breathed a sigh of relief. “Feeling better? Filming is about to start. Get ready.”

Chi Shuang nodded, a faint dimple appearing on her cheek as she smiled. “Thank you for your concern. I’m feeling much better now.”

After getting off the car, Jiang Qi and Chi Shuang didn’t run into each other, as each was led to a small room. Jiang Qi glanced around the furnishings, it had everything an ordinary home would have: a TV, a bed, and a bathroom.

In the room, aside from herself, there was also her photographer. Jiang Qi wasn’t an actress, but she knew that in these kinds of variety shows, each guest would have their own dedicated photographer.

The director had also informed her beforehand: if she really couldn’t ignore the camera, she might as well just ignore the photographer.