The Scandalous Actress Needs to Strive GL - Chapter 25

 In the live broadcast, Zhou Yang’s eyes subtly lit up. He smiled and said, “Then I must have remembered incorrectly. May I ask if Miss Qiu has time to grant me the pleasure now?”

He had indeed been busy that day, but it wasn’t anything urgent. He just wanted to string the little star along, which is why he deliberately arrived at the hotel an hour late. Who knew that upon pushing open the door to Room 209, he wouldn’t even see a shadow? After that, he got busy and completely forgot about the matter.

If he had known this woman was such a rare beauty, he would have prioritized eating the beauty even if he was busier. But it wasn’t too late now. As for the “manager’s fault,” he wasn’t one of those ignorant and easily fooled viewers.

“Sure, come along, Sister Lai, let’s go together.” Qiu Wan again looped her arm through Lai Su’s. This time, she agreed openly. Who doesn’t know how to avoid suspicion? I wish I could be farther away from a hypocrite like you.

“Smack.” Another sound arose. Looking at Qiu Wan on the screen, who was smiling radiantly and arm-in-arm with someone else, Mu Qingchen flipped her phone face down on the desk. She impatiently unbuttoned the second button of her shirt, yet still couldn’t shake the annoyance.

In the assistant’s office just one wall away, Yu Baishu was about to leave work when she saw her CEO send a concise message with a few words: “Find someone to go drinking with me.”

“Understood, CEO.” Yu Baishu immediately agreed. She still owed Jin Wen a round of drinks from last time. This was a perfect opportunity to treat her on the company dime. I am simply too clever.

When Mu Qingchen saw that the drinking companion Yu Baishu had invited was Jin Wen, she was inexplicably relieved. The three of them drove all the way to Queen Street.

Watching the brooding CEO Mu drink heavily, Jin Wen took out her phone and silently typed: Kiddo, how’s CEO Mu’s tolerance?

Yu Baishu: I’m not sure, probably pretty good.

Jin Wen: What’s wrong? She looks like she’s drowning her sorrows in wine. What stimulated her?

Yu Baishu: Nothing, she was fine all day at the company.

Jin Wen: …Whatever, let’s have a few drinks first.

In the end, they looked at the drunken person with helpless expressions. The problem was, she was drunk, but CEO Mu was different from others. Her eyes were bloodshot and filled with cold air. She just stared at you, and her speech wasn’t slurred, because she spoke even fewer words.

She kept repeating the same five words: “Take me to find Qiu Wan.”

Yu Baishu sighed, “CEO Mu, it’s too late. I’ll book your tickets tomorrow. Let’s go back and rest first.”

Mu Qingchen sat still, coldly spitting out two words: “Drive.”

Jin Wen rubbed her forehead, trying to take her arm, but was instantly shaken off: “CEO Mu, you’re not in a state for this. It’s completely unrealistic to go find Qiu Wan. Let’s send you home first.”

Mu Qingchen looked up, her eyes red, her gaze like water, faintly glistening with tears: “Realistic. I am very clear-headed. Take me.”

Jin Wen’s heart ached at that look. She felt a certain sadness, perhaps because she hadn’t seen such pure stubbornness stubbornness for the sake of one person in many years.

She sighed and looked at Yu Baishu: “Forget it. I’ll find a designated driver and accompany her. You stay behind to handle company matters.”

Yu Baishu was dumbfounded: “Whose side are you on? You can’t be serious. What kind of situation is this?” But seeing her CEO clearly uncompromising, someone who couldn’t be coaxed or tricked and could only be indulged, she finally surrendered.

The next day, Qiu Wan and Lai Su, who had won the competition, were allowed to return to the city for shopping and could stay in a star-rated hotel for the night. The rarest thing was that the production team wasn’t following them, meaning they had complete freedom.

“Qiu Wan, are you coming? Since we’re here, it would be nice to check out the local customs.” Lai Su tried to coax her, but the woman in front of her wouldn’t budge. She was simply stone-hearted. Lai Su reluctantly went by herself.

Qiu Wan watched Lai Su’s retreating back, thinking that this proud female singer seemed to have forgotten her initial attitude. Since winning the competition yesterday, she had been acting like she wanted to bury the hatchet and be good friends.

She wasn’t curious about unfamiliar environments and just wanted to rest quietly for a day, to clear her mind. Just as she was thinking, her phone rang.

“Sister Jin? What’s so important that you have to say it now? Okay, I happen to be free today. I’ll be right there.”

Jin Wen hung up the phone and glanced at the person finally asleep in the back seat. There’s nothing life-or-death about this, she thought. Luckily, I watched the live broadcast yesterday and knew Qiu Wan would be in the city today and could stay out overnight. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gone along with this madness. After all, she was getting on in years, unlike young people now who still have adventurous dreams and people they can take risks for.

Near noon, Jin Wen completed the check-in procedures for CEO Mu, sent the detailed address to Qiu Wan, and returned to West City. After all, she had two artists under her and couldn’t stay here indefinitely.

Mu Qingchen took a shower and ate lunch. Her mind was clearer. Looking at the unfamiliar hotel room, she sighed, recalling her drunken loss of composure. Her heart was filled with confusion.

Halfway there, Qiu Wan learned from Jin Wen that Mu Qingchen was coming to find her, and she felt a bit anxious. Is it because of the live broadcast? Neither she nor the original owner was waiting for Zhou Yang that night.

When she arrived at the hotel, she saw CEO Mu sitting alone at a table, drinking by herself with wine bought from who knows where.

“You’re here. Have a drink?” Mu Qingchen pushed the other wine glass toward her. Her tone was calm, her expression casual and relaxed, even with a hint of a smile. It was unclear if she was drunk or sober.

The room was heated. Mu Qingchen was wearing very little. Qiu Wan took off her coat, leaving only the knitted shirt underneath, but still felt a little hot. She casually asked, “Why didn’t you say you were coming? How many shirts did you bring? Do you have a change?”

“Yes, Jin Wen bought a few. They’ve all been washed and ironed. Should I get you one to change into?” Mu Qingchen stood up and walked to the closet, choosing a casual one. Turning around, she saw Qiu Wan, who was standing with her back to her, had just taken off her knitted shirt, exposing her slender, fair waist.

The lingering scent of red wine in her mouth suddenly burned, scorching her throat until it was dry and itchy. The shirt in her hand instantly seemed superfluous.

“Why haven’t you… brought it yet” A pair of slightly cool hands pressed against her lower abdomen, and the skin on her back pressed against the cotton shirt. Qiu Wan gently swayed her body and said lightly, “Let me get dressed first.”

Mu Qingchen didn’t speak. She closed her eyes, bowing her head, somewhat obsessively and somewhat devoutly, deeply kissing the shoulder of the person in her arms. Her shallow breaths scattered on Qiu Wan’s shoulder, soon causing a blush to appear.

Qiu Wan’s mind was in turmoil, her thoughts flying in all directions. She didn’t turn around, enduring the tingling on her shoulders and neck. Her voice was uncontrollably shaky: “Qingchen, did you miss me? Let’s go to the bed.”

Mu Qingchen still said nothing. She raised her head, looking at the crimson that had spread to Qiu Wan’s earlobes. She recalled that night when she lost control, and the person who was lying in bed that evening, feeling both empty and choked up.

She abruptly became fierce, gripping Qiu Wan’s shoulders and forcing the person in her arms to turn around. Then, one arm forcefully pinned her down onto the carpet, while the other arm didn’t forget to protect Qiu Wan’s head.

“Tell me, how will you compensate me?”

Qiu Wan looked up. Today, Mu Qingchen was urgent and rough, seemingly wanting to destroy something, yet her actions were interspersed with a hint of tenderness and reluctance, making her heart pound like thunder, both scared and expectant.

“Compensate you… for what?” Her hoarse voice was bitten off mid-sentence, as the person attacked her throat. The subsequent sounds became soft and fluttering.

“Before you, I never had this feeling. Why did you look for a bed partner? How will you compensate?” How will you compensate for my heart fluttering, how will you compensate for the anxiety I feel the moment I meet you? Mu Qingchen’s eyes were red. She couldn’t hold it in anymore she was about to say that she liked her, and then she would lose. But this woman had once so eagerly lain in bed waiting for another man. The thought of it made her feel despair.

“Then… how will you compensate… hiss… me?” Before meeting you, I was still the Prime Minister’s daughter. I had so many beautiful expectations for my future husband. But what happened later?

Later, those beautiful expectations, those ideal criteria, were broken from the very first one. Mu Qingchen was a woman. From the very first criteria, she knew that all her previous criteria would be shattered, and all her expectations would be reshaped because of this person.

“Compensate you for what?” Mu Qingchen chuckled, but her grip didn’t stop. She didn’t believe she owed Qiu Wan anything. That night, although it happened by chance, it was mutual. Later, she also tried to be a qualified bed partner.

“Compensate me for my… desires.” Before you, I thought I would eventually meet the right person, and we would grow old together and share intimacy. But now, I don’t want to touch anyone else, and I will absolutely not let anyone else touch me.

Qiu Wan closed her eyes. The person on top of her had reverted to a state of few words. The noon sun gradually dipped west until the world grew dim, leaving only the moon hanging in the night sky, accompanied by twinkling stars scattering cool light on this cold winter night.

It wasn’t until the next day, when the room was once again bathed in sunlight, that she opened her eyes. Like a satisfied cat, she stretched. The room was empty. There were no scattered clothes on the floor, as if yesterday had been her delusion.

She looked at the neatly folded clothes on the pillow, threw on a shirt, and walked toward the bathroom. It was empty.

Qiu Wan opened her mouth, a low, hoarse “Qingchen” escaping her throat, but no one answered. She took out her phone, opened the voice call, and a few seconds later, the other party answered: “Did you leave?”

“Yes.” Mu Qingchen heard the distinctly aggrieved voice on the other end. Her heart, which had been calm all morning, became troubled again. She wanted to say something but couldn’t. In the end, she only gave a single affirmative sound.

“Are you going to change bed partners?” Qiu Wan felt wronged, and her voice sounded wronged. If she hadn’t been strong enough, she would have been crying helplessly by now. This kind of interaction made her feel bitter. Did she rush to the hotel just to fulfill her duty as a bed partner? Is there no time for morning tenderness? Does she always tear down the bridge after crossing the river?

Mu Qingchen looked out the car window, feeling even more stifled. She had never considered finding a bed partner. So, what about Qiu Wan? Why did she have that thought in the first place? Could it be the suspension bridge effect at work all along?

She closed her eyes, took two deep breaths, and finally let out a heavy sigh: “I said, I won’t change.”