Turns Out Seducing the Movie Queen Can Break the Plot - Chapter 12

The warm breath tickled her cheek, seeming to penetrate beyond the skin straight to her heart, leaving a tingling sensation.

Wen Wen didn’t retreat. Instead, she tilted her head closer, forcing Jiang Chi to step back. Her peach-blossom eyes seemed to seep with an intoxicating allure that lingered in Jiang Chi’s gaze. “Give me a reason to feel sorry for you.”

To her surprise, Jiang Chi actually furrowed her brows and seriously pondered the question. After about three seconds, she cupped her own face and said, “Probably because I’m pretty and adorable?”

Wen Wen chuckled softly and shook her head before stepping into the hall.

In truth, Ji Mei and Jin Jinyi had already moved to greet them the moment the door opened, but seeing the two at the entrance engrossed in what seemed like an intimate conversation, they hesitated to interrupt. Only when Wen Wen walked in did Ji Mei finally approach, her expression sweet and eager as she stared intently at Wen Wen. “Sister Wen, I’m your fan! I absolutely adore you!”

She even reached out to take Wen Wen’s hand, but Wen Wen deftly avoided the gesture.

Taking a step back, Wen Wen replied calmly, “Thank you for your support, but in the future, please maintain at least this distance from me. This is the social boundary I’m comfortable with.”

Jiang Chi estimated the gap between them about a meter.

Ji Mei’s smile faltered for a split second before she quickly recovered, sweetly trying to close the distance again. “I’m sorry, Sister Wen. I was just so excited to see you that I couldn’t help wanting to get closer. Could you?”

Normally, Wen Wen wouldn’t interrupt someone out of respect unless she found their words unbearable. She took another step back. “Managing your emotions and behavior is your responsibility. Let me reiterate: I don’t like people getting too close to me.”

With that, she walked past Ji Mei and headed further inside.

A crack finally appeared in Ji Mei’s flawless facade, though she swiftly smoothed it over, maintaining her composure. Still, she shot a resentful glance at Jiang Chi as she followed Wen Wen in.

Jiang Chi paused beside her, tilting her head with an innocent smile. “Didn’t I just say not to go around calling people ‘sister’?”

Without waiting for a response, she hurried after Wen Wen. Right now, she didn’t want to be separated from Wen Wen for even a second especially not to perform any ridiculous antics around Su Jing for the cameras.

Since not everyone had arrived yet, the production team hadn’t issued any specific tasks. With nothing else to do, Wen Wen picked up a scrambled Rubik’s cube from the table and began fiddling with it.

Jiang Chi walked over and sat down about a meter away from Wen Wen, her gaze lingering on the cube in Wen Wen’s hands as she replayed Wen Wen’s earlier words in her mind.

Comfortable social distance: one meter.

Come to think of it, during their first meeting in the Jiang Hotel parking garage, Wen Wen had also explicitly told her to keep her distance though she hadn’t specified how far, and her tone hadn’t been as stern as it was just now. At the time, Jiang Chi hadn’t paid it much mind.

But looking back, every time she’d appeared near Wen Wen, she’d practically thrown herself at her, clinging like a limpet.

Could that be why Wen Wen had grown increasingly impatient with her?

Then again, Wen Wen had never actually pushed her away.

Her eyes shifted slowly from the cube to Wen Wen.

Maybe I should test it move closer and see if she reacts.

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than Jiang Chi acted on it.

She inched closer to Wen Wen bit by bit, stealing glances at her with each tiny movement, as if she were a thief.

“What are you doing, wriggling like a worm?” Wen Wen asked, puzzled.

Since she’d been caught, Jiang Chi simply plopped down right next to Wen Wen but just sat there in silence.

Feigning ignorance of her intentions, Wen Wen raised the Rubik’s cube in her hand and smirked. “Sitting so close, do you want to play with this?”

Jiang Chi nodded obediently. “But I don’t know how. Could you teach me, sis?”

Wen Wen’s gaze lingered on her face, as if searching for some flaw. “You don’t find this boring?”

Jiang Chi blinked. “I think if you’re the one teaching me, it definitely won’t be boring.”

Before Wen Wen could respond, a voice suddenly cut in. “Miss Jiang, I can solve the cube too. How about I teach you instead?”

The moment Su Jing called out to her, Jiang Chi froze for a full three seconds. Was Su Jing trying to flirt with her?

What was going on?

As if on cue, the moment Su Jing finished speaking, Ji Mei jumped in to join the fun. “Sis Wen, I want to play too, but I don’t know how. Can you teach me?” Her tone was soft and pleading.

Silence fell the instant she stopped speaking.

Despite the room being filled with people, including crew members, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Just as Jiang Chi was about to speak, a knock at the door shattered the stillness in the living room.

The door swung open, and Bai Yuetong stepped inside, bowing apologetically to everyone present. “Sorry, the bus was late, and I waited forever for a taxi. But I know that’s no excuse, I’m really sorry for being late.”

Su Jing glanced at Jiang Chi. He knew exactly how to push her buttons and spoke up to defend Bai Yuetong. “It’s fine. The show didn’t specify an exact arrival time, and we just got here ourselves. No need to apologize.”

He then looked at Jiang Chi, only to find her completely unresponsive. She simply nodded in agreement, even standing up to guide Bai Yuetong to sit beside Su Jing before handing her a glass of water from the table. “You must be thirsty. Have some water.”

Bai Yuetong looked utterly flustered as she accepted the glass with trembling hands.

Jiang Chi patted her shoulder gently. “Take your time.”

Since Su Jing and Bai Yuetong were the story’s main couple, she might as well do her best to push them together sooner. Maybe then, she could finally break free from the plot’s control.

No one could give her a definite answer, though. She’d just have to take it one step at a time.

Ji Mei’s eyes swept over Jiang Chi before she feigned pitifulness. “Actually, being late isn’t so bad. At least you don’t get your warm face shoved into a cold backside.”

Her words were so pointed that everyone in the room instinctively turned to look at Jiang Chi.

“Hey, don’t look at me.” Jiang Chi raised her hands in surrender. “My backside isn’t cold.”

The moment she spoke, a wind-chime-like laugh rang softly in her ears so lovely it sent shivers down her spine.

She turned to see Wen Wen laughing heartily, her eyes curved into crescents, a playful canine tooth peeking out as the golden glow of sunset bathed her. It was like sunlight dancing on azure waves stunningly beautiful.

Jiang Chi stared at her, mesmerized.

For some reason, she wanted to preserve this moment and revisit it over and over.

Suddenly, a disdainful voice shattered the scene. Ji Mei scooted closer to Wen Wen with a flower-like smile, though her tone carried an edge: “Sister Wen, don’t you think people like this are ridiculous? Pretending not to understand when they clearly do, probably thinking they’re being funny.”

“Oh?” Wen Wen’s smile remained as she spoke, but her expression immediately turned serious in the next moment. She lifted her gaze to meet Ji Mei’s, her eyes like a cold moon. “I think people like you are even more ridiculous.”

“From what you just said, you dislike those who fawn over others, right? I don’t recall ever being overly warm to you, so why do you keep trying to get my attention?”

“What, do I look easy to get along with?”

Ji Mei’s eyes instantly reddened under the scolding, looking as pitiful as an injured rabbit. “Sister Wen, I just really like you.”

“Is your way of expressing affection by putting others down?” Wen Wen’s tone was light as water, yet carried an inexplicable weight of authority.

Jin Jinyi handed Ji Mei a tissue, his brows furrowed as if wrestling with something internally. After several aborted attempts to speak, he finally looked up at Wen Wen. “Teacher Wen, I respect you deeply, but weren’t your words just now a bit too harsh?”

Wen Wen coolly shifted her gaze to him and countered, “I’d like to know, what exactly is your stance in defending her?”

The atmosphere plunged into an icy freeze.

Jiang Chi never took her eyes off Wen Wen.

From the moment Wen Wen’s expression turned serious, it hadn’t changed remaining as calm as still water. Yet even so, in Jiang Chi’s eyes, Wen Wen still shone brilliantly, more dazzling than sunlight on the ocean.

Having grown up sheltered and unchallenged due to her family’s influence, Jiang Chi had always been the one standing in front of others. She’d speak up for strangers being bullied, seek justice for friends who were wronged. When Su Jing suffered from online harassment, she’d assembled a legal team to send cease-and-desist letters to every cyberbully.

This was the first time she’d ever felt protected.

She’d never thought to rely on anyone, never felt she lacked security. But beside Wen Wen, she felt an inexplicable, overwhelming sense of safety, one that made her want to depend on her, to lean on her forever.

Most importantly, she realized she craved this very sense of security that Wen Wen provided.

This feeling had sprouted like bamboo shoots after rain, multiplying rapidly, spreading uncontrollably.

Why she felt this way, she didn’t know.

After all, she’d never lacked for security before.

Director Xu jumped in to mediate, raising his megaphone cheerfully: “Since everyone’s here, let’s go around and introduce ourselves!”

The guests complied with the introductions.

While others were speaking, Jiang Chi leaned in to whisper by Wen Wen’s ear, “You were so cool just now, it went straight to my heart.” Then she quickly straightened up, putting some distance between them.

Wen Wen glanced at her before leaning in to murmur back, “As long as you liked it.”

Jiang Chi cleared her throat and reached for the water glass to take a sip.

Director Xu announced, “Alright, now that everyone’s acquainted, let’s reveal today’s first task.”

The six guests would pair up into temporary teams to go shopping for ingredients needed for their three-day, two-night stay at the Heartbeat Cabin. The three teams would separately purchase fruits, meats, and vegetables.

“As for how you pair up, you can discuss it among yourselves. Once you’ve formed your teams, come over to draw lots.”

With that, Director Xu stepped back to give the guests space to decide.

The guests exchanged uncertain glances except for Jiang Chi, who tugged lightly on the hair tie around Wen Wen’s wrist, hooking it with her index finger. She blinked up at Wen Wen and asked, “Sis, can I be your partner?”

Wen Wen arched a brow slightly and glanced at Su Jing sitting across from them, who looked equally stunned. With a faint smirk, Wen Wen stood up. “Let’s go.”

But the moment she rose, someone tugged at her sleeve. Looking down, she saw Ji Mei gazing up at her with wide, innocent eyes. “Wen-jie, I want to be your partner too.”

From her higher vantage point, Wen Wen noticed Jin Jinyi, seated beside Ji Mei, immediately darken in expression. He subtly pulled at Ji Mei’s sleeve, but she ignored him.

Wen Wen flicked her wrist, letting the hair tie slide off and catching it with her own index finger. The elastic now looped around both their fingers as she raised their joined hands. “Sorry, but I’m her partner, right?”

The last two words were directed at Jiang Chi, her tone teasing half seeking confirmation, half playful provocation.

Truthfully, Jiang Chi was momentarily dazed. She hadn’t expected Wen Wen to agree so readily when just days ago, she’d been avoiding her like the plague. Her mind felt like it was floating on colorful clouds though she had no idea why they were colorful.

Snapping out of it, she nodded fervently despite not fully registering Wen Wen’s words. “Yeah, whatever she says is right.”

Then, as if some automatic mechanism had kicked in, she bent down, twisted slightly, and smoothly freed Wen Wen’s sleeve from Ji Mei’s grip, a fluid motion that seemed practiced. With a playful yet firm warning, she said, “She’s mine. No poaching, okay?” Turning to Wen Wen with a grin, she added, “Right?”

That bright, confident smile instantly overlapped with Jiang Chi’s younger self in Wen Wen’s memory. Back in their school days, whether it was study groups, sports partners, or any other team activity, Jiang Chi had always blocked anyone else from pairing up with Wen Wen.

She would shove aside anyone crowding around Wen Wen, then wrap an arm around her waist, resting her chin on Wen Wen’s shoulder. Playful yet possessive, she’d declare, “She’s mine. No poaching, okay?”

And just like now, she’d always turn to Wen Wen for confirmation afterward never with a trace of doubt that Wen Wen might deny her, only absolute certainty and smug satisfaction.

Wen Wen’s reply, as always, was brief but clear: “Yeah.”

With that affirmation, Jiang Chi shot Ji Mei a triumphant look, tilting her chin up like a proud peacock before pulling Wen Wen toward the lottery area set up by the crew.

Spinning around, Jiang Chi blinked and grinned. “Your draw or mine?”

Wen Wen met her gaze, lips curving slightly. “You do it.”

Jiang Chi reached into the lottery box, rummaged around, and pulled out a slip of paper, handing it to Wen Wen. “You open it.”

Wen Wen obliged without hesitation. She unfolded the slip, glanced at it, then showed it to the staff member, who promptly handed them an envelope containing funds.

Their task was to purchase vegetable ingredients.

After Jiang Chi and Wen Wen left, only four people remained in the living room, exchanging uncertain glances.

Su Jing made a suggestion, “Why don’t we just pair up based on our current seating arrangement?”

No one objected.

Once the teams were decided, Su Jing and Bai Yuetong went first to draw their lot. Jin Jinyi, however, announced he needed to visit the restroom first and signaled for Ji Mei to follow him.

While the main areas of the Heartbeat Cabin were all under surveillance, there were still some corners and blind spots where the cameras couldn’t reach.

Pinning Ji Mei against the wall in one such corner, Jin Jinyi’s usually fair face was now clouded with anger. Through gritted teeth, he demanded, “Ji Mei, what exactly are you playing at?”

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