When I Woke Up, I Had Three Romantic Partners - Chapter 27.2

“Was it because I pressured you too much that you abandoned me back then?”

Si Jiamo’s voice was choked with sobs: “When a heart won’t warm up, is it impossible to warm no matter what?”

She took a drink, and several empty bottles were scattered nearby.

Chi Jinqing: “Si Jiamo, you’re drunk.”

“Yes…” Si Jiamo gave a self-mocking laugh. “I’m drunk. Otherwise, why would I think you would truly fall in love with me?”

Chi Jinqing waved her hand at her assistant. The assistant knowingly backed out and closed the door.

Once she was sure they were alone, Chi Jinqing said softly, “I did love you, Si Jiamo.”

“It was because of my immaturity and foolishness that I was provoked by someone to chase you and drag you into my mess back then. But I truly loved you and have always loved you.”

Chi Jinqing listened to her own voice speaking slowly: “No one else could make me stay by their side so humbly, even as an unseen, underground lover. I couldn’t bear to leave.”

“Si Jiamo, the eighteen-year-old Chi Jinqing lied to you, but she has endured eight years of your revenge. Isn’t that enough?”

Si Jiamo paused on the other end, then suddenly said, “No.”

Had only Chi Jinqing been in pain for the past eight years?

She had too, always denied an explanation, always remembering the time she went to Chi Jinqing for an explanation, only to hear her bragging to her friends about dumping her, and proudly saying that the only reason she pursued her was because of a bet, and that without the bet, she would never have chased her.

“I want to punish you by having you stay with me forever, only with me, even if… you have others around you.”

All these years, she used her public pairing with others to provoke Chi Jinqing, just to confirm whether Chi Jinqing would ever say those three words: I love you.

But she never waited for it.

Her heart was almost completely cold.

After a long moment, she whispered with a hint of petulance: “I think I’m sick… A-Jin, I’m in so much pain…”

“I don’t want to see you with anyone else. I don’t want to give you up to Su Yunhui anymore. I don’t want to hear what Zhuge Wei says about you marrying her…”

“A-Jin, don’t leave me…”

Hearing this, Chi Jinqing’s heart ached with sadness: ” Jiamo, you’re drunk. Go to sleep.”

Si Jiamo’s voice was already slurring: “When I wake up, A-Jin, will you go back to the time when you loved me the most?”

“Every time I dream, I dream we’re back in university. You still loved me then, and even if it was fake, I was so happy…”

Si Jiamo’s voice gradually trailed off: “But when the dream ends, looking at your face, your eyes, they clearly tell me you don’t love me…”

“I really love you…”

“A… Jin…”

“Hoo…”

Listening to the sound of breathing coming from the phone, Chi Jinqing was silent for a moment, then whispered, “Goodnight, Jiamo.”

For Si Jiamo, it was certainly neither day nor night right now, but Chi Jinqing still said goodnight.

After listening for a while longer, she hung up.

Opening the door, her assistant was sitting outside, waiting.

Chi Jinqing blinked twice, forcing the tears back: “Let’s go. What’s next?”

“Sister Chi, shouldn’t you rest a bit more?”

“No need.”

The assistant pulled out her phone: “Next is a commercial for affordable snacks.”

“Sister Su said she just got you a small cameo role. It’s in this city, with very few scenes, no more than twenty minutes in total.”

“But it’s supposed to be very brilliant. The director saw your previous work and immediately agreed. The time has been sent; they want you to go for a costume fitting today.”

Chi Jinqing nodded: “Let’s go.”

When they arrived, others were already filming. Since she had a work pass, she was quickly let in.

“Little Chi is here! Quick, quick, quick!”

The director saw Chi Jinqing as a lifesaver and quickly had someone take her for a fitting. While she was getting fitted, he brought her the script and the complete storyline. The script was for her scenes, and the complete storyline was so she could fully understand the role of her character in the story, her background, and how to perform.

The director said flatteringly, “I watched the TV series you acted in before and thought your acting was excellent. I originally wanted to send you the script and have you audition, but you took on another project and were already starting to film.”

“But it must be fate now. Come, let me explain the plot to you.”

He had wanted to invite Chi Jinqing for this role before, but she didn’t have the time, so he had to offer the invitation to someone else.

Unexpectedly, they were already one-third of the way through filming when that actress was photographed interfering in someone else’s marriage, and even showing up pregnant to confront the legal spouse, completely destroying her public image.

To avoid affecting the series, he had no choice but to replace her.

But with the person gone, the role still needed to be filled. He had been looking for other actresses recently, but either their acting was not up to par or their image didn’t fit.

In short, it was driving him crazy.

It just so happened that Chi Jinqing had a recent incident and was fired from her crew, allowing him to invite her again.

Although Chi Jinqing wasn’t a big-name actress, he wasn’t sure if she would agree to take on a role with so few scenes.

He hesitated before sending out the invitation, but surprisingly, they quickly finalized the time for the costume fitting.

“Your arrival makes me feel like I could laugh in my sleep.”

Chi Jinqing felt inwardly awkward: “You flatter me.”

She had no acting skills now. If she messed up, would the director chew her out?

The director shook his head: “No, no, no, you don’t understand. This role is practically tailor-made for you. As soon as you put on the clothes and stand there, you are her.”

The assistant saw that the director was lingering and somewhat obstructing Chi Jinqing from reading the script, so she reminded him softly, “Director, there seems to be a problem over there. You might need to take a look.”

The director realized he was too excited and had lost himself momentarily. He quickly said, “Little Chi, you take your time reading. Come over when you’re ready.”

Chi Jinqing nodded: “Okay, thank you for your trouble.”

The director waved his hand: “No trouble at all, no trouble.”

After the director left, Chi Jinqing sat there, reading the script while someone did her hair.

This was a historical drama. She was to play Qi Xinyao, the male lead’s deceased original wife.

This original wife was truly tragic. She was the daughter of the Minister of Personnel, naturally delicate, pure in nature, and skilled in everything from music, chess, calligraphy, and painting to managing a household and business. She and the male lead were childhood sweethearts, their love coming naturally—she was the true ‘white moonlight.’

However, this white moonlight, for the sake of the male lead, the General, tragically slit her throat on the city wall dressed in white when news of his death from being framed arrived.

Later, the male lead escaped and returned, and everyone learned that only his arm had been lost, but he himself was not dead; it was an enemy plot.

The white moonlight then became an indelible cinnabar mark in the male lead Xiao Chengbei’s heart.

When he later got together with the female lead, Yu Wennan, it was only because the female lead bore a five-point resemblance to Qi Xinyao, especially in her eyes, which always looked at him gently, and the undisguised love in them was a perfect match.

It wasn’t until later that Yu Wennan discovered this truth, leading to their first major quarrel. Finally, when war broke out, Xiao Chengbei went to battle again, and Yu Wennan followed Qi Xinyao’s example by going to the city wall.

This time, Xiao Chengbei returned victorious and understood that the past could not be chased; cherishing the person in front of him was the right way.

The two, who had faced life and death, embraced, finally breaking free from the shadow of Qi Xinyao and genuinely loving each other.

The moment Chi Jinqing emerged, fully made up and in costume, the director and everyone present were stunned. Chi Jinqing’s face looked youthful but was not the type of small-featured beauty currently in vogue.

Dressed in ancient attire, with her face framed perfectly, even just standing there, she was the picture of a white moonlight.

The actress playing the female lead was completely mesmerized. She nudged the male lead next to her and said blankly, “This is the famous Teacher Chi Jinqing. She used to be my goddess.”

The male actor looked at her and said, rather annoyed, “What, she isn’t anymore?”

He wondered if Chi Jinqing had some recent scandal, causing her to lose her status.

The actress said seriously, “She’s my wife now.”

“Hehehe, she’s my white moonlight.”

“The thought of having to compete with her for you makes me feel unworthy, but I also can’t give her up to you. Such a dilemma.”

The male actor: “…”

“Stop thinking about it. In this play, she’s mine.”

The director was also incredibly impressed. He knew Chi Jinqing was perfect for this role. He quickly beckoned, “Come, come, come, Little Chi, let’s try the first segment.”

Everyone else immediately got into position, and the female lead moved to the side to watch and study the acting.

The first segment was Qi Xinyao and Xiao Chengbei’s youth. Xiao Chengbei sat in the courtyard while Qi Xinyao sat indoors doing needlework.

Chi Jinqing sat by the window as written in the script, holding a half-finished mandarin duck embroidery in her hand, her eyes lowered gently as she listened to Xiao Chengbei speak in the courtyard.

Xiao Chengbei spoke for a while, took out a bag of peach blossom shortbread from his embrace, and handed it to the maid to give to Qi Xinyao. After Qi Xinyao received it and set it down, he finally said, “Yaoyao, I’m going to the battlefield.”

Qi Xinyao was silent for a moment, and her needle accidentally pricked her finger. She lowered her eyes and quietly drew a sharp breath.

The onlookers outside instantly wanted to call “Cut!” seeing Chi Jinqing actually prick herself, but Chi Jinqing didn’t stop and continued acting.

Xiao Chengbei didn’t hear it, and the male actor didn’t notice this detail, continuing, “When I return victorious, will you marry me, Yaoyao?”

Qi Xinyao was worried, saying, “Chengbei, war is very cruel.”

Xiao Chengbei was ambitious: “I know, but a man’s ambition is in the world. I have also practiced martial arts for years. If I dare not fight because of these worries, what is the difference between me and a coward?”

A flicker of helplessness crossed Qi Xinyao’s eyes. She put down the blood-stained embroidery, gently sucked her finger. Xiao Chengbei finally noticed Qi Xinyao’s injured hand. Just as he was about to step over, he heard Qi Xinyao say, “I know your intentions, Chengbei. You don’t have to worry. You will return with victory. I believe in you.”

Xiao Chengbei was deeply moved: “Yaoyao…”

He knew Yaoyao would understand him.

Qi Xinyao gave him a gentle, encouraging smile: “When you return, I will marry you.”

“Chengbei, you must come back alive to marry me.”

Xiao Chengbei immediately swore: “I, Xiao Chengbei, will never fail you. If I break this oath, may the heavens strike me down.”

Qi Xinyao’s face blushed slightly. The shyness of a young girl in love made her chide sweetly, “It’s enough that you hold me in your heart. You don’t need to swear like this.”

Her natural shyness made it seem as if she were truly deeply in love with him, causing the male actor’s heart to pound. He wished he could instantly bring back a victory from the battlefield for her.

“Cut!”

“Excellent! That segment is passed!”

The director was delighted. As expected of the actor he chose, the expression, the acting—it was flawless!

Chi Jinqing, acting seriously for the first time, was a little nervous. She swallowed. If this body hadn’t instinctively carried her through, she might not have even found her mark.

Also, having just read the plot, the sense of immersion was strongest right now.

She was immersed in Qi Xinyao’s world. The director called “Cut!” again, and Chi Jinqing finally snapped back from that state.

Her assistant immediately rushed over with staff and a first-aid kit to disinfect Chi Jinqing’s finger. After all, the needle wasn’t new, and no one usually resorts to such methods.

Everyone was relieved after the disinfection.

Chi Jinqing herself didn’t mind, although the prick certainly hurt. She excitedly asked the director, “Director, what is the schedule for the subsequent scenes?”

“You don’t have many scenes. We’ll probably concentrate on filming for about a week.”

Chi Jinqing: “Good.”

Chi Jinqing and her assistant settled into the crew’s accommodations. They had brought all their belongings, so they didn’t need anything else.

To avoid delaying Chi Jinqing’s subsequent work, they accelerated the filming of her scenes without compromising the quality.

Qi Xinyao’s scenes primarily involved the early stages with the male lead, Xiao Chengbei, and later flashbacks.

The flashbacks included many scenes of Qi Xinyao and Xiao Chengbei in their teenage and childhood years. Childhood scenes involved child actors, so Chi Jinqing didn’t worry about those; the focus was on the teenage scenes.

Qi Xinyao was only sixteen when she died, a figure of extraordinary purity in a white dress, seemingly fragile.

Even so, she bravely died for love, only to be a martyr for the young man she loved.

While Chi Jinqing threw herself entirely into the filming, the sobered Si Jiamo looked at the phone and wine bottles on the floor, deep in thought. She vaguely remembered being drunk and answering a call.

She picked up the sticky red phone on the floor and saw that since the red wine had spilled everywhere and the phone had fallen into it, the phone was soaked and wouldn’t turn on.

Si Jiamo: “…”

She rubbed her throbbing head. The memory of being drunk was fragmented; she could only faintly recall a few scenes.

She thought she…

Answered a call from Chi Jinqing?

But what did she say?

“Hiss…”

She couldn’t remember. She only vaguely recalled saying quite a lot of things.

She hadn’t said anything she shouldn’t have, had she?

She wobbled off to take a shower, then took out her spare phone, inserted the SIM card, and sent a message to her assistant.

When the assistant, He Ming, arrived, Si Jiamo was rubbing her forehead, with the now-cleaned phone lying in front of her.

He Ming pushed the door open and said, “Sister, you called for me? What’s wrong?”

Si Jiamo: “My phone broke. Help me take it to a trustworthy repair shop. Be careful, and make sure they don’t see the content inside.”

He Ming took the phone: “Understood.”

“Sister, don’t worry. I definitely won’t let them look at anything.”

“Mhm.”

Si Jiamo: “Oh, and check the recent situations of Su Yunhui and Chi Jinqing, and also Zhuge Wei.”

He Ming: “Zhuge Wei? The singer?”

Si Jiamo supported her head, her eyes slightly narrowed: “Just check. Also, ask the company to transfer Qin Song to be my assistant manager.”

“Ah?”

Qin Song?

He Ming didn’t understand. Si Jiamo’s manager was the highly-regarded Su Yunhui. Why would she need an assistant manager?

No matter how capable Qin Song was, she wouldn’t surpass Su Yunhui.

Si Jiamo glanced at her curious face: “Don’t ask. Go do your work.”

He Ming quickly suppressed her curiosity and said, “Understood.”