When I Woke Up, I Had Three Romantic Partners - Chapter 62

“Perhaps you will find, looking back, that not changing is actually quite good. People who like you won’t stop liking you because you’re not good enough, and people who don’t like you won’t like you because you’re too good.”

Si Jiamo swirled the juice, saying calmly, “Use this movie to prove yourself. You deserve better.”

Staring at the bottle of juice stopped in front of her, Chi Jinqing paused, her voice slightly hoarse: “What right do you have to say that?”

“There are only two people in this world who truly have the right to say that to me: one is my father, and the other is you.”

She laughed self-mockingly: “Do you think your words sound good? You all just talk. The one who has to make the final decision and bear everything is me, and only me.”

Grabbing the juice and gulping down a large mouthful, then taking a big bite of the roasted skewer, she smiled bitterly: “I used to always think about how to do better, how to become a better person in the eyes of others. Now I understand that, actually, not that many people care whether you are perfect.”

“Consider these debts as buying out the father-daughter relationship.”

She should have done this a long time ago, but she kept enduring, kept giving in, which only encouraged people to become more presumptuous.

Si Jiamo silently drank her juice, offering no explanation.

Perhaps these things were no longer important to Chi Jinqing, and any explanation from her would be the same.

“I have a few good scripts recently, they look promising and are very suitable for you. Take them, they are all movies.”

Si Jiamo took out the scripts and pushed them toward Chi Jinqing, her expression composed.

Chi Jinqing gnawed on a chicken wing and looked at Si Zhongmo, suddenly saying, “Is this your compensation to me?”

Si Jiamo: “This is what you deserve.”

“It was just postponed for so many years. I’m sorry.”

Chi Jinqing burst out laughing, licking her lips: “So this really is compensation. These are the things you’re giving me to make up for all those years? Is this all?”

She smiled faintly: “It looks like I’m not worth much in your heart, since you’re only offering this little bit of stuff. Are you trying to fob off a beggar?”

Si Jiamo took a deep breath, not addressing the self-mockery in Chi Jinqing’s words: “The rest is not urgent. These are for next year, three scripts in total, all the most suitable for you.”

“I can’t help you with anything else.”

Chi Jinqing: “So you didn’t specifically come to spend the New Year with me, you just came to arrange my work?”

“Not entirely.”

Si Jiamo’s gaze was sincere: “I hope you can live better and break free from all the shadows of the past.”

Chi Jinqing laughed again, the hint of warmth in her eyes completely receding, leaving only boundless indifference: “Since you’re here to arrange work and compensate me, let’s talk business face-to-face. I want more. I want the best resources from Si yi within five years.”

“I want you to personally raise me onto that pedestal.”

Si Jiamo looked at Chi Jinqing, who had finally revealed her ambition, and her heart pounded heavily in her chest, so fast she thought it might fly out.

It was this kind of look, the one that made her fall in love at first sight.

She heard her own voice reply without hesitation: “Okay.”

To raise Chi Jinqing onto the pedestal.

That was her remaining goal.

After the New Year, the film crew resumed work. Because the production was rushed, the filming of the movie was quickly completed by the end of March.

Chi Jinqing accepted Si Jiamo’s compensation and immediately threw herself into the next project. The previous dramas she had worked on had already been broadcast and received excellent feedback.

Among them, the TV series Infatuation had aired earlier. The character she played, Duan Rong, was pitiful and tragic, making people wish they could step into the show, embrace her, and tell her, “Don’t be afraid, liking the same sex is not an illness.”

On the official Weibo account for the drama, everyone was crying a river, and some even went to Chi Jinqing’s Weibo to cry. They watched Duan Rong’s final look before she committed suicide countless times, and they cried every time.

Ahhh, my Rongrong, such a pitiful and motivated Rongrong, was actually deceived by that scumbag Zhu Qi!

I’m crying to death, why, why!

Ahhh, I’m going to kill that scumbag!

These comments were genuinely sad for Duan Rong, which was much better than those who controlled comments or spammed the screen. Chi Jinqing herself was also happy to see them.

And when passersby saw the real effects of the TV series, which were much better than the forced recommendations and edits from fans, a large group of people rushed to watch, instantly boosting the drama’s viewership by several layers.

Si Jiamo had everyone prepare, just in case someone tried to take advantage of the situation and cause trouble.

However, because Si Jiamo’s previous incident was so big, those who wanted to target Chi Jinqing hesitated this time. As a result, Chi Jinqing’s TV series went viral directly, and people were making edits everywhere.

Besides Chi Jinqing, the other person who became popular again was Si Jiamo, but unlike Chi Jinqing’s pity and praise, Si Jiamo was heavily criticized.

On one hand, Zhu Qi was truly disgusting, not even sparing a student, and on the other hand, people had never seen Si Jiamo play such an absolutely negative role, and everyone was frightened.

Si Jiamo’s fans, in particular, were terrified and strongly denied that this was Si Jiamo’s true personality, emphasizing that Si Jiamo was a good person and this was just a role to challenge herself.

Si Jiamo found it funny and frustrating at the same time. She had been worried about Chi Jinqing, but now she felt she should be more concerned about herself.

Her situation was much more precarious than Chi Jinqing’s; her fans were about to switch allegiance.

Everyone finally finished crying by February, but then Chengbei Crosses Wennan premiered in early February. Before people could emerge from Duan Rong’s tragedy, they were plunged into the gentleness and resilience of Qi Xinyao.

As everyone uniformly began championing the ‘Bei Yao’ ship, they suddenly realized that the lead actress’s name was not Chi Jinqing!

What! What! My Yaoyao isn’t the female lead?!!

Damn, what did I just see, this this this…

My Yaoyao, I really can’t imagine anything that could separate my Yaoyao and Xiao Chengbei, wuwuwu!

And then…

Xiao Chengbei was nearly captured, his fingers were severed, and Qi Xinyao committed suicide on the city wall, showing no fear of death, full of love and righteousness.

Screenwriter, where are you? I’m going to kill you!!!

Give me back my Yaoyao, ahhh, what is this!

I’m broken by the heartbreak. I haven’t gotten over Infatuation, and now I’m immersed in Chengbei Crosses Wennan. Why, why does my sister take on all these kinds of roles!

I’m finished, I can’t cry anymore, I’m too tired. My eyes haven’t rested in two months, and they are so swollen I can’t see the road, wuwuwu.

Sister, please pick a different script next time. Don’t take on these heartbreaking roles. Really, I’ve been crying from the beginning of the year until now, and my eyes are blind.

Everyone collectively appealed, hoping Chi Jinqing would take on some less tragic roles. This was too much.

Although Qi Xinyao seemed much better off than Duan Rong, with family, a lover, and her own sense of national righteousness, why did she have to die!

However, Chi Jinqing did not see any of this, as she had already joined another production. With the full support of Siyi, coupled with her own superb acting skills, even without recovering her memory, her body’s muscle memory would guide her through the next steps.

This time, she played the female lead, a thief known as the “Rat of a Thousand Faces.” There was nothing she wanted that she couldn’t steal, making people grind their teeth in anger but feel utterly helpless.

Because no one had ever seen the real her, and no one could catch her.

With the world’s best light-body technique at her disposal, the female lead basically never met an opponent. The only time she failed was when she was betrayed by someone close to her, and her leg was injured while stealing jewelry, leading to her capture.

The female lead Luo Wan, played by Chi Jinqing, lifted her chin and sneered disdainfully: “If you have the guts, lay a hand on this granny. If I find out who betrayed me, I’ll break their dog legs and throw them into the Ten Thousand Venom Cave, so they die a fate worse than death!”

The male lead was a senior actor who had recently won a Best Actor award. He was thirty-four this year, but his physique and face were very well-maintained, giving him a youthful air.

An Zhen looked at the unyielding girl who was captured and chuckled: “You are indeed as sharp-tongued as the legends say. But since you’ve fallen into my hands, you better be careful, lest you suffer physical pain.”

Luo Wan was even more contemptuous of his words and arrogantly said: “Bring out whatever skill you have. If this granny even snorts, I lose.”

An Zhen raised an eyebrow: “You said that?”

Luo Wan declared with great integrity: “Of course.”

“Then I won’t hold back.”

An Zhen took out a duck feather, took off Luo Wan’s shoes, and Luo Wan: “?!”

“How can you take off a girl’s shoes? Where is your decency as a gentleman?!”

An Zhen gave a wicked smile: “I never said I was a gentleman. Besides, would a gentleman use such a petty method to catch you?”

Luo Wan: “!”

Her face instantly flushed, and she angrily cursed: “Shameless! Lecher!”

But no matter how much Luo Wan cursed, An Zhen was unmoved. He even truly restrained her feet and used the duck feather to continuously tickle the soles of her feet, making Luo Wan’s expression contort with suppressed laughter.

Damn it, this pervert!

Once I regain my freedom, I will definitely kill him!

An Zhen never intended to actually do anything to Luo Wan; he just wanted to tease her. But as he kept teasing her, he found that this wasn’t so bad, so he continued.

Later, the two traveled the jianghu (martial arts world) together. Luo Wan also promised An Zhen that she would never casually steal anything.

As they accompanied each other, the two gradually developed feelings, and their relationship progressed rapidly.

However, because An Zhen carried a deep-seated hatred from a bloody feud, he couldn’t retire into seclusion with Luo Wan. Furthermore, Luo Wan had made numerous enemies throughout her life—the people she had stolen from were countless, which was amusing.

Thus, the two began a journey of escape.

Along the way, they met many new friends. Luo Wan never revealed her origins to others. After all, as a thief, even a legendary one, she couldn’t help but feel somewhat inferior when facing these people of the righteous path.