Chapter 16

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Because of the incident with Liu Xu, the advertising shoot was postponed until the afternoon. This was Jiang Jiusheng’s first advertisement since her debut. It was for a high-end men’s cologne from an exclusive brand that was well known throughout the country. The theme was cool and sexy—an image synonymous with Jiang Jiusheng.

The male lead for the advertisement, Su Qing, was no stranger to Jiang Jiusheng. He was already an in-demand rising star in the entertainment industry when he was asked to star in her first MV. Apparently, it was Yuwen Chongfeng who had picked him specifically to “lower himself” and star opposite Jiang Jiusheng so as to give her new album a boost. Jiang Jiusheng and Su Qing had a relationship characterized by nodding terms and occasional banter on social media just to keep up the façade. After all, the release of that first MV had created many online CP fans of them both and created an image of Su Qing as an exquisite specimen, even more beautiful than women—for ornamental purposes only.

Su Qing was so popular that a massive crowd of his adoring fans had formed outside the shoot area, most of whom were young girls whose crazed adulation was a scary sight.

Fashionably late, he stepped out of the designated car to be greeted by a tsunami of screams from his fans.

“Ah—ah—ah—!”

The screams subsided, followed by a well-choreographed chant.

“We love you, Su Qing. We want to bed only you, now and forever!”

“We love you, Su Qing. We want to bed only you, now and forever!”

“We love you, Su Qing. We want to bed only you, now and forever!”

Jiang Jiusheng and Mo Bing were speechless, as were the Sheng fans.

Forget it. Their beloved Sheng Ye preferred to keep things low-key. Being proper, discerning fans with class, they would not stoop to chanting lewd slogans in public.

They turned their gazes back to the big star, Su Qing, who waved flirtatiously to his fans, placing his forefinger on his lips to make a low and gentle shushing sound.

“Now, now, my precious dears,” he said. “Keep the volume down.” Pulling a heart shaped by his fingers from his chest pocket, he said, “Be good.”

That caused another frantic stir among Su Qing’s adoring fans.

Again, Jiang Jiusheng, Mo Bing, and the Sheng fans were speechless. Enough of the flirting already!

Megastar Su Qing sauntered lazily toward Jiang Jiusheng and offered his hand, saying with a smile, “Happy to be working with you, Sheng, our little beauty.”

In his usual attire of a knitted red sweater, black ripped jeans, and tennis shoes, Su Qing oozed charisma as he gave a lop-sided smile, his androgynous good looks alluring yet boorish. Naturally blessed with an innate elegance, his clear, pale skin exuded a healthy glow. He definitely suited the tastes of modern young girls.

Gently grasping the offered hand, Jiang Jiusheng responded, “Happy to be working with you.”

Very quickly, she withdrew her hand, casting a glance at Su Qing’s exquisitely soft and pale hands that were even more delicate than those of a woman. Her obsession with hands was triggered, and subconsciously, she began to make comparisons. Although beautiful, Su Qing’s hands were too effeminate, unlike Xie Dang’s meticulously structured hands and incomparable with Shi Jin’s flawless hands.

Turning her gaze away, Jiang Jiusheng maintained her composure. Beautiful hands were plentiful on this earth, and while she appreciated them, she had no desire to possess every single pair.

Su Qing was friendly, chatting intermittently with Jiang Jiusheng before shooting started an hour later. Although this was her first shoot, it was nothing compared to a concert in front of an audience of 10,000, so she wasn’t nervous and maintained her composure. However, the shooting process was more challenging than she had imagined, with one water scene requiring seven takes before it was considered acceptable.

Having collaborated with Su Qing before, Jiang Jiusheng knew that he was a “traffic-generated” celebrity, his celebrity status having been created by online notoriety and hype; he was not considered an actor. However, this was the first time she had witnessed what “embarrassingly bad” acting skills meant.

Not embarrassed at all, Su Qing brushed it off as par for the course during shoots. The eighth take barely made the mark to be considered complete.

After the shoot, in a gentlemanly gesture, Su Qing handed Jiang Jiusheng a hot beverage and complimenting her with a smile. “Sheng, it’s a shame that you are not an actor.”

Accepting, Jiang Jiusheng nodded. “I think so, too.” Her face slightly pale and her lips slowly recovering from the cold, she took a sip of the beverage and said solemnly, “I can see that qualifications for actors have been drastically lowered.”

Su Qing said nothing. So, the rumors in the industry were all true. Jiang Jiusheng was a unique individualist—a laid-back, aloof beauty with a free and easy spirit who never suffered fools nor sugar-coated her views. Unfazed, Su Qing laughed as graciously as ever.

At that moment, a passing production coordinator who had been pushing a clothes rack full of costumes tripped on a dress that had trailed on the ground and crashed straight into Su Qing. His coffee cup flew out of his hand as he was thrown to the ground.

Because she was closest to him, Jiang Jiusheng reached out to try to break his fall, but the momentum caused them both to fall to the ground instead, with Jiang Jiusheng’s hand pressing on Su Qing’s chest. There was a loud crashing sound as the clothes rack toppled over, and costumes were flung everywhere.

Su Qing looked like a deer in the headlights. Stunned, Jiang Jiusheng quickly recovered her composure and instinctively moved her hand across Su Qing’s chest, glancing at the motionless Su Qing and his chest, murmuring, “So, the qualifications for male actors are just as low?”

Su Qing face turned ashen.

Click.

Instantly, the cameras were clicking away.

Ten minutes later, the latest gossip with the highest number of clicks was born—rock star Jiang Jiusheng was in love with the hot celebrity Su Qing.

Fans of both parties were in a frenzy, flooding social media with mixed opinions.

Sleeping_NotHungry: I just knew that there was something between my two hubbies.

Idealist_Wang6: I’m going to kill this trash.

Sister(not Aunty)Shan: Sheng Ye. I’ve been your fan for three years, and now you’re making out with my hubby? @JiangJiusheng V

Hopelessw/outShengYe: Sheng Ye, please tell me this isn’t true.

YoungManiac: Have you no shame? Cashing in on my hubby’s popularity? @JiangJiusheng V

BigSisFan_HairyCrab replied @Young Maniac: I’m going to bash you with the wooden guitar! God knows our Sheng Ye’s online traffic status, so do you need a lesson on who’s cashing in on whose popularity? Do you even have brains?!

BuLan_Syrup: Is she your type? No longer your fan! @Su Qing V

SuQing_MyGoldenPaPa replied @ BuLan_Syrup: Good riddance. Get out and don’t come back! Support Jiang Su Couple! Call now!

PrettyGroupie@ BuLanNutrient: You have been tagged. Any more abuse from you about Sheng Ye and I will flame you on WeiBo! Each and every time!

CatGirl: Beautiful man, handsome woman. Very compatible. I’m now a fan.

Crack—

The sound of a ceramic cup crashing to pieces resounded after it was thrown violently to the floor.

Scared out of its wits, Jiang Bomei dashed into its pen, looking furtively at its Master Papa, who had a murderous expression on his face, looking terrifying. Using another mobile phone, its Master Papa dialed a number, looking serious. The call was almost instantly picked up by the other party.

“Sir.”

With his beautiful hands grasping the table’s edge, the nails slowly turning red due to the intense pressure, Shi Jin calmed himself and commanded with a chill in his voice, “This scandal about her. I want you to immediately…”

In mid-speech, his voice trailed off. The man at the other end of the phone sounded cautious and respectful as he probed, “Sir?”

Ignoring him, Shi Jin looked at the laptop screen on his desk. Displayed on the screen was the image of Jiang Jiusheng, her face becoming clearer as the distance shrank.

Hanging up, he logged out of the computer screen and, without a thought, walked to the entrance to open the door.

Clatter.

Jiang Jiusheng had just taken out her electronic key card when she heard the sound. She stopped and turned around, her face a little pale, perspiration on her forehead, and greeted him in a low voice. “Doctor Shi.”

With one beautiful hand on the doorknob and his handsome face tense, he asked in a strained voice, “What’s the deal with that Su person?”

No greeting, no idle banter—so direct. This was not quite his usual gracious style. Jiang Jiusheng was stunned.

Realizing that he was out of line, Shi Jin toned it down and said, “I mean—”

Before she could hear him out, she swerved, staggered, and fell forward.

“Sheng!” he blurted her name.

His anger subsided, Shi Jin held Jiang Jiusheng with trembling hands, a thin film of sweat forming on his head. not daring to move the fingers that seemed to have frozen around her waist.

No thanks to Su Qing, Jiang Jiusheng had spent two hours immersed in chilly waters in the middle of fall. With her head heavy and her legs weak, she felt the world around her swirl—the lights, this handsome face in front of her, everything was a blur.

“Shi Jin,” she whispered, her strength seeping away, a slight flush spreading across her pale face.

“Hmm?” Shi Jin replied. His face trembled as he realized that her body was burning up.

Weakly, she leaned heavily on his shoulder, her eyes slowly closing to slits as she whispered ever so quietly in his ear, “Are you one of my moronic fans?