Not only did Qin Jiashu rank first in every session, but she was also a senior in the industry. Thousand Cranes had admired and crushed on her for a long time.
It wasn’t until she confessed her feelings that she found out Qin Jiashu was a “Pure 0″—they were the same “number.” Their compatibility was zero.
Afterward, the two of them chose different career paths and lost contact.
But how could one easily forget a White Moonlight figure? Even after dating several other people, Thousand Cranes still kept an eye on Qin Jiashu’s news.
She would occasionally see glimpses of Qin Jiashu thriving as a host at youth galas and on television programs.
Seeing her here at the Monologue studio was a complete surprise.
“What are you doing here? Haven’t you always focused on broadcasting and hosting, Senior? Did you suddenly get interested in Voice Acting?”
Being recognized by an acquaintance gave Qin Jiashu a bit of a fright. For the sake of her future career plans, the fact that she was “dipping into the industry” for the sake of love had to be kept a secret.
Qin Jiashu had a never-ending stream of suitors, and her impression of the girl in front of her was just a vague memory of a junior whose confession she had declined years ago.
Ah, if it’s a fan who’s smitten with me, this will be easy.
Flirtatious charm came to her as naturally as breathing. Her Fox eyes blinked mischievously as she pressed a finger to her lips. “Shh—”
Qin Jiashu’s sexy, mature voice was light and playful. “I’m using an Alias to play a small role so I can chase someone. If my mentor finds out I’ve secretly ‘gone into the sea,’ he’ll kill me. So, don’t spread it around, okay?”
“Oh, oh! I won’t say a word!”
Was Senior interested in a specific CV?
Thousand Cranes had followed Qin Jiashu’s dating history before. Although she changed girlfriends frequently, they were all, without exception, the same type.
And among the CVs at Monologue, there was exactly one who fit that type.
…Jian Yan?
Her former crush was interested in her current crush? This was some serious drama!
Qin Jiashu was in a hurry to intercept Xu Yinian. She only gave a quick greeting before rushing forward.
Thousand Cranes watched the direction Qin Jiashu was heading—straight toward Jian Yan’s lounge.
She clicked her tongue inwardly. I’m afraid Senior is going to stumble this time. Jian Yan clearly likes that newcomer.
Qin Jiashu moved like a whirlwind. She was here to snatch her girl, after all. She didn’t give the two people inside any time to react before she pushed the door wide open.
Because her attention was entirely on the wound, Xu Yinian hadn’t noticed that she had leaned closer to the sofa to bandage Ji Yan’s hand.
At some point, their knees had pressed against each other. When they leaned in, the sound of their breathing was close enough to make the atmosphere between them thick and stiflingly intimate.
Xu Yinian, who was focusing on tying the final knot on the bandage, was startled by the sound of the door.
She couldn’t just let go, so she kept her grip on Ji Yan’s wrist as she turned her head toward the door.
It was the one person who absolutely shouldn’t have been there. Big waves of hair, red lips, and a gait that made the hem of her trench coat dress sway with every step.
The intrusion of this vivid splash of color seemed to overshadow the cold, somber traces of Ji Yan within the lounge.
The aura of a woman “catching an affair” was so strong that Xu Yinian felt a wave of inexplicable guilt and panic. Only one thought remained in her mind:
The official girlfriend has come to the door!
Those seductive Fox eyes* seemed to be burning with scorched flames as they stared at Xu Yinian’s pale fingertips still clutching Ji Yan’s wrist. The heat of the gaze made her shrink back.
Xu Yinian realized with horror that she still hadn’t moved her hand away from Ji Yan’s.
Qin Jiashu is definitely going to misunderstand!
Just as Xu Yinian was about to let go, she felt the wrist that had been dormant and obedient beneath her palm turn slightly.
It was a tiny movement, but it was a forceful intrusion that made Xu Yinian’s fingertips tremble and go numb.
It was as if if Xu Yinian dared to abandon her, that hand would seize her right in front of Qin Jiashu.
Even though the movement was so dominant, Ji Yan’s voice carried a hint of a damp, pleading quality. Ignoring Qin Jiashu at the door, she remained fixated only on Xu Yinian.
“The bandaging isn’t finished yet.”
Seeing Xu Yinian’s panicked reaction, Ji Yan remembered how she had casually lied days ago, claiming Qin Jiashu was her girlfriend just to scare her.
It’s been so long and she still believes it? She must have been avoiding Qin Jiashu all this time.
Ji Yan couldn’t have Xu Yinian for herself yet, so she was making sure her rival couldn’t get a taste either.
Even if it was a Pyrrhic victory—injuring the enemy while taking damage herself—it made her feel somewhat refreshed.
If not for that lie, given Qin Jiashu’s predatory charms, Xu Yinian would have been devoured and left with nothing if she didn’t consciously reject her.
In fact, over the past few days, Qin Jiashu had indeed felt Xu Yinian’s inexplicable avoidance. She had assumed her feelings had been discovered and thus hadn’t dared to be so brazen.
Now was certainly not the time to expose the lie, lest that “old fox” use it to play the victim.
Thinking of this, Ji Yan looked at Xu Yinian’s face, which was full of “caught in the act” terror. She suppressed the thrill of the “forbidden” feeling that the expression stirred in her. The mischievous streak in her bones began to act up again.
It would be a waste not to play along with the little rabbit who had fallen so deep into the role.
Under this combination of soft and hard pressure, countless thoughts exploded in Xu Yinian’s mind.
The way Ji Yan refused to let her hand go was incredibly deliberate, as if she were doing it for the benefit of the newcomer.
The sharp aura that flared up from Ji Yan the moment she saw Qin Jiashu also proved it—she was angry at Qin Jiashu…
Whether it was a continuation of the “revenge” from last time or some other lovers’ quarrel, Xu Yinian didn’t want to be the jealous tool caught in the middle.
Her hand froze. Because she was afraid Ji Yan would do something even more intimate or shocking, she didn’t dare pull away, but she also didn’t dare continue bandaging the wound right in front of the man’s girlfriend.
Qin Jiashu couldn’t stand it anymore. Xu Yinian had never looked so flustered before. Had Ji Yan actually done something to her?
She took several strides forward, her burning palm reaching out to cover Xu Yinian’s fingers, which were still resting on Ji Yan’s hand.
Ji Yan didn’t budge an inch. Ignoring her wound, she turned her hand over and gripped the back of Xu Yinian’s hand.
Cold and hot—two completely different temperatures—clashed and held firm over Xu Yinian’s trembling little hand, completely enveloping it.
![Withered Bone [Wasteland]](https://i1.wp.com/dobytranslations.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/wastelan.jpg?resize=151,215 "Withered Bone [Wasteland]")
