Chapter 33

Wei Ning’s inner thoughts?

Leng Xiang looked at Wei Ning on the projection screen.

Wei Ning was played by an obscure actress named Luo Pi. Just as the public didn’t understand why Jiang Sisi’s new film had chosen Leng Xiang as the female lead, they also didn’t know why the female lead of Youth Tour was Luo Pi.

But one thing was certain: after this role, Luo Pi’s status skyrocketed dozens of times over. She bid farewell to being an eighteenth-tier actress and squeezed into the ranks of A-list stars.

“Wei Ning loved Yin Qing,” Leng Xiang thought for a moment and said. “She killed Yin Qing to avenge her parents, but in the end, she regretted it, so she cried?”

Jiang Sisi countered, “Yin Qing indirectly caused Wei Ning’s parents’ deaths and killed Wei Ning’s husband. Wei Ning killing Yin Qing was only right and proper. Why would she regret it?”

Yin Qing had killed Wei Ning’s husband.

Leng Xiang turned to look at her.

Jiang Sisi was explaining the scene to her.

Jiang Sisi said, “Wei Ning did love Yin Qing once, but people’s hearts change.”

“Wei Ning never regretted it. She let Yin Qing go out of consideration for their old affections. That final scene was just her bidding farewell to the past.”

Leng Xiang turned back to the screen.

On the projection screen, Wei Ning wept bitterly.

That year, that day, today, never the same, never to see again, youth tour.

Leng Xiang pursed her lips but said nothing.

The living room lights were off, with only moonlight spilling in from the window, casting a cold, clear glow on Leng Xiang’s profile.

Jiang Sisi thought to herself that the moonlight suited her well.

Her gaze was just as cold and clear as that moonlight.

Leng Xiang said, “I’ve read the Luxury Goods script for a while now, but I still haven’t figured out what it’s trying to say.”

She could perform according to the script’s requirements.

But she lacked deep understanding of the script herself, especially with Jiang Sisi’s style—scripts that embedded an outward joy but inner sorrow spiritual core.

These scripts didn’t spell out every detail explicitly. Whenever they touched on a character’s inner thoughts, they only used a few sparse words, leaving the rest for the actors to interpret on their own.

Luxury Goods was an urban light comedy film about Su Qing and her roommate Jiang Chuan’s five years in B City, chronicling Su Qing’s four relationships.

It was divided into four standalone episodes, mainly in a comedic style. These four relationships seemed to have no major connecting thread.

None of Su Qing’s four relationships ended well. After going through some absurd events with her partners, they all concluded in laughably ridiculous farces.

And every time, it was Su Qing who got dumped.

Su Qing asked Jiang Chuan wistfully why this was.

Jiang Chuan was a gentle and beautiful girl who hadn’t dated in those five years—not because no one pursued her, but because she hadn’t met the right person.

Yet Jiang Chuan succeeded in matchmaking within a month and confirmed her marriage partner.

In the final scene, Jiang Chuan gazed at Su Qing and said, “Maybe you don’t even know what you really want.”

Jiang Chuan added, “I’m getting married next month.”

Su Qing was stunned for a moment, then smiled. “That’s great. Congratulations.”

Jiang Chuan pinched her cheek in frustration. “Why don’t you get it? No wonder you always get dumped.”

Jiang Chuan got married, and Su Qing raised a glass to her at the wedding, wishing her a happy and blissful marriage.

Later, Su Qing also entered the halls of marriage with her final matchmaking partner.

And that was how the story of Luxury Goods ended, abruptly and without fanfare.

Jiang Sisi said, “What part don’t you understand?”

Leng Xiang replied, “Su Qing’s four relationships—one started from appearance, one from money, one from romantic love at first sight, and the last from matchmaking—but they all failed.”

“These four episodes don’t connect at all. They’re four completely different stories with no links between them. So what holds this script together?”

Jiang Sisi said, “Jiang Chuan.”

Leng Xiang: “Jiang Chuan? Why?”

Jiang Sisi smiled. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t get it now. Su Qing doesn’t get it either.”

She continued, “You’ll understand when we film the end. Su Qing will too.”

Jiang Sisi asked her, “Have you ever been in love?”

Leng Xiang looked at her, thinking it was a stupid question.

She and Qin Wen had been together for three years, at least. Even if it wasn’t pleasant, Jiang Sisi knew about her and Qin Wen.

Jiang Sisi said, “You and Qin Wen don’t count. It was missing that something. You didn’t really like him.”

“I’m asking if you’ve ever truly loved someone.”

Leng Xiang said, “What do you mean?”

Jiang Sisi explained, “If you truly love someone, you’ll feel happy when someone else is happy because of them, sad when they’re sad, willing to give everything for a single glance from them, willing to stake your life on loving them.”

“You might even stay away from her forever for her sake.”

Leng Xiang frowned. “…That’s impossible. It’s not like we’re filming an idol drama.”

Life wasn’t an idol drama. There was no room for such self-sacrificing sentimentality—better to make money instead.

In her turbulent childhood and teenage years, too many hardships had quickly shown her all the dark sides of the world. Her personality turned cold and hard. To a certain extent, she trusted no one but herself.

She had built a circle around herself, enclosing only her within it, rejecting others’ approach.

She was like a creature shrunk inside a massive shell, feeling safe only within it.

Qin Wen had once pried open a crack in it, but he hadn’t persisted, so the crack closed on its own—and even tighter than before.

In her twenty-five years of life, aside from Shen Cheng, she had no close friends.

But Shen Cheng was still single too.

In the entertainment industry, the couple models she’d seen were either those showy “model couples” performing for the screen audience or Liu Lingshu and her man.

She found the former boring and the latter insane.

The kind of love Jiang Sisi described was probably just something for the idle rich to play with.

As if she knew Leng Xiang would think that, Jiang Sisi drawled, “That’s why I think you’re perfect for Su Qing.”

Leng Xiang wanted to ask more, but Xiangxiang in her arms suddenly meowed twice, the sound a bit off.

Jiang Sisi leaned close to Leng Xiang and reached out to pet Xiangxiang in her lap.

Ragdoll cats were the little princesses of the cat world—beautiful, well-behaved, and proud—but that also meant they were extremely delicate and hard to care for.

Leng Xiang was caught off guard by the sudden closeness and caught a whiff of an inexplicable fragrance.

Only then did she realize, belatedly, that Jiang Sisi had showered and was wearing pajamas, half-reclining on the carpet with her.

Jiang Sisi’s pajamas weren’t fully buttoned; two buttons were undone. In the dim moonlight, it was even possible to see she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath.

The gap between the buttons formed a beautiful, tantalizing curve. As Jiang Sisi leaned toward her, hand reaching for the cat in her lap, her upper body bent forward. Her already low neckline dipped even lower, her collarbone jutting out sharply, as if it could cut someone, yet exuding a sharp, alluring beauty.

Moonlight fell on her delicate, tender skin, giving it a layer of pure white glow.

There was a faint fragrance on her—whether from body wash or Jiang Sisi’s natural scent, Leng Xiang couldn’t tell.

To be fair, Jiang Sisi was a very beautiful woman. Her beauty wasn’t just in her looks but in her poised demeanor and powerful aura, which was incredibly attractive.

Leng Xiang suddenly felt a bit uneasy.

Logically, they were both women. Leng Xiang had dated a man before, so she considered herself mostly straight. Even if Jiang Sisi leaned close, she didn’t like strangers invading her space, but she shouldn’t overreact.

But…

She had slept with Jiang Sisi.

An ambiguous air arose unbidden in the atmosphere. This unease grew in her heart. Uncomfortable, she shifted her body, wanting some distance from Jiang Sisi.

Xiangxiang meowed again. Jiang Sisi reached right into her lap and scooped up the cat.

And Jiang Sisi’s hand brushed her waist.

It was cold—bone-chilling cold, not like a normal person’s temperature.

Just like that night, when she had been burning up, and touching Jiang Sisi’s body had brought that comforting coolness.

Leng Xiang suddenly stood up. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back.”

Jiang Sisi held Xiangxiang in her arms, squinting at Leng Xiang.

Her reaction just now was quite strong…

Jiang Sisi tilted her head, her gaze seeming to see through everything.

After watching her for a moment, Jiang Sisi reached a conclusion.

She was pretending to be calm.

Jiang Sisi asked herself: had she done anything just now?

Jiang Sisi smiled. “Xiangxiang must be hungry. I’ll feed it some food. It’s too late now—wait a bit, I’ll change and drive you back.”

Leng Xiang refused flatly. “No need. I live close; I can take a cab.”

Jiang Sisi said, “Cabs aren’t safe. Let me drive you.”

“Really, no need. I can go myself.” Leng Xiang was firm, but after a pause, she hesitated and added, “Your hand is cold. It’s chilly out—wear more layers at night, or you’ll catch a cold dressed like that.”

Jiang Sisi thought that when she’d touched Leng Xiang earlier, it must have reminded her of something unpleasant, causing such a big reaction.

Like what happened that night.

Or maybe she’d gotten too close, making her uncomfortable.

But even so, she was still concerned about her…

Kind of cute.

Jiang Sisi curved her lips. “To be honest, you don’t need to react so strongly. If you’re really hung up on that night, I can lie back and let you top me next time—no resistance. Want to give it a try?”