After We Broke Up, She Started Pursuing Me [Entertainment Industry] 20

Chapter 20

Shi Qin glimpsed her lowered, dark eyelashes trembling nonstop and knew in her heart that this person must be very nervous. After all, even with her hands around her neck, she could feel the stiffness in her body.

In truth, she wasn’t the only one who was nervous. It was just that Zhou Jinsi couldn’t hear the thunderous pounding of Shi Qin’s own heart.

Anyone who had followed Shi Qin’s filmography knew that in the past two years, she had either taken on roles in small web dramas or played supporting characters. She rarely had the opportunity to carry a project on her own. Consequently, the very few kissing scenes she had were, of course, done using camera angles to fake the kiss.

So, what Shi Qin hadn’t told Zhou Jinsi was that, whether in her professional or personal life, the kiss they shared in the hotel was, in the truest sense, Shi Qin’s first kiss…

Breathing in the faint, woody scent that emanated from the other person’s body, Shi Qin suppressed the turbulent waves crashing in her heart and lightly rose onto her tiptoes.

The moment she felt the soft, cotton-like touch on her lips, Zhou Jinsi’s mind went completely blank.

Unlike last time, this kiss was happening while she was fully conscious. It made her blush with shyness, but it also made her feel more clearly how wonderful such intimate contact could be…

Shi Qin’s actions were not as aggressive and swift as last time. Instead, her gentleness built up in layers, starting from the cool corners of her lips, a series of soft kisses landing on Zhou Jinsi’s lips. But she just kept them pressed together, not knowing how to respond.

“Open up…” Shi Qin opened her eyes, her gaze hazy, and murmured in dissatisfaction.

The moment Zhou Jinsi relaxed, Shi Qin invaded past her teeth. Their lips and teeth met, an ultimate, lingering intimacy, expressing a heart full of tender affection.

After several shared breaths, their kiss deepened. Zhou Jinsi’s face was burning hot. She stood straight, letting Shi Qin lead her, experiencing the wonderful sensation that kissing brought.

Zhou Jinsi was too tall. After a while, Shi Qin’s tiptoed feet couldn’t hold her up any longer. Just as she was about to pull away from those warm lips, she was unexpectedly pulled in by the waist by Zhou Jinsi. In an instant, Shi Qin was brought into her embrace.

As if she had gotten the hang of it, Zhou Jinsi also mimicked Shi Qin’s earlier actions, meeting her with a gentle press. The beast that had been dormant in her heart for so long was released, and her desire became uncontrollable.

Shi Qin’s hazy eyes opened slightly. Seeing the now-impassioned Zhou Jinsi, she was a little surprised by her initiative.

And… it seemed she was a little too proactive…

Zhou Jinsi was like a child tasting candy for the first time. After getting a taste of sweetness from Shi Qin’s kiss, she wanted more and more, to possess, unwilling to leave the source of this honeyed nectar.

She kissed until Shi Qin’s head was spinning. The hands that had been around her neck were now pressed against Zhou Jinsi’s chest, pushing lightly, as she struggled to breathe.

Shi Qin was confused. Had she accidentally pressed some kind of switch on this person?

But Zhou Jinsi’s actions didn’t stop. Her struggles were futile. Shi Qin felt the air in her nose grow thin; she was about to suffocate.

She couldn’t help but let out a few muffled groans. “Mmph-mm… mmph!”

Zhou Jinsi suddenly snapped back to reality and immediately pulled away, releasing her hands.

Looking at Shi Qin’s lips, which were slightly swollen from the kiss, and her panting form, Zhou Jinsi finally realized what she had just done…

Her face felt as if it had been steamed. She said, somewhat awkwardly, “I’m sorry…”

Shi Qin still hadn’t recovered. Her legs were weak. She could only grab onto the front of Zhou Jinsi’s shirt to steady herself.

She subconsciously licked her lips. However, this action seemed particularly erotic to Zhou Jinsi. The latter lowered her eyes, her face red, and said no more.

Shi Qin: “Sorry for what?”

Zhou Jinsi’s face turned even redder. “I…”

Shi Qin directly cupped her face, forcing her to look straight at her.

“Zhou Jinsi, I don’t want to hear you say that right now.”

“…”

“You could have refused me just now… but you didn’t.”

Zhou Jinsi’s lips were slightly parted, but she was at a loss for words. The rush of blood to her head made her entire face and neck turn red.

Shi Qin wasn’t in a hurry. She just looked at her and then slowly added, “You weren’t drunk today.”

“I’m sorry… I…” After holding it in for a long time, all Zhou Jinsi could manage was, “My mind is a mess right now…”

The warmth on her lips still seemed to linger, reminding Zhou Jinsi that they had just, once again, had a very real, intimate moment.

Her heart felt like a tangled mess of yarn, all blocked up. She hadn’t had time to think about how to sort through these feelings to have a proper conversation with the person in front of her.

Seeing her complicated expression, Shi Qin’s heart softened. She said in a gentle, slow voice, “Then can you first tell me why you suddenly left back then?”

“When can we finally talk this out?”

Seeing her slightly furrowed brow and focused gaze, Zhou Jinsi’s heart couldn’t help but stir. “My… my mind is really a mess right now… I don’t know where to start…”

“You know I’m not good with words… can you give me some time to process, okay?”

Zhou Jinsi didn’t know if the obstacle in her heart was the fear of repeating what had happened back then.

Or was it… that the root of it was the feeling that she had never truly understood Shi Qin… that she didn’t understand her at all.

The bridge of trust between them had collapsed. If it were to be rebuilt, time was essential.

Zhou Jinsi didn’t want to be too hasty in dealing with her feelings. That would be a sign of disrespect, both to Shi Qin and to herself.

“Okay, I’ll wait for you. Whenever you’re ready, we’ll have a proper talk.” Seeing the sincerity in her words was enough for Shi Qin. All she wanted was an attitude from Zhou Jinsi.

The serious conversation ended, and the two of them fell into a state of speechlessness again.

But it was this very silence that caused a strange, intimate atmosphere to begin to flow through the air.

It wasn’t just Zhou Jinsi. When Shi Qin thought about how Zhou Jinsi had just turned the tables on her… she also felt a little shy and uncomfortable.

Shi Qin: “Ahem… are you thirsty? Want some water?”

“Huh?” Zhou Jinsi didn’t react at first and just went along with it. “A little…”

The moment she said it, Zhou Jinsi caught the faint smile on Shi Qin’s lips and was a little confused.

Shi Qin took a new cup from the nearby table and poured her a glass of water. Zhou Jinsi took it. She had just drunk half of it when she saw Shi Qin leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, a smile in her eyes as she watched her.

She said in a shallow voice, “Kissing for a long time does tend to make one’s mouth dry.”

“Cough, cough! Cough, cough, cough…”

That one sentence almost made Zhou Jinsi choke to death.

Shi Qin, on the other hand, looked as if her prank had succeeded. She laughed even more happily, even lowering her head, her whole body shaking.

Seeing her laugh like that, Zhou Jinsi felt even more embarrassed and touched her nose. She habitually tried to push up her glasses, only to realize they had long since been replaced with contacts.

“Hey, Zhou Jinsi, seriously, how come I never noticed before that you have this ‘sultry on the inside’ trait?” Shi Qin tilted her head to look at her, a sincere expression on her face.

Zhou Jinsi: “…I don’t.”

Shi Qin: “You do!”

In an instant, with a gust of fragrant wind, Shi Qin’s body rushed forward, getting close to Zhou Jinsi. Her eyes curved as she smiled and asked, “Actually, you’ve always liked me, right?”

Zhou Jinsi only glanced at her once before her heart fell into chaos. She averted her eyes and didn’t answer her question, but a hint of an irrepressible smile still escaped from the corners of her mouth.

Shi Qin was even more pleased. She pointed at Zhou Jinsi’s face. “You smiled. Still not admitting it?”

Zhou Jinsi ignored her, just turning her head to the side.

From an angle Shi Qin couldn’t see, the curve of her lips tilted up even more.

.

It was another weekend. Besides tutoring, Zhou Jinsi had no other plans, so in the afternoon, she went to the company with Zhou Lin.

Tianyu Media was considered one of the top players in the industry. The company’s interior was impressively decorated. Zhou Jinsi followed Zhou Lin on a casual tour.

They were only halfway through when Zhou Lin received a call. He then told Zhou Jinsi that he had to go to the office to handle some things and asked her to go find Jiang Nuo in the agency department first.

It was Zhou Jinsi’s first time here, so she naturally didn’t know her way around. But Zhou Lin had left in a hurry, and she hadn’t had time to ask.

Now she was left alone and disoriented in the hallway. Not knowing the way, Zhou Jinsi had no choice but to ask a passerby who was walking toward her.

“Hello, do you know where Jiang Nuo’s office is?”

The woman was visibly taken aback. Zhou Jinsi had to repeat the question before the woman lowered her sunglasses a little, revealing a pair of exquisite eyes as she sized up Zhou Jinsi.

Only then did Zhou Jinsi realize she was in a media company. A person with such an outstanding presence, dressed unlike an ordinary employee, was most likely an artist…

She was about to apologize when she saw the woman put her sunglasses back on properly, her red lips curving slightly. “Sorry, I’m not sure.”

With that, the woman walked past her. Zhou Jinsi’s gaze subconsciously followed her, just in time to see Jiang Nuo standing not far behind her.

Jiang Nuo saw her too and was about to speak when her brow furrowed at the sight of the other woman.

The two seemed to be old acquaintances. The woman greeted Jiang Nuo very naturally, “Sister Jiang, see you around~”

Her tone was a bit playful, but Jiang Nuo’s face was expressionless, not even warm. She just nodded and let her walk away.

Zhou Jinsi watched the whole exchange, still a bit confused, before being led to the office by Jiang Nuo.

Inside the office, Zhou Jinsi had just sat down on the sofa when she looked at Jiang Nuo, who was pouring her tea, and couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Auntie Jiang, was that person just now an artist?”

Jiang Nuo nodded, placed the teacup in front of Zhou Jinsi, and sat down opposite her. “She was an artist I used to manage. She just terminated her contract with the company a few days ago.”

Contracts with agencies were signed for a fixed number of years. Terminating a contract before the term was up would surely result in a hefty penalty. In the entire industry, the only person who could do such a thing so easily was the famous “rich young miss”—Lin Zhen.

Lin Zhen came from the well-known Lin Corporation. The Lin Corporation maintained cooperative relationships with various major film and television companies and would occasionally appear as an investor for certain projects. Therefore, even if Lin Zhen blatantly brought her own funding to join a cast, no one dared to say anything.

And Lin Zhen did indeed have the capital for it. She looked like a little white flower, pure and harmless, and her acting wasn’t too bad. Jiang Nuo had agreed to manage her back then because she saw her potential for development.

Jiang Nuo had single-handedly made her famous. Now, also as an A-list starlet, her public image was better than Shi Qin’s. Of course, this was also thanks to the persona Jiang Nuo had crafted for her.

But this young miss was impetuous. The moment she got a little famous, she started to get a big head.

The film Shi Qin was currently shooting—not long ago, she and Shi Qin had auditioned for it together. She firmly believed her performance was much better than Shi Qin’s, but in the end, the casting notice announced Shi Qin as the choice.

Lin Zhen took her anger out on Jiang Nuo. In fact, this wasn’t the first time the two had disagreed. Lin Zhen was proud and arrogant, while Jiang Nuo was calm and reserved. Their working styles, including their views on things, were vastly different.

Especially this time, after losing to her official rival in the industry, the two had a complete falling out. Lin Zhen boldly proposed terminating her contract, preparing to start her own studio. Jiang Nuo didn’t try to keep her. That day in the office, the two parted on bad terms.

“It’s a good thing not all rich young misses are like her. Otherwise, they’re more likely to cause trouble than get things done,” Jiang Nuo said faintly, picking up her cup and lightly blowing on the steam.

Then, looking at Zhou Jinsi, her gaze turned affectionate. “Our Xiao Si is still the most well-behaved.”

Zhou Jinsi smiled shyly, but her mind was on what Jiang Nuo had just mentioned about Shi Qin.

The last time she had seen Shi Qin was two weeks ago. After their talk at the hotel that day, their attitudes were not as stiff as before, but they were both busy with work, and there was no suitable reason to meet again.

The talk they had agreed on was now postponed indefinitely.

In short, Zhou Jinsi felt the tangled mess in her heart was impossible to sort out. Her brain had always been useless when it came to matters of love, so she might as well let it be and let nature take its course. She could wait another day.

But now that they were talking about it, Zhou Jinsi remembered what Shi Qin had said during the interview: “to be someone known to the public.”

On a whim, she asked Jiang Nuo another question, “Auntie Jiang, from your perspective, what do you think… Shi Qin’s future development will be like?”

Jiang Nuo’s expression froze for a moment, but she quickly returned to normal. Looking at Zhou Jinsi, she asked, “Why are you suddenly interested in these things?”

After saying that, as if remembering something, she asked again, “Do you know her?”

Hearing this, Zhou Jinsi’s gaze froze. She then looked elsewhere, picked up her cup, and took a sip of water to hide her inner discomfort.

Zhou Jinsi: “Mhm, yes, I know her.”

After putting down the cup, she caught Jiang Nuo’s gaze, which held a hint of inquiry. She then added, “It’s nothing. I just heard her mentioned just now, so I asked casually.”

Jiang Nuo retracted her gaze and then smiled faintly. “She… is a talented child. She’s willing to work hard, isn’t impatient for success, and is also very ambitious. She’s suited for this industry.”

“But…”

Before she could finish, Jiang Nuo’s words trailed off.

Zhou Jinsi: “But what?”

Jiang Nuo shook her head and chuckled lightly, not saying any more. Zhou Jinsi understood and didn’t press further. However, from Jiang Nuo’s evaluation of Shi Qin just now, she had sensed something.

Auntie Jiang seems to know Shi Qin quite well? But in my memory, the two of them shouldn’t have had any interaction…

This faint doubt was buried deep in Zhou Jinsi’s heart. She didn’t continue this topic with Jiang Nuo.

After they finished their chat, Zhou Lin sent a message to Zhou Jinsi, saying he was still busy with work and she could go home first.

Coincidentally, Jiang Nuo also had something to do, so the two of them left together.

Today, Zhou Jinsi had driven her own car. As she drove near the company entrance, she saw Jiang Nuo still standing there waiting. But soon, a white Porsche pulled up in front of her.

From Zhou Jinsi’s perspective, Jiang Nuo’s back was to her. So when the Porsche’s window rolled down, a familiar face made her slightly surprised.

Shi Qin was wearing sunglasses and seemed to smile at Jiang Nuo. Then, Jiang Nuo walked over to the passenger seat.

After the window rolled up, the sound of the engine started. By the time Zhou Jinsi came back to her senses, the car was already far away.

The doubt from just now surged up in her heart again.

Auntie Jiang and Shi Qin… they know each other?

.

“Driving out so ostentatiously, aren’t you afraid of being noticed?”

Shi Qin chuckled lightly and teased back, “I’m not famous enough for the paparazzi to be squatting outside my door every day.”

Jiang Nuo smiled, raising a hand to push up the glasses on the bridge of her nose.

The car reached an intersection and happened to hit a red light. Unable to make it through in the last second, Shi Qin lazily released the steering wheel and cracked her knuckles.

“Has the matter of Lin Zhen’s contract termination been resolved?”

Jiang Nuo nodded and said faintly, “She came to the company today to handle it.”

Shi Qin raised an eyebrow and glanced at Jiang Nuo. “So she’s planning to start her own studio?”

This was already a given. Jiang Nuo smiled, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes appearing. “With her family background, terminating her contract won’t cause too much of a stir for her. The resources she should have, she won’t be lacking.”

Shi Qin’s lips curved in a half-smile.

Jiang Nuo looked up and saw her expression. After a moment of silence, she asked, “What about you? Have you settled things with the company?”

The red light flickered. Shi Qin stepped on the gas, her eyes on the road ahead.

“Not yet. Let’s wait a little longer, in case any more trouble arises.”

Jiang Nuo sighed softly, took off her glasses, and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “It’s better to do it sooner. If things drag on, it’s easy for complications to arise.”

The corners of Shi Qin’s mouth lifted, but her eyes were a sheet of indifference.

“When I’ve made up my mind, no one can change it. Even if they try to force me to stay, they won’t be able to.”

Jiang Nuo’s brow furrowed. She said no more, lowering her head to fiddle with the ring on her finger, her gaze heavy, as if she were contemplating something.

After a long moment, she finally spoke softly, “Actually, if you entered this industry for them, I don’t think it’s worth it.”

Shi Qin focused on driving, not saying a word.

Jiang Nuo couldn’t help but sigh. “After all, those things happened a long time ago, Qinqin.”

“No matter how long it’s been, I will remember.”

Shi Qin’s grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly. She made a turn and glanced at Jiang Nuo’s somewhat worried expression, smiling warmly. “Auntie, you don’t need to persuade me. I have never regretted choosing this path. And besides, so many people like me now. I’m truly happy.”

Jiang Nuo looked at her and smiled as well, her sharp image softening, her face taking on a gentle expression.

“As long as you’re happy. I just don’t want that matter to leave too deep an obsession in your heart.”

“I understand,” Shi Qin said with a faint smile on her face. “Look, I’m a grown-up now. I have my own considerations for everything I do. Don’t worry.”

Jiang Nuo smiled and nodded. She had watched Shi Qin grow up to this point and had long since come to see her as her own child.

Jiang Nuo said with gratification, “With your words, I can rest assured.”

“Whatever you want to do, I will do my best to help you.”

.

In late March in Jing’an, the weather gradually warmed. It was not as biting as the harsh winter, nor was there a scorching sun like fire. It was very comfortable and pleasant.

But Zhou Jinsi’s mood was not as calm as the weather.

She was still thinking about Shi Qin.

Today was Monday. In the afternoon, she only had one class. After it was over, she went back to the office to rest.

The test papers, homework, and documents on her desk were all neatly arranged. Everything that needed to be graded was graded. She was now at a loose end.

So, she took out a textbook to review the teaching points, her hand habitually twirling a pen.

The pen spun like it was dancing between her long, slender knuckles.

Round and round it went, who knows how many times, before her long, slender fingers caught it, finally stopping it.

However, Zhou Jinsi’s mind had already drifted far away.

She remembered that on the weekend, when Jiang Nuo left the company with her, she had said she was going to see an acquaintance, and later got into Shi Qin’s car.

Was there some other relationship between the two of them?

Zhou Jinsi couldn’t figure it out.

She was discovering more and more that her previous knowledge of Shi Qin was only the most superficial understanding.

And now, she found her even more unreadable. She couldn’t read her, and now she couldn’t even read herself.

The night after that kiss, in a pitch-black room, standing on the balcony, she had thought and thought. What she remembered most was what had caused the rift between her and Shi Qin.

Perhaps the incident from two years ago was just the catalyst for their separation. The root cause, perhaps, was that their personalities were never compatible in the first place…

The past her, whenever she stood next to Shi Qin, would feel a shameful sense of inferiority. The more Shi Qin shone, the more inferior she felt.

Perhaps, she had never believed she could be loved, and she couldn’t distinguish which one was the real Shi Qin.

Zhou Jinsi lowered her eyes, her jaw tightening. She stared at her textbook, her gaze unfocused as she spaced out.

After a long while, she came back to her senses, picked up her phone, and opened Weibo.

She had heard from Lin Qi before that you could search for a lot of information and related news on it. With some curiosity, Zhou Jinsi typed “Shi Qin” into the search bar.

The title of the first video that popped up caught Zhou Jinsi’s attention.

[Yin Chenxuan & Shi Qin Stunning Kiss Scene, Atmosphere is Off the Charts!!!]

So they had worked together before.

Zhou Jinsi’s gaze froze for two seconds, her eyes filled with an indifference as cold as ice that could not be thawed.

Her finger moved slightly, and she clicked on the video.

This was the ancient costume web drama they had filmed together before. It was the popularity of this on-screen couple that had increased the buzz for both of them.

In the video, Yin Chenxuan stood tall and elegant, looking like a gentle piece of jade, while Shi Qin was held in his arms. In ancient costume, she had a different kind of charm. Dressed in white, she was like an untainted fairy, with bright eyes and pearly teeth, exceptionally moving.

The two looked at each other for a long time, then Yin Chenxuan’s hand on Shi Qin’s waist tightened.

Seeing this action, Zhou Jinsi took a light breath.

Next, the camera switched to a close-up of their faces, the distance closing in, bit by bit. Closer…

The lines of both their profiles were extremely elegant. A handsome man and a beautiful woman, very pleasing to the eye. Seeing Yin Chenxuan getting closer, Shi Qin, in character, shyly lowered her gaze and closed her eyes.

As their lips got closer and closer, Zhou Jinsi’s brow furrowed even tighter. One of her hands, resting on the table, began to tap restlessly on the tabletop with its fingertips.

The moment their lips were about to touch, Zhou Jinsi’s heart also clenched.

But in the next second, the camera angle changed to a long shot, leaving only the image of the two of them kissing.

This should be what they call a ‘forced perspective kiss’?

This was a term Zhou Jinsi had recently learned from scrolling through Weibo and entertainment news. Thinking of this, the icy coldness in her eyes thawed like the first snow and returned to normal.

Just as she was about to exit the video, she heard a faint voice from behind her. “Teacher…”

Zhou Jinsi’s heart shook as if in an earthquake. She subconsciously turned her head to look.

Shi Hua was standing behind her, holding a book, a pure and innocent look on her face. Her gaze was even directed at her phone screen.

Shi Hua asked blankly, “Teacher, are you watching my sister’s drama?”

Zhou Jinsi froze, glanced at her phone, and her face immediately darkened.

The screen was paused on the scene just before Shi Qin and that person were about to kiss.