Chapter 95 Part 2

Lu Rui’s eyes widened in disbelief. Realizing her reaction was too telling, she coughed. “I don’t know what you mean…”

Jiang Sisi said, “No meaning. Just a heads-up.”

“All media outlets, legit or tabloid, tip me off before running anything on me. They wouldn’t dare cross me.”

“If you hand that recording to some random outlet, it’ll end up in my hands anyway. In this industry, this is nothing—no splash at all.”

Lu Rui clutched the recorder in her pocket and gritted her teeth. “I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Jiang Sisi said, “You can pretend you don’t know, and I can act like none of this happened tonight. I understand your desire to climb into Gao Qin’s bed for a better position. It’s Gao Qin who maliciously edited the footage to prop you up. You and I had no grudge to begin with.”

Jiang Sisi continued, “Of course, you can also upload this recording online yourself. I can’t stop you from going on the internet. Feel free to try it.”

She didn’t treat the recording as any kind of threat at all. She was utterly unconcerned.

Lu Rui looked up at her. The feigned vulnerability on the surface had long vanished, replaced by pure malice in her eyes.

The masks were off anyway.

Lu Rui growled lowly, “Aren’t you afraid?! Jiang Sisi, are you really so confident that you can walk away unscathed?”

“Walk away unscathed? You’re underestimating me.” Jiang Sisi smiled and added, “I have a recording of you and Bai Rou here.”

“What you said to Bai Rou this morning—although she covered the mic, the raw audio can still be cleaned up and heard clearly. And that audio file is now in my hands.”

Lu Rui was shocked. “…You!”

Jiang Sisi looked at her, her gaze deep and enigmatic. She smiled again. “You should remember what you said this morning, right?”

Lu Rui’s mind buzzed. She lowered her head, staring at the floor, her eyes bloodshot with rage.

What had they said back then?

Bai Rou had said, I saw you going to the basement in your pajamas that day.

Absolutely not!!

Lu Rui suddenly lifted her head, her voice already hoarse. “What exactly do you want?”

Jiang Sisi said, “Miss Lu, don’t do anything unnecessary. I know you despise people like me, but hating me is your freedom. Killing you would be as easy as squashing an ant. If you don’t believe me, by all means, try it.”

Lu Rui raised her head and stared at her. “You might be able to walk away unscathed. You’re not afraid of the rumors, but I don’t believe Leng Xiang isn’t afraid!”

Jiang Sisi paused at the mention of Leng Xiang, then smiled. “Right, she is afraid. That’s why I’m standing here threatening you. Otherwise, I would’ve left long ago.”

Jiang Sisi thought for a moment, then drew closer. Lu Rui looked at her in terror. “What are you doing?”

Jiang Sisi said, “Just to be safe, hand over the recorder.”

Jiang Sisi turned off the still-recording device, pocketed it, and prepared to head to the living room for a glass of water.

Lu Rui stared at her with a complicated expression and asked, “What exactly is your relationship with Leng Xiang?”

She had always thought Leng Xiang and Jiang Sisi were just fooling around, much like her own bid to climb into Gao Qin’s bed.

But they seemed serious.

Jiang Sisi said, “She is the love of my life.”

Jiang Sisi returned with the water, set it on the bedside table, and slipped under the covers.

The room had originally had two beds, but Jiang Sisi kept squeezing into hers to sleep, so they eventually pushed them together.

Xiangxiang was still sleeping soundly in the baby bassinet in the corner.

Leng Xiang had been scrolling on her phone. She had just opened Weibo when Jiang Sisi snatched it away.

Leng Xiang was furious. “What are you doing! Give me back my phone.”

Jiang Sisi, being utterly shameless, tossed the phone onto the nightstand on her side. Leng Xiang stretched to grab it but ended up pulled into a tight embrace instead.

Jiang Sisi laughed. “Now that’s throwing yourself at me.”

Leng Xiang was so mad she wanted to hit her.

Leng Xiang grumpily burrowed back under the covers and tugged at Jiang Sisi’s cheeks. “Why won’t you let me use my phone?!”

Jiang Sisi said, “Stop looking. There’s nothing worth seeing. Go to sleep.”

Leng Xiang said, “If you won’t let me look now, you won’t live with me when we get back, so I can still look then.”

Jiang Sisi replied, “Good point. I’ve said it before—move in with me and problem solved.”

Leng Xiang sneered, thinking it was a pipe dream. “And if I live with you, you’ll still never let me touch my phone?”

Jiang Sisi said, “It’s not impossible.”

Leng Xiang: “…”

Jiang Sisi hugged her from behind, found a comfortable position, and whispered, “You can look when we get back. But not here.”

Leng Xiang: “…”

Fine.

She kept feeling like so much had happened in the past couple of days, and there must be some root cause. But Jiang Sisi wouldn’t let her watch the show, and she hadn’t checked her phone much either, so she had no idea what was going on.

She was a key player, yet the only one in the dark!

But her phone was confiscated, and Jiang Sisi had her in her arms. Despite her reluctance, she was powerless, so she angrily went to sleep.

Whatever.

·

The next morning, Leng Xiang hadn’t stayed up late, so she rose early and decided to make breakfast for everyone.

The staff had withdrawn the day before. Now, the Love Cottage held only the guests, without even follow-up cameras left behind.

What would become of the show?

The others gradually came downstairs. Lu Rui was still there, dark circles under her eyes, looking utterly dejected.

She sat silently at the dining table. Leng Xiang handed her a serving of breakfast. She murmured a thank you and didn’t dare look up at anyone.

Yi Jing and Qin Yang didn’t fully grasp the situation, but they had scrolled Weibo the day before and had a rough idea. They assumed Lu Rui was leaving because her scripted role had been exposed, and she couldn’t save face.

Bai Rou and Xu Xingche seemed to have entered a honeymoon phase since yesterday’s confession. They ate breakfast oblivious to everyone else, all lovey-dovey.

Xu Xingche felt a bit guilty toward Lu Rui. He thought her departure was mostly his fault and wanted to say something, but Lu Rui kept her head down eating, so he never got the chance.

After breakfast, Lu Rui was the first to leave. She came downstairs with her luggage.

Xu Xingche and Bai Rou were in the living room. Xu Xingche stood up. “Let me see you off.”

Lu Rui avoided their gazes. “No need.”

Leng Xiang was cleaning up in the kitchen when she heard them. She looked up, only to see Lu Rui walking straight toward her.

Lu Rui gave a self-mocking laugh. “I really do envy you.”

Leng Xiang, puzzled: “Huh?”

Lu Rui smiled but said nothing. She seemed about to say more but held back, perhaps out of fear, and simply left.

Leng Xiang and Jiang Sisi were leaving soon after. Their suitcases stood by the entryway. Jiang Sisi held Xiangxiang while Qin Yang and Yi Jing saw them off at the door. Qin Yang kept hesitating, glancing at Jiang Sisi repeatedly.

Finally, he couldn’t hold back and pulled Jiang Sisi to a corner in the garden.

Jiang Sisi asked curiously, “What do you want to say?”

Qin Yang grinned goofily, looking like a big bad wolf with a wagging tail. “Sisi-jie.”

Jiang Sisi shuddered. “Don’t call me that.”

Qin Yang coughed and got serious. “Teacher Jiang.”

Jiang Sisi responded, “Yeah? What’s up?”

Qin Yang said, “Has Yi Jing ever been in a relationship before?”

Jiang Sisi gave him a look that screamed that’s obvious. “Several, all with women. But he once told me he’s homophobic.”

Qin Yang’s head drooped in deep disappointment.

“Don’t listen to his nonsense. Homophobic? Does he avoid me? My studio has a few gay guys, and he gets along fine with them.”

Jiang Sisi added, “And…”

Qin Yang: “And what?”

Jiang Sisi said, “Back in high school, a guy confessed to him and even kissed him.”

She racked her brain. “If I remember right, his description was… that pervert pinned him against the wall like a bear.”

“He acted disgusted at the time, but knowing him, he wasn’t that opposed.”

“Wait… like a bear…”

Jiang Sisi sized Qin Yang up and gasped. “Don’t tell me it was you.”

Qin Yang grinned again. “Teacher Jiang, I want to pursue him.”

“Well, damn, bold move.” Jiang Sisi recovered from her shock. “From what I see, Yi Jing doesn’t have zero interest in you.”

Qin Yang’s eyes lit up.

“So, Teacher Jiang, any advice?”

Jiang Sisi smiled meaningfully. “So that’s why you were waiting for me? What do I get out of betraying my childhood friend?”

Qin Yang: “As long as it’s not too much, I’ll do one thing for you. Anything you say.”

Jiang Sisi pondered and decided it was a sweet deal, so she agreed readily.

“Yi Jing might seem like a playboy, but he’s actually super innocent and cute. He entered the industry just for fun and hasn’t been beaten down by society. Those girlfriends? Mostly after his money, scamming him left and right. I warned him, but he wouldn’t listen. Got duped, then came crying to me drunk.”

Qin Yang listened raptly. “And then?”

“Then nothing. Still single.” Jiang Sisi said, “He’s super petty, tsundere, and gets jealous easily.”

She hinted meaningfully, “The show will bring in two new female guests in a couple weeks. You could try that.”

Qin Yang was satisfied.

Qin Yang and Jiang Sisi whispered in the corner for a long time. When they returned, Qin Yang had a suspiciously creepy smile. Yi Jing found it odd. “What’d you and Jiang Sisi talk about?”

Qin Yang slung an arm around his shoulders and smiled. “Nothing.”

Three minutes later, Tan Ya pulled up to the Love Cottage in her car.

“We’re off then.” Jiang Sisi waved to Yi Jing and Qin Yang and got in the car with Leng Xiang.

The car smoothly hit the road. An hour later, it arrived at Leng Xiang’s rental complex.

As Leng Xiang got out, Xiangxiang pawed at the window meowing. Leng Xiang reached in and ruffled its head fur.

Jiang Sisi was reluctant. “You really won’t come stay with me? Look, even Xiangxiang doesn’t want you to go.”

Xiangxiang meowed cooperatively, its glassy eyes sparkling at Leng Xiang.

Leng Xiang stayed firm. “Nope.”

Jiang Sisi pouted sadly. “Third time’s the charm. I’ve invited you three times now.”

Leng Xiang held her ground on this. “Ten invitations won’t change it.”

Jiang Sisi grew even sadder.

Seeing her genuine-seeming heartbreak—though it was probably fake—Leng Xiang softened anyway and leaned down for a kiss.

“Alright, give it a few more months. Cohabiting right after getting together isn’t right.”

It wasn’t that fast.

Fine, she was stubborn on this front.

Stubbornly adorable.

No rush anyway.

Jiang Sisi’s mood flipped from cloudy to sunny. She grinned, pulled her in for another kiss, and said, “Deal. One month, max.”

Leng Xiang’s face heated up—they were still outside, and Jiang Sisi was always so brazen.

But she agreed anyway.

“Okay.”