Chapter 28: World Two [1] Part 1

A flood of memories poured into Li Jianwei’s mind, but they weren’t continuous—they came in fragmented pieces.

This led Li Jianwei to believe that the trouble Shu Heng had encountered that night was harassment from some no-name scumbag, and Zhou Zhao had simply stepped in to help, earning her favor in the process.

So, when she discovered in the restroom that Shu Heng’s breathing was rapid and her body temperature was abnormal, Li Jianwei’s mind inevitably went blank for a moment.

No wonder Zhou Zhao had gotten resources from this Eldest Miss who was hiding her identity—it turned out he wasn’t human enough to take advantage of her vulnerability and deceive the Eldest Miss!

Those resources might have been thank-you fees, or they could have been hush money!

“Teacher Li, my body doesn’t feel right…” At that moment, Shu Heng also realized she had fallen victim to some dirty trick, and her tone grew a bit panicked.

“Do you need me to call an ambulance for you?” Li Jianwei asked. She wasn’t surprised at all that she’d been recognized.

It wasn’t bragging on Li Jianwei’s part—there weren’t many actors who could win Best Actress at twenty-five. And when she won, there was hardly any controversy online; the vast majority of netizens agreed she deserved it. Achieving that was no easy feat.

Shu Heng was about her age. Though she was a top-tier actress, she still had a ways to go before becoming a true film queen. It was perfectly normal for her to recognize Li Jianwei as an outstanding senior.

“No, I’m not going to the hospital.” Shu Heng’s breathing quickened, and the flush at the corners of her eyes made her look even more fragile.

“Then do you need me to contact someone for you?” Li Jianwei analyzed calmly. “If you don’t have anyone reliable nearby, I can take you to my room. A bath should help ease your current condition.”

“If you do, I’ll stay here with you, and you can use my phone to call them over.”

Shu Heng pressed her lips together. If it hadn’t been Li Jianwei who appeared before her, she might have contacted her manager and toughed it out for an hour until they arrived.

But it was Li Jianwei who had shown up and noticed her abnormality.

Li Jianwei was the star Shu Heng had adored since university. As a five-year veteran fan, Shu Heng had absolute faith in her character.

“Sorry to trouble you, Teacher Li. I think I need that bath.” Shu Heng made her choice. Following Teacher Li was definitely better than staying in a crowded, prying place.

“Alright. Do you need me to let your assistant know?” Li Jianwei asked cautiously as she reached out to steady the unsteady Shu Heng.

She was here to build favor, sure, but she wouldn’t stoop to taking advantage with despicable means. She wasn’t like Zhou Zhao!

Shu Heng shook her head. “No need. Teacher Li, just take me there. I’ll contact her later.”

The assistant was someone the company had assigned to Shu Heng recently; they hadn’t even gelled for three months yet. She couldn’t fully trust her.

To take a step back, if something at the entrance could be tampered with, who knew if the assistant had been compromised too.

Li Jianwei said no more. She took off her suit jacket and draped it over Shu Heng. “My room is upstairs. We’ll be there soon.”

Shu Heng acknowledged her and took shaky steps forward.

“Jianwei? What are you doing here?” They had just left the restroom when Zhou Zhao approached, his face full of concern. “What’s wrong with Shu Heng? Did she drink too much? Need any help?”

“No need. I’ll take her to rest.” Li Jianwei replied, her attitude cold. The look she gave Zhou Zhao carried a hint of disdain.

Those memories might not have been perfectly accurate, but they weren’t fabricated either. Fresh off the shock, Li Jianwei couldn’t muster a friendly smile for Zhou Zhao.

The thought of the resources she’d worked so hard for being snatched away by the guy in front of her made Li Jianwei’s heart bleed. Her fists itched to move.

Li Jianwei’s coldness caught Zhou Zhao off guard. Last year, they had still been doing post-hype fan service. How had things soured in just a few months? Had Li Jianwei found out he was planning to switch partners for CP hype and gotten mad?

Zhou Zhao touched his nose and watched the two leave, utterly baffled.

After ditching Zhou Zhao, Li Jianwei took Shu Heng up in the elevator and smoothly opened the door with her room key.

“Drink some water first. I’ll go run the bath for you.” Li Jianwei twisted open a bottle of mineral water and pressed it into Shu Heng’s hand before heading to the bathroom, her movements smooth and unhesitating.

Shu Heng stared blankly at the mineral water. When she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom, a ridiculous thought flashed through her mind.

Teacher Li didn’t need to be in such a hurry. Maybe there were other solutions besides a bath, like…

But in the next second, Shu Heng shook her head vigorously, trying to physically shake the idea away.

How could she think like that? Even if Teacher Li was an actor she really liked, she couldn’t entertain such notions!

Fans had to keep their distance from idols! Teacher Li wasn’t the type to get that involved with someone she’d only met once! It must be this weird drug messing up her head!

As the heat in her body intensified, Shu Heng finally remembered the water in her hand and gulped down half the bottle, slightly tempering the fire within.

When Li Jianwei returned after filling the tub, she saw Shu Heng lying on the sofa with flushed cheeks, her arm limply draped over the armrest. The mineral water bottle she clutched looked precarious, as if it might slip and fall any second.

Shu Heng’s features were softer than Li Jianwei’s—less chiseled, but full of approachability. That had earned her great public favor since debuting.

Li Jianwei’s gaze lingered on Shu Heng’s face for a moment before she bent down to take the bottle from her hand. “The tub’s filled with warm water. Need help getting in?”

Shu Heng looked up to meet Li Jianwei’s eyes a beat late. “Thanks, I can manage.”

With that, she tried to push up from the sofa using the armrest, but the drug, now fully kicking in, sent her tumbling right back down, leaving only bewilderment on her face.

Unwilling to give up, Shu Heng tried again, only to feel her hands and legs go limp. Even bracing against the armrest to stand, she lacked the strength to take a step forward.

“You might need my help after all.” Li Jianwei extended a hand to Shu Heng.

Shu Heng placed her limp hand in it and leaned almost her entire body against Li Jianwei to shuffle forward.

But at the tub’s edge, Shu Heng hit another snag—she couldn’t remove her dress.

“Teacher Li, could you unzip the back for me?” Shu Heng said, hands braced on the tub’s rim, her breathing growing heavier.

The drug’s effects on Shu Heng worsened over time. Her heartbeat raced faster, and her thoughts grew sluggish.

It was foreseeable that, had it not been for Li Jianwei—a fellow woman—by her side, Shu Heng likely would have faced something unpleasant.

Li Jianwei obliged. Noticing Shu Heng’s muddled state, she considerately helped her out of the dress too.

“Lift your foot.” Li Jianwei stayed focused, treating Shu Heng’s undergarments like a swimsuit.

With Li Jianwei’s assistance, Shu Heng slipped smoothly into the tub. The delay had cooled the water somewhat.

But for Shu Heng, it was perfect. The slightly cooler water helped her regain a bit of clarity, preventing her mind from descending fully into chaos.

Li Jianwei had planned to leave and wait for the drug to wear off until Shu Heng was more herself before talking.

But seeing Shu Heng hug her knees and sit silently in the tub, Li Jianwei couldn’t bring herself to go.

Fine. She’d already gotten her into the bath—might as well wait a bit longer.

Li Jianwei dragged a chair into the bathroom, keeping an eye on Shu Heng while pulling out her phone to jot down the extra memories in her notes app.

Without her intervention, Zhou Zhao would have been the one to find Shu Heng in this state and “help” her resolve it. Though the memories lacked the specific scene, Li Jianwei didn’t peg Zhou Zhao as a gentleman.

The industry’s male-female and same-sex relationships were already a mess; she’d seen plenty of on-screen couples turn real. Zhou Zhao might well have gone with the flow and taken advantage.

Men always thought with their lower halves and couldn’t resist any temptation.

With that in mind, Li Jianwei opened her chat with her assistant and fired off five or six messages.

Li Jianwei’s assistant was just a year younger than her and had been with her for a full three years. She was utterly trustworthy, highly capable, and could even double as a half-manager when needed.

Sure enough, within fifteen minutes, replies came back.

【Sis Li, I’ve spoken to the director of Moon Full West Tower. Told him Shu Heng ran into you, hit it off instantly, and you two left together ahead of schedule.】

【From what I observed, Teacher Zhou Zhao didn’t seem too concerned about Shu Heng’s whereabouts. One of the investors’ reps was more anxious, trying to fish for her location, but I brushed him off.】

【Sis Li, the two outfits you wanted are ready. Send them up now?】

Her assistant’s swift efficiency brought a smile to Li Jianwei’s face as her fingers flew across the keyboard.

【Thanks for the hard work. Bring them now—you know the room number.】

Moments after sending, a knock sounded at the door.

Li Jianwei pocketed her phone and rose to answer. But as she stepped forward, she felt a tug holding her back.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw Shu Heng—who had been docilely sitting in the tub moments ago—had somehow grabbed her clothing hem.

“Teacher Li, are you leaving?” Shu Heng’s cheeks were bright red, tears glistening at her eye corners—likely some physiological reaction.

“Teacher Li, please don’t leave me behind…” Shu Heng’s voice was soft and mushy, paired with her watery eyes, making her look just like a pitiful kitten.

Li Jianwei, who had no resistance to cats, softened her tone instinctively. “I’m not leaving. Someone’s at the door. I’ll be right back.”

“Really?” Shu Heng sniffled, her muddled mind instinctively clinging to Li Jianwei.

“Really. Count slowly to one hundred, and I’ll be back before you finish.” Li Jianwei said, unable to resist ruffling Shu Heng’s hair.

The texture really was like a kitten’s—fluffy and warm.