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  • Film Empress’s Daily Face Slapping Chapter 28.2

    After listening to Liu jie’s long stream of consciousness, Su Shen simply closed her eyes and said indifferently, “You don’t need to say more, I won’t get a boyfriend so casually.” 

    Liu jie: “……”

    “A man should get married on coming of age, and so should a girl. This is originally heaven’s law and earth’s principle. Even if you tell your sister about this, I will also say this to her. Maybe your sister wants you to find a boyfriend more than you.” Liu jie said in earnest.

    “That being said, Xie Yan is just interested in me because of my cooking. The two can’t even be mentioned in the same breath.” Su Shen’s voice suddenly trailed off as she spoke of this and didn’t know how to explain it. After a moment of silence, she told the person on the other end of the phone, “You said to hype a CP, I cooperated. However, I will handle my personal matters myself. I hope you can understand.” 

    The person on the other end of the phone went quiet when they heard this and then said, “Alright, this matter was my fault. Remember to go on set tomorrow; you also have a reality show you have to participate in the day after tomorrow.” 

    “Got it.”

    Taking a deep breath, she hung up the phone. At this time, the condo was empty and strangely quiet. After sitting for a while, she went to get some clothes and took a shower. 

    The crew usually start work at eight in the morning. With so many scenes, Su Shen had to go on set to get her makeup done in advance. Fortunately, this was a wuxia drama. If it was a historical palace drama, it would take at least three hours with the hair and headdresses. 

    Early in the morning, the staff on set were setting up the scene with the assistant director directing the placement of things and the like. The other people who had come early were sitting on their stools eating breakfast, only Zhu Qinqin hadn’t come yet. 

    After getting her makeup done, Su Shen sighed. The makeup artist when she shot the film had better techniques. When she became extremely busy in the future, she should ask her to be her exclusive makeup artist. 

    It was not until 10 o’clock that Zhu Qinqin arrived in a hurry, saying that there was a traffic jam on the way. They had to wait for her to get her makeup done, which delayed the filming schedule once more. 

    “Su Shen, come here.” Director Wang suddenly waved at her at this moment. 

    Su Shen then walked over to the monitor with her prop sword in hand. When she neared, the director was still standing and pointed to a stool for her to sit on. 

    “Here’s the thing, I think that some of the plot can be changed a little. You said you don’t film kiss scenes, but dramas these days must have a gimmick or two. It’s impossible to have no kiss scenes at all.” The director leaned on his chair with his hands crossed in front of his chest and looked at her beseechingly. 

    Hearing this, Su Shen looked around at the busy staff around them and asked conscientiously, “Then what are your thoughts?” 

    The director suddenly took a script from the table and handed it to her upon hearing her words, as if he had prepared it in advance, “There are some plot changes here. What do you think?”   

    After taking over the script, Su Shen flipped through it and found that there was indeed a kiss scene. There was not only a kiss scene but also a large-scale sex scene!

    But it wasn’t for her! But for Zhu Qinqin and Jiang Yin! 

    She didn’t want to shoot this kind of scene anyways. However, the content of the revised script was much different from that of her’s. Most of her scenes had been deleted by more than half, whereas Zhu Qinqin’s scenes had been greatly increased. 

    As the finale approached, the male lead mistakenly went to bed with the supporting female character, and then the supporting female character infatuatedly followed the male lead from place to place to look for the female lead. Later, the supporting female character died in order to save the male lead, and thus, the male lead felt greatly guilty towards her and even cried… 

    In the next ten episodes, her role was to go back and forth into prison and show her face from time to time. 

    “Director Wang, was… this prepared a long time ago?” Su Shen did not appear angry, because this matter was very fishy. 

    Director Wang also helplessly sighed upon hearing this, “This was something a certain investor wanted to change. You get what I mean?” 

    How could she not understand? This kind of absurd plot was a smash to a director’s reputation, and no director is willing to do so. But capitalism controls the production teams now, so that’s why there are so many dramas where the female lead’s role is less than that of the supporting female character. But Su Shen didn’t expect it to happen to her. 

    Moreover, this person was shrewd. They didn’t change the script at the beginning but waited until she had filmed for two months already before suddenly changing it. Now she had to film even if she did not want to. 

    “I don’t mind, but I don’t know about my manager.” Su Shen pursed her lips and appeared indifferent. 

    It wasn’t bad, actually. With Zhu Qinqin’s acting, and now with the deliberately added scenes, she would definitely be cursed to death. But Jiang Yin had it even worse. When the drama airs, he would certainly be cursed as a scumbag. Whereas, for her, she would gain sympathy and draw a wave of likability.  

    But Liu jie would definitely not agree. A heroine who was just padding could not be considered a heroine. 

    “Well, show it to Liu Min first. This isn’t the final version, actually. We can adjust it slightly.” The director seemed to sympathize with her. 

    Upon hearing this, Su Shen just stood up with the script in her hand and smiled, “I will tell her.” 

    The director was somewhat surprised as he didn’t expect her attitude to be so good. It was common knowledge that getting their scenes deleted was the most taboo matter for an actor when filming. 

    Holding the script, Su Shen was preparing to send Liu jie a message when she suddenly noticed that The Song of Troubled Times had released another one-minute trailer. But her Weibo was managed by Liu jie, and she had already reposted the trailer from the official account.  

    Su Shen was about to take a look at the comments below it to see the reactions when she noticed a person suddenly stopped in front of her. 

    “Is this the new script? The director sure cares a lot about you, seeing how hard you work each day. Now, you can finally have a good rest.” Zhu Qinqin said sarcastically with her arms crossed in front of her chest and a face with a thick layer of foundation. 

    All the other staff looked at them furtively. Su Shen put away her phone and looked up to see a face that looked as if paint was brushed onto a wall, and smiled, “You gave me a fright. I almost thought I had stepped into a funeral home.”

    “Cough cough…” Xiao Zhou, who was behind her, almost burst into laughter. 

    Ignoring the eccentric Zhu Qinqin, Su Shen walked straight back to her dressing room. As soon as the door closed, she sat on the sofa and checked the reactions of the trailer.  

    However, Xiao Zhou couldn’t help but stare at the door and complained, “What kind of script is this? The male lead unexpectedly fell in love with the supporting female character? This is too absurd!” 

    Previous | Index | Next

  • You’re So Arrogant Chapter 41

    “Morning.”

    A familiar feminine voice sounded, as usual.

    His head was spinning as Xie Shuo connected the voice that had been in his ears for all this time to the face in front of him.

    So this was what she looked like.

    The rumors were true; she was beautiful and charming, yet Ye Yuan Nian willingly married her off.

    Ye An stood on the balcony for a while but turned around and walked back inside when she began to feel a little cold. Seeing Xie Shuo sitting motionless and dazed against the headboard, she couldn’t help but feel that something was strange. “What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

    After he returned to his senses, Xie Shuo looked at her, not knowing how to react.

    Ye An stepped forward and sat down beside him, worried that he somehow caught a cold during the night. She reached out to touch his forehead.

    She had just come in from the outside, so her fingers were cool. Xie Shuo looked up and caught a glimpse of her wrist bone, fair like snow.

    “Feels a little warm…”

    Once Ye An finished speaking, she realized that her hands might have been cold, so she put her hands under the comforter to warm them up.

    She was close enough to where Xie Shuo could see her thick eyelashes that curved slightly up. He could also see her soft cheeks and her tightly pursed red lips.

    After warming up her hands, Ye An reached out to touch his forehead again. This time, however, her wrist was caught.

    Xie Shuo held her slender wrist and put it down. However, he didn’t massage it like usual and just looked at her instead.

    Ye An felt even weirder.

    He usually didn’t sleep very well and would wake up earlier than her. She didn’t know what happened, but he slept later than her today. He was still asleep even when she had finished her morning routine.

    Now that he was awake, he sat in bed looking confused.

    “Does your head hurt? Do you want me to get you some medicine?” Ye An asked softly and patiently.

    She was about to get up, but Xie Shuo grabbed her hand and finally spoke, “No.”

    Hearing his tone of voice, Ye An didn’t sense any signs of discomfort. She assumed that he was just in a bad mood from waking up and said, “If your head doesn’t hurt, go wash up and head downstairs for breakfast.”

    She retracted her hand and walked to the closet, ignoring him.

    This Eldest Young Master had always been moody, going from gentle to irritable every few days.

    Xie Shuo looked at her slender figure, and a phrase suddenly flashed through his mind:

    “If the day comes where your eyes heal and you can see, we can divorce and no longer have anything to do with each other.”

    As the sound of footsteps faded away, Xie Shuo sat in silence for a moment before lifting the comforter and getting out of bed.

    As soon as he took a step, the scene in front of him suddenly became blurry, and the sky seemed to spin. A sharp pain entered his eyes, and he staggered to the bed to support himself.

    The shadows and light overlapped as if they were turbulent waves. After some time had passed, his eyesight regained some clarity, but there were still a few dark spots left.

    He raised his hand and massaged his head, waiting for the dizziness to subside before moving again.

    After he washed up and came out of the bathroom, Ye An had already prepared clothes for him to wear as usual.

    She reached out to support him. The woman’s slender fingers wrapped around his arms and were as fair as jade.

    “If you don’t go outside today, this sweater should be enough.” Ye An handed the clothes to him and turned to leave.

    She had also changed into a beige homey clothing set, appearing gentle and calm.

    Xie Shuo glanced at her, put the sweater down, and untied his nightgown.

    After changing and exiting the room, he found that while the layout of the bedroom was the same, the furnishings were unfamiliar. Compared to before he went blind, the room had fewer fragile items.

    In the dining room, the sun shone through the windows. A vase of flowers sat on the table, looking delicate and vibrant under the speckled sunlight.

    Seeing light again after spending time in the darkness made everything aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

    Xie Shuo felt that everything seemed unreal, even when he sat down and began to eat a bowl of porridge.

    He couldn’t help but turn his head to look at Ye An sitting next to him. She was holding a small spoon to eat her porridge with her head down. Her long eyelashes extended down, and her features were serene.

    He was really able to see.

    The only thing was that the dark spots in his vision appeared and disappeared periodically, making his eyes sore and uncomfortable.

    “Call Professor Cen later and ask about his availability this afternoon. I want to make an appointment.”

    Ye An was stunned upon hearing such a request. She looked up, asking, “Is it that urgent?”

    She did recommend for him to go see Professor Cen last night, but she expected the appointment to be scheduled for the next few days.

    Xie Shuo put his bowl down and massaged his temples, responding with a light, “En.”

    Seeing that his expression was off, Ye An also put down her bowl and reached out to support him. “Does your head hurt again? I’ll help you get the medicine.”

    Xie Shuo let her support him upstairs. After taking medicine, he sat on the sofa and closed his eyes.

    Ye An had sensed that something had been strange about him today, but she couldn’t tell what was wrong. She took advantage of this chance to call Cen Qingyan and made an appointment for a check-up later in the afternoon.

    “The appointment has been scheduled. I’m going to pack a little. How about you go rest for a while?”

    Xie Shuo opened his eyes to see a vague outline of her figure. He shook his head.

    He didn’t dare to sleep now in fear of not being able to see anything when he woke up again.

    Ye An didn’t press him any further. She found a blanket to cover him with and turned to prepare for their departure.

    There was quite some distance between the Xie residence and the research institute, so the two ate lunch in advance and set off at eleven o’clock.

    When they arrived, it was half-past two in the afternoon.

    Like before, Xie Shuo and Cen Qingyan went into the patient room for the check-up while Ye An waited for the results outside.

    The greenery outside the window was withered and yellow. The air was filled with a sense of desolation in the dismal winter season. 

    Ye An was a little chilly. She rubbed her hands together and sat on the side.

    Inside the patient room:

    Cen Qingyan finished the examination on Xie Shuo and said with a surprised smile on his face. “With your current condition, I will say that you are close to complete recovery. You should stay for a week for observation and return when your condition is completely stable.”

    Xie Shuo got up from the hospital chair and said abruptly, “Professor Cen, please keep this secret for now and don’t tell anyone about my recovery.”

    Cen Qingyan was momentarily stunned and somewhat confused. “Your wife as well?”

    Xie Shuo reaffirmed, “Especially my wife, please don’t let her know.”

        —

    Ye An waited outside for a long time. When she heard the sound of the door finally opening, she hurried to meet them.

    “Professor Cen, how is he?”

    Cen Qingyan looked at her and paused. He used the same rhetoric of changing the phrasing but not the message. “His condition has improved a lot recently. I’ll have him stay for a week and try a new treatment plan.”

    Ye An wasn’t upset upon hearing this news. After experiencing this situation multiple times, she was could face the news calmly. At least his condition was getting better and not worse.

    She glanced at Xie Shuo and gripped his hand tightly, fearing that he was upset.

    Xie Shuo looked at her after feeling the strength of her grip, not letting her notice the truth. 

    After getting settled in the patient ward, Ye An sat beside his hospital bed like in the past. 

    “Are you tired? If you’re not tired, how about we go for a walk?”

    It was four in the evening, so the sun was still strong. Xie Shuo said, “Let’s go tomorrow.”

    Ye An thought for a moment before grabbing her phone and saying, “Then how about I read to you?”

    Xie Shuo recalled how she had read to him previously and wasn’t interested. He said indifferently, “No.”

    …He didn’t want this or that; why was he more difficult to accommodate today than ever before? He clearly was the one that brought up a walk and listened to her poetry narrations.

    Ye An felt helpless seeing his cold appearance. She covered the back of his hand, squeezed it, and smiled. “Don’t be sad. Professor Cen has already said that your condition is slowly improving. Maybe you’ll even recover soon.”

    Xie Shuo looked up, feeling the warmth on his hand. He was slightly startled by her warm smile and the concern for him in her eyes.

    To be honest, he wasn’t sad. He just hadn’t seen the light for too long, and since he recovered so suddenly, his eyes felt a bit uncomfortable.

    Moreover, he had just regained his sight, so there were many things that he needed to sort out.  

    Seeing that he was still silent, Ye An grabbed his hand and leaned closer to him. “Didn’t you just promise that we would work things out last night? Why are you ignoring me today?” She leaned on his shoulder and poked his chest, saying in a coquettish tone, “You acting like this can be counted as emotional manipulation.”

    She was very close to him in such an intimate posture. He could touch her forehead if he lowered his chin slightly. His nose detected the light fragrance in her hair, and her red lips were in his line of sight.

    Xie Shuo turned away and asked in a low tone, “Can you find the poetry from last time?”

    Seeing that he was finally speaking, Ye An let go of him happily and stood up. “I’ll get it now.”

    Her footsteps faded and returned not long after. She had quickly found the poetry book and sat down beside his bed again.

    A gentle female voice sounded throughout the room, pleasant to the ear and dynamic with emotion.

    Xie Shuo looked at her as he listened to her reading the poetry. When she suddenly looked up, their gazes collided.

    Afraid that she would notice something, Xie Shuo didn’t dare to stare at her again. He averted his gaze to her hands holding the book.

    Her hands were beautiful; she had slender fingers, which were pale and delicate. Her nails were neatly trimmed and tinted with light pink.

    They felt nice too.

    Xie Shuo’s fingers moved slightly, almost giving into his habit of grabbing her hand and playing with it.

    Ye An was unaware of his actions. Her head was lowered, and she read the poems quietly. A strand of hair fell on her cheeks, and she seemed immersed in her reading.

    The sunset turned darker, and after the sun set behind the mountains, night fell.

    In the evening, Xie Shuo leaned against the headboard, not feeling tired even after taking a shower.

    Ye An came out of the bathroom, and when she saw that he was sitting quietly again, her head began to hurt.

    Wasn’t he fine yesterday? Why was he so dispirited today?

    “Aren’t you tired?”

    Ye An sat down beside him and felt somewhat cold, so she lifted her legs and put them under the blanket.

    Xie Shuo looked up at her. She had just taken a shower and still smelled like her shower gel. Under the lamplight, her skin appeared fair and smooth, and he could almost see the peach fuzz on her cheeks.

    She always liked to get close when talking to him. He couldn’t see before, so it didn’t make much of a difference, but when he lowered his gaze now, he caught a glimpse of her delicate collarbone and the supple skin under her neckline.

    “You sleep first,” Xie Shuo said quietly without opening his eyes.

    Ye An was worn out by his fickle mood. She leaned against the head of the bed and made a fierce pinching action in front of his face. Since her movements were just for show, her fingertips didn’t touch him.

    After fake pinching his nose, she couldn’t hold back her urge to touch his eyelashes.

    Xie Shuo, who could now see: “…”

    So this was what she usually looked like in front of him.

    Previous|Index|Next

  • I Am A Matchmaker On Taobao Chapter 64

    When Shen Chuchu saw the content inside, she forgot about her exhaustion and read it word for word. The literacy skills of this blogger were excellent, and the story was well-structured and well-written. The entire article was about Chen Meng. From the time Chen Meng was in school to the time she first entered the circle to the time she became well-known. Despite the fact that each stage of her life was unique, the role she played in each stage was that of the third party in a relationship.

    In middle school, she used her good looks to be someone else’s third party. She later tried to get involved in Guo Xin and Sun Hui’s relationship, then she hooked up with a wealthy man.

    Shen Chuchu felt that this wave was far too big for her to handle and it took her a long time to digest. After reading it, and considering her awareness of the entertainment world, she realised one thing, and that was: Chen Meng is over!

    Everyone belonged to the same circle and was aware of who had a backer and who did not. Chen Meng was a first-rate female celebrity in China with both acting skills and good looks. She was, nonetheless, an indomitable character with a fan base. That was something everyone in the group was aware of. Otherwise, why did she become first-rate when other stars with similar acting abilities did not?

    With the exception of those celebrities whose luck was too excellent, other people’s popularity was due to external factors. Although it was widely assumed that Chen Meng rose to prominence on her own, everyone on the inside knew that she depended on the guy who stood behind her.

    And the reason Shen Chuchu sensed that Chen Meng’s dominion was coming to an end was because this article identified Chen Meng’s patron. That guy was none other than Dong Ziyuan’s father, who was also one of the financiers in Shen Chuchu’s film [Warm Spring].

    For them to dare to call out the circle’s big boss, someone had to be behind this. Plus the big boss must have approved this matter. Otherwise, nobody would have found out.

    Who hated Chen Meng this much and was brave enough to challenge the boss? Shen Chuchu thought about it and a figure of a person flashed across her mind. Shen Chuchu felt he was telling the truth when he spoke with his father on that particular day.

    It must have been Dong Ziyuan.

    Shen Chuchu felt cold all over thinking about Dong Ziyuan. Chen Meng could only pray to save herself after angering him.

    When Shen Chuchu was matchmaking on Weibo that night, she received a private message from Red-Feather.

    #1 Entertainment Reporter – Red Feather V: Old Deity, is it true about Chen Meng?

    Shen Chuchu: I’m not sure. This immortal only cares about marriage related matters and nothing else.

    #1 Entertainment Reporter – Red Feather V: Thank you for answering Old Deity. In the future, I will ask when there is a marriage matter.

    By the next morning, the matter of Chen Meng intensified. Many media who were watching from the sidelines thought of four words: the influence had passed. Yes, this phrase was used to describe Chen Meng.

    After a night of fermentation, the story deviated from its original track. Guo Xin and Sun Hui also appeared on the hot search again. Everyone was now able to track down the perpetrator when Guo Xin and Sun Hui were hacked on Weibo a while back. Naturally, it was Chen Meng. After al,l this incident was started by Chen Meng so some individuals looked for clues when it was brought up.

    Chen Meng looked at the news online and made a phone call with trembling hands, “Lao Dong*, you can’t ignore me.”

    *TL-note: 老 (Lao) here doesn’t just mean old. Its closest English equivalent is “dear”.

    For a brief moment, the opposite party was deafeningly quiet, he then said, “Xiao Meng,  I believe I have treated you well throughout the years, but you have gone over the line.”

    Chen Meng immediately explained when she saw the dung pot was dunked on her head, “It wasn’t me Lao Dong. I really didn’t do that, it was…”

    The other person was no longer interested in her explanation and instead said, “Although it wasn’t you, you did know about it right?”

    Chen Meng’s lips twitched a few times after hearing this sentence, but she did not say anything. As the other party stated, she was aware of the situation ahead of time and was looking forward to the outcome.

    “I despise obnoxious people the most, and you should be aware of this. Also, are you still thinking of your old lover?”

    “I don’t. I don’t think about Sun Hui.; I did it to avenge Guo Xin. You have to believe me, Lao Dong.”

    “I’m not going to say anything else because you’ve been with me for so long. The villa in the western suburbs is yours. In the future, behave yourself.”

    “Lao Dong, you can’t…” After hearing the other party’s definitive words, Chen Meng got extremely frightened. Unfortunately, the other person had already hung up the phone without listening to her explanation.

    Chen Meng slumped to the ground when she saw that he had already hung up.

    This time, Chen Meng was like a wall that was about to collapse and everyone was giving it a final push. In just one day, her dirt was flying everywhere on the internet. If you were unfamiliar with Chen Meng, the web reports may lead you to believe that she was a heinous sinner.

    Destroying other people’s families, trying to assassinate someone’s wife, paying followers to trash other people’s reputations, stomping on a female celebrity who was more talented than her, and robbing other people’s resources… Her heinous deeds were simply too many to list. The majority of netizens initiated an internet battle against her.

    “I’m disgusted as if I’ve eaten a fly, I didn’t expect Chen Meng to be like this. For many years, I assumed she was a classic inspirational figure in the entertainment world. I really did not expect it. Haha. [Smile]”

    “It’s no surprise that Zhang Hui, who was extremely popular at the time, abruptly left the group. Chen Meng was found to be the perpetrator. How could there be such an evil person! [Curse]”

    “Really can’t stand those who destroy other’s families, blocklist for life. I request the head office to ban such a wicked actress! [Angry]”

    “It turns out you started the rumour about Guo Xin, so shameless!”

    …

    The crew was also discussing this matter in hushed voices. After all, Chen Meng was a central figure in the circle and one of the male protagonists involved was their investor. Everyone discussed it privately rather than openly.

    When the director noticed Shen Chuchu’s condition today, he smiled and said, “Well, it seems you exercised a lot yesterday. You look better today.”

    Shen Chuchu was relieved to hear this.

    After the shoot, Shen Chuchu rested on the side and listened with relish as the other employees discussed Chen Meng. Suddenly, she noticed a pair of familiar figures in the background. In the blink of an eye, the two sneakily disappeared in front of her.

    After half an hour, Jiang Yan arrived at the resting area with flushed cheeks.

    Shen Chuchu analyzed Jiang Yan’s appearance with great attention. This state seemed very similar to being in love.

    Jiang Yan met Shen Chuchu’s confused gaze, coughed lightly then restrained his expression and said, “Chuchu, what kind of expression is that? Do I have something dirty on my face?”

    Shen Chuchu smiled, “Nope, nothing dirty. Rather, there is something sweet.”

    Jiang Yan blushed as he realised what Shen Chuchu meant, and when he noticed that there was no one else nearby, he whispered quietly, “I think you are the same. Are you dating? I noticed that the frequency you check your phone has increased since last time.”

    Shen Chuchu was taken aback when the topic changed, her eyes darted to and fro, and she explained awkwardly, “How can that be. I was just looking at the entertainment news since so much has happened in the circle. I’m only concerned about it.”

    Jiang Yan glanced at Shen Chuchu’s phone and replied, “Oh, is that so. It’s quite clever that everyone else is reading news on Weibo, but you’re reading it on WeChat. It seems entertainment news even offers an instant messaging feature, that’s really amazing.”

    Upon saying this, Shen Chuchu’s phone gave a WeChat notification sound.

    Shen Chuchu blushed as she looked down at the content and looked at Jiang Yan’s eyes and muttered a bit embarrassedly, “Haha, it’s from a public account.”

    “Right, a public account. A public account with the ability to discuss love.”

    When Jiang Yan left, Shen Chuchu looked at Han Xingyan’s message.

    Han Xingyan: I’ve ordered you some food from a private kitchen. Don’t eat the crew’s box lunch at noon. 

    Shen Chuchu’s mouth turned up unconsciously, but she still replied, remembering the director’s words: Don’t harm me!!!

    Han Xingyan saw the message and instantly replied:?

    Shen Chuchu: Don’t order food for me. I am gaining weight.

    Han Xingyan had thought something had gone wrong and was relieved to see her reply: You don’t need to lose weight. You are not fat at all and should eat more.

    Shen Chuchu gazed at Han Xingyan’s message and her heart bubbled but she replied: But the director said I was too fat. You should not lie to me.

    Han Xingyan scowled at the phone, thinking to himself, that Shen Chuchu was already so thin and if she does not eat more, she might fall when the wind blows. How could there be a director who is so harsh on the actors? As a family member, he believed it was important for him to communicate well with the director.

    Han Xingyan: Who is your director?

    Shen Chuchu felt the coldness in Han Xingyan’s words and quickly replied: Actually it’s not the director’s fault. If I get fat, the shoots don’t look so good. I have to go now. Talk to you later.

    Han Xingyan stared at the phone for a while then called for Secretary Wang, “Go and find out who Miss Shen’s current director is.”

    Secretary Wang pushed his glasses and respectfully replied, “It’s Director Tian.” Because the boss was so enamoured with Shen Chuchu, he began to pay close attention to her in case the boss had any questions about her. A secretary who does not share the boss’s concerns, as the saying goes, is not a good secretary.

    Han Xingyan glanced at Secretary Wang with appreciation and nodded his head.

    When Director Tian, who was far away in Hengdian, received the following news, he was perplexed. To put it another way, when was he too harsh on actresses? This was not true. After thinking about the female lead in this drama, he felt he had not been too harsh. However, if he were to consider from a different perspective, which was from a female celebrity he might have offended, Qin Yingran was the only one. After all, he strongly opposed her to play the role of Xiao Die. Could she have a role in it?

    Thinking of this, Director Tian despised seeing Qin Yingran even more. Although Qin Yingran’s scenes were shot, the editing had yet to be completed.  Even if a few shots were missing, no one would say anything.

    As for the one behind her… it was none of his concern! If he cared about these things before then he would have made Qin Yingran the lead a long time ago!

    Chapter 63 | Index | Chapter 65

  • You’re So Arrogant Chapter 40.4

    Even though it was electronic, it was inconvenient for the pet to be kept in the bedroom.

    Xie Shuo supported himself up without speaking. His expression was cold, and it was clear that he wasn’t happy.

    But that was obvious: no man would be happy if he was interrupted at such a time.

    Ye An looked at him and thought to herself: don’t blame me; you bought this robot penguin yourself.

    After waiting for a while, but before Xie Shuo had made any more moves, Ye An curled her legs up, feeling somewhat chilly. She pulled her shoulder straps back up and rearranged her dress.

    Xie Shuo also moved to the side when he heard her movements. The hem of his shirt was pulled out of the waistband of his pants, and his collar was popped open, revealing some of his collarbones–a faint red mark was visible on his neck.

    The two sat on opposite ends of the sofa, silent, sobered, and embarrassed. 

    Xie Shuo sat with his legs apart and a hand on each knee. The tension on his face didn’t go away.

    Ye An held her legs and glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. Noticing his reaction, she asked, “Are you… okay?”

    Xie Shuo frowned and remained silent, his jaw tight.

    After a while, he stood up and walked to the closet to get some clothes and then shower.

    Ye An hurriedly followed behind him and helped him get arranged.

    Not long after, the sound of running water came from the bathroom. Ye An returned to the sofa and sat down again, the situation from just then flashing through her mind. Her ears were hot, and she covered her face out of embarrassment. 

    Was he drunk tonight too?

    Honestly speaking, Ye An understood Xie Shuo’s indifference to her. Although they were married, he couldn’t see her. To him, she was a stranger without a face. 

    If she put herself in his shoes, she too would be unable to accept getting married to a random man as her husband if she were to ever go blind.

    Moreover, he had been handsome and successful since childhood, so it was inevitable that he would be somewhat arrogant. Now, this version of him was the result of spending every day together for half a year.

    He was slowly accepting their relationship, right?

        ———-

    Because of this interaction, the two were awkward as they went to bed after showering. Ye An, especially, felt uncomfortable no matter how she moved her arms and legs. 

    She wrapped herself in the comforter while tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

    She suddenly heard Xie Shuo’s voice from the other side, “You can’t sleep?”

    Ye An looked at him and hesitated for a while. She leaned closer to his side and said softly, “I was thinking that before your eyes heal, how about we try to work things out… as husband and wife?”

    Although she had been looking forward to his eyes healing sooner rather than later, no one could say whether that day would come. They couldn’t continue with this current dynamic forever.

    After a while, Grandpa Xie and Xie Baiyan would definitely know that something was wrong with how awkward they were.

    Since nothing could change, why not try to move on?

    After Ye An finished speaking, she waited a while for a response.

    Their surroundings were silent.

    She also didn’t know why she brought up such a proposal. Perhaps it was because of the alcohol, or maybe it was because the atmosphere tonight was right.

    Just as she was about to accept the silence as his response, the voice from beside her suddenly sounded:

    “Okay.”

    Ye An froze in shock. She hugged his arm happily, and the corners of her lips curved up.

    In this position, Xie Shuo could feel the softness of her chest pressed against him and smell her faint fragrance by his pillow. His eyelashes fluttered, and the feeling that had subsided before seemed to rise again.

    However, before he could move, there was a sudden sharp pain in his eyes that also spread towards the back of his head. It felt as if hands were his nerves and caused his ears to ring.

    He squeezed his eyes shut and turned sideways in pain, gripping the sheets tightly with his fists.

    Ye An was happily hugging him, but when she noticed something was wrong, she hurriedly sat up. “Are you okay?”

    Nothing was visible in the dark.

    The room suddenly lit up when Ye An managed to turn on the light. When she turned around, she saw how his brows were furrowed, his lips were pale, and the veins on his neck were bulging.

    “Did you forget to take your medicine?” Ye An hurriedly helped him sit up. “Or is it because you drank tonight?”

    Xie Shuo didn’t respond, enduring the pain with a muffled voice.

    Ye An no longer asked him questions and got out of bed to pour him a glass of water. She brought him some medicine and fed it to him.

    She embraced him and pressed her fingers against his temples, massaging him as usual.

    “Don’t drink from now on, not a single drop…”

    After a while, Xie Shuo gradually calmed down, and his expression softened.

    He seemed to have had more frequent headaches recently. Ye An was worried and asked, “Should we go see Professor Cen again soon?”

    Xie Shuo leaned on her shoulder and replied with a small, “En.” He was able to smell the faint scent of her body wash on her.

    There seemed to be a faint light coming in from his closed eyes. He tried to open his eyelids, but was too exhausted, so he could only keep them closed. His long eyelashes covered the shadows and light.

    Seeing that he had closed his eyes, Ye An carefully helped him lie down and covered him with the comforter.

    She sat and watched him for a while to make sure everything was fine before turning the light off and laying down next to him.

    She leaned on his shoulder interlocked his fingers with hers.

    Xie Shuo kept his eyes closed and began to feel drowsy. He fell asleep not long after.

    The night was quiet, and the moonlight shone calmly in the cold mist outside the window.

        ——

    That night, Xie Shuo slept very deeply. When he woke up, the sun had already risen and flooded in through their French windows.

    His eyelashes fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes as usual.

    However, as opposed to the endless darkness, a piercing light suddenly entered his eyes. 

    His eyes weren’t used to such sudden stimulation, and after a burst of stimulus, he closed his eyes and opened them again. He repeated this process several times before finally feeling better. 

    When he saw the light in front of him, he was stunned. 

    Everything was so sudden, so he couldn’t tell if he was dreaming or not.

    Fate always seemed to be like this. Everything was unexpected and abrupt.

    It was similar to his car accident, which had happened without warning. After going unconscious, he woke up to a world of darkness.

    No matter how much he struggled, how angry he was, or how deep his resentment was, it didn’t help.

    The arrogance he had from the first half of his life was gone.

    He had fallen to his lowest point and had never seen the light of day again.

    However, just when he became accustomed to such darkness, he now woke up to how the world looked like before.

    As if the long period of darkness had been nothing but a nightmare.

    On a random day, he had just woken up from a nightmare.

    At first, he could only see a white blur and a faint halo of color. However, as the light gradually faded away, the scene became clear.

    He saw the light-colored comforter, the dark sofa, the bright floor-to-ceiling windows…

    After some length of time, familiar footsteps sounded, and her figure appeared.

    A young woman.

    She wore a plain white nightdress. She was slender, and her black her was draped around her shoulders. Under the skirt, her calves were fair and slender.

    She pushed the windows opened, shuffled into her slippers, and walked onto the balcony. The sun was shining brightly, and she turned around.

    From this angle, he could see her delicate side profile. Her proportions were just right; her eyebrows were slender and curved. The bridge of her nose was straight as jade, and her red lips were charming and dainty.

    The warm sun shone on her face, making her skin look like snow, translucent and delicate. A faint brilliance floated around her, and a halo was slightly visible.

    She closed her eyes and took a breath of fresh air. In the sunlight, she seemed to have a transcendent beauty.

    After you regain your sight, who is the first person you want to see?

    Xie Shuo had thought about this question many times. He had imagined the scene in which he would regain his sight, and he had also imagined the scene in which he would see her for the first time. However, he never imagined that it would be during such a mundane moment.

    Mundane yet unexpected.

    As the ice and snow of a cold winter season melted silently, you might open a window. If you don’t pay attention, you will miss the flowers beginning to bloom outside the window and the flowing sounds from the streams of springwater. 

    Xie Shuo leaned against the headboard and looked at her quietly.

    Seeming to notice the movement in the room, she suddenly turned around to face him. A bright smile blossomed across her lips, and her features were glowing.

    “Morning.”

    Previous|Index|Next

  • I Am A Matchmaker On Taobao Chapter 63

    Shen Chuchu felt her mouth move too quickly when she finished speaking. Just because the scent of hot pot lingered around her nostrils, she should not have said the kiss was hotpot flavoured. After all, this was her first kiss!

    Han Xingyan’s hand movements came to a halt when he heard this.

    “No, it’s a taste that belongs to you.”

    “Oh.” Fortunately, he did not remark it was hot pot flavour, Shen Chuchu thought to herself.

    Han Xingyan was clearly in a pleasant mood. He stroked Shen Chuchu’s hair and said, “It’s late now, you should get some rest.”

    Shen Chuchu thought about what just happened, she nodded with flushed cheeks then turned around and entered her home. She was alone in the entire room after closing the door, and the sound of her heartbeat seemed to be even louder. Shen Chuchu paused for a moment, unsure if her heart would simply jump out.

    Shen Chuchu looked outside through the spyhole after calming down. Her mood brightened and her smile deepened when she discovered that Han Xingyan was still standing outside. 

    Only when she was about to shower, did Shen Chuchu suddenly think of a question. “The flavour remains the same…” What did he mean by this, did they…at the hotel. Did they kiss then?

    So what exactly happened back then?

    Shen Chuchu struggled with the question all night and when Wang Qian arrived, she still failed to fully comprehend. She certainly could not knock on the door opposite and ask, “Did you kiss me at the hotel last time?” How could she ask such a question? If she did not ask then it was like a feather making her heart itch.

    “Boss, do you want to bring this? Boss…”

    “Huh? Yes.” Shen Chuchu came back to her senses and looked at the thing in Wang Qian’s hand.

    Wang Qian glanced at Shen Chuchu and felt she was somehow different today. She was constantly in a daze and occasionally touching her lip and face from time to time. It kind of looked silly.

    While one was busy and the other in a daze, the doorbell suddenly rang. Wang Qian peeked through the spyhole and turned her head around to ask, “Boss, did you order breakfast?”

    After asking, Wang Qian was a little puzzled. The boss had said to not bring breakfast as she over-ate last night and did not want breakfast since she was worried about getting fat going into the crew.

    “Huh? No. I didn’t order breakfast.” Shen Chuchu froze for a moment then replied.

    Wang Qian pointed to the door and said, “But it’s Su Ji’s food delivery staff outside.”

    Shen Chuchu frowned and said, “Ask him.”

    “Sorry, maybe you got the wrong door. We didn’t order breakfast.” Wang Qian said.

    The staff outside replied, “Hello, is this Miss Shen? Mr Han has prepared a heartfelt breakfast for you.”

    Mr Han? Wang Qian instantly thought of Han Xingyan who lived opposite them. She turned and looked at Shen Chuchu, “Boss, this is from Mr Han.”

    Shen Chuchu was both bubbling happily and at a loss inside as they brought her breakfast and placed it on the table. Could it be that Han Xingyan thought she could eat this much? Two steamed baskets of xiaolongbao*, a plate of fried jiaozi*, four sticks of youtiao*, a bowl of egg soup…

    *TL-note: xiaolongbao is a steamed dumpling consisting of a paper-thin wrapper enveloping a seasoned pork filling and hot, flavorful soup.

    *TL-note: jiaozi is a Chinese crescent-shaped dumpling filled with minced stuffing that can be steamed, boiled or fried.

    *TL-note: youtiao is a long golden-brown deep-fried strip of dough 

    Although she struggled inside, it had a delicious fragrant smell so, despite Wang Qian’s questioning look, she could not help but reach out and take a xiaolongbao.

    At this moment, Han Xingyan called.

    “Chuchu, I had some stuff to attend to this morning so I am there early. Has the breakfast arrived? Is it enough?”

    Shen Chuchu had initially thought Han Xingyan was overly considerate, but her expression had turned black after hearing the final few words.

    “Enough!” Shen Chuchu gritted through her teeth, “This is enough for the whole day.”

    “Then don’t eat too much. Let’s have lunch together. I’ve made a reservation on Huaihai Road.” Han Xingyan said with a smile. Despite the fact that his pleasant mood was separated by the phone, it was still accurately transferred to Shen Chuchu’s heart.

    Shen Chuchu unexpectedly replied, “I am going back to Hengdian to shoot later.”

    Shen Chuchu thought to herself afterwards that the familiar tone made her feel a bit uneasy. It sounded as if they were already boyfriend and girlfriend based on his tone. When did she agree with him, yesterday…she did not agree with him yesterday. She was still a little confused.

    Han Xingyan did not expect this reply and paused for a moment then helplessly replied, “Okay, stay safe. Let me know when you arrive.”

    Han Xingyan was still on the call when Secretary Wang came in to deliver documents. For some reason, Secretary Wang felt chills all over. He really did not understand how in a matter of minutes he went to retrieve the documents that the office had turned from a warm spring into a cold winter. He put the documents down and swiftly left.

    Shen Chuchu remembered the kiss last night and wanted to ask why she had to let him know. What was their relationship? However, she hesitated and then replied, “Alright, ok.”

    “When will you come back?”

    “In half a month if everything is successful.”

    “Okay, I will pick you up then.”

    Shen Chuchu felt a little strange after hanging up the phone. After a few minutes of speaking with Han Xingyan, her entire body felt as if it had been turned on by a switch, and all of her cells were alive. The corners of her mouth also turned up involuntarily.

    Shen Chuchu glanced at Wang Qian who had curiously looked at her numerous times and asked, “What, something’s the matter?”

    Wang Qian did not expect to be caught and was stunned then shook her head. She connected the dots with the breakfast, the phone conversation and her boss’ facial expression. Apart from being in love, what else could it be? 

    Shen Chuchu gazed at the half-bitten xiaolongbao in her palm and sighed sadly when she realised she had almost finished eating the two baskets of xiaolongbao. She cried out, “What do I do, I ate so much again.”

    Wang Qian thought to herself. I wanted to remind you but I could not bear it when you were eating so happily.

    Shen Chuchu struggled for a few minutes then shoved the rest of the bun inside her mouth. Afterwards, she rushed to the scale. Very good, only a pound heavier.

    “I remember that weight is the heaviest in the morning so it should be lighter in the evening right?” Shen Chuchu asked with uncertainty. She has to shoot this evening so maybe she will be lighter by then.

    Wang Qian glanced at Shen Chuchu’s expectant look but replied honestly, “But I seem to remember that weight is the lightest in the morning and it gets heavier at night.”

    Wang Qian thought to herself as she watched Shen Chuchu’s despairing look. Fortunately, she didn’t mention the next line. She really wanted to highlight that when you are on camera, it is not about the weight but rather whether you appear fat or not. Although some people are fat, their facial features are not and thus they are fine when filming in costume. Their boss, on the other hand, was clearly not this type of person. Her boss had a plump face when she arrived in the morning so she must have eaten a lot the night before.

    Shen Chuchu took a deep breath and said, “I will not eat lunch or dinner today.”

    When Shen Chuchu was about to leave, she picked out sunglasses with a bigger frame to cover her slightly swollen face. At the airport this time, more people recognised her and she truly believed she was more popular than she had been previously.

    “Woah, are you really Shen Chuchu? I’m so lucky today.”

    Shen Chuchu smiled as she glanced at the very lovely girl with a ponytail in front of her and smiled as she took a selfie with her.

    “Chuchu, are you going to be shooting?” The girl excitedly asked. 

    Shen Chuchu smiled and nodded, “Yes, I’m going to Hengdian.”

    After a few signatures and selfies, Shen Chuchu and Wang Qian boarded the flight.

    In the afternoon, Shen Chuchu arrived on set. The director questioned her upon seeing her, “Chuchu, what did you eat in the past month that made you look so fat?”

    Shen Chuchu was embarrassed as she looked around at the staff’s eyes and said in a low voice, “Didn’t you say that I can put on a little weight?”

    The director almost laughed at this reply and said, “I said you can put on weight appropriately. I didn’t tell you to let go and eat. I think it’s best to not shoot tonight and you should instead go to the gym. You can’t shoot with a fat face. Come and see me tomorrow morning.”

    Shen Chuchu bowed her head, almost as if she were an ostrich. She really wanted to explain that she did not weigh much. She had just overeaten the night before and her face was puffy. Shen Chuchu was filled with rage as she remembered the person who had taken her to eat hot pot the night before.

    Han Xingyan was studying the document when he felt a shiver down his spine and sneezed hard. Secretary Wang asked, “Boss, is the AC too low? Do you want me to adjust it higher?”

    Han Xingyan replied without his head raised, “No.”

    Secretary Wang sensed his boss’ mood was not bad and said, “Then it must be someone thinking of you. My mom used to tell me when I was young, a sneeze means someone was thinking about you in their mind.”

    When Han Xingyan heard this, he raised his head and gave Secretary Wang an approving look and said, “Yeah, that seems to make sense.”

    Could it be that Shen Chuchu was thinking about him? Han Xingyan was in a great mood this afternoon because of this knowledge. While Shen Chuchu, who was far away in Hengdian, was in a foul mood. Truly taking one bite equates to an extra day of workouts. 

    After a bath at night, Shen Chuchu, who had been fatigued all day, laid on the bed like a dead dog. She pulled out her phone and went on Weibo.

    “Chen Meng The Third Party”

    Shen Chuchu was intrigued by this hot search because she thought Chen Meng had done a new film called “The Third Party,” so she clicked the link. Surprisingly, what she discovered was that this was not a movie but a true story. And the story’s hero is more than one.

    Chapter 62 | Index | Chapter 63

  • You’re So Arrogant Chapter 40.3

    Ye An brought him his blazer and helped him put it on. However, just as she managed to put on his sleeves, she stumbled and accidentally fell into his arms.

    Xie Shuo raised his arms to wrap them around her waist. He smelled the strong scent of alcohol on her body and frowned slightly: “You’re drunk?”

    Ye An held firmly onto his shoulders and shook her head. “No.”

    Hearing that she could still enunciate, Xie Shuo let go.

    Ye An finished helping him get dressed and tidied his collar before guiding him out of the room.

    When they passed by the lounge area, Xin Li and Xie Yuran had already disappeared from the balcony, as if the previous scene was just an illusion.

    On the early winter night, the air was cool and crisp. The moon hung angled in the sky.

        —–

    The heater was turned on when they got in the car. Ye An originally wanted to chat with Xie Shuo, but as the warmth of the heat surrounded her, she seemed to feel even tipsier. She leaned on his shoulder and immediately fell asleep.

    Xie Shuo felt a little sleepy as he listened to the light breathing on the side of his neck, and a faint image with lights and shadows appeared in front of him again.

    With the moonlight and cool weather, the car passed through the mist and the gardens.

    When they arrived home, Ye An had still not woken up. Xie Shuo raised his hand to pat her arm.

    Ye An opened her eyes. She looked out the car window and asked, confused, “Are we home?”

    The driver opened the door and helped Xie Shuo get out.

    Ye An got out of the car and held his arm out of habit. She was only wearing a dress on this cold winter night. When disembarked, goosebumps appeared on her arm.

    She shivered from the cold. Her arms and collarbone were exposed, and she moved closer to Xie Shuo, her whole body almost clinging to him.

    The man’s warmth radiated through the fabric, making her feel warmer and safer.

    She had gotten too close, so Xie Shuo held onto her shoulders. He paused before helping her stand and taking off his coat. He put it on her awkwardly.

    His scent remained in the cold; it was clean and smelled like pine and cypress in winter. Ye An felt the new warmth on her shoulders and was stunned. She looked up at him.

    The night was hazy, but the man’s features were sharp. His eyelashes were thick and long, and when surrounded by the fog, the scene overlapped with a memory from the past.

    “Can you walk?” Xie Shuo asked in a low voice when he saw that she wasn’t moving. His deep voice sounded from above her.

    “Yes.” Ye An returned to her senses and held his arm. She guided him back to the house while watching him under the warm lighting in front of them.

    Her footsteps were unstable, and Xie Shuo had the feeling that she would trip at any moment. After entering the bedroom, he simply pulled his arm back and wrapped his arms around her shoulders instead.

    He knew the layout of the bedroom like the palm of his hand. Even without guidance, he was able to navigate the room smoothly. When they reached the sofa, he set her down gently. 

    Ye An woke up, confused, and leaned closer into his embrace. Her body was almost entirely in his arms.

    On such an occasion like today, it was inevitable that Xie Shuo drank alcohol. Although he didn’t drink as much as her, there was a faint scent of alcohol on his breath.

    Ye An lay against his chest and felt it rise and fall from his breathing. She raised her head to look up at him.

    The sharp curve of his jaw came into her view, and Adam’s apple appeared particularly attractive. She couldn’t help but stretch out a finger to touch it.

    For some reason, Xie Shuo didn’t stop her actions. He leaned back into the sofa with his eyes closed and let her act as she wanted. 

    As Ye An observed his reaction while moving her fingers up, her eyes glittered with drunkenness.

    When her fingertips reached the lower part of his jaw, Xie Shuo finally grabbed her hand and removed it. He held it in his hands and kneaded it with familiarity.

    Ye An looked at him, and the image of Xin Li reaching up on her tiptoes to kiss Xie Yuran in a dark corner flashed through her mind. Her heart began to race. 

    Her heart seemed to lead her body to move on its own.

    When alcohol was involved, it caused others to act even more unrestrained. 

    Consequently, she raised her head in a haze to kiss Adam’s apple a few seconds later.

    When he felt the soft warmth, Xie Shuo wasn’t surprised.

    Every time that she gets drunk, she always liked to kiss him, as if she didn’t know how dangerous her provocation was. 

    Seeing that he didn’t respond, Ye An went even further. She sat up on her knees and held his face as she kissed him directly on the lips.

    The light was warm and calm, and the shadows flickered outside the floor-length windows. Xie Shuo took note of her familiar fragrance as tendrils of hair brushed against his neck and lips softly touched his.

    In most cases, innocent intent was more attractive than sights and visuals. Candidness was much more powerful in seduction because of its carefree essence.

    He slowly raised his hand and placed it on her lower back.

    Ye An’s long eyelashes fluttered. She bowed her head and kissed him for a while before letting go of him when she was satisfied.

    Just as she was about to move, her waist was suddenly pulled back. 

    Ye An was stunned and looked up. A hand had made its way along her shoulder and held her chin. His fingertips touched her lips. 

    Before Ye An could react, his lips covered hers.

    Unlike her gentle butterfly kisses, the man dominated her lips and took her breath away.

    The large hand around her waist stopped her from retreating. 

    Ye An’s eyes widened. His eyebrows were reflected in her dark pupils, and even fine eyelashes were clearly visible. 

    His taste soon filled her lips, and after a while, she reciprocated. She raised her arms to wrap them around his neck.

    In the dark night, their hazy shadows cast figures on their window while blending with the moonlight scene, giving an illusory feeling.

    Her mind became more and more chaotic. Ye An grabbed his shirt, and her eyes fluttered. When she regained her senses, she was already lying on the sofa.

    The cold around her made her curl slightly and bend her legs slightly.

    However, Xie Shuo didn’t have the intention to stop. He leaned over her with deep eyes. His throat moved, and there were obvious traces of affection in his usually cold expression.

    Ye An pursed her lips nervously.

    Honestly speaking, she wasn’t against these actions and was somewhat even anticipating it–the only condition being that he wasn’t forceful like last time.

    After all, they had been married for more than half a year. It would be a shame to not be able to sleep with a man with such a good figure and looks.

    Moreover, if his eyes never get better and she fulfilled her promise to be his wife for life, then it would be terrible if she never had sex for the rest of her life.

    She had always lived freely, so she wouldn’t torture herself by being a stay-at-home housewife.

    Following that line of thought, she waved her hand in front of him. The lights and shadows flickered in front of the man’s eyes.

    Xie Shuo noticed her movements and lowered his head.

    He couldn’t see, but his sense of touch and smell were sensitive. With the darkness, his other senses were exponentially magnified.

    The red dress was soft to the touch. Outside the French windows, the night wind blew, causing the trees and their shadows to sway gently. An occasional leaf fluttered down from the branches. 

    The softly lit room was peaceful and quiet.

    Suddenly, a voice sounded from the corner, breaking the silence.

    “Master, good night~”

    The voice was very cute, but it sounded out of place at the moment.

    The two people paused on the sofa with frozen expressions.

    “Master, good night~”

    The phrase was repeated.

    Ye An: “…”

    Xie Shuo: “…”

    The amorous atmosphere that existed for the two of them suddenly vanished, cooling the room down as if a basin of cold water was poured over their heads.

    Ye An was stupified, but when she turned to see the penguin in the corner, she recalled how she adjusted the settings a few days ago for the penguin to say “good night” at a certain time at night and forgot to turn it off.

    Why on earth did she do that?

    The original seductive atmosphere had morphed into embarrassment. Ye An was so mortified that her scalp turned numb, and she had sobered up quite a bit. After a while, she said with difficulty, “I’ll… move it to the study tomorrow.”

    Previous|Index|Next

  • You’re So Arrogant Chapter 40.2

    Ye An: “…”

    First, it was Zhang Muqing–now there was an ex-marriage candidate. Had she entered a battleground tonight?

    “Change out of your dress first; we can talk after.”

    The girl was smiling and didn’t seem to be petty, so Ye An calmed down and smiled back at her before entering the changing room.

    She chose another floor-length dress, but the new one was red. Ye An’s loose curls fell on her shoulders, and her fair collarbone was on display.

    Xin Li waited outside. She looked Ye An up and down and said, smiling, “I didn’t expect his vision to improve even after losing his eyesight.”

    It was obvious that she was referring to Xie Shuo. After hearing her say this, Ye An couldn’t tell whether she was a friend or foe.

    Xin Li smiled again, guessing what Ye An was thinking. “Don’t worry, I’m not interested in married men. Back then, my dad wanted me to give him and the relationship a chance, but after meeting him once, I couldn’t take it anymore. He was so boring.”

    Ye An couldn’t help but appreciate Xie Shuo’s cold demeanor in this instance.

    Xin Li noticed her reaction and asked, “Is he still boring even after marriage?”

    Seeing that she wasn’t hostile, Ye An smiled again. “He’s all right.”

    The two walked down the stairs, and as they reached the bottom, Xin Li gave her a purposeful look. “The one who has ill intentions toward your husband is over there!”

    Ye An followed her line of sight and saw Zhang Muqing in her blue dress. Ye An didn’t know when Zhang Muqing had finished reminiscing about old memories with Xie Yuran and sat down next to Xie Shuo, talking to him.

    Ye An felt her heart stop, and jealousy washed over her.

    She took a deep breath and walked over to sit down next to Xie Shuo. Her lips curled, and she called out affectionately, “Hubby.”

    She held his arm and stared at him: If you frown or move; you’re done!

    Fortunately, Xie Shuo was used to her acting like this on occasion, so he neither frowned nor showed any disgust. His expression was even quite gentle.

    Ye An leaned against him, satisfied. She looked up at Zhang Muqing sitting on the side and smiled innocently. “Hubby, what are you guys talking about?”

    Seeing Ye An and Xie Shuo’s innocent gestures, Zhang Muqing was surprised. She seemed to be in a daze, and her fingers curled on her leg.

    Xie Shuo said lightly, “Nothing.”

    Zhang Muqing smiled and explained. “I saw him sitting here alone. I thought that it would have been unsuitable for him, so I came over and asked.”

    Ye An held Xie Shuo’s hand and smiled slightly, “I accidentally bumped into someone and stained my dress, so I went upstairs for a moment to change my clothes.” She looked up and asked softly, “Hubby, are you hungry? Do you want me to bring you something to eat?”

    “No.” Xie Shuo took advantage of the situation to take her hand and begin kneading it again.

    Ye An: “…”

    She would endure it for now.

    To be honest, she didn’t think there was an ambiguous relationship between Xie Shuo and Zhang Muqing. Xie Baiyan and Grandfather Xie definitely knew about her habit of fraternizing with both of the brothers and would never accept a relationship unless one of them would die for her. Obviously, Xie Shuo wouldn’t fall in love at first sight and meet this criterion.

    She just wasn’t accustomed to the scene of them being together, and she couldn’t accept Zhang Muqing’s desire to keep talking to Xie Shuo. She had left in the past, so why was she coming back acting lovelorn? Did she want to act as long lost lovers or establish her image as his first love?

    Did Zhang Muqing really think that she would let that happen?

    Seeing their intimacy, Zhang Muqing also felt somewhat awkward. She sat on the side with her lips pressed together in a smile. “Since you’re back, I’ll go say hi to Uncle Xie.”

    Xie Shuo didn’t say anything, so Zhang Muwing smiled and nodded Ye An farewell before getting up to leave. 

    As soon as she left, Ye An stopped smiling and stared at Xie Shuo.

    Even after a while, Xie Shuo still didn’t notice and continued to play with her hand.

        “……”

    Somehow, she forgot that he couldn’t see. Ye An was disappointed and retracted her gaze, not wasting her effort anymore.

    Thinking about the young woman she had just met, she looked up to ask, “Do you know Xin Li?”

    Xie Shuo lowered his gaze upon hearing the name. “The Xin family’s daughter; why are you asking about her?”

    “I just knocked into her and spilled her wine on my dress, so I had to change.” Ye An paused. “She told me that she was one of your marriage candidates.”

    This time, Xie Shuo didn’t deny it. He was silent for a few seconds before saying, “I only considered it; it was a long time ago.”

    The Xin family was close to Grandfather Xie. At the time, he was unable to go against Grandfather Xie’s persuasion, so he met with Xin Li.

    Ye An leaned against his shoulder. She looked up at him and sighed deliberately. “A childhood sweetheart, an ex-marriage partner. I didn’t realize this before, but you have quite a few suitors.”

    Xie Shuo heard the jealousy in her tone and chose to keep silent, feeling as if he was heading down a slippery slope.

    Seeing him not responding, Ye An felt worse and worse, as if she was stuck in one place.

    Ye An leaned into his ear and whispered viciously, “Although we have three conditions on our contract, I hate cheaters the most. If you dare cheat on me with other women before we divorce, I’ll end you!”

    At this point, she was confidently arrogant and had completely forgotten how her appearance in front of him in the past as a shivering little bunny. 

    Xie Shuo remained silent but suddenly let go of her hand. His hands went to his forehead, and his eyebrows furrowed. He appeared uncomfortable.

    Seeing him, Ye An didn’t care to threaten him anymore and hurriedly asked, “What’s the matter? Does your head hurt again? Do your eyes hurt?”

    Xie Shuo pursed his lips tightly and didn’t answer.

    Ye An reached out to support him. “How about I help you back to the room so you can rest?”

    Xie Shuo pushed himself up from the sofa and went upstairs with her help.

    Ye An helped him into the room and sat down beside him on the bed. “Sleep for a while. I’ll come back, and we can go home later.”

    Xie Shuo took off his jacket and loosened his bow tie. Because of the movement, a fraction of his collarbone was exposed.

    Ye An glanced at him as she helped him lie down. She put his coat and tie away for him and ensured that he was tucked in before leaving. She made sure to close the door softly.

    The banquet hall was still very lively, contrasting the quiet upstairs.

    Ye An returned downstairs. Her red dress paired well with her black hair. The skirt moved like undulating waves as she walked, occasionally revealing her ankles.

    At some point, someone stopped her.

    Xin Li leaned against the long table while holding a glass of red wine in her hand. She tilted her head slightly, and her eyes sparkled as she said, “Let’s have a drink together?”

    The Xin family was also influential in the city. As the jewel of the Xin family, it was no wonder that her words and actions were casual.

    She was a guest, and Ye An was obligated to entertain her requests as a host. The latter took a glass of wine from a waiter’s tray and walked back over. 

    Xin Li clinked glasses with hers and took a sip. “This is for ruining your dress just now. I’ll have someone send a new one to your house later.”

    “There’s no need.” Ye An smiled slightly and took a sip of wine.

    Xin Li pinched the neck of her glass with red nails. Her gaze fell on Zhang Muqing, who wore a blue dress not far away.

    “What do you think is so good about that woman for so many men to be head over heels for her?” Xin Li seemed to be quite hostile towards Zhang Muqing; her eyes were narrow, and her tone was sarcastic.

    Men probably liked her as she was.

    Ye An didn’t know the conflict between the two, so she could only smile. However, Xin Li suddenly turned to remind her, “Watch your husband, don’t let her take advantage of him.”

    Ye An, “…”

    “Did something happen between the two of you?” Ye An couldn’t hold in her curiosity and asked.

    Xin Li took another sip of her wine and smiled. “No, I just can’t stand her pompous attitude!”

    Ye An thought to herself: this has to be the fiercist conflict on this battleground.

    It was obvious that Xin Li had drunk a lot, as her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were glazed.

    Ye An turned around with the wine glass in her hand and was about to find a place to rest, but someone else stopped her.

    When Xie Shuo was there before, no one dared to come to approach them. Now that she was alone, everyone gathered around to greet her.

    Ye An could only smile and talk to them one by one.

    After socializing some, she was also quite tipsy.

    At around nine o’clock, Ye An glanced at the time and felt it was about time. She found Xie Baiyan and told him about her and Xie Shuo’s plan to return home.

    Xie Baiyan nodded, concerned about Xie Shuo’s condition, and had the driver send them back first.

    Ye An went upstairs, planning to go to the room and wake Xie Shuo up, but she suddenly heard a strange noise from the balcony.

    She paused and walked over there. When she turned her head, her eyes suddenly widened.

    The light was dim, and the two almost indistinguishable figures clung to each other. One of them was wearing a black knee-length dress, showing off their fair legs. It sememed to be Xin Li. 

    She was pressing a man against a corner and reaching up on tiptoe to kiss him. The man was tall and slender, and his figure looked somewhat familiar.

    Just as Ye An was trying to figure out who it was, the man suddenly removed Xin Li’s arm and scolded her in a hushed voice. Listening to the voice, Ye An found out that it was clearly Xie Yuran!

    Xie Yuran and Xin Li?

    Ye An was shocked and almost thought she was hallucinating from the alcohol.

    There was no wonder why Xin Li hated Zhang Muqing so much. Their animosity was because of Xie Yuran.

    Seeing that the two of them were leaving the balcony to head her way, Ye An hurriedly turned around and pretended not to see anything. She hurried to the room where Xie Shuo was sleeping.

    When she opened the door and entered, Xie Shuo had already woken up and sat on the bed. His cold features were calm and showed a trace of exhaustion.

    “I’ve already said goodbye to Dad, so we can go home now.”

    Previous|Index|Next

  • You’re So Arrogant Chapter 40.1

    “Have you been doing alright?”

    After a moment of silence, the woman in the blue dress spoke.

    Ye An turned to look at Xie Shuo. His expression did not change and remained calm.

    He responded to her as he did with outsiders, saying in a low voice, “All right.”

    The woman in the blue dress forced a smile. “I just came back from overseas last week. I wanted to come visit you but was afraid that it would be inconvenient for you.”

    As she spoke she turned to Ye An before suddenly saying, “Is this… your wife?”

    Xie Shuo responded with a light, “En.”

    The woman smiled at Ye An. “Hello, I’m Zhang Muqing.”

    Muqing.

    Why did this name… sound so familiar?

    Ye An smiled back politely. “Hello, I’m Ye An.”

    Zhang Mu Qing observed her unwaveringly for a moment before reverting her gaze back to Xie Shuo. “I was abroad when you got married, and no one told me. When I finally heard about it, it was too late, so I can only make it up to you with the gift…”

    Hearing this, Ye An finally remembered the wedding gift they had received not long after she and Xie Shuo got married. They had received a pair of high-end brooches, and the card was signed with the name “Muqing.”

    It seems that the relationship between these two was deep.

    Ye An looked at Xie Shuo and then at Zhang Muqing, who seemed to have come prepared.She suddenly felt a bit sorry for Zhang Muqing.

    Had she come back to China with the intent of resuming their relationship?

    Fortunately, Xie Shuo was aware of his boundaries as a married man. Zhang Muqing spoke for so long, yet his expression did not change. His replies were polite yet concise.

    Zhang Muqing’s expression flashed with discomfort, and her smile became forced when she noticed his estranged attitude.

    While they were stuck in awkward conversation, Xie Yuran suddenly walked over with a glass of wine, relieving them of the stiffness.

    “Ge, Sao zi.” Xie Yuran paused and turned to Zhang Muqing, “Muqing jie.”

    Seeing him, Zhang Muqing’s smile brightened again. “Yuran.”

    Xie Shuo suddenly touched Ye An’s hand that was on his arm and whispered, “Let’s go.”

    Ye An returned to her senses and guided Xie Shuo away, leaving Xie Yuran and Zhang Yuran to reminisce about the past.

    After sitting down on the sofa in the corner, Ye An glanced back and whispered, “So she’s Muqing.” She poked Xie Shuo and leaned closer to him, asking, “Be honest, is that your ex-girlfriend?”

    Xie Shuo seemed to not want to answer, but he still said impatiently, “No.”

    Ye An tilted her head. “Then… a previous situationship?”

    Xie Shuo: “…”

    Xie Shuo leaned against the sofa and closed his eyes, ignoring her meaningless questions.

    Ye An turned to look back again. Zhang Muqing and Xie Yuran were still talking, and they occasionally seemed to glance in their direction.

    Ye An remembered something and poked Xie Shuo again. “Her last name is Zhang. Is she the daughter of your Vice Deputy Zhang?”

    Xie Shuo opened his eyes reluctantly and replied lightly, “Adopted from their family’s relative.”

    Ye An immediately turned back around. “You know her situation so well. Did you two grow up together as childhood sweethearts?”

    Xie Shuo: “…She was a teenager when she was adopted.”

    So not a childhood sweetheart.

    But in Ye An’s book, Zhang Muqing’s situation counted. She thought about it and felt that it was a little strange. Since Zhang Muqing was Zhang Junfeng’s adopted daughter and was childhood friends with Xie Shuo–shouldn’t she be the best candidate for marriage in terms of family lineage and connections? How did they choose the Ye family out of everyone else?

    Did the Zhang family look down on Xie Shuo for becoming blind and didn’t think he could hold any position of power in the company?

    But in this case, Zhang Muqing would have had to agree with her family’s thought process, so why was she gazing at Xie Shuo like a long-lost lover? Was she regretting it?

    Ye An couldn’t help but imagine them in a passionate and turbulent relationship. She leaned on Xie Shuo’s shoulder and asked quietly, “Isn’t the Xie family and Zhang family close? Why didn’t you marry Zhang Muqing?”

    Xie Shuo looked up and sneered, saying sarcastically, “Would the Zhang family allow the marriage puppet they raised to be wasted on a blind man?”

    So that was the reason… Ye An looked up at the cold face of the man under the lamp lighting. She reverted her gaze and asked, “So if the Zhang family gave their approval, you would have married her?”

    She thought that he would have assented, but he unexpectedly answered with a curt, “No.”

    When did this man become so good at answering questions?

    ???

    “Why?” Ye An asked.

    Xie Shuo didn’t say anything, obviously not wanting to answer.

    Ye An stretched her index finger out to touch his jaw. “Why? Be honest; I won’t be mad.”

    Afraid that she would keep pestering him, Xie Shuo finally said, “Yuran likes her.”

    Huh?

    Ye An turned around in shock and observed the two talking figures in the distance. What kind of competing brothers’ love triangle was this?

    Ye An was bewildered. She turned back around to look at Xie Shuo and wanted to ask if he liked Zhang Muqing too. However, she held back her words.

    He definitely wouldn’t answer that question.

    Ye An lowered her gaze and felt an unexplainably bitter feeling in her mouth. Her long eyelashes reflected the light, and his long and slender hands entered her line of sight. 

    She pursed her lips and stretched her hand out to lightly scratch the back of his hand. 

    Xie Shuo thought she was bored and took advantage of the situation to hold her soft hand. He wrapped it in his palms and began to play with it out of habit.

        “……”

    Ye An’s chest felt blocked: That’s all you ever do! My hand isn’t dough, yet you keep kneading it!

    She looked up and caught a glimpse of his indifferent expression, which showed no ounce of care towards anything. She pulled her hand back in annoyance and got up and suddenly got up, saying, “I’m going to the bathroom.”

    After speaking, she walked away in her high heels. 

    Xie Shuo’s hands were left empty. When he heard her speak, there seemed to be some displeasure in his unreadable expression.

    After leaving, Ye An’s footsteps slowed down as she realized that losing her temper would be inappropriate at this banquet. The light shrouded her figure and outlined her slender figure. She had narrow shoulders and a slender waist, and her dress swayed like flowers in the trees when she walked. 

    Guests of the banquet were whispering not far away:

    “Hey, is that the Xie family’s daughter-in-law?”

    “Which family is she from? Why haven’t I seen her before?”

    “I heard she’s surnamed, Ye. Is this the first time that she has come? She’s quite pretty…”

    Zhang Muqing stood on the side, listening to their conversation. She couldn’t help but look over in that direction.

    Ye An stood under the lights in a white dress and had delicate features.

    Ye An kept her gaze fixed and walked out of the banquet hall into the bathroom.

    After she exited the restroom stall, Ye An had calmed down a bit.

    Forget it. Their marriage was a business relationship, to begin with. What was the point in getting annoyed by him? It wasn’t worth it.

    Ye An washed her hands and looked into the mirror to make sure her makeup was still intact. After taking a deep breath, she turned to leave.

    However, just as she reached the corner in the hall, she turned and accidentally bumped into someone who was holding a glass of wine.

    The wine spilled with their collision, and a large red stain blossomed on the originally pure white dress.

    Ye An: “…”

    What kind of luck is this?

    “I’m sorry…” The young woman who bumped into Ye An looked up. Her voice suddenly stopped when she faced Ye An, and a trace of scrutiny appeared in her eyes. 

    Ye An turned to look at her as well. It was already November, but the girl was still wearing a short dress, which revealed her slender legs. Her fair shoulders were half exposed.

    The beautiful woman’s gaze was complicated. The outer corners of her eyes angled up, making her almost resemble a sly fox.

    “Sorry, I didn’t see you just now.” She looked at Ye An and smiled. “Your dress got dirty; I can help you change your clothes.”

    Ye An felt as if the girl knew her, but she didn’t recognize the girl at all. A waiter heard them speaking and asked, “Ma’am, are you alright?”

    Ye An lifted the hem of her dress and shook her head. “I’m fine.”

    Since this was the Xie family’s event, she already had extra clothes prepared. Seeing that the woman didn’t seem to have ill intentions, Ye An allowed her to go upstairs with her to change clothes.

    The girl in the black dress followed her up, and as Ye An opened the door to the room, she suddenly asked, “Are you Xie Shuo’s wife?”

    Ye An turned back to look at her. “And you are…?”

    “Me?” The young woman blinked and smiled slyly. “Your husband’s ex-marriage partner, Xin Li.”

    Previous|Index|Next

  • I Am A Matchmaker On Taobao Chapter 62

    Shen Chuchu still had not figured out the situation as she sat in Han Xingyan’s car. She shifted her gaze to Han Xingyan, only to see him start the car without saying anything.

    Shen Chuchu thought to herself. Perhaps this man…was also not in a good mood? Did she go out today and forgot to look over the Almanac?* How come she keeps bumping into moody men? The two stayed silent throughout the journey. When it was almost time to reach home, Shen Chuchu’s stomach cried out inconveniently.

    *TL-note: Almanac is a book or table listing nautical, astronomical, astrological or other events for the year.

    Only then did Han Xingyan slow down the speed of the car and changed the direction of the car.

    Shen Chuchu clutched her stomach in embarrassment and was caught off guard that Han Xingyan had changed the direction of the car. She curiously asked, “Why are we not going home?”

    Han Xingyan seemed to have calmed down a little and asked, “What do you want to eat?”

    Shen Chuchu responded honestly when she heard Han Xingyan’s serious question, “Hotpot.” However, not only did her mouth secrete saliva as she spoke but her stomach also screamed out in an inappropriate manner. Shen Chuchu secretly glanced at Han Xingyan but he did not look at her so she clutched her stomach and sat upright. Han Xingyan’s smile gradually appeared from the shadows when she turned her head.

    Ten minutes later, they arrived in front of a hotpot restaurant. 

    Shen Chuchu debated whether she should be indulgent for the sake of eating hotpot as she looked around the busy hotpot restaurant. However this time she was accompanied by Han Xingyan. She would surely be scolded to death by Chen Xili tomorrow if she happened to be photographed.

    To be honest, just based on the chance to taste cow tripe*, she would not hesitate a second if she had been alone. So what if she gets photographed. Can an actress not eat?

    *TL-note: Tripe is a type of edible lining from the stomachs of various farm animals. Most tripe is from cattle, pigs and sheep.

     At this thought, Shen Chuchu gave Han Xingyan a puzzled look.

    Han Xingyan was perplexed as to why Shen Chuchu, who was starving, had no reaction when they arrived at the location. He followed Shen Chuchu’s gaze outside and realised why Shen Chuchu was conflicted so he refastened his seat belt and started the car again.

    Shen Chuchu swallowed down her saliva and reluctantly looked at the fading hot pot restaurant.

    However, they seemed to have gone in a circle and arrived somewhere.

    “This is?” Shen Chuchu curiously asked. It did not look like a place to eat.

    Han Xingyan briefly replied, “Backdoor of the hotpot restaurant.”

    Shen Chuchu looked at Han Xingyan suspiciously and asked, “How did you know there was a backdoor?”

    “I’ve been here before.”

    Shen Chuchu followed Han Xingyan from the back door to the box room on the second level of the hot pot restaurant after parking the car. With the menu in hand, Shen Chuchu made a number of orders without reserve. After placing her orders, she turned to face the person on the other side who had been drinking water and had not placed an order for any food and asked, “Mr Han, what do you want to eat? Do you need any help?”

    Han Xingyan looked up and glanced at Shen Chuchu then replied, “It’s okay, you can decide.”

    Very soon, the dishes arrived. At this time, Shen Chuchu did not care about Han Xingyan’s mood. She was starving after dealing with Dong Ziyuan, who had consumed a large number of her brain cells. She no longer had the energy to deal with Han Xingyan at the moment. She should fill up her belly first.

    Han Xingyan did not believe he was hungry at first but as the heat got to him and seeing that Shen Chuchu was having a good time, he also gradually ate a lot.

    Han Xingyan could not help but inquire when Shen Chuchu picked up the chopsticks again and picked up a couple of pieces of mutton rolls, “Have you finished shooting your last drama?” He remembered the director telling her not to eat too much the last time he ate with her.

    After hearing this, Shen Chuchu paused her chopsticks for a second but quickly moved them again. She put it in her own pot and rinsed them then happily said, “No need, I already started dating so the director allowed me to gain three pounds.”

    Han Xingyan’s face immediately darkened. He heavily put down his chopsticks and coldly asked, “You started dating? With whom?”

    With a thud, the mutton that Shen Chuchu was going to eat fell onto the table. Her heart shuddered as she raised her head and gazed at the man across from her who was emitting cold air like an air conditioner. She explained, “Don’t misunderstand. It’s in the drama. Naturally, it was arranged by the screenwriter.”

    Han Xingyan exhaled a sigh of relief and his face returned to normal after hearing this. Shen Chuchu felt mentally exhausted upon seeing this. How can a man’s temperament change faster than that of a woman’s? They are all the same.

    After eating and drinking to her heart’s content, Shen Chuchu remembered what happened previously and asked curiously, “Mr Han, was that person also your blind date? I always seem to see you on a blind date. I wonder how many this is? Have you not found anyone suitable? Your expectations are really high.”

    However, she had asked with the intention of extracting gossip. As a result, the more questions she asked, the angrier she became. Even the fragrant enoki mushrooms* now seemed unappetising. 

    *TL-note: Enoki, also known as velvet shank, is a species of edible mushroom in the family Physalacriaceae. It is well known for its role in Japanese cuisine, which is also known as enokitake.

    Han XIngyan looked at her as she fought with the enoki mushrooms and replied, “No, I’ve only been on one. It was the one you saw last time. Today is a classmate from junior high. Plus the reason I went to the restaurant was to look for you.”

    Shen Chuchu finally let go of the enoki mushrooms and swallowed them down with her eyes closed. When she opened her eyes again, she heard Han Xingyan’s last words.

    “For me? Why?” Shen Chuchu asked in disbelief.

    Han Xingyan could not say it was Secretary Wang who spotted Shen Chuchu eating with a man in the restaurant and so informed him. After a moment’s thought, he replied, “To take you home.”

    Shen Chuchu was taken aback for a moment by this sentence. The lights in the hot pot restaurant’s box are dim, just like the atmosphere which was slightly ambiguous. 

    Truthfully, Han Xingyan was perplexed after saying that. He grumbled to himself at the thought of his cousin’s fussing in his ear today about the secret recipe in chasing ladies. Soon after, he suppressed his thoughts and looked at Shen Chuchu’s bewildered expression then looked down at the soup pot on the table and muttered, “Do you want the waiter to add some more soup?”

    Shen Chuchu regained her composure, glanced down at the empty soup pot, shook her head, and said, “No need, I’m full already.”

    “Yes, it’s getting late now. Let’s go home.”

    On the way back, Shen Chuchu felt the atmosphere had become more awkward. The kind of discomfort that was even more uncomfortable than being in front of Dong Ziyuan in the afternoon.

    The two of them entered their community in silence. Then silently got on the elevator to their floor.

    Shen Chuchu awkwardly said farewell and walked to her home. When she was about to open the door, Han Xingyan said, “Miss Shen, I don’t know what your answer is?”

    Answer? Shen Chuchu turned to look at Han Xingyan with a confused look. She thought to herself, did he ask her something?

    Han Xingyan took a step forward as he looked at Shen Chuchu’s puzzled expression.

    “What…what answer?” Shen Chuchu nervously asked.

    Han Xingyan stood in front of Shen Chuchu and said, “Miss Shen, I’ve always been pursuing you. Have you not noticed?” 

    This was the first time Han Xingyan had ever pursued a girl and had never witnessed anyone else pursuing a girl. So he thought it was normal to have neither a close nor distant relationship after pursuing her for almost half a year. However, after hearing what Zhang Teng said yesterday, he began to reflect. Perhaps his way of pursuing someone was wrong and the other party was not moved? Or rather…the other party did not receive his signals?

    Shen Chuchu’s eyes widened as she stared in disbelief at Han Xingyan. When did he start pursuing her? Despite the fact that she has always known that Han Xingyan has a positive view of her when it comes to pursuing, it seems… not so obvious, right?

    Can she answer that she really did not know?

    “Um, this…”

    Han Xingyan’s face suddenly turned ugly when he saw Shen Chuchu’s expression. It was no surprise that he pursued for half a year and had no response from the other party. He had chosen the incorrect method and was far too subtle. Since he had been too subtle before, it would be better to be more straightforward in the future. Just as Zhang Teng said, he should be more thick-skinned. At this thought, he took another step forward.

    Han Xingyan watched as Shen Chuchu stuck closer to the wall behind her. He lowered his eyes and gently asked, “Chuchu, what do you think?”

    Shen Chuchu listened to the soft voice and turned to face the extremely handsome face in front of her. Her heart raced and a wave of heat rushed up from her back to her head. She did not know where to place her hands or feet. She bit down her lips lightly with her teeth and tried to open her mouth but could not say anything. She could only feel her heart throbbing in her throat.

    Han Xingyan could not help but lean closer to Shen Chuchu’s lips and kissed her when he saw how she looked. After all, this was not the first time so Han Xingyan did not hesitate. He softly rubbed and sucked her lips a few more times then imitated her by lightly biting her lower lip as punishment when he saw that she did not react. 

    Han Xingyan had hardly done anything yet but Shen Chuchu already sensed her entire body did not feel right. Her body felt like it had been electrocuted all over, she was stiff, and an electric current ran straight from the soles of her feet to the top of her head. Her entire scalp seemed numb as if there were fireworks exploding inside.

    Han Xingyan was delighted when he saw Shen Chuchu’s dumb appearance. He stroked her hair and whispered in her ear, “The flavour remains the same.”

    Shen Chuchu gave Han Xingyan a blank stare and murmured something robotic and inappropriate, “What is it, hotpot flavour?”

    Chapter 61 | Index | Chapter 63

  • You’re So Arrogant Chapter 39

    Ever since they have returned from the institute, Ye An discovered that Xie Shuo had changed and was no longer as lifeless as before. Even though he didn’t speak much, he wasn’t as easy to provoke and was willing to go outside.

    Zhong Fu came to deliver documents to him so regularly that it reached the point where  Ye An was always busy reading to Xie Shuo.

    Most of October passed in the blink of an eye.

    On this day, Xie Yuran, whom they had not seen in a long time, suddenly visited the estate. Ye An had just finished reading a document out to Xie Shuo, and sensing that they had something to discuss, she left the room with the excuse of getting water.

    In terms of work matters, Xie Shuo trusted her with many documents without any hint of doubt. Xie Yuran, on the other hand, was different. He seemed to still be somewhat biased against her, so Ye An tried to avoid him every time he came over.

    “Ge.” Xie Yuran sat down when Ye An left. “Why did you ask me to come over?”

    Xie Shuo listened to his movements and said lightly, “I heard Zhong Fu say that the Zhang family is having a dinner party two days from now?”

    Xie Shuo hadn’t appeared in public in over a year, so Xie Yuran was a little surprised upon hearing him ask about this. “There is one at seven o’clock the day after tomorrow in his villa.”

    Xie Shuo tapped the armrest aimlessly and contemplated for a moment before saying, “Pay more attention to his actions and see who he is close with.”

    Xie Yuran heard him speak and was stunned. “Ge, are you suspecting Uncle Zhang?”

    Xie Shuo did not respond.

    “When I…” He paused before saying Ye An’s name. “When I and da sao were on our honeymoon, I met up with Yan Fei. He said that the reason why their company suddenly pulled away from the development case was because of Zhang Junfeng.”

    Xie Yuran couldn’t believe it. “Are you sure?”

    The Zhang family and Xie family had been friends for many years, and Zhang Junfeng was an executive in their company.

    “Pretty much, I had Zhong Fu investigate it.” Xie Shuo raised his hand to massage his temples. “But don’t let him know for now. He’s been with the company for many years; it won’t be easy to remove him.”

    Xie Yuran looked into Xie Shuo’s dull eyes, and his expression suddenly changed as he recalled something.

    Xie Shuo couldn’t see the change in his expression and naturally couldn’t tell what Xie Yuran was thinking.

    Xie Yuran looked a little strange, but after a while, he continued to speak.

    The two changed the topic afterward to discuss other current projects at the company.

    Not long after, Xie Yuran left.

    When Xie Yuran went downstairs and passed through the living room, he saw Ye An, who was in the kitchen learning how to make desserts with Aunt Zhou with enthusiasm. She wore casual clothes at home, and her long hair was pulled back. There was a gentle glow on her body.

    Honestly speaking, Xie Yuran had never had a good of this random sister-in-law that had suddenly appeared one day. However, he had to admit that his brother had changed a lot after they got married.

    Xie Yuran looked at her but not for long before withdrawing his gaze and walking away.

    Ye An didn’t notice his departure and was focused on baking desserts with Aunt Zhou’s guidance.

    They were trying to make osmanthus cakes, and after they were done, Ye An took a bite. After deciding that the flavor was good, she immediately put them on a plate and happily went upstairs.

    Translucent yellow osmanthus cakes were placed one by one on a snow-white porcelain place.

    The door to the study was left open, and Ye An entered to see that Xie Yuran had left. Xie Shuo was sitting alone with a hand supporting his forehead and looking contemplative.

    He put his hand down, hearing her footsteps approach.

    Ye An sat down beside him and smiled, saying, “I made these osmanthus cakes myself; do you want to try some?”

    Xie Shuo turned to face her with a suspicious expression.

    Ye An’s smile stiffened. Young Master Xie’s temper had improved recently, but he was still very picky.

    Ye An didn’t care about whether he wanted to try it or not. She used a fork to bring a small piece of cake to his mouth. 

    “Come, try a piece.”

    Xie Shuo opened his mouth reluctantly, afraid that she would start harassing him again.

    The sweet fragrance of the osmanthus cake filled the air. Ye An watched him chew and asked expectantly, “How is it?”

    Xie Shuo answered truthfully, “Not bad.”

    Ye An was satisfied with his answer and forked another piece to feed him. “Then eat some more.”

    Xie Shuo ate a couple more bites per her request, but Ye An ate the rest to avoid him getting tired of it.

    After Xie Shuo had taken a few bites, she caught a glimpse of a few crumbs on the corner of his lips. She stretched her fingers to help him wipe them off.

     As she wiped them off, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.

    Xie Shuo gripped her wrist and looked up to face her with a deep gaze.

    Ye An sat sideways on the sofa and was leaning towards him. The atmosphere suddenly thickened, seemingly returning to the scene in the movie room the other day.

    Her heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously pulled her hand away. However, he reached further to grab her fingers.

    The man’s face was stern, and his fingers were slender. His actions held a hint of provocation.

    Just as Ye An was pondering what he was about to do, he held her hand and brought it to rest on his leg while kneading it.

    Ye An: “…”

    Are you addicted to my hand or what?

    Ye An was speechless for a few seconds before pulling her hands away harshly. “I haven’t washed my hands yet.”

    Xie Shuo’s hands were now empty, and he was left feeling unsatisfied.

    Ye An got up and wiped her hands with a paper towel before sitting back down beside him. She looked out the window at the sky and said, “We haven’t gone outside for a while, have we? Let’s go on a walk somewhere tomorrow, okay?”

    Xie Shuo took hold of her hand again and brought it to his lap before replying, “The Zhang family is hosting a dinner party the day after tomorrow. If you want to go, have Yuran take you. ”

    Ye An eyes lit up as she listened, and she asked, “Are you going?”

    Xie Shuo said lightly, “It would be inconvenient for me to go.”

    Ye An felt discouraged. “If you don’t go, what’s the point of me going?”

    Hearing her words, Xie Shuo turned to face her and suddenly asked, “Didn’t you say that it was boring spending time with me?”

        “……”

    Ye An choked for a moment and said stubbornly, “When did I say that?”

    She just occasionally found him boring.

    Xie Shuo pursed his lips and didn’t reply.

     Ye An knew that it was unrealistic for him to attend a dinner party with many people present, so she didn’t bother to ask him to come again.

    She laid against his shoulders and looked up at his smooth jaw. She was unable to hold back her urge to reach upwards and scratch.

    “But, you are a little annoying sometimes…”

    Before she could finish speaking, her hand was caught again.

    This time, Xie Shuo no longer played with her fingers. He grabbed her slender hand and was silent for a moment before suddenly saying, “When you want to do something, you can go. You don’t have to stay at home all the time.”

    If he never recovered his eyesight, she would get bored of his company sooner or later.

    Although he didn’t know how she had the patience to stay with him until now.

    Ye An was suprised upon understanding his meaning.

    She looked into his eyes and moved her lips, but she didn’t know what to say. 

    After a while, she put her arms together and looped them tightly around his neck. She deliberately raised her chin and said, “Why, you’re not happy to have someone to stay with you?”

    The body in his arms was soft, and the familiar fragrance lingered in his nose. Xie Shuo didn’t say a word. He put a hand on her back and rubbed it up and down. After a moment, he asked, “If you don’t want to go to the dinner party, where do you want to go?”

    “You’re saying yes?”

    Ye An was delighted: this Eldest Young Master has become better and better at saying the right things!

    “I’m not sure yet; give me some time.”

    She looked at him, her eyes darting over his eyebrows, eyes, and nose bridge before finally stopping at his lips.

    Her heart beat softly, and all of a sudden, she was unable to resist the urge and left a soft kiss on the corner of his lips.

    After doing so, she quickly let go of his hand and pretended as if nothing happened. She hurriedly fled away.

    Xie Shuo leaned against the sofa and listened to the sound of her footsteps getting farther away. The corners of his lips twitched, and lights and shadows flashed in front of him.

        —

     Although the two never went  to Zhang Junfeng’s dinner party, they soon had another event to attend: Xie Baiyan’s birthday banquet.

    In the past two years, there had been changes in the Xie family, so the mood was consistently down-spirited. Xie Baiyan decided to hold a small banquet to dispel the negativity and uplift the mood.

    The banquet was hosted in a villa far from the city.

    Ye An and Xie Shuo went there early that day and booked a room to stay in.

    At six in the evening, the guests arrived one after the other. A large crystal chandelier hung from the room and reflected scattered bits of light across the room.

    In the hall, the celebratory airs and lively conversations inhabited the space.

    The white evening dress that Ye An had hidden in her closet had finally come in handy. 

    As she looked into the mirror at herself, she suddenly felt as if she had returned to her wedding night.

    Xie Shuo sat on the side, also dressed in formal clothes. Tonight, he wore a white dress shirt and a black suit. Ye An had personally tied his tie, and he looked noble and handsome.

    The outside sounded festive and lively, but Xie Shuo didn’t seem interested at all. He sat there quietly with a cold expression.

    Ye An stayed with him in the room for a while and felt that it was inappropriate for one of them to greet others if the other wasn’t there. She walked up to him and asked nicely, “How about we go outside and take a look?”

    Xie Shuo frowned slightly and remained silent.

    Ye An was helpless upon seeing his appearance. She hesitated for a moment before saying, “Then I’ll go outside to take a look and then come back here later.”

    After speaking, she picked up her phone from the table and fixed her hair and skirt before bracing herself to go outside.

    But after only taking one step, Xie Shuo suddenly stood up.

    Ye An was pleasantly surprised. “You’re coming outside with me?”

    Xie Shuo didn’t reply and only held his arm out for her.

    At this time, it would be unseemly if he let her go outside alone and wasn’t accompanying her.

    Seeing him extend his arm, Ye An rushed over happily to take it and guided the way.

    As they passed through the hallways, a dazzling light enshrouded the two.

    The man stood tall and straight, and the woman had a willowy, long dress with delicate features. Their attractive figures drew everybody’s attention.

    Xie Baiyan turned his head to look over in their direction. He excused himself from the other guests and walked over. “Have you both rested?”

    Ye An smiled gently. “Father, happy birthday.”

    Xie Baiyan also returned the warm smile and softly reminded them of a few things before taking them to greet the guests.

    Ye An, who had always carefully supported Xie Shuo, noticed that he seemed slightly uncomfortable. She quietly held his hand.

    Most of the guests who came today were close relatives and friends, so they were relatively calm when meeting Xie Shuo. Even if some had a strange expression initially, they quickly hid it.

    People kept approaching them to say hello, but since Ye An knew very few of them, she could only keep smiling throughout every interaction.

    Fortunately, the banquet wasn’t very large, and Xie Baiyan was the main focus tonight. After a while, the two managed to escape.

    Ye An supported Xie Shuo as they walked to a secluded area. After taking only a few steps, a soft voice suddenly sounded from behind them:

    “A’Shuo.”

    As a professional voice actor, Ye An immediately detected the complex emotions in “A’Shuo.” The simple greeting contained joy, disappointment, surprise…there were many undertones.

    Ye An helped Xie Shuo turn around.

    There was a young woman in a periwinkle dress standing a few feet away. She had a slender figure, elegant features, and a refined temperament. Even standing there, she seemed to be a beautiful artwork that drew everyone’s eye.

    She shot a quick glance at Ye An before gazing at Xie Shuo with a trace of sadness in her expression.

    Ye An’s heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly felt a sense of apprehension.

    ~

    Author’s Note: Here comes a female supporting lead, but no emotional games~

    ~

    We’ll see next chapter~

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