A Washed-up Movie Queen's Divorce Strategy [Rebirth] - Chapter 16

Ming Lang maintained that ambiguous posture, their noses touching and their breaths intertwining. Her left hand still gripped Ji Chenli’s right wrist, while Ji Chenli’s left hand rested against her neck. From a distance, they looked exactly like a pair of intimate lovers about to kiss—if one ignored the knife Ji Chenli had pressed against Ming Lang’s throat.

“Are you signing or not?” Ji Chenli demanded through gritted teeth, her eyes rimmed with red. Ming Lang, however, seemed completely unconcerned about her own life. There was even a hint of leisure in the way she looked at Ji Chenli. She parted her thin lips and spat out two words: “Not signing.” She was certain Ji Chenli wouldn’t dare do anything to her.

“Ming Lang, do you really think I don’t dare to kill you?” Ji Chenli was incensed. Her eyes were bloodshot, burning with rage. For a moment, she truly entertained the thought of dying together with Ming Lang to end it all.

The knife even grazed the delicate skin of Ming Lang’s neck, and the seep of bright red blood became the final spark that ignited Ji Chenli’s sanity. The blade in her hand truly began to press down into Ming Lang’s throat.

“Ji Chenli!” With the knife against her neck and their faces less than five centimeters apart, Ming Lang rested her forehead against Ji Chenli’s. In the eyes staring back at Ji Chenli, there was actually a trace of deep affection. “Do you no longer want your dear sister and the orphanage?”

Ji Chenli’s knife stopped at the bloody wound on Ming Lang’s neck.

Her entire body became like a machine forced to a halt, suddenly motionless. She maintained that distorted, terrifying posture, staring at Ming Lang with raw hatred.

In Ji Chenli’s memory, the Ming Lang of her previous life might have been cold-hearted, but she wasn’t despicable—or rather, Ji Chenli had never seen her be despicable. Ming Lang had always been upright; her word was law, and she never used others’ weaknesses as leverage. Looking at the Ming Lang before her now—face to face, skin to skin—Ji Chenli found her increasingly twisted. The features were the same, the face was the same, yet she had suddenly lost all the attraction she once held. Ji Chenli even felt a bit nauseated.

But since Ming Lang had said those words, Ji Chenli’s knife could not move forward another millimeter. Her hand began to shake, and her reason gradually returned.

Yes, in her last life, Ji Chenli was alone, so she wasn’t afraid of being ruthless. But not in this life. Ji Chenli wasn’t just herself; she had Tao Yuan and the children at the orphanage. She still had to find a reliable, stable partner for Tao Yuan and see her happy. How could she drag so many people down just because of one Ming Lang?

Ming Lang’s face remained as calm as a placid lake, but looking at her, Ji Chenli felt certain she was smiling—smiling arrogantly, mocking Ji Chenli’s lack of self-awareness. Could a tiny ant really shake a tree?

Blood continued to flow back into the IV tube. Ming Lang released Ji Chenli’s right wrist and moved her hand to her own neck. She gently took Ji Chenli’s hand, along with the small knife, and disarmed her. Ji Chenli’s strength seemed to vanish along with the blade. She leaned against the cold headboard, her head lolling weakly to the side, her eyes downcast. She let Ming Lang manipulate her like a doll.

“Chenli.” Ming Lang handled the IV needle in Ji Chenli’s left hand, cupped her cheek with her palm, and finally got her wish, pressing a gentle kiss onto her face. After the kiss, she leaned her face against Ji Chenli’s and murmured like a sigh, “You’re still too young.”

“You’re too young—so young you don’t even know how to threaten someone.” Ming Lang kissed Ji Chenli’s face again. Like a traveler who had been thirsty for a long time tasting her first drop of water, she couldn’t stop. She kissed Ji Chenli’s forehead, the corners of her eyes, and her earlobes, as if she wanted to swallow Ji Chenli whole.

Ji Chenli let out a pale laugh. Young? Ming Lang actually said I was young? If I told her I’ve lived two lives, would she faint from shock?

Ji Chenli lifted her head, intending to mock Ming Lang, but she happened to look straight into Ming Lang’s eyes and froze.

Those eyes were cunning and ruthless, yet they held a trace of weathered tenderness. It was like a trap. Ji Chenli knew she shouldn’t walk forward, but there was only one road in front of her. If she didn’t move forward, what else could she do?

Ming Lang’s eyes shouldn’t look like this. Those eyes were so beautiful; Ji Chenli had observed them countless times, and they were etched into her very bones. They should be cold, proud, and meticulous. They shouldn’t contain this much cunning. Ming Lang was so young right now; where could she have gotten this sense of weariness?

While Ji Chenli was staring in a daze, Ming Lang spoke first. She discarded her expressionless mask and gave a satisfied smile. “Chenli, I’ve waited too long.”

It was nothing like Ming Yan’s infectious, warm smile. On the rare occasion Ming Lang smiled, there was a dark gloom at the corners of her eyes, as eerie as a skeleton crawling out from under a coffin lid. Ji Chenli shivered involuntarily; looking at her now, she actually felt a bit of fear.

“Chenli, to threaten someone, you must first grasp their fatal weakness and hold it tight, just like I do.” Ming Lang leaned into Ji Chenli’s neck, her hands wrapped around her, nuzzling her like a puppy. She inhaled the scent of her neck deeply. It was as if she had shed her cold disguise and turned into a clingy young girl.

Ji Chenli had never dealt with a Ming Lang like this. She let herself be held, feeling at a loss, as she listened to the woman mumble. “Life and death are the fatal weaknesses for most people, but unfortunately, not for me.” Ming Lang paused, then added, “Nor for you.”

The two of them stayed huddled together in that cold yet lingering embrace. After a long time, Ji Chenli’s phone rang. She had set a custom ringtone for Tao Yuan; she knew immediately it was her. Tao Yuan wouldn’t call without reason, so it had to be an emergency. Ji Chenli answered; it turned out one of the kids at the orphanage had suddenly come down with a fever. Tao Yuan was staying to look after them and wouldn’t be coming to the hospital tonight. Hearing this, Ji Chenli finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“That Ming Lang didn’t go to harass you, did she?” At the end of the call, Tao Yuan asked one more question.

Ji Chenli said vaguely, “N-no. She’s a busy person; how could she possibly come here?”

“Good. Don’t let me catch that Ming person. Does she think having money makes her special? If I see her, I’m definitely going to punch her face until it’s swollen!”

“Sister, aren’t you supposed to be looking after Bei-bei? Let’s leave it at that, I’m hanging up now!” Ji Chenli’s scalp tingled as she hurriedly ended the call.

Ming Lang, leaning against her, had heard every word of their conversation. She smiled again, finally satisfied as she released Ji Chenli’s neck. She sat up straight and regained her composure. “Let’s eat.”

She had returned to the cold indifference Ji Chenli was familiar with. The frightening fever in her eyes was gone, as if that person just now hadn’t been her at all.

Ming Lang set up the overbed table, arranged the dishes from her food container one by one, and pressed a pair of chopsticks into Ji Chenli’s hand. “Eat.”

Ji Chenli held the chopsticks but didn’t move. She stared at Ming Lang, scrutinizing her for a long while before finally asking, “Who are you?”

“I’m Ming Lang, of course. Who else could I be?” Ming Lang served Ji Chenli a bowl of soup.

The dishes on the table were exquisite and light, clearly prepared by a master chef. Ji Chenli knew this; the Ming family had a Chef Li whose vegetarian dishes were legendary in City C. Many people sought a taste of his skill but were denied. In the past, Ji Chenli had little interest in vegetarian food, and Ming Lang was rarely home, so Chef Li’s skills were rarely showcased for her until the day she died.

“You aren’t.” Ji Chenli shook her head with certainty. This person was absolutely not Ming Lang. How could it be her? Even if time and space had shifted, they couldn’t twist a person’s nature this much. How could this temperamental woman be Ming Lang?

“Chenli, what you see isn’t always the truth.” Ming Lang’s words sounded like the reflections of a middle-aged person who had lived half a lifetime. Ji Chenli merely gave a sarcastic smile and let it pass.

“Taste it.” Seeing Ji Chenli silent and not moving her chopsticks, Ming Lang simply picked up a slice of lettuce and held it to Ji Chenli’s lips.

Ji Chenli turned her head away. “I can eat by myself.”

Ming Lang nodded and didn’t force her further.

The meal was uncomfortable, but Chef Li’s skill lived up to its name. The small dishes were refreshing and appetizing. Having only had porridge at noon, Ji Chenli was indeed hungry; she ate two bowls of rice and cleared the plates.

Once she finished, Ming Lang spoke again. “That movie—don’t film it anymore.”

Ji Chenli was stunned. “Why?”

Ming Lang said, “You don’t want to do it, so don’t.”

“No way!” Ji Chenli laughed out of anger. “Ming Lang, you said you’d divorce me after I finish that movie. Are you trying to go back on your word now? Forget it!”

Ming Lang finished packing the dishes back into the container. She lowered her head and asked, “Ji Chenli, what do I have to do for us not to divorce?” It seemed that in Ji Chenli’s eyes, everything Ming Lang did was wrong. Trying to make her a Movie Queen was wrong; telling her not to act was also wrong. Ming Lang knew the only correct answer, but she was unwilling—she didn’t even dare to think about it.

Ji Chenli simply sneered. “Ming Lang, you don’t love me at all. What’s the harm in letting me go? Look, marrying me made you lose face, made the entire Ming family lose face, and even embarrassed your precious Han Xinyuan. Our marriage is nothing but a laughingstock. Maintaining it only makes things look bad for both of us.”

Ming Lang sat in silence until Ji Chenli began to yawn from boredom. Only then did she speak, her voice somewhat cautious. “What if… the one I love is you?”

Ji Chenli rolled her eyes. “Forgive me, but I am not blessed enough to enjoy that.”