Before Jiang Qian could react, the various staff members around them were already buzzing with discussion.
“I knew it… here it comes…”
“Oh right, I saw that before, the ‘wall-pinning’ thing, so domineering!”
“But she never let on anything on set…”
“Things like this are common now. Which actress doesn’t have a sugar daddy? Competition is fierce…”
Jiang Qian’s expression shifted between cloudy and clear. She stood there, gritting her teeth with hatred, wanting to slap the bouquet away, but knew such an action would be too foolish.
But what if, by not doing anything, it indirectly confirmed her relationship with Shen Xizhou? What should she do! Shen Xizhou, you’re dead. Did you hear that? You are dead!
Just then, a clear voice reached Jiang Qian’s ears: “Ah, my brother is so thoughtful to celebrate the wrap-up of the drama. Put the items over here.”
Shen Xiruo stood up, the corner of her mouth lifted in a smile that held no actual warmth.
The florist staff member had intended to insist, as Shen Xizhou’s order was to hand the gift directly to Jiang Qian.
However, when he met Shen Xiruo’s eyes, he immediately shivered with fear, instantly handed all the flowers and gifts to Shen Xiruo, and bolted out of the room.
Shen Xiruo placed the bouquet of red roses on the table and said to everyone present: “Recently, my brother and I have had some friction. He sent these flowers to add excitement to my project, but didn’t want to directly write my name. He’s a little tsundere.”
All the staff went silent. No one dared to speak, only forcing smiles.
Since President Shen had said so, it meant she was categorizing this as a Shen family domestic issue. On the surface, she had indeed distanced Jiang Qian from the matter.
Shen Xiruo scanned the room, then smiled and said: “Our Qingcheng Entertainment treats all loyal employees very well, but if some people do not agree with our philosophy, it is better for them to leave.”
The statement was a clear threat. The few talkative employees who had been whispering immediately lowered their heads, pretending not to exist, and no longer dared to speak recklessly.
Seeing that everyone was quiet, Shen Xiruo exchanged a look with Zhu Yu.
Zhu Yu immediately raised his wine glass and began to propose toasts in order, vigorously trying to liven the atmosphere.
Shen Xiruo, smiling, stood up and nodded to Zhu Yu: “I’m going to the restroom.”
She walked past Jiang Qian without looking at her.
Jiang Qian watched her slender figure walk out of the private room, wondering what the other woman meant.
Should I follow her and ask? But the other person hadn’t given any signal for her to follow… And wouldn’t following her now just make things look even more suspicious…
While she was deliberating, Shen Xiruo returned, practically at the speed of the Flash.
Jiang Qian tried to signal Shen Xiruo with her eyes, but even as her eyes strained, Shen Xiruo didn’t look her way, acting just like a casual friend.
Everyone cautiously continued to eat and drink, and a few more dishes were added.
Jiang Qian converted her confusion into appetite, eating a lot of meat until her stomach bulged.
As the banquet neared its end, a waiter opened the door again, looking astonished: “Someone else sent flowers to Miss Jiang Qian!”
Jiang Qian: …Sister, your gossip expression is practically overflowing.
Behind him was a young man in a three-piece suit, carrying a huge bouquet of white flowers larger than himself, and a low-key, luxurious gift bag with a high-end European brand logo hanging from his arm.
“Wow! Two people sent flowers in one evening!”
“Jiang Qian is amazing!”
Everyone dared not say anything else, only applauding.
Jiang Qian, however, looked at the bouquet, lost in thought.
Wait, aren’t these lilies?
Looking at Jiang Qian receiving this huge bouquet of lilies, and then at the red roses placed next to Shen Xiruo, everyone felt the red roses looked gaudy and unpleasant.
“Open it and see what’s in the gift bag!”
“I saw that brand in a magazine before. The Queen of England even used it!”
“It looks so high-end. The box alone looks so beautiful…”
Jiang Qian opened the small gift box inside the gift bag. Inside, a unicorn-shaped brooch lay quietly.
It shone brilliantly, but she couldn’t help but look up in astonishment, toward Shen Xiruo.
Through the crowd that had gathered, Jiang Qian and Shen Xiruo’s eyes met, and they both saw the emotions in the other’s eyes.
Jiang Qian’s was gratitude and surprise, while Shen Xiruo’s was reverence and affection.
“Isn’t that the globally limited edition brooch from this brand? It is said that the brand’s chief designer made it for his lover, and it was never released globally. It’s impossible to buy in the country…”
“Then someone must have specifically bought it abroad and brought it back in person! This gift is so thoughtful!”
“I wonder how long the sender prepared this. In comparison, the previous gift feels so uninteresting.”
“Exactly. Gifts are about the sentiment, and this one clearly holds more feeling.”
The gift sent by Shen Xizhou was also opened by Shen Xiruo. It was just a set of high-end luxury skincare products. Although very expensive, it was not difficult to buy.
While discussing these things, everyone secretly glanced at Shen Xiruo. Seeing that she showed no reaction, they discussed even more happily.
Girls naturally love these things. They continued to discuss the brooch until the end of the party, talking about how a certain actress had worn a brooch to a fashion gala, outshining everyone, and so on.
Jiang Qian felt embarrassed. Why were these people directly comparing a small fry like her to those long-established big stars?
“Qianqian, don’t disbelieve us. In the future, you will be the next big star! When you become successful, you must not forget us!”
Jiang Qian nodded awkwardly.
After dinner, Jiang Qian followed the crowd out, exchanged a few more pleasantries with Director Zhu Yu, and said goodbye to everyone one by one.
Zheng Yang stayed by Jiang Qian’s side, asking her in a low voice: “Shall we take a taxi back together?”
Jiang Qian replied: “No need. I have something to do. You go first.”
Disappointment flickered in Zheng Yang’s eyes, but he said nothing, turned, and took a taxi away.
When Zheng Yang’s figure was out of sight, Jiang Qian returned to the hotel and went down to the parking garage.
Shen Xiruo was standing in a conspicuous spot, waiting for her.
Jiang Qian had secretly sent Shen Xiruo a message, asking her to wait, as she had something to say.
Now, Shen Xiruo was wearing a simple wine-red long dress, leaning against her white Maserati. Her figure was graceful, and her face was bright and beautiful.
It was truly a sight of a beautiful woman with a luxury car, fatally attractive.
Jiang Qian took a deep breath, clutching the large bouquet of lilies with difficulty, and carrying the gift bag. She walked up to Shen Xiruo, looked up, and forced a somewhat awkward smile.
Shen Xiruo opened the car door smoothly, took the lilies, and placed them in the car. Then she said to Jiang Qian: “Get in. I’ll drive you back to the dorm.”
Jiang Qian did not refuse and got into the car, her eyes complex: “I have something I want to talk to you about.”
Shen Xiruo closed the door and started the engine: “Go ahead.”
The car smoothly drove out of the parking lot. Neon lights flashed outside the window, reflecting on Shen Xiruo’s face, making her look captivating and enchanting.
Jiang Qian looked at her face, slightly unsure of what to say.
After a long moment, she took a deep breath and said: “Um, the lilies and the gift, you sent them, right?”
Shen Xiruo nodded: “Yes.”
Jiang Qian gathered her courage and asked: “Then… what do you mean by that?”
Shen Xiruo’s lips curved, and she still looked straight ahead: “It means I want to make you happy.”
Jiang Qian remained silent, looking at Shen Xiruo’s hands on the steering wheel.
Those hands had long, smooth lines.
She recalled the sight of those hands back in the hotel.
At that time, those hands were not as familiar as they were now. They were the hands of a stranger.
But at some point, this person, these hands, had become a frequent sight for her.
Always around, subtly engaging with her, protecting her, and cherishing her.
Jiang Qian was very confused, but she couldn’t articulate her feelings. She just reached out one hand and hooked Shen Xiruo’s little finger.
She held Shen Xiruo’s little finger and shook it: “You’re so good to me that I feel pressured. Can I, can I not accept this brooch you sent?”
Shen Xiruo glanced at her in surprise, slowed the car down, and asked softly: “Why don’t you want it? Don’t you like it?”
Jiang Qian found the words difficult to say, but if she didn’t say them now, she might never be able to.
She forced her mouth open, her eyes wide, and continued: “I feel like this is a form of being kept, and I don’t want that!”
The car suddenly braked hard, swerving slightly and pulling over to the side of the road.
Jiang Qian was so startled that she lunged and grabbed Shen Xiruo, clinging to her like a koala.
She didn’t dare to look at Shen Xiruo, but she could feel the other woman’s palpable presence just from the physical contact.
Shen Xiruo must be very unhappy… That sentence was somewhat hurtful, both to herself and to Shen Xiruo.
However, that sentence was truly what Jiang Qian wanted to say.
She couldn’t shamelessly comfort herself by saying these benefits were given to her directly by Shen Xiruo and had nothing to do with that one-night stand.
Nor could she accept Shen Xiruo’s gifts with a clear conscience just because Shen Xiruo was completely different from Shen Xizhou.
She found it a little hard to accept. Although she often joked about it and even occasionally thought that a repeat of that night wouldn’t be so bad.
But deep down, Jiang Qian resisted the idea of a transaction. Anything that resembled a transaction made her resistant. She didn’t believe she was the kind of person who would trade her body.
She also didn’t believe Shen Xiruo was that kind of person.
Therefore, she had to clarify things and understand Shen Xiruo’s own thoughts.
“President Shen…” Jiang Qian weakly raised her body, sat back in her seat, and looked at Shen Xiruo.
“Call me by my name.” Shen Xiruo said in a low voice, her voice so deep that Jiang Qian was slightly surprised.
“Xiruo, please don’t be angry…” Jiang Qian said timidly.
“I understand what you mean. I will be mindful in the future.” Shen Xiruo said.
Jiang Qian’s blood ran cold.
She had never heard Shen Xiruo speak in such a tone. It was cold, distant, and indifferent.
It was as if she were talking to some business partner.
Suddenly, the distance between the two was stretched to the level of casual acquaintances, or even just nodding acquaintances.
Shen Xiruo sat in her seat, took a few deep breaths, and restarted the car.
“I’ll drive you back to the dorm.”
Jiang Qian subconsciously glanced at her phone and gasped: “Ah, it’s very late. The dorm is closed…”
Shen Xiruo paused, her foot on the accelerator, but not pressing down.
After a moment, she said: “Then I’ll book a hotel room for you.”
Jiang Qian was stunned.
“You’ll pay for the room yourself.”
Jiang Qian shivered, chilled by Shen Xiruo’s tone.
Shen Xiruo was about to drive again.
Jiang Qian suddenly grabbed her arm, quickly leaned over, and kissed her cheek.
“Don’t be angry. I really didn’t mean it that way.”
The soft, wet kiss landed on her cheek, like a butterfly wing, lightly fluttering across her heart.
