this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!
Wen Qiaozhou personally opened the car door for her?
Xu Qingli was so stunned she froze. It wasn’t until Shui Miao gave her a push from behind that she snapped out of it, scrambling into the car and quickly scooting over to the other side.
Wen Qiaozhou withdrew his hand and turned to look at Shui Miao.
“You go ahead,” Shui Miao said quickly, catching on immediately. “I still have some things to take care of here.”
Wen Qiaozhou nodded politely. “There’s another company car behind.”
After seeing Shui Miao nod in acknowledgement, he turned and got into the car, settling in before closing both the door and window, completely ignoring Xu Linhe the entire time.
“Let’s go,” Wen Qiaozhou said to the driver. “Take Miss Xu home first.”
Only then did Xu Qingli fully register the situation—she was actually sitting alone in a car with Wen Qiaozhou!
Even though the luxury vehicle had plenty of space, she suddenly didn’t know what to do with her hands or feet.
Wen Qiaozhou remained silent for a moment, but Xu Qingli could feel his gaze on her. His gaze was always overwhelming, making her even more nervous. Clutching the seatbelt, she hastily grasped for a topic to break the silence. “Th-Thank you for earlier, President Wen.”
The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted it immediately. Why did she have to bring that topic up?
If Wen Qiaozhou asked about it, how was she supposed to answer?
Sure enough, Wen Qiaozhou took the bait and followed up, asking, “What happened between you and Xu Linhe?”
Xu Qingli: “…”
Before she could figure out how to respond, Wen Qiaozhou called her name again. “Xu Qingli, look at me.”
Perhaps it was the authority ingrained from years of leadership, but every word and action of his carried an undeniable weight, compelling obedience almost instinctively.
Xu Qingli was no exception. She instinctively raised her eyes to meet his.
Wen Qiaozhou noticed that the chibi version of her atop her head had changed its styles—no longer cute and adorable, but now drawn with realism. The tiny figure was dressed elegantly, teetering on stiletto heels as she walked across a patch of gravel. The precarious wobble of those thin heels was nerve-wracking to watch.
His concern wasn’t unfounded. In the next moment, the ground beneath the tiny figure suddenly gave way, forming a small pit. One heel twisted and got stuck, throwing her completely off balance as she lurched forward in a clumsy stumble.
A pair of arms reached out just in time to steady her.
The tiny figure looked up in panic, and following her gaze, Wen Qiaozhou saw the owner of those arms—it was Xu Linhe.
But this time, in Xu Qingli’s inner world, or rather, in her memory, he wasn’t the monstrous figure with a gaping maw. Instead, he appeared in the same realistic style, seemingly a miniature version of the real Xu Linhe.
Their eyes met, sparks seeming to fly between them, and Xu Linhe’s hands, which had been supporting Xu Qingli’s arms, slid down to her waist.
Wen Qiaozhou frowned. Just then, Xu Qingli lowered her head, and the scene abruptly ended.
“He helped me once before,” Xu Qingli said. “Now it’s just… a misunderstanding.”
Wen Qiaozhou gave a faint hum and said nothing more.
Since she really didn’t want to talk about it, he wouldn’t press her.
He had never been this patient with anyone before.
Moreover, after seeing that scene, Wen Qiaozhou was also puzzled—even though both versions seemed to be Xu Qingli’s own self-portraits, for some reason, they felt like two entirely different people to him.
Was it just because of the difference in art style?
It seemed so, yet that also didn’t seem to quite be the case.
There was something off about it, but Wen Qiaozhou couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
This feeling wasn’t pleasant—he had almost forgotten the feeling since he hadn’t experienced it in a long time.
In the past, he was able to easily see through people’s true feelings due to his supernatural abilities. Yet now, ironically, that same ability also plunged him into confusion, unable to see through one particular person.
In a way, was this some form of retribution for him?
Wen Qiaozhou let out a self-deprecating scoff.
The car was too quiet, and despite how soft his voice was, Xu Qingli could still hear him clearly.
Was he laughing at her?
Xu Qingli silently shifted closer to the window, not daring to let her gaze wander, keeping it fixed downward. Yet, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Wen Qiaozhou resting his hand on the center armrest.
The soft interior lighting, like a filter, made his hand look even more like a work of art.
Xu Qingli had only glimpsed it briefly earlier and hadn’t taken a good look. But now, with such a perfect opportunity in front of her, she couldn’t help but stare a little longer.
She didn’t know if other creators were also like this, but once Xu Qingli entered her creative zone, she would often lose herself in her emotions, forgetting where she was and ignoring everything around her.
This was also one of the reasons for her social anxiety. Inspiration often struck her unexpectedly. She might be in the middle of a group conversation when suddenly she’d zone out, which was considered both impolite and made her seem antisocial. After it happened too many times, she stopped going out altogether.
Today was no different. As she stared, Xu Qingli unwittingly slipped into her own world, completely forgetting Wen Qiaozhou was beside her.
At one point, she even thought, If only I had a ruler, then I could measure how long his fingers really are…
Then she felt the car jolt slightly as it came to a stop.
Confused, she looked up and realized they had already arrived at her apartment complex.
Wen Qiaozhou’s driver was very polite, not uttering a single word as he waited quietly.
Snapping back to reality, Xu Qingli flushed crimson, pressing herself hard against the seatback before bouncing up again. Fumbling with the seatbelt, she yanked open the door and muttered, “Thank you, President Wen,” without looking up.
Wen Qiaozhou watched the bright red tips of her ears, then withdrew his hand that had now stiffened slightly, flexing it gently.
Just as she was about to close the door, he suddenly called out, “Xu Qingli.”
“Huh?” She glanced at him quickly before lowering her head again.
Above her head, there was only a grave, with a speech bubble floating above it: [Got something to say? Burn some paper offerings1.]
The tombstone read: Here lies Xu Qingli.
The epitaph contained just one sentence: This person was definitely not a pervert.
The scene was in black and white, with a chilly breeze howling in the background, making it both tragic and hilarious.
“Be careful on your way back,” Wen Qiaozhou said, his voice tinged with an uncontrollable hint of amusement.
“Thank you.” Xu Qingli shut the door, hunched her shoulders, and scurried toward the elevator like an ostrich.
Wen Qiaozhou’s lips curved slightly. He didn’t look away until she had entered the building, then glanced down at his hand.
There was a thin callus on the knuckle of his middle finger; he wondered if that would affect its aesthetic appeal?
*
pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:
By the time Xu Qingli got home, her cheeks were still burning. She rushed to the bathroom to splash cold water on her face.
Finally calming down, she received a call from Shui Miao, who asked if anything had happened while she was in Wen Qiaozhou’s car.
Naturally, Xu Qingli was too embarrassed to recount her own embarrassing moment, so she just said they had remained silent the whole ride.
Shui Miao sounded a little disappointed, saying she should have taken the chance to ask Wen Qiaozhou why he seemed so interested in her.
Xu Qingli had been so focused on how to draw his hands earlier that she had completely forgotten about everything else, so she had nothing to say upon hearing this and fell silent.
Shui Miao, thinking she might be upset, quickly added that there would be plenty of opportunities in the future and urged her to rest well tonight since filming would continue the next day.
But Xu Qingli couldn’t sleep at all. Out of habit, she wanted to calm her mind by drawing, but when she opened the drawer, she saw her unfinished sketch of Wen Qiaozhou. The missing details in the drawing included the hands… and so she couldn’t bring herself to continue.
That night, Xu Qingli tossed and turned for a long time before finally falling asleep. In her dream, she vaguely seemed to grasp someone’s hand. It was exceptionally beautiful, like a jade carving, and she couldn’t resist running her fingers over it repeatedly. It felt slightly broader than she had imagined, warm and dry, with a strong, powerful presence.
She even took a ruler to measure the length of the fingers in her dream. By the time she woke up, she couldn’t recall the exact numbers, but she did remember startling herself in the dream.
Then she really did startle herself—was she really this far gone? To the point where she was even dreaming about it!
She had always been a bit of a fangirl, but never to this extent.
Xu Qingli was exasperated with herself. She ended up on edge when she went to film the promotional video, afraid of running into Wen Qiaozhou.
Fortunately, Wen Qiaozhou wasn’t that free and didn’t appear during the subsequent shoots.
Instead, on the last day of filming, Huo Wanfeng came to visit the set. He sat on the sidelines for a long time, watching, and even offered a few suggestions, all of which were favorable to Xu Qingli.
Those working in the entertainment industry were all shrewd people, and they treated Xu Qingli with even more courtesy afterward.
Shui Miao wasn’t entirely sure about Huo Wanfeng’s intentions and grew a little concerned. She discreetly pulled Xu Qingli aside and asked, “Is there something between you and Second Young Master Huo? Is he here for you, or is he just looking out for you on behalf of President Wen?”
“Neither,” Xu Qingli shook her head. “He’s here for Shu Ruan.”
“I heard he went to check on the other sets a couple of days ago,” Shui Miao said, half-convinced. “But he only took a quick look before leaving. He didn’t stay this long or offer any suggestions. We thought those earlier visits were just groundwork for today.”
“It’s probably because Shu Ruan doesn’t want anything to do with him, right?” Xu Qingli saw through their relationship with perfect clarity. “I’ll go ask him. He definitely has something in mind.”
Huo Wanfeng was sitting under a sunshade, sipping coffee. When he saw Xu Qingli approaching, he quickly straightened up. “You’ve worked hard.”
“It’s my job,” Xu Qingli replied, sitting across from him. Noticing that Shui Miao had ushered the other staff away, she cut straight to the point. “Young Master Huo, is there something you wanted to talk to me about?”
Huo Wanfeng seemed caught off guard by her straightforwardness. He rubbed his head, suddenly a little embarrassed. “I came on behalf of Seventh Master Wen, but… I do actually have something to ask you. There’s an endorsement opportunity for a makeup brand. I wonder if you’d be interested?”
He mentioned the brand name—a high-end one that had been referenced in the book. The current head of the brand was close friends with Huo Wanfeng. In the original novel, this endorsement had gone directly to Shu Ruan.
Xu Qingli immediately saw through his intentions.
Huo Wanfeng wasn’t trying to offer her the endorsement; his real goal was to get it to Shu Ruan.
Perhaps he had already approached Shu Ruan and been rejected, or maybe he sensed her resistance and hadn’t dared to ask her directly yet.
Since Xu Qingli had been the one to recommend Shu Ruan for the promotional video’s lead role, he was trying to replicate that path—first offering it to Xu Qingli, then having her pass it on to Shu Ruan. If she didn’t make the introduction, they’d likely propose a dual-endorsement deal during negotiations, still pushing her to bring Shu Ruan in.
The book described Huo Wanfeng as someone who appeared frivolous but was actually quite simple-minded. Still, Xu Qingli hadn’t expected him to be quite this naive.
Under normal circumstances, she and Shu Ruan were about the same age and from the same company, which meant they were in direct competition with each other. So how could she possibly introduce every resource she got to Shu Ruan?
If this were any other artist genuinely trying to make it in the entertainment industry, Huo Wanfeng’s approach would have probably offended both sides.
Fortunately, he ran into someone like her, who wanted nothing more than to leave the industry. If not for the fact that there was no rule allowing contract termination by passing the civil service exam in this world, she would have already gritted her teeth and taken it. Why would she care about resources? She’d be happier with none at all.
However, given Xu Qingli’s personality, even if she understood the situation, she wouldn’t say it outright. After some thought, she replied, “I remember this brand leans toward a sexy image, which suits Shu Ruan better. Why don’t you ask her?”
Huo Wanfeng probably wanted her to say exactly that, and since she had no interest in taking on new work anyway, she was happy to oblige and save them both time.
Sure enough, Huo Wanfeng visibly relaxed upon hearing her words and then said, “They’re trying a new style this time, though they won’t abandon their original aesthetic… So, both of you could endorse it together.”
Xu Qingli naturally wasn’t keen on the idea and felt a bit frustrated. Though she didn’t want to meddle in their relationship, she couldn’t help but comment, “Young Master Huo, this isn’t how you should pursue a woman.”
“Huh?” Huo Wanfeng was taken aback. “What do you mean…?”
Although Xu Qingli had never been in a relationship, she drew comics and read novels, so she considered herself well-versed in the theory of romance. However, she rarely discussed such topics with people she wasn’t close to.
Seeing Huo Wanfeng fumble around like this made her anxious. After all, in the novel, he and Shu Ruan were quite sweet together, and Shu Ruan was genuinely happy. She worried that disrupting the plot might trigger a chain of negative consequences. So, for once, she overcame her social anxiety and started giving advice about love to a man: “Everyone likes to feel special, especially those who are in love. Being nice to everyone, in a way, means being nice to no one…”
Before she could finish, Huo Wanfeng suddenly spoke to someone behind her, “Go away, don’t eavesdrop.”
Was someone there?
Xu Qingli turned around in confusion and locked eyes with Wen Qiaozhou, who was watching her thoughtfully.
Xu Qingli: !!!
When did he get here?
She quickly turned back, but Wen Qiaozhou had already seen it. The little girl above her head clutched its head with its hands, its exposed skin burning red, steam puffing out from both ears as if she were about to combust.
The corner of Wen Qiaozhou’s lips curled. What was there to be so shy about?
“Weren’t you on a business trip?” Huo Wanfeng, who had only heard the beginning of Xu Qingli’s advice, was annoyed at the interruption and snapped at Wen Qiaozhou, “Why are you back?”
“Do I need your permission to return?” Wen Qiaozhou shot back before taking a seat beside Xu Qingli. He turned to her and asked, “Finished shooting?”
Huo Wanfeng’s eyes lit up, and he cut in, “Yeah, it’s just about time to clock out. Let’s grab dinner with Shu Ruan and Xiangxiang.”
Wen Qiaozhou: “…Can’t you invite them yourself?”
“Fine, I’ll treat everyone, okay?” Huo Wanfeng clearly missed the point. “Including you.”
Wen Qiaozhou: “…Blockhead.”
What a waste of her teaching.
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- “有事烧纸” refers to the folk practice of burning joss paper for the dead, humorously implying she’s “dead to the world.” ↩︎
