Chapter 9 – Lover’s Ability

Compared to the fervent rumors spreading outside, Jiang Ruo’s reaction was almost indifferent, as if it didn’t concern him at all.

The rumors were half-truths, and since they weren’t anything glorious, there was no way he could publicly refute them. Besides, they couldn’t cause any real harm. No matter how nasty the gossip got or how many contemptuous glances were thrown his way, they couldn’t drive out an actor who worked hard and never made mistakes from the production team.

At the end of the day’s shooting, when Tang Jiani called him to the lounge, Jiang Ruo thought she had brought some delicious treats to share again, hence her mysterious demeanor.

Tang Jiani exclaimed anxiously, “Hey, they’re saying all sorts of things about you out there, and you still have the heart to eat.”

Jiang Ruo plopped down on the sofa, picked up a pack of nuts from the table and opened it. “What else can I do? I can’t stop their mouths.”

Tang Jiani paced around the room twice before stomping her foot. “It’s all my fault.”

Her eyes welled up with tears, as if she was about to cry.

Jiang Ruo panicked so much that he forgot about eating the nuts. He hurriedly pulled the young girl down to sit and handed her a tissue. “Don’t cry, your wrinkles are showing, and the crow’s feet — hey, did you forget about tomorrow’s crying scenes? What will you do then if you cry now?”

Tang Jiani was left speechless, neither laughing nor crying. She took the tissue and pressed it against her eyes. “Is that how you comfort people?”

Seeing that she had calmed down, Jiang Ruo smiled. “As long as it works.”

After regaining her composure, Tang Jiani explained to Jiang Ruo why she had been running over to Group B lately.

It turned out that she was dating the third male lead in the drama, an actor named Su Yi.

Tang Jiani herself was currently popular, while her partner, who had just entered the film industry after starting as an idol, was also in the midst of a career rise. They naturally didn’t plan to go public. Even their respective agents didn’t know about it, so they didn’t avoid each other, allowing them to coincidentally meet on the same set.

“So,” Jiang Ruo understood a bit, “you getting close to me was to divert attention, or rather, using me as a shield?”

Tang Jiani waved her hands. “Not entirely… At first, I had that idea, but later I found out you’re a good person, so…”

Unexpectedly receiving a ‘good person’ card, Jiang Ruo raised his hands in surrender. “Let me make it clear upfront; I have no intention of seducing you. You must have heard that I like men.”

“I know, of course I know.” Tang Jiani, afraid of being misunderstood, hurriedly explained, “I wanted to be friends with you, after all, you’re such a nice person, and… at the time, Su Yi and I had an argument, and I didn’t want to see him.”

After hearing the backstory, it was Jiang Ruo’s turn to be amused yet helpless. It seemed he wasn’t just a shield but could also serve as a safe haven in critical moments.

Tang Jiani didn’t forget to warn Jiang Ruo after telling him. “This mustn’t get out.”

Jiang Ruo, who was forced to listen to the gossip, reminded her, “If you’re worried, you shouldn’t have told me.”

Tang Jiani froze, lowering her head, and choked up again. “But I have no one else to tell, I just feel like you… you’re reliable.”

Thinking of the girl in front of him, barely nineteen years old, raised by doting parents, and having sailed smoothly through the entertainment industry without much hardship, Jiang Ruo sighed in the end and assumed the role of a ‘sympathetic older brother’ once again.

“First, I promise you, I won’t let this slip. Otherwise, everything I act in from now on will flop.

“Secondly, even if the two of you don’t want to make your relationship public and you’re trying to divert attention to hide it, you don’t need to take it this far. It might raise suspicions instead.

“There’s no silver here, have you heard of that phrase? You have good relationships with everyone in the crew, and right now, they only see the surface and think you’re closest to me. But over time, they’ll realize that you’re close to everyone except Su Yi. Then, what do you think they’ll speculate about your relationship?”

Warned by Jiang Ruo, Tang Jiani was startled. “I… I didn’t think that far ahead.”

“Spectators see clearer,” Jiang Ruo said. “Some things, the more you’re involved, the less you notice problems.”

Tang Jiani had a look of enlightenment.

With everything out in the open, the two agreed to remain friends without deliberately getting closer to hide anything or to spite anyone.

Tang Jiani stubbornly denied it. “I didn’t do it on purpose to upset him.”

Jiang Ruo laughed. “Alright, you were charmed by my personality.”

He grabbed a few bags of duck feet from the lounge. Afraid of trouble, Jiang Ruo politely declined Tang Jiani’s invitation to dinner, planning to return to the hotel and have a bowl of instant noodles for dinner.

Walking to the door, he suddenly remembered something and turned around. “That…”

Tang Jiani, who was holding her phone and smiling sweetly, looked up. “What?”

Jiang Ruo saw her blissful expression, immersed in love, and couldn’t bring himself to give her overly sober advice.

He had no right to.

“Never mind.” Jiang Ruo put his hands back in his pockets. “I’m going first, you should sleep early, don’t forget about the heavy scenes you have to shoot tomorrow.”

The filming location wasn’t far from the hotel where the crew was staying. Jiang Ruo rarely had the leisure, so he slowly strolled back.

On the way, he called An He to confirm that he had returned home after being discharged from the hospital. The latest physical examination report showed that his body functions were recovering well, but Jiang Ruo still warned, “Rest at home for a week before returning to work, understand?”

An He grumbled, “But I can’t sit still.”

“Then water the plants I left for you.”

“After a whole winter, are they still alive?”

“I don’t know, why don’t you check on the balcony?”

After a series of footsteps, An He exclaimed on the phone, “They seem to be alive, I’ll go water them!”

Jiang Ruo couldn’t help but smile, as if seeing his delighted expression. “Water sparingly, better dry than flooded.”

“Got it.”

While watering the plants, An He didn’t hang up the call, and the two chatted a bit more.

“I met someone at the hospital today,” there was the sound of running water on the other end, An He was scooping water into a pot. “I felt like I knew him.”

Jiang Ruo asked, “A man?”

“Mm.”

“A handsome man?”

“…Mm.”

“I warn you, don’t randomly call someone big brother.” Jiang Ruo immediately reminded him, “Not everyone is like me, be careful not to end up like last time — ”

“I know,” An He was afraid of his nagging, “I just felt like I’ve seen him somewhere, I looked at him several times, and he looked at me too.”

“Luckily it wasn’t in a bar,” Jiang Ruo felt fortunate, “otherwise, you two would be in bed right now.”

“Even if I wanted to, my current condition wouldn’t allow it.”

“…” You really wanted to?!

An He burst out laughing: “Seize the moment and enjoy life! Unlike you, who has a face capable of toppling a nation but lives like an ascetic monk.”

Suddenly ridiculed for his lack of sexual experience, Jiang Ruo was a little indignant. “How do you know I haven’t… done that?”

An He asked, “Haven’t done what?”

Jiang Ruo intended to bring up the one night he spent with someone, hoping to regain his pride and become a giant again. However, due to the public setting, he couldn’t find a suitable description.

Never slept with someone?

No good.

Never been screwed?

Too crude.

Never done the deed?

No different from the previous two.

Never touched love?

Ugh, goosebumps everywhere.

An He on the other end urged, “Which one? You tell me.”

Jiang Ruo rolled his eyes in frustration, deciding to go all out. “I’m not an ascetic monk.”

An He was surprised. “Who got to you?”

Jiang Ruo’s ears began to burn, surprised at his own innocence.

“It’s… a man.”

“What kind of man?”

“A man with two eyes, two ears, one nose, and one mouth.”

“There’s a stray cat passing by downstairs.”

“So?”

“It matches your description exactly.”

Jiang Ruo burst out laughing. “He’s not a stray cat, at worst, he’s a… Persian cat.”

Noble, proud, cold.

He had barely managed to hold him, but he was aloof, slipping away from his arms at the slightest opportunity.

The more he thought about it, the more apt he found this metaphor. Humming a tune, Jiang Ruo skipped all the way. Arriving in front of the hotel, he took advantage of the sparse crowd to perform a few ballet petit allegro steps, followed by a grand jeté in second position.

He jumped a little too far and, lifting his head abruptly upon landing, saw a black car parked not far ahead.

It looked familiar.

Beside the car stood a figure, tall and solitary in a shirt and black pants. A coat draped over his arm, one hand in his pocket, and the other holding a cigarette, the red glow flickering in the dim light.

After a moment of stunned silence, Jiang Ruo continued forward, stepping with each stride.

As he walked, he pondered — No way, has he come to collect his debt so soon?

No, he must be looking for Zhou Xinyao, isn’t she in the neighboring production team?

Now relieved, Jiang Ruo subtly shifted his gaze away, pretending to be engrossed in the evening scenery.

However, as he stepped onto the hotel’s steps, the sound of a car horn echoed in his ear.

“Mr. Jiang,” Old Liu poked his head out of the car, calling out, “over here!”

Forced to turn around by being called out, Jiang Ruo first flashed a smile at Old Liu. When he looked at Xi Yufeng again, he tried very hard to act natural, but it still came across as forced. “What a coincidence, President Xi, are you here to play?”

He didn’t get to have his instant noodles.

Soon, the casting director, who hadn’t appeared on set for days, rushed over in a flurry, accompanied by the producer, production staff, cinematographer, and others. It was rumored that the chief director was already on his way, but traffic had delayed him.

Xi Yufeng showed understanding. “You’re busy, I’ll just take a look around.”

It was certainly not just a casual look. Led by Director Zhou, the group toured the filming location.

Arriving at Group B, the cinematographer pointed to the small stage in the rehearsal hall. “Today, Teacher Jiang danced there, under the spotlight, the effect was amazing.”

Director Zhou signaled vigorously. “Why don’t we show the raw footage to President Xi?”

Jiang Ruo, suddenly promoted to “teacher,” was startled and hurriedly intervened. “No need, there’s nothing worth watching.”

Director Zhou consulted the big boss. “President Xi, shall we have dinner first, or…”

Throughout the walk, Xi Yufeng hadn’t commented on the crew’s arrangements, and this time was no exception.

He looked at Jiang Ruo and asked, “Are you hungry?”

Jiang Ruo’s mind went blank for a moment, subconsciously uttering a “Mm.”

With the answer, Xi Yufeng relayed it to everyone. “Then let’s have dinner first.”

Sitting at the dining table, Jiang Ruo regained his senses and suddenly realized that Xi Yufeng’s actions were to support him.

The reason was self-evident. Last time, he had helped Xi Yufeng, and this time, the situation had reversed. Xi Yufeng was simply returning the favor.

After all, such back-and-forth was most in line with the procedure of transactions.

He hadn’t ruled out the possibility that Xi Yufeng had specifically made the trip for this matter. However, when Director Zhou asked President Xi during the meal how he had the time today, Xi Yufeng replied that he had passed by after playing golf with a friend. This absurd notion was instantly dismissed.

Jiang Ruo inexplicably sighed in relief.

The meal was still tasteless, and in the end, Jiang Ruo couldn’t help but suspect that Xi Yufeng had some sort of superpower that suppressed appetite.

However, Xi Yufeng didn’t touch his food much either. It was unclear whether the dishes didn’t suit his taste or if he had eaten before coming. In memory, he had also eaten very little last time at Jin Garden, moving his chopsticks slowly, easily giving off an elegant impression.

He resembled a Persian cat even more.

After the meal, Jiang Ruo took advantage of the leaders’ need to discuss matters and slipped away under the pretense of an upset stomach.

Back in his hotel room, he kicked off his shoes and leaped onto the bed. Feeling in his pocket, the duck feet were still there. He tore open the packaging and stuffed them into his mouth, chewing fiercely, feeling like he had come back to life.

After finishing one bag, he started another. While eating, Jiang Ruo didn’t idle. He flipped over and lay on the bed, reaching for the script beside the pillow, gnawing on the duck feet as he flipped through it.

Tomorrow, not only did the female lead have heavy scenes, but the second male lead did too.

It was the scene where Xie Fangyuan fell on the stage and injured his Achilles tendon. It happened at a crucial juncture when the Xie family was facing turmoil. Xie’s father’s company had issues with capital circulation, and Xie’s mother was hospitalized due to mental illness. Amidst the chaos, Xie’s father kept urging Xie Fangyuan to go to the hospital for a check-up, after all, this kind of illness had a high probability of being inherited.

In addition to the pressure from all sides, including his beloved girl not accepting his confession, Xie Fangyuan was distracted while dancing and fell off the stage.

Revisiting this plot, Jiang Ruo couldn’t help sighing — it was a tragic story for a man.

So why, at critical moments, does love always become the final straw that breaks a person?

It might be better not to have the ability to love.

Whenever encountering matters related to love, Jiang Ruo could always maintain clarity, whether advising others or himself.

However, his subconscious reactions often defied reason. When he heard movement at the door and turned to look, his gaze collided with Xi Yufeng, who had just entered the room with a keycard. Jiang Ruo’s heart still pounded uncontrollably.

But attributing this reaction to a conditioned reflex caused by shock was also quite reasonable.

Jiang Ruo sprang up from the bed, his eyes wide like saucers, blurting out incoherently, “You, how did you get in here?”

Xi Yufeng stood at the door without moving, his expression surprisingly surprised.

But he was calmer than Jiang Ruo. Looking at the keycard in his hand, then at the person in the room, he understood.

“The keycard was given by Director Zhou,” Xi Yufeng calmly stated. “I thought it was an empty room.”

Jiang Ruo wasn’t stupid. After digesting these words, he silently sat back down.

He realized that he was hugging a pillow in his arms, which he had hastily grabbed as a weapon in his panic.

Xi Yufeng obviously noticed this somewhat ridiculous defense mechanism and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly upward. But he asked about something else. “Stomach discomfort?”

Jiang Ruo: “…”

Speechless.

Amidst the spicy and fragrant scent of pickled peppers filling the room, Jiang Ruo quickly chewed, finally swallowing the last piece of duck feet.

Then he licked his lips and said with little confidence in a low voice, “I’m… feeling better now.”