The Byoukidere Is Her Sweetie

Chapter 121: 121: Xu Fang falls into the water, the death of Luo San
 

Xiao Linsu, as the lead in “Wilderness”, even though he had finished all his scenes, his retirement still had a significant impact on the film.

For example, journalists were relentless, staking out even the film set.

Today’s scene was outdoors, shot in a natural mountain range on the outskirts of Imperial City, with a parking lot located a kilometer away from the shoot, and the crew’s temporary rest area was nearby.

After parking the car, Jiang Zhi unbuckled Zhou Xufang’s seatbelt.

“There are reporters outside, you go ahead first.”

Zhou Xufang didn’t move. “Jiang Zhi.”

“Hm?” Jiang Zhi turned toward her.

She asked, “Are we going to date in secret?”

“Don’t you want to date in secret?”

No.

She wanted to keep it a secret, to avoid others knowing. Jiang Zhi was a celebrity, and going public with a relationship could cause many inconveniences, and the Jiang Family was also watching like a hawk, so caution was advised.

What she was worried about was, “My acting is terrible, I’m afraid I’ll give it away.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ƝᴑνǤօ.сο

Her acting really was terrible, or she wouldn’t have been an extra for so long. Except for Jiang Zhi, other directors wouldn’t even let her play a corpse with a line. When she was filming, she was usually only seen from the back. Once her face showed, it was easy for the whole scene to collapse.

“Who says your acting is bad? You played the female ghost quite well.”

“…” What should Lord Black Impermanence say? Lord Black Impermanence said, “Thank you.”

Jiang Zhi smiled, not teasing her anymore: “It’s okay if we blow our cover; if we get discovered, we’ll go public.”

She would listen to whatever Jiang Zhi said: “Okay.”

Jiang Zhi put a hat and mask on her and wrapped her face and neck, leaving only her eyes and eyebrows exposed.

“Jiang Zhi, it’s like we’re having an affair.” Zhou Xufang found it amusing. “I’m the domineering CEO’s secret little wife.”

Jiang Zhi was a mix of annoyed and amused: “Has Lin Wanwan been sending you novels again?”

“No.”

Mm, good girl.

Jiang Zhi just wanted to praise her.

She earnestly revealed the truth: “I downloaded an APP and found it myself.”

Jiang Zhi: “…”

Every day, he worried if she would be led astray, deceived, or abducted—he guessed those without daughters wouldn’t understand his feelings.

Not daring to speak harshly, fearing she might rebel.

So Jiang Zhi reminded her in a fatherly tone: “You know you shouldn’t watch things that are inappropriate for children, right?”

Zhou Xufang, unfamiliar with the internet, asked innocently: “What counts as inappropriate for children?”

Jiang Zhi thought for a moment, then summarized in one sentence: “Everything after undressing.”

Zhou Xufang turned away, laughing: “Jiang Zhi, I’ve already come of age.” The grown-up Zhou Xufang added, “Plus, Tang Xiang said that censorship is strict now, you can’t write about anything below the neck.”

At this point, she felt frustrated and let out a sigh: “It’s so annoying.”

Jiang Zhi: “…”

That feeling, like someone had stolen sweet potatoes from your own field.

That sweet potato, bouncing happily: “Jiang Zhi, do you have QQ?”

Jiang Zhi just wanted to nibble her right there and then, he licked his lips, holding back: “I do.”

Zhou Xufang’s eyes brimmed with anticipation: “Can I borrow it?” This was a sweet potato with no survival instincts. “I want to join Tang Xiang’s group; he said he would send out benefits.” She had never seen the benefits, but Ah Wan said they were fantastic, very fulfilling.

Jiang Zhi licked his teeth: “No.”

She felt let down: “Oh.” She was only down for a few seconds before her excitement surged again, “Then alright, I’ll go register one myself.”

“Zhou Xufang.”

Click.

Jiang Zhi unbuckled his own seatbelt.

He had used her full name.

Oh, he was angry.

Zhou Xufang was puzzled: “Hmm?”

Jiang Zhi tugged at the collar of his black sweater, giving her a death stare: “Are you trying to kill your boyfriend with frustration?”

Zhou Xufang felt wronged: “I didn’t.”

She swore to heaven, she hadn’t.

Her expression was sincere: “Are you angry?” Of course, her expression was also innocent, “Why are you angry?”

Jiang Zhi stayed silent, turned away, and started coughing.

He had fair skin, delicate as could be, flushing everywhere at the slightest cough. A hint of watery gleam in his eyes, lips red and teeth white—three parts illness, seven parts charm.

Such a pitiful sight.

Yet, terribly captivating all the same.

Zhou Xufang felt an itch of concern, too enamored to bear, and hurried to soothe him, gently patting his back while coaxing with kind words, “It’s all my fault. Don’t be mad, don’t be mad.”

Jiang Zhi leaned against the chair, gazing at her with a pair of misty, peach blossom eyes, “What did you do wrong?”

“…”

What did she do wrong?

She didn’t know, didn’t dare to ask—so confused, so perplexed.

Alright, he’d stop teasing her. Jiang Zhi, feigning weakness, made a request as if he were on his sickbed: “Don’t go looking for happiness.” His tone was commanding but weak, almost coquettish due to his ‘illness.’

Zhou Xufang didn’t immediately agree, visibly struggling.

Jiang Zhi turned away, erupting into another bout of coughs, his Adam’s apple tinged with a faint red from the effort.

Zhou Xufang eventually gave in: “…Okay.”

The combined strategy of playing the beauty and the victim—unfailingly effective.

Jiang Zhi faked another cough, covered his mouth, and laughed.

Such an innocent and gullible girl—how could he not keep a close watch on her?

“You’re coughing so badly,” Zhou Xufang expressed her concern, “Should we go to the hospital?”

With a rosy flush on his cheeks, panting slightly, he made up complete nonsense with a straight face: “This is from sheer frustration. No need for a hospital. I’ll be fine as long as I’m in good spirits.”

Zhou Xufang was half-convinced: “What would make you feel better?”

He leaned in close: “If you took the initiative to kiss me.”

“…”

In the affairs of love, such maneuvers were charming, but Zhou Xufang’s worldly experience couldn’t hold a candle to Jiang Zhi’s.

A few minutes later.

Zhou Xufang was sneaking off Jiang Zhi’s car, barely reaching the parking lot’s exit when suddenly someone called out her name.

“Zhou Xufang.”

Having just done something ‘naughty,’ Zhou Xufang felt guilty, stood up straight and loudly replied, “Here!” Then turning, she saw Ullala Li Xiang.

Ullala Li Xiang, whose career had recently exploded with numerous variety shows, was now a rising star. She was as incognito as Zhou Xufang, with only a pair of laughingly squinted ‘thief-like’ eyes visible: “I saw everything.”

Zhou Xufang cocked her head, feigning ignorance.

“Jiang Zhi pinned you in the seat.”

Zhou Xufang blinked, continuing to play dumb.

“For three minutes.”

Zhou Xufang’s eyes widened in protest: “It wasn’t that long!” That was slander!

Lixiang laughed, a mischievous twinkle in her eye, looking every bit the madam of a brothel: “Xufang, you just admitted it.”

Zhou Xufang: “…”

Ah, she’d been tricked.

Such regret!

Lixiang beckoned with her finger: “Come on, spill it—the truth will be easier on you.”

Zhou Xufang trusted Lixiang, although they hadn’t known each other for very long. She felt Lixiang was a helpful and easygoing person, so she revealed the truth, saying, “Jiang Zhi and I are playing at friends.”

The term ‘playing at friends’ tickled Lixiang, her maternal instinct overflowing as she looked at Zhou Xufang with a motherly gaze: “Has Jiang Zhi straightened out?”

Without hesitation, Zhou Xufang affirmed: “He has.”

“Will he bend again?”

Zhou Xufang was adamant: “No.”

Whether Jiang Zhi was straight or might bend, Lixiang wasn’t sure. There were too many rumors about Jiang Zhi for her to sort out the truth. But she was sure of one thing—Zhou Xufang truly liked Jiang Zhi, so much that her eyes now held a hint of worldly desire.

This girl, who had always been so lifeless, finally learned what it meant to experience joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure.

Lixiang asked with a smile, “Are you playing for keeps?”

“Mhm.”

“Then play well.”

“Oh.”

But still—

Lixiang was a little worried, after all, considering Director Jiang’s reputation, which made him seem almost too cunning: “Just be careful, don’t end up playing with your life.”

Zhou Xufang hadn’t even grasped the meaning: “Huh?”

Lixiang cleared her throat: “Ahem, just make sure you take precautions.”

“`

“…”

Zhou Xufang blushed and ran off.

Fang Lixiang blinked, unable to see where Zhou Xufang had gone. Had she run off that quickly, like a rabbit? Just as she was about to go catch the rabbit—

“Fang Lixiang?”

Someone called her from behind, uncertainly, as if probing. Fang Lixiang reflexively turned her head.

Damn it, her cover was blown. With that turn of her head, it was as good as having six words written on her forehead—”I am Fang Lixiang.”

She looked at who it was. Those eyes, that nose, those lips… She didn’t recognize them. “Who are you?”

The person approached and handed her a business card, “Hello, I’m Tang Xiang.”

A somewhat familiar name.

Fang Lixiang glanced at the business card. She didn’t catch the job title but recognized the logo on it; it was from the Luo Family. She didn’t take the card. “Sorry, I have no plans to change jobs at the moment.”

Tang Xiang took the card back and casually placed it on a nearby car. “I’m not here to poach you. I just have a few questions to ask you.”

As soon as the Luo Family was mentioned, Fang Lixiang wanted nothing to do with it and turned an indifferent face. “We are not acquainted.”

Tang Xiang wasn’t in a hurry and remained calm. “May I ask if your father’s name is Fang Dashun?”

Oh, she wasn’t looking for her.

She was looking for old man Fang.

“Not at all,” Fang Lixiang smiled slyly. “My dad is called Fang Xiaoxi.”

Old Fang, huh?

Old Fang hadn’t been a firefighter for a long time.

He should be enjoying life by now, his daughter had become a star, what was her name again? Strive? Advance?

That’s it, her name was Lixiang!

Recalling what those old firefighters had said, Tang Xiang was fairly certain that this girl was old Fang’s daughter. “If it’s convenient, could you give me your father’s phone number?”

Fang Lixiang: “It’s not convenient.”

“Then please convey a message to your father for me. I am Miss Tang, the daughter of Tang Guangji.”

Having said that, she walked away.

Fang Lixiang stood in place, frowning in deep thought: What’s her background, friend or foe?

She picked up the business card and put it in her pocket, then called her dad.

“Old Fang.”

Old Fang put on airs: “How should you speak to your dad? You’re being disrespectful!”

Fang Lixiang stopped joking and got down to business. “Someone came asking about you just now, even mentioned your former name, Fang Dashun.”

“Who is it?”

“She said she is the daughter of Tang Guangji.” The more Fang Lixiang thought about it, the more she felt something was off. “Who is Tang Guangji?”

Old Fang was silent for quite a while. The usually unserious old man suddenly became serious. “He’s another victim of the Luo Family fire incident.”

As expected, she came because of that matter.

Fang Lixiang felt a bad premonition and lamented with frustration, “Old Fang, the fire won’t be contained by the paper. It looks like we’re both in for some trouble.”

Old Fang howled, “This is all your fault! I told you to change your name along with me and you refused; now see what happened, we’ve been found!”

Heh.

Old Fang used to be called Fang Dashun when he was a firefighter. After he got injured and changed careers, he also changed his name to Fang Xiaoxi. Back then, he wanted his daughter to change her name with him, saying that they had done something wrong and needed to change their names to hide.

Fang Lixiang had refused.

“It’s my fault, my fault I didn’t choose the name Fang Dalang.”

Indeed, Fang Xiaoxi had chosen the name for his daughter—Fang Dalang.

Fang Lixiang, of course, would never agree to that.

Zhou Xu

The walk from the parking lot to the filming location took more than ten minutes. Besides Jiang Zhi’s crew, the crew of “Da Wei Heavenly Dynasty” was also filming in this area.

A sizable body of water separated the two crews, without interference with one another.

“Mr. Tang has arrived.”

“Carry on with your work; no need to mind me. I’ll just look around.”

The Luo Family was the investor behind “Da Wei Heavenly Dynasty,” so the director naturally recognized Tang Xiang and was very respectful. “I’ll get back to my duties then. If you need anything, just call for me.”

Tang Xiang walked to the edge of the water and dialed a number.

The call was quickly answered. “Hello?”

“I asked you something on WeChat, and you haven’t responded yet.”

Someone was playing dumb with her: “Who are you?”

“`

Tang Xiang felt that Jiang Xiaolin was shameless. Despite everyone in the circle saying he was mature, stable, refined, elegant, and shrewd, she still thought he was just as much of a scoundrel as he had been back in school, thoroughly incorrigible.

“Forget it, I’ll look into it myself.”

Jiang Xiaolin criticized her, “Can’t you change that bad temper of yours?”

Tang Xiang, “No.”

She hung up.

Jiang Xiaolin, “…”

He had never seen such a resolute woman.

Ten seconds later, he redialed, “There was a firefighter who carried out Luo San, but the man couldn’t be saved, he died on the ambulance. The Luo Family disposed of the body that very night and even kept the incident under wraps. I guess,” he paused to think, “there must be some secret on the body that they didn’t want getting out.”

The night of the Luo Family fire, Tang Xiang wasn’t at the Luo residence. She received the news of the death the next day, and she had never seen her father’s corpse, only a small urn of ashes.

The body was disposed of too quickly, like destroying evidence.

Tang Xiang was clueless, “What secret?”

Jiang Xiaolin said, “You’ll have to ask the Luo Family about that.”

“Thanks.”

“You can save the verbal thanks—”

The call had already been disconnected.

“Beep beep beep beep beep…”

Jiang Xiaolin, “…”

“Da Wei Heavenly Dynasty” was a TV drama invested in by the Luo Family, and naturally, Luo Yinghe played the lead female role.

Luo Yinghe was used to being fawned over and flattered by a crowd of people, raised spoiled and tyrannical. If anything wasn’t to her liking, she would throw a fit.

And now, she was at it again.

They said it was because she had been dropped from Jiang Zhi’s new movie, and for several days, she had been in a fiery mood.

With a bang.

She slammed the cup on the table, “Are you trying to scald me to death?”

The female assistant hurriedly apologized, “I’m sorry, Sister Ying, I’ll get you another cup right away.”

Cables covered the ground, and the outdoor terrain was uneven. The female assistant, nervously carrying the coffee, was momentarily careless and tripped over a cable. She stumbled, and a cup of hot coffee spilled all over by Luo Yinghe’s feet.

The coffee wasn’t actually that hot, but Luo Yinghe screamed in anger.

The female assistant was petrified with fear, and it took her a while to recover before she started wiping with tissues, repeatedly apologizing.

Luo Yinghe shoved her hand away, “You did that on purpose, didn’t you!”

“It wasn’t on purpose, Sister Ying, it was the cable on the ground—”

“You dare talk back?” She grabbed a bouquet of roses gifted by a fan and began lashing the assistant with it, “I’ll teach you to talk back!”

Luo Yinghe had a mild temper disorder, but not many people knew about it.

“If you can’t even carry coffee properly, what use do I have for you?”

“Still dare to scald me?”

“Still dare to talk back?”

“…”

Insults carried across the water to the other side, where Zhou Xufang could hear and see everything clearly. Rose petals scattered, creating a striking red on the ground. The person holding the flowers had beautifully manicured nails, targeting the thorny part of the roses to lash at someone…

“Still dare to steal my textbook?”

“You think you can learn to write?”

“Idiot!”

“Dumb and mute, might as well die!”

“…”

Zhou Xufang stumbled backward.

She didn’t know where it was coming from, but a noise suddenly rushed into her ears, causing a buzzing and dizziness.

“Excuse me, please move.”

“Someone ahead, please move aside.”

A stagehand was pushing a rack full of costumes from behind. The rack was piled too high, partially blocking his view. He maneuvered it while shouting to the person in front, “Hey, I’m talking to you!”

Zhou Xufang turned around, and the iron rack had already hit her at the waist.

She lost her balance and fell backward.

“Xu Fang!”

With a splash, water flew everywhere.

The water in this area was twenty meters deep; if a person fell in, they would disappear in an instant.