NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4 - This heroine doesn’t seem too decent?
Tang Yuan gradually came to her senses. The sound of her heartbeat was deafening.
She looked at Jiang Zi beside her. Her soft, tender hand still unconsciously clutched Jiang Zi’s wrist, and a hidden joy stirred within her. Her soft and sweet voice revealed a hint of innocence: “Where are you taking me?”
Jiang Zi lifted a hand to pinch her cheek, enjoying the naïve, deer-like gaze. A wicked smile curled at her lips as she spoke like a devil’s whisper, “Where do you think?”
“Wasn’t it you who tried to seduce me?”
[Why didn’t you invite me to sit with you?]
She was sure she could really hear Tang Yuan’s inner thoughts.
Tang Yuan’s heartbeat skipped a beat. Suddenly, she coughed and wriggled free from Jiang Zi’s hold, sitting against the car door. “I… I didn’t… I didn’t…”
Even the highly professional driver couldn’t help but glance at the rearview mirror.
Jiang Zi finally discovers the Bug in this world. Her mood improved, and she released Tang Yuan’s hand.
With her other hand still holding a rectangular gold bar, she stuffed it back into Tang Yuan’s bag, leaned back in her seat, and relaxed her posture. “Of course, I’m taking you home to satisfy your needs.”
She was answering Tang Yuan’s question.
However, Tang Yuan’s wandering gaze was fixed on Jiang Zi’s hand.
White, slender, with no visible nails, her fingers weren’t particularly delicate but were overly proportioned.
Satisfy her… needs?!
Tang Yuan’s face turned bright red.
—
Thirty minutes later.
Tang Yuan stood outside the neighborhood entrance, staring at the golden words “Ding Xing Hai” with a dazed expression.
This was a high-end residential area; even the lowest-priced suite would cost at least fifty million.
Wasn’t Jiang Zi supposed to be from a family that fell into poverty and grew up in an orphanage? Only later rose to fame in the entertainment industry, with her worth increasing rapidly.
Given the timeline, although she might not be so poor as to live off scraps, how could she afford to live in “Ding Xing Hai”?
“Let’s go. Why are you standing there in a daze?”
Tang Yuan loosened her bitten lip. “Wait, I’m thinking.”
Jiang Zi grabbed her wrist and pulled her through the gate, walking to the south seven building, entering the door, swiping the card, and waiting for the elevator to identify the floor.
When she heard the lock click open, she turned to glance back just as the elevator doors opened. She looked up at the floor display: 48th floor.
It wasn’t until the elevator doors closed that Tang Yuan belatedly wondered why Jiang Zi had brought her home.
“Did you remember?”
Tang Yuan, startled by the sudden question, looked at her. “Remember what?”
“My address.”
Jiang Zi lowered her eyes to look at her. The girl, who was half a head shorter, tilted her head, looked up with clear, water-like eyes, and there were faint bite marks on her lips.
She had a habit of biting her lips while daydreaming—a rather niche habit.
Jiang Zi’s fingers traced her cheek, lingering on the tender skin, her eyes dark as night, a faint smile playing at her lips.
Tang Yuan took a step back, her hands cupping her face, her eyes darting around in panic. As the elevator arrived, she stepped out of the lift ahead of her and stood in the doorway, calming her heartbeat.
Why did she feel that this heroine doesn’t seem too decent?
Jiang Zi unlocked the door with her fingerprint. “Come in.”
Tang Yuan hesitated at the doorway, glancing around before finally stepping inside.
Who cares? Fortune favors the bold, and this was an excellent opportunity for her!
Having made up her mind, Tang Yuan quickly walked into Jiang Zi’s home.
The suites sold in Ding Xing Hai were all fully finished, with the interior design crafted by the estate’s designers. Each unit had its own unique theme.
The color scheme in Jiang Zi’s home was monotonous and oppressive, dominated by shades of grey and white. The only splash of color was the wall art—a painting of a golden-glowing apricot tree growing in the darkness, with red ribbons hanging from its branches.
This tree was more of a finishing touch to the atmosphere, making it even more oppressive. Tang Yuan turned back to ask Jiang Zi, “What’s the theme of your home’s design?”
Jiang Zi glanced at the embossed wall art, her gaze finally settling on Tang Yuan’s face. “Wish.”
“Okay,” Tang Yuan replied, respecting and understanding the choice. She had heard that the designers at Ding Xing Hai were expensive.
“Do you feel that my home is too cold and empty?” Jiang Zi narrowed her eyes, slowly approaching Tang Yuan like a leopard stalking its prey.
“Do you want me to stay and keep you company?” The little rabbit remained blissfully unaware, her bright eyes looking up at Jiang Zi, innocently showing off her little wits.
Jiang Zi tilted her head leisurely, “If I said yes, would you stay?”
Tang Yuan didn’t answer. Jiang Zi walked over to the water dispenser, filled a coffee cup with ice water, and downed it in one go.
Only then did she turn to look at Tang Yuan again. “So the crew, you’re quitting?”
“Yeah,” Tang Yuan nodded. “I was the one being unreasonable and delaying the crew’s progress. Besides, acting doesn’t really suit me; I prefer dancing.”
Jiang Zi made a noncommittal ‘oh,’ her gaze lingering on Tang Yuan, the smile on her lips growing wider until she finally chuckled. She set the glass down on the table with a soft clink.
Although her smile was as captivating as a blooming flower, it sent a chill down Tang Yuan’s spine, and her heart was inexplicably flustered.
Tang Yuan clasped her hands behind her back, her fingers nervously intertwining. She hesitated momentarily before finally speaking up, “Um, can I ask you for something?”
Jiang Zi asked lazily, “What do you want?”
Tang Yuan pulled out her phone and opened a QR code, waving it slightly in her hand.
“Your contact information.”
“Just my contact information?” Jiang Zi scanned the code and added her as a friend.
Tang Yuan then pointed to the knife on the table, “And that knife on your table—can you give it to me?”
Tang Yuan’s eyes landed on the small folding knife on the tea table. It was no longer than a finger, definitely not a fruit knife, but it lay there beside the teacup.
The knife wasn’t new; its silver handle was engraved with a lotus flower pattern that scratches had worn down.
Looking around, she found nothing worth taking; taking a teacup wasn’t as good as taking the unmatched small knife.
“No,” Jiang Zi rejected her flatly, her expression turning cold.
Tang Yuan was startled by her, and with an awkward expression, she muttered in a low voice, “Alright.”
[But what kind of gift should I ask for? This place is so empty it doesn’t even seem like someone lives here. Looking around, I can’t tell what’s worth taking.]
Jiang Zi glanced at her—gift? For what purpose?
She only pondered momentarily before raising her hand to undo the hair tie that held her high ponytail. Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall across her face as the cyan ribbon was pulled loose. She lowered her eyes, casually tucking her hair behind her ear.
Jiang Zi approached Tang Yuan, wrapping the soft ribbon around Tang Yuan’s hand—one loop, two loops, three loops, and finally tied a knot.
Jiang Zi withdrew her hand, her gaze falling on Tang Yuan’s slender wrist. The cyan ribbon stood out in sharp contrast against her jade-like skin, making it particularly striking.
“I can give you this.”
Tang Yuan touched the ribbon on her wrist and smiled anew, “Thank you, sister!”
She was in a good mood because the system determined her mission was completed and deducted 1% of the male lead’s protagonist halo.
Jiang Zi’s beautiful eyes reflected her silhouette, her red lips curved slightly as she suddenly brought up the previous topic, “Then don’t quit the crew.”
Her clear and textured voice now sounded like an alluring melody, causing Tang Yuan’s heart to tremble momentarily. “W-why?”
“My acting skills are not good and would drag down the crew.”
Jiang Zi raised an eyebrow and smiled lightly, her beautiful eyes shimmering, speaking with a gentle tone, “Of course not. You’re very suitable for that role.”
“Is that so?”
Tang Yuan lowered her head awkwardly. Firstly, the original had parachuted in as the female lead simply to find trouble with Jiang Zi and hadn’t seriously read the script. Secondly, she had made up her mind to leave the crew and hadn’t studied the script even more.
As a result, she only knew it was a period drama and nothing else.
Jiang Zi moved a step closer, their faces almost touching, their gazes meeting. Jiang Zi then softly murmured, “Yes, it suits you very well.”
“So, don’t leave.”
Tang Yuan almost drowned in the starry sea of her eyes and subconsciously agreed, “Okay.”
Only after she responded did she realize the heat rising to her face. She stumbled a step back and hurried toward the door, her retreating figure resembling a hasty escape.
“I—I’ll go discuss it with the director!”
As her voice faded, the door closed.
The room returned to silence.
Jiang Zi stood in place, lost in thought.
What a…
What a big surprise.