NOVEL NEXT Chapter 61 - No narrative significance
“I’ll say it again—this nickname isn’t for you to use.” Jiang Zi’s dark, piercing eyes stared coldly at her. “Lu Shan’en’s little sister.”
Meng Yao’er’s expression finally changed. The smile frozen at the corners of her mouth couldn’t rise or fall, and her face twisted momentarily into something grotesque.
Tang Yuan leaned against Jiang Zi’s shoulder. At first, the name Lu Shan’en didn’t register. But as her thoughts clicked into place, she remembered: Lu Shan’en was one of Dragon City’s “F4,” a brother of the male lead.
[System information: Meng Yao’er is an illegitimate child left behind by Lu Shan’en’s philandering father. At age fifteen, she was brought back to the Lu family but retained her mother’s surname. After Lu Shan’en gained control of the Lu family, he killed Meng Yao’er’s mother, which led to their poor relationship.]
[After Meng Yao’er was brought into the Lu family, her mother received no financial or emotional support from them. Meng Yao’er’s biological father even forbade her from meeting her mother privately. As a result, it wasn’t until a month after her mother’s death that she learned of it.]
[In the Lu family, Meng Yao’er was treated coldly. After discovering that Lu Shan’en caused her mother’s death, she began plotting in secret. However, her efforts only ensured her survival in the family as a powerless socialite with a wealthy background.]
Tang Yuan inwardly grumbled. Why hadn’t the system told me something this crucial earlier?
[Meng Yao’er is a peripheral character with no narrative significance.]
—No narrative significance meant she barely had any mention in the original story.
Tang Yuan tilted her head and took a deep breath. Clearly, Jiang Zi knew about this history. That’s why calling her “Lu Shan’en’s little sister” was like stabbing her right in the lungs.
Meng Yao’er stood up. “Tang Yuan, think about it. I can offer more money.”
Hearing the offer of more money, Tang Yuan agreed without hesitation. “Sure!”
Meng Yao’er pressed her lips together tightly, glared at Jiang Zi resentfully, and stormed off in a huff.
She had made the right choice to transfer her affections. She officially removed Jiang Zi from her “type.”
Tang Yuan watched her retreating figure and sighed inwardly: [So Meng Yao’er isn’t pretending to be crazy—she’s just been mad all along.]
[Being tied to the Lu family is like being cursed by the Chu dog’s bad luck.]
A gentle tug on her braid brought Tang Yuan back to reality. She looked up to meet Jiang Zi’s unhappy dark eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“Don’t look at her.” But what Jiang Zi really wanted to say was, ‘Don’t think about irrelevant people.’
What kind of life Meng Yao’er led, her background—none of it mattered to them. She was just an outsider.
“Alright, alright. I won’t look.” Tang Yuan obediently picked up her wine glass. Her girlfriend was ridiculously easy to get jealous.
Jiang Zi intercepted her movement and snatched the glass away. “You’ve had enough to drink tonight. No more.”
“Eh?” Tang Yuan tried to grab it back. But Jiang Zi raised it out of reach, and even when Tang Yuan leaned on her, she couldn’t reach it.
Jiang Zi stood with the glass. “I’ll get you some juice. If you drink any more, you’ll have a headache tomorrow.”
Tang Yuan could only watch helplessly as Jiang Zi took both the wine glass and the bottle away.
The barbecue gathering lasted until around eleven at night. After cleaning up, everyone retired to their rooms. During non-mission times, they stayed in the “Love Cabin”.
This was the same place where they had dropped off their luggage on the first day. Unlike the lavish accommodations of Chu Yu’sManor seen in idol group variety shows, the arrangements here were much more modest. Each room was a double room, with two beds placed side by side and a bedside table separating them.
Tang Yuan shared a room with Jiang Zi. Compared to the snake pit from before, this was a haven—warm décor and even scented with aromatherapy.
After getting covered in barbecue smoke, Tang Yuan spent an hour in the shower, washing her hair as well. Finally, she came out, clean and fragrant, satisfied with the smell of shampoo and body wash.
When Jiang Zi came out after her, Tang Yuan had already dried her hair. Noticing Jiang Zi’s wet hair, she called out with a smile, “Sister, come over. I’ll blow-dry your hair for you.”
Jiang Zi paused briefly before walking over, sitting down in front of her, and tilting her face up obediently. “Thanks, wifey.”
Tang Yuan blushed slightly, plugged in the hairdryer, and moved behind Jiang Zi. She focused on drying her long, black hair.
Tang Yuan’s fingers, warm from the dryer, wove gently through Jiang Zi’s hair, occasionally brushing her scalp. The light touch sent tingles down Jiang Zi’s spine. Her scalp felt electric, and she squinted in pleasure, wishing Tang Yuan would press a little harder and chase away the delightful tingling sensation.
When the drying was nearly done, Tang Yuan applied hair oil to Jiang Zi’s ends. Her sleek black hair was thick and silky, and Tang Yuan couldn’t help but admire it.
Glancing at the time, it was already half past one in the morning.
“How is it already this late?” Tang Yuan muttered as she turned the hairdryer back on, finishing up the last bit of her hair. Given the time, she had no choice but to thoroughly dry it now.
“All done, Sister. You can sleep now.”
After putting away the hairdryer, Tang Yuan naturally moved to her bed. But as soon as she sat down, a pillow was shoved her way, squeezed alongside her own.
The bed was small, with no extra space for two pillows side by side.
Jiang Zi slipped into her blanket, grabbing Tang Yuan’s wrist and pulling her down.
Once Tang Yuan lay down, Jiang Zi turned off the lights.
As usual, an arm draped across Tang Yuan’s waist. The air conditioner was a bit warm tonight, and their closeness made Tang Yuan feel hot. She shifted uncomfortably.
To Jiang Zi, this slight movement meant only one thing—her wifey didn’t want to be close to her anymore.
The more Tang Yuan tried to move away, the closer Jiang Zi leaned in. Eventually, Jiang Zi wrapped her completely in her embrace, burying her face in Tang Yuan’s chest. The low neckline of Tang Yuan’s pajamas made it all too easy for Jiang Zi’s mischief.
She bit gently into Tang Yuan’s soft flesh, her warm breath claiming the territory.
Tang Yuan trembled slightly, her fingertips twitching. She wanted to push Jiang Zi away, but then she heard a pitiful voice murmur, “Wifey, don’t push me away.”
Tang Yuan felt flushed, much like the delayed buzz from the alcohol she’d had earlier. She didn’t push away but instead admitted honestly, “I’m hot.”
Jiang Zi froze momentarily, then fumbled for the air conditioner remote, lowering the temperature.
“All done.” After adjusting it, Jiang Zi didn’t give up her spot on that soft, fragrant place. Only after taking in enough of Tang Yuan’s scent did she finally move her head away.
The cooler room relaxed Tang Yuan, who snuggled into Jiang Zi’s arms. With the right person and the right position, she quickly drifted off to sleep.
…
On the third day of filming, Tang Yuan slept in late. By the time she contacted Tang Gu, it was already lunchtime.
When Tang Gu saw the message from Tang Yuan during lunch, he returned her call.
“Are you filming now?”
Tang Yuan was sitting in the living room, having just eaten, lounging on the sofa with nothing to do. She glanced at the camera not far away. “You’re just pretending to ask, aren’t you?”
Since it was a live broadcast, Tang Yuan reminded him, “The things I want to ask aren’t convenient to discuss over the phone.”