Chapter Fifty-Five: She Is My Girlfriend

“Just a verbal thank you?” Shen Tingxiao asked.

Jiang Yunzhou still owed him a scarf she hadn’t finished knitting yet, and his words made her instinctively tense. “No, not just that. Otherwise? Are you going to want me to knit a hat this time?”

“A sweater,” Shen Tingxiao replied, his tone as level as ever, though it made one wonder. “It takes a little longer.”

And it would mean even closer contact.

Jiang Yunzhou fell silent for a moment, this time offering no resistance, simply accepting the suggestion out of habit. “Alright.”

Originally, Jiang Yunzhou was supposed to drop Shen Tingxiao at his hotel, then return to the crew to check on Sang Bai. But Shen Tingxiao received a call midway and departed.

Jiang Yunzhou went back to the set alone.

It was obvious that Sang Bai had heard about Shao Shu’s incident. Still in costume, she rushed straight to Jiang Yunzhou’s side. “How’s Shao Shu?”

“She’s not seriously hurt, already taken to the hospital,” Jiang Yunzhou replied. “Wait until you’re done filming before you go see her. It’s just a minor injury, don’t be so anxious.”

“Damn! How can I not be anxious?” Sang Bai sat down beside her. “When I heard, I broke out in a cold sweat. That was a real knife! If you hadn’t reacted so quickly, who knows what could’ve happened? I think Zhou Qingpei’s so-called assistant didn’t keep things safe at all—it’s a lie! She must’ve ordered it!”

It was venting, nothing more.

Without concrete proof, it wasn’t wise to make wild accusations.

“There’s no surveillance in the crew, so we don’t even know what’s true,” Jiang Yunzhou was much calmer than she. “But I’ve already spoken to your agents and assistants. To prevent anything similar from happening again, they’ll check the props for you both, whether they belong to you or your scene partners.”

Sang Bai was quiet for a moment before saying, “After something like this, the other actors are probably scared too.”

“Yes, what if someone gets hurt?” Inspiration struck Jiang Yunzhou, and she snapped her fingers. “I know what the video should be about!”

Sang Bai didn’t quite follow. “What?”

Jiang Yunzhou stood up at once, patting her shoulder. “Go see Shao Shu later yourself. I just had an idea, and I need to get to work.”

A story had already begun to form in her mind.

Her previous award-winning short film, “Alone,” told of a girl growing up in confusion, meeting her best friend, experiencing extraordinary things together, and ultimately parting ways.

This time, she wanted to continue “Alone,” still focusing on the same girl.

Years later, the girl has grown up and returns to her homeland, but all traces of the past have vanished.

Now, she’s become a household name, a famous actress.

Yet, while outsiders see her as glamorous, behind the scenes she’s bullied by superiors, exploited by her agency, and even ostracized within the crew.

This new film wouldn’t be long, just another ten-minute short.

It was meant as a stepping stone to a certain prestigious university, but Jiang Yunzhou would approach it with the same seriousness and care in crafting the story.

On the way back to her hotel, she passed Shen Tingxiao’s.

She suddenly realized she didn’t have Shen Tingxiao’s measurements. Since she was passing by, she might as well ask; if he didn’t know, she could go up and measure him herself. Otherwise, if she left it for later, he might already be gone.

She didn’t rush upstairs, but sent him a message: Are you at the hotel?

Soon, Shen Tingxiao replied: Yes. What’s up?

Jiang Yunzhou: Are you clear on your own measurements?

This time, the reply took a bit longer: I’m not sure. Why?

At that moment, Jiang Yunzhou actually felt a hint of relief. If he didn’t know, she could go up and measure him. Do you have a tape measure?

Shen Tingxiao: Yes.

Jiang Yunzhou locked her phone, backed her car into the garage, and got out.

She still didn’t know which room he was in, so as she waited by the elevator, she asked: Your room number?

1553.

The elevator doors opened.

Just as Jiang Yunzhou was about to step in, someone bumped into her from behind.

“Sorry, I’m in a hurry,” came a pleasant female voice.

Jiang Yunzhou frowned slightly. It was a trivial matter, so she just nodded. “No problem.”

She entered, pressed the button for the fifteenth floor, and glanced at the woman.

“I’m going to the fifteenth as well, thanks.” The woman was beautifully dressed, with big waves in her hair and a fitted dress. She sized Jiang Yunzhou up and down. “Are you here to see Mr. Shen too?”

Jiang Yunzhou paused as she pressed the close door button, her finger curling slightly. “Yes. And you are?”

“I’m his… good friend,” the woman said with a light laugh.

Good friend?

For some reason, Jiang Yunzhou felt her expression was a bit odd when she said that, but she didn’t dwell on it.

When they reached the fifteenth floor, Jiang Yunzhou was about to step out, but the woman squeezed past her, bumping her in the process.

Jiang Yunzhou’s frown deepened, but since the woman was a friend of Shen Tingxiao’s, she didn’t want to make trouble.

The woman reached Shen Tingxiao’s door first and knocked.

By the time Jiang Yunzhou arrived, she was already inside, sitting on the sofa and saying to Shen Tingxiao, “It’s been so long and you won’t even let me give you a hug!”

Shen Tingxiao was sitting behind his desk in a meeting, legs crossed, giving the woman a cold glance before returning to his business.

“Tch.” The woman didn’t seem to mind his attitude, wandering around the room as she pleased.

They seemed like old friends.

But how close were they, really?

Why hadn’t he let her pretend to be his girlfriend?

Jiang Yunzhou knocked politely. As Shen Tingxiao looked up in her direction, she smiled. “Mr. Shen, I’m here.”

“Sit and wait a moment.” Shen Tingxiao removed a Bluetooth earpiece and pointed to the sofa.

Jiang Yunzhou clutched her phone and sat obediently.

At that moment, the woman wandered back, hands behind her, leaning forward slightly. “Tingxiao, which subordinate is this? I’ve never seen her before.”

As if she’d met all of Shen Tingxiao’s subordinates.

“I’m not his subordinate,” Jiang Yunzhou replied, lifting her head with a gentle smile.

But the words “I’m his girlfriend” stayed unspoken.

It was one thing to post about it on social media, but saying it aloud felt oddly difficult.

Suddenly, she sensed a gaze on her and looked back. Shen Tingxiao was watching her with an expression she couldn’t decipher.

Jiang Yunzhou instinctively showed a hint of confusion. What is it?

“She’s my girlfriend.” Shen Tingxiao closed his laptop, stood up, and walked toward her.