One week before the performance, the main stage rehearsal schedule was confirmed for next Thursday.
The dancers in the troupe who were part of the performance changed into their stage costumes, and the technical team was also adjusting the stage setup.
It was the first full dress rehearsal. The entire run took nearly two hours.
It was already getting dark.
Wen Fan handed her a tablet with the rehearsal video copied onto it and reminded her with a smile, “Teacher Jiang, you went over time.”
Jiang Li understood. “Mm, today was just to let everyone get used to performing in full makeup. It won’t happen again tomorrow.” They went over by eighteen minutes, which was still within control—much better than she had expected.
Wen Fan trusted Jiang Li, so he didn’t say more.
After a brief exchange with Wen Fan, her assistant took the pipa from Jiang Li’s arms and helped her remove the heavy cloak.
The moment the heavy robe was taken off, Jiang Li felt much more relaxed. She sat in front of the dressing table and began removing her complicated hair accessories.
After a while, the assistant helping her leaned close and whispered excitedly, “Teacher Jiang Li, there’s a really handsome man over there! He’s been looking at you since he came in—he’s been staring at you for a long time!”
Jiang Li smiled lightly and didn’t think much of it, focusing on undoing her elaborate hairstyle.
The assistant was still excited. “Sister Jiang Li, he’s really handsome! He’s really looking at you—just turn around and take a look!” Seeing little reaction, she added, “Could he be your boyfriend?”
Boyfriend? What nonsense.
“You’re getting more ridiculous,” Jiang Li glanced at her. “How handsome can he be to make you this excited?”
“He’s really handsome! Like… tall, good-looking, and rich kind of handsome!” the assistant said, almost jumping with excitement.
“…”
Jiang Li was surprised by that last description and grew a bit curious.
She turned her head. Under the dim light, a tall man was talking with others.
At a glance, she recognized him—it was Shang Huaizhou.
He’s back from his business trip?
They had only had a video call a week ago. In the past few days, she had been in closed rehearsals and hadn’t been in contact with him.
Why was he here? It shouldn’t require him personally to oversee the stage setup, right?
The main stage’s technical team was from Shang Huaizhou’s company. When the scene director saw him enter backstage, he was surprised and quickly stopped him at the door to report on the progress.
Shang Huaizhou was tall and upright, making others around him seem a bit out of place. He slightly tilted his head to reduce the height difference and listened patiently.
He sensed someone looking at him. His brows slightly furrowed, then he looked up and met Jiang Li’s gentle gaze. The sharpness in his eyes softened.
Jiang Li gave him a faint smile. After saying a few words to the others, Shang Huaizhou walked toward her.
The assistant could barely contain her excitement. “Sister Jiang Li! That man is coming this way!”
Jiang Li smiled softly. Thinking about the inspiration he gave her during their last video call, her gaze toward him was less distant and more at ease.
They looked at each other as he approached, neither speaking.
Just as he reached her, the costume designer called out from the doorway, “Teacher Jiang, the revised design for the male lead’s costume is ready. Please come and confirm it.”
Jiang Li responded, “I’ll go take a look first.”
Shang Huaizhou nodded slightly and stepped aside to let her pass, not delaying her work.
After Jiang Li left, the assistant quietly glanced at Shang Huaizhou, shyly following behind Jiang Li.
Shang Huaizhou leaned against Jiang Li’s dressing table, watching her at work.
The costume designer held a drawing tablet as they discussed things near the doorway.
Jiang Li’s slender fingers tapped lightly on several points on the screen.
The designer nodded and made a few strokes with the stylus, then looked up for her opinion.
Jiang Li frowned slightly, thought for a moment, then got an idea. She took the stylus and circled a few areas.
The designer smiled and nodded. About ten minutes later, their discussion ended.
The male lead’s costume had been adjusted. To match it, details on Jiang Li’s outer robe collar also needed changes.
Jiang Li had only removed her heavy cloak earlier; she hadn’t taken off her outer robe yet. Her assistant helped her remove it and handed it to the costume team.
After giving a few instructions to her assistant, Jiang Li turned and walked back to the dressing table.
She asked him, “Why did you come here?” The main stage’s technical work had always been handled by his company. For them, this kind of technology was routine—it didn’t seem necessary for him to inspect it personally.
Without the outer robe, Jiang Li was left wearing a light gauze layer over her strapless palace-style dress. The soft fabric floated, and her graceful figure was faintly visible.
On her feet were vintage embroidered shoes with two cute fluffy balls at the tips. She walked lightly toward Shang Huaizhou.
As he watched her approach, his throat moved, and his voice turned slightly hoarse. “I had something to take care of.”
Jiang Li nodded and didn’t ask further. “Then I won’t disturb you.”
She wanted to remove her makeup and change out of the costume first.
Shang Huaizhou looked at her intently. Her eyelashes were long and curled, a delicate floral mark decorated the center of her forehead, her face was fair and smooth, and her eyes carried the gentle charm unique to girls from the south.
His lips moved slightly, his voice low and hoarse. “Is the rehearsal over?”
“Mm, it’s over,” Jiang Li replied cheerfully while tilting her head to remove her earrings.
Her movements slowed slightly, and she frowned faintly.
Why is he staring at her like that?
Does he think her outfit looks strange?
Back when she lived at his house, she had become fond of theater performances and often went to watch them. It would get late, and his grandfather worried about her safety, so he would often make Shang Huaizhou accompany her.
He was always reluctant.
Jiang Li pressed her lips together and asked a bit uneasily, “Do you need something from me?” Otherwise, why would he ask her that?
“Mm.” Shang Huaizhou still didn’t look away.
Jiang Li felt uncomfortable under his gaze. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks. She quietly turned her head aside. “Wait for a bit, I’ll go remove my makeup first.”
“Mm.” Only then did Shang Huaizhou slowly look away.
Jiang Li felt that something about him was strange.
After removing her makeup and changing clothes in the dressing room, Jiang Li came out, but Shang Huaizhou was no longer backstage.
She walked to the dressing table to get her phone and saw a message from him: 【West gate of the theater.】
The west gate was very close—just a left turn after going out.
As soon as Jiang Li stepped out of the theater, she saw Shang Huaizhou leaning against his car, looking down at his phone.
This time, he wasn’t driving the big off-road vehicle from before, but a more comfortable sedan.
When Jiang Li came out, he happened to look up in her direction.
She was wearing a simple strappy long dress, her skin fair, her waist slender, her figure graceful—she looked especially beautiful.
Jiang Li wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but he seemed very strange tonight.
They hadn’t seen each other for over ten days. Had something changed in him?
Why does he keep staring at her?
Is there something strange about her?
She really wanted to tell him to stop looking at her like that.
It made her feel uneasy.
If she could, she would cover his eyes.
When Jiang Li walked up to him, her body tensed slightly. “Why were you looking for me?”
Instead of answering, Shang Huaizhou asked, “Have you had dinner?”
Jiang Li shook her head.
He put away his phone. “Let’s go eat first.”
“I don’t want to.”
The performance was only a few days away. Her costume was tailored exactly to her current size, and she had to sit on a prop boat while holding a pipa. If she gained weight, it would be embarrassing.
She wanted to finish talking quickly and go back to the troupe’s cafeteria for a fruit meal.
“Eat a little. You won’t gain weight.” She was already thin—he didn’t understand why she was still dieting.
Before Jiang Li could refuse again, Shang Huaizhou reached out, held her slender wrist, and led her toward the passenger seat. Realizing he was holding too tightly, he loosened his grip slightly.
Jiang Li was a bit stunned as he pulled her along, her back tensing again.
With one hand holding her wrist, he opened the back door with the other.
A row of designer handbags filled the back seat.
Jiang Li glanced over—there were at least a dozen.
Who bought all these?
Before she could figure it out, Shang Huaizhou cleared his throat lightly and said, “They say girls like bags.”
Jiang Li nodded. “Most girls probably do.” She was no exception.
Oh, so these were gifts for someone.
But who was he giving them to? So generous—more than ten bags.
Having money really is powerful.
Seeing no strong reaction from her, Shang Huaizhou asked a bit uncertainly, “Do you like them?”
“Yes… I do like them.” Jiang Li took another look. They were all the latest designs, and some were hard to get. Who wouldn’t like them? She also liked collecting bags when she had spare money.
Shang Huaizhou let out a quiet breath of relief. “That’s good. I’ll buy more for you in the future.”
What?!
These were for her?
What is going on with Shang Huaizhou—
Why bring her bags after a business trip?
Last time it was expensive antiques, and now bags of equal value. What is he trying to do?
Is he trying to trick her in another way?
Some of these bags were very hard to get. She had wanted them for a long time but couldn’t bring herself to buy them.
And now he had gotten all of them.
She really liked them—but she didn’t have much cash on hand.
Jiang Li sighed, took one last look at the bags, bit her lip, and refused, “President Shang, to be honest, I’m quite poor. I can’t afford these.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a slight numb pain at her wrist. Shang Huaizhou squeezed it lightly. “When did I say you had to pay me back?”
Huh?
She didn’t have to pay?
What does that mean?
He’s just giving her all these bags?
Even though they were very tempting…
You shouldn’t accept gifts without reason.
Shang Huaizhou cleared his throat again. “There was a promotion with these brands. Du He gave them to the female employees in the company.”
“Assistant Du is really generous,” Jiang Li said with a sigh. These bags cost at least tens of thousands each, and he just gave them away.
But what did that have to do with giving her bags?
Seeing her confusion, Shang Huaizhou continued making things up, “It was the old man’s idea.”
Jiang Li didn’t understand. “Why would Grandpa Shang want to give me bags?”
He coughed twice. “You gave him so many valuable gifts. It’s only natural for him to have me give you something in return.”
Jiang Li was still a bit confused.
He added, “You know his temper. If you don’t accept them, I can’t explain it to him.”
“Alright.” The bags were indeed tempting. Ordinary ones would be one thing, but there were several rare limited editions.
Sigh.
After some time, she would sell off some antiques she had and transfer the money back to him.
Jiang Li accepted them. A faint smile appeared at the corner of Shang Huaizhou’s lips.
His gaze casually fell on her wrist, and his brows suddenly furrowed. He lifted her wrist. “What happened to your arm?”
Jiang Li’s thoughts snapped back as her wrist tightened in his grip. Half her arm was now held in his hand.
Only then did she remember the red spots on her arm.
Under the white streetlight, they were so obvious. Even though she had used concealer, Shang Huaizhou still noticed them.
His eyesight is really sharp.
Jiang Li curled her lips slightly. “Mosquito bites. They’re bullying me because I haven’t stayed at the troupe apartment for a long time. They haven’t left me alone these past few days.” It wasn’t just her arms—her neck and legs had them too.
Her soft, fair hand rested in Shang Huaizhou’s large palm, and her fingertips could feel the clear lines of his hand.
Shang Huaizhou lowered his head, gently rubbing the red bite marks on her arm with his thumb.
A tingling sensation spread across Jiang Li’s skin, making even her heart feel numb. Her thoughts and breathing became a little unsteady.
Shang Huaizhou said lightly, “The greenery around your apartment is too dense. It’s easy to attract mosquitoes in the summer.”
“This issue was already brought up in a meeting this week. They should send workers to trim it soon. But honestly, I don’t mind the greenery being dense.” Aside from the mosquitoes, she quite liked it—the air was better.
Shang Huaizhou didn’t reply. He carefully looked at the red bite marks on both her arms, gently rubbing them.
“Don’t… rub them,” Jiang Li said, her fingers trembling slightly in his hand.
Shang Huaizhou didn’t understand and looked up at her. “?”
Jiang Li pressed her lips together. “It makes it itch. I’ll want to scratch.”
Shang Huaizhou looked at her for a moment, then really did stop. Instead, he lightly tapped the back of her hand twice.
“…” What is wrong with him? She told him not to rub, and he tapped her instead!
He then gently rubbed her hand again and sighed softly. “Grandpa has always wanted you to live at home, but you insisted on moving here just to feed mosquitoes.”
“…It’s not that bad. The first few days were the worst.” Actually, most of the bite marks had already faded.
Shang Huaizhou stared at the red marks on her arm, his brows slightly furrowed. After a moment, he spoke gently, “Jiang Li, I have an apartment not far from your troupe. Do you want to consider moving there?”