“Why are you here? Where are your friends?” Jiang Ruoxun transformed into a picture of gentle tenderness, a sight so convincing it would have left her longtime friends speechless.
Xu Youzhi remained unaware of Jiang Ruoxun’s true nature. Over the past month of their acquaintance, Jiang Ruoxun had appeared to her as a kind, considerate, and elegant older sister. “There’s someone I don’t like at tonight’s dinner, so I came out to get some fresh air.”
“Is that so?” Jiang Ruoxun offered her kindness without hesitation. “You probably haven’t had enough to eat for dinner yet, have you? Come join us.”
“Would that be okay?” Xu Youzhi truly did want to stay with Jiang Ruoxun. She always felt like the one being looked after when they were together. Jiang Ruoxun was always the first to grab the bill, and whenever they went out, Jiang Ruoxun would proactively ask what she wanted to eat, accompanying her wherever she chose. It was a stark contrast to how she interacted with friends her own age. With her pushover personality, her peers often took advantage of her and could be quite aggressive during arguments. But Jiang Ruoxun was different; she was respectful and gentle, making their time together feel like a spring breeze.
However, she felt hesitant because of Jiang Ruoxun’s friend standing nearby.
Jiang Ruoxun narrowed her eyes and smiled. “Is it because I’m a celebrity? Do you feel a sense of distance?”
There’s no distance, Xu Youzhi thought. We’ve even kissed.
Thinking of those moments, Xu Youzhi’s face instantly flushed red.
Le Lanyi found the situation increasingly strange. Even if Jiang Ruoxun chose to play the role of a down-to-earth person in front of commoners, she didn’t usually play it this way. It looked as though she was deliberately worried this young girl might find her intimidating.
But was Jiang Ruoxun really the type of person to care about what others thought?
She was normally cold to the bone, yet here she was, pretending to be a soulful older sister and inviting the girl to dinner. It was utterly bizarre.
They arrived at the private booth upstairs.
Le Lanyi asked, “Are you a university student? Here for a trip during the Dragon Boat Festival?”
Xu Youzhi nodded.
“Which university?”
“Zhe University.”
“You’re at the same university?” Le Lanyi said excitedly, pointing at Jiang Ruoxun. “Then you two are schoolmates.”
Xu Youzhi gave a cramped, quiet affirmation.
Le Lanyi’s smile faltered slightly. This kid was certainly composed.
Le Lanyi picked up a bottle of wine and poured a glass for herself and Jiang Ruoxun. Catching Xu Youzhi’s gaze, Jiang Ruoxun remarked, “The kid doesn’t drink.”
Le Lanyi offered an apology.
“When are you getting engaged?” Jiang Ruoxun asked.
Le Lanyi replied, “It depends on my boyfriend. His family situation is very complicated.”
If Xu Youzhi hadn’t been there, Jiang Ruoxun surely would have scolded her, but instead, her tone remained soft: “Marriage is a major life event. You need to think it through.”
Le Lanyi nodded, though her skin crawled. She wasn’t used to Jiang Ruoxun’s overly tender tone; it felt like a forced, “cutesy” voice.
Their conversation was typical of adults, and Xu Youzhi couldn’t find a way to join in. If Le Lanyi had known how close their relationship actually was, the scene would have looked like a mother (Jiang) bringing her daughter along to eat skewers with a friend—the two adults talking while the child, Xu Youzhi, focused on her food.
“Is your family still pressuring you?” Le Lanyi suddenly asked. “Don’t tell me they’ve given up. This kind of thing isn’t just your own business.”
At this, Xu Youzhi paused her eating, then resumed.
For some reason, hearing the word “marriage” reminded her that while Jiang Ruoxun was a star, she was also a “person.”
Wang Qiuhua always told her that in life, one shouldn’t just strive for career success; marriage and children were essential. “If you don’t have children, no one will take care of you when you’re old.”
So, would Jiang Ruoxun get married too?
But the Jiang Ruoxun she saw was so gentle—how many men could truly be worthy of her?
Her heart began to waver, her emotions fluctuating wildly.
Jiang Ruoxun took a sip of wine, her expression indifferent. “I don’t know…”
While Xu Youzhi listened and ate, a drop of oil from a fresh skewer landed on her clothes. She couldn’t help but cry out, “Oh no!”
Jiang Ruoxun turned instantly, picking up a wet wipe and carefully dabbing near Xu Youzhi’s chin.
“Your clothes seem to be stained.”
Xu Youzhi’s face reddened. She noticed Le Lanyi’s strange expression and wondered: Is this weird?
“I’m fine,” Xu Youzhi said, her voice trembling slightly. Jiang Ruoxun’s hand paused for a moment before she took the girl’s hand. “The kid got sauce on her clothes. I’m going to take her to the restroom to wipe it off.”
Le Lanyi stared wide-eyed at Jiang Ruoxun. What was wrong with her? Since when did she care about others like this?
The restroom was nearly empty. Jiang Ruoxun used a dampened tissue to gently rub the stain on the collar.
She looked down, her brows softened in a natural, graceful beauty.
“How could you be so careless?” Her words carried a hint of mild reproach, yet they were laced with concern.
Xu Youzhi was still thinking about their earlier conversation. Being cared for by Jiang Ruoxun like this only made her feel more unsettled.
Suddenly, Xu Youzhi called out, “Sister.”
“Hmm?” Jiang Ruoxun looked up. Her spirited eyes seemed to glow, twinkling like the stars over the White Beach at night.
“Are you… going to get married?” Xu Youzhi covered her mouth, then let go, asking cautiously, “I still don’t know… if you have someone you like.”
Jiang Ruoxun was stunned. She didn’t understand why Xu Youzhi would suddenly bring this up. How could she possibly have someone she liked? But as a celebrity, there were many things others wouldn’t know.
Though she found Xu Youzhi’s gossip-like question strange, she answered with a smile: “I don’t.”
Xu Youzhi breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’m not going to date. I like spending time with you because you’re so good, Zhizhi,” Jiang Ruoxun said, speaking from the heart.
Sometimes, Xu Youzhi really did remind her of a puppy only a few months old—young, sweet, and rarely angry. Even when she was upset, she was innocently adorable.
Jiang Ruoxun’s eyes turned obscure. If a puppy turned into a wolf, what would she be like then?
In other words, what if a simple, weak child became dominant and forceful?
As she thought this, she continued wiping the stain. Xu Youzhi watched her graceful profile obediently.
Jiang Ruoxun’s face possessed both a sharp edge and a soft beauty. One look was unforgettable; two looks, and one was hopelessly infatuated.
Xu Youzhi spoke again: “Sister, can I kiss you?”
Jiang Ruoxun hadn’t expected Xu Youzhi to want to kiss her again.
Has this kid really taken the bait? Recalling the group of fools she had toyed with in the past, she felt both smug and pleasantly surprised.
Without waiting for an answer, Xu Youzhi leaned in.
The girl’s kiss was filled with warmth and tenderness.
Jiang Ruoxun’s eyes held a smile. “Do you like kissing that much?”
Xu Youzhi nodded.
The Movie Queen leaned down, her voice escaping from her lips.
“Little dog, are you my good little dog?”
The dog she raised would surely be the most obedient.
Xu Youzhi nodded without hesitation. “Whatever Sister says is right.”
Two years later, every time Jiang Ruoxun thought back to this romantic moment, she would wonder if Xu Youzhi had only kept suggesting it because she thought kissing was fun.
As the two of them walked out together, they happened to run straight into a slightly tipsy Chu Han.
Chu Han’s eyes lit up when he saw Xu Youzhi. He said happily, “Zhizhi! So this is where you were. I asked Qingshuang so many times, but she said she didn’t know.”
Jiang Ruoxun looked him up and down. He was the guy from the volleyball game earlier that afternoon—quite greasy, calling her “Zhizhi” the moment they met.
“Come on, I’ll take you back.” Chu Han reached out to grab Xu Youzhi’s hand, but she quickly dodged him.
“What’s wrong?” Chu Han glanced at Jiang Ruoxun. She wasn’t wearing makeup, but her natural beauty was extraordinary. However, Chu Han didn’t follow the entertainment industry and failed to recognize her.
“Hey, miss, I was wondering where Zhizhi went. So she was on a date with you? How do you two know each other?”
Xu Youzhi felt even more uncomfortable; his words reminded her of Wei You.
“It’s none of your business how we know each other!” Xu Youzhi stepped in front of Jiang Ruoxun to shield her. She didn’t have much contact with the opposite sex, let alone get into arguments, but this was the first time she had lost her temper in front of a man.
Jiang Ruoxun watched the usually good-tempered Xu Youzhi. When a puppy loses its cool, it can actually be quite assertive.
Chu Han was stunned. Perhaps because he was drunk, his usual gentlemanly facade vanished. He cursed, “F*ck, can’t I just ask?”
“No, you can’t!” Xu Youzhi didn’t know how to argue properly, so she just countered whatever he said. The message was the same regardless.
Jiang Ruoxun pressed a hand onto Xu Youzhi’s trembling arm, suddenly feeling a pang of sympathy. “Excuse us, we have things to do. We’re leaving.”
After successfully leading Xu Youzhi away, Xu Youzhi said from behind her, “Sister, I’m sorry. I got into a fight in front of you. Do you think I have a bad temper now?”
“Why are you apologizing to me?” Jiang Ruoxun thoughtfully tidied Xu Youzhi’s messy hair. “You are very gentle, Zhizhi, but you need to have a temper sometimes.”
Xu Youzhi admitted truthfully, “To be honest, I rarely ever get angry.”
Jiang Ruoxun paused. “Then… did you get angry for my sake?”
Xu Youzhi squinted and smiled. “Because I felt like he was flirting with you. You’re so good, Sister, I won’t allow him to get that close to you.”
Jiang Ruoxun fell silent. Her heart suddenly felt a sharp tug, like a tightened harp string.
That night, Xu Youzhi planned to go to Jiang Ruoxun’s room, but unexpectedly, Li Qingshuang started crying.
It turned out she had discovered that Kuang Yuan had gone to see Xiao Yang again. Although they weren’t together yet, they were already speaking intimately.
“How can she be like this?” Li Qingshuang couldn’t control her, and she cursed in frustration. “I’m so good to her, why won’t she look at me more?”
Seeing her crying so hard she could barely catch her breath, Xu Youzhi couldn’t bear to leave.
She had to cancel her plans.
— Sister, my friend is crying so hard. — I might not be able to come.
Jiang Ruoxun looked at the WeChat message.
She sat on her bed watching TV in silence. Suddenly, even though the world outside was bustling with noise and cheers, it felt incredibly lonely here.
It was just like the time people downstairs were celebrating Jiang Chuzhi’s birthday.
The laughter was constant, the birthday songs never stopped, and everyone was glowing with excitement.
But no one called her down to eat cake. She had sat on the roof alone, watching the stars all night.
Three days after the festival.
Jiang Ruoxun had taken on an advertisement. The scandals had been handled well by Ye Qinghuan, and since Lang Qingyan already had many negative marks against his name, many people still viewed the Great Movie Queen through a positive lens and began to speak up for her. Xu Ling came to her house to find her.
Once they were ready, the two headed out.
Coincidentally, Xu Youzhi was rushing for the elevator for her class, and Wang Qiuhua was standing right beside her.
Mother and daughter shared a deep bond after all, and after talking for a while, their relationship was back on good terms.
Initially, Jiang Ruoxun smiled upon seeing Xu Youzhi, but when she saw Wang Qiuhua, she felt a flicker of guilt.
Wang Qiuhua stood with her arms crossed, her protective gaze making it look as though she wanted to snatch Xu Youzhi away and tuck her safely out of sight.
“Good morning, Sister.” Xu Youzhi grinned, showing her pearly white teeth as she greeted Jiang Ruoxun.
Her eyes remained fixed on Jiang Ruoxun, never wavering for a second.
“Going to an event again?” Xu Youzhi asked. Every time she went to an event, she wore a black suit because it was easy to style, and this time was no exception.
She was wearing a slightly fitted suit that cinched at the waist. Her hair hadn’t been curled for the set yet, so it was straight, but it didn’t detract from her overall appearance. In a suit, she exuded a mix of coldness and sophistication—a breathtakingly beautiful and boundlessly gentle “royal sister” type.
Her lipstick choice brightened her complexion, making her skin look as white as jade. Though she had “peach blossom” eyes, her cool demeanor made her look like a plum blossom blooming amidst the snow.
Jiang Ruoxun smiled and said, “Yes.”
Xu Youzhi’s heart fluttered; she felt she could never look at her enough.
Wang Qiuhua frowned but said nothing.
The elevator chimed, but Jiang Ruoxun stood at the door and didn’t enter.
Xu Youzhi held the door open, puzzled. “Sister, why aren’t you coming in?”
After a moment of thought, Jiang Ruoxun looked up with a forced smile. “I want to get some exercise, so I’ll take the stairs instead.”
With that, she turned toward the stairwell.
Xu Ling said in shock, “Wait for me!”
Xu Youzhi pursed her lips and looked at Wang Qiuhua. Wang Qiuhua let out a cold sigh.
“You’ve grown up, and I won’t over-manage you. But I know your personality; you’ve always been one to keep a low profile and avoid the spotlight. If you stay with her for long, how can you not be noticed? She is a big star with so many fans who love and want to possess her, while you are just an ordinary girl.”
Xu Youzhi was stunned, though she didn’t quite agree.
Wang Qiuhua sighed and reluctantly took out her phone. “I don’t usually use Weibo, but on these apps…” she paused, annoyed. “There are photos of you and Jiang Ruoxun.”
Xu Youzhi took the phone and saw the content—photos of her and Jiang Ruoxun at the dog cafe, and another of them sunbathing together at White Beach. They were captured looking intimate and happy, appearing less like friends and more like a couple on a date. Jiang Ruoxun’s side had made no statement regarding this, and Xu Youzhi couldn’t help but fall into deep thought.