“How many years has the Jiang family’s little princess been studying abroad in M country?”
“Six years, I think. She’s twenty-four this year. I thought she wouldn’t have the nerve to come back.”
“True. Back when she was dating Xi Yue, she looked down on him for being a poor boy. After playing around, she dumped him. Who would have guessed that Xi Yue was the only son of the Xi family in the capital? He was just keeping a low profile while studying in Harbor City back then. Even face-slapping novels wouldn’t dare write something this dramatic.”
“Alright, alright. The Jiang family’s status in Harbor City is still unquestionable. Today is Jiang Ning’s homecoming banquet, so don’t gossip carelessly. Someone might overhear and spread it around.”
At that moment.
The very subject of everyone’s gossip, the protagonist of the banquet, was pinned against the floor-to-ceiling window on the second floor.
The spacious room was unlit, with only the faint, flickering lights from the banquet downstairs casting a dim glow inside.
Jiang Ning’s eyes were half-closed, her head tilted back slightly as someone bit her neck.
The man’s voice was hoarse with extreme restraint, dripping with malice as he whispered into her ear, “Is this how you welcome me?”
Jiang Ning didn’t know if she lacked the strength to speak or was completely drunk.
Her eyes were hazy with unshed tears.
Outside, the banquet was lively, and the commotion between the two of them was far from quiet.
The man pressed, “Who am I?”
He was determined to force a sound from Jiang Ning.
In the dim light, Jiang Ning finally made out the outline of the man’s profile.
It was like an exquisite fine brush painting, leaving delicate and fluid lines on soft rice paper.
Jiang Ning couldn’t tell if this was a hallucination from her depression or a beautiful dream brought on by drunkenness.
She reached out and touched his face, murmuring.
“Xi Yue…”
In his eyes, which had been filled with malicious amusement, a deep, dark intensity finally surfaced. He lifted his head and kissed her fiercely.
…
Harbor City was a bit chilly in March.
After showering, Xi Yue stepped out of the bathroom, intending to wake Jiang Ning, who was curled up on the sofa under a thin blanket.
But as he left the bathroom and saw the empty sofa, his hand, which had been drying off water droplets, paused.
She ran off pretty fast after sleeping together.
Xi Yue thought idly.
His phone, placed on the coffee table, began to ring.
Xi Yue walked over and glanced down at the caller ID.
“Where did you run off to? Weren’t you supposed to be on a flight tonight? The guys have already set up a welcome dinner for you.”
Xi Yue’s expression darkened. He extended a slender finger and wiped the corner of his mouth, which was inexplicably bruised.
He chuckled softly, “Went to claim a little reward. Don’t spread the word that I’m back yet. I don’t want to scare her off.”
The person on the other end of the line paused for a moment. “Don’t go too far. She hasn’t recovered from her depression yet, and you’re already provoking her again.”
“She thought I was a hallucination,” Xi Yue said, his already dark eyes deepening like an unfathomable, icy pool. He curled his lips in a mocking smile. “She didn’t even recognize me.”
…
Jiang Ning, wrapped in a rabbit fur shawl, descended the stairs, still somewhat intoxicated.
Jiang Ning was as beautiful as a painting, her eyes downcast like a dim, alluring moon over a desolate plain.
One by one, guests approached, hoping to cozy up to the Jiang family’s little princess.
She paid no attention to anyone, allowing the men to put on their gentlemanly airs and speak eloquently. With her privileged background and stunning looks, no one would consider Jiang Ning’s aloofness as rudeness.
But in truth, she was merely lost in thought, as if immersed in her own dreams. It seemed as though all the gossip behind her back had nothing to do with her.
Jiang Ning’s expression was somewhat listless. What should have appeared lazy instead, due to her overly pale complexion, carried a strangely sickly, dazed quality. Her raven-feather-like eyelashes were lowered, casting a dusky gray shadow beneath her eyes.
Jiang Ning’s father, Jiang Jintao, spotted her from afar.
He walked toward her, but his gaze held no emotion as it fell on Jiang Ning. Coldly, he said, “Today is your homecoming banquet. Tidy up that half-dead look of yours and come with me to meet some old business friends.”
Jiang Ning didn’t speak, silently following behind Jiang Jintao.
Though he had said they were meeting old business friends, Jiang Jintao led her to a young man with a decent appearance.
“Ningning, this is Zhou Ran, Aunt Zhou’s son. Come and meet him.”
The young man named Zhou Ran extended his hand to Jiang Ning.
“Miss Jiang.”
Jiang Ning shook his hand.
He gave only a light, brief handshake before releasing her, polite and courteous.
Jiang Jintao said to Jiang Ning, “Zhou Ran also studied abroad in the U.S. earlier. You’ve just returned and don’t have many friends. When you have time, Zhou Ran can introduce you to people and things in our circle.”
Jiang Ning knew exactly what Jiang Jintao meant.
She wasn’t in the mood, but still curved her lips slightly. “Arranging a blind date for me as soon as I’m back?”
Jiang Jintao shot her a warning look.
He meant for her to rein it in.
Jiang Ning pretended not to see it.
Zhou Ran, however, showed no discomfort. Instead, he smiled and said, “Miss Jiang is quite unique.”
Jiang Ning self-deprecatingly replied without hesitation, “Is it a half-dead kind of unique? That’s exactly how Dad just scolded me.”
She casually tucked a strand of her long hair that fell over her chest, the slight upward curve at the corner of her eye captivating. “Depression is like that. I was sent abroad because my depression was too severe—to avoid me committing suicide at home and bringing bad luck.”
Her illness was a taboo in the entire Jiang family.
Jiang Jintao never expected Jiang Ning to bring it up so bluntly.
His expression finally changed, and he angrily scolded her, “Jiang Ning!”
Ignoring Jiang Jintao’s reprimand, Jiang Ning smiled at Zhou Ran.
Her smile carried a deliberate, mischievous edge, like the beautiful yet prank-loving siren from Greek mythology.
“He saw that my illness had improved over the past two years, so he brought me back. Might as well get a dowry out of it.”
Jiang Jintao was indeed enraged, feeling that words alone could no longer discipline Jiang Ning. He even raised his hand, intending to slap her in front of everyone.
Jiang Ning didn’t even blink, speaking slowly.
“Go ahead and hit me. With so many guests here, I’ll just have a public meltdown afterward and let everyone know your youngest daughter has a mental illness.”
“You!”
With just two sentences, Jiang Ning had angered Jiang Jintao thoroughly. She even managed to smile at Zhou Ran.
“Sorry for the scene. I’ll excuse myself now.”
…
Jiang Ning had ruined the carefully arranged “blind date” Jiang Jintao had picked for her, leaving him fuming.
But he was genuinely afraid Jiang Ning would go berserk, grab a loudspeaker, and shout outside the company building that the Jiang family’s youngest daughter was mentally ill.
No matter how much Jiang Jintao gritted his teeth, he couldn’t bring himself to use forceful measures to discipline Jiang Ning. The only thing he could think of was cutting off her financial resources to force her to yield.
This was indeed Jiang Ning’s weak spot, as she planned to move out to avoid constant friction with Jiang Jintao.
But she had no money.
Jiang Jintao’s control over her was intense. Even while abroad, every penny she spent was reported to the secretariat and regularly compiled for Jiang Jintao to review.
Jiang Ning was a capable, independent adult—supporting herself shouldn’t be too difficult.
When her mother was still alive, because she loved it, she had sent Jiang Ning to act in a few dramas.
In her youth and childhood, she starred in several films and television series intermittently. Her decent performances and outstanding looks led many to wonder whether she would dominate the entertainment industry when she grew up.
However, after she turned sixteen, there was no further news about her, causing many netizens to rank her first on the list of “the most regrettable child stars.”
There were also quite a few unscrupulous marketing accounts spreading rumors that she had grown unattractive, which was why she no longer acted.
Jiang Ning only managed to contact one director she had worked with during her teenage years, but he regretfully told her that he was no longer filming and was now working on a group variety show.
Jiang Ning needed money and was willing to do anything.
She asked the director: 【Do you need guests?】
The director, thinking of the online rumors about Jiang Ning having grown unattractive, hadn’t even had time to send a rejection.
The next second.
Jiang Ning sent a selfie.
The director: “…”
Fearing that Jiang Ning might change her mind, the director immediately called her, speaking rapidly.
“Yes! Absolutely!”
……
Without Jiang Jintao’s harassment, Jiang Ning felt at peace.
While she was idling away in the hotel provided by the director, someone came knocking.
It was the “blind date.”
Zhou Ran.
He was quite sincere, directly stating his purpose.
“Uncle Jiang asked me to come find you, hoping to bring us together.”
Jiang Ning leaned against the doorframe, not even intending to invite Zhou Ran inside for a cup of tea, but her tone remained polite.
“And what is Mr. Zhou’s opinion?”
Zhou Ran said gently, “I don’t mind getting to know you. It would be an honor to pursue such a beautiful lady.”
His honesty and courtesy softened Jiang Ning’s attitude toward him slightly.
“Mr. Zhou, I’m not considering this kind of thing right now.”
Zhou Ran was also very accommodating: “I can see that. It’s just that Uncle Jiang is very eager to bring us together. To prevent him from persisting, I’ll tell him after some time that, after getting to know each other, we’re indeed not a good match.”
Jiang Ning smiled, but her eyes still held a faint indifference, reflecting the bright hallway lights with an inorganic transparency.
She said, “It would be more effective if you just told him you didn’t take a liking to this lunatic.”
Zhou Ran was clearly a man of excellent upbringing and would never say such a thing.
He smiled without responding, but his gaze drifted past Jiang Ning’s shoulder to the takeout boxes on the living room table that hadn’t been thrown away yet.
Zhou Ran said, “Let’s go out for a meal. Your mother would be sad to see you like this.”
Her mother was the only person in the entire Jiang family who genuinely cared about her.
Jiang Ning remained silent for several seconds before saying, “It’s a pity she won’t see it anymore.”
Zhou Ran had expected Jiang Ning to refuse, but instead, she averted her gaze and said calmly, “Let’s go.”
……
Zhou Ran truly just wanted to treat her to a meal.
Nothing was discussed during the meal.
However, when Zhou Ran was seeing her off, they unexpectedly ran into Xi Yue.
Xi Yue leaned against a lamppost by the roadside, seemingly waiting for someone. The hands that countless fans had praised many times held a nearly burnt-out cigarette, its tip glowing red and flickering.
That faint ember struggled to survive in the night breeze, clinging to the last bit of tobacco.
As if it could go out at any moment.
Seeing this face, more mature than it had been six years ago, Jiang Ning felt her mind go numb, her chest so tight she could barely breathe, as if crushed by a heavy stone.
Unable to beat even slightly.
The first move Jiang Ning made upon seeing Xi Yue again was to instinctively take a step back, making her seem somewhat lacking in confidence.
It wasn’t because she felt guilty or embarrassed about seeing Xi Yue.
Rather, she couldn’t deceive herself into believing that day had just been an unusually vivid hallucination.
After all, back then, she could still lie to herself with the excuse that Xi Yue couldn’t possibly have been in the country.
…It really was Xi Yue, not a hallucination during an episode or a dream after drinking.
Their reunion was truly unexpected.
What crossed Jiang Ning’s mind wasn’t how Xi Yue’s appearance had changed over the past six years.
It was that he had learned to smoke.
His image no longer carried the rebelliousness and spirited confidence of his youth, now mostly concealed beneath the facade of a grown man.
But seeing him leaning lazily against the lamppost, it still seemed possible to glimpse the carefree and indifferent demeanor Xi Yue always carried, no matter the time or place.
Xi Yue’s reaction was calmer than Jiang Ning’s. He simply put down his cigarette, even offering a slight smile as he greeted her.
“Long time no see.”
Silence was the best response Jiang Ning could muster.
Xi Yue seemed indifferent to whether Jiang Ning would reply to his greeting.
His gaze shifted to Zhou Ran standing beside Jiang Ning, his expression turning cold and unreadable.
“Your boyfriend?”
Zhou Ran had expected Jiang Ning to say they were just strangers who had met twice, or that she wouldn’t even speak to Xi Yue.
But Jiang Ning spoke up: “A blind date.”
Zhou Ran remained silent, not exposing Jiang Ning’s lie.
This answer did little to soften Xi Yue’s icy expression.
He said, “So this is what you like now?”
Xi Yue let out a mocking laugh, not bothering to hide his sharpness or hostility.
“Your taste really has gotten worse.”
Morbidly gloomy little princess x rebellious top star in the entertainment industry
The female lead has depression·a faint sense of death; the male lead is a jerk, both silly and annoying, arrogant and flashy·no one can control him except his wife, don’t expect a cold and domineering CEO from the male lead
A sweet romance of around 200,000–300,000 words, perfect for bedtime & bathroom reading, dream material
Daily updates of 6,000 words【emphasis】, brain storage area, princess please add to bookshelf, if I stop updating I’ll castrate myself (stop saying I plagiarized this line and giving me bad reviews, because the book that supposedly copied it was also written by me, face of indignation)