Don’t Want a Divorce (20)
“No matter how you are, I like you.”
“Jiaojiao, you’ve become famous.”
After Xu Jiao finished chatting with the system and woke up after a sleep, Feng Qingyu was still on her bed. She just held a phone in her hand, shaking it at her to let her see the top trending topics.
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Just by herself, she occupied five trending searches. Xu Jiao rubbed her eyes. The medicine she took last night had now taken effect, steadily suppressing her pheromones and that terrifying emotional surge. Now she had returned to normal but did not leave Feng Qingyu’s embrace. Instead, she conveniently took her phone and swiped through the trending list.
Her tone carried a bit of confusion: “Is this… the company buying me trending spots?”
According to Xu Jiao’s expectations, after the second episode of 《The Palace Wall Willows》 aired yesterday, perhaps the scene of her and Feng Qingyu in the Tangquan Palace might attract the audience’s interest, but at most, it would only occupy one trending spot, not to the extent of dominating the front row like this.
After all, Ni Hong had already been fired by her.
So the only possibility Xu Jiao could think of was that the company bought her the trending spots, leveraging the promotional heat of 《The Palace Wall Willows》, or perhaps the advertisers bought them for her.
Feng Qingyu let her take the phone, holding her waist, and gently smoothed her hair with a raised hand. After such an intimate exchange last night, Feng Qingyu now instinctively wanted to be close to Xu Jiao, to hold her in her arms and pamper her, so she unconsciously used such gestures.
Even though she hadn’t deeply marked the person—
But psychologically, it seemed she had already accepted this person as her own.
This sense of possession made Feng Qingyu exude an air of triumphant satisfaction from the inside out. Her gaze towards Xu Jiao was also increasingly gentle, even her voice when speaking to her was the same:
“I just asked Sister Lina, she said the company only coordinated with the production team for promotion, bought you some ads, but didn’t buy any trending spots. The advertisement side did buy one, but…”
“Take a look at your Weibo follower count, it increased by 800,000 overnight.”
“You are truly popular now, and it’s explosive popularity.”
Listening to her words, Xu Jiao casually logged into her Weibo backend. What she saw were 9999 private messages and @mentions, along with a string of follower numbers. She originally didn’t want to count, but the account lagged as soon as she logged in, forcing her to stare at the pile of numbers.
After patiently waiting for about ten seconds and seeing that Feng Qingyu’s phone Weibo backend was completely stuck, Xu Jiao smiled and shook her head, handing the phone back to her. She no longer showed interest in the exaggerated popularity, instead, she gently moved Feng Qingyu’s hand off her waist and got up to walk towards the bathroom.
Xu Jiao was straightforward and unperturbed, but Feng Qingyu’s eyes clung to her body for a long time without moving. Having been awake for quite a while but lying in bed without much movement, Feng Qingyu now propped herself up and sat up. Just as Xu Jiao was about to close the bathroom door, Feng Qingyu raised her hand to block it.
Xu Jiao turned back to look at her: “I need to take a bath.”
Feng Qingyu smiled and said, “I know, I just wanted to ask, can we bathe together?”
Xu Jiao lifted her right hand and placed it on Feng Qingyu’s shoulder. Initially, her palm landed firmly, but then it lightly lifted, with her fingertips slowly gliding from Feng Qingyu’s shoulder socket up her neck, barely brushing against her carotid artery, dragging bit by bit, and finally stopping at her chin.
“Don’t even think about it.”
Xu Jiao smiled briefly, then quickly composed herself, calmly replying, “I’ll bathe alone, it will only take ten minutes. Bathing with you, that wouldn’t be something that can be resolved in two hours.”
“We still have to return to the set this afternoon. Know when to stop, Feng Qingyu.”
After speaking, she unceremoniously closed the door in Feng Qingyu’s face. Feng Qingyu stepped back half a step, touched her nose, her eyes still filled with laughter, and called out softly through the door:
“Jiaojiao,” she said, “the way you use me and then discard me makes you seem especially heartless, you know?”
Xu Jiao’s laughter came from inside, carrying the unique echo of the bathroom, adding a touch of haziness: “You don’t like it?”
Feng Qingyu: “…”
She pressed her warm palm against the frosted glass door of the bathroom, chuckling softly as she replied, “I like it.”
Feng Qingyu: “No matter how you are, I like you.”
……
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After the two finished washing up and changing clothes, they specifically notified the housekeeper to come and tidy up Xu Jiao’s room, then headed downstairs together.
Shi Weiya was already preparing lunch. She knew that Feng Qingyu’s work was very busy, sometimes causing her to flip her schedule, so in this household, she never urged the children to get up at a certain time. Now that Xu Jiao was also an actress, these two slept until late morning, and she only had the housekeeper keep breakfast warm, without going upstairs to check on them.
Hearing the noise of them coming downstairs, Shi Weiya poked her head out of the kitchen. Seeing Xu Jiao from afar, she smiled and walked out a couple of steps: “Jiaojiao is up? You’ve been so tired with the production lately, sleeping until this time, oh dear, it makes my heart ache… Although lunch is almost ready, breakfast is still warm. Do you want to have a little something to tide you over?”
Midway through her words, she noticed Feng Qingyu following a few steps behind, but Shi Weiya didn’t shift her focus to her. Only after expressing her concern for Xu Jiao did she add:
“Qingyu, you’re up too. Do you want to go straight to lunch or have some breakfast as well?”
Feng Qingyu: “…”
Although she was quite pleased to see her mother showing such care for Xu Jiao, she couldn’t help but feel that if she missed another meal, she would be left with leftovers while Xu Jiao would have a brand-new luxurious feast.
Helplessly, she responded, “I’ll wait for lunch, Mom.”
Xu Jiao also nodded, agreeing with her. This time, she looked around and asked about Father Feng’s whereabouts. From Shi Weiya, she learned that he had gone back to the company early in the morning. Only then did she roll up her sleeves and head toward the kitchen.
Since they had to return to the set in the afternoon, she wanted to spend as much time as possible with Shi Weiya while still at home.
Shi Weiya remembered the original owner’s preferences and knew she particularly liked chicken. So, she was busy in the kitchen preparing a homemade version of kiln-roasted chicken. The chicken had to be marinated in advance, with the sauce evenly spread inside and out, then placed in the oven to roast. The whole process took several hours and was quite cumbersome, but the final result was excellent—crispy skin, tender and juicy meat, and incredibly delicious.
“…Today, I had the kitchen staff go to the market early to buy this chicken. It was freshly slaughtered and is very fresh. I even had them save the chicken blood. In a bit, I’ll cook a small bowl of celery soup. Both you and Qingyu should drink more of it. Although I know you eat well on the set, the food out there is either too greasy or completely bland. With your chaotic schedules, if you keep eating like that every day, you’ll ruin your health and it’s very easy to develop stomach problems…”
Shi Weiya was chopping small celery stalks as she spoke earnestly to Xu Jiao.
Xu Jiao patiently responded beside her, helping to wash vegetables and crush garlic. But halfway through Shi Weiya’s words, she suddenly stopped. At this moment, one was handling meat on the cutting board while the other was washing vegetables at the sink, standing very close to each other.
Shi Weiya looked Xu Jiao up and down, seemingly wanting to ask why Xu Jiao had such a strong scent of Feng Qingyu’s pheromones. However, when the words reached her lips, she noticed that there were no marks on the back of Xu Jiao’s neck, so she thought she might have misunderstood.
“Auntie?” Xu Jiao called out to her in some confusion.
Shi Weiya then realized she had been lost in thought for quite a while and laughed, saying to her, “It’s nothing. I’ve gotten old, and sometimes when I talk too fast, I forget what I was going to say next. Where was I?”
“Oh right, the kitchen recently pickled some small dishes. Do you want to take some to the set to go with your meals?”
“This morning, Uncle Feng also had a few boxes of fruit brought in. You should take some to the set later. I’m worried that you’ll focus only on your three meals and won’t get enough vitamins…”
……
Shi Weiya’s voice was very gentle and soothing, so even though her chatter was long and rambling, Xu Jiao listened patiently to every word.
During lunch, Uncle Feng did not come back. At the dining table, there were only Xu Jiao, Feng Qingyu, and Shi Weiya, but the atmosphere was exceptionally good, warm and harmonious, making Xu Jiao unintentionally eat until she was almost full.
When she returned to the set, she couldn’t help but hiccup.
Feng Qingyu gave a look to the assistant nearby, and Luo Bo immediately poured a cup of warm water from a thermos and handed it to Feng Qingyu. Feng Qingyu then passed it to Xu Jiao:
“Bend over, hold a mouthful of water in your mouth, then straighten up and swallow it immediately. You won’t hiccup anymore.”
Hearing her words, Xu Jiao was momentarily stunned.
As she took the cup, her fingertips curled slightly, as if she was momentarily lost in thought.
Feng Qingyu, thinking she didn’t believe it, smiled and emphasized, “Really, when I was little, I often ran around after meals and would always hiccup. My mom made me do this every time, and it worked quickly.”
Xu Jiao quickly masked the expression on her face and also smiled at her, “I know, I’ve heard of this method before.”
Nearby.
Lu Xun and Qiu Yongli had just finished discussing today’s shooting schedule when they saw Xu Jiao getting out of Feng Qingyu’s car. Lu Xun wanted to go over and say hello, but as he approached, he caught a whiff of the strong… bitter orange-scented pheromones coming from Xu Jiao.
The pheromones were almost aggressively announcing to him that this Omega had already been marked.
Between them…
was already a very intimate relationship.
Lu Xun suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes filled with the image of Xu Jiao and Feng Qingyu smiling at each other. It wasn’t until the two noticed his presence that Feng Qingyu nodded at him first, naturally saying:
“Good afternoon, Teacher Lu.”
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Xu Jiao also smiled at him.
Lu Xun discreetly bit down on his molars, maintaining his usual smile before saying to them, “Director Zhen just mentioned that our show’s ratings broke 2 points1 yesterday. We’re going to celebrate tonight.”
After sharing the good news, he left with a smile. Once he returned to his assistant’s side, Lu Xun raised his hand. When the assistant respectfully handed him the phone, he sent a message to Shangguan Yan:
“Boss.”
“Waiting any longer and this rice will really be cooked. I think it’s already half-cooked; shouldn’t we lift the lid now?”2
Yantian Entertainment Building.
Shangguan Yan had just returned from a business trip and was catching up with his secretary about recent company matters. He raised his hand to loosen the tie around his neck when he suddenly heard a “ding.”
He took out his phone and immediately stopped talking.
Gesturing to the secretary who was still trying to report, he signaled to stop. Allowing his assistant to push open the office door ahead of him, Shangguan Yan suddenly halted his steps and looked at his assistant.
“The person I asked you to find last time, how did it go?”
The assistant quickly responded in a low voice, “Found them, President Yan. They said they’re awaiting your instructions and can provide updates whenever you want. I’ve already looked into it; Feng Qingyu has a brand event next week.”
Shangguan Yan acknowledged with a simple “Hmm,” adjusted his tie back into place, and casually said, “No time like the present, let’s do it that day.”
After speaking, he walked into the office. The sound of his handmade leather shoes on the carpet was a series of muffled thuds, not too loud nor too soft. After taking a couple of steps, he stopped again, turned slightly, and said:
“I remember there’s someone named Xu Jiao around Feng Qingyu, and they have a six-month engagement, correct?”
The assistant, equally familiar with the dynamics of the entertainment industry, naturally picked up on Shangguan Yan’s cue and responded, “Yes, President Yan. Yesterday was the premiere of 《The Palace Wall Willows》. Xu Jiao and Feng Qingyu’s on-screen romantic relationship has been very engaging for the audience. The marketing department has already assessed the show’s trajectory, and Xu Jiao is likely to become the hottest star in the next six months.”
Shangguan Yan pursed his lips, recalling Xu Jiao’s behavior at the last banquet. He slowly said, “This Xu Jiao… tends to be clingy. Make sure the target isn’t mistaken. I don’t want to hear about any collateral damage in the news.”
“Understood, President Yan.” The assistant, noting the emphasis on this matter, firmly committed the order to memory, even planning to stress it when issuing the task later.
“Make sure to act when Feng Qingyu is alone; that’s the safest bet,” Shangguan Yan added.
As he spoke, his gaze drifted through the glass of his office, looking out at the towering skyscrapers that soared into the clouds with an imposing presence. Despite the bustling cityscape filled with the most prosperous scenery, there wasn’t a trace of emotion in his eyes.
……
At the same time, on set.
Due to the immense popularity of Xu Jiao and Feng Qingyu’s CP and the excellent on-screen chemistry they presented, they learned from Director Zhen that the screenwriter was inspired last night and rewrote their scenes. Today, they were shooting one of those new scenes.
This part of the revised script was vastly different from the original.
In the original script, after the Emperor confined the Empress to the Change Le Palace, the story concluded with Noble Consort Rong doing everything in her power outside to win back the Emperor’s favor. She even tried to send imperial physicians around the time the Empress was about to give birth—
However, in the end, all she received was the news of the Empress dying from difficult labor and heavy bleeding.
The child couldn’t be saved either.
Noble Consort Rong, upon hearing the news, locked herself up in the Jinxiu Palace for three days without eating or drinking. When she finally emerged, she had become a madwoman, running wildly throughout the palace. She was reported to the Emperor, who then banished her to the Cold Palace, where she spent the rest of her life in madness.
But today’s revised script is…
Noble Consort Rong first heard about General Qi’s rebellion at the border, which implicated the entire Qi family. Then she heard the news about the sealing of the Change Le Palace. Overwhelmed, she couldn’t stand steady in her own Jinxiu Palace and collapsed straight onto a chair.
When she woke up, only her trusted aide, Aya, was by her side, anxiously watching over her: “Your Majesty, you’re finally awake. I’ve already sent for the imperial physician—”
“We can’t call the imperial physician.” Noble Consort Rong grasped Aya’s wrist with a reverse grip, her face calm yet resolute. Only her dark eyes shone brightly, flickering with determination.
She seemed to have recovered from the devastating news.
But her nails dug into the beautiful light blue sleeve of the palace maid with great force, as if grasping at a lifeline. She repeated each word firmly: “Call them back. We cannot summon the imperial physician. Summoning the imperial physician would be the end of us.”
Aya, startled, nodded quickly and instructed the palace attendants outside to recall the person who was sent.
With a slight sob in her voice, Aya said, “Your Majesty, now… the situation in the Empress’s palace is dire. I heard that His Majesty’s decree is that no one is allowed to enter or leave the palace. This means he intends for everyone in the Chang Le Palace to die inside… At this critical juncture, His Majesty is extremely angered by the news from the Qi family. Even if we plead, we should wait until things calm down to avoid bringing disaster upon ourselves.”
Noble Consort Rong raised her hand to halt Aya’s sobs, her eyebrows furrowing.
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“Wait?”
She said, “How am I supposed to wait? I can wait, but my sister and the child in her womb cannot. Now that the Chang Le Palace is sealed, what good things can those opportunistic eunuchs send inside? Not giving them leftovers, no ice in summer, no charcoal in winter—that’s already being kind.”
As she spoke, Noble Consort Rong raised her hand to gently press her temples, squinting her eyes, “Let me be quiet for a moment. Let me think of a solution. If you need to cry… wait until I’m dead, then it’s not too late to cry.”
The hall fell silent, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
The camera turned to her face, giving a close-up of her expression, allowing viewers to clearly see her hidden anxiety, urgency, and her effort to calm down.
After a while, she took a light breath and asked, “Last night, why did the little palace maid by Noble Lady Liu’s side anger His Majesty?”
Aya, puzzled, replied, “I heard she tried to climb into His Majesty’s bed but failed to serve him well, which enraged His Majesty, and he ordered her to be beaten to death.”
Noble Consort Rong raised her hand. The nail guards on the last two fingers were long and sharp, as flamboyant as her personality. After a long pause, she suddenly said, “No, with His Majesty’s indiscriminate nature, how could he be angered by a palace maid’s initiative? He would be pleased, not angry—”
“Moreover, for such matters, punishing the palace maid would suffice. His Majesty has never been one to take out his anger on others. That person must have violated some taboo, which also implicated Liu Ruyi.”
Aya listened, somewhat confused, but it didn’t stop her from feeling anxious at the moment: “But this… what does this have to do with the Empress’s situation?”
Noble Consort Rong slowly shook her head, her face darkening slightly, and then she slowly said:
“It is precisely at this critical juncture that I cannot make a single misstep—”
“I need to rescue my sister without arousing the slightest suspicion from the Emperor. I want us all to be safe and sound… Aya, go and summon Liu Ruyi. Ask her why she has been so out of line recently, not coming to pay respects to me for over half a month.”
Footnotes
- Broke 2 points (破了2個點): Refers to the TV show’s ratings surpassing 2%, a significant milestone.
- Raw Rice (生米): This phrase is part of a Chinese idiom “生米煮成熟饭” (raw rice cooked into cooked rice), meaning something has already been done and cannot be undone.