She Wants to Divorce Me

Chapter 23

This laughable situation was unlikely to be the work of someone familiar with Ji Yaoguang. It was probably someone with only partial knowledge, relying on their imagination to create a plausible story for netizens. The person behind this malicious act was unlikely to succeed, but the spectators had enjoyed a continuously twisting drama. Clarifying this matter would be effortless for Ji Yaoguang, but she worried this was just the beginning. She didn't know the intentions of those manipulating everything behind the scenes.

"Do you think Sheng Tang Era is behind this?" Ji Yaoguang's eyes brightened as she speculated, "Sheng Tang is not kind to artists who leave. You're leaving to start your own studio, Jiang Shoufang might not be happy about that."

Chang Yu glanced at Ji Yaoguang and shook her head, saying uncertainly, "Then why are you still with Sheng Tang? I don't think they need to do this. At most, they'd watch coldly from the sidelines or kick us when we're down. Moreover, 'The Treacherous Courtier' is Sheng Tang's investment. The film hasn't been released yet; they have no reason to go against their own interests."

"That makes sense," Ji Yaoguang rubbed her chin, her brow furrowing like clouds rolling across the sky. "Then who could be behind this? We should be careful on set recently, especially when using props. We must check everything carefully. We absolutely can't let anything go wrong."

You're overreacting a bit—these words remained unspoken. Chang Yu looked at Ji Yaoguang's brow furrowed with worry and anxiety, and softly replied, "Alright, you be careful too. Wear sunglasses when you go out, don't be so careless. Many people are watching from the shadows. You don't want to give netizens more to gossip about every day, do you?"

Previously, the conversation might have ended after the first two words. Ji Yaoguang raised an eyebrow in surprise. She could sense the change in Chang Yu, like a block of ice slowly melting under the spring breeze. The east wind brings warmth, all things stir with life—it was something like that.

"Ji Yaoguang." Feeling the direct gaze on her, Chang Yu rarely felt a bit shy, a blush spreading from her ears to her jade-like face. She covered her mouth and coughed lightly, saying softly, "The day after tomorrow is New Year's Day. The production team has a day off. Don't go out, wait for me."

Was this the prelude to a date? Ji Yaoguang's heart always leapt at Chang Yu's few words. Hiding her small thoughts, she watched Chang Yu's retreating figure, which looked almost like she was fleeing, and revealed a bright smile.

The people in the production weren't isolated from the world. They were well aware of the messy news online, though it wasn't clear if they were secretly enjoying the spectacle or what, but no one had any reaction. They continued to release information related to the film, displaying a diligent work attitude. Chang Yu had always been aloof, her interactions with the crew limited to discussions about understanding and improving acting skills. As for Ji Yaoguang, she often acted on her moods, quite willful in her own way.

"The news online should all be fake, right? I don't think Sister Ji is that kind of person," Jiang Huai's words seemed somewhat cautious. Dressed in his costume, he no longer displayed the scholarly elegance and extraordinary royal demeanor of Prince Xiang. In the production, he had the most private interactions with Ji Yaoguang. Strictly controlled by the company, he didn't dare speak out on Weibo, but—Jiang Huai blinked, concealing the tumultuous emotions in his eyes.

"When false is taken for true, true becomes false. Where there is nothing, something can be found," Ji Yaoguang responded lazily. She saw Director Li beckoning, and without caring who the indistinct voice was calling for, she gave Jiang Huai a cold glance and said, "Director Li is calling you over. He wants to discuss the scene with you." Unsolicited favors are either from a thief or a villain. She didn't know what Jiang Huai's intentions were, but she wasn't at all familiar with him and didn't want any future interactions.

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Like Ji Yaoguang, the Ji family's eldest son was also a cover figure, though he often appeared on financial magazines. With a physique comparable to a male model and a handsome face, he naturally attracted a large fan base of young women. The business world and the entertainment circle were different spheres, occasionally intersecting but more often like two parallel lines that never meet.

In the eyes of those media outlets, when caught meeting privately with a female star, the first thing to do would be to avoid suspicion and clarify. But Ji Kaiyang did the opposite. He boldly went to the production site, picked up both Chang Yu and Ji Yaoguang, and took them to a bustling restaurant. It was truly a conspicuous display, with the natural intimacy between siblings being misconstrued as a drama of the original wife confronting the mistress.

"Does this count as free publicity for your film?" Ji Kaiyang clicked his tongue a few times. "Several of my business friends have already asked me why I've lost my mind and decided to engage in 'German bone science'."

"I can't understand it either," Ji Yaoguang rested her chin on her hand, her knuckles tapping on the table making a clear sound. She turned to Chang Yu and asked, somewhat puzzled, "Don't Ji Kaiyang and I look alike at all? I can't comprehend the mentality of people who would use this for hype."

"You do look alike," Chang Yu nodded. They were biological siblings. Ji Yaoguang resembled their father more, while Ji Kaiyang took after their mother, but overall, the siblings shared about a 60% resemblance. Those who could say otherwise must rarely pay attention to financial news. Seeing Ji Kaiyang reminded Chang Yu of what he had said, making her feel somewhat uneasy, but Ji Yaoguang's teasing quickly dispelled that feeling. She continued, "You've basically never mentioned the Ji family. Even on variety shows, you just make things up. And your family respects your wishes on this matter. No wonder others don't know and treat you as someone without background or influence."

Ji Yaoguang blinked and teased, "Even without the Ji family, isn't the great actress Chang Yu my backing?"

Chang Yu didn't respond, a faint smile on her face.

With Ji Kaiyang's presence, the meal wasn't as awkward as Ji Yaoguang had imagined. Chang Yu behaved no differently than during their usual family gatherings, as if there had never been any discord between them. When Ji Kaiyang was sending them back, he left with a parting remark: "Don't worry about this matter anymore, let me handle it. Those messy rumors have gone too far." This was actually directed at Chang Yu. As for Ji Yaoguang, in her excitement, she had drunk a few glasses of wine and was already in a hazy state. She was now half-leaning in Chang Yu's embrace, peering with unfocused drunken eyes, lightly biting her nails. Had they known the alcohol was so strong, they would never have let Ji Yaoguang touch it.

The final glance at parting was full of meaning. Chang Yu pulled down Ji Yaoguang's hand and gave a slight nod in response. After Ji Kaiyang left, she supported the half-drunk Ji Yaoguang towards the elevator, disregarding the surprised looks from people around. Fortunately, Ji Yaoguang neither cried nor made a fuss, sparing Chang Yu from embarrassment in public. They had already reached their destination, yet this unreliable brother hadn't thought to help bring Ji Yaoguang to her room.

By the time Chang Yu laid Ji Yaoguang on the bed, she was covered in sweat. She took some clothes into the bathroom for a quick shower. Hearing a "bang," she rushed out without even drying her wet hair. Ji Yaoguang had become restless and rolled off the bed. Rubbing her forehead, Chang Yu felt quite helpless. She picked Ji Yaoguang up from the floor and put her back on the bed, stumbling and falling on top of her in the process. Propping herself up with her hands on either side of Ji Yaoguang's body, Chang Yu gazed at the familiar face, tracing every feature with her deep eyes. It seemed like a long time since she had looked at Ji Yaoguang's sleeping face so quietly and carefully. A soft sigh escaped her lips, dissipating in the room. She tucked a strand of hair behind Ji Yaoguang's ear. "Ji Yaoguang, ah Ji Yaoguang—" she repeated these words, her gaze growing softer.

If Ji Yaoguang had seen Chang Yu's expression while awake, she would have been elated for days. But she was trapped in an uneasy dream, with blurry figures she couldn't quite make out, people coming and going like sand slipping through her fingers, impossible to grasp. In the dream, the name "Chang Yu" lingered on her lips, changing from tender affection to a despair as if standing on the edge of an abyss. "Don't go, don't go..." It was not a peaceful sleep.

"What did you see in your dream?" Chang Yu sat on the edge of the bed, holding Ji Yaoguang's hand, listening to her soft, anxious murmurs. Her expression became complex, a mix of emotions difficult to express settling in her heart.

"I dreamed you left with someone else..." Ji Yaoguang, still in her dream state, actually responded to Chang Yu's words. Tears flowed from the corners of her eyes, eventually disappearing into her hair. Seeing her in such a distressed state, Chang Yu's heart ached as if cut by a knife. She gently wiped away the warm tears with her soft fingertips. Ji Kaiyang was right; how could it be only Ji Yaoguang's fault that they had reached this point? Clearly, they both harbored love, but in the end, they were like two curled-up hedgehogs, hurting each other when embracing too tightly, only able to seek a safe position. But how could that be enough?

Leaning down to touch her forehead to Ji Yaoguang's, Chang Yu sighed deeply. Closing her eyes to feel the warmth where their skin touched, after a long while, she sighed again and said softly, "I must talk to you. Please let me understand your insecurities, and I'll let you know my dissatisfactions. We should both find our most suitable positions in this relationship."