Transmigrated into the Cannon Fodder's Daughter - Chapter 18.2
Editor: Aaghna
Zhan Jiayin had just finished filming a scene when her assistant, Xiao* Gao came to her anxiously.
[T/N: Term of endearment]
Zhan Jiayin smiled, “What’s wrong? Don’t be so anxious. If there’s something wrong, take your time.”
Xiao Gao scanned her surroundings and whispered, “Jiayin jie*, look at the Weibo hot searches.”
[T/N: Another term for endearment.]
Zhan Jiayin took the phone she was handed and opened it. When she saw that the hot searches were all related to her and Ren Shaotang, she had a bad feeling. With trembling hands, she clicked on the searches and saw the fans’ departure statements and her pictures with Ren Shaotang. Her eyes darkened and her legs gave beneath her.
Xiao Gao swiftly supported Zhan Jiayin with her hand, preventing her from collapsing to the ground. But the phone in Zhan Jiayin’s hand still fell and fell on the ground. Because it was the middle of summer, she was wearing sandals. It hit her foot and she felt a sharp pain. But the physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional turmoil she was going through.
Where did those pictures come from? How was it photographed?
Zhan Jiayin felt shocked, scared, and angry all at the same time.
Why were people talking about her like this? There was nothing between Ren Shaotang and her. How did people make it seem like they were having an illicit love affair? She wasn’t that kind of person. Ren Shaotang was truly a friend and nothing more.
Nanjue… Nanjue… What will he think when he sees this?
With trembling hands, Jiayin said, “Get these off the hot search list. You can get Zhang jie to take these down.” Zhang jie was Zhang Jiayin’s manager that Li Nanjue had hired for her. Ordinarily, when Zhan Jiayin’s online image was falling, Zhang jie would handle the matter.
Zhan Jiayin was covered in a cold sweat. The usual elegance she carried with her had long disappeared.
Xiao Gao gritted her teeth and said, “Zhang jie said that she couldn’t suppress the topic. The price they’re offering is too high. She’s going to have to ask the boss.”
In the end, Zhang jie was Mr. Li’s employee, so she’d have to listen to him.
Zhan Jiayin looked like she was cornered and had only one means of escape. “Right, find Nanjue. I’ll explain it to him. He’ll trust me.”
Nanjue knew that Ren Shaotang liked her and that she had rejected him. Nanjue wouldn’t misunderstand like the rest. If he published a statement, the hate that was being poured on her would lighten up.
While thinking about the deep feeling she shared with Nanjue, Zhan Jiayin regained her courage and confidence.
Currently, she didn’t want to film until the matter was dealt with. She notified the director, grabbed her things, and rushed out. Zhan Jiayin wasn’t sure if she was just overthinking things, but it felt like people were sneering and looking down at her everywhere she went.
****
By the time Zhan Jiayin returned to the Li family house, Nanjue’s car was parked in front of the entrance which meant that he was already home.
She sucked in a deep breath and suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of homesickness.
Zhan Jiayin lightly bit her lower lip, leaving a mark. Summoning her courage, she stepped in. Kitchen. Study room. She couldn’t find Li Nanjue’s familiar figure anywhere.
She approached the bedroom and opened the door. The room was dark because there were no lights on. The lights from the corridor entered the dark bedroom and revealed the stiletto of a tall figure. As expected, Nanjue was inside!
Zhan Jiayin walked in and said, “Why didn’t you turn on the lights in the bedroom?” Her tone made it seem as though she was blaming him. As she was talking, she turned on the lights in the room.
Li Nanjue lifted his head. Under the light, his expression was cryptic and hard to decipher.
Zhan Jiayin’s heart, along with her expression, fell, and her eyes began to water. Her tone was filled with sorrow. “Nanjue, do you really believe that nonsense online? People are just jealous that we’re a happy family.”
Nanjue’s attitude confused her, and she couldn’t help but have a bad feeling.
“It’s just the angle.” In the photos, both of them were wearing regular clothing instead of costumes. If they were wearing costumes, Zhan Jiayin could’ve said that they were filming a scene.
Unenthusiastically, Li Nanjue replied, “Holding hands was a result of the angle?”
Zhan Jiayin’s voice sounded weak. “I was sleeping at that time. I didn’t know Shaotang would do that.”
Li Nanjue’s jealousy seemed to be burning within him. “Didn’t know? You clearly knew Ren Shaotang liked you, and you slept in front of him without any guard and let him do whatever he wanted. Usually, whenever there’s a female near me, you get jealous and upset. Have you ever seen things from my perspective? Are you aware that you’re my wife?”
His furious expression made it seem like he wanted to rip Zhan Jiayin into pieces. The weight of this emotion pressed against Zhan Jiayin’s chest.
Zhan Jiayin’s tears flowed down her face. “No, I thought he had given up. I didn’t think about it that much.”
Li Nanjue sneered. “You didn’t think about it much even when you guys hugged?”
He threw out a stack of photos. The photos were even more ambiguous than the ones posted online. Even though Li Nanjue wanted to find excuses for her, he couldn’t find any.
“Enlighten me. Why would you guys want to hug? Is this how you usually spend time together?”
Li Nanjue was aware that he’d become the world’s biggest joke. Jiayin said she loved him but was unable to reject other men’s hugs and intimate touches. She would even become shy because of it.
Zhan Jiayin intently stared at the picture of them hugging on the floor and felt as if she was being strangled.
At that time, she had sent 500 million over, and Ren Shaotang was so moved he couldn’t help but hug her. She had been feeling upset with the way Nanjue and Li Xiao were treating her. They had been stuck on the existence of Xu Manqin. She wanted someone to comfort her and didn’t push away Ren Shaotang that time.
“I-” She opened her mouth, but she didn’t know how to explain.
Li Nanjue’s voice was cold and it felt like it crashed down on her from the sky. “Did you help him prepare those funds to pay Xiao Xiao that one billion? You knew what he did to Li Xiao, but you still helped him. Do you know what kind of position you put me and Xiao Xiao in?”
Li Nanjue stared at Zhan Jiayin’s pale complexion and tear-stained face. She looked lovely and pitiful, like a flower swaying in the wind. Before, whenever she showed this expression, Nanjue would feel guilty. He was willing to bring the world to her feet just to see her smile.
However, right now, he felt exhausted and gloomy.
Suddenly, he thought of something. If it were Manqin, she wouldn’t have been close to other men, and she wouldn’t have been willing to hurt him so much.
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