Chapter 5

Zhu Shilang arrived a little late. When he came, he noticed the strange atmosphere between the two but didn’t probe further. Instead, he began scolding Zhu Xinyue.
“You said you were living just fine? Look at the kind of place you’re staying in!”
Zhu Shilang’s bodyguards were moving her out overnight. Zhu Xinyue leaned against the car, obediently taking the scolding.
Being scolded was good, it let him know she wasn’t doing well without the Zhu family, making him feel more sorry for his little sister.
Zhu Xinyue was playing a little trick. It wasn’t purely to show determination, as she had told Ji Linyu, that she let Zhu Shilang see her living conditions. She deliberately let him see her current situation, so he would pity her. That way, when she made requests later, he would be less likely to refuse.
Say what people want to hear, say what ghosts want to hear, that was the survival tactic of someone like her, a minor character.
Zhu Xinyue wished Zhu Shilang would scold her even more harshly, making her appear even more pitiful and stirring his guilt.
“You have a mansion but refuse to live in it, choosing this old, dilapidated place instead. What’s wrong with Cheng Er? At least he wouldn’t make you live here!” After seeing the environment, Zhu Shilang grew even angrier. As he spoke, he dragged Ji Linyu into it. “Linyu, don’t you agree? What’s so bad about Cheng Er?”
Zhu Xinyue looked up toward the figure in dark gray. He seemed to glance at her before turning away.
She thought he would side with Zhu Shilang and say something nice about this “Cheng Er” she had never met, but instead, she heard him cough and say, “Cheng Er… isn’t very tall.”
Zhu Xinyue blinked and turned her gaze to Zhu Shilang.
“Rounding up, 175 cm is still above average height, right?” Zhu Shilang said.
As everyone knows, rounding up to 175 cm is as exaggerated as her claiming her income is under 100,000.
Zhu Xinyue muttered under her breath, “I’m already 170 cm in heels.”
“If you care about the height difference, you can wear flats in the future and let him wear elevator shoes,” Zhu Shilang didn’t see this as a problem.
But Zhu Xinyue thought it was a huge issue. She turned to Ji Linyu, seeking agreement: “We’re not even together yet, and he’s already taking away my right to wear high heels. What would happen if we really got together?”
Ji Linyu nodded and joined her in looking at Zhu Shilang.
Zhu Shilang's gaze swept between them, wondering when the two of them had become so united in their stance.
"Anyway, you're unfamiliar with Tianze City and wouldn't know who to turn to if something happened. Come home with me. If you don't like Cheng Er or Lin San, there are plenty of other eligible bachelors, you can take your time choosing."
Zhu Xinyue hesitated, her words caught in her throat. This time, she didn't seek Ji Linyu's help again, merely lowering her head dejectedly and slowly getting into Zhu Shilang's car.
Seeing her like this, Zhu Shilang felt a pang of discomfort. He composed himself and turned to speak to Ji Linyu.
"Linyu, thank you. And for staying with us through all this trouble so late."
Ji Linyu lowered his gaze, catching sight of the girl sulking in the car. He recalled her words, "I don't like you anymore," and felt a subtle shift in his mood.
"Earlier, when I mentioned letting her stay at your place temporarily, just forget I said it," Zhu Shilang said, glancing at his watch. "It's too late now. I'll take her back to the hotel first, and we'll return to Qingyang tomorrow afternoon. We'll catch up another time."
Ji Linyu's lips twitched slightly. The word "okay" hovered on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it back.
The car window rolled down, and Zhu Xinyue leaned out, stretching her hand toward Ji Linyu. She tugged at his sleeve and beckoned him with a hook of her finger.
Thinking she had something to say to him, Ji Linyu approached the car, bending down to lean closer to the window.
From this distance, Zhu Xinyue could clearly see his features.
Unlike the coldness in his eyes when they first met, there was now a hint of patience in the way he looked at her.
"Mr. Ji, do you think Cheng Er, the one my brother mentioned, would be a good marriage prospect?" Zhu Xinyue asked for his opinion.
Someone as kind-hearted as him probably wouldn't push her into a pit of fire. His evaluation would be more objective. If Cheng Er was decent, she might consider getting to know him.
After all, she was single now and didn't have anyone she liked.
Ji Linyu rested his hand on the roof of the car, looking down at the girl leaning against the window.
She tilted her head slightly, waiting for his answer.
From the perspective of family background, the Cheng family was indeed a suitable match, but...
According to Ji Qingyuan, her criteria for a partner were heavily based on looks, and Cheng Er probably didn't meet her standards.
Setting aside appearance and judging solely by character and ability, Cheng Er was merely average. Even Old Master Cheng had said it would be an achievement if he could just maintain the family business.
Ji Linyu imagined Cheng Er standing next to Zhu Xinyue and frowned, his hand on the car roof curling into a fist.
He straightened up and glanced at Zhu Shilang, who was frantically signaling him to say something positive and persuade her.
Ji Linyu lowered his head again, meeting Zhu Xinyue's clear eyes.
She wasn't asking for his help this time, just his opinion. It seemed that if he said something favorable, she would seriously consider adding Cheng Er to her list of options.
"Are you sure you don't like me anymore?" Ji Linyu's voice was very low, speaking to Zhu Xinyue in a tone only the two of them could hear.
Zhu Xinyue nodded.
She admitted that at first, she had been blinded by money, she had been foolishly infatuated. Next time, she would never confess recklessly again!
Ji Linyu paused for a moment, then asked, "Do you want to stay in Tianze City?"
Zhu Xinyue nodded vigorously.
The male lead was still in Tianze City!
Ji Linyu seemed to have conceded to someone. He closed his eyes for a moment, then stood up and walked toward Zhu Shilang.
With his back to Zhu Xinyue, he discussed something with Zhu Shilang.
After a while, Zhu Shilang happily walked back to the car and knocked on Zhu Xinyue's window.
"Xinyue, you can stay here, but you have to listen to Linyu and live at his place. Is that okay?"
Zhu Xinyue's eyes lit up. She turned to look in Ji Linyu's direction and waved at his dark gray figure.
"Thank you, brother Linyu!"
That figure, which had been heading toward his car, paused for a moment upon hearing this, then walked even faster.
Lishan Villa District.
Never in her wildest dreams did Zhu Xinyue imagine she would move into the male lead's brother's house even before the male lead, Ji Qingyuan.
Before leaving, Zhu Shilang left his supplementary card with Zhu Xinyue and ruffled her hair. "I'll talk to Dad about it. When you get tired of playing outside, just come home. Remember to take me and Dad out of your blacklist. If I can't find you next time, I'll have Linyu send you straight back to Qingyang. Got it?"
Zhu Xinyue nodded emphatically, clutching his supplementary card, her nose tingling with emotion.
Wahhh, she was rich now!
The day had been full of twists and turns. Zhu Xinyue was assigned to a guest room, freshened up a bit, and went to sleep.
In her dreams, the original host's memories became increasingly clear.
She had a very long dream, where she stood from a third-person perspective and witnessed the memories of the "Zhu Xinyue" from the novel.
At five years old, her parents divorced. Her brother stayed with their father, while her mother took her back to Nancheng. She only saw her father and brother occasionally during holidays.
In Nancheng, she met the novel's male lead, Ji Qingyuan.
For the original host, her parents' divorce, moving to an unfamiliar environment, and being bullied by unfamiliar children, all of it was overwhelming. Then, a boy like a little sun suddenly appeared. He chased away her bullies, pulled her into his circle of friends, taught her to speak the southern dialect word by word, and told her they would be friends from then on.
From that moment on, Ji Qingyuan was no longer just "Ji Qingyuan", he was her lifeline, her everything.
No one could refuse such a warm sun, even if it shone not only on her but on everyone.
When Zhu Xinyue woke up, she touched the corner of her eye and found it wet, with a tear stain. She didn't know if it belonged to the original host or herself.
After this dream, Zhu Xinyue felt as if she had just finished a tragic couple's story.
For the sake of the original host, Zhu Xinyue would do her best to fulfill her wish of protecting Ji Qingyuan's path to glory.
Since she had been up late the previous day, Zhu Xinyue didn't wake up until noon.
The bodyguard had placed her online purchases by her bedroom door.
The first thing Zhu Xinyue did after getting up and washing was to open the packages and learn how to wear contact lenses.
Lishan Villa District was where the wealthy and celebrities of Tianze City resided, with houses spaced far apart and each building boasting its own unique architectural style.
Ji Linyu’s home was divided into a main building and an annex. The owner and guests stayed in the main building, while the villa staff lived in the annex. In front of the buildings were a private swimming pool and a garden meticulously maintained by a professional team of gardeners.
It’s not advisable to wear contact lenses for too long the first time, so Zhu Xinyue took hers off shortly after putting them in. She stood on the balcony, soaking up the sun and relaxing her eyes.
She noticed a white car approaching from the main road, eventually stopping in front of the main building.
The sunlight was glaring, so Zhu Xinyue raised a hand to her brow to shield her eyes from the direct rays, squinting as she looked down.
A man with light golden hair and sunglasses stepped out of the car. She guessed it was Ji Qingyuan.
Following him was a bearded, heavyset man, chattering incessantly as he trailed behind.
"This variety show has already aired one season and has high engagement and a solid reputation. Taking on this show now will keep you in the spotlight and maintain your public exposure before your drama is released. What do you say, Young Master Ji?"
Ji Qingyuan stood at the entrance, waiting for his bodyguards and assistants to unload his luggage from the car, and replied to his manager, "I’ll think about it."
"What’s there to think about? Reality shows all have scripts, just follow the script when the time comes. The director and producer are friends of mine, and besides, you’re the second son of Jin Huan Group. If you ask your brother to invest a little, you’ll be a stakeholder. With your brother around, who would dare mess with you?"
Ji Qingyuan took off his sunglasses, folded them, and slipped them into his chest pocket.
"The guest list includes many seniors in the industry. In terms of seniority, I’m just a newcomer. No matter what I say, it could easily be twisted."
"You’re the most popular among them, and your fans are fiercely loyal. Who would dare embarrass you on camera?" the manager said.
Ji Qingyuan shifted his gaze, not particularly keen on continuing the conversation. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a figure on the second-floor balcony and looked up.
Seeing him frozen in place, the manager followed his line of sight to the second floor.
She wore a simple white dress, her jet-black hair lifted by the wind and tucked behind her ear. As the breeze stilled, she lowered her gaze, looking down at the two below with utter calm, as if observing roadside flowers and grass.
Meeting their eyes, she smiled faintly and gave a slight, gentle wave.
She seemed like a soul detached from the world, observing the vastness of the universe and the equality of all beings, peacefully allowing everything to unfold.
For a moment, they saw a divine quality in her, a benevolent divinity.
The agent's eyelids twitched wildly as he realized his career might achieve even more dazzling success beyond Ji Qingyuan. Unable to contain his excitement, he asked, "Who is she?"
Ji Qingyuan snapped back to reality and, just as he had always introduced Zhu Xinyue to others, told his agent: "Her name is Zhu Xinyue. We grew up together since we were kids. She's..."
The words "like siblings" lingered on the tip of his tongue.
He heard himself change his response, softly saying, "…"