Huayu 2021: Isn’t he in the technology field?

Chapter 245 Getting Too Immersed in the Role, the Liar is the Dog

At 10:30 p.m., the black SUV smoothly drove into the underground parking garage of Binhu Shuangxi. The sound of the wheels rubbing against the ground was particularly jarring in the empty garage.

After the car came to a stop, Chen Duo and Zhang Wen immediately got out, and Jiang Qing followed closely by opening the back door, getting out, and immediately turning around.

At this moment, he was fully awake.

Zhou Ye followed him out of the car. His eyes and nose were still red, and there were still tears on his long eyelashes. He sniffed from time to time, but his emotions were obviously more stable. However, his small mouth was still slightly pouting, and he did not look at Jiang Qing.

Jiang Qing sighed inwardly, remaining silent.

The elevator ascended silently, its numbers flashing as it stopped on a high floor.

After successful facial recognition authentication, the door opens to reveal a spacious entryway, where motion-sensor lights automatically illuminate with a soft glow in response to footsteps.

"President Jiang, shall we head back now?"

Chen Duo tactfully inquired.

"Well, thank you for your hard work."

Jiang Qing waved her hand, and the two of them went out and gently closed the door, shutting out the outside world.

Only he and Zhou Ye remained in the entryway.

The girl stood at the door with her back to him, head down, her fingers unconsciously fiddling with the belt of her trench coat.

The imposing aura she had just displayed outside had vanished, leaving only a pitiful figure, her shoulders still trembling slightly from the lingering sobs.

Jiang Qing looked at her pitiful appearance and sighed silently.

He walked behind the girl and tentatively reached out to gently place his hand on her shoulder.

"Ono..."

Zhou Ye shrugged, abruptly shook off his hand, turned around, his eyes wide open like a puppy with its fur standing on end, and spoke with a heavy nasal tone.

"Don't touch me! You big liar!"

Jiang Qing was taken aback by her shout, and then a helpless and heartbroken expression appeared on her face.

He softened his voice.

"I'm sorry, Ono, I was faking it, but... but I really don't know how to handle that situation just now. I'm afraid that if you two start arguing, it will be even harder to handle."

"So you just pretended to be dead?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ye became even angrier, and tears welled up in his eyes again.

"Watching me argue with her? Watching her say those 'destined' things? Jiang Qing, you heartless womanizer, do you have a heart at all! First it was Sister Meng, then Chen Duling and Tian Xiwei, and now there's Zhang Jingyi! Do you think I'm easy to bully?"

She couldn't help but raise her hand and punch his chest again, the force was not great, but it was full of grievance.

"No, I didn't mean to watch you argue."

Jiang Qing quickly grabbed her small fist and held it in his hand, speaking sincerely.

"I was really dizzy at the time. You know my alcohol tolerance. The alcohol hit me, and... my mind was all jumbled up. I..."

He paused, quickly organizing his thoughts.

"Xiao Ye, I admit that at first I did feel that my encounters with Jingyi were quite destined. We spent every day together during filming, and I was very emotionally invested in some scenes. Sometimes I couldn't even tell whether my feelings for her were like Li Xun's feelings for Zhu Yun, or like my feelings for Zhang Jingyi."

The honest words stopped Zhou Ye from crying. She raised her tearful face and looked at him in surprise, as if she hadn't expected him to admit it so frankly.

Jiang Qing looked at her tear-streaked face, her eyeliner smudged a little, making her look both comical and pitiful.

He took her hand and led her to the island counter, gesturing for her to sit on a high stool. He then turned and went to the water dispenser to get a glass of warm water, which he handed to her.

"I drank some water and my voice became hoarse from crying."

He spoke in an exceptionally gentle tone.

Zhou Ye didn't answer, but just glared at him with red eyes while sobbing, as if trying to determine whether his words were true or false.

Jiang Qing placed the water glass on the island counter in front of her, then pulled up a stool and sat down, facing her very closely.

He placed his hands clasped on the table, leaned slightly forward, and looked directly at her with a serious expression of self-analysis.

"Xiao Ye, you are an actress, so you should understand this feeling the most. Sometimes, when you get too immersed in a role, you really bring the emotions from the play into real life, especially between actors who are acting opposite each other. The emotional resonance is very strong. When I played Li Xun and Zhu Yun with her, we went through so many twists and turns. The feeling of being pulled... really made it hard for me to distinguish reality."

He looked directly into Zhou Ye's eyes without flinching.

"But that doesn't mean I've actually fallen in love with Zhang Jingyi off-screen. It's just a kind of... emotional projection brought about by my profession. It's very strong, but it's temporary. As an actor, you should be able to understand me, right?"

As Zhou Ye listened to his words, her long eyelashes drooped, and she stared at the water droplets condensed on the glass in front of her without saying a word, but her tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and the frequency of her sobs also decreased.

Seeing that she had taken it to heart, Jiang Qing breathed a slight sigh of relief and continued to patiently guide her.

“This drama will wrap up in two months. After filming is over, she and I will return to our own lives. We won’t see each other every day anymore, and we won’t be immersed in the story of Li Xun and Zhu Yun anymore. This illusion created by the drama will naturally fade away. I need time to sort things out, but the object of my sorting out is not her as a person, but the emotions brought about by this drama. You believe me, okay?”

He reached out and gently touched the back of Zhou Ye's hand, which was resting on the island platform.

Zhou Ye's fingers twitched slightly, but this time he didn't immediately dodge.

The room was quiet, with only the faint sound of air from the central air conditioning vents.

After a long while, Zhou Ye finally raised his head. His eyes were still wet with tears, but the sharp anger and sadness had been replaced by confusion and a hint of wavering.

She sniffed, her voice soft and uncertain.

"Really... just too immersed in the role?"

"real!"

Jiang Qing nodded vigorously, her eyes open and honest.

"A play is a play, and life is life. I can tell who is the one who has truly entered my heart."

He held her hand.

Zhou Ye looked down at their clasped hands. Jiang Qing's hands were large and strong, with a warm touch.

She was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly muttered something, with a hint of coquettish dissatisfaction.

"Then why were you pretending to be drunk earlier! You made me so worried! I initially thought you were really, really drunk..."

Jiang Qing was overjoyed and quickly apologized.

"It's my fault, it's my fault. I just wanted to leave there as soon as possible, afraid that you would say something even more hurtful in your anger, and I was also afraid that she... Sigh, anyway, it was my fault, I shouldn't have scared you."

He reached out and carefully wiped away the dark marks spreading under her eyes with his fingertips.

"Seeing you cry like this breaks my heart."

His movements were gentle, with obvious pity in them.

As Zhou Ye felt the warmth of his fingertips, the pent-up resentment in his heart slowly dissipated, like a punctured balloon.

She was naturally delicate and loved to act coquettish, especially in front of Jiang Qing.

My reaction to Zhang Jingyi's coldness was purely an instinctive defense mechanism.

Now that Jiang Qing is coaxing her gently and honestly analyzing things, her defenses are gradually crumbling.

"Humph."

She snorted, but her voice was soft and weak, more like she was being coquettish.

She pulled her hand back and haphazardly wiped her face, which only made her eyeliner smudge even more, making her look like a little kitten.

Jiang Qing was amused by her appearance, got up and took out a pack of wet wipes from the drawer under the island counter, pulled out one and handed it to her.

"Look, wipe it clean, you've turned into a little kitten."

Zhou Ye took the wet wipe, looked at his reflection in the mirror-like refrigerator door, and seeing his disheveled appearance, couldn't help but burst into laughter through his tears, pursing his lips in embarrassment.

"It's all your fault!"

"Well, it's all my fault."

Jiang Qing nodded readily, and seeing that her mood had obviously improved, she finally felt much relieved.

Finally, his happy little dog was appeased.

Unlike others, he was not yet able to be completely open and honest with the girl in front of him.

In the current situation, this is the only excuse we can use to get by for now.

Jiang Qing stood up and reached out her hand, a gentle smile on her face, trying to distract her.

"Don't just sit here and cry since it's your first time at my house. Let me show you around your boyfriend's place."

As soon as he finished speaking, he successfully piqued Zhou Ye's curiosity.

She's always been someone who's interested in new things, and this is Jiang Qing's home, so it has an even greater significance.

After hesitating for a moment, she put her hand in his palm and used his strength to get off the bar stool, while still muttering to herself.

"What's so interesting about it..."

Jiang Qing smiled indulgently and led her to the spacious living room.

His living room features a simple, modern style, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows offering a dazzling night view of the artificial lake, where the lights of countless homes are reflected on the surface, resembling a fallen galaxy.

"Turn on the lights."

Jiang Qing spoke into the air.

Instantly, the concealed light strip on the living room ceiling lit up with a soft, warm light, the brightness just right.

Several uniquely designed ambient lights also lit up automatically, casting a warm glow on the wall.

Zhou Ye's eyes widened in surprise.

"No need to say anything like 'Xiaodu' or 'Xiao Ai'? Just voice control?"

"Yes, our Wuwen smart home system is connected to my phone and the Wuwen Labs server."

Jiang Qing explained with a smile, and then continued to issue instructions.

"The curtains are half open."

The enormous motorized curtains slid open to both sides, revealing a more complete view of the lake. "Wow..."

Zhou Ye couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, temporarily forgetting his unpleasantness, and curiously looking around.

Want to see the stars?

Jiang Qing asked her with a smile.

"Can you see the stars here?"

Zhou Ye looked puzzled; light pollution in cities is so severe now.

"of course."

Jiang Qing gently squeezed her soft little hand.

"Starry Sky Mode".

As the sound faded, the originally flat white ceiling in the center of the living room slowly slid open to both sides, revealing a huge transparent glass dome.

Through the glass, the deep blue night sky and sparse stars were clearly visible.

"Wow wow wow!!!"

Zhou Ye was genuinely delighted, tilting his head back with bright, sparkling eyes as he gazed at the starry sky.

"So beautiful! This place looks like a planetarium!"

"nice! You love it."

Looking at her excited little face, Jiang Qing's heart softened.

He led her to the open-plan study next door, where one wall was a floor-to-ceiling bookcase and the other was a huge touchscreen.

"This screen can be used as a computer monitor, or you can directly control smart devices in your home, such as checking the weather, news, and controlling music."

He tapped the screen a few times, and soothing music immediately filled the room.

Zhou Ye was like a child in an amusement park, touching and looking at everything, asking questions non-stop.

"What about this? What's this round thing?"

How does this light work?

"Can it understand me?"

……

Her charming and adorable nature was on full display.

Jiang Qing patiently answered all her questions, and as she looked at her radiant face, the gloom from before gradually dissipated.

He took her hand and prepared to take her to the master bedroom to see the smart features of the walk-in closet and bathroom.

I had just reached the master bedroom door and hadn't even pushed it open when I heard a soft, slightly disgruntled "Meow~" coming from inside.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

Zhou Ye stopped abruptly, his eyes widening in disbelief and surprise.

"A cat? You have a cat?!"

Jiang Qing then remembered and slapped her forehead with a smile.

“I almost forgot, I’ve been staying at home recently, so Jiang Nan has entrusted her little darling to me for care.”

He pushed open the master bedroom door.

A large, fat cat with orange and yellow fur came into view, lazily lying in a huge cat bed at the edge of the carpet.

It was clearly disturbed from its sweet dream by the sound of the door opening, and it was slowly stretching and yawning, revealing its pink little tongue and sharp little teeth.

Upon seeing Jiang Qing, it merely lazily lifted its eyelids and let out a dissatisfied grumble, but when it caught sight of Zhou Ye peeking out from behind Jiang Qing, a hint of curiosity flashed in its round, amber eyes.

"Oh my god! It's so fat! So cute!"

Zhou Ye was instantly captivated by the big, chubby orange cat, and all his previous grievances vanished.

She immediately let go of Jiang Qing's hand, and quietly squatted down in front of the cat's bed, her voice soft and gentle, with a sweetness she herself didn't even realize.

"Mimi~ Hello~ What's your name?"

She reached out her finger, cautiously trying to touch Tuanzi's chubby face.

Tuanzi didn't seem to mind the two-legged creature that suddenly appeared before her with such a pleasant voice.

It tilted its big head, sniffed Zhou Ye's fingers, and then stuck out its pink tongue with small barbs and gently licked them.

"oops!"

The slight tickling sensation on his fingertips made Zhou Ye gasp in surprise, and a genuine, radiant smile bloomed on his face, his eyes curving into crescents.

"It licked me! Jiang Qing! It likes me!"

Jiang Qing leaned against the door frame, watching Zhou Ye squatting on the ground, smiling like a child at the big, fat orange cat.

The tear stains on her face hadn't been completely wiped away, her smudged eye makeup looked like two small shadows, and her hair was a bit messy from crying earlier. She looked a little disheveled, yet incredibly vivid and real.

That sweet and innocent charm was displayed to him without reservation.

“It’s called Tuanzi.”

Jiang Qing's voice grew even gentler.

"She's a little glutton, but has a good temper; she's just a bit lazy."

"Dumplings? That suits it perfectly!"

Zhou Ye was completely charmed and tried gently scratching its chin.

Tuanzi immediately let out a satisfied purr, squinted its eyes comfortably, and even nuzzled its head against her hand.

"Look, look! It's rubbing against me!"

Zhou Ye completely forgot about his unpleasantness today and looked up at Jiang Qing with a wide grin.

Her smile was pure and bright, with a hint of smugness.

"It definitely thinks I'm better at petting cats than you are!"

"Yes, yes, our little wild man is loved by everyone, and even cats rub against him."

Jiang Qing walked over and squatted down next to her, watching her interact with the cat.

The little dumpling rolled over comfortably, revealing its fluffy white belly, and its four paws kneaded contentedly in the air.

Zhou Ye was completely captivated by this unguarded and trusting attitude, his heart melting. He carefully rubbed its soft belly with the back of his hand.

Tuanzi didn't resist, and its snoring grew even louder.

"It's so well-behaved..."

Zhou Ye's voice was as soft as cotton candy, filled with deep affection.

She looked up at Jiang Qing, her eyes still glistening with tears, but now they were brimming with love and contentment for Tuanzi. All her previous grievances and anxieties seemed to have been soothed by the magical healing power of this chubby orange cat.

she asked cautiously.

"Can I...can I hug it?"

"Yes, it has a good temper and won't scratch you, but be careful, it's quite heavy."

Jiang Qing smiled and nodded, her eyes conveying encouragement.

Once Zhou Ye received permission, he immediately and carefully reached out his hands, as if he were holding some rare treasure, and picked up the chubby little dumpling that had gone limp.

Tuanzi seemed a little unhappy about being taken away from its warm and comfortable cat bed, wriggling its chubby body. However, it quickly calmed down under Zhou Ye's gentle arms and soft stroking, finding a comfortable position to curl up in and continuing to purr happily.

Holding the heavy, warm cat in his arms, feeling its steady breathing and its affectionate rubbing against him, Zhou Ye's heart completely softened.

She carried the cat to the window, looked at the night view outside, then looked down at the dozing orange cat in her arms, a sweet smile on her lips.

Jiang Qing walked to her side and looked out the window at the dim lights with her.

The room was quiet, with only the soft snoring of Tuanzi and gentle music.

After a long while, Zhou Ye finally spoke softly, his voice soft and gentle with a hint of relief, and a little embarrassed.

"About... Zhang Jingyi..."

Jiang Qing immediately responded, her tone serious.

"I'll handle it, Ono. This is just part of the job. Everything will be back to normal once filming is finished."

He gently put his arm around her shoulder.

This time, Zhou Ye didn't dodge. She turned her head and gently pressed her cheek against his shoulder, holding the warm little dumpling in her arms, and softly hummed in agreement.

Although a little bit of resentment still lingered in her heart, the warmth and sense of security she felt at that moment took over.

She believed in Jiang Qing's honesty and was willing to give him time to process his "overly immersed" emotions.

After all, the warm, bubbling little life in her arms and the man beside her that she couldn't help but want to get closer to were the most real and precious things in life that she wanted to hold onto.

"That……"

Zhou Ye's voice carried a hint of drowsiness and coquettishness.

"Can I sleep with Tuanzi tonight? It's so warm..."

Jiang Qing couldn't help but be charmed by her cuteness, and lowered his head to kiss the top of her head.

"No sofa is as comfortable as a bed. How about we split the big bed in the master bedroom, half for you and half for Tuanzi?"

Zhou Ye snuggled against him, the cat in his arms, and responded softly like a dog that had found its home.

"Okay~"

-

Jiang Qing, you're a liar, you wouldn't lie to me, right?
(End of this chapter)