He wants to adopt a younger sister, but his aloof wife disagrees.

Jiang Che's large hand slid down her spine, spreading the essential oil with just the right amount of pressure. His fingertips brushed against her shoulder blades and down her lower back, sending tingling electric currents through her.

Su Xiaoruan bit her lip, trying not to make any strange noises. She could clearly feel the thin calluses on her brother's palms; the roughness and smoothness of the touch made her heart race.

Just then, another sliding door opened.

"Looks like I'm late?"

A lazy voice, with a touch of mature elegance, rang out.

Jiang Che and Su Xiaoruan looked up at the same time.

Shen Qingge stood at the door, holding a glass of red wine, looking at them with a half-smile.

If Su Xiaoruan is a refreshing mint, then Shen Qingge is a strong whiskey.

She was wearing a burgundy one-piece swimsuit.

Although it's a one-piece, the design is extremely daring. The front features a deep V-neck that plunges all the way to the stomach, revealing a deep and alluring cleavage. The back is a large area of ​​openwork, with several extremely thin straps crossing over the beautiful back, accentuating a bit of flesh and making it even more sexy.

The high slit of her swimsuit perfectly elongated her legs, making them appear long, toned, and without an ounce of excess fat. She wore transparent high-heeled sandals, each step she took swaying gracefully.

She had her long hair pulled back into a bun, revealing her slender swan neck. She wore sunglasses, her red lips were like fire, and she exuded a powerful aura, her beauty possessing an aggressive edge.

"Qingge".

Jiang Che looked at her, a deep, dark fire flashing in his eyes.

Shen Qingge walked to the other side of the lounge chair, sat down elegantly, and placed the wine glass on the small table. She took off her sunglasses, her captivating phoenix eyes lingering on Su Xiaoruan's back for a second before turning to Jiang Che:

"Technician Jiang, now that we're open, would you mind serving one more customer?"

She turned around, her back to Jiang Che, and untied a strap at the back of her swimsuit, revealing more of her skin:

"I'm also afraid of getting a tan."

Jiang Che looked at the two women.

One is charming and lovely, the other is alluring and captivating.

He felt like he was walking on the edge of a cliff, experiencing both pain and pleasure.

"Okay, line up."

Jiang Che patted Su Xiaoruan on the shoulder: "Okay, flip it over."

Su Xiaoruan blushed and turned over, looking at Shen Qingge's devilish figure, and muttered enviously, "Sis, your figure is too good... I feel inferior."

"Silly girl." Shen Qingge turned to look at her and smiled, "That's collagen in you, but it's the accumulation of years. When you get to my age, as long as you keep exercising, you'll be even better than me."

After Jiang Che finished applying the ointment to Su Xiaoruan's arms and legs, he walked behind Shen Qingge.

His actions towards Shen Qingge clearly carried a more intimate touch that only lovers would understand.

His palms pressed against her back, slowly sliding down her spine, pausing briefly at her lower back before applying a little pressure.

"Um……"

Shen Qingge hummed comfortably, like a lazy cat.

"Does it taste sour here?" Jiang Che asked in a low voice.

"It's sour... I've been sitting for too long lately." Shen Qingge closed her eyes and enjoyed it.

As he applied the ointment to her thighs, Jiang Che's fingers lightly brushed against the inner thighs. Shen Qingge's body tensed slightly, and she turned to glare at him, her eyes filled with a seductive, watery allure.

"Stop fooling around," she mouthed, "Xiao Ruan is here."

Jiang Che smiled and withdrew his hand: "Alright, service is over."

……

After applying sunscreen, the three went into the water.

The villa's infinity pool connects to the sea.

Although Su Xiaoruan had learned to swim at school, her skill level was limited to "doggy paddle." As soon as she entered the water, she clung tightly to a huge pink flamingo float and refused to let go.

"Brother! Give me a push!"

Su Xiaoruan lay on the flamingo, kicking her legs wildly in the water.

Jiang Che swam over and pushed the raft a little deeper.

"Come swim, don't just stay up there all the time," Jiang Che said.

"No! I can't stand on solid ground here, I'm scared!" Su Xiaoruan clung tightly to the flamingo's neck.

"What are you afraid of? I'm here."

Jiang Che stretched out his hands: "Jump down, I'll catch you."

Su Xiaoruan looked at Jiang Che, who was standing in the water with his arms outstretched.

The setting sun cast a golden glow behind him, the seawater was clear, and his gaze was firm and reassuring.

She hesitated for a moment, then let go and jumped into the water.

"thump!"

Water splashed up.

Su Xiaoruan was completely submerged in the water, and in her panic, she choked on some water and flailed her arms and legs wildly.

The next second, a pair of strong arms grabbed her waist and lifted her out of the water.

"Cough cough cough..." Su Xiaoruan clung to Jiang Che's shoulder, wrapping herself around him like an octopus, panting heavily, "You scared me to death... I thought I was going to drown..."

Jiang Che patted her back, amused. "The water only reached your chest, how could you drown?"

Su Xiaoruan tried stepping on the bottom and found it.

"Huh? Really?" She scratched her wet hair somewhat awkwardly.

At this moment, the two were extremely close.

Su Xiaoruan's body was pressed tightly against Jiang Che's bare chest. Seawater soaked her bikini, the thin fabric clinging to her skin, transmitting their body heat.

She looked up at Jiang Che, who was so close to her. Water droplets slid down his high, straight nose and dripped onto her lips.

She instinctively stuck out the tip of her tongue and licked it.

Salty.

Jiang Che's body stiffened for a moment.

He looked at the girl in his arms, her dewy eyes filled with undisguised affection.

"Little Softie".

His voice was somewhat hoarse.

"Loosen up, I can't swim anymore."

"Oh..." Su Xiaoruan reluctantly let go, but still held onto his arm. "Then teach me how to tread water!"

On the other side, Shen Qingge swam gracefully back and forth like a real mermaid.

She swam to the two of them, poked her head out of the water, wiped the water off her face, and shook her hair.

"What are you two doing? Water ballet?" Shen Qingge teased.

"I'm teaching this landlubber survival skills," Jiang Che said helplessly.

"Brother! I'm not a landlubber! I'm a mermaid princess!" Su Xiaoruan protested.

"Alright, alright, you're a princess." Shen Qingge swam over and grabbed Su Xiaoruan's other hand. "Come on, let me teach you how to swim on your back, so you won't have to worry about choking on water."

The three of them frolicked and played in the water until the sun completely sank below the horizon, leaving only a purplish-red sunset glow on the horizon.

……

Dinner was served on the beach.

The butler had already set up a long white table and lit candles and torches.

The table was covered with freshly caught seafood.

Lobsters as thick as an arm, oysters the size of a palm, and all sorts of sea fish whose names I don't know.

Jiang Che took on the role of head chef, busily working in front of the grill.

The charcoal sizzled, and grease dripped onto it, releasing a rich smoky aroma.

Shen Qingge and Su Xiaoruan changed into dry long dresses, sat at the table, drank coconut juice, and waited to be fed.

Here, grilled oysters with garlic.

Jiang Che placed the grilled oysters on a plate and handed them to the two of them.

"Be careful, it's hot."

Su Xiaoruan couldn't wait to take a sip. The delicious juice mixed with the aroma of minced garlic made her squint her eyes in satisfaction.

"This is so delicious! Bro, even if you never go into business again, you could become a billionaire selling barbecue!"

"That's right." Jiang Che smiled and poured himself a glass of ice-cold beer. "As long as you like it, I'll grill it for the rest of my life."

A gentle sea breeze blows, and the candlelight flickers.

The three sat together, listening to the sound of the waves, eating barbecue, and chatting.

No worries about work, no pressure from studies, just the comfort of this very moment.

After finishing her meal, Shen Qingge was slightly tipsy.

She pulled Jiang Che to dance on the beach.

There was no music, only the accompaniment of the waves.

Jiang Che put his arm around her waist and moved slowly on the soft sand.

Shen Qingge was barefoot, stepping on Jiang Che's instep, with her arms around his neck and her head resting on his shoulder.

"Jiang Che..."

"Um?"

"I am so happy."

Shen Qingge's voice was very soft, carried away by the sea breeze into the night:

"I used to think that happiness was making the Shen Group bigger and stronger, so that everyone would look up to me. But now I think... happiness is being with you, having a barbecue, and dancing together."

Jiang Che kissed the top of her head:

"Me too."

Su Xiaoruan sat on a swing not far away, gently swaying.

She watched the two people dancing in each other's arms under the moonlight, a faint smile on her lips.

She took out her phone and snapped a picture of the scene.

In the photo, two figures overlap, with the vast ocean and a sky full of stars in the background.

"So beautiful."

Su Xiaoruan sighed inwardly.

Although she wasn't the one being hugged, she still felt the scene was so beautiful it brought tears to her eyes.

She looked down at the sand beneath her toes.

Jiang Che.

"I'll hold."

"When I'm old enough to wear those high heels, I'll dance this dance with you."

……

Late at night.

The three returned to the villa.

After a day of fun, everyone was a little tired.

Su Xiaoruan returned to her room and quickly fell asleep.

In the master bedroom.

After taking a shower, Shen Qingge sat on the edge of the bed drying her hair, wearing that sexy silk nightgown.

Jiang Che came out of the bathroom wearing only a bath towel.

He walked over, took the towel, and helped her dry her long, wet hair.

"Little Softie seems to have grown quite a bit more today," Shen Qingge suddenly said.

"Hmm?" Jiang Che continued working on his hands. "What do you mean?"

"The way she looks at you."

Shen Qingge turned around and looked up at Jiang Che:

"It's no longer the look of a little sister adoring her brother. It's... a woman's eyes."

Jiang Che's hand paused for a moment.

He looked at Shen Qingge with an open and honest gaze:

"I know."

"You knew?" Shen Qingge was somewhat surprised.

"At the masquerade ball last time, she came clean with me," Jiang Che didn't hide anything. "She said she likes me, not like a younger sister."

Shen Qingge remained silent for a few seconds.

Then she smiled.

His laughter was a mixture of relief and amusement.

"And what about you? What do you think?"

"Me?" Jiang Che put down the towel, sat down beside her, and took her hand. "I only have one heart, and I've already given it to you."

"As for Xiao Ruan..."

Jiang Che sighed:

"I promised her I would wait for her when she's twenty-five. If she still thinks that way by then, I'll give her a formal answer."

"Twenty-five years old?"

Shen Qingge raised an eyebrow: "That's still several years away. Aren't you afraid she'll run away halfway through?"

"It's better if they run away," Jiang Che laughed. "That way I won't have a headache."

Shen Qingge reached out, hooked her arm around his neck, and pulled him toward her.

Jiang Che.

"Um?"

"actually……"

Shen Qingge leaned close to his ear, her voice so low it sounded like a sigh:

"I don't mind."

"What?" Jiang Che thought he had misheard.

"I said, if it's Xiao Ruan... I don't mind."

Shen Qingge looked into his eyes and said earnestly:

"In this world, besides you, she's the only one who truly cares for me wholeheartedly, without wanting my money or status. The three of us... we've been inseparable for a long time, haven't we?"

Jiang Che was stunned.

He never expected Shen Qingge to say such a thing.

Looking at this strong, proud woman who was also deeply devoted to him, he felt a surge of emotion.

"Qingge..."

"Shhh."

Shen Qingge pressed her finger against his lips:

"Don't say anything. Let things take their course... these things."

"Now, focus."

She rolled over and pinned Jiang Che beneath her.

That night, the sound of the waves was very loud.

It masked all the gasps and whispers in the room.

...

...

In July, the air in Hengdian seemed to be filled with molten iron.

Although it's a water town in southern China, summer is always a nightmare for all the actors and crew at this film and television base, which is known as "China's Hollywood." The sun hangs high, cicadas chirp desperately in the treetops, the asphalt roads are softened by the heat, and the air is filled with the unique smell of dust, sweat, and cheap boxed lunches.

However, the VIP rest area of ​​the "The Long Ballad" crew is a cool and secluded paradise.

A black MAN 8x8 all-terrain motorhome was parked imposingly under the shade of a tree. Its massive body resembled a mobile fortress, isolating it from all the noise and heat of the outside world. Outside, several high-powered external air conditioners hummed, but not a single sound could penetrate into the vehicle.

Inside the carriage, the air conditioning was kept at a comfortable 24 degrees Celsius.

Shen Qingge was sitting on a leather sofa, holding a glass of lime soda with ice in her hand.

She wasn't wearing a formal business suit today, but rather a casual, vacation-style outfit, specially chosen for the set visit. She wore a champagne-colored silk camisole under a semi-transparent white linen shirt, the hem casually tied in a knot, revealing her flat, toned stomach. She paired it with khaki high-waisted wide-leg trousers; the beautifully draped fabric swayed gently with her movements, outlining her long, straight legs.

Her long hair was tied up with a simple wooden hairpin, with a few strands falling beside her ears. She wore a pair of large-framed brown sunglasses, which covered half of her face, but the exposed delicate jawline and the corners of her mouth painted with retro red lips still exuded a mature and domineering aura that made people dare not look directly at her.

"It's so hot today."

Shen Qingge took off her sunglasses, revealing a pair of cool yet languid phoenix eyes. Looking out the window at the extras dressed in heavy costumes, their brows drenched in sweat, she sighed softly, "Can that girl Xiaoruan handle it?"

Jiang Che was cutting fruit in front of the open kitchen.

He was wearing a black cotton T-shirt with the cuffs slightly rolled up, revealing his well-defined forearm muscles. He paired it with dark gray cargo shorts, giving him a sharp and composed look.

Hearing Shen Qingge's words, he didn't stop his work, skillfully cutting the cantaloupe into evenly sized pieces.

"You have to endure it whether you like it or not." Jiang Che's voice was calm. "Since you've chosen this profession, this is the kind of hardship you have to bear. Besides, I've already had Han Xiao send twenty industrial fans to the set and provided cold drinks for the entire crew, so she shouldn't be too upset."

"You're all talk and no action." Shen Qingge took the fruit plate he handed her, forked a piece of cantaloupe and put it in her mouth. "I wonder who it was that dragged me here so early this morning after hearing there was a big event today."

Jiang Che wiped his hands, didn't refute, but glanced at the time:

"That's about enough, time to head to the film set."

……

Filming is in full swing on set.

This is a top-tier, high-production-value ancient costume fantasy drama. Su Xiaoruan plays the female lead—a goddess who is aloof and ethereal, bearing the mission of protecting all living beings.

At this moment, she was wearing an elaborate white ancient costume. It was layered three times over, and she also had to wear a heavy wig and exquisite headdress.

Although an assistant was holding a small fan and blowing it on her forehead, fine beads of sweat still appeared on Su Xiaoruan's forehead. The makeup artist had to go up and touch up her makeup every five minutes, afraid that it would smudge.

"Card!"

At the director's command, Su Xiaoruan finally breathed a sigh of relief, her whole body slumping down like a withered flower.

"Little Softie! Drink some water!" The assistant quickly handed her a straw cup.

Su Xiaoruan took a sip of water, her brows furrowed, clearly in a bad mood.

"What's wrong?"

A familiar voice came from behind.

Su Xiaoruan suddenly looked up and saw Jiang Che and Shen Qingge walking towards her. Her originally dim eyes instantly lit up.

"Brother! Sister! You're finally here!"

She didn't even bother to lift her skirt, and pounced over like a clumsy penguin.

Jiang Che reached out and steadily supported her, then helped lift her long, floor-length skirt, his brows furrowing slightly: "Slow down, be careful not to fall."

"Waaaaah... Brother, I'm dying of heat..."

Su Xiaoruan clung to Jiang Che's arm and began to act coquettishly. She actually looked a little disheveled; the heavy costume made it hard for her to breathe, her cheeks were flushed an unnatural red from the heat, and there were tired dark circles under her eyes. But even so, accentuated by the ethereal costume, she was still breathtakingly beautiful, like an elf descended to earth.

"Alright, let's go cool off in the rest area first."

Jiang Che took out a wet wipe and gently wiped away the sweat from her neck, avoiding her makeup.

The three of them arrived at the sunshade that had been specially set up for Su Xiaoruan. There were several high-powered fans and chilled drinks that Jiang Che had sent over.

When the director saw Jiang Che arrive, he quickly ran over to greet him.

This director is known for his fiery temper in the industry, but in front of Jiang Che, the biggest investor, he smiled more brightly than a flower.

"President Jiang! President Shen! We are so sorry to have failed to welcome you properly!" The director rubbed his hands together. "Xiao Ruan's performance today was excellent! She was especially talented! It's just... it's just that the next scene might be a little... difficult."

Jiang Che keenly sensed the hesitation in the director's words.

He sat in the folding chair, legs crossed, and his aura instantly became somewhat imposing.

"What play?"

The director glanced at Su Xiaoruan, then at Jiang Che, and said somewhat awkwardly:

"That... is a romantic scene. It's also one of the climaxes of the whole drama. The female lead is going to... um... kiss the male lead goodbye."

"A goodbye kiss?"

Jiang Che's eyes instantly turned cold.

The air seemed to freeze for a few seconds.

Shen Qingge held a teacup to the side, took a small sip, and watched Jiang Che's reaction with a playful look, without saying a word.

Su Xiaoruan sat beside her, head down, fingers twisting her sleeves, not saying a word, but her ears were bright red.

"Can't we use a camera angle instead?" Jiang Che asked casually.

"Um... Mr. Jiang, this scene requires a close-up to show the despair and deep affection of a life-or-death separation. If we use camera tricks, the emotions might not be right, and the audience will notice." The director explained, forcing a smile. "Besides... audiences these days are very discerning; a fake kiss would be criticized."

Jiang Che fell silent.

He turned to look at Su Xiaoruan.

"Xiao Ruan, what do you think?"

Su Xiaoruan raised her head, her big, wet eyes looking at Jiang Che, filled with resistance and grievance.

"I...I don't want to kiss."

She whispered, "That actor... he's alright looking, but I don't feel anything for him. And he just ate garlic! I can still smell it even after brushing my teeth! I... I can't bring myself to eat him."

That's just an excuse.

Only she knows the real reason.

She reserved her first kiss, whether in real life or on screen, for only one person.

Even if that person is now just her "brother".

Upon hearing the reason "eating garlic," Shen Qingge couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"That's definitely a big problem." Shen Qingge put down her teacup, unable to suppress a laugh. "For actors, a strong sense of conviction is very important. But if there's a physical aversion to it, it's really hard to portray deep emotion well."

Jiang Che's brows relaxed a little, but his eyes remained cold.

"Who is the male actor?" he asked.

"It's...it's the rising star, Li Ziwei." The director pointed to a boy who was touching up his makeup not far away.

The boy was indeed handsome, but when he saw Jiang Che's gaze, he was so startled that he almost dropped the script in his hand and quickly lowered his head, pretending to memorize his lines.

Are you kidding? Everyone in the crew knows Su Xiaoruan has incredibly powerful connections. Her brother is someone even the big investors have to bow and scrape to. He wouldn't dare mess with such a powerful figure!

"Replacing him is definitely not an option; we've already filmed half the movie." The director said with a bitter face, "Mr. Jiang, what do you think..."

Jiang Che pondered for a moment.

He looked at Su Xiaoruan's expression that said, "If you let me kiss you, I'll cry," and sighed inwardly.

This girl has been spoiled by him.

But on such matters of principle, he really didn't want to force her.

"What if it's a kissing double?" Jiang Che suddenly asked.

"A kissing double?" The director was taken aback. "But... who should we find? It's easy to find a double for the back view, but this scene requires a close-up of the side profile. The double's temperament and physique should be similar to, or even better than, the male lead's, to hold their own on the screen."

Jiang Che stood up.

He unbuttoned his T-shirt, revealing his long neck and sexy collarbone.

"I'll do it."

Those two short words were powerful and resounding.

The entire room fell silent.

The director's jaw nearly dropped: "Mr. Jiang... Mr. Jiang? You... you're personally going?"

Su Xiaoruan suddenly raised her head, her eyes wide like copper bells, sparkling with unbelievable surprise.

Even the usually composed Shen Qingge showed a surprised expression at this moment. She raised an eyebrow, looked at Jiang Che, and her eyes held a hint of inquiry and... amusement at watching a good show.

"What? I can't do it?"