My Queen, My Rules - 22
Contract
She held her arms out for a good ten seconds before they were finally rewarded with a slightly cool embrace. A moment later, her feet left the floor as she was lifted into someone's arms.
Dream-version Cen Sen really was gentler. At least the adults-only edition of him.
Ji Mingshu burrowed closer against his chest and mumbled drowsily, "I'm on my period."
The unspoken message was clear. Even in a dream, don't get any ideas.
Cen Sen, of course, had no idea what was going through her sleeping mind. Hearing her mumble about her period, his first thought was that it would be troublesome if she stained the hotel sheets. He casually pulled a blanket from the wardrobe and spread it beneath her before laying her down.
These days, bosses as considerate of hotel housekeeping staff as he was were probably a rare breed.
After settling Ji Mingshu onto the bed, Cen Sen tried to get up. Unfortunately, whenever she felt unwell, she became unusually clingy. Her arms clung stubbornly around his neck, refusing to let go. He had to use a fair bit of force to pry those little claws loose and tucked them under the blanket.
Twenty minutes later, Cen Sen finished his shower and got into bed, he had barely settled in when Ji Mingshu, as though equipped with an internal heat sensor, immediately rolled straight into his arms. She wrapped both arms tightly around him, rubbing her face against his chest again and again. Her pale lips rested lightly against him, carrying only the faintest trace of warmth.
He had been about to move her away, but then, completely unconsciously, she suddenly pressed a tiny kiss against his chest. It was soft, featherlight, and left behind an unexpected tingling sensation.
Cen Sen paused.
For the first time in what felt like centuries, the long-extinct flicker of compassion stirred back to life. Turning onto his side, he drew her a little closer into his embrace.
The night passed without a dream.
Early the next morning, Ji Mingshu awoke to the familiar sensation that her period had arrived in full force. Seeing Cen Sen asleep beside her, she instinctively thought she was back at Mingshui Manor.
Only after taking in the hotel's décor did she realize where she actually was. She cautiously reached out and poked him with one finger.
No response.
Still breathing, though.
Why was he here?
Ji Mingshu had no idea Cen Sen had another engagement in the capital the previous night. She'd assumed that by the time he texted her, he'd already left for Xingcheng.
That was exactly why, after arriving in Xingcheng yesterday, she'd deliberately avoided contacting him. She hadn't wanted to stay with him.
Who knew he would haunt her like a ghost and show up anyway?
Shaking the sleep from her head, Ji Mingshu lifted the thin blanket and carefully eased herself off the bed, one hand pressed protectively over her abdomen.
She wasn't trying to be considerate of Cen Sen's sleep. She simply couldn't make any sudden movements. One careless motion and the flood beneath her would burst through the dam all over again.
Only after she reached the bathroom and sat on the toilet did she finally feel she'd entered a temporary safe zone.
Resting her elbows on her knees, she propped her chin in both hands.
After sitting there for a while, boredom set in. She fished out her phone and started scrolling.
There was a mountain of unread messages waiting. Besides the usual greetings from her cheap plastic sisters, there was unexpectedly a WeChat message from Cen Yingshuang, the elusive aunt who disappeared more often than she appeared.
Cen Yingshuang: [Xiao Shu, did you and A-Sen go to Xingcheng together? Are you staying there for a few months this time?]
Without thinking much of it, Ji Mingshu replied with a Maruko nodding sticker and typed: [Yeah, probably for a month or two.]
The moment she sent it, her fingers froze.
Her aunt was usually buried in research. When did she have time to care whether they were at home or abroad, in the capital or Xingcheng? She was probably asking on behalf of the family, right?
Were they worried… that Cen Sen staying in Xingcheng for so long might bring him into contact with the An family? But hadn't the An family emigrated years ago?
Ji Mingshu only knew fragments of the Cen family's old history. Back when Cen Yang left, she'd believed the adults who told her he had simply gone abroad to study.
Only after growing up did she gradually learn bits and pieces of the truth. But the entire Cen family treated the matter as taboo, and outsiders outsiders could only grasp so much.
Before long, another message from Cen Yingshuang arrived.
It confirmed Ji Mingshu's suspicion.
Cen Yingshuang: [Xiao Shu, you probably know a little about what happened with the An family. They've recently returned to Xingcheng. Grandpa is a little concerned, so if A-Sen has any contact with them, please let me know.]
The An family was back in Xingcheng? No wonder the old man was uneasy.
Ji Mingshu stared at the screen for a long time, typing and deleting several different replies before finally sending a single word: [Okay.]
She was only passing the information along to the family. That shouldn't be a big deal... Besides, Cen Sen might never contact the An family at all. And even if he did, there was no guarantee she'd know about it.
After giving herself that little pep talk about becoming an undercover spy, the guilt weighing on her finally eased. She stood, washed her hands, and prepared to crawl back into bed for another nap.
The moment she opened the bathroom door, though, she found Cen Sen standing outside, his hand raised as if about to knock.
Her heart skipped a beat, and any lingering sleepiness vanished instantly.
"Y... you're awake."
"What's wrong?" Cen Sen looked at her calmly.
"Nothing." Ji Mingshu stammered, then asked, “Um… why are you here? I got a huge fright when I woke up and saw you."
Cen Sen gave a brief explanation, naturally omitting any mention of Li Wenyin.
So, he already knew she was joining the show?
Seizing the chance to change the subject, Ji Mingshu said, "Oh right. I'm going to the TV station this afternoon to sign the contract. Lend me your lawyer.”
"Mm. I'll have Zhou Jiaheng arrange it."
Ji Mingshu nodded and stepped aside to let him pass.
Cen Sen walked into the bathroom, and she thoughtfully closed the door behind him.
After it clicked shut, she grip the doorknob and let out one long, relieved breath.
***
Xingcheng had always been hotter than the capital. Even with summer nearing its end, the afternoon temperature still hovered close to forty degrees. The camphor trees lining the streets shimmered beneath the blazing sun, their leaves drooping listlessly, completing the drowsy afternoon cityscape.
After lunch, Ji Mingshu enjoyed a restorative beauty nap. Once she woke up, she spent another two full hours getting ready before finally deciding she looked presentable enough to leave the hotel.
By then, the driver and lawyer had both dozed off and woken up several times while waiting in the car. It wasn't until three in the afternoon that they finally picked her up and headed for the Xingcheng Radio and Television Building.
The person assigned to receive Ji Mingshu was an assistant producer from Designer’s Abode. She was rather displeased at first. In her entire life, no one had ever dared send an assistant to receive her. That was certainly a first.
But somehow, after a while, she found herself seeing things from the girl's perspective. An assistant was still a person, the poor young woman probably didn't have it easy either.
The assistant, meanwhile, had never met an ordinary guest who carried herself with such imposing presence. They had exchanged only a few sentences, and the girl's confidence had quietly shrunk by several levels.
Fortunately, the contracts had all been prepared beforehand. Every non-celebrity participant received the same standard template. All she had to do was watch Ji Mingshu sign it.
Except Ji Mingshu never even reached for the papers.
Instead, she looked toward the man seated on another sofa. "Lawyer Wang, would you mind reviewing it first?"
The assistant: “…”
She brought her own lawyer? Seriously?
The man addressed as Lawyer Wang accepted the contract, adjusted his glasses, and began reading carefully.
"Clause 1.12 imposes privacy obligations solely on my client, Miss Ji, while placing no corresponding obligations on the production team. I find that unreasonable."
"Clause 2.09 defines copyright ownership far too vaguely. Any design work my client creates while participating in this program should belong to her unconditionally."
"Clause 3.01 grants excessively broad authority over my client's social media accounts for promotional purposes. It also lacks appropriate limitations regarding duration. This clause is likewise unreasonable."
...
Without pausing for breath, Lawyer Wang pointed out more than a dozen flaws. From the way he spoke, he seemed mildly disappointed by the production team's legal department and its lack of rigor.
The assistant was completely dumbfounded.
Seriously? She wasn't even a celebrity. She was just an ordinary participant. Why was she being so demanding about a contract? Everyone else just signs it without looking!
Collecting herself, she forced a smile. "Miss Ji, our contracts all use the same standard template. Everyone signs this version. There won't be any problems."
Lawyer Wang replied evenly, "You're not the person in charge of the program. Your assurances carry no legal weight."
The assistant: “…”
Ji Mingshu had just managed to talk herself into accepting being attended by an assistant. Now Lawyer Wang had uncovered this many issues in the contract. Her already limited patience disappeared on the spot.
"Call your supervisor."
The producer was busy receiving Li Che. There was no way they had time for you.
The assistant grumbled inwardly but remained rooted where she stood.
Ji Mingshu had far less patience. Putting on her sunglasses, she said coolly, "If this is the level of sincerity your production team has, then perhaps there's no need to sign this contract at all."
"Wait, Miss Ji!" The assistant panicked. Celebrity or not, if the deal fell through under her watch, she'd be in serious trouble. "I'm terribly sorry. The contracts we issue, including those for celebrity guests, are all based on this standard template with revisions made as needed. If you're dissatisfied, I'll contact the producer immediately and see whether the relevant clauses can be adjusted."
Now that's more like it.
The assistant asked her to wait and hurried off toward another VIP reception room on the same floor.
Li Che had come to record the program segment that day. After filming, he was scheduled to sign his contract, so the producer was personally receiving him and explaining every clause one by one to the legal representative he'd brought along.
They were just about to finalize everything when the assistant knocked on the door.
The producer looked up. "What is it? Has Miss Ji already signed?"
"M... Miss Ji brought a lawyer," the assistant answered hesitantly. "The lawyer believes several clauses are unreasonable and wants revisions."
The producer frowned.
The exact same thought crossed his mind as it had the assistant's earlier.
She wasn't a celebrity. Who wants to take advantage of her? Being invited onto a Xingcheng TV program should already be a stroke of luck. Why was she making such a fuss without knowing her place?
The producer happened to be acquainted with Meng Xiaowei.
Originally, he'd wanted Meng Xiaowei and Li Che, the popular on-screen couple, to generate buzz together.
But privately, Meng Xiaowei and Li Che had already agreed to end their pairing, making another joint appearance inappropriate.
A few days earlier, Meng Xiaowei had strongly recommended Ji Mingshu. On one hand, she genuinely thought Ji Mingshu suited the show and it wouldn’t hurt to do her a favor. On the other, Ji Mingshu had the looks and presence to make an excellent promotional pairing with Li Che if the opportunity arose.
The producer had agreed. He'd selected Ji Mingshu and had even drafted an initial production plan around her.
Then yesterday, the sponsor rejected the proposal outright.
They didn't want Li Che paired with Ji Mingshu for any publicity romance, nor did they want Ji Mingshu to become one of the program's featured participants.
Reading between the lines, the production team concluded that their generous sponsor wanted to spotlight the two designers they intended to promote and didn't want anyone else stealing the attention. Naturally, their enthusiasm toward Ji Mingshu cooled considerably.
Now, hearing she was unhappy with the contract, the producer immediately wanted the assistant to relay a simple message.
Sign it or leave it.
Before he could speak, however, Li Che chuckled. "Miss Ji? I know her."
He tapped the contract lying on the table. "Why don't we just let Miss Ji use the same contract template as mine?"
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