My Queen, My Rules - 38
Pitiful
Cen Sen sat there with an unreadable calm. His gaze rested on Yan Yuexing for less than three seconds before drifting away again, revealing nothing of what he was thinking.
The producer's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly stood to refill Cen Sen's wineglass, then quickly changed the subject. "President Cen, I’m not sure how often you visit Xingcheng, but the crab at Yaoyue Pavilion is truly the city’s finest. You absolutely have to try them later!"
Although unsure which remark had offended their biggest sponsor, it was obvious that the man was in a foul mood.
His heart pounded anxiously as he silently prayed their financial backer would be magnanimous enough not to hold it against them. Better yet, if President Cen would simply follow his lead and let the matter pass, everyone could pretend nothing had happened.
Unfortunately, Cen Sen had no intention of giving him that chance. Without a word, he rose from his seat and walked straight toward the exit, not even offering a cursory “excuse me.”
At that very moment, the servers happened to be bringing in the next course. In the spacious private dining room, the guest of honor strode out while people chased after him with frantic cries of "President Cen! President Cen!" Everyone left behind stared at one another in bewilderment. The atmosphere instantly became awkward.
"What happened? Why did he suddenly leave?"
"No idea. That came out of nowhere."
"Wasn't that a little disrespectful to Producer Yang...?"
"As if Producer Yang has that much face."
Inside the private room, whispers and speculation swirled. Outside, a chilly night breeze swept through the corridor.
Walking behind Cen Sen, Zhou Jiaheng shook out his overcoat as he followed.
Once Cen Sen slipped it on, Cen Sen casually adjusted his collar. From beginning to end, he never spared the producer so much as a glance.
Panicked, the producer didn't dare touch Cen Sen, so he latched onto Zhou Jiaheng instead, demanding on getting an explanation.
Having spent years by Cen Sen's side, Zhou Jiaheng rarely lost his composure. He effortlessly peeled the producer's fingers off his sleeve. Before climbing into the car, he said coolly, "Producer Yang, you’d do well to engage in less gossip.”
"...?"
Gossiping? About what? Weren't they just praising the two designers Junyi wanted to support?
Producer Yang genuinely couldn't understand. All he could do was watch helplessly as Cen Sen's car backed out of its parking space and sped away down the main road, his mind consumed with one horrifying thought.
We're doomed. The sponsorship isn't going to fall through... is it?
Inside the car, Zhou Jiaheng didn't wait for instructions. He had already tracked down Ji Mingshu's whereabouts and reported everything to Cen Sen.
Cen Sen merely acknowledged it with a quiet "Mm," then turned to look out the window. His mood was clearly poor.
He knew Ji Mingshu had more than her fair share of flaws. That didn't mean he enjoyed listening to other people criticize his wife.
Seeing his expression, Zhou Jiaheng immediately admitted his mistake. "My apologies, President Cen. I failed in my duties."
The only reason Cen Sen would deign to lower himself to attend a variety show's wrap party was because of Ji Mingshu.
Yet as his personal assistant, Zhou Jiaheng hadn't even ascertained the basic fact that Ji Mingshu had returned to the capital that afternoon. That alone was a serious oversight.
Even worse, he'd simply stood there while that blind bunch criticized Ji Mingshu right in front of Cen Sen.
It was like handing them a loaded gun and pointing it straight at themselves.
"You can forget about your year-end bonus."
Still looking out the window, Cen Sen didn't even lift his eyes.
Zhou Jiaheng's heart ached. He knew he was taking the blame for someone else's mistake, but he accepted it without protest.
Junyi's sponsorship money had already been paid, and filming had long since wrapped. Ending the partnership over a momentary displeasure wasn't realistic.
But as for everyone who had taken jabs at Ji Mingshu tonight, if any of them ever showed up again in a Junyi-funded project, then he, as the president's chief assistant, might as well pack up his desk and leave.
At this point, the only thing he could pray for was that Designer’s Abode would air without incident.
Above all, the production team had better conjure up any more trouble for the president's wife.
While Cen Sen's abrupt departure threw the production crew into complete panic. Over in her corner of the world, Ji Mingshu had only just finished soaking in the hot springs when she finally noticed the WeChat messages from the staff member.
After checking the time, she simply replied, ‘Sorry, I'm not in Xingcheng’, then thought no more about it.
All her mental energy was currently focused on one pressing matter: How exactly was she going to outshine Li Wenyin tomorrow?
The feud between Ji Mingshu and Li Wenyin stretched back more than twenty years. Everyone in their old neighborhood knew the story.
Its roots could be traced all the way back to first grade.
Back then, Ji Mingshu had given some imported candy she'd brought back from overseas to the cutest boy in class. The boy accepted it, only to turn around and give it to Li Wenyin instead. Knowing perfectly well where the candy had come from, Li Wenyin deliberately made a point of sucking on it proudly in front of Ji Mingshu. Furious, Ji Mingshu had marched over and started a fight.
Some people simply weren't meant to get along.
From the very first day of first grade, Ji Mingshu and Li Wenyin had clashed like magnets with the same pole. Over the years, the resentment between them only deepened until reconciliation became impossible.
The following afternoon, C Brand's gala was held at the Obe Art Center.
Ji Mingshu only realized upon checking the invitation that the dress code was “casual.” Her original plan of crushing Li Wenyin beneath the brilliance of an extravagant haute couture gown was suddenly useless.
After trying on countless outfits, she finally settled on a wine-red, knee-length strapless dress. It wasn't overly formal, yet perfectly highlighted her graceful figure. Paired with a pearl-white clutch, it was flawless.
As fate would have it, Li Wenyin arrived wearing a pearl-white strapless jumpsuit while carrying a wine-red clutch.
Arm in arm with an investor, she smiled softly as she chatted with people around her. Every gesture exuded quiet elegance and scholarly refinement.
Ji Mingshu stood with a circle of socialites some distance away, and together they scrutinized Li Wenyin from head to toe, each finding something to criticize.
Someone suddenly joked, "Mingshu, you and she look like a red rose and a white rose today."
Another girl immediately scoffed. "A white rose? She's not worthy."
"Exactly. Do you even know what you're saying? Didn't you know her mother used to work as Mingshu's family's housekeeper?"
"Really? I never heard that."
"It's true. The Ji family took both mother and daughter in out of kindness, and she still spent her childhood picking fights with Mingshu. She should know her place." The girl's voice was gentle, but it did nothing to mask the mockery.
Standing beside Ji Mingshu, Jiang Chun could only think, Holy crap.
For one surreal moment, she felt as though Li Wenyin had somehow become the Cinderella heroine, while the rest of them had collectively been cast as the vicious supporting villains.
She wasn't the only one with that feeling. For years, Ji Mingshu herself had carried a thorn named "Li Wenyin" buried deep inside her heart.
Even after all this time, she had never managed to pull it out.
Every so often it flared to life again, tormenting her until it felt as though she'd have to carve away flesh and bone just to be rid of it.
Unlike Ji Mingshu and the other wealthy young women, who had little to do at a gala besides gossip about everyone else, Li Wenyin had come with a clear purpose.
She had arranged introductions to several renowned film directors, hoping to convince one of them to serve as supervising producer for her screen debut and help ensure the film's success.
Naturally, she noticed Ji Mingshu. She simply never considered Ji Mingshu worth acknowledging.
Just as she always had over the years, she carried herself with quiet superiority, not even sparing Ji Mingshu a single glance.
It was obvious Li Wenyin intended to pretend she didn't exist. Irritated as she was, Ji Mingshu couldn't exactly march over and start a fight for no reason.
Instead, she drank a glass of red wine to cool herself down, then pretended nonchalance as she watched the stage performance with Jiang Chun.
Jiang Chun lowered her voice. "You're not planning a face-to-face showdown?"
"How exactly do you imagine that happening?"
"Didn’t you come specifically to outshine her and warn her not to make that stupid movie? At the very least there should be some dramatic confrontation. Harsh words, throwing wine in her face, something like that."
Ji Mingshu looked at her. "You've read way too many novels. Throwing wine? Seriously?"
As Jiang Chun quietly stuffed herself with cake, she continued sharing every trick she'd ever learned for battling romantic rivals.
Ji Mingshu, being a veteran novel reader herself, found Jiang Chun's advice increasingly strange. Every single suggestion Jiang Chun offered was exactly the kind of idiotic stunt only brainless villainesses pulled. It was simply beneath her.
Halfway through speaking, Jiang Chun suddenly froze. "She's heading to the restroom! Hurry, follow her!"
She even gave Ji Mingshu a push. "You could lock her inside a stall with a broom! Or splash water on her!"
Has she completely lost it? What public restroom keeps a broom lying around?
Pushed to her feet, Ji Mingshu found herself walking toward the restroom despite the absurd thoughts running through her head.
Even the art center's restroom looked like a work of art.
If not for the clearly marked women's restroom sign outside, anyone pushing open the door might have mistaken it for an upscale dressing room.
Standing before the sink, Ji Mingshu absentmindedly touched up her makeup while staring into the mirror, keeping careful watch on the restroom stalls behind her through their reflection.
About three minutes later, Li Wenyin finally emerged.
Seeing Ji Mingshu at the vanity, she paused briefly but showed no particular surprise.
Ji Mingshu dabbed her face with powder for a second time. As Li Wenyin stepped beside her to wash her hands, she casually remarked, "What a coincidence."
Li Wenyin chuckled softly without looking up. "I don't think it's a coincidence."
Ji Mingshu: “…”
After washing her hands, Li Wenyin pulled out a paper towel. As she dried them, she met Ji Mingshu's eyes in the mirror.
"It's been so many years," she said with quiet certainty. "I never expected you to still be this childish."
“What? Who’s childish?”
Ji Mingshu entered battle mode in an instant.
"Ji Mingshu, you're wealthy, you have plenty of free time. Couldn't you spend it on something meaningful? We're adults now. Stop playing these childish games."
Li Wenyin calmly took out her lipstick and applied another delicate layer of color.
Ji Mingshu stared at her for three full seconds before letting out a disbelieving laugh, her voice rising sharply. "We're both foxes from the same mountain, so drop the act. You know perfectly well who's been scheming in the shadows. You can't even manage to be a quiet ex-girlfriend, yet you're standing here pretending to be graceful and sophisticated?"
"You know about my movie?" Li Wenyin paused before glancing at her. "Did Cen Sen tell you?"
What did this have to do with Cen Sen?
Reading the expression on her face, Li Wenyin smiled again.
"I suppose he didn't tell you Junyi is investing in my film." She paused. "If he doesn't mind, why do you? You've loved him all these years. You finally got your wish and married him through your own little schemes. And yet... you still haven't won his heart?"
She had already finished freshening up and turned to leave.
As she brushed past Ji Mingshu, she seemed to remember something. Leaning close, she murmured softly beside her ear.
"How pathetic."
Those two words carried every grievance that had haunted Ji Mingshu since their school days. Her heart clenched so violently she could barely breathe.
The sharp clicks of Li Wenyin's high heels echoed farther and farther down the corridor until they disappeared.
The emotional defenses Ji Mingshu had spent days painstakingly building crumbled under just a few of Li Wenyin's calm, indifferent remarks.
She could only brace herself against the sink, forcing herself to remain standing.
***
When Ji Mingshu's call came in, Cen Sen was playing golf at Jiang Che's course. Shu Yang and Zhao Yang were there as well.
All four men were standing close together.
Seeing Ji Mingshu's name on the screen, Shu Yang grinned mischievously. "Oh? Xiao Shu's calling to check up on you?"
It was the first time Ji Mingshu had called since their days-long stalemate. Ignoring Shu Yang completely, Cen Sen answered immediately.
For some reason, something seemed wrong with the phone. Even though speaker mode wasn't on, the volume was loud enough for the other three men to hear her every word.
On the other end, Ji Mingshu's voice trembled.
She was trying desperately to hold herself together, yet the hysteria beneath her words kept breaking through.
"Do you remember what I told you? Do you remember what you promised me? What do you mean by investing in Li Wenyin's movies that commemorate your love? Are you trying to humiliate me? Do you want the whole world to see what a joke I am?!"
Several seconds later, her voice became strangely calm. "I have nothing left to say to you. When are you coming back?"
"Let's get divorced.”
---
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