Love Contract chapter 5
Temper
He Yujing stood up and walked toward Wu Qi.
Seeing him approach, the surrounding staff greeted him, and Wu Qi politely said, “Mr. He.”
“Could we talk privately?”
“Of course.”
The two moved to a corner of the studio. He Yujing spoke first, “Your demands are quite high, honestly, stricter than I expected.”
“It might be a bit demanding, but that’s how good work is made.”
Wu Qi thought he understood He Yujing’s earlier hints during the break. Jiang Liusui was chosen by He Yujing, and this repeated hassle somewhat undermined He Yujing’s face. Thus, he subtly flattered, “Good work takes time; I’m sure you understand.”
He Yujing seemed to agree, nodding, and asked with a frown, “I don’t understand acting. Is Jiang Liusui’s acting lacking?”
“He’s young, and his experience is limited, so some aspects might not be ideal. Considering his age, his performance is quite good, but I’m sure you want to do a good job, and forcing it might not yield good results.”
Wu Qi spoke logically and sincerely, “I forgot to ask, is your schedule okay? Will delays affect other work?”
“It’s fine. Strict requirements are okay,” He Yujing smiled at him, “We can take our time.”
“I told Xiao Jiang that he doesn’t need to worry, and that he won’t be replaced no matter what. He also understands and thinks he can learn more with your high standards.”
Upon hearing He Yujing’s assurance that no one would be replaced, Wu Qi’s expression changed slightly, and he forced a smile, “If you both think so, that’s good.”
While speaking, Wu Qi secretly looked at the other person they were discussing. Jiang Liusui was still standing among the soft pillows, his head slightly lowered, so his expression was unclear.
If He Yujing had given such a guarantee, Wu Qi couldn’t use this MV shoot to coerce Jiang Liusui anymore.
“I have something urgent, so let’s stop filming for today,” He Yujing said politely but firmly, deciding the entire crew’s schedule, “Sorry for delaying the first day.”
Wu Qi was unsure if He Yujing’s sudden shooting halt was because he was completely unaware or knew some part of what was going on between Jiang Liusui and him.
Suspicious in his mind, Wu Qi still smiled and agreed, “Then let’s stop for now. Xiao Jiang is not in good condition, so let him rest for a day and find his feeling.”
The script supervisor came over to announce a one-day break. Jiang Liusui didn’t expect the shoot to be stopped abruptly and instinctively looked at the person who made the decision. Not far away, He Yujing was heading towards the makeup room, seemingly planning to remove his makeup. His assistant, Lin Chong, was hurriedly speaking to him.
“Ge, why did you say you have something urgent? I didn’t know about it?” Lin Chong, feeling uneasy, asked, “…Or could it be that you’ve been too busy and stressed lately and decided to take a day off?”
The more Lin Chong thought about it, the more he felt it was possible. Based on He Yujing’s usual behavior, such impulsive actions were indeed possible. But if Shen Jie asked about it, it would be his responsibility for not keeping an eye on him.
He Yujing was contacting Shen Jie, asking her to find out if there had been any past issues between Jiang Liusui and Wu Qi. Although he had a bias, he couldn’t easily condemn someone without proper evidence.
Lin Chong was still chattering, and He Yujing, without raising his head, said, “If I’m on leave, you should also rest. Isn’t that good?”
Lin Chong was in despair, “Manager Shen Jie will kill me.”
“Well then, cherish your last day on earth.”
Hearing such a ruthless response, Lin Chong felt darkness before his eyes.
“Yu Ge.”
A voice suddenly called out. Lin Chong turned around and saw the young actor who was filming with them today.
Since the news about the MV preparation was released, there had been a lot of contact with the company. Even He Yujing had personally reviewed many actor and model profiles. Among them, there were a few with good conditions that the director was quite satisfied with, but He Yujing still didn’t approve. It was surprising that he ended up choosing such an unknown actor.
Lin Chong quietly observed Jiang Liusui and thought that he was indeed the most outstanding one. He Yujing’s eye for selecting people was indeed commendable.
Jiang Liusui ran over in two or three steps. During the filming, he was barefoot, so he stepped on the back heel of his sneakers for convenience, making a soft pattering sound that revealed a hint of childlike innocence.
Jiang Liusui spoke with a serious tone, “Thank you for being willing to trust me.”
“It’s only a temporary halt,” He Yujing said in a businesslike manner, “I never said I trusted you.”
“Yeah, I know.” Jiang Liusui couldn’t help but smile.
He had originally sought He Yujing’s help with a gamble-like mentality, but he didn’t expect him to seriously listen to his words and seemed even willing to verify further. Being treated fairly in this industry was truly something to be grateful for.
“Just to make it clear,” He Yujing, seeing him smile, said in a somewhat malicious tone, “If you end up slandering others, the one who suffers will still be you.”
Jiang Liusui’s smile remained unchanged, not intimidated at all: “Okay.”
“I’ll wait for you to investigate thoroughly.”
Shen Jie was always highly efficient in her work, and that evening, she informed He Yujing of the results.
“Do you know about ‘Liu Jing‘?” Shen Jie said slowly on the phone, “It’s a drama in preparation, considered a major production this year. Jiang Liusui had sent an audition tape to the crew before but didn’t pass. Wu Qi is the chief director of this drama. Apart from this, there doesn’t seem to be any other connection.”
“I had someone inquire a bit. Wu Qi’s preference for beauty is no secret in the industry. You said Wu Qi shot the scene four or five times? He might have had ulterior motives, perhaps intentionally making things difficult for that kid.”
Shen Jie paused briefly and analyzed objectively: “But it could also be that Jiang Liusui’s acting simply didn’t meet Wu Qi’s standards.”
“He’d better not,” He Yujing’s expression was cold, “If he made me waste an entire morning just because of his nonsense…”
Shen Jie naturally knew what he was thinking and comforted him: “The issue is that the scale of this matter is too subtle. Wu Qi’s reason for rejecting him, if said out loud, no one would think much of it… Acting skills are subjective, and maybe Jiang Liusui just didn’t meet his requirements?”
He Yujing said: “Who cares if his standards are right or wrong.”
“?”
“From now on, regardless of what Wu Qi says, if I think it’s passable, then it is.”
“…Alright, you’re in charge.” Shen Jie was used to his strong personality but still trusted his aesthetic judgment, “Anyway, since you’ve clearly stated not to replace anyone, Wu Qi shouldn’t risk offending us by causing trouble.”
“If he films well and doesn’t delay the shooting process, let’s just drop it. We’re releasing a song next month, and we only have less than twenty days. It’s really troublesome to cause a stir with the director at this crucial moment.”
Even if Wu Qi really tried to make things difficult, despite the despicable behavior, Shen Jie felt there was no need to make a scene. Being in the same industry, it was not worth making an enemy of someone, even if she and He Yujing didn’t take Wu Qi seriously.
To put it bluntly, Wu Qi was targeting Jiang Liusui, and it had nothing to do with them.
He Yujing didn’t comment, and Shen Jie took it as tacit approval. Considering his character wasn’t the type to meddle in trivial matters, Shen Jie didn’t think much more of it, reassured, and ended the call after a few more reminders.
The next morning, at the MV filming location.
Jiang Liusui arrived early, and the set was still not fully assembled. The makeup artist, not understanding what had happened the day before, expressed regret upon seeing Jiang Liusui: “What a pity, yesterday’s look was so good, but only half a day of shooting was done.”
Jiang Liusui sat down in front of the mirror and smiled at her: “Then please make me look just as good today.”
The young girl was instantly flustered: “Alright, I’ll make you look even better today!”
After returning home yesterday, Jiang Liusui told Jiang Chuan about the filming mishap.
Although he had considered asking Wu Qi for help, doing so voluntarily versus by coercion was completely different. Jiang Chuan was both shocked and angry, feeling somewhat embarrassed about his previous bad idea, and he scolded Wu Qi’s character over the phone.
“…Unfortunately, he did this in such a way that there’s no obvious mistake, so we can only suffer in silence.” Jiang Chuan said awkwardly, fearing he might act impulsively, and reminded him, “Protect yourself, keep evidence if necessary, and don’t provoke Wu Qi too much. I’ll report this to the company.”
Thinking about the only lucky part of this situation, Jiang Chuan said, “Fortunately, regardless of He Yujing’s attitude, he directly halted the filming yesterday. Wu Qi will have some reservations. For now, he shouldn’t cause you more trouble.”
“Don’t be affected. Just focus on filming. Even if Wu Qi tries to find faults, he’ll have to consider the actual situation.”
Jiang Liusui also felt that Wu Qi probably wouldn’t create trouble for now. Besides, trouble was inevitable, and there was no use being anxious.
But unlike Jiang Chuan, he had a strong belief in He Yujing. With that connection, he felt somewhat relaxed when he arrived at the set.
The more the director deliberately found faults, the more important it was to maintain a good state. Ding Yan specially bought Jiang Liusui an iced coffee to reduce swelling, but even though he woke up early, Jiang Liusui’s face showed no signs of puffiness.
With the coffee not needed, Ding Yan had some free time and searched Jiang Liusui’s name on Weibo.
After scrolling for a while, he couldn’t help but sigh: “Suisui, your Weibo is so harmonious, all praise. It’s rare to see so many positive comments from strangers.”
The makeup artist was applying makeup to Jiang Liusui, slowly applying eye primer. After finishing, Jiang Liusui lifted his eyelid and said, “The benefits of being a celebrity.”
Ding Yan chuckled, and the makeup artist laughed along. She genuinely liked Jiang Liusui and couldn’t help but interject, “Once this MV is released, you’ll definitely become famous! Mr. He is a star-maker; every artist who has collaborated with him has developed well.”
“This album has only two collaborations, you and Miss Su. She just signed a new endorsement a few days ago, so you’re probably not far behind.”
“Yu Ge and Miss Su…” Jiang Liusui, remembering how Shen Sijia was constantly obsessed with the rumors about He Yujing and Su Wan, asked quietly, “Are they dating?”
“No, no, it’s just baseless gossip,” the makeup artist replied, then changed her tone, “But I think, generally speaking, it’s really hard for ordinary people to date Mr. He. The pressure must be enormous.”
Ding Yan, who was a semi-fan of He Yujing and could sing every song from start to finish, eagerly joined the conversation, “Why? Shouldn’t you be thrilled? Just thinking about having He Yujing as your boyfriend…”
Ding Yan searched for the right words for a long time, but his limited vocabulary only allowed him to exclaim, “Wow, just thinking about it is amazing.”
“Look at you, Xiao Ding,” Jiang Liusui leaned back in his chair and joined in the banter, “Turns out you have such lofty thoughts about him.”
Seeing Jiang Liusui’s easygoing attitude, the young makeup artist got more animated, “You guys don’t understand. He’s so perfect in every way, it’s easy to doubt yourself. Being with such a man would make anyone feel insecure.”
She honestly added, “But, to tell you the truth, seeing Mr. He, I sometimes can’t help but dream.”
Ding Yan laughed heartily, and Jiang Liusui also smiled. Just then, someone knocked on the door from outside.
Wu Qi walked in and looked at the other two people in the room, “Everyone else can leave for now. I need to go over today’s schedule with Xiao Jiang.”
The makeup artist, not understanding the situation, packed up her tools. Ding Yan, knowing Wu Qi’s intentions were not good, stood still.
The relaxed atmosphere from earlier vanished, and Jiang Liusui’s nerves became tense. Wu Qi’s sudden request for a private meeting caught him off guard, but knowing Wu Qi’s persistence, he realized he couldn’t avoid it any longer.
“In that case,” Jiang Liusui said calmly, “Ding Yan, you can go out first.”
“But…”
“Go on, the director needs to talk to me alone.”
Ding Yan reluctantly left the room. He hesitated for a moment and left the door slightly open.
Wu Qi leisurely pulled over a chair and sat down in front of Jiang Liusui.
“Is there some misunderstanding between us? There were some things I didn’t get to clarify yesterday. I thought I should talk to you properly.”
“I know you’re an ambitious young man, and I really want to help you.”
“…”
“You’re young and might not realize how intense the competition in this industry is. Don’t think of this deal as something significant.” Wu Qi’s murky eyes narrowed, “He Yujing’s MV, and the resources I’ll give you afterward, it’s hard not to become famous with that. Just think about how many people are dreaming of the opportunity you have right now?”
“Director Wu,” Jiang Liusui suppressed his disgust and spoke flatly, “I’ve told you more than once that I’m not interested in this.”
As he spoke, he added with a touch of sharpness, “As you said, opportunities are rare. I’m sure your resources can find a more suitable candidate.”
Seeing Jiang Liusui’s stubbornness, Wu Qi lost interest in beating around the bush and said shamelessly, “I don’t want to make things hard for you, but if you keep being ungrateful, I have ways to make you bow down! Do you doubt it? Apart from this MV, you won’t get another job!”
Wu Qi glanced at Jiang Liusui’s phone and sneered, “Oh! You’re recording?”
Jiang Liusui wasn’t trying to hide it. He placed the phone on the makeup table, stood up, and looked down at the man before him with a cold voice, “If you stop harassing me, I won’t send out the recording.”
“Try it,” Wu Qi said nonchalantly, “See who would help you spread the recording. Which media would offend me for someone like you, a nobody?”
“I know you’ve talked about me with He Yujing. Don’t think that just because you’re somewhat attractive you can latch onto He Yujing. He doesn’t buy into your act at all! If it comes down to it, do you think he’ll believe me or you?”
Despite Wu Qi’s harsh words, he was wary of He Yujing’s earlier intervention and didn’t dare cause trouble on set. Annoyed, he spat on the ground and said, “I’ll let you off this time! Wait and see outside! I don’t believe I can’t handle someone like you!”
…
Outside the makeup room, He Yujing stopped pushing the door.
He had arrived at the set a little later than Jiang Liusui and intended to discuss Wu Qi with him. As he reached the door, he heard the commotion inside.
Wu Qi’s words grew increasingly harsh, degrading Jiang Liusui and using a number of insulting terms. He Yujing frowned and was about to push the door open—
“There’s something you don’t seem to understand.”
It was Jiang Liusui’s voice, cold and clean, as if he was indifferent to the insults, yet on the verge of exploding from suppressed anger.
He Yujing stopped.
Jiang Liusui knew that, despite how harsh Wu Qi’s words were, some of what he said was true.
To survive in this industry, one must recognize the situation, know when to bow their head, and in this case, making a light-hearted joke to get past Wu Qi and then going back to report to Jiang Chuan and the company for further action was the best strategy.
But Wu Qi’s repeated harassment pushed his patience to its limit.
He couldn’t swallow his anger without giving Wu Qi a piece of his mind.
Seeing Jiang Liusui still daring to argue back, Wu Qi sneered and cursed, “Go on! What don’t I understand? A person who relies on their looks to make a living still wants to teach me a lesson, huh?”
Fuck you, Jiang Liusui thought.
Wu Qi had long since become accustomed to being shameless, so ordinary retaliations had little effect on him. If one wanted to hit him where it hurt…
“You’re aware that I rely on my looks to make a living?” Jiang Liusui repeated lightly, as if he didn’t find the insult offensive at all. He continued in a tone that seemed to agree with Wu Qi, “As long as I want to, I can have as many chances for casting couch deals as I want.”
He spoke so plainly and bluntly, as if tearing away the barely maintained facade of decency, even treating his outstanding appearance as a valuable bargaining chip.
Wu Qi was stunned into silence by this statement, while Jiang Liusui continued speaking: “So, even if I wanted to be taken advantage of, I wouldn’t need someone like you…”
He deliberately paused, his eyes filled with malice: “Someone so low-class.”
Upon hearing the last sentence, Wu Qi erupted in fury: “What did you say?! Are you fucking crazy?”
He abruptly stood up and swung a hand towards Jiang Liusui.
Jiang Liusui caught his wrist and squeezed it hard. Wu Qi struggled with all his might, his face turning red, but no matter how hard he tried, his body, weakened by years of indulgence in alcohol and pleasure, couldn’t compete with the strength of a younger man. His bones creaked under the pressure.
“Let go, you son of a bitch, let go of me! I’ll fucking kill you…!”
Seeing Wu Qi’s frantic anger, Jiang Liusui only laughed.
Even in a situation like this, his smile was both beautiful and mesmerizing. Wu Qi was momentarily stunned by the sight.
Noticing this, Jiang Liusui’s eyes filled with even more ridicule: “Even when you’re angry, you get lost staring at me. You’re hopeless.”
Author’s Note:
Just showing a glimpse of Jiang Liusui’s bewitching side to He Yujing.