CH 25

Jiang Zhan had seen Jiang Li’s mother calling at such a late hour and thought that something urgent might have happened so he paid special attention to him. After waiting for a while in the room, Jiang Li had still not come back. He was worried that something had happened to him and so he went out to find him. 

Ever since he realized that he liked Jiang Li yesterday, he could only think of this little bastard the whole day. He thought of bringing him to an island for vacation after his shooting ended so that he could relax. 

Unfortunately, his imagination was great but reality gave him a hard punch. 

At first glance, he saw someone troubling Jiang Li, so he went there intending to stop the commotion. However, as he went closer he heard the person saying something like “Didn’t you say you like me? Help me sign under his company.”

The word ‘like’ made him stop his footsteps. He then heard the person say, “… I know it’s my fault for asking you to help me accompany Vice-director Jiang … Didn’t we agree on going back to our hometown to live together in the future…” 

When he heard those words, it was as if ripples disrupted the calm water surface, he couldn’t resist and interrupted that person. 

His voice interrupted their conversation. When both of them turned their heads and looked towards him, they were shocked by Jiang Zhan’s sudden appearance and didn’t know how to react. 

Jiang Zhan’s sight dropped on Jiang Li’s hand that was grasped by Zhang Ziyang, his eyes piercing like knives. Zhang Ziyang quickly released Jiang Li’s hand out of fear. 

Zhang Ziyang didn’t expect that Jiang Zhan would suddenly appear like this and his whole body froze. 

He initially came seeking connections to join a drama crew and had accompanied the leaders to drink. He was dizzy after drinking and went out for some fresh air. It was at that moment that he saw Jiang Li and Jiang Zhan walking out from the elevator on the other end of the corridor. 

He dazedly looked at both of them holding hands while entering the private room, feeling shocked. 

He had thought that Jiang Li’s backer might be someone of high position in the Jiang Group, or else a person without any acting or singing experience would not be able to sign under Jiang Group. Moreover, he even got good resources immediately after he entered the company. 

However, he didn’t expect that this backer was Jiang Zhan, the person in power of the Jiang Group which owned half of the resources in the entertainment industry. 

No wonder Vice-director Jiang treated him that way; he was probably afraid that he would be vented on by Jiang Zhan due to Jiang Li.

Zhang Ziyang broke out in a cold sweat as he thought of what he did the previous night, which was calling Jiang Li to threaten him using the chat logs. Fear crept into his heart. Judging from the way they held hands at the door, it showed that Jiang Zhan must have taken a liking to Jiang Li. If Jiang Li were to tell him something, blacklisting him would be as easy as stepping on an ant for Jiang Zhan. 

Feeling frightened, Zhang Ziyang waited outside thinking that he could maybe find a chance to meet Jiang Li. After waiting for quite a while, he finally saw Jiang Li coming out to accept a phone call. As soon as the phone call ended, he didn’t hesitate to approach Jiang Li and take advantage of their relationship. 

In Zhang Ziyang’s memory, Jiang Li was always devoted to him and willing to do anything for him. Even though they had an argument, he still believed that Jiang Li was just alienating him because he felt too sad due to the trade matter. He believed that once he admitted his mistakes and coaxed him, Jiang Li would definitely soften; as they had a relationship for more than ten years. In this city, it could be said that he is Jiang Li’s closest person. 

However, before he got to finish his words, Jiang Zhan suddenly appeared. 

Zhang Ziyang looked at his clouded expression and took a step back subconsciously. 

“Pre… President Jiang… “

Jiang Zhan’s oppressive aura and coldness made him greet in fear, “Hi, I’m Zhang Ziyang, nice to meet you, I’m…” 

“Zhang Ziyang?”

Jiang Zhan interrupted his words and repeated the name. He felt that it was familiar, as if he had heard the name before. Adding up to what he said earlier about asking Jiang Li to accompany the vice-director, he suddenly remembered what he had neglected these past few days. 

— I want the character ‘Liu Chuandeng’ in the drama ‘Long River and Falling Moon’, but you need to give it to me, not Zhang Ziyang.

— It was you who asked me to come, you made a trade with Zhang Ziyang and asked me to come over. 

Jiang Zhan always thought that the reason Jiang Li intended to climb the vice-director’s bed was because he had no other way and couldn’t get any good resources. He didn’t expect that he was doing that for the person he liked! For a useless trash who used his body in exchange for roles! 

Once he realized that Jiang Li had someone he likes, and he had even used his own body to trade for that person’s sake, even promising each other to return to their hometown to live together, Jiang Zhan could feel a cloud of flames burning in his heart. The fact that he was fooled by them made him so angry that he felt like a volcano about to erupt. 

This person called Zhang Ziyang even asked Jiang Li to help him sign under the company. Jiang Zhan couldn’t help laughing out of anger. These days of pampering Jiang Li were just like a fat joke! 

“Host, please pay attention, the male lead’s emotions are fluctuating strongly, the favorability has dropped by 10%!! The favorability has dropped by 10%!!” 

The system’s urgent warning suddenly rang in Jiang Li’s mind. He came back to his senses and scolded ‘fuck’ in his heart as he quickly blurted out, “Jiang Zhan don’t be angry, listen to my explanation!” 

“Shut up.” Jiang Zhan glanced coldly at him, he wasn’t in the mood to listen to him explain at this moment. He suppressed his anger and said, “I’ll take care of you when we go home.” 

Jiang Li met his eyes filled with warning, he felt a subtle pain flash in his buttocks. He then touched his nose and stood to the side, and asked System in his heart, “Did the favorability continue dropping?” 

“Not for now, but please prepare well for any special condition.”

System paused and whispered, “System’s mall has ointment, Host can use points to exchange for it.” 

Jiang Li, “…” 

He knew what kind of ointment the System was talking about, but it would have been better if he didn’t know.  

Jiang Zhan didn’t care about Jiang Li anymore. He turned his gaze towards Zhang Ziyang. He was too lazy to waste his time on such a person and asked directly, “Which studio are you from?” 

He overheard that he wanted to sign under his company, so he must be an artist in the entertainment industry. 

Zhang Ziyang sensed the vile intentions behind that question, he took two steps back and didn’t answer. 

“Don’t make me repeat myself.” Jiang Zhan said with a heavy expression, his eyes as gloomy as a bottomless ink pond. If Shen Yuzhi and the others were here they would have realized that he was on the verge of going mad. 

“Peng Hui Studio.” Jiang Li who was beside him answered. He met Jiang Zhan’s gaze and smiled obediently. 

This brat knows how to act according to the situation huh.

Jiang Zhan looked at him deeply. He took out his phone and called Ji Shu. 

“There’s someone called Zhang Ziyang under Peng Hui’s Studio, I don’t want to see him on any TV channel from now on, take action immediately.” 

Jiang Li, “…” President Jiang really has a domineering aura.1

These words served as a severe warning. Zhang Ziyang’s face instantly turned pale and his legs weakened; the dream he worked so hard to achieve for so many years was suddenly reduced to nothing but a pipe dream. After realizing what had happened, he quickly held onto Jiang Zhan.

“President Jiang, I know my mistakes, please don’t put me on the blacklist, I know I was wrong! I don’t have any relationship with Jiang Li at all!” 

Jiang Zhan avoided his hand and looked at him disdainfully and immediately turned to leave. As he walked past Jiang Li, he threw the words with a stern tone, “Go back with me.” 

“Wait,” Jiang Li grasped his hand, “Don’t go first.” 

Jiang Zhan was still angry so he shook off his hand directly, but he still stopped his footsteps. He turned and looked at him, saying coldly, “What now, are you still unwilling to leave your ex?” 

“Of course not, what are you thinking of?” 

Jiang Li looked at his expression of ‘If you say yes then I’m going to put you on the blacklist as well’ and didn’t know if he should laugh or cry. “I just want to say that he has proof of the trade, you might need to deal with it.” 

“Proof?” 

Jiang Zhan frowned. He saw Zhang Ziyang suddenly run past him so he reflexively stretched out his arm, clutching his collar and dragging him back. He then pressed him against the wall beside them. 

His actions were smooth and clean, it was obvious he had trained before. Jiang Li was stunned watching him. He could only see a flash across his eyes and Zhang Ziyang was already halted by Jiang Zhan. 

A waiter who was not far away saw the commotion. He quickly walked towards them and asked what happened.  

Jiang Zhan had been friends with Shen Yuzhi since they were young so almost all the staff in the clubhouse knew his identity. When the waiter saw him pressing Zhang Ziyang he immediately helped him and locked his hands at his back. 

Jiang Zhan adjusted the sleeves that were coiled up due to his actions earlier, ordering the waiter, “Deal with him well, don’t let him leave the clubhouse for two days.” 

“What do you wanna do?!” Zhang Ziyang struggled as he said, “Let me go, this is an act of detaining, you can’t do this…” 

The waiter took out a handkerchief from his pocket and immediately stuffed it in his mouth, stopping him from saying anything else. 

Jiang Li, “…”  This clubhouse is really filled with talented people, anyone could be a martial artist.  

Jiang Zhan returned to the room and said goodbye to Shen Yuzhi and co, as he didn’t have the mood to continue after having to deal with such an annoying matter. He then left without even taking the blazer he had hung on the wooden rack in the corner when he first came. 

“What happened?” Shen Yuzhi called out to Jiang Li who came in to take Jiang Zhan’s blazer. 

“We have some family matters, we’ll leave first.” Jiang Li didn’t explain more, or else Jiang Zhan would be even more angry with him once he found out that he hadn’t followed directly behind him. Then, the primary love achievement that was finally unlocked would be a bust. 

As they both left, Shen Yuzhi and the others were mulling over the ‘family matter’. They knew something was up and tactfully didn’t call Jiang Zhan to ask about it. 

Once Jiang Li reached the parking lot holding the blazer, Jiang Zhan had already started the engine. He hadn’t left immediately, but was still waiting in the parking lot with the lights still on. 

He didn’t forget about him even though he was still mad. President Jiang is gentle enough. 

Jiang Li strode happily towards the car and said once he got in, “Things are not as what you have imagined, I’ll explain to you when we get back.” 

Jiang Zhan didn’t answer, he simply stepped on the accelerator and drove out of the parking lot. 

On the way back home, Jiang Zhan kept a straight face and didn’t say anything. Jiang Li tried to start a conversation a few times but kept failing, so he stopped. He knew Jiang Zhan was still angry so he planned to communicate with him after they reached home. 

Jiang Zhan’s driving speed was really fast. Judging from the speed of the car, Jiang Li could feel that his anger didn’t reduce at all, if anything, it kept rising. 

There were only a few cars at night so the traffic was so smooth and they soon reached Jade River Garden. 

Jiang Zhan parked the car at the open air parking lot in the neighborhood, not even having the patience to stop it at the basement’s parking lot. He immediately pushed the car door open and went out after stopping the engine. Jiang Li followed out after him quickly, not forgetting to take the blazer out as well. 

Jiang Nuomi liked to sleep on the cabinet at the porch so it always knew immediately when Jiang Li and Jiang Zhan came back. It was the same today as well. It instantly woke up once the door was opened, calling out to both of them. 

When Jiang Li went to other provinces for the live show a few days ago, Jiang Zhan would carry Jiang Nuomi in once he came back every day. However, as he saw it today, the flame in his heart became even bigger. Jiang Li had even fooled him yet he personally bought a pet for him, it was really too embarrassing.

He didn’t even spare Jiang Nuomi a single look and entered the house after changing his shoes. 

Jiang Li touched Jiang Nuomi’s head then followed him in. As he walked behind Jiang Zhan, he asked, “You drank a bit too much today, let me cook some hangover soup for you?” 

He said this as he placed Jiang Zhan’s blazer on the sofa’s armrest, going to enter the kitchen. 

Jiang Zhan had been trying to suppress his anger all the way home and was waiting for Jiang Li to explain, but he soon realized that Jiang Li was acting like nothing had happened and was going to cook hangover soup for him, so he became even more furious. He pulled him back and threw him onto the sofa. He then pressed against him, using both hands to press on Jiang Li’s wrists. He then said with clenched teeth, “You even fancied a useless trash like him? Are you fucking blind?” 

Even curse words were blurted out, it was obvious that he was really furious. 

Jiang Li met his eyes, he could see the gloom and constrained anger in them. He knew that he wasn’t in a good mood so he didn’t struggle out of his hold. He sighed lightly then faintly said, “I can only blame myself for being too young at that time, I couldn’t even see clearly whether he’s a dog or a human.”

Jiang Zhan, “…” 

The Chinese phrase used here is actually 天凉王破 which is a meme that says, ‘the day is getting cooler, it’s time for Wang Group to get bankrupt’.