Pei Yan was looking straight into Su Zhiyi’s eyes when he said this, clearly interrogating her.
Before Su Zhiyi could answer this awkward question, Jiang Yuanheng, who had been ignored by Pei Yan, spoke up for her instead.
Unlike Pei Yan’s subtle but oppressive presence, he was calm and composed, answering Pei Yan’s question very naturally.
“Yeah, I mean, I was chatting with Sister Zhiyi, so of course I had fun.”
He tilted his head toward Su Zhiyi, a faint smile playing on his lips. “We haven’t seen each other since last time when Sister Zhiyi came to my concert. She’s been busy filming, and I’ve been busy with my tour. It’s rare for us to meet, so we ended up talking a lot. That’s perfectly normal.”
“Sister Zhiyi is really interesting. I really enjoy chatting with her.”
Suddenly, as if thinking of something, he raised his eyebrows, formed his mouth into an O shape, and pretended to be surprised. “Oh… I almost forgot to change how I address her.”
“Since everyone calls her Sister Zhiyi, can I use a different term?”
Jiang Yuanheng acted as if Pei Yan didn’t exist, speaking to himself. His eyes and brows were filled with a gentle smile, and his voice was even more pleasant than when he sang on stage—clear as a spring in the deep mountains, carrying a faint hint of lingering affection.
“How about ‘Jiejie’? I’ve wanted to call you that for a long time.”
Seeing Pei Yan’s face darken, Su Zhiyi twitched the corner of her mouth and took a small step aside, trying to distance herself from Jiang Yuanheng.
“That’s not quite right… We’re not related by blood, just friends…”
“Just… friends?”
Jiang Yuanheng’s smile faded bit by bit, and Su Zhiyi could actually see a hint of fragility on his face.
His voice trembled lightly, his eyes moist, as if a tear might slide down the corner of his eye at any moment.
“I don’t just see Sister Zhiyi as a friend. Every word I said in the restaurant last time was true. I am—”
Now Pei Yan’s expression turned even worse. The usually well-composed Best Actor Pei lost his composure for the first time.
His nostrils flared, his breathing quickened, and his fingers clenched into fists. Su Zhiyi could even hear the cracking of his knuckles.
“Wait, wait, wait… Stop right there!”
Su Zhiyi almost wanted to take back her words. If she had known, she would have let Jiang Yuanheng call her ‘jiejie’ from the start!
Seriously, the more he talked, the more there was. She had just told Pei Yan that she and Jiang Yuanheng weren’t even friends…
But… was Jiang Yuanheng trying to provoke Pei Yan?
Why did she not only smell the thick gunpowder of a rivalry in the air, but also a faint, fresh scent of green tea?
Helplessly, Su Zhiyi agreed to Jiang Yuanheng: “Just call me ‘jiejie.’ I’m two years older than you, so it’s normal for you to call me that.”
‘Jiejie’… that was a pretty normal term, right?
“Really? Jiejie.” Jiang Yuanheng happily called out the term he had long wanted to use.
Su Zhiyi’s complicated gaze fell on Jiang Yuanheng. Jiang Yuanheng was full of youthful energy. Even the sun in the sky wasn’t as sunny as his smile.
Faced with Su Zhiyi’s questioning, probing gaze, he seemed not to notice. His eyes were so clear that you could see straight through to the bottom.
Unlike Song Lian, whom she had met before—whose eyes were always veiled like a thin layer of mist, making it hard to see through him but revealing a very deep mind—
If she had to find a metaphor for Jiang Yuanheng, he would be a simple, harmless puppy.
He had no aggressiveness, and every word he said to her came from the heart.
Could it be that she was overthinking?
Su Zhiyi stared into Jiang Yuanheng’s eyes for a full three seconds. Jiang Yuanheng didn’t look away; instead, he gave her a playful wink.
“Really.” She finally chose to believe.
Forget it, she didn’t have the heart to hurt a pure-hearted young man.
She would comfort Pei Yan after filming was done. Anyway, Pei Yan’s scenes would be finished today, and they would have less contact afterward.
“Heh.”
Seeing their “deep sibling bond,” Pei Yan let out a cold, angry laugh.
“Jiang Yuanheng, so eager to claim a sister, what about your real biological sister at home?”
Not a single curse word, but the attack was fierce.
“My biological sister wouldn’t mind. She knows Sister Zhiyi and likes her a lot.” Jiang Yuanheng retaliated lightly without backing down. “What I want to ask, Brother Pei, is why are you so familiar with my jiejie? I’ve never heard her mention you.”
“…” Pei Yan said, “And you’re very familiar with her?”
“Of course I am. Brother Pei, haven’t you seen the trending topics? We’ve known each other for years.” Jiang Yuanheng noticed Pei Yan’s gloomy expression and frowned with concern. “Brother Pei, why do you seem unhappy today? You’re getting older, you shouldn’t get so angry. It’s bad for your health.”
The moment Pei Yan heard Jiang Yuanheng mention his age, he could no longer suppress his anger.
How did Jiang Yuanheng’s parents raise him? So insolent, not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth.
“I’m only thirty-two,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Thirty-two isn’t young anymore. Last time I heard Uncle Pei worrying about your marriage.”
Suddenly, as if finding a point to counterattack, Pei Yan’s anger vanished, and he returned to his usual distant coldness.
“My father is right. At my age, it’s indeed time to get married.” He said calmly. “The two perfections in life are a happy family and a successful career. Now that my career is accomplished, I should consider starting a family.”
“Xiao Jiang, you only entered the industry recently, right?”