CHAPTER 63: HE’D BE MY FIRST READER... IN THIS WORLD

"Pray tell, what exactly were you doing in your room?" He Zeqing raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Unbeknownst to him, whenever he faced Qi Jianyi, his usual cold demeanor softened. He even found himself in the mood to tease her.

Qi Jianyi shot him a glare, her frustration evident. "I was writing a manuscript, alright!" she snapped, snorting in defiance.

He Zeqing’s expression shifted as he eyed her more seriously. "Didn’t you say that the whole ’starting your own business’ thing was just a lie to fool your grandfather?"

"It still is," she responded dismissively. "I haven’t changed my mind."

In truth, Qi Jianyi had long harbored a desire to create her own publishing company, one where she could release her works without being exploited by others. But she was well aware of her limitations.

For one, she didn’t have the energy to work day and night to build her company from the ground up. And second, she had no real passion for the business world.

In the past, she knew all too well that her publishing agent had been cheating her. But at the time, she turned a blind eye, choosing to accept it. For the desperate Qi Jianyi, the amount they offered seemed small to others, but it was more than enough for her..

Now, in this world, things were different. She had the means, the wealth, the influence. If she wanted to, she could establish her own publishing company with ease, delegate all the hard work to others, and sit back to collect the profits.

But that wasn’t Qi Jianyi’s style. She was a perfectionist to her core. If she took on a project, it had to be done her way, with no interference. And deep down, she remembered why she had once dreamed of a publishing company.

Wasn’t it to escape exploitation? So, how could she bring herself to delegate everything and risk mistreating her employees? She knew she would likely end up doing it all herself—every detail, every decision.

He Zeqing raised an eyebrow. "So what’s the deal with the manuscript?"

"I just wanted to try something new," Qi Jianyi lied smoothly. After all, in this world, only Song Chengfeng knew that she preferred writing over running a business.

"How’s the writing coming along?" He Zeqing asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"I’d say about thirty percent? I just started," Qi Jianyi replied, tilting her head as she thought about the unfinished manuscript sitting back home.

"Once you hit fifty percent, show it to me. If it’s good, I’ll invest in you," He Zeqing declared smugly, slipping into his role as the self-assured president of an entertainment company.

Qi Jianyi rolled her eyes, visibly irritated by his overconfidence. "No," she responded curtly.

His brow furrowed in confusion. "Why not?"

"Because I promised someone he’d be my first reader... in this world," she added under her breath.

"Who?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

A playful smile tugged at her lips as she rose from the couch. "I don’t feel like telling you. Anyway, if that’s all, I’m leaving." Her tone was teasing at first, but her final words carried a more serious note.

He Zeqing shook his head as he stood as well, reaching for the car key on the table. Glancing at her, he said with a sly grin, "Fine, keep your secrets. But don’t even think about heading home."

Qi Jianyi’s eyebrows knitted together in suspicion. "What do you want now?"

"Didn’t I already tell you? Uncle asked me to make sure you did something productive today."

"If my dad really wanted me to be productive, why couldn’t he just take me to his company instead of pawning me off on you? You’re so annoying," she shot back, her gaze sweeping him from head to toe, openly judging him.

"Because he had a meeting outside the company today and was too busy to deal with you. So, like it or not, your annoying cousin is stuck with you today," He Zeqing replied casually, brushing off her last remark with a smirk, his tone carrying a hint of playful arrogance. He was completely unfazed by her complaint.

Qi Jianyi narrowed her eyes, her suspicion growing as she observed the unusually easygoing He Zeqing. His carefree attitude seemed out of place, and something felt off.

"Cousin, tell me... what exactly are you hiding?" she asked, her voice low but firm, halting him mid-step before he could head out the door.

He Zeqing turned back with a look of genuine confusion. "Hiding? What could I possibly be hiding?"

"I don’t know yet," Qi Jianyi responded, her eyes narrowing further as she studied him like a detective piecing together clues. "But you’re acting really suspicious right now."

She crossed her arms, her gaze sharp as she studied him. "You’re way too relaxed today. Talking more than usual, smiling way too much. He Zeqing, what are you not telling me?"

Still looking confused, He Zeqing let out a soft chuckle and ruffled her hair. "You’re overthinking it. I’m just in a good mood today, that’s all."

Qi Jianyi pushed his hands away with annoyance. "With no particular reason?" she pressed.

He Zeqing’s smile faltered for a split second, but he quickly recovered, his voice steady as he responded, "With no particular reason," he said firmly which meant to reassure her, yet not quite quelling the doubt flickering in her mind.

"Where are we going?" Qi Jianyi asked casually, though her suspicion still lingered beneath the surface.

For now, she swallowed her doubts, but her eyes never left He Zeqing, studying his every expression as if searching for a crack in his calm façade.

Without turning to face her, He Zeqing replied, "To the film set I’ve invested in recently."

His tone was matter-of-fact, leaving no room for further questions. Without another word, he headed for the door, his long strides purposeful as he exited the room.

Qi Jianyi let out a small sigh, the sound barely audible but carrying with it the weight of her lingering wariness. There was no choice but to follow him now, even though she still couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something wasn’t quite right.

Begrudgingly, she trailed after him, her thoughts swirling as she braced herself for whatever awaited them at the filming set.

...

"So, this is what you’ve been hiding from me? You bastard," Qi Jianyi hissed, her eyes narrowing into a deadly glare aimed at He Zeqing, who sat quietly in the driver’s seat.

He Zeqing, the so-called bastard in her outburst, could only bow his head slightly, acknowledging his guilt. "He’s been pestering me," he muttered, breaking the tense silence that hung between them.

"And what does that have to do with me?" Qi Jianyi snapped, her voice sharp with frustration. At that moment, she wished nothing more than to strangle her infuriating cousin for dragging her into this situation.

Her gaze shifted toward the man standing beneath the large tree not far from them. It was the one person she had hoped to never cross paths with again.

"Does my dad know about this?" she asked, her voice laced with suspicion. There was no way her father—who had made his disapproval crystal clear—would ever agree to such an "accidental" meeting.

He Zeqing shook his head, quick to absolve himself. "Uncle doesn’t know. This was all that jerk’s plan," he said, hastily shifting the blame to the man outside.

Qi Jianyi shot him a sharp look, her eyes darkening with anger. "Who’s the jerk?" she asked, her tone dangerously low.

She wasn’t stupid. It was obvious He Zeqing was involved. There was no way that man alone could have orchestrated this without some help.

"We are. We’re a bunch of jerks," He Zeqing quickly corrected himself, sensing the rising fury in her gaze. His voice turned meek as he raised both hands in mock surrender, trying to diffuse the situation before it escalated further.

"You’re so annoying," Qi Jianyi muttered under her breath, her frustration barely contained as she glared at He Zeqing.

He Zeqing nodded, completely agreeing with her assessment. "I know. I’m annoying. Both me and that jerk are annoying," he admitted, hoping that following along with her words might somehow calm her down.

But unbeknownst to him, the more he spoke, the more he seemed to dig himself deeper into trouble, as if every word only fanned the flames of her irritation.

"Shut up!" Qi Jianyi snapped, her patience finally breaking. Without waiting for another word, she pushed open the car door and stepped out, slamming it behind her with enough force to shake the vehicle slightly.

As soon as she was out, her eyes immediately fell on the figure she had been trying to avoid. The man who had been standing under the tree was now making his way toward her.

He walked with quiet confidence, each step deliberate, his dark blue shirt slightly unbuttoned at the collar and the sleeves rolled up, revealing his strong, veined forearms.

His face, calm and unreadable, gave no hint of the tension that hung in the air. As he approached, his attention was fixed solely on Qi Jianyi, treating He Zeqing as though he didn’t even exist.

"Song Chengfeng," Qi Jianyi murmured, his name slipping out before she could stop herself.