CHAPTER 282: CHAPTER 274: DON’T PLAY TRICKS WITH ME

After finishing things up, Xiao Nanqing didn’t go out right away.

Qin, tall and thin, lazily leaned on the sink, with one hand in his pocket and the other pulling out a cigarette, which he placed between his thin lips, squinting his phoenix eyes at the tightly closed bathroom door.

About twenty minutes passed, and a faint, muffled sound slipped through the door panel.

Xiao Nanqing smirked and directly threw the cigarette butt on the expensive porcelain floor, grinding it out with his shoe.

After a while, a cautious female voice came through the door panel, "Xiao Nanqing."

Xiao Nanqing stood up straight, his shoes silent on the floor.

"Xiao Nanqing." The girl’s voice raised a pitch.

Xiao Nanqing strolled to the wall near the door, his phoenix eyes intensely fixed on the door.

"Xiao Nanqing, if you’re okay, say something..." The girl’s voice was anxious, even a bit shaky.

Xiao Nanqing lightly curled his lips, leisurely leaning against the wall.

Soon, the girl seemed to lose her patience and said, "I’m coming in, I’m, I’m really coming in!"

After she spoke, she paused for two seconds, and then the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside, and a petite figure hurriedly rushed in.

Seeing the empty bathroom made Mu Yan stop her forward rush, clenching her hands, looking utterly confused.

She had been in the corridor and hadn’t gone far, but she didn’t see anyone leave!

Suddenly, a shadow fell from above, casting a large shadow under her feet.

Mu Yan’s spine shivered, and she quickly turned around.

Before she could see the person behind her clearly, her entire body was roughly pulled into a broad chest by a pair of long arms.

Mu Yan screamed in surprise.

Just as she started to scream, the man covered her mouth, "Shh, shh, calm down, calm down, Little Yan’er, it’s me."

Mu Yan’s pupils contracted sharply, her big grape-like eyes wide with fear, staring at the terribly charming face of the man in front of her.

Xiao Nanqing’s long, fair hand stroked Mu Yan’s waist, making sure she wouldn’t scream again, only then did he slowly release his hand from her lips.

Mu Yan slightly opened her pale cherry lips, her chest heaving heavily, "Xiao Nanqing, do you think this is fun?"

Mu Yan’s voice was on the verge of breaking.

Xiao Nanqing gazed at her slowly reddening eyes, his thin lips curving into a wickedly playful smile, "I can’t deny it, seeing you so scared is quite entertaining."

"...Bastard!"

"Rude." Xiao Nanqing pinched Mu Yan’s cheek lightly, scolding softly.

"Still better than some bastards who take pleasure in playing tricks on people!" Mu Yan wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, her voice hoarse.

Xiao Nanqing’s phoenix eyes deepened, staring at her red eyes, "Worried about me, huh?"

Mu Yan hesitated, biting her lower lip and said resentfully, "I’m just worried you might not be dead, wanted to come in and give you a kick."

"So young and yet so ruthless." Xiao Nanqing squinted, poking Mu Yan’s left chest.

Heart trembling, Mu Yan quickly supported her chest with her hand, staring at him defensively, huffing, "Compared to you, I’m far from it!"

"Sharp-tongued!" Xiao Nanqing ground his teeth.

"Let me go!" Mu Yan said.

"Don’t want to."

Mu Yan gasped, her face growing more flustered, looking at Xiao Nanqing, "You, what are you doing?"

"What do you think?" Xiao Nanqing kept pressing down, forcing Mu Yan to lean back again and again.

Feeling her waist bending an inch lower, almost about to be crushed by someone.

Mu Yan hurriedly put her hands behind, bracing on the sink to support herself.

Her eyes quivered in tension, "Xiao Nanqing, if you do this to me, I’ll tell Great Grandpa."

"Go ahead, maybe the old man will even praise me for doing well." Xiao Nanqing sneered.

Mu Yan, "..."

Wanted to retort, but couldn’t find the words.

"Yanyan, you know my patience isn’t great. Quickly cut ties with that man, no dating before you graduate college." Xiao Nanqing suddenly said in a stern tone, his phoenix eyes coldly staring at Mu Yan.

Mu Yan’s arms, supporting on the sink, trembled slightly, muttering in dissatisfaction, "Why can’t I date? I’m not a child."

"Would a mature woman jump off a building just to see a man?" Xiao Nanqing said coldly.

"That was only because you wouldn’t let me out!" Mu Yan retorted defiantly.

Xiao Nanqing’s phoenix eyes flashed with fiery anger, his body suddenly pressed forward again, "Your leg injury is healed, it doesn’t hurt anymore, so you argue with me at every turn?"

Mu Yan was so scared her face turned white, her eyes flickering, not daring to meet his, her voice softened even more, "I’m not."

"Don’t play tricks with me, getting on my nerves, a few cute acts won’t get you past this! Mu Xiaoyan, listen to me, take it to heart, no dating before college graduation, or else..."

Xiao Nanqing laughed coldly, "I’ll skin you alive!"

Mu Yan’s face turned ashen.

Rong Mochen and Jin Jumo, with Xixi and Hanhan, returned to the castle, only to see Mu Yan with reddened eyes walking through the hallway outside the bathroom. When she saw them, she quickly lowered her little head, brushed past them in a hurry, and headed outside.

"Little Yan..." Jin Jumo chased after her worriedly.

Rong Mochen frowned, his black eyes turning to the leisurely approaching Xiao Nanqing.

Xiao Nanqing acted as if nothing happened, "Where are the others?"

"They’ve returned," Rong Mochen replied.

Xiao Nanqing nodded, "It’s about time they did."

"Don’t always argue with the young girl," Rong Mochen suddenly said.

Xiao Nanqing was slightly stunned, then a nonchalant smile spread across her delicate face, "Let’s go."

Rong Mochen pursed his lips.

"Little Yan, you..."

"Sister Jin, I’m leaving," Mu Yan interrupted Jin Jumo’s concerned words upon seeing Xiao Nanqing approaching, turned, and walked away.

Jin Jumo furrowed her brows tightly, looking at Xiao Nanqing with blame.

Xiao Nanqing, however, curled her lips into a smile, as if not understanding Jin Jumo’s expression, and brushed past her.

Jin Jumo bit her lip silently.

The next morning, the family of four left the castle and returned to Z City.

As soon as they arrived in Z City, Gu Yan sent Xixi and Hanhan to Xin Fu, while Rong Mochen took Jin Jumo back to the apartment before heading directly to the Rong Family.

Not long after Rong Mochen left the apartment, Jin Jumo received a call from director Lin Dong.

"Ye, the situation is urgent, so I’ll get straight to the point. The previously injured actress in the crew is actually the lead actress of this play. When I first knew she was injured, I suggested that she take a good rest, but she insisted she could perform. Now all the actors in the crew have arrived in Z City, and the performance is scheduled for tonight. But her injury suddenly worsened, and she said she can’t go on stage. Ye, you are the only one who can save the situation now."

"Me?" Jin Jumo was surprised, "Director, you’re not asking me to perform, are you?"

"You were originally the lead actress in this play. It was only because of your injury that we had to let the alternate lead take your place. Ye, I have great confidence in your ability."

"But I haven’t rehearsed for a long time, I’m afraid I’m rusty..."

"There’s no time to worry about that now. Z City is the last stop of the tour; we can’t let all the previous efforts go to waste," Lin Dong said urgently.

"Don’t worry..."

"How can I not worry? A play without a lead actress can’t be considered complete. Ye, Ye, please consider it a favor you’re doing for me, alright?" Lin Dong pleaded.

How could Jin Jumo possibly say no?

After calming herself slightly, Jin Jumo said, "Don’t talk about favors. You’ve helped me a lot over the years. Besides, I’ve put my heart into rehearsing for this play. How could I bear to see it without a perfect ending?"

"Ye, it comforts me to hear you say that. I promise you; the lead in the next play will also be yours," Lin Dong felt relieved upon hearing Jin Jumo’s agreement.

Jin Jumo smiled slightly, "I’m already in Z City, I’ll pack up and come find you immediately."

"Good, good," Lin Dong responded promptly.

Hanging up the phone, the pressure hit her like a tidal wave. Jin Jumo took a few deep breaths, not daring to waste time. She changed her clothes and left with her bag.

When Jin Jumo arrived at the theater where the evening performance would be held, the director had already gathered all the actors in the rehearsal hall. As soon as he saw Jin Jumo, he rushed over as if seeing a lifeline, "Ye, you made it."

Jin Jumo nodded to the other actors in the troupe, then looked at the director and said, "Director, while we still have time, let’s rehearse a few more times."

Seeing the serious and meticulous look on Jin Jumo’s face, the director felt much relieved. He nodded heavily and waved his hand, "All actors, take your positions, let’s start rehearsing!"

Until just before the evening performance, Jin Jumo was busy practicing lines with the lead actor Xiao Yuwen and familiarizing herself with the pacing of the scenes, not having a moment to drink water.

The performance officially began at eight o’clock, and from six, all actors were in the backstage waiting for the makeup artist.

The lead actor and actress had their own dedicated dressing rooms.

Before the performance began, the director specifically went to the dressing room to find Jin Jumo. Seeing her dressed in the lead actress’s costume and with makeup that perfectly matched his image of the character, and recalling the rehearsal earlier, Lin Dong’s tense expression gradually relaxed. He said to Jin Jumo, "Ye, just perform normally on stage later, don’t be nervous."

Jin Jumo took a deep breath, "I’m not nervous."

Lin Dong nodded and returned to his position on stage.

After the two-and-a-half-hour theater performance ended, all the actors returned to the backstage exhausted.

Jin Jumo and Xiao Yuwen walked back to the dressing room together.

As soon as they entered the dressing room, Xiao Yuwen immediately clutched his chest and collapsed into a chair at the dressing table, "It’s finally over; my heart can finally rest at ease."

Jin Jumo also exhaled deeply and sat down on a chair. Just as she was bending over to take off her high heels, the director hurriedly entered the room.

Xiao Yuwen immediately stood up from his seat, nervously looking at the director.

Jin Jumo tightened her lips and stood as well.

Lin Dong paced back and forth in the dressing room a couple of times before standing in front of Jin Jumo and Xiao Yuwen. He placed his hands on their shoulders, his face trembling with excitement as he said, "Tonight’s performance was very successful. The audience’s reaction was stronger than any of the previous shows. I now officially announce that this tour has concluded triumphantly. Well done!"