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As Su Ling and Yun Bu walked out of the teaching building, Su Ling received a text message from Qin Xiao.
[Waiting for you at Gate 3.]
Her steps faltered, and Yun Bu leaned over to peek. Seeing the message, she asked teasingly, “Hmm? Who’s this?” Spotting the contact name on Su Ling’s phone—”Jerk”—Yun Bu nearly burst out laughing.
Su Ling rarely said anything cutting, even when they gossiped together; she usually just listened quietly. But for her to label someone as “Jerk” in her contacts, that person must have been truly insufferable!
Su Ling clenched her teeth and didn’t respond.
Yun Bu, catching on, gave a dry laugh: “Qin… Qin Shao?”
Su Ling simply said, “You go ahead and eat first.”
Yun Bu’s impression of Qin Xiao was still stuck on that night at Cloudy Starry Sky, where he had been arrogant and domineering.
Just thinking about it made her shiver: “Maybe you shouldn’t go, Ling Ling.”
“He’s at Gate 3.”
Yun Bu understood immediately. Gate 3 was the least frequented entrance. If Su Ling didn’t show up, Qin Xiao might very well drive through Gates 1 or 2 to find her.
Su Ling had just signed with Star Entertainment, and being seen with Qin Xiao would invite unwanted gossip.
“Don’t worry, Ling Ling. If you’re not back by eight, I’ll call the police.”
Su Ling chuckled: “It’s not that bad. I actually have something to discuss with him.”
She casually grabbed the mask she’d bought a few days ago and headed toward Gate 3.
When Su Ling arrived, Qin Xiao was scrolling through his phone, a cigarette dangling from one hand.
His brows were furrowed as he stared at the screen, completely oblivious to the fact that the cigarette was almost burning down to his fingers.
Several cigarette butts lay scattered near his feet, evidence that he’d been waiting for some time—and clearly in a foul mood.
Qin Xiao had been reading He Qin’s report on Star Entertainment. Backed by the Dong family, forcing a termination of Su Ling’s contract would be troublesome.
But the moment Su Ling approached, he looked up.
Without a word, Su Ling pulled a tissue from her bag, crouched down to pick up the cigarette butts, then walked about ten meters to toss them into a trash bin.
Throughout this, she remained silent.
Qin Xiao had been brimming with anger, but when she returned and looked up at him, his frustration inexplicably melted away.
Most of her delicate face was obscured by her mask, leaving only her clear, black-and-white eyes visible.
Those eyes were pure and lucid, reflecting his image.
Before Qin Xiao could even begin speaking, he felt an awkward pang—like a student caught smoking and littering outside the school gate.
The cigarette in his hand burned his fingertips painfully. He hastily stubbed it out on the car hood, wrapped it in a tissue from the driver’s seat, and tossed it into the bin.
Fine. No more smoking.
“Get in the car,” he said, his voice slightly hoarse.
This time, Su Ling complied without resistance, sitting directly in the passenger seat.
She could tell he was angry, but so was she. Everyone had their limits, and Qin Xiao had no right to interfere with her life.
Qin Xiao drove for a long stretch in silence, and Su Ling didn’t speak either.
“Su Ling,” he said, suppressing his fury. “Take off your mask.”
She refused, turning her head to look at him instead.
Her gaze was so intense that Qin Xiao’s heart raced uncontrollably. Instinctively, he slammed on the brakes.
He felt his soul stir with excitement, tinged with a faint tremor. Stopping the car, he reached out to remove her mask. She didn’t resist, continuing to stare at him silently.
After removing her mask, Qin Xiao couldn’t help but reach out to touch her cheek.
This time, she turned her head away.
It was already autumn, and the previous day’s rain left the roads damp, the air refreshingly clean. She wore a white jacket and had her hair tied in a ponytail, looking much younger than usual.
Qin Xiao, still dressed in his suit and shirt, exuded a stern demeanor. When serious, he appeared impeccably groomed.
At nearly twenty-eight, he was approaching thirty—a man on the cusp of maturity.
He looked at her: “Are you angry, hmm?”
In her dark eyes, she finally couldn’t suppress her emotions, revealing her anger.
To his surprise, he smiled: “What are you angry about?”
“Does Mr. Qin not know?” she retorted. Her expression remained calm, but in her heart, she had already killed him a thousand times over.
Qin Xiao’s hand rested on the steering wheel, his long fingers distinct and elegant. He said, “Terminate your contract with Star Entertainment. Qing Yu will sign you.”
Su Ling laughed bitterly: “I won’t terminate it. You might as well kill me.”
His brows furrowed, irritation creeping in: “Su Ling.”
She mimicked his tone earlier: “I’m listening.” But her voice was soft and sweet, making Qin Xiao smirk.
He wasn’t a fool. Clearly, Su Ling already knew he had tampered with Twelve Years of Hustle behind the scenes.
He spoke calmly: “Isn’t acting all you want? Terminate your contract with Star Entertainment, and Qing Yu will sign you.”
Su Ling shot back: “And make it easier for you to blacklist me?”
He chuckled: “No, I’ll promote you. Anything you want, I’ll give it to you.”
Liar! This despicable liar! Su Ling had initially been only mildly irritated since her peak anger had subsided over the past few days. She had come to clarify things with him, but now she felt like she wanted to take him down with her.
She desperately wanted to curse him, but her limited vocabulary left her face red with frustration, on the verge of tears.
Seeing her like this softened Qin Xiao’s heart. Fearing she might cry, he reached out to touch the corner of her eye. Su Ling slapped his hand away: “Don’t touch me!”
He narrowed his eyes and decided to cut to the chase: “What’s so good about acting?”
People like Zheng Xiaoya and Wan Baibai, even though they became award-winning actresses at a young age, still had to bow their heads in front of the upper-class circles.
Su Ling knew it was pointless to reason with him. She didn’t even want to try: “Then what’s so good about me? Why do you chase after me like a dog after a bone?”
His expression darkened: “Su Ling!”
She rarely argued with anyone, and her eyes were already red: “Mr. Qin, please lower your voice. I’m not deaf.”
He pinched her cheek, and before Su Ling could react, he had already let go. Flustered and humiliated, she covered her face, looking as though she wanted to bite him.
He grinned mischievously: “Mm, your bones are fragrant and tender. Everything about you is perfect.”
Her ears flushed red, and she was close to fainting from anger.
Even after calling him a dog, he still had the audacity to flirt with her!
Shameless! Disgusting!
Unable to bear being around him any longer, Su Ling reached for the car door, only to find it locked.
After pulling at it fruitlessly for a while, she remembered and turned back to see Qin Xiao laughing uncontrollably. A surge of委屈 (grievance) overwhelmed her. She wanted to kill him!
“Open the door.”
Qin Xiao curved his lips: “Terminate the contract, and be a good girl.”
Good my ass!
Su Ling snapped: “You might as well kill me.” Tears welled up in her eyes. She knew she was powerless and realized that even if she lived several lifetimes, she could never outwit someone like Qin Xiao.
He was cunning, manipulative, and shameless. Every time she fell for his lies, she ended up foolishly grateful to him. She felt an overwhelming sense of despair. Even if she were reborn again, how could she ever win against him?
Suppressing her tears, she decided to give up.
“Qin Xiao, you’re arrogant, hateful, selfish, and shameless.” Her voice quivered as she stumbled over her words, cursing him. “I’ve already told you I hate you. Someone like you—tyrannical, sinister, and ruthless—whoever likes you must be blind.”
He listened calmly, impressed by her eloquence. Even when cursing, she used four-character phrases, delivered in a soft tone that barely scratched the surface. Qin Xiao raised an eyebrow.
Until Su Ling’s gaze dimmed, and she spoke her heartfelt truth across two lifetimes: “I will never like you. Truly never. Not even in death. Please let me go, and let yourself go too.”
Finally, his expression changed.
Her words pierced through his ironclad heart like a knife, leaving it bleeding and raw.
“I will never like you. Not even in death.”
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