The More Tragic I Act, the Stronger I Get — My Fans Beg Me to Stop Killing Off My Roles-Chapter 34: "Don’t be afraid, she used to be afraid of pain just like you."
Day two was a disaster.
Day three was the continuation of that disaster.
Jiang Ci had just arrived on set and hadn't even had time to greet the director when a fragrant breeze rushed toward him.
"Brother Jiang Ci! You're here!"
It was Qiao Xinran again.
Today she was wearing a light yellow disciple robe that made her skin appear even fairer, and the smile on her face was so cloying it made one's scalp tingle.
She flew toward Jiang Ci like an aimless butterfly without a flight path.
The moment she came within three meters of him.
The [Player Identification Aura] in Jiang Ci's mind, which hadn't made any major movements for a long time,
Suddenly began flashing red lights frantically, as if an air raid siren had been pulled.
[Warning! Primary Player (Casting Wide Nets Type) detected!]
[Target: Qiao Xinran]
[Current Fish Pond management count: 7 people (3 industry actors, 2 rich second-generation heirs, 1 fitness coach, 1 university student)]
[Tactical Analysis: Target is currently using "Mindless Praise" tactics to attempt closing distance, please remain alert Host!]
A series of blood-red subtitles cascaded like a waterfall before Jiang Ci's eyes.
He almost choked on his own saliva.
Good heavens!
Seven!
Previously that Mercedes-driving greasy man was only identified by the system as a primary fisherman.
This Miss Qiao, who appeared harmless and sweetly adorable, was actually a time management master operating multiple threads behind the scenes!
Even Luo Zhixiang would have to offer her a cigarette and ask how she managed it.
The corner of Jiang Ci's eye twitched violently, and he actually felt a twisted sense of respect for this "colleague" in his heart.
He maintained his composure, only turning sideways extremely naturally at the very last second before Qiao Xinran could link arms with him.
Perfect dodge.
He merely gave a faint nod as acknowledgment.
Qiao Xinran missed her target, and a crack appeared in her sweet smile,
But she quickly adjusted, still staying close to him affectionately, chattering away.
Jiang Ci let it go in one ear and out the other.
All his attention was focused on how to solve this "Heartbreak Value insulator" problem.
Acting alongside her was like slowly murdering his own life.
Today they were filming the sword practice teaching scene.
The director was clearly terrified, having called Qiao Xinran's manager and assistants over and giving them strict instructions for over ten minutes.
The core message was singular: Follow the script, no improvisation allowed!
Qiao Xinran nodded obediently throughout, agreeing more readily than anyone.
But the ominous premonition in Jiang Ci's heart grew increasingly heavy.
"Three Lifetimes Tribulation, Scene Four, Take One, Action!"
The clapperboard snapped crisply.
Jiang Ci instantly slipped into "Chu Wuchen's" state.
Clad in snow-white robes, standing apart from the world, his eyes holding the absolute indifference of someone who had witnessed five hundred years of change.
Qiao Xinran clumsily waved her wooden sword nearby,
This time she indeed didn't dare add those greasy, flashy movements.
"Master, is this right?"
She "accidentally" let her wooden sword fly out of her hand.
In the script, Chu Wuchen would use his scabbard to flick the wooden sword back.
But Qiao Xinran was clearly unwilling to settle for that.
The moment the wooden sword left her hand, she plopped down onto the ground in an extremely deliberate and utterly ungraceful posture.
Her skirt spread out, revealing her slender ankles.
Pouting, her brows tightly furrowed, she called out in a whiny, nasal voice that could crush mosquitoes, with a tearful tone:
"Ouch! That hurts so much! Master, I think I sprained my ankle, I can't get up~"
Jiang Ci: "..."
The director behind the monitor: "..."
The entire crew: "..."
Dead silence.
An indescribable awkwardness permeated the air.
The director's face had turned from red to purplish-red, the veins on his hand gripping the walkie-talkie bulging.
On the system panel, the Heartbreak Value column showed the number "0" glaringly, as if mocking Jiang Ci's incompetence.
The life countdown continued to tick down second by second.
This couldn't continue!
Confronting her head-on would only make her feel awkward and bring him no benefit whatsoever.
Her backing was solid; she couldn't be replaced.
No matter how good his acting was, facing an opponent who forcefully turned an immortal fantasy drama into a brainless sweet romance, he couldn't squeeze out a single drop of Heartbreak Value.
The hard approach wasn't working.
Then he would try the soft approach.
Simply rejecting her would only make her unhappy and ignite her desire to conquer.
To make her heartbroken, he first needed to give her the sweetest hope in the world.
Then personally crush it to pieces!
An extremely risky plan, but one with immensely huge rewards if successful, instantly formed in Jiang Ci's mind.
Looking at Qiao Xinran sitting on the ground, gazing at him with what she thought was a pitiful expression,
He forcibly suppressed the disgust stirred by her greasy acting.
Calm.
He had to stay calm.
So, Jiang Ci moved.
He didn't stand coldly like before, nor did he scold her.
With a flick of his wrist, his long sword returned to its scabbard.
He took steps, one by one, slowly walking until he stood before Qiao Xinran.
Under Qiao Xinran's surprised and somewhat smug gaze, Jiang Ci slowly crouched down, meeting her at eye level.
The dappled bamboo forest light fell upon him, making his handsome face appear like fine cold jade.
His movements were slow, carrying a gentleness completely contrary to his aloof temperament.
Qiao Xinran's heartbeat suddenly skipped a beat.
She was stunned.
This wasn't in the script?
He... what did he want to do?
Had her charm finally worked? Was he finally going to yield before her?
Jiang Ci didn't speak.
He simply looked at her quietly.
He quietly activated the ultimate killing move within the [Complete Guide to Scumbag Quotes and Techniques]—[Broken Feeling Deep Gaze Method].
This was a gentle hunt carefully prepared for Qiao Xinran.
He looked into her eyes, his gaze first revealing a trace of helplessness, as if chiding her carelessness.
Then, that trace of helplessness melted into heartache, a restrained heartache that seemed almost ready to overflow from his eyes.
Finally, beneath that heartache, an even hotter tenderness completely covered everything.
Within that tenderness was cherishment, pity, and the relief of having regained something lost.
Qiao Xinran was completely dumbfounded.
Having navigated these circles for so long, what kind of man hadn't she seen? Those so-called deeply affectionate gazes were nothing but hypocritical performances in her view.
But Jiang Ci's gaze was different.
Too real.
So real it made her heartbeat completely lose control, her cheeks uncontrollably growing warm.
She even had an absurd illusion.
That she wasn't acting.
But was truly being gazed upon so affectionately by a celestial being.
Hooked.
From her slightly widened pupils and instantly flushed cheeks, Jiang Ci judged that the first step of the trap had succeeded.
So next.
Was the fatal blow.
Just as Qiao Xinran was almost drowning in this sudden ocean of tenderness, Jiang Ci's gaze changed.
The tenderness remained.
But beneath the tenderness, it was completely submerged by an unfathomable sorrow.
He slowly reached out his hand.
His slender fingers seemed to want to touch her cheek.
Qiao Xinran subconsciously held her breath.
His fingertips carried a slight coolness, getting closer, and closer...
Just before they were about to touch her burning skin, his hand stopped abruptly in mid-air.
That hand trembled slightly.
Then, he spoke.
His voice was very soft, so soft only the wind and she, so close, could hear.
"Don't be afraid..."
"She used to be afraid of pain too, just like you."
