It was the first time Jiang Li had so completely bared her innermost feelings.
Jiang Li's pride was like a castle in the air floating above the clouds. It looked beautiful and delicate, but in reality, it was extremely fragile.
When faced with the facts she dared not confront, she had a nearly morbid and distorted pride.
She believed that her mother loved her and only remarried due to pressure. She also believed that her younger brother loved her and that he had just strayed for a while and might still wake up one day.
She had even once believed that Xiao Yanzhi had truly fallen for her.
But the truth had slapped her again and again.
Each slap was louder than the last.
Seeing the sudden dimness in Jiang Li's expression, Xiao Yanzhi sensed that their conversation was heading in the wrong direction. He softened his tone. "You should figure out what you truly want, rather than what others want."
"Rather than struggling to maintain an impeccable facade, it's better to accept your flaws. There's no need to disguise your true feelings. Just live the life you want."
After Xiao Yanzhi finished speaking casually, he paused for a second, as if on a whim. "Or, try being a bit more honest with me first?"
Be honest with him?
A look of shock flashed across Jiang Li's face, and then she hesitantly spoke. "But you don't like that."
She still remembered that when she had once relied so much on him, all she had received in return was his coldness.
It seemed that only when she was the best could she catch his eye.
Xiao Yanzhi pursed his lips. Looking at the woman in front of him, whose face was full of doubt, he slowly realized a fact.
He had made many mistakes.
For example, he had seriously told Jiang Li not to have any thoughts of relying on him and had strictly required her to achieve results in her career.
He had also repeatedly told her not to think that the company would cover for her mistakes and that she had to take responsibility for all her actions.
His original intention was just to remove the "sponsor" relationship between him and Jiang Li.
Somehow, their relationship had gradually deteriorated to an irreparable state.
It had gone beyond his control.
Xiao Yanzhi took a few steps forward. His palm was dry. He gently tucked away the stray hair that had been blown by the wind beside her face and looked into her eyes. "You can try now."
Xiao Yanzhi said it casually, his face still gentle. "State your requests. Don't have any misgivings."
At this moment, both of their hearts couldn't help but beat a bit faster.
Jiang Li looked at the handsome face so close to her, swallowed hard, and said, "If possible, I don't want anyone else to know that I have bipolar disorder."
She lowered her eyes, and her tone became dejected. "I still want to act. I still want to be an actress. I still want to be in this industry. I can't..."
Xiao Yanzhi had thought that Jiang Li would make some excessive demands. He had even considered the possibility that she would ask to terminate her contract with Jiangyu immediately.
He had never thought that this would be what she wanted.
Xiao Yanzhi couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry. I'll definitely keep it a secret for you. Only you and I know about it."
He knew what she was worried about.
Having gotten the answer she wanted, she let out a sigh of relief and, for once, showed him a relieved smile. "Thank you."
This was something she had been worried about all afternoon. Now, finally, the stone in her heart had fallen, and her mood clearly lightened.
Xiao Yanzhi looked at her. "So, can we go back now?"
"Sure." Jiang Li nodded, turned around in the direction they had come from, and prepared to go back the same way.
"You're going to walk back?"
Still walk?
Xiao Yanzhi didn't have the energy to accompany her on another several - kilometer walk.
He wasn't an idle person, nor did he have the spare energy.
Jiang Li had only taken a few steps when she was picked up from behind.
Suddenly feeling weightless, Jiang Li let out a scream. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck and looked down in panic.
This was a deserted highway, and there was a Gobi Desert beside it. What if he got angry and threw her down?
"Xiao Yanzhi, put me down quickly!" Jiang Li shouted, looking around in panic. "What if we're photographed?"
"The chance of running into paparazzi here is one in ten thousand."
Xiao Yanzhi lowered his head slightly, almost touching her earlobe. He half - coaxed her. "I'm already tired from walking with you for so long."
"If you're tired, put me down." Jiang Li said, half - shy and half - angry.
"This is also a way to relax."
Xiao Yanzhi carried her, walking steadily and calmly.
Jiang Li was held tightly in his arms. Apart from the birdsong coming from the distant mountains, all she could hear was the pounding of his heart in his chest, which was right next to her.
It was thumping loudly, hot and intense.
...
Xiao Yanzhi didn't carry her for long. The driver had already driven the car over and smoothly picked them up, driving towards the city.
Only after getting in the car did Jiang Li gradually shift her mind from the empty highway.
When the car drove into the bustling downtown area, the surrounding prosperity and modern buildings felt completely different from what they had experienced on the highway just now.
For some reason, it seemed as if Xiao Yanzhi's face had become a bit more solemn than before.
"Um..." Jiang Li still spoke in a gentle tone. "I shouldn't be transferred back to Beicheng, right?"
She remembered that she had clearly told Xiao Yanzhi at that time that unless she was completely normal, she would have to follow his arrangements.
The man's sharp jawline was relaxed at the moment. He said calmly, "It's up to you."
Hearing this, Jiang Li felt even more at ease.
She had just started in Huacheng, and she didn't want the budding sprout to be nipped in the bud.
There were still many things for her to do in Huacheng.
"Oh, right. There's also the company's arrangement..." Jiang Li hadn't forgotten the requests of those new actors. She wanted to take advantage of Xiao Yanzhi's good mood at the moment and quickly bring it up to solve the problem.
Xiao Yanzhi had already guessed what she was going to say. His face darkened. "Jiang Li, don't ask for too much."
Jiang Li immediately pursed her lips tightly.
Was he interrupting her so severely because it touched on Qin Yaoyao's interests?
After about a few minutes, he said in a low voice, "I've said before that the company has its own arrangements. You should look beyond your own perspective and consider the overall situation."
Jiang Li was unconvinced. "The overall situation means giving well - known brands to Qin Yaoyao for endorsement and assigning other less important tasks to new actors who are more capable than her?"
Maybe it was the conversation on the highway that had made her more straightforward. She also said bluntly, "Even if you dote on her now, you should understand that her abilities are far inferior to those of others - "
Before she could finish, something she said seemed to have touched a nerve in him. His voice sank. "Jiang Li, I'll only say this once. This is the company's arrangement."
"You may not understand now, but don't interfere with the company's decisions."
The atmosphere in the car suddenly turned cold. Sensing the change, the driver silently turned off the pop music that was still playing.