"Mr. Xiao, I have to shoot a scene later. Please ask your questions quickly." Her calm tone inexplicably irritated him.
Xiao Yanzhi impatiently pushed his tongue against his back molar and instinctively reached into his trouser pocket for his cigarette case.
Just as he took out the case, his gaze paused slightly on the plain yet beautiful face beside him.
She was neither happy nor sad, completely serene.
At the same time, he irritably stuffed the case back into his pocket.
Jiang Li took a moment to collect herself, then said in a soft voice that echoed in the car, "You can smoke. I don't mind."
She spoke obediently and naturally. Xiao Yanzhi's dark eyes gave no hint of his emotions, but he didn't reach for his cigarettes again.
"About Director Ying..."
Xiao Yanzhi immediately made a call, simply and directly informing Ying Chengqi that Jiang Li wouldn't be filming today, then hung up.
Jiang Li understood what had happened and smiled indifferently. "Mr. Xiao has even taken the liberty of asking for leave for me."
"Director Ying is always strict about work and usually doesn't allow people to take leave. I'm lucky because of you." Jiang Li smiled, her words carefully measured so as not to offend anyone.
But the more politely she spoke, the angrier Xiao Yanzhi got.
He looked down at her for a while, then sneered. "Stop putting on that act you use to deal with outsiders. Do you think I can't tell you're faking it?"
Jiang Li took a deep breath.
Since he could see through her, there was no point in embarrassing herself.
She forced a smile on her face while cursing in her heart.
Jiang Li lowered her eyelashes, pretending not to hear him, and simply waited for him to continue.
She waited until the car reached its destination, but he didn't say another word. The atmosphere in the car was cold and heavy, and Xue An occasionally reported some work progress to him.
From their conversation, Jiang Li could tell that the situation for the Xiao family had been a bit grim recently, but Xiao Yanzhi seemed to be handling it well.
After listening for the whole journey, before she knew it, Jiang Li had been forcibly taken by Xiao Yanzhi to the hotel where he was staying.
He had moved out of the hotel where he used to stay with Jiang Li, but not too far away. It was only a few minutes' drive.
From Xiao Yanzhi's conversation with Xue An, she guessed that he had to go to the company frequently recently, and the filming location was rather remote.
It must be quite a hassle for him to commute back and forth every day.
But Jiang Li didn't want to speculate on why he had chosen to stay here.
She didn't care.
...
The crystal chandelier in the hotel was very bright, making her extremely beautiful face look even more magnificent and noble. Her black hair and red lips made her look all the more charming.
In the enclosed space, Jiang Li took a few steps back and stood gracefully, keeping a certain distance from Xiao Yanzhi.
It was a habitual defense, but it made Xiao Yanzhi extremely annoyed. He half - closed his eyes. "Why are you on guard against me? I said I just wanted to ask you a few questions."
"Did you have to bring me to the hotel just to ask these questions?" Jiang Li was neither overbearing nor humble, with a confident air.
It was as if she could see through him.
Xiao Yanzhi sat back on the soft velvet sofa and threw the page about the scandal on his phone onto the coffee table. His gaze was intense. "Give me an explanation."
As he said this, his finger landed right on the words "pregnant". "Why did you go for a pregnancy check?"
"My period was late, so I went for a check - up." Jiang Li answered calmly. "I had a full gynecological examination, not just a pregnancy test."
Xiao Yanzhi looked down at her, his voice cold. "So what was the result?"
It sounded more like an interrogation than a question, with a calm certainty in his tone.
It was as if he was already certain that she was pregnant.
Jiang Li realized he had misunderstood something and was about to explain when she heard Xiao Yanzhi ask with a half - smile. "You're pregnant. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
His voice was deep. For a moment, she couldn't detect the usual mockery in it. Instead, there was a hint of tenderness.
It was a completely different emotion from his usual self.
Noticing this, a look of surprise flashed across Jiang Li's face.
Jiang Li found it funny and a bit self - deprecating. "Do you really want me to have your child?"
Her words and actions seemed so calm that it was impossible to guess the truth.
Jiang Li smiled faintly. She looked at Xiao Yanzhi for a moment, then raised her eyes slightly and asked without a specific aim. "What if I really was?"
"Answer me first." Xiao Yanzhi stared at her with a deep gaze.
For a moment, Xiao Yanzhi lifted the corner of his lips, as if there was a faint smile, but it disappeared quickly.
Seeing that she didn't answer for a long time, he softened his breathing, as if afraid of scaring her.
There was a hint of imperceptible tenderness in his usual calmness. "Don't be afraid. I'll handle everything."
As if sensing his pleasant mood, Jiang Li's heart skipped a beat.
She came back to her senses, pursed her lips, and smiled at Xiao Yanzhi. "I'm not."
The two words were straightforward, without any hesitation, simply and directly announcing the answer.
The faint smile on Xiao Yanzhi's face gradually froze.
"It seems this answer doesn't satisfy Mr. Xiao." Jiang Li shook her head while smiling. "What answer do you want to hear? Would it satisfy you if I said I was pregnant?"
Xiao Yanzhi squinted his eyes.
She was good at lying and acting. None of her answers at this moment were very convincing.
Remembering her previous words that "she would never have his child, and even if she did, she would abort it without hesitation", his eyes became even colder and darker.
Jiang Li lowered her head, checking if Sister Chen had issued a clarification statement.
But without the support of the company, the application process was very slow, and she couldn't find the statement for the time being.
But she wasn't in a hurry. The truth would come out eventually.
Just then, the man's voice came from above, with the authority of a superior. "There are pregnancy tests in the hotel."
"Go and take one now." His eyes were deep as he commanded indifferently. "I don't trust you. I only care about the result."
His tone was so calm that it was hard to tell his emotions. His eyes were fixed on her. "Go quickly. Don't make me tell you again."
Only then did Jiang Li notice a brand - new box of pregnancy tests on the lower shelf of the coffee table.
Her eyelashes fluttered slightly. She found it utterly ridiculous.
So all this trouble of bringing her to the hotel was just so he could see the result with his own eyes. That was all.
Jiang Li stood at the entrance of the hotel, looking at him quietly. There was a hint of coldness in her silence.