"Why don't you plan to be an actress anymore?"
Facing Qiao Jinrun's calm inquiry, Jiang Li's first reaction was to be stunned, and then she smiled. "What, Dr. Qiao, are you my fan now? Are you worried that you won't have any dramas to watch in the future?"
Qiao Jinrun stared at her expressionlessly.
"Don't look at me like that. It's kind of scary." Jiang Li didn't dare to continue joking with him. Her tone was brisk. "I'm not quitting being an actress. I've just switched to doing stage plays."
As she spoke, she took out her phone and showed him her play photos. "Look, these are the photos of me performing in a stage play before. If you're interested, I'll get you a few tickets in a couple of days and invite you to watch my performance."
"I watched it today." Qiao Jinrun replied to her. "Thanks to President Sheng, I watched the same show, *Crosswind*."
Jiang Li tilted her head, a bit surprised. "You were there today too?"
"Yeah. I sat in the back row, but the viewing experience was great." He gave a very fair evaluation. "It was the performance of an outstanding actress."
Since she switched to being a stage - play actress, Jiang Li had heard many compliments, but hearing Qiao Jinrun's praise in person made her feel indescribably happy.
"Thank you."
Her eyes were very bright. "I'll keep working hard to create a better viewing experience for everyone, and I'll also work harder to learn how to be an excellent stage - play actress."
Obviously, her love for acting remained undiminished.
...
After coming out of the restaurant, Jiang Li asked Qiao Jinrun how long he would stay in Huacheng.
Qiao Jinrun said he would stay in Huacheng for the next half - month, and it might even be longer.
"For such a long time?"
Qiao Jinrun smiled and asked, "What, do you think I'm staying too long?"
"Not really." Jiang Li immediately denied it. "It's just that you were always very busy before. I didn't expect you to stay here for so long."
"President Sheng just had an operation. He currently needs follow - up observation. I'm his attending doctor, and I need to pay attention to his subsequent recovery so that I can carry out the next step of treatment at any time."
Jiang Li nodded half - understandingly and joked, "Dr. Qiao is always so responsible."
"It also depends on who the person is." Qiao Jinrun replied calmly.
When he dropped Jiang Li off downstairs, Qiao Jinrun asked about her previous engagement. Jiang Li was a bit surprised. "How do you know?"
Qiao Jinrun laughed. "Although I'm a doctor, I also pay attention to the news."
Especially the news about her.
Jiang Li explained that there had been some changes before, and since she had announced her bipolar disorder, the engagement was definitely off.
Bipolar disorder meant having a mental problem, which was a big taboo for a wealthy family.
Even if no one said it explicitly, people would secretly point fingers at the Chen family, and there would be many potential troubles and problems in the future.
After Jiang Li and Chen Siqi made everything clear, the other party also said that he understood and politely wished her a speedy recovery.
"Anyway, I'm not in a hurry to get married." Jiang Li took a few steps, stood still, turned around, and said with a smile, "I'm so beautiful. I'm not afraid of not being able to get married."
Her smile was very bright, but there was a hint of subtle loneliness in her eyes, which was hard to detect.
Qiao Jinrun looked at her smiling face. His arm hung in the air for a long time, and finally he slowly put it down. His voice was deep. "If you're single now, can I pursue you?"
Jiang Li suddenly looked up.
Qiao Jinrun still smiled. "No?"
She fell silent for a moment.
After about half a minute, Jiang Li whispered, "Dr. Qiao, you're a good person."
"... Are you giving me the 'good - person card'?" Qiao Jinrun helplessly rubbed his forehead. He never expected her to give him such an answer.
"What I mean is..." She carefully chose her words before saying, "You're a good person, but I'm a very bad person."
"How do you define 'bad'?"
Jiang Li hugged her arms and said casually, "Someone like me, who spent the first half of my life running around to pay off debts and will spend the second half fighting bipolar disorder, and who is now homeless and drifting around, is bad."
"But I don't think so." Qiao Jinrun disagreed with her. "You're very tough and brave. I can see the unyielding spirit in you."
"To be honest, the first time I saw you, I knew you weren't the kind of person who would bow to fate. This is the most precious quality, not the so - called 'bad' you mentioned."
"Similarly, I'm also very worried about you. If one day you really change your mindset, maybe it's not that you've compromised with life, but that you'll choose to end it."
Jiang Li was always used to being full of intense emotions, especially when it came to acting and relationships. She always devoted herself 100%, always taking an all - or - nothing attitude.
All along, she had been going all out without thinking about a way out. Naturally, when facing a huge gap, she would feel the despair of an iceberg collapsing.
This kind of despair could kill a person.
"Thank you for thinking so highly of me." Jiang Li smiled and brought the topic back. "But I have no plans to fall in love, nor do I have the energy for it."
"Your heart isn't free yet." Qiao Jinrun wasn't surprised by her rejection. "There's still someone else in your heart. Is it Xiao Yanzhi?"
Jiang Li paused.
Was it Xiao Yanzhi?
She didn't know what to say. She just felt that her one - sided love before was too deep, and she had become extremely numb to love now.
It took all her strength just to keep living. How could she have the heart to think about relationships?
Jiang Li took a step back and looked Qiao Jinrun in the eye. "Sorry, I may... not be ready to embrace a new relationship yet."
This simple sentence had already shown her attitude.
Maybe, as Qiao Jinrun said, her heart wasn't empty enough to love someone else.
Moreover, it wasn't fair to Qiao Jinrun either.
"Then at least let me try?" Qiao Jinrun smiled. "It would be too much of a failure if I'm even rejected when trying to pursue you."
Jiang Li couldn't tell what she was feeling.
She could really feel that Qiao Jinrun wanted to pull her out of the water. Even when they looked into each other's eyes, his eyes were warm.
"Shouldn't I do this?" Qiao Jinrun put away his amiable attitude and said seriously, "Should I be more forceful and not ask for your opinion?"
Jiang Li burst out laughing. "That would be the domineering CEO's forced love. It doesn't fit your character."
"Then what kind of person do you like?"
Jiang Li chuckled. "... I don't know."
"Then let me rephrase the question. Would you dislike someone like me?"
Jiang Li smiled. "Not really."
Qiao Jinrun also smiled. "That's enough."
---
In Beicheng.
At Jiangyu Entertainment.
Looking at the new round of the company's development plan submitted below, Xiao Yanzhi's expression was calm. He just lifted his eyelids slightly, bent his hand, and tapped the document twice with his index finger knuckle. "Who proposed to sign Yu Wan?"