Chapter Thirty-Two: Roasted Over the Flames

Shen Yue was entranced as she watched Wen Jingxing smile. Jiang Mingzhao noticed and scoffed coldly, “Hopeless fool, lovestruck idiot.”

He muttered the insult under his breath, but Shen Yue didn’t hear it herself; instead, the audience in the livestream picked up every word loud and clear.

[I’ve known Mingzhao for over ten years, and this is the first time I’ve heard him insult someone. He must really be angry this time!]
[That idiot Shen Yue! How could she ignore such a good man like Jiang Mingzhao and fall for another guy?!]

Shen Yue’s thoughts were never as well hidden as Jian An’an’s. She stared so brazenly at Wen Jingxing that anyone with eyes could sense something was off.

[If you don’t want Mingzhao, give him to me!]
[It’s like a beautiful flower stuck in a pile of manure.]

Jiang Mingzhao had been acting in the entertainment industry since he was young, growing up under the watchful gaze of the nation. Though he only filmed a new project every few years, his acting was exceptional, every work a masterpiece. Coupled with his gentle, uncompetitive nature, he was adored by fans.

[Shen Yue and Jiang Mingzhao are the only pair I hope will end in heartbreak!]
[Same here!]
[+1!]
[+10011!]
...

Breakfast soon ended, and Li Weiwei led a crowd with cameras in tow, marching grandly to find Jian An’an.

To her, disregarding her rules was the same as disrespecting her. The good impression she once had of Jian An’an evaporated instantly.

To avoid accusing the wrong person, Li Weiwei had specifically sent people to check and recheck the matter three times last night. In the end, she was absolutely certain: Jian An’an had colluded with the staff to sneak a phone for personal use.

Li Weiwei didn’t know what Jian An’an needed the phone for, but this behavior had undoubtedly crossed her bottom line.

As for the staff member involved, Li Weiwei didn’t immediately fire him. Instead, she reassigned him to a department that sounded prestigious but was actually insignificant—a glorified dead-end. Naturally, his salary took a steep dive as well.

When they arrived at the small villa, Jin Jianyi stepped forward to knock on the door. “An’an, how are you feeling? Are you comfortable?”

He didn’t mention that all the other guests were present. Everyone stood outside the door, holding their breath and listening intently for any sound from inside.

This was something agreed upon before arriving at the villa—everyone consented to it, saying they wanted to surprise Jian An’an. But only Li Wen, Song, and a few others in the know understood that for Jian An’an, it would be more shock than surprise.

Soon, a strange voice came from inside, “You go ahead. Let me see how I’m recovering, and I’ll talk to the director myself.”

There was something odd about it—almost as if Jian An’an had something in her mouth while speaking, the words muffled.

“You’ve been like this since you came back last night. I haven’t seen you. Why don’t you come out and let me take a look? Then I’ll feel at ease,” Jin Jianyi persisted.

After a long pause, sounds of slippers shuffling could be heard from inside. With a click, the door slowly opened. Jian An’an stood in the middle, head bowed low.

Because she kept her head down, she didn’t notice that seven or eight cameras were trained on her from every angle. Except for the back, which was hard to film, the front was captured in full 180 degrees, no blind spots.

The viewers in all eight livestream rooms simultaneously gasped.

[Oh my god, what happened to Jian An’an’s face? Was she beaten?]
[Even though her hair covers part of her face, you can clearly see it’s so swollen her eyes can barely open!]
[Who would beat Jian An’an for no reason?]
[She was fine before the hot spring. How did she end up like this afterward?]
[Aren’t hot springs supposed to be therapeutic? How did she end up with a swollen face—could there be something wrong with the spring?]
[Are you kidding? The hot spring isn’t the problem. No one else is affected—only Jian An’an. It must be something personal.]

Everyone who had wanted to greet Jian An’an, including Jin Jianyi who’d worried about her all night, was stunned into silence.

Jian An’an realized that no one said a word, so she hesitantly covered half her face with her hand before finally looking up.

She discovered a dozen people standing before her, and a swarm of cameras aimed straight at her.

For an instant, her heart was in turmoil.

It took her a while to regain composure and speak again, “Jianyi, why did you bring so many people with you?”

She didn’t dare shut the door outright—doing so would be disrespectful to the director.

Her gaze flitted through the crowd, searching for someone to help her out.

Her eyes landed on Song Wannian at the end of the group, watching the spectacle with a gleeful expression.

She pressed her hand harder against her face, gritting her teeth in anger. That venomous Song Wannian—her punch last night had been vicious.

She’d spent the whole night icing her face, but the swelling wouldn’t go down.

Yes, Jian An’an had secretly bought ice to avoid making a scene, choosing not to seek medical attention.

In her frustration, she gripped her face too tightly, causing herself pain. “Hiss! Ah…”

Jin Jianyi immediately stepped forward to pry her hand away. “Careful. Let me see—how is it so bad? Did you see a doctor?”

There was little point in hiding it, so she obediently shook her head. “No…”

“Why didn’t you go?”

“I accidentally fell last night, and it was already late. I didn’t want to bother anyone, but it hasn’t improved at all this morning…”

Jin Jianyi interrupted, “Enough, let’s not talk about it now. I’ll take you to see a doctor.”

The livestream audience was shouting in excitement!

[Yes, this is how it should be! Keep being sweet and kill me with kindness!]
[Oh my god, Jin Jianyi is such a warm-hearted guy! He doesn’t blame Jian An’an at all—just takes her straight to the doctor.]
[You two must have a happy ending, or I’ll be heartbroken.]
[Honestly, ignoring what happened with Jian An’an yesterday, this is the sweetest couple on the show right now!]
...

Jin Jianyi led Jian An’an out of the villa, while Li Weiwei graciously arranged two sightseeing cars.

Once everyone boarded, Li Weiwei smiled at Jian An’an, “An’an, you took part in the task yesterday even though your leg hurt, but today your face is injured—are you still joining? I think you shouldn’t. After all, your face needs rest.”

Jian An’an’s body stiffened. Yesterday, the leg pain was fake; today, the facial injury was real. She was a star who relied on her looks. If she ran around the resort as a delivery girl with such a face, what would people think?

But not participating wasn’t an option—her face was hurt, not her legs. What would the guests and audience say?

Li Weiwei’s words, though seemingly caring, were laced with hidden intent.

Jian An’an secretly wondered when she had offended the director.