Metamorphosis Plan?
After hanging up the phone, Ji Mingshu’s mind was still in a daze.
Was he saying she was suited to go to some remote corner without internet access to slaughter pigs, grow vegetables, and herd cattle for a grand socialist transformation in the new era?
Was he even human? How could he say something like that?
“It’s just a few of his stinking coins—is he really that vicious?”
“Why doesn’t he go transform himself!”
Fuming, Ji Mingshu devoured three macarons in one breath, her tone filled with disbelief that “there could be such a heartless man in this world.”
Gu Kaiyang instinctively corrected, “That’s more than just a few stinking coins.”
Ji Mingshu immediately shoved a macaron into her mouth, her eyes clearly saying: Eat up and shut your mouth.
Jiang Chun didn’t know the true nature of Ji Mingshu and Cen Sen’s relationship and thought this was just playful banter between an affectionate couple, so her focus was entirely on “Ji Mingshu making the first move on the desserts.”
She subtly swallowed her saliva and casually chimed in, “Calm down, calm down. Your husband must just be joking. How could he bear to let you participate in something like Metamorphosis Plan?”
As she spoke, her little silver fork stealthily crept toward the tiramisu.
But before she could touch it, Ji Mingshu slapped her goose claw away with a “smack” and issued a second yellow-card warning with her eyes.
Jiang Chun wilted, filled with deep resentment.
Perhaps because she had been suppressed too harshly by Ji Mingshu lately, she suddenly sat up straight the next second, possessed by Niohuru Little Earth Goose, and her mouth went off on a furious tirade.
“As if Metamorphosis Plan would even invite you to participate. You better not go. What did the farmers do wrong to deserve hosting a troublemaker like you? You can’t carry heavy loads, can’t lift things, can’t even tie your shoelaces—and you expect to plant rice or grow vegetables? My god, if a neighbor’s kid came over and touched your bag, you’d probably scream: ‘Ah! Get your dirty hands off! This bag costs 1.2 million!!’”
Ji Mingshu: “...?”
One piece of tiramisu and the friendship capsized.
What did she do wrong to marry such a man and befriend such friends?
Back home, Ji Mingshu remained unable to shake off Cen Sen’s vicious diss.
When she went to the bathroom, she discovered her period had arrived. With a faint sense of melancholy, she sank into the sofa and carefully pondered Gu Kaiyang’s earnest advice.
Actually, after the false alarm of the cheating incident last time, she had seriously considered: if that day really came, and she and Cen Sen reached the point of divorce, how would she continue living the rest of her life?
Before marriage, the Ji family treated her well, but she didn’t have actual shares or assets that could be liquidated in large amounts.
After marriage, Cen Sen let her spend freely, but they had signed a prenuptial agreement. If they divorced, she wouldn’t get a single cent and would have to leave with nothing.
If that dog of a man were even more ruthless, she wouldn’t be able to take any of the extravagant things she had spent on over the years.
Moreover, Ji Mingshu understood the current relationship between the Cen and Ji families better than Cen Sen. If they really divorced, the Ji family would be the first to panic.
Adding it all up, aside from the Baicui Tianhua apartment that was actually registered in her name, everything else could vanish into thin air the moment they divorced.
Only after thinking about these things did Ji Mingshu feel a tiny bit of crisis.
However, she had been raised in luxury by the Ji family since childhood with the sole purpose of marrying into another family. Her awareness of earning her own living was, to put it mildly, quite weak.Moreover, she had already skipped the process and reached the outcome, living the kind of extravagant life most people dreamed of. Asking her to be dissatisfied with life and find some dreams to pursue would be quite a challenge.
So this slight sense of crisis wasn’t enough to awaken her independent consciousness, which she herself didn’t even know was hidden in some corner.
But—
Her rebellious spirit was far stronger than her independent consciousness.
After wallowing in sadness on the sofa for ten minutes, she imagined the faint mockery on Cen Sen’s face when he asked her to participate in the Metamorphosis Plan. Without hesitation, she grabbed her phone to reply to Meng Xiaowei, then went upstairs to pack her luggage.
This wasn’t the first time Ji Mingshu had gone against Cen Sen, so he wasn’t surprised when he received the news of her confirmation to join the show on his way to a business dinner.
Zhou Jiaheng asked, "Mr. Cen, should we ask the production team to replace her?"
"No need," Cen Sen rubbed his temples. "Just adjust the team list, cancel the focus filming, and there’s no need to specifically inform the TV station about her identity unless she mentions it herself."
Zhou Jiaheng paused briefly before responding, "Understood."
Junyi was the biggest sponsor daddy of this interior design variety show.
To promote its upcoming designer brand hotel, "Junyi Elegant Collection," the group had invested heavily in Star City TV, intervening in everything from the show’s sponsorship to its production process.
Moreover, two of the emerging designers in the show had been handpicked by Junyi to design for "Junyi Elegant Collection" and would play significant roles in the program.
However, Ji Mingshu was still completely unaware of all this.
Half an hour later, the Bentley stopped at the entrance of "Phoenix Hall." Zhou Jiaheng got out first and opened the car door for Cen Sen.
Tonight’s dinner was unavoidable—it was arranged by Director Chen, an old acquaintance of Cen Yuanchao. Without a doubt, Director Chen intended to act as a bridge, seeking investment for a film project from him.
As soon as he stepped out of the car, a waitress in a cheongsam with her hair in a bun guided Cen Sen inside.
She led him to a private room on the third floor and pushed open the sliding door for him. Just then, Zhou Jiaheng received the latest update that Ji Mingshu had set off for Star City.
He followed behind Cen Sen and reported in a low voice.
As Cen Sen listened, he noticed an old acquaintance seated at the table.
Li Wenyin was wearing a sleeveless gray high-neck sweater dress, simple earrings, her hair tied into a low ponytail, with delicate features and a light, watery pink lipstick.
From a distance, she exuded an aura of a cultured and intellectual woman.
Li Wenyin didn’t seem surprised by Cen Sen’s arrival, nor did she show any particular reaction. She only raised her glass to toast him when Director Chen made the introduction.
"Xiao Li just returned from studying in France. She’s a very talented young director! The theme of the project she’s currently preparing is excellent—sunny, positive, and uplifting! It’s a qualitative difference from those dark youth-themed projects nowadays!"
"Ah Sen, isn’t your group also investing in some film projects now? If you’re interested, you could support talented and visionary young directors like Xiao Li!"
"Come, come, Xiao Li, toast Mr. Cen. Mr. Cen is one of the most accomplished young talents in the capital!"Li Wenyin took the initiative to propose a toast, and Cen Sen also raised his glass to lightly clink with hers. However, he did not drink; after the toast, he set down his glass and skillfully steered the conversation with Director Chen toward other topics.
Until the end of the gathering, Cen Sen did not engage in any additional conversation with Li Wenyin.
At a certain point in his life, he had held a special appreciation for girls like Li Wenyin, who were completely different from Ji Mingshu. But he had always been indifferent to matters of the heart. After dating Li Wenyin for three months following high school graduation, he now found it difficult to recall any specific details.
Under the deep night sky, as Cen Sen walked out of the club, he instructed Zhou Jiaheng to confirm the location of Ji Mingshu’s hotel.
There were still some matters in the capital that required Zhou Jiaheng to stay and handle, so only his bodyguards would accompany him on tonight’s trip to Star City.
"Cen Sen."
A familiar female voice suddenly called from behind.
Cen Sen paused slightly and looked back.
During the gathering, Li Wenyin had been seated, so only her upper body was visible. Now standing, her graceful figure and elegant demeanor were even more pronounced.
She walked slowly closer, offering a light smile and extending her hand. "Long time no see."
Cen Sen replied calmly, "Long time no see."
Seeing that Cen Sen had no intention of shaking hands, Li Wenyin simply tilted her head and withdrew her hand with a carefree gesture.
Soon, she added candidly, "Actually, I knew yesterday that you would be attending this gathering today. But in this world, to secure some investment, one must not shy away from recommending even an ex. I hope you don’t mind."
Her voice, as always, was gentle yet carried a hint of playful straightforwardness, striking just the right balance.
In truth, Li Wenyin knew that Cen Sen was a cold and detached person. Still, no matter what, they had once been in a relationship, and their breakup hadn’t been so ugly as to sever all ties. At the very least, she should have been able to hear a "no problem" from him.
But as soon as her words fell, Cen Sen responded without hesitation with three different words: "I mind."
Upon uttering these words, not only Li Wenyin but even Cen Sen himself paused instinctively.
The scene felt somewhat familiar, as if not long ago, outside another club, he had said the same thing to another girl.
There had been another line afterward—how had it gone? He remembered praising Ji Mingshu at the time, and rather extravagantly at that.
Cen Sen’s brief distraction was completely misinterpreted by Li Wenyin.
Having encountered someone so dazzling in her youth, she had found it difficult over the years to completely let go of the person she once loved. Even after he got married, that lingering attachment had never faded from her heart.
Could his "minding" be because… he felt the same way?
Just as Li Wenyin was about to say something more, Zhou Jiaheng, who had also misinterpreted the situation, inexplicably coughed lightly, overstepping his bounds.
Cen Sen snapped back to reality, glanced at the time, and said coldly, "Film and television investment is not Junyi’s main focus. However, since Director Chen specifically recommended you, I can have you go through the process with Huazhang Holdings. It’s just that film and television projects have become increasingly challenging in recent years, with high-risk factors. The company needs to conduct precise risk control assessments, and the final decision on whether to invest is not mine alone to make. Apologies, I have other arrangements and cannot stay longer."
Once in the car heading to the airport, Zhou Jiaheng immediately admitted his mistake. "I’m sorry, Mr. Cen."
Regardless of whether Cen Sen still had lingering feelings for his ex or not, as an assistant, he should not have interrupted.
"It’s fine."Cen Sen didn't take it to heart and went over a few work-related matters with him.
By the time they arrived in Star City, it was already two in the morning. The entire city had fallen into silence. Cen Sen went straight to the Junyi Splendor where Ji Mingshu was staying.
The front desk had prepared a room card for him in advance. He went all the way up to the top-floor suite, where warm yellow lights were on inside, but Ji Mingshu was nowhere to be seen.
It took him quite a while before he heard a faint, low moan coming from the other side of the bed.
Walking over, he saw Ji Mingshu lying on the carpet beside the bed, curled up like a little shrimp.
Ji Mingshu had arrived in Star City a little after ten. After washing up and going to bed, her stomach began to ache faintly. She had called for room service, but even after drinking a large cup of brown sugar ginger tea, it didn't help.
By now, the pain had already subsided, but she simply didn't have the strength to get up.
Half-asleep and half-awake, she saw a blurry, familiar figure. Thinking she was dreaming again of a gentle, R-rated version of Cen Sen, she felt inexplicably wronged. Stretching her arms upward, she cooed, "Hug me."
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