After the Flash Marriage, My Ex Who is a Movie Queen Keeps Flirting with Me - Chapter 22

Liu Fan’s face was etched with malicious intent, her undisguised hostility radiating like a palpable force.

“Liu Fan,” Jiang Wanyu said, her expression as cold as still water, her gaze piercing. Before Liu Fan could speak, she warned, “You’re a celebrity, I’m a nobody. If tonight’s incident gets out, the only one who’ll suffer is you.”

“I advise you not to get carried away.”

Liu Fan choked, suddenly realizing she’d dropped her public facade. The mask of warmth and politeness had been torn away, revealing her treacherous and cunning true nature.

She glared fiercely at Jiang Wanyu but, ultimately restrained by her fear of a public confrontation, fell silent.

“If you hadn’t mentioned celebrities, I’d almost forgotten. Have you heard? Sister Ming is preparing to join a variety show. Are you still following her news?” Liu Fan clicked her tongue in feigned admiration. “I wonder who has enough influence to get Sister Ming to participate. She’s never done anything like this before.”

Jiang Wanyu remained silent.

“But that’s not important. What matters is she’s joining the show, and I’ve already secured a guest spot for the first two episodes.” Liu Fan smoothed a strand of hair that had fallen beside her cheek, her forced nonchalance failing to conceal the smug satisfaction on her face.

Jiang Wanyu smiled. “I thought someone as talented as the great star Liu Fan would be a permanent fixture.”

Liu Fan choked, feigning indifference. “I’m starting a new project next month. No time for that. Otherwise, I’d definitely be a regular.”

“Such a great opportunity,” Jiang Wanyu said, her smugness barely concealed. “I’m going to seize it, don’t you think?”

Duan Jin was the first to snap. “Fvck off! Stay the hell away from Teacher Ming!”

The angrier Duan Jin got, the more Liu Fan gloated, tilting her chin. “That’s not your decision to make.”

Jiang Wanyu didn’t want to argue. She had signed a confidentiality agreement and couldn’t reveal anything before the official announcement. A stickler for contracts, she hadn’t even told Tian Cheng, so she certainly wouldn’t waste her breath on this.

Ignoring Liu Fan, Jiang Wanyu turned to Duan Jin. “Xiao Jin, you should go home now.”

Duan Jin was burning with curiosity about what was going on—how Jiang Wanyu and Ming Jiyue could possibly be connected—but she knew this wasn’t the time to linger. She warned, “Be careful,” shook her fist at Liu Fan as a warning, and finally left.

As Duan Jin walked away, Jiang Wanyu prepared to leave as well.

“Leaving so soon?” Liu Fan asked, his voice dripping with smugness. Her abrupt turn to leave only fueled his amusement, making him even more pleased with himself. “Someone’s coming to pick you up? Who is it? Could it be that person you live with at No. 1 Courtyard?”

He chuckled. “Are you two really dating?”

Jiang Wanyu ignored him and strode toward the exit.

Silence meant consent. Was Jiang Wanyu really dating someone?

With this thought, Liu Fan followed her, eager to catch a glimpse of her new partner.

“Why are you following me?” Jiang Wanyu asked, her patience wearing thin as she sensed the tail behind her.

Liu Fan shrugged. “I’m not following you. Is this road only for you?”

Jiang Wanyu didn’t care where he went, but she worried about Ming Jiyue being seen and causing trouble. She pulled out her phone and sent a message:

Jiang: Are you here yet?

Yueyue: Almost.

Jiang: I’ll come through the back entrance in a bit. Don’t open the window.

Yueyue: ?

Yueyue: What’s wrong?

Jiang: My colleague is with me. It would be awkward if she saw you.

Yueyue: Okay.

Yueyue: When are we going public? I can’t wait for my wife to introduce me to her colleagues.

Yueyue: I want to introduce my wife to my colleagues too.

Jiang Wanyu’s eyes crinkled into a smile as she read Yueyue’s messages. The lingering frustration from her earlier encounter with someone else melted away.

Jiang: Let’s wait a little longer.

Yueyue: It won’t be too long, right?

Jiang: Mm-hmm.

Jiang: No, it won’t.

Yueyue: I’m useless, all I can do is dote on my wife.jpg

Ming Jiyue had somehow amassed a collection of bizarrely captioned reaction images that were both strange and utterly adorable.

Jiang Wanyu stared at the reaction image for a few seconds before hesitantly typing out three letters.

Yueyue: I’m useless, all I can do is dote on my wife.jpg

Jiang: Mua

Yueyue: ……(lying down)

Yueyue: Why are you saying goodbye out of nowhere? I have a “mua” phobia—don’t send me that!

Yueyue: I’ve been good, please spare me.jpg

Jiang Wanyu’s eyes crinkled as she earnestly replied,  It’s not goodbye.

Yueyue: Huh?

Jiang: Figure it out yourself.

Best Actress Ming, exceptionally clever, immediately understood.

Yueyue: Darling! Give me a kiss, mua~!

Yueyue: Is this the first time you’ve initiated a kiss?

Yueyue: You should take the initiative more often in the future (heart emoji)

Feeling much lighter, Jiang Wanyu smiled and put away her phone.

Her wife was waiting outside to personally pick her up and take her home. Why bother with irrelevant people?

She needed to hurry and not keep her waiting.

With that thought, Jiang Wanyu ignored the people behind her and quickened her pace.

Liu Fan emerged a step behind her and stood at the hotel entrance. He watched Jiang Wanyu glance around before jogging toward a car.

From a distance, Liu Fan spotted the emblem on the car’s rear.

This car is nothing special, Liu Fan thought.

The knot in his chest loosened slightly.

Could she really afford a place in No. 1 Courtyard with this? Maybe she’s just renting it for appearances, or even sharing it with roommates.

This thought brought him a measure of comfort.

I knew Jiang Wanyu wouldn’t find anyone decent.

He leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of the driver’s face, hoping to see an ordinary, unremarkable face that would ease his mind further.

Unfortunately, the driver didn’t roll down the window, and Jiang Wanyu drove away from the hotel entrance as soon as she got in.

Coming to pick her up personally? They must be quite close.

Liu Fan curled his lip into a sneer. How ridiculous. Their relationship was the talk of the school, and now she’s forgotten him completely.

As he thought this, a sense of relief washed over him.

It seems Jiang Wanyu and Ming Jiyue really have no chance.

 

Jiang Wanyu got into the car, and Ming Jiyue immediately handed her a thermos from the driver’s seat. “You drank quite a bit of alcohol, didn’t you? Have some milk.”

Jiang Wanyu unscrewed the lid and took a few sips. The sweet, milky aroma enveloped her mouth, and her stomach felt much more settled.

She casually asked, “Why are you driving this car? I almost didn’t recognize it.”

“I wanted to keep things low-key,” Ming Jiyue explained. “But if you want to make a grand entrance, I could bring out the supercar from the garage, park it right in front of the hotel, and have you get in while your colleagues watch. That would definitely turn heads.”

Jiang Wanyu couldn’t help but chuckle. “No need for that.”

Ming Jiyue grinned smugly. “Aren’t I so thoughtful?”

“Mm, you’ve considered everything.”

As she started the car, Ming Jiyue glanced outside. “Where’s your colleague? I didn’t see anyone leave with you.”

Jiang Wanyu pursed her lips, a flicker of panic in her eyes. “She… she left ahead of me. We parted ways at the entrance.”

Ming Jiyue shot her a thoughtful look but said nothing more. “Let’s go home and get some sleep.”

 

After the dinner party last night, everyone had to be at work on time the next day.

Jiang Wanyu was slightly tired but still clocked in on time.

Duan Jin, who usually loved to visit her desk, didn’t say a single word to Jiang Wanyu all day. She kept glancing in Jiang Wanyu’s direction, her face practically screaming, “I have something on my mind,” but she never approached to talk.

Jiang Wanyu noticed this, of course, and felt quite helpless. Watching Duan Jin print documents while her eyes kept drifting toward her, Jiang Wanyu finally couldn’t resist. “What are you looking at?” she asked.

Duan Jin jumped, nearly dropping the papers in her hand. “N-nothing! I wasn’t looking at anything.”

“Finish your work first. If you still want to ask something later, I’ll explain.”

Better to tell her than let her stew in her own thoughts and make up wild theories, Jiang Wanyu thought.

Duan Jin was surprised by Jiang Wanyu’s “permission,” but even more excited. She wasted no time finishing her tasks and hurried to Jiang Wanyu’s desk. “You’re really going to tell me?”

Jiang Wanyu sighed. “If I don’t, I’m afraid you’ll make yourself sick worrying.”

Duan Jin grinned, not holding back as she blurted out the question that had been tormenting her all night: “What’s your relationship with Teacher Ming?”

As expected of a die-hard fan, Jiang Wanyu thought. She’d ask about Ming Jiyue first.

Duan Jin was a good person, lively and cheerful. Jiang Wanyu wanted to maintain a long-term friendship with her and didn’t want to lie. But some things were too sensitive to discuss openly, so she answered vaguely, “Ming Jiyue and I were classmates at Beijing University. We interacted a bit during our undergraduate years.”

“Wow, you two actually know each other!” Duan Jin’s eyes lit up with envy. “Oh right, you went to Beijing University too. I forgot.”

Once Ming Jiyue’s name came up, Duan Jin couldn’t stop talking. “Tell me everything! What was she like in college? Was she super impressive?”

“Yeah, she ranked first in her major for all four years, both academically and overall. She was amazing in every way.”

“No wonder she’s my goddess!”

“Did she ever date anyone?”

That question nearly made Jiang Wanyu choke. “She… that’s not something I can talk about.”

“Come on, tell me! I swear I’ll keep it a secret, just for myself. I won’t tell anyone else.”

Sharing her romantic history with Ming Jiyue felt too embarrassing. Jiang Wanyu couldn’t bring herself to do it. She quickly steered the conversation back on track. “Let’s answer your other questions first.”

“What’s the deal with you two and Liu Fan? Does he have a crush on Teacher Ming?”

“Probably.”

Jiang Wanyu concealed the details of her relationship with Ming Jiyue, only mentioning that they had participated in university activities together, had some overlap, and had been somewhat close for a period of time. Liu Fan, who had feelings for Ming Jiyue, naturally harbored great hostility toward her.

Duan Jin, uninterested in Liu Fan, focused entirely on envying Jiang Wanyu. “You actually participated in activities with Teacher Ming? Why didn’t I meet you seven years ago?!”

Jiang Wanyu smiled. “It was just a coincidence. After seven years, she probably doesn’t even remember me.”

“I disliked Liu Fan from the moment I saw her, and I was right. So what if her family has money?” Duan Jin grew agitated again. “How did you buy a place in No. 1 Courtyard? Are you secretly rich?”

“My friend bought it. I’m just staying there temporarily.”

As they chatted, a colleague they had run into the previous night approached. “Wan Yu, I’m so sorry about last night. I assumed you were friends and didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”

The previous night had indeed been unexpected, but Jiang Wanyu brushed it off. “It’s fine, Sister. You didn’t know, so it’s not your fault.”

“Who was that guy last night?”

Before Jiang Wanyu could answer, Duan Jin interjected, “He’s just a bastard!”

“Sis, remember that girl I told you about who was riding Teacher Ming’s coattails? That’s her! Always pretending to be innocent and playing up her image. I knew she was trouble from the start, and now she’s even bullying our Wan Yu.”

“Oh, her,” the colleague said, her face lighting up with recognition. “I knew that name sounded familiar.”

“Ugh, it’s no wonder you don’t know her. She’s not really famous anyway—just notorious for her marketing stunts.”

“I don’t understand any of that,” the colleague shook her head. “I think an actor’s work speaks for itself. Take Ming Jiyue, for example. I’ve been watching her dramas since Newborn. I don’t follow celebrities much, but I’ve seen all her movies and TV shows—her acting is just phenomenal. Even when I see her photos online, I can’t help but stare. She’s so beautiful. If she could be my daughter-in-law, I’d wake up smiling every day.”

Duan Jin shot her a playful glare. “Sis, what are you saying? She probably already has a girlfriend.”

“Just daydreaming,” the colleague chuckled.

Last night’s events had been truly astonishing. Duan Jin never imagined Jiang Wanyu had such connections to Liu Fan and Ming Jiyue. All morning, she and the others had been buzzing around Jiang Wanyu, peppering her with questions.

While some details were too sensitive to share, Jiang Wanyu answered everything she could.

 

Soon after, the variety show was officially titled “Footprints of Glory” and entered its final, intense preparation phase, with an official announcement imminent.

The manager asked Jiang Wanyu if she wanted to register a Weibo account.

“It would make it easier for the official announcement to tag you. Plus, the Official Weibo Account will definitely release press releases, and you can retweet them to boost engagement.”

Jiang Wanyu replied, “I already have a Weibo account, but I don’t use it much.”

“That’s your personal account, which isn’t suitable for this. You should create a new account specifically for the variety show.”

“You haven’t done this before, so it might feel unfamiliar. Registering an account for the Official Weibo Account isn’t mandatory, but would you be willing to do it?”

Before Jiang Wanyu could answer, Ming Jiyue eagerly chimed in, “She’s willing!”

“Xiao Yu, please register one! I want to interact with you on Weibo too.”

The manager reminded her, “This is for interacting with the Official Weibo Account, not with you. Remember, we agreed to keep a low profile.”

Ming Jiyue protested, “What’s the point of interacting with the Official Weibo Account? It’s way more fun to interact with me!”

“You need to be careful. Especially with your personal account—make sure to keep it hidden. Don’t accidentally switch accounts and post something you shouldn’t. You’ll be in big trouble if you do.”

Ming Jiyue waved off the warning dismissively. “Relax. It’s been years. When have I ever caused any problems?”

“Have you forgotten how your old side account was exposed, and all you did was whine about food and sleep? Or how everyone said Ming Jiyue had ‘no scandals, only memes’?” The manager shot her a sidelong glance. “So many fans said their image of your character shattered into a million pieces.”

Ming Jiyue forced an awkward smile. “That was an accident.”

“And have you forgotten how you trashed me on that account too?”

Ming Jiyue denied it. “What are you talking about? I was praising your dedication to work!”

The manager’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Next time you want to praise my dedication, try leaving out phrases like ‘My manager dragged me out of bed at 3 AM for overtime—I hate workaholics!'”

Ming Jiyue: ……

Jiang Wanyu couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

She hadn’t paid much attention to social media before, and she’d completely missed all these hilarious Ming Jiyue moments.

Ming Jiyue leaned closer. “It’s one thing for her to tease me, but why are you laughing too?”

The manager sneered coldly. “Because you’re inherently funny.”

Ming Jiyue glared at her.

Jiang Wanyu’s eyes curved into crescents as she lowered her head, looking slightly embarrassed. “I wasn’t laughing at you.”

“Huh?”

“I just thought it was… cute.”

A smile bloomed at the corners of Ming Jiyue’s eyes and lips as she pressed a kiss to Jiang Wanyu’s cheek. “Xiao Yu always knows how to appreciate things.”

Jiang Wanyu’s cheeks flushed slightly. “Someone’s here. Stop teasing.”

Ming Jiyue hummed. “Alright, alright. We’ll tease each other when we get home.”

The manager: ……

Someone, bring back the Ming Jiyue who had no time for romance, the Ming Jiyue who was all about her career! And get rid of this love-struck Ming Jiyue!

As Jiang Wanyu registered for Weibo, Ming Jiyue casually picked up the variety show proposal and flipped through it. “Participating in variety shows is such a hassle. All that running around.”

The manager glanced at her. “If you don’t want to do it, you can withdraw now. Breaking the contract would be pocket change for Best Actress Ming.”

Ming Jiyue wouldn’t hear of it. “Who said I wanted to withdraw? I just said it’s a hassle. I never said I wouldn’t participate.”

“I signed up for this show because of Xiao Yu. As long as she’s here, I’m not backing out.”

“You’re willing to join a variety show for your Xiao Yu? That’s quite a sacrifice,” the manager said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Single dogs wouldn’t understand,” Ming Jiyue said serenely. “This is what we call ‘sweet suffering.'”

The manager wanted to throw her off the balcony.

Following the manager’s advice, Jiang Wanyu registered a new Weibo account. When she entered her name as the username, it showed as already taken, so she added a symbol at the end.

Registration successful.

Although it was a brand-new, blank account, the all-knowing big data algorithms had already intelligently pushed content related to Ming Jiyue to Jiang Wanyu. After glancing at a few posts, she casually tapped the “like” button on one.

The manager was still researching the verification process. “How do you get verified on Weibo again? It’s been ages since I did this… Wait a minute! What are you doing?!”

Jiang Wanyu startled, her phone clattering onto the table. “N-nothing! Just reading an article.”

The manager snatched the phone and quickly scanned the screen, spotting an article about Ming Jiyue.

@NewGossipInEntertainment: Guagua has the latest industry scoop! Ming Jiyue is rumored to be joining a variety show soon. Considering her recent romantic rumors, Guagua boldly speculates that if she does participate, her rumored girlfriend must be among the guests! The truth remains to be seen, but if you agree, give this post a big like!

And Jiang Wanyu had obediently given it a big like.

The manager tried to remain calm. “…You haven’t gotten verified yet, have you?”

“No.”

“You registered using your real name?”

“Yes.”

The manager took a deep breath. “Alright, stop using this account and register a new one.”

Ming Jiyue disagreed. “It’s just a like. We can keep it. It’s fine.”

“No, cancel it immediately.”

“No, I’m keeping it.”

The manager’s temple twitched. He finally snapped, “What if someone digs it up? Do you want to announce your marriage directly, turn our travel variety show into a romance show, and have everyone watch you two flaunt your affection?”

Ming Jiyue: “That’s actually a pretty good idea.”

The manager: …Meeting you has truly been my blessing.

The manager glared at Ming Jiyue. “Stay away from Wan Yu from now on.”

“Why should I?” Ming Jiyue retorted, displeased.

“You’ll corrupt that perfectly good child!” the manager scolded angrily. “Wan Yu, switch accounts.”

Jiang Wanyu obediently agreed, though still a little confused. “Why do I need to switch accounts?”

The manager rubbed his forehead. “Everyone can see your likes.”

Jiang Wanyu gasped. “Really? I didn’t know that.”

“I’m sorry.”

Before the manager could say more, Ming Jiyue interjected, “It’s fine. There’s no need to apologize. It’s normal you didn’t know how Weibo works since you didn’t use it before. Just be careful in the future.”

She added earnestly, “Weibo has a ton of quirks. You really need to be careful. Likes and comments are public, and even following someone can get you trending.”

Jiang Wanyu didn’t fully understand, but she nodded obediently. “Okay, I’ll keep that in mind.”

The manager said, “Good thing we haven’t gotten you verified yet. Just create a new account, and we’ll get you verified when we officially announce you.”

“Remember to use your personal account for casual browsing. Always run your Weibo posts by me first—don’t pull a ‘shoot first, ask later’ stunt like some people. You’ll give me a heart attack one of these days.”

Some people: “Everything I post is worth posting.”

The manager: “You just want to keep the studio busy, giving us extra work.”

The manager took Jiang Wanyu’s phone. “I’ll handle this. Better safe than sorry.”

Jiang Wanyu looked up at her, her innocent gaze tinged with determination. “Let me do it myself. I promise I won’t mess up this time.”

Stared down by that earnest gaze, the manager hesitated, unsure whether to hand over the phone. But before she could decide, a hand flashed out from the side, and in the next instant, the phone was gone from her grasp.

Manager: ?

She watched as the phone returned to Jiang Wanyu’s hand, with Ming Jiyue standing beside her, playing the supportive friend: “Do it yourself. I believe in you.”

The manager fell silent.

Jiang Wanyu reclaimed her phone and began re-registering.

Ming Jiyue leaned in, watching her every move. “Right, right, be careful not to tap the wrong thing. Move your thumb a bit—you might accidentally follow someone on Weibo.”

“ID taken? Just add two letters at the end. Trust me, add ‘vv’…”

The manager, still puzzled, asked, “Isn’t this a new account? How did you get Ming Jiyue on your feed?”

Jiang Wanyu shrugged. “I don’t know. It just popped up as soon as I opened the app.”

Ming Jiyue chimed in from the side, “It’s probably because the algorithm knows what you like to watch. Xiao Yu, do you often look up content about me?”

Manager: … The explanation was surprisingly plausible.

After completing the registration, the manager moved to add verification to the account. But when she saw the ID, she suddenly realized something was wrong.

“Wait a minute.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Jiyue, what’s your Weibo handle again?”

Ming Jiyue, feeling slightly guilty, replied, “It’s just my name.”

“I know it’s your name. What else would it be, mine?”

“I mean, what suffix did you add…?” As she spoke, she had already searched it up.

@MingJiyuevv

And the newly registered account was called—

@JiangWanyuvv

The manager fell silent for a moment.

Are you two seriously trying to claim these aren’t deliberately matching couple names?!

Ming Jiyue, who had coaxed Jiang Wanyu into this mischief, was caught off guard by how easily they were discovered. Feeling awkward, she explained, “The name was taken, so I just added a random suffix. Don’t overthink it.”

Instead of getting angry, the manager chuckled, his voice sincere and his smile gentle. “I think your couple names are still too conservative. They’re not obvious enough.”

“Here’s my suggestion: you two should change your names right now. You become ‘MingJiyueLovesJiangWanyu,’ and she becomes ‘JiangWanyuLovesMingJiyue.’ That way, the chances of getting discovered will be much higher, and you can go straight onto a dating reality show. What do you think?”

Ming Jiyue’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. “That’s a great idea! Sister Chen, do you agree?”

The next moment, an angry roar erupted from a conference room in the company: “Great idea my ass! Change your names back immediately!”