Phoenix A: Internet Sensation! ( GL , ABO) - Chapter 8
“Who wants to be someone else’s stand-in…”
Shen Nian had no idea what complicated thoughts were running through Jiang Zhiwan’s mind. She was entirely focused on finding a way to escape the drinking.
Dealing with Luo Shan alone was already difficult enough. But somehow, Ji Xicheng had shown up out of nowhere and enthusiastically joined in, determined to get her drunk as well.
“Shen Nian, it’s so rare for you to come visit me. If you don’t drink more, you’re not being very sincere.”
Shen Nian gave her a forced smile, thinking to herself, “Sincere my foot. If you think I’ll ever come visit your set again, you’re dreaming.”
Fortunately, Ji Xicheng didn’t team up with Luo Shan. She was indiscriminate in her attacks and even questioned Luo Shan every now and then about whether she was secretly stringing along admirers.
Such behavior was disgraceful for someone who called herself an alpha.
After a few drinks, Luo Shan’s temper got the better of her and she snapped back with sarcasm.
Shen Nian was delighted to see them bickering. It took the attention off her and gave her a chance to breathe.
The way the three of them drank made the people nearby hesitant to approach. No one wanted to get caught up in this strange and exhausting battle.
By the end, Shen Nian clearly saw Ji Xicheng for what she was. This so-called friend was just here for the chaos and was trying to drown her in alcohol for fun.
And to think Shen Nian had been willing to forgive her if she had shown any restraint.
Even with Shen Nian’s strong tolerance, she couldn’t keep up with the constant flow of drinks.
Things escalated when Ji Xicheng suddenly insisted on having a drinking contest. Shen Nian’s competitive side kicked in, and she began half-drinking, half-spilling, determined to beat her. She didn’t stop until Ji Xicheng finally passed out.
When she looked over at Luo Shan, she had already lost the battle too and was asking her assistant to help her leave.
Shen Nian felt triumphant. She thought to herself, “This is the best you can do? And you thought you could outdrink me?”
Of course, she said nothing about the drinks she quietly spilled along the way.
When she figured it was about time to leave, Shen Nian took out her phone and called the family driver to come pick her up.
As she debated whether she or Jiang Zhiwan should leave first, her eyes searched for the other woman. When she found her, she frowned.
She hadn’t been paying attention to Jiang Zhiwan, and 432, her AI system, had entered sleep mode. So she had no idea when Jiang Xiaoli had gone over to her.
There was no such thing as kindness without reason. He clearly had an ulterior motive.
Did Jiang Xiaoli have any sense of boundaries? He was an alpha, yet he had pulled an omega aside at a party to whisper to her in private?
It was lucky this hotel offered decent privacy. If a paparazzo had taken a photo at that moment, rumors would have spread like wildfire.
Shen Nian felt a spark of anger rising inside her. Still, she hesitated. If she stepped in now, would Jiang Zhiwan be upset? She decided to wait and observe for the moment.
In truth, Jiang Zhiwan hadn’t been led over by anyone. She simply didn’t like noisy crowds and had stepped away to a quiet corner on her own.
Jiang Xiaoli had something to say to her and took the opportunity to approach quietly when no one was looking.
His attempt at conversation was clumsy and transparent. Jiang Zhiwan could immediately tell what he wanted.
Unfortunately for him, Jiang Zhiwan felt nothing for this alpha.
Before he could even begin, she acted cold and distant, hoping that would drive him away.
But Jiang Xiaoli wasn’t good at reading people.
After a few minutes of aimless small talk, he finally got to the point.
“Miss Jiang, I think our collaboration went really smoothly, so I was thinking…”
Before he could finish, a calm voice interrupted him.
“Miss Jiang, I think your assistant was looking for you earlier. She said your ride is here and asked if you’d like to leave now.”
His carefully planned confession was cut off. Jiang Xiaoli looked annoyed and turned to see who had interrupted. It was only then that he recognized Shen Nian.
He couldn’t think of anything to say. After mumbling something vague to cover up his embarrassment, he quickly found an excuse and walked away.
Before he left, he glanced at Jiang Zhiwan with disappointment in his eyes.
He knew this was likely his only chance. After tonight, he would probably never have another opportunity.
It was only because he had been drinking and felt the excitement of wrapping up their first project together that he had dared to confess his feelings to the omega he liked.
In the future, he wouldn’t be able to do the same again.
After all, they had only worked together briefly. Now that filming was over, they would go their separate ways. Whether they would meet again was uncertain.
Jiang Zhiwan watched him leave, feeling nothing.
In her past life, she had been hospitalized due to an allergic reaction. This incident had never happened, so she had never known he once harbored feelings for her.
Shen Nian, having achieved her goal, pretended to be innocent.
“Did I interrupt something? If I had known, I would have come a bit later. It’s not a big deal to make the driver wait a few more minutes.”
Faced with the obvious question, Jiang Zhiwan gave no reply.
She glanced around and didn’t see Luo Shan or the others. It was clear that Shen Nian had won the ridiculous drinking contest.
Noticing that Shen Nian still seemed clear-headed, Jiang Zhiwan said, “You should go first. After a while, I’ll take Uncle Li’s car home.”
Uncle Li was the Shen family’s driver. Hearing that arrangement, Shen Nian finally relaxed.
She was feeling tired anyway, so she nodded and prepared to leave.
Though her mind was starting to cloud over, Shen Nian was the kind of person who didn’t appear drunk. She still managed to walk in a straight line.
The ride home made her even drowsier. By the time she arrived, she was nearly asleep.
The alcohol had a slow and heavy aftereffect, which finally kicked in.
Her mind loosened. As soon as she walked into the house, she dropped onto the soft sofa and stayed there.
She planned to sleep there for the night, but after a while, she felt her body being lifted.
She swayed slightly in someone’s arms and, annoyed, mumbled a few quiet curses.
Even though her voice was soft, Jiang Zhiwan still heard every word. Her eyes darkened slightly as she looked down at the small bird.
This little brat. Just because she’s pretty, she thinks she can curse me like that?
Though she thought that, her actions became more gentle. Jiang Zhiwan cradled the small bird carefully, no longer handling her so casually.
She didn’t want the bold little troublemaker to keep chirping insults.
Drunk and exhausted, Shen Nian slept deeply and peacefully. When she finally woke up, the first thing she saw was Jiang Zhiwan’s face, and she jumped in fright.
What was going on? What was this situation?
Looking around, she realized she had transformed into her bird form. She lifted a wing and patted her chest in relief.
Thankfully, it was nothing. She had only scared herself.
To Shen Nian’s surprise, Jiang Zhiwan didn’t lock her up this time. A delicate birdcage was sitting right there on the table, yet she didn’t use it.
Since she wasn’t being locked up, then as a little bird, it was time to make her escape.
That was exactly what Shen Nian was thinking. She shook her wings twice in front of Jiang Zhiwan, testing whether she was still asleep.
But before Shen Nian could even move, that familiar calm and cool voice suddenly sounded.
“Trying to sneak away again without even saying goodbye? Little bird, don’t you think that’s a bit rude?”
Startled, Shen Nian instinctively did the most ridiculous thing possible. She flopped back down and pretended to keep sleeping.
Jiang Zhiwan raised an eyebrow and let out a quiet chuckle as she watched the little bird lie there motionless.
That soft laugh felt like a tiny hook, swaying gently in Shen Nian’s heart and pulling her attention.
Jiang Zhiwan, still in a good mood, reached out her hand and gently stroked the bird’s beautiful feathers. She had no intention of arguing further.
“If you are already awake, stop pretending. I will take you to have breakfast, alright?”
Shen Nian hadn’t really felt hungry at first, but once Jiang Zhiwan mentioned food, she realized she was.
Without acting coy, Shen Nian bounced up, sat upright, and flapped her wings, clearly ready to follow her and enjoy a good meal.
Jiang Zhiwan kept her expression neutral, but her thoughts revealed something else.
This little bird really can understand what I am saying.
As they went downstairs together, they saw that breakfast had already been set on the dining table, just like usual.
Aunt Wu, the housekeeper, saw them and greeted Jiang Zhiwan with a warm smile.
“This morning I made sour soup wontons. I remember they are your favorite. You should eat them while they are still hot.”
The sour soup wontons were great for easing the stomach and clearing away the effects of alcohol. After a night of drinking, a hot bowl was just right.
Aunt Wu had been thoughtful. Knowing that Jiang Zhiwan had been out drinking the night before, she made this dish on purpose.
Jiang Zhiwan took her seat without delay. Shen Nian, in bird form, jumped down from her shoulder onto the table. She hopped around, scanning the food to find something she liked.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t transform into her human form right now. That meant she couldn’t enjoy her own bowl of sour soup wontons.
Shen Nian looked a little bitter about it, but she did not hold back when it came to the pair of small flower buns on the plate.
Aunt Wu stood nearby and noticed the bird on the table. She was a bit surprised at first, but seeing that Jiang Zhiwan showed no concern, she quickly understood that this must be a new pet.
Still, this little bird had rather unique eating habits.
Was it really eating flower buns?
To Aunt Wu, Shen Nian was just a harmless and beautiful bird. Though she was curious, she remained professional and did not stare for too long.
After all, Aunt Wu had been hired at a high salary by Shen Nian herself. Her skills were excellent, and her cooking was especially good. Even one bowl of sour soup wontons was enough to make someone’s appetite come alive.
Jiang Zhiwan scooped up some soup with a spoon, brought it to her lips, and gently blew on it. Her eyes wandered and stopped on the other side of the table.
Usually, that spot would also have a full meal set. But today, it was completely empty.
Aunt Wu had said earlier that she knocked on the bedroom door in the morning, but the young miss wasn’t there. She must have gone out early.
Jiang Zhiwan knew Shen Nian’s tolerance for alcohol.
Last night, Shen Nian had taken the fall for her and been forced to drink several rounds from Luo Shan and the others. It was already impressive that she came back sober.
Did she really have the energy to go out again this morning?
Jiang Zhiwan brought the spoon to her mouth and tasted the soup. She began to find Shen Nian’s behavior a little strange.
In her past life, Shen Nian had treated her well.
But all that kindness had a condition. It only existed because she was supposed to act like someone else’s stand-in.
Shen Nian had an obsession with her face. Her actions were always ambiguous, but she never truly crossed the line.
That was because her scent was different from the person Shen Nian really longed for.
Once Jiang Zhiwan realized she was being used as a substitute, she had instinctively rejected the idea. She could never accept a relationship built on someone else’s identity.
Their contract still had two years left. But in reality, everything would change the moment Qu Youyu returned.
How pathetic it was, to live a life where her choices had to wait for someone else’s decision.
Jiang Zhiwan narrowed her eyes slightly, showing no emotion. In her heart, she quietly made a note about Shen Nian.