The Ice-Queen Actress Used Her Acting Skills to Reel Me In! - Chapter 27

Qin Zhaoman emerged from her study after a meeting and saw Shen Niannian leaning over the balcony, gazing outside.

She was wearing a wine-red nightgown—short, with light, silky fabric. The way she was positioned caused the hem to barely cover the tops of her thighs, revealing slender, straight legs and the graceful curve of her back.

Qin Zhaoman owned the same dress, but she had only worn it once or twice because it was too provocative. She hadn’t expected Shen Niannian to favor such a style in private.

The most alluring thing was the flash of vibrant fabric beneath a saint’s solemn robes.

Restraining herself from staring, Qin Zhaoman asked, “What are you looking at?”

“Your yard and mine.”

Shen Niannian turned her head and gave her a faint smile. Qin Zhaoman stepped beside her and looked out as well.

She was used to her own yard and found nothing particularly special about it. Shen Niannian’s, however, was lush with greenery—some resilient variety that remained vibrantly green even in winter.

In comparison, Shen Niannian’s yard seemed more lively, lifting one’s spirits just by looking at it.

A finger lightly hooked hers. Qin Zhaoman glanced over, her gaze pausing.

From this elevated angle, she could clearly see Shen Niannian’s elegant neckline, the deep hollow of her collarbones, and the faint glimpses of snowy skin barely concealed beneath the wine-red silk.

A hand rested at the neckline.

Qin Zhaoman snapped out of it, meeting a pair of cat-like eyes that seemed to laugh at her. For a moment, she felt the tension of losing ground in a negotiation.

Shen Niannian’s face was truly unfair.

With her chin propped on her hand, Shen Niannian gently interrogated, “Enjoying the view?”

The more precarious the situation, the more confidence and composure one needed to show.

Qin Zhaoman admitted openly, “Yes.” Then, calmly, she asked, “You didn’t call me over just to admire you, did you?”

A composed smile played on her lips, in stark contrast to the faint blush creeping up the tips of her ears beneath her wavy hair.

The script’s effect was almost too perfect.

Shen Niannan briefly debated between answering “yes” or “no.”

In the end, she abandoned the former—having her reveal the secret behind the nightgown wouldn’t fit the script’s logic.

She settled for a compromise. “Your yard looks a bit empty. I was thinking of planting some flowers. Any preferences?”

Qin Zhaoman just wanted to leave the balcony. “Do as you like. If you don’t like the current design, hire another landscaper.”

Shen Niannian turned with her. “So I can redecorate freely?”

Qin Zhaoman quickened her pace. “You can do whatever you want with our home.”

Unfazed by being left behind, Shen Niannian asked, “Why are you in such a hurry?”

“Since when do you get to question me?”

Spotting the bathroom, Qin Zhaoman exhaled in relief. She turned and asked, “I’m going to shower. Still following?”

She had already realized Shen Niannian was deliberately teasing her. No one had ever cornered her like this before—with anyone else, she would’ve retaliated long ago.

Actually, no—to be precise, no one else would’ve had the chance to pressure her like this in the first place.

Attempting to mirror the same tactic, Qin Zhaoman lingered by the bathroom door and asked, “Or do you want to come in with me?”

Shen Niannian feigned innocence. “Is that part of my duties?”

Qin Zhaoman wasn’t the type to keep conceding. Sensing her counterattack was working, she grew bolder. “Do you want it to be?” The emotions in her eyes transformed from shyness to teasing, the kind of shift that would be accompanied by a darkening soundtrack in a TV drama.

Shen Niannian was highly sensitive to danger: “Never mind.”

She had barely taken a step back when her wrist was caught. Qin Zhaoman continued to tease her: “Then you go to bed first. Do you know which room we’re staying in?”

Shen Niannian frowned briefly and asked, “Are we sharing a room?”

There was only one bed in the room—sharing a room was the euphemistic way of saying they’d be sleeping in the same bed.

A minute ago, Qin Zhaoman hadn’t thought things would escalate to this point.

But now, she wasn’t so sure.

All she wanted now was to put Shen Niannian in an equally awkward position. She countered, “What else?”

Shen Niannian met her gaze for a moment before saying, “Then we’ll share a room.”

Qin Zhaoman was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected Shen Niannian to give in so easily?

The negotiation ended before it even began, simply because the other party conceded.

Shen Niannian truly had given up just like that. After stepping out, she even considerately closed the door behind her.

The bathroom fell into silence as Qin Zhaoman filled the bathtub. Amid the sound of running water, she couldn’t help but wonder—she had suggested sharing a bed to provoke Shen Niannian, so why had there been no reaction at all?

Because Shen Niannian didn’t care. Shen Niannian saw it as part of the act.

But if Shen Niannian remained unfazed, why was she the one who felt unsettled?

The rippling water reflected her image, but there wasn’t a trace of amusement in Qin Zhaoman’s sharp eyes.

She tossed a bath bomb into the water, shattering her reflection. The wine-scented bomb dissolved, dyeing the water a deep red.

Because she had forgotten this was all just an act.

Qin Zhaoman’s bath lasted longer than usual. Meanwhile, Shen Niannian sat quietly on the bed, reviewing documents.

An hour later, Qin Zhaoman returned. She had changed into a fitted black silk camisole dress that left little to the imagination—her slender waist, long legs, and full bust on full display, exuding an air of arrogance.

Her voluminous waves cascaded loosely, slightly fluffy from being freshly blown dry, draping lazily over her shoulders.

Like a proud and beautiful black swan.

Even Shen Niannian couldn’t help but glance up for a second look.

Qin Zhaoman had been observing her reaction, quietly competing in this game of “mutual affection.” Only when she confirmed Shen Niannian’s gaze did she finally relax slightly.

She had looked at Shen Niannian, and Shen Niannian had looked back—that made them even.

Qin Zhaoman walked toward the bed and asked, “What are you looking at?”

Shen Niannian knew exactly what she wanted to hear and replied, “Your waist is so slender.”

Qin Zhaoman paused, slightly raising her arm. “I work out.”

Shen Niannian reached out, slowing her hand just before making contact. When Qin Zhaoman didn’t refuse, she rested her fingers lightly on her waist and stroked gently. “It really is.”

The fabric was incredibly thin, and Qin Zhaoman’s waist was particularly sensitive. The light caress sent tingles through her skin, as if tiny fish were nibbling at her, the sensation seeping deep into her bones.

Qin Zhaoman caught Shen Niannian’s hand. “Had enough?”

Shen Niannian knew her limits and obediently withdrew her hand.

Qin Zhaoman pulled back the covers and climbed into bed, noticing the documents on Shen Niannian’s lap. “What time are you going to sleep?”

Shen Niannian closed the file in her hands. “Are you tired? We can turn off the lights now.”

“If you want to keep reading, you can use my study.”Qin Zhaoman lay down, then turned her head toward Shen Niannian and asked, “Is this your first time sharing a bed with someone? Are you well-behaved when you sleep?”

Shen Niannian replied, “Sui Sui liked sleeping with me when she was little. After she grew up, I made her sleep alone. I think I’m quite well-behaved when I sleep.”

She lowered her gaze to look at Qin Zhaoman and asked, “What would you do if I weren’t well-behaved?”

Qin Zhaoman met her eyes. In the dim light, Shen Niannian’s cat-like eyes reflected a warm glow, soft enough to intoxicate the heart.

She turned over, facing away from Shen Niannian, and said, “Expose you.”

Shen Niannian turned off the small bedside lamp, speaking as if coaxing a child, “Alright, for the sake of my career, I’ll sleep properly.”

Even with the lights off, the room wasn’t completely dark. The sheer curtains over the floor-to-ceiling windows let in moonlight and streetlights from outside.

After lying down, Qin Zhaoman kept thinking about Shen Niannian’s earlier words and asked, “Have you always lived with your sister?”

This was a good topic to open up. Like all parents, Shen Niannian enjoyed discussing the child she had raised.

Her voice was gentle as she answered, “Yes. My mother passed away not long after Sui Sui was born. My stepmother didn’t like her, so when I returned to the country, I brought her with me. She’s been by my side ever since.”

Qin Zhaoman also knew Shen Sui Sui. The age gap between Shen Sui Sui and Shen Niannian wasn’t large—only about seven or eight years.

From what she remembered, Shen Sui Sui bore a fifty percent resemblance to Shen Niannian. Sui Sui’s cat-like eyes were rounder and more innocent-looking, lacking the cool elegance of Shen Niannian’s.

She knew that kind of guileless appearance wasn’t easy to cultivate—it meant the child had never suffered the pain of being deceived and had been well protected.

Just like Qiao Qiao, Shen Sui Sui seemed even more gullible than Qiao Qiao. Qin Zhaoman wondered how much effort Shen Niannian had put into raising her that way.

Qin Zhaoman said, “You’re amazing, being able to raise a child.”

Considering their ages, Shen Niannian had been very young herself at the time—still at an age where she needed care.

Shen Niannian replied, “Sui Sui was very well-behaved. She never cried when other children threw tantrums—she was exceptionally sensible. The only times she acted up were when I didn’t have time to spend with her. When she first started school, some kids bullied her for looking Chinese, but she never told me.”

Qin Zhaoman chatted idly, asking, “But you found out eventually?”

Shen Niannian lay beside her, the two of them separated by a small distance—close yet distant.

Recalling the memory, her tone was light: “Yes. The other child’s parents were quite intimidating, so I felt a lot of pressure. Later, I made time to learn sanda, and after that, the pressure lessened a lot.”

Qin Zhaoman laughed at this anecdote. She turned over and asked, “You know sanda? I wouldn’t have guessed.”

Shen Niannian also turned her head to look at her, the corners of her lips curling up. “After learning it, I hardly ever had to use it. Violence begets violence—it’s an endless cycle. I could handle it, but my sister couldn’t.”

Qin Zhaoman studied Shen Niannian’s soft profile and asked, “Is that why you’re so gentle?”

Shen Niannian felt a little cold and pulled the blanket up slightly. She didn’t answer directly, only saying, “I thought if everyone liked me, they might show a little more favor to my sister too.”

Qin Zhaoman reached out to tuck in the blanket for her, ensuring Shen Niannian’s face remained fully visible. She asked, “Did it work?” Shen Niannian thought for a moment and said, “It’s useful, but not entirely.”

Qin Zhaoman raised an eyebrow. “Then what do you do when it’s not useful?”

Shen Niannian smiled and replied, “Fight fire with fire.”

Qin Zhaoman laughed along with her, then heard Shen Niannian ask beside her, “Last time when you changed my bandages, you mentioned you used to get into fights often. What was that about?”