Taming a Wild Rose - Chapter 7 Part 1

“Acting?”

Li Ji paused, his brow furrowing slightly as he said in a deep and direct voice, “I don’t know how to act.”

The corners of Sheng Zhao’s eyes curved lightly, her voice also carrying a hint of cheerfulness when she replied, “But you’re my superstar! I’m sure your acting classes at the company were quite good. I believe you’ll be fine.”

She swiftly finalised their schedule with almost unwavering certainty, then smiled brightly as she added, “We start filming next week, so use this time to familiarise yourself with the lines.”

This was an ancient romance drama, and Li Ji’s role was cannon fodder, but it could still be considered somewhat significant. He appears in two episodes to give trouble to the brave male lead before being neatly eliminated.

His character was that of a tyrannical evil king who brought calamity upon the nation through his arrogance and audacity. Due to his excessive arrogance and provocative nature, he amassed immense hatred, ultimately meeting his demise by a cup of poisoned wine from the male lead’s hand.

“You’ll definitely excel at playing this role.”

Sheng Zhao narrowed her eyes in delight, seemingly envisioning him receiving widespread acclaim for his performance.

Li Ji didn’t reject it and instead accepted with grace. He skimmed through the script, then lifted his eyebrows slightly before muttering under his breath, “Arrogant and tyrannical…”

Little red hair sprang out from the side, snapping back at him with an irritated tone, looking quite angry as he did so. “Don’t be ungrateful! Sheng jiejie spent so much time picking you, don’t you know how precious her time is?”

Li Ji was speechless for a moment. He slowly leaned back in his chair, a faint smile on his face as his gaze shifted to Sheng Zhao. Sheng Zhao understood immediately, despite her expression remaining unchanged, still just as cheerful and light-hearted as earlier, she gave the little red hair a firm tap.

“Ah, that hurt! Sheng jiejie—”

Perhaps feeling somewhat wronged, the child pressed a hand over his head, lips pursed as he sulked silently, not saying another word. He only shot a disgruntled glance at Li Ji, inwardly cursing him as a vixen.

Yes, vixen! It was all because of him that Sheng jiejie treated him like this.

Li Ji ignored Duan Jingrui’s resentful gaze, pressing his lips together as he looked toward Sheng Zhao. Still soft-spoken, he murmured, “…I won’t disappoint you.”

He would continue to strive for excellence.

Li Ji worked even harder than before, returning from every class exhausted. He diligently trained his dancing and acting skills, never skipping any rehearsals or vocal training sessions. His fatigue would usually dissipate when he saw Sheng Zhao’s face upon returning home, but whenever Li Ji laid eyes on the noisy red-haired boy, all veins popping out of his forehead, he would become expressionless once again.

Duan Jingrui was like a brainless male supporting role in a novel or drama— everything he did annoyed everyone around him. Sometimes, even Sheng Zhao couldn’t control his mouth, pushing him away with words that were nothing short of scolding.

Then, after being scolded by Sheng Zhao, Duan Jingrui would clutch his head, his eyes teary as he mumbled, “…I hate you.”

…How stupid.

Li Ji’s patience was quickly wearing thin, but he maintained civility for Sheng Zhao’s sake. This little red-head had learned how to put up one facade while hiding another behind closed doors; he acted pitifully charming in front of Sheng Zhao, yet cursed Li Ji “vixen” under his breath whenever they were alone together.

Li Ji had heard more insulting things than this before, so Duan Jingrui’s hostility truly counted for nothing. Yet it was nevertheless annoying and childish.

Sheng Zhao seemed to have noticed their odd behaviour as well and asked Li Ji while helping him wash the dishes, “Did Duan Jingrui say something to you privately? For example…was he a bit hostile?”

There was hesitation in Sheng Zhao’s voice as she studied Li Ji’s handsome profile.

Li Ji’s expression remained calm, he continued chopping the vegetables with vigour, water droplets clinging to slender fingertips. His voice was low and indifferent as he said, “For example…did he call me ‘vixen’ behind my back?”

Sheng Zhao paused.

In contrast, Li Ji scoffed softly, seeming amused by this notion. “I’ve heard worse than that. It doesn’t bother me, nor does it affect me.”

“…But I’ll help you—”

“Seek justice?” Li Ji interrupted, his voice deep, tone slightly mocking as he lifted his gaze to look straight at Sheng Zhao, eyes filled with chilling coldness and tranquillity. “Whore, bitch, and all sorts of insults—I’ve heard them all, yet I’ve never seen anyone attempt to seek justice on my behalf.”

His voice was cold and stern, but he paused as he saw Sheng Zhao’s worried eyes, then lowered his gaze and collected himself. “Sorry… I’ll go smoke a cigarette.”

Li Ji took a deep breath, ignoring his slightly damp hands, and reached out with trembling fingertips to take a cigarette before stepping outside.

Sheng Zhao abruptly grabbed Li Ji’s hand, looking up at him with eyes that were bright like stars, softly saying, “I will seek justice for you from now on, I won’t let anyone wrong you.” She paused, then added, “… Believe me.”

Li Ji pressed his lips together, lowering his head so his hair covered his face, hiding his expression. His voice trembled faintly before he finally said, “… I hate him.”

Only this much came out.

He had unwittingly spoken his true thoughts, seemingly under the influence of Sheng Zhao’s unwavering determination, yet also like a helpless child who had found a dependable adult guardian. 

Li Ji could tell Duan Jingrui’s antics stemmed from a place of confidence. The young man appeared to come from a loving family, where even the parents indulge their son to no end. So much so that even Sheng Zhao, who often scolded him, would gently pat his head affectionately.

How annoying.

He had no right to complain, nor did he have any confidence that he could punish Duan Jingrui.

Sheng Zhao didn’t say anything else and simply patted his head before softly saying, “All right.”

Li Ji seemed caught off guard by this simple response from her, and his eyes glazed over as he stared into her gaze, which contained such warmth and kindness it could easily engulf him.

Thus, little red hair was sent away with minimal fuss. He cried and whined while packing up his luggage, then shot another glare at Li Ji before turning back to Sheng Zhao, looking pitiful once again.

But Sheng Zhao paid him no heed whatsoever.

In contrast, Li Ji leaned lazily against the door with his long legs outstretched, staring serenely at Duan Jingrui’s resentful gaze, then sneered with smug satisfaction.

However, when Sheng Zhao turned toward him, some of his pride faded, replaced instead by an inexplicable tightness in his chest. He suppressed his expression, hiding his emotion behind a light laugh as he asked, “How did you make him leave so willingly?”

Duan Jingrui wasn’t threatened by threats of reduced allowance or threats about removing his tongue stud, he only clung desperately to the idea of staying with Sheng Zhao. Thus, Sheng Zhao resorted to other methods.

She paused, her eyes darkening slightly, then lifted the corner of her lips gently and softly replied, “A secret.”

It was only necessary to tell Duan Jingrui’s parents that if they couldn’t control their child, they would withdraw their investment.

Li Ji’s role was simple, so it had been left until last to shoot his scenes. Once he completed his part, the entire crew could finally wrap up production.

On the day the film officially began shooting, Li Ji’s face remained impassive, but the way his fingertips kept stroking the cigarette in his pocket showed his nervousness.

Once he donned the ancient-style makeup, his appearance certainly dazzled those around him. The director praised the casting choice, clapping as she proclaimed him the embodiment of her vision for the malevolent evil emperor.

Li Ji’s ink-black hair reached his waist, his makeup elegant and lavish, the loose fit of the vibrant red robes did not conceal the tight belt wrapped around his slender waist, exposing faint grooves of muscular abs that made him furrow his brow in slight discomfort.

The director’s gaze remained fixed on him, but Li Ji grew accustomed to this attention and merely pressed his eyebrows together before ignoring her as if nothing were amiss, subtly avoiding her attempts to touch his hand.

Li Ji’s diligent research seemed to have paid off, though his acting wasn’t particularly outstanding, neither was it unwatchable. Paired with his elegant attire and handsome features, any stiffness in his performance was easily overlooked.