Chapter 2: Hero, I Urge You to Be Kind!

Having a heroine blessed with unimaginable luck and a cunning hero gifted with the power to read minds, Jiang Yunyao thought it over and decided that, as a person, it was better to be honest.

Plainly put: she was done pretending.

From now on, she would do whatever she pleased, follow her heart, and let the rest go to hell.

As long as she did not care, no one could do a thing to her.

Just then, she heard someone calling her name from afar.

She stepped out of the villa and looked up.

In the warm glow of the setting sun, the breeze lifted the young man’s short, tousled hair and brushed across his delicate features, while he flashed a toothy grin and waved at her.

“Jiang Yunyao!”

It was Xie Yixing, the man she had entered into a contract marriage with.

By then the variety show livestream had already begun, and this scene was captured on camera, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

[Holy crap! Is that a boy who walked straight out of a comic? He is ridiculously good-looking!]

[Three minutes. I want this man’s full profile.]

[Mom! I’m in love again!]

[Wait, who did he just call? Jiang Yunyao? Did I hear that right?]

[Aaaah, that scandal-ridden has-been entertainer Jiang Liangliang does not deserve someone that handsome!]

[Birds of a feather flock together. What kind of decent person could Jiang Yunyao’s other half possibly be?]

Jiang Yunyao did not even need to look at her phone to know that the livestream must already be full of people cursing her out.

In the past, she would have thought it was no big deal. It was just a few unflattering labels, a few nasty words—those couldn’t actually hurt her.

But looking at the young man’s sincere smile, then thinking of the original novel’s male supporting character being dragged down by the female antagonist and ruined in reputation, she suddenly felt a little reluctant.

She, Jiang Yunyao, a fine and upright woman of the world, would never drag an innocent person into muddy waters.

With that in mind, Jiang Yunyao strode over to the director, snatched the little megaphone from the table, and spoke toward the camera.

“Hello, everyone. I’m Jiang Yunyao. The person you just saw is Xie Yixing. We are in a contract marriage and have no marital feelings for each other.”

[What, what? What did Jiang Liangliang just say? Am I deaf?!]

[Just after the broadcast started and she’s already exposed herself. Amazing. That’s so her!]

[If you’re not really married, why are you on a couple’s variety show? Isn’t this just a sham in name only? Can you please go back wherever you came from?]

[Shh! Stop talking. The director’s face has gone completely dark. Jiang Liangliang is done for!]

Jiang Yunyao glanced at the livestream on her phone and raised a delicate brow.

“Who told you we aren’t a married couple? We’re legally registered. We just have no feelings for each other, and we haven’t slept together.”

“Have you heard of Platonic love? Ours is called a Yunyao-style marriage.”

“Don’t worry, though. This Yunyao-style marriage won’t last long. The agreement is about to expire, and when that happens, he and I will go our separate ways.”

Those three sentences completely stunned the viewers in the livestream.

[No~t~sle~pt~to~ge~ther~ Oh heavens, is this something we’re allowed to hear?]

[What the hell is a Yunyao-style marriage!]

[When one has too many lice, one stops itching. Jiang Yunyao really dares to say anything now for traffic.]

[Now that we know the handsome guy has nothing to do with Jiang Liangliang, and still has to be forcibly tied to her, I suddenly feel so sorry for him!]

[Support Xiao Xie getting divorced now!]

Xie Yixing had gone to put away the suitcase and had not heard what Jiang Yunyao said. By the time he came back down, the director was already calling the guests to gather.

The two pairs of guests met and briefly introduced themselves.

Lu Mucheng wore a black suit, composed and steady, with a faint, unreadable smile on his face.

He suddenly extended a hand to both of them. “Nice to meet you. I hope we get along well.”

Among Jiang Yunyao and Lin Wanwan, Lu Mucheng was considered a senior in the industry. When a senior said something like that, it was enough to make anyone flattered.

Jiang Yunyao really was startled, in the sense of alarm.

Others might not have noticed, but how could she not know?

This was clearly Lu Mucheng trying to use his mind-reading ability on her and Xie Yixing.

Before Jiang Yunyao could stop him, that young fool Xie Yixing, inexperienced in the ways of the world, had already reached out and shaken his hand.

Jiang Yunyao: “……”

Hero, I advise you to be kind.

Seeing the actor’s lips seem to curve slightly, his gaze drifting toward her with deliberate nonchalance, Jiang Yunyao immediately sensed trouble.

As expected, the next second, the actor extended his hand toward her.

Jiang Yunyao stared at that hand as if she meant to bore a hole through it, her mind filled only with the words mind reading.

Seeing that she did not move, a flicker of suspicion crossed Lu Mucheng’s dark eyes. “Miss Jiang?”

The blackhearted fans in the livestream seemed to have found another flaw to seize upon, and they immediately turned their fire on her.

[I didn’t believe it when people said she was disrespectful to her seniors, but seeing it today, well, haha.]

[She dares to show such contempt right in front of the camera. I can’t even imagine how ugly she must be in private.]

[Jiang Liangliang has finally kicked a steel plate this time! Lu Mucheng’s fans could drown her with a spit from each person!]

[You can hate all you want, but don’t drag in our Twilight fans, thank you.]

Jiang Yunyao came back to herself and gave an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Mr. Lu. Please wait a moment.”

She immediately pulled a pair of gloves from her coat pocket, quickly put them on, and then reached out to shake Lu Mucheng’s hand.

Lin Wanwan, dressed in a white dress, stood nearby and, seeing this, secretly smiled.

Lu Mucheng’s suspicion only deepened. He deliberately showed displeasure and asked in a low voice, “What exactly does Miss Jiang mean? Do you look down on me?”

Jiang Yunyao denied it with perfect seriousness, all while making things up.

“Of course not! You don’t understand—this is actually a medical condition. Have you heard of skin hunger? Mine is the opposite: skin aversion syndrome. Unless someone is very close to me, I can’t have skin contact!”

When Xie Yixing heard she was sick, he looked genuinely worried. But by the end of her explanation, as if he had thought of something, his whole being became visibly cheerful.

Lu Mucheng had been in the business for so many years that he could tell at once Jiang Yunyao was talking nonsense. But he had no way to prove it, so he could only let her blithely talk her way out of it.

The livestream viewers were divided on the matter.

[The world is vast and full of wonders. Maybe there really is such a disease!]

[Would you actually believe something Jiang Liangliang says? I think this disease is obviously something she made up.]

[Let me just ask one thing: have you ever seen Jiang Yunyao touch anyone else?]

[The one above, don’t go too far. We’re not Jiang Yunyao’s cameras—how would we know whether she’s touched anyone in private?]

Jiang Yunyao saw Lu Mucheng quietly withdraw his hand, clearly having nothing to say, and an idea flashed through her mind.

She took off the gloves and held out her hand to Lin Wanwan beside him.

“I’ve long admired Miss Lin’s name. I’ve always regretted never having the chance to work with you, and I never thought we’d meet on a variety show. What fate!”

This was the heroine blessed with fortune like a koi fish! Such pristine luck—if she did not take a little of it, she would be losing out!

Lin Wanwan, unsuspecting, was about to reach out, but Lu Mucheng stopped her halfway.

Lu Mucheng stared at Jiang Yunyao. “Miss Jiang, is this what you call skin aversion syndrome?”

Jiang Yunyao did not even blink. She continued to spout nonsense.

“It’s a psychological condition! As long as you accept the other person in your heart, then it’s as good as not existing!”

Xie Yixing, who believed her without reservation, nodded in agreement. “Makes sense!”

Lu Mucheng nearly lost control of his expression. When he had used his mind-reading ability just now, he had only been suspicious, but now he was certain: Xie Yixing was not pretending. He was truly stupid.

And Jiang Yunyao—what did she mean by that? She did not accept him? Hah.

Lin Wanwan was doubtful about this so-called illness, but she could tell Jiang Yunyao was not a bad person.

She gently squeezed Lu Mucheng’s hand and then turned to glance at him in a somewhat coquettish way.

Lu Mucheng did not continue to make things difficult for Jiang Yunyao and let go of Lin Wanwan’s hand.

And three minutes later, Lu Mucheng regretted it.

Jiang Yunyao was holding onto his wife’s hand and would not let go.