The Secret of Second Marriage

I leaned against President Jiang and whispered, "I almost thought we were going to break up."

Mr. Jiang said, "Man, I don't want to break up with you. I don't care what others think. I only care about the two of us and living our lives well."

This has nothing to do with you.

Now that the company is wealthy, someone has reported me behind my back. I own 55% of the company's shares, which is a threat to the others.

I can sense that some of my partners have already developed a grudge against me.

This attempt to pin the blame on me didn't work; they might try other methods to deal with me. It's just that I dragged you into this and made you suffer."

"President Jiang, there's a mole in the company. Find him as soon as possible..."

I say.

I kissed his cheek, glanced at the time—6:30 in the morning—and knew I had to rush to the film set to get my makeup done.

I sent the film set address to President Jiang and hurriedly left the Hengdian Hotel.

I rented a small electric scooter in Hengdian for commuting. I rode it to the makeup room at Hengdian World Studios, changed into my Republic of China-era makeup, and filmed for a whole morning.

We filmed until after 11 p.m. before the director said my scene was done and told me to go back and rest to prepare for the night shoot.

When General Manager Jiang came to see me on set, he stayed in a small beverage shop next to the Hengdian World Studios film set, waiting for me to finish filming.

I hadn't even removed my makeup yet, but the thought of President Jiang waiting for me right next to the film set made me feel wonderful.

President Jiang took my hand and came to greet me.

He was wearing a suit, and his tall stature made him very conspicuous standing outside the film set.

Several fellow extras, who were also on good terms with her, gathered around to watch the commotion and said, "Juan, we've always seen you filming alone on set, you don't seem to have many friends. Who is this gentleman to you? He's so handsome!"

I confidently shook Mr. Jiang's hand and introduced him to them, saying, "This is my boyfriend."

Just then, another film crew in Hengdian also finished work. A group of assistants surrounded a handsome male star wearing a black mask and ancient costume, who walked over from the road in Hengdian. He happened to pass by us, and I recognized him at a glance as Shen Xing.

Shen Xing glanced at me, then paused when she saw President Jiang next to me. Without greeting me, she followed her assistant to the RV outside to rest, acting very aloof.

President Jiang's trip to Hengdian was very rushed; he didn't bring a car.

I rode my electric scooter with Mr. Jiang, like an ordinary couple, through the streets and alleys of Hengdian, and we went to a grilled fish restaurant on the 4th floor of Hengdian Wanda Plaza.

Business was booming, with every seat filled.

I glanced around and saw that it was lunchtime, and the place was packed with people. It was very crowded, and I couldn't find a seat.

I said with a hint of disappointment, "Mr. Jiang, the grilled fish at this restaurant is quite good. I was hoping to treat you to dinner."

"It's okay, Man, I know a place that's really quiet."

President Jiang said.

He swiped his card and took me to a very expensive five-star hotel.

This hotel is exceptionally luxurious, with magnificent crystal chandeliers, a palace-like lobby, black marble floors, and beautiful young women in uniforms.

Mr. Jiang handed his card to the receptionist; he was a VIP customer.

The waiter immediately took us to the glass restaurant on the top floor to eat high-end Western food.

President Jiang said, "The Western food at this hotel is quite good. Would you like to try it?"

The waiters served up a series of exquisite Western dishes.

He used a fork to put the foie gras on my plate, and there was also fresh salmon sashimi. He also let me try their red wine pan-fried steak, which was alright.

I took a bite and it was indeed quite delicious.

It suddenly dawned on me that the lives of the wealthy are characterized by top-notch service wherever they go, including luxury hotels, drivers, and the ability to enjoy the freshest cuisine without having to wait in line.

But I felt mostly happy. I suddenly remembered that during the time I was dating Mr. Jiang, whenever we ate out, no matter what delicious food we had, he would always save the first bite for me.

I thought back to my previous marriage, where I always saved the best food for my ex-husband.

Every time we stew chicken at home, my husband gets one chicken leg and my daughter gets one. I always say I don't like chicken legs.

I used to be a very virtuous housewife. No matter what, I always thought about taking good care of my husband and daughter. But in the end, the result was that my husband didn't care about me at all!

Perhaps he only saw me as a free housekeeper.

I think I used to have a big problem: I always sacrificed myself to please others, thinking that they would be moved. But in other people's eyes, I was just a stupid idiot who could be exploited and drained of his value.

After I completely emerged from the shadow of my divorce and found love in my second relationship, I realized that if a woman truly wants to find a quality relationship, the most important thing is to respect herself and, more importantly, to love herself!

After I started dating President Jiang, the situation improved a lot.

He always remembers to bring me delicious food, is willing to hand over his money to me, and is willing to stay home with me after work.

What I value most about President Jiang is the sense of steadiness and responsibility that comes with being a middle-aged man.

I suddenly thought of Shen Xing, that kind of boy, who hadn't had enough of this wonderful and colorful world yet, how could he possibly settle down?

I feel more at ease when I'm with President Jiang.

President Jiang asked me curiously what was wrong?

I snapped back to reality and said, "Sorry, I was just spacing out."

Mr. Jiang said he only had half a day off, as there were still many things waiting for him to handle at the company. He would be flying back to Beijing that afternoon to attend a meeting at the company.

He said, "Man, if you encounter any difficulties in Hengdian, call me immediately, okay?"

"Okay, Mr. Jiang, I will take good care of myself."

I say.

I now possess a calm and collected aura befitting a leading lady.

We had lunch together, and to my surprise, President Jiang had booked a room in a five-star hotel during the day. After we finished eating, we went straight to bed together.

This is the unspeakable desire of adult men and women.

After finishing his business, President Jiang gave me a pair of earrings, saying that he had carefully selected them. They were a pair of very beautiful diamond earrings, and they looked very valuable just by looking at them in the box.

I kissed his forehead and said thank you, honey.

That "husband" made President Jiang overjoyed. He hugged me tightly, kissed me repeatedly, and said, "Man, I can't bear to part with you."

"President Jiang, we have a long future ahead of us."

I suddenly became very serious.

President Jiang gave me a deep look, then sighed and said, "Man, you are truly a very rational woman."

"I'm the kind of woman who can take things on, let them go, and be clear-headed. Do you like that?"

I say.

"It's not just liking, it's loving."

President Jiang said.

In the afternoon, I took a nap at the hotel and didn't know when President Jiang had left.

However, before he left, he washed a plate of tangerines for me on the hotel's tea table and brewed a cup of my favorite honey grapefruit tea.

When I woke up around 5 p.m., I put the tea in a thermos and took it to the film set. During the boring wait while waiting for my scene to start, I tasted a mandarin orange, and it was really sweet.

After getting my makeup done, I had to wait to film the night scenes.

It was past 8 p.m. when the director finally called for filming. I filmed a few confrontation scenes between the male and female leads. After that, the crew drove us to another film studio in Hengdian, a film studio specializing in period dramas set in the Republican era, to film a rather bloody scene.

I worked very hard and was very dedicated on set.

In the drama, I play the head of the intelligence department of the No. 72 Special Agent Headquarters. I am ruthless and merciless, and I only want to serve the party and country I am loyal to.

In this scene, after the Telecommunications Department discovered there was a mole and brought them all back, I ordered my men to torture and interrogate all the suspects.

I sat on the chair next to them, rubbing my temples as I listened to the prisoner's screams.

After the prisoners confessed, a cold smile appeared on my red lips. I picked up my pistol and, without even blinking, shot them all on the spot…

Better to kill 1000 innocent people than let one guilty person go free!

My red lips curved into a seductive, cold smile, but in reality, I am a ruthless and cold-blooded woman. Apart from deeply loving the male protagonist, I am almost a female villain who is solely focused on her career...

"Click!"

The director said I did a great job filming this scene. I'm a natural beauty, charming and alluring, and I also have a fierce determination to do my job, no less than a man.

I didn't finish filming until after 3 a.m. I returned to the hotel exhausted, and only when I took my phone out of my bag did I realize that I had several missed calls.

I called Shen Xing, and after a moment of silence, I asked him if there was anything wrong.

Shen Xing said, "Sis, you and President Jiang are back together, right? I saw him coming to see you on set today."

"Um"

I nodded and said, "I should thank you."

There was a bittersweet feeling in Shen Xing's voice, something she couldn't quite put her finger on: "No need to thank me, as long as you're happy, that's all that matters."

Those few days on set, seeing you always all alone, I wondered if you'd feel better if President Jiang were by your side.

"Shen Xing, I remember all the good things you've done for me."

I took a deep breath and said to him.

Shen Xing suddenly said self-deprecatingly, "Sis, I'm not as good as you think. Even though we can't be lovers, we can be close friends. You can call me if you're unhappy. Oh, by the way, have the director and producer given you any trouble on set lately?"

"No"

I shook my head and said, "Actually, this production crew is very professional. Everyone is a colleague and works very hard on filming."

Shen Xing seemed to have made a very difficult decision, and said to me, "I wish you and President Jiang happiness!"

"Um"

I say.

It was getting late, so I said goodnight to him and hung up the phone.

I think Shen Xing has truly let go this time.

He and I were just the loneliest friends in this city. He once spied on my family situation, knew that my husband had a mistress, knew that I was lonely and empty, and wanted to take advantage of my vulnerability.

However, I refused.

Now that everything is clear, I feel a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.

Yeah, how could Shen Xing and I possibly be together?

He is young and handsome, a top student at the Central Academy of Drama, and starred in several well-known idol dramas after graduation.

He has already amassed a considerable following online, and with his handsome looks and tall stature, he is about to participate in an idol boy group training camp program.

I heard from my seniors that this show was very popular, and it produced a boy group that came with its own traffic and fans. Eventually, Shen Xing and I started to go down different paths.

Seeing him shine on stage makes me very happy.

I was so tired that I fell asleep in bed and slept until after 9 a.m. the next morning before I got up to take a shower. Luckily, I didn't have any scenes to film in the morning; they were all scheduled for the afternoon and evening.

I leisurely went downstairs to have breakfast, when I suddenly received a WeChat message from a senior member of the crew. He said that an investor had personally brought his daughter to meet the director, hoping to secure a role.

I was taken aback. Could it be that the role I was fighting for was the one I was supposed to play?