TCWSITD – Chapter 42.1

Thanks again to Ren for the kofis! Here’s the second extra chapter dedicated to you! 🍓🍓🍓

Chapter 42 has 3 parts; 42.2 and 42.3 will be uploaded tonight at 20:00 and 21:00 EST.

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Chapter 42.1 – The Misunderstanding Clears Up

Lin Jiang hummed in agreement, placing his phone on the table as he started putting on his jacket. “She twisted her ankle on set. I’m a bit worried, so I’ll go check on her.”

Just a sprained ankle, and she calls him over in the middle of the night?

Shen Ju saw him start putting on his jacket and suddenly didn’t know how to describe his feelings. “Can’t she go to the hospital herself?”

“She’s a spoiled young lady—do you really expect her to go to the hospital?” Lin Jiang finished dressing and sat down to put on his shoes. “It’s not too far. If I take the expressway, it’ll only take half an hour.”

Just half an hour…

Wouldn’t that mean he wouldn’t be back until 4 AM?

Tomorrow, he’d still have to drag his exhausted body through another grueling training with them until dawn. Even someone with a body of steel couldn’t handle that.

Shen Ju felt like this stranger he’d never even met was slowly killing him.

He opened his mouth several times and finally mustered his courage, but Lin Jiang interrupted him, saying, “Hand me my phone.”

Shen Ju swallowed back what he was about to say.

He hesitated as he took the phone from the table and tried to stop him: “At this hour, shouldn’t it be hard to catch a taxi?”

“No worries, I’ll drive myself.”

Lin Jiang reached for the phone again, but Shen Ju held on tight. When Lin Jiang tugged slightly, Shen Ju held on even tighter.

Hair still damp, Shen Ju suddenly looked at him with a pained expression. “It’s just a twisted ankle. Was it really necessary to call you all the way over? You barely get any rest these days, and the finals are right around the corner. She doesn’t care about how hard you’re pushing yourself…”

“It’s okay, not much going on today.” Lin Jiang tried again with force, but Shen Ju still held tight.

Lin Jiang: “?”
”
Finally sensing something amiss, he asked, “What’s wrong with you?”

A wave of sadness flooded Shen Ju’s mind, and he couldn’t hold back any longer. Looking at Lin Jiang, he hurriedly said, “Don’t you think she’s being totally unreasonable? I honestly think she doesn’t even care about you. As your girlfriend, she doesn’t even know you’ve got the finals coming up, she doesn’t care whether you’ve rested, and she’s completely indifferent to how important your matches are. Yet here she is, making you go out in the middle of the night just to coax her.”

In Shen Ju’s heart, Lin Jiang deserves the very best person in the world—not someone who drags him out at 2AM.

If it were him, he would cherish Lin Jiang like a treasure, never letting him suffer like this.

The young man’s raw, fiery emotions struck Lin Jiang squarely in the chest.

Lin Jiang was stunned for a moment, “You…”

Then, he subconsciously added, “No, it’s really not what you think it is.”

Shen Ju immediately shut up, as if realizing he had no right to say any of this. He handed the phone back and said quietly, “I’m going to get some rest now.”

Lin Jiang took the phone, a flicker of understanding crossing his expression.

Without thinking, he reached for Shen Ju’s hand, hesitating. “You’ve misunderstood her. Our relationship isn’t what you imagine. If you’re not too tired, why don’t you come with me?”

Lin Jiang’s gaze was different from usual—uncertain and searching.

But he wasn’t sure where this uncertainty came from. It was just a gut feeling that Shen Ju was someone he could trust. “The whole thing is quite complicated to explain. It’s not something that can be summed up in a few words. You’ll understand once you come with me…”

Before Lin Jiang could finish, Shen Ju gripped his hand tightly, afraid he’d back out. “Wait one minute, let me put on my shoes.”

Lin Jiang: “?”

Just one minute… to put on shoes?

Shen Ju immediately dashed back to the next room to get his shoes, the noise startling Song Zhixu awake. “What are you doing? It’s the dead of night, aren’t you supposed to be sleeping? Stealing cattles[mfn]偷牛 (tōu niú) – slang for doing something sneaky or questionable (used humorously here).[/mfn] or what…” he mumbled, still half-dreaming.

Before he finished speaking, Shen Ju had already put on his shoes and left.

Song Zhixu rubbed his eyes, unable to comprehend what Shen Ju was up to.

But whatever—he was too tired to care. If Shen Ju was planning something drastic, that was his problem, not his.

Hugging his pillow, Song Zhixu peacefully drifted back to sleep.

Shen Ju followed Lin Jiang into the car, his heart a little restless, sensing that something important was about to be revealed.

He sat up straight and buckled his seatbelt obediently.

Lin Jiang handed him a bottle of water as he settled in, and Shen Ju reached out to take it.

This was his first time riding in Lin Jiang’s car. It felt so surreal—as if the two of them were already together, and this was just a normal part of their daily lives.

“Captain, when did you get your driver’s license?”

“I got mine right after turning eighteen so I could drive around during holidays and have fun. What about you? Have you gotten yours?”

“Not yet.”

“You should get one. It’s more convenient when going out.”

“Mm.”

Shen Ju suddenly thought of something and tilted his head to look at him. “What if I can’t learn to drive? Can you teach me, Captain?”

His damp hair curled slightly at the ends, still loose from the shower. His face was small, skin pale and smooth. When he leaned in, he reminded Lin Jiang of a well-behaved little puppy.

Lin Jiang affectionately ruffled his hair and drove out of the basement. You’re smart, I’m sure you’ll pick it up in no time. Later, when you’re free, you can always drive over to hang out with me.”

Shen Ju wasn’t particularly fond of being petted like a dog, but if it was Lin Jiang, he didn’t mind if he touched him like this at all.

The car eased out of the basement and slowly merged onto the main road.

S City felt like a city that never truly slept. Even in the dead of night, its streets shimmered with countless lights, and every now and then, fireworks exploded in celebration somewhere in the distance.

Shen Ju’s mind buzzed with questions, all waiting for Lin Jiang to break the silence.

But after sitting there for a while, Lin Jiang still showed no intention of bringing it up.

Unable to hold back any longer, Shen Ju tentatively asked, “Captain, where do you usually go during your days off?”

“Depends on my mood. Sometimes I stay alone in my apartment, sometimes I drive alone to scenic places for a walk.”

Shen Ju caught the key detail. “By yourself? Your girlfriend didn’t accompany you?”

Lin Jiang chuckled but didn’t answer.

Only after pulling the car onto the overpass did he finally respond, “You’ll understand once you see her.”

Despite Shen Ju’s burning curiosity about their true relationship, he restrained himself.

Still, deep down, he couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever Lin Jiang had with his girlfriend wasn’t exactly smooth sailing.

Otherwise, why would he be driving out to visit her in the dead of night—bringing along a third wheel no less?

After nearly twenty minutes on the overpass, they slowly turned onto a small road leading to a small town.

Inside was a film set with numerous constructed scenes set up. Lin Jiang had arranged their visit beforehand, and a sleepy little assistant with glasses half-led them into the filming area.

So Lin Jiang’s girlfriend was an actress. No wonder even her silhouette looked stunning.

Was she too busy with work to spend time with Lin Jiang?

Or was their relationship something that needed to be kept secret, making Lin Jiang nothing more than a hidden tool from the start?

The assistant led them to a tiny dressing room. Shen Ju followed behind Lin Jiang, but the moment the door opened and he saw the woman inside, he froze.

How to put it into words?

She was breathtakingly beautiful—the kind of glamorous woman you’d only see in magazines, every gesture dripping with grace and allure.

Even injured, dressed casually and lounging lazily on a sofa while playing with her phone, her innate elegance shone through.

For the first time, Shen Ju felt completely out of place in front of a woman.

Lin Jiang knocked on the door. “Little ancestor[mfn]小祖宗 (xiǎo zǔ zōng) – used to express affection, like calling a mischievous child or beloved person a “little rascal” or “you little devil.”[/mfn], what happened to your leg?”

When the woman saw Lin Jiang, her cold and aloof demeanor melted away. “A’Jiang, you’re finally here! Wuwuwu, come give me a hug!”

Lin Jiang ignored her clingy welcome, set down the things he had brought her, and sat beside the bed to examine her ankle. “How did you hurt it? Let me have a look.”

“We were filming a night scene, and the director kept making me run. Halfway through, I fell into a ditch, wuwuwu…”

“That’s so careless. I told you to exercise more regularly, but you didn’t listen.”

“It was pitch black—I couldn’t see anything.”

“Who told you to ditch glamorous magazine shoots for a suspense drama?”

“I wanted to try something new!”

“Then you should at least know some basic first aid.”

Though Lin Jiang’s tone was mildly scolding, his hands were gentle as he tended to her. Together, they looked effortlessly perfect—like a couple truly made for each other.

Their relationship was far better than Shen Ju had imagined. He tried to put himself in Lin Jiang’s perspective—with such a stunning, affectionate girlfriend, could he really be interested in anyone else?

Shen Ju squirmed uncomfortably, feeling even worse now. He suddenly felt that maybe he shouldn’t have come.

He turned his face away which immediately caught the woman’s sharp gaze.

She sized him up like a little wolfdog, eyes flashing with a hint of fierceness.

Her interest piqued, she snapped back into her usual cool, glamorous self. “Where’d you find this cutie? Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“Don’t get any ideas.” Lin Jiang tapped her forehead lightly before turning to Shen Ju. “Find a place to sit. This is… uh, Tian Baby. She used to model for magazines but suddenly decided to switch to crime dramas in which she is playing the role of a victim. She’d been on set for only half a month and she already managed to get injured…”

Tian Baby pouted playfully, “You’re so annoying!”

Then she lay by the edge of the bed, swinging her long and slender legs, her eyes fixed intently on Shen Ju, “What’s your name, pretty boy? Got a girlfriend? Do you like older women?”

She even winked at him after saying that.

Shen Ju froze at the door, completely unable to move.

Would Lin Jiang really just ignore it like this?

He shot Lin Jiang a questioning look, only to see Lin Jiang sigh and wrap the blanket around her with a resigned tone. “Stop teasing him. He’s my teammate and he can’t handle being teased. Just lie down properly. I’ll go check if the crew has any medicine I can use to treat your injury…”

As Lin Jiang passed by the door, he patted Shen Ju’s shoulder. “Go and sit inside. I’ll be right back.”

The room had only two chairs and was quite cramped. Shen Ju tried to grab one and head toward the door, but as he bent down, Tian Baby suddenly pulled him close.

She was surprisingly strong and skilled, yanking him in and pinning him against the makeup table, trapping him with her injured leg.

The woman who had been acting spoiled in front of Lin Jiang could no longer hide her fox tail[mfn]狐狸尾巴 (hú li wěi bā) – It means someone’s true intentions or deceitful nature have been exposed — like saying “the mask slipped” or “their true colors showed.” It carries a negative connotation, implying trickery, cunning, or hidden motives being revealed.[/mfn] the moment he left.

She stretched out her hand, nails painted red, and gently stroked his chin. “There’s something… fishy about the way you look at him, little brother.”

Her aura was commanding, and when she called him “little brother” condescendingly, it really made him feel like a powerless kid in front of her.

This woman, as expected, was faking it.

She wasn’t a pure little white rabbit at all, but a big gray wolf hiding a tail.

Shen Ju’s gaze darkened as he jerked his chin away from her hands. “Let go.”

Tian Baby wasn’t afraid of him at all. If anything, his reaction only fueled her interest.

She straightened up, pressing her knee against Shen Ju to pin him to the cabinet, her eyes scanning him up and down. “You don’t have a thing for our A’Jiang, do you? I thought the way you looked at him was weird earlier. You look so fierce with me, but look like a puppy with him, your eyes all wide and round, hehe…”

The heavy scent of her perfume made Shen Ju uneasy. He fixed a sharp, wary stare on her.

Tian Baby only found him more intriguing. Smirking, she hooked a finger under his chin, her red lips brushing close to his ear. “Afraid he’ll find out? How long have you liked him? Hmm? Our Jiangjiang had a lot of admirers…”

She was too close. The light fell on her face, and suddenly, Shen Ju noticed her eyes looked a lot like Lin Jiang’s.

Both had beautiful almond-shaped eyes with thin eyelids—cool and detached on the surface, yet hiding a seductive allure beneath—really just like a cat.

Shen Ju felt his heartbeat quicken, a flush creeping up his ears.

He turned his face away. “I don’t want to resort to violence. Let go. It won’t be good for either of us if Lin Jiang sees this.”

But Tian Baby only grew more smug. “At this rate, when will you ever win him over? Want big sister to teach you a couple of moves?”

She leaned closer while she spoke, startling Shen Ju so much that he scrambled backward, knocking over the boxes on the makeup table.

A clattering sound echoed, followed by Lin Jiang’s voice from outside the door: What are you doing?”

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