Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Instead, the actor flashed her a forced smile. “You don’t have to apologize.”

“Why?”

“Because your uttered words are nothing but facts.”

The heartwrenching sight of him looking up at her with that forced smile on his face cut the young lady’s heart deep. “I’m a pitiful, lowly, and cheap person… Haven’t I all along been humbly pandering to you people?”

His words struck the young missy dumbfounded.

“In your eyes, I’m nothing but a possession that can be trampled on. She, in contrast, has always treated me like a decent human being… and has, at least, let me salvage what’s little left of my pride.”

“…”

“It’s all because I’m a cheap object, so the rest of you can be unbridled and act high and mighty in my presence. Likewise, aren’t you treating me so well because of the pleasure and warmth I give you and your desire to keep me by your side? She, in contrast, has never wanted or even expected anything from me. While her actions might come across as hypocrisy to you, I managed to find dignity as a human being from her at the very least.”

He smiled at her again. “Perhaps for you, dignity is something at the reach of your fingertips. It is, however, a luxury to me.”

…

That was indeed so.

Dignity, which was deemed worthless by Lin Xueya, was something extravagant to Hua Jin. This was why he usually behaved like a haughty tyrant in any production team; he just wanted to salvage that pathetic pride of his in this dog-eat-dog world.

…

As she gradually regained her senses, she looked up, only to have tears involuntarily brimming in her eyes when met with his calm yet aloof orbs.

“I’m sorry… I might’ve done and said many things that hurt your feelings, but… I didn’t mean to do any of them.”

“Xiao Ya, we’re unsuited for each other; there’s no way that I can be with you no matter how much you wish for it. Even if I do love you, what of it? Will your family accept a worthless scum like me?”

“You’re no worthless scum!” She screamed in a bid to stop him from demeaning himself.

“At least, in their eyes…” the actor inhaled a deep breath, saying with much difficulty, “I am.”

Not wanting to hear him go on, she covered her ears and shook her head in helplessness. “Shut up… Stop it… Don’t say anymore…”

“One shouldn’t force their loved ones to act against their wishes; isn’t that so?”

“Shut up…”

“See, you’re still ordering me about even now. We’ve never been equals from the start.” He paid no heed to her mental breakdown and, instead, let out an indifferent laugh. “I wish I could return your feelings, too, but I couldn’t seem to do so.”

“SHUT UP!”

Her scream reverberated endlessly in the empty bathroom.

The young lady then forcefully tugged on the vulnerable actor’s arm, making him fall right into the bathtub; his slender body was, thus, soaked by the warm water.

“Don’t say anymore!”

Seizing the moment of his vulnerability, she climbed on top of him and pressed herself against his wet torso.

Hua Jin basically did not put up any struggle at all. Instead, he allowed the warm water to soak his shoulders and chest until they seeped into his eyes, nose, and ears. Even then, he remained motionless and kept his breathing still.

In her frantic craze, the missy landed her kisses messily on his eyelashes, nose tip, and cheeks before eventually and desperately sealing his lips with hers…