Transmigrated into the Film Emperor’s Death-Seeking Fiance

Translator: Daed

Sorry this is so late!

Yan Qingchi was not surprised at all to receive this phone call. It was even within his expectations. He leaned back against the seat and calmly answered the call, “Hello?”

Sure enough, Jiang Mochen’s next words verified his conjecture, “Guan Mei told me that Yuan Mingxu is going to appear on your variety show and that you had agreed to it?”

“Mn.” Yan Qingchi replied. 

Jiang Mochen was baffled. He sat on a sofa, trying to organize his words to express his thoughts more clearly. “Qingchi, I am not defending him, and it is not that I don’t approve or don’t support your decision. I just do not understand: I already have nothing to do with him, nor will we ever have any interaction with him in the future, so why would you agree to appear on the same stage as him? To meet him? I am not reproaching you; I just don’t really know what you’re thinking? Is it because you feel that this variety show is your job, and you just joined, so you don’t want to bring up conditions to the production team because of him? Or is it because you yourself also want to meet him, so you agreed to it? Can you tell me what you’re thinking?”

His tone was very gentle. Yan Qingchi could hear the feeling he (JMC) was trying to express that he (JMC) didn’t want him (YQC) to misunderstand.

He chuckled lowly, slowly opening his mouth and answering, “Jiang Mochen, you don’t have to be so worried. I did not misunderstand, and it didn’t bother me. I know that you’re not saying this because of him. Even if you hadn’t called, I would also tell you about it  when I chat with you during the spare time I have at night. We made a deal that I won’t let you hear about my matters from other people; I remember.”

When Jiang Mochen heard him say that, he unconsciously relaxed, “Then, why?”

Yan Qingchi thought for a while, “How do I put it? Part of it is as you said: this variety show is my job, and I had just taken it on. It’s unreasonable (to bring up conditions in my position) nor am I willing to bring up conditions to the production team because of him. Besides, this (entertainment) circle is only so big. If I avoided him and did not meet him this time, am I supposed to continue to go around him to do things in the future? Wouldn’t that look like I’m afraid of him? Frankly, he’s not qualified.”

Jiang Mochen mutely listened to him.

Yan Qingchi continued, “Besides, if he came to record this episode because of the show’s popularity, then it wouldn’t matter even if we were on the same stage; if he came specifically for me, then even if I bring up conditions to the production team and reject him, he will definitely find other ways to meet me. So, what should be mine, I can’t avoid; what shouldn’t be mine, I don’t need to worry about. Why should I waste my energy by bringing up conditions to the production team because of him?”

Jiang Mochen was silent for a while before he sighed lowly, “Do you feel unhappy?”

“No, not at all. I just feel that it’s a little troublesome.”

“If it’s a problem, I can make him not participate in this recording.”

“Even if he doesn’t go this time, I’ll eventually encounter him in the future. Although this analogy isn’t very pleasant, but you have to get the gum stuck to the bottom of your shoe off yourself. You can’t wait for it to drop by itself, is that not right?” 

“There’s nothing unpleasant about it.” Jiang Mochen replied. “If you do something embarrassing yourself, you can’t blame others for saying things that are hard to hear.”

Yan Qingchi smiled, silent.

Jiang Mochen held the phone, quite exasperated.1  He really didn’t expect Yuan Mingxu to go to Yan Qingchi’s variety show. There were so many variety shows in China, and Come Fight! was not the only popular show. Yuan Mingxu’s intent behind picking this variety show was simply too obvious. Of course Jiang Mochen knew that Yan Qingchi would not be afraid of Yuan Mingxu, and he also knew that Yuan Mingxu probably wouldn’t gain any victories if he (YMX) went up against Yan Qingchi. Nevertheless, he was still worried. Even though Jiang Mochen’s rationality told him that Yan Qingchi had never been someone to take something lying down,2 he still didn’t want the other man to face Yuan Mingxu alone. He hoped that, at this time, he could be in front of him.3

Jiang Mochen couldn’t put how he currently felt into words, just like he didn’t know when he started not wanting them to meet. When he first got married, Jiang Mochen had thought about it: when Yuan Mingxu came back, and the group gathered, he would bring Yan Qingchi there and introduce him to his friends and Yuan Mingxu—at that time, he was clearly still willing to let Yan Qingchi meet Yuan Mingxu.

But afterwards, slowly—and he didn’t know when it started—he began to subconsciously prevent Yan Qingchi from meeting Yuan Mingxu. So, when Yuan Mingxu asked him to meet up, he didn’t tell Yan Qingchi. So, today, when he heard Guan Mei say that Yuan Mingxu was going to record in Yan Qingchi’s variety show, he was resistant to the idea and felt exasperated.

Jiang Mochen didn’t want Yan Qingchi to meet nor talk to Yuan Mingxu. He was afraid that Yuan Mingxu would say something unpleasant to Yan Qingchi, and he was also afraid that Yuan Mingxu would do unpleasant things. He was afraid that Yan Qingchi would be hurt due to Yuan Mingxu’s actions and, even more so, that Yan Qingchi would feel uncomfortable.4

Jiang Mochen had always perceived himself as someone who did not easily regret (his actions). Since young, his parents had taught him that whatever one did, you reaped what you sowed. He asked himself and felt that he had a clear conscience. Nothing had ever happened that was worthy of his regret. But now, there was. He regretted that he used to like Yuan Ming Xu, as well as what he had done for him at the time. He was afraid that his former feelings for Yuan Mingxu and what he had done for him would become sharp knives that Yuan Ming Xu thrust at Yan Qingchi–just like he was afraid that Yuan Ming Xu would say to Yan Qingchi even matter-of-factly, “You know as well. He used to like me.”

Yan Qingchi knew, but that didn’t mean he was willing to hear it from others. It didn’t mean that he wouldn’t feel uncomfortable after hearing it. 

Jiang Mochen sighed slightly. He told Yan Qingchi, “Qingchi, I thought about it, and still decided that I will also participate in the episode Yuan Mingxu is participating in.”

Yan Qingchi hadn’t expected him to say this. For a moment, he was quite surprised, “What for?”

“Nothing. I’d already signed on for two episodes with the production team anyway. Even if I didn’t go this time, I’d still go in the future.”

“But you don’t need to come this time.” Yan Qingchi felt overwhelmed, “Wei Lan also said he wanted to go. At that time, if you two both come, okay, the way I see it, this episode is really going to go viral. Otherwise, it wouldn’t live up to the popularity you two have.”

“What’s Wei Lan going for?” Jiang Mochen was curious.

“Because he wants to watch the drama and doesn’t mind fanning the flames. He must witness the wonderful moment when Yuan Mingxu and I meet.” 

Jiang Mochen facepalmed. “I will call his older brother later to keep his younger brother in line so he (WL) doesn’t spend all day thinking about these nonsensical things.”

Yan Qingchi chuckled, “Then Wei Lan is probably going to be pissed off by you.”

“If you asked me, Wei Xun’s too soft on him. If he were my younger brother, I’d have already given him a light beating every three days and a heavier one every five days.” 

“No way, you wouldn’t bear to. That’s out of character for you.”

Jiang Mochen did not continue on the topic of Wei Lan. He persisted in expressing his stance on his decision to appear on the show, “In any case, I will go at that time.” 

“Jiang Mochen—” Yan Qingchi had just started speaking when he was interrupted by Jiang Mochen, who asked, “What do I call you now? Don’t you think you ought to learn from me?”

Yan Qingchi practically couldn’t help bursting into laughter, obliging, “Then…Mochen?”

Jiang Mochen grunted.

Once he perceived that the other man was satisfied, Yan Qingchi quietly asked, “Mochen, is the reason behind why you want to come because Yuan Mingxu’s coming, and you’re afraid that friction would generate between the two of us5 when I meet him?” 

“I’m afraid that he’ll make you unhappy.” 

“He won’t.” Yan Qingchi replied softly, “There aren’t many people who can make me unhappy. He doesn’t have this privilege.”

“You don’t want me to go?”

“It’s not that I don’t want you to come, but that I don’t want you to come because of him.”

“I’m not going because of him. I—”

“I know.” Yan Qingchi interrupted, “You’re coming because of me. But, it’s still got something to do with him.”

“I—” Jiang Mochen attempted to explain how he felt to Yan Qingchi when he heard the latter say, “Have you ever thought about why he wants to see me?”

Jiang Mochen didn’t speak.

“Of course it’s not simply because he actually wants to see me.” Yan Qingchi laughed, “If he wants to know what I look like, he could just look at a photo. Why else would he want to see me if not for you?”

“But,” Yan Qingchi looked directly at the rearview mirror; he saw his own calm yet pitch-black eyes, as well as the selfishness hidden within them, “but, (how) am I someone who will let people get what they want so easily?”6 

He heard himself say in a gentle but firm tone, “I also have my own little (selfish) calculations. I’m selfish too. So, why should I let him see you? On what grounds should I let him see you? Why would I willingly let him see you?”

Jiang Mochen was stunned. He hadn’t thought about this—or rather, he hadn’t thought too much about it. He simply felt that it was unfair to let Yan Qingchi face Yuan Mingxu alone. So he wanted to be by Yan Qingchi’s side, or even standing in front of him, so that he (YQC) wouldn’t be hurt. However, he hadn’t thought that this was what Yan Qingchi actually cared about.

“Did I scare you?” Yan Qingchi asked him softly, “Do you think I’m being too much?”

“No.” Jiang Mochen replied gently, “You’re not being too much, and you won’t be too much. I just feel that I hadn’t thought about this thoroughly; I hadn’t thought about this point.”

Yan Qingchi hadn’t expected him to say that. For a moment, he didn’t speak.

“You’re right,” Jiang Mochen never spoke hurriedly nor slowly, yet he always had the ability to reassure others, “why should we go along with his wishes?”

Yan Qingchi noticed he had said “we”. Not “I”, nor “you”, but “we”.

He listened as Jiang Mochen clearly articulated, word by word, “You are my spouse. You naturally have the right to decide who I go to see and who I don’t go to see. After all, you are the only Mrs. Jiang.”

Yan Qingchi unconsciously laughed, ducking his head and playing with the knickknack on the car.

“Qingchi.” Jiang Mochen called him.

“Hm?” Yan Qingchi answered, puzzled. 

“I’ve said before that I will no longer have any contact with Yuan Mingxu; so, no matter what happens, I will not contact him. Thus, I can only ask you to tell him on my behalf: this is the first and last time he appears in front of you. There will be no second time. Tell him that it is important for people to respect and love themselves. Respect yourself and others will respect you; don’t humiliate yourself too much.”

Yan Qingchi was confounded. “Oh,” he replied, which counted as a promise.

“And…” Jiang Mochen paused for a moment.

Yan Qingchi did not speak; he listened quietly.

“And,” Jiang Mochen’s voice was very soft, “I miss you.”

Like the fine snow shaken from the pine branches that lightly carried a slight chill, his words fell into Yan Qingchi’s heart.

Yan Qingchi was slightly dumbstruck, unconsciously asking, “What did you just say?”

The author has something to say:

CEO Jiang to Yan Qingchi: I said I missed you~
Yan Qingchi to the Little White Lotus: You want to see Jiang Mochen? Dream on! [spoiled child face]
CEO Jiang: Mn, anything you say~7[smile]

Thanks for reading my translation!

Footnotes

烦闷 (fánmèn). Baidu.Raw said something like “never been someone to wrong himself” (燕清池从来都不是会委屈自己的人) so I translated it with the idiom “To take (something) lying down”, which means “to accept or endure something without struggle, resistance, or opposition.”My guess is JMC wants to stand in front of YQC, blocking him from YMX’s viewHe was afraid that YQC would be hurt and even more afraid that YQC would be made to feel uncomfortable by YMXTo be more precise, the raw said “默宸，你想来是因为元明煦来了，你怕我遇到他和他产生不愉快吗？” so actually “do you want to come because YMX is coming, and you’re afraid that I (YQC) will generate unpleasantness with him when I meet him?” So asking if JMC wants to come because he doesn’t want YQC to have an unpleasant time because of YMX or for YMX’s presence to arouse YQC’s ill feelingYQC’s saying he’s not but phrasing it as a questionAlternatively, “you’re the boss (in this relationship)~” basically meaning that he’ll agree with whatever YQC says or listen and do as YQC says