QT: I hijacked a harem system and now I'm ruining every plot(GL)-Chapter 54: A woman

Chapter 54 – Jiang Wei POV

The resort is breathtaking.

Turquoise waves stretch out beyond the shore, the scent of salt and luxury clinging to the air. I’m here on a brand shoot—one of the most high-end perfume contracts I’ve ever signed. It’s a massive deal, the kind that cements careers. Every image captured today will be plastered across billboards in every major city in the world.

But right now, all I want is rest.

The shoot ran late, the heat was relentless, and my feet ache from too many hours standing barefoot in the sand pretending to look effortless. Now that we’ve wrapped, I have one more night to breathe before flying back tomorrow.

The sun has just begun to dip below the horizon, casting everything in gold and lavender. A soft breeze plays through palm fronds, and soft laughter echoes from nearby as couples wander along the beach.

It’s... peaceful.

I shove my hands into my pockets, wandering along a curved path near the water’s edge. The resort is mostly quiet now—families tucked away, kids ushered indoors. The moon is a faint silver glow above, and the scent of the ocean is calming.

Then I see her.

At first, I think I’m hallucinating.

A flash of long legs. The tilt of her head. That profile—

Jiang Yuxi?

My heart stumbles in my chest. No. That can’t be her. There’s no way.

This is the VIP section. Access is tightly regulated, and yet... I know what I saw.

Drawn by instinct or madness, I veer off the path and walk closer.

There’s a cabana tucked beneath a cluster of palm trees, curtains swaying gently in the breeze. Dim golden lights halo the edges, the kind used to create ambiance for high-end romantic getaways.

My feet slow when I catch a better look. The sheer fabric flutters again—just enough to give me a glimpse inside.

And that’s when I freeze.

She’s lying on a beach chair, partially turned away. The lighting is soft, but I’d know that figure anywhere. That posture. That confidence. Jiang Yuxi.

My brows furrow.

But before I can call out to her, someone comes up behind her. A man—no, not just any man. Someone tall, in a loose button-down shirt, dark hair tousled by the wind. He leans down and—

Smacks her on the ass.

My blood boils.

Who the hell does he think he is?

I move faster, outrage spiking through my veins. That’s Jiang Yuxi. That’s my— I mean, that’s our Jiang Yuxi. She’s an actress, for god’s sake. One of the most recognizable faces in the country.

Who the hell does this guy think he is?

But before I can storm in and tear this man off her, she turns.

She laughs.

Laughs—and wraps her arms around his neck, giving him a slow, unmistakably intimate kiss.

I stop in my tracks.

It feels like a slap.

And then, to make matters worse, he picks her up. She wraps her legs around his waist, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. They vanish behind the thin curtain of the cabana. Shadows flicker through the fabric. It doesn’t hide anything.

That’s it.

I storm forward, fury building with each step. Has she lost her mind? She’s an actress! A public figure! What kind of scandal—

"JIANG YUXI!"

My voice cuts through the air like a whip. She startles, jerking upright from her position on—on HIS lap.

No. Not his.

Hers.

Because when the person turns to look at me—

It’s Han Li.

CEO Han.

A woman.

I scoff, shaking my head with disbelief as the weight of what I just saw crashes into me.

"It’s one thing to act like a slut," I say, venom curling in my voice, "but with a woman?"

The words leave my mouth before I can stop them—and maybe I don’t want to. Maybe I want them to sting.

Jiang Yuxi turns sharply, her face stunned like I just slapped her.

But it’s not her hand that lands first.

It’s Han Li’s.

She doesn’t say a word. Doesn’t waste time.

She just lifts Jiang Yuxi off her lap with quiet precision, and the next second—crack—my head snaps sideways from the force of her punch.

I barely get a breath in before another one lands. Then another.

The pain blurs my vision, blood mixing with salt and sand as I fall, stunned, to the ground of the cabana.

"Han Li—stop!"

It’s Jiang Yuxi’s voice, urgent and firm.

She grabs Han Li’s arm and pulls her back.

"She’s not worth it," she mutters to Han Li, voice low, teeth clenched. "I’ll handle it. Go."

Han Li looks at me one last time, eyes cold enough to freeze oceans, then steps over my sprawled form and leaves the cabana without a word.

I spit blood onto the floor, wipe my mouth, and start to rise—only to be met with Jiang Yuxi’s palm.

SLAP.

The sound echoes sharply in the space between us, louder than the crash of the waves.

I stagger back, the sting on my cheek rivaling the pain in my jaw.

Her hand trembles at her side. Her chest rises and falls in shallow, furious breaths, eyes locked on me like she’s restraining the urge to hit me again.

And me?

I scoff.

Even now—bleeding lip, bruised ego, fists clenched at my sides—I still can’t help myself.

"The great Film Empress has... peculiar tastes, huh?" I say, letting my words curl with mockery.

Her gaze sharpens like a blade unsheathed.

And then—calmly, coldly, she steps closer.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?"

Her voice doesn’t rise. It doesn’t have to.

It slices clean through the humid air, venom-laced and poised like the edge of a dagger.

"There’s only one slut in this room—and it’s you," she hisses. "Running your mouth, dripping with entitlement like you’re some kind of prize."

My jaw tightens, but she’s not done.

"And what do you even care?" Her tone shifts—disgust and disbelief dripping off every word.

"You think I need your fucking opinion? News flash—I’d fuck a tree before I ever fuck you."

I physically recoil.

The words hit harder than any punch.

I force a smirk onto my face, trying to laugh it off like she didn’t just gut me in public.

Hah. Why would you think that?" I say, voice strained. "That you’re my type? Please."

She laughs. Sharp. Cruel.

"Ha! You think you’re subtle?" She steps toward me, her eyes burning with contempt.

"I’m an actress, Jiang Wei. I’ve spent my whole life being dissected by gazes just like yours."

She leans in, her voice dropping to a whisper that cuts deeper than any shout.

"Don’t flatter yourself—you’re not an exception. I’ve seen the way you look at me."

Her words twist something in my chest, sharp and ugly.

"And yet," she continues, straightening, "you act like you’re disgusted. Like you’re above it. When in reality... you’re just pissed it’s not you between my legs."

I feel exposed. Like she’s peeled back something I didn’t even realize I was hiding.

So I double down. Because what else can I do?

"And what—a woman?" I scoff, rolling my eyes, trying to deflect the sting.

"Yes. A woman," she says coldly, crossing her arms.

"What are you even doing here, Jiang Wei? Did you follow me? Were you that desperate for a glimpse of something you’ll never have?"

"I was here for a shoot," I snap. "The world doesn’t revolve around you."

"Well," she throws back, "it sure as hell doesn’t revolve around you either."

The tension crackles between us, hot and sharp. Her jaw tightens. I notice now—her hands are still trembling, but she refuses to back down. Her chin is tilted high, her eyes burning with disgust and something more dangerous: conviction.

"Look," she says, stepping closer, her voice dropping to a razor’s edge, "I don’t care about your acceptance. I’m not asking for it, and I sure as hell don’t need it."

Her eyes narrow.

"But if this gets out..." she leans in, close enough that I can feel the heat of her breath, "I swear to the heavens, Jiang Wei—I’m dragging you down with me."

Her threat hangs in the air, sharp and unwavering. There’s no hesitation in her tone. No doubt. She means it.

And suddenly, I realize something terrifying.

She could.

If she wanted to, she absolutely could ruin me.

She turns, brushing past me like I’m nothing but a bad memory. The sheer

curtain flutters behind her as she walks out of the cabana—head high, steps unshaken.

I’m left standing there alone, bleeding, humiliated... and furious.

Not just at her.

At myself.

Because she’s right.

I am pissed.

And not just because of what I saw—but because of what it meant. Because of the way she looked at her. Touched her. Gave herself so freely and completely to another woman. It wasn’t just lust—it was affection. Intimacy. Something I never got, never even came close to getting.

Not from her.