Playing the Villainess, He Fell for Me

The public reception from her latest trending topic was positive, so Joanna Kennedy decided to strike while the iron was hot. She recorded a video of herself making mooncakes, making a point of putting the filling in right in front of the camera.

The video’s release earned her several hundred thousand more followers on Weibo.

A celebrity who can play along with the memes and has a fun personality is always endearing.

The movie *The Awakening Petals* was about to be released, so Joanna Kennedy had to join the cast and crew for promotions, traveling to several neighboring cities in quick succession.

During one promotional event, an audience member intentionally asked, ”Owen, if you had to choose in real life, would you pick Princess Cheryl or the female bandit?”

The rest of the audience chimed in, pressuring Owen Jennings to pick one.

Owen Jennings smiled and said, ”Her name is Willow Valentine. I don’t see her as a female bandit. In that era, Willow Valentine was a very intelligent woman. It’s a shame I’m not Leon Sheffield.”

He let out a faint sigh. His response seemed to answer the question without really answering it at all.

The audience wasn’t ready to give up. ”Then in real life, who do you prefer, Joanna Kennedy or Vivian Bishop?”

At these words, Vivian Bishop, the movie’s female lead, tightened her grip on the microphone.

Joanna Kennedy, however, was unfazed. ’In a situation like this, as long as Owen Jennings isn’t an idiot, he’ll know how to answer.’

Sure enough, Owen Jennings put on a dramatic show, sighing deeply. ”Alas, as if I’d be the one doing the choosing...”

His self-deprecating reply deftly avoided giving a direct answer to the loaded question, leaving no room for criticism.

After a few more innocuous questions, the roadshow event came to a close.

In the car, Joanna Kennedy massaged her sore neck and leaned back, exhausted. There were faint dark circles under her eyes.

Roadshows meant rushing from city to city. You had to do a lot of promotion before the premiere. Even though she was only the second female lead, she couldn’t miss any of it. It was a matter of professional integrity.

”You should get some sleep,” Julie said considerately. ”I’ll wake you when we get to the hotel.”

Joanna Kennedy didn’t argue. She was simply too tired. Leaning against the car window, she was asleep in no time.

When they arrived at the hotel, Julie had to call her name softly several times before she groggily woke up. ”Are we here already?”

”Hardly,” Julie teased. ”You’ve been out for an hour.”

The rooms the production crew had arranged were on the fifth floor. In the elevator, Joanna Kennedy’s eyelids were already starting to droop.

She finally made it to her room. Just as Joanna Kennedy was about to dive back into sleep, Julie knocked and entered, shattering her sweet dream.

”A charity event?” Joanna Kennedy hadn’t fully processed it, sitting dazedly on the edge of her bed with a blank expression.

”That’s right,” said Julie. ”The crew added it to the schedule last minute. We leave first thing tomorrow morning for a charity event in Oakhaven.”

Donations and charity events were always the best way to boost a celebrity’s public image, generating almost no negative feedback.

’But that’s usually something a star’s personal team handles. I can’t believe even the film’s promotional tour is this cutthroat.’

Joanna Kennedy sighed. She had thought she would finally be able to go back to Aethelburg tomorrow.

After Julie finished speaking, she ordered some food for Joanna before leaving. The room fell silent, but now Joanna Kennedy was in no mood to sleep.

She started a video call. It took a while for the other end to pick up.

”What’s wrong?” The man’s voice was low and husky. There was still some foam in his short black hair, and he was squinting slightly.

!!!

Caught completely off guard by the sight of a handsome man fresh from his bath, Joanna Kennedy’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Blood rushed to her head, and her face went nuclear-hot in an instant.

”What’s wrong?” the man asked again, patiently. He hadn’t even finished speaking when Joanna Kennedy, on the other end of the line, slammed the ”end call” button.

Simon Lockwood: ”...”

Staring at the dark screen of his phone, Simon Lockwood raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.

Meanwhile, Joanna Kennedy, so flustered she felt like she was about to explode, flopped backward onto the bed and started repeatedly bonking her forehead against a pillow.

’AHHH!! Why was Simon Lockwood in the shower?!’

’No, I mean, why would he answer a video call *while he’s in the shower*?!’

The image she had just seen flashed uncontrollably through Joanna Kennedy’s mind. Even through the hazy steam, she had seen everything clearly.

’That Adam’s apple... that collarbone... those pecs... those abs...’

Joanna Kennedy’s face grew even redder, but her expression was a mask of numbness. She buried her face in the covers, silently chanting to herself.

’Form is emptiness, and emptiness is form. It’s all just smoke and mirrors. I am not a shallow person. I am absolutely not just lusting after Simon Lockwood’s body!’

’I’m also lusting after... his face.’

Joanna Kennedy stayed buried for a long while before she managed to calm her wildly THUMP-THUMP-THUMPING heart. Just then, a familiar ringtone sounded, making her heart lurch and start beating even faster than before.

’Get a grip, Joanna!’ She patted her cheeks and, gritting her teeth, answered the call.

The man on the screen was now dressed, his short black hair still dripping. Joanna Kennedy let out a sigh of relief and said awkwardly, ”You didn’t dry your hair.”

”Didn’t have time,” Simon Lockwood replied matter-of-factly.

But his words made Joanna Kennedy’s heart skip a beat. ’Why didn’t he have time? Because he had to call me back, of course.’

Joanna Kennedy’s gaze flickered, and she struggled to keep the corners of her lips from turning up. She feigned indifference. ”Oh...”

”What time are you coming back tomorrow?” Simon Lockwood asked.

His question reminded Joanna Kennedy of what she had wanted to say in the first place. She sighed dramatically. ”I can’t come back.”

She adopted the air of a world-weary master who had seen through the vanity of mortal life and suffered great emotional trauma.

Simon Lockwood’s expression didn’t flicker. ”Act normal.”

Joanna Kennedy: ”...”

”Fine,” Joanna Kennedy said, dropping the act. ”They added an event at the last minute. I probably won’t be back in Aethelburg for another two or three days.”

Simon Lockwood frowned. ”What kind of event?”

”A charity event in Oakhaven.”

Oakhaven was surrounded by mountains on three sides. It boasted beautiful natural scenery, but its geography also held it back. Transportation was poor, the economy was underdeveloped, and it was home to many ”left-behind” children and elderly people living alone.

Simon Lockwood paused for a moment before asking, ”How long will you be gone?”

Joanna Kennedy thought for a moment and gave a safe estimate. ”With travel time, it’ll be a week at least.”

Since they were going all that way, it couldn’t just be a quick look-see and a donation. They would have to do some actual charity work.

The film crew didn’t have much time to spare, so a week was a reasonable estimate.

Simon Lockwood fell silent upon hearing this.

The air grew quiet.

Joanna Kennedy’s eyes darted mischievously. She cleared her throat twice and said with mock seriousness, ”President Lockwood, try not to miss me too much~”

She looked so smug, she might as well have been wagging a tail.

’So heartless.’

Simon Lockwood just gave a faint ”Mm.”

Now it was Joanna Kennedy’s turn to be displeased. ’Hey, that’s it? Such a bland reaction!’

”I’ll be gone for a whole week, you know,” she repeated, putting extra emphasis on the words ”a whole week.”

Simon Lockwood: ”Mm.”

Joanna Kennedy: ”...”

Joanna Kennedy was about to have a conniption. But then she caught the faint glint of a smile in his eyes and realized. ”You’re doing this on purpose!” she said, annoyed.

”What do you mean?” Simon Lockwood asked lightly, affecting an air of cool, noble indifference.

Joanna Kennedy: ”...”

’Fine, fine, fine! So you won’t admit it, huh? Well, you’re not getting a ’goodnight’ from me today!’