Chapter 74

In the entertainment industry, scandals were common. Male and female celebrities alike could be exposed for all sorts of things: cheating, soliciting prostitutes, drug use, and so on. Among them, cheating was the least damaging. Unless the details were especially vile, it would never be enough, by itself, to get someone completely shelved or blacklisted.

Chen Xuan had thought the same. Fang Xiaoxiao had followed her since her debut; it had taken her years to finally make it. She wasn’t an idol-type star, either; she had real acting skills. Whether from an emotional standpoint or in terms of commercial value, she was worth trying to save.

This crisis PR was not only about fighting public opinion, but also about racing the male lead’s team for time and for the high ground in the narrative. In terms of popularity, the man might not even outrank Fang Xiaoxiao, but his wife was currently one of the top female stars in the industry; a child star who had been in the business for more than twenty years, she had risen on a combination of massive exposure and exceptional emotional intelligence to sit firmly at the very top of the traffic-star pyramid. So Chen Xuan planned to steer public opinion toward the man. He was a married man, and his image as a devoted husband had completely collapsed; in truth, it might still be possible to salvage Fang Xiaoxiao as much as possible. Netizens had short memories. If Fang Xiaoxiao’s side handled the aftermath well enough, a comeback might still be possible.

But the traffic queen’s divorce statement had caught everyone off guard. The online tide reversed at astonishing speed. While people were praising the traffic queen for decisively divorcing and cutting her losses, for “becoming a fan” after seeing her response, for saying this was how a woman should live, they also tied her husband and Fang Xiaoxiao together and cursed them both out in one unbroken barrage.

Chen Xuan’s plan, still taking shape in her mind, had already fallen apart. And two hours after that statement came out, her supervisor called and said the company had decided to shelve Fang Xiaoxiao; she was to deal with all remaining contracts as soon as possible. Only then did the situation become truly irretrievable.

Chen Xuan asked why the decision had been made so quickly. Shelving an artist was a major matter; it had to go through a senior management meeting. It couldn’t just be decided with a single sentence.

Her supervisor said, “Because she went after Tang Xinyuan’s person. Did you see that statement of hers? She’s walking her own broad road, while Fang Xiaoxiao and her ex-husband are walking a single-log bridge; now she wants to tear the bridge down.”

Tang Xinyuan was the traffic queen.

Her supervisor went on, “President Bai and Tang Xinyuan are good friends. The studio Tang Xinyuan runs also works with our company from time to time. President Bai gave her that face and called me personally. No meeting needed.”

“I understand,” Chen Xuan said.

Every circle had its hierarchy. Bai Hua and Tang Xinyuan were the elite tier of the entertainment world; in front of them, Fang Xiaoxiao was nothing more than an ant, something that could be pinched to death over any random thing at any time.

And Lin Yuewei, who had once been favored by Bai Hua and was now on the receiving end of all this, was the same. If they didn’t say anything, or if someone at their level who knew the truth didn’t reveal it, Lin Yuewei might never know why for the rest of her life.

Chen Xuan stayed up the entire night sorting through Fang Xiaoxiao’s originally planned publicity schedule and all the follow-up handling. The next morning, she knocked on Bai Hua’s office door.

Bai Hua was fairly diligent; after taking fewer roles in recent years, she had shifted some of her focus to the company’s development, so she still spent a lot of time there. She was sitting behind her desk, a half glass of milk placed beside her hand.

When Chen Xuan came in, Bai Hua took off her glasses and looked at her. “What is it?”

Chen Xuan brought up one of her own artists, a veteran Best Actor who had once acted with Bai Hua. He’d recently hit a career bottleneck and had been a little dishonest, secretly taking on some bookings that ran completely counter to his development direction. Chen Xuan asked her how to handle it.

Bai Hua tapped her fingers on the desk and said, “For something like that, you can handle it entirely according to your own rules. Having some personal connection to me doesn’t mean he can ignore the terms of his contract. If something similar comes up next time, you don’t need to ask me.”

“I understand, President Bai.”

Bai Hua took a sip of milk. “Anything else?”

“No.”

Bai Hua picked up her glasses and said, “Mm...” She made a clear gesture that she was seeing her out.

Chen Xuan stood up and had already taken a few steps out when she suddenly looked back. “President Bai, do you also get headaches?”

Most headaches weren’t a serious illness, but when they hit, they were no joke. In a high-pressure, high-intensity industry, nine and a half out of ten people had headache problems.

Bai Hua’s motion of putting on her glasses stopped. “Yes. Why?”

“Lin Yuewei introduced me to a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. I went for acupuncture once last time, and it worked really quickly. Do you want the address?”

“Sure. Give me the address.”

While Chen Xuan wrote it down for her, she said casually, “Lin Yuewei’s conditions are pretty good. I’m planning to push her a little later on.”

Bai Hua looked at the address in her hand for a moment. “Sure. Your call. I don’t interfere with these company matters; if you think she’s a good seedling, then give her a push.”

Based on Chen Xuan’s years of reading people’s expressions, Bai Hua definitely wasn’t displeased.

“I’ll go now, President Bai.”

Bai Hua put on her glasses and turned her attention back to the computer.

That was how Lin Yuewei ended up receiving that phone call in the afternoon.

***

As soon as Gu Yanqiu stepped through the door, she caught a wisp of food drifting from the kitchen.

Lin Yuewei was wearing an apron, one hand holding a plate and the other gripping a spatula as she transferred food from the pan. Gu Yanqiu stopped at the kitchen doorway and asked in confusion, “What’s the occasion today?” Lin Yuewei had actually cooked for herself.

“Of course it’s a happy day.” After two hours of adjustment, Lin Yuewei had already put herself in the best possible state. The past was the past; even if she regretted it, it wouldn’t make the events happen again. Besides, she didn’t regret it at all. She was just saddened that things had gone beyond her expectations.

People were selfish by nature; she made no secret of being even more so than the average person.

Only after Lin Yuewei had put all the dishes on the table and poured a glass of properly aerated red wine for each of them did she reveal the reason for her unusual happiness tonight. “Director Yang’s new drama decided to cast me. Chen Xuan called me this afternoon.”

“That crime drama?”

“Yes.”

“Congratulations.” Gu Yanqiu raised her glass decisively and clinked it against Lin Yuewei’s. “A dream come true.”

Lin Yuewei lifted a brow.

Gu Yanqiu smiled and changed her wording. “The first step on a long road ahead.”

Lin Yuewei swirled the red wine in her glass and tilted her head to smile at her. “Aren’t you afraid of crushing my confidence by saying that?”

Gu Yanqiu said, “Not afraid. You’re not the type to be easily discouraged.”

Lin Yuewei smiled too.

She didn’t mention that she had already been lightly discouraged that afternoon. Being believed in so completely by Gu Yanqiu was a wonderful feeling.

The two of them each took a sip of wine, then picked up their chopsticks. Lin Yuewei’s cooking, even if she exaggerated it, could only be described as average. She had originally planned to ask Gu Yanqiu out to eat, but on such a special day, she felt it should be more memorable; so she cooked herself. This was one of the few times in her life she had ever cooked.

“How does it taste?” Lin Yuewei asked.

Just as Gu Yanqiu was about to answer, Lin Yuewei cut in, “You can’t say it isn’t delicious.”

Gu Yanqiu squinted at her for two seconds, then suddenly said, “Aaaaaahhh.”

Lin Yuewei: “!!!”

Lin Yuewei: “...”

Gu Yanqiu blinked and smiled. “I don’t know how to do rainbow-flag praise. I only know how to do illiterate-style fan behavior.” As someone adored by star-chasing girls, Lin Yuewei knew those two most common forms of fan reactions. “Rainbow-flag praise” meant lavish, elaborate compliments using all sorts of methods and all kinds of language, from ornate diction to clever phrasing; “illiterate-style fan behavior” meant simple, direct screaming: “Aaaaaahhh.”

Lin Yuewei clicked her tongue. “That’s harsh.”

Gu Yanqiu smiled and said, “It’s a little salty.”

“That’s even harsher.” Lin Yuewei couldn’t help laughing after she said it. She waved a hand. “Fine, fine, I won’t make things hard for you. I know exactly how much skill I have. Forcing Baby to lie would bring down divine punishment.”

Gu Yanqiu raised a brow. “Baby?”

Lin Yuewei explained without changing expression, forcing the meaning into place. “In star-chasing terms, you’re basically a baby, aren’t you? Similar words would be ‘younger brother’ too; it just means a newbie.”

Gu Yanqiu gave her a suspicious look. “Oh.”

Lin Yuewei tilted her head and smiled. “Baby.”

“Mm.” Gu Yanqiu answered.

Lin Yuewei’s eyes curved.

Gu Yanqiu really was too cute. Lin Yuewei could take advantage of her and she wouldn’t even notice. Maybe one day in the future, when she tricked her into bed, she’d probably believe a casual excuse from her too. No, wait; they were already sleeping in the same bed.

Lin Yuewei actually felt a little disappointed as she thought: they were sleeping together so early, there wasn’t any challenge at all.

While Lin Yuewei was propping her chin in thought, Gu Yanqiu had already finished most of the beans on her plate. Her mother had once said that Gu Yanqiu liked this dish, so Lin Yuewei had specifically bought it.

Gu Yanqiu was already used to her not eating at night, so she didn’t urge her to eat. Lin Yuewei watched for a while, but for some reason, tonight she felt especially unable to resist. It was such a memorable day; maybe she should eat a little?

She lowered her head, then realized she hadn’t taken her chopsticks.

Lin Yuewei: “...”

Feeling her hot gaze, Gu Yanqiu looked up and politely asked, “Do you want to eat some?”

Lin Yuewei: “...Okay.”

Gu Yanqiu looked down, then back up. “What did you say?”

Lin Yuewei said a little embarrassedly, “But I didn’t bring my chopsticks.”

Gu Yanqiu said, “What do you want to eat? I’ll pick it up for you?” She spoke so quickly that she paused before adding, “Or should I go get you a pair of chopsticks?”

Lin Yuewei said, “...No need.”

She glanced at Gu Yanqiu, a faint glint flashing in her eyes.

Gu Yanqiu accepted it naturally. “What do you want to eat?”

Lin Yuewei scanned the table and said, “Some greens.”

Gu Yanqiu picked up a stalk of greens for her, cupping her hand underneath as she brought it to Lin Yuewei’s lips. A drop of broth fell from the vegetable and landed on her palm. Lin Yuewei ate the greens, then took a tissue and held Gu Yanqiu’s hand as she wiped it clean.

“What else?”

“Beans, I think. You were eating them so happily.”

Gu Yanqiu spooned some for her. Lin Yuewei leaned slightly forward and opened her mouth, eating the beans cleanly from the spoon.

“I’m full. You eat. Thanks.”

Gu Yanqiu met her eyes and felt that there seemed to be something meaningful in Lin Yuewei’s gaze.

Lin Yuewei sipped her wine while admiring the beauty before her, hiding all her thoughts beneath lowered lashes.

After dinner, Gu Yanqiu cleared the dishes and table. Lin Yuewei idly played with the string of Buddhist prayer beads she had temporarily taken off and left on the coffee table; she looked at them bead by bead. She couldn’t understand them, and she couldn’t really see anything, but she was intensely focused anyway, so focused that she didn’t even notice when Gu Yanqiu came to stand beside her.

Gu Yanqiu sat down next to her; the movement of the sofa dipping finally startled Lin Yuewei.

“What’s carved on these?” Lin Yuewei asked, finding something to say.

“The Earth Store Sutra,” Gu Yanqiu replied.

“You can see that?”

“You can feel it.”

“Your mother left these?”

“She gave them to me two years ago. My father took away everything else; this was the only thing left in my hands.”

“Mm.” Lin Yuewei asked, “Can I wear these for a bit?”

Last time, Shao Yasi had worn the prayer beads Gu Yanqiu had given her, and Gu Yanqiu had been furious.

“Yes. Give me your hand.”

Lin Yuewei held out her hand. Gu Yanqiu personally put the prayer beads on her, moving very slowly and carefully, her expression serious, as if she were performing some kind of ritual. It reminded Lin Yuewei of the wedding day, when she had put the ring on her finger.

“What were you thinking about when you got married?” Lin Yuewei looked down at the dark whirl of hair on her head.

“What?”

“I mean, while you were waiting backstage for the wedding, what were you thinking?”

“What were you thinking about?” Gu Yanqiu asked in return.

“You answer first, then I’ll answer.”

Gu Yanqiu thought for a moment. “Nothing. I was looking at a proposal. It had several problems, and I wanted to reply to them immediately after the wedding was over. The proposal they submitted wasn’t acceptable.”

Lin Yuewei: “...” That answer was completely unexpected.

“Your turn,” Gu Yanqiu said.

Lin Yuewei said, “I was thinking about nothing too. I was just hoping this Miss Gu wouldn’t drag me down; otherwise I had ten thousand ways to make sure you couldn’t stay in this family.”

Gu Yanqiu laughed. “Then I should really be thankful I didn’t drag you down.”

“You still did,” Lin Yuewei muttered. You dragged my whole heart away.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. I thought so too.” Lin Yuewei lifted her wrist and held the prayer beads up to the light.

Gu Yanqiu said, “They look very nice.”

“Not as nice as they look on you.” Lin Yuewei took them off and put them back on her.

She silently thought: when you round it out, this is basically a cup of ceremonial wine.

Gu Yanqiu clearly didn’t have so many mischievous thoughts. Her fingers were used to resting against the beads, moving them one by one. Lin Yuewei couldn’t control her gaze from falling on those fingers; whether it was because of the agarwood beads or because her filter for Gu Yanqiu had grown thicker and thicker lately, she simply couldn’t look away.

Gu Yanqiu pulled down her long sleeves, hiding her hands.

Only then did Lin Yuewei come back to herself. Her eyes darted everywhere but her face as she said, “Upstairs to shower and sleep?”

Gu Yanqiu gave a soft hum.

They each went into their own rooms to shower. Gu Yanqiu moved very quickly today; when she opened the door and came in, she met Lin Yuewei’s eyes just as Lin Yuewei was stepping out of the bathroom wrapped in a bath towel.

They both froze.

Gu Yanqiu stepped back at once and nearly hit the door frame. “Sorry.”

With a bang, she shut the door.

Lin Yuewei couldn’t help smiling to herself. She came out to get her clothes, went into the bathroom to dress, then opened the bedroom door. Gu Yanqiu was still standing rigidly by the entrance.

“Come in,” Lin Yuewei said. She had a large towel wrapped around her head and was wearing a nightdress. Her long legs moved as she went to the bedside to dry her hair.

Gu Yanqiu read while the hair dryer hummed, occasionally sneaking a glance at Lin Yuewei’s back.

Lin Yuewei lifted the blanket and got into bed. The scent of body wash mixed with shampoo drifted over with her. Gu Yanqiu inhaled subtly; it was different from what she was used to smelling. Lin Yuewei had changed her body wash today; it was a sweet orange scent.

As usual, they had their bedtime conversation, chatting about what had happened to each of them that day. No one knew when this habit had formed. The two of them had not spent all that much time together, yet at moments like this, they were so familiar with each other that they seemed like old friends.

Lin Yuewei connected her iPad to the Bluetooth earphones and held one earbud in her hand, opening and closing her palm around it. She told Gu Yanqiu about Fang Xiaoxiao being shelved, and said she found it a little unexpected.

Gu Yanqiu asked, “Why?”

Lin Yuewei told her that in most entertainment-industry cases, people were usually fine; at most they’d vanish from the public eye for a while. It absolutely shouldn’t have been this serious.

Gu Yanqiu asked directly, “Do you feel guilty?”

Lin Yuewei paused, then nodded. “Kind of.”

Gu Yanqiu sighed and looked at her.

“What?” Lin Yuewei asked, baffled by the way she was being looked at.

“Nothing. I just wanted to sigh.”

Lin Yuewei: “???”

Her freshly blown-out hair was still a bit fluffy, spreading out softly. Especially when she turned to look over with that puzzled expression; her hair was fluffy, her eyes were fluffy too, like a little lion cub.

Gu Yanqiu suddenly wanted to rub her head, and she actually did it, without going through any conscious thought.

Lin Yuewei looked up in shock at Gu Yanqiu’s hand on her head.

Normally, Gu Yanqiu would have immediately pulled her hand back and said sorry. But at that moment, she no longer wanted to do that. Some long-suppressed feeling had surged ahead in the prolonged tug-of-war and overwhelmed all of Gu Yanqiu’s reason.

Author’s Note: I’ve counted it on my fingers; tomorrow should be an auspicious day, so let’s make it the day they get together.