Chapter 118

After finishing the photo shoot, Kong Xiyan was about to head back when she overheard Fu Qiu chatting with a crew member. Noticing they hadn't packed up, she asked, "Anything else later?"

The crew member smiled. "Yeah, we've got Chai Yin's makeup test shots this afternoon. Director Lin said to leave everything out, we'll need it."

Chai Yin was playing a local in the village—someone born and raised there who knew secrets others didn't. She'd harbored a crush on Yuan Xiujun's character since he arrived.

But the male lead, Yuan Xiujun, had secretly been investigating the disappearance of five female college students after seeing the news.

Because he suspected the village was involved.

Just as the villagers were about to make a move on him, Chai Yin came to warn him, revealing only what she knew. Her words aligned perfectly with his suspicions, but he had no evidence.

While Yuan Xiujun searched the village for proof, Chai Yin vanished.

According to her family, she'd gone to the city for work.

Yuan Xiujun didn't buy it. He combed the entire village and, instead of finding Chai Yin, discovered Kong Xiyan's character bound and gagged.

After that, Chai Yin's role faded out.

Her screen time was brief, but she was pivotal. The part seemed simple but was tricky to nail—timid and weak early on, burying the truth to survive, an unremarkable nobody.

But that very unremarkable nobody found courage for love, throwing herself into danger, meeting a gruesome end.

The role itself was inherently contradictory.

Cowardly yet brave, timid yet unyielding.

Shaping that wasn't easy.

Kong Xiyan lowered her eyes, hearing Fu Qiu ask, "Afternoon for makeup stills? Why didn't she come this morning?"

The crew member explained, "Heard she had some show recording this morning, so Director Lin scheduled her for the afternoon."

Fu Qiu made an 'oh' sound. "You guys work hard."

The crew member smiled. "Not at all."

With that, he carried a prop elsewhere. Fu Qiu moved to stand beside Kong Xiyan, who was having her makeup removed in the mirror. Gu Ling sat nearby, and her assistant—who'd overheard the whole exchange—remarked, "I've always heard Chai Yin was a diva. Guess it's true."

Fu Qiu shot her a glance but said nothing.

Gu Ling cleared her throat, silencing her assistant, then turned to Kong Xiyan. "Sister Kong, have anything on this afternoon? Want to go shopping? I know a few new spots that are decent."

Kong Xiyan turned to her. "No, thanks. I've got something back home."

Gu Ling frowned. "What is it?"

Kong Xiyan looked away, expression calm. "Feed the cat."

Gu Ling was speechless.

A few minutes of silence passed. The makeup artists quickly removed their makeup, and Kong Xiyan changed out of her costume and emerged from the changing room. Fu Qiu stood by with her bag. "Sister Kong, straight back to the apartment?"

Kong Xiyan paused, thinking, then told Fu Qiu, "To the office."

Fu Qiu looked confused at her smile. "Sister Kong, is something up at the office? Should I call Sister Tong now?"

Kong Xiyan chuckled at her cluelessness. "No need."

Then she walked off.

Fu Qiu scratched her head and followed.

It wasn't until Kong Xiyan stopped outside a restaurant and asked her to pack two boxes of rice that Fu Qiu finally caught on. "Sister Kong, are you going to see President Chi?"

It had to be President Chi.

She was so dumb, thinking it was Sister Tong.

Kong Xiyan smiled at her. "Yeah, go on."

Fu Qiu beamed and hopped out to the hotel.

Kong Xiyan, bored in the car, scrolled through Weibo. On the matter of Ding Siyuan and Shan Cheng, He Wei's studio had made a statement that morning—not the expected admission of fault with a sympathy play, but a direct announcement of contract termination with both.

The post had split public opinion.

—Tsk tsk, bled them dry before trouble, then cut ties the moment things went south. What's the rush? Don't tell me Ms. He really did what Shan Cheng and Ding Siyuan said.

—Right, that post reeks of trying to cover something.

—Setting that aside, He Wei did right here. Scum like Shan Cheng and Ding Siyuan deserve to be cut!

—Seriously, those two are trash. Good riddance! He Wei handled this perfectly.

—Are you all banding together to whitewash He Wei? Setting that aside, what good points does she even have left? Sleeping her way into roles? Sabotaging peers? Climbing over others' achievements? Denying everything when exposed? Buying bots to clean up her image?

—Whoa, looking at it that way, He Wei's got plenty of good points!

—Well said! People can make mistakes, but it depends on intent and scale. Someone like He Wei should just get out of the industry!

—Please take He Wei and her studio and leave the entertainment world!

Kong Xiyan scrolled further. A few thought He Wei did no wrong, but most were recapping her offenses. Meanwhile, Ding Siyuan and Shan Cheng's names faded, and the trending topic was actually "He Wei's Studio."

Cold amusement hung in her brows. Before she could finish reading, she heard the car door open, then Fu Qiu's voice—"Sister Kong, I got it!"—as she appeared beside her.

Fu Qiu was all smiles. Kong Xiyan's mood lifted despite herself. She nodded. "Alright, thanks."

Fu Qiu replied instantly, "No need—taking care of Sister Kong is my job."

Seeing Kong Xiyan still watching her, she added, "And taking care of President Chi is also my job."

Kong Xiyan laughed. "President Chi wouldn't see it that way."

Fu Qiu opened her mouth, then thought of how Chi Wanzhao clearly found her annoying and deflated, staying quiet.

Taking care of President Chi—that would require Assistant Zhou's level of cunning.

Seeing her slump, Kong Xiyan stopped teasing and patted her head. "Alright, you just take care of me. That's enough."

Fu Qiu nodded solemnly. "I'll definitely take good care of you, Sister Kong."

Kong Xiyan smiled at the earnest look on her pretty face.

They reached the office quickly. Fu Qiu offered to escort Kong Xiyan in, but Kong declined, telling her to head back with the driver and that she'd reach out if needed.

Fu Qiu thought it over. "Alright then."

She waved to Kong Xiyan, then drove off with the driver.

Only after the car disappeared did Kong Xiyan turn and head into the building, two lunch boxes in hand.

It was lunchtime, with plenty of employees coming and going. Spotting Kong Xiyan, they paused to stare, some whispering.

"Is that really Kong Xiyan?"

"Why's she here?"

"Why can't she be? She's our Jingyan president's wife now."

"But I heard her marriage to President Chi is fake."

"Who knows."

Kong Xiyan walked past them, composed, her heels clicking against the cream-white tiles. She let their stares slide off her, a faint smile and soft eyes on her face.

There were two elevators going up, but the landing was nearly empty. Kong Xiyan recalled the lower floors were for artist rehearsals, with offices above. Sure enough, just past the sixth floor, a crowd piled in.

Peak lunch rush—they squeezed in all at once. Kong Xiyan instinctively stepped back, keeping a small distance by bowing her head.

The cafeteria was on the eleventh floor, the elevator creeping upward.

Someone in the crowd piped up, "What do you think the deal is with President Chi and Kong Xiyan, really?"

"Oh, didn't we say it might be a fake marriage? If it were real, why announce it just when Chai Yin comes back? Something's off."

"Exactly. Also heard President Chi stayed pure for Chai Yin all these years—never networking, no girlfriends, not even a rumor of a fling. Rare, truly rare."

"If that's true, our President Chi isn't just gorgeous and brilliant; she's devoted. So jealous of Chai Yin! When will heaven send me a President Chi?"

A snide laugh followed: "Send you one? Wait until you look like Chai Yin."

"Speaking of which, don't you think Chai Yin and Kong Xiyan look a bit alike?"

"What's that mean? Body double trope?"

Body double trope. Kong Xiyan, standing in the back, lifted her head to the girls speaking. She pressed her lips in a faint smile. The man beside her, about to join in, froze when he saw her face, cold sweat prickling. The elevator doors opened, and those in front were still chatting—except him, swallowing hard, "M-Mrs. ..."

His voice wasn't loud, but it made the front group pull their feet back and turn to look.

Kong Xiyan's eyes were clear as a stream, a mild smile at her lips. She didn't answer him, just curved her mouth slightly.

A strange silence filled the elevator. The doors opened and closed, everyone exchanging glances, no one noticing the elevator steadily climbing.

Until it dinged again—the crowd shuffled aside, leaving Kong Xiyan a path.

The doors opened.

Zhou Sheng stood outside.

He locked eyes with Kong Xiyan, then saw the herd of employees behind her.

Countless confused stares met.

Kong Xiyan stepped out, asking Zhou Sheng, "Is Wanxiao inside?"

Zhou Sheng blinked, nodded. "Yes, President Chi is inside. Should I take you in?"

Kong Xiyan replied lightly, "No, I'll go myself."

She walked off. Zhou Sheng boarded the elevator, waiting until the doors shut to ask, "Alright, what happened?"

The young woman behind him went red. "Nothing, really."

Zhou Sheng nodded. "Should I investigate one by one?"

"No, no! It's just—we were talking about President Chi and Chai Yin, and Mrs. heard it."

Zhou Sheng pushed up his glasses, smiling quietly.

The others, seeing his silence, gulped. "Assistant Zhou, will President Chi fire us?"

Zhou Sheng turned to her, certain. "No."

Everyone sighed in relief. Zhou Sheng added, "But this month's bonus? Probably gone."

The crowd was speechless.