After Becoming a Film Queen, She Dumped Her Financial Sponsor - Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Come on, do I really look like an auntie?

When she arrived at her dressing room, Qiao Sijin placed her handbag to the side, ran her fingers through her hair, and started flipping through her script.

Other actors had already begun trickling into the dressing room to get their makeup done—some were supporting roles, and some came by just to congratulate her on winning the award. In an instant, the room was bustling, and Qiao Sijin was surrounded.

“Miss Qiao, hello!”

“I’ve always admired you! Congratulations on winning the award!”

“Could I get your autograph?”

Since it was a fan’s request, she couldn’t really say no. Qiao Sijin nodded and took the pen and paper offered by a supporting actress, elegantly signing her name.

“Here you go, all done.”

She pressed the paper with her fair thumb and handed it, along with the pen, back to the girl next to her.

The young girl was thrilled. Seeing that Qiao Sijin didn’t seem bothered, she took the opportunity to chat with her, sharing the best news she’d gotten in the past few days.

“Oh right, Miss Qiao, I heard the next-door production team just brought in a bunch of handsome guys. You should go take a look if you get a chance~”

“Yeah, don’t be shy! If you’re nervous, we’ll go with you.”

Qiao Sijin was a bit taken aback, a slight frown forming between her brows.

Come on… do I look like someone’s auntie?

“I’m not shy, I’m just not interested in that sort of thing…”

Before she could finish her sentence, another girl raised her finger and said thoughtfully:

“Ah, I get it now!”

What does this kid get, exactly? Qiao Sijin kept her cool and smiled as she waited to hear what she meant.

“Miss Qiao, you must like women, right?!”

“There are tons of pretty girls in the next-door set~ Let’s go together! With you there, we’ll have no problem getting their WeChat!”

Oh, great. So now these kids think I’m some kind of flirt machine?

Qiao Sijin gave a subtle smirk. Her lipstick was bold today. She was just about to refuse when the scene from last night popped into her mind.

Right. Xu You was totally right.

If she wanted Fu Qingyun to feel the same kind of pain she had, she needed to make her obsessed—to make her suffer like she once did. Let her feel what it’s like to lose control.

Let her be so frustrated she goes as far as acquiring an entire company again.

Did she really think Qiao Sijin was an easy target?

“Just to be clear,” Qiao Sijin said, “I’ll go with you, but I’m not interested in men… or women.”

She figured she should make that clear. She wasn’t some player who flirted with everyone—she was a simple girl with a pure heart.

She was just going for a bit of fun. What harm was there in looking?

The girls immediately got the message. One of them even flashed her an OK sign.

“Got it, totally got it, Miss Qiao.”

Wait, what exactly did they get? I didn’t say anything!

“I…”

“Miss Qiao, I saw your interview the other day too. I totally understand how you feel! So, tell us—what was your first love like? Let’s see if we can find you a ‘substitute’!”

Excuse me, did your first love die too?

Qiao Sijin was speechless.

Sometimes, once you’ve experienced the best, you can’t go back to anything less. And above all else, Fu Qingyun’s temper was awful. Probably the worst in the entire world.

But—and this was crucial—Fu Qingyun, despite her terrible attitude, was stunning. With a face that could rival the most beautiful women in the industry, and a net worth in the billions, she was simply unmatched.

Where was she supposed to find a substitute like that?

Even if she wanted to find one… would someone like that even be interested in her?

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to go see some new faces, cleanse her eyes a bit. No need to keep thinking about Fu Qingyun all the time.

And if she visited the neighboring set, maybe she could avoid that clingy little puppy Gu Xin for a while.

“Oh please, looks are one thing, but it’s all about the vibe.”

Just as Qiao Sijin was about to share her ideal type, everyone perked up their ears. This wasn’t some polished interview—they were getting the real, private insight!

This was big.

“What vibe? Miss Qiao, tell us—we’re listening~”

Looking at their eager eyes filled with curiosity, Qiao Sijin felt the weight of her Best Actress title resting firmly on her head. She made a fist and cleared her throat softly.

Then she solemnly said:

“The scent of money.”

“And someone calm and composed. Who doesn’t panic under pressure. Who, even in the middle of the night, would get up and cook for me.”

Those were some very high standards!

How many people could possibly meet them?

Still, since they had finally convinced her to join them, they didn’t want to back out now and disappoint her.

“Got it. We’ll keep a lookout.”

“Miss Qiao, let’s add each other. We’ll come get you when it’s time.”

“Sure, here—I’ll scan you.”

For the first time ever, Qiao Sijin pulled out her phone and added strangers that quickly.

Just as they finished, the assistant director came in.

“You lot—Director wants you on set.”

The moment they heard that, the girls perked up. Director Zheng was known to be strict. And for extras like them, missing their scenes could mean getting cut entirely—not to mention a good scolding.

One by one, they bolted out like their feet were on fire.

In a flash, the dressing room was quiet again. Only Qiao Sijin and the assistant director remained, exchanging glances.

“Miss Qiao, I hope you didn’t mind them. They’re a little rowdy, but they’re good kids.”

“If they said anything inappropriate, I’ll apologize on their behalf.”

It wasn’t hard to guess that these kids probably blurted out all kinds of nonsense. The assistant director was just trying to save face—for both the production and for her.

But Qiao Sijin’s response surprised him.

“No worries. I had fun chatting with them.”

“Just… maybe don’t barge in like that next time. You scared the hell out of them.”

As a seasoned actress with tons of experience, Qiao Sijin could see right through the assistant director’s intentions.

She was just playing along to make things easier for everyone.