Hi, Wifey! [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 19

Outside the convenience store’s glass windows, the city’s neon lights flickered. Inside, Fu Xia sat at the table looking at Cheng Wanyu. Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, Fu Xia’s light-colored pupils reflected in the other’s dark, ink-like depths, as if being drawn into an abyss, willingly surrendering to its pull.

Snapping out of her daze, Fu Xia scratched her cheek and said, “I haven’t decided whether to attend yet, but getting a free meal out of it wouldn’t be bad, right?”

Cheng Wanyu didn’t respond, merely smiling faintly as she lowered her head to pry apart her chopsticks, checking if the instant noodles were done.

As celebrities, both Fu Xia and Cheng Wanyu were supposed to strictly control their diets. Late-night snacks like these would inevitably lead to weight gain sooner or later. But what else could they talk about during these long nights if not over food?

Slurping her noodles, Fu Xia thought to herself—they weren’t even that close…

After finishing their late-night snack, they returned to the hotel. Just as they stepped into the lobby, a loud thunderclap cracked outside, followed by a sudden downpour.

Fu Xia stood behind the hotel’s glass doors in surprise, watching the summer rain arrive without warning, pouring down relentlessly. The rain fell urgently, as if venting some pent-up emotion, splashing into puddles that quickly formed on the ground.

“Let’s go back,” Cheng Wanyu said, looking at Fu Xia. “It’s late, and this rain won’t last long.”

Fu Xia glanced up at her. “Will tomorrow be good weather?”

After a moment’s thought, Cheng Wanyu replied, “It should be. After such heavy rain, the next day is usually nice.”

Pulling out her phone, Fu Xia snapped a few photos before tucking it away contentedly. “I just took some pictures. Want me to send them to you later on WeChat?”

Walking side by side toward the elevator, Cheng Wanyu chuckled softly. “If they’re good, sure.”

Fu Xia grinned proudly. “Don’t worry about my photography skills—they’re guaranteed to be amazing!”

They entered the elevator and pressed their floor. As soon as the doors opened, they were met with a clamor of voices. Following the noise, Fu Xia saw a crowd gathered outside her and Cheng Wanyu’s rooms, including hotel security.

“What’s going on?” Fu Xia asked as she approached the group.

Everyone turned, and upon seeing her, they exclaimed, “Where have you been, you little troublemaker?”

Fu Xia gestured to Cheng Wanyu beside her. “We were hungry, so we went downstairs for a bite. What happened?”

The production assistant pulled Fu Xia through the crowd and pointed at her room. “Look.”

Fu Xia turned—and her pupils instantly contracted. Her room had been completely ransacked, with furniture overturned and even the carpet pulled up.

“What… what happened?” Fu Xia stared at the assistant in shock. “Who broke into my room?”

The assistant explained that when the crew returned to the hotel, they found Fu Xia’s door wide open. At first, they thought she had forgotten to close it, but upon entering, they discovered the room in disarray with no sign of her. That was when they realized—a thief must have broken in.

They called for hotel security, but before they could notify Fu Xia, she returned with Cheng Wanyu.

A crew member told Fu Xia, “Don’t go in just yet. We’ve already called the police—they’ll be here soon.”

Fu Xia was a bit shaken. She nodded, then suddenly asked, “Was Cheng Wanyu’s room also broken into?”

“No,” the production assistant reassured her. “It seems only your room was targeted.”

Fu Xia let out a sigh of relief, glanced at Cheng Wanyu, then quickly averted her gaze. “I’ll call my assistant.”

Zhou Wen was frantic when she heard about the break-in. Knowing her temper, Fu Xia figured she had just gotten home—it was already past 11 PM. As soon as Zhou Wen said she was coming over, Fu Xia quickly stopped her. “No need. There’s nothing you can do here, and it’s pouring outside. The crew has already helped me handle everything.”

“Are you sure?” Zhou Wen sounded anxious over the phone. “But I’m still worried. Was it really just a thief?”

Watching the police inspect the room, Fu Xia replied, “They’re still investigating. I’ll update you once they figure it out. Just rest for now, Sister Zhou Wen.”

Zhou Wen pressed, “What about you? You can’t stay in that room. I’ll call Director Chen and have him arrange a new one for you.”

Fu Xia said, “Don’t worry about that. They’ve already booked me a new room. I’ll move there once everything’s settled.”

Zhou Wen asked a few more questions but still wasn’t satisfied.

“Why don’t you stay at my place for a while?” she suggested. “I don’t feel comfortable with you alone in a hotel.”

“It’s fine,” Fu Xia replied. “You have kids at home, and I’m not great with children. Plus, our lifestyles are different. I’d rather stay alone—just focus on taking care of your family. I can manage here.”

After hanging up, the police had their findings.

Honestly, it didn’t take much investigation—the surveillance footage made everything clear. The moment Fu Xia and Cheng Wanyu left for dinner, a man in black clothes and a cap emerged from the emergency exit. He checked the door handle, twisted it, and entered. Five minutes later, he walked out again, then decisively headed back to the emergency exit, took the stairs to another floor, and finally left the hotel via the elevator.

“Looks like you didn’t lock the door when you left, so he just walked right in,” the officer told Fu Xia. “Can you check if anything’s missing?”

Fu Xia went through her belongings and found several pieces of jewelry gone. Since most payments were digital now, only about 200 yuan in cash was stolen. Thankfully, her documents were untouched—the losses weren’t too severe.

After filing the report, the police left to continue their investigation. Once everyone had dispersed, the production assistant approached Fu Xia. “Miss Fu, we’ve arranged a new suite for you. You should get some rest now.”

Clutching the hem of her shirt, Fu Xia nodded. “Alright.”

It was already 2 AM—she really needed to sleep.

Seeing her unsettled state, the assistant kindly asked, “Would you like someone to stay with you tonight? After something like this, are you sure you’ll be okay alone?”

It was fine until she mentioned it, but now Fu Xia felt a creeping unease. She’d always been a bit careless, so used to forgetting things that she never thought much of it before. But this time, someone had actually broken in, and it terrified her.

If leaving the door unlocked was bad enough, what would happen next?

Fu Xia rubbed her temples in frustration. She was already 21, had been working independently on shoots for years—how was she still like this?

“I’ll stay with her.”

Just as Fu Xia was lamenting her own flaws, a familiar voice suddenly spoke up. The two turned to see Cheng Wanyu standing at the door.

“Teacher Wanyu, you’re still awake?” The production assistant was surprised—it was already 2 a.m., and everyone else had gone to rest. Why was Cheng Wanyu still here?

And from the looks of it, she seemed to have been standing there the whole time, never having left.

“Is that really okay?” The assistant had heard about the supposed tension between Cheng Wanyu and Fu Xia. At the start of filming, everyone wondered if there was real conflict between them. But after two months, the crew realized not only was there no animosity, but the two got along exceptionally well—completely contrary to the rumors of them being like fire and water.

“There’s nothing wrong with it.” Cheng Wanyu stepped into the room. The suite’s layout was identical to hers, just mirrored, so she turned to Fu Xia, who was sitting on the couch, and said, “We still have filming tomorrow. You should get some rest while you can.”

Fu Xia looked up at her, feeling an odd mix of bitterness and sweetness in her chest.

Cheng Wanyu met her gaze. “Do you dare to sleep alone now?”

Fu Xia stared at her and, as if compelled by some unseen force, shook her head.

Cheng Wanyu seemed pleased with her answer. She stepped forward, took Fu Xia’s hand, and said, “The hotel bed is big enough for both of us.”

By the time Fu Xia snapped out of her daze, she was already sitting on Cheng Wanyu’s bed.

“Um…”

Fu Xia watched nervously as Cheng Wanyu turned away to take off her coat, stumbling over her words. “Maybe I should just… get another room.”

“You’re already here. Why say that now?” Cheng Wanyu tossed her coat onto the chair. Fu Xia hadn’t noticed earlier, but now that the coat was off, she could see Cheng Wanyu was only wearing a black camisole underneath. The thin straps accentuated her cool, porcelain skin, and her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders, making her glow even brighter.

This was the legendary “cool-toned fair skin” everyone talked about!

Fu Xia couldn’t help but admire. “You’re so fair.”

Cheng Wanyu smirked. “You’re not bad yourself.”

Fu Xia sighed. “Not like you. My fairness is just from staying indoors. One day in the sun, and I darken a shade. Then it takes me half a month to recover.”

Cheng Wanyu shrugged. “Same here.”

Fu Xia shook her head. “No way. With your skin tone, three days indoors and you’re back to normal. Me? I have to wear two layers outside, and sunscreen barely helps. Blackout fabric works better. Every time I go out, I have to stay in the car—Zhou Wen acts like one extra minute in the sun will turn me a shade darker.”

Cheng Wanyu pressed her lips together, laughing softly.

Fu Xia continued, “You have no idea how strict Sister Zhou Wen is with me. She orders salad for me every day before leaving, never trusting me to do it myself. She always thinks I’ll sneak something else to eat—worries about me more than my own mother does.”

Cheng Wanyu stared at Fu Xia, listening as her chatter gradually faded into silence. The room grew quiet again, with only the hum of the air conditioner filling the space.

“Finished talking?” Cheng Wanyu looked at Fu Xia sitting on the edge of the bed, tugging at her own spaghetti strap. “Then shouldn’t we go to sleep?”