Hi, Wifey! [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 5

The three of them stood in the bathroom staring at each other, the air thick with the mingled scents of toner and makeup remover—an unpleasant combination.

Fu Xia knew she wasn’t popular, but she never expected to overhear gossip about herself on the very first day of filming.

“Well? Why stop talking now?”

Fu Xia eyed the two girls before her. She didn’t recognize them, but judging by their outfits, they were likely supporting actors for this production—ones she hadn’t seen at the opening ceremony, so probably insignificant roles.

The girls looked frightened. Despite Fu Xia’s reputation for being frequently criticized, her star power remained formidable. Even ordinary people wouldn’t be pleased to have their gossip exposed, let alone a top-tier actress like Fu Xia.

“Sorry, Teacher Fu Xia,” the slightly taller girl whispered nervously. “We didn’t mean to speak ill of you…”

Fu Xia didn’t catch the rest, instinctively furrowing her brows. “What? Speak up—I can’t hear you.”

The girls seemed to interpret this as anger and huddled together trembling. “We’re so sorry, Teacher Fu Xia! We didn’t mean to gossip about you! Please forgive us!”

Fu Xia: “…”

She’d merely asked them to repeat themselves louder—how did this suddenly become about her bullying them?

Seriously? You started the gossip, and now you’re playing innocent?

Crossing her arms, Fu Xia fixed them with an unblinking stare. “Didn’t anyone teach you not to gossip behind people’s backs before joining this production?”

The girls kept their heads down, not daring to respond.

“I don’t care what you say about me,” Fu Xia continued coldly. “But if I catch you badmouthing me on set again, I’ll make sure you’re removed from this production.”

“Of course! Please be magnanimous—we’ll never speak ill of you again!”

“Hmph.”

With an icy expression, Fu Xia ordered, “Take your things and get out. I need to use the bathroom.”

The two girls scrambled out, even thoughtfully closing the door behind them to give Fu Xia privacy.

Tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, Fu Xia studied her reflection in the mirror, bracing her hands against the sink as she examined her face before sighing deeply.

Beautiful women really do attract envy.

The incident became an unspoken topic on set—not major enough to cause a stir, but not minor enough to ignore. When Fu Xia returned to her hotel after filming, she noticed two new members in the cast’s WeChat group. The director announced that two actors had left due to scheduling conflicts, while the newcomers enthusiastically greeted everyone—especially singling out Fu Xia.

For the first time ever, the normally silent Fu Xia actually welcomed the new additions in the group chat.

Supporting Actor 1: “Teacher Fu Xia, your profile picture is stunning! Which photographer took it?”

Supporting Actor 2: “Yes! The sunset looks amazing!”

Fu Xia: “Just a quick shot I took at the hotel.”

Supporting Actor 1: “Really? It’s so professional-looking! I’d have thought it was taken by an expert!”

Scratching her head, Fu Xia replied: “Teacher Cheng’s profile is also a hotel night view. Why isn’t anyone praising how nice hers looks?”

Supporting Actor 1: “…”

Supporting Actor 2: “…”

Cheng Wanyu: Thanks for the compliment.

Looking at the city nightscape in Cheng Wanyu’s photo, Fu Xia suddenly felt she might have said something wrong. Fortunately, Zhou Wen arrived with her dinner just then, so Fu Xia tossed her phone aside and went to eat.

The evening meal was a salad—with two extra lettuce leaves. As Fu Xia nibbled on the greens, she felt like a rabbit, constantly munching on boiled carrots and lettuce.

Zhou Wen, holding her fried chicken while putting on gloves, asked, “Did anything happen at the set this afternoon?”

Fu Xia swallowed hard at the sight of the double-flavored fried chicken and said, “Someone was badmouthing me in the restroom, so I scolded them.”

“Oh,” Zhou Wen replied casually, chewing her chicken with her mouth full. “You’ll get used to it. I’ll talk to the production crew later.”

Watching Zhou Wen devour the fried chicken, Fu Xia lowered her head to her salad. “It’s not that serious. I was partly at fault today, so their dissatisfaction is understandable.”

With her cheeks puffed, Zhou Wen looked at the crown of Fu Xia’s head and sighed, “Xia, sometimes I wonder if your gentle temperament is really suited for the entertainment industry.”

Fu Xia didn’t quite grasp her meaning, and Zhou Wen didn’t elaborate. Instead, she dipped a drumstick in sweet chili sauce and said, “I had a meeting at the company today—mostly about the investment for your drama.”

“What about the investment?”

“It’s complicated. Just focus on acting well. This drama might be your big break.”

Fu Xia chuckled. “Zhou Wen-jie, am I not already popular?”

“It’s different,” Zhou Wen said. “Do you really want to keep trending for being hated?”

Fu Xia stabbed her fork into the lettuce but stayed silent.

Zhou Wen continued, “Listen to me. Do your best. You won’t stay a controversial celebrity forever.”

Fu Xia barely touched her dinner. Zhou Wen left soon after, promising to pick her up the next morning. Lying in bed, Fu Xia scrolled through her phone. Finding no juicy gossip, she logged into her alternate account and browsed the #ChengFuCouple fan community.

After reading the latest posts, she happily rolled over, hugging her pillow as she skimmed through the comments.

I’ve read the novel Xia’s new drama is based on! The casting for the two female leads is perfect—Cheng Wanyu as the elite professional and Fu Xia as the fiery beauty. They’re a match made in heaven!

Me too! I heard the official stills are coming out soon. I hope they look good.

Of course, the ChengFu stills will be amazing! Both of them are top-tier beauties—they’d look good in anything!

Exactly! They’re both such gentle, stunning women!

No insults, no slander, no photoshopped funeral portraits—just endless praise for how well Fu Xia and Cheng Wanyu complemented each other, along with excitement for their upcoming drama. The entire fan space radiated warmth and positivity, making Fu Xia feel unusually at ease.

Though she still didn’t quite understand why she and Cheng Wanyu had shippers, Fu Xia had been in the industry long enough to know some fans loved this kind of pairing. She didn’t dwell on it, casually hitting the “follow” button and deciding to frequent the space from now on.

Except…

Exiting Weibo, Fu Xia buried her flushed face into her pillow, grumbling inwardly: Except there’s way too much R-rated fanfiction. Even if it’s all subtly worded, the sheer volume is overwhelming.

Fu Xia had seen plenty—bedroom scenes, car scenes, balcony scenes, bathroom scenes, kitchen scenes, and even one set in a film crew’s restroom. She shut that one down after just two glances, her ears burning hot.

How bold these fans were! Weren’t they afraid she’d stumble upon these?

Burying her face in her pillow, Fu Xia couldn’t help but recall Cheng Wanyu’s dark, piercing eyes, making her ears grow even hotter.

Damn it, Fu Xia thought in frustration. Why did just thinking about Cheng Wanyu—and those explicit fanfics—make her whole body heat up? Was she sick or something?

No, no. Fans could write and imagine whatever they wanted, but she couldn’t start fantasizing like them!

Slap-slap-slap—

Fu Xia patted her cheeks, trying to shake off those wild thoughts, then got out of bed and slipped on her shoes. She was hungry and wanted to see if there was anything to eat.

When Zhou Wen was around, she wouldn’t let Fu Xia snack—actresses had to watch their figures. A single extra pound could make them look ten pounds heavier on camera, so Fu Xia usually kept her diet in check. But after that little adrenaline rush, she was starving now.

Grabbing a cap and her room key, Fu Xia decided to check out the convenience store downstairs.

She was craving crab roe-flavored instant noodles!

Click—

Just as Fu Xia opened her door, she saw Cheng Wanyu stepping out of hers.

Stunned, Fu Xia hadn’t realized their rooms were right next to each other.

Cheng Wanyu only paused briefly before taking in Fu Xia’s outfit and asking, “Are you heading out, Fu Xia?”

Blinking, Fu Xia nodded. “I’m hungry…”

Cheng Wanyu couldn’t help but laugh, pressing her thin lips together. “Perfect timing—I’m hungry too. Mind if I join you?”

Fu Xia hesitated. “Is… that okay?”

Considering she’d just skimmed some explicit fanfics about the two of them—even if she hadn’t read them properly—it felt awkward.

Cheng Wanyu’s dark, gleaming eyes fixed on her. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

Fu Xia blurted, “Because we’re not close.”

The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Damn it! Why had she said something so harsh? Sure, they weren’t close, but that was no way to phrase it!

A tiny version of herself inside her head slammed the table, screaming: Apologize! Before Cheng Wanyu’s fans tear you apart—apologize now!

“Sorry!” Fu Xia waved her hands frantically. “I didn’t mean it like that! I just meant… um… I was worried you might feel awkward grabbing food with someone you’re not familiar with.”

“Grabbing food?”

Cheng Wanyu chuckled softly. “That’s a cute way to put it—like a little hamster.”

Under Cheng Wanyu’s amused gaze, Fu Xia nervously said, “If you don’t mind, then… let’s go downstairs together.”

Cheng Wanyu nodded, then added, “Calling me ‘Cheng’ feels a bit formal, doesn’t it? You’re the senior here.”

Fu Xia scratched her head sheepishly. “Senior or not, you’re older than me, right?”

As soon as she said it, she wanted to strangle herself. Who brings up age with a female celebrity?! Was her mouth on loan or something?

Cheng Wanyu covered her lips with a laugh, shaking her head. “True, I am a bit older than you. So… let’s just call each other by name. It’ll feel more natural.”

“Great,” Fu Xia breathed a sigh of relief, thinking Cheng Wanyu wasn’t as hard to approach as she’d imagined. “Can I call you Wanyu from now on?”

“I noticed your assistant calls you Xiaxia. Would you mind if I called you that too?”

“Of course not, call me whatever you like!”

“Alright.”

The two stepped into the elevator cheerfully. Fu Xia looked at Cheng Wanyu happily and said, “By the way, Wanyu, can I ask you something?”

Cheng Wanyu tilted her head slightly, signaling her to continue.

Fu Xia gazed into her eyes and asked, “You don’t take out your colored contacts even when you remove your makeup?”