The Abused Heroine Stops Pretending [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 3

“You want to join Diverse Living?”

Ying Tianhe was completely shocked. She looked Tang Jing up and down, trying to figure out where this idea had come from.

“Wait. Don’t tell me this is because of Sun Sijia.” The moment that thought entered her mind, Ying Tianhe became more and more convinced she had figured it out.

“No way.” She rejected it instantly and started trying to persuade her. “Xiao Jing, it’s not that I don’t want you to be on a variety show. You know I’ve tried to get you on so many shows before, and you turned them all down. If you just want to relax, I fully support that. But Diverse Living is absolutely not an option.”

“You and Sun Sijia are still trending together. If you two appear on screen again, both of our careers are finished.” Ying Tianhe grew more anxious the more she spoke. “You have to think about me too. I have an elderly parent and a child at home.”

Tang Jing, who had only said one sentence since entering the room, finally had to speak up. “Sister Ying, you stay home every day, don’t work at all, and your husband can support you just fine.”

Ying Tianhe glared at her. “That’s not the point. As a modern woman, how could I possibly—”

“I know what I’m doing,” Tang Jing interrupted, her expression serious.

She wasn’t doing it for Sun Sijia. She was doing it for Meng Xue.

In the original storyline, the character had also gone on the show for Meng Xue, but it was to give her exposure and thank her for taking care of Sun Sijia during their school years.

Now, her reason was completely different. She just wanted to be close to her mentor.

Ying Tianhe looked at her. “Are you really going?”

“Yes.”

“You won’t change your mind?”

“No.”

Ying Tianhe sat back in her chair and didn’t speak for a while.

Every time her artist appeared alongside Sun Sijia, the trending page would always have a spot reserved for them.

And every time, the public relations team had to work overtime to handle the fallout.

This time, they wouldn’t just be on screen together. They would be filming in the same crew, eating and living in close quarters. Even if they weren’t sharing a room, it was enough to make her nervous.

She sighed and gave in. “Make sure to send some extra bonuses to the PR team.”

Every strand of hair they lost was because of Tang Jing and Sun Sijia.

“No problem,” Tang Jing said with a smile.

“Sister Ying, I’ll leave contacting Director Zheng to you. Just remember, it’ll be me and Meng Xue.” She turned to leave.

Ying Tianhe stopped her. “Wait a second.”

Tang Jing turned back to look at her.

“Who is Meng Xue?”

After Tang Jing explained who she was, Ying Tianhe felt dizzy. She quickly pressed her fingers to the spot between her nose and mouth and muttered, “You’re going to be the death of me.”

It was already a massive shock that Tang Jing would appear in a variety show with Sun Sijia. Now she was bringing along Sun Sijia’s senior from high school?

Meng Xue.

Ying Tianhe froze for a second, then asked, “Did you just say Meng Xue is a member of the MS1 girl group?”

“Yes,” Tang Jing replied, raising an eyebrow as she saw the reaction. She pulled out a chair and sat back down.

Ying Tianhe lit a slim cigarette and gave a slow smile as she looked at Tang Jing. “I think I have an idea.”

Tang Jing listened attentively.

“I know MS1. They were extremely popular in Country H. Meng Xue was the group’s leader and the only member who’s from our country.” Ying Tianhe continued, “I heard recently that she planned to return home. A lot of agencies want to sign her, but so far, there’s been no news of her joining anyone.”

The original novel didn’t go into much detail on this part either.

From what Sun Sijia said, it seemed like Meng Xue was still an independent artist with no agent.

Meng Xue had a gentle and quiet personality, completely different from how powerful and expressive she was when she danced. This kind of strong contrast could be very appealing to audiences. If her image was handled properly, she could have a bright future.

Ying Tianhe said, “I want to meet Meng Xue in person.”

After their meal together, Sun Sijia had planned to take her senior back to her apartment. But halfway there, she received a message from Tang Jing asking her to bring Meng Xue to the company instead.

Thanks to her connection with Tang Jing, Sun Sijia had been signed by Jingcheng Entertainment, although she was under Manager Lin Fang.

Ying Tianhe and Lin Fang had been bitter rivals since the day they joined the company. From the start, they didn’t get along.

The artists under them had been locked in conflict for years, to the point where the two managers would start bickering every time they met.

Sun Sijia brought her senior to the floor where Manager Ying worked. “Senior, just keep walking straight. It’s the fifth room. There’s a nameplate on the door. I won’t go in.”

She knew full well that Manager Ying never looked kindly on her. No need to walk right into trouble.

“Alright,” Meng Xue replied softly.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

“Hello, Sister Ying.” Meng Xue pushed open the door and greeted politely. When she saw that Tang Jing was also in the room, her eyes lit up and she smiled warmly. “Hello, Miss Tang.”

To maintain her cold and aloof persona, Tang Jing simply gave a subtle nod and pulled out the chair closest to her. “Have a seat.”

Meng Xue closed the door quickly and sat down.

There were plenty of other seats available, but Tang Jing had deliberately chosen the one nearest to her. It showed just how carefully calculated she could be. However, the others in the room didn’t think much of it. They assumed she was just being polite.

“You’re Meng Xue from the girl group MS1, correct?” Ying Tianhe asked.

Meng Xue immediately stood up. “Yes, Sister Ying.”

“No need to be nervous. Sit down.” The more Ying Tianhe looked at her, the more she liked her. Especially with someone as wild and stubborn as Tang Jing sitting nearby for comparison, Meng Xue’s gentle presence seemed even more pleasing.

Tang Jing glanced at her and said, “Sister Ying, that look on your face makes me think you’ve been replaced.”

Ying Tianhe quickly wiped the motherly smile off her face and gave Tang Jing a glare before turning back to Meng Xue with a soft smile. “Let’s ignore her.”

Meng Xue smiled sweetly, dimples forming at the corners of her lips. Both Ying Tianhe and Tang Jing found their eyes drawn to that charming smile.

Ying Tianhe refocused and asked, “Can I call you Xiaoxue?”

Meng Xue nodded. “Of course, Sister Ying.”

Leaning forward slightly with a warm expression, Ying Tianhe asked, “Xiaoxue, are you currently signed with any agency?”

Meng Xue shook her head. “I just got back to the country. I’ve been resting at home these past few days and haven’t signed with a management company yet. Though I’ve received a few calls recently.”

The fact that Meng Xue picked up on the hidden meaning behind the question made Ying Tianhe even more pleased. She could tell the girl was sharp.

“So, do you have any preferences when it comes to signing with a company?”

Meng Xue frowned slightly, thinking it over. “Actually, I don’t ask for much. I just want to focus on my personal career and transition more into film and television.”

“Of course,” Ying Tianhe said, now confident in her thoughts. She nodded toward Tang Jing. “That was also the direction she took when she first entered the industry.”

From the moment the girl walked in, she had noticed how often her gaze drifted toward Tang Jing. Especially when she first saw her. Those sparkling eyes had been hard to miss.

Tang Jing had always attracted a lot of devoted fans, both male and female. As her manager, Ying Tianhe knew this better than anyone.

The comment she had just made was intentional. She wanted to use Tang Jing to spark something. And when she noticed Meng Xue glance again at Tang Jing with a dimpled smile, she knew her plan was already halfway to success.

“I’ve only been managing Tang Jing these past few years,” Ying Tianhe explained. “In the beginning, I had to fight to get her resources, chase down endorsement deals, and travel constantly. But now that she’s famous, offers come in on their own. I’ve finally had some time to relax. I figured since I’m still young, I might as well take on another artist.”

Meng Xue looked at her with curiosity.

Ying Tianhe smiled and said, “Xiaoxue, would you be willing to sign with me as your agent? You’ll be working alongside Tang Jing.”

Meng Xue glanced at Tang Jing and nodded quickly. “I would love to.”

Tang Jing’s heart skipped a beat.

The woman in front of her was none other than her mentor, Shi Wanqing. Even though all this meant was that Meng Xue would be joining the same agency, in Tang Jing’s heart, it felt like they were walking down the aisle together.

She knew the person in front of her was truly her mentor, but because of the system’s rules, neither of them was allowed to acknowledge each other. But once the world progression reached fifty percent, those restrictions would disappear automatically.

Tang Jing now deeply hoped they could reach fifty percent as soon as possible. Then she could finally pursue her mentor without hiding anything.

Even if it wasn’t in an open or official way, just being able to spend time close to her during the variety show and share small moments would already make her feel fulfilled.