The 'Involution King' Second Female Lead Quits [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 35

Chapter 35: A New Year’s Surprise

Shu Heng’s answer hadn’t revealed anything, but the netizens’ observation skills and imagination were far too advanced. After digging through layers of information, they managed to uncover half of Li Jianwei, who had only appeared as a hand. Their conclusion was that the other person was most likely an industry insider, which was why Shu Heng had responded with “that’s extra money” instead of just admitting it or refusing.

The netizens’ analysis was very logical, but Shu Heng, who was still trying to maintain her public reputation, didn’t give them a chance to continue their analysis. She quickly released some tidbits of information to steer the topic in another direction. With this distraction, Zhou Zhao completely lost his chance to speak. His screen time was too short; if they had discussed the plot, all he could do was stand there and smile awkwardly, nodding along and saying pointless things like “yes, yes.” What’s more, compared to the drama’s hero and heroine, netizens clearly found the real-life Shu Heng and the owner of the hand much more compelling.

Perhaps this was a case of intentional efforts not bearing fruit, while unintentional actions lead to success.

After the two-and-a-half-hour live stream ended, Zhou Zhao’s face fell, clearly unhappy with the result.

“The industry has no shortage of good-looking male artists. Your strength is your acting, so there’s no need to force a CP to get more exposure,” his manager advised, offering professional and reasonable suggestions. “Director Zhang is preparing a military-themed film. You should prepare well for it. If you’re lucky, you can be the lead actor. At the very least, you’ll get a nomination for Best Actor.”

Zhou Zhao was unimpressed and complained, “I’ve already won Best Actor once; the judges won’t give it to me a second time. And with Director Zhang’s habits, they’ll need three months of training before filming. She’s too serious. Once filming starts, I won’t be able to do any other events for at least a year, which will hurt my popularity.”

“But Director Zhang’s talent is undeniable. You’re past the time of chasing traffic and data. What you need now are quality, representative works,” the manager said with a painstaking tone. “The last period drama you were in had a very mediocre response. If you continue down this path and another project falls through, the film industry might not consider you, even if you’ve won Best Actor before.”

Hearing this, Zhou Zhao was unhappy. “There’s nothing wrong with my acting. It was purely a script issue. All I asked for was for my character to get some moments to shine, and they completely ruined the plot. I didn’t even go after the screenwriter, so they shouldn’t blame me.”

The manager didn’t want to talk about it anymore. The original show was a story about a powerful female protagonist, and the so-called male lead was just the person she ended up choosing in the original novel. If she hadn’t chosen him, the male lead would have been someone else. Zhou Zhao had insisted on changing the script to have the male lead choose between the female lead and another female character. With such a ridiculous request, it was a miracle the plot was only slightly messed up!

Realizing that Zhou Zhao was too stubborn to reason with, the manager changed the topic to avoid a heated argument. “I’ll keep an eye out for resources for you. If a project has a good team, I’ll bring you the script.”

“You can also look into the projects our company is investing in. If a project needs a female lead, you can try inviting Shu Heng. If she agrees, I’ll be the male lead,” Zhou Zhao said confidently.

The manager didn’t respond, just picked up his phone and pretended to be busy. For the projects our company invests in, if the script and director are good, why would they give away the female lead role? If it’s not a good project, why would a top-tier star like Shu Heng even consider it?

…

A Heartfelt Goodbye

No one cared about Zhou Zhao’s glass heart. All Shu Heng knew was that she would be separated from Teacher Li for a long time, and she pretended to cry to try and get her to stay.

“Teacher Li, are our schedules really completely incompatible? Maybe we can stay in the same place for a few days?”

“Be good. I’ll make time for you after I’m done with my work. My next show doesn’t start until March,” Li Jianwei said, stroking the heiress’s head, trying to calm her down.

Li Jianwei really wanted to stay, but her work was already scheduled and couldn’t be changed. From the 28th to the 31st, she had to be at the New Year’s Eve gala. Afterward, she had Spring Festival Gala rehearsals and had to record New Year’s videos for her brand endorsements. Her schedule was completely full. In theory, she would have some free time during the Chinese New Year, but since their relationship wasn’t public, they would have to go to their own homes for the holidays, which meant they would be separated for a month and a half.

When her attempts to persuade Li Jianwei failed and she couldn’t leave a bite mark on her neck, Shu Heng had to settle for leaving a mark on a place that would be covered by clothes. She held Panda as she reluctantly sent Li Jianwei off. It was just so inconvenient when their relationship wasn’t public. Even going to the airport could lead to paparazzi.

After making sure her girlfriend had successfully gotten on the plane, Shu Heng got busy with her own business. Unlike Li Jianwei, Shu Heng didn’t take on too many endorsements or advertisements and didn’t need to attend various galas to get resources. Shu Heng’s priority was to meet with Professor Liu Zhen under the pretense of being an investor.

Professor Liu Zhen was a doctoral advisor, and Shu Heng’s education wasn’t at that level, so she didn’t meet the professor’s minimum requirements for a student. She had to settle for becoming an investor instead. After learning that Professor Liu Zhen’s partner was a celebrity, Shu Heng used the most straightforward method to contact her—she asked Sister Lu to contact the manager, which in turn got her the contact information.

The celebrity, Hua Ke, had an average reputation. She was a great actress who could completely disappear into a role, but unfortunately, she never had the chance to be a lead. Her highest achievement was winning Best Supporting Actress twice. She was a calm and peaceful person who didn’t fight for things. When she learned that Shu Heng wanted to invest in her partner’s research, she easily created a group chat with the three of them.

Carrying the latest model of a handbag as a gift, Shu Heng drove to a highly-secured community and pressed the doorbell.

“Hello, Teacher Hua Ke,” Shu Heng said with a smile, hugging the celebrity.

“Hello, Teacher Shu,” Hua Ke said politely. After Shu Heng sat down, she offered her a cup of hot tea. “Liu Zhen’s student had a last-minute question, so she’ll be a little busy for a while.”

“That’s fine. Guiding a student is important,” Shu Heng said. She was very talkative, and when she wanted to, she could become friends with a stranger at an extremely fast pace. After chatting for less than twenty minutes, Hua Ke couldn’t stop smiling and was on the verge of becoming best friends with Shu Heng.

“Are you interested in coming to our company, Teacher Hua? Our company has a lot of projects waiting for talented actors. Once the actors are in place, we can start right away,” Shu Heng offered.

Shu Heng had no experience with how to get along with a mathematician, but she knew exactly how to get along with someone in the industry. Hua Ke understood the subtext. “I appreciate the offer. I’m doing pretty well right now. I only work for four or five months a year, and I stay at home for the rest of the time. You know, Liu Zhen is a researcher. When they get busy, they completely lose track of time. If I’m home, I can make sure she eats and rests.” Hua Ke smiled. “If I were to join a project for a long time, I’d worry that Liu Zhen would wear herself out.”

Shu Heng nodded in agreement. “You care a lot about your family, Teacher Hua. But coming to our company doesn’t mean you’ll have to take on more work. The scripts still need to be approved by the actor. I just think an actress with your talent should be known by more people. There’s too much of that self-serving promotion in the industry now. As long as someone has a little bit of a foundation, they buy promotions to brag about how amazing they are.”

Shu Heng couldn’t help but complain, “If this continues, anyone will be able to be an actor. Especially that one celebrity who’s been in the industry for less than a year. How dare he compare his acting to a senior actress who has won Best Actress? He said their acting was equal. He doesn’t know his place!”

My girlfriend’s acting is really outstanding. Even when she was competing with a veteran actress for the Best Actress award last year, she still came out on top. And he, who just came from a reality show, dares to even mention her? How bold!

Hua Ke caught the key information and raised an eyebrow. “Is the actress who was compared to you by that person, Li Jianwei?”

“Have you seen those promotions too, Teacher Hua?” Shu Heng looked surprised.

“When I’m home, I keep up with some of the news in the industry.” Hua Ke smiled, not telling the whole truth. Her partner, though very dedicated to her research, also had a gossipy side. Some celebrity news was perfect for them to unwind with after a long day of work.

Hua Ke took the initiative and asked, “I remember you and Li Jianwei have a good relationship?”

Shu Heng nodded. “We were good friends even before we went on A Journey to Nowhere. After we collaborated a few times, we became even better friends.”

Hua Ke nodded, a hint of a smile in her eyes that made it impossible to tell what she was thinking.

Ten minutes later, Professor Liu Zhen came out of her study. She first apologized and then started to discuss the project investment with Shu Heng. The overly professional terms made Shu Heng a little dizzy, but to get on Professor Liu Zhen’s good side, she tried her best to listen and understand what she was saying.

“To put it simply, the research prospects are very good. If everything goes smoothly, we can improve the model and put it into practice next year,” Hua Ke kindly summarized. “We need to purchase some new equipment, so we have a funding gap of about 20 million yuan. The equipment is essential, so it’s best to have an initial payment of 10 million to purchase the latest equipment.”

Shu Heng’s eyes lit up. Only 20 million? That was nothing! She then asked sincerely, “Professor Liu Zhen, is 20 million enough for your team? If I invest more, can I lighten your team’s burden and help you get the results out faster?”

This question stunned Hua Ke and Liu Zhen for a moment. 20 million wasn’t a small amount. It was an amount that most people couldn’t make in a lifetime. Even Hua Ke, an A-list actress, would need years to save up that much.

Professor Liu Zhen tactically pushed up her glasses and answered truthfully, “In theory, yes. However, 20 million is the most cost-effective investment. Any additional money would have a limited impact on the project’s progress.”

“Then I’ll add more. I believe you won’t disappoint me, Professor Liu Zhen!” Shu Heng said generously. “You name a price. We can purchase any equipment that would help with the research. Don’t worry about the budget.”

Professor Liu Zhen’s eyes lit up. After thinking about the equipment in her research institute, she gave a very precise number. “If we don’t consider the budget and only focus on efficiency, an investment of 39.26 million yuan would make our project progress the fastest.”

“Then let’s round it up to 40 million. The remaining 740,000 is for me to show my care for your team members. You can decide how to spend it, maybe buy some things for them during the holidays,” Shu Heng agreed readily, earning a grateful look from Professor Liu Zhen.

After they were done with business, Shu Heng took a book out of her bag and smiled. “I have an elder who really admires you, Professor Liu Zhen. I was wondering if you could sign this for me?”

“Hmm? This is a textbook that I helped revise?” Professor Liu Zhen was a little taken aback. This was the first time someone had asked her to sign a textbook.

“Yeah! Just write ‘To Ms. L, who loves math’!” Shu Heng opened the cover and handed her a pen that she had prepared. After investing 40 million yuan, Professor Liu Zhen couldn’t refuse such a small request. She would be more than happy to sign a hundred of them.

After dinner, Shu Heng hummed a song as she drove home. The first thing she did was put the textbook in a box and then into her safe. This was her trump card for meeting her parents-in-law. Whether she and Teacher Li would have a happy ending depended on this textbook.

…

A Midnight Reunion

The New Year’s Eve gala had a solo performance for Li Jianwei, so Shu Heng naturally wouldn’t miss it. She held Panda and watched the TV.

“Panda, do you see? Teacher Li is on! Teacher Li is so beautiful today! I want to kiss her!” Shu Heng said, raising Panda’s paw and shaking it from side to side. Panda, for once, didn’t struggle and even wagged his tail to the rhythm of the music.

After the performance, there was a simple relay race. It was all about running.

“Teacher Li is amazing! She got first place!” Shu Heng cheered. Since she couldn’t kiss the real person, she could only kiss Panda as a substitute.

Li Jianwei’s appearance was scheduled relatively early since her main achievement was in acting, not singing. As soon as she disappeared from the screen, Shu Heng picked up her phone and praised her endlessly, from her perfect singing to her running posture and from her outfit to her makeup. She was a professional compliment machine.

Li Jianwei’s replies came quickly, but when Shu Heng tried to video call, she was rejected. The reason was that she was still backstage and couldn’t video call to avoid their relationship being exposed. Shu Heng was a little disappointed but waited patiently for Li Jianwei to change and leave.

Soon, Shu Heng’s eyes started to get heavy, and Panda, in her arms, also became sleepy. Before long, they were both asleep on the sofa.

Luckily, Shu Heng had set an alarm, and she was woken up at 11:55 PM. She groggily rubbed her eyes and fully woke up when she saw that the last singer was performing. Ah! How did I fall asleep?! I haven’t even video called Teacher Li yet! She must be asleep!

Shu Heng ignored Panda, who was still snuggling with her, and immediately video called Li Jianwei. The call was answered quickly, but the background was a little noisy. There was a distinct sound of breathing and wind, as if Li Jianwei was moving quickly with a mask on.

“Teacher Li, what are you doing? Are you in danger?” Shu Heng’s eyes widened, and she sat up straight.

Even though the light on Li Jianwei’s side was bad, Shu Heng could clearly see a hint of helplessness in her eyes. “No, I’m just out for a jog.”

“I don’t believe you. You always work out indoors, Teacher Li. There’s a risk of being recognized if you’re outside, and the weather out there is…” Shu Heng suddenly stopped. She squinted and tried to make out the background on her phone. Why does it look so familiar? It looks just like my neighborhood!

Three seconds later, Shu Heng shot up from the sofa, scaring Panda, who launched himself onto the carpet and meowed in protest.

“Teacher Li! You’re back!” Shu Heng shouted. Without bothering to put on clothes, she ran out the door in her slippers. She didn’t care what Li Jianwei was saying on the phone. She just opened the door and ran out excitedly in her fluffy pajamas.

Luckily, Li Jianwei had already arrived at the door. She put her phone in her pocket, just in time to catch the heiress who had pounced on her.

“Teacher Li! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back? I could have picked you up from the airport!” Shu Heng yelled excitedly.

After rubbing her chin against the mask on Li Jianwei’s face, Shu Heng gave her an enthusiastic kiss, wanting to pour all the emotions she couldn’t express into her actions. Li Jianwei’s words were blocked, and she could only join the kiss. Their breaths intertwined. They didn’t stop until Shu Heng shivered from the cold. They then held hands and went back inside the warm villa.

The TV on the living room wall was perfectly timed. As the door closed, the sound of the gala hosts and guests counting down could be heard.

“3, 2, 1, Happy New Year!” came the voices from the TV.

“Happy New Year!” Li Jianwei and Shu Heng said to each other.

What happened next was self-explanatory. Panda was compensated with a can of cat food and then lost the chance to sleep with his owner. A wind-swept Li Jianwei went into the bathroom to shower first. After comforting Panda, Shu Heng followed her, taking off her clothes.

The steam and a torrent of desire poured out. Li Jianwei, who had already found the heiress’s sensitive spots, quickly got into the mood. It didn’t take long for the heiress, whose breathing was ragged and body was slightly trembling, to bite Li Jianwei’s shoulder.

“It’s okay. You can bite me anywhere below the neck. I don’t have to wear any dresses for my next events,” Li Jianwei whispered in her ear, her fingers not slowing down for a second. Li Jianwei’s long fingers and flexible joints made the lovemaking more enjoyable.

Seeing a few tears of pleasure in the heiress’s eyes, Li Jianwei patiently licked them away. The heiress hummed, bit her collarbone, and then went down, tasting the two sweet and soft treats below.

The bathtub in the bathroom was big enough for two people to take a hot bath. However, the bottom of the tub was a little too hard compared to the bed. The heiress couldn’t get comfortable, so she held onto the edge of the tub. It seemed like Shu Heng was holding Li Jianwei down, but she was actually like a cat, exposing her soft belly to her trusted lover until her body went limp and she fell on top of her.

Leaving the bathroom didn’t mean it was over; it was just the beginning of another round of lovemaking. They were both in their twenties, in the prime of their lives. Once wasn’t enough, so they went for a second, and a second wasn’t enough, so they went for a third. After both of them were extremely satisfied, the night finally came to an end. They slept intertwined, completely open with each other, and went to a sweet dream together.

…

A New Project on the Horizon

Li Jianwei’s schedule was so full that she really couldn’t spare much time. After they woke up and had lunch together, she had to rush to the airport to go to another city. Shu Heng was heartbroken and wanted to immediately buy a private jet so her girlfriend wouldn’t have to travel so much.

“I should be able to make some time before the New Year. I’ll come back then,” Li Jianwei said gently.

Shu Heng shook her head like a rattle. “No, traveling back and forth is too tiring. You just stay in Beijing, Teacher Li. We can meet after the New Year!”

“Alright. We’ll keep in touch then,” Li Jianwei said, not refusing.

After watching her girlfriend leave with a heavy heart, Shu Heng held Panda and felt sad. Even though they had only been separated for less than ten minutes, she was already withering away from missing Teacher Li!

Buzz buzz buzz

Her phone on the coffee table started vibrating. Shu Heng reluctantly picked it up and pressed the answer button when she saw it was her manager.

“Huh? A production team wants me to be the female lead in a period drama?” Shu Heng slowly blinked. “Moonlit West just aired, and a director already knows my talent?” she said, confused. “That doesn’t make sense. Moonlit West is more of a serious drama, so why would a period drama director be asking for me?”

“Oh, it’s an internal resource exchange between two companies. I’m not that interested in period dramas. A lot of the male leads are idols or singers who’ve switched careers. It’s so painful to act with them,” Shu Heng said, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, one hand holding her phone and the other stroking Panda. “I prefer movies over TV shows. It’s fine if I’m the second or third female lead. I’ve never won Best Supporting Actress anyway.”

“A military-themed film? I haven’t done anything like that before. Do you recommend I do it, Sister Qin?”

“I know Director Zhang’s requirements are very strict. It’s fine if I have to join the crew a month early,” Shu Heng said. In her opinion, spending a month living in a military camp to better portray a soldier was harmless. It was a good way to improve her physical health.

“What?! There’s a high chance that Teacher Li will be the female lead? Are you serious?” Shu Heng’s voice rose. “Sister Qin, if it’s not confirmed, please check for me. If Director Zhang wants Teacher Li to be the female lead, I’m willing to be the second female lead! Even the third is fine!”

“Oh, Director Zhang would be happy? I just don’t know if Teacher Li would be interested,” Shu Heng said, visibly excited. “Okay, I’ll ask Director Zhang for you. You can send me the script first. Since the filming doesn’t start until the second half of the year, Teacher Li should have time.”