The Movie Queen's Demon Sect Leader [Transmigration] GL - Chapter 26
The netizens’ hands paused, and they blinked, looking at the screen again. Luo Xuange sat upright beside the guqin as if nothing had happened. Everyone instinctively rubbed their ears: Hmm… I must have imagined it just now! How could that qin possibly make a sound? Impossible, impossible!
Just as everyone was self-hypnotizing, an oblivious person appeared in the live stream—
Netizen 1: Humbly asking, did Luo Xuange just play it?
A single message drifted silently in the previously bustling live stream, a stark contrast to the intense full-screen barrage of comments from before.
Inside the Shop…
The shop owner and proprietress stared at Luo Xuange in utter disbelief and shock: It—it sounded?
Jiang Yihan, puzzled, blinked and looked at the shop owner: Didn’t you say no one could play it? Luo Xuange just casually plucked a string and it made a sound??? Are you trying to trick me?
Now, Luo Xuange looked at the qin, her fingers itching. She looked up and asked the shop owner, “Can I play it?”
“Y-yes, you can. Play it as you like, play it as you like,” the shop owner was still in shock from earlier. His reply was unconscious.
Because this qin was extraordinary, when Luo Xuange plucked the strings to test the sound earlier, someone had already reacted, recorded a video, and posted it on major websites. In a short time, the number of online viewers for Luo Xuange’s live stream reached an unprecedented height since it began.
In a big forest, there are all kinds of birds, and where there are many people, naturally, many oddballs will emerge.
More haters and antis appeared in the live stream—
Netizen 1: Don’t be silly, a child can make a sound by casually plucking two strings. Do you really think she’s an all-rounder and can actually perform a whole piece?
Netizen 2: That qin isn’t fake, is it?
Netizen 3: I’m a journalist and my hobby is learning guqin. A few days ago, I interviewed this shop and personally tried this qin. The structure of this qin is completely different from those sold on the market. It would take at least three or four months to familiarize oneself with this qin. Luo Xuange just plucked a string today and is already thinking of playing a piece. This is truly… courting death!
Netizen 4: Amateur upstairs, don’t talk. Do you really think my Luo, anyone, can just spout nonsense about her?
Netizen 5: I originally just wanted to watch, but I didn’t expect to run into you guys slandering us musicians. Honestly, I’ve been studying guqin for seven years. When this qin was revealed, I went to see it with two professors and personally tried it. I couldn’t make it sound. What that friend just said is right, the structure of this qin is indeed unique. Just to familiarize oneself with it takes several months, let alone making it sound. So, some brainless fans should stop speaking carelessly. Your ignorant defense of a certain contestant is simply a defilement of music.
Netizen 6: But my Luo just made it sound, aren’t you mad? Experts, professors, and all those musicians couldn’t make it sound, but my Luo just casually plucked it and it made a sound, aren’t you mad? Just asking, aren’t you mad? LOL
Netizen 7: It was just a lucky hit. Brainless fans upstairs should shut up. Don’t come out and embarrass yourselves.
…A fierce keyboard battle thus began. However, as many netizens concentrated, their fingers rapidly tapping on keyboards, several clear qin notes suddenly echoed in the live stream.
Yes, no one misheard; they were just a few casual, unconstrained qin notes.
Luo Xuange and the others were completely unaware of what was happening in the live stream. At this moment, she raised her hand and plucked the strings, and a series of melodious qin notes emanated, making the shop owner so happy he wanted to hug his wife and spin around!
The sound of the guqin itself is very unique. If you close your eyes and feel carefully, the qin’s sound can bring a sense of peaceful tranquility, as if time is standing still.
The Saintess had repeatedly emphasized that playing the qin requires stillness: external quietness and internal calmness. Only then can one produce heavenly music.
However, the Right Protector was inherently impatient and decisive. After she modified this guqin, the qin’s sound underwent a drastic change. The guqin was meant to bring listeners a “quiet” experience. Yet, the Right Protector’s qin made people feel the bloody winds and rains of the martial world. Instead of a peaceful passage of time, the qin’s sound was a calm before a storm, making listeners’ hearts constantly race, as if a slight oversight would result in a head rolling.
The piece Luo Xuange played was the same one she had played on the hand-xun in the first round of the competition, and it was also the piece the Right Protector had composed during her three-month seclusion for this qin.
Luo Xuange had skillfully concealed the killing aura emanating from the guqin, yet these ordinary people, without internal energy or martial arts, still found it difficult to ignore this demonic qin that had once claimed tens of thousands of lives. Although its master was no longer there, the Right Protector had once said that as long as this qin could make a sound one day, its qin spirit would be immortal.
At the end of the piece, Luo Xuange’s lips curved into an arc. Satisfying!
The live stream fell silent once again—
Netizen 1: Just now, we made a bet: if my Luo could perform a piece, you would all vote for her. Does that bet still count?
Netizen 2: Shut up upstairs, we haters don’t need to save face! Go check how many votes have already gone up.
Netizen 3: Holy crap, holy crap, the current online viewership is 170 million, and my Luo’s votes are 149 million. This is insanely popular, hahaha!
In Reality—
Netizen 4: “Why is it lagging? The system’s not strong enough, black screen?”
Netizen 6: “Mom, didn’t you pull my internet cable? Why is the page lagging?”
Official Notification: [We apologize, due to too many concurrent users, the server has crashed. Our technical team is working hard to repair it. Please be patient.]
Tens of seconds later, everyone snapped back to reality. Jiang Yihan stared at Luo Xuange, dumbfounded: “You, you can play the qin?”
“I know a little,” Sect Leader Luo finally understood what true humility meant, so she no longer emphasized her mastery of all eighteen martial arts as she used to, and certainly wouldn’t claim to be comparable to an imperial chef at seven years old in public.
However, what she didn’t know was that humility should be expressed in advance. Saying it after she had already shone so brightly gave it a different meaning.
Jiang Yihan looked at her and gave a dull, awkward smile: “This is truly ‘knowing a little,’ hehe. That’s great. When you signed up for your specialty, why did you choose the flute instead of the guqin?”
“I told my agent that I dabbled in all four arts (qin, chess, calligraphy, painting), but she didn’t believe me and insisted I change it, so I chose the flute.” Luo Xuange at this moment mentally slapped Xu Xiu hard: Hmph, do you believe me now?
Xu Xiu, the manager watching the live stream, recalled Luo Xuange’s earlier words about her “specialties”: “Specialties? I can handle swords, spears, halberds, and flying over eaves and walls. I also dabble in qin, chess, calligraphy, painting, dancing, and singing. As for cooking, it’s not bad; I can barely compete with imperial chefs.”
Hehe, Xu Xiu’s mouth twitched, self-denying inwardly: Impossible! The last few points might be somewhat credible, but specialties like swords, spears, halberds, and flying over eaves and walls? She’d die before believing that!
[Li Tian: Right! Just like I firmly believe An Ruoshui won’t ‘bend’!]
Luo Xuange looked up at the photographer in the distance. The photographer stood there with a constipated expression, fiddling with his fingers: “Um, this… uh, that…”
“What’s wrong?” Luo Xuange asked in surprise. The photographer took a breath, as if he had gone through a huge internal struggle, and finally spoke his mind: “Can you play it again? I… I forgot to film it just now.”
If a normal photographer made such a big mistake, other colleagues would certainly give him a huge eye-roll and secretly gloat. However, today, they somehow felt it was perfectly understandable that he forgot to film.
Luo Xuange didn’t say much, just nodded and got into position: “Shoot.”
“Alright, alright.” The photographer immediately began to work. The others slowly recovered from the killing intent emanating from the guqin, and a new round of busyness began. The shop owner, however, looked at the guqin and then scrutinized Luo Xuange again, smiling one moment and frowning the next, lost in thought.
After Luo Xuange’s photo shoots were finished, it was Jiang Yihan’s turn. She took her flute from the production team and went to a nearby park to pose for several sets of photos. Although she didn’t have Luo Xuange’s unique aura, Jiang Yihan’s years of practicing the flute had given her ample artistic sensibility, and the photos she posed for were quite striking.
From morning until past four in the afternoon, neither of them had time for lunch. The production team staff, who had been following them, were also hungry. They quietly reminded Luo Xuange and Jiang Yihan, “You can go back after you finish shooting.”
Jiang Yihan felt her stomach rumbling, eager to go back and have a good meal. However, after the production team received a call, they suddenly called the two to a spot out of the camera’s range and anxiously told them, “Sister Mu just called. Your roommate Meng Xiaomeng suddenly had an accident and has been sent to the hospital.”
“What happened?” Luo Xuange stepped forward, pressing the question: “What kind of accident did she have?”
The staff member relayed the difficult news to them: “We heard it was caused by a cosmetic allergy. The specific situation isn’t clear, but Sister Mu asked me to inform you, to see if you want to visit her at the hospital.”
Mu Ling was a sharp person. Naturally, she could tell that Luo Xuange and Meng Xiaomeng had a good relationship, and there was also the recent temporary notice from above to let Luo Xuange answer the phone. So Mu Ling didn’t plan to hide this from Luo Xuange and found someone to inform Luo Xuange to go to the hospital to understand the situation.
Luo Xuange was much calmer now, stating to the staff that she really wanted to go to the hospital to see the situation.
While the staff went to arrange a vehicle, Luo Xuange and Jiang Yihan stood still. Luo Xuange’s brows were tightly furrowed, and there was anger in her expression.
“Don’t worry, if it’s really a cosmetic allergy, even if she’s sent to the hospital, it’s not a big problem… it shouldn’t be a big problem,” Jiang Yihan tried to comfort Luo Xuange. However, Luo Xuange let out a cold laugh: “Let’s go to the hospital and see first.”
Luo Xuange didn’t believe it was just an ordinary cosmetic allergy; something was very suspicious about this matter.
When the two arrived at the hospital, they found Bai Liu sitting on a chair by the bedside, while Meng Xiaomeng lay in the bed, looking extremely weak.
Luo Xuange walked forward and saw that Meng Xiaomeng wasn’t resting; her face was just wrapped in layers of gauze, making it impossible to tell from a distance if she was asleep.
Sighing deeply, Luo Xuange asked, “How is the situation?”
“She was brought in quickly, nothing major,” Bai Liu whispered: “Oh, everyone was busy filming this morning, you didn’t have time to eat, did you?”
Jiang Yihan had been hungry for a long time, but after hearing about Meng Xiaomeng’s accident, the tension and worry made her unable to think much, so she could only follow Luo Xuange to the hospital on an empty stomach. Now, hearing Bai Liu mention it, her stomach rumbled loudly in response.
Bai Liu stepped forward and whispered into Meng Xiaomeng’s ear: “You rest well here. We’ll go out and get some food. If anything happens, be sure to call a doctor over, don’t just endure it, okay?”
Meng Xiaomeng stared blankly at the ceiling, not speaking. Bai Liu’s light laughter came through: “Wait for us to come back, be good.”
As Bai Liu followed Luo Xuange and Jiang Yihan out of the hospital room, Bai Liu finally couldn’t hold back and leaned against the corridor wall, tears instantly welling up.
Seeing this, Jiang Yihan frantically searched for tissues: “What’s wrong? Why are you crying? Didn’t you say she was fine?”
Although Jiang Yihan didn’t understand the situation, she spoke very softly.
Bai Liu remained silent, only silently weeping. Luo Xuange’s heart sank instantly: “Let’s go first, we’ll talk later.”
Bai Liu took the tissue Jiang Yihan offered, carelessly wiped the tears from her face, and left with the two of them.
Inside the elevator, Jiang Yihan anxiously asked: “What exactly is going on?”
“It was indeed a cosmetic allergy, but her face was covered in lemon juice, which burned her skin. The doctor said even if it heals, there will be marks on her face.” Bai Liu’s tone was cold, as if she were trapped beneath a layer of ice, desperate and desolate.
“So, Xiaomeng, she’s disfigured?!” Jiang Yihan shivered in fear. For any woman, disfigurement was an indelible nightmare.
However, after regaining her composure, Jiang Yihan looked at the two indignantly: “Why was her face covered in lemon juice? Was that also the makeup artist’s mistake?”
“Do you suspect anyone?” Luo Xuange asked Bai Liu. At this moment, the elevator door opened, and Zhang Manman, still in the dress Meng Xiaomeng had designed for her, appeared with an anxious expression on her face, while the camera behind her was still filming.
Seeing this, Luo Xuange and Jiang Yihan stepped forward, shielding the tear-stained Bai Liu. When the three of them exited the elevator, they stood opposite Zhang Manman and her group in the lobby.
It was at this moment that the photographer behind Zhang Manman apologized to the camera and then explained the need to close the live stream.
Once the camera was off, the anxiety on Zhang Manman’s face vanished without a trace. Jiang Yihan gritted her teeth in anger, seeing her smug expression.
Bai Liu squeezed past Luo Xuange and her side, about to question Zhang Manman, when Luo Xuange pulled her arm: “Don’t be impulsive.”
Suppressing her anger, Bai Liu, along with Luo Xuange and Jiang Yihan, turned and left.
“Let’s go.” The three left, but Zhang Manman and the accompanying photographer entered the elevator.
After a few steps, Luo Xuange suddenly stopped and turned back to look at the closed elevator doors: “At this time, Zhang Manman coming to the hospital probably has an ulterior motive.”
“Oh no, Xiaomeng is still in the hospital room.” Bai Liu panicked a little. What if Zhang Manman took advantage of Meng Xiaomeng’s injury to say something nonsensical to her? That would be bad.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take the stairs back. You two go buy food first,” Luo Xuange said, then ran towards the stairwell with a speed that left Jiang Yihan dumbfounded.
“You go eat first,” Bai Liu said to Jiang Yihan, then followed Luo Xuange, running off as well.
Jiang Yihan had a bewildered expression: “How can I even eat now?”
Then she broke into a run towards the elevator, silently weeping as she climbed: —Eleventh floor, oh my goodness!
When Jiang Yihan reached the tenth floor, she suddenly stopped, gasping for breath, and sat on the stairs, bewildered: “I… why didn’t I take the elevator?”
Actually, they could have just waited for the elevator and then taken it to the eleventh floor, but Bai Liu was anxious that Zhang Manman would go see Meng Xiaomeng, so she lost her composure, hence haste made waste.
As for Luo Xuange, she chose the stairs because her qinggong (lightness skill) was far faster and more convenient than a constantly stopping and rising elevator.
As for Jiang Yihan, she simply saw the two of them run off and instinctively followed suit.
At this moment, Luo Xuange pushed open Meng Xiaomeng’s hospital room door. Inside, only Meng Xiaomeng lay quietly on the bed, devoid of her usual spirited vitality, and unlike her usual self, she didn’t happily run over, link arms with Luo Xuange, and cheerfully call out, “Xuange, why are you back?”
Even when Meng Xiaomeng heard the movement at the hospital room door, she showed no interest in turning her head to look, still staring at the white ceiling with her empty, lifeless eyes.
Luo Xuange wasn’t good at comforting people, and she certainly didn’t want her kind intentions to backfire and make Meng Xiaomeng even sadder by saying the wrong thing. So, at this moment, she quietly sat by Meng Xiaomeng’s bed, waiting for Meng Xiaomeng to regain her vitality, and also waiting for Zhang Manman, who would soon enter.
Footsteps echoed outside the corridor. Luo Xuange leaned forward and whispered to Meng Xiaomeng, “Zhang Manman will be here soon.”
Luo Xuange wanted Meng Xiaomeng to be mentally prepared, but unexpectedly, Meng Xiaomeng reacted to these words, turning her head and staring intently at the door.
Suddenly, she remembered the sound of the doorknob. The next second, the door was pushed open, and Zhang Manman stood at the doorway with a smile, but her smile froze on her face when she saw Luo Xuange.
“Luo Xuange? You! How could you…” Zhang Manman stared at Luo Xuange in disbelief.
“I wasn’t at ease leaving Xiaomeng alone in the hospital room, so I came back to accompany her,” Luo Xuange intentionally softened her voice and tone: “What? Do you have a problem?”
Luo Xuange saw that there was no sign of the photographer beside her, and felt a faint unease. This woman seemed more complicated than she had thought.
Zhang Manman shook her head and quickly walked into the hospital room, approaching Meng Xiaomeng.
At this moment, Meng Xiaomeng stared at her with eyes full of hatred. Zhang Manman seemed to want to say something but refrained from speaking due to Luo Xuange’s presence.
“Miss Luo, can I have a private word with Xiaomeng?” Zhang Manman still couldn’t resist trying to get Luo Xuange to leave.
Luo Xuange didn’t reply directly. She glanced at Meng Xiaomeng, and seeing no reaction from her, she said to Meng Xiaomeng, “I’ll be right outside, I won’t go far. I can hear you if you call out loudly.”
Immediately after, Luo Xuange watched Zhang Manman without a word, the killing intent around her gradually spreading and becoming clear in the small hospital room.
Luo Xuange walked out of the hospital room. It wasn’t until the door closed that Zhang Manman escaped her fear. However, upon seeing Meng Xiaomeng lying on the hospital bed, she sat down by the bed in excellent spirits.
“Hiding from me? I don’t believe that even if you had an accident in front of everyone, she could still hide from me!” Zhang Manman stepped forward and stroked Meng Xiaomeng’s face through the gauze: “We’re clearly sisters, why are you and her not alike at all? Otherwise, I wouldn’t have tampered with your face.”
“Lunatic!” A woman’s figure suddenly appeared in Meng Xiaomeng’s mind. A woman who usually seemed as delicate as a little white flower, yet possessed an unimaginable delusion.
Meng Xiaomeng closed her eyes, trying hard to recall what happened that year. She had just graduated from high school then, and her sister, who debuted as a child star, was already a rising young star in the entertainment industry. That night, her sister’s film crew held a wrap-up party, and she happened to be at the same hotel for a class reunion. So that night, the two of them planned to go home together, but they were stopped by a girl in the hotel.
The girl’s face was filled with sorrow, crying helplessly about her sister’s infidelity in their love. Seeing the woman’s grief-stricken state, yet still kneeling before her sister to save their love, Meng Xiaomeng was incredibly moved. However, her sister secretly sent her a message, telling her that the girl was one of her fans, suffering from deep delusions, and to be careful and find an opportunity to run away.
That night, Meng Xiaomeng felt like she was on a roller coaster. Her little heart fluttered uneasily, and her nerves were taut all night. Even after that day, she lived in that shadow until she sought a psychologist for forced intervention, which finally alleviated some of her fear.
Five years passed, and Meng Xiaomeng had already forgotten about that night. But now, seeing Zhang Manman brought back that bloody memory.
Zhang Manman walked to the window, leaning against it and looking at the white clouds in the distant sky.
Suddenly, she asked Meng Xiaomeng, “Do I look like her?”
Meng Xiaomeng remained silent. She didn’t know how to answer Zhang Manman’s sudden, nonsensical question.
“I’m asking you, do I look like her?” Zhang Manman maintained her posture without any extra movements: “Bai Liu, do I look like her?”
Hearing this, Meng Xiaomeng’s eyes suddenly widened in shock. Yes, that’s right! Zhang Manman looked very much like Bai Liu. From their first meeting, she felt a strong resemblance. Both had the same aura; it was impossible to distinguish Zhang Manman from Bai Liu just by their backs.
The same hairstyle, the same clothing style.
Although Bai Liu gave her the impression of a cold and aloof person, when they interacted privately, Bai Liu was always gentle towards her, like an elder sister from next door.
And when she and Zhang Manman first teamed up, Zhang Manman also gave her that gentle, elder sister next door feeling.
Meng Xiaomeng’s breathing suddenly became shallow. What exactly was Zhang Manman trying to do by setting up such a grand scheme?
Was she delusional enough to think she was Bai Liu this time?
No, that’s not right!
Zhang Manman just mentioned her sister, which means Zhang Manman hasn’t forgotten her sister. So why would she deliberately try to imitate Bai Liu?
Meng Xiaomeng’s mind was in a mess. Looking at Zhang Manman’s back, she opened her mouth but ultimately said nothing.
She hated Zhang Manman. Even though she knew Zhang Manman was mentally ill at this moment, she still hated her. She hated her for committing unforgivable crimes against her sister, and she hated her for scheming against her and disfiguring her now.
“We look so alike, why doesn’t she like me? Is there anything else I’m not doing well enough?” Zhang Manman cried, leaning against the window and looking at the clouds in the sky, distorted by the wind.
Suddenly, as if her emotions had spiraled out of control, Zhang Manman walked to Meng Xiaomeng’s bedside: “Is it that there can only be one Bai Liu in this world? She shouldn’t be alive! Yes! With Bai Liu around, she will never notice me. Bai Liu shouldn’t be alive; she shouldn’t have come to destroy my love; she shouldn’t have stolen my lover!”
Outside the hospital room, Bai Liu’s hand was already on the doorknob, but she hesitated to open it, perhaps due to a sudden thought.
Luo Xuange beside her looked at her, puzzled: “Is the door locked from the inside?” As she asked, she secretly gathered her internal energy, as if she would smash the door with a palm strike if she received an affirmative answer.
“No,” Bai Liu said, as if making a great decision, and pushed open the door, walking in with Luo Xuange.
After the two entered, Zhang Manman’s face was etched with worry and anxiety. Looking at Meng Xiaomeng lying on the hospital bed, she said with concern and distress, “You must be obedient and cooperate with the doctor for your treatment. I’m leaving now, and I’ll come to see you when I have time.”
Hearing that concerned tone, indistinguishable from Bai Liu’s, a cold sweat broke out all over Meng Xiaomeng.
Luo Xuange had been pacing in the corridor, and she was worried about Meng Xiaomeng, so she had been carefully monitoring the situation in the room. Her powerful internal energy allowed her to hear Zhang Manman’s words clearly. However, while Luo Xuange could hear what they were saying, she still couldn’t understand what they meant.
It’s perfectly normal for Sect Leader Luo, with her terrifyingly low emotional intelligence, not to understand the love of a mentally ill person. This should not be used to discriminate against the Sect Leader.
Bai Liu didn’t bother to think about Zhang Manman’s change as Luo Xuange did, so she clearly noticed Meng Xiaomeng’s fear.
“Don’t be afraid, we’re all here,” Bai Liu was extremely gentle at this moment, but it sent a chill down Meng Xiaomeng’s spine, because a lunatic had spoken to her in that very tone not long ago.
After a long while, the hospital room door was pushed open again, and Jiang Yihan, sweating profusely and panting, bent over outside the door.
“Where’s Zhang Manman?” Jiang Yihan asked when she didn’t see the woman in the room.
“She left long ago,” Luo Xuange replied.
Jiang Yihan entered and found a random spot to sit down, her little heart beating faster and faster due to the strenuous exercise.
“So, what was all that climbing up and down for?” Jiang Yihan couldn’t help but wail for herself, which elicited a light chuckle from Meng Xiaomeng.
Seeing Meng Xiaomeng laugh, Jiang Yihan happily leaned closer: “Relax, you’ll be fine. A good mood helps wounds heal faster.”
“Mm,” Meng Xiaomeng responded softly. All three of them showed a slight smile.
Since the competition was still ongoing, the three couldn’t stay there indefinitely, especially since they had to film another video tomorrow to select the overall champion of the first round of auditions.
So, Luo Xuange and her two companions returned in the evening with the staff who came to visit Meng Xiaomeng.
In the dormitory, Luo Xuange had gone to bed early to rest, while Bai Liu had been in a dazed state ever since returning to the dormitory. Only Jiang Yihan, clutching her empty stomach, alternated between thinking of Meng Xiaomeng still lying in the hospital bed and thinking of various delicious foods. The more she thought, the hungrier she became, eventually self-loathing: Your roommate is seriously injured in the hospital, and all you’re thinking about is food! You heartless idiot, quickly forget those messy foods, sleep, sleep!
The last day of filming unexpectedly went smoothly. Coupled with the photo votes from the previous day, the champion of the first round of auditions was quickly chosen.
First Place: Luo Xuange
Second Place: Jiang Yihan
Third Place: Bai Liu
Fourth Place: Zhang Manman
Fifth Place: Shen Wenquan
In the first round of the competition, only one male contestant made it into the top five. Everyone felt a little regretful but also felt it was somewhat expected.
Soon, Luo Xuange received the mysterious grand prize prepared by the production team: the female lead role in a martial arts drama invested in and produced by An Corporation. Luo Xuange hadn’t had time to read the script carefully before simply packing her things with Jiang Yihan and Bai Liu, then heading to the hospital to visit Meng Xiaomeng.
…An Ruoshui rested at home all morning. In the afternoon, she learned that Luo Xuange’s competition had ended. She checked her phone for the competition rankings and, as expected, saw Luo Xuange ranked first.
An Ruoshui was in a very good mood, even happier than when she first landed a role.
An Ruoshui called Luo Xuange, but it took a while for the call to connect.
“Do you need something?” Luo Xuange was in a taxi, planning to visit Meng Xiaomeng at the hospital. With Jiang Yihan and Bai Liu sitting beside her, she couldn’t directly call out An Ruoshui’s name, so her tone inevitably sounded somewhat distant and cold.
Hearing this, An Ruoshui was stunned and asked, feeling a little unpleasant, “Can’t I call you if there’s nothing wrong?”
“Of course not. I’m very happy you called me. But I was afraid you might have encountered something to call me,” Luo Xuange awkwardly explained what was on her mind.
Although her tone was still as devoid of warmth and irritating as ever, An Ruoshui felt inexplicably delighted.
“Tomorrow is my birthday, will you come?” An Ruoshui asked with a hint of anticipation.
“Mm, I’ll come. Send me the address, and I’ll find you tomorrow.”
An Ruoshui didn’t answer directly. Instead, she said to Luo Xuange, “You’ve been in the competition for a week. Your home probably hasn’t been tidied up. Why don’t you come to my place to rest for two days before going back to sort things out?”
“No need, that’s too much trouble for you,” Luo Xuange said as the car stopped, opening the door: “We’ve arrived at the hospital. I’m getting out now. Goodbye.”
Suddenly, the call was disconnected. An Ruoshui stared blankly at her phone. Why go to the hospital? Is she sick or injured?
Just as she was about to call Luo Xuange back, she suddenly heard a knock on the door.
An Ruoshui opened the door, and her assistant Li Tian stood outside.
Li Tian entered and sat on the sofa. Looking at An Ruoshui, who sat opposite her, she said dutifully, “Boss, the casting for the new drama has been completed. The male lead is Han Yu. Although his acting skills are a bit lacking, he’s very popular and also very diligent, down-to-earth, and willing to learn. As for the second female lead, it’s Xu Ru. She debuted as a child star, and although her career hasn’t been very smooth in recent years, her acting skills have always been commendable in the industry. She can compensate for Han Yu’s shortcomings. With her, the overall quality of this drama will greatly improve.”
An Ruoshui frowned slightly: “Han Yu and Luo Xuange had some disputes before. Although I don’t know if they still remember that, I just feel it’s not very appropriate.”
“Boss, currently we don’t know if Luo Xuange has acting skills, or to what extent her acting skills are. With Han Yu, at least this drama won’t suffer from dismal low ratings,” Li Tian also hesitated, but for now, Han Yu was indeed the most suitable candidate.
An Ruoshui temporarily put aside the matter of Han Yu and then asked the next question: “What about Xu Ru? Debuted as a child star, when she was hugely popular, Luo Xuange might still have been in high school. Now Xu Ru is on a downward trend. I even saw Luo Xuange as a body double for Xu Ru before. Now they’re suddenly the lead and supporting female roles. I’m afraid…”
“Afraid Xu Ru will be jealous of Luo Xuange and do something irreversible?” Li Tian smiled: “I can’t guarantee anything with Han Yu, but I can be sure about Xu Ru. Although Xu Ru debuted as a child star and was hugely popular a few years ago, and now everyone sees her on a downward trend, do you still remember what her casual fans and crazy fans called her a few years ago?”
“Leng Yuhong.”
“Right, that was the first role she played after becoming an adult. It was also the role that made her hugely popular in the industry. Everyone thought she succeeded; as a celebrity, she certainly did. But as an actress, she failed.
Because for the next year or two, when people saw her, their first impression wasn’t Xu Ru, but Leng Yuhong. No matter what role she played, she couldn’t shake off that title.
In comparison, she failed in other roles, even more so than some supporting characters,” Li Tian smiled: “But recently? No matter who it is, their first impression of her is Xu Ru. When Leng Yuhong is mentioned, everyone’s first reaction is that it’s a role played by Xu Ru, not that it is Xu Ru. She successfully transitioned, which is also why she slowly withdrew from the front lines these past few years.
It’s not that she’s on a downward trend; it’s that she’s accumulating strength. Although she took on the second female lead role in this drama, Director Zhang put a lot of effort into persuading her.”
An Ruoshui didn’t quite understand all this. If some people had to struggle to reach the top, An Ruoshui was born at the top. With her brother, she didn’t need to think about such things. Ultimately, An Ruoshui had never been exposed to many things in this industry, nor did she need to be.
Li Tian saw that An Ruoshui was deep in thought. She thought for a moment and added: “Actually, Xu Ru is very dedicated. Since her debut, she has always performed her own stunts. However, something seemed to happen five years ago. At that time, I had several artists under me who were too troublesome, so I didn’t pay too much attention to that matter. By the time the storm passed, I couldn’t find the real truth even if I looked. But I heard that Xu Ru disappeared after attending a drama’s wrap-up party. Her agent did a great job with public relations at the time, and the public received the news that Xu Ru had been in a car accident, suffered serious injuries, and went abroad for treatment.
At that time, I had a writer friend collecting material at a mental health retreat abroad. She told me then that she saw a woman who looked very much like Xu Ru being admitted to the retreat. It was said that she had suffered a huge blow and developed severe psychological trauma, and in addition, a famous surgeon also moved in with her.
My friend said that the woman was seriously injured at the time. For a long time, she could be seen standing by the window looking at the scenery, but the doctors kept a close eye on her, fearing she might do something rash. Anyway, she was severely injured both mentally and physically. After the woman was discharged, news of Xu Ru’s comeback emerged three months later.
However, after that comeback, Xu Ru’s style changed significantly. Before, some people would jokingly say that I should be Xu Ru’s agent, because Xu Ru was once a powerhouse in the “gay-girl” circle, she played many lesbian roles, and successfully turned many people gay. Partnering with me might even lead to a utopia.”
At this point, Li Tian gave a self-deprecating smile, but before she finished, she took a sip of water and continued to explain to An Ruoshui: “After that comeback, Xu Ru never took on any more lesbian roles. And her agent publicly announced that her body recovered slowly after the car accident and she couldn’t over-exert herself, so Xu Ru no longer took on roles that involved intense physical activity. If it was unavoidable, she would use a body double. She even personally explained this on Weibo, and the hospital also provided proof that her body really couldn’t handle such heavy exercise.
At first, many people said Xu Ru cared more about money than her life, filming to earn money even though her body hadn’t recovered. Later, her agent exposed all her donations since her debut. Basically, every film’s remuneration was donated to charity. This also made everyone start guessing Xu Ru’s background. Of course, netizens’ guesses were all based on hearsay and couldn’t be counted without real proof.
So, the industry also says that Xu Ru is the only actress who uses a lot of body doubles and isn’t criticized but instead gains sympathy.”
An Ruoshui suddenly wanted to learn more about that person, not out of curiosity about the past story, but because she genuinely admired the other’s dedication and focus on acting.
“So, from my personal perspective. Xu Ru is a very smart person. She won’t destroy her career out of jealousy; she’ll only find ways within herself to become stronger and crush her opponents. This is entirely beneficial for Luo Xuange. And her willingness to withdraw from the front lines and gradually transform shows that she doesn’t value the so-called celebrity aura; what she wants is art. An actor’s dedication to character portrayal, I think very few people in the industry can surpass her in that regard,” Li Tian unconsciously felt a little proud. She had always been very accurate in judging people, especially women… though she didn’t know why, it was a fact.
The actresses whose future careers she had predicted had all developed in the direction she described. However, her judgment of male stars… well, Li Tian always felt that men were too cunning, which was why she often misjudged them!
“Since you think Xu Ru is very good, then let’s cast Xu Ru,” An Ruoshui was indeed not as skilled as Li Tian in this area. After all, Li Tian used to be a professional agent and had even managed eight artists with diverse styles, but all of whom were strong in acting and had stable careers. It was just a pity that they all retired from the industry later.
After this matter was settled, An Ruoshui received a text message.
Luo Xuange: [Send me the address.]
An Ruoshui suddenly remembered what Luo Xuange had said when she hung up the phone, so she messaged back, concerned.
An Ruoshui: [Are you at the hospital?]
Luo Xuange: [Mm, Xiaomeng got hurt. I’m here to see her.]
An Ruoshui’s mind immediately flashed to that naive, somewhat silly and sweet girl. Since she had only just finished filming yesterday, and had slept all morning today, plus the matter had been handled very well by PR, An Ruoshui had essentially received no news.
An Ruoshui was instantly puzzled. How could she have been injured and gone to the hospital right after the competition ended?
Having been an agent and assistant for so long, Li Tian still had some skill in reading expressions. Seeing An Ruoshui’s suddenly changed face, she quietly asked, “Is something wrong?”
“What? Foolish Xiaomeng had an accident?” Li Tian was startled. She thought highly of that girl. These past few days, she had only been busy arranging for the new drama and hadn’t been constantly following the competition as she used to. How could something suddenly have happened?
Although Li Tian was no longer an agent, being a sharp person, she hadn’t lost any of her previous network of contacts. In fact, being An Ruoshui’s assistant now, she had made a new circle of friends. So, after making a few phone calls, she understood the whole story.
“I heard it’s a cosmetic allergy, but the head office suppressed the news and even prepared PR. It seems this matter isn’t simple,” Li Tian explained the general situation to An Ruoshui and then made no further moves, quietly waiting for An Ruoshui to make a decision.
Li Tian was very astute. As an agent, she would discuss matters with her artists. But as an assistant, she concealed half of her sharpness, waiting for her employer to make a decision. If things went beyond her predictions, she would offer a reminder, but she would never interfere excessively. This was a crucial reason why An Junfeng could confidently entrust his sister to her.
A short while later, An Ruoshui received another message.
Luo Xuange: [When you use cosmetics, remember to be careful not to be allergic. You don’t need to pick me up, you should rest well.]
After reading the message from Luo Xuange, although the person’s sentence structure was a bit strange, and the two sentences seemed to come out of nowhere, An Ruoshui felt an inexplicable warmth in her heart and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
“Let’s go to the hospital to see,” An Ruoshui decided to go to the hospital to visit Meng Xiaomeng, to follow the development of the situation, and to pick up Luo Xuange along the way.
Her main purpose was to see Meng Xiaomeng; picking up Luo Xuange was just a convenient side trip. And she was only picking her up out of mercy because Luo Xuange was her friend. Absolutely not for any other reason. After all, Luo Xuange was her friend, and Luo Xuange was so foolish, so clumsy, and suspected of being directionally challenged. Her picking up Luo Xuange was just what a friend should do. Right! That’s it!—An Ruoshui self-hypnotized.
Author’s Note: My friend said that every time they read my writing, it’s joy mixed with deep, unsettling thoughts…
Me: …Can’t even argue with that.
It was mentioned earlier that Zhang Manman’s demeanor is very similar to Bai Liu’s, and it was also mentioned that Bai Liu knows Xiaomeng’s sister, and their tone suggests their relationship is quite good, even very familiar.
Of course, there are many hidden threads. Some small details that you might have felt were a bit off before but didn’t affect the main plot might be the hidden threads I’ve laid, and they will make sense as the truth gradually unfolds later.
Group number: 173202048