The Movie Queen’s Secret Stand-In Lover [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 19

Zhou Ning stood blankly outside the hotel for a while.

 

The film crew had suddenly called, asking Sun Mingyue to return to the set to reshoot some scenes from last night. Could night scenes even be reshot during the day? She wasn’t sure. Originally, she had planned to wait for Sun Mingyue to finish before going out together, but Sun Mingyue said the shoot might take an unpredictable amount of time and insisted she shouldn’t wait.

 

So, the tower visit would have to be a solo trip. Still, she promised Sun Mingyue that once she reached the top, she’d record the breathtaking view overlooking most of Y City and send it to her.

 

After finally taking the subway to the attraction, Zhou Ning’s spirits sank when she saw the sign at the entrance.

 

“Tower under maintenance. Reopening date to be announced. We apologize for the inconvenience!”

 

She wasn’t the only disappointed one. Many tourists who had come specifically for the tower were sighing in frustration, and a few with shorter tempers were grumbling loudly.

 

“Don’t get too upset, folks,” the security guard in the booth said cheerfully. “Honestly, there’s not much to see up there anyway—just height. The tallest spot around here isn’t even this tower. It’s the 98th floor of the Shiyuan Tower in Central City. Rumor has it you can see all of Y City from up there.”

 

A middle-aged man snapped, “Nonsense! A ticket for this tower only costs 20 bucks. The observation deck at Shiyuan Tower is 280, and the rooftop restaurant has a minimum spend of 2,000 per person. What kind of family would drop that much cash just for an aerial view?”

 

Listening nearby, Zhou Ning felt a spark of inspiration. She had promised Sun Mingyue she’d capture that sweeping cityscape—she couldn’t back out now! The 280-yuan ticket for Shiyuan Tower’s observation deck? She’d just splurged on a 388-yuan luxury buffet this morning… less than the cost of a meal. Worth it!

 

As one disappointed crowd left the attraction, another quickly took its place.

 

Zhou Ning squeezed through the throng with difficulty and opened a ride-hailing app, setting Shiyuan Tower as her destination. This was more reliable—what if she hailed a cab and ended up at some knockoff “Shiyuan Tower”? The subway was out of the question. Not only had she spent half of last night kneeling during filming, but she’d also stood the entire ride here. Another round of standing might just finish her legs off.

 

Shiyuan Tower arrived in no time.

 

Ride-hailing was fast—no downsides except the wallet-stinging price.

 

As she reached the observation deck’s ticket counter, Zhou Ning hesitated at the sight of the overwhelming crowd ahead.

 

“Is it always this busy?” she asked the ticket attendant in surprise.

 

The attendant smiled. “Not usually. Word is the ancient tower is under maintenance, so a lot of tourists who came all this way for the historic sites decided to visit us instead.”

 

True. Like her.

 

While Zhou Ning wavered, someone behind her snapped impatiently, “Hey, are you buying or not?”

 

“Not for now,” she apologized with a smile before stepping out of line and heading toward the elevators. The place was packed—she couldn’t even get near a window.

 

Inside the elevator, Zhou Ning hesitated again—up or down?

 

Up meant gritting her teeth and spending 2,000 yuan on a meal for the sake of an unobstructed view.

 

Just endure it a little longer—maybe the tower will be repaired tomorrow? Or perhaps Sun Mingyue will finish filming, and they can go up the tower together again? Tickets for the ancient tower are only 40 yuan for two people! Even with snacks like melon seeds, peanuts, candy, and soda, it still wouldn’t exceed 100 yuan!

 

But 2,000 yuan for a meal? Although it wasn’t beyond her current financial means, it far exceeded her psychological tolerance. She had been poor for two lifetimes, accustomed to a frugal life where every penny was stretched to its limit. She truly couldn’t adapt overnight to such a decadent and extravagant lifestyle.

 

But life is all about trying new things… Maybe she should give it a try?

 

With trembling hands, Zhou Ning pressed the button for the 98th floor.

 

It was a little past ten on a clear spring morning, with the sun just rising. The top floor was surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows and crowned with a glass dome, allowing warm sunlight to pour in from all directions, illuminating the restaurant brightly. However, perhaps because it was still early, there were only a handful of guests scattered around.

 

Zhou Ning chose a table by the window.

 

Wow—it was so high up! She could take in the dense forest of skyscrapers around the city center, as well as the distant, winding river like a jade ribbon and the layered, rolling mountains resembling treetops.

 

“What would you like to order, miss?” A waitress approached with a smile.

 

“Anything. What’s the cheapest?” Zhou Ning glanced excitedly out the window. “I just had breakfast—I’m mainly here for the view.”

 

The waitress smiled and explained, “Our minimum order is the tea and dessert set. Light tea paired with sweets—perfect for enjoying the scenery. It’s priced at 1,999 yuan. If you’d like, you can swap the tea for coffee or another beverage, but the price remains the same.”

 

“Tea is fine. Thank you.” Zhou Ning eagerly pulled out her phone and started recording a video of the view to send to Sun Mingyue.

 

“Actually…” the waitress said warmly, “if you’d like to capture the scenery, the small terrace above the dome offers the best vantage point. You can film all around within a small walking radius. For safety reasons, we don’t allow guests up there at night, but since it’s daytime now, I can take you to the private elevator after your meal if you’d like to go up.”

 

“Really? Thank you!” Zhou Ning exclaimed in delight.

 

“You’re welcome.”

 

The tea and desserts arrived. Before digging in, Zhou Ning first held up her teacup for a selfie against the backdrop of the floor-to-ceiling window.

 

She then posted it in her family and friends group chat with the caption: First time eating somewhere this high—feels amazing! Everyone should come visit Y City when you have time!

 

As for whether Zhou Feipeng immediately jumped in or said something snarky, she didn’t care. With such a stunning view before her, she couldn’t be bothered to engage in verbal sparring to defend the original owner’s honor.

 

Zhou Ning took a small sip of tea, savoring it carefully—but couldn’t discern anything special. Was she just a country bumpkin unable to appreciate fine things? The tea tasted rather ordinary.

 

Then she took a tiny bite of the dessert… Good heavens! It was unbearably sweet! This little thing cost as much as gold, yet it tasted this awful?

 

She quickly washed it down with tea. Strangely enough, the tea, which had seemed mediocre earlier, now tasted like the finest delicacy. Brilliant! What a heavenly pairing.

 

Compared to the shabby little tea set from 1999 in front of her, Zhou Ning suddenly felt the 388-yuan luxury breakfast buffet was incredibly affordable, with generous portions and unbeatable value. Indeed, everything is relative when compared!

 

The food might have been disappointing, but the view was truly spectacular.

 

Making the most of the scenery and her tea, Zhou Ning resolved not to waste anything and forced down every bite of the pastries. Fighting back the urge to gag from the overwhelming sweetness, she stood up and politely asked the waitress from earlier, “Excuse me, would you mind showing me to the elevator now?”

 

“Of course. Right this way, miss,” the waitress replied, tucking the order slip she’d been writing into her apron before leading Zhou Ning to the massive hollow pillar at the restaurant’s center. “Here we are,” she said, pressing the elevator button for Zhou Ning.

 

“Thank you,” Zhou Ning smiled gratefully as she stepped into the elevator, full of anticipation.

 

The direct ascent from the top floor to the rooftop was less than ten meters – over in the blink of an eye.

 

Emerging from the elevator, Zhou Ning took in the five-meter-square rooftop at a glance. Clearly not set up for formal guests, it was scattered with miscellaneous items. She had barely taken two steps along the edge to admire the view when she noticed a man in black clothes leaning against the railing.

 

“Here for the view too?” Zhou Ning greeted him cheerfully.

 

The man turned at the sound of her voice, giving her an indifferent glance.

 

Never one to be easily embarrassed, Zhou Ning continued brightly, “The perspective up here is so much better than downstairs, isn’t it?”

 

Ignoring her, the man braced his hands on the railing and casually swung one leg over the not-particularly-high concrete barrier, as if preparing to climb over.

 

What on earth? Zhou Ning froze momentarily as the man made his move. Snapping back to attention, she thrust out a staying hand. “Wait!”

 

The man paused, looking at her quizzically.

 

Zhou Ning’s heart pounded wildly. What to do, what to do? She frantically asked herself. How do you handle a suicide attempt? There wasn’t time to go downstairs for help. Making a scene might draw people up, but it could also push this determined man over the edge – literally!

 

Better establish rapport first!

 

“Brother! I didn’t expect to meet another jumper here!” Zhou Ning wiped at her eyes, tears welling up dramatically.

 

The man’s face registered shock as he slowly withdrew his leg from the railing.

 

“Yes! I came here to jump too,” Zhou Ning pressed her advantage, gazing sorrowfully into the distance. “I lied about the view because I thought you might stop me. Who knew we were kindred spirits?”

 

Rapport established – now for tragic backstories and persuasion opportunities.

 

“By the way, brother, if you don’t mind me asking… what brought you to this point?” Zhou Ning cautiously edged two steps closer.

 

The man silently watched her, then raised his hands in gesture.

 

Ah… this man was mute? No wonder he wanted to end it all. Life must be incredibly hard for someone with disabilities.

 

“Big bro, I don’t understand sign language, but I can grasp what you’re trying to express. Yeah, life’s tough!” Zhou Ning recalled her past life: “Who doesn’t have it hard? Everyone has their own struggles. Take me for example—born with an illness, and my family couldn’t afford treatment.” To drive her point home, she removed her wig with a pained expression: “Look at my head—lost all my hair from chemotherapy!” Thinking of the original owner’s experiences, she added indignantly: “And my biased mother only doted on my brother, treating me like a slave. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been driven to jump off a building!”

 

The mute man’s face showed a hint of sympathy as he gestured extensively again.

 

Zhou Ning couldn’t comprehend any of it, but that didn’t matter. She abruptly shifted her tone: “But after seeing such magnificent scenery today, even my darkest thoughts have cleared. So, what if life’s hard? Maybe if we endure a little longer, things will turn around. Who stays unlucky forever? Don’t you agree?”

 

The mute man nodded repeatedly, made another series of gestures, then lifted his foot onto the railing again.

 

“Wait a minute!” Zhou Ning had thought she’d talked him out of suicide, but his attitude seemed to say You make good points, so could you shut up and let me die in peace?. He was determined!

 

The mute man froze, looking at Zhou Ning in confusion again.

 

“First come first served, but ladies first, right? Let me go first, okay?” Zhou Ning decided to buy time to secretly call the police. Seeing the man’s shocked expression, she reasoned: “I’m timid—if I see your dead body after you jump, I might get too scared to follow through! Please, let me go first!”

 

The mute man shook his head vigorously. He withdrew his foot, pulled out his phone, quickly typed a message, and used text-to-speech: “Young lady, live well. Like you said, everything passes.”

 

“Then why don’t you live well too?” Zhou Ning countered pleadingly: “If you believe everything passes, why not keep living?”

 

The mute man typed back: “I’m not trying to die—you are.”

 

Now it was Zhou Ning’s turn to be confused: “Then why were you climbing the railing?”

 

“To clean bird droppings off the glass.” After typing, the man reached outside the railing and retrieved a safety harness.

 

“Oh…” Zhou Ning laughed awkwardly: “So it was a misunderstanding… carry on then.”

 

The mute man gave Zhou Ning a concerned look, hesitating to proceed.

 

Zhou Ning laughed heartily: “Don’t worry, I’m not jumping. I was just pretending to relate to you and talk you out of it.”

 

Nodding, the mute man stepped over the railing into his safety harness and began diligently cleaning the glass with an extendable mop from his belt.

 

Relieved, Zhou Ning returned to enjoying the view. The sunlight was perfect as she slowly circled the rooftop edge, phone in hand. After recording, she didn’t leave immediately—having spent nearly 2000 yuan to get up here, she intended to enjoy every moment!

 

Zhou Ning, with a full belly and a cheerful mood, leaned against the railing, squinting slightly as she basked in the sun. When she got tired of sunbathing, she took out her phone to browse for a while, occasionally jotting down some important notes about Sugar Daddy that she found online in her notebook. She specifically prepared a handwritten notebook because typing notes directly into her phone was too cumbersome, requiring her to constantly exit the webpage.

 

For example, “Sister Zhi’s Astrological Chart,” “Sister Zhi’s Top 10 Recommended Films for Women,” “Sister Zhi’s Late March Schedule,” and so on. To avoid suspicion, she wrote everything in the notebook from the perspective of an adoring fan. That way, even if the notebook was accidentally lost and picked up by someone, there was no fear of exposing her relationship with Sugar Daddy.

 

Even after the mute janitor finished cleaning the bird droppings off the dome glass and left, she remained on the rooftop. Whether it was psychological or not, she felt the sunlight up high seemed warmer than on the ground—so warm it made her drowsy.

 

“Someone’s here,” a girl’s voice came from behind.

 

Zhou Ning opened her sun-dazzled eyes and glanced toward the elevator exit, where two girls around her age had arrived. One had short straight hair, the other long curly hair.

 

The girl with long curly hair cautiously approached. “Hello, miss. Could you take a photo for us?”

 

“Sure,” Zhou Ning replied with a smile, taking the phone handed to her.

 

They said they only needed one photo, but once they started, there was no end to it—different angles, different poses. Zhou Ning didn’t mind at all; the two girls were so sweet, their flattery making her beam with delight.

 

The girl with short straight hair pointed at the railing. “I want to stand on it for a photo.”

 

The other girl immediately shook her head. “No! It’s too dangerous.”

 

Zhou Ning nodded in agreement. “Yeah, the railing isn’t narrow, but if you lose your balance, you could easily fall.”

 

“Then, Linlin, you hold me, and I’ll just sit on it for a photo, okay?” Before anyone could object, the short-haired girl nimbly hopped onto the railing.

 

The other girl quickly ran over and tightly grasped her hand, nervously saying to Zhou Ning, “Could you take one last photo for us, please?”

 

“Sure.” Zhou Ning raised the phone to take the shot when suddenly a gust of wind blew, making her eyes water. She adjusted her wig, blinked a few times, and finally regained her focus, ready to press the shutter.

 

Another gust came—stronger this time. The rooftop was high, and the wind made them sway unsteadily.

 

“Ahhh—” The girl sitting on the railing suddenly screamed as she toppled backward.

 

“Ahhh—” The other girl shrieked too, and in her panic, she let go of her friend’s hand.

 

Zhou Ning threw the phone aside and lunged forward, desperately grabbing the short-haired girl’s legs just before she completely fell. She tried pulling her up but couldn’t budge her. Hurriedly, she shouted at the still-frozen long-haired girl, “I can’t do it alone! Come help!”

 

The long-haired girl was trembling all over, tears streaming down her face. “My hands have no strength… What do we do? Tingyu’s going to die…”

 

“Then go downstairs and get help! Hurry, I can’t hold on much longer!” Half of Zhou Ning’s body was draped over the railing—not only could she not pull the girl up, but she was also at risk of being dragged down herself.

 

The restaurant manager, upon hearing about the incident on the rooftop, quickly pulled out his phone and gathered a few male waiters to head upstairs together.

 

The male waiters were responsible for the rescue, while the restaurant manager pretended to be a customer, snapping photos and narrating: “How terrifying! I was at the rooftop restaurant of Shiyuan Tower when suddenly someone tried to jump off the building. Luckily, a brave…” He glanced at Zhou Ning’s bald head, gleaming under the sunlight after her wig was blown off by the strong wind, and hesitantly added, “monk? Saved them.”

 

The video was promptly sent by the restaurant manager to a journalist he knew.

 

The reporter sensed the potential for a viral headline and immediately drove over.

 

Zhou Ning was being warmly entertained by the restaurant manager, sipping on a not-so-tasty sparkling water. The two frightened young girls sat across from her, hugging each other and sobbing uncontrollably.

 

“Miss Zhou, this is Reporter Liu from the provincial TV station,” the restaurant manager introduced, leading over a poised woman in her thirties. “Reporter Liu heard about your heroic act and would like to interview you.”

 

Zhou Ning was bewildered. The provincial TV station? She had just come down from the rooftop—how had the news spread so fast? But since the reporter had come all this way, she might as well answer a few questions. Leaving a record of this might even help her job search in the future. “Of course. Reporter Liu, feel free to ask anything.”

 

Reporter Liu glanced at the two weeping girls and asked gently, “Could one of you describe what happened?”

 

The long-haired girl wiped her tears and said, “I’ll explain. Tingyu almost fell off the building—it was terrifying. We were taking photos on the rooftop earlier…”

 

Reporter Liu nodded frequently as she listened to the account. “That’s so dangerous! You must be more careful!” After hearing the full story, she turned to Zhou Ning. “How did you react so quickly in such a short time?”

 

“I don’t know,” Zhou Ning answered honestly. “Maybe people naturally gain a burst of strength in emergencies?”

 

Reporter Liu smiled and nodded. “I heard you held on alone for a long time? And even risked falling yourself? What were you thinking at that moment?”

 

Zhou Ning sighed deeply. “I was thinking… what if I really fell? I hadn’t even spent my savings yet.” A few million! If she hadn’t made a will, wouldn’t Sun Lixiang and Zhou Feipeng benefit from it? Life was unpredictable—she’d better draft a will as soon as she returned to City A.

 

“Uh…” Reporter Liu chuckled awkwardly and turned to the others. “Let’s interview the staff who witnessed the scene first.”

 

The mute brother gestured excitedly.

 

The restaurant manager interpreted his gestures in real time. “He says Miss Zhou is a kind-hearted person. Earlier, when he was cleaning the windows upstairs, she thought he was suicidal and tried everything to talk him out of it.”

 

“Oh?” Reporter Liu’s eyes lit up. “Come, come, tell us more about what happened.” To avoid disturbing the girl who had nearly fallen—now recovered enough to thank Zhou Ning repeatedly—she led the mute brother and the restaurant manager to another corner.

 

The interview lasted until the afternoon, and Zhou Ning even enjoyed a complimentary lunch at the restaurant. The parents of the girl who had almost fallen also arrived, expressing endless gratitude and offering her a reward. She overheard others mention that the girl, Tingyu, came from the family that owned the largest real estate company in Y City.

 

That made sense. At a place where a meal cost at least two thousand, aside from someone like her who was there to broaden her horizons, the majority were probably wealthy people.

 

It wasn’t that she was unwilling to accept compensation—after all, she had risked her life to save someone. The problem was that the girl’s parents kept insisting she name any amount, which made her feel awkward. Were this how rich people usually behaved? Couldn’t they just offer a sum outright? Even three or five hundred would be fine—it wasn’t like she’d complain it was too little.

 

The girl’s parents had another request: could her name be left out of the interview? Climbing onto the railing for a photo was a reckless move, and it had nearly gotten her killed. If word got out online, the girl would face backlash. But that wasn’t something she could decide—the parents would have to negotiate with Reporter Liu. It should be possible, right? News reports usually required the subject’s consent anyway.

 

Reporter Liu was on the phone with the station’s director: “Chief, the interview is done, and it’s got some real substance. That girl comes from a poor background, with a biased biological mother and a terminal illness. Despite all that, she harbors no hatred for the world and still treats it with kindness. I have an idea—what do you think?

 

“A notebook fell out of that girl’s pocket and someone picked it up. It was filled with notes about Yuan Zhi—probably one of her little fans. Yuan Zhi has an event coming up in our city Y, right? How about we organize a live show and invite Yuan Zhi to surprise that girl, Zhou Ning?”

 

“Just think about it. A girl with a tragic fate, taking her idol as a role model, treating the world with goodwill, risking her life to save others… How touching!”

 

 

During a makeup touch-up break, Sun Mingyue giggled at the video Zhou Ning had sent her, quickly typing a reply: “The view is amazing. The night scenery must be even prettier.”

 

“For safety reasons, they don’t let people up there at night.” Zhou Ning, constantly surrounded by people, had seized a rare chance to hide in the restroom for a breather. “You know what? Today, someone almost fell off the rooftop trying to take a photo. The restaurant probably won’t let anyone up there anymore.”

 

Sun Mingyue continued typing: “You said ‘almost,’ so nothing bad happened, thankfully. But it’s a shame if no one can go up there again.”

 

Yuan Zhi shot Sun Mingyue a cold glance, mentally adding another grievance to the list she intended to settle with Zhou Ning.

 

Before Zhou Ning could chat much longer with Sun Mingyue, there was a knock at the door.

 

“Miss Zhou, are you in there?” It was Reporter Liu’s voice.

 

“Yes,” Zhou Ning replied.

 

Through the door, Reporter Liu said excitedly, “Our TV station would like to invite you to participate in a live program, mainly to honor your heroic act. Just between us, there’s a surprise waiting for you~”

 

Zhou Ning’s mind raced. Appearing on TV would make her semi-famous—not only making job hunting easier but, most importantly, it would infuriate Sun Lixiang and Zhou Feipeng!

 

“A provincial TV program?” Zhou Ning pretended to flush the toilet and probed further. If it were just a city station, Sun Lixiang and Zhou Feipeng wouldn’t see it.

 

“Of course,” Reporter Liu laughed. “If you agree, I’ll go arrange it right away?”

 

Zhou Ning opened the door and nodded shyly. Reporter Liu mentioned a surprise—could it be a huge cash reward from the station? Hahahaha… Even if it wasn’t cash, a prize would be fine too.