The Movie Queen’s Secret Stand-In Lover [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 5

Yuan Xiaoyuan, sitting in the back seat, scooted over slightly and waved, her eyes curving into crescents as she said, “Miss Zhou, do you recognize my voice?”

“Eh? So, you’re the Miss Yuan from the phone?” Zhou Ning immediately recognized it. Yesterday, she had already felt that the adorably sweet voice on the phone didn’t quite match Yuan Zhi’s easygoing yet slightly cool and glamorous “big sister” vibe. Now, she could finally put the voice to the person.

“That’s right. Sorry for tricking you earlier.” Yuan Xiaoyuan guiltily hunched her shoulders.

Zhou Ning shook her head, not the least bit embarrassed, and said, “I should be calling you my benefactor instead. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been so lucky as to get to work by Sister Zhi’s side. Right?”

“Ah…” Yuan Xiaoyuan’s already round eyes widened even further, momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

Why Sister Zhi had brought this Miss Zhou Ning to her side—Yuan Xiaoyuan had had an inkling last night. After all, the phone had been bought by her, the accommodation arranged by her, and even the notice to the finance department about transferring five million to purchase Miss Zhou Ning’s “artwork” had been sent by her.

Wasn’t this just… being kept? The whole “purchasing artwork” thing was just a front. The background check on Miss Zhou Ning had been something she’d rushed through overnight, too. But Miss Zhou Ning’s complete lack of hesitation about being kept… was honestly refreshing!

Zhou Ning, watching Yuan Xiaoyuan’s round face, round eyes, and even her mouth gaping in shock—all so adorably round—smiled even brighter. “Miss Yuan, you give me the exact same impression in person as you did over the phone. Super cute and super comforting.”

“Ah?” Cute and comforting? Yuan Xiaoyuan blushed at the praise, covering her cheeks and glancing shyly at Zhou Ning. “Not at all~ Someone as cheerful and lively as you, Miss Zhou, is way more comforting.”

“You can call me Ningning.”

“You can call me Xiao Yuan.”

“Haha, sure! Xiao Yuan, your skin is so nice—I can’t even see any pores up close.”

“It’s just foundation~ Ningning, your hair is so thick. Working with Sister Zhi day and night, I’m practically going bald from the stress.”

……

From City C to City A, the two of them spent the entire trip showering each other with compliments. By the time they got off the car, they were practically sisters from different parents.

Yuan Xiaoyuan said warmly, “I know City A really well. If you ever need anything in the future, whether work-related or personal, you can come to me. You saved my number, right?”

Zhou Ning nodded with a smile, then looked ahead at the luxury car driving into the underground parking lot and asked, “Are we here already?”

“Not yet,” Yuan Xiaoyuan explained. “We’re worried about reporters tailing us or taking sneaky photos, so Sister Zhi is going in first to switch cars before we take you to your place together.”

“Ohh.” Zhou Ning nodded in sudden understanding. The life of a big star really wasn’t easy—everything had to be done in secret. If it were her, she couldn’t handle it. If she were a celebrity, she’d probably live freely to the fullest, if it didn’t break the law or cross moral boundaries.

If she were a singer, she’d sing her heart out. If she were an actor, she’d act her best. If she were a variety star, she’d commit fully to being funny. As for her personal life? She’d do whatever she wanted. Wearing a tank top and flip-flops to stroll down the street—so what? If people stopped liking her for that, she couldn’t care less. She’d go wherever she pleased, and if people wanted to gawk, let them. She’d buy whatever she wanted—what was the point of earning money if not to spend it? If people called her extravagant or materialistic, so be it. At the end of the day, whoever spent their money got to enjoy it.

Real people are the most beautiful, after all!

Zhou Ning’s accommodation, arranged by Yuan Xiaoyuan, was in the distant suburbs—a newly developed residential area with few occupants, offering good privacy.

Staring at the lush green fields and rolling mountain lines in the distance, Zhou Ning found it hard to believe she was currently in the modern metropolis of City A.

“Which ring is this?” She was worried about finding a part-time job. The commute from here to downtown City A would take at least four hours! Although the price of her being “kept” had skyrocketed from the expected 50,000 to 5 million, what if her Sugar Daddy got tired of her one day? Besides, that huge sum hadn’t even landed in her hands yet. Having a stable job would still be better, no matter how much or little it paid.

Yuan Xiaoyuan curved her crescent-moon eyes and gestured an “eight” with her fingers.

Eighth ring, oh eighth ring, you’re one ring beyond the seventh. With mixed feelings, Zhou Ning pushed the car door open and stepped out.

Ahead of her, Yuan Zhi had just gotten out of the car as well. The bodyguard, Xing Feifei, held up a parasol and asked, “Would you like me to accompany you upstairs?”

Yuan Zhi put on a face mask and shook her head. “You and Xiao Yuan wait down here. I’ll take her up to go over a few things and come right back.” She took the parasol and walked unhurriedly to Zhou Ning’s side, her tone indifferent. “Follow me.”

“Got it!” Zhou Ning, ever the considerate one, immediately took the parasol from Yuan Zhi’s hands. Holding it up was a bit of a struggle. Compared to petite girls like Cai Sitian, her 164 cm height wasn’t exactly short. But next to Yuan Zhi, who was clearly over 170 cm, she was at a disadvantage—her arm had to stay raised high to ensure the parasol didn’t bump into her Sugar Daddy’s head.

Yuan Zhi was naturally slow-paced, but after catching Zhou Ning’s strained expression out of the corner of her eye, she smiled inwardly and quickened her steps slightly.

The rented apartment was on the 21st floor.

Inside the elevator, Yuan Zhi glanced at the floor buttons, then at Zhou Ning. “21.”

Zhou Ning hesitated for a moment before realizing Yuan Zhi’s intention—the renowned actress probably had a thing about cleanliness.

“Not cleanliness,” Yuan Zhi said, her soft and composed voice cutting through Zhou Ning’s thoughts as if she could read her mind. “I want you to press it yourself to help you remember. Of course, if you really can’t recall, you can always ask Xiao Yuan. But that girl’s workload is already heavy and varied—it’s best not to bother her with trivial matters if possible.”

“Mhm, mhm.” Last night, when Cai Sitian mentioned at the plaza how well Yuan Zhi treated her staff, Zhou Ning hadn’t paid it much mind. In her view, celebrities all had carefully crafted personas—rumors weren’t necessarily trustworthy, and photos could be staged. But now she truly believed it. If Yuan Zhi weren’t genuinely considerate, she wouldn’t have thought of such details.

Her Sugar Daddy really was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside.

Ding—

The elevator doors opened. A group of young men entered, chatting and laughing.

Without a word, Zhou Ning subtly shifted in front of Yuan Zhi, forming a human barrier between her and the strangers. Since the bodyguard wasn’t around, protecting her Sugar Daddy was now her responsibility! This was an upward-bound elevator—what were so many people doing crowding in halfway up? Betting on the same team in the World Cup finals? Clearly, they were up to no good!

Today, unless they stepped over her dead body, no one was getting close to her Sugar Daddy! Hmph!

Zhou Ning furrowed her brows, her expression solemn and resolute as she stared straight ahead.

A boy accidentally made eye contact with Zhou Ning and shivered, shuffling closer to his friend as he asked, “Are we not at the first floor yet? There’s a girl in the elevator who keeps glaring at us with this constipated look. Hope she’s not some creep!”

Ding—the elevator doors opened again.

“Still a way to go. We got on the wrong one—this is going up,” his friend said, pulling him along. “Let’s go. We’ll switch elevators on this floor.”

With so few residents in the building, the elevator was soon empty again except for the two of them.

Zhou Ning relaxed, smoothing down her ruffled feathers.

Yuan Zhi couldn’t help but smile slightly—had this kid just been trying to protect her?

Finally arriving at the door, Yuan Zhi casually tucked her hands into her hoodie pockets. “The passcode is 3399. You can change it if you don’t like it.”

“Mm-hmm.” Holding a parasol in one hand, Zhou Ning tapped on the keypad with the other. “Sister Zhi, can I change it to 0115?”

“Why ask me? This is your place.” Yuan Zhi’s mind wandered for a moment. January 15th—her publicly known birthday, and that person’s birthday.

Once inside, Zhou Ning gasped in delight. “Wow!” There were floor-to-ceiling windows covering two entire walls! And a huge balcony! The furniture and appliances were all brand-new and fully equipped.

Yuan Zhi sat down on the sofa with a faint smile. “Glad you like it. You can explore more after I leave. Let’s talk business first.”

“Okay!” Zhou Ning hopped over like a little rabbit and sat primly on the sofa next to Yuan Zhi, placing her hands on her knees and putting on a serious face. “Go ahead, Sister Zhi.”

“Money. My studio will pay you under the guise of purchasing artwork. You’ll handle your personal income tax, and my studio will cover the rest.” In a businesslike tone, Yuan Zhi pulled an art purchase contract from her bag. “This way, my expenses are justified, and your income is too.”

Zhou Ning took the contract, blinking in confusion. “Do I actually need to create something?”

“No. I’ve prepared the artwork for you.” Yuan Zhi chuckled as Zhou Ning meticulously read the contract line by line. “It’s a good habit to read before signing. But most people wouldn’t notice the nuances in legal jargon—better leave that to the professionals. If you’re unsure, you can redact my studio’s details and have a lawyer review it.”

Zhou Ning thought it over. She had neither wealth nor looks—no reason for a nationally renowned actress to go through such lengths to scam her. She pulled out a pen she’d bought on the way last night and signed her name in a flurry across every required line, then looked up with innocent enthusiasm. “Do I need a fingerprint? I didn’t buy ink, but I could try biting my finger.”

That’s how it always worked on TV—no need for Sugar Daddy to send someone over again for the contract. What if he changed his mind in the meantime? That’d be a total loss.

“Really not going to consult a lawyer?” Yuan Zhi produced a prepared inkpad from her bag.

“Nah.” Zhou Ning grinned, half-flattering, half-sincere. “I’m great at reading people—I know Sister Zhi wouldn’t trick me. Besides, there’s nothing about me worth tricking.”

Yuan Zhi took back the contract signed and fingerprinted by Zhou Ning, speaking in a knowing tone, “Even the best judge of character can misread someone. Be more careful in the future. As agreed, the five million will be transferred to you by tomorrow at the latest.”

Zhou Ning nodded with a calm and obedient expression, though inside she was bursting with excitement. Five million! If she had that kind of money in her past life, she wouldn’t have died young!

But she couldn’t help worrying for Yuan Zhi: “Sister Zhi, aren’t you afraid I’ll run off with the money if you give it all to me upfront?” If it were her, she’d probably pay monthly—or even weekly—to control the risk.

Yuan Zhi gave Zhou Ning a half-smile. “It’s fine. I’m a good judge of character.”

“Heh heh.” In her good mood, Zhou Ning couldn’t resist joking, “But didn’t you just say even the best judge can misread someone?”

“Oh. Good point.” Yuan Zhi narrowed her beautiful eyes. “Then let’s change the first payment to ten thousand. Even hiring an employee comes with a probation period, right?”

Zhou Ning’s smile instantly collapsed. Pride really does come before a fall. She cursed her big mouth and could’ve slapped herself twice.

“Just teasing. Didn’t you read the contract? I’ll be traveling abroad for work in a few days. If I want to see you when I return, Xiao Yuan will notify you in advance.” Yuan Zhi picked up her bag, gazing at Zhou Ning with a bittersweet smile. “The more I look, the more you resemble her.”

Hearing it was just a joke, Zhou Ning’s mood bounced back instantly. Beaming, she tilted her face up to give her Sugar Daddy a clearer view.

Hmm… Yuan Zhi felt the melancholic atmosphere shattered by Zhou Ning’s grin. When expressionless, Zhou Ning bore an uncanny resemblance to that person—but once her features started moving, the likeness vanished. In the end, their resemblance was purely superficial; their temperaments were entirely different.

“I’m leaving. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the surroundings.” Yuan Zhi bent to pick up the umbrella from the coffee table.

Zhou Ning snatched it up first, bouncing cheerfully. “I’ll walk you down.”

For some reason, Yuan Zhi felt a pang of sadness. Did Zhou Ning actually want her gone as soon as possible? Money could buy a person, but not their heart. Not that she cared about Zhou Ning’s heart—in a way, both were just actors.

What’s the worst thing for an actor? Getting lost in the role! But she was a professional—she could immerse herself in the act and step out of it just as easily.