Chapter 45

She asked, “What happened?”

It actually wasn’t that she wanted to cover for her friend, she just thought that Wu Xue wouldn’t cheat.

Liu Minghao’s family was average, his wage was not high either. In the past whenever they had holidays, Wu Xue would put a lot of money into buying all sorts of health products for his parents. Even more, when Liu Minghao’s elder brother got married, Wu Xue helped give a sum of money to the Liu family. But although it was Liu Minghao who asked, it was also Wu Xue who willingly gave the money, so it wasn’t on either of them.

Wu Xue used to have a few male celebrities under her too, and she never had anything more than a working relationship with anyone. To put it simply, Su Yi didn’t know whether Wu Xue loved Liu Minghao, but she knew that she was very serious about her relationship.

Wu Xue went silent for a moment and said, “I can’t explain this over the phone, I’ll talk about it when I’m back in Shanghai.”

The sound of the airport broadcast could be heard through the phone. Su Yi looked at the time. “It’s just eight, you’re coming back?”

“Yeah,” Wu Xue said. “I’ve settled what I have to and you have no assistant. Okay, I’m hanging up, I’m boarding.”

When Chu Ying stepped out after washing up, he saw her staring at the phone. “What is it?”

“Nothing.” Su Yi remembered then that they had to go get breakfast. She got up and took her clothes out of the wardrobe. “Wait for me to change, go call Chu Xi, she’s in room 1212, I’ll be there at once.”

Chu Ying frowned. “We’re not taking her.”

His words had only just landed when the doorbell rang.

Chu Xi skipped her way in and said, “Su Yi, that like was too cool!”

Chu Ying said, “Call her Sister-in-law.”

“… Sister-in-law.”

Su Yi had already changed and was putting her hair up in a ponytail in the bathroom. “You might not believe it, but it really was a mistake.”

Chu Xi smiled. “Now that this happened, it might worry that old granny to death.”

Knowing who she meant, Su Yi calmly said. “This was just one celebrity in the company getting into trouble. It’s not reached that level yet, she has plenty of celebrities under her.”

The industry was just this cruel. If there was a scandal the company could salvage, they’d try; but if not they’d simply let go, allowing you to sink slowly under the water. But this scandal had involved Wu Ke and his company clearly didn’t want to give him up, so it wasn’t impossible for Tu Jinglan to get out cleanly.

While chatting, they had left the hotel and entered a porridge shop.

Su Yi drank a bit of the porridge and asked the person beside her, “When are you going back?”

Chu Ying ruffled her hair and had yet to reply when the phone on the table rang.

He glanced at the caller id, then took the phone with him, only picking up after leaving the shop.

Seeing that he had left Chu Xi said softly, “I saw the id, it’s my father, that’s definitely a call to hurry him back home.”

Su Yi distractedly continued drinking the porridge after responding with only an ‘Uh-huh’.

Seeing her this way, Chu Xi couldn’t help asking, “Do you know why?”

“No.”

“In a few days Yang Ruolin’s grandfather is celebrating a big birthday,” Chu Xi said. “I heard that the Yang family specifically made the call saying they want to see my brother.”

Su Yi raised her eyes. “What for?”

“He wants my brother to reminisce about his childhood with their little grand-daughter, of course.”

Su Yi raised a brow but said nothing.

Chu Xi caught on. “Is it really upsetting having a long-distance relationship?”

“About all right.” Su Yi leant back, her lips faintly curved. “Occasionally we have some fun we usually wouldn’t have … you’re still young, you won’t understand.”

When Chu Ying came in, Su Yi had already finished eating, but there was more than half the bowl of porridge left.

He sat down and asked, “Why did you eat so little?”

Su Yi said, “I’m full, the portion’s pretty huge here. When are you planning to go back?”

“We’re going back in the afternoon, there’s something last minute in the company.”

He had originally planned to return to Beijing only a few days later but Chu Father called just now asking him to return and discuss about splitting the company.

After breakfast, Chu Ying drove the two to the set.

Chu Ying parked and said, “Chu Xi, get off first.”

Chu Xi said, “No, I want to wait for my sister-in-law.”

“GO.”

Chu Xi could only get off angrily.

When she saw she had gotten a little far away, Su Yi unfastened her seatbelt and leant over to kiss the guy beside her.

“I wanted to help you shave this morning.” She rubbed against his chin. “Pity there’s no blades in the hotel.”

“Go buy one.”

“Hmm?” She looked at him puzzled.

“For next time.” Saying so he reached out and grabbed the body about to retreat from him and kissed her again.

Five minutes later, when Su Yi got off the car, her ears were completely red. Waving, she said, “Drive carefully.”

“Okay.”

Only when the car had driven off did the Chu Xi lingering around come up to her and said, “Why are you guys so slow!”

The car windows were tinted such that it’s impossible to see clearly what was happening inside from outside.

Su Yi didn’t reply and instead asked, “Why didn’t you go in first?”

“Isn’t it that I’m afraid for you,” Chu Xi said. “After that thing on Weibo yesterday, I’m afraid that Wu Ke would come trouble you.”

“Fretting about nothing.” Su Yi raised a hand and messed up her hair. “Let’s go.”

Su Yi half-struggled as they entered the set together.

Wu Ke was already there. His expression wasn’t too good – it was obvious he hadn’t slept last night. He was silently listening to Li Min explain the scenes. Seeing Su Yi, he snorted coldly once but said nothing.

Su Yi didn’t look at him either, only greeting Li Min. “Director, morning.”

They had already clearly torn apart their fake relationship, only the silly one would continue caring about something like politeness.

“Morning.” Li Min silently swept a gaze across the two of them and said, “You’re here early today.”

“Yeah, I’ve nothing to do in the hotel anyway, I might as well come to see the new script.”

“There’s not too many changes to the new script actually. Only your scenes with Wu Ke were changed.” Li Min passed her the new script. “A few lines and some expressions, that’s all, can we film later, or do you need more time?”

“No need, I just need a moment.” Su Yi looked at the schedule. “There are two hours, it’s enough.”

Li Min nodded. “Okay.”

The peace lasted until the make-up room.

Su Yi re-opened the script and looked at it. Just as Li Min said, the changes weren’t very significant. Only a few lines were changed for today’s script, enough for her to re-memorise it.

When Wu Xue came in, Su Yi was doing her eyeliner. The make-up artist drawing her eyeliner was startled by the sound of the door opening, as a result, the line went all the way to her eyebrow.

“Sorry, I’m sorry … I was startled.”

“It’s fine.” Su Yi opened her eyes and strangely enough thought that the line looked quite fun. She randomly took a photo and sent it to Chu Ying.

Wu Xue was tired mentally and physically. Carrying the few bags in her hand, she sat down next to Su Yi.

Su Yi glanced at her hand. “What did you bring, big and small bags*.”

[*A saying, literally ‘big bag small bag’, referring to having a lot of things on you in bags of all sizes]

“Nothing.” Thinking of the guy doing his best to stuff everything he could into her hands before she boarded the plane, Wu Xue couldn’t help shaking her head and casually put the bags down beside her.

“Little Xue Xue, why did you suddenly leave yesterday?” Chu Xi asked, raising her head. “I was scared to death staying by myself.”

“How old are you, you’re still scared of staying in a hotel alone?” Wu Xue said.

After the make-up artist left, Su Yi got to the main point.

“Yesterday Liu Minghao called me.”

Wu Xue frowned. “When? What did he say?”

“Midnight.” As she spoke, Su Yi couldn’t help rolling her eyes. “Telling me you cheated.”

Wu Xue sneered. “Retarded idiot, he has the face to go look for you!”

Su Yi asked, “So what happened?”

“Nothing much.” Wu Xue said it really easily and lightly. “Just that we both put a green hat on the other.”

At those words, even the slightly uninterested Chu Xi perked up her ears.

Su Yi’s expression was complicated. After a long while, she finally got the material point. “Who cheated first?”

Wu Xue seemed to have been poked where it hurt. Gritting her teeth, she said, “Him.”

“…”

“There were hints even before, but you know how I have too much work on my hands – so much so that I can barely handle them – thus, I hadn’t the time to check.” Wu Xue sipped some water. “Remember when we went to the bar?”

“It can’t be …”

“Yeah, he was there with a bunch of people. That woman just happened to have gone to the washroom then so I didn’t catch her, I only learnt about this way later.” Here Wu Xue couldn’t refrain from smacking the chair handle heavily, once. “Lao Niang*, worried that he’d run into trouble after drinking too much, even ran over there after midnight to fetch him!”

[*Means ‘old lady’, a way of referring to oneself at once informally and as a ‘senior’ looking after others]

Chu Xi couldn’t hold it back anymore. Leaning over, she asked, curious, “How did you find out in the end?”

Wu Xue said coldly, “His mother called and asked me to let her son be, to let him go marry in peace.”

The make-up room was silent for a few seconds.

“Do you know, his mother never really liked me in the truth, saying I’m from a single-parent family.” She sneered. “So while she accepted my gifts, she arranged for blind dates for her son.”

Su Yi was so angry she couldn’t say anything, only managing to squeeze out a sentence after a long while. “Didn’t you say you’re getting married?”

“I saw the receipt for a diamond ring on him.” Wu Xue laughed self-depreciatingly. “I didn’t think that it wasn’t for me. I was even very excited about it, started renovating our house, just like an idiot.”

Su YI said, “Let’s book two tickets back to Beijing tonight.”

Wu Xue paused. “What for?”

“We’ll go beat him up and come back.” She rubbed her fists. “He interrupted my sleep and cheated on my best friend, I can’t stand that!”

“Dear best friend, I feel you, I’ve already cheated on him back so this is it.” Wu Xue waved her hand. “If you can be calm for a while and give me a chance to rest well for a month, it’s the best you could do.”

Su Yi tsked. “Even if that idiot Liu Minghao cheated you can’t avenge this way, aren’t you just messing yourself up … Wait! Who did you cheat with?”

“My first love.”

“… From when?”

“High school.”

Chu Xi seemed to have learnt something amazing.

However, Su Yi warned her just in time. “This is the wrong way to get revenge, you can’t learn from it.”

Wu Xue clearly didn’t want to talk about this. “When you came over, did Wu Ke say anything?”

“No.”

“Restrain yourself a little, their team’s very big on revenge.” Wu Xue looked at the comments on Su Yi’s Weibo – there was already a group of water army* saying that she’s being a busybody. “Last time a big V account posted some gossip about him and it wasn’t a few days before the poster’s account was deleted.”

[*Paid commentors]

“Society! Ah, society.” Although she said so, Su Yi showed no fear on her face. “I’m going to change.”

Today, almost all of Su Yi’s scenes were with Wu Ke. Either they were conversing, or she was part of the background for his scene.

Li Min was a little worried they’d start arguing. However, seeing that the two wore normal expressions, she released the breath she’d been holding. She was assured about Su Yi, she was always professional so she’s relaxed about it. However, it was Wu Ke she was actually worried about, she feared he would stir the pot up like before.

Very soon she stopped worrying because today, Wu Ke clearly didn’t want to waste time at the set, so everything was passed basically in one take.

That Wu Ke could be this well-known wasn’t without its reasons. Even with the scandal surrounding him, he could control his acting skills. Today, as soon as he was done filming he hurriedly left with a bunch of his staff in tow.

Back in the hotel Su Yi sprawled on the bed. “Just seeing the way Wu Ke looks like the fire has reached his brows makes me so happy.”

Wu Xue, on the other hand, was carefully studying the few pages of information the company had sent her. Just for that rubbish diamond ring, she had given all the celebrities under her other than Su Yi back to the company. Now, she had to pick new ones. Her love might have died, but her career she still had to take good care of.

Su Yi was just about to video call Chu Ying when the phone beside her rang.

It’s Wu Xue’s.

“Your phone is ringing.”

Wu Xue didn’t raise her head. “Take a look at who it is.”

“… Liu Minghao.” After the call automatically hung up when no one picked up, a slew of messages was seen on the screen. Su Yi accidentally saw everything, and felt the goosebumps rise. “He sent you so many messages. ‘Sorry, but the person I love really is you’, ‘I have already broken it off with her’, ‘This way you are is really making me feel so bad I want to die’… Why is he so disgusting!”

Wu Xue sneered. “Who cares if he goes and dies.”

Just when she finished speaking, the phone rang again.

Wu Xue said, “Hang up, and help me block it while you’re at that.”

Su Yi was about to hang up, but then paused upon seeing the name on the screen. “Little Xue Xue, it’s not that jerk, it’s someone called Liu Xi.”

Wu Xue’s expression changed. “… Hang up nonetheless.”

Su Yi did as she was told and mumbled to herself. “Chu Ying has a friend with the same name.”

“It’s the same one.”

“Huh?!”

“… It is that Liu Xi.”

At once Su Yi went through all her impressions of Liu Xi. Soon her expression was a little … indescribable.

“I know what you’re thinking.” Wu Xue flipped to the next page, slowly continuing. “Relax, we have no relationship anymore.”

Su Yi tugged at the corner of her lips wanting to say something but instead decided to hold her silence.

What sort of rubbish was this?!

Even so, she couldn’t help it and, while on a call with Chu Ying in the balcony, asked, “Oh right, you’re friend … that one called Liu Xi, what’s he like?”

Chu Ying’s hands stopped moving. “He’s harassing you?”

“No,” Su Yi said carefully. “He seems to be chasing after my friend, so I thought about asking.”

“He’s not bad,” Chu Ying said and paused, “Just that he likes giving away bags.”

“…”

edited by larkspur!!!