Chapter 187: Chapter 187 - 187: Lies and More Lies

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Tang Xiaohong was momentarily stunned. She knew that last night, after leaving the birthday banquet, she had returned to the company to work late, and Li Yan, too, had worked throughout the night for the sake of the company.

Until this morning, around ten o’clock, Tang Xiaohong and Li Yan’s assistant had accompanied Li Yan to the airport. During this whole time, Li Yan hadn’t gone anywhere else.

If Bai Xue claimed that Li Yan had called or sent a text message, Tang Xiaohong would have believed her. But to say that he had left her apartment early in the morning, well, that was clearly a fabricated story.

Tang Xiaohong asked, “Bai Xue, are you sure? If we use a stand-in, won’t there be problems on Li Yan’s end?”

Tang Xiaohong didn’t want to take any chances. If Bai Xue regretted her decision after using a stand-in, Tang Xiaohong knew that she would have a tough time with Li Yan.

Bai Xue, feigning annoyance, replied, “1 said it’s fine, there won’t be any issues with Li Yan. Don’t forget, this whole production exists because I’m in it; Li Yan decided to invest because of me.”

Tang Xiaohong said, “Alright, rest up. I’ll make the arrangements immediately.”

Tang Xiaohong couldn’t help but chuckle at the excessive lies Bai Xue was telling.

After ending the call, Tang Xiaohong hesitated for a moment and decided to call the director.

When the call connected, the director asked, “Hello, Xiaotang, what’s going on?”

With a tinge of remorse, Tang Xiaohong explained, “Director, here’s the thing. Bai Miss said she’s feeling unwell and won’t be able to make it.”

The director responded with frustration, “Xiaotang, are you trying to mess with me? This has happened several times. Everyone’s waiting for her to wrap up. There are only her scenes left.”

Tang Xiaohong sighed lightly. She was also frustrated, but she couldn’t afford to upset the director.

Tang Xiaohong said, “Director, please don’t be upset. If necessary, let’s have the stand-in perform for now and make the necessary adjustments in post-production.”

The director replied, “Hah… Xiaotang, did 1 mishear you, or are you trying to get me into trouble? Don’t you know that Li Yan despises the use of stand-ins? Especially for Bai Xue’s scenes.”

The director had his reservations about Bai Xue, but he also didn’t want to risk a confrontation. If they used a stand-in and a conflict arose, the director would be the one to suffer the consequences.

Tang Xiaohong, feeling helpless, said, “Director, I would never dare to get you into trouble. Bai Miss herself suggested the stand-in and post-production modification. We’ve been filming for quite some time, and we can’t afford to delay any further. If there are no other scenes to work on, we can only go with the stand-in.”

The director hesitated for a few seconds before asking, “Xiaotang, can you guarantee that everything will be fine?”

Tang Xiaohong was also uncertain, but in the end, she gritted her teeth and replied, “Director, I know what you’re afraid of, but continuing to delay is not an option. It would be difficult to explain to Li Yan. Now that Bai Miss has already given her instructions, we should follow them.”

Tang Xiaohong was also afraid that Bai Xue might suddenly change her mind, so every time they spoke on the phone, she recorded the conversation, providing herself with evidence in case Bai Xue later denied her statements.

The director was extremely frustrated but didn’t dare to say more. He responded, “I understand; I’ll arrange it.”

Tang Xiaohong apologized, saying, “I’m sorry for this.”

The director replied, “It’s not your fault. We’re all just working.”

Tang Xiaohong continued, “Thank you for understanding. Please handle the rest of the matter as you see fit.”

The director said, “Alright, 1 will.”

Tang Xiaohong concluded, “I’ll treat you to a meal to make it up to you some time.”

After their conversation, they hung up.

Sitting in her chair, Tang Xiaohong had a headache. She rubbed her temples and thought about how Li Yan had asked the company to promote Bai Xue. However, Bai Xue was far from a proactive artist, especially considering her recent scandals that caused her to lose many endorsement deals.

This time, with Chen Group’s jewelry endorsement, they wanted to give Bai Xue a chance. But with her current attitude, the company might not want to use her.

Thinking about all this, Tang Xiaohong felt even more distressed. Since Bai Xue had been arranged to join the company, the originally promising artists under Tang Xiaohong had suffered from suppression. If Bai Xue had worked a bit more diligently, they wouldn’t be in the situation they were in now.

Tang Xiaohong pondered for a moment and decided to call one of her artists, Liu Yanyan.

When the call connected, Liu Yanyan asked, “Sister Tang, what’s up?”

Hearing Liu Yanyan’s lively voice, Tang Xiaohong’s mood improved.

Tang Xiaohong asked, “What have you been up to lately?”

“My dear Sister Tang, don’t you know my current situation?” Liu Yanyan responded with a hint of sadness.

Tang Xiaohong chuckled and said, “Well, here’s the thing: Chen Group is looking for a spokesperson for an advertising campaign, and the company is considering sending you to give it a try. Are you interested?”

Liu Yanyan, excited, exclaimed, “Sister Tang, am I hearing this right? Are you serious?”

Tang Xiaohong assured her, “You heard me correctly. It’s a genuine opportunity, but it’s just for an audition. Whether you can become the spokesperson will depend on your abilities.”

Liu Yanyan was surprised and asked, “Sister Tang, are you sure you didn’t dial the wrong number?”