One of the reasons Chi Shuo didn’t yearn for Beijing was because Shen Qu was based there.
Three years ago, Shen Qu was spotted by a talent scout from Chenyue Film and Television in Beijing. Soon after, she signed a contract as a trainee actress. Later, after some systematic acting training, she put her studies on hold to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
Her first role was a supporting female lead in a low-budget film, but this film unexpectedly became a dark horse in its release window, sweeping accolades in terms of reviews, box office earnings, and awards. Shen Qu herself was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in mainstream film awards, which she ultimately won.
Her fame skyrocketed overnight, propelling her quickly into C-list celebrity status.
Three years later, Shen Qu had become one of Chenyue Film and Television’s popular young actresses. Relying on her beautiful face and solid acting skills, she had captured the hearts of numerous passersby and fans alike.
Chi Shuo hadn’t paid much attention to these developments, but she knew that Shen Qu’s career was currently smooth sailing, or rather, thriving. Otherwise, when Shen Qu came to Yun Cheng for the event last time, she wouldn’t have requested He Lindi specifically as her photographer.
Chi Shuo also knew that when Shen Qu was asked about her past relationships, she would openly admit to having an ex-boyfriend.
Chi Shuo, as the ex-girlfriend, would never be mentioned by name.
Not before, and certainly not now.
“What if I do want to stir up trouble?” Shen Qu’s voice held a hint of amusement, brimming with confidence. “You wouldn’t dare do anything to me anyway.”
Chi Shuo lowered her head slightly and said softly, “Hanging up.”
She ended the call without hesitation.
She knew Shen Qu wouldn’t call back. No matter what, Shen Qu was now a somewhat well-known public figure. If Chi Shuo were truly pushed to the edge and exposed their past, Shen Qu’s future could be severely impacted.
Shen Qu’s current behavior simply stemmed from knowing Chi Shuo wouldn’t actually do anything to her.
Chi Shuo suddenly felt disheartened. The long journey hadn’t tired her, but a single phone call had left her exhausted.
“Chi Shuo, are you ready?” A knock came from outside the door, accompanied by Cui Mi’s voice.
Chi Shuo exhaled, composed herself, and replied, “Coming.” She opened the door, forcing a smile at Cui Mi. “Just forgot my umbrella.”
The umbrella was on the counter next to the door. She used it as an excuse on the spot.
Cui Mi looked puzzled. “The sun will be setting soon.”
“I’m sensitive to heat.”
Cui Mi laughed and patted her shoulder. “Never met anyone as sensitive to heat as you. You must have been a vampire in your past life.”
That Tuesday, they didn’t do any actual work; it was like a vacation. In the evening, after showering and drying her hair, Chi Shuo looked at her phone, carefully considering her work for the trip.
Lacking experience in business trips, after thinking it over, she decided it was best to follow Xiao Cheng and the others’ lead. There was no need for her to do extra research; completing her assigned tasks was paramount.
Wednesday morning at 8 AM, Chi Shuo’s alarm went off. They had set the work start time during dinner last night. Everyone had to gather in the hotel lobby downstairs by 9 AM, ensuring they had breakfast before then.
Cui Mi was the first to wake up in the room. Chi Shuo only fully opened her eyes when she saw Cui Mi rubbing her sleep-filled eyes.
He Lindi was still asleep, curled up in her blankets, her back facing Chi Shuo, her beautiful hair spread across the pillow.
Chi Shuo glanced at her, quietly pulled open the curtains, grabbed her clothes, and headed into the bathroom.
Whether yesterday or now, her interactions with He Lindi were truly minimal. But that was the reality; they didn’t have much in common, and most importantly… every interaction with He Lindi brought out the little devil within.
Those memories she hadn’t shared with anyone except Han Yu, all of them resurfaced in Chi Shuo’s mind, unveiled once more.
Even though they were two companies on a collaborative business trip, when working, they still returned to their respective roles.
Except for He Lindi, because she was the only photographer in the group.
Xiyu’s main responsibility this time was still photography, not live streaming. They intended to post a video of Song Qin on Xiyu’s platform to gain some clicks. He Lindi’s other colleagues had already gone to the filming location to set up and check equipment, but she needed to go to Song Qin’s studio with Chi Shuo’s team, because she was taking photos.
He Lindi was young, only twenty-three, but her accomplishments in photography were impressive.
Chi Shuo knew since high school that He Lindi pursued photography in her spare time. She became even more focused on it in university, even winning some mainstream awards in the field. She had been hired by Xiyu as a photographer at a high price even before graduation.
As the saying went, “Photography impoverishes three generations, a DSLR camera ruins a life.” Chi Shuo, thinking of the hefty price tag of a good DSLR camera, felt photography was something only someone like He Lindi could afford.
Including He Lindi, there were five people in Chi Shuo’s team. They got into a minivan, with Chi Shuo sitting alone in the passenger seat.
“Chi Shuo, I’ll record the audio later, you just need to jot down notes alongside me,” Xiao Cheng delegated the tasks. He was the team leader for this trip.
Chi Shuo looked ahead and nodded. “Okay.”
Xiao Cheng added, “Don’t worry if you can’t keep up. I’ll be recording it anyway.”
“Cheng Ge, you’re never this gentle to us,” one of the colleagues joked.
Xiao Cheng glared at him. “Do you macho men need any coddling?”
Chi Shuo pretended she hadn’t heard their conversation. She turned her head slightly to look out the window, and a few seconds later, she heard Xiao Cheng’s voice from behind.
“Teacher He, feel free to improvise during the interview later. Your shots will look better than ours anyway.”
“Exactly, exactly. So honored to have the opportunity to work with Teacher He.”
Chi Shuo: “…”
He Lindi’s voice rang out, still clear, “I’ll do my best.”
The photos she was taking were for Xinyue, not Xiyu. This was where the two companies’ “collaboration” was reflected on this business trip.
The Beijing sun was also passionate today. Sunlight poured over everything, but Chi Shuo didn’t feel like appreciating it at all. Because this van window had no tint film, even with sunscreen, she still felt extremely uncomfortable.
She thought Cui Mi was right; she probably was a vampire in her past life.
The twenty-minute drive flew by quickly with these thoughts. The car stopped outside an office building.
After getting out of the car, Chi Shuo immediately opened her parasol, as per her habit.
The back door of the van slowly slid open, making a slightly muffled sound.
Her three male colleagues emerged first, followed by He Lindi in high heels.
He Lindi held a camera in her hand. She looked at the sky, squinting slightly, obviously affected by the bright sunlight.
Chi Shuo was the only one holding an umbrella. She pressed her lips together, sensing the glances from Xiao Cheng and the others, urging her to “care” for He Lindi. She silently walked towards He Lindi.
The shade fell upon He Lindi, who smiled slightly and complimented, “Good initiative.”
Chi Shuo tossed out two words: “Shut up.”
Did she want to hold the umbrella for He Lindi? Of course not. But He Lindi was there to help them. If Chi Shuo didn’t take care of her, Xiao Cheng and the others would surely give her a hard time later.
The sound of He Lindi’s high heels hitting the pavement was loud and heavy, making Chi Shuo’s scalp tingle.
Mu Star International Center was located in the central ring area of Beijing, a bustling and prosperous location. Across the road was a wide avenue, the constant flow of vehicles a testament to the city’s booming economy.
“There are a lot of film and television companies here, and many celebrity studios,” Xiao Cheng explained as they entered the office building, his voice low because of the crowd.
Chi Shuo closed her umbrella, put some distance between herself and He Lindi, and asked casually, “Such as?”
“You know Qi Siqiao, right? Her studio is here. And the studio of Shen Qu, her colleague from the same company, is here too.”
Chi Shuo suddenly wished she could rewind time ten seconds.
Just as Xiao Cheng finished answering, his phone rang.
“We’re downstairs.”
“Okay.”
After the call, he composed himself and addressed the team with a serious expression, “Song Qin’s assistant will come down to meet us later.”
Chi Shuo nodded, adjusting her expression slightly to appear more serious.
She had even put on makeup before leaving today, just to look more mature and hopefully more reliable.
After following Song Qin’s assistant upstairs, Chi Shuo switched into a tense work mode. She couldn’t relax, as this was her first time being this close to a major celebrity.
But she wasn’t a complete novice without any work experience. She quickly adjusted her mindset, took out her pen and notepad, and started diligently and quickly jotting down important information from the sidelines.
Their company and Song Qin’s studio had reached a collaboration agreement. What they were recording now was both his upcoming exclusive schedule and a lengthy exclusive interview to be posted on the official website later.
The rest of the Xiyu team had gone to the filming location first. Song Qin would head there after finishing up here. His schedule was truly packed.
In less than half an hour, Song Qin finished the interview. The official website couldn’t just have text promotions, so during the interview, the sound of He Lindi’s camera shutter frequently echoed in the office.
Her expression was serious while she took photos, her eyes filled with passion for her work.
Song Qin himself was tall and handsome, with well-defined features. His bright, white smile when he laughed made him seem very approachable. He had a buzz cut, a hairstyle rare among popular young male actors these days, adding to his masculine handsomeness.
The collaboration went smoothly. When Song Qin left, he even smiled and asked his staff to take good care of them. He Lindi followed him into a car and drove away.
Chi Shuo finally let out a breath. God knows how hard she had tried not to be a burden.
After chatting with the other staff members at Song Qin’s studio for a while, they got into the elevator.
It wasn’t peak hour, so there were only the four of them inside.
As if remembering something, Xiao Cheng’s eyes lit up as he looked at Chi Shuo. He took an envelope out of his briefcase and handed it to Chi Shuo discreetly.
Chi Shuo looked at him. “What’s this?”
“He Lindi asked me to give it to you.”
“She said she promised you.”
Chi Shuo simply said “Oh” calmly and took the envelope. “Thanks.”
Only after getting into a taxi did she tear open the envelope.
Despite anticipating the contents and mentally preparing herself, upon seeing Shen Qu’s face staring back at her, Chi Shuo still couldn’t help but curse.
“Fuck.”
