Everyone looked towards Chi Shuo, finding her looking calm and composed, seemingly unfazed by the remark. Only then did everyone relax again.
But they were still a bit puzzled. The gossip network between the two companies was dense; they knew, more or less, what was discussed and what wasn’t.
For example, someone had seen Chi Shuo drive He Lindi home, or seen Chi Shuo sitting across from He Lindi in the milk tea shop. Even if their relationship hadn’t reached the ‘friend’ stage, it shouldn’t warrant the cold, indifferent “We’re not close,” right?
But despite their confusion, they could only keep it to themselves. What else could they do, ask right then and there?
He Lindi was one of Xiyu’s most outstanding young photographers, and Chi Shuo was one of Xinyue’s most outstanding young employees. Anyone who couldn’t read the room would have the gossip spread all over Yuncheng by their colleagues.
After a brief silence, the group started chatting amongst themselves again.
Chi Shuo had her hands shoved into her coat pockets, her thumbs sticking out. Her knees, though rounded, were slightly purple from the cold. Chi Shuo glanced down, then put her thumbs back into her pockets too.
Wang Rui walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Chi Shuo. She glanced at He Lindi not far away, then looked at Chi Shuo beside her. After holding back for a while, she couldn’t resist asking quietly, “Shuo Shuo, didn’t you and Teacher He seem to be getting along well before?”
Chi Shuo looked puzzled. “Really?”
“Yeah.” Wang Rui nodded repeatedly. She had her hair in a ponytail today, which swayed with her movements. “Before today, I thought your relationship was quite good…”
Chi Shuo smiled gently, explaining for herself, “That’s not the case.”
“Really?” This time it was Wang Rui’s turn to say it. Seeing the lack of fluctuation in Chi Shuo’s eyes, she slowly closed her mouth, asking no more about it.
Chi Shuo subtly lifted the corners of her lips. If it weren’t for the reminders from Xia Zhou, Zeng Guai, and Wang Rui these past two days, she would have almost completely forgotten that her relationship with He Lindi had been quite decent two months ago. Though, it was almost forgotten now anyway.
In the adult world, sometimes not everything needs to be said or expressed. Chi Shuo hadn’t thought so before, but after growing up, she felt everything could happen silently.
People need tacit understanding, and Chi Shuo was very certain that she and He Lindi still had some final shred of it.
They tacitly stopped contacting each other and tacitly distanced themselves.
Back to square one.
What was square one? It was the two of them not greeting each other when they met, it was the precisely positioned answers like “Is she worthy?” or “We’re not close” when asked.
It was also the distance between the sun and the Earth, and He Lindi was that sun, making Chi Shuo afraid—no, not afraid anymore, but wanting to hide.
Hide from the sunlight, and naturally, you don’t have to worry about the pain or discomfort.
Chi Shuo had to admit that she had really liked He Lindi when she was sixteen or seventeen, and she also admitted that two months ago, she had fallen for He Lindi once again.
But it was just an admission; both times her heart had fluttered were now in the past tense.
Just like she admitted she had genuinely liked Shen Qu, it was all in the past tense.
Chi Shuo actually enjoyed the meal quite happily. Wang Rui had a personality similar to Zeng Guai and the others, talkative and funny, like a sketch comedian. Chi Shuo chuckled just listening to her brilliant remarks from the side.
The table was large. Including the Xiyu people, there were exactly ten. Chi Shuo chose an inner seat, still some distance from He Lindi, which suited her perfectly.
The two acted as if they truly had never been close, exchanging no potentially noticeable glances during the meal. Of course, it might also have been because He Lindi kept her head down, either eating or looking at her phone.
He Lindi really had changed. This outcome still shocked Chi Shuo a little.
The He Lindi in her memory was just as Zeng Guai and the others described—always with a smile, pleasant to look at. But the current He Lindi constantly wore a straight face. Combined with her features, she was the very picture of a cool, beautiful woman.
Chi Shuo raised an eyebrow, thinking that if this was He Lindi’s new persona, it wasn’t necessarily bad.
On the way back to the hotel, they passed a small supermarket. Chi Shuo said to Xiao Cheng, “You guys go ahead, I need to buy something.”
Wang Rui asked, “Buying snacks?” Without waiting for Chi Shuo’s reply, she linked arms with Chi Shuo and smiled at Xiao Cheng. “I’ll go with Shuo Shuo. You guys head back first.”
Xiao Cheng asked, “If you’re buying snacks, will you share with everyone?”
Chi Shuo raised an eyebrow. “I’ll share if you give me money.”
“Never mind then.”
Chi Shuo and Wang Rui entered the small supermarket.
Wang Rui grabbed a basket and started picking things out. “I want chips, cookies, jelly…” She picked items all the way, captivated by the snacks, only then realizing Chi Shuo hadn’t picked up anything. She couldn’t help asking, “Didn’t you come in to buy snacks? Why haven’t you grabbed anything?”
Chi Shuo looked innocent. “I never said I was coming to buy snacks.”
Wang Rui thought about it—it seemed true. She grabbed a bag of preserved plums, put it in her basket, and continued asking, “Then what did you come for?”
Chi Shuo pondered for two seconds, walked over to the upright transparent refrigerator, and said, “I’m buying yogurt.”
Wang Rui silently looked at the snacks in her basket and chuckled. “Sigh, I’m such a pig.” To express her gratitude, she said, “Shuo Shuo, let me treat you to this yogurt, as thanks for lending me your clothes.”
Chi Shuo wasn’t coy—it was just a yogurt. She smiled and nodded. “Okay.” Seeing Wang Rui stop, she asked, “Are you done buying?”
“Done.”
Before they even reached the checkout counter, Wang Rui whispered in Chi Shuo’s ear again, gesturing with her chin towards the customer standing at the counter paying. “Isn’t that Teacher He?”
Chi Shuo didn’t answer. Wang Rui glanced at her calm expression and realized she might have asked the wrong question.
Since they’re not close, she shouldn’t ask. Wang Rui wished she could slap herself.
Fortunately, He Lindi didn’t seem to notice them and left carrying her bag. Wang Rui straightened her neck and walked over. “Checkout.”
Chi Shuo stood aside, hands shoved in her coat pockets again, waiting for Wang Rui. But unluckily, He Lindi and Sister Lin were standing a few meters outside the door.
Sister Lin saw Chi Shuo and Wang Rui, waved, and said, “Mishi has been a bit dangerous these past two days. Saw the news, said there’s a killer on the loose. So it’s better if we stick together while shopping.”
Chi Shuo tightened her coat and smiled gently. “We should definitely be careful then.”
But Wang Rui looked nervous. “What if we have bad luck and run into him?”
“Exactly, so we should thank Sister Lin.” Chi Shuo curved her lips again. “We do need to be careful when going out.”
Sister Lin wore glasses. Hearing this, she pushed them up, looking a bit embarrassed. “Actually…”
He Lindi remained quiet nearby. Just as Chi Shuo thought she wouldn’t speak, she heard her utter four precious words: “Sister Lin, let’s go.”
Thinking about it, since meeting this afternoon, Chi Shuo had only heard He Lindi speak three sentences—two related to Sister Lin, and two related to herself.
Chi Shuo’s social skills were a bit weaker than Xia Zhou’s, but that didn’t mean they were poor. Her relationship with Sister Lin was previously just that of ordinary WeChat friends, yet on the way from the supermarket to the hotel, the two chatted as if they had known each other for a long time.
When parting, Sister Lin seemed a bit reluctant to leave Chi Shuo. Her face full of smiles, she said to Chi Shuo, “Share any gossip you have with me next time, I love it.”
Sister Lin was thirty-six this year. One of the greatest hobbies in her life was following entertainment gossip, from the entertainment circle of the 90s down to the current one where post-00s idols are rapidly rising, whether domestic, European/American, or Indian, there was nothing she didn’t enjoy reading about.
Chi Shuo herself didn’t know much about this gossip. In fact, Sister Lin did most of the talking on the way, mostly about interesting tidbits between foreign celebrities. Chi Shuo cooperatively laughed along and occasionally exclaimed, “That’s just too much!”
“That’s just too much!” was a versatile reply she had recently learned online, suitable for when lost for words, and also suitable for being perfunctory. Chi Shuo naturally belonged to the former category.
Wang Rui chimed in from time to time during this period. The three chatted and laughed all the way. Looking at it this way, it was as if there was a barrier between the three of them and He Lindi—He Lindi carried her bag quietly, seemingly blending into the Mishi night.
After separating, Wang Rui patted her chest. “I can see it now. You and Teacher He, really…”
She didn’t finish. Chi Shuo finished it for her: “Not close.” She paused, emphasizing, “Really not close.”
“Yes.”
The hearts of Xiang Qingya’s studio staff were like fortresses built of the world’s hardest stone. No matter how many tactics Chi Shuo’s company tried, they wouldn’t budge on letting them talk to Xiang Qingya face-to-face. After all, talking face-to-face might offer a glimmer of hope, right?
Xiao Cheng and the others weren’t impolite people; they would leave upon hearing a refusal, then come back another time.
Things weren’t going smoothly on their end, while Xiyu’s side was much more successful. Starting Wednesday, the day after they arrived in Mishi, Xiyu’s people had already begun photographing and interviewing Xiang Qingya one after another, making the Xinyue team incredibly envious.
Chi Shuo wasn’t particularly anxious. She even had spare time to take out her iPad, open the software, and practice drawing.
Wang Rui, staying with her, was very interested in this. After asking Chi Shuo how long she had been learning to draw and looking at her progress, she patted her chest, wanting to be a model.
Chi Shuo naturally wouldn’t refuse. Wang Rui immediately took a selfie and sent it to her.
Chi Shuo’s eyes curved. “One portrait is worth one yogurt. I’m not drawing for free, you know.”
“No problem.”
“You could open an account later specifically for drawing commissions, make it a side hustle. I think you’re very talented; you’ve only been drawing for such a short time and you’re already this good.”
Chi Shuo accepted the compliment without humility. “For that remark, I won’t charge you this time.”
“Thank you, boss.”
However, business trip tasks still needed some connection to work. After finishing Wang Rui’s portrait, Chi Shuo searched Xiang Qingya’s Weibo online, thought for several minutes, then put pen to paper again.
She had a bold idea.
Xiang Qingya was also a newly prominent actress. Before this, she hadn’t made much of a name for herself in the entertainment industry. Her Weibo comments were few, and her fans pitifully scarce. Only after winning the Golden Tree Award did her fame soar, and many people came to know her.
Chi Shuo hadn’t known her before either, only looking up her videos and Weibo because of the “Golden Tree Award Best Actress” title. And Xiang Qingya’s favorite photos to post on Weibo weren’t selfies, but her own drawings—manga, specifically, which was still being serialized.
Perhaps since winning the award, she got busy and had no time to draw, so the updates stopped. Many people even went to her Weibo to urge her to update, completely forgetting her status had changed.
Chi Shuo wasn’t drawing Xiang Qingya’s photo, but the ending to the manga Xiang Qingya had posted on Weibo. Before coming to Mishi, Chi Shuo had spent an afternoon researching in the office and found that the manga was just missing its ending, but Xiang Qingya seemed stuck, unsure how to conclude it.
Chi Shuo didn’t know if this move was meddlesome, but the higher-ups had indicated they should use every method that didn’t violate morals or laws to win over Xiang Qingya.
Besides, what if?
Rarely, Chi Shuo stayed up two hours later than usual these past two nights. When she finished drawing, she was mentally and physically exhausted, feeling like her soul had been drained. Before sleeping, she groggily wondered if Xiang Qingya would be angry tomorrow because of the ending she drew.
She didn’t know if her worry was unnecessary.
Saturday morning, Chi Shuo told Xiao Cheng her idea. Xiao Cheng pondered for a long time, then said he wanted to go too, but Chi Shuo refused. “Just Wang Rui and I will go this time.” She held her USB drive. “If it doesn’t work, we’ll just come back. It’ll save you guys a wasted trip.”
These words sounded familiar. Xiao Cheng didn’t disagree.
Chi Shuo took the ending she had drawn, first went to a print shop to print it out, then put it in a file folder, hailed a taxi, and gave the address.
The staff at Xiang Qingya’s studio weren’t impolite; on the contrary, they would warmly entertain you, they just wouldn’t agree to participate in the event.
The person receiving Chi Shuo this time was Xiang Qingya’s assistant. She first poured Chi Shuo and Wang Rui glasses of water and brought a plate of fruit, then said, “Please wait a moment, Sister Qing is taking photos right now. I need to go in first.”
“Okay.”
So, sitting across from Chi Shuo and Wang Rui was a fair-skinned man. He held his fingers delicately, his face made up even more exquisitely than theirs, the corners of his eyes exuding a charming allure, making it hard to look away.
Chi Shuo chatted with him. “May I ask your name?”
“Cody.”
“Teacher Co.” Chi Shuo curved her lips. “The styling you do for Sister Qing is always on point.”
“I think so too.”
It seemed the homework done beforehand was useful. Chi Shuo had initially been unsure based on his attire, but upon hearing his name, she knew. Sitting across from them was indeed Xiang Qingya’s stylist, Cody.
Cody clearly enjoyed Chi Shuo’s praise; his eyebrows practically jumped. He chatted about other things with Chi Shuo, then asked, “Miss, what’s in this file folder?”
“Something for Teacher Xiang to see,” Chi Shuo answered truthfully.
“Would it be convenient for me to take a look?”
Wang Rui nodded. “You can.”
She couldn’t just stand there like a post; she had to say something, and now was the right time.
Chi Shuo took out the file folder and handed the six drawings inside to Cody. “Please take a look.”
Cody took them. Chi Shuo continued, “Setting aside my work identity, I’m also a loyal fan of Teacher Xiang. Though you might laugh, compared to her identity as an actress, I prefer her identity as an artist.”
Chi Shuo’s approach this time was to cater to her interests.
Cody didn’t make a sound. He looked seriously at the drawings in his hand, then gently put them down, stood up with a grave expression, and said to Chi Shuo, “Please wait a moment, I need to step out.”
“Please.”
Seeing his expression, Chi Shuo’s heart was actually pounding, but she didn’t dare show it at all. Only after Cody left could her nervousness be seen from the trembling of the hand holding her water glass.
Wang Rui gave her a thumbs-up from the side. “Your performance just now was great!”
Chi Shuo shook her head, letting out a slightly heavy breath.
Two minutes later, Cody returned. He closed the blinds, then said, “Teacher Xiang will be over shortly.”
“Okay.”
Sure enough, less than a minute later, Xiang Qingya entered the room, accompanied by He Lindi.
He Lindi had her camera slung around her neck, clearly having just finished shooting. Chi Shuo wasn’t surprised at all to see her here; after all, Xiyu’s work had been going very smoothly these past few days.
And Xiang Qingya’s styling hadn’t yet been returned to normal; it was clear she was somewhat anxious.
Chi Shuo was somewhat surprised. “Teacher Xiang, you…” She licked her lips. It was the first time she had been this close to an unfamiliar actress, and her nervousness began to multiply. She had originally wanted to ask Xiang Qingya directly if she was angry, but what came out was, “Hello.”
“Hello.” Xiang Qingya lived up to her name; she looked very fresh and elegant.
She pointed at the drawings on the table, seeking Chi Shuo’s opinion. “May I take a look?”
Chi Shuo made a “please” gesture. “Please do.”
“Thank you.”
Chi Shuo felt thirsty again and wanted to pick up her glass for some water, but her hand was definitely trembling more than before. She refused to embarrass herself.
He Lindi sat across from her, fiddling with her DSLR. She hadn’t glanced at Chi Shuo when entering. Chi Shuo didn’t know why, but she felt a slight urge to laugh internally, but given the current situation, she could only suppress it.
Wang Rui met Chi Shuo’s gaze for two seconds. She was nervous too. Xinyue had hit a wall several times coming here, and this was the first time they were talking directly with Xiang Qingya, not her executive agent or assistant.
The room was quiet for about three minutes. Xiang Qingya’s expression as she looked at the drawings made Chi Shuo feel like her heart was about to leap out. She occasionally frowned, then smiled again, her expressions varied and colorful, making it impossible to guess her thoughts.
Finally, Xiang Qingya placed the items back on the coffee table. Her voice was clear and smooth, like a cup of tea. “May I ask, who from your company created this ending?”
Chi Shuo didn’t rush to reveal herself, asking first, “I wonder what Teacher Xiang’s meaning is…”
“It’s like this.”
“Before becoming an actress, I was also an artist.”
“But the plot of this manga started falling apart towards the end. I couldn’t salvage it, nor did I delete the Weibo posts. I just treated it as a test.”
Chi Shuo was confused. “A test?”
“If someone drew an ending that satisfied me, I would make friends with them.”
Wang Rui inwardly cursed (‘Holy crap’), amazed at Chi Shuo’s social circle: first Shen Qu, now Xiang Qingya.
A humble clerk, with immense power.
Chi Shuo pressed her lips together, relaxing slightly, and asked again, “Do you feel your work has been offended?”
“No.” When discussing drawing, Xiang Qingya became much more passionate. “You helped salvage my plot; I’m very satisfied.”
“…” Chi Shuo coughed lightly. “I drew it.”
He Lindi glanced up at her, her mouth opening slightly as if wanting to say something, but then she pressed her lips shut again, saying nothing.
Xiang Qingya’s excitement was hard to suppress. She extended her hand, her face beaming. “Add me on WeChat.”
The assistant quietly reminded her from the side, “Um, Sister Qing, they’re from Xinyue Company. Their purpose in coming this time is to invite you to participate in their company’s event early next year.”
Xiang Qingya paused, held out her hand, and the assistant placed the phone in her palm.
Two minutes later, Xiang Qingya finished calling her agent and smiled at Chi Shuo. “Can we sign the contract today?”
“Sorry, I’ll need to have our leader come over.”
“No problem.” Xiang Qingya asked the two of them, “How should I address you?”
“Chi Shuo.”
“Wang Rui.”
Xiang Qingya turned her head and patted He Lindi’s shoulder. “Insecticide, your idea for the ending was exactly the same as Miss Chi’s.”
He Lindi frowned. “Don’t call me Insecticide.”
“You named your WeChat Didi Wei, who else can you blame?”
He Lindi fell silent. “…”
It was clear their relationship was much more familiar; at least, they hadn’t just met these past few days.
Seeing He Lindi like this, Chi Shuo felt physically and mentally refreshed. She was laughing inwardly non-stop, but didn’t show it, striving to maintain a composed appearance.
But He Lindi didn’t let Chi Shuo off. Her eyes lingered on Chi Shuo, and she uttered four slightly domineering words: “You’re not allowed to laugh.”
Exactly like when she said Chi Shuo wasn’t allowed to delete her WeChat.
Chi Shuo looked very innocent. “Where did I laugh?”
But He Lindi didn’t make another sound, slightly lowering her eyelids, looking at her camera.
The atmosphere suddenly became a bit awkward. Chi Shuo looked towards Xiang Qingya again. This time, she truly curved her lips and said, “Teacher Xiang, if I have drawing-related matters later, may I consult you?”
Xiang Qingya waved her hand. Chi Shuo thought she was refusing, but then heard her say, “Don’t call me Teacher Xiang, and don’t keep using ‘you’ (您 | Formal and respectful form). Just call me Qingya.” She said, “Of course you can ask me, but I don’t draw as well as the one beside me.”
He Lindi didn’t even lift her head. “Not teaching.” She paused. “Otherwise, I’d be teaching her two things.”
“…” Tsk, she hasn’t forgotten.
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