“But you sounded so happy when you said her name just now,” Hanxing pushed.
“I did not.”
Zhu Hanxing didn’t press her, instead letting out a long, weary sigh.
Ming Li noticed the shift in her tone. “What’s wrong? Heartbroken?”
Usually, Hanxing would snap back at such a joke, claiming she couldn’t be heartbroken if she wasn’t in love. But today, she remained quiet.
After a moment, Ming Li ventured, “Chun Liuyi?”
Silence again. Ming Li knew she’d hit the mark. She waited a few seconds before cautiously asking, “What’s the status?”
“Friends,” Hanxing said. “Close, yet like strangers.”
Ming Li: “…” She didn’t even know how to follow up on that description. “So? How are you two actually getting along?”
“Filming is normal. But afterward…” Hanxing suddenly remembered the image of her and Chun Liuyi getting drunk last night and kissing. They had even ended up in the same bed—clothed, but still…
“Is she ignoring you?” Ming Li asked.
Zhu Hanxing bit her finger, sounding frustrated. “Yeah! We were drinking together, and today she won’t even speak to me.”
“Wait, did you two…?” Ming Li was shocked.
“No! How can ‘drunk sex’ even happen between two women? We weren’t that far gone.” They had just kissed. They kissed during filming all the time, especially in an indie film like this. The most intimate scene involved them in nothing but camisoles, a scene so charged the director had cleared the set.
But how could she explain it? A kiss for a movie and the kiss from last night were worlds apart.
“Then what happened?” Ming Li asked.
“Forget it,” Hanxing sighed, refusing to say more.
Ming Li found herself increasingly invested in these stories. She used to be indifferent to gossip, but when all the threads led back to the same small circle of people, she was hooked.
“I remember you saying Chun Liuyi dated an actor when she was young, and ever since then, she avoids making friends or getting close to people on set?” Ming Li asked. “Does she even have any friends now?”
“She does. Me,” Zhu Hanxing said boldly.
Ming Li: “…”
“Don’t you want to be her girlfriend?”
“I do not! I never said that! Don’t talk nonsense!” Hanxing yelled.
Ming Li suddenly thought that if Zhu Hanxing and Chun Liuyi did become a couple, she and Hanxing could go on double dates. Gu Qingshuang might hate the idea of being a “plus one,” but if Chun Liuyi was there, she’d probably love it. Remembering how Gu Qingshuang looked at Siwang’s photo, she knew reconcilliation with Chun Liuyi would make her incredibly happy. Chun Liuyi might be hesitant, but they were different people now. They could just start over.
Thinking of how happy that would make Gu Qingshuang, Ming Li said earnestly, “You need to try harder, Xing-xing.”
Zhu Hanxing hung up on her.
Ming Li sent her a WeChat message: Ask Chun Liuyi if she can give me her contact info. I want to be friends with her.
After sending that, Ming Li ordered a bouquet of flowers for Zhu Hanxing’s wrap, and one for Chun Liuyi as well.
Just as she placed the order, President Hu called.
Ming Li’s eyes lit up, but she answered with a calm, composed voice. “Hello?”
President Hu sighed on the other end. “I want thirty million. Two million of that counts as a loan from you.”
Ming Li knew she had won, but she kept her voice cool. “And the shares?”
“I want the shares,” President Hu said. “You have the Gu family backing you; you have more influence than we ever did. I’ll take the shares, and the two million I’m borrowing can be deducted from future profits.”
Ming Li smiled. “Deal.”
“When can you transfer the money?” President Hu asked urgently. “I need it now.”
“As soon as the contract is signed,” Ming Li replied.
Because they had done thorough due diligence and cleared all the hurdles, the decision to acquire Xingwan was finalized. President Hu agreed to meet immediately. Ming Li told her she was at Yuxing Pavilion and hung up.
She had Assistant Lin prepare two sets of documents: an acquisition contract and a loan agreement. Ming Li wasn’t lending the money for free; she included interest.
Once they were at the table and President Hu saw the 5% annual interest rate on the loan, her eyes bugged out. “Are you robbing me?”
“Bank loans for this amount are usually 8% or higher, especially when you’re on the verge of being blacklisted as a credit risk. You can’t get a cent from a bank right now. Your only other option is a loan shark, and isn’t that what got you into this mess in the first place?” Ming Li analyzed the situation calmly. “This interest is very reasonable. If all goes well, you’ll be receiving dividends in three years.”
President Hu gritted her teeth. “Fine.”
Driven by desperation, she signed her name quickly, and Ming Li had Assistant Lin initiate the transfer. Xingwan owned its office building, had a roster of artists, and a large stash of intellectual property. At this price, Ming Li was making a killing.
As Ming Li walked out of Yuxing Pavilion after the signing, her phone vibrated. She had a new friend request. The profile picture was a lush, green willow tree, and the name was “Summer.”
It was clearly Chun Liuyi.
Ming Li was in high spirits. Everything was going perfectly today!
She accepted the request. A second later, Chun Liuyi messaged her: Are you here to lobby for Zhu Hanxing?
Ming Li: Huh?
Summer: Tell her to stop being crazy.
Before Ming Li could ask what happened, Chun Liuyi sent another: She just thinks I’m Hu Jia. She’s stuck in her role and can’t get out. She doesn’t actually like me. Tell her to let it go.
Ming Li was bewildered: What did she do?
Then, a flurry of messages from Zhu Hanxing arrived: I gave your WeChat to Chun Liuyi.
Zhu Hanxing: Also! I’ve decided to be with her.
Zhu Hanxing: I think I’ve found my true love.
Zhu Hanxing: I’m going to confess tonight. What if she rejects me?
Ming Li: …
It looked like Chun Liuyi was already doing exactly that.
