Chapter 73: World Two [43] Part 1

The benefit of having such an impressive girlfriend was immediately apparent. When they arrived for filming the next day, the crew welcomed them with extreme warmth.

Even the Assistant who came along was given a dedicated spot. Not only were they included in everything, but by the end of the first day, several people were already offering to treat them to dinner.

Shao Qing maintained her politeness, smiling as she tactfully declined. After finishing her scenes for the day, she immediately returned to the hotel with Jing Ke.

According to Director Hu’s plan, Shao Qing was scheduled to shoot for five days in total, with three to four hours of filming time each morning and afternoon. The intensity was quite high.

But Shao Qing was someone who could endure hardship. She could handle five straight days of wirework without complaint, let alone five days of purely dialogue-driven scenes.

For the first two days, Jing Ke observed from the sidelines as usual, occasionally taking out her laptop to type away—sometimes searching for relevant information on the global stage, other times helping certain domestic websites build more robust security firewalls.

On the third day, the person who had been maintaining contact with Jing Ke proactively sent an invitation, requesting an in-person meeting that afternoon.

Jing Ke hadn’t initially planned on getting too deeply involved with government officials, but after recalling how a single call from her two days prior had resolved a major hassle, she agreed.

“The meeting is at two o’clock. A car will pick me up. I’ll be back by five at the latest. Wait for me on set?” Jing Ke briefed Shao Qing on her schedule.

“Okay. If you’re going to be later, just send me a message,” Shao Qing said, pausing briefly. “Are you okay going alone? Want me to send the Assistant with you?”

“No need. It’s probably just discussing the data I’ve recently acquired. Nothing major,” Jing Ke said, reaching out to hug Shao Qing. “Don’t worry. I’m not like those characters in the novels you read who abuse their skills and get sanctioned by the authorities.”

“Cough, cough… how did you know about what I read on my phone?” Having her little thoughts exposed, Shao Qing felt slightly embarrassed and buried her head in the crook of Jing Ke’s neck.

“I didn’t snoop. You forgot to lock your screen several times. I just happened to see it,” Jing Ke chuckled.

After reassuring her girlfriend, who had become a bit sensitive due to overthinking, Jing Ke left the old Hutong right on time and got into a car that looked understated yet luxurious.

After Jing Ke’s departure, the atmosphere on set subtly shifted. Certain individuals who hadn’t dared to say anything before started whispering among themselves.

“What exactly is Jing Ke’s background? I’ve been asking around for days, but no one’s ever heard the name.”

“I heard a little. It seems she went abroad as a child and has been back less than a year. People are guessing she’s the illegitimate daughter of some big shot higher up. Because they can’t openly recognize her, they dote on her and gave her a lot of money.”

“Ah? Really? But Jing Ke is clearly mixed-race. Someone at that level wouldn’t be with a foreigner, right? That would be a major mistake.”

“See, that just shows your ignorance. It’s precisely because the other person is a foreigner that they can’t officially acknowledge her!”

“That makes sense. So, whose illegitimate daughter is she? And does that big shot just watch his daughter following a small-time celebrity around? The service she provides is even more thorough than an assistant’s!”

“That, I don’t know. Probably just letting her have her way since she can’t be officially recognized, as long as she doesn’t cause any real trouble.”

–

Jing Ke, currently in a confidential meeting with a certain Senior Official, had no idea she’d been given yet another fabricated identity. The illegitimate daughter of some minister-level figure? The notion was utterly absurd.

“Our proposal is this: we wish to strengthen our mutual cooperation by inviting you to hold a position within a certain special department,” the Senior Official said, her tone genial and approachable, without a hint of arrogance.

“You wouldn’t need to clock in or out. You’d simply need to set aside some time each week to teach a class for the talent we’ve selected. The course content and specific schedule would be entirely up to you, provided you give us a day’s notice.”

“Additionally, we can offer you an official public position: Special Consultant to the General Administration of Radio and Television, at the same rank as a Deputy Director. If you encounter any issues, you can contact the Director directly.”

Jing Ke had been rather indifferent to the previous offers, but upon hearing the last benefit, she couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

“A Consultant at the same level as a Deputy Director?” she repeated. “Would such a position affect my ability to travel abroad?”

“In principle, no. Outsiders might assume you have some undisclosed relationship with a minister,” the Senior Official stated. “Moreover, our nation has always embraced opening up. We import many excellent film and television works annually and export just as many.”

“Having the title of Consultant might help you and your… girlfriend access better international resources,” the Senior Official said with a smile.

Judging by her ability to accurately identify Shao Qing’s role, the Senior Official had certainly done her homework.

“One class per week feels a bit restrictive. Let’s make it four classes a month. I’d like the flexibility to take a longer break occasionally,” Jing Ke countered, lacking a strong sense of selfless dedication. She was purely motivated by the benefits the other party offered.

With support from the top, she could do much more. And Shao Qing could, in turn, be well-protected by her.

“Naturally. I fully understand your needs,” the Senior Official replied, her smile unwavering.

Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. One Jing Ke could only acquire so much information on her own. If they could use her to cultivate more “Little Jing Kes,” in just a few years, the nation could achieve a leading position across numerous fields.

After two hours of amiable discussion, Jing Ke glanced at the time on her phone and proactively ended the meeting.

“I understand your position. You can keep an eye on the progress of ‘Jianghu Road.’ My schedule will be fairly open until my girlfriend wraps filming. If you have any urgent data needs, just tell me directly. I can probably acquire a set in about two days.”

“Oh, and regarding equipment, please arrange three top-tier setups for me and have them delivered directly to Film and Television City. I’ll be able to use them there,” Jing Ke added.

Given the Senior Official’s substantial display of sincerity, Jing Ke felt it appropriate to show some goodwill in return, solidifying their cooperative relationship.

“Of course. I’ll have someone arrange it immediately. The equipment will be delivered by the time you return to Film and Television City,” the Senior Official said, shaking Jing Ke’s hand warmly before personally escorting her out of the room.

Only after seeing Jing Ke’s car drive away did the Senior Official’s smile slowly fade, her gaze turning pensive as she looked in the direction it departed.

Jing Ke seemed utterly indifferent to her own gains and losses.

But when it came to her girlfriend’s gains and losses, she appeared to care deeply.

Could there truly be such a thing as a lovestruck fool in this world? Someone who considers their beloved more important than everything else they have?

The Senior Official rubbed her chin thoughtfully, trying to imagine herself in that position, and then frowned slightly.

It was a feeling she couldn’t fathom at all. The only thing she’d give her everything for was the country she loved.

–

Stepping back onto the set right at five o’clock, Jing Ke spotted Shao Qing amidst the crowd.

Shao Qing was already in her regular clothes, her makeup completely removed, revealing her naturally striking and vibrant features. It seemed she had finished her filming tasks a while ago.

Perhaps because Shao Qing clearly had Jing Ke’s attention and regard, those who couldn’t get Jing Ke’s contact information were using this time to cozy up to Shao Qing, smiling as they inquired about their relationship.

“We’ve all seen the news online! So many people ship you and Boss Jing. There’s even fanfiction and video edits already.”

“Yeah, absolutely! Especially those behind-the-scenes clips that got released. They hit the trending topics so fast! Some fans even suggested swapping the male lead for Boss Jing.”

Flipping with the wind was standard practice in this circle. Privately, they speculated about Jing Ke’s origins, even debating which big shot’s illegitimate daughter she might be.

But their surface-level performance was impeccable. Gossip behind her back didn’t hinder their eager attempts to get closer to her in person.

After all, if she was willing to trail behind Shao Qing and use her connections to help her shine, couldn’t that eventually shift to following someone else and promoting them instead?

Those who managed to appear in a tribute film were hardly unknowns, but their ambition constantly pushed them to reach higher. Merely being popular wasn’t enough; they wanted to latch onto Jing Ke and break into the truly elite circles.

Faced with the barrage of questions, Shao Qing merely smiled, deflecting the more direct inquiries while answering some relatively innocuous ones.

“Shao Qing, I’m back.” Jing Ke frowned as she approached, somewhat forcefully parting the crowd to reach her side.

“Ah, Boss Jing is back! We were just discussing organizing a group dinner with Teacher Shao. Would Boss Jing like to join us?” Even though their offers had been declined repeatedly, at every mealtime, persistent individuals still extended invitations.

“Are today’s scenes finished?” Jing Ke ignored them as usual, simply extending her hand toward Shao Qing.

“Mm. Progress was faster than expected. If tomorrow goes equally smoothly, we’ll likely wrap up,” Shao Qing replied, grasping Jing Ke’s hand and pulling herself up from the chair.

“We’ll be heading back now. See you tomorrow.” Shao Qing gave a polite nod to the group before pulling Jing Ke away from the throng.

–