Chapter 87

Leng Xiang gave Liu Lingshu ten thousand yuan a month, which was far from enough to fill the massive hole left by the man’s gambling debts.

Liu Lingshu and the man had just moved into this basement to dodge debts when they spotted Leng Xiang on TV. Liu Lingshu’s mind immediately started racing again.

That was her own daughter. Her biological parents were living in a basement, so why should she get to live so carefree and unrestrained?

The next morning, Liu Lingshu headed to the apartment complex where she had tailed Shen Cheng last time to find Leng Xiang. She sneaked inside.

But Leng Xiang’s apartment door was tightly shut, with a rental notice posted on it. It looked like the place had been vacated—Leng Xiang had moved out.

Unwilling to give up, she staked out the spot for an entire morning until a neighbor noticed her suspicious lurking and eyed her warily before calling security.

She was chased out by the arriving complex security guards.

Liu Lingshu stood at the complex entrance, looking around.

She still wore her tattered, patched cotton jacket, head bowed submissively, hands awkwardly tucked into her sleeves.

No one knew how many years she had worn that jacket; it was covered in countless patches but remained relatively clean.

The complex was in a somewhat remote area and qualified as upscale, with little foot traffic. Her appearance clashed completely with the surroundings. Everyone who passed instinctively glanced at her, assuming she was some beggar from out of town, and skirted around her with furrowed brows.

The area was full of such complexes. Liu Lingshu wandered around for a while when she suddenly spotted a familiar figure.

Her eyes lit up, and she hurried after them.

She had once used her old flip phone to clumsily browse news online for updates on Leng Xiang and remembered seeing this face.

If she wasn’t mistaken, that was Leng Xiang’s new assistant.

…

Wang Linlin stood at the complex entrance, clutching a stack of scripts as she walked inside.

Leng Xiang’s apartment building was in a remote corner of the complex. As she headed toward it, she suddenly felt something off.

She glanced behind her.

No one was there. Wang Linlin turned back and continued walking.

But she stayed alert and didn’t go straight to Leng Xiang’s building. Instead, she wandered around the complex.

She slipped into a nearby apartment building, closed the security door at the base, and hid behind it to peer out.

Sure enough, a sneaky middle-aged woman appeared where she had just been, looking around.

The woman, having lost her target, stubbornly searched elsewhere.

Wang Linlin hid in the building for over half an hour before daring to emerge.

…

Half an hour later, confirming Liu Lingshu was gone, Wang Linlin stood at Leng Xiang’s door and rang the bell.

Leng Xiang opened the door, and Wang Linlin rushed inside with her scripts.

Wang Linlin: “Sister Leng Xiang, close the door quick!”

Leng Xiang shut the door and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Wang Linlin said, “Sister Shen Cheng told me last time that if anyone comes looking for you, I should watch for anyone suspicious following me.

“When I came over today, I spotted a woman tailing me the whole way. I barely shook her off.”

Leng Xiang’s heart tightened.

Wang Linlin asked, “Sister Leng Xiang, who was that?”

Leng Xiang led her to the sofa, poured her a cup of tea, and said flatly, “No one.”

Wang Linlin looked worried but didn’t press when she saw Leng Xiang didn’t want to talk about it.

She placed the stack of scripts on the coffee table. “Sister Shen Cheng sent me to check on you and see how you’re doing with picking scripts.

“The Love Diary schedule isn’t tight, so she suggested you join a crew first to get some experience.”

Leng Xiang had reviewed several scripts lately and selected a few. She went to her room, fetched one she had been reading, and handed it to Wang Linlin.

Leng Xiang said, “I like this one.”

The script Leng Xiang picked was a typical idol romance drama. She would play the female lead, whose main plot involved dating the male lead, causing him trouble, him solving it, more dating, a meddling best friend, some heartbreak, and ultimately realizing his undying love before getting back together.

Wang Linlin took the script, flipped through a couple of pages, and read intently.

After ten minutes, she looked up with an indescribable, inscrutable expression.

Wang Linlin took a deep breath and asked, “Sister Leng Xiang, you really want to film this?”

Leng Xiang nodded. “Yeah.”

Idol romance dramas were easy to shoot and profitable. If filming went fast, they could knock out two episodes a day—simple, low on acting skills required, just go through the motions. People loved them nowadays. Why not?

Wang Linlin was heartbroken. “That’s so degenerate, sis. You’re way too fallen for this.”

She had just come from Jiang Sisi’s crew, where her acting had been praised. How could she waste that talent on this?!

Such a misuse of talent—she didn’t cherish it!

Wang Linlin widened her sincere big eyes. “Does Teacher Jiang approve?”

Leng Xiang was speechless. “What does my choice of drama have to do with her? Why do I need her permission?”

Wang Linlin tossed the script on the table and slapped her thigh. “Of course it does! Teacher Jiang is your girlfriend!”

Leng Xiang: “…”

Leng Xiang snatched the script back and turned to leave.

Wang Linlin grabbed her arm. “Sis, why not ask Teacher Jiang’s opinion before deciding? Seriously, don’t do this one. I hate the male lead you’d be acting opposite. If you join that crew, I won’t be able to eat.”

Leng Xiang: “…”

That reason was at least passable.

In the end, Leng Xiang called Jiang Sisi.

She grabbed her phone, dialed Jiang Sisi’s number, and called.

Jiang Sisi was in a heated argument with a bunch of directors, producers, and the editing team about how to cut Luxury Goods to pass review while keeping it comprehensible for audiences. They had to use heavy symbolism to replace Su Qing and Jiang Chuan’s romance without making it too obvious.

She was in a fierce shouting match with the assistant director in a small room, fully immersed, when her phone rang.

Jiang Sisi had set a special ringtone for Leng Xiang. Hearing it, she declared, “I’m not stooping to your level, you fatso,” withdrew from the battlefield, slammed the door, and stormed off to take the call.

The assistant director stared in disbelief at the editor munching melon seeds nearby. “She dared slam the door on me? Am I not her little cutie anymore?!”

The editor spat out a seed shell, brushed off the fragments, and said kindly, “Assistant Director, you were never Director Jiang’s little cutie.”

Ouch, that stung.

Shiyue Studio was on the top floor, with a large open area outside planted with flowers and grass.

It looked pleasant usually, but in summer, it attracted swarms of mosquitoes. Working there meant wrapping up your legs tight or risking bites all over.

Jiang Sisi stood at the edge of the rooftop, gazing into the distance as she answered.

She had dropped Leng Xiang off just yesterday afternoon—not even twenty-four hours ago—and she already missed her a bit.

Jiang Sisi sighed sweetly.

Love was such a tormenting little demon.

Jiang Sisi’s voice was sweet and clingy. “Xiangxiang, did you miss me?”

Leng Xiang’s voice came through bluntly, giving her no face. “No, just something to tell you.”

Jiang Sisi: “…”

Jiang Sisi thought sadly: The night before last, they had been intimate, lying together sharing their hearts. She had held Leng Xiang all night. And now, not even two days later, she was turning cold.

Jiang Sisi grieved. “Xiangxiang, you don’t love me anymore.”

Leng Xiang: “…”

Leng Xiang asked, “What were you doing just now?”

Jiang Sisi: “Discussing revisions with the team.”

She sighed wistfully. “We’ve scrapped five versions already.”

Leng Xiang said, “None of those five worked?”

Jiang Sisi looked into the distance, then smiled back at her phone. “You know what kind of film Luxury Goods is. Getting it into theaters without cuts is tough.”

Leng Xiang asked, “How did Tang Hui’s If Love Has Destiny get through a few years ago?”

Jiang Sisi rubbed her chin. “They filed it as niche arthouse with low screenings, so they turned a blind eye—plus Xiao Yue pulled strings. I’m filing as mainstream urban commercial with big screenings. To maximize profits, you get it.”

Leng Xiang: “…”

Both she and Jiang Sisi were money-grubbers, willing to do anything for cash.

Leng Xiang said, “I have something to discuss.”

Jiang Sisi: “What?”

Leng Xiang honestly explained she might take a 68-episode mindless idol romance drama.

Jiang Sisi shot it down firmly. “No.”

Leng Xiang said coolly, “They’re paying top dollar. Easy money like that—why leave it? You get it.”

Jiang Sisi: “Still no.”

Leng Xiang: “You’re such a hypocrite. Officials can set fires, but commoners can’t light lamps.”

Jiang Sisi whined, “I say no, it’s no. I know that director—I’ll call him later and tell them not to cast you.”

Leng Xiang protested, “Can you be reasonable?”

Jiang Sisi: “Having my girlfriend all lovey-dovey with some guy for three months of filming? Then seeing you two kiss on the big screen months later?”

She tsked irritably. “You think I’d be okay with that?”

Leng Xiang: “…”

This woman was clingy, overbearing, and possessive.

A faint, awkward sweetness stirred in Leng Xiang’s heart.

Leng Xiang said, “Fine, what should I do instead?”

Jiang Sisi seemed to think of something. “A friend of mine is shooting an urban family drama. I read the script—it’s good, pays well, but they’re stuck on casting. Want to consider it?”

Leng Xiang laughed. “Pulling strings for me?”

Jiang Sisi laughed. “Yep.”

It wasn’t really strings—Leng Xiang was a top-tier actress now, with crews lining up. Linking up would benefit both sides.

Crucially, that drama’s romance was minimal, negligible.

They bantered sweetly a bit longer.

Leng Xiang hung up satisfied and tossed the script on the table.

Wang Linlin sat beside her, sipping tea with a slurp, her teeth aching from the sweetness.

She and Tan Ya weren’t even this mushy—Tan Ya couldn’t flirt to save her life and always pissed her off trying.

Wang Linlin smacked her lips, a tad envious.

Wang Linlin said, “Sister Leng Xiang, you still doing that drama?”

Leng Xiang: “Nah.”

Wang Linlin clapped. “Perfect timing—I brought scripts. Take a look, no rush.”

Leng Xiang: “No need. She’ll send one over soon.”

Wang Linlin: “…”

Wang Linlin: “You agreed without even reading it?”

Leng Xiang nodded. “I trust her taste.”

Wang Linlin: “…”

Tch, then why had she bothered running over? Should’ve just told her to call Jiang Sisi sooner.