The Heroine Fell Deeply For Her [Quick Transmigration] 200

Chapter 200: There’s a Fox Here (Entertainment Circle) Part 13

“Tao Laoshi(Teacher), you’re exaggerating, it’s just a small matter, we can discuss this…”

Tao Ning sneered, the red mark on her wrist prominent: “A small leak will sink a great ship, you carelessly left equipment lying around, injuring me, and you call it a small matter? Is this how Jiang Li Entertainment operates?”

The Jiang Li representative’s heart sank, realizing his mistake, and he tried to backpedal: “No, no, you misunderstand, that’s not what I meant…”

Tao Ning: “Then what did you mean? Enlighten me.”

Thinking she had softened, he continued his attempts to persuade her to discuss the matter privately.

Glancing at the Yiwen Entertainment staff, he said, “Let’s give each other some face, why don’t we find a cafe and talk this over?”

This was so blatant that even the simple-minded Qi Xiaojia understood.

—He didn’t want to lose face in front of Yiwen Entertainment.

And what face does he have to lose?

Tao Ning was losing her patience: “Forget it, have someone from Jiang Li who can actually speak properly contact me, I have serious doubts about your professionalism, I’ll be going now.”

Without waiting for a reply, she turned and left.

Such matters couldn’t be delayed, the longer it dragged on, the worse it would get.

The person in charge of the studio setup had heard of Jiang Li Entertainment’s CEO, his brother-in-law, who had been trying to collaborate with Tao Ning, even putting in a lot of effort for her new script.

But his efforts had been in vain, unable to even get a response from Tao Ning’s assistant, and then she had disappeared.

He had heard that Qingying Entertainment was starting a new project, and Jiang Li wanted to try again, hoping to secure a role for their top star.

Having finally met Tao Ning, he hadn’t expected it to be under such circumstances.

Despite wanting to say something, Tao Ning’s cold expression deterred them, no one daring to stop her.

The Yiwen Entertainment staff, having enjoyed the show, also left.

“Wait…” The Jiang Li representative’s face turned green, he was the CEO’s brother-in-law, everyone in the industry gave him face.

What was with Qingying Entertainment’s arrogance, disrespecting him so openly?

He turned to his subordinate, glaring: “What’s the meaning of this? Why didn’t you tell me who was outside?”

The subordinate felt wronged, he had been about to, but his superior had already walked out, not even listening to him.

He went back inside, shouting, “What are you looking at? Get this mess cleaned up and the equipment installed! They’ll be here soon, don’t waste time!”

The quiet studio became noisy again.

The representative, seeing no one paying attention to him, discreetly slipped into a corner and made a phone call: “Sis, I have something to tell you, tell my brother-in-law not to yell at me…”

In the elevator, Yu Shuangjiang was still thinking about the red mark on Tao Ning’s wrist, which she had only seen from afar.

Now, holding Tao Ning’s hand, she said, “Are you sure you’re okay? How about we skip dinner and go back to the hospital to have it checked?”

Having experienced her share of bumps and bruises during filming, she knew how painful such injuries could be, and Tao Ning’s work required her hands to be nimble.

Tao Ning let her examine her wrist, looking down at Yu Shuangjiang’s concerned face: “Don’t worry, I’m fine, it’s just a lipstick stain.”

Yu Shuangjiang didn’t believe her: “Lipstick stains don’t look like that, I wear makeup every day, I know what they look like…”

She rubbed the mark with her thumb, lightening her touch, afraid of hurting Tao Ning.

A smudge of red came off on her fingertip, the skin beneath still pale.

Tu Xue, seeing this, said in surprise, “It’s lip gloss.”

Yu Shuangjiang was puzzled: “But I clearly saw a bruise.”

And a casual smudge of lip gloss couldn’t be more realistic than a professionally applied bruise, how could she have mistaken it?

And there was another thing she didn’t understand.

Blocking such a heavy object with her bare hand, wouldn’t that cause an injury?

Tao Ning said casually, “They were too embarrassed to look closely, so they just let it go.”

Tu Xue, not having experienced such strange things, her mindset still rooted in materialism, thought it made sense.

Not to mention the wrist, even Tao Ning’s broken watch was enough for Jiang Li to compensate.

Tu Xue turned to her assistant: “Xiao Jia, did you bring the watch? Put it in a bag and give it to Tao Laoshi later, I’ll call Chunqiu Building and have them send us the surveillance footage.”

She immediately took out her phone and called, quickly receiving a positive response.

Qi Xiaojia, in a corner, taking photos of the watch and searching for its brand online, fell silent, looking up at the ceiling.

She couldn’t understand how someone could wear a house on their wrist.

Hearing Tu Xue’s words, she nodded, carefully putting away the broken watch, although it was probably beyond repair.

Tao Ning touched her wrist, reassuring Yu Shuangjiang again: “See? I’m fine.”

“…” Yu Shuangjiang, still suspicious, released Tao Ning’s wrist and took out a wet wipe, cleaning the lip gloss stain.

They took the elevator down and got into the car, soon arriving at their destination.

It was a quiet and elegant restaurant, membership only, not very crowded.

The dishes had already been ordered, ready to be served upon their arrival.

Yu Shuangjiang, following the waiter, whispered to Tao Ning, “I wasn’t sure of your preferences, so I ordered a few signature dishes, I hope you like them.”

Tao Ning, however, was more relaxed now: “I’m not picky, I’ll eat whatever you ordered.”

Yu Shuangjiang, relieved, her tone light: “I think you’ll like them.”

This was based on her observations as a cat, Tao Ning wasn’t a picky eater, but she had high standards, and there were a few dishes she seemed to prefer, eating them slowly and savoring them.

After careful consideration, she had chosen these dishes, hoping to please both of them.

And of course, no fish, Yu Shuangjiang hated fish, a deep-seated aversion, and she was glad Tao Ning hadn’t given her any fish while she was a cat.

After the meal, Qi Xiaojia and Tu Xue went to pay, and the cashier told them the takeout order had already been delivered.

“Yes, I know,” Tu Xue replied, knowing it was the food Yu Shuangjiang had ordered for her parents.

Qi Xiaojia, rubbing her full belly, took out her phone, and her eyes widened slightly as she browsed the trending topics.

A topic, not widely discussed, but ranked third and tagged as “hot,” caught her attention.

#JiRuoyiPerfectCasting#

Qi Xiaojia had seen many such trending topics, mostly promotional campaigns created by fans, but she knew this Ji Ruoyi.

She was Jiang Li Entertainment’s current top star, their rising star.

The one who had competed with Yu Shuangjiang for the Best Actress award last year, losing, then accusing her of cheating.

With the two companies being rivals, their artists were also rivals, and wherever Yu Shuangjiang and Yiwen Entertainment were, Ji Ruoyi and Jiang Li Entertainment would also be present.

Tu Xue had mentioned that Ji Ruoyi’s team was trying to secure a role in The Legend of Wen Ying, a highly sought-after project.

Even before Yu Shuangjiang finished filming her previous drama, rumors had been circulating, her name often mentioned in discussions about the project,

Along with Ji Ruoyi’s.

The public, enjoying the drama, eagerly watched as the fans argued, the genuine fans simply stating their support for their favorite actress, while others stirred the pot, creating a lively scene.

But the investors of The Legend of Wen Ying preferred Yu Shuangjiang’s commercial value, and the script had been sent to her on the day she finished filming her previous drama.

However, before she could even read it, the accident happened.

Recalling the rivalry, Qi Xiaojia clicked on the trending topic.

This seemed more like a marketing campaign than a fan-made trend, and the investors and platforms, prioritizing commercial value, might actually be swayed by this.

The content was as Qi Xiaojia expected, all about Ji Ruoyi’s past roles.

A fan-made video, clips of her performances edited together according to the original story’s plot, the audio from the radio drama, quite well-made, was pinned to the top.

[Am I the only one who thinks Ji Ruoyi is perfect for Wen Ying?]

[I agree, Wen Ying, despite being in the palace, always manages to survive and eventually becomes the Empress, this role is perfect for Ji Ruoyi.]

[But I heard this role is for Yu Shuangjiang?]

[This is Ruoyi’s territory, please don’t mention irrelevant people. (eye roll)]

[That homeless, irrelevant actress is here again (vomiting)]

[Just a passerby, this video is amazing, is Ji Ruoyi really playing Wen Ying???]

[Ji Ruoyi is the perfect Wen Ying! I said so!]

[Wow, this even trended, they have to cast Ji Ruoyi now.]

[Perhaps they will, the producer of The Legend of Wen Ying just reposted this video!]

After scrolling through a few pages, Qi Xiaojia closed the app.

The producer was known for creating hype, having done the same for his previous project, stirring up drama.

The Legend of Wen Ying was a popular IP, but it was a palace drama, and the power struggles had already begun before filming even started.

This trending topic gave the impression that Ji Ruoyi had already been cast, and even if she wasn’t, she could simply claim it was her fans’ enthusiasm, it wouldn’t affect her image.

Qi Xiaojia, a mere assistant, only cared about Yu Shuangjiang’s projects, not these things.

In the private room, Tao Ning and Yu Shuangjiang, unaware of what was happening online, were preparing to leave.

Even if she knew, Yu Shuangjiang wouldn’t have reacted, she hadn’t even read the script yet, and her soul-transmigration problem wasn’t resolved.

For her own safety, she couldn’t afford to attract attention, and the company agreed.

If something happened on set, it would be even more difficult to manage.

They chatted as they walked out, planning to return to the hospital, then Tao Ning would go home.

At the entrance, Tao Ning seemed to sense something and turned around.

They were in the parking garage, a few staff members nearby, busy with their work, no one paying attention to them.

And further away were a few villas, seemingly unoccupied.

Yu Shuangjiang was already in the back seat: “I’m ready, Tao Laoshi.”

Tao Ning, after a moment of hesitation, looked away and got into the car.

Upstairs, a figure with a camera hid behind the curtains.

After a while, he cautiously peeked outside, seeing the area empty, and breathed a sigh of relief.

The man in a baseball cap muttered, “From so far away, they probably didn’t see me.”

Meanwhile, Ji Ruoyi left her office and returned to her dressing room.

Her phone rang.

Glancing at the unfamiliar yet somehow familiar number, she answered: “What is it?”

Paparazzi: “I have photos of Yu Shuangjiang having dinner with someone in the industry, are you interested?”

Ji Ruoyi, uninterested: “Yu Shuangjiang is in the industry, of course she has dinner with people in the industry, what’s the big deal?”

Paparazzi: “What if it’s a big shot?”

“…Who?” Ji Ruoyi’s interest piqued, and she sat up straight, feigning nonchalance, “Don’t try to scam me with some random photo just to raise the price.”

This wasn’t the first time, this paparazzi was a gambler and often exaggerated to sell his stories.

Even a D-list celebrity with millions of fake followers could become a superstar in his stories.

Ji Ruoyi wouldn’t be easily fooled, but she wouldn’t ignore the possibility either.

The paparazzi looked at the photos again, not admitting his need for money, and thought of Yu Shuangjiang’s rival.

And he wasn’t completely lying, Tao Ning was a big shot, her involvement in a project guaranteed high-profile casting.

His voice lowered slightly: “Someone who could affect your next role?”

These cryptic words were naturally misunderstood by Ji Ruoyi.

She had never heard of Yu Shuangjiang having dinner with anyone, so this was clearly a secret meeting, despite her usual aloof and virtuous image, she was still attending these shady gatherings.

With this incriminating evidence, she could finally expose Yu Shuangjiang’s hypocrisy.

Ji Ruoyi, her teeth clenched: “I’ll take them, I’ve transferred the money, send me the photos.”

“Don’t worry, I always deliver,” the paparazzi said, then hung up.

A while later, Ji Ruoyi, after receiving the photos: “…”

I knew I shouldn’t trust a gambler.

The photos were of Tao Ning, standing beside a black car.

In the first photo, she was talking to Yu Shuangjiang, and in the second, her face turned slightly, as if about to look at the camera.

But her face wasn’t visible.

Although taken from a distance, it was clearly Tao Ning and the Yiwen Entertainment staff.

But what use were these photos to Ji Ruoyi? Could she use them to promote Yu Shuangjiang’s close relationship with Qingying Entertainment?

It wasn’t worth offending Tao Ning for such a trivial matter.

Just then, her manager entered, her voice filled with anxiety: “How could you offend Tao Ning? Don’t you know the company is trying to get you a role in her new movie?”

A voice on the other end of the phone said something, and the manager’s frown deepened, cursing softly, “Useless.”

Ji Ruoyi asked gently, “Wei Jie, what’s wrong? Who made you so angry?”

“That idiot Manager Qu, Chunqiu Building is an old building, he didn’t secure the equipment properly, and it almost fell on Tao Ning,” the manager said, explaining the situation.

“Offended Tao Ning…” Ji Ruoyi looked at the photos again, then after a moment of thought, said, “She’s not the only screenwriter in the world, offending her isn’t a big deal, there’s no point in trying to appease her, let’s use this to our advantage.”

She was decisive, which was why she had managed to catch up to Yu Shuangjiang, despite debuting later, now almost her equal, a top-tier actress.

Her manager was puzzled: “What are you saying, Ruoyi?”

Ji Ruoyi: “I remember Qingying Entertainment is one of the investors in The Legend of Wen Ying, right?”

“Yes,” her manager leaned back on the sofa, “It’s a big project, everyone wants a piece of it, but don’t worry, Tao Ning doesn’t get involved in other productions.”

“Wei Jie, I have a plan.” Ji Ruoyi’s eyes sparkled as she explained her idea.

That night, while #JiRuoyiPerfectCasting# was trending, another topic slowly climbed the ranks,

Stopping just below Ji Ruoyi’s.

#YuShuangjiangConfirmedForWenYing#

The content was just a few photos with watermarks, a few unfamiliar faces, but Yu Shuangjiang’s was easily recognizable.

After all, she was a famous actress.

And to avoid any confusion, the photos were captioned, Tao Ning labeled as “Qingying screenwriter.”

ThankYouForNotShippingV: I remember Qingying Entertainment is also involved in The Legend of Wen Ying, does this mean they’ve reached an agreement?

Everyone understood the implication.

[My conspiracy theory: Yu Shuangjiang secured the role through connections, right?]

[The producer said he was considering Ji Ruoyi, and now Yu Shuangjiang pulls this stunt?]