Fall In Love With A Substitute

It’s not like she was guilty of anything

“Hm?”

Lin Qinglu, an alluring and stunning beauty and a goddess among the masses, used a “What are you talking about?” kind of pure gaze toward Luo Chun. This instantly caused Luo Chun to re-examine whether or not she herself had said something strange to disturb the beautiful woman.

“Have you not noticed that you treat her very differently?” Luo Chun rubbed her temples. “Think about it carefully.”

Lin Qinglu thought about it for two seconds and declared, “There’s nothing different. I treat her the same as how I treat Liu Lele.”

Luo Chun: ……

“You don’t feel anything even when you and Liu Lele soak in the hot springs together.” When the other person came to lend you a hand, you practically swooned on the spot.

After being left speechless, Luo Chun displayed a first-rate manager’s ability to get to the heart of the matter. Still, she held back and didn’t say the latter sentence, leaving Movie Queen Lin some face. She should also be able to realize that it wasn’t the same, after all.

Before Luo Chun’s expectant gaze, Lin Qinglu thought about it using her line of reasoning.

Was I supposed to feel something when soaking in the hot springs with Liu Lele? If I were in the hot springs with Song Pianxian—

“What soaking or not soaking in the hot springs? Why would I be there with Song Pianxian?” Movie Queen Lin was very composed.

Luo Chun eyed her suspiciously.

Lin Qinglu minded her own business and pondered, “Besides, there isn’t a hot spring here anyway, and I don’t know if N City has any decent hot spring inns…”

Luo Chun: ?

Why are you acting as if you’re seriously considering the possibility of you and Song Pianxian soaking in a hot spring together??

“Seeing your current appearance, I’m now convinced that you’re bent.” Luo Chun let out a long sigh and straightened her glasses.

It was when Lin Qinglu just debuted and signed the contract with the company that she made clear her sexual orientation. This matter was known to only Luo Chun and a handful of people. Even Liu Lele, who followed her closely, did not know.

After all, for Lin Qinglu to be able to obtain stellar achievements within a short period of time and stand at the very top of the entertainment circle while looking scornfully at the masses, one could see with a glance that she was a working machine whose emotional life was a blank slate.

Man or woman, for Lin Qinglu this didn’t trigger any great waves, and she never took more than a single look. After all this time, if it weren’t for Luo Chun’s good memory, then she would have forgotten about her own actress’s disposition.

“How could I have any strange thoughts about Song Pianxian? It’s simply that we’ve recently been in contact more, that’s all.” Lin Qinglu’s expression was earnest to the extent that it was even a bit solemn.

Because of her powerful aura, Lin Qinglu’s words carried a natural persuasiveness. Luo Chun was momentarily suppressed, and it was only after two or three seconds that she recovered.

In that case, how do you explain how nervous you were when Song Pianxian was just helping you fasten a knot?

The words whirled around Luo Chun’s lips but did not come out.

She had to ask Liu Lele in order to find out more about it. What if it was really a misunderstanding?

Ultimately, she hoped it was a misunderstanding since an actress’s love life was considered a major issue, even more so when the other party was a woman.

Luo Chun let Lin Qinglu off the hook, leaving to find Liu Lele.

Lin Qinglu had the dressing room all to herself with not a single soul in sight, allowing her to calm her nerves. It was only then that she discovered that she seemed to be very tense while she was confronted with Luo Chun’s questions.

What was she anxious about?

Was there any real reason to be so anxious?

It’s not like she was guilty of anything.

“Did President Ji really say that? That the endorsement is definitely yours?” Ye Zixuan’s manager Gao Min checked the good news over and over again.

When it came to Ye Zixuan, her qualifications could only be considered mediocre. Otherwise, they would not have turned to Gao Min to take care of her either. But ever since she started clinging to President Ji, there’s nothing to worry about anymore!

The actress under her care would bring recognition, and she would benefit from it as the manager. Gao Min’s face glowed with elation, treating the endorsement for HY as if it were already in the bag.

Ye Zixuan absent-mindedly agreed to what she said. It was obvious that her mind wasn’t on the conversation or the script.

Her gaze wandered until it finally landed on the person she wanted to see. She raised a smile and was just about to walk over.

But thinking of the other’s avoidance, she controlled herself and engaged in small talk with Director Zhao, chatting about the show.

Only when Song Pianxian helped carry the video camera nearby did Ye Zixuan tell Director Zhao that she wanted to borrow Song Pianxian to practice a scene.

Director Zhao didn’t overthink it and waved his hand, agreeing to it.

Ye Zixuan now stood delicately in front of Song Pianxian and gave her a cute wink: “Pianxian, is it okay if you help me act out the other’s dialogue?”

Jian Yixin had no reason to refuse, so she was forced to pick up the other script and read aloud her lines.

This show was a female lead vs. supporting female lead rival drama. One scene had Xiao Xiaoxia hurling sharp words at Lady Zhao, and this part required them to be very close to one another.

As Ye Zixuan approached Jian Yixin, there wasn’t even half a line from the script in her head. There was only the other person’s face that was refined and flawless and her eyes that were as gentle as water.

As she was watched by Ye Zixuan’s evasive gaze and seeing Ye Zixuan’s increasingly red face, the discomfort in Jian Yixin’s heart grew stronger.

Is this female lead sick? 

Or are Ye Zixuan’s acting skills this lacking? To the point that she can take hurling sharp words and perform it with the same feeling as whispering words of love?

Lin Qinglu had just left the make-up room, only for this scene to crash into her sights.

She halted her steps.

“Why did you stop?” Luo Chun, who was next to her, asked while knowing the answer.

Lin Qinglu glanced around: “Where’s Old Man Yu? Still not starting the shoot.”

“That anxious, huh,” Luo Chun whispered.

“The cast is all ready but not filming. What is he waiting for?”

Is he waiting for Ye Zixuan to waste two hours off-stage practicing lines? He really is too indifferent toward efficiency that it’s severely slowing down everyone’s progress.

Lin Qinglu was extremely dissatisfied with this kind of conduct.

She single-mindedly lifted her gaze past the two people practicing lines, bringing about a burst of a fragrant breeze.

Jian Yixin cast a sidelong glance, but only saw that Movie Queen Lin had her exquisite chin held high and her lips slightly pursed.

Song Zhe was currently in the car with his eyes closed, taking a short rest.

He was done inspecting the overseas branch and had just returned to the country. His special assistant was next to him, speaking in a soft voice about the urgent domestic affairs that needed to be dealt with.

“…The Wang family’s second young master heard about your entry into the entertainment industry and wanted to offer Brilliant Moon’s shares.”

“Starlight is approaching their fifth year with great momentum, while Brilliant Moon is on the decline with their shareholders’ return on investment continuing to fall.” Li Hua spoke in a hushed tone: “The K City development proposal has been shelved indefinitely as the Wang family’s capital chain[1] is in imminent danger, and the second young master should be trying to fill in the holes.”

“Master Wang at that time had helped the Song family, but it’s a pity that the younger generation failed to live up to expectations.” Song Zhe didn’t open his eyes and indifferently said, “Accept it.”

Nothing to earn. Just treat it as repaying a favor.

“Understood.” Li Hua marked it and then suddenly recalled, “Miss’s recent friend, Lin Qinglu, is Brilliant Moon’s contracted actress.”

At the mention of his younger sister, Song Zhe revealed today’s first smile, which carried a bit of doting.

Li Hua continued, “Starlight’s President Ji made an appointment with you to talk about…how, in the project, Starlight is willing to continue making concessions.”

Song Zhe accidentally opened his eyes.

Ji Jing was the commercial district’s nouveau riche and was fiercely gaining momentum within the business world. It was easy to tell by looking at Brilliant Moon. Starlight, under Ji Jing’s leadership, had power akin to that of a ferocious tiger, perched high atop the entertainment industry with unparalleled limelight.

This kind of person is repeatedly taking the lead in making concessions during the project?

“President Ji wants to let Ye Zixuan become HY’s spokesperson.”

Again with HY.

Nothing was more important than his little sister’s happiness, so Song Zhe issued his decision without hesitation: “Everything involving the endorsement must comply with the miss’s wishes.”

“Understood.” 

When the director of HY’s Asia-Pacific Region, Li Fei, got in touch with Jian Yixin, she immediately presented the plan to give Lin Qinglu the international endorsement as well as the arrangements for the follow-up collaboration.

After Jian Yixin leafed through it, she quickly approved it and also praised Li Fei’s work efficiency in front of Song Zhe.

Since his little sister was happy, Song Zhe right away added onto Li Fei’s year-end bonus with a single wave of his hand. Li Fei felt exceedingly satisfied. How could she not understand what this had meant? She finalized the endorsement with Lin Qinglu’s team posthaste. When she once again caught hold of Jian Yixin, she was already prepared to officially announce it. Her speed was worth calling incredible.

After Ji Jing got the news of the rejection, his face was as gloomy as a thundercloud, scaring the office workers into trepidation. Still, when he received Ye Zixuan’s energetic phone call, he pursed his lips and couldn’t say the words that “the endorsement was gone.”

Saying such things in front of the woman who adored him and admitting to his failure, for him that was far worse than killing him.

“I still don’t dare to believe that you’ve given me such good resources. I am surely the most fortunate woman in the world.” Ye Zixuan once again used an idolizing manner of speaking when referring to the endorsement.

The former adoring praise that made Ji Jing feel smug now made him feel like he was getting slapped in the face. His face suddenly felt hot, and he couldn’t help but pound on his desk in order to vent the rage within his heart.

“What’s wrong?” Ye Zixuan was startled.

Ji Jing clenched his teeth and only spoke after a long time had passed.

“In the future, all the good resources I’m able to get will be given to you.” So don’t care about HY’s endorsement anymore.

Ji Jing, in the end, could not say it out loud.

HY’s spokesperson wasn’t going to be announced too soon, so he began to contemplate finding a resource of similar value for Ye Zixuan, and only when the time came, would he then tell her…

Ye Zixuan, however, misunderstood his intentions, simply regarding them as words of love due to happiness.

Meanwhile, Li Fei personally contacted Luo Chun to discuss the official announcement.

TL Notes:

[1] just TL’ed it as “capital chain” tho there’s probably an actual English equivalent for it; it’s pretty much just means the cycle for the basic funds/assets needed to keep a business running