After A Secret Marriage With The Trending Queen - Chapter 15

Chapter 15

At that moment, the kitten had finished all the food, leaning lazily beside Tan Xueying to rest, occasionally licking its tiny paws, and rubbing against her hand to beg for affection—it was very good at being spoiled.

“Since you happened upon my secret today, could you possibly help me…”

Tan Xueying hadn’t finished her sentence, but Shen Lu already understood. “I’ll help you keep this secret.”

Tan Xueying paused for a moment, then smiled. “You are truly quite cute.” After saying that, she looked down at her phone. “It’s getting late, I should head back to the set. Want to come with me?”

Shen Lu initially wanted to nod, but then she thought: if Ye Qin saw her entering with Tan Xueying, it would inevitably lead to another misunderstanding that would be hard to explain. So she decided against it, shaking her head and forcing an awkward smile. “No, Sister Xueying, you go first. I’ll go back a little later.”

Tan Xueying understood her meaning and didn’t press the matter, simply pursing her lips to bid farewell before turning and heading back towards the set.

Shen Lu looked down and saw that the kitten had instantly vanished into the flower bed grass. She had been hoping to play with the little creature, but it had slipped away so quickly. It seemed its relationship with Sister Xueying was much closer; she must come here often to look after it and feed it.

…

When Shen Lu returned to the set, everyone was preparing for the afternoon shoot. She didn’t see Ye Qin anywhere, so driven by work instinct, Shen Lu went to the resting room to find her. As she gently pushed the door open, she saw her still reclining on the chair. Shen Lu closed the door softly, but before she could turn around, she heard the person on the chair speak.

“Where did you go at noon?”

Shen Lu couldn’t help but shiver, feeling a chill down her spine. “I… I didn’t go anywhere. I was just outside on the set.”

Ye Qin opened her eyes, glancing at Shen Lu, and immediately noticed the unusual look on her face. Actors, because they constantly have to analyze the psychological state and expressions of their script characters, can often tell something from a person’s expression after a while. “Then why are you so nervous?”

“I’m not, hehe,” Shen Lu smiled. “Sister, did you rest well at noon? Oh, right, they’re getting ready to shoot outside. If you’re awake, I’ll call the makeup artist in.”

Ye Qin pursed her lips. “Suspicious…” Then she waved her hand. “Get ready for makeup.”

Shen Lu nodded vigorously and dashed out the door the next second. Afterward, she felt like she might have overreacted a bit. Perhaps Ye Qin hadn’t thought that much about it. She shouldn’t scare herself.

“It’s really not easy for these actors nowadays.”

“What’s not easy about it? They earn far, far more than ordinary people. What’s so difficult?”

“Well, look, behind the scenes, you don’t know how much they’re tearing each other down, yet they still have to film together nicely on set.”

Shen Lu stood nearby, hearing all the gossip. Now, anyone with eyes could see that the mastermind behind this incident wanted Ye Qin and Tan Xueying to clash so they could reap the benefits. If the two really started fighting on set, wouldn’t that play right into the black hand’s plan?

Although Ye Qin was convinced that Tan Xueying was the one sabotaging her behind her back, and no one could persuade her otherwise, thankfully, once the cameras started rolling, she became like a completely different person, extremely focused, casting aside all non-filming matters.

Shen Lu was somewhat relieved by this. Sister Wang had instructed her to keep an eye on Ye Qin on set to prevent any trouble or mishaps, suggesting she was still worried.

Perhaps the director also wanted to facilitate a truce between the two leading actresses. As filming wrapped up in the afternoon, he specifically gathered everyone to announce, “Tonight, the investors want to treat the entire crew to a meal, a little reward for everyone’s hard work lately. Everyone who’s free must attend!”

Dinner! That’s great, Shen Lu thought. Investors usually aren’t too stingy with their treats; at the very least, they’d book a buffet restaurant. Looks like she was in for a feast tonight.

With that, the director turned his gaze to Ye Qin, who hadn’t reacted much, and said with a smile, “Little Qin Qin~ You’ll be coming tonight, right?”

Ye Qin pouted helplessly. “Director, please don’t call me that in the future, it’s really sickening. And I won’t be attending the dinner tonight. I’m feeling a bit unwell.”

A flicker of awkwardness crossed the director’s face, but he couldn’t force her. After all, dinner was not part of the artist’s contractual obligations for filming, and artists had the right to refuse. Plus, he didn’t dare to provoke her, so he reluctantly confirmed again, “Are you really sure you don’t want to go?”

Ye Qin offered a polite smile and a polite refusal. “Thank you for the thought, Director. I want to go back to the hotel to rest after wrapping up. I hope everyone has fun.”

But Shen Lu panicked and quickly whispered, “Then… can I go?” Her eyes showed an intense longing to snag a free meal.

Ye Qin glared at her. Shen Lu’s survival instinct was strong, and she immediately drooped her head. “Then I won’t go either.”

Unexpectedly, Ye Qin said, “Go if you want to. Suit yourself.”

“Really? That’s great! Thank you, Sister!” It was the first time Shen Lu felt the devil had turned merciful.

But as Ye Qin turned and walked away, the unpleasant whispers immediately reached Shen Lu’s ears again.

“Tch~ Who is she trying to fool, thinking she’s a big shot?”

“She probably just doesn’t want to associate with us little nobodies.”

“…What a perfect white lotus…”

Shen Lu felt a bit angry, but when she turned around, everyone instantly shut up. At the same time, she hesitated about whether she should still go to the dinner. In other words, her boss wasn’t going—was it appropriate for her to go alone? But Ye Qin had finally given her approval. It would be a shame not to go, as opportunities like this don’t come often, and it was a rare moment of her mercy.

She would just have to go alone tonight and ignore the stares.

…

As expected, the dinner was held at a moderately priced buffet restaurant in City H. Since the investors were paying, it wouldn’t be too cheap, but going too upscale would be too costly, so they chose a mid-range restaurant that wasn’t too expensive or too cheap.

After dropping Ye Qin off at the hotel, Shen Lu took the crew’s free shuttle bus to the buffet restaurant. Sitting on the bus, surrounded by crew members from various departments, an artist’s assistant—especially a junior one—was naturally bombarded with gossip and questions.

“Hey, Shen Lu, does Ye Qin ever abuse you?”

Shen Lu awkwardly shook her head. “No, Sister Qin has always taken good care of me.”

“You’ve been with Ye Qin for a few years now, right? Does she have any secret relationships or anything? Spill the beans quietly.”

Shen Lu sucked in a cold breath, afraid of saying the wrong thing. “No, she’s so busy with work. Where would she find the time to date? Hahahaha…”

“Does she like men or women? The law has been passed for years now, no one should be shy about this topic.”

Shen Lu: …..

She felt like she had boarded a pirate ship. Help! Mom, I want to get off!

Fortunately, they reached the destination. Shen Lu was the first to rush off the bus, escaping the clutches of the crowd. If this kept up, she would be driven crazy. It seemed being an artist’s assistant was not easy these days, especially one for a popular star like Ye Qin. It was true that popularity bred controversy.

Actually, being alone was quite nice. She could take whatever she wanted to eat, eat for as long as she wanted, and leave whenever she felt like it. Shen Lu carried her plate, piling food onto it while constantly feeding herself fruit. She planned to head back once she was full.

Just as she was happily stocking up on food, a voice suddenly came from behind her. But with such a gentle tone, she knew immediately… it couldn’t be Ye Qin!

“Do you know what a hamster is?”

Shen Lu turned around. “Sister Xueying!”

Tan Xueying smiled with gentle eyes. Shen Lu then asked, “A hamster… what about it?”

Tan Xueying glanced at the plate full of food. “You’re hoarding food like a hamster. There’s always enough food here all night long, and no one is fighting you for it.”

Shen Lu’s mouth twitched awkwardly. She felt so embarrassed, but Tan Xueying had managed to diffuse the awkwardness with a joke.

“Did Ye Qin not feed you enough normally?”

“No, no, it has nothing to do with her. Actually, I just have a big appetite. Don’t let my size fool you…” Shen Lu explained.

“Oh, right, do you want to come with me?” Tan Xueying asked.

Shen Lu paused, pointing to herself. “Me?”

Tan Xueying was already walking in one direction, so Shen Lu cautiously followed behind. Before long, the two entered a private room. The table inside was laden with expensive seafood like large lobsters and hairy crabs. Shen Lu’s eyes went wide. “I didn’t see these outside.”

“Naturally. These are specially prepared for people like us. Ye Qin also had a portion, but since she didn’t come tonight, they sent it all to me. Since you’re here, let’s eat together.”

“Can I really? Can I eat these too?” Shen Lu swallowed.

“If you don’t want to, I won’t force you,” Tan Xueying smiled softly.

Want to? Only a fool wouldn’t want to.

She decided to eat it on Ye Qin’s behalf—waste is shameful, waste is shameful.

Tan Xueying also sat down, though she didn’t eat much, just sipping some red wine. Just then, Tan Xueying’s assistant, Li Li, came in carrying new dishes from the kitchen. As she entered, she caught sight of Shen Lu devouring food and couldn’t believe her eyes. “Sister Xueying, why is she here!” Her tone was clearly accusatory.

“There’s so much food anyway, I can’t eat it all alone.” Tan Xueying smiled gently, radiating an aura of tranquil beauty. “You too, stop working, sit down and eat with us.”

Li Li pursed her lips, clearly unwilling. After putting down the dishes, she stormed out the door.

Shen Lu’s mouth was full of food, and she suddenly felt a bit awkward. After finally swallowing everything, she quietly asked, “Is your assistant angry? Maybe I should go out and eat with everyone else…”

Tan Xueying swirled the glass of red wine in her hand, her eyes lowered so her expression was unclear. “No need. Let her be. I guess I’ve spoiled her too much. Don’t mind her.”

“I don’t mind, I don’t mind. How could I mind?” Shen Lu waved her hands and gave a silly smile. “Sister Xueying, you are so good to your assistant! No, you are good to everyone! You are a good person!”

Tan Xueying: A good person… It was the first time she had heard someone describe her that way.