After A Secret Marriage With The Trending Queen - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

“…**” Shen Lu bit her lip, immediately taking three steps back to maintain distance. “You still haven’t said why you suddenly came here.”

“I just told you, because I missed you…”

Before she could finish, Shen Lu quickly interrupted her. “I don’t believe you.”

“Lu Lu, come here for a minute,” Mother Shen called from the kitchen. Shen Lu immediately got up and walked away.

Ye Qin sat there, smiling helplessly. Shen Lu, are you truly clueless, or just pretending to be?

“Keep Qin Qin here tonight. Don’t let her leave.”

“Mom…”

“What’s wrong? Isn’t it normal for a married person to stay overnight when they visit?”

“…” My last day of vacation is completely ruined. Shen Lu wore an expression of total despair.

A moment later, Shen Lu came out of the kitchen, her face drooping. Ye Qin asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

“My mom said you can’t leave tonight.”

Ye Qin clicked her tongue, feigning annoyance. “I actually had other things to do tonight… but since that’s the case, I guess I’ll stay.”

You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? Shen Lu glanced at her suspiciously. Ye Qin was unfazed and replied airily, “If you want to look, just look openly.”

“I wasn’t looking at you,” Shen Lu turned her face away, displaying an uncharacteristic arrogance that Ye Qin had never seen before.

…

That night, Ye Qin naturally occupied Shen Lu’s bed and confidently patted the space beside her. “Get up here.”

“No,” Shen Lu pouted.

“Then just come closer, alright?”

Shen Lu mumbled, guiltily moving slowly toward the edge of the bed. Suddenly, the cunning Ye Qin reached out and yanked her, causing Shen Lu to tumble directly onto her. The distance between them instantly shrunk to just ten centimeters. She could even hear the other person’s heartbeat.

Shen Lu’s face immediately flushed red. She quickly pushed Ye Qin away, adjusting her clothes. “I… I really need to use the bathroom.” With that, she opened the door and ran out.

Ye Qin was left alone on the bed, shaking her head and laughing. This is too much fun.

Afraid to go back and face her, Shen Lu stayed outside for several hours. When she finally couldn’t bear the cold anymore, she returned to the room quietly and sheepishly. She was relieved to find that Ye Qin was already asleep when she climbed into bed.

…

The next day was the press conference for Ye Qin’s new drama, “Peerless in the World” ($JuShiWuShuang$). The director, producer, two leads, and several important supporting actors were all scheduled to attend.

As the assistant, Shen Lu had to manage almost everything the artist didn’t do. Tan Xueying was also present that day, looking unwell. The two leads stood on stage with practically zero interaction, unwilling even to feign closeness. Although rumors of their discord had circulated for a long time, it was their first drama collaboration, and some promotion wouldn’t hurt.

It was only in the latter half, at the producer’s request, that the two stood together and smiled for a group photo—that was the biggest compromise they made.

The days following the press conference were filled with various busy work engagements. Not only did Ye Qin have no time to sleep, but neither did Shen Lu, who followed her everywhere. Just when they finally caught a break, Sister Wang threw a new task at them.

“It’s another GL drama, a film by a renowned director. It was a hard-won audition opportunity.”

Because the initial buzz around Peerless in the World had already created a massive wave online before it even premiered, many people in the industry were eager to get a piece of the action.

“Most of the people auditioning this time are actors with significant skill and fame. You have to fight for it yourself; no one can help you.”

Because of Sister Wang’s words, Ye Qin was under so much psychological pressure that she had to drink alcohol to fall asleep for several nights. Shen Lu noticed this and felt miserable, yet she couldn’t offer much help. The only thing she could do was manage all aspects of Ye Qin’s life as meticulously as possible, so Ye Qin wouldn’t be troubled and could focus entirely on her work as an artist.

The day of the audition happened to be Christmas Day, December 25th.

The location was the famous HM Tower in A City. That morning, the area was packed with people, the surrounding roads heavily congested. Several million-dollar nanny vans were parked outside. The building’s security was out in full force to maintain order and ensure the audition went smoothly.

The film’s director had won the Best Director award three times and was currently a judge for film awards, giving him a high status in the industry. Being cast in his film, even in a supporting role, was a chance for success. Therefore, many people were desperate to compete for a spot.

Although Ye Qin was popular, there were plenty of people in the circle who were even more famous. Furthermore, her acting skills had never been consistently recognized. This audition was dicey. Shen Lu could feel the immense pressure emanating from her.

She truly wanted to comfort her, to tell her that as long as she tried her best, it would be okay, and there would always be other opportunities.

Shen Lu saw many big-name celebrities in the waiting area that day—some were major figures she’d only seen on TV, making it a feast for the eyes.

The audition was conducted by calling numbers. When it was finally Ye Qin’s turn, Shen Lu’s heart clenched. She inexplicably felt like a parent watching their child enter a college entrance exam—that nervousness, that excitement, that fear… her emotions were incredibly complex.

The half-hour Ye Qin was inside felt like an eternity of torment for Shen Lu. When Ye Qin came out, however, she didn’t reveal the result. Ye Qin seemed relaxed. She just said, “We’ll go back and wait for the notification. Come on, I’m taking you somewhere.”

“Hey, where?”

The two drove out through the basement, while Shen Jing drove the empty car away from the front door. Everything was coordinated as if planned.

After passing the congested areas, Ye Qin started driving fast, pushing the accelerator hard. Shen Lu was terrified, gripping the handle above her head, her voice trembling. “Sister, Sister, where are we going… going…”

“You’ll find out when we get there,” Ye Qin teased.

Dusk was settling when they finally reached their destination. Fortunately, Shen Jing’s coordination was spot-on, and the timing was perfect. When Shen Lu got out of the car, she realized they were on a bridge. Aside from the flowing river below and the city lights on the opposite bank, there seemed to be nothing special. “What are we doing here?”

Ye Qin’s lips curved into a smile. Without a word, she snapped her fingers. In an instant, the fireworks on the bridge all lit up, rapidly illuminating everything around them. Shen Lu’s eyes widened. All this is…

“How about it? Beautiful?” Ye Qin looked at her. The dazzling, colorful light of the fireworks reflected on Shen Lu’s face, making her look exceptionally beautiful and captivating at that moment.

“Did you prepare all of this?”

“Yes. Do you like it?”

Shen Lu was dazed, and slowly nodded.

Only later did Shen Lu find out that the audition results had actually come out that same day: Ye Qin did not pass. Ye Qin simply didn’t want to ruin the festive mood and pretended everything was fine.