After Being Dumped by the Film Empress, My Acting Skills Soared - Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Working at the training center provided them with a steady source of income. Fortunately, they didn’t have to stay long; once they had earned nearly 10,000 yuan, Jiang Yan and Shao Niannian resigned simultaneously.

The teacher didn’t try to keep them. Instead, she handed Niannian another red envelope.

Niannian: “Teacher, did you win the lottery?”

Teacher: “I did. I was planning to let you redeem it. Tell me when you need my bank account number.”

“Just take the money and stop talking,” the teacher said, watching her students filter in from outside, greeting her before running off to class. She suddenly realized she had never seen Niannian look so lively.

Just as Niannian was trying to figure out the teacher’s underlying meaning, the woman stated the purpose of the gift.

“Keep it. Not everyone gets to achieve their original wish; consider this my blessing to you.”

Even though the teacher didn’t specify what that “wish” was, Niannian knew in her heart. She had only ever pursued one goal. It was clear and singular; every other small milestone was just a stepping stone for this final wish.

Niannian smiled bitterly. Before she could type out a cute refusal, she saw a follow-up message: “The envelope I gave you is the same size as the one I gave Movie Queen Jiang. I won’t be giving a red envelope at the actual wedding later, so consider my sentiments delivered now~”

Niannian froze. “You gave Jiang Yan a red envelope?”

“Yeah, didn’t she tell you? Maybe she was too busy and forgot,” the teacher said matter-of-factly. “Do I need your permission to give a gift to my student-in-law? Just live happily ever after.”

Niannian picked at her fingernails, unable to stop herself from muttering, “Happily ever after is a long shot. Right now, I’m just down one red envelope. If I marry someone else later, she’ll have to pay up again.”

Of course, she couldn’t say that to the teacher. She accepted the money, thanked her, and decided to put it into a fixed deposit, planning to return it with interest later—specifically, after her one-year binding contract with Jiang Yan expired.

Now that they were done with the training center, Niannian’s next plan was to take Jiang Yan to her alma mater. However, she was told it wasn’t an open-campus day and to check back next Monday.

Plan aborted.

But Niannian thought of someone else: Li Sui, who had entered a “slacker” state with the Gaokao (college entrance exams) approaching. Since it was nearly exam time, the school was giving students more freedom to study at home or at school.

Although Li Yuan had arranged many tutors for Li Sui, it didn’t stop her from being bored to death—bored enough to watch the dating show live stream and message Niannian: “Does that thing you prayed for at the temple actually work? It’s urgent. Can you give me a ‘user review’?”

Niannian only had a small window of lucidity to bicker with Li Sui after the live stream ended each night. But this time, she needed a favor, so her attitude was remarkably polite.

After a negotiation that involved bribing Li Sui with a top-tier desktop computer and a post-exam trip, the girl happily agreed to help.

“Don’t touch anything except the wardrobe!” Niannian threatened. “If I go back and find my room messy, all promises are void! Not a single one will be honored!”

“Hey, Shao Niannian, show some respect. Am I the type of person who digs through others’ things?” Li Sui checked the time and sighed. “Your dad’s tutor is here. Bye.”

She didn’t want to say another word. Though Li Sui promised, Niannian felt a lingering unease. She gripped her phone, trying to remember if she had left anything important in the wardrobe. Her high school uniforms were in there, but she didn’t think there was anything… critical.

She shook her head and turned off her screen just as Jiang Yan walked in, having finished drying her hair.

Initially, Jiang Yan had planned to have her manager, Yang Yang, bring over new bedding. She didn’t mind sleeping on the floor of the master bedroom or the guest room. She wasn’t that high-maintenance.

However, that proposal was met with a three-vote veto.

Niannian, sitting on the edge of the bed, waved her hands frantically. “No need for the floor. If it comes down to it, I can ask Sister Hui to rent a short-term apartment in this complex. I can sleep elsewhere after the stream ends. Making the host sleep on the floor… my conscience can’t take it.”

Yang Yang and Gao Hui vetoed it because the risk of getting caught was too high. “The ‘couple’ reputation is finally trending. If a paparazzi catches a whiff of you sleeping separately, we’ll never be able to explain it. Plus, this is a live stream. Viewers have eagle eyes. If you’re streaming at 8:00 AM and there are two separate beds or sets of covers, you’re just inviting trouble. Don’t make things difficult for yourselves. Sleeping in one bed won’t kill you!”

Vetoed three-to-one. Jiang Yan had no choice.

She wasn’t unhappy, but she wasn’t exactly thrilled either. Every night, she lay there wide awake, unable to play on her phone for fear of disturbing Niannian.

This resulted in her being tormented for several nights by Niannian, who possessed legendary sleep quality and fell asleep instantly. Jiang Yan’s fingers would hover over Niannian’s cheek in frustration, but she could never bring herself to pinch. Instead, her fingertips would linger on the soft skin as Niannian—a restless sleeper—clutched the covers and burrowed deeper into Jiang Yan’s arms.

“Just endure it,” Jiang Yan told herself. She couldn’t wake someone who was sleeping so peacefully after a hard day’s work.

Walking into the room, Jiang Yan saw Niannian dazing on the bed. She sat down beside her, bracing herself on the mattress. “What are you thinking about? Do you have a grudge against my bed today?”

“Of course not!” Niannian protested. “I’ve slept in it for days now; we have a bond.”

“Then after the show, why don’t you call a moving company and take it home?”

“Sure…” Niannian answered too quickly, then snapped her head toward the smiling Jiang Yan, realizing she’d been teased. “My house isn’t a scrap yard! Stop using me as an excuse to upgrade your furniture!”

“Mm-hmm.” Seeing Niannian regain some spirit, Jiang Yan said slowly, “I’m taking you somewhere fun tomorrow. What do you think?”

“Sounds great.” But then, remembering their budget, Niannian worriedly added, “Please tell me it’s not Zhongshan Park or the River Reservoir… If it is, I might have to reconsider.”

Jiang Yan waved her hand. “Of course not. Don’t worry, I’ve already found a ‘big sucker’ to pay for us.”

Niannian: “?”

The Anonymous Sucker (Yang Yang): “Excuse me?”

“That’s good,” Niannian said with relief. “Anywhere but the River Reservoir.”

“Why not there?”

“Hehe… not telling you.” Niannian wasn’t stupid. Who would tell their crush about their most embarrassing moments? “Goodnight, I’m tired.”

Sleep hit Niannian like a truck. She yawned, dove under the covers, and fell asleep instantly, leaving Jiang Yan’s curiosity piqued.

The more you hide something, the more people want to know. Jiang Yan stared at the lump in the bed for a few seconds before decisively messaging Gao Hui. As Niannian’s manager, Gao Hui knew her best.

Jiang Yan sent a probing question and soon got a reply: “I don’t think that was a work trip. I’ve never been to the River Reservoir with her. If you really want to know, I can check her Weibo alt account (finsta) for you.”

Jiang Yan’s eyes sharpened. “Alt account? She has an alt account?”

Given how rarely Niannian updated her main account, Jiang Yan couldn’t imagine her running a secret one.

Gao Hui knew about her artist’s little habits. “She has at least three that I know of. I haven’t counted the ones I don’t know about. I can search by keyword for you, but finding it is another story.”

Jiang Yan, feeling a bit sneaky, replied: “That sounds like a lot of work for you, Sister Hui. Why don’t you just give me the handle and I’ll look through it myself? What if she didn’t use the keyword ‘River Reservoir’ on the day she complained about it? I’d miss it.”

Gao Hui laughed. “Now you’re putting me in a tough spot. I have to respect my artist’s privacy. Looking for the reservoir story is already borderline ‘betrayal.’ If she found out, she’d kill me. If I give you the account and my ‘cash cow’ jumps ship when her contract ends next year out of anger, what will I do?”

Gao Hui wasn’t a fool. Jiang Yan was someone else’s artist; Niannian was a leading second-tier actress who was just one breakout hit or major award away from the top tier. Gao Hui knew the difference between a short-term favor and a long-term business.

Jiang Yan gave up on Gao Hui, sent a “thank you” emoji, and began searching Weibo keywords herself, hoping some eagle-eyed fan had already found Niannian’s alt.

She eventually found one that most hardcore fans knew about. Jiang Yan clicked in. Over 1,000 posts. As she scrolled, she saw a side of Niannian she hadn’t seen: posts about her dogs, her sister’s school life, her parents who were rarely home, and the “agony” of being overfed by the housekeeper whenever she went home.

The photos were more vivid and lively than the ones on her main account. Jiang Yan intended to skim, but she found herself reading every single one, even checking the comments where Niannian interacted with fans.

Fan: “Hello, is this Shao Niannian’s alt? If so, can you tell her to update her main? If not, tell her anyway.”

Niannian: “Hello, this is Xiao Nian’s Weibo. I don’t know Shao Niannian. What you’re asking is a bit much. Does the UN know? If not, I’ll help you contact them @UnitedNations.”

Fan: “When is my daughter filming a new drama? Mom has watched the old ones 800 times! Stop playing and get to work!”

Niannian: “Help! I just got home three days ago. You’re not my mom, you’re a spy sent by Gao Hui! Only 800 times?? My look in ‘Over the Mountains’ deserves at least 8,000! Director Li Qing really knows how to film me. I went to the cinema and was stunned by my own beauty. Help! How can I be this pretty? Ah, I just fainted from my own beauty, what were you saying?”

Jiang Yan couldn’t help but laugh. She kept scrolling, but she wasn’t paying attention—her finger slipped and she accidentally hit the “Repost” button.