After Reuniting with My Aloof Movie Queen Childhood Friend - Chapter 20

7:00 AM.

Li Zhulan had been writing all night. With a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction, she hit the save button and moved on to the next phase: naming the characters.

Although her original inspiration for the story came from two very specific people and she had used their real names throughout the drafting process, she had to swap them out before publishing.

Li Zhulan had never written fanfiction before.

Fan works came with built-in popularity, but they also invited controversy, especially for a pair like Ji Youyi and Meng Xingshu, who… well, seemed to have some genuine bad blood between them.

She was the type of person who didn’t know how to argue and would spiral into a “mood” the moment she received a bad review. To protect her online environment, she had always stuck to original fiction to avoid offending anyone.

This was her first time “skinning” a fanfic (writing it as fanfiction and then changing the names to original ones), and she felt incredibly guilty. She kept glancing around her room, half-expecting a hidden camera to be recording her “crime” so she could be publicly shamed on the internet later.

Beyond the nerves, she was suffering from a massive creative block. She spent nearly an hour researching but couldn’t come up with names she liked.

How could it be this hard to find names that fit her CP’s (Couple’s) aura, sounded pleasant, and had a subtle connection to the real people without being dead giveaways?

Li Zhulan decided to give up for the moment. She pulled out her phone, intending to post a request for name suggestions on Weibo.

Before she could even open the app, a trending notification caught her eye: [Meng Xingshu’s Late Night Like]

Teacher Meng was on Weibo? And she actually liked something?!

It was common knowledge that Meng Xingshu had no personal studio or official fan club. She only had a promotional account managed by her company.

As for her personal Weibo, she hadn’t posted a single original thought since the day she opened it, let alone followed anyone, liked a post, or left a comment.

Her homepage was a desert of cold, professional retweets. Even her award acceptance videos were posted by the company account first, then retweeted by her.

And now, she had liked a post?

If this had happened a month ago, Li Zhulan would have jumped out of bed. But the current “Screenwriter Li” was no longer the person she used to be.

Ever since she added Meng Xingshu on WeChat, she had been dutifully supervising Little Ji’s medication intake and reporting her physical condition to Teacher Meng every night.

Meng Xingshu’s replies were always cold, usually just “Mhm,” “Okay,” or at most, “Thank you”—yet she sent a Red Envelope (money) every single time.

Li Zhulan felt too embarrassed to accept them, but Meng Xingshu never stopped sending them.

She had already experienced the “official couple” practically hand-feeding the fans, why would she get excited over a simple “like”?

Li Zhulan quickly clicked the link.

The liked post was a video shared by a small C-ent blogger who loved following dramas and shipping couples. The blogger’s page usually had a lighthearted, sweet atmosphere.

Clearly, the blogger had found some “good food” and was squealing with delight:

【So is it real or fake? If it’s real, I’m shipping it, if it’s fake, I’m projecting. Just give me one! [Polite Bow]】

Li Zhulan opened the video and saw those two familiar figures she had seen at the wrap party not long ago. They were close to each other, and then… they hugged.

In the hospital, they claimed to be “just friends,” and on set, they pretended to be strangers, but the moment they left the set, they were hugging like this??

Huh? Huh?? HUH???

In the frame, Meng Xingshu’s back was to the camera, so her face wasn’t visible. However, the fact that Meng Xingshu herself liked the post made the truth of the matter self-evident.

Li Zhulan didn’t believe for a second that Teacher Meng could calmly “like” a post of Little Ji being hugged by someone else!

She’d be more likely to report the post for a violation!!

Li Zhulan rewatched the video dozens of times, twisting around on her bed with a massive “fangirl smile” before finally losing it. She began stomping her feet and screaming into the air.

Writing for days couldn’t compare to the official couple doing a bit of “fanservice”! Ahhh, help! Mom, I’m shipping a real couple!!

Her bedroom door was suddenly kicked open. Her mother stood there with a stern face, holding a glass of milk like a towering guardian: “Are you trying to die? Why are you screaming so early in the morning? Did you pull another all-nighter? Are you eating breakfast or not?”

Dear Mother, actually, I did not summon you.

Li Zhulan hugged her duvet and shook her head weakly.

“I knew you wouldn’t eat,” Li Quehan placed the warm milk on the desk. “Drink this and go to sleep! I’m going to work. Lunch is in the rice cooker, eat if you’re hungry, or wait until I get home.”

Having delivered her orders with lightning speed, Li Quehan slammed the door and stomped downstairs.

Li Zhulan sat obediently at the head of the bed, drinking her milk while “catching up” on the news.

The video had first hit the trending charts on the original platform last night, and Meng Xingshu’s “like” had caused it to explode.

Ji Youyi, following her variety show scandal and the suicide rumors, was on the hot search once again. Surprisingly, this time she was receiving a fair amount of positive feedback.

While there were still many insults in the comments, the tone was significantly less aggressive.

Netizens were primarily focused on analyzing why Meng Xingshu had liked the post.

Weibo is a public platform. Choosing to show support publicly for something that could have been said privately is, in essence, a statement.

Everyone originally assumed that Meng Xingshu and Ji Youyi were natural enemies because of Meng Xingshu’s younger sister, Meng Xiao. Now, it seemed that wasn’t the case at all.

Furthermore, this was the first “like” Meng Xingshu had ever given since opening her account!

She didn’t like movie promotions, she didn’t like box office records, and she didn’t like international awards. She liked this? And it was a post from a tiny blogger with no reach, meaning she must have searched for it herself.

There was a problem. A huge problem!

Some dared to speculate: 【Do you think they’re dating?】

The response was a flood of question marks and two words replies: 【? Crazy.】

Despite that, a small group of CP fans began to stir.

Additionally, there were several other high-ranking trending topics.

At 3:00 AM, a well-known law firm had issued a formal legal letter. They announced legal action against over twenty individuals for online and offline infringements, demanding the deletion of content, public apologies, and compensation. They noted that they were continuing to gather evidence and reserved the right to sue others.

Shortly after the legal letter was released, netizens noticed that several major brands had overnight pulled Zhou Wenchen’s advertisements and deleted all collaboration posts.

The gossiping public was shocked: No way? They say “fans’ behavior is the idol’s responsibility,” but can a fan hitting someone offline actually cause an idol to lose their endorsements??

Li Zhulan, however, was stunned by the phrase “offline infringement.”

Little Ji was hit?

But they were on the phone last night! They even exchanged messages in the middle of the night! She didn’t say a word about it; she even sounded like she was laughing and having fun…

Li Zhulan got angry and started typing a message to Ji Youyi: 【Why didn’t you tell me something happened! Do you even see me as a friend!】

She finished the sentence, then deleted it all. She re-edited: 【Super angry! I’m leaving the ‘Holy Pear Cult’ for one minute.】

She thought about it and deleted that too.

…Little Ji had her reasons for not telling her.

Li Zhulan sulked for a while, eventually only sending a “rubbing face” emoji.

After picking out a pile of pepper sprays, stun batons, and portable alarms to be shipped to the post-production office, Li Zhulan returned to Weibo to do a few things.

First, she retweeted all the trending posts related to Ji Youyi. Then, she followed Ji Youyi’s homepage and Super Topic. Finally, she posted the fanfiction she had just finished to her personal Weibo with a solemn note:

【Yes, we have two mothers TuT. I was so excited I stayed up to write this and didn’t even have time to proofread. Everyone just make do with it [munch munch]. Also, I don’t know what tags to use. Organization, please come recruit me! There is a little mouse waiting to be picked up who will keep producing content [munch munch].】

She boldly typed “Meng Xingshu x Ji Youyi” in the very first line and hit send.

Li Zhulan was truly a cowardly person.

When she was falsely accused by classmates in school, she didn’t dare to argue. When her boss shifted the blame onto her at work, she quit while crying. Later, when she was writing the script, she made the character Cao Qiu very sharp and edgy, then immediately began worrying that the audience wouldn’t like her.

After all, female leads in dramas are usually “soft,” and none were like Cao Qiu.

It was Ji Youyi who told her with a serious face that it wouldn’t be like that.

“If you write her with love, then there will definitely be audience members who love her just as much as you do.”

Li Zhulan believed her. That was why she decided to post this fanfiction exactly as it was.

If the world was already filled with too many words hating Little Ji, then she would write words that liked her.

Every character was a piece of affection, and it all belonged to the two of them. There was no need to change the names.

As for any “storm” or controversy… let it come. She was the Great Screenwriter Li!

Ji Youyi slept until 8:00 AM.

In the years after she became an adult, she had worked like a money-making machine, filming one drama after another. She was either busy with preparation, filming, post-production, or promotion. If she was unlucky, she had to handle social obligations. She had never woken up this late.

After transmigrating into this world, she had been even busier, and being able to sleep normally was a luxury.

She had to thank Wu Buxing’s “help” for relieving her of the burden of being the director.

From now on, things like waking up early for the set or working all night were out of the question.

What if the production cycle was too long and there wasn’t enough money? Ask the producer.

The staff dormitory for Lingxing in D City was a paradise in terms of both living conditions and food.

The bedding was comfortable, and the breakfast was delicious.

Today’s main dish, Hibiscus Shrimp, was particularly good, the egg whites were tender and the shrimp was finely minced and smooth.

Ji Youyi finished a plate in one go. She struggled internally for a few seconds but felt too embarrassed to ask for another.

When living under someone else’s roof, one had to maintain their image, no matter how good the food was.

After breakfast, Ji Youyi followed Fang Ruohan to her rented apartment to get her luggage.

Perhaps because there was a police officer with them, several tenants opened their doors to peek into the hallway as they passed. Fang Ruohan, with a frozen expression, glared them all back inside.

So this is what a top movie star’s assistant is like, the little director mused. So professional. No wonder she’s always in professional attire, leaving the house is her work.

Ji Youyi felt she couldn’t afford such a high assistant fee, so she decided she would buy Fang Ruohan a milk tea later that evening.

After finishing the move, Ji Youyi took a car directly to the creative park.

After seeing Fang Ruohan off, she didn’t rush upstairs. Instead, she stood at the park entrance, waiting for Ye Ye to pick her up to go to H City to re-sign her contract.

After the round trip, the entire morning was gone.

In the afternoon, she finally officially threw herself into the remaining post-production work.

Post-production editing is divided into “rough cut” and “fine cut.”

A rough cut involves preliminary screening of materials and a simple assembly according to the script’s order. A fine cut is a more detailed adjustment based on the rough cut, where the cinematic style is further established.

Many directors don’t participate directly in post-production; instead, they provide feedback on what is submitted, making the editors revise it until they are satisfied.

This method does save the director’s energy, but because it requires constant re-work, the overall timeframe is greatly extended.

In theory, Ji Youyi could do the same. She could go to the film city during the day to pick up work and communicate with the post-production team online when she had time, essentially earning two salaries at once.

After all, she no longer had anything to do with the production of this drama. No matter how bad the final product was, it wouldn’t ruin her reputation.

But Ji Youyi had led the crew for over ten days and had been the “boss” of that group of young followers.

Those followers didn’t have great luck. They had finally managed to join a project they thought was good; as their leader, she couldn’t let them down.

Besides, her time wasn’t that precious right now. She had scammed several hundred thousand out of Ye Ye, which was enough.

Ji Youyi didn’t just sit and watch during post-production.

The crew’s budget was limited, and the skill level of the editors they could hire was also limited.

To ensure a better final result, she had to guide them as they edited. For difficult parts or vital plot points, she simply did it herself.

By the end of the half-day, the editor was in total awe: “Director Ji, were you an editor before you became a director?”

How could she be so good at editing!

Her cuts were fast and decisive, artistic appeal and narrative rhythm achieved a perfect balance under her hands!

Even footage where the actors’ performances were lacking could be turned into something magical by her hands!

Ji Youyi smiled slightly: “In a way.”

People tend to admire the strong. In the same industry, one is even more aware of a massive gap in skill.

The editor had completely forgotten how she had cursed Ji Youyi for being an exploiter on her way home yesterday.

It’s all the fruit of hard work! No wonder she edits so well!

As soon as it was dinner time, she proactively ran to get a bento for Ji Youyi and even offered to buy her milk tea, looking for all the world like she wanted to become an apprentice.

Ji Youyi was amused: “What tea? You’re not allowed to order it. I never said I’d take you on. Focus on the film first. If you want milk tea, I’ll buy it for you on the way back.”

The reason she said she wanted to focus on work was purely because her bank card was frozen and she couldn’t order delivery.

They edited until 9:00 PM. Ji Youyi checked the time and decided to call it a day.

The two girls walked out together and each ordered a cup of milk tea at the shop by the park entrance.

Ji Youyi pulled out a fifty yuan bill and paid grandly.

The editor clapped and exclaimed: “Director Ji, you’re still using cash! That’s so artistic!”

No wonder she edits so well!

Ji Youyi, who was currently collecting the change coin by coin into her palm: “?”

Ji Youyi had received the expedited package from Li Zhulan earlier that evening. While waiting for the milk tea, she opened it and found a bag full of self-defense tools.

Given the timing, Li Zhulan probably knew what had happened yesterday. No wonder she had sent so many vague emojis today.

The Great Screenwriter Li is quite well-informed.

Ji Youyi smiled and picked up something that looked like a flashlight. She pressed the switch, and the top began to strobe while a “crackle-crackle” electric sound emitted from it.

It was a self-defense stun baton.

“Can that thing really knock someone out?” The editor stood slightly behind Ji Youyi to watch her unbox the package, her head tilted slightly.

From a certain angle, it looked like the two of them were pressed closely together, with one person’s chin resting on the other’s shoulder.

Ji Youyi shook the stun baton: “It should mostly just cause pain or numbness, but the flashlight is quite bright. It’s useful for a surprise attack on the eyes.”

“Go ahead, try shocking me,” the editor suggested.

Scared, Ji Youyi immediately switched it off. “Don’t play around with this.”

“Oh, it’s fine! How effective can something bought online really be? I just want to see how strong it is. If it’s good, I’ll buy one too.”

The editor reached out to touch it. “Shock me, please, I’m begging you.”

Ji Youyi feigned anger. “No playing. Acting cute won’t work either.”

“Wooo… anyway, I’m not as good at editing as you. What’s the loss if you knock me out?”

“The loss is huge! I still have to keep exploiting your labor!”

“Nooo, Master! Shock me! I beg of you!”

Inside a car parked by the roadside, through the tightly closed windows, Meng Xingshu watched the vivid, smiling face of the person outside.

The light inside the car was dim, and she was surrounded by a heavy coldness. Only that cluster of light outside was warm and bright, constantly tempting one to draw closer.

But…