After the Agreement, the Aloof Movie Queen is Chasing Me All Over the Internet - Chapter 18

“I want to see you,” Du Yaozhi said urgently.

“They’re all raving about your look! They’re saying you’re absolutely breathtaking!”

After her shower, Zhou Yue leaped backward and sprawled onto the sofa with practiced ease, scrolling through her phone. “See? I told you, talent like yours was bound to shine eventually!”

Yaozhi let out a small laugh, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her tone skeptical. “Everyone? Really?”

After the banquet, Yaozhi had made a quick stop at LADY A. Her personal stylist had helped her out of the gown, carefully wrapped the rented piece in soft cloth, and stripped away the heavy makeup and elaborate styling. Now, back home, Yaozhi felt light and unburdened.

After washing and drying her hair, she had finally added Gong Lin on WeChat. While waiting for a response, the two “unemployed” night owls, neither having a script to film at the moment, gathered at Zhou Yue’s place.

“Oh, hush! The noise doesn’t matter. What matters is that someone finally noticed how good you are! This is a great sign, it means you’re about to blow up!” Zhou Yue waved her hand dismissively, enthusiastically using her burner account to like every Weibo post praising Yaozhi.

“Maybe,” Yaozhi said, sitting down beside her. She let her shoulders slump, staring at her slippers. “But if things stay as they are, I’ll likely end up taking the ‘infamous’ route to fame.”

“So what?” Zhou Yue threw an arm around her. “Whose path is ever perfectly smooth? Once you have the exposure, the tide will turn. Even Shen”

Even Shen Qing was like that, wasn’t she?

The words were on the tip of Zhou Yue’s tongue before she slammed on the brakes, mulling over a vague recovery. “Right? I mean… right?”

“Are you worrying about me again?” Yaozhi smiled. She crossed her legs and popped a lychee into her mouth, shaking her head. “I haven’t even told you yet, I honestly don’t care.”

“You…” Zhou Yue crunched on some chips. “You’re exactly like that book I gave you. You act like nothing matters when you’re talking big, but the moment you actually care, you just suffer in silence.”

“A book?” Yaozhi chewed slowly, her brow furrowing. “Since when did you give me a book?”

The sound of chewing lingered in the air for a second before Zhou Yue bolted upright, clutching her bag of chips. “You didn’t get it? I specifically wrote your name on it! The staff couldn’t have mistaken you for someone else, could they?”

That kind of book definitely shouldn’t go to the wrong person! Panic flashed in Zhou Yue’s eyes. “Sister Lin was afraid the staff wouldn’t recognize you, so she specifically told them: ‘The lady with the Buly shawl at her seat.’ She only left after she saw your seat was empty.”

“You actually sent one??” Yaozhi gasped, realizing Zhou Yue wasn’t joking. She tossed the pit and skin into the trash and wiped her hands. She forced herself to think back calmly. “I was wearing a shawl today, but it was a loan from the brand. I returned it before the event ended.”

“From the brand? No way…” The gap between Zhou Yue’s memory and Yaozhi’s words widened. She frowned in confusion. “Sister Lin said that shawl looked insanely expensive. She said it cost more than the ‘small goals’ of us minor actresses combined!”

Yaozhi: 

Why does my ex-girlfriend keep digging holes for me to fall into?

Yaozhi took a deep breath. “Is it serious? Was it The Actor’s Work on himself or the methods of Acting Training? I’ll go get it back.”

“No…”

“A collection of essays, then?”

“Not that either.” Zhou Yue’s voice slowed down, trembling. “Brace yourself…”

“Brace myself?” Yaozhi’s brow tightened. “Is it that bad?”

She immediately pulled up her PR contingency plans on her phone, scrolling through them one by one. She had calculated that Shen Qing wouldn’t retaliate for the trending topics because the “dirt” she bought was on herself, not Shen Qing. If Shen Qing tried to settle scores, it would be mutual destruction, a move Shen Qing was too smart to make.

But this was different. This could cost her her livelihood.

“Promise me first…”

“I promise.” Yaozhi kept her head down, desperate to calm Zhou Yue. If she had truly provoked Shen Qing, she needed to draft a perfect solution based on the severity of the situation. “It’s okay, Yueyue. I can handle it. No matter the situation, I can.”

“It’s a ‘trashy’ ex-lover romance novel,” Zhou Yue blurted out in one breath.

“A what?” Yaozhi was stunned.

The word “handle” died in her throat. Her eyes widened in shock, and she seemed to physically “glitch” in place. It was the first time Zhou Yue had seen such raw shock on her face, replacing her usual sultry nonchalance.

“It’s called… After Dumping My Older Ex-Wife, She’s Obsessed and Flirty.” Zhou Yue kept her voice low, testing the waters. “The author even wrote ‘Get back together! My CP!’ in huge letters on the title page.”

“Do you think… You can still get it back?”

**

Silence fell over the living room—an eerie silence broken only by the sound of Yaozhi’s suppressed, ragged breathing. Her chest heaved, her fingertips went taut, and her calm exterior finally cracked.

Something with MY name on it was given to Shen Qing?

Giving her ex that? Would she open it? What would she think if she did?

How is this any different from a direct, blatant provocation?

Yaozhi’s mind was a chaotic mess. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to breathe. Maybe it’s not that bad. Knowing her ex, Shen Qing’s gifts were usually handled by Jing Ping. Aside from fans and partners, she shouldn’t be looking through them this quickly.

Clinging to this bit of wishful thinking, Yaozhi let out a couple of strained laughs and hesitantly tapped on her chat with Shen Qing. The same chat she had vowed just hours ago never to touch again.

Yaozhi: I have a matter to discuss.

In less than thirty seconds, her phone vibrated and her pounding heart skipped a beat with it.

Shen Qing: I received the book. The content is… rich. The title and inscription are quite eye-catching. Shen Qing: I’ve only read the first few chapters so far. I haven’t had the chance to study it in detail yet. Thank you for the kind gesture, Miss Du.

She replied that fast??? Is she just sitting there waiting for my message?

Yaozhi was speechless, but she had no choice.

“Yueyue…” Yaozhi didn’t have time to be angry. She sat up straight, the glow of the screen illuminating her face. “Do you remember if anything ‘explosive’ happens in the first few chapters?”

Zhou Yue: “The first few chapters are okay.”

Yaozhi breathed a sigh of relief, her posture relaxing slightly.

“But the next few dozen chapters are absolutely insane!” Zhou Yue’s tone suddenly spiked.

Yaozhi: 

“In the first few chapters, the female lead just tries to piss off her ex by bringing a fake date,” Zhou Yue said, becoming animated as she talked about the book. “But later, it’s all about the ex forcing her love on the lead a total field of fire! They get married after the breakup, the ‘White Moonlight’ turns into a ‘Black Moonlight,’ and there’s a part called ‘The Ex’s Serial Scheme, The Lead Steps onto the Scaffolding,’ and even more…”

Even more insane??? What the hell kind of book is this?!! Yaozhi felt like she couldn’t breathe.

“Fine, fine, I get it. Stop talking.”

Yaozhi felt like she was blacking out. She opened the chat again and, gritting her teeth, typed out each word with immense effort.

Yaozhi: That wasn’t for you… Give it back.

The interface quickly showed “The other party is typing,” but after a moment, it changed to “Recording audio.”

Shen Qing sent a voice message. The microphone must have been close to her throat; the sound of pages turning could be heard between her words. She turned a page for every sentence she spoke. “I’m very free right now.”

“If you have something to say, you can call me.” Shen Qing was baiting her again.

Hearing that cold, repressed voice, Yaozhi felt a chill run down her spine. She had to force herself to stay calm. Her jaw was tight, her eyelid twitching, but she refused to back down. She typed back a biting retort.

Yaozhi: Does the Teacher love calling me that much? She added a trademark warm smiley face, which felt incredibly sarcastic given her words.

“I recall you telling me, ‘I thought Teacher Shen wouldn’t take my calls anymore.’ You said it so movingly—surely I didn’t misremember?” Shen Qing’s voice was melodic, mimicking Yaozhi’s tone perfectly.

Yaozhi: Are you crazy? I was mocking you, I wasn’t joking around.

“My mistake,” Shen Qing said smoothly, her tone turning cool. “I thought you were eager to talk to me.”

She spoke with a refined elegance that masked any emotion.

If the first few chapters really involved the lead declaring war on her ex, combined with everything that had happened with Zhou Yue, then what would this book look like in Shen Qing’s eyes?

A blatant declaration of war?

Yaozhi might be “wicked,” but she was career-minded. At this critical juncture, she couldn’t afford to provoke Shen Qing any further. If she played this wrong, her whole plan would go up in smoke.

“Are you okay? Is it really that bad? I’m so sorry, Yaozhi! I didn’t mean for this to happen! Should I go…” Go apologize?

Seeing Yaozhi’s face turning pale and then flushed, Zhou Yue stood frozen, wringing her hands in guilt and worry.

“It’s fine. Just a minor thing.” Yaozhi forced a stiff smile, her hand already on the doorknob. “I’m going to make a call.”

She unlocked the door and practically fled back to her own apartment. With a bang, she slammed the door, scrambled through her contacts, found Shen Qing’s number, and dialed.

Infuriating.

“Is Teacher Shen satisfied now? Can I have the book back?” Yaozhi panted, her watery eyes sharp with annoyance.

I’ll let you go for now. Once I have the book, then I’ll provoke you.

“I can,” Shen Qing said, her tone shifting as she pulled her bathrobe tighter, acting. “But I can’t find it anymore.”

“Can’t find it?” Yaozhi pressed her hand against the entryway cabinet, her knuckles white. Her voice turned dark. “Shen Qing, I gave it to you only hours ago, and you already lost it?”

“So… you did give it to me.”

She had taken the bait.

Shen Qing’s fingers let go of her white bathrobe belt. She sat on the sofa and took a sip of tea. Her voice was uncannily calm.

“This is the first time I’ve received such a… ‘special’ gift. I’ve already tucked it away in my bookshelf for safekeeping.” Shen Qing emphasized the word “special” with crystal clarity before continuing. “Why don’t you tell me the title? I’ll take another look for it.”

As Shen Qing spoke, the sound of paper rustling came through the receiver. To Yaozhi, it sounded like a cat’s tail flicking against one’s heart a gentle, teasing provocation. It was infuriating.

Looking for it? She’s clearly reading it right now!

Yaozhi was livid. She gripped the phone tightly, but she couldn’t let Shen Qing see the “explosive” parts later in the book. She tossed her hair back, slid her heels back on, and steeled herself.

“Send me the address.”

“The address?” Shen Qing paused for two seconds before replying.

“I want to see you,” Yaozhi said urgently. “Hurry up.”

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