After the Agreement, the Aloof Movie Queen is Chasing Me All Over the Internet - Chapter 23

Over the past few days, Zhou Yue’s opinion of Shen Qing had undergone several turbulent shifts. Before the results were out, Zhou Yue ranted: “Shen Qing is just an evil, wicked woman. To hell with her.”

After the results came out, Zhou Yue said: “Your ex-girlfriend… she might be a bad person with a terrible personality, but she certainly has good taste.”

And after understanding the full scope of the situation, she nodded with deep significance. “Shen Qing is a good person.”

“Good enough to give me the cold shoulder for six months?” Du Yaozhi said into the phone, letting out a nonchalant laugh.

Du Yaozhi wasn’t generous enough to simply cast aside those six months of bone-deep indifference and easily forgive the hurt. She was cautious and vengeful; she would test the other person time and time again, even if it took a lifetime, even if they both ended up scarred.

But if… if there truly were hidden circumstances…

Du Yaozhi lowered her gaze and stopped that train of thought. Test her first, talk later.

“Then she’s only half a good person,” Zhou Yue corrected herself quickly, shovelling a few leaves of salad into her mouth.

Du Yaozhi had reached the door of the studio. She looked up to confirm the room number and prepared to hang up. “Talk later, Yueyue. I’m here to pick up my contract. Tomorrow I’m heading to the Jìn Luò set for a screen test.”

“Right on! Looking forward to the good news. Remember to come back and have some skewers with me; this fat-loss meal is impossible to swallow. I only get one meal a day and it’s this.”

Gong Lin’s studio was different from Huasheng Entertainment. The layout was minimalist, the team was small, and the space wasn’t large, just one floor of an office building—but every corner exuded efficiency.

“The split is sixty-forty in your favour, as we discussed. Regarding resources, I will personally handle directors of Chen Yinqing’s calibre. Also, all accounts will be audited monthly by a third party to ensure fairness and transparency. You can rest easy on that front.”

Du Yaozhi listened intently and nodded.

“This is Shu Yuanxiang, a graduate of the Communication University. She’ll be your executive agent from now on, responsible for your daily schedule and coordination. When I’m not around, you can leave things to her,” Gong Lin said, calling over a young woman.

Shu Yuanxiang wore her hair in a ponytail and greeted Du Yaozhi with a bright smile. “Hello, Sister Yaozhi. I’m Shu Yuanxiang. I look forward to working with you.”

Du Yaozhi bowed politely and shook her hand. “The pleasure is mine.”

As they shook hands, Shu Yuanxiang noticed that this woman—who seemed so sharp and full of ambition—actually had a very light touch and an elegant posture. The scent lingering on her long curls was a soft, non-aggressive rose.

She seems so gentle. Completely different from the image Gong Lin described.

Was her previous agency so terrible to her that she became this guarded and humble? Shu Yuanxiang secretly vowed to treat this artist well.

“So, here’s to a happy partnership?” Du Yaozhi looked at Gong Lin.

“To a happy partnership. But as your partner, I must give you a warning,” Gong Lin said.

“Go on.”

“While you impressed Director Chen in the initial audition, she will ‘demand’ more in the final assessment. In the screen test, your presence must suppress Shen Qing’s. You can only win; you cannot lose. Can you do it?”

Du Yaozhi’s lips curled. “At the very least, I won’t lose to Shen Qing.”

She felt confident about acting opposite Shen Qing. After all, Shen Qing was her ex-girlfriend; back when they practiced their acting at home, she was always the one facing off against Shen Qing.

However, completely suppressing Shen Qing’s presence in a scene was indeed a gargantuan challenge.

Firstly, Shen Qing’s features were more “intense” dark eyes, ebony hair, snow-white skin. Du Yaozhi’s look was softer and more delicate. In terms of raw presence, Du Yaozhi didn’t have the advantage, but that could be solved through acting and chemistry, creating a contrast that added intrigue.

But after studying the original novel closely, Du Yaozhi discovered a more serious problem.

The character of Wen Jinyue seemed to be… the one on top.

And between her and Shen Qing…

Well.

Du Yaozhi, whose confidence had wavered slightly, decided to spend even more time practicing.

The day of the final assessment arrived quickly. Du Yaozhi and Shu Yuanxiang arrived at the venue early.

Shu Yuanxiang expertly pulled out the chair in front of the vanity mirror. “Sister, sit here first. I’ll coordinate with the stylist. When Sister Gong arrives, I’ll have to go and communicate with Teacher Shen’s agent on her behalf.”

“You mean Jing Ping? She’s quite nice.”

While Shu Yuanxiang busied herself, Du Yaozhi helped out by tidying the desk and setting out her skincare products. She frowned at the mention of the agent. “But why do you have to go on Gong Lin’s behalf if she’s already here?”

Du Yaozhi didn’t follow the logic, and Shu Yuanxiang herself thought it was ridiculous, but it was the truth. “She is nice, but Sister Gong and that person… well, they’ve unilaterally vowed never to speak to each other again.”

“Any particular reason?” Du Yaozhi’s fingers moved in circles as she applied lotion. She had been reading too many scripts lately; even her gossip sounded literary.

“Hiss, that’s a long story,” Shu Yuanxiang said.

She kept an eye on the door, and seeing the makeup artist approach, she moved to coordinate. “No time now. I’ll tell you next time. But I think you’ll understand just by looking at them once.”

Du Yaozhi was a natural beauty.

Even the makeup artist, who had seen it all in the industry, couldn’t help but marvel. Her base was soft and delicate, but her features were exceptionally striking; with just a bit of enhancement, she looked radiant. Especially that beauty mark at the corner of her eye—every tiny change in expression made it move, adding a touch of allure.

Du Yaozhi offered some of her own insights into the character’s look, and they completed the screen test styling together. She thanked the makeup artist and went to open the door, only to run into someone else.

The cold fragrance had softened. Shen Qing was dressed in a long, plain white robe, her eyes covered by a thin white silk ribbon. Her features were faintly visible beneath it; her eyebrows slanted slightly downward, projecting an aura of cold, clean desolation.

The silver ornaments on her ears swayed slightly with her steps, making a tiny clinking sound that added a hint of captivating vulnerability.

Du Yaozhi’s heart hammered. She swallowed hard, unnoticed. She had never seen Shen Qing like this.

Fragile, moving—it was impossible to hate her.

Shen Qing’s gaze seemed to drop to Du Yaozhi’s wrist, which was adorned with the red string.

“I burned the old one. This is a new one,” Du Yaozhi said, lifting her wrist and shaking it as if it were nothing.

Shen Qing’s expression didn’t change. She handed over a sheet of white paper and a pen, appearing indifferent to the remark.

“Sides,” Shen Qing said concisely. “Ten minutes to prepare. We’re doing the scene where Wen Jinyue and Jun Luo first meet. The director and producers will be watching. Please prepare well, Miss Du.”

“Sides” (or fēiyè) referred to the practice of providing actors with script pages at the last minute, often used in large productions to test an actor’s ability to perform under high pressure. It was “Hell Mode” for any auditionee.

It was difficult, but Du Yaozhi had expected it. She knew Shen Qing would test her rigorously.

A flash of a smile appeared in her eyes as she accepted the challenge. “Very well.”

The atmosphere at the final assessment was exceptionally heavy. Not only were Chen Yinqing and several producers present, but representatives from the major investors were also in attendance.

There was no clapperboard. Chen Yinqing spoke for herself, her expression serious: “Action.”

“Once you open this chest, our souls will be entwined… until death do us part.”

Du Yaozhi’s fingertips traced the ancient chest slowly. Her tone was lingering and seductive. Her gaze, filled with almost hypnotic allure, drifted from Shen Qing’s silk-covered brow down to her tightly pressed lips. She smiled. “Xiao Luo, are you willing?”

Shen Qing’s body instinctively leaned back, but she checked the movement. Only the slight, momentary tension in her neck and shoulders betrayed her, her breath hitching for a fraction of a second.

“Master, do not speak nonsense,” Shen Qing turned her head away, avoiding the burning gaze. Her voice wavered slightly.

“Oh?” Du Yaozhi flicked her finger upward, tilting her prop pipe. “Then you are unwilling?”

“Master…” Shen Qing’s emotional control was a masterclass. She said nothing; that brief moment of silence perfectly captured the high-born arrogance of the Heavenly Goddess Jun Luo, as well as her subtle hesitation and testing.

Shen Qing didn’t just portray Jun Luo’s fragility; she maintained the commanding presence of someone with divine blood. She was still incredibly difficult to overshadow.

Du Yaozhi didn’t back down. She toyed with her pipe, exhaling imaginary clouds of smoke. Her fingers slowly left the chest. She flicked away a speck of dust and took one step, then another, toward the other woman.

Then, she used the handle of the pipe to tilt Shen Qing’s chin upward.

The gesture was intimate, forcing a display of irresistible dominance.

The “smoke” and her fragrant breath brushed against the other’s pale, delicate skin. Their breaths intertwined.

“Your mouth says one thing, your heart another.”

Du Yaozhi lowered her gaze inch by inch, locking onto Shen Qing’s eyes. “Could it be that everything in the past… was merely my own wishful thinking?”

Forced to look up by the pipe under her chin, Shen Qing’s dark eyes shifted slightly. The cold beauty looked flustered, and finally, she couldn’t help but swallow.

That single moment of passivity was what allowed Du Yaozhi to fully capture the role. It exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Du Yaozhi had suppressed Shen Qing. The pair had incredible chemistry on camera, looking every bit like a pair of lovers caught in a tangled, lingering romance.

When the scene ended, everyone in the room was still caught in the emotions of Du Yaozhi’s Wen Jinyue.

The investors, who had previously viewed the controversial Du Yaozhi as a “time bomb,” rubbed their fingers together in silence. After a brief discussion, they informed Chen Yinqing of their decision.

Approval was written all over Chen Yinqing’s face. She looked at Shen Qing, who gave her a slight nod.

Chen Yinqing announced: “Very well. It’s settled.”

A few days later, after the contracts were signed and the promotional plans were set, a flurry of rumours began to circulate online.

I heard from an industry insider yesterday that Director Chen picked a genius for the role. It’s going to be a massive hit. I noticed Xu Wanxin has no new schedules lately, she must have signed for the crew!

It’s definitely our Wanxin! I ran into her at the film city the other day! She was dressed so sweetly, had several assistants with her, and was clutching a script! It must be Jìn Luò!

Stop guessing! My sister works in PR at Huasheng and says Xu Wanxin’s team started coordinating with the Jìn Luò crew last week. It’s official!

Waiting for the official announcement! Can’t wait to see Wanxin’s look as the lead in a historical drama!

Wanxin! Wanxin! We want Wanxin!!

For several days, the major fan accounts were buzzing, eyeing the lead roles hungrily.

Until today, when the official Weibo account for the highly anticipated dual-female-lead Xianxia epic Jìn Luò finally announced the cast.

The moon falls as a vow; the world rises from the embers.

Jun Luo (Played by) @ShenQingV

Wen Jinyue (Played by) @DuYaozhiV

Reunited in this life, bound by fate, continuing our past romance hand-in-hand!

Holy sh… Shen Qing and who?

Shen Qing and Du Yaozhi?

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