After the Agreement, the Aloof Movie Queen is Chasing Me All Over the Internet - Chapter 26

“Bad terms? They’re practically…”

Du Yaozhi repeated the names once more, then asked, “Do you two… know each other?”

“Is it really her?” Jing Ping’s eyes lit up for a second, but then she let out a short, mocking snort. “Her ‘block list’ probably knows me better than she does.”

Yaozhi stared at Jing Ping in surprise, her mind immediately racing. Do they have some personal grudge? A professional clash, or perhaps a dispute over interests? Surely it couldn’t be a fight over a lead role.

Yaozhi knew Jing Ping was a commercial manager. For an A-list star like Shen Qing, there was always more than one manager, and Jing Ping primarily handled Shen Qing’s high-end endorsements and daily logistics. Gong Lin, on the other hand, focused on film and television. Their domains didn’t even overlap.

Furthermore, both Jing Ping and Gong Lin were decent people; they weren’t the type to engage in petty sabotage. So what was it? Is there an even worse situation I’m unaware of?

Yaozhi’s fingertips unconsciously brushed against her coat, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly. As she saw Gong Lin’s blurred figure approaching from a distance, a sense of confusion and unease began to rise. She stole a glance at Shen Qing.

Shen Qing’s face was like ice. She apathetically shifted her gaze away from Jing Ping, appearing entirely non-committal about whatever was about to happen.

Yaozhi turned her attention back to the path. She remembered Shu Yuanxiang saying that the relationship between these two was a “one-sided lifelong estrangement” that you could smell the gunpowder the moment they met. Is it really that severe?

With Shen Qing remaining silent, Yaozhi felt her breath hitch. She watched as Gong Lin drew closer, and as Jing Ping’s lips began to part as if to speak.

Jing Ping: “Hi, Old Gong.”

Note: “Old Gong” (Lǎo Gōng) sounds identical to “Husband” in Mandarin.

Yaozhi was stunned.

Gong Lin looked like she had a massive migraine. She rubbed her temples as she walked over. “You haven’t changed a bit… I told you never to call me that.”

“Is that why you’ve been hiding from me?” Jing Ping crossed her arms, a look of mock distress on her face. “That makes me a little sad.”

Gong Lin ignored her. “Anyway… how did the talk go?” She stopped and scanned the two women, her eyes lingering on Yaozhi. “Can you accept the contract terms?”

“There are no major issues. I’ve seen the general framework; the legal team just needs to vet the details. After that, you’ll likely need to coordinate with Sister Jing,” Yaozhi said clearly.

The message was clear: the deal was done.

Gong Lin nodded. Once she was sure of the plan, she immediately shifted into professional mode. She looked at Jing Ping. “What’s the move?”

Without needing further explanation, Jing Ping understood perfectly. The playful look vanished from her face, replaced by a sharp, focused intensity. She grabbed her walkie-talkie and began issuing rapid-fire orders. “Get Xiao Huan and the others to act as background filler. Meet in Conference Room A2. Tell them to wrap up tight—I don’t want anyone recognized.”

“Right. The key is to make it look like a third-party leak. We need a photo of a small gathering after the script reading. If anyone has concerns, speak up now.”

“Hmm? The other manager? Give me a minute, I’m negotiating now.” Jing Ping flicked her eyes toward Gong Lin. “Does the Great Manager Gong have any objections?”

Gong Lin added her requirements calmly. “If you’re photographing my artist, you inform me beforehand. Every photo must be sent to my team for approval. Not just for Teacher Shen, our image management must be flawless as well.”

“I get the last two points. Yaozhi is an artist I’ve looked after before; I’ll make sure she looks stunning.” Jing Ping’s tone shifted. “As for ‘informing you beforehand’… well, you’ll have to take me off your block list first, won’t you?”

“Focus on the task,” Gong Lin frowned.

“I can’t do the task if I’m blocked! Who am I supposed to send the photos to for approval?” Jing Ping’s logic was irritatingly sound.

Gong Lin sighed. She took out her phone, tapped the screen a few times, and turned it around to show Jing Ping. “There. Done.”

Jing Ping smiled. “How about a ‘Pinned’ status? You have so many contacts; what if you can’t find my messages?”

“The less I find them, the better.” Gong Lin didn’t want to engage further. She turned to Yaozhi. “Let’s go. We need to prepare.”

There was no need for a wardrobe change. In this situation, the more relaxed and “off-duty” they looked, the more authentic the leak would seem. Gong Lin called Shu Yuanxiang over to touch up Yaozhi’s hair, carefully ensuring that every strand looked effortlessly windswept and sultry—the kind of look that creates an incredible atmosphere even in a blurry lens.

Soon, the two teams met in the conference room. Jing Ping took charge, rearranging the space to look like a private lounge and directing the two leads to sit on the sofa.

“Right. Don’t set the lighting too high. We want that hazy, out-of-focus vibe! Just don’t let their faces turn into a pixelated mess. It needs to look natural.”

Jing Ping checked every detail through the camera lens. In the dim room, lit only by a single warm lamp, Yaozhi leaned slightly toward Shen Qing. Following Jing Ping’s direction, she struck a relaxed pose, a gentle smile gracing her lips.

Gong Lin watched Jing Ping thoughtfully.

Jing Ping adjusted the angles, still not quite satisfied, though the expressions of the two women were impeccable. “You two have this faint ‘rekindled lovers’ vibe, but it’s not quite popping. It’s a bit dull.”

“Rekindled?” Gong Lin shot a strange look at Yaozhi.

Yaozhi: “I’ll explain later…”

Jing Ping finally identified the problem: they were too far apart. “Right, Yaozhi—just sit on Shen Qing’s lap. Lean your face in. We’ll take a forced-perspective shot.”

A few days later, just as the monitoring teams predicted, the enemy struck. The major media outlets and marketing accounts acted in perfect unison. Overnight, a tidal wave of scandal hit Yaozhi.

【Entertainment Guru V: EXPOSED! The ‘Infamous’ path of a certain actress named Du! Sugar daddies! Allegedly taking shortcuts through beauty!】

Accompanying the post were several maliciously edited videos, including some “leaks” from when Yaozhi was just an extra, all twisted to paint her in the worst light.

【Is Du Yaozhi done yet? Does she think we’re idiots? We tolerated the diva behaviour and the role-stealing, but now she isn’t even acting properly?】

【Can this nobody not ‘walk alone’? She has to leech off everyone, even hooking up with investors… I guess her face is her only talent.】

【What is with all the slandering? There’s no proof. She won the role on merit, and you’re just hating blindly.】

【Merit? More like she slept her way there! Haven’t you seen the evidence posted by that insider?】

At this point, the paid trolls spread like parasites. “Netizens” began coming forward with “eye-witness testimony.”

【I saw her at a high-end club two months ago. You know, the Huating Hotel? The penthouse level. She went in with an old CEO. If you know, you know.】

【Yes! My colleague saw it too. Huasheng HQ is next to our office. Word was that Yaozhi screamed at her manager until he was forced to resign. She’s ruthless.】

【I knew it! Her contract was only a month from expiring—why would she run early unless she was hiding something? She found a rich backer and is ready to fly!】

【Not just a backer. She sabotaged Xu Wanxin and is clout-chasing Shen Qing. She’s trying to rule the industry!】

【No shame. Zero ‘personal morality’.】

【Wanxin was crying after work the other day! Her eyes were red, but she was still comforting us fans. She even posted a clarification on Weibo… my heart breaks for her.】

Soon, the “evidence” was everywhere: club visits, CEO connections, the “theft” of Xu Wanxin’s role. But the real shocker involved Shen Qing!

The narrative claimed Yaozhi had bribed someone at the LADY A banquet to ensure Shen Qing picked her. It claimed she had insulted Shen Qing during the event, calling her a “stepping stone,” and that she had been utterly disrespectful to Shen Qing during chemistry reads on set.

The moment Shen Qing was mentioned, the internet exploded. Shen Qing’s massive fandom lost it, descending upon Yaozhi’s official Weibo like a swarm of hornets.

【Protect Shen Qing, the best in the world! Say no to leeching!】

【A decorated Film Queen being called a ‘stepping stone’? Hilarious. Our Qing-bao is being forced to act in intimate scenes with this woman?? The production team is insane!】

【I feel so sorry for Shen Qing.】

【@TV_JinLuo_V, what are you doing? They hate each other, yet you aren’t protecting our Qing-bao? Why are you propping up a disgraced artist?】

【DU YAOZHI, GET OUT OF THE INDUSTRY! STOP LEECHING OFF SHEN QING!】

The calls for Yaozhi to “step down” grew deafening. Even casual bystanders were sucked in. Yaozhi’s previous works were flooded with thousands of hateful comments. The hashtags #DuYaozhiGetOutOfJinLuo and #TwoLeadsAtWar were trending with a bright red “HOT” tag.

Some extremists even protested outside the production hotel, holding signs demanding that the “disgraced artist” Du Yaozhi kneel and apologize to Shen Qing.

The crisis reached a boiling point. But right then, a single Weibo post was released with surgical precision. Within minutes, it rocketed to the top of the hot search.

【Professional Leak-Buster V: Visited the set of ‘Jin Luo’ today! After the script reading, the two leads were seen laughing and having a private gathering. Both sisters are wonderful! Looking forward to the opening ceremony!】

The post included a single photo.

Though blurry, the atmosphere was undeniable. Yaozhi’s profile was visible, her long curls tucked behind her ear. She was holding a script, her smile lazy and relaxed.

The two of them were close, dangerously close.

Shen Qing, slightly taller than Yaozhi, had her shoulders relaxed as she leaned in to look at Yaozhi. Her expression was one of pure, gentle amusement.

The entire internet went silent. The fans and the trolls alike were rendered speechless. The fighting stopped instantly.

Bad terms?

They were practically about to kiss!

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