After the Agreement, the Aloof Movie Queen is Chasing Me All Over the Internet - Chapter 37

 Shen Qing V: Thank you all for your love for Yaozhi

As Shen Qing lifted her teacup, her chair rotated slightly until she was facing the desk. The rim of the cup pressed against her lips, but she didn’t drink.

The assistant director’s aide was instantly broken into a cold sweat. His teeth chattered as he stood frozen in place.

“Did no one ever teach you how to handle multi-threaded tasks?” Shen Qing’s fingertip tapped the desktop a sound as chilling as a death knell.

“They did… they did.” The assistant didn’t dare look up at her.

Shen Qing set the teacup down. Her fingertip fell upon the table.

Once.

Twice.

The assistant counted the taps, his face turning deathly pale.

“Then it seems they didn’t tell you anything about priority,” Shen Qing said coldly. She paused, then added, “You actually dared to put her behind those people, didn’t you?”

Shen Qing spoke with heavy emphasis, her jawline tight and frost-like, causing the atmospheric pressure around her to plummet.

He was the first person brave enough to push a lead actress aside. But as for being brave enough to push Du Yaozhi aside, he was the first one headed for the underworld.

“No, no, no… This was entirely my fault. I still want to make a living in this industry… Please, please give me a chance.” The assistant’s legs went weak. Sweat instantly soaked through his undershirt, sliding down his spine like ice water.

In this industry, rank meant everything. Generally, someone in his position was rarely questioned or rebuked for being an assistant to a big-name director, but his opponent happened to be Shen Qing.

To her, a bottom-tier assistant was less than an ant. If Shen Qing wanted to crush him and make him vanish from the industry, it was merely a matter of a single thought.

Shen Qing took a sip of tea. “Go and apologise to her. If she is satisfied, I won’t pursue this further.” Her tone shifted as she stared him down. “If she isn’t… I won’t be quite so easy to talk to.”

The assistant’s strength was utterly drained by that icy pressure. He could only nod frantically, his voice shaking beyond recognition. “Yes, yes… I’ll apologise immediately. I’ll make sure Teacher Du is satisfied, definitely”

He scrambled away in a panic to find Du Yaozhi on set.

Shen Qing stepped out the door, watching Du Yaozhi’s retreating figure and sighing. She had been waiting for her all last night.

Where are you? Shen Qing had messaged her, but there was no reply. Du Yaozhi had ignored her.

Shen Qing simply locked her phone screen. She raised her head calmly, gazing at the boundless black sky. The wind after the first snow of early December was damp and cold. Her breath turned into white mist, dispersing in the chilly air as the wind scattered her dark hair.

Subconsciously, Shen Qing felt her pocket. It was empty; the small pill bottle she used to carry was gone.

This reminded her of the time she had been forced to give Du Yaozhi the cold shoulder. Back then, Shen Qing had no power. Jiang Yunjian had blackmailed her, saying that if she didn’t completely obey her orders, she would ruin everything Du Yaozhi had.

That winter, the thing Shen Qing did most was stand with her hands in her pockets, staring at the sky in silence.

Faint snow began to flutter down. Standing downstairs, Shen Qing looked up at the lit kitchen window of her home, her fingertip unconsciously spinning the edge of a bottle cap. The textured, grainy feel sliding against her finger felt like a form of mild masochism.

Shen Qing had little desire for self-expression; the words she needed to say and her lines were all pre-determined. Jiang Yunjian had arranged everything, arranging the entire life that the name “Shen Qing” was required to carry.

Throughout her long early life, pain was her only reality. Only pain reminded her that she was still alive in this cold world. It reminded her that she had carried unpardonable sins since birth.

Shen Qing had walked this long road alone for twenty-five years. The night is so long, she often thought, so long that it feels like there’s no end in sight.

But one day, Shen Qing found a little rosebud about to bloom. That rose was reserved, gentle, proactive, and thorny—yet different from everyone else.

Du Yaozhi was gentle toward her lover. She never criticised Shen Qing’s silence, only saying, “Shen Qing, you really love not speaking.”

She was so adorable.

But Du Yaozhi, what if I wasn’t “Shen Qing”?

What if I didn’t have this high status, this perfectly sculpted and pure image, this flawless but meaningless shell? Would you still love me?

Would you love my possessiveness that grows in the dead of night, or my uncontrollable heartbeat? Would you love the weakness and wretchedness I deliberately designed for you to see? Would you love everything I use to entice you—even the dangerous thoughts growing outside the bounds of my reason?

Would you?

Many times, Shen Qing wanted to ask her that.

Accompanied by her assistant, Shen Qing was systematically signing autographs for fans. The noisy commotion nearby interrupted her thoughts and her mechanical movements. She looked up.

“She just doesn’t want to see us! I waited so long and travelled so far just to see her once! But what about her?! Does she even care about us?! Does she?!”

While other fans waited with a sense of disappointment, one young fan was screaming at the top of her lungs. Staff members tried to block her. “We’re so sorry, there was a situation on Teacher Du’s end. She’ll be here very soon.”

“Liar!” the girl shrieked, her voice hoarse and her eyes swollen from crying. “That’s just how she is! She loves acting like a big shot and looking down on everyone!! I liked her so much, how can she treat me like this? Waaah…”

“I want her to appear right now! Do you understand?! Now!! Otherwise, she’s betrayed me, she’s just a piece of trash!”

Shen Qing’s cold eyes darkened. Her own fans looked at the distance and then at her, frowning. “Shen Qing, are you okay?”

Shen Qing finished the autograph in her hand, handed it back, and gave an elegant nod and a shallow smile to the fans behind her. “I’m sorry, I need to step away for a moment.”

“Be careful,” the fans said nervously, watching her every move.

Shen Qing nodded. She suddenly felt those deep thoughts were no longer important. At the very least, right now, she wouldn’t let anyone hurt Du Yaozhi. The respect, love, and protection Du Yaozhi deserved, she would have every bit of it.

Since she still had some “utility” left, she would let Du Yaozhi use her to the fullest.

“Everyone, please stay calm! It was indeed our oversight that caused Teacher Du to go to the wrong filming location today. The responsibility is entirely ours. Teacher Du is rushing back now. We are truly sorry!” The staff were apologetic, trying their best to soothe the crowd.

But the girl wasn’t buying it. “Go away! Go away! I’m going to post this online! Let everyone see what kind of grievance I’ve suffered!!! None of you stops me!”

When staff tried to calm her, the girl went into a frenzy, throwing hard objects she had on hand and even shoving and threatening those around her.

“She just doesn’t want to see me!!” “That’s just the kind of person she is!”

Shen Qing walked over and glanced at the staff member who was desperately trying to hold the girl back.

“Teacher Shen.” The staff member looked as if they had seen a lifesaver. “What… what do we do about this scene?”

Shen Qing looked at the mess. Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear, cold, and steady.

“I’ll handle it for her,” she said.

**

After the incident, Gong Lin actually stormed into Jing Ping’s office a rare occurrence.

In truth, it wasn’t exactly a disaster; Jing Ping was long used to it. A certain Miss Shen was always like this, once she became obsessed, she went all the way.

However, because Shen Qing calculated everything so precisely and handled things seamlessly, and because her public image was so flawless and noble, the scales of public opinion always tipped in her favour. She was essentially the industry’s darling.

So now, Jing Ping wasn’t even surprised anymore. But there was one person who didn’t seem quite used to it yet.

Gong Lin pushed open the door to Jing Ping’s temporary office without a word. With a loud bang, she slammed the door behind her and walked up to the desk. Leaning forward with both hands on the edge, her stern gaze seemed ready to pierce right through Jing Ping.

Jing Ping seemed to have expected this. “Good evening, Manager Gong. We haven’t seen each other for over ten days. Coming here in such a rush, did you miss me?”

Gong Lin gave a cold laugh. “Miss you?”

“Jing Ping.” Gong Lin’s voice was very low, like a tightened string. “We reached a consensus before that during our cooperation, we would maintain a controllable PR environment. Is this what you promised was ‘controllable’? Is this your attitude toward my artist?”

She had only gone away to negotiate one partnership, and she came back to find the world turned upside down?!

Jing Ping looked at her tablet, scrolling through Weibo posts one by one with a sigh. “You’re asking me? I wanted to ask my artist what her attitude is.” She felt like Shen Qing was trying to work her to death.

“What?”

Jing Ping was usually resolute and fast-acting; seeing her look so helpless was rare, making it hard for Gong Lin to even start her rant.

“Have you eaten?” Jing Ping asked suddenly.

Gong Lin: 

“No.” Gong Lin knit her brows. “But what I’m discussing with you now is the PR situation, not this.”

Jing Ping turned a deaf ear. “Do you want a lunch box? I have an extra one, it’s still warm.”

Gong Lin: “I’m not eating yours. Also, our”

Jing Ping snapped open a pair of disposable chopsticks and shoved them at her. “Of course it’s not mine. Sit down and have a bite first. I’ll give you an explanation after you eat.”

“Just try it. The crew’s catering isn’t going to poison you.”

Speechless, Gong Lin split the chopsticks and opened the lunch box.

“How is it?” Jing Ping asked impatiently.

Gong Lin chewed a couple of times and swallowed. “No flavour. Is the crew’s food really this bad?”

“It’s bad? Is your sense of taste broken?” Jing Ping’s heart nearly broke. “I clearly didn’t follow Shen Qing’s lead.”

“You made this?” Gong Lin asked.

Having been found out, Jing Ping replied, “Would you believe me if I said Shen Qing made it?”

Gong Lin took another bite of vegetables, placing them into her mouth quite gracefully. “Then it’s alright.”

Jing Ping: So she was just messing with her!

“Alright, when it’s time for business, we should talk business. See? Your elder sister here is too powerful. Everything is completely under control.”

Jing Ping turned the tablet toward Gong Lin and raised an eyebrow. “Witness my strength.”

Gong Lin was helpless at the title. “Sister? Who’s that close to you?”

“Me.” Jing Ping shamelessly flattered herself, saying nonchalantly, “You won’t let me call you ‘Old Gong,’ so am I not allowed to call myself ‘Sister’ either?”

Gong Lin had nothing to say. Fine, “Sister”, it was.

“Hurry up and look at which keywords are rising. This is textbook industry material. You owe me dinner.” Jing Ping tapped the lunch box lid.

Gong Lin looked and was stunned. Did the wind change direction that fast? She finally understood why Jing Ping was having such a headache. “Teacher Shen… how do you plan to handle this later?”

“Don’t worry about it. A woman has her reasons. Shen Qing specifically asked for this trending search herself; I had no choice.” Jing Ping smiled. “What? Are you worried about me?”

Gong Lin wiped her mouth with a tissue and said, “I’m worried about the Weibo programmers.”

**

This was the second time Du Yaozhi had witnessed a legendary “Weibo War.”

The first time was when a world-famous pop diva, who became famous overnight, publicly came out of the closet. The entire internet exploded, and the whole world was in an uproar. From a bystander’s perspective, Du Yaozhi had felt there was a certain beauty in that “end-of-the-world, collapsing-universe” vibe.

Now it was Du Yaozhi’s turn, and she decided to remove the word “beauty.” There was no beauty left, only the “end of the world and a collapsing universe.”

Shen Qing’s influence was beyond her imagination. But. Why did it feel like the influence was heading in the wrong direction?!

The trending searches were lined up in a row: #ShenQingDuYaozhiAreTooSweetToShip# #ShenQingPersonallyBoughtMilkTeaForDuYaozhiFans# #IsThisShenQingAndDuYaozhiDroppingCrumbs?!#

Clicking into the hashtags, the popular posts were almost all videos and screenshots from various angles.

Holy crap! The aura Shen Qing had when she walked over! So hot.

 That girl was being extreme, but Shen Qing is so good at coaxing people. One lean, one look, and she calmed her down. She even patiently guided everyone not to attack the girl.

 So beautiful. Sister, can you please wear a black trench coat for the rest of your life… A top-tier beauty!

 I want to be a Du Yaozhi fan too. I want to cry in Shen Qing’s arms.

 @DuYaozhiV, your wife is so nice, let me borrow her for a hug (not really)

What wife! Teacher Shen hasn’t caught her yet, right @ShenQingV (if you like her, hurry up and try harder, okay Teacher Shen).

 Ohhh.

 I see.

 She loves her so much! She can’t even bear to let her fans suffer a little bit of grievance!

 Is this dropping crumbs?

Of course, there were discordant voices mixed in. [Buying milk tea is dropping crumbs? It was just to settle the public anger. People are shipping them for no reason… Du Yaozhi, please stop trying to raise your own status, okay? You don’t even show up for a fan visit?

The crew already apologised, it was the wrong address! What do you mean by ‘raising status’? Does the crew actually value our Yaozhi or not? She’s a lead actress too, okay!

A reply below said: [Don’t know if the crew values her, but Shen Qing definitely does.] 

[Shen Qing doesn’t just value her; Shen Qing is head over heels.]

 [Can we get some behind-the-scenes of her publicly chasing her wife! I want to see it now!]

Anti-fans appearing out of nowhere began slandering her. Some were even Xu Wanxin’s fans: [Is Du Yaozhi even worthy of Shen Qing’s attention? What is this?] 

 [Are you jealous? Your profile history says it all.]

 [Agreed. What are you even spitting on? Du Yaozhi got the role through her own strength. Director Chen is very strict with casting… even Xu Wanxin didn’t make it! You can see how difficult the role of Wen Jinyue is. It’s no less difficult than the Jun Luo played by Shen Qing.] [Du Yaozhi is worth it! She is worthy]

The comments replying to the hate post quickly piled up into a “tall building.” The anti-fan didn’t care; hiding behind a screen, he could do and say whatever he wanted: [Du Yaozhi just isn’t worthy, so what? If you have the guts, call the person herself here! You don’t have the nerve, do you?? If you can bring her here, I’ll give you a hundred kowtows! Trash.]

[We’ll call her then. Who’s afraid of whom?] [When we really make you kowtow, you’ll chicken out.]

 [@ShenQingV, come quickly! Someone is bullying your wife.]

 [@ShenQingV, Sister, look at him!] 

Soon, more people began following suit and tagging Shen Qing. The scene was quite chaotic for a time. Just as the online brawl reached a peak, a seemingly ordinary comment was pushed to the top.

The source of everything appeared. A random passerby, confused by the comment section, asked: [Why is everyone tagging Teacher Shen?]

No one replied to her, and she didn’t understand what was happening; she only knew that whenever someone insulted Du Yaozhi, they tagged Shen Qing. So, she dizzily posted a comment:

[Does Teacher Shen like Yaozhi?]

One minute later, Shen Qing’s Weibo was updated.

[Shen Qing V: Thank you all for your love for Yaozhi. Reply to User1209: Does Teacher Shen like Yaozhi?]

The entire internet completely exploded.

[Holy crap, did the person herself just step into the fray?]

 [Is this Shen Qing’s indirect confession? AHHHHH]

 [Holy crap!] 

[Shen Qing, are you really that protective of your wife?]

Someone even wailed right in front of Du Yaozhi’s account: [@DuYaozhiV, come out quickly! Your wife just confessed to you]

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