After the Agreement, the Aloof Movie Queen is Chasing Me All Over the Internet - Chapter 4

“Your little flame is quite a piece of work,” Jing Ping, the agent, remarked, clicking her tongue as she watched Du Yaozhi walk away.

“I’ll say it one last time.” Shen Qing frowned coldly at the comment. “She isn’t my ‘flame’. She is her own person.”

Zhou Yue, unable to stop worrying about Du Yaozhi, had hurried over in her car to find her. She arrived just in time to see Yaozhi walking out of the building, bag in hand, looking perfectly composed. Her skirt swayed with every step, like a rose blooming amidst thorns, elegant and captivating.

Except she was clearly wasted.

She hadn’t gone two steps before she stumbled right into Zhou Yue’s arms. Zhou Yue’s brow furrowed with concern, her mouth moving as she seemingly lectured her friend. Du Yaozhi merely waved a hand dismissively, her sunglasses still on as she draped an arm over Zhou Yue’s shoulder, laughing vibrantly.

After a bit of back-and-forth, Zhou Yue helped a swaying Du Yaozhi into the car. Before the door closed, one of Du Yaozhi’s heels slipped off. She leaned out to retrieve it, her long, curly hair tossed by the wind, framing her exquisite face in a way that was almost blindingly beautiful.

Behind the tinted window of her own car, Shen Qing watched them leave. She didn’t look away until that splash of vivid color had vanished from her sight.

“I hope you find someone to spend a ‘pleasant evening’ with tonight as well.”

Du Yaozhi’s parting shot echoed in her ears. A year had passed, yet Du Yaozhi was exactly the same. When she teased people, she still tilted her head just so, using her eyes to test their reactions, drawing out an emotional response only to pull away abruptly.

Shen Qing let out a soft sigh. Still putting herself in danger as if it were nothing.

Once the car was long gone, Shen Qing stared into the distance for a moment. “How long were you planning on keeping me in the dark?”

“Boss, how could I possibly hide anything from you?” Jing Ping replied, her eyes glued to her screen as she flicked through messages. “The driver will be here in ten minutes. Shall I order that light dinner from the usual place? You’ve got a busy day tomorrow—an early start, then a flight for the press conference. There probably won’t be much that suits your palate there.”

Shen Qing remained patient. Her long fingers tapped rhythmically against the back of the seat. “The trending searches.”

Shen Qing rarely checked Weibo. Her schedule was sliced into such thin slivers of time that she hardly had a moment for entertainment news; anything important was usually filtered through Jing Ping.

“You didn’t know? The camera angles were so precise, and the video looked carefully curated. It’s caused such a stir that I assumed you’d given the green light,” Jing Ping said.

Given the power Shen Qing held and her particular temperament, it seemed impossible for such a “scandal” to break without her consent. Jing Ping opened the app on her tablet and handed it over. “See for yourself.”

Shen Qing took the tablet calmly, her fingertips gliding across the screen before stopping on a list of hashtags. She clicked on one at random. Her long lashes cast shadows over her eyes as she pressed her lips into a thin line. She read a few entries and then stopped, her emotions a complicated tangle.

Some of the “leaks” dated back a year a blade offered up to the public, still dripping with blood.

Cold water pouring over her forehead, sliding down her neck and into her collar, leaving marks all over her body like icy scars, cutting her in two and branding her with guilt forever.

Du Yaozhi had said she hated her. She said she regretted ever loving her. There had been no tears, no dramatic outbursts, yet that rain-slicked night had kept Shen Qing imprisoned ever since.

Shen Qing had never moved on. Not for a single second.

Closing her eyes to steady her breathing, she spoke again. “Have you looked into it?”

“I have. It wasn’t the usual outlets, but you probably don’t want to know the details. I will say this: she’s ruthless. I admire that,” Jing Ping said bluntly. “I did as you asked and had someone keep an eye on her. She’ll be fine. It’s just”

“Just what?”

“Just that she doesn’t seem quite as ‘carefree’ as you might imagine. On the contrary, she looks a little. lonely,” Jing Ping added, drawing out the final words with a knowing smile.

Shen Qing didn’t bite. She turned her head away, her profile looking like a masterpiece in the dim light.

Sensing that the personal talk was over, Jing Ping shifted to business. “Right, one more thing. There’s a preview event for Baoli’s new collection next month. Their global ambassador, V, had an emergency and bailed. The organisers are desperate for someone local with enough clout to stand in, so they’ve asked for a favour. Do you want me to fit it in?”

Shen Qing didn’t answer immediately. She tapped the screen, her gaze returning to Jing Ping. “Did they invite her?”

“Her? Who?”

“Don’t play games with me,” Shen Qing said coldly.

“Oh, right.” Jing Ping looked surprised for a second, then her eyebrows shot up and she let out a chuckle. She kept her voice light, filled with shrewd amusement. “You’ve got it bad, haven’t you? I’ve noticed you’ve been acting very strangely lately. You’re quite obsessed with her, aren’t you?”

Shen Qing, who had little patience for such teasing, said nothing. But she was obsessed.

Jing Ping leaned back. “Honestly though, given Yaozhi’s current level of exposure and the recent ‘incident’ involving the two of you, the organizers probably won’t go looking for trouble by inviting her.”

“Involving the two of us?” Shen Qing looked up.

“Yes. But you really ought to go,” Jing Ping said, turning serious. “Baoli’s new Asian President will be there, along with those producers you know. It’s better to make an appearance than not.”

“You know I don’t accept last-minute invitations.” Shen Qing set the tablet aside, her tone final. She was no one’s second choice, and she considered a rushed, poorly prepared appearance a cardinal sin.

Jing Ping shrugged helplessly. She knew that tone. “Fine, fine. I’ll find a way to recommend her ‘appropriately’. Does that satisfy you, Miss Shen?”

Shen Qing gave a small “Mhm” in response. She leaned her head back against the soft headrest, the lines of her neck appearing long and elegant. With her lashes casting shadows, her thoughts remained hidden.

“Are you really going to help her like this? Just because she seems to be struggling? Because she’s on the back foot?” Jing Ping prodded. “You two never used to be like this.”

“There are things I need to confirm,” Shen Qing said, her eyes closing. “Besides, I don’t think she’s on the back foot at all.”

“She isn’t that sort of person.”

Sunlight slanted through the curtains, uncomfortably bright. Du Yaozhi frowned, rolling over and pinning the duvet beneath her. Between the hangover and the exhaustion, she had slept until nearly midday.

Yesterday, she had used every last scrap of her sanity to lock her evidence safely away before collapsing into bed. Propping herself up on one elbow, she rubbed her eyes, trying to clear the fog from her brain.

The mattress felt slightly indented beside her, the white sheets pulled into a subtle curve that gave her a sudden jolt of shock. It felt just like the old days—the ghost of a presence. Back then, when Shen Qing had early shoots, Yaozhi would blearily sense her light movements before drifting back to sleep.

Shen Qing was meticulous; she would always tuck the duvet in neatly before leaving. When Yaozhi woke up, there would be a lingering scent of Shen Qing’s hair on the pillow, something incredibly soothing. Sometimes, Yaozhi wouldn’t want her to go, mumbling in her sleep for Shen Qing to stay. In those half-awake moments, Shen Qing’s voice would drift over her, whispering softly, “You can hold me for a little longer.”

It felt like a dream made real.

Du Yaozhi bolted upright. There were no neatly tucked sheets, no extra pillow. She was entirely alone in the cavernous bedroom.

An illusion. Just an illusion.

Her heart hammered against her ribs. She pressed a hand to her chest, taking shallow breaths until her pulse steadied. Once she was calm, she checked that her evidence was still secure, then turned on her phone.

Zhou Yue: Waiting on set… my legs have gone numb. The fallen leaves here are so crunchy. Ugh, I really miss my spicy skewers.

The message came with a goofy selfie, a stray thermos, and a stick-figure drawing made out of dead leaves. Du Yaozhi ‘liked’ the photo and tapped out a reply.

Thanks for getting me home. Sorry for the trouble. Dinner’s on me next time.

She thought for a second and added:

Spicy skewers.

Zhou Yue replied almost instantly.

Zhou Yue: You’re on!

Zhou Yue: Oh, by the way, since you were so smashed, I’ve found a real treasure from Sister Lin! It’s perfect for killing time while waiting around on set. I’ll show you next time.

Zhou Yue: Consider it my thank-you for the skewers.

Du Yaozhi smiled and sent a quick “Sounds good.”

They ended the chat there, Zhou Yue mentioned she’d been dragged off to help the crew move props. Du Yaozhi understood. For minor actors like them on low-budget sets, there was no such thing as “staying in your lane.” They spent most of their time running errands, waiting, or filming. At wrap-up, they’d often stay back to help the makeup and prop departments with chairs and scripts, going home drenched in sweat. It was just part of the job.

Then, a notification from someone else popped up. It was Sheng Xiao.

Du Yaozhi’s smile vanished, replaced by a contemptuous smirk. She narrowed her eyes, scrolling through the messages with dark amusement. They had started late last night and continued into the morning, interspersed with several missed calls.

11:00 PM

Sheng Xiao: Who do you think you are? You’re a spent force, Du Yaozhi. I’m telling you, get back here and delete that file! Otherwise, consider yourself blacklisted! Do you have any idea who Mr Li is?!

Sheng Xiao: You surely don’t think a pathetic little recording is going to bring me down, do you?

Sheng Xiao: What a joke! Give up on your naive little plan. Come back and grovel to me and Mr Wang! Beg me, say something pretty, and I might just find it in my heart to forgive you.

3:00 AM

Sheng Xiao: Look, come back. Stop these little games. Give me the recording and I’ll let bygones be bygones. Let’s just play nice.

Sheng Xiao: Du Yaozhi, you hate Shen Qing, don’t you? Mr Li and I can help you settle that score. What do you say?

5:00 AM

Sheng Xiao: Oh, Zhizhi, there’s really no need to blow this out of proportion, is there? If you don’t like the drinking sessions, I won’t make you go next time. Think of our history together… just forgive me this once, okay?

Sheng Xiao: I’m begging you, Du Yaozhi. I’ll apologise! Is that what you want? I’ll recommend you for things, I’ll fight for you. Can we just move on?!

Just now:

Sheng Xiao: It was all Xu Wanxin’s doing! She blackmailed me! She’s the one who wanted me to push you onto Li Rongjin! If you want revenge, go after her! This… this had nothing to do with me!

Sheng Xiao: Give me a break, Du Yaozhi. I really know I was wrong. I can’t afford to lose this job.

Threats, bribery, and finally, begging. A perfect revenge.

The harder Sheng Xiao begged, the more it proved the lesson was hitting home. Du Yaozhi’s previous “submissive” persona had led Sheng Xiao to believe she was a pushover. She hadn’t bothered to be cautious because she thought she could just keep using and discarding her.

The reality was quite the opposite. Du Yaozhi was the most ruthless of them all. When she performed, she did it from the very beginning, acting until everyone was convinced, until everyone’s guard was down, before striking with a sudden, devastating counter-attack.

Du Yaozhi knew that leaking her own “scandals” and putting herself in a desperate position would lower the guard of people like Sheng Xiao and Li Rongjin. It made them arrogant enough to hand her the evidence she needed on a silver platter.

The process had actually gone a bit too smoothly, smoother than she’d expected, as if someone had lent a hand behind the scenes.

But that wasn’t important right now.

Du Yaozhi selected Sheng Xiao’s latest plea for mercy. Her finger hovered over the screen for a second before she typed three cold words.

Keep dreaming, love.

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