After the Agreement, the Aloof Movie Queen is Chasing Me All Over the Internet - Chapter 59

“Surely no one will find us here.”

During the free networking session, Du Yaozhi pulled Shen Qing along, glancing around cautiously.

Several artists had praised Shen Qing’s innovative look, while others tried to strike up a conversation. Shen Qing, however, had used a series of polite excuses to decline them all. Her eyes held a frosty detachment, ignoring everyone else. It was only when she looked at Yaozhi that a crack appeared in the ice, allowing a hint of warmth to seep through.

As long as Yaozhi needed her, Shen Qing would always make her the priority even if, to an outsider, this looked like nothing more than a childish whim.

They walked down a long corridor. The lounge area was quiet; occasionally, faint sounds drifted through, but nothing was discernible. Shen Qing knew the nooks and crannies of this venue far better than Yaozhi, yet she allowed herself to be led into the shadows. She rested her fingertips almost imperceptibly beneath the train of Yaozhi’s gown, ensuring she wouldn’t trip over the carpet.

“This ribbon… is it from the brand as well?” Yaozhi asked once they reached the shadows, her gaze dropping to the silk around Shen Qing’s neck.

“No, the team picked it out as an accessory,” Shen Qing replied, her voice steady as she looked down at her. “If you like it, I’ll have my assistant pack it up for you.”

“No need for that.”

Yaozhi still needed to find time to socialise, build her industry reputation, and solidify her image.

“Let’s make this quick.”

The ribbon was undone in an instant. Beneath it, Shen Qing had had her team apply an extra layer of foundation to hide the lingering traces of their earlier intimacy. She was nothing if not cautious.

“Hands up,” Yaozhi commanded.

Shen Qing did as she was told.

Initially, Yaozhi had only intended to tie Shen Qing’s hands to her own as a way to startle her. She hadn’t expected Shen Qing’s reaction or lack thereof. Shen Qing looked down at her, her fingertips held straight without a hint of resistance, waiting patiently for whatever came next.

Not even a flinch?

Frustrated, Yaozhi took another step forward, closing the distance as a test. Shen Qing remained motionless. In a fit of pique, Yaozhi seized Shen Qing’s right wrist and forcibly tied the ribbon around both of her wrists.

The thin gauze brushed against Shen Qing’s throat and wrists, sending a surge of itchiness through her. She narrowed her eyes in discomfort for a split second before her expression returned to a calm neutrality. She even deliberately moved her wrists, tightening the silk so that the black gauze bit into her pale skin in a stark, striking contrast.

Yaozhi wasn’t sure what Shen Qing was thinking, but she found she rather liked the sight. She let out a satisfied hum, suddenly wanting to record this moment.

Back when Yaozhi was Shen Qing’s secret lover, they’d often have dinner and a shower before settling in for the night. Once, when the dishwasher broke, Shen Qing had washed the dishes by hand. Yaozhi remembered how Shen Qing had held a bowl, her thumb tracing the rim as she turned it slowly, leaning forward with meticulous focus, her damp hair falling naturally. Droplets of water had rolled across her collarbone and disappeared beneath the silk of her robe.

The sight had been so beautiful that Yaozhi had desperately wanted to show the world.

Though her first twenty years had been a disaster, leaving her photo albums empty of family memories. Yaozhi was someone who naturally loved to document life. At the time, she had instinctively reached for her phone, but Shen Qing had stopped her.

“No traces,” Shen Qing had said. Her voice then had been colder than it was now, yet she had still indulged Yaozhi, letting her rest her chin on her shoulder.

They had an agreement: while they were together, they would leave no trace of each other. Yaozhi had put her phone down with a heavy heart.

Unfortunately, desire is a flickering flame; even when smothered, the embers remain amongst the kindling. They smoulder and stir the heart, threatening to reignite at any moment. Even now, looking at Shen Qing, Yaozhi wanted to take a photo. But this time, it would be for her private collection. A secret, illicit treasure.

Too proud to admit her feelings, Yaozhi kept the thought to herself and simply enjoyed the view. “Don’t move.”

“Is this how you intend to ‘admire’ me?” Shen Qing asked, her tone carrying a hint of dangerous indulgence.

First, she’d been bitten and stomped on. Now, she was being tied up. Shen Qing allowed it all, her heart remarkably calm.

Yaozhi laughed. “What? Is Teacher Shen afraid? I think you actually quite enjoy this.”

“I enjoy it?” Shen Qing’s voice was soft—half a denial, half a question. “Is that what you think?”

Shen Qing leaned forward, closing the gap instantly. Her breath brushed against Yaozhi’s ear, her voice low and certain.

“Am I wrong?” Yaozhi challenged.

“You can be right,” Shen Qing replied, dispelling Yaozhi’s bravado. “As long as it pleases you.”

Yaozhi felt a pang of guilt at the words. Wasn’t this just bullying Shen Qing? If I keep this up, even the kitten will pick up bad habits.

Feeling uncharacteristically merciful, she chose to intertwine her fingers with Shen Qing’s, gripping her hand tightly. Surely this was a better way to admire her. No harm done.

Despite her bound wrists, Shen Qing pressed her palm closer to Yaozhi’s, her pads subtly tracing the gaps between Yaozhi’s fingers to ensure they were pinned together. Even as she was pressed against the cold wall, Shen Qing maintained her regal, aloof posture, her porcelain-pale face showing not a hint of panic.

Yaozhi looked up at her. Shen Qing looked every bit the “Ice Queen” noble, superior—yet her wrists were bound in black gauze. The silk fluttered slightly, reflected in the deep, pool-like depths of Shen Qing’s eyes.

She looked entirely at Yaozhi’s mercy, yet simultaneously in complete control. It was intoxicating.

Yaozhi suddenly felt a bit wicked. What’s wrong with me? Am I really this enchanted by her?

But she couldn’t shake the feeling that Shen Qing wasn’t afraid at all. In fact, the more Shen Qing indulged her, the more Yaozhi wanted to push the boundaries.

“Well? Aren’t you going to continue?” Shen Qing tilted her head, her cool voice cutting through the silence.

The provocation nettled Yaozhi. She was about to give Shen Qing a piece of her mind when a sudden creak came from the doorway.

Yaozhi jumped, nearly leaping out of her skin as she snatched her hand back. Shen Qing reacted instantly, moving to shield Yaozhi behind her—only to realise her hands were pinned.

As Shen Qing tried to move, the black sleeve of her gown slid down the curve of her forearm. She regained her composure, her gaze turning cold as she looked toward the door.

Gu Rong’er stood there, frozen. Her eyes met Shen Qing’s, and she looked utterly petrified. Her gaze flickered from their faces down to their intertwined hands, lingering there in a bizarre, stunned silence.

“Sister… you…” Rong’er’s mind was a chaotic mess, her face turning pale before their very eyes.

“Rong’er, let me explai” Yaozhi scrambled to untie the ribbon around Shen Qing’s wrists, but it was too late.

Rong’er, young and impressionable, was so spooked by the scene that she turned and bolted.

For the past few days, Gu Rong’er had been convinced she’d committed a catastrophic error. When Lin Song asked what was wrong, Rong’er refused to say a word.

The shoot had finished, and Rong’er had just removed her makeup. Some residual glue was stinging her eyelashes, making her quite uncomfortable. Her manager, Lin Song, pushed the door open.

“Rong’er, we need to talk business.” Lin Song sat opposite her, her voice low. “I’ve heard from some old friends.”

Rong’er lifted her clear eyes, signalling for her to continue.

Lin Song bit her lip, her tone carrying the subtle weight of industry gossip. “Xu Wanxin… she’s in real trouble this time.”

The events of that night still haunted Rong’er. She hadn’t dared to look Yaozhi in the eye since, walking through the set with her head down. Hearing this, she finally looked up.

Huasheng Entertainment looked glorious on the surface, but it was rotting from the inside. They had expanded too aggressively over the years, stepping on too many toes. Even the Shen family, who had protected Huasheng, had suddenly withdrawn their support in the last year.

The disaster Xu Wanxin had caused at the Fashion Gala was the final straw.

Lin Song leaned in. “I hear there are massive holes in Huasheng’s accounts. Tax authorities are already paying them ‘special attention.’ Several core projects have lost their funding, and they’re bleeding money. Old Man Xu is desperate, searching everywhere for cash to fill the gaps. Everyone who used to suck up to them is keeping their distance now.”

Despite Huasheng’s downfall, Xu Wanxin still maintained her arrogant “heiress” persona, continuing her wicked ways.

“I know,” Rong’er said thoughtfully. “I didn’t help her, so she’ll likely look elsewhere.”

“The internet is in an uproar,” Lin Song continued. “People are saying the Xu family is finally getting what’s coming to them. All those stories about Huasheng suppressing newcomers to push their own ‘resource’ stars are being dragged back up.”

“Huasheng is a mess right now. They don’t have the resources to bury the trending topics for her. If Xu Wanxin wants help, her only real option is Li Rongjin.”

Lin Song had hit the nail on the head, but Rong’er’s attention was elsewhere.

“And… the evidence?” Rong’er gripped a damp cloth, sitting up straight. “Is there any hard proof?”

Lin Song sighed. She knew Rong’er had been searching for a “smoking gun” for a long time without success. “We’re just missing that final blow. The old foxes at Huasheng are clever; the books are clean on the surface, and the key evidence is under lock and key. They still have paid trolls online claiming it’s all just slander.”

Rong’er’s heart sank again. Without evidence, they couldn’t take Huasheng down.

The Tianrong Group and Huasheng had once been allies, so they still had to maintain appearances. But ever since Xu Wanxin began abusing her resources, Rong’er knew the ship was sinking. She couldn’t let her own family go down with it.

She had tried to talk sense into Xu Wanxin, but to no avail. She’d once hoped Xu Wanxin would change—that she could pull her back for the sake of their old friendship. But Xu Wanxin was rotten to the core. Ever since Yaozhi had managed to turn the tables on her, Xu Wanxin had completely lost it.

Rong’er had tried another path, seeking an ally. But she’d managed to ruin that too.

She had wanted to show goodwill, to build a relationship. But no matter what she did, she couldn’t get close to Shen Qing. So, she’d tried to win over Yaozhi, adopting the gentler ways that Yaozhi seemed to prefer. She’d acted weak, even a bit dim-witted, but it had backfired.

Rong’er sighed heavily, the frustration still weighing on her.

“It’s my fault. I arrived too early for the banquet before the opening ceremony… and I accidentally overheard their… romantic secret.” Rong’er lowered her head, looking miserable. “With their influence, they probably know I heard them, which is why they see me as a thorn in their side.”

Lin Song was worried. “Miss”

Rong’er shook her head. “I’ll find a way. My birthday party is coming up; I’ll find an opportunity to act then.”

“Instead of acting, why don’t you tell me what you heard?” Lin Song had watched Rong’er grow up; she couldn’t bear to see her suffer. “If it’s a minor thing, I can help you figure it out and share the burden.”

“I can’t,” Rong’er said, looking incredibly embarrassed. “Teacher Du and Teacher Shen… they have a very ‘special’ relationship.”

“How special can it be?”

Lin Song knew exactly how messy the industry could be. She pressed Rong’er to continue.

“Teacher Du… likes to ‘bully’ Teacher Shen. But… but Teacher Du is no match for her.” Rong’er’s voice grew smaller and smaller, until it was barely a whisper. “So… they’re actually!”

What on earth?!

The zeroes and the ones?

Lin Song suddenly felt very old. Why was she hearing terminology that sounded more like a binary code applied to the Nation’s Film Queen, Shen Qing?

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