After Transmigrating, I Fell in Love with a Top-Tier Movie Queen - Chapter 17

A Different Kind of Assistant

Ye Linghua took the water from Lin Xin, who smiled and sat down on a bench in the hallway. While drinking, she secretly watched Ye Linghua. At first, Ye Linghua seemed uncomfortable with the loud whispering in the hallway, but soon she gave up and chose to ignore it.

Lin Xin smiled, leaned closer to Ye Linghua, and asked, “How does it feel on your first day of work?”

Ye Linghua thought for a moment before answering, “I feel like people outside the industry are gossips, and people inside the industry are… also gossips.” What does it matter to them whether I’m an assistant or not? Does the rumor of me being a ‘kept woman’ make them that excited? Ye Linghua understood human curiosity, but not the intense interest in other people’s privacy.

Lin Xin laughed heartily. Seeing her so happy, Ye Linghua stopped thinking about the rumors. She remembered how happy and confident Lin Xin looked when she came in to record today. “How did the recording go?” she asked.

“It went great!” Lin Xin glanced at the staff in the room and said with feeling, “It’s all thanks to Mr. Zhang. Otherwise, this song would still just be a start.”

So, Mr. Zhang took all the credit, Ye Linghua thought to herself. But Lin Xin was right; in the novel, the recording process wasn’t this smooth. After the song was released, it caused a lot of controversy, which made the song popular but not the person singing it. Ye Linghua agreed, “It’s all thanks to Mr. Zhang.”

The recording wasn’t done in one session. Lin Xin was not a professional singer, and even though she had sung before, this comeback song was a rare project where she poured her heart and soul into it. “I did a few trial runs this morning and then recorded a full take. When I listened to it, I realized there were a lot of issues.”

Lin Xin hit her head in frustration, and Ye Linghua instinctively grabbed her wrist. They both froze, and Ye Linghua quickly let go. “Sorry,” Ye Linghua said.

Lin Xin cleared her throat and secretly touched her wrist, where she could still feel the warmth of Ye Linghua’s hand. Ignoring the awkwardness, she continued, “It’s okay. When I was recording this morning, I thought it sounded pretty good, but when I listened to the playback, I saw how big the gap was. The teachers said they don’t recommend using it and that there’s a lot of room for improvement. There were a few points I didn’t get right, and they taught me well. But they said over-recording is bad, so they told me to take a break and try again this afternoon.”

“Will you be able to finish today?” Ye Linghua asked.

Lin Xin smiled confidently, her head held high. “Yes.” Her smile was the most beautiful flower, blooming in the sunlight, filling every corner of spring, and leaving a fragrant warmth in Ye Linghua’s heart.

Because of the recording session, Ye Linghua decided it would be best to get lunch boxes. When she went out, Lin Xin went to discuss the music video with Meng Kelin. When Ye Linghua returned with the lunch boxes, Meng Kelin saw there were only two and asked, “Didn’t you think about getting one for me?”

Ye Linghua remained calm. She took out her phone and made a call. “Send another one over.”

Meng Kelin was surprised. “You ordered delivery?”

“What else?” Ye Linghua said. “Can you cook here?”

“If it’s delivery, why were you gone for so long?” Meng Kelin asked.

“It’s my first day, so I don’t know my way around yet. It’s not weird that it took a while,” Ye Linghua replied.

This girl is too smooth, Meng Kelin thought. I feel like something’s not right, but I can’t catch it. She decided not to press the issue. If Ye Linghua didn’t want to talk, she wouldn’t force her.

But then, Meng Kelin suddenly stopped, her eyes shifting to Ye Linghua. She looked her up and down, as if lost in thought. Her gaze went from casual to serious.

Ye Linghua felt her skin tighten. She frowned and, meeting Meng Kelin’s eyes, tried to remain calm. “Sister Meng? Did I get the clothes dirty?”

“No,” Meng Kelin said. She chose her words carefully before asking, “Are you willing to take on a side job?”

The question not only surprised Ye Linghua, but it also made Lin Xin stop in her tracks. She looked up at Meng Kelin in astonishment. They both seemed to have the same thought. Lin Xin saw Meng Kelin give a subtle nod and then turned to look at Ye Linghua.

Ye Linghua didn’t answer right away. She took the lunch box and sat down next to Lin Xin.

Meng Kelin’s office had a huge glass wall with a wide-open view of the city. Whether it was the towering buildings in the day or the colorful lights at night, the view was always spectacular. For the sake of the view and to relax, Meng Kelin had a small round table by the glass wall. It was a small table where she would drink coffee or read reports.

Ye Linghua sat down and took out the lunch box. Meng Kelin and Lin Xin both paused. It wasn’t the usual white foam or plastic box. It was a rectangular box of scarlet wood, with beautiful black patterns and gold accents. The whole box looked luxurious, and even the chopsticks were made of solid wood and wrapped in a silk cloth.

Lin Xin and Meng Kelin were both shocked. It wasn’t that they hadn’t seen or eaten good food before, but this was a simple lunch. How could it be so extravagant? It must have cost a fortune.

Meng Kelin instinctively narrowed her eyes and asked Ye Linghua, “Who is paying for this?”

“Lin Xin gives me money for food every month. I’ll take it out of that,” Ye Linghua said.

Lin Xin looked worried. “Is it enough? Should I give you more?”

Ye Linghua shook her head. “No. I’ll make sure the money you give me covers three meals a day. If it’s not enough, I’ll make up the difference myself.”

Meng Kelin was amused. “How much will you have to make up?” As long as Ye Linghua wasn’t trying to trick Lin Xin like Zheng Ranwen did, Meng Kelin was fine with it.

Ye Linghua placed one box in front of Lin Xin and the other one from the bag in front of Meng Kelin.

She then spoke, “I won’t use all my money, so Sister Meng doesn’t have to worry. Sometimes, these shops have specials. After all, it would be a shame for such good ingredients to go to waste.” She looked at Meng Kelin, smiled, and asked, “Right?” Her calm tone had a subtle hint of arrogance.

Meng Kelin nodded. She didn’t say anything else and began to open the box. Ye Linghua also opened the lid for Lin Xin and handed her the chopsticks.

When the lids were opened, Meng Kelin and Lin Xin were shocked again. The luxurious box contained no abalone, no shark fin, not even a single piece of pork! There was a pitiful amount of white rice that could be eaten in two bites, a small serving of celery with shrimp, a sliced hard-boiled egg, and a serving of stir-fried green vegetables. The two or three small cherry tomatoes were probably the “dessert.”

Meng Kelin’s hands trembled as she looked up at Ye Linghua. “This is what’s in your fancy lunch box? No wonder you said you’d make up the difference. It looks like the most expensive thing here is the box itself.”

Ye Linghua was amused. She leaned against the table, propping her chin up with one hand. She looked at Lin Xin and explained, “I can’t give you a rich meal with a lot of meat. Once the song is released, you’ll be recording for shows soon. If I let you gain weight now, you’ll be on a harsh diet later, and that’s bad for your body.”

Having read the novel, Ye Linghua knew how strict celebrities were with their weight. As the female lead of the novel, there was a detailed description of Lin Xin’s weight loss process. The novel was a story of physical and emotional abuse, where the female lead successfully gained the sympathy of the readers by hurting her body and heart. Now that Ye Linghua was here, she wasn’t going to let the female lead starve herself to the point of a stomach disease.

The box was beautiful, and the food inside was small but refined. Although it was light on oil and salt, the diet was healthy. It had vegetables, protein, and fruit—everything she needed.

Meng Kelin was impressed. “How much money can you save in a month with this?” Is this person making money from her food budget?

“It’s… not that cheap,” Ye Linghua said.

Lin Xin laughed. Ye Linghua was right. After all, she did need to start managing her weight.

The three of them stopped talking about the food. While waiting for the new lunch box to arrive, Ye Linghua brought the conversation back to Meng Kelin’s initial question.

“You said something about a side job?” Ye Linghua asked. “What is it this time?”

Meng Kelin had tasted the shrimp and realized Ye Linghua wasn’t lying. The shrimp looked clean and tasted sweet and fresh. The meat was firm and juicy. Paired with celery, a vegetable she normally hated, it was surprisingly crisp and refreshing. The fact that this dish made her want to eat more meant it was indeed expensive.

When she heard Ye Linghua’s question, she took a moment to swallow her food and then said seriously, “The thing is, Lin Xin’s song should be finished this afternoon. We’ll release it as soon as possible. But there’s also a music video that goes with it.”

Ye Linghua nodded and looked at Lin Xin next to her.

Lin Xin was eating with her head down. She was known as the cool, aloof movie queen of the entertainment industry. The most rebellious thing she had ever done was for Zheng Ranwen. She usually didn’t talk much at the company or get close to her juniors. For the last few years, she had distanced herself from the outside world for Zheng Ranwen. Now, the company had new stars. Lin Xin had been in the industry for a long time and had even won the Best Actress award three times, but she was only 26. Her early career success made her act this way, and now it was hard to change. But Ye Linghua knew that she wasn’t as aloof as she seemed. After a month together, she knew Lin Xin was actually a gentle and likable person.

However, she couldn’t show her true self in public. She couldn’t show any weakness at the company, which was a dog-eat-dog world where everyone fought for resources. Now that she was back, Lin Xin had to pay the price for leaving the industry for so long.

Feeling Ye Linghua’s thoughtful gaze, Lin Xin stopped eating, put down her chopsticks, and looked at her.

Ye Linghua smiled faintly, looked away, and asked Meng Kelin, “A music video? So?”

Meng Kelin got straight to the point. “I want to ask you to be an actress. It’s just a few minutes for the music video, so it will be quick.”

Ye Linghua paused. She hadn’t expected this and didn’t agree right away. Meng Kelin was sharp. As a manager, she had seen too many fake people. She immediately sensed that Ye Linghua had concerns.

“Is it inconvenient?” Meng Kelin asked.

Ye Linghua gave a dry laugh. “It’s not entirely inconvenient, but it is a little bit.”

Lin Xin didn’t say anything. After Ye Linghua spoke, she silently picked up her chopsticks and began eating again. The rice tasted bland, and everything felt a little tasteless.

Ye Linghua looked at her and pursed her lips.

After lunch, Ye Linghua packed up the box and left. Lin Xin, wanting to make her comeback as soon as possible, quickly returned to prepare for the official recording. When Ye Linghua returned to Meng Kelin’s office, she was alone.

“You’re back?” The trash can was nearby, but Meng Kelin wasn’t busy. She was just waiting for her.

Ye Linghua nodded. Meng Kelin brought over two cups of coffee. Ye Linghua knew what to do and sat down at the small round table across from her. They sat across from each other, with the sun shining brightly through the glass wall. Ye Linghua took a sip of the coffee. It wasn’t bad.

She had a feeling Meng Kelin was about to say something serious about Lin Xin, so she didn’t beat around the bush. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

Meng Kelin didn’t rush. She calmly took a sip of her coffee and looked out at the busy world beyond the glass wall. Everyone seemed to be rushing, often without knowing why. “How are things going between you and Lin Xin?” Meng Kelin asked.

“Pretty good,” Ye Linghua said.

Meng Kelin looked at her, her eyes as dark and still as water.

“Don’t be upset about my suggestion at lunch,” Meng Kelin said, her gaze distant. “How much do you know about the entertainment industry?”

Ye Linghua honestly shook her head.

Meng Kelin already knew the answer. She sighed and began to talk about Lin Xin’s current situation. “Lin Xin worked for this company for so many years. She put in a lot of hard work and deserves credit. But the entertainment industry is a place of fame and fortune, and it’s all about profit.”

Meng Kelin hadn’t gotten to the point yet, but Ye Linghua knew the conversation was about to get serious. It had to do with Lin Xin, so it was more complicated than she thought. She touched the handle of her coffee cup, looking down at the still surface of the coffee. The cup handle wasn’t hot, but it warmed slightly under her touch.

“Lin Xin didn’t work for five years, and resources shifted to a newcomer at a rival company. The company didn’t say much, considering all the money Lin Xin had brought in before. But instead of raising a new star for our company, she helped a rival company produce its top star. This kind of thing isn’t a good look anywhere, is it?”

“You’re right,” Ye Linghua said.

She hadn’t thought much about it when she read the novel. The author had only used Lin Xin’s actions to show how devoted she was. But in reality, it didn’t make sense. For the company, it was a loss. If it weren’t for Lin Xin’s years of hard work, they would have probably been at each other’s throats. From her perspective, giving Lin Xin five years was already a huge kindness. But she wouldn’t look at it from her own perspective. She would only look at it from Lin Xin’s.

“Lin Xin is also 26 now. In the industry, that’s not a young age,” Meng Kelin said with a sigh. “The company has new stars. Although we got Mr. Zhang to help, the company is happy we’re off to a good start. However, the music market is limited, and profits aren’t guaranteed. This is an era of fast-food dramas and a constant stream of reality shows. Music isn’t a top priority, so the company isn’t willing to invest too much in Lin Xin.”

“Or rather,” Ye Linghua continued, her gaze deep as she looked at Meng Kelin, “the company has chosen another newcomer. You asked me to help with the music video, which means the company didn’t stop the filming. But the company isn’t going to give you any money for it? And your funding… has run out?”

Meng Kelin gasped. She hadn’t mentioned anything about their funding being cut off. She had only complained about the company a little, but she hadn’t said they had made a decision. Yet, Ye Linghua had figured it out from just a few words. This person was a lot smarter than she looked. Was she really just a housekeeper?

Since Ye Linghua had already guessed most of it, Meng Kelin decided to be direct. “Yes. To be honest, Lin Xin and I have put most of our own money into this comeback—from the song production to the recording. We paid for Mr. Zhang and the team ourselves, even the money for the song itself. We’ve chosen the best of everything and don’t want to compromise on the music video. The company has its own directors and equipment, and with my connections, I can get people and borrow equipment. But a good actor isn’t easy to find or cheap.”

Their limited budget left them with few options.

“Today, Lin Xin has enemies at the company. She’s no longer the ‘Sister Xin’ she used to be.”

Ye Linghua’s hand on the coffee cup handle froze. That simple sentence hinted at a struggle she hadn’t even considered. In a world the novel hadn’t described, Lin Xin was an ordinary woman who had to pay the price for her actions and endure the difficult parts of her job.

Walking to the recording studio, Ye Linghua’s mood changed. Lin Xin must have felt wronged, too. Five years of devotion led to betrayal. The company she worked so hard for had decided to give up on her.

Thinking back, the novel had focused too much on her love triangle with Zheng Ranwen and her online battles with Lin Wan. It never mentioned how Lin Xin worked after the divorce. It only said that she was depressed, drank all day at the villa, and showed her deep love and how she was hurt. Later, she finally had a song, but the production process was difficult. The song became popular, but she didn’t. She was invited to a show and starved herself to look her best for the recording, but Lin Wan stole her spot. She was mocked by staff who said she was no longer a famous actress but an old, washed-up star. In the novel, no one stood up for her. Only Zheng Ranwen would help her from time to time, which only made Lin Xin love her more.

Did the company abandon her in the novel too?

Ye Linghua realized a simple novel couldn’t contain a complete world. A story of several hundred thousand words couldn’t fully explain Lin Xin’s life. There was still so much she didn’t know about her.

As she walked past the dance studio next to the recording room, she saw several people coming out, including a group of three newcomers who were probably getting ready to debut. They were wearing dance clothes, and they were good-looking and in shape, not particularly outstanding but not plain either.

When they saw Ye Linghua in the hallway, they gathered and began to whisper. They probably hadn’t experienced the cutthroat nature of the entertainment industry yet, so they didn’t hold back.

“She’s the one Lin Xin is keeping, right?”

“Haha, she’s really good-looking.”

“Money is great. If I were rich, I’d want to find someone this good-looking.”

“Lin Xin had it good. She was a child star and got famous early. She made a lot of money over the years.”

Their voices were full of envy, but also resentment and jealousy.

Ye Linghua looked at the three of them calmly. She realized that in the morning, everyone had called Lin Xin by her name. As a top star and a senior in the industry, they should have called her “Sister Xin.” The disrespect from these newcomers showed that Lin Xin’s situation at the company was not as good as she made it seem.

Ye Linghua smiled faintly, her gaze growing colder. The three newcomers were stunned, realizing they had been heard. But they weren’t worried. What could a mere assistant do?

Ye Linghua didn’t do anything. Lin Xin’s enemies weren’t these newcomers. She just put her finger to her lips, looking down at them. Although she didn’t say anything, the meaning was clear. The look and gesture were so intimidating that the three young people froze. They suddenly felt like this person might actually hit them.

With that thought, they all turned and ran away.

Ye Linghua had just reached the door of the recording studio. She crossed her arms and leaned her head against the wall. The coldness of the wall spread through her head. Suddenly, she understood. What was she here for? For Lin Xin to have a healthy body, she needed to have a healthy mind, too. So, as long as she was happy, what else mattered?

Just as she was thinking this, she heard a commotion inside the door.

“Thank you, everyone,” Lin Xin said, thanking the staff. “I’m treating everyone to dinner tonight.”

“Thanks, boss!”

“Oh, yeah! All right!”

“Thanks, boss, hahahaha.”

Everyone cheered. They were only there because someone had asked them to be, but Lin Xin wasn’t as arrogant as the rumors said. She was easy to get along with, and everyone had a good impression of her. When they heard she was treating them to dinner, they happily cheered their thanks.

Lin Xin’s morning session had ended perfectly. Although she had to record a few times, the teachers said it was excellent. Lin Xin was in a great mood. “I should be the one thanking you, everyone,” she said. “Thank you for all your help. And I’ll be bothering you all again to help me with the editing.”

“Of course,” the staff happily agreed, thinking how harmful rumors were. Lin Xin was so easygoing. She was so much better than the stars who acted like they were on a pedestal.

As they were celebrating, a few people entered. One of them was Zhao Xiaojiao, the manager of the company’s new star, Lin Bing.

“You must be Sister Xin!” she said to Lin Xin. “Hello, hello. The thing is, I came to see you because I need to borrow Director Wang, who you have on your schedule.”

Lin Xin froze, and the others in the recording studio fell silent. To avoid awkwardness, they all bent down to tidy up their equipment.

Zhao Xiaojiao wasn’t embarrassed by Lin Xin’s reaction. She just smiled more proudly. “The thing is, our Xiao Bing just got a new promotion. She needs to record some behind-the-scenes clips right away, and we don’t have enough people available.”

Lin Xin didn’t answer. She just looked at her with a cold expression. Zhao Xiaojiao felt a jolt. How can this woman still be so arrogant, even in her current state?

“Don’t go too far,” Meng Kelin said, arriving just in time. She walked in and immediately began scolding Zhao Xiaojiao.

Zhao Xiaojiao didn’t back down. “I already cleared this with the company. The company said since you haven’t found an actor for your music video yet, there’s no harm in letting us use him first.”

“What a joke!” Meng Kelin’s temper flared. “We’re rushing to release the song, and we have everything ready. You want us to give you Director Wang? What, you couldn’t find anyone else?”

Zhao Xiaojiao just laughed. “It’s because Director Wang is so good at this kind of thing. She’s great with a camera, that’s why I came to her.”

Meng Kelin didn’t believe her. Some people just like to step on others to feel a sense of accomplishment.

Lin Xin seemed used to this. She showed no signs of displeasure. She just watched the two of them argue, and the sounds seemed to fade away as if they were behind a wall. Her good mood from finishing the recording disappeared. The constant arguing made her feel like she was in a different space.

Then, the door opened again. Ye Linghua stood there, her silhouette casting a shadow into the room. Her eyes scanned the room, and she said softly, “Who said you haven’t found anyone? I’m here, aren’t I?”

The clear voice entered Lin Xin’s ears, pulling her back from her own world. The room fell silent. Lin Xin was stunned by her sudden appearance. She just blinked her wide, round eyes.

Ye Linghua couldn’t help but laugh. “Did you finish recording?”

Lin Xin pursed her lips and nodded.

Ye Linghua gently ruffled her hair and whispered in her ear, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.” She then looked at Zhao Xiaojiao. “It’s just for some behind-the-scenes clips. Just find someone else.” Her words were simple, but the tone was so commanding that Zhao Xiaojiao almost nodded.

Who is this person?! she thought. How dare she be so arrogant?

Ye Linghua had managed to write all this in the last two minutes of her deadline. She still hadn’t thought of a new book to write and decided to just go with whatever came to her. She hadn’t even found a cover yet.