After Transmigrating, I Fell in Love with a Top-Tier Movie Queen - Chapter 19

A New Direction

In the private room, people gathered in small groups, laughing and talking. The table was filled with steaming hot dishes, and the aroma filled the air. After a few rounds of drinks, everyone felt a little tipsy. A waiter came in, cleared the table, and brought in fresh desserts and fruits.

After they had eaten and drank their fill, everyone moved to the sofas on the other side of the room. A large screen was set up in front of the sofas, and on the coffee table were a few tablets for song selection and several disinfected microphones. The waiter came by again, putting more fruits and desserts on the table and even taking out drinks from the fridge.

Looking at the large room, the luxurious decor, and the great service, Meng Kelin was impressed. She wondered where Ye Linghua had found this place. The food alone must have been expensive.

Soon, the atmosphere became lively again. A group of people gathered around the tablets, selecting songs, and some were already singing into the microphones. Ye Linghua sat alone in a corner of the sofa, watching everyone have fun. She didn’t join in. Instead, she was looking at her phone, occasionally sending a few messages.

The songs in the room played one after another. Some people sang beautifully, while others sounded like a pig squealing, making people irritable. After a few drinks, everyone was emboldened. With a round of cheers, Lin Xin was pushed onto the small stage. The intro of her own song began to play. Everyone applauded politely and listened. Only a few people in a dark corner were whispering to each other.

Ye Linghua didn’t notice the changes around her. She was looking at a message from Mr. Zhang, her brows furrowed slightly. Lin Xin’s situation was not as good as she thought. The entertainment industry was a fast-paced environment. Lin Xin had been away for five years, and she had lost touch with the industry and her fans. The fact that the company let a newcomer push Lin Xin around showed that they didn’t believe she could be as popular as before. It was clear that in the novel, the company had truly abandoned Lin Xin. In reality, even if Lin Xin made a comeback, she wouldn’t be as popular as she once was.

The market for entertainment was fixed; the cake was only so big. With so many newcomers, it was impossible for one person to take a big share like before. Now, the cake was smaller, and Lin Xin had to fight for a slice. Ye Linghua sighed. From a business perspective, it wasn’t realistic for the company’s current stars to step aside for Lin Xin. Instead of gambling, it would be better to make a bold move.

“I promised to forget these things tomorrow.”

Suddenly, a beautiful, clear voice filled the room.

“So is it okay if I shout, ‘I’m in so much pain’?”

“Just like with a megaphone,”

“I’ll convey these images to you,”

“I’m a loner, I only sing,”

“I didn’t lose anything.”

Ye Linghua’s thoughts paused. She looked up and saw Lin Xin on the stage. She was standing there, holding the microphone with both hands, her eyes closed as she sang. She was so absorbed in the song, expressing the sadness in the music, that she sang with great feeling. Ye Linghua was completely captivated by her voice. She stopped thinking and just watched her.

As if feeling Ye Linghua’s gaze, Lin Xin suddenly opened her eyes and looked over. She immediately realized that there was more than just sadness in her life. The sadness in the song disappeared. Under Ye Linghua’s gaze, she smiled gently, like a night-blooming jasmine that fills the air with its fragrance even in the dark.

When she held the microphone to her mouth again, her emotions had shifted.

“If your eyes only hold sadness,”

“Then I can only sing of a cold sadness.”

Even with the sorrowful lyrics, the song no longer had the same feeling of emptiness. Ye Linghua put her phone away and leaned back on the sofa to listen. Lin Xin kept looking over at her, and every time she did, she saw Ye Linghua’s focused gaze, which made her feel a little flustered.

With a trembling ending, she finished the song. Everyone applauded. No one noticed the change in her emotions.

Lin Xin put down the microphone, walked over to Ye Linghua, and sat down. She smiled and asked, “Was it good?”

“It was great,” Ye Linghua said.

Lin Xin hummed in agreement. She kicked her feet, and her heels hit the sofa, making a thumping sound. They didn’t have much to say, but sitting there in silence was comfortable. Lin Xin wasn’t in a bad mood. Looking at her toes, she asked, “Why are you sitting here alone?” She turned her head to look at Ye Linghua, wanting to ask more questions.

In the dim light, the shadows highlighted the outline of Ye Linghua’s face. Hearing her question, Ye Linghua turned her dark, deep eyes to look at her. Lin Xin’s heart skipped a beat. She had been in the industry for over ten years and had seen all kinds of people, but Ye Linghua’s gaze still made her nervous for some reason. “W-what?” she stammered.

“I was thinking about you,” Ye Linghua answered honestly.

Lin Xin: “…” Even though she knew Ye Linghua’s words often had no hidden meaning and were just literal, her low voice and the way she said Lin Xin’s name made it sound so intimate. Saying something that could be so easily misunderstood made Lin Xin’s heart flutter.

“Leave the company,” Ye Linghua’s words brought Lin Xin back to reality. She was stunned and then turned to Ye Linghua in confusion. “Huh?”

“I’ve thought about it a lot,” Ye Linghua said. “Yuntian isn’t the same as it used to be. You don’t need to feel guilty.”

Lin Xin didn’t answer right away. She looked at Ye Linghua. “You want me to leave?”

Ye Linghua was frustrated but answered honestly, “Yes, I do. I don’t want to see you being bullied at that company and having to endure it for the sake of your old company. But I shouldn’t be interfering. I shouldn’t have even asked.”

“Why not?” Lin Xin asked.

“Because it’s your life. It’s your choice. I’m afraid you’ll regret it.”

Lin Xin paused. That’s right. If a stranger had said that, she would have been upset. She had lived her life for decades. Didn’t she know which path to take? But strangely, Ye Linghua’s suggestion didn’t bother her.

Ye Linghua thought for a moment and then continued, as if admitting defeat. “Today it’s Lin Bing. Tomorrow, it might be someone else. Or you might even be sidelined by the company.” Even if she succeeded, she might not be valued as she once was. The company was clearly prioritizing new stars, and Lin Xin might be left to pick up scraps.

“Thank you,” Lin Xin said, without a trace of anger. She looked at Ye Linghua and said, word for word, “I’m happy that you said that.”

“Really?” Ye Linghua asked.

“Yes. When you said it this afternoon, I started thinking about it. You’re right. It’s only a matter of time until we part ways. It’s better to end it cleanly. Besides, leaving doesn’t mean we can’t collaborate. The only reason I haven’t left is that my contract with Yuntian only has three months left.”

Lin Xin looked up at the colorful lights on the ceiling. Her dark hair and neck were as pale as porcelain. Her eyes curved into crescents, like black agate. “I’ve been with Yuntian for so long, so it’s a little hard to leave. But Yuntian has made its choice, and it’s not a good fit for me to stay. I should start my own thing. When the contract expires…”

She looked at Ye Linghua again, her dark eyes smiling. “I won’t be renewing my contract.”

I actually convinced her? Or did she already feel this way?

“Ah!” Lin Xin yelped softly and then leaned closer to Ye Linghua, whispering, “Thank you for helping with the music video today.” Her breath tickled Ye Linghua’s earlobe.

Ye Linghua put her hand on Lin Xin’s head but didn’t push her away. Instead, she kept her hand there and said softly, “I wasn’t just helping out. I meant what I said.”

“Huh?” Lin Xin looked up at Ye Linghua with an innocent expression.

Ye Linghua chuckled and repeated, “I can be in the music video.” In the dark, she said it again with certainty. “I can be in the music video with you.”

“But… you said it was inconvenient,” Lin Xin said, confused.

“It doesn’t matter,” Ye Linghua replied.

“Inconvenient because you don’t want to be seen, right?”

“I said it doesn’t matter.”

The conversation fell silent again. After a while, Lin Xin leaned in and said, “Thank you. You’re so kind.”

Ye Linghua leaned against the sofa, watching the person singing on the stage. After a moment, she smiled.

A few days later, the company sent someone to discuss a new contract. Ye Linghua helped Lin Xin look it over, scoffed, and tossed it on the coffee table. She told the person that Lin Xin would not be renewing her contract. The new contract was even worse than the old one. Even if Lin Xin wasn’t as popular as before, she wasn’t someone to be taken advantage of.

The company was surprised by the response. In Lin Xin’s current situation, would she really rely on just one song to make a comeback without a contract? She had been out of the industry for too long, and her fame had diminished. To make a comeback, she needed good resources. Yuntian might not be the top company, but it had a lot of great resources. For Lin Xin, using Yuntian as a stepping stone would be a great choice. But she didn’t want to renew her contract? That was foolish. If she had her own studio, it wouldn’t be a problem. But she didn’t.

Thinking it was an issue with the contract, the company’s senior management relaxed the terms. A contract could always be negotiated, and they had left room for it from the beginning. But even so, Lin Xin’s answer was still no. When they saw she was determined to leave, the executives had no choice. Fortunately, Lin Xin promised to consider Yuntian first for any future collaborations, as long as the company was sincere.

The company had no other choice but to part ways amicably. The contract dispute was resolved peacefully. With that out of the way, Lin Xin began to think about the music video again.

Ye Linghua was concerned about copyright, but Meng Kelin explained that Lin Xin had paid for most of the song herself. In her old contract, Lin Xin had a lot of freedom. For songs she personally invested in, the copyright didn’t belong to the company. However, since she had said she wasn’t renewing her contract, the company now had a hands-off attitude toward the song. They even recalled Director Wang. Now, Lin Xin was truly on her own.

Meng Kelin sighed. “We don’t just lack money now; we also lack people!”

Ye Linghua rubbed her forehead in frustration. After a moment, with Meng Kelin and Lin Xin looking at her with concern, Ye Linghua tried to speak. “I have a friend who is an investor. Should I ask her?”

Meng Kelin looked at her with suspicion. “You’re a housekeeper. You have an investor friend?”

“Are you looking down on a housekeeper’s salary?” Ye Linghua asked.

Meng Kelin: “…”

Lin Xin smiled. “Thank you! You’re so kind.”

Ye Linghua perked up. “I’ll try my best to get her to invest.”

Meng Kelin: “…” Something just doesn’t feel right.

I want to thank all my wonderful readers for your support, whether it’s through comments or gifts. Thanks!

By the way, the song lyrics in the text are from the Japanese song “Kaikō.” I couldn’t come up with my own, and using a domestic song would feel out of place, so I used a translated foreign song.

I also just remembered that the chapter is now available to a wider audience!

Finally, I’ve made the cover, and I’m just waiting for a new plot idea before I post it!