After Transmigrating, I Fell in Love with a Top-Tier Movie Queen - Chapter 36

The hotel had arranged a private room with an excellent view. Zhu Fang led Lin Xin upstairs. Even after she was seated, Lin Xin’s face was still flushed.

Ye Linghua and Meng Kelin hadn’t come in yet. Zhu Fang sat next to Lin Xin and said, “Sister Xin, I think Sister Hua is really great.”

Lin Xin couldn’t help but glare at her. Seeing that the look had no power, Zhu Fang became a little bolder. “Honestly, if it’s Sister Hua, you should give it a try.”

Lin Xin said to her, “Just eat. You have a lot to do.” Give it a try… It’s not that simple. If she were still 18, she could have put the necklace on Ye Linghua’s neck herself.

Zhu Fang was reluctant to give up. “How can I eat before Sister Meng gets here?” She saw Lin Xin’s silence and knew it was useless to continue. In the end, she didn’t say anything else.

Lin Xin rested her chin in her hands, her gaze falling on the window. The restaurant had a traditional Chinese style, from the main entrance to this private room, everything had an ancient feel.

The windows were built into the wall and were ancient circular wooden windows with intricate lattice designs. But unlike in ancient times when they were covered in paper, the gaps were sealed with glass. This didn’t affect the light and didn’t spoil the beauty.

The staff had probably aired out the room earlier. The windows were only open a tiny bit for ventilation. The air conditioning kept the room cool.

As she looked at the view outside the window, Lin Xin’s eyes became empty. After buying the clothes and cosmetics that day, she was in the lobby on the first floor when she saw a new jewelry store.

The first floor of a large mall like this often had different companies leasing space. Lin Xin rarely lingered in the lobby. The main lobby wasn’t as private as a storefront, and it was inconvenient with so many people. The jewelry store that day wasn’t a big brand, it was a generic one.

But as she passed by, Lin Xin immediately fell in love with that necklace.

The clerk saw that she was staring and knew she was interested. The clerk heavily promoted it.

As if under a spell, Lin Xin bought it even though she knew there was no need for it. A necklace she shouldn’t have given her left Lin Xin in a state of conflict for a long time.

Should she give it to her? Or throw it away?

In the end, she left the choice to Ye Linghua. She had Zhu Fang wrap the two gifts and asked her to seal the necklace in the box.

Zhu Fang did as she was told. She had expected that Ye Linghua would never find it.

How could Lin Xin not know that? No one gives a gift like that.

“Hasn’t the food come out yet?” Ye Linghua’s voice startled Lin Xin.

Meng Kelin was even more suspicious because of Lin Xin’s reaction. Her eyes on Lin Xin were full of doubt. Could that necklace… really have been from Lin Xin?

Meng Kelin, who was completely unaware of the progress of their relationship, was now both annoyed and frustrated.

But she was also afraid that they were still in a gray area, and her interference might not be helpful, so she just suppressed her frustration.

Zhu Fang saw that Lin Xin was too embarrassed to talk to Ye Linghua, so she answered for her. “I just ordered it. I asked the kitchen to wait until you arrived to start cooking. It should be ready soon.”

Ye Linghua nodded. She sat down next to Lin Xin. Lin Xin’s eyes darted around, then glanced at Ye Linghua’s neck. She looked away awkwardly.

Even though she tried her best to act calm and suppress the shyness on her face, her red ears gave away her true feelings.

Before long, the dishes Zhu Fang ordered were served.

Zhu Fang remembered that Lin Xin was about to start filming and didn’t dare order a bunch of heavy dishes. The table was full of mostly vegetables.

But Meng Kelin took a look at the menu and gasped. A plate of cucumbers was 38 yuan, which showed that the dishes weren’t cheap.

After they finished eating in silence, the manager came to settle the bill. When he saw Ye Linghua, he smiled knowingly. “Miss Ye, our boss said to just pay what you want.”

Ye Linghua was speechless. What does that even mean?

Meng Kelin saw Ye Linghua’s speechless expression and was confused. Then she quickly realized. Pay what you want is a very vague concept. Paying too little makes you look cheap, and paying too much defeats the purpose of the discount.

Who would have thought that Ye Linghua would be so nonchalant. “Oh, really? Then we’ll take it as your boss treating us.”

The manager covered her mouth and smiled. “The boss said it’s her pleasure. For your first meal together, she’s not just treating you to this meal. She’s treating you and Miss Ye every day you’re here.”

Lin Xin was startled. Her already red face became even redder. She and Ye Linghua were just boss and employee. Why would her friend need to treat them to every meal? They weren’t girlfriends, after all.

Lin Xin stole a glance at the manager, only to find that the manager was also smiling at her. Lin Xin, defeated, turned away with her face still red.

Ye Linghua said, “Okay, then I won’t be shy.” Then she turned to Meng Kelin and said, “Sister Meng heard that. You can bring Lin Xin here anytime. Just put it on the boss’s tab. If you don’t have time, you can have them deliver it.”

Meng Kelin was too embarrassed to do that.

The manager didn’t seem annoyed at all and calmly replied, “The boss said, ‘Whatever you say goes.'” She then handed a business card to Meng Kelin. “Call this number in the future. We’re always here for you.”

Meng Kelin could only take it. After leaving the restaurant, Meng Kelin, still in a daze, finally believed that this girl really had such a rich friend. And more importantly, this friend was a different person from the one who had invested in them before. This meant that this housekeeper had two very rich friends…

Two wealthy friends? One nanny? The world was incomprehensible.

Ye Linghua dropped them off at the hotel and booked a room next to Lin Xin. After Lin Xin’s nap, she got in the car arranged by Ye Linghua and went to the office building to continue the script reading.

The next few days were the same. Ye Linghua arranged everything so perfectly that Meng Kelin was able to relax. It seemed all she had to do was follow Lin Xin in and out.

Even Zhu Fang wasn’t as busy. She had time to travel back and forth to Ye Linghua’s friend’s restaurant to bring food to the film crew.

Although Ye Linghua was busy, she still followed Lin Xin every day. She never took off the fishtail necklace.

After the script reading was over, the official filming began, and many reporters came. The news about Lu Tianyu and Lin Xin’s new drama was quickly trending.

What a coincidence.

After they were trending, Zheng Lanwen also trended.

My Leisurely Rural Life was even more popular than expected, and Zheng Lanwen’s name was often trending. Since she had invested in the show, the focus of the entire show was on her.

One day, it was about Zheng Lanwen being scared by a snake while working on the land. The next day, it was about Zheng Lanwen dropping a bowl while cooking.

No matter how big or small the news was, it was constantly trending, which boosted the popularity of My Leisurely Rural Life.

And because the variety show was a huge success, it also made the brands who sponsored it popular. As soon as Zheng Lanwen returned from the show, she received many brand endorsements.

A few months after her divorce, Zheng Lanwen’s reputation had surged, a stark contrast to her state right after the divorce when her reputation had plummeted. Her fans were ecstatic. Some of her fans (erha) even believed that Zheng Lanwen’s success was because she divorced Lin Xin.

[If it wasn’t for Lin Xin, ‘Little Wolf’ would have been doing much better now.]

[Yeah! Before, she had to beg for a good endorsement. Now, ‘Little Wolf’ can choose from a bunch of famous brands.]

[That’s why! ‘Little Wolf’ wasn’t doing well because of Lin Xin.]

Lin Xin’s fans, of course, couldn’t stand it. They jumped out and scoffed, asking, [Look in the mirror! Did she get any good resources before she got her marriage license with our ‘Xinbao’? If it weren’t for ‘Xinbao,’ no one would know where she is now.]

[Exactly. ‘Xinbao’ helped her become who she is, and she has the nerve to talk about ‘Xinbao’? She’s so shameless.]

[That’s why! A disloyal person can never be trusted. Thank goodness our ‘Xinbao’ cut her losses in time.]

And so, a huge battle between the two fan groups broke out.

During this time, a fan group called “Morning Star” finally reached over 100 members.

With the live broadcast of the official filming ceremony, the Morning Star fan group saw Ye Linghua and Lin Xin together again. The rumor that they weren’t together at the airport was proven false, so fans from all over the country rushed to the film crew.

After all, the fans had a lot of experience. When a potential couple emerged, they would take pictures first, because that would always make them money.

And so, in their fan group…

On the first day, a fan took a picture of Lin Xin in her office outfit and Ye Linghua holding an umbrella for her.

[Ahhh, it’s ‘Little Morning Star’ spoiling ‘Xinbao’ today.]

[I believe in love again. Sob sob sob.]

[It’s so hot, and the umbrella is completely over ‘Xinbao’s’ head. Our ‘Little Morning Star’ is in the sun. She’s working so hard!]

On the second day, a fan took a picture of Lin Xin and Ye Linghua eating lunch in the studio. Ye Linghua was quietly picking out the food that Lin Xin didn’t want to eat.

[Ahhh, it’s ‘Little Morning Star’ spoiling ‘Xinbao’ again.]

[How can she be so doting?!]

[Make ‘Xinbao’ stop being a picky eater!!!]

On the third day, a fan took a picture of Lin Xin and Ye Linghua drinking water from the same mug. They didn’t notice that Meng Kelin and Zhu Fang also used the same mug, which was just a cup the restaurant used to serve a cooling soup.

[This is solid proof! They’re definitely together.]

[Exactly. Why else would they use a couple’s mug?]

[Please, please let them get together!]

The Morning Star fan group’s posts became more frequent. The number of fans grew significantly, quickly breaking one thousand, five thousand, and even ten thousand.

This caught the attention of Lin Xin’s solo fans.

The Morning Star fan group officially became popular and gained some fame.

Lin Xin also noticed that Ye Linghua seemed to be closer to her lately.

Is it because of the necklace?

Lin Xin’s eyebrows were furrowed in confusion.

Meanwhile, Ye Linghua next to her was looking down and sending messages. Even though she was with Lin Xin on location, she was often too busy to keep up with everything.

After the indoor scenes were finished, the outdoor scenes were arranged in a more remote location.

Because the crew’s van wasn’t very comfortable, the Alphard’s seats were more comfortable. The drive to the outdoor location wasn’t short, so Ye Linghua suggested they take her car instead. She even notified the driver from Youcheng to fly over and help drive.

On the way, with the cool air conditioning and the sunlight coming through the window, everyone was dozing off.

Ever since Ye Linghua received the necklace, she had a new realization.

The plot was just a plot. The novel was just a novel.

And Lin Xin wasn’t a static character in a book; she was a living person. She had lived with her for a few months. Everything about Lin Xin was slowly moving away from that tragic storyline and starting to have a better beginning.

Since she had already changed the plot, and Lin Xin, as a protagonist, wasn’t being affected by Zheng Lanwen’s protagonist halo.

Then why can’t I… give it a try?

Lin Xin was beautiful, had a good personality, was loyal, brave, and hardworking. Ye Linghua didn’t know why Zheng Lanwen didn’t like her. No, Zheng Lanwen didn’t not like her; she just hadn’t realized that she loved her yet.

People always wait until they lose something to realize its worth. Zheng Lanwen was the same, but she was lucky that Lin Xin had always been waiting for her. Of course, she was also unlucky. Lin Xin’s waiting came at the cost of her own life.

She had been consuming her own life, like a candle, to light up the world.

So, her original plan of staying with her and making sure she returned to Zheng Lanwen in a healthy state—was that still a good plan?

Instead of letting a tragedy continue, why couldn’t she try to find another way? Wasn’t this also a way to prevent a tragedy?

If Zheng Lanwen could do it, where did she fall short?

Lin Xin would never know that for Ye Linghua, with her knowledge of the plot, this kind of mental shift was not easy.

In Ye Linghua’s heart, Lin Xin still loved Zheng Lanwen. So, taking this step was a moral test for herself.

For Ye Linghua, if the two of them were destined to be together, what was the difference between what she was doing and a third party interfering in a relationship?

Oh, there was a difference. At least Zheng Lanwen and Lin Xin were officially broken up.

But even so…

Ye Linghua had made up her mind. Since she had flown back to be with Lin Xin, she had tried several times to get closer. She didn’t dare to be too obvious. For one, she was afraid of seeming too frivolous, and for another…

Lin Xin was still completely oblivious. Ye Linghua didn’t know if Lin Xin would be disgusted if she found out about her feelings.

So, Ye Linghua had only dared to approach her cautiously.

But after so many days, Lin Xin kept her distance. Ye Linghua could feel that Lin Xin was aware of her intentions.

She turned to look at Lin Xin next to her. She saw her staring out the window and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Hearing the question, Lin Xin turned to look at her and said, “That… the necklace.”

This was the first time they had talked about the necklace in so many days.

Ye Linghua reached out and touched the pendant through her clothes. The smile on her face deepened.

Lin Xin was startled. Her voice became even quieter. “You… you knew?”

Ye Linghua said, “Yes.”

Lin Xin asked, “That girl you mentioned…” The girl you like…

Lin Xin regretted asking as soon as the words left her mouth. A girl you like could also just be a friend.

Just as she expected, Ye Linghua answered directly, “It was the truth.”

Lin Xin’s face turned red. She looked at Ye Linghua and said, “You’re always like this. You say things without thinking.”

Ye Linghua gave a wry smile, but her words were defiant. “How do you know I didn’t think about it?”

It was a question, but it was stated with certainty.

Lin Xin was speechless.

Since they were on the topic of the necklace, Ye Linghua decided to be even clearer. “That day, I heard from Zhu Fang. You prepared three birthday presents for me!”

Lin Xin’s head was lowered. Her red ears showed her embarrassment.

Ye Linghua said, “I was so happy. Your gifts show your feelings, so I went back by myself to look for them. I went through the garbage that had already been collected, little by little, until I found it. Do you know how I felt when I pulled it out in the sunlight?”

Lin Xin didn’t answer, and Ye Linghua didn’t need one. She continued, “I was so, so, so happy. The light from the gift you carefully prepared almost blinded me.”

Lin Xin’s lips moved. She wanted to say it was just a necklace.

Ye Linghua suddenly turned to look at her and smiled. The smile was filled with happiness and anticipation.

She said, “It was the first time I realized that a gift from a girl I like could make me this happy. So happy that I want to hold the entire world in my hands and give it to her.”

In that moment, the world fell silent. For the first time, Lin Xin realized that the girl Ye Linghua liked was her. And this “liking” wasn’t just a simple friendship.

A little bit of sweetness overflowed in her heart, seeping into every part of it, making her feel as if flowers were blooming all over the world.

She wanted to open her mouth and respond, but when she did, nothing came out. Her very failed past relationship had not left her completely empty-handed. At the very least, it made it difficult for her to be as brave as she once was in a new relationship.

“It… it was just something I bought on a whim,” Lin Xin heard her own voice say something she didn’t want to say.

Ye Linghua was stunned. She smiled wryly. She wasn’t angry about the rejection. She said politely and like a gentleman, “I’m still very happy. Thank you.”

Maybe I was too direct.

Ye Linghua looked away and out the window. The colorful world in her heart suddenly became dull.

Maybe I should change my name. But I’m too lazy to think of one.