After Transmigrating, I Fell in Love with a Top-Tier Movie Queen - Chapter 82

The boat was small but large enough for the guests, and it quickly left the dock and headed out to sea.

Yan Li was true to his word, following the small boat with several crew members on the larger vessel.

Qu Hejing looked around and quickly noticed that the small boat was covered in cameras. The aim was to film everyone’s reactions from all angles. With only one dedicated cameraman following the guests on the boat, there was no extra space.

Zhuo Yaxin also looked around and asked, “So, how do we catch fish?”

Ye Linghua looked at the sea fishing gear tucked in the corner and said, “I guess it’s not ‘catching,’ it’s ‘fishing,’ right?”

No sooner had she spoken than Yan Li’s voice came through the onboard loudspeaker. He chuckled, “That’s right! Have you fished before?”

Ye Linghua hummed. “I’ve gone fishing with friends.”

Yan Li: “Hahaha, it seems you’re a sea fishing enthusiast! Then you’re in luck. With Ye Linghua guiding you, you should be able to complete the mission quickly. Today, we’re relying on you to bring back a big fish for the resident guests!”

Ye Linghua: “How big is ‘big’?”

Yan Li: “Take a guess!” With that, he turned off the communication device.

Ye Linghua frowned. She walked to the fishing rods, picked one up, examined it, and sighed.

Lin Xin followed her, half-bending down. Her black hair draped on both sides. She looked at Ye Linghua and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Ye Linghua looked at the supplies on the boat and the sea rods in front of her. “Short on time, heavy on task.”

Everyone on the boat looked at her. Zheng Lanwen scoffed, not believing Ye Linghua had figured anything out.

Lin Xin had unconditional trust in Ye Linghua. Hearing this, she frowned and asked, “Is it that difficult?”

Ye Linghua turned to look at her. Seeing her slightly furrowed brow and worried look in her large eyes, she couldn’t help but smile. “It’s not that difficult…” She stood up, removed her baseball cap. The cool sea breeze lifted her hair, letting it dance in the air.

Ye Linghua tucked her stray hair back, tied her long hair into a ponytail with a hair tie, and put her cap back on, saying with a smile, “All kinds of fish are possible in the sea. We have a chance for both big and small fish.”

Lin Xin looked at her profile. Because she was smiling, her peach blossom eyes seemed to hold endless affection. Her already dark and deep eyes shimmered with a captivating luster in the sun. Her slightly pronounced profile perfectly displayed Ye Linghua’s flawless features. Her skin, lustrous as jade, looked like delicate porcelain in the sunlight.

Lin Xin couldn’t help but be mesmerized.

Ye Linghua didn’t hear her voice and looked over with a curious side-glance. She smiled, took off her cap, and placed it on Lin Xin’s head, saying, “The mission is just starting. Wear this.”

Lin Xin held the cap with both hands, preventing the sea breeze from blowing it off. She looked at Ye Linghua with wide eyes and asked, “Why aren’t you wearing yours?”

Ye Linghua squatted down again, beginning to assemble the sea rod. She said, “I’m not a celebrity. It’s fine if I get tanned.”

Lin Xin was shocked. “Ah? Will I get tanned in one morning?”

Ye Linghua looked up at her and warned, “It’s the sea wind, and the sun is out. We’ll likely be here for two or three hours. Wear it.”

Lin Xin instantly felt guilty. She had forgotten to wear a hat when they left, even though Ye Linghua had reminded her.

After assembling the sea rod in her hand, Ye Linghua handed it to Lin Xin. “Here.”

Lin Xin quickly took it and passed it to Qu Hejing behind her. Turning back, she saw Qu Hejing looking at her with a puzzled smile. Lin Xin’s heart tightened. “Wh-What’s wrong?”

Qu Hejing reached out to take the sea rod, suppressing a laugh. “Nothing’s wrong! I just suddenly understand why the production team invited you two.”

The sweet, charming scent of their clearly nascent emotions was palpable.

Even those watching couldn’t help but feel the love and become immersed in it. This must be why this CP was so popular. It was largely because someone was already falling for the other in this relationship, and even though they hadn’t formally started dating, this just-right feeling…

Qu Hejing leaned in and whispered to Lin Xin, “Don’t get too carried away.” Is Ye Linghua good enough? Qu Hejing couldn’t be sure.

Lin Xin was someone who could jump through fire for love.

So, Qu Hejing hoped she would meet someone worthy of her devotion.

Lin Xin’s face flushed, realizing that her moment of infatuation while looking at Ye Linghua had been seen by Qu Hejing.

The person who falls first in a relationship always loses badly.

But she believed Ye Linghua was different. Ye Linghua wouldn’t let her lose.

After speaking, Qu Hejing turned back with the sea rod.

Lin Xin took the next assembled sea rod from Ye Linghua and handed it to Zhuo Yaxin.

After taking the third rod, Lin Xin turned around, remembering that this one was for Zheng Lanwen. Lin Xin had no intention of having excessive contact with Zheng Lanwen, but since they were on the same show, it was unavoidable.

Zheng Lanwen was already waiting. She had seen that look of infatuation on Lin Xin’s face before.

Looking at the way Lin Xin looked at Ye Linghua, Zheng Lanwen felt immense pain. Her experience hadn’t been like a novel where she got a second chance.

What was lost was lost, but Lin Xin and Ye Linghua weren’t officially together yet, so there was still a chance.

She held out her hand to Lin Xin. Lin Xin looked down at the hand extended to her, but her former confusion and shyness were gone. She calmly placed the sea rod in Zheng Lanwen’s hand and turned to leave.

Zheng Lanwen: “Thank you.”

Even though she could only say this dryly, Zheng Lanwen still tried to start a conversation.

Lin Xin looked up at her and said calmly, “I didn’t assemble it. Ye Linghua did.”

Zheng Lanwen: “…” This block was so effective she couldn’t possibly turn to Ye Linghua and say thank you.

But Ye Linghua, being utterly cheeky, looked up at her and smiled brightly, saying, “You’re welcome.”

Zheng Lanwen: “…” So annoying.

Of course, these were all minor details. After Ye Linghua finished all the preparations, Yan Li even voiced his regret over the loudspeaker: “I thought this first hurdle would stump you, but you took a shortcut. Well, keep up the good work!”

His provocative words annoyed the guests.

After receiving the sea rods, Qu Hejing and the others were still confused. Since they easily got tanned while out at sea, they usually didn’t go sea fishing and knew very little about it.

Ye Linghua quickly found the fishing bait on the boat. The crew was stingy and hadn’t prepared sea worms, but they had prepared a pile of live shrimp. Ye Linghua told them, “Use this. Don’t kill the shrimp; it’ll be easier to catch fish that way.”

Zhuo Yaxin: “Huh?”

Zheng Lanwen frowned. “Like this?” She accurately pierced the fish hook through the shrimp’s brain, killing the shrimp instantly.

Ye Linghua was speechless. She looked up at her. “Did you do that on purpose?”

Zheng Lanwen was furious. “I’m not a professional!”

Ye Linghua: “Oh.”

Zheng Lanwen: “…”

Ye Linghua grabbed a shrimp, threaded the hook through its body, and the shrimp remained alive and wiggling on the hook, as if unharmed.

Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Ye Linghua stood up, performed the casting motion by stepping back with her left foot, shifting her left shoulder back, transferring her weight to her right foot, and swinging the rod tip forward. The sinker flew overhead, the fishing line tracing a beautiful arc in the air, and the hook naturally dropped into the sea.

The fluid, dance-like motion was definitely not something a beginner could do.

Qu Hejing couldn’t help but applaud. “It seems you are a professional?”

Ye Linghua turned back, smiled gently, and said, “No, I just played around with it when I was free before.”

Seeing everyone watching her, she handed the sea rod to Lin Xin and said, “I’ll bait the hooks for you all.” The approachable Ye Linghua acted like everyone’s closest friend.

Qu Hejing again understood why Lin Xin liked her. A person like this, simply smiling at someone, would make them fall for her. Let alone a woman who was so caring—not just Lin Xin, but most people wouldn’t be able to resist. If she hadn’t been older and more rational, she would have been infatuated too.

However, a person who treated everyone the same was cruel in another way. Such a person couldn’t provide enough security and, with those natural peach blossom eyes, was bound to attract many admirers.

Qu Hejing couldn’t help but mutter inwardly: Lin Xin is truly obsessed with pretty faces!

The Singing Interlude

While Ye Linghua was busy helping the other guests, Lin Xin, holding the sea rod, suddenly noticed that there was no bobber (float) on the fishing line.

Lin Xin said nervously, “Ye Linghua.”

Ye Linghua quickly turned to her. “What’s wrong?” she asked, walking over to her side.

Lin Xin looked at her anxiously and asked, “There’s no bobber!”

Ye Linghua glanced at the churning sea and whispered near her ear, “The waves are big. If we used a bobber, you wouldn’t be able to see if a fish bit anyway.”

Lin Xin was startled. She looked at the sea and realized. “Oh! Then how will I know if a fish bites?”

Ye Linghua reached out and held Lin Xin’s hand wrapped around the sea rod. Lin Xin was slightly shorter than Ye Linghua, so her hand was proportionally smaller than Ye Linghua’s.

Ye Linghua held her hand and asked, “Can you feel it?”

Lin Xin blushed, positioned close to Ye Linghua’s chest, and tilted her head to look at her. “What?”

Ye Linghua laughed. “When you hold the rod, feel carefully. You judge whether a fish has bitten by the vibration of the rod. Of course, you can also judge by sight. Because the bobber can’t transmit accurate information in the strong wind and waves, you have to judge for yourself.”

Lin Xin nodded. Ye Linghua retracted her hand, suddenly feeling an intense glare. She looked over and caught Zheng Lanwen’s gaze.

If the cameras weren’t present, Ye Linghua wouldn’t give her a polite look. But Lin Xin was a celebrity and was deeply embedded in this industry. Ye Linghua didn’t care about others’ opinions of herself but had to consider Lin Xin.

Therefore, Ye Linghua gave a magnanimous smile. “Would you like me to teach you?”

Zheng Lanwen nearly spat. She forced a smile and said, “No, I understand.” She paused, then added, “Just use your words. No need for the hands-on approach…”

Lin Xin gave her a cold look. “What does that have to do with you?”

Zheng Lanwen: “???”

Qu Hejing nearly burst out laughing. She wanted to say, Some things are inappropriate, and some things are mutual consent. Lin Xin was clearly enjoying it, and the production team was happy for them. It was a win-win situation, and Zheng Lanwen was just rushing to be uncomfortable.

With Lin Xin’s retort, Zheng Lanwen finally quieted down.

Ye Linghua then calmly finished preparing the fishing gear for everyone and sat down next to Lin Xin.

For a time, the boat was quiet. Everyone stared blankly at the sea.

The sea surface was glistening in the sun, and seagulls soared freely under the azure sky. Large fishing boats were visible in the distance. Everything looked like a stunning oil painting.

This made the guests fishing on the boat feel less uncomfortable. Their fishing rods remained still, and they occasionally chatted a bit.

It wasn’t until noon that everyone realized what Ye Linghua had meant when she first boarded.

The supplies the crew prepared on the boat were scarce. The amount of supplies the crew provided directly determined how long they could stay out at sea fishing.

Regarding the size of the fish they needed to catch, Ye Linghua explained that the weight of the sea rod also determined the maximum weight of the fish they could catch.

They not only had a goal but also a time limit.

Fortunately, Ye Linghua also had good news: “Spring is the peak season for sea fishing. They say all things recover, and it’s the same for marine life. If we encounter a school of fish, we should easily complete the mission.”

Qu Hejing finally applauded in admiration. “Impressive, impressive.”

Ye Linghua smiled again. “Even if you hook one, retrieving the rod also requires skill. Sea fishing is different from freshwater fishing. If you’re not fast enough when you lift the rod, the fish will get away.”

Qu Hejing immediately tensed up. “If I hook one, I’ll call you. I’m not confident I can reel it in!”

Ye Linghua didn’t refuse. “Okay.”

So, everyone started staring at the sea again. After a while, it got boring.

Zhuo Yaxin smiled and suggested, “Lin Xin-jie, why don’t you sing a song?”

Yan Li’s loudspeaker crackled to life again: “That’s a good idea! Sing! I’ll have the post-production team add music for you.”

Qu Hejing: “…Thank you.”

Lin Xin was instantly embarrassed. “I’m not a professional. I won’t sing.”

Zhuo Yaxin said, “Sing The Dusk! I really love that song of yours.”

Lin Xin waved her hand. “I can’t. I can’t express that feeling now.”

In truth, Lin Xin’s state of mind had changed. The song expressed life’s end and unrequited love, feelings she no longer connected with now that she was infatuated with a blossoming love.

Zhuo Yaxin insisted, “It’s okay! Just sing a few lines for us!”

Lin Xin looked at Ye Linghua. Qu Hejing exclaimed, “Oh,” and teased, “Why are you looking at her? Do you need her permission?”

Lin Xin’s face flushed even deeper. Ye Linghua noticed her difficulty. Thinking about the show airing and the potential for unfair comparison to her previous recordings, she volunteered.

“I’ll sing!” Ye Linghua suddenly offered.

Lin Xin was stunned and looked at Ye Linghua.

Ye Linghua smiled. “It’s just singing. It doesn’t matter who sings, right?”

Qu Hejing looked at her meaningfully, then nodded and said, “That’s right, it’s all the same. What song will you sing? I heard Lin Xin mention when we were chatting yesterday that you aren’t good at singing!”

Ye Linghua nodded. “Mm, I’m not good at it, but I won’t be off-key. You all said we could just sing casually. I’ll sing casually, and you can all listen casually.”

Zhuo Yaxin finally let Lin Xin off the hook and laughed, saying to Ye Linghua, “Sounds good! Whose song will you sing? Is it one of Lin Xin-jie’s?”

Ye Linghua thought for a moment. “I’ll sing Maybe, a song by a singer you might not recognize.”

With that, everyone except Zheng Lanwen started clapping.

Lin Xin clapped even harder, her eyes sparkling. This was her first time hearing Ye Linghua sing.

Amidst the sound of the waves, Ye Linghua’s voice rang out…

Ye Linghua didn’t disappoint. Though not stunning, her voice was beautiful and pleasant.

When the song reached this point, Lin Xin couldn’t help but look at Ye Linghua, just as Ye Linghua’s gaze met hers. Their eyes connected. Ye Linghua’s gaze softened slowly, her charming peach blossom eyes curving slightly as she smiled at Lin Xin.

Lin Xin felt completely wrapped up in that smile. She could only hear the loud drumming of her heart, yet she could clearly hear Ye Linghua sing: “I want to stay with you for a very long time…”

Ye Linghua didn’t have advanced singing techniques, but she had a gentle voice. Coupled with the healing music, comforting lyrics, and the spring sea, it warmed everyone on the boat.

The sea breeze blew across her face. Lin Xin pulled the brim of the cap Ye Linghua gave her lower, hiding the smile on her face.

Everything seemed just right.

Suddenly, she felt the sea rod in her hand move, as if a fish had bitten…