Deliberate Possession [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: No Meeting

Jing Xiaoyan looked at the phone handed to her and raised her head to look at the blinking Chu Qianyun.

A birthday wish?

Chu Qianyun saw her being indifferent and not taking the phone, so she became a little impatient. “Hurry up and record one. It’s your little fan’s birthday. Since we have the means, don’t be stingy.”

Jing Xiaoyan tilted her head, looking confused. So, why is she the one asking?

Shouldn’t Jiang Yumian come and ask me?

She pondered for two seconds, reached out to take the phone, and decided to play the role completely. “How old is the person, what is their name, and when is their birthday? Are you planning to have me record ‘Happy Birthday’ without telling me anything?”

Chu Qianyun froze, took the phone back. “Wait a moment, I’ll ask.”

Although she didn’t know which friend of Mumu’s was a fan of Jing Xiaoyan, if Mumu wanted it, she had to ask. After all, she was the only one close to Jing Xiaoyan here.

Su Mumu looked at her phone, then reached out and patted the distracted Jiang Yumian. “Mianmian, what’s your cousin’s classmate’s name, how old are they, and when is their birthday?”

“Oh, right, I need to ask.” Jiang Yumian quickly reacted. She didn’t know yet.

But when she opened WeChat and tapped on her sister’s chat page, her finger paused. She hesitated. Her request yesterday had been rejected, and she was feeling a bit down now.

She hadn’t expected that getting a single “I love you” from her good sister would be so difficult.

And the reason she didn’t go to Jing Xiaoyan herself was that she didn’t know what to call her, so she gave up on the idea of initiating a greeting and decided to wait until they were more familiar.

Jing Xiaoyan held her phone and quickly received a message from Jiang Yumian. She sighed softly.

Why doesn’t she just come over herself?

A few minutes later, Chu Qianyun, who was playing on her phone in her room, handed the phone to her again.

“Here you go. A student named Jiang, nineteen years old. Just do it like that.”

“Hurry up and record it. Mumu is still waiting for me.”

Jing Xiaoyan was about to take it, but hearing her words, she folded her arms and raised her chin. “Is this how you ask me for a favor?”

Why is she showing off their relationship? Is having a girlfriend a big deal? I have one too.

Chu Qianyun resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Is this your fan or my fan?”

“Tell me everything you know, and I’ll record it.” Jing Xiaoyan took the phone and shook it in front of her. She got straight to the point. “I don’t believe the director didn’t tell you anything about this variety show. It’s supposed to be live-streamed tomorrow, so why is there no activity at all?”

This variety show was a completely new innovation: three days a week, with the first day being a live broadcast, and the next two days being recorded.

The live broadcast was meant to build anticipation and pique the audience’s interest. The recorded videos would be edited by post-production staff and released the day before the second live broadcast.

Chu Qianyun was different from Jing Xiaoyan.

She rarely appeared on screen now, having transitioned to working behind the scenes. She was an investor in this variety show and took the program very seriously.

This was also the reason for her conflict with Su Mumu.

She didn’t want Chu Qianyun to retire from the industry like this. Due to various reasons, they had a disagreement and couldn’t settle it.

Originally, the guest list didn’t include Chu Qianyun and Jing Xiaoyan, but Chu Qianyun insisted they be added, thus putting her retirement plans on hold.

Their celebrity status was already significant, and the other four guests were not to be underestimated. No variety show had ever had such a “luxurious” lineup, so the audience’s expectations were incredibly high.

Everyone thought the production team had spent a fortune to invite them, but the opposite was true. Almost all of them were brought in through connections; everyone was a bargain.

Jiang Yumian and Luo Cheng were brought in by Su Mumu, and the rest were through Chu Qianyun and Jing Xiaoyan’s connections. They were all friends, so the dramatic conflict the netizens imagined would likely only be seen in the bullet comments.

Chu Qianyun shook her head: “I don’t know anything.”

Jing Xiaoyan casually glanced at her, threw the phone back, and dropped two words: “No recording.”

Seeing her expression, Chu Qianyun realized Jing Xiaoyan was convinced she knew something. She twitched her mouth, and since she couldn’t fool her, she simply shoved the phone into her arms.

She said directly: “I only know one piece of news: the live broadcast will start at five o’clock this afternoon, starting from the hotel. The production team will arrange for people to pick us up.”

Jing Xiaoyan was puzzled: “Why is the live broadcast starting from the hotel?”

The official announcement said tomorrow morning at eight.

Chu Qianyun: “Lu Zhi asked the managers of the others, and they are all available this afternoon, so the surprise live broadcast will start at five. It’s only two hours, just a bit of a warm-up.”

Lu Zhi was the chief director of the show. Jing Xiaoyan had heard of her.

Chu Qianyun urged: “Hurry up and record it. That’s all I know. I haven’t even told Mumu this.”

She had been in the room for more than ten minutes, and she hadn’t even managed to get a simple birthday wish recorded. She must look so useless.

Jing Xiaoyan nodded and recorded the video in less than a minute. Since this thing would eventually end up back in her hands, she didn’t bother with any unnecessary flourishes.

Chu Qianyun immediately sent it to Su Mumu, then left without looking back.

Guessing Jiang Yumian was also outside, Jing Xiaoyan thought for a moment, and only left her room after receiving the video from Jiang Yumian.

“I said, you two are going too far, kissing right in front of me.”

As soon as she came out, she heard Jiang Yumian’s mournful voice.

Jing Xiaoyan stopped at the door. Although she could only see her profile from this position, she didn’t miss the vivid expressions on Jiang Yumian’s face. She chuckled.

Su Mumu pushed away the person clinging to her, her face flushed, and gritted her teeth: “You shameless!”

Chu Qianyun didn’t bother hiding her relationship with Su Mumu anymore. Everyone knew, so why should she pretend?

“I’m just bullying Mianmian because she doesn’t have a girlfriend.” Chu Qianyun leaned in to look at Jiang Yumian, a teasing smile in her eyes. “Have you considered dating, Mianmian? I can make a recommendation for you.”

Jiang Yumian crossed her arms, snorted lightly, and said proudly, “Who says I don’t have a girlfriend?”

She has a sister now, okay!

Su Mumu, who was about to scold Chu Qianyun, choked on her words. She turned around and looked at Jiang Yumian in disbelief.

“Seriously?”

“You were single just a few days ago!”

Jiang Yumian awkwardly cleared her throat, glanced at the two of them, and quickly regained her confidence, saying righteously, “Of course it’s true. I just didn’t tell you. You two were secretly dating and hiding it too, weren’t you?”

Chu Qianyun pursed her lips. She could tell Jing Xiaoyan’s feelings for Jiang Yumian. She had confirmed it last night.

If Jiang Yumian really had a girlfriend, then Jing Xiaoyan…

The sofa was facing away from Jing Xiaoyan’s room, so the three people chatting hadn’t noticed Jing Xiaoyan eavesdropping.

Jing Xiaoyan’s eyes darkened. She hesitated whether she should go over or not. This was a “secret” Jiang Yumian had only told the two of them.

She probably wouldn’t want me to know.

And she didn’t want to know either. If she knew, she would have to keep her distance from Jiang Yumian.

Jing Xiaoyan quietly took a step back, gently grasped the doorknob, and prepared to leave.

“What are those looks for! I’m telling the truth! I’ll show you my WeChat!”

Jiang Yumian opened her private WeChat, scrolled to the top contact, and proudly pointed it out to Su Mumu.

The distinct label “First Love Sister” should be proof enough now.

Chu Qianyun blinked and frowned. This profile picture?

She thought for a moment: “Tap on her profile. Let me see.”

Jiang Yumian pouted, tapping while she spoke, “Sister Yunyun, don’t you believe me? I haven’t even checked my phone. I labeled this a long time ago. If you want to see it, I’ll show you. This really is my girlfriend.”

Seeing the WeChat ID, Chu Qianyun was stunned.

What are they doing?

Noticing Chu Qianyun’s expression, Su Mumu nudged her, bringing her back to her senses.

Jiang Yumian looked puzzled: “Sister Yunyun, do you know her?”

Just as Chu Qianyun was about to speak, a pair of hands suddenly landed on her shoulders, pressing down hard on her.

“Know who? Can I take a look?”

Jing Xiaoyan had suddenly appeared. The three people all turned to look at her.

She looked at Jiang Yumian’s phone screen with a straight face, her heart pounding quickly, but still said calmly, “I don’t know her.”

Hearing her blatantly lie, Chu Qianyun held her breath, trying hard to force a normal smile. She said to Jiang Yumian: “I was mistaken. I don’t know her either. Are you dating online?”

Jiang Yumian opened her mouth, unsure how Chu Qianyun guessed. She felt a little guilty. “Mhm… something like that.”

Su Mumu frowned: “Online dating? You won’t get scammed, will you?”

Chu Qianyun turned to wink at Jing Xiaoyan. What is going on!?

Jing Xiaoyan just glanced at her, then shifted her gaze, staring intently at Jiang Yumian.

Jiang Yumian shook her head, her tone firm: “Impossible. I’m broke right now. If anyone’s going to scam anyone, it’ll be me scamming her.”

“Then have you two met? Or have you talked about meeting?”

As soon as Chu Qianyun asked this, the pressure on her shoulder increased, hurting so much she gasped.

Su Mumu’s attention was drawn to her. “What’s wrong?”

Chu Qianyun looked pitifully at her girlfriend, but by now Jing Xiaoyan had released her. She understood the hint and had no choice but to shut up.

She rubbed her shoulder and whispered, “I’m fine.”

Su Mumu nodded, said “Oh,” and turned to look at Jiang Yumian.

Chu Qianyun: “…”

Jiang Yumian was currently deep in thought. Meeting?

She hadn’t planned on it.

But “Sister” had said, “I like you” last night. That phrase should be said face-to-face to the person you like, not as a joke or a favor.

So, if they didn’t meet, she would probably never hear her say “I like you.”

Jiang Yumian sighed. Forget it.

Su Mumu nudged her: “Mianmian?”

Jiang Yumian shook her head: “No meeting.”

Chu Qianyun frowned: “Why not meet?”

Jing Xiaoyan, who had been silent all this time, chuckled. Her voice was low, mixed with an unidentifiable emotion, and very soft: “Because there are no feelings.”

With that sudden remark, Jiang Yumian’s heart plummeted. The familiar voice made her feel guilty and a little hurt.

She slightly raised her head to look at Jing Xiaoyan, her expression complex. The other woman still wore the smile that seemed to never leave her face.

Their eyes met.

Jing Xiaoyan’s long lashes trembled, concealing the emotion in her eyes, and she smiled faintly.

“I was joking. Sorry.”

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