Deliberate Possession [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Introverted

When Jing Xiaoyan got back to the hotel, her phone was full of messages from Jiang Yumian. After leaving the mall, she and Xiao Feng had returned directly. Since they’d been recognized, there was no need to stay out.

Even though they came back without eating, the hotel could deliver food, and it was high-end, much better than outside. In any case, Xiao Feng didn’t feel like they missed out at all. They even got bubble tea, so it was a successful outing.

“You eat first. I’m going to make a phone call.” Jing Xiaoyan casually told Xiao Feng, then took her phone and went back to her room.

Jiang Yumian was just getting out of the elevator when she received the call.

“Sister…”

Her voice was weak and lifeless. She was in a miserable mood.

She felt like being photographed hugging Jing Xiaoyan’s cardboard cutout was so embarrassing. If it got online, how would she ever face Jing Xiaoyan?

Jing Xiaoyan smiled, her voice light and beautiful. “Yeah. Are you back at the hotel?”

Jiang Yumian swiped her card and entered her room, reporting dutifully, “Don’t worry, I just got back.” Then she let out a long sigh.

She had rushed back wearing her hoodie, terrified of being recognized again. This time, she was all alone, which was pretty scary.

“Okay, good that you’re back.”

Jing Xiaoyan had wanted to comfort her, but she didn’t know what to say. After all, Jiang Yumian’s fear was spot on. She, they, were likely going to be a trending topic. But it would be a small buzz, harmless enough.

It was just that her little girlfriend might be socially mortified when they met in person.

From where she was standing at the time, she hadn’t seen what Jiang Yumian was taking pictures of. Now that she saw the messages she’d sent, she understood. It was a cutout for one of her phone endorsements. What a coincidence.

Jiang Yumian whined, a wail in her voice. “What am I going to do? I’m so embarrassed. I just couldn’t resist taking a couple of pictures. I hope no one took a photo of me… right?”

Her heart was hanging by a thread. She had a feeling she had been photographed, but she was praying the fans wouldn’t post it online. Otherwise, how could she ever face Jing Xiaoyan…

Jing Xiaoyan pursed her lips. “It’s fine. If they took a picture, they took one. It’s just a photo with a cutout. There’s no shame in that.”

She said this against her better judgment, already preparing for Jiang Yumian to call her in tears the next day. After all, she would definitely find out that she, the real Jing Xiaoyan, was in the mall at the same time and was staying at the same hotel…

Jiang Yumian listened to the unhelpful comfort and forced a smile. I hope there’s no shame in it.

She was already trying to come up with excuses for when she first met Jing Xiaoyan.

Jing Xiaoyan’s eyes flashed. She cleared her throat, bringing the person on the other end of the phone back to reality. “It’s really fine. Just tell the truth. When you see her, just say that you like her. I’m sure she’ll understand.”

“Huh?”

Jiang Yumian blinked, her expression conflicted. Maybe that’s not such a bad idea.

Jing Xiaoyan said in a deep voice, “Yeah…”

She drew out the last syllable, as if hesitating, then said, “But, don’t tell the full truth. Don’t say that you’re, um…, a ‘mom fan.'”

Jiang Yumian rubbed her forehead. She hadn’t planned on saying that anyway.

She wasn’t an idiot. If she said that, it would only be more awkward.

She had decided. When they went live on the show, she would just say she liked her. They were both girls, so she wouldn’t have to explain what kind of “like” it was. Her “in-the-know” mom could see for herself.

Jiang Yumian obediently “oh’d.” “I’m not going to worry about it anymore. It’s not even a thing yet. I might not even get on the hot search.” Although she had been on it many, many times.

Jing Xiaoyan pursed her lips. If she hadn’t been recognized, it probably wouldn’t have made the list. But now, she was sure it would. Even if it wasn’t a huge trend, based on the show’s producer’s style, they would probably buy a trending spot to preheat the show.

Jiang Yumian lay on the bed, her face in her hands. She said she wouldn’t worry, but her fingers were already on Weibo searching her own name. She found nothing for the moment and finally let out a sigh of relief.

Hearing a faint sigh from the other end of the line, Jiang Yumian pinched her face and suddenly felt embarrassed again. She stammered, “Sister, I’m actually a very introverted person, so that’s why I felt so awkward just now. I feel much better now that I’ve let it go.”

Jing Xiaoyan was taken aback. Does she have some kind of misunderstanding about the word ‘introverted’?

Jing Xiaoyan chuckled. “I’m also very introverted. I can’t even bring myself to open my mouth to eat.”

Hearing the teasing in her voice, Jiang Yumian couldn’t help but laugh. “I really am introverted. I don’t dare to spend other people’s money. I only dare to spend my sister’s.”

Jing Xiaoyan’s eyebrows lifted in a light smile. Her mood had brightened considerably. The show was still two days away from filming. She was getting more and more excited.

After hanging up, Jiang Yumian took a shower. She had eaten a lot of snacks outside, so she wasn’t hungry.

She played games for a while and was just about to lie down and go to sleep when she received a message from her mom.

Mom: “I’ll make you a hundred. One for every store entrance.”

Sponge Has a Baby: “Let’s skip this topic. Don’t make me sad.”

Jiang Yumian didn’t want to talk about it now. She had just managed to ignore the whole thing.

Mom: “Then get lost. I’m going to sleep.”

Jiang Yumian tossed and turned on the bed. Finally, she found her rich lady sister and began to report dutifully.

Sponge Has a Baby: “Good night, Sister. Your digital pet is going to sleep.”

The other side replied almost instantly.

First Love Sister: “Good night. I’m going to sleep, too.”

When Jing Xiaoyan said she was going to sleep, she really did. Xiao Feng was left alone, sitting outside, looking at the hot searches on her tablet.

Xiao Feng pursed her lips, looking at the suddenly trending topic. It was the middle of the night, and there wasn’t a huge reaction yet.

She glanced at Jing Xiaoyan’s door twice, and after a long hesitation, decided not to tell her. It was too late. The hot search didn’t have any negative impact. It was pretty funny and could even attract some new fans.

The carefree Jiang Yumian woke up, and even if she didn’t want to look at the hot search, she couldn’t stop the notifications popping up.

The moment she saw her name, she was instantly awake.

Jiang Yumian frustratingly scratched her head, her eyebrows furrowed, her eyes not even fully open. When is this hot search stuff going to end? Don’t they have any other good news to focus on?

She rubbed her eyes, patted her face, opened Weibo, and took a look. Then she couldn’t help but lower her head, getting even closer, and looked again.

“What the heck!”

“Ah!”

Jiang Yumian pressed two fingers on the screen, trying to zoom in on the picture. Then, her heart sank.

The photo was taken by a fan. Predictably, she was taking a selfie with Jing Xiaoyan’s cardboard cutout.

But! Who could tell her when the real Jing Xiaoyan was standing behind her! And watching her with her arms crossed!

The fan had even photoshopped a question mark over Jing Xiaoyan’s tilted head.

Jiang Yumian took a deep breath and continued to look at the photo. She quickly found the key detail and was struck by lightning. The clothes on the other person, and the person next to her, she had seen them yesterday!

So, Jing Xiaoyan was staying right across from her!

Jiang Yumian’s face was blank and numb.

The comments below were all making fun of her. At least, in Jiang Yumian’s eyes, they were all making fun of her.

“According to the fan in the mall, they weren’t together. They didn’t even walk the same way. It was probably a chance encounter. This is hilarious. I heard Jiang Yumian left without even noticing Jing Xiaoyan.”

“Dying of laughter, so she was caught in the act by the real person?”

“Jing Xiaoyan: Huh… What’s she doing?”

“I’m dying, I remember they just followed each other yesterday. They’re supposed to meet when they film the show. I just have one question, Jiang Yumian, how are you going to face her on that day?”

“That question mark is so perfect, hahaha, this is so dramatic!”

“Cotton, you tell me if this isn’t awkward. Why are you hugging her cutout! Hahaha!”

“Jing Xiaoyan: Hmm… should I remind her she could just take a photo with me?”

“HAHAHAHAHA, I’m dying. I want to know what Jiang Yumian’s mood is like right now after seeing the hot search.”

…

Jing Xiaoyan propped her head on her hand, scrolling through the comments one by one, waiting for Jiang Yumian to message her in tears. But after all this time, there was still no movement from the other side. It was already ten in the morning. She should be awake by now.

First Love Sister: “Are you awake?”

First Love Sister: “I took a look. It’s trending, but it’s not a big deal.”

Jiang Yumian was brought back to reality by the incoming messages. She stiffly opened WeChat, and her mouth twitched. What do you mean, “not a big deal?”

Sponge Has a Baby: “It’s a very big deal! The female celebrity who was with me yesterday was Jing Xiaoyan!”

Sponge Has a Baby: “Because of her, I’m now a comedian, boohoo~”

Jing Xiaoyan couldn’t help but laugh. A comedian?

Hasn’t she always been one?

First Love Sister: “Hmm? You weren’t?”

Jiang Yumian tilted her head. What does that mean?

Does she think I’m a comedian?

Sponge Has a Baby: “I’m not! I’m really very introverted!”

Jing Xiaoyan was silent.

Jiang Yumian held her head in her hands and let out a frustrated groan. She didn’t want to be a comedian!

First Love Sister: “Oh… well, then maybe I don’t know you well enough yet.”

Jiang Yumian picked up her phone again. Forget being a comedian for now. The important thing is Jing Xiaoyan. Yesterday, she thought she was a human trafficker!

Sponge Has a Baby: “None of that is important right now! The important thing is that Jing Xiaoyan is staying across from me, and she definitely knows it was me yesterday. What do I do!”

First Love Sister: “I think you should just go find her.”

After sending the message, Jing Xiaoyan bit her tongue. She was being deliberate. She really wanted to talk to her face-to-face.

Jiang Yumian: “?”

She couldn’t believe it. Go find Jing Xiaoyan directly? Is she crazy?

She was even afraid that Jing Xiaoyan would come and knock on her door and ask her to come out. She wouldn’t know what to say.

If it were anyone else, she wouldn’t be this flustered, but when it came to Jing Xiaoyan, she felt inexplicably nervous. This nervousness was mixed with the excitement of finally meeting a beautiful woman. Jiang Yumian thought she might be a masochist.

First Love Sister: “Go ahead. It’s fine. She won’t eat you.”

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