Hooking Away the Male Lead’s White Moonlight, the Best Actress - Chapter 2

As Shen Manyu’s voice trailed off, the room fell into a deathly silence.

Most of the bustling crowd had already left, but two assistants and the manager, Sister Qi, remained in the room.

Even someone as composed as Sister Qi found her thoughts syncing up with the impulsive youngsters at that moment:

I have never seen anyone so utterly shameless!

The word SHAMELESS was written in bold, capital letters in her mind.

Anyone with eyes could see their blatant dislike for Shen Manyu. Clearly, Shen Manyu was well aware of it too, but you simply cannot wake someone who is pretending to be asleep.

In the past, she had always been arrogant and overbearing, maintaining a stance of naked hostility toward Hua Yanqiu. Everything was out in the open; though loathsome, she was at least “honestly” bad.

Now that she had changed her strategy to one of approach, it caused alarm bells to ring frantically in manager Sister Qi’s heart.

At that moment, Hua Yanqiu was sitting at a square table, engrossed in a script. When she encountered difficult passages, she would specifically circle them with a pen.

Shen Manyu’s arrival interrupted her focused train of thought. She couldn’t help but frown slightly, looking up.

Though she was cold, her temper wasn’t actually that good. It was usually only her excellent upbringing that allowed her to restrain her more intense emotions.

The assistants close to her knew she had a litany of eccentricities. While she wasn’t necessarily difficult to get along with, she was certainly hard to get close to.

She hated being disturbed while focusing on work. The assistants usually moved with extreme caution, fearing they might make too much noise.

Shen Manyu’s actions had undoubtedly stepped on a landmine.

Hua Yanqiu’s light brown eyes grew a few degrees colder as she slowly closed the script. Her eyes were crystal clear, yet a thin layer of frost seemed to have condensed upon them: “Miss Shen, we aren’t close.”

She emphasized the last two words, her displeasure and anger clearly audible.

Hua Yanqiu was no clay Buddha without a spark of temper. She could tolerate Shen Manyu’s repeated provocations, but she wouldn’t sit by and watch her push her luck and act out right over her head.

“It’s precisely because we aren’t close that we need to get intimate. To get to know each other,” Shen Manyu said.

Shen Manyu tilted her chin up slightly, revealing her fair neck. Her skin, smooth as jade, gave off a faint glow under the fluorescent lights.

Since she was facing Hua Yanqiu directly, Hua Yanqiu’s gaze inevitably fell upon her neck. After a brief pause, she quickly checked her gaze and shifted it back to Shen Manyu’s face.

Shen Manyu seemed entirely oblivious, remaining all smiles: “After all, what contact is more intimate than sharing a bed?”

Hua Yanqiu’s heart skipped a beat. That surging anger was instantly extinguished by this single, ambiguous sentence.

She subconsciously set down her script and exchanged a glance with her manager, Sister Qi. Sister Qi also looked bewildered; the two stared at each other in silence.

There had been no news of Shen Manyu being a lesbian, and Hua Yanqiu had always hidden her own sexual orientation extremely well. Within the industry, no rumors had ever surfaced regarding the fact that she was gay.

Furthermore, she knew exactly where Shen Manyu’s hostility toward her originated.

Thinking of this, Hua Yanqiu’s expression turned cold again. She said indifferently, “Go back. If it really won’t work, have Young Master Jing coordinate with the crew to change your hotel.”

Shen Manyu raised an eyebrow, her voice dropping slightly. Her tone was sweet, like fine honey flowing slowly down the throat: “Why bring him up for no reason? What’s wrong, Sister? Are you jealous?”

As she spoke, she leaned forward slightly. She was only wearing a thin white bathrobe, and the neckline was quite wide.

As she bent down, the collar shifted slightly to the side, and a vast expanse of snowy white skin dazzled the eyes.

Combined with the content and tone of her words, it looked exactly like deliberate seduction.

Hua Yanqiu realized her gaze was being involuntarily drawn to her, a thought that broke into her heart along with wavering emotions.

She couldn’t help but frown slightly, looking away from Shen Manyu.

It had to be said that Shen Manyu’s looks hit her aesthetic preferences perfectly.

Although their statuses in the industry were worlds apart—Hua Yanqiu was a top-tier “Little Flower” with countless awards, while Shen Manyu was just an obscure 18th-tier actress—Hua Yanqiu had indeed taken extra notice of her the first time they met because of her outstanding physical appearance.

She appreciated Shen Manyu’s vibrant, naturally charming beauty that managed not to slip into vulgarity.

It was like admiring a perfect work of art or an exquisitely designed haute couture gown—a simple appreciation for such extraordinary beauty existing in the world.

However, the slight goodwill she once felt for Shen Manyu’s stunning looks had long been exhausted by her deliberate targeting and brainless attempts at sabotage.

A woman who appeared to have such peerless looks—and who should have been extremely skilled at using that advantage for her own gain—had instead been easily captured by an arrogant, conceited, and greasy man.

She was utterly devoted to him, even becoming lightheaded from a few words of his flirtation, losing sight of her own status just to intentionally find trouble for Hua Yanqiu.

If it weren’t for the fact that Hua Yanqiu felt a touch of pity—thinking that Shen Manyu might have some mental ailment to play such a good hand so poorly—and because her own orientation made her more tolerant and sympathetic toward women than men, things would be different.

Given her status in the circle, as long as she showed the slightest bit of attitude, the waves from the outside world could easily overturn Shen Manyu’s tiny boat.

But this woman shouldn’t know her sexual orientation, and being so devoted to a man, the idea of “seduction” shouldn’t even come into play.

Moreover, this woman had previously viewed her as a love rival. Relying on Jing Yanqing’s backing, she had sought to make life difficult for her multiple times.

They were enemies, not friends. Where did this “spending the night together” camaraderie come from?

Hua Yanqiu reiterated: “We aren’t close. Find someone else, or talk to the crew.”

A hint of tears gradually appeared in Shen Manyu’s eyes. The tears reflected the bright lights, creating a kind of pitiful, fragile beauty.

She seemed unable to believe that Hua Yanqiu could be so heartless. Refusing to give up, she called out piteously: “Sister, I don’t know anyone in the crew; I can’t talk to them. Besides, I’m so obscure, who would want to pay attention to me? Sister, I beg of you, please have the heart to take me in for one night.”

A straight woman with ulterior motives wants to share a bed and spend a beautiful night with a lesbian?

For once, Hua Yanqiu felt it was absurdly funny.

If I really let her stay, who knows who would be in more danger?

Sister Qi seemed to sense her wavering. She had been with Hua Yanqiu for a long time and knew that beneath that cold exterior lived a “visual enthusiast” who was always poking its head out.

If the person standing here today wasn’t Shen Manyu—that “brainless but stunningly beautiful” piece of work—Hua Yanqiu probably wouldn’t have even given them a chance to speak.

Sensing disaster, Sister Qi quickly interjected: “Then call your manager and company. Have them contact the crew to get you a different room.”

The mysterious warning she felt earlier finally found its source.

She shouldn’t have expected much from this dog-brained Hua Yanqiu!!!

Setting aside the question of whether they would actually do anything—who would be the active one or the passive one—this was a hotel with people coming and going! The hallway surveillance was right there. If it leaked one day, it would be a bombshell!

She even had the headlines ready:

SHOCKING! Infamous Scandal Queen Shen, meets top H-list actress at night. Rivals meet, eyes turn red! Who will end up in the ICU tomorrow morning?

UNBELIEVABLE! Top actress ignores status to meet unknown figure at midnight! Is the entertainment industry’s “scandal-free myth” about to be broken tonight?

Sister Qi felt her vision go dark. She immediately decided she wasn’t leaving tonight. She would stand guard and keep a close eye on Hua Yanqiu!

Shen Manyu’s gaze swept over Sister Qi and landed back on Hua Yanqiu. She subconsciously pursed her lips, tears on the verge of falling, the corners of her eyes and mouth drooping in disappointment.

Her eyes were red, and tears welled up, making her look exactly like a pitiful little kitten: “They aren’t good to me. They scold and hit me; I don’t want to contact them.”

“I even came to the hotel all by myself. I didn’t bring an assistant or a manager. I even bought the plane ticket myself.”

Listen to those words—they were truly packed with grievances.

Although she wasn’t familiar with Hua Yanqiu, Shen Manyu seemed to possess a natural talent for deciphering people’s temperaments. And look at that—hadn’t she just successfully invoked the soft spot for “protecting the jade” hidden deep beneath Hua Yanqiu’s cold, aloof exterior?

Sister Qi’s heart skipped a beat. Sure enough, she saw Hua Yanqiu’s brow furrow even tighter: “Is this how your company treats its artists?”

While Shen Manyu was merely an insignificant 18th-tier actress, she had recently gained notoriety for overestimating herself and picking fights with Hua Yanqiu because of Jing Yanqing. This had invited nationwide mockery and landed her on the trending searches multiple times.

Even if it was “black publicity” that tarnished her reputation, it still represented traffic. As long as she could survive this wave and the company marketed her correctly, she would at least no longer be a nameless face to the public.

Capital always prioritizes profit. Since Shen Manyu possessed value they could exploit, there was no logical reason for the company to neglect her basic needs so coldly.

Hua Yanqiu was no fool. With a quick turn of thought, she felt she understood Shen Manyu’s intentions.

Perhaps the girl had come to her senses and was now regretting her past mistakes. By deliberately getting close to Hua Yanqiu, she was likely trying to create an illusion of reconciliation for the public, thereby whitewashing her own image.

If she could gain a bit of fame and take the opportunity to befriend Hua Yanqiu—coupled with Jing Yanqing’s support—this multi-pronged approach might actually allow her to turn her luck around and transform this crisis into an opportunity.

What a calculated move, Hua Yanqiu thought.

Now that she believed she saw through Shen Manyu’s goal, the pity in her heart instantly dissipated.

A faint chill returned to her gaze. Although she found this unscrupulous side of Shen Manyu off-putting, it was still slightly more tolerable than her previous state of being a brainless woman blinded by a “scumbag.”

Consequently, she didn’t directly expose Shen Manyu’s motives to embarrass her. She simply said, “Regardless, the contract is there. An artist is the company’s cash cow; the company is responsible for the artist’s basic food, clothing, and shelter. Contact your manager directly and let him find a solution for you.”

Shen Manyu noticed the abrupt shift in her attitude. Just moments ago, Hua Yanqiu had clearly softened, and her defenses had lowered.

But now, for some reason, she was like a freezer running at full power, emitting waves of coldness that pierced straight to the heart.

Shen Manyu instinctively checked her phone. It was nearly midnight.

The name “Jing Yanqing” sounded exactly like a refined, jade-like gentleman from an ancient novel. In reality, however, he was incredibly self-centered, believing the entire world revolved around him.

Selfish and petty, he was like a spoiled brat who hadn’t grown up—except his capacity for destruction was far greater than a child’s.

If the message from the unknown sender was correct, he, as one of the investors, would definitely be visiting the hotel where the crew was staying within these two days.

And why else would he come, if not to see his “White Moonlight,” Hua Yanqiu?

Shen Manyu marveled at this in her heart. In high-society circles, it was rare to see a wealthy young master play the role of a humble “simp” to such an extreme.

She couldn’t leave yet.

Taking advantage of the moment the life assistant at the door was dazed, Shen Manyu ducked low and darted past her into the room.

The assistant snapped out of it and lunged to grab her: “Hey—what are you doing! We haven’t agreed yet!”

Shen Manyu was agile, moving as light as a breeze. She was as still as a virgin when quiet, but as fast as a fleeing rabbit when in motion.

The assistant grabbed thin air and could only watch as she bypassed the line of defense to stand before Hua Yanqiu. Frustrated, the assistant cried out, “Shen Manyu, you’re going too far! Sister Yanqiu has been tolerant enough with you! You’re actually pushing your luck—”

Shen Manyu had deliberately provoked Jing Yanqing. Given his arrogant and petty nature, he would certainly come looking for her in a rage.

Based on the driving distance from his residence to here, the timing was just about right.

As she rushed inward, she seemed to lose control of her momentum. The thin quilt she was loosely carrying slipped down, coincidentally snagging under her feet.

She stumbled over the quilt, her body staggering forward with the momentum of her stride. Seeing that she was about to fall uncontrollably, she headed straight toward Hua Yanqiu, who was still stunned by the sudden turn of events.

Sitting in her chair, Hua Yanqiu instinctively reached out to steady her. Halfway through the movement, she realized it was inappropriate and tried to stand up to dodge to the side.

But how could Shen Manyu let her have her way?

The feeling of losing balance is naturally alarming. Shen Manyu let out a small, involuntary gasp. Her eyes widened instinctively like a startled animal, filled with panic.

Their eyes met. Hua Yanqiu’s movements seemed to be caught by an invisible thread, freezing for a brief second. For a fleeting moment, a sense of unbearable pity rose within her.

Reason told her to move away, but her stiff limbs betrayed her brain’s command. She simply couldn’t watch such a charming woman’s delicate face collide with the hard floor.

Just as she raised her hands again, Shen Manyu threw her arms wide—a seemingly instinctive reaction to losing balance—and fell straight toward her.

One person reached out, and the other opened her arms. Like a long-awaited, coordinated embrace, the two of them ended up holding each other tightly.

“Oh ho!” Sister Qi exclaimed with an ambiguous sigh.

“Holy crap!” The assistants couldn’t help but curse in unison.

But the reaction more intense than theirs came from the male lead, Jing Yanqing. He had rushed over and witnessed the scene through the gap in the door that Shen Manyu had left open.

From his perspective, this scene looked exactly like a climax from a drama: two female leads meeting after a long separation and embracing/kissing passionately in their excitement.

Both women were breathtakingly beautiful with slender, graceful curves. The scene was exquisite and warm—the perfect “climax” bridge carefully prepared for a series.

It was the kind of romantic vision that would make an audience scream, “I ship it! I ship it! This CP is endgame!”

It was clearly a story of three people, yet he felt like an irrelevant outsider who didn’t even deserve a name.

He slammed the door open, his eyes bloodshot. He stared fixedly at the two women who were pressed tightly together, looking as if he wanted to swallow them both alive.

One of these women was the “White Moonlight” he had pined for all his life but could never reach; the other was the “Substitute Lover” who had always been attentive and submissive to him.

In this moment, it felt as if a “Green Hat” (symbol of infidelity) had fallen from the sky and landed squarely on his head. With his blood boiling, he hissed through gritted teeth: “What! Are! You! Two! Doing!”

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