My Straight Childhood Friend Successfully Pursued Me After The Breakup - Chapter 41.2

The living room lights were off, the curtains wide open. The moonlight streamed in, crystal clear like frost, and her pale feet stepped onto the frost as she sat on the edge of the bay window.

A wine-red silk camisole nightgown clung to the woman’s curvaceous body, the thin straps hanging on her slender shoulders.

The woman lowered her eyes, bringing the glass to her red lips. The stimulating liquor flowed down her throat, and the threads of restlessness in her heart were gradually extinguished.

The moonlight was bright, leaving a long, solitary shadow. The occasional clinking of the ice ball against the glass was the only sound.

Zuo Xian’s eyes gradually became blurred and hazy. She narrowed them, rubbing the rim of the glass with her fingertip, and sneered.

Whether it was Tao Ran or Xie Jiangting, they were all just passersby in her life.

And a passerby would only ever be a passerby; they wouldn’t stop for her.

The reverse was also true.

Recently, the studio’s business had been booming. Zuo Xian gradually forgot about those troubling matters in her busy schedule. She spent her days rushing around with her team of stylists, her itinerary as packed as a national president’s.

In the past two years, Zuo Xian’s styling team had made a name for itself in the entertainment industry, known for its extremely excellent fashion sense and absolute control over the artists’ styles. Many artist teams wanted to poach her studio’s staff.

However, the true core of the studio was the boss, Zuo Xian. It was impossible to poach the pillar of someone’s house, so the various artist teams could only obediently queue up and take a number.

She had just finished a red carpet styling job, and not long after returning to the studio, a big new order came knocking.

“Sister Xian, this order is for on-set styling for a drama. We’re working with all old acquaintances. It’s Director Xu Juan’s crew, and the main lead is Guan Wen.”

Xiao Zhao, who was responsible for business correspondence, looked at the order information and continued, “It’s a crime investigation script, so there are high requirements for wound makeup and ‘no-makeup’ makeup. Director Xu said she hopes your styling team will lead the work this time.”

In the office, Zuo Xian leaned lazily on the sofa, an orange-flavored candy in her mouth. Upon hearing the news, she said, “My fee isn’t cheap. Does Director Xu have enough funds?”

Director Xu Juan, due to the unpredictable quality of her directing, often made investors wary, and she frequently found herself in dire financial straits.

“Director Xu said the funds are more than sufficient this time.”

Zuo Xian was amused. “Which foolish big spender did she trick this time? Fine, since there’s money to be made, I’m definitely going.”

“Great, I’ll reply to her now.”

The deal was finalized. Since they were cooperating with old acquaintances, Zuo Xian didn’t research the entire production team as she usually would before a collaboration.

This shoot was not in Lushì, but in a northern province, counting as a long business trip.

Just in case, she brought two large suitcases and one small box, looking more like a celebrity than a stylist.

When they landed at the airport, the person the director arranged to pick them up arrived. Zuo Xian laboriously dragged her boxes and followed the assistant to the car.

When they saw the car waiting to pick them up, everyone, including Zuo Xian, froze instantly. Xiao Yu, who had worked with Director Xu Juan the most, had her mouth wide enough to fit an egg.

In front of them was a long limousine. The car body was so clean it reflected the light. The driver, wearing white gloves, got out to help open the door. Everything about the pickup screamed luxury and extravagance.

“Oh my God… Is this really for us?” Xiao Yu was full of amazement, turning to look at Zuo Xian. “Sister Xian, did Director Xu invite us to be stylists, or to be actors?”

Although Zuo Xian was also shocked, as the boss, she maintained her necessary composure.

She glanced at Xiao Yu and said, “We’re good at styling. What roles do you think we could play?”

Xiao Yu blinked her eyes. “Playing stylists.”

Zuo Xian: “…”

Compared to her unreliable subordinate, Zuo Xian was more cautious. She re-checked the information with the assistant who came to pick them up, making sure she hadn’t gotten into the wrong car or encountered a human trafficking scam.

Then, despite her countless questions, Zuo Xian led her team into the car.

As soon as they got in, the women under her command were instantly drawn to the novel interior design and layout of the car, opening the small mini-fridge with wide-eyed surprise, as if they were opening Qin Shi Huang’s sarcophagus.

Zuo Xian leaned back in her seat, crossing her left leg over her right, her hand resting on her knee. Her pale fingertips gently tapped, her gaze slowly sweeping over the driver and the assistant in the front.

This is truly strange. Has Xu Juan been possessed?

Xiao Yu, beside her, took a bottle of orange juice from the fridge and attentively offered it to Zuo Xian. “Sister Xian, want some juice?”

“Thank you,” Zuo Xian accepted it but didn’t open it.

Xiao Yu didn’t mind and chatted away. “Does Director Xu feel like she was too harsh on us last time, so she’s making it up to us with a big one this time?”

“Huh?” Zuo Xian glanced at her. She hadn’t worked directly with Director Xu many times and didn’t fully understand Xiao Yu’s words.

“The last time I worked with Director Xu, she was shooting a small-town literary piece, and she sent two three-wheeled carts to pick us up. The time before that was an urban romance, and it was a Wuling Hongguang minivan. And the time before that, it was a flatbed truck.”

Xiao Yu shook her head, happily saying, “I honestly thought it would be a tractor this time.”

Zuo Xian had been dwelling on the car situation, but upon hearing Xiao Yu’s words, she smiled. Her eyes and brows bloomed with laughter, bright and beautiful like a rose opening in the wind.

Xiao Yu, hugging her can of coke, admired her boss’s beauty.

If she were to say so, if her boss wanted to enter the entertainment industry based on her looks, it would be as easy as turning her hand.

But her boss insisted on making a living with her talent and skill.

Even more charming.

The conspicuously long limousine stopped at the hotel entrance. Everyone got out, and the luggage was handed over to the bellhop, immediately relieving them of much weight.

The assistant distributed the room cards to everyone, and when giving the last one to Zuo Xian, she instructed, “Ms. Zuo, your room is not on the same floor as the others. Please don’t go to the wrong floor.”

Zuo Xian held the room card in her hand, feeling an increasing sense of unease. Even as the head of the styling team, there was no reason for her to receive the highest level of treatment from the moment of pickup.

Even her accommodation was not on the same floor as her makeup artists. Generally, drama crews book rooms systematically and wouldn’t split up a team’s makeup artists too far apart.

A giant stone seemed to be hanging over her heart, an inexplicable anxiety.

Zuo Xian planned to find Director Xu as soon as she put her things down to ask what was going on. Such special treatment made her inevitably uneasy.

But after tidying up her belongings, Zuo Xian sent a message to Xu Juan asking for her whereabouts.

Xu Juan called Zuo Xian back a long time later.

When the call connected, Xu Juan’s end was unusually noisy.

“Hello? Zuo Xian, have you arrived at the hotel?”

“Yes, Director Xu, I wanted to ask…”

“Hey, hey, hey, don’t put it there!” Xu Juan’s voice was so loud that Zuo Xian had to hold her phone further away. After shouting, she finally remembered she was on the phone with Zuo Xian.

She quickly said, “Sorry, Zuo Xian, I’m still busy here. Let’s talk when I get back, okay?”

Before Zuo Xian could say anything, Xu Juan hung up the phone without hesitation.

Zuo Xian: “…”

Although the call was hung up, Zuo Xian didn’t think much of it. After all, that was just Xu Juan’s personality. She tidied up her things.

Since she had nothing else to do, she decided to ask if Guan Wen had arrived and go hang out with her.

Guan Wen quickly replied, giving her room number, and a few seconds later, sent another message.

Sister Xianxian, the professional consultant hired by our crew is also in my room. She said she has some specific styling requests and wanted to discuss them with you beforehand.

Zuo Xian replied: Okay, I’ll come over now.

Zuo Xian wasn’t stressed. She didn’t think a forensic consultant could have very high demands regarding styling. At most, she’d ask for minimal makeup to avoid tarnishing the image of a forensic scientist.

With two forensic scientists in her family, she was aware of this point. However, since the person had reached out, she couldn’t refuse to meet her.

She took her phone, left the room, took the elevator down two floors, and then stood outside Guan Wen’s door, raising her hand to knock.

The door was quickly opened. Guan Wen invited Zuo Xian in, and while looking at the woman sitting on the living room sofa, she introduced her to Zuo Xian.

“Sister Xian, let me introduce you. This is Forensic Doctor Liu, Liu Xinyu, from the Yuzhou City Public Security Bureau.”

“And this is…”

“Pffft—” Zuo Xian couldn’t hold back her laughter, leaning on Guan Wen’s shoulder, shaking with amusement.

Guan Wen looked confused. She quickly turned to look at Liu Xinyu, afraid that the short-tempered Forensic Doctor Liu would misunderstand something, but all she saw was Liu Xinyu also struggling to suppress a laugh.

Guan Wen: “?”

“So it’s Forensic Doctor Liu. An old acquaintance,” Zuo Xian stopped laughing and raised an eyebrow at Liu Xinyu. “Forensic Doctor Liu is also mingling in the entertainment industry now?”

Liu Xinyu: “The Bureau sent me. The drama being filmed this time has strong support from the higher-ups, but they don’t want it to be a error-riddled soap opera, so they sent me to supervise.”

“I see.”

Such things wouldn’t usually be said so openly, but Liu Xinyu just stated it directly, and the two didn’t bother with polite formalities, which showed their relationship was unusual.

Guan Wen secretly took a sharp breath, and at the same time, her gaze towards the two women became more complicated.

Zuo Xian noticed her look and felt playful. “Guess what my relationship is with her?”

Guan Wen blinked, asking softly, “Friends?”

“Guess again.”

“Classmates?”

“Guess again.”

Guan Wen secretly glanced at the gently smiling Liu Xinyu, bit her lip, and her voice became even quieter. “Ex-lovers?”

Zuo Xian wanted to laugh even more. “Wenwen, are you on such good terms with your ex-lovers?”

“I’ve never been in a relationship.”

Liu Xinyu crossed her legs. Despite her baby face, her words were mature and steady.

“Enough, you only ever bully little sisters. Guan Wen, the person next to you is my older cousin.”

“Cousin? What a coincidence?” Guan Wen was also very surprised to hear this.

“Isn’t it? I was surprised too.” With only familiar faces in the room, Zuo Xian didn’t intend to hold back. She sat down on the single sofa, her posture relaxed.

Liu Xinyu: “If you’re the makeup artist, it saves me a lot of trouble, but there are still some details…”

The hotel suite’s living room only had two sofas. Zuo Xian took the single sofa, leaving Guan Wen to sit next to Liu Xinyu.

In contrast to Guan Wen’s cold and glamorous appearance, her personality was completely the opposite—shy and introverted by nature.

Because of this, she was actually a little nervous around the straightforward and sharp-tongued Liu Xinyu.

Sitting next to her was like sitting on pins and needles.

Zuo Xian only realized Guan Wen’s discomfort after she sat down. She glanced at Liu Xinyu, but Liu Xinyu hadn’t noticed at all and was still telling Zuo Xian about her requirements for the makeup.

Guan Wen was already nervous, and continuously talking about work made her even more so.

Zuo Xian stopped Liu Xinyu from continuing. They could talk about these detailed requirements later.

She casually asked, “When did you two arrive?”

Liu Xinyu: “Last week. We needed to attend the script reading, so we came early.”

“Oh, did Xu Juan send a long limousine to pick you up?” Zuo Xian asked in passing.

“A long limousine?” Liu Xinyu frowned. “I took a taxi myself.”

Guan Wen quickly added, “My company arranged an RV.”

Even the main female lead didn’t get the treatment of a long limousine, so why did she?

Zuo Xian frowned tightly, and the questions she had shelved were picked up again.

“You took a long limousine? Are you here to work or to get married?” Liu Xinyu asked with a laugh.

It was just a joke, but seeing that Zuo Xian not only didn’t laugh but instead looked at her with a serious and solemn expression, Liu Xinyu’s smile also froze on her lips.

The hotel suite fell into an eerie silence, with the three of them looking at each other.

After a long while, Guan Wen pursed her lips and whispered, “Director Xu just got divorced last year. I did hear her casually mention that she wanted to date a younger man.”

Zuo Xian: “…?”

“Wenwen, listen to how absurd your words are,” Zuo Xian looked at Guan Wen helplessly, wanting her to stop messing around.

What kind of nonsense was this?

Liu Xinyu’s eyes darted around, and she also laughed. “Actually, an older woman is pretty good. Look at your two previous partners; one is more of a scumbag than the next. An older woman even invited you in a long limousine. Sure enough, older people know how to cherish others or, are more affectionate.”

A throw pillow flew towards Liu Xinyu. Liu Xinyu quickly caught it, which startled Guan Wen next to her.

Zuo Xian was furious. “Will you die if you talk less!”

Liu Xinyu curled the corners of her lips. “You were the one who had those relationships. I just said it casually.”

“No, you didn’t manage to get into all of them.”

“…You really are going to die now.” Zuo Xian stood up, rolling up her sleeves.