My Wealthy Ex-Girlfriend Knelt and Begged Me to Come Back [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 5

A slender wrist reached out, Ji Jiayu casually pulled out a file:

“This one.”

She lowered her eyes for a glance. On the résumé was the name of the manager—Xiaorong.

Ji Jiayu soon met her new manager—

A woman in her thirties or forties, with ear-length short hair, wearing a single large earring, dressed in a sharp and capable style.

“Rong-jie.” Ji Jiayu called out when she saw her.

“Hi~” Manager Rong waved at her.

“You’re Jiayu, right? Mosika told me about you. Assistant Li recommended you…”

Standing there, Rong-jie gave her a professional once-over, her gaze sweeping from head to toe.

Ji Jiayu was wearing a black mermaid dress today, with thin straps and velvet fabric. The drape and tailoring were of high quality, showing off her figure clearly—

A slim waist, full hips.

Rong-jie paused, then patted Ji Jiayu’s arm, sighing in admiration:

“You’re so beautiful—not just the face, your body is top-tier too.”

“Forget men, even women would swallow their saliva looking at you.”

“Rong-jie, you’re also gorgeous.” Ji Jiayu curved her eyes, those watery apricot eyes smiling into crescents. “You look so young, are you… about my age?”

“Pfft, you little fox, you sure know how to talk.” Rong-jie was amused into laughter. “My son’s almost half your age.”

“Come on, let’s head to the meeting first. We just accepted an ad earlier but couldn’t find the right fit… and now you’re here. After it’s done, I’ll take you to the studio.”

“No one’s more suitable than you.”

—

Today, Ji Jiayu reported in on the same day when executives from headquarters came to hold a meeting for the subsidiary.

During the break—

Across from the lounge was the restroom.

Ji Jiayu stood in front of the mirror, chin slightly lifted as she twisted up her lipstick, carefully touching up the corners of her lips.

From the sink came the rushing sound of water.

The person beside her finished washing hands and shook them dry.

A few droplets splashed near Ji Jiayu’s chin. She frowned, dabbed them away with the corner of a tissue, and said nothing.

Then came the hiss of a perfume spray—the other was touching up her wrist.

A pungent, heavy fragrance filled the air.

In the mirror, Ji Jiayu saw the girl beside her: a white off-shoulder dress, slowly tidying her hair.

She had just flicked water onto someone’s face, yet didn’t bother to apologize.

“I heard a new girl joined the group today. Must be you, right?” the stranger asked.

Clearly, she’d already overheard Rong-jie say the Talent ad was going to Ji Jiayu, but still pretended to ask.

“That’s me.” Ji Jiayu put her lipstick away and turned to her. “Why?”

“Assistant Li brought you in? I haven’t seen him in ages, but saw him today. What a coincidence.”

The girl in white smiled, still watching her carefully in the mirror.

Her smile was sweet, and she was indeed pretty.

So, this newcomer knew Assistant Li… then she must also know Sister Miaoran.

No wonder she’d stolen away an ad that should’ve been hers!

With that thought, the beauty of Ji Jiayu’s face instantly twisted into something hateful in her eyes.

“You know him too?” Ji Jiayu asked.

“Of course. President Qiu often sends Assistant Li to check if I’m doing well. She treats me like a younger sister.”

Ji Jiayu arched her lips as if hearing something amusing. “What kind of sister?”

“What kind of sister?” The girl deliberately dragged her tone. “Of course, a sworn sister. My father’s in business, and he has lots of dealings with President Qiu.”

“Oh.”

A CEO, huh. Who didn’t have a few sworn sisters? Nothing surprising.

But when she saw Ji Jiayu’s expression—calm as still water, no anger, no jealousy—the girl in white clenched her fingers.

Lowering her voice, she added with a hint of malice:

“Even if it’s me, I can’t stay by her side forever. President Qiu… she already has a fiancée.”

“Oh?” Ji Jiayu’s lips tilted in mockery. “She has a fiancée…”

So what? An engagement wasn’t marriage.

Ji Jiayu didn’t care in the slightest.

The girl leaned closer to the mirror, outwardly calm while adjusting her makeup, but inwardly flustered.

It felt like punching into cotton—her opponent unfazed.

So she sneered instead:

“Tsk, some people in this company really have no shame. Just because they know Assistant Li, or a few folks from headquarters, they think they can climb high. As if a barnyard chicken could match a phoenix.”

A crude, obvious provocation.

Ji Jiayu suddenly turned, stepping closer—

One step. Then another.

Click, clack— her heels hit the floor.

The girl’s arrogant look instantly shattered.

She backed away, brows furrowing, her voice trembling:

“W-what are you doing?”

Ji Jiayu’s eyes curved into a smile, lashes lowered as she glanced at her.

“A chicken wants to be a phoenix? At least you’re self-aware.”

The white-dress girl choked. “You—”

Ji Jiayu bent down, fingers hooking the badge hanging from her chest.

“Chen Yiying.”

She read her name aloud.

“You know you shouldn’t gossip about others in the bathroom, right?”

Ji Jiayu was never some meek little white flower.

She was a rose—fiery, thorned.

At that moment, her poised, towering presence was overwhelming.

Her face leaned close, then withdrew. Willow brows arched, hazel eyes gleaming clear, her refined features magnified up close.

Chen Yiying swallowed hard, her back pressing against the cold tiled wall.

Her heart skipped a beat.

A chill ran through her as dizziness briefly overtook her.

When she snapped out of it, the other was already gone.

Chen Yiying licked her lips unconsciously, almost savoring that fleeting moment.

That face, so close—

Skin smooth as porcelain, flawless, not a pore in sight.

Damn it. That woman was way too beautiful!

Chen Yiying glanced around to make sure no one was there, then quickly typed on her phone:

[Qiao Xuan, Sister Miaoran found another female companion. She’s some D-list nobody, shoved into the agency. I had someone check her out.]

—

The meeting lasted the entire morning.

At the back of the hall, Ji Jiayu spotted that same girl from earlier.

In her white dress, Chen Yiying was hard to miss. She’d already noticed Ji Jiayu, but instead of provoking, just frowned and avoided her.

Ji Jiayu ignored her.

Her phone lit up. A message from Rong-jie:

[Jiayu, wait for me in the lobby after the meeting. I’ll take you to the studio.]

Talent was a second-tier domestic brand, mainly dealing in affordable luxury watches.

The art director was notoriously picky, but also Rong-jie’s friend. They’d been waiting for someone with the right looks, figure, and especially beautiful hands—

They hadn’t found one until Ji Jiayu.

Her hands were slender, sculpted like jade. With a touch of crimson polish, they looked even more striking.

A slim wrist, a delicate strap, a diamond-studded dial. The silver hands and crimson face made her skin look snow-white in contrast.

The shoot went smoothly.

The blower roared, tossing her seaweed-like dark hair into the air. Her pale fingers gently toyed with the strands as she gazed at the camera—

That air of nonchalance, those ethereal eyes—

She looked born for the lens.

“Cut!”

“That’s a wrap.”

“Jiayu,” Rong-jie waved her over. “You did really well. Both the creative director and the photographer are satisfied. Do you want to stay and check the sample shots later, or head straight to dinner?”

Her head was spinning…

The crimson set, flashing white lights—it had made her uncomfortable since the start.

Almost like hallucinations—the screech of car brakes.

A constant buzzing in her ears.

She staggered slightly as she walked.

“Jiayu!”

Rong-jie rushed to steady her. “What’s wrong?”

Ji Jiayu lifted her eyes, her delicate chin trembling beneath loose strands of hair. Her frail body leaned weakly against Rong-jie.

Her voice was faint. “I’m fine… maybe low blood sugar.”

“Alright, I’ll call a car and get you to a hospital.”

When they left, rain was falling.

Pitter—patter—

Raindrops splashed harder against the taxi window, blurring the glass.

“Go get checked at the hospital, see if it’s low blood sugar. You look pale, don’t brush it off.” Rong-jie reminded her.

“Okay…”

Rong-jie opened the door, helping Ji Jiayu into the car.

—

Another car door opened.

A black leather boot stepped out. A pale hand reached into the car door, pulling free the handle of a long, sleek black umbrella.

Qiu Miaoran descended.

With a snap, the umbrella unfolded, its broad canopy raised.

Her pale hand gripped the black handle firmly, fingers long and strong, knuckles clear.

She wore a black trench coat, the other hand holding a bouquet of white roses.

Her tall boots splashed against rainwater pooling on the ground.

Today was the funeral of the former chairman of Shengli Real Estate.

Through the rain’s haze, the gray cemetery walls looked even bleaker.

Only a few cars stood outside.

Shengli had long declared bankruptcy. President Liu, crushed by debts, had leapt to his death.

There were few true friends in business. Few came to mourn him.

Sobs lingered in the damp air.

In front of a gray tombstone knelt a woman in her thirties. Her shoulders shook uncontrollably, her thin back pitiful.

She held no umbrella. Rain soaked her dress, dripping down from the hem. Her long hair clung wet to her body in strands.

A large black umbrella tilted over her head.

The bouquet of white roses was set gently before the tombstone.

“My condolences.” A low female voice came from above.

The widow turned, her pale face streaked with tears, shouting hysterically:

“Hypocrite!”

“If it weren’t for you people… if Qiushui Venture Capital had invested, my husband wouldn’t be dead! What’s the point of this fake sympathy now?!”

“Madam Liu.” Qiu Miaoran bent slightly, her dark eyes reflecting the woman’s figure, calm as a bottomless abyss.

“I came today out of human decency.”

“But in business, decency doesn’t matter—only interests and gains.”

“That’s why I never invested in Shengli Real Estate. I never would have.”

“I am sorry for what happened to President Liu.”

This young CEO bowed slightly, then straightened again.

Her words were ruthless—cold, merciless.

The mindset of a businessperson.

Yet everything about her still exuded the elegance of someone from a powerful family. Reserved, polite.

Madam Liu’s twisted expression froze. Though her brows stayed furrowed, her resentment weakened strangely before Qiu Miaoran.

As she turned away, her phone buzzed.

Qiu Miaoran answered: “Project 001 in the medical sector is stable. Runtai Medical’s project can proceed. Increase the investment.”

The call ended.

Fastening her seatbelt, she ordered: “Back to the company.”

“President Qiu, Autumn Entertainment just called.” Assistant Li spoke up suddenly.

“What is it?”

“Miss Ji doesn’t seem well. She went to the hospital.”

The always composed President Qiu’s dark eyes widened slightly, lips pressed tight—

For just a fleeting second, panic crossed her face.

Assistant Li rubbed his eyes, thinking he imagined it.

“President Qiu, where should we go first?”

Support My Wealthy Ex-Girlfriend Knelt and Begged Me to Come Back [Entertainment Industry]