She Said She Has Feelings For Someone - Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Hospital — Sprinting

“Did I… come at a bad time?” Min Wutong asked.

“What do you think?” Lu Shuyu replied bluntly.

“Fine, you’re sick of me now.” Min Wutong sighed with the tone of a mother watching her daughter grow up and grow distant. “I wonder who it was that once said their ideal ‘scandal partner’ had to be a woman like me—someone with looks and money that would make anyone hesitate.”

As she brought up the past, Lu Shuyu followed the lead: “I wouldn’t dare. After all, you’re the great President Min~”

Min Wutong didn’t continue the bickering. They were nearly ten years apart in age; it would be embarrassing to keep it up.

Placing the food on the table, she watched the teaser first. Once satisfied there were no issues, she asked, “So, what exactly is the situation between you and Teacher Xia?”

The strange atmosphere when she walked in and Xia Leshuang’s abnormal behavior were far too obvious; she wasn’t a fool.

Lu Shuyu stopped hiding it. After thinking for a moment, she said, “There’s some history between us.”

“An ex?” Min Wutong was shocked.

“What are you thinking?” Lu Shuyu sighed. “It was a one-sided crush on my part.”

“Ah… I see…” Min Wutong was silent for a moment, then said, “Then go for it! I’ll clarify our relationship right now!”

“Wait a second.” Lu Shuyu stopped her, smiling thoughtfully. “President Min, I think you’re the one with a major situation brewing, aren’t you?”

Min Wutong rolled her eyes. “If you don’t want to talk about it, fine. Don’t drag me into it.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to, I just feel—” Lu Shuyu leaned back against her chair and took a long time to finish. “I just feel the time isn’t right yet.”

…

Min Wutong gave her a thumbs-up. “You young people really like to play it complicated.”

However, she understood. Since it was an unrequited crush, it was better to wait until the other person’s feelings were clear before making a move. But…

“Teacher Xia seemed off just now. Did she get jealous because I suddenly showed up?”

Lu Shuyu frowned, then shook her head. “I don’t think so. She just finished watching the teaser and mentioned it had been too long since she’d seen herself on screen. She was just feeling sentimental.”

“Fair enough,” Min Wutong admitted. Then, remembering a blind date from five years ago, she added, “Wait, shouldn’t you confirm her orientation first?”

“She is,” Lu Shuyu said with certainty. “She…” Realizing she was bordering on Xia Leshuang’s privacy, she sighed. “Anyway, she’s dated a girl before. I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Bian Xingyao?” Min Wutong guessed.

Lu Shuyu avoided her eyes and turned back to editing. “I’m busy. Please see yourself out, President Min.”

“Hmph~” Min Wutong smirked. “I knew it. Bian Xingyao is an open book in the industry.”

At those words, Lu Shuyu spun back around, her amber eyes sparkling. “She has a girlfriend?”

Min Wutong couldn’t help but laugh, crossing her arms. “I thought I was supposed to see myself out?”

“I’m sorry, I was wrong,” Lu Shuyu said smoothly.

“Yes,” Min Wutong nodded. “The last I heard about her changing girlfriends was about three months ago. From what I’ve heard, she’s actually quite devoted. She’s had two relationships in the last few years, each lasting over three years. The one from three months ago is her third since entering the industry.”

With one less rival, Lu Shuyu was naturally happy, but she couldn’t help wondering, “Why wasn’t she ‘devoted’ to Xia Leshuang specifically?”

“You’re obsessed.” Min Wutong slapped her on the shoulder. “A lifelong single like you is starting to worry about other people’s relationship issues?”

Fine, all in all, it was good news.

“Alright, I won’t bother you anymore.” Min Wutong pointed to the food boxes. “Want me to take them, or are they your midnight snack?”

The exquisite carved wooden boxes were clearly from Chunlan. Lu Shuyu said, “Leave them. It’s just a small portion; I’ll finish it in one bite.”

…

Once the pilot teaser was released, the online buzz surrounding the six guests and the variety show doubled, exactly as Min Wutong had predicted.

“President Min truly is a visionary,” Lu Shuyu praised while scrolling through the 24-hour data report.

While the discourse was still a mix of positive and negative, the boost to the variety show was real. The follower counts for The Gold of Silence on social media platforms surged, and anticipation for the show climbed. Downloads for the Cherry Film & TV app and the number of in-app reservations for the show also skyrocketed.

Cherry Film & TV had started with variety shows and primarily focused on production. Its daily active users were usually among the lowest of the major video apps, so viewers willing to download and reserve were those who truly recognized their quality.

“Standard procedure,” Min Wutong waved it off. “Choosing to stay silent and doing nothing at a time like this would be the real problem. Whether it’s positive or negative ‘heat,’ it’s still traffic. Traffic isn’t scary; what’s scary is being forgotten entirely.”

Min Wutong had built Cherry from the ground up, and Lu Shuyu fully trusted her methods.

“Of course,” Min Wutong said with a smile, “you were the main force behind the teaser. More than half the credit goes to you.”

Lu Shuyu laughed. “Thank you, President Min. The post-production team also put in a lot of effort; give them a bigger bonus.”

“No problem,” Min Wutong waved grandly. “Bonuses for everyone! It’ll be a good incentive.”

Now that they had the traffic, the most important thing was the main feature. The workload for the four main episodes was massive, and the release date was fast approaching. Giving out money now was like a shot of adrenaline.

Lu Shuyu hadn’t thought of that angle, but she gave a thumbs-up in admiration before starting her report.

“The content from L-City can be edited into two episodes as planned—two weeks’ worth. There’s enough for easter eggs and extra updates as well. Yesterday, we finalized the filming details for T-City.”

Lu Shuyu handed over a bound document. “Take a look. If it’s okay, we’ll head to T-City tonight to prepare. Guests are expected to arrive on the 10th, and official recording starts on the 11th.”

Min Wutong had seen the previous version, so she flipped through this refined version smoothly. “Nice. I can almost see the scenes already. The T-City portion is what I’m most looking forward to. As the content for weeks three and four, timing is crucial. Good luck!”

“Don’t worry, President Min,” Lu Shuyu smiled confidently. “I’ll do my best alongside the teachers!”

…

T-City was one of China’s famous historical and cultural cities, having witnessed the rise and fall of multiple dynasties.

The second stop for the Gold Group was chosen here to introduce the history of these dynasties and promote traditional culture. This time, instead of a hotel, the dormitory was set in the old city to let them experience the historical charm up close.

After two busy days, the production team finalized all arrangements by the afternoon of the 10th.

“The guests will be here soon,” Lu Shuyu said. “Everyone, hurry up and eat and rest. Get ready to shoot.”

As the staff dispersed, Lu Shuyu noticed Song Yi sway out of the corner of her eye. She reached out to steady her. “What’s wrong?”

Song Yi leaned on her to regain her balance and shook her head. “I’m fine. It’s probably just too hot in the courtyard.”

“Let’s go in—”

“Is PD Song here?”

Before Lu Shuyu could finish, someone opened the courtyard gate, followed by a man’s voice.

Song Yi stiffened visibly. The man spotted her and walked over quickly. “Yi, come back with me.”

“Who are you?” Lu Shuyu stepped in front of Song Yi.

“Ah, you must be Little Lu,” the man stopped. “We’ve met twice; don’t you remember?”

It was only then that Lu Shuyu remembered—this was Song Yi’s husband.

Before she could reply, Song Yi spoke from behind her: “Let’s go inside and talk.”

Lu Shuyu couldn’t follow them in. She stood under the eaves of the corridor, facing the sun, but felt a chill down her spine. She vaguely felt that her previous, unexplained unease hadn’t been a hallucination.

Soon, a man’s low roar came from inside: “Can’t you think about the child! Think about me!”

The sun was obscured by clouds, and Lu Shuyu fell into the shadows, feeling cold to the bone. That single sentence explained everything.

“Get out!” Song Yi flared up.

Lu Shuyu didn’t wait any longer. She turned and entered the room, running right into a swaying, unstable Song Yi. She immediately caught her. “Teacher!”

The man was relentless: “Look at you! You must come with me today!”

“Can’t you see she’s about to faint?” Lu Shuyu raised her voice, her face cold. “What exactly do you want?”

The man took a deep breath. “She’s pregnant. Her body is fragile, and she needs to protect the baby. She has to go back with me today!”

The truth hit like a bolt from the blue. But before Lu Shuyu could react, the weight in her arms increased. Song Yi had fainted.

“Chi Shan! Chen Qian!” she shouted, picking Song Yi up in a bridal carry, startling the man.

“What are you doing! Don’t hurt my child!”

“Get out of the way!” Lu Shuyu kicked him aside.

Staff members came running at the noise. Chi Shan grabbed the car keys and ran out without a word. Chen Qian and Hua Tonglai helped support Song Yi.

Once Song Yi was in the car, Lu Shuyu said, “Chi Shan and Chen Qian stay here. Hua Hua, drive.”

With the two producers staying behind to handle the aftermath, the director and assistant director had to go. Hua Tonglai took the driver’s seat, and the car sped out of the old city.

“Scared the life out of me. What a mess,” Chi Shan cursed. The man ran out of the inn: “I’m her husband! You’re taking her away without permission—”

“Sir.” Chen Qian cut him off, dragging him back into the inn to avoid a scene in front of tourists.

Chi Shan closed the door. “They’ll contact me once she’s settled, and then I’ll send you over.”

“You people!” The man was furious. “Don’t force me to get physical!”

At his words, Chen Qian stepped forward to protect Chi Shan. The surrounding staff members all took a step forward, their eyes locked on him. They didn’t surround him, but their sturdy builds and sharp gazes were like fierce hawks, bringing an airtight pressure.

Chi Shan gave a cold smile. “I don’t advocate violence, but you’re welcome to try.” Seeing the man back down, she added, “There’s a hospital right outside the old city. It’s very close. Song Yi will be fine.”

“If anything happens to my child,” the man said suddenly, “I’m not done with you.”

Chi Shan snorted and said nothing more.

Ten minutes later, there was another knock on the gate. Chen Qian opened it. “Leshuang? Why are you so early?”

According to the schedule, she was supposed to land two hours later with the other guests.

Before Xia Leshuang could explain, she saw the scene in the courtyard. She scanned the area and asked immediately, “Where is Producer Lu?”

“She went to the hospital.”

Xia Leshuang’s brow furrowed, her expression terrifyingly serious. “The one outside the old city?”

The moment Chen Qian nodded, she turned and sprinted out the door. She hit her suitcase, nearly knocking it over, but Chi Shan caught it just in time.

“Hey!” Chi Shan cried out. She and Chen Qian ran to the door, but Xia Leshuang was already nowhere to be seen.

“Wait?” Chi Shan was dumbfounded. “Is she a track star?”