The Beauty with Terrible Luck Falls in Love with a Ghost - Chapter 19

Sun Xiaoyang was about to say something when she saw Zuo Lihua make a cross-handed grappling gesture, clutching at the air with a stern expression.

Sun Xiaoyang looked utterly confused and suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, shuddering involuntarily.

Was the air conditioning too cold? She glanced up at the vent.

“Turn the temperature up a bit.” she said to the driver.

Zuo Lihua was tightly holding Han Hai’er, preventing the ghost from clinging to Sun Xiaoyang, and anxiously trying to dissuade her: “Don’t rush. That’s just a photo. You’ll see the real person soon. Wait until then to make your move.”

Han Hai’er sprawled across her lap, half her body pressing down on Zuo Lihua’s legs. Zuo Lihua had never felt so cold before, it was as if a thousand-year ice sculpture had been placed on her. Her muscles were already numb from the cold, and the chill pierced her bones with pain.

In short, if Han Hai’er didn’t get up soon, her legs would be useless.

Han Hai’er glanced at her, then studied Sun Xiaoyang’s phone before slowly rising and returning to her original spot.

But she didn’t revert to her original form and remained a tall, slender shadowy figure.

Zuo Lihua quietly sighed in relief, her hand hanging at her side gently tapping her leg.

As the cold abruptly faded, Sun Xiaoyang no longer felt chilly and instead grew a bit warm. Noticing the sweat on Zuo Lihua’s forehead, she said to the driver, “Turn the air conditioning back to the original temperature.”

The driver shot her an exasperated look through the rearview mirror.

Then, Sun Xiaoyang pulled out a tissue and reached to wipe Zuo Lihua’s sweat.

Zuo Lihua intercepted her midway, offering a weak smile. “I’ll do it myself.”

She had been scared stiff by Han Hai’er, breaking out in a cold sweat!

…

Zuo Lihua stood in front of Ning Dongbang’s office, completely bewildered.

Behind her, Han Hai’er stood with her back turned, radiating a furious, almost murderous aura.

“Damn it, smash this damn door for me!” Han Hai’er cursed angrily.

Zuo Lihua hesitated. “I don’t think we can.”

Indeed, Han Hai’er couldn’t enter. An invisible force blocked her, and even looking at the door for too long made her eyes sting as if pricked by needles.

“Maybe we should…” Before Zuo Lihua could finish, the door suddenly swung open.

Ning Dongbang stood holding the door, looking surprised. “Lihua? What are you doing standing out here? Why not come in?”

Zuo Lihua: “…I was just about to knock.”

With no other choice, she braced herself and stepped inside.

As expected, Han Youyou was there too, exuding an elegant and gentle aura with innocent, pure eyes, a picture of serene beauty. Upon seeing Zuo Lihua enter, she immediately stood up from the sofa.

Zuo Lihua paused.

Han Hai’er had been able to emerge because she had temporarily anchored herself to Zuo Lihua, similar to how a place-bound spirit is tied to a location. She couldn’t stray too far, and this distance was already her limit.

“Come, have a seat,” Ning Dongbang said, sitting by the tea table and placing a cup in the empty spot beside him. He poured tea enthusiastically. “Try this. Youyou brought it. It’s exceptionally fragrant and mellow.”

Han Youyou extended her hand toward Zuo Lihua, her cheeks flushed with shyness. “Hello, Senior. I’m Han Youyou, newly signed. I’ve admired you for a long time. You’re even more beautiful than in your photos.”

Zuo Lihua looked at her outstretched hand, noticing a silver ring on her middle finger, its metallic surface gleaming faintly.

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment, and steeled herself.

Though she shouldn’t think this way, she inwardly apologized: Sorry, little green tea, but I’m about to call you out!

Zuo Lihua didn’t raise her hand, sneering disdainfully, “I know who you are, Huang Gu’s true love girlfriend.”

Han Youyou awkwardly withdrew her hand, flustered as she said, “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to. Please don’t be angry, sister. I’ve already asked him, and he said it was his own choi…”

With a disgusted frown, Zuo Lihua cut her off, “Spare me the excuses. Are you saying you didn’t mean to be the other woman, or that Huang Gu didn’t mean to cheat? What’s done is done, no need to apologize. I, the victim, haven’t even complained, and here you are crying like you’re at a funeral. How unlucky.”

“Lihua!” The sound of a teapot slamming heavily onto the coffee table echoed, followed by the sound of heavy, hurried footsteps.

Ning Dongbang appeared in front of Zuo Lihua, shielding Han Youyou behind him.

His face was full of disapproval as he looked at Zuo Lihua like she was a misbehaving child. “How could you say such things to a newcomer?”

Zuo Lihua lifted her gaze and replied, “Then how do you expect me to treat the woman who stole my fiancé, my dear agent?”

“Brother Ning…” Han Youyou, sheltered behind him, shrank her shoulders like a frightened rabbit and tugged at Ning Dongbang’s sleeve.

Ning Dongbang closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Lihua, no matter what her identity is, right now, you’re colleagues at the company. Don’t bring personal grudges into the workplace!”

“Oh?” Zuo Lihua let out a cold laugh, startling Han Youyou, who shrank further behind Ning Dongbang. “So, you’re saying that after work, I’m free to slap her face until it’s swollen, is that it?”

“Brother Ning…” Han Youyou was on the verge of tears.

Ning Dongbang’s frown deepened. “Don’t be like this.”

For Han Youyou to achieve fame in a short time, she needed Zuo Lihua’s support. According to their plan, Zuo Lihua was supposed to bring Han Youyou along to participate in reality shows, street activities in disguise, and other events.

Zuo Lihua had just won a lawsuit and was at the peak of her popularity. The defendant, Ling Mengwei, was widely known as Zuo Lihua’s closest confidante. Betrayed by her former best friend, Zuo Lihua had been devastated, and it was only with the gentle and caring companionship of Han Youyou that she managed to recover so quickly. This narrative was perfect for establishing Han Youyou’s public image and attracting fans, instantly boosting her market value.

But all of this hinged on Zuo Lihua’s cooperation.

“That kind of man isn’t worth it. From now on, you’ll both be in the same company. Let’s not ruin the harmony.” Ning Dongbang tried to persuade her.

Zuo Lihua stared at Ning Dongbang for a moment before saying, “Even if he’s trash, no matter how disgusting he is, he’s still my trash until I throw him into the garbage bin.”

Han Youyou’s face turned pale, then flushed with anger, though she dared not show it openly.

Zuo Lihua continued, “I don’t mind if someone likes to scavenge for trash to eat, I respect biodiversity. But barging into someone else’s home to steal their trash, eating it, and then acting like you didn’t know it belonged to someone else, all while flaunting your so-called virtue, that’s just low-class, morally bankrupt behavior.”

“Zuo Lihua! Watch your language!” Ning Dongbang clenched his fists, his face red with anger.

Zuo Lihua looked at him in surprise, lifting a hand to brush back her curly long hair. “Oh my, what’s this? Acting like a protective mother hen? Did I say something wrong? Don’t tell me you also enjoy feasting on other people’s trash?” Her voice was light at the end, the tone rising, full of provocation.

Ning Dongbang: “…”

“No matter what, you’ve gone too far, Zuo Lihua! You’re a celebrity, not some street thug! You weren’t like this before, what’s gotten into you today?” he hissed under his breath, clearly furious but struggling to contain his anger.

Zuo Lihua almost laughed out loud.

He had the nerve to bring his mistress right in front of her and then ask what was wrong? How shameless could he be?

Tilting her chin up slightly, she didn’t hold back: “Exactly. Words are far easier than actions. The company’s standards for signing people have really slipped lately, they’ll take in any stray cat or dog now…”

“Zuo Lihua!” Han Youyou shrieked. “How could you be so cruel! I’ve always respected you, I genuinely admired you, why are you treating me like this?”

Her face flushed crimson all the way down her neck, and her pitiful eyes reddened as if she were suffering some terrible workplace bullying.

“I’ve always liked you so much! I had no idea about Huang Gu’s situation, by the time I found out he had a fiancée, I was already in love with him! What was I supposed to do? Feelings aren’t something I can control! Besides, you two never had any real affection for each other anyway. If you love him so much, why can’t you let him pursue what truly makes him happy?”

As she spoke, she actually burst into tears.

Zuo Lihua: “…”

She stared at Han Youyou with indescribable disdain. “What a shameless white lotus. If you ever act in a drama, you’d definitely become famous if you pick the right role.”

Just then, the door swung open without warning, and someone rushed in: “Sister Lihua, I brought breakfast, would you like to-” Sun Xiaoyang’s words died in her throat as she took in the scene.

All three people in the room were standing. Ning Dongbang stood facing Zuo Lihua, veins bulging at his temples, fists clenched so tight it seemed he might lash out at any moment. Beside him stood the newly signed actress, tears streaming down her face, pouting and weeping like a perfect Lin Daiyu.

Then she looked at her own idol, a slight smile playing on her lips, but her eyes were cold enough to kill.

Had they been arguing?

“…” Sun Xiaoyang hunched her shoulders slightly, then quickly straightened her posture.

Sister Lihua was such a good person, this definitely wasn’t her fault. Even if it was, there must be a reason. She would stand firmly by Sister Lihua no matter what, and she had to project confidence, she couldn’t embarrass her!

“Sister Lihua, want some jianbing guozi?” Having made her decision in a flash, Sun Xiaoyang raised the food container as if completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere.

“Xiaoyang,” Ning Dongbang said sharply, “this doesn’t concern you. Get out!”

Sun Xiaoyang blinked, then slowly began turning to leave.

“Xiaoyang,” Zuo Lihua interjected, “you’re my assistant. You don’t take orders from anyone else.”

“Oh!” Sun Xiaoyang immediately stopped and stood at attention.

Ning Dongbang pinched the bridge of his nose, gritting his teeth. “Lihua!”

Zuo Lihua tilted her head. “Anything else? If not, I’m going out for breakfast. I didn’t eat before leaving this morning and I’m feeling a bit hypoglycemic.”

Ning Dongbang fell silent, his chest heaving with heavy breaths.

“Let’s go.” Zuo Lihua said to Sun Xiaoyang.

Sun Xiaoyang immediately followed.

Just before leaving the office, she glanced back and saw the new actress tearfully throw herself into Ning Dongbang’s arms.

Sun Xiaoyang: “…” Wow.

Upon arriving at Zuo Lihua’s studio, Sun Xiaoyang opened the lunchbox, handed Zuo Lihua a pair of disposable chopsticks, and while pouring water, asked, “Sister Lihua, is that newcomer a troublemaker?”

Zuo Lihua wiped her hands with a wet wipe and replied, “Maybe, I don’t know.”

“Oh…” Sun Xiaoyang’s eyes shifted, unable to suppress her growing curiosity. “When I closed the door earlier, I saw her throw herself into Brother Ning’s arms, asking him to comfort her. You should’ve seen Brother Ning’s expression, it was like he was holding a porcelain doll. I’ve never seen him treat anyone like that before! Are they dating?”

Zuo Lihua paused. “I don’t know about that, but Han Youyou is my ex-fiancé’s girlfriend.”

“!!!” Sun Xiaoyang was so shocked she dropped her chopsticks.

“What?!” she gasped. “Ex-fiancé? What’s their relationship? Wait, did you break off the engagement? When did this happen?”

“Yeah, a few days ago. To be precise, I was the one who got dumped. Huang Gu cheated on me.”

Sun Xiaoyang stood there in a daze, utterly stunned.

After a moment, she finally snapped out of it and began rambling incoherently. “So, Han Youyou is the other woman? I never expected her to be that kind of person!!! Damn, damn, damn! She didn’t look like a good person from the start! And what about Ning Dongbang? Oh my god, Brother Ning signed her personally, he handled everything for her from start to finish, and he was so attentive! This… this… heavens above!”

“Xiaoyang, calm down,” Zuo Lihua said, glancing down at the already spoiled jianbing guozi. “One portion isn’t enough. Can you go buy me another one?”

Under normal circumstances, Sun Xiaoyang would have firmly objected to Zuo Lihua’s binge-eating habit, but this time, she nodded resolutely. “Eat! Eat as much as you want! I’ll get you the deluxe version with an extra egg. Wait for me, Sister Lihua, I’ll be right back.”

By the time Sun Xiaoyang left, the jianbing guozi had turned completely black.

Han Hai’er, having returned to her human form, slumped on the sofa, squinting with lingering satisfaction.

“Still hungry.”

Zuo Lihua took out a bottle of mineral water and shook it at her. “Xiaoyang went to buy more. Want some water?”

“No.”

Zuo Lihua unscrewed the cap and gulped down the water herself.

She didn’t bother with decorum, small streams of water trickled from the corners of her lips, tracing down her fair neck and disappearing into the collar of her shirt.

“Do you know that Han Youyou?” she asked Han Hai’er.

Han Hai’er scowled, as if her mind had been contaminated by something filthy, and reluctantly answered, “Yeah.”

“Who is she?” Zuo Lihua pressed.

She remembered the dream, there were two people in it. One was Ning Dongbang, and though she hadn’t seen the other clearly, she had a strong suspicion it was Han Youyou.

“Don’t know,” Han Hai’er said irritably, scratching her head. “Forgot everything. So annoying.”

“Hey,” Han Hai’er snapped, her tone unfriendly. “You done here? If not, come out with me.”

Though phrased as a question, she had already stood up.

“Huh?” Zuo Lihua was taken aback, though she realized she didn’t have anything else scheduled.

Ning Dongbang had asked her to come to the company mainly to meet Han Youyou. Now that it was over, and he hadn’t assigned her any work, she was technically free to leave.

“Stop wasting time, let’s go.”

Zuo Lihua followed her, muttering under her breath, “It’s not like I provoked you. If you’ve got a grudge, take it up with the right person. Taking your anger out on an innocent bystander isn’t fair.”

When she reached the elevator, she ran into Sun Xiaoyang, who was rushing back in a hurry.

Sun Xiaoyang asked blankly, “Sister Lihua, where are you going?”

Zuo Lihua took the deluxe version of the jianbing guozi from her hand and said, “I’m heading back. It’s free time now.”

Though a bit confused, Sun Xiaoyang quickly followed, “Sister Lihua, let me walk you out!”

As she stepped beside Zuo Lihua, she suddenly felt a chill and froze in place again.

“No need, you can go back!” Zuo Lihua waved at her from inside the elevator.

“But…” Sun Xiaoyang wanted to say more, but the elevator doors had already closed.

She stood there dazed, thinking: This workday has been absolutely surreal!

Inside the elevator, Han Hai’er said slowly, “I didn’t realize you could be so fierce.”

Rubbing her pounding little heart, Zuo Lihua replied without much confidence, “Ahaha, really? I guess so?”

After all, she didn’t actually have feelings for Huang Gu. Her emotions weren’t genuine, it was all propped up by acting.