The Ex-Wife-to-Be Is Acting Weird After Losing Her Memory - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Fugue Four

“No—way—!” Qi Yongshan’s fingers, painted with bright red polish, pointed at a row of gowns, then she drew her hand back disdainfully. “I must have a gown that is prettier and from a bigger brand than hers!”

Everyone present knew who “hers” referred to. Her agent sighed silently and tried to placate her: “Yongshan, the red carpet show is in just a few hours. We’ve gone through three rounds for this gown. We’ve contacted everyone we can borrow from…”

She had been with Qi Yongshan for quite some time. While she had always been somewhat difficult, her temper had worsened drastically since she met that person… The agent didn’t dare offend the financier, so she could only patiently continue to soothe her.

But no matter how hard she tried to persuade her, Qi Yongshan wouldn’t budge. Just as the agent was at her wit’s end, someone knocked on the door.

When she saw the person at the doorway, Qi Yongshan’s closely set, feather-like eyelashes fluttered, and she immediately gave an arrogant “humph,” turning her head away: “I thought you weren’t coming!”

The person was dressed in a sleek suit, his hair neatly slicked back with oil. It was none other than Zhen Zhen’s cousin, Zhen Ming: “My leading actress is walking the red carpet; how could I not come?”

While they were talking, the agent and her assistant wisely and quietly retreated from the room. Qi Yongshan pouted and rushed into Zhen Ming’s arms, complaining: “I’m hardly a leading actress! You said you would stand up for me, but Lu Jiayin still stole my role!”

Looking at the sweetly made-up, doll-like actress in his arms, Zhen Ming chuckled and coaxed her: “How did I not help you? Didn’t I pay for you to win Best Actress at the Golden Pearl Awards last time? I just don’t get it. With so many actresses, why do you specifically target Lu Jiayin?”

Qi Yongshan blinked her big eyes and said earnestly: “Oh, you’re just humoring me. The only reason I compete with her is because of you…” She looked up with a sweet smile. “You always say that CEO Xiao Zhen surpasses you in everything. It wouldn’t do for me to marry into your family only to be suppressed by Lu Jiayin, right? That would lose face for you, CEO Ming.”

Hearing this, Zhen Ming was visibly stunned for a moment before he recovered his smile: “You don’t have to worry about that. My cousin and her wife’s relationship has been bad for a long time. I estimate divorce is only a matter of time.”

This was unexpected for Qi Yongshan. She clutched her chest in surprise, patting it, and then pressed for more details: “No way? I thought that was just media gossip, since CEO Xiao Zhen rarely appears in public. So it’s true…”

Zhen Ming didn’t want to elaborate on family matters and smoothly changed the subject: “Let’s not talk about disappointing things. Aren’t you walking the red carpet tonight? I went to great lengths to get you that gown…”

“Really?” Qi Yongshan’s attention was immediately captured, and her delicate red lips curved upward: “Hubby, you’re too good to me!”

As one of the most famous fashion galas in the country, the Yueshang Grand Ceremony invites a large number of celebrities and artists every year. The event is divided into two parts: the red carpet show and the charity gala. The venue is always star-studded and brilliant.

This year’s theme was “The Gilded Age.” The red carpet was set up outside the main entrance of the banquet hall, with areas on both sides for media photos and fan gatherings, leading to a grand and dazzling flower wall at the end.

“Did you hear the gossip? The two actresses from the Dark Light crew are fighting tooth and nail over the female lead,” several young artists who weren’t qualified to walk the red carpet whispered in the lounge area while waiting. “Do you think Lu Jiayin really stole Qi Yongshan’s role?”

Another person was somewhat noncommittal: “Anyone who makes it to the A-list isn’t going to be innocent. But I personally dislike Lu Jiayin more. After her car accident injury, I thought she’d finally disappear from the hot searches. Being constantly overshadowed by her former stand-in—I think she’ll be outdated sooner or later…”

The two smiled knowingly. The young artist wanted to complain a bit more but suddenly heard a commotion outside. A big-name celebrity must be arriving.

Several black Mercedes sedans appeared on the big screen, slowly pulling up to the red carpet entrance. The first person to step out was a slender, tall middle-aged woman.

She had striking, signature white hair and wore a simple, elegant black gown. Her aura was powerful. It was the famous female director Long Jing.

Director Long smiled and waved at the cheering fans on both sides, then waited briefly at the red carpet entrance.

Next, from the second car to enter the red carpet area, two tall, handsome male actors stepped out: Cheng Yan, the Best Actor playing the male lead, and Xie Qing, a popular younger actor from the same company.

The appearance of the handsome male celebrities immediately drew countless screams. Simultaneously, the third car also arrived at the red carpet. The door opened, and Lu Jiayin stepped out gracefully, holding up her skirt.

“What’s going on?” Xie Qing’s smile at the red carpet entrance was a little strained, and he quietly asked: “Shouldn’t Teacher Qi arrive first, and then Teacher Lu be the finale?”

The red carpet walk proceeded in order. Although the crew appeared together, there was a sequence. The fact that Lu Jiayin, the female lead, appeared first could only mean that something had gone wrong on Qi Yongshan’s side.

Red carpet time was limited, and one person’s mistake could disrupt all subsequent proceedings. Thinking of this, Xie Qing’s heart felt subtly panicked. He looked at the others around him and found that, apart from himself, everyone looked very calm.

“The battle has moved to the scene,” Cheng Yan maintained his handsome and suave smile, subtly gossiping with his junior colleague in a barely audible voice: “Qi Yongshan is trying to steal Jiayin’s finale spot.”

His voice was very low. Just then, others at the scene also seemed to realize that something was wrong. The blank space had exceeded the normal limit, and the fourth car’s door still hadn’t opened.

This unexpected situation, coupled with the delicate identities of those walking the red carpet, made the pause seem particularly loaded with meaning.

“What is going on…” someone muttered softly. “Why isn’t she coming out yet?”

Just as the discussion on-site gradually escalated and the cameras and eyes that hadn’t been focused here all gathered in front of the fourth car, the car door finally opened slowly under the gaze of tens of thousands.

The vast red carpet venue instantly fell silent.

“Wow, did I see that right? Qi Yongshan’s gown…” The young actress in the lounge opened her eyes wide, her face displaying a “come and get this gossip” look of shock.

Qi Yongshan walked onto the red carpet with an elegant posture, stopping right next to Lu Jiayin. The gown she was wearing looked remarkably similar in style to the one Lu Jiayin was wearing. However, Qi Yongshan’s gown was a vintage antique style, a deep purple velvet Qipao collar opening into a heart shape at the chest, with a huge, sparkling diamond on the collar button.

The music resumed, and the main creators walked the red carpet as planned. However, most of the attention at the scene was focused on the two actresses. When they reached the interview area at the end of the red carpet, the host, bearing the responsibility of the audience’s mass gossip consumption, smiled and spoke: “I didn’t expect our two actresses to have such great chemistry…”

Qi Yongshan glanced shyly at Lu Jiayin and spoke first: “I’m very honored to collaborate with such an excellent director and cast. Please don’t let today’s negative news bother you. Sister Jiayin and I actually have a very good relationship. Otherwise, look, how could we have such a telepathic connection even when choosing our gowns?”

“The fragrance of tea is overflowing…” The young artist thought of these four words, staring intently at the screen, waiting to see how Lu Jiayin would respond.

Lu Jiayin smiled faintly, giving no response to her comment, but instead said in a graceful tone: “Thank you all for your attention and anticipation for the new film Dark Light.”

The flashbulbs began to flicker again. The host guided them: “May all the main creators pose for a photo in front of the flower wall…”

This group photo might seem casual, but everyone put in their full effort to showcase themselves. After the large group photo was taken, a nosy media person loudly requested: “One more photo of the two female stars!”

Who doesn’t love the drama of two top stars vying for attention and pulling each other’s hair at a ceremony? Qi Yongshan put on a surprised expression and was the first to smile and stand by the flower wall…

To her surprise, Lu Jiayin, who had maintained a calm expression and cooperated with the flow of the event, suddenly took a step forward at that moment. In front of the many spectators and cameras, she lightly gathered the long hair resting on her back…

Under the dazzling lights, the dark green gown perfectly accentuated her slender and graceful figure. Only when she swept up her hair did the crowd realize that the back of her dress was actually backless. Her smooth, beautiful back was illuminated by the lights, appearing bright white. A strand of emerald beads trailed down alluringly, with two faintly visible dimples of Venus at the end, a vibrant and sensual sight.

Someone let out a small gasp of surprise. The sound of camera shutters instantly roared like a tidal wave, the bright flashes almost blinding people.

It’s about looking beautiful.

The urgently flashing camera lights all competed to capture this rare image of beauty. Qi Yongshan was stunned by Lu Jiayin’s sudden move, her smile nearly collapsing. Forcing herself to endure the photo opportunity, she continued to follow the others into the venue. Her heart, however, was already in turmoil, her tightly clenched nails digging deeply into her palm.

Lu Jiayin had directly countered Qi Yongshan’s painstaking maneuvers with one stunning live shot. Although Qi Yongshan was adorned in fine clothes, she couldn’t surpass Lu Jiayin’s simple turn and glance.

Qi Yongshan watched the cool and arrogant actress in front of her, feeling as though everyone’s attention in the venue was focused solely on this one person. She walked on in a daze when she suddenly heard Lu Jiayin say: “Qi Yongshan, I have no interest in competing with you.”

Lu Jiayin still carried that aloof air from their first meeting—the kind that made Qi Yongshan both envious and slightly hateful. Lu Jiayin said: “I just want to focus on acting. Whatever you want to do, don’t drag me into it.”

These words were both proud and deeply frustrating. Qi Yongshan tried hard to calm her emotions. Just as she racked her brain for a few strong words to retort, her eyes suddenly lit up, as if she had spotted a savior.

The next second, she raised her head smugly, as if she held victory in her hands.

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