The Film Queen Is Cold and Ruthless, Only Sends Money - Chapter 22.1

After returning the car to the family they borrowed it from, Su Yun and the others also got their phones back and handed them over to the production team.

Upon returning, they noticed everyone was packing up their things.

Seeing the two of them, the director said, “The weather forecast says it’ll rain tomorrow. Make sure to bring in anything you’ve left outside so it doesn’t get wet.”

“Got it, thanks, Director,” they replied, retrieving their clothes from outside.

Su Xue, who had been about to head inside, suddenly paused and turned back to the director. “Director, if it rains tomorrow, does that mean we won’t have outdoor tasks?”

The others also stopped in their tracks, ears perked up for the director’s answer.

As long as it wasn’t an outdoor activity, it couldn’t possibly be as time-consuming and exhausting as the previous two tasks. So, they were all eagerly anticipating the answer.

“Well!” The director could clearly see what they were thinking and deliberately kept it vague. “The production team is still considering it. If there are any changes, we’ll notify you in time.”

Su Yun put away her clothes and blinked at the director. “Director, tomorrow’s activity definitely isn’t outdoors, right?”

The director glanced at the show’s script in his hand and blurted out, “How did you know?”

For a moment, he even suspected Su Yun had peeked at the script otherwise, how could she be so sure, as if playing a cracked version of a game?

“So it really isn’t an outdoor activity!” Su Xue cheered.

Lin Yan, standing nearby, asked curiously, “How did Su Yun know? Is this another privilege of being first place?”

“I guessed,” Su Yun said. “The director knows we don’t like outdoor activities and enjoys watching us struggle.”

Sure enough, her words were met with unanimous agreement, and the conclusion seemed obvious: “So if it were outdoors, even if we didn’t ask, she’d definitely be eager to let us know preferably keeping us up all night worrying.”

Director: “…”

“That makes sense,” several of them said in unison, turning to the director. “We’ve already figured you out. Why not just tell us now?”

Under their collective gaze, the director stubbornly clung to his last shred of secrecy. “You’ll find out tomorrow. I promise it’ll be a surprise.”

Xu Zhi: “Director, are you sure it’s a surprise and not a scare?”

The director feigned innocence. “Why would it be a scare? Don’t worry about it.”

With that cryptic remark, he returned to the staff area.

The director prided himself on being an effective riddler, certain that his words would spark wild speculation among the guests, leading to heated debates.

Except,

Su Yun scanned the courtyard to confirm nothing was left outside. “Everything’s packed up. Let’s go to bed!”

“Sleep, sleep!” The others stretched lazily, indifferent to the director’s hints.

Surprises or scares could wait, they’d leave those for the director to experience himself.

No matter how big the world was, sleep came first.

Director: ???

“It’s only around seven in the evening, and you’re already going to bed?” The director couldn’t help but ask.

Had his riddle been too straightforward? Had it failed to pique their curiosity?

For the first time in his over-a-decade-long career in variety shows, the director began to deeply question his expertise.

As his words hung in the air, Su Xue stopped in her tracks, looking thoughtful. “Thanks for the reminder, Director. I think I forgot something!”

The director wiped away her tears, feeling the heavy weight in her heart finally lift. Sure enough, Su Xue was the sensible one who truly understood her thoughts.

Unlike Su Yun, who, despite being a newcomer to variety shows, was somehow even harder to fool than an old hand like Lin Yan.

“When we were doing the tasks this afternoon and switching to shared bikes, we overpaid the production team by one yuan and fifty cents. Can we have that back now?” Su Xue asked, her eyes bright as she leaned against the doorframe.

They had wanted to save time earlier, so they hadn’t bothered to sort out the change. Even the cameraman had nearly forgotten about it.

Lin Yan also remembered: “Right, right! Director, don’t you dare hold onto our money.”

Director: …

A lump of frustration rose in her throat.

She didn’t know whether to lament placing too much hope in Su Xue or to question if she was really the type to skimp on a mere one yuan and fifty cents!

“Here’s your money.” The director retrieved the crucial sum of one yuan and fifty cents from the production funds.

Her hand even trembled slightly as she handed it over.

A nearby crew member asked, puzzled, “Director, it’s just one yuan and fifty cents. Surely it’s not that big a deal?”

The director watched as the guests vanished in the blink of an eye the moment they got their money back. She pinched a cigarette between her fingers and sighed deeply. “You wouldn’t understand.”

She was mourning the state of her career.

Crew member: “I don’t. But Director, you don’t have to pretend a chocolate stick is a cigarette.”

The director hummed and tilted her head. “Want one?”

Crew member: “Couldn’t hurt.”

Tastes pretty sweet.

–

Su Yun and Jiang Zhi didn’t return to their room. Instead, they headed to the livestreaming space prepared by the production team and greeted the audience: “Hello, everyone in the livestream! It’s Q&A time now, feel free to ask us anything.”

They sat cross-legged in front of the large screen, casually scrolling through the barrage of comments. There was no stiffness, as if they were just chatting with friends.

[Ahhhhhhh, it feels like you’re so close to me! I’m already nervous!]

[Same! I had so many questions prepared, but now I don’t even know what to ask!]

Jiang Zhi chuckled softly at their comments. “No need to be nervous. We’ll answer whatever we can.”

Su Yun nodded in agreement. “Ask away, everyone.”

[I’m here! Jiang, do you have any upcoming projects? I’d love to see a new movie from you!]

Jiang Zhi: “Nothing’s confirmed yet, but my studio will share updates when there’s news.”

[Will you be appearing in more variety shows after this? I love watching you on them, it’s such a different vibe from your usual roles!]

“That’s still up in the air.” Jiang Zhi rarely participated in variety shows. “My focus will remain on films for now.”

[Su Yun, I’m working on advanced math and just proved that 1=2. Can you encourage me before I move on to problem 2?]

Su Yun read the comment aloud. “Is there a vending machine where you study?”

[Yes, yes! But what does that have to do with anything?] The commenter replied instantly.

Su Yun: “Go scan an ice-cold water bottle from the vending machine and hand it in with your homework. It won’t help, but at least it’ll cool your teacher down physically.”

Jiang Zhi: “…”

[HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! That’s so you!]

[Sis, you and Su Yun are both geniuses! One chills the teacher’s heart, the other chills their body!]

[“I really didn’t expect this segment to be so hilarious, hahaha!!”]

After addressing that issue, Su Yun turned to the next comment: [“Su Yun, I feel so exhausted by this long-distance relationship, one of us is in Haicheng, and the other is who-knows-where. Can you comfort me a little?”]

Su Yun: “I feel a bit sorry for you. Maybe you should turn off the lights tonight and take a look at your bedside you might find an extra person there?”

[I’m dying of laughter! Talk about fighting poison with poison!]

[Scaredy-cats hearing this have already decided to sleep with the lights on tonight!]

[Hahahahaha, Su Yun, you really know how to ‘comfort’ someone!]

[I’m the one who asked the question. I feel comforted at least I won’t be thinking about this issue tonight!]

Having successfully helped a netizen resolve their worries, Su Yun moved on to the next comment: [“I just broke up with my girlfriend, and now I don’t believe in pure love anymore. How do I move on?”]

This was a more serious question, unlike the previous two joke-filled ones, so Su Yun couldn’t answer it flippantly.

After thinking for a moment, she said, “If you don’t believe in pure love anymore, maybe you can believe in pure gold, it won’t betray you.”

[I thought Su Yun was going to launch into some deep emotional guidance and life philosophy, but instead.]

[That makes sense. I’m changing my motto to this today! Who needs pure love when you can have pure gold?]

The person who asked the question had only posted it on a whim, since friends and family had already tried to comfort her but the sadness in her heart was still very real.

Now, after hearing Su Yun’s response, she not only felt enlightened but perhaps a little too enlightened.

She couldn’t wait to channel her heartbreak into motivation, throwing herself into her career, she felt unstoppable now!

The show’s effect couldn’t simply be described as “good”, it was downright amazing!

After answering, Su Yun scratched her head and asked Jiang Zhi beside her, “Why do their questions all feel so unserious?”

Jiang Zhi: “Maybe it’s because you make them feel more at ease.”

The fact that Su Yun could effortlessly answer even the most bizarre questions from netizens pretty much explained it.

From then on, the comments were answered alternately by Su Yun and Jiang Zhi, and the line between serious and unserious became glaringly obvious.

Jiang Zhi’s side was all about work and fans urging her to take care of her health polite and considerate.

Meanwhile, Su Yun’s questions ranged from life advice to relationship issues and love troubles, making her feel like she was hosting a public service program.

–

After the Q&A ended, Su Yun returned to her room and saw Jiang Zhi putting away the little pig figurine Ye Zhu had given her that morning.

Before she could look away, a paper-cut keychain appeared in front of her.

“Wait, isn’t this the one I saw at the mall this morning?” Su Yun took it and examined it closely, confirming it was indeed the one she’d picked up earlier.

The little fox inside was so adorable she remembered it clearly, but due to the mission, she’d had to reluctantly leave it behind.

Jiang Zhi nodded. “I asked the cameraman to buy it for me. It’s for you.”

She had noticed Su Yun liked it, so just before they left the mall, she sent a message to the cameraman, asking him to purchase it for her.

Since it was a personal request unrelated to the mission, she hadn’t mentioned it during the task.

After hearing the explanation, Su Yun felt that the keychain in her hand had become much more precious. She looked up at Jiang Zhi with teary eyes and said, “You’re just too kind! I’m so moved I could cry! Is this the feeling of pure love?”

Jiang Zhi: “Don’t exaggerate.”

She felt Su Yun’s over-the-top acting was giving her goosebumps.

Su Yun wiped her eyes, fully committed to the act, and retorted, “This isn’t exaggeration at all, it’s genuine emotion.”

After saying that, she replaced her original keychain with the new one, her every movement and word brimming with sincerity.

Even though Jiang Zhi hadn’t given it much thought when she bought the keychain, a flicker of joy rose in her heart now. “As long as you like it.”

“Of course I like it! I’d love anything you give me, Actress Jiang!”

Su Yun’s eyes were clear and bright, completely unaware that there was anything odd about what she’d just said.

Jiang Zhi was always caught off guard by Su Yun’s bluntness. Her long lashes fluttered slightly as she murmured an “Mm,” then asked, “Do you like the keychain more, or the villa I gave you before?”

Upon hearing this, Su Yun suddenly recalled the question from the netizens earlier, it was as if Jiang Zhi was asking her whether she preferred pure love or pure gold.

Neither answer seemed appropriate.

From the bottom of her heart, Su Yun didn’t even need to think, the villa should unquestionably take priority over everything else.

Unless it was an even bigger villa.

But in a tiny corner of her heart, a faint voice whispered to her, “This is a gift from Actress Jiang herself. Herself, you know?”

And if she said she preferred the villa, wouldn’t that contradict her earlier declaration?

After weighing her options, Su Yun looked at Jiang Zhi and said, “If we’re comparing these two.”

Jiang Zhi wasn’t particularly invested in the answer she was just amused by Su Yun’s dilemma. Suppressing a smile, she waited for the response.

Su Yun gazed at Jiang Zhi with deep affection. “What I love most is definitely you, Actress Jiang.”

For the umpteenth time, she marveled at her own brilliance, this answer neatly sidestepped the dilemma while perfectly conveying her feelings!

“…” Jiang Zhi reached out and covered Su Yun’s “affectionate” eyes.

The blatant longing for the villa was practically shining through them.

–

While they were responding to the live stream comments, something else outside the broadcast had also captured the attention of many.

Qiao Miao was watching the live stream of Dear Them while eating when her phone suddenly vibrated with a notification someone had @’ed her.

【CarrotPorridge: Regarding the incident involving Su Yun and ‘QiaoQiaoQiaoQiaoQiao’ a few days ago, I’d like to apologize to them here and fulfill my promise.】

“CarrotPorridge” had also attached a photo, a durian inside a packaging box.

It took Qiao Miao a few seconds to remember who this was.

Qiao Miao asked her: 【QiaoQiaoQiaoQiaoQiao: Isn’t Su Yun pretty entertaining in the variety show?】

【CarrotPorridge: Love her! Let’s chat after the live stream! I need to fulfill my promise first.】

Since joining the show, Su Yun hadn’t had the chance to go online.

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