The Film Queen Is Cold and Ruthless, Only Sends Money - Chapter 32.2

After finalizing the arrangement, Su Yun hung up the phone and noticed a newly popped-up message box.

[Zhao Yiqing: Is the show over?]

[Zhao Yiqing: Where are you? Want to grab a meal together?]

[Zhao Yiqing: You there? You there?]

[Zhao Yiqing: Still sleeping? Get up already! The sun’s scorching your butt!]

[Zhao Yiqing: No way, are you with Jiang Zhi right now? Don’t tell me! Don’t tell me!]

In less than a second after reading the messages, Zhao Yiqing had already bombarded her with so many.

Su Yun tried typing in the chat box, but with the constant flood of questions, she could practically hear Zhao Yiqing’s chattering voice even though they weren’t together.

[Su Yun: I’m still at home, heading to the company soon.]

[Su Yun: Why are you looking for me so early?]

Zhao Yiqing had been watching the live broadcast of Dear Them and knew Su Yun had returned from Herong County the night before.

But she had been filming a night scene and only finished in the morning, which was why she had just gotten around to messaging.

When she saw Su Yun’s reply, her brows furrowed slightly.

[Zhao Yiqing: Why are you so cold?]

[Zhao Yiqing: Are you really Su Yun? Doesn’t seem like it!]

[Zhao Yiqing: No way! Are you Jiang Zhi? Was I just talking to Jiang Zhi?!]

Su Yun: “…”

The speed at which Zhao Yiqing sent messages left Su Yun in awe, just how many rhythm games had she played to type this fast?

Still, she couldn’t understand how Zhao Yiqing had suddenly jumped to the conclusion that Jiang Zhi was the one replying.

If it were Jiang Zhi, she probably would’ve blocked Zhao Yiqing by the second spam message.

[Su Yun: It’s me.]

[Su Yun: So what’s the matter?]

Reading the reply, Zhao Yiqing sighed her junior sister had clearly spent too much time with Jiang Zhi and wasn’t as cute as before.

[Zhao Yiqing: Perfect, I’m heading to the company today too. Let’s meet there!]

Su Yun paused for a moment, scrolling up to review their chat history.

There were plenty of messages, taking up quite a bit of space, but unfortunately, they had been talking past each other. She hadn’t responded to Zhao Yiqing’s rapid-fire questions, and the latter hadn’t clarified what she actually wanted.

So, after all that, they’d just been talking in circles!

[Su Yun: …]

Zhao Yiqing was about to lock her screen and head to the company when she saw Su Yun’s ellipsis. Curious, she asked:

[Zhao Yiqing: What does the ellipsis mean?]

Could it be that Su Yun had something to say but was too shy to bring it up?

Almost instantly, Zhao Yiqing connected it to the topic she wanted to discuss with Su Yun today.

No! This was something best talked about in person Zhao Yiqing was too worried to handle it over text.

But before she could stop Su Yun from saying more, she saw the follow-up message.

[Su Yun: It doesn’t mean anything.]

[Su Yun: Just asking if you want bubble tea? I can grab you a cup on the way.]

At the mention of bubble tea, all of Zhao Yiqing’s hesitation and concerns vanished. Her eyes locked onto those two words, and nothing else mattered.

“Milk tea, hehe! How could she refuse that?

[Zhao Yiqing: Yes!]

By the time she arrived at the company, Su Yun first glanced around the parking lot.

She didn’t spot Zhao Yiqing’s car, so she headed upstairs to the office to look for her agent.

Hearing the knock on the door, Li Xinyi rose from the documents and walked over to sit by the sofa. “Come in, have a seat here. These are the feedback materials from the production team. You can take a look first.”

Su Yun had mostly worked on audio editing before. Even though she had professional knowledge in singing, this was her first time independently completing an entire song.

However, Su Yun wasn’t nervous. No matter what, her work would always be countless times better than the first draft.

With this mindset, she opened the feedback materials provided by the production team.

After reviewing them in detail, she realized the team seemed quite satisfied with her.

The changes needed weren’t due to her performance but rather adjustments made to the lyrics and composition themselves.

“So, I just need to re-record based on the latest version?” Su Yun asked.

“Right.” Li Xinyi was also surprised by this outcome. She had already prepared to contact an audio editor, never expecting to save that expense!

Since Li Xinyi had been the one liaising with the production team at the time Su Yun had been filming a variety show and wasn’t present Li Xinyi had specifically recorded some of the more important professional instructions to share with Su Yun now.

Once the two had thoroughly discussed the matter, Su Yun finally relaxed and asked her manager, “Shall we head to the recording studio now?”

The sooner she finished recording, the sooner she could go home!

The novel she had stayed up late reading last night was set to release its finale today!

It was only the thought of this that had gotten her out of bed in the morning.

“Not so fast.” Beneath the production team’s feedback materials were a few other documents Li Xinyi had just retrieved. “There’s something else here.”

But before she could finish, another knock sounded on her office door.

Su Yun, sitting closer to the door, stood up. “I’ll get it.”

As the handle turned, Zhao Yiqing’s head peeked in. Spotting Li Xinyi inside, she greeted cheerfully, “Hello, Sister Li!”

Since they were all part of the same company, even if they didn’t cross paths often, they were at least familiar with each other’s names and faces. Naturally, Zhao Yiqing and Li Xinyi recognized one another.

However, their relationship was merely acquaintances nothing deeper.

So when Li Xinyi saw Zhao Yiqing, she asked, “Is there something work-related?”

Zhao Yiqing immediately shook her head and pointed at Su Yun. “I’m here for her! Are you two busy? If so, I can come back later!”

Hearing this, Li Xinyi noticed Su Yun showed no surprise, which suggested the two had a good relationship.

They were both artists under the same agency, and Zhao Yiqing could even be considered something of a senior in the entertainment industry.

Li Xinyi was pleased to see Su Yun getting along with her. “We’ll be done in about five minutes. Would you like to wait here?”

Though Zhao Yiqing’s antics often left her assistant speechless earning her the nickname “Airhead” she understood basic etiquette and social cues better than most.

Su Yun and her manager were clearly discussing work in the office, so it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to stay and listen.

She waved her hand. “No need, I’ll wait outside!”

With that, she even thoughtfully closed the office door behind her and casually swiped the cup of bubble tea Su Yun had left nearby.

Su Yun: “…”

It seemed Zhao Yiqing was quite smart knowing not to come in and listen to the boring work discussions.

But bringing milk tea without a straw? Su Yun might need to reconsider whether “smart” was the right word to describe him.

–

After the brief interlude, Su Yun returned to her original spot. She hadn’t forgotten that when Zhao Yiqing knocked, her manager seemed to have something else to discuss.

Su Yun took the initiative to ask, “Aside from the theme song, is there any other work?”

As she finished speaking, she clasped her hands together in her heart, silently praying: Please, no more work!

Unfortunately, the manager’s next words were exactly what she didn’t want to hear.

Li Xinyi: “While you were on the show, quite a few collaborators called me. These are a few selected opportunities I’ve picked out, do you want to take a look now?”

From the prelude of Dear Them, Su Yun’s popularity had been steadily rising.

By the time the variety show’s live broadcast officially began, her charisma ensured that she or the show itself, trended almost daily.

The entertainment industry values talent, but it also keeps a close eye on an artist’s influence and buzz. Su Yun’s knack for trending was exactly what many production teams or program groups wanted.

In the past, due to Su Yun’s reputation, the opportunities Li Xinyi could secure were limited. Dear Them had only been possible because the show’s producers had considered Jiang Zhi’s involvement.

But two days after the show aired, Li Xinyi who usually had to actively reach out for opportunities received a call from a variety show asking if Su Yun could be invited as a guest for their next episode.

She didn’t hastily agree, nor did she outright refuse.

Just as she expected, after hanging up with the first show, calls from reality TV programs followed, then talk shows.

The phone barely stopped ringing, and her inbox was flooded with emails several times more than usual.

Only then did Li Xinyi truly feel that the artist she managed had gone viral.

In the past, some shows had outright rejected them, dismissing Su Yun’s name on the spot.

But now, the tables had turned, the power was entirely in their hands.

Su Yun was reluctant, but since Li Xinyi had carefully prepared the options, she took a look. However, she noticed a pattern: “These all seem to be variety show-related.”

Li Xinyi nodded. “There were also some TV and web drama offers, but they were either outdated idol dramas or illogical, dumbed-down plots, so I filtered them out.”

After all, Su Yun’s current popularity stemmed entirely from Dear Them, so naturally, variety shows were the first to come knocking.

Variety shows have shorter production and editing cycles, allowing them to capitalize on Su Yun’s current buzz as much as possible.

From the flood of offers, Li Xinyi had selected shows with solid reputations and high-quality content.

Su Yun took a deep breath and hesitated before asking, “Do I have to pick one of these shows?”

She had to admit, after filming Dear Them, Su Yun could already extrapolate what other variety shows would entail.

No matter what labels they slapped on them, as long as she was a guest, the tasks would be plentiful.

And that was exhausting.

“Not exactly, but these opportunities won’t do you any harm.” Upon hearing this, Li Xinyi naturally shook her head. “If you plan to pursue a career as an actor or singer, you should limit your variety show appearances.”

From the theme song, it was clear that Su Yun’s strength might lie in singing.

If she focused too much on variety shows, the popularity she gained would gradually be depleted, offering diminishing returns for her actual career.

Though Su Yun and Li Xinyi had different perspectives, the outcome they desired was the same.

Different paths, same destination!

So after Li Xinyi finished speaking, Su Yun gathered the resources and nodded in agreement. “I think you make a very good point, Sister Li. Let’s hold off on deciding about these variety shows until after we finish filming Dear Them.”

Who in the world would start discussing the next job before even finishing the current one?

Of course, she’d drag it out as long as possible.

Li Xinyi sensed something was off, but Su Yun did seem to be listening to her. “Then let’s discuss it after we record the next episode of the variety show?”

Su Yun immediately nodded. “Deal!”

Only after successfully dodging the issue did she let out a deep sigh of relief.

On her way to the company, Su Yun had bought three cups of milk tea, one for Zhao Yiqing, one for herself, and one for her manager.

So before leaving, she handed a cup to Li Xinyi. “Here, Sister Li, this one’s for you. Just bought it.”

At the mention of milk tea, Li Xinyi didn’t even dare to glance at it, resisting the temptation with all her might. “I just had some yesterday.”

Office workers always loved rewarding themselves. Li Xinyi had worked overtime yesterday, so of course she deserved a treat.

Su Yun deployed her usual persuasive tactics. “You had it yesterday, but not today. Don’t worry, I specifically asked for less sugar! One cup won’t hurt!”

With that, she placed the milk tea and straw on Li Xinyi’s desk and left the office.

Li Xinyi, who had been desperately avoiding looking at it, found her gaze drifting back to the milk tea on the desk because of Su Yun’s words.

If she didn’t drink it, wouldn’t it just go to waste?

Thirty seconds later.

Li Xinyi: “Delicious!”

–

When Su Yun emerged with the last cup of milk tea and two straws, she unsurprisingly found Zhao Yiqing waiting pitifully by the door.

Zhao Yiqing was holding the milk tea Su Yun had handed her earlier but couldn’t drink it without a straw.

Su Yun smiled and handed her the straw. “You left in such a hurry, how could you forget this?”

“I didn’t want to interrupt your work discussion!” Zhao Yiqing finally took her first sip of milk tea after getting the straw. “Actually, I could’ve just torn the seal and drunk it without a straw.”

Su Yun opened her own milk tea and clinked cups with Zhao Yiqing. “Then why didn’t you?”

Zhao Yiqing glanced around to make sure no one was nearby before whispering, “What if someone saw me tearing the seal and drinking milk tea? Wouldn’t that ruin your senior sister’s image?”

Hearing this, Su Yun’s smile widened. “Even if you drank it upside down, no one would dare say anything.”

Zhao Yiqing was now the company’s top star, no one would be tactless enough to laugh at her.

“They might not say it to my face, but they’d definitely gossip behind my back,” Zhao Yiqing said solemnly, her tone carrying the weight of worldly wisdom.

Su Yun was momentarily taken aback by her grave tone and asked earnestly, “What makes you say that?”

Zhao Yiqing: “It was a sunny Sunday.”

Su Yun: “Get to the point.”

She even suspected that Zhao Yiqing and Su Xue had learned storytelling from the same teacher.

“Fine.” Zhao Yiqing skipped all the atmospheric buildup and went straight to the heart of her story.

“At the time, I was still a rookie actress, and there was a scene where I had to ride a bicycle.”

Hearing this, Su Yun vaguely guessed where this was going: “Don’t tell me, you didn’t know how to ride a bike back then?”

“I really didn’t.” Zhao Yiqing coughed for a long while before mumbling out the words. “So the director told me to go practice on a side path while they filmed the others first.”

Su Yun didn’t interrupt, though the story itself was quite ordinary. But when she imagined it happening to Zhao Yiqing, everything suddenly became hilarious.

“That path was pretty secluded, so even though I was wobbling all over the place, it wasn’t too embarrassing.” Zhao Yiqing recalled the awkward scene and still wanted to curl up and disappear into the ground.

“But then a crew member happened to pass by, saw me struggling, and offered to teach me. They even held onto the back of the bike seat to steady me.”

They weren’t filming in a closed studio lot but on a university campus, where the students were very enthusiastic. After seeing me and the crew member, they also wanted to help.

“Somehow, more and more people started gathering around.”

Before long, a whole crowd surrounded Zhao Yiqing, taking turns to hold her bike seat and teach her how to steer.

The remaining students weren’t idle either they formed a circle and cheered her on.

Their voices were so loud and booming that they ended up causing a human traffic jam.

The whole scene was even filmed and posted online, including the part where she wobbled under the cheers before losing control and crashing into a flower bed.

The likes and reposts were staggering.

Truly humiliating both online and in real life.

When Zhao Yiqing saw it, she felt like she could just move to Mars and never come back.

People always say, “You don’t have that many spectators in life,” but the reality was half a million reposts.

Who knows what they were saying behind her back!

Su Yun bit down hard on her boba straw, but a couple of giggles still escaped.

She had already mentally recited the saddest things she could think of, but she just couldn’t hold it in!

Zhao Yiqing shot her a glare. “Is it that funny?”

“It really is pretty funny.” Su Yun couldn’t lie and say it wasn’t.

No wonder Zhao Yiqing was so careful about her public image now, if something like that had happened to her, she might’ve just moved to a new city.

Once she’d laughed enough, Su Yun changed the subject. “So, what was the message you sent me this morning about?”

It couldn’t have been just for her boba tea.

At this, Zhao Yiqing’s embarrassment faded somewhat. She set her drink aside, her expression turning serious so different from usual that the mood shifted instantly.

Zhao Yiqing: “There’s something very important I need to tell you.”

Su Yun: “…?”

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