The Movie Queen's Beloved Crybaby Alpha - Chapter 71

Xu Youyou had simply caught a cold with fever. After receiving IV fluids, she was already feeling much better.

When this news reached them, everyone who had been worried breathed a sigh of relief.

They were currently having lunch. Having been running around all morning, they were exhausted and hungry, but upon hearing this news, their spirits lifted immediately.

“That’s great, Youyou’s fine.” Du Wenjun sighed in relief.

Ye Qinglan clearly felt the same. She nodded and turned off her phone, saying, “But they still won’t be able to participate in the remaining filming. Youyou needs to be observed overnight.”

“That’s fine too. Let Youyou get some proper rest,” Ning Yunshu said.

“Mm,” Ye Qinglan nodded in agreement.

After lunch, the group prepared to return to their rooms for some rest before rejoining the shoot later.

Meanwhile…

Wei Youning stayed by Xu Youyou’s side, watching as the now awake girl asked, “How are you feeling?”

“I’m completely fine. Just a little fever, some rest and I’ll be good as new.” Having regained her energy, Xu Youyou became lively again.

Wei Youning held her down. “Alright, alright, stay still. If it weren’t for President Xiao, you’d still be suffering right now.”

Xu Youyou stuck out her tongue playfully. Just then, there was a knock at the hospital room door. Turning their heads, they saw Xiao Wenjin entering with a food container. “Am I interrupting your sisterly bonding time?”

“Not at all,” Xu Youyou quickly replied. “Thank you, President Xiao.”

“Don’t mention it,” Xiao Wenjin smiled. “This is the least I could do. Anyway, enough of that, I brought some food. Would you like to eat something?”

“Sure, thank you for your trouble, President Xiao,” Wei Youning said with a smile.

“None of that formal talk,” Xiao Wenjin waved her hand dismissively as she set up the bedside table and laid out the food. The three of them had a simple meal together.

After eating, Xu Youyou began to feel drowsy again. Once she was settled to rest, Wei Youning and Xiao Wenjin left the room.

“Thank you for everything today, President Xiao,” Wei Youning said as they walked downstairs.

“It’s nothing. Youyou fell ill while at my place, of course I’d take responsibility,” Xiao Wenjin replied nonchalantly.

Wei Youning smiled. “Everything’s fine here now. If you’re busy, President Xiao, you can head back first. I can handle things here.”

Xiao Wenjin hesitated for a moment before looking at Wei Youning. “Let’s exchange contact information then. If Youyou needs any help later, you can reach out to me.”

Wei Youning didn’t refuse, simply smiling as she agreed, “Alright.”

After exchanging numbers, Wei Youning saw Xiao Wenjin off downstairs. Watching the car drive away, she then returned to the hospital room, where she found Xu Youyou wide awake and staring at her.

The intense gaze made Wei Youning uncomfortable. “What are you looking at me like that for?”

Xu Youyou grinned. “Nothing much. Just thinking President Xiao seems really reliable.”

Wei Youning shot her a glance. “What are you trying to say? Spit it out, none of this cryptic talk.”

Xu Youyou giggled. “Isn’t it about time? You’re already twenty-seven or twenty-eight and still single.”

Wei Youning flicked Xu Youyou’s forehead. “Stop imagining things. There’s no possibility there.”

“Tsk, fine.” Xu Youyou pouted, clearly dissatisfied with Wei Youning’s response.

Wei Youning didn’t bother arguing further, simply telling her to rest while she played with her phone nearby.

After the noon break, Ye Qinglan and Ning Yunshu arrived at the gathering point to find Xiao Wenjing already back, talking with the host.

“Xiao Wenjing,” Ye Qinglan called out.

Hearing her name, Xiao Wenjing turned and greeted with a smile, “Oh, you’re here.”

“Yes, you’re back. How are Sister Wei and Youyou doing?” Ye Qinglan asked.

“Nothing serious. They’ll be discharged tomorrow after observation,” Xiao Wenjing replied.

“That’s good,” Ye Qinglan sighed in relief.

As others arrived one after another, they all inquired about Wei Youning and Xu Youyou’s condition from Xiao Wenjing, only stopping after receiving positive responses. The situation left Xiao Wenjing both amused and exasperated.

The afternoon activities were simple milking cows and goats and ended after dinner in the evening. After some discussion, everyone packed up to visit Xu Youyou in the city first, planning to stay overnight before leaving.

Thus, when a large group wearing hats, sunglasses, and masks entered the hospital, they startled many people, even Wei Youning herself was taken aback by the spectacle.

“Wow, are you guys trying to make headlines tomorrow?” Wei Youning clicked her tongue.

“We just came to see you. We’ll leave soon,” Ye Qinglan said with a smile, removing her sunglasses.

Du Wenjun shrugged nearby, “I tried to persuade them that one representative would be enough, but everyone insisted on coming.”

Wei Youning found it both funny and frustrating, but mostly heartwarming.

Xu Youyou also smiled, “Thank you all for coming to see me.”

“You take good care of yourself and rest well. Be more careful next time, don’t catch a cold again,” Jiang Can said cheerfully.

“Got it, Sister Jiang. Don’t worry,” Xu Youyou replied with a grin.

After a few more words of advice, the group quickly left. Xiao Wenjing had already booked them a hotel for the night before their departure the next day.

Back home, Ye Qinglan and Ning Yunshu tidied up, watched some TV, and went to bed early. The next morning, Ye Qinglan received a call from Ke Ying.

“What’s up, Sister Ke?” Ye Qinglan asked.

“What do you mean ‘what’s up’? My big movie queen, have you almost forgotten your actual job?” Ke Ying retorted irritably.

“Of course not, don’t say that,” Ye Qinglan chuckled awkwardly.

“Enough joking. Come to the company today, there are some scripts for you to look at,” Ke Ying said.

“Okay,” Ye Qinglan agreed obediently, glancing at Ning Yunshu busy in the kitchen. “I’ll come after breakfast.”

“Fine,” Ke Ying replied before hanging up.

Ye Qinglan flopped onto the sofa, instantly turning boneless. Ning Yunshu walked out and couldn’t help laughing at the sight. “What’s wrong?”

“Sister Ke just called. Since the variety show only has one episode left, my schedule will normalize again, and it’s time to film. She wants me to pick scripts,” Ye Qinglan grumbled. “No, no, can’t slack off. I still need to win awards.” With that, she scrambled up energetically.

Ning Yunshu was amused. “Then come eat. I’ll drive you to the company afterward.”

“Okay~” Ye Qinglan responded sweetly.

Ning Yunshu’s heart fluttered at the words.

Ye Qinglan was clearly just teasing without any intention of taking responsibility, immediately turning her attention to breakfast. Ning Yunshu had no choice but to suppress her little thoughts for now.

After the meal, the two changed clothes and headed out. Ning Yunshu dropped Ye Qinglan off at her company before driving away, while Ye Qinglan made her way to Ke Ying’s office.

“Ke Jie,” Ye Qinglan greeted as she pushed the door open.

Ke Ying glanced up and gestured toward a stack of documents on her desk.

“Here, a pile of audition scripts for you to sift through at your leisure.”

Ye Qinglan couldn’t help but click her tongue in surprise. “Wow, am I really this popular now?”

Ke Ying rolled her eyes. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. These are just audition scripts. Even if you like one, passing the screen test is another matter. These are from top-tier directors and screenwriters, no less impressive than Xu Su.”

Ye Qinglan flipped through them and, just as Ke Ying had said, they were all from renowned directors. Some she’d even had the fortune of meeting at the recent auction. She hadn’t expected collaboration offers to come so quickly.

She understood that some were giving her a chance purely out of respect for Ning Yunshu, just like Xu Su had. But now, just as she had managed to impress Xu Su, she was determined to prove herself to the others as well.

She wanted everyone to know she wasn’t some delicate vine clinging to Ning Yunshu for support.

She carefully reviewed each script, occasionally discussing the concepts with Ke Ying and assessing whether they suited her. Her persona wasn’t that of an innocent ingénue, so Ke Ying vetoed some of the youthful romance films. Since both of her previous works had been modern films, after much deliberation, Ke Ying suggested she try out for a historical drama centered on a strong female lead navigating political intrigue.

The story followed a long-lost princess who, after being brought back to the palace, must survive the treacherous court, outmaneuver her rivals, and ultimately ascend the throne, leaving a legacy of wise governance for generations to come.

Ye Qinglan was intrigued. She had always been drawn to historical dramas, but they came with their own complexities not just in posture and dialogue, but in countless details that differed from modern productions.

Fortunately, she had plenty of time to prepare. She could even enroll in an etiquette class to brush up on the basics, ensuring she wouldn’t embarrass herself during the audition or unknowingly offend the directors.

When she shared her plan, Ke Ying was fully supportive and immediately set about arranging the classes for her so efficiently that Ye Qinglan barely had time to react before her entire schedule was mapped out.

Ye Qinglan’s lips twitched.

Well, Ke Ying was her boss. What she said went.

Once everything was settled, Ke Ying shooed her out. It was still early, and Ye Qinglan wasn’t keen on heading home just yet. After checking with Ning Yunshu and getting her approval, she decided to wait for her at the company instead.

When she arrived at the underground parking lot of Ning Yunshu’s company, Qin Yun was already waiting. Spotting the fully disguised Ye Qinglan, Qin Yun took a moment to recognize her before escorting her to the private elevator. They went straight to the floor where Ning Yunshu’s office was located, and only after Qin Yun confirmed no one was around did she lead Ye Qinglan inside.

The moment she saw her, Ning Yunshu swiftly rose from behind her desk and strode over.

“You’re here, Jiejie.”

“Mhm,” Ye Qinglan replied with a smile. Qin Yun, ever discreet, retreated and closed the office door behind her, leaving the two to enjoy their private time together.

Ye Qinglan removed his gear and let out a sigh of relief, saying, “That scared me to death. I was worried someone might bump into us.”

Ning Yunshu chuckled softly, “Don’t worry, no one will take photos and leak them.”

“Whether anyone takes photos is one thing, but whether I’m careful is another,” Ye Qinglan replied with a smile before planting a kiss on Ning Yunshu’s cheek.

“I hope next time someone takes a photo, it’ll be when I come to see you openly and without hiding.”

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