The Scandalous Actress Needs to Strive GL - Chapter 30

While reporting the daily work summary, Yu Baishu looked at the unsmiling Mu Qingchen, and silently counted 3-2-1 in her heart. Sure enough, she looked at her phone again.

Ever since the last time President Mu went to City B to visit Qiu Wan after getting drunk, she had been like this. During the routine summary before leaving work, she would often check her phone every few minutes, as if she was constantly waiting for a very important message.

The key was that no one else knew whether she received the message, because after the CEO looked at her phone, regardless of whether she replied, the expression on her face never changed.

Yu Baishu checked the time. It seemed that this was exactly when Qiu Wan’s variety show live broadcast ended. So, was the CEO waiting for a message from Miss Qiu?

After finishing her own work, Yu Baishu looked at Mu Qingchen, whose expression gradually became serious, and considerately did not leave immediately. This clearly meant that something out of the ordinary had happened. As a qualified CEO’s assistant, one should have this kind of foresight.

Sure enough, the CEO gave an instruction.

“Ask Manager Jin Wen to come over.”

“Yes.” Yu Baishu was puzzled. That’s it? Why call that woman Jin Wen? It seemed that since that night after drinking, the CEO and Jin Wen had become much closer, and their relationship was close to that of her as the assistant.

After Yu Baishu left the office, Mu Qingchen estimated the time, then looked at the message box with no new messages, and opened the replay of a certain variety show’s live broadcast.

She fast-forwarded to the scene with Qiu Wan. This was the last episode, and the invited amateur guest was an elderly man skilled in calligraphy. Li He and Lai Su stood properly to the side, with only Qiu Wan and the elder sitting at a table, each holding a calligraphy brush.

The two seemed to be sparring in calligraphy, or perhaps cooperating on a piece. The camera first focused on the elder’s brush, and several magnificent characters leaped onto the paper.

Immediately after, the scene switched to Qiu Wan. As the brush tip moved, a beautiful piece of slender gold-style calligraphy appeared before her eyes. Unlike the elder’s vigorous and powerful cursive script, her brushstrokes, though reserved, were sharp.

Lai Su, who was standing beside her, was the first to exclaim, “Oh my god, Qiu Wan, your handwriting is so beautiful.” She looked Qiu Wan up and down, as if confirming whether the person in front of her was the one she knew.

The elder on the side also walked over, looked at the work, and nodded in praise: “Excellent, your skill, young friend, is no less than mine.”

Qiu Wan put away her brush and ink, then humbly bowed to the elder. Unlike modern people, as the prime minister’s daughter, she had begun learning calligraphy at the age of three. To meet her mother’s requirements, although she couldn’t claim exceptional talent, she was proficient in the basics of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

Lai Su looked at the characters on the table, couldn’t help but lean in and link arms with Qiu Wan, saying, “I really love people who write beautifully and possess this calm temperament. Qiu Wan, you have no idea how charming you were just now while writing. I’m so in love with you.”

In the camera, Qiu Wan turned her head to look at the adoring Lai Su, reached out and touched her head, and replied with a smile, “As long as you put your heart into it and practice diligently, you can do it too in time.”

Then followed the guests’ individual long shots to bid farewell to the show and the audience. Mu Qingchen looked at Qiu Wan on the screen. Although she had already anticipated the content of the barrage earlier, she still couldn’t help but go back and open the comments.

/Ah, is this a confession?/

/Lock Lai Su and Qiu Wan together, I can’t get out./

/Oh my god, Qiu Wan’s smile is so doting./

/Honestly speaking, I think Qiu Wan looks at Lai Su like a little sister./

/No, this is not sisterhood, I don’t believe it, this is the feeling of being smitten./

/Qiu Wan, this woman is incredible, a walking female playboy, she can charm anyone anywhere./

Clap, the laptop was forcefully closed. The sound and the comments disappeared. Mu Qingchen looked at her phone, which still hadn’t lit up, feeling inexplicably annoyed.

Impossible, how could it be? Their contract hasn’t been terminated yet. It stipulates that neither party shall flirt with others or actively spread rumors outside.

But the contract also said that if one party meets someone they like, or has a relationship with a third person, the contract is automatically terminated. So what is the point of this contract?

Mu Qingchen frowned. As a businesswoman, she only signed contracts that were beneficial to herself. This time, she miscalculated because the other party did not actively ask for benefits, and she foolishly did not fight for any either.

Now she wished she could change the content to: neither party shall like anyone other than each other.

At this moment, a knock sounded on the door. After receiving permission, Jin Wen pushed the door open and entered: “President, you asked for me.”

“Sit.” Mu Qingchen calmed her emotions, her face was already unruffled. She glanced at her phone and sighed softly, then asked, “Qiu Wan’s variety show should have finished recording today. Has she contacted you?”

Jin Wen nodded, getting some clue about the conversation. It seemed like a person troubled by love, and she was here to be an emotional counselor: “Yes, she said that after today’s wrap-up party, she will rest one night and rush back to Xicheng tomorrow.”

So she did contact someone, Mu Qingchen felt a pang of jealousy. She didn’t know what to say. She lightly tapped the desktop, picked up her phone, looked at the unmoving message box, and remained silent for a long time.

Jin Wen: “…”

It seemed she not only had to be an emotional counselor but also an active interrogator, because this “student” seemed to be an overly reserved person in matters of love.

She collected her thoughts and said, “I am a few years older than you. If the President doesn’t mind, if there are any problems between you and Qiu Wan, you can share them. After all, two heads are better than one. Maybe I can give you some useful advice.”

Mu Qingchen’s gaze shifted from her phone to Jin Wen, as if hesitating whether to share her problems. After a moment, she seemed to concede, putting down her phone and slowly opening her mouth: “Since returning from the set visit last time, she has sent me messages every day after finishing work. Not today.”

Although the content was mostly innocuous greetings or brief statements, such as “I’ve finished work,” “The moonlight is lovely tonight,” “Dinner was plentiful,” “I like to hide away and drink alone,” and so on.

Her replies were even simpler: “Mm,” “Can’t see the moon here,” “Haven’t eaten dinner yet,” “Drink a little if you like.”

But in the process of such communication, Mu Qingchen still felt an unprecedented novelty and pleasure. Waiting for Qiu Wan’s message also became a habit before leaving work every day. It seemed that only when she received the other party’s message was the day complete, otherwise, something felt missing, just like now, making her restless.

Jin Wen felt a momentary amusement in her heart. She thought something major had happened between the two of them, but it turned out to be just a lack of a message. She straightened her expression and said, “Perhaps the wrap-up party was too busy today, and she temporarily forgot.”

“She contacted you,” Mu Qingchen quickly retorted, a hint of sharpness in her eyes.

Jin Wen: Well, this was a student who was good at negotiation and throwing the question back. She couldn’t help but smile: “President, why must you passively wait for the other party’s message? You can proactively contact Qiu Wan. You should know that in a relationship, the person who takes the initiative most craves the other party’s response, or rather, is happiest when the other party also takes the initiative. Otherwise, being proactive for too long can be exhausting.”

“Is being proactive because of liking someone?” Mu Qingchen recalled her own psychological feelings during this period and the answers she had searched for online. Was Qiu Wan being proactive? Did that woman like her? And what about herself? Did she like the other party too?

The topic changed too quickly, and Jin Wen paused before asking with uncertainty, “Have you two not yet confirmed each other’s feelings?”

As soon as the words fell, she saw their President Mu’s face grow colder, with no intention of speaking. It seemed it was true. Jin Wen suddenly felt a little speechless. She thought the two of them were already intimate, but she didn’t expect them to have not even clearly articulated their feelings after all this time.

What should an excellent emotional counselor do when encountering such a problem? Of course, help the student accurately and quickly solve the problem. She thought for a moment and then asked, “When you like someone, you always feel that the time spent together is too short, and you want to be alone with them, to stay a little longer. You regret not meeting them earlier, missing so much good time.

You feel happy because of their closeness, and sad because of their distance. You want to share the beautiful scenery you see with them. When you eat a delicious meal, you think to yourself that you must bring them here next time to try it. When you buy a favorite item, you can’t help but buy one for them too…”

Towards the end, both fell into contemplation, each lost in their own thoughts. Only when the phone screen lit up did Mu Qingchen come back to her senses: “Thank you, I understand.”

After Jin Wen left, she picked up her phone and looked at the message.

Qiu Wan: The wrap-up party is over. I’ll head back first thing tomorrow morning, should arrive around noon.

Mu Qingchen’s fingers tapped the screen a few times, preparing to reply with a simple: Okay.

But remembering Jin Wen’s words just now, being proactive for too long can be exhausting, and one is happy when the other party also takes the initiative. So, did their situation apply? Was Qiu Wan being proactive now? Could she also try to be less passive?

She deleted the typed words, then directly clicked the voice call button. The moment it connected, she couldn’t help but curve her lips, and even her tone was much softer than usual: “What time will you arrive in Xicheng? I’m not busy tomorrow, I’ll pick you up at the airport.”

“Okay,” Qiu Wan was slightly surprised, but then couldn’t help but curve her lips. Although it was just a short sentence, it made her feel that something was quietly changing between them, and this change was exactly what she had been looking forward to.

Perhaps because of the alcohol, the other party’s voice had a hint of hoarseness, but the distinctly cheerful tone could not hide the owner’s happiness.

Mu Qingchen also chuckled silently on her end. It turned out she really felt happy. She felt very happy because of the other party’s response and closeness. She looked at the phone screen, and the impulse in her heart made her want to honestly say I miss you, but the words turned into: “Get some rest early. See you tomorrow.”