The Stand-in is Exceptionally Clingy [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: The CEO and Her Canary

◎Give It a Try◎

Half a month into filming, the crew had to relocate from the small town to a film studio due to a typhoon. Inside a cramped hotel room, a woman leaned against the corner of a sofa, sitting on the floor. Her listless eyes drifted towards the window, and she spat out a curse, “Damn, it’s raining again.” She was hugging a beer bottle, her pale skin flushed with the tell-tale sign of alcohol, yet her face was especially pale and decadent. She wore a loose t-shirt, its collar pulled down, revealing prominent collarbones. She rubbed her messy hair and fumbled around on the floor beside her for a while before finding a bottle opener.

The cap flipped off and fell to the floor. The bubbling sound of the beer, and the foamy liquid dripped down the bottle onto her pant leg. Li Zhi seemed to be completely drunk, silently staring at the mold-stained ceiling. This was Li Zhi right after she had “escaped” to the town, before she met Ning Xuan. She was desolate and lost, hiding in the hotel like a tiny mouse that never saw the light of day, pretending to be optimistic and telling everyone she was going on a long trip. In reality, she was hiding away, tormenting herself and giving up on life. Her soul had been stripped away, wandering aimlessly, but her heavy, cumbersome body was hanging by a thread, pulling her back to the fragile, crumbling edge. Numb and empty, she was only living in a drunken stupor.

Perhaps it was the overwhelming sense of despair Jian Ke was emitting at that moment, but the camera zoomed in and lingered on her face for a long time. It wasn’t until the director shouted, “Cut—” that Jian Ke scratched her head, closed her eyes to process the emotions, then lifted the corners of her lips and stood up.

The others were still immersed in the despair they had just felt. Seeing Jian Ke’s smile so abruptly was like watching a desolate cliff give birth to new life. After the withered leaves were buried, new buds and greenery sprouted again. The stark contrast showed two completely different states: falling into a low point and getting back on one’s feet.

The feeling of acting seemed to be addictive. To play a role was to take on all of its emotions and experiences, including the intense flair and emotional release.

After work that day, Jian Ke had planned to go back to Jingxiu Garden. She had been so busy with work and filming lately that she had put her mission to win over the female lead on the back burner. But Shen Zhi stopped her, saying she wanted to treat her to dinner.

A sneak peek of Sea of Fog was posted online by the official Weibo account to test the waters. Unexpectedly, the comments were overwhelmingly positive, and it even occupied the trending search list for several days. A show with two beautiful female leads was rare in the market, especially a yuri-themed one with clear positioning. Jian Ke’s follower count, after a previous cameo as a junior disciple, saw another small surge. The “Jian Zhi” (剪枝) CP also suddenly appeared. The production team took the opportunity to release some “full of yuri vibes” behind-the-scenes clips to market the “sisterly affection” between Jian Ke and Shen Zhi.

Jian Ke assumed Shen Zhi’s invitation was for a simple meal and some social media interaction. She didn’t expect Shen Zhi to take her to a bar.

Jian Ke stood at the door with a blank expression. “I can’t drink.” The drinking scene she filmed today relied entirely on her acting and the makeup artist. She had only taken a few sips in front of the camera; it looked intense, but none of it actually went down her throat.

Shen Zhi shrugged. “I know. That’s why I brought you here.” She said it with a righteous air. “You’ll naturally learn how to drink if you keep at it. I’m just helping you understand your character.”

As soon as they sat at the bar, Shen Zhi expertly ordered two cocktails. Jian Ke insisted on a low-alcohol drink, but Shen Zhi patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, I ordered you a Long Island Iced Tea. It’s just iced coke with sugar, not much alcohol.” The liquid had a faint bitter smell, but it tasted sweet. Ice cubes clinked against the bubbling water, and the sour scent of lemon wafted from their mouths. The fumes of the alcohol seemed to be suppressed; it wasn’t spicy or strong, and the taste was just right.

Shen Zhi took her drink to the dance floor. She seemed to be a regular at this bar, and many people greeted her as she passed. Jian Ke unknowingly sipped through her straw. The ice cubes in the glass slowly melted. As she drank more, the taste of alcohol seemed to get stronger, and she felt the flashing lights of the disco ball were making things a bit blurry.

Shen Zhi came back after dancing to a few songs, with a tall, sexy woman behind her. The woman had exquisite, beautiful smoky eye makeup, wore a leather jacket, and a miniskirt that showed off her long, straight legs. “Shen Zhi, is this the beautiful woman you were talking about?” The woman’s hand rested on Jian Ke’s shoulder.

Because the woman’s face was too close, Jian Ke frowned and pushed her away, looking displeased. “She’s quite fierce.”

Shen Zhi: “Ji Chen, don’t provoke her. She’s taken.”

“Jian-laoshi,” Shen Zhi called out to Jian Ke, who looked a bit dazed with a vacant expression. “You look a little drunk. Should I call that beautiful assistant of yours to come pick you up?”

Jian Ke’s cheeks were flushed with an unnatural redness. The whole world was swaying, but she heard Shen Zhi’s words clearly. “She’s… not my assistant.”

Shen Zhi’s arms were crossed, her face showing a “I knew it” expression. “Then call your lover to come pick you up.”

“She’s not my lover, either… She has someone she likes. I don’t belong to her.” Jian Ke wagged a finger back and forth.

Shen Zhi was dumbfounded. “Huh? Then you two…”

Just as she was about to ask, the woman with the smoky eye makeup pulled her aside. She glanced at Jian Ke and whispered, “What else could it be? Friends with benefits, of course.”

Shen Zhi was stunned. Seeing how jealous the “little assistant” was before, she had assumed they were in a genuine relationship.

Ji Chen leaned on the bar, smiling charmingly, and breathed into Jian Ke’s ear. “Then, want to give it a try with a sister?”

Jian Ke’s hand, which was stirring her straw, stopped. She turned her face slightly, opening her moist, red “doe eyes” to look at Ji Chen, as if to confirm something.

Ji Chen: “Am I not pretty, sister?”

Jian Ke propped up her dizzy head with her hand and looked at her for a while. “You’re pretty.” She was indeed beautiful. The woman had a bold temperament, and even with the heavy makeup, it couldn’t hide her pretty face. But—

Ji Chen continued, “Then who’s prettier, me or that little assistant of yours?”

Jian Ke didn’t hesitate for a second. “She’s prettier.”

Ji Chen choked. “…”

Shen Zhi, on the side, was laughing uncontrollably and agreed. “That’s exactly right.”

Ji Chen rolled her eyes at her and continued to tempt Jian Ke. “There’s no harm in trying. Different people, different experiences.” It sounded quite tempting.

The 520 System became anxious. “Host! Hold on! You can’t cheat!”

Jian Ke felt speechless. “What are you thinking? Am I the kind of person who would be seduced by a beautiful woman?”

The 520 System mumbled, “Aren’t you? Every time the female lead flirts with you, you fall for it every time. You seem pretty happy about it.”

Jian Ke was flustered. “That’s not the same! That’s Lou Bianxia… The way she flirts is on a completely different level. Who could resist her?”

520: “Tsk tsk, you’re just lusting after her and making excuses…”

Jian Ke: “Besides, even if I wanted to, if Lou Bianxia found out, she would definitely break my legs. I’m not kidding.” Jian Ke waved her hand, rejecting Ji Chen. “Ahem, our private life is very harmonious. We don’t need a third person.”

Shen Zhi spread her hands. “Doesn’t she have someone she likes? When they get together, won’t you have to find someone else?”

“You can tell us what your standards are, and we’ll help you keep an eye out.”

Probably because the alcohol was getting to her head, Jian Ke lowered her head and actually started to think. “It’s easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go from luxury to frugality. If I want to find someone else, I should… find someone even more beautiful than her.” She felt her standard was well-reasoned. Her taste could only improve, not decline.

But as soon as she said that, a strange silence fell over the group. Jian Ke looked up in confusion and met Shen Zhi’s suddenly horrified expression.

“What’s with that look? It’s like you’ve seen a ghost.”

In the next second, she felt a hand clamp down on her right shoulder. A familiar voice sounded in her ear. “So, you’re already in such a hurry to find the next one?”

Support The Stand-in is Exceptionally Clingy [Quick Transmigration]