The Stand-in is Exceptionally Clingy [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: The Film Empress and Her Little Assistant

◎”Ready to start anytime.”◎

The whirring of the hairdryer continued to fill the room. The two, one standing and one crouching, remained silent.

Stunned by the system’s use of the word “flirting,” Jian Ke’s mind wandered as she felt the soft, form-fitting fabric in her palm, thinking about the wealth gap between film crews. Just this qipao alone looked very expensive.

The damp qipao gradually dried. Jian Ke reached out and carefully ran her hand over Lou Bianxia’s clothes to check for any remaining wet spots.

Lou Bianxia raised an eyebrow and caught Jian Ke’s wandering hand. “It’s completely dry now. Thank you.”

Jian Ke smirked. “I’m the one who should be saying thank you. If you hadn’t carried me to shore, I’d probably still be crouching under that boat right now.”

“But, why did you suddenly decide to make a cameo?” she asked. And she was playing her role, no less.

“Director Jiang said not even the behind-the-scenes footage can be released.” For her first time acting, not having anything to remember it by was a bit of a disappointment for Jian Ke.

Lou Bianxia’s eyes moved slightly. “The original footage is still there.”

Jian Ke was startled. “Did you get it from the photographer?”

Lou Bianxia nodded, then fell silent.

“That footage…” Jian Ke tentatively reached out her hand. “Can I have it, Jiejie?”

Lou Bianxia lifted her eyelids and leaned back in her chair. “No.”

“I was the one who asked for it. Why should I give it to you?”

Jian Ke: ??

Female lead, you’re actually this kind of female lead?

She puffed out her cheeks in annoyance, then heard—

“—Ding! Detected a rise in the female lead’s favorability.”

Jian Ke: … Okay. As long as you’re happy.

I’m not upset. Not at all.

Just as they were talking, the lounge door was pushed open again.

“Sister Lou, I heard from others that Director Jiang forced you to make a cameo in her terrible drama just for a little filming time.”

The person who came in was wearing a light green qipao with a tasteful makeup look, but her demeanor seemed a little arrogant and overbearing.

Lou Bianxia: “Miss Feng, watch your words. It was my own decision.”

Miss Feng? Could she be Feng Qian?

A sense of crisis immediately rose in Jian Ke.

Feng Qian still seemed unhappy with Lou Bianxia’s words. She crossed her arms and walked over. “That Director Jiang is so unforgiving, even when she’s in the right. She has so much nerve. Sister Lou, you’re the film empress. How could they be worthy?”

As Feng Qian got closer, Jian Ke noticed that her qipao was also embroidered with golden auspicious cloud patterns, and the style of the knotted buttons was identical to Lou Bianxia’s.

A thick, black ponytail hung over her chest, and a necklace of jade and agate rested on her neck.

“If you ask me, Sister Lou, you shouldn’t go. The crew’s schedule is already packed, and running off to do a cameo is a thankless task. That small crew definitely can’t afford your salary.”

Lou Bianxia gave her a cold glance. “The matter is settled. Don’t go around gossiping.”

Meeting Lou Bianxia’s somber expression, the woman said awkwardly, “I’m just speaking out for you…”

Jian Ke, standing to the side, frowned. This Feng Qian was a minor antagonist in the original plot.

She played the second female lead in Jade Porcelain’s Fragrance—the female lead’s younger sister. She had the most scenes with Lou Bianxia, and through their daily interactions, she gradually fell for her.

But after her confession was rejected, she became a resentful villainess, causing all sorts of trouble for the female lead and even injuring Lou Bianxia during filming.

Jian Ke couldn’t stand this “if I can’t have it, I’ll destroy it” mentality. She rolled her eyes internally and moved closer to Lou Bianxia.

Because of this action, Feng Qian seemed to notice the third person in the room. Her narrow eyes squinted as she sized Jian Ke up.

That scrutinizing gaze made Jian Ke very uncomfortable, like she was being pricked with needles.

“Is this little girl Sister Lou’s assistant? She’s really pretty. I’d believe it if you told me she was a celebrity.” A hint of darkness flashed in Feng Qian’s eyes.

“But when you’re pretty, it’s easy to get restless and want to scheme for something else.”

“Little sister, you have to be clever about how you act.”

Jian Ke: …

Heh. She really does have the potential to become a villainess. She’s already picking on anyone next to Lou Bianxia.

Jian Ke asked System 521 speechlessly, “This is so random. Is she seeing everyone besides Lou Bianxia as a rival?”

System 521: “She’s jealous of your beauty. She thinks she’s not as good-looking as you, and she’s feeling threatened.”

“The makeup artist will be here soon. Please leave, Miss Feng. The noisy environment will affect Sister Xia’s state,” Jian Ke said, with no hint of politeness. Feng Qian looked at Lou Bianxia, who was sitting down, but the other woman showed no signs of blame.

“You’re just a little assistant…”

Jian Ke lifted her chin and gave a polite, fake smile. “An assistant should do her job well. Please leave. A noisy environment will affect Sister Xia’s concentration.”

Feng Qian: Sister Xia? So intimate?

Her gaze lingered between Jian Ke and Lou Bianxia. As if she had figured something out, she gritted her teeth in anger and turned to leave.

Seeing Feng Qian go, the heavy stone on Jian Ke’s chest did not fall. She gave Lou Bianxia a warning.

“That Miss Feng doesn’t look like a good person. You should stay away from her, Jiejie.”

Lou Bianxia: “Doesn’t look like a good person?”

Jian Ke: “Her eyes are full of ambition and scheming, and she wants to get close to you. Her motive is self-evident.”

Lou Bianxia lifted her eyes and swatted away the hand resting on her shoulder. “Then should I also stay away from you?”

Jian Ke: ?

“I… How can I be the same as her? She has ulterior motives, but I’m… I’m… We’re different.”

Seeing the child get so flustered that she started to stutter, a blush rose on her pale cheeks.

Lou Bianxia’s fingers curled slightly. She had thought Jian Ke was joking when she said she was going to pursue her.

She didn’t expect the child to actually appear in front of her.

What was that feeling like?

Because she had been so attached to her first love, she would unconsciously compare others to him, looking for similar eyes and features.

But the moment she saw Jian Ke today, she saw only Jian Ke, unique and one-of-a-kind.

The faint green stream had flowed far away, and its reflection was no longer visible.

Lou Bianxia cleared her throat. The unfamiliar feeling made her feel a little at a loss.

“Miss Jian, you should leave now.”

Having successfully made her presence known to the female lead and gaining a lot of favorability, Jian Ke felt that her mission for the day was more than accomplished.

“Okay, Sister Xia,” Jian Ke said, blinking. “I hope we have a chance to meet again.”

As soon as she walked out of District 4, Jian Ke saw a string of messages from her mother on her phone.

Her eyes widened: “…Guan Xia?!”

How did Guan Xia know I was at the film studio today? She even told my mom?!

Jian Ke pursed her lips: Is this revenge for me taking off her mask last time?

…She really holds a grudge.

…

Even though the studio had stopped recruiting for a personal assistant, Jian Ke still sent her resume to their email just in case.

She didn’t expect to actually receive an interview invitation three or four days later.

The location was Qingniao Entertainment, Lou Bianxia’s company.

She looked up at the 30-story building and walked in with determination.

She took the elevator up to the 25th floor. Before she could even get out, Jian Ke was startled by the bustling crowd in front of her.

The spacious performance hall was very noisy. Everyone was wearing various performance costumes, mumbling to themselves.

Different tones and voices rose and fell, some loud and high-pitched, others low and gentle. The mix of sounds gave Jian Ke the feeling that she had mistakenly walked into a construction site.

A staff member in a suit walked over and skillfully handed Jian Ke a number tag. “Are you here for an interview? Please take a number.”

Jian Ke looked down at the number tag—No. 358.

She immediately felt at a loss. It’s just an assistant interview? Do I need to perform a talent?

Jian Ke, who couldn’t sing or dance, was uncoordinated, and tone-deaf, suddenly had the urge to turn and run.

Someone else can take this assistant job.

System 521 advised, “My dear, how will you know if you don’t try? This is a rare interview opportunity, and who knows when the female lead will recruit for an assistant again.”

Jian Ke was on the verge of tears. “I think the possibility of me running to Lou Bianxia and begging her to hire me is greater than the possibility of me passing this interview.”

She turned to the staff member who had handed her the number tag. “Is it… okay if I don’t have a talent performance?”

The staff member was stunned. “If you don’t have a talent, why are you here for the open auditions?”

Jian Ke was confused. “Open auditions? Aren’t you looking for an assistant?”

“An assistant?” The person was stunned for a moment. “Did you come to the wrong place? This is the audition for ‘Rising Stars’.”

Open auditions?

Jian Ke: “I’m not here for the auditions. I’m here to interview for an assistant position. It said it was in Zone B on the 25th floor.”

Mentioning Zone B, the person looked at Jian Ke with a strange expression before pointing the way. “Go up the stairs over there, then turn left.”

Jian Ke thanked him and was about to leave when the person stopped her again. “You should consider debuting as an idol. We can talk about the details.”

“No need. I just want to be an assistant.”

The person looked at her with a complex expression. “Okay, but think about my offer after you come down. It’s okay if you can’t sing or dance. The company provides training until you get it right.”

Faced with his sympathetic gaze, Jian Ke was puzzled.

The situation in Zone B was very different from before. It was quiet and clean. She had to register with a security guard at the door and go through a security check.

Ten or so girls were sitting quietly in rows of chairs in the lobby. They didn’t react when Jian Ke walked in.

Their gazes were all focused on the closed room inside.

Jian Ke found a random seat and sat down. Just then, the door to the interview room was slammed open. A girl walked out with tears streaming down her face, cursing.

“Are they crazy? They’re hiring an assistant based on their nose?!”

The others heard this and uniformly pulled out their compact mirrors to look at their noses.

Jian Ke: …

System 521 sighed faintly. “It seems the female lead’s obsession with her ‘white moonlight’ is not an ordinary kind of deep…”

The atmosphere was incredibly eerie.

After a few more people had left, someone finally couldn’t stand the atmosphere and broke the silence. “What on earth are they interviewing for here?!”

“The film empress Lou’s personal assistant, of course. It’s just that the interview criteria are a bit strange. You’ll get used to it after you interview a few times,” someone answered from a corner.

From the sound of it, they seemed to have a lot of experience.

“The film empress Lou seems to hire for a personal assistant every two months, but the criteria are different every time. No one knows what they are.”

“This is my third time. The first time, I failed the ear test. The second time, I was passed over because my smile wasn’t pretty enough.”

“These reasons are too bizarre. What are the criteria, anyway?”

Jian Ke looked up at the ceiling in silence. What else could the criteria be?

She could almost imagine the interviewer holding a photo of Shu Yu and comparing everyone to it.

“I heard that the personal assistants around the film empress Lou don’t last long. The shortest lasted three days, and the longest lasted a month. They’re replaced so frequently. Do you think it’s because the film empress Lou has a bad temper?”

“I’m here precisely because the job doesn’t last long. I’d be willing to spend just three days with my idol.”

“Wake up. Once you become a celebrity’s assistant, all your idol-worship filters shatter. Have you forgotten when the film empress Lou directly scolded her assistant until she cried?”

“The film empress Lou is very beautiful, but you can only admire her from afar. That aura… it’s too cold. Just one look can kill a person. She’s so fierce that no one dares to speak. There have been several people who have been scared to tears.”

“But the salary is high. My friend was one of the people who was suddenly hired. She was Lou Bianxia’s assistant for half a month, and her salary was four or five times higher than other celebrities’… The work was easy, too, just cooking and doing odd jobs every day.”

“Later, she was fired for cooking too badly.”

On one side was a sky-high salary, and on the other was a hard-to-please, stoic boss.

If you enjoyed one part, you had to endure the other.

Jian Ke recalled Lou Bianxia from that day and felt that everyone’s evaluation of her was too one-sided.

Although Lou Bianxia seemed a bit cold, had a sharp tongue, and a fierce tone, she was generally quite approachable.

The interviews that followed were pretty much the same. One person was eliminated every three to five minutes. Finally, it was Jian Ke’s turn.

In the small room, there was only one interview table and two chairs.

When Jian Ke walked in, she saw that the only interviewer was dozing off, resting her head on her hand.

Jian Ke: …

She moved her chair, making a noise. The other person slowly lifted her eyelids and looked over.

Yang Huishu’s yawn stopped abruptly halfway through.

Only one thought was in her mind—

The resemblance. She’s so freaking similar!

For a few seconds, she thought the person in the photo, Shu Yu, had walked out.

But then, she saw the bright smile on Jian Ke’s lips, and she knew it wasn’t him.

Her clear, lively eyes were filled with fragmented light. The way she looked at people was like a gentle, warm wave, a captivating and bewitching charm.

Her long, narrow eyebrows were arched, giving her a unique air. Her eyes were long and thin, and the small, teardrop-shaped mole at the corner of her eye looked lively and soft.

If Shu Yu was a gentle and elegant piece of fine jade, then the girl in front of her was more like a lively, innocent little deer in the wild.

Even though their temperaments were completely different, their appearances were 70-80% similar.

Yang Huishu stared blankly, unable to tear her gaze away for a long time.

This was the person who looked most like Shu Yu she had found so far. Even Lou Bianxia probably couldn’t find anything wrong with her appearance.

But… a person with such an outstanding appearance coming to an entertainment company, not to become a celebrity, but to apply for a personal assistant position…

Yang Huishu: “What is your reason for applying for this job?”

Jian Ke gave a small smile. “I want to be closer to someone.”

There were countless cases of fans applying to become celebrity assistants, so Yang Huishu didn’t scrutinize Jian Ke’s words, thinking she was a fan of Lou Bianxia.

“An artist assistant’s job requires a high degree of confidentiality. You cannot leak the artist’s privacy or any personal schedule. We also need you to sign an additional confidentiality agreement. Can you do that?”

Jian Ke nodded.

Yang Huishu: “Then congratulations, Miss Jian. You’ve passed the interview. When can you start?”

I passed after just two questions?

Jian Ke looked at Yang Huishu and didn’t feel surprised at all.

This was about finding a stand-in. As long as she passed the appearance test, she passed the interview. There was no need to ask any more questions.

Jian Ke: “I’m ready to start anytime.”

Yang Huishu’s eyes rolled. “Film Empress Lou is currently at the Luzhu Film Studio. Do you have time to go there this afternoon?”

It would be the perfect surprise for Lou Bianxia.

This was exactly what Jian Ke wanted. Her smile was bright. “Of course I do.”

The two looked at each other and smiled, each with their own thoughts.

Meanwhile, on set, Lou Bianxia was sitting on a pear wood chair, her eyes fixed on the anxious Feng Qian sitting below her.

“Jiejie, that Sun Yi has demanded the ‘Lotus Cup’. If we don’t give it to him, he will lead his army to raid the entire Ming family. He has always been unreasonable, and he’s definitely not joking this time.”

Ming Xuan, the second daughter of the Ming family, looked anxiously at her elder sister, Ming Yu, who was sitting at the head of the table, still calm and composed.

Ming Yu held a teacup. Hearing this, her movements were still silent, not a single drop of hot tea spilled.

Her tone was unhurried. “Wait a little longer.”

“Wait for what?! The Lotus Cup is a family heirloom, but it’s not as important as the lives of our family members. Jiejie, don’t make the wrong choice now!”

Those words were a bit harsh.

Ming Yu’s eyes swept over her, carrying the unique authority of a person in a high position. Ming Xuan subconsciously shrank her neck in fear.

“Sun Yi has been looting for wealth everywhere recently. In the past few days, he has also suddenly prepared military rations and horses. He definitely plans to flee to the west.”

“This means General Zhang’s army is about to arrive. I am an old acquaintance of Zhang Ling. Sun Yi knows this, which is why he only dares to threaten us openly, not force us.”

Ming Xuan: “So that’s how it is…”

“And you.” Lou Bianxia suddenly stood up from her chair, her eyes sparkling. The black qipao made her look even more steady and self-possessed.

“In the past few days, you’ve been lobbying the family elders and causing discord within the family. And now you’re advising me to hand over the Lotus Cup…”

“I’m asking you, have you already sided with Sun Yi?!”

Her face, as smooth as jade, grew colder. That one sentence shook the room like a great bell, each word hitting people’s hearts and leaving no room for plots or schemes to hide.

The entire room suddenly fell silent. The atmosphere was filled with the urgency of a stretched bowstring about to snap.

Feng Qian was sitting in her seat, but she felt a sense of oppression pressing down on her spine, making her freeze in fear. She couldn’t even utter a single word of rebuttal.

Lou Bianxia’s acting aura was too strong. Even if other film empresses or film emperors were present, they might not be able to overwhelm her.

But in the past few days, this feeling of being completely overshadowed by her acting was especially noticeable.

It was deliberate. It was a warning. It was a reprimand.

So Lou Bianxia is getting revenge for that little assistant I bullied the other day?

I only casually scolded her twice. Why?

Could it be that they really are in that kind of relationship?

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