The Stand-in is Exceptionally Clingy [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 42

Chapter 42: The Film Empress and Her Little Assistant

◎Lust blinds reason.◎

It took some time, but Feng Qian finally felt her feet on solid ground. Her throat bobbed, and she continued to say her lines.

Although the scene would be edited, and the awkward pauses would be cut out, Ming Xuan’s tone and demeanor when she argued with Ming Yu still clearly lacked confidence.

After Director Wang called “cut,” he walked over to Feng Qian. “Ming Xuan is a two-faced person. She’s an expert in deceit and pretense. She wouldn’t even blink if her mother died in front of her, and she’d still be able to laugh and talk with her enemy.

“How could she get so flustered by just one test from Ming Yu?”

Feng Qian lowered her head and quickly apologized. “I’m sorry. Film Empress Lou’s aura is too strong… I really couldn’t react to that line.”

“Director, can’t we just dub it in post-production? I’ll definitely put in the effort.”

Director Wang sighed. “Forget it. Let’s take a half-hour break and film Scene 20 later.”

Feng Qian: “Thank you, Director Wang.”

Back in the lounge, Lou Bianxia took out her phone and saw a message from Yang Huishu from half an hour ago.

“Sister Lou, the new assistant I hired is on her way. Please try not to give her the cold shoulder. If you scare her off this time, there’s nothing I can do.”

A new assistant?

Lou Bianxia frowned, but just as she was about to ask, a familiar sharp pain flared up in her stomach.

A thin layer of sweat broke out on her pale face from the pain. She pressed a hand to her aching stomach and used the other to search for her stomach medicine in her bag.

At that moment, Feng Qian walked into the lounge with her script, holding it conspicuously.

“Sister Lou, we’re about to film Scene 20. I’m a little nervous. Can we run lines together beforehand?”

Lou Bianxia’s face was as cold as ice, and her back was tense. Her voice, however, was a little hoarse and weak from the pain.

“We can run lines outside later. It’s break time now, so please leave, Miss Feng.”

Feng Qian squeezed the script in her hand so tightly that veins popped out on the back of her hand. They had been filming for several months, yet Lou Bianxia’s attitude toward her was the same as when they started: indifferent.

No, it was even more hateful now.

She unwillingly sat down next to Lou Bianxia. “There are so many people from the crew outside. I’m afraid of embarrassing myself if I say my lines badly.”

“Let’s run lines here.”

She greedily traced Lou Bianxia’s cool, unattainable profile. A strong urge to pull this “flower on a high mountain” down from her pedestal surged within her.

Her gaze fell on Lou Bianxia’s tightly pressed lips. It was surprising that such indifferent and cold words usually came from those plump, beautiful lips.

A mysterious veil covered Lou Bianxia’s deep eyes. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, as if she were holding back something, like a butterfly fluttering its wings.

Her elegant posture was so beautiful that she looked like she had walked out of a vintage magazine, full of charm.

Unable to resist her wicked thoughts, Feng Qian reached out and grabbed Lou Bianxia’s arm, leaning slightly closer.

Normally, Lou Bianxia would have already shaken off Feng Qian’s arm and pushed her away, but the pain in her stomach made her feel weak, and her head was spinning.

She tried to struggle, but Feng Qian’s grip on her arm tightened.

The distance was so close that she could smell the perfume on Feng Qian. Lou Bianxia turned her face away in disgust. “Miss Feng, please respect yourself!”

Feng Qian ignored her, her eyes fixed on Lou Bianxia’s pale cheeks and tempting lips.

She had clearly noticed Lou Bianxia’s abnormal state.

Just as she was about to lean in, she suddenly felt a sharp, dull pain on her back, as if something had hit her.

The sound of metal clattering to the floor, accompanied by a cry of pain, echoed in the lounge.

The impact hit Feng Qian right on the bone, making her tremble in pain. Lou Bianxia seized the opportunity to pull her arm free.

A round, water-green stainless steel thermos lid rolled on the floor for a while, hit a table leg, and fell over.

Feng Qian turned her head to see a woman with a somewhat familiar face walking in, holding a thermos without a lid.

Jian Ke had thrown the lid with all her might. The spot on Feng Qian’s back that was hit was likely already bruised and would ache for the next two or three days.

She nonchalantly set the thermos of stomach-soothing chicken soup in front of Lou Bianxia and laid out a bowl and chopsticks, completely ignoring Feng Qian’s furious expression.

Lou Bianxia was surprised by Jian Ke’s appearance. “Why are you here?”

Jian Ke: “Sister Yang must have told you. I’m here to bring you a meal.”

Lou Bianxia frowned slightly. Just as she was about to speak, Feng Qian’s voice suddenly rang out.

“Who are you? How dare you hit me!” She walked up to Jian Ke, enraged, and raised her hand to slap her, but Jian Ke grabbed her wrist first.

The force on her wrist was a display of dominance, squeezing tightly. Jian Ke’s other hand took out her phone and held it in front of Feng Qian.

There were several photos on the screen, showing exactly what had just happened: Feng Qian grabbing Lou Bianxia’s arm, leaning in as if to kiss her, and Lou Bianxia’s clearly disgusted expression as she tried to resist.

The photos were very clear.

Jian Ke looked at Feng Qian with her bright eyes and said calmly, “If I post these photos, will Miss Feng become famous very quickly?”

Feng Qian sneered. “You don’t think these few photos prove anything, do you?”

Jian Ke blinked, her expression seemingly innocent and pure, but her words were like poisoned arrows, sending a shiver down Feng Qian’s spine. “It’s very simple. They represent sexual harassment. If we take them to the police station, Miss Feng can even visit the detention center.”

“Then you’ll have all the hype and attention you could ever want. Miss Feng will surely become a star tomorrow.”

The corners of Jian Ke’s mouth turned up. The fleeting, ruthless, and cold look in her eyes inexplicably reminded Feng Qian of Lou Bianxia—seductive and beautiful, but with a dangerous aura.

Feng Qian looked at the crystal-clear photos, gritting her teeth. “I… I really didn’t do anything…”

Jian Ke gave a faint smile, but her eyes were cold. “Yes, if you had really done anything, I wouldn’t have just hit you with that one thing.”

“I won’t delete these photos as long as you’re in the entertainment industry for one day,” Jian Ke said, releasing her hand and patting Feng Qian’s trembling shoulder with force. “So, don’t do things you’re not supposed to. Got it?”

Feng Qian was squeezing her palm so hard it was about to bleed, and her eyes were bloodshot.

Jian Ke pointed to the door. “Now, get out. Miss Feng wouldn’t want this to escalate and attract the attention of the entire crew, would you?”

Watching Feng Qian scurry away, Jian Ke let out a cold huff. She walked over to Lou Bianxia, knelt down, and placed her hand on Lou Bianxia’s pained stomach, gently massaging it.

“Jiejie, you have me now. No one can bully you.”

Lou Bianxia looked at her soft, downcast face, and a void opened in her heart.

“Sister Yang said you often have stomachaches. It’s not good for your health to always take medicine. I thought I’d make you something nourishing. Food is the best remedy.”

Her clean hands held a spoon and stirred it in the bowl. The fragrant chicken soup, accompanied by the sweetness of red dates, filled the air.

Lou Bianxia had always disliked oily, soupy food. The smell alone would make her stomach churn. But this chicken soup, with its light, savory scent, looked palatable.

But she really didn’t have an appetite.

The pain in her stomach had eased a lot after taking the medicine. Lou Bianxia silently put the bowl aside. “I’m much better now.”

Jian Ke glanced at the neglected chicken soup. “Why aren’t you drinking it, Jiejie? Do you dislike my cooking? You haven’t even tasted it.”

Lou Bianxia didn’t answer. She just asked, “Did Yang Huishu send you? Are you her new assistant?”

Jian Ke nodded obediently.

Lou Bianxia frowned and moved half an inch to the side. “You can go back now. I’ll tell Yang Huishu to find someone else.”

Jian Ke was stunned. “Jiejie, what do you mean?”

Lou Bianxia: “It means you didn’t pass the interview. I won’t have you as my assistant.”

Her words were light, but they left no room for negotiation.

Jian Ke felt a pang of annoyance. She had finally managed to get close to Lou Bianxia as her assistant, but the other woman was telling her to leave without a second thought.

What went wrong? Did I leave a bad impression on Lou Bianxia by being too reckless that day?

“If you’re going to replace me, at least give me a reason. Why can’t I be your assistant?”

Jian Ke bit her lip stubbornly, glaring at Lou Bianxia. But her reddened, wet eyes made her look like she had been bullied.

Lou Bianxia felt a headache coming on, and her words became a bit harsher. “What reason do you need? Since you’re my assistant, whether you stay or not is for me to decide.”

Her voice was as clear as a stone hitting jade, and as cold and ruthless as a swirling breeze.

The two stared at each other, neither willing to back down.

Lou Bianxia met Jian Ke’s familiar eyes and couldn’t help but look away.

Strong feelings surged again. She couldn’t tell if it was due to that lingering obsession or something else…

A brief moment of infatuation could easily make a person lose their mind, leading to an uncontrollable situation.

She couldn’t face Jian Ke’s affection.

“But Jiejie,” Jian Ke said, completely unafraid of Lou Bianxia’s cold words. “I already signed the contract with Sister Yang. It’s a one-month trial period. At least for this month, I am your assistant.”

Lou Bianxia’s expression froze. She had clearly not expected Yang Huishu to act so quickly, which was uncharacteristic of her cautious nature.

Was she worried that Jian Ke would change her mind and run away?

Lou Bianxia: … She really knows how to find a “surprise.”

“And you don’t have an assistant by your side, so many things are inconvenient… Just let me stay.”

Jian Ke’s last words were gentle, as if they held an endless charm, melodious and magnetic.

—She’s even more coquettish with me than she was with “Guan Xia.”

Lou Bianxia looked at her beautiful, soft profile. Her chaotic heartbeat was hard to calm down.

She had no choice but to nod. “It’s only for this period. If Yang Huishu finds a suitable person, you won’t need to follow me anymore.”

Jian Ke also backed down at the right time. “I understand, Sister Xia.”

“Ding! Detected that the host’s Phase One mission progress has reached 40%. Host, please continue to work hard.”

The system’s voice came in her mind at the right time.

From Yang Huishu passing her interview to signing the contract, the mission progress had already gone up by 10%. Now that Lou Bianxia had given her permission, it had shot up to 40%…

System 521 reminded her at the right time, “Congratulations, my dear, but please don’t let your guard down. You need to reach 60% for the phase mission to be considered a pass.”

“Even with the female lead’s favorability bonus, if the host is still driven away by the female lead after the one-month trial period, the mission will be considered a failure.”

Jian Ke: “I know. But at least for now, I’ve managed to stay.”

“In one month, I will definitely make Lou Bianxia keep me by her side.”

Because of the progress of the mission, Jian Ke’s eyes curved into a smile, her bright apricot eyes filled with a gentle warmth, but also with the slyness of a successful schemer.

She really doesn’t hide it at all…

Lou Bianxia raised her eyebrows, about to set some rules for Jian Ke.

But then, Jian Ke suddenly reached out. Her slightly cool fingertips brushed against her neck.

Like a feather stroking her skin, the tingling sensation made her expression flustered. She shed her cold facade. “Don’t touch me so casually.”

Jian Ke saw Lou Bianxia’s sensitive red earlobe and felt a sense of daze.

She thought she knew why Feng Qian couldn’t resist wanting to kiss Lou Bianxia.

The black qipao was embroidered with blooming white lotus flowers. From this angle, she could see Lou Bianxia’s beautiful, slender swan neck. The buttons at the collar were undone, revealing her fair, radiant skin.

Being so close, a cold, captivating fragrance wafted into her nostrils.

The curve of her chest was full and round. The embroidered lotus flowers seemed to come to life, growing thorns and stems, clinging to her elegant body, twisting and coiling like a parasite.

Lust blinds reason, that’s all there was to it.

Jian Ke’s heart fluttered. She only came back to her senses when Lou Bianxia’s hand grabbed hers.

But she didn’t pull her hand back. Instead, she spoke innocently.

“Jiejie, the buttons on your clothes are undone. I just… wanted to help you button them…”

She was completely innocent and open. There was no lust in her eyes, only professionalism.

Lou Bianxia’s body stiffened. She turned her head to look in the mirror and, sure enough, saw that the pearl button in the middle of her neck was undone.

Her previous shyness turned into embarrassment. The redness on her ears spread directly to her neck.

To hide her awkwardness, she quickly let go of Jian Ke’s hand and buttoned it herself.

Right now, Lou Bianxia doesn’t know that Jian Ke likes her, so my reaction just now was a little over the top.

A thought flashed through Jian Ke’s mind, familiar but elusive, and it vanished quickly.

Feeling a strange sensation, Jian Ke moved the chicken soup in front of Lou Bianxia. “Jiejie, I put a lot of effort into this chicken soup. You can’t not eat it.”

“I’m not hungry. I don’t want to eat.”

…She was completely apathetic and unpersuaded.

Who would have thought that the cold and indifferent Film Empress Lou would need to be coaxed to eat?

Jian Ke looked down as if she was disappointed and said dejectedly, “But this… I made it especially for you, Jiejie. It took a lot of effort.”

“If you’re not satisfied, then I’ll make it again.”

As she spoke, she reached for the thermos on the table.

“Fine, I’ll drink it.”

Lou Bianxia picked up the spoon again. She had been curious how the pampered eldest daughter of the Jian family, who had never stepped into a kitchen, could even make chicken soup.

It turns out she specifically learned…

Meeting Jian Ke’s hopeful gaze, she couldn’t bear to reject the child’s kind gesture.

Jian Ke: “I knew it. Sister Xia may seem cold, but she has a heart of gold.”

Lou Bianxia shot her a glance. “You don’t have to say things you don’t mean.”

Jian Ke pouted. “Oh.”

The taste of the chicken soup made Lou Bianxia frown. She stirred the soup with her spoon, took another sip, and gave a blunt review. “The seasoning ratio is wrong.”

Jian Ke paused, a little embarrassed. She rubbed the tip of her nose. “…Is it wrong? Is it really bad? But when I tasted it before… I thought it was pretty good.”

Her voice became softer, and she was trying to hide her guilt.

The original owner was a pampered eldest daughter who had never been in a kitchen, so she naturally didn’t have the advanced skill of making chicken soup.

In a hurry, she didn’t have time to look up professional recipes online. She just cooked it based on a vague memory in her head.

The seasoning ratios were all based on intuition and feel. It was as if she had seen someone do it before, and she just copied it.

She had a good feeling about the taste and even thought she had a talent for cooking.

She didn’t expect Lou Bianxia to expose her with a single sentence.

Lou Bianxia took a few more sips and picked up her chopsticks. “Even though the ratio is wrong, it actually tastes pretty good. It’s not greasy.”

“—Ding! The female lead’s favorability is rising…”

Jian Ke’s bright eyes twinkled as she smiled, like they were filled with fragmented warm light.

This is the first step towards success!

As she was thinking about how to continue raising Lou Bianxia’s favorability, Lou Bianxia suddenly spoke.

“Can I see those photos from earlier?”

Jian Ke knew she was talking about the photos she used to threaten Feng Qian. She silently handed her phone over.

Lou Bianxia calmly scrolled through the photos, then handed the phone back to Jian Ke.

“These photos don’t prove anything. Feng Qian can completely claim we’re making a big deal out of nothing.”

“So all that talk about going to the detention center was you lying to her?”

Jian Ke scratched her face and admitted it decisively. “Yeah, I was lying to her. Why should I be nice to someone who does bad things? The fact that she was so easily bluffed shows she has a guilty conscience.”

Lou Bianxia shook her head. “When she realizes what happened, she’ll definitely cause you trouble.”

They were both in the same crew, so they’d be seeing each other often. People like that were used to making little moves.

But Jian Ke didn’t care. Feng Qian was going to become a villainess after being rejected, so clashing with her was bound to happen sooner or later.

“I’m not afraid of her.”

Lou Bianxia took a tissue and wiped her mouth, knowing that the child would not let anyone take advantage of her.

“If trouble comes looking for you, you kick it out. You’re my assistant. Even if something happens, I’ll take care of it.”

Jian Ke’s eyes narrowed into a smile. “Jiejie, are you saying you’ll back me up?”

Lou Bianxia’s face was stern, but she was stubborn. “You’re my assistant now. It’s only right.”

During the afternoon filming, Feng Qian’s state was indeed off. Looking at Jian Ke, who was following Lou Bianxia in and out like a little shadow, her eyes were filled with undisguised rage and frustration.

After asking her manager, Feng Qian found out that the whole thing about sexual harassment and going to the detention center was all made up by Jian Ke.

She had just been so guilty that she was bluffed by Jian Ke’s pretentious act.

This matter would definitely not end here.

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