We Are Filthy, Born From Mud - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Yes, They Are Hostile to the Rich

“We are just one person…”

“Yougu, are you home?” A gentle female voice came from outside the door.

Ms. Liao? Zong Liangu thought carefully, but there seemed to be no such person in her original world.

She suddenly remembered Hu Yinghua’s words: before she got out of the car, Hu Yinghua instructed her that the detailed work arrangements would be communicated by Ms. Liao.

It seemed that Ms. Liao was likely a manager or agent.

She still felt a little strange, but there was no time for deep contemplation.

She silently opened the door.

Zong Liangu raised an eyebrow in surprise. The person in front of her was much younger than she expected.

The person was probably about the same age as her, with naturally curly hair casually draped over her shoulders.

“Yougu, you’re finally back! Do you know how much I missed you these two days you were filming!”

As soon as the door opened, Ms. Liao jumped and clung to Zong Liangu.

Zong Liangu genuinely disliked being touched, so she pushed her away strongly. However, worried about revealing her difference, she was momentarily in a dilemma.

“Mm, I’m back,” Zong Liangu squinted, smiling.

“How was it, how was it? Did the shoot go smoothly this time?”

Ms. Liao skillfully closed the door, pulled out a chair, and sat down. She cupped her chin in her hands. Zong Liangu saw her own reflection in her round eyes.

“It was alright,” Zong Liangu maintained her smile.

“What do you mean, alright? I heard everything! You acted super well this time!”

Zong Liangu slightly lifted her head, showing an appropriate amount of pride.

“Oh no, now I’m angry,” Ms. Liao’s eyebrows furrowed, and the joy in her eyes instantly vanished.

“Oh? Why?” Zong Liangu’s mouth curved downwards slightly.

“Because you didn’t answer my calls, not even once. Since the shoot went smoothly, you have no reason not to answer my calls,” Ms. Liao’s face flushed red.

Zong Liangu pursed her lips, watching Ms. Liao.

From the start, she felt a strong ambiguous atmosphere between them.

The Ms. Liao in front of her and Zong Yougu definitely did not have a simple working relationship.

An artist dating her manager?

Zong Liangu recalled Zong Yougu’s words earlier, and she sneered inwardly.

Some people claimed to have great ambition, yet they were so… lazy.

Or was Zong Yougu clinging to the Ms. Liao in front of her?

“Why are you silent again? Are you mute?” Ms. Liao frowned tightly, her face slightly flushed.

Zong Liangu remained silent, looking up to scrutinize Ms. Liao.

A perfectly pressed light-gray suit jacket was draped over her. Inside was a younger-looking Peter Pan collared blouse. The quality fabric reflected a slight shimmer under the energy-saving light.

That outfit couldn’t be cheap.

Zong Liangu’s peripheral vision scanned the closed bedroom door, and a hint of disdain flashed in her eyes.

“Talk to me!” Ms. Liao exclaimed dramatically.

Zong Liangu came back to reality. Just then, Ms. Liao took her hand.

Warm, clammy skin pressed against her hand. Zong Liangu felt as if she was holding a piece of warm, freshly cut meat. Goosebumps rose on her skin. She slowly pulled her hands out and discreetly wiped them on her clothes a few times.

“Zong Yougu! Do you hate me?! Say something!”

Ms. Liao’s tone carried a hint of sadness. After speaking, she hung her head and fell silent.

Zong Liangu still watched her. The harsh, pale light divided light and shadow on her face.

Just then, Ms. Liao laughed: “I know! Are you still immersed in the role and haven’t come out? You still think you’re the killer, being so cold.”

Ms. Liao took two steps forward, carefully arranging the hair on Zong Liangu’s cheeks, her fingertips constantly brushing against Zong Liangu’s face.

She frowned: “I never approved of you taking this role. The director is good, but you’re only a small role in it, and a villain at that! How could you be a villain?”

She reached out and lightly tapped Zong Liangu’s head: “You always love doing thankless jobs. You could live much more comfortably.”

Zong Liangu raised an eyebrow: “More comfortably?”

Ms. Liao jumped up: “Exactly! Being an actress is exhausting. Since you’re with me, there’s no need to live this life. Just tell me directly what you want.”

Zong Liangu smiled. Liao Qinghe couldn’t discern the meaning of the smile. But seeing Zong Liangu smile, she smiled along.

“What can you give me?” Liao Qinghe heard Zong Liangu ask.

So, she reached out and embraced Zong Liangu, pressing her cheek affectionately against Zong Liangu’s neck: “Hmm… Do you want to move to a bigger place? This place is too rundown. It doesn’t suit you at all.”

Zong Liangu laughed: “Only that?”

Liao Qinghe looked up defensively: “There’s nothing you want that I can’t give you. Even if there is, I can ask my mother to find a way.”

Zong Liangu could no longer restrain her laughter. Her facial muscles were pulled by the smile, and she involuntarily narrowed her eyes. Everything else seemed tiny, and her world seemed to contain only herself.

Liao Qinghe stared blankly at her, then started laughing along.

She pulled out her phone from her small bag. Her smooth fingers tapped the screen, placing a call to Zong Liangu.

Then, Zong Liangu’s phone rang.

Liao Qinghe looked directly at Zong Liangu, smiling, and said, “Will you answer my call? If you do, I’ll forgive you for ignoring me all this time.”

Zong Liangu stared blankly at the words “Liao Qinghe” on the screen.

Liao… It seemed the largest controlling shareholder of the entertainment group their company belonged to also had the surname Liao.

Zong Liangu slowly let out a breath.

She finally understood. The Liao Qinghe in front of her came from a privileged background. She probably fell in love with Zong Yougu for some reason, and then, with her mother’s help, naturally became Zong Yougu’s manager.

Wealthy and influential people were always so arrogant, always taking themselves too seriously.

Sometimes, they were also so self-deprecating, completely unaware of how much of a burden their love could become for others.

Regardless of Zong Yougu’s reasons for indulging Liao Qinghe, Zong Liangu despised this type of person the most.

However… Zong Liangu didn’t think she was particularly righteous. She, too, would resort to unscrupulous methods and find ways to utilize everything available.

But based on what Liao Qinghe said, she was still dependent on her mother.

In other words, Liao Qinghe currently only had money. She had nothing else besides money.

No experience, no brains, no status.

No… ambition.

In that case, she couldn’t help Zong Liangu.

Zong Liangu raised the corner of her mouth high. She picked up the phone and hung up the call right in front of Liao Qinghe.

A timely look of sadness appeared on her face:

“Qinghe, I’ve thought about this for a long time. I don’t think we are compatible.

I’m sorry, I lied. I deliberately didn’t answer your calls because every call reminded me that I don’t deserve you, that there is an insurmountable gap between us.

I know you don’t care about these things, but I do. I can’t get over it.

Let’s… break up.”

Liao Qinghe’s face was a picture of disbelief.

Then, she quickly turned and ran out. Her stomping made the wooden floor thump. The front door slammed shut with a bang, and the metallic security door’s resonant hum echoed in the stairwell like a triangle instrument.

Zong Liangu sneered.

Perhaps the Ms. Liao just now had never encountered any setbacks since childhood. In that case, she would be magnanimous and give Liao Qinghe a free lesson.

Why do some people have it easy all the time?

Yes, she was indeed the kind of person who was hostile to the rich.

Of course, once she was rich herself, that would be another story.

This incident reminded her that not everyone she encountered in this world would be familiar to her.

Her previous encounter with Su Tongguo had led her to the misconception that this world was merely a replica of her original world, just the same cast putting on a different play.

Or at least, that the people revolving around her would be largely the same group.

Now it seemed this was not the case.

Liao Qinghe was a complete stranger.

In that case, Zong Yougu was indeed very useful.

She twisted the doorknob and opened the bedroom door.

She was greeted by Zong Yougu’s strong applause.

“Miss Zong Liangu, you did an excellent job.”

Zong Yougu was bundled up in the quilt, with only her face exposed. She laughed carefree, seemingly having grown accustomed to Zong Liangu’s presence in a short amount of time.

Zong Liangu remained silent. She still found it hard to get used to seeing a face identical to her own.

She reached into the quilt, grabbed a corner of it, and pulled the quilt over Zong Yougu’s face.

“Tell me everything about yourself, in detail.”

Zong Yougu agreed, laughing: “You asked the right person. I always remember my own affairs very clearly. My name is Zong Yougu. Mother unknown. I grew up in Niumiao Temple Orphanage. I was smart and lovable since childhood. No one dislikes me—”

“Get to the point,” Zong Liangu interrupted, unable to listen anymore.

“You’re the one who said to be detailed, and now you’re asking me to stick to the main points. How am I supposed to know what you consider the main points? Listen or don’t listen.”

Zong Yougu rolled over, turning her back to Zong Liangu.

Zong Liangu was silent for a while.

The upbringing Zong Yougu just described perfectly matched her own. It was almost identical.

So at what point did their lives diverge completely?

“Why did you become an actress?” Zong Liangu asked.

Zong Yougu sat up, her back to the light. Zong Liangu couldn’t clearly see the expression on her face for a moment.

“Because I’m beautiful. Because I’m talented,” Zong Yougu said, but her tone held no arrogance; she seemed to be merely stating a fact. “That’s a perfectly adequate reason, isn’t it?”

No matter how Zong Liangu pressed her afterward, Zong Yougu refused to answer further.

Zong Liangu had no choice but to change the subject.

“Why did you accept Ms. Liao’s pursuit?” Zong Liangu asked casually.

“Qinghe?” Zong Yougu cupped her chin. “What else could I do but accept?”

Zong Liangu stared at her relentlessly.

“What else could I do? Qinghe certainly isn’t the type to forcefully take things, and if I refused, she genuinely wouldn’t do anything. But what about others? To please her, to please her mother, I would inevitably become a target.

She is innocent, simple, and kind. Her occasional temper makes her seem cute. She always receives excessive love, so she can express her liking very casually.

People like her never know how much trouble their affection causes others. They are a burden.”

Zong Yougu’s voice grew louder and louder, filling the small bedroom.

Zong Liangu was expressionless: “Cowardly.”

She heard the other party let out a soft snort.

“Cowardly, insecure, and self-righteous,” Zong Liangu continued her critique. “I won’t be like that. I will make ‘Zong Yougu’ perfect.”

Zong Liangu reached out and covered Zong Yougu’s face with the quilt again.

The instant she bent down, Zong Yougu fiercely wrapped her arms around her neck.

Then, Zong Yougu viciously kissed her lips, her sharp canine tooth grazing the corner of her mouth.

A stinging pain radiated from the corner of her mouth. Zong Liangu tightly frowned.

She felt something was abnormal about herself.

Normally, in the past, whenever someone approached her, she would instinctively dodge.

She had been a killer for so long, there was never a moment of carelessness.

Why did she let Zong Yougu succeed?

She heard Zong Yougu whisper softly in her ear:

“We are just one person.”

Zong Liangu let out a cold laugh from her nose.