We Are Filthy, Born From Mud - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Yes, She Must Shine.

 

—If there were someone almost exactly like you in the world, would you be willing to be friends with them? Or is it even possible for you to become friends?

 

—What if an identical person said they wanted to take over my life…

 

—I heard that if you meet someone who looks exactly like you, you will die?

 

Zong Yougu scrolled up and down, browsing through a stream of recommendations.

 

Since she searched for the topic once, the platform kept pushing related content to her, but every time similar content appeared on her homepage, she still clicked to take a look.

 

—What if an identical person said they wanted to take over my life…

 

Even though she had refreshed, Zong Yougu found this post again in her browsing history.

 

She deliberately clicked on it to see what the article was saying. Maybe it would offer some useful insights?

 

She clicked in with anticipation, only to find it was a pharmaceutical advertisement.

 

Zong Yougu pouted and threw her phone away in annoyance.

 

However, if asked what it feels like to have an identical person threaten to take over her life, Zong Yougu’s answer would be that it’s nothing special, perhaps even a bit enjoyable.

 

More than two weeks had passed since Zong Liangu’s “killing the chicken to warn the monkey” threat. Since then, Zong Liangu hadn’t shown any major emotional fluctuations, simply ignoring her.

 

Zong Yougu was also sensible enough not to provoke Zong Liangu again. Now that she had plenty of time to daydream, she was happy to indulge.

 

After all, she could see her perfect self without looking in a mirror the moment she woke up. After all, someone was unconditionally doing her work for her. After all…

 

Although there was a bit of apprehension, overall, things were quite good.

 

Zong Yougu’s gaze fell on Zong Liangu beside her. She was resting with her eyes closed, her dense eyelashes drooping. From the side, the slightly upturned lashes introduced her high nose bridge.

 

The more she looked, the more satisfied she became, and she couldn’t help but smile.

 

They were currently in a business class seat, heading to the next set. Unfortunately, small-time actors like her have no autonomy in choosing projects; they have to take whatever comes their way.

 

Compounded by the situation with Liao Qinghe, she likely wouldn’t be getting any good scripts now.

 

The roles continuously sent her way were small parts and cannon fodder roles.

 

Well, what could be done? She just had to go.

 

Fortunately, she didn’t have to do the work now; she wasn’t the one suffering.

 

She looked at the tightly closed eyes of Zong Liangu and a mischievous smile appeared on her face.

 

“Tsk, how many times do I have to tell you? Don’t stare at me when I’m sleeping. If I feel eyes on me, I can’t rest well,” Zong Liangu turned her head and frowned at her.

 

“Don’t fool me. Do you have eyes on the back of your head?” Zong Yougu retorted.

 

Zong Liangu didn’t argue. She simply asked the flight attendant for a blanket, covered her head, and continued to rest.

 

“This is karma now, isn’t it? Why did you break up with Liao Qinghe so cleanly? You should have just kept dating her. Anyway, you’re not likable. Once she saw your true colors, she would definitely break up with you first.

 

Look at the situation now. To outsiders, it looks like you dumped her. Since she’s too dignified not to step on you, others will definitely try to step on you to please her.”

 

Zong Liangu opened her eyes: “Scum.”

 

After dropping that one word, she closed her eyes again.

 

“Why are you scolding me? You are very powerful. You could kill me with a single pinch. I’m defenseless, but I have to admit you’re not very skilled at dealing with people either.

 

I’ve been flying around with you for days, exhausted, only to play minor roles. The day before yesterday, you were pushed off a cliff and finished your scenes. Yesterday, you were slapped to death. And today? You spent so much time traveling here just to be shot dead?”

 

Zong Yougu’s nagging started to irritate Zong Liangu. She yanked the blanket off her head and threw it over Zong Yougu’s head instead.

 

Zong Yougu mumbled, “I’m still wearing a mask. Are you trying to suffocate me? When have I not spoken the truth? Did I hit a nerve? Some people talk about ambition, yet they can’t even manage the simplest endurance.”

 

Zong Liangu pulled off the blanket. She asked in a low voice, “Hand on heart, what would you have done if I hadn’t shown up?”

 

Zong Yougu pursed her lips. Under Zong Liangu’s gaze, she felt her face flush slightly. She didn’t think her lie could deceive Zong Liangu, so she grudgingly replied, “Break up.”

 

Zong Liangu sneered: “If you really wanted to continue with her, you wouldn’t have pushed me out with such confidence. So now, shut up.”

 

Zong Yougu blinked, speechless.

 

Actually, she hadn’t intentionally meant to taunt Zong Liangu. She was just habitually regretting. She always regretted every decision she made, and now that Zong Liangu had replaced her, she started nitpicking Zong Liangu’s choices.

 

Thanks to Zong Liangu, she was examining herself from a different perspective.

 

If it weren’t for Zong Liangu, she wouldn’t have realized how contradictory she was.

 

On one hand, she had fierce arrogance; on the other, she would fall into extreme self-abasement.

 

She let out a sigh.

 

“Give me back my phone.”

 

Zong Liangu had snatched her phone.

 

“Stop looking at all this garbage. There’s nothing nutritious on your phone the moment you open it,” Zong Liangu complained.

 

Zong Yougu spread her hands, looking innocent: “It has nothing to do with me; the phone pushes it itself.”

 

The plane slowly tilted, and her ears began to feel uncomfortable.

 

Outside the window, the clouds were constantly rising.

 

They were about to land.

 

Hu Yinghua had arrived there a day earlier and was waiting for them at the airport exit.

 

“Sister Yougu, I’ll wait for you at the North Exit. Please hurry, private cars can’t park here.”

 

“Mhm,” Zong Liangu hung up the phone quickly.

 

“Which way is North—”

 

Before Zong Yougu could finish asking, Zong Liangu strode through the crowd.

 

Zong Yougu hurried to catch up.

 

After walking for a while, Zong Liangu finally looked back. She carefully examined Zong Yougu’s attire.

 

She continuously adjusted the mask on the other’s face and the hat on her head until the brim and the wide mask covered her entire face, and only then was she satisfied.

 

She continued walking, but Zong Yougu tugged at her sleeve.

 

She turned around.

 

“Did you take the wrong way?”

 

“How is that possible?”

 

Zong Yougu reached out and pointed at the sign.

 

Looking in the direction of her finger, one could see a sign clearly stating “South Exit 2.”

 

Zong Yougu saw a fleeting look of disorientation and embarrassment on the other person’s face. She couldn’t hold back a smile.

 

She looked around and saw a familiar figure through the glass.

 

She reached out and poked Zong Liangu’s back, trying to suppress her laugh, “I found Xiao Hua. She’s over there.”

 

Zong Liangu walked toward the exit with an expressionless face.

 

“Sister Yougu! I’m here!” Hu Yinghua leaned out of the car window, her voice loud, causing many passersby to turn and stare.

 

Zong Liangu frowned, a hint of displeasure in her voice: “Didn’t you say you were at the North Gate? Why are you here?”

 

Hu Yinghua proudly patted her chest: “Sister Yougu, don’t I know your sense of direction? Every time you say East, you invariably go West. If I point North, you insist it’s South. See? By saying the opposite, you found me quickly.”

 

“Shut up,” Zong Liangu interrupted Hu Yinghua’s smugness.

 

“Hey, who is this?”

 

Hu Yinghua finally noticed Zong Yougu following behind Zong Liangu.

 

“Life assistant.”

 

“What? An assistant!” Hu Yinghua exclaimed. “Sister Yougu, I told you I would stick with you. Maybe you’re at a low point now, but I want to keep following you. Why did you hire another assistant?”

 

Zong Liangu rubbed her ears, her tone serious: “I think you’re very capable. I can’t always ask you to do simple tasks like serving tea and pouring water, can I?”

 

“Sister Yougu, it’s no trouble, no trouble at all. That’s my job!”

 

“Stop talking. If you keep talking, I’ll really replace you, and you’ll go home to flip egg pancakes,” Zong Yougu interrupted, sticking her head in.

 

“Who are you to interrupt me when I’m talking to Sister? Wait, why are you covering your face?”

 

“She has an allergy. Focus on driving. Your job is secure. I won’t make you flip pancakes, so stop overthinking.”

 

Hu Yinghua finally fell silent. Zong Liangu took out the script from her pocket.

 

As for why it wasn’t taken out of her bag…

 

It was because her part was too small. It wasn’t a character closely connected to the main plot, just a cannon fodder villain created to highlight the protagonist. Thus, her script was only a thin sheet, not even filling an entire A4 page.

 

Her filming task this time was simple.

 

She is chased by the protagonist, flees frantically into a dead end, then struggles in vain, and is ultimately shot dead by the protagonist.

 

“Sister Yougu, we’re here. Why don’t you two wait in the car for a bit? I’ll go check on the set, and I’ll come back for you if anything happens.”

 

The two people in the back seat nodded in unison.

 

Zong Liangu leaned back against the seat. She felt a slight discomfort, as if she were being watched by many eyes. She looked around but found nothing.

 

With her innate talent and acquired training, she was very sensitive to being watched; she couldn’t be mistaken.

 

“Are there many people around?” Zong Liangu asked.

 

“Of course,” Zong Yougu tilted her head slightly, exposing her eyes. “There are countless people aiming long lenses and short lenses at this place. Uh… long lenses and short lenses mean cameras. There are probably fans of other people, paid photographers, and paparazzi. There are many people watching here.”

 

“Why are they taking pictures?”

 

“Do you even need to ask? Fans will take behind-the-scenes glimpses or sneak peeks. Paid photographers might have accepted a job, but more often, they take photos first and then sell photo packages later. As for the paparazzi… they photograph everything. Ugly shots and highlights are both possible.”

 

Zong Liangu pondered. She looked down at the script again.

 

Chase, dead end, shot.

 

She thought carefully, and her mind began to work.

 

“But don’t expect to get an amazing shot just by doing a good job. The probability is very low. And if a rival fan takes a picture, they definitely won’t post it. If a paparazzi takes one, they might not post it either, as positive content doesn’t generate much buzz. You’ll be lucky if they don’t capture an ugly shot.”

 

Zong Yougu reached out, her thumb stroking Zong Liangu’s eyebrows, circling down, and gently pinching the other person’s eyelids.

 

Zong Liangu’s eyelids twitched. She grabbed Zong Yougu’s wrist and grinned: “That might be hard for you, but I told you, I will make ‘Zong Yougu’ perfect.”

 

Zong Yougu contemptuously pulled her wrist free, her eyes flickered, looking at her dismissively: “I take back what I said.”

 

Hu Yinghua jogged over from a distance. She tapped on the car window twice.

 

“Sister Yougu, you can get ready for makeup now.”

 

Zong Liangu nodded and pulled open the car door.

 

Sunlight completely poured onto her, a wave of warmth spreading through her body.

 

She recalled her first rushed experience as an actress. She had to admit, she craved all light. She enjoyed the moments when she was surrounded by the spotlight.

 

She kept replaying the script in her mind, continuing to contemplate.

 

After a moment, she smiled brilliantly and walked into the dressing room with a spring in her step.

 

She wouldn’t waste any opportunity. Give her a little sunshine, and she would shine.

 

Who says cannon fodder can’t shine?