CH 26

TL Note: 

Hey everyone. I apologize for the huge delay. Got sick twice and also wanted to focus on school/applying to college. I was able to get into the school I wanted, so that’s a huge weight off my shoulders

Also just gonna say, if anyone would like to pick this series up cause my updates are slow, feel free. I don’t plan on dropping in case anyone’s worried about that, but I don’t think my updates are gonna be very fast… sorry…

The Movie Queen’s Little Fortune Butterfly (26)

When the young lady at the president’s office was met with Lin Qinglu’s gaze, her face suddenly flushed red and she stammered:

“Ye, yes, just recently appointed.”

Lin Qinglu and Luo Chun looked at one another.

To think that the company had actually undergone such a major change.

“Alright, thank you,” Luo Chun said.

“N-No need.” The young lady practically walked out of the room using an awkward march.

“Tsk, just look at your destructive power after coming out of the closet.”

“Hm?” Lin Qinglu lazily propped up her chin, the light in her eyes rippling and her eyelashes thick and long, all enough to tickle someone’s heart. And in such a way lifting her eyes, raising certain feelings within the viewer, she looked toward Luo Chun in slight confusion. These elements mingled together to create a exotic charm.

Looking at her appearance, Luo Chun completely forgot the words that were at her lips.

“What were you saying?”

“Nothing.” Confronted with Movie Queen Lin’s cluelessness about the charm she herself exuded, Luo Chun sighed and changed what she planned on saying:

“We don’t know for what reason this CEO was chosen. I reckon it’s someone who came out of nowhere and was directly appointed, so meeting them would also be a good idea.”

“Only, didn’t they previously say that it was President Yue? To switch the person midway, something we don’t know about must have happened…”

Luo Chun said to herself. She pondered over the things she would soon have to bring up.

Even after five minutes had passed, no one appeared.

Lin Qinglu felt for her phone and opened up Weibo. Not taking a single glance at her own page, she headed straight to the page called “Mu Pianxian”.[1]

There’s still nothing new.

How come once this person leaves the cast, we just can’t find her at all anymore.

The sound of high heels echoed out.

And the three people who were loafing around and looking at their phones all looked up as if they had felt something.

The door to the office was opened by Bao Peng: “Qinglu, Big Sister Luo, we’ve made you wait. The CEO is now here.”

Once he finished the introductions, he retreated to one side to clear the way.

Clack, clack. After these two sounds, clear and melodious, a gentle and graceful figure appeared in front of them.

“We meet again.”

“……”

A deathly stillness settled into the room.

Lin Qinglu’s gaze was fixed on the so-called CEO, as if the other party were a whirlpool that completely engulfed and plundered her mind and she was unable to escape.

It was not only her either.

Luo Chun, Liu Lele, as long as it was someone who had seen Jian Yixin before and knew about her identity as the crew’s dance understudy, at this moment they would have all been stunned witless.

“Song Pianxian.” There was still a bit of confusion within Lin Qinglu’s eyes. However, it was incomparable to the certainty with which she called out the other person’s name.

She’s right in front of my eyes.

No matter how her identity has changed, she’s still the same Song Pianxian.

“Pianxian?” Liu Lele’s tone was very cautious, as if this were some dream, completely illusionary.

“You’re Brilliant Moon’s newly appointed CEO?!”

“Sorry for not telling you in advance.” Jian Yixin winked playfully: “But I’ve only recently been appointed, so I hope you’ll be generous and not quarrel with me.”

Luo Chun had snapped out of it for the most part and flatly denied, “How could that be?”

Who would dare to quarrel with their boss?

By assuming such a relaxed attitude, Jian Yixin was evidently interacting with them the same as in the past, and Luo Chun relaxed slightly. After calming down somewhat, she subconsciously looked at Lin Qinglu.

All of Lin Qinglu’s attention was focused on that person.

“Come, let’s talk while sitting.” Jian Yixin pulled out a chair to sit in and looked toward Lin Qinglu.

Lin Qinglu pursed her lips, glanced at the seat next to Jian Yixin, and sat right across from her. The other two also sat down in the spots next to Lin Qinglu.

With the office table separating them, Lin Qinglu took the initiative to speak: “What is the meaning of this?”

“Just a coincidence, that’s all. I have a background in dancing. It was only because I was interested in being a dance understudy that I joined our group. My family noticed that I’ve liked to mess around in the entertainment circle lately, so they put the new shares under my name.”

“I also didn’t have any other recent work arrangements, so I thought I might as well come to Brilliant Moon and have a try.”

“……”

This “My family noticed that I liked to eat KFC, so they brought me a family bucket” kind of tone?

This “Because I couldn’t find a different job, I came to Brilliant Moon to try out being a CEO” reasoning, which left no room for criticism?

“Your family is…?” The always cautious Luo Chun’s mind had been broken into stupidity, and she asked her question, feeling lightheaded.

Jian Yixin’s expression suddenly faltered.

She didn’t mind disclosing her identity, but with Song Zhe involved in the middle of all of this as well as the matter regarding the two endorsements, it wasn’t too appropriate to mention it right now.

Her smiling expression unchanging, she was about to shift the topic over until she heard Lin Qinglu change the subject:

“Previously, wasn’t it President Yue who was supposed to see us?”

Jian Yixin looked at Lin Qinglu in surprise, and her smile became all the more vivid as she readily went along with the flow:

“It’s like this: during this morning’s board meeting, President Yue suggested that we should let Qinglu receive more variety and TV shows and expand into more diverse options.”

“Calling you over was likely to discuss this issue.”

“This won’t be possible.” Luo Chun’s attention was instantly drawn as it related to her artist’s work, and so she flatly refused, “While variety shows can increase exposure, they don’t benefit an actor’s fixed image. Moreover, once an audience has watched too many variety shows, it’s easy for them to lose interest in watching movies. For other artists, this is a benefit, but as far as Qinglu is concerned, this needs to be carefully considered.”

“TV shows are even more impossible. Qinglu debuted in a well-known movie, currently has many resources, and isn’t lacking in projects. She has no reason to look back.”

Ultimately, the path that Lin Qinglu walked and the path that other people walked just weren’t the same.

What other people wanted was exposure, to maintain the heat surrounding their works and topics as much as possible. They didn’t care whether it was negative popularity or a sensationalized scandal with someone else. As long as they were the subject of conversation and were recognized, it was all good.

On the other hand, what Lin Qinglu had always pursued was to become a good actor. When her works had at some point been gradually included along with the other classics, she had long already walked a different path from ordinary artists.

Jian Yixin listened seriously and didn’t interrupt Luo Chun. It was only when Luo Chun finished stating her objections that Jian Yixin spoke with a reassuring smile:

“You can rest assured that this plan has already been rejected by the board of directors. Qinglu may continue to focus on filming.”

“I have only recently taken over this job and am not too familiar with it. When there is a good script available in the future, I will be sure to take note of it for Qinglu. If your side receives a good script, you may also bring it over for evaluation. The company will support Qinglu’s acting career with all its power.”

With Jian Yixin’s current identity, her words could absolutely represent Brilliant Moon and no doubt gave Luo Chun peace of mind.

“Thank you, CEO Song.”

“What are you saying, Big Sister Luo? No need to be so distant. Just continue calling me Pianxian.”

The Song Pianxian in front of them was still the same as before, but the formal attire on her body along with the delicate and low-key yet absolutely not ordinary jewelry, all served as an earnest reminder to Luo Chun that Song Pianxian was no longer among the crew standing behind Lin Qinglu, no longer the soft and benign little dance understudy.

Her mind was still a bit of a mess. However—

Luo Chun secretly glanced in Lin Qinglu’s direction and stood up and briefly coughed: “I just remembered that there’s a project proposal I would like to ask Pianxian to help take a look at. Lele will be accompanying me to go grab it.”

“Oh? Sure.”

The door to the meeting room was taken by Luo Chun and tightly and securely closed. She then gave instructions to Liu Lele:

“You stay here and keep watch. Just wait until I come back.”

Liu Lele didn’t understand the reason why but was very well-behaved: “Okay.”

Luo Chun had walked two steps away before once again returning to warn her: “In the case that you have to go inside, remember to knock on the door.”

“Why are you so nervous? Will something happen inside?” Liu Lele’s eyes glimmered with pure curiosity.

Luo Chun slapped her head.

She really was scared silly by Song Pianxian’s real identity.

It’s just Lin Qinglu, and with that primary school chicken way of acting of hers, is she really able to do anything?

I’m just being worried over nothing.

Inside the meeting room.

Lin Qinglu leaned back, and the ends of her hair lightly brushed off of her shoulders. Under the light, her eyes were like dark amber suffused with the indistinct color of honey.

Her expression was flat, and her chin was slightly raised.

Jian Yixin took the initiative to break the silence. She poured a cup of tea for Lin Qinglu and passed it over to her:

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to hide it from you.”

There was just no reason to tell you. Lin Qinglu automatically continued her words in her heart.

Indeed, if the precious miss of an extraordinary family came to the cast to personally experience life, it was only normal for her to not mention it. Otherwise, just how much trouble would that bring?

Still, Lin Qinglu was dissatisfied in her heart and for a short while did not respond to Song Pianxian’s words.

The cup of hot tea was pushed by Song Pianxian until it was beside Lin Qinglu’s hand.

“Won’t you have some?”

Movie Queen Lin cast a sidelong glance. This cup of tea was unmistakably a symbol of lowering one’s head and acknowledging one’s mistake. If she didn’t receive it, Song Pianxian might feel sad.

She moved her hand and grabbed the tea but did not drink it.

“That time when you asked for leave, was it to come to Brilliant Moon?”

“Yes, it was after I contacted and confirmed the details with Director Sun that Brilliant Moon convened a board meeting and declared that I would assume the position.” Jian Yixin explained very carefully and sincerely.

Her eyes contained hints of a smile as she gazed at Lin Qinglu in a way unlike the oppressive feeling she possessed when facing others. Instead, Jian Yixin made the other party feel cared about, seen, and she softly and gently spoke:

“From now on we’ll be from the same company, so let’s do our best together.”

We’ll. Together.

These two words, as if they contained heat, were much more scorching than even the hot tea in her hand and made her ears burn red. Her heart had also been warmed into putty, and she began to become more amicable.

Lin Qinglu took a sip of tea. As the warm tea rolled down her throat, she glanced at the crystal clear tea and then at Jian Yixin, who was softly smiling.

“Will you still be returning to the crew?” She asked, using the most natural, nonchalant, and low voice she could muster.

“The dance hasn’t been done yet, so I will be returning.”

“Yue Li, he probably doesn’t dare to make things difficult for you, right?”

“Mhm, don’t worry.” Song Pianxian eyes curved.

Lin Qinglu looked away.

“…When you left, you didn’t tell me.”

“That was because we would soon see each other again.”

The inexplicable emotions that had completely filled her heart were all completely resolved by these gentle words.

Like the encounter between frost and snow and a spring scenery. The frost and snow were soft originally, but when the warm spring rushed in, they immediately powerlessly yet joyfully transformed into the clearest, sweetest water, nourishing the budding life to blossom into a small, bright yellow flower.

With the sudden assault of the spring breeze, the small flower in her heart swayed back and forth.

Lin Qinglu pushed down the upright cat tail and asked about what was bothering her the most, which also happened to be the most pressing issue:

“Song Zhe is your…?”

When only confronted with her mission target, Jian Yixin didn’t cover up the truth: “Older brother.”

“Blood-related?”

Jian Yixin nodded, her expression appearing apologetic: “Sorry, I deceived you back then.”

Why did you hide the truth from me?

These words circled around Lin Qinglu’s lips before being swallowed back down once again.

Why else?

Now that she understood Song Zhe and Song Pianxian’s relationship, everything that she previously had been puzzled and had misgivings about could be completely explained.

After passing through layer after layer of the dense fog, she could finally clearly see behind all of these incidents just who was that person, faster than her own team in reacting and solving the predicaments on her behalf. The mastermind.

As for why—

A light knocking sound came from the door.

“Please come in.”

“I ordered some afternoon tea.” Luo Chun and Liu Lele held a few portions of drinks and cakes as they entered.

She set the takeaway down onto the table, simultaneously taking out the items while also observing the two’s expressions—mainly Movie Queen Lin’s.

Movie Queen Lin, with smoothed out brows and a relaxed face, didn’t reach out her paws to grab herself a butterfly pastry first but instead passed a red velvet cake over to Song Pianxian.

Tsk, her body’s overflowing with a feeling as if she’s had her fur smoothed out.

Most likely because of the fact that everyone was equal in front of good food, Liu Lele, chewed the boba in the milk tea and spoke with great emotion: “Pianxian, you joining our crew at just the right time in order to be our dance understudy could also be considered destiny.”

“Could it be that Pianxian is also a fan of Qinglu’s movies?” Luo Chun joined in on the conversation.

Jian Yixin said naturally, “Yeah, I love her movies.”

Luo Chun immediately glanced at Movie Queen Lin but discovered that despite being faced with “the target of unrequited love is her own movie fan and joined the group for her sake,” she remained unmoved at this information, her mood steady.

Her face? How come?

Taking advantage of when CEO Song was called away by someone, Luo Chun questioned Movie Queen Lin about this matter.

Movie Queen Lin shot her a look: “What do you know?”

Luo Chun: ?

“Go on, tell me. I’m listening.” She smirked.

“She is by no means my movie fan.” Lin Qinglu’s cat tail stuck up once again and the corners of her mouth rose, containing a bit of satisfaction. “It was only after she joined the group that she watched my movies.”

Luo Chun had an epiphany. However—was it worth being happy over the fact that the target of her unrequited love hadn’t watched her movies?

“Then what are you so happy about?”

Lin Qinglu tsk’ed. How come she wasn’t able to make her understand? Today’s Luo Chun was quite stupid.

“Do you still not get it?”

“Ah?” 

Lin Qinglu forced down the corners of her mouth the best she could. Holding her cat chin high, she said in an aloof manner:

“She came here because of me.”

It was definitely not for some works or for the hers within some movie. It was for the person herself.

Why did she hide her identity? One possibility is that she likely found it troublesome. As for the other possibility, it’s definitely because she was afraid that I would keep a respectful distance from her. After all, I’m well-known for paying no heed to those with capital.

Lin Qinglu firmly believed this, her heart full of syrupy sweetness.

Luo Chun: “……”

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Luo Chun was expressionless: “Oh.”

She wanted to say something but hesitated. Looking around the unfamiliar conference room and then again at Movie Queen Lin, she suppressed her desire to confront the other for the time being.

Not to mention, with Movie Queen Lin’s happiness that was so pure and adorable, she couldn’t quite bear to destroy it.

Jian Yixin didn’t know about Luo Chun’s inner turmoil and heart full of compassion. She had just taken over Brilliant Moon and needed to acquaint herself with many matters as well as projects.

For example, Xu Weiwei and Wu Cai, the two she had scooped up and had to pay out of her own pocket for. In regards to the arrangement of their resources, she had to attend to them personally. This was also her first “accomplishment” at Brilliant Moon.

On the second day of the CEO’s appointment, Xu Weiwei and Wu Cai both brought the report from Brilliant Moon, her work efficiency and proficiency even surprising all of the directors—

This was but Starlight’s number one female star! One who held everyone’s attention! Wu Cai’s nurturing abilities were also indisputable! These were two very capable and great treasures, you know!

After the board meeting, the Advertising Department’s head Xu Guanghui was suspended from his post and then removed a few days later. Allegedly, he was suspected of selling the company’s classified information and has been taken to court to be held accountable.

When Jian Yixin heard of this news, she merely raised an eyebrow and did not express an opinion. Sun Wen knew to clean up the rats, lest she have to take action herself.

Once the position for the Advertising Department’s head opened up, Sun Wen didn’t appoint someone this time, so Jian Yixin wasn’t courteous and from the Song family’s headhunting company invited a capable manager, Zeng Liang, to act under her personal command and control the Advertising Department.

Since then, once the changes in Brilliant Moon’s structure of the higher-ups was finished, it was then finalized as thus.

After some time had passed and the matters were completed, it was also about time to return to the crew to finish the final solo dance. Director Zhao was already beginning to urge her to return, too.

While the secretary was giving an account of work to do, Jian Yixin asked her:

“Has the flight to N City been booked?”

“Yes, at ten in the evening Driver Jiang will come to pick you up from your home,” the secretary said nimbly.

Soon after, seeing how this goddess who was beautiful, capable, and even good-tempered was her boss, she revealed her small dimples: “CEO Song, are you going to the film site? Lady Zhao‘s cast and crew?”

Jian Yixin lifted her eyes to look at her, the hands on the keyboard not stopping: “Hm?”

Li Dong took out her phone and searched for a video: “Please take a look. From V’s video, one look and I immediately recognized that it was you.”

An especially familiar voice came from inside the video: “…I remember that one time, Ms. Lin had bought afternoon tea for all of the cast and crew…”

That is indeed something I have said before.

Jian Yixin nodded her head: “Hasn’t it already been a while since this video was broadcasted? What a coincidence for you to find it.”

V’s video was quite popular, but everyone’s focus was primarily on the stars. When it was broadcasted at the time, because of Lin Qinglu’s appearance as well as her performance in the drama, it did indeed trend for some time. However, the entertainment circle had no shortage of new affairs and  the matter had quickly been cast to the back of everyone’s minds.

I didn’t expect Li Dong to be able to dig it up.

Li Dong looked at her superior and then looked at the reposts she had just made, her screen filled with posts shipping the two together. She wanted to say something but stopped herself.

How was she to go about telling her innocent boss that it wasn’t a coincidence but that it was actually all over Weibo?

This! Was! The birth! Of a new ship!

For the sake of keeping her job, Li Dong did not dare spread her doctrine in front of the party concerned.

Watching the back of her boss who was rushing over to N City, Li Dong excitedly typed up a post:

“Listen to me! The movie queen and the little dance understudy are real! #thumbs_up”

“Oh? Big Sister, your cult’s ship actually even has Pianxian hahahahahahaha”

Inside the makeup room, Liu Lele, idle and mindlessly swiping through Weibo, burst out in a fit of laughter. After she finished laughing, she noticed that Luo Chun and Lin Qinglu were both looking at her as if she were an idiot.

“Is, is something wrong? Oh, you’ve both already seen it?”

Luo Chun sighed, lowered her head, and continued writing a reply to a message. Lin Qinglu, who was in the process of removing her makeup, extended her hand and made a slight hooking motion with her finger.

Liu Lele obediently handed over the phone.

After Lin Qinglu had come out of the closet, many people dredged up old videos, photos of different activities, and announcements, scraping together many ships and producing all sorts of strange fan ships.

Because Lin Qinglu’s identity was as such, the female stars that she had worked together with previously were all the best of the best, and those that were shipped with her were also good-looking second to third ranks. Once the list of ships was drafted up, it included practically more than half of the currently popular female stars. The scenery was pleasing to both the eye and the mind, and the gayness was overflowing.

Clips of various ships emerged in an endless stream, and every cult struggled intensely to prove that its own ship was the one true ship: eye contact, Weibo interactions, birthday wishes. So long as Lin Qinglu and the other party had any kind of contact with one another, the fans would continue to ship them until their dying breath.

Even if there was never any intersection between them and the aforementioned people had never met eyes before, even if it were only that the fans had fought one another at some point, it could give birth to a mutual love-hate relationship ship with a cult following—

For example, Lin Qinglu x Ye Zixuan.

The cast’s makeup artist took a glance at the screen, sucked in a sharp breath of air between her teeth, and whispered, “This really is the most horrific ship I have ever seen.”

The little assistant Su Ting: “Which one isn’t?”

As a crew member with a front-row seat in the audience, she had become thoroughly disgusted by Ye Zixuan. As a result, her expression when seeing this kind of unthinkable ship was akin to seeing a pile of dog shit.

@Lin Qinglu flaunts her beauty (gayness) all around the entertainment circle[2]: Choose the ship that you think is the most unlikely

Me x Lin Qinglu

Lin Qinglu is beautiful alone

Lin Qinglu x Ye Zixuan

Lin Qinglu x an unknown dance understudy from the crew

As the poll results were revealed, the one with the least number of votes was “Me x Lin Qinglu”, and the one that was evidently much larger than the other options was “Lin Qinglu x an unknown dance understudy from the crew”.

Lin Qinglu: “……”

“Liu Lele.”

“Yeah!”

“Why, did you vote for the fourth one?”

Liu Lele felt an indescribable chill. She gazed at the window for a moment, carefully closed the slightly open crack, and then opened her mouth:

“Hehehehe, although Pianxian is very pretty, eating grass near the nest is so boring, you know. Moreover, it’s not as if you and Pianxian have any sparks, while the love-hate relationship is so exciting— Big Sister, don’t misunderstand, ok. I’m just shipping the love-hate relationship, not you and that person. That kind of garbage doesn’t deserve you.”

Liu Lele stood in front of the window and threw out her chest: “Big Sister, being beautiful alone suits you. I am only a fan of you, don’t worry!”

Luo Chun: “Hahahahahahaha!!!”

Lin Qinglu tossed the phone into Liu Lele’s arms, her face expressionless: “I don’t feel very relieved.”

“Why why?”

“Hahahahahahaha!!!”

Once she finished removing her makeup and was on the way back to the hotel, Luo Chun sent away Liu Lele to buy some food and then cleared her throat: “Pianxian’s flight tonight—”

“Wasn’t she returning tomorrow?” Lin Qinglu said, almost unconsciously. “Tsk tsk, she’s arriving at N City today but will come over tomorrow.”

“You know it so clearly? You must’ve urged Director Zhao quite a bit?”

Lin Qinglu mentioned casually, “I did remind him once or twice.”

Heh, real promising.

Luo Chun sucked in a breath and did not delay it any longer. With a resolute heart, she extended an evil claw toward the pink bubbles of Movie Queen Lin’s first love.

She said with reservation, “Qinglu, look at Lele. She’s been with you every day but still thinks that there’s nothing between you and Pianxian.”

“What does this prove?”

Lin Qinglu knit her brows, deep in thought. Under Luo Chun’s expectant gaze, she said, “It proves that a problem must have occurred somewhere.”

“Right! And this problem is—”

“is that I’ve been too reserved.”

“?”

Lin Qinglu seemed lost in thought: “Sure enough, Lele is with me the entire day and yet hasn’t noticed. Have I not expressed it enough?”

Luo Chun: “……” How else are you planning on expressing it!

Suddenly, a rich burst of a sweet fragrance wafted over, which ought to have been from some pastries that were just fresh out of the oven.

Lin Qinglu raised her head to look and realized that they had walked near the vicinity of the Western Pastry House, the one she had gone to together with Song Pianxian.

From returning to the film site and until now, she had only been having Liu Lele come over to buy them, and a long time had passed since she personally came. Lin Qinglu’s feet did not listen to her as she entered the shop, and Luo Chun followed after her.

At this moment, there weren’t many people present. Luo Chun lowered her voice and continued to speak:

“Fine, let’s not talk about you right now then. Does Pianxian like you?”

Lin Qinglu picked up a bag of butterfly pastries and was in the middle of considering whether or not to grab a second one when she heard what was said. Looking at Luo Chun in surprise, Lin Qinglu frowned as she spoke:

“I don’t know why you would have this kind of doubt. She joined the crew for me and even helped me out a lot.”

Luo Chun was momentarily speechless. She had later also learned of Song Pianxian’s identity and naturally was aware of Song Pianxian’s immense amount of help. It wasn’t that she was ungrateful. Rather, she could see it even more clearly than before.

Song Pianxian does treat Lin Qinglu very well and really cares about her, but when she looks at Lin Qinglu, her eyes are always clear, gentle, and steady, with never a single blush on her face.

How on earth is this the appearance of someone interacting with the person they like?

“Maybe she only wants to be your friend.” Luo Chun sighed, “Or it’s just that she can’t stand seeing people frame others and start rumors. For a daughter of a rich and powerful family, dealing with these kinds of matters only requires a little effort, a single word, and that’s it. To her, it isn’t worth much.”

Lin Qinglu didn’t speak, unclear whether it was out of unhappiness or disagreement.

Luo Chun thought for a moment and then spoke:

“Did she really join the crew for you?”

“How come I seem to remember that, previously, her relationship with Shen Yu was rather good, and you even said that she was stupid and didn’t understand people clearly enough?”

Crunch.

A large chunk of the butterfly pastry in Lin Qinglu’s hand had broken off.

Wow. These words seem to have really pricked her heart?

Lin Qinglu’s eyes drooped and her lips pursed as she turned silent.

Yeah, why indeed?

Originally, she didn’t care about Song Pianxian and Shen Yu’s relationship, but now if she were to think about it, it would make her unhappy.

Didn’t Song Pianxian like her?

In regards to this issue, this was the first time that there was bewilderment within Lin Qinglu’s eyes.

Luo Chun’s patient and persistent persuasion had finally paid off, and so she felt a little fulfilled: “Carefully think it over.”

“Here, take another bag of butterfly pastries, and let’s take our time eating them when we return,” Luo Chun said in a pampering manner.

Lin Qinglu shot her a glance. Carrying the three bags of butterfly pastries, she walked to the counter to pay.

In front of the counter was someone else who was in the middle of paying, and the cashier was someone Lin Qinglu hadn’t seen before. She immediately remembered that the last time she had come here, it hadn’t yet opened for business and there was only the one pâtissier as well as the person who brought her here…

She gazed in the direction of the staircase leading to the second floor.

“Is your shop’s second floor for booths?” asked the customer who was in the middle of paying.

“No, we haven’t gone up to the second floor before either.” The cashier scanned and bagged the pastries with swift movements. “According to the shopkeeper, only the boss is allowed to go up there.”

Lin Qinglu’s reddish-brown pupils dilated slightly, and she turned her head in the cashier’s direction.

Carrying the tray of pastries that were fresh from the oven, the pâtissier appeared from the back and immediately noticed Lin Qinglu.

Met with those overwhelming eyes, his hand trembled and he almost flipped the pastries over onto the ground.

“Ms., Ms. Lin?” The pâtissier was much more composed than last time. At least this time his face didn’t turn red.

In the next second, Lin Qinglu suddenly began talking.

“Is your boss surnamed Song?”

“…Ah?” 

“And called Song Pianxian?”

The pâtissier was dumbstruck.

Luo Chun looked at the completely dumbstruck pâtissier and also became dumbstruck.

The Lin Qinglu who had come out of the Western Pastry House was bursting with life, full of vitality, and like a reviving deity.

Holding the butterfly pastries in her arms, she glanced at the silent manager and spoke with a smile:

“Say, Big Sister Luo, why do you think Song Pianxian invited a first-class pâtissier to sell desserts at the film site?”

Luo Chun: “……”

She would not say the answer that Movie Queen Lin wanted to hear!

But—why indeed?

She didn’t understand!

When Jian Yixin arrived at the film site, what she saw was Movie Queen Lin in a good mood and Luo Chun, whose gaze always seemed to land on her (JYX) while in deep contemplation.

But soon after, Director Zhao came over and arranged for her to make an appearance and prepare to shoot the solo dance. Time was tight, so Jian Yixin didn’t inquire further. She intended to go change the moment she received the stage clothes.

“How about you go to my makeup room,” Lin Qinglu was to the side reading the script and began speaking at the right moment. “I’m not using it right now.”

“Okay.”

What Jian Yixin didn’t expect was for Lin Qinglu to personally lead her to the room, attracting the gazes of many of the cast and crew members.

Although she assumed the post of CEO, she didn’t make it public, so the news didn’t spread. Brilliant Moon’s lower levels didn’t even know whether the new CEO was male or female, let alone the cast and crew members who were being worked to death like dogs.

As a result of seeing Movie Queen Lin treat the dance understudy with the utmost care, a lot of people cast shocked glances toward them.

Su Ting withdrew to the side next to the camera and excitedly said to the girls there, “Did you see that, did you see that! LinSong! What LinJi, ptui.”

“Isn’t she just leading the way? Ji Liu and Lin Qinglu have even seen a show together before!”

“Stop fighting and listen to me. LinXu, LinXu.”

……

Jian Yixin didn’t have the least bit clue about the ship wars that were currently becoming more and more heated and entered the makeup room together with Lin Qinglu. Changing clothes and putting on makeup, they were as busy as they could be.

Lin Qinglu stayed inside the makeup room, and once Jian Yixin finished changing her clothes and came out, she saw that Lin Qinglu seemed to be reading through the script. As such, Jian Yixin didn’t bother her and began having her makeup and hair done, occasionally chatting with the makeup artist.

They had just then gotten onto the topic of the recent gossip in the entertainment circle that had become especially popular when Lin Qinglu abruptly said, “Do you usually browse through Weibo?”

“Hm? I normally don’t.”

Jian Yixin was in the middle of having her eyes drawn and couldn’t move. When she noticed that Lin Qinglu stopped talking, she said, “Is something wrong?”

Lin Qinglu’s voice was nonchalant: “No, just asking since it came to mind.”

The makeup artist took two different lipsticks, unscrewed their caps, and compared them in front of her face over and over again, unable to choose the right one.

“These two colors both suit Pianxian…” The makeup artist was confronted with a difficult issue.

Jian Yixin’s eyes moved downward, and sweeping a glance at the two lipsticks, she felt a preference for one of them. Before she could open her mouth, Lin Qinglu appeared inside the vanity mirror, and the two people’s gazes met through the mirror.

The makeup artist gave way for Lin Qinglu almost instinctively, and the lipsticks in her hands had also been taken over in their entirety.

“Qinglu…” Jian Yixin called out. She wanted to turn around but had her shoulders pressed firmly in place.

“I’ll help you decide.” The ordinarily low and deep voice, as if it had an added trace of hoarseness, seemed even more fascinating and pleasant. Jian Yixin’s ears felt numb and without any other choice, she could only watch the movements of the person within the mirror.

The Lin Qinglu in the mirror bent her slender waist and wrapped Jian Yixin within her embrace from behind. Stretching her (LQL) arms out in front of her (JYX) body, Lin Qinglu took the lipstick and passed it over next to Jian Yixin’s lips, comparing the two.

In between breaths, Jian Yixin’s nose filled with the fragrance from her body, and the smell from the cosmetics had been thoroughly dyed into a sweet and pleasant scent. Jian Yixin was wrapped up in her smell with no way of escaping.

The lipstick was at the side of her lips, and the creamy substance was a smooth, mature red. Its distance from her lips and teeth were but a hair’s breadth away, as if to touch but not touch.

Jian Yixin involuntarily released a breath, and a certain string within her heart suddenly seemed to have been stretched taut—

This situation, something about it doesn’t seem quite right.

All of a sudden, Jian Yixin snapped out of her trance and only then realized that her gaze had been fixed on Lin Qinglu’s face in the mirror the entire time.

As for Lin Qinglu, she had long already avoided Jian Yixin’s eyes and looked at Jian Yixin’s lips intently, seemingly pondering over whether or not the lipstick in her hand was suitable.

But her gaze seemed too blurred and scorching to be explained by only this.

The temperature inside the makeup room had obviously risen, and the makeup artist, who was already nowhere to be seen within the mirror, had gone to who knows where.

Jian Yixin’s throat was a little tense and dry, and she softly drew in a breath: “Qinglu—”

Outside the makeup room, Liu Lele asked the makeup artist, “Big Sister Qinglu is inside, right?”

“Yes-yes, she’s inside reading the script.”

“Then, Ms. Ji, how about we go inside together?”

“Sure,” answered the dazzling and beautiful beauty. The beauty faced the phone livestream in the assistant’s hand and said, “Now, as we’re about to reach the meat of this visiting-while-at-work livestream, we’ll be seeing the one you’ve all been longing for, Movie Queen Lin.”

Ji Liu herself also had a phone in her hand in order to look at the bullet chat. She glanced at the screen that was packed full with “LinJi” and curved her red lips: “It’s real, it’s real. Stop asking. Tonight, I’ll let you all see your ship come true.”

Ji Liu’s style was bold, daring to say any and everything as well as teasing and tearing apart anyone. Nicknamed the entertainment circle’s Thrill-Seeking Executioner, because of her daring style, she attracted a group of fans who craved nothing but chaos.

When faced with Bandit King Ji Liu’s sharp words at this moment, a huge amount of jeering ensued:

“Draw up a written pledge!”

“Tell us first, what should be done if you can’t do it?”

“You won’t have the opportunity anymore. Lin Qinglu is in my bed and has already fallen asleep.”

……

Met with the chaotic captions, Ji Liu swept aside her hair, confidently opening the door to the makeup room:

“Can’t do it? If I can’t do it, I’ll go to the Huangpu River to square dance for one month and livestream it— Fuck, what the hell are you two doing, hurry and fix your clothes!”

Ji Liu immediately covered her face with her fingers opened wide, not obstructing even a bit of the view.

The phone’s camera followed closely after her and was aimed toward the inside of the makeup room.

Within the camera, a beautiful woman sat in the chair while Movie Queen Lin embraced the other party from behind: her long legs and slender waist, her hair hanging down to the side of the other’s shoulder with particular intimacy, and her soft eyes.

“WTF WTF WTF who is this”

“It seems to be the crew’s little dance understudy??”

“I’m withdrawing from LinJi. I ship this new pair so much!!”

“The scene of Ji (chicken) Liu’s dream being smashed to pieces and one month of square dancing. I’ve made a screen recording of it”

……

“What nonsense are you saying?” Lin Qinglu straightened her body, originally wanting to explain. Her mouth was halfway open when she noticed the ongoing phone livestream and closed her mouth shut, switching to acting as if nothing had happened as she put away the lipstick.

“How come you’re here?”

“I came to visit you at your workplace.” Ji Liu put down her hands. “Ending the livestream, ending the livestream. Goodnight, everyone.”

“Ji Liu, you dog woman! It’s only 2 PM right now!”

The bullet chat’s protests didn’t bother Ji Liu whatsoever, and she stopped the livestream. Her eyes spun round and round between Lin Qinglu and the dance understudy.

“Ah, I didn’t interrupt you two, did I?” she asked despite knowing the answer.

Jian Yixin smiled and didn’t speak.

Lin Qinglu stuck one hand into a pocket and her eyelashes fanned slightly: “We were putting on makeup. What was there to interrupt?”

“Ohh, so you were putting on makeup,” Ji Liu dragged out her voice.

“Have Pianxian use this lipstick.” Lin Qinglu passed over the lipstick in her hand to the makeup artist and then turned around, faced Song Pianxian in the mirror, and said, “We’ll be leaving first.”

“Okay.”

Ji Liu still had something to say but was driven out of the makeup room by Lin Qinglu. The door shut and it became quiet.

Jian Yixin breathed a sigh of relief.

To a certain extent, she had to thank Ji Liu.

That kind of strange, pervasive, and ubiquitous atmosphere as well as feeling made her feel at a loss.

In other words, she was bewildered and didn’t know how she should respond. It was more difficult to deal with than the most troublesome business proposal.

Outside the door, the two people were walking toward Yu Bo.

“Do you like her?” Ji Liu asked excitedly.

Lin Qinglu’s feet paused for a second, and she nodded her head.

“The fuck?” Ji Liu received a scare and soon after that, hastily lowered her voice: “I was just asking casually and you admitted it? You actually admitted it!”

“Am I not allowed to?”

Ji Liu was tongue-tied.

Oh right, this person even dared to come out of the closet. Why wouldn’t she dare to admit something as trivial as her romantic feelings?

“It couldn’t be that you came out of the closet for her, right?”

Lin Qinglu shook her head: “That’s just a coincidence.”

Ji Liu nodded her head in understanding, but only halfway through the nod she heard the other party say, “Even if such a coincidence didn’t happen, once we really did get together, I’d have to come out anyway.”

“……” You sure know how to show off kek.

“Wait a second, you two still aren’t together yet? Then, why the hell are you looking at the other person as if in heat?”

Lin Qinglu almost choked on these words of hers, and the cat’s fur puffed up: “Be careful of what you say!”

“Tsk.” Ji Liu understood after seeing this. What kind of primary school chicken is this? “If you could treat her as fiercely as you do with me, you would’ve long since fooled her into your bed.”

“Your mind is too filthy,” Movie Queen Lin called her out and criticized her.

“…Oh.”

Lin Qinglu brought Ji Liu over to greet Yu Bo and also sat down to speak a bit about the film’s script. On the other side, Jian Yixin walked out after she finished preparing.

Since she was acting as a stand-in, the clothes on her body and the jewelry were all things that Lin Qinglu had worn before, used before, making Lin Qinglu breathe sharply every time she thought about it.

The one thing about Song Pianxian’s body, from top to bottom, that was different from Lin Qinglu’s was her face. As such, the makeup artist was free to use the makeup look she wanted because Song Pianxian’s face wasn’t going to appear in the final shot.

On Lin Qinglu’s body, the same set of clothing and adornments gave off a feeling of inexhaustible and unrestrained elegance, but when Jian Yixin wore them, the feeling turned into that of a refined tranquility and her temperament was incredible.

As her figure stretched out in front of the camera, she became even more bright and dazzling.

Like a budding flower just on the verge of blossoming at the right time quietly revealing itself and also akin to a tranquil lakeside with many fireflies drifting about, the lithe fairy began to dance.

It was difficult to put into words the bewitching charm of the dancer’s movements. As if the radiance that was normally contained, through the limbs that were extending until the utmost limits little by little, was wantonly set free, completely stealing the attention of all the common people.

Her sleeves swirled through the air as if they were white birds, and like her name, she was a butterfly dancing about, her movements spry and her figure graceful.

Everyone in the surroundings all gradually stopped moving, and their gazes gathered on the extremely beautiful butterfly that was there, unable to take their eyes off.

The dance stopped. It was only after two or three beats that everyone, who had their attention stolen, were generously set free.

Lin Qinglu was the first to clap, and then a continuous applause rang out throughout the area.

Jian Yixin was short of breath and it was inconvenient to speak, so she simply revealed a smile. Like a dewy gardenia, she faced everyone in the surroundings and lowered her waist to represent her gratitude.

In the midst of the applause, Ji Liu said, “Sis, I’ve changed my mind.”

“?”

“I’ll only ask one thing: if you aren’t successful in chasing her, can I try?”

Lin Qinglu’s voice suffused with an icy cold: “Don’t even think about it.”

Besides, what unable to chase successfully? The two of them were in the ambiguous stage of the romantic feelings development process. It was normal.

That dirty mind of Ji Liu’s was what was abnormal.

Plus, she was even more proactive now.

And the distance between them had grown shorter.

Ji Liu had come to visit her and assembled together a dinner party. Lin Qinglu had no justification in order to bring Jian Yixin to accompany her and absentmindedly ate the food.

Ji Liu, like a variegated butterfly, walked around in a circle and returned with another glass of alcohol:

“Sis, let me tell you. Before I came here, I already thought about how to tear apart that bitch Ye Zixuan for you. She narrowly escaped death and surprisingly wasn’t among the cast…”

Lin Qinglu: “Mhm-mhm, I’m listening.”

Ji Liu: “……”

In retaliation, she replaced the plain water in front of Lin Qinglu with white wine.

Lin Qinglu drank a mouthful. Her face burned red, and a crimson color filled her cheeks. Gorgeous and boundless, a watery sheen emerged in her misted eyes.

Ji Liu’s eyes lit up: “I think I’m ready to fall in love again.”

“Ji, Liu.”

Seeing that Lin Qinglu was really starting to get angry now, Ji Liu didn’t dare to mess around any longer and thought up a good excuse on the spot:

“Sis, I’m just trying to help you, y’know. Think about it: you drink some alcohol and head back, pay off Liu Lele, and stand in front of your dance understudy’s door. Wouldn’t she have to take care of you then?”

“Don’t you want to go into her room to—” The extremely vulgar latter half of her sentence was forcibly changed after being faced with Lin Qinglu’s gaze. “—lay low and have some fun?”

Lin Qinglu was silent.

“Ahem ahem, I’m just joking. If I remember, you’re the type to get wasted after one glass? You only drank one sip just now. Don’t worry, you won’t get drunk.”

Won’t get drunk?

Lin Qinglu lifted up the glass and drank half of the glass in a single breath.

“……”

Seeing the movie queen who would usually only ever hold champagne and red wine for appearance’s sake, never touching even a drop of alcohol, pour half a glass of white wine down her throat all at once, Ji Liu could only think of one way to describe this situation:

This glass of wine called love. Anyone who drinks it will become drunk.

Liu Lele was taking Lin Qinglu back to the hotel and complained, “How could they let you, Big Sister, drink alcohol? Did they not know that you can’t drink? Seriously.”

Lin Qinglu didn’t have the heart to make Old Man Yu take the blame at his age, so she placed the responsibility onto a suitable candidate who was young and vigorous: “It was Ji Liu.”

“Right, I suspected that it was Ms. Ji. She really goes too far.”

Once they reached the hotel’s first floor, Lin Qinglu suddenly said, “I accidentally forgot my phone in Ji Liu’s purse. You can go find her and get it.”

“How did you forget and end up leaving it with Ms. Ji?” Liu Lele didn’t understand why but still gave the room card to Lin Qinglu, and turning around to leave, said, “Big Sister, you go up first. I’ll be right back.”

The dedicated little assistant walked out, leaving Lin Qinglu with the figure of someone that would come back who knows when.

Lin Qinglu grasped the room card, carefully putting it into her purse and then took out the phone that was said to have been with Ji Liu.

And made a call.

TL Notes:

Just wanna ask, would you guys like it better if i indented the paragraphs? I’m not sure why i didn’t do it in the first place but yeah

Oh right, in case anyone was wondering about the meaning of Song Pianxian and Lin Qinglu’s names, here ya go. Was also curious about any deeper meanings but maybe i’m overthinking it. Honestly, their names seem pretty fitting tho

Song Pianxian (宋翩跹): 

宋 → doesn’t really have a meaning but it’s the same “Song” as in “Song Dynasty”

翩跹 → spry and lively/fluttering (of dancing and movements)

Lin Qinglu (林轻鹭): 

林 → forest

轻 → light/gentle/soft

鹭 → heron 

Source: https://mysticurious.com/what-does-heron-symbolize

[1] doesn’t translate well into English but the character for 木 (Mu) looks similar to the 宋 (Song) in Song Pianxian’s name as you can see

[2] the 姬 in this person’s username sounds like word for “gay” in Cantonese as well, so could be a pun of sorts