A Scummy Divorcee Alpha: Ex-Wife’s Top-Tier Soothing Agent - Chapter 16

Du Wan hitched a ride back to the hotel on a crew vehicle that night. Not long after she fell asleep, just as dawn was beginning to break and faint morning light crawled over the windowsill, her alarm blared. She had to scramble up and rush back to the set.

Du Wan squatted in a corner, picking at a boxed lunch half-heartedly. She greeted everyone who passed by; the more someone had “stood her up” the previous night, the louder her greeting was.

As long as I’m not embarrassed, the embarrassment belongs to you.

“Well, if it isn’t Lou Xuehan. Is your hair and makeup set?”

Lou Xuehan was caught off guard, stopping in her tracks to launch a sneer. “Aren’t you afraid of getting fat, eating such oily food so early in the morning? I never eat breakfast when I’m filming.”

Du Wan replied cheerfully while clutching her lunch, “Skipping breakfast makes it easy to get gallstones.”

“Hmph, you don’t have the basic self-discipline of an actress!” Lou Xuehan frowned in deep disgust. “When you’re too bloated for the camera, it’ll be my bad luck to have to act opposite you!”

Du Wan stopped eating and stabbed her chopsticks into the middle of the foam container. “Lou Xuehan, I misunderstood you before.”

Lou Xuehan: “What???”

“I didn’t expect you to be so generous, not worried at all that I might steal your spotlight.” Du Wan took two steps toward her, tilting her head to size her up. “Your words are harsh, but I take the hint. Starting tomorrow, I’ll diet and exercise. I’ll strive to be more beautiful than you soon.”

“What do you even mean by that!?” Lou Xuehan shrieked, though her mind started to find some logic in the words. She caught the specific aroma of carbohydrates, and her mouth involuntarily began to salivate. “This… is the Black Bean Sauce Noodles good?”

“It’s divine.” Du Wan shook the lunch box. “Want me to bring you a portion tomorrow?”

“No, no need!” Lou Xuehan reacted as if she’d seen a monster, taking a large leap backward. “If it’s good, you just eat more of it. I’m leaving!”

Du Wan turned around, her face full of flattery. “My dear classmate Chai Tingyan, next time could you ask the boss to use a little more oil? What’s the difference between this and just making me eat raw flour?”

Chai Tingyan crossed her arms and refused coldly, “Don’t even think about it. You aren’t even getting noodles tomorrow.”

Du Wan pouted.

Once she arrived on the actual set, Du Wan realized that a scene isn’t filmed just because you say so.

Before the official cameras roll, the director has to explain the scene, the blocking, and the movement changes to the actors. Furthermore, every lighting position is meticulously arranged, every prop has a purpose, and the cinematographer has to study which side of the actor’s face looks better on screen…

After everything was ready, the script supervisor brought out the clapperboard.

With the sharp CLACK of the board: Action!

Du Wan’s “blessing in disguise” had been getting hand-picked as the lead by the producer. The screenwriter had rewritten the script overnight, adding several “sides” (new pages) on the spot. The first scene was Du Wan’s character, Ouyang Chang, falling in love at first sight with Lou Xuehan’s character, Gu Yuan, in a coffee shop.

Du Wan: “…”

I’d rather be hugging Zuo Yijia’s leg yelling ‘I love you’!

The set was completely different from acting class. The main difference was: there were way more people watching her act!!!

With so many eyes converged on her, no matter how thick-skinned Du Wan was, she was incredibly nervous for her debut. Fortunately, she had memorized her lines perfectly, and the first run-through went without any major blunders.

But Lou Xuehan wasn’t happy.

“I don’t want to film anymore.” Lou Xuehan flopped into a chair, using her script as a fan. “I get annoyed the moment I see her. How am I supposed to act if I can’t get into character?”

“Oh, life is like a play, and a play is like life,” the director coaxed with a forced smile. “Xiao Han, think of something happy in your life. Like, winning a big award tomorrow? Or landing a global endorsement for XX brand?”

“Pfft—” Lou Xuehan thought about it and started giggling behind her hand.

“There! That’s it!” the director praised. “Hold that state!”

“Director Li, I’ll give you face and try one more time.” Lou Xuehan’s smile vanished the moment she caught sight of Du Wan again. She stiffened her expression. “But some people just occupy a nest that doesn’t belong to them and won’t move. I just can’t stand it; I want to see justice done!”

Du Wan took the “eye-dagger,” squinting with a smile while whispering through gritted teeth, “Chai Tingyan, why didn’t you tell me that becoming a Best Actress requires going through eighty-one trials? This whole road is full of monsters!”

“Stay calm, stay calm,” Chai Tingyan handed her a bottle of water. “Think of the paycheck.”

Du Wan managed to soothe her own nerves.

“Alright!” The director waved to the distance. “I Like You Too, Scene 1, Shot 1, Take 6. Action!”

Du Wan and Lou Xuehan returned to their positions.

“Gu Yuan” left her phone in the booth. “Ouyang Chang” discovered it and waited for a while before encountering the hurriedly returning “Gu Yuan.” The moment she handed back the phone, it was love at first sight.

Individually, their performances were fine, but the moment their eyes met, things went wrong. The director behind the monitor finally hit his limit, ripping off his headphones and slamming them onto the ground.

“Lou Xuehan! Love at first sight! Do you understand love at first sight?! What is that look in your eyes? Are you enemies? Do you want to skin her and drink her blood?” the director roared. “Look at Du Wan—look how professional she is!”

Du Wan remained expressionless. Compared to the fuming Lou Xuehan, she actually did look much more “kind and approachable.”

Lou Xuehan opened her mouth: “I…”

“Fine, don’t say anything.” The director waved his hand in disappointment. “Everyone is tired. Let’s take a thirty-minute break.”

Being told her acting was inferior to Du Wan’s made Lou Xuehan lose face instantly.

“I’m warning you, I have a new partner now!” Lou Xuehan stomped past Du Wan, then suddenly spun around. “You aren’t allowed to target my partner again! And don’t you dare target me either!”

Do I look like I have such a lack of standards!? Du Wan found it utterly bizarre.

“What was that about?” Assistant Chai’s gossip-loving heart set ablaze. She whispered excitedly, “I knew you two had beef. You really did offend her in the past.”

“Enough, stop prying.” Du Wan stretched out her leg, showing her scraped knee. “Did you bring the first-aid kit?”

“Oh! I left it in the car!” Assistant Chai slapped her forehead. “Wait for me, I’ll go get it!”

Du Wan waved her off.

Du Wan had used her meager savings to treat the crew to food twice, getting on friendly terms with many staff members.

“Actually, the director isn’t targeting you on purpose; he’s just frustrated,” an older staff member said, seeing through the politics. “Li Jin is the investor for this drama. You took the lead role spot—of course they hate you. Even with Producer Lin backing you, what can you do?”

Du Wan took a bite of a popsicle. “So I just have to swallow this ‘silent grievance’?”

“Young lady, ‘suffering a loss is a blessing.’ Just act how you’re supposed to act. They can’t actually touch you, so what are you afraid of?” The veteran patted her shoulder. “This flavor is good; bring me another one tomorrow.”

To be honest, what decent person would take such a terrible script? Filming this kind of movie was purely for the money.

Li Jin was playing nice on the surface while making threats in the background to ensure their cooperation with Producer Lin’s capital. Du Wan, for the sake of a hard-won lead role, had to swallow the bitter pill.

Du Wan glanced at the scorching sun overhead, sat up lazily, and snapped her popsicle stick with a crack.

There is a limit to how much one will endure. Being willing to suffer a loss doesn’t mean being afraid of trouble.

Du Wan sat in her folding chair, rubbing her aching calves while continuing to flip through the script.

In the middle of this, she received a harrassment call with no caller ID. Immersed in her acting “itch,” she cleared her throat and decided to take charge. “Hello—”

“What are you selling? Used cars or second-hand apartments?”

Du Wan said “hello” several times, but no one answered. The other end remained silent, save for a faint, rhythmic breathing that made Du Wan unsure if she was talking to a person, a dog, or a fish.

Strange things happen every year, but this year has been special.

Even telemarketers usually say a few words. What kind of logic is total silence? Du Wan lost interest and hung up.

The next second, her phone buzzed with a notification for a large transfer. She tapped in to look.

“Holy crap!”

Du Wan covered her mouth, looking around sneakily before slowly moving her hand to reveal the string of digits.

400,000 RMB. It was the “nutritional expenses” sent from the Zuo Group, with next month’s payment pre-paid as well.

Du Wan had never seen so much money.

I must be dreaming!

She pinched her thigh. It hurt. This was real! She was so giddy she almost forgot which way was north. She went to tap back in to savor the feeling.

[Hello, a new deposit has been detected in your account. The ‘Auto-Repayment’ function has been activated…]

Before the money could even get warm in her hands, Du Wan watched as the 400,000 grew wings and flew away. Not a single cent remained.

God, why are you doing this to me!!!

A torrential downpour began as if answering her internal cry.

Du Wan: “…”

The director gave up on the struggle. Deciding to take advantage of the weather, he took Lou Xuehan to film a “running in the rain” scene, giving Du Wan half a day off to go wait somewhere else.

Du Wan waited for a while, but Chai Tingyan didn’t return. She planned to find her and go back to the hotel together.

The parking lot was a distance from the set. She walked for a while under her umbrella before reaching it. The sky had dimmed, and the lot was pitch black. Cars were scattered about. It took Du Wan a long time to confirm her car’s location.

“Chai Tingyan, come out.”

Du Wan closed her umbrella and knocked on the rear window, puzzled. “What’s wrong? Did you fall asleep?”

She reached out to pull the rear door. It opened just a sliver. She suddenly felt a surge of vigilance—something felt wrong. She crouched down to look inside.

A dark shadow seemed to move in the narrow gap. Du Wan sensed disaster and turned to run without a second thought.

She was one step too late.

“Where do you think you’re escaping to!”

The person inside struck with lightning speed, grabbing the long handle of her umbrella. The curved handle hooked around her neck, and she was yanked into the car instantly.

Du Wan crashed into a bundle of sweet fragrance. Opening her eyes in pain, she saw Zuo Yijia staring at her indifferently. Her red lips were pressed into a thin line. In the dark cabin, the metal hairpin in her hair caught a few glints of faint light.

“Sis, you’re here too.”

On the third row of seats, Assistant Chai was squeezed between two burly bodyguards. She didn’t dare move, offering Du Wan a forced smile of greeting.

Du Wan was dazed from the fall and couldn’t smile at all.

“Boss Zuo, let’s talk things out properly.” She gestured for the umbrella handle to be removed from her neck.

Zuo Yijia raised an eyebrow but looked at Chai Tingyan.

“Miss Zuo, you saw it, right?” Assistant Chai started chirping. “Sister Du Wan saw I was in danger and didn’t even try to save me—she just ran. It’s obvious she and I have absolutely no ‘improper relationship’.”

Du Wan: “…” Stop bringing up exactly what shouldn’t be mentioned.

“Then, the relationship between me and you—” Zuo Yijia moved the umbrella away slowly, her expression unreadable. “Does that count as an improper relationship?”

“In your dreams!”

“In your dreams—”

Zuo Yijia and Du Wan spoke in unison.

In the darkness, Zuo Yijia’s eyes widened slightly in brief shock. It vanished in an instant, and she returned to her calm, cold state, leaving almost no trace of a flaw.

Du Wan raised her hand, indicating she wanted to continue speaking: “Boss Zuo, can you let me crawl off your lap first?”