Acting as the Movie Queen Love Rival’s Golden Finger GL - Chapter 12

Ding—

The sound of a text notification.

Ming Xu took out her phone, glanced at Song Jianzhi, who was currently on a call, and lightly tapped open WeChat.

Li Man: “Sister Ming Xu, I’m at the parking lot.”

Ming Xu’s fingers moved, and she replied: “I’m no longer at Xiwang. Go back. Thanks for your trouble.”

“Take the day off.”

Li Man, who was still in Xiwang’s parking garage looking left and right as she waited to pick up her artist and take her home, stared at the latest WeChat message with a bewildered expression.

Ming Xu turned her wrist over and put the phone back into her bag.

Song Jianzhi was still on the phone. Her sitting posture was very good, her waist and back straight, her legs together, her body turned lightly to one side.

Today, she was wearing slightly flared jeans, but Ming Xu remembered that her legs were very straight. The curves of her calves, especially, were the most beautiful—firm and smooth.

Just like her thighs, tender white and smooth.

Ming Xu curled her fingers and rubbed them lightly.

Song Jianzhi’s phone call reached its final sentence. “If Xiwang is willing to talk properly, then settle things properly. Give them what should be given. If they still can’t see the situation clearly, you know what to do, so there’s no need to ask me. Mm, go ahead.”

Song Jianzhi let out a breath, put down the phone, and turned to look at Ming Xu.

“I was talking about some things regarding your contract termination. It should be resolved smoothly, so don’t worry,” Song Jianzhi explained. She estimated that with Ming Xu’s intelligence, she should have understood what she had been saying, but after what happened in the elevator just now, she kept feeling that Sister Ming Xu was very fragile at the moment, so Song Jianzhi inevitably treated her with even more care.

Ming Xu’s lashes trembled. Her lips pressed together lightly as she said, “I hope it goes smoothly.”

Song Jianzhi’s heart clenched.

Trash Xiwang, trash Wei Xiao. Joining hands to bully my client, my female lead, the destined Movie Queen. Look at what you’ve done to such a perfectly good child!

Even aloof Sister Ming Xu has revealed a fragile side now. Her eyes aren’t bright, her tone isn’t cold, and she isn’t even secretly looking at me while I’m beside her. Her entire person has lost vitality—

Something about that seemed wrong.

Song Jianzhi was startled. So I’m actually this narcissistic?

After fiercely dissing herself in her heart, Song Jianzhi glanced at her wristwatch and asked softly, “Are you just going back like this? Li Man took leave and isn’t around, so where will you eat lunch?”

Song Jianzhi remembered that Ming Xu rarely cooked in the novel, and her home refrigerator was always empty.

Without an assistant, there wasn’t even anyone to buy ingredients for her.

Song Jianzhi couldn’t help complaining, “Xiwang is way too stingy. They didn’t even give you a life assistant. Once you’re at Xinghan, I’ll arrange several more for you.”

Ming Xu’s hands were folded together on her knees. With her head lowered, she said, “It’s nothing. I don’t really want to eat either.”

“That won’t do.” Song Jianzhi rejected it in one breath.

Ming Xu’s eyes moved slightly.

Then she heard Song Jianzhi say, “I’ll go to a hotel and pack something up. You can take it home and eat.”

Ming Xu: …

“No need. I don’t have an appetite,” Ming Xu said expressionlessly.

From Song Jianzhi’s angle, Ming Xu’s naturally falling hair covered her face. She could only see a little of her side profile, her lips pressed slightly together, looking rather unhappy.

Song Jianzhi was about to say more when the car began to slow down, until it finally pulled over and stopped.

“Miss, we’ve arrived,” Xiao Wang, the bodyguard acting as driver, said.

Ming Xu’s hand moved to the door handle.

How could Song Jianzhi watch her go home hungry? She hurriedly said, “Even if you aren’t hungry, I am. Can you accompany me to eat a little?”

Ming Xu’s movement stopped, but she did not speak, as if she were hesitating.

Song Jianzhi struck while the iron was hot, softening her voice. “Eating alone is really boring. Just treat it as keeping me company.”

Only then was Ming Xu satisfied.

“All right.”

Song Jianzhi had Xiao Wang drive to Sikou. Sikou was a club under the Song family’s name, with excellent privacy, so Ming Xu would be more at ease inside.

The people at Sikou naturally recognized the big boss. The manager hurried over to meet Song Jianzhi and personally led her toward the private room reserved for the Song family.

Halfway there, the door to one of the private rooms opened, and a woman with an explosive figure walked out. The woman did not notice anyone else and was lowering her head to answer a call, saying impatiently,

“I have something important right now! You even need to ask me how to handle fan gifts? What do I need you for? Just throw them all in the trash! Tear off the wrapping paper first before throwing them—”

The woman turned her face and saw Song Jianzhi and Ming Xu. More accurately, her gaze fell on Ming Xu. Her face stiffened, and she immediately hung up the call.

The system: “Important supporting character detected: Qiao Xin.”

Song Jianzhi: Oh-ho.

Qiao Xin walked over in two or three steps. Seeing that the person beside Ming Xu had an extremely outstanding appearance, a properly beautiful face that was hard to find even in the entertainment industry, and that she was the same gorgeous type as herself yet even more bewitching, jealousy rose in her heart. On her face, she wore the arrogant expression exclusive to vicious supporting female characters and crossed her arms.

“Yo, isn’t this Ming Xu? What, did you bring your little lover here for a date?”

Little lover? Who?

Song Jianzhi looked left and right. The manager leading the way cautiously stood a little farther away.

Ming Xu’s expression remained calm, and her tone was distant. “We’re just friends.”

Qiao Xin curled her lip. “As long as you stop always playing tricks to string Wei Xiao along, I don’t care who you’re friends with.”

Commanding and acting as though no one else was present, she said, “Don’t forget, my brother is Chief Secretary by President Song’s side. Song Third Miss and I are best friends who grew up together. If she’s unhappy, crushing you would only take the lift of a hand!”

Ming Xu: …

Ming Xu glanced at Song Jianzhi, her meaning profound.

Song Jianzhi had nothing to say.

According to the magical setting of that novel, Qiao Xin and Song Jianzhi were a pair of best friends, following the classic setup that “every vicious supporting female character has a lackey beside her who encourages her to do bad things.”

Song Jianzhi had gone abroad when she was young, and the two of them basically had no contact. After she returned to the country, Qiao Xin had already had a period with Wei Xiao and was still missing the benefits that came with him, so she had sought out Song Jianzhi again to rekindle their best-friendship and target Ming Xu together.

Before Song Jianzhi appeared, Qiao Xin had also been the one constantly using Song Jianzhi’s name to make trouble for Ming Xu.

Unfortunately, her brother Qiao Kai was a capable assistant beside President Song. Even a seventh-rank official in front of the prime minister’s gate had status. With Qiao Kai around, Xinghan’s resources tilted quite a bit toward her, making it convenient for her to create obstacles for Ming Xu back when Ming Xu had not yet fully grown.

It could be said that the early rough patch in Ming Xu’s stardom, along with the many bad films she had accepted, was half Xiwang’s doing and half the doing of Wei Xiao’s women. Qiao Xin took up the largest share of the latter.

When Song Jianzhi had first finished reading this part of the setting, she had only wanted to ask the author: Are you trying to make these best friends share a man? Huh?

At this moment, faced with Qiao Xin, who kept saying she was “Song Third Miss’s best friend” yet couldn’t even recognize Song Jianzhi standing right in front of her, even the manager couldn’t bear to watch anymore. He cleared his throat and bowed.

“Third Miss, Secretary Qiao is indeed inside the private room. Do you need me to call Secretary Qiao out?”

Qiao Xin still hadn’t wrapped her head around it. “Third Miss? Which family’s Third Miss—”

When she said this, she finally seemed to react. Her gaze froze on Song Jianzhi. She opened her mouth, only to discover that she couldn’t speak. After getting stuck for a long time, she finally said in a trembling voice, “Song, Song…”

Song Jianzhi smiled politely. “It’s not Song-Song. It’s Song Jianzhi.”

Then she withdrew her smile and said to the manager, “Let’s go. We’ll go in and take a look.”

The manager hurried forward and knocked. Without waiting for anyone inside to respond, he pushed the door open.

Ming Xu did not move. She lowered her head and leaned closer, saying softly, “I’ll wait for you at the door.”

“Let’s go. Together.” Song Jianzhi gave her no chance to refuse and conveniently pulled Ming Xu along with her into the private room.

Was she kidding? She wasn’t going there to slap Qiao Kai in the face. It was because the system had detected another person.

Ming Xu’s gaze circled over the place where the two of them were touching.

The private room was very large, with a separate small living room and an open dining area. The lights shone down, casting everything in gold.

Qiao Kai had probably heard something from the manager and was already striding over. He wore a black suit and had a refined face, but right now his expression was tense. The moment he saw Song Jianzhi, he said, “Miss, Qiao Xin offended you.”

As he spoke, he glared harshly at Qiao Xin, who had followed them in from behind with a pale face.

Song Jianzhi looked at the person in front of her, the traitor who would sell the Song family’s secrets to Wei Xiao in the book.

However, he had not made a move yet. There was another matter more important right now.

Song Jianzhi knew the plot, so she also knew how much he doted on Qiao Xin. This glare was probably just for show in front of her, so she said nothing and only asked, “I heard you were meeting someone here. I came to take a look.”

“Is it a company partner?”

Qiao Kai paused and said, “No, Miss. Inside the private room is Teacher Hu Fan. We’re just having a meal together.”

When Ming Xu heard this name, a faint light flickered in her light brown, glass-bead-like eyes. She looked toward the dining area.

Song Jianzhi had never ignored Ming Xu’s state. Seeing that Ming Xu really was happy, she also felt happy in her heart and asked Qiao Kai, “Are you two friends?”

Qiao Kai went hoarse. He came from a lowly background and had climbed to the position of Chief Secretary through effort and hard work. How would he have had the chance to become acquainted with a giant of the literary and artistic world? It was simply that the other party was giving the Song family face.

Song Jianzhi knew it clearly. She walked past him and took Ming Xu toward the dining area. “Perfect. I’ve read Elder Hu’s script, so I’ll go meet him too.”

When Ming Xu heard the word “script,” she seemed to sense something.

Qiao Kai had no choice. He deliberately fell a few steps behind to wait for Qiao Xin. “Look at you. Don’t you know to pay attention when you’re outside?”

Qiao Xin said aggrievedly, “I just got back from filming and haven’t had time to visit the Song family yet. You can’t blame me, Brother.”

After acting spoiled, she complained again, “Why did Song Jianzhi bring Ming Xu in? She isn’t going to give Ming Xu the role, is she? Ming Xu isn’t even from Xinghan. And didn’t Song Jianzhi hate Ming Xu the most?”

Qiao Kai thought for a moment and said, “You just left a bad impression on Miss. Say less later. If she wants to give it, then let her give it. In any case, the role you’re aiming for is the second female lead.”

Qiao Xin agreed unwillingly.

By the time the siblings finished speaking and went inside again, Song Jianzhi and Ming Xu had already taken their seats.

Of course, Elder Hu was seated at the head of the table. Qiao Kai and Qiao Xin had originally been sitting on the lower left side, so Song Jianzhi chose the right side and had Ming Xu sit above her, next to Elder Hu.

Elder Hu was already over sixty, but he was still hale and energetic, his face full of smiles. Qiao Kai watched coldly from the side and felt that Elder Hu’s interest was much stronger now than when he had been speaking with him earlier.

“Ming Xu! I recognized you the moment you came in!” Elder Hu said with a cheerful smile. “I thought I’d have to wait until the audition to meet you. I didn’t expect us to have such fate.”

Ming Xu’s eyes were bright as she said respectfully, “I also didn’t expect to meet you today, Elder Hu.”

As for fate…

Ming Xu glanced at Song Jianzhi beside her, and her heart stirred.

Song Jianzhi also tilted her head to look at her, inquiry in her eyes.

Elder Hu said, “The audition is arranged for the 31st. You have time to go, right? I’m waiting to see your performance. If it were up to me, I’d have you act directly, but that brat Bei Hai said we have to give the other actors a chance—you have to perform well!”

Director Bei Hai had been famous for a long time, but only Elder Hu could call him “that brat.”

At the same time, this allowed the faint guess in Ming Xu’s heart to settle into reality.

She had been given high hopes by the author she liked most. Even though she had always been cool-natured, she could not stop the surging feeling in her heart. Her brows and eyes were full of seriousness. In front of Elder Hu, it was as though she had shed the glory of Best Actress and the halo of a first-tier female star, becoming only a female student receiving guidance from an elder.

“I will definitely give it my all and not disappoint you, Elder Hu.”

Qiao Kai chimed in, “Miss Ming’s appearance and acting skills absolutely will not disgrace Elder Hu’s work. I think she’s suitable.”

Speaking of his own works, Elder Hu then talked about films that had previously been adapted. Ming Xu listened attentively while splitting off a bit of attention to look at Song Jianzhi.

After entering the room, greeting Elder Hu, and exchanging pleasantries, Song Jianzhi had been very quiet.

Her gaze swept over Song Jianzhi.

She saw that Song Jianzhi was eating a dish of lychee shrimp balls. Presumably, it tasted quite good, because she used the serving spoon to scoop another two spoonfuls into the white porcelain bowl in front of her.

Ming Xu became slightly distracted, thinking that she could learn how to make this dish.

Then Ming Xu saw Song Jianzhi switch Ming Xu’s tableware with her own and place the bowl filled with delicacies in front of Ming Xu.

“It’s really delicious.”

Song Jianzhi blinked her cat-like eyes and said softly.

Author’s Note:

How should I put it? Song Jianzhi is just a little sweetheart, a sweetie.