After Punching Her Way Through The Entertainment Industry [Ancient-to-Modern] - Chapter 5

Had Yan Qing gone to sleep?

Of course not.

She had become even more interested in Meng Shi—so interested that she felt inexplicably excited.

She opened WeChat and selected Chu Yihan’s name.

【Yan: Old Chu, help me investigate someone~】

【Chu: Check the time before talking to me. [Yawn]】

【Yan: I’m serious. I’m not joking around. She’s a promising newcomer named Meng Shi.】

Five minutes later.

【Chu: I looked through her information. I don’t see anything particularly promising about her.】

【Yan: That’s because you haven’t met her in person. Her eyes are incredibly expressive!】

【Yan: Our company needs some new talent right now. This girl has good potential. We can give her a try!】

【Chu: Oh, so she’s the one who rejected you today~】

【Yan: …】

Even through the screen, Yan Qing could practically see the corners of Chu Yihan’s mouth curling upward without restraint.

【Yan: Give me her address. Tomorrow, I’ll personally visit her three times if I have to!】

【Chu: Try not to frighten the child.】

【Chu: Qinghe Residential Community, Building 6, Room 402. Do you need me to come support you? I happen to be free tomorrow.】

Ten minutes later.

【Chu: ???】

Yan Qing had already gone to sleep with a clear conscience.

…

At four thirty in the morning, Meng Shi got out of bed early—truly waking earlier than the chickens.

She dressed, quietly slipped out of the house, and jogged around the residential complex for her morning exercise.

After finding a deserted grove, she began practicing the martial arts she had learned in the past.

Back in the military camp, disputes could be settled with fists. However, in this world, it seemed she could not casually attack people.

Even so, she absolutely could not neglect her martial arts.

After breakfast, Meng Jiu left for work. Before leaving, she instructed Meng Shi to remain obediently at home and not go outside to cause trouble.

Meng Shi did not care. She had not planned to leave anyway.

She intended to spend the day learning more about this world.

After clearing away the dishes, Meng Shi was about to return to her room when she heard someone knocking at the door.

Wondering who it could be, she opened it.

The entire world seemed to freeze.

Yan Qing was dressed rather casually today.

She wore an exaggeratedly large sun hat, dark brown sunglasses, a long white shirt tied around her waist, and khaki cropped trousers.

Upon seeing Meng Shi, Yan Qing removed her sunglasses and gave her a warm, friendly smile.

Meng Shi stared at her expressionlessly.

“Hello,” Yan Qing greeted her first.

Meng Shi narrowed her eyes and continued staring.

【Yan Qing: Do I owe her money or something?】

“Shi, who is it?” Xie Ping asked from inside.

Rustling sounds followed, as though she were putting on her shoes and preparing to get out of bed.

“Don’t come out. It’s only the auntie delivering milk.”

【Yan Qing: I…】

“You…”

Yan Qing had only just opened her mouth.

Bang!

The door closed.

Closed…

Right in her face.

Looking at the tightly shut door, Yan Qing felt a breath of anger lodge in her chest.

She raised her hand, ready to pound on it!

“I’m going out for a while. I’ll be back soon.”

Meng Shi picked up her keys and opened the door again.

Yan Qing was standing there with one hand raised. The moment she saw Meng Shi, she calmly pretended to adjust her hair instead.

Meng Shi glanced at her and headed downstairs.

Yan Qing followed behind her, taking the opportunity to observe her.

Meng Shi carried herself straight and tall, and her steps were steady and composed, without the slightest trace of impatience.

Oh, my.

That round, perky little bottom…

Yan Qing was studying all sorts of strange details when Meng Shi suddenly stopped and turned around.

“Have you looked enough?”

Caught off guard, Yan Qing nearly walked into her. She hurriedly steadied herself.

This child was not short.

Even while wearing six-centimeter heels, Yan Qing was only barely the same height as her.

Perhaps taller people naturally possessed an intimidating presence.

At the very least, when Meng Shi turned and looked at her, Yan Qing instinctively avoided her gaze.

The stairwell was somewhat dark and frighteningly quiet.

Yan Qing quickly recovered. She raised her chin slightly, met Meng Shi’s gaze, and stared back.

“Were the people following me yesterday sent by you?”

“Uh…”

“Why were you investigating me?”

“Hmm…”

“How did you find out where I live?”

Meng Shi pressed closer with every question.

“Well…”

【Yan Qing: Hmm? Something is wrong with this strange atmosphere. How can I let her take complete control?!】

Yan Qing straightened her back slightly.

Before she could speak, Meng Shi folded her arms and moved another step toward her!

The distance between them instantly shrank to ten centimeters.

Yan Qing could practically feel Meng Shi’s warm breath gently brushing against her cheek!

【Yan Qing: Aaaaaah, this rotten child! How can she… how can she look so beautiful from this close?!】

Yan Qing carelessly began to move one step backward, but regretted it as soon as she lifted her foot.

Wouldn’t retreating mean she was admitting weakness?

No.

She absolutely could not retreat!

However, leaving her foot awkwardly raised was not an option either.

In a moment of impulsiveness, she stepped forward instead!

The distance between them became even smaller.

Their noses were almost touching.

Meng Shi still looked completely unconcerned, but a faint smile appeared at the corners of her lips.

She found it amusing to see this woman’s mature face turning bright red and sweat forming on the tip of her nose, while she stubbornly endured it and refused to back down.

As for Yan Qing, she had been in the industry for seventeen years and famous for more than a decade.

What kind of storms and powerful figures had she not encountered?

She had always stood before others with a proud, commanding attitude.

Even Chu Yihan, the wealthiest woman in Xiyuan, had never gained the slightest advantage over her.

Yet today, why did she keep stumbling before this entirely unremarkable brat?

Yan Qing could not even describe what she was feeling.

She only knew that she had never experienced her heart beating this quickly before.

After her initial discomfort, Yan Qing rapidly steadied herself.

Thus, the two of them stood nose to nose, staring into each other’s eyes, neither willing to retreat even half a step.

【Meng Shi: This woman is so annoying. Should I knock her down with one punch?】

【Yan Qing: Her eyes are quite large up close. Her eyelashes are thick and curled, and her skin is so soft and smooth. Youth truly is wonderful.】

【Meng Shi: Should I hit the left side of her face or the right? If I hit too lightly, she won’t lose consciousness. If I hit too hard and knock out her teeth again, I’ll probably have to pay her medical expenses. Maybe I should hit her stomach instead.】

While both were lost in their own thoughts, the sound of a door opening suddenly came from the stairwell.

Immediately afterward came the sound of someone walking downstairs.

Yan Qing did not move.

She assumed Meng Shi would at least step away to avoid suspicion.

Yet that girl stood even more firmly than she did!

As the footsteps gradually approached, Yan Qing began to panic.

Even if she normally did not care about scandals or gossip, she still cared about her dignity!

Standing with a young woman in a dark stairwell and… staring deeply into each other’s eyes…

Who knew what kind of ridiculous story people would invent if word spread?

Taking another step back, even if she could tolerate people gossiping about her, she could not gamble with Meng Shi’s future.

Yes.

She could not gamble with Meng Shi’s future!

Yan Qing finally found a reason convincing enough to persuade herself.

Feeling relieved, she openly and gracefully stepped backward.

【Yan Qing: This isn’t cowardice. I’m… doing it for her own good! For her own good…】

Meng Shi turned and left the stairwell.

Yan Qing glanced at the person coming down from above, lowered the brim of her hat, and hurried outside.

“Meng Shi.”

Yan Qing called out to stop her.

“I know you were very interested in the role of the young Fang Ling. I would like to… invite you to join my production and play Fang Ling.”

Yan Qing looked at her seriously.

“But I’m no longer interested,” Meng Shi replied.

“You should understand that because you didn’t attend the audition, you had already lost the opportunity. Right now, I’m—”

“Didn’t you already decide on someone through connections?”

【Yan Qing: …Could this child be any more straightforward? Can’t she leave this older woman just a little dignity?!】

“I’m not particularly interested in acting now. Stop coming to bother me, and don’t investigate me again.”

Meng Shi looked at her calmly.

“I have a bad temper. I hit people.”

【Yan Qing: Very good!】

Yan Qing turned around and walked away without looking at her again.

Watching Yan Qing’s retreating figure, Meng Shi scratched her cheek.

【Meng Shi: Was that… too harsh? Forget it. This is better, as long as she stops coming to find me.】

After returning to her car, Yan Qing was filled with anger.

She could neither spit it out nor swallow it down.

This Meng Shi truly did not know what was good for her!

Yan Qing had lowered herself several times, yet Meng Shi only took greater liberties!

Yan Qing pulled out the brand-new, unopened mobile phone from her bag and threw it directly onto the back seat.

She had originally planned to give it to Meng Shi as compensation.

When Meng Shi stopped the horse and saved her, her old phone had fallen and become nearly unusable.

Unexpectedly, Yan Qing had failed to give her the phone, failed to recruit her, and instead nearly died of anger herself.

…

Not long after Yan Qing left, another sinister hand reached out toward Meng Shi.

Meng Shi once again found herself blocked at the entrance to her home.

She stared darkly at the professionally dressed woman before her.

“Hello. My name is Fang Yu.”

The woman extended her hand in a friendly manner.

Meng Shi acted as though she had not seen it and completely ignored her.

Fang Yu awkwardly withdrew her hand and smiled.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I’m the person in charge of Huayu Entertainment. I have a general understanding of your background.”

“I think you have excellent qualities and great potential. Would you be interested in joining our company?”

Huayu…

That name sounded familiar.

Meng Shi carefully searched through the memories in her mind.

Oh.

Wasn’t Huayu the company fiercely competing with Yan Qing’s Qinghan Entertainment for resources and new talent?

This Fang Yu also seemed to be Yan Qing’s sworn rival.

“Why don’t we find somewhere to sit down and talk?” Fang Yu suggested.

“All right.”

Surprisingly, Meng Shi did not refuse.

…

Meng Shi flipped through the contract Fang Yu had brought and felt her head begin to ache.

She could not understand most of it.

Fang Yu explained many of the company’s benefits, including their plans for Meng Shi’s future development.

Meng Shi did not pay much attention.

“Why did you come looking for me? I’m not very good at acting.”

Looking into Meng Shi’s innocent eyes, Fang Yu’s eyelid twitched.

This mysterious girl had already appeared on Weibo’s trending searches several times.

Did she truly not know?

“If you’re not good at acting, you can slowly learn. As long as you’re willing and eager to learn, I’m willing to guide you.”

【Fang Yu: I don’t care whether she can act at all. As long as I pull her into my company, that woman Yan Qing will definitely explode with anger. Hehe. Even if I have to spend money to invite a giant Buddha back merely to annoy Yan Qing, it will still be worth it!】

Meng Shi nodded.

“All right.”

She agreed without hesitation and directly signed her name on the contract.

“One more thing. For now, I don’t want my family to know about this.”

【Fang Yu: …】

“Does your family normally… use Weibo?”

“What is that?”

“No… It’s nothing…”

Fang Yu sighed helplessly.

“This is the company’s address. Come by whenever you’re free.”

She handed Meng Shi a business card.

“Oh.”

After Meng Shi left, Fang Yu immediately took out her phone.

Yan Qing was driving when her phone suddenly began vibrating wildly.

She picked it up and glanced at the screen.

【fire—Huayu Fang Yu: Artist Ah Meng has officially signed with our company and joined Huayu Entertainment. Seniors, please take good care of her in the future. [Fist Salute] Thank you, Sister Qing, for generously giving her up. [Fist Salute][Fist Salute][Fist Salute] @YanQingQingQingQingQing】

【Yan Qing: Shocked!!! Ten thousand exclamation marks omitted here!】

Her phone suddenly rang.

She glanced at the caller ID.

Old Chu.

Yan Qing answered the call and nearly threw her phone away.

“Hahahahahaha—!”

Chu Yihan’s overwhelming laughter poured through the speaker.

“Hurry and check Weibo! That little newcomer of yours was—”

Yan Qing hung up!

Then she threw the phone onto the back seat.

That Meng Shi had definitely done it deliberately!