After Taking Advantage Of An Opening [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 10

After Liang Mei finished speaking, she noticed that Gu Rongqing didn’t look very pleased, so she dropped the subject.

“By the way, where’s Xiao Hang? Why haven’t I seen her?”

Xiao Hang was Gu Rongqing’s personal assistant, hired privately by Gu Rongqing herself. She had originally been scheduled to pick Gu Rongqing up that morning, but Ji Chenxi had taken her instead. Just as Gu Rongqing was about to call Xiao Hang, her assistant called first and explained that an elderly family member had fallen ill, so she probably wouldn’t be able to accompany Gu Rongqing for a while.

After Gu Rongqing explained the situation, Liang Mei nodded and gave her a mischievous smile.

“Why don’t I take care of you?”

Gu Rongqing didn’t respond, so Liang Mei continued, “I won’t have much work after you begin filming anyway. I’ll still need to visit you occasionally, so I might as well stay here and look after you. Whenever something comes up, I can go out and handle it.”

“Excellent. It’s settled, then.”

“We’ll leave things like this for today. I’ll bring my luggage over tomorrow.”

Liang Mei thought that having her around to provoke Gu Rongqing from time to time might be beneficial. She could also keep an eye on Ji Chenxi while she was here.

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

Liang Mei walked over and opened it, only to find Ji Chenxi standing outside yet again.

“Teacher Ji, is something the matter?”

Liang Mei remained in the doorway, clearly having no intention of letting her inside.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I merely came to see whether Rongqing had returned.”

Ji Chenxi smiled.

“Don’t worry, Teacher Ji. I’ll certainly take good care of Rongqing.”

“All right. Director Li Xin is treating everyone to dinner at six tonight so the production team can become acquainted.”

“Understood, Teacher Ji. Our Rongqing is resting, so I won’t invite you inside.”

Liang Mei felt that she was becoming increasingly impressive.

Who was Ji Chenxi?

An internationally renowned Best Actress! She was beautiful, wealthy, and successful, yet Liang Mei had already spoken rudely to her several times.

Liang Mei wanted to give herself a thumbs-up.

In the past, she never would have imagined treating Ji Chenxi this way.

She hadn’t known about the complicated love and resentment among the three women before because Gu Rongqing rarely spoke about such things. Thinking about it now, however, even if Gu Rongqing had tried to explain, Liang Mei probably would have understood the situation better from observing it herself.

Ji Chenxi was taking advantage of her status as an old friend to harbor improper intentions toward Gu Rongqing, who didn’t know how to refuse anyone.

Ji Chenxi left reluctantly.

She had originally planned to sit in Gu Rongqing’s room for a while so the two of them could spend some time alone. Then they could appear together at dinner that evening and provoke Wen Ling a little.

She hadn’t expected Liang Mei to obstruct her halfway through her plan.

After returning to her room, Ji Chenxi lost her temper with her young assistant, frightening the poor woman into silence.

Perhaps all of Ji Chenxi’s patience had been reserved for Gu Rongqing.

She had liked Gu Rongqing ever since university and had believed that Gu Rongqing liked her too. After all, Gu Rongqing spent nearly every day with her and seemed to have no one else in her eyes.

Even when Ji Chenxi behaved ambiguously toward her, Gu Rongqing never rejected her in the slightest. Rumors eventually spread throughout the university that they were a couple, yet Gu Rongqing never denied them.

That was why Ji Chenxi hadn’t cared when Wen Ling appeared.

Ji Chenxi had a beautiful figure and an equally beautiful face. She frequently relied on her appearance to seduce Gu Rongqing.

She also had a forceful personality. Throughout all the years she had known Gu Rongqing, she had always regarded Gu Rongqing as her possession.

Gu Rongqing could treat anyone else coldly—but not her.

After graduation, Ji Chenxi planned to study abroad and wanted Gu Rongqing to join her. She went overseas and waited for Gu Rongqing, but Gu Rongqing refused to follow her.

Ji Chenxi had never imagined that Rongqing would reject her.

Furious, she left and barely contacted Gu Rongqing afterward.

A year later, Gu Rongqing finally contacted her. Ji Chenxi assumed she was coming to find her.

Instead, Gu Rongqing told her that she was marrying Wen Ling.

Later, Ji Chenxi dated other women, but none of those relationships felt right.

She still couldn’t forget Gu Rongqing…

And so, she decided to return to the country.

“So you divorced Gu Rongqing just because Ji Chenxi returned?”

After hearing Wen Ling explain the reason for their divorce, Lin Xu found it difficult to accept.

Although she was a fan of Ji Chenxi, this… still didn’t make sense to her.

“It wasn’t exactly because she returned.”

Wen Ling seemed reluctant to continue.

“Then what was the reason? You managed to marry a wife as beautiful as Gu Rongqing, and she even gave birth to such an adorable daughter.”

“Do you know… what it feels like when there are supposed to be two people in a relationship, but you live as though you’re alone?”

Wen Ling sounded dejected.

Lin Xu quieted down and listened as she continued.

“I was the one who pursued her. Rongqing was already considered a goddess at university, and in my heart, she was even more than that. I fell in love with her the first time I saw her. I’ve loved her for… almost ten years.”

“Back then, Rongqing and Ji Chenxi were widely recognized as a couple at university. They were both so outstanding that they practically dazzled everyone around them. I was merely an unremarkable nobody.”

“I constantly looked for opportunities to run into Rongqing by chance, gradually making my presence known to her. Later, Ji Chenxi went abroad, and Rongqing was always alone after that. She ate alone and went to class alone.”

“I don’t know where I found the courage back then, but I approached her. I ate with her and accompanied her to class whenever I had time. Eventually, I finally confessed the love I had been hiding.”

“Rongqing didn’t reject me.”

“So I began treating her even better… even more gently… until I proposed.”

“Rongqing didn’t reject that either.”

Lin Xu saw tears glimmering in Wen Ling’s eyes. She wanted to tell Wen Ling that she didn’t need to continue, but Wen Ling glanced at her and said, “Let me finish.”

“I was genuinely happy back then. Can you imagine what it feels like when someone who once seemed forever beyond your reach becomes your wife?”

“I thought I was the happiest person in the entire world.”

“Later, Rongqing said she wanted a child. I thought we would become even happier.”

“But we didn’t.”

“After we had Wen Nuan, I thought perhaps I was the one who changed. I quit my job and devoted myself to caring for our family. I also hoped Rongqing would spend as much time at home as possible. If she was busy, I could bring Xiao Nuan to visit her.”

“But… I felt as though I was living like a single mother.”

“Gu Rongqing was always distant and polite. She only showed tenderness when she saw Xiao Nuan. She very rarely showed any toward me.”

“After Ji Chenxi returned, I felt that she changed. Whenever she came home, I could often sense the joy in her. She would openly talk to Ji Chenxi on the phone right in front of me.”

“Lin Xu… if she could already behave so recklessly at home, wouldn’t she be even more uninhibited when she was away?”

Lin Xu didn’t know how to answer.

After thinking about it, she could only say tentatively, “Perhaps… things aren’t what you think?”

“Heh…”

Wen Ling smiled, but Lin Xu thought her smile looked terribly forced.

“Sister Wen Ling…”

“I’m going to wash my face.”

Wen Ling entered the bathroom and locked the door.

The tears she had held back for so long finally fell.

She was deeply hurt, but she loved Gu Rongqing far too much. Even being able to see Gu Rongqing under their current circumstances left her extraordinarily content.

Looking at herself in the mirror, even Wen Ling felt sorry for how pathetic she had become.

Not long after Wen Ling entered the bathroom, someone came to the door.

Lin Xu opened it and found a member of the production staff reminding them about dinner at six that evening. Lin Xu nodded and acknowledged the message.

After seeing the staff member off, she returned and discovered that Wen Ling still hadn’t emerged from the bathroom.

Worried, Lin Xu approached and prepared to knock. But then she heard Wen Ling quietly sobbing inside.

She withdrew her hand and returned to the sofa to wait.

It was nearly five minutes before Wen Ling finally came out.

“Did someone knock on the door just now?”

“Mm. It was someone from the production team reminding Teacher Wen not to forget about tonight’s dinner.”

“Oh. What time?”

“Six. It’s already after four. Would you like to rest for a while? I’ll wake you when it’s almost time.”

“Mm, all right.”

Wen Ling didn’t feel like talking anyway, so she climbed into bed to rest.

She slept for nearly an hour before Lin Xu woke her.

The two of them freshened up and went downstairs. Director Li Xin had reserved tables at a nearby restaurant, and almost the entire production team had already arrived.

He claimed that he was treating everyone.

But when Wen Ling arrived and saw Xu Zhe, she suspected he would probably be the one paying for the meal.

“Sister Wen Ling~”

Wen Ling and Lin Xu had only just found seats when Xu Mengmeng came over to greet them.

“Mengmeng, it’s been a long time.”

“Sister Wen Ling, I’m so happy that I get to act in your work.”

In truth, Wen Ling had also been pleasantly surprised when she saw Xu Mengmeng bring Fang Cao to life.

“And after I told my dad, he even praised you for being amazing.”

Xu Mengmeng sounded somewhat aggrieved, making Wen Ling laugh.

“You’re clearly the amazing one. Even I didn’t expect your audition to be that good.”

Delighted by the praise, Xu Mengmeng grabbed Wen Ling’s hand and acted spoiled.

There was a considerable age difference between them. Xu Mengmeng was only twenty-two this year.

Seeing her behave like a child, Wen Ling affectionately rubbed her hair.

When Gu Rongqing entered, this was the scene that greeted her.

A beautiful and adorable young woman was seated beside Wen Ling, while Wen Ling tenderly stroked her hair with an indulgent expression.

“Rongqing?”

Ji Chenxi also noticed Wen Ling and Xu Mengmeng when she entered, but she hadn’t expected Rongqing to stare at Wen Ling in a daze.

Standing beside them, Liang Mei secretly began to laugh.

Rongqing had truly humiliated Ji Chenxi this time.

Remembering the seductive way Ji Chenxi had approached Rongqing earlier and asked her to leave the hotel with her, Liang Mei found the situation deeply satisfying.

“It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

Gu Rongqing returned to her senses and walked inside.

She was dressed rather seductively that evening. Her long black dress displayed her excellent figure to its fullest—her slender waist, long legs, and generous curves were all faintly visible.

Ji Chenxi was even more ostentatious beside her. She wore a deep-V red dress that made her skin appear as white as snow and revealed a seemingly bottomless expanse of cleavage.

Everyone present was stunned by the sight of the two women.

Director Li Xin stood and personally escorted them to his table, where Xu Zhe was already seated.

When Xu Zhe saw the two women walking in together, he looked toward Wen Ling and raised his eyebrows at her.

“Why is my brother making weird faces?”

“Your brother is being an idiot. By the way, aren’t you going over there? The main creative team is sitting at that table.”

Xu Mengmeng said she didn’t want to go.

She looked at Ji Chenxi and Gu Rongqing, then told Wen Ling, “Sister Wen Ling, Best Actress Gu and Best Actress Ji are so beautiful~”

“You’re very beautiful too, little sister.”

At some point, Liang Mei had come over and sat beside them.

Lin Xu was dazzled when she saw her.

Gu Rongqing and Ji Chenxi were indeed beautiful. Liang Mei might be slightly less striking than those two, but she possessed an overwhelming feminine allure.

Her dress didn’t expose both her chest and legs the way Ji Chenxi’s did, yet every movement she made radiated a woman’s sensual charm.

Lin Xu felt that it might be time to choose a new goddess.