After Taking Advantage Of An Opening [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 17

Wen Ling hadn’t expected to see her mother—Ms. Xu—here.

Watching Xu Yun and Gu Rongqing chatting so happily, she wondered when the two of them had become this close.

From the time Wen Ling and Gu Rongqing married until their divorce, her mother had barely interacted with Gu Rongqing…

Yet now, Gu Rongqing was holding Wen Nuan while Xu Yun fed the child.

Sitting beside them, Wen Ling felt somewhat unnecessary.

During the meal, her mother even introduced Wen Nuan to everyone as Gu Rongqing and Wen Ling’s daughter.

The way she spoke made it sound as though Wen Ling and Gu Rongqing were still a deeply loving married couple and Wen Nuan was the fruit of their love.

Aside from the few people who knew the truth, no one present had probably realized that Wen Ling was Gu Rongqing’s ex-wife.

Well, now they all knew, thanks to her own mother.

The conversation then shifted to Wen Ling.

Her mother asked everyone to take good care of her daughter, but Wen Ling had no desire to receive that kind of special attention.

While Xu Yun spoke, Wen Ling looked pleadingly at Aunt Lin.

Lin Song merely smiled helplessly, indicating that there was nothing she could do.

Wen Ling had wanted to keep a low profile, but her mother had completely exposed her.

Xu Yun had become the movie’s largest investor, and she had concealed it from Wen Ling with Xu Zhe.

The entire meal was torturous for Wen Ling.

She disliked the sensation of everyone’s gaze falling on her, along with all their flattering remarks.

Listening to Director Li Xin and the others praise her so excessively made Wen Ling’s embarrassment nearly unbearable. She ate while observing their ingratiating expressions and decided that Ji Chenxi was at least more genuine.

The fury in Ji Chenxi’s eyes looked intense enough to burn Wen Ling.

Still, it felt rather satisfying.

If her mother’s arrival could make Ji Chenxi jealous, then it had at least produced one positive result.

Ji Chenxi, however, was exceedingly unhappy.

She truly hadn’t expected Wen Ling to possess such an influential background.

Then there was Wen Nuan, who looked so much like Rongqing.

Every time Wen Nuan called Gu Rongqing “Mommy,” Ji Chenxi felt unbearably miserable.

She directed all that anger toward Wen Ling.

Before their arrival, Xu Zhe had already reserved hotel rooms for Ms. Xu and the others.

After taking everyone back to the hotel, Xu Zhe brought Xu Mengmeng home because she didn’t have any scenes the following day.

Liang Mei and Lin Xu returned to their respective rooms.

The remaining women, however, disagreed about their sleeping arrangements.

Ms. Xu wanted Wen Nuan to sleep with her because she missed her granddaughter.

Wen Ling also wanted Wen Nuan to sleep with her because she missed her daughter.

The two argued endlessly over where Wen Nuan would sleep.

Standing nearby, Gu Rongqing and Lin Song exchanged a glance, seeing the same helplessness in each other’s eyes.

At that moment, Wen Nuan offered her own suggestion.

“I can play with Grandma for a while and then sleep with Mama.”

“No!”

“No!”

Xu Yun and Wen Ling shouted simultaneously.

Their expressions were so fierce that Wen Nuan became frightened and hid in Gu Rongqing’s arms.

Lin Song sighed helplessly. She pulled Ms. Xu aside and whispered in her ear, “Have you forgotten the mission that brought us here?”

Ms. Xu froze.

She truly had forgotten.

She had become so immersed in her granddaughter’s adorableness that she had completely forgotten about her daughter.

Ms. Xu cleared her throat and pretended to be generous.

“You two can sleep with Wen Nuan tonight.”

Then she hurriedly pulled Lin Song into the elevator.

Left behind, Wen Ling was bewildered.

Her mother had changed her mind far too quickly.

She had practically fled, as though afraid Wen Ling might refuse to sleep with Wen Nuan.

Besides, weren’t they supposed to take the same elevator?

And so, the three of them waited for the elevator to return before going up to the fifth floor.

Wen Nuan was extremely excited, constantly murmuring about how happy she was to sleep with Mama and Mommy.

When they were almost at Room 503, Wen Ling stopped.

She looked nervously at Gu Rongqing.

Gu Rongqing was probably still angry. After all, she hadn’t spoken to Wen Ling all day.

Wen Ling opened her mouth, intending to say that she would return to her own room. But when she saw Wen Nuan’s excitement, she hesitated.

Gu Rongqing hadn’t thought that deeply about it.

Wen Nuan had clung to her all day, causing her to forget that she had ever been angry.

Seeing Wen Ling’s hesitant expression, Gu Rongqing assumed she didn’t want to enter the room with them.

“Aren’t you coming inside?”

Wen Ling had been looking down and thinking all kinds of nonsense. The moment Gu Rongqing asked, she made her decision.

“Huh? Yes, yes, I’m coming…”

She hurried toward the room.

Gu Rongqing was amused by her reaction, while Wen Nuan laughed from her arms.

“Mama, the door isn’t open yet.”

Wen Ling stopped and stared blankly at the closed door directly in front of her.

Her face instantly turned bright red.

Too embarrassed to turn around and see the mother and daughter laughing at her, she remained with her back to them and urged Gu Rongqing to open the door.

Gu Rongqing swiped her key card.

The moment the door opened, Wen Ling darted inside.

Only after entering did Wen Ling realize she hadn’t brought any clothes.

Taking the key card, she went downstairs to collect them.

When she returned to her room, Lin Xu teased that she would get to sleep while embracing a beautiful woman tonight.

Wen Ling laughingly scolded her and insisted she would be sleeping with her daughter.

When she returned to Room 503, she found Gu Rongqing holding Wen Nuan on the bed while they watched cartoons.

Wen Ling thought, Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our lives could always be like this?

She smiled and called out to them, “I’m home.”

Gu Rongqing smiled back.

“You came back quickly.”

Wen Ling merely smiled without answering.

Only heaven knew how anxious she had been. She had walked quickly the moment she stepped out and had nearly broken into a run, all because she wanted to return sooner.

Wen Ling watched television with them for a while.

As it grew later, she said, “Rongqing, why don’t you shower first? I’ll stay with her and let her watch a little longer.”

Wen Nuan immediately objected.

She wrapped her arms tightly around Gu Rongqing’s neck and refused to let go, insisting that she wanted to bathe with Mommy and that Mama should shower first.

Wen Ling felt helpless.

Wen Nuan had become exceptionally attached to Gu Rongqing lately.

Wen Ling wasn’t worried about anything else. She simply wasn’t confident that Gu Rongqing knew how to bathe a child.

Gu Rongqing clearly recognized her concern because she was worried about the same thing.

Wen Ling had cared for Wen Nuan throughout these past few years. Gu Rongqing had never actually bathed her before.

Whenever Gu Rongqing came home, she merely hugged and kissed Xiao Nuan.

She therefore coaxed Wen Nuan gently.

“Mommy is afraid she won’t bathe you properly… Why don’t you let Mama do it?”

Wen Nuan immediately shook her head like a rattle drum.

“I just want Mommy to stay with me!”

Seeing that Wen Nuan refused to waver, Gu Rongqing didn’t know what to do.

She looked toward Wen Ling for help.

Wen Ling looked at the plea in Gu Rongqing’s eyes, then at Wen Nuan stubbornly making a fuss.

It seemed she had no choice but to use her ultimate move.

She pouted and pretended to look pitiful.

“Now that Xiao Nuan has Mommy, does she not want Mama anymore?”

As she spoke, she wiped away nonexistent tears.

Wen Nuan immediately panicked.

She hadn’t expected Mama to become so sad.

She wriggled free from Gu Rongqing’s arms and clumsily wrapped both hands around Wen Ling.

“Don’t cry, Mama. Xiao Nuan wants you.”

She kissed Wen Ling’s cheek, then pulled Gu Rongqing over as well.

“Then Mama and Mommy can bathe with Xiao Nuan!”

After saying that, Wen Nuan smiled even more happily.

Wen Ling and Gu Rongqing, however, became somewhat…

Wen Ling felt awkward.

She looked at Gu Rongqing and saw her cheeks gradually reddening.

To be honest, despite being married for so many years, the two of them had never bathed together.

Although Gu Rongqing was always obedient in bed, that was only after the lights were switched off.

They had never truly seen each other completely naked…

Wen Ling licked her lips.

She was beginning to look forward to it.

Therefore, she voiced no objection.

One adult and one child stared expectantly at Gu Rongqing.

Under their combined gazes, Gu Rongqing’s face turned scarlet.

This was far too embarrassing…

But Wen Nuan had made the suggestion so naturally that Gu Rongqing didn’t know how to refuse her daughter.

Wen Ling took Wen Nuan into the bathroom.

They soaked in the bathtub and played with the water for a while. Then Wen Ling pulled Wen Nuan into her arms and poked her little belly, making the child giggle continuously.

Looking at her daughter’s smiling face, Wen Ling felt genuinely happy.

The child in her arms was the daughter she shared with Gu Rongqing.

Thinking about it that way, Wen Ling felt as though she were holding a miniature version of Gu Rongqing.

“Mommy!”

Wen Nuan called toward the doorway from Wen Ling’s arms.

Wen Ling followed her gaze and turned around.

She saw Gu Rongqing standing in the doorway, her face flushed and her head lowered, too embarrassed to come inside.

Wen Ling’s gaze settled on Gu Rongqing’s beautiful figure.

Even her loose hair couldn’t conceal the generous curves of her chest, her exceedingly slender waist, or her long, straight legs.

Wen Nuan looked as though she had discovered an entirely new world.

She also stared directly at Gu Rongqing’s chest before looking at Wen Ling.

Then she turned back to Gu Rongqing and exclaimed, “Mommy’s chest is so big!”

The child’s innocent remark made Gu Rongqing even more embarrassed.

She gave Wen Nuan a reproachful look, covered her chest with one hand, and walked over while pretending nothing was wrong.

She intended to teach Wen Nuan a lesson.

But after only two steps, she heard Wen Ling swallow loudly.

Gu Rongqing immediately stopped.

Her face burned fiercely, and it felt as though her entire body had begun heating up…