After Taking Advantage Of An Opening [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 8

When Gu Rongqing left that morning, Ji Chenxi came to pick her up.

Wen Nuan had awakened early, so Mrs. Gu took her to play in the garden. She happened to see Ji Chenxi’s car pull up outside their house. It remained parked there for quite some time. Just as Mrs. Gu was about to go over and see who it belonged to, Mr. Gu came to call them in for breakfast.

“Old Gu, there’s a car parked outside our house. I don’t know whose it is.”

“It might belong to one of the neighbors.” Mr. Gu didn’t pay much attention and continued ushering them inside.

“That’s impossible! Every house in this villa complex has its own parking area. Besides, I saw that car stop directly outside our house.”

When Gu Rongqing came downstairs, she found the two of them arguing endlessly.

“What are you arguing about?”

They both turned toward Gu Rongqing at the same time, while Wen Nuan ran over to her.

“Mommy~ Grandpa and Grandma are wondering who the car outside belongs to.”

“A car?”

Wen Nuan nodded, then exclaimed delightedly, “Mommy looks so beautiful today~”

The compliment made Gu Rongqing somewhat uncomfortable.

She was wearing a white sleeveless dress with a rather low neckline, leaving her curves faintly visible. When she bent down to speak to Wen Nuan, the child stared at her with enormous, sparkling eyes without blinking.

Gu Rongqing instinctively covered her chest.

“Hehe~ Mommy is embarrassed.”

Wen Nuan covered her mouth and giggled.

“You little rascal.”

Gu Rongqing gently tapped Wen Nuan’s head in mock reproach.

At that moment, Gu Rongqing’s phone rang.

It was Ji Chenxi.

“Rongqing, I’m outside your house.”

Gu Rongqing was confused. “?”

When Ji Chenxi received no response, she continued, “We’re going to the production today. I woke up early, so I thought I’d pick you up along the way.”

“…My assistant is coming to pick me up.”

“But I’m already outside your house. Tell your assistant to go directly to the studio complex.”

Gu Rongqing considered it briefly before agreeing.

“Rongqing, is that car outside here to pick you up?”

From their conversation, Mrs. Gu could tell that the person outside wasn’t a staff member but someone else.

“It’s Chenxi.”

Gu Rongqing told her without giving it much thought.

“I won’t have breakfast. Thank you for looking after Wen Nuan.”

She didn’t notice the displeasure on Mrs. Gu’s face. After kissing Wen Nuan, she left.

The moment Gu Rongqing walked out, Mrs. Gu hurried to the door and watched her climb into Ji Chenxi’s car and leave.

Mrs. Gu was so angry that she stamped her feet.

If Gu Rongqing hadn’t been her biological daughter, she would have called her a scumbag!

She had no idea whom this child had inherited that from.

Mrs. Gu had actually met Ji Chenxi before, during an anniversary celebration at the film academy. Gu Rongqing and Ji Chenxi had performed onstage as the two female leads.

The moment Mrs. Gu saw Ji Chenxi, she felt that the young woman’s gaze was far too sharp.

After the performance, Gu Rongqing introduced Ji Chenxi to her mother. When Mrs. Gu saw the way Ji Chenxi looked at Gu Rongqing, she became even more convinced that this young woman wasn’t simple. Ji Chenxi was too calculating, and she clearly liked her daughter.

Gu Rongqing had grown up in a relatively uncomplicated environment. Moreover, her parents had rarely been by her side, causing her to become even more single-minded. Whenever they criticized her, she would simply stop talking.

She was terribly stubborn!

That was why Mrs. Gu had always hoped her daughter would eventually find someone straightforward who would love her wholeheartedly.

Wen Ling was exactly the right person.

“Dear, what’s wrong?”

Seeing Mrs. Gu standing in the doorway for so long, Mr. Gu walked over and questioned her.

“Ji Chenxi came to pick Rongqing up.”

“Oh, you mean Rongqing’s university classmate?”

“Yes, her!” Mrs. Gu replied sharply.

Mr. Gu didn’t understand.

“Weren’t the two of them already close at university? Why are you angry?”

Mrs. Gu stared at him in disbelief.

Her gaze made Mr. Gu’s skin crawl. He touched his face and asked in confusion, “What did I do?”

Mrs. Gu raised a hand and pointed at him, wanting to say something. In the end, she said nothing and went inside for breakfast.

She finally understood.

Gu Rongqing had taken after her father!

Neither of them could read a situation!

The more Mrs. Gu thought about what happened the previous night, the more convinced she became.

After Wen Ling said she still had things to pack at home, Mr. Gu suggested that Gu Rongqing accompany her there the next morning to collect them. The atmosphere, which had only just begun to improve, instantly became even more awkward.

As Mrs. Gu ate breakfast, she occasionally glanced at her husband. She was so furious that she practically felt full from anger alone.

How had she never noticed this before?

Old Gu truly possessed no emotional intelligence whatsoever!

How had she fallen for him in the first place?

And how had Wen Ling fallen for Gu Rongqing?

Meanwhile, the Wen Ling being discussed sneezed several times as soon as she left home.

She wondered whether Ms. Xu was talking about her behind her back again.

Her mother had called the previous day. She said she had seen the news about Wen Ling and Gu Rongqing and offered a few words of sympathy. She also asked whether there was any chance of reconciliation now that the two of them would be working on the same production.

Wen Ling couldn’t understand her.

Hadn’t her mother seen the news about Gu Rongqing and Ji Chenxi’s café date?

Why was she still asking whether Wen Ling and Gu Rongqing might reconcile?

After arguing with Wen Ling for a while, Xu Yun finally revealed the real reason for her call.

Aunt Lin’s daughter, Lin Xu, had resigned from her job and was currently unemployed. She had also expressed an interest in entering the entertainment industry to broaden her experience.

“Let Lin Xu follow you and learn a few things.”

“Mom, I’m only a screenwriter. I’m not an actress.”

“Then talk to the director and have Lin Xu work with the camera crew,” Xu Yun replied, unconcerned.

“It isn’t my production. I don’t have the authority to decide that.”

“Then let Lin Xu work as your assistant for now. Your Aunt Lin and I will visit Jingcheng City after a while and speak to Xiao Zhe.”

“Do whatever you want.”

“Then I’ll tell Lin Xu to contact you.”

And that was how Lin Xu had called her soon afterward last night. She asked for Wen Ling’s address and said she would come to pick her up that morning.

But they had agreed on nine o’clock, and Wen Ling had already been waiting for nearly half an hour.

Just as she was about to call Lin Xu, a car stopped in front of her.

“Sister Wen Ling, I overslept.”

Lin Xu looked embarrassed.

Wen Ling didn’t say anything. She simply climbed into the car.

It took two hours to drive to the studio complex.

Throughout the journey, Lin Xu continuously asked questions about the movie. Later, she began indirectly probing Wen Ling for information about Ji Chenxi.

Wen Ling told her that she wasn’t familiar with Ji Chenxi, leaving Lin Xu somewhat disappointed.

Wen Ling could tell that Lin Xu was probably a fan of Ji Chenxi.

Perhaps that was also why she wanted to follow Wen Ling.

“Are you her fan?”

Lin Xu’s expression became slightly unnatural when Wen Ling asked.

“Sister Wen Ling, I’m sorry. I…”

“It’s fine. You have nothing to apologize for.”

Lin Xu was free to like whomever she wanted. Wen Ling had neither the right nor the desire to interfere.

After arriving at the studio complex, someone came to meet them and took them directly to their rooms.

They were told that Director Li Xin and the others were currently making preparations. The production would host a dinner that evening, and filming would officially begin the following day.

Wen Ling acknowledged the arrangements.

After settling in, the two prepared to go out for lunch.

Since it was their first time there, Wen Ling didn’t know where they should eat. Lin Xu searched online but couldn’t find anything useful, so she suggested that they look around first.

Wen Ling agreed.

But the moment they stepped out of their room, they encountered Liang Mei in the hallway.

Liang Mei had also only just arrived. Since filming was about to begin, she needed to come over and check on things.

However, she hadn’t expected to encounter Wen Ling before even seeing Gu Rongqing.

Since they had come face-to-face, Liang Mei greeted her first.

“Wen Ling.”

“Sister Liang, you came too.”

Liang Mei was two years older than Wen Ling, so Wen Ling always addressed her as “Sister” whenever they met.

“Since filming is about to begin, I came to take a look.”

After Liang Mei said that, Wen Ling didn’t know how to respond.

Liang Mei was also momentarily at a loss for words.

Lin Xu rescued them from the awkward situation.

Looking at the sexy and beautiful older woman before her, she excitedly asked, “Sister, are you Sister Wen Ling’s friend? I’m her assistant. We’re about to have lunch. Would you like to join us?”

Liang Mei was about to refuse when she reconsidered.

Gu Rongqing and Wen Ling had only recently divorced. If Liang Mei refused now, she might appear cold and calculating, especially since their previous encounters had always been friendly.

“Then… I’ll join you. I haven’t eaten either.”

The three of them walked through the food street near the studio complex.

Wen Ling and Liang Mei barely spoke. Liang Mei felt awkward and didn’t know what to say, while Wen Ling genuinely had nothing to say.

Lin Xu therefore spent the entire time keeping the atmosphere lively, looking here and there until they finally chose a Sichuan restaurant.

Unexpectedly, the moment the three of them entered, they saw Gu Rongqing and Ji Chenxi.

They all stared at one another, countless thoughts racing through their minds.

Wen Ling fixed her gaze on the bright-red dishes covering Gu Rongqing and Ji Chenxi’s table.

She remembered that Gu Rongqing couldn’t eat spicy food.

Gu Rongqing was somewhat surprised. When she followed Wen Ling’s gaze to the dishes on the table, her expression became uncomfortable.

Ji Chenxi remained perfectly composed and even greeted the three of them.

Liang Mei looked at Wen Ling, then at the two women seated at the table. The awkwardness made her want to leave immediately.

She hadn’t interacted with Wen Ling often, but their few encounters had always left an excellent impression on her. Wen Ling always gazed at Rongqing tenderly and remembered all her little habits.

Rongqing couldn’t eat spicy food.

Liang Mei completely forgot her earlier warning that Gu Rongqing should keep her distance from all these people.

Only one thought remained in her mind.

Gu Rongqing really is a scumbag!

Lin Xu, meanwhile, was becoming excited.

She didn’t know much about the complicated love and resentment between these women. Previously, she hadn’t dared to say anything because she had never met Ji Chenxi in person, and the rumors involving Gu Rongqing and Ji Chenxi made her wary of hurting Wen Ling’s feelings.

But now…

“Goddess Ji, may I have your autograph?”

Gu Rongqing and Ji Chenxi didn’t react much to the question.

Wen Ling and Liang Mei, however, were dumbfounded.

Especially Liang Mei.

She couldn’t stop wondering what kind of bizarre assistant Wen Ling had hired.