Chapter 42

“Wait! Screenwriter Li, Sister Yueshuang! Stop for a second—”

A roaring shout came from behind them. Li Sheng turned back curiously and saw Bai Qin chasing after them. She still had makeup on her face, and she had not even had time to change out of her costume. She ran up to Li Sheng, bent over, braced both hands on her thighs, and panted heavily.

“What’s wrong?” Mo Yueshuang walked forward and gently patted her back to help her catch her breath, asking with concern.

After taking a while to recover, Bai Qin finally let out a breath. “Last time in the mountains, I caused Sister Yueshuang to get into trouble for no reason. I really feel bad about it. My scenes are already finished. Sister Yueshuang, can you wait for me a while? I want to treat you to a meal.”

“And Screenwriter Li too.”

Li Sheng snorted coldly. She was only included as an extra.

“It’s nothing. You don’t need to take it to heart.” Mo Yueshuang sighed softly. If not for Tang Xiaozhi’s investigation, she might have thought she had simply had bad luck and run into that awful incident. But with Tang Xiaozhi’s information, she now understood that those people had come for her that time. Things like this might appear many more times in the future, unless she could find out who the real mastermind was.

And right now, she still did not know what was happening on Detective Tang’s side. Tang Xiaozhi had told her not to call the police and not to contact her. Mo Yueshuang was not a black-hearted employer who stopped caring about others’ lives after paying money. Now, whenever she thought of that phone call, she still worried about Tang Xiaozhi’s situation.

“Sister Yueshuang, please show some mercy and let me repay you a little. I know one meal is really too simple, but right now, I’m poor and empty-handed. This is all I can do.”

Bai Qin looked so pitiful that Mo Yueshuang and Li Sheng could not help exchanging a smile. Li Sheng kindly helped persuade her. “Since she has the intention, then let’s go. Otherwise, she’ll keep feeling troubled about it.”

Since Li Sheng had said so, Mo Yueshuang no longer refused.

“At Yutian Banquet, report my sister’s name. I reserved a spot ages ago. You two go first. Order unauthorized copy whatever you want. I’ll remove my makeup and go over right away.”

Since they had already agreed to go, there was no need to be awkward about it. Li Sheng and Mo Yueshuang went directly to Yutian Banquet.

Yutian Banquet was a place high society often went for banquets and gatherings. Those who came here were either rich or noble. Aside from its good dishes and excellent service, the three words “Yutian Banquet” were also a symbol of status.

Mo Yueshuang and Li Sheng arrived at the private room Bai Qin had booked in advance. Both Li Sheng and Mo Yueshuang planned to wait for Bai Qin before ordering. After all, Bai Qin was treating them, so it would be somewhat inappropriate to order before she arrived.

“This girl really spent a lot. The prices here aren’t cheap.”

Because Ranran liked a dish here called Family Reunion, after returning to the country, this place had become Ranran’s little cafeteria. Li Sheng often brought Ranran over, so she had figured out Yutian Banquet’s charges.

This private room was specially reserved for distinguished guests. Ordinary rich people could not enter. One had to hold a special membership card, and the prices were not cheap either. Not only were there no discounts, but because the room was of a different class, the charges were even higher.

It was clearly spending money to be taken advantage of.

Mo Yueshuang had not come to Yutian Banquet many times. The few times she had come, others had treated her. Aside from Guan Anru’s confession, when they had gone to a luxurious VIP room, the other times had all been in ordinary rooms.

So Mo Yueshuang did not know the ranking and price levels here.

But she had heard Zheng Yusheng joke before that unless it was a major deal worth several hundred million, there was no need to host guests in a luxurious room.

The two did not wait long before Bai Qin arrived. Moreover, she did not come alone. She also brought Xie Shixian.

“One more person. Shixian’s scenes are finished too, so I brought her over with me.”

In the end, Bai Qin felt guilty and sorry toward Mo Yueshuang because she had caused Mo Yueshuang to get into trouble. As for Bai Qin herself, after she went down the mountain, Xie Shixian had stayed with her the entire time and sent her to the hospital, so she also wanted to thank Xie Shixian.

Since that was the case, she might as well invite them together today. She could use the super VIP card her older sister gave her to feast here and put the bill under her sister’s name.

“Hello, Sister Yueshuang. Hello, Screenwriter Li.”

Xie Shixian knew Bai Qin had invited others, and she originally had not wanted to come. But after hearing Mo Yueshuang’s name, Xie Shixian hesitated briefly and came along.

However, the moment she entered, she saw Mo Yueshuang and Li Sheng sitting closely together. The two seemed to have a very good relationship.

In the past, closeness between women was nothing. At most, it was sisterly affection. But now that the same-sex marriage law had been enacted, closeness between people of the same sex carried an extra layer of meaning.

Xie Shixian concealed the emotion in her eyes and sat down gracefully beside Bai Qin.

Bai Qin waved her hand generously and ordered seven or eight dishes from the day’s new series, then ordered several classic house specialties that kept guests coming back.

“Sister Yueshuang is still injured, and Shixian has to go home tonight, so we won’t drink alcohol. I’ll order some beverages.”

As for Bai Qin selectively ignoring her, Li Sheng expressed that she was already used to it.

After that, they ate and chatted very happily. Although Xie Shixian was silent most of the time, Bai Qin’s desire to repay her benefactor was extremely strong. She was afraid that if she chatted too happily with Mo Yueshuang and Li Sheng, she would neglect Xie Shixian and make Xie Shixian uncomfortable. So while serving Xie Shixian food, she also brought Xie Shixian into the conversation with Mo and Li from time to time.

“Miss Xie, you’re going home tonight?”

Li Sheng asked her. Xie Shixian raised her head and looked at Li Sheng, then at Mo Yueshuang, and nodded. “Yes. An elder in my family is sick and is waiting to recover after treatment at the hospital. Before, the crew was busy, so I couldn’t ask for leave to go back. Tomorrow, I only have one scene in the evening, so I can go back and take a look.”

Li Sheng’s fingertips gently tapped the table. Her eyes flickered, and she did not speak immediately.

Bai Qin felt the atmosphere suddenly become somewhat tense. She always felt that the auras between Screenwriter Li and Shixian were clashing.

“Screenwriter Li, is something happening on set tomorrow? Can Shixian not leave?”

Li Sheng came back to herself. Seeing that everyone was looking at her, she quickly lifted her red lips and smiled. “No. I was only thinking that there have been too many messy things happening on set recently, and the director strictly ordered that actors aren’t allowed to leave at night. Did you tell the director you’re going back this time?”

“I already asked for leave. I only need to come back before tomorrow afternoon.” Xie Shixian felt that Li Sheng was hiding something. Her original intention was definitely not concern over whether Xie Shixian could ask for leave.

But no one present could know what exactly Li Sheng was thinking.

Seeing the atmosphere grow awkward again, Bai Qin served everyone a bowl of soup. “I’ll use soup instead of wine and toast everyone.”

Bai Qin drank the soup. The others had eaten her food, so they felt too soft-mouthed to make the lively atmosphere stiff again. They continued eating harmoniously.

Li Sheng asked her, “Didn’t you say you were poor and empty-handed? How did you still bring us here? After this meal today, are you going to announce bankruptcy?”

Bai Qin laughed foolishly. “This is a blessing in disguise.”

“After I went to that village, I discovered that I had been too naive before. Although my desire ​Read on BaiLianTales​to do good was good, my methods were too extreme. Not only did I put myself in danger, I also made my parents, relatives, and friends worry about me. That really shouldn’t have happened.”

“But my original intention hasn’t changed. I only want to change my methods.”

Bai Qin pressed her lips together slightly, thought for a while, then continued.

“I plan to establish a foundation. This money will be used to find trafficked women and children.” Bai Qin lowered her eyes and hid her sadness. “After I came back, I called the police. Many women in that village had gone mad. Some were directly imprisoned in pigpens and cowsheds. When they were found, they were dazed and neither human nor ghost. When their families came to pick them up, they couldn’t even recognize who was who.”

“There was also a girl who was only seventeen. She had been locked up there for two years. Do you know how she was caught? Just because she saw an old grandmother faint on the road, went over to help her, and helped send her home, she was caught by those beasts. When the police rescued her, her older brother came to pick her up. The little girl bit anyone she saw and didn’t let anyone get close. On the way back after being given a sedative, she suddenly woke up and jumped out of the car. Although her life wasn’t in danger, she injured her head, and both her legs were broken.”

“I’m only an ordinary person. There isn’t much I can do. Those places have guarded bad customs for generations and passed down rotten traditions. We can’t completely eradicate them, but I want to do everything within my power to let some people suffer a little less harm.”

“I contacted several security companies, as well as several detective agencies with good reputations. Find people, rescue people, and take them away. At the same time, I also allocated a large sum of money to build schools in nearby towns. I know that in their eyes, I’m a demon who destroyed their ‘happy families,’ a bastard who cut off their source of income, and an unforgivable executioner who wants them to ‘have no descendants.’ But I understand that what I’m saving is the life of an ordinary person who was treated like goods. I’m also saving the two originally very happy families behind that person.”

“Regardless of whether it succeeds, regardless of how much it costs, I will go forward without hesitation and do everything I can.”

Listening to Bai Qin’s words, Li Sheng and Mo Yueshuang looked at each other and saw gratification in each other’s eyes. Li Sheng smiled. “Well said.”

“I didn’t expect that going out once would instead make you grow.”

Li Sheng praised her. Bai Qin rarely became bashful, scratching her head and smiling. “I changed my method, and my family still supports me. My dad took the initiative to contact two security companies for me. My sister also said that as long as I don’t run around outside and obediently act as a behind-the-scenes planner, she’s willing to sponsor me five hundred thousand every month.”

“My sister once saved a big shot. In order to repay her, that person gave her a limited exclusive membership card for Yutian Banquet. There are only ten exclusive membership cards in total, and the one my sister has is the only permanently free card.”

With that, Li Sheng remembered. A few years ago, a teacher her grandfather respected greatly, also their [Read on BaiLianTales]old leader, had been attacked while ill and was in critical danger. A young girl had saved him. She had not expected that person to be Bai Jing.

Presumably, the Bai family was not an ordinary family either.

“My uncle has already submitted the proposal upward. There were also leaders who specifically held a meeting to discuss it. In the end, it passed unanimously. Once the foundation is established, it won’t be one person’s small personal project anymore. In the future, I’ll also be serving the country and the people.”

She spoke so passionately and inspiringly. Li Sheng was the first to support her. “Your sister is right. You have money and this kind heart, so there’s no need for you to personally go deep into the grassroots and sacrifice yourself for others.”

“I think so too. Bai Qin, it’s really wonderful that you can think it through this way.” Mo Yueshuang thought for a while and said, “Once your foundation is established, I’ll donate a sum too.”

“Really?! That’s great!” Bai Qin circled around and pounced over, hanging onto Mo Yueshuang’s shoulder. “Sister Yueshuang, you’re too good! How much do you plan to donate? Ehehe…”

She had heard of Mo Yueshuang’s famous charity work. If Mo Yueshuang made a move, it definitely would not be ordinary.

“My funds are a little tight recently.” Being hugged by her made Mo Yueshuang feel shy, and she explained with a red face.

When Bai Qin heard this, she felt that things might not go well. If funds were tight, then it really would only be a symbolic gesture. Forget it, forget it. Even a mosquito was meat. Being able to get a donation was a good thing.

“I can only give you fifteen million for now. What do you think?”

Bai Qin froze, then looked up at Mo Yueshuang dumbfounded. So this was what “funds are tight” meant for rich people.

“Wuwu~ Sister Yueshuang, you really are a great good person. Our foundation has a first batch donor list. When the time comes, I’ll put you first! Passed down forever, your fragrance will last through the ages.”

Mo Yueshuang was amused by her. She did not refuse to be listed either. After all, she was a celebrity. Doing this kind of thing could also encourage some fans to donate and ​stolen content​do good. There was no need to donate anonymously and hide it.

Li Sheng reached out and slapped away the paw on Mo Yueshuang’s shoulder, glaring at Bai Qin threateningly. “Your Sister Yueshuang is kind, but don’t cling to her and fleece her. Let go. Sit back down!”

“Lalalala~” Bai Qin cheekily stuck her tongue out at Li Sheng. Li Sheng laughed in anger, too lazy to argue with this naughty child.

“Since Shuang’er donated a sum, then I’ll also make a small gesture.” Li Sheng blurted out, “I’ll donate fifty million first. Later, depending on how well you do, if the results are very good, I’ll do the same as your sister and sponsor you five hundred thousand every month.”

So this was what “a small gesture” meant for rich people.

“Screenwriter Li! You are simply a rare female Bodhisattva between heaven, earth, and the mortal world! Come, let me hug you.”

As Bai Qin spoke, she wanted to lean over, but Li Sheng pushed her away with one palm. “Go aside. Disliked.”

Xie Shixian’s eyes flickered slightly. She noticed the way Li Sheng had addressed Mo Yueshuang just now. During this period, the two had been coming and going together. Mo Yueshuang must be unusual to Li Sheng, and now Li Sheng’s attitude toward Mo Yueshuang was also very intimate.

“Bai Qin, I don’t have that much money, but I also want to offer some kindness. I’ll give three hundred thousand.”

“No, no, no, no need. I know your situation. Today, I really only brought you here simply because I wanted to treat you to a meal and properly thank you. I’m not using this as a banner to raise donations.”

Bai Qin could not bear to accept Xie Shixian’s money. Although Xie Shixian now had the momentum of becoming popular, she had not truly become popular yet. Accepting her money at this time always felt a little hard to justify.

“Are you looking down on it for being too little?” Xie Shixian knew Bai Qin was not thinking that, but she still said this to provoke her.

Bai Qin’s expression changed, and she said seriously, “How could I look down on you for giving too little? ​stolen content​Even if it were a few thousand or a few hundred, that would still be a kind intention. Let alone several hundred thousand.”

“Then it’s decided. If you don’t accept it, I’ll donate it to some other foundation.”

“Ai, don’t! Give it to me. You should still give it to me.” Bai Qin huffed coldly. “I don’t trust those outside organizations. In the past, the money I sent all went into some leaders’ safes. You shouldn’t go be that kind of sucker either. Give the money to me, and I guarantee every cent will be spent where it should be.”

“Aiya, when the time comes, I’ll put the three of you, my sister, my aunt, and our boss all on the list together.”

“Yu Jiawei?” Li Sheng frowned. “How much did she give?”

“Five million. But she also donated two schools and supplies worth ten million, and she helped arrange the first batch of volunteer teachers, a total of one hundred seventy-two people. Our boss really is beautiful and kind.” Bai Qin was moved for a while, then added, “But Boss said I’m an artist under Jiawei Media Entertainment. If I have any future charity-related activities, I can contact her, and the company will arrange a series of publicity, promotion, and recruitment.”

“Don’t even mention it. Her people are all professionals, so it really is more convenient than me spending money to hire people and find venues again. Our boss is simply the best boss under heaven.”

Li Sheng smiled and said nothing. It was still uncertain who had gained the advantage in this matter.

But in the end, it was mutually beneficial. What Jiawei was doing was not a bad thing either.