After Transmigrating Into A Wealthy Supporting Character, I Stole Away The Female Lead - Chapter 5

“Qingyan, you came too! It’s been almost two months since we finished filming that drama together. We finally have a chance to get together tonight. I didn’t know you and Miss Gu were friends, but Qingyan’s friends are naturally my friends too. We’re planning to hang out beside the outdoor swimming pool, so Miss Gu should come with us. The rest of you don’t need to follow—we already made plans.”

As she spoke, she drove away the people who had approached to strike up conversations.

Those people were displeased by her behavior, but they could not say much. After all, everyone knew she and Gong Tiancheng had grown up together, and this was not the first time she had helped him entertain guests.

“They’ve all left, so let’s hurry over too. The night view here is beautiful.”

She deliberately adopted a coquettish tone and reached out to take Gu Lizhou’s hand.

Goose bumps immediately rose along Gu Lizhou’s arms. She shifted her feet and avoided Yue Youyou’s attempt at intimacy.

“M-Miss Gu?”

A vicious emotion flashed through Yue Youyou’s eyes. However, she immediately widened them with an aggrieved and confused expression. Her watery gaze made it seem as though tears might fall at any moment.

She looked truly pitiful and lovable.

Gu Lizhou observed every one of Yue Youyou’s movements, and her disgust only deepened.

This woman must have graduated from an academy for professional drama queens. No wonder she had played the original Gu Lizhou so thoroughly!

Had the original owner been here, she probably would have foolishly moved closer. Not only would she have saved Yue Youyou’s dignity, but she would later have helped her bully Yanyan.

While everyone watched the scene, Gu Lizhou took another step backward, increasing the distance between herself and Yue Youyou.

Those nearby saw her furrow her brows with a visibly troubled expression.

Then they heard her say, “I’m sorry, but I have a slight obsession with cleanliness. I’m not accustomed to people behaving overly intimately the moment they approach me. Besides, I don’t even know who you are. What you’re doing makes me extremely uncomfortable. It’s far too impolite.”

At that moment, everyone’s gaze fell upon Yue Youyou.

Some looked disgusted, while others openly delighted in her misfortune.

They were not fools.

Aside from being Gong Tiancheng’s childhood friend, Yue Youyou was merely an actress with an average career in the entertainment industry. She could not compare with the Gu family’s young miss at all.

Miss Gu did not even know her, yet she had shamelessly rushed over and begun grabbing at her without considering the heiress’s feelings.

Naturally, she had been rejected.

Sensing the change in the atmosphere, Yue Youyou’s face stiffened. She nearly failed to maintain her pitiful expression.

Who had claimed that the Gu family’s young miss was a sweet, foolish idiot who was easy to manipulate?

“What are all of you doing?”

Gong Tiancheng had just returned from the restroom when he noticed the commotion. He walked over in several quick strides.

Seeing him arrive, Yue Youyou believed there was still a chance to salvage her image.

She blinked her watery eyes and adopted an even more delicate, pitiful expression. Reaching out, she clutched Gong Tiancheng’s sleeve and said aggrievedly, “I’m Yue Youyou. Tiancheng and I have been close since childhood. Miss Gu should know who I am. You must be deliberately joking with me, right?”

Gu Lizhou did not spare Gong Tiancheng a single glance.

Hearing Yue Youyou’s words, she showed faint disapproval and shook her head slightly.

“Must everyone know you for their behavior to be considered normal? Whether you’re a celebrity or President Gong’s childhood friend, you should still behave politely toward strangers. After all, not everyone is as generous as I am and willing to let matters go.”

“In the future, you also shouldn’t grab at people the first time you meet them. That kind of behavior is extremely inappropriate. What if the other person has an obsession with cleanliness? How many times would they need to wash their hands after returning home?”

After listening to Gu Lizhou’s words, Bai Qingyan silently lowered her gaze toward the hand Gu Lizhou had refused to release earlier.

The people nearby began looking at Yue Youyou with mockery and contempt.

Those she had driven away earlier had even begun pointing at her and whispering among themselves.

Yue Youyou had assumed Gu Lizhou would respond favorably out of respect for Tiancheng.

She had not expected the woman to refuse to give her any face at all.

Lowering her head, Yue Youyou bit her lower lip tightly. Her eyes were filled with viciousness, and her dislike of Gu Lizhou had already transformed into hatred.

Gong Tiancheng became irritated by the scene.

He shook off the hand clutching his sleeve and said impatiently, “Enough. Everyone disperse.”

Seeing that he had no intention of defending her, Yue Youyou could only grit her teeth and suppress her fury.

With her head lowered, she quickly left and headed toward the swimming pool.

Gong Tiancheng swept his gaze over the surroundings.

Only after seeing that everyone had stopped concentrating on the incident and the banquet atmosphere had returned to normal did he look toward Bai Qingyan.

His gaze contained undisguised greed, though it eventually transformed into a helpless sigh.

He then turned toward Gu Lizhou with an unhappy expression.

“Come to the balcony. We need to talk.”

Without waiting for her, he turned and went to the balcony first.

What does this idiot want now?

Gu Lizhou narrowed her eyes slightly and was about to follow him when someone grasped her wrist.

She turned around and met Bai Qingyan’s disapproving gaze.

Gu Lizhou took advantage of the opportunity to gently squeeze her hand and whispered, “It’ll be fine. My family’s bodyguards are inside the banquet hall.”

Bai Qingyan could only release her.

After all, she had no right to prevent Gu Lizhou from going.

At that thought, slight discomfort arose in her heart.

She clearly knew that Gong Tiancheng was not a respectable person, yet she could not think of anything she could say to stop Gu Lizhou.

Seeing Bai Qingyan release her hand and turn away as though she no longer wanted to look at her, Gu Lizhou’s heart softened.

She could not resist coaxing her.

“I’ll only be gone for a little while. I’ll come back very quickly. Don’t be angry, all right?”

Bai Qingyan had never expected the woman to speak to her that way.

With that tone…

Was Gu Lizhou coaxing her like a little girl?

Gu Lizhou acted as though there was nothing strange about her words and pressed her advantage.

“I really like the dramas you’ve acted in. I have a gift for you later, so pay attention to me.”

Seeing Gu Lizhou stare at her so expectantly, Bai Qingyan felt—perhaps only because of her imagination—that if she continued ignoring her, the woman might lean her entire body closer.

An unfamiliar sense of panic arose in her heart.

Bai Qingyan could only nod decisively.

“All right.”

After Gu Lizhou went to the balcony, Bai Qingyan involuntarily began reviewing the events of the evening.

More precisely, she recalled everything that had happened since meeting Gu Lizhou.

Gu Lizhou…

What exactly was she trying to do?

Bai Qingyan remained standing where she was, looking like an aloof beauty.

Many people secretly glanced at her, but seeing the distant air surrounding her, no one dared approach and strike up a conversation.

If they were rejected in front of so many people, they would lose far too much face.

After finishing his conversation with a friend, Fang Zhi began planning to use the pleasant atmosphere tonight to discuss a collaboration between Bai Qingyan and Yue Youyou.

He had recently found a television drama script.

If Bai Qingyan played the female lead, it would undoubtedly become popular.

Naturally, benefits should remain within the company. If the drama was going to become a hit, then the second female lead should preferably also come from Aoyi Entertainment.

After some consideration, he thought Yue Youyou would be suitable.

After all, he had been interacting frequently with Gong Tiancheng lately, and Yue Youyou had a connection with him.

At that thought, Fang Zhi looked toward Bai Qingyan.

She was worthy of being his company’s greatest asset.

Even standing quietly in a corner, she remained exceptionally eye-catching.

Thinking this, Fang Zhi walked toward her, secretly resolving to settle the matter immediately.

“Qingyan, since you’re alone and don’t have anything to do, let’s discuss work.”

Fang Zhi’s voice reached Bai Qingyan’s ears, pulling her from her thoughts.

“What work?”

Her voice was indifferent, making it impossible to detect any emotion.

Fang Zhi said, “I found a script. I want you to play the female lead and Yue Youyou to play the second female lead.”

“You want me to support her?”

“Yes. With your current level of fame, helping the company’s other artists will benefit the company’s development.”

Bai Qingyan raised her eyes and looked directly at Fang Zhi.

Her voice remained calm as she asked, “What kind of film is it?”

Fang Zhi’s face stiffened, and hesitation entered his expression.

“Whose script?”

From his reaction, Bai Qingyan had already guessed that it was not a film script.

Her staff had discussed the matter before.

She had already won practically every major television Best Actress award. Acting in more television dramas would no longer advance her career significantly.

Even when they proposed to upper management that she should shift her future path toward the big screen, Fang Zhi never took the suggestion seriously.

Whenever greater profit could be obtained, he pushed her forward without hesitation.

That final trace of expectation she had held moments ago was gone.

There would not be another.

“It’s Director Sun’s. It’s an idol drama.”

Fang Zhi knew that Bai Qingyan would not want to accept the project after hearing that.

But so what?

Best Actress awards in television or film could never compare with earning more money.

Since she was currently popular, they should extract as much profit from her as possible.

This idol drama would bring substantial returns, so she had to film it.

She was still bound by a contract.

The decision was not hers to make.

Hearing that it was an idol drama, Bai Qingyan felt little emotional fluctuation.

Fang Zhi did not care about her feelings.

More accurately, he had never cared.

The only thing he valued was how much profit she could generate.

She also knew that both of her legs had already sunk into a trap.

Unless she left Aoyi Entertainment, the rest of her body would eventually be dragged in as well.

She had earned an enormous amount of money for them, and whatever affection she had once held for the company had gradually been exhausted.

Terminating her contract was currently the best option.

However, the matter was not as simple as it appeared.

Fang Zhi, Aoyi Entertainment’s senior directors, and…

Gong Tiancheng.

None of them would allow her to escape easily.

Thinking this, Bai Qingyan almost laughed inwardly at the fact that she remained so calm.

Hadn’t she learned long ago just how helpless and cruel reality could be?

Seeing that she had not agreed, impatience entered Fang Zhi’s expression.

He continued, “Qingyan, the company needs you to film this drama.”

Bai Qingyan still nodded and replied, “All right.”

However, her eyes were filled entirely with coldness and distance.

Seeing her agree, Fang Zhi immediately looked satisfied.

He raised his right hand and rubbed his chin.

“It’s good that you understand. Since that’s settled, let’s find Yue Youyou and explain the arrangement clearly.”

He had seen Yue Youyou heading toward the outdoor swimming pool earlier.

Turning in that direction, he said to Bai Qingyan, “Let’s go.”

Bai Qingyan walked over with him.

Meanwhile, on the balcony—

Seeing that Gu Lizhou had not immediately followed him, Gong Tiancheng became even more dissatisfied with her.

This brainless, foolish woman actually dared fantasize about obtaining him!

He could play around with her in the future.

But if she dared cling to him relentlessly, he would make her regret ever meeting him!