Chapter 46

Gu Ruolan clearly fell silent on the other end. If it weren’t for the faint sound of breathing continuing through the receiver, Meng Qiuran would have thought she had stepped away.

A groundless sense of anxiety welled up in Meng Qiuran—she felt more nervous than during any of her previous “on-the-spot fabrications.” She wasn’t sure if she feared Gu Ruolan wouldn’t believe her, or if she feared she wouldn’t be able to make her story hold water.

After a moment of silence, Gu Ruolan’s voice finally drifted over: “Why?”

The surroundings were very quiet at night. Meng Qiuran thought she heard a very light, crisp clink after the question, as if Gu Ruolan were setting something down.

“I attended a dinner party today and heard some gossip about Xinghe. It didn’t feel very reliable. I thought… it might be safer if I were the one to invest instead.”

Regarding Xinghe, she had only heard those words from the half-drunk Xiang Wulin. She hadn’t been in contact with Lin Mengjia’s camp, wasn’t familiar with the people at Xinghe, and was even less certain about what Xie Yuzong was plotting behind the scenes.

Xie Yuzong investing in Xinghe wasn’t news; she had known it was a settled deal since that first dinner party when she returned to the country. It was just that the funds had been arriving recently, and he had added even more. On the surface, these were perfectly normal investment behaviors—it showed Xie Yuzong was optimistic about Xinghe. No faults could be found.

Gu Ruolan’s voice and tone shifted slightly: “What kind of problems does Xinghe have?”

Meng Qiuran knitted her brows. Although they were separated by a phone and she couldn’t see Gu Ruolan’s face, based on her past experience, she could feel the other woman’s attitude gradually hardening.

With the phone in one hand and her other hand lightly tapping the desk, Meng Qiuran thought about how to convince Gu Ruolan without any actual evidence. It was an almost impossible task unless Gu Ruolan trusted her unconditionally.

“I heard that Xinghe seems interested in using the film contract to trade for your management contract… so they can tie you down more effectively.” She paused for a beat before saying “tie you down,” unsure of what Gu Ruolan’s reaction would be or if she had caught the implication.

Gu Ruolan had returned to the living room and was sitting on the sofa, her left hand ​bailiantales.com​tucked under her right elbow, staring blankly at the glass of water on the coffee table.

Yu Youqing had come to see her at dinner. They first discussed the endorsements and the new variety show; after several rounds of discussion, Gu Ruolan stood by her decision to decline. Afterward, they talked about the contract renewal and found the disagreement was even deeper.

Gu Ruolan’s expectations for the company and President Xin were dropping bit by bit, moving from high hopes to daily disappointment. Because there had been no progress recently and things looked to be reaching a stalemate, her mood was poor. Now that Xinghe was in the picture, it truly touched a nerve.

The reason she hadn’t directly agreed to Xinghe was because their biggest draw remained the film projects rather than the management side. Xinghe’s long-term contract artists usually followed a specific “template,” and Gu Ruolan didn’t want to be pigeonholed. However, what had changed her mind slightly was Li Minshuang’s personal promise that they would offer a contract tailored specifically to her situation. Gu Ruolan was waiting on that.

Her intention was to let Yu Youqing know that she cared about her future career planning rather than just the salary, even though Yu Youqing said President Xin was willing to lower the commission by another 10%.

However, Yu Youqing had abandoned her previous understanding and support. Every word was now a reminder to Gu Ruolan not to forget how the company had cultivated her in the past, even bringing up Jiang Sinian.

Technically, Jiang Sinian had no direct connection to Xin Qi’s company; it was just a matter of social favors. But Gu Ruolan couldn’t be entirely indifferent to that, so the conversation had stalled. To say they “parted on bad terms” might be an exaggeration, but after Yu Youqing left, Gu Ruolan’s stomach had ached for a long time.

Her sense of loneliness and powerlessness returned, and her disappointment in the company deepened further. This time, the urge to leave was noticeably stronger.

Aside from repeatedly emphasizing the company’s cultivation, Yu Youqing didn’t forget to say a few negative things about Xinghe. In short, she suggested that beyond the management contract, it would be best not to collaborate too much even on movies. It was a concern entirely focused on the company’s interests.

Gu Ruolan took some stomach medicine and drank some hot water before the pain eased. She intended to rest early tonight, but then Meng Qiuran called out of the blue.

Meng Qiuran had kept her promise today by handling those annoying roses, and Gu Ruolan was naturally grateful. However, this late-night call brought words that were similar to Yu Youqing’s.

Gu Ruolan didn’t want to link the two of them together. But the irritation and gloom she had finally suppressed were triggered again. Besides the defensiveness, she felt her stomach starting to ache again.

She was silent for longer than before, to the point where ​stolen content​Meng Qiuran called out softly: “Ruolan?”

Gu Ruolan snapped back to reality, barely managing to steady her emotions in the rush. But the discomfort—both in her heart and her stomach—was obvious.

“Words at a dinner party aren’t necessarily true. And… how does Xinghe want to ‘tie me down’?”

She didn’t bark the question, but Meng Qiuran heard it: She didn’t really believe her.

How would they tie her down? To be honest, Meng Qiuran didn’t know either. Xiang Wulin had spoken very vaguely, but that look in his eyes had been very deep.

Meng Qiuran sighed: “I can’t explain it clearly yet; I just wanted to give you a heads-up.”

Gu Ruolan’s voice sounded calm, but a sense of distance had returned, as if they had snapped back to their initial state. “Thank you.” She was very polite, expressing gratitude for the well-meaning reminder.

But this “thank you” was distinctly different from the tone she used during the comment section storm or when Meng took the flowers. Meng Qiuran gave a helpless, wry smile. It seemed Gu Ruolan had misunderstood her motives.

The trust between them was still fragile. The distance they had finally closed could be easily shaken the moment a specific topic was stepped on. She knew the conversation couldn’t go further tonight; perhaps late at night wasn’t a good time for persuasion anyway. She planned to find a bright, clear day to ask her out for a face-to-face talk.

The call ended abruptly. Gu Ruolan set down the phone and pressed her left hand against her stomach. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Whether it was a bad dinner or terrible emotions, the stomach pain was particularly sharp tonight.

Meng Qiuran sent a message to Gu Ruolan three days later, mainly asking if she was free to grab a coffee. Since it had been easy last time, she didn’t use work as an excuse, acting like an ordinary friend wanting to hang out.

To her surprise, Gu Ruolan politely declined, saying she was busy.

Not free today, what about tomorrow?

Gu Ruolan said she was a bit busy lately and couldn’t be sure of her time.

Meng Qiuran wasn’t stupid; after two or three messages, she understood. Gu didn’t want to see her, nor did she want coffee. Meng Qiuran didn’t push. Gu Ruolan’s current contract still had some time left; a management contract likely wouldn’t be signed that quickly. As for the movie, if she really wanted to film it, probably no one could stop her.

She felt like a parent guarding from behind, watching a child wobbling forward while learning to walk—she could only follow closely but couldn’t stop the child’s urge to try things.

That day, Yuan Yi finally dug up the information on Xie Zixuan. She dropped her gossipy tone and said seriously and nervously: “Sister Qiu, Xie Zixuan did indeed meet Xiao Yan that day. How could those two have any overlap?”

Xiao Yan had definitely gone to see someone special that day; Meng Qiuran had expected that. But finding out it was Xie Zixuan was a genuine surprise.

However, she quickly worked out the connection: “Who does Xie Zixuan hate most lately?”

Yuan Yi paused, saying uncertainly: “Gu Ruolan?”

Meng Qiuran’s lips curved, though she wasn’t smiling. “Her popularity and reputation are plummeting because of this variety show, and she’s being mocked by rival fans. It doesn’t look like she’s the type to just swallow that.”

“But you can’t blame Gu Ruolan for that!” Yuan Yi stood up for her idol. “Her performance on the show was visible to everyone—it was just bad. Her skill is lacking, her attitude is lacking, and even when the mentors pointed out the problems, she didn’t change. What more does she want?”

Aside from intentionally manufacturing some conflict in the first episode, the production team had been much more restrained since then; what aired was similar to the live recording.

“If she were capable of thinking that way, she wouldn’t have performed like that.” What Meng Qiuran worried about now was why she was looking for Xiao Yan. “How is the investigation into the comments going?”

Yuan Yi was fuming over this as well: “Xie Zixuan did use an alt account to post [stolen content]rants and set the rhythm, but it seems she has more than one alt.”

Meng Qiuran’s expression grew serious, her fingertip tapping the edge of the desk. Although Yuan Yi looked anxious, she waited quietly for the order. In the matter of Xie Zixuan, she lacked Meng Qiuran’s “big picture” perspective.

“Keep searching for her other alts. Once you find them, remember to take screenshots and save the records.”

“Understood.” This was Yuan Yi’s specialty.

“Also, look into Xiao Yan’s situation, including her family.”

“Family too?”

“Better to widen the scope. Besides immediate family, check cousins, best friends, or old classmates.”

“Sister Qiu, is she… also not right?”

Unlike Xie Zixuan, Xiao Yan was Gu Ruolan’s assistant; it was too early to draw a conclusion. “I don’t know. Better to confirm just in case.”

Gu Ruolan had been returning to the company more frequently lately, but every time she did, she looked to be in a bad mood. Her large sunglasses always covered half her face, and she barely spoke, merging perfectly with the cooling weather.

As her assistant, Xiao Yan could best sense Gu Ruolan’s emotional shifts and naturally perceived that she had a lot on her mind. Today, Gu Ruolan talked with President Xin for over an hour. When she came out, Xiao Yan met her with a cup of hot tea.

“Sister Lan, have some tea.”

Gu Ruolan hid her emotions and smiled at Xiao Yan: “You ​Read on BaiLianTales​don’t have to wait for me all the time.”

“It’s my job.” Xiao Yan wouldn’t dare sneak off under Yu Youqing’s nose; she would just be given an excuse to be lectured.

On the way back, Gu Ruolan remained silent. Xiao Yan wisely didn’t ask, keeping her head down to handle work. Near the house, Gu Ruolan suddenly spoke: “Xiao Yan, have you considered a change of scenery?”

Xiao Yan’s hand, busy typing, suddenly stopped. She looked up with a blank look: “A change of scenery?”

Gu Ruolan’s smile was small, but she was asking sincerely: “For example, changing companies?”

Xiao Yan vaguely guessed why she was asking. After a moment, she said: “Sister Lan, are you planning to take me with you when you jump ship?”

Previously, Gu Ruolan felt the possibility of renewal was quite high, so she had never said anything definitive to Xiao Yan. But lately, she had seen the company’s attitude clearly. Their philosophies had a fundamental divergence; no matter how much they compromised, they likely couldn’t merge. Xiao Yan had been with her for many years; neither the chemistry nor the trust could be matched by a new assistant.

“It depends on your willingness. I won’t force you.”

Xiao Yan didn’t answer directly, only asking: “What about Sister Qing?”

Gu Ruolan’s eyes dimmed. She clearly couldn’t take Yu Youqing with her, nor would the other woman want to go. “That would depend on her thoughts as well.”

Xiao Yan smiled sincerely: “Then of course I’m staying with you.”

Gu Ruolan smiled too, as if a ray of sunlight had finally appeared in a long-overcast sky. Xiao Yan followed her usual habit, reminding her of the upcoming schedule.

“The final episode of Light of Stars will take 50% longer to record than usual. You need two outfits for this one.” Gu Ruolan was washing fruit in the kitchen while Xiao Yan held [unauthorized copy]a tablet, going over the notes. “The program team said there might be an improvisation before the end, so they want the mentors to prepare in advance.”

“Improvise what?”

Xiao Yan shook her head: “They didn’t say, just said to prepare on our own.”

Aside from focusing on professional objectivity, the other characteristic of this show was its natural feel—meaning there were very few traces of a script. The audience was tired of the mentors’ “routine” performances, so genuine reactions were important.

The next time Meng Qiuran saw Gu Ruolan was at the recording of the grand finale. She still sat in the same spot with Yuan Yi. Not only the staff but even the extras around her had grown used to it.

Ten minutes after the recording started, Meng Qiuran noticed a difference.

Today, Gu Ruolan hadn’t looked toward her once.