Chapter 55

Early the next morning.

The group completed a few final activities and then disbanded. Fans who had located the filming site flocked over to ask for signatures.

A little girl ran up and hugged Yan Zhen’s leg. “Sister, my whole family likes you. Can I have an autograph?”

Yan Zhen took the notebook and pen and wrote: Wishing your family harmony, happiness, and health.

“My name is Hua Hua,” the girl said.

Yan Zhen added: To Hua Hua.

The little girl said excitedly, “I loved the way you looked during the competition. You have big stars in your eyes, and you’re so amazing. Are you a superhero?”

Yan Zhen laughed. “Thank you, but I’m not a superhero. I’m just an ordinary person.”

Lu Ming, listening nearby, wanted to retort: If you’re ordinary, [read the original at bailiantales.com]the rest of us truly “ordinary” people might as well stop living.

After signing a few autographs, Zhao Baoshang saw Yan Zhen chatting happily with the little girl. She quickly walked over and took Yan Zhen’s hand. “Are you even targeting little girls now?” Zhao Baoshang gripped her hand tightly.

“???” Yan Zhen’s gaze remained on the girl. “I just think she looks a lot like you did when you were little.”

“You’ve never seen me as a child,” Zhao Baoshang countered.

Yan Zhen smiled at her. “I have seen you.”

“Wh-what?” Zhao Baoshang was suddenly panicked. Did she secretly look at my childhood photos? I looked so silly back then; she can’t see those! Her face crumpled with worry.

The little girl nudged Zhao Baoshang’s leg with her notebook. Zhao Baoshang leaned down, took it, and signed her own name right next to Yan Zhen’s.

These two names look so good together. Looking at their names side-by-side, Zhao Baoshang drew a small heart between them. Then, feeling one wasn’t enough, she drew four or five more flying hearts around the border. Satisfied with her masterpiece, the worry left her face, replaced by a bright smile.

In the distance, the male celebrity from before appeared stealthily in a mask, trying to catch a flight back. Lu Ming spotted him, lunged forward, grabbed him, and called out, “Police! I’ve caught a criminal trying to steal my money, come quickly!”

The man kicked her. “What the hell is wrong with you!”

Lu Ming slapped him hard. “Give me back my money!”

The two scuffled. Suddenly, the man collapsed, unable to get up, clutching his heart and gasping for breath. A police car and an ambulance arrived simultaneously.

A doctor stepped out of the ambulance and checked the man’s “injuries.” “What a fuss over nothing. Who called us? Just wipe this with some iodine!”

The man’s fans tried to rush forward to “protect” him, but the police cordoned them off and took both Lu Ming and the man away.

At the police station, the two were interrogated separately. Lu Ming explained the previous night’s events, took out her bank card, and emphasized, “I was put under a ‘confusion spell’; all the money inside is gone!”

The young officer taking her statement scribbled diligently. Hearing Lu Ming mention “curses,” he couldn’t believe it. “Are you serious? That won’t hold up as evidence.”

“It’s true!” Lu Ming insisted. “Check the flow of my deposits. I’m stating now: it definitely wasn’t voluntary.”

The officer muttered, “Didn’t you two just post PDA on Weibo?”

Lu Ming slammed the table. “I told you, that wasn’t voluntary!”

The police reluctantly accepted the premise and checked the man’s assets. The investigation revealed that he hadn’t just targeted Lu Ming; he had swindled large sums of money from many fans. Because the account transfers were clearly from Lu Ming, and there were no other business dealings between them, combined with Lu Ming’s testimony of being manipulated, the police recorded it as a fraud case for further investigation.

Once the news broke, the man’s already shaky reputation plummeted. Furthermore, for some reason, he became even uglier, his face breaking out in a rash. He couldn’t stop scratching, tearing his skin until it bled.

Yan Zhen came to visit him. “Where did you learn those methods?”

The man froze, his expression becoming extremely guarded. He said nothing. He hated Yan Zhen; if she hadn’t spoken out, he wouldn’t be in this position.

Seeing his lack of cooperation, Yan Zhen reached into her bag, found a Truth-Telling Talisman, and slapped it onto his forehead. The man trembled, and after a moment, he began to speak honestly.

He used to be a bar singer. One night after his set, an old man with white hair and a white beard approached him, asking if he wanted a chance to soar to the top. The singer had thought it was a pyramid scheme, but the old man began reciting the singer’s most shameful secrets one by one.

Terrified, the singer listened as the old man coaxed: “If you do as I say, you will succeed.”

“You won’t help me for nothing,” the singer said warily. “What do you want?”

“I was a fan in my youth; I’ve always loved dealing with stars,” the old man said. “Once you’re famous, just introduce me to a few big celebrities. That’s all.”

The singer thought the old man seemed sincere and not like a scammer, so he agreed. The old man gave him a talisman to carry and some small dolls, telling him to give them to his competitors.

He did this for two years and actually managed to enter the industry, filming movies and releasing albums. He believed in the old man completely. He also noticed that he wasn’t the only one in the industry utilizing this “expert’s” power. Many “accidents” in the entertainment circle were, as he knew, the handiwork of that old man.

But what was the old man’s ultimate goal? The singer still didn’t know.

Yan Zhen recorded the confession to give to the police. Lu Ming, listening nearby, said to Yan Zhen, “That old guy sounds a bit like you.”

Yan Zhen: “…”

“I remember the first time we met—” Lu Ming started.

Yan Zhen reflected on the old man’s actions; they were indeed similar in form, though opposite in intent. Metaphysics, passed down for millennia, was a tool that could be used for good or evil. Just as she suspected, the old man was after the Fortune (Qi Yun) of the actors.

The first episode of the reality show concluded, and Yan Zhen and Zhao Baoshang returned to the dorm for a few days of classes. Soon, Director Xu called, and they hurried back to Qing Shan Yuan to finish filming.

They were set to film a fight scene in the snow. Just as the staff prepared the fans, a real heavy snow began to fall on the mountain.

“Wow, snow in June!” the crew shouted. Director Xu signaled everyone to protect the equipment. He then got Yan Zhen into her wire harness, warning: “Speak up if you can’t do it. This isn’t a wide-angle shot, and an avalanche could happen at any time.”

Yan Zhen nodded. Qing Zhu’s final fight was against the male lead, battling for possession of Ning An. To Qing Zhu, Ning An was the best, the only one, and belonged by her side to be protected—not with the male lead, where she was constantly in danger.

Once she got into character, Yan Zhen’s gaze shifted. Her eyes became obsessive and deep. Zhao Baoshang, watching through the monitor, was startled. Looking at the screen, it felt as if Yan Zhen was staring directly at her. Those eyes were so focused they held no one else, only a tiny reflection of the person she looked at.

Zhao Baoshang didn’t want Yan Zhen’s eyes to hold anyone else. Having her own image in those eyes was enough. Director Xu pushed her aside. “Move, I can’t even see the lens.”

The male lead was also wired up.

“In today’s battle, regardless of life or death, I only wish to prove who is more capable of protecting Miss,” Qing Zhu said.

The male lead chuckled. “The ‘protection’ you speak of is merely locking her in a cage. Because she was shielded from the world’s malice, she was hurt last time!”

A sword qi was unleashed. Qing Zhu dodged; the male lead swung again. Silver light clashed—clang, clang, clang. They said nothing, putting all their strength into their blades.

With a final crack, [read the original at bailiantales.com]the sword in Qing Zhu’s hand snapped. Before she could recover, the male lead’s sword was at her throat. He didn’t thrust, but Qing Zhu knew she had lost utterly.

Despair flickered in her eyes. She closed them and said softly, “I understand. I will no longer interfere with Miss’s choice.”

“You’ve cared for her for years,” the male lead said with a smile. “You should know we are truly in love. Why be so stubborn?”

Qing Zhu snapped her eyes open. “This is not stubbornness!”

“Fine, fine,” the male lead said. “You’ve lost; the outcome is decided.” He reached out a hand. “Get up.”

Qing Zhu did not move. Footsteps approached. They turned to see Ning An running toward them with an umbrella. She ran fast across the snow, her footprints so shallow it looked as if she were flying. The male lead smiled.

As Ning An drew close, the male lead said, “Qing Zhu has decided to stay here permanently. Let’s go.”

Ning An said nothing. she glanced at him, then looked at Qing Zhu lying in the snow. This was not the look of someone in love. The male lead’s expression faltered.

The assistant director whispered, “Ah, is Zhao Er messing up again? Is this played wrong?”

Director Xu also felt her performance was off. He was about to yell “Cut,” but then unauthorized copy he saw Zhao Baoshang’s eyes. He sat back down. “Wait. Let’s keep watching.”

“If we don’t leave now, the snow will get heavier,” the male lead said.

Ning An bent down and helped Qing Zhu up. “You go,” Ning An said.

Qing Zhu coughed, her voice low. “I am leaving now.”

“I wasn’t talking to you,” Ning An said. She turned to the male lead. “You go. And don’t come back.”

Male lead: ???

Qing Zhu was stunned. “Miss, I planned to stay here forever.”

“I know,” Ning An said, looking at her. “And you are the leader of the martial arts alliance; you should chase a wider world.”

Ning An gripped Qing Zhu’s clothes—soft cotton that yielded under her touch. She seemed to remember she was still acting. Her eyes flickered with struggle before she let go, helped Qing Zhu up, and said, “I understand. In the future… take good care of yourself.”

She handed the umbrella to Qing Zhu. The green umbrella shielded them both from the wind and snow. The male lead coughed twice in the cold. Ning An finally let go and walked down the [bailiantales.com]mountain. The male lead followed, shouting, “Wait, walk slower!”

Ning An did not reply, nor did she look back.

“OK!” Director Xu shouted.

The actors rushed to find their down jackets. “How was my acting, Director?” the male lead asked.

“Not bad, not bad.” Director Xu pointed at Zhao Baoshang. “You, come here.”

Zhao Baoshang was having Yan Zhen warm her hands and reluctantly went over. Director Xu opened the monitor. “These are the most soulful eyes you’ve ever had.” He replayed the footage.

On screen, Zhao Baoshang’s eyes were bottomless, yet filled with a visible rage. Without any other information—without her eyebrows, her nose, or the curve of her lips—just looking at her eyes, one could feel a mountain-toppling fury. It was a suppressed, dark rage.

“The original script wasn’t perfect,” Director Xu sighed. “How could a woman so full of passion and loyalty just abandon her maid? I didn’t write this into the script because it’s a difficult shot, but you acted it out.”

He sighed again. Seeing Zhao Baoshang staring at Yan Zhen and ignoring him, he gave up. He told them to get lost and stop “spreading dog food” (showing PDA) on the sacred snow mountain.

After checking the day’s footage, they held a wrap party. “Good work, everyone!” Director Xu raised his glass. “I officially announce that ​Read on BaiLianTales​in-node="139">Qing Shan Yuan has wrapped!”

Everyone smiled and raised their glasses of local fruit wine.

“Don’t drink too much,” Yan Zhen said. “We have to go back soon.”

“Can’t we just stay here?” Zhao Baoshang asked.

“There are classes tomorrow,” Yan Zhen said. “And your Fortune is very unstable lately. It’s safer in the dorm.”

In the dorm, Yan Zhen had set up an array specifically for Zhao Baoshang’s Bazi. Here in the mountains, she didn’t have the tools to make anything proper.

The group drank until nearly 10 PM. Yan Zhen pinned a bunch of talismans onto Zhao Baoshang’s clothes and called a taxi for the airport.

Halfway there, two cats suddenly dashed onto the road. The startled driver crashed into a streetlight. There was a piercing screech of brakes followed by a heavy thud.

The car shook violently. Yan Zhen felt her head spin, her brain short-circuiting. When she regained consciousness, she checked on Zhao Baoshang. She seemed fine. She looked forward and saw the front of the car was crumpled, and the driver had fainted.

“He shouldn’t have had this calamity in his fate; it was likely an influence from us,” bailiantales.comYan Zhen said, seeing the driver’s face.

Zhao Baoshang frowned. She thought for a moment and said to Yan Zhen, “I’ll drive him to the hospital.”

“Don’t move!” Yan Zhen tried to call an ambulance, but there was no signal on the mountain.

While Yan Zhen was checking her phone, Zhao Baoshang had already moved the driver to the back and sat in the driver’s seat. Yan Zhen wanted to stop her, but she didn’t know how to drive herself. If the driver died because of them, the karmic debt would be even heavier.

While Yan Zhen was still thinking, Zhao Baoshang stepped on the gas. Vroom!

The car didn’t turn back; it drove straight toward a small hillside.

“You’re going the wrong way!” Yan Zhen shouted.

Zhao Baoshang gripped the wheel and honked, her mouth shut tight. The car roared toward the slope. Yan Zhen saw a wisp of black energy rising from Zhao Baoshang’s body.

“Princess!” Yan Zhen shouted. “Wake up!”

Zhao Baoshang remained silent. The car hit the hill with a dull, rumbling [bailiantales.com]thud. Yan Zhen, pale, tried to push Zhao Baoshang out of the seat, but the Movie Queen had lost consciousness.

After hitting the slope, a large amount of falling rocks tumbled down. Zhao Baoshang kept driving forward, heading up a nearly 90-degree incline. The snow at the peak was beginning to fall!

Yan Zhen had no time to think and threw herself over Zhao Baoshang. A moment later, snow and rocks thundered down, burying the entire car. Yan Zhen felt a pain like needles piercing her whole body. She didn’t even have time to describe the pain before she lost consciousness.

The movie Qing Shan Yuan had been delayed for a long time, but a new trailer was finally released, showing the interactions between the main leads. It was set to premiere at the end of the month.

Reports and discussions grew. Ever since Xu Fengmei’s death, Zhao Baoshang had faded from the spotlight. Now, seeing her movie, people remembered she was a Movie Queen.

Regarding the trailer, people commented on the maid Qing Zhu’s eyes: 【Yan Zhen’s eyes aren’t huge, so why do they look so full of depth?】

【I agree. When looking at other models, you see their bodies. Looking at Yan Zhen, you only notice the emotion.】

Surprisingly, Zhao Baoshang’s gaze had also changed. As one top comment put it: “It came alive.” Her eyes used to be like stagnant water; now, they were the eyes of someone with passion and emotion.

Just as the buzz was building, a news flash broke: “The female lead of Qing Shan Yuan was in a drunk driving accident, causing serious injuries to two people.”

The internet was stunned. The female lead? Who else could it be but Zhao Baoshang?

Anti-fans were energized: “Zhao Baoshang is in trouble again?”

“Drunk driving? She probably killed someone, considering the scale of the news.”

“Rumor has it someone in the car is half-dead. Who knows if they’ll make it.”

“Zhao Baoshang should just go home and have kids. Stop acting!”