The Award-Winning Actress’s Exclusive Favor - Chapter 5

The moon had risen above the treetops, and the night sky looked like dark silk scattered with a few glittering stars.

Beyond the hotel, the surrounding high-rises blurred beneath the darkness, then sharpened again under the city lights. Traffic streamed along the roads like flowing ribbons of light.

Inside the hotel’s banquet hall, guests from all over the country had already taken their seats. The banquet began to the sound of music.

In Xiao Qi’s dressing room, everyone exchanged WeChat contacts.

No one yet knew how the situation would develop from here. Although Shi Ye knew a little about Wei Xia’s circumstances, she had never paid close attention to her before.

They couldn’t remain in the dressing room for too long. Xiao Qi still had to attend the banquet, so Wei Xia and Jiang Yiran were told to return home and wait for further news.

Shi Ye escorted them to the underground parking lot and arranged for a driver to take them back.

Before they got into the car, she reminded Jiang Yiran, “Don’t make any moves for the next two days. Xiao Qi and I need to discuss how to handle this situation first. Whatever happens afterward, wait for my instructions.”

Faced with such a senior figure in the industry, Jiang Yiran naturally didn’t dare refuse. She could only nod repeatedly.

Besides, this situation was far beyond anything she could handle. If Shi Ye was willing to take full control of it, that was practically a rescue in Jiang Yiran’s eyes.

As she watched the car drive away, Shi Ye’s sharp eyes caught sight of several reporters crouching nearby.

She sighed.

Xiao Qi hadn’t denied anything anyway. Let them take their pictures.

Still looking deeply worried, Shi Ye returned upstairs.

Xiao Qi had already stepped out of the dressing room.

She had changed for the banquet. The stunning yellow gown was gone, replaced by a champagne-colored cocktail dress that was easier to move in and made her look even more elegant and dignified.

When she saw Shi Ye return, she asked softly, “Did you send them home?”

Shi Ye nodded.

Xiao Qi showed no trace of worry as she calmly headed toward the banquet.

Shi Ye followed her down the corridor.

The banquet hall doors were already in sight when she finally couldn’t hold back anymore.

“What exactly are you planning?”

“If you say you don’t mind being tied into a publicity couple, then why did you always issue clarifications before the night was even over?”

“And if you say you’re simply being kindhearted, you’ve been far too cold toward everyone else.”

“Why is Wei Xia different?”

Hidden strips of lighting glowed softly from the corridor’s high ceiling, casting a warm sheen across the polished marble floor.

The figures walking over it were reflected clearly beneath them, their silhouettes overlapping with the faint light and seeming to echo the crisp sound of high heels striking stone.

After hearing Shi Ye’s questions, Xiao Qi’s smile slowly spread from her eyes to the tips of her brows.

Her gaze seemed filled with crushed starlight.

Shi Ye froze.

Something in her heart trembled faintly.

She really was different.

Then she heard Xiao Qi’s voice, carrying a delicate warmth as it reached her ears.

There was a trace of mild puzzlement in it, yet the certainty beneath it was unmistakable.

“That’s right. You already know I treat her differently, so why are you still asking?”

---

By the time Jiang Yiran and Wei Xia returned home, both of them were exhausted in body and mind.

The old residential complex didn’t even have proper parking spaces, so they had to drag themselves back on foot.

“You’re really not going to the company?” Jiang Yiran asked weakly.

The baijiu Wei Xia had drunk with Lin Jiahui had started catching up with her, and she had no energy to deal with anything else.

“There’s no rush. Let’s first see what Xiao Qi plans to do.”

“It’s better to wait before handling anything than to rush over while we’re still completely clueless.”

“We can talk after sunrise. Right now, we sleep.”

Jiang Yiran agreed wholeheartedly.

The problem was that she was in an impossible position.

The boss had already called and said the public reaction online was out of control. He wanted both of them at the company immediately to discuss countermeasures.

Wei Xia used to be timid, but at least she had been obedient.

Now she had amnesia, her mind had become far more active, and she refused to listen to a single word.

“Can you actually sleep?” Jiang Yiran asked.

Wei Xia smiled.

“I really can.”

Jiang Yiran: “…”

Wei Xia ignored her.

After washing up, she climbed into bed and carefully searched through information about Xiao Qi online.

The more she read, the more amazed she became.

In the end, she entered Xiao Qi’s WeChat Moments with an almost reverent attitude.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Qi had not hidden her posts from her.

A newly updated post appeared at the top.

There was no photo, only one simple sentence.

[Since drifting clouds carried us apart, ten years have passed like flowing water.]

That night, Jiang Yiran failed to drag Wei Xia to the company.

Worse, no one knew how those paparazzi had found Wei Xia’s address, but several of them were already waiting downstairs.

Forget Wei Xia—Jiang Yiran couldn’t leave either.

She had no choice but to remain in Wei Xia’s tiny apartment for the night.

In the end, she simply explained the situation to the company.

The company could only agree.

---

While the people at the center of the scandal remained relatively calm, Xiao Qi’s Arctic Circle fan community was exploding with new posts at rocket speed.

The topics varied wildly:

Baby Goose Announced Her Relationship

Her Partner Is Wei Xia

I Must Have Opened the App Wrong

Every single post mocked Wei Xia for being unworthy of Xiao Qi.

[Oh my god! I can’t believe our Baby Goose is actually a hopeless romantic.]

[Waaah, no! Anyone would be fine, but why does it have to be Bitter Summer?!]

[Baby Goose, what are you thinking? Wake up! Bitter Summer may be good-looking, but there are plenty of people like her in the entertainment industry. And her character is genuinely terrible!]

[Bitter Summer is only slightly above average by entertainment-industry standards. Her resources are a complete mess, and I heard she even owes money because she breached her contract. Baby Goose, what exactly do you see in her?]

[What kind of good person secretly accepts jobs behind her company’s back?]

The Arctic Circle fan community was in chaos, and so were the trending searches.

Because Xiao Qi’s fans—known as Penguin Sisters—were wailing so dramatically that their grief practically shook heaven and earth, they managed to occupy three trending topics on their own.

One was Penguin Sisters Heartbroken.

Another was Penguin Sisters Leaving the Fandom.

The third was Penguin Sisters Storm Hongfeng.

Out of fifty trending topics, more than forty belonged to Xiao Qi.

Calling the internet a battlefield that night would not have been an exaggeration.

Shi Ye’s phone never stopped ringing.

Jiang Yiran didn’t sleep all night.

Hongfeng’s president was beside himself with worry.

Only Wei Xia, one of the people directly involved, enjoyed a beautiful night’s sleep.

And then she hid at home for two full days.

She even removed the stitches from her wrist herself.

More and more reporters gathered downstairs, and fans eventually found their way there too.

Neither Wei Xia nor Jiang Yiran dared leave the apartment.

Fortunately, Wei Dong had been hiding at home for some time and had stocked up on plenty of instant noodles.

After eating them with Wei Xia for two days, Jiang Yiran nearly vomited at the sight of another cup.

It wasn’t until the situation had calmed slightly and Shi Ye released an official statement confirming that the two were in a relationship, while asking fans not to disturb them, that Wei Xia was finally able to leave.

Jiang Yiran, sporting heavy dark circles beneath her eyes, brought her to the company.

Naturally, the moment Wei Xia entered, everyone stared.

Some mocked her.

Some delighted in her misfortune.

Some merely watched the spectacle.

Others were curious.

A few looked envious.

Some even glared with jealousy.

Wei Xia had signed with Hongfeng on her eighteenth birthday.

Back then, she had been young and full of confidence, with the world seemingly open before her.

She had been too young to understand how dangerous people could be.

When she signed the contract, no adult had been beside her, nor had she hired anyone to review it.

Just like that, she entered Hongfeng.

After the company failed to make her famous, the way she was treated turned her into a frequent object of ridicule.

Whenever a newcomer became disobedient, Wei Xia would be held up as a cautionary example.

Whenever she joined a production, the entire crew could isolate her.

Yet this same person had dominated the trending searches for the past two days.

Her current attention and traffic had even far surpassed the company’s top male and female stars.

Under everyone’s stares, Jiang Yiran pressed the elevator button.

She turned and saw Wei Xia yawning.

Immediately, she grew anxious.

“Take this seriously. This concerns your entire future.”

The metal doors slid open.

Wei Xia stepped inside.

The elevators in a large company like this were cleaned daily. The mirrored walls were spotless, reflecting Wei Xia’s listless, exhausted appearance.

As the doors slowly closed, Jiang Yiran frowned.

“Didn’t you go to bed early last night?”

Wei Xia replied in a faintly aggrieved tone, “I spent the night learning about Hongfeng’s development.”

She was going to meet Hongfeng’s current president, Ke Ren, today.

Naturally, she needed to understand the company at least a little.

Jiang Yiran fell silent.

Over the past two days, she had also been constantly apologizing to Lin Jiahui of Haohua.

Just thinking about Lin Jiahui gave her a headache.

Lin Jiahui had said she didn’t care if Wei Xia had a partner—but that partner absolutely could not be Xiao Qi.

She had cursed Jiang Yiran until there was barely anything left of her.

It was the first time Jiang Yiran had ever seen Lin Jiahui ignore her rule against pursuing people in relationships.

She couldn’t help glancing sideways at Wei Xia.

Wei Xia leaned against the elevator wall with her eyes closed, resting.

The combination of languid exhaustion and casual laziness somehow gave her a distinct charm.

No wonder Lin Jiahui still couldn’t forget her.

Without Xiao Qi’s presence suppressing the situation, Lin Jiahui might really have broken her own rule.

“What are you looking at?” Wei Xia asked.

Her eyes were dark, and her brows drew together.

She had the distinct feeling that Jiang Yiran’s gaze was unfriendly.

Jiang Yiran coughed and hurriedly pulled her drifting thoughts back.

“Nothing. President Ke probably called you here because of Miss Xiao.”

Wei Xia released a long breath.

“What else could it be? They wouldn’t summon me for no reason.”

She sighed.

“I really don’t know what Miss Xiao is thinking.”

Wei Xia still felt uneasy about such sudden kindness.

Xiao Qi’s goodwill was simply too…

Enthusiastic.

---

“Have a seat.”

Ke Ren was an ordinary-looking man.

He wore a black suit, brown leather shoes, and a luxury watch Wei Xia couldn’t identify.

When Wei Xia entered, he didn’t put on any airs.

He led both Wei Xia and Jiang Yiran to the reception area and invited them to sit.

Jiang Yiran behaved respectfully throughout, while Wei Xia remained perfectly courteous.

Once everyone was seated, a secretary brought in tea.

Ke Ren began by expressing concern for Wei Xia.

“I heard you were injured a few days ago?”

Wei Xia smiled brightly.

“It was nothing. I just couldn’t see a way forward at the time. The doctor stitched it up, and that was that.”

“Thank you for your concern, President Ke.”

The words sounded polite, but there was a faint trace of mockery beneath them.

Ke Ren, however, had not become a company president yesterday.

He had more than a thousand employees under him, and Wei Xia was far from the most miserable person among them.

His heart was hard enough to remain unmoved.

But Wei Xia’s value was different now, so naturally, his attitude had changed as well.

“You should take proper care of yourself when you’re hurt.”

He turned to Jiang Yiran with a smile.

“Xiao Jiang, however much the medical treatment cost, have the finance department reimburse it.”

His nature as a businessman could not have been clearer.

Jiang Yiran was overwhelmed by the unexpected favor and nodded repeatedly.

“President Ke, did you call me here because of the public reaction online?” Wei Xia asked.

She didn’t expect Jiang Yiran to accomplish anything.

If Jiang Yiran had been even slightly capable, neither of them would have ended up in such a miserable state.

After spending the past few days with her, Wei Xia had learned more about Jiang Yiran’s background.

Her so-called manager was little different from a junior assistant.

More accurately, she had originally applied to become an assistant and had only managed to gain the title of manager while working beside Wei Xia.

Even now, Wei Xia was the only artist under her.

Her status within the company wasn’t much better than Wei Xia’s.

Jiang Yiran lacked ability, but she also lacked malice.

Hearing Wei Xia’s question, Ke Ren sighed as though deeply troubled.

“Yes. You have no idea how terrible the public reaction has become.”

Wei Xia leaned against the armrest, crossed her long legs lightly, and asked in an indifferent voice,

“Is it harder to handle than the news about me sexually harassing my junior colleague?”

Ke Ren’s gentlemanly smile froze on his face.

“…”

Jiang Yiran: “…”

Hey, hey, hey—don’t confront him head-on!