Chapter 10 Her Favorite Celebrity: "I adore this beautiful woman who brazenly declares she'll run naked in the street."

"The stage is completely ruined. It's too late today, Director Yu said we'll film again tomorrow." Jiang Yan seemed to be in a great mood, radiating joy from her hair. Yang Xingji thought to himself that the industry's praise of Jiang Yan's dedication was probably nonsense. How much could she love her job if she was this happy right after work?

"What's Teacher Qin doing here?" Jiang Yan asked excitedly. "Didn't Teacher Qin leave work a long time ago?"

Then she noticed Yang Xingji, who was dressed gently and obediently next to Qin Lan, and immediately stepped forward, affectionately taking her hand: "Xingji, do you still remember me? I'm Jiang Yan from Class 5, the same year as you in Beijing Communication University. I remember you always had a dream of being in a girl group, congratulations on finally realizing your dream! I didn't expect that Xingji, who shines so brightly on stage, is even more beautiful in private than in the posters!"

Yang Xingji exclaimed, looking at her blankly, "I remember...of course I remember, you're Jiang Yan from Class 5, the big star..."

“Speaking of big stars, isn’t Eleven’s captain more famous than me?” Jiang Yan smiled shyly, then her eyes sparkled: “The girls in the crew talk about you guys every day, especially Xingji. Everyone says you’re both cool and sweet, full of energy, bringing them endless vitality and energy!”

Jiang Yan praised her for a full ten minutes, practically turning Yang Xingji into a dazed embryo, completely bewildered and dragged along by her endless compliments, only able to utter sounds like "ah-ba-ah-ba." This person, a cool and charismatic beauty on stage, is actually quite naive and innocent in private; how could she possibly handle a seasoned pro like Jiang Yan?

"Although someone took the initiative first, Yang Xingji, if you weren't a flawless egg, how could someone have stung you?" Qin Lan watched coldly, arms crossed, a sneer on her face, her red lips like a proud rose in the darkness.

Jiang Yan acted as if she hadn't heard her: "Wow... what brand of lip gloss are you using? This color makes your skin look so fair and healthy... By the way, are you waiting for someone?"

The simple-minded Yang Xingji could only hum in response: "We're waiting for Actress Feng, hehe."

"I've heard for a long time that Xingji has been a fan of celebrities for many years. To be honest, I also really like Actress Feng. Actress Feng is a very, very good person, and she deserves to be liked by such an outstanding girl as Xingji."

Upon hearing someone praise Feng Manhong, Yang Xingji instantly transformed into a brainless fighter: "Sister, you have such excellent taste! So you like goddesses too! Ahhh, sister—"

“We all have excellent taste. Come, I'll take you to meet Actress Feng.”

After saying that, Jiang Yan affectionately linked arms with Yang Xingji and walked away, not only without glancing at Qin Lan, but also taking away her best friend whom she had arranged to meet.

Qin Lan watched her retreating figure, then stomped her foot angrily: "Hey! Yang Xingji! You womanizer who neglects your friends—that dead Jiang Yan! It's all your fault! I really—really—"

Jiang Yan smiled and took Yang Xingji's arm as they went inside.

Qin Lan gritted her teeth in hatred, standing disheveled at the door, glaring helplessly. Just then, another person appeared, walking wearily to her side and saying softly, "We both spent the whole day working on our beloved careers, so why is Jiang Yan radiant while I'm completely drained?"

Qin Lan was so startled she almost jumped up, raising her hand to slap it: "Where did this female ghost come from?!"

Yu Jintang grabbed her wrist impatiently: "I... Didn't you get off work? Why didn't you go back to your hotel and lie down? Why did you have to stay here?"

"Yu Guaiguai?" Qin Lan breathed a sigh of relief and smoothed her hair.

"It's all because of Yang Xingji that I had to see Jiang Yan." She glared fiercely at Jiang Yan, who was laughing and talking inside. "She insisted on seeing Actress Feng... Now look what's happened, Jiang Yan has run off with her, so what was I even doing here?"

Yu Jintang patted her shoulder sympathetically: "Sometimes you're destined to have a mortal enemy like that...sigh, I understand. The key is that you can't really fall out with her right now, after all, you two used to...um...tsk tsk tsk..."

Yu Jintang made a strange, intriguing sound with varying intonation.

"Don't mention breaking off relations again!" Qin Lan roared in anger.

Yu Jintang leisurely raised her hands: "Hey... don't be angry, how about we go eat? I'm starving, and Yang'er is here too, let's three of us go grazing..."

Qin Lan sneered: "Right now, she probably only has eyes for Actress Feng and Jiang Yan. Does she even remember that she has two childhood friends outside?"

“Let’s ignore her then, let’s go eat.” Yu Jintang made the plan quickly without any hesitation: “Let’s eat at Yang’er’s place again. After we eat, we can go to the massage parlor next door to lie down for a while. It’s so hot today… I think my ear piercing is infected. I need to find someone to take a look.”

"Then let's leave her here?" Qin Lan hesitated for a moment, after all, she was the one who brought her here.

Yu Jintang took out his phone and started typing: "Just leave her a message. Anyway, with Jiang Yan around, someone with such a perfect image wouldn't abandon Yang Xingji..."

"What? No way!" Qin Lan refused decisively: "How can we hand her over to that black lotus Jiang Yan? If we do that, the next time we see Yang Xingji, she'll be Jiang Yan's number one fan!"

"This won't work, that won't work, so tell me what will work?" Yu Jintang looked at her helplessly. "I mean... sigh, tsk tsk tsk, don't react so strongly to your arch-rival sister. After all, the more you care about something, the bigger your reaction will be..."

"Who cares about her? Who cares? Stop talking nonsense, I can't be bothered with her at all!"

"Look at you, getting impatient again," Yu Jintang said leisurely. Teasing Qin Lan was a particularly fun thing; she was so competitive. If you teased her, she'd make a sound like a toy, and with a fierce air...

"It's okay, I can talk to Teacher Qin first." Jiang Yan's voice rang out at the right time. Qin Lan was startled and turned her head guiltily to look. She saw that Jiang Yan was still supporting Yang Xingji, who looked so happy that he was about to faint. He was leaning against her and holding the autograph to his heart.

"I have Feng Yinghou's autograph." Yang Xingji looked at them as if in a daze: "Do you know what this means?"

"It means you only have something now that others already have." Qin Lan said impatiently, "Alright, let's go, you're treating us to dinner."

“Yes, we should treat Teacher Jiang to a meal.” Yang Xingji suddenly said, “Teacher Jiang, is there anything you’d like to eat?”

"Just call me Yanyan from now on." Jiang Yan smiled gently. "Aren't you going out to eat with your friends? Don't worry, I'll go back to the hotel by myself later, it's okay."

Qin Lan stared at Yang Xingji, who had seemingly lost the ability to think, with a pained expression. Listen to that! Listen to that! What a scheming, manipulative statement! How come everyone listening has become an idiot?

Upon hearing this, Yang Xingji immediately became anxious and grabbed her hand, refusing to let go: "How can that be? Teacher Jiang... Yanyan, you gave me such a precious gift, how can I leave you here alone? What would you like to eat? My family owns several restaurants in Luocheng, can I ask the chef to make something you like?"

“But your friends… It’s okay, Xingji, I can manage on my own.”

That's what he said, and then he looked at Yu Jintang with a smile.

Qin Lan glared angrily at Yu Jintang.

Yu Jintang sighed and said, "I am quite willing to thank Teacher Jiang for his hard work."

Jiang Yan smiled and looked at Qin Lan.

He had a smug look on his face.

Qin Lan: "I fucking mind."

"Um...it's okay. I know Teacher Qin has always held a grudge against me." Jiang Yan lowered her head slightly as if hurt, but smiled generously. "It's alright. Xingji, you're leaving Luocheng the day after tomorrow. You guys go eat first tonight, and we can eat together after filming wraps up. We can keep in touch often. If Teacher Feng agrees, I'll send you exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from Teacher Feng!"

Yang Xingji was so moved she couldn't listen to anything else. Jiang Yan was like a second parent to her: "How can that be! It's settled then. Sister Qin, you and Tang'er go shopping. I'm taking Yan Yan to my family's restaurant."

Yu Jintang: "Oh no, if they go to a restaurant, we'll have to sit in the main hall. There are definitely no private rooms available at this hour. Why don't you try eating with your mask on, Lao Qin?"

"No way." Qin Lan refused outright: "You go eat by yourself, I'm going back to the hotel."

Yu Jintang said helplessly, "Then I might as well go with the two of them."

Qin Lan raised an eyebrow: "Nobody's stopping you."

Jiang Yan didn't want to really affect their friendship, so she decisively backed down: "Xingji, you two go ahead. I'll really feel guilty if I affect your relationship. I'll go back and look at the script. Really, the intimate scene with Teacher Qin tomorrow... sigh..."

Reminded by her, Qin Lan suddenly remembered what scene was scheduled for tomorrow, and her temper flared up: "Jiang Yan, explain yourself clearly. What's wrong with tomorrow's scene that's making things so difficult for you?"

In contrast to her desperate act, Jiang Yan seemed quite at ease: "It's nothing, I'm just a little worried about whether the filming will go smoothly because Teacher Qin is so resistant."

"I've never had a bad day filming!" Qin Lan said angrily. "Stop being sarcastic! I'm hungry, let's eat!"

“Didn’t you say you weren’t going?” Yu Jintang nudged her with her elbow.

"I just can't stand Jiang Yan's pretentious attitude." Qin Lan knew that this was probably exactly what Jiang Yan wanted, but recalling her anxiety all day, her stubbornness flared up again: "I will prove her wrong with facts. I'm not afraid of her at all!"

"Good day, Miss!" The passing waiters all bowed their heads.

The woman leading the way wore sunglasses that covered half her face and walked past with an air of aloofness. Behind her was a trendy woman, covered in all sorts of brooches, who nodded and waved with giggles. Meanwhile, the "lady" the waiters were talking about leaned against another woman with waist-length hair, pressing a piece of paper against her rapidly heaving chest.

Even after sitting down in the private room, Yang Xingji still looked like he needed oxygen, so Qin Lan and Yu Jintang started reciting the menu on their own. The latter would even ask Jiang Yan what she wanted to eat, while Qin Lan acted as if Jiang Yan wasn't even in the room.

Yu Jintang ordered a bottle of red wine as usual, poured a glass for herself and Jiang Yan, and left a glass in Yang Xingji's glass as well.

Qin Lan ate her fruit salad in small bites, the cherry juice making her lips moist. She noticed Jiang Yan staring at her lips, so she boldly stuck out her tongue and seductively licked them.

As expected, Jiang Yan calmly turned her head, wanting to see but too embarrassed to do so.

Qin Lan laughed happily, turning to raise an eyebrow at Yu Jintang. But her smugness didn't last long, because Yang Xingji, having regained her senses, began to ramble on about how beautiful and elegant Feng Manhong was in person, and how her fragrance almost made her faint when she got close. Yang Xingji even said she regretted her decision to join the group for a second, otherwise she would definitely have competed with Qin Lan for the role of Shangguan Wan'er.

"Can we add more roles now? I'd even be willing to be a maid who carries a fan," Yang Xingji pleaded, looking at Yu Jintang.

Yu Jintang grinned: "I don't object, but I remember you have to go back to film your variety show 'Stage' the day after tomorrow."

"Don't mention this, okay?" Yang Xingji said with a resentful look, nagging to comfort herself, "Yang Xingji, you chose this path yourself, so don't regret it."

“I admire Xingji very much.” Jiang Yan spoke softly, her expression serious: “Even if she missed the opportunity to act with her favorite star, she would tell herself not to regret the decisions she made. Xingji is much braver than many people. Xingji will definitely continue to shine and one day be seen by her idol.”

"Really?" Yang Xingji looked at her as if encouraged, his eyes sparkling.

Qin Lan gave a sarcastic laugh, inwardly mocking her for almost becoming Jiang Yan's child. Jiang Yan glanced at her and still smiled: "Yes, to be honest, I also have a big star I really like. Hmm, probably about the same as Xingji's liking for Actress Feng."

Qin Lan appeared to be calmly and methodically poking at the salad dressing in the plate with the tip of her chopsticks, but her ears involuntarily perked up.

"Wow, really?" Yang Xingji urged her, "Tell me more, Yanyan, you're a big star now, have you worked with her before?"

"Well, but for various reasons, I didn't have that opportunity later..." Jiang Yan still smiled, "and I also regret my past choices. Um, Xingji, do you think I'm a big star now?"

"Of course!" Yang Xingji straightened his back immediately and clenched his fist: "You're a superstar with both popularity and acting skills! Your ads and support are everywhere, and several people in our group like you!"

But the big star Jiang Yan is a coward. Jiang Yan smiled faintly and raised her eyes: "Now I choose to be brave like Xing Ji, so I won't have any regrets. I also hope that the big star I like will be even braver than me, after all, she has always been so much better than me."

"I suddenly feel like crying," Yang Xingji said involuntarily, her eyes moist. "Why is there suddenly a melancholic atmosphere?"

Yu Jintang took another sip of her drink without saying a word. Qin Lan's heart skipped a beat, and she stared uncomfortably at the opposite wall. She overheard Yang Xingji pressing Jiang Yan, asking, "Yan Yan, can you say a few more words? You don't need to mention the celebrity's name, just tell me about your deepest impression of her. I really want to know, I didn't know that such a dazzling star like Yan Yan would have someone even more... more..."

She was at a loss for words, stammering for a long time before finally managing to utter only one word: "sun".

Jiang Yan lowered her eyes and smiled faintly, but the light in her eyes was as fiery as fire.

“She likes to wear red dresses.” Her smile grew even brighter: “The first time I saw her in a red dress, everyone on both sides of the road was looking at her, leaving an indelible mark on my memory. It was the middle of summer on campus, all the tall green trees were just a backdrop for her, and she was the only red flower on campus.”

Her favorite celebrity was unrestrained and aloof, always wearing an expression of disdain for the world when she wasn't smiling. That wasn't the first time she had seen Qin Lan, but it was the first time she had seen the real Qin Lan, unburdened by any roles or personas. The other woman, with her slender waist, long legs, and fiery red dress, walked with an aura of absolute power in her eight-centimeter heels, as if it were her own runway, and the people on either side were merely insignificant spectators.

"It's so hot! Hey Lao Qin, let's go surfing later!" Yu Jintang said during her student days.

"Let's go." The woman said lazily, with a world-weary expression, but her words were so full of life that they pulled Jiang Yan, who was so angry that she wanted to destroy the world, back to the beautiful world: "Hey, if it weren't for beauty, I would never wear a piece of cloth in this awful weather."

"Damn, Lao Qin, are you going to streak?"

"So what?" the woman said arrogantly. "I can do whatever I want. Anyone who tries to stop me, get out of my way."

Song Man stretched and said, "Okay, I think we shouldn't go surfing. Let's go back to Genting Highlands and soak in the pool. We can all go naked together."

"Surfing doesn't stop you from being naked." Qin Lan laughed brazenly. "Then let's clear the area and get rid of everyone. This kind of weather is perfect for burning energy in the water. Today, either I die of heat or the sun goes down. Let's see who can outlast whom."

They walked away arm in arm, their red dresses igniting the world in the silent gaze of the audience behind them, instantly transforming young Jiang Yan into a poetic figure, forever clinging to this one page of the world she loved to read. She felt utterly foolish, ignoring these sexy beauties surfing in the summer sun, instead contemplating how to perish together with the entire world.

"I adore this beautiful woman who brazenly declares she'll run naked in the street; she makes me feel the urge to break free from all rules and constraints begin to grow."

Jiang Yan smiled and continued to gaze at the stunned Qin Lan. Several years had passed, and the eyes that Jiang Yan had once shone brightly because of the color of the flames had been tempered by time into a soft yet powerful light, but the admiring look in her eyes when she looked at Qin Lan remained unchanged.

Because some people's unique charm lies not in the arrangement of their facial features, but in the fact that they happen to entice you to open the eyes of your soul for the first time.

The more Yang Xingji listened, the more familiar the plot seemed. But she had too many random memories with her friends, and it wasn't until she noticed Yu Jintang turning her head and silently staring at Qin Lan that she vaguely recalled some fragments.

It seems there was a sweltering summer when she, Qin Lan, Yu Jintang, Song Man, and Yun Chui were walking on campus, idly discussing where to spend the hot summer days.

She remembered that it was Yun Chui who suggested going home to enjoy the air conditioning; this person was naturally peaceful, so it must be her. Qin Lan was different. This person combined the contradictory traits of misanthropy and flamboyance. When she was about to be killed by the awful weather, she wouldn't find a comfortable, cool place to lie still; instead, she would burn herself even more intensely, as if competing with the sun to see who was hotter. Yang Xingji knew that this person's rebellious nature had resurfaced again, and she must be shouting to the world in her heart, "Come on, if you're so capable, roast me to death! The more you roast me, the more I'll burn wildly!"

Yang Xingji recalled everything, looked at Qin Lan with a look of horror, then at Jiang Yan, and quietly shut her mouth. Qin Lan, on the other hand, remained calm, sitting there eating and drinking as usual. She would have appeared even more composed if she hadn't drunk the wine in Yu Jintang's glass.

"Why are you all staring at me?" She fluttered her eyelashes, looking completely indifferent. "Have you eaten enough? If you have, let's go. We have filming tomorrow morning."

After saying that, she drank the wine in her cup in one gulp, but she couldn't taste it at all and thought she was drinking water.

Jiang Yan was the first to stand up. Yang Xingji quickly followed suit, and Yu Jintang picked up his wine bottle, clicking his tongue repeatedly as he left. Qin Lan lagged behind, a sudden wave of alcohol hitting her head. She leaned on the table, feeling dizzy for a moment.

"Be careful." She nestled into the woman's arms, enveloped in a pleasant fragrance.

"Why didn't you tell me not to drink?" Qin Lan muttered, her fingertips digging into Jin Jiangyan's hair, tightening her grip slightly.

Jiang Yan trembled at her movements.

"If Teacher Qin can't do whatever she wants, then the world is doomed."

She was forced to look the woman in the eye, exposing her vulnerable neck. But the woman smiled and slightly raised her chin in response, giving Qin Lan an urge to strangle her.

She silently stared at Jiang Yan for a moment, regretting her terrible thought, then let go and walked out.

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The puppy's triumph is YYDS.