Bad Girl Alliance

"People will be amazed by the brilliance of flowers, regardless of whether they are soaked in blood or clear water. When the flowers wither, just discard them completely, let them cry and wail and shout. Cold-hearted people will never think it is a sin."

A disheveled woman in red collapsed on the floor. As her tearful monologue ended, the lights dimmed briefly, and then a beam of white light shone on a man in a white Zhongshan suit.

"But they forgot that the rose was actually a thorn disguised as a flower. The ending of this play is unknown." The man's powerful voice resonated throughout the stage.

The white light returned to the woman in red: "The ending was already destined. All the hardships in the world are just a test of the heart in the mortal world. What you think is uncontrollable, insincere, and beyond your control will eventually dissipate into dust and turn into mud, leaving nothing but idle talk of being sentimental but laughing in vain and crying in desolate graves."

"You've underestimated yourself; the most tragic thing you could ever do is this." Suddenly, the white light turned red and shone on the two actors. The man said viciously, "Do you want to hear your enemy's shameless laughter at any moment? Take revenge! Take revenge!"

"Yes, I want revenge, revenge—" the woman in red struggled to her feet and shouted hoarsely as she pointed to the sky.

The composer used aluminum plates to create lightning and thunder effects at just the right moment. As the red and white lights flashed rapidly, the red cloth on the stage was slowly pulled up, marking the end of the first trial performance of "Thorn Rose".

After a moment of silence, the hall erupted in enthusiastic applause. Qingcheng, sitting calmly in the front row, clapped along with everyone else.

After the show ended, a plump middle-aged man jogged up to Qingcheng and shook her hand repeatedly: "Thanks to Miss He for being the screenwriter, our play will officially premiere tonight and will run for ten shows. Please come and give us your guidance."

"Director Zhang, you're too kind. This is just my humble attempt to imitate 'Wuthering Heights.' There will be many more opportunities to collaborate in the future." As Qingcheng spoke, her gaze passed over Director Zhang; the two lead actors were her real targets for the day.

"Oh, thank you so much for gracing us with your presence." Director Zhang beamed and shook hands firmly again.

"I should thank you for finding such big-name leads. One is Zhang Lulu, the 'Xi Shi' from the movie, and the other is Xu Xi, a popular young actor. I want their autographs." Qingcheng didn't shy away from expressing her needs.

"That's easy, I'll introduce you right away." Director Zhang tactfully invited Qingcheng to visit the backstage area, praising her as they walked. He noted that the bigger the star, the more they value the script, since fame is a crucial factor. Ultimately, it was Miss He's script that mattered.

The corridor leading backstage was already packed with gossip reporters and crazy fans. Through the crowd, they could see the male lead, Xu Xi, exchanging his thoughts with the media, while the fans around him occasionally let out excited screams.

Seeing this, Director Zhang shook his head and complained to Qingcheng, "These days, young girls are practically going crazy when they see male celebrities. Let's take a detour and go find Miss Lulu first. I'll get Xu Xi's autograph for you later."

"It's alright." Qingcheng glanced regretfully at Xu Xi in the crowd, then turned and left with Director Zhang.

This is a gathering of talented young people from all walks of life! Qingcheng didn't expect the backstage area to be even more lively than the front. There was the second son of Yong'an Department Store, the owner of Shen'an Auto Dealership, Lawyer Zhao, the mayor's advisor, and several unfamiliar men chatting with Zhang Lulu.

Zhang Lulu's face gradually showed impatience, but given her status as an actress, she could only maintain her professional smile. Qingcheng whispered a few words to Director Zhang, who then called over security guards to "invite" the young masters of Shanghai out of the backstage area.

"Director Zhang, thank goodness you're here." Zhang Lulu looked relieved, her voice still a little hoarse, perhaps from her energetic performance.

"Who told you to be such a big star? Come, let me introduce you to someone, Ms. Jin Xiaoyin, the screenwriter of this play." Director Zhang said, introducing Qingcheng to Zhang Lulu. When Lulu heard that it was Jin Xiaoyin, her eyes were full of joy.

"Seeing is believing, Ms. Jin, no, I should say Ms. He, it's a pleasure to meet you. I love your script so much." Zhang Lulu made no attempt to hide her admiration.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Lulu! You're even more beautiful in person than on screen. If it's convenient, could I have your autograph?" Qingcheng smiled as she looked at the big star in front of her. For a woman who had given birth to three children, Zhang Lulu's figure was remarkably well-maintained.

As for signing the autograph, Zhang Lulu generously said it was no problem, and then asked her assistant to get paper and pen. Just as the three of them were chatting enthusiastically about the script, the assistant who went to get paper and pen was tripped by a construction worker and fell to the ground. It looked like a heavy set piece was about to hit her.

Snap—

A stylishly dressed man suddenly caught the backdrop that was about to tip over, and Qingcheng heard a loud voice: "Get up quickly, don't run around backstage if you have nothing to do."

"You shameless little slut, get out of here! Thank you, Mr. Wang." Zhang Lulu had two completely different faces when dealing with her assistant and Mr. Wang.

Suddenly she remembered something, pulled the man over and introduced him, "If Miss He doesn't mind, I'd like to introduce you to a big boss in our arts and culture industry, Mr. Wang."

Seemingly surprised that Zhang Lulu would pull him along, the man's expression of surprise flashed across his face for a moment, and then he handed over his business card in a friendly manner: "It's all thanks to Miss Lulu's kindness. My surname is Wang, and my given name is Yong. I do some calligraphy and painting business in my spare time."

Mr. Wang's smile reveals his standard eight front teeth, which is quite comical. His name is really strange; does it mean "worrying about something trivial"? Qingcheng solemnly accepted the business card. Mr. Wang's shop is located on Rue Pétain in the French Concession, a place favored by literati and scholars. The rent must be quite expensive.

"Mr. Wang, you're too kind. Your gallery truly has hidden talents. Ms. He, did you see the stage set today? We entrusted Mr. Wang's studio with the entire design and installation—a one-stop service that's worry-free and reassuring," Director Zhang chimed in.

"Oh, I didn't expect the scene in my mind to be reproduced so realistically. It's all thanks to Mr. Wang's team." Qingcheng smiled and affirmed Mr. Wang's design, but a wary glint flashed in her half-closed eyes. The reaction speed of an art dealer was too good.

"Sure, sure! Come visit my gallery sometime!" Wang Renyong patted his chest heartily. "You guys chat first, I'm going to supervise the work."

"I'll definitely do it next time." Qingcheng nodded and said politely, her eyes unconsciously drifting to Zhang Lulu's dressing table. On the table, besides some scattered cosmetics, there was a car key and several scripts.

Previously, Zhang Lulu had rummaged through her small handbag containing paper and pens, and a corner of her cardholder was slightly visible. She could see a black card from the Hong Kong Jockey Club and a blue card, the origin of which was unknown.

After leaving the theater, Kiyosumi went straight to the corner café. The doorbell rang crisply. Instead of ordering coffee, she went up to a private room on the second floor, where someone was already waiting for her.

Golden light shone on the woman in the corner, making her appear both real and illusory. If she could smile, men all over the world would probably be infatuated with her. Unfortunately, her gaze was as cold as ice, and she exuded an indifferent and aloof aura.

Qingcheng didn't care about any of that and sweetly called out, "Sister Yan Yan, I'm here."

"Hmm, you've made contact with them, haven't you?" Yan Yan asked casually, pouring Qing Cheng a glass of lemonade.

“I’ve only managed to get in touch with Zhang Lulu. Xu Xi has too many fans around him, I can’t get close to him.” Qingcheng took the water glass and asked, “By the way, Zhang Lulu has a blue membership card in her handbag, can you help me find out which store it belongs to?”

Without much thought, Yan Yan blurted out, "No need to check, that's a VIP card for the Zhabei Gymnasium. Zhang Lulu has a habit of playing tennis."

"Can you help me find out how often she plays tennis, and what her schedule is? Oh, and she also has a black card from the Hong Kong Jockey Club, so she might go betting on horses." Kiyosumi wanted to create more chance encounters with Zhang Lulu.

Yan Yan immediately understood what she meant: "I'll go back and check it out, then I'll organize it and send it to you."

"Sister Yan Yan, what kind of evidence do you want? Tell me clearly so I can help you get information out of her," Qing Cheng asked anxiously.

"It's mainly evidence of his embezzlement and illegal business dealings. I don't know the specifics, it could be contracts or ledgers." Yan Yan shook her head. "Xu Qiao isn't a man who only thinks with his lower body. Anyway, those things are either kept by his mistress or his own brother."

"Changing jobs is such a hassle; you even have to threaten your boss to let you go." Qingcheng pouted, looking down thoughtfully at the suspended matter in her cup.

“Silly sister, CC isn’t a place you can come and go as you please,” Yan Yan said through gritted teeth. “I don’t want to stay in that hellhole for even a day longer. Selling your body gives you a chance to escape the hell, but selling your soul means you’ll never be reincarnated.”

Qingcheng was moved by her words, and with tears in her eyes, she took Yan Yan's hand and comforted her, "You'll be free soon. We'll go back to our hometown for the New Year to pay respects to my uncle and my father, so they can rest in peace."

"Hmm." Yan Yan responded silently, her relaxed expression tightening again. "Also, you must learn to observe your surroundings recently. Xu Qiao is very cautious. Any unfamiliar face that appears in his social circle will be subject to his strictest scrutiny."

"Sister, I'm afraid I won't pass his inspection. If that happens, my life will be in danger." Qingcheng nervously twisted her fingers, a sly glint in her eyes beneath her delicate eyebrows.

"No, I assure you they'll be a corpse before they hurt you. Besides, you're the most talented amateur I've ever seen." Yan Yan herself hadn't even gotten out of the fire pit yet, but she was already trying to persuade Qing Cheng to get in.

"No, I don't want to get involved in your internal strife. You're only helping me because you're my cousin, and this is a one-time thing." Qingcheng clearly refused, understanding the implication in her words. "Besides, what about Xu Xi? Do I need to find another opportunity?"

"Xu Xi, don't worry, I'm already keeping up with it. This kid is much more naive than his brother," Yan Yan said confidently.

"Simple? I've heard that Xu Xi is a playboy who changes female companions like he changes clothes," Qingcheng replied dismissively.

"Little sister, you can't judge men like that. Putting aside looks, once a man is involved with power or money, he's never truly clean. Xu Xi isn't a womanizer; he's never been tempted. He uses money to satisfy his needs instead of harming others, which makes him a good man," Yan Yan said earnestly.

Living in a fish market for so long, one becomes unaware of the stench; the ancients were truly right. Qingcheng stared, speechless for a moment; her cousin's standards for men were far too low.

Poor cousin, having spent so much time in the cesspool, had lost all sense of smell. If Xu Xi could be considered a good man, then all her male colleagues at work would be furious. Qingcheng, thinking of something gossipy, tentatively asked, "Sister Yan Yan, could it be that you've taken a liking to Xu Xi and that's why you're speaking well of him?"

"I have no interest in men younger than me." Yan Yan's face remained expressionless.

Well, her sister is surrounded by scumbags and hooligans, so she really has no choice. But Qingcheng still couldn't help but criticize in her heart: A cool and gloomy older sister like you is the most attractive to young men.

Seeing Qingcheng lost in thought, Yan Yan continued, "I'm just stating the facts. Of the two men beside you, one is rich and knew you before you entered society, which is great. It's a pity he's a foreigner or an aristocrat. I don't need to tell you how dirty the aristocratic circle is. The other one, who has power, doesn't seem honest. Although he's not a regular at Huanyufang, he's been there quite a few times."

Hearing her cousin say that Gao Junxiao was dishonest, Qingcheng couldn't help but burst out laughing. She thought there was nothing wrong with what she said, but her cousin had wronged Alpha. She quickly defended him, saying that Alpha was a pure white lotus that grew out of the mud. He devoted himself to scientific research. That's what a simple man is like.

"You used to like the one with power," Yan Yan said, staring at Qing Cheng with certainty.

"I didn't!" Qingcheng blurted out without thinking, and even she herself felt that her voice was a bit loud after she said it.

"Then why do you sneak out to meet him whenever he calls you, even when you're busiest?" Yan Yan stared directly into Qing Cheng's eyes, leaving her nowhere to escape.

"I'm just a helpful person; it doesn't matter who asks for my help. You didn't just come out as soon as you knocked on the window," Qingcheng explained without batting an eye.

“You treat him as a friend. Even if he thinks that way in his mind, his body won’t allow him to think that way.” Yan Yan suggested before Qing Cheng could explain, “All crows are black, but women like the blackest one. Why don’t you try having two at the same time and let them compete with each other?”

"Sis, that's going too far." Qingcheng felt that her older sister's values ​​needed to be reshaped after returning to normal society.

"I'm not worried about him toying with you; you're no pushover either." Yan Yan's bluntness infuriated Qing Cheng to the point of internal injury.

"Waaah... How could you say that about your gentle and lovely little sister?" Qingcheng suddenly sat down next to Yan Yan, hugged her, and rubbed and shook her.

"Don't try that on me. Oh dear." Yan Yan was caught off guard by Qing Cheng's coquettishness and relented a bit. "Alright, alright, neither of you are married yet. I'm not against you dating. That guy has been pursuing you quite diligently lately. You're the best of a bad bunch. After you start dating, have his family come to propose marriage as soon as possible."

"Sister Yan Yan, you've misunderstood. I have no intention of dating him. I'm not that close to him." Qing Cheng lifted her aggrieved little face from Yan Yan's chest.

"It's easier to make a move when he's half-ripe. What's the point of getting married if he's already fully cooked? I'll teach you a few tricks later, and I guarantee you'll have him wrapped around your little finger. He won't have the energy to find a concubine." Yan Yan nodded seriously at Qing Cheng's head.

Qingcheng looked at her older sister with great interest, as if she had seen something strange: "Why are you so old-fashioned?"

“I admit that my views on marriage and love are somewhat traditional, and I believe in arranged marriages.” Yan Yan continued, “If you don’t want to be controlled by others, go become a military dependent. Let him control you when he’s transferred. The world is far away, and we’ll see how he controls you then. You just need to stay here and do your own business.”

"Then what's the benefit of marriage? I'll still be living alone." Qingcheng rolled her eyes. "I have my own career, and I don't want to stay at home as a wife and mother."

"Not getting married is foolish. The advantage is that you'll have the title of a general's wife in the future. At his rate of advancement, he'll be a general in just a few years. If you patiently cultivate the relationship for a decade or so, and stick close to his close friend, when the old guard retires, that'll be their time to rise to prominence," Yan Yan analyzed methodically.

"Thank you, but no need," Kiyosumi said bluntly. "I treat all my male friends the same. I'll make things clear to them later, so don't waste your time on me."

"You don't want the foreign devils either? It's good to keep them as a backup." Yan Yan kindly advised, "Little sister, you need to keep the males in a constant state of crisis."

"I'm busy, don't bother me," Qingcheng said resolutely, already planning how to get rid of those two people.