Chapter 44 The person who became the number one influencer on live-streaming e-commerce, he | she...
The script reading ended badly, and Shen Rou was humiliated in front of everyone. However, she didn't dare to really offend Director Zheng. Losing the role of Xiao Qing would be a huge loss, so she could only endure it.
Everyone tacitly kept the news of the dual scripts a secret. In short, regardless of what happened next, the script was changed to the previous version.
For the next few days, the crew continued working as usual. Zhu Qingzhi had a dinner event for LR, which required her to fly to Haicheng. This had been arranged before she joined the crew, and Director Zheng readily gave her permission.
This was Zhu Qingzhi's first major event since becoming the spokesperson for LR. It was a highly anticipated event; her dress was a Serendipity haute couture gown from the current season, and her jewelry was a multi-million dollar emerald and diamond collection from LR.
LR's president, Aron Davis, also attended the event. Zhu Qingzhi had only met him via video several times before, but this time, through Zhou Shicheng's introduction, the two were, in a sense, meeting as online friends.
After the red carpet event, there was a brief media interview, followed by the formal dinner.
The banquet lights were dazzling, and everyone coming and going was a VIP of LR, so she agreed to take photos with anyone who asked. Representatives from several major entertainment magazines were also present. Even though she had a falling out with FTYL, things remained amicable, and no one was able to find fault with her.
As they sipped their drinks, Zhu Qingzhi noticed a man, or rather, it was his hands that attracted her.
The man's profile was hidden among the floral decorations on the rectangular dining table, but his hands, which were fiddling with a burgundy welcome card, possessed a striking beauty with their distinct knuckles and smooth lines.
A pink rose petal fell, grazed his hand, and he caught it in his hand. Then he threw the welcome card aside.
Zhu Qingzhi recognized the hands; they belonged to the man behind Xiao Tang in the video. Having guessed the man's identity, her gaze didn't linger long. She took a sip of red wine and continued chatting with the designer beside her.
Suddenly someone sat down in the empty seat next to her, but it was LR President Aron's seat. Zhu Qingzhi subconsciously turned around and glanced at it.
"Miss Zhu, hello." With neatly cut short hair, fiery red lips, and a pair of alluring fox-like eyes, the woman gently touched her wine glass to hers. "Let me introduce myself, I am Liu Xiaoning." Then she tilted her head back and downed the wine in her glass.
Zhu Qingzhi has never been a good drinker. Since the start of the banquet, she hasn't finished a single glass of wine. Most of the time, she just takes a sip to get by, since she's not here to eat anyway.
But in front of everyone, she couldn't refuse Liu Xiaoning, so she finished her drink too.
Liu Xiaoning raised an eyebrow, seemingly unintentionally adjusting the LR red tourmaline necklace around her neck, before reaching out to refill the wine glasses for Zhu Qingzhi and herself.
“I just returned to China last week. Shi Cheng told me there was an LR dinner party tonight, so I came to have some fun.” She rubbed her temples, her gaze falling on Zhu Qingzhi’s neck. She smiled and said, “It’s quite a coincidence that I happened to take a liking to the necklace on Miss Zhu’s neck.”
Zhu Qingzhi's identity is pretty much public knowledge in the circle. Even though Liu Xiaoning just returned from abroad, anyone who has any connection with Ji Cen would know. So, her current pretense of ignorance is quite intriguing.
Was Liu Xiaoning trying to intimidate her? Her eyes darkened, and for some reason, she suddenly felt a surge of confrontational interest.
"Miss Liu, are you going to pay the bill? Then I'll take it off now." Zhu Qingzhi was not angry at all. Instead, she smiled and waved to Zhou Shicheng, who was not far away.
Zhou Shicheng and Aron were standing together when they both saw Zhu Qingzhi's actions, so they came together. By the time they arrived, Zhu Qingzhi had already taken off her necklace and earrings and placed them on a dark green velvet cloth on the table.
"Mr. Davis, Mr. Zhou, this Miss Liu wants to buy this necklace. Why don't you check Miss Liu's purchase history to see if she is eligible to buy it? And also check if this set has already been reserved?"
She swirled the wine in her glass, the glistening red wine highlighting the sparkle in her eyes, making them appear incredibly lively. "So, my role as their spokesperson isn't entirely ineffective, is it?"
Her half-joking words softened the subtle sarcasm and annoyance in her previous statement, but Zhou Shicheng immediately noticed the tension between them, though he didn't know why they had become enemies.
He picked up the jewelry on the table, intending to offer a way out, but Liu Xiaoning stood up directly: "I really like it, Shicheng, take me to pay the bill."
Zhu Qingzhi was in a good mood and completely ignored Liu Xiaoning's emotions, let alone the deeper meaning behind her words. She took a sip of wine and started chatting with Aron.
Actually, the pink diamond jewelry set she just wore was the third set she'd worn tonight, and the previous two sets had already been pre-ordered. This set wasn't something Liu Xiaoning could just buy whenever she wanted.
If she's not qualified to buy it, it'll be a disgrace for Liu Xiaoning; if she is qualified to buy it...
Just kidding, as a brand ambassador, her primary task is to promote sales. She'd rather take any business that's in the spotlight than miss out!
Aron couldn't see the subtle backstabbing between the two women; he only admired Zhu Qingzhi's ability to sell products. He also knew that as a spokesperson, she couldn't have a bare neck, so he immediately had someone change her into a set of sapphire jewelry.
As the banquet drew to a close, Zhu Qingzhi got up to go to the restroom.
She felt dizzy after drinking that glass of red wine, so she leaned against the window for a while to enjoy the cool breeze before crossing the corridor to sit down.
The long corridor, with its lavish European-style wall lamps casting dim light on both sides, and the dappled light and shadows on the smooth marble floor, made it resemble a complex swamp.
The heavy, gilded door at the end of the corridor was completely closed, isolating it from much of the noise. The sound of her high heels on the ground was quite abrupt, but Zhu Qingzhi never expected to meet Wen Qi here.
Wen Qi's outfit today was a bit boring. He wore a well-tailored shirt and trousers, without any unnecessary embellishments. If it weren't for his stunningly beautiful face, he would look no different from a waiter at a banquet.
He had his head down, his back against the wall, one leg slightly bent, and a light apricot-colored shawl hanging from his arm all the way down to his knee. He must have heard the noise, because he stood up and looked over.
Today is the LR Jewelry Gala. To highlight the jewelry, Zhu Qingzhi has styled her hair in a sleek updo, exposing her entire face to Wen Qi's view. She can hardly hide her emotions.
She lowered her eyes slightly, and the glint of light reflected from the gemstone necklace around her neck, when it fell into her eyes, caused a strange mist to well up in them, and her breath hitched.
"What a coincidence." She half-raised her hand, waved her fingers in a small arc, and greeted them first.
Wen Qi approached and draped the shawl over her shoulders; it was the shawl she had left on her seat. So it wasn't a coincidence; Wen Qi was waiting for her.
He must have just come over from a social engagement; he smelled strongly of alcohol and tobacco, but thankfully it wasn't very noticeable.
"What time is your flight back to Nancheng tomorrow?" His voice was a little hoarse, probably because he hadn't rested well.
Zhu Qingzhi clutched her shawl, not turning away: "Eleven o'clock."
Where will you stay tonight?
“Modo”.
"Room number?"
2004.
"night……"
"don't want."
A bland, uninteresting question and answer session.
Are you doing well on set?
Dani recently had some family issues and couldn't be on set. Xiaozhou temporarily filled in, so she had to handle many decisions on her own.
She didn't even tell the company about the dual scripts, so naturally she wouldn't say much in front of Wen Qi: "Yeah, it's fine."
“There’s a problem with a project in Haicheng, so I’ve been staying there recently.”
It's been over a week, what's the point of explaining now? Zhu Qingzhi gave a polite smile: "Work is important."
The answer was very official, with no hint of intimacy in the words, as if their relationship had always been lukewarm, and that once no one took the initiative to maintain it, they would remain awkward strangers.
Wen Qi lowered his eyes, took a very short breath, and stepped aside to let her go first.
There was always a step between them. The high-slit A-line skirt occasionally peeked out from the white beaded satin lining with each step she took, like waves crashing in the dark night.
Wen Qi's thoughts were like a lone boat on the sea. The liquor he had been given at the dinner party was now restless in his blood, and his temples were throbbing with a heavy heartbeat.
As Zhu Qingzhi reached for the door, he suddenly grabbed her wrist, wrapped one arm around her waist, and pressed her against the door: "I'm sorry."
The deliberately maintained calm breathing was chaotic and rapid, on the verge of collapse. The remaining rationality was sinking deeper and deeper into the swamp, and had long been swallowed up.
"I didn't mean to not contact you, I just..." He just thought she didn't want him to be too involved in her life, but how could he say that?
His palms were pressed tightly against her lower back, his burning, anxious emotions rising up, desperately seeking an outlet, yet instantly subsiding.
The surprised look in his eyes and the slightly parted red lips revealed his loss of composure. The impulse to disregard everything and seize the day receded like a tide, and the thought of retreating had just reached his fingertips.
Zhu Qingzhi suddenly leaned forward, wrapped her hands around his neck, and pulled him hard. Her long eyelashes brushed against the tip of his nose, and she asked, "Who is she?"
Zhu Qingzhi had to admit that Wen Qi was no longer just a simple marriage prospect in her heart.
She had an inexplicable possessiveness towards him, but this possessiveness turned sour when she learned that he wasn't contacting her but instead showed up at another woman's welcome party.
She was well aware that such a change was inappropriate for her, but she had always been very restrained when it came to feelings.
Perhaps it was the alcohol, but her mind wasn't entirely clear. Even with the glitz and glamour of a social scene right behind her, she couldn't take it anymore. "Who is that woman in Ji Cen's WeChat Moments?"
Her sudden closeness, their breaths mingling, the near-indistinct distance between their noses.
Lust can easily drown a person, and willpower always surrenders before a person can. Wen Qi tightened his grip on her waist immediately: "Liu Xiaoning, the daughter of the Liu family, just returned to the country last week."
She blinked: "She's in Haicheng."
Wen Qi frowned slightly, but didn't react much: "Hmm."
Zhu Qingzhi immediately let go, tilting her head back expressionlessly. Wen Qi instinctively protected the back of her head, but she didn't appreciate it, stiffening her neck as she spoke to him: "Mr. Wen is so busy with work, yet you still have time to attend her welcome party?"
"No, I..."
"If we look at the timeline, President Wen came to Haicheng a week ago after receiving Ji Cen's call. Could he have come to pick her up?"
She spoke with an unusual aggression, sharp and direct, venting her emotions very frankly.
Wen Qi suddenly realized that she was jealous, just like when he overheard her making a video call with another man in the middle of the night, except that he chose to avoid it.
"I had a business dinner that day, and I happened to be at the same club as them, so I went over to say hello."
Zhu Qingzhi didn't say anything, awkwardly turning her face to the side, completely showing that she didn't care to look at him.
Wen Qi then asked, "Who was that man in the video that night?"
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Author's Note: Kiyoshi [question mark]: ? ? ?
Wen Qi [starry-eyed]: Hmm~
Ah Mei: It has to be me again [empty bowl][empty bowl][empty bowl]
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