NMBJ2 -32

On Wednesday night, Xitang met Ni Kailun.

The filming of Shadows of Shanghai was nearing its end, and Xitang had mostly wrapped up her scenes. Ni Kailun arranged for her to return to Shanghai to prepare for the brand signing and press conference. That evening, after returning home, Ni Kailun came back from the company and knocked on her door.

Standing at the door, Ni Kailun said, "The president of the Greater China region will accompany Phoebe to Shanghai tomorrow. There’s a banquet in the evening. You should prepare at the company tomorrow."

Attending a brand-hosted banquet before signing was a good way to deepen the cooperative relationship. Everything was proceeding according to plan, but Ni Kailun’s expression was somber.

Xitang stood motionless in the room, looking at her.

Ni Kailun slightly lowered her voice: "I heard some news."

Xitang’s heart trembled slightly, and then she heard a faint cracking sound in her ear.

The silence that precedes a major event was like standing alone on a vast, deserted snowy lake, hearing a slight crackling sound, and suddenly seeing the cracks beneath the ice shatter.

She had experienced such moments too many times in her life.

Waking up from a hangover to see Zhao Pingjin standing at the hotel room door, the last night in the hospital when her mother was dying, Fang Langmei pressing her shoulder and putting her in the car, the snow falling all night on Chang’an Street.

Ni Kailun only asked one question: "Are you sure it’s you?"

Xitang’s face turned pale, unable to do anything but nod.

She had once hoped to escape, but ultimately realized it was too difficult.

After Ni Kailun left, the room fell into silence.

Not knowing how long it had been, Xitang sat on the sofa in the room, her vision foggy. She didn’t notice what Ni Kailun had said later or when she opened the door and left.

The next afternoon, Ni Kailun came to the company to pick her up and take her to the hotel. They exchanged glances, their hearts uneasy, but they couldn’t show it. Fortunately, her makeup was heavy. After finishing a film, Huang Xitang’s condition had recovered. Her naturally good skin was fair and translucent, her eyebrows long, complemented by velvet coral red eyeshadow and rosy lips, matching the bright color promoted by the collaborating brand’s cosmetics this early spring. As they got out of the car, Ni Kailun squeezed her palm tightly. Xitang gave her a reassuring smile. Dressed elegantly, they stepped out of the car, smiling and chatting, amidst a flurry of media flashbulbs. Adam greeted them immediately.

Xitang smiled and hugged several Westerners, cheek-kissing them and smelling their cologne. All the senior executives of the Greater China region were present to welcome the big boss from the Paris headquarters. Ni Kailun had been coordinating with them during this period to prepare for tomorrow’s signing and press conference. The artist would be closely linked with the brand image, and both parties would become long-term friends and partners.

During the event, the assistant accompanied Xitang to the lounge to touch up her makeup.

The restroom of the five-star hotel was deep and cool. A woman at the sink scrutinized her several times: "Miss Huang Xitang?"

Xitang hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. 

The woman said nothing more and turned to leave. 

After the banquet ended and they got into the car, Ni Kailun sighed resignedly, "If we can get this contract signed, we'll deal with whatever comes next later." 

Xitang glanced at her but didn't respond. She was still thinking about the face of the woman in the restroom. 

He Lu Fei had heard Huang Xitang's name just a day earlier at Sihexuan Restaurant outside Donghua Gate in Beijing. 

For most of the past year, she had stayed at her home in Beijing, not receiving any roles she particularly liked, so she stopped taking on acting jobs altogether. Her company arranged for her to appear on two variety shows, which only required one or two days of filming per week, leaving the rest of her time free to relax at home. A month ago, Zhang Zhiyin introduced her to a boyfriend named Wang Hao, who worked in criminal investigation technology at the Chaoyang District Public Security Bureau. His family lived on East Chang’an Street. Having lived in Beijing for many years, He Lu Fei had met plenty of wealthy, well-connected young men from prominent families—most of whom were fond of chasing after female celebrities. Though Wang Hao wasn’t particularly extravagant, he seemed generous enough, and He Lu Fei, softening her stance, began a flirtatious, half-hearted romance with him. 

That day, Zhang Zhiyin called to invite her out for dinner. He Lu Fei answered the phone while Wang Hao was nearby. At this point, Wang Hao was quite smitten with her and insisted on tagging along. 

When He Lu Fei entered the private dining room, she realized the host was none other than Liu Qianping, a heavyweight figure in the entertainment industry. Known as "Brother Qian" within the circle, he was a senior executive at a top PR firm in Beijing. He Lu Fei had only met him once or twice at events, never exchanging more than a few words. Zhang Zhiyin’s agency was based in Shanghai, and even she wasn’t close to Liu Qianping. It was unclear why they had suddenly been invited, but declining would have been impossible, so Zhang Zhiyin brought He Lu Fei along as company. Over the years, Zhang Zhiyin had firmly established herself as one of the leading actresses in domestic TV dramas, far surpassing He Lu Fei in acting achievements. While their relationship wasn’t particularly close, they maintained a cordial façade and often socialized together. 

It was during this dinner that Liu Qianping mentioned Huang Xitang. 

He Lu Fei’s heart immediately sank. Though Huang Xitang had risen to fame, her position in the industry was still precarious. The most popular actress under Liu Qianping’s management had already won awards at three major film festivals, walked the red carpet at Cannes multiple times, and overshadowed Huang Xitang in every way. Why had Liu Qianping suddenly taken an interest in her? 

Zhang Zhiyin smiled faintly and said, "She’s alright, I suppose." Then, nudging He Lu Fei’s elbow, she added teasingly, "Our Feifei has even worked with her before." 

Wary of being dragged into trouble by Zhang Zhiyin, He Lu Fei coyly laughed, "Back then, she hadn’t worked with Director Tang yet—just a clever young girl." 

Liu Qianping casually picked up a piece of lamb with his chopsticks and asked offhandedly, "How did I hear that she has several knife scars on her body?" 

Zhang Zhiyin feigned surprise, "Really? Is it true?" 

In that instant, He Lu Fei understood—Huang Xitang was in trouble. 

Liu Qianping suddenly chuckled and looked up at Zhang Zhiyin. "Let me cut to the chase. This person is causing problems. Huang Xitang has been in the industry for nearly ten years, but she’s only become famous in the last couple of years. An actress who’s been around this long… Your company must have some dealings with her agency. Don’t you have anything on her? I don’t spend much time in Shanghai, but you two are my friends, so I’m here to ask for your help." 

Zhang Zhiyin could barely suppress a smirk. Huang Xitang’s rise had been too rapid. Take, for example, the spy drama she filmed earlier this year—a big-budget production helmed by a renowned director. The press conference alone dominated entertainment headlines for nearly a week, completely overshadowing Zhang Zhiyin. Clearly, envy wasn’t limited to her alone. 

Zhang Zhiyin demurely replied, "I can only admire her from afar. What does she really have? She graduated from the Film Academy, has impeccable credentials, and even won Best Actress. As for those celebrity scandals… who cares?" 

Liu Qianping’s smile didn’t reach his eyes as he narrowed them slightly. "Let me put it this way, Miss Zhang. Our company has two major productions lined up for next year. One of them is a historical costume drama centered on a strong female lead, with at least fifty episodes and a budget of one billion yuan. My assistant is currently checking the schedules of potential actresses." 

Zhang Zhiyin’s eyes lit up instantly. 

Liu Qianping continued, "Miss Zhang, think again. Are you sure you don’t have any information?" 

Zhang Zhiyin was visibly flustered, racking her brain. After a long pause, she reluctantly shook her head. 

Wang Hao, who had been listening silently, suddenly leaned over to He Lu Fei and whispered, "Who are we talking about?" 

He Lu Fei murmured, "Huang Xitang." 

Wang Hao thought for a moment. "That name sounds familiar…" 

This caught Liu Qianping’s attention. 

Wang Hao snapped his fingers. "Oh! Wasn’t she the one who hung out with the Zhao and Gao families back when she studied in Beijing?" 

He recalled something and smiled meaningfully. "That girl’s impressive." 

He Lu Fei immediately pressed down hard on his thigh. 

Wang Hao gave her a puzzled look, not yet grasping the situation. But Liu Qianping interjected smoothly, "Miss He, rest assured. If Brother Qian owes you a favor, he won’t let you down." 

He Lu Fei loosened her grip on Wang Hao’s leg. 

Wang Hao grinned cheekily. "What if I told you she’s suspected of murder and is wanted in Beijing’s police archives for a criminal case?" 

The entire table fell silent. 

Zhang Zhiyin was stunned, her mind blank. He Lu Fei pinched her thigh, feeling the sharp pain, and inwardly gasped. 

Only Liu Qianping’s face briefly flickered with delight as he poured himself a drink. "Mr. Wang, feel free to have a few more drinks. But remember, words require evidence." 

Wang Hao paid no heed to him; his eyes were fixed on He Lu Fei, who batted her eyelashes at him. To please his girlfriend, he shrugged nonchalantly. "Let me make a call." 

Wang Hao stepped outside to make the call and returned less than a minute later. Wrapping his arm around He Lu Fei, he maintained his carefree grin. "Turns out you’re in luck. I was the officer who handled the case back then. All the evidence and records were documented, but for some reason, the case was dropped. My childhood friend was the victim, and all these years, no one dared touch her." 

He Lu Fei felt a surge of satisfaction and pretended to lower her head, hiding a subtle smile. 

Zhang Zhiyin, meanwhile, burned with jealousy. That greenhorn boy was someone she had introduced to He Lu Fei! 

Only Liu Qianping felt the dinner had been worth every penny.