Chapter 43

Xitang returned to the set.

With the final shoot of The Last Princess nearing completion, everyone was working hard to finish. The C group wrapped up yesterday and immediately sent people to assist. Today, the A group was filming the last day of indoor scenes, and then they would move to Songzhuang Horse Racing Field and Chaobai River for the final outdoor shoot.

At lunch, Xitang ate a box meal in the studio. Her assistant, Xiao Ning, came in and said, “Sister Xitang, I just received a call. It seems that a couple of months ago, you called Mr. Liao. The Dunhuang studio called back and said he went to Xinjiang for some sketches and just returned yesterday.”

Xitang’s hand shook when she heard this, and some broccoli fell from her spoon. She put down the box meal, reached for a tissue, and then, after regaining composure, spoke in a calm tone: “Did they leave a phone number?”

“They did, here it is,” Xiao Ning handed her a note.

Xitang took the note carefully and slipped it into her bag.

Xiao Ning curiously asked, “Who is Mr. Liao?”

Xitang wrapped the spilled soup with a tissue and threw it away, then wiped the table clean. “He’s a university classmate of mine.”

Xitang flipped through her schedule and carefully reviewed her shooting timetable. She circled an afternoon slot. “I’ll step out tomorrow afternoon.”

The next evening, after finishing work at the hotel, Xitang received a call from Ni Kailun, who started by scolding her: “Running off without taking your assistant, you sure are something.”

Xitang answered truthfully: “I went to find Liao Shuru.”

Ni Kailun was momentarily stunned. “Who is he?”

Xitang casually replied, “Zhong Qiao’s college boyfriend.”

“That girl has quite a few boyfriends, doesn’t she?” Ni Kailun laughed without hesitation. Perhaps to avoid disrespecting the deceased, she quickly stopped and cleared her throat. “Why are you looking for him?”

“Just to have a meal. We still have some friendship over a meal, after all.”

Ni Kailun, knowing Xitang well, replied, “Zhong Qiao treated you well. Back when you were all alone in Beijing for school, you ended up sharing a dorm with her. You four girls were all beautiful, two of them had particularly good family backgrounds. Zhong Qiao, in particular, sympathized with you, and you two became fast friends. She was a local Beijinger, always taking you around the city. She knew a lot of people and often helped you find odd jobs and part-time work. Zhong Qiao had already joined the workforce, and in Beijing’s elite circles, she was a force to be reckoned with—loud, direct, and daring. She loved to go out, while you helped her with schoolwork. Whenever she had a good opportunity, she took you along, always looking out for you. The two years before you met Zhao Pingjin were some of the hardest, but thanks to Zhong Qiao’s survival tips, you managed to pull through.”

Ni Kailun didn’t say much more, only reminding her: “Be careful next time. If you need a chauffeur or nanny, let me know, and I’ll arrange it.”

Xitang casually asked, “Ruru wants to find someone. If she’s looking for someone, what’s the quickest way to find them?”

Ni Kailun replied straightforwardly, “Besides the police, there are phone cards and bank cards. This world—where can you not spend money?”

Xitang didn’t probe further, instead casually asking, “How much have I earned?”

Ni Kailun responded, “You know the contract you signed with the company to come back for filming, right? After commission, there’s hardly anything left for you.”

Xitang sighed.

“Still planning to buy your mom a house in Shanghai?”

“Yes.”

Ni Kailun didn’t want her to get her hopes up. “Let’s wait until the show airs. Even shows with good reviews sometimes don’t become hits. It’s all about luck.”

Xitang quietly replied, “I know.”

Ni Kailun added, “If you want money fast, take more side gigs and endorsements.”

Xitang remained unmoved. “If the quality is too poor, I’d rather not.”

Ni Kailun rolled her eyes. “With your current fame, you still get to pick and choose?”

Xitang smiled playfully, “Big manager, when can I be on the cover of Vogue?”

Ni Kailun thought for a moment. “If we count both the main and sub-publications, Xinhui appeared once on the Taiwanese version’s main issue, and Zhenzhen made it five times in just three years. As for you—”

Xitang curiously asked, “What about me?”

Ni Kailun sincerely said, “How about you try again?”

Xitang shouted, “You go get a facelift first!”

On the other end, Ni Kailun burst into laughter.

At around 6 PM, the A group’s director called for the wrap.

Xitang returned to the hotel, removed her makeup, changed clothes, and grabbed her bag, heading out.

Xiao Ning followed behind, muttering, “Sister Xitang, you’re going out again. You’ve been running off a lot lately. Miss Ni is going to scold me.”

Xitang glanced back at her. “Can I take you with me?”

Sure enough, she brought her assistant along to have coffee.

The two girls sat by the window in a café. After waiting for a while, they saw a young man in a suit get out of a car and walk towards the café door.

Xitang waved.

Lu Xiaojing smiled from a distance, “Sorry, I’m late.”

Xitang introduced, “It’s alright. This is my assistant, Xiao Ning.”

Lu Xiaojing complimented, “Miss Ning is so beautiful. You could be an actress too.”

Xiao Ning couldn’t help but size him up, smiling widely. “You’re too polite.”

Xitang knew she had been misunderstood.

She knew that her sudden rise to the lead role overnight had inevitably led to suspicions of having some kind of backing. Xiao Ning mistakenly thought that Lu Xiaojing and she had an unusual relationship, so she was very curious. Xitang had no intention of explaining herself, though—Xiao Ning was just her assistant. She couldn’t be too open with her. Ni Kailun had specifically warned her that the fewer people who knew about Zhao Pingjin, the better. When Xitang first joined the crew, she was a completely unknown newcomer, only bringing one assistant, and naturally, she was looked down upon. There were many people in the crew who secretly tried to make things difficult for her, and even Xiao Ning suffered because of it. Having been in the industry for so many years, Xitang had seen her fair share of people climbing the social ladder, stepping on others to rise higher. At first, she silently dealt with these issues. But one day, when she was standing in the wrong spot, blocking the camera angle just slightly, a camera assistant yelled at her angrily. The insults were harsh, and there were people all around. Xitang endured it and continued working. After returning to the hotel, she called Ni Kailun. The next day, when shooting resumed, that photographer bowed deeply and apologized to her in front of the entire crew. From that point on, no one in the crew, from the assistant director to the tea server, dared to mess with her. In fact, Xitang had been scolded many times before, especially in Hengdian, but back then, she was a small fry and couldn’t afford to take herself too seriously. Now, her status was different. Xitang knew that while she didn’t provoke anyone, she also couldn’t let others bully her. Director Feng knew a bit about her situation, so he treated her fairly—if she didn’t perform well, he would criticize her, but Xitang wasn’t afraid. He was a well-respected figure in the industry, and as long as she had the opportunity, she would prove that she deserved the role. Even though her background was mysterious, she still worked diligently on set, and no rumors spread. This was all thanks to the fact that Zhao Pingjin never visited her on set.

As Xitang listened to Xiao Ning and Lu Xiaojing exchanging compliments, chatting happily, she wasn’t at all worried about the awkwardness of bringing an assistant along. Back in the day, among their group of boys from the military compound, Lu Xiaojing, being the youngest and soft-spoken, often appeared timid. They were all from the military compound, and those with good grades went to Tsinghua, while Lu Xiaojing went to Peking University. Beijing kids loved to joke, and those from Tsinghua often looked down on those from Peking University. Zhao Pingjin would often tease him about this. In fact, on his own, Lu Xiaojing was quite popular with girls. He was thoughtful, with a gentle and refined appearance. Xitang remembered that when Zhao Pingjin first took her out to meet his friends, he had always been proud and aloof, not paying attention to the delicate feelings of the girls they met. Xitang, as a small and unfamiliar girl, was entering a circle of strangers, but Fang Langxi was warm, and Lu Xiaojing was considerate. The two of them took the initiative to chat with her and gave her a lot of kindness.

Back then, they were all young and carefree, laughing and playing around. Xitang had good relationships with everyone, and her relationship with Lu Xiaojing was always fine. However, she didn’t understand how, after all the playful teasing, things ended up spiraling into such a huge mess.

Lu Xiaojing ordered an Americano.

The three of them chatted for a while. When Xiao Ning went to the restroom, Xitang handed an envelope to Lu Xiaojing. “Could you help me with this?”

Lu Xiaojing took it and put it into his briefcase. “It’s no trouble.”

Xitang said, “This is from several years ago. It includes the transaction numbers and bank account numbers from a credit card purchase at a mall.”

Lu Xiaojing smiled. “Don’t worry, as long as it’s with our bank, it should be easier. I’ll do my best.”

After the two girls finished their coffee, Lu Xiaojing checked his watch. “It’s about time for dinner. Let me treat you both to a meal. How about Beijing cuisine?”

Xiao Ning, who rarely had a chance to go out, brightened up and looked at Xitang.

Xitang was about to decline. “You’re too kind.”

Lu Xiaojing said, “It’s no trouble. When I get home, it’s just the nanny. My parents aren’t in the city, and my wife has gone back to the U.S.”

He was sincere. “Just consider it keeping me company for a meal, alright?”

Xitang had no choice but to nod.

After the two girls finished their coffee, Lu Xiaojing glanced at his watch and said, “It’s just about dinner time. Let me treat you both to a meal. How about Beijing cuisine?”

Xiao Ning, who rarely had the chance to go out, brightened up and looked at Xitang.

Xitang was about to politely decline, saying, “You’re too kind.”

Lu Xiaojing responded, “It’s no trouble. When I get home, it’s just the nanny. My parents aren’t in the city, and my wife has gone back to the U.S.”

He spoke sincerely, “Just consider it keeping me company for a meal. How does that sound?”

Xitang had no choice but to nod.