Chapter 38
Shen Shu returned to the bedroom, and Xu Jinnan stayed on the sofa, messaging Tong Jia.
Xu Jinnan: [I have nothing left to teach you. You’ve graduated.]
Xu Jinnan: [Slap.jpg]
The sticker was one Cai Ying had sent in the group chat.
Tong Jia: [No, Teacher! I still need your knowledge!]
She followed it with a GIF of two women, drenched from a sprinkler, embracing in a close, almost intimate hug, their clothes semi-transparent.
Xu Jinnan: “…”
Xu Jinnan: [You’re hopeless.]
She regretted ever offering Tong Jia advice. The topic had spiraled out of control, their conversations always veering towards sex, Tong Jia constantly asking about new techniques and positions with Shen Shu.
Xu Jinnan hadn’t even tried any of them herself.
It was probably due to the original Xu Jinnan’s memories; these things were already ingrained in her mind.
That first day, the contents of the red bag – she had never seen or used any of those items before, yet she had been strangely familiar with them.
Thinking about it, her heart raced slightly.
That familiar thrill.
Whenever she thought about, or saw, those things the original Xu Jinnan had enjoyed, she had a reaction.
While she could suppress it, the feeling was unpleasant.
Whenever these residual effects surfaced, she felt like she wasn’t entirely in control of her own body.
Tong Jia continued messaging her, but Xu Jinnan, ignoring her, turned off her phone.
Glancing at the slightly ajar bedroom door, she stood up, looking for the first-aid kit, which wasn’t on the coffee table. She went to the bedroom and knocked before entering.
Shen Shu was sitting on the bed, her legs crossed, her slip dress riding up to her knees, her pale skin gleaming in the soft light. She was holding a bottle of alcohol and a cotton swab.
“I’ll just grab the box,” Xu Jinnan said, changing her mind.
Shen Shu paused, looking up as Xu Jinnan opened the wardrobe. “Xu Jinnan.”
“Yes?”
“What do you think is inside?”
“It’s light. Maybe a letter…” The image of the photos flashed through her mind. “Or photos,” she added.
Shen Shu lowered her gaze. “What would be unacceptable for you to see?”
Shen Shu had been asking a lot of questions today, questions Xu Jinnan couldn’t easily answer.
She paused, thinking. That day at the Xu residence, Xu Tao hadn’t succeeded, but the experience had been traumatic.
And with those memories resurfacing, the original Xu Jinnan’s pain and fear were becoming more vivid.
After a long silence, she said, “I don’t know yet.” She was already struggling with the Xu family’s secrets; she didn’t know if she could handle anything worse.
“I’m out of bandages,” Shen Shu said.
“I’ll go get some,” Xu Jinnan offered without hesitation.
“Thank you.”
Shen Shu listened as the door opened and closed, then put the bandages away in her drawer.
She knew it was pointless; Xu Jinnan probably wouldn’t be able to open the box. But what if she did?
In that moment, her decision had been instinctive – she didn’t want Xu Jinnan to know.
The later she found out, the better.
She also thought she should warn Xu Jinnan about Xu Tao…
She stared at the cotton swab in her hand, lost in thought. She hadn’t felt this conflicted in a long time, not even when deciding to return to acting.
She justified her actions as mutual support; Xu Jinnan had protected her, so she should reciprocate.
Xu Jinnan returned with the bandages, completely forgetting about the box. She found a movie on her tablet, lay down on the bed, and started watching, delegating tasks to her team.
When the author had written this novel, short videos and live streaming hadn’t been popular yet. This presented an opportunity.
Her recent investments were long-term, with quarterly or annual returns.
She needed a faster way to generate income – creating a platform.
But she couldn’t entrust this project to anyone else, and it required her own backend infrastructure, so she was discussing acquiring an established software company with her venture capital manager.
After delegating the tasks, she saw a notification from the group chat.
No PDA allowed in this group.
Cai Ying: [@Shen Shu @Xu Jinnan She contacted me!]
Cai Ying: [Her name is Han Ling. I checked, and there is a teacher with that name at the university. My exam is in a week, and I’ve decided!]
Cai Ying: [I’m hiring her! No need to remind me! I know! Don’t worry, I’ll study hard, even if I’m trying to get a date!]
Xu Jinnan: “…”
She chuckled at Cai Ying’s message.
It wasn’t that she doubted Cai Ying’s judgment; it was just that Cai Ying seemed prone to being deceived.
Shen Shu: [Who did you ask to investigate?]
Cai Ying named a classmate whose sister was a professor in the trade department at that university. She had confirmed the tutor’s identity.
Cai Ying: [And I checked the photos! It’s definitely her, with the principal and other professors! She’s legit!]
With Cai Ying so confident and prepared, Shen Shu didn’t say anything more.
Xu Jinnan, after reading the messages, asked: [Where are you meeting for tutoring?]
Cai Ying: [The City Library.]
Xu Jinnan: [?]
Cai Ying: [I’m not stupid, okay? I have a plan! The library is a safe place. No funny business. And it makes me look studious and responsible, like a good student.]
Xu Jinnan: [Tutoring at the library? Whispering sweet nothings?]
Xu Jinnan: [Oh, right. You’re mainly there for the flirting.]
Cai Ying: […Mind your own business! Even Shu Shu didn’t say anything!]
Cai Ying: [@Shen Shu Shu Shu, control your wife!]
Shen Shu: [Going to sleep.]
Xu Jinnan leaned back against her pillow and typed: [Okay, wifey.]
Cai Ying: [!! Read the group name! Next time you show off your lovey-dovey relationship, you’re out!]
Xu Jinnan chuckled, then turned off her phone, rewinding the movie and resuming it.
At the City Library, after a rain shower, the crowd was relatively sparse.
Cai Ying scanned her card and entered, immediately spotting the woman in a crisp white shirt and trousers standing by a bookshelf.
She was early, which Cai Ying appreciated.
She tapped the woman on the shoulder.
The woman turned around. She was half a head taller than Cai Ying, her slightly narrow eyes holding a hint of allure.
“You’re here,” Han Wenling said, a smile playing on her lips.
Cai Ying nodded, pointing towards a table by the window, and they walked over.
Han Wenling had almost choked on her wine when Cai Ying had suggested the library.
Her first thought had been, Interesting.
The young lady’s intentions were clear – she was interested, but wary, so she had chosen a safe, neutral location for their first meeting.
Han Wenling smiled. She was used to blatant flirting and suggestive advances, but this innocent, “little bunny” type was a first.
It was amusing.
“Let’s see your materials. I’ll highlight the key points, and you can see if you understand. Ask me if you have any questions,” she said softly, sitting down opposite Cai Ying.
Her voice was slightly husky, the currently popular “older sister” voice.
Cai Ying nodded. So, she actually intends to tutor me?
As she took out her study materials and practice exams from her bag, a newly purchased novel also slipped out.
She tried to put it back, but Han Wenling had already picked it up.
“That’s quite a title,” she commented.
Cai Ying: “…”
It was a relatively tame title. It could have been something much worse, like “The Domineering CEO’s Captive Diary.”
She quickly snatched the book back before Han Wenling could open it.
“Let’s focus on the task at hand,” she said with a smile.
Han Wenling’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “Indeed. I charge by the hour, after all. Wouldn’t want you to waste your money.”
Cai Ying blinked, realizing the innuendo, her ears flushing.
Han Wenling, feigning ignorance, picked up the study materials and began reading, occasionally highlighting key points with a pen.
Cai Ying looked at her, a familiar feeling washing over her.
She had seen that same aura of quiet intensity, that subtle dominance, in Xu Jinnan.
But Han Wenling also exuded a certain… sensuality?
A soft tapping sound brought her back to reality.
Han Wenling pushed the book towards her, smiling. “Read this, and ask me if you have any questions.” The unspoken words were, Stop staring at me.
Cai Ying looked at the highlighted sections, some even with notes explaining the logic behind potential exam questions, and her eyes widened. She’s good.
An hour and a half later, Cai Ying had clarified most of her doubts, leaving a few more challenging questions and the practice exams for their next session.
As she stood up, she stumbled slightly, and Han Wenling caught her, their hands brushing against each other.
“Thank you,” Cai Ying murmured.
Han Wenling looked at her for a moment, a playful glint in her eyes. “Let’s go outside. It’s not convenient to talk here.”
After chatting for about fifteen minutes, Han Wenling walked Cai Ying to her car, then returned to her own.
A notification popped up in a small group chat.
[Boss Han, your brother is here. Why aren’t you joining us?]
Han Wenling lit a cigarette, resting her hand on the car window. [Busy taming a rabbit.]
[A big bad wolf taming a rabbit? Impressive.]
Han Wenling chuckled, then saw a message from Han Hui.
He had sent a Weibo link with the title #QipaoBeautyExposed. She glanced at it.
When had he joined this group chat?
Han Hui: [Hahaha, that idiot Xu Jinnan is being cheated on! Serves her right!]
Han Wenling exhaled a plume of smoke and sent Han Hui a private message: [Delete that.]
Han Hui: [? Why? She hasn’t even apologized for what happened to my girlfriend! You won’t let me confront her, so I can’t even complain online?]
Han Wenling: [Delete it.]
After confirming he had deleted the messages, she sent a voice message. “Are you stupid? Posting that in the group chat? Mind your own business. If you want to end up like Song Ronghui, go ahead and stir up trouble.”
Han Hui: […]
“Xu Jinnan has been around for years. Do you think she hasn’t dealt with worse? Search online. There are tons of scandals about her. Just because you’re an idiot doesn’t mean you should act like one,” she said.
Han Hui: […]
He also sent a voice message. “Our family isn’t weak either. Why should we be afraid of her? Afraid of the Xu family? I don’t get it. She’s way worse than me. I’ve been secretly photographed and slandered online. Why aren’t they targeting her?”
Han Wenling muttered “idiot” under her breath and ignored him.
Han Hui was young and naive; he didn’t understand certain things.
While the Han and Xu families were equals in North City, the Xu family had one crucial advantage – Xu Yincheng.
Whoever was posting these rumors clearly wasn’t part of their circle and likely didn’t know about Shen Shu’s connection to Xu Jinnan, or even who Xu Jinnan was.
That was why they dared to spread such baseless accusations.
As she was thinking, she received a WeChat message from Cai Ying.
Cai Ying: [I just started reading that novel. The protagonist was abused as a child, and as an adult, she develops another personality. It’s quite tragic.]
Cai Ying: [I’ll tell you more when I finish it.]
She had been answering Han Wenling’s question from earlier, when she had dropped her off.
Han Wenling: [Okay.]
Then, someone in the group chat tagged her, asking if she was going to the Emperor Hotel for drinks.
She replied, “Yes.”
Then, she looked at Cai Ying’s contact name and changed it to “Bunny.”
For Xu Jinnan, obtaining the surveillance footage from the Emperor Hotel was easy.
After interviewing a few engineers with HR, she returned to her office to find the high-definition footage from the hotel manager waiting for her.
It covered the entire incident, from the arrival of the police to the end.
The lighting was dim, but she could clearly see Cai Ying and Chen Xiaxia being taken away in ambulances. Her gaze followed Shen Shu, who, after the ambulances left, spoke to a police officer.
That was the moment captured in the photo online.
Then, she saw Shen Shu and the officer approach another ambulance. Shen Shu, wearing a short-sleeved shirt, received an injection in her arm, then went back inside the hotel with the officer…
After sending the footage to Tong Jia, Xu Jinnan sat there for a while, lost in thought, then messaged Professor Qin.
[You said Shen Shu used a pheromone blocker. Can you find out the exact date?]
A few minutes later, Professor Qin replied with the date – the day of the Emperor Hotel incident.
She hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but now, considering that Cai Ying and Chen Xiaxia had already been taken to the hospital, Shen Shu’s reason for returning to room 888, despite the risks of using a pheromone blocker…
Was it to find her?
Xu Jinnan’s heart ached.
She picked up her phone, found Shen Shu’s number, and hesitated. Shen Shu was filming today and probably wouldn’t answer.
But she called anyway.
She suddenly felt the urge to hear her voice.
After a few seconds, the call connected.
“Hello?”
“When are you done filming today?”
“I’m not sure. It’s my last day, so it might be late,” Shen Shu replied.
“I’ll pick you up.”
Someone was calling Shen Shu back to the makeup room. “Okay, I have to go,” she said, hanging up.
Just then, a news alert popped up on Xu Jinnan’s phone: #Tan Jie’sAccidentalLike. Tan Jie had liked a photo of the Qipao Beauty getting into a luxury car. It was reported that Tan Jie had also auditioned for the role.
Xu Jinnan clicked on the article and saw a screenshot of Tan Jie’s Weibo post.
Tan Jie: Oops, my finger slipped~ Tongue out emoji
The accompanying image was a humorous photo of a cat having its food stolen by a dog.
Tong Jia had said that if Shen Shu hadn’t auditioned, Tan Jie would have gotten the role of Nightingale.
She had also suggested that Tan Jie might be the one behind the leaked photo.
While it would be possible to find the original source with enough time and resources, as Tong Jia had said, this kind of negativity was inevitable if Shen Shu wanted to become famous.
Xu Jinnan messaged Tong Jia: [She should post a vague response on Weibo.]
Tong Jia: [? She already did. You two are truly a couple. Those business tactics are coming in handy.]
Shen Shu had posted on Weibo two minutes ago.
Shen Shu: Hello everyone, I’m Shen Shu. Didn’t expect my first Weibo post to be a clarification. The truth will prevail. As a newcomer, I just want to focus on my acting. Thank you.
Because she had included the relevant hashtags, the trolls quickly descended.
PrinceTreeMan: Disgusting. Get out of the entertainment industry.
JiajiaCat: Boycotting Into the Dream. I’m not watching this drama.
26735: Is that supposed to be a clarification? Prove it. Can you? Pathetic.
As Xu Jinnan approached the film studio, Tong Jia sent another screenshot.
[Hilarious. Ren Xiaoqi liked Tan Jie’s post. Your Shen Shu has made quite a few enemies. Ren Xiaoqi has a scene with her today. I’ll go check it out.]
On set, a dilapidated white building with a black tile roof stood by a large pond, the drizzle blurring the scenery like a watercolor painting.
Nightingale, in a bright floral qipao, stood facing her supposed best friend, played by Ren Xiaoqi.
“You’re in love with her! You’re crazy!” her friend exclaimed.
Nightingale chuckled, glancing at the gun in her hand, then casually ran her fingers through her hair. “So what if I am? All men are bastards. After experiencing a woman, I finally understand true pleasure. I know the rules. I won’t make things difficult for you. Do it.” After all, they had been friends for years.
“Snap out of it!” Her friend pushed Nightingale into the pond.
But Ren Xiaoqi’s push wasn’t forceful enough, so Shen Shu had to cooperate with the fall.
“Cut!”
Shen Shu was pulled out of the water, her clothes soaked, and glanced at Ren Xiaoqi, who had deliberately pushed her too gently.
Ren Xiaoqi gave her a smug look, then turned to the director. “Sorry, Director, pushing someone into the water is a bit scary.”
“Scary? We have safety measures in place. Use more force. It looked fake,” the director said.
“Okay.”
On the second take, Ren Xiaoqi pushed Shen Shu harder.
This time, despite Shen Shu’s attempts to control her fall, the director wasn’t satisfied with the way it looked.
On the third take, the force was perfect, but Ren Xiaoqi stumbled forward as she pushed.
“Can you two even act?” the director asked, exasperated.
“Sorry, Director. Shen Shu seems distracted today, and it’s affecting my performance,” Ren Xiaoqi said.
The director, sensing the tension between them, glared at them. “Do you want everyone to wait for you two?”
Shen Shu took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”
“Ten-minute break!”
Shen Shu went backstage to change, closing the door of the changing room behind her.
“The air in here is disgusting. Smells like a whore,” Ren Xiaoqi said to someone outside.
As Shen Shu emerged, her hair still damp, Ren Xiaoqi rolled her eyes and turned to leave, but Shen Shu grabbed her wrist.
Ren Xiaoqi, startled, glared at her. “What do you want?”
“Just try to act properly in the next take,” Shen Shu said, her voice tight with anger. “We might meet again in this industry. Don’t make things too ugly for yourself.”
“Shu-jie, what do you mean? I am acting properly.”
“You know exactly what you’re doing. You think people can’t see your deliberate sabotage?”
Ren Xiaoqi’s smile vanished. “So what if I am? Do you have proof? Even if they do notice, they won’t do anything to me. But you’re different, Shen Shu. I’ve always hated your holier-than-thou attitude. Turns out you’re just a slut.” She pulled her hand away. “Don’t worry, I’ll ‘act properly’ in the next take.”
Shen Shu watched her walk away, her anger fading, as if it had never been there.
Ten minutes later, everyone was back on set.
“Xia Chun,” someone said politely.
Xia Chun had emerged from the backstage area. Her scene wasn’t until 8 p.m.
“Even Xia Chun is here? These two are truly embarrassing.” She turned to her assistant. “Get me a cup of honey water.”
“Certainly.”
Shen Shu’s gaze fixed on Ren Xiaoqi. After falling into the water several times, she had no dry clothes left to change into. The weather wasn’t too cold, but the wind sent shivers down her spine.
Ren Xiaoqi began her lines.
As she reached out to push Shen Shu, Shen Shu knew this take would be another NG.
Exhausted from the repeated falls and chilled to the bone, she swallowed some water as she fell.
The crew, annoyed, didn’t bother helping her right away.
As they finally pulled her out, someone said, “Spend less time sucking up to your sugar momma and more time practicing your acting.”
Shen Shu didn’t reply, wincing as her knee scraped against a rock when the crew member let go of her arm.
No one offered her a towel.
Xia Chun clenched her fists, hesitating, when a tall woman in a light blue dress walked past her, heading straight towards Shen Shu.
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