Chapter 2010

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The atmosphere fell into a deadlock.

The huge green studio was eerily silent.

Li Tingshen stared at her coldly. Sharp nets appeared in the air, as though they could cut off one’s breath.

Liang Xuer knew that the focus of this matter was on her. Li Tingshen was a smart person. He might be able to understand what Ye Qingqiu could.

Long ago, in front of Li Tingshen, she had almost been sentenced to death.

“Ye Qingqiu.” She took a deep breath and said softly, “I don’t want this role anymore, okay?”

Ye Qingqiu glanced at her coldly. “Are you smug? The man you like is confronting me because of you? Anyway, this role is not worth mentioning to you. Since you’ve achieved your goal, what’s the use of guarding it?”

However, don’t play the role of a kind and sensible person at this time. He would rather use you than waste a large sum of money. You should hug this role and not disappoint him.”

Liang Xuer glanced at the man who was staring at Ye Qingqiu coldly. She bit her lips and said, “What do you want? Don’t you want me to give up this role? I’m doing as you wish. Why are you being so awkward?”

“Just like how I came here today.” Ye Qingqiu raised her chin and revealed her face from her scarf. She looked arrogant and beautiful.

“I’m not here to see how outstanding the person who replaced Luoluo is. I’m here to prove how dirty my heart was back then.”

It proved how ridiculous she was to think that Li Tingshen had personally brought Liang Xuer to replace Luo Luo. Then, she would go back obediently and apologize for her attitude towards Li Tingshen last night.

She was asking for a beating to prove that she had misunderstood Li Tingshen.

In the end, reality was worse than she had imagined.

Li Tingshen’s dark eyes flickered.

Ye Qingqiu sneered and said, “That’s why the nature is different. You’re the one getting kicked out of the production team, but your withdrawal is different from me or others kicking you out personally.”

“Since he plans to use you, I’ll use my method to kick you out.”

Liang Xuer frowned. “What do you want?”

Ye Qingqiu didn’t say anything else and turned to walk out of the studio.

The director wanted to persuade him to stay, but he couldn’t find a good excuse.

Liang Xuer stood rooted to the ground and hesitated. “I’m sorry, Brother Tingshen… I… I think I’ll pass on this role.”

“And then?” Li Tingshen said coldly, “Did you complain to my mother about how aggrieved you were?”

Liang Xuer’s heart ached. She looked up at him in disbelief. “I didn’t…”

“I don’t have the time or energy to deal with the mess you guys have created. Since you’re taking on this role, let’s finish her off.”

“But Ye Qingqiu…”

“Don’t you want to act? Take note of all the scripts in the industry. Tell my mother what role you want. She’s your all-powerful backer and won’t disappoint you.”

Liang Xuer’s heart sank. The joy in her heart was instantly extinguished by a basin of cold water.

“… Can’t I look for you directly?”

Li Tingshen glanced at her coldly. “Are you looking for me the same as my mother looking for me for you?”

With that, he looked away and left.

Liang Xuer blinked in a daze before she reacted and ran towards Li Tingshen.

“Are you beating around the bush just to use me…”

“Aren’t they helping you?”

Liang Xuer stopped in her tracks and watched in a daze as Li Tingshen walked out of the studio.

*

Ye Qingqiu received a call from Li Tingshen the moment she got into the taxi.

“Why? Did I leave too early and you didn’t have time to slap me? Do you want me to get the driver to stop the car and wait for you? I’ll leave after you’re done.”

“Okay. Stop the car now.”

Ye Qingqiu laughed angrily and hung up.

One minute later, Li Tingshen’s car stopped by the roadside and blocked Ye Qingqiu’s taxi.

Ye Qingqiu got out of the car and so did Li Tingshen.

“Yes.”

Standing in front of a man who was much taller than her, she had to look up when she spoke.

Her words were concise and her smiling eyes were filled with sarcasm.

Li Tingshen grabbed her wrist and opened the car door, his voice indifferent.

“Get in.”

Ye Qingqiu didn’t move. “If you want to coax me, I advise you not to waste time now. I don’t think I can find a good reason to give you a good attitude no matter what you do now.”

“Then let’s go home and calm down first.”

“I want to return to the Ye residence.”

“Go back to the Ye family and complain to your father?”

Impatience flashed across Ye Qingqiu’s face. “Yes, I have someone backing me. Why should I suffer?”

Li Tingshen looked at her silently for two seconds before pushing her into the car.

The car started quickly.

Ye Qingqiu didn’t struggle and struggled to get out of the car. Instead, she adjusted her posture and leaned against the seat, looking at the road ahead calmly.

After driving for a long time, Li Tingshen spoke first.

“I’ll arrange another drama for the young lady you like. I’ll satisfy all of you.”

Ye Qingqiu pursed her lips. “Are you satisfied or are we satisfied?”

Silence…

“Liang Xuer won’t give up this role. If that girl is really smart, she won’t reject my arrangement. That’s her own business. Don’t make decisions for her.”

“Is it because Liang Xuer won’t let you, or are you determined to use her?” Ye Qingqiu’s voice carried a soft smile, but it was filled with sarcasm.

“…”

“You have to use her no matter what. I want to kick her out no matter what. If you refuse to give in, don’t expect me to compromise with you. The drama is your drama. The decision is yours. If I can’t make you change your mind, then no one will have a good time.”

Li Tingshen’s eyes darkened.

“Even if I promise you that there’s nothing between Liang Xuer and me, you won’t let this matter go, right?”

His voice was cold and low. Ye Qingqiu’s eyes flashed and her heart ached.

What would happen if she said she wouldn’t go?

She didn’t have time to speak.

Li Tingshen continued, “Even if Liang Xuer wants to quit this movie, I won’t allow it. There will be more scenes in the future. If she really opens her mouth, I will consider the situation and satisfy her. So if such a thing happens in the future, can’t you tolerate it?”

Ye Qingqiu turned her head and finally looked at Li Tingshen’s side profile.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

She stared at him for a long time. “Do you have a reason why you have to do this?”

“Let’s say you do. I’m very curious about the reason why you’re determined to help her, who obviously has designs on you and almost ruined my life.”

“Have you ever thought that your indulgence of her will make her even more determined to get you? Then, she will do whatever it takes to target me?”

“You’re asking me if I can’t get over it no matter what? Are you certain that I’m loyal to you and can’t bear to say no to you who I’ve finally gotten? Is that why you’re so fearless?”

She sneered and nodded. “Yes, you’re a smart person and have a lot of confidence. I’m just afraid that if I accidentally fall out with you, I won’t be able to find you again. The person I love has the most right to be fearless. The last thing I’m afraid of is losing her. Perhaps, if that day really comes, you might feel relieved…”

Ye Qingqiu didn’t know if other girls would feel so aggrieved and give in when they were in a relationship.

She felt wronged, but sometimes, she couldn’t tell if it was because she had been pampered and spoiled by the Ye family since she was young. Hence, it might not be worth mentioning to other girls. On the other hand, she had to be a hundred times more persistent and exaggerated.

She had never made friends before and didn’t know what others were like when they were in a relationship. She didn’t know what she should care about and what she shouldn’t care about. She also didn’t know how bad their tempers were.

If she loved him, she would take a step back and suffer more grievances.

But she was too tired.

“It’s tiring to be in a relationship. Are other couples like this?”

Ye Qingqiu exhaled and smiled in confusion.

*

Li Tingshen brought her back to the apartment.

Along the way, she didn’t speak again. She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.

She seemed to have fallen asleep, but the moment the car stopped downstairs, she opened her eyes and got out of the car.

After entering the house, she took off her shoes and walked straight to the bedroom.

“I’m very tired. I’ll sleep first.”

She didn’t mention returning to the Ye family.

Li Tingshen followed. Ye Qingqiu was taking off her clothes.

“You don’t have to rush back to stay for the time being. Don’t leave because you’re angry with me.”

Ye Qingqiu changed into her pajamas and walked to the bed. She lifted the blanket and sat down. “Do I have to listen to you even if I want to go home in a fit of pique?”

“No.” Li Tingshen walked into her. “Because you’re angry. It’s easier for me to coax you if you stay here.”

Ye Qingqiu sneered.

Li Tingshen bent down and pinched her chin before kissing her.

“What do you want to eat tonight? I’ll come back early to cook for you.”

“No need. I’m meeting someone for dinner tonight.”

Li Tingshen looked at her for two seconds before standing up. “What time is it? I’ll pick you up.”

“I don’t know. It depends.”

With that, she grabbed the blanket and lay down with her back facing him. “Close the door when you leave.”

She looked like she didn’t want to talk to him at all.

There was no sound in the room for a while. After some time, Ye Qingqiu heard a few footsteps and the sound of the door closing. She slowly opened her eyes.

Her expression was indifferent, but she bit her lips bit by bit. Her eyes gradually turned red.

How f*cking useless.

She got up and took out her phone from her down jacket before calling Ye Ze.

Then, she crawled back into the blanket and fell asleep.

When she woke up again, she was woken up by hunger.

2 p.m.

She went to the kitchen to drink a glass of water to fill her stomach, only to see that there was a newly cooked meal on the table.

She paused before opening the fridge to grab a bottle of water.

She got Luo Luo to take over this afternoon’s work and promised to treat her to a meal.

“Sorry, I might not be able to help you snatch this role back, but you can tell me about the script you’ve been eyeing recently. It doesn’t matter even if it’s the main character. I’ll support you.”

This outcome was very regretful and Ye Qingqiu found it difficult to say it. The more confident she was back then, the more ridiculous it was now.

Yet, she bumped into Li Tingshen.

Luoluo shook her head and smiled. Her mood wasn’t as bad as before.

“Since I’ve fought for it, I can’t get it in the end. Perhaps this role isn’t meant to belong to me. Actually, after staying in this industry for so long, I know some things very well. Strength is necessary, but it’s only a part of it. The rest depends on fate. I can’t force it. At first, I felt that it was unfair, but after calming down, it’s fine. Thank you for working so hard for me. I’ll do the next role again.”

Ye Qingqiu felt that there might not be many girls like Luo Luo in this world.

“Are you really willing?”

“Even if you’re unwilling, you can’t change the truth. Some outcomes can’t be changed other than being forced to accept it.” Luo Luo smiled. “It’s like dating. You like him, but he doesn’t like you. No matter how hard you try to force him, he doesn’t love you. Although the outcome is really sad, we can only accept this fact. It’s probably this feeling. I can’t describe it in detail.”

Ye Qingqiu picked up her glass and took a sip of red wine. “…I understand.”

Luoluo looked at her in surprise. “How would you know? You got married at such a young age. You didn’t even have time to argue.”

Ye Qingqiu pursed her lips and didn’t continue the topic. “There’s something wrong with what you said just now. Other than strength and life, there’s also opportunity. Your opportunity is sitting opposite you now. You’re a smart person to seize it.”

Luoluo hesitated for a while and asked nervously, “Really… can I?”

At nine o’clock, Li Tingshen called.

“Are you done eating? I’ll pick you up.”

Ye Qingqiu gave him the address.

When she returned to the apartment, she didn’t say a word to him. She showered and played games.

In the end, Li Tingshen forced her to sleep in his arms.

She didn’t struggle and closed her eyes. Her mind was filled with Luoluo’s words—

“No matter how hard you try, you have to force yourself. If you don’t love her, you don’t love her. There are some outcomes that you can only accept.”

Who asked you to love and dominate?

*

The popularity of “Zhenlong Bureau” was not low. In order to increase its popularity and maintain its presence, the production team would have special people to upload some videos or photos of the filming location on public social platforms. They would also occasionally reveal some photos of a supporting role.

For example, there would be photos and posters of the main actors today.

However, just as everyone was waiting to see the cast’s photos and posters, the news that the capable actress had been replaced by a newcomer with the surname Liang was trending.

Moreover, all the other hot searches related to the drama, as well as the hot searches that they had bought for the photos and posters, had been removed.

They had all changed the content related to the production team.

“Stuffed a vase again? Was the three months of selection a joke?”

“I thought that this drama would be of high quality after making such a big deal out of it. In the end, it can’t escape the trash of being a vase actress.”

“Our Shufen couldn’t accept the novel being adapted. Later on, when she saw that the momentum was good, she started to look forward to it. In the end, she found a trashy actor. I really don’t know which character is a vase.”

All kinds of criticisms flooded in. The originally good reputation of the had been criticized and mocked because of the change of actors.