Chapter 11: Addressing One Another

Fu Yumian sat on the bed, casually picking up the remote and turning on the TV. In the search bar, she typed in Lu Qingzhuo’s name.

A long list of dramas, movies, and variety shows featuring Lu Qingzhuo appeared. Scrolling all the way down, Fu Yumian found a variety show from years ago that marked Lu Qingzhuo’s first public appearance as a "green tea" persona.

On-screen, the young Alpha had a fresh-faced look. Fu Yumian recalled what Lu Qingzhuo had mentioned recently—she had been scouted by a talent agent during her freshman year of university. That meant she was only eighteen when she participated in this show.

The same age as her younger sister, Geng Xingluo, now.

Lu Qingzhuo had been in the industry for six years and was only twenty-four this year.

In the variety show, she wore a short skirt, running back and forth along the beach. Her fair, slender legs moved lightly, and her youthful face radiated joy.

Lu Qingzhuo had acted in many dramas, frequently moving between different film sets. Most of her roles were supporting villains, and over time, she had become known as a "specialist in femme fatale roles."

Her acting skills were quite good—compared to the recently popular young actresses, Lu Qingzhuo’s performance intensity and emotional depth were commendable. However, she rarely got the chance to fully showcase her abilities.

Take, for example, the school romance drama she had filmed a year ago. Fu Yumian couldn’t tell whether the screenwriter had undergone a lobotomy or if the keyboard had developed a mind of its own—writing with one’s feet might have produced a better script.

Watching Lu Qingzhuo’s projection on the screen, Fu Yumian felt as though something was missing from the young Alpha, though she couldn't quite put her finger on what.

She had studied psychology for a while in college, and judging from facial features, the current Lu Qingzhuo seemed to have lost some of the hardship evident in her earlier days. She exuded far more confidence now—though perhaps it was just her imagination.

---

The next morning, after spending the night reviewing her script, Lu Qingzhuo was in the kitchen grinding coffee beans.

The rich aroma of coffee drifted through the air, seeping past the kitchen door and upstairs. Geng Xingluo, who had woken up early, finished her breakfast and happily joined the maids outside to walk the dog.

Lu Qingzhuo had just brewed a strong cup of black coffee. She didn’t like bitter coffee, so she opened the fridge to add some milk and sugar cubes. Before she could do so, a slender, elegant hand took the Hermes ceramic cup from her.

"President Fu..."

Lu Qingzhuo turned around. Fu Yumian wasn’t wearing glasses; her long, jet-black hair cascaded over her chest, and she was dressed in a light-colored silk nightgown that draped just past her long legs.

She exuded a lazy elegance, every movement radiating refined grace.

Lu Qingzhuo, acting eager to please, picked up a sugar cube with tongs and asked, "President Fu, do you want some sugar and milk?"

"No need, I only drink black coffee."

Fu Yumian declined Lu Qingzhuo’s offer and sat at the dining table, lifting the cup to take a sip with an unreadable expression. Watching her, Lu Qingzhuo could practically taste the bitterness in her own mouth.

She brewed another cup for herself, adding a generous amount of milk and sugar. The resulting drink was creamy and rich, a stark contrast to Fu Yumian’s dark, unadulterated black coffee—it was clear which one was more appealing.

"President Fu, is your coffee bitter?" Lu Qingzhuo asked cautiously, genuinely curious as to why anyone would enjoy the taste of pure black coffee. It felt no different from drinking traditional Chinese medicine.

"It’s fine."

Alright. Whatever you say, President Fu.

Lu Qingzhuo took a bite of her sandwich, then, after finishing her meal, turned to Fu Yumian. "President Fu, you said you’re going to Director Shen’s audition today. Do you want to put on some light makeup? I think your dark circles have been looking a bit heavy lately."

Fu Yumian looked at Lu Qingzhuo, making her feel slightly self-conscious. Not knowing where to place her hands, she ran her fingers through her hair.

"No need. Director Shen prefers bare-faced auditions."

Lu Qingzhuo had striking bone structure—her natural features were flawless on camera, with no bad angles. She was practically born for the big screen. It was no wonder Shen Shijun had chosen her in an instant.

Haters often criticized her acting skills, emotional intelligence, and industry interactions, but no one ever dared to say she lacked beauty or presence on screen.

"I asked Shen Shijun. Your audition scene today is the first take of the first scene—where You Su arrives at the coastal town by boat." Fu Yumian gave her a calm look. "Shen Shijun isn’t opposed to actors improvising, so you have some creative freedom."

Hearing that, Lu Qingzhuo felt surprisingly at ease. After a few seconds, she still found it a bit surreal—Fu Yumian had actually given her so many pointers. She couldn’t help but feel grateful for the guidance.

"Thank you for the advice, President Fu. I’ll head upstairs to change now."

Fu Yumian set down her ceramic cup, watching as Lu Qingzhuo’s tall, slender figure ascended the stairs. Then, she walked over to the fridge, took out a freshly chilled cheesecake, and began eating.

---

Half an hour later, Lu Qingzhuo was still in the dressing room, trying to match the perfect pair of shoes with her vintage floral dress.

The film was titled 'Summer', and Shen Shijun had chosen a small island in Hainan as the primary filming location. Lu Qingzhuo had decided on a flowy dress that captured the essence of the seaside breeze.

When she was finally dressed, she stood at the top of the stairs, her long hair draping over her shoulders. Looking down, she saw Fu Yumian in a crisp white shirt and casual trousers.

Her outfit was refreshingly simple, as if she were just heading out for an ordinary day.

“President Fu, are you going too?”

Fu Yumian glanced at her wristwatch and nodded. “Mm.”

A private jet carried Fu Yumian to Hainan. As the plane descended onto the lush, green island, Shen Shijun arrived with a large group to welcome them.

Xie Yun, who had been by Lu Qingzhuo’s side the entire time, was so overwhelmed by the grand reception that she nearly fainted on the spot. She pinched the skin between her nose and upper lip to keep herself awake and followed behind Lu Qingzhuo, whispering curiously, “Lulu, isn’t Director Shen’s welcome a bit over the top?”

Fu Yumian walked ahead while Lu Qingzhuo leaned closer to Xie Yun’s ear and murmured, “Think about who they’re welcoming. This entire island belongs to President Fu, and she’s also the biggest investor in the film. If I were in their shoes, I’d hold onto this golden ticket for dear life too.”

Xie Yun scratched her head, racking her brain but unable to make sense of something. Lowering her voice mysteriously, she asked, “But Lulu, aren’t you already married to President Fu? Why are you still calling her that? Shouldn’t you—”

“You don’t understand. This is just our little game,” Lu Qingzhuo whispered even lower, afraid that Fu Yumian might overhear their hushed conversation. “Don’t ever say things like this in front of others, especially where President Fu can hear. Otherwise, I’ll be in big trouble.”

“Ohhh.” Xie Yun nodded vigorously, half-understanding. She speculated that Lu Qingzhuo’s “big trouble” probably referred to the nightly ‘activities’ between wives. Most likely, President Fu was working her over so much that Lu Qingzhuo had to warn her to keep quiet.

Ah, well, some things didn’t need to be spelled out. Xie Yun reassured her in a firm tone, “Don’t worry, Lulu. If you and President Fu have some, uh, private couple’s play going on, I swear I won’t spill a word.”

Lu Qingzhuo: “…”

With this Beta girl’s impressively skewed imagination, Lu Qingzhuo couldn’t even be bothered to explain. As long as Fu Yumian didn’t hear it, that was enough—otherwise, her pocket money might get cut. That was, of course, assuming Han Tian didn’t add fuel to the fire.

Lately, Fu Yumian’s attitude toward her had been hot and cold. Lu Qingzhuo was convinced that Han Tian had been whispering things in her ear. Otherwise, given her own well-behaved nature, how could she possibly have offended Fu Yumian?

Upon meeting Shen Shijun, Lu Qingzhuo greeted her with a smile. “Hello, Director Shen.”

Shen Shijun nodded in return. Seeing that Fu Yumian had brought Lu Qingzhuo along, she chatted with her briefly, and soon, the group boarded a bus headed for Haizhen.

Lu Qingzhuo sipped on an ice-cold, sweet coconut drink as the refreshing sea breeze brushed against her skin. She sighed. “So this place is actually called Haizhen? I thought it was just a made-up name.”

The sightseeing bus cruised steadily over the smooth cobblestone roads. In her past life, Lu Qingzhuo had never really had a proper vacation, let alone a chance to visit a charming little seaside town like this. Everything here felt incredibly novel to her.

Coconut groves, ocean breezes, sandy beaches—everything she loved.

Once filming was over, she could stay here for a while and experience the local culture.

Fu Yumian sat across the narrow aisle from Lu Qingzhuo. Seeing how excited Lu Qingzhuo was, she followed her gaze out the window.

Just then, Lu Qingzhuo spotted a bird she had never seen before. Instinctively, she turned to call out to Fu Yumian, but the moment she did, her eyes locked unexpectedly with Fu Yumian’s deep, enigmatic gaze.

She froze for a moment, caught off guard by their sudden eye contact.

Fu Yumian calmly averted her gaze, but Lu Qingzhuo didn’t dwell on it. She turned back to look outside, only to find that the bird had already disappeared.

“President Fu, isn’t this something? I was pulling my hair out trying to find a filming location, and then, just like that, you go and buy the whole island,” Shen Shijun, sitting beside Fu Yumian, sighed. “This is the kind of confidence that comes with being a top-tier billionaire. Want to shoot a movie? Just buy an island for fun. Meanwhile, I’ll have to wait for my next life to be born into money.”

The bus drove along a small road leading to the filming site. Now energized, Shen Shijun enthusiastically introduced the location to Lu Qingzhuo and even asked if she had studied the script thoroughly.

“I’ve read the script so many times that I practically know it by heart. But I know, Director Shen, that’s not really what you’re asking.”

Lu Qingzhuo’s acting wasn’t about technique—it was about fully immersing herself in the role, letting the story consume her completely. This method yielded striking results, but it had a downside: it was easy to fall too deep into character, sometimes taking months or even years to fully detach from a role.

Back in her old world, she had produced high-quality films year after year, consistently earning nominations for Best Actress. She had even won the title two years in a row. But that was all in the past.

Now, in the eyes of the public, she was known for picking terrible scripts. Making a career comeback with a single film and transitioning into serious cinema was not going to be easy.

“President Fu personally recommended you to me. I’ve watched some of your past work. The scripts weren’t great, but I can tell you have talent.”

Shen Shijun stole a quick glance at Fu Yumian, then pulled Lu Qingzhuo aside and whispered, “Be honest with me—are you two actually… together?”

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