Chapter 18: Stubborn Words

The first scene officially began. Fu Yumian sat on a vine-woven swing, her expression indifferent. Her bandaged right hand rested lightly on her lap.

She stared blankly at the small, delicate bow tied around her wound, lost in thought. It wasn’t until the sound of light footsteps gradually approached that she slowly lifted her head—Lu Qingzhuo was quietly moving closer.

Behind the monitor, Shen Shijun kept her eyes fixed on Lu Qingzhuo’s face. Regardless of her acting skills, the more she watched, the more satisfied she became. Lu Qingzhuo’s image overlapped perfectly with the heroine she had envisioned.

For a fleeting moment, Shen Shijun felt as if You Su had come to life—even though this was only the first shot of the day.

Lu Qingzhuo’s performance had completely exceeded expectations, leaving Shen Shijun feeling like she had struck gold. But she had Fu Yumian to thank for recommending her in the first place, even if personal motives had played a role in that decision.

Shen Shijun found the two of them to be quite a good match. She wondered if she could help push things along. Would Fu Yumian, as stubborn as she was, finally soften up? From the looks of it, Lu Qingzhuo might have a real shot.

---

Blood...

The moment Lu Qingzhuo saw blood dripping from Fu Yumian’s palm, she nearly let out a gasp. Standing beside her, she took a quick glance and bit her lower lip.

"Are you all right?"

According to Lu Qingzhuo’s understanding of her character’s emotions, she simply felt pity for Bai Yu’s dejected state—she didn’t think she had done anything wrong. After all, she had never wanted to drink that bowl of soup; Bai Yu had forced her.

"It’s nothing, just a small wound."

Fu Yumian’s lips, naturally a soft red, had been covered with foundation by the makeup artist, giving them a pale and exhausted appearance. When she looked up, Lu Qingzhuo’s heart skipped a beat.

Realizing she had unintentionally revealed a trace of concern for Fu Yumian, Lu Qingzhuo tried to shift her emotions. But then, an important thought crossed her mind—

If she, as an actress, could empathize so deeply, then You Su must have felt the same way.

A strange silence fell between them. Lu Qingzhuo stood quietly by the swing, arms crossed, watching over Fu Yumian. Meanwhile, Fu Yumian looked up at the girl, who was half a head taller than her, lips curving slightly.

"Your father said you’re not allowed to leave Haizhen for the next six months." Her gaze swept over Lu Qingzhuo’s slender waist before she continued, "You’ve probably almost spent all your money too, haven’t you?"

"What does that have to do with you? Didn’t my father give you money?"

"I told you before, your mother was a good friend of mine. Ever since she passed away, aside from her funeral, I haven’t set foot outside Haizhen."

Fu Yumian gently swayed the swing. "I didn’t take your father’s money. I just really wanted to see what her daughter has become."

Lu Qingzhuo let out a scornful chuckle. "What, are you disappointed?"

Fu Yumian didn’t answer. Instead, she changed the topic. "I held you when you were little. Back then, you were just a few pounds, soft and tiny. I was afraid to hold you too tightly in case you started crying."

"Why are you bringing this up? It’s been over ten years." Lu Qingzhuo suddenly felt exposed, as if she had been stripped bare. Feeling uncomfortable, she turned to leave. "If your hand is fine, I’m going upstairs. And don’t open my door without my permission."

She jogged back inside, her light footsteps tapping crisply against the ground.

Fu Yumian watched the young girl who had finally grown up, a faint, satisfied smile appearing at the corner of her lips.

---

"Lu Lu, I was standing behind Director Shen just now, and I heard her praising you the whole time."

Xie Yun stood behind Lu Qingzhuo, holding an umbrella for her. As the crew dispersed, she leaned in conspiratorially. "I also think you were amazing. This film is definitely going to win you Best Actress!"

"That’s not certain yet. I haven’t acted in so long." Lu Qingzhuo was confident but not overly optimistic. Still, she felt a sense of accomplishment after completing today’s scenes so smoothly.

Even the picky Shen Shijun hadn’t criticized her impromptu performance when she forgot her lines—proving that her immersive acting style had a stronger impact than purely technical skills.

It was already past five in the afternoon, and the sky was painted in hues of orange. Fu Yumian had some work to handle, so she told Lu Qingzhuo to head back to the hotel first. With no other choice, Lu Qingzhuo left with Xie Yun.

---

"Qingzhuo, come here for a second. I need to ask you something."

Su Lan, seeing that Lu Qingzhuo wasn’t leaving with Fu Yumian, seized the opportunity and pulled Xie Yun aside.

"Sister  Lan, what’s wrong?"

Noticing Su Lan’s serious expression, Lu Qingzhuo immediately guessed, "Did some old footage of mine get edited by haters again? Am I trending on Weibo?"

"No, but you are the most controversial artist I’ve ever managed."

Su Lan and Lu Qingzhuo sat down on a bench by the sea. Curious, Su Lan asked, "How did you and Fu Yumian meet? Did she get you this role?"

"Sister Lan, you’re not thinking I slept my way into this, are you?"

Lu Qingzhuo wasn’t wrong to suspect it—most people would assume the same. After all, how could someone like her end up being personally recommended by the Fu Group’s Vice Chairman? Either it was sheer luck, or…

"Even if that were the case, you need to be careful about your behavior. Avoid entering hotels together too often, or the paparazzi will have a field day."

"Sister Lan, did you forget how powerful the Fu family is?"

Lu Qingzhuo paused before clarifying, "What I mean is, President Fu is incredible, but I didn’t sleep with her. And we’re not in that kind of relationship. We’re just… ordinary friends."

"Lu Qingzhuo."

A cool voice came from behind her. Lu Qingzhuo immediately turned around—only to see Fu Yumian standing there, her gaze fixed on her.

There was a hint of displeasure in her eyes—or at least Lu Qingzhuo thought there was.

Fu Yumian was clearly not in a good mood.

"President Fu, weren’t you handling some business? What are you doing here?"

Su Lan also stood up, greeting her politely. "President Fu, hello. I’m Lu Qingzhuo’s manager, Su Lan."

"Hello."

Fu Yumian nodded slightly but kept her sharp gaze locked on Lu Qingzhuo. Seeing her hesitate to meet her eyes, a trace of amusement flickered across her exhausted face.

Fu Yumian’s gaze shifted between Lu Qingzhuo and Su Lan. “Why haven’t you left yet?”

“We were just talking about this new film. Sister Lan seems quite interested in it, right?”

Lu Qingzhuo shot Su Lan a meaningful look. Su Lan’s right eye twitched noticeably, but she nodded and said, “Yes, Qingzhuo performed exceptionally well today. I’ve worked with her for so long, and this is the first time I’ve seen her show such promise. It’s all thanks to President Fu’s guidance.”

“Oh? Really?” Fu Yumian didn’t spare Su Lan a glance. Instead, her sharp, probing gaze landed on Lu Qingzhuo’s slightly trembling eyelashes. The corners of her lips curved into a faint, unreadable smile. “That’s entirely her own fortune—it has nothing to do with me. She and I are just ordinary friends.”

Lu Qingzhuo: “…”  

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