As Sun jie1(Big) Sister Sun said, Yun Mingxuan was much more popular than her. She was one of the candidates for the Young Actors Development Program, so she would naturally be in the spotlight at the ceremony.
Just the thought of it made Gu Qingtong imagine the other person’s smug face.
“Why should I feel embarrassed to go? We are both young actors, and my acting skills are even better than Yun Mingxuan’s!”
Gu Qingtong snorted, not only was she not discouraged, but her competitive spirit was ignited even more.
This is not just bragging on her part. After all, she has accumulated experience in the entertainment industry over the past few years. Although she can only take on small supporting roles or even be a stand-in or extra, she has always been honing her acting skills.
As someone with a professional background in acting, Gu Qingtong’s performance abilities have been praised by directors almost every time, and her audition success rate is also very high.
On the other hand, Yun Mingxuan, despite gaining attention by starring in a highly anticipated drama adaptation from a popular IP right after her debut, couldn’t support her acting skills. She was heavily criticized by fans of the original work and subsequently starred in one flop after another, earning her the title of “Queen of Flops.”
Sun Xiao found it amusing. The anxiety and frustration she felt just now because many of her artists failed their auditions were instantly swept away.
“Since you’re so eager to go, go ahead then. After all, this event isn’t organized by your mentor. Just tell her, and when the time comes, you can disguise yourself and blend into the crowd. Who will notice you?”
“Yeah! That’s settled then!”
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Right after hanging up the phone, Gu Qingtong noticed a new friend request on her contact list. It was none other than Yan Chi, whom she had just added.
She didn’t expect Yan Chi to pass her verification so quickly. Gu Qingtong quickly sent a greeting message: “Miss Yan, after seeing the number you left me, I searched for it and didn’t expect to actually add you. It’s really presumptuous of me.”
She followed the rules so obediently that she didn’t even use an exclamation mark emoji, and she even revised and edited this short message several times.
“It’s okay.” Yan Chi’s reply was also very quick, but it almost interrupted their conversation.
Gu Qingtong remembered that she still needed to talk to Grandpa Yan about their matter, but she wasn’t sure if she was busy.
She also didn’t want to reveal her thoughts and pretended to be reserved, saying, “Well, Miss Yan must be busy. I won’t disturb you.”
Yan Chi, who was in the car, held her phone with the chat interface displayed and almost immediately lowered her eyes to read the message.
Clearly, this sentence didn’t satisfy Yan Chi. She narrowed her eyes and clicked on the pink fox doll avatar of the other person. Yan Chi had seen the complete version of this profile picture on Gu Qingtong’s Weibo. It was a photo of Gu Qingtong and the doll taken at an amusement park.
It was obviously something a little girl would like, but unfortunately, this little girl liked to appear mature in front of her.
There was nothing much in her social media posts, only three days visible, and nothing else.
Yan Chi’s eyes became deep, and she exited the chat interface, opening the list of participants in the event that her manager had sent her.
Ignoring the various red-marked A-list celebrities on the list, among the long list of names below, Yan Chi’s gaze precisely located the three characters “Gu Qingtong.”
She wasn’t in a hurry. There was still plenty of time to get to know someone.
❖❖❖❖❖
Two days later.
This Saturday was an extremely busy day for Gu Qingtong. Besides the hard-won itinerary she had obtained, she also had to be discharged from the hospital today. The Gu family’s driver had come early in the morning to pick her up.
Fortunately, Grandpa Gu only mentioned meeting her at home at noon, and the event was in the evening, so there was no conflict.
As soon as Gu Qingtong entered the Gu family villa, she discovered that her parents had unexpectedly returned at some point.
They were on vacation in Europe when she had her car accident.
Originally, they were supposed to rush back to see her, but their flight was delayed. Since Gu Qingtong woke up the next day with no major injuries, they treated it as if nothing had happened and continued their vacation.
At that time, Gu Qingtong almost laughed out loud because of the couple’s behavior.
Upon seeing their daughter, Gu Shuyu and Lin Wan wiped away their tears and said, one after the other, “Our precious baby has suffered,” and “Let Mommy take a look at where you got hurt.”
Avoiding the strange behavior of the two adults, Gu Qingtong coldly refused, her face devoid of emotion.
“You acted well, don’t do it again. Don’t you think I don’t know that Grandpa told you two to come back because of my marriage?”
Gu Shuyu forced a smile, “That was just one of the reasons…”
“Alright, alright. How is Gu Siyuan doing?” Gu Qingtong waved her hand and asked.
Gu Siyuan was Gu Qingtong’s younger sister and the only one among the family of four who had achievements. The whole family had high hopes for her to inherit the family business. Currently, she was studying in the UK, and the couple took the opportunity of their European trip to visit their younger daughter during the Christmas break.
“She said she wants to review the courses for the next academic year during Christmas, so she won’t come back. But there are plans for her school to have an exchange program in China next year, and she’s interested.”
Gu Qingtong couldn’t understand the world of academic achievers. She asked again, “What about the marriage matter? Did you tell her?”
The couple fell into silence for a while. After a moment, Gu Shuyu reluctantly spoke up, “We… haven’t told her yet. You know, I was kicked out of the company by your grandfather. How could I dare to let your sister know about this…”
The whole family couldn’t handle Gu Siyuan, that child.
Among the two sisters, Gu Siyuan seemed more like the elder sister. She was very intelligent from a young age and had a personality completely different from the rest of the family. She rarely showed any expression on her face and spoke very little. She had her own opinions, and the unreliable couple always felt guilty and uneasy in her presence.
Gu Qingtong was speechless for a moment. You also know it’s embarrassing!
“Isn’t your marriage just in name only? Who knows, maybe the engagement will be called off even before your sister returns… Why don’t you wait until she comes back and then tell Gu Siyuan yourself?”
Gu Shuyu mumbled, wanting to hide her matter for a while longer.
“You’re not embarrassed either!” a loud voice resounded from upstairs, perfectly expressing what Gu Qingtong wanted to say.
Grandpa Gu walked downstairs with his hands behind his back.
But as soon as Gu Qingtong heard that voice, she instinctively stepped back like a mouse encountering a cat, quietly hiding behind Gu Shuyu and letting him take the brunt.
When Gu Qingtong was a child, she was uncontrollable, and the couple didn’t think much of it. They completely indulged her.
But Grandpa Gu detested her behavior and probably felt that he had raised a waste. He couldn’t let Gu Qingtong continue to go astray, so he personally disciplined her when she just started elementary school.
Since then, the fear of the old master’s genes became engraved in Gu Qingtong’s DNA.
But before Grandpa said anything, there was movement from a car outside the villa.
The three of them looked at each other, and it was Grandpa Gu who said, “I’ve also invited the Yan family over today. What are you standing there for?”
The Yan family? Yan Chi is here too?!
But since that day when they added each other on WeChat, the chat history had stopped at Yan Chi’s “Hmm” two days ago, and she hadn’t contacted her again…
And isn’t there an event today? Could it be that she’s not going?
Before she could think about it further, the Yan family had already been led inside, and the auntie was helping carry several large and small bags.
Yan Chi walked at the back, but Gu Qingtong still caught sight of her.
She was wearing a beige cashmere soft wool outfit today, paired with pants in the same color and a matching plaid pattern, accentuating her slender figure without appearing too thin. She had tied a black and white floral patterned scarf around her long neck, adding a touch of formality compared to their previous meeting.
Gu Qingtong recognized it as the latest autumn and winter collection from Brand C that she had seen at a fashion show before.
At this moment, it looked even more eye-catching on Yan Chi than on the models, exuding a naturally noble and cold aura.
While Gu Qingtong was staring blankly at Yan Chi, Yan Chi’s gaze also fell on her.
Gu Qingtong had changed her appearance today, departing from her plain and patient look in the hospital. With light makeup, her already delicate features seemed to have been infused with a soul of colors, captivating everyone’s gaze.
The beauty mark at the corner of her eye added even more charm, making her appear proud and dazzling, like a young lady. She seemed like a different person compared to when her eyes were filled with misty tears.
Her beauty was not a deliberate charm to please anyone; instead it was a vibrant and intense rose that bloomed from within.
Compared to Yan Chi’s formal and elegant attire, Gu Qingtong’s outfit was more casual. She wore a knitted cardigan and wide-leg pants. After all, her hospital admission had been sudden, and Yan Yijia had only brought her a few of her own clothes. There would be a unified dress code for the event later.
If Gu Qingtong had known that Yan Chi was coming today, she would have rummaged through her wardrobe and dressed herself up like a female celebrity walking the red carpet.
“No, future son-in-law, who did this to you?!” A cry of surprise from beside her drew Gu Qingtong’s attention, and when she turned her head, she saw Gu Shuyu showing concern for Yan Song.
Yan Song’s previously injured hand was wrapped in bandages and a splint, and he looked timid and withdrawn. Now being pulled out, his face was filled with embarrassment, shaking his head repeatedly.
“Dad! Don’t you know? He’s no longer my prospective spouse!” Gu Qingtong finally realized that the couple had been called back without being informed by Grandpa Gu, leaving her momentarily speechless.
In this awkward moment, Yan Chi took the initiative to walk to Gu Qingtong’s side and help defuse the situation, saying, “Father-in-law, mother-in-law.”
Lin Wan was an elegant lady who only enjoyed clothes, jewelry, and showing off at tea parties with her sisters. She was accustomed to various dramas, and at this moment, she smiled and nodded at Yan Chi as if nothing was amiss.
Gu Shuyu’s expression, on the other hand, was quite dramatic, like a spilled paint bottle, suddenly displaying various colors.
But it wasn’t appropriate to make a scene in front of outsiders. Gu Shuyu forcefully swallowed his doubts and nodded reluctantly, “Fine, fine.”
“Why are you all standing in the hallway? Come in!” Grandpa Gu cheerfully greeted the head of the Yan family and Yan Chi, without even sparing a glance at Yan Song.
Just as Gu Qingtong was about to follow and walk forward, she was abruptly pulled aside by Gu Shuyu.
“You brat! Why didn’t you tell me earlier? And why did you have to be with her? Don’t you know that Yan Chi is my biggest competitor in the film industry?”
“Competitor? Give me a break! She doesn’t even know you exist!”
After all, the company where Yan Chi worked, Hua Yan, was currently the strongest and most influential in the entertainment industry, almost dominating half of the industry.
Not to mention books, comics, and music, just in the film and television sector alone, Hua Yan not only has a plethora of talented artists and managers under its wing but also its own dedicated production team and a series of successful IPs. The industry has a reputation that anything produced by Hua Yan is guaranteed to be excellent.
What’s even more remarkable is that Hua Yan is a small company that emerged only when Yan Chi made her debut. Hua Yan and Yan Chi complement each other and have grown and expanded rapidly, reaching the pinnacle together fifteen years later.
However, the current CEO of Hua Yan never identifies herself as the president. There are various opinions within the industry, with some saying that she is simply being low-key, while others speculate that there is another person behind the scenes at Hua Yan. There is no definitive conclusion.
But overall, it’s safe to say that Hua Yan and the bankrupt company where Gu Shuyu worked are not on equal footing; they are like night and day.
Lin Wan agreed with her daughter’s words and gave Gu Shuyu a disdainful glance, saying, “Your father is throwing a tantrum again.”
Gu Qingtong briefly explained Yan Song’s behavior as a scumbag and abuser, and also mentioned Yan Chi coming to her for a secret marriage.
Since a few days had passed and Yan Chi had already stood up for her, Gu Qingtong, who usually enjoyed making a fuss and complaining, surprisingly didn’t exaggerate or cause a scene.
“Yan Song dared to treat you like this?!” Gu Shuyu was furious, gritting his teeth in anger. “Just wait, I’ll deal with him later!”
Although Gu Shuyu and Lin Wan were both unreliable, Gu Qingtong was raised by them and it was impossible for her to marry someone with such a morally bankrupt character.
They had even conducted a careful investigation before, and although Yan Song’s background was not entirely legitimate, he looked decent and had a seemingly gentle personality. After confirming that there were no issues in various aspects, they allowed Gu Qingtong to meet and finalize the marriage.
If their daughter hadn’t discovered his true nature, she would have suffered a great loss.
“But why did you agree to Yan Chi so quickly then?”
Gu Shuyu felt distressed and frustrated, feeling like his naive daughter was about to be deceived again.
Setting aside the fact that they were both of the same gender and in the entertainment industry, even in these years, Gu Shuyu had heard countless rumors about Yan Chi’s authenticity. How could Gu Qingtong, with her straightforward personality, compete against the cunning Yan Chi?
As soon as he finished speaking, he sensed the atmosphere around him becoming somewhat tense, with a sense of foreboding.
When he turned around, he saw Yan Chi standing right behind him.
“Director Gu, I’ve heard your name for a long time. I thought I wouldn’t have a chance to see you again after the ‘Spring Rain’ press conference.”
Yan Chi had a perfectly poised smile on her lips, exuding an air of grace and elegance.
“Spring Rain” was considered Gu Shuyu’s representative work, the only movie of his that had a rating above six on a certain film rating website.
During its release, it coincided with one of Yan Chi’s works. At the time, they only had a brief encounter, and Gu Shuyu never expected Yan Chi to remember him. Changing his previous attitude of discreetly disliking Yan Chi, Gu Shuyu’s expression transformed instantly, and he smiled brightly.
“You’re too kind. I should be congratulating the award-winning actress for her achievements at Cannes! I’ve also watched ‘Where There Is No Wind,’ and it truly deserves the recognition it received.”
