“Oh look, it’s Hua Jin!”
Despite his dislike of her, the actor smiled politely. “How do you do?”
“What brings you here? Are you dining here too?” As Li Jing spoke, she turned her head and glanced at Liang Yin. Her expression changed drastically. She felt that this woman with her head lowered was inexplicably familiar, but she could not remember her name.
After thinking for a long time, she suddenly seemed taken aback. Her frown deepened.
It was her…
Some time ago, a staff member she knew from the production team sent her a stolen shot on WeChat. It was a photograph of Liang Yin, taken secretly on the set. One was a side profile and the other was a frontal shot of her face. Although it was a little blurry, Liang Yin’s facial features were very recognizable. Therefore, Li Jing recognized at once that the woman before her was Liang Yin.
“It’s… it’s you! Liang Yin!”
Li Jing immediately smiled and greeted her warmly. Seeing that she could not avoid it, Liang Yin could only brace herself and raise her head. The corners of her mouth twitched stiffly. “Hello! Senior Li Jing!”
“Hehehe! An address such as Senior is too grand a title for me!”
For some reason, Li Jing felt that the stiff smile on Liang Yin’s face was an eyesore. It was a forced half-smile. She even felt that there was a hint of malice and mockery in that smile.
Could it be that she looked down on her?!
Or was it…
As to Liang Yin taking over the role of the Kokakuchō, Li Jing already had some groundless guesses. However, her half-smile and her deliberate avoidance now only gave the older actress more reasons to find the situation odd.
“You two … just the two of you?”
The actor said immediately, “We have an appointment with Qin Zhou! But he’ll be a little late. We’re waiting for him.”
“Oh I see, CEO Qin! But, Hua Jin, why did you bring Liang Yin to dinner with your manager?”
The actor clarified at once, “Liang Yin is also an artiste under Qin Zhou.”
“What?” Li Jing looked surprised. “Didn’t Qin Zhou say that he would no longer be managing any artiste personally? Now he’s signed on an artiste?”
Hua Jin suddenly sounded neutral. “I have no right to ask about CEO Qin’s personal business!”
When Li Jing heard this, she felt awkward as well, and casually said to Liang Yin with a smile, “Aiya, you’re lucky to be managed by CEO Qin!”
With that, she left dejectedly.
The actor had said that because he wanted to protect Liang Yin. On the one hand, he was reminding Li Jing that Liang Yin worked for Qin Zhou and that she was not to be disrespectful. On the other hand, he was telling her that she was not welcome.
Li Jing looked embarrassed.
Liang Yin watched as Li Jing took her leave. However she felt a lingering fear. She did not say it, but the way Li Jing glared at her just then was quite frightening. Although the woman was smiling, there was hostility in her eyes, as though she couldn’t wait to gouge a piece of flesh from her body.
Too scary.
Li Jing found a seat by the window and sat down. However, she was upset. She had not expected to meet Liang Yin in this restaurant. However, the chance meeting caused a sense of humiliation to well up inside. She had always suspected that her role had been intercepted. She didn’t believe the director had fired her over such a small matter. Someone must have been behind it.
Thus, she began to suspect Liang Yin. She suspected that this unknown newcomer had intercepted her role. The role of Kokakuchō was very important to her.
