Peerless Beauty – Chapter 55

Joining the Group

Trouble for the little girl

She is Jian Qing’s third sister. Emotionally, she should be given a ride.

She and Jian Qing seem to have a bad relationship. Logically, she does not have to be given a ride.

Lu Yinxi was still hesitating, and Jian Yan lightly tapped on the car window again, telling her, “Your drama, Galaxy Entertainment Media is the investor.”

Oh, she is her indirect boss.

Lu Yinxi no longer hesitated. She got out of the car, opened the door of the right rear seat, and politely invited the boss to get in the car.

According to business etiquette, generally, when traveling, leaders sit in the right rear seat, and their assistants sit in the front passenger seat.

Jian Yan did not get into the rear seat but walked around to the front passenger seat, sat down, fastened her seatbelt, and casually said, “Little friend, I don’t consider you as a driver; I just want you to give me a ride along the way.”

Her appearance is outstanding. When she does not speak or smile, she has a kind of stern and decisive coldness. Once she starts speaking, however, she gives a warm and friendly impression, which unknowingly makes people relax their guard.

Lu Yinxi looked at the face that was three parts similar to Jian Qing’s, silently thought about Jian Qing for a moment, started the car, and asked Jian Yan, “Does President Jian also take the subway when going out?”

So down-to-earth?

Jian Yan put her glasses back on, and calmly shook her head, saying, “I haven’t taken that thing before. I was driving by, saw the familiar license plate, and came over to take a look.”

After driving a few hundred meters, Lu Yinxi noticed a Maybach 62S behind them, which had been following them.

It was a luxury car worth tens of millions. She glanced at it a few more times in the rearview mirror.

Jian Yan noticed her movements and explained, “Behind is my driver, bodyguard, and assistant.”

Lu Yinxi raised an eyebrow, “You’re not taking your Maybach but came to ride in an Audi A8?”

Jian Yan smiled and asked, “Do you like the Maybach? I’ll give you one.”

Lu Yinxi couldn’t figure out what game she was playing, and shook her head to refuse, “Thank you, President Jian. I quite like this little black Audi.”

Jian Yan, wearing sunglasses, slightly turned her head and examined Lu Yinxi, “Don’t dare to accept? What are you afraid of? If I say I’m giving it to you, then it’s a gift. You don’t need to do anything.”

The dark lenses obscured her gaze, and Lu Yinxi was unilaterally scrutinized and examined.

Just like the night she first came to this world, when Jian Qing pressed her against the window and coldly examined her.

Lu Yinxi could not fathom the thoughts of these two sisters, so she could only continue to refuse, saying, “Thank you, President Jian. I prefer not to receive something without contributing.”

Moreover, they are neither family nor friends.

“Taking me to the hotel is your merit,” Jian Yan again tapped the car window glass, and said softly, “Little friend, this is not an Audi A8; it’s an A8L, Security bulletproof version. This glass cannot be penetrated by hand grenades, safer than my Maybach. It’s normal that you don’t recognize it; few people can tell. On the street, it would be mistaken for an ordinary Audi. I was quite envious back then, but unfortunately, the old man gave it to Ah Qing. Now, it’s in your hands. Really…”

“What a waste of natural resources.” Sitting in the car filled with the smell of money, Lu Yinxi voluntarily completed Jian Yan’s sentence.

Jian Yan tilted her head, smiled, and kindly asked, “How old are you?”

“20, President Jian, just call me Xiaolu.”

Stop calling me ‘little friend’ all the time; it gives me goosebumps.

“20 years old…” Jian Yan thoughtfully nodded, “5 years younger…”

Lu Yinxi did not understand, and hummed a response, asking, “What?”

Jian Yan softly repeated, “5 years younger than her.”

“Her? Which her?”

Jian Yan’s attitude was ambiguous: “These things, you should ask your Sister Ah Qing.”

The word ‘sister’ coming from her mouth carried a hint of lingering affection.

Lu Yinxi’s face flushed slightly, and she responded nonchalantly with an “oh.”

What does she mean by this?

Ask Jian Qing?

What has Jian Qing concealed from her?

Lu Yinxi fell silent, not speaking for a long while.

Jian Yan took the initiative to start a conversation: “I am 15 years older than you; you can also call me ‘sister.’ Do you call Ah Qing ‘sister’?”

Lu Yinxi tugged at the corner of her mouth: “President Jian, don’t joke around. She is not my sister; why would I call her ‘sister’?”

It sounds too inappropriate…

On the sun visor in front of the passenger seat, there was a makeup mirror. Jian Yan pulled it down, touched up her makeup while looking in the mirror, and asked Lu Yinxi beside her, “Little friend, do you think I am good-looking, or is your Sister Ah Qing more good-looking?”

Lu Yinxi glanced at her.

These two sisters, one a national beauty and elegant peony, noble and luxurious, the other a plum blossom blooming alone in the cold, reserved and aloof.

Knowing that saying this would be more likable, she still said, “President Jian, you are very beautiful, but Doctor Jian’s style just happens to match my aesthetic.”

Jian Yan put her makeup bag back into her handbag and smiled gently, “I knew it. You people are either attracted to her family background or her looks. What can she offer you now? Endorsements? Movies? TV shows? She can’t give you anything, but whatever you want, I can give you.”

Lu Yinxi honestly said, “I want to go home.”

Return to her original world.

Jian Yan did not expect this answer, and was momentarily stunned, then mockingly said, “Still not weaned?”

Her mocking demeanor was somewhat similar to Jian Qing’s. Lu Yinxi slightly shook her head, smiled, and parked the car at the entrance of Galaxy Hotel.

At the entrance, a group of people in suits and leather shoes were already waiting.

From the luxury Maybach behind, two male bodyguards about 1.9 meters tall and a female assistant with clear features got out.

The female assistant ran over, opened the passenger seat door, held an umbrella to shield from the sun, took the bag from Jian Yan’s hand, and invited Jian Yan to get out of the car. She also glanced at Lu Yinxi, her eyes showing a hint of surprise.

Lu Yinxi did not catch that hint of surprise, and the female assistant followed Jian Yan to attend to socializing.

She drove away from the hotel entrance, moved the car to the underground parking lot, sat in the car, lowered the window for ventilation, and dispersed the lingering woody perfume scent from Jian Yan.

She gently touched the steering wheel and asked, almost to herself, “Xiaodi, how much are you worth?”

At six in the evening, all the crew members had a dinner gathering at the hotel.

For the next three months, everyone will eat and live together, so they need to get to know each other.

In a film crew, there are different teams such as props, lighting and photography, script supervisors, and coordinators. Some teams are collaborating for the first time, while others have worked with the director several times.

There is a lot of physical work in the crew, so the majority of the staff are young. When young people gather, they chat easily.

Jian Yan, the director, the producer, the two lead actors, and some veteran actors sat at one table. Lu Yinxi and some supporting roles selected from the same academy sat at another table, calling each other senior brothers and sisters warmly.

In the filming of a serious drama, actors generally have formal training, and most directors and screenwriters are from academic backgrounds, with few being self-taught.

Currently, their crew cannot afford popular actors. The biggest star in the entire crew is Director Zhou Hongmao, who has filmed many highly praised criminal investigation dramas, war dramas, and large historical dramas.

Next are the veteran actors, each of whom is a master of their craft.

Following them are the male and female lead actors.

The male lead, Xiao Yihang, nearing 40, has a formal training background, with thick eyebrows and big eyes. He has a face suited for serious dramas. Time has left no trace on his face; he is not just a young fresh face but better than one. Twenty years ago, he was also a heartthrob who won the hearts of countless young girls.

The female lead, Lan Zhou, nicknamed “Ramen,” is 28 years old. She comes from a film background and has been nominated several times for Best Actress. Unfortunately, due to bad luck, she has not won the “Best Actress” title. This is her first attempt at filming a television drama.

Lu Yinxi, through the crowd, looked from a distance at Lan Zhou, who was in a white dress, smiling brightly. She thought, as expected of the female lead in this world, with such a gentle and kind appearance, it immediately makes one feel favorable.

She is smiling so happily now, but when the gathering ends, she will receive a call from her first love boyfriend breaking up with her, and then she will go alone to the rooftop terrace to drink and cry, encountering Chu Yan, who is also missing his first love.

Lan Zhou only interned at the hospital for a week. Afterward, due to her grandfather’s death, she returned home for the funeral and did not participate in the subsequent internship, but she recognizes Chu Yan, who had taught her.

Lu Yinxi thought, if He Bei had not died, there probably would not be any romantic development between the male and female leads tonight.

Now, after all the twists and turns, it seems that nothing has changed.

Lu Yinxi could only pick up a glass of wine and silently wish for the lovers to eventually become a couple.

“Junior sister, don’t drink alone. Let’s make a toast,” a nearby woman wearing gold-rimmed glasses and looking refined and elegant lifted her red wine glass to toast with Lu Yinxi.

When they were seated, everyone introduced themselves. She was the scriptwriter of the crew, An Ruosu.

True to her name, she was gentle and easygoing. At first, everyone called her “Teacher An,” but she smiled and said, “Just call me senior sister. I graduated from the same academy as you, majoring in Drama, Film, and Television Literature.”

Lu Yinxi clinked glasses with her: “Senior Sister An, please take care of me.”

An Ruosu smiled and self-deprecatingly said, “There’s no need to talk about taking care of me. Our position as scriptwriters in the crew is not as important as a stage manager. Junior sister, you should take care of me instead.”

Lu Yinxi said, “Senior Sister An, you shouldn’t say that. The scriptwriter is the soul and brain of the entire crew. Without you, there wouldn’t be us.”

The young actors at the same table all echoed, “Yes, Senior Sister An, you are one of the creators, you are the soul of the project.”

A boy who was good at enlivening the atmosphere joked, “Senior Sister An, I heard that you were locked in a hotel by the production director and the script was rewritten over a whole month. Is that true?”

An Ruosu could only laugh helplessly, “Don’t mention it. I stayed in the hospital for four months for research. When I returned to the hotel, I was locked up for another month. They confiscated my phone and laptop, even unplugged the internet cable, and assigned someone specifically to watch me. It nearly drove me crazy.”

Everyone laughed and joked, toasting and saying it wasn’t easy.

After all the staff had entered, the main creative team took turns going on stage to speak. The producer, who had a large belly and came from a TV host background, held the microphone and, after a few calls to attract everyone’s attention, loudly declared, “Comrades, the 《Doctors’ Compassionate Hearts》 crew is officially established today!”

The audience below applauded and shouted, “Great!”

“I’ve read the script. Teacher An is truly a top scriptwriter in our industry. The writing is superb—professional and realistic! Absolutely wonderful! It’s tear-jerking!”

The audience below continued to cooperate with applause and cheers.

An Ruosu stood up and bowed to express her gratitude.

The atmosphere was warmed up, and the producer began to formally introduce the leaders attending the banquet.

Someone quietly joked, “Why does this feel like a meeting?”

“There are indeed provincial leaders and officials here, even President Jian personally came.”

From high to low, the provincial leaders and officials were introduced one by one. The producer loudly said, “Next, I want to solemnly introduce to everyone this person standing beside me. I believe everyone has seen her in the reports—outstanding female entrepreneur, Ms. Jian Yan!”

The entire room immediately erupted into thunderous applause.

Jian Yan took the microphone and, smiling, delivered a speech full of official and red-and-professional rhetoric: “Thank you everyone for the enthusiastic applause. Galaxy Film and Television Cultural Group is honored to be involved in the production of this project. We hope that our production team, under the leadership and guidance of the leaders present, will not spare any effort to create a television drama that is beloved by the people, has a profound impact, and is exquisitely produced…”

An Ruosu looked at the person on stage, her eyes smiling. She nudged the neighboring Lu Yinxu with her elbow and asked softly, “Junior sister, I heard that President Jian came here in your car today?”

The news spread so quickly?

Lu Yinxu asked softly, “Which source told you, Senior Sister An?”

“From your tone, is it indeed the case?”

Lu Yinxu replied indifferently, “By chance met on the road. President Jian is used to luxury cars and wanted to try the feeling of an ordinary small car.”

An Ruosu nodded and said no more.

Lu Yinxu sensed something and asked, “Senior Sister An, do you know President Jian?”

An Ruosu took a sip of wine, shook her head, and said, “I don’t know her.”

At nine o’clock, the dinner party ended, and An Ruosu, reeking of alcohol, returned to her room.

Upon entering, the room was not lit, but there was a faint red candlelight illuminating the interior.

Jian Yan had taken off her black suit and changed into a bright red dress. Sitting at the dining table, she cut a piece of steak and brought it to her lips.

Seeing An Ruosu come in, she set down her utensils, raised her red lips in a smile, and, like calling a pet, waved her hand and said gently, “An’An, come here.”

An Ruosu said nothing and walked over.

Jian Yan pulled An Ruosu onto her lap, wrapped her arms around her waist, removed her gold-rimmed glasses, and casually threw them to the floor. She leaned down and kissed her eyes, softly asking, “Do you miss me?”

Her voice, as gentle as water and somewhat bewitching, prompted An Ruosu to obediently cling to Jian Yan’s arm and reply, “Yes.”

Jian Yan smiled softly, lifted her wine glass to An Ruosu’s lips, fed her wine, and while doing so, whispered tenderly, “Last week, I was still playing the role of an elder sister, teaching my younger sister not to play with young girls’ feelings. Today, I’m here to play with you.”

The maliciously intended word “play” made An Ruosu swallow the red wine, her face suddenly flushing a deep red.

Jian Yan, observing her expression, affectionately kissed her lips and pulled her to the edge of the bed, pushing her down onto the soft bedding.

In the dead of night, on the snow-white wall, shadows moved and interlaced…

“Unhappy? Not satisfied?” After washing up, Jian Yan returned to bed, holding An Ruosu and gently stroking her long hair.

An Ruosu lay on the bed, burying her head in the pillow, and said, “The machine is on¹, and there’s some pressure. I’m afraid there will be many mistakes after it airs, and the audience will criticize me.”

Jian Yan kissed her hair, comforting her, “What are you afraid of? Who dares to criticize you? I’ll have someone hire water armies² to—”

An Ruosu turned her head, kissed Jian Yan’s lips to silence her, and said, “The audience has the right to their opinions; you can’t shut them up. I’m just afraid that I didn’t write well enough.”

Jian Yan thought for a moment and comforted her, saying, “Then I’ll find a few professional doctors to oversee it for you.”

“Doctors are all very busy; how would they have time to come to the film crew?”

Jian Yan smiled and said beside her ear, “That’s easy. I’ll find a sucker who, even without being paid, would be willing to come to the film crew every week, regardless of the weather.”

“Who would be so foolish?”

“A tumor doctor from the First Affiliated Hospital. But she’s a lunatic.”

“Can a lunatic also be a doctor?”

Jian Yan stood up, lit a cigarette, took a slow puff, bent down, gently blew out a smoke ring that landed on An Ruosu’s face, and smiled, saying, “She’s not crazy now, but who knows about the future? Her family has a hereditary mental illness. Her mother is a lunatic, and her grandmother was also a lunatic. Her mother is still in a mental hospital. Knowing she has a disease, yet she still harms young girls. What do you think, is she very wicked?”

An Ruosu coolly replied, “Are you a great benevolent person?”

“That’s correct. At every charity gala, I am the one who donates the most.” Jian Yan extinguished the cigarette butt, leaned down, and nibbled on An Ruosu’s earlobe, soothing her with sweet words, “Even if I am bad to everyone else, I won’t be bad to you.”

The kisses moved further down, and An Ruosu resisted, saying, “No… I’m tired…”

“You don’t have a choice.”

…

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1. The machine is on: Refers to the fact that the project (in this case, likely the television series or script) is in the process of being completed and is moving towards its public release.
2. Water armies: A term used in Chinese to refer to paid internet commenters or online influencers hired to post positive comments and counteract negative feedback about a product, person, or project.