Don’t Want a Divorce (17)
“Be good, quickly.”
“Isn’t it? You also think you will go crazy after seeing it?” Xu Jiao looked at herself in the mirror for a while, her expression still indifferent, as if the person dressed so revealingly was not her.
Ni Hong blinked, not quite understanding what she meant, and then saw Xu Jiao raise her hand and spread out her palm, casually saying, “Find me a coat, one that can cover my feet. I want to discuss today’s shooting theme with the advertising planner again.”
Ni Hong was still thinking about how explosive Xu Jiao’s advertisement would be. Hearing this request, she only thought that Xu Jiao had accepted the design and arrangement of this advertisement, not thinking too much. She just replied, “It seems that there are no long thin coats here…”
Hearing her words, Xu Jiao shifted her gaze away from herself in the mirror, her eyes slightly closed. Even though her height was not as tall as Ni Hong’s, for a moment, Ni Hong felt that this person seemed to be standing high and looking down on her.
She felt a sudden chill on the back of her neck but heard Xu Jiao say calmly, “Then a down jacket, long, large size, preferably knee-length. The air conditioning in this studio is very strong.”
Ni Hong nodded, watching her leave. Xu Jiao casually closed the fitting room door. It wasn’t until she came back with a red down jacket that Xu Jiao raised her hand to take it, put it on, and walked out.
……
Feng Qingyu’s manager, Lina, after handling her tasks, came to the ‘Anxin’ advertising studio as instructed by Feng Qingyu. When she previously negotiated Xu Jiao’s advertisement on Feng Qingyu’s behalf, there was a very positive response from the other side. Because Feng Qingyu asked her to be subtle, she did not follow up much.
Today, she mainly came to see what kind of advertisement Xu Jiao and her manager had negotiated.
“Lina—”
“Long time no see! Recently, Sister Yu accepted Director Zhen’s script, right? I see that now they are discussing the plot everywhere on short videos and Weibo. When it airs, the popularity will definitely rise to a higher level!”
‘Anxin’ is a product line under a large American company, holding a high market share in the domestic sanitary napkin market. It is considered one of the reliable big brands favored by Omega females. Additionally, their pheromone inhibitors are also very effective. Therefore, the person in charge of this brand has extensive connections and knows many celebrities and their agents. Upon seeing Lina, they greeted her with a smile.
Lina, smiling, pulled a chair over and sat in front of the advertisement shooting monitor. She casually chatted with the person in charge and naturally brought the topic to Xu Jiao’s current shooting content. After all, within the circle, few people were unaware of the relationship between Xu Jiao and Feng Qingyu.
“Her figure is indeed excellent. We had a very bold idea this time. Initially, we were prepared to be rejected since the inspiration for this came from abroad. But unexpectedly, her agent agreed straightforwardly!”
While speaking, the female person in charge crossed her hands over her knees, her smile warm and radiant. Seeing Lina here, she also considered the relationship with Feng Qingyu, and casually handed over the nearby advertising planning proposal for her to see:
“You came to check things out for Sister Yu today, right? She and Teacher Xu are family, so we can reveal the planning to you in advance.”
Lina raised her hand to take it, her smile kind and gentle, seemingly in the same vein as Feng Qingyu.
However, Feng Qingyu is the type who appears easy-going but is actually very principled, while Lina’s way of handling things is more like being resourceful and adaptable. She can be friends with anyone in the circle. As an agent of a large company, she treats people without any airs. Whatever is handed to her, she always responds with a smile, making it hard for others to discern her true feelings.
Casually flipping through the planning proposal, Lina quickly saw the shooting illustration of the outfit. Seeing the nearly nude design, her gaze lingered for a second, but her smile did not change in the slightest.
Maintaining a steady pace, she finished flipping through the proposal and handed the stack of A4 papers back. She then arranged an afternoon tea with the person in charge and suddenly remembered something, lightly clapping her hands:
“Oh dear, I need to inform Qingyu. She instructed me beforehand to let her know once I arrived at the studio.”
“You know, she and Teacher Xu…”
She left the sentence unfinished, but the person in charge of ‘Anxin’ already understood from her expression: “I get it, I get it. They are a divine couple, inseparable like glue. Sister Lina, go ahead and greet them first. By the way, do you prefer black tea or green tea? I’ll have someone prepare it for you.”
Lina chose black tea and then turned around, walking out of the studio with her phone, her kind smile fading away.
She stood in the long corridor outside the studio, with the thick walls blocking her expression. Since the people were mostly indoors, no one could hear her conversation.
Lina held the phone to her ear, and after a few beeps, Feng Qingyu’s voice came through: “Sister Lina.”
Lina glanced in the direction of the studio and said straightforwardly, “Have you seen Xu Jiao’s advertisement shooting plan?”
Feng Qingyu paused on the other side: “No, she said she wanted to negotiate it herself, without using my connections. So I pretended not to know and didn’t ask further. What’s the matter?”
Lina raised her hand and pinched the bridge of her nose: “I’ll keep it short — if this advertisement plan were for you, I would absolutely not agree to it. I don’t know if it’s her agent acting on their own or if she also agreed. I admit the shooting inspiration is very good, but there’s no need for it to be so… revealing.”
“There is already a severe Omega discrimination issue in society. Before the species differentiation, Omega’s social status was very low. They were more like tools for breeding, so their image was stereotypically weak, petite, and sexy. It has only started changing in recent years.”
“The content of Xu Jiao’s advertisement intends to showcase the beauty of the human body like ancient Greece, and to create an image of desire without sensuality, and emotion without exposure. However, the clothing provided by the advertisers could easily trigger an overreaction from those with Omega rights. I felt I needed to inform you…”
Before she finished speaking, Feng Qingyu on the other end was already repeating the key points word by word: “What beauty of the human body? What desire without sensuality, emotion without exposure?”
Lina paused, then made her previously indirect explanation much more straightforward: “It simply means there’s too little fabric on the body.”
“Go talk,” Feng Qingyu said curtly. “I’m coming over right away. Before I arrive, try not to let Jiaojiao start shooting. If she sees you, just say you want to help her communicate with the advertisers for better results. Don’t show any intention of obstructing her.”
Lina helplessly replied, “I get it now. She’s your little ancestor, right?”
Feng Qingyu chuckled lightly: “Yes, so please, Sister Lina, help me take care of my little ancestor.”
……
After hanging up the phone, Lina headed back towards the studio.
In the crowd, she quickly spotted a strikingly bright red figure. Upon closer look, she saw Xu Jiao wrapped in a red down jacket, seriously speaking in a low voice with the product manager and the advertising planner.
As Lina walked over, she pondered:
Strange.
Previously, Qingyu’s wife loved to show off and act bizarrely in front of others, as if afraid that people wouldn’t pay attention to her. However, the more she tried to assert her presence, the more annoying she became. Now, she was just quietly standing there, yet she drew everyone’s attention at first glance.
As if she were the center of the world and the stage.
Lina chuckled at the thought that popped into her head. Shaking off that strange “center of the world” theory, she quietly told herself: Maybe this is what stardom is.
When a star truly gets used to the camera and exudes an aura that surpasses the lenses capturing her, this kind of charm naturally emanates from her.
And when a star possesses this charm, she is either currently very popular or about to be.
While Lina was pondering these thoughts, she had already walked near Xu Jiao and happened to hear what she was saying to the advertising planner:
“… Both are equally aesthetic, making the advertisement unforgettable at first sight. These feather elements evoke thoughts of beautiful angels. But what is the essence of an angel’s aura? It is transcendence, kindness, and beauty, so the aura should be abstinent.”
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“Personally, I think this outfit looks more like a demon, rather cliché. Of course, this is just a small insight I had after seeing the outfit. I hope to have a full discussion with you all to present an effect that will satisfy the advertisers better.”
These words were smooth and flawless.
It was clear to the discerning eye that Xu Jiao had some objections to this outfit but didn’t want to capriciously give up this opportunity. Hence, she offered this kind of ‘communication.’ But her words were so eloquent and pleasing that the brand’s person in charge felt comforted. When someone uses such an attitude to communicate, as long as the other party is not overly authoritarian, their opinions are usually considered.
Lina was somewhat surprised and raised her eyebrows as she appraised Xu Jiao.
She had met Xu Jiao very few times, unlike those assistants around Feng Qingyu, like Luo Bo. However, whether from the few encounters or from Luo Bo’s descriptions, her impression of Xu Jiao was always “arrogant and domineering, with very low emotional intelligence.”
The way this person conducted herself in front of her…
Made her almost unrecognizable.
The first thought that came to her mind was: No wonder Feng Qingyu has started to truly appreciate her now.
At the moment.
Xu Jiao did not notice someone standing nearby observing her. Her full attention was on communicating with the planner, the advertising director, and the brand representatives. Her gaze remained on them while she spoke, exuding her utmost sincerity.
Ni Hong had been sent off somewhere, and she was not visible on the scene.
……
Hearing Xu Jiao’s words, the advertising director and planner exchanged glances. Then, the planner awkwardly raised his hand to scratch his head: “This outfit was specially borrowed according to your measurements. We also communicated several backup plans with your agent at that time. Of course, this one was the top priority. She said she had fully discussed it with you, so we only borrowed this one outfit.”
Lina, standing nearby, had already figured out the situation.
Xu Jiao had been set up by her agent.
Some agents operate on the principle that it’s better for their artists to be controversial and talked about, rather than not famous at all. They pursue short-term buzz and traffic, and therefore consider letting their artists take on some more controversial commercial content. Unless it’s entirely negative, they will accept it.
This kind of behavior generally only appears with those D-list celebrities.
Lina turned the phone in her hand, looking at Xu Jiao’s profile, and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
As an excellent agent, she has always despised those colleagues who act unscrupulously. For money and profit, they don’t consider the artist’s long-term career development and future. Such people, she even wants to drive out of the agent industry.
After sighing, Lina prepared to follow Feng Qingyu’s instructions to help Xu Jiao out of the predicament. She briefly recalled the fashion resources at hand and took a step forward—
“No problem.”
Xu Jiao’s voice rang out steadily.
She smiled at the few people in front of her: “I have already asked my agent to buy ten eiderdown quilts1. The outfit just needs a small alteration. Before that, I would like to discuss my inspiration with you all. Is that alright?”
She neither acted like a diva nor completely rejected others’ design ideas, but instead humbly presented her own thoughts and also provided a feasible solution.
Who wouldn’t like such an artist?
Lina couldn’t help but show an appreciative smile from the side. After nodding slowly, she remembered something and raised her hand to send a message to Feng Qingyu:
“You don’t need to come. This little ancestor of yours doesn’t need anyone to attend to her.”
Feng Qingyu called directly. From her voice, it seemed she had already left the film crew and gotten into the car.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Lina glanced again at Xu Jiao, who hadn’t noticed her presence from beginning to end. Holding her phone, she walked outside. Compared to her hurried steps before, she was now much more brisk.
“I have a feeling, I think ‘Anxin’ getting her as the new spokesperson is like striking gold—”
“Want to bet that the most shocking sanitary pad commercial in history is coming?”
Feng Qingyu: “???”
……
Xu Jiao personally took action, finding a few costume logistics people to help alter the outfit she was wearing.
The specific method was a bit embarrassing to describe—
She felt like a new type of cotton pillow, constantly pulling out those ethereal feathers from the newly bought eiderdown quilt and then tucking them into the fine mesh of the outfit, as if making new stuffing.
At first, when there were few feathers, it wasn’t noticeable, but now, with more feathers, Xu Jiao could feel the soft, tiny feather quills densely scraping against her skin. Sometimes, with a larger movement, she would accidentally get pricked by the tiny ends, which could easily make a person feel irritable.
But Xu Jiao remained calm from start to finish. Even when she noticed something wasn’t quite right, she endured the discomfort and personally reworked it, striving to present the most perfect advertisement effect in the end.
Half an hour later.
Xu Jiao reappeared in front of everyone. This time, she was no longer wearing that slightly bulky, bright red down jacket.
The fine, dense white feathers quietly and smoothly adhered to her body— in her hair, on her shoulders, arms, and neck… She looked like a little angel who had just hatched, with perfectly applied makeup that made her look pure and clean. Her exquisite curves were still visible, yet at this moment, no one associated her with that vulgar image.
Some fine feathers gently drifted from her back, softly tracing flying marks in the air. The wavy patterns… astonishingly resembled unfolding wings.
Accompanied by her current cold and indifferent expression.
It was as if holy light shone upon her, making people unable to look away, nor dare to cast any profane gaze. Everyone in the studio unconsciously stopped what they were doing and turned their attention to her.
Xu Jiao lightly lowered her eyes, as if unaware of the shock she caused, her eyes devoid of joy or sorrow, like a calm, traceless lake.
She was, of course, not surprised.
Because her desire to successfully shoot this advertisement was so strong, it made the world hear her voice. If someone could look closely, they would find that those originally unruly, uncomfortable feathers were now obediently and neatly arranged according to her design. Even those that accidentally flew out due to her movements strived to create the most perfect effect for her.
The beautiful scene everyone saw, like an illusion, was not a dream.
Even the holy light-like background was not an illusion.
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It was Xu Jiao’s voice that brought everyone back to reality: “Teachers, is this look acceptable?”
The advertising planner, director, and ‘Anxin’ brand representatives involuntarily nodded. The photographer, coming to his senses, looked at his camera and found that he had unknowingly taken several shots of Xu Jiao. Those poses were so beautiful and spiritual that they hardly needed any post-processing.
Beauty that profoundly shocked the soul.
“Good, good, good! This is the feeling! Let’s try it in one take!”
“Yes! Prepare the set! Lights!”
“Hurry, hurry, hurry!”
……
By the time Feng Qingyu arrived, the advertisement had already been completed. Xu Jiao had changed back into her original clothes and was continuously yawning, holding a tissue in her hand, with her nose rubbed red.
Ni Hong was fawning over her, nodding and bowing, and serving her tea and water.
However, Xu Jiao neither took the water nor paid any attention to the other things Ni Hong was offering with a smile. She merely managed to suppress another urge to sneeze, her nose a bit red, her eyes bloodshot, and her voice somewhat hoarse as she said:
“Sister Hong.”
“Did I not tell you that regardless of what script, commercial endorsement, or plan we receive, you must discuss the specific content with me?”
Ni Hong nodded submissively: “Yes, yes, yes, mainly because I thought it would be the same as before. Didn’t I inform you of the brand before accepting it? And I also reviewed the contract terms for you, right? Moreover, this brand is really nationally recognized. I was just worried that you might miss a great opportunity to make a name for yourself because you couldn’t let go of your worries.”
“Jiaojiao—”
She wanted to bring up past events to appeal to Xu Jiao’s emotions, but Xu Jiao raised her hand to signal her to stop.
Although her expression looked quite unthreatening due to the allergic reaction to the feathers, Xu Jiao was never one to show her attitude through fierceness. She calmly said:
“I think our philosophies are quite incompatible.”
“Sister Hong, I don’t want to say much about the reasons you initially found me. We both know what you’ve done for me over the years and what kind of treatment I’ve provided you.”
“But there’s no such thing as a feast that lasts forever. Thank you for accompanying me until today.”
Ni Hong was completely stunned.
She almost couldn’t hold onto the cup in her hand, as if she couldn’t believe Xu Jiao would fire her over such a small matter. It took her quite a while to find her voice.
“Jiaojiao,” Ni Hong began, “I’m just being reprimanded for not discussing a planning case with you, and you’re making such a big deal out of it? Can’t we talk this over? Aren’t you being a bit too heartless?”
Xu Jiao held the tissue in her hand.
She looked up at Ni Hong, her gaze devoid of much warmth, as if looking at a complete stranger: “Sister Hong, the reason you didn’t communicate with me wasn’t because of negligence, but because you guessed that I would very likely reject this advertisement. So, you glossed over the details and tricked me into signing the contract with the advertiser first—”
“In this way, even if I wanted to back out after seeing the plan, I would be deterred by the huge breach of contract penalty.”
“You know very well that my biggest fear is having no money. So, is it really me who is making a big fuss, or are you the one with ulterior motives? You should be clear on that. I am not your cash cow to be manipulated, understand?”
Seeing that Ni Hong still wanted to say something more.
Xu Jiao lost her patience, her aura fully unleashed, and she stared at Ni Hong expressionlessly. Her eyes were like bottomless abysses, making people instinctively feel fear.
“I just want to be an actor here. Don’t get in my way, alright?”
Even though Ni Hong couldn’t smell the pheromones on Xu Jiao, the moment she met Xu Jiao’s gaze and heard her say this, a chill rose from her soles. She even felt her shoulders become heavy, as if an immense, inexplicable pressure was pressing down on her, making her feel like she was about to be crushed into dust by some terrifying force.
She opened her lips but couldn’t make a sound. It wasn’t until Xu Jiao walked away from her that the feeling of being ground into powder by an overwhelming force disappeared.
Ni Hong had no idea that she was almost despised by the Creator. She sat limply on the ground, momentarily forgetting where she was, just sweating and clutching her heart, unable to recover for a long while.
She had originally wanted to confront Xu Jiao about their past favors and obligations, but for some reason, now she felt utterly disheartened at the thought. Her mind was filled with just one thought:
Do I have a heart disease?
No, she needed to get checked.
……
As soon as Xu Jiao shook off that lousy agent and turned out of the corridor, she saw Feng Qingyu in front of her. It was unclear how much she had heard.
She didn’t care, just pulled her short jacket tighter, covered her nose with a tissue, sneezed again, and asked, “Did you finish your shoot?”
Feng Qingyu made a sound of acknowledgment, “Hmm,” and stared into her eyes, gently saying, “You don’t seem surprised to see me here.”
Xu Jiao shrugged, “I just saw your agent—”
“She seemed to want to help me communicate with the brand, but I already resolved the matter.”
Feng Qingyu looked at her with arched eyebrows, her tone softening even more as she walked down the stairs alongside her, “I know, Sister Lina praised you, saying that even if you weren’t a star, you’d have a great future as an agent. You’re really amazing.”
Xu Jiao raised her eyebrows slightly and responded leisurely, “Then she has a good eye.”
Feng Qingyu couldn’t help but let out an even brighter smile, her gaze unwilling to leave Xu Jiao as she said, “I was the one who said you were amazing. But—would you consider letting her be your agent?”
Xu Jiao squinted her eyes slightly, glancing sideways at the person beside her.
But before she could answer, Feng Qingyu suddenly stepped forward, pinning her against the stair railing. She raised her hand to touch the spot on Xu Jiao’s neck near her shoulder, her breath brushing over, and she said in a low voice:
“How did you get hurt? Did something scratch you here? The skin is broken.”
Xu Jiao raised her hand to scratch it. She didn’t like always carrying the Creator’s halo, as it felt like playing a game with cheats on, making things dull and uninteresting. So, after filming the advertisement, the feathers became messy again, causing her allergic rhinitis and leaving fine red marks on her body. In some places, the itching was so intense that she scratched them until the skin broke.
She casually said, “The outfit just now was quite special, so I had an allergic reaction.”
As she spoke, she raised her hand to scratch her neck again, but Feng Qingyu grabbed her wrist, “Don’t move.”
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Feng Qingyu held her wrist firmly, bringing her face closer to examine the fine red marks on her neck, “Stop scratching. This wound needs medication. I’ll have someone buy it.”
Xu Jiao lowered her eyes to look at her wrist being held.
After a moment, she lazily curled her lips:
“Feng Qingyu.”
Xu Jiao reminded her with a half-smile, “Can you not take advantage of me under the guise of caring for me? Hmm?”
Her eyes held a hint of mockery as she raised her wrist, signaling Feng Qingyu to let go.
Feng Qingyu obediently released her grip and even stepped back a little, as if not wanting Xu Jiao to misunderstand her intentions. After thinking for a moment, she spoke again to persuade her, “If you don’t apply medication, your neck will be unpresentable tomorrow. Do you want to go on set with a patch on it?”
Xu Jiao was successfully persuaded by her.
She touched the wrist that Feng Qingyu had just grabbed, quite surprised that this person was so obedient today, letting go as soon as she was told to.
Until…
That night, back at the hotel.
After Xu Jiao finished her shower, she heard a knock on the door. With still damp hands, she grasped the door handle, opened the door, and saw Feng Qingyu standing outside with a bag of medicine. As she walked in, she gave Xu Jiao a gentle and harmless smile.
Xu Jiao allowed her to enter and had just closed the door. When she turned around, she found Feng Qingyu standing right behind her, the scent of bitter orange pheromones subtly surrounding her.
The instigator smiled without a hint of aggression and softly said:
“Take it off.”
Xu Jiao: “…?”
Seeing that Xu Jiao hadn’t moved, Feng Qingyu looked puzzled and urged her, “Hurry up, you just showered, right? These wounds will definitely get worse if they’ve been exposed to water. If you don’t apply the medication quickly, your skin will swell by tomorrow.”
“Be good,” she said. “Take it off quickly.”
Footnotes
- Eiderdown quilts (鸭绒被): High-quality quilts filled with eiderdown, known for their warmth.
Eiderdown: small, soft feathers from the breast of the female eider duck.
