Ex-Girlfriend – Chapter 68
by Little PandaAmusing Ourselves to Death
Manager 05
Queen
With such a good opportunity, how could Xin Lan possibly not go? She immediately replied to Cheng Zhi, asking him to send the time and location, and if convenient, to directly send his girlfriend’s contact information.
Cheng Zhi quickly sent over a string of numbers, which Xin Lan copied, pasted, and added.
【Xiao Yuanzi】: Hello, I am Yuan Xiaoyuan.
【Xin Lan】: No need to be so formal. I’m older than you, you can call me Sister Xin, or follow Cheng Zhi and call me Sister Lan.
【Xiao Yuanzi】: Okay, Sister Lan!
Xin Lan’s fingers slid across the keyboard as she chatted with Yuan Xiaoyuan about Qin Yuyan’s grandmother’s birthday banquet.
Qin Yuyan’s grandmother was a Kunqu Opera [昆曲 | Kūnqǔ | classical Chinese opera form from Kunshan] singer, and Yuan Xiaoyuan studied it too. Her family had some distant relations with the Qin family, but Yuan Xiaoyuan and Qin Yuyan weren’t close, having only met a few times.
It wouldn’t work if Yuan Xiaoyuan were to approach someone too rashly, but fortunately, it was Qin Yuyan’s grandmother’s birthday celebration. Their family was invited to this moderate-sized banquet with not-too-strict requirements, so it would be quite easy for Yuan Xiaoyuan to bring someone along.
Xin Lan was so engrossed in the chat that she only noticed the advertisement shooting had finished when Shen Yun walked up to her.
“Finished?”
“Mm.”
Shen Yun’s expression turned unpleasant for a moment, but she quickly suppressed it, only her tightly clenched fists betraying her unease.
When had Xin Lan ever been so indifferent to her? Although she brought her to shoot the advertisement, her heart and mind weren’t focused on her at all, as if whether she shot it or not was just an insignificant matter.
Clearly, in the past when she was filming things, Xin Lan’s entire heart and spirit would be on her, and when she occasionally looked over, Xin Lan would encourage her with her gaze.
An inexplicable feeling of grievance rose in Shen Yun’s heart. How could this person change so suddenly – just days ago she was still speaking of love, but now wouldn’t even spare her a glance.
Xin Lan had just finished talking with Yuan Xiaoyuan, confirming their meeting time. She put away her phone and walked forward with Shen Yun.
As they walked out, Shen Yun finally couldn’t hold back and spoke up.
“You’re not even going to ask how my shooting went?”
“Don’t you already know in your heart whether you shot well or not?”
“What if I say I don’t think it went well?”
“If you yourself think it’s not good, why bother asking others?”
Xin Lan cast a cold glance at Shen Yun, contempt fully evident.
Shen Yun bit the inside of her lip, walking beside Xin Lan while struggling to maintain her emotional composure.
“Do you have to be like this? You’re the one who said we should break up, but I don’t want to accept this result. Yet do you have to deny me even a shred of face, constantly mocking and ridiculing me?”
“Face?” Xin Lan stopped walking and gave a cold laugh. “Do you know what really denying you face means? It would be me getting in the car now and making you walk back by yourself – that’s what denying face means. In front of others, I’ve actually given you plenty of face.”
“You won’t do that. If you did, tomorrow’s entertainment headlines would be ‘Famous Actress Targeted by Her Manager.'”
Xin Lan raised her eyebrows noncommittally and opened the car door.
Even if she wanted to target someone, she wouldn’t use such a low method.
“You have a livestream at 8 PM tonight. The APP that needs promotion is on your third device. Miao Miao, remember the time and give it to her then. The day after tomorrow afternoon, there’s a variety show inviting you as a guest star in Hai Cheng. So you’ll need to leave tomorrow. I’ll send the script to Er Qin once I get it, and have her print it for you. The variety show will take two days to film – don’t cause any problems, and remember your public image. There’s a dinner meeting on the 21st, your variety show should end on the afternoon of the 20th, so book a flight back then, and I’ll pick you up.”
Xin Lan spoke while making notes in her phone’s memo app, while Miao Miao and Zhou Qinqin nodded beside her to show they understood.
Shen Yun’s interest notably dropped at the mention of the dinner meeting, and she closed her eyes, withdrawing into herself.
However, she was still happy inside – being kept this busy meant Xin Lan wasn’t planning to cut off her resources.
Xin Lan had the driver take her back to Xing Tu, with assistant An An following behind her as she got out of the car.
“Sister Lan, you have a dinner meeting with the advertisers tonight.”
“Alright, notify me when it’s time.”
Good resources don’t just fall into one’s lap, you have to fight for them yourself. But discussing resources and building relationships isn’t like negotiations – it requires skill, and inevitably involves dining and drinking.
Besides actively seeking resources, one must also screen those that come to you – some have value, some don’t.
While Xin Lan was working hard, she suddenly remembered her system hadn’t spoken for a while.
Xin Lan: Jiu’er, what have you been up to lately? Watching dramas?
Ling Jiu: I only watch dramas in non-tech planes. Right now I’m busy fighting.
Xin Lan: Fighting with whom?
Ling Jiu: Shen Yun’s brainless fans! The other day I passed by a post and left a comment saying Shen Yun is two-faced, and her fans chased after me cursing. How could I tolerate that?
Ling Jiu: Heh, just kidding, daddy doesn’t need to eat or sleep for 24 hours, those three can’t outfight me alone.
Ling Jiu: And host, let me tell you, I’ve even joined Shen Yun’s anti-fan organization, and I’ve already worked my way up to become a small leader of the anti-fans!
The previous world was very idle, but this world has lots to do.
Ling Jiu threw herself into the business of fighting trolls. Due to her special nature, she even kept watch on Shen Yun’s alternate account. Whenever she appeared to comment, Ling Jiu would definitely counter-attack.
Who says you can’t fight with the actual person? She kept her eyes on the main target herself.
Some of Shen Yun’s brainless fans’ fighting power couldn’t be underestimated, but who was she? How could she possibly be defeated by a few humans?
Xin Lan: So you’re busy?
Ling Jiu: I’m always here, keeping strict surveillance on Shen Yun. Just call me if you need anything, chu mi~ [啾咪 | jiū mī | cutesy way of saying goodbye, similar to “kisses”]
Xin Lan pinched her nose bridge and continued to work with her head down.
For the afternoon dinner meeting, Xin Lan touched up her makeup in front of the mirror before heading out. The other party was a middle-aged man in his forties who kept making small talk with Xin Lan, saying things like how promising her artist was and discussing future prospects. His words also hinted at wanting to arrange a private meeting, but Xin Lan laughed it off and redirected the conversation.
She was certain her temper had truly improved, as even this didn’t anger her.
Although the advertiser neither succeeded in arranging a meeting nor gained any advantage, he did manage to make Xin Lan drink quite a lot.
Xin Lan’s cheeks were flushed red, but her eyes remained clear, while the advertiser across from her had already been drunk under the table [喝趴下 | hē pā xià | to drink until collapsed], dizzily clutching his wine glass.
Xin Lan said goodbye to the advertiser’s assistant and left the private room with her bag.
The wind outside the restaurant sobered Xin Lan up a bit. An An came to support her, but she waved her hand, watching as An An opened the car door for her before sitting in the back seat.
“Sister Lan, are you alright?”
Xin Lan gave a sound of acknowledgment, but wasn’t feeling very well.
The original host’s alcohol tolerance wasn’t actually very outstanding, and after she came, she couldn’t raise this value much either. She had deliberately drunk so much just now, wanting to test her alcohol tolerance limit for future reference, but now she was feeling a bit tipsy.
Not feeling well, after the driver had been driving for a while, Xin Lan asked him to stop the car. Without bothering to take the garbage bag from An An’s hand, she vomited by a nearby trash can.
Ling Jiu: Host, are you okay?
Xin Lan felt her head buzzing, and shook it trying to clear her mind.
The garbage can emitted a putrid, sour stench, which intensified her urge to vomit.
After throwing up, she didn’t feel as uncomfortable anymore. Xin Lan took a tissue to wipe her lips and threw the garbage into the trash can.
Just as Xin Lan was about to get in the car to leave, she heard Ling Jiu’s call.
Ling Jiu: Host, wait! At seven o’clock direction, that tea shop, I just saw Qin Yuyan walk in with someone. There shouldn’t be any capture error.
Xin Lan’s footsteps paused as she hesitated.
Going over there now reeking of alcohol, wouldn’t that give a bad impression?
But this hesitation lasted only a moment. She closed the car door and told An An and the driver to leave first.
“Sister Lan, aren’t you going home?”
“I want to get some fresh air. You all go ahead, I’ll take a taxi back later.”
“Will it be safe for you to be alone?”
“Don’t worry.”
“Alright then, when you get home, give me a call or send me a message.”
“Okay.”
After An An got in the car, Xin Lan let down her coiled hair [盤着的頭發 | pán zhe de tóu fǎ | hair worn in a bun], then took out wet wipes from her bag to gently clean her face and hands, making herself look better before entering the tea shop Ling Jiu had mentioned.
This tea shop was large, with several customers inside selecting tea.
As soon as Xin Lan entered, Qin Yuyan noticed her.
Xin Lan was wearing a professional suit, her slightly curled long hair flowing behind her, her beautiful face showing a flush, and carrying the smell of alcohol – such a person appearing in a tea shop was naturally eye-catching.
But what caught Qin Yuyan’s attention wasn’t these things, but rather that vague sense of familiarity rising in her heart.
That feeling drew her to look at that person, so much so that she only came back to her senses when the person beside her tapped her shoulder.
“What are you looking at?”
“That person, I feel like I’ve seen them somewhere before.”
“Who?”
Qin Susu followed Qin Yuyan’s line of sight and thoughtfully narrowed her eyes.
“She is quite good-looking, but I’ve never seen her before. Maybe you noticed her somewhere before. I’ve already picked out what I want, just need to pay. As for the jade shop, let’s have Li Zi take us tomorrow.”
Qin Yuyan responded absent-mindedly, her peripheral vision still focused on the woman in the suit.
She really did look familiar, yet she couldn’t place that face in her memories.
While paying attention, Qin Yuyan saw that person turn around and meet her gaze, giving her a smile.
Something seemed to rumble in the depths of her heart, leaving Qin Yuyan momentarily dazed and enchanted.
That tingling sensation like an electric current spread upward from her fingertips, and something uncertain in Qin Yuyan’s heart quietly settled into place.
Like scattered catkin, silently and imperceptibly falling into the soil, taking root and sprouting where no one could see.
Xin Lan was somewhat surprised that Qin Yuyan had noticed her, though this could only be good, not bad.
She smiled at Qin Yuyan, her mind racing frantically, yet unable to think of a good way to start a conversation that wouldn’t be awkward or abrupt.
Suddenly her stomach contracted, and that urge to vomit returned.
Xin Lan hurried outside, ignoring Qin Yuyan, and supported herself against a tree with one hand pressing her stomach as she dry heaved.
This really was an imperfect meeting, Xin Lan thought.
As Xin Lan was recovering, she saw a bottle of water appear in her line of sight.
“Are you alright?”
Qin Yuyan’s voice was clear and pleasant, carrying a hint of coolness.
Xin Lan accepted the water with some surprise, thanking Qin Yuyan.
This girl seemed even kinder than she had imagined.
Qin Susu, who had reached the shop entrance, was completely bewildered – she had just paid for their purchases, how did she turn around to find her sister offering water to a stranger?
The problem was, they hadn’t brought any water with them when they went out.
LP: Re-translated on February 07, 2025
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