The Truth
I contacted you two years ago.
Ji Zibo was truly speechless; which idiot would release this kind of clip to deliberately confuse people? If she didn’t know this was the audition for Stirred Emotions, she might have really been tricked by it; the audition for Stirred Emotions had not been publicly released yet. Only she, Jin Shuilan, Lu Zhenqiu, and Bai Mao had heard it. It hadn’t even been sent in the production crew’s group chat, precisely because they wanted to give everyone a surprise. Now look, a surprise suddenly turned into a scare!
She was so angry she rolled her eyes and couldn’t help but ask Lu Zhenqiu, “Qiuqiu, that audition for Stirred Emotions, besides sending it to Teacher Jin, was there anyone else?”
“The audition?” Lu Zhenqiu was a bit dazed. “I only sent it to her.”
Ji Zibo nodded. “And besides her?”
“No one else.” Lu Zhenqiu had only sent it to Jin Shuilan, and then she said she would send it to Bai Mao and Ji Zibo to listen to. Why was this matter suddenly being brought up now?
Ji Zibo calculated in her heart and said, “Alright, I’ll give Teacher Jin a call.”
Lu Zhenqiu sat up straight, turning her head to look at Ji Zibo. Her gaze didn’t waver, remaining fixed on her phone. Ji Zibo called Jin Shuilan, and it was picked up after just two rings. “En, what is it?”
Ji Zibo glanced at Lu Zhenqiu and said, “It’s too noisy, I’ll go outside to talk.”
Lu Zhenqiu watched her walk out holding the phone and suddenly felt an emptiness in her heart. Ji Zibo asked, “Did you see the thing on the internet?”
“The matter with the audition?” Jin Shuilan’s tone betrayed no happiness or anger; it was just cool. Ji Zibo thought she hadn’t rested well and asked, “Are you still at work?”
“Revising the script.” In three days, she had only slept for six hours. It was the first time Jin Shuilan had sat for so long that her lower back ached. The new professor had pointed out many errors to them, and fearing she wouldn’t understand, he even took her on a business trip, flying to see the actual locations. Therefore, Jin Shuilan had absolutely no way to rest. Ji Zibo heard her slightly weary voice say, “Don’t blame me for not giving you a chance. I know you two are having a tiff, and now is the chance to make up. With her audition being like this, if you help clarify, then meet up when you come back, I guarantee all your problems will be solved.”
Ji Zibo was genuinely thinking of the two of them. Otherwise, for such a small matter, she could have clarified it herself; why would she need to contact Jin Shuilan in such a hurry?
What was unexpected was that Jin Shuilan refused.
“You should handle it.”
Ji Zibo cleaned out her ear. “Me? Are you sure you don’t want to seize this opportunity?”
Jin Shuilan was silent for two seconds. If it were before, she wouldn’t have needed Ji Zibo to say anything and would have definitely handled it properly for Lu Zhenqiu. But recently, she would recall from time to time the words Lu Zhenqiu had said when she first arrived at the hotel.
Matters that she can handle well, she hopes she can handle by herself.
During this period of separation, Jin Shuilan had also thought a lot. Actually, before all that business with Lu Yan, she had many opportunities to explain, but she didn’t. It wasn’t just because she was worried Lu Zhenqiu wouldn’t be able to accept it; on another hand, she felt that she hadn’t done anything wrong. She had just given Lu Zhenqiu an opportunity, and the one who was able to seize the opportunity and climb up was Lu Zhenqiu herself.
She had never truly stood from Lu Zhenqiu’s perspective to consider the problem.
So during this period, she had actually been reflecting.
Ji Zibo didn’t understand the conflict between them, but hearing her say she wouldn’t handle it, she had no choice but to continue, “Then I’ll handle it. I saw that Qiuqiu was quite nervous when I was on the phone. Have you two not been in contact recently?”
Jin Shuilan was silent for two seconds.
They had been in contact, but not much. Every time Lu Zhenqiu said she wanted to talk, she would just say “next time.” She didn’t dare to think about talking, about what they would talk about. She just treated it as deceiving herself.
Before, she used to look down on Tang Yingxia, thinking she was a coward.
How was she herself any different?
Jin Shuilan pinched the bridge of her nose, took off her glasses, and said, “Let’s talk again when I get back.”
Ji Zibo made a sound of “en” and hung up the phone.
After she went back in, the table was very silent. Everyone was holding a phone, and even Lu Zhenqiu was staring at her screen with an ugly expression. She walked in and clapped her hands once. “Let’s get to work.”
The others were startled. “Ah? What work?”
Ji Zibo said, “The work for the radio drama, of course. Someone is giving us free publicity right now. If we don’t seize this opportunity, wouldn’t we be letting down their kind intentions?”
Everyone was baffled. It was the post-production staffer who reacted first. Her voice trembling, she asked in disbelief, “Could it be that this, from Qiuqiu, is the voice acting for the Stirred Emotions radio drama?”
They had all read the original text of Stirred Emotions. The bed scenes inside truly surpassed many of Bai Mao’s other works, and this book was hailed as the ultimate struggle between sex·love and reason, which naturally spoke volumes.
The others also looked at Ji Zibo. Ji Zibo nodded. “That’s right. Are you looking forward to it?”
“Wocao1!” someone blurted out. “This voice is nothing like Lu Yin’s! I was just listening and my bones went soft!”
“Me too, I just didn’t dare to say it, hahahahahaha.”
“Really? I don’t believe it, unless you let me listen to the complete audition.”
Everyone was discussing animatedly, all fantasizing about digging the complete audition out of Ji Zibo. Ji Zibo said, “It will be uploaded to the internet in a bit. No need to rush, everyone will be able to hear it.”
This was the first part of Lu Zhenqiu’s audition; the scale wasn’t as large as the later parts. If the later high climax part had been leaked, Ji Zibo probably would have had the heart to kill someone.
She lowered her head and got busy, while the others discussed, “That’s not right, how did it get misunderstood like this?”
“The moment I heard it, I said it was impossible. Qiuqiu would absolutely not be that kind of person.”
“Exactly, this counts as slander, right? I saw the retweets have already passed one thousand; a lawsuit can be filed.”
“They must apologize! There must be an explanation for this matter!”
Someone else asked Lu Zhenqiu, “Qiuqiu, who else did you send it to?”
Lu Zhenqiu’s face was slightly pale as she shook her head. “No one.”
She hadn’t sent it to anyone else.
As Lu Zhenqiu finished speaking, her phone buzzed twice. She looked down and saw a message from Jin Shuilan: 【Qiuqiu, it’s okay.】
Just now, seeing so many sharp words on the internet, she didn’t cry.
Just now, receiving so many private messages, she didn’t cry.
Facing the doubtful gazes of the others in the production crew, she also didn’t cry.
But now, just because of Jin Shuilan’s one sentence, the tip of Lu Zhenqiu’s nose tingled with sourness. She almost couldn’t hold her phone, lowering her head to bite her fingertip, again and again, biting until it turned white and was marked with deep teeth imprints.
“Alright,” Ji Zibo said. “In a moment, everyone please help retweet it.”
Ji Zibo had the widest network of contacts. She used the production crew’s official Weibo to post a clarification. In a short while, many voice actors had gathered, all of whom were people she had collaborated with before. Lu Zhenqiu also received an @. She clicked on it and saw the post from the official Weibo: 【Thank you to our friend for helping with the publicity, but to clarify, this is not some video with a senior executive, but the audition for our upcoming radio drama, Stirred Emotions. The complete audition is here, click the link.】
The number one hot comment was a comment from the official Weibo itself: 【Friend, you need evidence to speak on the internet. You stole our audition and privately smeared someone. Please apologize within two hours. We reserve the right to pursue legal action.】
The netizens weren’t fools, either. It’s impossible to smear a person based on just a recording from a small account2, to want to smear a person is impossible. However, because the recent incident between Lu Zhenqiu and Lu Yan had caused a relatively big stir, and Lu Yan had spoken with such certainty, Lu Yan’s fans hated her to death. Regardless of whether it was true or not, they first arranged for the defamatory material to be spread. They didn’t expect Ji Zibo to pull a return-thrust-of-the-spear3.
Below the official Weibo post, a large crowd of fans, melon-eating4 netizens, and voice actors quickly gathered.
Bai Nuannuan: 【Speechless. Turns out auditions can be played this way? But thanks, I guess, for letting me hear my family’s Susu’s voice in advance.】
My family’s Susu.
Her fans propped up5.
After all, their Stirred Emotions radio drama hadn’t had any promotions released; even the voice actors for the roles hadn’t been announced. Now, the voice actors for two main characters were being announced at once, and one of them was Bai Nuannuan, no less!
Bai Nuannuan’s fans were crying out ao’ao.
【Ahhhhhhh, Nuannuan, Mama is here!】
【Wocao, it’s actually our Nuannuan! Nuannuan and Qiuqiu, expectation level maxed out!】
【What kind of dogshit6 small account, can’t even lead the rhythm7 properly. You can’t really expect a single audio clip with nothing to it to be able to destroy a person, right?】
【What era is this, that there are still such brainless morons. Blackies8, die for this grandpa9! I declare that Qiuqiu is my new daughter! Daughter, record a little more, Mama loves to listen!】
【Help ahhhhh, after listening to that audition, who could not love Susu! Who could!】
Besides the fans who were happy about the clarification, many voice actors who had collaborated with Ji Zibo also helped retweet, adding captions hoping that this kind of thing taken out of context would happen less.
After Lu Zhenqiu retweeted, Chang’an’s official Weibo also, quite rarely, retweeted it, stating that during their collaboration with her, Lu Zhenqiu’s attitude toward her work was extremely rigorous and serious, and they believe she is not the kind of person the rumors make her out to be.
There were also the nodding acquaintances10 Lu Zhenqiu had made at the previous gala.
Those streamers she had just met.
Lu Zhenqiu watched as the private messages were gradually replaced by words of comfort. Those heartwarming words appeared before her eyes through the screen. She took a deep breath and said to Ji Zibo, “Teacher Ji, I’m going to step out for a moment.”
She wanted to calm down.
Ji Zibo asked, “Do you want me to accompany you?”
Lu Zhenqiu shook her head. “No need.” She added, “Thank you, Teacher Ji.”
Ji Zibo said, “It’s a small matter.”
A lump formed in Lu Zhenqiu’s throat. She blinked her eyes and walked out of the private room. The window in the hallway was open, and a cool breeze was blowing. Lu Zhenqiu had just been standing there for two seconds when she heard someone call out, “Qiuqiu.”
She turned her head, and it was unexpectedly Zhen Yuan.
Zhen Yuan walked to her side. Lu Zhenqiu stood up straight, the rims of her eyes turning red. She hadn’t expected that Zhen Yuan would happen to be present for both farces. Just as her thoughts were running wild, Zhen Yuan handed her a facial tissue. Lu Zhenqiu was slightly startled and raised her eyes to look at Zhen Yuan.
“Actually, for the past two years, I’ve always wanted to say sorry to you.”
Lu Zhenqiu froze on the spot. “To me?”
She suspected Zhen Yuan might be drunk.
Zhen Yuan lowered her head and said, “That incident from two years ago, I know it had a big impact on you.”
Even though it wasn’t her intention, it still brought no small impact to Lu Zhenqiu. She heard that she stopped accepting radio dramas and later quit the circle. Mentioning this, Zhen Yuan also felt very guilty. Lu Zhenqiu waved her hand. “It was my fault. I was the one who didn’t submit the audio on time.”
“It wasn’t to that extent…” Zhen Yuan paused for a moment. At the end of the day, it was the investor who wanted to replace her, and she had already acted as the executioner11; she couldn’t shirk the responsibility now. She changed her tune, “In any case, the crime did not merit such a punishment12.”
Lu Zhenqiu lowered her head, silent for a moment.
Zhen Yuan said, “But it’s quite good now, too. Seeing you return to this circle again, I’m also quite happy.”
Lu Zhenqiu said softly, “Thank you, Teacher Zhen Yuan.”
“It’s nothing,” Zhen Yuan said. “That matter just now, don’t take it to heart. There are all kinds of people on the internet. As long as someone wants to defame you, you’ll encounter all sorts of bizarre things.”
Lu Zhenqiu nodded.
Zhen Yuan finished speaking, exchanged a smile with Lu Zhenqiu, and prepared to turn and go back. She suddenly remembered something else, turned her head back, and asked Lu Zhenqiu, “By the way, Jinxiu13 asked me to ask, is your upcoming schedule full?”
“Jinxiu?” Lu Zhenqiu asked. “Jinxiu Studio?”
“Yes.” Zhen Yuan nodded. “Them, they asked me to ask you two years ago, but you didn’t reply back then.”
Lu Zhenqiu was dumbfounded. “Two years ago?”
Zhen Yuan’s expression was serious. “Yes, two years ago, didn’t you withdraw from my production crew? They wanted you to go over to their side, and later they asked me to ask you. Didn’t I have Sheng Xia14 ask you?”
A chill ran through Lu Zhenqiu’s entire body. “Sheng Xia?”
“Yes,” Zhen Yuan said. “Sheng Xia knows our investor and came to the production crew at that time. My relationship with you back then was a bit… Later, I remembered that you had voiced a role in Sheng Xia’s radio drama, so I asked Sheng Xia. She said she was quite familiar with you, so I had her ask you.” She smiled. At that time, she had indeed wanted to restore her relationship with Lu Zhenqiu by helping her get into Jinxiu’s production, as she had been very satisfied with Lu Zhenqiu’s audition and hoped for future opportunities to cooperate.
But unexpectedly, there was no reply from Lu Zhenqiu.
At the time, she thought that Lu Zhenqiu didn’t want to have anything to do with her, so when there was no reply, she didn’t press the matter further.
Hearing this, Lu Zhenqiu’s face turned slightly pale. She keenly caught hold of a thread, but she couldn’t recall the connection. It was just a vague feeling as her thoughts scattered.
Two years ago, Zhen Yuan entrusted Tang Yingxia with the matter of Jinxiu’s radio drama.
But Tang Yingxia didn’t tell her.
Did she forget?
Then what about the message Ji Zibo sent later? That also disappeared?
And the fact that she hadn’t received the notification of the audition time from Zhen Yuan back then—was that really an accident?
With so many coincidences, she was beginning to believe they weren’t just coincidences. Lu Zhenqiu clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms, her body tense. She said to Zhen Yuan, “Teacher Zhen Yuan, I have something to attend to and need to go back first. Could I trouble you to let Teacher Ji know?”
Zhen Yuan: “Of course, be careful on your way.”
Lu Zhenqiu nodded. “Okay.”
She turned her head, exited the wine building15, and hailed a taxi at the entrance. She didn’t go back to her own place, but instead gave the name of Tang Yingxia’s residential complex. The entire way, her body remained tense, her thoughts a chaotic mess. When she got out of the car, the cold wind sobered her up a little. As she was paying, she glimpsed the individual bloody marks in her palm that her fingernails had dug out.
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