A Max-Level Film Queen Takes on the Scumbag Alpha Script [Transmigration] - Chapter 48

A night of good dreams.

The warm morning sun peeked through the gaps in the curtains, landing on Jiang Baihe’s impeccable face. She slowly roused from sleep, struggling within the warmth of the covers for a moment before finally climbing up with sleepy eyes, sitting on the bed and letting out a long yawn.

Looking at the somewhat unfamiliar room, her groggy mind felt a slight jolt of surprise as she remembered that in the middle of the night, she had secretly crawled into Yan Shu’s bed.

And Yan Shu…

Jiang Baihe silently turned her head and felt the spot beside her, finding it cold; there was no lingering body heat. It seemed the person had already left, and quite a while ago at that. Jiang Baihe scratched her long hair, feeling a bit speechless. She had no idea what kind of expression Yan Shu had on her face when she saw her in bed early this morning.

However, since she had slept until now without being woken up by Yan Shu, there was probably… no major reaction? Besides, according to Yan Shu’s nine-to-five work schedule, they wouldn’t meet again until at least the evening. After a whole day, even the most intense embarrassment would surely fade a little, right?

Thinking this way, Jiang Baihe felt much more at ease. She folded the quilt for Yan Shu, then padded back to her own room in her plush slippers to wash up.

Once finished, she followed her routine and headed downstairs for breakfast. However, she saw a familiar figure at the dining table. Her hand tightened slightly on the banister. Jiang Baihe lifted her eyes to the clock and exclaimed in surprise, “Yan Yan, you don’t have to work today?”

“It’s a statutory holiday. I’m off.”

Oh, right. Today was New Year’s Day. How could she forget about the holiday break? Jiang Baihe mentally slapped her forehead, feeling a bit hesitant and guilty, unsure of how to face Yan Shu.

Yan Shu flipped a page of her newspaper, tilted her chin slightly, and said softly to the dazed Jiang Baihe, “I just warmed up the breakfast. See if it’s gone cold.”

Jiang Baihe nodded silently, answering, “Okay.” She sat down on the other side of the table and touched the bottle of soy milk—it was warm. She probably wouldn’t need to heat it again.

She slowly ate her soy milk and fried dough sticks, using the corner of her eye to observe Yan Shu. One minute, three minutes, five minutes…

“Cough.” Jiang Baihe gave a light cough. Seeing that she had caught Yan Shu’s attention, she pointed mischievously at the newspaper in Yan Shu’s hand. “What news is so fascinating that you haven’t turned the page in five minutes?”

Yan Shu: “…”

Yan Shu was silent for a moment, then spoke up: “Was my bed comfortable to sleep in?”

Now it was Jiang Baihe’s turn: “…”

Good heavens, I just couldn’t resist a little tease, and now it’s turned into this scene of mutual destruction! The two looked at each other and finally couldn’t help but burst into laughter together.

Laughing, Jiang Baihe asked tentatively, “Do you still remember what happened last night?”

Yan Shu shook her head, her expression completely unaffected, as if she truly had been a total mess the night before. “I can’t remember clearly. Was I a lot of trouble? Thank you for taking care of me.”

“It was no trouble at all. Really.” In fact, it wouldn’t matter if it happened a few more times. Anyway, she had already secretly taken her “payment.” Jiang Baihe lowered her eyes, feeling a secret joy.

Yan Shu, hidden behind the newspaper, masked the slight smile playing at the corners of her mouth. The two spent a wonderful morning, each harboring their own thoughts.

It wasn’t until Jiang Baihe suddenly remembered what she had wanted to discuss with Yan Shu last night. She ran to Yan Shu’s room and knocked. When Yan Shu opened the door, she said seriously, “I have something important to discuss with you.”

Yan Shu lifted her eyes slightly. Looking at the expression on Jiang Baihe’s face, she had a good idea of what she was going to say, and her gaze softened considerably. “Come in.”

Entering Yan Shu’s room again, Jiang Baihe felt increasingly familiar with the setting. She rubbed her nose and pulled over a chair to sit. She wanted to tell Yan Shu directly that the Jiang family had joined forces with someone to harm her. But at the thought of Jiang Yu’s identity, the words got stuck in her throat.

Jiang Baihe wrinkled her nose. No matter how much she disliked Jiang Yu, she was currently occupying the identity of “Jiang Baihe,” and technically, she was part of the Jiang family. The Jiangs wanting to move against Yan Shu for no reason was, in a way, connected to her. It was a real mess.

Seeing Jiang Baihe hesitate, Yan Shu narrowed her eyes slightly and said encouragingly, “What do you want to tell me? Don’t be afraid.”

She looked as if she would support Jiang Baihe no matter what. To Jiang Baihe, telling her directly was the best way. Her eyes flickered as she decided on a indirect approach, asking, “How do you feel about the Jiang family?”

Yan Shu: ?

Even someone as brilliant as Yan Shu didn’t expect the conversation to pivot to this angle. She pondered for a moment before saying, “To be honest, I haven’t really seen them.”

Jiang Baihe: “…” Conversation over. The chat is dead.

Jiang Baihe covered her face and decided that honesty was the best policy. she laid out everything that happened at the Jiang house the night before, including Jiang Yu’s attempt to join forces with her. Since the Jiang family and the people behind them were targeting Yan Shu, Jiang Baihe didn’t dare to be arrogant; she recounted the dialogue as accurately as possible, fearing she might miss a detail that would lead Yan Shu into a trap.

Of course, she was careful with her wording, not revealing the fact that she had known the plot’s development from the start. However, even this level of disclosure made the sharp Yan Shu feel something was slightly off. She asked somewhat nonchalantly, “I’m curious—it seems you knew they wanted to deal with me from the beginning?”

Here it comes. The life-or-death question.

Jiang Baihe’s heart tightened. She said seriously, “Because they’ve always been like that. I couldn’t stand their way of doing things, so our relationship was never good.” Mixing the original host’s situation with half-truths and half-lies, Jiang Baihe felt a bit guilty. But seeing the smile in Yan Shu’s eyes, she let out a sigh of relief, knowing she had survived this round.

Even though Yan Shu knew Jiang Baihe was hiding something, she had no intention of prying further. Looking at the nervous Jiang Baihe, she felt a sense of amusement. She had known about the incident through her bodyguards long ago, but hearing it from Jiang Baihe still made her feel comforted.

Between the Jiang family and herself, Jiang Baihe had chosen her. Or rather, Jiang Baihe had always chosen her. Therefore, whether it was the strange marriage recommendation or Jiang Baihe’s current secrecy, she could let it go. After all, she had her own secrets from Jiang Baihe—like the fact that the bodyguard was actually her person. She would tell the bodyguard later that there was no need to investigate conspiracies against her from Jiang Baihe’s side anymore.

She was willing to grant Jiang Baihe a level of trust, believing she was being treated with sincerity. The knot that had been stuck in her heart was finally completely untied today.

Jiang Baihe suddenly felt a barrier in the air shatter. Yan Shu’s attitude toward her seemed to undergo an unexpected change—it became friendlier, more candid, and the distance that used to appear between them from time to time was slowly fading. She didn’t know exactly what had happened, but she knew the change was beneficial. The afternoon sun poured down, warming everything and illuminating the path ahead.

After New Year’s Day, Jiang Baihe was pulled back to work by Song Jia. Since wrapping her first drama, she had enjoyed a ten-day break. The vacation had been so comfortable that she hadn’t quite adjusted to working mode when Song Jia caught her and put her in the car.

“Wait, didn’t you say the reality show starts filming after the New Year?” she asked groggily, leaning against the seat.

“Yes,” Song Jia said, raising an eyebrow. “But who said we’re filming a reality show today?”

“Then what are we doing?”

“Going to have dinner with an old friend of mine.”

Jiang Baihe was silent, suppressing the urge to ask why she had to eat with Song Jia’s old friend. She knew Song Jia wouldn’t waste her time; if she came to find her, there was work to be done. She leaned back and tried to find her “work state.”

Seeing her in deep thought, Song Jia explained, “My old friend, Lin Qiming, a screenwriter. He’s been planning a TV drama, keeping it top secret. Word only leaked last night. His works have won awards, but the new script hasn’t been circulated yet. He happens to be in City A today and leaves this afternoon, so I booked a dinner to get some inside info. I didn’t have time to explain clearly yesterday.”

Jiang Baihe was startled. “Haven’t several scripts been sent over already?”

“Those don’t count for much.” Song Jia waved her hand. “I think you’ll definitely like this one. Call it a woman’s intuition.”

Jiang Baihe was amused by her words. “Alright, I’ll trust your intuition this once.”

They met at a Chinese teahouse. Jiang Baihe had rarely been to such a dim sum restaurant, and the experience felt quite novel; she thought she should bring Yan Shu here to try it later. After all, eating the same few dishes at home would eventually get boring; one needs to change tastes occasionally.

Song Jia ordered a table full of food with practiced ease, then asked Jiang Baihe if she saw anything she liked. Seeing Jiang Baihe looking around curiously, she said with a laugh, “Qiming is a southerner; he loves Cantonese cuisine.”

“Mhm, I like it too.” As long as it was delicious, she liked any cuisine.

“Wake up. If your weight exceeds the limit when we go back, you’ll only be eating nutritional meals from now on.”

“Thanks for the concern, but I don’t get fat no matter how much I eat.”

As the two sipped tea and traded barbs, a man with gold-rimmed glasses and a scholarly air, carrying a casual bag, walked toward their table. Lin Qiming pulled out a chair and sat down casually, chuckling, “Haven’t seen you for a year, Sister Song, you’re as beautiful as ever.”

Song Jia laughed and poured him tea. “And you’re as glib as ever!”

The two were clearly old classmates. Jiang Baihe sat to the side with a polite smile, secretly observing the man.

“Come, let me introduce you. This is the only rookie under me, Jiang Baihe.”

Hearing her name called, Jiang Baihe greeted him graciously. “Hello, Screenwriter Lin. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Please guide me well.”

“Hello, hello.” Lin Qiming nodded. His eyes were sharp, recognizing Jiang Baihe’s potential at a glance. “Where did Sister Song find such a treasure? Director Song says she’s very talented.”

Director Song? Song Zhishu? Do these screenwriters and directors have a group chat? Jiang Baihe thought, her lips still curved in a polite smile as she sipped her tea.

Song Jia snorted and crooked her finger at him. “If you know she’s capable, hurry up and bring out the goods.”

Lin Qiming was caught between laughter and tears. “They say people are soft-mouthed after eating, but I haven’t even started yet.” He shook his head but pulled a stack of printed scripts from his bag. “Here, look. However much you read is how much I’ll eat today.”

“Fine, you can eat until you’re sick.”

Song Jia took the script, scanned it herself to ensure no major issues, and then handed it to Jiang Baihe. Jiang Baihe took it and felt the thickness—it was only about ten pages, likely just a portion brought out for an initial look. But according to Song Jia, word of this drama only leaked last night, so they were likely the first to see the script. Even just this bit was a gain, and it was all thanks to Song Jia’s friendship with him.

Jiang Baihe flipped to the first page and began to skim rapidly. This was also a costume drama, but unlike the xianxia world of The Eternal Tribulation, it was purely historical. The pages outlined the story of an unfavored princess in a treacherous imperial court, fighting against her siblings, changing the system, gathering the people’s hearts, and finally becoming an empress.

And her desperate desire to sit on that supreme throne was for one reason—to send troops to the frontier to bring back her sister, who had been married off by their incompetent emperor father for a peace treaty. But at the end of the story, she only brought back a handful of bones.

In just a few pages, the story was vividly sketched. Jiang Baihe finished it in a few minutes. Song Jia’s intuition was right—she really did like this script. Seeing the lingering look on Jiang Baihe’s face, Song Jia knew her attitude. The dinner became lively; while they didn’t secure the lead role immediately, they at least jumped ahead of everyone else and secured an audition.

After finishing the business, Song Jia drove Jiang Baihe home. “How about it? I told you you’d like it.”

Jiang Baihe nodded and praised, “Sister Song, you really have a great eye.”

“Of course.” Song Jia nodded without hesitation. “Then prepare well. Once investment is secured, auditions will start. I’ll arrange your schedule. There shouldn’t be much to do in the next few days, so rest well and prepare for the variety show after the New Year—and eat less. Don’t think about pigging out just because you don’t gain weight, or I’ll give you a lesson if things go wrong.”

“Yes, yes, I know.” Jiang Baihe rubbed her nose and saw off the nagging Song Jia. Watching the car drive away, she felt strangely content. It was a good thing to have someone nagging you; it meant someone was worried about you and cared.

And in her heart, there was also someone she cared about. Thinking this, Jiang Baihe looked back at the villa and was surprised to see Yan Shu leaning against the wall, watching her. She suddenly thought of the poem: “You stand on the bridge watching the scenery, while the person watching the scenery looks at you from the building.”

Jiang Baihe was momentarily dazed, then waved happily to Yan Shu and jogged over to enter the house with her.

Mid-January, nearing the New Year.

The Sihai Group was on holiday, and Jiang Baihe had packed her bags to head to City G with Yan Shu. City G was north of City A, and the climate was much colder. In City A, it rarely snowed, only providing a few scattered flakes. But City G was different; snow was falling thick and fast. Everywhere was white, and the branches were laden with snow.

Jiang Baihe and Yan Shu arrived at the airport bundled up tightly. There were Yan family members waiting to pick them up. It wasn’t until she got into the private car sent by the family that Jiang Baihe felt a sense of “it’s finally happening.”

She bit her lip and whispered to Yan Shu, “I haven’t even seen her yet, but I’m already a bit nervous.”

“Relax.” Yan Shu quietly patted her hand. “Grandmother is very easy to get along with. As for the others… just treat them as transparent.”

Jiang Baihe snorted a laugh. “Alright, I’ll try my best.”

The Yan family was a large one, especially the main branch in City G. The luxury car entered the Yan family villa area. Jiang Baihe followed Yan Shu out of the car. After simple greetings with some relatives outside, the two went straight to find Grandmother upstairs.

As they drew closer, Jiang Baihe’s heart grew more nervous. Finally, seeing the white-haired elderly woman she had seen on screen, Jiang Baihe couldn’t help but smile, remembering what happened that night. She bowed slightly and greeted Grandmother Yan with a soft smile:

“Hello, Grandmother. I’m Jiang Baihe. Here’s a small token of my appreciation; I hope you’ll like it.”