This Best Actress is a Bit Annoying - Chapter 34

Three days later, while Xia Qingye was leisurely watering the narcissus on the balcony, she received a call from Wei Xianghong.

“Qingye, good news!”

“Hmm?”

“Regarding that person you mentioned, I had someone keep an eye out and do some digging. Guess who it was? You’ll never guess.”

Over the past two days, Xia Qingye had calmed her mind by re-reading the novel Winged People from start to finish. She had picked out a few particularly likable characters and found two or three roles that were quite good; however, those were limited to the TV series. The movie’s plot would be heavily condensed, with fewer characters. She made a casual guess: “It couldn’t be the original author, could it?”

There was sudden silence on Wei Xianghong’s end. “How did you know?”

Xia Qingye had purely guessed. Some online readers had previously hinted at the author’s gender. Plus, at the audition, the screenwriter, director, and producers all had nameplates in front of them—except for that person.

More importantly, when that person interrupted her audition, Director Zhuang had begrudgingly turned a blind eye. She had initially leaned toward the idea of him being an investor, but his fashion sense and impulsive nature didn’t quite fit the typical profile of an investor.

“And then?”

“Aren’t you even a little excited?” Wei Xianghong asked in disbelief. “Even though he interrupted you, he said ‘Good’ to you. Isn’t that a form of affirmation?”

Xia Qingye shook her head helplessly. Realizing Wei Xianghong couldn’t see her, she reminded her calmly: “Sister Xiang, that’s only because he saw my audition first and hadn’t seen Zhong Ruanqin play the role yet. Furthermore, in any production, the author’s opinion is usually discarded in the end; it serves only as a reference—unless he switches to the role of screenwriter.”

What is the most important thing in filmmaking? The investor. Without sufficient funding, a movie is restricted at every turn. Similarly, during the filming process, a director certainly doesn’t want a second voice in the crew, especially a famous director like Old Zhuang, who won’t be easily swayed. Therefore, the director’s approval is far more important than the author’s.

Wei Xianghong had wanted to use this news to motivate her artist. She had heard from Yu Lan that Xia Qingye had been dejected and listless lately. Who knew she would end up being lectured instead? She was momentarily speechless.

“So, what do you plan to do next?”

“I want to rest and recover for half a month.”

“Alright.”

Wei Xianghong knew she was in a terrible mood. It was very common in this industry to lose a role you were certain of because someone else intervened at the last minute.

However, Xia Qingye had been very picky since her debut; she didn’t care for average scripts or commercials. Her standards were too high. Wei Xianghong felt that this setback might not be a bad thing. At least it could help her adjust her mindset. Next time she encountered such a situation, she shouldn’t head straight into a confrontation but rather avoid the brunt of the force and settle for the next best thing.

If Xia Qingye had listened to her and chosen a supporting role, she likely would have been selected by now.

Xia Qingye had no idea Wei Xianghong was worrying so much for her. Her decision to rest was simply to allow her body to recover faster; at the very least, she needed this body to be in peak condition before the next shoot.

Yu Lan took care of Xia Qingye’s three meals every day, while also teasing the hamster, Lazy-Egg. With Nuonuo and Xia-Xia gone, she felt the house was exceptionally lonely.

“Eek! Lazy-Egg, you finished eating already?”

Yu Lan had scattered some coarse grains in the cage that morning, but by noon, they seemed to have vanished. Lazy-Egg was holding a piece in its paws, staring blankly into the distance.

Yu Lan thought it was incredibly “moe.” Having learned her lesson, she scattered another handful of cornflakes and hid to observe secretly.

Xia Qingye saw her sticking her butt out while peering through the door and patted her shoulder. “Yu Lan, what are you doing blocking the way?”

Yu Lan nearly jumped out of her skin. Turning back, she clutched her chest. “Sister Xia, you nearly scared me to death! It’s Lazy-Egg. She’s been eating a lot lately; I wanted to see what’s going on with her.”

Over the last few days, Xia Qingye had only looked after the “abandoned” narcissus, irresponsibly dumping the fish and hamster on Yu Lan. Hearing about Lazy-Egg’s appetite, she said casually, “She’s probably just growing.”

Hamsters were small; wasn’t it normal to eat a lot while growing?

Yu Lan felt something was wrong. The amount of food she provided used to be enough for both Xia-Xia and Lazy-Egg combined. Even for a big eater, it was impossible to finish it all in one morning. “But many small animals will actually eat until they burst.”

Eating and eating until they died.

Xia Qingye was reminded of the fish swimming in the tank. Fish never know when they are full; if you keep feeding them, they’ll keep eating until they float belly-up.

“Observe her for two days. If something’s wrong, go ask the hamster shop owner.”

When Xia Qingye went to the kitchen to pour water that night, she looked at the cage. Lazy-Egg was curled into a ball, and the cornflakes she had seen earlier were indeed missing. Can she really eat that much?

She lay in bed, thinking it over, and eventually called Qi Jiani out of concern.

“Qingye? Is something wrong so late?” Her voice sounded thick with exhaustion.

“Sorry to disturb your rest. My Lazy-Egg has been acting a bit strange lately; I wanted to ask why.”

Qi Jiani burst out laughing. “Lazy-Egg? Qingye, why did you give it that name?”

Thinking of the childish origin of the name, Xia Qingye said, “Because she’s always lazy and doesn’t like to move. She’s been eating a lot lately—enough for two hamsters for several days.”

“No way… is Lazy-Egg a female?”

“Mhm.”

“Could she be pregnant? Generally, female hamsters eat more during pregnancy to supplement nutrition. Later on, they might even start hoarding food. Roughly when did Lazy-Egg and that male hamster mate? Are they still in the same cage?”

Facing Qi Jiani’s rapid-fire questions, Xia Qingye’s ears turned red and felt hot. She moved the phone a bit further away and answered them one by one.

Qi Jiani concluded decisively: “She’s likely pregnant. If you’re worried, you can feel the hamster’s abdomen. If it’s firm, then it’s almost certainly the case.”

Xia Qingye: “…”

“Is there any other way to tell?”

“Big appetite, hoarding food, getting fat? Also, the ‘double-breasted’ look [nipples] appears, you know? It’s…” Talking about this, Qi Jiani also felt a bit embarrassed to continue.

Xia Qingye interrupted her. “Any other identification methods?”

Qi Jiani thought for a moment. “Then take her to a professional vet. Let the vet diagnose it for you. I’m not in the capital these days, otherwise I could confirm it for you.”

“No need, thank you.”

Xia Qingye had a headache. After hanging up, she went out to look at the soundly sleeping Lazy-Egg. Because she was huddled in her hamster house, it was impossible to see if her body had grown larger. Having not observed her closely before, she stared irritably for a while before going to rest.

The next day when Yu Lan arrived, she found Xia Qingye had shifted her base. Instead of staring at the narcissus on the balcony, she was staring at the hamster cage. Finding it quite novel, she set down her things and leaned in. “Sister Xia, what are you looking at?”

Xia Qingye pointed at Lazy-Egg, who was currently scurrying around the cage. “Look, has Lazy-Egg’s size increased a bit?”

Yu Lan scratched her head, unsure. “She does seem a rounder. Maybe she just got fat from eating so much?”

Xia Qingye’s face darkened. She urged, “Quickly, take the cage to the vet. She might be pregnant.”

“Eh?!”

“What are you staring at me for? I called Jiani yesterday. she said with such abnormal behavior, she’s 90% certain of a pregnancy.” When Xia Qingye said those embarrassing words, she nearly bit her tongue.

Yu Lan looked at Xia Qingye in shock, then at the scurrying Lazy-Egg. She was momentarily at a loss. “Then… I’ll go right now.”

After sending Yu Lan off, Xia Qingye sat on the sofa staring at her phone. Ever since Nie Zhuying had taken Nuonuo and Xia-Xia away, she hadn’t called or bombarded her with WeChat messages as she used to.

She picked up the phone and checked their last contact; it had been thirteen days. She clicked on Nie Zhuying’s WeChat. The profile picture of Nuonuo had been replaced with one of Xia-Xia munching on a sunflower seed—shiny black eyes and bulging cheeks, very cute.

Xia Qingye: Your Xia-Xia got Lazy-Egg pregnant…

Her finger hovered over the send button for a while. In the end, she deleted the characters one by one. She tossed the phone onto the coffee table in a fit of pique, changed into a tracksuit, and went out for a run.

By the time Yu Lan returned to joyfully announce the news, Xia Qingye had prepared herself mentally.

Yu Lan babbled on: “This is Lazy-Egg’s first litter. The vet said she must have enough nutrition, otherwise she might bite the pups when they’re born. So I bought two more cages.”

“…”

“Also, these are all for Lazy-Egg.” Yu Lan pulled bags of dried small fish, mealworms, nutritional paste, and supplements from her bag. “The vet said after this litter is born, don’t let her breed again for a while. It’s best to wait before considering a second or third litter.”

Xia Qingye’s mouth twitched. Second or third litter? Forget it. One litter is enough for a lifetime!

Just thinking about Nie Zhuying arrogantly laughing with her hands on her hips, saying she chose a male just so she could knock up someone else’s female hamster… well, fine. She knocked up her Lazy-Egg.

Xia Qingye’s face was grim. she picked up her phone and re-typed the message she had deleted earlier, completely forgetting that she had once wanted to give Lazy-Egg away.

Xia Qingye: Your Xia-Xia got my Lazy-Egg pregnant. How are we going to settle this score!

Nie Zhuying was currently teasing Nuonuo with her feet, lying across her bed with no regard for her image, looking completely bone-lazy. Hearing a ping, she opened WeChat. Seeing Xia Qingye’s message of interrogation, her hand shook, and the phone dropped directly onto her face.

“Aaaah!”

“Woof woof!”

Nuonuo was startled by Nie Zhuying and barked at her in protest. The little guy had learned to act tough since returning with her.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” Yao Wei had been tidying up her things and rushed in upon hearing the screams.

“Xia-Xia got someone pregnant!” Nie Zhuying carried the hamster cage to her room barefoot. She released him from the cage and teased him with her finger. “Xia-Xia, I’m proud of you.”

Yao Wei: “…”

Not ashamed at all, but proud instead.

Nie Zhuying mischievously placed Xia-Xia in front of Nuonuo. The dog and the hamster stared at each other. Nuonuo pounced, but Nie Zhuying blocked him with her hand and immediately put Xia-Xia back in the cage. In an instant, Xia-Xia hid in his house.

Yao Wei, unable to understand Nie Zhuying’s interest in these scenes she enacted once or twice a day, watched for a bit and went back to tidying.

After teasing the two little ones, Nie Zhuying sprawled on the bed.

Zhu Shang Ren Jian (Nie): [Playing dead]

Xia Qingye: The witness and the evidence are both here. Your Xia-Xia can’t deny it even if he wanted to.

Xia Qingye had asked Yu Lan for the video she took of the “consummation.” Yu Lan, not understanding why, had asked: “Sister Xia, what do you want this video for?”

Xia Qingye had just shot her a look: “None of your business.”

Yu Lan wasn’t very afraid of Xia Qingye anymore. After months together, she had mostly figured out her temper. As long as it didn’t touch on principled issues, Xia Qingye might have a lethal gaze, but she wouldn’t hold a grudge over small things. She took advantage of placing Lazy-Egg’s supplies to tip-toe and crane her neck, moving closer to Xia Qingye. Her eyes were fixed on the phone screen, wanting to know who her boss was chatting with.

Xia Qingye had completely given up on being ashamed. Thinking that Lazy-Egg might give birth to a whole litter, her scalp tingled and her head throbbed.

Nie Zhuying opened the video and watched the two hamsters overlapping. The video was only a minute long—hamster mating is very brief. She could tell at a glance that the one “playing the rogue” on top was Xia-Xia. As for the one with the red dot on its forehead, it was a female that looked like a perfect match for her Xia-Xia.

Zhu Shang Ren Jian: Is there more? [Blushing]

Xia Qingye’s vision went dark. she nearly spat blood at Nie Zhuying’s shamelessness. Don’t ask how she understood the “lewd” implication in that message.

Xia Qingye: This is the ‘good deed’ your Xia-Xia did. You have to give me an explanation.

Nie Zhuying saw her serious tone and bit her lip, troubled. She grabbed Nuonuo and ruffled his fur fiercely, suddenly worrying: “Nuonuo, if you knock up someone else’s Samoyed in the future, will they make me take responsibility too?”

When she picked him out, she only thought about not letting someone else get the benefit for free. she never thought she’d have to take responsibility for “soliciting” others!

Zhu Shang Ren Jian: Fine, fine. I’ll take responsibility. When are you bringing the ‘daughter-in-law’ to see me? [Blow kiss]

Xia Qingye had been fuming, but seeing that blow kiss, her anger miraculously subsided.

Xia Qingye: You set the time. Let’s talk about the arrangements for Lazy-Egg’s pregnancy.

Zhu Shang Ren Jian: Friday at 8:00 PM, at Xiaoyelou. I’ll have Yao Wei pick you up.

Yu Lan saw Xia Qingye’s expression change from murderous to calm. She secretly thought: The person on WeChat is quite charming to be able to pacify Sister Xia’s rage.

“Yu Lan, how many days until Friday?”

“Three days.”

“Mhm.”

Xia Qingye took her phone to her room. As an afterthought, she reminded: “Go home and rest early after feeding Lazy-Egg.”

Yu Lan blinked, rubbing her chin in thought. Asking about Friday… does she have a date?

The thought of seeing Nie Zhuying on Friday made Xia Qingye’s recently calmed heart grow restless again. she tossed and turned in bed, wondering why the atmosphere had suddenly turned so cold that day despite the woman’s WeChat being the same as always. This question had haunted her for a long time.

In her mind, a little angel and a little devil raised their swords to defend their principles.

Angel: There must be a misunderstanding. Once it’s cleared up, it’ll be fine.

Devil: It was just one-sided wishful thinking. She’s a “straight-as-a-steel-pipe” Film Queen. You can’t bend her.

Angel: Don’t be afraid. Be bold! Believe in love one more time.

Devil: This path is already difficult. Why drag her down with you?

In the end, the little devil won with a single strike. Xia Qingye’s restless heart felt like it had been doused by a bucket of cold water. She sprawled out on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind filled with the love from her past life that she thought was one-in-a-million. She stared until she eventually fell asleep.

Early the next morning, her phone rang persistently, round after round. Xia Qingye didn’t even open her eyes before answering.

Wei Xianghong knew she wasn’t up. She calmly stated the news she had just received: “You likely lost the role in Winged People. A friend of mine saw Zhong Ruanqin meeting Director Zhuang privately. They seemed to get along very well; I suspect they are preparing to sign the contract.”

After hearing this, Xia Qingye brushed back her long hair, fully awake. She replied calmly, “Mhm, I see.”

Hearing that calm voice, the words of comfort Wei Xianghong had prepared stuck in her throat. After a moment, she said, “Qingye, there are better scripts waiting for you. You’re only twenty. We’ll take it one step at a time. With your looks and talent, you will definitely be a superstar.”

Xia Qingye gave a light laugh. “Thanks, Sister Xiang. I’m fine.”

Perhaps because she had already prepared herself mentally, the news didn’t cause much of a sense of loss—only a bit of lingering dissatisfaction. Compared to the Friday appointment, it seemed even more insignificant.

She waited quietly for Friday to arrive, but unexpectedly received an unfamiliar call the next day. Upon answering, she heard an enthusiastic invitation from the other side: “Sister Xia, are you free to come out for a drink?”

Xia Qingye was surprised by the voice, but quickly recovered. “Senior Zhong has such vast connections; I’m impressed you could even get the number of a newcomer like me.”

Zhong Ruanqin wasn’t angered by the sarcasm; she laughed instead. “Sister Xia is no ordinary newcomer. With CEO Xia backing you, I doubt many people would dare touch you.”

Xia Qingye sneered, not yielding an inch. “And Senior Zhong has CEO Zong of Siji backing you; ordinary people wouldn’t dare offend you either.”

Zhong Ruanqin laughed heartily. “Sister Xia, you certainly have a sharp tongue. As your senior, let me teach you: in this circle, the way to survive is to do more and say less.”

Xia Qingye recalled when she first met Zhong Ruanqin; she indeed spoke very little, worked hard, and put everything into her acting. Xia Qingye had seen many unreliable people who were all talk, and she detested them.

A person who can say sweet things to you can say them to anyone else. So-called “forever” is just words. She thought she had found sincere love, only to find out that what she saw as a virtue in Zhong Ruanqin was merely a “survival tactic.”

Xia Qingye composed her emotions. “Senior Zhong, did you call specifically to give me guidance?”

Zhong Ruanqin twirled a strand of hair. “I want to talk to you about something. I’ll give you one hint: it concerns your brother, Xia Yanbo.”

Xia Qingye’s face fell, her eyes narrowing, but her voice grew even more gentle. “Alright. Any time other than tomorrow. You set the time and place, Senior; just text me.”

Zhong Ruanqin soon sent the location and time, adding a final note: Do not be late. I do not like waiting.

Yu Lan didn’t dare breathe, listening to the whole exchange of cold words. “Sister Xia, did something happen?”

Xia Qingye looked at her. Thinking of what Zhong Ruanqin mentioned, she decided against calling Xia Yanbo directly and instead called Wei Xianghong.

“What’s wrong?”

“Sister Xiang, has my brother run into any trouble lately?”

Wei Xianghong was confused, but considering it concerned Xia Yanbo, she grew serious. She found a quiet place away from the crowd. “Qingye, tell me slowly. What happened?”

Xia Qingye didn’t want to hide it from her; she briefly reported the phone invitation and the mention of Xia Yanbo.

Wei Xianghong frowned. “Have you or CEO Xia offended her? That doesn’t make sense. She already got the role of Yuan Fei, why is she still looking for you?”

The only thing Xia Qingye could think of was Zhong Ruanqin’s bold attempt to seduce her at the banquet. She bit her lip, finding it difficult to say. “I think I know why she’s looking for me.”

“Why?”

Xia Qingye was decisive: “Sister Xiang, I don’t want to talk about it, but can I ask a favor?”

“To check if your brother’s company is okay?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll call you as soon as I find out.”

Only then did Xia Qingye feel a bit more at ease. After hanging up, she crossed her arms and stared ahead with a solemn expression. Yu Lan, having clearly heard the threat from Zhong Ruanqin, suggested cautiously: “Maybe you should tell CEO Xia, he could surely—”

The rest of Yu Lan’s sentence was frozen by a cold glare from Xia Qingye. She immediately covered her mouth.

Xia Qingye’s feelings for Xia Yanbo were complex. She carried the original owner’s memories and feelings, clearly sensing the reliance on him. She understood his way of doting on his sister; though a bit domineering, his intentions were good. To her, he was like a benefactor’s older brother, a friend, or a confidant—and on a deeper level, there was the inescapable blood relation. She didn’t want to drag him down because of her own affairs, and she hated people using him to threaten her.

“Don’t tell my brother about this.”

“Oh.”

Xia Qingye didn’t speak, and Yu Lan didn’t dare leave. The two sat in the living room in silence. Xia Qingye was waiting for the call, while Yu Lan idly teased Lazy-Egg. However, with the indoor temperature high, Lazy-Egg stayed lazily in her house. Especially with her big belly, she was even less inclined to move. Yu Lan tried the method the vet taught her—dropping small bits of cotton to lure her out—but there was no movement.

“Yu Lan, it’s late. Go home.”

“Oh.”

Yu Lan packed her things silently. At the door, she suddenly turned back. “Sister Xia, if you need help, tell me. I might not be able to do big things, but I can handle the small ones.”

Xia Qingye was momentarily taken aback, then nodded with a smile. “I’ll leave Lazy-Egg in your care. Thank you.”

Yu Lan clenched her fist and left quickly.

Xia Qingye waited until the early hours of the morning, her eyelids beginning to fight a losing battle, before she finally received a call from Wei Xianghong. “I’ve had all my friends look into it. Your brother’s company operations are perfectly normal lately; no major incidents have occurred. I suspect that whatever Zhong Ruanqin was referring to hasn’t happened yet…? You’d better be careful.”

Xia Qingye let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Alright. Thanks for the hard work, Sister Xiang.”

Wei Xianghong rubbed her temples. “Regarding a matter this big, are you truly not going to tell your brother? If—and I mean if—CEO Xia finds out later and starts looking for someone to blame, even I won’t be able to handle it.”

Xia Qingye was amused by Wei Xianghong’s helplessness. With that laugh, the problem that had troubled her all evening seemed to resolve itself. “I can’t live under my brother’s wings forever. Occasionally, the roles need to be reversed; it’s my turn to protect him. Besides, I’m the one who dragged him into this mess in the first place.”

Wei Xianghong let out a confused, “Huh?”

Xia Qingye joked playfully, “This girl is a national beauty, as fair as a flower, and she caught the eye of a female bully at a banquet.”

Wei Xianghong was so startled by the quip that her drowsiness vanished instantly. She even wondered if she had misheard. “What?”

Then she heard Xia Qingye’s voice through the receiver, speaking in an exceptionally light tone, “Sister Xiang, you didn’t know, did you? Zhong Ruanqin likes women.”

Wei Xianghong: “…”

Something flashed rapidly through her mind, so fast she couldn’t catch it.

She murmured, speaking offhandedly, “Whether Zhong Ruanqin likes women or not… how do you know so clearly? Even someone as well-informed as me didn’t know that.”

Xia Qingye grinned, revealing a row of pearly white teeth. “Because lesbians have a specific aura. To someone on the same path, a single look is all it takes to pick them out from a crowd.”