DTBS - Chapter 43
Chapter 43: Before Parting
"Congratulations to System 030's Host for unlocking the achievement 【The Moonlight Tonight is Beautiful】 (There's always a devoted person who loves the female lead but can't have her; after years of admiration, they finally muster the courage to confess, only to be cruelly rejected). Congratulations on witnessing the scene of a major figure, Tao Qiuyun, failing in her love confession. You have gained 100 points and a beautiful CG image. Don't get complacent, keep up the good work~"
Tao Aiqin fell into a deep sleep. The System called out several times but got no response. It quietly clicked open the CG image:
The Empress and her Queen stood on a high platform, with stars and moon shining brightly in the background, and fiery trees and flowers. Their eyes met, brimming with emotion, as if countless feelings flowed between them.
There was also text next to it: Deep affection, harmonious like zithers.
System: ?
The System was greatly shocked and immediately sent feedback to the main system: Boss, was this CG image put in the wrong place?
Not long after, the main system withdrew that CG image and replaced it with a new one:
The noble and cold Queen turned away resolutely, leaving the woman who reached out to grasp empty air standing alone on the high platform against the wind. The sapphire scepter seemed unable to support her shaky figure, and even the crown on her head had dimmed considerably.
Text: So close, yet so far; a fleeting dream.
The System fell silent...
It's over, something bad happened! I'm the clown!
The fifteenth day after the "confession" failed was also the fifteenth day of Tao Qiuyun's high-intensity work.
Since the trip to the castle, the two hadn't met again, only occasionally chatting on WeChat.
After all, both were workaholics. One was engrossed in filming and reviewing, practicing acting in front of the mirror in the bathroom whenever she had time; the other was swamped with work, with meetings and contracts to discuss every day, and had to walk the dog and play puzzles with her child when she had time.
Even if they scheduled regular meetings, it was difficult for them to coordinate their schedules, especially since Tao Qiuyun needed to go abroad for a work inspection recently.
After entrusting her daughter and dog to Su Qingxiang and informing Qin Qingshang on WeChat about her trip to Paris, Tao Qiuyun lowered her head and continued to deal with work.
As for Tao Zhuohua? He was already on the blacklist. She wouldn't even think about entrusting her daughter to him again.
The special WeChat ringtone sounded:
【Miss Qin: When are you going?】
【Tao Qiuyi: Tomorrow night's flight】
【Miss Qin: How long will you be gone?】
【Tao Qiuyi: Depends on the situation there. Five days if it's quick, two weeks at the latest】
【Miss Qin: How about we have dinner together tonight?】
Tao Qiuyun looked at this message on her phone, her eyes showing deep thought.
【Tao Qiuyi: I've already asked Su Qingxiang to take Qinqin for me. Tonight, she and Qinqin seem to be going to the next district to eat something good. How about just the two of us?】
【Miss Qin: Okay, will you pick me up?】
【Tao Qiuyi: Okay!】
After replying to this message, Tao Qiuyun immediately transferred a sum of money to Su Qingxiang, asking her to take Qinqin to the "distant" next district for dinner tonight. When the other party asked why, she sent over the chat history with Qin Qingshang.
【Su Qingxiang: Qiuqiu, after three days apart, you've really become much more of a dog!】
【Su Qingxiang: (You've changed, you dog.jpg)】
【Qiuqiu: (Yes, I've changed.jpg)】
Su Qingxiang was speechless at her friend's shamelessness, while Qin Qingshang smiled when she saw the message on her phone, muttering in surprise, "She actually used an exclamation mark."
You know, when chatting with Tao Qiuyun, she only used a question mark at the end of a question. At other times, she didn't use any punctuation at the end. This time, she actually used an exclamation mark. Was she very happy?
"What exclamation mark? Sister, I'm the one who's about to become an exclamation mark!" Wen Yu leaned over to the lounge chair and handed her phone to Qin Qingshang. "Sister, you're trending!"
"What's trending?" Qin Qingshang was surprised. "Has my popularity not faded yet?"
"This time it's all people scolding you!" Wen Yu was very angry. "It's all made up, saying that Sister, you stole roles. I'm really disgusted. Sister, you clearly passed the audition based on your ability."
Qin Qingshang sat up, holding the phone Wen Yu handed her, and scrolled through Weibo.
#QinQingshangFemaleLeadDramaInsideStory
#QinQingshangMethods
#QinQingshangBullyingNewcomers
"Bullying newcomers?" Qin Qingshang clicked on the hashtag, very confused. "Who did I bully?"
Jiang Yueping, the second female lead in 《Fluttering Butterfly》, posted an ambiguous message on her personal Weibo, hinting that she was being bullied on set, and later mentioned quitting the role in a subsequent Weibo, citing poor psychological and mental state, making her unable to continue filming the drama. She apologized to the director and the crew, and said she was willing to pay the penalty.
She listed a long list of people she apologized to, but didn't mention the female lead, Qin Qingshang.
"The most outrageous thing is," Wen Yu was very annoyed, "Sister Lan just told me that this news actually started two days ago. She just figured out the whole story. It was Sufeng who kept having people remove the trending topics before, which angered netizens, so now it can't be suppressed at all."
"Sister Lan didn't find out in time?" Qin Qingshang frowned. "With Sister Lan's ability, she should have handled it long ago."
Wen Yu explained, "Sister Lan has been managing Tang Yunyan recently, and Tang Yunyan has a lot going on, so her mind wasn't fully focused."
Speaking of this, the little assistant looked even more depressed. "Besides, Sister, you were just staying on set filming properly. Who knew something like this would happen? It caught us off guard."
Qin Qingshang read the harsh comments below and fell into thought.
In the novel, she didn't participate in this drama, and this drama seemed not to have been filmed in the end. But why would Jiang Yueping suddenly breach her contract and quit? When they were filming, they got along quite well. Could it be...
"She's really got some nerve!" The director seemed to have just found out about the news too, and cursed loudly, "What kind of monster is Jiang Yueping, pulling this kind of backstabbing on me!"
After filming for half a month, she suddenly quit. What, is she relying on the fact that she's a new director with no popularity and picking on her? Does she still have to thank this actress for not breaching the contract at the very end?
Moreover, she didn't even tell her about this in person, but chose to play the victim on Weibo first thing.
"And she's implying things about Qin Qingshang! What did Qingshang do to her! She's slandering others like this!" The director was very angry and said to her assistant, "Have Qingshang come over and ask her what she wants to do about this. The crew will fully cooperate with her."
"Director Ning," Qin Qingshang happened to walk over. She was holding a thermos cup with herbal tea inside, ready to cool herself down at any time. "I was just looking for you. Will this matter affect the crew and the filming?"
"Don't worry," Ning Pingliu looked at her and comforted her, "Everyone in the crew knows your character. Jiang Yueping is completely spreading rumors and causing trouble. I will post on Weibo to clarify for you."
"Thank you, Director Ning," Qin Qingshang pursed her lips, a little hesitant. "It's just that this matter is probably not that simple. I think Jiang Yueping has someone pushing her from behind. If you help me, Director Ning, you might be resented."
"What do you mean?" Ning Pingliu frowned, a little confused. "Isn't it just those people who are jealous of you, so they're deliberately slandering you online?"
"If they just wanted to simply slander me, they could have used a method of one wave after another, separating the accusations of stealing roles and bullying fellow actors. This would not only reduce costs but also prolong the battle line, maximizing the suppression of me. But the other party didn't do that. Instead, they chose to release all the unfavorable news about me at once, seemingly eager to guide netizens' emotions and cyberbully me, causing me to lose my composure."
Qin Qingshang's mind was clear. "Coupled with the fact that Sufeng helped me remove trending topics before, I can almost be certain that Sufeng is behind this incident. To force me to renew my contract, they have started resorting to unscrupulous means."
"If you're worried about Sufeng suppressing me," Ning Pingliu smiled, appreciating her calmness. "You can rest assured. I have Fuyao behind me. The president of Fuyao is Tao Zhuohua, and who is behind him? Chunjin Group! Who would look for trouble for no reason? Don't worry, I'm going to handle this."
"Director Ning..."
"Don't rush, listen to me first." Ning Pingliu interrupted her. "My script, well, it's not complicated, but no one was willing to invest. They said I was young and inexperienced, and who has the leisure to listen to me tell stories now? Romance is king."
"But Young CEO Tao believed in me and was willing to invest. I hadn't decided who should play the female lead until I saw your performance in 《White Robed Minister》. The moment the sisters' identities were swapped and revealed to the audience, I knew that the role of Qin Wu could only be you. Everyone else could be replaced, only you, it had to be you. And your last name is also Qin. Don't you think this is fate?"
Hearing Director Ning's powerful voice, Qin Qingshang really wanted to say, was it because of her female lead halo that Ning Pingliu had this idea? After all, there are so many actresses in the entertainment industry, how could there be no substitute? It's just...
In those serious eyes, there seemed to be unwavering trust, which warmed her heart.
I believe in you, what a precious sentence.
"Director Ning, I won't let you down," Qin Qingshang bowed, her eyes fervent. "I will play her well, I will become her."
"Oh no, don't! It's not that serious, not that serious. Just be yourself in reality," Ning Pingliu quickly waved her hand. "After all, that kind of crazy character is better off staying in fictional works."
Hearing this, Qin Qingshang smiled.
"Sufeng is really using this method to force you to renew your contract?" Ning Pingliu looked worried. "Have you found another company? How about I talk to Young CEO Tao?"
"Fuyao sent me an invitation, but I'm still considering it," Qin Qingshang replied.
Actually, she had also thought about signing with Fuyao, but...
"What are you still considering?" Ning Pingliu patted her on the shoulder. "Just go! Young CEO Tao's ideas are a bit wild and imaginative, one thing after another, but he has a good sister! Tao Qiuyun! I dream of meeting CEO Tao one day. Roughly speaking, I'm also an employee under CEO Tao."
"It's not that I'm deliberately belittling Fuyao, but ever since Young CEO Tao's identity was exposed, most of the people who joined Fuyao were drawn by his sister's reputation."
Seeing Ning Pingliu's fervent look, Qin Qingshang slightly stepped back half a step. "Tao Qiuyun, is she that attractive?"
A businesswoman, although she was indeed a little successful...
Ning Pingliu had a "what nonsense are you talking about" expression. She wasn't old, similar in age to Qin Qingshang, both around twenty-five. She was also down-to-earth, like complaining to a friend casually: "That's Tao Qiuyun! The legendary cold, ruthless, domineering CEO of a super group herself! The kind who makes every circle tremble when she stomps her foot! How could anyone not want to know her!"
Cold and humorless? Cold and ruthless?
Qin Qingshang thought of Tao Qiuyun's cat ear photo.
The woman chuckled dryly, "Then are there many people who want to marry her?"
"Nonsense!" Ning Pingliu covered her chest. "But I wouldn't dare to think about marriage. At most, I can imagine having a 'take my money and get out of my sight' kind of domineering CEO romance with her. Unfortunately, there are no photos of CEO Tao online, otherwise I'd have material for my dreams."
"You're using her as material for that kind of dream?!" Cat is furious.
How could someone use someone else's wife as "kneading" material?!
"What dream?" Ning Pingliu was startled, then her face turned red. "No, no, not that kind of dream. I haven't even met CEO Tao, how could I fantasize about that kind of thing! You misunderstood."
"Is that so," Qin Qingshang realized she had overreacted, and covered it up by opening her water cup, taking a tactical drink, and adding, "Of course I don't think you're that kind of person, otherwise I wouldn't be so shocked."
"But I once heard Young CEO Tao say that his sister has been single since birth for twenty-eight years and he's never seen her in a relationship," Ning Pingliu's gossipy side was piqued. "Do you think maybe CEO Tao just hasn't let people know, and she's actually secretly married?"
"Cough cough cough—" Qin Qingshang choked on a mouthful of tea and coughed violently.
"What's wrong? Drink slowly," Ning Pingliu patted her back.
"It's nothing," the woman coughed, her face red. "Why, why do you think she's secretly married?"
"I'm just guessing. Many people in the entertainment industry are secretly married, and they only reveal it after having children. Tsk tsk tsk."
Qin Qingshang tightened her grip on the thermos cup. "Then, if CEO Tao were to divorce..."
"Divorce?!" Ning Pingliu was shocked. "How could anyone want to divorce Tao Qiuyun? That person must be crazy!"
"...Maybe she just simply doesn't like them? A forced relationship won't be sweet."
"Doesn't like CEO Tao, and also doesn't like money, doesn't like power? That person must not have been beaten by reality."
"...She is not moved by power or money, and has principles."
Actually, she didn't. She still bowed to Tao Qiuyun for the money in the hundreds of millions.
"Although it's true that one should have principles, if you look at Young CEO Tao, Young CEO Tao himself said his sister is a galaxy more beautiful than him... If it were me, I think I could move my principles back a bit, to show respect for CEO Tao."
"..." Cat was speechless.
"Wait, why are you concerned about CEO Tao divorcing? She's still single," Ning Pingliu felt that Qin Qingshang had become strange after mentioning Tao Qiuyun.
"It's nothing, just asking casually," Qin Qingshang's expression was normal. "Anyway, we have nothing to do with CEO Tao. Discussing it privately is fine."
"That's true. Sigh~ I wonder when I'll have a chance to meet CEO Tao. My lifelong dream is to hold her hand and express my admiration and reverence for her. I'm even willing to be her one-day stand lover, let her insult me fiercely with money!"
Given that she and Tao Qiuyun were wives, hearing this kind of talk, Qin Qingshang always felt something was off and quickly excused herself.
"Trending?" Hearing An Ningru's report, Tao Qiuyun took the document she handed over. It was printed screenshots of Weibo.
Staring at the abusive comments about Qin Qingshang, Tao Qiuyun's eyes lowered slightly. "How is her company handling it?"
"Sufeng is removing trending topics, removing them at all costs, but it's having the opposite effect, further provoking netizens' rebellious spirit."
"Very good," Tao Qiuyun's expression showed no emotion.
An Ningru couldn't figure out her current state and asked, "CEO Tao, what should we do?"
"First, record all these aggressive netizens, categorize them, and check their identities to see if they are paid trolls or individuals. Send them all to the legal department and compile a list of those who constitute defamation and libel," Tao Qiuyun looked at An Ningru. "We won't accept public apologies, prepare for court proceedings... Wait, not so fast."
She realized that Qin Qingshang didn't like her making decisions on her own.
"Huh?" An Ningru took back the documents she handed over. "Not rushing with the court process yet?"
"Yes, send it to the legal department first. I'll... consider the lawsuit process later."
It just so happened that she was having dinner with Qin Qingshang tonight, so she could mention this matter.
Thinking of this, Tao Qiuyun felt a little annoyed. It was supposed to be their precious time alone, and now she had to bring up such troublesome matters!
She raised her wrist and checked the time again. There were forty minutes left until five o'clock when she got off work. She called Zhang Xunmeng and asked her to drive the gray Volkswagen over again.
The woman's fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk...
She should buy a few more sets of disguise clothes to change into. Otherwise, with just that one set, even though she washed it after wearing it, it wouldn't be good to wear the same outfit every time she met Qin Qingshang, as if she never changed clothes.
And dressing so casually would also be inappropriate for the candlelight dinner she had booked for tonight.
But she had to be disguised to go to the set...
Change in the car?
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