Chapter 700
Farewell to the Side Story
"It's alright, Xiao Jiang," Yang Ying said with a smile, her tone gentle. She waved her hand lightly, signaling Jiang Yang not to be angry. "I'll finish talking to Bai Lu about this first. Otherwise, Bai Lu will definitely be unwilling and won't be able to leave in peace. After we finish talking about this, we'll talk about serious matters. I won't take up your time."
After speaking, Yang Ying paused, straightened her skirt, and looked at Bai Lu, saying in a calm tone, "Back then, the crew of Wang Jiawei's 'Ashes of Time' was indeed arrested for collectively soliciting prostitutes. I remember that this matter was even recorded in the local county annals. It caused quite a stir. More than thirty people were arrested in total, all of whom were arrested in a guesthouse near the crew's residence."
Bai Lu's eyes lit up, her face showing excitement. Her tone was full of curiosity as she eagerly asked, "They really got arrested? Who are they? Are the main actors like Leung Chiu-wai in there too? If they are, this is going to be amazing!"
“The actors aren’t inside,” Yang Ying said with a smile, her tone tinged with helplessness. She shook her head slightly. “The actors and the main creative team are staying in another place, where the conditions are much better than the guesthouse. Those who were arrested were all temporary workers in the crew, such as those in charge of lighting, stagehands, and drivers who transported staff. The main creative team and actors weren’t in that guesthouse at all, so they weren’t implicated.”
Yang Ying's tone remained calm, as if she were talking about something trivial, but to Bai Lu, it was like being doused with cold water. Her eyes, which had been shining just moments before, dimmed instantly, and the excitement on her face faded considerably.
She pouted, her tone full of disappointment, and muttered under her breath, "Oh, so that's how it is. There are no actors involved. This gossip is so boring. I thought I'd hear something exciting, like which lead actor got arrested. That would be much more thrilling."
Seeing Bai Lu's disappointed expression, Yang Ying couldn't help but laugh out loud. She reached out and gently patted Bai Lu's arm, her tone gentle yet teasing: "All you ever think about is hearing juicy gossip. Where are you going to hear so many earth-shattering stories? Knowing this is already considered insider knowledge that few people in the industry know. I wouldn't tell just anyone who wanted to hear it."
Hearing Yang Ying's words, Bai Lu's emotions calmed down a bit. She looked up, her eyes sparkling with gossip again. She leaned closer to Yang Ying, lowered her voice, and asked curiously, "So, Sister Baby, have you ever met Wang Jiawei? What's he like? I heard he's really slow at making movies and quite pretentious. Is that true?"
Mentioning Wang Jiawei, Yang Ying's smile faded slightly. She curled her lip slightly, her tone carrying a hint of disdain and helplessness, and even rolled her eyes almost imperceptibly: "I've met him a few times. He always wears sunglasses to act cool and pretentious, no matter the occasion, even if the indoor lighting is dim, he refuses to take them off, as if everyone knows he's a big director. Moreover, he especially likes to talk badly about others behind their backs. He may act like a brother to people on the surface, but then he'll turn around and complain about them. He's very petty and doesn't have the demeanor of a big director at all."
At this point, Yang Ying paused, then lowered her voice, her tone carrying a hint of warning: "Alright, Bai Lu, let's stop talking about this gossip here. I'm only telling you these things, so please don't spread them around. Remember, I didn't say anything about what you asked today. If it gets out and someone gets hold of it, don't blame me for not warning you."
Bai Lu nodded vigorously, her face showing a well-behaved and sensible expression. She quickly said, "I understand, I understand, Sister Baby! Don't worry, I definitely won't tell anyone. I'm very tight-lipped. I will never tell anyone what you said, not even Ruth and Xiwei. You can rest assured!"
As she spoke, she put her finger to her lips and made a shushing gesture, her cautious manner making Yang Ying laugh again.
After chatting about gossip, Bai Lu knew she couldn't keep Jiang Yang and Yang Ying from discussing serious matters any longer. So she stood up, smiled at Yang Ying and Jiang Yang, and said, "Well, Sister Baby, Boss, I'll head out first. You two can talk business; I won't disturb you."
After saying that, she turned around and walked excitedly towards the door of the RV. She was still savoring the gossip that Yang Ying had told her earlier. Although it wasn't as sensational as the actor being arrested, it was still a great haul, enough for her to brag about to Zhao Lushi and Tian Xiwei for a while.
Just as she was about to reach the RV door and her hand had touched the door handle, Yang Ying's voice suddenly came from behind her, gentle and clear: "Wait a minute, Bai Lu."
Bai Lu suddenly stopped in her tracks, instinctively turned around, and looked at Yang Ying with a puzzled expression, asking, "Huh? Sister Baby, what's wrong? Is there anything else?"
Did I say something wrong? Or did Yang Ying remember some gossip she wanted to tell me?
Yang Ying slowly stood up, her posture still elegant. She walked towards Bai Lu with a gentle smile on her face and sincerity in her eyes. After standing in front of Bai Lu, she stretched out her arms and said softly, "Give me a hug."
"Huh?" Bai Lu was completely stunned.
Seeing Bai Lu's stunned expression, Yang Ying couldn't help but smile. Without the slightest impatience, she took the initiative to stretch out her arms and gently hug Bai Lu.
Yang Ying's hug was gentle and light, without any perfunctory gestures. Her arms were gently wrapped around Bai Lu's shoulders, and her hands were gently patting Bai Lu's back. The movements were gentle and affectionate, just like an older sister hugging her younger sister, which warmed one's heart.
Bai Lu's stiff body gradually relaxed. She subconsciously reached out and gently hugged Yang Ying's waist. She could clearly feel the faint fragrance of Yang Ying's perfume, which was gentle and charming. She could also feel the warmth of Yang Ying's embrace. That warmth was not deliberately created, but rather carried an inexplicable sense of intimacy, which instantly warmed Bai Lu's heart.
Yang Ying brought her lips close to Bai Lu's ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Bai Lu, keep going! The reason I'm so popular right now is just because I'm lucky. It's mainly because I married a good husband who can help me behind the scenes. I don't have any real skills. To put it bluntly, I'm just a pretty face. I'm also not very smart. But you're different. You're very smart, quick-witted, and have a talent for variety shows. As long as you seize the opportunity, listen to Jiang Yang, learn from him, and let him mentor you, you'll definitely be better than me in the future, and you'll definitely become famous."
Bai Lu understood what Yang Ying meant.
She was implying to herself that she should win over Jiang Yang and become dependent on him. As long as she could gain Jiang Yang's attention and favor, she would have a smooth career in the entertainment industry, realize her dreams, and become famous.
Feeling the warmth of Yang Ying's embrace and listening to her gentle words of advice, Bai Lu was filled with mixed emotions.
Before she met Yang Ying, she had heard a lot of negative things about her online. People said that she got to where she was by relying on Huang Xiaoming, that she had bad acting skills and a terrible singing voice, that she was arrogant and scheming. At that time, she really disliked Yang Ying and thought that Yang Ying was just a pretty face who relied on men. She looked down on her from the bottom of her heart.
But after actually getting to know Yang Ying, she realized that while some of the negative rumors online might be true, Yang Ying was genuinely kind to her. Although she knew that Yang Ying's kindness might not be entirely sincere, perhaps just a ploy to win her over, to get her to speak well of her to Jiang Yang, and to secure a resource exchange deal with him, the kindness was still real. She remembered her birthday, chatted with her about gossip, and even hugged and encouraged her. Even if these were all fake, Yang Ying had put in the effort, which was far better than those in the industry who were two-faced and couldn't even be bothered to pretend.
Bai Lu couldn't help but sigh inwardly. If it weren't for Jiang Yang protecting them, letting them make their way in the entertainment industry on their own, they would have suffered countless losses, been schemed against by countless people, and been taken advantage of by countless others. They might have been eliminated by this complicated circle long ago.
Fortunately, there is Jiang Yang. Jiang Yang is talented, has resources, and is willing to protect them and give them opportunities, so that they can have a safe haven in this treacherous circle and not have to struggle so hard.
Thinking of this, Bai Lu's eyes reddened slightly, her heart filled with emotion. She hugged Yang Ying tightly, her voice choked with emotion, and whispered, "Sister Baby, thank you. I will definitely remember your words, work hard, learn from Boss Jiang Yang, and live up to your encouragement. I also wish you continued success and that you will always be a top star!"
Yang Ying gently patted her back, released the hug, and still had a gentle smile on her face. Her tone was tinged with emotion and helplessness: "It's very difficult. The entertainment industry is so competitive, with new people emerging every day. It's too difficult to stay popular. Maybe one day you, Xiwei, and Chaoyue will replace me and become the new top star."
"No, Sister Baby!" Bai Lu quickly shook her head, her tone firm and her eyes full of sincerity. "You are so outstanding, so beautiful, and so good at dealing with people. You will definitely stay popular forever. No matter how hard we try, we can't catch up with you, let alone replace you."
Yang Ying smiled and didn't refute her: "Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's keep in touch when we have time. I've added you on WeChat. If you don't understand anything or encounter any difficulties, you can ask me. I will definitely help you if I can. I'm waiting for the day when you catch up with me, and I'm waiting to see you stand on a higher stage and be recognized and liked by more people."
"Thank you, Sister Baby!" Bai Lu nodded vigorously, a happy smile on her face, her heart filled with gratitude and anticipation.
She smiled at Yang Ying and Jiang Yang again and said, "Well, Sister Baby, Boss, I'm really going out now. You two can talk about business."
After saying that, she turned around, gently opened the door of the RV, and walked out.
As soon as she stepped off the RV steps, Bai Lu's smile faded a bit, and she gradually calmed down.
She knew perfectly well that what Yang Ying had just said to her, all that encouragement and advice, were just polite words, a tactic to win her over.
Who is Yang Ying? She's been in the entertainment industry for so many years and has gotten to where she is today. She must be very shrewd. How could she genuinely want Yang Ying to catch up with her? How could she genuinely want to help her?
Bai Lu thought to herself, "When I really become capable and catch up with Yang Ying someday, the first person who will want to kill me will probably be Yang Ying."
After all, in this circle, there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests. Yang Ying is nice to her now only because she still has value to her, only because she can help Yang Ying and Jiang Yang reach a resource exchange agreement. Once she loses her value or threatens Yang Ying's position, Yang Ying will definitely abandon her without hesitation, and may even suppress her.
Even knowing all this, Bai Lu wasn't angry at all; instead, she thought Yang Ying was very impressive.
It has to be said that Yang Ying's superficial skills are truly impressive; she doesn't put on a perfunctory show at all. Even for a small-time actress like her, she puts in so much effort, remembering her birthday, giving her gifts, chatting with her about gossip, and saying so many gentle and encouraging words. This kind of skill in winning people over is something that most people can't learn.
In fact, during the time that Bai Lu had been in contact with Yang Ying, she had already made a point of observing Yang Ying.
She discovered that Yang Ying didn't even glance at the staff in the Jiangyang film crew, whether it was director Zhou Hao, director of photography, or some senior employees, except for Liu Haochun. She would never take the initiative to talk to or greet them.
Bai Lu knew perfectly well that Yang Ying did this because those people were of no use to her, and she didn't need to waste her energy on them.
She only uses her energy on useful people.
For example, Jiang Yang has resources that can help her break through her current career bottleneck. Others like Zhao Lushi, Tian Xiwei, and Liu Haochun can speak up for her in front of Jiang Yang and help her facilitate resource exchanges with him. Huang Xiaoming, her husband, can provide her with connections and resources and support her behind the scenes.
Thinking of this, Bai Lu secretly made up her mind and muttered to herself, "I need to learn a lot from Yang Ying. I'm not willing to just be a paparazzi who only knows how to gossip. I want to be a paparazzi who can rise to the top. I need to learn her methods of winning people over, to make Boss Jiang Yang value me more and favor me more, to get more resources through my own abilities, to become famous, and to gain a foothold in this industry."
"What are you muttering about? What watch?" Just as Bai Lu was muttering to herself, a familiar voice came from the side, interrupting her thoughts.
Bai Lu looked up and saw Zhao Lushi walking towards the RV, holding a script in her hand, looking at her with a puzzled expression. (End of Chapter)