Baihe Fan

Chapter 21: Afternoon Nap

At noon, there were a few simple home-cooked dishes, portioned perfectly, leaving empty plates. After lunch, everyone started worrying about the expenses; they had used almost two-thirds of the budget with a day and a half remaining, which seemed insufficient. So, the social expert was sent to negotiate with the program team.

“Director, come over here, I need to discuss something with you,” Xia Linxia called out.

The director took a step back without saying a word.

[Director in danger]

[Haha, are you seriously stepping back?]

[Director: She’s coming, she’s coming with negotiations]

[Haha, finally, my favorite segment!]

“Director, come over,” Xia Linxia called out again.

The director, holding a megaphone, asked, “What is it?”

“I need some money, we don’t have enough to eat.”

The director couldn’t help but laugh at her straightforwardness and said, “No more money. You either make more or save more.”

“How do we make more?”

The director pointed to the plants in the yard, “Clean up these weeds, and you can earn 30 yuan.”

Xia Linxia frowned, “30? Do you believe I’ll clean you up instead?”

[Hahahahaha]

[Trembling director, so pitiful hahaha]

[Hahaha, original earring warning!]

Song Wanyi, standing behind, couldn’t help but laugh and chimed in, “Director, give us a bit more, just a little.”

Xia Linxia added, “Do you know how much I earn per minute at a concert?”

Song Wanyi echoed, “No idea.”

“This much,” Xia Linxia showed a number with her fingers, then turned to the director’s team and suddenly started singing, “In that distant place~”

The director: “?”

After two lines, Xia Linxia spread her hands, “The performance lasted 15 seconds. I’ll give you a discount, only 998, and you can pay by scanning the code.”

Song Wanyi: “Awesome! Director, pay up!”

The director: “…”

[Hahaha, is this strong-arm selling?]

[Here it is! The director’s shocked face x2, let’s see how many times we get this shocked face in this season!]

[Being a star is such a waste of talent. Xia Linxia should come and work in sales with me, or just take me along!]

After half an hour of negotiations, Xia Linxia finally managed to get 100 yuan in cash from the director. She stood up and, along with Song Wanyi, carried the stools back inside, “Mission accomplished! Sister Qiu, we got more money. Should we order two cups of milk tea this afternoon?”

Fang Qiushuang gestured for her to be quiet and whispered, “If you want milk tea, go ahead and order. Xiao Ji is taking a nap, so keep your noise down.”

“Already asleep?” Xia Linxia put down the stool, went to her room, and opened the door, seeing Ji Fengxue already lying peacefully.

She picked a flower from the vase on the table and carefully placed it in Ji Fengxue’s hand. Unfortunately, the flower was bright red, not white enough. Feeling bored, she wandered around the room, making funny faces at the camera, making the audience laugh.

Hearing someone outside wanting to sing, she roamed the villa and found a guitar. After checking the tuning, she adjusted the strings and walked to the gazebo in the yard with the guitar.

The others were chatting and singing. Seeing her, Song Wanyi led the applause, “Linxia, come sing a few songs for us. We’re being tortured by Xue Hui’s singing.”

“No problem.”

Soft, soothing melodies lingered in Ji Fengxue’s mind, blurring the line between reality and dream. During the fall, there was always a string that seemed to lift her up, passing over beautiful scenery.

As a round of applause broke out, she slowly opened her eyes, noticing the rose in her hand. After a moment of confusion, she held it, still sleepy, and opened a corner of the curtain.

From this angle, she could see the few people in the gazebo enjoying themselves under the bright sun, chatting and laughing. Xia Linxia held a guitar, casually strumming the strings and humming a song, occasionally chatting with them.

Song Wanyi, sitting nearby, noticed her, patted Xia Linxia, and the group laughed as they looked over. Instinctively, Ji Fengxue turned sideways to avoid their gaze.

Soon, amid their urging, Xia Linxia walked over with the guitar, knocked on the window, and asked, “Awake? They’re calling you out to play.”

Ji Fengxue turned her head, looked at the guitar, and asked, “Were you playing just now?”

“Yeah,” Xia Linxia replied, then added, “I was just playing casually. This isn’t my real skill. If I get serious, I’m super awesome.”

Ji Fengxue’s mouth curved into a slow smile. She raised her hand, and a vibrant red rose passed through the window, the scorching sunlight casting a warm glow on it, landing in Xia Linxia’s hand.

“Nice playing. It’s your reward,” Ji Fengxue said with a smile.

Xia Linxia stood there, holding the rose, feeling a bit unsure, unable to grasp her meaning. The scene felt somewhat incongruous.

“Don’t hold it too tightly; watch out for the thorns,” Ji Fengxue reminded her.

Suddenly enlightened, Xia Linxia looked at the thorns on the stem and realized Ji Fengxue’s intent was to prick her!

How sinister!

“Hmph.” With a high and mighty air, Xia Linxia turned and walked away, placing the flower by the water tank next to Xia Wudi.

[The scene of passing the flower through the window was so beautiful]

[Got it√, I’m going to use this to flirt today]

[Ji Fengxue is really good at this, my impression of her has totally changed!]

[That little turtle is so cute, hahaha, I wonder what it thinks of the rose]

Ji Fengxue walked to the gazebo, greeted Song Wanyi and the others, and Xia Linxia returned, casually touching the guitar but suddenly not wanting to play.

Just then, her phone rang—it was her agent. She put down the instrument to answer it. Xiang Huaimeng didn’t seem to react right away, “Why did you pick up so quickly today?”

“Enough talk, what’s up?” Xia Linxia walked to the bathroom to take the private call.

“Check WeChat; I sent you all the details.”

After hanging up, she checked the messages and found that she was being slandered online again.

It started with a drama casting announcement online, naming the lead actress as Fu Xiaoxuan, directed by the same sleazy director they had met before. Someone revealed that Xia Linxia had auditioned for the role but had a physical altercation with the director, which cost her the opportunity.

Various comments were spreading wildly, with many focusing on Xia Linxia’s arrogance, even daring to hit a director.

The company’s PR team denied the incident, but the director remained evasive.

Just then, a trending topic appeared on Weibo—Ji Fengxue liked Morning Star Entertainment’s official post, supporting Xia Linxia!

Xia Linxia clicked on it, unsure if it was Ji Fengxue’s doing or her agent’s.

But that wasn’t the main point. She quickly edited a post and tagged the director.

Xia Linxia V: Coward, dare you to tell the whole story from that day? If you don’t, I have a video to help you out. @DirectorZhaoDayu

The private club’s confidentiality was top-notch, which was why the director dared to act inappropriately. What he didn’t know was that the club was owned by Xia Yangxuan’s classmate.

Within minutes, the director responded.

Director Zhao Dayu V: I’ve been busy with the drama and just saw the news. I want to clarify that all the online rumors are baseless. Xia Linxia only turned down my offer due to scheduling conflicts.

“Spit.” Xia Linxia was about to respond when the bathroom door opened, and Ji Fengxue walked in, softly asking, “That Zhao Dayu, his character isn’t great. Did he… bully you?”

Xia Linxia paused, looked at her for a moment, and then, with a sudden thought, said, “Yeah, he bullied me. What will you do?”

Ji Fengxue, as if discussing business, said, “He must be punished, of course.”