She opened another can of milk. She didn't used to drink much milk, but when she bought it for Jiang Zhi, she ordered an extra case and magically found that the milk was really tasty.
This was the third can.
In one morning, Zhou Xufang drank three cans of imported milk.
Probably because of Ah Wan's comment that "the girl pasting the film likes your looks," Jiang Zhi gave that person a few glances. Then he retracted his gaze and changed his lying position: "Call the vice director over."
Ah Wan went to fetch Vice Director Zhao.
Vice Director Zhao was a bit panicky when called upon: "Director Jiang, what can I do for you?"
Jiang Zhi, seemingly absent-minded, was playing with a can of milk aimlessly. With no preamble, he said two words: "Extras."
"Uh?" Vice Director Zhao couldn't quite grasp what was meant, "What, what's wrong with the extras?" Was it that they acted poorly, or—
"How much per day?"
Uh...
Director Jiang actually started caring about the livelihood of the extras. Vice Director Zhao answered truthfully, "About a hundred to two hundred, maybe a bit higher for special roles."
Two hundred.
The three cans of milk she drank cost nearly a few hundreds. Jiang Zhi found it bewildering; even if she pasted more films and delivered more food, it wouldn't be enough for her to drink this much milk.
Perhaps all the money she earned from part-time jobs was spent on buying milk?
Strange, why was he curious about an extra's livelihood? He toyed with the milk can in his hand. Maybe he really was too idle these days: "The extras today performed well."
What did that mean?
Vice Director Zhao scratched his head: "So...what do you think…should be done?"
Director Jiang lifted his eyelids.
Vice Director Zhao suggested, "Doubling their pay?"
The director said nothing, just looked at Vice Director Zhao.
He was sweating, hurriedly changed his tune: "Twice as much?"
Pop.
The director pulled the tab, opened the milk, and took a sip.
Vice Director Zhao wiped his forehead, stammering, "Fi-five times?"
No response. The person just got up, put on his coat, and started walking off. He seemed unwell, eyes drooping, pulling his coat tighter as he walked, looking frail.
What's going on? Vice Director Zhao was puzzled.
After he walked away, the mercurial Jiang Meiren said, "Do as you see fit."
"?" Vice Director Zhao wiped his sweat, filled with questions.
Ah Wan checked the time; it was one o'clock, time for the boss's lunch break. He followed along.
"How's that chicken lately?" Jiang Zhi asked suddenly.
Ah Wan replied, "Quite well, it gained two ounces."
Then there was nothing but intermittent coughing along the way, suppressed, making one's chest feel tight.
He seemed really unwell, Zhou Xufang thought.
"Xufang."
Fang Lixiang waved a hand in front of her: "Xufang."
Zhou Xufang was still looking into the distance.
Fang Lixiang jumped into her line of sight: "Hey, come back to earth!"
She turned her head: "Hm?"
The curiosity in her eyes was still there, unlike her usual calm demeanor, showing a hint of liveliness.
Fang Lixiang pulled a girl to her: "This is my assistant."
She signed with Baoguang, and got some attention, managed by Lin Shang, a top agent of Baoguang. But Lin Shang had other top-tier and mid-tier artists, so he couldn't give her his full attention. This time, he sent her a dedicated assistant.
The girl looked very young, short hair, clean and neat.
"Hi, I'm Jiang Wei'er."
She smiled sweetly, giving a first impression of being very obedient.
Zhou Xufang wasn't used to making eye contact, instinctively looked down, and said her own name: "Zhou Xufang."
Jiang Wei'er smiled at her, a dimple appeared on her left cheek, shallow but visible when she showed her teeth.
She also had the surname Jiang, she was also good-looking, Zhou Xufang thought.
"Xufang, do you have any more milk? Let me have a sip to calm my nerves." Fang Lixiang clutched her chest, eyes shifting rapidly, "I'm about to do a scene with my idol, my heartbeat's racing."
Jiang Wei'er's eyes widened slightly, looking even more spirited: "Your idol is Xiao Linsu?"
"Yes!" Fang Lixiang seized any chance to praise her idol, pulled out her phone, found a photo of her idol, and began gushing, "Isn't he handsome? I could admire this face for a hundred years!"
The male lead of this film was Xiao Linsu, but Zhou Xufang hadn't seen him much during her few times as an extra, so she took an extra look at Fang Lixiang's phone.
Then she said, "He's not as good-looking as Jiang Zhi." She glanced at the photo again, "Jiang Zhi's eyes are better-looking." Three-second pause, "His mouth is too." Everything about him was better.
Fang Lixiang gave a death glare.
Jiang Wei'er also gave a death glare.
Zhou Xufang said no more, handed the opened milk to Fang Lixiang.
Ding, Jiang Wei'er's phone received a message. She glanced at it, then stood up: "I'm going to the restroom."
The restroom was connected to the lounge, separated by a corridor. Just as Jiang Wei'er reached the turn, her wrist was grabbed, and she was pulled into a corner.
"Wei'er."
A man's voice, low and pleasant.
Xiao Linsu, originally a singer, had a naturally good voice.
Jiang Wei'er nervously looked around, pulled the man aside, tried to free her hand but it was held tighter: "Let go, we'll be seen."
Xiao Linsu didn't let go, instead he wrapped an arm around her waist: "If we're seen, let's go public."
Usually gentle and refined, he rarely threw tantrums like this, but going public was impossible. If her identity was revealed with the Jiang family background, and Jiang Zhi being her nephew, no matter how hard Xiao Linsu worked, people would accuse him of using connections.
"You signed with Baoguang?"
"Yes."
Xiao Linsu hugged her, chin resting on her shoulder, lightly rubbing, somewhat unhappy: "Why not come to me?"
He had a mixed heritage, distinct features, a blend of oriental delicacy and western sharpness, especially gentle in nature. He had been a top-tier star for years.
"Anywhere is the same," Jiang Wei'er let him hold her, smiling softly, "It's good to avoid suspicion too."
His voice was rich and low, "Wei'er, when I win Best Actor, let's go public."
She smiled, gentle and warm: "Okay."
Just then, someone called for Linsu.
Jiang Wei'er released her hold and pushed him: "Off you go."
He kissed her on the cheek.
When he had gone far, Jiang Wei'er came out, raising her head to see two familiar faces.
One was Xue Baoyi, the tone in his voice extremely annoyed: "Ugh, ugh," his tone very annoyed, "So clingy, Jiang Zhi's aunt, aren't you bright-eyed?"
Jiang Wei'er ignored him and walked away.
"Wei, Wei'er." Xue Bingxue called her anxiously, face flushed red.
Jiang Wei'er turned her head: "Hm?"
She wore a white long dress, light makeup, and had bangs, looking very much like the quintessential girl-next-door, extremely well-behaved.
She never used to wear dresses, never used to wear makeup, Xue Bingxue frowned, speaking softly, "If anyone in the circle bullies you, tell, tell me."
The sentence was spoken awkwardly.
Damn, they'd grown up together wearing the same trousers, yet he was nervous.
Xue Baoyi couldn't bear to look, snorted, "The Fifth Miss of the Jiang family, Jiang Zhi's Fifth Aunt, who would dare to bully her?" His gaze roamed over Jiang Wei'er, that white dress was glaring, anger boiling, he sarcastically remarked, "Jiang Wei'er, aren't you being pathetic? For a man, pulling out the thorns, from a wildflower to a delicate blossom?"
She even wore a dress. Before, this girl could kick a two-hundred-pound man. It's just that the one named Xiao liked delicate types, so this fierce flower pulled out all her thorns, wore a lady's dress, and mingled in the entertainment industry as an assistant.
The more Xue Baoyi thought, the angrier he got: "Where's your fierceness from before when you could take down three people?"
Jiang Wei'er couldn't stand it anymore, went forward, and kicked him: "Get lost! If you meddle in my business again, I'll beat you to death!"
After kicking him, she ruffled her short hair and walked off.
Xue Baoyi, clutching his leg, grimaced in pain.
Damn it!
He was furious, steam practically coming out of him: "Just arrogant in front of us, acting like a declawed kitten with Xiao Linsu, you're hopeless!"
Xue Bingxue looked pained: "Don't say that about Wei'er."
Xue Baoyi was angry at his uselessness: "You still defend her!" He wanted to poke his silly, sweet uncle's head, "How did our Xue family produce such a coward? Crushing on her for over ten years, and let someone else steal her, isn't that embarrassing?"
Xue Bingxue was even more sorrowful, head hanging, self-loathing: "Wei'er doesn't like me." What could he do?
Look at this, so pitiful!
Xue Baoyi wished he could kick him: "Couldn't you use some force?!"
Xue Bingxue turned bright red, afraid Jiang Wei'er, who hadn't gone far, would hear and dragged Xue Baoyi to the side, glaring: "Y-you pervert!"
Xue Baoyi: "..."
This kind of silly sweet, deserved to be snatched!
Xue Bingxue was the Xue family's only child late in life, Jiang Wei'er was the Jiang family's only daughter late in life, their birthdays were a day apart, personalities one dominant and one submissive, an uncle and a great-aunt, a perfect match by all accounts, except Xue Bingxue, from fourteen to twenty-eight, had secretly loved her for over fourteen years, never daring to hold her hand.
So angry.
Xue Baoyi, in a fit of rebellion, kicked his uncle and ran off.
Outside the director's lounge.
Ah Wan stuck to the door and softly called: "Mr. Jiang."
The person inside was half-asleep, voice hoarse, with bubbles: "Sleeping, don't bother me."
If it had been anyone else, Ah Wan wouldn't have dared to disturb this notoriously cranky person, but he said, "Miss Zhou, the one pasting the film, is here."