Chapter 16: I, Ling Qiong, Send Money! (16)

Lu Wenci was not on set. Ling Qiong glanced around, finally pulling aside a young girl to ask where his dressing room was.

Now that Lu Wenci had landed the role of the second male lead, he had a dressing room to himself.

Ling Qiong made her way to the room and was about to knock when a dull thud sounded from inside. Without hesitation, she pressed down on the handle and pushed the door open.

Lu Wenci sat on the ground, palms planted on the floor, his face slightly pale and a sheen of sweat glistening on his brow.

The door made a noise as it opened, prompting Lu Wenci to lift his gaze. In the next instant, his pupils contracted, a flash of embarrassment and panic darting across his fair features. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you.” Ling Qiong closed the door behind her and stepped inside. “What happened to you?”

“It’s nothing…” Lu Wenci steadied himself on a nearby chair and got to his feet. “Why did you come to see me? You didn’t even tell me… For a moment, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.”

Ling Qiong noticed that one of his legs seemed off.

“Injured?”

“No.” Lu Wenci’s denial was swift.

Ling Qiong didn’t believe him. She pointed at his leg, which looked unnatural. “Roll up your pants so I can take a look.”

Lu Wenci hesitated, his lips moving soundlessly, before murmuring, “I just twisted it a little during filming. It’s nothing serious.”

Ling Qiong placed a chair behind him and pressed him down to sit. Her hand came to rest on his leg, her lips curving into a faint smile. “I’ll know if it’s serious or not after I take a look. Don’t move.”

The girl’s smile was bright and sweet, but there was something almost unsettling lurking beneath her obedient façade.

“You call this nothing?” In the moment Lu Wenci froze, Ling Qiong had already lifted the hem of his pants, revealing a swollen, reddened ankle.

Lu Wenci instinctively tried to pull away.

“It’s just a sprain, nothing major.” For some reason, Lu Wenci couldn’t quite meet her eyes.

Ling Qiong looked up at him with a brief smile, but the amusement quickly faded from her lips.

Would it only be serious if the leg needed amputation?

Lu Wenci was speechless.

“Where’s the medicine?”

Lu Wenci hesitated, then pointed to the table.

Ling Qiong found the medication, muttering as she opened the bottle, “People have always waited on me. I never thought I’d be the one doing the waiting now. Sigh…”

“I… I can do it myself.” Lu Wenci heard her clearly, nervous at the thought of her tending to him.

She was a pampered heiress, after all, always accustomed to others serving her.

Ling Qiong glared at him, cheeks puffed out. “What? Are you turning up your nose at me helping you apply the medicine?”

He wasn’t, not at all.

Her fingers were a little cold as she held his ankle, but somehow, even the pain seemed to lessen.

Lu Wenci’s grip on the chair tightened unconsciously, his body tensing.

Lu Wenci thought that getting treated was more exhausting than filming; his back was soon drenched in cold sweat.

He tried to change the topic, “How did you get in here?”

The crew was strictly managed; outsiders weren’t allowed in without good reason.

“I got someone to bring me in,” Ling Qiong said breezily.

“But ordinary people can’t just bring guests inside…” Lu Wenci’s confusion showed.

Ling Qiong played with her hair, looking quite pleased with herself. “I have good connections.”

Lu Wenci still didn’t get why she’d want to visit him.

She found a spot to sit, though her upright posture lasted only a moment before she lounged lazily, asking about the crew with idle curiosity.

Lu Wenci couldn’t help feeling like he was being checked up on by a parent.

Knock, knock—

Someone rapped at the door, followed by a voice, “Mr. Lu, please change into your costume. We’ll begin makeup soon, all right?”

Lu Wenci replied in the affirmative.

Ling Qiong looked surprised. “You’re still going to film in this state?”

“Yes,” he answered, “I have one more scene today.”

Her gaze fell to his injured ankle. “How can you act with your leg like this? Are you supposed to show the triumph of will over adversity?”

“It’s fine, it’s not an action scene,” Lu Wenci said.

Ling Qiong sat up, frowning. “Is Shadow Entertainment squeezing you dry?”

Who would make an injured actor keep filming? It had to be exploitation!

Lu Wenci shook his head quickly. “No, I just don’t want to hold up the schedule…”

Rolling her eyes, Ling Qiong lay back and pulled out her phone, scrolling to Chen Fangchuan’s number.

Seeing her distracted, Lu Wenci thought she was done talking and got up to change.

But as soon as he stood, her voice rang out again.

“Lu Wenci’s hurt. Ask for leave from the crew… Where’s the injury? Are you the agent or am I…” she grumbled as she snapped a few photos of his ankle and sent them off.

She ended the call, twirling her phone around a fingertip. “Your agent is supposed to handle these things. Don’t tough it out yourself next time.”

Lu Wenci could only stare.

Chen Fangchuan quickly sorted things out with the crew. Soon, a member of staff came to tell him to get checked at the hospital and come back when he was healed.

Lu Wenci didn’t have to film anymore. He packed his things and left with Ling Qiong.

Both of them were striking, impossible to ignore as they walked together.

“Who is that? She’s beautiful!”

“I saw her come with President Wang before… How is she leaving with Mr. Lu now?”

“What’s their relationship?”

The crew whispered, but the two in question were oblivious.

Lu Wenci recuperated in the hotel; Ling Qiong stayed as well, monopolizing his bed and relegating him to the sofa.

He had no choice but to accept it.

The girl he’d “picked up” seemed agreeable and easy to get along with, but she was still the young lady used to ordering people around. She gave instructions as if it were perfectly natural, entirely justified.

After three days, Lu Wenci felt much better and returned to the set.

But—

“Why are you following me?”

“I’m your assistant agent now,” Ling Qiong said innocently, tilting her head. “Who else would I follow?”

Assistant agent? Since when did such a thing exist? And when had this happened?

Lu Wenci suspected she was making it up.

But she did, indeed, waltz into the crew without hindrance, leaving Lu Wenci utterly bewildered.

He wanted to check with Chen Fangchuan, but the crew was already urging him to change and get into makeup, so he had to let it go for now.

Getting ready took a long time. Ling Qiong played with her phone, paced around, and eventually, out of boredom, decided to go outside and have a look around.

“…Are you sure this is okay?”

“Don’t worry, nothing will happen.”

“But Lu Wenci…”

Hearing his name, Ling Qiong paused and glanced in the direction of the voices.

Seeing no one around, she crept over.

There were two people in the corner. One, dressed in costume, had his back to her so she couldn’t see his face. The other appeared to be a staff member.

The costumed one patted the staff member’s shoulder and lowered his voice. “Just do as I said. You’ll get your share of the benefits.”

The staff member, wavering before the promise of money, gritted his teeth. “Fine, but this is the last time.”