Xiao Lan had a beautiful appearance, and even when she was lazily smoking a cigarette, she still looked beautiful.

Yu Jing stared at her fixedly for a moment, then closed her eyes in thought for a while before slowly speaking, “None of the artists who left Yunlai have been able to succeed. I will prove to the company executives that Meng Zhen is simply unable to make it, even signing with An Mei won’t change that fact.”

After a pause, she continued, “But to completely ruin Meng Zhen, I still need Ms. Xiao’s help.”

Xiao Lan furrowed her brows, snuffed out her cigarette forcefully, and asked with a cold laugh, “I have no grievances with Meng Zhen. Why should I help you? If things go wrong, I don’t want to end up in a mess.”

“Don’t you hate Meng Zhen at all? Everyone in the industry knows how valuable the drama 《Investiture》 is. Originally, the role of Daji should have belonged to you. But Meng Zhen interfered. Xiao Lan, I don’t believe you can face Meng Zhen calmly and watch her grow step by step. Both of you are known for your charm, so there’s bound to be some competition. Plus, Meng Zhen is only eighteen years old. Her future looks brighter than yours. In our circle, once there’s an optimal choice, who would settle for less?”

Yu Jing’s words struck directly at Xiao Lan’s thoughts.

Xiao Lan, at twenty-five this year, was at the prime age for actresses. Without Meng Zhen, she would have smoothly played Daji, using her beautiful appearance to establish herself as a beauty in ancient costumes. She might have even used this opportunity to enter the film industry. Unfortunately, Meng Zhen ruined everything she had planned.

She gritted her teeth, her voice barely audible, “Are you sure about this?”

“As long as Ms. Xiao is willing to help me, the success rate is greater than seventy percent.” Yu Jing said with confidence.

“Alright, I agree.”

———pr

After Meng Zhen signed with Anmei, she finally secured her first endorsement. More specifically, it was a promotion for the largest dairy company in the country.

It was said that this company had a history of eighty years. Back in the republican era, it delivered milk to high-ranking officials and nobility in the capital. Therefore, the advertisement was set against the backdrop of the Republic of China.

Fei Yun had more than just Meng Zhen under her management, and there were quite a few matters that required her attention. To better care for Meng Zhen, she directly assigned her an assistant named Xin Xin.

At this moment, Xin Xin drove Meng Zhen to the photo studio. As soon as the person in charge saw Meng Zhen arrive, she walked over with a smile and said, “I’m a fan of traditional music and have seen Teacher Meng’s episode of 《Do-Re-Mi-So-La》 before. You look stunning in it with a qipao.”

Meng Zhen smiled softly and followed the other party into the dressing room.

The stylist carefully examined Meng Zhen’s facial contours and selected a misty purple silk qipao for her to wear. The qipao had mid-length sleeves, just reaching the elbows, revealing her fair, pink-tinged skin. Even without makeup, her peach-colored lips looked particularly captivating.

“Teacher Meng, this dress suits you perfectly. Please have a seat and I’ll do your hair.”

The stylist held a curling iron, first fluffing up the roots of Meng Zhen’s hair. Then, she curled the strands near Meng Zhen’s temples and pinned them up with hair clips.

After Meng Zhen finished her makeup, the supervisor’s satisfaction was evident in her eyes. She took out her phone and snapped a few photos of Meng Zhen. “Teacher Meng, can I post these photos on Nut Yogurt’s official account?”

Meng Zhen naturally wouldn’t refuse her sponsor’s request. She nodded slightly, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, making the supervisor feel as if her heart was tightly gripped by an unseen hand.

No wonder so many young people admire Meng Zhen. After all, who in this world doesn’t love beauty?

The supervisor pondered quietly to herself as she led Meng Zhen to the set, which had been prepared since yesterday.

The young woman in qipao sat by the record player, listening to the melodious music. Her eyes were half-closed and she seemed to be immersed in her own world.

Suddenly, Meng Zhen’s eyes widened, and her delicate nose twitched slightly. A maid entered carrying a metal tray, on which rested a blue-and-white porcelain bowl filled with yogurt.

The maid scooped some crushed nuts with a silver spoon and sprinkled them on top.

Meng Zhen stood up on her own accord and walked gracefully to the table. She lightly bit her lip and asked somewhat uncertainly, “Is this for me?”

“This Nut Yogurt was specially sent to you by the boss of Jinghua Company. Please try it and let me know how it tastes. If you’re satisfied, I’ll quickly send a reply……”

Upon hearing the maid’s words, Meng Zhen sat on the wooden chair, holding the silver spoon. She scooped a trembling piece of yogurt into her mouth. The delightful taste soaked her taste buds, and her beautiful face revealed a blissful expression.

Like a kitten.

At this moment, Meng Zhen was so absorbed in enjoying the yogurt that she didn’t even think to give feedback. She buried her head and finished the yogurt in the bowl. Seeing this, the maid smiled knowingly and quietly left the room without asking any more questions.

“Cut!”

The director walked up to Meng Zhen and said, “Teacher Meng, you ate too quickly just now. You need to savor the yogurt carefully. Each spoonful needs to be paired with nuts to fully show its characteristics.”

Meng Zhen approached her work with utmost seriousness. She carefully pondered the director’s words, and when he called “Action”, she deliberately slowed down her movements, handling the yogurt with great care, almost reverently placing it into her mouth.

The result of such an approach might have seemed a bit exaggerated, but in advertising, a touch of exaggeration wasn’t necessarily a flaw. As long as it captured enough attention, it served its purpose well.

Throughout the afternoon, Meng Zhen had eaten a total of seven bowls of yogurt. Fortunately, by the final shoot, she finally met the director’s requirements, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

The supervisor hurried over and shook Meng Zhen’s hand warmly, saying earnestly, “You’ve worked hard, Teacher Meng. I’ve been watching the monitor closely, and the shooting effect was exceptionally good. Once the editing is done, it will be ready for broadcast. Jinghua Company will also fulfill the ground promotion as per the contract.”

Meng Zhen smiled and thanked the other party.

As she walked out of the studio, Meng Zhen’s face looked particularly pale. Xin Xin was startled and quickly asked, “Sister Zhenzhen, what’s wrong? Let me drive you to the hospital.”

Meng Zhen gritted her teeth and shook her head repeatedly, enduring the pain. She had forgotten about this body’s stomach ache problem. Just now, she had consumed too much yogurt for the advertisement shoot, and now her stomach was cramping painfully, making her feel incredibly uncomfortable.

“Going to the hospital isn’t very convenient. Just help me buy some stomach medicine.”

Now that she had gained some popularity online, Meng Zhen was worried that if she went to the hospital, gossip might spread and she could be falsely accused, perhaps even of having a pregnancy out of wedlock.

Meng Zhen aspired to be a qualified actress, and she didn’t want that kind of mixed attention.

Xin Xin was clearly hesitant but she couldn’t refuse Meng Zhen. She could only nod and hurried off to the nearest pharmacy.

Meng Zhen was in so much pain that she broke out in a cold sweat. She crouched down, burying her head in her knees, taking deep, labored breaths.

After an indeterminate amount of time passed, a figure suddenly appeared in front of Meng Zhen. She lifted her head and, upon recognizing the other person, momentarily forgot about the pain and was completely stunned.

Could it be that she was in so much pain she was hallucinating? Why would Gu Ting be there?

“Teacher Gu.” Meng Zhen greeted him weakly.

The young woman’s face was pallid, with a layer of cold sweat on her forehead. Her usually rosy lips were now dry and cracked, faintly showing a tinge of blood. This appearance was a far cry from the glamorous Daji, almost bordering on disarray.

Gu Ting furrowed his brow slightly, bent down, and lifted Meng Zhen horizontally, placing her directly into his car. He was afraid Meng Zhen might misunderstand, so he explained in a deep voice, “I’m taking you to the hospital.”

“Teacher Gu, there’s no need to trouble yourself. My assistant is getting stomach medicine. She’ll be back soon.”

Meng Zhen reached out to clutch her abdomen, completely drained of strength from the pain. Her voice was so faint, like the buzzing of a mosquito, that Gu Ting could barely make out what she was saying if not for his good hearing.

Gu Ting didn’t say a word. He immediately called Fei Yun’s number. “Meng Zhen’s stomach is hurting. I’m taking her to a private hospital. Let her assistant know.”

On the other end of the phone, Fei Yun was extremely surprised. She never expected Meng Zhen to be with Gu Ting. She rubbed her forehead, but before she could speak, she only heard the dial tone.

Gu Ting had ended the call.

———pr

With her eyes closed, Meng Zhen leaned against the car seat, almost losing consciousness. She couldn’t quite make out what Gu Ting had said.

When she woke up again, Meng Zhen found herself surrounded by white, indicating she was indeed in the hospital.

She glanced at the IV tube in her hand, carefully recalling what had happened before she lost consciousness. Suddenly, Gu Ting’s face flashed in her mind.

So it was Movie King Gu who brought her to the hospital?

Back when she was filming in Hengdian, Meng Zhen had thought Gu Ting had a reserved personality and wasn’t easy to approach. She hadn’t expected him to be so caring.

One really can’t judge a book by its cover.

By the time Fei Yun arrived, Meng Zhen had finished her IV drip. Xin Xin had gone to the cafeteria and brought back a bowl of millet porridge, which Meng Zhen was slowly sipping.

“How did you know Movie King Gu?”

“Sister Fei, did you forget? Gu Ting had a cameo role as Bo Yikao in 《Investiture》. We had several scenes together, but I didn’t have much interaction with him beyond that.”

Meng Zhen wiped her mouth, and due to her illness, she looked tired and worn out, like a delicate flower weathered by storm. The aura of a sickly beauty became apparent all at once.

“Look at my memory, I forgot all about that drama. Don’t worry too much. Just rest well in the hospital for now. You’ll have to stick to a liquid diet for a few days, or your stomach won’t be able to handle it.” Fei Yun’s tone was particularly serious. Meng Zhen was just an eighteen-year-old girl, and if her stomach problems were already this serious, she would definitely suffer in the future if she didn’t take good care of her health.

“Staying in the hospital isn’t ideal, right?” Meng Zhen blinked and cautiously asked.

Fei Yun waved her hand in response. “It’s fine. Movie King Gu is quite thoughtful. He took you to a private hospital, so there won’t be any paparazzi sneaking photos.”

Afterward, Fei Yun shifted her gaze to Xin Xin and reminded, “Take good care of Meng Zhen from now on. Don’t let her eat spicy or cold food on an empty stomach, or her health will deteriorate.”

Xin Xin nodded eagerly and raised three fingers as a pledge. “Sister Fei, rest assured, I’ll definitely keep an eye on Sister Zhenzhen.”