An hour earlier.
Inside the RV on the way back.
Amy had already left, and Little Chen had taken the afternoon off.
Now, Ling Wei was behind the wheel.
Su Qianqian sat quietly in the back seat, her long lashes lowered as she focused intently on the character profile for the female lead’s rival in Chaos of War, spread open on her lap.
Suddenly, the phone beside her lit up.
Su Qianqian’s gaze shifted from the script as she picked it up.
It was a text from an unknown number, worded with polite formality:
"Ms. Su, my apologies for the intrusion.
I am Li Jinfu, the producer of Chaos of War.
We’ve heard of your interest in the female lead’s rival role and are deeply honored. Would you be available tonight? At Jingyun Hotel—we’d like to invite you to meet with the director, screenwriter, and the core creative team to discuss your interpretation of the character."
Su Qianqian stared at the message, its seemingly courteous tone masking an unmistakable eagerness. A flicker of understanding passed through her clear eyes.
How efficient.
Lin Shu and Qiao Xi, working in perfect sync.
One slipped her the script, the other tipped off the producer.
Since they were so eager to hand her this opportunity—and even set the stage—
Well, she’d play along.
"Ling Wei-jie," Su Qianqian lifted her head, her voice soft and sweet, laced with a natural coquettishness, "Don’t head back to Yun Peak. Change course to Jingyun Hotel."
Ling Wei and Fang Qing, seated beside Su Qianqian, both froze.
"Hotel?" Ling Wei frowned immediately, her wary eyes meeting Su Qianqian’s in the rearview mirror.
"Ms. Su, what business do you have there so late?"
Fang Qing also turned to her nervously, whispering, "Yeah, Qianqian, it’s already dark. Is it urgent?"
Su Qianqian tilted her phone screen toward them, tapping the message with a fingertip, her delicate face brightening with just the right amount of excitement.
"Look, it’s from Producer Li of Chaos of War. He says the director and screenwriter are all there for dinner and want me to join them to talk about the role."
"It’s that new supporting role Brother Wang mentioned this afternoon—the female lead’s rival."
"Now? A dinner meeting?" Ling Wei’s frown deepened.
She’d been around long enough to know exactly what these "character discussions" over dinner really meant.
Especially at night.
Her eyes flicked to the rearview mirror again, taking in the girl’s innocent, untouched expression, and alarm bells rang in her head.
"Ms. Su, this is too sudden," Ling Wei’s voice turned stern. "Dinner meetings are chaotic, and it’s already nighttime. You’re young—you don’t understand the undercurrents here. If—"
She weighed her words carefully. "If you run into someone with ill intentions, it could be dangerous."
What she didn’t say aloud was: If even a single hair on this little princess’s head is harmed, the young master will tear the sky apart.
Fang Qing nodded vigorously, her face full of concern. "Right! Why not schedule a proper meeting tomorrow, somewhere formal? Or have Brother Wang accompany you?"
But Su Qianqian pouted, leaning forward slightly, her voice softening further into a coaxing lilt. "Oh, Ling Wei-jie, Fang Qing-jie~ You’re overthinking it!"
"It’s just dinner and a chat. The producer and director will be there—they’re respectable people. What could possibly happen?"
She blinked her dewy almond eyes, layering her tone with trust and reliance. "Besides, I have both of you with me! Who would dare mess with me when you’re around, right?"
When they still hesitated, Su Qianqian gave a little shake of her head, her silky hair slipping over her shoulders.
"You’re both so capable—you’ll definitely keep me safe. I’ll just go talk about the role and leave right after, okay?"
Ling Wei watched the girl’s guileless, sweet expression in the mirror, her nerves tightening further.
An eighteen-year-old had no idea how depraved some of these well-dressed predators could be.
True, with her and Fang Qing present, no ordinary person could lay a finger on her.
But the old wolves of the entertainment industry had tricks beyond the obvious.
Ling Wei drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, torn.
Let Ms. Su go? Too risky.
Refuse? If this really was about the role, would she regret missing the chance?
And then there was the young master’s reaction to consider…
Thinking of Gu Chengyu’s protectiveness over the girl in front of her, Ling Wei pulled over and swiftly pulled out her own phone, typing rapidly.
"Ms. Su, please wait a moment."
"For safety, I must inform Young Master Chengyu first."
She opened the pinned chat and sent a message to Gu Chengyu before finally changing course toward Jingyun Hotel.
Su Qianqian settled back into her seat, her playful demeanor fading as her expression turned unreadable.
Tch.
She even had to sweet-talk her way into the sisters’ little scheme.
