Chapter 78: There’s A Bullet Flying Towards Her
Translator: Larbre Studio Editor: Larbre Studio
“Xiao… Fu,” Ning Qing called. “Thank you for your compliment.” She took out a pen from her bag and pa.s.sed it to Xia Xiaofu. “Can you sign the back of my bag? I’ll treasure it.”
“Sure.” Xia Xiaofu took over the pen and signed her name.
Her signature was just like her character, elegant and unrestrained.
Xia Xiaofu then took out her phone and said, “Ning Qing, I’ll follow you on Weibo! Let’s follow each other.”
Ning Qing sincerely liked this woman. She had a good reputation, constantly referred to with terms like ‘fairy’ and ‘G.o.ddess’, but she had a frank and open personality.
“Yes! That’s more than what I could have wished for.” Ning Qing took out her phone and they successfully followed each other on Weibo.
“Xiaofu…” A man walked over.
Ning Qing lifted her eyes and saw a handsome man in a suit. There was a secretary behind him. He looked like a leader in the business circle.
“Ze, why did you come? Didn’t I tell you that I’d drive myself back?” Xia Xiaofu creased her eyebrows when she saw Ou Ze.
Ou Ze walked over with a devious look on his face. He extended his arms to hold Xia Xiaofu’s shoulder and smiled. “I worry when you drive home alone, so I told the driver to turn around to pick you up.”
Xia Xiaofu didn’t reply, but turned around and smiled at Ning Qing. “Ning Qing, this is my fiance, Ou Ze. Ze, this is my best friend that I’ve just got to know, Ning Qing.”
“Mister Ou, hi!” Ning Qing nodded and greeted the man.
“h.e.l.lo, Miss Ning.” Ou Ze glanced at Ning Qing then brought Xia Xiaofu forward by her shoulder. “Let’s go back. It’s already the beginning of autumn, why are you only in a dress? Aren’t you cold?” Ou Ze asked as he took over a blue wool jacket and put it over her shoulders.
Xia Xiaofu waved goodbye at Ning Qing apologetically as she turned in Ou Ze’s arms.
Ning Qing watched them leave. A woman’s sixth sense: she disliked Ou Ze. There was disdain in his gaze and his businessman-sn.o.bbiness was not subtle.
Ning Qing watched them walk away until they took a turn at the end of the corridor. A slender figure suddenly barged into her view. Ning Qing was stunned. Ou Luo Xi and Ou Ze, both of their surnames were Ou.
“Luo Xi, such a coincidence.” Ou Ze paused with Xia Xiaofu in her arms.
“Elder brother.” Ou Luo Xi was in a yellow wind coat and dark blue jeans. His delicate face bore a cool expression. He called when he saw Ou Ze.
“Mm, I came to pick up your sister-in-law. We are leaving.”
“Okay.”
Xia Xiaofu looked past Ou Ze’s shoulder curiously to take another look at the delicate looking man. She had been engaged with Ou Ze for two years and she only saw Ou Luo Xi once in Ou’s house. The man gave her a feeling that he wasn’t easy to get along with. The most crucial part was that Ou Luo Xi had not once looked at her directly!
Such a thing had never happened in Xia Xiaofu’s entire life.
“Ze, isn’t your brother coming home with you?”
Ou Ze held the back of Xia Xiaofu’s head to s.h.i.+ft her gaze. “He has an apartment outside. He’s used to being a Lone Ranger. Xiaofu, I’ll sleep at your place tonight…?”
As the hustle and bustle in the corridor resumed, Ning Qing walked forward while Ou Luo Xi stopped in place. His long fringe blocked his beautiful eyes; no one could tell what he was thinking about.
“Luo Xi, why are you here?”
Ou Luo Xi looked up with a poker face, revealing his black eyes that were like the dark night behind bright moonlight, quiet and lonely.
Ning Qing felt her heart twist. It was the first time she looked at the young man with heartache.
“I heard that brother came. So, I came here.”
“Brother? You mean Ou Ze?” Ning Qing was confused because he called Ou Ze “elder brother”. One would think he’d share a more intimate relations.h.i.+p with someone whom he called “brother”.
“No, I’m looking for Brother Shaoming.”
Ning Qing: What?
…
Ning Qing was on her iPad in the back seat of the car. She realized that she wasn’t a qualified wife. They were married for so long but she didn’t know anything about her husband.
She typed “Guang Qing” in the search engine bar and tapped the search b.u.t.ton.
But the iPad in her hand was taken away by Xiao Zhou, “Ning Qing, you worry me. Quick, tell me. What’s your relations.h.i.+p with Young Master Lu? You are ridiculous! There are rumors spreading around the club and I am the last to know that you have a thing with Young Master Lu. You don’t have to use the search engine on the internet, just ask me whatever you’d like to know.”
Ning Qing saw that her iPad was confiscated so she had no choice but to ask, “I’d like to know who Lu Shaoming is?”
Xiao Zhou gawked in shock. She extended her finger and tapped on Ning Qing’s head, “Ning Qing, are you a woman? Are you ignorant? Have you not heard of Lu Corporation?”
“Lu Corporation is involved in business, politics and also the military. They are the biggest tyc.o.o.n internationally. They are also the hottest Emperor Group affiliate. Lu Shaoming is a ninth generation member of the Lu family, which is the most outstanding generation of the family yet. His first company, Guang Qing, had an IPO in Los Angeles when he was sixteen. He is known as a business genius.”
“Not only is he a man of distinguished rank, but his personal life is also extremely clean. Many famous women and daughters of the rich and influential families have made moves on him, but he was never a part of any s.e.x scandal. He is every woman’s most desired bachelor, the one and only.”
Ning Qing was shocked. She knew that he was rich but she never thought he would be that rich.
What should she do? She felt as though she had fallen into a pit of gold.
“Xiao Zhou, was he the one who invested in Street Walker?”
“Yes. Young Master Lu is the biggest investor in Street Walker. I also heard that Young Master Lu and Director w.a.n.g are very close friends.”
The mystery that Ning Qing pondered was suddenly clear. It was because of him!
It had always been him!
She had been wondering why luck had been in her favor lately. She starred in Street Walker and her life took a three-sixty change. It turned out that it was always he who helped her.
She thought and realized that he must have been helping her before they even got married. But why? She was only a stranger whom he met maybe once or twice.
Would it be that he fell in love at first sight, poured out his heart at the second, and determined to marry her at the third?
Ning Qing felt confused. She was such an ordinary person. Which part of her worth his love?
“Ning Qing, one more thing. Ou Family and Zhou Family have been friends for many generations. Young Master Lu and Ou Luo Xi are close brothers.”
Ning Qing had already guessed this.
The man did so much for her in silence. Things that could be done, things that couldn’t be done… He even carefully thought about the lead male role in her starring film.
“Ning Qing, I told you everything I know. Now, it’s your turn. Hurry up and be honest with me. What’s your relations.h.i.+p with Young Master Lu?”
Ning Qing calmed herself down and looked Xiao Zhou in her eyes when she replied, “He is my husband… We are married.”
After a minute, a shrill scream came from the back of the vehicle. “Oh, my G.o.d!”
…
By the next morning, the number of Ning Qing’s Weibo fans had increased from six billion to twenty billion. She became one of the top five hottest topics on Baidu.
There was a general theme regarding “Ning Qing’s innocence” in the entertainment circle. She rose from a fallen socialite to an aspiring G.o.ddess. No one dared to denounce her or put the false charge against her past.
At the same time, digital citizens were arguing. Although Xu Junxi forcefully shut down the videos about their engagement party by the afternoon, he couldn’t stop the public outcry. Almost seventy percent of the netizens were declaring war against Li Meiling. They urged her to hold a press release to explain herself regarding how she had become involved in her best friend’s marriage.
Li Meiling had yet to respond to the matter.
This aside, Lu Shaoming’s appearance in the private club was like a dream. No news had been leaked to the public. Ning Qing knew that he approached everything in an efficient and orderly manner.
At the same time, Producer Ni vanished into thin air in a single night. He was chased out of T City.
Ning Qing knew that although he left, there was still plenty of resentment.
One more thing that was worth bringing up: Xia Xiaofu shared the Street Walker promo video and “liked” it twelve times. The friends.h.i.+p between the two G.o.ddesses touched the digital citizens’ hearts.
Ning Qing went through Xia Xiaofu’s Weibo. Most of the people that she followed and followed her back were female celebrities that had zero scandals, just like her. She was popular in the industry and she had a great reputation.
Recalling Ou Ze from the night before, Ning Qing found it a pity. Although she could tell that Ou Ze was dying to give his heart to Xia Xiaofu, she felt that they weren’t a good match.
Ou Ze said that he’d sleep over at Xia Xiaofu’s that night. Ning Qing recalled that Xia Xiaofu was only twenty-two years old, a very young age. Wouldn’t it be careless to cohabit before marriage?
Ning Qing suddenly blushed as the thought crossed her mind. How dare she think she badly about other people! She had yet to turn twenty-one but he wanted to do that so much!
His enchanting scent was still lingering on her lips and a handsome face popped up in her head. Ning Qing was burning in embarra.s.sment.
The night before when they were in the changing room, she remembered clearly that he had asked her, with his mouth so close to her ear, “Is it small?”
… Not small.
Every part of his body was so eminent and strong, fueled by male hormones. He was just like a tiger after the hunt.
… Very charming.
She can’t think about him. Every time she thought of him, she would quiver.
…
Ning Qing arrived at Red House and ran into Xia Xiaofu.
“Ning Qing!” Xia Xiaofu ran over with a smile. “Our crew is here to film a scene. I’m not in this scene but I recalled that you’re here so I followed them here to see you.”
“Xiaofu, you’re the first who came to visit me at work. Thank you,” Ning Qing was touched.
“Don’t mention it. We are best friends now. Best sisters.”
“Mm.”
“Xiaofu.” Director w.a.n.g walked over. “You have time to visit us today? We are starting soon. I’ll ask someone to bring you a chair later, you can watch.”
“Okay. Thank you, Director w.a.n.g.” Xia Xiaofu was wearing a pink dress, simple yet refined. When she smiled, she looked beautiful and charming.
Ning Qing bid farewell to Xia Xiaofu and went to read her script. Someone carried a rattan chair over and Xia Xiaofu’s a.s.sistant, Xiao Li, put a soft cus.h.i.+on on it before she sat down.
Then, there were a bunch of girls outside the filming studio chattering in excitement, “Wow, finally get to see Ou Luo Xi in army garb on the scene. Please remember to send me to the hospital if I faint later.”…
Hearing the shrill scream of the mob of girls, Xia Xiaofu looked toward the commotion. Ou Luo Xi was there.
Ou Luo Xi wore good looking army garments with a dark yellow belt. The firm army pants wrapped around his long legs.
The white collar of the unders.h.i.+rt wrapped around his smooth neck, juxtaposed with a well-pressed army collar. The originally smooth fringe on his forehead was pulled back with hair gel. His forehead and his long and slender eyebrows were exposed. Every single step he took in his black leather boots was sharp. He appeared extremely dignified.
“I’m fainting, I’m fainting…” one of the girls exclaimed.
“Sister Xiaofu, Ou Luo Xi looks really good in the army fatigues,” Her a.s.sistant, Xiao Li, couldn’t help but say excitedly.
Xia Xiaofu hadn’t realized that her eyes had been lingering on Ou Luo Xi for a long time until Xiao Li spoke. All the male celebrities she’s collaborated with were perfect looking men, but she had never really checked any of them out before.
She wondered why she was dumbfounded earlier.
Xia Xiaofu blushed.
Ou Luo Xi happened to walk over in his army boots. Maybe he realized that Xiao Li was talking about him earlier so Xia Xiaofu, noticing his sharp footsteps, suddenly slowed down.
Xia Xiaofu figured that he would look over. Her eyelashes that were like cattail leaf fan fanned and lowered. There was a tinge of anxiety and excitement on her fair beautiful face.
She was nervous and she didn’t dare to meet his eyes.
However, he didn’t bother looking at her. For twenty-two years in her life, the rate at which she’d receive a second glance was two hundred percent, and they’d normally take more than two.
The young man blatantly ignored her existence. Her arrogance and dignity caused her to wait in antic.i.p.ation of his gaze.
She was looking forward to seeing the surprise in his eyes.
That was how she thought it’d go.
However, she could hear his footsteps as he pa.s.sed her. Ou Luo Xi didn’t look at her, but instead walked right by her.
Xia Xiaofu had never been treated so coldly. He obviously noticed that she was there as he slowed down but he didn’t turn around. He had no manners!
You slow down but you don’t look?!
Xia Xiaofu gripped her dress and humphed angrily. “Doesn’t look nice at all!”
She puffed up her cheeks, pouted her cherry-like lips, and complained in a charmingly naive manner.
If it were to be an ordinary man who saw that, they would probably slap themselves twice for making her angry. However, it happened to be the young man who didn’t understand feelings.
Ning Qing turned around and sighed. She lived up to her reputation as National G.o.ddess. Her frown, her smile, her anger was filled with an aura of awe.
Ning Qing took another look at Our Luo Xi. The delicate looking young man was talking to Director w.a.n.g as usual. She found it weird. Theoretically, the two of them should be in-laws but it felt strange.
…
The scene was about the beginning of a war. The scene consisted of a bunch of j.a.panese invaders barging into a karaoke hall, which would then be followed by gunshots and ma.s.sacre.
Director w.a.n.g shouted “action!” Then, Ning Qing held a mic on the stage and prepared to sing. Suddenly, bang! Someone kicked open the door and the j.a.panese barged in.
“Bang bang!” There were gunshots and everyone in the karaoke hall scattered and ran.
Going along with the script, Ning Qing quickly got off the stage and prepared to stop the fighting. However, Ning Qing heard a very clear gunshot and her pupils contracted as she looked forward.
There was a bullet flying towards her!
(Original Text: 3,497 words; Translate Text: 2,688 words)