Sweet Chief Secretary

"Miss Xia, I"m terribly sorry. It"s all my fault."

"Aunty, does it hurt?"

Seeing Xia Yu"s feet wrapped like a rice dumpling, Jiangjiang wanted to touch it but withheld at last.

"It doesn"t hurt now." Xia Yu smiled and touched Jiangjiang"s little head. Then she looked at Jiang Yayan, "It"s not your fault. You don"t have to apologize."

Jiang Yayan sighed and sat down on the chair near Xia Yu, "Miss Xia, do you know? My neighbors are all their accomplices. They monitored and insulted me, which I could still live through. But I didn"t expect that they should even persecute you."

Yang Ling had told Jiang Yayan what happened to Xia Yu these days in her home and everything she knew about it. The reason why Jiang Yayan entrusted Jiangjiang to Xia Yu was that she thought Yang Ke"er dreaded Xia Yu to some extent. But this time she even dared to hurt Xia Yu as well.

Jiang Yayan used the word "they", which meant it was not only the family of Yang Ke"er monitored her. Alas, Jiang Yayan lived a miserable life in the past few years, indeed.

"No wonder you didn"t bring your mother home. But now she has pa.s.sed the critical stage of her illness and will be discharged after a period of stay in the hospital. What are you going to do?" Xia Yu recalled what Aunt Xie said at Xiejiacun Village, who had some preconceptions about her. If she was to be arranged to stay at a hotel, she would be more grumbling.

Jiang Yayan gave a bitter smile, "Those men are crazy. How can I let my mother live with me? Glad I still have several days to think about it."

Xia Yu turned to look at Jiangjiang again, "Then where"s Jiangjiang these days?"

She entrusted him to Yang Ling and left for a couple of days.

"He lived with Miss Yang for two nights. But she had to work, and I couldn"t always bother her. I decided to bring him to the hospital with me." Though the hospital was not proper for a child, it was better to let him stay with her than leaving him at home alone.

Xia Yu nodded. They also talked about other topics for a while. However, Jiang Yayan had to look after Xie Gendi so she left with Jiangjiang later. Afterward, Yang Ling came to visit Xia Yu.

Hadn"t seen Xia Yu only a few days, Yang Ling found her weight was in a sharp drop and felt sorry for her, "Sister Xia Yu, they were so hard-hearted that they tortured you to such a pitiful situation."

"Take it easy, like I was on a diet. Thanks for what you did for me." But for Yang Ling came to Shen Yan for help, she couldn"t have come back so fast.

"You don"t have to treat me so politely as if we were a stranger." Yang Ling admired Xia Yu very much. After suffering so much, she was still calm and positive.

Since Yang Ling got familiar with Xia Yu, she had begun to give heed to her life. As a journalist, who got to know about some celebrities in society, she heard from seniors about some stories of Xia Yu, which made her admire Xia Yu to the full as her idol, especially for she wouldn"t bend herself to the power to strike an under the table deal with Zeng Mina.

"You"re right. I"ll listen to you." Xia Yu smiled.

Yang Ke"er didn"t expect that Second Madame was so timid in front of Xia Yu and even apologized to her. If she had known it earlier, she wouldn"t come with her lest she was put in embarra.s.sment just now.

So, after they went out, Yang Ke"er left Second Madame and drove away alone. She parked her car at a park and found a quiet place to stay.

No one could tell whether Zeng Mina was following her, but she surprisingly appeared in front of Yang Ke"er on time, "Look at yourself. I"ve told you. Don"t compete with Xia Yu but you won"t listen. Now, you believe my word?"

"Zeng Mina, just stop playing the role of the pot calling the kettle black. It"s true that you once cajoled Brother Shen Mo but now your role is replaced by Wu s.h.i.+yu. She"s quite challenging for you. I also heard that she is in a relations.h.i.+p with Li Yan. Though Brother Shen Mo is my cousin, I have to admit that Li Yan is more handsome and charming." Yang Ke"er wouldn"t let Zeng Mina tease her without counterattacking.

"Nonsense. She didn"t take my role. I quit the role. That"s why she got it. No one can take away what I really want." As for Zeng Mina, she was also angry at that, but she restrained her anger. She heard that it was Li Yan who recommended Wu s.h.i.+yu to the director, who was satisfied with Wu s.h.i.+yu"s good look and high popularity.

However, due to Zeng Mina"s status, the director dared not to annoy her. He made her play the leading role in another play.

So, Zeng Mina"s dignity was saved in front of others. In addition, she was tangled at that time and could spare no time to vie for it. This event pa.s.sed at last. But now Yang Ke"er brought it up again, intending to criticize her unprofessional acting surpa.s.sed by Wu s.h.i.+yu, sort of amateur, which provoked Zeng Mina.

"It makes no sense boasting yourself in front of me. Don"t you dare compete for it back." Yang Ke"er retorted in no time.

"What about you? Don"t you dare compete for it in front of Xia Yu. Why are you sitting here alone? For scenery? I guess so. After all, you have nowhere to stay. Only the silent scenery won"t turn you down." Zeng Mina showed no mercy to Yang Ke"er when she retorted.

"You..." Yang Ke"er jumped because of anger. But she laughed soon, "At least, I dared to cast Xia Yu out. Don"t you dare do it to Wu s.h.i.+yu?"

"I... Open your eyes wide. Let"s wait and see." The last thing Zeng Mina would like to do was to give way to Yang Ke"er. She turned around and walked away without any other words.

"Don"t worry. I will not only open my eyes wide but also buy a magnifier to help see clearly." Yang Ke"er shouted after her.

But Zeng Mina turned a deaf ear to her and drove away straightly.

At this moment, Wu s.h.i.+yu and Li Yan were with Xia Yu in her ward. They were chatting when Lv Wushuang, wearing a bitter look, broke in and grabbed Wu s.h.i.+yu"s hand, pulling her to the corner.

"s.h.i.+yu, Zeng Mina has gone too far this time! I overheard what she talked with Young Master Mo and the director just before I went here. They intended to replace your leading role with hers to make you play the supporting actress.

Lv Wushuang was shaking from rage and her eyes were red.

Wu s.h.i.+yu"s heart sank, a surge of anger creeping over her. But after a while, her anger died away. She said calmly, "Shen Mo is not the only investor in this play. Even if it was he who required the director to revoke my leading role, it was by no means easy for him."

"The shameless and nasty woman. It was nothing less than putting an affront upon you." Lv Wushuang cursed in rage.

Then a phone call from the crew came in time, "Miss Wu, the director wants to see you."

Wu s.h.i.+yu agreed and went back to the crew with Li Yan and Lv Wushuang after she excused to Xia Yu. She headed for the lounge where the director stayed only to find that Zeng Mina was c.o.c.k-hoop. It seemed that the director had been persuaded by Shen Mo.

"Director, why did you want to see me?" Wu s.h.i.+yu walked forward and asked with a smile.

Due to guilt to some extent, his eyes evaded hers, "Wu s.h.i.+yu, I want to see you today because of the adjustment of the roles. Zhang Man, who was supposed to play the supporting actress dropped out because of a clash in her schedule. After a deliberate negotiation with our playwright and producers, I consider you as the most suitable candidate for this supporting actress."

This explanation was lousy and ungrounded. However, Wu s.h.i.+yu couldn"t unveil the truth behind it. How irony it was!

"Then, who will replace me as the leading actress?"

"Zeng Mina will take your role."

Wu s.h.i.+yu gave some slight mocking laughter and cast her eyes not to Zeng Mina but to Shen Mo who was sitting on the sofa. Thinking of Shen Mo behaving so unreasonably for his Fiancée, she felt more disappointed than angry.

Shen Mo didn"t look at Wu s.h.i.+yu and no one knew what he was thinking about. But when she was about to look away, he lifted his head and looked in the direction of Wu s.h.i.+yu. His eyes were deep and confused. A tinge of hesitation and agony was between his eyebrows.

Wu s.h.i.+yu raised her eyebrows, wondering what was wrong with this man? In fact, it was she who was treated unfairly. And he was the culprit. But now it seemed reversed. Wu s.h.i.+yu gave him a cold glance and turned away.

"OK. I"ll take this arrangement." What else could she do? She had to accept reality. Having traversed in this industry for a couple of years, Wu s.h.i.+yu was well aware of the rules behind.

The director sighed in relief apparently, with guilt and exaltation in his eyes.

After Lv Wushuang came out of the lounge, she waited at a place not far away. At the sight of Wu s.h.i.+yu coming out, she dashed towards, with anxiety between her eyebrows, "How"s it going?"

"They changed my role."

"How can the director agree on that? It has gone too far." Lv Wushuang said angrily.

Wu s.h.i.+yu gave a bitter smile, "Young Master Mo has a strong background. The director has no choice but to compromise. Unfortunate as I am, I"m satisfied that I can still play the supporting actress. Zhang Man is the most unfortunate. She has been sacked."

Lv Wushuang gave a sigh and the two of them were plunged into silence for quite some time.

Zeng Mina walked pompously with Shen Mo arm in arm toward the outside. Then she loosened his arm, "Young Master Mo, I"m going to have an audition later. Let"s say goodbye here."

Shen Mo didn"t say anything. He went directly to his car and drove off.

When Zeng Mina returned, she saw Wu s.h.i.+yu and Lv Wushuang standing still in the lobby. She sneered and walked to one side, making a phone call to Yang Ke"er, "Now I"m the leading actress. What do you say?"

"So what? The director only gave an oral promise. You"ll never know the final result until the play starts shooting." Yang Ke"er left her word coldly and hung up.

d.a.m.ned it! Wouldn"t believe, huh? Asked someone to take some pictures as evidence when the play began shooting. Could she still deny it?

Off she went to the director"s lounge and urged him to begin shooting right now.

Standing beside the director, Zeng Mina looked triumphant. All the crew showed sympathy for Wu s.h.i.+yu in their eyes. Li Yan came and comforted her, which made her feel a surge of warmth going through her heart.

Accompanied and comforted by her Mr. Mcdreamy, she didn"t feel angry anymore. She had been calm in the face of this accident, but she didn"t expect that Zeng Mina should show off in an active way.

"Shen Mo adores me so much. He will give everything that I want. I just mention it that I want to act in this play. Then he takes me to the crew and makes me the leading actress." Although Zeng Mina was saying to her a.s.sistant, her eyes were looking into Wu s.h.i.+yu"s and her delicate face appeared a triumphant smile. She said to Wu s.h.i.+yu, "Wu s.h.i.+yu, I am so sorry. I"ll play the leading actress which once belonged to you. But don"t worry. I promise I will do it better than you."

"Really? I"ll wait and see. Oh, by the way, Shen Mo doesn"t love you at all. If you don"t believe me, go and ask him. I"m sure that he will keep silent." Wu s.h.i.+yu said to her ear in a casual way with a smile on the corner of her mouth.

Even a worm will turn. Wu s.h.i.+yu was withholding her temper all the way. But now she decided not to endure it anymore.

"Shen Mo didn"t love Zeng Mina", was the aching point in Zeng Mina"s heart. Let alone, it was uttered by Wu s.h.i.+yu, Shen Mo"s ex-girlfriend. Even though it was said by anyone, she would be provoked upon hearing. So, her face changed color immediately and she announced in anger, "Wu s.h.i.+yu, stop trying to alienate my relations.h.i.+p with Shen Mo. He loves me, very much, most ardently.”

"Don"t talk to her. She"s jealous of you." a.s.sistant Jiang Wen pulled her clothes to remind her and cast a contemptuous look to Wu s.h.i.+yu.

Anyway, it was Zeng Mina who was Shen Mo"s fiancée. And he came here to put pressure on the director for the sake of Zeng Mina. But Wu s.h.i.+yu could by no means get the same treatment as her.

"That"s right! You"re jealous of me. How scheming you are! No wonder Shen Mo dumped you." Zeng Mina mocked and turned around, walking out of the dressing room.