Top-tier Auntie in the Entertainment Industry

Chapter 135

For a long period of time afterward, Zhou Wei and Song Linchuan had minimal contact.

Only occasionally, during holidays, they would send each other generic greetings, almost like mass messages.

The breakthrough in their relationship felt like a dream.

Their relationship returned to its previous state.

After completing this film, Zhou Wei received more invitations, as Jiang Qiong put it, that's just reality.

After starring in a big production like "The Rising East," naturally, she received attention from the industry insiders. Moreover, during the filming, Director Chen also recognized her acting skills, which served as an endorsement for her reputation in the industry.

Furthermore, news about her and Song Linchuan being high school classmates had spread, bringing her a wave of attention and popularity online.

In this situation, Zhou Wei's acting career gradually improved. It is worth mentioning that besides receiving numerous script offers, she also received continuous invitations for variety shows.

There were even invitations from many popular and highly-watched variety shows.

However, both Zhou Wei and Jiang Qiong were sensible about it. They didn't accept any variety show invitations and instead took the opportunity to carefully select two good scripts and promptly joined the production teams.

Zhou Wei never had much interest in variety shows. Even with a short-term increase in exposure, it was ultimately just a fleeting moment.

Actors, after all, need to let their work speak for them; that's the long-term plan.

As for Song Linchuan, he was even more focused on his transition and naturally prioritized acting.

After being busy for a while, Song Linchuan joined another production team.

This time, it was a suspense-themed drama with a prominent male lead. It's easy to imagine that Song Linchuan had substantial screen time.

Since joining the team, his schedule was packed, and most of the scenes were filmed at night. Song Linchuan showed no complaints about it and cooperated excellently.

Finally, after shooting night scenes for over a month, the director gave him a day off and told him to rest well at the hotel tomorrow.

After returning to the hotel, Song Linchuan lay on the couch, staring at the ceiling, and said to Jiang Han beside him, "Why don't you tell the director that I don't need a day off tomorrow, I'm fine with it."

Jiang Han glanced at him and sighed silently.

It turns out that heartbreak makes people hard to deal with. This desperado-like attitude was indeed a bit intimidating.

"Don't do that. They have already planned the shooting for tomorrow. Just stay in the hotel and take a good rest," Jiang Han advised.

Song Linchuan had no choice but to give up. With nothing to do, he picked up his phone and planned to play a game to pass the time.

However, it had been a long time since he last played, and he had become rusty. He was killed shortly after starting the game.

He felt bored.

Seeing him like this, Jiang Han tentatively said, "Zhou Wei's crew isn't far from here. How about..."

Before he could say the words "visit the set," Song Linchuan glared at him and sent him back.

Jiang Han sighed, thinking that his life was really difficult.

Ideally, as a manager, he didn't want his artist to be in a romantic relationship. But seeing Song Linchuan so troubled by matters of the heart, he couldn't bear it.

He might say that he didn't care, but he didn't know who was secretly spreading rumors behind the scenes to clarify things for him.

Recently, news surfaced online about Zhou Wei and Song Linchuan being high school classmates. This revelation undoubtedly brought significant attention to Zhou Wei, who is currently a popular idol. However, along with the attention came a lot of controversy.

People started analyzing and interpreting their relationship, and various marketing accounts fabricated stories about their past romantic encounters. These rumors seemed never-ending.

In response, both Zhou Wei and Song Linchuan's teams promptly clarified that the dating rumors were false.

But then, unexpectedly, some individuals began claiming that Zhou Wei had schemed to get close to Song Linchuan, using their high school connection as a means to advance her career. They accused her of moral manipulation, suggesting that if Song Linchuan didn't support her, she would abandon their old friendship once she achieved fame.

Undoubtedly, these rumors had a significant impact on Zhou Wei, and it seemed they were specifically targeting her.

In the entertainment industry, opportunities are limited and the competition is fierce. If Zhou Wei made a misstep, she could easily end up back where she started, or even worse.

The problem with this situation was that there was no way to prove the truth.

These baseless rumors appeared convincing, which made them difficult to refute. After all, anyone with a discerning eye could see that Zhou Wei's casting as the second female lead in "The Rising Wind" was indeed related to Song Linchuan.

Even if Song Linchuan stepped forward to explain, it could be interpreted as him not wanting to ruin Zhou Wei's career due to their past relationship.

Detractors might even argue, "Why did Song Linchuan not support her earlier or later? Why now?"

After all, Song Linchuan had been popular for quite some time.

In short, the purpose behind these rumors was to create a situation where Zhou Wei couldn't defend herself, no matter what she said.

In response, Song Linchuan took the initiative to contact the production team of the show "Challenging Myself" and proposed releasing the previously unaired footage of the episode where he got injured during the recording.

This action posed no harm to the show but instead benefited it. Naturally, the production team had no objections.

As a result, a more than twenty-minute-long special footage was released.

It's easy to imagine that with the release of this footage, Zhou Wei's current predicament was resolved.

From the show, it was evident that their encounter was purely coincidental, and even from Zhou Wei's reaction, it was clear that she had no inkling she would meet Song Linchuan.

Apart from that, Zhou Wei's outstanding performance in that episode garnered her even more attention and popularity.

As the director had predicted, her portrayal brought forth a striking contrast that truly captivated the audience.

But let's put that aside for now.

Jiang Han pondered for a moment before expressing his thoughts, "Linchuan, perhaps we have been too hasty in our judgment. Isn't there a possibility that Zhou Wei and her ex-boyfriend haven't actually reconciled yet? Maybe it's not what we assumed."

That day, they saw Zhou Wei standing alongside her ex-boyfriend and immediately concluded that they had rekindled their old relationship. It seems they were a bit presumptuous.

What if they were just friends and nothing more? It's not an impossible scenario.

Of course, Jiang Han's thoughts were primarily influenced by his previous conversation with Jiang Qiong on the film set, where she hinted that Zhou Wei didn't seem like someone in a relationship.

Furthermore, for some reason, Jiang Han had a lingering intuition.

Zhou Wei was probably also fond of Song Linchuan.

Sometimes, the way she looked at him was clearly different from how she looked at others.

---

Although Song Linchuan claimed he didn't need rest, his body was honest, and he slept until noon the next day.

However, he had been truly exhausted during this period. It was only when he took a break that he realized how tired he was.

The assistant brought lunch, but Song Linchuan had no issues. After taking a few bites, he lay on the couch and started playing games.

Unbeknownst to him, he had been playing for the entire afternoon. When he finally looked up, he noticed that the sky outside had already turned dark.

At that moment, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Song Linchuan thought it was the assistant coming to deliver dinner. Well, he was feeling a bit hungry by now.

But when he opened the door, he saw Jiang Han standing at the entrance with an excited expression.

"Have you seen the hot search?" he asked.

Song Linchuan shook his head, not paying much attention, thinking it was probably about himself trending again.

"It's not about you," Jiang Han walked in and said, "It's about Zhou Wei. Her relationship has been exposed."

Upon hearing this, Song Linchuan's feet froze, and he looked at Jiang Han with a somewhat dangerous gaze.

So, Jiang Han came over with such joy just to see him being ridiculed?

Seeing Song Linchuan's reaction, Jiang Han quickly waved his hands and explained, "No, Zhou Wei came out and clarified that the person is her cousin, her aunt's child."

Song Linchuan paused for a moment, not quite getting it, "Are you sure the person they photographed is Xu Qin?"

Xu Qin?

Jiang Han hesitated for a moment, then realized who Song Linchuan was talking about, "Whether he is called Xu Qin or not, I don't know, but I can confirm that he is the man we met in the hotel lobby that day. Absolutely certain. If you don't believe me, take a look for yourself!"

After saying that, he handed over his phone.

Song Linchuan took the phone and saw the photo on it. It was indeed Zhou Wei and Xu Qin.

Xu Qin was Zhou Wei's cousin.

Why did she lie to him seven years ago?

Song Linchuan turned around and went to the living room, took his own phone, and found Zhou Wei's number.

But after thinking for a moment, he put down his phone and turned to Jiang Han, saying, "Have the driver bring the car around. I need to go out for a while."

Jiang Han wasn't stupid, and he immediately understood that Song Linchuan wanted to find Zhou Wei.

Knowing that he couldn't dissuade Song Linchuan, he didn't say much and directly called the driver.

In situations like this, it was indeed better to ask things face to face.

---

The filming location where Song Linchuan was working was not far from where Zhou Wei was. If he drove over, it would take a little over an hour one way.

After arriving at the hotel where Zhou Wei's crew was staying, Song Linchuan called her and informed her that he had arrived.

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Wei was still a bit stunned.

In fact, ever since clarifying her relationship with Xu Qin, she had been waiting for Song Linchuan's call.

Zhou Wei knew that given Song Linchuan's personality, even though the previous incident had passed, he would definitely come and demand an explanation.

As she walked out of the hotel, Zhou Wei saw a black SUV parked under a tree from a distance.

The person in the car seemed to have noticed her and flashed the hazard lights in response.

As Zhou Wei approached, the driver's door suddenly opened from the inside, and Jiang Han stepped out.

This time, Jiang Han didn't bring the driver along. He drove the car himself because the fewer people who knew about this, the better.

The back door of the car then opened, and Zhou Wei saw Song Linchuan sitting inside.

Jiang Han said, "You two can talk in the car, I'll go nearby to buy a bottle of water."

Buying water was, of course, an excuse; he just wanted to give the two some privacy.

After Zhou Wei got into the car, the door was closed.

The two sat side by side in the SUV, which was originally spacious but now felt cramped and crowded.

Song Linchuan didn't beat around the bush. He turned to Zhou Wei and went straight to the point, "Xu Qin is really your cousin?"

Zhou Wei hesitated for a moment and nodded, "Yes."

Song Linchuan wasn't surprised at all. Throughout the journey, he hadn't even doubted the PR tactics of Zhou Wei's team.

Firstly, Zhou Wei had always pursued an acting career, and having a romantic relationship wouldn't affect her much.

Secondly, he understood her. If she wanted to do PR, at most she would say they were friends; she would never bring up the fact that Xu Qin was her cousin.

"Why?" he asked.

For years, Song Linchuan couldn't understand why Zhou Wei had rejected him back then.

Or why she did it in that way.

He didn't consider himself an impulsive person. Confessing his feelings to Zhou Wei at that time wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. They were classmates and had a close relationship. They often studied together, went to school together, and even had some ambiguous moments.

Many classmates in their class often teased them, and he could feel that Zhou Wei liked him. That's why he eventually confessed his feelings.

Zhou Wei lowered her head and remained silent for a while. Finally, she gathered her courage and said, "At that time, something happened in my family, and I had to transfer schools."

Back then, her father was deceived in business, and after the company went bankrupt, he owed a lot of debt. He couldn't bear the pressure and chose to take his own life by overdosing on medication.

Her mother was also deeply affected and was admitted to the hospital. Since then, her health had been deteriorating.

Overnight, her family encountered such a huge change. Their house and car were all mortgaged, and she had to transfer to her aunt's place in another city to continue her studies.

Zhou Wei admitted that her actions were guided by her pride.

That's why she resorted to such an extreme measure, pretending that Xu Qin was her boyfriend, because she knew that only then would Song Linchuan stop pursuing her.

She understood him, and he had a strong sense of pride. Song Linchuan was taken aback, as he hadn't expected this reason at all.

Indeed, as Zhou Wei had anticipated, after being rejected in that manner, he, driven by his pride and face-saving concerns, didn't look for Zhou Wei again.

It was the summer vacation before their senior year when he found out that Zhou Wei had transferred to another school.

No one in the class knew where she had transferred to. Song Linchuan later learned from the homeroom teacher that she had gone to another city.

Before the winter vacation of their senior year, Song Linchuan couldn't resist and found Zhou Wei's former school. However, when he arrived at the school gate, he saw her walking out with Xu Qin.

It was that moment when Song Linchuan completely believed that Zhou Wei and Xu Qin were truly together.

And he had believed it for all these years.

Song Linchuan stared at Zhou Wei, wanting to ask her if he was so unworthy of trust back then, why didn't she tell him the truth?

It was just a transfer, they could handle being in different places. He could visit her on weekends, and they could even agree to attend the same university.

Or...

In just a few minutes, Song Linchuan thought of many things, but what came out of his mouth was, "Okay, the past is in the past. Let's talk about the present."

On their way over, he had already thought it through. Regardless of the reasons in the past, he didn't want to miss another chance this time.

When Song Linchuan said they should talk about the present, Zhou Wei couldn't help but pause.

But she wasn't foolish; she naturally knew what he wanted to talk about.

Just as Song Linchuan was about to say something, Zhou Wei took the initiative and said, "Yes, the past is in the past, it doesn't matter. We're friends now."

Seeing her obvious distant demeanor, Song Linchuan visibly paused.

He silently looked at her, not saying a word, while Zhou Wei's gaze became evasive.

Inside the narrow car, all that could be heard was the sound of their breathing.

After a while, Song Linchuan's voice came through.

"Okay, I understand."

—

After getting off the car, Zhou Wei stood in place, watching Song Linchuan's car gradually move away.

She remained crouched down until it disappeared from her sight.

She knew that after this, her and Song Linchuan's chances were truly gone.

Jiang Qiong appeared behind her at some point, gently patting her back to comfort her.

She sighed quietly and said, "Wei Wei, you will regret this."

During this period, Jiang Qiong gradually discovered the clues between Zhou Wei and Song Linchuan.

Just a few days ago, she found out about their past from Zhou Wei.

Jiang Qiong never expected that her artist and Song Linchuan had such a history.

During this time, Jiang Han also contacted her. Jiang Qiong wasn't foolish; she naturally sensed the probing in his words and vaguely understood Song Linchuan's intentions.

But things just happened to be so unfortunate. Just a few days ago in City S, Zhou Wei underwent a comprehensive medical examination with her family, and she had just received the medical report before Song Linchuan arrived.

According to the report, it was difficult for her to conceive.

Speaking of which, when Zhou Wei was still a newcomer in this industry, she accidentally fell into an ice hole while filming in the freezing winter of Northeast China. By the time she was rescued, she was almost at her limit.

Since then, she developed a condition of being cold all the time.

They had never paid much attention to it, but they didn't expect it to be so serious.

Jiang Qiong couldn't help but sigh more and more as she thought about it. Even if Song Linchuan were to come tomorrow, at least let Zhou Wei recover slowly.

Zhou Wei, the performer from her family, sometimes tends to overthink things. Her mind is probably filled with thoughts like "since there is no future, it's better not to start at all."

Having difficulties getting pregnant doesn't necessarily mean it's impossible.

Besides, it's just a romantic relationship. Why bother thinking so much?

Sigh!

Alright, Zhou Wei has always been hesitant. Tomorrow, I'll take her to see a doctor.

---

After their friendship was broken due to a misunderstanding, their relationship reached an all-time low.

Jiang Han and Jiang Qiong, the two managers, were really frustrated during this period.

Jiang Qiong was fine since she somewhat knew the reason behind it, even though she couldn't talk about it. She understood where the problem lay.

Jiang Han, on the other hand, was more unfortunate. He didn't know anything and had to rely on guesswork.

However, Song Linchuan wasn't foolish either.

He had a rough idea afterward. Zhou Wei might have her reasons because, judging from her reaction that day, it was full of loopholes.

Not to mention Jiang Qiong's vague attitude when Jiang Han contacted her afterwards.

But this time, he was being stubborn.

Being pushed away all the time would also hurt.

It might be a bit melodramatic, but he wanted to be melodramatic for once.

In fact, maybe Song Linchuan himself hadn't realized that, apart from this, what he cared more about in his heart was why Zhou Wei could easily push him away every time.

It's as if in her heart, he really didn't matter at all.

They remained estranged for quite some time.

Until one day, Song Linchuan went to meet a director, and coincidentally, Zhou Wei was in the adjacent private room, meeting a producer.

It was quite a coincidence, as neither party was aware of it.

But during the meal, Song Linchuan suddenly heard a commotion and the sound of things being thrown from the next room.

Everyone thought there was some friction, but they didn't pay much attention to it.

Just as the director's assistant, who had just gone to the restroom, came back and pointed to the next room, he whispered, "It's Zhao Quanfeng from Dingsheng Entertainment."

Besides Song Linchuan, Jiang Han, and the director, there were a few other people present, all from the same industry.

Obviously, everyone was familiar with Zhao Quanfeng from Dingsheng Entertainment.

Dingsheng Entertainment was under the Zhao family's group in City S. Zhao Quanfeng, whose full name was Zhao Quanfeng, was the younger brother of the head of the Zhao family and didn't have a good reputation in the industry.

This person relied on his family background and openly engaged in the unspoken rules of the entertainment industry. He always had a constant stream of female companions.

If he were just promiscuous, it would be one thing since it's a consensual matter, and it's not right to judge.

But this person was extremely domineering. If he took a liking to a female artist, regardless of whether the other party was willing or not, he would force them into submission.

Previously, when a rising star caught his attention but didn't comply, he openly declared that he would blacklist her within the industry.

No one wanted to stir up trouble in the industry, considering the influence of the Zhao family behind him. For a while, no one dared to cast that actress until she finally relented.

So, if it was him who threw things just now, someone was bound to suffer.

Everyone couldn't help but shake their heads, but the director's assistant who had just gone out suddenly looked at Pei Kuang.

Pei Kuang raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's wrong?"

The assistant hesitated several times before finally speaking up, "I just looked through the crack in the door and it seemed like I saw Zhou Wei." The fact that they were classmates was well-known due to the previous online rumors.

Song Linchuan's face changed, and he suddenly stood up and walked towards the door.

Everyone was stunned, and by the time they reacted, it was too late to stop him.

So, they quickly got up and followed, but deep down, they could only hope that it wouldn't turn out as they feared.

However, contrary to their wishes, a storm was brewing next door, precisely because of Zhou Wei.

Jiang Qiong looked at the confrontation between Zhao Quanfeng and Zhou Wei on the table, feeling anxious as well.

Today, she had brought Zhou Wei to meet a producer, but she didn't expect Zhao Quanfeng to be there as well.

Initially, she silently prayed it was a coincidence, but now it was clear that it wasn't. Zhao Quanfeng had set up this "Hongmen Banquet" intentionally because he had his eyes on Zhou Wei.

Zhao Quanfeng looked at Zhou Wei and sneered, "You've finally started to gain some fame. Are you sure you don't want to cherish it?"

Zhou Wei stared straight at him, showing no signs of fear. "I've already said it before. Whether I become famous or not is up to fate. I can't force it, nor do I intend to."

After being repeatedly rebutted, Zhao Quanfeng's face turned completely dark.

"Alright, I'd like to see..."

Before he could finish his threatening words, the door of the private room was suddenly pushed open from outside.

Everyone inside turned their gaze in unison as Song Linchuan walked in.

Upon seeing Song Linchuan, Zhao Quanfeng turned to Zhou Wei and sarcastically said, "Your savior?"

With his expression and tone, it was clear that he didn't consider Song Linchuan a threat.

No matter how popular a top star was, they were nothing in the eyes of capital.

Capital could promote one and then promote another.

Zhou Wei was also surprised to see Song Linchuan, and her first reaction was not to involve him.

"I don't know him, we're not close, and we haven't been in contact."

Seeing her trying to distance herself, Song Linchuan almost laughed out of anger.

But he also knew that this was not the time to dwell on such things.

Although Song Linchuan had a bad temper, he still had some rationality. If this matter wasn't resolved today, it would be difficult for Zhou Wei in the entertainment industry in the future.

Suppressing his anger, he picked up the glass of wine in front of Zhou Wei, filled it to the brim, and placed it in front of her. "Mr. Zhao, if there's anything Zhou Wei did wrong, I'll take a drink as punishment and apologize on her behalf."

After speaking, he drank the entire glass in one gulp, showing his sincerity.

Zhou Wei was about to speak up, but Jiang Qiong reached out and stopped her.

She knew that Zhou Wei didn't want to involve Song Linchuan, but at this point, he was already entangled in the situation. All they could do was wait and see.

Perhaps Zhao Quanfeng would actually give him face.

Zhao Quanfeng sat there, crossing his legs, wearing a thought-provoking expression. "You're apologizing on her behalf?"

He sneered and said in a harsh voice, "Who do you think you are? Why should I give you face? You really think highly of yourself!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the room couldn't help but gasp.

Zhao Quanfeng left no room for face with his words.

Although Song Linchuan was a top figure, he didn't have the ability to challenge capital head-on.

"Well, it seems that I have no face here, according to Mr. Zhao," Song Linchuan shrugged, appearing indifferent.

"But my father and Mr. Zhao have had some acquaintance. Can't that be taken into consideration?"

Completely infuriated, Zhao Quanfeng replied without hesitation, "Stop beating around the bush. Your father? Who do you think your father is?"

Song Linchuan looked at him calmly and said, "Song Zhenhui."

As soon as this name was mentioned, the others hadn't reacted yet, but Zhao Quanfeng was the first to catch on.

"Song Zhenhui?" he asked, uncertain.

Song Linchuan said expressionlessly, "Yes, Song Zhenhui from the Song Group. I wonder how much face he has in your eyes."

With these words, the room fell silent.

While some might not immediately recognize Song Zhenhui, everyone knew the Song Group.

To put it this way, both were leading enterprises in S City, but there was still some distance between the Zhao Group and the Song Group.

And Song Zhenhui, of the Song Group, turned out to be Song Linchuan's father.

This was a big deal!

Instantly, the situation turned into a clash of capital against capital.

Without a doubt, no matter how much Zhao Quanfeng had been slacking off, he had to save face.

As for the veracity of Song Linchuan's words, no one in the room doubted it. After all, no one would tell such an easily refutable lie.

---

Song Linchuan led Zhou Wei out of the private room.

But they hadn't gone far when he stumbled, fortunately Zhou Wei was by his side and managed to support him in time.

The glass of white wine Song Linchuan had just drunk was no joke. Now that the alcohol had taken effect, he quickly became dazed.

Seeing this, Jiang Han hurried over to help.

Jiang Qiong also followed quickly.

Originally, she wanted to support Zhou Wei on her side, fearing that they would be photographed when they went out later.

But the problem was, Song Linchuan firmly held onto Zhou Wei's hand and wouldn't let go, no matter how they tried to pry it loose.

In the end, they had no choice but to support Song Linchuan on one side each and bring him to the entrance.

Then, Zhou Wei also got into the car and, together with Jiang Han, sent Song Linchuan back home!