Chapter 6 - Chapter 6Out of the way, you pest! / Step aside!

At the Press Conference in the First-Floor Hall of Shengxin EntertainmentYe Jialan looped her arm through Tang Qichen's and walked in slowly. Her exquisite face exuded youthful vitality, and a faint smile played on her slightly upturned lips."Wow, she's stunning!"That exclamation echoed the unanimous thought of every man and woman present.Ye Jialan's beauty was so breathtaking that even those in the entertainment industry, who were accustomed to seeing countless handsome men and beautiful women, were utterly dazzled by her at first sight.Her beauty was like the willow branches swaying gently in the spring breeze, the scorching sun blazing in the summer sky, the fiery red maple leaves dancing in the autumn wind, and the pure white snow blanketing the winter landscape.How could one even begin to describe Ye Jialan's looks?Every feature, whether viewed individually or as a whole, was flawless. Complemented by her light blue long dress, crystal high heels, and elegantly wavy long hair, she looked like a delicate porcelain doll when she remained silent."Remember the lines I gave you. Don't make a single mistake when you get on stage. Do you understand?"As they drew closer to the front of the press conference venue, Tang Qichen's heart grew increasingly tense."Mhm, Brother Qi, you have to have a little faith in me!"Ye Jialan blinked playfully at Tang Qichen, then nodded earnestly as if to reassure him.Tang Qichen's lips twitched helplessly. Who was he, anyway?He was the top-tier agent who had catapulted several actresses to Best Actress status in the entertainment industry. Yet, despite his illustrious reputation...At this moment, he felt an overwhelming sense of insecurity, and he wanted nothing more than to burst into tears!And he had every reason to feel that way. Ever since he'd met Ye Jialan, he'd often felt like his head was filled with water instead of a brain.What on earth had possessed him to be so dazzled by Ye Jialan's beauty that he'd signed such a handful of a troublemaker?He'd first crossed paths with Ye Jialan during the lowest point of his life—right after Bai Xiuwen had dumped him and fired him as her agent.Bai Xiuwen had publicly exposed all the underhanded tactics he'd used to suppress other artists and boost her career over the years, while shamelessly claiming that she'd been completely unaware of his actions the entire time...That scandal had plunged his career as an agent into an unprecedented slump.Back then, he'd even thought that he would never be able to regain his status as a top agent again. But the moment he met Ye Jialan, he'd reaffirmed his resolve to continue working as an agent!Little did he know that the subsequent days of getting to know Ye Jialan would leave him feeling so frustrated that he couldn't even cry...In the front row of the press conference, Tang Qichen and Yang Xi sat side by side, their eyes fixed on Ye Jialan, who was seated directly across from them. Both of them couldn't help but feel a flutter of anxiety in their hearts."Ahem, thank you all so much for being here today. I'm Chen Lu, your host for this event. It's a great honor to be here with all of you to celebrate the fact that Director Ji's new film, Little Tenderness, has exceeded 100 million views in its premiere!"As soon as the host finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted from the audience. Once the applause died down, the host stepped forward, her eyes shining with excitement.Her hands trembled slightly as she gripped the microphone: "It's my great pleasure to welcome the lead actors of our film crew here today, as well as the director of this film, Director Ji An! Wow, this is my first time meeting my idol up close—I'm absolutely thrilled!"Ji An was one of the most renowned directors in China. He had an eye for talent and a keen sense of current trends. Every film he directed had swept up numerous awards, and what was even more impressive was that Director Ji An was only twenty-eight years old.Not only was he handsome, but he was also incredibly intelligent.Dressed in casual attire, Ji An took the microphone from the host and politely shook her hand."Hello everyone, I'm Ji An, the director of Little Tenderness. It's wonderful to see all of you here at this press conference."Applause rang out again, and the smile on Ji An's face widened."Of course, this success would not have been possible without the hard work of all the lead actors seated here with us today...""Director Ji, we've heard that the actress who played the second female lead in your film this time is a complete newcomer. Is there any particular reason why you decided to give such a big break to a rookie?"Before Ji An could finish his speech, an entertainment journalist in the audience, eager to scoop a headline-grabbing story, cut him off abruptly.The other journalists didn't speak up, but they were all waiting with bated breath for Director Ji's response. After all, it was obvious that this film was intended to be a star-making vehicle for the new actress.Director Ji shot the journalist a cold glance, but a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips."You want to know the reason? Then let me ask you this—were you satisfied with her performance in the film?"The journalist hadn't expected Director Ji to turn the question back on him, and he nodded instinctively."Well then, that's all the reason you need to know. When I cast actors, I never consider any other factors besides their ability to perform. Even if she's a complete rookie, or even if she has a disability, as long as she can perfectly embody the character she's playing, that's all that matters to me."Bai Xiuwen, who was sitting on the stage, felt her expression twist with rage for a split second before she quickly composed herself. She cast a sidelong glance in a certain direction.Then another voice rang out like a clap of thunder: "Since Director Ji thinks so highly of this new actress, do you have any plans to cast her in another one of your upcoming films?"Rumors had been circulating in the entertainment industry for quite some time that Director Ji was already in the process of planning his next film and selecting its lead actors.No official announcement had been made yet, but the thing that the journalists cared about the most was who would be chosen as the lead."Well... that depends on whether Ms. Ye is suitable for the role in my new film. Now, everyone, today is the press conference for Little Tenderness. Let's please keep the focus on this film, shall we? OK?"For the next ten minutes or so, the journalists directed all their questions about Little Tenderness to He Ran, the actor who played the male lead, and Bai Xiuwen, the actress who played the female lead.It was only at the very end that they finally turned their attention to Ye Jialan.They had originally hoped to elicit some juicy, newsworthy remarks from her, but to their disappointment, Ye Jialan had memorized the answers Tang Qichen had written for her word for word.From start to finish, Ye Jialan stuck to her well-rehearsed, official responses, occasionally cracking a few harmless jokes to lighten the mood.The press conference concluded successfully. Tang Qichen felt like he'd just been fished out of the water—his entire body was soaked with sweat. And it wasn't from the cold; it was from being on edge the entire time because of Ye Jialan.Outside the Shengxin Entertainment building, as soon as Ye Jialan and Yang Xi stepped out the door, they were confronted by Bai Xiuwen, who had been waiting for them nearby."Could you please move out of the way? You're blocking our path."Yang Xi glared at Bai Xiuwen, struggling to suppress the urge to punch her in the face."Move? Why should I move? Can't you two just walk around me and go another way?"All the journalists had already left, and with Han Qi keeping watch for her, Bai Xiuwen had no fear of having her ugly side photographed by anyone else.Gone was the gentle and charming facade she'd put on at the press conference. Now, she looked utterly ferocious and repulsive.Yang Xi had no desire to get into a prolonged argument with Bai Xiuwen. She grabbed Ye Jialan's arm, intending to simply walk around Bai Xiuwen and leave. But no matter which way they tried to go, Bai Xiuwen blocked their path, clinging to them like a piece of stubborn dog skin plaster.After a long while, a triumphant smirk spread across Bai Xiuwen's face. In contrast, Yang Xi looked absolutely livid, while Ye Jialan seemed completely unfazed, a faint smile still lingering in her eyes."Ye Jialan, how dare you laugh? Are you actually stupid?"Seeing Ye Jialan's smile, Bai Xiuwen spat out the words in a venomous tone."Of course not! I was just remembering an old saying that Liuliu taught me. Would you like to hear it, Ms. Bai?"Bai Xiuwen's expression turned icy, and she sneered, her voice sharp with sarcasm: "Oh? What clever words could a fool like you possibly come up with?""Well... I'm not sure if you'll think it's clever or not, but why don't I tell you anyway?"Bai Xiuwen's face flushed with anger and embarrassment. She was determined to see what kind of nonsense this rookie actress would spout."Speak!""Hehe, you asked for it—listen carefully! Ahem, I remember Liuliu saying this: A good dog doesn't block the road.""Pfft... Hahaha! That's hilarious! Oh my god, I can't stop laughing!"Yang Xi burst out laughing uncontrollably.Ye Jialan's eyes were also sparkling with amusement, while Bai Xiuwen's face turned ashen with rage."You little brat, Ye Jialan! Just you wait! It's bad enough that you stole my thunder in the movie, but now you dare to call me a dog? This isn't over between us!"With that, Bai Xiuwen turned on her heel and stormed off, her hips swaying exaggeratedly as she teetered on her ten-centimeter-high heels.