Shrine - Chapter 38
Chapter 38
After dinner came the after-party. Some people left early, while the rest were invited by the brand to the executive lounge for drinks. Unlike the elegant restraint of the banquet, the executive lounge had a dance floor and a DJ hired for a hefty sum. Shattered rhythms pounded through the kaleidoscopic nightlife as several young streetwear brand owners got the party started, dancing and laughing loudly.
The drumbeat was like a heart defibrillator, thumping against the blood vessels. The hazy disco ball was a collection of captured stars, illuminating the languor and casualness beneath the formal attire.
Ruan Ruan stood with several other celebrities on the second-floor gallery. Behind them was a black leather sofa. She held a glass and leaned against the railing, watching the dance floor.
The makeup and features were the same, but in the nightclub setting, even their voices grew louder. The singers who had performed at the banquet were chatting happily with the brand's executives. A male celebrity known in the industry for his deadpan expression was grinning from ear to ear, his public persona tossed into his wine glass, swirled around, and lost somewhere in his drunkenness.
If the banquet just now was a painted skin, this party revealed the bones beneath.
Glasses clinked, drinks were poured, flirtatious glances were exchanged, and conversations flowed.
Ruan Ruan was still savoring the dishes from earlier. She had never had such delicious French cuisine; each small bite was an astonishing burst of flavor. She didn't know anyone in the lounge except for Shi Ran and was feeling a bit bored. She instinctively reached for her phone, only to realize her gown had no pockets.
She carefully sucked in her breath, afraid of stretching the gown's tailoring out of shape. Her earlobes felt heavy, and the jade earrings chimed with every movement.
Shi Ran was always the focal point in such venues. The moment she sat down on the sofa, several celebrities went over to chat with her. She handled them with ease, occasionally sipping her champagne, occasionally glancing at Ruan Ruan.
Ruan Ruan turned her head, her gaze meeting Shi Ran's. The shimmering light from the champagne glass on her chin made her look like a statue of cold jade.
Shi Ran lifted her head slightly, signaling with her eyes for Ruan Ruan to come over. Ruan Ruan walked toward the coffee table in her high heels. The other celebrities looked at her, and she hesitated slightly. Shi Ran gracefully extended her hand, gloved palm up, and naturally pulled Ruan Ruan over.
Ruan Ruan looked down, mindful of her dress hem. The celebrity next to her voluntarily made space, and Ruan Ruan sat down beside Shi Ran.
Shi Ran let go of her. Ruan Ruan's ears turned red. Unsure what expression to make, she held her glass, lowered her gaze, and sniffled.
The people beside her were all regulars on the trending topics list. Ruan Ruan had never imagined she would be sitting among them.
They were so beautiful, and even more so without the camera's pretense. Those who knew each other would whisper about whether their makeup was creasing around their noses and reminisce about the last time they met. It was hard for them to have heartfelt conversations on such occasions, so most of their time was spent taking selfies.
After someone suggested a group photo, Shi Ran called Ruan Ruan over. Five similarly-aged female stars, wrapped in shawls, posed for a picture in the smoky light.
Shi Ran sat in the center, one leg crossed over the other, her long arm resting on her knee. Her smile was distant. The young starlet next to her made a playful gesture of blowing a kiss at her.
In the second photo, she leaned her head on Shi Ran's shoulder, her eyes sparkling with a radiant smile.
Half an hour later, after these photos were approved by their respective teams, they would appear on their Weibo accounts. The young starlet on the right would undoubtedly be seen as the one closest and most friendly with Shi Ran, while Ruan Ruan on the left would probably be asked—who is she, and why is she sitting with them?
Shi Ran never posted these kinds of things, but a fleeting glimpse of her on someone else's feed held more mystery, more allure.
After the photo, they all went to mingle with their acquaintances, leaving only Shi Ran and Ruan Ruan on the sofa.
Shi Ran set down her glass and asked her, "How was it?"
Those same three words again, tinged with the faint scent of alcohol.
This time, Ruan Ruan didn't answer so smoothly. She lowered her lashes, thought for a moment, and said softly, "It was an eye-opener."
So private banquets could be used to promote the brand's favored celebrities. So behind the stars chatting idly were their managers, flying around the room, using the opportunity to network. So the "friends" who appeared so close in their social media posts might not know each other at all.
Shi Ran said nothing. Her gaze flickered to her right front, and then she looked up in the dim light at the approaching figure.
"Haven't seen you all night. So you're sitting here?"
Wearing a silk halter-neck gown with a plunging, backless neckline that gave way to wide, flowing pant-legs, Zhong Yi walked over with her hands in her pockets, exuding a casual, unrestrained, and aristocratic air.
Her aura was unique, quite different from anyone else present. Some stars seemed to be held within exquisite containers, carefully supported by their gowns, afraid to even breathe too deeply. Zhong Yi, on the other hand, looked as if she were merely draping haute couture fabric over her frame, her relaxed vibe off the charts.
She didn't care if it wrinkled or got damaged. She leaned back lazily on the sofa, greeted Shi Ran, and then looked at Ruan Ruan.
"Hello."
Ruan Ruan quickly nodded. "Hello, hello, hello, hello."
Zhong Yi glanced at Shi Ran and smiled. It was a subtle smile, preceded by a slight, knowing look in Shi Ran's direction.
"You greeted me like that for two years. You should have grown up a bit by now, still four 'hellos'?" Zhong Yi said, casually using Shi Ran's champagne flute to signal a nearby waiter. The waiter got the message and immediately prepared a drink for her.
Ruan Ruan shifted her shoulders uncomfortably. She wasn't actually as awkward as before, but she hadn't expected to run into Zhong Yi on this occasion. They were going to play a couple. The thought made her unconsciously stiffen her back.
"Does she know?" Zhong Yi asked Shi Ran, gently pinching the nails of her left hand with her right.
Shi Ran nodded.
Zhong Yi then directed the question to Ruan Ruan. "When do you join the production?"
"I haven't been notified," Ruan Ruan said.
Zhong Yi hummed in acknowledgment and took the champagne from the waiter. "It'll probably be a few more months. Last I heard, they were location scouting." The art department still had to build the indoor sets, and the screenwriting team needed to polish the script. It would be at least half a year.
The three chatted for a few more moments. Zhong Yi mentioned that she had read the original novel for the drama. It was an urban supernatural story, so there would likely be a lot of action scenes. She had hired an action choreography team for pre-production training to avoid overexerting herself once filming began. If Ruan Ruan had time, she could join her later.
Ruan Ruan naturally had time. She just asked about the training location, which was in Jiangcheng, so she would have to go back and make arrangements.
This was the most excited Ruan Ruan had been all evening. Her eyes shone like a fawn's in the forest. Shi Ran glanced at her coolly, a slight tuck at the corner of her mouth. Quite cute. Zhong Yi didn't linger; once she had said her piece, she got up to chat with others.
As the night wore on, more people left the party. It wasn't as noisy anymore. The DJ switched to more soothing music. Those who had had too much to drink were slumped over sofas and chairs, talking and gesticulating wildly.
Shi Ran and Ruan Ruan stood in a corner on the second floor, leaning against the railing and drinking. After this glass, they decided to leave.
Ruan Ruan gazed at the diverse crowd below, lost in a daze for a moment. Suddenly, her brow furrowed slightly. She looked at Shi Ran suspiciously for a couple of seconds, then fell back into deep thought.
"What do you want to ask?" Shi Ran touched her glass, her expression neutral.
"I feel like something's not right."
"What is it?"
Ruan Ruan thought for a moment, recalling everything from the beginning. "I came with you, but no one seemed surprised, and no one asked who I was. And..." And Shi Ran made no effort to avoid suspicion, acting so openly it was as if it were a matter of course.
And then there was Zhong Yi just now. The way she had looked at Shi Ran when she smiled at Ruan Ruan, it was as if... as if...
There was a disturbed breath beside her. Ruan Ruan's eyes followed it, but Shi Ran's expression remained cool.
She unhurriedly brought the glass to her lips, tilted her head back slightly to take a sip, swallowed, and only then did she speak. "I did warn you."
"About what?"
"If I remember correctly, I told you that capital always wants to control both upstream and downstream; it won't just take one bite of the cake." Shi Ran paused, her lashes crossing. "I am also an investor."
When Shi Ran entered the scene, it was naturally not as simple as just investing in a single drama.
Ruan Ruan's heart suddenly pounded violently.
"I also told you that you should pay attention to the business landscape of related interests. If you had looked up Xin Chen's agency before signing, you would have discovered not only that the legal representative is her manager, but also that the shareholder and supervisor is my manager."
Ruan Ruan's mind went "boom" and stopped working.
"You didn't check, so I wanted to tell you a second time," Shi Ran continued. "In future collaborations, even if you can't do an in-depth background check, you can at least use online platforms to understand public business information, such as whether it's operating normally, how far its network of connections extends, and whether it has any pending lawsuits."
Ruan Ruan was flustered, trying to confirm with herself again and again what Shi Ran meant...
"As you've seen, your contract was signed very smoothly, and you got the invitation to the banquet very smoothly. We attended together, and they weren't surprised."
Shi Ran said just enough. She finished the last of her wine, turned to face Ruan Ruan directly, and the expensive lights of the high-society venue flowed into a magnificent river of stars in her eyes. She smiled quietly, and this time, the smile lingered for a long while.
"Call me Boss." She blinked slowly and said softly.
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