Married in a Daze - Chapter 155

Chapter 155

Qin Zhenzhen initially thought she was accidentally dragged into this trending topic saga. She never expected that before dawn the next day, Meng Xin would call to tell her that they had received notifications from two companies, both offering very attractive terms and asking if she was interested in signing.

Upon closer inquiry, she discovered these were the agencies of the two actresses who had spoken out.

They had been charging into battle on the front lines for their companies, and now their companies were extending an olive branch to her. Regarding her previous incident with Tang Ya, the companies probably sensed she was displeased and saw this as a chance to curry favor with her. That's how this fire ended up burning its way to her doorstep.

Qin Zhenzhen truly didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Her joining Lu Ruyun's studio was currently unknown to anyone. After terminating her contract with Jing Rui Entertainment, she hadn't appeared on any shows, nor had she announced any schedules, remaining in a semi-retired state. Even within the industry, rumors were circulating about whether she was planning to retire from acting. Given these circumstances, it wasn't hard to understand why companies were reaching out to her.

But she never expected it to happen in this way.

While she genuinely didn't like Tang Ya, she also hadn't intended to make a powerful enemy for herself.

Meng Xin thought the same. Qin Zhenzhen was currently staying in Teacher Lu's studio, and some of her resources had been cut off. Offending Tang Ya at this juncture was not the optimal strategy. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Even if Tang Ya stumbled this time, with her connections in the industry, she could climb back up in no time. Moreover...

She hadn't even stumbled.

The one who stumbled was her assistant.

Numerous netizens had already singled out her assistant. Even Tang Ya's fans were claiming she was dragged down by her assistant. It was likely this assistant would bear the brunt of the fallout from this incident.

So, last night, after discussing with Lu Ruyun, they had agreed to wait for Tang Ya's side to contact them. They would then go with the flow and do her a favor. As for the two actresses who leaked the information, ever since they took it upon themselves to release the news, they should have known what the reaction would be. On the surface, it seemed they were doing it for Zhenzhen's good, as if avenging her. But no one is a fool. They got to play the hero, they got to ride the wave of attention, but after this was over, Tang Ya's fans were bound to accuse Zhenzhen of kicking someone when they were down. After all, Zhenzhen had far more influence than those two actresses. The ire of Tang Ya's fans would undoubtedly be directed at Zhenzhen.

As for their companies...

Let's just say they made the wrong choice.

After listening to Meng Xin, Qin Zhenzhen sounded somewhat uncertain. "Will Tang Ya's side really contact you?"

Meng Xin had resigned along with Qin Zhenzhen. Everyone in the industry knew she was still Qin Zhenzhen's manager, but they didn't know both of them had already joined Lu Ruyun's studio. So, for any matters, they would still contact Meng Xin directly.

Qin Zhenzhen wasn't sure if Tang Ya would contact her because the outcome of this matter was pretty much settled. Tang Ya's assistant was definitely not going to be kept. As for her previous conflict with Tang Ya, it mostly stemmed from the assistant. So, once the problem was removed, whether Tang Ya would reach out became uncertain.

Meng Xin reassured her that she definitely would. Qin Zhenzhen was no small fry in the industry now. Her achievements with SP and Lanyi were there for all to see. If she hadn't been inactive, not promoting any appearances since leaving Jing Rui, talent agencies would have been fighting over her long ago. Moreover, this incident had blown up so big that pinning it all on an assistant alone wouldn't satisfy the public. Tang Ya's team wasn't stupid; they naturally knew that cooperating with Zhenzhen was the only way to resolve the issue cleanly.

Qin Zhenzhen was convinced, nodding several times in succession. Finally, she pursed her lips and said, "Then I'll trouble Sister Meng to handle it."

Meng Xin chuckled lightly. "Alright, don't worry. You should focus on figuring out how to wear your wedding dress. Hu Ling told me last night that you can't decide on a location?"

Qin Zhenzhen hummed in agreement. "We've picked a few places. I'll wait for Ruyun to come back so we can look at them together."

Seeing she had it under control, Meng Xin could only say, "That's fine. Remember to discuss it with Teacher Lu. Setting up the scene will take time; we can't rush it."

Qin Zhenzhen agreed, dragging out her reply. "Okaaay—"

Meng Xin laughed out loud. Before she could reply, she saw a call notification on her phone. Glancing at the name, she said to Qin Zhenzhen, "Alright, I need to get to work."

Qin Zhenzhen bid her goodbye and hung up.

Meng Xin's call had come very early, waking her up a little past six. After hanging up, Qin Zhenzhen rolled over in bed a couple of times, wondering if a certain someone, spending her first night away, was awake yet.

Thinking of this, she sent Lu Ruyun a WeChat message.

No response. Qin Zhenzhen didn't know if she was still asleep or what was going on. After all, last night, she had also run into an acquaintance. Qin Zhenzhen thought about what happened after the last meeting with her aunt. Her heart felt like it was being scratched by a cat's claws. After some deliberation, she decided to send a message to He Shuangshuang.

He Shuangshuang replied to her quickly: Ruyun was fine last night, everything was good. She probably isn't awake yet. I'll go check on her in a bit.

Seeing her words, Qin Zhenzhen breathed a sigh of relief: Okay.

Putting down her phone, she couldn't get back to sleep anyway, so she simply got up to wash up and make breakfast. Walking downstairs, she habitually glanced at the sofa. Lu Ruyun liked to sit there holding a script or reviewing her schedule. Qin Zhenzhen had never felt this house was particularly big before, but for the first time, it felt rather empty. Even a corner of her heart felt hollow.

She clicked her tongue, realizing how weak-willed she was. Lu Ruyun had just left, and she already missed her.

After washing up in the bathroom, she made breakfast. Lacking any appetite, she slumped over the dining table. Just as she was wallowing in her melancholy, she received a reply from Lu Ruyun.

—Zhenzhen, I'm awake.

These five words seemed to possess magic, instantly revitalizing Qin Zhenzhen. She hugged her phone and typed a flurry of messages, then deleted them, finally replying: Since you're awake, get up then. Good morning.

On the other end of the phone, Lu Ruyun watched her own reflection on the screen, her brow and eyes smoothing out. She replied with a smile: Okay.

She knew what Qin Zhenzhen was worried about, but she also knew Qin Zhenzhen was deliberately avoiding the topic. After replying, Lu Ruyun sent another message: Zhenzhen, I'm fine. Everything's okay.

Seeing a reply to the question she hadn't dared to ask, Qin Zhenzhen exhaled in relief. Her mood suddenly cleared, as if after a rain. Facing the breakfast she had no appetite for just moments ago, she now felt like having two bowls of porridge!

While Lu Ruyun was having breakfast, they called and chatted for a bit more. Qin Zhenzhen told Lu Ruyun about Meng Xin's call that morning. Lu Ruyun chuckled. "So that's what happened."

"What's wrong?" Qin Zhenzhen sat on the sofa, hugging a pillow, somewhat puzzled by Lu Ruyun's remark.

Lu Ruyun explained, "Nothing. I was just wondering why the fire, even if it spread to you, shouldn't have blown up this big. Tang Ya's team wouldn't just sit idle; they'd definitely prioritize suppressing the news about you and Tang Ya having issues."

"But they never did."

"I was previously puzzled why they didn't first suppress the story about your conflict with Tang Ya. Now it makes sense."

Qin Zhenzhen also understood. "You mean the talent agencies exerted pressure?"

Lu Ruyun smiled. "Of course. To invite you over, they had to show some sincerity. What a pity."

It was a pity the agencies didn't know Qin Zhenzhen already had a studio. A pity they did all this, only to end up making a wedding gown for someone else. However, when you got down to it, they were the ones who started it. Zhenzhen had never indicated she wanted to join their companies. So even if it was a pity, they couldn't blame anyone else.

After hearing Lu Ruyun's explanation, Qin Zhenzhen shrugged. "So what should I do now?"

Lu Ruyun's gentle voice came through the phone. "Nothing. I've already asked Sister Meng to handle it."

Qin Zhenzhen nodded in agreement. "Okay. When are you coming back?"

Lu Ruyun glanced at her watch. "The promotions today go until the afternoon. I head to the set in the evening; there's a night shoot that might go until two or three. Don't wait up for me, get some rest early."

As soon as she finished speaking, Qin Zhenzhen heard someone calling for Teacher Lu on the other end. She had to say, "Go ahead and work."

Lu Ruyun's lips curled up. "Mm."

After hanging up, Qin Zhenzhen pondered left and right, then finally swung her arms a couple of times, stood up, grabbed her bag, and headed back to her parents' home.

Yin Lanfang and Qin Ye had been discussing how to invite relatives these past few days. Yin Lanfang thought it better to invite them early, preferably right away. But Qin Ye disagreed—nothing was finalized yet, so why invite so early? The two had gone back and forth over this countless times, and the argument was still ongoing when Qin Zhenzhen arrived home.

"Tell me, Zhenzhen, should we invite them now or not?"

Qin Zhenzhen sighed. "Mom, it's only April. There are still three months to go."

Qin Ye immediately chimed in. "See? Inviting so early, aren't you afraid people will forget?"

Seeing father and daughter united against her, Yin Lanfang was not pleased. "Inviting early gives them time to clear their schedules! What if they're busy later?"

Looking at her furious expression, Qin Zhenzhen swallowed the words "if they're busy, they don't have to come" and turned her gaze to Qin Ye.

Receiving her signal, Qin Ye changed the subject. "By the way, Zhenzhen, you came back today. Is there something you need?"

Qin Zhenzhen immediately nodded. "Yes, the custom-made clothes are ready. When do you two have time to go for a fitting?"

Yin Lanfang was still holding her breath. The previous topic wasn't finished, and suddenly switching subjects left her feeling disgruntled. "Up to your dad. He's the one with all the opinions."

Qin Ye smiled good-naturedly. "Then your mom and I will go tomorrow."

Seeing he had settled on a time, Qin Zhenzhen nodded. Finally, she said, "Also, Dad, Auntie Lu will be visiting in a while. I'd like you to meet her first."

Qin Ye and Yin Lanfang exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously. "Of course. When?"

Qin Zhenzhen thought for a moment. "It'll be a while yet."

Yin Lanfang hummed. "We should meet anyway."

A shadow flickered in Qin Zhenzhen's bright eyes. She lowered her head and remained silent.

During lunch, Qin Zhenzhen received a call from Ji Lu, asking where to pick her up. Her schedule had been quite irregular lately, so Ji Lu would always ask in advance.

Qin Zhenzhen checked the time. "Come to my house."

After Ji Lu hung up, Qin Zhenzhen stood up. Yin Lanfang also stood up quickly. "Leaving already?"

These days, Qin Zhenzhen had been visiting home more times than she had in the previous few years combined, but Yin Lanfang still couldn't bear to see her leave, especially seeing her getting thinner.

Qin Zhenzhen nodded with a smile. "Mm, Ji Lu will be here soon. I have a meeting to attend in the afternoon."

Hearing this, Yin Lanfang could only say, "Alright then. Take care of yourself. We'll remember what you said. If you're busy, don't exhaust yourself running back and forth. Get more rest."

Qin Zhenzhen obediently hummed in agreement, waved goodbye to Qin Ye as well, and left the Qin residence.

Downstairs, Ji Lu hadn't arrived yet. Qin Zhenzhen waited a short while before seeing the nanny car pull up. Ji Lu opened the door and helped her in. As soon as she got in the car, she received a message from Meng Xin.

—Zhenzhen, it's been handled.

Qin Zhenzhen tapped her finger on the screen, thinking for a moment before replying: What did Tang Ya say?

Meng Xin quickly replied: She said she owes you a favor. She has a movie resource and asked if you were interested.

Qin Zhenzhen rejected it without hesitation: Not needed.

Meng Xin: I also thanked her for her goodwill.

Seeing Meng Xin's reply, Qin Zhenzhen's lips curved into a smile. Tang Ya's indulgence of her assistant was partly her own doing. Having interacted with her before, they simply weren't on the same wavelength. As the saying goes, those with different paths cannot walk together. Helping out once was fine, but there was no need to get entangled.

When considering this issue, Meng Xin had been more thorough than she had been.

Qin Zhenzhen exited WeChat and opened Weibo. On her official Weibo account, she saw a post Meng Xin had made two hours ago, explaining the reason for the initial audition and the conflict, absolving Tang Ya of blame. It also praised Tang Ya for proactively apologizing upon learning of her assistant's mistake, showing a good attitude. It urged everyone to view the incident rationally and not let an assistant's error implicate others.

Following this post, Tang Ya's fans were naturally overjoyed. They flooded her Weibo comments in a screen-swiping display.

—I knew it! Tang Ya was definitely implicated by her assistant.

—Thank you, Miss Qin, for clarifying the rumors for Tangtang.

—Thank you, Miss Qin, for speaking out.

—Zhenzhen is the sweetest angel with the kindest heart!

—Love Zhenzhen! Love Cloud Fairy! I love this divine CP! Cheers for my Zhenzhen!

—Exactly! Zhenzhen is always so positive. She would never kick someone when they're down like some people's fans claimed. Even though she was Tang Ya's competitor before, she'd never stoop to such things!

—I'm sorry, I was one of those who said Qin Zhenzhen was kicking someone when they were down. I slap myself!

With some fans celebrating, naturally, others turned their attention to the two actresses who had initially leaked the information. Qin Zhenzhen's words, while not a direct slap in the face, did clarify the previous narrative of her discord with Tang Ya. So, these two actresses being attacked by fans was inevitable.

Qin Zhenzhen wasn't overly concerned. After all, she had been dragged into this matter. If the fire was lit at her doorstep, it would be a bit much to not allow her to throw some water back.

They wanted to use their companies to curry favor with her while also riding the hype and selling a persona, but they misread the situation.

The result could only be that they brought it upon themselves.

Qin Zhenzhen lowered her gaze, thought for a few seconds, and turned off her phone screen. Beside her, Ji Lu had pulled up a few restaurant options. "Zhenzhen, where for dinner tonight?"

After the meeting with Sister Wei and the others in the afternoon, they would have dinner together. Qin Zhenzhen was hosting, so she needed to pick a place in advance. She looked at the few locations Ji Lu had selected and finally tapped on the name of one hotel. "Let's go here."

Seeing she had chosen a hotel closest to the film and television city, Ji Lu couldn't help but ask, "Zhenzhen, is Teacher Lu coming over?"

Qin Zhenzhen smiled and shook her head. "No."

"I'm going to find her after dinner."

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