The Movie Queen's Mouth is Blessed - Chapter 14

Dong Ran’s heart sank. She had a bad feeling—President Zhao, while gentlemanly, was known for his interest in beautiful women. Was he now making a move on Jiang Xiaobai?

She glanced at Jiang Xiaobai. They were in the hotel, and Jiang Xiaobai had just showered. Her hair was slightly damp, falling over her shoulders, and she wore a loose robe hinting at her figure. Even without makeup, her flawless face was stunning under the bedside lamp.

That old man must have his eyes on her!

“President Zhao, may I ask why you’re still choosing me, even though I’ve already taken on Legend of the Nine Heavens?”

Jiang Xiaobai had the same thought and didn’t beat around the bush. She also switched the call to speakerphone.

President Zhao chuckled. “I’m a businessman. When I invest in a project, it’s for profit. This role suits you, so I’m giving us both an opportunity… Of course, even if you’re interested in the script, we can’t sign the contract immediately.”

“What are your conditions?”

“I’m a businessman. In the entertainment industry, I can only think of a few actresses who match the image of the female lead, but the image doesn’t equal acting. Your performance in Legend of the Nine Heavens will be my reference.”

That’s it?

Jiang Xiaobai felt relieved.

“President Zhao, don’t worry. I’m an actress, and I’ll do my best. I won’t comment on my past performances. Still, starting with Legend of the Nine Heavens, I’ll show everyone a different Jiang Xiaobai.”

“Oh? Quite confident. I’ll be waiting for the results.”

“Thank you for this opportunity, President Zhao. Regardless of the outcome, I’m grateful.”

“The opportunity is yours. Whether you can seize it is up to you.”

After hanging up, Jiang Xiaobai returned the phone to Dong Ran.

“I’ll review the script once I receive the email. If it’s suitable, I’ll pass it on to you,” Dong Ran said.

“Okay.”

“Xiaobai, look! Dou Fang is riding on your coattails!”

Ming Zhu, who’d been scrolling through Weibo, stood up and pointed at a post for Jiang Xiaobai to see.

[Dou Fang v: I wondered how someone like you could land the second female lead in such a big production. Turns out you’re just picking up the scraps. But even if you’re lucky enough to pick up the scraps, you’ll need luck to keep them. Be careful with your health. The previous actress only injured her leg, but who knows what’ll happen to you…]

Jiang Xiaobai was genuinely surprised. “Is she crazy? She dares to post something like this?”

Dong Ran was equally shocked. Her first thought was that it might be a fake account!

But after seeing the verified badge next to Dou Fang’s name—

Dong Ran said, “She’s asking for trouble. How much does she really hate you?”

As an actress, every move is scrutinized. Even if Dou Fang was a minor actress, she should still be mindful of her words and actions. But here she was, openly gloating and hoping for Jiang Xiaobai’s misfortune. Such a lack of tact and intelligence was genuinely concerning.

Sure enough, the comments under Dou Fang’s post were filled with outrage.

“What the hell? Are you cursing Jiang Xiaobai?”

“How can you say something like this? You’re in the same industry. Do you even want to work together in the future? You’re just asking for trouble!”

“Such poor character. Unfollowing!”

The post had only been up briefly, but many people had already commented. Perhaps Dou Fang realized her mistake, as she deleted the post within minutes as if it had never existed.

But even so, some netizens had already taken screenshots and shared them, adding to the discussions of Legend of the Nine Heavens and Jiang Xiaobai.

Unexpectedly, the post quickly went viral, with many people commenting on Dou Fang’s behavior.

“I’ve never heard of any deep grudge between them. Does she just not want to see others succeed? From Dou Fang’s face alone, I can tell she’s a petty person. This just proves it!”

“Curious! Does anyone know what really happened between them?”

“It’s obvious. They’re actresses from the same company. Either it’s about competing for resources, or there’s some romantic drama. I bet it’s one of those two!”

“I have a friend at Tangming Entertainment. I know a bit of inside info. Dou Fang’s boyfriend, Zhang Yishui, once pursued Jiang Xiaobai but was rejected. That’s why he ended up with Dou Fang!”

“Really? Didn’t they appear on a variety show together, promoting their ‘perfect couple’ image? I never knew this happened!”

“Zhang Yishui tried to pursue Jiang Xiaobai? I’m not a fan of Jiang Xiaobai, but based on looks, they don’t match. How did he have the guts to pursue her?”

“That’s why he failed.”

Jiang Xiaobai, Ming Zhu, and Dong Ran huddled together, reading the comments with great interest.

“Wow, netizens are really well-informed these days!” Jiang Xiaobai laughed.

Such an old story had been dug up, and she found it amusing. Besides, this revelation didn’t harm her, and she was happy to watch the drama unfold.

Especially the phrase “settled for second best,” which she thought the netizen had used ideally. If it weren’t for the fact that this was her official account, she’d have liked the comment herself.

“Alright, stop reading. Don’t engage with this. Focus on your script and get some rest when it’s time,” Dong Ran said after a while, putting her phone away and sternly addressing Jiang Xiaobai.

“Got it, Elder Sister. You should smile more. It makes you look younger,” Jiang Xiaobai teased, then put the matter aside.

The next day was the first official day of filming.

Jiang Xiaobai arrived on time and started getting her makeup done. Besides her, a few other actors were in the makeup room, chatting idly as they waited for their scenes.

“Jiang Xiaobai, you were trending yesterday. How does it feel?”

The speaker was Gu Xue, an actress five or six years older than Jiang Xiaobai. She was a veteran of period dramas, though she’d only played minor roles. Over the years, she’d become a familiar face to audiences.

She was lively and spoke with a smile, likely curious rather than mocking.

“I didn’t expect my first time trending to be like this,” Jiang Xiaobai replied helplessly.