The Movie Queen's Mouth is Blessed - Chapter 20

“Are you talking to me?”

Jiang Xiaobai blinked, looking utterly confused.

Li Biying still had scenes to shoot, so she was in costume. During the makeup session, she insisted on adjusting her hairstyle; now, it features side-swept bangs that reveal her entire forehead and make her eyes appear more lively.

Her appearance leaned toward soft and cute, especially when she smiled with her eyes slightly narrowed, exuding charm. But she clearly wasn’t in the mood for that at this moment.

“It’s better to use your own things. If you have the ability, good things will naturally come to you. But if you don’t, even if you try to snatch them, you won’t succeed. Don’t you agree, Senior Sister Liu?”

Li Biying raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of mockery in her smile.

Jiang Xiaobai’s eyes darkened.

Was she making a veiled accusation?

“Junior Sister Wanran, that’s not quite right,” Jiang Xiaobai replied with a faint smile. “Whether something is good or not, it must still be bought with money. It won’t grow legs and run into my hands. Otherwise… how would I be any different from a thief? Don’t you think so?”

Li Biying’s expression stiffened. “Stop playing dumb. You’ve done something as disgusting as stealing someone’s boyfriend, and now you’re acting like nothing happened?”

“How do you know I stole someone’s boyfriend? Is he your boyfriend?”

“What nonsense! How could I…”

“If it’s not you, how do you know so much about it?” Jiang Xiaobai interrupted directly.

“Jiang Xiaobai, you… very well.”

Li Biying seemed on the verge of an outburst, but after glancing at the people around her, she swallowed her anger. She shot Jiang Xiaobai one last deep look before turning and leaving.

“What’s going on?”

Dong Ran, who had just finished a phone call, looked at Li Biying’s retreating figure.

“It seems I’ve somehow made an enemy,” Jiang Xiaobai said helplessly, spreading her hands.

She genuinely didn’t know. She’d never interacted with Li Biying before, and they’d been getting along fine on set, always obedient under the director’s watchful eye. When had she offended her?

But the malice in Li Biying’s eyes had been unmistakable, her glee at Jiang Xiaobai’s troubles all too apparent. This left Jiang Xiaobai puzzled.

When had she crossed her?

“Li Biying has a narrow mind and loves to snatch resources. Her reputation in the industry isn’t great,” Dong Ran said, frowning slightly. “The only reason she’s targeting you is that she’s afraid you’ll steal her spotlight in the drama.”

During the past few days of filming, Dong Ran observed Jiang Xiaobai’s performance closely and was exceptionally pleased!

Jiang Xiaobai’s acting improved dramatically compared to before. While not yet masterful, it was at least natural, free of the stiffness of the past.

Dong Ran didn’t know that Jiang Xiaobai wasn’t the original owner of this body. The original owner had lived a sheltered life, protected by her family, with little life experience. How could such a person portray the complexities of others’ lives?

Though she’d tried hard to understand, her lack of grounding made it nearly impossible to become a competent actress.

But Jiang Xiaobai?

She was born into a cultivation family, one of the most prestigious on the continent. She should have lived a life of luxury, but that wasn’t the case.

At eleven, her second grandfather noticed her calm temperament and sharp eyes. After she glanced at a complex and intricate talisman pattern in his study, she could reproduce most of it from memory alone, leaving him astounded!

He then sent her to Fu Mountain, the most renowned talisman sect, to learn the art of talisman-making.

At Fu Mountain, her background didn’t matter. She was treated like any other disciple, doing menial tasks and traveling with her seniors to learn new talismans, even drawing them for people along the way.

Her experiences and knowledge far surpassed those of the original owner. Having met so many people, it wasn’t too difficult for her to act convincingly.

“I’m just the female lead’s supporting character. How could I steal her spotlight? She’s really overreacting,” Jiang Xiaobai said, even more exasperated.

“Xiaobai, brace yourself,” Dong Ran said, her expression heavy. “The situation with Dou Fang doesn’t seem to be dying down. There’s bound to be a lot of criticism directed at you.”

“What about the company?” Jiang Xiaobai probed.

Dong Ran simply shook her head, her expression grim, unwilling to elaborate.

Jiang Xiaobai didn’t press further. Instead, she comforted Dong Ran, telling her not to worry—things would eventually pass.

Later that day, Jiang Xiaobai had a scene with Li Biying. Despite their tension, they acted as if nothing had happened, maintaining harmony.

It was in the evening that Dou Fang made her move.

Jiang Xiaobai was the first to receive Dong Ran’s alert. She opened Weibo and saw Dou Fang’s response.

[Dou Fang v: We’re in the same company. I’ve been tolerating this out of respect for our shared background, not wanting to make a scene and give you some face. But I won’t hold back since you’re ungrateful and keep pushing me. No need for words—just look at the pictures.]

The post included nine images.

The first seven were chat logs, with the participants’ names and identities clearly labeled.

“All of these people are her and Zhang Yishui’s friends. They all unanimously stated that the two had been in a good relationship and never had any issues. But around two years ago, Dou Fang mentioned that a wonderful new artist from her company was pestering Zhang Yishui, which they found troubling,” Dong Ran explained solemnly.

As she spoke, Jiang Xiaobai opened the images and saw that it was the case.

Unlike the previous chat logs, which only included alumni, the participants were more influential this time.

Not only were there ordinary people but also two artists from the industry, one of whom, though not currently widespread, had starred in a highly successful drama, making her name somewhat recognizable.

One of her messages in the chat log stood out, “Oh, so it’s Jiang Xiaobai! I remember you mentioning this shortly after joining Tangming, saying a female actress knew Zhang Yishui was your boyfriend but still shamelessly pursued him, even sketching him to win his favor! How despicable!”

These seven chat screenshots were almost ironclad evidence. The eighth image was a simple pencil sketch, unmistakably of Zhang Yishui.

The final image was a photo of Dou Fang and Zhang Yishui together.

The photo was taken a few years ago, likely on campus. The two stood close together in a grove of trees, and slanted light cast shadows.

In the photo, Zhang Yishui had his hands in his pockets, looking somewhat nonchalantly ahead. At the same time, Dou Fang smiles shyly yet radiantly, her affection evident even in the photo.