Chapter 5: Reap the Consequences
Chapter 5
With no one to serve her, Su Anning became increasingly unhappy. Zou Meizhi took advantage of the situation to blow some pillow talk to her husband, Su Yecheng, and arranged for Bai Yin to serve as Su Anning\'s personal assistant for a few days.
Initially hesitant, Su Yecheng asked Bai Yin for her opinion during dinner.
Zou Meizhi interjected, "It\'s no big deal. Let her see the world and gain some experience. She\'s from the countryside and will be marrying into the Qin family soon. If she doesn\'t understand anything, it\'ll make her a laughing stock."
Su Yecheng asked Bai Yin directly, "Would you like to help your sister?"
"I\'ll do whatever Dad arranges for me."
Seeing Bai Yin\'s obedient appearance, Zou Meizhi felt somewhat suspicious. This girl was very scheming, and who knows what she was hiding.
Bai Yin smiled kindly at Zou Meizhi, who thought of her mother\'s tragic death and couldn\'t help but look away nervously.
Seeing Bai Yin\'s gentle personality, Su Yecheng naturally...thought of her deceased mother and felt guilty. "Forget it, let Anning find a new assistant. Bai Yin also has her own things to do."
Su Anning quickly said, "Dad, we\'re starting filming tomorrow. Where can I find a new assistant now? What\'s wrong with her staying at home and embroidering her pile of unsold stuff to help me?"
Seeing Su Anning\'s unreasonable and domineering behavior, Su Yecheng\'s expression darkened. "You\'re the older sister. Don\'t you have any sisterly qualities and just know how to bully your younger sister?"
"I bully her?!" Su Anning slammed down her chopsticks. "She\'s clearly a scheming woman!"
Since she was called a scheming woman, Bai Yin naturally did as she thought and frowned, making a pitiful expression with teary eyes. "Dad, I know. Sister is still mad at me for going on the variety show. It\'s my fault for stealing her thunder. Don\'t blame sister."
Su Anning had been spoiled since she was young and couldn\'t bear this anger. She stood up, grabbed her cup, and was about to pour it on Bai Yin. "You bitch! Stop pretending to be pitiful!"
"Are you daring to do that?!" Su Yecheng exploded, grabbing her wrist. "During the last variety show, it was clearly your fault for dragging your little sister onto the show and then turning around to blame her! It seems like I\'ve really spoiled you over the years!"
Su Anning was about to explode like a boiling kettle, full of rage with no way to vent it.
Zou Meizhi watched the two sisters\' game with a cold eye.
The pampered and hot-tempered Su Anning...was no match for this country bumpkin.
She had only been back for a few days, and already Su Yecheng was blaming Su Anning and straining their father-daughter relationship.
Before, Su Yecheng had treated Su Anning like a precious treasure, and he couldn\'t bear to scold her even a little bit.
Her face immediately lit up with a smile as she said, "I didn\'t consider it carefully. It\'s not appropriate for my younger sister to help her older sister. Anning, let the company find you a new assistant."
"Mom! Why are you..."
"Listen to me." Her mother\'s gaze stopped Anning\'s tantrum.
However, Bai Yin said lightly, "It\'s okay, I can be my sister\'s temporary assistant."
"Bai Yin, if you feel wronged..."
Bai Yin interrupted Zou Meizhi with a smile, "How could I be wronged? She is my sister after all."
When Su Yecheng heard this, he felt even more guilty towards Bai Yin. After all, this marriage alliance meant Bai Yin was marrying in place of Su Anning.
"Bai Yin, don\'t worry, Dad will compensate you." He promised, "Dad will prepare a generous dowry for you."
Zou Meizhi was about to stop him, but Bai Yin thanked them with a smile. She was a step too late.
Zou Meizhi clenched her fists under the table, realizing that Bai Yin\'s return was not purely for a visit.
...
Bai Yin arrived at the film and television city, a grand complex built in the style of the Forbidden City, with pavilions and towers, grand halls and palaces.
Today was the start of filming for the costume drama "The Qing Palace," a highly anticipated production that Su Anning had won after defeating many other strong female stars.
Bai Yin watched Su Anning\'s performance and understood why she had stood out from the girl group and become a popular female star in the entertainment industry.
Su Anning had excellent line delivery and acting skills, standing out from the crowd of popular stars.
After many years of ups and downs in the entertainment industry, Su Anning was able to stand strong because of her meticulous planning of character, which allowed her to fight back against those who looked down on her. This was Su Anning\'s secret to staying popular.
Bai Yin stood behind the camera, watching and learning carefully.
Su Anning was proud to see Bai Yin staring at her, but she had brought her here to show her who was boss in the entertainment industry.
Su Anning had entered the entertainment industry at a young age and had made a name for herself. Bai Yin, a country girl, couldn\'t possibly steal her thunder.
However, Su Anning\'s arrogance didn\'t last long before being slapped in the face.
During a break, Bai Yin imitated Su Anning\'s sword and flower dance move, doing it so well that even the director couldn\'t help but praise her.
"Your sister practiced this move for nearly half a month, but you learned it so quickly! You have a natural talent!"
Bai Yin modestly smiled and stopped the move.
Su Anning was unhappy and cursed in her heart, saying, "She\'s just copying me." She then ordered, "Bai Yin, go buy me a cup of coffee."
Bai Yin obediently nodded and was about to go to the pantry to make coffee when Su Anning stopped her, "Can\'t you understand? I said to buy me a freshly brewed Americano from the nearest coffee shop, which is three kilometers away from the film and television city."
Su Anning impatiently said, "So hurry up and go. I want to finish drinking it within half an hour."
Bai Yin glanced at the scorching sun outside, put on a peaked cap to cover her face, and went out.
To succeed, one must endure what ordinary people cannot. This was what Grandpa Chen had told her, and she always kept it in mind.
Feeling sorry for her, the staff gave her a white skateboard to go buy the coffee.
Bai Yin rode her skateboard through the pavilions and gates of the film and television city.
As she watched the busy crew and the agile actors on the wire, her mood improved considerably.
One day, she would climb to the top of the mountain under the shining stars and reap much happiness.
...
Bai Yin bought the freshly brewed American coffee as Su Anning had requested, and leisurely strolled back.
When she passed by the corner gate, she met an assistant wearing a white sun-protective jacket who saw the coffee in her hand as a lifesaver.
"Can I borrow the coffee to save the day? I\'ll transfer the money to you."
Bai Yin wasn\'t in a hurry, so she replied, "300 will do."
"300! That\'s so expensive."
Bai Yin smiled faintly, "Isn\'t it an emergency?"
"Fine, fine!" The assistant transferred the money to Bai Yin and handed the coffee to Sally under the eaves. "Sally, here\'s your coffee. Please enjoy it."
"Hand-brewed, not bad. Where did you get it?"
"At the coffee shop."
Sally glanced at Bai Yin, with a hint of a smile in her eyes, and drank the iced coffee with pleasure. "It\'s so hot today."
Bai Yin recognized her as Sally, a powerful female star in recent years.
In this film and television city, it was not unusual to bump into a star every few steps.
Bai Yin got back on her skateboard and headed back to the coffee shop.
...
Half an hour later, Bai Yin returned to the set of "The Qing Dynasty Palace," with Su Anning seething with anger, venting, "Why did it take you so long? I finished my first scene before you came back!"
"There was a minor incident on the way."
"What incident? I think you did it on purpose."
Looking at the staff and extras whispering around her, Bai Yin guessed that they were very dissatisfied with Su Anning\'s behavior.
Su Anning had an abnormal temper and was always in the public eye for her capriciousness and showboating, which polarized the public\'s opinion of her.
Love her to death, hate her to the bone.
Bai Yin didn\'t mind provoking her, the angrier she was, the better.
The higher her anger level, the more likely she was to make a mistake.
Bai Yin looked up and met her stare. "Do you really think of me as your assistant? If you can\'t wait, you can go buy it yourself."
"You\'re acting cute in front of Daddy, but now you\'re showing your true colors."
"Right." Bai Yin laughed, "I thought my sister had figured it out a long time ago, but I overestimated her intelligence."
Su Anning was so angry that her muscles twisted, and she grabbed the coffee in her hand, about to pour it on her.
Just then, a commotion came from the crew\'s side.
"Sally\'s here."
"Hello, Sally."
Su Anning greeted her senior Sally with a subdued temper and deep respect. Although they were both actresses in the same generation, Sally was much stronger than Su Anning in terms of popularity and backing, and Su Anning had no choice but to be more submissive.
Sally glanced at Bai Yin and asked, "Is she your assistant?"
"Not exactly..." Su Anning was uncertain how to answer, but Sally quickly interjected, "This little assistant is smart and hardworking. Why don\'t you sign her over to me?"
Su Anning understood that Sally was intentionally trying to help Bai Yin, and she gritted her teeth and glared at her.
She wondered how Sally managed to befriend such a popular female star with such a meticulous planning of character.
"Sally, this might not be convenient..."
"It\'s fine, you don\'t need an assistant for now anyway."
"What do you mean?" Su Anning asked.
"I\'m the female lead in \'The Palace\'," Sally calmly announced.
Su Anning was shocked and dismayed. "What...what are you talking about? How is that possible?"
"The Palace" was a highly sought-after project that the company had worked hard to secure for her. With such a great IP, it was certain to become a hit once it aired. Who wouldn\'t want to be part of such a big costume drama?
Su Anning had worked hard to get this role, so how could...
"I\'ll let my agent tell you the details," Sally interrupted her thoughts. "He works for Canxing Media, which is an entertainment company under the Chen Group."
"Su Anning, according to Mr. Chen, you\'re not suitable for this drama, and Sally will replace you."
"Mr. Chen...Chen Huaixiao!"
"Yes, he\'s one of the most important investors in \'The Palace\'."
Su Anning\'s face turned pale. "Why? Why would he do this?"
"He sent you this bottle of wine and asked me to make sure you drink it all. He said you\'ll understand why once you do."
Sally produced a bottle of Lafite Rothschild champagne from a wooden box and offered it to Su Anning.
Su Anning was at a loss for words. She couldn\'t believe that things had turned out this way.