Chapter 135: If You Are Looking for a Beating, Just Say So; There Is No Need to Be So Indirect

To become the backbone of Yu Xing Entertainment after only three and a half years with the company, Jian Lai’s abilities were indeed beyond question.

Once again, Bai Lu found herself itching to steal her away.

Should she bring Jian Lai over to work by her side?

After mulling it over for a while, she sent Jian Lai a message on WeChat.

It was already past one in the morning, but Jian Lai replied instantly: “Is it convenient to talk?”

Bai Lu glanced at her companions, all of whom were already asleep. Tiptoeing out of bed, she found an empty place and called Jian Lai directly.

Jian Lai first asked how she was feeling. During the livestream, Bai Lu had returned to the bathhouse and fallen asleep the moment she lay down, while everyone else had continued playing games to ensure they got enough screen time for the episode.

Even after the livestream ended, she had still been asleep.

Bai Lu said, “Sorry to make you worry, Sister Jian. My cold is mostly better. I was mainly feeling off during the day because I didn’t sleep well last night.”

She had returned to the bathhouse sometime after seven and slept for more than six hours before being woken by the need to use the bathroom.

Afterward, she lay back down and scrolled through her phone, only then seeing that Jian Lai had already dealt with the professional smear campaign.

Much faster than she had expected.

Jian Lai said, “We’ve found out who was behind it. The paid trolls were hired by Liu Nana’s agency. It was probably Liu Nana herself. With Emperor Lu leading the call for action, Liu Nana’s withdrawal from the industry is now a certainty. All her endorsements have been terminated. She must hold a grudge against you, and the timing matches perfectly.”

Bai Lu said, “I only wanted to thank you, Sister Jian, for guiding the fans properly and stopping them from doing anything irrational.”

Jian Lai let out a bitter laugh. “If Liu Nana had truly lost all influence, there would have been nothing wrong with kicking her while she was down. By targeting you, she was showing contempt for Yu Xing Entertainment. But Liu Nana sold out her own sister. We have to consider the relationship between both families, and her sister has connections with Chairman Yu. The brands also showed Liu Nana plenty of consideration and didn’t demand breach-of-contract damages. That proves Liu Nana got a very good price for selling out her sister.”

“What a pair of disgusting people, selling out their own sister…”

“Little Lu, once this variety show wraps, you’ll be going back to school. What happens between those sisters has nothing to do with you. Don’t let your sympathy get the better of you. They are sisters, after all. Even when the bones are broken, the tendons still connect them. Besides, Liu Nana has already moved behind the scenes and become Liu Jiajia’s agent.”

Bai Lu’s expression grew solemn. “Sister Jian, there’s something I don’t understand. You said that since the sponsor had already abandoned Liu Nana, it was only because of Liu Jiajia that he stepped in to help Liu Nana escape without being held responsible by the brands. If that’s the case, then why would her agency have any reason to hire paid trolls to help Liu Nana retaliate against me?”

Jian Lai was silent for a moment before asking, “You mean it wasn’t the older sister, but the younger one?”

Bai Lu’s voice was sweet. “I’m not sure either. I just find it a little strange.”

“Don’t overthink it. If you see the Liu sisters, stay as far away from them as possible. Not because we’re afraid of them, but because there’s no need to get tangled up with either of them. Little Lu, remember this: you and those sisters are not the same kind of people. What you seek is different from what they seek.”

So Shen Xinluo and Liu Jiajia had become best friends because they were the same kind of people, pursuing the same things?

Well, it certainly proved the saying that every pot had its lid. They were a perfect match.

“I’ll remember what you said, Sister Jian.”

“Then get some sleep. I’ll pick you up at the airport the day after tomorrow. You can go back to school, but your exposure can’t drop too much. I need to have a proper conversation with you about that. Once I understand what you want, I can start making arrangements and planning your career.”

“Okay.”

The moment she ended the call, a sinister voice came from behind her.

“You already suspected Liu Jiajia, yet you didn’t tell me. Do you have any conscience at all?”

Bai Lu was badly startled. She turned around and saw Dier Jia holding a can of beer in his left hand and a phone in his right.

Apparently, he was just like her, staying up in the middle of the night to have a long phone call instead of sleeping.

“Brother Jiaer, eavesdropping on someone else’s phone call is very bad. Extremely bad.”

Dier Jia rolled his eyes at her. “Oh, give me a break. I was here first. I hadn’t even complained that you were disturbing me. Tell me about Liu Jiajia.”

“It’s just a feeling. How am I supposed to explain it?” Bai Lu spread her hands. “I’m particularly sensitive to those fake innocent types who use a pitiful, blameless appearance to hide how ugly and malicious they really are. The moment someone like that appears beside me, my little radar starts going beep-beep-beep.”

Dier Jia raised an eyebrow and sneered.

Bai Lu sighed helplessly. “We saw Liu Jiajia accompanying her sponsor on the cruise ship, right? And Liu Jiajia is supposed to be especially shy, right?”

“Right. So?”

Bai Lu said, “...So you really are hopelessly straight. You don’t understand women at all.”

Dier Jia stared at her.

She sighed. “If I had been caught accompanying a sponsor, I wouldn’t know how to face you. It would be embarrassing, awkward, and humiliating. There’s no way I could greet you calmly. If we were filming a variety show together, I’d do my best to avoid you. There’s no chance I’d approach you first.”

From the moment they met at the airport, Liu Jiajia had certainly acted shy, but she had shown no intention of avoiding them. It was as if being caught with her sponsor on the cruise ship had never happened—or as if they had never caught her at all.

Putting everything else aside, Liu Jiajia had an astonishingly strong mental fortitude.

It was completely at odds with her easily embarrassed, quick-to-blush, exceptionally pure-looking appearance.

Dier Jia was unhappy. “You noticed all this ages ago. Why didn’t you tell me? Don’t you trust me?”

“I was afraid I was overthinking things and would misunderstand Liu Jiajia.” Bai Lu offered an explanation, then suddenly sensed something was off. Suspiciously, she looked at him. “It’s so late. Who were you sneaking off to call? Your girlfriend?”

Dier Jia fell silent.

“I have to say something to you about this. Fine, you’ve terminated your contract, but you’re still an idol. You need to have some self-awareness. You can’t date. You’re at the peak of your career’s rise. If your relationship gets exposed, you’ll be finished!”

Dier Jia said, “...Bai Lu, you sound exactly like every agent I’ve ever had.”

“I’m only looking out for you. I’m afraid you’ll go astray!”

“...Gao Fanqin!”

Ah, President Gao.

In that case, never mind.

Dier Jia sat down beside her and even nudged her farther into the corner. “I’m seriously starting to suspect that Gao Fanqin has a crush on me. He’s practically paying me to sign with him.”

Bai Lu said, “...I have to clear that up on President Gao’s behalf. He’s just like me—a career-oriented person who isn’t interested in dating.”

Dier Jia’s heart gave a sharp lurch, and his agitation became visible at once.

“You’re not interested in dating?”

How could that be?

What would Brother Sui do?

Bai Lu silently pressed a hand to her chest and shrank farther into the corner.

Infuriated, Dier Jia slapped her on the back of the head. “Don’t go imagining nonsense. I think of you and Qiaoqiao as younger sisters.”

“...Liu Nana sold out her younger sister too.”

“Little Bai Lu, if you want me to hit you, just say so. You don’t have to take such a roundabout approach.”