Chapter 23: This Mother’s Heart Is Far Too Partial

Bai Lu let out a cold laugh. “I went to the RV to find Yu Fuqing—what are you planning to say about me? That I got this lead role because I have a financier backing me? That during filming, I only cared about dating the sponsor’s boss and delayed the production schedule? Did you already hire paparazzi to secretly take photos?”

The moment she mentioned “secretly taking photos,” Shen Xinluo’s face changed dramatically.

Just as she expected.

Bai Lu suddenly reached out and pinched Shen Xinluo’s chin. “I have a major night scene tonight. You’d better behave yourself until it’s over. Otherwise, I’ll crush the hyaluronic acid in your chin.”

Shen Xinluo, guilty as a thief, reacted wildly. “Don’t say that! I never got any injections in my chin!”

Bai Lu raised her fist and waved it in front of Shen Xinluo, her smile full of meaning. “If you don’t behave, you’ll be needing hyaluronic acid tomorrow.”

She turned away, casually flexing her wrist. “Tell Yu Fuqing if he wants to leave, do it quietly. I need to review my script; don’t disturb me.”

Back in her own private lounge, Bai Lu wrapped herself in her down jacket and fell straight into sleep.

There was no need to memorize the script—she hadn’t been lazy during her hospital stay.

She needed to catch up on sleep if she wanted to survive the night shoot.

Shen Xinluo stared at Bai Lu’s closed door, fuming and anxious. She grabbed her phone and hurried to a secluded corner to call Wu Liping.

After hearing everything, Wu Liping comforted her. “It’s alright. Bai Lu is too wary of you now. Whatever you say, her first reaction is to think you’re plotting against her. We can’t rush this. We’ll find another opportunity. Don’t worry, Bai Lu won’t escape. I’ll contact the boss and ask him to be patient. For now, just keep a low profile and try to lower Bai Lu’s guard.”

Shen Xinluo replied, “Okay, Mom, I understand.”

Wu Liping chuckled softly on the other end.

Shen Xinluo was puzzled. “Mom, I couldn’t trick Bai Lu into the RV. Why are you laughing?”

Wu Liping said, “I’m laughing because Bai Lu has wit but lacks experience. She’s too young. You used Yu Fuqing to bait her, and your abnormal behavior made her suspect you wanted to harm her, but she guessed the wrong motive.”

After a few more reminders, Wu Liping and her daughter ended the call.

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Bai Lu hadn’t really fallen asleep. She didn’t know why, but every time she closed her eyes, she saw the scene from just before her death.

Restless and agitated, Bai Lu took out her phone and earphones, intending to find a movie starring Lu Yiting—her father’s voice might lull her to sleep, as if he were soothing her. But her phone was out of battery.

After plugging it in to charge, Bai Lu pondered for a moment, then went to find Coach Liu. “Coach Liu, please train me. Don’t treat me like an actress—think of me as a professional athlete.”

“Alright, as long as you don’t cry,” Coach Liu agreed without hesitation.

Bai Lu said, “Whoever cries is a loser.”

The two headed to the back mountain, training until half an hour before the night shoot.

Bai Lu didn’t become a loser, but she nearly reincarnated on the spot.

Coach Liu dumped the battered Bai Lu from his arms. “Director Zhang, I’ve brought your lead actress back.”

Director Zhang turned around, baffled. His lead actress had been lively at noon—now she looked half-dead.

Bai Lu lay in the snow, her gaze vacant.

The girl was exhausted, dazed.

Director Zhang nearly lost his mind. “Coach Liu, what did you do to my lead actress?”

Coach Liu waved his hands frantically. “It wasn’t me! She requested it herself. She told me not to treat her as an actress, but as an athlete.”

Director Zhang looked suspiciously at both Coach Liu and Bai Lu. “Bai Lu, weren’t you supposed to go to the city for dinner with Young Master Yu?”

Sure enough, if she’d listened to Shen Xinluo and gone to the RV to find Yu Fuqing, she’d have been unable to explain herself.

Bai Lu didn’t move, feigning surprise. “Ah, Yu Fuqing left? When did he leave?”

Director Zhang glanced at the assistant director.

The assistant director looked over at the coordinator.

“It was Shen Xinluo who told me,” the coordinator said, realizing he’d been used as a pawn and spilling everything. “She even told me not to call Bai Lu to hurry her, because Bai Lu was having dinner with Young Master Yu.”

Yu Fuqing had personally brought Bai Lu back to the crew, and his affection for her was obvious to anyone—even the blind. The coordinator had no reason to doubt.

Director Zhang’s expression soured.

Thinking of Bai Lu’s previous conduct, his face darkened further.

Coach Liu, blunt as ever, remarked, “I was always curious—Bai Lu was always late but never left early. If she was acting like a diva, why only arrive late and never leave early? Turns out she wasn’t throwing tantrums—someone was deliberately sabotaging her. What a biased mother!”

Since Bai Lu had neither a management company nor an assistant or manager, all notifications were sent directly to Wu Liping.

Her biological daughter showed up early, the adopted one was always late.

What else could it be?

Bai Lu didn’t take the chance to explain herself, nor did she utter a word against Wu Liping. She simply smiled. “Uncle Coordinator, from now on, please notify me directly. If there’s anything, I’ll personally ask for leave. I’m young and a bit mischievous, and sometimes I sleep in or play too much, so being late or leaving early is inevitable. Uncle Coordinator, do you have my number?”

The coordinator nodded. “Yes. If possible, let’s add each other on WeChat later.”

Bai Lu looked especially obedient. “Alright.”

Director Zhang glanced at the girl, his expression grim. “I’m laying down a rule. Listen well. From now on, no matter who you are, no matter how big your name is—if you’re late or leave early, for any reason, you must request leave from me in person! No substitutes allowed!”

After all, they all worked in the same industry and saw each other often. Director Zhang couldn’t be as blunt as Coach Liu, but the rule he set was a clear slap in the face to Wu Liping and Shen Xinluo.

Director Zhang personally helped Bai Lu up from the ground, seated her in the lead actress’s soft chair, and handed her a thermos. “Drink something, warm yourself up.”

Bai Lu smiled obediently. “Thank you, Director Zhang.”

The assistant director was perplexed.

That was his own health tea.

“Director Zhang! Xiaolu is sleeping; she said she wants to shoot later,” Shen Xinluo came running, breathless.

The expressions around them were… quite subtle.

The coordinator and Coach Liu even moved their bodies to shield Bai Lu.

Director Zhang said, “Oh, she’s sleeping.”

Shen Xinluo looked troubled. “Director Zhang, please don’t blame Xiaolu. She’s still young. Please trouble yourself and the crew to wait a bit longer for her. I’ll go wake her up now. Please, don’t scold her. She’s sensitive; if you do, she’ll throw a tantrum and refuse to shoot.”

Director Zhang said nothing, his expression growing colder.

Playing such tricks in his crew.

They must think he’s a fool.

Worst of all, it had actually worked before.

Didn’t that just prove he was a fool?