CHAPTER 400: CHAPTER 279: WARM-UP, FANS ECSTATIC

Regarding Xu Ruyan’s ideas, though they seemed rather naive, who hasn’t gone through a phase of youthful exuberance? Like many youths with high spirits and pride, it’s all too normal to be spirited when young. So, Xu Qingqiu wasn’t at all surprised by her sister’s reaction; in fact, she had prepared for it long ago. She had thought that the most Xu Ruyan would do was sneak around in college or after graduation to stir things up a bit. But she never imagined this little rascal would be so audacious as to fake her school enrollment behind their family’s back.

To be honest, when Xu Qingqiu learned the truth, she almost jumped out of her skin; luckily, she managed to hold back.

"Do you remember what you said?"

Xu Ruyan was no match for Xu Qingqiu.

She cautiously lifted her head to glance at her sister, feeling incredibly guilty.

Originally, she thought she’d disguised it well and that no one knew about her secretly attending the film academy. If Chu Tian hadn’t discovered it, she’d have planned to keep it hidden indefinitely. Who would have thought that as soon as she began confessing, her own sister would seem completely unsurprised? She even suspected Xu Qingqiu had known everything from the start and was just waiting for her to confess; how could she not feel guilty?

Now, with her past actions brought up again, Xu Ruyan couldn’t describe how embarrassed she felt.

In the past, she truly was recklessly youthful, like a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger, utterly oblivious to the world’s perils. But now, having completed half her college education and joined a film crew, how could she still be so naïve? Take the film crew where she got injured, for example; the experiences she had there were enough to shatter her innocence completely. If it weren’t for her film academy background and her teacher rushing to assist her as soon as they learned of the situation, she could only imagine what kind of awful mess might have ensued.

Moreover, it wasn’t only about work on set. During downtime, often in remote locations, the crew members had little to do besides shoot the breeze. When people from all corners of the country gathered, everyone had some interesting stories to share. One person would tell a story, then another; the casually shared anecdotes pieced together were eye-opening enough for a greenhorn like her: tales of a cinematographer from one crew falling into the sea, an assistant camera operator from another getting injured, or a gaffer from some group being electrocuted. There were stories about a certain producer absconding with funds, another actor injured during an explosion scene, or a stunt driver hitting an extra, and so on.

All kinds of incidents naturally came with all sorts of information: unpaid wages leading to assaults, equipment smashed over unpaid dues, and crew brawls causing teams to split, with one faction ending up in the hospital and the other in jail. She had even witnessed, right under everyone’s noses, young female extras being taken into hotel rooms by crew members in broad daylight.

Having heard and seen so much, she gradually developed a clearer understanding of many things within this circle. Now, looking back at Xu Qingqiu’s words from before, she felt so ashamed she was speechless, lacking the bold assurance she once had.

Seeing her silence, Xu Qingqiu knew the time was ripe.

"Done being stubborn? Ready to listen to my arrangements now?"

After a long pause, Xu Ruyan finally lowered her head and squeezed out a single word.

"Yes..."

"Louder! I can’t hear you!"

"Argh, yes! Sis, can you please not be like Mom?" Xu Ruyan’s rebellious streak flared up, and she spoke impatiently. But as soon as she looked up, she saw a phone pointed at her.

"Huh? Sis, what are you doing? Why are you even recording a video?"

But Xu Qingqiu paid her no mind.

"Alright, you’re the one who said it. I’ve recorded everything, so don’t try to back out later."

"How could you do this? When have I ever backed out of anything? I don’t even have makeup on! Give me the phone, delete it quickly!"

Xu Qingqiu hadn’t expected her to say something like that and, at the same time, couldn’t help but realize her little sister had truly grown up.

"This vain streak of yours really hasn’t changed a bit since you were little," Xu Qingqiu teased. Pursing her lips, she then turned to Chu Tian and said, "We agreed just now. You’ll listen to my arrangements. For now, focus on your studies. Also, sign your management contract over to Chu Tian’s company. Got it?"

"I won’t!"

"Hmm?!"

Looking at Xu Qingqiu’s stern expression and glancing at Chu Tian beside her, Xu Ruyan could only pout and silently endure it.

She wasn’t foolish; she knew what Xu Qingqiu was thinking. Once her management contract was signed, any future roles would have to go through the company. That way, Chu Tian would know, and naturally, Xu Qingqiu would too. Essentially, Xu Qingqiu’s move directly seized Xu Ruyan’s lifeline. If she ever wanted to act, she absolutely couldn’t escape Xu Qingqiu’s oversight. Film secretly? Even if she dared, it would depend on whether the other party dared. Her management contract was with the company; anyone signing a contract with her that bypassed the company would be committing a serious breach and face legal action. Perhaps the production team could feign ignorance, and Chu Tian wouldn’t actually make Xu Ruyan pay compensation. But if Xu Ruyan really did that, her reputation in the industry would be ruined. Once people found out, who would dare to hire her? There are so many actors; who would want to willingly carry a ticking time bomb in their pocket? Having her vital point so easily controlled for no good reason would make anyone uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, Xu Qingqiu gave her absolutely no chance to find loopholes.

"Anything else? If not, let’s call it a day. You should head back early too, and then think about how you’re going to explain this to Mom and Dad."

"Hey, wait, Sis! Aren’t you going to help me?"

"How can I help you? You made this mess, so you fix it! Where’s that audacity you had when you dared to do it? You’re panicking now? Who gave you the courage back then to deceive everyone like that?"