**Chapter 21: Resource Sharing**
“Very good, that’s the look\u2014add a bit more seduction, yes, yes, just like that!”
“Remember, he’s the man you admire and love, not your little errand boy.”
“Beautiful!”
“Let’s do another take.”
The set of *Dreams of Old Jinghua* had never been so harmonious before. Director Zhou, known for his hot temper, seemed like a completely changed man\u2014every word out of his mouth was praise.
On the set at the film studio.
Qin Mang and Jiang Hengyan were filming the same scene that had previously gone awry with He Lingzhi. Back then, He had only said one line before the rest of the scene fell apart.
Perhaps it was thanks to Teacher He\u2019s excellent teaching skills, but ever since Qin Mang had been called back early to the set after that \u201clesson,\u201d it was as though her meridians had been cleared and her acting had reached a new level.
She especially excelled in eye contact and emotional expression\u2014becoming more and more skilled.
Looking at Jiang Hengyan, dressed in a warlord uniform yet still radiating a refined handsomeness, Qin Mang\u2019s mind involuntarily conjured another face\u2014that of an aloof, divine being from beyond the heavens.
That face had an even stronger commanding presence.
He could completely dominate her.
If she were to act alongside He Lingzhi, Qin Mang believed he could carry her to an international Best Actress award.
But even if the world collapsed and the apocalypse came, He Lingzhi would never become an actor.
And he wasn\u2019t suited for it either.
He would easily outshine every scene partner\u2014like the world existed solely for him.
More importantly\u2014
Qin Mang didn\u2019t want to rely on anyone. This was her career. Her dream.
Her thick lashes lowered, veiling a fleeting emotion.
Only when the director called \u201cGood!\u201d did the clarity return to her eyes.
Besides Director Zhou, Jiang Hengyan\u2014her scene partner\u2014felt Qin Mang\u2019s progress the most.
Though he was her peer and had already won Best Actor earlier, Jiang hadn\u2019t thought much of Director Zhou\u2019s praise of Qin Mang\u2019s \u201cnatural talent\u201d before.
He\u2019d been praised for his own talent since childhood, after all.
But this time, her rapid transformation surprised even him.
As they watched the playback of the scene together, Jiang Hengyan quietly said, \u201cYou really are suited for the big screen.\u201d
\u201cThank you,\u201d Qin Mang replied, returning the compliment politely. \u201cYour acting is excellent too, Teacher Jiang.\u201d
He truly brought the character\u2019s soul to life\u2014a performance worthy of a Best Actor.
As for He Lingzhi, well, he was just a tool to help her get into character. When it came to actual performance, it was best left to professionals.
After all, Best Actor and Best Actress weren\u2019t just handed out on the street.
Especially ones with real value\u2014those were one in a million.
\u201cAlright, enough mutual flattery,\u201d Director Zhou clapped them both on the shoulder. \u201cKeep building the chemistry. Let\u2019s try to knock out all the emotional scenes while you\u2019re still in the zone.\u201d
He was nervous, afraid Qin Mang\u2019s momentum would suddenly vanish.
After all, she was a naturally gifted actress, not yet a technical one. Feeling mattered.
During the break before her next scene with the third female lead, Qi Rong\u2014
Wait, ever since Shen Wanyin announced her indefinite retirement from showbiz amidst scandal, the director had wisely had the screenwriter revise the script overnight, cutting her scenes down to nearly nothing.
And so, Qi Rong was promoted to the second female lead.
Qi Rong credited all this good fortune to Qin Mang. Every time they met, she would bow to her with devout gratitude.
Sometimes she\u2019d even chant about her rival enemies in the entertainment industry, praying to the \u201cGoddess of Luck Qin\u201d to make those bitches withdraw in disgrace too.
At first, Qin Mang was speechless. Later\u2026 she got used to it.
So now, when Qi Rong clasped her hands and bowed again, Qin Mang calmly fanned herself with her little lion-shaped fan while listening to a whole string of names.
It had to be said\u2014the fastest way to bond was to know each other\u2019s secrets.
So after being \u201cforced\u201d to learn Qi Rong\u2019s long list of nemeses, they became much closer.
Due to her doll-like, youthful face, Qi Rong had always been cast in sweet, innocent roles in idol dramas\u2014she was sick of them.
She desperately wanted to try a two-faced, bitchy villainess to hone her acting, which was why she auditioned for the small role of the third female lead in *Dreams of Old Jinghua*. To her fans, this seemed like a step down.
After bowing, Qi Rong squatted beside Qin Mang, sharing her fan.
\u201cTell me you took time off to fall in love.\u201d
\u201cYou\u2019re like a different person.\u201d
\u201cHow many boyfriends did it take to make progress this fast?\u201d
She was practically green with envy.
Qin Mang, who didn\u2019t even have words like \u201csocial niceties\u201d or \u201cnetworking\u201d in her vocabulary, had already used up her day\u2019s quota of politeness chatting with the director and Jiang Hengyan. Now, hearing the praise, her radiant face carried a lazy look. \u201cYou flatter me.\u201d
Qi Rong didn\u2019t mind, smiling as she pulled out her phone and opened a memo filled with contacts. At the top, it was labeled: \u201cFish Pond.\u201d
She held it under Qin Mang\u2019s nose. \u201cCome on\u2014let\u2019s share resources.\u201d
Qin Mang gave it a lazy glance\u2014then froze.
\u201c\u2026This is\u2026\u201d
Some of the names looked familiar.
A few were second-generation heirs from wealthy families. While not quite on the level of the Qin and He families, they were definitely top-tier in the eyes of female celebrities.
She hadn\u2019t expected Qi Rong to have their contact info.
\u201cThese are the ones I think are decent.\u201d
\u201cLow maintenance, good in bed, and discreet.\u201d
The more she listened, the more Qin Mang felt something was off. \u201cWait\u2026 what kind of resources are we talking about?\u201d
\u201cMen, of course!\u201d
\u201cI remember you have quite a few quality men\u2019s contacts too. If there are any types you\u2019re not into, send them my way!\u201d Qi Rong was referring to the yacht incident footage\u2014where Qin Mang had received a flurry of business cards from outstanding men.
\u201cAs long as my net is wide, I\u2019ll eventually catch a rich fish willing to marry me.\u201d
Qin Mang finally understood.
So this was *that* kind of resource sharing. She thought it was acting roles.
Hearing her goal was to marry rich, Qin Mang\u2014herself born into a wealthy family\u2014knew exactly how hard that was. She subtly reminded, \u201cIt\u2019s not easy to marry into wealth.\u201d
Qi Rong casually waved her hand. \u201cNo big deal. If I can\u2019t marry one, I\u2019ll just sleep with a few. All my fish are hot and skilled. Worth it either way.\u201d
She enjoyed it, after all.
Qin Mang looked at her innocent, doll-like face and paused mid-fan.
Her gaze turned respectful.
So she\u2019s a wild little Lolita with big ambitions.
Wishing her\u2026 all the best.
As for \u201cresources,\u201d she really had nothing to share. So far, she\u2019d only slept with He Lingzhi\u2026
\u201cHow about it?\u201d
\u201cWanna trade a few?\u201d
Qin Mang casually picked up a mother-of-pearl fan bone to cover her mouth, then whispered in Qi Rong\u2019s ear, \u201cMy guy\u2019s super possessive. He only lets me keep his card, so I gave the rest to my agent.\u201d
She was hinting she already had someone.
So\u2014no resources to share.
However\u2014
Qi Rong suddenly realized, \u201cSo you have a steady partner?\u201d
Steady partner?
Qin Mang\u2019s brows twitched. That sounded a bit\u2026 weird.
But technically not wrong.
*Dreams of Old Jinghua*\u2019s later filming schedule moved quickly. Qin Mang was increasingly in the zone, completely immersed in the role. Every day she was either reading the script or rehearsing with Jiang Hengyan.
Both were acting junkies\u2014once they got into character, everything else faded away.
For promotion, the official account often released highlight reels.
Of course, they didn\u2019t follow the usual path. While most productions hyped up romance rumors between leads, *Dreams of Old Jinghua*\u2019s teasers were all just Director Zhou yelling:
\u201cQin Mang, that\u2019s the man you\u2019re in love with\u2014not your little minion!\u201d
\u201cQin Mang, please act like you love him!\u201d
\u201cJiang Hengyan, stop grinning! You\u2019re a mighty warlord being treated like a flunky. Have some pride!\u201d
Fans were dying laughing.
They thought this kind of promo was way better than forced romance rumors.
And now they were even more excited for the actual release.
“LOL, what even is *Dreams of Old Jinghua*? These clips make it impossible to ship the leads seriously!\u201d
\u201cWhen this airs, I *have* to see how you turn a \u2018boss lady and her minion\u2019 into a sexy warlord and sultry cheongsam queen pairing!\u201d
\u201cBut honestly, this promo is a total fan magnet.\u201d
\u201cMy grin is touching my ears watching this.\u201d
\u201cOMG, Qin Mang is such a badass\u2014her bullets shoot Cupid\u2019s arrows instead!\u201d
\u201cDid you catch that fleeting glance on the monitor just now? Ahhh, Qin Mang\u2019s acting is insane\u2014so cool, so gorgeous!\u201d
\u201cLadies, check out EG\u2019s official account! Ahhh, Qin Mang\u2019s first magazine cover\u2014she\u2019s a mermaid goddess and I\u2019m deceased!\u201d
\u201cOMG, is this a literal fairy descending to earth? *photo.jpg*\u201d
\u201cQin Mang\u2019s resources are insane lately, huh?\u201d
\u201cFeels like she blew up overnight\u2014in every area.\u201d
\u201cIsn\u2019t EG only for top-tier domestic actresses? And she got the September issue?\u201d
\u201cLast time, she was blacklisted across the internet, and then overnight the narrative flipped. I thought it was strange, like someone powerful was behind her…\u201d
But these suspicions were quickly drowned out by her fans.
Everyone was mesmerized by Qin Mang\u2019s breathtaking beauty.
Until\u2014
10 p.m.
A passerby account posted a thread with photos on the most popular gossip forum in the country.
**#Saw people talking about Qin Mang\u2019s background on the trending topics, suddenly remembered some photos I accidentally took a few months ago#**
**Photos.jpg**
**Original poster:**
\u201cI wanted to watch a movie with my boyfriend, but the private cinema nearby was booked. Just as we were about to leave, we saw a certain director known for his daring art films rush out of the theater. Pic 1.
Almost an hour later, a girl who looked a lot like Qin Mang also walked out. Pics 2 and 3.
My boyfriend\u2019s uncle is the assistant manager of the theater. He said the whole screening was for an old, explicit foreign movie. Pic 4.
I just snapped the photos casually. The girl was young and pretty, the sailor-style top and pleated skirt really stood out and gave off a youthful vibe. I even thought she might be a future \u2018Xuan Girl\u2019. I didn\u2019t recognize her as Qin Mang.
And I\u2019m not a hater. If I were, I would\u2019ve posted this back when the whole internet was dragging her.
You guys can judge if it\u2019s her or not. She\u2019s a bit far away\u2014I\u2019m not 100% sure.\u201d
Pic 1: Lin Chenxuan getting into a car.
Pics 2 & 3: Qin Mang speaking with her manager, Meng Ting. Most of her profile is blocked by Meng Ting, but the long, beautiful legs under the pleated skirt look like they came straight out of a manga.
Pic 4: The title of the only movie shown that day.
It was solid evidence.
The passerby wasn’t sure if it was Qin Mang, but the internet\u2019s tiny Sherlocks, armed with their digital magnifying glasses, uncovered everything.
Even the small red mole on Qin Mang\u2019s nose tip\u2014blurred and almost blending with her skin tone\u2014was clearly matched.
The thread was quickly reposted to Weibo and other platforms.
The buzz exploded.
**In the makeup room on set\u2014**
Qin Mang had just wrapped a late-night shoot and looked exhausted as she walked in to see Meng Ting\u2019s grim expression.
\u201cYou and Director Lin are trending.\u201d
Without Shen Wanyin, the marketing queen who constantly competed with her for trending topics, Qin Mang herself had now become a regular on hot searches.
Earlier in the day, it was about Jiang Hengyan.
Now at night, it was famous director Lin Chenxuan.
Director Lin?
The incident was months ago\u2014Qin Mang almost forgot who that even was.
Two main speculations trended:
1. **Qin Mang\u2019s backing is top-tier director Lin Chenxuan.**
Lin’s films are niche but popular among cinephiles, and he\u2019s considered the most handsome director in the industry. Once this news broke, rumors exploded.
2. **Some rational fans suggested it might be a collaboration.**
It\u2019s known that Director Lin is obsessed with art films and has had zero scandals for years. Qin Mang, despite having countless elite bachelors in and outside the industry try to pursue her, has maintained a clean record.
**But here\u2019s the catch\u2014**
A young actress watching an explicit movie alone with a director?
It\u2019s either collaboration or something romantic.
Even trying to spin it as \u201cjust friends\u201d sounds like a weak PR attempt. The situation was tough to handle, and they needed Lin\u2019s cooperation for any crisis management.
Just as Meng Ting was urgently contacting Lin Chenxuan\u2019s team to draft a PR plan\u2014
Qin Mang received a WeChat message from Director Lin.
The last time they spoke was months ago when she declined the lead role in *Soul Night*.
**Lin Chenxuan:** \u201cWant to reconsider joining my project? I don\u2019t mind waiting for you to finish *Dreams of Old Jinghua*.\u201d
Clearly trying to take advantage of the situation.
Qin Mang stared at her beautiful reflection in the mirror, lips curling coldly, and typed back three words:
**\u201cI mind.\u201d**
**Lin Chenxuan (implied tone):** \u201cThis is the entertainment industry, not a child\u2019s game.\u201d
**Qin Mang:** \u201cI\u2019d rather quit and inherit my family business than act in sexually explicit films.\u201d
Originally, she rejected the role due to the script.
Now\u2014
She didn\u2019t want to work with Director Lin at all.
But then\u2014
The CEO of her company, Hezhou Entertainment, posted in his social circle:
**\u201cWorking with Director Lin is Qin Mang\u2019s honor.\u201d**
Flat-out denied the scandal and announced the collaboration.
The internet went into a frenzy.
Especially with the news that Qin Mang would star in a risqu\u00e9 film directed by Lin Chenxuan\u2014
**Meanwhile, in a private club in Deep City\u2014**
He Lingji stepped off the boxing ring.
Under the scorching lights, the man was shirtless\u2014his chiseled abs radiating sensual aggression, sweat tracing the lines of his muscles. His face, however, was handsome and aloof, exuding a cold allure like a beast hiding in an icy wilderness.
His companion Wu Yuan had already given up and was slumped on a chair, scrolling through his phone.
When He Lingji finally finished, Wu Yuan looked up as he unwrapped his hand wraps and muttered, \u201cYou\u2019re surprisingly chill about this.\u201d
\u201cIn plain language?\u201d
He Lingji\u2019s expression remained neutral. Aside from the fierce energy in his muscles and a few bruises on his back and shoulders, he looked unfazed.
Judging by his face, you’d think the intense workout was just a warm-up.
\u201cSee for yourself. Your wife is trending for watching an explicit movie alone with another man.\u201d Wu Yuan handed him the phone.
He Lingji didn\u2019t take it, just glanced at the screen. His hand, which had just finished unwrapping the wraps, suddenly paused\u2014then slowly began rewrapping them.
Layer by layer.
Then, without a word, he stepped back into the ring, hands gripping the ropes with ease.
Looking down at Wu Yuan, he raised his gloved fists, motioning.
With a calm, commanding tone: \u201cGet up. One more round.\u201d
An exhausted Wu Yuan: \u201c…\u201d
Does this man not get tired?
**Two hours later\u2014**
He Lingji had showered and changed into a sleek, custom-made black silk shirt. As he buttoned up and walked out, he had completely returned to his refined, ascetic demeanor, showing no sign of emotion.
As if a beast had disguised itself as a man to walk among mortals.
Wu Yuan lay sprawled on the boxing ring, barely alive. He turned his head and asked, \u201cWhere are you going?\u201d
**He Lingji:** \u201cTo watch a movie.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can find the complete translated novel in the link below<\/p>\n\n\n\n