Chapter 195: Chapter 167: Confrontation_2
The only difference was that Yang Xiao’s tears were fake, while Pei Qiuyu’s were not; she was genuinely crying in pain, Yang Xiao’s hand was like a pair of iron pincers.
"They’re all fucking Oscar-worthy actors." Lu Ji, who was watching from a distance, couldn’t help but sigh and mentally labeled both of them as dangerous, especially Yang Xiao.
"What did you say?" A crew member standing next to him didn’t hear clearly.
"I said our film is gonna be a hit, at least winning two Oscars," Lu Ji said, waving two fingers in the air.
After dealing with Yang Xiao, Pei Qiuyu didn’t forget to placate Nie Hexiang, first with a sincere apology, then quickly turned the conversation around to dig a hole for Yang Xiao, "Sister Nie, your performance is so good, as is Brother Chu Xi’s. Maybe next time if I don’t get something right, I might have to trouble you two to show me how it’s done."
Seeing Pei Qiuyu’s earnest smile, Yang Xiao smiled along, took her hand gently and patted it, "Sis, what are you talking about? If you want to truly experience it, you should act opposite someone else. That’s how you make quick progress."
"No, no, that would be too troublesome for Sister Nie."
"We’re all here to make a good film, your Sister Nie won’t refuse."
The two went back and forth for a while before moving on from the topic. Anyway, it seemed that Pei Qiuyu had managed to dodge this bullet.
Now at a critical stage of filming, both Ms. Sun Shengnan and Director Ding did not want to see chaos in the crew. Considering how sensible Pei Qiuyu was, they didn’t pursue her responsibility much.
However, Pei Qiuyu had completely offended Ms. Sun, and she couldn’t rely on that tree for support anymore.
Just as Pei Qiuyu thought she had escaped disaster, Ms. Sun Shengnan’s assistant suddenly announced news that they would watch the school’s welcome performance later, listen to a speech by Ms. Shengnan to the students, followed by a scene between Pei Qiuyu and Nie Hexiang.
Ms. Sun Shengnan was quite interested in Yang Xiao’s suggestion just now. In the interest of harmonious development of the crew, everyone should have an equal opportunity. Later, there would be a competitive scene between the two, and the winner would be playing the second female lead portrayed by Nie Hexiang.
As soon as Pei Qiuyu heard this, she panicked, "No, Sister Nie’s role is so much better than mine. There’s no need to compete, I concede!"
Yang Xiao, more thrilled than if it were New Year’s, sarcastically said, "How can we not compete? Besides, little sister Qiuyu is a natural at acting. Who wins and who loses is still up in the air."
When the assistant heard Pei Qiuyu object, his face turned sour, and he scolded her ruthlessly, "Pei Qiuyu, do you even take us seriously? You were the one who said you wanted to compete. Now Ms. Shengnan gives you this chance, and you’re clamoring not to. What, is this crew your home? Are we all your parents, supposed to indulge you?"
His words were harsh, especially in front of so many people in the crew. Even with a thick skin, Pei Qiuyu didn’t dare to speak, knowing her past indiscretions.
Suddenly, lively music started playing from outside, and Yang Xiao recognized it as seeming familiar, like the kind played before morning exercises at school.
Indeed, as everyone came to the window, they saw the schoolyard was filled with students in uniform, organized by class, looking impressive from their classroom’s view.
Soon, as the words "The Vitality of Youth" appeared, the exercise began in earnest. Aside from Ms. Shengnan and a few key investors who stayed, the rest were sent out, with Ms. Sun Shengnan’s assistant haughtily saying that there was a speech later and unrelated people should not be present.
Even Director Ding was unceremoniously sent out, showing that in the face of capital, their situations were pretty much the same.
Finding an opportunity, Song Yan pulled Yang Xiao aside to an empty classroom near the stairs. After closing the door, Song Yan took a deep breath, "It’s a pity, your plan was successful, but Pei Qiuyu wasn’t eliminated. She reacts quickly, beyond my expectations."
"No harm done, with this incident, her standing in the crew will be compromised, and after the speech, she still has to act with Nie Hexiang," Yang Xiao was optimistic, knowing Pei Qiuyu wouldn’t have an easy time.
The music outside gradually changed as the exercises came to an end. Yang Xiao and Song Yan pricked up their ears, curious to hear what sort of pearls Ms. Shengnan would spit out.
Song Yan had already checked on his phone, and after seeing the articles Ms. Shengnan posted on her social platforms, both of them laughed.
The highest-rated articles were titled "How a Woman Should Live," "Women with Bound Feet Are Nobler Than Men with Bound Minds," "Why I Advise Women to Divorce," "Worthless Men Are Not Men," "Three Marriages Taught Me Confidence and Independence."
But what comforted the two of them was that, in the comments under the article, many people came to troll, the brainwashing tricks used on women in the past couldn’t deceive the girls of today anymore.
However, as Yang Xiao and Song Yan perked up their ears to listen, they did not wait for Sun Shengnan’s lofty talk. Their brows furrowed sharply as they heard terrifying shouts from outside, sounding like chaos had erupted.
The two ran to the window and looked out, students outside were jostling each other, the scene was indescribably chaotic, and a few teachers could be seen trying to maintain order, but it was useless, they were quickly scattered by the frenzied students.
At the same time, heart-wrenching screams came from the building, the voices filled with fear.
Something had happened!
Everyone rushed upstairs, only to see Sun Shengnan’s assistant sitting paralyzed outside the classroom door, as if she had lost her soul.
"What happened?" Yang Xiao, Song Yan, and Director Ding rushed into the classroom, but aside from a few investors who looked as if they had lost their souls, Sun Shengnan was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is she?" Director Ding panicked, "Where is Ms. Shengnan?"
"Murder! Murder!" An investor seemed to have been scared witless, leaning against the wall, her hands trembling non-stop.
"What?!"
Pushing through the people crowded at the window, Yang Xiao peered outside, and the scene below was shocking, two entangled bodies lay on the cement ground, blood pooled everywhere.
One was Sun Shengnan, the other was Nie Hexiang.
"She’s gone mad! Nie Hexiang, she went mad, it was her, she was holding Ms. Shengnan, they... they fell out of the window together!" At this moment, the assistant seemed to regain consciousness and began to explain to everyone.
"Didn’t Nie Hexiang go downstairs with us earlier? When did she come back?" Suddenly someone remembered this.
"Just now, Nie Hexiang came alone, saying she had something very important to discuss with Ms. Shengnan, they went to the window, and suddenly, Nie Hexiang grabbed Ms. Shengnan, and then... then both of them fell out of the window." The assistant shivered as she explained.
It seemed that the earlier commotion outside was the students witnessing the two falling from the building.
Sun Shengnan died so rashly, which was entirely unexpected by Yang Xiao, and even gave him a surreal feeling. Sun Shengnan, who had once become famous for a pure student slander case, died in front of a new generation of students in such a tragic and hasty way, an irony that couldn’t be more pronounced.
Unfortunately, with Sun Shengnan’s death, many secrets would never see the light of day again.
However, with the death of Sun Shengnan, the instigator of all the trouble, their mission should also come to an end.
"Call the police! Quick, call the police!"
It was unclear who shouted, but the assistant, in a daze, took out her phone with trembling fingers to dial, "Hello, is this the police station? This is Ru Lin Middle School, there has been a fall from a window, two people!"
"Ah, you received an emergency call, yes, we’ve already called for an ambulance."
"Clear, we know the identities... One is a local named Nie Hexiang, the other named Tang Ya Ling, yes, please hurry over!"
Yang Xiao and Song Yan were almost simultaneously stunned, then abruptly turned to her, "Who? Who did you just say?"
"Isn’t she Sun Shengnan?!"
