Chapter 92: Chapter 92 No Need to Be a Substitute Anymore

Ji Zeqiu’s agent had thought that Zeqiu’s clamoring about retiring was just a moment of impulsiveness, but to their surprise, Zeqiu rejected all the work they continued to arrange for him afterward.

Zeqiu picked up a script from the table and flipped through it.

Thinking that he was interested in the script, the agent became excited, “This is a show by Director Ma, every series he makes becomes a huge hit, and they all have great reviews. If you could land the male lead, it would definitely be a massive success!”

“How about I contact Director Ma right now to arrange a screen test for you?”

The agent eagerly took out their phone, ready to make the call.

“I’ve heard about this script before, it’s indeed good,” Zeqiu pondered for a moment, “Could we arrange a female role in the drama?”

“A female role?” The agent was stunned for an instant before quickly realizing, “Are you thinking of Shen Qingtang?”

As a top-star, Zeqiu had ample resources and had often used his influence to help Qingtang get through the back door by recommending scripts and variety shows.

Now that he heard Zeqiu mention this, the agent wasn’t surprised.

“It’s possible, but if we try to squeeze another person into the cast now, it might make it more difficult for you to secure the male lead role,” the agent fretted.

They still wanted to prioritize Zeqiu’s career with their resources.

“I’m not taking the male lead role, haven’t I said that I’m retiring?”

With that one sentence from Zeqiu, the agent was moved to tears.

So when he was flipping through the script earlier, wasn’t it because he had changed his mind, but because he wanted to push some resources onto Qingtang?

After finishing his statement, Zeqiu also picked up a certain variety show announcement on his phone and said, “Give this to her as well, and this…”

It was as if he were passing on an inheritance; he was pushing almost all the resources he had in hand to Qingtang.

Just as he was about to pass on the last variety show, the agent quickly interjected in panic, “No, no, no, we’ve already signed a contract for that one, you have to be on it!”

“Alright,” Zeqiu sighed with evident regret.

“You never seemed to care much about Qingtang before, how come all of a sudden you’re thinking of her,” the agent muttered.

Zeqiu’s gaze flickered, a hint of guilt spreading across his cheeks.

A few days ago, Lin Xu was watching a TV series where the male lead’s childhood sweetheart went abroad, and he found a substitute who resembled her, commencing a poignant and torturous romance.

There was a plot in the series where the childhood sweetheart had a car accident, and the male lead forced the substitute to donate blood to her.

Lin Xu had taken the opportunity to rant about it in front of Zeqiu.

“It’s the twenty-first century now, how can they still be doing this whole blood donation and kidney transplant thing!”

“The male lead is so silly too. If he wanted to save his childhood sweetheart, wouldn’t he use his own blood, give his own kidney!”

“Furthermore, if the male lead really loved his childhood sweetheart, how could he go looking for a substitute? To find the shadow of another person in someone else, merely to satisfy one’s own preferences, is so selfish. No one would like them,”

“Am I right?”

It always felt like his mother was speaking to them with that sentence.

The brothers suddenly had evasive looks and their tones sounded unnatural, stammering, “Right, that’s correct.”

Zeqiu’s hands fidgeted with the hem of his clothes, feeling guilty and anxious inside.

The plot she mentioned, wasn’t it about him?

Mother said no one would like such a person.

Mother said no one would like him.

At that thought, Zeqiu’s face turned pale, a wave of intense fear surged in his chest, and his breathing became labored.

“No, I have to ask Director Yang again. He owes me a favor; I’ll have him find a role for Qingtang,” he said, immediately taking out his phone to contact the aforementioned Director Yang.

—-

In the club.

Many celebrities and corporate executives attended a film emperor’s birthday event.

Ji Zeqiu was naturally invited as well, and after exchanging pleasantries with the people around, he stood in a corner staring at his cell phone with a frown on his face.

The screen displayed his chat with Lin Xu.

She had yet to respond to the message he sent five minutes ago.

Was his mother out for a walk with Ji Tingyang after dinner? Or had they gone shopping? Or maybe they were watching a movie together?

Which was why she hadn’t replied to his message yet.

Thinking of these possibilities, he became anxious and agitated.

If it weren’t for this party that he couldn’t excuse himself from, he would definitely have stayed at home tonight and never let Ji Tingyang be alone with his mother.

That bastard might be badmouthing him behind his back and might even be slyly trying to hide his mother from him.

Every time Ji Zeqiu thought of this, he was still grinding his teeth in anger.

In the blink of an eye.

It had been eight minutes since his mother hadn’t replied to his message.

Just as Ji Zeqiu hesitated over whether to give his mother a call, a clear and clean voice sounded beside him.

“Teacher Ji…”

He lifted his gaze from the phone and saw Shen Qingtang in a complex and intricately designed mignonette-colored gown, her dense brown short hair cascading down her back, elegant yet simple. Her lustrous eyes gazed at him, clearly wanting to say something yet hesitating.

Even though they had an intimate transactional relationship, in front of so many people, Shen Qingtang still dared not speak carelessly and chose, like everyone else, to call him Teacher Ji formally.

“What’s the matter?” Ji Zeqiu asked.

“Thank you for giving me so many resources recently,” Shen Qingtang thanked him. After a pause, she half-jokingly added, “These past few days, I’ve been signing so many contracts that my hand is cramping up.”

Ji Zeqiu replied briefly and said nothing more.

He was always like that, mostly cold and silent when interacting with her.

Was it only when he was with Miss Wen Li that he became talkative?

Shen Qingtang’s hand, holding the wine glass, tightened, her mood suddenly a little downcast.

“Do you want to act in movies?”

Ji Zeqiu suddenly spoke up.

“What?”

“If you want to act in movies, I can help you get in touch with directors or producers.”

It seemed as though all she needed to do was nod to indicate her interest, and he would immediately arrange it for her.

Shen Qingtang was startled by his sudden warmth and quickly tried to stop him, “No, no, no, my schedule is already full, there’s no need to contact other jobs for me, this is enough as it is.”

“Is it really enough?” Ji Zeqiu always seemed to feel it wasn’t enough, “With just these, will you forgive me?”

Would his mother forgive him as well?

“Forgive?” Shen Qingtang was puzzled.

“Previously…” Ji Zeqiu paused, as if finding it difficult to express himself, stuttering for a long while, “I’m sorry for having you donate blood to Wen Li, I won’t do that again in the future.”

A sweetness surged in Shen Qingtang’s heart.

It seemed like the first time that he’d taken her feelings into account.

Did this mean that she was now somewhat different in his heart?

However, just as a small sprout of joy began to emerge in her heart, she heard his next words that seemed to sever ties with her.

“Let’s end our contract here, there’s no need for you to be a substitute anymore.”