Public [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 08

**Chapter 8: Extended Pullman**

The night was as thick as ink slowly dissolving from an inkstone, dividing the world into two realms—one, a decadent, fragrant reality; the other, a digital world exploding over a few photos.

**#QinMangStreetShooting**
**#QinMangCheongsamGoddess**
**#QinMangDreamsofJinghuaFit**

These three hashtags surged to the top of the trending list late at night, nearly overtaking the top spot which was currently held by a popular male celebrity exposed for secretly being married with three kids.

It all started with a photography blogger known for capturing hidden beauty in street corners. He had originally intended to shoot the wisteria-covered alleyways and the nostalgic charm of an old street—but unintentionally captured Qin Mang playing balloon shooting at a street stall.

In the photo:

The wisteria vines spread and cascaded like waterfalls onto the stone pavement. A gentle summer breeze stirred the flower sea into delicate ripples. A woman in a cheongsam stood gracefully with a striking side profile, her fingers holding a gun. Her red lips were slightly pursed, radiating a kind of aggressive, cutting-edge beauty.

A balloon in the distance burst.

It was as though the shot pierced the viewer’s heart.

The old street and the wisteria grove, the cheongsam and the firearm—together, they painted a soul-shattering masterpiece.

Netizens were stunned—

> “She single-handedly raised the cheongsam aesthetic standard in the entertainment industry.”
> “It had to be Qin Mang!”
> “Sob sob… I knew Qin Vase would never lose in the looks department!”
> “Yesterday she was the celestial beauty in a tearjerking short video. Today she looks like a cheongsam goddess straight out of a Republican-era film. Who was it again who said Qin Mang didn’t suit cheongsams?”
> “Sis is killing me!”
> “She didn’t shoot the balloon, she shot my heart!”
> “@DreamsofJinghua official account, I take it back. Qin Mang in a cheongsam is unbeatable. Can we change the lead actress?”
> “Haha, the comment above—what do you think this is, a veggie market where you pick out napa cabbage?”

Fans of **Shen Wanyin** couldn’t stay quiet:

> “No way… no way… someone’s actually trying to steal the role with just one photo?”
> “@DreamsofJinghua, stop playing dead. Say something!”

But truthfully, they didn’t expect the official account to respond.

Because the bigger the buzz, the more it benefited them.

To their surprise—

The official account of *Dreams of Jinghua*, which had previously stayed quiet while fans fought and brought traffic, finally posted its first female lead-related update:

> **@DreamsofJinghua Movie V:** “The female lead will be officially announced at 9 PM on the 28th. Stay tuned.”

Netizens:
**What the—?!**
Why did it suddenly come back to life?

In a luxury apartment downtown—

**Shen Wanyin** was sitting on the sofa, coldly staring at the table.

There lay a draft of her contract for *Dreams of Jinghua.*

But now…

It was void.

> “Why keep trash around?”

Her manager, **Wei Qin**, picked up the voided contract, tore it in half, and tossed it into the bin.

She looked at Shen Wanyin’s makeup-free face, pale and clear like spring water. Without makeup, her features lacked the striking beauty she usually flaunted—more plain than dazzling.

When Shen Wanyin debuted, her team had initially positioned her as the innocent girl-next-door. But she remained lukewarm in popularity—until two years ago, when Wei Qin saw a viral video of Qin Mang.

Wei Qin, one of the most sharp-eyed managers in the industry who had launched many top actresses including current A-lister **Zhou Yuan**, immediately pivoted.

At that time, there were no prominent “aggressively beautiful” actresses in the industry. Wei Qin quickly revamped Shen Wanyin’s image, pouring in resources to crown her as the “bold beauty” **before** Qin Mang’s debut.

Sure enough, Qin Mang went viral soon after.

Over the next two years, Shen Wanyin’s team constantly published beauty comparison articles to suppress Qin Mang and claimed the “bold beauty” title as her own.

Now, looking at the trending photos of Qin Mang in a cheongsam, Wei Qin could only shake her head in regret.

She leaned down and patted Shen Wanyin’s shoulder meaningfully.

> “Don’t worry. Contracts can be voided. Roles can be recast even after filming starts. Even after a film is wrapped, there are plenty of cases where actresses get replaced before the release.”

> “It’s just an audition.”

Shen Wanyin wasn’t dumb.

She clearly understood the subtext and finally showed a bit of emotion. She poured a cup of hot tea for Wei Qin, her voice softening:

> “Sister Wei, I’ll do my best.”

The night deepened.

At some point, strong winds howled against the windows. Rain began to spatter against the glass, and soon a torrential downpour poured like a galaxy collapsing.

In the villa on the second floor of a lakeside estate, dazzling lights stayed on all night.

Qin Mang finally got her hands on the “Soul-Stealing Blade” she had been drooling over since seeing the photo—and this was the **exclusive** deep-cut version.

Under the bright lights, her palm touched the man’s cool-toned skin, which now radiated with strange heat—like lava rolling under crystal ice.

The black silk robe hung loosely from his shoulders, exposing broad, chiseled muscles. In the interplay of light and shadow, his slim waist and defined abs exuded a dangerous, compelling strength. Like a perfectly sculpted statue in a museum, each muscle was carved to perfection.

Qin Mang licked her dry lips and watched as a bead of sweat slid down his throat, trailing along the defined lines of his abs, forming a sinuous waterline that sparked wild imagination.

**He was dangerously hot.**

Beautiful, yes.

But Qin Mang was spoiled, hated pain and fatigue. After a few minutes of enjoyment—

She wanted to call it quits.

> “I’m done, I’m done.”
> “Such a beautiful night. Doing this is so boring—let’s just chat, okay?”

The next second—

The man pulled her back.

His usually cool voice now tinged with hoarseness.

> “Sure.”
> “Let’s talk about where I was lacking.”
> “Here?”
> “Or here?”
> “Hmm?”

…

Qin Mang fell back again, dazed, looking up into a pair of grey-blue eyes that seemed full of destructive desire. Her flushed face was so alluring, she bit her lower lip, breathless:

> “…”

**Dead conversation.**

> “Nowhere to run.”

Faced with danger, Qin Mang clutched his half-removed robe and muttered in a tiny voice.

Unexpectedly, **Mrs. He** still had the brainpower to think of something else. **He Lingji**’s eyes locked onto the little red mole on her nose, now even more seductive after contact with water. His lips brushed past it casually, then moved downward—

At the same time, gripping her waist, he let out a deep, magnetic chuckle:

> “You mean riding a tiger… or riding—”
> “Me?”

**AHHHHHHHHH!**

—

**The next morning.**

Qin Mang lay on her side, her black curls spread out messily on the pillow. She looked disheveled and tired as she stared accusingly at the man tying his tie in front of the full-length mirror.

The suit fit him perfectly, highlighting his tall frame and refined demeanor. His cold features, even down to the exposed wrist bone, screamed aloof elegance.

His smiling voice from last night still echoed in her ears—but the moment he got out of bed, he acted as if **nothing** had happened.

> “Hypocrite!”

What celibate aesthetic?

He was clearly a beast!

Qin Mang puffed her cheeks angrily.

Wrapped in a thin blanket, she sat cross-legged, her eyelids still blushed as if stained by rouge. Her glare wasn’t angry—it was more like a pout.

**He Lingji** had planned to go straight to work.

But Mrs. He’s resentful little glare was too intense. He turned slightly, considered for a moment, then said calmly:

> “Prepare well for your audition today.”

And off he went, calm as ever.

Qin Mang:
**“…”**

**Was he even human?!**

Did he forget what they did last night?

She was in this state, and he still remembered to remind her to go work!

Even capitalist overlords weren’t this exploitative!

> “That cheongsam photo of yours is still trending. Finally, netizens have cleared their eyes. If I had known, I would’ve had you shoot more cheongsam photos back then.”

> “Oh right—international top magazine *EG* is interested in inviting you for their September cover. Gold September, Silver October—you know how valuable that is!”

Now, they were just waiting for Qin Mang to land the female lead in *Dreams of Jinghua*.

Now, everyone is just waiting for Qin Mang to land the lead female role in *Dreams of Old Jinghua*.
If she gets it, both her fashion and film/TV opportunities will rise to a whole new level.

**Afternoon of the 28th, in the audition makeup room.**
Qin Mang sat with her eyes half-closed while the makeup artist carefully applied makeup to her face. She moved gently, afraid of hurting her delicate skin.
Manager Meng Ting stood beside her, talking softly.

Qin Mang didn’t let the sudden trending news and great resources make her lose focus. She knew very well—
If she failed this audition, the higher she was praised now, the harder she would fall.

So she had no choice—
She *must* succeed.

The audition would use random scenes from the script.
She didn’t know what exactly she would get.
So she practiced the parts she was weakest at.

These past two days, she spent two hours a day practicing how to smoke and blow perfect smoke rings.
Her gentle, slightly hoarse voice answered, “Got it.”

But then—
Assistant A-Tong rushed in nervously. “Mang-jie, something bad happened!”

“Shen Wanyin brought a performance coach with her!”

“Huh?”

Qin Mang was calmly playing with her long, sparkly earrings, twirling them around her fingers. She slowly lifted her eyelashes and squinted, showing a faint smile. “So what?”

A-Tong was furious. “It’s not just any coach—it’s Fu Ping! A respected old actress, and she used to teach Director Zhou at drama school!”

“She basically brought a cheat code with her!”

Meng Ting jumped up. “What?!”

Qin Mang exhaled slowly.
She was angry too.

While Meng Ting and A-Tong panicked, Qin Mang picked up her phone and sent a message to the ‘Cold-blooded Capitalist’.

**LittleLion_RoarMeow:** *Is this audition about acting or who has the better connections?* (attached: sarcastic laughing meme)

Before she could even think of what to do, someone came to call her for the audition.

She passed Shen Wanyin at the door. Just as they brushed shoulders, Shen whispered in her ear, “Looking forward to seeing your acting.”
Without waiting for a reply, she flipped her wavy hair and walked away like a drama queen.

Meng Ting heard that and gritted his teeth.
“Fu Ping is famous for being harsh and straightforward. She hates pretty-faced celebrities who rely on looks. She says whatever she wants, and no one dares to talk back because she has a high status in the industry.”

“Shen Wanyin isn’t just trying to take the role—she wants you to be humiliated in front of everyone.”

A-Tong said nervously, “Maybe we shouldn’t go in. It’s just a formality anyway.”

She couldn’t stand the thought of her Mang-jie being insulted.

Qin Mang gave a short laugh. “Let’s try.”
With a calm face, she pushed open the door.

Her slim figure looked weak, but her attitude was strong and proud like a little swan. Even if she lost, she wouldn’t run away.

The scene felt dramatic—A-Tong teared up quietly.

Right after, Meng Ting warned her:
“Just act—don’t hit anyone.”
“Also, don’t shoot anyone. Killing is illegal.”
“There are cameras. I won’t be able to cover for you.”

That instantly stopped A-Tong’s tears.

To make things fair, the whole audition was being recorded.
Meng Ting’s concern wasn’t wrong.

Qin Mang really did get the scene with a gun.
The gun was fake, like a toy from a street stall, without any bullets.

Then, Qin Mang finally met the legendary Fu Ping.
The old lady gave off the air of a classic actress, proud and elegant. But the moment she saw Qin Mang’s face, her expression turned serious.

The big room suddenly felt quiet.
An assistant director quietly introduced Qin Mang.
Fu Ping said nothing.

She had seen too many pretty girls trying to make quick money in the industry.
They didn’t deserve to be called real actors.
She already decided to make this one give up.

Director Zhou said, “Start.”

In the next second—
Qin Mang’s casual expression turned sharp and suspicious. She picked up the toy gun she’d been playing with and aimed—
Fu Ping was stunned.

This was what they called “getting into character in one second.”

Qin Mang was fully focused, forgetting everything else.

After the scene ended,
Director Zhou casually asked, “Why is your voice hoarse?”

Qin Mang blinked back to herself and explained honestly, “There’s a smoking scene in the script. I thought it might come up, so I practiced for a few days. My throat’s just a bit sore, it’ll recover soon.”

Director Zhou nodded with satisfaction.
Fu Ping didn’t say anything.

She didn’t give any praise or criticism.

Even when Director Zhou announced that Qin Mang got the lead role, Fu Ping stayed silent.

Where was the rumored sharp tongue?
What happened to “not tolerating pretty faces”?

Qin Mang was confused.
So were Meng Ting and A-Tong.

The three of them went to the restroom to calm down and make sure they weren’t dreaming.
The lead role… just like that?

Just as they turned the hallway corner,
they heard a familiar voice.

The three of them looked at each other and stopped.

“You promised to help me. Why did you back out?”
“And you always hated actresses with just a pretty face. Why did you—”

Fu Ping turned to look, her face very serious.
“Qin Mang got into character in one second. If she’s just a pretty face, then what are you?”

The words hit hard.

After a long pause:
“Next time, focus more on acting. Don’t waste your natural talent.”

That last sentence was full of sarcasm.

She walked away.

Even though it was a short conversation, it said a lot.

“…Pfft.”
A few seconds later, after Fu Ping left, Qin Mang couldn’t help clapping with a smile. “Impressive, Teacher Shen. No wonder people say you’re so talented.”

Shen Wanyin’s face, pale before, now turned dark.

“You—”

Qin Mang slowly raised her white fingers and waved.
“Careful.
I recorded it, you know.”

—

Later, the audition room was already empty.
A-Tong cheered, “That was so satisfying!”
“Mang-jie, did you really record it?”
“Great! Now we’ve got something on her. Did you see her face—”

Meng Ting knocked A-Tong’s head. “You think the young lady’s as silly as you?”

A recording won’t do much.
And it’s not even Qin Mang’s style. She just wanted to annoy Shen Wanyin.

The truth was—her phone had been in Meng Ting’s hands the whole time.

—

It was still early, only 4 p.m.
The city had many trees, and in spring and summer, flowers bloomed everywhere.

The sun shone through a big camphor tree near the entrance, leaving dappled light on the ground.

As Qin Mang walked down the steps, light landed on her fair skin.
To her sensitive skin, it felt like boiling water, and her fine brows pinched together.

She had been too caught up in the drama—
Should’ve asked A-Tong to borrow a parasol.

Just then, she lifted her eyes—and froze.
Noticed a familiar car nearby.

It was sleek and powerful, like a black wolf lazily dozing in the sun.

**LittleLion_RoarMeow:** *You’re outside?*
**Cold-blooded Capitalist:** *Oh, just passing by. Wanted to see who’s competing with Mrs. He for best connections.*

Qin Mang hesitated on the steps, wanting to share her happy moment.

She made up her mind to run over, even under the sun.

But then—
Right in front of her eyes, the long black Pullman car drove right past and left.

What? Wait—
That jerk really *was* just passing by?!