Chapter 72

On a workday, at midnight, six girls wearing sunglasses and masks entered the movie theater, holding popcorn in their left hands and milk tea in their right, all under the curious gaze of the theater staff.

The six of them sat together in the last row, the seats in front of them empty and vacant. Even after the theater staff closed the doors, there was still not a hint of anyone else.

“Oh, it’s booked.” Xu Heran took off her sunglasses and laughed.

Jian Yueyin inserted her milk tea into the cup holder on the armrest and casually said, “Fans have been asking me why we, as idols, eat fried chicken and drink milk tea every day.”

“Who eats every day?” Jiang Qiong asked, “I dare to do that once a week at most. I’m not Xu Pearl.”

“Ranran and Haya exercise a lot every day, and Ranran is still growing, you know.” Jian Yueyin said.

Laurel leaned back tactically, “Still growing?”

Xu Heran rubbed her head and said, “Lately, I feel like I haven’t been growing much. Also, when it comes to things like milk tea and desserts, not liking them is actually the best compliment they can receive.”

The girls high-fived, showing agreement.

Shortly after, the movie began.

《Rustling in the Wind》 premiered in the capital city. Xin Nuo participated in the movie premiere promotion in the capital city, while Xu Heran and a few others quietly came to support the movie on the second night.

“Nuo Nuo’s first movie in her life. I wonder if there will be DVDs available, the kind you can collect,” Xu Heran whispered, “Later, we can have a cabinet at home specifically for our albums and films.”

“Sure,” whispered Jian Yueyin.

《Rustling in the Wind》 tells the story of the conflicts between the palace and the martial world, with an emphasis on changes in royal power. The male lead is a noble with a kind and patient personality, often displaying chivalry. Nevertheless, the relentless imperial authority prevails. Prior to the old emperor’s passing, multiple princes were competing for the throne. The male lead falls into a trap but doesn’t back down, ultimately losing in the battle for the throne as he refuses to give up on rescuing the female lead.

The female lead is burdened by guilt. Her initial goal is to seduce the male lead, but she ends up falling in love with him. The dynamic of love and conflict between them is a significant aspect of the story. However, the male lead is not interested in power; he’d rather lead a carefree life like a prince. Yet, in the grand scheme of things, his choices seem inconsequential. His existence is seen as a mistake in the eyes of the new emperor.

Xin Nuo’s role is that of an assassin sent to kill the male lead.

The sharp black blade cuts through the candlelight as the ruthless assassin moves through the moonlit palace. Xu Heran suddenly sat up straight, her eyes shining brightly.

Director Li You’s film composition was beautiful, each frame seemed like it could be captured as a screensaver.

The bright moonlight, initially serene, turned extremely cold at the appearance of the assassin, casting a pale glow on the black tiles of the city. At a glance, the tiles looked like snow, while the white walls appeared dark and bottomless.

The assassin stood on one side of the frame, and the entire scene came alive in an instant.

Xu Heran looked at the assassin dressed in night clothes. She was a silent blade, an indifferent executor. She didn’t care about anyone’s life, including her own. She was indifferent to death or life, only knowing to faithfully carry out her master’s orders.

Innocent children, gray-haired elders, graceful women, upright gentlemen…

In her world, there was no black and white, no right and wrong, only killing and waiting to be killed.

As the six people watched, they leaned forward collectively, resting their arms on the seats in front, their chins on the backs of their hands, until the assassin Ah Qing died.

Even her death was silent.

The assassin’s lower face was covered by black cloth from start to finish, only her eyes and eyebrows were exposed. At first glance of her eyes and brows, everyone knew she was beautiful, but after feeling the coldness of death in her eyes, no one cared about her beauty.

Until death arrived.

Her black eyes gazed peacefully at the sky, the light in her eyes slowly fading away, like frames of a slowly changing scene.

Everyone held their breath, the sound around them seemed to sing a mournful tune, as if they saw the soul of death drifting away with the smoke from the incense burner, forming a lamenting song of farewell.

The injured male lead walked forward in silence, removing the assassin’s mask.

That exquisite, beautiful face suddenly appeared.

Yet, the male lead’s eyes suddenly reddened, he knelt on the ground, and another scene flashed before his eyes.

A beautiful young girl holding her mother’s hand, a folding fan in her hand, turned back and smiled. Her expression was so sunny, as if the girl’s smile captured all the beauty in the world.

At that moment, the male lead had a sudden realization: if he simply watched without taking action, more innocent young kids would continue to be trained as deadly warriors. He felt compelled to put an end to this situation.

The plot progressed normally, the male lead rose, fought with others, fought for power, until he finally ascended to the throne.

Amidst the rustling bamboo forest, the lonely female lead turned her gaze, and in a daze, she realized that the current male lead, in his words and actions, wasn’t much different from the so-called executioner he once mentioned. She lifted her gaze, looking at the wind passing through the bamboo forest, and the geese flying south.

In the clear daylight, the movie ended.

Xu Heran let out a slow breath.

“… I think,” Jiang Qiong’s tone grew deep, “for a while, I won’t dare to eat at the same table as Nuo Nuo.”

Laurel’s hand, which was tidying up trash, paused, finding it amusing. “Really now?”

Jiang Qiong turned her head, staring at Laurel intensely.

Laurel remembered the expression of Xin Nuo in the movie and suddenly shivered.

“Is it true?” Jiang Qiong asked immediately.

“No worries, we’ll eat together!” Haya rubbed her arm, “Nuo Nuo did an amazing job in her performance!”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Suddenly, I understand why that news article appeared before.” Song Fenghua whispered softly.

Xu Heran touched her lips, chuckling.

The six girls got up and left the movie theater.

The city was quiet in the late night, the roads were empty, and they strolled leisurely on the street, with bodyguards driving cars behind them.

Xu Heran raised her head and looked at the sky. She asked, “Look at that, does today’s moon resemble the moon in the movie when Ah Qing killed Ning Bo?”

The group that was about to disperse:

“…”

“Hey, look at that passerby who just went by, dressed so conservatively. Doesn’t he look like the short-lived assassin who was killed in the movie?”

The group:

“…”

“Look—”

“Xu Heran!”

Several girls shouted loudly, chasing after Xu Heran.

Xu Heran laughed heartily and got into the car first.

“Let’s go back home to sleep!”

Jian Yueyin lowered her head and took out her phone.

“I’ll ask Nuo Nuo when she’ll be back. This home can’t contain you anymore.”

Xu Heran grinned and said, “Please.”

Jiang Qiong, sitting behind Jian Yueyin, reached out and patted her, saying, “Don’t let Nuo Nuo come back for another ten days or half a month! That’s the real punishment for Xu Pearl!”

Xu Heran: “… How about we watch the movie again?”

“Or maybe everyone wants to see behind-the-scenes footage of Nuo Nuo’s movie, or a cut of Nuo Nuo’s individual parts in the movie?”

Jiang Qiong immediately hugged her head. “Quick, let Nuo Nuo come back!”

Xu Heran immediately sat properly, a smug smile on her face.

Jian Yueyin shook her head and sighed.

Late at night, several people held movie tickets in their hands, taking photos and uploading them to social media. Fans who were still awake hurriedly came out and shared their ticket stubs below, along with their thoughts on the movie.

Ever since the premiere of 《Rustling in the Wind》 the buzz around the movie had remained high. Discussions covered the male lead, female lead, supporting roles, director, and plot analysis.

The box office numbers continued to soar, and Xin Nuo’s name became well-known to everyone.

“I initially thought she was just a good-looking idol, but her acting skills have surprised me! When idols face criticism, they should focus on acting! Let’s have her shoot more scenes quickly!”

“Why criticize idols? Our princess idol is already very successful! Let me recommend SGS’s album again, as well as various singles and variety shows. Let me take you on a journey through a different kind of powerful girl group!”

“It’s really good… I’ve seen the terrified Emperor Mo Yan meme before and knew Xin Nuo’s acting was good, but seeing it on screen, I didn’t even realize she was a newcomer. Her acting was top-notch, no less than Chen Yufeng. Chen Yufeng… a true powerhouse actor!”

“It’s a pity the screen time was a bit short, but it was satisfying! Wow, the fight scenes were really slick. She didn’t even need a stunt double! That knife-flipping move of hers is so cool!”

“I heard that the director has expanded Ah Qing’s storyline a bit, but unfortunately, it still needs to align with the main plot. I was thinking that next year, when SGS’s contract expires, we won’t be able to see the radiant Xin Nuo on stage anymore. However, after watching the movie today, I suddenly have even higher expectations for Xin Nuo next year! I don’t know why, but I always feel that Nuo Nuo will have even greater development on the screen than on the stage.”

“I hope more talented stars replace those vase-like actors who just want to make money by starring in one bad film after another! I want to see good plays and good movies!”

“…”

Discussions about Xin Nuo’s acting skills became more and more prevalent, overwhelmingly positive. Those who deliberately wanted to criticize were met with a barrage of angry responses.

“Hah, dreams.” Cui Qi tossed aside the report in her hand and said to her colleagues in the PR department, “Keep an eye on those few marketing accounts from their company. If they dare to use Xin Nuo and Heran for publicity, I don’t mind reminding Emperor Mo Yan of how he embarrassed himself back then!”

“Alright, Sister Cui.”

On the big screen, Xin Nuo’s acting skills and her current popularity caught the eyes of major investors and directors. Invitations poured in like snowflakes. Considering the album release in September, Cui Qi asked for Xin Nuo’s opinion and picked a supporting role in a big-budget palace drama for her.

After discussing the script with Xin Nuo a few times, Cui Qi noticed that Xin Nuo attached great importance to the script and the screenwriter, as well as the director. Even for those plays that offered a sky-high price for her to play the lead role, she would quickly set the script aside, seemingly treating money as dirt.

After communicating with Xin Nuo, the black-haired girl replied with a smile, “Considering that I probably won’t be short of money in the future, I’d rather act in some good scripts.”

In her past life, she had dared to take on anything and everything for the sake of money for a while. Although she later received praise for her acting skills, her competitors often used it to mock her. She hadn’t cared before, but in this lifetime, she wanted to care a little bit.

Having a little pearl was nice; she wanted to become a Xin Nuo who was equally good. When others mentioned her, she wanted them to say, “Xin Nuo is really skilled in acting, and her performances are all great.” Instead of being an actress who accepted every trashy role just for the money.

After the busy movie promotion came to an end and the movie was in theaters, Xin Nuo, Li You, and the four main cast members along with the screenwriter had dinner together. They also discussed future collaboration opportunities before finally boarding a plane back to Hai City.

The black-haired girl was fully equipped and lay in the first-class cabin, staring straight up at the ceiling.

Beneath her sunglasses, her long eyelashes blinked shyly.

Xin Nuo wondered if Xu Heran had seen that letter… right?

Hmm.

The more nervous she felt, the calmer Xin Nuo appeared. Her assistant, who had been with her all along, remained oblivious, escorting her back to the forest villa.

Thanking her assistant, Xin Nuo pulled her luggage and headed towards the gate.

It was around 1 p.m. now, and the villa was quiet and peaceful. Xin Nuo thought everyone must be resting during lunchtime and didn’t pay much attention. Her fingers touched the fingerprint verification panel. The cute voice of the Candy System said, “Welcome home,” and the door opened with a soft click.

Something white rushed towards her.

“Hey, where did this little beauty come from? Let the miscellaneous family take a look, hehehe~~” Jiang Qiong stood with her left hand on her hip, right hand holding a duster, dressed like a eunuch. She raised her hand against the door frame in a rascal-like manner.

“Little beauty, what’s your name? Introduce yourself! You look so pretty, you’ve cheered up the miscellaneous family. The miscellaneous family will help you make a fortune and live a good life!”

“Hehehe…” Jiang Qiong’s laughter made her chest shake.

Xin Nuo: “…”

Her gaze shifted from Jiang Qiong to the black camera lens behind her and met the dark gaze. Sister Liu  was wearing a megaphone around her neck and stood behind the cameraman with a cheerful smile.

Xin Nuo: “…got it.”

“Come on, tell us, where did you come from?” Jiang Qiong asked. “The palace has been holding auditions recently. Are you here to audition as a palace lady?”

“Mmm,” Xin Nuo replied calmly, “I come from the Great Tang of East Earth.”

Jiang Qiong: “…cough, then you must be here to join our Majesty’s bed!”

Although she had a sense of what was going on, Xin Nuo couldn’t help but ask, “May I ask your Majesty’s surname?”

“Bold! You, a mere palace lady, dare to ask for our Majesty’s name!” Jiang Qiong rolled up her sleeves, extended her fair arm, covered her mouth with her hand, and squinted at Xin Nuo. “Our Majesty’s surname is Zhu. She’s naive, easily fooled, and has money. If you serve her, you’ll have a worry-free life forever!”

“I apologize.” Xin Nuo’s hand returned to her suitcase. “I took the wrong path.”

Seeing the girl actually turning around and leaving, Jiang Qiong felt a bit anxious and shouted, “Who allowed you to leave? Guards! Seize her!”

“Here I come!”

The guards rushed out like a gust of wind and blocked Xin Nuo’s path.

“This mountain is my creation, this tree is my planting. To pass through here, you must go through Zhu!”

Xin Nuo held her head in pain. “Why did you suddenly film this?”

Haya whispered, “Because I heard you’re going to play a concubine in a palace drama.”

“Little Pearl said there are many girls competing to sleep with the emperor in the roles you play.”

The specific situation at the time was that when everyone learned Xin Nuo would be joining the cast again this year, they expressed their happiness for her. However, when they found out about Xin Nuo’s role in the drama, Xu Heran was the first to express dissatisfaction.

“I want to be the emperor!”

“I want to be one too!”

“Who wouldn’t want to be the emperor? Who wouldn’t want to have many beautiful sisters from the imperial harem fighting to sleep with you?” Jiang Qiong’s tone was enthusiastic.

Xu Heran thought this wasn’t right, so she waved her hand dramatically. “I want Nuo Nuo!”

“Ugh!”

“Think about it.”

“Support Little Pearl’s investment in producing a self-made drama. She spent all those years in the harem!”

Although this idea was ruthlessly rejected by Senior Sister Cui, Xu Heran suddenly remembered that in their group variety show, there was still a topic she had yet to film according to Nuo Nuo’s request!

Since Nuo Nuo was going to film a palace drama, she would be the first emperor to capture a beautiful woman!

“Let’s go, girl. You’re so pretty, you’ll definitely get selected,” Haya said with a cheerful smile. “Look at you, you’ve come all this way and even brought gifts. Don’t be so polite.”

She took Xin Nuo’s suitcase.

“There are the gifts I brought and the autograph that Weining requested,” Xin Nuo whispered.

Haya bent down and lifted the suitcase.

“After you!”

Xin Nuo sighed, feeling that the nervousness about facing Xu Heran had flown to the heavens. She changed her shoes and walked into the living room.

The living room was decorated with props from costume dramas, giving it a somewhat unusual appearance.

The emperor of this country, Emperor Zhu, sat in the center of the sofa. Clad in bright yellow, wearing a golden crown, she exuded a certain aura.

Upon seeing Xin Nuo, Xu Heran’s eyes lit up. She raised her hand, made a fist, and cleared her throat near her mouth.

“I am Emperor Zhen! My reign title is Zhu. Everyone calls me King Zhen of the Precious Pearl!”

Xin Nuo: “…”

“Today, I’m selecting palace ladies. I think you’re not bad. You’re eligible to serve in my chamber tonight.”

A glint of light flashed in Xin Nuo’s pitch-black eyes, and she chuckled. “Your Majesty, as a ruler, please don’t be too partial. I’d like to meet the other palace ladies. I want to compete with them.”

“No need. As an emperor with such discerning taste as me, I only value you!” Xu Heran said, deliberately lifting the curtain of pearls that hung in front of her golden crown. She tilted her head and scrutinized Xin Nuo from head to toe.

Summer had arrived, and the weather was hot. Xin Nuo wore a light-colored dress with the hem reaching her thighs. Her slender legs were almost luminously white.

“Woman, you’re definitely trying to seduce me!” Xu Heran exclaimed loudly.

Sitting beside her, Jian Yueyin and Song Fenghua couldn’t help but lower their heads and cover their faces.

After a moment of silence, Xin Nuo pulled a cushion over, sat with her legs crossed, placed her arms on the table, tilted her head back, and smiled at Xu Heran. “Your Majesty, you see me dressed so oddly because I’ve traveled through time!”

The strange plot started to take an even stranger turn, but Xu Heran had only one objective!

She calmly said, “Traveled through… traveled through quite well, I must say. You shall serve in my chamber tonight!”

Xin Nuo was even calmer than her.

“Your Majesty, we don’t practice that here. I’ve traveled through time to establish an egalitarian country, where everyone is equal, and there’s no emperor!”

“Fair enough, we can discuss your chamber service tonight slowly.”

Xin Nuo chuckled softly, “Your Majesty, that’s not allowed. Since we’re equal, there should be no chamber service.”

“This is disharmony.”

Author’s Note:

Xu Zhu: What?

Xu Zhu: I don’t believe it!

Why… There’s a children’s version of “The Lone Brave,” and while I was typing, a bunch of kids downstairs were loudly singing along. And now, at this time, there are kids on the opposite side of the building making the same sound… I once thought about having Little Pearl and Jiang Xiaoqiong use this secret code, hahaha.

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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Sinensis
Proofreader: Ruu

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