"No, I... I haven't had any trouble."
Zhang Xiaoya wanted to explain, but she spoke hesitantly and couldn't articulate it clearly. "I... I'm really fine, Manager. I'll go back to work now."
With that, she lowered her head and went to the restaurant to clear plates.
Su Ding watched her retreating figure and shook her head. Fine, everyone has their own secrets; she should give her respect.
Returning to the office, Su Ding had just sat down on the sofa when she received a WeChat message from Xiao Yuan.
"Ding Ding, remember to read the script when you get back. Filming might start in a few days."
"Received."
"Sending a heart~"
Ending the conversation, Su Ding took out the script from her bag to read.
This was a fantasy film. Su Ding had filmed similar projects when she was abroad. In this movie, her character was like a guide.
She symbolized strength, holiness, majesty, and justice.
She was a woman in white, veiled in white, beautiful and noble, inspiring reverence with just a glance.
Although her role wasn't extensive, it was a pivotal one in the entire production.
Su Ding flipped through it casually and was captivated by the character.
No wonder Wilson and Xiao Yuan wanted her to portray it. They had praised the role to the skies, and now she genuinely liked it too.
However, she didn't have time to dwell on it. As night had already fallen, she had another matter to attend to.
Nightfall Bar.
Shao Qingqing had said that Shao Jun had seen Jin Ye with a girl here. Although she didn't quite believe it, she didn't think Shao Jun would be so certain about something fabricated.
Therefore, she decided to come and see for herself.
Now, as the night veiled the city, it was the busiest time for the bar. Various lights flashed in the dance hall, men and women gyrating their bodies, shedding sweat.
The deafening music made Su Ding's ears go numb. It took her a while to adjust.
"Beautiful lady, can this brother buy you a drink?"
A drunken man sidled up, his gaze lecherous.
Su Ding almost vomited from the smell. She slapped his hand away and walked briskly to the bar counter, picking up a photo from her phone. "Hello, has this person been to the bar a few days ago?"
"Miss, are you joking? Hundreds, even thousands of people come to this bar every day. How could I possibly remember who came and who didn't?" the bartender said helplessly.
Su Ding felt a moment of awkwardness.
Indeed, even if she thought Jin Ye's exceptional looks would make him unforgettable, this was a bar. Even the most handsome person might not be remembered.
She asked a few other staff members.
Finally, a male waiter showed a confused expression. "This, this looks like... our boss?"
"Your boss?" Su Ding was bewildered. This bar wasn't Jin Ye's. Could it be that people looked alike?
"Uh... not exactly. He should resemble our boss a bit."
The waiter thought for a moment and then shook his head. "No, I must have mistaken him. I haven't seen the person in your photo."
Seeing his uncertain demeanor, Su Ding asked, "Haven't you seen your boss?"
"I have, but I haven't seen him clearly. I only know he returned from abroad and recently acquired our bar. He doesn't usually show himself. The last time, I heard he stepped in for a girl and had his bodyguard beat up a man... that's how I had the chance to see him. I don't know much else," the waiter said.
At that time, he hadn't realized the man in sunglasses was the new owner of the bar; he only found out later.
Looking from a distance, he did resemble the person in the photo.
But upon closer inspection, he felt it wasn't the same person. The feeling was different.
Listening to the waiter, Su Ding pondered for a few seconds.
"Was he the one who was beaten?"
Su Ding took out Shao Jun's photo.
The male waiter nodded. "Yes, it seems to be him."
Su Ding wanted to ask more, but the waiter said his memory was unclear, so she had to give up.
Fortunately, she had managed to clarify what she wanted to know.
Firstly, the new owner of this bar had just returned from abroad, bore some resemblance to Jin Ye, liked to wear sunglasses, and wasn't seen by many. That's why Shao Jun mistook him for Jin Ye.
Then, Shao Jun was caught by the boss while harassing a girl in the bar and was beaten up by the bodyguard. Shao Jun mistakenly thought Jin Ye was the one who had him beaten.
So, he went back and told the Shao family that she had been completely abandoned by Jin Ye, and even lied that she had hired someone to injure him, framing her.
Finally, she became the scapegoat.
The more Su Ding thought about it, the more speechless she felt. Shao Jun was truly blind in his eyes and wicked in his heart, just a clown who only caused trouble!
However, she was too lazy to get angry with such a person.
The Shao family? Let them think whatever they want; they all knew the truth of their relationship.
As long as it had nothing to do with Jin Ye, she didn't care about the bar girl incident anymore.
Just as Su Ding was about to head back, a figure made her pause...
"Xiaoya?"
Didn't Zhang Xiaoya say there was evening self-study at school?
Why was she in a bar now?
Su Ding saw Zhang Xiaoya wearing sexy clothes, walking hand-in-hand with another girl. A hint of confusion suddenly arose in her heart.
Zhang Xiaoya's family situation wasn't good, and her mother hadn't been discharged from the hospital. Why would she be at a bar?
After thinking about it, she directly lifted her foot and followed.