Jiang Ye was sent to a seaside villa by a special car.
The villa was located on a high cliff covered with green grass. Below the cliff was the dark sea. Vaguely, he could see orange-yellow lights in the distant sea fog, like legendary giant sea monsters – these were the warships on patrol.
The black stone courtyard walls were inlaid with jellyfish lamps. Thin, luminous jellyfish swam in the nutrient solution within the lamps, emitting an orange glow that illuminated the entire courtyard. The manicured lawn was so fresh it felt like it could release water with every step, and the swimming pool rippled with clear blue waves.
The style of the villa was somewhat similar to Tian Rao’s home, with completely transparent glass exterior walls. Perhaps this was a fashionable architectural style at the moment. The interior of the house was initially dark. As Jiang Ye approached the entrance, he swiped his face on the door, and lights immediately illuminated the entire villa, its brightness comparable to opulence.
His phone vibrated. As Jiang Ye entered, he took out his phone to check. It was a message from Cen Yemeng.
“Husband, have you arrived at Daughter Star? It’s so late, haven’t you rested? Have they arranged accommodation for you?”
Jiang Ye smiled. Every time he went on business trips to other planets, Cen Yemeng would send messages asking about his food and accommodation, which felt incredibly warm.
He raised his phone, intending to take a picture of the villa’s interior to send to his wife.
But as soon as he opened the camera, he froze.
In the middle of the spacious living room, a young woman stood silently.
She had pink wavy hair and a fair, delicate face. Her attire was quite revealing: a sheer black mesh top and a black pencil skirt. Her long legs beneath the skirt were shapely and fair, glowing white under the lights.
Her entire presence was striking and vibrant, reminding Jiang Ye of ancient girl group members.
Jiang Ye felt that this person looked familiar.
He remembered now. It was Tang Qianli, whose giant holographic advertisement he had seen before.
“Greetings, Commander Jiang!” Tang Qianli’s expression was anxious, and she forced a smile. “During your rest, I am responsible for attending to your daily needs. You can instruct me directly if you have any requirements.”
Jiang Ye frowned. “You’re a movie star, aren’t you?”
Tang Qianli nodded. “Yes.”
“How is it that you’re attending to my daily needs?” Jiang Ye asked, perplexed.
Tang Qianli hesitated for a moment. “It is my honor.”
After speaking, Tang Qianli walked over and suddenly knelt at Jiang Ye’s feet, reaching for his shoes.
“What are you doing!” Jiang Ye nearly jumped, his face pale with fright.
“I’m changing your slippers for you,” Tang Qianli said, flustered. “I’m sorry!”
“Please get up, please get up,” Jiang Ye said, still shaken. “Sit on the sofa, I need to make a call.”
Jiang Ye found Fu Qiuyan in his phone contacts and immediately called her.
“Why is Tang Qianli at my residence? Did you arrange it?” Jiang Ye asked, cutting straight to the point.
“Yes, I arranged for her to serve you. Are you satisfied?” Fu Qiuyan’s tone was laced with a smile.
“Nonsense! What kind of behavior is this! Firstly, I don’t need anyone to look after me, and secondly, she’s a legitimate movie actress, how can she become a servant?” Jiang Ye was furious. “Old Fu, Cen Yemeng still considers you a friend! What do you think she’ll think of you if she finds out!”
“No one will know. You can rest assured about that. Such a small matter can be kept confidential,” Fu Qiuyan’s tone remained smiling.
“Fu Qiuyan!” Jiang Ye shouted in anger.
Tang Qianli, who had been sitting on the sofa, stood up and became flustered upon hearing Jiang Ye call out the name. She seemed to think she had messed up, her expression filled with panic.
“Oh, why are you so fierce? I saw you staring at that advertisement for so long, I thought you fancied her, so I made a quick arrangement for you. Jiang Ye, you really mistake kindness for malice,” Fu Qiuyan complained. “Someone has to serve you, right? If you want a late-night snack, are you going to cook it yourself?”
“Have someone come pick her up. I’m perfectly fine living alone. Don’t let such absurd things happen again,” Jiang Ye said, taking a deep breath to control his anger.
“Did she upset you?”
“Damn it, Fu Qiuyan, Fu Qiuyan, can’t you understand what I’m saying!” Jiang Ye was agitated.
“Alright, alright, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’ll have someone pick her up right away,” Fu Qiuyan sighed. “I was wrong, okay?”
“I know you meant well, and I appreciate you thinking of me, but I’m not that kind of person,” Jiang Ye tried to calm down. “And don’t make things difficult for her. She didn’t do anything wrong. No matter who you sent, I wouldn’t have accepted them.”
“Okay, okay, I understand,” Fu Qiuyan smiled and hung up the phone.
The room immediately fell silent.
Jiang Ye turned to look at Tang Qianli, who was gazing at him with pitiful eyes.
“I’m sorry, this was a misunderstanding. I’ve already spoken to Fu Qiuyan, and they’ll send someone to take you back to rest soon,” Jiang Ye said gently. “I apologize for wasting your time.”
“It’s okay, it’s okay. It was me who didn’t do well,” Tang Qianli said quickly. “I’m sorry for startling you with my clumsy movements just now.”
Jiang Ye raised his phone and, avoiding her, took pictures of the villa’s interior and sent them to Cen Yemeng.
“When did you receive the notification to come here?” Jiang Ye asked, typing on his phone while looking down.
“Eight o’clock West One time… about three or four hours ago. I had just arrived at the film festival venue when my boss called and told me about this,” Tang Qianli said in a small voice.
Jiang Ye was taken aback. He searched for “film festival Tang Qianli” on his phone and indeed found news. It was even ranked fourth on the trending searches.
“Tang Qianli absent from July 15th Film Festival due to personal reasons; agent to accept Best Supporting Actress Golden Award on her behalf.”
Below the news were tens of thousands of fan comments, full of complaints, speculation, sighs, and doubts. The buzz was very high. This film festival seemed to be a major event locally, and many fans had eagerly anticipated Tang Qianli’s appearance. Her sudden absence caused widespread lament among her fans.
“I’m truly sorry for causing you to miss such a significant event,” Jiang Ye asked. “Can you still make it to the film festival if you go now?”
“It should have already ended,” Tang Qianli bit her lip. “It’s okay, Commander. These film festivals are just for making an appearance; there’s nothing for me there.”
“There’s still a trophy, a Golden Award.”
“I have a wall full of these trophies. It’s really not a big deal.”
Jiang Ye was stunned. He suddenly remembered her profile again. She had fifty billion fans, comparable to the population of some less populous planets. Standing here, she looked like just a timidly beautiful girl, but in public appearances, she must have had an impressive aura and been surrounded by a throng of people.
“After I send you back, will your company or Fu Qiuyan make things difficult for you?” Jiang Ye asked with concern. “Did they force you to come? Do you need me to write a letter or something to prevent you from being affected?”
“No, they didn’t force me. Fu Qiuyan first contacted our company’s boss by phone, and then the boss asked me if I was willing to come and serve you. The boss said it was a rare opportunity. I felt willing, so I came. I’ve read your biography in bookstores, and it’s truly an honor to meet you in person,” Tang Qianli said. “I have a certain status in the company, so they won’t force me. Thank you for your consideration.”
Jiang Ye frowned, nodded without saying anything, and turned to go upstairs.