Su City is indeed close to Shanghai. Shen Jing hadn't glanced in the direction of Shanghai for several weeks. Having given Luo Yuanping the 500,000 yuan, she had to work earnestly. Day in and day out, she performed Pingtan, cradling her pipa in the teahouse of an alley.
Shen Jing accepted the 3,000,000 yuan. During that time, she browsed foreign websites, closely monitoring the Zhou Family's enterprise, United Bank. United Bank was expanding from Eurasia to the Americas. Its headquarters were not only in Switzerland but also included significant operations in the New York CBD Building. Zhou Luchen's name frequently appeared in overseas business circles. Everyone said he would be the new president of United Bank.
However, before taking office, he pushed United Bank to its peak, then casually tossed it back to the Zhou Family. The Zhou Family's eldest son was not of true Zhou lineage. If United Bank were handed over to this eldest son, who held a government post in Beijing and lacked the relevant expertise, it would be difficult for him to command trust.
「Late autumn arrived.」
A family banquet was held at the Zhou Mansion. Zhou Luchen flew back from Switzerland. His sports car stopped at the grand entrance of their courtyard mansion, which featured a circular-arched copper gate. Old Madame Zhou personally came out to wait for this young master.
With just one glance and a snort, Old Madame Zhou walked up the steps without looking back. "So, our Second Young Master finally deigns to return home?"
Zhou Luchen followed her into the courtyard. "Well, I came back to see you, didn't I?"
Old Madame Zhou said, "The rumors say you've got a girlfriend. Whose daughter is she? Why haven't you brought her home?"
Zhou Luchen remained flippant. "Nonsense. Who would take a fancy to me?"
No girlfriend, then. Old Madame Zhou felt a sense of relief.
"Did you visit Wenxin in Switzerland?" she asked.
He replied indifferently, "I did."
Old Madame Zhou beamed. "If you don't find anyone suitable abroad, Wenxin isn't a bad choice. You two were together for many years."
"We broke up a long time ago," he said.
The old lady continued, as if to herself, "If you love her, marry her, give her proper status, and take good care of her. You're 27 this year, just the right age, and the Zhou Family also needs a capable wife to help manage things."
Zhou Luchen didn't respond. He walked straight to the backyard, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and leaned by the pool, smoking incessantly.
A Zhou Family banquet was essentially a clan gathering for members from all walks of life. No matter how influential one was outside—be it a high official or a wealthy chairman—when Old Madame Zhou summoned them back to the Zhou Mansion, they had to come.
Old Madame Zhou loved the Jiangnan Water Town style of Pingtan performance, so she had invited a well-known troupe from Beijing, featuring teachers of a caliber that could perform on Spring Festival Gala TV.
"In the breezes of many a spring, I've watched flowers fade and flowers bloom…"
It was the "Plum Blossom Ode," sung in the Suzhou dialect. It was somewhat listenable.
Zhou Luchen's gaze swept over the stage, landing on an elderly teacher's face and registering the unfamiliar voice. He didn't understand the Suzhou dialect. He shifted his gaze away, towards the lively koi carp in the pond. Craving another smoke, he reached back, and a servant unpacked a fresh pack of cigarettes for him.
「Meanwhile, in Su City, the sun shone splendidly.」
The director of a film crew came to the teahouse looking for someone to provide off-screen pipa and vocal accompaniment for Pingtan, saying it was needed for filming. Shen Jing went.
The lead actress of this drama was none other than Lu Siyuan. It was a Qing Dynasty drama, set precisely in the era when Jiangnan Pipa Pingtan flourished. What Shen Jing needed to do was perform the Pipa Pingtan off-camera. To put it plainly, she was to be a music and vocal double.
Upon seeing Shen Jing for the first time, Lu Siyuan just said indifferently, "Find someone else. She's too young; I need an experienced master."
The director naturally deferred to the star actress, as viewership depended on her. "She is by far the best performer in the Pingtan troupe. I've heard her at the teahouse."
Lu Siyuan looked Shen Jing up and down, skeptical. "Director, are you sure she's not just an extra you've hired?"
Shen Jing remained silent.
She was definitely not a 200-yuan extra. It was 20,000 yuan, already in her account. Since she had accepted the money, she had to do her job well.
"Teacher Lu, you can listen first," Shen Jing offered.
Lu Siyuan gave a slight smile and this time spoke in authentic Hong Kong Mandarin, "I'm sorry, I'm from Hong Kong. I don't understand it."
Lu Siyuan genuinely didn't understand Pipa Pingtan, nor did she understand the Suzhou dialect. She also didn't trust Shen Jing's skills and planned to replace her with a more senior teacher. Lu Siyuan was the pre-designated lead actress, backed by investors. The director dared not offend these capitalists, so he had no choice but to send Shen Jing away and find another teacher.
Lu Siyuan sent a WeChat message, "Boss, I saw your little 'lover' at the film set today."
Zhou Luchen never replied to her messages. He would only answer calls if he was in the mood.
…
Twenty thousand yuan for one session. That was half a month's income for Shen Jing. The director was clearly very satisfied with her.
Shen Jing felt indignant and walked back to the film studio. Lu Siyuan was in front of the makeup mirror, getting her styling done by the costume and makeup artist.
Shen Jing stood at the door. "Teacher Lu, it doesn't matter if you don't understand. The money has been paid, so I must do this job."
Lu Siyuan let the makeup artist continue applying highlighter. After quite a while, she slowly responded, "Playing for 20,000 yuan a session, is that it?"
"Yes."
"Alright, then sit over here and give it a try."
Shen Jing said, "Then, according to our rules, you need to buy a ticket first. Our teahouse charges 109 yuan per ticket."
Lu Siyuan was taken aback and turned to look at Shen Jing. She was now supposed to pay to listen?
Shen Jing calmly displayed her payment QR code.
Fine, 109 yuan it is. Lu Siyuan scanned the code.
For one hour, Lu Siyuan sat there listening. It was a male-female duo. The man was Shen Jing's senior from her troupe: he played the sanxian, and she played the pipa.
Lu Siyuan clearly didn't understand a word, but the melody seemed to seep into her very bones. The way Shen Jing's lips moved, the voice that emerged was utterly captivating.
The thought of Shen Jing and Zhou Luchen's ambiguous relationship... Lu Siyuan's expression turned somewhat unsightly. She wanted to dismiss her, telling herself she didn't like Shen Jing—and indeed, she hadn't, not since that day at the gathering when Shen Jing had so brazenly sat beside Zhou Luchen. It made her uncomfortable.
Yet, if Shen Jing stayed, with those melodies in the film, the drama would surely be even more popular.
Halfway through listening, Lu Siyuan looked at the director. "Keep her. And make sure her original voice and tune are used in the final edit."
Lu Siyuan glanced at Shen Jing.
Twenty thousand was too low, really. This voice... if she were a man, she'd be willing to spend 200,000 on it.
Lu Siyuan came over and asked softly, almost secretly, "Miss Shen, has Zhou Luchen ever heard you play and sing?"
"He booked the entire teahouse for seven days," Shen Jing answered truthfully.
That whole day, Lu Siyuan was out of sorts. Her scenes kept resulting in "NG" takes, something that had never happened before. The director was close to having a heart attack but didn't dare show any anger towards Lu Siyuan. Instead, he patiently stepped in to give personal guidance.
Lu Siyuan still didn't perform well. So much so that Shen Jing could only sit to one side and wait. If Lu Siyuan couldn't get her scene right, Shen Jing wouldn't have a chance to perform.
She was truly witnessing a moment when a big star struggled with her acting. But the looks of a Hong Kong star were indeed stunning; her screen presence was full of charm. With a high-status capitalist like Zhou Luchen providing resources and backing, it was no wonder Lu Siyuan had become so popular with such ease. She was only a step away from winning this year's major film award.
Shen Jing figured she might as well just sit there and appreciate the beautiful actress.
Used to being proud, Lu Siyuan felt even more stifled being watched by Shen Jing. "Let's take a break for a few days before shooting again," she announced. "Today's just not working."
As Shen Jing left with her pipa, she saw Lu Siyuan leaning against a wall in a corner, smoking. Her beautiful fingers, with their red-painted nails, held the cigarette.
"Do you smoke?" Lu Siyuan asked.
Shen Jing shook her head and started to walk away.
Lu Siyuan called out to her, "Let's talk."