Chapter 428 Is This Human Talk?

Chapter 428 Is This for Real?

Wu Jingyi’s smile froze, and it took her a while to react.

She was so angry she almost laughed, unsure where Jiang Yu got such confidence.

Truthfully, she wasn’t that fixated on the role itself. But after the scandal between her and Jiang Chenghuai had blown up all over town a few days ago, she desperately needed a more shocking piece of news to cover it up and save face.

Now that the Shanghai Film Studio had arrived, she immediately started making plans.

After reading the script, she felt the role of "Lu Xiaoqin" seemed made for her.

If she could secure this role, she would undoubtedly become the talk of Beicheng. By then, who would even care about Jiang Yu?

"How do you know I can’t get it? Unless you’re running the show for Director Ding?"

"Of course not."

Wu Jingyi snorted. "Just say whether you’ll join us or not. I’m giving you a chance here. If it weren’t for the fact that you used to be part of our publicity section, I wouldn’t even bother with you."

Jiang Yu chuckled. "So I should thank you?"

"Sister Jiang Yu, you're still as dense as ever. You’re no longer the Deputy Section Chief of the publicity section. Who are you putting on airs for?"

Jiang Yu lounged in her chair, unfazed.

"Thanks but no thanks. You guys go ahead. Still, I’m curious—what program are you planning to rehearse?"

Wu Jingyi’s expression turned impatient. _The White-Haired Girl._

"Who’s playing Xi’er?"

"Me, of course."

Jiang Yu hid a laugh behind her hand. "Then what role do you think I should play?"

Without waiting for Wu Jingyi to answer, Jiang Yu continued, "If you cast me as a supporting character, aren’t you afraid I’ll steal your spotlight? After all, I’m prettier than you."

She raised a hand to lightly touch her face, her eyes dancing with amusement as she feigned distress.

"Ah, being too beautiful is such a burden. I guess I can’t play second fiddle to you."

Wu Jingyi, who prided herself on patience, was boiling with anger after just a few words from Jiang Yu.

She was growing to hate Jiang Yu more by the minute.

"What a shame. It seems Sister Jiang Yu is doomed to miss out on this TV series."

"Want to make a bet?" Jiang Yu said sweetly.

"On what?" Wu Jingyi narrowed her eyes.

"That you won't get the role of Lu Xiaoqin."

Wu Jingyi saw red—the nerve!

"So you’re so sure Director Ding won’t want me?"

"It’s not that she won’t want you. She just already has a better candidate in mind," she added.

"Who?"

"You’ll see when the time comes."

Wu Jingyi wasn’t buying it—she figured Jiang Yu was just messing with her.

"Besides, with Ye Zhu setting such a high standard, no matter how good your Xi’er performance is, you can't surpass her. Why bother?"

Nowadays, not many actors really stick in people’s minds, but Ye Zhu is one of them.

Her portrayal of Xi'er was outstanding—so much so that whenever people saw her, they’d instantly shout, ‘Xi’er!’

In everyone’s eyes, Ye Zhu was Xi'er. How could Wu Jingyi possibly top that?

But the harder Jiang Yu pushed, the more Wu Jingyi dug in her heels.

"What if I impress Director Ding and snag the Lu Xiaoqin part? What then?"

Jiang Yu tilted her chin slightly. "Then I promise you, I won’t return to the Factory No. 2 propaganda office. The deputy section chief spot is yours."

Wu Jingyi scoffed. "Even if you crawled back, you couldn’t touch my position."

Jiang Yu studied her nails, feigning disinterest. "That’s not necessarily true."

Wu Jingyi froze mid-step. As much as she hated to admit it, Jiang Yu was indeed a threat to her.

Especially with He Tingyue around—who could guarantee Jiang Yu wouldn’t come back and poach her position?

"Fine. You’d better not go back on your word."

Jiang Yu smirked. "Naturally."

Just as Wu Jingyi was about to leave, she suddenly thought of something and turned back.

"No demands from your side?"

Jiang Yu shrugged. "I don’t need a thing from you. Save your bets—you’ll lose either way."

Wu Jingyi seethed, snapping that she’d bag the role no matter what.

"Good luck."

After Wu Jingyi left, Yuan Jiayin came over.

Since her breakup with Jiang Mingrui, she seemed to treat Jiang Yu as a friend, showing up all the time to yap.

Jiang Yu had had enough.

"Teacher Yuan, don’t you have anything better to do?"

Yuan Jiayin didn’t pick up on her irritation and instead pondered the question seriously.

She answered earnestly, "I’ve got stuff to do—unlike you, Mr. No-Job."

Jiang Yu: "..."

It amazed Jiang Yu how Yuan Jiayin could deliver such brutal honesty with a straight face.

"Let’s drop it before you cry foul over ‘sensitive topics.’ Check this out."

Yuan Jiayin was on her own, and now that all her money was spent on herself, she wasn't used to it and just spent it all on food.

That said, she had good manners—she never came empty-handed.

"Red dates! Look how big they are! My uncle’s friend sent them from Xinjiang. You couldn’t find ones this big anywhere."

Jiang Yu took one look and had to hand it to her—they were indeed huge.

Not only big, but also sweet.

"And these apples."

"Also from Xinjiang?"

Yuan Jiayin shook her head. "No, these were grown in Pinggu County. My uncle’s friend manages an orchard there—they’ve got loads of them."

Jiang Yu picked one up, wiped it, took a bite, and found it juicy and delicious.

During winter, fresh fruits were scarce, so biting into such an apple really hit the spot.

"Your uncle being a principal must give him great connections."

Yuan Jiayin pouted. "Not my adoptive father—his friend. He works in the education bureau and treats me well."

Jiang Yu just said "Oh," and dropped the subject.

Rather than this uncle, she was more curious about why Yuan Jiayin kept coming over every day.

"Got no friends?"

Yuan Jiayin glared at her. "If I had friends, you wouldn’t be the one eating these things."

"Oh, so you really don’t have any friends. That's sad."

Yuan Jiayin: "...Can you talk like a normal person?"

"I can. Why don’t you go make new friends? I can't stand you."

Yuan Jiayin was so angry her face turned red.

"Is that any way to talk?"

"If you understand it, then it is."

Not caring how mad she was, Jiang Yu calmly accepted the apples and red dates.

She’d make some red date cake later—it'd be delicious.

She pouted and felt hurt. "Why don’t you like me? Haven’t I been through enough after being deceived by Jiang Mingrui for so many years?"

"Not my problem. Last time, you even hurt my sister for Jiang Ningning’s sake—why would I like you?"

Yuan Jiayin gave her a resentful look. "You really hold a grudge."

"Shouldn’t I?" Jiang Yu retorted.

She never claimed to be a particularly forgiving person—of course she held grudges.

Yuan Jiayin: "I said I was sorry."

Jiang Yu said with icy detachment, "Your apology is your business, and my forgiveness is mine."

Yuan Jiayin reached out to her, demanding, "Then I won’t come to see you anymore. Give me back my stuff."

Jiang Yu found it amusing. "You can't just take back a gift. But why do you keep coming to see me every day? I don't buy that you actually want to be friends."

Yuan Jiayin suddenly got all shy and awkward, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"What do you think of Tong Fang?"