The Strategy For The Yandere Movie Queen Failed And Was Marked. Chapter 16
byChapter 16 Possessiveness Overload
When Su Jin returned to the villa, Aunt Lin was busy in the kitchen. Seeing her enter, she immediately greeted her warmly, “Miss Su is back? Miss Ye just called to ask about you.”
“Auntie, is Ye… Qinglan back?” Su Jin asked cautiously.
“Not yet, she said she’d be a little late.” Auntie stepped aside to let her in. “What would you like for dinner?”
“Just follow Qinglan’s preferences, I’m fine with anything,” Su Jin quickly replied.
Auntie smiled and nodded, “Miss Ye specifically instructed me to make more of your favorite dishes. She said you’re too thin.”
Just as Su Jin was about to speak, the doorbell suddenly rang.
“It might be Miss Ye, perhaps she forgot her key,” Auntie wiped her hands and went to open the door. Standing outside was a middle-aged woman in a professional suit, with exquisite makeup and a sharp aura.
“Is Su Jin here?”
The woman’s voice was crisp and direct, and her gaze bypassed Auntie, locking onto Su Jin standing in the living room.
Su Jin’s heart tightened. She immediately recognized this as Ye Qinglan’s manager, Zhao Man, a person skilled at pretense and ruthless in pursuing her own interests.
In the original novel, she was in love with Ye Qinglan and constantly tried to control her under the guise of being her manager. Later, when Ye Qinglan discovered her intentions, Zhao Man confessed but was rejected, leading to deep resentment. She even colluded with Fang Qi to drug Ye Qinglan, intending to send her to CEO Tang Yurou’s bed. After failing, she spread negative rumors about Ye Qinglan everywhere, causing Ye Qinglan to be temporarily blacklisted, becoming one of the catalysts that forced Ye Qinglan to become Blackened.
Su Jin instantly disliked Zhao Man. She took two steps forward, forcing herself to remain calm.
“I am Su Jin.”
Zhao Man’s sharp gaze scrutinized her from head to toe. She said arrogantly, “Is it convenient to talk alone?”
Auntie tactfully retreated to the kitchen.
Su Jin motioned for Zhao Man to sit on the sofa, while she chose a single armchair, deliberately maintaining distance.
“Would you like something to drink?” Su Jin asked politely.
“No need.” Zhao Man pulled a stack of photos from her briefcase and pushed them across the table. “Miss Su should be familiar with these, shouldn’t she?”
The photos clearly showed her and Lin Xiaoyu chatting and laughing, and there were even shots of the two of them hugging. Su Jin frowned as she flipped through them, noticing that every photo was deliberately angled to look ambiguous.
“Paparazzi really shoot anything,” she sneered, tossing the photos back onto the coffee table. “So?”
Zhao Man leaned forward slightly, her voice lowered but every word clear: “Ye Qinglan is currently in the rising phase of her career, and the company has invested a lot of resources in her. This ‘relationship’ has already caused a significant impact. If we add this kind of negative news, it will be very detrimental to her career.”
“Negative news?” Su Jin interrupted her, her voice unconsciously rising. “What’s negative about me having dinner with a friend?”
“In the entertainment industry, the truth isn’t important. People only believe what they want to believe.” Zhao Man took another document from her bag. “This is a statement template. You just need to post a Weibo update according to this, admitting that you are just ordinary friends. The company will give you corresponding compensation.”
Su Jin glanced at the document and almost laughed in anger. This was clearly asking her to deny her relationship with Ye Qinglan!
“Manager Zhao,” she deliberately drew out the syllables, mimicking the other woman’s false politeness, “aren’t you overstepping your bounds? My relationship with Qinglan is not for you to dictate, is it?”
“Su Jin, I advise you to know when to quit.” Zhao Man’s voice was very low, but every word was like a knife. “You’re an eighteenth-tier actress who got ahead through casting couch deals, constantly involved in scandals, and with a terrible reputation. Do you think you are worthy of Qinglan?”
“Whether I’m worthy or not doesn’t seem to be for Manager Zhao to judge, does it?”
Su Jin recalled the things Zhao Man did to Ye Qinglan in the original novel, and a hint of disgust flashed in her eyes. “Manager Zhao, you seem so concerned about Qinglan’s private life. Could it be that you… like Qinglan?”
She deliberately drew out the tone, her gaze sweeping over Zhao Man’s face, and indeed caught a fleeting look of guilt in the other woman’s eyes.
“What nonsense are you talking about!” Zhao Man was furious. “I am her manager, of course I have to consider her career!”
“Is that so?” Su Jin couldn’t help but scoff, deliberately saying, “I think you’re using public interest for private gain. I bet you’re so jealous right now you’re about to go crazy, aren’t you?”
The overly blunt words were like a knife, directly piercing through Zhao Man’s carefully maintained facade.
She suddenly raised her hand, clearly intending to slap her.
Su Jin didn’t dodge, but instead lifted her chin. “Go ahead and hit me. It’ll be a good chance for Qinglan to see what kind of person her trusted manager is.”
This sentence was like a bucket of cold water poured over Zhao Man’s head. Her hand froze in mid-air, and she finally had to lower it.
“How long do you think you can be smug?” Zhao Man gritted her teeth. “Qinglan hates being deceived the most. If she knew your true purpose for approaching her…”
Su Jin’s heart skipped a beat, but she remained outwardly calm. “Oh? What is my purpose?”
“Don’t pretend!” Zhao Man sneered. “I’ve investigated all your dark history clearly. You’ll stop at nothing to climb the ladder, even cozying up to producers in their fifties…”
“Have you said enough?”
A cold voice came from the doorway.
Both women turned their heads simultaneously and saw Ye Qinglan standing there, her face terrifyingly dark.
“Qinglan!” Zhao Man immediately stood up, switching to a businesslike tone. “I was just here to discuss a public relations plan with Miss Su…”
Ye Qinglan strode over and sat directly on the armrest of the sofa next to Su Jin, one hand naturally resting on Su Jin’s waist. “Are you done discussing?”
This intimate posture made Su Jin’s heart skip a beat.
She looked up at Ye Qinglan and saw that although the other woman was smiling, her eyes were icy.
Zhao Man stiffened and continued, “The company believes this relationship is harmful and not beneficial to you, especially with these photos today…”
“My private life does not require the company’s interference,” Ye Qinglan interrupted her. “As for those photos…” She let out a cold laugh. “They’re well-shot. They captured Su Su beautifully.”
Su Jin felt the hand on her shoulder tighten slightly. Ye Qinglan’s body heat transmitted through the thin fabric, making her feel both reassured and inexplicably nervous.
Zhao Man took a deep breath, trying one last time. “Qinglan, calm down. This Su Jin clearly has ulterior motives. If she can secretly meet an old flame behind your back today, tomorrow she could—”
“That’s enough, Zhao Man.”
Ye Qinglan’s voice caused the temperature in the entire living room to plummet. “Go back and tell the company that I will handle my own affairs.” She stood up, the meaning of dismissal very clear. “You may leave.”
Zhao Man opened her mouth, but in the end, she could only leave in frustration.
After the sound of the door closing, an awkward silence fell over the living room.
Su Jin secretly glanced at Ye Qinglan’s profile, trying to find a topic to ease the tension.
Ye Qinglan looked at her and smiled. “Su Su, you don’t need to take anything Zhao Man said to heart.”
Hearing this, Su Jin’s heart clenched. The original host had indeed done many rotten things to gain fame. If Ye Qinglan knew…
She decided to confess, looking directly into Ye Qinglan’s eyes. “I used to be… not very decent. If you mind…”
“I don’t mind.” Ye Qinglan interrupted her, her voice unusually firm. “The past is not important.”
Su Jin was stunned. She hadn’t expected Ye Qinglan to accept it so easily.
“Why?” she couldn’t help but ask.
Ye Qinglan’s gaze deepened. “Because I believe in the person you are now.”
This sentence suddenly struck Su Jin’s heart. Her nose stung, and she nearly shed tears.
The more Ye Qinglan was like this, the less she could bear the outcome of Ye Qinglan being forced to become Blackened. She couldn’t help but try to warn her. “That… Zhao Man is not a good person. She will later…”
“System warning: Host is forbidden from revealing key plot points!” A sharp alert exploded in her mind. Su Jin bit down hard on her tongue, the pain bringing tears to her eyes.
Ye Qinglan noticed her abnormality, her brow furrowing even tighter. “What’s wrong?”
“N-nothing…” Su Jin endured the headache and forced herself to continue. “In short, Zhao Man is not a good person. Stay away from her!”
Ye Qinglan suddenly smiled, the frost in her eyes melting slightly. “Are you… jealous?”
“Huh?” Su Jin widened her eyes. “I am not! I’m afraid she’ll trick you!”
“Mm, I understand.” Ye Qinglan deliberately misinterpreted her meaning, her fingertip gently stroking her cheek. “You’re worried I’ll be snatched away by someone else.”
“No! I mean…” Su Jin frantically waved her hands, but then suddenly realized, seeing Ye Qinglan’s smiling eyes, that the woman was teasing her!
She pushed Ye Qinglan away indignantly. “Think whatever you want!”
“Let’s go eat,” Ye Qinglan chuckled, turning towards the dining room. “Auntie should have everything ready.”
Dinner was sumptuous, and Su Jin ate heartily, quickly forgetting the unpleasantness from earlier.
“Did you go to the orphanage today?” Ye Qinglan suddenly asked.
Su Jin vaguely nodded, briefly mentioning the donation but instinctively omitting the details about Lin Xiaoyu.
“That Lin Xiaoyu…” Ye Qinglan brought up the name as if casually. “Are you two close?”
“Just ordinary friends,” Su Jin pouted. “Paparazzi these days are ridiculous, they can make up anything.”
Ye Qinglan put down her chopsticks, looking at her intently. “What kind of ordinary friends hug?”
“We grew up together in the orphanage when we were little, and we hadn’t seen each other in a long time…” Su Jin explained casually, then suddenly realized something was wrong. “Wait, you’re not…”
She looked up into Ye Qinglan’s deep eyes, the churning emotions within them instantly silencing her. That intense possessiveness was almost palpable, sending a shiver down her spine.
Ye Qinglan… was jealous?
This realization made Su Jin’s heart race, but she didn’t dare confirm it, only lowering her head to eat her rice to hide her panic.
“What kind of person is she?” Ye Qinglan continued to press, her voice frighteningly calm.
“Just… very ordinary. She’s a kindergarten teacher, gentle personality…” Su Jin’s voice grew softer and softer, because Ye Qinglan’s gaze was becoming increasingly dangerous.
The dining room fell into an eerie silence.
After a long time, Ye Qinglan finally said softly, “Next time you meet her, take me with you.”
“Huh?” Su Jin looked up abruptly.
“I want to meet your friend.” Ye Qinglan’s expression had returned to calm, as if the earlier loss of control was just an illusion. “Is that alright?”
Su Jin nodded blankly, not daring to say no.