A Billion Stars Can’t Amount to You

Chapter 234: Ji Yi, I’m Sorry (4)

Ji Yi brought herself back to her senses as she said, a little absent-mindedly, “Nothing…”

“Is it really nothing? Why do I think something about you is off…” continued Tang Huahua with a worried expression on her face.

Ji Yi only heard the first part of what she said as her mind drifted again back to the five-second ring of the wishing bell…

–

Outside the hot pot restaurant.

He Jichen stood outside the tall windows in the rustling cold wind. Through the glass, he watched as Ji Yi was dragged up the stairs by Tang Huahua. After she disappeared completely, he reached to pull out his vibrating phone. He glanced at the incoming call – it was Han Zhifan who called him moments ago – he wanted to meet up to talk about business.

He Jichen took the call but didn’t give Han Zhifan a chance to say anything and replied, “Be right there.” He tapped the button to hang up the call.

He Jichen looked up and glanced over again at the spot where Ji Yi had just been. Then his eyes darted over to the wishing bell nearby for just a second before he withdrew his gaze and turned around to walk over to the parking lot.

He Jichen started the engine and skillfully drove over to Han Zhifan’s office where he was working overtime.

After driving for about fifteen minutes, he reached a red light. He Jichen hit the emergency brakes and stared at the eye-piercing red in front of him. His mind wandered back to how he pulled Ji Yi into a kiss in the five seconds of darkness at the hot pot restaurant not long ago.

Han Zhifan had just called him about some urgent business.

After he finished paying the bill, he went over to the front desk to get his receipt when he heard someone nearby mention that the wishing bell was about to ring in the hot pot restaurant.

He heard about the legend of the hot pot restaurant’s wishing bell, but he never believed in such superstitions. He always thought it was just the restaurant’s marketing strategy, but upon coming across the wishing bell just as it was about to ring tonight, He Jichen couldn’t help but blurt out a question to the lady at the front desk, “Does the wishing bell really work?”

If you really kissed your crush and confessed to her during the ringing of the wishing bell, would you really get together one day?

Before the lady at the front desk could answer, the boss, who was arranging tarot cards, looked up and smiled to say, “It works for those with sincere hearts.”

He didn’t say anything but nodded at the boss and left the restaurant.

As he stepped out, his feet came to a stop and he looked back at the restaurant. He actually saw Ji Yi come down from the second floor and stop in front of the wishing bell.

He hesitated for a few seconds, but he eventually headed back to the hot pot restaurant.

As everyone gathered in front of the wishing bell, he showed up inconspicuously with nobody noticing him.

He paid close attention to her frame so that when the lights went out, he could ensure he was standing next to the right person.

He remembered what the boss said, “It works for those with sincere hearts.” With utter seriousness, he held her hand, dragged her over to him, and kissed her lips.

He was like a school kid, earnestly following the instructions in front of the wishing bell, one step at a time. After he kissed her, he drew close to her ear and whispered to her, fearing that she could tell it was him.

Word by word, like an oath, he sincerely said the words he wanted to say to her back in his school days when he showered her with unwavering affection.

Actually, in his heart, there was a second part to those words which he never got to say.

The whole line was meant to go like this: Actually, I’m really not so bad. Do you want to try to fall in love with me and not hate me so much?

Chapter 235: Ji Yi, I’m Sorry (5)

He kissed her and confessed to her so sincerely during the five-second ringing of the wishing bell. Would they really get together one day like the boss lady said? “It works for those with sincere hearts.”

If it was true… If they really ended up together… As long as he got to be with her in the end, it really didn’t matter if it happened later in the future. He was willing to wait…

She appeared in his adolescence for just a while, but she lingered in his memories for a lifetime.

–

On the fifteenth of the February, Ji Yi received a call from the production team for “Three Thousand Lunatics” informing her that they were going to officially start filming on the fourteenth of March and there was going to be an opening ceremony held at Hengdian.

On the eleventh of March, Ji Yi requested a leave of absence from her professor.

On the morning of the thirteenth of March, Ji Yi got on an early flight and landed in Hengdian.

Right now, she wasn’t signed to an agency and had no assistant, so she had to rely on herself for everything. Luckily, she filmed at Hengdian World Studios four years ago, so Ji Yi found the route online easily and went off on her way with multiple transfers.

She first hailed a taxi to the intercity bus station and bought tickets to Hengdian.

After she reached Hengdian, Ji Yi got into another taxi. At three in the afternoon, she arrived at the hotel the production team made reservations for.

It had been a long and arduous day, so Ji Yi took a shower, laid down on the plain bed and fell asleep. When she woke, it was already seven in the evening. Ji Yi was afraid the restaurant on the second floor was closed, so she quickly unpacked and rushed downstairs to have dinner.

The restaurant was still open but dinner time was over, so the restaurant was empty with barely anybody around.

Ji Yi ordered a portion of egg noodles then found the nearest empty table and sat down.

Not long after, the waiter served her the noodles. Ji Yi picked up a pair of chopsticks and was just about to eat when the doors of a private dining room opened and a group of people walked out.

Ji Yi happened to know all of them since they were all from the production team of “Three Thousand Lunatics.” Besides He Jichen, the producer and director, other team leaders were there. Even the screenwriter was there, as well as the main actor and the main actress, Qian Ge.

The group must’ve been drinking as they swayed slightly as they walked.

Ji Yi wasn’t a big star to begin with, and she was sitting quite far from where they came out, so she merely watched as they flamboyantly walked out of the restaurant.

This group of people temporarily engulfed the silent restaurant in noise.

Ji Yi pretended as though she didn’t notice this interlude happening as she lowered her head and started to eat her noodles.

Perhaps it was because she ran around for too long that Ji Yi didn’t really have an appetite. She was full after eating just a small portion of her food.

She put her chopsticks down and picked up a napkin. She wiped the corner of her mouth and picked up her phone from the table, then got up and left the restaurant.

She walked down the corridor then took two turns, but before Ji Yi could reach the elevators, she came to a halt.

Qian Ge, who had long left the restaurant, held a long, slender cigarette in her fingers. She looked laid-back as she leaned against the wall. She stood beside the trash can, leisurely taking fluid drags of her cigarette.

Qian Ge seemed to have noticed someone coming closer, so she turned her head slightly. Amid the smoke, she glanced over to where Ji Yi stood.

She looked like she was deliberately waiting for Ji Yi, so upon seeing her appear, she immediately straightened up and trotted over towards Ji Yi menacingly in her high heels. Standing in front of Ji Yi, she took a hard puff and exhaled it, releasing peppermint-scented smoke from her cigarette. Qian Ge arrogantly said, “Do you really think that after getting onto the production team, the supporting female role would be entirely yours?”

Chapter 236: Ji Yi, I’m Sorry (6)

So back in the restaurant just now, Qian Ge pretended to look as though she hadn’t glanced my way, but in actual fact, she did notice me.

After she left the restaurant with the group of team leaders, Qian Ge stayed behind and lingered by the elevators just to say this to me?

Deep down inside, Ji Yi couldn’t help but secretly chuckle.

But this time, it wasn’t the same as the other times when she bumped into Qian Ge and argued over all those trivial matters.

Now they were on set – Qian Ge was like a senior to the entire crew. Even if Ji Yi was popular in the past, she was a newbie compared to Qian Ge. Many people on the production crew must’ve been dissatisfied and discontent by the fact that she was cast as the supporting female character. If she wasn’t careful and was caught arguing with Qian Ge, then who knew what kind of wild rumors would be spread.

What’s more, Qian Ge wasn’t a simpleton. Right now, it might look like it was just the two of them, but who knew who could be hiding in the corner taking photos!

I waited over half a year for an opportunity like this, so I have to be cautious!

That thought quickly swept through Ji Yi’s mind as she pretended like Qian Ge didn’t exist and didn’t hear what she just said. Ji Yi raised her feet, brushed past her and walked over to the elevator where she reached out to push the button to open the door.

Before the elevator doors closed, Qian Ge stomped her high heels and walked over to Ji Yi. She put out her cigarette and chucked it into the trash can as she nonchalantly said, “If you really think that, then you’re naive. I could never be on the same production team as you!”

Ji Yi stared in silence at descending red numbers in the elevator.

“But I must admit, you really are something! To be able to get the role of the supporting female character…” Qian Ge then pulled out another cigarette and held it between her rouge lips. She sounded a little muffled as she said, “…come to think of it, I’m really curious to know… Ji Yi, how did you get the supporting female role? Did you sell yourself? To who?”

Qian Ge knew Ji Yi was able to get onto the production team because of He Jichen.

And she was only able to be on the same production crew as her because He Jichen plotted against her!

Yet she said this on purpose because she wanted to agitate Ji Yi and start an argument. That way, her manager could record everything as she hid in the corner. With the recording, all she had to do was edit and post the parts where Ji Yi was being disrespectful, and her enormous fan base would attack her.

Everyone in their industry knew just how frightening the violent power of the internet could be – it was enough to make a bright and beautiful person go crazy!

At that point, not to mention trying to surpass her on “Three Thousand Lunatics” but Ji Yi would have to live under Qian Ge’s shadow her entire life!

As Qian Ge lit another cigarette and took a drag, more outrageous things came from her mouth: “Or perhaps, how many have you been with? Were they old men? I hear those old men are all perverts. They must’ve broken you…”

After hearing the second half of what she said, Ji Yi’s eyes turned a little cold, but the corner of her lips curved into a smile. She turned her head and looked at Qian Ge like they were good friends. “Qian Ge, you seem to know a lot about that? You must’ve personally experienced it before, huh?”

“You!” Ji Yi made Qian Ge choke for a moment, but a second later, she curved her red lips into a smirk.

Chapter 237: Ji Yi, I’m Sorry (7)

“Forget it. Why bother arguing with you? You’re so pitiful right now with that sharp tongue of yours. I hope you can use that sharp-tongue to stay on set until the series finishes. After all, you know I’m not one to back down…”

Qian Ge deliberately stopped for a moment and put the cigarette to her mouth then took a drag. Amidst the lingering smoke, she sluggishly cried, “…Don’t say I didn’t warn you; I have a thousand ways, no… a million ways to make you leave the team. I don’t need to use my connections to force you out at all. I bet that after not too long, you’ll leave the production crew in tears!”

When Ji Yi saw Qian Ge was the leading actress for “Three Thousand Lunatics,” she already knew that these next few months on set wouldn’t go smoothly.

She also knew she had to face these situations eventually because she couldn’t allow Qian Ge to move up in life and live so glamorously and carefree by stepping all over her. Nor could she allow her office to be taken so easily like that.

So, a long long time ago, she prepared all kinds of retorts for Qian Ge’s attacks.

After Ji Yi listened to Qian Ge’s long speech with underlying threats, not only was she not the slightest bit angry, she even wore the same friendly smile on her face. Ji Yi blinked gently at Qian Ge and spoke softly and politely, not showing any weakness at all. “Leave the crew in tears?”

“Qian Ge, do you really look down on me, or do you really think so highly of yourself?”

“What about you is worth crying over? I, Ji Yi, will never cry over insignificant people!”

“Even if it’s between the two of us, the person who will be crying is definitely you!”

“So let’s quietly wait and see, shall we? Let’s see whose days working on this production will drag on and on…” As Ji Yi said this, the elevator finally reached the second floor and opened. Ji Yi stepped out and just as she raised her hand to close the doors, it looked like a thought suddenly occurred to her. She looked back and added another line from outside the elevator: “…Oh, no, the days won’t drag, the seconds will drag!”

When Ji Yi finished saying this, she pressed the button to close the elevator doors. Ji Yi shot a dazzling smile at Qian Ge as though she was giving her a friendly goodbye.

The second before the doors closed completely, Ji Yi clearly saw Qian Ge grit her teeth like mad.

Ji Yi raised her brows as a cold glow of light emanated from her eyes.

Qian Ge has surely overestimated herself. She actually thought I was a pushover who’d let anyone push me around.

Three years ago, Ji Yi saw her as a friend so she didn’t have her guard up, which was why she slipped up.

Three years later, as Qian Ge stood in front of her, Ji Yi vowed to make her meet the same ending, the same ending that would befall all the people who challenged her!

One of these days, she, Ji Yi, would make her, Qian Ge, repay her ten-fold for every single thing she owed her!

One of these days, she, Ji Yi, would stand in front of her, Qian Ge, stare down at her and say, “Qian Ge, you’ve lost!”

–

Ji Yi knew that Qian Ge wouldn’t give up, but she never thought she would actually use such despicable tactics to defeat her.

Chapter 238: Ji Yi, I’m Sorry (8)

Ji Yi knew Qian Ge wouldn’t let her go, but she never imagined she would actually use such dirty tactics against her.

At the very start, Ji Yi didn’t notice anything wrong. There were many things she innocently thought were just a coincidence.

For example:

On the first day of shooting, Ji Yi finished shooting her scenes at seven in the evening. She was looking for somewhere to eat her meal when a staff member brushed her arm in a hurry, causing her meal to fly to the ground. Meals were ordered for each person, so if she picked up another, someone else wouldn’t have one. All Ji Yi could do was admit that she was unlucky and starve that day.

On the second day of shooting, during Ji Yi’s afternoon scenes, she needed to go to the bathroom. Seeing as the director cried “Cut!” in between two scenes, she took advantage and hurriedly left the set. When it was almost her turn to use the restroom, a female staff member ran in and hurriedly cut in front of her. The woman pushed open the restroom doors and made her way in. She stood outside the door waiting for ten whole minutes until another staff member hurried her back on set for filming. All Ji Yi could do was helplessly continue acting.

On the third day of shooting, the makeup artist responsible for Ji Yi’s makeup that evening had frequent stomach aches and ran to the restroom. When the director started to push them to start shooting, Ji Yi only had half her makeup on and the other makeup artists were busy. All Ji Yi could do was apply her makeup herself.

On the fourth day of shooting, after Ji Yi finished applying her makeup for her scenes in the evening, she discovered a large hole in her costume that the crew prepared for her in advance. Though the staff fixed it up, it was nevertheless particularly expensive and it took a lot of time to fix, considering it was a period costume. Because of this, it was one in the morning when they finished filming the evening scenes.

…

Small mishaps like this happened practically every day. At first, Ji Yi didn’t really notice what was happening until one day, before going to the restroom, she put her costume bracelet on the makeup table only to notice that it was gone when she came back.

If she didn’t wear the bracelet, all her scenes would be outtakes. To help her find her bracelet, the production staff wasted over an hour searching.

That day, He Jichen sat in front of the monitor with his usual cold expression and didn’t reveal any change in emotion.

Rather, it was the assistant director beside him who had been waiting impatiently. After they found the bracelet, he signaled for everyone to take their places and get ready to shoot. Then he warned and reminded Ji Yi by saying, “Xiao Yi, you’ve troubled the crew quite a bit!”

The assistant director’s words were like a wake-up call.

Of course people experienced mishaps, but for her, they occurred far too frequently. They happened daily – in fact, sometimes they happened two times in one day.

When mishaps happened this frequently, they were no longer by accident; they were intentional.

When the assistant director finished speaking, Ji Yi instinctively looked over to where Qian Ge was sitting. Sure enough, she looked really pleased with herself.

At that moment, Ji Yi realized that everything that had happened to her these last few days weren’t just coincidences; it was Qian Ge messing with her in the background.

Her goal was simple: she wanted Ji Yi to encounter endless mishaps to delay the filming and make everyone on set unhappy with her, isolate her, push her aside, and make the production team leaders think she was inadequate for the job…

Chapter 239: Ji Yi, I’m Sorry (9)

A whole day’s worth of filming was tiring enough. If Ji Yi created problems every day, it would take up most of everybody’s free time.

At first, everybody tolerated it – they just felt dissatisfied inside at the most and ranted about it in private. However, as time went on, everybody lost their patience and they started to target her outright.

By then, her situation was certainly difficult to manage on top of the heavy workload. It could really destroy her!

After being shouted at by the assistant director, Ji Yi humbly apologized but started to be more alert.

She was cautious and on guard for the first two days after that, and she did have a few days of peace. However, it lasted just a few days because her cautiousness only aggravated Qian Ge.

There was even a day when Ji Yi didn’t even get a lunch box to eat. She knew it was Qian Ge messing with her, but she didn’t have any evidence, so she fought her hunger and forced herself to concentrate on finishing the shoot.

When she finished shooting scenes at eleven in the evening that day, she was so hungry that she had stomach cramps. It was so bad that when she went back to her hotel room for snacks, she immediately vomited them right out.

For the whole afternoon, she didn’t go to the bathroom and held it in until the very end. Her bladder started to hurt.

Of course, that wasn’t all. One day, she spent the whole day on the toilet, so it forced her to stop shooting all day. After she went to the hospital to get things examined, she learned she ate a laxative. Then she remembered that Qian Ge probably asked someone to contaminate her water on set.

Ji Yi knew Qian Ge used these disgusting methods to force herself to cry first.

She said it before; she wouldn’t cry because of her, and she really wouldn’t. She wasn’t stupid. She learned from her mistakes, so she brought a lot of instant noodles into her hotel room. Before she left the house in the morning every day, she brought her own lunch box in her bag. If anything happened to her lunch box, then she wouldn’t have to be hungry and allow it to affect her acting.

To avoid going to the toilet, she tried to cut down her water intake. She wouldn’t touch anything that she left unattended because of her past experience with laxatives.

Deep down inside, Ji Yi knew that Qian Ge wouldn’t let the matter slide.

In her heart, she actually hoped Qian Ge wouldn’t give up because she needed an opportunity – an opportunity to retaliate.

She wasn’t Qian Ge, so she wasn’t going to frequently mess around like her. That would be too easy to spot flaws, and too easy for someone else to use against her.

Until she was absolutely certain that she could attack Qian Ge, all she could do was bide her time and endure it all.

Even if she had to eat half a month’s worth of instant noodles until it disgusted her.

Even if she suffered from dehydration and had a nose bleed every morning because she didn’t drink enough water.

Even if she lost almost 5kg in half a month.

She still gritted her teeth and chose to endure it all.

The heavens didn’t treat her badly in the end, or perhaps, Qian Ge was about to receive her dose of karma, because Ji Yi finally got her chance.

That day, the main scene to shoot was a scene with her and Qian Ge together.

He Jichen, who suddenly left the set two days ago, had returned. While Ji Yi and Qian Ge had their makeup done, he sat down in front of the monitor, watching the scenes from the past two days of his absence.

Ji Yi’s makeup was done before Qian Ge’s, so she went first to the production crew’s changing rooms to change into her costume.

Since someone tampered with her costume in the past, every time Ji Yi put it on, she always carefully checked it once.

Chapter 240: Ji Yi, I’m Sorry (10)

As her fingers stroked the waist area of her clothes, she discovered a fraying thread.

Ji Yi creased her brows, lowered her head and took a serious look.

A thread in the waist area must’ve been sliced through with some kind of knife. It looked like everything was normal, but when she put it on, she realized that if she made any big movements, the thread would burst open.

If she wasn’t careful and examined her costume beforehand, she really could’ve torn it open. She really had to wear a thin layer of clothing underneath otherwise the whole crew would see her naked.

Ji Yi’s gaze turned cold.

Qian Ge had truly gone too far. Seeing as she hadn’t been able to embarrass Ji Yi recently, she actually used such heinous tactics…

That was all well and good. Since she dared to play this game, she couldn’t blame Qian Ge for not caring about her feelings!

This time, she had an opportunity to settle the score!

At that thought, there was a flash of cold mercilessness across Ji Yi’s neatly drawn brows.

…

Because she knew someone messed with her costume, Ji Yi deliberately wore an extra layer of tight clothes and safety shorts to prevent her from being exposed.

She stood in front of the tall mirror and confirmed that even if the tear in her waist completely burst open, she wouldn’t be exposed. With that, she put on her costume as she went back into the makeup room. Then she took a seat in front of the dressing room mirror and started to have her hair done.

Qian Ge sat nearby. She got up after she finished applying her makeup and happened to walk past Ji Yi, heading to her changeroom to get changed.

Ji Yi stared straight at the dressing room mirror but from the corner of her eye, she paid attention to Qian Ge. Just as Qian Ge was about to walk in front of her, she clearly glanced at Ji Yi’s waist area.

Qian Ge’s little move confirmed to Ji Yi that her speculations were completely true.

She pretended as though nothing happened as she randomly grabbed a fashion magazine with a calm expression on her face. Every now and then, she would look up and glance over at the stylist working on her hair through the reflection in the mirror.

When everything was in order for Ji Yi and Qian Ge, it was time to start filming.

With the small crack of light from the set, Ji Yi used this opportunity to pull out the script she memorized by heart and read it over again.

Today, Ji Yi and Qian Ge’s scenes weren’t difficult to shoot.

The second female character of “Three Thousand Lunatics” was a soldier trained by the male lead to die in her fight. As the female lead was heavily injured, the male lead repeatedly called her name. Completely disregarding the male lead’s warnings before she fainted, the loyal second female character went to find the female lead, who was getting ready for her wedding.

At the time, there were some misunderstandings between the female lead and male lead. No matter how the second female character tried to persuade her, the female lead just wouldn’t believe her. The second female character was stubborn, so she reached out and grabbed the female lead’s hand, trying to force her to go with her. Just then, the female lead struggled against the second female and swung out of her grip. The female lead then shoved the second female with such force it caused the second female lead to fall to the ground.

Four years ago, when Ji Yi was scouted, she was already complimented for being a natural talent at acting; she made anything she acted look real.

Also, “Three Thousand Lunatics” was key to her comeback to the entertainment industry. During the filming process, she used practically every second to get herself into the role of the second female character. As soon as filming started, Ji Yi got herself together.

The only reason Qian Ge was such a big shot now was because of the acting skills she honed these past two years.

Chapter 241: Think About It, Before You Answer (1)

The two of them were arch-enemies after all; neither one wanted the other to beat them, so during their scenes together, they each put in hard work to perform their best. As soon as they started shooting Ji Yi and Qian Ge’s scenes, the two of them performed incredibly well. Aside from the occasional lighting and positioning problems that led to some outtakes, all the scenes with the two of them were practically shot in one go.

The original plan was to finish filming the scenes by six in the afternoon, but by three of o’clock, they were already on their final and most important scene of the day: Ji Yi and Qian Ge’s characters got into an argument where the female lead tossed the second female character to the ground in a rage.

Seeing as there was a possibility of leaving earlier, each and every person on set carried a tinge of happiness on their face and everyone worked a lot quicker than before. Soon enough, the set for the final scene was all ready to start shooting.

When Ji Yi and Qian Ge finished touching up their makeup, the assistant director raised the mic and cried, “Get ready.” With that, the set fell silent.

Ji Yi and Qian Ge got into their respective positions.

The assistant director turned his head and shot a glance at He Jichen, who was wearing a long black trench coat. He Jichen took two glances at the monitor then gave a slight nod. Only then did the assistant director raise the microphone and cry at Ji Yi and Qian Ge again, “Action!”

With those words, Qian Ge and Ji Yi instantly got into character.

Qian Ge, who was dressed in all-red Chinese bridal wear, stood two flights of stairs above Ji Yi on the temple steps. She coldly spoke down at Ji Yi: “I told you. I won’t go with you!”

Dressed in light green, Ji Yi had a sword in one hand as she stared at the woman who was about to marry into the imperial family and become an imperial concubine. Without backing down, Ji Yi asked in neither a pushy nor humble way: “I’ll ask you one more time. Are you sure you won’t come with me?”

Qian Ge seemed to grow impatient. This time, she didn’t even reply to Ji Yi and immediately walked away.

When Qian Ge brushed past Ji Yi, Ji Yi raised her hand and used the blade to block Qian Ge’s path. “Come with me!”

Qian Ge raised her hand and gently pushed the sword away as though she hadn’t heard what Ji Yi said. Then she proceeded to walk down the long flight of stairs.

Ji Yi hurriedly caught up to Qian Ge, the ineloquent young woman, and she cried the same three words, “Come with me!”

Qian Ge shot a look at the two guards standing to one side. Immediately understanding what she meant, the guards headed towards Ji YI to hold her back.

But Ji Yi was one step ahead as she grabbed Qian Ge’s sleeve. “Since you refuse to come with me, I’ll have to bring you by force!”

Qian Ge tried to resist but seeing as she couldn’t struggle out of Ji Yi’s arms, a flash of rage crossed her eyes. A second later, she gritted her teeth and blurted just two words, “Let go!”

Ji Yi pulled harder. Qian Ge suddenly exploded and violently swung her arm, causing Ji Yi to fall down to the cushioned floor with a mighty crash.

With that, the director cried “Cut!”, ending the scene.

Qian Ge immediately got out of character and glanced down at Ji Yi from above with a faint smirk in her eyes.

Having fallen so heavily just now, her clothes were probably torn up. As soon she got up, she would become a laughing stock.