Bai Yin and Qiao Yan Shi were holding wine glasses and walking towards Chen Huaixiao.
Zhuo Zi Ran let out a cold sneer through his nostrils. These two actually dared to disturb Chen Huaixiao, they really don't know their own limits.
In the past, there were also new artists who eagerly wanted to get acquainted with Chen Huaixiao and toast him at the banquet. Chen Huaixiao doesn't have good alcohol tolerance. When he doesn't want to drink, he won't give anyone face and directly leaves people standing awkwardly at the scene, unable to advance or retreat.
Since these two weren't afraid of embarrassing themselves, Zhuo Zi Ran folded his arms and watched their joke.
Bai Yin walked behind Chen Huaixiao holding the wine glass. The man slightly turned his head and had already caught the smell of sandalwood from her body.
That was the smell he had smelled countless times during their intimate skin contact, it was the smell that had blended and entwined with his soul.
Bai Yin raised the wine glass but before she could speak, Qiao Yan Shi was afraid she would become a scapegoat and took the lead saying: "Mr. Chen, I'm the male lead in The Crane-tail Dress, playing Qiao Yan Shi who is Yu Chengfeng. I specially brought Bai Yin to...to toast you."
He took all the responsibility on himself first to avoid Bai Yin being embarrassed or aggrieved.
Chen Huaixiao lazily glanced at him, his thin lips spat out a few words: "You brought her to toast me?"
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Qiao Yan Shi's forehead, and the hand holding the wine glass was shaking: "Mr. Chen, I...I have long admired you..."
Although everyone was minding their own business, they couldn't help glancing over, closely observing Chen Huaixiao's subtle changes in expression.
These two newcomers must be really full of themselves. Just because they acted in a hit drama, they think they have the capital to get acquainted with Chen Huaixiao?
Let's see how they get out of this situation.
Bai Yin saw that Qiao Yan Shi was so nervous that he was stuttering. She was also afraid that Chen Huaixiao would embarrass him, so she raised her wine glass and smiled, "Mr. Chen, cheers to you. I heard you got married. I wish Mrs. Chen good health, beauty, longevity, and prosperity..."
The corner of Chen Huaixiao's mouth slightly hooked up. So it turns out to be a bunch of auspicious blessings, all wishing for her own sake.
She raised the wine glass and handed it to Chen Huaixiao. Her clear and bright eyes hooked him intriguingly, seeming to remind him of their intimate entanglement on the 32nd floor just now.
The people around them naturally couldn't understand the undercurrents between their eyes. They were just worried for Bai Yin and Qiao Yan Shi.
Zhuo Zi Ran sneered, waiting to see Chen Huaixiao embarrass them.
Unexpectedly to everyone, Chen Huaixiao did not leave them hanging. Instead, he picked up his wine glass and clinked with Bai Yin's glass, making a crisp ding sound.
"I'll borrow your blessings. I also hope she...lives a long life."
The four words "long life" were said by him with particular implication, with a somewhat gritting-teeth flavor, making Bai Yin's hairs stand on end.
After saying this, Chen Huaixiao nodded at Qiao Yan Shi from afar, then drank it all in one go.
He had given these two face.
Everyone was shocked that Chen Huaixiao actually drank this toast. They had heard that Chen Huaixiao's Stellar Media had signed Bai Yin. As expected, he still gave face to his own artists!
Since Chen Huaixiao was so cordial with them, the others didn't dare to look down on Bai Yin and Qiao Yan Shi anymore.
Seeing this, Zhuo Zi Ran gritted his teeth in envy and jealousy.
If he had known Chen Huaixiao was in such good mood today, he should have made the first move.
But it wasn't too late now.
Zhuo Zi Ran hurriedly stepped forward, pushed Qiao Yan Shi aside, held up the wine glass, and came to Chen Huaixiao: "Mr. Chen, they are newcomers and don't understand etiquette very well. I apologize on their behalf if there was any offense. Let me toast you!"
Hearing him say this, displeasure showed on Qiao Yan Shi's face.
Zhuo Zi Ran liked to change the script and steal scenes on set. Now seeing them chat with Chen Huaixiao for a bit, he also hurriedly came over to steal the spotlight.
He really wanted to retort, but didn't dare make a scene in front of Chen Huaixiao.
Chen Huaixiao was a character who had seen too much of the ups and downs of the world. Naturally he looked down on people like Zhuo Zi Ran.
He didn't even glance at him, his voice cold: "Do you like drinking that much?"
"Yes I do, I have quite good alcohol tolerance. Today I will definitely drink with you until we're both drunk..."
Before Zhuo Zi Ran could finish, Chen Huaixiao interrupted him: "In that case, go toast everyone here one by one."
Zhuo Zi Ran was shocked: "Mr. Chen, you mean..."
"Do I need to repeat myself?"
From Chen Huaixiao's cold eyes, he saw his disdain towards him.
Clearly, this attempt at flattery had backfired. Zhuo Zi Ran regretted it immensely.
Qiao Yan Shi's face showed the delightful expression of sweet revenge. Bai Yin even laughed and grabbed Zhuo Zi Ran who wanted to slip away: "Want to run away? Isn't that very disrespectful to Mr. Chen?"
"How...how could I dare."
"Then let's start from this table." Bai Yin filled Zhuo Zi Ran's glass with red wine, then took the initiative to clink glasses with him: "Come, toast me first."
Zhuo Zi Ran glanced at Chen Huaixiao, but he didn't even lift his eyelids. His long fingers were pinching a celadon teacup, slowly rotating it, as if waiting for him to make the toast too.
Left with no choice, he resentfully clinked glasses with Bai Yin: "Cheers to Miss Bai, may your career reach great heights."
The last four words were said gritting his teeth and full of resentment.
"Thank you for your blessings." Bai Yin raised the wine glass and smiled, "Bottoms up, Senior Zhuo."
With a resentful look, Zhuo Zi Ran drank that glass of wine in one go.
Just as Bai Yin was about to drink it all too, Chen Huaixiao grabbed her dangling hand and forcefully pinched her palm without moving a muscle.
The meaning was very clear, don't drink too much.
Bai Yin obediently just wet her lips with the wine and stopped.
In everyone else's mocking or awkward looks, Zhuo Zi Ran toasted all the dozen people at the table until he was dead drunk like mud and fled to the restroom in embarrassment, causing quite some laughter.
...
After the celebration banquet ended, The Crane-tail Dress received 1 billion views and became the hottest drama that topped the charts after the new year.
Right when The Crane-tail Dress was exploding in popularity, Su Anning's spy film Assassin that was shot two years ago was released and became the first film to break out during the lucrative spring season.
In Assassin, Su Anning played an agent who was undercover as a Republican socialite, and had many scenes.
Her Republican style image and graceful figure in Qipao dresses added a lot of color to the film.
With the screening of Assassin, Su Anning, who had been down for half a year, once again became the focus of public attention.
Su Anning's fans went all out praising her acting skills online, saying she was fully qualified to compete for this year's Golden Laurel Award for Best Actress.
The celebration banquet for Assassin invited many celebrity friends.
Strangely though, Bai Yin had also received an invitation.
Sun LiLi was very unhappy that Bai Yin was attending the banquet alone. She called Bai Yin nonstop with a few missed calls. Knowing this agent wouldn't let it go easily, Bai Yin finally went to the quiet backyard and answered the call:
"Ahhhh! This is so infuriating. You really went! Didn't I tell you not to go! Going alone is like walking into a trap! Her inviting you so kindly to her celebration banquet clearly shows she wants to show off to you! "
Bai Yin held the phone slightly further away. This loud voice was a bit too much for her.
"Since sister wants to show off to me, of course I should go. Otherwise she can't get it out of her system and it would eat away at her."
Sun LiLi no longer believed Bai Yin.
This woman was very cunning. Su Anning was a spoiled child star raised by doting parents. She really wasn't her match.
She was Bai Yin's agent now, not her bestie like before. Now Sun LiLi had to consider all decision risks and couldn't let Bai Yin make any missteps that could affect her public image.
"Tell me honestly, are you plotting something bad again?"
"How could I be plotting anything bad? Don't think of me so badly. I'm sincerely going to congratulate sister."
"Yeah right!" Sun LiLi warned: "You just gained a little fame, still far from enough! Don't clash hard with her! Su Anning is a child star. She's been famous for a long time and considered the nation's little princess. She hasn't had any scandals all these years."
"Nation's little princess." Bai Yin looked at the sweet poster of Su Anning in Qipao before her and a cold sneer appeared at the corner of her mouth.
A mistress's child, don't insult such a beautiful word as "princess".
Bai Yin originally wanted to make a move against Su Anning, but Assassin's huge success made Bai Yin change her mind.
She would let her enjoy the limelight for a few more days.
Because the higher you climb, the harder you fall.
This mother and daughter pair of mistresses plus the scumbag father were the ones who caused her mother's wrongful death. She wanted to completely destroy everything they valued the most.
Just like how they took away her mother and took away her life back then.
...
Su Anning gracefully stood among the crowd wearing a white evening gown.
An assistant walked over. She took the chance to call her over and ask: "Where's my sister?"
"She's still looking at your Qipao poster over there, staring blankly and lost in thought. She's probably so amazed by your Republican style Qipao that she's dazed by it."
A cold sneer appeared at the corner of Su Anning's mouth.
She had invited Bai Yin to this celebration banquet to let her size up her own capabilities.
"Anning, do you need me to call her over?"
"No need, don't bother with her." Holding a wine glass, Su Anning said scornfully: "Since she wants to watch, let her open her eyes wide and take a good look."
Fantasizing about competing with her, this country bumpkin Bai Yin was lacking by tens of thousands of miles!
However, Su Anning's pleasant mood lasted less than an hour before being disturbed by a call from her agent: "Who allowed you to invite Bai Yin!!!"
Su Anning walked to the corridor holding her wine glass and casually said: "Let her come see the world, see what true smash hit films and TV are, so she doesn't get complacent from a little success."
The agent knew Su Anning was full of "princess syndrome" and never thought things through with her brain before acting. Fuming, she said: "Look at the hot search now."
Without waiting for Su Anning's response, the agent unilaterally hung up the call, clearly very angry.
Curious, Su Anning opened Weibo. One of the trending topics was: #What is true Qipao beauty#.
Seeing this topic, Su Anning thought it was related to her Assassin and smugly clicked in.
The most popular Weibo was a picture from the celebration banquet taken by a marketing account.
In the picture, Bai Yin was wearing a light green Qipao with exquisite butterfly patterns on the skirt. The embroidery work was extremely meticulous, clearly high quality craftsmanship.
She held a tasselled folding fan. The dress accentuated her graceful waist. Her eyes were full of charm and elegance, giving off a feel of the most ethereal allure in the mortal world, as if the scenic view before one's eyes was the epitome of it.
Moreover, Bai Yin was standing right next to Su Anning's Qipao poster.
She also seemed to be appreciating the poster.
In the poster, Su Anning wore a flaming red Qipao, her posture enchanting, eyes silky like threads.
This photo was full of a flashy sensationalism. Just looking at it, there was nothing wrong, but when juxtaposed with Bai Yin's elegance and purity, Su Anning's Qipao photo gave off a sense of vulgarity.
The overall feeling was that it was shoddy and wanton.
The comments from netizens below were simply lethal:
"Damn, this is Su Anning's crash scene!"
"This contrast is too obvious!"
"Wasn't Su Anning's role in Assassin supposed to be an elegant socialite? How come I feel...it makes her look like she's in a nightclub."
"And a really low-end one at that."
"To be honest, Su Anning really has no aura, she smells too much of the mundane world, suitable to play a dancing girl, and is worlds apart from an elegant young lady."
"Bai Yin on the other hand, really gives off more of a young lady's air ah ah ah!"
"Her temperament is sublime! She gives off a feeling of an April day on earth."
"Well said by the poster above, you should publish a book."
"I really get Bai Yin's beauty!"
"It's really hard to imagine these two are sisters, they look so unalike, so so unalike."
"The elder sister's heavy makeup loses to the younger sister's light touch, which says it all."
"They differ by much more than just a little."
...
Su Anning kept scrolling down the comments, her fingertips trembling, so angry she was about to have a heart attack.
No wonder Bai Yin readily agreed to attend the banquet at Hongmen, knowing it was a trap.
So this was what was waiting for her here!
