"Little Nian, you're going to move out?" Shen Shuyao looked surprised, then pouted and said with a wronged expression, "No way! You promised you'd stay with me."
Ji Nian had just gotten home when she saw the female lead looking unhappy, so she asked, "Did He Yi tell you about it?"
Shen Shuyao was sulking. Although she was rarely home because of filming, she had gotten used to the girl living with her. Suddenly being told one day that Ji Nian was moving out made her heart feel empty.
"Today I accidentally overheard He Yi calling the company about the accommodation for artists," Shen Shuyao pouted in reply.
Ji Nian looked at the cute pout on the female lead's face, and taking advantage of her taller stature, she patted Shen Shuyao's head and said with a smile, "But this is Director Ye's house. It's not right for me to keep living here every day."
Shen Shuyao wasn't happy and swatted Ji Nian's hand away, puffing out her cheeks as she said, "But we've been living here for so long, and he's only come to stay once!"
"Anyway, you're rarely home. If I move out, you can just come to my place when you're free," Ji Nian said with a smile.
Shen Shuyao paused, feeling that made some sense, but she had a disgruntled look on her face as she said in a spoiled manner, "Even so, I won't forgive you. If I hadn't overheard He Yi's call today, I wouldn't have known about this at all."
"Then I've been wronged," Ji Nian said. "I was planning to discuss it with you when I got back, but you found out early."
"Really?" Shen Shuyao looked unconvinced.
"More true than pearls!" Ji Nian coaxed.
"Hmph, I'll forgive you this time," Shen Shuyao said haughtily as she sat on the sofa.
Ji Nian smiled and went over to her, saying, "I knew you were the best."
It was already the next day when they were filming, and it was the supporting actors' scenes. The lead actors were taking a break on set for the time being.
He Yi came over with an excited look and said, "Sister, guess what great news I got?"
Ji Nian was rehearsing lines with Shen Shuyao. She looked over puzzled and asked, "Hmm? Good news?"
He Yi sat down happily and said, "Yesterday when I called the company about accommodation, you won't believe it - they were so generous and said there's a vacant unit in Ming Zhu Garden that you can stay in temporarily."
"Ming Zhu Garden?" Shen Shuyao exclaimed. "The houses there are so expensive!"
He Yi nodded and smiled, "In the capital, everyone knows that the villas in Jade Orchid Residence are outrageously expensive. Similarly, Ming Zhu Garden is also a famous upscale residential area with great security. I heard many big names in the industry live there."
"That's incredible?" Ji Nian had been in this world for quite a while, but she hadn't paid much attention to such trivial matters.
"You're so lucky! Ming Zhu Garden is a dream come true for so many people. The company directly arranged for you to stay there!" He Yi seemed excited.
Ji Nian didn't understand. She didn't think she was that famous. Why would the company give her such a great accommodation?
"It doesn't make sense. Why would the company treat this small fry so well?" Ji Nian asked.
He Yi didn't understand either. After thinking about it, she said, "You're collaborating with Yu Luobai, and the higher-ups all know about it. Maybe they think there's some mystery behind you, so they want to pull you over to their side?"
Ji Nian was startled. So there's no such thing as a free lunch. "But it's no use trying to pull me over. The mystery definitely won't show itself."
"Little Nian, you should just go and stay there first. As for the mystery, I've heard He Yi mention it a bit. If the company forces you, I'll get A Zhan to help," Shen Shuyao chimed in from the side.
Look at that, this was the benefit of clinging to the female lead. Ji Nian looked at Shen Shuyao gratefully. At critical moments, that halo was useful. With Shen Shuyao around, she didn't need to worry.
"Then it's a deal. Book Shuyao, you have to protect me," Ji Nian looked at her pitifully.
Seeing Ji Nian's expression, Shen Shuyao found it amusing and said, "Don't worry, we're the best of friends."
"Absolutely, best sisters!" Ji Nian decided she really needed to cling to the female lead tightly.
"Book Shuyao, Little Nian, it's your scene next," the director called from the other side.
The two of them were called, and they got up in sync, ready to go over.
"Little Nian, in today's scene, you're portraying arrogance and brashness towards the female lead Luo Luo," the director came over to go through the scene with them.
"Okay, Director," Ji Nian replied.
Shen Shuyao winked cutely and said, "Go get 'em, Little Nian."
After filming the morning scenes, the afternoon scenes were all the female lead's. As a woman of action, Ji Nian was definitive about moving out.
She immediately asked Yu Luobai for a day off, saying she wouldn't be rehearsing today because she needed to move out.
In case she needed to do some cleaning when she got there, she'd have to work on it for a while.
Meanwhile, He Yi came to help as well. In fact, there wasn't much to move since Ji Nian had been living at Shen Shuyao's place all along and using her clothes.
The female lead had plenty of clothes, with endorsement brands often sending over new items. Since Shen Shuyao couldn't wear them all, she told Ji Nian to just pick and wear whatever she liked and take anything she wanted.
Ji Nian didn't stand on ceremony and took a few outfits and pairs of shoes, borrowing one of Shen Shuyao's suitcases to pack up her simple belongings - and that was moving out.
When they arrived at Ming Zhu Garden, Ji Nian was stunned by the lavish house as soon as she entered.
"Wow!" He Yi exclaimed as she walked in. "This interior design is on par with the villa at Jade Orchid Residence, just a difference in size."
Ji Nian was taken aback. Was the company really that extravagant? Giving her such a luxurious place to stay?
Although it was an apartment in a residential area, the house was quite spacious with three bedrooms, two living rooms, and a large balcony. Surprisingly, there was even a separate study and an exercise area - amazing.
"I thought we'd need to do some cleaning, but this place is spotless. Looks like someone must have come to clean it already," He Yi said as she touched the sofa and coffee table.
"I had too small a mindset," Ji Nian said dazedly.
"Sister, bring your luggage over. I'll help you put it in the room," He Yi reached out to take Ji Nian's suitcase and dragged it into the master bedroom.
Ji Nian followed behind, and when she entered the master bedroom, the layout amazed her again. She couldn't help but marvel at the perks of being a celebrity.
"The room even connects to a walk-in closet?" He Yi exclaimed in surprise as she pushed open the glass door and walked in. "Let me help you hang up your clothes."
"I'll join you," Ji Nian said as she went over.
He Yi opened the suitcase and took out the clothes to hang them up. As she was about to stand up, her phone accidentally slipped out of her pocket.
Ji Nian heard the sound and looked at the phone that had fallen at her feet. She quickly picked it up and froze, saying, "The screen is cracked."
He Yi was stunned too. She had dropped her phone several times before, but it had never cracked.
"Let me see," she took the phone and pressed the screen, only to find it was badly shattered and had gone black.
"I remember you had a phone case before," Ji Nian said.
It was only then that He Yi realized – her phone had gotten hot earlier, so she had taken off the case. No wonder the screen cracked when it fell.
"It's black now. What should I do?" She frowned, worried that the company might need to contact her but wouldn't be able to reach her.
"I'll buy you a new one," Ji Nian had some spare cash on hand, and since He Yi's phone got broken while helping her move, she wanted to compensate her.
"Sister, I know you've got money now, but you don't have to spend it like that. I'll just get it repaired," He Yi refused, then suddenly remembered something. "Actually, don't you have two phones? Let me borrow one of yours for a couple of days, and I'll return it to you once this one is fixed."
Ji Nian was puzzled. "Two phones?" she asked in confusion.
