Chapter 24: Acquaintence
"Are you stalking me?" Shuya blurted out.
'Sis, don't think too highly of yourself. I work here. The real question is why are you here?' Internally, AnLing rolled her eyes.
AnLing didn't answer Shuya's question right away because she would much rather her not knowing where she worked but there was no other choice.
Using the nicest voice she had, AnLing answered her politely.
"I work here. Why are you here?"
Unlike the last time they'd met, AnLing was much calmer. A whole night of sleep did that to a person.
"Really? As what, an assistant?"
Shuya's words were meant to wound AnLing's pride. But since she was, in fact, an assistant, AnLing didn't even twitch.
Seeing how AnLing didn't answer, Shuya knew that she'd hit the nail on the head and began to giggle. She believed that the reason why AnLing wasn't answering was that she was ashamed of her profession.
A child of the Lu family was an assistant? What a joke.
"Oh my god. You are an assistant." Shuya made sure to accentuate the words 'you are' and 'assistant' as they came out of her mouth.
Unfazed, AnLing just stood there looking at her.
Shuya was a thousand years too early to be insulting AnLing's profession. At least she worked. Shuya, on the other hand, was like a leech; sucking up all their parent's money. Even Duyi had a part-time job.
When she was done giggling Shuya put her hands on her hips and lifted her nose in the air.
"Do you really want to know why I'm here?" Shuya said smiling.
She looked at AnLing as if she knew something that AnLing didn't but AnLing didn't take the look to heart because Shuya had always been like that. If AnLing had to describe her in a sentence, it would be that she was envy driven and stupidly arrogant.
"I'm here to visit a friend." Shuya waved her visitors pass around triumphantly.
'Good for you, now go away.' AnLing groaned in her head.
Although that was what she wanted, AnLing's straight face began cracking and turning into a frown.
AnLing knew that a few of Shuya's entourage had entered the entertainment industry but from what she knew, none of them had signed with Halo Stars.
Halo Stars was the best in the industry and the only people Shuya had been close to in the past were now untalented D and C list actors and actresses…
Halo Stars despite having many actors focussed on Music more than anything else and they wouldn't sign anyone untalented. So, it was impossible for them to have signed for Halo Stars.
Though now, AnLing began to doubt herself
Right then, a strange smile crept upon Shuya's face.
"Do you want to know who my friend is?" Shuya said as if she was reading AnLing's mind.
In reality, AnLing did want to know but there was no way she would admit it to Shuya. So instead of answering, she remained quiet. Shuya, after being around AnLing for so long knew what that meant, but also, she was never the type to leave someone hanging.
If she hated you she would tell you she hated you and if she bated you she wouldn't do it for long.
"Hey, Lu AnLing why are you trailing behind." Lin Li's voice came from behind AnLing. AnLing turned to look at the girl who was glaring at her.
"Uh sorry. I met a… an acquaintance." AnLing said slowly and awkwardly.
Shuya: "We're not acquaintances."
'For fuck sakes, Is this really the time for you to be saying that and being a bitch?'
That was a rhetorical question. Shuya was always a bitch.
Seeing AnLing's reaction to Lin Li and Lin Li's condescending attitude, Shuya assumed that she was AnLing's artiste.
"And you are?" Shuya sneered.
Shuya took this opportunity to show that everyone who associated with AnLing was bellow her because she truly believed that they were. So what if the girl was an artist? If Shuya wanted to, she could also be an artist.
Could she really?
With her family background probably so, but that didn't mean she would have the talent to sign for Halo Stars.
Not having time to deal with Shuya, Lin Li turned to walk away without answering.
Lin Li didn't grab onto AnLing but when she turned her back on Shuya, it felt like a force was pulling AnLing back with her. It was like a child being pulled away by its mother.
Shuya watched as the two disappeared into an elevator where Ning Jie and Manager Hong were waiting.
She was slightly annoyed by Lin Li's attitude. How dare a little artiste be rude to her? But in the end, Shuya didn't waste her breath running after them to cause a fight.
It would be an embarrassment to her friend, after all.
Quickly, Shuya made her way to the elevator.
At this point, AnLing and company were gone. Patiently, Shuya waited for another elevator to bring her up. When the elevator had finally come down, Shuya was beginning to get super impatience. Even waiting for it to open made her blood boil.
But when it did, it contained a surprise.
Inside the elevator, there was a beautiful woman with straight long hair flowing as if the wind carried it. She was gorgeous, in her light blue dress, and white shall. Her light makeup, just the right fit for her natural translucent skin.
She looked like an ice goddess.
"Jie Jie*!" Shuya called and ran to the beautiful woman.
The woman stayed put, letting the girl come to her.
"I thought you were coming up." The woman said softly.
Shuya: "I was on my way up when I bumped into someone."
"Or really, was it, someone, I know?" The woman seemed to be insinuating something. She was waiting for Shuya to confirm her suspicions but instead, Shuya averted her gaze and shook her head before she turned back towards her Jie Jie and looked her in the eyes.
Shuya: "It was no one important."
Meanwhile, in a small resting area Lin Li and AnLing waited for Ning Jie and Manager Hong. It was quiet between the two. Despite having worked together for about a two weeks they were no closer than acquaintances.
"Who was that girl, really?" Lin Li spoke first putting emphasis on the word 'really'. Her voice sounded as if she didn't care but just by the fact that she had asked, shocked AnLing.
AnLing wasn't sure what to say. Her and Shuya had a complicated relationship so she wasn't fully sure what to say.
They were sisters but also strangers, family but also enemies. AnLing didn't think that many people had to think so much about how to answer a simple question.
AnLing: "Well…She was my—"
Suddenly Manager Hong ran into the room.
"Is Ah Jie in here?"
Noticing the worry in her voice, the two assistants looked at each other from across the couch then they turned their gaze towards Manager Hong.
"No..." they said in unison.
What could have possibly happened now?
Ning Jie couldn't have possibly disappeared, right?
They both thought it was strange. At work, Ning Jie was always the most well-behaved artiste in the company. Barely anyone compared to her professionalism.
Manager Hong cursed under her breath and ran out of the room. Both AnLing and Lin Li felt their blood run cold. They looked at each other once more, their eyes communicating unease and then they bolted off the sofa and ran after Manager Hong.
In the hallway, Manager Hong tried her best to mask her worry. There were reporters in the halls after all and so, AnLing and Lin Li tried to do the same.
Out of all the times when Ning Jie could act up, she chose today…
Why?
When Lin Li and AnLing had reached the end of the hall, they saw Manager Hong frozen in place.
The two assistants ran up to her. Since Lin Li was younger and much more athletic, she easily beat AnLing to Manager Hong and then looked down the hall Manager Hong was gazing upon.
Once her eyes saw what Manager Hong was seeing her facial expression completely changed, mirroring Manager Hong's.
Lin Li who was usually calm pinched the space between her forehead.
Seeing both Manager Hong and Lin Li's reactions, especially Lin Li's, made AnLing shiver.
She ran towards them and gazed down the hall only to see Ning Jie and…
Who?
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
caremel
caremel I have a test today (not really a bit test but still...) and I'm sooooo tired. Can't wait until these two weeks are over so I can relax and write during reading week!
Anyways, enough about me, enjoy the chapter.
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