Marry by Relying on Favor: Chapter 8 - Video Call Invitation
Chapter 8: Video Call Invitation
After sending the message, He Qingchi put down her phone and walked into the walk-in closet.
She took out the cheongsam from her suitcase and hung it in the glass wardrobe. Still wrapped in her towel, she bent down and took out the white shirt too, hanging it up to avoid wrinkles from folding.
Under the light, the wardrobe—full of women's clothes and cheongsams—now had a lone men's dress shirt among them.
He Qingchi raised her dark eyes. Unintentionally, she caught her reflection in the glass of the wardrobe: her pale figure was so close to the shirt, it looked as if she were leaning intimately against it, only separated by a sheet of clear glass.
She stared for a moment, dazed, until she was jolted back to reality by a sudden notification sound from her phone.
Turning to walk back out, the edge of her fair calf peeked out from under the towel.
Even before reaching the phone, she somehow already sensed it would be from Wen Shuchen.
She didn’t know why she thought that, but when she picked it up, sure enough, there was a concise message from him: [I’ll be back in Jiangcheng next Wednesday.]
He Qingchi sat back down on the soft sofa, still thinking about how to reply.
Then Wen Shuchen sent another message: [Add me on WeChat?]
Ding—a friend request popped up on WeChat a second later.
Her finger moved on instinct and tapped “Accept.”
A new chat window appeared: “You have added W. You can now start chatting.”
He Qingchi stared at the screen, unsure of how she felt.
Just as she was about to tap on Wen Shuchen’s profile picture, he beat her to it—initiating a video call.
Her reflexes were too fast. Before she realized it, his handsome face had already appeared on her phone screen.
Both of them froze for a second.
He Qingchi stared blankly, caught off guard by the sudden call—she hadn’t mentally prepared herself at all.
She’d also forgotten she was only wrapped in a thin towel, and not very securely. Her pale, slender shoulders were exposed, and the towel edge barely concealed the soft curve of her chest.
On the other end, Wen Shuchen clearly hadn’t expected her to be undressed either.
His deep gaze instantly shifted away, politely looking elsewhere.
Even through the screen, the atmosphere turned suffocatingly quiet.
When they finally both tried to speak:
He Qingchi: “I—”
Wen Shuchen: “Just now—”
They both paused mid-sentence again.
The silence returned, so quiet their shallow breathing could be heard.
He Qingchi tossed the phone aside and curled up on the sofa, hugging her knees, her long black hair falling over her exposed back.
A while later, she bit her lip and looked up again, glancing at the screen still glowing softly nearby.
Wen Shuchen’s image had disappeared, likely to avoid making her uncomfortable—but he hadn’t ended the call. His voice came through low and calm: “There’s a private kitchen in Jiangcheng that’s very well-reviewed. It's so popular it's fully booked until next year. I’ll be back next Wednesday. Could I borrow three hours of your time that evening at 7:30?”
He Qingchi’s heart pounded. Just moments ago, when his gaze landed briefly on her chest through the screen, her skin had felt like it was burning—and her mind was still a little dazed.
She replied in a voice so soft it was barely audible.
But Wen Shuchen heard her.
Neither of them mentioned the earlier awkward moment again.
Background voices could be heard on his end—other men speaking German, likely his colleagues—he was still working.
He Qingchi was about to end the video call, but before she could tap the screen, Wen Shuchen’s voice lowered intentionally, almost like a whisper between lovers: “I have a meeting in two minutes. I’ll contact you when I’m back. Go put some clothes on—the temperature in Jiangcheng tonight is low. Don’t catch a cold.”
“......”
He Qingchi’s fair fingers hovered over the screen, staring as the call ended from his side.
At the end, his tone had suddenly become intimate—not in a flirtatious way, but like he was naturally concerned.
Then it hit her: Could he have misunderstood her answering the video call in just a towel—as some kind of deliberate… seduction?
*
At 8:30 that evening, the temperature had dropped, but the city center remained brightly lit and bustling.
He Qingchi changed into a dark green dress. She wasn’t in the mood to dress up, so she went out bare-faced.
When she arrived at the Western restaurant she and Qin Chuan had agreed on, the place was filled with glamorous, perfectly styled women. Her simple elegance made her stand out, drawing attention from many of the men present.
The waiter politely led her to Table Five, where Qin Chuan was already lounging, waiting for her.
A few men nearby who’d considered approaching backed off when they saw she had company.
As soon as He Qingchi sat down, Qin Chuan started teasing her in his usual irreverent tone: “That guy with the yellow tie on your left hasn’t taken his eyes off you since you walked in. Femme fatale, huh? I think you’d better hurry up and find some powerful man to back you, or you’re gonna end up distracting too many of them.”
He Qingchi took the menu the waiter handed over, casually ordered two dishes, and rolled her eyes at him: “You’re not really the young master of the Qin family, are you? You’re just like my dad—probably his secret love child.”
Qin Chuan burst out laughing.
All jokes aside—He Qingchi, with her porcelain-doll beauty, really was a sight to behold.
He had seen too many beauties over the years and was numb to them.
Unlike the one a few tables over...
Qin Chuan leaned toward He Qingchi and winked. “Diagonal from you.”
She thought he was about to make another bored comment about some man staring at her, so she looked up impatiently—only to see a woman in a pale white dress, exuding a graceful, aloof elegance.
When she raised her head fully, He Qingchi realized the woman had a flawless, stunning face.
No wonder Qin Chuan looked so excited.
“Honestly, your features and hers are kind of similar—both cold and refined.”
He’d just said it when He Qingchi turned her gaze away.
At the same moment, the beautiful woman looked over as if sensing their attention.
Her eyes were deep and elusive, holding an unreadable, complex story.
He Qingchi gave her a polite smile, lifted her tea cup to her lips, and the prayer beads on her wrist sparkled in the light.
The woman’s eyes were calm and emotionless. A few seconds later, she lowered her head and resumed eating.
He Qingchi didn’t think much of the brief encounter.
She didn’t even know the woman’s name. It wasn’t until after dinner, when she went to pay, that the waiter informed her, “Miss Shu has already paid for your table.”
Miss Shu???
He Qingchi looked at Qin Chuan, confused. “Your friend?”
Qin Chuan waved off the waiter and raised an eyebrow. “Nope… Do you know who that beauty is?”
He Qingchi pressed her lips together, waiting for him to continue.
As they walked out of the restaurant, Qin Chuan said teasingly, “If you ever enter showbiz, you wouldn’t even need to study the scene. You don’t recognize the famous Movie Queen Shu?”
“I don’t follow celebrities.”
“That Movie Queen Shu is internationally renowned—one of the few young actresses recognized abroad purely for her acting. She’s won every major award. The same Director Guo who cast you for the lead once publicly praised her, saying she has a beauty that seems untouched by the world… Plus, she’s incredibly low-profile. No hype, no public romances, and no commercials.”
He Qingchi felt lost in all the info, and couldn’t help glancing at Qin Chuan, who looked almost giddy.
Come to think of it, he’d had this same expression when talking about Wen Shuchen.
“So… this beauty is another of your idols?”
“I don’t chase celebrities,” Qin Chuan said shamelessly.
He Qingchi got into the car and sat in the passenger seat. She asked again, “Then how do you know so much?”
Qin Chuan waved his phone, looking proud. “You were late for dinner, and I got bored—so I asked a friend who invests in the entertainment industry…”
“And the point is?”
He Qingchi: “...” So all that buildup and you’re still not done?
Qin Chuan mimed slashing his left thigh through his pants.
He Qingchi stared at him, not getting it.
Then Qin Chuan leaned in and said in a low voice, “That Movie Queen Shu debuted with a prosthetic left leg.”
He Qingchi’s expression changed—she hadn’t noticed anything unusual under the long dress back in the restaurant.
“Movie Queen Shu only acts in international films. She rarely accepts domestic projects, and if she does, it’s just historical dramas,” Qin Chuan continued as he started the car.
After all, wearing a full prosthetic leg, taking on modern roles in domestic shows would be hard for the audience to accept—and she’d be an easy target for smear campaigns by competitors.
He Qingchi understood now. But what puzzled her was—did this Movie Queen Shu know her?
*
That question didn’t linger long in He Qingchi’s mind.
She forgot it entirely by the next day, thanks to a full night’s sleep. In the afternoon, she headed to the film set.
Since she wasn’t yet a big enough star for the company to assign a personal assistant, her agent came to pick her up in person.
In the van, Li Ling sat in the front passenger seat—dressed in a professional designer suit and heels, short black hair framing her cold profile. She wore a Bluetooth earpiece and was currently handling another artist’s schedule over the phone.
“Give it a couple days—I’ll apply to the company to get you an assistant,” Li Ling said suddenly.
He Qingchi, who had been gazing out the window, was pulled from her thoughts.
She smiled faintly and declined the offer. “I’m not used to it.”
Sometimes Li Ling couldn’t help but wonder—what kind of background did this girl come from?
She seemed wealthy, yet had no industry connections when she entered the entertainment world. Her clothes and dresses didn’t bear any obvious luxury brand logos.
Yet if she weren’t rich, how come even a multi-million yuan penalty couldn’t scare her off from walking away from a role? She’d rather ruin her career than accept something she didn’t want.
And now, they wanted to give her an assistant—yet she wasn’t used to that either?
He Qingchi could practically see Li Ling’s cold expression starting to crack.
But honestly, it was just the truth.
She valued her privacy too much. Having an assistant by her side 24/7 who might report back to the agency? It reminded her too much of being back at the He family home, where her father had bodyguards monitor her every move.
Besides, she wasn’t some top-tier celebrity—she didn’t need an assistant.
If she hadn’t already signed the film <Red Rouge>, He Qingchi felt she would’ve left the entertainment industry altogether. It was too exhausting. She wanted to switch careers and find something quieter.
Li Ling didn’t bother arguing anymore. Before they reached the set, she explained things clearly: “Technically you’re joining the crew today, but Director Guo and the male lead haven’t arrived yet. The assistant director is just getting the actors together early to build some rapport for better collaboration.”
“You’ll stay at a hotel near Hengdian for now. If you’re not comfortable there…”
She instantly regretted starting that sentence.
Too late—He Qingchi picked up right where she left off: “I won’t be comfortable. I’ll commute between Hengdian and the apartment.”
“......”
When the company first signed He Qingchi, Li Ling had high hopes for her—the number-one cheongsam beauty.
She fought to get her on her roster and was already planning how to launch her to fame…
When she discovered something terrifying.
—He Qingchi had no ambition whatsoever!!!
With her looks alone, she could’ve easily been a screen siren and landed on the big screen.
But instead, she entered the entertainment world and behaved nothing like a typical actress.
*
Once they arrived at the set, they found that filming for <Red Rouge> was closed off at Hengdian, meaning no fans or visitors were allowed nearby. He Qingchi followed Li Ling, introduced herself to the assistant director, and then went off to rest in a private room.
She might not be famous, but she was still the female lead—her treatment was noticeably better than the others’.
As He Qingchi turned a hallway corner, she happened to see a studio door swing open. Director Guo stepped out first, smiling from ear to ear. He kept looking back, chatting eagerly with the person behind him—an unusually enthusiastic display.
Then came the sweep of a crimson skirt.
He Qingchi stopped in place and saw that same flawless face from the previous night.
The woman walked out, tall and poised, escorted by her assistant. Her beauty was stunning. Even an old industry fox like Director Guo was all smiles in her presence. “Miss Shu, it’s settled then. I’ll have someone bring over the contract.”
That beautiful face remained expressionless, always a little aloof. She didn’t bother replying to the people around her.
Her eyes landed briefly on He Qingchi. She paused for a few seconds—then turned away as if she’d never seen her, and left with Director Guo respectfully escorting her.
He Qingchi watched the movie queen’s retreating figure—the red hem of her dress brushing the floor. Her gait was perfectly normal. If she hadn’t already heard about the prosthetic leg, she wouldn’t have guessed.
Honestly, He Qingchi didn’t care much for other people’s private matters.
But the movie queen’s attitude left a strange feeling in her chest.
She didn’t dwell on it and headed to the dressing room labeled with the name of her character.
……
He Qingchi had completely forgotten the most important detail—why Director Guo was at the set today.
After that awkward video call with Wen Shuchen, she hadn’t slept well the night before.
She even dreamed the towel slipped off mid-call…
Now curled up on the couch catching a nap, she had barely slept for thirty minutes when Li Ling barged in and jolted her awake.
The door swung open—then slammed shut with a loud bang.
Just from the sound and force, even in her groggy state, He Qingchi could tell Li Ling was angry.
“What happened?” she asked lazily, sitting up and adjusting her dress.
Li Ling’s face was cold. She paced back and forth a few times before her fury settled enough for her to speak. “Did you see Director Guo just now?”
“I did,” He Qingchi replied casually. But Director Guo had been too busy buttering up the movie queen to even notice her.
“Then congratulations... Director Guo has decided to replace the female lead. Movie Queen Shu will be taking your role.” Li Ling’s words said “congrats,” but her expression was full of fire.
Even if He Qingchi lacked ambition, she was still her artist.
They’d already joined the crew—being cut last-minute like this was outrageous.
He Qingchi repeated quietly, “Director Guo replaced me?”
“When he was preparing this Republican-era film, he really wanted Movie Queen Shu as the lead. But she was too expensive. Then he found you—perfect in a cheongsam, with a temperament similar to hers. So he gave the role to a rookie with no backing.”
Li Ling’s face remained blank, but her voice grew more furious. “Today Movie Queen Shu showed up in person and agreed to lower her fee to take the role. So now you’re demoted to a supporting character.”
“You fought so hard to get him to cut that last-minute added scene—and now it’s all for nothing. The gown fits someone else now! And it’s not like Movie Queen Shu lacks offers…”
He Qingchi was silent for a long moment.
Then her long lashes fluttered slightly, and she asked, “The investor for this film… that President Fu—is he on board with this change?”
“President Fu?”
Li Ling’s next words made He Qingchi swallow whatever she was about to say: “You didn’t know the investor changed? That previous President Fu didn’t care what Director Guo added to the film. But the new investor forbade any added scenes—even kissing scenes aren’t allowed.”
“And that new investor... is none other than Movie Queen Shu’s real backer.”
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