The Movie Queen Always Wants to Kiss Me - Chapter 27 - I’m Just Being Framed

Her normally bright, watery eyes were indeed veined with red, and faint dark circles showed through beneath her makeup.

Song Qiluo gave her a cold glance, her anger only barely restrained. She let out a sharp snort. “Shut up! You’re just making excuses! If I didn’t know you always act without thinking, do you think I’d be defending you now?”

“I’m just being framed.”

Framed, my ass! You’re nothing but a stupid cat in heat, a fool ready to throw herself at any man she sees!

Song Qiluo cursed silently but chose to spare her some shred of dignity. She said nothing more, merely waved her hand, signaling her to leave.

Tang Anhe didn’t dare linger. She practically tiptoed toward the door. But just as she reached the threshold, a voice called her back. “Wait—”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m listening.” She froze at once, standing ramrod straight, her expression solemn as though bracing herself for punishment.

Song Qiluo pressed her temples, a throbbing headache threatening to overwhelm her. Her tone was sharp with irritation. “What have you been up to lately? Ever since you won that Best Actress award, you haven’t had a single day of peace. Tang Anhe, tell me about it. What exactly are you trying to do?”

I want to date.

I want to go everywhere with Brother Cheng.

Where has Brother Cheng gone?

Tang Anhe brooded inwardly, yet when she spoke, her tone was respectful. “I haven’t been up to anything.”

“Then take a look at the stupid things you’ve done lately. Changing your Weibo name on a whim, messing with your fans, and now demanding scripts from Zheng Ye in the middle of the night. Is your head just for decoration? Don’t you know your place? Can’t you act like a proper celebrity?”

“I didn’t mean to.”

“Don’t try to fool me, Tang Anhe. I can see right through you. If you can bear to disappoint me, fine… but what about Mom? She treats you like her own daughter! Years ago, she even gave up marriage for your career! Now she’s sick, with little hope of living much longer…”

“Sis, stop!” Tang Anhe cut her off impatiently, her voice sharp with suppressed irritation. She couldn’t bear to hear it. Lowering her head, she muttered again and again, “I was wrong, I’m sorry!”

She was indeed wrong—wrong to think of leaving the entertainment industry, wrong to think of falling in love, wrong to dream of a simple, free life. She had been too greedy, too ungrateful, forgetting the effort others had poured into her… But even if she was wrong, did that mean she wasn’t allowed to make another mistake?

She didn’t want to stir up trouble everywhere. She was simply tired—tired of this glittering world, tired of living absurd and ridiculous lives in one drama after another…

Tang Anhe bowed her head in apology, her fists clenching tighter and tighter. Deep inside, she longed to cry out: Sis, I’m not stupid. I really am not. But if you want me to play the fool, then fine—I’ll play it. You’re my family, and I only want you happy. Only… are you truly my family?

Song Qiluo, unaware of her thoughts, looked at her obediently contrite expression and let out a helpless sigh. “Go home and think it over, Anhe. We always have your best interests at heart.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Tang Anhe nodded in response and turned to leave. Instead of returning to her own lounge, she headed straight for the HR department.

The office wasn’t crowded. Only Li Ru was there; another young woman was out on sick leave, leaving the room quiet and still.

When Tang Anhe walked in, Li Ru was painting her nails. At the sight of her, she looked flustered, quickly tidying her things before offering a stiff smile. “Uh, Anhe, why are you… here again?”

Anxin Studio wasn’t large. Just a dozen or so people spread across several departments. The HR office sometimes went an entire day without visitors, let alone someone as perpetually busy as Tang Anhe. Yet she hadn’t been mistaken. Tang Anhe had indeed come again. This was at least the third time that day, each visit with the same demand: Cheng Muye’s contact information.

Li Ru had already received Song Qiluo’s orders and given her a fake number. But after Tang Anhe dialed it several times, suspicion began to creep in. Could the phone really be turned off three days in a row? And so here she was again, pestering Li Ru.

“Sis Li, just give it to me. I know that number’s fake.”

She still wore that little-girl stubbornness, her cuteness laced with determination. When she saw no sign of Li Ru softening, those watery eyes flickered restlessly. She quickly put on a pained expression and lowered her voice. “Sis Li, I need to tell you something. Just you.”

But Li Ru was a seasoned professional, far too experienced to be swayed by such tricks. She kept her pleasant expression and smoothly changed the subject. “Anhe, I just remembered, Sister Song asked me to find you some bodyguards. Come take a look. They’re all female bodyguards, and quite pretty too.”

If it had been a male bodyguard, Tang Anhe might have shown some interest. But the moment she heard they were female, her enthusiasm vanished completely. After all, once you’d seen someone as captivating as Cheng Muye among female bodyguards, no one else could possibly compare.

Since Tang Anhe showed no interest, she had to find another way to stir Li Ru’s curiosity. Leaning closer, her lips nearly brushing Li Ru’s ear, she whispered pitifully, “Sis Li… Cheng Muye borrowed a huge sum of money from me.”

“Huh?” Li Ru was instantly hooked, her eyes widening. “How much?”

“Three million.”

“What?” Li Ru almost leapt from her chair. “Are you out of your mind? Why would you lend her that kind of money?”

Seeing she had taken the bait, Tang Anhe doubled down on her act, her expression full of grievance. “I wasn’t thinking. My sister had been treating her so kindly lately, so I assumed she was trustworthy. When she asked to borrow money, I just handed it over. You know I don’t spend much since my sister controls all of my finances. That money was the special bonus she gave me to hand out to our employees. After winning Best Actress, I wanted to buy everyone gifts, give out red envelopes… But now it’s gone! What am I supposed to do? Qixi Festival is right around the corner—if my sister finds out, she’ll tear me to pieces!”

Three million meant for staff bonuses and red envelopes?!

This had to do with her own personal gain!

“Serves you right to be scolded to death!” Li Ru’s heart ached more for the money than for Tang Anhe. She couldn’t hold back, snapping, “How could you be so reckless? Why didn’t you discuss this with Sister Song first?”

“I’m just pretending to be loaded, okay? I’m a big star… if I don’t have a few million to my name, how would that look?”

“So now you think you’re worth something? If the media gets wind of this, you’ll be plastered across the headlines again!”

Tang Anhe put on her best performance, tears welling up until they spilled down her cheeks within seconds. “Sister Li, dearest Sister Li, please don’t blame me. I’m so worried I could drop dead any second. But there’s still time! Just give me a chance to fix it. I have to get in touch with Brother Cheng and collect that debt!”

Li Ru’s expression shifted. With her own personal gain on the line, she softened, though Song Qiluo’s looming authority still made her uneasy. In a lowered voice, she suggested, “Anhe, why don’t you just go to Sister Song?”

“No way!” Tang Anhe cut her off without hesitation. “I just got caught in those rumors with the actor, and she’s already furious with me. If she finds out I’ve been duped again, she’ll blow up… and when she’s mad, the first thing to go is everyone’s red envelopes.”

That was entirely possible.

Li Ru dared not joke about money. She was, after all, just an ordinary person with little resistance when financial stakes were involved. After a few more rounds of Tang Anhe’s coaxing and pitiful flattery, she finally gave in, slipping her the contact information.

“Sis, you’re my lifesaver!” Tang Anhe threw her arms around her in an exaggerated hug before bolting out of the office in glee. The moment she cleared the doorway, she was already fumbling for her phone, dialing that precious number she had worked so hard to obtain.