Chapter 444: All Tips Handed Over to

The three leading ladies of "Nothing But Thirty" are indeed no ordinary women.

Mao Xiaotong needs no further introduction — the entertainment circle's number one wife catching cheaters!

Her decisiveness and swift action remain a textbook case to this day; a textbook breakup, endlessly retold by netizens everywhere.

She can rightfully be called the entertainment circle's strongest contender for personally tearing scumbags apart.

As for Jiang Shuying, this young lady's story requires asking Hu Ge.

It feels like the two of them weren't together for very long, but a casual search turns up all sorts of stories and reflections.

Things like bursting into tears the moment they brought up the breakup.

There's even a breakup CP name — that's right, a breakup CP name.

When love has become a thing of the past, from then on "Jiang and Hu shall not meet"; in the moment of waking from the dream, "gazing afar at Jiang and Hu."

As for the stories before Hu Ge and after Hu Ge, they seem even more dramatic, but without hard evidence, it's not proper to speak carelessly.

When filming "The Battle at Lake Changjin" later, Bai Liang had a couple of drinks with Yu Dong, and who knows, he might just brag it out himself.

As for the last one, Tong Yao — this one is even more impressive.

The story from over a decade ago involving Zhang Guorui's son and that department head from the Central Academy of Drama caused an enormous uproar.

League of Legends came out a bit too late, otherwise Sett could have had a new nickname.

All this gossip was told to Bai Liang by Mao Xiaotong, in a manner of warning him in advance.

For some reason, this young lady always felt he wouldn't behave himself — that even coming for a guest appearance he'd somehow end up hooking up with someone or other.

Bai Liang: "So should I leave?"

Mao Xiaotong: "You'd best not come~ A dragon's pool and a tiger's den!"

Heh~ that line had exactly the opposite effect — after all, without entering the tiger's den, how can one catch the tiger cub.

With someone like Bai Liang, the more you say it like that, the more he wants to come over and see what exactly is going on.

Besides, a real man's word once given cannot be overtaken even by a team of four horses — he'd already promised her he'd come for the guest appearance, and standing her up would feel rather ungentlemanly.

Last time he stood up Wu Jing and didn't go to "The Climbers," and that old rascal has been nagging about it ever since.

Luckily Bai Liang saw through his "sinister intentions" — nothing more than: guest role turns into supporting role, supporting role turns into lead, and finally hijack the whole crew with him.

And Mao Xiaotong, faced with him being so true to his word, was somewhat helpless.

"Who did you promise?"

Bai Liang answered without thinking, "Jiang Shuying~"

Mao Xiaotong: ". You little demon! The way she's been looking at me lately has been off."

At this remark, Bai Liang found it rather strange. "I actually originally thought I was going to guest on her storyline, didn't expect it got assigned to you — is there any particular reason for that?"

The moment those words came out, Mao Xiaotong suddenly went silent, with a clearly visible hint of guilt on her face.

But she immediately changed the subject. "You're only guesting for two days, behave yourself on our set, I. I'll be keeping an eye on you!"

"Keeping an eye on me. Surely it's not that serious?"

"It is that serious! None of you are easy to deal with."

"Including you?" Bai Liang suddenly asked.

That question caught Mao Xiaotong off guard. She thought it over for a few seconds, then nodded firmly, even striking a threatening pose. "I'm the hardest one to handle — you better watch yourself!"

Threatening people with that kind of look really doesn't have much impact—it's like a tiny figurine.

When Mao Xiaotong threatens people, it has the feel of a kitten over there baring its claws and hissing.

This is the disadvantage for girls with cute appearances.

Not only does it lack any deterrent power, it actually makes people want to deliberately tease her just to see how she'll "act tough" afterward.

Of course, if you really think she's soft and cute and can be pushed around however you like, you're in for a nasty surprise.

Bai Liang has gone catching cheaters with her before! He's witnessed this young lady's decisiveness firsthand!

Earlier, Sister Tian Tian also told Bai Liang that she truly admires someone like Mao Xiaotong—if it were her, forget being so aggressive and gathering people to storm the scene, let alone cutting through the chaos with a swift blade; she'd probably be so pitiful that she'd cry first and then lock herself away.

As for what to do afterward, Sister Tian Tian said she didn't know — maybe she'd beg the other party to come back to her.

At the time, she was clearly hesitant, but finally, looking at Bai Liang, she gave this answer.

From these words one can tell Sister Tian Tian really is easy to bully — she just handed over her hand right away.

Back during that cheating-catching incident she really was purely watching the show, didn't learn a thing.

After joining the set of "Nothing But Thirty," Bai Liang quickly met the other two in the "dragon's pool and tiger's den."

Tong Yao came over briefly to say hello — she really does look quite a bit like Zhang Ziyi, no wonder she was once called Little Zhang Ziyi.

At the same time, that certain fierce, driven quality she carries also gives the impression of a woman with real ambition and grit.

Speaking of which, on this track Bai Liang has already seen three women in this age bracket.

From Zhang Ziyi to Tong Yao, then to Cunzi — a nicely stepped age ladder.

Zhang Ziyi needs no further introduction — the fierce woman who could pull Wu Jing into a romance on Zhufeng.

For now, the one with the most fighting spirit should be Tong Yao—she's a post-'85, and although she's barely clinging to the tail end of her youth, she's still in her prime fighting years.

As for Cunzi, she's still too young right now; compared to her seniors, she has plenty of ambition but lacks fighting power—she couldn't even defeat Chen Duling in their "showdown."

But it's hard to say whether it's some mystical quality of this fierce-looking type, but in terms of public opinion each and every one of them has been through blood and storms.

Zhang Ziyi's ink-splashing scandal, Tong Yao's getting-beaten incident, Cunzi's deadbeat dad affair.

And Zhang Ziyi successfully turned things around with "The Grandmaster," and Tong Yao has also met her "Nothing But Thirty."

Next we'll see about Cunzi~

If she can also make it, standing in that future public opinion environment and reversing the overall situation, then from then on, this look will probably become the entertainment industry's "golden-blade prophecy."

As for Jiang Shuying — the moment this young lady saw Bai Liang, her expression was as if her period had just arrived.

She wanted to smile at him, but the effect that came out was painfully miserable.

After exchanging a few polite words, he stared at Mao Xiaotong for several seconds.

Mao Xiaotong: Why are you staring at me like that? I'm not fighting you over screen time—go play by yourself!

The three female leads are close friends who grow together in the drama, but TV dramas are just portrayals of others' lives, with little connection to the actors' real selves.

In short: their relationship is average, just colleagues.

Just now, Jiang Shuying and Tong Yao came one after the other, yet the two didn't even greet each other, not exchanging a single word the whole time.

It definitely seems off—no surprise, another screen time battle.

Bai Liang has noticed lately that he's seen quite a few female stars fighting over screen time; back at the "Flowing Years" set, Ni Ni and Liu Shishi were doing the same thing.

Xi Zi Ge is more honest—he never thought of fighting me over screen time~

He's a "good kid."

Mao Xiaotong:

You shameless thing—so you think everyone around you is a saint?

Do you think others don't want to fight for screen time?

She couldn't help rolling her eyes at Bai Liang, but then she asked: "What's your hotel room number?"

"Huh?" Bai Liang froze for a moment.

But before he could answer, Mao Xiaotong immediately added: "Yes, that reaction is good—don't just answer when someone asks!"

Okay okay, boys need to protect themselves when they're out, right~

But the next second, Bai Liang blurted out his room number: "I'm in room XXX."

"You—"

"You're not someone else—I can tell you without worry."

Hearing this, and seeing Bai Liang's utterly "sincere" expression, Mao Xiaotong sighed inwardly in despair.

She didn't even know if she truly wanted to know—she'd responded so quickly partly to shut him up.

Also to make her stance clear.

But once he said it, she realized she wasn't as resistant as she thought—and that left her deeply conflicted.

Still, she quickly gave herself a perfectly good excuse, calling it:

"I'll come over to your room tonight, just to make sure no other woman knocks on your door—but I'll definitely return to my own room on time, don't get the wrong idea."

"Oh oh~" Bai Liang nodded obediently.

But when Mao Xiaotong asked him to repeat the room number, she suddenly spotted the flaw: "Does the production's hotel have that many floors? You're on the twenty-first floor?"

"I'm not staying at the production's hotel—I'm at a five-star hotel five kilometers away."

". You're really a big star, aren't you? Too far—I'm not going."

Mao Xiaotong: Since he's staying that far away, he probably won't be harassed—there's no need for me to go over and "watch" him.

But Bai Liang added: "The production's producer just told me that, but I'm about to tell him not to make special arrangements—I'll just stay at the production's hotel."

Oh no~

You little rascal!

Mao Xiaotong couldn't help placing her hands on her hips, feeling both helpless and a tiny bit delighted.

She couldn't help wondering: Is this because of me?

She bit her lip, thought for a few seconds, then said: "Don't change— I want to stay at the five-star hotel."

"Huh?"

"I mean, I'd rather go through the trouble—I don't want you telling the production and them misunderstanding something."

Bai Liang tilted his head and smiled: Got it~

In "Thirty Is the New Twenty," his guest role is a low-level company clerk who dates Mao Xiaotong's character, Zhong Xiaoqin, then she goes back to reconcile with her ex-husband.

This plot… is actually kind of interesting.

Too bad Zhong Xiaoqin isn't a divorced mother with a child—if she were, Bai Liang felt he'd play it even more naturally.

He really does attract single mothers.

But Yang Lei, who plays Chen Yu, Zhong Xiaoqin's ex-husband, seemed slightly exasperated and chuckled: "Bro Liang, she dates you, then comes back to me—isn't that a bit unreasonable?"

Bai Liang thought for a moment: "It's totally reasonable—you look way more mature and reliable than I do. Of course girls would want to marry you."

"Really?" Yang Lei looked at Bai Liang, then glanced at Mao Xiaotong beside him, as if hoping she'd weigh in—he even adjusted his collar~

Mao Xiaotong nodded decisively.

But inside, she didn't quite agree—strangely, Bai Liang hadn't changed at all since she first met him; there was no trace of time on his face.

She guessed he could still pass for a high school student without much objection from audiences.

Yet standing next to Yang Lei, he suddenly seemed far more mature and steady.

Adaptive aura?

Hmm… honestly, Bai Liang looks more reliable—he makes Yang Lei seem like a wolf in sheep's clothing, always refined-looking but possibly abusive.

So… this guy Bai Liang really does "destroy everyone he meets"!

Yang Lei and Bai Liang have a strange connection—they've collaborated and crossed paths many times.

They first met in "Time After Time," where Yang Lei made a cameo as a real estate agent.

Bai Liang also appeared with him in "Qing Ping Le," where Yang Lei played the second male lead, Han Qi.

When Bai Liang visited the "Flowing Years" set to see Ni Ni, Yang Lei had just wrapped his role—the ex-boyfriend of Liu Shishi's character.

His aura is perfect for playing the husband role in all kinds of TV dramas.

He's a very considerate husband, always perceptive and tactful.

After glancing between Mao Xiaotong and Bai Liang a few times, he made plans to have dinner and drinks together that night, then immediately took his leave.

"Don't even know what she saw in me~"

But this behavior did make Mao Xiaotong feel a bit guilty, wondering if she had been acting strange somewhere.

This won't do.

So she hurriedly changed the subject, choosing to roast Bai Liang: "The internet's been in an uproar over you again lately."

"Me?" Bai Liang pointed at himself, surprised.

"Sister Tian Tian and Unlike Ni Ni 'got into it,' and Reba has been at loggerheads with Gulinazara too. If it's not because of you, then who? I've been chatting with both of them recently."

"Both?"

"Don't worry about that, just tell me if it's true or not."

"Uh, maybe there's a little connection." Bai Liang said quite honestly.

Mao Xiaotong: Hey! Just as I thought, a "scourge who brings ruin for the sake of a beauty"!

"You shouldn't have come to guest star in my storyline at all, you should have gone to Jiang Shuying's, to play that player Liang Zhengxian!"

"That's still different though, I just flipped through the script, and that player Liang Zhengxian actually has to spend money." Bai Liang continued, being very practical.

He expressed a bit of disdain for this so-called player.

Spending money to pick up girls? And he dares to claim it's his charm?

What right does a character like that have to be mentioned in the same breath as him.

Mao Xiaotong:???

Her relationship with Reba needs no further explanation, and her friendship with Sister Tian Tian came from that time catching a cheating partner.

How to put it, Sister Tian Tian is quite the sharer, after that incident she seemed to actually look up to Mao Xiaotong, often chatting with her and sharing her relationship troubles.

Although she never said it outright, whose relationship troubles could it be about—how could anyone not see it.

It left Mao Xiaotong completely bewildered; she had even told Reba before: I'll keep an eye on things for you.

And the result was, damn it, she ended up coaching the "other woman."

But Sister Tian Tian speaks nicely, and she's quite cute and adorably silly, so when she didn't mention Bai Liang's name, Mao Xiaotong really couldn't refuse her. She'd genuinely counseled her many times.

Mm, my advice was: break up!

Obviously, she'd been advising it all along, but it never worked, since Sister Tian Tian stubbornly insisted she wasn't dating anyone.

If it never officially started, how could it officially end~

They could only fall into this state of push and pull, unable to bear leaving.

And with two "samples" in hand, Mao Xiaotong knew Bai Liang's situation all too well.

He really just hooks girls' souls away. They willingly give themselves to him, unable to bear leaving.

Scumbag!

After finishing dinner with the drama's leads and directors, Mao Xiaotong arrived at the five-star hotel suite where Bai Liang was staying, thinking this to herself.

Cursing him in her heart, but her body was very honest, sitting right next to Bai Liang watching TV together.

Smelling the faint scent of alcohol on him, she didn't know why, but she didn't find it the least bit unpleasant.

Instead she felt... quite manly.

She couldn't help leaning a little closer. In her heart she still had to "hypnotize" herself, saying she was just helping keep an eye on things.

Looking at him on the TV screen, mm~ Zhang Xiaojing's in-drama look was clearly a bit more manly, because of the armor hidden under his clothes, making him appear tall and burly.

What they were watching now was "The Longest Day in Chang'an," and Bai Liang was very diligent about keeping up with his own drama~

This was originally his biggest motivation for acting, bar none.

"The Longest Day in Chang'an" had been airing until now, and although it couldn't touch the drama king "Joy of Life," its position as a hit drama was already secured.

Moreover, this drama had many supporting characters who became quite famous.

For example, Cui Qi, Long Bo, and others.

Big supporting roles breaking out wasn't unusual, but many minor supporting roles also had plenty of standout moments.

For example, the scene used in "Actors, Please Take Your Place" earlier—even trended to number one on the hot search.

The show had naturally already aired, and Bai Liang's "uncanny speed-learning method" naturally became a hit after broadcast, as expected.

It led many people to discuss the feasibility of his method, since it really did seem quite useful watching it on the show.

But the conclusion they reached was naturally: the great immortal was purely messing around.

But the show's impact and promotional effect were naturally both quite strong—the show gained popularity, the TV drama received attention, the Golden Mirror that performed alongside became known to more people, and Bai Liang once again let everyone recognize his variety show talent.

This gentleman, apart from pulling those scary stunts, really does have quite the imagination—being that funny on such a serious show.

At the same time, Guo Xiaosi's attitude toward Bai Liang also blew up online.

This guy was honestly a bit too sycophantic, and combined with some editing, it made viewers feel a bit physically uncomfortable.

Plenty of people even went to his Weibo to advise him: give it up, Xiaosi, this isn't a contestant you can "lay a finger on," you'll never get to him~

Originally Xiaosi seemed to want to drop some hints, but seeing the capybaras eyeing him menacingly, he chickened out.

And besides these people, there was also a bunch of various young ladies and Bai Liang's CP fans who also looked ready to "take him in."

So Xiaosi righteously declared on his Weibo: he just wanted to collaborate with Bai Liang~ is that a crime?

Mm. You can't even think it! Even thinking is a crime!

This made Deng Lun's fans feel rather bad about it too—they had just been happy earlier because Deng Lun was going to act in Xiaosi's "Qing Ya Ji."

Only to turn around and see others being so dismissive.

On top of that, Xiaosi himself openly said he wanted to get Bai Liang to act in it, but was rejected, which was even more like rubbing their family's face in the dirt.

We're top-tier too!

This piled up old and new grudges together, after all when Bai Liang went on "The Great Escape" back then, in just two episodes he turned the tables, stealing the spotlight and camera time from the original main cast.

Deng Lun's fans had been holding their breath too, hoping their guy could step up and one day slap that face back!

The grudges and entanglements in the entertainment circle often arise this way; the original parties wouldn't necessarily have been so antagonistic toward each other.

But due to all sorts of external factors and trivial matters, they somehow ended up clashing for no reason.

Mao Xiaotong: That's right~ For no reason at all, life is unpredictable.

After finishing the TV drama, it was already past eleven at night.

According to her original statement, she should have left this place.

But perhaps she was reluctant to leave this five-star hotel's premium suite~

It's indeed much better than the room she stayed in.

So much so that she had no intention of leaving at all.

(End of Chapter)