Rise and Slay: From Scandal Queen to Academic Genius - Chapter 210 - 191: Watching Ji Xizhi Make a Fool of Herself

Chapter 210: Chapter 191: Watching Ji Xizhi Make a Fool of Herself

On the other end of the phone, Qin Yutian hurriedly assured, “My cousin absolutely, absolutely didn’t know it involved gambling, he really just wanted to get on the field and play the game!”

Ji Xizhi was evidently much calmer than Qin Yutian.

She said plainly, “Don’t rush. First, find a lawyer you know well, then send me a detailed account of what happened as best as you can.”

Qin Yutian had never encountered anything like this before, and suddenly dealing with his cousin’s situation, he was flustered and instinctively sought out the person he was most familiar with, Ji Xizhi. After hearing her words, he began to prepare accordingly.

On Ji Xizhi’s side, she borrowed Xiao Yuan’s computer and started looking into gambling laws and case analyses in advance.

The photo studio wasn’t far, and by the time Xiao Yuan drove there, Ji Xizhi had only read halfway. She calmly put away the computer and got out of the car.

This studio was the same one where they shot the advertising promo last time, though the main photographer this time was a different team.

Today’s photo shoot task was not very heavy; the photographer only needed to take a few sets of photos and it would be over. Director Fan Ci had been delayed due to unexpected matters and didn’t come by, so Ji Xizhi and the others started without him.

As soon as Ji Xizhi and Xiao Yuan got out of the car, a staff member trotted over to greet them.

“Teacher Ji, you’re here! The makeup room is this way, the makeup artist is already arranged and waiting for you. Please go in first to get your makeup done!”

The staff was very polite and led Ji Xizhi and Xiao Yuan into the makeup room.

The theme for this photo shoot’s cover was more laid-back, with a total of three outfits: a casual T-shirt and jeans with a helmet, a somewhat everyday black suit, and a regular school uniform, with the makeup also more on the casual side.

The makeup artist was the same as last time and was familiar with Ji Xizhi’s face. Given Ji Xizhi’s good looks, it didn’t take long to finish.

After the makeup was done, it was pretty much time for the shoot.

But before Ji Xizhi could go out, the staff who had just welcomed her came in with an apologetic face, “Oh, Teacher Ji, I’m so sorry, really sorry, the photographer isn’t ready yet. I’m afraid you’ll have to be troubled to wait a little longer~ really sorry!”

Upon hearing this, Ji Xizhi didn’t mind much, she just nodded slightly and said, “Okay.”

Afterward, she turned to look at the makeup artist beside her.

The makeup artist shivered under Ji Xizhi’s gaze, involuntarily recalling the shocking scene when Xiao Yuan opened a suitcase full of exam papers earlier.

Makeup artist: “Studying for graduate exams while answering papers? Feel free!”

Ji Xizhi: “…Thank you.”

Having thanked her, Ji Xizhi picked up her computer and continued to look at what she hadn’t finished in the car.

Beside her, Xiao Yuan also pulled out an exam sheet and quietly started writing.

The makeup artist shivered alone in the corner.

Ji Xizhi and Xiao Yuan had basically gotten used to this rhythm, and once the two got immersed in it, they forgot about time.

When they finished the materials on hand, forty minutes had passed.

Even Xiao Yuan was a bit dazed, she turned over the exam paper, then frowned at the time, “How strange, it’s been so long, why isn’t it ready yet?”

Just as Xiao Yuan finished speaking, the previous staff member came back, with a smile on his face, and carrying half a case of mineral water.

“Really sorry, Teacher Ji, we have to wait a while longer! I brought some water for you to drink!”

The staff member had a smile on his face, but his words were perfunctory.

He didn’t mention how much longer it’d be before the photographer was ready, just coming in to placate them.

Another hour passed.

Even the staff stopped coming by.

Xiao Yuan had finished an entire exam sheet by now and started to feel something was off.

Xiao Yuan: “We’ve been waiting for almost two hours and haven’t even seen the photographer’s face. Could they be deliberately leaving our Zhi Zhi hanging?”

Ji Xizhi looked calm, she glanced at her computer, Qin Yutian had just sent her a new message.

Ji Xizhi’s attention was diverted again: “It’s okay, let’s wait a little longer.”

…

Ji Xizhi and Xiao Yuan waited idly in the makeup room.

In another makeup booth not far away, a few photographers were gathered around a small table, playing cards and laughing, with a stack of red bills placed on the table beside them.

The photographer sitting closest to the door happened to be the one who was reported by Ji Xizhi for smoking before, holding cards in his hand with an expression of smugness.

“Let’s play for a bit longer! Feeling sore losing just a thousand? Play, play, play! Win it back!”

“Bro, isn’t leaving Ji Xizhi on hold like this not so good? It might be hard to get more work afterward, right?”

“With me, how could you lack work? If you’re this timid, why be a photographer? You’ve got to have some pride, that’s how people take you seriously! Plus, are you afraid of that Ji Xizhi? Look, besides a few variety shows, what’s she got? No endorsements, no company, no background. Current popularity is fleeting, what’s the point of catering to her?”

“You need to know to read the room, if it were some other first or second-tier artist, I’d say sure, it could bring you resources later—but what can Ji Xizhi offer you? What resources can she provide you?”

“As photographers, we need to have our pride too. Stand tall, and people will respect you! Besides, I just heard from the staff who welcomed Ji Xizhi that she’s even picking at the makeup artist, if you go, you’ll just get scolded, relax and let’s play some cards!”

“There’s time to shoot after cards, we can make it!”

The photographer who was fined for smoking tossed his words lightly, dealing the cards again.

The group, absorbed in their losses, focused solely on playing several more rounds of cards.

Soon it was sunset time.

The photographer fined for smoking stepped out of the booth to catch his breath, and immediately saw the staff member in charge of liaising with Ji Xizhi earlier. He casually smiled, “Still waiting? She didn’t get mad or leave?”

The staff member laughed along, with a hint of weirdness in his smile: “Exactly, she can really sit still, doesn’t seem like a big star at all, not causing a fuss or anything, wonder why! Seems like her assistant is more anxious than her!”

“Why else? No background. If she threw a fit here, who knows—she might lose her popularity the next moment!” The photographer snorted, patting the staff member’s shoulder, and said, “You cover for me for a couple of rounds, I’ll go take a look.”

The photographer was eager to see what’s going on in the makeup room.

He left his place at the card table to the staff member, found an excuse, and quietly made his way to the makeup room, ready to watch Ji Xizhi make a fool of herself.