Meng Zhen wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes and spoke with an icy tone, “Assistant Director, you must have heard. I’ve already been shelved by Yunlai Entertainment. There’s no future for me in the entertainment industry anymore. All I want now is my innocence. Besides the release of the surveillance footage, there’s nothing more to discuss between us.”

Assistant Director Zhou hadn’t expected Meng Zhen to be so resolute. Hearing the beeping sound from the other end, he stood dumbfounded for a moment before snapping out of it and pocketing his phone.

Zhao Chuanzi had been looking at him with hopeful eyes. Seeing his old friend shake his head, Zhao Chuanzi’s slightly chubby body couldn’t help but sway a little.

It’s all over.

The official account of 《Phoenix Arrives in Splendor》 remained silent for a full day without any response. The last post they made had already gathered over fifty thousand comments, a level of attention that was unimaginable for an unreleased web drama. However, Zhao Chuanzi would rather not have such attention.

Now that things have come to this point, many netizens have started to sympathize with Meng Zhen. If the production team still wouldn’t make a statement, this web drama might be permanently tainted with the reputation of being ruthless.

In the end, Zhao Chuanzi was forced to upload the unedited surveillance footage online.

Netizens refreshed the page and clicked on it without hesitation.

The quality of the video wasn’t very clear, but it was still possible to distinguish the figures in it. Meng Zhen was seen wearing a fiery red wedding gown, her slender waist like a willow, looking graceful and dazzling.

She held Ji Xiaoling’s wrist and led her to an antique corridor.

Around them, many crew members were carrying equipment back and forth, clearly in the midst of filming.

It was unclear what Ji Xiaoling said to Meng Zhen, but the latter raised her hand as if to slap her. However, from the surveillance angle, it was clear that Meng Zhen’s palm did not touch Ji Xiaoling’s cheek. It was merely a gesture.

The stark truth was laid bare before the eyes of netizens. Those who had previously attacked Meng Zhen suddenly disappeared, as if they had never existed. Also, those who had been misled by rumors and had turned away from her, now felt a burning sensation on their cheeks, unable to articulate their feelings.

The people who were feeling the most difficult at the moment weren’t these wavering bystanders, but Ji Xiaoling’s true fans.

The true fans wholeheartedly supported their idol, believing every word Ji Xiaoling said as if it were a decree. Now, they had discovered that their idol was far from the imagined perfection. They saw her lies flowing effortlessly, her heart filled with malice, and she had used the trust of her fans to manipulate them like a silent killer.

Ji Xiaoling’s actions deeply wounded the hearts of her fans. Many people started to unfollow her, and her Weibo follower count, which had just reached 8 million, plummeted at a cliff-like speed. In the end, only a little over 1 million remained, including zombie accounts^[1]fake followers bought by her management company. This drastic decline clearly showed how rapidly her popularity had fallen.

Ji Xiaoling’s studio worked overnight to draft a ‘heartfelt’ apology letter, which was eloquent and ‘sincere’ in tone. However, it did not receive any response from the other party involved in the incident.

Many younger fans who couldn’t distinguish right from wrong continued to support Ji Xiaoling. At this moment, they were tirelessly mentioning Meng Zhen and sending her numerous private messages, urging her to come forward and accept their idol’s apology. However, Meng Zhen rarely used Weibo, and these messages seemed to disappear into silence without any response.

Not all faults can be forgiven, and even if Meng Zhen were to see Ji Xiaoling’s apology letter, she wouldn’t reconcile.

What she wanted all along was the truth to be out. And now that it did, Ji Xiaoling’s career in entertainment was almost ruined. So this could be considered as settling a debt for the other Meng Zhen.

Lei Yin has been closely monitoring online trends. Seeing that netizens’ evaluation of Meng Zhen had improved significantly and that many fans were questing new photos in fan forums, she covered her mouth and posted the short video she had just taken on Weibo.

She hadn’t yet finished her exam paper this week so she didn’t spend much time crafting the caption. She simply posted a line from 《Ancient Banquet Song》, 【The maiden presented the wine in a goblet, her hairpin drooping as if devoid of strength.】

The young woman, dressed in a pure black dance practice outfit, stood by the balcony. Her footsteps moved gracefully like a fish in water, swaying lightly and elegantly. Her eyes revealed a sense of melancholy and parting, yet also held deep yearning. The dim yellow light of the apartment reflected on her petite face, shrouded in a hazy radiance, and she exuded an ethereal and lively charm.

No wonder the ancients said to admire beauty under the lamp. The soft light enhanced bone structure and added luster to the skin. How can it not be beautiful?

【Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh】

【Isn’t Sister so beautiful? Is she dancing?】

【Upstairs, Sister isn’t dancing, she’s practicing Peking Opera movements.】

【Brother Da^[2]Big Lei is really impressive! She always manages to capture new footage of Zhenzhen. Zhenzhen’s beauty is striking, and any screenshot is stunning! I want to lick the screen, no one can stop me!】

Lei Yin uses her large account to post updates. She was a member of the fan club and often shared unseen new photos of Meng Zhen. Right now, she has nearly ten thousand followers.

【Brother Da Lei is so lucky! I also want to be best friends with Zhenzhen and capture her dancing. How can there be such a stunning woman in the world?!】

Lei Yin ignored the clamoring fans and, like showing off a treasure, brought her phone to Meng Zhen, smiling cheerfully. “Sister Zhenzhen, they all really like you. You’re so wonderful, who wouldn’t like you?”

Meng Zhen pressed the play button, carefully observing her movements and expressions, contemplating how to improve. Her expression was particularly serious.

“Sister Zhenzhen, I posted the video without your permission. Are you upset?” Lei Yin asked, a bit uneasy.

Meng Zhen slowly shook her head. She slightly raised an eyebrow and tapped Lei Yin’s nose with her index finger. Her blood-red lips curved into a smile, resembling a fairy absorbing sunlight in the mountains. Just a moment ago, she was ethereal like a celestial being, now she exuded an enchanting allure. Who could resist such a vibrant and captivating beauty?

Even though Lei Yin is a girl, her heart pounded in her chest. If she had been a man, she would surely have had a nosebleed.

“Sister, please stay away from me.” Lei Yin said, pushing her away with her hand.

Meng Zhen, clearly puzzled, asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lei Yin sniffed, her voice filled with grievance, “I’m straight, I don’t want to bend. Sister Zhenzhen, you’re too beautiful. Your looks have a 200% fatal effect on a face lover like me. I can’t handle it!”

Although Meng Zhen was an old antique from the republican era, she had seen the experiences of the other Meng Zhen and understood how irrational face lovers could be. They liked someone regardless of gender, nationality, or personality. As long as the person was beautiful, they would earn their affection. This was the essence of ‘beauty is justice’.

After all, they were youngsters.

———pr

Xu Xueruo had long been following Meng Zhen’s news online. Lying in her hospital bed, she watched the graceful girl in the video, feeling a creeping jealousy gnawing at her flesh.

When Zhao Rong was young, she was renowned for her beauty. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have married the CEO of the Xu Group.

When she was young, Xu Xueruo was unclear about her identity. She had once been frustrated, wondering why she didn’t resemble her mother. With features that were far from beautiful, she could only be described as delicate.

Later, she came to understand that being an adopted daughter meant there was no blood relation, hence the lack of resemblance.

Xu Xueruo remembered vividly the day Meng Zhen first arrived at the Xu household. She wore the simplest and most plain clothes, yet her face was so stunning that it could captivate everyone’s attention.

Fortunately, Meng Zhen was timid and introverted back then, which toned down her attractiveness, making her seem a bit rustic.

But Xu Xueruo hadn’t expected that in just a few months, Meng Zhen would transform like a butterfly breaking free from its cocoon, dazzling everyone around her.

At this moment, Xu Xueruo harbored a thought in her heart—— This non-blood-related sister would take away everything that originally belonged to her.

Xu Xueruo felt increasingly uncomfortable the more she thought about it. She breathed heavily. The smell of disinfectant filed her nostrils and intensified the anxiety in her heart.

After hesitating for a moment, she took out her phone and dialed a number. When the call connected, she timidly spoke, “Sister, I’ll be discharged from the hospital in a few days. Would you be free to come home for a meal? Are you still upset with Mom and Dad? It’s all because I’m useless. Before, I was abandoned due to my weak health, and now, because of my allergy to cat fur, they blamed you…”

Xu Xueruo’s voice came through the phone. Meng Zhen could imagine how the other party looked right now. Likely crying with a pitiful expression that would evoke sympathy.

Not receiving any response from Meng Zhen, Xu Xueruo couldn’t help but lower her eyelids, hiding the scorn in her eyes.

Although her allergy to animal fur was severe, with prompt treatment, it wouldn’t affect her health at all. However, Zhao Rong always perceived her adopted daughter as fragile, inevitably showing favoritism towards her. This was why she spoke recklessly and used hurtful words to attack Meng Zhen.

“I just saw the news online. You’ve been expelled by Yunlai Entertainment. I heard that people who are expelled can’t continue staying in the company’s arranged dormitories. Now that your contract is terminated, Sister, you can’t just stay in a hotel, can you? Come back soon. Xueruo misses you.”

Zhao Rong stood in front of the ward’s door with an insulated lunch box in hand. Hearing her adopted daughter’s gentle voice, her expression softened slightly.

Xu Xueruo had always been this kind and generous since childhood, never competing with others, and often considering their feelings to the point of neglecting her own.

Even if their long-lost daughter had returned, they couldn’t mistreat Xueruo. She was also the precious daughter of the Xu family, and that would never change.

Xu Xueruo had already noticed Zhao Rong standing outside the ward. She gently urged, “Sister, there’s no place like home. Are you still blaming me?”

After saying that, she turned to fetch a glass of water from the bedside table, seemingly accidentally pressing the speakerphone button.

Children raised in orphanages crave warmth from family the most and detest competition for that warmth. Xu Xueruo didn’t believe that Meng Zhen would not harbor any resentment after being driven out of her home.

Meng Zhen had long seen Xu Xueruo’s true intentions and could also guess the kind of trap the other party had set.

At that moment, Meng Zhen wiped the sweat from her face with a towel. A faint smile played on her full, rosy lips, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes as she spoke softly, “Xueruo, over these years, you’ve been the one accompanying Mom and Dad, healing the wounds in their hearts. Although I haven’t had much education, I understand what it means to repay kindness. I’m grateful to you so how can I ever blame you?”