Chapter 25: The Lover Brother

Jiang Mi turned her head, her almond-shaped eyes shimmering with a teasing smile.

Zhao Xiaomin’s eyes flashed with amazement—such a stunning beauty, born with an enchanting allure.

With a face like that, she could instantly become famous just by playing a role like a seductive femme fatale.

“Miss, hello, hello, I am…” Zhao Xiaomin walked closer with a flattering smile, slightly bowing. But when she saw the small black mole under Jiang Mi’s eye, she froze, “Jiang… Jiang Mi?!”

“Not interested.” Jiang Mi’s voice was melodious, with a hint of mockery. She added, “He isn’t either.”

Gu Chuan remained impassive, but his dark eyes never left Jiang Mi.

Zhao Xiaomin’s pupils trembled, as if she hadn’t yet processed what was happening.

She had watched the romance show with Shen Mingxuan, where she had witnessed Jiang Mi’s transformation. But because Jiang Mi constantly opposed Shen Mingxuan and Bai Ruoruo, and even landed Shen Mingxuan in the hospital, Zhao Xiaomin had grown to despise Jiang Mi, instinctively viewing her through a lens of ugliness.

But she hadn’t expected that Jiang Mi in person was even more beautiful than on camera.

Wait, the issue was that she had just humiliated herself by fawning over Jiang Mi!

Realizing the foolishness of what she’d done, Zhao Xiaomin was furious with herself.

“Jiang Mi! What’s with the attitude? Get into the office right now and explain yourself. What were you thinking, putting Actor Shen in the hospital?”

Zhao Xiaomin’s sudden change in demeanor shocked the surrounding employees, who looked on with disapproval.

When she didn’t recognize them, she had groveled and tried to sign them.

Now that she knew who they were, she was suddenly full of arrogance.

Gu Chuan slightly furrowed his brow, a cold and terrifying aura surrounding him.

Suddenly, he felt warm, soft fingers poke him in the lower back.

Gu Chuan looked down, noticing that the slender fingers seemed to want to playfully tickle him, “…”

Caught in the act, Jiang Mi wasn’t embarrassed at all. Her eyelashes fluttered, and her almond eyes curved into a charming smile.

Meanwhile, Zhao Xiaomin, who had been ignored, jumped up in a rage, “Jiang Mi, I’m talking to you! Don’t pretend you can’t hear me. Explain why you set up Actor Shen!”

Jiang Mi chuckled lazily, “If he’s too weak to handle it, that’s not my problem. Heh, if you’re not using your eyes, why not donate them to someone who needs them?”

“It was you who deliberately took him to those dangerous rides. Don’t try to deny it!”

Jiang Mi shrugged, “If rides that even little kids can enjoy are dangerous to you, then sure, whatever makes you happy.”

Zhao Xiaomin’s body trembled with anger, “Stop smirking! Actor Shen is still in the hospital. You’re coming with me to apologize to him and do a live stream admitting it was all your fault, to clear his name!”

Jiang Mi had always known Zhao Xiaomin was foolishly obsessed with love, but she hadn’t realized it was to this extent. “Are you okay in the head?”

Others around them also wanted to say, “Manager Zhao, are you okay?”

“I watched that live stream. All the rides were perfectly normal, and Jiang Mi didn’t force Actor Shen to go on them. He insisted on following.”

“Exactly, and Jiang Mi went on even more rides than him. She’s fine, so why did he end up in the hospital?”

“Weak, I guess. A lot of guys these days look good but aren’t much use.”

“But am I the only one curious why Manager Zhao, who’s supposed to be Jiang Mi’s manager, is siding with Actor Shen and putting Jiang Mi down?”

“This is blatant favoritism. Sacrificing her own artist to whitewash someone else’s. It’s incredible Zhao Xiaomin even thought of that.”

Zhao Xiaomin was annoyed by the chatter around her but didn’t care much. To her, they were just a bunch of insignificant employees.

Her expression became even more arrogant as she took a step forward and pointed her finger at Jiang Mi’s face, “You’re the one with the problem! Jiang Mi, if you keep pestering Actor Shen, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

Actually, Jiang Mi had a bit of admiration for Zhao Xiaomin.

After all, being this blind was an accomplishment in itself.

However, a crisp slap rang out.

Jiang Mi curled her lips into a smile so beautiful it was heart-stopping, “And how exactly do you plan to be ruthless?”

Zhao Xiaomin froze for two seconds before suddenly screaming, “Jiang Mi, you’re crazy! You actually dared to hit me—I’m your manager!”

“That’s exactly why I hit you, you ungrateful traitor.” Jiang Mi sneered.

Hearing the words “ungrateful traitor,” Zhao Xiaomin suddenly felt guilty. It was then that she realized they were in the company’s main lobby, with people coming and going everywhere.

Panicking, she tried to grab Jiang Mi, “Come upstairs with me… Ah, my hand!”

Gu Chuan’s handsome face was cold to the extreme. With a light twist and a flick, Zhao Xiaomin was sent tumbling to the ground, clutching her wrist and crying out in pain.

Jiang Mi, however, laughed happily, “Brother, you’re being too harsh.”

Her sweet, clingy tone of “brother” made hearts skip a beat.

Gu Chuan’s gaze softened slightly, a hint of a smile appearing, “Had enough fun?”

Jiang Mi’s voice was soft and gentle, almost as if she were teasing him, “I got bored a long time ago.”

Just then, a few middle-aged men in sharp suits walked in from outside. Jiang Mi blinked and said to Gu Chuan, “Watch the show I’m about to put on for you.”

With that, her expression turned serious.

“Director Hu called me half a month ago, saying I was perfect for the third female lead role in Deep Palace and that they would contact my manager soon to sign the contract. So when’s the contract signing?”

Zhao Xiaomin’s face turned pale with fear, but she still tried to maintain her composure, “Y-you’re dreaming. Director Hu never considered you.”

“Is that so?” Jiang Mi sneered and played a recording of her phone call with Director Hu. Zhao Xiaomin screamed frantically, “It’s fake! That recording is fake!”

At that moment, the middle-aged man leading the group, the company president Chen Xing, asked, “What’s going on here?”

Zhao Xiaomin desperately tried to explain.

But Jiang Mi spoke first, “It seems Director Hu chose me for the third female lead, but Zhao Xiaomin secretly gave the role to Bai Ruoruo instead.”

Deep Palace was a massively popular drama set in the imperial court, and the third female lead was a crazed beauty, the most popular character—many actresses fought tooth and nail for that role.

Chen Xing Entertainment had invested in Deep Palace, so Chen Xing knew some of the behind-the-scenes details.

He had assumed that Director Hu didn’t choose Jiang Mi, but now it turned out that Zhao Xiaomin had taken the role and handed it over to a competitor?

“Zhao Xiaomin!” Chen Xing roared, “Is this true?”

Zhao Xiaomin tried to deny it, “No, President Chen, it’s not…”

“Not just Deep Palace, but also Dreaming Back to the Song Dynasty, Time Flies…”

With each title Jiang Mi mentioned, Zhao Xiaomin’s face grew paler, while Chen Xing’s grew darker.

The shows and variety programs Jiang Mi listed were mostly productions Chen Xing Entertainment had invested in, meaning they were meant for their own artists. But Zhao Xiaomin had given all these opportunities to Bai Ruoruo, using various excuses.

Giving the company’s resources to boost a competitor!

This traitorous scum!

“President Chen, don’t believe her, none of it’s true.” Zhao Xiaomin desperately tugged at Chen Xing’s pant leg, begging for mercy.

Chen Xing snarled, “If what she says is true, I’ll treat you like a corporate spy and make sure you rot in jail!”

Zhao Xiaomin hadn’t thought she was doing anything wrong—after all, many of the resources came from her own connections. But now, hearing Chen Xing’s words, she panicked.

At the same time, her hatred for Jiang Mi deepened. This was all her fault!

Jiang Mi bent down slightly, her voice as soft as the wind, but her words struck Zhao Xiaomin’s heart like a boulder.

“The ‘brother’ you thought of as your protector? He’s actually her lover.”