Su Mo was in a good mood.

Though she wasn’t guaranteed to pass the audition for the TV series, she was still grateful to Yuan Hongsheng. He could have easily dismissed her with a flimsy excuse, yet he’d given her another chance instead.

When she first arrived, her heart had been as heavy as a dark raincloud. It wasn’t just about losing the role, but also the unfair treatment she’d endured.

Now, even if she didn’t get the part, at least she still had opportunities. And being replaced wasn’t due to her acting skills, which eased her mind considerably.

“Did you sign the contract?” Ma Wenlong noticed Su Mo’s upturned lips and hurried over.

Su Mo shook her head, smiling. “No.”

Ma Wenlong frowned, puzzled as to why she seemed so happy without a signed agreement.

“Don’t sweat the small stuff,” Su Mo replied when Ma Wenlong tried probing further.

The corners of Ma Wenlong’s mouth twitched. Though he didn’t fully grasp her mindset, he respected her decision and refrained from asking more questions. With an exasperated look at Su Mo, he turned and walked away to call his friend.

In contrast to her two-day-long silence, Yu Chuxin let out a cold snort upon seeing Su Mo’s cheerful demeanor.

“Good grief! How could you still manage to laugh? You’ve definitely got some mental fortitude there, Miss Mo. They kicked you out of the acting troupe, yet here you are, all smiles. I’m truly impressed!”

Her words instantly plunged the training field into an eerie silence.

Su Mo swiftly turned to shoot a glare at Yu Chuxin. “What did you just say?”

Yu Chuxin stood before the mirror, arms crossed, her lips curled in a sardonic smirk. “I heard you went to sign a contract, right? Did you end up signing? Don’t tell me you didn’t. I’ve heard the first, third, and fourth female leads all signed. So how come you didn’t? Oh, right, I almost forgot—the second female lead signed too. But that wasn’t you, was it?”

The trainees exchanged glances, their eyes betraying their astonishment.

“Miss Mo went for an audition?”

“My goodness! Miss Mo actually went for an audition? That’s impressive.”

“What’s impressive about it? Didn’t Initial say she didn’t make it?”

“Still takes nerve, don’t you think? Would *you* have the guts to try?”

“I have a better sense of my own limits.”

A dozen or so girls in the training field buzzed with whispered discussions, but Su Mo let their words wash over her, paying them no mind.

Wherever women gathered, gossip was sure to follow. She couldn’t possibly plug their mouths and stop them from talking, but she could control herself—knowing what to listen to and what to ignore.

She had long since passed the age of impulsive, fiery temper when mere insults could set her off in a flash.

*No need for anger; I won’t stoop to their level.*

But Yu Chuxin’s words were different.

Su Mo’s gaze, sharp and searing like a venomous snake’s, fixed unwaveringly upon Yu Chuxin.

Those with typically placid temperaments often unleashed more devastating consequences when their wrath was provoked, compared to those naturally quick-tempered.

The dozen or so girls on the training ground trembled inwardly, instinctively taking a step back, leaving Yu Chuxin alone to face Su Mo.

Yu Chuxin felt her skin prickle under Su Mo’s stare, yet she refused to yield. She lifted her chin and met Su Mo’s gaze head-on.

“What’s with your superiority complex? Always looking down your nose at everyone else! Let me tell you, you’ll be twenty-five soon, Su Mo. Do you really think you can stay young forever?”

“You act as though you’re some noble, untouchable figure! You may intimidate others, but not me, Yu Chuxin! You’re like yesterday’s flower, withering away. And did you really think you had a chance in that audition? Were you planning on telling us the whole truth if you succeeded behind closed doors? They kicked you out, Su Mo! Can you even admit that?”

Yu Chuxin relentlessly provoked Su Mo. She had been enduring this for days—wasn’t it all because Ma Wenlong favored Su Mo? An old pervert and an old woman scheming together—what was so special about them?!

Su Mo’s expression darkened, becoming unlike anything anyone had ever seen from her before.

Her gaze towards Yu Chuxin was cold enough to freeze ice, causing the surrounding girls to shiver in fear. *This is bad* they thought, *Su Mo is truly furious now*.

Just as these thoughts crossed their minds, a blur of motion caught their attention. Su Mo suddenly lunged forward, viciously grabbing hold of Yu Chuxin’s chin.

Su Mo towered over Yu Chuxin by nearly half a head. With a forceful tug on Yu Chuxin’s chin, she seemed capable of lifting Yu Chuxin entirely off the ground.

“Ah! Su Mo, what are you doing? You old woman, we’re not finished here! Let me go—ah! My face!”

Yu Chuxin’s voice reverberated across the training field. The observing girls nearby considered stepping in to pull them apart, but not daring to face the enraged Su Mo, not a single one moved forward, all huddling quietly to the side.

No one quite knew when the realization had sunk in—that Su Mo was genuinely capable of violence.

Upon hearing Yu Chuxin’s outburst, not only did Su Mo fail to release her grip, but she tightened it instead. With a forceful yank, she pulled Yu Chuxin closer.

“How did you know?!” Su Mo suddenly demanded.

Caught off guard, Yu Chuxin continued her tirade. “Old hag, you bitch, let me go! If you dare ruin my face, I won’t be done with you!”

After Yu Chuxin’s rant, Su Mo pressed again, “Yu Chuxin, listen to my question—how did you know I was trying out for a part? And how did you know they kicked me out of the production?!”

Yu Chuxin’s body froze as she realized with a jolt that she had let slip something she shouldn’t have. Only Ma Wenlong from the dance troupe was aware that Su Mo was auditioning. Even he hadn’t yet learned that Su Mo had lost her chance at the role, yet Yu Chuxin knew first.

She clenched her teeth, but regretting her loose tongue now was too little, too late. “Wh-wh-what did you say?” Yu Chuxin stammered, feigning confusion. “I don’t follow.”

Yu Chuxin vehemently denied it.

Su Mo had never shown any inclination towards violence and particularly disliked resorting to force to resolve problems. There was no one in her circle who was foolish enough to provoke her to the point of wanting to beat them up—until today, with Yu Chuxin being a notable exception.

Su Mo wasn’t one for impulsive anger, but she did have a temper—not a small one either.

If Yu Chuxin’s provocation today were merely for its own sake, it might have been overlooked. But her grievous mistake was to use this particular matter as a means of provocation.

Initially, Su Mo viewed this situation as a straightforward case where, due to Director Yuan’s personal issues, an actor change was necessary. However, Yu Chuxin’s words suddenly made her realize that things couldn’t be that simple. *Who could it be?* she wondered. *Who would go so far as to sabotage even an opportunity she had waited years for!*

“How did you find out?” Su Mo continued to grip Yu Chuxin’s chin tightly, her hold unwavering. “I’ll ask you again!”

“Ah! Su Mo, are you crazy?! Let me go—ow! That hurts, Su Mo, I’m going to fight you!”

As Su Mo tightened her grip, Yu Chuxin began to shriek and recklessly lunged at Su Mo without regard for self-preservation.