In the study, Assistant Zhou was reporting to Xie Zhixing about what had happened today on the set of 《Immortal Vow》.

Xia Chengcheng had replaced the female lead and promoted a stand-in. This stirred up a storm both online and within the production team. But in Xie Zhixing’s view, it was nothing major, just a simple role change.

After finishing the report on Xia Chengcheng’s schedule that day, Assistant Zhou played a recording for Xie Zhixing. The audio was a meeting among Zhou Xiangnan and several scriptwriters, discussing which scene to use for the female lead’s audition to best showcase the actress’s skills and understanding of the role.

“In this clip, Director Zhou outlines the key points he looks for in selecting a female lead, and explains how the performance should reflect his ideal version of Yu Susu.” Assistant Zhou placed Zhou Xiangnan’s audition evaluation file on the desk. “Chen Mingjie must have given this recording to Ye Shiwen, which led to her securing the lead role in the film.

Ye Shiwen’s acting is actually decent. With Director Zhou’s guidance, playing the lead shouldn’t be a problem. But today, she seemed thrown off by the news that Madam has become the executive producer. On top of that, the male lead Xu Shaoyang’s acting was excellent, which made her VCR performance look terrible. Netizens don’t know the full story and are all criticizing Madam for replacing her. CEO Xie, do you want me to have the PR team handle this?”

“Yes.” Xie Zhixing replied while scrolling through the barrage of online insults on his phone. “《Immortal Vow》 is Tiancheng’s flagship project this year. It can’t afford mistakes.”

“Understood.”

Assistant Zhou began packing up the documents, ready to leave.

“Wait a second!” Xie Zhixing suddenly sat upright.

He had just seen a new trending topic on Weibo. Lie Crusher had surged into the top fifty on the hot search list.

And it was still climbing.

Lie Crusher had released a video. The footage showed a confrontation between Chen Mingjie and Lin Xiqian at the entrance of Boli Hotel.

Their faces were clearly captured, and the accompanying audio clearly recorded Chen Mingjie berating Lin Xiqian.

【Isn’t that guy the assistant director of 《Immortal Vow》, Chen Mingjie?】

【Who’s the woman? I’ve never seen her before. Is she an outsider? But she’s really pretty!】

【I recognize her! She’s a D-list actress who played a small role in Jin Yifan’s new drama. Her acting was amazing, and even though she was only on screen for two or three minutes, I remembered her!】

【Upstairs, welcome to the Lin Xiqian fan club! Even though she’s way down the ranks, she’s gorgeous and talented— totally worth supporting!】

【So what was Chen Mingjie doing? Forcing Lin Xiqian into prostitution?!】

……

There were only a few lines in the video, but the implications were explosive.

Immediately after, Lie Crusher posted a second video, this one a smoking gun proving Chen Mingjie had tried to force Lin Xiqian into prostitution.

In the footage, Chen Mingjie returned to a hotel room with another woman, only to be scolded by a man referred to as CEO Zhao. He complained that the female celebrities being sent recently were subpar, especially Lin Xiqian, who had run off halfway. He warned that if the next ones were the same, Chen Mingjie could forget about surviving in the industry.

The implication was clear— this wasn’t a one-time offense.

Netizens quickly dissected the two videos, piecing together the truth.

Chen Mingjie, a well-known assistant director, had long been pimping actresses in exchange for roles. Those wanting a part in a production had to agree to his unspoken rules.

Lin Qin, who was previously announced as the third female lead in 《Immortal Vow》, had landed the role only because Chen Mingjie introduced her to CEO Zhao.

However, when it came time for the costume fitting shoot, Xia Chengcheng set her sights on Lin Xiqian instead and promoted her. Naturally, Lin Xiqian replaced Lin Qin.

After Lin Qin lost the role and refused to go along with CEO Zhao’s demands, Chen Mingjie targeted Lin Xiqian. He told her that if she didn’t spend a night with CEO Zhao, she would lose the role.

In the end, Lin Xiqian refused to play along and ran.

【Is Chen Mingjie a monster? I want to punch someone!】

【He’s worse than an animal! Do they think women are products?】

【Poor Lin Xiqian! Thank goodness she got away!】

【Fire Chen Mingjie from 《Immortal Vow》! He’s not fit to be an assistant director!】

【This isn’t just about firing people! Soliciting prostitution is illegal! @JiangCityPolice @CapitalPolice @PeopleDaily come do your jobs!】

【Wait, wasn’t Ye Shiwen’s casting also recommended by Chen Mingjie?】

【Damn…… Did she get the role through shady deals too?】

【Just a passerby, but Ye Shiwen is a top actress. Director Zhou must’ve had the final say, so Chen Mingjie couldn’t have interfered. She earned that role through skill. She’s been praised in both film and television. This was clearly Xia Chengcheng abusing her executive producer role!】

【Sure, random passerby. Your profile pic basically screams ‘Ye Shiwen fan club president.’】

【The more you deny, the more it looks shady. Even if Ye Shiwen got in fairly, she’s clearly close to Chen Mingjie. Wouldn’t she have known what he was up to?】

【If she knew and still helped him, that’s even worse! I’m getting angry again!】

……

The internet was in full revolt against Chen Mingjie, and Ye Shiwen also took some collateral damage. Related hashtags exploded across Weibo’s trending list.

That night, under Xia Chengcheng’s directive, the production team released an announcement that the female leads 1, 2, 3, and the assistant director were all being replaced.

Zhou Xiangnan was eager to get rid of Chen Mingjie. The man had nearly ruined both his reputation and the entire 《Immortal Vow》 production.

Thankfully, filming hadn’t yet started, and the production lineup hadn’t been publicly announced. Otherwise, there would’ve been nowhere to hide his embarrassment.

Zhou Xiangnan immediately posted on Weibo, clarifying that this had been his first time working with Chen Mingjie and he had no idea about the man’s character. He announced they had terminated their contract with him and would firmly oppose any morally or legally tainted individuals appearing before audiences.

He also thanked Lie Crusher and the public for their vigilance and encouraged ongoing supervision of 《Immortal Vow》. If any member of the production team were found guilty of illegal or immoral behavior, they would be removed immediately. Public figures must be honest, law-abiding, and trustworthy.

【Director Zhou really handled this issue with class!】

【《Immortal Vow》 actually has principles! They didn’t condone Chen Mingjie’s behavior!】

【Director Zhou has made many classics. His film 《Iron Chain》 about rural women being abducted made me cry. I support 《Immortal Vow》!】

【I didn’t expect that making Xia Chengcheng the executive producer would actually help clean up the industry. Maybe she’s not bad in that role after all?】

【When’s 《Immortal Vow》 coming out? I’ll definitely watch it in theaters!】

Thanks to Xia Chengcheng and Zhou Xiangnan’s quick actions, 《Immortal Vow》 not only escaped damage from the scandal but also gained unexpected publicity without spending a dime on marketing.

As people denounced Chen Mingjie, they also praised 《Immortal Vow》 and Xia Chengcheng for removing a toxic presence from the industry. Many vowed to support the film in theaters.

────ρя

Please only read this translation at S h a n g h a i f a n t a s y . c o m to support the translator

Elsewhere, in a small villa, Chen Mingjie had seen the online revelations and was in a panic.

The people he had arranged these women for were high-ranking figures in Jiang City. If they were dragged down with him, he didn’t even want to imagine the consequences.

Without hesitation, he started packing his belongings to flee.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

Chen Mingjie froze. Who would come looking for him this late?

He turned to escape through the window, but the moment he jumped down from the second floor, several uniformed officers swarmed in and pinned him to the ground.

Cold, silver handcuffs clicked around his wrists.

“Chen Mingjie, right? You’re coming with us.”

Jiang City police successfully apprehended him and seized his electronics. Upon analysis, they found that over the past two years, he had arranged prostitution for over thirty actresses.

Many of them had been unknowns at the time, but after landing roles, they had gradually gained a foothold in the industry.

All of their clients were powerful figures— business moguls from Jiang City and even other provinces.

A rough estimate suggested that this scandal might shake the entire elite circle of the country.

In the interrogation room, Chen Mingjie sat across from the officers, his mental defenses slowly collapsing. When the list of powerful clients was decrypted, he buried his face in his arms in despair.

He knew it was over for him.

────ρя


The instigator behind this storm of scandal and bloodshed— Xia Chengcheng— was at this moment leisurely walking downstairs in a comfortable silk camisole pajama set.

Just moments ago, Auntie Liu had informed her that the chocolate lava cake was done baking. Perfect timing. She had just finished sending all the juicy gossip as Lie Crusher. Now, it was time to indulge in her midnight snack.

Soon enough, Xia Chengcheng was savoring the molten lava cake prepared by the chef. It was sweet but not cloying, melting in her mouth with every bite.

Word had it that this chef used to work at a Michelin three-star restaurant before becoming a private chef for the wealthy. Xia Chengcheng was thoroughly satisfied with his skills. If she ended up divorcing Xie Zhixing one day, she swore she’d take this chef with her!

As Xia Chengcheng enjoyed her late-night dessert, Xie Zhixing also came downstairs to pour himself a glass of water by the purifier. The two exchanged only a glance and a nod— barely a greeting.

Xie Zhixing sat at the dining table, sipping his bland, tasteless water while scrolling through his phone. His expression remained calm and indifferent, as if nothing in the world concerned him.

The next second, Xia Chengcheng’s phone chimed with a notification.

It was a program installed by the system. Whenever Little Rascal Classmate posted a comment on Weibo, she would be alerted immediately.

Xia Chengcheng’s eyes lit up as she quickly unlocked her phone.

【Little Rascal Classmate: More fresh gossip? This marketing account is so productive! Love it, love it!】

【Little Rascal Classmate: The assistant director of 《Immortal Vow》 is pimping people out? Can Tiancheng do something about these scumbags?!】

【Little Rascal Classmate: There’s even a recording of the client?! Scandalous! Crusher is amazing! I want more tea! Can’t wait! Excited face.jpg】

Crusher was the nickname netizens recently gave to Lie Crusher.

Looking at those comments, Xia Chengcheng’s lips curled up. “Husband, what are you looking at that’s got you so focused?”

Xie Zhixing’s hand froze on his phone. After two seconds of silence, he replied calmly, “Company emails.”

“Is that so?” Xia Chengcheng replied noncommittally. She twirled the spoon in her hand and asked with a smile, “By the way, there’s a lot of news online lately about 《Immortal Vow》, especially about Assistant Director Chen Mingjie. Have you been following it?”

Xie Zhixing kept a straight face. “Tiancheng’s affairs are handled by Assistant Zhou. I’m busy, not interested.”

Xia Chengcheng let out a regretful sigh. “Oh, then you probably haven’t heard that Chen Mingjie was fooling around with Ye Shiwen and got caught in the act by Han Jialin, right?”

Xie Zhixing: “!!!”

His eyes lit up instantly, and he spoke with a trace of schadenfreude, “So Han Jialin got cheated on?!”

Realizing his tone, he quickly switched to a serious one, “Hantian Entertainment is one of Tiancheng’s main rivals and a significant player in the industry. It’s necessary to understand their strategic moves.”

“Mhmhm.” Xia Chengcheng nodded as if agreeing. “But I think it’s probably fake. Just some unverified gossip. There’s no hard proof.”

Xie Zhixing choked slightly, shooting her a cold glance, his eyes scrutinizing her carefully.

Xia Chengcheng met his gaze head-on, unflinching.

They stared at each other for half a minute, and Xie Zhixing still couldn’t read anything from her expression.

“It’s late. You should get some rest.” He said abruptly, tossing the remark over his shoulder before hurriedly leaving the dining room with his water glass.

Xia Chengcheng remained seated, watching his slightly flustered retreating figure. She popped the last bite of lava cake into her mouth, perfectly content.

……

That night’s masterstroke had earned Xia Chengcheng over 5 million new followers, officially pushing her into the ranks of ten-million-follower influencers! Her reputation points also broke the 10 million mark!

Thanks to the system’s automatic life purchase, she wouldn’t have to worry about dying for a long while~

And more importantly, she had just caught some dirt on Xie Zhixing!

The supposedly aloof and restrained three-time Best Actor was actually a gossip-loving netizen!

That kind of unexpected cuteness was actually rather adorable~

While Xia Chengcheng was teasing Xie Zhixing, Jiang City Police posted on Weibo, stating that they had received a large number of complaints and reports from netizens. Based on the video and audio evidence provided by the blogger Lie Crusher, they had apprehended suspects Chen XX, Zhao XX, and other related parties. The case was still under investigation, and they promised to provide the public with a detailed explanation soon.

Many legal bloggers weighed in with their opinions. Although this wasn’t a case of directly catching someone breaking unspoken industry rules on set, the videos provided by Lie Crusher were more than enough to prove that Chen Mingjie had indeed engaged in solicitation. So a prison sentence was essentially inevitable.

【Last time, Crusher exposed Ji Jinghan and Hong Tao’s affair that led to his wife’s suicide. Now, Crusher is putting Chen Mingjie straight into prison. Crusher really has skills!】

【When Crusher drops gossip, it’s not just trending news, it’s societal headline-level drama! Amazing!】

【Don’t forget, Crusher also exposed Xie Zhixing as a pet owner!】

【Xie Zhixing: Among all these criminals, I feel like I don’t belong. Might as well show off Guangzhong and Yaozu!】

【Crusher’s gossip on others: Straight to jail. Crusher’s gossip on Xie Zhixing: Cute overload, must hug!】

【LMAO, I’m dying. Who wants to inherit my Ant Credit Pay account?】

【From now on, Crusher is the number one gossip royalty in the entertainment world! Crusher’s scoops are all pure gold!】

【Praises aside, did everyone forget about Ye Shiwen, the one who got the female lead role thanks to Chen Mingjie’s help?】

……

Ye Shiwen didn’t dare to check the online comments.

That earlier pitiful post had earned her a lot of sympathy and traffic. D Brand had even noticed from netizen feedback that, despite losing her role, Ye Shiwen still had high national popularity.

D Brand had even started negotiating with her manager, planning to offer Ye Shiwen an exclusive endorsement for their high-end jewelry line.

But now Chen Mingjie was exposed for pimping actresses!

Ye Shiwen remembered that in her previous life, Chen Mingjie had also faced a scandal. But that was because she had rejected his advances, and he drunkenly harassed a young celebrity!

Now it had become a case of him coercing young actresses into sex work?

There was a huge difference between harassment and solicitation. Harassment might spark online outrage, but even if it were true, it would be hard to gather real evidence. In her past life, although Chen Mingjie’s reputation took a hit, he merely dropped a few ranks and resumed directing after a while.

But this time, it was solicitation.

That was a heavier crime.

Ye Shiwen was furious at his incompetence. Had she known that Chen Mingjie had always been pimping people out, she would never have associated with him!

Ye Shiwen was a traffic actress, ranked alongside three other popular stars as one of the four rising young actresses of the industry. That meant she was in direct competition with the other three, especially for major roles like the female lead in 《Immortal Vow》, for which Lu Yanran, Xu Zhiqing, and Meng Ruyan had all auditioned.

After the news of Chen Mingjie’s scandal broke, netizens began to dig into his relationship with Ye Shiwen. Many believed she hadn’t earned the role through legitimate means. And leading the wave of suspicion were, unsurprisingly, the fans of the other three actresses.

Ye Shiwen’s downfall was exactly the kind of drama they were eager to see.

In the office of Hantian Entertainment, the assistant was reporting on the online situation, “Sister Wenwen, things are out of control under your Weibo post. It’s all trolls and fans arguing……”

Ye Shiwen furrowed her brows, a flash of coldness appearing in her eyes. She raised her hand and slapped the assistant across the face with a loud smack.

“There’s no solid evidence proving I got the role through Chen Mingjie. I was just dragged into this by him! Why the hell am I getting scolded too?!” Ye Shiwen snapped, her gaze sharp as a blade. “Are you even capable of doing your job? You can’t even handle a few trolls?!”

The assistant lowered her head, clutching her now swollen cheek as she sobbed quietly.

“Stop crying! So annoying!” Ye Shiwen rubbed her ear impatiently and pulled out a chair to sit down.

At that moment, her manager Tang Jingyi entered the office.

She patted the assistant on the shoulder and consoled her, “Wenwen’s just angry. She didn’t mean to hit you. Don’t cry. Go contact some PR accounts and clarify that Wenwen has nothing to do with Chen Mingjie. Then hire some ghostwriters to flood the comments with praise for Wenwen. Go quickly.”

The assistant wiped her tears and left the office.

“Enough.” Tang Jingyi pulled over a chair and sat down beside Ye Shiwen. “Xiao Zhang is an outsider. How could you lose your temper in front of her like that? What about your public image? If she leaks anything, you’re done for!”

Ye Shiwen sneered dismissively. “Would she dare? I pay her a hefty salary every month. She should do her damn job properly.”

“It’s not entirely her fault. That sob story post you made in the beginning shouldn’t have mentioned Xia Chengcheng, and definitely not Chen Mingjie!” Tang Jingyi sighed. “Originally, with this round of exposés, everyone would’ve focused on Chen Mingjie. But thanks to your post, and the marketing accounts fanning the flames, the fire’s burning you now too!”

“So what should we do?” Ye Shiwen asked, clearly worried.

She was one of the four rising young actresses in the industry. With her role in 《Immortal Vow》 and the endorsement from D Brand, she had been on track to become the top among the four. But today’s events had nearly knocked her off that list. Worse still, producers and directors might now hesitate to cast her, given the scandal with Chen Mingjie.

“That’s why we need everyone to believe you landed the role purely through your own talent!” Tang Jingyi pondered aloud. “If we release your audition tape for the film, the rumors about you relying on Chen Mingjie will collapse on their own.”

Back then, Chen Mingjie had given Ye Shiwen a recording of Zhou Xiangnan explaining what he wanted for the female lead in 《Immortal Vow》. That allowed Ye Shiwen to perfectly embody the character Yu Susu during her audition and secure the role.

Admittedly, Ye Shiwen had performed impressively at the audition. The netizens had no idea about the recording, so as long as the video was released, her strength would silence the doubters.

“The problem is, Director Zhou likely won’t agree to releasing the audition footage.” Tang Jingyi said, troubled.

Releasing it would only make people question why the actress was changed, and Zhou Xiangnan probably didn’t want to deal with that. Moreover, the executive producer of 《Immortal Vow》 was now Xia Chengcheng, who would be even less willing to agree.

“Then we’ll have to force them to release it.” Ye Shiwen said coldly, a glint of ruthlessness in her eyes. “They’ll probably release the comparison VCR too, so we need to come up with a reason to explain why my second performance was so much worse than the first.”

“What kind of excuse are you thinking?” Tang Jingyi asked. “I can arrange it with the marketing accounts in advance.”

Ye Shiwen’s lips curled into a cunning smile. “Maybe something like exposing a family conflict between Xia Chengcheng and the Xia family? Say the younger sister argued with her father and refused to go home. As the older sister, I was worried sick and kept trying to persuade her to go back, but I failed. And that affected my state during the performance.”

“I see.” Tang Jingyi stood up excitedly. “I’ll get on it right away!”

────ρя


The next day, Xia Chengcheng arrived early at Zhou Xiangnan’s studio.

Chen Mingjie had been fired, and now a new assistant director had to be selected.

Zhou Xiangnan had sent her several resumes the previous night, all from reputable directors in the industry, and some of whom had even worked with Zhou Xiangnan before. Their skills and reputations were solid.

Xia Chengcheng intended to take part in the interviews. After all, she was the executive producer. According to post-marriage property laws, she was entitled to half of 《Immortal Vow》’s profits. In the novel, the film grossed 5 billion at the box office. With a 30% profit margin for the producers, she stood to make 750 million.

It wasn’t just about the hidden marriage of Movie King Xie. For the sake of that 750 million, she had to wait until after 《Immortal Vow》 premiered before getting a divorce.

A pink Ferrari pulled up outside the studio, where a crowd of fans had already gathered.

Xia Chengcheng heard the leading fan shouting slogans. They were demanding the production team release Ye Shiwen’s audition tape to prove she got the role based on merit and had nothing to do with Chen Mingjie. They also wanted an apology from the team for reneging on their casting decision and damaging Ye Shiwen’s reputation.

Xia Chengcheng couldn’t help but find it laughable.

A director of Zhou Xiangnan’s caliber would’ve certainly included a clause in the contract stipulating that if the actor failed to meet the director’s expectations— due to acting, appearance, or other personal issues— the director had the right to terminate the agreement.

Still, Xia Chengcheng could understand the fans’ approach. At this point, only that audition tape could salvage Ye Shiwen’s reputation.

She parked her Ferrari in a nearby lot and was about to enter the studio through the back when a sharp-eyed fan spotted her and shouted, “That’s Xia Chengcheng!”

All eyes immediately turned toward her, filled with disdain and anger.

Ye Shiwen’s fans had always disliked Xia Chengcheng. Even before this scandal, they couldn’t stand her.

Soon, someone among them shouted, “You shameless b*tch!” and hurled an egg at her.

Xia Chengcheng reacted swiftly, tilting her head to dodge it.

The egg smashed behind her, splattering with a foul stench.

The attacker was a male fan who looked like he was about to take it further. But Xia Chengcheng raised her voice, “You’d better think carefully. I’m the executive producer of 《Immortal Vow》. Whether Ye Shiwen’s audition gets released or not, that’s up to me.”

The man hesitated, his raised hand still holding another egg.

After a moment, he reluctantly pulled back, retreating into the crowd, clearly unwilling but not daring to act.

Xia Chengcheng raised an eyebrow. “You think that’s enough?”

“What more do you want?!” He roared, face flushing red, his eyes bulging with fury.

Xia Chengcheng remained calm. “You’re not going to apologize for verbally insulting me?”

The fan was caught off guard. He recalled what he had just yelled at Xia Chengcheng. He never thought he was wrong, but for the sake of the beautiful and kind Ye Shiwen in his heart, he stepped forward, head bowed in humiliation.

“……Sorry.”

There wasn’t the slightest hint of apology in his tone, only grievance and unwillingness.

At that moment, Xia Chengcheng felt the hostile stares coming from all directions. If looks could turn into blades, she would’ve become a hedgehog by now.

“Clean up the mess on the ground. Don’t trouble the sanitation workers.”

She threw out that line and swaggered into the studio right in front of Ye Shiwen’s fans.

The system, watching Xia Chengcheng’s bold move, couldn’t help but click its tongue.

〖Host, what you just did was the textbook definition of a villainess! Ye Shiwen’s fans must absolutely hate you now!〗

Xia Chengcheng sneered. “Have her fans ever liked me?”

〖Well…… no.〗 The system muttered awkwardly. 〖But your actions were really unseemly! No wonder you were assigned the role of the vicious supporting character!〗

“You mean being righteous, like Ye Shiwen?”  Xia Chengcheng couldn’t help imagining how Ye Shiwen would’ve reacted if she were the one outside just now. “If it had been her, even after being cursed at and hit with rotten eggs, she probably would’ve wiped the mess off her face with a smile and said, ‘It’s okay, he’s just a child’.”

〖Ugh……〗 The system choked. 〖That sounded really pretentious!〗

Xia Chengcheng said playfully, “But that’s your female protagonist~”

A few minutes later, Xia Chengcheng walked into Zhou Xiangnan’s office.

The interview for the assistant director hadn’t started yet. Sitting inside was a young woman whose back looked familiar. When she turned around, Xia Chengcheng finally saw the even more familiar face. It was her ‘beloved’ stepsister, Ye Shiwen.

With fans causing a scene, it was time for Ye Shiwen to appear and voice her demands.

She hurried over, pretending to be concerned as she looked Xia Chengcheng up and down. “Chengcheng, I heard a fan threw an egg at you earlier. Are you alright?”

When she saw that Xia Chengcheng’s clothes were perfectly clean, a barely noticeable flash of disappointment crossed her eyes. It disappeared in an instant, replaced by a look of concern as she spoke with a pitiful expression, “I’m so sorry, Chengcheng. I didn’t expect my fans to come protest on my behalf……”

Ye Shiwen’s voice trembled sweetly, her long lashes glistening as if with tears. “They just couldn’t stand to see me treated unfairly. That’s why they overreacted. Please don’t be mad.”

Ye Shiwen’s manager, Tang Jingyi, quickly chimed in, “Actually, this whole thing isn’t the production’s fault. If anyone’s to blame, it’s Chen Mingjie for abusing his casting authority! Producer Xia, Director Zhou, I’m sure you wouldn’t want rumors spreading that there were problems with the casting of 《Immortal Vow》, right? So, releasing Wenwen’s audition tape is the best choice. It’ll calm the fans and show the audience that the production was fair and thoughtful!”

Ye Shiwen gently held Xia Chengcheng’s hand. “Chengcheng, I know you’ve never really liked me, which is probably why you don’t want the audition tape released. But for the sake of 《Immortal Vow》—”

“Who said I don’t want to release it?” Xia Chengcheng cut her off with a bright smile. “You should’ve just said so from the start. It’s just an audition tape. You could’ve emailed me directly. Why bother stirring up drama with fans?”

She exposed Ye Shiwen and Tang Jingyi’s scheme to have someone throw rotten eggs at her, making both of them visibly uncomfortable.

The fans causing a scene was only the first step. The next move would’ve been for a photo of Xia Chengcheng covered in egg to hit the trending list on Weibo. Netizens, ever eager for drama, would’ve joined the fans in demanding the audition tape.

Ye Shiwen was clearly using Xia Chengcheng as a stepping stone. It was a clever move, no doubt.

But Zhou Xiangnan didn’t pick up on all the maneuvering. He leaned close to Xia Chengcheng and whispered, “Teacher Xia, this bit of bad press will clear up once 《Immortal Vow》 airs. There’s no need to release the video. In fact, if we do release it, it might lead fans to question why we didn’t cast her.”

“But Ye Shiwen did give a great audition. That’s just a fact.” Xia Chengcheng shrugged, then patted Zhou Xiangnan’s shoulder comfortingly. “We have a clear conscience. We’re not afraid of shadows. Don’t worry about it.”

Zhou Xiangnan still looked hesitant and unconvinced.

Suddenly, the office door swung open, and a handsome young man walked in. His eyes were cold and unapproachable, only adding to his noble and refined air.

The system in Xia Chengcheng’s head instantly perked up like it had been injected with chicken blood^[1]to suddenly become hyperactive, high-spirited, or aggressive. 〖It’s Han Jialin! The man you’ve loved all your life! The male protagonist of the novel! He’s finally here!〗

As soon as Han Jialin stepped in, he pulled Ye Shiwen protectively behind him. Then he turned to Xia Chengcheng, eyes filled with contempt.

“Xia Chengcheng, Wenwen just wants her audition clip made public. Why are you giving her a hard time again?!”

Xia Chengcheng: “?”

Zhou Xiangnan: “??”

〖System: ???〗

Hello? Big Brother, is there something wrong with your brain? The mental hospital is to your left, thanks!

Leaning against the desk, Xia Chengcheng shot Han Jialin a disdainful glance and uttered just one word, “Idiot.”

Han Jialin: “???”

Zhou Xiangnan couldn’t hold back his laughter.

“Ahem…… CEO Han, there’s a misunderstanding.” Zhou Xiangnan quickly coughed to cover up his failed attempt to hold in his laughter. “Teacher Xia isn’t the one against releasing the footage.”

“Director Zhou, you don’t need to speak up for Xia Chengcheng.” Han Jialin cut him off sharply. “I know her all too well! She’s always made things difficult for Wenwen since we were kids! I’m sure she’s the one who stopped you from releasing the tape!”

Even Zhou Xiangnan was speechless now.

“Xia Chengcheng, stop pretending!” Han Jialin furrowed his brows. “Smearing Wenwen like this won’t win you my love! I will never, ever fall for someone like you!”

Xia Chengcheng: “……”

Zhou Xiangnan: “……”

〖System: ……〗

Help! Is this male protagonist even salvageable?!

All three of them stared blankly at Han Jialin, faces like the confused grandpa on the subway looking at his phone, not knowing how to respond.

Xia Chengcheng thought this had to be the most ridiculous thing she’d seen all day.

But soon, she realized that it could always get worse.

Because right after Han Jialin’s inexplicable love-rejection declaration, Ye Shiwen threw her arms around him, tearfully emotional.

“Jialin, I’m so touched! I knew you loved me!”

Xia Chengcheng: “?”

Zhou Xiangnan: “??”

〖System: ???〗

“Hey, System.”  Xia Chengcheng said solemnly, “You know what? I think the author actually did a good job with this setup. These two should stay locked together forever. Please don’t ever let them out to harm others.”

〖System: ……〗

Honestly? That’s exactly what I was planning too.

At last, Han Jialin delivered his final domineering CEO-style declaration, “Director Zhou, I want you to release Wenwen’s audition tape. If Xia Chengcheng threatens to withdraw investment, I’ll cover any funding gap myself!”

This time, Zhou Xiangnan didn’t laugh. He simply said with a cold voice, “CEO Han, has it ever occurred to you that the one who doesn’t want the footage released might be me?”

Han Jialin: “???”

He hadn’t seen that twist coming and stood frozen in disbelief. He scanned everyone in the room until he saw Ye Shiwen and Tang Jingyi nodding silently. Only then did he finally realize the truth.

But a domineering CEO is nothing if not persistent. Even after such a humiliating turn, he straightened his back and asked forcefully, “Then what would it take for you to agree to release the footage?”

Zhou Xiangnan was still thinking of how to decline when Xia Chengcheng spoke up first.

“Ten million.”

Everyone froze and turned to stare at her.

Xia Chengcheng beamed. “Since CEO Han is so rich, spending ten million to buy Ye Shiwen’s audition tape shouldn’t be a problem, right?”