“Cheng Youran—”

Gu Yao’s smile froze instantly. How could it possibly be Cheng Youran?

“Impossible!”

Yuan Yifei’s reaction was even more dramatic than Gu Yao’s. She had been content believing that Cheng Youran, like her, had failed the audition—especially since Cheng Youran’s loss seemed more humiliating. It had brought her a sense of balance.

But now, not only did Cheng Youran fail to land the second female lead, she actually got the lead role instead! Yuan Yifei blurted out. “Uncle, you must have made a mistake!”

Yes, a mistake.

Gu Yao’s expression softened slightly. Other than that explanation, she couldn’t think of another reason.

After all, Cheng Youran’s acting skills were there, for all to see while she on the other hand had just won Wisteria Bes Actress award, and among the younger generation no one was more talented than her.

“There’s no mistake.”

Before the assistant director could speak, Meng Lang walked out. He approached Cheng Youran, a tired smile softening his face. “I hope we have a pleasant collaboration.”

Cheng Youran maintained her composure, extending her hand calmly. “Director Meng, I look forward to working with you.”

Meng Lang was slightly taken aback by her poise. In the entertainment industry, such calm under pressure was rare. Even Yan Junze, a seasoned Best Actor, had been too overwhelmed to speak the first time he landed a role in one of Meng Lang’s films.

Unbeknownst to them, Cheng Youran was just a little slow to react.ヾ(。￣□￣)ツ

“I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving now. We’ll sign the contract in a few days.” Director Meng gave a faint smile before heading toward the elevator, not sparing another glance at anyone else.

No one dared voice any objections. After all, Meng Lang had always been unconventional, even before his rise to fame. Back then, people dismissed him as arrogant. Now, they praised him as unique and extraordinary.

The crowd shifted their gaze toward Gu Yao—some with pity, others relishing the drama. Unable to contain herself any longer, Gu Yao hurried after Meng Lang.

“Director Meng,” she called out, her voice trembling slightly. “Could you tell me why you chose Cheng Youran?”

—Why you chose Cheng Youran, who was not as good as her.

Meng Lang paused, turning to face her. “Your acting is excellent,” he said matter-of-factly. “But Cheng Youran feels like she stepped out of the script itself. She’s like a blazing flame.”

“I see.” Gu Yao murmured, her voice barely audible.

Seeing Meng Lang’s demeanor stopped her from asking more questions.

Meng Lang pressed the elevator button, and as the doors slowly slid shut, his face gradually disappeared from view until the elevator was fully closed.

The people in the room unconsciously let out a collective sigh of relief. Even though Meng Lang hadn’t spared them a single glance, his presence had everyone on edge. Even Yuan Yifei had been standing ramrod straight.

It wasn’t until Meng Lang was gone that Cheng Youran finally processed what had just happened. She tried hard to control her excitement, but the grin on her face was unstoppable, and her eyebrows looked like they were ready to take flight.

Standing beside her, Lu Zixiao raised an eyebrow and nonchalantly reminded her. “Cheng Youran, don’t forget whose effort made this happen.”

He wouldn’t mind receiving a hug of gratitude.

Oh, he reminded her!

Cheng Youran’s thoughts immediately turned to Fang Liuyun, who had practically babied her over the past week—coaching her through her lines, helping her level up in games, and even defeating in-game monsters for her. Overcome with emotion, she hugged Fang Liuyun tightly and affectionately planted a loud kiss on her cheek.

Fang Liuyun sighed and hugged her back, gently shaking her. “Congratulations!”

Lu Zixiao: “……”

Lu Zixiao glanced at Fang Liuyun’s delicate features, a thoughtful expression crossing his handsome face. Was it time to find a new assistant?

Male assistants wouldn’t work.

Female assistants… also seemed problematic.

Hearing their conversation, Gu Yao turned to glance at Cheng Youran. Dressed in a striking red gown, Cheng Youran looked unusually vibrant today. Gu Yao couldn’t help but wonder why she had chosen such a bold outfit.

She muttered under her breath. “A person who walked straight out of the script? Who’d believe that?”

It must have been prearranged with Director Meng. They’d likely concocted an excuse to brush her off. On the surface, the auditions seemed fair, but in reality, she had been used as a stepping stone for Cheng Youran.

She wasn’t beaten by Cheng Youran—she was beaten by Lu Zixiao.

With that thought, Gu Yao didn’t bother taking the elevator. Instead, she strode toward the stairs with her assistant in tow. Taking out her phone, she dialed a number.

“Hello, I need your help with something…”

Meanwhile, others had gathered around Cheng Youran.

“Congratulations, Sister Youran!”

“Congrats, congrats!”

The remaining actresses tactfully congratulated Cheng Youran, while Yuan Yifei begrudgingly muttered a half-hearted “Congratulations.”

When the next elevator arrived, the group stepped in.

Still caught up in the excitement of landing the role, Cheng Youran suddenly realized she hadn’t seen Secretary Gao. Puzzled, she turned to Lu Zixiao and asked. “Where’s Secretary Gao?”

Lu Zixiao didn’t answer directly. Instead, he said softly. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

The elevator doors slowly opened…

Blinding flashes of light greeted them, making Cheng Youran squint. Before she could react, Lu Zixiao swept her into his arms, shielding her from the chaos.

She found herself pressed against his broad chest, feeling the warmth of his body. Instinctively, she tried to wriggle free, but his long, slender fingers gently held her head steady as it flailed against him.

“Don’t move.” He said firmly.

With that, Lu Zixiao carried her out of the building, keeping her firmly in his protective embrace.

As soon as they exited, the elevator entrance was swarmed by reporters holding microphones and cameras, creating a barricade. Yuan Yifei stared at Cheng Youran being whisked away in disbelief.

Thinking how foolish she was, this was such a perfect opportunity for exposure and yet she’s throwing it away!

Originally standing in the back, Yuan Yifei effortlessly pushed her way to the front, smoothing her hair and presenting her best posture. She smiled brightly at the reporters. “Are you here to interview me?”

“Yes,” one of them replied.

“Could you smile for the camera, please?”

“People in the back, stop pushing! Let me get this interview first!”

The first thought that flashed through Yuan Yifei’s mind was: This is it—I’m going viral!

Her smile grew more radiant, and with subtle precision, she adjusted her neckline, pulling it slightly lower to reveal an exaggerated, silicone-enhanced cleavage.

But as the reporters clamored to speak, her smile froze. Shock clouded her eyes, and the expression on her face became more grotesque than a sob.

And yet, she was already in front and the center—there was no turning back.

“Are you excited or happy about being taken into custody?”

“What’s your opinion on Cheng Youran?”

“Can we arrange an exclusive interview? Maybe during your time in the detention center?”

Custody? Detention center?

Yuan Yifei looked up in bewilderment, her mind spinning. At that moment, she caught sight of a police car pulling up outside the building. Several officers in blue uniforms stepped out, their faces stern as they marched toward her.

As the police approached, the reporters instinctively parted to create a path, but the rapid-fire clicks of their cameras sounded even louder than a string of firecrackers.

“Hello,” the lead officer said, holding up a badge. “We’ve received a report accusing you of intentional harm. Please come with us to the station.”

“Intentional harm? All I did was throw a cup of coffee at her! She dodged it—it doesn’t even count as minor injury!”

Yuan Yifei, having never faced the police before, stammered, her voice trembling with fear.

The two police officers exchanged a glance. Well, that saved them the trouble of taking a statement.

“She reported me?!” Yuan Yifei’s voice was filled with disbelief.

Meanwhile, Cheng Youran was ushered into a car by Lu Zixiao. Once inside, she wanted to ask him about the progress of the investigation, but with others present, she held back.

Instead, she leaned against the window, wide-eyed, watching as a police car arrived with impeccable timing, sirens blaring the entire way. To top it off, the building was swarmed with reporters armed with cameras.

Lu Zixiao ended a phone call and casually removed his jacket, revealing a perfectly tailored white shirt and a silver watch on his wrist. He raised an eyebrow, his tone indifferent. “Intentional harm is grounds for detention. Any objections?”

He had already arranged for someone to notify the detention center, confident that Yuan Yifei’s time there would be an unforgettable experience.

“Not a single objection!” Cheng Youran replied aloud, though internally, she discreetly pulled out her phone to search for information on intentional harm. According to the results, detention could range from a couple of days to several months.

Lu Zixiao… was a beast.

From the front passenger seat, Gao Qiao turned to her with a polite smile. “Madam, please rest assured. The legal team will handle all communication with the police on your behalf.”

Cheng Youran couldn’t stay calm any longer.

The Lu Group’s legal department was legendary—and not just locally, but globally. If anyone dared infringe on the Lu Group’s rights, even an ocean couldn’t stop a lawyer’s letter from landing in their inbox.

Since its establishment in 1951, the department hadn’t lost a single case. They could turn white into black and black into white, to the point of indirectly influencing judicial reforms. Cheng Youran could already imagine the sensational headlines:

“Why Was a Third-Tier Actress Detained?”
“The Business War Behind Two Women’s Feud”
“Ready to Fight? The Kind That Ends in Jail.”

“Cheng Youran, your mission now is to boost your public reputation.”

Lu Zixiao glanced at a document from the U.S. and pressed his lips into a thin line. “And stop doing things like yanking other actresses’ gowns, understood?”

Cheng Youran’s face flushed red. The original owner of her body had done something like that—and the target was none other than Gu Yao. It happened when the two walked the Cannes red carpet together.

Gu Yao had been a guest invited by the brand itself, while Cheng Youran’s spot had been purchased by her agent. She’d spent ages struggling at the entrance before finally getting in, only to find herself crossing paths with Gu Yao.

As they brushed past each other, Gu Yao had thrown her a disdainful remark. “Putting all your energy into these petty schemes… doesn’t it feel humiliating?”

Humiliating?

For someone who grew up in a struggling household and clawed her way through the harsh entertainment industry, humiliation wasn’t a big deal. What really stung the original Cheng Youran was the casual superiority on Gu Yao’s face.

Unable to hold back, she’d gotten into an argument with Gu Yao. The quarrel escalated until she impulsively yanked Gu Yao’s gown. The incident shocked the nation, sparking widespread condemnation for “disgracing the country abroad” and tanking her public image to an all-time low.

When Cheng Youran didn’t respond, Lu Zixiao assumed she wasn’t taking his words seriously. He glanced at her, his tone growing heavier. “Otherwise…”

The moment she heard “otherwise,” Cheng Youran’s mind spun faster than a top. One horrifying possibility struck her: Was he planning to cancel her credit cards?!

Lu Zixiao might actually stop her cards!

She stared at him in disbelief. Without her cards, how was she supposed to maintain her status as the top spender in her favorite game server?

“You can’t cancel my cards!” she blurted out.

[Warning! Your wife’s mood level has dropped to 10.]

Lu Zixiao was equally stunned. He nearly dropped the document in his hand. What on earth was Cheng Youran imagining?

“Why would I cancel your cards?” he asked, utterly baffled.

After taking a moment to compose himself, Lu Zixiao calmly uttered a few words, a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips. “Cheng Youran, you’re overthinking it.”

Yeah, right.

Cheng Youran watched him speak with an emotionless face, then said confidently. “Trying to deceive me? I’m not that gullible.”

Lu Zixiao raised an eyebrow and took out his phone.

After a moment, Cheng Youran’s phone buzzed, and a message popped up on the screen.

[Ding! Your bank account ending in 5137 has successfully received a transfer of ¥5,000,000.]

“Hm? Am I lying?”

Lu Zixiao leaned in, his upper body tilting forward. His face was mere inches from hers, and the faint scent of tobacco drifted over, brushing against Cheng Youran’s nose.

She pushed against his chest, but he didn’t budge. His narrow, intense eyes locked onto hers, silently daring her to respond.

Ugh, Lu Zixiao’s habit of being so stubborn… This is going to get dangerous.

“Cheng Youran, tell me—when have I ever lied to you?”

Cheng Youran glanced down at her phone and then at the balance on her bank account. Quickly calculating how much she could spend on her game, she looked back up at Lu Zixiao’s dark eyes and immediately changed her response. “None.”

Even if there were, she had to deny it!

Lu Zixiao studied Cheng Youran closely. Her eyes were beautiful—large and round, tapering at the corners in a way that combined both allure and innocence.

Especially when she stared at him with that focused look, there was a subtle, almost unconscious temptation in her gaze—so beautiful yet unaware of the effect she had. Lu Zixiao’s eyes darkened, unable to resist the allure.

He suddenly had the urge to kiss her.

But he quickly suppressed this absurd thought, leaning in close to her ear and speaking in a deep, magnetic voice. “Don’t look at men like that again.”

Cheng Youran: … What am I supposed to do with my eyes? Donate my cornea if someone needed them, no thanks.

After speaking, he fell silent, retreating to his seat and continuing to glance at the page he had just opened.

As time passed, his expression gradually turned cold. The casualness in his eyes disappeared, replaced by a ruthlessness Cheng Youran had never seen before.

He seemed to be slowly becoming the Lu Zixiao from the original plot. Cheng Youran’s instincts told her that this version of Lu Zixiao was dangerous. She wisely shrank back into her seat like an ostrich, not daring to speak a word.

“Stop the car—”

The command came coldly from the man.

=^_^=