Just a few hours ago, she had held this girl in her arms, her face streaked with tears.

“Aren’t you supposed to be home right now?”

Cheng Youran, who was half a head taller than her, bent down and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Have a warm glass of milk, get some rest, and forget about everything that’s upsetting you.”

Tian Xiaohe looked into Cheng Youran’s gentle eyes, a lump forming in her throat. That had been her plan—to forget, to pretend none of it had ever happened.

But the moment she stepped off the bus, she learned that Cheng Youran had gotten into an argument with the assistant director on set. The lead role in Fenghua had been given to Gu Yao instead.

Now, the internet was flooded with mockery, calling Cheng Youran a diva who threw tantrums on set. She wanted to tell them it wasn’t true.

No, that wasn’t the truth.

Cheng Youran could have exposed everything. She could have hinted at it in front of the press. But she didn’t. Not a single word. She quietly bore the weight of it all.

—Just like she always did.

Tian Xiaohe felt certain she had chosen the right person to admire.

She thought, I should be brave too.

“Sister Youran, I want to call the police.”

Tian Xiaohe lifted her head, her eyes no longer timid but filled with determination.

….

That evening, at the Nanwan Grand Hotel.

“Meng Lang thinks the production can’t go on without him? With Li Corporation’s three-hundred-million investment, we can even afford an international director.”

The potbellied investor took a hefty swig of beer. “Am I right, or am I right?”

Yuan Xiaogang adjusted his glasses. “Director Xu should be interested. I’ve worked under her before. Say what you will about her, but at least she’s not like some people—taking the money and then backing out at the last minute.”

“Director Xu’s solid. Her last film even got nominated for the Golden Bear for Best Foreign Language Film. I’d say she’s a great choice.”

The group drank merrily, already having forgotten the afternoon’s unpleasantness. Buzzed and in high spirits, they eagerly envisioned their bright future.

Just as their laughter and toasts filled the air, the private room’s door suddenly burst open!

A team of police officers in blue uniforms stormed in, scanning the room with sharp, assessing eyes. One of them barked, “Nobody move!”

The lively chatter died instantly. The men stiffened, not daring to as much as glance around.

“Which one of you is Yuan Xiaogang?”

“…Me.”

Sweat beaded on Yuan Xiaogang’s palms. That fan was just a student—baby-faced, easy to push around, and from an average family at best. How did she get the nerve to report me?

He tried to reassure himself. The cops must have the wrong guy.

A police officer held up an arrest warrant. “You need to come with us. You’ve been accused of sexually assaulting a minor.”

His illusions shattered in an instant.

….

Fenghua was blowing up on Weibo. Three trending topics in a row had catapulted the production straight to the top of the hot search list.

Netizens were practically foaming at the mouth, desperate to grab Meng Lang and his crew by the collars and demand: Did someone curse you, or is there something seriously wrong with the feng shui in Nanwan?

[MintCandy] I’m betting on bad feng shui.

[ThreeDrinksIn] Nah, I’m going with a curse.

[EvergreenHill] No one’s considering the possibility of a backfired ghost-raising ritual?

Yan Mengmeng scrolled through the endless posts, feeling utterly defeated. As a dedicated Cheng Youran anti-fan, she was beyond frustrated. She ruffled her short hair in annoyance.

When Cheng Youran first made the trending list for diva behavior on set, she had been stuck in class—missing out on the collective roasting session.

By the time she rushed home, eagerly booted up her computer—

The topic had gone ice-cold. Like, Antarctica cold.

Everyone had ditched the real drama to chase after all that mystical mumbo jumbo. Couldn’t they focus on Cheng Youran’s diva antics for once? This was a full-blown diva moment! If it had been any other A-list actress, she’d be out here bowing in apology already.

But Cheng Youran? She was acting like nothing had happened. Not even a single Weibo post. And with netizens so used to dissecting celebrities under a magnifying glass, they somehow just… moved on.

[Linlin] …At this point, I’m used to it.

[Shushu] What, are the curse theories not juicy enough? Is the Nanwan feng shui not dramatic enough? Why waste time on Cheng Youran? She’s always like this.

[TreasureTheJourney] Didn’t we roast her at lunch already? A couple of insults to keep up appearances is enough—besides, she just donated ten million.

A couple of insults to keep up appearances…

Yan Mengmeng felt her blood pressure spike.

When her brother first debuted, he missed a film promotion event due to illness—and got dragged for ten whole days for being “arrogant” and “putting on airs.”

So why did Cheng Youran get a free pass?!

Just as her frustration hit its peak, her Weibo feed refreshed with a new post.

It was from 25-Letter Lord—her daily source of joy.

As the undisputed king of the Cheng Youran anti-fans, his posts were sharp, hilarious, and packed with well-researched receipts. If Yan Mengmeng went a day without checking his updates, she felt physically unwell.

She eagerly refreshed Weibo, anticipation bubbling inside her.

But the moment she read the post, she shot up from her chair so fast she nearly flung her phone across the room. Thankfully, she caught it just in time.

[25-Letter Lord] I’d like to apologize for my past comments. I will no longer criticize Cheng Youran. This account will permanently stop updating.

Bribed. He was totally bribed.

Yan Mengmeng sighed in disappointment. She never expected someone as righteous as 25-Letter Lord to sell out to the enemy.

What’s worse, the comments were supportive.

[27-Letter Lord] Bro, I’m done posting too.

[Is Cheng Youran Flopping Today?] Respect.

[Cannes Best Actress Cheng Youran] Respect.

Yan Mengmeng instantly recognized these usernames—they were some of the biggest Cheng Youran anti-fans out there.

How much money did it take to make all of them switch sides overnight?

Unable to hold back, she fired off a comment.

[MengmengNotLemon] Wow, I’ve seen it all now. Money really can make the world go round. Yesterday, you were dragging her harder than anyone. Now you’re practically clinging to her leg.

Hitting send, she let out a satisfied sigh. Finally, some peace of mind.

Glancing at the clock, she realized it was already 9 PM. With a reluctant sigh, she put down her phone and got to work on her homework.

When she finished her homework and checked her phone, she found dozens of new comments on her Weibo.

[Is Cheng Youran Flopping Today?]If I took money from Cheng Youran, I swear I’d explode on the spot. @MengmengNotLemon

[27-Letter Lord] Fenghua’s PR team, get lost, OK? Doesn’t taking this money make you feel guilty?

[Qiu Kui] 1

…

As she scrolled through the flood of comments defending Cheng Youran, Yan Mengmeng felt a little… out of touch. She was a Gen Z kid, so why did it feel like she had a generational gap with everyone?

Just then, her browser pushed a news notification.

— Fenghua’s assistant director accused of molesting an underage fan.

Normally, she had no interest in movies like Fenghua and would’ve just skimmed past the headline. But after being accused of being part of Fenghua’s troll army, she couldn’t help but click on it.

By the time she finished reading the full interview, she finally understood why 27Letters had decided to stop posting on Weibo—because Cheng Youran was worth it.

When rumors spread that she was a diva on set, that she had assaulted the assistant director, she didn’t say a single word in her defense.

Because she had promised the fan—she wouldn’t tell anyone.

And she really didn’t tell anyone.

Fortunately, her past scandals were so numerous that the internet moved on after a brief wave of outrage. If that fan hadn’t found the courage to report Yuan Xiaogang, the truth would have never come to light.

So now, looking back… how much of her past “scandals” had been real? And how much had been fabricated?

Yan Mengmeng quietly deleted her previous comment. Then, after a moment of hesitation, she followed Cheng Youran’s Weibo account.

She hovered over the comment box for a long time before finally typing something out.

[MengmengNotLemon]Jiayou, sis! TAT

….

[Congratulations! You have completed your task.]

In the study, Lu Zixiao flipped through Deep Blue Media’s documents. A cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind. His expression remained unreadable.

Removing Cheng Youran’s “diva” scandal from the trending list hadn’t been difficult—at least, not for him. But he was someone who always maximized his benefits.

A slight smirk played on his lips.

“…I suppose that makes me a good person, doesn’t it?”

He suddenly spoke to himself.

—A law-abiding citizen.

Just then, Gao Qiao knocked on the study door and stepped inside, delivering the group’s mid-year strategic report.

Lu Zixiao composed himself, took the report, and flipped through it. As expected, nothing had changed—the company’s focus remained on real estate development.

The Lu family had built their empire on property. By pouring massive capital into real estate during its golden age, they had amassed an unimaginable fortune. But that success now felt more like a curse.

His uncles and cousins scoffed at other industries. Even as the Li Group quietly extended its reach into entertainment, they still failed to see the threat.

“What was Deep Blue Media’s closing price today?” Lu Zixiao suddenly asked.

“21.62.”

Gao Qiao placed the documents on the desk and answered without hesitation.

“Down by a third… It’ll drop again tomorrow.”

Lu Zixiao’s long fingers tapped idly against the desk as he made his decision.

“We can start the acquisition.”

“Yes, Mr. Lu.”

The moment Gao Qiao closed the door behind him, Lu Zixiao’s phone chimed with a notification. He glanced at the screen—his Pampered Wife Training app had a new task update.

[New Task Released: Can you feel the audience’s anticipation? Please help your wife complete a lead-role film within one month! Minimum box office: 100,000!]

Lu Zixiao pondered for a moment. The audience’s expectation for Cheng Youran was probably for her to never appear in front of them again.

Meanwhile, lying in bed with a book, Cheng Youran suddenly sneezed.

Someone must be talking bad about her.

She thought about it for a second—probably the Fenghua production crew.

With that in mind, she sneakily pulled out her phone and checked the film’s official Weibo page.

That afternoon, when news broke that Meng Lang and Yan Junze had both left the production, the crew’s official account had pitifully tried to spin it as a poetic inevitability—something about those who are meant to leave will leave, and those who are meant to stay will stay.

But once the news of Yuan Xiaogang’s assault scandal broke, the Fenghua team panicked. They frantically tried to bury the trending topic and delete posts—but no matter how fast they deleted, Weibo users posted even faster. Their official account was completely flooded.

[Junze’s Little Sweetheart] “Those who are meant to leave will leave, and those who are meant to stay will stay.” Yeah, sure. All the clean ones left, and the ones who stayed? Birds of a feather.

[Cherry Flavor] That’s a bit harsh. Gu Yao didn’t do anything wrong. Her only crime was having the world’s worst luck.

[Watermelon Kune] …Wash it, keep washing it. So, your precious Gu Yao snatched Cheng Youran’s role, and now you’re playing the victim, huh?

Cheng Youran went through all the comments bashing the Fenghua crew, liking each one until she was satisfied, then finally drifted off to sleep.

As she lay in a foggy, half-conscious state, she vaguely heard Lu Zixiao whispering something in her ear. She caught the word interview and, annoyed, pulled the blanket over her head, sinking back into deep sleep.

….

The next morning, the alarm kept ringing non-stop. Maybe it was because she’d been so exhausted the day before, but Cheng Youran was too tired to even open her eyes. Yet, the action of shoving the alarm under the pillow was done with seamless precision.

“Madam, wake up.”

“Madam~”

“Cheng Youran, you have an interview today, don’t you remember?”

Lu Zixiao stood with his arms crossed, frowning at Cheng Youran who was still lounging in bed. Just as he lowered his arms, preparing to physically haul her out of bed, a tiny, slender maid appeared at the door.

“Sir, I can handle this.”

The maid spoke confidently.

Lu Zixiao was a bit skeptical.

Beside him, Fang Liuyun also showed a doubtful expression. The person didn’t seem like someone with a particularly loud voice, but appearances could be deceiving.

“Madam, the kitchen has prepared fragrant century egg and lean pork congee,” the maid announced at a normal volume.

Breakfast time already?

Cheng Youran abruptly sat up in bed, her body reacting before her mind had fully caught up. After a moment, she rubbed her sleepy eyes and asked in confusion, “Huh? Why don’t I smell anything?”

Lu Zixiao: …Her body is being quite honest.

He raised an eyebrow. “It’s time for the interview.”

“So soon?”

Hearing the word “interview,” Cheng Youran panicked a little. She had spent over a week preparing for her last audition for Splendor. If she had known earlier, she would have stayed up late last night to prepare.

“What are you panicking for?”

Lu Zixiao asked curiously.

Cheng Youran paused mid-step as she got out of bed. Truthfully, she had a bit of an image to maintain. After being replaced in Fenghua, she was determined to ace this interview and prove herself.

But Lu Zixiao and Fang Liuyun looked completely calm, as if they had no idea why she was so anxious. With a hint of melancholy, Cheng Youran thought to herself—so it’s true, people experience joy and sorrow differently.

Regardless of what they thought, she wasted no time. She flipped through a book while brushing her teeth, her phone propped up on the sink playing an acting masterclass. Every second counted—she had to sharpen her skills!

Fang Liuyun, watching from the side, was utterly stunned. He was even considering whether he should call 120.

Lu Zixiao wasn’t doing much better himself. After getting into the car, he listened to Cheng Youran passionately reciting passages from her acting textbook. Without a change in expression, he took the book from her hands.

“Too loud.”

Cheng Youran blinked at her now-empty hands, then turned away with a pitiful expression. No matter—she still had her brain! So, she started reciting the textbook from memory instead.

[Warning! Your wife’s mood level has dropped to 40!]

Lu Zixiao coldly shoved the book back into her hands. “Carry on.”

…

Half an hour later, the car pulled up in front of a towering building. Cheng Youran stepped out, her face filled with nerves. The group entered the building and took the elevator up to the 23rd floor.

Ding—

The elevator arrived with a soft chime. Cheng Youran stepped out with the determination of a soldier heading to battle.

But instead of a waiting room full of actors, she was met with a group of middle-aged men in their forties and fifties.

She immediately recognized a few familiar faces—Director Zhang, who had just been shortlisted for the Golden Bear Award, and Director Wu, who won the Best Drama award at last year’s Magnolia Awards…

Any one of them was a heavyweight in the industry, yet today, they were all gathered here?

They paced back and forth, holding A4-sized documents, looking even more nervous than she was. None of them even noticed the elevator doors opening.

Cheng Youran’s sharp eyes caught a glimpse of the document in Director Zhang’s hands.

Wait… Was that his résumé?

=^_^=