Chapter 003: Trending with Scandal

“Use mine,” Lu Jingshan interrupted before the front desk clerk could finish. Without hesitation, he pulled out his own black card and handed it over.

Fang Yimeng, meanwhile, frowned as she looked at her phone. A red dot appeared next to “Old Fang,” the pinned chat in her WeChat. Her heart sank.

[Old Fang: Your grandfather and I saw the trending topic. We didn’t expect you to be this stubborn. Are you still trying to break them up? The card’s been frozen by your grandfather. Don’t come back to the Fang family until you figure things out.]

The front desk efficiently completed the transaction and returned the black card to Lu Jingshan with a respectful nod.

As he slipped the card back into his wallet, Lu Jingshan clearly felt the shift in atmosphere beside him—like the air pressure had suddenly dropped.

Turning his head, he saw her drooping her head, her emotions unreadable. He asked quietly, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s over,” she muttered, her naturally soft and sweet voice now laced with gloom. “My dad froze my card. I’m broke.”

She looked up at the man who was half a head taller than her. Her wide, dewy eyes glimmered with an innocent look, and her pouty lips curved downward. She looked like a wilted eggplant after the first frost.

They stood close—close enough for Lu Jingshan to catch the faint fruity perfume she wore. His slender, well-defined hand clenched tightly around the wallet, his knuckles going white.

“I…” I can give you money.

Before he could finish the offer, Fang Yimeng cut in abruptly, “But I’m not the same foolish girl anymore! Now I’m going to fight back and take control of my supporting role life!”

Just a moment ago, she’d looked defeated; now her whole face lit up with renewed determination.

Lu Jingshan swallowed the words he’d been about to say and tucked his wallet back into his pocket.

In a cold, composed voice, he asked, “What’s your next move?”

The receptionist, utterly captivated by this dazzling couple, wasn’t listening at all. She was too busy admiring their looks.

None of them noticed the long-lens camera hidden in the landscaping outside the hotel, snapping photos rapidly under the bright daylight.

Fang Yimeng stared at a WeChat message from her agent, Meng Qing, containing a screenshot of the latest trending topic on Weibo. Her expression turned serious.

#6: Fang Yimeng Abuses Staff on Set! [Breaking]

Then came a furious voice message from her agent.

[Meng Qing: Did you go to the bar looking for Li Jincheng again last night? What did you do to piss him off this time?!]

Li Jincheng was the male lead in this fictional world—and the man Fang Yimeng, before her awakening, had shamelessly tried to seduce using every manipulative “green tea” tactic in the book.

[Meng Qing: The variety show starts in 90 minutes! Where the hell are you?! Don’t tell me you’re throwing another tantrum!]

Standing close, Lu Jingshan could clearly hear the voice message blaring from her phone.

He frowned, pulled out his own phone, opened Weibo, and found the trending video. The so-called “evidence” was glaring.

“Yes! I ruined Liao Ran’s costume! When I joined the production with investment, I made it clear—Liao Ran’s scenes can’t outshine mine! The laxative in her food? I ordered that! Didn’t she have a sick-bed scene? Medicine just adds realism! I, Fang Yimeng, did it all for the sake of the show—what’s the problem?!”

The tone was arrogant and aggressive, her temper uncontrollable. She even threw a cup of hot coffee on the ground, splashing a nearby assistant.

In the video, everything looked undeniably awful. She laid out all her misdeeds like a confession—no subtlety, no tact—ruining any chance of redemption, as if prepping for an inevitable downfall.

Fang Yimeng, watching from the side, was so embarrassed she could dig a hole and bury herself alive.

Lu Jingshan watched the clip and couldn’t help but chuckle at the raging, irrational woman in the video.

The moment he made a sound, Fang Yimeng shot him a deadly glare.

Locking her phone to stop the audio, she barked in her soft but threatening voice, “What are you laughing at! That’s not what really happened!”

Lu Jingshan raised an eyebrow, pretending to nod in agreement, then casually pointed to his wristwatch.

“I don’t know about that, but I do know your agent said you’ve got 90 minutes. If we don’t leave now, you won’t make it.”

The image of Meng Qing’s stern, no-nonsense face flashed through Fang Yimeng’s mind. She gasped and turned to go.

Before she could take a step, a warm hand grabbed her wrist. She looked back at Lu Jingshan.

He remained calm and composed. “Send me the address. I’ll drive you.”

In the hotel parking lot, Lu Jingshan was just about to take out his car keys, but Fang Yimeng was one step ahead.

The beep of a car unlocking interrupted him.

A bright red Ferrari F12 blinked its headlights.

Fang Yimeng tossed him the key.

“Then I’ll trouble you to drive.”

She was surprisingly chill about it.

Lu Jingshan watched her open the passenger door and stand behind it, her pretty face glowing with an unintentional pout.

He pursed his lips again, gripping the still-warm key, and slid into the driver’s seat.

At a red light, he stepped on the brake.

Fang Yimeng, lost in her own thoughts, said, “Once I go back and apologize to my dad, I’ll have him invite you to a chamber of commerce banquet. Get ready.”

She paused, then asked, “Do you have money? Probably not. A side character like you wouldn’t have been written with a rich background. Don’t worry! I have two apartments downtown. I’ll lend you one!”

Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “But remember—it’s a loan, not a gift!”

Lu Jingshan stayed silent, his face expressionless. But if one looked closely, his chest visibly rose and fell at the mention of the apartment.

The film set wasn’t far from the hotel. Once they arrived, Fang Yimeng quickly unbuckled her seatbelt.

“I’ll let you know when I’m done filming. If it takes too long, just head back. We’ll talk more about our collaboration later.”

Without waiting for his response, she opened the door and slammed it shut behind her.

Lu Jingshan winced at the sound, his brows furrowing again as he rubbed at his aching temple.

Fang Yimeng rushed onto the set, where her personal makeup team immediately swept her away into a private dressing room. Only after she was completely styled and dressed to perfection did they let her out.

The moment she stepped outside, she heard the production staff speaking nervously.

“Ms. Liao, you’re here. Today’s filming is simple—you’ll be seated at the judge’s panel watching a few trainee performances.”