Chapter 75: Isn’t This Exciting?
"Yueyue, I’ve already used up all the favors I owed my parents and even hired an army of fake supporters for you. And for what?"
"Do you really think having 2 million followers on Weibo is a big deal? 1.5 million of them are bots that I bought."
Shi Jingyan was clearly unhappy. Earlier, Lin Yueyue had acted so confident, as if winning the competition was a sure thing.
He himself had been foolish, in order to show off in front of her, he had poured in so many resources.
But the outcome? Not worth it.
Now, he had to find a way to make up for it. Perhaps by watching Shen Xi lose the competition and feel miserable.
A man like Gu Hanling?
The time he spends on planes is longer than the time he spends at home.
So, when Shen Xi was at her most vulnerable, if he offered her a helping hand, would she really reject him?
Shi Jingyan hadn’t felt the thrill of being chased by a goddess in a long, long time.
"My parents are planning to ask Director Chen for a favor soon. If they find out I’ve already used up their connections, they’ll kill me!"
Lin Yueyue was even more frustrated. She had been so close, just a little more, and she could have completely overshadowed Shen Xi.
Back in high school, Shen Xi had always outshone her. Even after stealing her boyfriend, was she still going to lose?
She glanced at Shi Jingyan’s dark expression, feeling a wave of panic. She was terrified of making him angry.
Her family was just middle-class, but ever since she became Shi Jingyan’s woman, she had been showered with benefits.
Her family had even risen to a higher social class, and things were only getting better. She could not afford to be abandoned.
Then, a thought struck her. Lin Yueyue softened her voice, sounding weak and delicate.
"Brother Jing, don’t be mad. It’s all my fault."
"How about we invest in the film industry instead?"
"The film industry?"
Shi Jingyan frowned deeply, still fuming, his tone impatient.
"Weren’t we just one step away from success this time?"
"Let’s give it a try. I believe in you, Brother Jing. You can definitely do it."
Now that Shen Xi was no longer chasing after her boyfriend and was instead being kept by Gu Hanling as a full-time housewife, Lin Yueyue should have been the one shining.
But somehow, Shen Xi was making waves on a talent show and might even become a popular singer once the show ended.
That was something Lin Yueyue could never accept. She had to climb higher than Shen Xi. She had to be more famous, more successful.
If Shen Xi became a singer? Then fine, she could only be a background singer for Lin Yueyue’s movies.
Shi Jingyan hesitated for a moment, thinking to himself: Based on past experience, whatever he wanted, he could get. There might be obstacles along the way, but in the end, he always succeeded.
He had seen people from better families and with stronger abilities struggle to succeed, yet he always came out on top.
It was mostly due to luck, but wasn’t luck just another form of strength?
Aside from this one failure, it didn’t matter. Shi Jingyan saw it as just a minor setback on his path to greater success.
"Fine, I’ll continue investing in you. Yueyue, don’t disappoint me again."
After thinking it over, Shi Jingyan agreed to her plan.
On the other side, Shen Xi had just finished filming the promotional video.
Holding a thick script in her hands, she took a car back to the villa. It was nearly dark by the time she arrived.
The drama was called "The Landscape is Like a Painting."
The role that was still open?
A beautiful female antagonist.
There was no shortage of pretty actresses in the industry, so why hadn’t they cast anyone yet?
Because in the early part of the drama, the character had to disguise as a man and go head-to-head with the male lead.
The actress had to be stunning as a woman but also carry an air of confidence and sharpness when dressed as a man.
Not to mention, there were a ton of action scenes.
Even though Sister Na personally recommended her, which helped cut through a lot of red tape, in the end, she still had to pass the audition to get the role.
Getting an audition opportunity alone was already a huge achievement. It was a rare chance that most people couldn’t even dream of.
"Madam, you’re home early today. I thought you’d be back late again."
"Uh..."
Hearing Butler Wang’s words, Shen Xi was speechless.
Why did it sound like she was out partying with men every night and coming home late?
She changed into the slippers the servants had prepared and stepped inside. Glancing around the spacious first floor, she didn’t see Gu Hanling anywhere and curiously asked,
"Where’s big brother?"
"Sir is still at the company. He’ll be back very late," Butler Wang answered respectfully, maintaining his usual polite smile.
"If you’re hungry, Madam, you don’t have to wait for him. You can eat first."
Hearing that, Shen Xi’s eyes lit up. After a whole day of work, she was starving.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s eat!"
………………………………………
After finishing dinner on the villa’s lawn, Shen Xi returned to the living room, curled up on the sofa, and started reading the script.
After an hour, her eyes started to hurt, so she tossed the script onto the table. She pulled out her phone, planning to watch some videos to relax.
Only to immediately see Shi Jingyan and Lin Yueyue trending. The Shi family had made a big move, investing heavily in the entertainment industry.
His girlfriend was debuting as a singer, appearing on small variety shows, and even trying to break into acting.
Shen Xi rolled her eyes.
Why are these two everywhere?
She long-pressed the screen and selected "Not Interested", but the very next promoted post was still about them.
Honestly, wealthy families and noble families were two completely different things.
People like Shi Jingyan made sure every little move was plastered all over the internet, while Gu Hanling kept such a low profile, it was as if he didn’t even exist.
No reports, no news. No one dared to even write about him.
Feeling annoyed, Shen Xi threw her phone onto the table, leaving the screen still glowing.
She had a bad feeling.
Even though she had clearly deviated from the original plot, the male and female leads still seemed determined to go after her.
Damn it, did they really have to destroy her completely and make her lose everything just so they could have their happy ending?
The more Shen Xi thought about it, the more upset she felt. Maybe it was the hormonal changes in her body, but she was feeling strangely sentimental.
She just wanted to survive. This life, she had no plans to get married or have kids. All she wanted was to live quietly, maybe with Keke and Zekai, hiding away in some corner of the world.
"Thinking about your little first love again?"
At some point, Gu Hanling had returned.
His cold eyes glanced at the script on the table, then at her phone screen.
Seeing her curled up on the sofa, looking lost and exhausted, her eyes filled with melancholy, he immediately jumped to conclusions. She was feeling jealous and lovesick, which was making her so miserable.
Shen Xi was startled by his sudden voice.
She looked up and saw him standing beside the sofa, towering over her.
He had just taken off his jacket, his black shirt still perfectly fitted, making him look both sharp and intimidating.
She instinctively wanted to refute him, her lips slightly parted. But in the end, she said nothing.
After a moment, she looked away, deliberately avoiding his gaze and muttered,
"No."
The moment the words left her lips, his eyes darkened even more.
He leaned down, one hand braced against the sofa, while the other firmly gripped her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze again.
His fingers pressed just hard enough that she couldn’t look away.
Shen Xi frowned slightly, feeling inexplicably that the man was touching her more and more often.
And today, his grip was a little too strong, making her uncomfortable. Which only made her look even more pitiful.
"Living in my house while thinking about another man… Are you excited by that?"
"Huh?"