Chapter 113: Who’s the Real Embarrassment?
Lin Yueyue smiled as she stared at Shen Xi’s Weibo updates.
"I will keep watching you forever."
She refreshed the page multiple times a day, but the latest post was still the same. A selfie from that overseas estate visit. Shen Xi hadn’t updated anything new.
Meanwhile, the comment section was already flooded with negative remarks, carefully guided by online trolls.
Back in high school, Shen Xi was always in the spotlight, the goddess of their class, even the entire school.
But now? Lin Yueyue felt like she had finally crushed that once untouchable woman under her feet.
Her own Weibo followers had already surpassed 8 million, while Shen Xi hadn’t even reached 4 million.
The only disappointment? Shen Xi wasn’t fighting back like she used to. In the past, she would retaliate, making Lin Yueyue look like the victim, gaining sympathy from others.
But now? It was like throwing a punch into cotton, completely unsatisfying.
Lin Yueyue wanted to see jealousy in Shen Xi’s eyes. She wanted to see her envious of her success, her relationship with Shi Jingyan, her rising fame, and her growing status.
But instead, Shen Xi remained calm, unaffected, like nothing that happened even mattered to her.
Just then, her new assistant’s voice pulled her back to reality.
“Sister Yueyue, we’ve arrived at the ‘Brilliant Night’ event venue.”
Outside the venue, the red carpet stretched out under the flashing lights of countless cameras.
Dressed in an elegant off-shoulder black evening gown, Lin Yueyue stepped onto the red carpet with full confidence, smiling and waving at the media. She deliberately slowed her steps, trying to savor this perfect moment for as long as possible.
Just as she was enjoying the attention, a sudden shift occurred. Every single reporter, from official media to independent journalists, suddenly rushed toward the other side.
Lin Yueyue froze for a moment, instinctively following the direction of their cameras.
And there, she saw—
Shen Xi, also dressed in an off-shoulder black evening gown, standing alongside the charismatic and imposing Sister Na.
The dress she wore was the same one from her visit to Professor Robin. A naturally frugal person, Shen Xi simply didn’t see the need to spend money on a new one.
She figured that since she had only worn the dress once, she might as well wear it again. But what she didn’t expect was that, by pure coincidence, she ended up wearing the same dress as the female lead.
Then again, thinking about it, it made sense. The moment she got involved in the male and female lead’s storyline, these kinds of dramatic situations just had to happen.
One glance was enough for anyone to tell the difference. Shen Xi’s dress was clearly a custom-made high fashion piece, while Lin Yueyue’s was off-the-rack, possibly even a knockoff.
And when it came to a fashion clash, whoever looked worse would be the embarrassed one.
Lin Yueyue’s smile instantly froze.
She watched as the two women walked past her at full speed, as if they couldn’t stand being in the spotlight for even a second longer.
She had worked so hard to get this kind of attention, the admiration and the envy, yet Shen Xi and Sister Na seemed to treat it like something completely beneath them.
"Sister Na! Over here! Don’t run away!"
The media, well aware of the legendary diva’s usual aloofness, still tried calling out to her a few times.
But today was different. Today, she had a stunning black-dressed "princess" by her side.
As Shen Xi brushed past Lin Yueyue, she gave her a quick, unreadable glance, completely devoid of emotion.
But in Lin Yueyue’s eyes, that glance was pure mockery. Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging into her palm.
"Shen Xi! Is this your way of getting revenge!?"
Meanwhile, completely unaware that she had once again unknowingly offended the female lead, Shen Xi and Sister Na quickly entered the venue.
Shen Xi let out a long sigh of relief.
“Thanks, Sister Na.”
“No problem, little girl. I don’t like those blinding flashes either.”
Sister Na chuckled and patted Shen Xi’s shoulder. She had noticed the moment they stepped out of the car that Shen Xi had hesitated for a brief second at the entrance of the red carpet.
Sister Na could tell right away that Shen Xi was feeling uncomfortable. It reminded her of her own awkward first time at an event like this.
So, without hesitation, she took the initiative, guiding Shen Xi across the red carpet and helping her avoid the bombardment of cameras.
Before the event officially started, celebrities who had arrived early were already gathered in small groups, champagne glasses in hand. They chatted in circles, surrounding the big shots of the industry, people they rarely got the chance to meet.
The event itself was long and boring, but this part, the networking before it, was the real reason why everyone showed up. It was the golden opportunity to build connections and secure resources.
Just then, Shen Xi noticed one particular group drawing an unusually large crowd.
Curious, she took a closer look and realized that the person at the center of attention was… Assistant Liu?
Dressed in a sharp suit, looking calm and composed, he was the one being fawned over.
And standing closest to him was a chubby, middle-aged bald man in suspenders and a white dress shirt. A deep, nasty-looking scar ran across his shiny, bald head.
“Huh? Now that is weird. Even that disgusting guy is trying to flatter him?”
Shen Xi murmured in confusion.
Sister Na followed her gaze and immediately grimaced when she spotted the man.
"Ugh, that guy?"
Shen Xi was still new to the industry and didn’t recognize all the major players, so she turned to Sister Na with curiosity.
“You mean the bald guy with the scar?”
Sister Na lowered her voice and leaned in slightly.
“That’s Zhao Tianba. He’s a big-name investor in the industry. Owns an entertainment company and controls a ton of resources. Rumor has it he started out as a gangster in his early years.”
Hearing that, Shen Xi’s mouth twitched. Just his name alone made her want to roll her eyes.
Sister Na glanced around cautiously before whispering,
“Little girl, be careful around him. He can make someone famous overnight, but the price…”
She gave Shen Xi a knowing look.
“It’s also his favorite hobby. The ones who refused him? They got blacklisted.”
Shen Xi felt a wave of disgust and chills but obediently nodded to show she understood.
“But who’s that young guy that even a big shot like Zhao Tianba is trying to flatter? I’ve never seen him before. Must have an even more powerful background.”
Sister Na rested her chin on her hand, looking at Assistant Liu with a puzzled expression.
“Uh…”
Shen Xi cleared her throat awkwardly, feeling a little guilty.
“Maybe… he’s just a very kind person who loves helping others. Yeah, let’s just call him an ‘assistant’… or something.”
As she spoke, she subtly stretched her neck, scanning the room for a certain tall, cold, and imposing figure.
If Assistant Liu was here, then her “husband” was probably nearby too.
That man never liked these kinds of social events, which was why he always sent his most trusted right-hand man, Assistant Liu, to deal with them instead.
Someone at the top of the food chain like him would only interact with those at the very highest level.
Sister Na gave Shen Xi’s hand a gentle but firm pat, her voice serious.
“Xixi, in this industry, connections and resources are important, but you have to be careful. You need to protect yourself while also making sure you don’t offend these powerful people.”
In the distance, Assistant Liu seemed to have received a phone call. Without another word, he ignored the crowd around him and walked away.
Shen Xi nodded, silently complaining in her head. How could she dare, especially with that person at home.
Zhao Tianba reached out as if to stop Assistant Liu from leaving, but when he realized the man really did have something urgent to do, he didn’t insist.
As he turned his head slightly, his gaze coincidentally landed on Sister Na in the distance.
Then, his eyes locked onto Shen Xi beside her. Like a star shining in the midnight sky, the woman was stunning and captivating.
He had heard of her before, her name had been trending online a lot lately. Now, seeing her in person, he had to admit. She was indeed a rare beauty.
A pity she was already married. But did that really matter?
If anything, that just made things… more interesting.
A smirk appeared at the corner of his lips as he picked up his glass and began walking toward Sister Na and Shen Xi.