“It’s fine either way. If she doesn’t show, I’m used to it. If she does, I can’t relax at all.”
“Is that Xi Xing they’re talking about online? The Xi Xing from our crew? Didn’t she just get out of the hospital? I thought she was already being professional—turns out Li Li outworks her. Put them next to each other and Xi Xing looks pathetic.”
“This kind of stunt isn’t rare in showbiz. Just someone trying to ride the wave.”
“Kids these days—”
Xi Xing hadn’t seen the comments yet. Hearing the chatter outside, she felt a little lost.
Shi Wan watched her for a moment. At that look, Xi Xing’s panic melted away.
“My next scene is up. I should get ready,” she said, steadying herself.
Shi Wan nodded and left An Si behind to watch over her, then walked off. The next scene also had Li Li’s lines; Li Li was finishing makeup in the caravan and would arrive soon.
“Some people, huh…”
“Li Jie, something’s wrong!”
Li Li was about to sneer at Shi Wan when her assistant came charging over, phone in hand, eyes wide with alarm. Li Li snatched the device.
“What’s the fuss? Are you acting like I’m—am I suddenly ruined?” she barked, staring at the screen. Then her face went numb; she almost flung the phone away.
The gossip column was trashing her—okay, that was expected—but now they were calling her the other woman, saying she knowingly slept with the married man. In show business such accusations are common enough, but these weren’t empty rumors. There were receipts. All true.
Li Li went rigid. How could these things be out there? She had them on her phone—no one else should have had access.
“She looks exactly as spectacular as I imagined,” Shi Wan said with a snort from across the room.
Li Li blinked, suddenly on edge. “You did this, didn’t you? All of it?”
She’d forgotten that Shi Wan wasn’t helpless. If Shi Wan wanted something exposed, there wasn’t much that could stop her.
“I was standing right here. How can you accuse an innocent person?” Li Li protested, anguish painted across her face. Then she stepped closer and her expression snapped cold as steel. Her voice was a warning, low and sharp. “Tell your boss this: think twice before you touch me. Make sure you have the power to pay the price.”
“You—” Li Li nearly stumbled. Only An Si’s quick hands stopped her from falling.
A message popped up on Shi Wan’s phone and she smiled faintly. “If anything happens to Xi Xing on set—” the rest was unspoken but understood.
Facing Shi Wan’s cool eyes, Li Li flinched and dropped her head, thoughts reeling. Did Shi Wan know about that incident last time?
“Keep playing it,” Shi Wan said.
On the other end of the line, a man’s restrained chuckle could be heard. He’d been told to dig up dirt on a nobody actress and instead had delivered a dossier of genuine dirt. That wasn’t just investigation; it was a deliberate take-down.
Within hours, Li Li’s past—everything—went viral and, worse, proved true. The idol everyone had worshipped became a target to be torn down. Reporters swarmed; the set was no longer a safe place. Li Li fled back to the company before the press could corner her.
Senyue Entertainment, CEO office.
Mu Xin sat behind the executive desk, her face iron-hard. When Li Li stumbled in with tears streaking her makeup and a bleeding cut on her forehead, Mu Xin flung a file at her in fury.
Li Li stayed quiet, pain and shame written all over her.
“What a waste of space,” Mu Xin spat. It had been three hours since the scandal broke. No matter how much money they’d thrown at it, nothing worked. Someone had sabotaged her—deliberately. Other than Shi Wan and Shen Siyan, who else could have done this?
Li Li’s voice trembled. “President, I’m innocent. I did everything you told me to—who knew Shi Wan would make such a fuss—”
“Is that so?” Mu Xin’s tone went icy. “You really expect me to believe you only did what I asked?”
Li Li’s stomach flipped. “I didn’t— I didn’t do anything else. I only…admired Shen Siyan a little, that’s all.”
Mu Xin barked a harsh laugh. “If that’s true, then you don’t have to worry about anything else.”
At that moment Shen Mingshang walked in and helped Li Li to her feet. “Don’t get so worked up,” he teased lightly, brushing hair from her brow. “Look at our pretty girl, frightened half to death.”
Mu Xin’s eyes flickered with something sharp. “Mingshang, why are you here? Didn’t you have business?”
He smiled without losing his composure. “I had time. Wanted to see you.” He glanced at Li Li, concern softening his expression. “Go get that cut stitched up. Don’t let this face get ruined.”
“Thank you, Mr. Shen.” Li Li’s voice was small. She couldn’t help but think Shen Mingshang looked a little like Shen Siyan. It made her feel strange.
Mu Xin watched him go and felt something settle in her mind. “Mingshang, this disaster’s on her. She ruined what we had planned.”
“No worries—we’ll have other chances. Besides, you lost one of your valuable players because of me.” He smiled warmly. “I’d do anything for you.”
Mu Xin’s heart stuttered at the sweetness of it. He lowered his head and pressed a brief, feather-light kiss to her cheek. The motion was fleeting, but the disappointment stung—she’d hoped for more.
“Thanks. Seeing you calms me. I’ve been gone so long—people were panicking that I’d disappeared.” Mu Xin tried to sound composed.
“It’s after hours,” Shen Mingshang said with a helpless little grin. “But if the boss says go, I go.”
Mu Xin heard the tiredness behind his words. He was working for them, sacrificing his reputation, and she wanted to protect him in return. “Why don’t you come work at our company? That way, you can come whenever you want and I’ll still pay your salary.”
He hugged her back, low and protective. “I don’t want gossip following us.” He loosened the embrace. “I should go. You get back to work.”
The moment he left, Mu Xin slammed her fist down on the desk and called, voice brittle with rage, “Get rid of Li Li. I don’t want to see her again.”
“Understood, boss.”
By the end of the day, Li Li’s name was plastered across every headline—and then she vanished.
Shen Siyan’s team returned with a report.
“Someone took care of it. Don’t worry about it for now. Also, move on Shen Mingshang.”
“Sir, Mingshang is buried deep. He’s careful; finding a lever against him will take time.”
“Then leave it. Fish with a long line.”
“Yes, sir.”
They didn’t know what Shen Siyan intended; they only followed orders.
Back in the study, Shen Siyan had just finished a call when the door cracked open. Shi Wan slipped in with a small, different expression on her face.
He smelled her—cigarette? perfume?—and stepped forward, picking her up in a quiet, possessive motion. “Drank again?”
Shi Wan wrapped her arms around his neck, eyes soft and slightly glazed. “Shen Siyan—”
“Sir—madam—” the butler came running, flustered. “I’m sorry, I was only in the kitchen for a moment. The young madam mistook the liquor on the bar for water and drank it.”
Shen Siyan froze. For a second he’d assumed she’d been drinking on purpose. The explanation left him speechless and, in the end, oddly relieved.