Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Zhou Yichuan said, “Xia Sheng has been back for nearly half a month, but she hasn’t shown her face once. My parents want to see her, and it just so happens to be my grandfather’s birthday this weekend. My parents asked me to remind you to bring Xia Sheng along.

“It’s also been a while since the two of us saw each other. I thought I’d come by and see you personally while I told you about this.”

As he spoke, Zhou Yichuan took Xia Zhiruo’s hand and said affectionately, “Zhiruo, don’t worry. The one I love is you. I will absolutely not listen to my elders and be with Xia Sheng.

“In my eyes, you are the best. I don’t want anyone but you.”

Xia Zhiruo looked moved. “I actually like you too, Brother Yichuan, but I don’t have much status at home. I have to listen to my parents in everything.

“They want Xia Sheng to marry you, and I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do to change their minds.

“Brother Yichuan, you should stop liking me.”

Though she spoke words of reluctance, she quietly withdrew her hand, not wanting Zhou Yichuan to touch her in the slightest.

Zhou Yichuan said, “It’s fine, I’ll find a way to convince your parents. I’m planning to start a business with some classmates recently. Once I’ve achieved some success, we won’t have to be under our families’ thumbs anymore. We’ll be free to love each other.”

Xia Zhiruo rolled her eyes internally.

If this useless fool went into business, he would likely bankrupt the entire Zhou Family.

Despite her inner contempt, Xia Zhiruo didn’t show a hint of it on her face. “Alright, I’ll wait for you.

“However, I’m not sure if Xia Sheng will attend your grandfather’s birthday banquet. She doesn’t have a very good temper. After she came back last time and had a huge fight with my parents, she left and hasn’t returned since.”

Zhou Yichuan frowned. “She really is a wild girl raised in the countryside, completely lacking in upbringing.”

“Brother Yichuan, don’t say that about her. Growing up in that kind of environment was beyond her control. She’s actually quite a nice person.”

Zhou Yichuan curled his lip, dismissive.

“If she doesn’t come, then forget it. As long as you come, that’s fine. You’re the only one I care about.”

“Brother Yichuan…”

The young man standing nearby turned his head away silently as he listened to Zhou Yichuan.

He couldn’t bear to watch.

He wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but it felt like these two were just putting on a play for each other. It felt incredibly fake.

***

With an hour left before afternoon classes, Ning Xi returned to the dormitory while Xia Sheng went home.

As she pulled out her keys at the door, she heard a faint, unfamiliar female voice coming from inside.

“…Quit the shoot? Who do you think you are, an A-list star? You think you can just stop filming whenever you want after signing the contract? Do you have any idea how much we’ll have to pay in liquidated damages if you breach the contract?”

Han Yanran’s voice was filled with exhaustion. “Sister Jin, I want to rest for a bit. I’ve encountered some things these past few days…”

Sister Jin interrupted her angrily. “Wasn’t it just sleeping with Director Huang? Is that enough to make you this depressed? How many female stars in our company didn’t rely on that to get ahead?

“You have no status and no background, yet you want to make it in the entertainment industry? You should have been prepared for this!

“Now that Director Huang is dead in a car accident, whatever grievances you have should be gone. Now get your ass back to the set!”

“How do you know about me and Director Huang?” Han Yanran was shocked, then asked in disbelief, “Sister Jin, could it be that you…”

“Don’t look at me like that!” Sister Jin realized she had let it slip, her voice rising due to a guilty conscience. “How do you think a newcomer like you got the part for the third female lead?

“If I hadn’t communicated with Director Huang, do you think you’d even show your face in this movie? I was helping you!”

Just as she finished speaking, Xia Sheng pushed the door open and walked in, her eyes dark. “Were you trying to help her, or help yourself?”

Xia Sheng hadn’t intended to eavesdrop and was going to leave at first.

But Sister Jin’s words made it impossible for her to walk away.

Sister Jin turned around, frowning. “Who are you? Since when is it your place to interrupt when I’m educating my artist?”

Xia Sheng said coldly, “You’re bullying my friend in my home. Should I not get involved?”

“How am I bullying her?” Sister Jin said righteously. “She’s signed under me. I’m teaching her how to handle her work!

“If I weren’t helping her behind the scenes, she wouldn’t have even landed this role!

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Sleeping with Director Huang a few times in exchange for a chance at fame is an opportunity many people can’t even get. She’s already gotten a bargain!”

Listening to her manager’s words, a look of agony appeared in Han Yanran’s eyes.

When she first arrived in the Capital City, she had participated in interviews and selections for several companies but failed to sign with any of them. In the end, it was Sister Jin who signed her and brought her into the industry.

Even though she had been playing minor roles for the past six months and the company took seventy percent of her earnings, she had still been very grateful to Sister Jin.

She never expected that Sister Jin would push her into a fire pit without her knowledge.

And push her so self-righteously.

Han Yanran’s previously stable emotions began to collapse again. Xia Sheng walked to Han Yanran’s side, took her hand, and cast a Calming Spell on her before looking at Sister Jin.

“If you hadn’t come to the door today, I wouldn’t have known there was still a fish like you who slipped through the net.

“You’ve done this a lot, haven’t you? Tricking artists into jumping into fire pits? You’ve destroyed the dreams and lives of so many young people. Don’t you feel any guilt at all?”

Sister Jin still insisted on her own logic. “What do you mean tricking people? I was helping them! You have no idea how hard I work every time I pull strings for them!

“They only have to suffer for one night in exchange for a bright future. What’s wrong with that? It’s not like I’m asking for their lives!”

Xia Sheng’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “You’re not asking for their lives? Because of this, Yanran almost committed suicide.”

Sister Jin sneered, still not feeling she was in the wrong. “That’s just her own poor mental state. It’s such a trivial matter, yet she acts like it’s the end of the world.”

Xia Sheng’s gaze suddenly turned cold. “I originally intended to send you to prison, but now I think that might be too easy on you.”

Intimidated by the coldness in her eyes, Sister Jin instinctively took a step back. “What do you mean?”

Xia Sheng didn’t answer, only slowly raising her hand.