Chapter 2

Overnight, news that a leading actress wanted a billion-yuan betrothal gift spread across the internet.

Practically every social media platform exploded.

People couldn’t stop discussing it.

“Is Wang Zige worth a billion?”

“Should modern women accept betrothal gifts?”

“The value of women’s reproductive labor,” “the motherhood penalty at work”…

All those subjects people had argued over countless times without ever resolving them were dragged out again. Everyone had something to say.

And the number of people insulting me increased several hundredfold.

“What makes you think you deserve a billion?!”

“Actually rich people wouldn’t give a third-rate celebrity like you a second glance!”

“Even if Wang Zige really is a virgin, she isn’t worth a billion. And come on, do you believe she’s a virgin, or would you rather believe I’m Qin Shi Huang?”

Of course, plenty of people defended me too.

“What Wang Zige asks for is her business. She’s not holding a knife to your throats and demanding you pay. Some men need to stop assuming everything’s about them!”

“If someone’s asking you for a betrothal gift, walk away. What’s there to swear about?”

“Who rich people choose to marry is their business. You wage slaves making three thousand a month can stop worrying about it.”

“I don’t know whether Wang Zige’s a virgin, and so what if she isn’t? It’s 2026. How are people still obsessed with virginity?”

“If those virginity freaks knew there was a woman in history who started out as a singer, married twice, married an emperor, could go stay with her ex-husband after an argument, and even became empress dowager, their heads would explode!”

The arguments online were getting vicious.

I scrolled through the posts, thoroughly enjoying myself.

Let the blood flow.

This was fantastic.

My manager watched anxiously from beside me.

“Zige, is this… really going to work?”

I gave her a sidelong look.

“You’re fired.”

Her eyes widened.

“You… What did you say?”

“You heard me.”

I glanced at her coldly. “As my manager, you’ve made a lot of plans and strategic decisions that are outdated and toxic. I’m seriously starting to wonder if a rival sent you to sabotage me. I’ve already spoken to Yan Jing. She fully supports my decision. Go back to the company and handle your departure paperwork. Let’s part on good terms.”

My manager went rigid.

I was the undisputed leading actress at Yan Jing’s agency.

She soon arranged a new manager for me.

This one was considerably more professional than the last.

Far from being frightened by all the negative attention I was getting, she presented me with several possible strategies.

“I have to say, Ms. Wang, you thought it through before you spoke. That billion-yuan betrothal gift caused an uproar, but by identifying yourself as a ‘traditional woman’ first, you stopped the bros from being able to do much to you. Not one of your brand partnerships has received a complaint. Clearly, that ‘traditional woman’ label protected you when the billion-yuan demand came out.”

I laughed softly.

“Out of all these plans, which would you recommend?”

“Personally, I think we should use all the attention you’re getting over dating and marriage, and have you appear on a dating show. Tidal Lovers is this year’s biggest one. It would be perfect. They’ve already sent an invitation, and your schedule works.”

I raised an eyebrow at her. “…You certainly know how to throw fuel on a fire.”

“It’s how the job works. As Professor Hao said: ‘It’s my job to make great students greater, not make mediocre students less mediocre.'”

I laughed.

“All right. Let’s do that.”