"Qiao Yu, what if I want to quit the entertainment industry?"
The man shifted slightly, slowly turning his face to look at her.
After a dozen seconds of silence, he asked flatly, "Why?"
"Because I don't want to drag you down."
"You don't need to worry about me." Qiao Yu leaned against the wall and stood up slowly, reeking of alcohol, his eyes still clear. "You should think more about yourself."
Song Weiwei pursed her lips and turned her face away. What was there for her, alone in the world, to consider? Living was just going through the motions. She had entered the entertainment industry only to get close to the powerful and influential, to uncover a sliver of truth about the Mu family's massacre back then.
But that was her own business; it shouldn't involve Qiao Yu.
She pulled out a cigarette, lit it expertly, and exhaled a intoxicating haze of smoke. "Maybe you're right. After all these years, I should let go of that hatred."
"Would you be at peace with that?" Qiao Yu gazed deeply at her.
He knew her too well. He didn't believe that someone who had undergone countless surgeries on her face, endured skin grafts, and bore immense pain just to survive for revenge would suddenly find closure and say she'd let it go.
"I wouldn't be at peace." Song Weiwei choked on the smoke, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears glistening. "I live for revenge. It's what's kept me going all these years. How could I possibly let it go?"
Tears fell, but her eyes still held a stubborn persistence. "But now, I have to set it aside for now."
Qiao Yu understood what was in her heart. Even if she pretended to give up now, it was just a facade. The moment he let his guard down, she'd find her own way to seek revenge.
Leaving the entertainment industry would cut her off from those people. She'd lower herself to find other avenues.
If that were the case, it was better to let her stay in the industry where he could keep an eye on her.
"This isn't something without a solution." Qiao Yu said in a low voice. "But you have to listen to me. Do exactly as I say."
Song Weiwei glanced at him.
"Your co-star, Shi Yibo, has good popularity. Use this opportunity to stir up some rumors with him. And from my investigation, he's also an artist under Jinhuang Entertainment. If you want to get close to the Ji family, he's your best entry point."
"Have you been spending these days at social events not just to suppress the negative press, but to investigate the Ji family?"
"I told you, you should inform me of every move you make." Qiao Yu staggered slightly to the coffee table and poured himself a glass of water. "If you hadn't acted on your own and provoked Su Weiyue, she wouldn't have tried so hard to bring you down, and none of this would have happened."
"Ah Yu, you've been in the entertainment industry with me long enough. Can't you see how fierce women's jealousy can be?"
"No matter how fierce, the Ji family wouldn't bother with a powerless little star like you."
Song Weiwei pouted, disagreeing. "What do you mean 'little star'? I have tons of fans now..."
"Yeah, all of them cursing you online."
"..."
"The ones who were good to you almost got you blacklisted from the industry."
Finding a breakthrough to resolve this, Song Weiwei curled her lips into a smile. "We're in this together, don't be so harsh on me, okay?"
Qiao Yu's gaze slid down her smiling face. She was only wearing a bathrobe, and the collar had loosened, revealing a hint of skin. His dark eyes darkened instantly, and he quickly looked away.
He cleared his throat. "It's late. Get some rest. I'll come by tomorrow to discuss a plan."
Song Weiwei watched his hurried retreating figure, her eyes gradually dimming. She picked up another cigarette from the table and lit it.
Only in the dead of night was it time for her to shed all masks and accept herself as she was.
From the start, she knew the director of this TV series had business ties with the Ji Group, so she had deliberately gotten close to him. But then Su Weiyue had come out of nowhere, mistakenly believing she had slept her way to the top, and relying on her favor at Jinhuang Entertainment, she targeted Song Weiwei at every turn.
Before the Mu family's tragedy, the Mu and Ji families had been old friends. Back then, she and Ji Chen had grown up together as childhood sweethearts. Old Master Ji had been very fond of her and had intended for the two families to form a marriage alliance.
But because the Mu family was one of the four great clans, Old Master Mu—her grandfather—hadn't approved of the match, so it was never brought up again. Later, when the Mu family fell, the Ji family made no move. She went abroad for medical treatment and never heard anything about Ji Chen again.
She always felt the Ji family knew something. The Mu family had run a medical clinic for generations, only switching to a pharmaceutical factory in her grandfather's time. Since she was young, her grandfather had told her that the Mu family possessed a rare prescription, a secret they guarded. Once, by chance, she had hidden in her father's study and overheard Old Master Ji asking for that prescription, only to be politely refused.
After the Mu family's downfall, the prescription vanished. She couldn't conclude based on that alone that the Ji family was involved in the massacre.
The culprit behind the Mu family's ruin was Qin Haizhou, but the Qin family had been taken over by Gu Chao years ago, and they had all gotten what they deserved. She had investigated, and it was true. But in the whole chain of events, what role had the Ji family played?
...
These days, netizens had been feasting on scandals. First came Song Weiwei, then Second Young Master Shen's disgraceful secret was exposed, and just a few days later, Song Weiwei was rumored to be involved with Shi Yibo.
Online舆论 exploded. You could mess with anyone, but not Shi Yibo. For a time, netizens were in an uproar—some cursing Song Weiwei, others blessing the two as a couple. The hot comments kept coming.
Qiao Yu's plan was to use the buzz to boost Song Weiwei's popularity. Sometimes, scandals could draw attention and raise her profile.
The online response was good, with several factions trading insults...
An Ruo pushed the door open and saw Gu Chao reading the rumors about Song Weiwei and Shi Yibo. She wondered how her former rumored boyfriend would react to this.
She handed over the documents. "President, here are the project data for Qinghai. I've compiled them."
"Just leave them there." Gu Chao scrolled the mouse, browsing the comments below.
An Ruo withdrew her gaze calmly. She had only caught a glimpse, and since she never pried into others' gossip, she turned to leave.
"Wait." The man suddenly called her back.
"Is there something else?"
"I heard you're quite familiar with this Song Weiwei?"
An Ruo thought for a moment. "...Not really familiar."
She was a big star, busy every day, and An Ruo only exchanged a few words with her occasionally on set. Still, An Ruo considered her a friend.
"Does she... like this Shi Yibo?"
An Ruo shook her head. "I'm not sure about that. I only know they're friends."
Besides, this wasn't their first collaboration. The online rumors were so exaggerated; who knew if they were actually a couple?
Gu Chao didn't say anything else. An Ruo wasn't sure whether to stay or leave. She glanced up at the man lost in thought and felt he had some interest in Song Weiwei.
An Ruo paused. Had she been in love so long that she could now sense others' feelings?
After a long silence, she hesitated and spoke. "President, can I ask you a question?"
Gu Chao snapped out of his daze. "What question?"
"Do you... know Miss Song?" An Ruo suddenly felt a bit tipsy.
She had meant to ask if he had feelings for Song Weiwei, but it came out as "know" instead.
The two had been rumored to be in the same hotel before—did she even need to ask if they knew each other?