Oh-ho, Gu Weichen. How did he get my number?
"Uncle Gu, did you need something?"
Gu Weichen: ...You just have to call me uncle, don't you?
"It was my decision to replace Jiang Yi, but he took his anger out on you. It's my fault that people online are attacking you," Gu Weichen explained over the phone.
He's probably making snide remarks about me in his head right now.
"Oh, it's fine. Jiang Yi never liked me anyway, so don't put too much pressure on yourself." So Gu Weichen was the one who had Jiang Yi replaced.
"I found some dirt on Jiang Yi. He seems to have been involved in some activities, too. I'll give it to you as an apology."
The next day, #Shen Xuanrun, Leave Showbiz!# appeared before everyone's eyes with a "Heated" tag. Even most people who didn't follow the entertainment industry knew about it.
Then came a sudden twist. Jiang Yi's manager posted on Weibo, leaving everyone online bewildered and catching Jiang Yi off guard.
Manager Huang Shuangru V @#I failed to see your true colors before. Everyone has their own path. Let's terminate our contract! I'll pay the termination fee as usual, too @Jiang Yi V @#
The internet went wild.
Blue Love of Life and Death: So what's actually going on now? Why does Jiang Yi's manager want to terminate her contract with him? Did Jiang Yi do something?
Jiang Yi's Official Girlfriend: Huang Shuangru must have been bought off by Shen Xuanrun because of the money and posted that on purpose. Our darling is so pitiful! Not only were his opportunities stolen, but his manager was bought off, too.
I'm Just Here for the Gossip: I'm a little confused now. I don't dare believe anyone anymore. What's going on with Huang Shuangru?
The comments online were mixed, both positive and negative.
Jiang Yi was nearly driven mad with anger, too. He called Huang Shuangru, but she offered no explanation, told him to look out for himself, and only wanted to terminate their contract.
Could she have found something out? No, I clearly covered my tracks well. She shouldn't know about any of this. I'm definitely overthinking it.
Jiang Yi went back over what he had done in the past and confirmed that he had left no loose ends.
Jiang Yi looked at the comments online again, firmly believing that what he had done would never be discovered. The only person who knew his secret was that woman, and she had been dead for years.
Since you're being heartless, don't blame me for being disloyal, Huang Shuangru.
Soon, Jiang Yi made another Weibo post.
Jiang Yi V @#I never imagined that even the person closest to me in the entertainment industry would be bought off, that the person I trusted most would stab me in the back at my lowest point @Manager Huang Shuangru V @. In this industry, whether it's friendship or hard work, money corrupts it until it's worthless. If we've lost sight of why we started, where are our dreams?!#
Jiang Yi's Official Girlfriend: I told you! That woman Huang Shuangru must have been bought off to bad-mouth our darling online on purpose. These people are disgusting, all birds of a feather. Darling, terminate the contract already!
Yiyi Is the Best in the World: Yes! Find a good manager again. We'll support you for sure, darling. You'll definitely become a huge star, the most popular one of all, and really slap them in the face! Show them they're not worthy!
Hugs for Jiang Yi: Our darling really has it so rough. He's been through so much. This is so disgusting. Shen Xuanrun, why haven't you left showbiz yet!? How do you have the nerve to stay in this industry!?
Jiang Yi's Wife: I really feel for our darling. That woman Huang Shuangru cares about nothing but money. All those years of friendship couldn't stand up to one capitalist. An xx who still wants to pretend she's virtuous. And that scumbag Shen Xuanrun, why don't you go x!!!
Of course, aside from Jiang Yi's fans, most people online were relatively rational and expressed their views reasonably, but Jiang Yi's fans soon shouted them down, too.
I'm Just Here for the Gossip: I'm not taking anyone's side right now. Jiang Yi's fans, don't attack me either. Everyone has their own opinions. I keep feeling there's more to this.
Jiang Yi Is the Best: More to what? It's as simple as our darling being victimized. Our darling already posted on Weibo. Can't you understand human speech? Or can't you read human words? Get lost, dumb x.
Shen Xuanrun, Leave Showbiz!: A little hater sent by Shen Xuanrun! Get lost!
Because Jiang Yi's fans were so fierce, other people stopped commenting and simply watched them hurl abuse on Shen Xuanrun's and Huang Shuangru's Weibo pages. Fans of Shen Xuanrun's looks came out to fight back a little, too, but they were completely outmatched.
Jiang Yi also gained quite a few fans during this period, all of whom were standing up for him over the injustice.
Seeing this, Jiang Yi broke into a villainously confident smile.
When Shen Xuanrun walked onto the set that morning, he saw the strange looks people in the crew gave him but didn't pay them much mind. Someone destined for great things wouldn't care about these little storms.
Shen Xuanrun: I'm not, I didn't, don't make things up. I'm still really hurt by the way they're looking at me. Boo-hoo-hoo.
The new male lead was the A-list star Yang Jiayu.
Yang Jiayu was a very typical mature, steady, career-oriented young man. Although he was only twenty-five that year and looked like an icy handsome man, he seemed to have weathered great storms. Every day on set, he held his goji berries and hot water, neither arrogant nor impatient, neither hurried nor anxious. His fans were very laid-back, too. They didn't promote him or buy merchandise like other stars' fans, but instead followed his example and drank goji berries and hot water.
Yang Jiayu's career was on the rise that year. He had won many awards and joined the ranks of A-list stars.
Although Yang Jiayu was an A-list star, he usually only appeared on set and didn't go on variety shows. He was a well-behaved, career-focused star, a breath of fresh air in the entertainment industry. However, news that he was getting married had suddenly broken not long before.
According to rumors, Yang Jiayu had originally been chosen as the male lead, but rumors of his impending marriage broke at the time, so Jiang Yi was chosen in the end. Whether the news that he was getting married was actually true remained unknown.
However, most of Yang Jiayu's fans supported him for his career, so they also congratulated him on his marriage, and there was no mass exodus of fans.
His fans all said it was a good thing that someone could take Yang Jiayu off their hands, and they looked forward to the day the goji berries in his cup could be replaced with milk tea.
Shen Xuanrun had a very good impression of Yang Jiayu. After all, Yang Jiayu didn't stir up trouble and only focused on filming in peace, which was already quite rare in the entertainment industry.
Yang Jiayu also had a very good first impression of Shen Xuanrun. He felt that Shen Xuanrun wasn't the sort of capitalist people online described. His smile was pure, and he seemed more like an aloof beauty with few worldly desires, gentle as jade.
"Hello, I'm Yang Jiayu. I look forward to your guidance," Yang Jiayu said politely, smiling at Shen Xuanrun.
"Hello, I'm Shen Xuanrun. I think I'll be the one looking to you for guidance," Shen Xuanrun replied with a smile.
"I believe you're not the sort of person Jiang Yi described online. Your smile looks very pure."
Seeing Shen Xuanrun's smile also put Yang Jiayu in a very pleasant mood.
"Thank you for choosing to believe me."
Waaah, a gorgeous man chose to believe me. I'm on such a high!