At that moment, far away at the hospital, Lu Wanqing sat beside the hospital bed, her slender fingers gripping her phone tightly. Li Nanyi quietly kept her company from the bed as they watched the footage on the phone screen in silence.
Standing beside them was Lu Wanqing's manager, Sister Wang, her face full of anger.
Sister Wang's eyes widened, her face flushed with rage. Pointing at Lu Wanqing, she shouted, "I warned you before you went on this variety show! Keep your temper in check! Keep your temper in check! And you?! What did you do?!"
Lu Wanqing lowered her head, not daring to look at Sister Wang. Tears welled in her eyes, but she fought to keep them from falling. Seeing this, Li Nanyi grabbed her hand and hugged her comfortingly.
Sister Wang continued roaring, "Do you even know who Fu Yanci is?! Is the Fu Family someone a minor celebrity like you can afford to offend?!"
"The livestream started the moment you arrived at the filming location! From the moment you got out of the car, everyone in the livestream heard everything you said! Think long and hard about what you said!" Sister Wang's voice rose higher, filled with disappointment and anger.
She sighed. Looking at Lu Wanqing, who kept her head down without a word, she softened her tone slightly. "I told you long ago that this director isn't someone you can fool. I told you to behave and follow the tasks! And you?! You caused such a huge scene at the airport! Lu Wanqing, do you think you're beyond my control now?"
Lu Wanqing's lips trembled slightly. Finally, she could not help speaking. "I'm sorry..."
But Sister Wang cut her off. "Wanqing, how many years have I managed you? Have you forgotten? If I could raise you to this position, I can send you crashing straight back down!"
Lu Wanqing's face turned as pale as paper. She knew she had offended someone she should not have this time, but after so many years of effort, she could not let it end here.
"Sister Wang! I really was wrong! From now on, I'll do exactly as you say!"
"Can't I go apologize to them?! Sister Wang, please help me!"
She had never imagined that Fu Yanci would actually be a member of the Fu Family. She had only been jealous-jealous that Chi Shuran had such a beautiful face, jealous that she remained untainted in the entertainment industry, jealous that she could hold such a position in the industry without having lost anything at all.
So what if the entire internet hated her?! So many people still knew Chi Shuran's name!
But what about her?!
She was just an ordinary minor celebrity who had clawed her way up!
For a good opportunity, she had to swallow her disgust and fawn over those investors, passed around like an object by Sister Wang every day!
Why didn't Chi Shuran have to go through any of this?!
"This is reality, not a novel. Do you really think a casual 'sorry' can resolve certain things?" Sister Wang gave the still-dazed woman a long look and continued:
"You've spent so many years in the entertainment industry. Do you still not understand that?"
Tears slid down her face, and Lu Wanqing's heart filled with self-reproach and regret. Why, exactly? Why could Chi Shuran have such a good life, while she had to fawn over those scumbags to make a living?!
"You don't need to return to this variety show. You won't have to pay a penalty for breaching the contract. This is the director's decision too."
"And this is for your own good. Before you offend them beyond repair, stop showing your face in front of them."
Sister Wang's words struck like a bolt from the blue, sending Lu Wanqing's heart plummeting.
How could this happen... This opportunity had been so hard to come by. How could she just give it up?!
"Sister Wang! No! I can't leave this variety show! Please help me! I really can't lose this show!"
"That isn't your decision to make!" With that, Sister Wang stood and shot Lu Wanqing a fierce glare. "One last piece of advice: don't reject what's good for you. You should know your place. Stop doing brainless things, and don't think the entertainment industry is that simple."
"You aren't qualified to get involved in what goes on at a deeper level yet. Stop playing your little tricks. Nobody is a fool."
As she closed the door, Sister Wang exchanged a look with Li Nanyi on the hospital bed, then left.
The hospital room fell deathly silent, with only Lu Wanqing's faint sobs remaining. After collecting herself, Lu Wanqing raised her head and looked at Li Nanyi, her eyes full of apology and guilt. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this."
Li Nanyi gently patted Lu Wanqing's shoulder in understanding and comfort. "It's all right, sis. Wherever you are, that's where I'll be."
"I just replied late that day, and he asked me why I hadn't replied to his messages."
"I was afraid he'd get angry over it, so I wanted to sweet-talk him!"
Feeling that his position was not quite right, Fu Yanci turned to look at Chi An, then stood and picked him up, chair and all, moving him aside. "Just for a little while. Talking from that spot feels a bit awkward. Let me lean in front of the screen for a bit. I'll move you back later."
After earnestly explaining his reason to Chi An, Fu Yanci sniffed, pulled over his own chair, and plopped down. He rested both arms on the table and brought his face close to the screen. "So I said, 'Because you felt too important. No reply could possibly do you justice.'"
"Was there anything wrong with what I said? I really just forgot to reply."
"But him? He actually insulted me!"
"He said shit had hit the fan, and I was still stirring it!"
"Tell me, wasn't I wronged?!"
Fu Yanci aired his grievances to the computer. Moved off to one side, Chi An's expression barely changed as he silently met the gazes coming from all around. His gaze traveled from Fu Yanci's face to the screen in front of him.
[Hugs for our crown prince. You poor thing. You really didn't do anything. How could Chi An say that? So, can you tell us why you didn't reply?]
[We have to understand what happened before we can stand up for you, right? You must have forgotten to reply to Chi An because you had something of your own to do, so can you tell us what you were doing that day?]
[How could Chi An say that to you? That's going too far. Send Chi An over to my place. I'll give him a good tongue-lashing for you!]
[What exactly are you planning to do with that tongue? Don't be so sneaky, you devious little villain!]
[Crown prince! I'm different from all of them. They only want to steal Chi An! Not me. I only want to steal you! We can honeymoon abroad together. I've already bought your ticket. I'm just waiting for you to leave.]
[That sounds lovely, but everyone else buys tickets for "us." The person above only bought one for "you."]
"Why aren't you telling them what you were doing that day?"
Looking away from the screen, Chi An propped his head on one hand and rested the other on Fu Yanci's shoulder. Watching him with interest, he spoke evenly. "Should I tell them for you?"
"You still remember?"
His gaze a little guilty, Fu Yanci turned to meet Chi An's eyes, then quickly turned back.
Chi An lazily raised his brows, drawing out his words in a low voice. "Remember? It's still fresh in my mind."
"You were out gallivanting all day. I thought something had happened to you, but when I went out to look for you, it turned out you'd spent the entire day in the park next to the residential complex."
"You bought three bags of dog food and gathered all the stray dogs in the park..."
"You hugged those dogs, called them by my name, and proposed to them. You hugged every single dog that day, didn't you?"
Before you continue