So this was no voice from beyond the heavens, but Ye Jin's thoughts she was hearing? But how did Ye Jin know all this?
Now was not the time to dwell on that question, though. She had to deal with the people looking her way first.
Naturally, Yang Manhui would not completely trust the information in what seemed to be Ye Jin's thoughts, but she could judge whether those words were right or wrong.
She had eagerly come over to carry He Cheng's sedan chair for him, yet he had been colder than anyone and had even scolded her. Was she not allowed to feel angry and resentful?
In the past, she really had defended He Cheng no matter the circumstances, even at the expense of her own interests. Ye Jin was not wrong to call her a love-brain!
Besides, she had just seen that assistant hold He Cheng back and soothe him with ease, something even she herself could not manage.
Yang Manhui thought that, whether these thoughts were true or false, she could no longer be as servile toward He Cheng as before.
Her voice was cool, betraying neither anger nor pleasure. "Naturally, I came because I wanted to. I certainly didn't come expecting anyone to be grateful."
He Cheng was delighted to hear this. Sure enough, Manhui was still on his side. He really had been overthinking things earlier.
But just then, Yang Manhui changed tack.
"But while I may not care, that doesn't mean others can be ungrateful."
Chapter 10
After Yang Manhui's first remark, Ye Jin had rubbed her hands together, ready to tear into this incurable love-brain.
Though she did not expect a little scolding to wake a love-brain up, at least she would get a kick out of it!
Yet before she could speak, she heard Yang Manhui's rather pointed remark.
[Huh? This love-brain Yang Manhui actually didn't defend her darling boyfriend! Could they have had a fight, so Yang Manhui's throwing a tantrum? Doesn't that make me part of their play?]
[That's not right either. In the original novel, every time they fought, it was always that simp Yang Manhui who coaxed He Cheng.]
[Whatever, I can't be bothered to guess. Anything that makes He Cheng eat dirt is a good thing.]
Yang Manhui: Can't I be smart just this once?!
He Cheng's face instantly fell. How could she make him lose face like this?! Was it just because he had been a little cold when he saw her yesterday?
Could she not think of him? What would the netizens think of a big star like her coming to make a cameo in such a minor role? If they dug something up, what would become of his career!
Besides, was she referring not just to this production, but also to the opportunities she had introduced him to before?
Although she had made the introductions for those opportunities, he had ultimately secured them through his own ability! What gave her the right to think he owed her?
Had they been in private, He Cheng would have given Yang Manhui a cold face long ago. But in front of all these people, he could only swallow it.
He said nothing more, wanting to let the matter drop, but Ye Jin had no intention of letting him off.
Though she could not work out what medicine Yang Manhui was selling in her gourd, that did nothing to affect her desire to verbally tear He Cheng apart.
She looked at He Cheng with amusement. "Mr. He, surely you aren't the sort of person who doesn't understand gratitude. Don't you have anything to show for it? Or are you preparing some grand gift in private, as you said?"
He Cheng, who had gradually begun to calm down, exploded again. This Ye Jin had no intention of letting him off! Did she really think he would not retaliate?
She might have powerful backing, but he was no pushover either! He had plenty of fans. In a battle of public opinion, his fans could flame her to death.
However unwilling He Cheng felt, he had no choice but to bow his head now. He could only look at Yang Manhui and say with a smile that did not reach his eyes, "Miss Yang, thank you for coming."
After speaking, he signaled to Yang Manhui with his eyes, urging her to hurry up and let the matter drop.
How could Yang Manhui fail to hear the perfunctoriness and resentment in He Cheng's words?
He Cheng had never taken her efforts seriously. The only person moved by her one-sided devotion was herself. Never had she realized as clearly as she did now that He Cheng might truly no longer love her!
She and He Cheng had met before either of them became famous. Back then, she had been a film academy student, while He Cheng had been a trainee who practiced dancing hard every day.
They had met on the set of a commercial and then gotten together.
Though their days had been exhausting back then, a word of encouragement from the other could restore their boundless courage. He Cheng had even traveled across more than half of Hua Country to see her after she complained that filming was too tiring.
Yang Manhui was in torment until she heard Ye Jin's snark again.
[Heh, look at how unwilling and wronged He Cheng looks, as if I'm some big villain bullying him. But that's fine. A villain it is. I just love seeing him forced to apologize like this. Hahaha!]
[The more Yang Manhui does for He Cheng, the more he takes it for granted. He's really been gaslighting her.]
[That bastard He Cheng might even be bitter about why Yang Manhui's more famous than he is, which is why he went looking for a sense of superiority with that little assistant.]
Was that it? Yang Manhui could not help recalling the past.
When had He Cheng started growing colder and colder toward her?
It seemed to have begun after she took a role in a famous director's film, became the "X girl" in the public spotlight, and signed with a veteran agent. He Cheng had started becoming snide with her.
She had noticed his unhappiness at the time, but He Cheng had explained that he had become sensitive and suspicious because he was afraid he was not good enough for her.
So, to stop He Cheng from feeling inferior, she had asked her agent to give him a spot on Fruit Video's talent competition. In exchange, she had even conceded another ten percent in her management contract. After all, He Cheng had not been among the most outstanding trainees back then.
He Cheng had also been quite lucky, happening to be assigned to the same dorm room as the contestant who held first place by an overwhelming margin at the time. The two got along well, and after some maneuvering and marketing, they became a hugely popular CP. He Cheng also rose to fame and officially debuted.
Afterward, Yang Manhui had repeatedly used her connections in film and television to introduce He Cheng to acting opportunities. After all, everyone in Hua Country knew that idols lived off their youth. For a lasting career, they still needed to transition into acting.
At first, when He Cheng received those opportunities, he would still give her a few smiles and thank her over and over.