Chapter 32: Trampling the Harem Protagonist (6)

During this time, various leaks began surfacing online, revealing that the two lead actors from this summer’s blockbuster drama Pampered Wife on Top were set to collaborate again. However, this time, they would go from lovers to mortal enemies, sparking widespread discussion among netizens and fans alike. About a week later, insiders revealed the name of the new script—The Inner Palace.

Just from the title, it was clearly a major palace intrigue drama.

“I don’t have any other demands, I just hope The Inner Palace’s costumes and styling are as good as Pampered Wife on Top. I just don’t want a big drop in quality.”

“Ah, is this going to be another case of all of Xia Entertainment’s actors being packaged up just to support Xia Xiaoshi again? Other actors are great too—why can’t they play the leads for once?”

“Pampered Wife on Top was a massive hit. If The Inner Palace falls even slightly short in plot or production, Xia Xiaoshi and Yan Yi will get roasted alive by Shen Yu and Li Nuolin’s fans. May I boldly ask—who are the director and screenwriter for The Inner Palace?”

Even after so long, no news had come out about The Inner Palace’s director. Enthusiastic netizens listed every director they could think of, from industry veterans to newcomers, sparking jokes: “When it comes to clout-chasing, The Inner Palace takes the crown.”

Meanwhile, Yu Liuxue opened her Lazy Egg suitcase and carefully placed her folded clothes inside. Seizing a moment when Yan Yi was distracted with her phone, she quickly stuffed a few colorful books underneath her clothes. Keeping a straight face, she zipped up the suitcase and pulled it upright. “I’m all packed.”

Yan Yi put down her phone and took the suitcase from Yu Liuxue’s hands. “Let’s go.”

The filming location was once again in the film city built by the Xia family, though in a different section. After checking into the hotel, Yan Yi escorted Yu Liuxue to her room, placed her luggage inside, and then… refused to leave.

Yu Liuxue blinked. “Do you want me to grab your luggage for you?”

Yan Yi didn’t even look up. “No need. Go take a shower.”

It was broad daylight, under the vast sky, and yet… As the female lead, how could she be this indecent? Yu Liuxue pointed at her in outrage, took a step back, and planted her hands on her hips. “I refuse!”

Yan Yi slowly raised her head. “Then I’ll help you.”

Yu Liuxue: “…” Fine, you win.

Aside from Yan Yi, all the main actors in The Inner Palace were from Xia Entertainment, ranging from established stars to newcomers who had just signed with the company. As netizens put it: “Xia Zhengtian is willing to mobilize his entire company just to protect his daughter, Xia Xiaoshi.”

As discussions continued, the topic soon shifted to Shen Yu, who was diligently filming elsewhere. He had been almost completely off the radar lately, as if he had vanished from the industry. Perhaps the massive success of Pampered Wife on Top had deeply shaken him. Now, Shen Yu was pushing himself to the extreme on set—so much so that even the director marveled at his dedication, showering him with praise.

But only Shen Yu himself knew how much humiliation Xia Xiaoshi had brought him.

Even being overshadowed by Yan Yi didn’t hurt as much as this. After all, the person in question was Xia Xiaoshi—the same woman he had used and discarded. Xia Xiaoshi had never taken formal acting lessons and was considered a complete amateur. Yet, this so-called amateur had won national recognition for her performance.

Si Si’s role had become iconic, especially with Yu Liuxue’s masterful makeup skills adding to the effect. In the eyes of fans, Xia Xiaoshi had become nothing short of a goddess in the acting world.

Every time Shen Yu thought about this, he was so enraged he nearly coughed up blood.

Meanwhile, Li Nuolin hadn’t taken on any new projects recently. Her relationship with Shen Yu remained unchanged, and she would occasionally visit him on set. After drawing the curtains and doing what needed to be done, she took the cigarette Shen Yu had just lit, leaned against her hand with a sultry expression, and exhaled a slow ring of smoke. “Still thinking about that?”

Shen Yu shook his head. “Not anymore.”

Li Nuolin chuckled. “Honestly, Xia Xiaoshi just got lucky. She looks decent, has Xia Zhengtian personally paving the way for her—how could she not make a splash? Not to mention, she clout-chased you and rode the wave of your popularity.”

She curled her lips in disdain. “The role of Si Si wasn’t even challenging. Anyone could have played it well.”

Shen Yu didn’t agree, but he also didn’t want to argue with Li Nuolin. His mind was occupied with something else entirely.

Li Nuolin had been trying to sign him into her studio, but Shen Yu had bigger ambitions—he wanted to be the one and only top star in the industry, an unshakable film emperor. And Li Nuolin’s little studio simply couldn’t support that dream.

Not in terms of tactics, nor in resources.

“Aydin Entertainment has been reaching out to me,” Shen Yu finally said, his expression unreadable. “The terms and offer they’re giving me are very tempting.”

Li Nuolin was irritated, but she knew better than to control a man too tightly. Shen Yu had been behaving himself lately, and she was quite satisfied with that. So, she simply said indifferently, “Alright, if you want to join Aydin, go ahead.”

She let out a soft laugh, holding the cigarette between her fingers, before cupping Shen Yu’s face and kissing him deeply. Her voice was sultry as she whispered, “But if you ever treat me the way you treated Xia Xiaoshi, I won’t let you off.”

Not long after, Shen Yu officially signed a contract with Aydin Entertainment.

Aydin was an established entertainment powerhouse, once unshakable in its dominance. However, after Pampered Wife on Top exploded in popularity over the summer, the market value of Xia Entertainment had skyrocketed, nearly overtaking Aydin. This sent shockwaves through the industry, making Aydin feel a deep sense of crisis.

After some internal discussions, Aydin’s executives made a swift decision—to poach Shen Yu, who had just cut ties with Xia Entertainment.

It was a mutually beneficial deal.

As part of their strategy to get under Xia Entertainment’s skin, Aydin made a huge spectacle of signing Shen Yu, leading to widespread media coverage. His contract signing even became a trending topic, drawing massive attention.

“Now that our boy is free from that soul-crushing company and the clout-chasing queen, he’ll finally thrive! Stay strong, Shen Yu! We little fishies will always support you!”

—

“But personally, I think the Xia Corporation has great resources, and Xia Zhengtian treated Shen Yu quite well. As soon as he signed the contract, he was given a male lead script, instantly boosting him to top-tier fame. You could say that without Xia Corporation, there would be no Shen Yu today. So why did Shen Yu leave Xia Corporation?”

“Who else could it be? Some cheap woman kept pestering my brother, trying to ride his coattails for fame. Our brother simply couldn’t take it anymore.”

Yu Liuxue didn’t like hearing that. Supporting her sore waist, she lay on the bed, grabbed her phone, and quickly logged into her alternate account, charging straight into the battlefield:

“Shen Yu’s fans have no shame! Xia Xiaoshi and Shen Yu were clearly in a relationship, yet you fans insist on twisting it into Xia Xiaoshi one-sidedly clinging to him. Do you seriously have no idea what Shen Yu was like back then? No matter what you say about Xia Xiaoshi, she’s still Xia Zhengtian’s legitimate daughter, the apple of his eye. Who’s to say your precious brother wasn’t with her because of her status? LOL

Your brother was the one reaching up, and Xia Xiaoshi was the one marrying beneath her station—get it?”

Shen Yu’s fans were enraged. Where did this crazy woman come from?! How dare she talk about our brother like this!

Yu Liuxue argued with them fervently. “Without Xia Xiaoshi and Xia Corporation, there would be no Shen Yu today. He’s ungrateful—dumped his old company and his girlfriend the moment he got famous, just to latch onto Li Nuolin. And why? Because she could offer him better resources!”

Li Nuolin’s fans: “…?” We were just here to enjoy the gossip; why are we suddenly dragged into this?

Just as Yu Liuxue was going all out in the argument, Yan Yi casually grabbed her phone and pulled her into an embrace. “What’s wrong?”

Yu Liuxue blinked. “I just don’t want to see Shen Yu so smug, that’s all.”

“That’s easy.” Yan Yi put down Yu Liuxue’s phone, picked up her own, opened Weibo—an app she hadn’t touched in ages—typed a name into the search bar, and tapped the follow button.

Ding-dong!

[Just now] Yan Yi followed Director Xu Ye.

Yu Liuxue was in awe. Brilliant! Unable to resist, she hugged Yan Yi with a bright smile. “I really like you.”

The director of Inner Palace had yet to be officially announced. Even the smartest minds from Tsinghua and Peking University wouldn’t have guessed that it was actually Director Xu Ye! After finishing Emperor Wu of Han, Xu Ye had given interviews saying he was getting old, his words full of the sentiment that he was retiring to live a peaceful life away from the industry.

But now, what was with this sudden follow from Yan Yi?

Could it be that Inner Palace’s director was Xu Ye—the same Xu Ye who had just worked with Shen Yu?!

The gossip-hungry public was thrilled. What kind of never-ending showbiz drama was this?! As if the love triangle between Xia Xiaoshi, Shen Yu, and Yan Yi wasn’t enough, now even Director Xu Ye was getting involved?

Shen Yu’s fans were in disbelief. Our brother was criticized so harshly back then—wasn’t that all the director’s fault? And now, you’re actually teaming up with the woman who’s been freeloading off our brother’s fame?!

Poor Director Xu Ye, who had no idea what was happening, suddenly found himself the target of a brutal online attack and was heartbroken.

Soon, three topics trended on Weibo: “Shen Yu Yading Pictures”, “Xu Ye Inner Palace”, and “Xu Ye Cyberbullying.” Today was supposed to be Shen Yu’s moment—he had just signed with a promising new company—but the buzz was completely hijacked by Inner Palace and its director.

Originally, Xia Corporation had planned to keep the director’s identity a secret for a few more days. But thanks to Yan Yi’s unexpected move, they had no choice but to make an official announcement.

The internet erupted into chaos.

After days of uproar, Inner Palace held its opening ceremony and officially began filming. Xia Zhengtian went all in, immediately allocating 200 million yuan to the production. The costumes and props were top-tier, the absolute best money could buy. Even the most fashion-clueless male actors could tell how expensive the outfits were. The embroidery was intricate, the designs exquisite—the reds were regal, the yellows majestic, and the purples elegant and refined. Every piece was breathtaking.

Yu Liuxue had changed into her costume and was sitting at the makeup table, meticulously touching up her look. She was playing Consort Ling—arrogant and domineering. Despite being new to the palace, she was ostentatious, backed by a powerful family. Her makeup had to be both strikingly beautiful and sharp-edged, making it clear she was a thorny rose not to be trifled with.

Next to her, Yan Yi, dressed as the empress, subtly let her gaze linger on Yu Liuxue’s vibrant red lips.

Yu Liuxue shivered and widened her eyes in disbelief. “Yan Yi, we just did this.”

Yan Yi remained expressionless. “I know.”

Then why are you looking at me like that?! Yu Liuxue, now on high alert, quickly finished applying her blush, grabbed her robe, and bolted.

The set was filled with stunning actresses, and Yu Liuxue had merely glanced at them twice when she suddenly felt Yan Yi’s slow, heavy gaze land on her. She immediately straightened up, focused on her script, and stood properly.

Yu Liuxue had shot to fame thanks to Pampered Wife on Top, but most people in the industry believed she just got lucky—landing an easy, crowd-pleasing role that catapulted her to success.

Many people on set were eagerly waiting to see her fail.

Rumor had it that Director Xu Ye was notoriously strict. Yu Liuxue had never taken acting lessons; she might just end up being scolded to tears. If that happened, the internet would go wild.

Yu Liuxue had no idea about any of this.

Just before filming started, someone handed her a small whip. She stared at it, baffled. “What’s this?”

“The script got revised last minute. Your character is supposed to use this whip to discipline the servants.”

Oh, they must be worried that her acting wouldn’t be bratty enough. Yu Liuxue smiled and accepted the whip. “Tell the screenwriter thanks—I love whips.”

Yan Yi turned her head with interest.

Yu Liuxue: “…Forget I said that.”

Filming began. Sitting in his director’s chair, Xu Ye wasn’t sure what to expect.

After finishing Emperor Wu of Han, he truly hadn’t planned on directing anything else. In his mind, Emperor Wu of Han was his final work. The results weren’t as stellar as he had hoped, but he had no regrets about his effort.

Who would have thought that Xia Zhengtian would personally visit, trying to persuade Xu Ye to direct a historical drama for his daughter? Xu Ye admired Xia Zhengtian’s ability to talk nonsense with a straight face—he praised his daughter as if she were one of a kind, almost claiming she was born acting-ready. Xu Ye had lived for so many years, yet even he had never been so shameless.

When Xu Ye refused, Xia Zhengtian started dropping by every few days. Xu Ye was annoyed to no end, and after some persuasion from his wife, he impulsively agreed.

Now that filming was about to start, Xu Ye was getting cold feet.

He sighed inwardly, just hoping that Xia Xiaoshi’s acting wouldn’t be completely unbearable.

Yu Liuxue gripped the small whip tightly, lashing it down on the maidservant. Her expression was fierce, yet her exquisite makeup and stunning features gave her an oddly captivating aura—so much so that watching her discipline a servant felt like an unexpected pleasure.

Among the onlookers, someone muttered, “With how smoothly Xia Xiaoshi wields that whip, she must have practiced a lot.”

Yan Yi’s face instantly darkened.

Yu Liuxue gave it her all in the first scene. Xu Ye sat in his chair, deep in thought for a long time before speaking: “Xia Xiaoshi.”

Yu Liuxue eagerly ran over. “Director, what’s wrong? Was my performance not good enough?”

“No, no, not at all.” Xu Ye waved his hands repeatedly. For once, there was a rare look of curiosity on his face. “That stubborn fool Xia Zhengtian—how on earth did he manage to raise such a naturally talented daughter?”

With that, he turned back. “Prepare for the next scene.”

Everyone who had been waiting to see Yu Liuxue get put in her place was instead left feeling as if they’d been slapped in the face—twice. But this was only the beginning. Many veteran actors, confident in their years of experience, found themselves struggling to keep up when acting alongside her.

Yu Liuxue’s performance was clean and decisive. She was Consort Ling, and Consort Ling was her. The sheer arrogance exuding from her very bones left every co-star with a deep psychological shadow.

Younger male actors, after facing her in a scene, were reminded of their own unreasonable, domineering girlfriends. Clutching their chests after filming, they groaned, “I never want to date again.”

As everyone was being tormented by Yu Liuxue, the first major climax of The Inner Palace was finally being filmed—a high-stakes verbal battle between the Empress and Consort Ling.

The Empress was composed and calculating, a master at playing intricate mind games. Consort Ling, on the other hand, was domineering and blunt, speaking her mind without a care. It didn’t matter if you were the Empress, the Emperor, or even the King of Heaven himself—she would still go head-to-head with you.

On set, the two women stood in sharp contrast—one seated, one standing—both radiant and noble. Just looking at them sent shivers down the crew’s spines.

No matter how unreasonable Consort Ling was, the Empress remained steady as a mountain, deflecting her attacks with ease. But the more Consort Ling failed to get the upper hand, the more aggressively she lashed out, her sharpness becoming increasingly apparent.

Like a freshly unsheathed sword.

In reality, Yu Liuxue was incredibly stressed. Yan Yi’s acting skills were undisputed. She had already pushed herself to her limits in this scene, yet every time Yan Yi glanced at her with a subtle, indifferent gaze, Yu Liuxue felt an overwhelming urge to surrender.

Facing Yan Yi in full performance mode was like facing a lazy tiger basking in the sun—one that had just woken up and was in a particularly bad mood.

It took all her strength to hold her ground, and the moment the scene ended, Yu Liuxue bolted far away.

“No wonder Yan Yi is the female lead,” Yu Liuxue grumbled to the system. “She’s amazing—but why would someone like her fall for a century-grade scumbag like Shen Yu? Did someone hit her with a stupidity beam?”

The system quietly reminded her, “Host, maybe take a look behind you first.”

Yu Liuxue instinctively turned around—only to see Yan Yi walking straight toward her, still in costume. Having just sat in the sun for a while, a light sheen of sweat made her delicate, stunning features even more breathtaking.

Yan Yi reached out and wiped the sweat from the tip of Yu Liuxue’s nose. “You did well just now.”

Yu Liuxue, feeling aggrieved, threw herself into her arms. “You’re amazing.”

Yan Yi chuckled. “Once we’re back at the hotel tonight, I’ll rehearse with you. That way, you won’t have such a hard time next time.”

Yu Liuxue’s eyes lit up but quickly narrowed in suspicion. “Just a normal rehearsal?”

“Mhm.”

Yan Yi wrapped her arms around Yu Liuxue’s waist. “Or do you think I’m planning something else?”

Ha. Women.

The more Yan Yi spoke, the less Yu Liuxue believed her. Yan Yi still had more scenes to film, so after planting a quick kiss on Yu Liuxue, she turned and walked away.

Yu Liuxue stared at her elegant figure—sharp features, long neck, delicate collarbones, slender waist, and long legs. The red accessories in her dark, styled hair made her look all the more regal and alluring.

As if sensing Yu Liuxue’s gaze, Yan Yi turned slightly and gave her a small, teasing smile.

“I think I’m ready for more,” Yu Liuxue murmured, clutching her chest.

The system: “…”

Filming for The Inner Palace was going smoothly, but what fans were most eager to see was Consort Ling’s makeup. Everyone had already witnessed Yu Liuxue’s god-tier makeup skills, and they camped under the drama’s official Weibo, waiting for behind-the-scenes photos.

But after three months of waiting, they got nothing.

Just as everyone was getting bored, a breaking news alert popped up on major platforms:

Shen Yu suffered a serious injury while filming Fiery Passion due to a props department mishap. He is currently unconscious and being rushed to the hospital.

Yu Liuxue raised an eyebrow. “The male lead is working this hard? Now I feel pressured.”

The news sent waves through the industry, instantly skyrocketing Fiery Passion’s popularity. The production company was ecstatic—thanks to Shen Yu, their drama was getting insane attention. And with filming nearly complete, if they rushed post-production, they could ride the hype wave.

However, Shen Yu’s injuries were severe, completely disrupting their schedule. He remained in a coma for half a month and was ordered to rest for two more months, unable to move. Meanwhile, The Inner Palace had caught up in production.

Staring excitedly at the calendar, Yu Liuxue grinned. “Say, how about another summer showdown between me and the male lead?”

The system pondered for a moment. “I think that sounds great.”

The production company behind The Inner Palace was the Xia Corporation. If Yu Liuxue wanted to decide the broadcast schedule, would Xia Zhengtian ever refuse her?

As soon as Shen Yu recovered from his injuries, he immediately returned to the set to wrap things up—reshooting what needed to be reshot and continuing with the remaining scenes. His fans quickly flooded the internet with praises, exclaiming, “Our brother is so dedicated to his work!”

Yu Liuxue glanced at the heavy snowfall in the sky. Shen Yu filming an idol drama in a pleasant climate—how was that considered dedication? She, on the other hand, braving the snow while being lectured by Yan Yi—now that was true dedication, wasn’t it? Yu Liuxue pouted, “System, I’m a little unhappy.”

The system didn’t even need a chip to process what she was about to do next.

Yu Dongliang hadn’t received a call from Yu Liuxue in a long time, so when her name appeared on his screen, he immediately picked up. “You finally called! Our entire company is relying on you to support us.”

Yu Liuxue: “…”

“I have an explosive piece of news. How much are you willing to pay?”

Yu Dongliang was taken aback. Explosive? Just how explosive?

“But I don’t plan to sell this information just yet. I’ll give it to you next year, right before The Inner Palace and Fiery Passion are set to air. In the meantime, ask your boss how much he’s willing to offer.” Yu Liuxue calculated in her mind. Shen Yu was working so hard and had returned to his old craft—he must have felt he had everything under control.

But if she struck when he was off guard, delivering a fatal blow at just the right moment, even his drama would likely suffer collateral damage.

Yu Liuxue smiled slyly and teased, “I’ve been legally married to Shen Yu. Do you believe me?”

Yu Dongliang was shocked. Having worked with Yu Liuxue for so long, he knew she wasn’t one to lie, so his instinct was to believe her. This was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. He quickly said, “I’ll go ask my boss right away!”

Not even two minutes after Yu Liuxue hung up, Yu Dongliang called back in a hurry. “Five million. Is that enough?”

“Five million…”

Yu Dongliang’s heart tensed at Yu Liuxue’s deliberate pause.

“Deal.”

It wasn’t a lot, but it was enough for her to buy herself a stockpile of health supplements.

“I’ll hand over the evidence when the time comes. Until then, I don’t need to spell out what needs to be done, do I?”

Yu Dongliang was elated. “Of course! I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.”

With immense public attention, Fiery Passion finally wrapped filming. The media covered it extensively, and audience anticipation was sky-high. After Shen Yu’s new manager briefed him on the online buzz, he let out a long sigh of relief. This time, he was playing to his strengths, and it was another sweet romance drama, just like Pampered Wife on Top. Surely, it could overshadow the palace intrigue drama, right?

Just as Shen Yu was about to meet Li Nuolin, his manager suddenly stopped him. “There’s a wealthy widow. Her husband was one of the earliest directors in the entertainment industry, and she herself is a well-known screenwriter. She’s taken a bit of an interest in you and has already booked a room, waiting for you to meet her.”

“But don’t worry. She just wants to treat you to a meal—nothing more.” The manager looked up. “Do you want to go?”

Shen Yu thought for a moment.

An older woman like her wasn’t his usual target, but the resources she held were enticing. If he could get on her good side, he might gain even more influence in the industry.

Without hesitation, he decided to ditch Li Nuolin.

When Li Nuolin heard about it, she was furious, but Shen Yu simply hung up on her, leaving her with no way to retaliate.

After calming down, Li Nuolin made a phone call. “He went to dine with another woman?”

Oh, so he was off to find another powerful backer.

Li Nuolin narrowed her eyes slightly and immediately sent a few paparazzi to trail Shen Yu.

As soon as Shen Yu arrived and met the wealthy widow, before they could even exchange words, photos of their meeting were already in Li Nuolin’s hands. Without hesitation, she handed them over to her studio, instructing them to spread the images far and wide—this time, she wanted to teach Shen Yu a lesson.

Yu Liuxue stared blankly at her phone. “Has the male lead really fallen this low?”

Yan Yi glanced at her screen but said nothing. In her mind, she thought, Good thing I’m young, beautiful, and skilled—I completely meet my girlfriend’s standards.

Shen Yu returned from his meal in high spirits, only to discover that photos of him dining with the wealthy widow had gone viral. He was absolutely furious. “This must be Xia Xiaoshi’s doing!”

Shen Yu’s expression darkened. Xia Xiaoshi had been relentlessly targeting him, refusing to let him have an easy life. Since she refused to back down, he wouldn’t hold back either.

Before Yu Liuxue even had a chance to enjoy her gossip, she discovered that marketing accounts across the internet were suddenly smearing her, accusing her of getting plastic surgery.

Their so-called “evidence” consisted of old, unpolished photos of Xia Xiaoshi in outdated clothes and without makeup.

Yu Liuxue: “…?”

“Unbelievable! Who dares to frame me?!”

System: “It’s the male lead. He thinks you’re the one who leaked the photos of him dining with the widow.”

Yu Liuxue: “…?” I’m innocent! All I did was arrange to expose that Shen Yu was a married man. This has nothing to do with me!

“Then who actually leaked the photos?”

System: “The supporting actress, Li Nuolin.”

Oh, looks like his own backyard caught fire.

Yu Liuxue instantly stopped being angry and gleefully clutched her phone. She personally jumped into the fray to clarify the rumors.

“I never got plastic surgery. But whether someone else went out for dinner or not—now that, I wouldn’t know.”

Gossip-loving netizens: “!”

The drama had finally escalated into an open battle!

Front-row seats! Get your popcorn, sunflower seeds, and soda here!

Ever since Xia Xiaoshi started acting, she had never publicly mentioned her past relationship with Shen Yu. Everyone assumed that chapter was closed. But now, it was clear—she still held a grudge against him.

Otherwise, why would she personally step in to roast her ex-boyfriend?

Shen Yu’s face turned red, then blue, then red again, shifting colors like a painter’s palette.

Yu Liuxue’s bold retaliation made Shen Yu waver. He feared she might actually release their marriage and divorce certificates, jeopardizing his recently revived career.

After urgent discussions with his company, they decided to publicly address the relationship head-on.

“Our artist, Shen Yu, and a certain female artist with the surname Xia have amicably parted ways. We ask all netizens to refrain from speculation and misinformation…”

The moment the news dropped, Weibo’s servers crashed.

Yan Yi grabbed the tiny scrap of fabric on Yu Liuxue’s outfit and casually asked, “Is this the outcome you wanted?”

Yu Liuxue shuddered all over. “It’s not me, I didn’t do it! Listen to my explanation!”

“This has nothing to do with me!”

She lay on the bed, teary-eyed. “Can you be gentle tonight?”

Yan Yi didn’t reply. Half a minute later, she held Yu Liuxue tightly in her arms. “You’ve had a hard time during that period.”

“I regret not being by your side sooner.”

Yu Liuxue was stunned, just about to respond, touched, when she heard Yan Yi continue—

“But, no.”

I’d better put away my useless emotions.

—

After more than a year, Shen Yu finally responded to his past relationship through his new company. This shattered the hearts of many fans. They had firmly believed in him, thinking that the whole thing was just Xia Xiaoshi trying to leech off his fame. They had endured endless ridicule from other netizens while defending him. But now, it all seemed like a joke.

Overnight, Shen Yu lost 100,000 followers on Weibo. However, his company quickly replenished them with bot accounts.

Shen Yu was irritated. At that moment, Li Nuolin approached him and pulled him into her embrace. “Do you need my help?”

Shen Yu was still unaware that Li Nuolin was the mastermind behind it all. He smoked one cigarette after another. “No need.”

The drama Fiery Passion had a great plot and fast-paced storytelling. His female co-star was at the peak of her popularity. Though he had lost some fans, Shen Yu was confident that once Fiery Passion aired, those who left would be drawn back by his role.

Perhaps, with Fiery Passion, his popularity would reach unprecedented heights.

He directly rejected Li Nuolin’s offer, which left her both furious and humiliated. Internally, she sneered. Fine, we’ll see.

—

After nine months of filming, The Inner Palace finally wrapped up. Several media outlets and marketing accounts reported on it, though most of the public’s attention was still on Shen Yu.

Yu Liuxue casually swung her legs and instructed Yu Dongliang to proceed with their plan.

Originally, Fiery Passion was scheduled to air during the May holiday. However, after Shen Yu learned that The Inner Palace was set for a summer release, he personally approached the production company, persuading them with reason and emotion. In the end, he successfully convinced them to reschedule Fiery Passion for summer as well—preparing for a second showdown with Yu Liuxue.

Yu Liuxue was more than happy to oblige.

Before Yu Dongliang could leak the news about Xia Xiaoshi and Shen Yu’s marriage, an unexpected incident occurred.

During an event, a reporter in the audience ignored the pre-approved questions and instead asked about Shen Yu’s private life.

“Shen Yu, netizens are very curious about your past relationship with Xia Xiaoshi. Could you tell us how you two got together and how you broke up?”

The event was being livestreamed, and his manager had no time to intervene.

Shen Yu was momentarily stunned. Then, he let out a bitter smile, his expression filled with melancholy. In a soft voice, he replied—

“It was my fault. I was too busy with work and didn’t have time for her. I neglected her. She has every reason to resent me.”

Yu Liuxue was so furious that she sat right on top of Yan Yi, her small face flushed red. “He makes it sound like I was being unreasonable and throwing a tantrum!”

Shen Yu’s fans immediately felt justified, attacking Yu Liuxue even more viciously. She puffed up like an angry pufferfish, but had to hold back and signal Yu Dongliang to delay their counterattack.

After quietly comforting Yu Liuxue, Yan Yi wordlessly picked up her keys and left.

She had an event to attend that night. Coincidentally, Shen Yu would also be there.

Yan Yi arrived with striking red lips and an air of noble indifference, instantly becoming the center of attention.

Shen Yu was mesmerized. Just as he was about to seize the opportunity to get closer to Yan Yi, he saw her walking straight toward him.

His heart leaped with joy, and he straightened his posture, putting on what he believed was a suave expression, waiting for her to approach.

“You and Xia Xiaoshi…” Yan Yi spoke softly.

Shen Yu couldn’t let her misunderstand his relationship with Xia Xiaoshi. He immediately explained, “I’ve already broken up with her. It’s completely over. There’s nothing between us anymore.”

Yan Yi nodded.

Shen Yu quickly added, “Yan Yi, let’s have a meal together sometime…”

“No time.” Yan Yi rejected him outright.

She gazed at Shen Yu indifferently and parted her red lips. “Since you’ve completely severed ties with her, then don’t mention her in public again.”

“I won’t be happy about it.”

Shen Yu assumed Yan Yi was jealous of Xia Xiaoshi. His heart swelled with excitement. “Don’t worry, I swear I won’t mention her ever again.”

“That’s good.”

Yan Yi lifted her leg, sweeping her gown elegantly as she turned to leave. Her voice was cold and distant—

“You’d better remember what you just said. Otherwise, I won’t let you off.”

“What?” She wouldn’t let me off? Has she fallen for me so deeply that she’s becoming possessive?

Shen Yu felt a little pleased.

But then, Yan Yi turned back slightly and added—

“Xia Xiaoshi is my girlfriend now. I don’t like seeing her name associated with another man.”

“Got it?”

—

#Notes:

—In Chinese internet slang, “压顶 (yàdǐng)” is sometimes used to describe a situation where a celebrity is overwhelmed with photos being taken of them