Chapter 124: Simultaneously Offending Three Bigshots – Part Eleven

As she spoke, her eyes turned red. “Is Aunt Xiao thinking that now that ‘Her Me’ has ended, I’ve outlived my usefulness, so you wants to kick me aside? To achieve your goal, you deliberately lied to Xiao Kewei, trying to make him use emotional coldness to force me away from the two of you?”

Meng Xi bit her lip hard, her voice choked with emotion. “Aunt Xiao, if you’re dissatisfied with me, you can just tell me directly. There’s no need to go about it in such a roundabout way. I, Meng Xi, am not the kind of person who clings on and makes a scene.”

Seeing the supporting female lead about to cry, Yu Liuxue quickly stepped forward and held her hand. Meng Xi hesitated for a moment but didn’t shake her off. Her teary eyes fixed on Yu Liuxue, waiting to hear what kind of explanation she would give. Yu Liuxue responded quickly, her gaze serious and laced with a hint of affection and helplessness. She let out a soft sigh. “Xiao Xi, you’ve really misunderstood this time.”

“We’ve known each other for so long. You know what kind of person Auntie is. Do you really think she’s the type to play games and scheme like this?”

Meng Xi hesitated, then slowly nodded.

If she weren’t, then why would she use Xiao Kewei to force her to leave? It was obvious she didn’t want her around anymore.

Yu Liuxue pretended not to notice and continued her emotional persuasion. “Auntie has said before that she’s always been most satisfied with you. She never lied to you. Everyone has seen how hard you’ve worked. It’s not just Auntie—many people have praised your performance, haven’t they?”

After much coaxing, Meng Xi’s expression finally softened. Yu Liuxue led her over to a chair in the courtyard, deliberately lowering her voice. “Auntie won’t hide it from you. The truth is, everything I did was to help Kewei develop some independence. I never meant to deceive you.”

“You know Kewei isn’t a child anymore, yet he still spends his days idling around. He’s not alone—he’s your boyfriend, someone about to start a family. How could I possibly be at ease with him like this? If he does something wrong in the future and makes you upset, Auntie would feel terrible for you.”

As her emotions surged, Yu Liuxue clasped Meng Xi’s hands tightly, her face full of heartfelt sincerity.

Tears clung to Meng Xi’s lashes. Yu Liuxue’s words left her stunned. She couldn’t help but wonder—had she really misunderstood Aunt Xiao? After hearing Yu Liuxue’s explanation, her mood inexplicably lifted. So that’s how it was? Aunt Xiao lied to Xiao Kewei for her sake, trying to push him to grow up, to become more responsible?

Meng Xi was deeply moved. But then she raised her hand to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. “Aunt Xiao, you don’t need to go to such lengths. I already broke up with Kewei just now. So from now on, whether he’s immature or mature, whether he learns how to please others or not, it has nothing to do with me.”

Yu Liuxue: “…?!”

Meng Xi sniffled lightly. Her emotions had overwhelmed her earlier, and she’d ended up shedding tears in front of Yu Liuxue. Now that she’d calmed down, she suddenly didn’t know where to put her hands and feet. Her beautiful face was taut, and she pressed her red lips together. “Aunt Xiao, I was too impulsive just now. I’ve caused you trouble.”

“I know what kind of person you are, Aunt Xiao. So I hope that if anything happens in the future, you won’t keep it from me.” With that, Meng Xi turned and ran off. Before she got too far, Yu Liuxue instinctively called out, “What about you and Kewei…?”

“We’ll cut ties cleanly!” Meng Xi shouted back.

Yu Liuxue: “…” That’s not what I meant.

Now that the supporting female lead had broken up with her convenient son, it meant Meng Xi would no longer see her as a respected future mother-in-law. Without that relationship, the filter through which Meng Xi viewed her would weaken. When that happened… she might really become the difficult and spoiled heiress from the novel!

Yu Liuxue nearly dropped dead on the spot. Meng Xi had a fiery temper. Whenever she felt wronged, she’d run home and demand her parents take revenge on her behalf. If Meng Xi ever saw through the lies she’d told in the past…

Yu Liuxue instantly imagined a hundred different ways Meng Xi’s family might execute her.

A shiver ran down her spine, and a strong sense of crisis surged within her. The only way to solve this problem now was to become famous as quickly as possible—become a highly acclaimed, top-tier screenwriter. That way, even if Meng Xi’s parents wanted to retaliate, once she was entangled in all kinds of interests and connections, no matter how powerful they were, they wouldn’t dare act recklessly.

Yes, that’s the way!

Driven by intense survival instincts, Yu Liuxue immediately began preparations for Season Two. She’d worked well with the director and others during the first season, so after some discussion, they readily agreed to collaborate with her again.

Yun Ning had made a fortune from the first season, so Yu Liuxue went to her. “Ning Ning, are you interested in investing in Season Two?”

Yun Ning was an old acquaintance, unlike other investors who constantly caused trouble—trying to force people into the cast or demanding script changes to give their backed actors more screen time. Once the money was in, she only came by once every two weeks to check on progress. She didn’t meddle or stir up drama. She was the model investor.

Yu Liuxue found working with her incredibly easy.

Yun Ning paused and blinked. “Her Me” had indeed made her a lot of money, so it wasn’t surprising that Xiao Yuetong would come to her again for funding. However… she had originally approached Xiao Yuetong to avenge her parents. With each new investment, she was tying herself more tightly to Xiao Yuetong. At this rate, when would she ever complete her mission?

After a moment of thought, she asked, “How much do you need?”

Yu Liuxue smiled. “I’m planning something big for Season Two. So how much can you give?”

Yun Ning held up two fingers. Yu Liuxue’s eyes lit up. Unable to contain her excitement, she threw her arms around Yun Ning. “Ning Ning, Auntie knew you wouldn’t let her down!”

Sensing Yun Ning stiffen slightly, Yu Liuxue quickly composed herself and let go. “Ning Ning, trust Auntie. I promise you won’t lose out. Auntie will make sure you earn enough to last ten lifetimes! Just wait for my good news!”

Yun Ning’s gaze flickered. Her lashes trembled as she watched that white figure disappear swiftly through the door.

Who would say no to money?

Yun Ning thought, maybe… revenge could wait a little longer.

With the investment secured, the next step was to speak with the actors from Season One. Yu Liuxue offered generous pay to entice them, and aside from a few with scheduling conflicts, nearly all agreed to return. Most of the actors she’d picked were relatively unknown. They knew that everything they had now was thanks to Xiao Yuetong. Half out of gratitude, and half wanting to continue riding her coattails to increase their exposure and popularity, they quickly signed on for Season Two.

Yu Liuxue saved Xie Zhenxue for last. The first time she tried to contact her, she was told that Xie Zhenxue had flown out of town to film a commercial.

When Xie Zhenxue returned, she picked a time when the other party would be resting and drove straight to her address. Although her popularity had grown, Xie Zhenxue still lived in an ordinary residential complex. The rent was cheap, but the location was remote and the surrounding infrastructure was lacking. The only upside was the low occupancy rate, which meant she didn’t have to constantly worry about being stalked or secretly photographed by paparazzi.

When she saw Yu Liuxue, Xie Zhenxue was visibly surprised. After a brief moment of daze, she opened the door and invited her in. “Aunt Xiao, what brings you here?”

Yu Liuxue changed into indoor slippers and smiled. “I came to talk to you about the second season.”

At those words, Xie Zhenxue’s lashes immediately dropped. Ever since the filming of “Her Me” wrapped, she had been deliberately avoiding thoughts of Yu Liuxue, trying to force her out of her mind. To forget her, she barely touched her phone or went online to check any updates about her. She thought that if she didn’t see her, she wouldn’t miss her.

But she had miscalculated. Every quiet night, she would think of how Yu Liuxue had pushed that suitcase filled with a million in cash in front of her, asking her to leave. And every time she remembered it, her eyes would sting with unshed tears.

She didn’t understand why she couldn’t forget Aunt Xiao. Her heart ached, but she had no one to talk to about it.

With a faint smile, Xie Zhenxue poured a cup of hot water for Yu Liuxue. She hesitated, unsure whether she should accept the offer. On one hand, her popularity was just starting to recover, so starring in the second season was the best choice for her. It might even help her solidify her place in the industry and win some awards. But on the other hand…

She was afraid of being too close to her, afraid she wouldn’t be able to control her feelings and let her thoughts run wild.

Xie Zhenxue lowered her head, quietly fidgeting with her pale, slender fingers, saying nothing.

Yu Liuxue immediately picked up on her hesitation. She started by tempting her with fame. “Zhenxue, I won’t say much. Let me just lay it out for you simply. A good script is hard to come by, especially one that suits you this well. You worked hard on set and put your heart into it. That’s why your performance in the first season was recognized and loved by so many. You earned that.”

Xie Zhenxue’s fingers twitched slightly.

“Everyone’s looking forward to you returning for the second season. To them, there is no Ji Can without Xie Zhenxue. You created a classic character with your own effort. If you give it up now and let someone else take over the role you poured your heart and soul into night after night, would you really be okay with that?”

Xie Zhenxue’s eyes stung again. She shook her head gently.

Yu Liuxue smiled and continued, now using money as bait. “This time, Ningning invested a full 200 million. All the actors’ pay has doubled compared to the first season. As the soul of the entire series, your pay will naturally be higher than everyone else’s. If you don’t believe me, you can ask your agent.”

Money? Xie Zhenxue’s eyes lit up. She was in desperate need of money right now.

Seeing her waver, Yu Liuxue played her final card—the emotional one. Her eyes full of warmth, she said, “Zhenxue, I haven’t worked with you for very long, but it hasn’t been short either. I really like you. Every time I see you, I’m reminded of myself when I was young.”

Xie Zhenxue’s heart skipped a beat. Aunt Xiao said she liked me?

In that instant, it felt like countless fireworks exploded in her mind, one after another lighting up her thoughts. She pressed her lips tightly together. Seeing this, Yu Liuxue delivered the final blow. “Zhenxue, don’t you want to keep working with me?”

“I do,” Xie Zhenxue replied instinctively. But when she saw the amused look in Yu Liuxue’s eyes, her face immediately turned red. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “That’s not what I meant. I’m just afraid I won’t perform as well as I did in the first season…”

“It’s okay. I’ll help you.”

Xie Zhenxue hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded in agreement.

After Yu Liuxue left, Xie Zhenxue sat on the couch, staring at the snow-white ceiling. She bit her lip lightly. Since she couldn’t forget Aunt Xiao no matter what, she might as well stay by her side.

As long as she could look at her like this, she was content.

Preparations for the second season gradually got on track. However, the Producer had changed. A large part of the reason was Meng Xi herself. Perhaps realizing how chaotic the entertainment industry was and how it might negatively affect their daughter’s growth, Meng Xi’s parents firmly refused to let her continue as the Producer for the second season. No matter how much Meng Xi argued or explained, her parents remained adamant in their disapproval. Not only that, they even assigned people to monitor her, determined to keep her out of the entertainment industry’s murky waters.

The Meng family wasn’t short on money. Initially, they only let their daughter dabble in the industry because she was idle and spent her days eating, drinking, and playing. They thought letting her tag along with a business partner might be a good distraction. Who would’ve thought she’d go all in? The explosive success of “Her Me” was unexpected. But if they were to continue with a second season, their inexperienced daughter would be incapable of handling such a massive production. By then, countless people would be eyeing the project, waiting to carve out their share of the profits.

Their daughter was too naive, too young, and too impulsive. She didn’t think things through. If she made a mistake, it could bring catastrophic consequences to the entire production team. In their eyes, letting her produce the first season was already enough. What they really wanted was for her to return and take over the family business.

Wasn’t being a CEO far better than being a lowly Producer?

Her parents were firm in their stance. Meng Xi had a huge fight with them and was now in a cold war. The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt. She had just gone through a breakup, lost a career she loved, and her parents didn’t understand her. She felt like the most miserable person in the world.

When Yu Liuxue heard about it, she immediately sent her a message of comfort: “Xiao Xi, it’s okay. We’ll work together again next time. Auntie will wait for you.”

Meng Xi burst into tears the moment she saw the message. Among her, Xie Zhenxue, and Yun Ning, she was the only one who had been forced out, the only one who had failed. As someone who hated to lose, how could she accept that? Those two had both been her rivals in love, and now their careers were progressing smoothly while she had become nothing more than a pampered heiress with nothing to do. If things kept going this way, how could she possibly surpass them?

Isn’t life all about proving yourself?

Yu Liuxue thought for a moment, then added, “Auntie always welcomes you to visit the set. The doors of the crew are always open to you.”

That finally made Meng Xi feel a little better. She blinked rapidly, then suddenly had a thought: if Yun Ning could invest, why couldn’t she? She might not have inherited a massive fortune like Yun Ning, but she had her parents—and a massive multinational company waiting for her to take over.

Meng Xi had figured it out. If she wanted to surpass Yun Ning and Xie Zhenxue, she had to return and inherit the company, becoming the powerful President Meng that everyone would have to curry favor with.

She could do it. Meng Xi clenched her fists tightly. She refused to believe that Yun Ning’s personal earnings could outpace her parents’ entire corporation.

Yun Ning hadn’t been home recently. She stayed in her studio, eyes fixed on several computers on the conference table. Pen in hand, she meticulously recorded stock market data, calculating the best time to sell. It was a small hobby of hers, but it had earned her a fair amount of money—enough to fund even more investments that would generate even greater returns.

Before, she had planned to live a quiet life as an unremarkable stockbroker. But now, she had changed her mind.

The stock market was unpredictable, with its ups and downs, so she decided to establish her own private studio and commit to the path of investment for the long haul. Yu Liuxue’s drama had brought her an enormous return, so her first instinct was to keep Yu Liuxue close at all costs.

But…

Keeping an enemy right under your nose—wasn’t that just asking for trouble? Like an old man hanging himself out of boredom?

Yun Ning took off her gold-rimmed glasses. As she moved her hand, she accidentally knocked over a book someone had left there. Her gaze slowly swept across the black characters on the white cover: Kiss Marks.

Compared to the melodramatic novels she used to read, this one actually seemed refreshingly pure and unpretentious. After a moment of hesitation, she picked it up and flipped to the first page. Five minutes later, she set the book down and rubbed her forehead. Wasn’t this just another overbearing CEO falls in love with me story, only dressed up with a fresher title?

The familiar melodramatic plot and clichés were nearly identical to something she’d read before.

Compelled by some strange impulse, she glanced at the author’s name: Sweet Little Seashell… Wasn’t that the same author who wrote that melodramatic novel where the female lead marries her enemy for revenge?

Suddenly, Yun Ning’s eyes widened. Revenge? Marrying the enemy?

Thanks to the efforts of many parties, the second season of the Xiao Yuetong revenge melodrama series was finally about to begin filming. It was an even bigger production than the first, and anticipation was sky-high. Before filming had even started, TV stations were already lining up, eager to secure the exclusive premiere rights. Yu Liuxue didn’t agree right away—she wanted to keep them hanging a little longer.

Some major players were still on the fence, waiting to see how things played out. So she wasn’t in a rush. Instead, she strategically leaked news that several veteran actors would be making guest appearances. The announcement caused a huge stir.

“Old Master Yang retired from the industry years ago, and Xiao Yuetong actually managed to invite someone of his caliber?”

“Our Chairman Cao’s grandmother is amazing too! She was a goddess to my grandparents’ generation. I can’t believe Aunt Xiao got her to agree to a cameo!”

“I looked up the cast list out of curiosity, and I was shocked. Every single one of them is a national treasure! The dramas they’ve acted in are all classics—I just rewatched one the other day!”

Suddenly, everyone was buzzing with curiosity about Xiao Yuetong’s connections. That’s when the haters pounced.

“I’ve heard she’s a promiscuous woman. How else could she get these people on board if not through shady means?”

Fans fired back immediately: “People with ugly hearts see ugliness in everything. Aunt Xiao is talented and well-loved—is that really so hard to believe? One of the veteran actors on that list is my grandmother. I like Aunt Xiao, so I begged my grandma to agree to the cameo. Got a problem with that?”

But under that reply, the tone of the comments took a strange turn.

“Girl, what did your grandma say when she found out the show she’s guest-starring in is called The Overbearing CEO’s Mother Fell in Love with Me: The Runaway Wife with a Ball?”

“Did she make that subway grandpa-looking-at-his-phone face?”

Soon, the fan responded, “My grandma said Aunt Xiao is interesting. She said we need more young people who break the mold these days, and she’s really looking forward to Aunt Xiao’s script. We’ve already made plans to watch the show together when it airs!”

Yu Liuxue couldn’t help but reply to the fan: “You dare question my naming skills?! Then the title of season three will be CEO’s Deep Love: My Ex’s White Moonlight Fell for Me.”

Fans: “…”

Might as well call it She and I 3.

No matter how much fans teased her, Yu Liuxue had already finalized the title and even started pulling strings to prepare for the third season. But the most urgent task at hand was still filming season two. The cast was already in place, each actor quietly memorizing their lines, occasionally rehearsing with others to better get into character.

After nearly a month of absence, Yun Ning suddenly showed up at the set looking for Yu Liuxue. Yu Liuxue had just been struck by inspiration and was busy writing the script, so she asked her assistant to take Yun Ning back to her hotel room to rest.

By the time she finished writing, she had completely forgotten about it.

Xie Zhenxue came by to ask her about a scene. Without thinking much, Yu Liuxue agreed. “I ordered takeout. You haven’t eaten all night. Come to my room and have something to fill your stomach.”

Xie Zhenxue kept a calm expression, but inside she was overjoyed.

At first, she had only planned to admire Aunt Xiao from afar. But after they met and started spending every day together, she suddenly found herself unsatisfied. She wanted more. She wanted to monopolize more of Aunt Xiao’s time and attention, to make sure her eyes were always on her and her alone.

She knew this wasn’t normal, so she went online and consulted a relationship expert. The expert told her she was in love with Aunt Xiao.

She was so shocked she immediately ended the session. No way. She only cared so much about Aunt Xiao because she wanted more resources from her, right?

Furious and embarrassed, Xie Zhenxue gave that half-baked relationship expert a one-star review.

But the expert’s conclusion kept echoing in her mind, making it hard to focus on acting. It lingered constantly, as if forcing her to admit that her feelings for Aunt Xiao weren’t so innocent after all.

Yu Liuxue swiped her card and opened the door. “Zhenxue, why are you just standing there?”

Yun Ning paused mid-motion as she opened the door. Her brows furrowed slightly. Xie Zhenxue?

Xie Zhenxue snapped out of it, but the expert’s words echoed in her mind again. All of a sudden, her mouth went dry. Her heart pounded like a drum as she looked up, her dewy eyes fixed on Yu Liuxue without blinking.

After a long internal struggle, Xie Zhenxue clenched her fists and summoned her courage. “Aunt Xiao, can I stay over tonight?”

Yun Ning silently appeared beside them. Her face was expressionless as she studied Xie Zhenxue’s shy demeanor, her fingers unconsciously tightening.

Xie Zhenxue hadn’t noticed Yun Ning’s presence. Her face was as red as a ripe apple. “Aunt Xiao, do you know what it feels like to like someone? I think… I think I’ve fallen for you…”

“I want to make you mine.”