After dinner, Li Zhuo proposed that the next film invested by the Li family would feature a male lead of his choosing. However, for Director Xu Yuan’s upcoming project, Ji Yang was clearly the preferred candidate.

Everyone could sense Li Zhuo’s intention to edge Ji Yang out.

“But if it’s Ji Yang,” Xu Yuan hesitated, looking troubled.

“He’s not the only one who can act. There are plenty of capable people,” Li Zhuo shrugged, his gaze dismissive as it landed on Ji Yang.

Crossing him would only lead to suffering—Li Zhuo would make sure of it.

Xu Wan remained quiet, sipping her soup gracefully.

She was thoroughly enjoying the situation, especially the flustered and helpless expression on Xu Ruier’s face. It filled her with satisfaction.

What good were Ji Yang’s legions of fans? Against the mighty Li family, an actor was nothing more than a pawn.

“Li Zhuo is right,” Ji Yang said, nodding calmly. “There are plenty of suitable candidates. I honestly don’t have the time to take on this project, so stepping aside seems like the right decision.”

His expression was steady, his tone composed.

“What? Ji Yang, you agreed to carefully consider this before! You even said you’d try to make time. What changed?” Xu Yuan blurted, his anxiety showing.

This spoiled rich kid, Li Zhuo, was ruining everything!

It had taken so much convincing to get Ji Yang to consider the project.

“If you don’t have the time, then step aside. Plenty of others do,” Li Zhuo sneered, clearly viewing Ji Yang’s words as mere excuses. He was determined to crush Ji Yang sooner or later.

Xu Wan sat upright, staying out of the conversation. But watching Xu Ruier’s growing panic gave her an intoxicating sense of pleasure.

Xu Ruier’s boyfriend was just another toy. Li Zhuo could decide with a single word whether Ji Yang got the role or not.

Ji Yang remained unruffled and spoke apologetically to Xu Yuan. “Director Xu, I’m really sorry. It seems Li Zhuo already has someone in mind, and I genuinely don’t have the availability.”

“Of course, I already have the male and female leads in mind,” Li Zhuo said smugly, casting Xu Wan a meaningful glance.

“But there hasn’t been a casting audition yet. Isn’t it worth seeing if Ji Yang might be the most suitable choice?” Xu Ruier interjected anxiously.

The film was an adaptation of a renowned nationalist war novel with a huge reader base. If turned into a drama, it could boost Ji Yang’s reputation and public image significantly. His fans had long been eager for him to take on this role.

She didn’t want him to miss this golden opportunity.

“And you are?” Li Zhuo’s attention shifted to Xu Ruier, his eyes lighting up with interest. “I didn’t catch your name earlier.”

He had been too preoccupied with targeting Ji Yang to notice her. But now, as his gaze lingered, he saw her delicate and soft features, her fair and tender skin, like a flower petal that seemed ready to drip dew. She exuded an air of fragility that tickled his primal instincts.

“Xu Ruier,” Xu Yuan introduced. “She’s playing one of the supporting roles.”

Li Zhuo nodded, feigning realization. “You look like someone who’d act really well. Your performance must be impressive.”

Xu Wan immediately sensed danger. Seeing Li Zhuo’s interest in Xu Ruier, alarm bells went off in her head. If looks could kill, Xu Ruier would have died a thousand deaths under her glare.

Xu Ruier noticed Li Zhuo’s overly attentive gaze scanning her, and her expression turned uneasy. She muttered a polite reply but kept her head down.

“Not sure about Ji Yang, but I think there are plenty of roles that would suit you,” Li Zhuo said with a suggestive smile.

His meaning was clear to anyone familiar with the industry.

Play your cards right, and you’ll get the role.

“Ruier is signed under Ji Yang’s studio,” Xu Wan interjected with a smile, subtly reminding him.

The mention of Ji Yang’s name soured Li Zhuo’s mood. His interest in Xu Ruier cooled slightly as he downed another drink and muttered, “Boring.”

Xu Yuan, completely exasperated by the young heir’s antics, turned back to Ji Yang. “Could you reconsider your schedule? See if there’s a way to make it work. On our side…”

“I truly appreciate the opportunity, Director Xu, but my schedule is packed. I don’t think I can make it work,” Ji Yang cut him off politely, standing to excuse himself. He bid farewell and took Xu Ruier with him, leaving the table.

His demeanor throughout was calm and composed, showing no signs of irritation.

Watching them leave, Li Zhuo sneered, “Acting all high and mighty. What a diva.”

Xu Yuan was speechless.

Ji Yang didn’t lack work opportunities. Whether he took a role or not depended solely on his mood. Meanwhile, this spoiled brat, Li Zhuo, was just a troublemaker, making things harder for everyone.

For Xu Yuan, there were plenty of other investors. He didn’t have to rely on the Li family.

“I think Xu Wan would be perfect for the female lead,” Li Zhuo said suddenly, turning to look at her. “She’s poised, elegant, and has natural acting skills. Plus, she has a solid fan base.”

“Li Zhuo, please stop,” Xu Wan said, feigning helplessness. “If I were interested, I’d audition like everyone else.”

She knew Xu Yuan’s reputation for being strict about casting. She didn’t want to leave a bad impression by appearing to rely on favoritism.

“What’s the point of auditioning? One word from me, and it’s yours,” Li Zhuo said, clearly emboldened by alcohol.

“Li Zhuo, you’ve had too much to drink,” Xu Wan quickly interjected, sensing Xu Yuan’s displeasure. She handed him a bowl of soup to change the subject.

By the end of the meal, everyone left with mixed feelings.

On their way back, Xu Ruier turned to Ji Yang, visibly upset. “Are you really not taking the role? It’s perfect for you! Brother, you…”

“Calm down and speak slowly,” Ji Yang said, gently tapping her on the head. “Take your time.”

Whenever it came to his career, she would become anxious and lose her composure. She took several deep breaths to calm herself before voicing her frustration. “Why does Li Zhuo get to act like this? It’s so unfair!”

Her voice carried so much indignation that it almost brought tears to her eyes.

“There are plenty of good scripts out there. Why are you fixated on this one?” Ji Yang asked, tilting his head.

“Because it suits you, Brother. It will give you a better image and…”

“And other projects of the same genre wouldn’t do that?” Ji Yang asked with a faint smile.

Xu Ruier looked into his deep eyes, starting to understand what he meant.

“Director Xu Yuan is a principled filmmaker, and Li Zhuo is utterly brainless. If you also see potential in the project, why does it need Li’s investment?” Ji Yang raised his eyebrows as he explained.

“Brother, are you saying…”

“I’m not saying anything for now.” Ji Yang placed a finger on her lips and leaned closer, his voice soft. “What I am saying is this: don’t act so rashly next time. What if Li Zhuo sets his sights on you and tries to take advantage of you? Even if that’s not the case, you’ve heard the saying, haven’t you?”

“What saying?”

“‘The bird that sticks its head out first gets shot.’”

Hearing that, Xu Ruier recalled Li Zhuo’s lecherous gaze earlier. She shuddered and clung to Ji Yang, shaking her head furiously. “That’s so disgusting!”

“You can’t show weakness,” Ji Yang said as he hugged her tightly. “If you do, they’ll grab onto it and never let go. People will always find a way to take a jab at you.”

Xu Ruier understood, but when it came to anything involving him, she couldn’t help herself.

“The more you care, the more you have to hide it,” he murmured. “Otherwise, little dumpling, you’ll be eaten until there’s nothing left of you.”

Hanging onto him like a sloth, Xu Ruier nodded softly in agreement.

She would try her best.

---

That same month.

The previously announced project, Operation Turtle, which Xu Yuan was slated to direct with Li family investment and Ji Yang as the potential lead, saw major changes.

The director was replaced, Ji Yang withdrew, and while the Li family remained investors, the male lead was changed to Chen Hao, with Xu Wan as the female lead.

The announcement caused a stir online. Officially, it was said to be a “mutual agreement” with Xu Yuan to part ways amicably.

Shortly after, Xu Yuan updated his Weibo account, announcing a new project, Rescue Plan, based on a screenplay by renowned writer Hai Tao.

This drama would be directed by Xu Yuan, with actors chosen through auditions. Ji Yang was mentioned as a potential cast member, though scheduling adjustments were ongoing.

The timing of the two announcements was too suspicious to ignore. The internet buzzed with speculation about behind-the-scenes drama. Moreover, since Xu Wan replaced Ji Yang in Operation Turtle, and with Chen Hao as her co-lead, it was clear the new project lacked the star power of Ji Yang and Xu Yuan, leaving fans frustrated with the Li family’s decisions.

The comparison of the two projects made it worse.

Xu Wan bore the brunt of the backlash as “Scapegoat #1.”

“An actress known for rom-coms playing in a nationalist film? Is this a joke? Don’t ruin the source material!”

“Ji Yang’s out? Oh, it’s over. Chen Hao’s okay, I guess, but Xu Wan? Total garbage.”

“What garbage? Xu Wan is amazing. Ji Yang is the real trash!”

“Yet another adaptation doomed before it even starts. Mourn with me, sisters! Let’s go tear apart anyone badmouthing Xu Wan!”

The strong influence of Ji Yang and Xu Yuan kept their names trending on social media, sparking endless discussion.

Meanwhile, Operation Turtle lagged behind in pre-release buzz.

Xu Wan felt immense pressure. Not being professionally trained, she poured herself into practicing her acting daily, nearly exhausting herself. But just as things seemed to stabilize, new complications arose.

Photos of her dining with Li Zhuo leaked online.

The public had a field day with it:
“So the green tea b*tch hooked up with Li Zhuo and pushed Ji Yang out? What a shameless act!”

“Disgusting! Truly disgusting!”

Xu Wan couldn’t hold her composure anymore. She wanted Li Zhuo to clarify their relationship publicly, framing it as a legitimate romance to reduce the backlash she was facing.

Before she could bring it up, Li Zhuo called her himself.

“We’re breaking up. Don’t even think about going public. I’ll handle this as a rumor. We’ll say the photos were doctored.”

It wasn’t until later that Xu Wan realized the Li family had intervened.

The film’s backlash had drawn too much attention, affecting the Li family’s reputation. Li Zhuo, unable to go against his family’s orders, dumped her. Of course, since she and Li Zhuo hadn’t been intimate, she still managed to keep her role in the film, essentially scoring a free pass.

But Xu Wan still felt utterly humiliated.

With a carefully worded PR statement released to quash the rumors, she devised a new plan: to expose Ji Yang and Xu Ruier’s relationship. Such a revelation would instantly shift public attention away from her.

However, after Li Zhuo’s harsh words and the Li family’s disapproval, Xu Wan knew that avenue was blocked.

Her only remaining option was to appear on a talk show promoting Anti-Drug, the movie she and Ji Yang had worked on. There, she planned to subtly bring him into the spotlight.

Xu Wan thought, If I can’t leverage the Li family, there’s still the Zhang family. I will marry into wealth. I’ll become someone important.

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