Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 78

[Don’t worry. I already saw it yesterday. It’s all marketing accounts talking. Han Ze hasn’t made a move, and I certainly won’t speak out either.]—Ran Lin replied promptly to his lover.

After replying, Ran Lin thought about how Lu Yiyao was really keeping up with the latest news, and he started to type a message advising him to rest instead of always browsing Weibo at night. But before he could finish, a new message came in—[Have you finished shooting? Are you at the hotel?]

Seeing his lover switch from “reminder mode” to “concern mode”, Ran Lin silently deleted his teasing message and responded with a gentle—[Yeah.]

Seconds after sending it, a video call request came through.

As the screen lit up with Lu Yiyao’s face, Ran Lin was about to greet him with a bright smile, but he noticed that Teacher Lu’s expression was serious.

“What’s wrong?” Ran Lin asked, puzzled. He had already said he wouldn’t respond, so why the solemnity?

Lu Yiyao sighed, seeing Ran Lin’s clueless expression, and softened his voice. “Just got back?”

Ran Lin nodded and replied, “Just finished showering, then saw your message.”

Lu Yiyao understood. “So you didn’t check Weibo.”

It wasn’t a question, but an affirmation.

Ran Lin paused, suddenly realizing that he might have misunderstood his lover’s earlier “don’t respond” remark. He thought it referred to the previous day’s trending topic, but considering how he himself could analyze the superficiality of such manipulative tactics, Lu Yiyao certainly wouldn’t overlook them. His serious tone suggested something new might have developed today.

As if reading Ran Lin’s thoughts, Lu Yiyao stated without warning, “Han Ze responded.”

Ran Lin, still processing, blurted out, “Today?”

Lu Yiyao confirmed, “Just now.”

“How could he respond?” Ran Lin wondered aloud. “Admitting to a relationship with Wang Xi? Or denouncing the marketing accounts’ baseless speculations? Either way, it brings trouble and no benefits to him, making the situation worse. Better not to respond and treat it like a joke.”

“The narrative has shifted today, not about a relationship anymore but about the agent’s favoritism,” Lu Yiyao explained with a wry smile. “Yesterday’s trend was just a lead-up. Now it’s the main issue.”

At the mention of “favoritism,” a sense of foreboding sank in Ran Lin’s heart.

He had been unconcerned about yesterday’s events because the main parties hadn’t come forward, and it was just fans and netizens arguing under marketing accounts, no different from countless baseless rumors. Plus, all speculations focused on a “supposed affair” between Han Ze and his former agent, which is damaging for all involved and unlikely to be self-inflicted by Han Ze. Known for his warm persona and having a fanbase of adoring fans, implicating himself in a “supposed romance” was of no benefit. Already, many fans under his Weibo had declared they’d turn against him if the rumors of a romance with the former agent were true.

Because Ran Lin felt Han Ze was unlikely the instigator, perhaps just taking advantage of the situation to hype up “Han Ze’s <Chronicles of Winter>” he hadn’t taken it too seriously.

But now, with Lu Yiyao indicating the focus had shifted from “supposed romance” to “agent favoritism”, Ran Lin realized he might have oversimplified things yesterday.

“I’ll check Weibo and get back to you.” Understanding the situation firsthand, including public sentiment and fan reactions, was crucial, so Ran Lin decided to see for himself rather than continue asking his lover.

Lu Yiyao agreed, saying calmly, “Okay, waiting for you.”

Ending the video call, Ran Lin immediately opened Weibo.

The bright yellow icon felt like a portal to another world. On the outside, his life was ordinary—acting, loving, striving, with its share of happiness and troubles, just like anyone else living earnestly. But inside, it was a different world where usual rules didn’t apply, and established understandings had to be reconsidered. His Weibo account, in a way, was like a gaming profile in this simultaneously virtual and real world where situations changed rapidly, and whether you liked it or not, you were swept into the current.

Han Ze was trending again, but the keywords were different, and so was the position.

—The keyword was “Han Ze suspected response to former agent’s favoritism”, ranking first, not sixth or seventh.

Clicking into the search, Ran Lin found the top trending post wasn’t from Han Ze but a marketing account, with Han Ze’s response second.

Lu Yiyao’s mentioned shift was evident from the top post, with tens of thousands of comments and shares—

[Tianwang Lao Entertainment Studio: It is rumored that Han Ze changed agents due to the former agent’s serious bias during the period of managing him and another male artist R, allocating all good resources and opportunities to R, resulting in stagnation in Han Ze’s career over the past two years. Han Ze’s Weibo post “Grateful for the past, looking forward to the unknown tomorrow” is suspected to be a response…[Link]]

Following closely was Han Ze’s Weibo post:

[Han Ze: Grateful for the past, looking forward to the unknown tomorrow.]

The content matched exactly what the marketing account described, accompanied by a photo of him standing against the sea waves. It could be interpreted as peaceful times, solitary melancholy, or facing the future with endless courage.

Han Ze’s post was made at 10:30 p.m.

Ran Lin searched for “Han Ze + favoritism” and finally located the supposed “internet rumors” source—still a bunch of entertainment marketing accounts with similar posts, mostly published between 7 and 8 p.m. that evening, creating a wave of orchestrated narrative—

[Fengshen Entertainment Channel: The truth about Han Ze’s change of agents is here! After verification by Fengshen’s editors with insiders at Dream Without Limits, there is no older woman-younger man romance, no unequal distribution of interests. It’s all trouble caused by favoritism. 😮‍💨 Ms. Wang, who was initially managing only Han Ze, took over the financial affairs of another male artist, R, two and a half years ago and has been working with him since. While managing both artists, Ms. Wang gave most of the good resources and opportunities to R, causing Han Ze’s acting career to stagnate over the past two years while R’s popularity soared. Han Ze had no choice but to request a change of agents. Fengshen’s editor just wants to say that it’s indeed hard to treat everyone equally when you’re human, but as an agent, one should adhere to professional ethics. Is it not excessive to treat an artist you’ve worked with for years this way? ❓😮‍💨💔 [Web link]]

This was the most representative post, and Ran Lin even exceptionally read the entire article, word by word. After reading, his feelings were indescribable.

There was ridicule, anger, grievance, and indifference—a mix of similar and opposite emotions—that left him with a headache and a heavy chest.

He admired his ability to still make sense of the timeline at this time—yesterday, a smoke bomb of an “older woman-younger man romance” was thrown, fermenting until today. Then another “truth” was thrown, making today’s “favoritism theory” seem more credible. As the “favoritism theory” flew high, Han Ze responded with a seemingly profound “grateful and looking forward”, which, although not saying much, seemingly confirmed both the “change of agents” and “favoritism as the reason”.

Otherwise, why not release such a post yesterday when the “older woman-younger man romance” rumor was flying around? Why wait until now?

But Ran Lin’s chaotic thoughts could only make out so much. That male artist, R, was almost explicitly named. Clever netizens didn’t even have a chance to guess; they just looked at the comments under the marketing accounts that were neatly filled with “Ran Lin”, making it quite a spectacle.

Under Han Ze’s Weibo post, it was practically a large-scale brawl between Han Ze’s fans and Ran Lin’s fans.

Han Ze’s fans mainly went through three stages: distress, consolation, and righteous indignation—

[What should I do? I’m already crying. My heart aches.]

[Strong hugs. You have to say goodbye to the wrong ones to meet the right ones. You will have a better future.]

[I just want to ask, after years of cooperation, how can a newcomer compare to that? In terms of fame, popularity, and prospects, Han Ze is better, right? Those who babbled about the older woman-younger man romance yesterday are all silent today? Obviously, Ran Lin is the one who got together with Ms. Wang!]

Ran Lin’s fans were mostly indignant, knowing well that speaking up would lead to conflict but unable to suppress their force—

[In two and a half years, all he has to show is one variety show, “National First Love Drift Story” and one TV drama, <Sword of Fallen Flowers>. Where exactly are Ran Lin’s good resources? From January last year, when <Sword of Fallen Flowers> finished filming, to January this year, when he started shooting <Chronicles of Winter>, he had no dramas to shoot for a whole year. If this is considered good resources, then I really don’t know how bad Han Ze’s must be.]

[The focus is that both Han Ze and Ran Lin are signed to Dream Without Limits! The salary of the agent also comes from Dream Without Limits, not Han Ze or Ran Lin. If Ms. Wang is so biased, wouldn’t the company notice having her manage Han Ze for so many years? How foolish would Han Ze have to be to endure for two years before asking the company to change agents?]

[I don’t like conspiracy theories, but I can’t help saying that from yesterday to today, all the hot topics are about Han Ze changing agents, Han Ze being wronged, Han Ze being suppressed. Great, now everyone knows about your <Chronicles of Winter> coming out in June. This publicity stunt is too much. My only request is, can you not involve Ran Lin? He’s really unlucky to be in the same company as you, getting involved in big productions, and now this mess—really no one has it worse.]

After exiting Han Ze’s Weibo and returning to the homepage, Ran Lin realized his inbox was exploding.

Ran Lin hadn’t blocked messages from strangers, so every time he opened Weibo, he received a lot, mostly fan confessions and some cursing him, saying they hated him. But that evening, it seemed there were especially many negative ones.

Those who, in public comments, might scoff or scorn at most, turned into full battle mode in private messages—

[You’re trash compared to Han Ze. You’re not even worthy to carry his shoes!]

[You’re so good at snatching resources. Hope you make it to paradise soon.]

[You’ve been collaborating for a few years and think you’re on par with him? You really think you’re a male god now. Ugh, it’s no wonder you haven’t become popular after so many years.]

[Feeling guilty, aren’t you? If you’re not, why don’t you respond? Let me tell you, what goes around comes around!]

With mixed feelings, Ran Lin exited Weibo, looked up at the ceiling, took several deep breaths, and, after a while, felt a bit calmer. He then reconnected with Lu Yiyao.

The other side picked up immediately. “Finished reading?”

Ran Lin nodded. “Yeah, read it all, sorted it out from start to finish.”

“Yesterday, when I saw the trending search, I felt something was off,” Lu Yiyao said. “It’s indeed like a serial drama.”

“You all are amazing,” Ran Lin admired, not daring to call Lu Yiyao naive anymore.

“You all?” Lu Yiyao repeated, puzzled.

“Xi Jie,” Ran Lin explained. “She told me yesterday through Wanwan, suspecting that Han Ze was orchestrating it all and afraid more would come out later, told me not to say anything, and leave everything to her.”

“But we haven’t seen any move from her till now.” Lu Yiyao didn’t want to doubt Wang Xi, but seeing is believing. “Either find a way to pull the trending topic down, issue a positive PR statement in response, or create some distraction to shift focus. There are many ways to handle it, each better than being led by Han Ze’s narrative and public opinion. What is she waiting for?”

Ran Lin didn’t have an answer.

Lu Yiyao was somewhat anxious. In fact, he had been unable to contain his anger upon seeing the messages cursing Ran Lin.

Ordinary haters are no big deal; everyone has them, and no one can be universally liked like money. But it’s intolerable when others deliberately lead a smear campaign. He was busy filming and couldn’t be distracted, but Yao Hong might be able to help.

“I’ll have Hong Jie…”

“No need.”

Lu Yiyao had barely spoken four words when Ran Lin interrupted him.

He said, “I’ll call Xi Jie.”

Lu Yiyao pondered for a few seconds. “Okay.”

No one can read minds; trust is built on thorough communication, be it in friendship, love, or work.

After disconnecting the video call again, Ran Lin dialed Wang Xi’s number. It rang for a while before she picked up, sounding alert and probably still working late.

“Why haven’t you rested?” Ms. Xi didn’t ask why Ran Lin called but started with a critique.

Ran Lin sighed, his reply tinged with jest. “Weibo is toxic.”

Wang Xi understood immediately. “Saw Han Ze’s response?”

“And the new narrative of favoritism,” Ran Lin said.

Wang Xi sounded resigned. “Didn’t I tell you to stop scrolling? Whatever happens, I’m here. You just focus on filming.”

Ran Lin fell silent, long and wordless.

Sensing something, Wang Xi suddenly asked, “Don’t trust me?”

Ran Lin was about to ask how she planned to handle things, but her counter-question made him swallow his words.

Neither spoke for a while, time ticking by silently.

“I trust you,” This was the third and final thing Ran Lin said to his agent that evening.

After a pause, the agent’s voice came through the receiver. “Thank you.”

Long after the call ended, Ran Lin remained somewhat dazed.

Wang Xi’s final words were faint, almost like an illusion.

In his memory, Wang Xi never said “thank you” to him; instead, it was dominated by commands like “you must,” “remember this,” and “you need to do it this way” in their collaboration. Ran Lin still remembered the first time he met Wang Xi when he was assigned to her team. Wang Xi started by mocking him for dozing off in the meeting room, asking if he had been sleeping there all morning before directly moving on to the point, stating that the company had accommodated him before, but now he needed to start cooperating with the company.

Back then, Wang Xi was like the strictest discipline dean during his school days.

But unknowingly, that version of Wang Xi became distant. Although she remained assertive, efficient, and to the point, she would negotiate with the company for him when he wanted to perform in <Dyeing Fire>, offer comforting words when he reluctantly accepted <Legend of the Lantern Flowers>, and even proactively think about his future, advising him like a friend rather than just an employee of Dream Without Limits, analyzing the pros and cons of renewing or terminating his contract and the various directions he could take after termination.

He didn’t know what Wang Xi was thanking him for. It seemed superficial to trust her, but Ran Lin felt there was more to it.

But the call ended too quickly. Otherwise, he would have told her—It’s me who should be saying thanks. Thanks for bringing me from a nobody to where I am today, for fighting for every opportunity for me.

Taking a deep breath, Ran Lin reconnected the video call with Lu Yiyao…

……

“Okay, I understand,” Lu Yiyao said gently to his partner on the phone screen. “Rest early, good night.”

As Ran Lin responded with a good night, Lu Yiyao turned off the video and finally put down his phone. Then he looked up somewhat helplessly at Yao Hong, sitting in the corner of the sofa.

Yao Hong was both annoyed and sympathetic. “I told you not to worry.”

Rarely visiting the set, she ended up staying up late strategizing for her artist’s “boyfriend”, only to find he didn’t need it. Yao Hong wasn’t sure whether to feel sorry for herself or sad for her artist.

“He said he trusts Wang Xi must have a plan.” Lu Yiyao was still unsettled even after ending the video call. “I don’t know where his confidence comes from.”

“Why didn’t you ask me where my confidence comes from when I’ve been telling you not to worry?” Yao Hong looked leisurely at her artist.

Lu Yiyao had been preoccupied with Ran Lin all night, not really listening to Yao Hong, always planning to discuss strategies with her after talking to Ran Lin. Now, confronted by her question, he realized. “Right, why do you also think there’s no need to worry?”

“Because I, like Ran Lin,” Yao Hong shrugged, “also trust Wang Xi.”

Lu Yiyao frowned, skeptically squinting. “Weren’t you two fighting tooth and nail back then?”

Yao Hong rolled her eyes at this description but couldn’t refute. “Exactly because it was ‘tooth and nail’, I know her capabilities. If she was incompetent, what does that say about me after fighting with her for years?”

Lu Yiyao couldn’t imagine Yao Hong fighting anyone. “Hong Jie, I’ve never asked, but why did you clash with her and even force her to leave Pentium Times? That’s very unlike your ‘world peace’ style.”

Yao Hong massaged her forehead amidst a mess of rumors about herself. “Who told you I clashed with Wang Xi? It was she who was too competitive, always challenging me and trying to replace me as the head of the brokerage. I was forced to respond…”

Lu Yiyao spread his hands. “So you responded.”

“One mountain can’t contain two tigers*.” Yao Hong lightly brushed her hair. “She bared her teeth first, so I had to draw my sword.”

*(一山不容二虎) Idiom referring to two strong people can’t get along in one place.

A momentary aura of ferocity seemed to emanate from “the past” Yao Hong.

Lu Yiyao shivered, suddenly realizing he might not know his agent as well as he thought.

But those tumultuous days were long gone, and the agent before him was once again gentle and kind. “I have a premonition that Wang Xi, this time, will turn the tables.”

Lu Yiyao was confused. “What do you mean?”

“If she only wanted to debunk rumors or quell the discussion, she would have acted by now,” Yao Hong explained. “The fact that there’s still no movement only means one thing.”

Lu Yiyao seemed to catch on. “She’s brewing something big—a comeback move?”

Yao Hong shook her head, slowly saying, “A fatal strike.”

……

Beijing, Wang Xi’s apartment.

In the spacious living room next to the dining table, a short-haired girl in her mid-twenties intently scrolled the mouse over her laptop, not missing any content on the page.

Wang Xi, carrying freshly brewed flower tea, walked over from the open kitchen and placed it beside the girl.

The short-haired girl looked up and said, “Xi Jie, it was just as you expected. There has been no further action on their part.”

Wang Xi nodded and softly said, “Have some tea. Take a break.”

The girl didn’t move to drink the tea but instead asked with confusion, “Xi Jie, since Deng Minru has already started biased tactics, why not just list out the resources outright? It’s clear with <Chronicles of Winter>, a small investment in the drama version and a large one in the movie version, the quality of resources is obvious.”

“She doesn’t dare.” Wang Xi, holding her own cup of tea, gently blew on it and took a sip before continuing, “Her aim was to re-hype Han Ze’s popularity, to get him attached to the drama version of <Chronicles of Winter> if possible, but if not, then so be it. However, if she had deliberately stirred up a comparison between the movie and drama versions, suggesting Han Ze only got the drama due to my partiality and missed out on the movie, she would have offended both sides.”

The short-haired girl, named Wu Xia, had been a junior staff member in the publicity department of Dreams Without Limits. She was recruited by Wang Xi during her interview and greatly admired her, thus becoming her right-hand in publicity matters. However, lately, it had been clear the company wanted to replace Wang Xi with Deng Minru as the head of the brokerage department, causing shifts in allegiance within the department. Wu Xia, a staunch supporter of Wang Xi, had faced increasing direct and indirect hostility until she couldn’t tolerate it anymore and resigned.

When Wang Xi found out, Wu Xia had already completed the resignation procedures. Instead of persuading her to return to Dream Without Limits, Wang Xi recruited her personally, arranging for her benefits and a higher salary to work in publicity, now working for Wang Xi instead of the company.

Having loyal people around had been a rule Wang Xi learned from years of navigating the corporate world.

Wu Xia, quick-witted, soon grasped Wang Xi’s point. “If she had exposed the comparison between the movie and drama versions, admitting he only got the drama due to favoritism, it would be akin to conceding that the drama was inferior. The drama side wouldn’t be happy, and the movie side would have resented being implicated for poor casting choices.”

Wang Xi was pleased she didn’t need to explain further and leisurely sipped her tea, then slowly added, “Let him hype as he wishes and retreat once he gains the advantage. He became the victim, and Ran Lin ended up smeared for no reason. The world doesn’t work so conveniently.”

Wu Xia took a sip of her tea, then steadied the cup before asking, “What do you need me to do now?”

Wang Xi gazed indifferently at the petals floating in her teacup and said, “Dig out the press releases of his visit to the <Chronicles of Winter> movie set. Let’s spin it with him.”

……

Ran Lin hadn’t expected the winds of online opinion to change overnight.

Admitting it was hard not to check, he reluctantly got up early after a restless night and opened the gateway to another world while waiting for Liu Wanwan to come knocking.

Han Ze was still trending, but the keywords had changed. Now it wasn’t about changing agents or responses, nor about favoritism, but “Han Ze Misses Out on Movie <Chronicles of Winter>”.

It was quite bizarre, as he was clearly the one starring in the movie version of <Chronicles of Winter>, yet the posts with high responses and massive shares on Weibo all focus on how Han Ze, due to his agent’s favoritism, missed out on the movie version of <Chronicles of Winter> and had to settle for the lesser drama version. In this situation, he was also forced by the company to visit the set and put on a brave face for the cameras, which was truly pitiable. Meanwhile, he, the actual male lead of the movie version, seemed to have become an insignificant character, merely mentioned in passing by most of the promotional accounts as a co-artist from the same company, Ran Lin, and then nothing more.

The key information had been updated again, and naturally, the direction of public opinion had subtly shifted.

Han Ze’s fans had already started to confront him with clear stances. In their eyes, he was utterly reprehensible—a wolf in sheep’s clothing, deliberately plotting against their idol. In short, they were vehemently airing their grievances and accusations.

The Burning Noodles had calmed down considerably. It was uncertain whether it was due to “Ran Lin’s Official Fan Club” posting on Weibo, calling for the fans to refuse to engage in disputes, not to add fuel to the rumors, and to concentrate on waiting for Ran Lin’s new works as the best form of support for him. At any rate, the kind of mutual bashing seen last night has become much rarer.

However, bystanders had started to speak up, criticizing Han Ze’s fans. They had said they’d seen enough of their internal disputes. Initially, there was some sympathy for Han Ze, but now it seemed more and more like a publicity stunt. Who was it that had the bright smile during the set visit interviews if it was so forced? Such good acting really made it believable.

Of course, many fans and onlookers felt that his not coming forward signified guilt, further solidifying their belief in the various “facts” they’d come across these past days.

In short, the waters had become muddier.

Upon arriving at the set and getting into makeup, Ran Lin shed his distracting thoughts and began to focus on filming <Dyeing Fire>.

Meanwhile, in Beijing, Wang Xi had made an apology call to Shi Jiuting at ten in the morning.

She had been prepared to be brushed off by his assistant or outright rejected, but the call was quickly picked up, and it was Shi Jiuting himself.

“Ms. Wang,” Shi Jiuting’s voice was as ever, gentle and polite.

“President Shi.” Wang Xi got straight to the point. “I’m sorry.”

“Was it for failing to fulfill the set visit promise or for dragging the movie version of <Chronicles of Winter> into this?” Shi Jiuting’s voice was light and breezy, making it seem like a casual conversation if not for the content of his words.

Wang Xi had anticipated that Shi Jiuting would be aware or informed of some of the online public opinion, but she hadn’t expected him to see through the situation so thoroughly. It wasn’t just a matter of catching wind of rumors; it had seemed as if he had been following the Weibo saga for days and nights.

However, Wang Xi hadn’t had the time to ponder whether it was him tracking the developments himself or being informed by his daughter or assistant. After all, he was someone who evidently placed great importance on the <Chronicles of Winter> project, perhaps even more so than she had imagined.

Suddenly, Wang Xi felt a bit panicked in her heart.

But when she spoke, she remained calm and composed, even genuinely earnest. “When the company asked me to arrange the set visit, I really didn’t expect it would turn into the situation it is now.”

“But in this situation, you played a part.” Shi Jiuting’s tone was slightly playful, betraying no emotion.

Wang Xi didn’t intend to treat him as a fool, but she also didn’t expect him to be so shrewd. Saying yes or no, both seemed difficult to end the conversation, and for the first time, Wang Xi felt awkward.

“I will ask questions, and you just need to answer yes or no, okay?” Although the manner of speaking was dominant, the final “okay” softened it, making it courteous.

Wang Xi finally had the chance to respond. “Okay.”

Shi Jiuting: “Was Han Ze visiting the set his idea or Dream Without Limits, unrelated to you and Ran Lin?”

Wang Xi: “Yes, because we had no reason to have him visit the set, and the press release after the visit was also his…”

Shi Jiuting: “Yes is enough.”

Wang Xi: “……”

Shi Jiuting: “You were Han Ze’s agent before?”

Wang Xi: “Yes.”

Shi Jiuting: “Did you part on bad terms?”

Wang Xi: “…Yes.”

Shi Jiuting: “The trending topic about changing agents was orchestrated by his current team, unrelated to you?”

Wang Xi: “Yes.”

Shi Jiuting: “The topic today about Han Ze missing out on the movie version of <Chronicles of Winter> was stirred up by you.”

Wang Xi: “…Yes.”

Shi Jiuting: “You’re calling me to apologize; it’s actually just to apologize for the unnecessary negative publicity Han Ze’s set visit brought to the movie version of <Chronicles of Winter>, not to admit that the latter topic was stirred up by you.”

Wang Xi: “…”

“Sorry, I might have been too aggressive.” Shi Jiuting sighed in relief. “Cancel the yes or no only. Can you tell me what you plan to do after this call?”

Wang Xi pursed her lips, pondered for a moment, and then cautiously said, “After apologizing to you, I will steer the public opinion again, firmly pinning the hype on Han Ze. In the next few days, the drama version of <Chronicles of Winter> will announce its release date. Timing it like this, no one will believe it’s not a publicity stunt.”

“That wasn’t your original plan, was it.” Shi Jiuting chuckled lightly. “Or should I say, not all of it.”

Wang Xi was taken aback.

Shi Jiuting continued, “If I’m not mistaken, you originally hoped that when the production side saw the public opinion about Han Ze missing out on the movie version of <Chronicles of Winter>, they would issue a statement to clear the names of Ran Lin and the crew, clarifying that the crew never invited Han Ze, directly countering his claim.”

“…” Wang Xi felt a chill all over. This man wasn’t just perceptive, he was like an X-ray!

“My time is limited. Let’s make it brief.” Shi Jiuting’s tone became serious, a rarity for him. “I don’t like being manipulated, but like you, when I am manipulated, I prefer counterattacking over defending. Now, with Ran Lin as the lead of the movie version of <Chronicles of Winter>, any issue or scandal with him doesn’t benefit the whole project. So, the matter of you dragging the movie into the mud, let’s put it on account for now, and I will have the production team issue a statement as soon as possible.”

Before Wang Xi could grasp how the conversation had turned, Shi Jiuting politely said, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up first.”

“President Shi!” Wang Xi hurriedly called out, afraid he would hang up.

Fortunately, he wasn’t in a rush and simply uttered a monosyllabic, “Hm?”

“If Han Ze’s drama becomes muddled, the drama version of <Chronicles of Winter> might also suffer,” Wang Xi subtly reminded.

But subtlety was as good as directness to Shi Jiuting, and it seemed he had already considered this issue. “Originally, I agreed to Han Ze’s set visit, thinking if the drama version did well, the movie version might benefit from some positive effects. My intentions weren’t pure, so this situation today is partly my negligence. But now, foreseeing that the drama version will flop, there’s a strategy for flops just as there is for hits. I would rather it tank completely, making it easier for the movie version to shine by comparison and win acclaim.”

“…” Wang Xi didn’t know what to say anymore, Shi Jiuting was like a promotional director trapped in a CEO’s body! If not for his high position, she really wanted to recruit him to her team.

“Is there anything else this time?” Shi Jiuting asked again.

Wang Xi, fully feeling his valuation of time, didn’t want to waste any more and sincerely said, “President Shi, thank you.”

Shi Jiuting didn’t say ‘you’re welcome’; instead, he said, “There will be a time for everything.”

Wang Xi listened to the beeping of the phone, feeling a sense of impending reckoning.

In the top-floor office of a CBD skyscraper, Shi Jiuting sat in front of his brown, solid wood desk, silently pondering over the calendar.

Even though he was looking at the calendar, his eyes weren’t really focused on the dates but rather on some unfocused void, allowing his brain to operate more clearly.

Shi Jiuting had no interest in humiliating others, so even after seeing through Wang Xi’s tricks, he simply clarified things calmly. The matter had already escalated to this point, and what he truly focused on was solving the problem and ensuring that those responsible understood that it was okay to target anyone, but preferably not him.

Compared to Wang Xi’s defensive counterattack and leveraging, he disliked those who initiated the issues more.

……

Ran Lin was unaware of what Wang Xi had done, but when he checked Weibo during his lunch break, an official announcement from the movie <Chronicles of Winter> was prominently displayed on the trending searches.

[Chronicles of Winter Movie: In response to recent rumors about <Chronicles of Winter>, here is our official statement [View image]. We are reluctant to clarify before the movie has even been released; we prefer to see everyone working together for a harmonious and prosperous film industry.]

Ran Lin clicked on the announcement image. It didn’t directly mention Han Ze, but from beginning to end, it solemnly clarified that the casting of <Chronicles of Winter> was through a series of selections, including invitations, auditions, and crew discussions, nearly saying they never extended an invitation to Han Ze.

Comments under the announcement were mostly mocking Han Ze for being “slapped in the face” by the public.

By evening, when Ran Lin was on his way back to the hotel, he found himself trending on Weibo!

His heart skipped a beat.

For the past two or three days, the keywords revolved around Han Ze, agent, and <Chronicles of Winter>, with himself barely mentioned as “R”. Suddenly trending now seemed like a very ominous sign.

With a thumping heart, Ran Lin cautiously searched his name, then froze the next second.

On the full screen of his phone, the Weibo page showed search results for Ran Lin, all pointing to the same video:

[<Chronicles of Winter> audition footage leaked. Ran Lin VS Bell, showcasing what true acting is! This crying scene is definitely top-notch, but all I want to do is 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 [Video link]]

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>