Xu Mei was dumbfounded.
What kind of issue was this?
They couldn’t catch Pan Li and Station Chief Duan, so they took it out on her?!
Professor Fang thought Xu Mei had been negligent, but Xu Mei was already fuming.
Both were agents, yet look at Yuan Fenghui, securing a dairy brand endorsement for Li Mengjiao, who landed a lead role in her first film. Compared to Li Mengjiao, Xu Mei’s progress was rather dismal.
Since becoming Xu Mei’s agent, Professor Fang hadn’t achieved any notable results, though she never skimped on her salary. Even for this new drama, Xu Mei’s pay would still be split with Professor Fang.
That was tolerable, and Xu Mei was already planning to switch agents, not wanting to dwell on past grievances with Professor Fang.
But when Professor Fang vented her anger on Xu Mei, Xu Mei wasn’t having it.
“Pan Li was your student, recommended by you. I always trusted her. Now you’re saying this, as if I set Pan Li up with Duan… What does this have to do with me!”
If anyone was negligent, Xu Mei thought it was Professor Fang.
Without Fang’s recommendation, Xu Mei wouldn’t have hired Pan Li as an assistant.
In the industry, assistants looked after artists, handling their daily needs. What artist would hover around their assistant, scrutinising them for suspicious signs? That was putting the cart before the horse!
Xu Mei’s tone was sharp, and General Manager Guan tried to smooth things over, “Sister Fang, this really has nothing to do with Xu Mei. Can we stop fighting among ourselves? Let’s be honest, if this blows up, Xu Mei will suffer, and it won’t end well for Station Chief Duan either. You and Duan can sort this out privately. It’s not wise to make a spectacle for everyone to gawk at, right?”
General Manager Guan was projecting his own perspective.
Infidelity was a big deal to some, but in this circle, it wasn’t exactly rare.
Though Guan didn’t dare cheat himself, if he ever slipped up, his wife Liang Dan would be upset but wouldn’t immediately condemn him.
Come on, spouses were a shared interest. A man sneaking a bite outside could lead to fights, sure, but divorce? That was a massive upheaval, damaging both sides.
Especially for Professor Fang and Station Chief Duan, whose career had been propped up by Duan’s support.
Married for years, with a grown son, would Fang divorce Duan over his “snack”? She’d have to be out of her mind.
Of course, Fang throwing a fit was justified. Normally, Guan wouldn’t meddle in their marital issues.
But now was different. With a drama about to start filming, Guan’s company was investing five million, and Xu Mei, their artist, was an asset. This double loss infuriated him.
Guan laid it out, a scandal would harm Duan’s career, and since spouses were one, Duan’s loss was Fang’s loss too.
Big sister, the fire’s at your eyebrows, can you stop being dramatic and deal with the outsiders before settling scores?
Guan couldn’t fathom what was wrong with Fang, unaware that Fang couldn’t understand him either.
Guan, Cao Bo, and Xu Mei, all pale with urgency, urged her to be magnanimous, to step up and quash the scandal for Xu Mei and Duan. But who truly cared about her feelings?
Right now, she wasn’t a music academy professor or Xu Mei’s agent, just a betrayed, pitiful, humiliated woman.
These people had no empathy, only profit on their minds!
Fang’s heart grew cold, her expression colder, “This is Duan’s mess. Let him clean it up. He didn’t think about his career when he slept with Pan Li. Why should I wipe his arse? Xu Mei, don’t blame me, blame the real culprit!”
Blame your bloody mother!
Xu Mei had never sworn, but she wanted to curse Fang now.
The culprits were Duan and Pan Li, sure, but her career crisis needed resolving first. Fang didn’t even uphold an agent’s basic professionalism!
Xu Mei, crying from anger, lashed out, “Who’s the real culprit? Isn’t this mess your doing? You think we don’t know about Pan Li’s past in Rongcheng? She had a history of being a mistress. Others wanted to deal with her, but you protected her. Now she seduced your husband, and you’re mad? You brought this on yourself!”
“Xu Mei—”
Cao Bo cut her off.
Big truths needed the right moment, and now wasn’t it. The scandal was the priority!
Cao Bo wanted to throttle the clueless Fang but had to hold back and coax her for contact details.
Sobbing, Xu Mei stormed out.
Fang, pierced by Xu Mei’s blunt words, felt her limbs stiffen, her lips and face drained of colour.
Her fault.
It was her fault.
She took in Pan Li.
She gave Pan Li and Duan chances to be close.
Fang wanted to slap herself but lacked the strength.
“Sister Fang, Sister Fang?”
Cao Bo nudged her gently, but Fang didn’t respond.
Guan’s phone rang.
Seeing the caller ID, he felt like fate had grabbed him by the neck.
It was his wife, Liang Dan.
Liang Dan wasn’t in Xiang Province today.
Guan hadn’t told her about this yet.
It seemed she’d heard through other channels.
The phone felt like a hot potato, but he answered, softening his tone, “Darling.”
Liang Dan, unmoved, her voice icy, “Last time I was away, you drove Yuan Fenghui off. This time, you’ve ruined Xu Mei’s future. Should I dare go away again?”
Next time, would he bankrupt the company?!
Guan stammered, “Darling, let me explain…”
“I don’t want your nonsense. Check online yourself!”
Liang Dan hung up.
Guan’s office had a computer. One search, and his face darkened like a burnt pot.
What a bloody mess!
Cao Bo peeked, his face turning into burnt pot number two.
…
Wen Ying was also online.
Though they’d left the ratings celebration, Wen Ying and her group kept tabs on developments.
With Wang Shuang’s recap, Li Mengjiao finally grasped the situation. Yuan Fenghui wanted to use this as a lesson for the naive, showing them the cruelty of society and human hearts.
Initially, Yuan Fenghui ignored Yu Tianlin, but his swift, ruthless move startled her.
Saying too much might overwhelm Li Mengjiao and others.
Saying nothing risked leaving them defenceless against Yu Tianlin’s schemes.
Compared to mental strain, falling for his trap was worse, so everyone gathered, awaiting Yu Tianlin’s next move for Yuan Fenghui’s live lesson.
Yu Tianlin’s follow-up came fast, likely before Guan or Cao Bo could strategise, unleashing a killer blow.
Wen Ying, adept at web searches, first found a scorching Tianya post:
“Shock! At The Princess’s New Clothes ratings celebration, a talent show star caught in bed by the wife!”
That dog Yu Tianlin, UC News missed a gem not hiring him, mastering the “UC Shock Style” to perfection.
