Xu Mei has gone mad!
That’s the only thought in Cao Bo’s mind right now.
A bit of old affection doesn’t mean he’s willing to marry Xu Mei.
Proposing is one thing, but notifying the media, getting it in the papers and on TV, why doesn’t Xu Mei just ascend to the heavens?
For a fleeting moment, Cao Bo even thought it’d be better if Xu Mei just jumped off.
“Liang Jie, this won’t do—”
Liang Dan cut Cao Bo off, “Why not? It’s just a proposal, not a marriage. If you don’t agree, are you really going to force her to jump?”
The malice in Cao Bo’s heart was only a passing thought, one he’d never admit out loud.
The scandal was originally caused by Director Duan. If Director Duan hadn’t been caught cheating, Xu Mei wouldn’t have been scapegoated, nor would she have been replaced in her role, and none of this would be happening today.
Director Duan made the mess, yet Cao Bo has to clean it up. Cao Bo feels utterly stifled!
Fang Ping’s mouth opened and closed, unable to form a complete sentence.
The Xu Mei of now feels so unfamiliar to Fang Ping, as if she never truly knew her.
What’s Xu Mei’s temperament like?
Xu Mei has always been so mild-mannered!
Gentle and easy to talk to, such an artist is particularly easy to manage, even easier than the students Fang Ping taught at the music academy.
Until today, until this very moment, Xu Mei has completely shattered her former image!
Liang Dan now sees Xu Mei in a new light.
Xu Mei has always been obedient, doing whatever the company told her, then later following Cao Bo’s lead. Everyone thought Xu Mei was easy to control, and everyone overlooked that before entering the talent show, Xu Mei was a student at a prestigious Shanghai university.
To get into such a school, her emotional intelligence might be debatable, but her IQ is definitely above average!
Pushed to the brink, such a Xu Mei would naturally find ways to save herself.
If Xu Mei had cried and played the victim, Liang Dan wouldn’t have cared, but Xu Mei isn’t playing the victim anymore. Xu Mei knows how to hit the points that matter to everyone. Liang Dan knows she can’t underestimate this girl anymore.
A smart person driven to desperation will truly do something drastic if their demands aren’t met.
Cao Bo is still worried about Xu Mei clinging to him, but Liang Dan thinks that as long as Xu Mei gets through this public opinion crisis, she’ll likely find a chance to ditch Cao Bo herself.
Men are often too full of themselves, but women understand women best.
Liang Dan gave Xu Mei a deep look and pulled Cao Bo aside.
Whatever Liang Dan promised Cao Bo, he finally reluctantly agreed to Xu Mei’s terms.
“Fine, I’ll propose!”
Xu Mei didn’t immediately step away from the railing. She spread her arms, feeling the wind slip through her fingers, a sensation that made her feel extraordinarily clear-headed.
Compliance and concessions only lead to being bullied.
Being assertive and unyielding is what gets you taken seriously.
Right now, she has no bargaining chips, only her life to gamble with. Her life might not be worth much while she’s alive, but dead, it could create a massive mess.
Liang Dan doesn’t want that kind of trouble, so Liang Dan has to back down, has to meet her demands!
Xu Mei lingered at the edge of the rooftop, making onlookers’ hearts race, terrified she might lose her strength and slip. But Xu Mei herself wasn’t scared at all.
Because Xu Mei knows that from today, every day she stays in this industry will be like today, teetering on the edge of a rooftop, walking a tightrope over a cliff!
Liang Dan began arranging the rooftop in front of Xu Mei, calling media contacts one by one, only considering local Hunan outlets or those with offices in Hunan who could arrive quickly.
After Liang Dan finished her calls, Xu Mei made a new demand:
“I know Teacher Yuan Fenghui is still in Hunan. For such a joyous occasion, I hope Teacher Yuan can attend.”
Mr. Guan couldn’t take it anymore, “Xu Mei, that’s enough, don’t go too far—”
“Fine!”
Liang Dan agreed immediately.
“I’ll call Yuan Fenghui right now, but I can’t guarantee she’ll come.”
Liang Dan shot Mr. Guan a fierce glare.
If you’re going to do it, do it properly.
The media’s already invited, so what’s the harm in inviting Yuan Fenghui?
The news will reach Yuan Fenghui sooner or later. Xu Mei wants her there to ensure the company’s media contacts don’t suppress the story afterward.
With Yuan Fenghui present, it’s different. She’d be delighted to spread the word.
Fang Ping initially couldn’t get a word in, and now she simply doesn’t want to speak.
The irony of today is that Xu Mei would rather trust Yuan Fenghui than deal with Fang Ping!
…
Xu Mei demanded a proposal scene that would make the news. In such a short time, only Liang Dan could coordinate everything. If Liang Dan weren’t there, no one else could have pulled it off.
The company’s celebration ribbons and balloons, studio lighting and props, all the flowers within a twenty-kilometre radius of the company, and the largest diamond ring Cao Bo could have someone buy in such short notice.
From Liang Dan’s order to everything being ready, it took less than three hours.
Yuan Fenghui arrived even earlier than the reporters.
Well, damn, a real proposal?
Yuan Fenghui looked around with great interest.
The male lead’s expression seemed rather unwilling.
Even a playboy has his day, what a sight to behold.
In contrast to Cao Bo’s state, the female lead, Xu Mei, looked remarkably relaxed, leaning against the railing, catching the breeze, while everyone else was frantically busy. Xu Mei was leisurely at ease.
Yuan Fenghui always thought Xu Mei was a bit conflicted, saying one thing but meaning another. Clearly ambitious and craving fame, yet pretending to be a little white rabbit. Isn’t that exhausting?
Now it’s different.
The Xu Mei of now isn’t conflicted anymore.
Xu Mei seems done with being a little white rabbit, done with hiding, not caring if others are pleased, only caring about her own happiness.
“Interesting.”
Yuan Fenghui clapped for Xu Mei.
Mr. Guan’s eyes shot daggers at Yuan Fenghui, wishing he could stab Xu Mei with dozens of holes at the same time.
Thinking of how Zhang Yangning once played a double game, Mr. Guan grew paranoid, suspecting Xu Mei’s stunt was preparation to jump ship.
Hmph, the company would never let go of Xu Mei’s contract.
Xu Mei can make a scene today, but her contract still has nine years left. Cao Bo, forced into this proposal, already loathes her. He’d never pay her breach-of-contract fee. After today, there’ll be plenty of ways to deal with Xu Mei, soft knives cut the deepest—
Yuan Fenghui could roughly guess what Mr. Guan was thinking from his expression.
Idiot!
Someone who’s not even afraid of death, scared of being controlled by the company?
Xu Mei didn’t choose to terminate her contract today because she still wants to stay in this industry.
After all, forcing a former agency to terminate with a death threat means no other company would dare sign her. But forcing a boyfriend to propose, and him agreeing, that’s just a couple’s quirk, nothing to do with outsiders.
Xu Mei should’ve been like this long ago.
Yuan Fenghui wondered, if a year ago Xu Mei had been this true to herself and approached her before Li Mengjiao, would she have chosen Xu Mei?
Thinking of Li Mengjiao, that silly girl always trying to do the splits, and the Xu Mei of now, Yuan Fenghui thought it over and decided she’d still pick Li Mengjiao.
Silly, but easy to manage.
Xu Mei is ambitious and craves fame, likely to achieve worldly success but possibly becoming another Yu Tianlin.
—Oh, it seems Xu Mei still doesn’t know Yu Tianlin is the real mastermind behind the scenes?
Yuan Fenghui thought of the potential drama to come and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Seeing Yuan Fenghui laugh, Xu Mei smiled too.
Finally, the media Liang Dan notified arrived. Once the reporters were ready to shoot, Liang Dan nudged Cao Bo, who reluctantly got down on one knee and pulled out the ring.
“Xiao Mei, marry me!”
His tone was flat, devoid of any joy.
Yuan Fenghui burst into laughter, “Look at our groom-to-be, so nervous! Everyone, give him some applause to ease his nerves!”
Huh?
Too nervous?
No wonder his tone was off.
The reporters invited by Liang Dan suddenly understood.
Xu Mei is caught in a scandal, and her boyfriend’s proposal is a clever way to pull her out of the vortex.
Some reporters recognised Cao Bo, knowing he used to be quite a playboy. They didn’t expect him to care so much for Xu Mei. To do this in her toughest moment, it must be true love. Moved by their own assumptions, the reporters suddenly believed in love again.
One reporter started clapping, others followed, even Liang Dan joined in. Mr. Guan didn’t dare not clap. The whole scene erupted in applause, creating a somewhat festive atmosphere.
The flowers were real.
The setting was grand.
The boyfriend Cao Bo’s engagement ring was dazzling and huge, worthy of a close-up.
Of course, the female lead Xu Mei, standing by the railing, looked stunning today in a red dress fluttering in the wind, reminiscent of old Hong Kong superstars.
Oddly, why hadn’t they noticed Xu Mei’s radiance before?
Under the camera lenses, Xu Mei was like a red butterfly, or a brilliant ray of light, stepping down from the rooftop railing with tears of joy and excitement in her eyes, accepting Cao Bo’s proposal.
“I do!”
Xu Mei extended her hand, letting Cao Bo put the ring on her.
The diamond was dazzling.
The scene was truly touching.
The reporters pressing their shutters didn’t notice that the ring didn’t even fit!
With his back to the reporters, Cao Bo’s face was particularly sour when Xu Mei kissed his cheek.
But Xu Mei didn’t care.
To her, he was just a tool.
Xu Mei had to restrain herself from wiping her mouth in public. If she had to kiss Cao Bo now, she’d rather kiss a stray dog on the street!
