Chapter 59

Wei Yan had been on edge lately.

First the Guo Yixi mess barely settled, and now Sun Rui was reaching out again, bold as ever, asking for money. It was the first time in three years. Maybe the Guo Yixi incident had given her the nerve to try.

She even claimed the agreement they'd made three years ago no longer counted.

Wei Yan was so furious he hung up on her, brows knit tight.

Not long after, Jiang Yuan walked over. "Wei Yan, the director of 'Dawn' just called. The press conference is tomorrow. You're confirmed for the male lead, He Wei as the female lead."

"Congratulations."

He wore a sincere smile, as if genuinely happy for Wei Yan.

If not for the Sun Rui problem, Wei Yan would have been thrilled.

'Dawn' was a film he'd had his eye on for a long time. Even when rumors first surfaced, he'd asked Jiang Yuan to keep tabs on it, hoping to land the male lead. He hadn't expected it to go so smoothly—the director had been inclined to cast him from the start.

It was a redemption story. The male lead, a teacher in a rural village, stumbles upon a bound woman. She's a journalist investigating the disappearance of five female college students. After he frees her, they investigate together, slowly uncovering the village's hidden crimes.

The plot wasn't particularly original, but simplicity touched hearts most.

And then there was the complexity of human nature.

An eternal theme.

Of course, what Wei Yan valued wasn't just the film itself, but also its director.

The country's famously eccentric genius.

Last year, one of his documentaries won thirteen international awards, capturing attention from film circles worldwide. As soon as the script for 'Dawn' surfaced, it drew numerous A-list stars, all vying for roles.

Wei Yan hadn't been confident himself.

Though he'd been nominated for Best Actor at the Golden Forest Awards, he hadn't won. He felt he didn't measure up to this production, but he'd held a tiny glimmer of hope.

Unexpectedly—fortune favored him.

He got the male lead!

It truly was a gift from the heavens, landing right on his head!

How could he not be happy?

But now, Sun Rui had to stir up trouble.

Wei Yan's brows remained furrowed, no joy on his face despite Jiang Yuan's news. Jiang Yuan frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Not happy?"

"Don't forget, 'Dawn' is unlike your previous films or TV dramas. It can take you to the peak of your career!"

Hearing Jiang Yuan's words, Wei Yan lowered his eyes. "But I'm in trouble now."

Jiang Yuan moved closer. "What kind of trouble?"

Wei Yan's expression was conflicted. "I'll be honest with you."

As Jiang Yuan listened, his brows drew together. "No, we can't have any issues at this crucial moment. You know what a perfectionist the director of 'Dawn' is. If a scandal breaks out now and he finds out, he might easily recast."

"Wei Yan, I've been with you for three years. I won't let that happen!"

Wei Yan nodded. "I know. That's why it's so difficult."

Jiang Yuan lowered his gaze. "How much does she want? Let's give it to her first and keep her calm."

Wei Yan pursed his lips, displeasure on his face. "Fifty million."

Jiang Yuan clicked his tongue. "Fifty... fifty million?"

"She really knows how to make outrageous demands!"

Wei Yan: "She probably saw the news—that I'm about to star in 'Dawn'—and knows I can't afford a scandal right now. That's why she's so bold."

Jiang Yuan pondered for a moment. "Do you trust me?"

Wei Yan tilted his head. "What?"

Jiang Yuan's expression was grave. "I'm asking if you trust me."

"If you do, give me the leverage you have over her, and I'll handle this for you."

Wei Yan's face paled. "How do you plan to handle it?"

Jiang Yuan's face darkened. "It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to defend against an arrow in the dark. I'll play her game in the shadows."

"But I need that thing."

"Wei Yan, we're running out of time. We absolutely cannot have problems now. If you trust me, leave it all to me. All you need to do is stand on that stage looking glorious. The personal matters? I'll take care of them."

"Don't worry."

Jiang Yuan spoke with sincerity. Wei Yan thought it over for a long while.

The man before him had been by his side in the entertainment industry for three years. Whatever resources could be gotten, Jiang Yuan would give his all to obtain. He was the one who had pulled Wei Yan step by step to his current position, even securing the collaboration with the director of 'Dawn'.

That was all his doing.

He could just as easily destroy him.

Even the private matters Wei Yan had confided in him last time could easily ruin him.

But Jiang Yuan had always stood by his side, like a powerful shield.

Wei Yan remembered how Jiang Yuan had said at their first meeting that he would protect him like family and help him grow.

Wei Yan believed.

Jiang Yuan had delivered.

Faced with such a family member,

what was there to hide?

Wei Yan met Jiang Yuan's gaze and gritted his teeth. "Fine, I'll give it to you."

He turned and walked into the room, used a key to open the safe, and pulled out a black USB drive.

"It's right here."

Jiang Yuan smiled and nodded. "Good."

"Any backups? In case they find out later..."

Wei Yan shook his head. "No."

Jiang Yuan gave an "Mm." "Oh, right. I remember you mentioned you'd announce the remarriage with He Wei when 'Dawn' announced the cast. Need my help?"

Wei Yan: "No need, I'll do it myself. You—just handle her."

Jiang Yuan lowered his eyes, a cold glint in them. "I will."

He turned and left the apartment, drove straight to Jingyan Entertainment's office, and plugged the USB into the computer to take a look.

A screen full of filthy images.

So that was it.

Jiang Yuan got up and clutched the USB in his palm. He didn't take the elevator but climbed the stairs to Chi Wanzhao's office door.

Now everything was in place, waiting only for the right wind.

And tomorrow's press conference would surely be Miss Chi's wind.

Before her lunch break, Kong Xiyan received a call from Tong Yue. She sat up from the sofa and picked up the phone from the coffee table. "Hello, Sister Tong."

Tong Yue gave an "Mm." "We're shooting the day after tomorrow. I've given Fu Qiu a month off. I've arranged a different assistant for you."

Kong Xiyan nodded. "Okay."

Tong Yue: "I've already given her your number. She'll contact you when the time comes."

Kong Xiyan obediently agreed. "Okay."

Tong Yue chatted with Kong Xiyan a bit more before hanging up.

Kong Xiyan held her phone and pulled Yanyan into her arms, stroking her.

Weibo had been buzzing since Gu Ling's post yesterday. The topic of who Kong Xiyan was most compatible with had become a hot discussion. Some suggested Crown Prince Ling Yu—fans thought the two had the best chemistry. Others suggested Gu Ling, saying the two had faced danger together and shared deep bonds. There were even mentions of Xiao Cheng, but those were mocked relentlessly.

Because Xiao Cheng's performance in the livestream had been lackluster, especially when Kong Xiyan called for someone to save Fu Qiu—he had retreated alone to the backstage.

Though fear was a natural human reaction, his behavior still broke the hearts of a large number of fans.

So after the accident, his Weibo was quiet. Apart from a few old fans going to comfort him, there were barely any new followers.

Kong Xiyan logged onto Weibo and lay on the sofa scrolling around. She saw the comments under her posts—countless fans still showing concern for Fu Qiu and her health. Her eyes curved into a smile, and she continued scrolling.

Then she spotted a familiar username.

【Never Lies】.

That user's comment had been buried below. If Kong Xiyan hadn't been bored and kept scrolling, she wouldn't have seen it.

This 【Never Lies】 had posted: "What's all this about a CP with Gu Ling or a CP with Ling Yu? Have you asked the parties involved? She's been dying to pair up with Xiao Cheng all along!!!"

Unlike before, this statement wasn't echoed by many. Instead, a large number of fans voiced their objections.

—If you have proof, show it! Stop blabbering nonsense!

—You're just trying to ride the hype, aren't you? You kept saying Xiao Cheng was pursuing Kong Xiyan, but during the livestream, we didn't see any interaction between them!

—Right, these two just don't look right together!

Countless other comments questioned the credibility of this 【Never Lies】 account. Kong Xiyan assumed she'd just be spouting empty words again, but surprisingly, she replied.

—Don't believe it? Come to my Weibo! I'll post evidence and make you eat your words!

Kong Xiyan followed the username to her Weibo and saw the so-called evidence.

It was from before the livestream. She had been sitting at her vanity, and Xiao Cheng had leaned his head into her mirror. From a different angle, it looked like he was resting his head on her shoulder.

An intimate posture.

After she posted this photo, some fans tried to defend it: "What's this supposed to be?"

—If this counts as dating, then when celebrities walk the red carpet holding hands, they're married?

—Uh, isn't this just a normal photo?

—Do you have any more proof, you attention-seeking clown?

【Never Lies】 then posted nearly ten photos in rapid succession, all related to Kong Xiyan on set, most of them showing her with Xiao Cheng. They looked so ambiguous, Kong Xiyan had no idea how she'd managed to get such angles.

As Kong Xiyan looked at them, her delicate brows furrowed and her expression darkened.

If this person were just spouting lies, Kong Xiyan could accept it. But the fact that she could take these photos meant she was right there on set!

And close to her at that.

That made her uncomfortable.

Of course, she wasn't the only one to make that connection. Other fans quickly voiced it.

—Aren't these photos from the set?

—So this hype-seeker is actually from the 'Breaking Cocoon' crew?

—Damn, then could she actually know something? Like maybe Kong Xiyan and Xiao Cheng are dating?

—Hey, stop spreading baseless rumors, okay? You all believe everything you hear. Put your hand on your heart and ask yourselves—when you badmouthed Kong Xiyan, wasn't it just to follow the crowd?

—Right, don't just follow the crowd. And besides, even if it really was Xiao Cheng, so what? Is Kong Xiyan not good enough for him?

—This circle is such a mess.

Kong Xiyan stared at those photos and dialed Tong Yue's number. Before she could speak, she heard Tong Yue ask, "What's wrong?"

"I saw some photos on Weibo..."

Tong Yue understood. "I know. I'll handle it."

Kong Xiyan hummed in acknowledgment and put down the phone.

Within two hours, Jingyan Entertainment's official Weibo account released a statement.

【In response to recent false reports regarding our artist, Ms. Kong Xiyan, our company is actively gathering evidence. We urge the account 【Never Lies】 to stop spreading rumors, issue an apology, and post a public statement. Otherwise, we will pursue legal action】【Legal Notice】.

Netizens rushed to the official Jingyan Weibo to @ 【Never Lies】. By the afternoon, the account still hadn't made a peep. Many netizens even noticed she was deleting those photos.

But the photos had long been screenshotted by quick-handed netizens. The faster she deleted, the faster they reposted—they even flooded her Weibo comments with the images, demanding an explanation.

【Never Lies】 didn't say a single word in response.

Around five o'clock,

the account was deactivated.

Kong Xiyan was just about to put away her phone when she saw a WeChat friend request. She assumed it was her new assistant, but when she opened it, it was Gu Ling.

She accepted the request, and Gu Ling immediately sent a message: I know who 【Never Lies】 is.