Perhaps it was because Jiang Ruyi herself had committed too many misdeeds.
In all these years, ever since she debuted and became famous for playing a villainous supporting female character, she had frequently used other celebrities to generate hype.
Only Rong Guang knew that in her past life, Jiang Ruyi didn’t have many good years left.
After all, her range as an actress was too narrow. The drama where she played the villainous supporting character, the very role that made her famous, had indeed left too deep an impression. It was impossible for directors of other dramas not to consider this factor and predict whether a supporting character like her would cause the audience to abandon the show.
Jiang Ruyi’s team, including herself, couldn’t have been unaware of this. That’s why for so many years, she had almost always relied on scandals to maintain her own popularity. Of course, she was mostly scolded, but being infamous was still a form of fame. At least after that, she had roles to play.
Although, in Rong Guang’s eyes, this was nothing more than self-sabotage.
And her team was considered restrained, only latching onto a few people throughout the year. After all, she knew she couldn’t latch onto A-listers with massive fanbases. A single misstep could lead to her being torn apart by their fans until she had no resources left. Moreover, many of these A-listers’ fans came from powerful family backgrounds. Offending them meant she’d face consequences she couldn’t handle.
So, the targets of her hype-building in recent years were mostly second and third-tier artists. It was mutually beneficial. The fans could go at each other, and if the fight was good, it could even trend. If not, she still managed to leech off some popularity.
Because of this, every time she trended by stepping on someone else’s beloved idol, the fans of those she had previously stepped on would basically unite with the current victim’s fans to support them in the comments section, turning it into an annual gossip festival.
This time, things had finally reached a tipping point. Jiang Ruyi was finally getting her just deserts.
Jiang Ruyi had successfully latched onto Zhang Nanchuan and joined the cast of The Eldest Princess. Although she was still playing a villainous supporting character, and she had even won the role through her own ability, there were still quite a few people she had pushed aside, many of whom were young actresses with dedicated fans and casual followers.
Several fan groups had already started stirring up trouble together. They didn’t even have time to attack Rong Guang’s role; all their attention was drawn to Jiang Ruyi. For this point alone, Rong Guang had to thank her for diverting the potential criticism that might have come her way.
After handing her phone to Rong Guang, Chu Feiliang chuckled and said, “I knew you had good relationships with people, and that the seniors and juniors who’ve worked with you all speak highly of you, but I never expected it to be this good.”
For a moment, Rong Guang didn’t understand what Chu Feiliang meant.
Not until she looked at the phone and saw the chat history between Chu Feiliang and her older sister, Chu Siyue.
Si: This kid you’ve taken a liking to is much more capable than you think. I don’t even need to step in.
Following that, Chu Siyue sent a long string of images.
Rong Guang opened them one by one and found that they were all organized screenshots of the artists who had spoken up for her.
All three members of NO.1 had spoken out.
Besides the three of them, even a few seniors in the entertainment industry had spoken up for her.
Rong Guang was stunned.
Immediately, a wry smile appeared on her face. “Teacher Chu, please don’t make fun of me…”
Chu Feiliang took back her phone and raised an eyebrow. “I’m not making fun of you. I’m genuinely praising you.”
Rong Guang sighed and could only nod in acknowledgment, saying listlessly, “Thank you, Teacher Chu.”
This matter wasn’t just about her own good relationships.
Her relationships were good, but not nearly good enough for these people to speak up for her publicly.
After all, an artist is rarely an independent individual; there are too many things involved behind the scenes.
The one with the influence wasn’t her, but Duan Nong.
Background—such a thing was always so mysterious and profound.
Duan Nong was always a very emotional person, and with her deep background, she had the capital to be so.
When she liked someone, she would do anything for them and couldn’t stand to see them bullied—it was like getting a favorite stuffed toy. When it was brand new, she’d want to let the toy sleep on the bed while she slept on the floor.
But once the novelty wore off… the person she had liked would truly be disliked.
Today, Duan Nong could go to all the artists she knew to speak up for her. Tomorrow, she could also use her connections to cut off all of Rong Guang’s escape routes and make her disappear from the industry completely.
Rong Guang’s feelings were complicated. She couldn’t muster a shred of gratitude, only finding it absurd.
Rong Guang controlled her expression well, not letting much show on her face.
When others noticed, they just assumed Rong Guang was upset about today’s events and didn’t think much more of it.
Zhang Nanchuan finally said, “Then I’ll have to trouble you, Xiao Chu.”
“You’re welcome.” Chu Feiliang smiled and said, “After all, this matter has involved me as well. Helping others is helping myself.”
Zhang Nanchuan nodded. The meeting had reached its end and was about to break up.
After it ended that evening, Chu Feiliang had an interview to attend. Rong Guang took Chacha back with her, constantly looking at her phone on the way.
Chacha sat beside her without a word, her feet dangling and swinging idly, occasionally kicking the box under the seat with a steady rhythm that was almost hypnotic in the evening.
Ever since the production crew’s work got on track, the traffic had increased. The small vendors nearby had also keenly sniffed out the opportunity to make money, placing dozens of rentable four-wheeled carts inside the studio complex to compete with the previous bus service.
Chacha had wanted to ride one of those carts for a long time but never had the chance. She could only watch eagerly as four or five people piled into one and zoomed past with whoops and hollers.
Meanwhile, the dilapidated little bus they were on was still chugging along slowly, like a tin box on the verge of retirement.
“It’s handled.” Rong Guang let out a breath and pinched the bridge of her nose.
Chacha promptly handed her some artificial tears and a small mirror. Rong Guang put two drops in her eyes, closed them to let the solution be absorbed, and said with a slight smile, “Thanks, Chacha.”
“You’re welcome.” Chacha’s eyes sparkled as she asked, “Is the matter resolved?”
“Mhm, I had Tang Yuan make a trip to Big Dipper. The evidence and related materials she has will help Big Dipper handle this matter more quickly.” Rong Guang opened her eyes. Having just been moistened by the eye drops, they looked exceptionally clear. “We can only blame Jiang Ruyi for getting desperate. She had nothing, yet she dared to sling mud at me.”
“Did this incident cause a butterfly effect?” Chacha was a little confused.
Her old-fashioned phone could access the internet, but she hadn’t looked—just searching web pages wouldn’t yield any useful information, only clickbait headlines that stopped short of revealing anything.
Rong Guang nodded and said, “Somehow, Jiang Ruyi’s fans went from attacking Mao Xiaosong to attacking your Sister Chu. They said Mao Xiaosong was technically a makeup artist on her team, and that your Sister Chu was jealous of a younger actress, afraid someone would rise up and steal her spotlight, so she sent someone to harm her…”
Chacha was quiet for a few seconds before finally saying with difficulty, “They really imagined a huge drama, huh.”
“Mhm.” Rong Guang nodded, then a mocking, exasperated smile appeared on her face. “If Jiang Ruyi had left this matter entirely to Big Dipper, things wouldn’t have gotten so twisted. But for some reason, she decided to have her old team use a sock puppet account to stir up trouble against your Sister Chu. Turns out, she forgot to switch accounts, and Sister Chu’s fans exposed her and started bombarding her…”
“Serves her right,” Chacha concluded, then asked in confusion, “Why does Auntie Jiang always do things like shooting herself in the foot? Is she a child? Even children know to pick up a rock to throw at others…”
“What goes around comes around. Good and evil will eventually be repaid.” Rong Guang stretched with a look of certainty. “It’s been an annoying day. I can finally get a good night’s sleep tonight.”
As for Duan Nong… Rong Guang glanced at her messages and decided to put it aside for now and deal with it later.
After returning, Chu Feiliang and Rong Guang met again by the elevators.
Chu Feiliang’s face still bore exquisite makeup. She hadn’t had time to remove all her hair ornaments on set, and many were still in place, probably to be taken out all at once after she got back.
Upon seeing Rong Guang, Chu Feiliang looked up, greeted her, and said between yawns, “What a coincidence. You’re not back yet?”
Rong Guang nodded. “We took the late bus back.”
After saying that, she added, “Next time, we’ll rent a small four-wheeler so we can be faster.”
“Faster?” Chu Feiliang raised an eyebrow. “In such a hurry to avoid me?”
Only then did Rong Guang realize that if she had rented a small four-wheeler, she would have perfectly missed Chu Feiliang today.
She was at a loss for words. “That’s not what I meant…”
Chu Feiliang let out a soft laugh, still leaning against the wall for support. She hummed nonchalantly, “I know.”
Rong Guang looked at her pitifully.
“I’m just teasing you.” Chu Feiliang pivoted on one foot, turning a half-circle to lean her back against the wall, looking at Rong Guang.
Rong Guang froze, momentarily unsure of what to say.
Wang Lujie suddenly and carefully took Chacha’s hand.
Chacha looked down at her own fair hand, a question mark appearing before her eyes. “?”
Wang Lujie cleared her throat and said, “I just remembered I’m out of makeup remover in my room—Teacher Rong, I’m borrowing Chacha to go buy some with me.”
Without giving Rong Guang a chance to nod, Wang Lujie had already run off, pulling the utterly bewildered Chacha with her.
Rong Guang stared blankly at their retreating figures.
Then she turned back, glanced at Chu Feiliang, and shyly averted her gaze.
Just then, the elevator arrived with a ‘ding’.
Wang Lujie and Chacha’s timing was really convenient… Rong Guang wiped away non-existent sweat.
The elevator doors opened. A man who was about to exit looked up and saw the two of them standing there like door gods. He was so startled he took a step back, repeatedly checking the floor number, his brain completely short-circuiting.
Chu Feiliang raised her eyebrows. “It’s the first floor. Are you not leaving? Waiting for me to invite you?”
The man glanced at his phone. “Go, go, go, go…”
He was just going down to throw out the trash, still wearing flip-flops, but the way he exited the elevator made him look like a guilty thief.
Rong Guang heard the sound of the man throwing out the trash, but he never came back in.
The elevator doors closed again. Chu Feiliang didn’t move.
Rong Guang glanced over, reached out, and pressed two floor buttons respectively. The doors slowly opened again.
This time, Chu Feiliang finally stepped in first, holding the ‘door open’ button with one hand and looking at Rong Guang. “Coming in?”
Rong Guang hesitated for a moment before entering.
The elevator doors slowly closed, and a silence filled the car.
Chu Feiliang suddenly reached out and canceled the button for the top floor.
Rong Guang watched her action and only then said, “Sister, do you… have something you want to say to me?”
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