Chi An had not been gone for long before her manager chased her down and brought her back. “The show isn’t finished recording. Where are you going?”
Chi An was furious and kicked viciously at a nearby bush. “Where am I going? Didn’t you see Mu Yanxi was about to smash her phone on me! Where does a washed-up celebrity like her get the nerve to challenge me?”
“You said it yourself, she’s washed-up. Why get angry with a D-lister like her?” Her manager comforted her, then brought up the purpose of this variety show. “Besides, we took the initiative to come here. Just be a little smarter during the recording later and make sure Mu Yanxi solidifies her image as a brainless beauty.”
Reminded by her manager, Chi An calmed down. She took a deep breath and asked, “When is Guan Zhou coming? Didn’t they say he’d be a guest star midway through?”
Guan Zhou and Chi An had only recently gone public with their relationship, and many variety shows invited them on to attract viewers.
If the two were scheduled to appear together from the start, the effect wouldn’t be as good as that dating show, ‘Let’s Fall in Love Today’. Therefore, the production team specially arranged for Guan Zhou to come record in the afternoon, attempting to create a ‘surprise’.
“Don’t worry, the production team has it all arranged. I just saw Guan Zhou’s team arrive; they’re going over the script with the director right now.”
In the dressing room, Mu Yanxi was idly scrolling through Weibo.
Unfortunately, the peace didn’t last long. Chi An, who had just run out, actually walked back in and headed in her direction.
After all, their discord was already out in the open, and neither of them intended to pretend otherwise. In the dressing room, gazes eager for a show fell upon Chi An and Mu Yanxi.
Compared to just before she left, Chi An seemed to have found some confidence, her face beaming with delight.
Mu Yanxi looked up, feeling that something was off.
The next moment, Chi An was standing behind her, saying haughtily, “Mu Yanxi, there’s something I haven’t told you yet.”
Before Mu Yanxi could react, Sister Ling at her side couldn’t help but roll her eyes and let out a derisive scoff.
This kind of scene had happened countless times during the filming of You Are Like the Boundless Stars. She had no idea where Chi An got the nerve to constantly seek attention like this.
Hearing this, Mu Yanxi leisurely glanced at Chi An in the dressing room mirror, then went back to scrolling through Weibo. “What is it?”
Chi An glanced around. Seeing that everyone’s eyes were on them, she put on the air of a rightful wife and deliberately raised her voice.
“Guan Zhou will be coming to record with us later, so you’d better stay away from him. Let me warn you, no matter how much you throw yourself at him, Guan Zhou will never be interested in you. Don’t waste your effort.”
Mu Yanxi scoffed inwardly. She knew this little white lotus Chi An wouldn’t pass up any opportunity to show off her relationship.
It wasn’t enough for her to deliberately join a variety show Mu Yanxi was in talks with; she had to wait here to disgust her, too.
“Oh, really?” Mu Yanxi turned to her manager, showing off in a way designed to infuriate. “Sister Ling, what good deeds must I have done in my past life to be spared from Guan Zhou’s interest in this one?”
Her manager played along perfectly. “You must have saved the world.”
From various corners of the dressing room came stifled laughter.
Humiliated like this, Chi An was too angry to speak and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
In contrast, Mu Yanxi hadn’t even given Chi An a direct look before she disappeared from the dressing room.
Not long after the afternoon recording began, the main NPC controlling the game suddenly introduced a new clue, stating that the guests needed to do a compatibility quiz with a ‘new transfer student’. Only the guest with the highest compatibility could get the clue.
The production team’s method of dropping in a guest was truly simple and crude. Mu Yanxi automatically placed herself last to avoid any contact with Guan Zhou.
As expected, Chi An successfully obtained the clue by relying on her memorized lines. When the ‘new transfer student’ emerged from behind the curtain, Chi An rushed toward him with a look of surprised, bashful delight.
Then, Guan Zhou picked Chi An up and spun her around three times. The whole scene was incredibly cringey.
It made Mu Yanxi want to roll her eyes.
Mu Yanxi had a particular trait. Although her princess-like temper was sometimes ill-suited for the entertainment industry, she was always very serious about her work.
Though often, the more serious she was, the unluckier she got. Obstacles appeared one after another, and haters followed her relentlessly.
Now, having been annoyed by this couple for so long, Mu Yanxi adopted her most professional attitude.
When it was her turn to make an accusation, she completely tossed aside the ‘airhead’ script the production team had given her. She said whatever she suspected, exposing the facades of several people with such clear logic that the entire directing team was caught off guard.
In contrast, Guan Zhou and Chi An dragged their teammates down and made random accusations, causing the other guests’ expressions to sour.
By the end of the recording, Guan Zhou and Chi An hadn’t managed to show off their love much. Instead, Mu Yanxi stole the spotlight, and the effect was unexpectedly good.
Especially in the latter half of the murder mystery game, Mu Yanxi eliminated one guest after another, so dazzling that it was impossible to look away.
Seeing Guan Zhou’s gaze frequently landing on Mu Yanxi, Chi An, who had been ‘killed’ off long ago, didn’t crack a smile for the rest of the show.
After the recording ended, Chi An got straight into her van and sped off. Seeing this, Guan Zhou hesitated for a moment before running toward Mu Yanxi. “Yanxi! Wait!”
Mu Yanxi opened her umbrella and turned her head with a cold smile. “Are we that close?”
“Then… Teacher Mu?”
“Mm.”
Guan Zhou looked at Mu Yanxi awkwardly. “I didn’t know you were recording with An’an today. I…”
“Oh, that.” Mu Yanxi replied casually, not giving him any face. “Do you need me to give you a ‘good guy’ card? Should I be moved to tears that you didn’t come here specifically to humiliate me?”
As her words fell, Guan Zhou looked as if he’d been dealt a heavy blow, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal for a long time.
Mu Yanxi had no interest in wasting time on Guan Zhou. Seeing that he was silent, she turned to leave.
But as she turned, she happened to look up, and a white Maybach parked ahead came into view. Mu Yanxi found it somewhat familiar but couldn’t quite place it, searching her memory.
As if sensing her gaze, the rear window of the Maybach slowly rolled down, revealing Yi Wulan’s face.
The smile in those peach blossom eyes was gone, and her gaze was a little cool as she looked over.
Her expression was unreadable as she watched her with a leisurely air.
Mu Yanxi stiffened for a moment, feeling a sudden, inexplicable sense of guilt.
She subconsciously turned to look back. Guan Zhou was already gone.
Mu Yanxi breathed a sigh of relief.
But the next moment, she felt her own behavior was a bit ridiculous.
What did it matter whether Guan Zhou was there or not?
She wasn’t cheating on her wife; her conscience was clear.
If she really were involved in an illicit relationship with Guan Zhou, she wouldn’t even need Yi Wulan to say anything; she’d be disgusted to death with herself.
She crossed the road, not knowing how long Yi Wulan had been there, much less if she was waiting for her.
When she reached the Maybach, Mu Yanxi hesitated for a moment before taking the initiative to ask, “What are you doing here?”
Yi Wulan met her with silence.
It wasn’t that Yi Wulan didn’t want to answer, but rather that she didn’t know how.
Ever since sleeping with Mu Yanxi last night, she had been feeling unsettled all day. Yi Wulan felt something was wrong with her but couldn’t find the answer.
She had thought it was just a matter of not being used to having someone by her side, but this state had persisted for the entire day. Not only did it not improve, but it intensified after she received Mu Yanxi’s text message at noon.
And then, she had come here.
But now that she saw her, she didn’t know what to say.
Yi Wulan’s thoughts were in turmoil, but none of it showed on her face.
As if to hide her own strangeness, she deliberately said in a cold voice, “Just passing by.”
Mu Yanxi looked around suspiciously.
The recording location was in the northern part of Yuncheng, while the Rongjia headquarters was in the south. Not to mention, the location was quite remote, near the railway, with barely a soul in sight.
Was it really such a coincidence that she was just passing by?
Before Mu Yanxi could say anything, Yi Wulan spoke again. “Aren’t you getting in?”
“Ah, okay.” The sun was scorching outside, and Mu Yanxi felt unbearably hot the moment she stepped out. She walked around to the other car door while sending a WeChat message to her manager, telling her she was leaving first.
After she opened the door and got in, she suddenly remembered a very important question. “How long have you been here?”
Yi Wulan’s gaze was cool as she gave her a nonchalant look. “So, did I interrupt you two?”
So she had seen them.
“He and I are just colleagues,” Mu Yanxi began to explain, but halfway through, seeing Yi Wulan’s interrogating expression, Chi An’s face suddenly flashed through her mind.
Suddenly, she felt there was no need to explain.
Guan Zhou had a girlfriend; he had absolutely nothing to do with her.
Unlike Yi Wulan, who only knew how to help her little lover bully her own wife.
How wronged she felt.
The more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt.
So wronged she couldn’t control it.
Then, this feeling of being wronged, baring its fangs and claws, gradually morphed into anger.
She hadn’t even questioned Yi Wulan, so what right did Yi Wulan have to question her?
Mu Yanxi grabbed a nearby throw pillow and hugged it. “Don’t you want to draw a clear line between us all the time? Wouldn’t finding someone to date on a variety show be exactly what you want?”
Yi Wulan’s expression froze for a moment, and she frowned.
Having long been in a position of power, she had an imposing aura, which was especially intimidating when she looked at someone coldly.
The atmosphere in the car grew heavy at lightning speed.
The bodyguard in the driver’s seat, for the sake of his job, slowly raised the partition between the front and back seats and then started the car.
Seeing Yi Wulan’s expression change faster than one could flip a book, Mu Yanxi’s dissatisfaction grew.
As everyone knew, the second miss of the Mu family had never been wronged since she was a child; wherever she went, she was coaxed and coddled.
Mu Yanxi raised her voice slightly. “What, does President Yi think I’m wrong?”
Yi Wulan showed no major emotional fluctuations and said calmly, “But we are still in a marital relationship.”
“Yes, and you know we’re in a marital relationship? Eagerly sending resources to your lover and pulling strings for her, anyone who didn’t know better would think I was dead. Should I praise you for having affairs outside while keeping your wife at home?”
Mu Yanxi’s mouth ran on, her words growing more and more outrageous.
Even though she felt a little regretful after she finished, the words were already out.
The second miss of the Mu family would never admit her mistakes.
Yi Wulan frowned, truly unable to understand the meaning behind Mu Yanxi’s words. She couldn’t even sort out her own unusual behavior today, let alone Mu Yanxi’s words.
So she could only remain silent.
When Yi Wulan didn’t reply for a long time, Mu Yanxi grew angrier the more she thought about it.
It was as if Yi Wulan was tacitly admitting to her relationship with Chi An.
How long had they been married? And Yi Wulan was already helping an outsider. Did she really think she was an ancient emperor restoring the harem system?
Mu Yanxi felt stifled. She leaned forward and knocked on the partition. “Turn the AC down.”
The driver heard and complied.
Yi Wulan glanced over but didn’t stop it.
“Lower.”
The driver hesitated for a moment, then lowered it another notch.
“Turn it to the lowest setting!”
A blast of cold air hit them, and Mu Yanxi hugged the pillow in her arms tighter.
Looking at the thinly-clad Yi Wulan beside her, she finally felt a bit of satisfaction.
For the entire following week, Mu Yanxi didn’t go near Yi Wulan. She even used the excuse of having work commitments to move into the apartment complex Mu Yanqing had arranged for her.
Coincidentally, a web drama of hers that had been shelved for a year had just received its broadcasting license, and she needed to shoot a few promotional trailers.
After rushing through her work commitments, invitations to various yacht parties, clubbing nights, and car races from Yuncheng’s rich second-generation circle flew into her WeChat like snowflakes. One after another, her hands were full accepting them.
It had indeed been a long time since Mu Yanxi had participated in such events. She picked and chose a few to attend.
Yi Wulan opened Mu Yanxi’s social media feed and saw the little ancestor’s incredibly exciting life every day.
Eating, drinking, and having fun, she played everywhere without a care in the world, not missing out on anything.
She had the arrogant air of someone who had quit her job and abandoned her home.
Counting the days, the three days of work Mu Yanxi had initially mentioned had doubled.
Mu Yanxi still hadn’t come home.
Yi Wulan rubbed her brow, feeling a little lost. It seemed as if she was the only one who still subtly cared about their unpleasant parting last week.
Just then, her assistant, Gu Yan, pushed the door open and handed a file to Yi Wulan. “President Yi, here is the information you asked me to look up on the second miss’s recent schedule.”
“Just put it there.” It took Yi Wulan several days to belatedly realize that the change in Mu Yanxi’s attitude might be related to that variety show recording.
Gu Yan had been Yi Wulan’s right-hand man ever since she took over Rongjia. He understood her thoughts thoroughly; often, a single glance from Yi Wulan was enough for him to quickly finalize arrangements.
The news of the marriage alliance between Rongjia and Xinyu was no secret among Rongjia’s senior management, and the two companies had engaged in many collaborations since then.
As the assistant who spent all day with Yi Wulan, Gu Yan had naturally sensed the change in his boss’s mood.
Therefore, he was especially cautious and considerate when it came to matters concerning Mu Yanxi. Not only did he compile the data, but he also reviewed every trending topic Mu Yanxi had been a part of.
He finally found some information.
Gu Yan vividly described the variety show Mu Yanxi had participated in that day, pointing out directly that it was an intellectual murder mystery show, not a dating show.
At the same time, he described, without omitting a single word, how Mu Yanxi’s role had been stolen and how she had been smeared on trending topics.
When she heard that Mu Yanxi’s drama was produced by a subsidiary of Rongjia, Yi Wulan’s expression faltered slightly.
Normally, she didn’t pay attention to Rongjia’s ventures in the entertainment sector. It was all handled by other managers; she just had to sign off on the plans.
In recent years, the film and television industry had been booming. Rongjia Entertainment had made a lot of money, had countless artists under its banner, and had produced many top-tier movie queens. It was already a first-class company in the entertainment industry.
Gu Yan, observing her expression, took out a photo snapped by the paparazzi when he saw Yi Wulan’s demeanor change. He then explained in detail the misunderstanding on Weibo about Yi Wulan being Chi An’s backer.
Yi Wulan didn’t remember Chi An at all, but looking at the photo, Mu Yanxi’s furious questions flashed unexpectedly in her mind.
Eagerly sending resources to your lover and pulling strings for her.
So… that was what the little ancestor was talking about.
Based on a single, misleadingly angled photo taken by the paparazzi a year ago, a rumor could be fabricated about her having a close relationship with Chi An. And the senior management at Rongjia Entertainment had actually taken it for granted and given Chi An that favor.
Yi Wulan’s face had completely darkened.
Beside her, cold sweat broke out on Gu Yan’s forehead.
He had over twenty assistants under him responsible for Yi Wulan’s work, including those in charge of public relations and media opinion.
Although generally, no celebrity would be bold enough to ride on Yi Wulan’s coattails for fame, this incident had still happened. Not only had it happened, but it had happened right in front of the boss’s wife.
Gu Yan was already starting to worry about his precarious job, wishing he could immediately find out who had pulled strings for Chi An.
“President Yi, I’ll go clean up those news stories right away, and also…”
“Is Rongjia Entertainment’s funding very ample?” Yi Wulan suddenly asked before Gu Yan could finish.
“No.”
Yi Wulan slowly raised her eyes, her tone laced with displeasure. “I wasn’t aware Rongjia Entertainment had such abundant funds that they could promote just anyone.”
A chill ran through Gu Yan. He lowered his head and said, “President Yi, I’ll go make the arrangements right away.”
