Perhaps due to her special physiology, the anesthesia only truly took effect later.

But having been scared by the pain earlier, Chen Die didn’t dare let go, tightly gripping Wen Liang’s sleeve, her body still trembling slightly.

Only when the doctor said “Done,” did Chen Die finally breathe a sigh of relief as Wen Liang released his hand.

Shortly after, the X-rays taken earlier were delivered. The doctor glanced at them. “The bones are fine. Now that the stitches are done, everything’s okay.”

The doctor clicked the mouse to prescribe anti-inflammatory medication while glancing at them. With the air of someone who had seen it all, he said to Wen Liang, “Your boyfriend might talk tough, but he cares a lot. What’s the point of arguing with a young lady? You’ll never win against girls like her anyway.”

Before Chen Die could say anything, the doctor had already printed out the prescription. “Go to the pharmacy to get the medicine. Come back in a week to have the stitches removed.”

“Okay, thank you, doctor.” Chen Die stood up on one leg, supporting herself on the table.

Wen Liang held his suit jacket in his hand. “How are we going out?”

Good question.

Chen Die couldn’t bring herself to ask Wen Liang to carry her out again. Fortunately, as soon as they opened the door, Fang Ruan, Feng Zhi, and Lu Chuan had all arrived. With more people around, there was less fear of being photographed.

“Are you alright?” Fang Ruan ran over and grabbed her hand. “Is it serious?”

“No damage to the bone. It’s already been treated.” After speaking, Chen Die looked toward Feng Zhi. “Director Feng, how do you plan to handle the upcoming filming?”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll discuss it with Xiao Chuan later. We’ll postpone your action scenes. Don’t put too much psychological pressure on yourself.”

Chen Die nodded. “I feel fine. Regular scenes shouldn’t be affected.”

Wen Liang, who had remained silent behind her, finally spoke with mild sarcasm. “Wait until your wound reopens and you need stitches again. Let’s see if you cry then.”

Chen Die: “…”

Would someone mistake him for a mute if he didn’t speak?

Everyone had already been curious about their relationship on the way here, and hearing these words only confirmed their thoughts.

Feng Zhi smoothed things over. “Health is the most important thing. You’re still so young—don’t risk developing chronic problems because of this.”

At that moment, Lu Chuan’s phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, he said, “It’s from the props department,” and answered it in front of everyone.

“Director Lu, we re-examined the horse Chen Die was riding and found a small nail in the girth strap connecting to the saddle. We suspect this nail caused the horse to be startled.”

Lu Chuan was taken aback and frowned. “Didn’t you check it beforehand?”

“Well… we do a general inspection every morning. This horse was also used for filming in the morning, so we only checked the equipment connections. But the nail was on the inside of the girth strap, impossible to see with the naked eye,” the props department head explained. “So we now suspect someone deliberately placed it there.”

Feng Zhi sensed a problem. “What’s wrong?”

Lu Chuan instructed them to check the surveillance footage and, after hanging up, explained what the props department had just told them.

“What?!” Fang Ruan jumped in shock. “Who would dare do such a thing? Today was already lucky—what if someone had been killed?!”

Lu Chuan said, “Don’t panic. I’ve already asked people to investigate.”

Checking the surveillance footage would take time.

Chen Die’s anesthesia hadn’t worn off yet. Fang Ruan requested a private room, and everyone went there to wait for news.

From the moment Wen Liang heard it was deliberate, his expression darkened. He remained silent, sitting in a corner of the hospital room.

Fang Ruan now had no interest in gossiping about Chen Die and Wen Liang’s relationship. She helped Chen Die sit at the foot of the bed and whispered in her ear, “Do you think it might be Wang Yunxi?”

“I don’t think it’s her,” Chen Die hesitated.

“Why not? You only have bad relations with her in the crew. Who else would harm you like this?”

“I can’t explain clearly, but I feel like Wang Yunxi’s stupidity is obvious. She would confront me directly in front of everyone, not the type to do something like this behind the scenes.”

Fang Ruan: “…”

“Then who do you think it could be?”

Chen Die suddenly felt her heart skip a beat as she thought of someone—

Chen Shuyuan.

But since such allegations couldn’t be made lightly, and the surveillance investigation wasn’t complete, Chen Die shook her head. “I’m not sure.”

After waiting a while, the props department called back. The surveillance footage hadn’t captured any unusual activity, but it did show Chen Shuyuan walking past the stable.

This coincided perfectly with Chen Die’s suspicion.

Lu Chuan had put the call on speakerphone, and Wen Liang, after listening, tapped his fingers on the table, deep in thought.

Lu Chuan understood what the props department head meant. Chen Shuyuan had come because of him, so naturally he should handle it. Besides, he was indeed aware of the hostility between Chen Shuyuan and Chen Die.

When Chen Shuyuan received Lu Chuan’s call, her driver had just pulled into her home.

Lu Chuan had rarely called her on his initiative. Chen Shuyuan realized what this call was about, her heart skipping a beat, her hand gripping the phone tightly.

“Miss, we’ve arrived home,” the driver turned to remind her.

“Can’t you see I’m on the phone?” Chen Shuyuan felt impatient. She took a deep breath before answering, changing her tone. “Senior, are you looking for me?”

“Yes, do you have time to come to the hospital now?” Lu Chuan asked.

Chen Shuyuan asked, “What’s wrong? Is Chen Die’s injury serious?”

“Yes. Do you have time?”

Lu Chuan didn’t elaborate, but his attitude made it impossible for Chen Shuyuan to refuse without reason. “…I was about to have dinner. I’ll come after I eat.”

“Alright, come as soon as possible.” Lu Chuan hung up immediately.

Chen Shuyuan lowered her phone from her ear, hesitated for a moment, took a deep breath, and instructed the driver: “Go to the City People’s Hospital.”

Chen Shuyuan had never intended to cause Chen Die any irreversible accident. That would certainly draw attention from her father and grandfather. She simply wanted to make things difficult for Chen Die.

Ideally, she wouldn’t be able to film at all.

She just couldn’t stand seeing Chen Die’s smooth sailing.

Previously, Chen Die had been with Wen Liang, who controlled the entire Wenyuan Group. Now that they had broken up, Chen Shuyuan thought she would finally see Chen Die in a miserable state.

But that wasn’t the case.

Chen Die had appeared on a show, gained many fans, and secured a leading role with a famous director, and during the days Chen Shuyuan spent visiting Lu Chuan on set, she could see how much everyone in the crew liked Chen Die.

Including Lu Chuan.

In that environment, she more clearly saw Lu Chuan’s special treatment of Chen Die. The way Lu Chuan looked at Chen Die was different.

She was consumed with jealousy.

She had spotted that nail by chance when passing the props room door on her way to the bathroom.

At that time, not far away, props staff were bringing back the horses used by the filming crew that morning to groom them.

“Director Feng said to change the horse to a slightly taller one. The height difference between Qi Cheng and Chen Die in the riding shots doesn’t look right.”

“Chen Die’s horse stays the same, right?” “Yes, it’ll be used again this afternoon. Take it to graze first.”

Chen Shuyuan overheard them say.

At that moment, she hadn’t yet formed that idea. She only turned to look at the horse because she heard Chen Die’s name.

After using the bathroom, the nail that had fallen at the props room door glinted in the sunlight. The staff weren’t around, and the horse was grazing.

Chen Shuyuan uncontrollably went over to pick up the nail. Upon approaching, she disliked the strange smell around the horse and, covering her nose, stuffed the nail into the girth strap.

Chen Shuyuan’s predicted outcome was exactly what happened—the horse was startled, Chen Die fell off, her leg was injured, and filming was affected.

In the worst case, she wouldn’t be able to film at all.

But she was also certain there were no people or surveillance cameras around. As long as she denied it, no one could do anything to her.

Lu Chuan sent her the specific hospital room number. Chen Shuyuan got out of the car and followed the address he had sent. Just as she exited the elevator, she saw Lu Chuan.

“How is Chen Die’s leg injury?” Chen Shuyuan asked first.

“Three stitches. Now she’s waiting for the anesthesia to wear off.”

Lu Chuan led Chen Shuyuan to an empty stairwell, opened his palm to reveal the nail sent by the props department, and asked bluntly without any preamble: “Did you do this?”

Chen Shuyuan hadn’t expected Lu Chuan to question her so rudely and immediately widened her eyes. “What are you saying?! You suspect I did this?”

“How did you know what I was referring to?”

“With you questioning me with such a stern face, of course, I can guess what you’re talking about!” Chen Shuyuan quickly defended herself.

“Chen Shuyuan, this is a very serious matter. I hope you’ll tell me the truth,” Lu Chuan said gravely, all his usual gentleness gone. “The current situation isn’t irreversible. Fortunately, nothing too bad happened. If it was you, I hope you’ll apologize to Chen Die and never do anything like this again.”

“Senior, aren’t you assuming I’m the culprit who caused the horse to be startled?”

Chen Shuyuan looked at him with reddened eyes, her voice choked. “Even back in the student council, did you ever once consider things from my perspective? You always take Chen Die’s side. How can you suspect me without any evidence?”

“We have surveillance footage showing you passing by the stable at noon,” Lu Chuan said.

Chen Shuyuan froze, blood suddenly rushing to her head. But she clearly remembered checking that there were no cameras around.

“Does passing by the stable prove I placed the nail?”

Lu Chuan frowned.

They indeed had no evidence, and his questioning, devoid of any gentlemanly manner, had yielded no useful information.

However, as a director with considerable talent, he was very observant of people and had good intuition.

After this exchange, he was even more convinced that Chen Shuyuan might have done it.

At that moment, the stairwell door opened.

Wen Liang walked in, still wearing that blood-stained white shirt. Yet his face remained proud, giving him an air of disheveled nobility.

As soon as he entered, the atmosphere in the stairwell dropped to freezing.

But his demeanor was actually quite relaxed, lazily leaning against the wall, drawing a cigarette from his pack, and calling her name: “Chen. Shu. Yuan.”

This was the first time Wen Liang had called her by name.

Usually, Wen Liang wouldn’t deign to remember or call the names of people like her.

As soon as Chen Shuyuan saw Wen Liang, she instinctively backed away.

She feared him.

But hadn’t Wen Liang broken up with Chen Die? Why was he here?

“If I remember correctly, I told you several years ago,” Wen Liang removed the cigarette from his mouth and tapped off the ash. “If you dare cause trouble for Chen Die again, you’re welcome to try.”

“But it wasn’t me!” Chen Shuyuan, pressured by both of them, burst into tears.

But Wen Liang wasn’t moved at all. His eyelids drooped as he looked down at her and questioned, “It wasn’t you?”

“That’s right!”

“Oh.” Wen Liang nodded. “Then who do you think did it?”

Chen Shuyuan said, “How would I know? I’m not part of the crew.”

“Chen Die has been filming for months without incident. How is it that she falls off a horse as soon as you show up?”

“What does that have to do with me? Do you have evidence that I caused this?” Chen Shuyuan used the same argument she had used against Lu Chuan to counter Wen Liang.

But Wen Liang wasn’t buying it.

“I don’t care what evidence there is. Now you provide evidence proving it wasn’t you, or I’ll assume it was you,” Wen Liang stepped forward. “Anyway, I don’t care if I wrongly accuse someone. As long as I can get revenge for Chen Die, that’s all that matters.”

Chen Shuyuan widened her eyes in disbelief.

But Wen Liang had just said those words very calmly. He wasn’t threatening or making harsh statements—he would do it.

Wen Liang threw his half-smoked cigarette into the trash can in the corner and pulled a folding Swiss Army knife from his pocket.

Chen Shuyuan had no faith in Wen Liang’s moral boundaries and immediately backed away, her back pressed tightly against the wall.

Wen Liang remained quite calm, but his calmness made people even more uneasy.

He slowly walked up to Chen Shuyuan, handed her the knife, and looked down at her, saying softly, “It’s fair. Chen Die’s wound is three to four centimeters, with three stitches. Just cut a slightly longer wound on your leg.”

Wen Liang’s dark eyes met her terrified gaze.

Only now did Chen Shuyuan truly become afraid.

Wen Liang looked calm now, but he had long since lost all rationality.

He raised his wrist slightly, opened the folding knife, and lifted Chen Shuyuan’s chin with the cold blade. “Will you do it yourself, or shall I?”