It was shocking! Could it be that while everyone had been genuinely crying over “Hairpin Flower” for so many days, none of the main cast members except for Qi were any good?

OK, after Zhan Xiao reached his peak right after debut, now here comes the second person who reached their peak at debut, with a scandal breaking before they even warmed their seat.

No wonder she got such good resources, from “Wilderness Chef God” to the female lead in “Hairpin Flower”—someone was desperately promoting her behind the scenes.

Let me propose a conspiracy theory: maybe Chen Die already knew this news was caught by the paparazzi, so before that happened, she dragged Wang Yunxi down with her.

No need to defend Wang Yunxi—neither of them are any good.

I’m starting to feel sorry for Qi. The poor guy was just trying to film a good drama, but it was ruined by the first and second female leads.

Damn, those previous bits of news about Chen Die that were dug up were probably prepared in advance too. I have to say, Yiming Entertainment is indeed powerful. If this hadn’t happened, Chen Die would have become a top-tier celebrity within a year, no problem.

Here’s some insider news: the guest for the “Wilderness Chef God” finale episode wasn’t originally Chen Die, but another female idol from Yiming Entertainment. They changed it to Chen Die at the last minute.

Indeed, sleeping with the boss does open all doors.

That news broke and immediately sparked heated discussion.

The topic quickly surpassed the previously top-trending Wang Yunxi and Zhan Xiao scandal, becoming: #ChenDieCastingCouch#.

These days she had accumulated quite a few fans. Since the movie’s release, her Weibo followers had rapidly grown by nearly ten million. The comments on her Weibo had also increased, though they were much more pleasant.

“Die-mei, we all believe in you! Come out and explain!”

“I’m furious! PLJJ just debuted and gained fame, who’s so eager to bring her down? That photo just shows them in a car, what’s everyone getting excited about? This is just malicious smearing.”

“Is Die-mei so popular just because she got the female lead in ‘Hairpin Flower’? When it was first announced, everyone was mocking her. Now that her talent has been proven, that’s why we like her so much. I don’t understand why people are dragging the casting couch into this!”

“I’m furious! Die-mei is truly suffering unfairly.”

“Why assume it’s casting couch just because of that photo? Even if there is a relationship, maybe Chen Shao is our Die-mei’s boyfriend! With Die-mei’s face, who wouldn’t like her?”

“Better to be the boss _(°:з」∠)_ Our beautiful sister cannot be defiled by anyone!!!”

“As a career fan, I’m so anxious. Why hasn’t Die-mei come out to clarify this yet?”

Chen Die: “…”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to clarify, she just didn’t know how.

This incident was someone trying to frame her.

All Chen Die could clarify right now was a lightweight statement that she and Chen Shao only had a normal superior-subordinate relationship, but in the current situation, that wouldn’t help at all.

The person behind this might have other photos waiting for her clarification before throwing them out.

Although her relationship with Chen Shao was truly innocent, photos with just a slight change in angle could spark endless imagination and speculation.

At that point, Chen Die would truly be unable to defend herself no matter what she said.

Of course, by blood relation, Chen Shao was her cousin, which would be the most effective clarification, but Chen Die couldn’t bring herself to say it.

She knew this fact, so she didn’t take all the overwhelming reports and mockery to heart. Fang Ruan was different; as soon as this news broke, she went into full alert mode.

She paced back and forth by the window with her phone and called Chen Shao.

After two rings, Chen Shao picked up.

“CEO Chen, have you seen the news about Chen Die?” she asked.

Chen Shao had just gotten off a plane, flying to the southern hemisphere for vacation, and sounded lazy: “Hmm? What happened?”

“She’s being accused of sleeping her way to the top.”

Chen Shao paused mid-step and said matter-of-factly: “Then why are you calling me? Go find Wen Liang to handle it.”

Fang Ruan: ???

“The news is about you and Chen Die. Photos of you driving her home were captured, and gossip accounts are using them to write stories. Many people are piling on.”

This was something Chen Shao hadn’t anticipated at all.

He was stunned for a moment, then laughed: “Oh.”

Oh, my ass!

Fang Ruan was screaming internally.

“It doesn’t matter, handle it as you see fit,” Chen Shao said casually. “It won’t make much of a splash anyway.”

With that, Chen Shao hung up, very irresponsibly going off to embrace his vacation.

Fang Ruan was nearly furious with him. She threw her phone onto the sofa and exchanged bewildered looks with Chen Die: “See that?!”

“Hmm?” Chen Die looked up in confusion.

“Men are all no good!!”

“…”

Fang Ruan said angrily: “So, are you going to reveal that Chen Shao is your relative?”

“There’s nothing to reveal. We just happened to meet, and he gave me a ride. That’s all,” Chen Die said.

“When has Chen Shao ever been so kind? I never see him giving rides to other female celebrities from the company. Why just you?!” Fang Ruan demanded.

Chen Die rested her chin on her palm and blinked at her gently: “Maybe because I’m pretty?”

Fang Ruan was speechless. It was truly a case of the emperor being less anxious than his eunuchs.

Unable to figure out what the other party was really up to, Fang Ruan could only contact the PR team to stabilize the situation for now. But Chen Die had become so popular lately that even the PR team’s efforts had little effect.

In the evening, Chen Die and Fang Ruan went to meet Director Fan Zhen to discuss a new drama.

At Yi-f Mansion.

Chen Die and Fang Ruan entered the Wanhe Pavilion on the eighth floor together. Director Fan Zhen and the screenwriter were already seated, with cold appetizers arranged around the table.

They stood up when they saw Chen Die enter.

Chen Die was now at the center of a hot topic, so Fan Zhen, a newcomer director, naturally couldn’t afford to be negligent.

After shaking hands with both of them, Chen Die took her seat, and Fang Ruan quickly sat down beside her.

The screenwriter asked: “Miss Chen, what do you think of the script after reading it?”

“It’s very good, I like it,” Chen Die took a sip of tea. “It’s just that I didn’t try many slice-of-life dramas back in university, so I’m not sure if I can handle it.”

She had magnificent bone structure and stunning beauty. Dramas like “Hairpin Flower” with a strong female lead suited her well; putting her on screen would naturally draw the audience’s attention.

Her university instructor had evaluated her the same way, so for her final performance assignments, she was rarely assigned slice-of-life dramas.

Fan Zhen said: “For this female lead role, you’re our confirmed choice. It’s truly perfect for you. We’re still deciding between several actors for many other roles.”

As he spoke, he pulled out a sheet of paper from a folder beside him.

“This is the character profile for your role. Since it’s also a coming-of-age female lead, I think it’s very suitable for you,” Fan Zhen said.

Chen Die thanked him and took it.

The character profile was a thick stack of papers that would take time to read, and reviewing it at the dinner table would be inappropriate.

Fang Ruan asked from the side: “Have the other main actors for this drama been confirmed yet?”

“They’re still in negotiation. We’ve tentatively confirmed four main cast members,” Fan Zhen said.

He listed four names, all high-traffic celebrities in the entertainment industry, but all with questionable acting skills. For instance, the male lead had recently been trending on social media for his awkward acting in an online drama.

Fang Ruan maintained her smile and nodded, betraying no emotion.

In her heart, however, she had already deducted ten points from this drama.

With Chen Die’s current standing, how could she ruin her prospects by participating in a drama that valued popularity over skill?

After some back-and-forth questions, Fang Ruan’s phone suddenly rang. She leaned over to Chen Die’s ear, reminding her to drink less alcohol, then apologized and stood up.

Yi-f Mansion was a high-end venue. The surrounding parking lot prohibited parking for anyone not consuming at the mansion, and there were few passersby—mostly well-dressed gentlemen or employees attending business functions.

Feeling stifled by the indoor air conditioning, Fang Ruan tightened the scarf around her neck, pushed the door open, and walked out. She leaned against a stone pillar and answered the phone.

The call was from a previous work contact, and the topic was also about Chen Die—they wanted to discuss an event with her.

As Fang Ruan listened to the call, from the corner of her eye, she noticed a few men nearby.

They looked like spoiled rich kids, with cigarettes between their fingers. Despite the cold winter, they were dressed ostentatiously, with three buttons undone on their shirts, exposing their chests and collarbones, talking crudely about something.

Fang Ruan had no interest in listening, so she turned around to continue her call with her back to them. But suddenly, she caught a name from their conversation—

“You know, that Chen Die is truly beautiful. Who’d have thought Chen Shao got to her first.”

“I just met the young Mr. Chen a couple of days ago, and he never mentioned it. Probably just playing around, right? After all, she’s just an actress. Would old man Chen accept that?”

“If young Mr. Chen is just playing with Chen Die, why don’t you talk to Chen Shao and make a connection? For a beauty of this caliber, even paying to invest in a drama for her is worth it just to sleep with her once. A woman like that is a rare find.”

Just as Fang Ruan was frowning in disgust, another man lazily tapped his cigarette ash and said: “I’ve already thought of that approach.”

The group around him urged him to share his progress.

The man continued: “I’ve invested in a drama recently, just for fun. The director and screenwriter are inside right now. I’ll go meet them shortly.”

Fang Ruan understood—this was the investor.

She quickly told the person on the phone, “I have something to attend to now, I’ll contact you later,” and hurried back to the private room.

But before she could say anything to Chen Die, the man from earlier followed her in.

Fan Zhen and the screenwriter immediately stood up, greeting him with smiles and calling him “Mr. Qu,” then introduced him to Chen Die: “This is Mr. Qu, the investor for our drama.”

Chen Die stood up to shake hands with Mr. Qu, but as she was about to pull away, she suddenly felt Mr. Qu’s thumb gently stroking her palm.

“I’ve heard so much about you. Seeing is indeed believing—Miss Chen, you’re very beautiful,” Mr. Qu said.

Chen Die responded with a flat “Thank you.”

Then she turned her head to exchange glances with Fang Ruan, immediately understanding the situation.

For the rest of the dinner, Chen Die could feel that Mr. Qu was intentionally trying to get her drunk. He wore a smiling face, but when it came to drinking, he showed no mercy.

As a newcomer to the entertainment industry, Fang Ruan had often warned Chen Die never to become arrogant because of her current success, telling her that relationships, opportunities, and talent were equally important in this business.

She didn’t want to make the situation awkward, so when Mr. Qu proposed toasts, Chen Die obediently drank.

But the more she drank, the more inappropriate Mr. Qu’s behavior became.

He drove Fan Zhen away to sit next to Chen Die himself. After a few drinks, he sat closer and closer to her, his thigh touching hers, and one arm draped behind her chair.

Chen Die endured and endured until Mr. Qu let out a drunken hiccup beside her, and she simply couldn’t tolerate it anymore.

Fang Ruan was about to find an excuse to take Chen Die away—if she drank any more, things would get out of control.

Then suddenly, Chen Die sat up straight, resting her chin on one hand, and gave Mr. Qu a languid look.

Her eyes were beautiful and captivating.

Even Fang Ruan’s heart skipped a beat at that glance, not to mention Mr. Qu, who was directly targeted.

With food and wine in his belly and a beauty by his side—a beauty who seemed to know exactly what was going on—her coquettish eyes cast out a hook, and Mr. Qu instantly melted.

“Mr. Qu,” Chen Die said softly, pouring him another glass. “Just drinking is boring. Why don’t we play a game?”

Mr. Qu was delighted, thinking this beautiful woman was certainly skilled at pleasing men. He laughed loudly and asked: “What game do you want to play?”

She raised an eyebrow slightly, her eyes alluring: “Dice?”

Mr. Qu hadn’t expected this kind of game, but by now he was so captivated by Chen Die that he would agree to anything she suggested. He said repeatedly: “Fine, fine, let’s play. Just have the server bring in some dice. Don’t blame me later for being too hard on you.”

“How could I?” Chen Die rested her chin on her palm, looking at him with apparent adoration. “Of course, I’ll accept the consequences of my bet.”

The words “accept the consequences” were full of suggestive meaning.

Mr. Qu was so aroused by her few sentences that his blood was nearly boiling.

Fang Ruan watched in astonishment, shocked by Chen Die’s series of unusual actions.

She always knew Chen Die had a strong personality, not the type to meekly accept bullying or ask others for help, just like when she had gotten payback from Wang Yunxi with those slaps.

Now Chen Die’s behavior was sending Fang Ruan a clear message—

She was up to something!

At ten o’clock that night, Wen Liang entered a business entertainment venue.

He had been very busy lately. Wen Huaiyuan’s health had sounded another alarm, and Wen Liang went to the hospital as usual, though their father-son relationship was so diluted that it felt more like completing a task. The East City project had also begun, requiring his close attention to many details.

Yet Chen Die kept appearing in his thoughts.

Wen Liang didn’t know how to express himself. All his contact information had been blocked by Chen Die, and even going to the food court during events to find her had yielded no results.

This was the first time Chen Die had taken such a hard stance against him.

After several rounds of drinks and various dishes, Zhu Qicong entered the room and bent down to whisper in Wen Liang’s ear: “Mr. Wen, Miss Chen is currently at Yi-f Mansion. Young Mr. Qu is there too.”

Wen Liang turned his head, frowning slightly: “What’s Qu Fang doing there?”

“Miss Chen is there meeting with a director to discuss a collaboration. Qu Fang is the investor for that drama.”

Qu Fang’s father was once one of the founding members of the Wen Yuan Group, but last summer, Wen Liang had used some underhanded methods to take all his shares, thus truly gaining control of the Wen Yuan Group.

But a starving camel is still larger than a horse—Wen Liang hadn’t completely eliminated the Qu family, who still had dividend sources. However, their younger son Qu Fang was just a good-for-nothing.

Wen Liang lowered his eyes slightly and said to Zhu Qicong: “Send someone to keep an eye on the situation first.”

Then he stood up to say goodbye to those at the table. Someone asked: “Mr. Wen, what’s so urgent?”

Wen Liang replied calmly: “Family matter.”

Meanwhile, at Yi-f Mansion, the private room was in high spirits.

Well, only one person was in high spirits—young Mr. Qu.

Fang Ruan truly didn’t know what other skills this young actress she was managing possessed.

With seductive glances and a few words, she had persuaded Qu Fang to play dice with her.

Chen Die had only graduated from university half a year ago, and most of that time had been spent on film sets. Who would have thought she was so skilled at dice games?

Her slender, delicate fingers with white, graceful bones rolled the dice cup with remarkable skill, even adding a unique flair.

A rattling shake, and without even opening the cup, she could already guess the numbers inside.

Before long, she had effortlessly gotten Qu Fang completely drunk.

Fang Ruan truly suspected Chen Die had some unknown past.

“Mr. Qu, your luck isn’t good,” Chen Die said.

With her palm covering the dice cup, chin resting on the back of her hand, she smiled at him. Her black hair slid down from her shoulder as she said, “You have to drink again.”

“I can’t, I really can’t anymore,” Qu Fang waved his hands repeatedly. “I’ve already drunk eight bottles over here, and you’ve only had two glasses. If I drink any more, I’ll throw up.”

“How can a grown man like Mr. Qu go back on his word?” Chen Die picked up the wine glass and held it to his lips.

Her voice was soft, and her body seemed boneless. Qu Fang had already been captivated by her, and as soon as the glass touched his lips, he gulped it down.

“Let’s go again,” Chen Die shook the dice cup once more.

But this time, before Qu Fang could finish shaking, he suddenly stood up, covered his mouth, and rushed into the private room’s bathroom. The sound of vomiting followed immediately.

Chen Die’s previous coquettish demeanor instantly vanished.

She picked up a napkin, wiped her hands nonchalantly, and stood up. After saying goodbye to the screenwriter and director, she left with Fang Ruan.

Fang Ruan was in complete awe of her.

When other women acted coy, they might be after money; when Chen Die did it, she was after blood.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Fang Ruan jogged to catch up. “When did you learn to play dice? That was so impressive.”

Chen Die thought for a moment: “In college.”

“Do you know how much you looked like a gambling master just now? You could tell the numbers by listening to the sound. I always thought that was just a rumor,” Fang Ruan looked at her with admiration.

“I can’t hear precisely. I can only make an educated guess,” Chen Die said.

“Who taught you?” Fang Ruan asked.

Chen Die paused, then continued walking forward.

Who taught her?

Naturally, it was Wen Liang.

Many of her skills in eating, drinking, and entertainment had been taught to her by Wen Liang in the past.

Before Chen Die could answer, there was a commotion behind them.

Qu Fang had finished vomiting in the bathroom, found that the beautiful woman was gone, and immediately gave chase. He was completely drunk, staggering out with Fan Zhen supporting him.

As he ran over, he slurred: “My little butterfly, why did you sneak away?”

Chen Die found the nickname disgusting and frowned in revulsion.

Fang Ruan immediately pulled her behind herself: “Mr. Qu, Chen Die has work tomorrow. She needs to go now.”

“Having work tomorrow doesn’t mean she has work tonight,” Qu Fang was completely drunk, raising his arm high to try to embrace Chen Die. “I’ll take you there tomorrow morning.”

The implication in his words was very clear.

Chen Die stepped back to avoid him: “Mr. Qu, we’re in public. Please show some restraint.”

“Oh, what’s this? Weren’t you happily drinking with me inside just now?” Drunk, Qu Fang had great strength. He grabbed Chen Die’s wrist and pulled her to his side.

He thought this was just the beauty playing hard to get.

Chen Die’s wrist hurt from his grip. She was about to hit him in the face with her bag when she suddenly spotted a familiar car speeding toward them.

“Leave quickly,” Chen Die patted Qu Fang twice. “You need to leave now!”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Qu Fang maintained his leering smile, leaning close to Chen Die’s ear. “If anyone’s leaving, you’re coming with me.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Wen Liang got out of the car and slammed the door shut.

Chen Die was alarmed: “Wen Liang!”

But he ignored her, striding forward, grabbing Qu Fang’s shoulder to pull him away, and without a word, landed a heavy punch.

Qu Fang covered his face and let out a howl, falling to the ground. He suddenly began coughing violently, as if choked and spat out a mouthful of blood as he lay on the ground.

“Damn.”

Looking at the bloody spittle on the ground, Qu Fang finally sobered up a bit. He cursed while trying to get up with difficulty, supporting himself with his elbow.

Wen Liang grabbed his collar and pulled him up.

He looked down at Qu Fang expressionlessly, completely consumed by fury, his knuckles white with pressure: “Look carefully at who I am. You think you’re worthy of touching my person?”

Qu Fang opened his eyes in a daze, immediately shocked.

Wen Liang held his collar and slammed him against the car.

Qu Fang’s spine hit the car frame, instantly numbing his entire body. He frantically apologized: “I-I was blind! How would I dare touch Mr. Wen’s person? Even with ten times the courage, I wouldn’t dare!”

A crowd gradually gathered around to watch, chattering.

Many recognized Wen Liang but didn’t dare approach given the situation.

Wen Liang coldly observed, and after a while, released him and shook his wrist.

Zhu Qicong, having been with him for a long time, was remarkably calm facing such a scene: “Mr. Wen, I’ll handle the rest.”

Wen Liang turned his head and gave Chen Die a cold look, the irritation in his expression still present.

He took several steps forward and grabbed Chen Die’s wrist, pulling her away.

“Wen Liang! Let go of me!”

Chen Die couldn’t match his strength and couldn’t pull her hand free, so she was dragged along.

Fang Ruan was dumbfounded and was about to follow when Zhu Qicong blocked her.

Fang Ruan glared at him: “What are you doing?!”

Zhu Qicong said: “I’m sorry, Mr. Wen has business with Miss Chen. I can take you wherever you need to go first.”

Wen Liang dragged Chen Die to the edge of the parking lot.

This section of the road was a construction site project, with barriers in the middle of the road and very few passing vehicles.

The cold wind swept in, dissipating the tense atmosphere from earlier.

Chen Die finally shook off his hand and coldly looked at him: “What do you want?!”

Wen Liang felt sick just thinking about Qu Fang’s hand on her earlier, unable to imagine what might have happened if he hadn’t shown up tonight.

He was irritated to the point of rage, looking at Chen Die with eyes cold as ice.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you what you’re trying to do?” Wen Liang looked at her. “Have you fallen so low that you need to accompany men for drinks now?”

“That’s none of your business!”

Wen Liang grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back against the car door, his hands holding her chin up: “Chen Die, you better talk properly to me.”

“Don’t touch me,” Chen Die struggled desperately. When she couldn’t break free, she raised her hands and began scratching and pinching him.

Only when Chen Die felt she had broken skin did she pause. Wen Liang had a long red mark on his neck where she had scratched him, with blood beading up.

“You won’t let me touch you, but you’re willing to let Qu Fang touch you,” he completely ignored the scratch on his neck, his face dark. “If you want to set a trap for someone, you should first grow a brain. Do you know what kind of place that is? Do you just want people to think you’re stupid and easy?” In his rage, he spoke without thinking.

Chen Die was furious at his words and replied without consideration: “Even if others think that it has nothing to do with you. If I have no brain, then why didn’t you just watch to see if he would take me away?”

Wen Liang laughed coldly: “I’ll take you right here if you don’t believe me.”

Chen Die looked at him in disbelief.

His eyes were dark with barely suppressed fury.

Just as Chen Die was about to say something, her lips barely moving, Wen Liang pressed the base of his palm against her slender neck, pinning her against the car door. He didn’t want to hear another word from her.

The intersection was quiet, with no passing cars.

A moment later, he bent down to kiss her lips.

Chen Die’s back was against the car door with nowhere to retreat. In her anger, she swung her hand.

“Slap!” A sharp sound.

Wen Liang’s head turned to one side, a handprint visible on his face.

The air grew quiet, almost solidifying.

Neither spoke for a long time. Chen Die tightened her coat and walked to the side, escaping his restraint, her chest heaving from intense emotion.

Not far from the intersection was a lamp, its dim yellow light illuminating Wen Liang’s half-turned face with stark clarity.

Chen Die gradually calmed down.

She finally remembered they were still outside, and she was currently in the spotlight, with countless people wanting to bring her down.

Chen Die looked around, seeing no one, then turned back to Wen Liang.

He still maintained his posture from earlier, his face turned from Chen Die’s slap. After a moment, his tongue pressed against his back teeth, and he let out a self-mocking cold laugh before looking up at Chen Die.

This was their first such intense argument.

After the argument, there was now a calm without any ripples.

Wen Liang had also come to his senses. He smiled, took a few steps back, folded his arms, leaned against the car, and looked at her with drooping eyelids.

Chen Die gently exhaled, raising her hand to sweep her disheveled hair back.

She wore a coat, tightly belted at the waist, with red lips and bright eyes—any movement could become sensuous: “Mr. Wen, I believe we broke up long ago.”

Wen Liang stared at her steadily.

That slap had somehow dispersed his gloom, but Chen Die inexplicably felt there was even more emotion in his eyes now.

He licked his lips, leaned against the car, tilted his head, and laughed, either mocking himself or Chen Die: “The little leopard that I raised, even your blows are so fierce.”

Chen Die looked at him with a distant expression, saying nothing.

Yet in that one look, Wen Liang was oddly reminded of many past events.

The first evening he brought Chen Die home, when they went from dusk to starry night together.

How she used to look when she wanted to cry in front of him but didn’t dare, and all those vivid little expressions of joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.

Even now she would bite her lip in bed, locking away all her small sounds, only letting out tiny noises like a kitten.

Wen Liang suddenly felt the alcohol hitting him, more emotions becoming difficult to control.

He was used to the way Chen Die used to look at him. He couldn’t stand this cold and distant demeanor now.

His fingers at his side twitched, then slowly raised his hand. He stepped toward Chen Die, ignoring her frown, and embraced her again.

He remembered the words he had hurled at her in anger—

Do you just want people to think you’re stupid and easy?

With his chin resting on her shoulder, his eyes inexplicably burned.

“Be good, Lingling. Come with me,” he said.

He seemed drunk.

Or perhaps he had finally compromised.