Qin Ran wasn't accusing Pei Qi without reason. When she considered everything that had happened, it became clear that Pei Qi was a problem. She realized that her issues with Pei Qi began long ago. First, Pei Qi had changed the performance order during the first public show of the talent program. Then, he had exposed the hired trolls of other companies, almost causing trouble for 99 Entertainment. Next was the incident where a teammate's endorsement was nearly stolen.
Perhaps Yu Shuman should never have participated in Debut! Girls, which would have prevented her from meeting Ling Miaohan and being placed in the same group. That way, there would have been far fewer incidents.
It wasn't that Qin Ran feared trouble; she simply didn't want Yu Shuman to get caught up in the mess surrounding the male and female leads. Her senior could have thrived independently, without getting tangled up with those two. But now, Pei Qi believed that Yu Shuman had stolen Ling Miaohan's spotlight and was trying to push her down to elevate Ling Miaohan.
To be fair, Pei Qi's attempts to undermine Yu Shuman weren't entirely baseless.
During the talent show, they were ranked second and third, respectively. Although the difference was just one rank, it wasn't significant, and once the show ended, no one cared about the exact rankings anymore. Within the group, Ling Miaohan never had as good a rapport as Yu Shuman did, and Pei Qi noticed that Ling Miaohan wasn't happy in the group.
After discussing with Ling Miaohan, Pei Qi decided to let her pursue an acting career, as she wished. However, they ended up clashing with Yu Shuman again. Ling Miaohan's youth idol drama was still in production, while Yu Shuman's drama was already about to air, giving her a head start in leveraging the group's popularity.
Although their group didn't have many dedicated fans, there were still some, and Pei Qi was convinced that Yu Shuman would use the group's popularity for her own promotion.
Adding to the tension was the endorsement incident. Pei Qi never imagined Ling Miaohan would lose out to someone else, which made him feel that his beloved was wronged. Despite his previous attempts to smear Yu Shuman, the joint statement from 99 Entertainment and Whitney and the lawsuit against the marketing accounts didn't affect him directly.
Pei Qi saw Yu Shuman as an easy target.
Finally, tonight, Ling Miaohan also attended the event, wearing a fairy-tale-like white dress from a niche brand. Yet, she barely made a splash, while Yu Shuman, her fellow group member, trended on multiple hot topics. This was something Pei Qi couldn't tolerate.
Qin Ran had swallowed her pride in these matters, solely to avoid dragging Yu Shuman into the fray. However, Pei Qi had crossed the line one too many times. Qin Ran couldn't keep ignoring his provocations. If someone dared to provoke her, she would cut off their hand.
After cutting off that hand, if Pei Qi reflected and repented, she would smile and tell him he was a good kid for finding his way back. But if he dared to bare his teeth at her again, she would ensure he could never retaliate.
"Assistant Wu, you've kept records of Pei Qi using company resources to promote Ling Miaohan, even at the cost of company losses, right?"
Assistant Wu nodded. Whatever the boss asked her to document, she had done so meticulously.
Qin Ran smiled. "Send those records to President Sun of the board." As a seasoned businesswoman, Qin Ran knew exactly how to create trouble for Pei Qi. With a board of directors, there was always a second-largest shareholder. Few people are content being number two, especially when the number one wields so much power and is just one step away.
President Sun would be the sword Qin Ran used to strike at Pei Qi, ensuring he would be overwhelmed for a long time.
Assistant Wu nodded again. "I know how to contact President Sun. Don't worry, boss."
The next day, 99 Entertainment took action, filing lawsuits against those who had spread rumors, particularly those who had made defamatory remarks. While Qin Ran couldn't force everyone to speak kindly about her senior, she certainly wouldn't tolerate the worst offenders. The jewelry brand also stepped forward to clarify that the gemstones Yu Shuman wore were theirs and available for custom orders at their stores.
Although the matter regarding Yu Shuman at the event was resolved, some people continued to gossip. "Why is 99 Entertainment so protective of Yu Shuman? Who exactly is she?"
Tabloids and marketing accounts quickly dug up information about Yu Shuman, and since her background wasn't particularly hidden, it didn't take long for them to discover that she was a student at a top university in the capital. Some swift media outlets even uncovered details about Yu Shuman's high school years, including the story of her mother's illness and the donations she received from philanthropic individuals.
Piecing these together with her participation in Debut! Girls and her interview comments, the media crafted a detailed story about Yu Shuman's past and posted it on Weibo.
The article quickly became a trending topic, with #YuShuman'sStory# rising to the top of the hot search list. Qin Ran, seeing this, gripped her phone tightly and called Yu Shuman. She rarely took the initiative to call Yu Shuman, not being the best with words and unsure of how to talk to her senior.
But now, she instinctively reached out to her senior. In fact, 99 Entertainment had known about the article before it was published. Many reputable media outlets would first consult the artist's agency to see if there was anything they shouldn't write about. 99 Entertainment had discussed it with Yu Shuman, and the article's popularity was within expectations.
Knowing about the article and actually seeing it were two different experiences.
If Qin Ran felt this way, how much more so would Yu Shuman? So, after some hesitation, Qin Ran dialed Yu Shuman's number. The phone was quickly answered, and Yu Shuman's voice came through, clear and familiar.
Qin Ran, who had been lounging on her sofa at home, immediately straightened up at the sound of that "Hello."
Her voice was careful. "Senior, I saw the news about you. It even mentioned your high school days..." Qin Ran couldn't finish her sentence, but she heard Yu Shuman softly respond, "You saw it too? Actually, it's pretty well-written. It makes me look really inspirational."
Once Yu Shuman started talking, she couldn't stop, and she soon recounted everything that had been happening to her. But toward the end, she became somewhat despondent. "Honestly, I didn't want to expose my past wounds to the public, but it does help guide public opinion positively. Plus, my drama is about to air, so I guess it's good for generating some buzz."
After Yu Shuman had said so much, Qin Ran, after a long silence, finally asked her, "Senior, do you regret entering the entertainment industry?" If she hadn't entered, there were so many other paths she could have taken. As a top student, she could have climbed the corporate ladder in a big company or started her own business with classmates, achieving great success—especially with Qin Ran's support.
But she had plunged into the entertainment industry, where even her past had to be laid bare for the world to see. Being a celebrity meant losing privacy.
Yu Shuman remained silent for a while before sighing. "To say I have no regrets would be a lie. But in life, no matter what field you're in, there's always something to regret when you look back. If you keep dwelling on 'what ifs,' you won't be able to move forward."
Her voice brightened again. "Besides, I promised my boss that I'd become a top actress! I'm determined not to let her efforts and money go to waste. How could I give up halfway?" As her voice came through the phone, Qin Ran could feel her senior's determination.
Yu Shuman had a remarkable ability to bounce back emotionally, but Qin Ran felt for her.
At her age, she should be able to rely on her parents, and her resilience shouldn't be so strong. But Yu Shuman's resilience was forged by hardship.
It seemed fate was bent on making life difficult for this young woman, determined to wear her down.
But Qin Ran was just as determined to defy fate. She softly said, "You will, Senior. You'll stand on that stage and accept the award you deserve. I'll always be here, watching and supporting you."
The other end of the line went quiet again. After a long pause, Qin Ran heard the sound of Yu Shuman sniffling. "Thank you, Junior. I'll do my best."
Qin Ran hesitated. "Are you crying?"
"...No, it's just that my nose feels a bit stuffy." Yu Shuman, usually straightforward, now refused to admit it, not wanting Qin Ran to know she was upset. Qin Ran sensed this and her voice softened. "Okay, I believe you."
They talked for a while longer before hanging up.
After dealing with a mountain of work, Qin Ran was just waiting for Yu Shuman's drama to air. But the world doesn't always go according to plan, and there were times when things took unexpected turns. Some of the rumors and comments about Yu Shuman were beyond Qin Ran's control. After all, if 99 Entertainment responded to every baseless rumor, it would only convince the haters that those rumors were true.
99 Entertainment could be fierce, but it couldn't react to every little rumor and stir up a frenzy in the industry. Therefore, they had to ignore some of the baseless gossip.
But sometimes, these small rumors would snowball into something that seemed true.
One such rumor about Yu Shuman was that she had a close relationship with the boss of 99 Entertainment. People speculated there must be some connection between them.
This was a tricky rumor—one that could be clarified, but also difficult to deny outright. 99 Entertainment couldn't publicly deny it because it was just about a "close relationship" and "some connection." If they responded, it would only draw more attention, but if they stayed silent, the rumor would continue to spread.
Whether they addressed it or not, the rumor was hard to manage.
And, in truth, Yu Shuman did have a close relationship with the boss of 99 Entertainment—Qin Ran. But it was more than just "close." Qin Ran treated Yu Shuman as if she were a cherished treasure. Any denial could backfire if the truth came out later.