If Qin Ran hadn't intervened, everything would have unfolded as described in the novel, with Yu Shuman inevitably moving toward her tragic fate step by step.
To be honest, Qin Ran hadn't initially planned to target Ling Miaohan and Pei Qi to such an extent. After all, they had no past grievances nor recent enmity, and the events depicted in the original novel hadn't even occurred yet—there was still time to change everything. But Pei Qi, in the name of so-called "true love," trampled on others just to make his girl shine brighter. This was the real reason Qin Ran despised them.
Qin Ran also understood that her initial idea of drawing a clear line between herself and them was unrealistic. Capitalists were always the same—if you were weaker than them, they would step on you to rise higher. These so-called high and mighty wealthy people, after all, thrived by sucking the marrow out of working people.
A kind-hearted capitalist? That's rarer than gold in the desert. They certainly exist, but they are incredibly hard to find.
Without Yu Shuman, Qin Ran didn't think she'd be any different from those capitalists. In terms of methods and mindset, she was no different.
But because of the days of poverty, because of seeing the sun even in those hard times, and understanding how people in adversity struggle to climb upward, Qin Ran couldn't bring herself to do the same things she used to—breaking others' bones and blood just to satisfy her ever-growing ambition, crushing those she disliked so they could never rise again.
Now, Qin Ran gave opportunities to directors who she didn't particularly like but who apologized and corrected their mistakes; she provided internships to former classmates she once would've ignored, giving them a chance to climb the ladder. She offered her company's employees higher wages and better benefits, making them genuinely feel they had a good job.
Qin Ran didn't consciously seek to do these things, but slowly became this way through her interactions with Yu Shuman.
As for people like Ling Miaohan and Pei Qi, they hadn't changed at all and probably never would. Even to this day, they still blamed Qin Ran for encountering someone with more power than themselves, thinking that's why they were so miserable. Ling Miaohan never thought she was in the wrong and never acknowledged the countless opportunities Qin Ran had already given her.
"Is that all you wanted to say?"
Qin Ran blew gently on her coffee and took a small sip. The coffee brewed by Assistant Wu was incredibly bitter. Though Qin Ran liked her coffee a bit bitter, she suspected Assistant Wu had been influenced by Sister Li, as only she and Sister Li liked their coffee this bitter. Wu's coffee never used to be this strong.
Another possibility was that after accidentally exposing her "social helper" account, Assistant Wu was upset about losing a month's pay and had intentionally brewed the coffee bitter out of spite.
When Qin Ran asked her question, Ling Miaohan lowered her head as if deep in thought. After a long while, she finally looked up and asked, "What do I have to do for you to leave the Ling family alone?"
Why doesn't she mention her dear Pei Qi? Wasn't she calling him 'Qi-ge' so affectionately before?
Qin Ran realized that the love between the male and female leads had come to an end, or perhaps it had ended when Pei Qi went on that blind date. With this thought, Qin Ran couldn't help but inwardly mock the situation as she looked at Ling Miaohan. There was a hint of grievance in Ling's expression. The once-cool and aloof "Moon Palace Fairy" looked pitiful, but to Qin Ran, it seemed insincere and a bit forced.
Huh? What's there to feel wronged about? Getting to this point is at least 60% your own fault, if not 100%.
Qin Ran pursed her lips. "If that's all you wanted to talk about, then I'd suggest you leave."
To her, Ling Miaohan was especially dull. She was already 20, no longer a naïve teenager. No matter how well her family had sheltered her, she should have grown by now after all that had happened. This world wouldn't change just because she felt wronged and spoke a few words. Even if Qin Ran stopped now, the Ling and Pei families were still doomed.
The former richest man in the country harbored deep resentment toward Ling Miaohan and probably believed she was the cause of his downfall, never blaming his own decisions. After all, capitalists tend to think alike. They might fancy themselves cultured, but their actions are always brutal. That alone made Qin Ran believe he wouldn't let Ling Miaohan off the hook.
Moreover, the wolves circling the Ling and Pei families wouldn't allow them to rise again. Without those two families, how many more pieces of cake would be left in the capital? The others certainly knew, and they would only kick them while they were down, never offer a helping hand.
Qin Ran knew the hearts of these so-called elites too well. Once she set things in motion by stripping the two families of their positions, others would swarm in like vultures, tearing the Ling and Pei families apart.
Ling Miaohan's face twisted with humiliation after hearing Qin Ran's words. She snorted coldly and stormed out of the meeting room, slamming the door hard enough to make a loud noise.
Qin Ran worried that she might have broken the door. After all, she wasn't sure if the Ling family could still afford to compensate for damages.
As things unfolded, they played out exactly as Qin Ran had expected. Even though she no longer actively targeted the two families, their situation deteriorated rapidly. Surrounded by predators, the Ling and Pei families, now defenseless, were devoured like a small snack.
While Qin Ran dealt with the Ling and Pei families, Yu Shuman was busy filming, and the political drama she had shot earlier had premiered during the summer. Unlike when her suspense drama was released, by this time, she had already built a fan base. There was no need to find foreign platforms for distribution, and since it was a serious drama, the response was enormous.
As the series aired, Yu Shuman's performance was recognized by everyone. From her portrayal of an innocent young girl forced to marry into the palace and become the empress, a political pawn despite her high status, to her sudden rise to power after the emperor's unexpected death, where she governed from behind the throne with the young emperor.
Her screen time wasn't much, as the main characters were the officials from the previous dynasty, manipulating events behind the scenes. The male lead was a young, ambitious official, just starting his career, destined to grow and help the young emperor become a legendary ruler.
Yu Shuman's character, the Empress Dowager, naturally became an antagonist in their path.
As the series progressed, netizens initially saw Yu Shuman's character as timid, unable to adapt to palace life. Her weakness as a dowager was often criticized as too soft.
But as the plot unfolded, viewers saw the Empress Dowager become more commanding, taking control of the court by leveraging her own power. With time, her expressions grew colder, her ambition more evident.
By the time the hunting scene aired, the audience was captivated by the complex emotions playing across Yu Shuman's face. No one could resist such a character.
Soon, fan edits of Yu Shuman's Empress Dowager began popping up on video platforms. Female creators, especially, sympathized with her character. Titles like "The Imprisoned Empress" and "She Should Have Thrived on the Plains" expressed their pity. They imagined what might have been if she hadn't entered the palace.
While men saw her as a power-hungry figure trying to usurp control, women understood that without such actions, she would have died, possibly in worse ways.
In the end, when the Empress Dowager was overthrown and sent to live a life of solitude in a mountain temple, Yu Shuman's fans couldn't help but complain:
[Wait, why is Manman praying again?]
[Another role where my stunning sister ends up a monk]
[Whether a princess or empress, her destiny is always to take up Buddhism]
[Out of her three roles, two ended in the same way. The third was even worse—her suspense drama character went straight to jail.]
Even though the Empress Dowager ended up living a life of seclusion, Yu Shuman's fan base grew substantially. The audience for political dramas was much broader than that of idol or suspense dramas, and more fans began to appreciate her acting and looks. By the end of the summer, many new fans had joined her ranks, with some even inquiring about her past works.
Existing fans enthusiastically recommended her other two dramas, even providing links to edited clips.
[For the period drama, I suggest just watching the highlights. Although the overall rating is high, it's still essentially an idol drama. Fans of political intrigue might not enjoy it. If you're just here for her visuals, I'd recommend watching the edits.]
Surprisingly, after the new fans watched the period drama, they created new fan edits, including a self-cest video that imagined Yu Shuman's empress becoming the empress regnant, blending scenes from different dramas. It actually created a somewhat shippable storyline.
As summer ended, Yu Shuman's popularity continued to rise.
During the summer, Qin Ran visited Yu Shuman's filming set, where Sister Li was fully involved and showed no intention of leaving. When Qin Ran arrived, Sister Li was visibly displeased. She even scolded her, "You're disrupting the filming schedule."
"...You never used to talk to me like that."
Sister Li used to be such a nice person, always calling her "boss" with such respect. But now, Sister Li had clearly figured things out. She glanced at Qin Ran disdainfully and whispered, "That's because I've realized it's better to flatter the boss's wife than you."
For a moment, Qin Ran didn't know whether to feel pleased that Sister Li respected Yu Shuman so much, or annoyed that she didn't respect her.
Her gaze fell on Yu Shuman, who was focused on painting a scroll, her expression serious and melancholic. Qin Ran felt herself falling for her all over again.
Ah, her wife looked stunning no matter what, but serious women were the most beautiful!