Zi Yan knew she had to be careful. The industry was full of dangers—some obvious, some hidden. If someone had already tried to harm her once, they would try again.
That night, she sat in her apartment, replaying everything that had happened. The threatening note, Wang Qian's interference, the drugged water, and the mysterious man's offer.
It wasn't just competition anymore. Someone wanted her gone.
She picked up her phone and dialed Li Mei.
"Li Mei, I need you to do something for me," she said.
Her manager, always sharp, immediately asked, "What happened?"
Zi Yan explained everything—the note, the near 'accident' on set, and the drugged drink.
Li Mei cursed under her breath. "This isn't just Wang Qian. She's petty, but she wouldn't go this far. Someone else is behind this."
Zi Yan agreed. "I need to know who."
There was a brief silence before Li Mei said, "I'll make some calls. But Zi Yan… be careful. This is dangerous."
Zi Yan nodded. She had no intention of backing down.
The next day, she arrived at Celestial Film Studios early. The moment she stepped out of her car, she felt eyes on her.
Turning her head slightly, she noticed a few reporters lurking near the entrance. Some pretended to check their phones, while others held cameras, waiting.
Zi Yan's instincts sharpened. Something was off.
She walked past them, keeping a neutral expression. The last thing she needed was another scandal.
As she entered the studio, she ran into someone unexpected—Lu Yichen.
The CEO of Lu Group stood near the entrance, dressed in an expensive black suit. His cold, handsome face was unreadable, but his dark eyes studied her carefully.
Zi Yan was surprised. "What are you doing here?"
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he handed her a small envelope.
"Read it," he said.
Zi Yan took it cautiously and opened it. Inside was a set of photos.
Her breath caught.
The pictures showed a meeting between Wang Yin and the same man who had approached her last night—the one who had tried to lure her into a shady contract.
Zi Yan's grip tightened. "So it's them…"
Lu Yichen spoke calmly. "Wang Yin and Guo Bao are working together. They don't just want to ruin your career. They want to trap you."
Zi Yan's eyes turned cold. "Then I won't let them."
She lifted her gaze to meet Lu Yichen's. "Why are you helping me?"
His lips curved slightly. "Because I don't like seeing people like them succeed."
Zi Yan knew that wasn't the full truth. But she didn't push. Right now, she needed every advantage she could get.
That afternoon, filming resumed. The tension on set was heavier than usual. Wang Qian was behaving strangely. She wasn't as smug as before—instead, she seemed restless, glancing at her phone every few minutes.
Zi Yan knew something was coming.
Sure enough, after lunch, the director's assistant suddenly approached her. "Zi Yan, the director wants to see you in his office."
Zi Yan followed him, keeping her guard up. When she entered the office, she found not only Director Zhang Tian but also several producers and a lawyer.
Zhang Tian looked serious. "Zi Yan, we have a problem."
One of the producers turned a laptop screen toward her. "Can you explain this?"
Zi Yan stepped closer—and what she saw made her heart turn cold.
On the screen was a leaked photo—a blurry but intimate-looking image of her entering a man's car the night before. The same black car that had approached her.
The headline underneath it read: "Actress Zi Yan's Secret Sponsor? Rising Star Caught in Late-Night Deal!"
Zi Yan clenched her fists. It was a setup!
Wang Yin and Guo Bao had planned this. First, they tried to get her to accept their "help." When she refused, they twisted the truth to make it look like she had accepted.
Zhang Tian sighed. "We need to handle this carefully. The investors are watching."
Zi Yan took a deep breath. "Give me a few hours. I'll clear this up."
Zi Yan left the office and immediately called Li Mei.
"You saw the news?" she asked.
Li Mei's voice was full of anger. "Of course I did! Those snakes set you up! But don't worry, I already have a plan."
Zi Yan trusted her manager, but she had her own plan too.
She texted Lu Yichen.
Zi Yan: "I need a favor."
A few minutes later, he replied.
Lu Yichen: "Already handled. Check the news in ten minutes."
Zi Yan blinked. What?
She quickly opened her browser. Ten minutes later, a new article appeared on the top of the trending list.
"Fake Scandal Exposed! Actress Zi Yan's Name Cleared!"
The article showed clear, undeniable evidence that the man in the car was actually a well-known investor in Celestial Films—someone who had no scandalous history. The meeting was proven to be business-related.
Even better, the article revealed that Wang Yin had been the one who leaked the fake news.
Zi Yan couldn't stop the small smile that formed. So fast? How powerful was Lu Yichen?
Just then, a new message arrived.
Lu Yichen: "Did I do well?"
Zi Yan smirked.
Zi Yan: "Not bad."
By the time Zi Yan returned to set, the atmosphere had completely changed.
Reporters who had been waiting outside suddenly vanished.
The producers, who had been worried, now looked relieved.
And Wang Qian? She looked furious.
Zi Yan walked past her with a calm smile. "You should be careful," she said quietly. "Lies always come back to bite you."
Wang Qian's face twisted in anger. "Don't act smug. This isn't over."
Zi Yan just chuckled. "I hope not. I'd be disappointed if that was your best."
She walked away, knowing that Wang Yin and Guo Bao wouldn't stop.
But neither would she.
If they wanted war, she would give them one.