While filming was halfway through, the director suddenly informed me that the lead role had been recast.
I was devastated and rushed to confront him, only to find Song Shiyan cozying up to Qin Yue and chatting with the director.
Song Shiyan said impatiently, "You're an old man now. Be sensible and go home to take care of your health."
Qin Yue, who had taken over my role, looked surprised and said, "Sister, you've been married for three years and still haven't gotten pregnant. Maybe it's you who's the problem, Xu Ge?"
Song Shiyan sneered, clearly agreeing with his words.
I stayed silent for a moment, clutching a wrinkled medical report in my hand.
She didn't know that the fertility issue was never mine.
But clearly, Song Shiyan didn't deserve to be a mother.
"It's just a role. Was it really worth ignoring me for a whole week?"
When Song Shiyan called me, she was in the middle of an intimate moment with Qin Yue in the car.
I stood calmly in the garage, watching, and said indifferently, "You must be busy. I wouldn't want to disturb you."
Song Shiyan was momentarily stunned. This wasn't the kind of thing I usually said.
But Qin Yue's persistence quickly made her forget about me.
After letting out a suggestive sound, she said awkwardly, "Xu Pei, let's talk at home. I'll hang up now."
Before I could respond, the call was abruptly cut off.
When she saw me, her eyes lit up. "Finally decided to come home? Where have you been for the past week?"
I frowned, avoiding her attempt to act cute, and bent down to pick up the lion cat.
"Nowhere special."
Song Shiyan's gesture froze mid-air. She glanced at me, probably thinking I was still upset about what happened earlier.
She chuckled, "Is it really that big of a deal? It's just a role. You're overreacting."
Overreacting? This wasn't the first time she'd done something like this.
Five months ago, she unilaterally canceled my collaboration with Stellar Media.
I begged her—it was an opportunity I had fought for after three months of auditions.
But Song Shiyan declared, "Don't be so selfish. This collaboration doesn't benefit the company at all."
I almost believed her, until I saw the messages between her and Qin Yue on her phone.
"Why did he win Best Actor? I acted better than him. This is so frustrating."
"Don't be upset, my love. I'll ruin his latest movie to make you feel better."
After a few such incidents, my reputation in the industry kept getting worse.
There were even whispers of me being blacklisted.
I had had enough.
Seeing that I didn't respond, Song Shiyan placed a document in front of me.
"A top-tier U.S. project, as a gift to make it up to you."
I stroked the cat's glossy, smooth fur, not even lifting my eyelids.
I had already heard about this project—it was a big deal.
But the male lead had been confirmed as Qin Yue a week ago.
Asking me to play a supporting role for him? That was like stomping on my pride.
I shook my head. "I haven't rested enough. Let's talk about it later."
After I spoke, I waited for Song Shiyan to lash out.
She was a very domineering person. Once she made a decision, no one had the right to say no.
But this time, surprisingly, Song Shiyan just stayed silent for a couple of seconds and didn't say anything.
She got up and went to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water. When her gaze fell on the medicine on the table, she suddenly paused.
"What's this medicine?" she asked curiously.
She glanced at it a couple of times. "Are you feeling unwell? Do you want to go to Pingjiang Hospital to—"
"No need."
I cut her off sharply. I wasn't the one feeling unwell.
That medicine was something I had specifically gotten from the doctor for her, but Song Shiyan was completely unaware of her own condition.
She thought I was the one who couldn't have children.
Meanwhile, that Pingjiang Hospital was recommended by Qin Yue, specializing in treating male infertility—just another way to mock me.
After I repeatedly rejected Song Shiyan's attempts to make amends, her expression darkened. She let out a cold snort and turned to go back to her room.
But out of the corner of her eye, she noticed I was about to leave and suddenly stopped to demand, "You just got back. Where are you going now?"
Without turning my head, I replied, "Old Zhang is looking for me."
Actually, it wasn't Old Zhang looking for me—it was me who needed to find him.
He was a well-known lawyer in City A, and I needed him to review my contracts and help me plan for the divorce.
Old Zhang was highly efficient. Within an hour, he had quickly sorted out everything for me.
My collaboration with Yatuo Group would expire next month, and there were no shady contracts involved. Choosing not to renew wouldn't be a problem.
As for the divorce, I only wanted the real estate, jewelry, shops, and other assets under my name. There was nothing contentious about that.
I felt completely at ease and ended up chatting with Old Zhang until dawn.
But the next day, a phone call shattered the peace.
Qin Yue had been promoting his new drama recently, dragging many celebrities into the conversation to generate buzz.
However, he had been surrounded by scandals in recent years, and anyone associated with him was bound to get criticized.
I frowned and resisted, saying, "I'm not going."
Song Shiyan said coolly, "Do you want me to call your mom?"
In an instant, it felt like my heart was being squeezed tightly, making it hard to breathe.
My mom's health was very poor, and she had been resting quietly in a rehabilitation center. I didn't want to disturb her over something so trivial.
A vein popped on my forehead as I slowly said, "Don't call her. I'll go."
Song Shiyan smiled with satisfaction, unable to hide the smugness in her tone. "Xu Pei, if only you could always be this obedient."
I ignored her shamelessness, tidied up, and took a taxi to the event.
After making an appearance with the host, Qin Yue pretended to be surprised and patted me on the shoulder.
"Bro, it's you? You're such a good friend!"
I was confused and hadn't yet processed what was happening when I saw the host push out a cart of ice water.
"Xu Pei is going to take on the Ice Bucket Challenge for Qin Yue! Let's give him a round of applause!"
The smile on my face instantly froze, and Qin Yue's eyes flashed with mischief.
"Well, I'll leave it to you, dear."
Facing the thunderous applause from the audience, I had no choice but to brace myself and lift the ice bucket.
With a splash, I was drenched from head to toe.
The icy, bone-chilling cold washed over me completely.
There were ten buckets of ice water on the cart, and by the time I finished pouring them, my body was so cold it almost went numb.
The host was about to hand me a towel, but Qin Yue reached out and took it first.
Instead of giving it to me, he stared at my shirt and exclaimed in mock surprise, "Xu Pei, I'm so touched! You're actually wearing the shirt I gave you! I'm wearing the matching one today."
The room instantly erupted with gasps and murmurs.
But my stomach churned with disgust. This shirt was a birthday gift from Song Shiyan.
Turns out, she hadn't given it to just one person.
I clenched my teeth and forced myself to hold it together until the show ended.
As soon as it was over, I rushed, shivering, into the bathroom to wash off.
While I was cleaning up, I suddenly overheard a few hushed voices outside.
"Qin Yue really went all out to mess with him. The original challenge was supposed to be push-ups, but he insisted on changing it to the ice bucket challenge."
"Yeah, well, with Song Shiyan as his girlfriend—the CEO of Yatuo Group—what could the director even say?"
"But I heard Song Shiyan has a husband."
"They're about to divorce. Qin Yue mentioned privately that he proposed to his girlfriend."
...
After a few hours of this drama spreading online, Qin Yue got the attention he wanted, while I was torn apart by the public.
"Xu Pei really will cling to anyone for fame. Can't he just focus on acting?"
"What kind of person hangs out with a pretty boy like Qin Yue? He's probably just as shallow."
A ringing phone interrupted the heated discussion outside.
I answered the call.
"Mr. Xu, your mother's condition has suddenly worsened. Please come to the hospital immediately."
My mind went blank for a moment, and I immediately panicked, rushing out.
Stammering, I said, "Please... please save her. I'm on my way."
My body felt as stiff as an old, broken-down machine. In my frantic state, I bumped into someone walking toward me.
It was Song Shiyan, who had come to pick me up. She grabbed me and asked nervously, "Xu Pei, what's wrong? You look so pale."
My voice was flat and tense. "Take me to Long'an Hospital. My mom is in critical condition."
As she drove, she tried to comfort me. "It's going to be okay. The doctors there are top-notch. Your mom will pull through."
I nodded absently, but then I noticed she suddenly turned off the main road.
"This isn't the way to the hospital. Where are you going?"
Song Shiyan glanced at me quickly. "I just need to drop something off. It'll only take a few minutes. It's really close."
I almost thought I was hallucinating. My mom was fighting for her life, and she wanted to make a detour to deliver something.
When I turned my head, I saw a cake in the back seat with the words, "Happy Birthday, Qin Yue."
The sound of blood rushing filled my ears, and I suddenly reached over and forced the car to stop.
"Xu Pei, are you insane?!"
After barely managing to stop the car, Song Shiyan yelled at me.
I slapped her across the face, then pushed open the door and hailed a taxi to the hospital.
Thankfully, my mom survived the emergency surgery.
I sat outside the operating room like a fish out of water, gasping for air.
When I finally calmed down and was wiping my mom's face, Song Shiyan quietly walked in.
"Is Mom okay now?"
I silently continued wiping my mom's hand, not answering. Song Shiyan's swollen face flashed with embarrassment.
After a moment of silence, she sat down and started massaging my mom's legs.
Song Shiyan was actually very good at taking care of people. In the first month of our relationship,
she had noticed my mom's poor health and even went out of her way to invite top doctors from Japan to examine her.
Later, she even learned massage techniques and would often give my mom massages.
But after everything that had happened, I couldn't tolerate her touching my mom anymore.
So I stepped forward and pushed her away abruptly.
Song Shiyan staggered back a few steps, looking at me with a mix of frustration and hurt.
"Mom's fine now, isn't she? I rushed over as soon as I dropped off the cake. I was worried something might happen."
Her words made me sick to my stomach. I didn't look at her and continued wiping my mom's face.
Song Shiyan bit her lip, let out a tired sigh, and then turned to pull something out of her bag.
"I brought your medicine from home. I knew you'd forget to take it once you got busy. I'm just saying, you need to take care of your health. We still have to have a baby—"
I suddenly cut her off. "Do you even know what this medicine is?"
She looked stunned and asked, "What medicine?"
I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, Song Shiyan's phone rang.
She immediately raised her hand to signal me to stay quiet, then turned and walked out.
I knew it was Qin Yue's专属 ringtone.
Five minutes later, Song Shiyan drove off.
I turned and threw the flowers she had brought into the trash.
But I didn't notice that my mom had already opened her eyes and had been awake for who knows how long.
I froze, then called out, "Mom."
But what she said next caught me completely off guard. "Get a divorce, Xiao Pei. I support you."
Tears instantly streamed down my face. My dad had cheated when I was three years old.
My mom had resolutely divorced him, and I knew she understood my pain. With her support, I no longer had any reservations.
A week later, my mom's condition improved.
I had just finished preparing the divorce papers and was about to send them to Song Shiyan when a flood of negative articles about me suddenly appeared online.
It turned out that paparazzi had caught photos of Song Shiyan entering Qin Yue's room.
But at the same time, they also released previously taken photos of her and me holding hands.
"Who's the real partner here, and who's the side piece?"
"The entertainment industry is such a mess. Who is Song Shiyan even dating?"
"These three are all terrible! Trash people, all of them."
I was shaking with anger, terrified that my mom would see the news if she opened her phone.
Just as I was about to call Song Shiyan, her call came through first.
Her tone was firm. "Xu Pei, don't say anything for now. Let the heat die down, and it'll be fine."
This kind of scandal would last at least half a month and would seriously damage my reputation.
I took a deep breath and said slowly, "Song Shiyan, I'm giving you 24 hours to make a public statement. Otherwise, don't blame me for not holding back."
After saying that, I hung up.
But what I didn't expect was that instead of an explanation from Song Shiyan, I got a bunch of nonsense from Qin Yue.
At midnight, he posted on his alt account: "Truth and lies, who can really tell? All I know is that I have a clear conscience."
This only fueled the fire, and overnight, over thirty media outlets reached out to me for interviews.
The trending was dominated by the blunt headline: "Xu Pei Knowingly the Other Woman."
I didn't sleep all night, planning to go home the next day and take a photo of our marriage certificate to shut everyone up.
But as dawn broke, Song Shiyan suddenly showed up and dragged me into her car.
I glared at her coldly. "What the hell are you doing?!"
Song Shiyan knew she had caused a mess, and her expression wasn't great either. Her tone carried a hint of appeasement. "I've called a press conference. You and Qin Yue will both be there. We'll just treat it as a misunderstanding. No need to say anything else."
I laughed. "A misunderstanding? What misunderstanding? Was it a misunderstanding when you slept with Qin Yue?"
Song Shiyan's face paled for a moment, then she tried to cover it up. "Don't jump to conclusions. He's an artist under the company. There's bound to be some gossip."
I didn't argue like I usually would. Instead, I nodded indifferently. "I get it. Just business hype, right?"
Song Shiyan gave me a surprised look, her gaze lingering on my bare ring finger.
She had noticed the change in me, but her usual arrogance made her deliberately ignore it.
This was the last event before our contract expired, and all I wanted was to get through it smoothly and then cut ties with her for good.
When we arrived at the venue, Song Shiyan and I walked in one after the other.
Reporters swarmed over, fighting to get to us first.
"Mr. Xu, can you respond to the recent news?"
"How do you feel about the rumors that you're the other woman?"
But before I could say anything, Song Shiyan grabbed the microphone and declared firmly, "It's all a misunderstanding. Mr. Xu, Mr. Qin, and I are just friends."
The reporters weren't satisfied with that answer, so they turned their microphones to Qin Yue.
Qin Yue stood quietly to the side, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and black pants, looking like a fresh-faced college student.
When asked about his relationship with Song Shiyan, he smiled shyly and said, "We're just good friends."
The crowd erupted in teasing laughter.
Qin Yue laughed along, seeming completely at ease with the situation.
Meanwhile, I stood alone to the side, looking every bit like the so-called "other woman."
Suddenly, there was a commotion in the crowd. A few young girls started throwing stones at the stage.
"You disgusting cheaters! You've been lying to us!"
My heart sank, and as I tried to dodge, I was unexpectedly knocked to the ground by Song Shiyan and Qin Yue.
The two of them ran off the stage hand in hand, and as Qin Yue passed me, he deliberately stepped on my hand.
By the time security got the situation under control, I had a gash on my forehead, and my shirt was stained with blood.
Song Shiyan's eyes widened, and she rushed over to help me up, her face full of concern. "Xu Pei, let me take you to see a doctor."
I calmly pushed her hand away, pressed a hand to my wound, and walked to the center of the stage.
At that moment, countless camera flashes lit up around me.
I looked straight into the cameras and, under the horrified gazes of Qin Yue and Song Shiyan, said slowly and clearly, "Song Shiyan and I are legally married. We've been husband and wife for three years."
The room erupted in chaos. No one had expected this outcome.
The reporters went wild, turning their microphones toward Song Shiyan and Qin Yue.
"Miss Song, is it true that you and Mr. Xu have been married for three years?"
"Mr. Qin, are you Miss Song's lover?"
Qin Yue stood frozen, his mask of composure cracking like a clown's. He forced an awkward smile but couldn't say a word.
I walked backstage, where doctors rushed over to treat my wound.
Outside, the place was in an uproar. Song Shiyan stormed in, her face ashen.
"Xu Pei, are you satisfied with how this has turned out?!"
I replied calmly, "No, I'm not satisfied."
"Do you have any idea how much this is going to cost the company?"
Song Shiyan's once beautiful face was now twisted with rage. She started smashing things in a frenzy.
A bottle of pills rolled out from a fallen folder.
Song Shiyan kicked the bottle away. "Take your pills! You useless loser, how dare you even think about taking medicine!"
I stared at the scattered pills on the floor and suddenly spoke up.
"Do you know what these pills are?"
This wasn't the first time I'd asked, but the last time, Qin Yue had interrupted.
Song Shiyan also sensed something was off. Her frantic demeanor instantly calmed, and she stared at me. "What pills?"
I replied calmly, "They're for treating infertility. This is the medicine the hospital prescribed for you."
For a moment, the room was dead silent.
Song Shiyan looked as if she'd gone deaf. She stared at me in disbelief.
"No, that's not true. What are you talking about? It's your problem, not mine. Don't try to pin this on me!"
"You're lying, aren't you? You're trying to make me angry and hurt me, to punish me..."
She frantically picked up the bottle and read the label.
I took out her medical report and threw it in front of her.
Song Shiyan let out a choked sob, covering her face with her hands.
At that moment, she finally understood why she had never gotten pregnant all these years.
Song Shiyan suddenly grabbed my hand, her face twisted in pain.
I remained calm and said slowly, "It was the day you pulled me from the movie and mocked me with Qin Yue, saying I was the problem."
Song Shiyan looked as if she'd been struck by lightning, frozen in place.
Regret and guilt washed over her face.
"So you deliberately didn't tell me, just to watch me make a fool of myself!"
She pointed at me accusingly, trying to see some hint of guilt in my expression.
But I showed no emotion, only replying indifferently.
"What good would telling you have done? Your body can't conceive anymore. Now it's fine—you can do whatever you want."
Song Shiyan's shoulders visibly slumped, and all that was left was her helpless sobbing.
I knew how much she wanted to be a mother. She had prepared everything for a child from birth to age ten.
She would often share baby videos with me.
That day, I had planned to tell her and figure things out together.
But what I got instead was a slap in the face.
Song Shiyan had betrayed me. She knew how much I wanted to complete that project!
From the moment the director started planning, I had flown to Beijing over twenty times alone, just to secure the role.
But she selfishly destroyed it without considering my feelings.
I took a deep breath and was about to say something when her assistant rushed in, panicking.
"CEO Song, everything's chaos outside. Mr. Qin got pelted with eggs..."
Song Shiyan stood up. In just a few minutes, she looked devastated, as if she had aged ten years.
She wiped her tears clumsily.
"Xu Pei, this isn't over between us. Wait for me at home. I'll deal with this and then we'll talk properly."
With that, she hurried out.
I took out the divorce papers I had prepared earlier and placed them prominently on the table, then left.
Yatuo Group suffered an unprecedented blow, its market value plummeting by billions.
Qin Yue's reputation was completely ruined, and many of his brand partnerships were terminated.
He'd probably lose everything.
Song Shiyan was swamped. By the time she found the divorce papers, three days had passed. She had barely slept and sounded exhausted when she called me.
"How's Mom? I saw you took her back to our hometown. Why didn't you tell me?"
She spoke calmly, as if nothing had happened.
I cut her off, getting straight to the point. "Did you see the divorce papers?"
Song Shiyan fell silent.
"Don't drag this out. If you've seen them, just sign."
She avoided answering, saying only, "I'll come find you once I'm done with things here."
I frowned, a wave of nausea lingering in my chest.
I didn't respond and hung up the phone.
After leaving the wrong person behind, I felt like my entire energy had shifted for the better.
Two days later, an unexpected piece of good news confirmed this feeling.
A renowned director in the industry reached out to me, asking when I'd be available for an audition.
I spent six hours carefully reading the script, and by the end, I was fired up.
The story was incredibly well-crafted, and the role was something I had never challenged myself with before.
The crew members were all seasoned professionals in the industry.
I genuinely loved the character, but seeing my mom's figure, I hesitated to make a decision.
Somehow, my mom sensed my hesitation, and the next day at the dinner table, she spoke up.
"Your mom isn't old and frail yet. There's a保姆 here to take care of me. Don't worry about me. Go all out and fight for the role you want. I'll be proud of you."
I felt my eyes well up with tears and hugged her tightly.
"Mom, I won't let you down."
My contract with Yatuo Group had officially ended seven days ago, and I was no longer bound by restrictions.
That night, I took the last flight to City S.
Also auditioning for the role was Chen Feiyuan, the newly crowned Best Actress in a Television Series.
She was my junior from the same department, and we had known each other for years.
I hadn't expected us to collaborate this time.
After three hours of auditions, Director Lu Zhang immediately decided on me and Chen Feiyuan.
Seeing my surprise, Chen Feiyuan smiled, her lips curving beautifully.
"Senior, the director has seen your work and has wanted to collaborate with you for a long time."
To live up to the director's expectations, I shared my understanding of the script with him.
After staying for three more days to discuss the collaboration, I returned to my hometown.
But to my surprise, I ran into an unwelcome guest at my doorstep.
Song Shiyan quickly walked over when she saw me.
She looked much more haggard. The woman who used to care so much about her appearance had come with a bare face.
I guess it made sense—she and Qin Yue were being torn apart online. Who had the energy to dress up?
But what I didn't expect was her first question: "Who did you meet a few days ago?"
I frowned, looked at her, and said nothing.
"You're saying you want a divorce because you've already found a backup, huh?"
I picked up the photos and saw that they were of me and Chen Feiyuan at a restaurant.
Song Shiyan's face was livid. "Luckily, I paid to have these taken down. Do you even know—"
I interrupted her impatiently. "Did I ask you to buy them?"
"What do you mean? Am I just being delusional? Am I asking for this?"
Song Shiyan didn't expect me to respond like this. Her eyes turned red with anger.
I looked at her calmly. Back when I was the one handling all her scandals, hadn't she said the same thing to me?
"You're out of your mind. I never asked you to clean up my mess. Stop meddling."
All I wanted was an explanation, but she would always leave me fuming, collapsing on the couch in frustration.
Song Shiyan, however, took it a step further, pointing at my head and berating me.
Now that the tables had turned, all I could think was: serves her right.
Her eyes flashed with hurt, and she gritted her teeth. "You've got nerve, Xu Pei. I haven't slept in days, rushing here to see you, and this is the thanks I get? Is your heart made of stone?"
My gaze fell on the dark circles under her eyes and her disheveled appearance.
I replied lightly, "I only asked you to sign the papers. Did I ask you to come?"
Song Shiyan was stung by my coldness and stepped closer, cornering me against the wall.
I frowned and pushed her away.
"Don't make baseless accusations. She's my co-star in the new movie. Be careful, or she might sue you for defamation!"
Song Shiyan shouted, "Let her sue! I'm not afraid!"
I coldly watched Song Shiyan's hysterics, suddenly catching a flicker of guilt in her eyes.
I smirked, mocking her. "Don't think your tantrum can change the subject, Song Shiyan. You've been cheating nonstop. I want a divorce."
She froze, her attitude softening. "I haven't. Those are just rumors. Husband, you have to believe me."
I couldn't believe she was still lying. I sneered, tearing off her last shred of dignity.
"I have a video of you and Qin Yue. Do you want to see it? Your face is crystal clear."
"Every time I watch it, I feel more disgusted. If you don't want the video leaked, sign the papers and let's get this over with."
Song Shiyan stared at me in disbelief, panic setting in. She grabbed my shoulders, flustered.
"The video is fake! Qin Yue seduced me. Husband, I swear!"
I stared at the woman swearing in front of me, unable to reconcile her with the girl who once loved me so deeply. Time had changed everything—or maybe she had just shown her true colors.
At this point, I felt nothing. I said calmly, "But you were very active, looking quite陶醉—"
"Enough!"
Song Shiyan cut me off, ashamed. She could see my resolve to end things.
"Xu Pei, I was just playing around with him. It didn't mean anything. I only love you."
She suddenly remembered something and frantically pulled out a thermos, holding it out to me like a treasure.
"Today's the winter solstice. I made dumplings for you. They're韭菜鸡蛋, your favorite."
I stared at it, as if trying to bore a hole through it.
Song Shiyan thought she had touched my heart and quickly picked up a dumpling, offering it to me.
Her eyes were full of hope.
But my patience had reached its limit. I slapped the dumpling out of her hand.
The plump dumpling rolled to the ground.
Song Shiyan's face looked as if it had been stepped on, ugly and twisted.
She looked sadly at the scattered dumplings, choking back tears. "Xu Pei, you wanted me to notice your preferences. I did, and now look what you've done!"
Faced with Song Shiyan's melodramatic accusations, all I felt was mockery!
Qin Yue had once touched her chest and said mockingly, "I don't believe you. Women love to lie!"
Song Shiyan had laughed and sat on his lap, declaring, "It's true. I'd rather kiss a pig than him!"
She was the one who had mocked me, and now she had the nerve to play the victim.
"Do you think I care about the food you made? Stop deluding yourself, Song Shiyan. You're not the only woman who can cook for me, and I'm not the only man who'll fall for your charms. Don't overestimate your importance."
This was the first time I had compared her to someone else.
Thanks to her, I now knew how satisfying it was to tear someone down without a second thought.
Song Shiyan's face turned terrifying. In an instant, she reverted to her arrogant, self-assured self.
Humiliated, her face flushed red as she glared at me, trying to salvage her crumbling pride.
"Xu Pei, how far do you think you'll get without me? A thirty-year-old man, neither hot nor cold, without the backing of capital—you're nothing!"
But she was wrong. Without her, I would only get better.
From now on, I wouldn't sign with any company. I wanted complete freedom.
Song Shiyan stared at my face, hoping to see something other than cold indifference.
But she failed. She stood in silence for a moment, then suddenly kicked over a nearby trash can.
She turned and stormed off.
Song Shiyan still hadn't agreed to the divorce. While filming, I prepared to sue her.
She had been busy cleaning up Qin Yue's mess, hoping to spend her way to his comeback.
But her plan backfired. The audience's resistance to tarnished celebrities was too strong.
No producers or brands wanted to touch him.
The money she poured into him was wasted. According to the company's finance department,
Song Shiyan had lost her temper with Qin Yue several times, but I didn't care.
One day after work, Chen Feiyuan called out to me.
"Senior, let's grab a meal. I have some acting questions I'd like to discuss with you."
I paused, my hand on the car door, then nodded.
"Sure, you didn't drive today, right? Take my car. I'll drop you off later."
We found a cozy, elegant restaurant we often visited, known for its great food.
Just as we were deep in conversation, a commotion broke out outside.
"Xu Pei, come out! I saw your car!"
I pushed open the door and saw Song Shiyan standing in the hallway, looking frantic.
But before Song Shiyan could say anything, Qin Yue, who was standing beside her, charged at me with gritted teeth.
"You bastard! It's all your fault! You ruined me! Give me back my future!"
I caught his swinging fist and took a moment to study his appearance.
Shabby, disheveled, even the regular cosmetic injections he used to get were no longer maintained.
Without his usual polish, Qin Yue looked nothing like a star.
I pushed him away and turned to Song Shiyan. "Control your dog. Don't let him bite people."
Song Shiyan grabbed Qin Yue, who was still cursing, and slapped him across the face.
"Enough! Stop causing trouble."
Qin Yue covered his face, staring at her in disbelief, a twisted smile forming on his lips.
"Fine, Song Shiyan. You're so high and mighty, turning your back on me now."
Song Shiyan's face flashed with disgust.
I raised an eyebrow. Had she already grown tired of Qin Yue?
Song Shiyan glared at me, her face pale. "Had enough of the show? Who's the woman in the private room?"
I replied calmly, "That's none of your business. Just sign the divorce papers, and we'll be done."
"Over my dead body! I won't agree!"
Some passersby in the hallway seemed to recognize me. I put on my sunglasses and mask.
I didn't take Song Shiyan's words to heart. I was already preparing to sue her, so I didn't mind waiting a few more days.
Not wanting to waste any more time on her, I turned to go back inside.
But the next second, Song Shiyan forcefully hugged me.
I was startled and immediately pushed her away.
The door slammed shut with a loud bang.
Chen Feiyuan pushed the door open and stepped out.
She looked concerned. "Senior, are you okay?"
I shook my head, then quickly handed her a mask to put on.
This scene deeply hurt Song Shiyan, who had been staring at me.
A flash of jealousy crossed her eyes, and without warning, she swung her hand to slap Chen Feiyuan.
I immediately warned, "Watch out!"
Chen Feiyuan dodged swiftly and countered with a punch. Her movements were sharp and precise.
I suddenly remembered that before entering the industry, she had been a professional athlete.
Someone like Song Shiyan, who had lived a pampered life, was no match for her.
In no time, Song Shiyan was knocked to the ground, looking disheveled.
I reached out to stop Chen Feiyuan from going further.
"Enough. Don't dirty your hands."
Hearing my words, Song Shiyan's tears streamed down her face in an instant.
"Do you really hate me that much? Do all the good times we had mean nothing to you now?"
Hearing her mention the past still made me feel sick.
She was the last person who deserved to bring up the past!
I glanced at the growing crowd around us and quickly led Chen Feiyuan away.
But the inevitable happened—someone took photos of us and posted them online.
Netizens began speculating about my relationship with Chen Feiyan, but the director quickly stepped in.
He explained that we were simply professional partners and took the opportunity to promote our film.
Since the public still remembered the injustices I had suffered,
they didn't blame me but instead started shipping me and Chen Feiyan.
"Senior and junior? Perfect match! Handsome guy and beautiful girl, they look great together!"
"I like the pretty junior sister too."
...
As professional actors, Chen Feiyuan and I weren't swayed by the outside noise.
We continued to deliver high-quality work.
The film received significant acclaim at the Venice Film Festival.
Domestic box office earnings surpassed one billion.
At the celebration party, I clinked glasses with the cast and crew, everyone's faces filled with smiles.
Chen Feiyuan picked up a guitar and played a song for everyone.
Someone started singing along. Just as I was clapping and cheering, my phone rang.
It was Song Shiyan, whom I hadn't seen in a long time.
"Xu Pei, I agree to the divorce. I'm outside the hotel. Come out."
Her voice was tired and hoarse, like a traveler in the desert without a drop of water.
I put down my unfinished drink and walked out.
Song Shiyan was leaning against the wall, smoking. A pile of cigarette butts lay at her feet.
I wondered how long she had been waiting before calling me.
When she saw me, she stubbed out her cigarette.
Her gaze lingered on me, a flicker of longing in her eyes.
Her dry, chapped lips moved slightly. "Congratulations on the film's success."
But I hadn't come out to listen to her nonsense.
So I got straight to the point. "When are we going to get the divorce certificate?"
Song Shiyan's eyes were filled with gloom.
She let out a self-mocking laugh. "Are you really in such a hurry?" I smiled. "Shouldn't you be the one in a hurry now? If we don't divorce soon, your scandals will be everywhere."
I had plenty of evidence of her infidelity. Her company was already in enough trouble; she couldn't afford another scandal.
Song Shiyan instinctively bit her lip, then took a deep breath after a couple of seconds.
"I'll give you the villa in the western suburbs as compensation. We'll get the divorce certificate tomorrow."
I nodded and turned to leave.
Suddenly, Song Shiyan's voice came from behind, urgent and pleading.
"Xu Pei!"
I stopped and glanced back at her.
Tears glistened in Song Shiyan's eyes. "I've already terminated Qin Yue's contract. If I say I've regretted everything, is there still a chance for us?"
Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her eyes filled with hope.
What was she thinking?
Now I'm handsome, wealthy, and single. Who would want a woman who's a liar and a serial cheater?
I shook my head, turned away without hesitation, and left.
A mournful sob escaped Song Shiyan's throat as she collapsed to the ground.
At that moment, she realized that her selfishness and foolishness had cost her the love of her life.