Han Rui entered to find Nuan Nuan sitting on the sofa in Ye Jinghuai’s office, watching her own variety show. After post-production editing, Nuan Nuan found it immensely enjoyable.
“Boss.”
“Anything amiss?” Ye Jinghuai looked up, asking the question without any particular reason.
“Our investigation found no issues, nor any conspiracy. Li Yuyao is a newcomer who gained a bit of fame as a supporting character in a drama. Her ability to join the variety show mid-season was due to her leveraging connections with high-ranking officials at Lan Tai,” Han Rui said, pausing to glance at Ye Jinghuai.
Ye Jinghuai gestured for him to continue.
“She secured this spot herself; the exact method is unknown. Her agency wouldn’t expend such effort for this kind of resource. I suspect she learned that the Fourth Master was participating and, wanting to become famous herself, found ways to join midway.”
“Here are the show’s recordings, including videos of her privately approaching the Fourth Master,” Han Rui said, handing over a USB drive.
Ye Jinghuai watched the videos. They depicted Li Yuyao knocking on Ye Jingxing’s door for two consecutive nights.
Although the live broadcast was off, the external cameras were always on, as the production team intended to edit the footage into a behind-the-scenes segment for broadcast later.
Ye Jinghuai watched the videos twice, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk.
Without microphones, he couldn’t hear their conversations. While Han Rui and others might believe Li Yuyao simply wanted to approach Ye Jingxing for a shortcut to fame, Ye Jinghuai had a gut feeling that she was targeting Nuan Nuan.
A dark shadow fell over his eyes, his gaze gathering a storm.
“Replace her,” Ye Jinghuai said coldly.
Whether his suspicions were valid or not, he could not allow such an uncertain factor to remain near Nuan Nuan.
“And the other one?”
“Ah, this one is even more of a nobody. She’s currently being heavily promoted by Guangyao and hasn’t officially debuted yet. She has a very poor private relationship with Li Yuyao. However, she suddenly pleaded with the company to appear, even if for just one episode, and did quite a bit to achieve it. Guangyao thought that since they were already planning to promote her and had invested heavily in her training, this variety show could be an opportunity.”
Ye Jinghuai’s mind raced. He wasn’t investigating them without reason. Although he wasn’t in the entertainment industry, he was keenly aware of Ye Jingxing’s standing within it. Once Ye Jingxing’s participation was announced, many aspiring individuals, even established stars, would clamor to join the program. Being able to insert oneself midway must have come at a significant price, especially for a newcomer.
If Ye Jingxing hadn’t voiced his suspicions, he would have dismissed a newcomer’s desperate attempts to join as typical backstage maneuvering within the industry. But his suspicion of Li Yuyao, coupled with a very bad impression of Li Yiran, and his intense focus on Nuan Nuan, compelled him to consider the worst.
Even though Li Yiran was only an invited guest, her relationship with Li Yuyao was not good. Was it solely for fame? Yet, there were many avenues to achieve fame. Why was she so insistent on joining this specific variety show, appearing for only one episode as an invited guest, and having to pretend to be close friends with an adversary?
While nothing could be definitively proven yet, a strange unease persisted in his heart.
“Have Xinghuan give Guangyao some concessions. Have them drop these two! Also, notify Jingxing; he’ll know what to do,” Ye Jinghuai declared, deciding Li Yiran’s fate with a single sentence.
“Understood.” Han Rui knew that Li Yuyao and Li Yiran would never be seen in the entertainment industry again.
“Why am I being replaced?” Li Yuyao asked incredulously.
“How should I know? The director of Lan Tai personally spoke to the president. It was pressure from the Ye Corporation. The senior executive who helped you has already been dismissed.” The agent, now seeing her as a discarded asset, showed no more kindness. She had initially thought Li Yuyao might achieve some fame by appearing on the show.
“Furthermore, the company is terminating your contract. The breach of contract penalty will be transferred to you,” the agent said, then left expressionlessly.
“Why? What did I do?”
No one answered her.
“You idiot! You’ve messed things up. Ye Jinghuai has personally blacklisted you. You still thought of charming him? His favorability rating towards you has plummeted to the absolute negative!” the system raged in her mind.
“I didn’t do anything!” Li Yuyao couldn’t understand; she felt she had behaved perfectly.
“I told you long ago that he’s different from the fools you handled before. Not even his family members are fools.”
“Are you saying Ye Jingxing suspects me? Just because I knocked on his door twice? But I had legitimate reasons,” Li Yuyao still didn’t comprehend.
“Since you know that, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know before, but I just investigated. Ye Jinghuai specifically retrieved the videos of you approaching Ye Jingxing twice. If it weren’t for Ye Jingxing, why would he think to retrieve your footage? He doesn’t even know you.”
“He’s blacklisting me for his brother?”
“Idiot, I should have known from the start that women like you can only deal with low-level trash.” The system was already contemplating abandoning Li Yuyao.
“I told you Ye Jingxing isn’t an idiot. You’ve been scheming to get close to his niece; do you think he wouldn’t notice? You’re still under the impression that Ye Jinghuai is blacklisting you because of his brother. You yourself said Ye Jinghuai’s soft spot is his daughter. What do you think he’ll do to someone who deliberately tries to get close to his daughter?”
“I told you long ago your plan was unreliable. You’ve been back for a day and are still thinking about how to deal with Li Yiran. You’re useless!”
“No, no, I’m still useful! I’ve just been blacklisted; I can still charm him. I’ll go find him right away.”
“Do you think you still have a chance? He thoroughly detests you now. You’ll have no possibility of contacting him in the future.”
“I can become someone else, a socialite. I can change my body, a body of equivalent social standing. This time, it doesn’t need to be particularly beautiful, any body will do.” She had chosen this celebrity shell originally to have a body similar to her one in her previous world.
“No need. I think you’re too foolish.”
“No, no, don’t abandon me, please, I can do it.” No one answered her anymore.
Without the system and having been blacklisted, Li Yuyao had no choice but to return to her old profession. However, as someone ordered to be blacklisted by Ye Jinghuai, anyone with a modicum of respectability or status wouldn’t let her near, as there were plenty of other women, and no need to offend Ye Jinghuai. Consequently, Li Yuyao was reduced to becoming a mistress for wealthy businessmen. Of course, that was a story for another time.
At this moment, Nuan Nuan remained unaware that her father had effortlessly eliminated two of her “enemies” with a single move. She was currently lounging comfortably on the sofa, enjoying some fruit.
Author’s Thoughts:
I simply wanted to give Nuan Nuan a powerful aura. Some might find it brainless that potential threats are eliminated before they even act. The male lead’s thinking is that they could pose a threat to his daughter, not that they are targeting him. Ye Jingxing senses something but won’t voice it; it’s unnecessary. The male lead is habitually conspiratorial. His intense concern for Nuan Nuan leads to an exaggerated reaction; any hint of possibility or suspicion prompts immediate action. Furthermore, the male lead’s actions are not excessive. After all, if you can’t be a celebrity, you can do other things. With the breach of contract money, one can live comfortably as an ordinary person. Their future circumstances are their own choices. Also, don’t think the male lead’s methods are too mild; even in a lawful society, one can’t do much. As long as their access to Nuan Nuan is cut off, that’s sufficient. I initially considered having the ‘strategist’ and the female lead of the plot fight amongst themselves, but I don’t want these characters to linger too much, so it’s better for them to be eliminated. Stronger ‘strategists’ might appear later, and they won’t be completely foolish, but I won’t mistreat Nuan Nuan. I won’t detail Li Yiran’s fate, as she’s less peculiar than the previous two female leads. Imagine her future for yourselves, good or bad. In any case, she won’t have any further interaction with the male lead. Although I established an initial plotline that would continuously bring the plot’s female leads into contact with him, if the male lead takes action to sever those ties, the plotline won’t allow them to meet again.