Chapter 259: Chapter 259: Bite Off More Than One Can Chew
Sang Ning decided to make the truth public.
She began drafting the words, and by the time the car had completely stopped, a long Weibo post explaining the entire story was ready.
Sang Ning’s finger hovered over the send button but hesitated to press it.
Li Juezhou glanced at her: "Sangsang, are you still hesitating about something?"
Sang Ning looked at Li Juezhou and took a deep breath: "No, it’s just that once this Weibo post goes out, I might have to say goodbye to the entertainment circle tonight."
Li Juezhou raised an eyebrow: "Are you scared?"
"Not really." Sang Ning shook her head and smiled bitterly, "I just don’t know how long I’d survive in this world after leaving the industry."
Li Juezhou furrowed his brows, his expression turning serious: "Sangsang, this is a society governed by law. They wouldn’t dare lay a hand on you lightly."
Li Juezhou wanted to reassure Sang Ning that Hai Chuan was a legitimate, legal company and not some underground organization. How could they be so reckless, just taking out someone they disliked?
But Sang Ning and Li Juezhou’s concerns were entirely different. She worried that after leaving the industry and losing exposure, relying solely on live streaming would take forever to accumulate 100 million followers.
"Whatever, I don’t really care anyway." Sang Ning said as she pressed the post button.
But Li Juezhou suddenly felt as though his heart was stuffed with cotton, heavy and uncomfortable.
Sang Ning’s response seemed far too nonchalant, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that she was hiding something from him.
"Alright, boyfriend, your task for today is done. You can go back and rest!"
Sang Ning’s voice suddenly took a cheerful turn. After all, the Weibo post was now out there, and whatever happened next wasn’t under her control. She might as well enjoy every moment she could.
"My task isn’t over." Li Juezhou stared seriously at Sang Ning, "I’m your dedicated bodyguard. I’m not only responsible for your physical safety but also your mental wellbeing. Your current state isn’t right, and I won’t leave until you’re completely happy again."
Though the weather was still hot, autumn had arrived. It had rained a moment ago, and now the air was filled with a faint cold mist.
Sang Ning’s skin could actually feel the chill, but Li Juezhou’s words at that moment felt like a warm current rushing into her heart. She felt cozy and was suddenly overcome with the urge to hug him.
Her mind thought of it, and her body followed through.
She leaned over the car’s center console and threw herself onto Li Juezhou, her head pressed closely to his chest, listening to his firm, steady heartbeat.
Li Juezhou instinctively wrapped his arm around her waist, resting his chin on her head, gently rubbing it.
It’s said that hugs can convey strength—it certainly did for Sang Ning, as she felt unprecedentedly at peace.
Regardless of where she and Li Juezhou might end up, the warmth and indulgence he gave her at this moment were undeniably real.
Enjoying every moment now was enough.
Li Juezhou deeply treasured the moment of this embrace.
In the past, whenever Sang Ning unintentionally brushed against him, it always stirred inappropriate thoughts.
But now, he simply wanted to hold her.
Outside, the rain started again, pattering against the car windows, creating a ticking sound that contrasted starkly with the peaceful and serene atmosphere inside.
The hug lasted a long time. No one knew how much time passed until the drizzle outside stopped again, and Sang Ning finally released Li Juezhou.
"Alright, boyfriend, that was a long charging session. It should be enough for you to accompany me through the evening. Now you can return peacefully." Sang Ning blinked playfully at him.
Li Juezhou’s lips curled into a helpless smile.
Sang Ning was someone who valued her personal boundaries greatly. Even in an intimate relationship, she needed her own private space.
Since Sang Ning had made her stance clear, Li Juezhou did not intend to force her.
"Alright then, I’ll watch you go upstairs. Is that okay?"
Sang Ning’s old family house had been under continuous construction recently, causing severe noise issues. To ensure proper rest, she had rented a new place.
At this moment, Li Juezhou’s car was parked downstairs at her rented apartment.
Sang Ning opened the car door, waved goodbye to Li Juezhou, and went upstairs.
On Weibo, Sang Ning had laid everything out clearly.
淡淡的忧桑: Qingyue self-selecting the Jiuqiansui role being nearly snatched was completely fabricated. Jiuqiansui’s casting was decided through a group vote after Qingyue and I competed for the role. Since I won, Qingyue felt dissatisfied and refused to attend practice on the first day of recording. By the second day, Wen Jiu couldn’t guide our group due to personal reasons, so Mr. Ma temporarily took over for him. When Mr. Ma came in, he unilaterally announced that the role of Jiuqiansui would go to Qingyue.
This is the entire truth. Qingyue is not as innocent as everyone imagines. He also relies heavily on backing capital, whose influence is greater than you could imagine. Just a short while ago, I was even threatened by the forces behind Qingyue to remain silent.
But I won’t. My mouth belongs to me, and I’ll say whatever I want. If this offends someone’s interests, I can only say sorry—it’s your own fault!
Following Sang Ning’s statement, most people immediately questioned the authenticity of her words.
[Why does her tone feel so passive-aggressive, pushing all the blame onto Qingyue while making herself look spotless?]
[I think what Sang Ning said doesn’t hold water. It feels like she’s deliberately trying to smear Qingyue. Voting within a group is clearly unfair. Who doesn’t know her teammates would favor her and vote for her?]
[If you think about it, Sang Ning’s clarification is self-contradictory. Isn’t she just proving that Qingyue was indeed subjected to group bullying?]
[Let’s adopt a wait-and-see attitude. The program group should have rehearsal videos. It’ll all be clear if they just make the footage public, right?]
[That logic’s flawed. Even if the program has videos, they wouldn’t casually release them. Whether Sang Ning or Qingyue is the real Royal Family contestant, releasing the footage would undoubtedly offend one of their backing capitals. The program group won’t take such a risky move.]
The discussion on Weibo heated up quickly, and it wasn’t long before Sang Ning received a frantic call from her agent.
"Sis, are you crazy? Why didn’t you get company approval before posting that Weibo? Are you seriously trying to ruin yourself?" Her agent was stressed beyond belief.
"I’m sorry." Sang Ning’s apology was sincere, but her stance was unyielding. "It’s already done."
Her agent: "..."
"Sis, do you even know who the biggest investor behind Director Qin’s new movie is?" The agent’s tone was deeply serious.
It seemed he had just learned that Qingyue’s backing capital was Hai Chuan. This time, Sang Ning was truly inviting disaster.