Chapter 94

After the truth behind the attack at the Beijing Grand Theater was thoroughly investigated, the police arrested the criminal gang led by Xing Group, with Xing Yujin at the forefront, and awaited court proceedings.

Once the details of the incident were announced, public opinion was in an uproar. Those who had previously wanted to defame Xu Heran and Xin Nuo’s marketing were now changing their tune and deleting their baseless speculations and wild guesses. Little did they know that the legal department of Universal Entertainment had collected ample evidence of everything they had said. They were just waiting for the main case to conclude before cleaning up the vermin and snakes lurking in the dark corners.

Many fans and justice-driven bystanders flocked to Xin Nuo, Song Fenghua, and Xu Heran’s Weibo posts to encourage them.

“The malice of human hearts is truly underestimated. It’s terrifying that they would incite and coerce others to deliberately harm someone, all because of losing face three years ago.”

“And that time was Xing Family’s Crown Prince’s own doing! I had forgotten about that incident. If not for that, who would remember him? This person is so despicable!”

“The police announcement said that Xing Family’s Crown Prince didn’t just do this once. No wonder he was so skilled at it! Truly, judging people solely by their appearances is a mistake. You can know someone’s face but not their heart. Thinking back to when I shipped him with another female guest on ‘Fingertip Heartbeat,’ I was so happy at the time, and now I’m so disgusted! Seriously, it’s revolting!”

“Xing Yujin’s character was ruined three years ago, right? How shocking that such horrifying things could happen in this era. It makes me suddenly suspect whether the Xing Family used the same methods to force their peers before. Otherwise, how could Xing Yujin be so proficient at this! Let me tell you, I’m not surprised by anything happening in the Xing Family anymore!”

“Upstairs, the way you put it suddenly terrifies me. When you think about it, there were quite a few alcohol, beverage, and dairy companies in Haicheng before. Later, only the Xing Family dominated the market. It’s only in the past couple of years that Starlight Beverage emerged. But don’t forget, Starlight is backed by Universal.”

(Note: In the original text, the author adds some notes directly in Chinese after the content. As per your instructions, I’ve translated the content while omitting these notes, as they are not part of the translation itself.)

“I can’t stand Xing’s beverages. That milk doesn’t even taste like milk. We get fresh milk from nearby dairies here. It’s just that the local, unimpressive small enterprises, with their insignificant scale, are the only ones who can survive under Xing’s disdainful gaze, right?”

“…Don’t speculate recklessly. We should believe in the police and trust that the law will investigate things thoroughly.”

“Sigh, still feeling a shiver down my spine. All I can say is, luckily this time the Xing Family crossed paths with Universal. Universal has both the money and the influence, not something the Xing Family can easily bully. If it were an ordinary person, well, they’d just be bullied to death.”

“Support Universal in relentlessly prosecuting Xing Yujin! They dared to bully Xin Nuo, which is tantamount to bullying Xu Heran! He must pay the price!”

“Xing Yujin behind bars! Step on a sewing machine until he begs for mercy! Cry, then continue serving his sentence!”

“Hahaha, it’s you, Dashuiren!”

“Support Xing Yujin being imprisoned! Support the Xing Family going bankrupt!”

“Boycott the Xing Family products! Boycott the heir of Xing Family’s criminal instigator paying money!”

“Must boycott!!”

With the support of public opinion, the case proceeded smoothly. The police verified step by step, digging up instances of Xing Yujin’s high school bullying and abuse of power, submitting the evidence to the Beijing court for public trial.

The man who returned to the country six months later, once so radiant, now had a disheveled beard, a gloomy expression, and bloodshot eyes. He stared coldly at the judge on the stand. When the judge asked if he pleaded guilty, he kept on laughing coldly.

“It’s just like the saying: when the wall collapses, everyone pushes. What’s there to fear in adding more accusations?”

“I don’t plead guilty. I will keep appealing. All your evidence is fabricated! It’s Universal Entertainment, it’s the Xu Family trying to slander me!” Xing Yujin yelled at the camera, “The Xu Family has bought you off. The justice system is unfair! Father, you have to save me, I won’t accept this verdict!”

He kept on causing a ruckus, even when the judge played his voice from the recording. He still vehemently denied everything. He insisted that it was all slander, that the so-called recordings were synthesized, and the evidence was fabricated. He maintained his innocence.

The wheels of justice turned, and no matter how much he argued, in the face of concrete evidence, his words of defense became feeble. In the end, Xing Yujin was sentenced to twenty years in prison and incarcerated in the Beijing prison.

Over the course of these twenty years, he would engage in hard labor, just as netizens joked—stomping on sewing machines until his feet smoked, redeeming himself for the wrongs he had committed.

After finishing the final exams and attending the graduation ceremony of Xin Nuo and Song Fenghua with other SGS members, Xu Heran happily returned to Haicheng. Over the past two years, Director Liu had been consistently involved in variety show production, and he now felt the itch to create a TV drama. He temporarily handed over the direction of 《As You Wish》 to Assistant Director Xiao Liu and held a script for a TV drama, looking for Sister Cui.

At the Haicheng Forest Villa, a group of people sat around a table with a TV drama script placed on it.

“Turbulent Winds over Changyang.”

Xu Heran remembered that Sister Cui had mentioned that Director Liu wanted Nuo Nuo to play the female lead. She snapped her fingers and joyfully said, “I guess Nuo Nuo will be named Changyang.”

Director Liu chuckled. “Changyang is the name of a place.”

“Oh.” Xu Heran lowered her head in embarrassment due to her self-proclaimed cleverness.

“But in the drama, Changyang is indeed a person’s name.”

Xu Heran immediately raised her head, revealing an expression that said, “I told you so.”

Director Liu continued to chuckle. “You’re Changyang.”

Xu Heran said, “Huh?”

Xin Nuo was reading the script, leaning against the couch, listening to their conversation, and softly laughing.

“Uncle, are you really having me act?” Xu Heran asked. “Don’t let me tarnish your reputation.”

“You can do it.” Director Liu rubbed his chin, looking Xu Heran up and down. “You’ll just need to add a pair of colored contact lenses.”

(Note: The original text contains some offensive language and insults that have been translated faithfully as per the instructions. Please let me know if you would like me to provide a sanitized version or if you have any specific concerns about the translation.)

Xu Heran’s blue-purple eyes blinked.

“Nuo Nuo, are you interested?” Cui Qi asked Xin Nuo.

Xin Nuo remembered a previous life where she had a TV drama titled “Turbulent Winds over Changyang,” but that drama had a male protagonist and a completely different storyline from the script she held in her hands.

Upon hearing Cui Qi’s question, Xu Heran immediately turned her head. “Nuo Nuo?”

Seeing the excitement in Xu Heran’s eyes, Xin Nuo playfully blinked her eyes. “Sure.”

Xu Heran jumped up, clenched her fists, and excitedly paced around the table.

“I’m going to act with Nuo Nuo!”

Seeing her so ecstatic, Xin Nuo suddenly looked at Cui Qi. Xin Nuo’s eyes curved as she smiled. “Zhu Zhu hasn’t read the script, right?”

Sister Cui smiled.

If she had read the script, could she still be this happy?

It was unknown whether their participation in this drama was a source of joy or concern for fans of the “Peng Ran Xin Dong” couple.

Director Liu was now a prominent director under Universal Entertainment’s banner, and funding was not a concern. With the female lead and the second female lead secured, auditions were held for other roles. Two weeks later, the main cast assembled, a symposium was held, the script was discussed, analyzed, and experiences were shared.

Xu Heran slapped the script, making a “smack” sound. “I was wondering why Sister Cui suddenly became so kind. I thought it was because of my previous brilliance and bravery. I thought she wanted to compensate me!”

“It’s okay, even in the drama, you can still be brilliant and brave.”

Xu Heran blew her bangs and supported herself with her hands on her thighs, raising an eyebrow at Xin Nuo.

“Tonight, I’ll practice acting with you, the female lead.”

The female lead smiled gently. “Sure, Princess Jun.”

They had already arrived at the film and television base. They would stay in a nearby hotel at night, and the symposium was held in the director’s hotel room.

“Alright then, everyone, be prepared. Let’s try to finish the scenes of Princess Changyang first, so we can let Princess Jun return to her studies in the city as soon as possible,” Director Liu said.

Xu Heran immediately huffed and crossed her arms. “Fine, hurry up and let me leave. I don’t want to see certain people being all lovey-dovey in front of me, with their romantic entanglements. Tsk.”

The male lead of “Turbulent Winds over Changyang,” a contracted actor under Universal Entertainment, the boy who had once danced the waltz with Xin Nuo at the Idol Gala, scratched his head with embarrassment and smiled.

Xin Nuo raised the corner of her mouth and casually flipped open a page of the script. Her fair fingers pinched the paper, waving it back and forth in front of her eyes.

“I flipped back and forth, looked everywhere, and indeed didn’t see the eight words ‘romantic entanglements.'”

Xu Heran bent over, leaning close to her ear, “Because I dug them out and ate them. They tasted a bit bitter.”

“Isn’t it more like sour?” Xin Nuo deliberately used the script to push her face away. “Go away, you wicked feudal aristocrat.”

“Come on, little courtesan, this princess will pick you tonight.”

“Let me taste how bitter ‘romantic entanglements’ can be.” Xu Heran playfully pulled Xin Nuo up and smiled at everyone.

“We’re taking our leave.”

“We’re leaving too, goodbye,” Xin Nuo said with a smile.

Watching their lively departure, Director Liu slapped his thigh. “That’s the feeling. My little princess here fits the role perfectly.”

The screenwriter and other actors chimed in with smiles, but their expressions were somewhat peculiar.

It’s just… well, it seems that Xu Heran and Xin Nuo are quite… ambiguous.

Hmm… unspeakable.

As soon as Xu Heran pulled Xin Nuo into the room, Xin Nuo grabbed her collar. “Tone it down a bit.”

“Huh, what?” Xu Heran asked, looking confused.

Xin Nuo examined her expression carefully, bit her lip, and reached up to grab Xu Heran’s nose. “Just pretend for me.”

“Come on, there’s really nothing.” Xu Heran laughed and hugged Xin Nuo’s waist, pulling her close. “It’s just that suddenly seeing so many beautiful older sisters and handsome guys, I suddenly felt a bit insecure.”

“Sigh, every time I study alone at school, while some Nuo is frolicking amidst a group of beauties, just thinking about it makes Pearl fearful,” Xu Heran suddenly raised her hand, supporting her forehead with a look of sadness, “If Sister gets tired of this Little Pearl, suddenly feels I’m not attractive… ah, this fear lingers in my heart all night. It must be treated by Sister!”

She grabbed Xin Nuo’s hand and placed it on her own chest. “Can you bear to hear the sound of my heart breaking?”

Xin Nuo: “…”

She said calmly, “Director Liu made the right choice by choosing you.”

You’re such a drama queen, Pearl.

“No need for that,” Xu Heran replied.

Xin Nuo would never admit that Xu Heran’s behavior had anything to do with her. She placed her hand on Xu Heran’s shoulder and smiled. “Isn’t it time to rehearse?”

Xu Heran’s eyes lit up. “Let’s do it.”

They were going to rehearse the scene where the two characters first meet.

Xu Heran sat on the couch, in a slanted and crooked posture, while Xin Nuo danced on stage. When their eyes met, Xin Nuo smiled at her.

Xin Nuo’s black hair was loose, and on her palm-sized face, her dark pupils held an intoxicating smile. Her gaze was like water, examining Xu Heran’s body without leaving a trace as it swept past the corner of her eye.

This was the first time Xu Heran acted alongside Xin Nuo, and she was completely drawn into it. She watched as Xin Nuo gracefully approached her, and at the moment her fingers brushed past in front of her, the mesmerized character grabbed Xin Nuo’s hand. In the instant of Xin Nuo’s surprise, she pulled her into an embrace.

“Oops!”

Xin Nuo fell into Xu Heran’s embrace.

“Little beauty, you look so good. Tonight, I’m picking you! Mwah mwah mwah!”

Holding Xin Nuo’s waist, Xu Heran pouted and planted kisses on Xin Nuo’s face.

Annoyed, Xin Nuo reached out and playfully hit her.

“You’re playing the role of a princess, not a bandit! There’s no such scene in the script. Play it properly!”

In the midst of speaking, Xu Heran’s hand had already slipped inside Xin Nuo’s clothing, skillfully exploring. She chuckled lightly, her lips brushing against the side of Xin Nuo’s face as she moved closer to her mouth.

“The director said, ‘Let me play in my true colors.'”

Little Pearl’s eyes sparkled, pressing Xin Nuo onto the couch. “This is my true self.”

“Flower courtesan looks so good, this princess likes it. Tonight, I’ll take you to the palace and warm this princess’s bed!”

“Xu Heran—!”

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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Sinensis
Proofreader: Ruu

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