Chapter 10 Triumph and Danger
After Wen Rou caused a scene on the Reality Show, she clearly wasn’t done.
She went straight to her main Weibo account and trashed me, saying I didn’t deserve any of it.
With her leading the charge, suddenly all my high school and college photos were dug up.
They even found the one time I went to an internet café in high school.
I curled up on the sofa in Song Nanzhou’s apartment, scrolling through comments with zero energy.
Song Nanzhou warmed a glass of milk and handed it to me. “You went to an internet café?”
I took it, sipped, and mumbled, “Yeah, and it’s basically your fault.”
“How is it my fault?” He sat beside me and pulled me into his arms.
“Right after we became in-game partners, the power went out at home. I couldn’t use the computer, so I spent two yuan at the café to do couple quests with you.”
“So you’re saying I share the blame for this backlash.”
I nodded. “Exactly. All your fault.”
“Should I send Lawyer Letters for you?” Song Nanzhou asked.
I shook my head. “No. I don’t want them saying I only know how to hide behind you and have no ability myself.”
“A director offered me the lead in a movie. I’ll conquer them with my own strength.”
Song Nanzhou smiled. “Good. Conquer them.”
My first lead role hit theaters at the end of the year. After the new year, I actually won the Best Newcomer Award.
Standing on stage holding the trophy felt unreal. Last year I was still a nobody with no splash, and now here I was.
Song Nanzhou presented the award as my senior and handed me a huge bouquet of roses.
“Little Orange is amazing.” Song Nanzhou didn’t hide his praise at all. His eyes were full of me.
I smiled softly, whispered thank you, and gave my acceptance speech.
After the ceremony, the theater exit was packed wall-to-wall. Song Nanzhou shielded me as we walked the path police had cleared.
“Orange Sis, I really like you. Can I have an autograph? It’s my birthday today.”
A guy in a mask and hat spoke up.
Birthday. My heart softened. I glanced at Song Nanzhou beside me, wanting his opinion.
He nodded lightly. “Sign if you want.”
I took the pen and card, signed quickly, and handed it back.
Suddenly he splashed “water” from the cup straight at me.
Song Nanzhou reacted fast and blocked in front of me. Police immediately subdued the attacker.
“You okay?” Song Nanzhou asked.
“I’m fine. You? Did it hit you anywhere? That looked like sulfuric acid.” I asked anxiously.
“I’m fine,” Song Nanzhou said quietly.
My tense body finally relaxed. I’d only seen this kind of thing happen to huge stars. I never thought I’d experience it myself.
Luckily it was winter. We both wore thick coats and weren’t injured.
Since we were victims, we had to go to the station to Make A Statement.
By the time we arrived, the attacker was already cuffed in a holding room. His hat and mask were removed.
It was Wen Li.
“Why did you try to hurt me?”
I asked.
I had no grudge with Wen Li. I couldn’t understand.
“My sister killed herself. Did you know?” Wen Li, a grown man, sobbed uncontrollably.
“What does your sister’s suicide have to do with me?”
I thought it was ridiculous. I didn’t cause Wen Rou’s suicide.
“That Reality Show was our last chance—me and Wen Rou. But the cameras all went to you, to Song Nanzhou, to Su Xiner and Jiang Yan with their traffic. We barely got any shots.”
“I could accept losing to them. But why did even someone like you get to step on us?”
“It was you. You drove my sister to death. I wanted you to pay.”
Wen Li spat the words viciously. The raw pain and hatred in his eyes made me shiver.
Song Nanzhou looked at him calmly and said, “I funded that Reality Show. So tell me—why?”
I stayed composed. It didn’t surprise me.
I had suspected as much. The director had seemed to look nervously at Song Nanzhou after the team draw—it hadn’t been just my imagination.
And the next two days, every suggestion I made got approved.
I didn’t have that kind of influence. Someone behind me did.
Song Nanzhou—calling him a sly old fox fit perfectly.
“Heh… hahahahaha.”
“We’re just toys for capitalists like you…”
“God really isn’t fair.”
I stopped listening to Wen Li’s self-pity. Song Nanzhou took me home.
Once home, I felt heavy inside. I was listless.
I talked to Song Nanzhou. “It does feel kind of unfair.”
“Baby, not everything in life is fair. The entertainment industry runs on capitalism,” Song Nanzhou said patiently.
“But… if I hadn’t met you, I’d probably be doing worse than Wen Rou and Wen Li.”
Song Nanzhou chuckled and pinched my cheek. “So little confidence?”
I shot back, “Didn’t you just say capitalism rules?”
I had no money. Without connections, even great acting sometimes meant nothing.
So many talented seniors never made it.
Song Nanzhou said, “Yeah, well—I’m all about Cheng Zhi-ism.”
I leaned in and kissed his face. “Then I’m all about Nanzhou-ism.”