Chapter 5

The phone vibrated frantically on the nightstand, and Su Jinfan was so drowsy she could barely open her eyes, but the incessant ringing relentlessly pierced her ears.

“Hello.” Su Jinfan merely glanced at her phone before answering the call.

“Xiao Fan, you should be on your way to the set by now, right? Today’s the day for costume test shots,” asked the agent Tian Xin.

Su Jinfan glanced at the time and realized there was only a little over an hour left. She immediately sat up from the bed: “Tianxin, grab me some breakfast!”

“I knew you wouldn’t be up yet. I’ve already brought breakfast for you.”

Su Jinfan acknowledged and hurriedly got ready.

    ……

Most Qing Dynasty attire was heavy, with cheongsams wrapped tightly. The decorative layouts were meticulous, often featuring embroidery, making the overall clothing ornate and layered—yet also prone to appearing extremely bulky.

Su Jinfan was dressed in a bright red outfit, her already tall figure accentuated by the clothing, giving her a classical elegance. Her hair was neatly styled, and her face, adorned with just a hint of makeup, radiated a smile that could captivate everyone in the room.

The photographer swiftly clicked the shutter while holding up the camera. Beautiful women were common, but those who were both beautiful and exuded such grace were truly rare.

Su Jinfan stood quietly by the prop palace wall, her eyes brimming with the despair, longing for freedom, and sorrowful confusion of a woman trapped within the palace…

Her gaze subtly turned toward the lens, the emotions conveyed in her eyes deeply moving everyone present, even evoking a sense of heartache.

From afar, Liu Ming watched Su Jinfan’s figure and said to the producer Wen Jie He Xiao beside him, “Is it because I’ve been abroad for too long that I didn’t realize there’s such a talented actress in the domestic scene?”

The name Su Jinfan was indeed unfamiliar to him, someone who never paid attention to gossip and had lived abroad for years.

“Director Liu Ming, since you’ve just returned, of course you wouldn’t know about her. She was originally a rising star heavily promoted by Dingsheng Company… if it weren’t for the rumors of an affair with Director Fang Hua and then the car accident…”

None of these details had reached Liu Ming’s ears. For him, as long as someone could act well, they were a good actor.

Su Jinfan raised her hands slightly, gazing dreamily at the pear blossom tree as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

“Absolutely stunning,” murmured the photographer, capturing the moment through his lens. “This actress’s attention to detail is something ordinary people could never master.”

    ……

[“Millennium” Costume Stills Released: Su Jinfan Looks Like a Celestial Beauty]

In just over five hours, searches by netizens had surged on Weibo, propelling the topic to the fifth spot on the trending list.

So, under Su Jin Fan’s Weibo post, everyone left comments.

[Is the goddess making a comeback to the entertainment industry? She’s so beautiful it’s out of this world.]

[Although I’m not a fan of Su Jin Fan, she absolutely crushes Peerless Beauty by ten blocks, okay?]

[@Fang Hua, director, this is your loss!]

This set of costume photos instantly became the hottest of the moment, flooding the internet with her period images.

Whether portraying the innocence of youth or the domineering arrogance of an empress, she effortlessly embodied each role. Though merely a set of promotional stills, the buzz surrounding the film *Millennium* skyrocketed online, accompanied by waves of newfound fans and shifting opinions, once again thrusting Su Jin Fan into the media spotlight.

Liu Xin hugged a pillow and took a sip of coffee, still aimlessly flipping through magazines. On the table, the script for *Peerless Beauty* stood out prominently, alongside a jumble of schedules and miscellaneous fashion invitations.

“Liu Xin!” Just as Liu Xin set down her coffee, Li Qin rushed in with excitement. “Did you know? That girl’s costume photos have gone viral online!”

“Is that Su Jinfan who got shelved by the company and ended up filming those low-budget movies?” Liu Xin asked with a laugh.

“Exactly! But you have no idea how intense the media frenzy is right now!” Li Qin pulled out her phone to show Liu Xin.

Liu Xin had been casually glancing at first, but now her temper flared up. “Su Jinfan, what kind of bullshit goddess is she? People these days believe anything they hear—just one overly photoshopped picture and she’s crowned a goddess?”

“Xin! Now you believe me, right? Back then, Su Jinfan didn’t die—she was just lucky. But to have such good luck a second time, could it be she has someone powerful backing her?” Seeing her lady’s anger, Li Qin cautiously tried to soothe her.

“Forget it, I’m not in the mood today, Sister Li. I’m going home to rest.” Liu Xin pouted, tossing aside all her scheduled appearances for the day, grabbed her bag, and walked out.

In the dimly lit parking lot, rows of cars stood neatly lined up. Liu Xin sat in her car, lit a cigarette, and watched the smoke curl upwards, her eyes narrowed as if in a foul mood.

The scene outside the car caught her eye. With her eyes slightly narrowed, Liu Xin seemed to watch indifferently, yet the figure of the girl was imprinted in her mind.

Su Jin was dressed in loose clothes paired with jeans. She seemed unaware of Liu Xin’s presence until Liu Xin flashed her headlights at her and rolled down the window beside her.

“So it’s Sister Liu Xin.”

Liu Xin’s sudden appearance caught Su Jin Fan completely off guard, leaving her no choice but to greet her properly.

At the same time, Liu Xin stepped out of the car. Naturally charming and tall, she towered slightly over Su Jin Fan thanks to her high heels. Tipping her chin up arrogantly, her haughty demeanor was enough to draw disdain from anyone who saw it. “It’s only been a few days—have you recovered already? Look at what you’re wearing now! What if paparazzi catch you like this? If you can’t afford clothes, I can lend you some, sister!”

“And that new project of yours—I’ve seen the resources. It’s really terrible. If you can’t land any roles, I can discuss with the company to let you play the third female lead in ‘Peerless Beauty’?”

Being bombarded with such sarcastic remarks, Su Jinfan’s mind was still racing rapidly. She blinked in surprise and said incredulously, “How kind of you, senior! I really should have thought of offering you a minor supporting role back then. But now it’s perfect—since I got into a car accident, the director chose you as the lead actress. Isn’t that wonderful?”

The way Su Jinfan phrased it made it sound as though Liu Xin was just a backup option.

“Su Jinfan, are you really that clueless or just pretending? You’ve long been washed up in the entertainment industry,” Liu Xin retorted with a raised eyebrow, her tone dripping with disdain.

Liu Xin’s question actually gave Su Jinfan some clarity—it seemed Liu Xin truly saw her as a rival. Yet, Liu Xin had revealed her intentions within just a few sentences, proving herself utterly foolish. It also confirmed the saying: all brawn and no brains.

“How about this—I’ll give you five million, as long as you quit the entertainment industry. Anything else is negotiable.” Liu Xin’s gaze at Su Jinfan sent a chill down her spine. As long as Su Jinfan remained in the acting world, her own stardom would never be smooth sailing. Just as she was about to pull out a check, a man’s voice interrupted.

“Xiao Fan!”

Hearing that call, Su Jinfan turned her head. Aside from Shen Bai, no other man in the world addressed her by that name.

Su Jinfan pretended not to hear. But when Shen Bai reached her side, she suddenly spun around, her fist aiming straight for his stomach. Shen Bai, already prepared, effortlessly blocked her hand.

He curled his lips slightly, “I just called Tianxin and she said you were here, so I came to pick you up.”

“Isn’t this… that… Liu Xin?” Shen Bai sized up Liu Xin from head to toe. Liu Xin had no time to chat with irrelevant people at the moment. With a dark expression, she silently filled out the check and handed it to Su Jin.

At this moment, Shen Bai, who had witnessed the entire process, wore an even more peculiar expression. He glanced at the amount on the check and then at Liu Xin: “Miss Liu, isn’t this check a bit too small?”

Su Jin had been forcing a bitter smile because she couldn’t possibly accept this check, but now she was amused by Shen Bai again. Back in high school, he had always been the top troublemaker in school. Was he now going to tease the queen of Dingsheng Entertainment?

“Is this amount too little?”

“Miss Liu, are you truly unaware of the market rates? Even adding another zero to Miss Su’s price wouldn’t be excessive, would it?”

Damn, Su Jinfan raised her head to look at Shen Bai’s serious face—do your family members really know how shameless you are?

Liu Xin stood with her hands on her hips. “Lawyer Shen, I’ve long heard of your esteemed reputation, but this is our matter. I don’t think you have any say here.”

Despite his young age, Shen Bai is hailed as the “Legal God” online due to his exceptional skills and outstanding debating abilities. Although he has never ventured into the entertainment industry, his fanbase is no smaller than that of popular young idols.

“How is this nonsense? May I ask, Miss Liu Xin, since Su Jinfan is an actress under Ding Sheng Group, what authority do you have to demand her withdrawal from the entertainment industry? Even if you had the authority, given Miss Su’s status, isn’t this price quite reasonable? Unless, Miss Liu, you have some improper relationship with a certain executive in the company, which grants you the power to force Miss Su out of the industry?”

Under Shen Bai’s gaze, Liu Xin faltered. In terms of sheer presence alone, she was utterly outmatched!

“Miss Liu, you still haven’t given me an answer. By the way, I’m currently preparing for the case regarding Su Jinfan’s car accident. It shouldn’t be long before the truth comes to light.” The direct questioning and rapid-fire accusations left Liu Xin scrambling to respond. Shen Bai’s confident demeanor delivered a crushing blow, leaving Liu Xin visibly flustered and speechless, her mouth agape but silent.

“Forget it, I have things to do, so I won’t chat with you two anymore.” With a slightly calmer expression, Liu Xin opened the car door and said to Su Jin Fan, “Su Jin Fan, I wish you success in your acting.”

“Wishing you success too!” Su Jin Fan waved at her and said, “Senior, you know I’ve never lost to anyone before.”