Chapter 02

She widened her eyes in disbelief as she looked around, her mind buzzing with the lingering pain from the car explosion earlier. But she quickly regained her composure. She had always thought Li Qin was just bluffing with her words—never did she expect her to actually seek revenge. Well, this was probably the price she had to pay for stubbornly confronting Li Qin.

She mustered all her strength to slightly move her head, and the pure white hospital bed came into view. Good—at least she wasn’t dead or permanently disabled.

Her last memory was of Uncle Wang slamming on the brakes, them leaping out of the car, and then the sudden explosion… Someone had tampered with her car. Since it was company-issued, she suspected Sister Li and Liu Xin were behind the sabotage.

Su Jinfan’s hospital room was empty. She pressed the emergency call button and watched as a young nurse in her early twenties cautiously entered, too flustered to even meet her gaze.

“Hey, wait!” Su Jinfan knew this little nurse must know something. “Bring me the entertainment newspapers from the past few days.” Her voice was hoarse from inhaling smoke during the car explosion.

The little nurse seemed startled and glanced at Su Jinfan with confusion, saying, “Miss Su, we don’t sell entertainment newspapers here.”

Su Jinfan seemed to understand what the nurse was trying to hide. She nodded slightly. “Then bring me my phone.” In today’s society, most gossip can be found on mobile devices.

“What would Miss Su like to know? I can tell you.”

The hospital room door suddenly opened, and a strikingly handsome man in a black suit walked in. The young nurse stole a couple of glances at him, her face flushing red as she hastily stepped aside. “Mr. Shen Bai, you’re here,” she said.

Su Jinfan sized up the man before her. He had always been her personal lawyer—a top graduate from law school at just twenty-six. If they hadn’t been classmates in high school, she would never have met this Doctor of Jurisprudence.

Shen Bai frowned slightly as he glanced at Su Jinfan. After the nurse left, he walked over to record the data. “The role you were supposed to play in ‘Peerless Beauty’ has now been given to Liu Xin. The company has also announced to the public that all your engagements during your recovery period have been canceled.” Knowing she would struggle to accept this reality, he didn’t press further. “The most important thing for you now is to focus on recovering.”

As he observed Su Jinfan, he suddenly noticed her silence. Shen Bai had always understood her well—she was a fiercely ambitious girl who had overcome every obstacle in the past. But this time was different. Her usually determined and relentless eyes now held a trace of despondency, evoking an involuntary sense of pity.

The company has suspended all her public appearances, effectively putting her in the cold storage.

“This time, your illness isn’t too severe. Once you feel ready, you can be discharged to recuperate at home.” He placed some files on the table.

“Did the company help defend why this car accident happened?” Su Jinfan took a deep breath and looked at Shen Bai again, now completely composed.

“Don’t worry, I’ll see this matter through to the end.”

Su Jinfan raised her slightly swollen hand from the IV drip and glanced at her somewhat haggard reflection in the full-length mirror across the room. Liu Xin, you’ve really gone all out, but don’t forget—she’s the young actress who unexpectedly skyrocketed to fame within three years. They want to blacklist her, to ruin her reputation, but she’s still Su Jinfan!

“I want to be discharged today,” Su Jinfan shifted slightly, feeling a dull ache, but lying in bed for even a day felt like a waste of time to her.

“Today?” Shen Bai carefully supported Su Jinfan as she moved.

“Is that a problem? Didn’t you say I could be discharged anytime?” Noticing Shen Bai’s slightly flustered expression, she found it rather amusing. “Shen Bai, are you worried I might harm myself? Don’t forget how I pulled through a year ago when people accused me of winning Best Actress through shady dealings.”

Su Jinfan narrowed her beautiful eyes; she couldn’t tolerate it any longer. If she continued to endure, she feared Liu Xin and the others would only grow more outrageous.

    ……

The relentless summer heatwave had become unbearable, making it feel as though stepping outside would instantly scorch you.

Su Jinfan sat quietly in a private booth at a café called ‘Cat,’ enjoying the air conditioning while scrolling through Weibo.

[The reason for Su Jinfan’s unexpected car accident was due to keeping a “little ghost.”]

【Ah! Goddess Xiaofan, please recover soon!】

【Exclusive Reveal: The Cause of Rising Star Su Jinfan’s Car Accident】

Su Jinfan looked at the various topics about her online, her expression changing again, but in the end, she did nothing.

She wanted to admit that this was an entertainment topic she had orchestrated herself, but no one would bet their life just to make headlines.

“Miss, would you like anything else?” The waitress brought the drinks, and Su Jinfan shook her head slightly with a faint smile. “No, thank you.”

The door closed again. She looked at the magazines Shen Bai had bought from the newsstand on the table. The entertainment section headlines all read, “Liu Xin Takes on ‘Peerless Beauty,’ Battle for the Top Spot at Ding Sheng!”

Below were images of Su Jinfan’s disheveled state upon entering the hospital, followed immediately by Liu Xin’s striking promotional stills—undeniably eye-catching.

She couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, a smile curling at the corners of her lips. The entertainment industry was just that ruthless.

Just as Li Mochen opened the door and saw Su Jinfan inviting her for tea, she didn’t feel the slightest bit surprised. She sat down opposite Su Jinfan, pretending as if nothing had happened.

Li Mochen was the director of Dingsheng Group and the one who had originally discovered Su Jinfan, so she could be considered half a mentor to Su Jinfan.

“If you’re wondering why you got into this car accident, I can tell you it was indeed Liu Xin who arranged it. As fellow artists under the same company, there’s nothing you can do about it.” Li Mochen looked at Su Jin expressionlessly, then realized his words had been too hasty. He took a sip of his drink to change the subject. “But don’t worry, this incident hasn’t made you disappear from the public eye—that’s a good thing.”

“If I had died, would that also be a good thing?” Su Jinfan closed the magazine, her brows slightly furrowed.

For a fleeting moment, a trace of astonishment flashed in Li Mochen’s eyes. In his view, Su Jinfan was one of the rare pure souls in the entertainment industry—few scandals, never embroiled in any major controversies. Yet, the fact that Director Fang Hua immediately terminated the contract after her car accident had indeed plunged her into rock bottom.

If it weren’t for the fact that she was Su Jinfan, Li Mochen wouldn’t be wasting his time here with her!

Suppressing his displeasure, he forced a smile: “At least you didn’t die! Rest assured, if I had the ability to make you famous back then, I still have that ability now.”

“So, you see, even my own agency isn’t willing to stand up for me.” She leaned back in her chair, her eyes brimming with mockery.

“You know how unimaginable Liu Xin’s connections in the entertainment industry are after all these years. Just stay out of Xiao Fan’s matter.”

“Then if I were to die today, would you step forward to help me?!”

Li Mochen’s words were abruptly cut off by Su Jinfan’s sharp retort, leaving no room for rebuttal.

“Liu Xin took it upon herself to stir up rumors about me and the director. Now that such a big issue has arisen, you’re telling me to just endure it. This incident has already caused quite a negative impact, with many fans protesting in the comments.”

“You’re not a newcomer. You’ve been in the entertainment industry for so long—don’t you know the rules? Su Jin, even if you think you’re popular now and an award-winning actress, in front of Liu Xin, you’re just a rookie. Just endure it.”

“In that case, fine. Either I fire Sister Li right now and find myself a new agent, or I might as well part ways with Dingsheng altogether and look for a new company.”

“Su Jinfan! What’s gotten into you today?” Li Mochen’s suppressed anger finally boiled over, his expression turning grim.

Neither spoke another word, and the atmosphere grew tense.

Li Mochen had once been Su Jinfan’s first love, and he had been infatuated with her. But he had to climb the ladder step by step—in this industry, love alone couldn’t sustain anyone. Gazing at Su Jinfan’s face, he struggled to suppress the anger in his heart and forced what he thought was a pleasant smile. “Xiao Fan, I admit my attitude was poor just now. It’s just that this matter has been weighing on me these past few days. Do you know how much negative press I’ve had to suppress for you lately?”

“Although Liu Xin snatched away the good resources, there’s still one film left. Even though the themes overlap, this is your comeback plan for returning to the entertainment industry.”

This film is called “Chang Ge,” directed by a newcomer with less investment than “Peerless Beauty.” Moreover, the themes of the two films are almost identical, and their release dates fall within the same period. Under such circumstances, “Chang Ge” is practically a □□, as no one dares to take on this project—box office performance and public attention are simply no match for “Peerless Beauty.”

Li Mochen truly only remembers his new flame while forgetting his old love—what an ungrateful wretch!

From the moment she started dating Li Mochen, she had always been at Ding Sheng Group. Their breakup later was because Li Mochen feared exposure, but in reality, he was already involved with Liu Xin. Now he hypocritically pretends to want to help her—what ill intentions! Does he truly mean to harm her or assist her?

“How can I get acting roles without the support of a talent agency?”

“You don’t need the company. You can do it yourself. Just be more generous and toast a few more drinks. The director will definitely remember you.”

Be more generous? Was Li Mochen’s implication not clear enough? Why not just say it outright—go to a hotel with the director.

Su Jinfan sneered inwardly, but her expression remained calm on the surface: “Li Mochen, how do you know that director would even go for someone like me?”

“You’re just too rigid. Do you know how many people in this industry rely on such methods to secure resources? Just build some connections, have meals, chat, and so on…” By the end, Li Mochen’s expression grew even more solemn.

Watching Su Jinfan look at her with disdain, he truly was such a great boss to her!

Her fists clenched and unclenched. “I understand, Director Li!”

“Su Jinfan, for old times’ sake, I’ll help you.” Li Mochen tapped the table, handing Su Jinfan the details of the director’s audition location and phone number before standing up. “Liu Xin is about to attend the filming banquet, so I have to go now. Contact me if you need anything.”

“Good!”

The private room’s door closed once more, and Su Jinfan’s face no longer held a trace of a smile.