Shen Li, who had always listened to her sister the most, immediately thought things through.
“I understand now, sister. I’m really not sad anymore, just… a little wronged.”
Shen Ci smiled at that. “Since you like this industry, you have to be ready to adapt at any moment. Don’t cry so easily. The entertainment world changes in an instant — one moment you’re crying from frustration, the next a better role might fall into your lap.”
Shen Li smiled and nodded. Beside her, Zhao Meina added, “Your sister’s right. And remember, in our first class the teacher told us: there are only small actors, no small roles. Shen Li, you’re so beautiful — even if you play a small extra, people will remember you.”
“Exactly,” the others chimed in.
With roommates like these supporting her, Shen Ci felt much better about not being able to stay by her sister’s side.
The next day at lunch, Xu Zishan deliberately sat near Shen Li to show off.
“Shanshan, you’re amazing — so quiet about it and yet you landed such an ‘important’ role.”
“Right? Ayü is the biggest maid role from the auditions, isn’t it?”
“In the original novel, that character is the most significant among all the maids and doesn’t even exit until much later.”
Several classmates from Class Eight surrounded Xu Zishan, flattering her. Everyone privately knew her father had invested money in the drama.
Her family had influence; she was expected to rise above her peers soon enough. So even though they knew she’d essentially bought the role, they still tried to cozy up to her.
Xu Zishan glanced at Shen Li and said with thinly veiled smugness, “Maybe the director just saw potential in me. Honestly, I don’t care who I play — it’s all the same to me.”
She ended with an innocent little nod, as if confirming her own words.
Shen Li and her friends, sitting just at the next table, heard everything clearly. Wang Chuhan rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, “Buying your way into the crew and still flaunting it everywhere — shameless.”
“Exactly,” Sun Yuan snorted, dropping a rib into Shen Li’s lunch tray. “Don’t mind her. People like that bring bad luck to anyone who gets close.”
If Shen Li hadn’t had her sister’s talk the night before, she probably would have spiraled inward again.
But now, after hearing Shen Ci’s analysis, she’d thought it through: debuting as a villain wasn’t a smart move. And Ayü’s character — treacherous, ungrateful, vile — was extremely unlikeable. During the audition she’d only performed one isolated scene; if she’d actually had to live in that hateful role on set, she might have struggled.
Being replaced might not be a bad thing.
Seeing her calm expression, her friends exchanged relieved looks. Zhao Meina smiled. “See? Your sister’s advice worked.”
That evening, Shen Ci rummaged through her closet, pulling out all the designer clothes she’d recently bought, wanting something formal enough for the cocktail party.
But after trying everything on, she realized that although she owned plenty of luxury brands, nothing was really appropriate for an investor gala. She’d never expected to be invited to such an event.
“I have a new Dolce & Gabbana dress. Want to try it?” Gu Lianxing, lounging on the bunk frame nearby, suggested.
Shen Ci looked over Gu Lianxing’s supermodel-slim figure with hesitation. “I doubt I could fit into your dress.”
“I bought the loose cut — you should be fine.”
With that, Gu Lianxing dug into her suitcase and soon pulled out a garment bag from the bottom.
Shen Ci tried it on — and surprisingly, it fit perfectly.
At least it looked far more appropriate than anything she owned.
Gu Lianxing patted a chair. “Sit. I’ll curl your hair into big waves.”
Seeing the curling iron in her friend’s hand, Shen Ci instinctively touched her right forearm, suppressing a sudden discomfort before shaking her head. “No need. I don’t like curly hair.”
Gu Lianxing didn’t notice anything amiss and simply nodded. “You’re gorgeous either way.”
That night at 7 p.m., Shen Ci arrived at the Huading Starlight Tower right on time.
“Miss Shen, punctual as always.”
Lu Jinzhao rushed out the moment he got her message. Even though Shen Ci wore a borrowed dress and hadn’t done a fancy hairstyle, he couldn’t hide the amazement in his eyes.
It was an understated, effortless elegance.
He offered his arm like a gentleman; Shen Ci calmly took it — just standard social etiquette at a high-end event.
But neither noticed that the moment they entered the ballroom, a camera shutter quietly clicked behind them.
Far down the hallway, Lin Biqi smirked with satisfaction as she lowered her phone.
“Qiqi, what are you taking pictures of? Do you know them?”
Lin Biqi gave a proud little snort. “Hmph. That girl is the Shen Ci I told you about — the one who seduced Brother Li Xiao. I’ve asked around: everyone says she was the one who broke up with him coldly. Something’s fishy. I bet Brother Li Xiao suspects she already found someone else. And now I’ve caught her red-handed.”
She sent the photo straight to Li Xiao.
“Brother Li Xiao, this is the kind of woman you’re still hung up on?”
Li Xiao, who had waited three days outside the women’s dorm without seeing Shen Ci, happened to be home when he received the picture.
In it, Shen Ci wore a black dress, the pale skin of her back exposed in a sharp contrast that was both stunning and — to him — painfully dazzling.
She’d always been conservative. He’d once begged her to wear black stockings for him and she refused. Now, for another man, she was dressed this seductively?
“Where is this?”
His fingers trembled as he typed, his eyes locked on the photo as though they might burn a hole through it.
At the dinner table, Li’s parents noticed their son’s strange expression and exchanged a wary glance.
“Son, what’s wrong?” his mother asked gently.
Li Xiao clutched his phone, ignoring her.
Lin Biqi, seeing his message, didn’t reply immediately. She knew Brother Li Xiao must be furious right now.
But it wasn’t enough. She wanted him restless, enraged — to drive his anger to the boiling point. Only then could that Shen Ci be taught a lesson.
Li’s mother, worried, stepped closer to check on him — but before she could speak, Li Xiao suddenly snatched up the wine glass in front of him and smashed it to pieces.
“Ah—!”
His mother screamed in shock. His father finally barked, “Xiao! What on earth are you doing?!”
“Dad, Mom, I’m sorry.” Li Xiao took a deep breath, fighting to restrain the fire surging in his chest, then furiously typed another message to Lin Biqi:
“Tell me where she is — right now. Or don’t ever show your face to me again.”
Lin Biqi looked at the screen and smirked triumphantly. She could feel his rage through the phone.
She replied slowly, savoring the moment:
“Huading Starlight Tower, top floor, V8 ballroom.”
(End of Chapter)