After Flirting with the Wrong Stand-in, I Overturned (GL) - Chapter 25

8:00 PM.

After hours of relentless attacks, the netizens were still clamoring. Many fans of the male lead had even formed groups to boycott the official Weibo account.

[The role of the Senior Sister is very important. Since special effects haven’t been added yet, there’s still plenty of time to find someone else for a reshoot.]

[Production team, don’t play dead!!]

[Can irrelevant people please stop dragging down our “Big Brother”?]

[…]

Yan Xun scrolled coldly through these comments from fans waving flags for him. Although he didn’t know who had dug up Lin Shuyan’s past, he felt a strange sense of amusement, as if watching a play.

Tsk tsk. Yan Xun shook his head. He couldn’t help but pay extra attention to the first person who had ever rejected him.

“We can’t let them keep posting like this.” Yan Xun’s manager hung up the phone and turned to him.

“I didn’t instruct them to do it, did I?” Yan Xun tossed his phone aside out of boredom. “Besides, what they’re saying makes sense. They’re doing it for my own good. I don’t want this drama affected by outsiders either.”

“Did she offend you?” The manager detected something off in his tone and frowned. Her expression quickly turned cold. “Did I not tell you? Do not mess with anyone in this crew.”

Director Wu was the type who despised such behavior the most. The manager didn’t mind Yan Xun dating a new person with every production as long as it was kept under wraps, but only on the condition that it didn’t affect his work. Yan Xun gave a light huff, clearly not taking the warning to heart.

“There isn’t a single message like this on the female lead’s side,” the manager said, handing the phone back to Yan Xun.

“Impossible,” Yan Xun muttered, scrolling in disbelief. “Just a moment ago…”

“They’ve all been deleted.” Originally, only a small portion of the female lead’s fans were worried, but now, there wasn’t a single trace from major or minor fan accounts. Aside from a few scattered accounts, it was hard to even tell if they were Rong Yu’s fans.

In the entertainment industry, reading the room is an instinct. Rong Yu’s fans were generally well-regarded, but it was unlike them to remain completely silent during an event like this. The manager had a vague feeling that something was about to happen…

The next instant, Yan Xun refreshed the feed in disbelief.

The post was from the cinematographer of the Let’s Go Together crew. Yan Xun had worked with this man, surnamed Cui, before. He was notoriously arrogant and his work was mediocre, but rumor had it he had a powerful background. Smaller stars had to endure him, and he only maintained a facade of politeness with top-tier celebrities.

Xiao Cui: [I have worked diligently in the entertainment industry for eight years. I never expected human nature to be so complex. While doing a review recently, I suddenly discovered a segment of footage from Let’s Go Together that wasn’t released. There was an issue with the film at the time, but I just found it. The lack of context caused many netizens to misunderstand. Given recent events, I want to tell the truth (Video). I didn’t realize my oversight would cause such a situation. I will reflect seriously in the future. Here, @LinShuyan, I’m sorry.]

The video showed the reality of Lin Shuyan on the set of Let’s Go Together. It filmed her from the moment she joined, showing her genuine reactions. She was shy upon arrival and didn’t speak much, mostly standing quietly to the side. When she wasn’t needed, she was very diligent, proactively helping the staff. During the second day of recording, Lin Shuyan was constantly using her sleeve to wipe sweat from her forehead; it was obvious she was physically unwell.

When Bai Zhanyan from her group volunteered to wash vegetables and other companions proposed their own tasks, Lin Shuyan—who hadn’t managed to cut in—defaulted to carrying water from the mountain.

The video followed her up the mountain and then quickly cut to a detail. Netizens immediately noticed that there was no pebble where the water bucket was originally placed. The camera shifted to show Bai Zhanyan kicking it there. The scene then cut to the subsequent chain of events.

[WTF, does this crew have no humanity? Making a sick person climb halfway up a mountain to carry water.]

[Are the other stars in the group blind? Not one of them offered to help! I actually had a good impression of certain people’s faces—turns out they look like this in reality. Unfollowed!]

[What a vicious woman. Did she kick that stone on purpose?]

[Yes, yes! When Photographer Cui mentioned ‘malice,’ I didn’t get it at first.]

[The person above, he’s no saint either, okay? ‘Finding the film’—what a lame excuse.]

[Is it photoshopped? If it’s real, why didn’t they release it earlier?]

[Passerby here; verified, this video is definitely not synthesized.]

[Too disgusting. Manipulating the edits, and even cutting Teacher Guo’s cooking credit to give it to Bai Zhanyan. I actually thought she was a polymath!]

[@BaiZhanyan, give us an explanation!]

Netizens began tagging Bai Zhanyan. While Bai Zhanyan did the deed, the fact that it was edited that way meant it wasn’t just her problem. However, since there were so many people in the crew, the public turned their main spearhead toward Bai Zhanyan.

“What is going on?” On the other side, Bai Zhanyan, who had been gaining sympathy points by playing the victim, looked at the screen in horror. Her voice was shrill. “Why was this released?”

“When was it filmed? And who told him to post it? Who exactly made him post it?!”

She had been careful at the time, ensuring no one saw her. When did he move the camera? If he didn’t release it then, why release it now?

“Go to hell, go to hell!” Bai Zhanyan gritted her teeth in hatred, but the barrage of comments came like a tidal wave.

Furthermore, reports began to surface that Bai Zhanyan wasn’t actually being “leeched” by unknown artists from Xingyu, but was actually hogging resources. Her “beautiful, strong, and tragic” persona collapsed instantly. In the hearts of netizens, she was now labeled as “vicious” and “scheming.” Occasionally, some fans tried to defend her, but they were drowned out by the sea of insults.

“Miss Ren…” Lin Shuyan wept with joy as she watched the increasing number of private messages apologizing to her. Her voice was choked with emotion. She wanted to say something, but nothing seemed enough to express her gratitude to Ren Xuan.

“I know. You never did those things,” Ren Xuan said with a soft smile. “The matter is resolved. Can you relax now?”

Lin Shuyan clasped her hands behind her back, wanting to deny it out of embarrassment. While she was building toys with Ren Ke earlier, she truly had forgotten about the internet.

It was as if those poisonous words were far away. In her eyes, heart, and hands, there were only those scattered parts; assembling them had become her greatest joy.

“Eldest Miss, dinner is ready.” Butler Wang appeared behind them with a smile, speaking kindly to Lin Shuyan. “Miss Lin, this way, please.”

“Sister Yan, I want to sit with you!” Ren Ke scrambled onto a chair, sitting next to Lin Shuyan on the opposite side of the table from Ren Xuan.

“Miss Lin, do you have any dietary restrictions?” Several types of porridge were prepared for dinner, along with a full array of side dishes—spicy, non-spicy, sweet, and salty. The kitchen had prepared everything.

“Thank you, I don’t.”

“Miss Lin, you don’t need to be so polite or formal,” the butler said with a smile as he finished serving the last dish. “Miss Lin, your luggage has been placed in your room. If you have any issues, you can come directly to me.”

Lin Shuyan opened her mouth to say thank you again but was cut off. Seeing that she looked a bit awkward, Ren Xuan laughed. “Uncle Wang, there’s nothing else here. You can carry on with your own arrangements.”

Butler Wang took the hint and withdrew.

With him gone, only Ren Xuan, Lin Shuyan, and Ren Ke remained at the table. Since she was in her own home, Ren Ke wasn’t shy at all. Despite her young age, she was experienced in looking after guests, reaching out her arm to grab food for Lin Shuyan.

“Ren Ke,” Ren Xuan interrupted her. “Take care of yourself. Your Sister Yan can do it herself.”

“But…”

“The dishes you like aren’t necessarily the ones your sister likes. For example, your Uncle Wang likes greens. Do you like them?”

Ren Ke shook her head quickly. Her little face crumpled at the thought. Ten-year-old Ren Ke had a chubby, round face; though she wasn’t exactly fat, she was a child who couldn’t live without meat and naturally had no love for vegetables.

Seeing the pair of sisters—the older one reasonably lecturing the younger one—a sense of warmth surged in Lin Shuyan’s heart. Watching Ren Ke quietly poke at her porridge, she couldn’t help but comfort her. “Thank you for the kind gesture, Keke. You’re at the age where you’re growing, so you should eat more. Sister Yan can help herself.”

“Mhm!” Ren Ke listened obediently. This little interlude passed quickly, and Lin Shuyan’s nervous tension was almost forgotten. The three of them ate together, without any forced social pushing, occasionally exchanging words that added a touch of warmth to the atmosphere.

After a post-dinner walk, Lin Shuyan and Ren Xuan went upstairs together. Butler Wang had told her she was in a room next to Ren Xuan’s. Lin Shuyan had naturally assumed it might be an old, unused room of Ren Xuan’s, but pushing the door open, she discovered that the decor, layout, and size all indicated it had been intentionally designed and cleaned. It had an independent bathroom, study, dressing room, and walk-in closet.

“Miss… Miss Ren…” Lin Shuyan turned to look at Ren Xuan.

“Do you like it?” Ren Xuan asked.

“…I do,” Lin Shuyan said. How could she not? “It’s just… a bit too big.”

“It’s not big,” Ren Xuan thought to herself. This person is going to be a shining superstar in the future; even this closet and dressing room might end up being too small.

“Why was such a… room empty next to yours?” Lin Shuyan had many questions, and she stammered them out. It was too much of a coincidence—the moment Miss Ren suggested she move in, there just happened to be such a room.

“It was originally prepared for Xiao Ke,” Ren Xuan lied without blinking an eye. Her voice carried no hint of hesitation, and the last of Lin Shuyan’s doubts vanished.

Lin Shuyan looked up and asked innocently, “Where does Xiao Ke live now?”

“Across the hall.”

“I thought it was a waste to leave such a large space empty, so I had Uncle Wang tidy it up. Xiao Ke occasionally brings friends over to play. I figured that if I’m not home, having this floor ready means Xiao Ke has company on this level.”

“I see,” Lin Shuyan said sincerely. “Miss Ren, you’re so thoughtful.”

Even Ren Xuan, who could lie on command, felt her face redden at this praise. She nodded barely to accept the compliment. “Get some rest. I won’t disturb you. I’m right next door, so if anything happens, call me immediately. Uncle Wang lives on the first floor, the second room on the left. If there’s anything you don’t like, you can ask him.”

“Mhm.” Knowing Ren Xuan was giving specific instructions, Lin Shuyan nodded. Looking at every detail of the room, she knew she couldn’t possibly be dissatisfied.

Ren Xuan, thinking she hadn’t missed anything, went downstairs. She had left a document on the first floor. While sitting in the living room for a moment, she ran into Butler Wang returning from the courtyard.

“Eldest Miss, was Miss Lin satisfied with the room?”

Ren Xuan instinctively looked toward the stairs; no one was there. Even though Butler Wang hadn’t said anything incriminating, she felt like a thief caught in the act.

Butler Wang smiled slightly. “I just saw from outside; Miss Lin is on the balcony putting away her clothes.”