《Plagued by bad reviews, but the top actress!》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 1 The Queen Traveled Through Time Chapter 1: Chapter 1 The Queen Traveled Through Time Editor: Atlas Studios Xia Weibao had never imagined that she would live to see another day. The memories of her past life ceased with the cup of poison following the death of the emperor. As His Majesty passed away, the empress followed him in death, and the imperial couple was buried together. When she opened her eyes again, it was a thousand years later, in the body of a has-been actress with the same name and surname. In this era, stars were like the actors of ancient times, except that the status of modern actors seemed to be much higher. She debuted at fifteen and soared to popularity. At seventeen, by the virtue of a film, she won Best Actress and became the youngest winner in history. Two scandal-free years upon her debut, she was seen as a rare gem in the entertainment industry! Every one of Xia Weibao¡¯s works was a hit in ratings and well-received in reviews! She was the legend who, in the eyes of the audience, could have easily relied on her looks but chose to dazzle with her acting skills! She was an unattainable myth in the world of showbiz! Yet, such a glamorous star, right after ascending the throne of Best Actress, was slandered in a drug and promiscuity scandal that appeared online the very next day. The topic #BestActressDrugsandPromiscuity, From Chaste to Wanton Woman# instantly exploded across the internet! And that wasn¡¯t all, her various indecent photographs began flooding everywhere. As the wall crumbled, everyone turned against her. Artists who had worked with her stepped forward to denounce Xia Weibao as a diva who used body doubles and photo-editing, claiming her acting was all a sham. Even her Best Actress title was said to have been acquired through bribery and sleeping her way up. Directors who had collaborated with her publicly disclosed that Xia Weibao offered herself for roles. Suddenly, controversies about hype, plastic surgery, mistresses, bribery, diva behavior, and underhanded tactics to rise to fame, all these allegations were being hurled at Xia Weibao. The once clear stream of the entertainment circle had turned into a mudslide! She was disgraced and her reputation shattered! All this negative press was like a bolt from the blue to the kind-hearted Xia Weibao! It caught her off guard. Her agency unceremoniously terminated her contract without any explanation, and endorsements and film offers were canceled one after another. The once-celebrated Best Actress became a pariah overnight. Fans raged, cyberbullying ensued, and she faced wave after wave of personal attacks. The hashtag #XiaWeibaoGetOutofShowbiz# quickly became the hottest topic! Burdened with scandals, facing huge compensation fees, and fan backlash, she was almost driven to a breaking point. Threatening letters, blood-stained knives, slaughtered chickens, all sorts of cruel pranks were incessant. She was pelted with rotten eggs when she went out, her car was vandalized, and she couldn¡¯t buy anything at the supermarket; she was scorned by thousands! Under immense pressure, Xia Weibao finally succumbed and lost her sanity. She spent three years in a mental institution. Until two days ago, a fianc¨¦ from who knows where appeared, took her out of the mental institution, and they got married. But somehow, the deranged Xia Weibao fell down the stairs and died. And that led to the rebirth of her soul. Reflecting on the life of the original owner of this body, she was moved by its dramatic rise and fall. Xia Weibao thought to herself, what a pitiful child. On second thought, were the people of this era a thousand years later all fools to believe in such an obvious conspiracy? Or was the power behind it so great that crushing Xia Weibao was as easy as crushing an ant? After searching the memories in her mind, Xia Weibao was a simple and hardworking girl who hadn¡¯t argued with anyone for the two years since her debut, let alone held deep grudges. Who would go to such lengths to completely ruin her? Her head aching, Xia Weibao massaged her temples. Let it be, she told herself. She was once the proud Empress of the Great Xia Kingdom, who dominated The Six Palaces and struck awe in the Imperial Court, an old demon over a thousand years. Afraid of the demons and monsters a thousand years later? Not a chance! ¡°Let dragons coil for me, and tigers crouch at my feet!¡± Her Majesty the Empress thought proudly as she stood up and placed her foot on the bedhead, exuding dominance! As long as she could escape the lustful Dog Emperor, hell, she was even willing to accept this transmigration!!! Snap¡ª Just then, a faint sound came from the doorway. Xia Weibao turned her head to look and saw a calm and devastatingly handsome figure appear at the door, making her legs go weak and her body feel faint¡­ ps: Recommending two completed novels to the ladies out there: ¡°Hello, Mr. Superstar¡± and ¡°Hello, Mr. Campus Hunk!¡± Featuring girls disguised as boys, exhilarating stories, sweet pampering, one-on-one romance, both with over ten million subscriptions! Quality guaranteed! You¡¯re welcome to dive in! O(¡É_¡É)O Chapter 2 - Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Turns Out to be a Lunatic Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Turns Out to be a Lunatic Editor: Atlas Studios Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± The immense pride she¡¯d just felt froze on her face as her body plummeted to the ground, falling like a stiff board. Her Majesty the Empress always considered herself a civilized person, who never cursed, but at that moment she couldn¡¯t help but let out a series of expletives! Hadn¡¯t she died? Hadn¡¯t she been reborn a thousand years later? Why was the Dog Emperor here as well!!! Once she regrouped, she sprang up with a carp¡¯s flip and performed a standard courtly bow, ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Lu Hualiang glanced at her indifferently and walked in, taking a seat on the sofa expressionlessly. He leaned back, legs naturally crossed. His demeanor cold and noble, unbearably indifferent and distinguished. With eyebrows like sharp swords and stars, a straight nose, and thin lips lightly pursed, his features seemed even more cutting. His eyes, cold as a frigid pool, fell upon Xia Weibao. This sent Xia Weibao¡¯s heart pounding; had Emperor Xia Liang traversed time, or was this man merely a look-alike? With the authority of long-standing power, even a look-alike was enough to scare her substantially. Special Assistant Yang Su, who followed Lu Hualiang, watched Xia Weibao¡¯s bizarre behavior with silent disdain. A lunatic indeed¡­ ¡°Sign it.¡± Lu Hualiang withdrew his gaze and spoke coolly. Yang Su immediately tossed a contract her way. Xia Weibao accepted it and, possessing the original host¡¯s memories, found understanding the simplified characters easy enough. ¡°Divorce Agreement¡­¡± Quickly recalling what a divorce agreement was, Xia Weibao¡¯s eyes widened in shock. In this era, divorce was akin to a separation agreement, akin to dethroning for someone of her status¡ªa demotion from Empress!!! Her head shot up, incredulous, ¡°Your Majesty, are you really going to demote your Empress?!¡± Lu Hualiang, ¡°¡­¡± Yang Su, ¡°¡­¡± Mental case¡­ Assistant Director Yang¡¯s face twisted in disbelief, first sending Xia Weibao a look of concern befitting someone mentally challenged, then filled with awe for his own master, who could remain unruffled in the face of a mentally ill patient; truly a divine being! Lu Hualiang maintained his tranquil demeanor; to him, Xia Weibao was but a stranger, merely a means to an end. She wasn¡¯t worth his attention at all! ¡°Sign it, be Madam Lu for a year, then divorce. That¡¯s the condition for the master to take you out of the mental hospital; otherwise, you¡¯ll be sent back!¡± Yang Su threatened. Idiots are so easily fooled, ¡°Xia Weibao, you should be clear about your own status, don¡¯t delude yourself¡­¡± Before Yang Su could finish his sentence, he saw Xia Weibao unhesitatingly bite her own finger and press it onto the divorce agreement. ¡°Signed. A deal is a deal; let¡¯s part on good terms.¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s eye twitched at her eccentric signing method. Pressing a fingerprint¡ªwhat an old-fashioned way of signing; how on earth did she think of that? A glint of darkness flitted through his inscrutable eyes. This woman was known for climbing the ranks through vanity and underhanded methods; now that she had finally managed to latch onto the prominent Lu Family, she agreed to the divorce so readily? Quite the surprise. Moreover, she seemed rather eager to rid herself of him? Lu Hualiang¡¯s frosty gaze grew heavier, a touch of displeasure tinging his brows. Yang Su glanced up at Xia Weibao, obviously surprised at her readiness to agree to the divorce. This mistress was not quite like the rumors suggested¡­ ¡°May I leave now?¡± Xia Weibao looked at Lu Hualiang with a touch of indifference. The tone of breaking ties made the displeasure on Lu Hualiang¡¯s face deepen, significantly lowering the pressure in the vicinity. Hah! Playing hard to get. His gaze deepened; this woman was indeed clever, choosing a path unlike other women who exhausted themselves trying to share his bed; she did the exact opposite. True to her reputation as a famous actress, she had a sharp mind! Lu Hualiang looked at Xia Weibao with a mix of contempt and inquiry. This person didn¡¯t seem genuinely insane. Probably just an act. As Xia Weibao regarded the divorce agreement in her hands, the corners of her lips turned up slightly, and she couldn¡¯t help but chuckle softly. Then immediately, she reined in all expression. Keep it low-key, don¡¯t let the Dog Emperor realize you want to be dethroned. No, divorced. Adopt the modern mindset; be trendy. Just thinking about being free in a year made her so happy she was almost delirious. It looked like she needed to spend a few days in the mental hospital to cool down. After all, in her previous life she had entered the palace at sixteen; despite the thousands of beauties in the Imperial Harem, the emperor favored only her! Aside from attending to his sleeping quarters, what else? Damn it, ten years in the palace yielded one Crown Prince, four princes, and a princess! Six children in ten years! Even a sow isn¡¯t bred like that! One could imagine how torturous her life in the palace had been! The chance to escape the dragon¡¯s clutches excited her to the point of near insanity. Seeing her nervously excited state, Lu Hualiang¡¯s disgust intensified. Quite the performance! He didn¡¯t dislike a woman with strategies, as long as those schemes weren¡¯t used on him. Yang Su didn¡¯t have his master¡¯s vanity or wandering thoughts; at the moment, his mind was filled with one constant refrain: Lunatic¡­ Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: Chapter 3 The Number One Bitch in the Entertainment Industry! Chapter 3: Chapter 3 The Number One Bitch in the Entertainment Industry! Editor: Atlas Studios Xia Weibao was an extremely adaptable person, having fully immersed herself in the new environment after just one day. At night, she sat cross-legged on the bed with a laptop in front of her. It was said to be a high-tech product, very advanced and awesome, the kind you wouldn¡¯t understand if I told you. She logged into her Weibo account rather clumsily. She remembered, after the scandal broke involving the body¡¯s original owner, the company, fearing she would speak out of turn, had immediately frozen her Weibo account. She wasn¡¯t sure whether it had been unfrozen now. After a try, she got in! Her Majesty the Empress felt a little excitement, remembering she had over five million followers on Weibo. The thought of so many people liking her filled her with joy. However¡­ Nu Ji! Why were there only fifty thousand followers!!! She must have logged into a fake Weibo! Definitely! After scrutinizing it, Her Majesty the Empress finally accepted with tears that her followers had indeed dropped from five million to fifty thousand. One could imagine how big the impact of that event was at the time! Just thinking about it, a trending topic popped up. #XiaWeibaoLeavesPsychiatricHospital# She twitched the corners of her eyes violently. No way, even leaving the hospital could trend. A phrase suddenly jumped into her mind, ¡°black to the extreme is red¡­¡± She did a search and found that she dominated the top three trending topics! #EntertainmentsNumberOneBitchXiaReturns# #ShockXiaJiKeptByMysteriousMan# The comments were a mixed bag. ¡ª¡ªDamn, Xia Weibao actually came out of the psychiatric hospital! ¡ª¡ªHehe, Bitch Xia¡¯s comeback, just when the entertainment industry was calming down, it¡¯s going to be a bloody mess again ¡ª¡ªUpstairs, it¡¯s lecherous mess, thanks, which digging king can spill the beans, which guy did Bitch Xia hook up with to get out of the hospital? ¡ª¡ªTruly shameless, even when she¡¯s gone mad she can still hook up with guys [Despise]. ¡ª¡ªXia Yeji has been quiet for two years and finally can¡¯t suppress the raging lust inside! Back to wreak havoc on social morals! ¡ª¡ªHehe, probably couldn¡¯t stand being unloved and lonely for two years, dirty shameless [Vomit][Vomit] ¡ª¡ªWho says Xia Ji hasn¡¯t had men for two years, there are men in psychiatric hospitals okay, probably all the sickos are tired of sleeping with her [Sneer][Sneer] ¡ª¡ªI mean, though Bitch Xia has issues with character, her face and body are quite good, must be nice to have a go, wonder how much she charges per night [Lewd Smile] ¡ª¡ªPlastic surgery face counts as pretty? Are those big breasts full of silicone, not afraid they¡¯ll explode? ¡ª¡ªI¡¯ve had her, plenty of water! Very lewd! Intense! Top quality in chickens haha ¡ª¡ªI¡¯ve had her too, that lewdness, nearly killed me with the fumes [Evil Grin] ¡ª¡ªYou guys really dare to ride Xia Weibao, that kind of public bus, aren¡¯t you afraid of catching AIDS? [Despise][Despise][Despise] ¡ª¡ªCalling her a public bus is already elevating her! Is she even as clean as a public bus, she¡¯s a public toilet, and the kind you don¡¯t flush after using¡­ ¡ª¡ªSeriously disgusting, you guys are even discussing such a person, Xia Weibao roll out of the entertainment circle! ¡ª¡ªXia Weibao roll out of the entertainment circle! ¡ª¡ªXia Weibao roll out of the entertainment circle¡­ The topic #XiaWeibaoRollOutOfEntertainmentCircle# once again topped the trending charts. Staring at all those unacceptable comments, Xia Weibao shook with rage, her face terrifyingly grim. Even though the insults weren¡¯t directed at her, she could feel boundless anger! The destructive power of verbal attacks was truly frightening, talking about an innocent girl like this, wasn¡¯t it purely driving her to death! And to think about that once gentle and lovely woman, it was in such an environment that she was driven insane! These so-called keyboard warriors, wielding the high ground of morality to judge others¡¯ life and death, are the real executioners! Behind their screens, no one knows who is who, and they think they can do whatever they want, right? Without legal punishment, they think they can brazenly commit violence, right? Watching those comments refreshing endlessly and becoming increasingly low, Xia Weibao laughed bitterly in rage. Such a laugh was chilling. She clumsily typed a few words and then sent out a Weibo post. [I¡¯m back.] Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Single by Strength! Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Single by Strength! Editor: Atlas Studios Alright, this room was his, the bed too, and if he wanted to sleep, he would sleep. But there was one thing she couldn¡¯t understand, was this man truly Emperor Xia Liang? If so, then why was he so cold to her? If not, then why marry her, a woman with such a notorious reputation? Marrying her only to sign a divorce agreement? Her Majesty the Empress wasn¡¯t one to trouble herself, so since she couldn¡¯t figure it out, she decided not to think about it anymore. She flipped the blanket aside and went to sleep. Speaking of which, these modern mattresses really were nice, soft and warm, much more comfortable than sleeping on a dragon bed. She turned her back to Lu Hualiang, her body edging as far from him as possible towards the side of the bed, away from the man behind her. If they were going to depose the Empress, might as well do it thoroughly. Watching her actions, which seemed to avoid suspicion, Lu Hualiang¡¯s eyes deepened, followed by a derisive snort, Acting! He was a light sleeper, and hadn¡¯t been asleep for long when he felt a pair of soft, boneless hands stealthily climbing onto his chest. His eyes flicked open, dark as obsidian, sharp as an eagle¡¯s. When he saw it was Xia Weibao constantly squirming into his embrace, Lu Hualiang¡¯s scalp tingled! He had a severe case of mysophobia, hating others touching his body, especially women with such foul names! With one hand, he pried Xia Weibao¡¯s arm off him, then lifted his leg and, with a sharp thud, kicked her off the bed! Admirable, admirable! Director Lu truly was a hero (good dog) living single by his own strengths! This dashing kick made it seem like the road to coax his wife in the future would also be quite stylish! Thud, a heavy object hit the floor. ¡°Ow~¡± Waking from her deep sleep, Xia Weibao got up clutching her lower back, furious. Rebellion! Who dared to kick Her Majesty the Empress out of bed, their whole families must be tired of living! Just as she was about to confront the offender angrily, she came face to face with Lu Hualiang¡¯s cold gaze. Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do it again, and I¡¯ll break your hand!¡± Lu Hualiang gritted his teeth. This woman, truly playing hard to get and revealing her true nature as soon as night fell! Her Majesty the Empress claimed she was wronged, what had she done? Just sleeping obediently, how did she provoke him? Forget it, a wise woman does not fight with a despot! After all, this man could execute her entire clan. Just as she was about to climb back into bed, Lu Hualiang¡¯s piercing gaze frightened her. ¡°Go sleep on the couch!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Xia Weibao held back anger, itching to snap back. But meeting Lu Hualiang¡¯s sharp, knife-like gaze, she felt the cow inside her cower. Once again, those eyes confirmed that he was not someone she could afford to provoke. She could only take a pillow and head to the couch. As she turned around, tears of grievance trickled down inside her. Dog Emperor, not even leaving me in peace after death! When she woke up the next day, Lu Hualiang had already left. She heard he would be away on a business trip for a few days, and Xia Weibao cheered! Sitting on the couch, she opened her laptop and logged into her Weibo again. For someone from ancient times, everything about this world was fascinating. The status update she had posted before sleeping last night had gone viral, and she had also been viciously attacked. ¡ª¡ªDammit! Bitch Xia actually has the face to post on Weibo! ¡ª¡ªHeheh, am I the only one who sensed the provocation in that sentence? Back then we worked together to drive her out of the entertainment industry, and now the first thing she says upon being discharged is ¡°I¡¯m back¡± ¡ª¡ªYou¡¯re not alone upstairs. ¡ª¡ªIt seems that this time Xia Ji has found herself a patron with quite the background, so arrogant [despise] Xia Weibao read the increasingly nasty comments with relish. Heheh, she really did find herself a big backer! Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Single by Strength! Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Single by Strength! Editor: Atlas Studios Alright, this room was his, the bed too, and if he wanted to sleep, he would sleep. But there was one thing she couldn¡¯t understand, was this man truly Emperor Xia Liang? If so, then why was he so cold to her? If not, then why marry her, a woman with such a notorious reputation? Marrying her only to sign a divorce agreement? Her Majesty the Empress wasn¡¯t one to trouble herself, so since she couldn¡¯t figure it out, she decided not to think about it anymore. She flipped the blanket aside and went to sleep. Speaking of which, these modern mattresses really were nice, soft and warm, much more comfortable than sleeping on a dragon bed. She turned her back to Lu Hualiang, her body edging as far from him as possible towards the side of the bed, away from the man behind her. If they were going to depose the Empress, might as well do it thoroughly. Watching her actions, which seemed to avoid suspicion, Lu Hualiang¡¯s eyes deepened, followed by a derisive snort, Acting! He was a light sleeper, and hadn¡¯t been asleep for long when he felt a pair of soft, boneless hands stealthily climbing onto his chest. His eyes flicked open, dark as obsidian, sharp as an eagle¡¯s. When he saw it was Xia Weibao constantly squirming into his embrace, Lu Hualiang¡¯s scalp tingled! He had a severe case of mysophobia, hating others touching his body, especially women with such foul names! With one hand, he pried Xia Weibao¡¯s arm off him, then lifted his leg and, with a sharp thud, kicked her off the bed! Admirable, admirable! Director Lu truly was a hero (good dog) living single by his own strengths! This dashing kick made it seem like the road to coax his wife in the future would also be quite stylish! Thud, a heavy object hit the floor. ¡°Ow~¡± Waking from her deep sleep, Xia Weibao got up clutching her lower back, furious. Rebellion! Who dared to kick Her Majesty the Empress out of bed, their whole families must be tired of living! Just as she was about to confront the offender angrily, she came face to face with Lu Hualiang¡¯s cold gaze. Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Do it again, and I¡¯ll break your hand!¡± Lu Hualiang gritted his teeth. This woman, truly playing hard to get and revealing her true nature as soon as night fell! Her Majesty the Empress claimed she was wronged, what had she done? Just sleeping obediently, how did she provoke him? Forget it, a wise woman does not fight with a despot! After all, this man could execute her entire clan. Just as she was about to climb back into bed, Lu Hualiang¡¯s piercing gaze frightened her. ¡°Go sleep on the couch!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Xia Weibao held back anger, itching to snap back. But meeting Lu Hualiang¡¯s sharp, knife-like gaze, she felt the cow inside her cower. Once again, those eyes confirmed that he was not someone she could afford to provoke. She could only take a pillow and head to the couch. As she turned around, tears of grievance trickled down inside her. Dog Emperor, not even leaving me in peace after death! When she woke up the next day, Lu Hualiang had already left. She heard he would be away on a business trip for a few days, and Xia Weibao cheered! Sitting on the couch, she opened her laptop and logged into her Weibo again. For someone from ancient times, everything about this world was fascinating. The status update she had posted before sleeping last night had gone viral, and she had also been viciously attacked. ¡ª¡ªDammit! Bitch Xia actually has the face to post on Weibo! ¡ª¡ªHeheh, am I the only one who sensed the provocation in that sentence? Back then we worked together to drive her out of the entertainment industry, and now the first thing she says upon being discharged is ¡°I¡¯m back¡± ¡ª¡ªYou¡¯re not alone upstairs. ¡ª¡ªIt seems that this time Xia Ji has found herself a patron with quite the background, so arrogant [despise] Xia Weibao read the increasingly nasty comments with relish. Heheh, she really did find herself a big backer! Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Hot on the list! Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Hot on the list! Editor: Atlas Studios If those keyboard warriors knew that she¡¯s now married to the most mysterious Emperor of Huaxia Country, I wonder if they¡¯d be so angry they¡¯d spit blood! Just thinking about it is so satisfying! Just then, a strange noise suddenly came from beside her. Xia Weibao was so startled she trembled, and then she realized it was her phone. A phone, have you heard of it? It¡¯s a very advanced and high-tech thing, you might not have seen one before, but it was also her first time seeing it. ¡°Sister Tong¡­¡± Xia Weibao glanced at the caller ID and immediately remembered who Sister Tong was. After the original owner was forcibly terminated by Empire Entertainment Media, she was left with a mountain of debt. To pay it off, she had no choice but to lower her status and sign with a newly established small company, Hongtu Media. Jumping from the top dog, Empire Entertainment, to the newly founded Hongtu, which hadn¡¯t even been operating for ten days, she was severely ridiculed! And this Sister Tong was the agent arranged for her by Hongtu Media. After figuring out the relationship, Xia Weibao answered the call, ¡°Hello, Sister Tong.¡± ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been discharged? How are you feeling?¡± A capable voice came through the phone. ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you for your concern, Sister Tong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I¡¯ve secured you a role, and the script has already been sent to your email. Go to the set by yourself tomorrow. I have a few newbies to look after, so I won¡¯t come to see you. Can you manage on your own?¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± She had carelessly browsed the web the night before and seemed to have seen a report that Hongtu Media would enter into asset liquidation next month, meaning bankruptcy¡­ Are there really newbies still to look after? Also, aren¡¯t scripts supposed to be printed out? How come it was sent to her email? Just because I traveled from ancient times doesn¡¯t mean you can take advantage of me, I¡¯m very smart! Glancing at the hot topics that were still soaring, today¡¯s popularity had been completely dominated by her! Xia Weibao¡¯s eyes sparkled lightly, it seemed Hongtu was also making a last-ditch effort, seeing her come back and become the talk of the town. So they wanted to take advantage of her current popularity to make a final gamble! See if they could make a miraculous comeback! With the corners of her mouth slowly curving up, Xia Weibao¡¯s gaze was inscrutable, ¡°Alright.¡± Hongtu needs a battle with their backs to the water, and isn¡¯t she also rowing against the current! This comeback, she not only wanted to reclaim her previous throne of Best Actress but also aim higher and go further! Relieved by her agreement, Sister Tong sighed, ¡°Baby, don¡¯t mind the rumors online, who says negative popularity isn¡¯t still popularity? Those people are just jealous of you. Just relax, focus on playing your role well, and I¡¯ll do my best to secure resources for you.¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± A company that¡¯s going to be auctioned next month, are you sure there are still resources? Seeing through it but not pointing it out, she was clueless about this world and still needed Sister Tong to help her navigate it. As long as she¡¯s given the opportunity, she¡¯s confident she can rise to fame instantly! However, when she opened her email, she was instantly dumbfounded. Chapter 7 - Chapter 7: Chapter 7 The Number One Scum of the Directors Circle! Chapter 7: Chapter 7 The Number One Scum of the Directors¡¯ Circle! Editor: Atlas Studios The grandiose ambitions I had just now were slapped away by this so-called script! There¡¯s no script, no lines, nothing at all. The email only contained one sentence, which was to have me play the Cleaning Maid in ¡°Allure.¡± An esteemed actress reduced to a cleaning lady, Her Majesty the Empress rejects such a role! With no information provided, my only option was to search online for the drama. ¡°Allure¡± is a web series centered around power struggles, but let¡¯s not talk about the content for now. When Xia Weibao saw the director¡¯s name, she almost couldn¡¯t control the surging energies within her about to erupt! She really wanted to call Sister Tong and ask what grudge she held against her to harm her like this! The director of ¡°Allure¡± is Xu Jiayang. Speaking of Xu Jiayang, it¡¯s a long story. And compared to me, he¡¯s quite a match! A graduate from the directing program, his first film broke a hundred million at the box office! The only director in the country to have won an Oscar for Best Director! He¡¯s made countless artists famous. It could be said that there hasn¡¯t been an actor who worked under him who didn¡¯t become popular! Impressive, right? However, this young and promising genius director suddenly got exposed for raping female artists; to be in his movies, you had to sleep with him first. Those who were unwilling were drugged, recorded on video, and blackmailed. After a few days of a police station tour, his reputation was ruined. Xia Weibao rested her cheek in her hand, another person blacklisted by the entertainment industry because of a scandal! If I¡¯m considered the top schemer in the entertainment circle, then Xu Jiayang is the scum of the directors¡¯ circle! Me acting in Xu Jiayang¡¯s movie, haha, what a joke. Even if it¡¯s just a cameo, I bet it would stir up a melodramatic scandal! Yet, the next day, she still went to the set as agreed. Opportunities had to be fought for by oneself. The entertainment industry is a place that flows like water; new faces are always smiling, while no one hears the old ones crying. To secure a foothold, one must have enough popularity! And to gain popularity, one has to show their face! I¡¯m currently completely banned, I need to tear open an exit for myself! Even if it¡¯s just as a cleaning lady, I¡¯ve accepted it! ¡°Stop dawdling, hurry up and change your clothes!¡± Xia Weibao had just arrived at the set when she heard a sharp scolding. Looking in the direction of the voice, she saw two women in white ancient costumes standing not far away. One of them she recognized, Lin Mier, a second-tier actress with a bit of fame. However, even as a second-tier actress, in the crew of ¡°Allure,¡± she had the highest status. ¡°Allure,¡± after all, is a low-budget web series with limited funds. Furthermore, since Xu Jiayang was the director, no one was willing to invest or act in his movie. Managing to get Lin Mier as the female lead was already unexpected. Xia Weibao felt ashamed; such a crew was really¡­ Difficult to describe. Lin Mier was still cursing, Xia Weibao wasn¡¯t listening carefully; just as she was about to change clothes, she saw the other woman in white turn around. The face was so pockmarked it was terrifying, ¡°completely disfigured¡± was an understatement to describe it. Disfigured¡­ Because the face was so frightening, Xia Weibao couldn¡¯t help but take a second look and noticed that the woman walked in a peculiar way. Before entering the palace in her past life, Xia Weibao was a renowned doctor in Jianghu, capable of miraculous medical feats! So, with one glance, she could tell that the woman with the disfigured face had an old leg injury, and it was very serious. ¡°How unlucky, what is Director Xu thinking, getting such an ugly woman to be my martial arts double, it¡¯s made my skin worsen,¡± Lin Mier arrogantly sat in a chair nearby, disdainfully pulling out a makeup mirror to touch up her makeup. Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Both Are Destitute at the Ends of the Earth Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Both Are Destitute at the Ends of the Earth Editor: Atlas Studios The assistant by her side passed over a bottle of water in a pleasing manner, ¡°Exactly, our Sister Mi is so beautiful, how could they find such a disgusting stunt double for you? It¡¯s clearly an insult.¡± The agent agreed, ¡°Being ugly is one thing, but trying to act like a big shot? Dawdling over changing clothes, and still has the nerve to say she injured her leg. If her leg is injured, what¡¯s she doing being a stunt double? She¡¯d be better off begging under an overpass. Less showing up and disgusting people.¡± Their words finally made Lin Mier¡¯s mood a bit better. But glancing at the low-tier supporting actors around her, she impatiently rolled her eyes. The assistant complained with a full face, ¡°Sister Mi, with your high price, why stoop to act in this garbage? It¡¯s too humiliating.¡± Lin Mier was disdainful, ¡°Even a rotten ship has three nails, Xu Jiayang has made so many A-listers famous, there must be a reason.¡± She¡¯d been hovering in the second tier for a long time, taking a role in Xu Jiayang¡¯s film was just trying her luck. Just then, a commotion arose nearby, ¡°Someone¡¯s hurt, go take a look.¡± Moments later, Director Xu Jiayang hurried over. Handsomely young looking with an air of someone in his mid-twenties, his eyes, however, held a world-weariness of a man in his thirties. This was clearly a young person crushed by life. ¡°Mier, there¡¯s been a small accident, the stunt double got injured doing a wire stunt, can you do this fight scene yourself?¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Mier¡¯s face changed, ¡°What?! Those dangerous shots, you want me to do them myself?¡± Director Xu¡¯s expression instantly darkened¡ªhe¡¯d had enough of actors with no professionalism! What¡¯s wrong with dangerous shots? If others can do it, why can¡¯t you? The agent immediately stood up, ¡°Director Xu, our Mier is delicate and expensive, how could she do such dangerous shots? What if there¡¯s an accident, could you afford it? Better hurry and find another stunt double.¡± The assistant complained fully, ¡°Even the stunt double can get hurt, the safety measures of the crew are too poor, you even dare to ask our Sister Mi to go.¡± Xu Jiayang held back a nameless rage. The stunt double was injured because she was already hurt, it wasn¡¯t a problem with the crew¡¯s safety measures. Lin Mier gave a disgusted look, what bad luck, had she known she wouldn¡¯t have taken this film. A washed-up director is a washed-up director, a piece of trash trying to make a comeback? Xu Jiayang¡¯s face grew stern, ¡°We can¡¯t find a stunt double on short notice, if you won¡¯t shoot, we¡¯ll have to delay until the afternoon.¡± ¡°How could we,¡± the agent said with a face full of arrogance, ¡°Do you think our Mier is like those trash? She¡¯s very busy, she has to rush to other engagements this afternoon and doesn¡¯t have the time to waste here.¡± The surrounding low-tier supporting actors, ¡°¡­¡± Damn it! You¡¯re all high and mighty, then roll out! Have the guts to act tough in front of A-list stars, always pretending to be someone in front of these newcomers! Xu Jiayang almost choked with anger. What is this wasting time! Being in his film is a waste of time? He wanted to explode in anger, but remembering that Lin Mier brought funding into the production, he could only hold it back. Go find a stunt double. Xia Weibao, who heard everything, had a glint in her eyes and followed along. ¡°Director Xu.¡± A sweet and gentle voice came from behind, Xu Jiayang turned around, and in the moment he saw Xia Weibao, astonishment flashed in his eyes. Xia Weibao was beautiful, undoubtedly so, even though her reputation was tarnished, it couldn¡¯t deny her beauty. Recognizing the person before him, Xu Jiayang was surprised. He had thought that after two years of madness, even if Xia Weibao made a comeback, she wouldn¡¯t be as good as before. But now, it seemed not only had she not regressed, she had become even more beautiful. And there was an indescribable charm about her. The rights and wrongs of the entertainment world are unpredictable. He had been through it, so he knew very well how dark the events surrounding Xia Weibao had been. It¡¯s just a pity for such a fine actor. Back then, Xia Weibao was an existence in the entertainment circle that one could only look up to. In the days of his success, he too had thought of casting her in a film. But as soon as the script was ready, he was sabotaged, and not long after, Xia Weibao also took a fall. Fellow travelers on a road of downfall. Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9 The Ungrateful Wolf! Chapter 9: Chapter 9 The Ungrateful Wolf! Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Is there something you need?¡± Xu Jiayang asked expressionlessly. ¡°Are you looking for a stunt double? I¡¯d like to give it a try.¡± ¡°You?¡± Xu Jiayang¡¯s gaze held a hint of hesitation. His first instinct was to refuse. Right now, Xia Weibao was mired in scandal, and anyone associated with her would end up tainted by association. Not to mention his own reputation¡­ If he got involved with Xia Weibao, it wouldn¡¯t just be the two of them affected, the entire Allure crew would be drowned in saliva! However, finding a last-minute stunt double really was difficult, and although Xia Weibao had never done a period drama, she had filmed modern action scenes and did have a martial arts background. The additional expenses for delaying shooting were something their small production team simply couldn¡¯t afford. Thinking of the burning costs, Xu Jiayang hesitated¡­ ¡°Look, Xia Weibao is actually going up to talk to Director Xu.¡± ¡°Damn! What does she want to do? She isn¡¯t trying to openly seduce Director Xu, is she?¡± ¡°Tsk, why would she need to seduce anyone? Director Xu and she are cut from the same cloth, birds of a feather.¡± ¡°Listen to what they¡¯re saying ¨C Xia Weibao wants to be a stunt double?¡± ¡°A movie queen reduced to a stunt double, tsk tsk¡­¡± Those whispering voices were annoying to Xu Jiayang. ¡°You¡¯re not suita¡­¡± ¡°Director Xu.¡± Xu Jiayang hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Lin Mier interrupted him. She approached him with a beaming smile, ¡°Director Xu, since Senior Xia wants to be a stunt double, why not give her a chance to try?¡± Xia Weibao was young, but she had become famous early on. Initially in the entertainment industry, many indeed addressed her as ¡®Senior¡¯. But now, times had changed and calling her Senior under the cloud of her tarnished reputation was no longer respect, but sarcasm. Nevertheless, Lin Mier acted as if unaware, continuing to smile brightly. Xia Weibao raised an eyebrow and said nothing. Hah! She wished they would save these little tricks instead of flaunting them before her. In the past, when she ruled over the Imperial Harem, with the Three Palaces, Six Courts, and Seventy-two Concubines, the palace intrigue plays were genuinely fascinating. These palace maid-level shenanigans were just pitiful. Lin Mier continued to smile, ¡°Director Xu, consider it a favor to me, let Senior Xia try. You might be in for a pleasant surprise.¡± After so many years in the entertainment industry, Xu Jiayang naturally saw through Lin Mier¡¯s agenda. He glanced at Xia Weibao and saw her standing tall and graceful, the very image of a character from a poem. Despite her expressionless face, she had an air of a majestic phoenix overseeing her realm. When their gazes met, Xia Weibao gave him a light nod, accompanied by a faint smile. To Xu Jiayang¡¯s surprise, she too had seen through Lin Mier¡¯s little game. If she didn¡¯t mind being used as a stepping stone¡­ ¡°Go change your clothes.¡± Xia Weibao nodded gently, ¡°Thank you, Director Xu.¡± That smile momentarily dazzled Xu Jiayang. As Xia Weibao passed by Lin Mier, she gave her a meaningful smile, ¡°Thanks, Sister Mi.¡± Lin Mier¡¯s smile was very friendly, ¡°You¡¯re welcome. You helped me back in the day; now that you are having trouble, how could I just watch and do nothing?¡± Xia Weibao¡¯s smile deepened. Yes, she had indeed helped Lin Mier. When Xia Weibao was at the pinnacle of her fame, Lin Mier was just a rookie starting out. Due to a slight resemblance to Xia Weibao, she was referred to as Xiao Weibao. Back then, Lin Mier, eager to curry favor with Xia Weibao, was more than willing to be the one to carry her shoes. Seeing her ambition and willingness to work hard, Xia Weibao took the initiative to introduce her to the director. And it was for that very film that gave the real owner the title of movie queen! Lin Mier was the third female lead! The third female lead! A role many actresses would fight tooth and nail for, and Xia Weibao went out of her way to negotiate more scenes for Lin Mier by arranging dinner with the director. But, when the scandal broke out, it was Lin Mier who first came forward, wielding photos of Xia Weibao supposedly accompanying the director to a hotel for the night! She sent her straight to Hell! Indeed, the real owner had been to the hotel with the director, but not for what the photos suggested; it was to negotiate for Lin Mier¡¯s role over dinner! An ungrateful wretch! Chapter 10 - Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Stunning the Crowd! Chapter 10: Chapter 10: Stunning the Crowd! Editor: Atlas Studios Recalling the past, Xia Weibao¡¯s smile was somewhat sinister, which sent a chill down Lin Mier¡¯s spine. She would reclaim everything this body¡¯s original owner once owed, one by one! By the time Lin Mier regained her composure, Xia Weibao had already left. ¡°Sister Mi, why are you helping her?¡± The assistant walked up to Lin Mier and grumbled discontentedly. ¡°Senior Xia helped me before, and one must repay kindness.¡± Lin Mier chuckled lightly, but her eyes were filled with endless irony. Help Xia Weibao? She wasn¡¯t out of her mind! Years ago, she had debuted under the name Xiao Weibao, and even after so many years, she still hadn¡¯t managed to escape Xia Weibao¡¯s shadow. At the beginning of her career, the moniker Xiao Weibao indeed brought her numerous benefits and had helped her rise step by step. But now, that name had become her burden! She couldn¡¯t shake it off, because she couldn¡¯t surpass Xia Weibao! But what if Xia Weibao became her stunt double? She believed that would be a very explosive topic! It would definitely hit the headlines! Xia Weibao, Xia Weibao, you¡¯re already past your prime; you might as well make yourself useful one last time and become my stepping stone! Lin Mier gave her agent a meaningful glance, and the agent understood immediately and went to take care of it. ¡°Sister Mi, you really are someone who repays kindness.¡± ¡°Yes, Sister Mi is so kind; nowadays, everyone stays away from Xia Weibao, only you remember old ties and support her.¡± ¡°Right, if it weren¡¯t for Sister Mi, Xia Weibao might not even be able to get a job as a stunt double.¡± ¡°Sister Mi is amazing, even an empress is acting as your stand-in.¡± ¡°Pfft, what empress? Xia Weibao is not even worthy to carry Sister Mi¡¯s shoes¡­¡± Lin Mier relished the deliberate flattery. She felt extremely smug inside, yet kept a humble appearance. ¡°Senior Xia is talented, even if it weren¡¯t for me, she would have been able to secure the role of a stunt double.¡± A stunt double, a stand-in. Nowadays, Xia Weibao was only fit to be her stand-in! ¡°Scoff, what talent? Her ¡®talent¡¯ is just being good in bed.¡± ¡°Exactly, they call her an empress, but besides that face, what else does Xia Weibao have¡­?¡± The snide remarks were cut off abruptly, unfinished. The previously noisy film set fell silent. Because Xia Weibao had changed into her costume and come out. She was dressed in white, floating elegantly as if otherworldly, with willow-leaf eyebrows above a pair of expressive watery eyes. Her features were delicate and yet grand, dignified and hazy like the moon seen through the mist. The entertainment industry is a place filled with beautiful women; we often exclaim over all kinds of beauty ¨C fashionable, trendy, cute. But there¡¯s a sort of beauty that¡¯s gradually vanishing. That is, classical beauty. Classical beauty defies a concrete definition. You¡¯d even find it difficult to describe what classical beauty looks like with words. But when someone with such an ancient sense of beauty appears before you, you suddenly realize. Oh, so this is classical beauty. At that moment, Xia Weibao had that exact effect! The moment she appeared, everyone was stunned! No Korean-style straight eyebrows, no internet-celebrity cone-shaped faces, no skin smoothing Photoshop filters. Her beauty was fresh and natural, different from the rest, breathtakingly stunning, as if she were a gentle woman who had stepped right out of a painting. Every frown and smile was gentle as water, every action conveyed what was alluring and captivating. With a ¡°pop¡± sound. Lin Mier crushed the water bottle in her hand. Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Change the Female Lead! Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Change the Female Lead! Editor: Atlas Studios Xia Weibao¡¯s innate classical temperament, which radiated from her very bones, was something her surgically altered face could not compare with. She was jealous, she was going crazy! Especially when she saw the look in Xu Jiayang¡¯s eyes as he gazed at Xia Weibao, Lin Mier felt uneasy. The reason Xu Jiayang had chosen her for the lead role before was partly because there were no better options, and partly because she had slept with investors and brought funding to the project. If there were now a better option, knowing Xu Jiayang¡¯s stubbornness, she wondered what kind of decision he would make¡­ She had never known that there were people whose beauty could cause such restlessness in the heart. Xu Jiayang looked deeply at Xia Weibao; no one knew what the genius director was thinking. Finally, he understood what that indescribable quality about Xia Weibao was. Classical beauty! The woman of the moment was exuding a classical and graceful charm from her very core. Otherworldly and stunning, gentle and touching. ¡°Get ready,¡± Xu Jiayang commanded with a grand gesture, and everyone took their places. Dressed in white, she floated gracefully like a startled swan. To the modern world, Qinggong was a myth. But for Xia Weibao, once a divine healer who roamed Jianghu, it was a vivid reality. She didn¡¯t need wirework to perform flying eaves and walking on walls. But to not terrify everyone, she obediently cooperated with the wire rigging. The fight scenes she shot flowed like clouds and water, smooth and natural, imbued with an intrinsic beauty. The moment she flew up from the ground perfectly embodied what it meant to be breathtakingly beautiful. Graceful and lively, her white attire surpassed the purity of snow. She didn¡¯t look like she was hanging from wires but rather like a fairy descending from the heavens, brimming with immortal energy. All the mockery from before had now vanished into thin air. That night, Xu Jiayang couldn¡¯t sleep. From the moment he saw Xia Weibao walk out of the changing room, he knew she was the Li Qingcheng he had been searching for. Lin Mier was arrogant and unruly, lacking any acting skills and sporting a mere internet-celebrity face. She simply couldn¡¯t compare with Xia Weibao. However, Lin Mier represented popularity, she represented capital. If Xia Weibao were to replace her, given the current state of the production, it would be an enormous problem. After pondering all night, at four o¡¯clock in the morning, he made a phone call. ¡°Damn it, Xu, do you know what time it is, waking people from their dreams?!¡± came the roaring voice from the phone, to which Xu Jiayang seemed to have grown accustomed. ¡°Leng Yan, I¡¯m thinking of changing the lead actress.¡± There was silence on the other end of the line for a while before asking, ¡°Who do you want to switch to?¡± ¡°Xia Weibao.¡± ¡°Xu Jiayang, have you had a stroke or been possessed?!¡± Another roar came through the phone. Changing the lead actress, and to Xia Weibao of all people, notorious Xia Weibao! Xu Jiayang¡¯s face was expressionless as he said, ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind, do you want those haters¡¯ spit to drown you? Everyone knows Xia Weibao¡¯s reputation; any man who gets involved with her gets torn to shreds! Everyone avoids her like the plague, yet you dare to cast her as the lead actress!¡± Without imagination, the headlines the next day would either be about Xia Weibao climbing into Xu Jiayang¡¯s bed, or Xu Jiayang forcing himself on Xia Weibao! Leng Yan sat up in bed, irritatedly tugging his hair, wondering what had gotten into his friend in the middle of the night. ¡°Leng Yan, I can¡¯t settle for this.¡± Chapter 12 - Chapter 12: Chapter 12: A Fight with the Back to the Water! Chapter 12: Chapter 12: A Fight with the Back to the Water! Editor: Atlas Studios Xu Jiayang¡¯s voice was somewhat hoarse, and he was not willing to give up. Originally, he entered the film industry with a passion for movies, determined not to bow down to power, not to follow the trend, and to make the films he wanted to make. He never made commercial films. But now, He was groveling to an actress for investment. Making the kind of shoddy films that were produced like assembly line products. He had already banished and degraded himself, but it was Xia Weibao¡¯s aura that gave him hope. ¡°Leng Yan, I am not willing to have my life end like this. Movies are my dream, and one day, I will stand up again!¡± In Xu Jiayang¡¯s eyes, there burst forth an unprecedented light, as if he was back when he first entered the film industry. Leng Yan scratched his head in frustration. ¡°Starting over is not easy. Don¡¯t forget, you are being blacklisted now. Without Lin Mier, you have no funding, you can¡¯t even start filming. And as for Xia Weibao¡¯s current situation, whoever uses her is courting death!¡± Xia Weibao was one of his artists, so he was very clear about how bad her situation was. Xu Jiayang pursed his lips, patiently painting a picture for his best buddy. ¡°Leng Yan, are you really content with this? Hongtu is your blood, sweat, and tears, do you want to just watch it close down? Half of the ¡®Allure¡¯ crew members are from Hongtu. If this play becomes a hit, Hongtu will surely come back to life!¡± Cough cough, it¡¯s shameful to say, but the crew is so poor they can¡¯t even afford actors, all sponsored by Hongtu cough cough cough. It must be said, this pitch was very tempting, and Leng Yan was drooling. Snapping back to reality, he shook his head vigorously. This best friend of his was known for setting traps, and if it sounded too good, it was definitely a huge pit! ¡°No, no, no.¡± Xu Jiayang gritted his teeth, why wasn¡¯t he falling for it! It seemed he had to use his trump card now! ¡°If Hongtu closes down, your goddess will become someone else¡¯s wife!¡± That was a bull¡¯s eye! ¡°Crap!¡± Leng Yan, stimulated, suddenly jumped up from the bed. Dare to snatch my goddess, I¡¯ll cut off your little jj! ¡°Xu Jiayang, do whatever you want to do! I¡¯ll back you up even if I have to sell everything I have!¡± The foolish beast finally saw the light, and Director Xu felt gratified. ¡°Leng Yan, support Xia Weibao. Together, we can definitely turn her into an international superstar!¡± Leng Yan¡¯s fighting spirit was instantly ignited! They were all at the age brimming with youthful energy, who didn¡¯t have a heart ready to be trapped! ¡°No problem, we¡¯ll concentrate all of Hongtu¡¯s resources, I will definitely turn her into the Eastern Pearl!¡± ¡°As long as you have this intention, regarding the funding, just mortgage Hongtu and get a loan. It¡¯s only temporary. Once ¡®Allure¡¯ becomes a hit, we¡¯ll earn it all back!¡± ¡°No problem!¡± Leng Yan declared grandly, thumping his chest, ¡°Leave it to me!¡± The foolish Leng was still smug in the beautiful blueprint Xu Jiayang had drawn, until half an hour later, he came back to his senses, dazed. Huh, something seems wrong¡­ Crap! Xu you¡¯ve trapped me again!!! My Hongtu aaaaaah! However, no matter how crazy he got, he did not regret it. The pie that Xu Jiayang had drawn was too tempting. If it succeeded, it would be like a salted fish turning over, washing away the disgrace of the past! A company on the brink of bankruptcy, a director at the end of his rope, and a disgraced actress. Burning their boats, they were ready for a do-or-die battle! Xia Weibao, I hope you don¡¯t make me regret today¡¯s decision. Chapter 13 - Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Scandal Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Scandal Editor: Atlas Studios The next day, Xia Weibao received a call from Sister Tong. ¡°Baby, I have some good news to tell you; hurry over to the company.¡± ¡°What is it, Sister Tong? You sound so happy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s huge good news; I¡¯ll explain when you get here. Baby, your future is boundless.¡± Xia Weibao raised an eyebrow, vaguely guessing it had something to do with the move she pulled off the previous day. So, she quickly changed clothes and left. Although Lu Hualiang had signed the separation document with her¡­ spit, the divorce agreement. From now on, she needed to learn to be a modern person and abandon the habits of ancient people. Even though she had only been Madame Lu for a year, Lu Hualiang had been quite good to her; he didn¡¯t restrict her freedom, and he even provided her with a car. Have you heard about cars? Apparently, they¡¯re very advanced and high-tech, a means of transportation, and they can go even faster than a fine steed! Maybe you haven¡¯t seen one, but she was seeing one for the first time. Her Majesty the Empress was worldly-wise and truly didn¡¯t want to appear as astonished as Granny Liu entering The Grand View Garden. But when she sat inside the custom-made Maserati worth tens of millions, she couldn¡¯t help but gawk with stars in her eyes and salivate. This iron steed was too cool! She recalled the steps of the original owner driving the car. Release the parking brake, shift gears, floor the accelerator! With a loud roar, the luxury car shot out instantly, punching a hole in the garage door. The butler, ¡°¡­¡± The servants, ¡°¡­¡± Looking at the big hole in the door, everyone swallowed hard. The young madam was too¡­ fiercely impressive! Meanwhile, Xia Weibao, who had already zoomed away in the car, was enjoying the speed and passion, driving very smoothly. It was so cool, really too cool! This feeling was even more thrilling than flying eaves and walking on walls! As Her Majesty the Empress was getting her fill of speeding around, a news story was taking off online! #BitchXiaShameless, Slept Her Way to the Top# Once this news broke out, it swept through the internet like a storm! In less than ten minutes, it had been shared thousands of times and commented on over ten thousand times, swiftly rising to the top of the trending searches! This rate of propagation was, indeed, astonishing! Following that, today¡¯s hot topics were dominated by the name Xia Weibao! #XiaWeibaoStealsLinMier¡¯sRole# #XiaWeibao¡¯sUnder-the-TableDeal# #XuJiayang&XiaWeibao, A Perfect Match of Scum and Bitch# #PoorLinMier# #BoycottAllure, SleazyProductionCrew# Today, all the topics were inseparable from the three words Xia Weibao. And the comments below rose at an unprecedented speed. ¡ª¡ªDamn! Bitch Xia really is the worst of the lot, climbing into Xu Jiayang¡¯s bed on her very first day back! ¡ª¡ªAmazing, amazing, unmatched coquettish skill, a paragon of sluts! Just feel sorry for our Mier, having her role snatched away from her hands. ¡ª¡ªSpit, Xu Jiayang isn¡¯t any better, a director with twisted values, why doesn¡¯t he get hit by a car when he walks out! ¡ª¡ªHeh, a match made in heaven, trashy Xu and bitch, joined at the hip [Vomiting] ¡ª¡ªSo disgusting, how can there be such repulsive women in the world [Angry][Angry] ¡ª¡ªReading this makes me want to throw up, I was going to watch ¡°Allure¡± for my goddess Mier, but now, heh! ¡ª¡ªInsisting on boycotting ¡°Allure.¡± Any show with Xia Weibao in it, if I even glance at it, I lose! ¡ª¡ªIf I glance at ¡°Allure,¡± I¡¯ll gouge out my eyes! ¡ª¡ªHarakiri¡­ ¡ª¡ªSuppress Xia Weibao, boycott Xu Jiayang, boycott ¡°Allure¡±!!! ¡­ The increasingly uncontrollable public opinion caught Xu Jiayang off guard. How did the news of the female lead change get out so quickly when it had just been settled? And this rate of propagation, it was clear someone was manipulating it behind the scenes! Chapter 14 - Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Being Pelted with Rotten Eggs Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Being Pelted with Rotten Eggs Editor: Atlas Studios Xia Weibao arrived at Hongtu Media and saw the company¡¯s entrance surrounded by reporters. She frowned, what was going on? Wasn¡¯t Hongtu about to go bankrupt? She hadn¡¯t expected there would still be so many journalists crowding around. She had just pushed open her car door when a sharp-eyed reporter spotted her. ¡°Look, Xia Weibao is here.¡± Xia Weibao had just gotten up and received a call from Sister Tong, so she didn¡¯t know what was happening on the internet yet. Seeing so many people swarming towards her, she was somewhat puzzled. Then she thought that she was now a big star, and maybe these were all her fans. So she greeted them with a smile and even kindly waved at the reporters who kept coming. ¡°Hi¡­ ow!¡± Before she could finish greeting them, someone pushed her, and then she was surrounded by a throng of people. Countless microphones engulfed her like a flood beast. The reporters had a crazed look about them, as if they wanted to drink her blood and eat her flesh! One sharp question after another was thrown at her, catching Xia Weibao off guard. ¡°Xia Weibao, please tell us your relationship with Xu Jiayang.¡± ¡°Xia Weibao, there are rumors online that you slept with Xu Jiayang and stole Lin Mier¡¯s role. Is that true?¡± ¡°Xia Weibao, whose luxury car is that behind you?¡± Only then did people realize that Xia Weibao was actually driving a custom-made Maserati! Originally, after being forcibly terminated by her agency, Xia Weibao was left with huge debts and had no income for three years. Having just left the mental institution, she certainly couldn¡¯t afford such an expensive luxury car. So, it was obvious where the car must have come from. The reporters immediately became excited like flies upon seeing dung. ¡°Xia Weibao, there¡¯s a rumor that you¡¯ve been kept by a wealthy businessman. Is it true?¡± ¡°We heard that you became a mistress and wrecked someone¡¯s family. How did you bring yourself to do such morally bankrupt things?¡± ¡°Miss Xia, regarding the matter of stars providing sexual favors, aren¡¯t you ashamed?¡± ¡°Miss Xia, you slept with Director Xu, does your backer know, or are you serving multiple men?¡± ¡°Miss Xia, is it because you are an orphan, born with a mother but raised without one, that your values are so skewed?¡± ¡°Xia Weibao, regarding the matter on the internet, don¡¯t you think you owe the audience an explanation? Lin Mier¡¯s fans demand you apologize to Lin Mier, you¡­¡± The overwhelming accusations grew sharper and sharper, leaving Xia Weibao a bit stunned. This was the first time she had encountered such a situation. But after all, she was the mother of a nation, having seen all sorts of scenes; she would not easily lose her composure. In the face of increasingly unbearable questions, she remained calm. In the upstairs office, Leng Yan watched this scene and almost threw Xu Jiayang down from the twenty-third floor in anger! ¡°Xu Jiayang, this is the consequence of you changing the female lead; let¡¯s see how you handle this!¡± His heart was bleeding. His company was at stake. Although he had anticipated that replacing Xia Weibao as the female lead would cause a backlash from netizens, he did not expect it to be this severe! Now, not only were Xia Weibao and Xu Jiayang blacklisted, but Allure and Hongtu had been blacklisted as well! The controversy continued to escalate, and the anger of the fans had reached an uncontrollable level! Especially Lin Mier¡¯s fans believed that Lin Mier had lost to Xia Weibao¡¯s lowly tactics and were now so angry they wanted to stage a protest to drive Xia Weibao out of the entertainment industry! The situation had become too serious. Seeing Xia Weibao besieged below, Leng Yan felt somewhat helpless. Xia Weibao, it was over for her. With such a tarnished reputation, how could she ever clear her name? Everything was ruined. Xu Jiayang¡¯s face was cold, and he said nothing. The situation was indeed much more serious than he had imagined. Just then, a few rotten eggs flew out from the crowd and were hurled towards Xia Weibao. Chapter 15 - Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Her Majesty the Empress Prevails! Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Her Majesty the Empress Prevails! Editor: Atlas Studios Xu Jiayang was shocked, ¡°Quick, go save them!¡± Being surrounded by reporters was one thing, but personal attacks were another matter altogether. No matter what, the first priority was to ensure personal safety! Leng Yan had also been frightened, and he immediately made a call for security to go out and drive the reporters away. Sister Tong had turned deathly pale with fright. Reporters and fans nowadays were really too crazy! To actually commit assault! In the midst of everyone¡¯s change in expression, a shocking scene unfolded. Downstairs, Xia Weibao saw someone throw rotten eggs at her. Her face, which had been fairly friendly moments ago, instantly darkened. With a cold and narrowed gaze, she swept over the crowd that was so crazed they looked as if their entire families had been killed. She thought to herself that the people nowadays were really not lovable, and she really wanted to properly teach them how to behave, while also bringing out their clans to greet them thoroughly. But this was a civilized society, where all acts of violence were wrong, so annoying. While everyone else was gloating, waiting to see Xia Weibao splattered with rotten eggs in a sorry state. Xia Weibao raised her hand, and caught all five rotten eggs. Yes, she caught five eggs with her bare hands! Then¡­ Then with a slight movement of her hand, the five rotten eggs flew back on their initial trajectory, smashing into the instigators! ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Five cries of shock sounded at once, and everyone was dumbfounded. There had been instances of celebrities being egged by malicious fans in the past; those celebrities usually fled in disgrace under the escort of their managers and security guards. But to retaliate by throwing the eggs back at the offenders, and to do so while remaining unharmed, poised, and elegant, was unprecedented! Everyone was stunned by the move Xia Weibao had pulled off, rendered as motionless as statues. Xia Weibao, on the other hand, scoffed with disdain. Then, amidst a crowd of petrified onlookers, she walked with her head held high and chest out towards Hongtu. When the crowd snapped back to reality, they went into an uproar! Especially the fans of Lin Mier who had been hit by the eggs, they were burning with rage. Good news seldom travels far, bad news has wings. The incident spread rapidly, and through exaggeration turned into Xia Weibao acting like a diva and physically attacking fans, causing yet another commotion! Her Majesty the Empress¡¯s Weibo had been completely overwhelmed, turned into a battleground of apocalypse, with insults flying until she was battered and bruised. Originally she had fifty thousand followers, now, only thirty thousand left¡­ And the number continued to fall¡­ Upon arriving at the twenty-third floor, Xia Weibao saw four people. She had seen Xu Jiayang yesterday. Sitting beside him was a man with a head of messy straw-colored hair, dressed in a suit looking quite respectable, but with a natural fierceness like an enraged lion. His slightly unruly style was still forceful and handsome, Leng Yan, the president of Hongtu, and her immediate superior. Sister Tong, a little over forty, had her hair tidily coiled behind her head, her sharp black business attire made her look capable and assertive. Sitting beside her was the general manager of the public relations department of Hongtu Media, Lv Gang. The moment Xia Weibao appeared, all four people in the office had a moment of amazement. After such a major incident, they expected to see a haggard Xia Weibao; unexpectedly, she seemed unaffected. It was as if she wasn¡¯t the protagonist of this tumultuous event. Seeing Xia Weibao¡¯s transcendent and detached demeanor, Leng Yan was taken aback. He suddenly understood why Xu Jiayang was promoting her¡­ This temperament, no other female star in the entertainment industry could compare. If she wasn¡¯t mired in scandals, he truly would have supported her¡­ Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Life is Full of White Lotuses Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Life is Full of White Lotuses Editor: Atlas Studios Xia Weibao only then learned that she had been replaced as the female lead in ¡°Allure.¡± This caught her somewhat by surprise. Although she had guessed that Xu Jiayang would give her a role, she had not expected to be given the lead role. Xia Weibao couldn¡¯t help but be touched, and with this trust from Xu Jiayang, she definitely wouldn¡¯t let him down! However, when she looked at Weibo, she almost cried her eyes out. Oh, her fans! Only twenty thousand left¡­ Looking at the comments, her Weibo had become a flood scene, filled with spit¡­ Everyone present had a headache. It was common for celebs to be bashed, but to be bashed to the extent Xia Weibao was, was unprecedented. Leng Yan was holding back an anger. Now the company had already mortgaged to the bank, there was no choice but to keep going! He looked at Lv Gang, ¡°Manager Lv, what is the plan from the PR department?¡± Lv Gang¡¯s head was pounding. He really wanted to shout, ¡®I quit!¡¯ With Xia Weibao¡¯s current reputation, if she could be cleansed, damn, he¡¯d strip and run through the streets to spread the word! ¡°President Leng, under these circumstances, our PR department¡­ is at a loss.¡± He had never seen any celeb attract hate with such a terrifying propensity. The entertainment industry is full of disputes, and celebs getting bashed is common, but things usually settle down after a while. With Xia Weibao, however, her scandal from three years ago was still being dug up and her corpse whipped! And it was escalating more and more, which was a first for him to see! He had no idea what offense the girl had committed to be bashed so miserably! Leng Yan kicked the coffee table hard, ¡°Damn it, who leaked the news about the lead actress being replaced!¡± The plan was to call Xia Weibao over today to discuss how to make this matter public. But unexpectedly, someone had spilled the beans, catching them off guard! They hadn¡¯t even had the chance to react! Xia Weibao¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Aside from you, who else knew about the lead being replaced?¡± Xu Jiayang¡¯s expression turned cold, ¡°Lin Mier.¡± The office once again fell into an eerie silence; it went without saying who had leaked it. ¡°Quick, get online, Lin Mier is doing an interview.¡± Sister Tong looked at her phone, and her face changed instantly. Xia Weibao quickly took out her novelty phone, and a video popped up on the internet immediately. In the video, Lin Mier looked haggard, surrounded by a throng of reporters firing questions one after another. ¡°Mier, regarding the rumors on the internet about Xia Weibao stealing your role, is it true?¡± Lin Mier glanced at the reporter who asked the question, her eyes reddened with sorrow, ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Whoosh¡ª The reporters exploded with excitement as if they were on stimulants! ¡°Miss Lin, it¡¯s said that Xia Weibao climbed into Xu Jiayang¡¯s bed to snatch your role, is this true?¡± Lin Mier¡¯s body swayed slightly, clearly taking a huge blow. She bit her lip, tears welling in her reddened eyes, yet she stubbornly refused to let them fall, appearing bullied and pitiful. ¡°I was unaware of this matter. This morning I suddenly received a notification that ¡®Allure¡¯s¡¯ leading lady was to be replaced. As for how Senior Xia obtained the role, that¡¯s a question for the person involved. What I want to say is, Senior Xia has always been the idol I admire the most, my role model. When I entered the entertainment industry, it was because I wanted to follow in Senior Xia¡¯s footsteps. Later when she was involved in rumors of drug abuse and promiscuity, I didn¡¯t believe them. After all, she was my faith. Even with overwhelming evidence, I couldn¡¯t believe that my faith could do such things. I believe Senior Xia is innocent, and seeing her become someone¡¯s mistress, driven mad to the point of being committed to a psychiatric hospital, it truly broke my heart. I have always been waiting for her to recover and make a comeback, but, but¡­¡± Chapter 17 - Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Watch How I Play Her to Death! Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Watch How I Play Her to Death! Editor: Atlas Studios At this point, Lin Mier seemed overwhelmed by sorrow and couldn¡¯t continue speaking. She turned away, wiping her tears incessantly. Once she had composed herself, she continued to face the camera. ¡°But I never expected that Senior Xia would actually¡­ Yesterday, when I saw her being ostracized and even Director Xu rejected her for a stunt double role, I felt pity for her and went out of my way to help her secure the role. I sincerely wanted to help Senior Xia, but who knew¡­ who could have known¡­¡± Now that¡¯s a skilled way to put it! On one hand, she¡¯s proclaiming her trust in Xia Weibao; on the other, she¡¯s dragging up all her past scandals! Not only is she playing up her own innocent persona, but she¡¯s also ruthlessly stepping on Xia Weibao! Suggesting that Xia Weibao has a history of sketchy behavior and that sleeping with Xu Jiayang is nothing out of the ordinary for her! The reporters latched onto the story immediately. Instantly, they were abuzz with excitement! ¡°Miss Lin, are you suggesting that Xia Weibao was ungrateful? That you helped her get the stunt double role, and she ended up stealing your lead role?¡± ¡°Miss Lin, according to what you¡¯ve said, Xia Weibao only managed to connect with Xu Jiayang because of you, but now she¡¯s used you as a stepping stone, hasn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Miss Lin¡­¡± Lin Mier lifted her head, her eyes brimming with tears, her expression a mix of defiance and disappointment, as if she was frustrated with herself for not being tougher. ¡°Because of my remarkable looks, ever since my debut, I¡¯ve been called ¡®Xiao Weibao,¡¯ and I used to take pride in that title, because she was my idol! But now, Senior Xia has truly let me down, and I am ashamed of it! This kind of person, who rises through the ranks on her body and doesn¡¯t value proper morals, is not worth my emulation! From now on, I won¡¯t be anyone else¡¯s shadow; I am my own person, the unique Lin Mier!¡± Her resounding declaration won a round of applause. Soon enough, the topic #XiaWeibaoUngrateful went viral, racing to the top of the trending list. Sitting in the nanny van, Lin Mier browsed through a heap of sympathetic comments on her Weibo. Then, looking at Xia Weibao¡¯s account flooded with scathing comments, she felt somewhat relieved. ¡°Dare to take my role? See how you die!¡± Her expression was sinister, filled with the thrill of revenge. Thinking she could turn the tables just by snatching my role? No chance! ¡°Mier, your performance just now was good, preemptive. If the media found out your role was stolen because you were inferior to Xia Weibao, all your years of hard work would be in vain. Now, by biting back first, it¡¯s Xia Weibao who¡¯s in a reactive position.¡± Lin Mier sneered, ¡°What is Xia Weibao, anyway? A has-been queen of film, still dreaming of a comeback? Watch how I play her to her end!¡± ¡°Although we¡¯re currently in the lead, you can¡¯t afford to be negligent. You need to act the part of the wronged party these next few days well, using fan outrage to drive Xia Weibao out of the industry!¡± Lin Mier glanced at him sidelong, ¡°As if I need you to tell me that.¡± Xu Jiayang silently pulled a bottle of essential balm out of the drawer, needing to calm down first. Lv Gang and Sister Tong remained silent; with the situation as it was, there was no way to clear Xia Weibao¡¯s name. The smear against Xia Weibao was too severe, and when added to Xu Jiayang¡¯s own dark past, any explanation would be seen as a desperate cover-up. It would backfire. While everyone else remained silent, Xia Weibao suddenly spoke up. ¡°Since we can¡¯t clear the name, then let¡¯s not clear it. Let them talk.¡± Instantly, several pairs of eyes shot toward her. Leng Yan was irate, tugging at his tie, ¡°Not clear your name? Do you have any idea what kind of impact this is having on our company?¡± Chapter 18 - Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Pants off and sprint! Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Pants off and sprint! Editor: Atlas Studios Fuck! I¡¯ve poured my life¡¯s work into you, and you¡¯re talking as if it¡¯s nothing! Xia Weibao raised her eyebrows; she felt that her boss had a bad temper, obviously suffering from an overabundance of liver fire. ¡°Do you have a solution?¡± Leng Yan choked down his retort, wishing he could throw you out and let those fans tear you apart! Xia Weibao spread her hands, ¡°If speaking more leads to more mistakes, then why say so much at all.¡± Lv Gang frowned, ¡°But this can¡¯t go on, the impact is too huge. The set is already besieged by an angry mob, and we can¡¯t even start shooting.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s shoot the outdoor scenes first. There is something that can shut everyone up!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Everyone turned to Xia Weibao. Her Majesty the Empress smirked confidently, ¡°Talent.¡± The crowd was silent, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You sure are confident,¡± Leng Yan muttered to himself as he was feeling annoyed. Seeing Xia Weibao so self-assured made him want to mock her with a few words. ¡°Wanna bet?¡± Xia Weibao¡¯s smile was a bit sly, and Xu Jiayang thought oh no, trying to stop Leng Yan in his tracks. However, it was too late. No one could stop an idiot bent on courting death! All saw Leng Yan suddenly stand up, one foot stepping on the sofa, ¡°Let¡¯s bet! I ain¡¯t scared of you. If you can clear your name, I¡¯ll strip and run around the Imperial City!¡± Xia Weibao raised her eyebrows, the bet was too big; what about the impact on public decency. Xu Jiayang covered his face, praying for luck, he couldn¡¯t bear to watch. Lv Gang shut up. Such a toxic oath, he only dared to think about it in his heart, never expecting anyone to be foolish enough to voice it¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a deal then, a clap to seal it!¡± Xia Weibao raised her hand, and through the clapping, she smiled. She was waiting! Although she was currently besieged on all sides, beyond defending herself, Xu Jiayang still wanted to try and clear the name, even if just to reduce the negative impact slightly. So, he composed a Weibo post. Allure Crew v: A smile overturns the city, another smile overturns the country¡ªLi Qingcheng @Xia Weibao v Beneath was a video, the one from yesterday of Xia Weibao¡¯s audition as the stunt double, edited and released. In the video, Xia Weibao, dressed in white, soared gracefully like a startled swan. Four white silk ribbons exploded upwards from behind her, reaching for the heavens, majestic and powerful! Yet she maintained a fairy-like aura. Clearly a martial arts action but shot with the effect of an immortal fantasy. Accompanied by her exquisite and unparalleled face, it was a feast for the eyes! Beautiful! Beyond the word ¡°beautiful,¡± no language could describe that scene. How stunning it was! Xia Weibao had always shot modern dramas, and this was her first time in a period costume, delivering a shocking effect! Every time Xu Jiayang watched it, he felt a soul-stirring beauty, a beauty that shook the heart. Xia Weibao was born for period costumes. Xu Jiayang originally thought the video would show people that Xia Weibao was more suited for the role of Li Qingcheng than Lin Mier. Even just in costume, she would outshine Lin Mier! However, he underestimated the blind mentality of the fans. After the video was posted, instead of unanimous praise, it received crazier disparagement. The issue of Xia Weibao¡¯s plastic surgery was dredged up again, and even Photoshop was dragged out for criticism. In short, the fans didn¡¯t believe this was Xia Weibao¡¯s real face; they were convinced it was the result of post-production. Xu Jiayang was disappointed. Xia Weibao also felt a headache, the public¡¯s ignorance! However, as everyone was filled with disappointment, they found¡­ The number of views and downloads for the video was skyrocketing. Not only that, but the follower counts for both Allure Crew and Xia Weibao¡¯s Weibo were quietly changing¡­ Chapter 19 - Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Saying No With Your Lips, But Your Body Tells The Truth Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Saying No With Your Lips, But Your Body Tells The Truth Editor: Atlas Studios Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± Very good. This phenomenon is just like saying you don¡¯t want it, but your body is very honest in its own revealing way. You curse the plastic surgery monsters with your mouth, but your hands honestly replay the peerless beauty over and over. It¡¯s like some readers of novels, who complain every day about slow updates and talk about dropping the story, but every time there¡¯s an update, they can¡¯t help but click on it first. Xia Weibao¡¯s lips curved into a smile. How cute is that? If you want to watch, just watch openly, I¡¯m not stopping you. Why all the secrecy? Xu Jiayang turned his head and just happened to see the indulgent smile on her face. He paused for a moment, again confirming his own decision. Xia Weibao will become famous, she definitely will! Even though the fans treat her this way, she still dotes on them. Many artists nowadays have their priorities backward, believing that since they are their fans, the fans should like them and take their dedication for granted. They place themselves high above, as if they were the masters of their fans. However, they forget that fans are fans because they like the artists, which is why they become fans in the first place! Fans are actually easy to satisfy; even an unintentional greeting from an artist can keep them up at night with joy. Xia Weibao and Lin Mier represent two extremes. Lin Mier, in order to achieve her goals, exploits the fans¡¯ adoration and casually consumes their trust. If one day, her true nature is laid bare, what awaits her is an irrecoverable downfall! But Xia Weibao is different; she indulges her fans and forgives all their faults. Even now, with everyone standing against her and hurling insults, in her eyes, they just seem like unreasonable children, forgivable. One day, when she breaks free from her shackles and tears through the bans that bind her, those fans who once turned against her will become her most solid support! Xu Jiayang¡¯s eyes were deep. Just for Xia Weibao¡¯s generosity and composure, he was going to place all his hopes on her! Taking the script from the coffee table, Xu Jiayang solemnly handed it to Xia Weibao. ¡°Study the script carefully; tomorrow, we¡¯ll start with the outdoor scenes first.¡± When handing over the script, he pressed down heavily, as if the gesture carried a thousand pounds of weight. Xia Weibao looked up and locked eyes with Xu Jiayang. She understood his gaze. This script carried all his hopes. ¡°Allure¡± was not only her battle for a comeback but his as well! Surrounded outside, they could only sneak out through the underground parking garage. Xia Weibao¡¯s car was already brought to the garage by the staff. Sister Tong glanced over, ¡°Don¡¯t drive in the future, Baby, you¡¯re now a public figure. Some things need to be kept low-key.¡± Xia Weibao felt a bit embarrassed. The fact that she came out of the psychiatric hospital was well-kept secret by Lu Hualiang. Outsiders only knew she was brought out by someone, but they didn¡¯t know who. So, in everyone¡¯s eyes, she was being kept by someone¡­ ¡°Got it.¡± Xia Weibao awkwardly said. The matter between her and Lu Hualiang, she guessed, would not be believed by anyone even if she told them. One was the Emperor of Huaxia Country, before whom the military, political, and business sectors all bow, and the other was a notorious, washed-up actress. It was unimaginable to link the two together. Plus, she had signed a non-disclosure agreement for a secret marriage. ps: My lovely kiddos, are you cursing me for slow updates and then sneakily clicking to check for updates? Hahaha, love you guys~ Chapter 20 - Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Indescribable Video Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Indescribable Video Editor: Atlas Studios Lu Hualiang probably also considered her a disgrace. In his eyes, she saw disgust. Just didn¡¯t understand, if he hated her, why he still married her. Back at home, Xia Weibao sat on the sofa in her room and took out a notebook to watch a video. This was what she obtained from Sister Tong, the video that destroyed everything for her three years ago. Although it was also available online, because of the Internet cleanup campaign, they were all pixelated and completely unclear. But this one was the original. The beginning of the video showed a woman with disheveled hair and convulsing body sitting on a sofa, her hands spasmodically holding a syringe and injecting her own arm. Then her body seemed to derive great pleasure and slowly relaxed. Lifting her head, she leaned back on the sofa. It was then that Xia Weibao could clearly see her face, and indeed it looked exactly like hers! Following that, several men appeared in the video, lewdly touching the woman¡¯s body and starting to strip her. Far from resisting, the woman even smiled in accord, and what followed was an extensive stretch of indescribables. Xia Weibao blushed, as for someone from ancient times, watching this kind of explicit video was extremely shocking! However, she had to watch. Because it concerned her innocence! To cleanse herself completely, she had to dig up the truth of the past! After watching it from the beginning to the end, Xia Weibao turned as red as a lobster. Yet, she couldn¡¯t find any evidence. In terms of appearance and figure, it indeed was Xia Weibao. Not only that, the background was Xia Weibao¡¯s villa! Completely indefensible! Xia Weibao felt somewhat headache, just who had such great ability to find a woman who looked exactly like her to film this video, and moreover, in her own house! She thought of someone, her former agent He Xin! Originally, as Empire Entertainment¡¯s Top Sister, the company provided her with a private villa, and besides her, only He Xin had the keys to her villa. After the scandal broke out, He Xin was the first to contact her, telling her not to act rashly and to wait for the company¡¯s public relations. However, what she waited for was Empire Entertainment¡¯s forceful contract termination without distinguishing the truth! Afterward, He Xin was assigned to take on a newcomer, who is now Empire Entertainment¡¯s Top Sister, the most sought-after first-line star! The two-time Best Actress, Yan Weiyang! And He Xin, basking in Yan Weiyang¡¯s glory, became Empire Entertainment¡¯s gold-medal agent! Xia Weibao frowned deeply in thought, thus it seemed, this He Xin was the most suspicious. But she shouldn¡¯t jump to conclusions recklessly. She felt troubled, in this unfamiliar world, it was really inconvenient to act, unable to investigate her concerns. It seemed she needed a helper. Back when she was in charge of the Imperial Harem, she had a Shadow Guard Team at her disposal, solely working for her. Finding a Hidden Guard wasn¡¯t easy, and depended on fate. Setting that matter aside for now, Xia Weibao took out the ¡°Allure¡± script, and she took a liking to it at first glance. ¡°Allure¡± tells the story of Ling Kingdom¡¯s Great General, whose meritorious service overshadowed the monarch, provoking the current emperor¡¯s jealousy. Under the instigation of treacherous ministers, he was accused of treason and his entire family executed. But at the plea of loyal officials, in recognition of military merit only the males were executed while the females were demoted to army prostitutes. The story unfolds from there. Li Qingcheng, with her wit and intelligence, smartly escaped halfway, carrying a deep vengeance, she disguised herself and entered the capital three years later to take the exams, scoring top honors and becoming the Prime Minister, meticulously plotting revenge against her foes! In the end, she even assisted the new emperor¡¯s ascent to the throne, becoming the empress, a model for women across the empire! Xia Weibao¡¯s lips curved slightly, playing a man, she had experience in that. Chapter 21 - Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Mmm... Ah... Faster... Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Mmm¡­ Ah¡­ Faster¡­ Back in the day, when the Dog Emperor wanted to abolish the Imperial Harem for her, she found the Deep Palace too boring, so she stopped him. Keeping three thousand beauties for his leisurely amusement. The emperor, thunderous with rage, moved her quarters next to his and since then, never stepped foot in the Imperial Harem again. Unable to see His Majesty, the group of women in the harem naturally started a rebellion. Therefore, she had no choice but to reluctantly disguise herself as His Majesty to appease their emotions. Heh, it¡¯s rather embarrassing to say but those concubines in the Imperial Harem died without ever realizing that she, dressed as a man, was not really the emperor. Xia Weibao felt a bit down, she actually missed the Beloved Concubines. Staring into space, her nose tingling, a tear quietly slid down. His Majesty, your concubine misses you so much¡­ Xia Weibao suddenly woke up and threw a fit! How could she actually miss the Dog Emperor? She must be having a mental breakdown again, she couldn¡¯t wait for the Dog Emperor to die soon, to let her out of the palace, how could she possibly miss him! She¡¯s gone mad, it seems she really needs to stay a few days in the mental hospital. Xia Weibao stood up and slapped her own face, she needed to take a cold shower to calm down. She was still not quite used to wearing modern clothes, especially the bra, the tight bands were killing her. It even made breathing somewhat difficult. None of this was as comfortable as a bellyband. So Xia Weibao reached behind her, unfastened the clasps, and yanked off the bra. Phew. That was a bit more comfortable. She tossed it casually onto the big bed behind her. Since Lu Hualiang hadn¡¯t come back, she was alone in the room, no need to care about appearances. However, after she threw her bra away, something didn¡¯t feel quite right¡­ It seemed¡­ the air was a bit cold¡­ The sense of oppression was getting stronger¡­ A feeling of danger was spreading¡­ This sensation¡­ Xia Weibao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she turned around silently. Only to see a person sitting on the big bed behind her, Lu Hualiang, there without her knowing when. A man! Lu Hualiang! He was currently wearing a bathrobe, and maybe because he had just woken up, his hair was a bit messy, hanging loose and making the light in his eyes flicker. The bathrobe was also loosely worn, revealing swathes of chest muscle. Wild, sexy. This visual feast was not the point! The point was, Her Majesty the Empress¡¯s bra that she had just thrown away was now hanging on Lu Hualiang¡¯s head¡­ Yikes! Almost as a reflex, Her Majesty the Empress leaped back, staring with a horrified face at an increasingly grim Lu Hualiang. Wasn¡¯t he on a business trip, wasn¡¯t he supposed to come back in two days, why was he here!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Her Majesty the Empress was freaking out! What could be more embarrassing than this? The answer is, yes! Just as Lu Hualiang¡¯s expression grew stormy as he pulled her bra off his head. His hands tensed with veins popping, as if he wished he could strangle Xia Weibao with that bra. The laptop that Xia Weibao had just placed on the coffee table suddenly emitted a very harmonious sound¡­ ¡°Mmm¡­ ah¡­ go faster¡­ mmm¡­ ah¡­¡± Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: Chapter 22 This Embarrassment in Bold Capitals... Chapter 22: Chapter 22 This Embarrassment in Bold Capitals¡­ Xia Weibao silently turned her head, and when she saw what was being played on the computer, she wished she could just die from a head-on collision! Sister Tong must have a grudge against her, she definitely has a grudge! She only wanted the video from back when she was framed, dammit why did you give me so many seeds! And it¡¯s autoplay too¡­ Such difficult positions, she and the Dog Emperor never even tried them¡­ Not only that, but the woman in the video was too liberated, actually flipping over and sitting on top of the man¡­ Xia Weibao abruptly closed her eyes, her heart roaring inside. Oh heavens, oh earth, if a bolt of lightning won¡¯t kill Lu Hualiang, then just strike me dead! This is the epitome of bold and capital embarrassment! ¡°Hmph!¡± A cold snort laced with murderous intent came from behind, causing Xia Weibao to shiver, and she swiftly pounced onto the coffee table, wanting to end this disgraceful scene. However, she was still not very familiar with the high-tech operations, and in her nervousness, she pressed something wrong. Not only did she fail to shut down the computer, she maximized the volume instead. For a moment, the whole room was filled with ambiguous moans. ¡°Mmm¡­ ah¡­ you¡¯re so good¡­ faster¡­ faster mmm¡­ ah¡­¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± Just let me die! The Empress, enraged and embarrassed, clenched her fist and smashed it down on the computer. I¡¯ll make you moan! Zzzzz¡ª The computer made several strange noises, then the screen went black, and everything returned to tranquility. If you ignore the keyboard smashed to pieces, you can pretend nothing happened¡­ Lu Hualiang¡¯s eye twitched fiercely. He had seen his fair share of fierce women, including among his own subordinates. But someone who got caught watching adult films and, out of anger and shame, smashed the computer¡­ this was his first time seeing something like that. His fury was at a boiling point, now neither able to flare up nor simmer down. Because of Lu Hualiang¡¯s indescribable look, Xia Weibao felt ashamed and hastily explained. ¡°It¡¯s autoplay, it has nothing to do with me.¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s smile was mocking, acting! ¡°I¡¯m not deaf.¡± Although because of the angle he could only see her back and not the computer, those sounds were not something he couldn¡¯t hear. Xia Weibao¡¯s face turned completely red, from pure shame! Jumping into the Yellow River couldn¡¯t wash her clean! ¡°Xia Weibao, I don¡¯t care about your character, but please remember your identity and don¡¯t be so immodest!¡± Humiliated over and over, Xia Weibao was also furious! She had already been put to death once by the Dog Emperor, if she had to live so oppressively even after a second chance at life, she might as well hang herself with a White Silk! In this life, she would no longer be oppressed by anyone! So she lifted her head and puffed out her chest, retorting sharply. ¡°Heh, watching a film means I lack modesty? Which one of you single dogs isn¡¯t hiding under the blankets watching something every night? Hearing the sounds and knowing what I¡¯m watching means that Director Lu is quite experienced, huh.¡± The saying goes, a moment of sass, forever an urn of ashes. When she saw Lu Hualiang¡¯s face darken, he stood up and started walking towards her. The once assertive Xia Weibao instantly cowered. Lu Hualiang approached her, suddenly picked up the underwear she had thrown away, and his smile was very dangerous. ¡°Whether I¡¯m experienced or not, want to try it out?¡± Danger! The Empress¡¯s alarm bells were ringing, and acting on self-preservation instinct, she struck preemptively before Lu Hualiang could make his move! With a swift hand raise, then a loud smack, she landed a resounding slap across his face¡­ Chapter 23 - Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Having the Heart of a Thief but Not the Courage Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Having the Heart of a Thief but Not the Courage Lu Hualiang was slapped for the first time in his life, and he was dumbfounded. Xia Weibao was also dumbfounded. Staring at her own hand, she realized that slapping the Emperor felt so¡­ exhilarating! She felt empowered and wanted to slap him again! However, looking into Lu Hualiang¡¯s stormy eyes, she shivered all over. If not now, then when? Just as Lu Hualiang¡¯s hand reached out to grab her, Xia Weibao suddenly lifted her long leg and kicked fiercely towards his stomach! If she had already slapped him, she might as well make it satisfying! Lu Hualiang narrowed his eyes, quickly shifted his hand, and caught her leg in mid-air. Even in such a tense moment, he spaced out briefly, her skin was so tender¡­ Xia Weibao was shocked, she took advantage of the momentum to rise, flipped in mid-air, and her other leg flew out, sweeping directly at Lu Hualiang¡¯s head. Lu Hualiang, having let his guard down, was caught by surprise and stepped back two paces. Xia Weibao seized the chance to escape; with a swoosh, she was gone without a trace. With a figurative tiger on her tail, she didn¡¯t even waste time on the stairs, stepping onto the railing, spreading her arms, and leaping down from the third floor as if in a martial arts movie. She landed on the tip of her left foot, while her right knee gently half-kneeled on the ground, both hands lightly touching the floor as if they were as light as feathers. The entire process flowed smoothly, like a Celestial Dance. Her body was light, her posture graceful. The servants cleaning the living room were astonished. Some even involuntarily started clapping, impressed by the lady¡¯s skills. It was as if she was performing a genuine acrobatic act. Xia Weibao suddenly looked up only to see Lu Hualiang standing where she had just leaped from, staring at her in astonishment. Scary! Her Majesty the Empress was all guts and no courage. She turned tail and ran, disappearing in an instant. Lu Hualiang walked down from the upper floor, standing where Xia Weibao landed. He looked up at the third floor. The puzzlement on his face deepened,¡¯ A distance of seven or eight meters, and she just jumped down like that?¡¯ This woman was no ordinary person! He turned and went upstairs, ordering a thorough investigation into Xia Weibao. Xia Weibao crouched in the Imperial Garden talking about life with the mosquitoes. Though Lu Hualiang lived in a high-end Imperial Garden, which was pleasant and beautiful, next to the drainage ditch, there were still many mosquitoes. Why hide by the drainage ditch? Because she was frightened. She hid until ten o¡¯clock at night before sneaking out of the ditch. It was late; everyone should be asleep by now, right? She climbed sneakily through the window like a thief; with no lights on in the hall, Xia Weibao breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she crept towards the kitchen; she was starving. She hadn¡¯t eaten lunch, and not only did she skip dinner, but she had also been feeding mosquitoes and she was on the verge of fainting. She didn¡¯t dare wake the servants, especially since she wasn¡¯t wearing any underwear. Plus, the servants all lived in separate villas, so it was a hassle to go over and wake someone. Although she lived luxuriously in the Imperial Harem, she was accustomed to roaming the Jianghu before she entered the palace, so she wasn¡¯t spoiled and could handle cooking. However, when she saw the high-tech kitchen equipment, she was bewildered. Have you seen a rice cooker, a microwave oven, an oven, or a refrigerator? These are all advanced, high-tech gadgets, and maybe you haven¡¯t seen them either, right? So it was normal for her to be unfamiliar with them. Confronted with some household appliances, Xia Weibao was overwhelmed. The original owner of this body was a complete kitchen idiot! The type that had never cooked before. Without any memory of this, she had no idea how to use them. Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Gas Explosion Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Gas Explosion After a wave of frustration, Her Majesty the Empress disdainfully flipped her hair. Objects are inanimate, people are living, she couldn¡¯t possibly starve to death! It didn¡¯t matter if she didn¡¯t know how to use them, she would cook using the most primitive method! Lu Hualiang had just finished a video conference and glanced at the time¡ªit was after ten, and Xia Weibao still hadn¡¯t returned. He didn¡¯t think too much about it; such a grown person couldn¡¯t get lost. So he took some clothes and went to take a shower. While showering, there was a click, and everything went dark. Lu Hualiang, ¡°¡­¡± Who turned off the circuit breaker! For some reason, Xia Weibao was the first to come to mind¡­ This woman, she was never normal, always so flighty. He wrapped himself in his bathrobe and went downstairs, only to see a glow of fire coming from the kitchen. He walked in, and the smoke was billowing. He was choking so badly that he could hardly breathe. He took out his phone and turned on the flashlight. When he saw clearly what was happening inside, Lu Hualiang almost couldn¡¯t help but strangle the initiator! ¡°Xia Weibao, what are you doing!¡± ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± Xia Weibao was fanning the flames with a few sheets of paper in one hand while coughing. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ cooking noodles.¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s eye twitched fiercely¡ªcooking noodles? He had never seen anyone use a rice cooker on a gas stove before! Burning wood¡­ She even burned through the electrical wires, how could the power not go out? Lu Hualiang clenched his teeth, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get electrocuted!¡± Burning the rice cooker was one thing, but why hadn¡¯t she unplugged the wires first! Xia Weibao wiped her face and managed to leave a black streak across it. She had only been in this strange world for two days, still unfamiliar with how to use electricity, how would she know to unplug it? Lu Hualiang felt like he was about to have a heart attack from anger. Suddenly, he sensed something was off. ¡°Where did you get that paper to light the fire?¡± His gaze darkened, and he snatched the few sheets of paper from Xia Weibao¡¯s hand. Illuminated by the phone¡¯s light, Lu Hualiang almost coughed up blood! These were the contracts he had brought back from his business trip, contracts worth over a billion! ¡°Xia Weibao! Who gave you the audacity to burn contracts!¡± Xia Weibao was startled and shrank back, ¡°I found them in the living room¡­¡± She mumbled to herself, if it was something so important, then it should have been put away properly. Why leave it out in such an obvious place? And besides, they were just a few contracts. In the past, she had even burned documents in His Majesty¡¯s Imperial Study Room. Burning Memorials to the Throne was common practice for her, and she had never been scolded for it. Lu Hualiang desperately tried to suppress the urge to strangle her¡ªmarrying her was a mistake! Just as he was about to explode, he caught a whiff of a refreshing fragrance. What¡¯s that smell? His gaze leisurely shifted towards the burning sticks, and weren¡¯t they the high-quality agarwood that had just been airfreighted today? ¡°Xia, Weibao!¡± He articulated each syllable with grinding teeth. All of Director Lu¡¯s patience had been exhausted in this moment! Xia Weibao felt a little uneasy, ¡°In the winters before, you used to bestow agarwood on me for warmth.¡± It was just burning a few pieces of agarwood, she didn¡¯t see anything wrong with it. In the Imperial Harem, she was pampered by His Majesty; she had even used millennia-old ganoderma for warmth. ¡°Sir, what has happened?¡± At that moment, Housekeeper Fu rushed over with the security guards. A flashlight shone inside, and they were instantly shocked by the sight of the battlefield. A fire? Lu Hualiang was about to order Xia Weibao to be locked up. This woman was a psycho, both in her actions and her words¡ªshe had to be confined! However, before he could say anything, a pungent smell reached his nose. Lu Hualiang¡¯s expression changed, and he turned around swiftly, only to see a gas leak! The scent of the agarwood was so strong that it had masked the smell of gas. A gas leak with an open flame nearby¡­ ¡°Everybody out, now!¡± Everyone turned and headed outside. Lu Hualiang took a couple of steps then noticed Xia Weibao had twisted her ankle at the critical moment. Grinding his teeth in irritation, he quickly approached her and grabbed her hand. ¡°Are you not leaving, are you waiting to die¡­¡± Boom¡ª¡ª Before he could finish, there was a loud explosion from the gas. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Xia Weibao exclaimed in shock, instinctively hugging Lu Hualiang, flipping her body to use her back to shield against the towering flames¡­ Chapter 25 - Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Moved Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Moved Xia Weibao¡¯s actions shocked Lu Hualiang. He was completely stunned, but when he recovered, he tried to turn around to shield Xia Weibao. He didn¡¯t need a woman to take the hit! However, it was already too late. The explosion happened in an instant, blasting both of them out of the window. Feeling the person in his arms suddenly go limp, Lu Hualiang¡¯s heart tightened. He hugged her back and twisted his body to offset the remaining force as they were thrown out. He held her as they fell to the ground. The explosion was powerful, and they had been too close to it, so Xia Weibao had already passed out. Covered in blood. Looking at the pale, battered woman in his arms, Lu Hualiang¡¯s expression completely changed. A surge of panic flashed through his heart. He picked her up and rushed toward the garage. ¡°Housekeeper Fu, drive!¡± Housekeeper Fu and the others had just walked out, so none of them were injured. Now, hurrying over, what they saw was Lu Hualiang carrying a blood-soaked person. Blood was everywhere along the path they ran out! Frightened, Housekeeper Fu quickly took out a bottle of medicine to calm his nerves, then ran to drive the car. In the hospital corridor at midnight, Lu Hualiang sat on the bench, staring blankly at the door of the emergency room. Xia Weibao had been in surgery for nearly an hour, and he still couldn¡¯t recover from the shock of what had just happened. Human nature is selfish; he had seen too much hypocrisy throughout his life. No matter how strong the feelings, in the face of life and death, people¡¯s instincts always drive them to protect themselves first. And just now, at that critical moment of life and death, the first person Xia Weibao thought to protect was actually him! It made his soul tremble! The emotional turmoil within him could not settle for a long time. What on earth could make such a delicate woman act so recklessly. Just two days ago, she was playing hard to get, and now she was sacrificing herself to save him, was it a new trick? If it were to win his favor, then this woman was indeed terrifying. The thought of Xia Weibao having a motive behind her actions caused Lu Hualiang to feel a tinge of irritation. Yang Li hurried over, only to see Lu Hualiang covered in blood. His hair was disheveled, and his clothes were somewhat disarranged as he sat there. He seemed somewhat despondent. Yang Li was slightly shocked, was this his boss? Everyone knew that Boss Lu was not only obsessive about cleanliness but also had obsessive-compulsive disorder¡ªhis clothes couldn¡¯t have a speck of dust or a single wrinkle. His hair had to be impeccable. Once, a lady of high society thought to seduce him with her charms, but just after touching the corner of Lu Hualiang¡¯s clothing, her entire family was ruthlessly uprooted by the brutal Boss Lu overnight! Since then, Lu Hualiang¡¯s extreme obsession with cleanliness had become terrifying to others. No one dared to enter his minefield again. Even if women wanted to seduce him with their beauty, they could only cast flirtatious glances, but none dared to cross the line. But now, he sat there wearing a bloodstained shirt without changing? The heavens had changed! ¡°Master, are you alright?¡± Yang Li quickly approached, first and foremost concerned about his well-being. Hearing the full story from Housekeeper Fu had nearly scared him to death. How could there be such a severe gas explosion out of the blue? Lu Hualiang was already irritated, and hearing Yang Li¡¯s continuous babble, his deep eyes looked chilling enough to make one¡¯s scalp tingle. Yang Li immediately fell silent. Then, looking toward the door of the operating room, Special Assistant Yang stated worriedly, ¡°I hope the young mistress is okay, how could the explosion have been so severe.¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s expression grew dark, wondering how this had happened. Wasn¡¯t it because of that madwoman, who didn¡¯t know how to cook or to call for a servant? Chapter 26 - Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Disfigurement Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Disfigurement Editor: Atlas Studios Is the position of the young mistress of the Lu family just for show? Does she really need to cook herself? Moreover, there was food left for her in the refrigerator, no need to boil noodles! The more he thought about it, the more irritable he became, not even sure what he was fuming over. Seeing his master raging like an angry lion, Assistant Director Yang felt a kindred distress. ¡°Yang Li, if a woman risks her life to shield you from danger, what does that mean?¡± Yang Li was taken aback, realizing the master was concerned about the young mistress. The sycophant quickly came online, ¡°Of course it¡¯s because she likes you. The young mistress must have risked her life to save you because she likes you, mainly because you are handsome, dashing, majestic, wise and mighty, and have power and influence¡­ Lu Hualiang cast a cold glance, silencing Yang Li¡¯s endless prattle. ¡°Is it not because she¡¯s playing hard to get?¡± Yang Li¡¯s mouth hung open, seeing through to the essence! It seemed his master had indeed developed feelings but mistook Xia Weibao¡¯s life-saving act as a ploy to curry favor, not genuine concern. So that¡¯s why he was sulking here? True to his master¡¯s form, always so fastidious! If you like her, just boldly admit it. Why concoct all sorts of conspiracy theories? But it wasn¡¯t all his fault, considering his position, where there were indeed too many women with ulterior motives. Especially considering Xia Weibao¡¯s past scandals, the kind that were so heavy they wouldn¡¯t wash away even if thrown into the Yellow River ¨C the kind that could lead straight to capital punishment. Yang Li¡¯s gaze grew distant as he saw beyond the thick walls to the future subject of his flattery. This Xia Weibao was not simple at all; in just two days, she had melted his master¡¯s perennial iceberg. Thereupon, Assistant Director Yang decided to be the first to support the young mistress. In the future, he would be hailed as a founding supporter! His prospects were boundless! ¡°I don¡¯t know if the young mistress did it intentionally, but I do know that if one loses their life, there¡¯s no point in talking about schemes or conspiracies.¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s pupils contracted. His calm facade successfully hid his inner turmoil. Just then, the door to the operating room opened, and the doctor walked out. Lu Hualiang stood up, ¡°Doctor, how is my wife?¡± Yang Li subtly glanced at his master. Now he starts calling her his wife. This kid is catching on fast! The doctor removed his mask and shook his head, ¡°She has 80% burns on her back, and severe burns on her neck and side of her face. It¡¯s very serious; she needs a skin graft.¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s body trembled slightly, and his lips formed a straight line. He appeared calm, as if the doctor¡¯s words had no effect on him. Only his slowly clenching fist betrayed his true feelings. Yang Li, in despair, said, ¡°Doctor, will our young mistress be disfigured?¡± The doctor looked at Lu Hualiang with difficulty and shook his head helplessly, ¡°Now that the plastic surgery industry is so advanced, the scars should be able to fade a bit. Complete recovery, however¡­¡± There was no need for the doctor to finish; everyone present understood. Lu Hualiang¡¯s facial features tensed coldly, looking even colder than usual, ¡°When is the surgery?¡± ¡°We¡¯re still doing skin tests. Probably in two days.¡± After instructing Yang Li to ensure confidentiality, Lu Hualiang walked into the ward. At this time, Xia Weibao hadn¡¯t awakened yet. She lay prone on the bed, her back exposed and flesh torn. Her skin, once fair and delicate, now looked ghastly. Her hair had been burned off partially, looking like dry grass sticking to her wounded face. Lu Hualiang¡¯s eyes flickered as he gently lifted her hair at her temples. To avoid infecting the wound. Disfigured¡­ For a woman, such as thing is unspeakably cruel. Especially when she¡¯s a public figure. Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Someone is plotting against me! Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Someone is plotting against me! Editor: Atlas Studios Images of a certain figure flashed through his mind, and his heart began to sting with pain. He suddenly felt an immense guilt, for she had risked her life to save him, not caring about her own. And yet, he had still been suspecting her of having ulterior motives. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± For the first time in his life, Boss Lu apologized. The entrance of Assistant Director Yang, just at that moment, left him so frightened that his legs gave way, and he tumbled to the ground. Then, scrambling and rolling toward the door, he managed to close it behind him. Oh my God, he had seen a side of his master that no one knew about, would he be silenced? He opened his palm and looked at his lifeline, estimating that he could live to a hundred, and with that, he was reassured. Inside the hospital room, Lu Hualiang coldly withdrew his gaze. His eyes were complex as he looked at Xia Weibao, bruised and battered. The next day, Xia Weibao woke up from the pain. Why, you ask? Because our Boss Lu was infuriated. Half-asleep and thirsty, the Empress thought she was still in the palace. So she parted her parched lips and hoarsely said, ¡°Water¡­¡± Lu Hualiang, who hadn¡¯t slept all night, heard her request for water and immediately brought a cup. He carefully brought it to her lips, helping her drink. The Empress, in her groggy state, opened her eyes a crack and suddenly said something. ¡°Wang Cai, how did your hand get so big?¡± Wang Cai was her former personal maid, responsible for her daily needs. But when Lu Hualiang heard this name, his face darkened instantly. Wang Cai, that¡¯s the name of a dog! Angered, his hand shook¡­ ¡­and all the water spilled onto Xia Weibao¡¯s face. ¡°Damn it!¡± This was so damn refreshing! Xia Weibao, who believed herself to be civilized and not prone to cursing, couldn¡¯t help but yelp in pain. The movement pulled at her wounds, causing pain so intense she started questioning her life! Which damned scoundrel dared to harm this palace! ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Lu Hualiang quickly avoided her wounds and pressed her down on the bed. Then he pressed the button to call a doctor. Xia Weibao¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears from the pain. When she clearly saw Lu Hualiang in front of her, she suddenly remembered that she was no longer the Empress of the Great Xia Kingdom. Instead, she was Xia Weibao of the 21st century. A sudden feeling of loss came over her. The doctor arrived in haste and administered anesthesia before treating her wounds. Her already unhealed injuries had now become even more serious. After the treatment, Xia Weibao lay weakly on the bed, feeling incredibly unlucky. After the doctor repeatedly warned that the wounds must not reopen, he left, shaking his head. It was already ruined, and now the wound had reopened. Sigh. She estimated that even the most advanced cosmetic surgery couldn¡¯t save it now. ¡°Are you hungry? I¡¯ll have someone get you some liquid food.¡± She couldn¡¯t chew with the injury on her face, that much was certain. Xia Weibao found that Lu Hualiang was quite experienced in taking care of the sick. He knew what she could and couldn¡¯t eat, and he fed her with practiced ease. She had no idea how the young master of the Lu Family knew all this. ¡°You should rest a bit.¡± Lu Hualiang stood up, intending to throw away the trash outside, when Xia Weibao called out to him. ¡°Can I borrow your phone?¡± Lu Hualiang hesitated, but still handed it over to her. Upon his return, he heard her on the phone. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve had a bit of an accident and might need to rest for a while, Director Xu, I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°No need, no need, Director Xu, you don¡¯t have to come see me, I¡¯ll recover soon.¡± ¡°Right, right, go ahead and shoot the other actors¡¯ scenes, and we¡¯ll make up mine later.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Director Xu, to have had an accident just as we started filming¡­¡± Hearing her words, Lu Hualiang¡¯s lips pressed tightly together, and his expression darkened. He didn¡¯t know how to tell her that she could never recover again¡­ Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Switching Careers, Becoming Madam Lu Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Switching Careers, Becoming Madam Lu Editor: Atlas Studios For an artist, disfigurement can mean the ruin of an entire career. Hadn¡¯t the once Hollywood-famous actress Zhong Shixia disappeared from the entertainment industry after someone splashed acid on her face and disfigured her? After Xia Weibao hung up the phone, Lu Hualiang walked over and sat down by the bed. He watched her intently. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± If it wasn¡¯t to gain his favor, then why take the danger for him? ¡°Do what?¡± Xia Weibao was somewhat confused, couldn¡¯t he speak less abstractly? Being from the ancient times, she had some difficulties understanding modern language. ¡°Last night, why didn¡¯t you run away by yourself?¡± Xia Weibao was startled for a moment, then quietly turned her head away. Bringing up that incident was really too much to bear. How was she to know that a gas explosion would be so powerful! There were no such things in the Great Xia Kingdom. In ancient times, the biggest explosions came from firecrackers. Who would have thought that things from the twenty-first century could be so outrageous? If she had known, she definitely would have¡­ At that thought, Xia Weibao felt dejected. She had instinctively protected Lu Hualiang last night, acting purely on reflex. Even if she had known about the explosive power of a gas explosion, she probably still would have saved him instinctively. And so, it showed just how deep-rooted those feudal ideas were; she had already died once, but she couldn¡¯t forget the supremacy of the emperor. As for whether the real reason was loyalty to the emperor, that remained unknown. After all, self-deception is a thing some people cherish. Seeing Xia Weibao¡¯s embarrassment, Lu Hualiang assumed she was just shy. His mood improved inexplicably. Even the scars on Xia Weibao¡¯s face seemed especially pleasing to his eyes. Ugh. Who knows what kind of taste Director Lu has, to mistake Xia Weibao¡¯s speechlessness for shyness. Indeed, the blindness of straight men can be terrifying! ¡°Do you really like being an artist?¡± ¡°I do, it¡¯s my career after all.¡± Xia Weibao replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world; it was the original owner¡¯s career, and now hers as well. Moreover, as a person from ancient times, she was completely clueless about modern society¡¯s skills and only knew ancient talents. ¡°With such a wealth of talents, it would be such a waste not to enter showbiz and blind everyone with my brilliance!¡± Plus, she really liked acting, being able to experience different lives. Moreso, you have to pick yourself up right where you fell down! The entertainment industry was the dream of this body¡¯s original owner, and since she had taken over her body, it was only natural to fulfill that dream for her. Lu Hualiang didn¡¯t understand her determination. Just like he didn¡¯t understand why that woman was so hell-bent on pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. She was as stubborn as an ox. ¡°Careers can be changed.¡± ¡°Change to what?¡± ¡°For instance,¡± Lu Hualiang paused, ¡°becoming Madam Lu.¡± Crack¡ª At these words, Xia Weibao staggered in shock and squeezed her phone so hard it shattered¡­ Lu Hualiang, ¡°¡­¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± Please don¡¯t say such terrifying things, they nearly scared her soul out of her body! Lu Hualiang looked down, his gaze fell upon the now shattered phone screen, and the corner of his eye twitched intensely. Crushing a phone screen with bare hands, what on earth do you feed on? Destroying a computer yesterday and a phone today, impressive. Xia Weibao¡¯s face turned slightly red; well, someone who practices martial arts naturally has a bit more strength¡­ right? She possessed Inner Strength; forget about a phone, even a human head would burst if she wanted it to¡ªbelieve it or not. Her Majesty the Empress silently chanted in her heart, I¡¯m not a tomboy, I¡¯m not a tomboy, I¡¯m a cute girl. After repeating the hypnotic phrase to herself, she finally managed to deceive herself into believing she was indeed a cute girl. However, when she looked up, she met Lu Hualiang¡¯s eyes, which bore the stunned expression of someone looking at The Hulk¡­ Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Her Majesty the Empress Gets Acupuncture Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Her Majesty the Empress Gets Acupuncture Editor: Atlas Studios Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± In this era dominated by cute girls, the emergence of a super tomboy was bound to be unconventional. When Yang Li delivered the new phone, the look he gave Xia Weibao was indescribable. Glancing again at the phone screen shattered into tiny fragments, he suddenly shed a tear of sympathy for his master¡¯s future days. Domestic violence is challenging to endure, just have to wish for good luck. Only¡­ He glanced at Lu Hualiang with a hint of hesitation. A phone involves too much privacy and secrets to let anyone touch it, unless it¡¯s the most trusted person. He hadn¡¯t expected his master and the young mistress¡¯ relationship to progress so swiftly! At this rate, he believed it wouldn¡¯t be long before the little master would be arriving. With another person to please in the future, it seemed he needed to prepare in advance and get some baby toys ready. ¡°Young Mistress, this is your phone.¡± Xia Weibao chuckled lightly, ¡°Thank you.¡± Yang Su was about to say there¡¯s no need for thanks, that the master had instructed him especially to bring it to amuse her. However, before he could speak, Xia Weibao let out a shocking scream! ¡°Ahh~~~~~~~~¡± A terrifying scream that made one¡¯s skin crawl, startling Lu Hualiang into rushing over, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°My face!¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s phone before had a matte screen, which couldn¡¯t be used as a mirror. Now upon seeing it, she almost frightened Her Majesty the Empress into traveling back in time. Lu Hualiang quickly subdued the agitated Xia Weibao, who had jumped up. He feared that she couldn¡¯t accept her disfigurement, so he had hidden anything that could be used as a mirror in the sickroom. But he had overlooked her phone. Such a beautiful face now ruined into that of a demoness was something no one could accept. It was imaginable how desperately Xia Weibao felt at that moment. Her expression was beyond what words like earth-shattering could describe! The accident had caused all the wounds on her body to rip open. Having been under anesthesia before, she had not felt the pain, but now that the effects had worn off, the pain turned her complexion ghostly pale as cold sweat dripped continuously. The intense pain changed the look in her eyes. She wasn¡¯t afraid of pain, as in her previous life she had roamed the Jianghu, through storms of blood and wind, and had endured all kinds of injuries. But this pampered body couldn¡¯t take it. Even with Xia Weibao¡¯s remarkable endurance, she was now in so much pain that she was nearly delirious. Lu Hualiang shouted in panic, ¡°Doctor, call the doctor!¡± Xia Weibao clenched her pale lips tightly, enduring the severe pain. This body really had a developed sense of pain! By the time the doctor arrived, she had endured to the point of being out of temper. Lying weakly on the bed with her wounds split open, the blood had stained the pristine white hospital bed red. The sight was shocking to behold. The attending doctor couldn¡¯t bear to look at the scene. Oh my, why do you torment yourself so? Having already suffered disfigurement, and now, the wounds on your back, even if grafted, would resemble a potholed mountain road. As for that face¡­ Alas. ¡°Prepare the blood bags, immediately begin a transfusion!¡± She had lost so much blood; they feared she would die from excessive blood loss! The doctor gave orders while picking up the anesthesia needle. Then glanced at the two gentlemen present. Yang Su tactfully left. Lu Hualiang thought about it and then turned to leave as well. Leaving behind the female doctor and nurse. Xia Weibao lay on the bed, gasping for air. When she saw the doctor pick up the anesthesia needle, she felt curious. Long ago, a thousand years before, the art of using needles for anesthesia had almost been lost, with very few people known to master it. Even the physicians at the Imperial Medical Bureau only grasped the essence after she had taught them. She hadn¡¯t expected that after a thousand years, the technique had still not vanished. Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30: The Divine Doctor Empress! Chapter 30: Chapter 30: The Divine Doctor Empress! Editor: Atlas Studios Quite good, quite good. It¡¯s just this needle¡­ I started traveling to administer medicine when I was five years old, saving countless lives, and I¡¯ve never seen such a special silver needle! And it even sprays water. It truly lives up to high-tech stuff, so luxurious. But how can you perform acupuncture with that thick tube at the back? As I was pondering, I saw the doctor pull down her pants and stab that ¡°silver needle¡± into her butt! Xia Weibao was shocked, ¡°What are you doing!¡± Acupuncture anesthesia isn¡¯t supposed to be injected there, hey! The acupoint is wrong, hey! ¡°Ah¡ª¡ª¡± With a needle piercing her little buttocks, Her Majesty the Empress screamed at the top of her lungs, her shrill cries almost lifting the roof off! ¡°Ah~~~~~~~~¡± A series of bizarre yells, absolutely harrowing. The screaming inside the room was so horrifying that Yang Su got goosebumps all over his body. This wasn¡¯t applying medicine, this was clearly killing¡­ ahem, murdering! The commotion grew louder and louder until Lu Hualiang, who was staring intently at the door, simply couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. He pushed the door open and went in. He saw Xia Weibao standing on the hospital bed, her hands covering her butt, still bleeding from her wounds. The doctor and nurses were gathered around the bed, seemingly trying to catch her. ¡°What are you doing!¡± With a dark expression, Lu Hualiang strode in. Seeing her savior arrive, Xia Weibao immediately jumped down, weakly throwing herself into Lu Hualiang¡¯s arms. Her hands still covered the backside. She was already weak, and now she was nearly fainting. ¡°What happened!¡± Lu Hualiang swept his intimidating gaze across, causing all the nurses to tremble and lower their heads. The doctor approached timidly, holding a syringe without a needle in his hand. Lu Hualiang, ¡°¡­¡± Where did the needle go? His gaze shifted to where Xia Weibao was covering with her hands. Her pants, half undone, were hanging off as if they were about to fall. Such a beautiful curve. It made his throat somewhat dry. But that wasn¡¯t the point. The point was, there was a needle stuck in there! Xia Weibao was in so much pain that she began to doubt her life, tears streaming out. She was too severely injured, to the extent that she hardly had any strength to talk. ¡°Someone wants to¡­ assassinate me.¡± Seeing her looking half dead, Lu Hualiang felt as if a devil had taken residence in his heart, the oppressive power chilling the air in the room into frost! ¡°What have you done to her.¡± The thought of so many people surrounding and attacking Xia Weibao made his heart clench as if it were being tightly twisted. The doctor, distressed, said, ¡°Everyone, look up.¡± Then, those nurses slowly raised their heads, revealing a set of pig-like faces, swollen and bruised¡­ Lu Hualiang, ¡°¡­¡± His pupils slightly constricted as he looked at Xia Weibao, weak to the point of lifelessness in his arms, ¡°Did you do this?¡± ¡°They wanted to assassinate me.¡± Xia Weibao spoke feebly. All she wanted was to be a civilized person in a civilized society. Why couldn¡¯t they let her wish come true? Why did they force her to fight! The nurses felt a deep bitterness inside. They had never seen such a fierce woman! Despite being nearly cripple from the explosion, she still managed to beat several of them black and blue with her injuries! ¡°Why are you not applying the medicine.¡± Anger simmered beneath Lu Hualiang¡¯s eyes, tinged with blood vessels. Seeing Xia Weibao in this state, he felt like murdering! Xia Weibao weakly lifted her head, blaming the physician for harming her. For the sake of her own image she decided it would be better to rely on herself. ¡°Find me a doctor.¡± Lu Hualiang knitted his brows, a doctor? ¡°I mean a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, find me a TCM doctor.¡± ¡°Why are you still standing there, go!¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s sharp eyes zeroed in on the doctor. Although he didn¡¯t understand why she wanted a TCM doctor, he would fulfill her request. The doctor was somewhat troubled, ¡°Director Lu, this is a Western hospital; we don¡¯t have TCM here.¡± ¡°Then find someone who can concoct the herbs.¡± Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Is Traditional Chinese Medicine Outdated? Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Is Traditional Chinese Medicine Outdated? Editor: Atlas Studios The doctors had no choice but to call the dean over. In the entire imperial city, who didn¡¯t know that Director Xiang Minhai of The First Hospital loathed traditional Chinese medicine. Therefore, indeed, there was no one here who practiced Chinese medicine. As Lu Hualiang stepped out to make a phone call, Director Xiang Minhai arrived, his expression grim. ¡°Who¡¯s asking for Chinese medicine?¡± ¡°Me.¡± Xia Weibao gestured weakly, pale and in pain. Xiang Minhai¡¯s face showed disdain. Deep down, he looked down on Xia Weibao. It would be fair to say that no one in Huaxia Country respected Xia Weibao now. ¡°Madam, if you want to find a Chinese medicine practitioner, go somewhere else. Coming to our Western hospital to ask for this, isn¡¯t that a bit unreasonable?¡± If it weren¡¯t for the sake of Lu Hualiang, he would have outright accused Xia Weibao of causing trouble! He couldn¡¯t understand how a man of Lu Hualiang¡¯s status could marry a woman with such a tarnished reputation. Xia Weibao, utterly without the strength to argue, just said, ¡°Find me a Chinese doctor.¡± ¡°Madam, your back has suffered severe burns and requires a skin graft. Do you really expect a Chinese medicine practitioner to perform a skin transplant?¡± ¡°Director, as a Chinese person, how can you only advocate Western medicine? Have you forgotten what our ancestors left for us?¡± Xiang Minhai¡¯s nostrils flared, evidently infuriated by Xia Weibao, ¡°Chinese medicine is outdated, and those deceivers still have followers. They¡¯ll end up killing you sooner or later!¡± Xiang Minhai was an authority in the Huaxia medical community; many people tried to curry favor with him and never had he been insulted like this, which made his temper flare up. But remembering Xia Weibao¡¯s status and the saying, ¡®respect the monk you meet for the sake of the Buddha,¡¯ he still tried to persuade earnestly. ¡°Madam, the most Chinese medicine can do for you is apply some ointment; your back skin is necrotic. Applying medicine is useless. A skin transplant must be done, the surgery is all ready, and we can proceed at any time¡­¡± ¡°Find me a Chinese doctor.¡± Xia Weibao really didn¡¯t want to argue any further; you can never change other people¡¯s opinions. The color drained from Xiang Minhai¡¯s face, ¡°Fine! Since Madam is so obstinate, I won¡¯t say more. But let me be frank, you chose Chinese medicine yourself. If any mishap occurs, our hospital is not to be blamed!¡± Having said that, Xiang Minhai stormed out with a flick of his sleeve. Glancing at the nurse setting up the blood transfusion, Xiang Minhai sneered. ¡°Since Madam has such faith in Chinese medicine, then there¡¯s no need for a blood transfusion, right? After all, Chinese medicine doesn¡¯t involve blood transfusions.¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± This dean certainly had a foul temper. As Xiang Minhai reached the doorway, he saw Lu Hualiang walking in. Feeling indignant, he glared at Xia Weibao with irritation, then turned to Lu Hualiang. With a hint of sarcasm, ¡°Director Lu, your esteemed wife insists on using Chinese medicine, refusing the skin graft surgery, saying that our First Hospital is garbage. Our hospital is a small temple, unable to accommodate such a grand deity as your esteemed lady; let¡¯s cancel the surgery then. I¡¯ll go find a Chinese doctor.¡± After speaking, he left in a huff. Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± When had she ever said Western medicine was garbage? Not only was the old man irritable, but he also liked to make unfounded accusations. Lu Hualiang¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡± He had just stepped out to call an international authority and had found out that Xia Weibao¡¯s injury was too severe; she must have skin graft surgery, and immediately! The longer the delay, the more dangerous it became! Lu Hualiang turned to Yang Su, ¡°Notify the director immediately; proceed with the surgery now.¡± Xia Weibao was also somewhat angry, ¡°Director Lu, we only married by agreement; please don¡¯t interfere with my decision, alright.¡± Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Director Lu, Youre Overthinking It Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Director Lu, You¡¯re Overthinking It Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Xia Weibao, what do you mean by that?¡± Hualiang¡¯s presence turned frosty, his aura commanding respect without anger. Xia Weibao rolled her eyes. It¡¯s like these people couldn¡¯t wait to see her suffer. ¡°Can someone fetch a traditional medicine doctor for me, or at least give me a pen to write a prescription?¡± Couldn¡¯t they see she was almost dying? Hualiang¡¯s expression became grim. ¡°I¡¯m asking you what you meant by what you just said!¡± ¡°What are you yelling for!¡± Xia Weibao was also enraged; her temper wasn¡¯t the best to begin with, spoiled by the Dog Emperor. ¡°It was you who asked me to sign the divorce agreement. What, Director Lu is having second thoughts now? Fallen in love with me?¡± Hualiang was caught off guard, then became furiously embarrassed, ¡°Who do you think you are? A seductress from the entertainment circle, not even worthy of carrying my shoes. You think I could like you? Both in the entertainment industry, Shanshan can remain clean and pure; why can¡¯t you be more reserved!¡± Xia Weibao was about to ask who Shanshan was. Hualiang had already snorted coldly and left, ¡°I don¡¯t care about your life or death!¡± It wasn¡¯t until Hualiang had left that Yang Li stood there dumbfounded, wondering how a calm conversation had turned into a fight. Then he hurriedly followed out. ¡°Master, what about the young mistress¡¯s injuries¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you preparing for the surgery?¡± Hualiang said with a face full of anger. ¡°But didn¡¯t you just say that you don¡¯t care about the young mistress¡­¡± As he spoke, Yang Su¡¯s voice trailed off. Great, it turns out to be a case of saying one thing and meaning another. Truly worthy of the Master, such a drama queen. Indeed! If he knew this would happen, he shouldn¡¯t have forced her to sign any divorce agreement. Now he¡¯s the one who has shot himself in the foot. Let¡¯s see how you wrap this up! Hualiang, filled with pent-up fury, vented it all on Yang Li. ¡°Did I tell you we¡¯re not doing the surgery?¡± No, but you told the young mistress¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to make wild guesses? Now go! If her face is ruined, you can await your transfer to Africa!¡± Yang Li, frightened to the core, said, ¡°Right away!¡± The resentment inside him was unbearable. The doctors had said that Xia Weibao¡¯s face was already ruined and that even with surgery now, it couldn¡¯t be improved. Master, how can you be so cruel to your adorable little Li. ¡°Wait.¡± Hualiang¡¯s face showed anger, ¡°Tell the doctors to be ready for surgery at any moment.¡± The implication was to delay it further. He wanted to see just how tough that woman could be! She wouldn¡¯t realize the severity of the situation until she hit a wall. Thinking of Xia Weibao coming back to him, helpless and pleading, Hualiang felt a bit better. Now was the perfect time to contact an international authority to ensure her recovery was as complete as possible. In her darkest hour of pain and despair, if he offered a helping hand, she would surely be moved. Imagining that scene made Hualiang¡¯s previously moody spirits brighten considerably. When Xiang Minhai heard about the preparations for surgery, he was disdainful. ¡°Tsk, wasn¡¯t she so defiant? Wanted to be treated with traditional medicine, and now she still needs surgery.¡± The deputy director, eager to please, said, ¡°Xia Weibao doesn¡¯t know her place. Just a wild chicken who flew onto a branch and thinks she¡¯s a Phoenix, daring to question your medical skills. Destroying her looks serves her right.¡± The sycophantic words were sweet music to Xiang Minhai¡¯s ears. He leaned back in his seat, comfortably reclining on the lounger. ¡°She¡¯s just a plaything available to all, no idea how she used her wiles to cling onto the powerful Lu family. Once her face is ruined, I¡¯d like to see how Hualiang will dump her!¡± C Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Master, Please Accept Me as Your Disciple Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Master, Please Accept Me as Your Disciple Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Of course, what else could Xia Weibao have besides that face.¡± ¡°Director, do we still need to prepare for the surgery?¡± ¡°Prepare what, didn¡¯t she say she wanted to be treated with Chinese medicine? Let her go for it, no need to prepare.¡± Xiang Minhai viewed with contempt, a woman with no sense of shame! Performing surgery on such a filthy woman, he truly feared it would dirty his hands! ¡°But about Director Lu¡­¡± Xiang Minhai furrowed his brows, Lu Hualiang was a difficult matter. He dared to offend Xia Weibao, but he absolutely didn¡¯t dare to offend Lu Hualiang! Not just him, even a country¡¯s President wouldn¡¯t dare to offend the Lu Family! ¡°You can¡¯t offend Director Lu, just drag it out. Xia Weibao wants to find a Chinese medicine practitioner, right? Send her one, let her dig her own grave!¡± A hint of disdain flashed in Xiang Minhai¡¯s eyes. Having been a doctor for so many years, he had seen all kinds of injuries, and Xia Weibao¡¯s wounds couldn¡¯t heal without a skin graft! Wrongly trusting in Chinese medicine, just wait and see her tragic end! ¡°We don¡¯t have a Chinese medicine practitioner in our hospital¡­¡± ¡°Let the young master go. Isn¡¯t he obsessed with Chinese medicine? Let him witness firsthand the consequences of misguided trust in Chinese medicine, it might as well make him give up.¡± Xiang Minhai felt a little frustrated at his own unreliability. His son was good in every way, just too infatuated with Chinese medicine. Always babbling about integrating Chinese and Western medicine. It was perfect to use Xia Weibao as a test subject, let him see for himself the results of Chinese medicine treatment! Make him give up hope. In the hospital room, Xia Weibao looked at the man in front of her, estimating his height to be around one meter eighty, with red lips and white teeth, clear brows and handsome eyes, somewhat resembling an ancient, delicate scholar. Seeing Xia Weibao size him up, Xiang Chu grinned, revealing two cute little tiger teeth. ¡°Can you recognize Chinese herbs?¡± Xia Weibao asked. ¡°I can.¡± Xiang Chu nodded, his bright eyes brimming with eagerness to try. His father finally allowed him a chance to prove himself. He would certainly perform well, using his knowledge of Chinese medicine to cure this patient! ¡°Can you make plaster medicine?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Xiang Chu scratched his head, ¡°I can decoct medicine¡­¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± Powerlessly rubbing her forehead, ¡°Go get some paper and pen, I¡¯ll write a prescription, and you help me gather the herbs.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°What ¡®ah¡¯? Hurry up and go!¡± ¡°Oh, oh.¡± Xiang Chu quickly went to get paper and pen. Except he felt somewhat gloomy inside, wasn¡¯t he supposed to come and treat the patient? How come he had become an assistant? ¡°I say, you write.¡± Xia Weibao, holding a mirror, repeatedly examined her own wound. ¡°Pot marigold 5g, toad venom half a piece, menthol 15g, Astragalus 45g, Pseudostellaria Root 30g, pork fat¡­¡± The more Xiang Chu listened, the brighter his eyes became. This prescription¡­ Brilliant, what a master, I¡¯m in awe! Pot marigold, toad venom, menthol, these Chinese medicines have anesthetic effects, while Astragalus, Pseudostellaria Root and the like can promote blood circulation and remove scars, pork fat being used to make it into a salve. Not only to relieve pain but also to diminish scars and improve blood circulation, brilliant! Xiang Chu¡¯s eyes grew brighter and brighter. By the time the prescription was completed, he was almost ready to kneel before Xia Weibao. However, gathering the medicine was urgent. Finally having applied the cooling medicinal salve, Xia Weibao lay contentedly on the hospital bed. My life is saved at last, much more comfortable. Indeed, Chinese medicine is reliable. Standing by, Xiang Chu looked at Xia Weibao with eyes like a beggar who hadn¡¯t eaten for ten years seeing a meat bun, his mouth almost watering. The corner of Xia Weibao¡¯s eye twitched, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Xiang Chu kneeled on the spot, ¡°Young lady, please take me as your disciple.¡± ¡°Take a disciple?¡± Xiang Chu nodded his head like a pecking chicken, ¡°Yes, yes, master, please take me, I want to learn Chinese medicine from you.¡± Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Director Lu is Actually Quite Reservedly Flirtatious Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Director Lu is Actually Quite Reservedly Flirtatious Editor: Atlas Studios A master indeed, a miracle doctor. Xia Weibao withdrew her gaze, ¡°I don¡¯t accept disciples.¡± Xiang Chu immediately became anxious, ¡°Master¡­¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Xia Weibao raised her hand, stopping him, ¡°Don¡¯t call me recklessly.¡± ¡°Master, please take me in.¡± Xia Weibao let out a cold laugh, ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°The Young Madam of the Lu Family.¡± ¡°My name is Xia Weibao, go search online.¡± Xiang Chu left and, after a short while, came back in. With a solemn expression, ¡°Master, the rumors on the internet are not credible, I believe Master is innocent!¡± With such superb medical skills, she must be a hermit of a higher realm! She certainly wouldn¡¯t be tainted by the secular world, those people must be envious, that¡¯s why they defame her master. Xia Weibao¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, she hadn¡¯t expected that the first person to believe in her innocence would be a stranger. Although somewhat touched, she had never thought about taking on a disciple. Becoming a teacher was a responsibility to her, one that shouldn¡¯t be promised lightly! While Xiang Chu was somewhat disheartened, he was not discouraged. Sincerity can melt metal and stone, he believed that at some point, Xia Weibao would accept him as a disciple! Lu Hualiang felt very agitated, it had already been three days, why hadn¡¯t Xia Weibao bowed her head to him yet? ¡°How is Xia Weibao doing?¡± In these three days he had gone abroad, and Yang Su had been reporting Xia Weibao¡¯s situation to him. Yang Li thought for a moment and in a very tactful tone said, ¡°The situation of the Young Madam has not worsened.¡± After speaking, he looked at Lu Hualiang with some sympathy. He was too embarrassed to say that Xia Weibao¡¯s situation was actually very good, otherwise, how defeated his master would feel. To find the best doctor for Xia Weibao, he personally went abroad, traveled thousands of miles to repeatedly request the retired Guo Wei to come out of seclusion to perform surgery. In the end, all his efforts were in vain. It¡¯s enough to strike one with deep doubt about life, right? Lu Hualiang pinched his eyebrows, not getting worse did not mean it was already getting better. It had been three days, and she must have had her fill of suffering. He believed it was the most painful time now. If he appeared before her now, bringing hope, she would surely be moved to tears! The doctor he brought back this time, although he couldn¡¯t help her fully recover, could still restore 80% of her former self! That was already the best possible outcome. After all, even Xiang Minhai had been helpless at that time. Thinking about Xia Weibao¡¯s excited reaction, Lu Hualiang was somewhat impatient to see her. So he stood up calmly, looked at the foreign man with blond hair and blue eyes, possessing a stable and handsome appearance sitting beside him, and in fluent English said, ¡°Doctor He, let¡¯s go see the patient first.¡± Having walked a couple of steps, Lu Hualiang suddenly stopped, turned back to the lounge, picked up a white ice-silk handkerchief, and neatly folded it. Disfigurement was too cruel for a woman, Xia Weibao must have been living in agony these past days. Maybe she would even throw herself into his arms crying when the time came. Bringing the handkerchief was to wipe away her tears. ¡°What did you say?! Director Lu brought Doctor He back? That world-renowned medical authority, Doctor Hepburn?!¡± Inside the dean¡¯s office, Xiang Minhai suddenly stood up, his face full of shock! The vice dean was trembling with excitement, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s indeed Doctor Hepburn!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he retire from the world? How did he come to Huaxia?¡± ¡°It was Director Lu who personally requested him to come out of retirement.¡± Xiang Minhai¡¯s eyes widened slightly, never had he thought that Lu Hualiang would personally invite Hepburn for Xia Weibao. He had originally thought that Xia Weibao had resorted to some underhanded methods to marry into the Lu Family, but now it seemed not necessarily so! Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Her Majesty the Empress Plays Games Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Her Majesty the Empress Plays Games Editor: Atlas Studios Hepburn was the pride of the medical world, the youngest ever Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine! Celebrated internationally! He had created countless medical miracles and treated numerous national leaders! It could be said that Hepburn was the very pinnacle of today¡¯s medical field, without peer! But he was a very proud man, as geniuses should rightly be temperamental. Many people were willing to spend a fortune just to have him perform surgery, yet they couldn¡¯t even get a glimpse of him. Moreover, he was indifferent to fame and fortune, having retired from the medical field at the age of twenty-seven to research some new drug, it was said. From then on, he vanished without a trace. Unexpectedly, Lu Hualiang managed to invite him to perform surgery on Xia Weibao! If Hepburn personally took on the case, then Xia Weibao¡¯s injuries, even if they couldn¡¯t be fully healed, could at least be 70 to 80 percent better. Just thinking about Xia Weibao possibly escaping disaster made Xiang Minhai¡¯s face look very ugly. But thinking of Hepburn personally coming to The First Hospital, he was so excited that he shook all over. Every profession has its idols, and Hepburn, who stood at the summit of medicine at a young age, was undoubtedly the idol of all doctors! ¡°Quick, go greet him!¡± Xiang Minhai was as excited as if he was on a booster shot. He might as well take the opportunity to check on his good-for-nothing son, to see if, after witnessing Xia Weibao¡¯s plight for three days, he¡¯d given up on traditional Chinese medicine. In the VIP ward, Xia Weibao was lying on the hospital bed, bored out of her mind. So boring. After lying there for three days, she felt almost moldy. On the sofa, Xiang Chu was half-kneeling in front of the coffee table, studying the prescription with a reverence that surpassed even that of worshiping a sacred edict. Suddenly, he pulled out a tissue, excitedly wiped his drool away, and threw the tissue in the bin. Xia Weibao silent shifted her gaze away from the trash can piled high with waste paper. She had seen people drool over roast chicken but never someone drool over a prescription, and for three days at that¡­ The more Xiang Chu looked at it, the more he felt that Xia Weibao was the reincarnation of a legendary healer, and that if he didn¡¯t take her as his master, he would regret it for the rest of his life. So he suddenly threw himself in front of the bed, ¡°Master, please take me as your disciple.¡± Xia Weibao¡¯s eyes fell on her fair arm; it wasn¡¯t burned because she happened to be holding onto Lu Hualiang at the time. At that moment, on her arm as smooth as jade, two paws covered in saliva were grabbing onto her. Xia Weibao felt a chill, ¡°Let go!¡± Could this get any more disgusting! ¡°I won¡¯t, unless Master agrees to take me as a disciple, I won¡¯t let go!¡± Seeing that glistening liquid made Xia Weibao¡¯s scalp tingle, and with a flick of her right hand, a silver needle flew out, directly hitting Xiang Chu¡¯s acupressure point. The silver needle was something she had Xiang Chu prepare; how could she be a divine healer without silver needles. Having been pricked by the needle, Xiang Chu was expected to be angry, but instead, he became even more excited. Trembling as if he had contracted epilepsy! Wow! My master has pricked me with a needle, my master¡¯s acupuncture is so good. ¡°Master, teach me medicine, please. I¡¯ll do anything, be it heavy labor or menial work.¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± This kid was beyond saving. ¡°I¡¯m not taking any disciples.¡± She had her principles and would not lightly take a disciple, not even if it were the King of Heaven coming to be her pupil ¨C there was no room for negotiation! Xiang Chu instantly became like an abandoned little puppy, his head drooping and his eyes tearful, looking pitiful beyond words. Xia Weibao couldn¡¯t be bothered with him, ¡°I¡¯m so bored; isn¡¯t there something to amuse myself with?¡± ¡°Master, why don¡¯t you play a game?¡± ¡°A game?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xiang Chu took out his phone, opened up the game he was recently playing, Honor of Kings, ¡°I find it quite fun, but I don¡¯t know if Master would like to play.¡± Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36: The Game Lowered Her Spirit... Chapter 36: Chapter 36: The Game Lowered Her Spirit¡­ Editor: Atlas Studios So before Xia Weibao¡¯s eyes, they played a round. Xia Weibao¡¯s eyes lit up; for someone from the ancient past, this was like opening the gates to a whole new world! Xiang Chu immediately helped her download one. ¡°Girls generally like playing mages, Master. You try Daji or Angela first, here is how you control direction, this is how you cast spells¡­¡± Xia Weibao had a strong ability to learn, and after Xiang Chu taught her how to play for two rounds, she got the hang of it after playing another two on her own, killing with great skill. It was even more satisfying than beating someone up! At that moment, Xia Weibao was like a teenager addicted to the internet, hugging her phone and not even needing to eat. ¡°First blood.¡± ¡°Double kill.¡± ¡°Wow, a double kill!¡± The first time she got a double kill, Her Majesty the Empress almost jumped up with excitement. If it hadn¡¯t been for the injury on her back, she would have celebrated with a set of the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms. However, just as she was so overjoyed that she couldn¡¯t contain herself, a provoking voice came from nearby¡­ ¡°Triple kill.¡± ¡°Quadra kill.¡± Damn! A quadra kill! Envy twisted her insides! Xia Weibao¡¯s resentful gaze shot towards the mass-murdering Xiang Chu, ¡°Teach me.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± ah. Xiang Chu was about to agree when suddenly a bright idea struck him, and his rarely active intellect kicked in. He changed his tune, ¡°I can teach you, but you have to teach me medicine.¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± Shameless, totally shameless! ¡°Killing spree.¡± ¡°Unstoppable.¡± The thrilling sounds made the internet-addicted Empress¡¯s heart itch. She scratched her hands like the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, unable to resist the temptation of the game. But taking an apprentice, she really¡­ ¡°Master, if you take me as your apprentice, I¡¯ll not only teach you how to play King of Glory but also other games, even more fun than this one,¡± ¡°More fun than King of Glory?¡± Xia Weibao¡¯s eyes sparkled. She gulped down saliva. ¡°Each has its own charm, every game has its own fun,¡± Xiang Chu, transforming into a master persuader, gently coaxed, ¡°Master, I¡¯ll take you to ¡®eat chicken¡¯ tonight.¡± ¡°Eat chicken? What do you mean, I can¡¯t eat greasy food right now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not eating, it¡¯s a game, PUBG. It¡¯s really hot now, everyone is playing.¡± Xia Weibao swallowed her saliva again. Damn, that was sly. ¡°There¡¯s also Temple Run, Rhythm Master, playing mahjong, fighting landlords¡­¡± Xiang Chu listed a long string of game titles, making Xia Weibao not just itch to play but her whole body itch. ¡°Fine!¡± It was the games that weakened her resolve¡­ Xiang Chu couldn¡¯t have been happier, ¡°Master above, please accept your disciple¡¯s bow!¡± ¡°Enough, enough, hurry up and teach me. Damn it! This bastard is chopping at me! Crap! I¡¯m dead!¡± So, when Lu Hualiang arrived, what he saw was Xia Weibao standing on one foot on the bed, with the other foot on the headboard, holding her phone and screaming as she played the game¡­ Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Director Lus Greatest Pain Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Director Lu¡¯s Greatest Pain Editor: Atlas Studios Seeing Xia Weibao so excited that she nearly took off, Lu Hualiang started to doubt his own life¡­ Wasn¡¯t she already injured and confined to bed? It had only been three days, how had she become lively as a dragon in playing video games? And that posture, it was quite indecent¡­ Looking over at the bedside, Xiang Chu sat there looking wronged, playing games on his mobile phone. His body curled up into a ball, as if he was trying to minimise his presence. ¡°Charge, for crying out loud Xiang Chu, are you a pig, rushing to your death!¡± ¡°Run, you idiot, just standing there waiting to be killed?¡± ¡°Not running, are you? I¡¯ll throw you, pig head, just standing under the tower waiting to die, run, run¡­ ugh, how did I die?¡± Xiang Chu felt wronged, how you died, because the one gazing at scenery under the tower waiting to die was you, damn it! Don¡¯t you know what character you¡¯re playing? The one who was desperately running just now was me, alright? The one standing motionless under the tower was you, okay? I¡¯ve never seen anyone playing video games like this! Hearing the door open, Xiang Chu looked up and saw Lu Hualiang coming in, immediately standing up. Before he could speak, he saw Lu Hualiang walking to the bedside with a dark expression. Eyeing Xia Weibao¡¯s back with displeasure, ¡°Xia Weibao.¡± ¡°Which bastard is interrupting Her Majesty the Empress from playing games!¡± Xia Weibao was furious over how she could have died out of nowhere and, hearing someone calling her, thought it was Xiang Chu. Impatiently turning around, she kicked out towards Xiang Chu¡¯s back. Unexpectedly, Xiang Chu had already moved aside, and the one standing at the bedside was Lu Hualiang. Moreover, since Lu Hualiang was standing up, the position her foot landed was right in his crotch¡­ All the men present almost dropped their jaws, and then synchronised their movements to clench their legs together. That kick¡­ The ultimate pain for a man. Wishing you well, Director Lu. Attacked where his body was most vulnerable, Lu Hualiang was caught off guard and bent slightly. His face changed several shades. Had there not been so many people around, and if he didn¡¯t have to maintain his image, he probably would have already been clutching at his crotch. Freeze frame, time stood still. Xia Weibao stared at Lu Hualiang in agony, shocked still for a long time. She was definitely aiming for Xiang Chu, so how did she end up kicking Lu Hualiang? And right there of all places? Yikes! Her Majesty the Empress was so scared her soul nearly flew away, tossing the phone aside as she instantly switched to a servile expression. She busied herself helping Lu Hualiang up, ¡°Your Majesty, are you alright?¡± Oh my heavens! Was it possible he¡¯d become sterile from this? ¡°Xia, Weibao!¡± It was a voice that seemed to burst from between gritted teeth, scaring Xia Weibao into breaking out in a cold sweat. She tugged her ears and instantly became the picture of misery, one couldn¡¯t help feeling sorry for her. ¡°This servant didn¡¯t mean to.¡± She was immensely relieved, she had kicked Xiang Chu too hard just now, causing him to crash several times, so she had held back a little with her strength. Otherwise, with her profound skills, a kick like that might have made an eunuch out of someone on the spot with a single crunching noise. Lu Hualiang¡¯s face grew darker and darker, itching to strangle the woman in front of him! For her sake, he was worn out from running around, travelling thousands of miles abroad to get a doctor. He even promised to sponsor a medical research lab. It took an enormous amount of manpower and resources to coax a doctor out of retirement to operate on her! And her? She¡¯d been happily enjoying herself playing games in the hospital, and then she hit him with such a heavy blow! The malice in Lu Hualiang¡¯s body was like a demon that had lost control, clawing and biting as if to tear Xia Weibao to pieces. Xia Weibao¡¯s gaze fell on his crotch. She wondered whether she should check it for him¡­ Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38: The Game Ruined Her Immortal Aura Chapter 38: Chapter 38: The Game Ruined Her Immortal Aura Editor: Atlas Studios Thinking it over, she decided to let it go. Whether he becomes infertile or not is none of her business. They were getting divorced in a year anyway. So Weibao, like nothing had happened, turned her head to look at the scenery and played dead. As for the increasingly icy aura emanating from Hualiang, no worries, it was a hot day after all¡ªshe would just treat him as a portable air conditioner. Seeing her indifferent attitude, Hualiang¡¯s fury surged even more. Kicked him down there, and she didn¡¯t even offer an apology! He really wanted to pull her up and give her a good scolding, but considering the onlookers, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to admit she had kicked him there. However, he wasn¡¯t just going to drop it. How could he swallow this indignity! Moreover, thinking about how he had rushed over here in a panic, only to find her playing games, he was even less able to catch his breath with anger. And what was all that garbage she just spouted! Hualiang narrowed his eyes dangerously, ¡°Stupid idiot, pighead, damn it? Xia Weibao, I never knew you were so adept at cursing.¡± Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± Her Majesty the Empress, who always prided herself on civility, felt utterly embarrassed to be publicly accused of using foul language. Feeling somewhat guilty, she actually was quite cultured most of the time¡ªit was just that she had been too agitated just now¡­ So, pointing a finger at Xiang Chu, she claimed, ¡°He taught me.¡± Xiang Chu, ¡°¡­¡± Baby harbored bitter feelings, but Baby kept quiet. In reality, it was just her, in the middle of a game, failing her teammates and being scolded for it, that led her to furiously look up a slew of insults on Baidu and start a tirade while gaming. Attacking her own allies¡­ The most ridiculous part was that all the words she used were censored, and with all the asterisks, you couldn¡¯t actually see anything, yet she found herself getting more and more addicted to cursing. Xiang Chu observed calmly, focusing inward. Before Weibao encountered gaming, he truly saw her as a transcendent hermit, a Fairy untouched by the trifles of the mundane world. But after she got into gaming¡­ Dammit, it was like an extraordinary Fairy had fallen to earth, not just to the ground, but straight into a cesspit¡ªshe was too down-to-earth. It was one thing to curse, but another to resort to physical aggression. And when she struck, it was him she hit¡­ The problem was, she was so pretty and carried such an air about her that even curse words seemed pleasing to the ear, and her punches felt like blossoms to the heart. This blasted world that judges by appearances! Hualiang¡¯s hostile gaze fell on Xiang Chu. The man who showed up in Weibao¡¯s hospital room, and kept her company playing games¡­ Baby Xiang Chu, the pure and innocent one, was confused by Hualiang¡¯s inexplicable stare. Although he knew who Hualiang was, Hualiang did not recognize him. Why the look? While puzzled, he suddenly remembered that Weibao had just kicked Hualiang in a critical spot. And he was a doctor. Could it be that Hualiang wanted him to check if there was any damage? Thus, the naive Baby stepped forward and politely asked, ¡°Director Lu, do you need me to check if there is any injury from the kick?¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the hospital room was filled with the sound of sharp intakes of breath. Young fellow, your courage is commendable! Weibao, being close to Hualiang, was the one who could best sense the changes in his mood. The fear of the Dog Emperor made her back away subconsciously. However, she didn¡¯t expect to bump into the edge of the bed and then fall backward. Her back was all injured¡­ ¡°Hiss¡­¡± Weibao winced in pain, and her complexion changed instantly. Hualiang¡¯s heart constricted, and he forgot to be angry. He rushed forward and turned her over. ¡°Doctor He, quickly check on her.¡± Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Astounding Medical Skills! Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Astounding Medical Skills! Editor: Atlas Studios Xia Weibao was in so much pain that she broke out in a cold sweat and couldn¡¯t even speak. All she could do was let Lu Hualiang and Hepburn press her down onto the hospital bed, and then they lifted up her clothes to check the wound on her back. When they saw the scab that had formed on her back and the new flesh growing in, even Lu Hualiang, who was not versed in medicine, could tell her wound was healing. And it was healing at an incredibly rapid pace! How could this be! His face showed shock. Wasn¡¯t it said that her burns were so severe that the only option other than skin grafts was out of the question? Why was new flesh growing? Then he noticed the layer of black ointment smeared over it, the strong smell of traditional Chinese medicine. Lu Hualiang thought of her intention to seek a Chinese medicine practitioner. His eyes narrowed slowly, this Xia Weibao¡­ Meanwhile, Hepburn was so excited upon seeing Xia Weibao¡¯s injury that he started trembling all over. Examining her wound further, he became so thrilled that he could hardly put his words together. He babbled incessantly, his English spewing out like a machine gun. He was dragging Xia Weibao into his excited, incoherent rambling. Thus, a bizarre scene unfolded in the hospital room. Hepburn was babbling like a psycho, while Xia Weibao looked on calmly as if watching a madman¡­ This situation could only be described by one phrase, casting pearls before swine. A classic case of a language barrier. Lu Hualiang¡¯s frown grew deeper. Hepburn shared that he had retreated from the world precisely because he wanted to devote himself to studying traditional Chinese medicine. He never expected to witness its miraculous effects today. He asked Xia Weibao where the ointment came from and if she could give him some to study. Xia Weibao was in so much pain that she had begun to question her existence, and truly didn¡¯t want to deal with the excited Hepburn. She looked at Xiang Chu, ¡°Bring me the ointment.¡± Xiang Chu brought over the ointment, and he also pressed the buzzer to call a nurse into the room. As for Hepburn, he lost all his maturity and composure at that moment, turning into a little fangirl. He pounced next to Xiang Chu, obsessed with the ointment in his hands. To those unaware, one might think the ointment was his beloved wife. Soon, the nurse came in and pulled the curtains around the bed to apply the medicine to Xia Weibao. Checking the wound merely involved lifting a corner of the clothing to see her back, so it wasn¡¯t a problem with others present. But applying medicine required undressing, something definitely not to be done in front of onlookers. The ointment had an anesthetic effect, finally giving some relief to Xia Weibao. Seeing such effectiveness, Hepburn was as reverent as if he had seen God himself. In the medical world, Hepburn¡¯s reputation was legendary, and of course, Xiang Chu was aware of who he was. More than that, Hepburn was his idol, the target of his aspirations. But at this moment, the idol looked at his master with a very frightening gaze. That was not wonderful at all. Baby Xiang Chu¡¯s alarm bells rang loudly, ¡°Tm dare to compete with me for my master, the idol can turn nauseating!¡± Sure enough, once Hepburn learned that the ointment was developed by Xia Weibao, he became overjoyed and pleaded with her to teach him, eventually asking to become her apprentice. Xiang Chu immediately stepped in front of him and sternly declined. Uncle, we do not ¡°date¡±! ¡°Sorry, Doctor He, my master does not take disciples!¡± They were speaking English, and Xia Weibao felt as if she was watching two dogs barking at each other outside her door. Even though she didn¡¯t understand, she still thought they were quite formidable. On his way to the hospital room, Xiang Minhai felt troubled. Just thinking about Xia Weibao¡¯s wounds being treatable made him very unhappy! Such a flirtatious and shameless woman deserved to be disfigured. And to think she dared to look down upon his medical skills, he¡¯d see her dead! Suddenly, an idea came to him, and he slowly began to smile. Although the surgery was performed by Doctor He, the location was right here. As long as he tampered with something¡­ Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40: A Slap in the Face Chapter 40: Chapter 40: A Slap in the Face Editor: Atlas Studios A weight lifted off his heart, and even his footsteps became lighter. He had already figured out how he was going to sabotage. However, when he arrived at the ward, he was stunned. ¡°Miss Xia, please take me as your disciple, I can pay tuition.¡± ¡°No way! My master said he only loves one disciple.¡± ¡°Step aside, Miss Xia hasn¡¯t even spoken yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because my master doesn¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying, you have a language barrier, what kind of disciple would that make you?¡± ¡°I can learn Chinese, Miss Xia, please take me in.¡± ¡°Woo-hoo, Master, you can¡¯t change your mind now, I¡¯m your obedient disciple, you can¡¯t abandon me¡­¡± Seeing Xiang Chu and Hepburn vying with each other, Xiang Minhai was flabbergasted. Then he realized, they wanted to become disciples? Become disciples of whom? ¡°Xiang Chu, what are you doing!¡± Seeing Xiang Minhai come in, Xiang Chu acted as if he had found his backer and rushed over with tear-filled eyes. ¡°Dad, you have to judge for me, I was the first to ask to be a disciple, and Doctor He actually wants to fight with me for the master. How could he do this, an international renowned doctor fighting with a graduate student for a master, it¡¯s too much.¡± Xiang Minhai was completely dumbfounded. Then shock followed! The leading figure in the medical field, the globally renowned Doctor Hepburn, actually wanted to disciple under Xia Weibao? And his son¡­ Xiang Minhai had a bad premonition. ¡°Become a disciple of whom!¡± Xiang Chu felt a bit wronged, ¡°To disciple under Xia Weibao, I want to learn traditional Chinese medicine.¡± ¡°What?!¡± A surge of blood rushed to Xiang Minhai¡¯s heart and he almost died of anger! He brought his son here was to witness the pitiful state of Xia Weibao and then give up on traditional Chinese medicine completely, not to become her disciple! One his own son, the other his most admired international doctor, these two were actually competing to become Xia Weibao¡¯s disciples. And he had actually been thinking about sabotaging Xia Weibao¡¯s surgery just a while ago, was there anything more frustrating than this? Xiang Minhai really wanted to confront Xia Weibao right there and ask her what on earth she had fed his son! But seeing Lu Hualiang was also there, he could only swallow his teeth and blood. He was almost at the point of spitting blood! And when he saw Xia Weibao sitting up lively on the hospital bed watching the drama unfold, he became even more dizzy with rage. He had lost both his wife and his troops. A sinister glint flashed in Xiang Minhai¡¯s eyes. No worries, as long as Xia Weibao was on his turf, he had ways to exacerbate her wounds! However, he was destined to be disappointed. Xia Weibao, having stayed in the hospital for three days, was practically growing moldy, so she demanded to be discharged. Lu Hualiang saw that her wounds were indeed not too serious, so he agreed to let her go through one final comprehensive examination; if all was well, she could be discharged. Doctor Hepburn, now like someone who¡¯d been injected with an adrenaline shot, felt the magic of traditional Chinese medicine and wanted to witness this miracle firsthand. So he generously took on Xia Weibao¡¯s comprehensive examination. Xiang Minhai, ¡°¡­¡± So ruthless! He snuffed out his last chance. The results of the examination shocked everyone! The injury, which all doctors had deemed fatal, had recovered nearly half its severity in just three short days! At this rate of healing, it was believed she could fully recover in under a week! This could be called a medical miracle! However, the matter was suppressed by Lu Hualiang. It was too peculiar. ¡°Did you get to the bottom of it?¡± In the study, Lu Hualiang looked emotionlessly at Yang Li in front of him. ¡°It¡¯s been confirmed, it was Xia Weibao herself. I compared her blood sample with her reference sample from the psychiatric hospital, they match perfectly.¡± Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Director Lu Gets More Provocative Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Director Lu Gets More Provocative Editor: Atlas Studios Hualiang¡¯s brow furrowed into the shape of the character ¡°´¨¡±. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Following the master¡¯s orders, I investigated Xia Weibao¡¯s background. She never had contact with medical arts from childhood to adulthood, which is indeed a bit strange. Also, you suspected that she was feigning insanity three years ago, but I checked the psychiatric hospital¡¯s treatment records, and she was truly mad. I consulted with an expert on this matter, who said it might be because when Xia Weibao fell down the stairs, she suffered a severe head injury, which caused her to return to normal.¡± Although hard to believe, such cases have occurred before. The only things that don¡¯t make sense are her medical skills and the drastic change in her personality. The Xia Weibao of the past was gentle and weak, speaking softly and quietly, nothing like now, with a strength that¡¯s astonishing! One punch shattering a laptop, crushing a cellphone with bare hands, and then there¡¯s a kick¡­ Yang Li¡¯s gaze fell meaningfully on Hualiang¡¯s groin. Such actions, if done by the former Xia Weibao, would have been completely out of the question. With one fierce glance, Hualiang made Yang Li break into a cold sweat, and he quickly stopped his wandering eyes. Looking away, Hualiang fixed his gaze on the pen in his hand, deep in thought. The drastic change in personality might be somewhat forced, yet understandable; after so many experiences, she couldn¡¯t possibly remain as naive as before. But her medical skills¡ªthat¡¯s truly inexplicable. His eyes sharpened, ¡°Could it be that during her time in the psychiatric hospital, someone switched her with another person?¡± ¡°I had the same suspicion, so I found the hospital where she was born and compared her birth samples for verification. It¡¯s her.¡± Hualiang¡¯s expression grew solemn, which was indeed puzzling. ¡°Master, I have a bold guess, though I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s appropriate to voice it.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Since time travel and reincarnation are popular nowadays, could it be that Xia Weibao is someone from another time, or perhaps some famous doctor has been reborn in her body?¡± Hualiang, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Special Assistant Yang, I really didn¡¯t expect you to be so fanciful.¡± You¡¯ve read too many novels! Yang Li also felt that this reason was too absurd. Still, apart from that, he really couldn¡¯t explain the oddities about Xia Weibao. ¡°Master, as long as we know that this person is Xia Weibao, and not some spy with an obscure background, it might not be a bad thing that she¡¯s changed like this.¡± The former Xia Weibao, to put it nicely, was gentle, kind, and uncontroversial. To put it harshly, she was extremely foolish and weak. When stepped on, she didn¡¯t even know how to fight back. Having ended up with a tarnished reputation, she really had no one else to blame. Thinking of Xia Weibao¡¯s fierce demeanor, Hualiang felt as if a feather had lightly brushed the bottom of his heart, stirring ripples. When he first had to marry Xia Weibao, he was truly a hundred times unwilling. Now, it seemed, she wasn¡¯t as bad as he had imagined. His heart softened, but his tongue was as sharp as ever. ¡°She¡¯s still useless, with a reputation as bad as anything.¡± Only he did not disdain her. Thinking this way, Hualiang suddenly felt quite noble. By taking her in, he saved her from going out and causing a calamity to mankind. Yang Li wiped the sweat from his brow, thinking the master was becoming more and more sentimental by the day. Intimidating when severe, but equally unabashed when self-indulgent! Talking in such a begrudging manner, if you have the ability then divorce her, if you have the courage then drive Xia Weibao away! ¡°Actually, you can¡¯t blame Xia Weibao for this. After all, the entertainment industry is a huge dye vat, where fame brings trouble¡­¡± Hualiang¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Shanshan is also in the entertainment industry, yet I have not seen her attract trouble.¡± Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Entertainment Industry Beauty List Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Entertainment Industry Beauty List Editor: Atlas Studios Yang Li¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Master, comparing Miss Shanshan and Xia Weibao is like comparing apples to oranges.¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s face turned instantly as cold as ice. The temperature in the study plummeted; the air felt frozen, as if snow was drifting thousands of miles away! Yang Li, terrified by the dreadful low pressure, started to break out in a cold sweat. Aware that he had stepped into a minefield, his calves began to tremble even more. ¡°What I meant was that Miss Shanshan is hardworking, resilient, and virtuous, a good role model in the entertainment industry. How could Xia Weibao compare to her?¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s face softened a bit. Feeling the oppressive weight on his shoulders lift, Yang Li breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did he realize his back was drenched in sweat. How could he forget that his master¡¯s true nature was that of a ferocious wolf! He wasn¡¯t someone to be teased. ¡°How has Shanshan been doing lately?¡± Thinking of a certain figure, his previous hostility faded, leaving a softness in his heart. ¡°Miss Shanshan is doing well, she¡¯s even landed a role as the second female lead in a web series recently.¡± ¡°Why settle for a web series, and just the second female lead at that, when she could have been in a big production from me?¡± Despite his words of disdain, his expression suggested otherwise, ¡°Which web series?¡± Yang Li hesitated, ¡°It¡¯s the second female lead in¡­ ¡®Allure.''¡± After saying this, he looked at Lu Hualiang with sympathy. Master, you¡¯re on your own. Miss Shanshan hates beautiful women, and your wife is like a celestial being¡ªif they end up fighting¡­ You¡¯ll have a fire in your backyard, then let¡¯s see whom you protect. Lu Hualiang¡¯s temples throbbed twice; he clearly saw the issue too and felt a headache coming on. Yang Li thought he should be a good Special Assistant and relieve his master¡¯s worries, so he quickly made a suggestion. ¡°Master, why not arrange a meal for Miss Shanshan and the young madam to get to know each other?¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s headache worsened; Xia Weibao wouldn¡¯t even see him, let alone meet. She had been avoiding him for half a year already. ¡°Master, I have a suggestion. You said Xia Weibao¡¯s medical skills are astonishing; perhaps she could treat Miss Shanshan and your wife¡¯s illnesses¡­¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s expression became grave in an instant, his eyes deepening. Xia Weibao, huh¡­ He had to admit, when he saw Xia Weibao heal his wound, he had thought about asking her to treat Shanshan. But¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s hold off on that for now.¡± Xia Weibao was too enigmatic; he needed to observe her for a while longer. And just because she could treat burns didn¡¯t mean she could cure other illnesses. What if it was just a coincidence, and she only knew a remedy for burns? And Shanshan¡¯s illness¡­ He had almost searched the entire world, and no one could cure her. It wasn¡¯t like they hadn¡¯t tried traditional Chinese medicine; it just never worked. It wasn¡¯t just Shanshan, there was also¡­ Thinking of this, Lu Hualiang¡¯s heart clenched with a dull pain. Filled with guilt and tender care. ¡°Right, the selection for this year¡¯s beauty rankings in the entertainment industry starts next month, doesn¡¯t it?¡± He didn¡¯t pay attention to the entertainment circle, but because the most important people to him were there, he kept an eye on everything. ¡°Yes,¡± said Yang Li, his eyes twitching, suddenly feeling an ominous premonition¡­ ¡°Get Shanshan on the list.¡± Yang Li, ¡°¡­¡± This was undoubtedly the most difficult, most soul-destroying task he had ever been asked to carry out¡ªfar worse than lying through his teeth to say his master was approachable and had a good temper! Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Eat This Bowl of Dog Food as a Toast to Respect Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Eat This Bowl of Dog Food as a Toast to Respect Editor: Atlas Studios At this moment, Yang Li truly wanted to grab Lu Hualiang by the neck and shake him violently. ¡°Are you doubting the public¡¯s taste, or do you think the whole nation is blind?¡± To think that a woman with Lu Huashan¡¯s stature could make it onto the beauty rankings is just too shameless! Yang Li¡¯s frantic expression displeased Lu Hualiang. His eyes narrowed dangerously, ¡°Do you think my sister is ugly?¡± Danger! Yang Li stood at attention, head up, chest out, stomach in, military posture, his words resounding with firmness! ¡°Not at all, Miss Shanshan is as beautiful as a flower and has a celestial grace. If one considers the Master¡¯s looks, it is evident that Miss Shanshan must be an extraordinary beauty deep down. It¡¯s just that her illness now masks her beauty, but once she recovers, she¡¯ll surely dazzle everyone to blindness!¡± These flattering words seemed to improve Lu Hualiang¡¯s mood somewhat. Yang Li breathed a sigh of relief and wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. ¡°Master, Miss Shanshan has always disliked your meddling in her affairs. Last time you helped her teach someone a lesson for stealing her role, she threw a tantrum and didn¡¯t come home for half a year. If she finds out about this time¡­¡± ¡°Yang Li, is this your first day with me? Don¡¯t you know to cover your tracks?¡± Yang Li, ¡°¡­¡± But the problem is, with Lu Huashan¡¯s looks, being on the beauty rankings is the biggest sham! ¡°Yes¡­¡± After thinking for a moment, Lu Hualiang said, ¡°Getting to second place will do, being at the top is too conspicuous.¡± Yang Li really wanted to ask if the Master was sure he didn¡¯t just want to reserve first place for his wife. Thus, he suggested sycophantically, ¡°Master, should we boost the young mistress to the top of the rankings?¡± ¡°Does she need your help to get on top?¡± Lu Hualiang retorted, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. With Xia Weibao¡¯s looks, what woman could compete without it being a car crash scene! Would she even need to fake it? This prideful expression¡­ Yang Li silently lifted his bowl of ¡®dog food,¡¯ offering a toast before digging in. Just then, a ¡®ding¡¯ sounded from his phone. It was a Weibo special alert. As an outstanding Special Assistant, he must be concerned with everything his boss cares about. That¡¯s why Lu Huashan¡¯s Weibo was set to special alerts. Glancing at the Weibo post Lu Huashan sent out, Yang Li silently spat out the ¡®dog food¡¯ he had just consumed. Should he feel schadenfreude or revel in schadenfreude? ¡°Master, Miss Shanshan and the young mistress have started tearing into each other.¡± The backyard¡¯s on fire, hahaha. Lu Hualiang frowned, pulled out his phone, and his head instantly ached. [Cute Shanshan V: Some people, relying on their pretty faces, act like prima donnas. It¡¯s been several days since production started and they haven¡¯t shown their face, slowing down the shooting schedule. Do they really think they own the production crew?] She didn¡¯t name names, but the spectators who love watching the drama immediately began investigating. And then it was revealed that Xia Weibao hadn¡¯t been seen on set since ¡°Allure¡± began filming. All her scenes were postponed, shooting others¡¯ scenes first. And with ¡°Allure¡± being a lead female role drama, two thirds of the shots include the leading lady. Especially since Xu Jiayang wanted to promote Xia Weibao and thus increased her scenes. With her absence from filming, one can only imagine the delays in progress. The fact that Xia Weibao was injured was kept entirely secret. Even Xu Jiayang only knew she was unwell and hospitalized, unaware of the severity of her injuries, let alone other crew members. They all assumed she was just being a diva. Especially since Xia Weibao was parachuted in and rumored to have climbed into Xu Jiayang¡¯s bed. The crew members were already dissatisfied with her, and now the conflict intensified. But they were all minor actors, daring only to be angry but not to speak out. As for Lu Huashan, who is straightforward, she was the first to step forward. Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Director Lu, Youre Overthinking Again Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Director Lu, You¡¯re Overthinking Again Editor: Atlas Studios Now, the news of Xia Weibao acting like a diva had truly been established. Already in a precarious position, the current situation was imaginable. Weibo once again fell into chaos, filled with a chorus of curses. Seeing Xia Weibao get roasted on hot search again, Lin Mier laughed until she nearly shook apart. Then, with a look of disdain, she scoffed, ¡°Xia Weibao, oh Xia Weibao, I never thought you¡¯d be so stupid, you deserve to be cursed to death!¡± To not cherish a role gained through sleeping around, how can someone be so stupid in this world. Her agent also felt bewildered, ¡°Xia Weibao must be sick, thinking she¡¯s still the hot Film Queen of her early days, acting all high and mighty? She should take a look at the mess she¡¯s in.¡± In her many years as an agent, she had never come across such a foolish artist! Lin Mier was utterly delighted. Xia Weibao had crafted her own downfall, and she had finally vented her spleen. She felt both physically and mentally refreshed. She looked towards her agent, a fierce glint in her eyes, ¡°You know what to do, right?¡± Her agent smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll buy a spot on the hot search right away, ensuring that this issue will hang there for a week!¡± Elsewhere, Lu Hualiang felt a headache watching the increasingly heated comments online. Forget it, sisters-in-law need time to bond, just let them slowly grind against each other. One is his sister, the other his wife, he valued both sides. The most troubled was Xu Jiayang. It had been quiet for just two days, and now Xia Weibao was on the hot search again, this time even more fiercely! He couldn¡¯t disclose Xia Weibao¡¯s illness, after all, artists had their privacy. But he couldn¡¯t just ignore it either. Harmony within a crew, and actors getting along is too important for filming. Now the crew was full of complaints, and many actors were uncooperative, especially towards Xia Weibao, they were extremely resentful. Thinking it over, he felt it was necessary to invite the crew for a meal to bond. Actually, Xia Weibao was quite pleasant and down-to-earth. Anyone who had interacted with her would end up liking her. The current disharmony was simply due to unfamiliarity. Xia Weibao was sitting cross-legged on the bed playing games, dominating the battlefield when her phone rang. And then, Her Majesty the Empress got chopped to death with a single blow. Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± Just as she was about to curse out whoever had such a lack of public morality, she saw it was Xu Jiayang¡¯s call, and immediately reigned in her temper. ¡°Director Xu.¡± ¡°Baby, how are you feeling?¡± Baby was the nickname her fans used to call her with affection, and everyone called her Baby. But now, hearing Xu Jiayang say it, it made her skin crawl. ¡°I¡¯m almost better, I¡¯ll probably be back on set for shooting in about a week.¡± A week, not too long. ¡°Then in a week, we¡¯ll welcome you back with a banquet, make sure you come, okay?¡± ¡°Alright, thank you, Director Xu.¡± Xia Weibao obediently responded, but what she was really thinking was, when will he hang up, I need to get back to my game. After hanging up, she immediately started another round! Lu Hualiang finished his work and returned to the room, only to see her sitting cross-legged on the bed, engrossed in her game. Lu Hualiang, ¡°¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t understand how a girl could be so into games. He walked over to the closet, took out clothes for a shower. Xia Weibao glances over and suddenly remembers she hasn¡¯t showered either. So she said, ¡°Hurry up in the shower, I haven¡¯t had mine either.¡± Lu Hualiang gave her a sideways glance, then suddenly realized a problem. She had injuries now and couldn¡¯t make large movements, so she certainly couldn¡¯t wash on her own. She needed someone to help¡­ Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45: That Hit Home, Director Lu! Chapter 45: Chapter 45: That Hit Home, Director Lu! Editor: Atlas Studios Lu Hualiang didn¡¯t say a word, just moved more swiftly with the clothes. He took a quick combat shower and then came out, descending the stairs without uttering a single word. Her Majesty the Empress, currently addicted to video games, glanced up briefly. She wondered how this man could shower so quickly. Indeed, even with the same face, they were not the same person. The Dog Emperor took at least a Shichen to take a bath. Why? Because every time, he would insist on taking a ¡°Mandarin Duck Bath¡± with her, damn it! Thinking about it made her back sore, legs cramp, and waist ache again. Actually, life was quite good now, not having to serve at bedtime. As for unintentionally thinking of the Dog Emperor every night before closing her eyes, and the habitual glance at the person next to her the moment she opened her eyes in the morning, to see if it was that familiar figure¡ªshe had ignored all these little habits. By this time, the servants would have mostly retired for the night. Lu Hualiang called Housekeeper Fu, giving all the servants the night off. Housekeeper Fu was utterly baffled, ¡°Sir, why are we suddenly taking a holiday?¡± Lu Hualiang said solemnly, ¡°The college entrance exams are in two days. I¡¯m giving the maids a few days off to accompany the exam.¡± Housekeeper Fu was even more confused. The majority of the maids at Lu Garden were unmarried, without sons, so accompany whom for the exam? And why were the maids getting a holiday, but not the male security guards and bodyguards? Before Housekeeper Fu could get clarity, Lu Hualiang had already turned and gone upstairs. Though perplexed, Housekeeper Fu still went to give the maids their time off. Lu Hualiang didn¡¯t go back to his room immediately but spent some time reading in his study. Only after making sure there were no women left in Lu Garden did he return to his room with a light step. In the room, Xia Weibao was still sitting cross-legged on the bed playing games. Lu Hualiang calmly looked at her, then took a financial book and leaned back against the headrest to read. But he was a bit distracted. Nearing midnight, his patience was wearing thin after checking the time for the tenth time. He casually reminded, ¡°It¡¯s getting late.¡± Why hasn¡¯t she taken a bath yet. Xia Weibao just finished a round of ¡°King of Glory¡± and, hearing his words, glanced at the time. She shouldn¡¯t have looked, for upon doing so, a pop-up message appeared on the internet. #Xia Weibao throws a diva tantrum, skips filming for days# She frowned and clicked on Weibo. Three black lines slid down her forehead. Should she attribute it to being a hot-search magnet or a black-magnet? She could hit the trending topics without doing anything. After reading some of the comments, which were a spew of vitriol, she closed Weibo and lay down to sleep. The accusations of unspoken rules, throwing tantrums, and being shameless repeated themselves, devoid of creativity. She was tired of seeing them. After all, with so many complaints, she wasn¡¯t bothered anymore; she was so blackened by the scandal that a few more buckets of ink wouldn¡¯t make her any darker. It was only then that she realized the intention behind Xu Jiayang¡¯s welcome party for her. Director Xu was actually a decent person. Seeing her go to sleep just like that, Lu Hualiang frowned. ¡°How can you sleep without taking a bath? You¡¯re filthy.¡± ¡°I did take a shower,¡± Xia Weibao said while yawning. Playing games all day, so tiring. Showered? Lu Hualiang was taken aback. How could that be possible! She had just said she hadn¡¯t showered, and all he did was go downstairs to instruct for a moment; there was no way she could have finished so quickly! And besides, she had injuries, how could she shower without anyone helping her clean her body! ¡°When did you shower?¡± ¡°Just now, while you were downstairs.¡± ¡°How did you shower without any help?¡± Lu Hualiang said, displeased. ¡°I¡¯m not missing any limbs; do I need help to take a shower? Let¡¯s sleep, don¡¯t disturb me.¡± Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Director Lu Gets Kicked Out of Bed Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Director Lu Gets Kicked Out of Bed Editor: Atlas Studios Lu Hualiang¡¯s expression was somewhat twisted, ¡°Your back is covered in wounds. How can you take off your own clothes, how can you clean your body? Won¡¯t any vigorous movement tear the wound, I¡¯ve never seen someone torture their own body like this!¡± Xia Weibao was baffled, why was he yelling so loudly? Did her taking a bath offend him as well? ¡°My injuries are almost healed, and they won¡¯t rip open unless they are struck hard.¡± As she spoke, she even stretched her hands to fully prove that no matter how much she moved, the wounds wouldn¡¯t tear. Lu Hualiang was irately infuriated! Did all those doctors get their degrees from a fake university? One after another, they said she was injured to the point of being unable to take care of herself, and that without skin grafting she¡¯d be ruined, yet in just three or four days, she has become lively and active! There was a stifling anger in his chest. He didn¡¯t even know what he was angry about, but he was just very annoyed. The chill was violently flowing out of him. He had thought, seeing him angry, Xia Weibao would show some concern. After all, for her sake, he had traveled thousands of miles overseas to help her find a doctor; she should be grateful to him in her heart. But unexpectedly¡­ After waiting for two minutes and not hearing Xia Weibao speak, just when Lu Hualiang was growing impatient, from the other side of the bed, came the faint sound of breathing. Lu Hualiang, ¡°¡­¡± Asleep¡­ fell asleep? ¡°Xia Weibao.¡± No response. Boss Lu¡¯s face turned a magnificent shade of black. Did you reincarnate from a sow, falling asleep in just two minutes?!!! Lu Hualiang stared at Xia Weibao¡¯s back, almost questioning life itself. Suddenly, he furrowed his brows. Were her injuries really healed? When she was burned, he had seen it, her whole back was scorched, and her face was ruined, with blood covering him. The severity of the injuries was not faked. Even if it was just a broken fingertip, it would just be about healed in three or four days, right? How could such severe injuries be healed in such a short time? Lu Hualiang slowly raised his hand, his fingers distinct and chiseled, gently lifting the collar of her shirt, wanting to see if the wounds were truly healed. If her medical skills were truly so profound¡­ However, just as his slender fingers moved, Xia Weibao, who was half-asleep and half-awake, suddenly woke with a jolt. Swiftly turning around, one hand seized the ¡°assassin¡¯s¡± hand behind her, then she kicked out swiftly, ¡°bang,¡± knocking Lu Hualiang off the bed¡­ Xia Weibao abruptly sat up, her eyes vigilant. She saw Lu Hualiang standing up from the ground with a gloomy face, that look in his eyes¡­ This is bad, he has killing intent! The Empress, belatedly realizing, felt a chill down her spine. ¡°Thi-this can¡¯t be blamed on me. I¡¯m highly vigilant when I¡¯m asleep, it was you who approached me, it¡¯s not my fault.¡± The Empress¡¯s principle in sleeping was, she could hug others, but nobody was allowed to hug her. Back then, the Dog Emperor was often kicked off the bed by her. Lu Hualiang, who had dominated Huaxia Country for many years, with Presidents bowing their heads to him, when had he ever been so humiliated by being kicked off the bed? You can imagine what his face looked like. Just as he was about to explode with anger, he saw Xia Weibao¡¯s expression change. Her entire face twisted in pain. Lu Hualiang¡¯s face was as dark as water, yet his heart gave a slight jolt. ¡°Don¡¯t think by acting pitiful, I will let you off.¡± ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Cold sweat was breaking out on Xia Weibao. The abrupt movements just now, flipping and kicking people, the wound had split open. Lu Hualiang¡¯s expression slightly changed, as he twisted her body around, only then did he realize that her clothing was already stained red with fresh blood. Faced with the actual situation, Boss Lu¡¯s expression finally shifted, ¡°To the hospital.¡± Xia Weibao grabbed his hand, ¡°No need, just go get me the ointment and also call a maid for me.¡± Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Uh-Oh! Director Lu Has a Nosebleed! Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Uh-Oh! Director Lu Has a Nosebleed! Editor: Atlas Studios A maid? Lu Hualiang raised an eyebrow. Then, expressionless, he said, ¡°The maids have all taken a holiday.¡± ¡°Taken a holiday?¡± Xia Weibao looked doubtful. ¡°They were clearly here at dinner time.¡± ¡°After dinner. Housekeeper Fu felt that with college entrance exams in a couple of days, he gave the maids time off to accompany their children for the exam.¡± Very good, that was a slick shift of blame! The college entrance exam is indeed very important, a significant turning point in life that indeed requires full commitment to preparation. Xia Weibao didn¡¯t suspect anything and even thought that Lu Hualiang was quite humane. Except¡­ ¡°Then could you help me get a part-time nurse?¡± ¡°Do nurses not need to sleep in the middle of the night?¡± Xia Weibao was in a difficult position, her brow furrowed into the character for ¡°river¡±. ¡°Maid, nurse, what exactly do you want to do, making such a fuss just to sleep.¡± Lu Hualiang was unfazed, a master who could certainly fool a lie detector! Xia Weibao looked slightly embarrassed, ¡°The injury¡¯s on my back, I can¡¯t apply the medicine myself¡­¡± Having already obtained the medicine, Lu Hualiang¡¯s heart leapt with joy, this was exactly the effect he wanted! But would he reveal that? The answer is no. All he did was give her a disdainful glance, ¡°Troublesome.¡± Then he walked over to the side of the bed and sat down, reaching out to lift her clothes. Xia Weibao was alarmed, protecting her chest with both hands, ready to defend herself, ¡°What are you doing!¡± ¡°Helping you with the medicine, hurry up, if you don¡¯t sleep I still have to.¡± What? He¡¯s going to apply medicine to her? What about her dignity? ¡°No¡­ no need¡­¡± ¡°Can you do it yourself? Or should I call Housekeeper Fu to help you?¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± She would rather not apply the medicine¡­ She reached for her phone, ¡°I¡¯ll call Xiang Chu to help.¡± ¡°Xiang Chu?¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s eyes slowly narrowed. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s my apprentice.¡± ¡°Xia Weibao, you actually called a man to help you with your medicine!¡± Xia Weibao frowned, did she just hear the sound of teeth grinding? It must be her imagination. ¡°Xiang Chu is a doctor; in his eyes, I¡¯m a patient, and patients aren¡¯t distinguished by gender.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a patient in my eyes too, and I¡¯m your husband besides. It¡¯s the middle of the night, is it alright to bother someone to rush over, don¡¯t they need sleep? I never thought you to be such a selfish person, hurry up, apply the medicine and sleep.¡± Xia Weibao felt immensely embarrassed by his words. Indeed, calling someone over that late would disrupt their rest. But, to have Lu Hualiang apply medicine to her¡­ It felt somewhat awkward. If this person were Emperor Xia Liang, it would be fine, but unfortunately, he was only a lookalike, not her Majesty. However, Lu Hualiang didn¡¯t give her a chance to refuse; he had already lifted up her clothes. Xia Weibao felt helpless, ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Then, she reached out to unbutton her clothes from the front. After unbuttoning, she immediately pulled the quilt up to cover the front. Only then did she let Lu Hualiang help her take off the top. ¡°What¡¯s the point of covering up? Who would want to look.¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± Why did she detect a note of frustration? Was it just her imagination? As the clothing was removed, Lu Hualiang looked at her back and suddenly felt his mouth go dry. The back was a mess of wounds, blackened flesh with bits of new pinkish flesh emerging that looked particularly ferocious. Yet, he felt his body grow warm at the sight. It must be said, Xia Weibao had a great figure. Her slender shoulders were adorned with two butterfly blades, her long back with clearly defined shoulder blades, her delicate waist barely a handful, with smooth contours on both sides leading to the curve of her hips, which stirred the imagination¡­ Plop, a drop of an unidentified red liquid suddenly fell onto Lu Hualiang¡¯s hand. Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Director Lu Reacts Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Director Lu Reacts Editor: Atlas Studios Lu Hualiang quickly reached out and wiped under his nose. Only then did he notice a hand smeared with blood. ¡°What happened?¡± Feeling something was off with the man behind her, Xia Weibao turned around. Lu Hualiang hurriedly pressed down on her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, your wound is bleeding, let me clean it for you,¡± he said. As he spoke, he took out some cotton and gently dabbed at the blood on her wound. At the same time, he wiped off the blood from his own nose. Lu Hualiang¡¯s face was as black as the bottom of a pot. To get a nosebleed from such a bloody back, what an embarrassment! It must be because it was his first time seeing a woman¡¯s back, that must be why. Right, it has to be that. However, getting a nosebleed from a sudden glimpse of glamour could be understood, but for it to continue non-stop was puzzling. Even after reapplying the medicine on Xia Weibao, Lu Hualiang¡¯s nosebleed had not stopped. In fact, it was getting worse. Not only that, his whole body began to feel hot. Maybe he had gotten overheated and that¡¯s why his nose was bleeding profusely. Yes, that must be it. Another blood-soaked cotton ball was thrown away. Xia Weibao turned her head and looked at the small mountain of bloodstained cotton, worried. She had already lost too much blood when she was injured, and now that she was bleeding so much, could she die from blood loss? But why, after bleeding so much, didn¡¯t she feel dizzy or blurred vision at all? And, the medicine had been applied, so why hadn¡¯t it stopped bleeding? ¡°Director Lu, is my wound still bleeding?¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s nostrils were stuffed with cotton, and his expression couldn¡¯t be more frustrated. ¡°It¡¯s fine now.¡± After he finished speaking, he quickly got up and ran into the bathroom before Xia Weibao could turn around. Wash his face. What was going on? It was just applying some medicine, yet he inexplicably got a nosebleed. Not only that, but his heartbeat was also abnormal. Lu Hualiang raised his hand and pressed it over his heart; the frequency was clearly faster than usual. The rhythm had already deviated from the normal level of a heartbeat. In the room, Xia Weibao looked at the floor littered with trash, her face darkened. So stingy. It was just helping her with medicine, and he didn¡¯t even clean up. Instead, he made her, an injured person, do it. When Lu Hualiang came out of a calming shower, Xia Weibao had already fallen asleep. Looking at her peaceful sleeping face, Lu Hualiang¡¯s expression deepened. Here it was again¡­ Even though his heartbeat had normalized, it suddenly increased by a few beats, making him feel uncomfortable all over. Could it be that he¡­ was sick? It looked like he needed to see a doctor. When Xia Weibao woke up the next day, the spot beside her was already cold. She found out from Housekeeper Fu that Lu Hualiang had gone on another business trip, and this time it might be for a month. To this, Her Majesty the Empress cheered! Feeling refreshed in body and mind, her injury healed particularly fast. Within a week, her wounds were all healed. Not only were there no scars, but her skin was even more tender than before! Xiang Chu and Hepburn stared at her face, which was even fairer than before, their admiration nearly turning into stars falling from their eyes. So awesome! Xiang Chu felt that since his master was so powerful, he must keep a close watch on her and definitely not let anyone snatch her away! Hepburn felt that Xia Weibao was so incredible that if he didn¡¯t become her disciple, he would die in regret! The two men looked at each other, and immediately started bickering. As they bickered, they began to fight. Xia Weibao, without a second word, kicked them both out. If they wanted to fight, they could do it outside; she didn¡¯t provide a venue for bickering here. Then she changed into a set of sportswear, put on a mask and sunglasses, and went out happily to have fun. Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Pried Off the Bugatti Emblem Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Pried Off the Bugatti Emblem Editor: Atlas Studios Seeing Xia Weibao heading towards the garage, Housekeeper Fu¡¯s fat quivered. ¡°Madam, are you going out?¡± ¡°Yes, Housekeeper Fu, leave the door open for me tonight.¡± It was her first time going out to have fun, and she estimated that she¡¯d play quite late. After all, she was filled with curiosity about this unfamiliar world. Housekeeper Fu¡¯s fatty flesh trembled as he ran towards the garage, ¡°Madam, wait a moment, I¡¯ll open the door for you.¡± The scene from last time when she floored the pedal and blew the garage door away was still fresh in his memory. He hadn¡¯t yet calculated the extent of his psychological trauma. This time, Xia Weibao didn¡¯t dare to drive such an expensive car again, fearing the recurrence of making a scene with luxury cars. Based on the original owner¡¯s memory, she searched around in Lu Hualiang¡¯s garage. She discovered that even the cheapest car he owned was at least ten million. Xia Weibao had a headache. Truly the first wealthy family of Huaxia! They really were damn rich! As the time she had arranged with Xu Jiayang was approaching, it was her first dinner with the crew, and it wouldn¡¯t be good to be late. But she couldn¡¯t pick a car, and Xia Weibao was vexed. ¡°Housekeeper Fu, how do people usually judge the value of a car?¡± Housekeeper Fu pointed to the logo on a Bugatti beside them, ¡°By the logo, each brand¡¯s logo is different.¡± Xia Weibao¡¯s fingers, delicate as jade shoots, thoughtfully tapped her chin. ¡°Other than the logo, what else do they look at?¡± ¡°That¡¯s about it, I guess.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying, if this car didn¡¯t have the logo, it wouldn¡¯t be worth anything?¡± ¡°Naturally, if it didn¡¯t have the logo, who would know what car this is.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Xia Weibao¡¯s eyes lit up, understanding at last. Then, she reached out, grabbed the Bugatti logo in front, and tried to pry it off¡­ but it was too sturdy and wouldn¡¯t budge. But no matter, she had Inner Strength. So Xia Weibao concentrated her Inner Strength in her hands, and in front of a gobsmacked Housekeeper Fu, she pried the logo off. Pried it off¡­ Off¡­ Off¡­ Off¡­ ¡­ Then she floored the gas pedal and took off with casual confidence. Long after Xia Weibao had left, Housekeeper Fu still couldn¡¯t snap out of his shock¡­ The madam, she, she, she had dismantled a Bugatti with her bare hands?! It scared Baby into eating a giant whale! When she arrived outside the bar Xu Jiayang had chosen, the others had just come from the set. Seeing a luxury car with a hole in the front parked not far away, everyone was a bit stunned. Looking at the car¡¯s model, it had to be a worldwide limited edition Bugatti Veyron, right? But could someone tell them why there was a hole in front of the Bugatti? Where did the logo go? As they were wondering, the car door opened, and a slender leg clad in white sportswear stepped out first. Following that, a woman with a ponytail, wearing a mask, and sunglasses got out of the car. With a height of 170cm and a curvaceous figure, she was enviably attractive. Her long ponytail swished, tracing an assertive arc. Despite wearing casual sportswear, she exuded the cool charisma of an x-agent! Xia Weibao took off her mask and sunglasses and casually threw them back into the car. Her movements were bold and deft, having a certain dashing vigor about them, akin to an ancient heroine wandering the Jianghu, preferring arms over gowns. She looked fiercely stunning! ¡°So cool!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that woman, a model? She¡¯s so cool!¡± ¡°And so beautiful, damn, what a class act!¡± ¡°Do you guys feel like she looks a bit familiar¡­¡± Right then, Xia Weibao, who had already seen Xu Jiayang, looked in their direction. Her lips quirked up at an angle, ¡°Director Xu.¡± Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50 Trouble Comes Looking Chapter 50: Chapter 50 Trouble Comes Looking Editor: Atlas Studios Everyone¡¯s eyes opened slightly wider. This beauty, does she know the director? Could it be¡­ ¡°Do you guys feel that she looks like someone?¡± ¡°Xia Weibao¡­¡± By this time, Xia Weibao had already walked over, scanning everyone with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile. I really didn¡¯t expect there to be so many beauties in the Allure Crew. And they all look so young and fresh, probably all newcomers. Although they are not as beautiful as the concubines in the Great Xia Kingdom¡¯s Imperial Harem, they have a style of their own. It made even Her Majesty the Empress want to hit on girls. She raised an eyebrow, ¡°Hello, beauties.¡± Xu Jiayang¡¯s expression turned sour, clearly seeing a beautiful woman, but the moment Xia Weibao raised her eyebrow, he saw a libertine poet¡­ ¡°Baby, come over and meet with the members of the crew.¡± As soon as these words came out, everyone¡¯s expressions became somewhat subtle. Now in the crew, Xia Weibao could be said to be a very sensitive person. Not to mention her current entanglement with scandals, just the fact that she¡¯d climbed into Xu Jiayang¡¯s bed and then landed the female lead role had already upset everyone. Moreover, she was being a diva. Haven¡¯t shown her face for over ten days since the start of filming, such high-handedness. Plus, now driving a car worth millions, even though the badge was masked, it was still a Bugatti; no need to guess, she must be kept by someone. So nobody gave her a warm reception. Even with the director here, they couldn¡¯t muster up a smile. Especially the girls, they outright hardened their faces. The face of Xia Weibao was enough to make every woman in the world consider her an enemy! Xu Jiayang introduced them one by one, but they only forced a grin, their attitude cold. Xia Weibao raised an eyebrow, so the beauties were all ignoring her, huh? Why did this feel so unpleasant? ¡°Let¡¯s head inside, I¡¯m starving.¡± Someone muttered, causing Xu Jiayang to feel a bit awkward. He hadn¡¯t expected the crew to have such a big issue with Xia Weibao, showing disrespect even in front of him as the director. Especially Hua Shan, who straight up left once she heard it was a welcome banquet for Xia Weibao. But Xia Weibao seemed unaffected. She believed that every girl was an angel and should be cherished. Hearing someone mention they were hungry, she laughed, ¡°That¡¯s where Director Xu is at fault, how could he let the pretty girls stand outside for so long, what if your legs get sore.¡± The girl who just complained paused, and then her face went slightly red. Despite her bad attitude, Xia Weibao still considered her feelings, making her feel somewhat ashamed. The others were also surprised; seeing this attitude, it seemed¡­ she wasn¡¯t such a big diva after all. Although Allure was a small production, employing actors with no popularity, being public figures, they definitely needed private rooms. ¡°You guys are lucky, this is the last private room available,¡± said the receptionist with a smile, preparing to check them in when a discordant voice broke in. ¡°Wait, that last private room, we¡¯ll take it.¡± Xu Jiayang turned around, and his face fell when he saw the group approaching from behind. The other members of the Allure Crew also looked displeased. Xia Weibao raised an eyebrow, recognizing only one person among this group, Lin Mier. Talk about enemies on a narrow road. She had just stolen the role from Lin Mier, and now Lin Mier was here to snatch her private room. Lin Mier had clearly seen her, her expression darkening at first, but then she lifted a provocative smile. To Lin Mier, Xia Weibao was no different from a rat crossing the street, not worth her attention at all. ¡°Director Li, what is the meaning of this?¡± Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Slapping the Little White Flower in the Face Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Slapping the Little White Flower in the Face Editor: Atlas Studios Xu Jiayang looked displeased. Li Cheng had also been filming a drama called ¡°Imperial Harem,¡± and he and Xu Jiayang had both extended an invitation to Lin Mier at the same time. At that time, Lin Mier took on the role of the female lead in ¡°Allure,¡± causing quite a stir. After all, ¡°Imperial Harem¡± was a TV drama, and ¡°Allure¡± was just an online series, not quite on the same level. Because of this, Li Cheng held a grudge against Xu Jiayang. Latter on, when ¡°Allure¡± changed its female lead, Lin Mier¡¯s tragic persona was well-played, and she became an instant sensation. Seeing her value, as good as a free promotion, Li Cheng once again offered Lin Mier an olive branch. The news of Lin Mier taking on the female lead in ¡°Imperial Harem¡± was also hotly promoted. Li Cheng was praised for his talent appreciation, his magnanimity in letting bygones be bygones, and his keen eye for spotting talent, and the news even topped the hot searches. Unfortunately, just as it hit the hot searches, Xia Weibao¡¯s news of throwing a diva tantrum broke out, so it was kicked down. One could say that during this period, all the hot searches were monopolized by Xia Weibao, and no one else could even dream of getting a look in! Even news of the super-popular movie queen Yan Weiyang taking on a Hollywood blockbuster wanted to compete for the hot searches but was brutally KO¡¯d by Xia Weibao, leaving no room for a second-liner like Lin Mier. Li Cheng was even more resentful of his hot search being taken over. Xu Jiayang and Li Cheng had a falling out, Xia Weibao and Lin Mier had a past beef, and both their crews were competing as they geared up to shoot at the same time. Under these circumstances, you can imagine how the scene would unfold when they met. Li Cheng disdainfully glanced sideways at Xu Jiayang, arrogant and completely unfazed by his presence. He was even somewhat gleeful at his misfortune. Xu Jiayang¡¯s situation was mysteriously similar to that of Xia Weibao. Once a giant in the directing world, an untouchable entity. Now, however, he was like a rat crossing the street, scorned by all directors. Li Cheng took out a VIP card, slapped it arrogantly in front of the receptionist, ¡°The last private room, I¡¯m taking it!¡± Arrogant! Exceptionally arrogant! The tense atmosphere immediately drew the attention of many onlookers who enjoyed a spectacle. Especially after recognizing Lin Mier, they became even more excited. ¡°Look, it¡¯s Lin Mier!¡± ¡°Oh my god, my goddess!¡± ¡°The goddess is so beautiful, Mier, please give me an autograph¡­¡± The crowd was full of actors, yet all eyes were on Lin Mier, which filled her with pride. Her lips slowly curled into a smile, and just then, a discordant voice rang out. ¡°The beauty in the white sports outfit is so pretty¡­¡± ¡°My god, so beautiful, do you guys feel like she looks familiar?¡± ¡°She kind of resembles Mier, but she¡¯s so much more beautiful than Mier.¡± ¡°Could it be Xia Weibao?¡± ¡°How could it be! This beauty is obviously all-natural, how could you compare her with Xia Weibao¡¯s plastic surgery face.¡± ¡°Exactly, didn¡¯t you notice she¡¯s bare-faced? Celebrities wear makeup all the time, their skin is so bad, there¡¯s no way they¡¯d dare to be seen without makeup.¡± ¡°True, let¡¯s not compare that trash Xia Weibao to the heavenly beauty¡­¡± Appearances are born from the heart, and the current Xia Weibao had switched spirits, making her whole appearance glow with radiance, looking completely different from before. Furthermore, she used to appear only while wearing makeup, but now that she was unadorned, she seemed fresher and more elegant. This version of her was different from the movie queen under the spotlight. Add to that her three-year retreat from the industry, and now her comeback, all the media were hell-bent on painting her in the worst light, keen on blackening her image until she would never be able to turn her fortunes. All the photos of her online were distortioned to make her look ugly. Therefore, despite the many onlookers, not a single one could recognize her. Meanwhile, Lin Mier¡¯s face darkened with fury. Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52: What a beautiful slap in the face! Chapter 52: Chapter 52: What a beautiful slap in the face! Editor: Atlas Studios Indeed, wherever Xia Weibao was, she was the one being ignored! Never able to step out of Xia Weibao¡¯s shadow, how could she not be furious! She must trample Xia Weibao beneath her feet, definitely! Of course, with so many eyes watching, she wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to confront this personally, as it would affect her image. So she signaled to a nearby minor actor with her eyes. The minor actor was Lin Mier¡¯s lackey and immediately understood her intent. With arrogant chin-up, and a face full of sarcasm, ¡°Not even weighing oneself, a lowly web drama crew dares to make noise against us. ¡®Imperial Harem¡¯ is a TV drama that will be broadcast on radio stations, unlike some dramas that can only play on websites. And it can¡¯t even make it onto major websites, what a future!¡± Upon hearing these words, the faces of everyone from the Allure Crew turned sour. The broadcasting of Allure was indeed a big problem. Xia Weibao and Xu Jiayang, currently blacklisted by the entire nation! Netizens unanimously pledged not to watch ¡®Allure.¡¯ This also suggested that no website would stream ¡®Allure.¡¯ This was something everyone was aware of, but they had not reached that step yet, so no one thought about it. Now that it was brought up, the embarrassment was imaginable. The Allure actors, already displeased with Xia Weibao, now displayed outright hostility. If it weren¡¯t for her snatching Lin Mier¡¯s leading role with such lowly methods, ¡®Allure¡¯ wouldn¡¯t have been blacklisted. And with Lin Mier¡¯s status in the entertainment industry, even if she couldn¡¯t turn ¡®Allure¡¯ into a hit, at least she would have brought in traffic. Now, they had nothing. Many of these obscure actors were filming for the first time, and it was hard enough to get a role; but because of Xia Weibao, ¡®Allure¡¯ was blacklisted, and they were blacklisted as well. Now they were also being publicly embarrassed. You can imagine how they felt. The one with the ugliest expression had to be Xu Jiayang. Once, when he made a name for himself in the director¡¯s circle, Li Cheng was just an intern director, and now he dared to slap his face in public! Seeing Xu Jiayang¡¯s sullen face gave Li Cheng an incomparable sense of satisfaction. Thinking back on Xu Jiayang¡¯s achievements in the director¡¯s circle, how many people envied and were jealous of him¡ªhe was one of them! Little did he imagine that time had changed and it was his turn to hold his head high and gloat! ¡°Director Xu, the Supreme Card comes with priority rights. If you could also present a Supreme Card, you might have priority too, but¡­¡± Li Cheng said, laughing heartily, his eyes full of disdain. ¡°Look at what I¡¯m saying, with your current financial situation, Director Xu, just coming to this kind of five-star bar requires saving for months, doesn¡¯t it? How could you possibly have a VIP Supreme Card.¡± Saying this, he even smugly tapped Xu Jiayang¡¯s shoulder twice with his Supreme Card. His face, etched with mockery, ¡°Director Xu, I¡¯m not trying to be mean, but for a crew as poor as ¡®Allure,¡¯ where even props are homemade, why bother coming to a high-end place and pretending to be more than you are, can you even afford it?¡± He bit down hard on the last few words. Listening, Xu Jiayang¡¯s face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. The members of the Allure Crew were even more mortified. Just as Xu Jiayang was about to explode, Xia Weibao stepped forward. With a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, she looked at Li Cheng. ¡°Director Li is right, we from Allure truly don¡¯t have a VIP Supreme Card. A poor crew like ours could only have these worthless trash cards.¡± As she spoke, she slapped a VIP Supreme Card onto the front desk. Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Xia Weibaos Man Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Xia Weibao¡¯s Man Editor: Atlas Studios Everyone¡¯s gaze fell upon the half-transparent black-gold crystal card. It was a very pure crystal card, devoid of any pattern or text, resembling a smooth black-golden crystal that flickered with a low-key yet mysterious light under the bar¡¯s scattered lighting. Suddenly, Li Cheng burst into loud laughter. ¡°What kind of card is this, so dark and textless you can hardly make it out, don¡¯t tell me you picked this piece of junk up somewhere and had the audacity to show it off. Your head must be screwed on funny, hahaha.¡± The members of the ¡°Imperial Harem¡± crew, who had been following Li Cheng, thought Xia Weibao was showing off something significant and were initially a bit scared. After hearing what Li Cheng said, they breathed a sigh of relief. Not only that, they joined in the laughter. Li Cheng¡¯s face was full of spiteful satisfaction, brimming with contempt, ¡°This wouldn¡¯t happen to be a prop from your ¡®Allure¡¯ crew, would it? If you¡¯re trying to pretend to be more important than you are, you should at least get something more convincing, like a card with the bar¡¯s logo or the name written on it. See, like this one here, marked as a VIP guest card.¡± Li Cheng haughtily waved his VIP guest card in front of Xia Weibao and then tossed it arrogantly onto the front desk. ¡°VIP customers have priority, we¡¯re taking this private room. Make it quick, don¡¯t ruin my mood.¡± The receptionist looked at Xia Weibao¡¯s crystal card with some confusion, not understanding what Xia Weibao meant. She was new and only recognized the guest cards. She glanced apologetically at Xu Jiayang and the others. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry everyone, our bar does have a policy that VIP guest cards have priority, please come again next time.¡± After speaking, she lowered her head to prepare the registration. The members of the ¡°Allure¡± crew were all red-faced with humiliation. So embarrassing. They had already suffered one humiliation, but Xia Weibao had just gone and up and made them face another. What use was it putting on a crystal card that looked noble and mysterious but was utterly meaningless? Xia Weibao herself was also somewhat stunned. She placed one hand on the keyboard, preventing the receptionist from registering. ¡°Go call your general manager.¡± This card was given to her by Lu Hualiang, who said that as long as she was in Huaxia Country, she could go anywhere with this card. He couldn¡¯t have deceived her. The only explanation for the current situation was that these minions were too lowly to have ever seen this card! The receptionist was in a difficult position, ¡°This¡­¡± Finally catching up to the situation, Xu Jiayang, now solemn, said, ¡°Go call your general manager, you can¡¯t handle the consequences if something goes wrong.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, the receptionist still called the general manager. Xu Jiayang¡¯s gaze toward Xia Weibao was deeply concerned. That card¡­ Li Cheng might not have seen it, but during his most glorious days, Xu Jiayang had the fortune to see it once. The highest level in the country, with the utmost authority, a limited edition Supreme Card that¡¯s recognized in all fields! The epitome of privilege, the ultimate among cards! It could be said that the black-gold Supreme Card was a symbol of identity and status, with only three in the entire country! President of Lu Corporation, Lu Hualiang. Eldest young master of the Fang Family, Fang Lilin. President of Huaxia Country, Yan Fei. The nation¡¯s youngest and most influential, the three kingpins with the highest authority and power. One could say that only those who could make Huaxia Country tremble with a stomp of their foot were deserving of the Supreme Card. Xu Jiayang¡¯s heart surged with tumultuous waves, wondering who exactly was the man behind Xia Weibao!? Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Someone Always Wants to Court Death Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Someone Always Wants to Court Death Editor: Atlas Studios Seeing Xia Weibao and Xu Jiayang still desperately struggling, Li Cheng looked at them as if he were looking at a pitiful insect on the brink of death. ¡°Thinking that calling the general manager will turn things around?¡± This VIP card he had was only given to those who spent ten million a year, and considering Xu Jiayang¡¯s current situation, let alone ten million, he probably couldn¡¯t even afford a hundred thousand! Make a scene, make a scene. It would be best if this got to the headlines. Let¡¯s see how Xu Jiayang will lose face! With this thought, Li Cheng felt even more proud. Suddenly, his gaze fell upon Xia Weibao¡¯s face, and he was startled for a moment. He had to admit, this woman was really beautiful. And her figure was beyond reproach. If she could be with Xu Jiayang, why couldn¡¯t she be with him, Li Cheng? With that thought, Li Cheng¡¯s gaze towards Xia Weibao became lecherous. He walked up to Xia Weibao and lowered his voice. ¡°Miss Xia, I have a drama in preparation, and the leading lady hasn¡¯t been decided yet. How about¡­I treat you to a drink?¡± Such an obvious tone caused Xia Weibao¡¯s face to instantly turn cold. She suddenly smiled, a captivating and dazzling smile that blinded Li Cheng. This woman was truly exceptional; if he could spend a night of spring with her, even as a ghost, he would be considered debonair! So he smiled even more ambiguously, ¡°Miss Xia, as long as you are willing, the leading role in my next drama is yours.¡± Xia Weibao¡¯s eyes drifted down, landing on his greasy belly. She almost threw up the dinner she had digested the night before. ¡°Miss Xia, what are you thinking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking, being both directors, why is Director Xu so handsome, yet you turned out to be a piece of char siu?¡± And it¡¯s the greasy kind of char siu that looks disgusting just by seeing it! Li Cheng¡¯s face instantly turned sour¡ªhe was given face and yet didn¡¯t take it! ¡°Xia Weibao, don¡¯t push your luck. You really think you¡¯re a movie queen? Who knows how many people have played with this worn-out trash! Stop putting on airs! Believe it or not, I can tell the media right now that you offered to sleep with them for a role, and let your reputation be ruined!¡± She was but a whore common to all! It was her honor that he was willing to bend the rules for her! His voice was very low, but Xu Jiayang was close enough to hear it. His eyes showed some sympathy. Who gave him the courage to set his sights on Xia Weibao? Those three men dominated the military, political, and business spheres. Whichever it was, a single glance could obliterate him. Just as he was about to step forward to help, Xia Weibao glared at him. Xu Jiayang was startled for a moment, but after receiving Xia Weibao¡¯s hint, although puzzled, he still took two steps back. To Li Cheng, who observed this scene, it seemed as if Xia Weibao was already wavering. So he laughed like a pig, ¡°Miss Xia is indeed a smart person. How can Xu Jiayang compare with me? How many times did you sleep with him for him to give you the leading role in a web drama? Just follow me, and I guarantee you¡¯ll enjoy the good life¡­ Yuk, what¡¯s that delightful scent?¡± Xia Weibao smiled with an ambiguous intent, and rubbed her fingertip under her nose. ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s something good.¡± She had prepared it a few days ago and didn¡¯t know how effective it would be, so it was just right to test it on this pig. ¡°What¡¯s going on.¡± At that moment, a middle-aged man in a suit walked over, surrounded by two bodyguards. He had an arrogant attitude and a face full of impatience. The receptionist immediately presented the two cards, and then explained the whole situation. ¡°General Manager, they are making unreasonable trouble and insisted on seeing you; I had no choice,¡± said the receptionist with a hint of complaint, shifting the blame entirely onto Xia Weibao and her company. CREATORS¡¯ THOUGHTS AtlasStudios From 15 Feb 2020, Coins spent on books that aren¡¯t selected will be refunded within 30 days. However, Fast Passes will not be refunded. The selected book will have a mark on the corner of the book cover in 30 days to indicate continuation. Thank you for your understanding. Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55: This Face-Slapping is So Satisfying! Chapter 55: Chapter 55: This Face-Slapping is So Satisfying! Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°Can¡¯t you call security for being unreasonable? Why do you keep calling me over for every little thing? Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m very busy¡­¡± The words of the general manager got stuck in his throat as he caught sight of the Crystal Card in the receptionist¡¯s hand. His eyes kept widening. He suddenly shivered. He snatched the Supreme Card. ¡°Whose card is this!¡± ¡°Mine,¡± Xia Weibao raised her hand. The moment he saw her, the general manager was momentarily dazed, such a beautiful woman¡­ Then he snapped back to reality, breaking out in a cold sweat. A woman who possessed this card was way beyond his reach! His face changed in an instant, ¡°How may I address this Miss?¡± ¡°Xia Weibao.¡± ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s Xia¡­ Xia Weibao?!¡± The general manager was so shocked that his eyeballs nearly popped out! The washed-up movie queen Xia Weibao who had been blackened by the entertainment industry recently? The general manager hesitated, as a woman with Xia Weibao¡¯s reputation couldn¡¯t possibly catch the eye of the three giants. But he wasn¡¯t sure either; after all, those three were not people he could afford to offend. ¡°Excuse me for a moment,¡± he said. The general manager hurried off and scanned the card with his phone. When the information showed it was a supplementary card of Lu Hualiang, he almost wet his pants from fright. Heavens! How could it be Lu Hualiang, the most ruthless man in the country, bar none! The general manager came scrambling back, almost treating Xia Weibao like an ancestor. ¡°Miss Xia, I am so sorry, can I help you with anything?¡± Seeing his reaction, everyone was stunned. Especially Li Cheng, who was completely dumbfounded. The manager of Brilliance Bar was a well-known figure in the Underworld, known for his ruthlessness. Why was he being so subservient to Xia Weibao? Could it be because of that card? Xia Weibao¡¯s lips curled slightly, ¡°My friends and I wanted to have a drink, but there were no private rooms left.¡± ¡°There are, of course, rooms. It¡¯s an honor for Brilliance Bar to have Miss Xia visit us, how could we possibly not have a private room.¡± ¡°Is that so? But the last private room just went to Director Li. Although my friends and I arrived early, we couldn¡¯t compete with someone who holds a VIP card.¡± The general manager¡¯s sweat was dripping. ¡°The receptionist is new here and didn¡¯t recognize Tai Shan and offended Miss Xia, I will fire her immediately.¡± The receptionist panicked immediately upon hearing that, ¡°General manager¡­¡± ¡°Quickly apologize to Miss Xia and then pack up your things and get out!¡± Xia Weibao frowned. ¡°No need, she was just doing her job. But that private room¡­¡± The general manager immediately put on a flattering smile, ¡°That¡¯s just an ordinary room, how could it be worthy of Miss Xia and your friends? I¡¯ll have someone clear out the No.1 room right away.¡± As soon as he said that, everyone¡¯s expression changed. Who didn¡¯t know that the No.1 private room was not open to the public and only entertained the most top-tier guests? Now it was being offered to Xia Weibao¡­ Lin Mier¡¯s fingertips turned white as she clenched them, her eyes filled with jealousy that was almost spilling over like poison! How could this be? What was the background of Xia Weibao¡¯s card? Xia Weibao raised her hand slightly, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll just take that room from earlier.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, and hurry up with Miss Xia¡¯s registration!¡± The general manager glared at the receptionist, warning her not to make any more trouble, else he¡¯d skin her alive! Then he continued to smile at Xia Weibao, ¡°Miss Xia, please enjoy yourself. All expenses are on me, as compensation to Miss Xia.¡± Xia Weibao looked at Li Cheng and Lin Mier with a half-smile, ¡°What about these people¡­?¡± ¡°Kick them out! Put them all on the blacklist!¡± CREATORS¡¯ THOUGHTS AtlasStudios From 15 Feb 2020, Coins spent on books that aren¡¯t selected will be refunded within 30 days. However, Fast Passes will not be refunded. The selected book will have a mark on the corner of the book cover in 30 days to indicate continuation. Thank you for your understanding. Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 56: One is more shameless than the other! Chapter 56: Chapter 56: One is more shameless than the other! Editor: Atlas Studios Upon hearing these words, the faces of the ¡°Imperial Harem¡± crew turned unsightly. It felt like they had been slapped several times, utterly humiliated! Especially Li Cheng and Lin Mier. Among the group, they were the most prominent figures. Being swept out of the Brilliance Bar and added to the blacklist if word got out, how could they ever hold their heads up high again? How preposterous, what on earth was Xia Weibao¡¯s card! As for the ¡°Allure¡± crew, they looked triumphant! Every one of them held their heads high and chests out, feeling incredibly vindicated. That¡¯s for being so arrogant, for looking down on us, for kicking us out! Now you¡¯ve been slapped in the face. Deservedly so! Li Cheng¡¯s expression was dark and sullen as he stared at Xia Weibao, wishing he could bore a hole through her with his gaze. Seeing that they weren¡¯t leaving, the general manager¡¯s face instantly darkened. ¡°Still not leaving? Dragging your feet, do you really need me to get a sedan chair to carry you out?¡± With that, he gestured for the security guards to shoo them off. Just when Li Cheng and the others felt awkward, Xia Weibao spoke up. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Li Cheng¡¯s heart leapt with joy, could it be Xia Weibao wanted to curry favor with him, and then ask for the leading lady¡¯s role? Thinking so, the awkwardness just vanished, and he was once again pompous, seemingly waiting for Xia Weibao to come ingratiate herself. Xia Weibao smiled with a meaningful look. ¡°General Manager, Director Li is, after all, a person of status. It¡¯s not nice to kick him out like this,¡± she said. Li Cheng scoffed, thinking she knew her place! Xia Weibao continued, ¡°Just now, Director Li said that a poor drama crew like ours should just grab a street stall or squat under a bridge with bowls in our hands. I completely disagree. So, I was thinking, if I ever encountered such a poor drama crew, I definitely wouldn¡¯t let them squat under the bridge with bowls in their hands. No matter what, I¡¯d offer them a corner to shelter them from the wind and rain, right?¡± The general manager was somewhat confused, ¡°So what you mean, Miss Xia¡­¡± Xia Weibao generously waved her hand, ¡°Since it¡¯s the last private room, let¡¯s share it.¡± The general manager was sharp, instantly grasping her intention. ¡°Someone, bring a few bowls and place them in the corner of the private room, so that Director Li and others can eat comfortably.¡± Xia Weibao raised an eyebrow, tossing a ¡®you¡¯ve got a bright future¡¯ look at the general manager. Then she continued, ¡°And give them a bowl of white rice each while you¡¯re at it. Otherwise, holding a bowl like that, it looks too much like begging, which isn¡¯t nice.¡± Pfft¡­ As soon as she said this, the entire ¡°Allure¡± crew couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Such a vicious move! Letting others hold a bowl of white rice and crouch in a corner watching you eat, drink, and be merry is too mean, too shameless, too¡­ delightful! Damn satisfying! That¡¯s for being so pompous, now you know what real arrogance feels like! And the ¡°Imperial Harem¡± crew all twisted their faces in discomfort. They looked worse than if they had eaten excrement. Xia Weibao was feeling playful, and Xu Jiayang was slightly displeased. He chided, ¡°Baby, Director Li is a renowned director, after all. It would sound awful if this got out. And you might even work on Director Li¡¯s projects in the future. Don¡¯t take things too far.¡± His serious words silenced the ¡°Allure¡± crew. They thought Director Xu was truly a good person. Even after they trampled all over you, you still speak on their behalf. Only Xia Weibao asked like an obedient Baby, ¡°What Director Xu teaches is right, so what should be done instead?¡± The ¡°Imperial Harem¡± crew was visibly moved, thinking Director Xu was truly kind. And then they saw Xu Jiayang benevolently decree. ¡°Give each one of them a small stool. Sitting down will make eating more comfortable.¡± Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57: My Lady, Dont Speak, Its Too Embarrassing Chapter 57: Chapter 57: My Lady, Don¡¯t Speak, It¡¯s Too Embarrassing Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` ¡°Pffhahaha¡­¡± The people from the ¡°Allure¡± film crew couldn¡¯t help it anymore and burst into loud laughter, clutching their bellies. That was ruthless! Each one was more ruthless than the last! Normally, when they saw their director with a stern face, they thought he was a very serious and upright person, but they didn¡¯t expect him to be so shamelessly enjoyable. The general manager wiped off an imaginary sweat; these people were too ruthless. Making fun of someone without leaving any dignity intact. ¡°What are you standing around for, go buy some stools.¡± Xia Weibao kindly reminded, ¡°Remember to buy some of good quality, otherwise if Director Li sits down and it collapses, that would be so embarrassing.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Belly laughs were no longer enough, someone actually laughed so hard they fell to the ground. Li Cheng¡¯s face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and he glared at Xia Weibao with hatred, ¡®You just wait!¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Lin Mier had never felt so humiliated, casting a malicious glance at Xia Weibao and reluctantly followed. The people from the ¡°Imperial Harem¡± film crew had already lost face, all covering their faces and sneaking off. ¡°Director Li, what do you mean by this? Are you dissatisfied with the private room I¡¯ve arranged for you?¡± asked the general manager with a darkened face and a dangerous tone. Xia Weibao obviously had it in for these people; how could he let them leave. He now only wanted to please this woman. If she was happy, maybe Lu Hualiang wouldn¡¯t take today¡¯s issues to heart. Li Cheng¡¯s smile was forced, ¡°How can that be, the general manager¡¯s arrangement is naturally good, but¡­¡± ¡°Knowing that it¡¯s good, then hurry up and get inside. If you¡¯re dissatisfied with my arrangement, I doubt you¡¯d be satisfied with any other bar in the entire royal city.¡± Then he turned to the security guard, ¡°Count the number of people. If anyone dares to leave, immediately report their names to the media and ask for help to spread the word, making sure all the bars see it and then put them all together into a blacklist.¡± A threat! An absolute threat! Here, whether actor or director, no one could afford to lose that face! Xia Weibao walked up to Li Cheng and flicked off non-existent dust from the hem of his clothes. ¡°I have a fault; I¡¯m protective. Whoever dares to touch my people, I¡¯ll make it impossible for them to live as proper people!¡± Every line spoke of support. Such protective words warmed the hearts of those from the ¡°Allure¡± crew. Since the filming of ¡°Allure¡± began, they¡¯d faced so many humiliations, living every day in others¡¯ spit and disdainful looks. Never before had they felt as proud and elated as now. Everyone¡¯s look at Xia Weibao changed; actually, she was not as bad as the internet rumors had made her out to be. When entering the private room, Xu Jiayang deliberately stayed behind Xia Weibao. ¡°With such support, you could strut around in the future.¡± Xia Weibao was startled for a moment before realizing there was more to Xu Jiayang¡¯s words. She smiled and said, ¡°Support can fall, only relying on oneself can one stand tall. What do you think, Director Xu?¡± Xu Jiayang nodded in satisfaction, ¡°I understand.¡± He hadn¡¯t misjudged her; Xia Weibao was not a woman content to hide behind a man. And she scorned the idea of relying on a man. Otherwise, with her beauty, how could she have fallen to her current straits? He patted her shoulder, ¡°Fight on.¡± As the crew entered the private room, they were all very excited. Brilliance Bar, a place not just anyone could enter! And tonight, everything was free; not taking full advantage would be a disservice to themselves! Xia Weibao was thrilled and slapped the table, ¡°Bring out the best beer you have here, the best kind, the ones that cost twenty per bottle, not ten!¡± ¡°` Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Opening Red Wine with Bare Hands, The Empress is So Cool! Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Opening Red Wine with Bare Hands, The Empress is So Cool! Editor: Atlas Studios At that remark, everyone¡¯s excited expressions froze on their faces. Two¡­ twenty yuan for a bottle of beer? In Brilliance Bar, where the drinks start at five figures, to order a twenty-yuan bottle of beer?!!! Xu Jiayang turned his head silently, wishing he could pretend he didn¡¯t know her. You¡¯re wearing clothes that are tailor-made at six figures, driving a car worth eight figures. And then, in the top bar in the country, you order a beer for twenty yuan? The general manager even covered his face and ran away in tears. Don¡¯t be like this, using a Supreme Card to order a twenty yuan beer, people will think there¡¯s something wrong with your brain. ¡°Just joking, livening up the mood, everybody carry on, carry on,¡± Xia Weibao said with a laugh, trying to defuse the awkward atmosphere. But to herself, she was thinking dammit, these ads are misleading! What¡¯s this ¡°best beer for twenty bucks, great value for money¡±, taking advantage of her not being fully modernized, are they! Although she had inherited the original owner¡¯s memories, her own consciousness had been too strong, causing the two sets of memories to be disconnected. As a result, many things about modern life she couldn¡¯t remember. It turned out to be a joke, and everyone then came to their senses. Xu Jiayang ordered some drinks, ¡°Bring us a dozen Vielle Bon Secours, and also two bottles of Romanee Conti.¡± Soon, the drinks were served. ¡°Sorry, I forgot the bottle opener.¡± The waitress apologized, then turned to go fetch it. Xia Weibao stood up and took a bottle of Vielle Bon Secours. It¡¯s just a bottle of wine, modern white-cut chicken is such a hassle, no strength at all. ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll help you open them.¡± It¡¯s only right to care for the weak. So Her Majesty the Empress very generously bit down on the bottle cap and with a pop, she bit it off. Within less than half a minute, she had bitten open a dozen beers. And that wasn¡¯t all, as everyone watched, astonished, she picked up those two bottles of wine and simply pulled out the corks with her bare hands¡­ She opened them¡­ Opened them¡­ Everyone was so shocked they couldn¡¯t snap out of it for a while, looking at Xia Weibao as if she were The Hulk! What¡­ What strong hands. No one had ever seen someone uncork wine with their bare hands! For some reason, everyone¡¯s thoughts simultaneously turned to her Bugatti and the missing logo at the front¡­ ¡°Baby, where¡¯s the logo from the front of your Bugatti gone to?¡± Someone asked tentatively. Xia Weibao grinned, ¡°I picked it off, yikes, how did you know that¡¯s a Bugatti?¡± Picked it off¡­ Picked it off¡­ Picked it off¡­ In everyone¡¯s minds, these three words kept replaying, and their gaze towards Xia Weibao was like looking at a non-human. So terrifying, she looks so slim yet her strength is so immense! But damn, so cool!!! Such a domineering tomboy, absolutely stunning! While everyone was having a good time, those squatting in the corner were feeling sour. ¡°She¡¯s just a kept woman, what¡¯s she acting all high and mighty for.¡± ¡°Exactly, Xia Weibao that bitch, she¡¯s got nothing on our Mier.¡± ¡°How about Mier performs a classical dance? Let those women who only climb ranks with their looks see what a real goddess is like, one who embodies both beauty and talent!¡± Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Xiao Hua Always Seeking Trouble Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Xiao Hua Always Seeking Trouble Editor: Atlas Studios Originally it was just a casual conversation born out of dissatisfaction, but when they got to this point, the eyes of everyone from the ¡°Imperial Harem¡± crew lit up. Right, how could they have not thought of that! Lin Mier¡¯s classical dance was known to be the best in the entertainment industry. If she were to go up and perform now, she would surely make Xia Weibao feel utterly embarrassed and ashamed! ¡°Mier, go dance a piece, just to liven up the mood. Since we¡¯re out to have fun, it should be lively,¡± someone suggested. Lin Mier had long been harboring the intention. She had suffered so much frustration today and longed to take Xia Weibao down a peg or two! Classical dance was her pride, and it was sure to let her hold her head high! However, she couldn¡¯t just take the stage to dance without reason; otherwise, it might seem like she was showing off. But now that someone else had brought it up, it was a different story. ¡°Mier, go dance a piece, don¡¯t let our crew down,¡± Li Cheng said with a gaze full of resentment. Only then did Lin Mier ¡°reluctantly¡± stand up. ¡°Since everyone is asking, then I¡¯ll perform the Rainbow Feather Dress Dance to liven up the atmosphere. This Rainbow Feather Dress Dance is what I¡¯ve prepared for the finals of ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯, so it¡¯s perfect for everyone to give their opinions,¡± she said. With those words, the excitement on this side of the room increased. And those who were engaged in a lively drinking competition in the room also took notice of the commotion on this side. When they saw Lin Mier slowly start to dance, everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn to her. The Rainbow Feather Dress Dance was a very rhythmic classical dance, graceful and ethereal in movement, with the dancer¡¯s clothes fluttering like those of a fairy when she twirled. Lin Mier was wearing a white chiffon spaghetti strap maxi dress today, which made her look quite ethereal. Additionally, she had practiced long and hard, so all her movements were second nature to her. Thus, as soon as she started dancing, she was in the zone. Every spin, every bend at the waist, every glance back was smooth and natural. It was perfection itself! Even Xu Jiayang was somewhat mesmerized. He had chosen Lin Mier to play Li Qingcheng not only because there were no bigger celebrities available and Lin Mier brought funding to the production, but also because she was recognized as the classical dance goddess of the entertainment industry. Lin Mier debuted using the name Xiao Weibao, but after Xia Weibao was maligned, she started looking for other avenues. Her agent discovered she had a dance background, so they steered her towards developing her dancing skills. In the current entertainment industry, there are many female stars who can dance, but most of them perform modern, trendy dances. To stand out, one must be different. Therefore, Lin Mier chose to throw herself into mastering classical dance. Through the company¡¯s marketing and her own hard work, she earned the title of ¡®classical dance goddess¡¯. That¡¯s why many period dramas prefer her for the female lead role. Even though she didn¡¯t possess much of a classical aura, being skilled in classical dance already made her more suitable than other female stars. It¡¯s just that Lin Mier¡¯s acting left something to be desired. Despite playing so many leading roles, she had failed to become a sensation. Now, as everyone watched Lin Mier dance, they were stunned. Only when she had finished did a burst of enthusiastic applause erupt. ¡°Mier is amazing, so beautiful!¡± ¡°My God, I almost thought I saw a fairy descending; she was just that ethereal, truly.¡± In the face of everyone¡¯s adoration, Lin Mier¡¯s vanity inflated continuously. In the entertainment industry today, she was the only one who excelled at classical dance. As long as she didn¡¯t let this advantage slip away, she would remain the irreplaceable classical dance goddess! She would never be overshadowed! Her heart swelled with pride, yet she didn¡¯t show it on her face. ¡°I wasn¡¯t in the right state just now, the dance wasn¡¯t good.¡± Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60: If I Dont Slap Your Face, Id Be Letting You Off Too Easy! Chapter 60: Chapter 60: If I Don¡¯t Slap Your Face, I¡¯d Be Letting You Off Too Easy! Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°My god, even when not in top form, she can dance so perfectly. I¡¯m green with envy.¡± ¡°Mier is just being modest, unlike some people who only have a pretty face but no real talent at all.¡± ¡°Exactly, our Mier became popular through her skills, which is countless times better than those who can only sleep their way to the top.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, maybe they do have abilities, after all, excelling in bedroom skills is a talent too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true what they say about drama crews reflecting their cast, with a leading lady so disgusting, it¡¯s obvious what kind of drama they¡¯re making¡­¡± Over at the ¡°Imperial Harem¡± crew, a wave of dismissive laughter broke out. Seeing Lin Mier so outstanding, the frustrations they had just experienced finally eased a little. Meanwhile, everyone at the ¡°Allure¡± crew had sour faces. Those words were clearly directed at Xia Weibao! And in the process, they insulted everyone else too. Having just been defended by Xia Weibao, now they also included her in their circle. Seeing her being insulted, everyone was filled with righteous indignation. But they couldn¡¯t refute the accusations, as Xia Weibao¡¯s reputation was well known. In reality, everyone in the entertainment industry knew the score. How much better could those people on the other side be? Lin Mier was of the same ilk, what right did she have to speak about Xia Weibao. Xu Jiayang¡¯s expression darkened slightly, and just as he was about to stand up, Xia Weibao pushed him back down. ¡°Drink up, don¡¯t mind them.¡± The people from ¡°Imperial Harem¡± felt awkward after shouting for a while with no response. It felt like they had prepared a massive force for a showdown, only to find that their opponent couldn¡¯t even be bothered to show up to the fight, making themselves look like clowns jumping off the floor. After a few more sarcastic remarks, Xia Weibao still remained indifferent, instead drinking joyously and playing drinking games. The people from ¡°Imperial Harem¡± got restless. Especially Lin Mier, who had a surge of irritation inside her. She had intended to intimidate Xia Weibao, but now it seemed like she was the one who was overly sensitive, and that Xia Weibao wasn¡¯t even taking her seriously. This made her extremely upset! She gave her henchwoman another meaningful look. The henchwoman understood and called out loudly, ¡°Senior Xia, I heard you¡¯re also great at dancing. Why not give us a chance to witness it?¡± Provocation, blatant provocation. Everyone knows that Xia Weibao can sing and act, but she¡¯s never danced before. This was clearly an attempt to humiliate her! Xu Jiayang¡¯s expression turned to one of stern anger, and he abruptly stood up. But before he could steady himself, his shoulder felt heavy, and he was pushed back down. Turning his head to look at the hand Xia Weibao had placed on his shoulder, he felt as if there was a mountain¡­ How strong was this woman¡¯s grip? Xia Weibao said with a smile, ¡°How could I dare to embarrass myself in front of the professional Sister Mi? I¡¯m just a little nobody who can¡¯t dance.¡± Lin Mier let out a derisive snort, it seemed this woman had some self-awareness after all. Knowing that she¡¯s nothing but a clown in front of her! Though she felt extremely disdainful inside, her face was all smiles. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I can give you some pointers.¡± That¡¯s exactly what I want, for you to humiliate yourself! How else could my superiority be highlighted? Xia Weibao smiled with a deeper meaning, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go ahead and make a fool of myself. If I dance poorly, please don¡¯t laugh at me, or I¡¯ll be so embarrassed that I might jump off a building.¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Lin Mier replied with a very proper smile. She felt even more triumphant inside, hoping you¡¯ll be so ashamed that you¡¯ll jump off a building right now! Better off dead and done with it! Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61: The Empress Makes a Stunning Entrance! Chapter 61: Chapter 61: The Empress Makes a Stunning Entrance! Editor: Atlas Studios Xia Weibao sneered, dancing a classical dance in front of someone from ancient times, was like courting death! Xu Jiayang was somewhat worried. At the same time, he was also somewhat puzzled. Although he had not known Xia Weibao for long, he knew she was a calm and decisive person who would not act without certainty. Clearly, the people on Lin Mier¡¯s side were provoking her, wanting her to make a fool of herself. Why would she agree? Could it be¡­ Soon, Xu Jiayang had his answer. As Xia Weibao slowly began to dance, the entire private room fell silent. She lowered her head slightly, and as she slowly raised it, her beautiful eyes seemed to flow. In that moment, everyone suddenly understood what it meant to be so stunning as to stand alone in an age, breathtakingly beautiful. Her hands fluttered softly, supple as if boneless. Her waist pressed down like willows, graceful as flowing clouds and water. Ethereal and nimble, graceful as a startled swan, like a roaming dragon, she touched everyone¡¯s heartstrings. Even though she wore a very modern tracksuit, her flexible limbs and elegant movements expressed an ethereal fairyland and the image of a dancing fairy. It was an immersive experience. As if they had all traveled back to ancient times, forgetting the clamor of the mundane world. If Lin Mier¡¯s Rainbow Feather Dress Dance had been performed perfectly, then Xia Weibao¡¯s dance had reached the ultimate level! Until the dance ended, everyone was still immersed in the dance, unable to snap back to reality for a long time. Not until Xia Weibao finished a drink did a thunderous round of applause break out. ¡°Baby, you were fantastic!¡± ¡°Oh my God, Baby, you were stunning.¡± ¡°Stunning¡¯s an understatement. I was so shocked I felt like my soul had left my body! So beautiful, really, I can¡¯t even, I need to drink a dozen beers to calm down!¡± Everyone on this side was overjoyed, crowding around Xia Weibao as if they wanted to toss her into the air. On the other hand, everyone¡¯s faces looked terrible. The harsher they had trampled on Xia Weibao, the harder they were slapped in the face now! Especially Lin Mier, her fingernails digging into her palm, she didn¡¯t even realize that blood was flowing. She tried to muster a smile to maintain her composure, but she could not smile no matter how hard she tried. Xia Weibao¡¯s dance made her anxious and filled her with a sense of crisis. Her position in the entertainment circle was only secure because no one else¡¯s classical dance was better than hers. But now, with just one move, Xia Weibao could throw her out of the galaxy! How could she not worry? The Allure crew had clearly noticed Lin Mier¡¯s expression and began to jeer. ¡°Who was it just now who said they would give Baby some pointers? Come on then, let¡¯s hear your critique, hurry up.¡± ¡°Hahaha, Sasha, don¡¯t make it hard for others okay, can¡¯t you see their face is all swollen up?¡± ¡°Tch! What goddess of classical dance, she can¡¯t even compare to a toe of our Baby.¡± ¡°Dancing like a clown and still called a goddess, then what is our Baby? A fairy?¡± ¡°Ah, some people just don¡¯t know how high the sky is, or how deep the earth is, unlike our Baby, who could rely on her looks alone yet is still so talented, oh it makes it hard for those who have neither looks nor talent to live¡­¡± ¡°Exactly, Baby is just too humble, with your skills, you said jumping off a building would do, but for certain others, shouldn¡¯t they be jumping off an airplane¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Lin Mier couldn¡¯t stand the humiliation any longer and ran off with a red face. The Imperial Harem crew, whose faces had been swollen, had longed to hide, and now they all slunk away, covering their swollen cheeks. The Allure crew cheered. Only Xu Jiayang, watching Xia Weibao being adored by everyone, fell into deep thought. After the venue had cleared out, he prepared a few tricky phrases, then took out his phone. ¡°Leng Yan, I want Xia Weibao to participate in the ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ finale.¡± Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Gentle as Water Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Gentle as Water Editor: Atlas Studios Leng Yan, ¡°¡­¡± I thought you said I could decide for myself. Liar! Watching Leng Yan kiss a car all over like he was reluctantly parting with his wife, Xu Jiayang felt utterly embarrassed. ¡°Just pretend and it¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s just a car.¡± Leng Yan turned his head back, his face overwhelmed with emotion. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t feel the pain, it¡¯s not your car. I spent ninety million on this, modifying it bit by bit myself. You actually sold my wife so cold-heartedly for your own benefit. How could I know someone as lousy as you, Xu Jiayang? I¡¯m breaking off our friendship!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Jiayang, ¡°You¡¯ve already broken off our friendship three times last month.¡± It wasn¡¯t until Leng Yan had kissed the tire three times, and Xu Jiayang could no longer stand this fool, that he picked him up like an eagle seizing a chicken and took him away. So embarrassing. Way too embarrassing. Xia Weibao had a bit of a drink that night and couldn¡¯t fall asleep, so she climbed out of bed. She rummaged through a drawer and read through all the information in a little notebook. The more she read, the tighter her brows knitted. All these were her observations from the past few days; every servant in Lu Garden had been recorded. What troubled her was that these people all seemed normal and well-behaved. So who exactly was it that pushed Xia Weibao down the stairs? Although the original owner of this body wasn¡¯t quite normal, she wouldn¡¯t be stupid enough to roll down the stairs to her death, right? Moreover, although her memory was hazy, she vaguely remembered someone pushing her from behind that day, which was why Xia Weibao fell. Not only that, but after the fall, Xia Weibao actually wasn¡¯t dead. Someone pressed her head against the ground and smashed it several times before she died. But who would kill a lunatic? She even made up an excuse to have Housekeeper Fu fetch the surveillance footage from that day, but Housekeeper Fu said the camera suddenly malfunctioned that day and there was no record. This made her even more certain of her guess: the original owner was murdered! Framed, murdered, who exactly did the original owner offend? Her Majesty the Empress was very troubled, she didn¡¯t have a deep understanding of this world and found it difficult to make a move. This only firmed up her resolve to get a few underlings of her own! If she had a Shadow Guard Team like in her previous life, dedicated to working for her, investigating anything would be much easier. While she was thinking, suddenly her phone rang. It was from her agent, Sister Tong. ¡°Baby, have you slept?¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± Am I sleeping as I¡¯m talking to you? ¡°Not yet, Sister Tong, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°The company has secured a spot for you in the ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ grand finale. It¡¯s a rare opportunity, you need to go for it.¡± ¡°The ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ grand finale?¡± Xia Weibao frowned a little, that name sounded familiar¡­ That¡¯s right, when she was at Brilliance Bar, didn¡¯t Lin Mier say that her Rainbow Feather Dress Dance was for the ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ grand finale? So that¡¯s it. ¡°Correct, ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ is currently the hottest and most authoritative dance competition. The head judge is the national treasure dance artist Yin Mulan. With Teacher Yin as a judge, can you imagine how prestigious the competition is? It¡¯s a national-level professional dance contest. This is an opportunity, you need to prepare well. By the way, do you have any dance that you¡¯re good at? They need to finalize the program list.¡± Xia Weibao thought for a moment. If she also performed the Rainbow Feather Dress Dance, she wondered if Lin Mier would be infuriated to death. However¡­ ¡°¡®Gentle as Water.''¡± After saying that, Xia Weibao fell silent. Suddenly, she kind of missed the Dog Emperor¡­ Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Screwed over so badly, not even underwear is left! Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Screwed over so badly, not even underwear is left! Editor: Atlas Studios Leng Yan immediately jumped up like a pig that had been poked in the butt. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°You cursing won¡¯t do a thing. If Hongtu goes bankrupt, you¡¯ll just have to attend the goddess¡¯ wedding.¡± ¡°Motherfucker! I¡¯m going all in against you. It¡¯s just a matter of Xia Weibao, not some kind of natural disaster or wild beast! I refuse to believe we can¡¯t make her a star!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit I want to see,¡± Director Xu said, comforted at having fooled him into agreement. ¡°But all the contestants in ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ finale were promoted from the preliminary rounds, it¡¯s basically impossible to get Xia Weibao in now.¡± Leng Yan was troubled. ¡°I already thought of that; we can have her drop in as a challenge entrant in the finale.¡± A challenge entrant? Leng Yan¡¯s eyes lit up, and he slapped his forehead. Exactly, why didn¡¯t he think of that! Many shows, to add interest, have a challenge segment. They invite skilled individuals to join in the middle of the show to challenge the contestants. If the challenger wins, they replace the original contestant and continue in the competition. This not only increases the tension for the contestants but also makes the show more interesting. ¡°No way, the challenge entrant has to be skilled, and Xia Weibao can¡¯t dance at all. Plus, ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ doesn¡¯t have a challenge segment.¡± Xia Weibao started as a singer and then turned to acting; she never danced before. ¡°No, she can dance!¡± When it came to dancing, Xu Jiayang recalled Xia Weibao¡¯s dancing, and he was still somewhat astonished. ¡°Leng Yan, Xia Weibao has hidden her light under a bushel. She not only can dance but she dances exceptionally well. What she lacks now is just an opportunity, a chance to showcase herself. Haven¡¯t you noticed that although she¡¯s been hanging on the headlines every day, she hasn¡¯t actually appeared in front of the public at all. The audience simply doesn¡¯t understand what she¡¯s like after three years.¡± He believed that as long as she was given the opportunity, she would prove herself and soar high! ¡°But, there was no challenge segment in ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ to begin with, and with Lin Mier, the classical dance goddess, being the odds-on favorite to win the championship, can Xia Weibao really compete with her?¡± Xu Jiayang, ¡°¡­¡± Lin Mier and Xia Weibao? He didn¡¯t want to talk anymore, they¡¯d see when the time came. ¡°With money, you can make the devil turn the millstone¡­¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have money,¡± Leng Yan spread his hands. ¡°Hongtu¡¯s mortgaged money was all invested in the production of ¡®Allure,¡¯ we don¡¯t have extra to bribe the producers.¡± Xu Jiayang fell silent for a moment, ¡°Sell your car then.¡± ¡°What?!!!¡± Leng Yan jumped again. ¡°Xu Jiayang, are you even human? You screwed over my company, and now you want to screw me out of my car too!!!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all temporary. Once Xia Weibao becomes famous, you¡¯ll make it all back. You¡¯ve already invested so much in Xia Weibao, you¡¯re only one step away. Sell the car, and wealth and glory are at your fingertips. If not, you¡¯ll end up with nothing. You decide yourself.¡± Leng Yan hesitated¡­ That made sense, and he found himself without a comeback. But somehow, it didn¡¯t feel right; this buddy of his always loved to set traps, he had to be more cautious this time. Just as he was about to say he¡¯d think it over, the doorbell rang. Leng Yan quickly responded with wit, ¡°I have guests, let¡¯s talk tomorrow.¡± Then he hung up and went to open the door, taking a breath of relief. Only to discover¡­ Xu Jiayang stood at the door with a middle-aged man. ¡°I brought someone to see the car, he¡¯s seen your car before and likes it a lot.¡± Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Gentle as Water Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Gentle as Water Editor: Atlas Studios Leng Yan, ¡°¡­¡± I thought you said I could decide for myself. Liar! Watching Leng Yan kiss a car all over like he was reluctantly parting with his wife, Xu Jiayang felt utterly embarrassed. ¡°Just pretend and it¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s just a car.¡± Leng Yan turned his head back, his face overwhelmed with emotion. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t feel the pain, it¡¯s not your car. I spent ninety million on this, modifying it bit by bit myself. You actually sold my wife so cold-heartedly for your own benefit. How could I know someone as lousy as you, Xu Jiayang? I¡¯m breaking off our friendship!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Jiayang, ¡°You¡¯ve already broken off our friendship three times last month.¡± It wasn¡¯t until Leng Yan had kissed the tire three times, and Xu Jiayang could no longer stand this fool, that he picked him up like an eagle seizing a chicken and took him away. So embarrassing. Way too embarrassing. Xia Weibao had a bit of a drink that night and couldn¡¯t fall asleep, so she climbed out of bed. She rummaged through a drawer and read through all the information in a little notebook. The more she read, the tighter her brows knitted. All these were her observations from the past few days; every servant in Lu Garden had been recorded. What troubled her was that these people all seemed normal and well-behaved. So who exactly was it that pushed Xia Weibao down the stairs? Although the original owner of this body wasn¡¯t quite normal, she wouldn¡¯t be stupid enough to roll down the stairs to her death, right? Moreover, although her memory was hazy, she vaguely remembered someone pushing her from behind that day, which was why Xia Weibao fell. Not only that, but after the fall, Xia Weibao actually wasn¡¯t dead. Someone pressed her head against the ground and smashed it several times before she died. But who would kill a lunatic? She even made up an excuse to have Housekeeper Fu fetch the surveillance footage from that day, but Housekeeper Fu said the camera suddenly malfunctioned that day and there was no record. This made her even more certain of her guess: the original owner was murdered! Framed, murdered, who exactly did the original owner offend? Her Majesty the Empress was very troubled, she didn¡¯t have a deep understanding of this world and found it difficult to make a move. This only firmed up her resolve to get a few underlings of her own! If she had a Shadow Guard Team like in her previous life, dedicated to working for her, investigating anything would be much easier. While she was thinking, suddenly her phone rang. It was from her agent, Sister Tong. ¡°Baby, have you slept?¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± Am I sleeping as I¡¯m talking to you? ¡°Not yet, Sister Tong, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°The company has secured a spot for you in the ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ grand finale. It¡¯s a rare opportunity, you need to go for it.¡± ¡°The ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ grand finale?¡± Xia Weibao frowned a little, that name sounded familiar¡­ That¡¯s right, when she was at Brilliance Bar, didn¡¯t Lin Mier say that her Rainbow Feather Dress Dance was for the ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ grand finale? So that¡¯s it. ¡°Correct, ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ is currently the hottest and most authoritative dance competition. The head judge is the national treasure dance artist Yin Mulan. With Teacher Yin as a judge, can you imagine how prestigious the competition is? It¡¯s a national-level professional dance contest. This is an opportunity, you need to prepare well. By the way, do you have any dance that you¡¯re good at? They need to finalize the program list.¡± Xia Weibao thought for a moment. If she also performed the Rainbow Feather Dress Dance, she wondered if Lin Mier would be infuriated to death. However¡­ ¡°¡®Gentle as Water.''¡± After saying that, Xia Weibao fell silent. Suddenly, she kind of missed the Dog Emperor¡­ Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 65: The Empresss Exclusive Dance Chapter 65: Chapter 65: The Empress¡¯s Exclusive Dance Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°¡®Gentle as Water¡¯? Are you sure?¡± Sister Tong was somewhat startled. ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ is the most famous dance ever choreographed by Emperor Xia Liang for his empress. Empress Bao had once performed it at Emperor Xia Liang¡¯s longevity feast, and it was recorded that all the court officials were stunned. The Prime Minister was even so mesmerized that he was entranced by Empress Bao¡¯s graceful dance and couldn¡¯t come back to his senses until a month later. Filled with jealousy, Emperor Xia Liang immediately dismissed the Prime Minister. He also ordered that Empress Bao was not allowed to perform ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ in public and could only dance it for him. As a result, ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ was lost to the ages. Numerous historical researchers painstakingly studied historical texts, eager to restore this legendary dance that was said to be too divine for the mortal world. However, despite their research, aside from understanding the sensation it caused at the time, there were no detailed records of the dance itself. Twenty years ago, some fragments of information about ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ were found in the daily records of the dismissed Prime Minister by a historian. This discovery caused a sensation. Countless dancers, based on the few movements recorded by the Prime Minister, choreographed and perfected this long-lost astonishing dance. Since everyone¡¯s choreography turned out differently, there were many versions. And the most renowned was that of the national treasure-level dance artist, Teacher Yin Mulan. In fact, Yin Mulan rose to fame with this perfected version of ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯! After so many years, Yin Mulan had experienced lows and highs, brilliance and decline, and danced countless dances, but ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ remained the unrivaled classic of her dancing career. Not being able to witness Empress Bao¡¯s complete version of ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ also became her greatest regret. Sister Tong hesitated, ¡°Baby, do you think that because ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ is Teacher Yin¡¯s claim to fame, you want to resonate with her through this dance so that she gives you high scores? Teacher Yin is not the kind of person who lets her feelings influence her decisions, you must be cautious.¡± If it were someone else, playing the emotional card would indeed be more likely to move the judges. But Yin Mulan was different; she dedicated her life to dance and had a fervent obsession with it. Her pursuit of dance commands respect. To try and resonate with her through her signature dance, if danced well, is one thing; if not, it would be counterproductive! Even the classical dance goddess Lin Mier dare not attempt it lightly. Xia Weibao performing it at such an event¡­ Sister Tong was troubled, ¡°Baby, with Teacher Yin and Zhu Yu before us, if our ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ is not good, shall we change it?¡± Xia Weibao was puzzled, why couldn¡¯t she dance it just because Yin Mulan had? What a joke, this was a dance personally choreographed for her by the Dog Emperor; she had to consider someone else¡¯s feelings to dance her own dance? ¡°No need to change it, let¡¯s stick with ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯.¡± Unable to persuade her, Sister Tong could only end the call. Xia Weibao went online to search for this Yin Mulan. Unaware until she looked, she was taken aback by what she found! Yin Mulan, an internationally famous dancer, had won every major and minor domestic dance competition! She had participated in dozens of international dance competitions and had taken the championship in each one! With fifteen international dance tours under her belt, she was the only dancer in the country to have held her own show at Lincoln Center! Yin Mulan was the pinnacle of Huaxia¡¯s dance world! She was the future of Huaxia¡¯s dance! Unfortunately, this highly celebrated dancer suffered a leg injury from a car accident at the age of thirty-five, which kept her away from the stage forever. It also ended Huaxia¡¯s international path in dance. Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Troublemakers, Ignorance Can Lead to a Slap in the Face Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Troublemakers, Ignorance Can Lead to a Slap in the Face Editor: Atlas Studios Having read Yin Mulan¡¯s introduction, Xia Weibao couldn¡¯t help but sigh. To fall from grace at the peak of one¡¯s brilliance, truly a cruel twist of fate. For someone who lives for dancing, not being able to dance again is such a cruel fate. Below was a video of Yin Mulan¡¯s signature dance ¡°Gentle as Water,¡± and Xia Weibao clicked to watch it. Her eyes twitched. What the heck? Is this really ¡°Gentle as Water¡±? Is it the same ¡°Gentle as Water¡± she danced, the same dance at all? She suppressed the raging killing intent inside her and watched the entire video, leaving Her Majesty the Empress speechless. Throughout the entire performance, there were only two movements that were the same, the rest, what? what? what??? His Majesty, if you saw the dance you choreographed for me changed like this, you¡¯d probably be so angry you¡¯d leap out from the Imperial Mausoleum to execute nine generations of their family! ¡°What?! Xia Weibao is competing as a challenger in the finals of ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯?¡± Lin Mier¡¯s apartment erupted with a shrill screech. It frightened the birds perched by the window into flight. ¡°Mier, calm down first, I¡¯m on my way to see you, we¡¯ll talk when I get there.¡± After hanging up, Lin Mier remained in a state of panic. The thought of Xia Weibao¡¯s dancing in the bar left her cold with fear. If Xia Weibao also performed the Rainbow Feather Dress Dance, then she¡­ The more she thought about it, the paler her face became. No! She must not let Xia Weibao compete at all costs! She tried to compose herself, then hurriedly changed into a set of sexy pajamas and sprayed on some Enchantment Incense, waiting in the living room. It wasn¡¯t long before the doorbell rang. Upon opening the door, she saw her agent, haggard from the journey to get there. The agent, confronted with the seductive Lin Mier, walked in expressionlessly. They sat down on the couch, Lin Mier somewhat anxious. ¡°Brother Wang, what the hell is going on? ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ doesn¡¯t have a challenger round, so why would that bitch Xia Weibao parachute in!¡± Lin Mier gritted her teeth. ¡®Dance into the Future,¡¯ which was originally just an ordinary dance contest, gained huge momentum because Yin Mulan was invited as the chief judge, leading the organizers to maximize the scale and elevate it to a national competition! Moreover, she received insider information that Yin Mulan, having retired for five years, accepted the invitation to ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ because she wanted to take on an apprentice. Having fallen from her most brilliant period, she probably had unfinished business and thus wanted to take on a disciple to continue fulfilling her dance dreams. Being Yin Mulan¡¯s disciple meant not only receiving one-on-one training from her but also having access to all her resources. Wasn¡¯t Yan Weiyang, the current Top Sister of Empire Entertainment and International Film Queen, famous for taking all of Xia Weibao¡¯s resources and then making a name for herself? And Yin Mulan¡¯s international resources were incomparable even to Xia Weibao¡¯s at her peak! If she had her resources¡­ Just the thought of it excited Lin Mier to no end. Her participation in ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ was entirely motivated by this opportunity! She had diligently practiced the Rainbow Feather Dress Dance because Yin Mulan had a soft spot for classical dances! She had learned that Yin Mulan¡¯s primary motive for taking a disciple was to pass on ¡°Gentle as Water.¡± Therefore, she mainly wanted a disciple skilled in classical dance. She was confident of her victory, but if Xia Weibao entered the picture now¡­ A sinister glint flashed through Lin Mier¡¯s eyes. The position of Yin Mulan¡¯s disciple had to be hers, and no one would snatch it away! ¡°Hongtu shoved in money; they probably saw that Xia Weibao has recovered and want to promote him,¡± scoffed Brother Wang, his face full of mockery. A washed-up star hoping for a comeback? Delusional! Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Unless She is the Reincarnation of Empress Bao! Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Unless She is the Reincarnation of Empress Bao! Editor: Atlas Studios Lin Mier pursed her lips and suddenly stood up to sit in Brother Wang¡¯s arms. Her hands gently circled his neck, and her thighs suggestively rubbed against his waist. ¡°Brother Wang, I don¡¯t want Xia Weibao to compete~¡± Her coquettish tone was enthralling. Brother Wang suddenly laughed lewdly, his hand sliding up her thigh and firmly squeezing her buttock. This elicited a coquettish gasp from Lin Mier, ¡°Hmm~ so naughty~¡± ¡°You dress so slutty because you want me to be bad, don¡¯t you, you little slut.¡± As Brother Wang spoke, he bent down to bury his head in her chest, emitting a series of embarrassingly lewd sounds. Lin Mier giggled, her slender fingers reaching into the man¡¯s clothes, gently teasing him. ¡°Whether I¡¯m slutty or not depends on how you handle me, Brother Wang.¡± Brother Wang scoffed disdainfully, ¡°Do you know what Xia Weibao¡¯s competition piece is?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Gentle as Water.¡± At these words, Lin Mier paused, then burst into laughter, ¡°Ha ha ha, ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯? Xia Weibao is such an idiot!¡± To dare perform ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ in front of Yin Mulan, she must be out of her mind. Everyone knew that the legendary Empress of Great Xia Kingdom was Yin Mulan¡¯s idol, and Empress Bao¡¯s ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ was Yin Mulan¡¯s obsession! To perform ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ in front of her, you¡¯d better be confident that you can do it better than her; otherwise, it¡¯s a dead end! Once a newcomer dancer, in an attempt to shine, jokingly performed ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ and Yin Mulan felt she was unprofessional. To use ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ as a claim to fame was an insult to Empress Bao! Afterward, Yin Mulan had that young dancer blacklisted. Since then, ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ became almost taboo, exclusively Yin Mulan¡¯s. Anyone who danced it courted disaster! Lin Mier¡¯s previous worries were swept away; now she was completely at ease, her face bearing boundless contempt. ¡°Is Xia Weibao stupid or what? She can¡¯t possibly think that by performing ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ she¡¯ll catch Yin Mulan¡¯s attention? Heh, heh, heh, how can someone be so foolish? A dance I wouldn¡¯t dare perform, yet she has the audacity to court death.¡± She suddenly felt highly satisfied, initially viewing Xia Weibao as a threat, but now realizing that such a foolish person wasn¡¯t worth her concern! Agent Brother Wang held her as they fell onto the couch, his hand already slipping under her sensuous hemline. ¡°Maybe she thinks she¡¯s very talented and can dance better than Yin Mulan.¡± Lin Mier wrapped one leg around his waist, a scornful smile on her face. ¡°¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ is Yin Mulan¡¯s signature piece. She¡¯s been performing it for over a decade now, and throughout the entire world, absolutely no one can surpass her! Unless Xia Weibao is the reincarnation of Empress Bao, hahahaha.¡± What a pity, that¡¯s impossible! ¡°Still want to stop Xia Weibao from competing?¡± ¡°Why stop her?¡± Lin Mier scoffed. ¡°If someone¡¯s itching for death, let her seek it. It¡¯s perfect to have Yin Mulan put an end to Xia Weibao! It saves us the waste of effort and resources.¡± ¡°Hmm, I also feel there¡¯s no need. Mier, you just focus on getting ready. When you become a world-famous dancer, don¡¯t forget this old flame of yours.¡± Lin Mier giggled enchantingly, her fingertips tracing circles on his chest. ¡°That will depend on whether you can satisfy me or not, Brother Wang~¡± ¡°You little temptress, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re thoroughly pleased.¡± ¡°Heh, heh, heh¡­ mmm¡­¡± Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 68: This Slap Comes Out of Nowhere Chapter 68: Chapter 68: This Slap Comes Out of Nowhere Editor: Atlas Studios The next day, Xia Weibao was woken up by a series of notifications from her cellphone. Glancing at the WeChat message alerts on her phone screen, she hazily remembered that last night Xu Jiayang had added her to the ¡°Allure¡± drama crew¡¯s WeChat group. Ever heard of WeChat? The kind you can chat with through the air. Heard it¡¯s pretty advanced and awesome. Maybe you haven¡¯t used it, but it was also her first time. As she watched the chat history constantly refreshing, Her Majesty the Empress was a little excited. Emma, modern stuff is just great, way more convenient than the ancient pigeon mail. While she was thinking about this, she saw someone share a news link. Xia Weibao clicked on it and her eyelid twitched fiercely. Last night, Li Cheng fucked a dog on the roadside in the wee hours. Yeah, you read that right. He was hugging a female dog and, well, cough cough, then¡­ Then he got overly excited and went limp. The incident blew up and made it to the top news. Xia Weibao covered her face, insisting it wasn¡¯t intentional, it really wasn¡¯t intentional. A few days ago, bored from nursing an injury, she researched some self-defense drugs, one of which was cough cough, somewhat like an aphrodisiac¡­ not exactly, but it did have some sort of stimulating effect. However, this drug had a cough cough side effect, namely that afterward it wouldn¡¯t stand up ever again. Last night when Li Cheng came charging over looking for trouble, she just thought of using him to test the drug. She didn¡¯t expect it to be that fierce, and that it would actually¡­ Xia Weibao silently lit a candle for Li Cheng, it¡¯s not my fault, you¡¯re not picky about your food, even going after a dog, it¡¯s not a problem of the drug being too strong. After a moment of silence, she opened Weibo and saw that the hot topics were all dominated by Li Cheng. Suddenly she felt a bit relieved. It¡¯s not easy, Her Majesty finally is not the top news anymore! While she was engrossed, another news story popped up: apparently, Li Cheng couldn¡¯t withstand the public pressure, so he fled the country to seek refuge. Just by chance, he was spotted by journalists at the airport and then surrounded. Li Cheng scrambled away like a rat crossing the street, tumbling and crawling. Seeing this, Xia Weibao was dismissive. He couldn¡¯t even handle this much? She was still standing strong despite being the daily top news, what a wimp! (Reader¡¯s inner thoughts: That means you have thick skin, Your Majesty!) ¡°What?! What do you mean Li Cheng ran away?¡± Lin Mier just woke up from her agent¡¯s bed and heard the explosive news, distorting her face with anger. Brother Wang hung up the phone with a heavy expression. ¡°It¡¯s said that he got drunk last night, wanted to find a woman, but ended up with a female dog instead, and couldn¡¯t handle the public pressure, so he fled abroad.¡± Lin Mier clutched the blanket tightly, ¡°What about the filming of ¡®Imperial Harem¡¯ then?¡± Brother Wang spread his hands, ¡°The director has run off, what else could we do? It¡¯s probably over now.¡± ¡°Bastard!¡± Lin Mier was so angry that her bare chest heaved intensely. Being replaced in ¡°Allure¡± had already been embarrassing enough, but she had finally landed a role in ¡°Imperial Harem¡± that could have redeemed her image somewhat. Now ¡°Imperial Harem¡± was gone too. Losing two leading roles in one go, what would others say about her? Bad luck charm? The black hole of lead actresses? Just thinking about the kind of comments that might appear online made her head spin with anger. Last night, she had just boasted about ¡°Imperial Harem¡± in front of Xia Weibao, ridiculing how low-class ¡°Allure¡± was. And just like that, ¡°Imperial Harem¡± was gone. Lin Mier felt like her face had been slapped swollen. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Brother Wang soothed, caressing her sleek shoulder, ¡°¡®Imperial Harem¡¯ is just a small production. As long as you can win ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ and become a disciple of Yin Mulan, you will be beyond what any top actress could compare with. Why bother about such insignificant benefits?¡± Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Being Hunted Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Being Hunted Editor: Atlas Studios Mentioning this, Lin Mier¡¯s mood finally improved somewhat. Yes, as long as she could become Yin Mulan¡¯s disciple, she would have countless international resources at her disposal. Would she then care about a minor ¡°Imperial Harem¡±? However, this also gave her a sense of crisis. Before, she had both ¡°Imperial Harem¡± and ¡°Dance into the Future¡± to rely on, but now she only had ¡°Dance into the Future¡± left. She absolutely couldn¡¯t afford any accidents! And Xia Weibao was the biggest accident of them all! For some reason, she always felt uneasy about Xia Weibao. Even though Xia Weibao had chosen ¡°Gentle as Water,¡± which was Yin Mulan¡¯s soft spot¡­ what if she really danced better than Yin Mulan¡­ The image of Xia Weibao dancing classical dance last night reappeared in Lin Mier¡¯s mind, and she became agitated. ¡°Brother Wang, I¡¯m not at ease about Xia Weibao. I want to find a way to stop her from withdrawing from the competition. No, that¡¯s not right. I want Xia Weibao to disappear!¡± Lin Mier¡¯s gaze turned fierce. That¡¯s right, as long as Xia Weibao disappeared from this world, then there would no longer be anyone in the field of classical dance who could threaten her. ¡°Brother Wang, help me.¡± Brother Wang was scared by her sinister expression, ¡°Mier, what are you planning to do?¡± ¡°I want Xia Weibao dead!¡± ¡°You¡¯re mad!¡± Brother Wang¡¯s complexion changed, ¡°Murder is illegal!¡± ¡°Are you saying the things you did before weren¡¯t illegal?¡± Lin Mier threatened. Then she threw off the covers, revealing her unclothed body, and straddled Brother Wang. She leaned down with a seductive look in her eyes, ¡°Brother Wang, just help me this one time~¡± Obviously, she knew well how to make men submit¡ªhalf-threatening, half-tempting. Any man couldn¡¯t escape the palm of her hand! ¡°Alright¡­¡± The Empress, still thinking about where to have fun next, had no idea that she was already being targeted. Watching her smash a Ferrari into scrap metal, Housekeeper Fu wiped off his sweat with a heavy hand. Sir, if you don¡¯t come back and take care of the mistress, she¡¯s going to reach the sky. Looking at the car covered with fist and palm marks, Xia Weibao was extremely satisfied. Driving the ¡°unrecognizable¡± Ferrari, she sped away on a spree. Yesterday, she only scraped off the emblem and people recognized the shape of the car. Now that even the shape of the car had been altered, surely no one would recognize it, right? The Empress, acting like a curious baby, was looking around, pondering where to go have fun, when her eyes suddenly sharpened. Someone was following her! The corners of her mouth slowly curled up. Ha! With a turn of the steering wheel, the car immediately headed toward the wilds outside the imperial city. They say fighting in the imperial city is illegal. We, the empress, are civilized people, how could we knowingly break the law? So¡­ it¡¯s better to go outside and fight. That way, it¡¯s not against the law. In the rear, a Santana car contained two men and one woman. The woman in the back scratched her head and removed the pacifier from her mouth, ¡°Big Brother, Second Brother, has she discovered us? Why else would she run to a deserted place?¡± The bald man in the passenger seat shook his head, ¡°Probably not. We¡¯re well-hidden, and as just a small celebrity, she couldn¡¯t have this level of sharpness.¡± The glasses-wearing man driving nodded, ¡°Maybe she¡¯s just going to a secluded place for a drive. After all, public figures need to hide when they go out.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter where she goes. She¡¯s just a frail woman. One shot and it¡¯s done.¡± As the bald man spoke, he pulled out a gun and began to load it. ¡°Look, she¡¯s stopped the car, eh, she¡¯s gotten out, oh my god, she¡¯s so beautiful, I think I¡¯m falling for her.¡± The bald man, ¡°¡­¡± The glasses-wearing man, ¡°¡­¡± Sister, please remember your gender; you¡¯re a woman, you¡¯re welcome. Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Keep a Low Profile, My Lady; Dont Frighten Anyone Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Keep a Low Profile, My Lady; Don¡¯t Frighten Anyone Editor: Atlas Studios The Bald Man had a cold look on his face. He glanced at Xia Weibao, who was leaning against the car door taking selfies with her phone, and paused for a moment. He had to admit, she was indeed very beautiful and had a lot of charm. But he had the utmost contempt for such frail-looking women! So he aimed at Xia Weibao¡¯s head and, with a bang, pulled the trigger. Then he retracted the gun and stopped looking at Xia Weibao. He was confident in his shooting skills; a woman with no strength in her hands could definitely be killed with a single shot to the head. ¡°She¡¯s already dead, let¡¯s go,¡± he said. After speaking, he realized his companions hadn¡¯t moved. The Bald Man frowned, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ve completed the mission, let¡¯s collect the final payment and go eat chicken.¡± The bespectacled man slowly raised his hand, pointing ahead in shock, ¡°She she she¡­¡± The woman behind had already fallen to the ground, then got up and frantically searched for her pacifier. My goodness, that woman was terrifying, she scared the Baby¡¯s pacifier right out of her mouth. The Bald Man was puzzled; he looked up and was startled! He saw Xia Weibao holding a bullet in her hand, seriously studying what it was. After examining it for a while and apparently finding it uninteresting, she flicked it with her finger. With a bang, the Santana¡¯s tire burst. Seeing Xia Weibao walking towards them, the three quickly got out of the car. ¡°Third Sister, hurry up and get out of the car. What are you doing?¡± ¡°Big brother, I¡¯ve lost my pacifier and haven¡¯t found it yet.¡± The two men, ¡°¡­¡± Xia Weibao walked up to the Santana and sized up the three men, ¡°Who are you?¡± The Bald Man, with a murderous look, drew a pistol from his waist and aimed it at Xia Weibao¡¯s head. Xia Weibao¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Was it this thing that shot at me just now?¡± After speaking, before anyone knew how she moved, she still seemed to be in her original place, but the gun was already in her hand. The Bald Man looked at his empty hands, his heart already churning with shock and fear. Such a fast speed! Faster than the Flash in the game ¡®Honor of Kings¡¯! Xia Weibao aimed the gun at the bespectacled man and then pulled the trigger, ¡°This seems to be the part you pull, right?¡± The bespectacled man¡¯s eyes widened suddenly, ducking to one side as a bullet grazed past his ear, knocking off his glasses. Scared, he broke into a cold sweat, thinking, can we please not play with the gun, beauty? ¡°Wow, this thing is powerful.¡± Having got the hang of it, Xia Weibao tossed the gun in her hand and then pointed at one of the men. ¡°Who are you, following me around for what?¡± She said, swinging the gun in her hand, ¡°Trying to kill me?¡± The murderous air emanating from the three was too obvious to ignore. The Bald Man¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Our names are unchanged, our seats unaltered, we are the Chicken-Eating Trio, someone paid us to take your life!¡± After speaking, he kicked a stone toward Xia Weibao¡¯s hand and then suddenly pounced. But unexpectedly, Xia Weibao caught the stone with one hand and with a light kick, sent the man flying away like a broken kite. Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± So weak, are they sure they¡¯re assassins? Her eyes flickered lightly; she happened to be in need of a Hidden Guard Team, and these three seemed quite suitable¡­ She happily decided on the spot to take them in! To recruit underlings, showing dominance was necessary. Thus, Xia Weibao used her Inner Strength in both hands, and the stone in her hands turned to dust. Not only that, the notorious Desert Eagle was crushed into a ball by her bare hands. Gululu gululu¡ª The sound of swallowing saliva sounded simultaneously. And there was more. Xia Weibao took two steps forward, picked up the front of the Santana with one hand, and lifted it up. ¡°It¡¯s a monster!!!¡± Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 71 This Pretense is Overdone Chapter 71: Chapter 71 This Pretense is Overdone Editor: Atlas Studios Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± She had only lifted the front of the car, not the whole thing yet. And they were scared already? Just as she hesitated about whether to lift it all up, those three were already so frightened they were running away in a panic. ¡°Get in her car! Quick!¡± Bald Man shouted, then the three of them rushed toward Xia Weibao¡¯s Ferrari. However, when they saw the car body covered with dented palm and fist marks, they were stunned. This¡­ was it her doing? How violent was that! Only the little sister sucking on a pacifier threw herself onto the car, her eyes gleaming, ¡°Wow, that¡¯s so cool.¡± And at this moment, Xia Weibao, who was clearly still behind them, suddenly appeared in front. Bald Man and Glasses Man were so scared they immediately knelt down, ¡°Great hero, spare our lives, please!¡± Dammit! Who took this job, saying it was just a weak woman, but look at how the car was abused, is this really a frail girl? Dammit, she must¡¯ve turned into The Hulk or something. Meanwhile, the little girl had already rushed over, ¡°Wow! My idol, I love you, I want to have your monkey babies!¡± The two men, scared stiff and breaking out in a cold sweat, quickly pulled her back and stuffed her behind them in a ball. ¡°Sorry, she¡¯s a bit¡­ mentally challenged.¡± Xia Weibao glanced at the drooling woman with the pacifier and nodded, ¡°I can see that¡­¡± ¡°Hero, please, we¡¯re just taking money to eliminate disasters for others, we really have no grudge against you.¡± ¡°Right, right, we¡¯re just part-time assassins, we won¡¯t dare to do it again.¡± Xia Weibao¡¯s eye twitched fiercely, ¡°You¡¯re not assassins?¡± Bald Man and Glasses Man hurriedly shook their heads and waved their hands, ¡°No, no.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Xia Weibao said nonchalantly, ¡°then kill them, no use keeping non-assassins around.¡± Their faces changed, ¡°We are assassins, we are assassins, actually, we¡¯re the famously notorious teen assassins in the underworld!¡± Xia Weibao frowned. Teen assassins and they look like this? A four-eyed kid, a baldie, and a nitwit? ¡°We really are assassins, if you don¡¯t believe us, let us demonstrate for you.¡± As Bald Man spoke, his eyes sharpened, and suddenly a short blade appeared in his hand. Like a tiger pouncing, he aimed for Xia Weibao¡¯s throat. But then he found¡­ He couldn¡¯t move. ¡°Big bro, big bro, why are you pointing a knife at my husband, put it away quickly.¡± Bald Man wanted to cry; he wanted to put it away too, but he couldn¡¯t move. And sis, can you stop shaking me, can¡¯t you see I¡¯m about to fall over? Then, like a statue, Bald Man was pushed over by the mentally challenged girl. And as he fell, he still maintained his rigid posture from a moment before. Glasses Man was shocked. ¡°What did you do!¡± Xia Weibao dusted off her hands, ¡°Nothing much, just sealed some acupoints.¡± Sealed acupoints?! The two men were shocked. What kind of monster had they provoked?! ¡°Now you have two options, one is to work for me as my subordinates and run errands in the future, or two, you can¡­ die!¡± With tears in his eyes, Glasses Man knew they had no choice. Their fates were in her hands. Xia Weibao was pleased with their quick understanding. ¡°If you dare to betray me, this will be your fate!¡± After saying that, she kicked the Ferrari, sending it flying and exploding with a bang. Scared, the three of them bowed their heads in submission, their earlier thoughts of fleeing instantly withered. They looked at Xia Weibao, who had the air of a supreme martial artist, in undisguised admiration. Her Majesty the Empress maintained her inscrutable composure. However, her heart was already bleeding. She had played her role too convincingly! Now that the car had exploded, how on earth was she going to get home, for crying out loud? Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 72: The Hunt becomes a Chicken Dinner Chapter 72: Chapter 72: The Hunt becomes a Chicken Dinner Editor: Atlas Studios Xia Weibao didn¡¯t quite trust the newly recruited minions, so she fed each of them a pill. And she told them to regularly take the antidote or wait for the poison to kick in and die. The man with glasses and the bald man ate it with more disgust than if they were swallowing shit. Xia Weibao scoffed, it was just a candy, and it even tasted like chocolate, how could they not taste that. Didn¡¯t they see the moron eating it cheerfully? ¡°Who wants my life?¡± ¡°No comment, that¡¯s professional integrity.¡± Xia Weibao sneered, with your spineless appearance, you actually possess something as precious as professional integrity, impressive. But if they didn¡¯t want to talk, she didn¡¯t press them. After all, with her skills, she wasn¡¯t afraid of any number of assassins! ¡°Right, can you guys look up information, like hacking into computers, or following people?¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t look down on Third Chicken because she¡¯s a moron; she¡¯s the queen of the hacking world! We can find out anything you want, and as for tailing someone, there¡¯s no need to mention it, we have the best invisible tracking in the world, never been discovered!¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± Could she tell them she had noticed them the minute they showed up? Forget it, let¡¯s ignore that, they were hired on short notice, don¡¯t set your expectations too high. She could always replace them with someone better in the future. ¡°Right, what are your names?¡± Since they were her Hidden Guard, she naturally needed to know. The man with glasses stepped forward, ¡°I¡¯m called Big Chicken, he¡¯s Second Chicken, and she¡¯s Third Chicken, we¡¯re the famous Chicken Eating Squad.¡± Pfft¡­ Xia Weibao almost choked on her own spit! ¡°Chicken Eating Squad¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Boss, if you don¡¯t like the name, you can call us by our former names. We used to be the Legendary Trio, I¡¯m called Li Bai, he¡¯s Lu Ban, and she¡¯s Daji.¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± What on earth had she gotten herself into with these three minions? Forget it, forget it, they were hired on short notice, don¡¯t set your expectations too high. ¡°You¡¯re good at chicken eating?¡± Her Majesty the Empress scratched her hand; she had just started playing the chicken-eating game and was still a novice. ¡°Of course, boss, want us to carry you in the game?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a round.¡± Xia Weibao said coolly. Then, the four of them got in a Santana, and played games from morning until evening¡­ Without winning a single chicken¡­ Lin Mier had waited all day and still hadn¡¯t received any response from the assassins; she was getting impatient. ¡°Brother Wang, are the people you found reliable at all?¡± ¡°No problem, though the three of them are regulars at the mental hospital, they were once notorious, ruthless assassins on the street, never failed!¡± ¡°Xia Weibao, a frail girl, is bound to be dead!¡± Lin Mier felt slightly reassured. Yet, until twelve o¡¯clock, there was still no response. Not only that, she saw Xia Weibao had posted on Weibo. [Today a great player guided me through a day of gaming, and I finally succeeded in my first chicken dinner, very joyful] ¡°¡­¡± Lin Mier, ¡°Is this the ¡®bound to be dead¡¯? Playing the chicken-eating game?¡± Brother Wang¡¯s face looked a bit strange, ¡°Perhaps they haven¡¯t made a move yet¡­¡± ¡°No way, I can¡¯t wait anymore, the finals are in just one day, we must be prepared!¡± The next day, while Xia Weibao was still basking in the rare glory of her chicken dinner, the internet was dominated by an explosive scandal out of nowhere! The topic #Xia Weibao bribes her way into ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯# went viral almost as soon as it appeared. Immediately after, countless onlookers sprung into action to dig up the inside story. All sorts of information were unearthed, and overnight, Xia Weibao had already been dragged through the mud several times! Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 73 The Headline Queen! Chapter 73: Chapter 73 The Headline Queen! Editor: Atlas Studios ¡°` At six in the morning, Xia Weibao was woken up by Sister Tong¡¯s barrage of life-threatening calls. ¡°Hello, Sister Tong.¡± ¡°Baby, hurry and check Weibo!¡± Groggy, Xia Weibao opened Weibo and a flood of private messages popped out. She clicked one to read, and they were all cursing her out. ¡°What the heck.¡± She muttered discontentedly, then proceeded to check the web page. That¡¯s when she discovered that she had made the headlines again. And it was a complete sweep of the rankings! Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± Her highness is indeed the headline queen! At that moment, a piece of news popped up and she clicked to read it. ¡°Last night, the head scriptwriter of ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ got drunk and accidentally revealed that Xia Weibao bribed 30 million to parachute into the ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ finals, a fact confirmed by multiple sources. Furthermore, according to insider information, Xia Weibao¡¯s competition piece was ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯, making the bold guess that Bitch Xia was aiming for Teacher Yin Mulan¡­¡± The more Xia Weibao read, the more speechless she became. Those people really stopped at nothing, able to dig up anything. At this rate, she began to suspect whether, if she farted, someone would also be dissecting whether it smelled nice or foul. The Queen was indeed right. One day in the future, when she would be so famous she was almost purple, even farting could make the headlines. However, at that moment, she was still scrolling through other people¡¯s curses. ¡ª¡ªDamn it! Does Xia Weibao have no shame? Why doesn¡¯t this person just die! ¡ª¡ªHaha, no talent, just bribery. Initially bribing judges to get the Best Actress award, now bribing the organizers; what else can Xia Weibao do other than bribe? ¡ª¡ªAbove, Xia Weibao is capable of many things: plastic surgery, photoshopping, throwing tantrums, playing by the hidden rules, being a mistress, she knows it all. ¡ª¡ªThis is the most shameless person I have ever seen, without a doubt! ¡ª¡ªIt¡¯s not that we intentionally bash Xia Weibao, but she just doesn¡¯t have a single praiseworthy quality. Could you please be kind, Xia? We¡¯re tired of criticizing you; just make a comeback for once and let us see something new, will you? ¡ª¡ªThere¡¯s new material in the neighboring forum, quick, check it out¡­ Curious, Xia Weibao clicked the link to join the crowd next door. She was already painted so black, what new material could there be? This look left her speechless. The gist of the post was that Yin Mulan intended to take on a disciple in the ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ show, and her favorite was Lin Mier, after all, Lin Mier was the classical dance goddess. Then she stepped in to meddle, dancing ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ just to gain Yin Mulan¡¯s favor, even claiming that her rendition of ¡®Gentle as Water¡¯ was better than Yin Mulan¡¯s, and that upon seeing it, Yin Mulan would be so impressed she would prostrate herself in admiration and take her as a disciple, and might even want to learn from her instead. The comments below were already in a frenzy! ¡ª¡ªDamn it! Saying Xia Weibao lacks shame is already praising her! ¡ª¡ªHow can there be such a disgusting person in this world, I cannot fathom where she gets her confidence from. ¡ª¡ªExactly, even saying that Teacher Yin will seek to learn from her, unbelievable! ¡ª¡ªShe wants to be Teacher Yin¡¯s disciple? She¡¯s not even worthy to carry her shoes! ¡ª¡ªA person who can only enter a competition by stuffing money has the nerve to make wild statements, I can¡¯t take it, I want to hire someone to kill her!!! ¡ª¡ªAm I the only one who noticed Xia Weibao¡¯s targeted attacks on Lin Mier? First, she snatched the lead role in ¡®Allure¡¯ from the Goddess Mier, and now she¡¯s after Goddess Mier¡¯s championship title. I¡¯m going to tear Bitch Xia apart! The spectators always love a good spectacle, hence some started to concoct conspiracy theories. Soon another post went viral, titled ¡°Why Bitch Xia Targets Lin Mier¡±. ¡°` Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Overnight Sensation! Chapter 74: Chapter 74 Overnight Sensation! Editor: Atlas Studios It all started when Lin Mier made her debut. Originally, Lin Mier debuted under the name Xiao Weibao. Xia Weibao was prone to jealousy, and seeing Lin Mier¡¯s youth and beauty, as well as her resemblance to herself, feared that Lin Mier would overshadow her. Therefore, she suppressed Lin Mier in every way, not allowing the newcomer to get ahead. Later, Lin Mier landed the role of the third female lead in ¡°Vitality,¡± the very movie that catapulted Xia Weibao to the Best Actress award. Xia Weibao resented Lin Mier for rising too fast, so she suppressed her during the filming. Eventually, Xia Weibao got what she deserved and was struck down by karma¡ªscandals of drug abuse and promiscuity surfaced, ruining her reputation. Meanwhile, Lin Mier¡¯s career went from strength to strength. So, out of jealousy, Xia Weibao used every method to seize opportunities from Lin Mier. Poor Lin Mier, such a kind and hard-working person¡ªjust because she looked somewhat similar and debuted later¡ªshe was suppressed at every turn¡­ Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± Youthful and beautiful¡­ Three years ago, she was seventeen, Lin Mier twenty-eight¡­ And she suppressed Lin Mier? If it hadn¡¯t been for Xia Weibao¡¯s support back then, Lin Mier would still be languishing in some corner unknown! The third female lead role in ¡°Vitality¡± was one that Xia Weibao secured for Lin Mier by dining with the director out of her own pocket and recommending Lin Mier. And what was the result? When Xia Weibao was in deep trouble, Lin Mier kicked her when she was down! Armed with candid photos, Lin Mier accused her of sleeping with the director for the lead role! Looking at the increasingly blind and radical comments, Xia Weibao suddenly felt very cold inside. If the original owner of the body hadn¡¯t died, seeing the person she once boosted so spitefully slander her and the fans who were once so dear trample her, what kind of breakdown would that be. Below, the ignorant netizens were frenetically posting. ¡ª¡ªMier, be strong, you are the best! ¡ª¡ªGoddess, don¡¯t cry, we will always be your solid support! ¡ª¡ªSwear to drive Xia Weibao out of the entertainment industry! Bring peace to the industry! ¡ª¡ªGoddess, don¡¯t cry, we will protect you¡­ Afterward, the topic #GoddessDon¡¯tCry soared to the top of trending searches, making Lin Mier famous overnight. Riding on Xia Weibao¡¯s coattails, her value skyrocketed, approaching top-tier status! She also became a huge favorite for ¡°Dance into the Future.¡± Originally, hardly anyone knew her, but now she was universally known! In this era of supporting the underdog, everyone sided with the ¡°oppressed¡± Lin Mier, sympathizing and fueling her popularity to the pinnacle! Lin Mier became famous. Red-hot famous. Overnight fame! Portrayed as a poor little thing suppressed by Xia Weibao from the start, Lin Mier was practically deified. They said she was younger than Xia Weibao, prettier than Xia Weibao, kinder than Xia Weibao, more hardworking than Xia Weibao, and a better actress than Xia Weibao¡ªin short, everything about her was better than Xia Weibao. If she had made her debut earlier, then it wouldn¡¯t be her being called Xiao Weibao, but Xia Weibao being called Xiao Mier. The fans were furious, and combined with the PR spin, Lin Mier became the oppressed minority, the most pitiable Cinderella in history. The more they hated Xia Weibao, the more they pitied Lin Mier, exalting her on a pedestal. Xia Weibao quietly closed the web page. Just how dark can human nature get? And how terrifying can ignorance be. Before going to bed, she sent two messages. One was to Xu Jiayang, asking for leave¡ªshe was verbally attacked so badly that she couldn¡¯t get out of bed. The other was to the trio of chicken-eaters, to investigate Lin Mier. Want to step on her to climb up? She would teach Lin Mier a good lesson in being human! Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Introverted Perversion is a Disease, It Needs Treatment! Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Introverted Perversion is a Disease, It Needs Treatment! Editor: Atlas Studios The covers were flung off as she went to sleep¡ªdamn it, her car exploded yesterday, and she flew back at midnight! On the other side, watching her popularity soar, Lin Mier jumped up excitedly. ¡°Brother Wang, look at my Weibo, my fans just broke through the five-million mark!¡± She had only had over two million before¡ªit doubled overnight! ¡°Brother Wang, the post you wrote is fantastic. With the current momentum, I believe I¡¯ll break into the top tier before long!¡± Lin Mier pounced forward and gave Brother Wang a big kiss. Brother Wang smiled with immense satisfaction, ¡°I just received two international brand endorsement interview invitations, and several script audition notices, all for major productions. Mier, you¡¯re on fire.¡± Lin Mier was thrilled, yes, she had caught fire. Not only that, but she had also stepped out of Xia Weibao¡¯s shadow. Mier, ha, Xia Weibao, you were nothing more than an early debut, what¡¯s so impressive about that! Now you are still beneath my feet! ¡°Mier, let me show you something even more satisfying.¡± Brother Wang said as he opened Xia Weibao¡¯s Weibo homepage. Lin Mier glanced at it and laughed, ¡°Hahaha, only ten thousand followers, she¡¯s down to just ten thousand followers, and it keeps dropping. Hahaha, Xia Weibao is going to make me die laughing. Even small artists who haven¡¯t debuted have more followers than that hahaha.¡± ¡°Feeling relieved now?¡± ¡°Relieved.¡± Lin Mier felt completely at ease, ¡°I am a hundred times relieved. With Xia Weibao¡¯s situation, if she can still make a comeback, I¡¯ll give her my title of classical dance goddess!¡± Lin Mier looked scornful, as if she was looking at a pathetic bug trampled under her foot. Who would have thought, a celebrated actress falling on such hard times, tsk tsk. ¡°Mier, you are popular now, but you absolutely cannot slack off. Endorsements and acting gigs are secondary. The most important thing is tomorrow¡¯s grand finale. As long as you can win the championship and successfully get Yin Mulan to take you as her disciple, there will be an endless supply of international resources.¡± Lin Mier smiled, full of confidence. She had blackened Xia Weibao so badly this time, especially with the slander she framed her with, which had already infuriated Yin Mulan! Without Xia Weibao to trip her up, the championship was as good as hers! On the other side of the world, a certain senior special assistant checked the time¡ªfour in the morning sharp. Then he glanced at his boss, still poring over documents. Quietly, he picked up two toothpicks and propped his eyelids open. Oh man, he couldn¡¯t take it anymore¡ªif he kept pulling all-nighters like this, his delicate skin would age prematurely! Boss, working overtime every day, are you trying to kill me? Lu Hualiang finished reviewing a document and glanced at his mobile phone next to him, looking for a message. Not finding what he wanted, his expression darkened even more. ¡°Yang Su, bring me the African Diamond Mountain development proposal.¡± Yang Su, ¡°¡­¡± Seeking advice¡ªwhen you have a sulky and tsundere boss who secretly wants to murder someone, what do you do? It¡¯s urgent, waiting online. If you want to talk to the young madam, just call her directly. She doesn¡¯t have you in her heart. Waiting another eight hundred years won¡¯t change that. The most annoying part is, because of time zone differences, his sulky boss is afraid that Xia Weibao will call during the day, and it will be night here; in case he sleeps and misses the call, he pulls all-nighters¡­ Yang Li felt that if he didn¡¯t get some sleep soon, he was going to collapse! Half a month, a full half-month without sleep!!!!! Just then, his phone buzzed with a notification. He pulled it out, and damn, Xia Weibao had been slandered again! CREATORS¡¯ THOUGHTS AtlasStudios From 15 Feb 2020, Coins spent on books that aren¡¯t selected will be refunded within 30 days. However, Fast Passes will not be refunded. The selected book will have a mark on the corner of the book cover in 30 days to indicate continuation. Thank you for your understanding. Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Director Lu, Youre Really Overthinking It Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Director Lu, You¡¯re Really Overthinking It Editor: Atlas Studios Yang Li was so excited that he hurriedly went to find Lu Hualiang with his cell phone. ¡°Master.¡± Lu Hualiang was already feeling annoyed, and his expression turned even colder when he saw Yang Li looking as happy as if he had found cat feces. The temperature around them seemed to drop a few degrees as well. It better be something important, or else, prepare to be banished to Africa! ¡°Master, the young mistress had an accident.¡± Yang Li had the face of an eunuch wielding the Imperial Sword. As long as it was about Xia Weibao, he was fearless! As expected, hearing Xia Weibao¡¯s name, Lu Hualiang¡¯s expression softened somewhat. He took Yang Li¡¯s phone and read through the comments online, his face growing darker and darker. Then, he threw the phone aside. ¡°Gather all the senior executives for a meeting immediately!¡± Yang Li¡¯s legs went weak, and he almost knelt down. A meeting at four in the morning? He guessed those executives would kill him! Master, what madness is this, can we be normal for once? ¡°Master, what about the young mistress¡¯s situation, not going to address it?¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s face grew colder again, ¡°Did she ask you to intervene? Has she sought your help? Does she need you to meddle? She¡¯s more than capable, are you throwing yourself at her and degrading yourself?¡± Yang Li, ¡°¡­¡± Does this mean he intended to wait for Xia Weibao to actively seek help? Master, she doesn¡¯t even consider you her husband, how could she possibly come to you? And she deliberately traveled so far for a business trip, thinking distance makes the heart grow fonder, out of sight beginning to miss, probably by now she has even forgotten you exist¡­ Lu Hualiang tugged at his tie irritably, damn woman. After such a big incident, she didn¡¯t even think to turn to him, what does she take her husband for, is it really that hard for her to lower her head! Being bullied like that and still holding a grudge! Ahem, Director Lu, you¡¯re probably overthinking it again, the empress didn¡¯t even consider you, there¡¯s no grudge. Yang Li had a headache. ¡°Master, the young mistress has a thin skin, she might be too embarrassed to ask for your help, she¡¯s probably waiting for you to come to her aid right now.¡± Lu Hualiang frowned slightly, but remained silent. However, his expression did loosen a bit. Yang Li¡¯s heart leapt, there might be a chance! ¡°Think about it, the young mistress is being scolded by so many people, she must be very sad, probably hiding in a corner crying. If someone appeared before her now, offering her comfort, she would surely be very touched.¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s eyebrows twitched, but still no response. ¡°Sigh, the young mistress must feel so helpless right now, and who knows if she has any male friends to rely on.¡± Those words had a heavy impact! The thought of Xia Weibao crying in another man¡¯s arms immediately made Lu Hualiang stand up. ¡°I just remembered there¡¯s something to deal with at the headquarters, get the plane ready immediately.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yang Li beamed with joy. But his happiness lasted less than a second. With one sentence from Lu Hualiang, he was sent to hell, ¡°The diamond development in Africa, you¡¯ll be in charge of that.¡± Yang Li, ¡°¡­¡± He broke out in a cold sweat, ¡°Master, I¡¯ve had a few girlfriends.¡± The underlying message, he had experience, knew how to win a girl¡¯s heart. Lu Hualiang gave him a dismissive glance, ¡°You¡¯re more involved with the headquarters, let Yang Jian handle Africa.¡± The just-walked-in Yang Jian with a cup of coffee, ¡°¡­¡± What did he do wrong? Was it just making a cup of coffee that got him banished to Africa? Yang Li, with an air of nonchalance, patted his younger brother on the shoulder, ¡°Xiao Jian, tough luck.¡± When he returned to Lu Garden, it was already evening. Housekeeper Fu nearly burst into tears seeing his master drop by unexpectedly. ¡°Sir, you¡¯re finally back.¡± If not for his return, the young mistress would have probably ascended to Heaven! CREATORS¡¯ THOUGHTS AtlasStudios From 15 Feb 2020, Coins spent on books that aren¡¯t selected will be refunded within 30 days. However, Fast Passes will not be refunded. The selected book will have a mark on the corner of the book cover in 30 days to indicate continuation. Thank you for your understanding. Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Director Lu, Just a Gesture Will Do Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Director Lu, Just a Gesture Will Do ¡°Madam, where is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in her room,¡± the housekeeper said. It¡¯s already the early hours of the morning. Where could she be if not in her room? ¡°Sir, you should really do something about Madam. She¡¯s not come down at all today, and even for meals, she has them sent up to her room.¡± He had never seen a woman so immersed in gaming that she wouldn¡¯t come down for meals and would only nibble when food was brought to her. Sigh, she¡¯s completely like a gaming addict. Lu Hualiang furrowed his brow. Grieved enough to shut herself away? That damn woman, is it that hard for her to lower her head? If she would only speak up, he would definitely help her; it¡¯s not like he would make things difficult for her. Why must she be so proud? ¡°Has she eaten then?¡± Lu Hualiang asked with a cold, distant expression on his face. Yet his glance couldn¡¯t help but drift towards the direction of the upstairs master bedroom. He didn¡¯t know how she was doing right now¡ªwhether she was still crying or not. Could it be that she was too sad to have an appetite? ¡°She only had a few bites.¡± The housekeeper felt somewhat embarrassed. When the servants brought her meal, she had just started a game. By the time she finished the round, the food had gone cold. Then she didn¡¯t eat and continued on to the next game. It has to be said that their Madam Weibao really doesn¡¯t sweat the small stuff. With such a scandal, if it were any other celebrity, they¡¯d probably have fainted from crying in the bathroom by now. But not her; she locked herself in her room to play games! Such a gaming addict! Lu Hualiang felt a flutter of excitement inside. See, without him, she¡¯s helpless, heartbroken to the point where she can¡¯t eat. Yet, at the same time, he felt a tinge of pity. If he had been by her side all along, perhaps she wouldn¡¯t be so upset. She¡¯s already thin, and now she¡¯s not even eating. ¡°Sir, you really need to take good care of Madam. Without you here, she¡¯s¡­¡± about to tear the house down. ¡°Alright, go have someone prepare a late-night snack, something light,¡± Lu Hualiang interrupted before the housekeeper could finish. Thinking it over, ¡°And boil a couple of hot eggs.¡± She¡¯s been crying all day; her eyes must be swollen. They could help soothe them. Speaking of which, he really hadn¡¯t paid much attention to her. He always left her alone at home. If she would just give in, he would truly cherish her from here on out. Obviously, Director Lu¡¯s thoughts and the housekeeper¡¯s were not on the same wavelength. The housekeeper meant for him to properly discipline Xia Weibao. While Director Lu understood it as not to neglect Xia Weibao anymore. The housekeeper thought Lu Hualiang hadn¡¯t eaten yet, so he hurried off to have food prepared. He thought that after Lu Hualiang had finished eating, he would proceed to inform on Xia Weibao¡¯s misdeeds in detail! But Lu Hualiang, on the other hand, turned and went upstairs. His stride was steady and strong, betraying no sign of abnormality, though his pace was much quicker than usual. Standing at the door to the master bedroom, he hesitated before opening it. He remembered Yang Li¡¯s words¡ªXia Weibao was at her most vulnerable right now. If he went to comfort her, to protect her against the storm, she would undoubtedly be moved. Perhaps she might even throw herself into his arms. But after sitting on a plane for more than a dozen hours without a shower¡­ So Director Lu changed direction, going to the guest room for a bath. The first time embracing a woman, naturally, he wanted to leave a good impression. After the shower, the late-night snack was ready. Seeing him carry the snack upstairs, Housekeeper Fu grew anxious. He hadn¡¯t yet reported on Xia Weibao¡¯s scandalous behavior¡ªher misdemeanors were too numerous to record! Lu Hualiang¡¯s steps quickened as he ascended the stairs, and before opening the door, his long fingers casually pulled down his bathrobe, exposing his well-built chest. He also readjusted his hair before pushing the door open. Fearing that Xia Weibao might be too excited and rush at him, he even took care to place the tray of food to the side to avoid knocking it over. However¡­ Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Director Lu, Dont Cry - Stand Up and Fight Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Director Lu, Don¡¯t Cry ¨C Stand Up and Fight Director Lu seemed to be in for a disappointment. On the big bed, all the pillows had been stacked together, and a woman was straddling them. With her back to the door, her expression was not visible. But judging from her excited back, which looked like it might jump up at any moment, she was probably far from crying! ¡°Damn you, Big Chicken, are you sick or what? Get him! Why are you running away?¡± ¡°Third Chicken, why are you hiding in the bushes? Hurry up and save me! Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m being attacked?¡± ¡°Xiang Chu, Xiang Chu why are you still pushing the tower? I¡¯m about to die here, hurry up and protect me ahhhhhh¡­¡± Lu Hualiang, ¡°¡­¡± His gaze landed on the few apples beside him that looked chewed up by a dog, and Director Lu began to question his life choices¡­ What happened to the promised desperation, unable to swallow food? Now, at two in the morning, who is this woman playing games all night like a psycho? What made Lu Hualiang want to spit blood was that he had deliberately made a loud noise by stepping on the floor, yet Xia Weibao didn¡¯t realize he had come in and was still completely immersed in her game¡­ He walked to the side of the bed with a platter in one hand and reached out with the other, wanting to remind her that he had returned. However, Xia Weibao¡¯s current image was not exactly elegant. Go to ????????????????????.co She was wearing a pink silk camisole nightdress, which, because she was straddling the pillows, had been flipped up. Revealing a small section of pink panties. Not only that, there were also long, white legs, and a small, round, perky rear. Lu Hualiang felt a bit thirsty and awkwardly turned his head away. Then he reached out and pulled on her clothes. Xia Weibao was at the most intense part of her game, about to make a triple kill, when suddenly someone interrupted, and she violently spun around with a reflexive kick. ¡°Who dares disturb Her Majesty the Empress!¡± With a loud bang, the plate Lu Hualiang was holding was kicked up and ended up covering his face¡­ At that moment, time seemed to freeze¡­ Xia Weibao was utterly flabbergasted. Why was there someone in her room? And the figure seemed somewhat familiar¡­ Lu Hualiang silently took the plate off his face to reveal a face as black as the bottom of a pot, adorned with a variety of condiments and soup splashed all over him. That complexion¡­ Xia Weibao swallowed hard, Uh-oh, she sensed killing intent! She immediately put on a face that screamed ¡®I¡¯m begging for forgiveness.¡¯ ¡°You have been slain.¡± The sound of death suddenly came from the phone, and Her Majesty the Empress¡¯s plea-for-mercy face turned back to a face filled with killing intent. ¡°Damn it! Who dares to kill me!!!¡± Ahhh, her triple kill!!! ¡°Director Lu, you clean yourself up first. I need to see which bastard killed me and get some people together for revenge!¡± Lu Hualiang, thrown aside, ¡°¡­¡± He might have married a fake wife¡­ Here he was, the CEO of Lu Corporation, and he couldn¡¯t compare to the immediate thrill of a game¡­ Looking down at his messy self, Lu Hualiang suddenly felt the urge to strangle Yang Li! Who said Xia Weibao would be heartbroken right now? Who said Xia Weibao would be so moved she¡¯d rush into his arms? Is this her way of rushing into his arms? A plate directly smashing onto his face?!!! After figuring out who had killed her, Xia Weibao finally put her phone down and then threw herself at him. She looked around, didn¡¯t see any tissues, so she grabbed Lu Hualiang¡¯s carefully selected bathrobe and started wiping his face with it. Her expression was apologetic, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose just now. I¡¯m just not used to strangers suddenly touching me¡­¡± Oh, Lu Hualiang¡¯s face at that moment was a sight to behold. He almost crushed his teeth in anger! Strangers? Great, he¡¯s her husband, yet he¡¯s referred to as a stranger! Wait for it, Xia Weibao! He¡¯d clean himself up before he dealt with her! He glared viciously at Xia Weibao before turning and heading towards the bathroom. Xia Weibao was alarmed, ¡°Don¡¯t go in there!¡± Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Very Well, This Is So Like Her Majesty the Empress Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Very Well, This Is So Like Her Majesty the Empress However, it was too late. Lu Hualiang, fueled by rage, walked incredibly fast. Before Xia Weibao could finish speaking, he had already yanked open the bathroom door with one hand. And then¡­ Splashhhhh¡ª A towering column of water sprayed out, slamming into his face. While it washed the greens and radishes from his face, it also drenched him, turning him into a drowned rat. Staring at the flooded bathroom, Lu Hualiang had only one thought¡ªhe was going to kill Xia Weibao! ¡°Xia, Wei, Bao!¡± He ground his teeth, wishing he could skin her alive! He had rushed back for her, and how did she welcome him? It was almost enough to reach the skies! With a sharp glance, Xia Weibao shuddered and shrank her neck. Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°I warned you already¡­¡± It was just that you didn¡¯t hear it¡­ Her voice was timid, completely lacking confidence. For a moment, Lu Hualiang truly felt the impulse to chop her to pieces! ¡°Speak!¡± Xia Weibao¡¯s little heart trembled. ¡°I accidentally kicked the water pipe and burst it¡­¡± After finishing using the restroom and washing her hands, then encountering three idiots, she almost scored a triple kill. In her excitement, she kicked beneath the Glazed Platform and burst the water pipe. She had planned to have Housekeeper Fu fix the water pipe after finishing the game. But who could have expected Lu Hualiang to barge in suddenly? Besides, wasn¡¯t he on a business trip for a month? Why did he come back early? Really now, having another person in the house, she felt completely uneasy. This can¡¯t go on, she was about to die of frustration. Lu Hualiang strode out, needing to cool down. Otherwise, he really might lose control and kill Xia Weibao! Downstairs, Housekeeper Fu saw Lu Hualiang storming down like a drenched chicken. Somewhat puzzled, ¡°Sir, what happened to you¡­?¡± ¡°Go find someone to fix the water pipe!¡± ¡°What?¡± Housekeeper Fu exclaimed, ¡°Did the young mistress burst the water pipe again?!¡± Again? That word carried a lot of information! ¡°She¡¯s done this before?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Housekeeper Fu felt that if he didn¡¯t complain, he would internalize the injury! ¡°Sir, you have no idea how much trouble the young mistress is causing. She has smashed two cars, ruined three doors, dismantled four air conditioners, and burst five water pipes. Also, the refrigerator from the kitchen was moved entirely into her room. The garden¡¯s expensive flowers and plants, worth over a million each, have all been cleared out by her and replaced with Medicinal Herbs. The mountain spring water in your private swimming pool was used by her to water those Medicinal Herbs. Oh yes, and that villa next to the garden, I don¡¯t know why but there¡¯s a hole in the wall now; we¡¯ve already had it patched up. The hundred-year-old purple fir in the small courtyard also mysteriously fell. I asked the young mistress why such a large tree would fall, and she said she didn¡¯t know. She was practicing qigong in the courtyard, and as she practiced, it just fell¡ªprobably the wind blew it down¡­¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s gaze twitched and twitched. Bursting the water pipe five times¡­ No wonder she was so calmly playing games behind closed doors after the pipe burst; it was probably routine for her by now. He suddenly understood what Housekeeper Fu meant by saying he should really keep a tighter leash on Xia Weibao¡­ Lu Hualiang was beside himself with frustration; what on earth had he married¡ªa lunatic?! Indeed, there¡¯s a need to discipline if not a day passes without disaster! If he didn¡¯t manage her soon, she would really be beyond control! So, he stormed upstairs, determined to restore some order. Holding back his anger, he kicked open the bedroom door only to find¡­ Xia Weibao had fallen asleep. Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Suffer the Consequences, Director Lu Condolences Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Suffer the Consequences, Director Lu Condolences Lu Hualiang instantly felt as if he had rallied thousands of troops to settle a score, only to find the other party wouldn¡¯t even bother to fart at him¡ªa suffocating feeling of frustration. Moreover, she had just been wearing a pink camisole nightdress, so why had it now become a conservative auntie-style pajama set? Did she change clothes as soon as she saw him come back, for fear of him getting an eyeful? The more he thought about it, the angrier Lu Hualiang became. He huffed coldly and turned to leave. He would sleep in the guest room! She wouldn¡¯t ask him; she definitely wouldn¡¯t move back into the master bedroom! Lying alone on the big bed in the guest room, Lu Hualiang tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He took out his phone and looked at Xia Weibao¡¯s Weibo¡ªonly five thousand followers left. Underneath it was a barrage of insults, which made his heart ache. She must have been driven to mental instability from being bombarded with such abuse, right? His gaze suddenly sharp, the cold and sinister aura around Lu Hualiang quietly filled the room. [Check on Lin Mier.] Yang Li was just about to go to bed when he was startled by a special notification on his phone. Go to ????????????????????.co ¡°Check on Lin Mier? Has the boss finally seen the light, ready to help the young mistress?¡± For the sake of Lu Hualiang¡¯s pursuit of his wife, Yang Li gave up his precious sleep time and worked through the night to have someone investigate. Before dawn, all of Lin Mier¡¯s dirty secrets had been sent to Lu Hualiang¡¯s mailbox. When Xia Weibao awoke, she saw Lu Hualiang packing his luggage. ¡°Director Lu, are you going on a business trip again?¡± Lu Hualiang did not turn his head, ¡°I¡¯m moving to the guest room.¡± His face was calm, but inwardly he thought, if she would only speak up, he would stay. Xia Weibao¡¯s reaction did not disappoint him. The moment she heard him say he was moving to the guest room, she immediately jumped out of bed, not even bothering to put on shoes; she ran over to him barefoot. With a face full of astonishment, ¡°Director Lu, you¡¯re going to sleep in the guest room? Why!¡± Lu Hualiang finally felt somewhat comforted. It seemed giving her the cold shoulder had some effect after all. Now she knew to be anxious. This woman, if you don¡¯t show her some strictness, she¡¯ll walk all over you! ¡°Nothing much, just feeling annoyed,¡± Lu Hualiang said coldly. Let her taste what it¡¯s like to be neglected! Just newly married and she would have to endure an empty bed¡ªthat¡¯s something no woman could bear, right? It was somewhat cruel, but she had become increasingly presumptuous. Lu Hualiang slowed down in packing his clothes, as if waiting for something. At that moment, Xia Weibao suddenly stretched out her hand and pressed it on his, ¡°Wait.¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s movements stopped immediately, and he slightly turned his head to look at her. Waiting for what she would say next. If she would just ask him to stay, he wouldn¡¯t make things difficult for her. In the future, he could stop neglecting her, and perhaps he could even¡­ The back of his hand under hers was growing warm, and as he looked at her delicate facial features, Lu Hualiang suddenly felt his whole body warming up. His thoughts began to wander¡­ ¡°Director Lu, packing clothes is such heavy work¡ªhow can we let you do it! Let me help you instead.¡± Xia Weibao said, shoving Lu Hualiang aside, and then quickly stuffed all his clothes into the suitcase. The suitcase was too full, and one wasn¡¯t enough. Looking up, she saw another on top of the wardrobe. Xia Weibao leaped up, grabbed the suitcase, and landed on the floor. Then she swiftly packed all his clothes, not minding the leftovers that didn¡¯t fit. It was more important to get rid of him quickly. What if he changed his mind? Click, the suitcase locked, Xia Weibao grabbed one in each hand, and hurried out. She returned empty-handed in less than ten seconds. ¡°Director Lu, I¡¯ve placed the luggage in the guest room, you can sort it out yourself.¡± Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Director Lu, Does It Sting? Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Director Lu, Does It Sting? Finally coming to his senses, Lu Hualiang¡¯s face turned pitch black. ¡°Xia Weibao, what do you mean by this!¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who said you wanted to sleep in the guest room? I¡¯m just helping you pack.¡± Xia Weibao stated it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. With his snail¡¯s pace, it took him forever to pack his bags¡ªit was unbearable for her to watch. If he wanted to leave, he should just hurry up and go. A grown man dawdling like an indecisive woman. Just as Lu Hualiang was about to explode, Xia Weibao was already too lazy to bother with him. ¡°I have a competition today, so I won¡¯t be entertaining you. Do as you please.¡± Having said that, she hurried to wash up and get ready. Lu Hualiang¡¯s expression was gloomy. Did she already view him as a guest? Very well! Fuming with rage, he turned around and headed back to the guest room, only to see two suitcases carelessly thrown on the floor, and he suddenly had the illusion that Xia Weibao was trying to drive him out¡­ This is outrageous¡ªXia Weibao, remember this! He pulled out his phone, ¡°Yang Li, forget about Lin Mier¡¯s matter. Go to ????????????????????.co He wanted to see just how long Xia Weibao could remain so defiant! Outside, public outrage was already boiling over. As soon as she showed up, those people¡¯s criticism could drown her! When she finds herself with nowhere to turn, he didn¡¯t believe she wouldn¡¯t come begging to him. Throwing his phone onto the bed, Lu Hualiang turned and went downstairs. He had only just reached the doorway when he doubled back, calling Yang Li again. ¡°Be prepared to act on my command at any moment.¡± As he spoke, he paused, ¡°Send some people to secretly follow Xia Weibao. Don¡¯t let anyone attack her.¡± Yang Li had just been puzzled¡ªthe preparations were made overnight, so why the sudden cancellation? Upon receiving another call from Lu Hualiang, he was speechless. There he goes, being haughty again. Yang Li guessed it must be something Xia Weibao did to tick off his boss, now miffed. If you can¡¯t bear to see her hurt, just say it outright. If you¡¯re concerned she might get injured, just say so. Acting like a closed book all day, what¡¯s the use of doing so much behind the scenes when she doesn¡¯t even know about it? When Xia Weibao rushed downstairs, Lu Hualiang was still eating his breakfast. His gaze fixed straight ahead, he didn¡¯t spare her a glance. It was clear to any observer that the two had entered a state of cold war. Xia Weibao grabbed a piece of cake and walked out without even sitting down, let alone noticing anything off about Lu Hualiang. The chill emanating from Lu Hualiang grew even colder. Housekeeper Fu, who had been serving him since he was young, could immediately tell that he was upset, and specifically upset with Xia Weibao. Quickly, he stepped in front of Xia Weibao, ¡°Madam, aren¡¯t you going to sit down for breakfast?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m rushed for time.¡± Xia Weibao dropped a comment and hurried off. Leaving behind nothing but a breeze. ¡°Master, this¡­¡± Lu Hualiang¡¯s face turned dark, ¡°From now on, don¡¯t call her madam again!¡± He was curious to see how she would manage to hold her ground in this house without his support! Housekeeper Fu wiped his sweat; it seemed they really had a serious fight this time. ¡°Yes, master. Miss Xia may be just in a rush; after all, she has a competition today.¡± Miss Xia? Somehow, that title sounded awkward to him. Lu Hualiang¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as Xia Weibao¡¯s words from last night echoed in his ears; she was not comfortable with strangers touching her¡­ Strangers? They were a legitimately married couple, and yet she referred to him as a stranger¡ªhow irritating! And hearing the housekeeper refer to her as Miss Xia¡­ It was as if she had nothing to do with him at all. ¡°Call her madam.¡± She thinks she can get rid of him? Not a chance! Housekeeper Fu, ¡°¡­¡± What are you up to now, master? Becoming increasingly agitated, Lu Hualiang lost his appetite completely. Picking up his suit jacket, he strode out the door. When he arrived at the garage, he found Xia Weibao furiously pounding her fists on the Lamborghini¡­ Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Without Comparison, There is No Hurt... Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Without Comparison, There is No Hurt¡­ ¡°` Thump, thump, thump¡ªthe punches landed as though they were hitting Lu Hualiang¡¯s heart. Suddenly recalling what Housekeeper Fu had said, Xia Weibao had smashed two vehicles, damaged three doors, dismantled four air conditioners, burst five water pipes¡­ Next to the villa in the garden, there was a new hole in the wall¡­ The centuries-old purple fir in the small courtyard had toppled over for some reason¡­ Bang! Just as Lu Hualiang was reeling in shock, a violent collision sounded from nearby. Looking up, he saw Xia Weibao kicking a car door clean into the vehicle. Don¡¯t ask how the door could be kicked in¡ªhe himself was dying to know why. Clearly, Xia Weibao hadn¡¯t expected such a result either, and she looked around guiltily. Lu Hualiang was in a blind spot, so she didn¡¯t see him. Thinking that no one had witnessed the scene, Her Majesty the Empress hurriedly pried off the emblem and then drove away. Lu Hualiang, ¡°¡­¡± Go to ????????????????????.co He took a look at the car beside him and reached out to pry the emblem, but it didn¡¯t budge. By chance, his gaze caught sight of a Bugatti nearby with a hole in the front; the emblem had been pried off. Looking at the marks, it seemed to have been twisted off by sheer force. Lu Hualiang¡¯s temple throbbed fiercely¡ªthis strength¡­ Suddenly he felt it was time to buy a new car. Judging by the extent of Xia Weibao¡¯s destruction, a car per day, his garage would only suffice for two or three months of her rampages. He felt a headache coming on¡ªwas he raising a wife or an ancestor? Burning through gold! Xia Weibao first went to Hongtu to pick up Sister Tong. Upon seeing her car, Sister Tong almost burst into tears. Miss, can you be any more conspicuous? Such a ¡°unique¡± car out on the road, as if she¡¯d dread not being the center of attention? What they needed now was to keep a low profile. So Sister Tong drove her own car, escorting Xia Weibao to the competition venue. From a distance, they could see the place surrounded by a crowd, holding white banners with big red words that read, ¡°Xia Weibao, get out of the entertainment industry!¡± ¡°Resolutely boycott Xia Weibao¡± ¡°Bitch Xia deserves to die¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± This was too exaggerated. If she didn¡¯t think someone was orchestrating this behind the scenes, she¡¯d be damned. ¡°Baby, get down.¡± Sister Tong¡¯s anxious voice came through, and Xia Weibao quickly ducked. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Some people are looking this way.¡± Xia Weibao, ¡°¡­¡± Sister Tong, aren¡¯t you a bit too nervous? The car drove directly into the underground parking garage, and Sister Tong confirmed there were no ambushes around before taking Xia Weibao up the elevator straight to the resting room. As they arrived at the door, they could hear a snide voice coming from inside. ¡°Eh, did you see? There are people outside holding banners boycotting Xia Weibao. ¡°Just now I saw Xia Weibao¡¯s agent¡¯s car entering the parking lot from the back door.¡± ¡°No way, that¡¯s so pitiful, sneaking in through the back door.¡± ¡°She deserves it! It¡¯s disgusting how she carries herself; it¡¯s just a pity for Lin Mier, such a talented individual always being suppressed by Xia Weibao. But fortunately, gold will always shine. She¡¯s the hot favorite this time, and the championship is definitely hers.¡± ¡°Without Xia Weibao holding her down, she¡¯s bound to soar!¡± Just then, Lin Mier emerged from her exclusive makeup room, and everyone crowded around her. ¡°Oh my god, Mier, you look so beautiful.¡± ¡°Yes, truly worthy of the title ¡®goddess of period dramas.¡¯ With that white dress, you look incredibly stunning, absolutely breathtaking.¡± ¡°Oh my heavens, Mier, I¡¯m falling in love with you¡­¡± Lin Mier was at the zenith of her popularity, and everyone wanted to curry favor with her, showering her with exaggerated praise. Lin Mier¡¯s smile was modest, neither overbearing nor overly humble, ¡°You all should stop flattering me. Among all the contestants, I¡¯m probably the worst, especially with Senior Xia here.¡± ¡°Mier, you¡¯re too modest. How can a rat on the street be compared to you?¡± The others joined in disdainfully, ¡°Exactly, Xia Weibao¡¯s current popularity doesn¡¯t even match that of a newcomer; she¡¯s aiming too high without recognizing her own limits!¡± As Lin Mier listened to the crowd¡¯s rant against Xia Weibao, her heart swelled with pride. Her face, however, showed no sign of it, ¡°Everybody, please don¡¯t say such things. Senior Xia was once my role model, and even if she¡¯s fallen now, I still hope she can stand back up.¡± ¡°Mier, you¡¯re just too kind-hearted. After the way she treated you, you still speak well of her.¡± ¡°Exactly, this time Xia Weibao thinks she can snatch your championship, dancing classical dance in front of you. I was going to die laughing, haha.¡± ¡°Mier¡¯s period outfit is incomparable, Xia Weibao must feel inferior¡­¡± Drop dead. The mocking stopped abruptly as they watched Xia Weibao walk in, and everyone had the same thought. Without comparison there can be no harm¡­ ¡°` Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 83: A Slap in the Face Chapter 83: Chapter 83: A Slap in the Face Brows like distant hills, untraced yet darkened, pupils like stars, unspotted yet sparkling, lips like cherries, not blushed yet red, face like peach blossoms, unpainted yet in powder form. Three thousand strands of hair cascading like a waterfall, a willowy waist too slight to hold, skin surpassing snow-white valleys peaceful orchids. Is this Xia Weibao? Is this a plastic-surgery face? My god! If plastic surgery could make one this beautiful, then they would be willing to die for it! Utter silence, you could hear a pin drop. Really wanted, contrary to conscience, to say Xia Weibao was inferior to Lin Mier. But, couldn¡¯t bring myself to say it. Some people are born to rely on their looks to make a living. Rip¡ª Lin Mier directly tore the handkerchief she was holding. The look in her eyes as she gazed at Xia Weibao was as if she wished it could transform into a blade and slash this face a thousand times! Go to ????????????????????.co The spite in those eyes, even while desperately restrained, was still terrifying and ferocious. The surrounding contestants exchanged awkward glances. Just now, they had claimed Xia Weibao¡¯s beauty was the result of plastic surgery; now it felt as though they had been slapped in the face, utterly humiliating. Xia Weibao¡¯s aura almost didn¡¯t need comparison, she had already left Lin Mier in the dust. In comparison, Lin Mier¡¯s big-eyed, sharp-chinned, viper-like face seemed more like the result of plastic surgery¡­ Everyone withdrew in embarrassment. ¡°It¡¯s almost time for my performance, I¡¯m going to prepare.¡± ¡°I need to touch up my makeup¡­¡± Seeing the subtle expressions of those people, Lin Mier¡¯s fists slowly clenched, her lower lip almost bitten through! The more smug she had been just now, the more humiliated she felt now! As long as Xia Weibao was around, she was merely a clown! Xia Weibao, why don¡¯t you just die! After everyone had dispersed, Lin Mier looked at Xia Weibao with unrestrainedly venomous eyes. ¡°Xia Weibao, don¡¯t think you can win, the champion will definitely be mine!¡± Xia Weibao smiled gracefully, leaning closer to Lin Mier. She extended a slender, jade-like finger and, with a bewitching gaze, lifted Lin Mier¡¯s chin. ¡°Then enjoy your last moment of glory.¡± Lin Mier felt cold all over, Xia Weibao¡¯s words unsettling her. But remembering that Brother Wang had already arranged everything, she felt slightly reassured. ¡°Dance into the Future¡± was a national-level dance competition that had been in the spotlight from the beginning. The grand finale became even more hyped up due to Xia Weibao and Lin Mier¡¯s incident. The whole nation was watching! The news of Xia Weibao¡¯s bribery had put a lot of pressure on the organizers. Since no one produced solid evidence, the organizers vehemently denied it. To regain their reputation, the organizers made a bold decision: no pre-recorded footage, but a live broadcast instead! To demonstrate fairness! At this, the public was abuzz! Live broadcast, great, let¡¯s see how Bitch Xia makes a fool of herself in public! Before the competition began, the audience didn¡¯t forget to rinse their mouths and then drank a few more sips of water, waiting for when Xia Weibao came on stage, ready to spit and drown her! Those who made it to the finals all had talent, so everyone¡¯s performance was spectacular. But the audience had Lin Mier and Xia Weibao on their minds, so the reactions were mediocre. Until Lin Mier made her entrance, at which point the entire audience went wild! The cheers were deafening, the shouts thunderous, almost as if they would lift the ceiling! ¡°Mier, keep it up!¡± ¡°Mier, you¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°Lin Mier, our eternal goddess!¡± And the live stream screen was completely overwhelmed with messages. All were cheers for Mier, support for Mier, urging Mier to beat Bitch Xia, and so on. Such soaring popularity excited the organizers, who hurried to capture every beautiful moment of Lin Mier on camera. Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 84: The Most Beautiful Ancient Costume Goddess Chapter 84: Chapter 84: The Most Beautiful Ancient Costume Goddess This final competition relied solely on Lin Mier to carry the whole show. When Lin Mier stepped onto the stage, the screen was bombarded with messages! It was all bullet comments, almost obscuring any view of the person. ¡°Ahhhh Mier is so beautiful, so beautiful, so beautiful!¡± ¡°The most beautiful ancient attire goddess, none compare!¡± ¡°Lin Mier, my eternal goddess, I love you!¡± ¡°Ancient attire was made for Lin Mier¡­¡± All sorts of comments continuously dominated the screen, the excitement never ending! And Lin Mier did not disappoint. Her Rainbow Feather Dress Dance brought tonight¡¯s competition to a great climax! She already had a foundation in dance, and added to that the diligent practice of late, her dancing was incomparably exquisite. Every movement was extremely precise, impeccable. Even Yin Mulan, who had had a stern face since the start of the competition, gave a slight nod in approval. The cameraman captured this moment of Yin Mulan, immediately zoomed in, and with Yin Mulan¡¯s popularity, catapulted Lin Mier to the peak! Go to ????????????????????.co As soon as the dance ended, it was time for scoring. With a perfect score being ten, and five judges in total, the highest and lowest scores were discarded and the average of the remaining three was taken as the final score. Soon, Lin Mier¡¯s scores were out. The first judge raised his card, ¡°Ten points.¡± The second, ¡°Ten points.¡± ¡°Ten points.¡± ¡°Ten points.¡± Yin Mulan was the head judge, so she scored last and gave comments as well. She raised her card, which surprisingly read, ¡°9.5 points.¡± The final score, ten points! Then, she picked up the microphone, emotionlessly started her comments, ¡°You danced well, with very skilled and standard movements, high flexibility, having reached a professional level. Keep it up.¡± Lin Mier displayed an excited yet dignified smile, bowed at a ninety-degree angle, ¡°Thank you for your comment, Teacher Yin.¡± On the live streaming platform, the screen was again exploding with messages! ¡°Ahhh Teacher Yin actually praised Lin Mier, oh my god!¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know Teacher Yin¡¯s sharp eye, she never approved anyone before. I didn¡¯t expect her to acknowledge Lin Mier so highly, Mier is too awesome!¡± ¡°The only contestant with a perfect score, the others scored no higher than 8.95, streets apart okay!¡± ¡°Simply defying heaven! The goddess of ancient attire! It has to be Mier!¡± ¡°Only Mier reigns supreme¡­¡± All fans were waving flags, holding up banners, cheering and rooting for Lin Mier. Every single one of them was so excited that their faces were flushed red, nearly jumping up. While the competition continued on one side, Lin Mier had already started her interview on the other. Every contestant had an exclusive interview after coming off stage. ¡°Mier, what are your thoughts on achieving such a high score?¡± As soon as the reporter finished the question, he immediately put the microphone in front of Lin Mier. Although Lin Mier was excited, she remained gracious and composed, showing great poise. ¡°To achieve such a good score, I am truly surprised, and Teacher Yin¡¯s comments flattered me beyond expectation. I am currently very excited and moved. Thanks to ¡®Dance into the Future¡¯ for providing me with such a wonderful stage, allowing me to fully showcase myself. Thank you for the thoughtful comments, Teacher Yin; I will continue to work hard and live up to your expectations. Also, thanks to my fans for their support, for advocating for me during my darkest days. Here, I want to say thank you to the fans who like me. For you, I will strive to become even better, love you all.¡± Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 85: The Empress Arrives! Chapter 85: Chapter 85: The Empress Arrives! A heartfelt confession moved the fans to tears. Lin Mier¡¯s unflustered demeanour also garnered unanimous praise. Even many veterans in the entertainment industry upvoted her calm handling of the situation. Had it been anyone else with such achievements, they would have been carried away by now. But she, after many years of ups and downs in the entertainment circle, still managed to maintain such a disposition, which is truly rare. Even those who were previously indifferent towards her turned into fans because of her unaffected nature. Her heartfelt confession moved the fans, who showed their love and loyalty in various ways. ¡°Aimier, forever!¡± ¡°Fans of Mier, never regret.¡± Lin Mier¡¯s Weibo followers skyrocketed, and the comments section below was a continuous build-up of confessions. Soon, the topic #FansOfMierNeverRegret topped the trending charts. This evening¡¯s finale once again pushed Lin Mier¡¯s popularity to a new peak! If she was previously approaching A-list status, now her worth was undoubtedly that of an A-list celebrity. Go to ????????????????????.co In the midst of such fervour, the competition came to an end. All the contestants¡¯ scores were out, and without a doubt, Lin Mier had won the championship! And she was the only contestant in history to win with a perfect score! She left the runner-up far behind! This result, which met everyone¡¯s expectations, once again pushed the atmosphere on site to a climax! The screen was filled with barrages of cheers for Lin Mier! The host took the stage, ¡°Seeing everyone so passionately excited, it seems that Mier winning the championship is indeed what everyone expected. Since her debut, Mier has been working very hard. Achieving such outstanding results is also an affirmation of her.¡± But¡­¡± The host¡¯s tone changed, ¡°Genius always arouses envy, and some are not convinced by Mier¡¯s excellence and have come to challenge her! Next, let¡¯s welcome our challenger, Xia Weibao, on stage!¡± Xia Weibao, waiting quietly backstage, raised her eyebrows at this remark. Genius always provokes jealousy, and some are not convinced by Mier¡¯s excellence? This blatant statement¡­ It seems the organizers also want to step on her popularity to lift Lin Mier to the skies. Although this was said jokingly, everyone present understood its implication. Indeed, as soon as the host¡¯s impassioned speech ended, the live audience went wild! ¡°Damn! What qualifications does Xia Weibao have to be disgruntled!¡± ¡°Exactly, what right does someone who can only climb up by selling herself have to question our Mier¡¯s abilities!¡± ¡°Disgusting, shameless, Bitch Xia, get out!¡± All sorts of bottles and trash were thrown onto the stage, and the curses were endless. The live stream platform¡¯s screen was bombarded with insults. The barrage was even faster than when they were praising Lin Mier earlier! One could imagine how furious those people were! The organizers¡¯ staff mingled with the audience, maliciously inciting the crowd¡¯s emotions. Then, they had the cameras capture the chaos at the venue and broadcast it live to the nation. Such a scene at the competition was unprecedented! By stepping on Xia Weibao¡¯s incident, the ratings were sure to hit a new high! ¡°God! The ratings have broken records, setting a new peak for variety shows in the last five years!¡± Upon hearing this news, the chief scriptwriter¡¯s face trembled with fatty laughter, ¡°Good! Keep fanning the flames!¡± Xia Weibao, oh Xia Weibao, you can¡¯t blame me for this; you delivered yourself to my doorstep to be slaughtered! Since you¡¯re already finished, just play your last part well and contribute something to my show. It wasn¡¯t until the ratings reached their peak with no upward trend that the chief scriptwriter ordered the staff to get ready and let Xia Weibao appear on stage. Furthermore, all the cameras focused, not missing any of her expressions. Now, every move of Xia Weibao was a talking point! As the backstage door slowly opened, Xia Weibao, dressed in flowing white, walked out against the backlit stage. Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 86: The True Ancient Costume Goddess! Chapter 86: Chapter 86: The True Ancient Costume Goddess! The starlight dazzled, her face not visible, revealing only her graceful figure, moving in leisurely steps. Her movement caused the white gauze draped on her to swirl, entangling with the backlight behind her. As she stepped onto the stage, the furious cursing from the audience suddenly fell silent. The barrage of comments on the live streaming platform, like a machine gun spray, also froze the moment she appeared, vanishing from view. It was unclear whether people were too shocked to react, or whether they feared the barrage would mar the peerless beauty on their screens. When the lights came up, she, in a whisper of white gauze, was enchanting amidst the resplendent glow of the stage, beautiful as if a woman had stepped right out of a painting. She resembled a Wen Wan beauty from an ancient hue, wandering in the river of time, seeking her way home in a daze, yet unwittingly straying into this turbid, tumultuous mortal world. A dress adorned with spring rain amidst blossoming pear blossoms, like a drifting dream. Eyes that snip away the mists, hazy as water shrouded clouds. Xia Weibao was beautiful, an undeniable fact as a once-celebrated actress. But her previous modern beauty, while exquisite, lacked a unique charisma. Yet in traditional attire, she suddenly revealed a fitting sensation. Her unexpected encounter with classical garb was like a match made in heaven, surpassing all earthly beauty. Go to ?????????????????.co She was born for traditional costume. Everyone forgot how to react, whether they were in the audience, in front of their TVs, or as if the whole world had lost its voice. Just a moment ago, they thought Lin Mier¡¯s classical attire was unparalleled, that in white she was a Fairy. However, seeing Xia Weibao now, they realized what it meant to be a true classical goddess! Strip away the beauty¡¯s snowy garb, and who else could surpass her in white? ¡°Damn, so beautiful!¡± ¡°Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit! Is that Xia Weibao? Are you sure, absolutely sure, don¡¯t lie to me!¡± ¡°My God, I almost thought I had traveled through time.¡± ¡°Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful¡­¡± ¡°Mom, I think I just turned gay.¡± ¡°Ugh, you call that surgically altered face beautiful? Are you all blind?¡± ¡°Exactly, bashing Bitch Xia for ten thousand years, I stand firmly under Mier¡¯s banner; Mier is the unrivaled classical beauty!¡± ¡°The one above must be sick. Can you replicate that face and charisma with surgery? Go and try it yourself.¡± ¡°Are you telling me you¡¯ve slept with Xia Weibao, the one above? Claiming Bitch Xia is beautiful, I¡¯m speechless.¡± ¡°Are you blind, the one above? Not to mention anything else, Xia Weibao is genuinely beautiful.¡± ¡°I also think so, her face is really pretty, those photos on the internet previously were so misleading.¡± ¡°No exaggeration, no dissing, regardless of what kind of person Xia Weibao is, her face, figure, and classical charm are indisputable.¡± ¡°I agree, she may be nauseating but undeniably, she¡¯s really beautiful, much more so than before¡­¡± ¡°Casual fan here, not a superstar chaser, but based purely on looks, Lin Mier truly can¡¯t compete with Xia Weibao¡­¡± ¡°Not even close, it feels like one is in the heavens, the other on the earth¡­¡± Bang! Inside her exclusive makeup room, Lin Mier hurled a water glass at the screen! ¡°Ahh¨D¡± She screamed, violently sweeping all the cosmetics from the dressing table to the floor. The comments from those people drove her mad, made her crumble, and pushed her to the brink of insanity! Xia Weibao¡¯s face filled her with jealousy, resentment, and left her utterly distorted! Brother Wang hurriedly embraced the ranting and raving Lin Mier to calm her, ¡°Keep it down, no matter how beautiful she is, it can¡¯t cover up the fact she¡¯s not as good as you. Don¡¯t get angry. People might come in any time; you can¡¯t lose your composure.¡± Lin Mier clutched her hair with both hands, her gaze venomous. Xia Weibao, you¡¯ll never beat me!