Chapter 5 - Chapter 5She’s out of her mind.

Bai Xiuwen, her makeup flawless, stared at Ye Jialan as if she were a monster, her throat feeling as if it were clogged with something filthy—unable to swallow or spit it out.On the verge of snapping, Bai Xiuwen took several deep breaths amid the murmurs of the onlookers. Maintaining her usual warm smile, she defended herself: "Ms. Ye sure has a quirky sense of humor. We just co-starred in a movie together, yet you claim not to know me? Could it be that you're so arrogant you don't even deign to acknowledge me...?"There was no denying the venom in Bai Xiuwen's words—they immediately thrust Ye Jialan into the spotlight of controversy.If Ye Jialan admitted to not recognizing Bai Xiuwen, she would be confirming the accusation, a veiled jab at her as a rookie with a swollen head."W-Wait, you spoke too fast. I didn't catch that. Could you slow down, Auntie?"Ye Jialan tried her best to follow the unfamiliar woman's words, but unfortunately, she couldn't understand a single thing."You... what did you call me?"Even Bai Xiuwen, who had worked so hard to maintain an image of gentleness and virtue in public, couldn't keep up the pretense anymore.Her almond-shaped eyes flashed with anger as she glared at Ye Jialan through gritted teeth. If looks could kill, Ye Jialan would have been reduced to ashes long ago."I called you A... Auntie!"And an auntie she was. Bai Xiuwen was over ten years older than Ye Jialan, having struggled in the entertainment industry for years before meeting Tang Qichen—without him, she would never have achieved her current status as a Best Actress. Already in her thirties, Bai Xiuwen's complexion was lackluster due to her smoking and drinking habits. Without her masterful makeup skills and post-production retouching, she was far from as glamorous as she appeared on screen."You...!" I could tear her mouth apart!Bai Xiuwen wanted to explode with rage, but she forced herself to hold back with sheer willpower.The commotion outside was so loud that Han Qi, who had been humiliated in front of Tang Qichen inside the lobby, came out to investigate.As soon as he stepped out, he heard Ye Jialan's words, and his face turned livid with anger.As Bai Xiuwen's agent, he naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity to reprimand Tang Qichen's new artist.Striding forward in his polished leather shoes, he walked toward Ye Jialan and Bai Xiuwen with great momentum."Tsk tsk, look who it is—it's Tang Qichen's new rookie! How dare you not greet a senior in the industry? Then again, Ms. Ye must be too busy cozying up to various sugar daddies to learn basic manners. No wonder she doesn't recognize our Sister Xiuwen."Like master, like servant—both Bai Xiuwen and Han Qi were implying that Ye Jialan had landed the role in Director Ji's movie through unspoken rules in the entertainment industry.The looks from the crowd around Ye Jialan began to change. Especially the men who had initially praised her legs stared at her with blatant lust, as if she were a delicious meal.Yang Xi, standing beside Ye Jialan, finally couldn't take it anymore. Although that man had told her not to cause trouble for the young lady when they went out, how could she tolerate such insults without fighting back?In the blink of an eye, Yang Xi moved with incredible speed, appearing beside Han Qi. She raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face."Slap...!" The sharp echo of the slap testified to how much force Yang Xi had used.Unsurprisingly, the slap stunned not only Han Qi but also Bai Xiuwen and her assistant standing behind him.After a long moment, Han Qi came to his senses. Covering his face with one hand, he pointed tremblingly at Yang Xi with the other, his voice fierce: "How dare you hit me?"Yang Xi tilted her chin slightly, glancing at Han Qi coldly: "I hit you because you deserved it. If you keep spouting nonsense, it won't end with just one slap."The situation seemed to be spiraling out of control. Although Ye Jialan wanted to cheer and clap, the strange looks from the crowd made her heart sink a little.What should I do?Liuliu had always been there for her before, but now she was alone. Sigh, life was truly as harsh as snow."That's going too far! Ye Jialan, your arrogance is bad enough, but how dare even your lowly assistant be so disrespectful? You're supposed to become a national idol—how can you teach your people to be so violent?"A veteran in the industry, Bai Xiuwen was quite sharp-minded once she calmed down.Seeing everyone's attention focused on Ye Jialan, Yang Xi groaned inwardly. She was in trouble—she had just caused a disaster for the young lady."Best Actress Bai is right. Artists are supposed to spread positive energy and bring beauty and visual enjoyment to the public, not act like arrogant divas.""Yes! Someone like this doesn't deserve to be a star—kick her out of the entertainment industry!""Kick her out! Kick her out!"The chorus was as unified as the cries of protesters demanding a tyrant's abdication in ancient times, attracting countless passersby to gather around.Inside the lobby, Tang Qichen had been waiting anxiously, fearing something had gone wrong on the way."Hey, Tang Qichen! Hurry outside—your new artist seems to be in trouble!"A man from Shengxin Entertainment who was on good terms with Tang Qichen ran over to inform him.Tang Qichen frowned, stood up, and rushed out of the lobby immediately.As soon as he reached the door, he heard the unanimous chants of "Kick her out!"His brows furrowed even more. Using his height advantage, he quickly spotted Ye Jialan and Yang Xi in the crowd.Looking further ahead, his eyes flashed with anger when he saw Han Qi and Bai Xiuwen.His gaze lingered on Bai Xiuwen's face for a moment before filled with disdain."Jialan, Yang Xi..." His voice was steady as he stood at the glass door of Shengxin Entertainment's entrance.Hearing his voice, Bai Xiuwen looked up in shock, her eyes meeting Tang Qichen's."What? Are you here to stand up for your rookie, Tang Qichen?"Tang Qichen walked forward steadily, dressed in a proper suit with polished black leather shoes, his hair slightly messy."Who are you? Do we know each other?"The exact same words as Ye Jialan's nearly made Bai Xiuwen spit blood."Tang Qichen, you...!"Before Bai Xiuwen could finish speaking, Tang Qichen turned around, leaving her with the view of his broad shoulders and narrow hips."Ye Jialan, you're thirty minutes and seven seconds late!"Tang Qichen was always rigorous when it came to work—even with Ye Jialan. Seeing him in this serious mood, Ye Jialan smiled ingratiatingly."Brother Qi, actually, I arrived a long time ago, but... but...""But we were stopped by a woman who claims to be your ex-girlfriend as soon as we tried to go in!"Yang Xi finished the sentence that Ye Jialan couldn't bring herself to say.She stared directly into Tang Qichen's eyes, but didn't detect the slightest ripple of emotion—apparently, he had truly moved on.Bai Xiuwen was also watching Tang Qichen closely, eager to see how he would respond.After a few seconds of silence, Tang Qichen smiled faintly, his voice calm: "She's out of her mind. From now on, just walk around her. Alright, let's go inside quickly!""Pfft..."An entertainment reporter who was drinking water choked and spat it out.Everyone else struggled to hold back their laughter, their faces contorted with amusement.Ye Jialan grinned and nodded: "Okay!"She followed Tang Qichen obediently into Shengxin Entertainment in her high heels, completely ignoring Bai Xiuwen, whose face was flushed with anger behind her.