Everyone’s Heartthrob [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Entertainment Circle Sister-in-Law (4)

The Execution was a “super IP” that had the attention of the entire internet.

Back then, He Rujing had spent a great deal of effort to acquire it. After two full years of preparation, fans of the original novel, drama fans, and countless passersby were all exceptionally concerned about the final production. The original story was immensely popular; many could talk at length even about the most minor characters, let alone the second female lead, A-Ke, who existed like a “White Moonlight” in almost everyone’s heart.

A-Ke’s popularity even surpassed that of the female lead.

She was a dignified daughter of a prestigious family who should have become an Empress, second only to one and above tens of thousands. However, her family was convicted, and she was exiled. On the way, she was intercepted by bandits and, after many hardships, sold into a brothel. Later, A-Ke thought she had finally found love, only to discover the refined young master was actually a scoundrel who heartlessly sent her into the Prince of Qin’s manor—a man whose rebellious intentions were known to all.

It seemed everyone was doing their utmost to push her into the abyss. Because of this, she blackened, becoming the greatest antagonist—one people both pitied and hated.

How could Su Yi—a “vase” known for being all chest and no brains, who could only shed tears with the help of eye drops—possibly portray such a delicate and heartbreaking role?

No one on the internet believed it. Even Sister Ji, a gold-medal agent used to great storms, couldn’t help but wonder if He Rujing had been blinded by beauty and fallen for this young, pretty starlet. But on second thought, it seemed unlikely.

Recently, Su Yi’s presence online had been very strong.

Huai Cheng opened a webpage and browsed the entertainment news for a few seconds before expressionlessly clicking off the screen. He was aware of Su Yi’s past behavior, but he simply didn’t care. A vain young girl posed no threat to him.

Li Jingyan, however, did not think so. These past few days, his heart had been filled with an inexplicable panic—a feeling that things were slipping out of his control. And the source of that unease was the very Su Yi he had always looked down upon.

The woman standing before the lighting boards had skin like translucent jade and a complexion like snow. The crew’s styling team was top-tier, and the stylist working on Su Yi was the strongest rising star in recent years—a “deity” whom the company’s top actress, Zhao Yi, hadn’t been able to hire even after using every connection during her last film. Yet right now, this “deity” was smiling radiantly, hovering around Su Yi with the eagerness of a pet dog.

Admittedly, Su Yi did look quite beautiful after being touched by the stylist’s divine hand. The magnificent clothing made her look cold and noble, carrying an aura of being high above and “not to be trifled with.” Most people wouldn’t dare approach her easily. Yet, she had a full chest and a slender waist; that waist, in particular, was like a feather brushing against the viewers’ hearts, causing an uncontrollable ripple of desire.

Li Jingyan’s mind was in a mess. Today’s Su Yi was different from the past; she made him feel a genuine threat.

Originally, he was only wary of the second male lead—a rival pushed in by investors with whom he had clashed since his debut. They shared the same style and career path. He was struggling to find a way to kick the second male lead out to avoid being overshadowed, but before that was resolved, Su Yi had arrived.

He could not accept being upstaged by Su Yi under any circumstances. This was a role he had begged He Rujing for with everything he had. As long as he performed well, he could use this role to skyrocket his value to the super-A-list, leaving male stars of his generation in the dust.

“Host,” the system was puzzled, “Li Jingyan’s affection value has been fluctuating wildly. Could there be a problem?”

Meng Ke didn’t even bat an eyelid. “Who knows.”

Over the last few days, Meng Ke had seen constant notifications of negative growth from Li Jingyan’s side, almost twenty-four hours a day. She found it hard to imagine that a man who looked like a decent “straight man” on the outside could have such a rich inner monologue.

Unfortunately, despite the time passed, Li Jingyan’s affection value hadn’t increased a bit. Instead, Huai Cheng’s side had suddenly jumped by thirty points—a literal gift from the heavens.

Meng Ke smiled, clutching her phone. “The Best Actor is truly generous.”

Since joining the crew, Meng Ke hadn’t spent much time online. Her latest post was still the one from half a month ago where she acted spoiled, asking Li Jingyan to “do her justice.” After that unprecedented storm of hate, people didn’t know if she had been bullied into silence or if she was plotting a bigger scheme.

In short, everyone—especially Li Jingyan’s fans—was living in constant fear that Su Yi would stir up trouble and drag down Li Jingyan’s reputation. After waiting anxiously for over ten days, they finally saw movement from Su Yi.

They perked up and clicked the screen, but the “movement” was different from what they expected.

The woman in the video was beautiful enough to topple cities. Adorned with gold and jade, her pure white gauze robe made her look noble and inviolable—elegant yet delicate. She truly embodied the saying, “To look pretty, wear white” (a play on traditional funeral attire being striking).

The camera was somewhat far away, but even so, as she stood in the crowd under the spring sun, she was shrouded in a faint glow, looking transcendently beautiful. Compared to the casually dressed staff around her, she looked like a little white flower growing stubbornly on a cliffside.

An irrepressible protective instinct began to grow wildly in the hearts of viewers. The fingers of Li Jingyan’s fans, which had been poised aggressively over their keyboards, all froze.

D*mn. This version of Su Yi… the argument that she “didn’t fit the original character” was clearly going to fail.

Unlike the expected storm of rage, the internet was strangely calm. Only the view counts and likes showed the “explosive” popularity of the video.

Sister Ji turned to He Rujing, raising an eyebrow. “You predicted this?”

He Rujing looked up, her expression calm. “A little.”

Su Yi wasn’t ugly. With a top-tier styling team, even an average passerby could be transformed into a goddess, let alone a woman known as a “vase.” He Rujing lightly rubbed her fountain pen. The surprises Su Yi brought were far more than she had imagined. On He Rujing’s usually serious face, Sister Ji caught a rare, fleeting glimpse of a faint smile in her deep eyes. She was clearly satisfied with the result.

Compared to He Rujing, Li Jingyan’s fans were not in a good mood. They could only criticize Su Yi for two things: first, “leeching” off Li Jingyan’s heat, and second, using “dirty means” to climb up. But now that both were in the same company, it was impossible to use a fake relationship for hype. Furthermore, He Rujing was famously indifferent to women; it was impossible for her to fancy a “vixen” like Su Yi, nor would she allow Su Yi to defile her company’s executives. Thus, the latter rumor collapsed on its own.

They were tired of calling her shameless. After repeating the same words for days, they were physically repulsed by the sight of them.

After a long silence, a few comments finally trickled in under the high like count:

“Su Yi is a bit shameless, but honestly, I actually like her styling in this drama.” “Yes! She’s a perfect restoration of the A-Ke in my heart! That cold and fragile vibe makes me want to ruin her, make her cry, and then humbly bring the best things in the world to coax her!” “Is the person above sick?”

Within minutes, this six-second leaked video went viral.

Li Jingyan watched his assistant’s suspicious movements, and a surge of nameless anger rose within him. He crudely snatched her phone. After seeing that lily-white, clean face on the screen, his furious expression froze.

The assistant stood trembling with her hands behind her back. “Brother… Brother Li…”

She was terrified he would see the comment she just posted. It was true she disliked Su Yi, but now the whole internet was praising her. Even her best friend had defected, constantly telling her how beautiful Su Yi was and even asking her to get an autograph. The assistant was practical: if you can’t beat them, join them. And besides, Su Yi really was beautiful.

Su Yi didn’t photograph well—compared to the video, the impact of her beauty in person was even more soul-shaking. More than half the crew had been captured by her looks.

As Li Jingyan stared at the screen, the assistant guiltily snatched the phone back. “Brother Li, are you thirsty? I’ll get you some hot water.”

As she scurried away, Li Jingyan’s mind was filled with the six-word comment she had just posted: “I am the villain Cao Cao” (Slang meaning: I’m becoming the very person I hated).

To him, this was the ultimate insult. He should be the most popular, most discussed person on set, the one everyone flattered and surrounded.

Meng Ke had been studying with the acting coach. After a few days, the coach felt very depressed and finally couldn’t help but ask, “Did you use all your acting skills in the past just to please Li Jingyan?”

Based on his observations, Su Yi was clearly a genius with high talent and intuition. Recalling the rumors, the coach briefly wondered: Should I use my connections to blacklist Li Jingyan? Otherwise, seeing such a brilliant talent buried would make him sad enough to die.

Faced with the coach’s frustrated expression, Meng Ke’s lips curled slightly, but she said nothing. Her silence was taken as an admission. The coach shook his head and sighed—a “love brain” truly was a terrible thing. Throughout history, many excellent actresses had ruined their futures because of it.

After calming down, he stepped aside and dialed a number. When the call was picked up, he said, “Little He.”

“I hope you can manage Little Su more in the future, especially her love life.”

He Rujing was surprised. “Why do you say that, Uncle?” She wasn’t one to meddle in her artists’ private lives.

“Based on my observations, Little Su is exceptionally smart and talented. In time, her strength and achievements will definitely not be below Li Jingyan’s… no, not even below Huai Cheng’s.” The coach spoke earnestly. “I haven’t met many students I liked in years. Treat this as a favor to your uncle.”

He actually used the word “student” to describe her importance. He Rujing hid her surprise. “Alright.”

Li Jingyan had just switched to his burner account when a message from He Rujing popped up unexpectedly: “Remember what I said before. Keep your distance from Su Yi in the future.”

Before he could reply, a second and third message rushed in: “Aside from filming, do not have any contact with her in private.”

“I hope you haven’t forgotten our last conversation.”

Li Jingyan’s handsome face contorted. Finally, with a livid expression, he opened the “super topic” forum and posted under the hottest thread: “If it wasn’t for Li Jingyan, where would Su Yi be today?”