I'm a Professional at Being a Scumbag [Quick Wear] - Chapter 8

Le Yi was certain he was acting maliciously. It wasn’t just his expression and tone; the question itself was problematic.

He subtly grouped her with those live-streaming sales hosts, blurring her identity as an actress.

Le Yi wasn’t angry at being compared to a sales host. In her mind, actors weren’t superior to anyone else. Whether selling products or acting, it was all just work.

What bothered her was his condescending tone, disdainful gaze, and the way he phrased the question.

His ugly demeanor inexplicably rubbed her the wrong way.

Among the main cast present, aside from the wildly popular Zhu Qiong, the others were all established actors with roles in several hit dramas. Le Yi seemed to be the only one with minimal buzz.

Looking at the male actor deliberately making things difficult for her, she recognized him vaguely, as if she’d recently seen him in entertainment gossip.

A flash of insight struck her, and she finally remembered who he was.

He’d been photographed on a date with Hu Zhiyi by paparazzi. Though neither had confirmed the relationship, his current behavior suggested it was indeed true.

Hu Zhiyi had risen to fame as an internet celebrity and had recently gained favor in low-budget web dramas. With a solid fan base, she had been among the candidates for the fifth female lead role during the initial casting process.

No wonder so many people were here, yet this man kept targeting Le Yi. He was standing up for his girlfriend.

Le Yi remained silent, making the man increasingly uncomfortable and sarcastic.

“Miss Le, you’re not even famous yet, and you’re already acting like a diva?”

Zhu Qiong had initially intended to let it slide, but since he was deliberately provoking her, she couldn’t be blamed for her sharp retort.

“You—”

Le Yi tugged at her sleeve, signaling her to calm down.

Zhu Qiong pressed her lips together, falling silent, though her expression remained dark.

Le Yi turned to the man. “Mr. Li, if I recall correctly, you weren’t on the voting ballot. How did you secure the role of Jiang Min?”

Before arriving, Le Yi hadn’t known that Li Xianyun had landed the fourth male lead role, Jiang Min, but she quickly confirmed it upon arrival.

Apart from the director and screenwriter at the head table, the other actors were seated according to their seniority and fame. The further one sat from the director, the lower their status.

Le Yi’s placement next to Zhu Qiong was due both to Zhu Qiong’s high status and Director Xu Jianchuan’s personal favor.

Li Xianyun was stumped, his face darkening further.

“Naturally, because Director Xu believed I was better suited for the role than the others.”

Le Yi’s lips curved into a perfectly measured smile.

“What a coincidence, me too. Mr. Li, are you questioning Director Xu’s judgment?”

Li Xianyun had no retort. After all, he had secured his role through financial backing and connections, making him no match for Le Yi’s merit-based selection.

Xu Jianchuan, though seemingly engrossed in conversation with the screenwriter, had long been observing their exchange. He remained silent, curious to see how Le Yi would respond.

Clever girl, he thought. She even used me as a shield.

While few knew the specifics of Li Xianyun’s financial backing, it was no secret that he was ill-suited for the role.

Initially, the Assistant Director had vehemently opposed his casting. But when the Tang Group offered an additional 100 million yuan in investment, Xu Jianchuan had no choice but to compromise.

He planned to revise the script, writing Li Xianyun’s character out early. As the fourth male lead, cutting a few minutes of his screen time wouldn’t significantly impact the overall narrative.

Li Xianyun was a classic case of compensating for his lack of acting talent with money. He frequently appeared in films by renowned directors, spending lavishly to gain exposure, yet remained stubbornly mediocre.

Knowing his role had been secured through improper means, Le Yi had deliberately used this as ammunition in her retort.

Who does he think he’s talking to?

I was handpicked by the director himself. I’m far superior to you, you backdoor-climber.

Zhu Qiong felt much better seeing Li Xianyun’s face, which looked worse than if he’d swallowed a fly. She secretly gave Le Yi a thumbs-up.

Le Yi raised an eyebrow and glanced up to see Li Xianyun glaring at her. She politely returned his gaze with a defiant look.

Li Xianyun was so furious that steam practically rose from his ears. He nearly crushed the wine glass in his hand.

Le Yi pretended not to notice, casually sipping her coconut juice and listening to the director, screenwriter, and male lead chat.

After several hours, little of substance had been discussed. Le Yi felt like a mere decorative vase, there for show.

Li Xianyun excused himself midway through the gathering and returned with a smug expression and a sinister glint in his eyes.

After a few rounds of drinks, Xu Jianchuan turned to Le Yi and said, “Xiao Le, keep up the good work. Your future is limitless.”

Le Yi wasn’t sure if he was exaggerating due to the alcohol, but being praised by a director of his caliber made her heart soar.

“Thank you, Director Xu! I’m so grateful you gave me this role. I promise I won’t let you down.”

She raised her glass and drained it in one gulp. Xu Jianchuan smiled and told her to sit down.

No sooner had Le Yi settled back into her seat than Li Xianyun feigned sincerity. “Miss Le, I apologize for my earlier remarks. Let me make amends with this toast.”

It was hard to tell how sincere he was, but Le Yi didn’t want to embarrass him publicly. As she reached for the wine bottle, a waiter stepped in ahead of her and refilled her glass.

“Mr. Li, you’re being too serious,” the waiter said. “We’re all here because Director Xu saw potential in us. Let’s look forward to working together on the film and supporting each other.”

This was like twisting the knife in Li Xianyun’s heart. As he lowered his head to drink, a dark glint flashed in his eyes.

Just wait. Tomorrow, I’ll ruin your reputation!

Le Yi brought the glass to her lips, but the taste seemed off. She took only a small sip before discreetly pouring the rest onto the floor.

The banquet lasted from ten in the morning until four in the afternoon. Le Yi drank little wine, filling up instead on coconut juice.

After the meal, Director Xu Jianchuan announced he was tired and wanted to rest, urging the younger cast members to enjoy themselves.

Le Yi and Zhu Qiong were about to leave when Li Xianyun stopped them, inviting everyone to a foot massage.

Le Yi sensed his ulterior motives and was about to politely decline when Lin Fan, the second male lead, chimed in, “Sister Qiong will join us, right?”

“Of course! Sister Qiong is the biggest star in this production. If she doesn’t come, we might as well all go home,” Xiao Qing, the third female lead, added.

With these few words, they had cornered Zhu Qiong. If she refused, tomorrow’s headlines might accuse her of throwing her weight around.

Zhu Qiong didn’t mind either way, leaving the decision entirely up to Le Yi.

Le Yi sighed. “Let’s go. It’s a good opportunity to get to know the other actors better, which will make filming easier later.”

Tang Sha, the male lead, hesitated, then whispered to Zhu Qiong as they entered the elevator, “Be careful of Li Xianyun.”

Le Yi, standing beside Zhu Qiong, overheard the warning. Before she could ask for clarification, Li Xianyun had already pushed Tang Sha into the elevator.

Li Xianyun stood beside Le Yi, his smile oily. “Miss Le, please.”

Feeling deeply uncomfortable, Le Yi pulled Zhu Qiong into the elevator.

As the elevator ascended, Le Yi suddenly felt dizzy. Zhu Qiong quickly steadied her.

“Xiao Yi, what’s wrong?”

The dizziness passed quickly. Le Yi dismissed it, assuring Zhu Qiong she was fine.

The bathhouse was conveniently located near the hotel. A staff member was waiting at the entrance to escort them directly to private suites via an internal elevator.

The men and women separated into adjacent suites.

As soon as Le Yi lay down, she felt drowsy. She struggled to stay awake and talk to Zhu Qiong, but her words soon slurred.

Zhu Qiong assumed she was drunk, tucked a blanket over her, and closed her own eyes to rest.

Chu Qiao had been loitering around the hotel for hours, but Le Yi never emerged. She went to the nearby coffee shop and refilled her free coffee five or six times, until the staff’s glances turned wary.

Finally, at 4:30 PM, Chu Qiao saw Le Yi come out, only to turn around and head to the bathhouse.

A male actor Chu Qiao recognized accompanied her. She immediately followed, but the bathhouse staff stopped her at the entrance.

“Excuse me, this is a staff-only entrance. Please use the public elevator.”

Chu Qiao pulled a card from her wallet and tossed it to them.

The staff glanced at it and immediately stepped aside.

“Please proceed,” they said respectfully.

Chu Qiao followed Le Yi, taking the next elevator to the VIP floor, which was off-limits to the public.

She found two men huddled in a corner, exchanging vulgar remarks.

“Does that drug of yours work?”

“Guaranteed. When have I ever let you down? I’ll distract her later. You know what to do, right?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll get the photos you want.”

Li Xianyun smirked, his eyes glinting malevolently in the dim light.

Little bitch, he thought, once I get those compromising photos and videos, let’s see how arrogant you are then.