My Wealthy Ex-Girlfriend Knelt and Begged Me to Come Back [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 27

In the photo,

Ji Jiayu was wearing a cocktail dress, sitting beside a bald, pot-bellied man.
The two of them were seated far too close together—or rather, that middle-aged fat man was leaning too close to her.

That day was back when Ji Jiayu was still working under Sister Sun.
It was the first time she’d been called out to drink, the first time a man touched her thigh—she immediately tore her face off in anger, flipped the table, and stormed off.

But before she left, a photo had been snapped.
Now, it was exposed online.

There was also another photo—Ji Jiayu in Film Academy days, embracing another woman in a grove.

And rumors about her “coming out” back then, the stir it had caused on the school forum and confession wall.

With those so-called “proofs” and pictures laid out, the smear campaign pieces were written in a shadowy, insinuating way.

They dug up old fake gossip, exaggerated it, twisted black and white, all just to grab eyeballs.

The tone throughout mocked Ji Jiayu as a small-time internet nobody who used her body to climb her way up, even to the point of almost snatching senior actress Feng Yalan’s resources, and now had landed the female lead in a TV drama!

【LOL your so-called “hidden gem” was a socialite back in Film Academy, who knows how many men and women have “used” her…】
【Sleep with men, then put on clothes and sleep with women? Filthy to death, I’m gagging~】
【I’m gonna puke. This one’s a repeat offender. Heard she used to be under Lechuang, just a no-name, running around with her agent doing shady deals until a director’s wife found out and got her frozen for a year. Then she jumped to Qiushui Entertainment to make more money!】
【Why are there so few actors who actually care about acting these days? Poor Yalan, stuck in the same drama as this trashy artist!】
【Yalan-jie is so professional. Why does she have to share the set with some nobody trying to leech off the show? Replace this “Ji the Socialite” already!!】
【WTF, Yalan-jie’s resources almost got stolen?! Who knows how many beds this girl’s warmed to get those roles… what a messy circle [/smile]】
【Not even 100k fans and already playing dirty games behind the scenes? Disgusting!!】

In short, the related Weibo hot topics were filled with extremely nasty comments.

The trend of “praising one, stepping on the other” was very clear.
View counts kept climbing, and many clueless passersby had already gone to Ji Jiayu’s Weibo to leave filthy, abusive remarks.

Meanwhile, at the Nancheng Film Base.

Actors were already in costume and makeup, the lights and cameras were set.

Everyone was running around in a panic.

Director Ye frowned deeply, dialing a number. The call rang forever before it was finally answered—

“Director Ye, we left Jing City last night. Yalan-jie is in Xinghai for another variety show, she can’t free herself right now. Your crew’s schedule is too tight. For this scene, she can’t make it. Just use a stand-in for now, edit later, splice Yalan-jie’s parts in, okay?”

“……”

At this point? Without notice? How were they supposed to find a temporary stand-in for Feng Yalan?!

Director Ye wiped the sweat off his forehead anxiously. “Yiying, you’ll have to run this scene solo first. Yalan can’t make it right now.”

Chen Yiying had never acted before. She was a latecomer, with no formal training in acting. And her very first scene was this kind of hard mode…

When she saw a huge sandbag placed opposite her, she completely broke down—

“You woman, how dare you seduce my sister?!” Chen Yiying tried to act out extreme emotions, both angry and sad, but her little face just turned red—she couldn’t squeeze out a single tear.

She dryly recited her line, yelling: “It’s because of you, you vixen! She lost everything!”

“Ah~~”

Chen Yiying pouted and let out a cry—like a goose screeching in distress.

“Vixen!!”

These three words came out loud and booming, like a fisherman hollering a chant by the sea.

Some staff on set couldn’t hold back, covering their mouths to stifle laughter.

“Cut!”

Director Ye stopped at once. “Chen Yiying, don’t act for now.”

Chen Yiying hiked up her dress and ran over. “What’s wrong, director? Did I act badly?”

“You acted… a bit oddly,” Director Ye chose his words carefully. “Go grab a stool, sit down, and watch how others act for a while. Don’t rush. Observe carefully.”

“Alright. Let’s move to the next scene then…”

Clapperboard: “Scene two, shot one, take one!”

This one was between Ji Jiayu and Yu Hu.

The scene: Ji Jiayu’s character realizes she’s just a substitute lover. Heartbroken and mentally collapsing, she hallucinates a shadow of the male lead, her inner demon.

“You’re just a substitute, a shadow of that woman…” Yu Hu sneered, glancing down at the collapsed girl with cold amusement. “She never cared about you. Your existence was never meaningful.”

“Don’t you want revenge? Your heart isn’t ruthless enough.”

“So you’re only fit to be a shadow.”

Ji Jiayu collapsed, crawling on hands and knees across the ground, pathetic like a stray dog, muttering lowly:

“My existence… has no meaning?”

She crawled forward, arms outstretched, clutching Yu Hu’s leg tightly, knuckles turning white from the force. “I beg you… please…”

Her breathing turned ragged, searing her lungs.

Head thrown back, lips pale, she mouthed weakly, her final three words a hoarse whisper:

“Don’t go…”

Her posture was like trash on the floor, humility carved into her bones.

…

On the stool, Chen Yiying stared at Ji Jiayu, completely entranced.

She hadn’t expected Ji Jiayu could actually act this well…

This kind of scene, with so much intensity—and she nailed it in one take?!

Only when the clapper called the end did Chen Yiying snap out of it. She pouted, sulking, “Director Ye, I really can’t act this…”

“They have people to act against. You make me face a sandbag—how can I act?!”

Director Ye pressed his forehead, already anxious over Feng Yalan—adding Chen Yiying to the mix was unbearable. “Chen Yiying, your basics are weak, and you won’t learn—”

“In that case, maybe you shouldn’t act at all,” he snapped, harsher than usual.

Chen Yiying’s eyes turned red at once, her voice low, pitiful, without confidence: “But… no one can act against thin air…”

“You should read An Actor Prepares,” Ji Jiayu cut in with a sneer. “If you can’t adapt to this world, then learn to compromise. Chen Missy, not everyone will revolve around you.”

Director Ye turned to Ji Jiayu, looking her over carefully. Her build was about the same as Feng Yalan’s. “Ji Jiayu, stand in for Yalan in this scene. Guide Chen Yiying. Can you?”

Ji Jiayu nodded. “I can.”

“Good. Let’s begin then…”

Chen Yiying walked back to the set. Suddenly, someone grabbed her shoulder. Startled, she turned slightly—only to find Ji Jiayu leaning in close.

Her brows arched, eyes tinted faintly red at the corners, lips vivid and soft, moving closer to her ear:

“Don’t just recite lines. Sink into the role, follow your feelings. I’m the one seducing your sister…”

“Vixen.” Her low voice exhaled warmth against Chen Yiying’s ear.

Chen Yiying’s eyes widened.

Up close, Ji Jiayu’s delicate features were crystal-clear.

For a moment, her breath caught.

She forgot to even blink—her head filled with one thought—

【Her eyelashes are so long…】
【Good thing she’s not a top. Otherwise, I might actually fall for her ahhhhh! But two bottoms can only lie down together ahhhh why am I thinking such nonsense!!】

It took five takes before Director Ye finally said “pass.”

Through it all, Ji Jiayu never complained, patiently guiding, expression calm.

Chen Yiying watched her back, feeling an ache in her chest. A strange, complicated mix of emotions.

Something inside was starting to crack.

Her conviction wavered—

Ji Jiayu was supposed to be the vixen trying to steal Sister Miao Ran, the third wheel who ruined Sister Qiao Xuan’s love, the villainess.

But… she didn’t seem that bad after all.

Chen Yiying trailed after her, tugged at her sleeve, head ducked shyly. “Um… thank you…”

Ji Jiayu pulled her sleeve free, brushing at it lightly as if to wipe away something dirty. “Don’t thank me. It’s only because your bad acting was holding me back.”

Chen Yiying: “……” She felt like she’d been stabbed full of arrows.

Off set, assistant Xiaoyao waved frantically. “Jiayu! Jiayu, come here~”

“What is it?” Ji Jiayu walked over.

Xiaoyao glanced around, then lowered her voice. “Something happened. Not good to talk here…”

They slipped into a private lounge.

Ji Jiayu’s Weibo and WeChat were blowing up like bombs, messages flooding in nonstop.

“Rong-jie told me to ask you—are those things true?” Xiaoyao asked.

“They’re not true,” Ji Jiayu shook her head. “I didn’t do those things.”

She meant—sure, she wasn’t clean, she had been forced to be someone’s lover…

But she wasn’t as filthy as the rumors painted her.

The whole thing was a smear filled with humiliation.

“Sigh, probably paid smear campaigns,” Xiaoyao sighed. “Don’t look at Weibo. It’ll just mess with your acting.”

Then Xiaoyao gasped. “It’s gone! The trending topic was just pulled!”

“Huh? Who did that? To yank a top trending like that… that takes money this big.” She gestured a massive figure.

Staggering financial power.

“What kind of benefactor pulled my hot search?” Ji Jiayu chuckled. “I should thank her.”

Xiaoyao gawked. “Huh? You can still laugh after this?!”

“Why wouldn’t I laugh?” Ji Jiayu’s voice was light, calm, not an ounce of panic. “They want to smear me, spend all that money to buy hot searches. Free popularity boost for me, free followers too.”

“But people are still cursing you online… so nasty,” Xiaoyao said.

“Bored people seeking validation. They’re pitiful. No one loves them in real life, so they throw tantrums on Weibo like monkeys in a cage. Funny, really.”

Ji Jiayu’s pale fingers slid over her phone screen, deleting chats, ignoring the insults completely.

The rumors were fake anyway.

Funny thing—the smears dug up old “dirt” on her but didn’t dare touch Qiu Miaoran. Interesting…

Suddenly, new messages popped up—

[Assistant Li]: About those smear articles—some leftovers are still in the super-topic plaza. The company contacted HQ tech dept. They’re writing scripts to mass-report harmful content.
[Assistant Li]: President Qiu ordered this. She told me not to tell you…
[Ji Jiayu]: Got it. I won’t say it was you [OK].

A second later, Ji Jiayu sent another message—

[Ji Jiayu]: Does President Qiu trust me that much? [/cover-mouth laugh]

[Qiu Miaoran]: ……
[Qiu Miaoran]: Li Assistant told you, didn’t he?

Clearly, she’d guessed who spilled.

—Li Assistant, not my fault she figured it out…

[Qiu Miaoran]: Send me the evidence pack.
[Ji Jiayu]: On it~

In another chat—

[Song Tingyu]: Where are you now? Are you okay? Do you need me to come?
[Ji Jiayu]: I’m fine, on set. Don’t come. Thanks for your concern~

Crisis PR window was 24 hours. It wasn’t too late.

Ji Jiayu quickly gathered evidence—

Old recordings and chats of Sister Sun threatening her to drink with men;
The freeze notice from Lechuang after she stormed out;
Parts of her past chats with Song Tingyu during their relationship…

She packaged it all and sent it to Qiu Miaoran.

With someone else handling things, all she had to do was lie flat~

—CEOs might suck at romance, but in a crisis, they were damn useful tools.

Minutes later, her phone lit up with a new message—

[Qiu Miaoran]: [screenshot]
[Qiu Miaoran]: You sent her a heart.
[Qiu Miaoran]: ……

A long string of ellipses—subtext:

“You’ve never sent me one.”

Ji Jiayu opened the screenshot—

It was from her third year, a chat with Song Tingyu. Her selfie with a heart gesture at the camera.

She dug up the original photo from her album and sent it—

[Ji Jiayu]: [heart selfie.jpg]

Just a “thank-you tip” for Qiu Miaoran’s effort.

Then she opened Song Tingyu’s chat—

[Song Tingyu]: I saw our old college photos. Do you need me to clarify?
[Song Tingyu]: Friends can help each other…
[Ji Jiayu]: No need, it’s handled.
[Ji Jiayu]: Director Song, just focus on your own work.

Nothing needed clarifying.
The past… had already passed.

—They were only friends now.

Soon, new movement on Weibo.

Ji Jiayu’s anti-black fan club posted a statement—

[Statement]
Received submissions showing mass smear campaigns against Ms. Ji’s photos by haters and marketing accounts. We will issue legal letters and pursue every case!

…

Quickly, the hot search front page lit up with #JiJiayuClarifies, AgainstDefamation#, number one on the chart—someone had bought the top spot.

Marketing accounts began reposting stories—Ji Jiayu coming out in college, being dumped, being exploited by her old company, harassed by producers.

And proof that she landed her second lead role purely by strong audition performance [with footage attached].

【Damn, she’s actually pitiful… I shouldn’t have cursed her.】
【That audition scene—she nailed it! I’m trash, I just crave this girl’s body…】
【Tbh, those smear posts were too obvious. Praising one while stepping on another, screaming “certain fanbase” sock puppets.】
【Look, Feng Yalan’s fanclub just released a statement too. Said they were used as pawns.】
【So someone tried to blackmail Qiushui Entertainment for hush money, but got caught and sued lol. Steal a chicken, lose the rice.】

…

Feng Yalan’s fanbase was strong—they quickly washed her clean.

Maybe someone really had tried to use this to squeeze hush money.

For now, the show wasn’t over.

Ji Jiayu scrolled Weibo—Qiushui’s official account had posted, naming names:

@XiaoshengManzi — defamation.
@LechuangSunSo-and-so — defaming ex-artist.
@EntertainmentInsider — spreading rumors.

And dozens more—200+ users had forwarded slander and insults.

Not a single one spared.

Ji Jiayu’s Weibo fans skyrocketed past six digits.
Her latest post’s engagement broke a thousand each.

The one who tried to ruin her… had only boosted her popularity.

They must be livid.

Now her inbox overflowed with DMs—apologies.

【Ji Jiayu, I was wrong, I shouldn’t have cursed you, please don’t send me a lawyer’s letter!】
【I was wrong, please don’t sue me, I’m about to graduate. I don’t want this on my record, please…】
【I’ll pay compensation, just don’t send me to jail!】

…

Some were obviously kids, self-righteous keyboard warriors, clueless about law—genuinely thinking they might get jailed.

Ji Jiayu didn’t bother explaining.

Sorry—she was black to the core, not some glowing saint.

Her white fingers swiped the screen, turning off DM notifications.

Scared? Serves them right. Adults should own up to their actions.

Now they’re afraid?

Let them be afraid.

Another message popped up—

[Qiu Miaoran]: How is it?
[Qiu Miaoran]: Are you satisfied with the outcome, Miss Ji?

Qiu Miaoran wasn’t good at expressing herself.
This was her way of showing care—

Like a dog bringing back a frisbee, wagging its tail for praise.

[Ji Jiayu]: Very satisfied [/thumbs up]
[Ji Jiayu]: Thanks, President Qiu~
[Qiu Miaoran]: Miss Ji’s reward… is just words?
[Ji Jiayu]: You’re still in Nancheng?
[Qiu Miaoran]: Mm. Returning to Jing City tomorrow.
[Ji Jiayu]: 1921.

Her hotel room number.

[Qiu Miaoran]: ……
[Ji Jiayu]: Not just words. I’ll let you use your mouth… I’ll be back in 20 minutes, you can come then.
[Ji Jiayu]: President

Support My Wealthy Ex-Girlfriend Knelt and Begged Me to Come Back [Entertainment Industry]