My Wealthy Ex-Girlfriend Knelt and Begged Me to Come Back [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 28

Four months later, the filming of “When the Bright Moon Shines Over the Ditch” wrapped up.

At the publicity event, Ji Jiayu was cornered backstage by entertainment reporters.

“Jiayu, this is your first drama, right?”

“Mhm.”

“Landing a period drama for your first project, and even getting to work with Teacher Feng Yalan—how do you feel?”

That was clearly a loaded question. Everyone in the industry knew that Feng Yalan was notoriously arrogant and disliked newcomers. A year ago, when the production had just begun, Ji Jiayu had even been caught up in a “scandal.”

Back then, Yalan’s fans had swarmed the gossip threads, terrified that Ji Jiayu would ruin their idol’s new drama. They were the first to hurl abuse at her.

And now, asking Ji Jiayu to comment on her senior—if she praised her too sweetly, it would look like bootlicking. If she dared mention flaws, Yalan’s fans would attack her as “two-faced” and “disrespectful,” and she’d be branded for life.

Ji Jiayu’s eyes curved slightly, lips tugging up in a smile that revealed nothing.

“Being able to play the role of Mu Qingyu is an honor for me. I love this character, because in her, I feel as though I’ve found a reflection of myself.

“As for working with Teacher Feng Yalan, it gave me… an ‘unexpected surprise.’ Being able to observe her up close and see another side of her—that too, was an honor.”

Her words were polished, neither praising nor criticizing. The “unexpected surprise” could be taken as good or bad.

In other words—she said everything, yet nothing.

Ji Jiayu perfectly sidestepped the trap.

“Would Jiayu, in real life, fall for someone like Ji Mingyue?”

Ji Mingyue was the character who treated Ji Jiayu’s heroine as nothing more than a stand-in.

“No. Just like Mu Qingyu, I am myself. I am not anyone’s shadow.”

Ji Jiayu’s tone was steady. She paused, then repeated firmly: “I am Ji Jiayu.”

Reporter: “Since you wouldn’t fall for Ji Mingyue, what about your own preferences? Do you have an ideal type? Or maybe… someone you already like?”

Her lips carried a smile, lashes fluttering slightly. “Actually, I already like someone.”

The reporters’ eyes lit up. “Really? Someone in the industry?”

“Not a celebrity.” Ji Jiayu shook her head. Her eyes sparkled, expression tinged with yearning.

“She’s someone who shines brilliantly in her own field. She’s very outstanding.”

Reporter: “And now? Are you together?”

“With all due respect, no comment.” Ji Jiayu’s smile was soft, but her gaze betrayed a trace of hidden melancholy.

At the back of the venue, a beige silhouette flashed by.

Qiu Miaoran, dressed in a short beige blazer, had been waiting quietly. She happened to step into the aisle just as Ji Jiayu was being interviewed.

She heard Ji Jiayu say—“Actually, I already like someone.”

“She shines brilliantly in her own field. She’s very outstanding.”

The longing, the admiration in Ji Jiayu’s eyes—“love” wasn’t even enough to describe it.

So this was how deeply Ji Jiayu… cherished her.

And Qiu Miaoran also saw the dimming of Ji Jiayu’s gaze when she said “no comment,” the slight downturn of her lips.

Ji Jiayu was desolate—was she really that in love with her? So in love that she couldn’t help herself?

That sadness of being unable to reveal their relationship—it was almost incomprehensible.

Maybe… maybe I should let Ji Jiayu make it public. No other partner had ever stayed with me for more than two months. But Ji Jiayu has been by my side for so long… Perhaps, it wouldn’t be impossible to give her a title.

Qiu Miaoran stood there, eyes unfocused, lost in thought—the first time she had ever been dazed in public.

All her life, her focus had only been on things like project viability, financial health, legal risks. Decisions were always made with absolute clarity, reason, and precision.

But now she could hear her own heartbeat—quick and uneven.

Her reason trembled, as if a glacier had cracked open, revealing a narrow fissure.

Then the pretty girl finished her interview, walked offstage, and ran straight into her arms, eyes twinkling like a fawn’s as she whispered, “Miaoran, you came to see me today~”

“I’m free tonight.”

Her soft, spoiled voice lowered, sweet breath brushing her ear. Only the two of them could hear her murmur:

“No matter how many times… it’s okay.”

Two days later.

[Official Weibo of “When the Bright Moon Shines Over the Ditch” Crew]:
“We’ve wrapped filming! After five months of hard work, it’s finally time to meet you all!
Thank you to every cast and crew member for their dedication. Thank you to the audience for waiting. Having you along the way is our greatest fortune.”

Tagging: Feng Yalan #FengYalanSuperTopic# @Yu Hu @Ji Jiayu @Chen Yiying @Xu Miaomiao

During promotions, Ji Jiayu trended again—on a negative hot search.

“Douban Sauce App giving this drama a guaranteed low score. Yalan alone gets a 5/5, but those two supporting actresses dragged it down so badly. One is the so-called ‘Little Princess Yingying,’ a reality show faker who acts like a diva—I can’t stand her!

The other, Ji Jiayu, who’s never acted in anything before, got a second female lead role?? Absolute shady connections. Director Ye’s reputation will be ruined by these two. What bad luck!

Skip their scenes and just watch Yalan. She’s playing a tragic heroine forced apart from her lover—it’s going to be amazing. I’m so excited, finally Yalan’s new drama is here!”

Suddenly, the fandom plaza was filled with marketing accounts—praising one while dragging the others.

“Do you know how hard Feng Yalan worked? Flying between two cities while filming, eating box lunches squatting on the ground. She’s one of the few actresses in the industry willing to sacrifice and work so hard.”

“Meanwhile, the other newbies were super delicate. That Chen-girl playing the third female lead wouldn’t even eat carrots or celery in her lunchbox, and refused to squat to eat. Compared to Yalan, she’s so spoiled.”

“And that other new Ji-girl actress? Constantly flubbing her lines with Yalan, asking for script changes, begging the director for more scenes. Already hogging the spotlight right out of the gate. Who gave her the courage—was it Liang Jingru?”

“Xiaoyu, they’re dragging us down again,” assistant Xiaoyao muttered. “It’s way too obvious.”

“Unbelievable. Feng Yalan is like a piece of dung—anyone who works with her gets smeared. She always trashes newcomers just to boost herself. Not the first time, either.”

“Do we need PR?” Manager Rongjie asked.

“No need. It’s minor,” Ji Jiayu shook her head. “Tell the fans not to engage. Let them clown around on their own.”

Who cared about baseless rumors?

What mattered was that when her figure appeared on screen, somewhere in the world, her sister might see her.

That alone had been her dream since she was young. And if she could reach that—Ji Jiayu was content.

“I ordered some taro mousse cake boxes. Want to try?” Ji Jiayu pointed at a large paper bag on the desk.

“Yay! Celebration for wrap-up!” Xiaoyao clapped.

“Thanks, Jiayu,” Rongjie said, rubbing her hands in delight.

Her phone lit up—messages from her college roommates’ group chat.

Chen Mo: Congrats! Heard your new drama’s coming out. I’ll definitely watch to support!
Chuchu: Not ‘next time definitely’—this time definitely, hahaha.
Yin Su: Lol, when Jiayu gets famous, even her old notebooks with her handwriting will sell for big money.
Ji Jiayu: Haha, go ahead and sell them. They weren’t mine anyway…
Chen Mo: Why are people on Weibo still slandering our fairy Jiayu?!
Chuchu: May all antis vanish! What a bunch of lunatics barking for nothing!
Yin Su: Seriously! Back in uni, Jiayu was the one paying attention in lectures. Sometimes she went to crews to watch veteran actors—not for money like us, but to study acting. And they dare say she’s unprofessional? Ridiculous!
Ji Jiayu: Don’t be angry. Anger only hurts your health. They’re raging online, and I’m living beautifully offline… who’s really suffering? Haha~

A month later, the drama aired.

Yalan’s fans worked hard, editing clips.

In one video: Feng Yalan, dressed in white, was shoved violently. Her dress fluttered, she fell softly into the dust, fragile as a porcelain doll, tears shimmering as she stared defiantly at the villain.

Ji Jiayu, clad in red, her waist cinched, her figure striking, long legs and slender waist like a crane. She held a whip taut in her fingers and lashed out—

Crack!

“This strike is for deceiving the masses—you betrayed those who died because of you!”

Crack!

“This strike is for abandoning her—you betrayed my sister’s devotion!”

Crack!

“This strike is for daring to look like me—you deserve to die!

“I, Mu Qingyu, have never been anyone’s shadow!”

Yalan collapsed, pale and trembling, pitiful as ever.

But Ji Jiayu stood tall, crimson skirts billowing, white skin glowing, lips blood-red—radiant and terrifying like a vengeful spirit.

The fans who clipped this wanted to showcase Yalan’s tearful acting. Instead, the comments section was hijacked—

“Ahhhh, whip me instead!!”
“LMAO, floor one, you’re so thirsty…”
“Serves her right! Yalan’s over 30 still playing pure first-love girls—finally she gets whipped! Justice!”
“Thank you for this edit, Yalan-fans. This is the first time I’ve seen such a delicious villainess. Ji Jiayu is stunning—I’m a fan now!”

Suddenly, without her company even stepping in, Ji Jiayu’s reputation began turning around.

Another clip went viral:

“Discovered by you… so what?” Ji Jiayu’s eyes were empty, voice hollow. “Yes. I killed her.”

“You liked her, didn’t you?”

“She’s dead. And I’m glad.”

Her lips curved, smile wicked, beauty bone-deep and nearly demonic. A flash of silver, a sword slicing through the air—

At the last second, a blue figure leapt in front of Ji Mingyue, blocking the fatal blow.

“Elder Sister Mingyue…” Chen Yiying’s character sacrificed herself, blood blooming across her chest.

Ji Jiayu faltered, the killing intent in her eyes vanishing, her smile collapsing as she mouthed silently: “Fool.”

This clip exploded past seven million views.

Ironically, Feng Yalan, meant to be the star, didn’t go viral. Instead, a cold-burn pairing emerged: Ji Jiayu’s Mu Qingyu and Chen Yiying’s character.

Fans dubbed them the “Flying Fish & Bluebird CP.”

“Forever my OTP!”
“Gorgeous killer, ruin me please!!”
“Suddenly shipping Jiayu and Yiying’s princess so hard!!”
“Be confident—she’s my wife.”
“No, my wife.”

Meanwhile, rumors about Feng Yalan juggling two dramas were confirmed. A behind-the-scenes video leaked—

She was absent from set, using stand-ins, leaving co-stars acting to sandbags. Director Ye was visibly frustrated.

The video spread too fast for her studio to suppress.

Comments flooded in:

“OMG, Ji Jiayu’s first role, and she’s already carrying whole scenes with no partner? Her eyes alone out-act some so-called veterans.”
“Some people only fake laugh, fake cry, fake eat. Yalan overbooks herself, always drags newcomers, fans only know how to step on others. What a joke.”

Finally, Ji Jiayu’s effort and skill shone through. No smear campaign could cover it.

Gold cannot be buried beneath sand. The ending will never betray those who work hard.

Her fanbase skyrocketed, official support clubs and anti-black groups reaching over 800,000 members.

She had officially caught fire.

Assistant Xiaoyao handed her the fan-club phone. The comments were wild—

“Wifey, when’s the next project?”
“Sister, please whip me too!”
“Jiayu, hehe [blushing emoji]… Jiayu, hehe [blushing emoji]…”

“Look, Xiaoyu, your fans are growing so fast! They’re so passionate!” Xiaoyao beamed.

“They are,” Ji Jiayu murmured, eyes sweeping over the endless ‘wife,’ ‘sister,’ ‘Xiaoyu.’ “But the nicknames are a little weird…”

“Aw, don’t mind that,” Xiaoyao explained. “It’s just how fans show affection now. Calling you ‘wife’ means they adore you.”

“Oh,” Ji Jiayu nodded. “I see.”

Her phone lit up—

Qiu Miaoran: Congrats on the premiere.
Ji Jiayu: Is Qiu Zong’s congratulations just words?
Qiu Miaoran: …
Qiu Miaoran: I’m abroad, on a business trip.
Ji Jiayu: Haha, I was just teasing. Don’t be nervous~
Qiu Miaoran: Wait for me to come back.
Ji Jiayu: Okay.

In Paris, at IRISA (Institute for Research in Computer Science and Random Systems).

Qiu Miaoran stood by the window, seeing Ji Jiayu’s reply. She locked her screen, turned toward the woman in the lab.

“Auntie… I came personally to pick you up. Will you return now?”

The woman, long legs crossed, still typing away at her computer, didn’t even glance up.

“The old folks back home couldn’t hold out any longer? Heard I was discharged, so they sent you?”

She chuckled softly, pressing the final Enter key. “This lab isn’t even warm yet.”

Qiu Miaoran glanced at the complex algorithm running onscreen. “Cellular neural networks and machine learning… These can’t create the material world. Why keep escaping reality?”

“You’re too rational. Unlike me,” the woman turned, hands in her coat pockets, studying her niece. “You’re just like your mother when she was young—especially those eyes.”

Her features were similar to Qiu Miaoran’s, but her eyes were narrower, smiling even at rest, radiating warmth and gentleness.

Qiu Miaoran’s eyes, however, were sharp and cold, distant.

Hearing the word “mother,” Qiu Miaoran’s fingers curled tight, knuckles whitening. She stiffly turned and left. “I’ll wait outside.”

A French woman with auburn hair entered. “Doctor Ji.”

Ji Chen tossed her a small set of keys. The metallic jingle rang crisp.

“The keys are yours. Backups are on the main server.”

Though she had only spent two months here after her hospital release, her breakthroughs in neural networks and medical applications were already remarkable. The lab had no wish to let her go.

“You’re leaving… not coming back?” the scholar asked reluctantly.

Ji Chen paused, hand over her chest, the spot closest to her heart.

“No. I won’t return.”

“My homeland and my family… are calling me back.”

With a wave, she left Paris behind.

The city that had once buried her broken body.

At Charles de Gaulle Airport, in the VIP lounge—

Ji Chen passed a corridor, stopped at a familiar sound.

On a leather seat sat a young Chinese boy, watching a domestic period idol drama on his phone.

Onscreen—a girl in red, slender and graceful, sword in hand. Her delicate features framed by crimson lips, eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

“I have never been anyone’s shadow!”

Ji Chen bent over, gaze fixed on the phone screen, following the red-robed girl.

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?”

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