Superstar Assistant [GL] - Chapter 35

Chapter 35

After Li Ziyu finished the call, she immediately took the box back from Zhou Tiantian’s arms. Xiao Xu, having worked for Li Ziyu for a long time, now knew that the star wasn’t nearly as terrifying as she looked. He grinned and remarked, “Sister Ziyu really takes good care of Sister Tiantian. It’s great to have a boss like this.”

Li Ziyu gave a light huff, clearly proud of her own thoughtfulness!

Meanwhile, the man who had been following them left the scene and returned to his hotel room. He dialed a number, and a soft, feminine voice answered on the other end, “Is it done?”

“All done,” the man whispered. “I’ll send the photos to you right away.”

“Good,” the woman replied. “Once I receive them, I’ll transfer the rest of the money.”

After getting the photos, Liu Xinxin transferred the balance to the paparazzi. Looking at the images on her screen, a sinister smile played across her lips.

Li Ziyu, didn’t you snatch away the scenes that belonged to me? I’m going to make you spit them all back out!

…

Two days later, identical posts began appearing across major entertainment forums like Douban, Rabbit Area, and Tianya.

SHOCKING! Li Ziyu Abusing Pregnant Woman? Why is her assistant working while pregnant?

LZ: The entertainment industry is just too shady. I used to like Li Ziyu because of her variety shows, but after following her for a while, I realized her persona is a total lie! The “charming chef,” the “boyfriend material,” the “kind boss”—it’s all fake!

I’ve officially turned from fan to hater. Li Ziyu is disgusting. On the surface, she acts like she treats her assistant well, but in private, she forces her to do all the heavy lifting. The assistant’s baby is almost in danger! We need to save the child! Save the assistant!

The post included several photos. The first few showed Zhou Tiantian carrying large items while Li Ziyu walked beside her empty-handed. Then, there were two photos of Li Ziyu taking Zhou Tiantian to a private hospital.

LZ: These two photos are from when the baby was in trouble. Li Ziyu took her to the hospital for emergency care. Why else would a celebrity accompany her assistant to a prenatal checkup? I asked a doctor friend; the diagnosis says the pregnancy is high-risk. The poor assistant has already had two scares and is still being mistreated by Li Ziyu!

With this narrative in place, misinformed bystanders began to bash her. Someone even dug up old rumors about Li Ziyu “mistreating assistants.”

Black fans, passersby, and loyal fans clashed in the comments. Because Li Ziyu had been trending recently, the post drew massive traffic. Soon, “witnesses” started appearing: “I thought I was seeing things, but during my last set visit, I saw Li Ziyu hit her assistant.” They posted a photo of Li Ziyu raising her hand and Tiantian shrinking back with her eyes closed (a misinterpreted moment).

Negativity spreads faster than positivity. The news hit Weibo, and a wave of new, younger fans—who weren’t as calm as the older fans—started cursing and threatening the critics. This aggressive fan behavior quickly burned through the goodwill Li Ziyu had recently built up with the general public.

…

Zhao Qing read the comments aloud in a cold voice: “‘Li Ziyu should go die… she’s a dog who shouldn’t stay in the industry… I hope she can never have children!'” She broke character for a second, tutting. “Wow, the combativeness of these fans is incredible.”

Dong Minsi dropped her gentle act, her expression serious. “This is the industry. Fans are the root of our traffic, but they can also be the source of our downfall. If a company gains a massive following without setting boundaries, you end up with chaotic fan behavior that ruins the star’s reputation.”

“I’m afraid it won’t be that simple,” Zhou Tiantian whispered, looking worriedly at the set. Director Sun had just been called away by an investor, and she had a bad feeling.

Li Ziyu placed an arm around Tiantian’s shoulder and squeezed. “Don’t worry.”

An hour later, Director Sun returned. He looked at Li Ziyu and shook his head imperceptibly. Liu Xinxin, who had been lying low, smirked in a corner.

The Director called Li Ziyu and Zhou Tiantian into his office. “Do you know who has the most say on a film set?” he asked.

Tiantian looked at Ziyu, who gave her a calm smile. Turning back to the Director, Tiantian replied, “The investors. Whoever has the money has the power.”

Director Sun smiled mockingly. “Exactly. Investors have more power than directors or writers. When they demand something, we have to comply. They want to increase Liu Xinxin’s screen time. They say your recent scandals will hurt the ratings, so they’re ordering us to change the script.”

Tiantian thought for a moment. “And what is your personal opinion, Director?”

“As a director, I only want my work to be perfect. I prefer the current script,” Sun replied.

Tiantian and Ziyu shared a look. Ziyu squeezed Tiantian’s hand. Tiantian told the Director, “Ziyu also prefers the current script. We will fight for it.”

…

Outside the office, Tiantian immediately called their manager, Luo Na. Luo Na was already on top of it. “Tell the crew to find any behind-the-scenes footage of Ziyu taking care of you. We need to release it to flip the narrative. I’ll handle the investors.”

As Tiantian went back to talk to the Director, she saw Liu Xinxin blocking Li Ziyu’s path.

“Li Ziyu,” Liu Xinxin sneered. “You should have been more tactful. You mindlessly picked a fight with me and stole my scenes. Now, karma has arrived.”

Li Ziyu let out a dry laugh. “You know exactly how this ‘karma’ was manufactured. Do you really think hiring people to slander me will pull me down?”

“I didn’t hire anyone,” Liu Xinxin said innocently. “Those are your own fans turning on you. Your image is bad, and the investors want a change. What can I do?”

Li Ziyu feigned a look of realization. “Oh, so the investors don’t just want to cut my scenes, they want to replace me? Is that the investor’s idea… or your personal request?”

Liu Xinxin huffed but didn’t answer. Li Ziyu stepped closer, pinning her into a corner with one hand against the wall. “Liu Xinxin, do you think I don’t know why the investor had a meeting with Director Sun today? Everyone knows exactly how you climbed to your position!”

Having the truth ripped open, Liu Xinxin’s face flushed red with rage. She quickly regained her composure and lifted her chin. “So what? I obtained these things through my own means. Whatever the method, it’s my ability!”

Li Ziyu’s eyes flashed with contempt. “I just wanted to tell you: a relationship built in bed isn’t as solid as you think. Selling yourself makes you cheap and lowly, and in this gamble you started, you’ve played your worst card. Now, watch me win this beautifully.”

She turned and walked back to Tiantian. Liu Xinxin was shaking with fury. She would make Li Ziyu regret this!

As Li Ziyu rejoined the group, Dong Minsi teased, “What did you say to make her that mad? She’s definitely going to bring her ‘backer’ to bully you now.”

“Am I supposed to be afraid of her?” Ziyu snorted.

The group looked over to see Liu Xinxin on the phone. A few moments later, a pot-bellied, middle-aged man walked onto the set.