The Vicious Female Supporting Character Goes Viral After Her Masks Drop During the Talent Show - Chapter 29

Addressing the media, Yan Shi’s voice was resolute. “When I signed with Dingming, they promised me abundance. But after signing, I was given zero resources and zero exposure. All promises were empty; I was blacklisted. During that time, I repeatedly questioned the Artist Department, but the company ignored me and gave no explanation.”

“After investigating, I discovered a crucial link: Yu Junran, an artist under Dingming, is the nephew of Lu Mingqiu, the Director of Dingming’s Artist Department. Lu Mingqiu was not only Yu Junran’s head manager but was also my designated manager on paper when I signed.”

“I began to suspect that my contract with Dingming was a malicious trap. Thus, two years ago, I filed a lawsuit against Dingming for malicious contracting and sought to have the agreement declared null and void.”

“Dingming’s defense in court was that I had failed to disclose a ‘personal record of misconduct’—referring to the high school incident. They claimed that because I breached the contract first by withholding information, their decision to halt my career was a legitimate response, not a breach of contract.”

That lawsuit had been an uphill battle. Dingming had a top-tier legal team; Yan Shi had nothing. Having had no work or income for a year, he couldn’t afford a high-profile lawyer. Fortunately, a supportive college roommate introduced him to a young lawyer willing to help for a minimal fee.

One night, the three met at a small restaurant. The lawyer shook his head after reviewing the contract. “This contract is too clever. Every unreasonable clause is drafted right at the edge of legality. In the eyes of the law, this is a valid, enforceable document. It will be very hard to win.”

“But Yan Shi was framed in high school!” his roommate argued. “If we explain that to the judge, won’t it matter?”

“The evidence we have is too thin,” the lawyer sighed. “It’s all indirect. No witnesses. The court demands proof.”

Yan Shi remained silent. Back then, almost every witness had been bribed by Yu Junran. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t find a single person willing to testify for him.

The lawyer considered the situation. “If we can prove that Dingming already knew about your ‘misconduct’ before they signed you, then their defense in court falls apart. That is our only chance.”

“How?” Yan Shi asked.

“Yu Junran and Lu Mingqiu are relatives,” the roommate suggested. “Doesn’t that prove they knew?”

“No,” the lawyer replied. “It proves the possibility, not the fact.” He turned to Yan Shi. “You said other companies suddenly backed out of signing you right before Dingming contacted you?”

“Yes.”

“The reason they backed out is our breakthrough. We need to investigate that.”

Yan Shi reached out to those companies again. Initially, they ignored him; no one wanted to offend a giant like Dingming for a nobody. But through sheer persistence, one company finally spoke up: they had received “reliable industry intel” that Yan Shi was a school bully. Not wanting a “tainted” rookie, they walked away.

However, they refused to reveal the source of that intel.

The night before the second hearing, the three gathered again at the same roadside stall. Smoke from the grill swirled in the night air. The young lawyer downed a glass of beer, his face flushed. “We can’t prove the source was Dingming. Tomorrow, we have no winning hand.”

The roommate, half-drunk, pushed a full glass toward Yan Shi. “Drink some. It might dull the pain.”

Yan Shi didn’t move. He sat like a statue on a plastic stool, his expression unreadable.

“If we continue,” the lawyer said cautiously, “the only way to terminate the contract is to pay the penalty.”

The penalty was 10 million yuan. To a famous actor, that was one paycheck. To the Yan Shi of that time, it was a debt that would destroy his life.

“If you want to stop,” the lawyer advised, “I can try to negotiate a settlement. Maybe we can get you some minor work just to survive.”

The roommate sighed. He had known Yan Shi for four years. He admired Yan Shi’s talent and the fact that he had put himself through school, but he often felt Yan Shi wasn’t “smart” enough for the entertainment industry. The industry required people who were slick, fawning, and willing to bow to power. Yan Shi was the opposite: stubborn, proud, and uncompromising.

“Yan Shi, listen to me,” the roommate said earnestly. “Don’t throw yourself against a stone wall. Settle. If Dingming has the power to stop you from signing elsewhere, they can make sure you never work again even if you do get out. You’ll be in massive debt with no job. That’s a dead end. Just lower your head, beg a little, and survive.”

Yan Shi had signed for eight years—from age 22 to 30. To spend those prime years eating Dingming’s scraps was humiliating, but “a live dog is better than a dead lion,” right?

Yan Shi knew they meant well. But they didn’t realize that his life had always been a dead end—it was already a ruin. There was nothing left to destroy.

He picked up the glass and drained it. When he looked up, his eyes were calm, devoid of fear or regret.

“I would rather be a shattered jade,” he said quietly, “than a whole tile of common clay.”

The Final Card

Back at the press conference, Yan Shi continued. “…Lacking evidence, I lost that lawsuit. I left Dingming carrying a massive debt. What happened next is well known. Thanks to the appreciation of Teacher Zhong Yan, I performed in Hate the Spring Breeze and gained the support of the audience. With fame came the answers I couldn’t get two years ago.”

The entertainment industry is a fickle place. When Yan Shi was a nobody, companies ignored him. Now that he was a star, those same people were eager to talk.

“Two years later, I finally have the answers—and the evidence. The ‘reliable intel’ sent to those companies came from the same source: a staff member in Dingming’s Artist Department, a trusted subordinate of Director Lu Mingqiu.”

The screens in the ballroom displayed internal chat logs. While the names of the other companies were redacted, the content and timestamps of the messages spreading the “bullying” rumors were clear.

“This proves that Dingming knew of my record before signing me. It proves that the entire process—stopping others from signing me, then signing me themselves only to bury me—was a calculated trap. For a top-tier group like Dingming to spend so much effort on a mere rookie… why do you think they did it?”

The hall buzzed with discussion. The live stream comments were in a frenzy.

“A big company targeting a rookie? They definitely have a ghost in their closet.” “It’s obvious. Yu Junran is the Director’s nephew. They were terrified Yan Shi would become famous and tell the truth, so they tried to block every path he had.” “Dingming and Yu Junran are a nest of rats! This is truly evil!”

Yan Shi’s gaze grew sharp. Through the lens, he wasn’t looking at the fans or the public, but at the “vermin” hiding behind their own screens.

“Currently, my legal team has filed a new lawsuit against Dingming Entertainment for fraudulent contracting and malicious intent. This time, I will not stop until justice is served.”

Yan Shi stood up and bowed one last time to the media and his fans.

“I sincerely apologize for the public controversy and for taking up public resources. Thank you for your patience and understanding. And to my fans—thank you for your constant companionship, support, and trust.”

“Truth has its own way of coming to light. Justice may be late, but I will always believe that it will never be absent.”