The Villainess’s Darling [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 49

Not far away, Xu Chun lowered her eyes to hide the jealousy and resentment pooling in them.

Why was Yun Can’er so popular? It wasn’t as if she were a real heiress from a prestigious family!

Seeing Yu Xinglong enter the room, Xu Chun’s mother patted her daughter’s shoulder. “Chun-chun, go over to Xinglong.”

Xu Chun and Yu Xinglong had made up, but her perception of him was growing increasingly sour. In her heart, she looked down on him. He wasn’t handsome enough, his personality wasn’t gentle or considerate, and his family were mere nouveaux riches, lacking any real heritage. If her parents hadn’t insisted, she hold onto him, she would have broken off the engagement long ago.

Perhaps this was the burden a true heiress had to bear a political marriage. Someone like Yun Can’er wouldn’t understand that at all, Xu Chun thought bitterly.

The engagement banquet began on time. As luck would have it, the Ning and Xu families were seated at the same table. Sitting diagonally across from Yun Can’er, Xu Chun kept shooting sharp, sidelong glances at her.

Joining the two families were the Zhangs and the Lius. The wives from these two families had been the ones trying to play matchmaker for Can’er earlier. Even after learning that Can’er and Ning Xiao were a couple, their enthusiasm hadn’t waned.

Mrs. Zhang chuckled. “I was never much of a celebrity chaser, but after the Nings recommended Can’er’s movie last time, I was hooked. Her acting is superb, and she’s much lovelier than those typical ‘idols.’ Mrs. Ning, your family is truly blessed.”

Unused to such overt affection from her elders, Yun Can’er lowered her head, playing the part of the shy daughter-in-law.

Mrs. Ning didn’t bother with humility. “Can’er just finished filming a movie directed by Yuan Wenxiao! That film is aimed straight at the awards circuit. It won’t be long before our Can’er is an international Best Actress!” Her voice was thick with pride.

Mrs. Liu was taken aback. “That’s incredible. A Best Actress at twenty, and an international one at that? Can’er, you are quite the talent.”

Xu Chun’s mother had little interest in the entertainment industry and had been dead set against Xu Chun becoming an actress. She remained silent during the exchange.

Xu Chun, however, couldn’t take it anymore. Everyone at the table came from a similar social standing; why was Yun Can’er the center of attention while she was being sidelined?

Waiting for a lull in the conversation, Xu Chun piped up, “What a coincidence. I didn’t expect to run into Can’er at this banquet.”

Mrs. Liu asked, “Oh, do you two know each other?” The Nings and Xus were from different provinces and their businesses didn’t overlap, so she wondered how the two girls had met.

Xu Chun smiled with an air of poised elegance. “Can’er and I originally competed for the lead role in Director Yuan’s movie. I unfortunately lost out. Director Yuan said my acting was perfectly fine, but since I’m taller than Can’er, I didn’t quite fit the character’s image. So, the lead went to her.”

Mrs. Liu’s curious expression flatlined. She stopped talking.

It was a blatant swipe suggesting Can’er didn’t get the role because of talent, but simply because she was “short” enough. Xu Chun was young, and her ulterior motives were so transparent they were off-putting. Mrs. Zhang laughed awkwardly and steered the conversation toward jewelry.

Feeling that her daughter had embarrassed them, Xu Chun’s mother frowned and hissed under her breath, “Stop trying to use those petty tricks. Everyone here is an expert at reading people, do you really think you can fool them?”

Xu Chun lowered her head, her face flushing and then turning pale. It felt as though ice water were being pumped through her veins, chilling her to the bone. She remained silent for the rest of the meal.

Wu Sheng arrived at their table with his sister, Wu Rui, and her fiancé to perform a toast. He raised his glass and drained it in one go. His face didn’t even flush; he looked remarkably poised and handsome.

“Aunts and ladies, please don’t feel the need to drink,” he said with a refined smile. “Alcohol isn’t great for the skin. I’ll drink on your behalf.”

Watching Wu Sheng, Xu Chun finally understood what it meant for someone to have a “heavenly appearance.” She felt her heart racing and couldn’t stop looking at him. Compared to Wu Sheng, Yu Xinglong was like a common weed in the dirt.

Though they were the same age, Wu Sheng had already taken over the lion’s share of his family’s empire, while Yu Xinglong was still a shiftless playboy. More importantly, Wu Sheng was an only child, whereas Yu Xinglong had a younger brother. Yu Xinglong was slow-witted; there was no guarantee the Yu family business would even go to him.

Her parents always insisted that as long as she married him, he would inherit everything, but Xu Chun wasn’t so sure. His parents were currently pouring all their energy into grooming the younger brother and couldn’t be bothered with Xinglong—that didn’t look like an inheritance plan to her.

But once her parents set their minds on something, nothing she said mattered. Her mother’s mantra was that Yu Xinglong was the best man she could get given her status, who else would want her if not him?

Yet right here was a man whose status and ability far eclipsed Xinglong’s. Xu Chun was confident that with her looks and “gentle, considerate” personality, she could make Wu Sheng fall for her. Within five minutes, she had made up her mind: she was going to marry Wu Sheng.

“Mom, I need to talk to you in a bit,” Xu Chun whispered in her mother’s ear after Wu Sheng left. “It’s important.”

Her mother shot her a skeptical look but, seeing the determination in her eyes, nodded. “I’m feeling a bit stifled in the hall. Chun-chun, come for a walk with me,” she said, standing up.

Mrs. Liu asked with concern, “Do you need a private doctor to take a look?”

“No, thank you. It’s nothing serious. A bit of fresh air will do,” Xu Chun’s mother replied.

Xu Chun stood and took her mother’s arm. They ran into Wu Sheng on the way out; he gave them a polite nod. Xu Chun’s face turned bright red as she watched his retreating back with shy expectation.

Her mother caught the look and became thoughtful. Once they reached a quiet spot outside, before Xu Chun could utter a word, her mother spoke: “Wu Sheng likes the type of girl Ning Xiao is. Don’t even think about it.”

Xu Chun froze. “What?”

“When Wu Sheng came to toast us, his eyes never left Ning Xiao,” her mother said bluntly. “Anyone at that table who was paying attention could see it. Your features aren’t striking enough, your gaze isn’t sharp enough, and you aren’t tall enough. Don’t expect Wu Sheng to ever be interested in you.”

Xu Chun stood there, dazed.

“Remember your place,” her mother continued. “No one is a fool. Yu Xinglong might forgive you once, but that doesn’t mean he’ll do it a second time. I’m going back inside. Stay here and think about it.”

As her mother walked away, a gust of wind blew past, making Xu Chun shiver. She wrapped her mink shawl tighter, biting her lip until a bead of blood appeared.

Yun Can’er stole my role, and Ning Xiao stole the man I want. Why do these two always have to ruin everything for me?

In March, the television drama Yun Can’er had starred in finally hit the airwaves. Ratings soared, with the finale reaching a record-breaking 4.16 percent. On the strength of her performance, Yun Can’er was catapulted to the top of the “Four Small Dan Actresses” the most promising young stars in the industry.

In just one month, her Weibo following jumped from a few hundred thousand to over three million.

At the same time, more good news arrived: Yun Can’er was nominated for Best Actress at an international film festival for The Spring of the Sparrow. She was the youngest nominee in a field of highly experienced, prestigious actresses from around the world.

The news sent shockwaves through the domestic entertainment industry. Her market value skyrocketed, far exceeding the five million she had joked about with Yuan Wenxiao. Even with her high fees, countless directors were lining up to offer her scripts.

However, Yao Xiangying and Yun Yi had somehow heard of her sudden wealth. They contacted her with a demand: give them forty million yuan, or they would tell the press she was a vain, social-climbing daughter who refused to acknowledge her own parents. They threatened to destroy her reputation completely.

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