Qin Mom and Qin Rong couldn’t resist checking online for more gossip about Yu Rouyin.

Sure enough, they found a supposed classmate from middle school sharing their version of the story.

“Yu Rouyin was always trying to hook up with boys in middle school. She wanted every guy in school wrapped around her finger. She’d lead guys on, then dump them just when they thought she was interested. In the end, the boys retaliated, and it got so bad that the police were called. She even tried to sue them, forcing some of them to transfer schools. She was a menace—no one liked her, and everyone knew what kind of person she was.”

But Ji Fei’s thoughts told a completely different story.

*“Those three boys were little monsters. They sat behind Yu Rouyin in class, and their hormones turned into something twisted, their minds warped by fantasies. They started viewing Yu Rouyin through a tainted lens, misinterpreting everything she did and boasting about her. One would say he thought Yu Rouyin liked him, another claimed she was teasing him on purpose, and a third even made up a story about them meeting alone in the woods. Some didn’t believe him, while others were jealous and wanted to see if they could ‘try’ something with her too. That’s how they lured her to the woods.”*

*“First, they demanded to know who she liked. Yu Rouyin, who had been keeping a low profile, couldn’t believe this was happening and ended up yelling at them in fury. But men’s egos, no matter their age, are easily bruised. Rage and malice erupted, and they tried to attack her.”*

*“Luckily, it was still school grounds, and someone heard her screams and came just in time to stop it. The boys were snapped out of their frenzy, terrified. Yu Rouyin’s parents came, the police were called, and charges were filed. But the boys’ parents made a scene, defending their sons and verbally attacking Yu Rouyin, accusing her of dressing inappropriately and ‘inviting trouble,’ saying she had been ‘asking for it’ and that she’d ‘led them on’ first.”*

*“Because there were witnesses, Yu Rouyin did get some justice. However, since the boys were minors, the punishment wasn’t severe, and they ended up transferring schools. Yu Rouyin had to transfer as well.”*

Qin Mom and Qin Rong, infuriated, held up the “classmate’s” account of events, discussing the many flaws in its logic and condemning both the boys and the person spreading lies.

Just as they were venting their anger, another rumor appeared on the screen.

“One high school boy reportedly killed himself over Yu Rouyin.”

All three of them fell silent, and Qin Mom and Qin Rong quickly read on.

Ji Fei, already anticipating what they’d find, began searching for more context.

*“Life really has it out for those who already suffer enough, doesn’t it? That beautiful face must truly be a curse. No wonder she nearly gave up and tried to ruin her own looks during high school. Who could endure both parents passing away?”*

Qin Mom and Qin Rong’s breath hitched.

*“It really was a disaster with no cause. In high school, Yu Rouyin hardly smiled. She kept a serious face, avoided everyone, all to prevent any misunderstandings. But a boy still developed a crush on her.”*

*“His parents were overbearing, pushing him to excel. The pressure drove him to the edge, but they paid no attention to his mental state. They only took action when his grades started slipping, finding photos of Yu Rouyin that he had secretly taken, hidden in his room. They didn’t believe he’d taken those photos himself, so they dragged him to school, demanded Yu Rouyin come forward, and accused her of giving him the pictures, ‘distracting him’ from his studies.”*

*“Publicly humiliated in front of the whole school, the boy couldn’t handle the pressure and jumped from the roof. Even after it was proven that Yu Rouyin didn’t know him, the parents relentlessly blamed her, saying her looks were to blame and that she had killed their son. They demanded she pay compensation. They harassed her, hounding her parents so badly that neither could focus at work. Eventually, worn down and mentally exhausted, they died in a car accident, leaving only an injured grandmother.”*

*“After that, everyone who knew her pitied her, but not as a victim—just as ‘the kind of beauty that brings calamity.’”*

By now, Qin Mom and Qin Rong’s eyes were red with unshed tears. How could life demand such a high price from Yu Rouyin? This was worse than any tragic drama they’d ever seen—a real-life tragedy.

“This is even more ridiculous than the last rumor,” Qin Mom declared. “How was any of this the girl’s fault?”

Qin Rong agreed, saying, “Exactly! This account is so biased. I’m certain it was the parents’ harassment that drove that boy to such desperation.”

Ji Fei jumped in, “That’s my guess too!”

With a deep breath, Ji Fei continued reading, silently wondering.

*“I think I’ve figured out why she entered the entertainment industry... Turns out it was because of her grandmother’s health, which required a lot of money. She first dropped out of school to work, but because of her looks, she faced harassment everywhere, realizing that no matter where she went, people would resent her appearance. And ordinary jobs couldn’t cover her grandmother’s medical expenses. So she decided to leverage her looks… So that’s why the rumors say she worked as a hostess before entering the industry. She worked at a club.”*

They didn’t even need to check their phones for confirmation of this; this black mark was well-known.

*“Her original personality was tough, but she learned to be adaptable from an older woman who mentored her at the club. She taught Yu Rouyin how to navigate around men without putting herself at risk. Burdened by her appearance and heavy responsibilities, she had no choice but to stay.”*

*“Then, her current management company discovered her and pulled her into the entertainment industry.”*

*“To her, the industry seemed safer than a club. She didn’t realize that the company had researched her background extensively, knowing it could control her. They convinced her to sign a ten-year contract with a massive penalty for breach of contract. No matter what work they assigned or how much they exploited her, her monthly pay barely covered her grandmother’s nursing expenses. Anything else was out of the question.”*

*“And because of her looks, even the most powerful men who professed love for her only wanted her body, never caring enough to help. She never hoped for a man to save her—she only wanted to rely on herself.”*

*“Now her contract is almost over, and she’s finally about to gain her freedom. Her only condition with Pei-jie was a slight pay increase, a breach penalty within her limits, and no selling herself. She knows she comes with baggage and a lot of bad press, so signing her is a gamble. But all she wants is to work hard and leave everything else behind.”*

*“She doesn’t want her grandmother to worry about her anymore, to hear everyone cursing her. She tries to reassure her that it’s just haters, but she knows there’ll come a day when she can’t pretend anymore…”*

*“Oh no! I’m terrible—I should have just told Pei-jie to sign her, right away!”*

By the time Ji Fei finished, she was filled with regret. She’d initially seen Yu Rouyin as a beautiful but dramatic figure, a stunning femme fatale. She admired her looks and enjoyed her acting, but she hadn’t imagined that her glamorous facade masked so much suffering.

Qin Mom and Qin Rong lowered their heads, pretending to check their phones to hide the tears welling up in their eyes.

Qin Zhao, however, was less affected. He’d seen enough tragedies in the world to know that Yu Rouyin’s story, while heartbreaking, was not unique in the entertainment industry. Many women had once entered it to repay family debts. At the very least, Yu Rouyin had found a way to survive with her dignity intact, using her looks and talent to her advantage without becoming a puppet to powerful figures.

But seeing Ji Fei’s troubled face, Qin Zhao sighed. Although she often seemed indifferent to others’ lives and fates, he knew she was actually quite soft-hearted.

Gently patting her head, Qin Zhao said, “She’s had her share of bad luck, but she’s met you now, hasn’t she? Things should turn around.”

Ji Fei paused, meeting Qin Zhao’s deep eyes, sensing a steadiness in his gaze that reassured her, giving her a feeling of confidence.

Blinking away her doubts, she sent Pei Mingxuan a message reaffirming her support, though Pei Mingxuan replied that she would still proceed with caution.

In truth, however, Pei Mingxuan had already started planning with the scriptwriters to pave the way for their new addition, crafting a bright future for Yu Rouyin.

Three days later, the roles were drawn, and as expected, the theme was “Beauty’s Curse.”

And, predictably, the two teams were set to go head-to-head.

Online, speculation was already rampant, with most betting that Yu Rouyin would be eliminated this time, and a wave of public outcry was brewing.

Only the director and producers, reading the message from the top team, were clutching their chests in panic, unable to sleep.

Once again, they’d been handed a confidential script!