"Sixty million! This scumbag really went all out—he planned to pay off his fifty million in gambling debts and pocket an extra ten million as betting capital, didn’t he?"

Ji Fei had skimmed through the information earlier, missing this sickening detail. Qin Zhao, equally disgusted, vented his frustration in their gossip group chat, so everyone could share in his revulsion.

Sixty million wasn’t a small sum. It would have practically wiped out all of Sun Man’s assets, but she had felt like she had no choice.

Originally, Pei Mingxuan and the others had assumed it was just a few compromising photos, something relatively manageable domestically. But when they learned there was video footage—secretly recorded, no less—they understood why Sun Man had felt so desperate.

If those videos were released, it would be devastating for her career. Domestic sites could handle it, but it could still go viral before any takedown. The most horrifying part was the threat to sell the videos to foreign sites, where they’d remain as a permanent stain on her reputation.

Despite her resilience, Sun Man was ultimately quite traditional. The thought of videos of herself being circulated like that had crushed her spirit. While a stronger woman might have taken this issue straight to the police, at that moment, Sun Man hadn’t dared. She hadn’t wanted to face it head-on; she’d just wanted it to go away. Failing to reach Lang Zhe for an explanation, she had turned to her family, only to be betrayed once again, pushed to the edge.

Now, confronting the man responsible, she finally understood that all of this was a carefully orchestrated scheme to rob her.

Lang Zhe put on a remorseful face, feigning regret. “I didn’t know it would turn out like this. It wasn’t intentional, Manman, I…”

“Scum!” Lu Fei’s reaction was instant—she strode over and slapped him hard across the face twice, the force sending him sprawling to the floor.

Lang Zhe’s lip split, and he stared at his mother, stunned; she’d never struck him this way before, no matter how strict she was.

“How did I end up raising a fool like you? Kneel down and apologize to Sun Man!” Lu Fei demanded. She understood that this wasn’t some minor issue—it was something that could destroy a person’s life. How could a girl with such promise, so close to stardom, possibly endure such a betrayal?

“Oh, this is a disaster! What are we going to do?” Sun’s mother wailed dramatically.

Sun’s uncle, however, seemed to have an idea. “So, Sun Man, this is why you wanted money from us. But even if we had it, there’s no way to gather that amount in time. Wouldn’t it be a waste of effort? How about… just letting it go? After all, you’re an actress. Aren’t stars known for… versatility? Think of it as breaking out of your comfort zone. If it leaks, it might even boost your popularity. Some celebrities overseas use these sorts of videos to promote themselves.”

“Well, aren’t you well-informed,” Pei Mingxuan shot back sarcastically. “Why don’t you make one? I’ll help you become famous.”

“Me? I would never…” Sun’s uncle was immediately silenced, especially after he noticed the murderous look Sun Man was giving him.

Kneeling on the floor, Lang Zhe quickly added, “Manman, you can’t let those videos be released. You know I don’t have any money, but you can borrow some from people who do.” His eyes drifted toward Qin Zhao and Ji Fei.

At that moment, both of them felt as if they had neon signs above their heads reading “Easy Money.”

**"Is he out of his mind? Do I look like a walking bank to him? Apparently, he really does have a death wish."**

Qin Zhao let out a cold scoff. But before he could respond, Lu Fei took charge. “If my son caused this, then I’ll pay whatever it takes to make this right.”

Lu Fei didn’t try to convince Sun Man to call the police. She understood that reporting it could be a gamble—there was always the risk that the footage would leak before the perpetrator was caught. As an outsider, she couldn’t take that gamble on Sun Man’s future. But it was her son who had caused this mess, so she took full responsibility.

Everyone was a bit taken aback by Lu Fei’s stance.

Lang Zhe looked dumbstruck for a moment, before lowering his head, as if silently agreeing to this arrangement.

**"What a dutiful son—first he scams his ex-girlfriend, now he’s scamming his mother. As long as someone’s paying, does it really matter to him who it is?"**

Qin Zhao thought wryly. It was a notorious fact that compulsive gamblers abandoned family loyalty. He could now see it firsthand.

If Lang Zhe found an alternative, he might very well exploit his mother further, Qin Zhao suspected. After all, it was likely that the outrageous sixty million demand was precisely what he believed Sun Man could manage to gather.

But now that the truth was clear, they couldn’t just let things slide. How should they go about exposing him, though?

Qin Zhao glanced at their group chat, where everyone was venting their outrage at Lang Zhe’s actions.

Then Qin Xian commented, “Since this is a setup, the photos and videos should still be in his possession. Sun Man might choose to involve the authorities, but to prevent him from doing anything reckless, it’s best to secure the files first.”

Qin Zhao’s eyes lit up, and he began searching for Lang Zhe’s phone, but then he realized Lang Zhe might have backups elsewhere.

Just then, he heard Ji Fei’s thoughts.

**"I don’t know whether to call this fortunate or not, but at least the videos Sun Man feared haven’t been leaked yet—they’re still on Lang Zhe’s phone. He used other accounts to leak a few photos as a threat and sent snippets to blackmail her. If we can arrest him quickly, this can all be resolved. But if he gets desperate, he could really sell them… Maybe we should follow Lu Fei’s plan—charge him with extortion first and bring him in before he does something reckless. Or, maybe we could destroy the phone… but then there’d be no evidence left to convict him."**

Qin Zhao felt a shiver down his spine as he processed Ji Fei’s thoughts, especially when he aligned them with Qin Xian’s suggestion to retrieve the files without destroying them, so they’d have the necessary proof to prosecute him.

However, if they wanted to avoid suspicion, they’d need to secure the phone without tipping off their prior knowledge.

As Ji Fei was deep in thought, Sun Man spoke up. “No need. I choose to call the police.”

Qin Zhao winced; Qin Xian had been right. This would push Lang Zhe into panic mode.

Pei Mingxuan agreed, “Honestly, that’s the best option. Extortion isn’t a one-time thing. But, Sun Man, are you ready for the potential fallout?”

Sun Man’s eyes were filled with pain, but she nodded resolutely. “I’m sorry, Pei-jie. I can’t sign with you just yet.”

No one could predict her future, but she didn’t want to back down, nor bow to those who had wronged her. She was ready to face whatever consequences lay ahead.

“No way!” Lang Zhe shouted, scrambling to his feet. “My mom was willing to help you, why are you being so unreasonable? What if the videos do get out…”

“Don’t worry. The angles in those videos don’t show you,” Sun Man replied, pausing as something struck her as off.

“That’s not what I’m worried about!” Lang Zhe snapped, floundering. “I care about you. Since you went so far as to attempt suicide, I’m sure whoever’s behind this wouldn’t dare go further. Let’s just settle this quietly.”

But Sun Man’s resolve remained unshaken. “I told you, I already died once. I don’t care anymore. All I want is for those who hurt me to pay.” 

Lang Zhe’s face started to twitch, a flash of barely concealed malice in his gaze. “How about… we just wait a bit longer? Maybe there’s another way out of this.”