"But… if I accept it, more people will mock me, and my image will be fixed. I won't have a chance to turn things around."
Xia Yiran was still arguing.
Her being cast in a web series, a short drama, and as a third female lead – she simply couldn't accept it!
She was a graduate of a talent show, had released albums, and had fans. How could she lower her status so thoroughly?
Zhang Peng didn't agree. "You won't have a chance to turn things around like this? Look at Xia Weiliang. Remember how much she was criticized? They almost threw rotten eggs at her and held knives to her throat, forcing her to retire! And look at her now – she's become a hot commodity. Various variety shows are clamoring to invite her, and countless scripts are being sent to her agent… Now she's acting as the female lead opposite a male star!"
He didn't care if Xia Yiran liked hearing it or not. He stated directly, "She was harmed so badly by your entire family, and she managed. Why can't you? Xia Yiran, I'm telling you, if you want to make it in this industry, you have to be prepared for anything! You can soar to the heavens, plunge into the earth, enjoy the highest honors, or you can struggle to survive in the dust! If you can't handle it, leave now. It'll save me the trouble."
If it weren't for the boss's sentimentality and unwillingness to kick her while she was down, Zhang Peng would have given up on her long ago.
However, it did have an effect.
Now, everyone in the industry knew that the company was loyal to Xia Yiran. Some artists who were in the process of renewing their contracts readily chose to stay. Others were also sending feelers to learn more.
"Zhang Ge, please don't be angry. I didn't mean it like that."
Xia Yiran gritted her teeth and decisively said, "No matter what the company arranges, I'll do it!"
At least Zhang Ge was right about one thing: no exposure in the industry meant a dead end!
Even if it's negative fame, it's still fame. If she couldn't achieve genuine fame, she might as well embrace the notoriety!
Xia Yiran was about to leave.
Bao Fang and Liu Yaozong brought her luggage.
"Where are you going? So suddenly? How long will you be gone?" Bao Fang asked with concern.
Xia Yiran took the luggage expressionlessly. She ignored Bao Fang and glared at Liu Yaozong, "Didn't I tell you to come alone? Why did you bring her?"
Now, she didn't even call Bao Fang "Mom" anymore, treating her like a stranger.
"Am I your servant?" Liu Yaozong shot her a look and retorted, "Mom wants to see you!"
Bao Fang, afraid that the siblings would start arguing again, quickly took all the blame.
"That's right, I forced Yaozong to come. I just wanted… wanted to see you. I don't know if you're doing well living alone outside, if you're stressed at work, or if your colleagues are bullying you…"
"Enough."
Xia Yiran coldly turned her head to look at her. "Don't you already see if I'm doing well or not? Unloved by relatives, cast aside by them. I could have been a huge star, but now I have to participate in a local station's joint performance! And be a supporting actress for the female lead of a low-budget web series! Heh… All of this, isn't it thanks to you!"
"Yiran, I…"
Bao Fang also felt very pained for her. No matter what, she was her biological daughter. How could she not want her to do well!
Xia Yiran let out another dry laugh, her smile a little alluring. "You did so much for Xia Weiliang, and what was the result? Does she even acknowledge you? Didn't she still go to her wealthy adoptive mother? You tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice, how laughable!"
Bao Fang lowered her head, heartbroken.
Liu Yaozong couldn't stand it anymore. "Liu Yiran, that's enough! I'm bad enough, but I never thought you'd be worse than me! As of today, all of this is your own doing! What, did Mom ask you to harm her? Or to design a trap for her at a hotel? You're capable of doing such things, are you even human? Let me tell you, this is karma! In a TV drama, you're the villainous supporting character who's going to die before the finale!"
"You—get out! Get out!"
Xia Yiran was already full of grievances, and now she was being lectured by this useless brother! It felt like someone was constantly reminding her of her failures!
"Heh, you think we want to come? Mom, let's go!"
Xia Yiran moved to push them. Bao Fang's eyes welled up, and Liu Yaozong was furious. "You don't need to push us, we know how to leave! You think we want to come to this dump!"
"Get out! And my name is Xia Yiran, not Liu Yiran!"
After roaring, tears also streamed down her face. She stood there, crying uncontrollably.
Bao Fang was also heartbroken and was about to go comfort her, but her son grabbed her hand. "Mom, it's useless to say anything to her now! Do you hear me? She still insists on using the surname 'Xia'! She's even abandoned her ancestors' surname. There's no hope for someone like that!"
The two walked out of the building. Bao Fang was filled with worry, her complexion poor.
"Yaozong, go buy Mom a bottle of water. Mom is thirsty."
"Okay!"
Liu Yaozong ran to a small convenience store by the roadside to buy water. Bao Fang walked alone along the flowerbed. Feeling tired, she sat down to rest. Su Dan Novel Network
After buying a bottle of mineral water, Liu Yaozong came out of the store. He saw a crowd gathered outside, with people saying they needed to call 120. He was stunned and hurried over, "Mom? Mom!"
Bao Fang had fainted on the ground, her face ashen.
He panicked. While supporting his mother, he asked a passerby for help, "Please, call an ambulance!"
Just then, someone pushed through the crowd. "Yaozong?"
Liu Yaozong looked up. He was stunned when he saw who it was. "Are you Xia… Xia…"
"Look! It's Xia Weiliang!"
"Ah! Am I seeing things? It really is Xia Weiliang!"
"It's Niangniang! It's Niangniang!"
The crowd here exploded, snapping photos of her non-stop.
Xia Weiliang, wearing a hat and mask, ignored the onlookers. She hurried over to help lift her up. "My car is parked over there. Let's go, to the hospital!"
"Okay!"
Liu Yaozong carried his mother on his back and ran towards it. As the car door opened, Su Yuxi, who was inside, quickly helped lift her in. Without needing to ask any questions, he immediately instructed the driver to head to the hospital.
This was Liu Yaozong's first time riding in a celebrity's nanny van. He looked uneasily at Xia Weiliang. "Um… Miss Xia, thank you…"
The Liu family had done so many shameful things. Although Liu Yaozong had also benefited and thought about getting something from the Xia family, now that the matter was exposed, how could he have the face to still think about those benefits?
As the saying goes, a gentleman loves wealth obtained in a proper way!
He wasn't a gentleman, but he wasn't a scoundrel either!
Xia Weiliang looked at him. She remembered that in the world she was reborn into, the most underestimated him had actually taken the blame and gone to prison for Xia Yiran…
She sighed and shook her head, saying, "I just happened to be passing by and saw it. You don't need to think too much about it. Anyone would have come to help."
Liu Yaozong pursed his lips and said in a low voice, "Liu Yiran wouldn't have. Oh wait, she calls herself Xia Yiran now, not Liu Yiran."