Female stars in the entertainment industry, especially, have a very short bloom period. They might be immensely popular for just a few years. After their popularity wanes, sometimes they can't even land roles as the second female lead and end up playing the protagonist's mother.
Instead of engaging in fierce internal competition and endless feuds with other artists, it's better to find a good man and get married.
Therefore, marrying into a wealthy family and retiring from the industry to become a lady of leisure has always been the dream of many actresses.
Jiang Ling originally had a better chance than other actresses of marrying into a wealthy family.
This was because she was recognized as the granddaughter-in-law by the elder Mr. and Mrs. Shen, giving her a very high starting point.
However, due to a series of unexpected misfortunes, she was heavily slandered online and forced to break up with Shen Mingjue.
Now, with her extraordinary acting skills, she has returned to her peak. It's highly probable that she intends to win Shen Mingjue back, or even go straight to the registry office and become the legitimate young madam of the Shen family.
Upon hearing her greeting, so faint it was almost like addressing a stranger, Shen Mingjue felt a surge of anger, though he kept it hidden.
His gaze darkened, and he nodded slightly. "Yes, I'm here to see Yanyan. It's been a long time, how have you been?"
He emphasized the name 'Yanyan' heavily, as if trying to convey something to Jiang Ling.
The onlookers, hearing this, became even more eager to pry, their gossiping hearts burning like fire.
"Holy crap!"
"This is going somewhere!"
"This time, we might get to witness some juicy gossip."
Jiang Ling smiled charmingly, her gaze casually flicking towards An Qiuyan. She said with a grin, "I'm doing great. Eating well, sleeping soundly through the night, and not having to force my affections on someone's cold shoulder. Naturally, I'm feeling very comfortable!"
An Qiuyan's face turned green at Jiang Ling's look.
What kind of look was that?
Disdain? Contempt? Mockery?
Did she think I was a clown?
Who is the real fool here?
I am Shen Mingjue's official girlfriend, the future young madam of the Shen family.
You, Jiang Ling, are merely a discarded ex-girlfriend.
An Qiuyan's good mood, brought about by her role as Murong Xian and Shen Mingjue's personal visit, was completely ruined by Jiang Ling's dismissive and mocking gaze.
An Qiuyan bit her lip hard, wishing she could tear Jiang Ling apart.
Jiang Ling smiled again and asked, "And you, how have you been lately?"
Shen Mingjue, not noticing An Qiuyan trembling with rage, replied indifferently, "I'm doing very well. I have inexhaustible money at my disposal, and a beautiful companion by my side. With life reaching this point, what more can one say?"
Jiang Ling chuckled, "That's good. We separated so we could both live better. I didn't believe that before, but now I do. The past year since breaking up with you has been the most carefree, happy, and comfortable period of my life."
Living the happiest and most comfortable life after breaking up.
Conversely, that meant that their time together before was the most unhappy and uncomfortable.
These two were a perfect match in both looks and status. Not only did their elders not oppose their union due to their differing family backgrounds, but they actively promoted it. How did things escalate to this point?
Could it be because Jiang Ling didn't step in to protect Shen Mingjue when he was in danger?
That didn't make sense either. When Shen Mingjue was attacked, the situation was so critical that it was natural to prioritize one's own safety before protecting others.
In fact, last year when Jiang Ling was subjected to widespread online slander, many gossip-loving self-media outlets analyzed that her failure to protect him was not the root cause.
Firstly, the desire to survive is human nature.
Even spouses who share the same bed might not be able to achieve that.