Lu Yanbei's revenge came swiftly and intensely.
The very next morning, Song Yan's company began receiving notices of contract cancellations from numerous partners. All the marketing materials featuring Song Yan were immediately withdrawn.
What Song Yan found hardest to accept was that these partners chose other actresses, who followed a similar career path to hers, as their new endorsers – many of whom she had previously mocked. Now, with those resources falling into the hands of her rivals, she had become a complete joke in the industry.
Her agent initially tried to salvage the situation, but the company's high-level executives, afraid of offending Lu Yanbei, quickly abandoned her. Without the backing of her company, Song Yan's chances of a comeback were virtually nonexistent.
The company withdrew her agent, assistant, and driver. Song Yan was now nothing.
Just then, Song Yan's family members showed up.
"You're not getting any younger. You've been with Lu Jingyang for so many years, it's time to get married, isn't it?"
"Exactly! Lu Jingyang is already divorced, so you can marry him."
Song Yan's mother and elder sister bombarded her with their demands, making the already distraught Song Yan increasingly anxious. "I broke up with him. It's impossible!"
"Why? He was so good to you! He bought you jewelry, houses, and designer bags." Song's mother was bewildered.
Song Yan felt too ashamed to tell them that Lu Jingyang wasn't actually Lu's family's child and had no connection to the affluent Lu family. She vaguely replied, "We broke up because we weren't compatible. What more reason do you need!"
"You child, why are you so headstrong! It's hard to find a man with such good conditions as Lu Jingyang!" Song's mother said anxiously.
However, Song Yan's elder sister, Song Qian, sensed something amiss. "Don't tell me... he dumped you and found someone new?"
Song Yan faltered and remained silent. Let them think whatever they wanted; she was too tired to explain.
Her silence immediately confirmed Song Qian's suspicion. "How could he do this to you! You were with him for five years, dating him since college. You wasted five years of your youth on him, and now he doesn't want you?"
Song's mother chimed in, "Is that so? He's too irresponsible! No, I must go and settle this with him!"
"Please stop, okay? I'm so annoyed!" Song Yan pretended to object. Lu Jingyang hadn't been answering her calls these past few days, and she was already worried about it. If her mother and sister could find him and force him to see her, perhaps there was still a chance.
With that thought, Song Yan became a drama queen, detailing how Lu Jingyang had broken her heart and betrayed her feelings. Hearing this, Song's mother and Song Qian were furious and rushed out the door.
Although they didn't know where Lu Jingyang lived, they had his phone number saved.
Lu Jingyang hesitated for a few seconds when he saw an unknown number calling before pressing the answer button. To his surprise, as soon as he picked up, he was met with a barrage of groundless scolding.
"Do you have any conscience, boy? My daughter has been with you for five years, and now you kick her aside for someone else? Are you even human?"
"My sister suffered so much for you! Now you're abandoning her, isn't that like pushing her to her death?"
The caller babbled on, bombarding him with complaints, leaving Lu Jingyang completely confused. When they finally tired themselves out and demanded that he break up with his current girlfriend and win back Song Yan, Lu Jingyang slowly came to his senses. "Who are you?"
The other party paused, then launched into another round of impolite curses. "Who am I? I'm Song Yan's mother!"
"You bullied my daughter, and you don't even know who we are! You're too much!"
Lu Jingyang's head ached from the noise. For the first time, he said with a cold expression, "Please understand, it wasn't me who wanted to break up with her; she insisted on ending it!"
As for the reason for the breakup, Lu Jingyang didn't even want to mention it. He refused to admit that the years Song Yan spent with him were solely because of his identity as Young Master Lu. Upon learning that he had no blood relation to the Lu family, Song Yan decisively chose to part ways, which severely trampled on his pride. In the end, Song Yan didn't love him, but his status. How ridiculous it was that he had been so heartbroken over such a vain woman!
"What did you say? Song Yan proposed the breakup? Impossible! She loves you so much!" Song Qian exclaimed, her voice rising in disbelief.
"That's the truth. Don't call again in the future." Lu Jingyang hung up the phone. He was already heartbroken, and being smeared with such mud made him feel even worse. How had he been so infatuated and deluded by Song Yan back then!
"Mom, how dare he hang up on me!" Song Qian stomped her feet in anger. She was Song Yan's own sister, his nominal elder sister!
Song's mother was also furious. However, when she tried to call back to curse him again, she found that she couldn't get through.
"He blocked us!" Song Qian said hatefully. "This man is truly scum!"
The mother and daughter wandered around the streets for a while before returning dejectedly to Song Yan's residence.
"How was it? Will he come to see me?" Song Yan eagerly greeted them upon their return.
"Don't even mention it! He wouldn't even answer the phone!" Song Qian sat back on the sofa, annoyed.
Song's mother cursed Lu Jingyang a few times, then looked at Song Yan suspiciously. "Tell me honestly, who broke up with whom?"
Song Yan's eyes flickered, and she lowered her head. "Didn't I tell you? He wanted to break up."
"But from his tone, it sounded like you were the one who wanted to break up?" Song's mother wasn't favoring outsiders, but she found it very strange. If Lu Jingyang had initiated the breakup, why would he have any difficulty admitting it? As a young master from a prominent family, why would he lie to her?
Song Yan became annoyed by the questioning. "Is that what he told you?"
"Lu Jingyang wouldn't lie, would he?" Song's mother still felt something was amiss.
"Heh, what can a man with a changed heart not do!" Song Yan could only cover her guilt with anger.
Song Qian's focus was elsewhere. "When you broke up, did he give you any compensation?"
Song Yan gave her a strange look. "Why are you asking this?"
"You were with him for five years, you can't just let it go! You have to ask him for compensation for your wasted youth!" Song Qian was a pragmatic egoist and felt that Lu Jingyang owed Song Yan. "You can't have just let him sleep with you for free!"
"Take us to him now, or we'll sue him," Song Qian said, pulling Song Yan to leave.
Song Yan, pushed to her limit by them, finally confessed the truth. "I dumped him. Can you please stop interfering?"
"Are you out of your mind!" Song Qian looked at her as if she were an idiot. "You don't want such an excellent catch! You were on the verge of marrying into a wealthy family, and you caused a breakup!"
Song's mother also grumbled, criticizing her for not being good at calculating her gains.
"Enough!" Song Yan, annoyed by their nagging, couldn't help but shout. "What wealthy family! He's not even Lu's child! The real Young Master Lu is only Lu Yanbei!"
"What?"
"Explain yourself!"
Under the relentless questioning of the Song mother and daughter, Song Yan had no choice but to reveal Lu Jingyang's true background. After hearing it, the Song mother and daughter were stunned into silence.