Chapter 19: Believe It or Not

Sister Manman, are you angry? Jiang Xiaoyan also stood up and locked eyes with her, the corners of her eyes drooping, those doe‑like eyes seeming to glisten with tears, "I can get my dad to give you a better endorsement than Blue Moisture Perfume, far better."

"…"

Is this charity?

Damn Jiang Xiaoyan, you don't think you're the only one with a backer and a dad, do you???

In Mu Zhihan's eyes, your Jiang Family is just a poor household—what are you showing off for?

Sis, what's this? This is low‑key, this is steady—you don't have my beauty like flowers, you don't have my grace and orchid heart.

I really should bring Miao Miao out to duel her, not bite Jiang Xiaoyan this street‑fighter—then she'd lose.

Thinking, Shen Xingman felt sitting here was really awkward, "No thanks, thank you."

She wanted to leave, but Qiao Yun secretly stopped her.

Ten minutes later, she sent a WeChat.

【Baby, sorry, I really didn't expect Jiang Xiaoyan to come!!! Totally out of the blue, she wasn't on the invite list. She's deliberately come here to piss you off】

【12】 【Probably from now on, we'll have nothing to do with any brand under the Jiang Family】

【13】 【And I really didn't expect it either—Blue Moisture Perfume is already tangled with Jiang Xiaoyan's dad, just speechless】

【14】 Shen Xingman glanced at it and replied: 【It's fine, baby】

【15】 Then she raised her phone, decisively stood up: "Let's go."

【16】 "…"

【17】 Qiao Yun's mind went blank at that moment.

【18】 Jiang's father didn't try to keep her, just slowly said two words: "Wait."

【19】 His voice carried immense pressure, his face stern, as if forged from cold iron.

【20】 "Do you, Miss Shen, have any news about today's Weibo incident?"

【21】 With an air of interrogating a crime.

【22】 Especially the way he looked at Shen Xingman, it felt like looking down on ants.

【23】 His expression was roughly like this: you, Shen Xingman, are just a low‑class actor who can't get on stage; in front of us old‑money capitalists, you have no dignity. The only reason I'm entertaining you now is because I think highly of you, giving you a bit of face—don't push your luck.

【24】 "I know about this." Shen Xingman suddenly sat down again.

【25】 Anyway, no one's going to eat this meal in peace today.

【26】 You say, come on, you say, you keep talking, let's see what nonsense you can spout.

【27】 "I don't know the rules of your circle, but I heard from Jiang Xiaoyan's agent that you hired a water army to smear her on Weibo because of resource issues."

【28】 Qiao Yun: "?"

【29】 Turning the tables??? Where's your face??? Where's your face???

【30】 "Oh, this matter," Shen Xingman leisurely rested her chin, her lips unmoving as a curve appeared, "No water army hired—it was fans cursing."

【31】 Qiao Yun: "?"

【32】 Baby, ancestor, this isn't a place to mess around—if we really can't, we'll just swallow our anger; talking like this will only hurt you.

【33】 Although the Jiang Family isn't the wealthiest or most powerful clan in Yun City, it's not something ordinary people like them can provoke.

【34】 There have been rumors before that any female star who offended Jiang Xiaoyan gets blacklisted eight or nine times out of ten.

【35】 Qiao Yun was a little scared…

【36】 "Ah, Dad, it's fine, I can endure it." Jiang Xiaoyan coquettishly said.

【37】 On the surface this shows her sensibility and obedience, but it also subtly hints to Jiang's father: yes, it's her fans cursing me.

【38】 Jiang Xiaoyan stayed up all night fuming over Shen Xingman's red‑carpet hot search, so when she learned the Blue Moisture brand valued Shen Xingman highly, she twisted her dad's arm to back her up, vowing to steal her endorsement.

【39】 She was determined to ruin Shen Xingman's fashion career.

【40】 "You, apologize," Jiang's father sat upright, commanding in a lofty tone, "If you can't control your fans, you must pay the price."

【41】 Listen, this reason is so lame.

【42】 It's not a superior‑subordinate relation, and fans still use "control"?

【43】 Clearly those "sparkling" fans are so adorable, how could Shen Xingman bear to blame them?

【44】 "Why should I apologize?" Shen Xingman lazily lifted her eyelids, her peach‑blossom eyes shimmering, "She deserves it."

【45】 Qiao Yun's expression looked like she'd eaten shit.

【46】 Baby, don't talk nonsense!!!

【47】 Jiang's father frowned sharply, "What did you say?"

【48】 Shen Xingman pursed her lips at Jiang Xiaoyan, the smile on her face could be described as absolute beauty, "I say, her virtue doesn't match her position—she deserves to be cursed."

【49】 Jiang's father thought highly of himself, used to people nodding and bowing to him, so seeing Shen Xingman dare to defy him to his face, his angry expression held a hint of disbelief.

【50】 "Surname Shen, do you know what you're saying?"

【51】 He can't lose prestige in front of his daughter, nor face in front of his subordinates.

【52】 "Manman, stay calm, stay calm—this person we can't afford to offend!" Qiao Yun lowered her voice to Shen Xingman's ear.

【53】 She knows Manman is stubborn, but didn't expect her to be this stubborn.

【54】 It gives the impression… she's got a trump card, oh no, it's a feeling.

【55】 "It's fine, I'm not afraid."

【56】 Frankly, Shen Xingman doesn't even put the Jiang Family in her sights—apologizing? Impossible, never in this lifetime, she's done nothing wrong, da meme da meme yo.

【57】 "Didn't your daughter just say she could endure it?" Shen Xingman still rested her chin, speaking slowly, smiling brightly, "Right, Xiaoyan?"

【58】 Forgive Qiao Yun's bluntness, that little glance really deserves a beating.

【59】 And the two words "Xiaoyan" sound so… awkward, goosebumps all over.

【60】 "Nonsense, Xiaoyan is my Jiang Family's only daughter—how can you let her be bullied at will?"

I'm afraid from now on, we'll have no connection whatsoever with any brand under the Jiang Family.

And I never expected that Blue Moisture Perfume would be tied to Jiang Xiaoyan's dad — I'm speechless.

Shen Xingman glanced over and replied, "It's fine, treasure."

Then she picked up her phone, decisively stood up, and said, "Let's just go."

"……"

Qiao Yun's mind went blank at that moment.

Jiang's father didn't try to stop them, merely saying slowly, "Wait."

His voice carried immense pressure, his face stern, as if forged from raw iron.

"May I ask if Miss Shen has heard about today's Weibo incident?"

With an air of confronting and accusing.

Especially his gaze toward Shen Xingman held a feeling of contempt for ants.

His expression was roughly like this: you, Shen Xingman, are just a lowly performer unfit for the stage; before us old-line capitalists, you have no dignity whatsoever. The only reason I'm entertaining you now is because I think highly of you, giving you a modicum of courtesy—don't push your luck.

"I know about this." Shen Xingman suddenly sat down again.

Anyway, nobody's going to enjoy this meal in peace today.

"Come on, speak up, keep talking—I want to see what nonsense you can spout."

"I don't know the rules of your circle, but I heard from Xiaoyan's agent that you hired a navy to insult her on Weibo because of resource issues."

Qiao Yun: "?"

"Turning the tables? Where's your face? Where's your face?"

"Oh, this matter," Shen Xingman said leisurely, resting her chin, lips curving without a change in expression, "I didn't hire a navy; it was the fans who cursed her."

Qiao Yun: "?"

"Treasure, goodness gracious, this isn't a place to act recklessly; if we really can't handle it, we should just swallow our anger—talking tough like this will only put us at a disadvantage."

"Although the Jiang Family isn't the wealthiest or most powerful clan in Yun City, it's still not something ordinary people like them can provoke."

"There have been rumors before that any female star who offended Jiang Xiaoyan would almost certainly be blacklisted."

Qiao Yun was a little afraid…

"Oh Dad, it's fine, I can endure it." Jiang Xiaoyan said coquettishly.

On the surface, this shows her being sensible and well-behaved, but it also subtly hints to her father: yes, it's her fans who are cursing me.

Jiang Xiaoyan stayed up all night fuming over Shen Xingman's red-carpet hot search, so when she learned that the Blue Moisture Perfume brand highly valued Shen Xingman, she stubbornly pressed her father to back her up, vowing to steal Shen Xingman's endorsement at all costs.

She was determined to ruin Shen Xingman's fashion career.

"You, apologize," Jiang's father said, sitting upright, commanding Shen Xingman in a lofty tone, "If you can't control your fans, you must pay the price."

"Listen, what a fantastic excuse."

"It's not even a superior-subordinate relationship, yet they use the word 'manage'?"

"Those 'sparkling' fans are so adorable—how could Shen Xingman possibly bear to blame them?"

"Why should I apologize?" Shen Xingman lazily lifted her eyelids, her peach-blossom eyes shimmering, "She deserves it."

Qiao Yun's expression looked like she'd eaten feces.

"Treasure, don't talk nonsense!!!"

Jiang's father furrowed his brows sharply, "What did you say?"

Shen Xingman pursed her lips at Jiang Xiaoyan, her smile breathtakingly beautiful, "I'm saying she lacks virtue for her position—she deserves to be cursed."

Jiang's father held himself in high esteem, accustomed to others nodding and bowing to him, so seeing Shen Xingman dare to defy him to his face left his angry expression mixed with disbelief.

"Surname Shen, do you know what you're saying?"

"He cannot lose his dignity in front of his daughter, nor can he lose face before his subordinates."

"Manman, stay calm, stay calm—we can't afford to offend this person!" Qiao Yun whispered in Shen Xingman's ear.

She knew Manman was tough, but she hadn't expected her to be this tough.

It gave the impression… that she had hidden cards—oh no, it was a feeling.

"It's fine, I'm not afraid."

"To be honest, Shen Xingman truly doesn't regard the Jiang Family as anything; apologizing is out of the question—she could never do it in this lifetime, since she hasn't done anything wrong, blah blah blah."

"Didn't your daughter just say she could endure it?" Shen Xingman continued, chin propped, speaking slowly, her smile bright and lovely, "Right, Xiaoyan?"

"Forgive my bluntness, Qiao Yun, but that little glance of yours really begs for a punch."

"And the way 'Xiaoyan' sounds—so awkward… it gives me goosebumps."

"Nonsense, Xiaoyan is the Jiang Family's only daughter—how could I let you bully her at will?"

Shen Xingman got sulky: "She's your child, not mine—why should I put up with her?"

Jiang Father's eyes turned dead-fish with anger.

Shen Xingman kept adding fuel to the fire: "Oh, could it be that the entertainment industry is your family's business?"

Jiang Xiaoyan stared, stunned—she never expected Shen Xingman to have the gall to stand up to her father like that.

The others also broke into a sweat for this daring girl.

But no one spoke up for her, knowing what happens when you offend the Jiang family.

"Come, throw her out!" He slammed the table, his glare furious: "Don't even look—this is no place for trash like you. You're dirtying my eyes."

"Dad, don't be angry—can we talk nicely?" Jiang Xiaoyan coaxed in a sweet voice.

"Shen, I'm telling you: you can still regret this now, or else once you walk out that door, I have plenty of ways to make it impossible for you to stay in the entertainment industry."

After a pause he added: "Believe it or not, I, Jiang Minghai, always keep my word."

Shen Xingman uncrossed her legs, rose slowly, lips curling: "You're the one who should regret it—your Blue Moisture Perfume just lost an excellent spokesperson."

Jiang Minghai laughed, a sarcastic laugh.