Chapter 57 highlights the feeling of being trapped in a quagmire, unable to escape...

No matter who asks, when, or under what circumstances, Su Yunruo's answer is always "no."

But this question shouldn't have been asked by Lin Yuanzhou, much less in this way.

Perhaps, it wasn't just her and Han Shicheng, but also Lin Yuanzhou.

Or perhaps there are more than three people.

No, there shouldn't be any left.

Only Ruan Rourou herself approached him; both "The Legend of Yao Yue" and "The Immortal Path" were only for her. No one could resist the opportunity to make money.

Looking at it from another angle, those who can endure it are not a threat, such as Lin Yuanzhou, whose ambitions lie elsewhere, and Han Shicheng, who is easily defeated.

Once she was certain she had no enemies, Su Yunruo finally felt a little relieved.

However, he didn't dare to slack off. He almost put Hu Yang's contract termination out of his mind. During the day, he went to the "Yao Yue Zhuan" training camp to check the progress, and when he returned home, he talked to Jiang Chunrou about the investment issue of Fan Xingchen's movie.

She's so busy that she's almost forgotten that her current profession is that of a female celebrity.

Another weekend has passed, and the first episode of the training camp for "The Legend of Yao Yue" has been successfully broadcast, taking over from "Let's Travel Together" to become the most watched variety show at present.

The day after hearing Tu Jing's good news, Youqian Entertainment received an invitation to the Golden Flower Awards.

This is a local TV drama award, held every two years. Each event is a grand affair, much like the Golden Broom Awards, and is always rife with dramatic incidents, making it a subject of much attention.

Su Yunruo was nominated by the production team of the film with Hu Yang, and she was also successfully nominated for Best Actress.

She was competing with Pei Xue, as well as two other actresses of the same age.

To be fair, all three of them were excellent actors, and Su Yunruo felt like she was just there to make up the numbers when she was with them.

But there's no way around it. The organizers of the TV awards are all authoritative experts in the entertainment industry, some of whom are even titans of the performing arts. Since I've already registered, even if it becomes a hot topic of public discussion, I'll still go, just to prepare for entering the capital circle in the future.

The day after the invitations were sent out, the Golden Flower Awards officially announced all the nominated actors on Weibo.

The names Su Yunruo and Pei Xue have sparked heated discussions among netizens.

These two have finally faced off! I declare that the top-ranked rising star will be decided in this competition.

[Is this the first time Pig has been nominated for an award? Xuexue has won so many awards!]

Does anyone have the latest version of that match results chart?

[Where is the latest version needed? Su Yunruo is still at 0 status.]

[Hahahaha, isn't this just too ugly?]

I still don't understand why Su Yunruo was selected. What's the point of the dramas she's acted in?

Pei Xue's fans were very aggressive, so Su Yunruo's fans kept quiet. They were laid-back, had no fan club, and their idol really didn't have any achievements. They really didn't know what to say.

Moreover, what these people said is not wrong. If we really compare acting skills, Su Yunruo may not be better than Pei Xue, who debuted as a child star.

After all, Su Yunruo mainly acts in sweet romance dramas, which don't require much skill, while Pei Xue's ancient costume dramas feature more dramatic emotional fluctuations, showcasing her acting prowess.

*

In the days leading up to November 1st, all the hotels near the venue for the Golden Flower Awards were fully booked. The day before November 1st, the high-speed rail station and airport in S City were almost packed with people. On November 1st, the venue for the Golden Flower Awards was packed with people, and from a high place, all you could see were huge patches of color.

The colorful ones are fans, holding promotional boards with their idols' photos printed on them, wearing their idols' support colors, and anxiously waiting outside the red line.

The people in black are reporters, mostly surrounding the long red carpet on both sides, setting up their cameras and waiting for the battle to begin.

The largest patch of these colors is light blue.

Light blue is Pei Xue's support color.

After the Han Shicheng incident, Pei Xue was almost completely devastated, losing too many fans. To consolidate the fan base, the remaining members of her fan club called on everyone who could attend to give Pei Xue the best possible support.

As the start time drew closer, Weibo was buzzing with excitement.

The hottest topic among netizens right now is what Su Yunruo and Pei Xue will wear when they make their appearance.

The incident stemmed from a marketing account posting a rumor on Weibo when the list of nominees for the Golden Flower Awards had just been released: Su Yunruo might wear this dress [image].

Guessing a celebrity's outfit is normal, but this guess immediately angered Pei Xue's fans. This was because a major Pei Xue fan had already announced in their fan group that Pei Xue would be wearing this same high-fashion piece from the current season.

Things are different now. Pei Xue no longer needs to borrow dresses from wealthy women. Now she is filming "Women General," collaborating with renowned directors, and has become a brand ambassador for major brands. She wears clothing and jewelry provided by these brands in magazines and commercials, demonstrating her popularity with brands and her imminent promotion to spokesperson.

Furthermore, once that dress was exhibited at this year's Spring/Summer Fashion Week, it immediately became the focus of the entire fashion week, especially in China. Fans from all over flocked to their idols' Weibo accounts, clamoring to see their idols wear it. When a major fan said that Pei Xue would wear that dress, it raised the expectations of fans to a whole new level, basically concluding that she would be the first female celebrity in the world to wear it.

What's the deal with Su Yunruo wanting to wear it now?

Moreover, once Su Yunruo becomes the first female celebrity in the world to wear it, it means that she has begun to break into the fashion industry.

Before "Let's Travel Together" aired, everyone thought it was a pipe dream, but after it aired, things were different. Su Yunruo gave everyone the feeling that she didn't want it because she really didn't want it, rather than because she couldn't get it.

[You're not really going to wear it, are you?]

[I'm starting to worry. After all, the two of them are competing for an award tonight, and it would be terrifying if they started fighting on the red carpet.]

[Bullshit! I'm telling you right now, Su Yunruo has no chance of borrowing the current season's haute couture from the Immortal Token.]

[Industry insiders say: Su Yunruo has absolutely no connections in the fashion world. She's barely appeared in any magazines, so it's impossible for her to borrow any haute couture pieces.]

[Image] You Snow White fans, stop pretending to be rational. The vintage haute couture piece Su Yunruo wore last time was even exhibited. That was on loan to the brand. That's not fashion influence; she's a genuine high-end client of the brand. Buying haute couture decades ago—I can't even imagine what kind of family she comes from.

Pei Xue's fans had nowhere to refute her, so they changed the subject: "Let's see who dresses better tonight, her or Xue Xue!"

"Ahhhh, Xuexue's car, it's Xuexue's car."

A fan shouted, and everyone immediately looked towards the end of the red carpet, where they saw Pei Xue getting out of the car.

She wore a pale pink strapless princess dress, the fabric covered in rose shapes made of rolled tulle, with real pink and white flowers adorning the bodice. When the wind blew, delicate petals drifted down, landing on the red carpet; she looked like a flower fairy!

The key point is that this dress is exactly the one that netizens have been waiting for.

This means Su Yunruo didn't upload it at all!

Pei Xue's fans felt incredibly honored, exclaiming, "First person in the world to wear this! Xuexue is the best!"

Pei Xue smiled and waved to all the fans. When she saw an enthusiastic female fan, she put her hand to her mouth and blew her a kiss.

"Aaaaaaaahhhhh"

"Xuexue is so beautiful."

"Wife, wife, look this way!"

The red carpet battle between Su Yunruo and Pei Xue was officially declared a victory when Pei Xue appeared wearing the dress Su Yunruo was supposed to wear.

Even the live broadcast channel of the Golden Flower Awards was filled with the cheers and laughter of Pei Xue's fans after her victory.

[Hahahaha, let's see these pig-fans come out and jump around again.]

Why hasn't Su Gongzhu shown up yet? Is your sister too scared to come because she couldn't borrow a dress?

[Xuexue is the most beautiful, Xuexue is invincible! Please, fans of Zhu (a popular Chinese celebrity), stop trying to ride on her coattails. How dare you variety show personalities compare yourself to Xuexue, a top star who excels in both fashion and acting?]

Su Yunruo's fans are dissatisfied: "Everyone who tries to put Su Yunruo down before she even starts working will eventually be proven wrong. Just wait and see when Su Yunruo appears."

[You guys, you've forgotten that the strongest fighter in Su Yunruo's family is actually me, right? "Let's Travel Together" is over?]

[The reason Su Yunruo doesn't have a fan club—she never cares about fans, she directly challenges the idol herself. Just look at Zhou Kantian and Han Shicheng.]

Amidst the heated argument in the live stream, Su Yunruo finally arrived late.

Because Hu Yang was also nominated for Best Actor this time, and the two were from the same drama, the organizers arranged for them to enter the venue together.

Hu Yang got out of the car first, wearing a black suit that fit his body well. The suit was made of wool and silk, and under the sunlight, it showed a low-key and deep water ripple pattern.

Su Yunruo got out of the car behind him, wearing a white top and black bottom fishtail skirt. It wasn't particularly fancy; it was just plain fabric without any patterns, relying entirely on the black and white to create the silhouette. Fortunately, her tall figure made her a perfect clothes hanger, and her fair skin made her look good in anything.

However, the viewers in the live stream were still greatly disappointed.

【？？？？】

[I thought she would wear the exact same dress as Pei Xue. Was it altered at the last minute?]

[Su Yunruo never said she wanted to wear Pei Xue's dress. I found it strange from the moment that marketing account started spreading rumors. The style of that dress clearly didn't suit Su Yunruo. Whether it was her occasional red carpet appearances or variety show appearances, her style never aligned with the "princess/fairy" aesthetic.]

[A tall girl shares her experience: We might have dreamed of wearing princess dresses like princesses, but it turns out that being too tall makes princess-style outfits look particularly odd. Su Yunruo is at least 175cm tall, and marketing accounts keep leading everyone to believe she'll wear the exact same dress as Pei Xue—judge for yourselves.]

Is Su Yunruo wearing another vintage dress?

[I think so, this woman's wardrobe is quite amazing.]

[Family! This is unbelievable! Su Yunruo's dress was a special offer from the bridal shop! I'm dying of laughter!]

【Um? ? ? 】

[Another bridal shop? Couldn't you just say the dresses aren't from a high-end brand? Do you have to use bridal shops to prove something's low-class? What did bridal shops ever do to you? If you look down on bridal shops so much, can you please not get married or go to a bridal shop in the future?]

I've searched the entire fashion world and never seen her dress before; there isn't even one with a similar design.

Hahahahaha

#Special Offer from Su Yunruo Wedding Dress Shop# became a trending topic.

Even the designer who had previously spoken up for Su Yunruo has now admitted that he has never seen Su Yunruo's dress before.

However, the designer also said that Su Yunruo's dress was beautifully cut, and even if it wasn't a big brand, the stylist's skill was quite remarkable.

Unfortunately, the second half of the sentence was ignored, while the first half was screenshotted and combined with Su Yunruo's appearance and spread around.

As a result, more and more passersby paid attention to the dress, and the label of "Su Yunruo couldn't afford a formal dress, so she wore a dress specially supplied by a wedding dress shop" was immediately attached to her mind.

But as the pictures were shared, they spread wider and wider, and as more people saw them, more and more different opinions arose.

Because some netizens found that this dress was strangely beautiful.

The classic black and white color scheme, with the silk fabric adding depth to the colors, is captivating at first glance. Then, notice the silhouette created by the layered white fabric on the upper body, with its rounded curves and folds forming petal shapes, lively and elegant, truly becoming more and more appealing with each viewing.

After the red carpet event ended, netizens' attention was completely drawn to who would win the grand prize, and they no longer paid attention to the dress.

...

Inside the theater, almost all the actors were seated.

Pei Xue silently watched Su Yunruo diagonally in front of her.

Su Yunruo sat with the crew members, with Hu Yang next to her. The two of them would occasionally cover their mouths and whisper to each other.

Hu Yang could see himself clearly by turning his head to the side, but he never actually looked at him.

Thinking back to that night when he had barely opened the door a crack before slamming it shut and calling the director to personally take her away, Pei Xue felt a vague sense of displeasure.

Although she didn't like Hu Yang, she was still somewhat resentful of being turned away.

On what grounds should he refuse?

They even insisted on terminating the contract, paying compensation, and leaving because of this incident.

It's as if they treat her like some kind of monster.

But ironically, Hu Yang and Su Yunruo have such a good relationship.

Pei Xue has always been competitive since she was a child. If someone tells her that she is inferior to someone else, she will hold a grudge for the rest of her life and will not rest until she has performed better than that person.

Her struggle with Su Yunruo was still unresolved, and now another chapter has been added.

The opening music of the Golden Flower Awards brought Pei Xue back to her senses, and she began to think about how she would beat Su Yunruo in today's Best Actress competition and win back a point.

But I can't feel happy.

With too many things on my mind and a depressed mood, I couldn't concentrate. The days dragged on as I waited for the opening remarks, guest performances, and various awards for the TV series... Finally, the winner of the Best Actress award was announced.

The two presenters came out from backstage; the previous year's Best Actor and Actress were both close friends of Pei Xue in the industry.

At that moment, Pei Xue secretly glanced at Su Yunruo, hoping to see Su Yunruo's nervous expression, but Su Yunruo remained calm and showed no sign of expecting to win the award.

Just then, his face appeared on the big screen, and he quickly looked away.

After this brief moment of distraction, the two presenters finally finished their tantalizing remarks and announced the results.

The winner of the Best Actress award at the 25th Golden Flower Awards is—

The screen displays the faces of four actresses in a loop.

Suddenly, the screen froze.

"Pei Xue!"

Pei Xue knew what it looked like to cry tears of joy, so she acted it out, lifting her skirt and walking onto the stage.

She recited her prepared acceptance speech in front of everyone.

Looking down at the audience, her gaze fell on Su Yunruo, who was also looking at her with a faint smile, showing no sign of jealousy.

...

There was a banquet after the Golden Flower Awards.

The entertainment industry is a place where connections matter. While audiences pay attention to awards ceremonies, actors are more interested in expanding their networks and finding new collaboration opportunities at banquets.

Pei Xue won an award, which naturally attracted attention. She and her agent went out to socialize, and she also received some collaboration invitations.

No matter where they went, they never saw Su Yunruo and Hu Yang.

Pei Xue was curious, but she had no choice but to continue socializing. After going around once, her ankles ached from the high heels, and she was almost exhausted. She could only drag her legs to the balcony to rest for a while.

Winter has arrived, and the wind is cool, making my shoulders feel chilly.

"I thought knocking on doors was something only made up when fans were teasing each other, but I didn't expect it to actually happen. Why did she knock on your door?"

A familiar voice suddenly rang in my ears.

Pei Xue was immediately startled and listened intently.

The man replied, "At first I thought she was trying to pick me up."

"And now?"

“She’s trying to frame me.” He paused. “I don’t understand. She’s using her own reputation…Isn’t the word ‘reputation’ a good one? I feel like she’s using her own reputation to ruin mine, to make everyone think that I have something going on with her, and once that gets out, I won’t be the clean Hu Yang in the eyes of my fans anymore.”

"Hahaha, you still care so much about what your fans think."

"My fans are my bread and butter. If I do anything to make them unhappy, I'm committing a crime."

Pei Xue couldn't help but laugh. She didn't have much contact with Hu Yang, and only knew that he was a rare male actor in the industry who didn't have any scandals or get close to women. She didn't expect that he didn't do these things because he really cared about his fans.

"Then why are you still insisting on terminating the contract? Your fans must be unhappy."

"I'm just the tallest among the short," Hu Yang said righteously. "I'm just living off my female fans' benefits, and I would rather die than let them down. You can't understand that either, can you?"

"As you are involved, any reaction is correct as long as you don't commit murder or arson."

Pei Xue was stunned.

Su Yunruo is not as lacking in emotional intelligence as she appears on variety shows; at least when she talks to Hu Yang, she can provide emotional value.

The two continued to chat in hushed tones.

What are your plans next?

"Losing money, lying down and taking the blame, and watching other scripts."

Have you considered another issue?

"What?"

“I haven’t met Pei Xue, but I’ve heard from others that she’s similar to you, a super workaholic, and unlikely to date for the sake of her career.” Su Yunruo’s voice was very soft. “Besides, she wouldn’t be stupid enough to knock on a door like that. Or let me put it another way, who do you think would be the first to know if someone knocks on a door?”

“I knew she would be seen by others on her way here, even paparazzi cameras were hanging outside the window. That night I was initially frightened, but after calming down and thinking it over carefully, I roughly guessed that someone was setting me up.” He paused, “There aren’t many people who can manipulate Pei Xue, not even a handful in the entire industry, so I think I’ve offended someone. Then I learned from the director that the male lead might be replaced by Zhou Kantian, so I…”

Hu Yang hesitated, then Su Yunruo continued, "You guess this is Lin Yuanzhou's signal to you, telling you to know your place and leave. You don't dare offend the Han Group, so you've decided to suffer in silence."

"Um."

Pei Xue was shocked. She had indeed been forced to do this that day, but she had always thought that Hu Yang was in a hurry to terminate the contract and leave in order to avoid her. She did not expect that the other party had already guessed the truth behind the surface.

"Actually, this was a huge loss. Pei Xue is a peer actress in the industry who is worth working with right now."

"Aren't you angry that she won the award?"

Hu Yang's voice was noticeably more relaxed, even with a hint of laughter.

"Why should I be angry? She's a professionally trained actress with a lot of experience. My acting skills are just not as good as hers." Su Yunruo thought for a moment, "If only she would hire fewer online trolls. Because of them, I get dragged to company meetings every day, and our Secretary Jiang keeps nagging me about it."

"They're probably still afraid you'll take their jobs. The situation for actresses is indeed dire; they have to fight for every opportunity."

"Yeah, I think I can understand."

The two ended their conversation there and went back to their social engagements.

After being exposed to the cold wind for so long, Pei Xue's arms were so cold they were almost numb.

She stiffly returned from the balcony to the venue, found a place to sit down and calmed herself down for a long time before she realized from the conversation between the two that Su Yunruo was not sad at all about missing out on the Best Actress award, and did not even question her winning the award.

Pei Xue disliked her even more. In the fiercely competitive industry, Su Yunruo insisted on being a pure and innocent person, getting so much without competing or fighting, which was very annoying.

"Sister Xuexue, where did you go? I've been looking for you for ages."

Pei Xue heard her agent's voice from the side. She turned around and saw her hurriedly sitting down next to her, clutching her phone.

"Something terrible has happened."

Pei Xue's heart tightened, and she couldn't even utter a question about what important matter it was.

"Zhou Kantian invited you to dinner tonight."

The moment the name Zhou Kantian appeared, Pei Xue's nerves tensed instantly. She placed her hands on her knees and clenched her skirt, creating a spiral pattern.

"Xuexue..."

Zhou Kantian.

Zhou Kantian!

Pei Xue trembled uncontrollably. An uncontrollable impulse surged from her heart to her throat. She opened her mouth, but could not speak. She swallowed it back, and the sound swelled and grew in her lungs, making her feel like she was about to explode.

"Xuexue, Zhou Kantian is a very unreliable person. Maybe we should just ignore him."

"..."

"Xuexue?"

Pei Xue struggled to her feet, supporting herself on her knees, and looked into the distance. She saw Su Yunruo and Hu Yang talking to some senior figures in the entertainment industry.

Su Yunruo probably had never experienced such a difficult situation as her.

She always has such good fortune.

This only served to highlight how wretched she was, trapped in the mud and unable to struggle.