Chapter 29
The day Ye Sisi signed the contract for "Hello, Mom," she felt like she was floating on air.
As she walked out of the production company building, she deliberately stood at the entrance for a while, asking her assistant to take several more photos.
In the photo, she holds the script, smiling brightly, with the company's prominent logo in the background. She wants everyone to see that this role is hers.
"Post it on Weibo now," she instructed her assistant.
"The copy should read, 'Grateful to have met you, Song Yun, hello.'"
The assistant hesitated for a moment: "Sister Sisi, isn't this a bit too hasty? Jiang Xueru was just replaced..."
Ye Sisi glanced at her, a smug smile playing on her lips. "What's the rush? Isn't the entertainment industry all about talent? I got the role because of my own ability."
The comment section exploded within ten minutes of the Weibo post being published.
[Sisi is going to act in Director Chen's new movie?! That's amazing!]
[Wasn't it rumored that Jiang Xueru was in talks for the role of Song Yun?]
It seems our Sisi is the real powerhouse!
Of course, there were dissenting voices, but they were quickly suppressed by online trolls and fans controlling the comments.
Ye Sisi scrolled through the comments, feeling extremely pleased with herself.
Over the years, what she hated most was being compared to Jiang Xueru.
Jiang Xueru is the legitimate eldest daughter of the Ye family, but she is an illegitimate child who cannot be brought into the light.
Jiang Xueru won the Best Actress award at the age of nineteen, and after so many years she is still playing roles in idol dramas.
Even when Jiang Xueru falls to rock bottom, people still remember her fondly. No matter how hard she tries, people still say she "rose to power because of her looks."
But things are different now.
What good is Jiang Xueru's audition performance?
What difference does it make if Director Chen admires her?
In the end, it was Ye Sisi who got the role.
This is reality.
"I'm going to the mall. I want to buy some new clothes to celebrate."
She spent a six-figure sum at a luxury store, and every single item was the latest seasonal design.
The sales assistant's fawning smile made her even more arrogant.
See, as long as you have money and power, everyone will fawn over you.
The good news doesn't stop there.
The day after the news was officially announced, her agent received a series of business offers.
She has been invited to be the spokesperson for two high-end skincare products, the ambassador for a luxury jewelry brand, and three guest appearances on variety shows.
In the conference room, contracts were spread all over the table. Ye Sisi sat in the main seat with her legs crossed, twirling a pen in her hand, a smile she couldn't hide on her lips.
"Sign them all." She said casually.
After thinking for a moment, he added, "Raise the price by another 20%, and say that my schedule is very full right now."
The agent hesitated, "Sisi, these brands used to prefer artists with a good reputation like Jiang Xueru. Would it be...unfavorable for us to suddenly raise our prices?"
"Jiang Xueru?"
Ye Sisi interrupted, scoffing, "What does she have left now? A whole bunch of scandals. She even managed to snatch the roles she had in hand from me. These brands are the best at reading the winds; they know who to choose."
She picked up the jewelry brand's contract and tapped the words "brand ambassador" with her fingertip: "Tell them that if they're sincere enough, I want a spokesperson, not an ambassador."
The assistant whispered a reminder: "Jiang Xueru has been the brand ambassador for this brand before, and her contract still has three months left."
"Then let them terminate the contract early. I'll pay the penalty. I want everyone to know that I can take anything that belongs to Jiang Xueru."
That afternoon, Ye Sisi made a high-profile appearance in an interview with a fashion magazine.
In front of the camera, she wore the latest haute couture, her makeup was exquisite, and she smiled brightly when talking about her new role.
"It is an honor to work with Director Chen. The role of Song Yun is very challenging, and I will do my best."
She paused, then added meaningfully, "Actually, in the acting profession, besides acting skills, mindset is also very important. You have to be able to wait and seize your own opportunities."
After the interview was published, "Ye Sisi talks about the mindset of actors" quickly became a trending topic.
In the comments section, her fans were celebrating wildly:
Sisi is right! What's yours is yours!
[Some people's fans, stop being so sour. In the entertainment industry, everyone relies on their own abilities, okay?]
Ye Sisi was in a great mood as she scrolled through the comments.
Arrogant?
Yes, somewhat.
But she has the right to be arrogant.
A week later is Ye Sisi's birthday.
A month earlier, Ye Shengren had his secretary inform her that she would be having a family dinner at the old house on her birthday.
Ye Sisi's eyes lit up when she received the message.
A family dinner! Ye Shengren actually took the initiative to prepare a family dinner for her!
This is unprecedented.
In previous years, Ye Shengren would at most send a text message or have his secretary deliver a gift for her birthday. Preparing a family banquet in such a solemn manner was something Jiang Xueru had only experienced when she was a child.
At that time, she felt that God was on her side, and that she was even going to replace Jiang Xueru in the Ye family.
And now, she has completely surpassed Jiang Xueru in her career.
For the next few days, Ye Sisi was in high spirits.
She made a high-profile appearance and made numerous comments at the "Hello, Mom" production team, interfering with the director and screenwriter and demanding script changes and additional scenes.
Director Chen looked grim, but due to pressure from the investors, he could only endure it.
Ye Sisi became even more convinced that in this circle, capital was king.
Acting skills and reputation are all meaningless.
The day of my birthday has finally arrived.
On her birthday, Ye Sisi started preparing from the morning.
She booked the most expensive beauty salon for a full-body treatment and hired a top stylist who spent three hours doing her hair and makeup.
Finally, she changed into the haute couture gown that she had specially flown in from Paris. It was covered in rhinestones and shimmered as she walked, as if she were wearing the entire starry sky.
Before leaving the house, she stood in front of the full-length mirror for a long time. The person in the mirror was beautiful and radiant, full of pride and satisfaction.
This is how she should be.
The true eldest daughter of the Ye family, a rising star in the entertainment industry.
"Mom looks like a princess today," Fang Ran whispered as she stood at the door, clutching her doll.
Ye Sisi was in a rare good mood, so she squatted down and ruffled his hair: "Be good at home, and Mom will bring you a cake when she comes back."
She didn't bring Fang Ran; this was a moment for her alone, and she didn't need anyone to share it with, not even her own son.
The Ye family's old house is located halfway up a mountain in the west of the city. As the car drove into the tree-lined road, the setting sun was slowly sinking into the distant mountains.
Ye Sisi watched the scenery flash by outside the window, her heart beating slightly faster.
She remembered the first time her mother brought her here when she was a child.
They hid behind the tree, looking at the magnificent carved iron gate. The mother pointed inside and said, "Sisi, one day, we will walk in with our heads held high."
Today, she did it.
The car stopped in front of the main house.
Ye Sisi took a deep breath, put on her most appropriate and elegant smile, and got out of the car.
However, the scene at the doorway stunned her.
The gate was tightly closed.
It wasn't a normal closure, but a heavily guarded, tightly closed one. The heavy, carved wooden door was locked, and even the security guards who usually stood on both sides were nowhere to be seen.
Ye Sisi's smile froze. She stepped forward and rang the doorbell.
There was no response.
Press again.
There was still no movement.
The autumn wind was bleak, making her skirt flutter.
Ye Sisi stood outside the tightly closed door and suddenly felt a little cold.
"What's going on?" she muttered to herself, taking out her phone to call Ye Shengren's secretary.
The phone rang for a long time before it was answered.
"Secretary Wang, I've arrived at the door, but it's locked. Where's the security guard?"
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone. Secretary Wang's voice sounded somewhat troubled: "Ms. Sisi, the chairman said he is not feeling well today, so the family dinner has been canceled."
Ye Sisi's voice instantly rose, "It's canceled?! Why didn't anyone tell me?!"
"I'm sorry, I thought I had already notified you..."
"I'm right at the door! Let Dad answer the phone!"
"The chairman is not available to answer the phone."
Ye Sisi was so angry that she trembled all over.
She hung up the phone, but refused to give up and kept ringing the doorbell, each time harder than the last.
"Dad! It's me! Open the door!"
"I know you're in there! Open the door!"
Only the wind responded to her.
Ye Sisi stood outside the door, looking at the house she had longed for for over twenty years, and suddenly felt incredibly ironic.
She was wearing her most expensive dress and her most exquisite makeup, standing there like a fool, unable to even get through the door.
Why?
She clearly defeated Jiang Xueru and proved that she was better than that so-called young lady, so why wouldn't Ye Shengren even let her in the door?
I'm not reconciled.
Ye Sisi gritted her teeth and started calling other people in the Ye family she could contact, but the responses were either "not convenient" or the calls were hung up directly.
The sky gradually darkened.
The late autumn night was bitterly cold. Ye Sisi, wearing a thin dress, had lips that turned purple from the cold. She paced back and forth, hugging her arms, her mind a jumbled mess.
Finally, she thought of someone: Lao Li, Ye Shengren's old driver.
Old Li worked for the Ye family for thirty years, watched her grow up, and used to secretly give her candy.
She dialed Old Li's number, her voice trembling with tears: "Uncle Li, please help me! I'm at the door, but my dad won't let me in. I'm so cold..."
Old Li softened his heart.
Ten minutes later, the side door quietly opened a crack.
"Miss Sisi, come in quickly. Don't let the chairman know."
Ye Sisi slipped inside and grabbed Old Li's arm: "Uncle Li, why won't Dad see me? Today is my birthday!"
Old Li sighed, his eyes filled with mixed emotions: "The chairman is in a bad mood, you should go back first."
"I need to see him," Ye Sisi said stubbornly. "Where is he? In his study?"
Without waiting for Lao Li's reply, she lifted her skirt and ran towards the main building.
The high heels clicked on the marble floor, making a crisp, rapid sound.
The study was on the second floor. When Ye Sisi opened the door, Ye Shengren was standing by the window with his back to her.
Hearing the noise, he slowly turned around.
All the words Ye Sisi had prepared stuck in her throat the moment she saw Ye Shengren's face.
In just a few months, Ye Shengren looked more than ten years older. His hair, which used to be only slightly gray at the temples, was now completely white. His face was deeply wrinkled, his eyes were cloudy, and his back was hunched.
He held a thick document in his hand, his fingers trembling.
Ye Sisi forced a smile, "Dad, you didn't even tell me it was a happy birthday?"
Ye Shengren looked at her, but there was no smile she expected, no affection, not even anger in his eyes, only a deep weariness.
"Who let you in?" he asked in a hoarse voice.
"I...I missed you." Ye Sisi stepped forward.
"Dad, I got the lead role in Director Chen's new movie! I beat Jiang Xueru, I—"
"That's enough," Ye Shengren interrupted her.
Ye Sisi was stunned.
Ye Shengren threw the documents in his hand onto the table.
The papers were spread out, and Ye Sisi caught a glimpse of what was written on them.
It contains records of her using her connections with the Ye family to suppress Jiang Xueru over the years, as well as evidence of her hiring online trolls, maliciously editing content, and spreading rumors.
Each and every one of them is crystal clear.
Her face turned deathly pale instantly.
"These...these are fake..." she said, her voice weak.
"Fake?"
Ye Shengren laughed, a desolate laugh, "Ye Sisi, I've raised you for over twenty years, given you the best life, sent you abroad to study, and indulged you when you wanted to enter the entertainment industry."
"I thought you were just being willful and jealous of Xue Ru, but I never expected you to be so vicious."
Ye Sisi retorted sharply, "I didn't! It was Jiang Xueru, she's been looking down on me since we were little! She stole everything from me! I'm just taking back what's rightfully mine!"
"Something that belongs to you?"
Ye Shengren looked at her, his eyes filled with sorrow, "Tell me, what belongs to you? Is it your status as the eldest daughter of the Ye family? The resources of the Ye family? Or is it me, your father?"
Ye Sisi opened her mouth, but couldn't say a word.
"Xue Ru won Best Actress at nineteen, and that was all thanks to her own efforts. You've been in the industry for so many years, have you ever acted in a decent film?"
Ye Shengren slowly walked up to her. "I used to think that you were my daughter, and I should spoil you and protect you. So even though I knew you were using my name to suppress people in the industry, I turned a blind eye."
He paused, his voice choked with emotion: "But I never imagined you would use such dirty tricks to deal with your own sister."
"She's not my sister!" Ye Sisi shouted uncontrollably.
"Her surname is Jiang! My surname is Ye! I am the eldest daughter of the Ye family!"
Looking at her hysterical state, Ye Shengren suddenly felt incredibly exhausted.
"You can leave now."
He turned away, no longer looking at her. "From now on, the Ye family has no daughter like you. I will take back all the resources and connections you used."
Ye Sisi rushed forward and grabbed his arm. "Why?! Dad! I'm the one who's by your side! Jiang Xueru doesn't acknowledge you at all! She hates you! Only I am truly sincere towards you!"
Ye Shengren shook off her hand and sneered, "Sincerely? Do you truly want me as your father, or do you truly want the power of the Ye family?"
Ye Sisi stood frozen in place.
Ye Shengren's voice was as cold as ice, "You are just as vicious as your mother, always scheming, always comparing yourself to others. I used to feel indebted to you both, so I indulged you, but now I understand—"
He looked at her, and said, word by word:
Some mistakes cannot be repeated.
The study was deathly silent.
Looking at Ye Shengren's resolute back, Ye Sisi suddenly realized...
She really lost it.
This is the man she has called "Dad" for over twenty years.
"I'm wicked? Dad, you say I'm wicked? What about you?"
Ye Sisi, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her eyes red: "If you were a good husband, you wouldn't have so many illegitimate children outside! If you were a good father, Jiang Xueru wouldn't have been bullied for so many years!"
Ye Shengren swayed as if he had been hit hard.
Do you know how she spent her childhood? Do you know how much she has suffered in the entertainment industry over the years?
Ye Sisi became more and more agitated as she spoke, "You know everything, but you do nothing! Because you feel guilty! Because you've let her mother down!"
"Shut up!" Ye Shengren roared, but there was no intimidation in his voice, only pain.
"I'm going to say it anyway!" Ye Sisi seemed to have no choice but to go all out.
"You're criticizing me now? What right do you have? Where were you when Jiang Xueru was being attacked online? Where were you when her resources were being taken away? You were just hiding in your office, pretending you knew nothing!"
She pointed to the documents on the table and laughed cruelly: "Yes, I did all of this. I used your name to suppress her, I bought articles to smear her, and I stole her roles."
"But so what? Didn't you just acquiesce? Didn't you never stop me?"
The study was deathly silent.
Ye Shengren looked at her, his lips trembling, unable to speak.
"You regret it now? You feel sorry for her?" Ye Sisi wiped away her tears, her smile mocking.
"It's too late. She won't acknowledge you anymore. You've lost a good daughter, and now she's even trying to drive away this bad one. Ye Shengren, you'll be spending your old age alone!"
Ye Shengren did not turn around.
Ye Sisi staggered back two steps, then turned and rushed out of the study.
She slipped on the stairs in her high heels and fell, scraping her knee, but felt no pain.
She stumbled and ran out of the Ye family's gate, the autumn wind howling and scattering her carefully styled hair.
As she got into the car, she finally broke down in tears.
The driver asked cautiously, "Miss Sisi, where to?"
Where to go?
Where can she go?
Ye Sisi raised her tearful eyes, looked at her disheveled reflection in the rearview mirror, and suddenly laughed—a piercing laugh.
“Let’s go for a drink,” she said. “To the most expensive bar.”
She wanted to get drunk.
So drunk that I forgot everything that happened today.
So drunk... yet he could still keep acting.
The car drove away from the Ye family's house and disappeared into the night.
Standing by the study window, Ye Shengren watched the car lights disappear into the distance and slowly closed his eyes.
He was still clutching the documents that Gu Qingyue had given him.
He found out too late.
Arriving late had already chilled the heart of another daughter.
......
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