Chapter 24: Astonishing Beauty Beyond Compare

"Some people just like to dream impossible dreams. Let's not be so cruel as to wake her."
"Exactly, exactly."
A group of girls covered their mouths, laughing so hard their bodies shook, yet their eyes kept drifting toward Yun Fu.
Ning Lan watched silently, not daring to say a word.
She recalled the warning from the Du family’s parents that day, and shame burned within her.
If it weren’t for Yun Fu, she would still be the top candidate for daughter-in-law in the Du family’s eyes.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Yet she dared not offend Yun Fu, and could only swallow it down, her face turning pale with restraint.
Just then, they noticed Yun Fu suddenly standing up, startling the group.
She leisurely removed the earphones from her ears, slipped them casually into her pocket, put away her phone, and then strolled out unhurriedly.
...
It turned out she hadn’t listened to a single word they’d said.
Everything they uttered was as pointless as a puff of air.
After a day of script reading, filming would begin the next day.
"Yun Fu, recently, a few talent agencies have approached me. Is there any you like?"
Joanne had spent the day networking within the crew, realizing that bringing Yun Fu along without the backing of an agency was a dead end.
Just like today.
Thinking of this, Joanne’s expression soured. "Other actors all have their own vans, but you… stuck with me..."
Her words faltered as she met Yun Fu’s gaze.
What kind of eyes were those? As if they held an entire starry sky, able to contain all the world’s sorrows; serene and detached, untouched by joy or grief, always calm and unruffled, forever immune to the turbulence of the outside world.
Joanne suddenly understood—if Yun Fu truly cared about these things, she would never have left Starlight Entertainment.
With that realization, Joanne let go of all her worries and smiled at Yun Fu. "Rest well, I’ll keep looking out for you. You deserve a better company."
So far, those who approached her had only heard a bit of gossip, hoping to capitalize on her.
If Yun Fu joined them now, she’d likely be used as a tool for hype, a loss rather than a gain.
Listening to Joanne, Yun Fu recalled that day when Lian Hanqi had intended to bring her to Shengshi Entertainment. Her lips moved, but she said nothing in the end.
Let it be. Let her have her moment of happiness when the time comes.
On the day of the opening ceremony, many reporters arrived. Their cameras should have been focused on the lead actors.

But their attention was constantly drawn to the girl standing nearby.
She stood quietly, her aura cool and distant, yet effortlessly drew every gaze to her.
Ning Lan gnawed her teeth in hatred, her nails nearly breaking from her grip.
Damn it, she was supposed to be the star of this drama, yet the media, blind as they were, kept filming Yun Fu—just the third female lead.
When it ended, Ning Lan couldn’t help but block Yun Fu’s path.
Her gaze was arrogant, as if looking down from above. "Yun Fu, don’t think just because you made it onto Lian Hanqi’s list you’re something special. He still treats you like a stranger."
She should have seen it coming. If Lian Hanqi truly cared about Yun Fu, would he let her ride around in her manager’s battered car, instead of arranging for her to join the best agency?
Thinking this, Ning Lan’s smile grew even brighter. "See, Xingyuan said after I finish filming this drama, we’ll get engaged."
She raised her hand, displaying her ring with undisguised pride. "When the time comes, you must attend."
Seeing Yun Fu’s unchanged expression, Ning Lan thought she was only pretending to be calm. "I hope, by then, Lian Hanqi will still remember you."
Yun Fu met her mocking gaze, her face utterly unmoved.
She stood with a lazy posture, one hand in her pocket, her long hair fluttering in the wind, giving off a chill that made people shiver.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, her tone cold, "I hope, by then, you’ll still be at Du Xingyuan’s side."
Ning Lan was startled, her tone growing sharp. "What do you mean!"
She reached out, trying to grab Yun Fu, but Yun Fu sidestepped with a slight frown, easily evading her.
Seeing Ning Lan’s anxious face, a hint of amusement flickered in Yun Fu’s eyes. "If Du Xingyuan can cheat with you, he can cheat with others.
There’s only zero or countless times when it comes to cheating, Miss Ning. I’m sure you’ve heard that before."
"Impossible!" Ning Lan’s voice tore through the air. She glared at Yun Fu, desperate to find a crack in her composure.
But there was none. Yun Fu remained as calm as ever.
Suddenly, Ning Lan felt panic rise within her.
Outwardly, she kept her cool, stubbornly insisting, "He won’t, Xingyuan would never do that to me!"
Yun Fu shrugged. "Let’s hope so." With that, she walked away.
Watching her retreating figure, Ning Lan felt as if all strength had drained from her body.
She suddenly remembered that ever since Yun Fu left the company, Du Xingyuan was never as passionate with her as before, whenever she tried to get close.
And just a few days ago, when everything was going perfectly, right as things were about to progress, Du Xingyuan answered a call and left.
Once the seed of doubt is planted, it grows into a towering tree.

The more she thought, the more suspicious it seemed. Ning Lan felt her hands and feet grow cold, telling herself it couldn’t be, Du Xingyuan had just promised to marry her—he wouldn’t abandon her.
But...
She thought over and over, until her assistant came to call her.
—
Joanne looked at Yun Fu, who was swinging her legs and playing games, feeling helpless.
Since leaving Starlight Entertainment, Yun Fu had stopped causing trouble. Her temperament was colder, but much more approachable.
Yet somehow she’d turned into an internet-addicted girl, playing games day and night.
Other actors were either building rapport with leads or networking with the director’s team.
And theirs—just glued to her phone.
Joanne didn’t even dare to scold her.
"Yun Fu, filming starts tomorrow, have you memorized your lines?"
"Mm."
Joanne glanced at the script, still pristine and smelling of ink.
"…You should read it over, think through it, so you won’t give anyone an excuse to criticize."
"Mm."
Joanne sighed, tidied up Yun Fu’s room, and left.
She didn’t know why, but now she had a strange mix of fear and blind trust toward Yun Fu.
—
When Yun Fu stepped out in costume, everyone held their breath.
She truly looked like Qian Xuan, the character from the novel—solitary and ethereal.
The next scene to be filmed was between Yun Fu and Ning Lan.
Ning Lan stared at Yun Fu, whose beauty was astonishing, and jealousy and hatred surged wildly within her.
She knew Yun Fu’s acting skills well, so this time, she purposely scheduled Yun Fu’s scenes to be shot first.