Chapter 57: Group Photo

“Of course, thank you for your support.”

Jiang Xiaobai had no reason to refuse and smiled as she agreed.

“Tch, what’s so great about being a pretty face? You’re acting like you’re on top of the world!”

A voice suddenly rang out, causing the surroundings to fall silent.

Li Biying, who had just arrived on set in high heels, overheard their conversation and didn’t hold back her disdain. She rolled her eyes and snorted at Jiang Xiaobai.

“Oh, so I’m a pretty face. What about you?”

Jiang Xiaobai lazily lifted her eyelids.

“I’m the acting powerhouse, a true talent!”

Li Biying glared at her.

“Only those who can’t rely on their looks call themselves talented,” Jiang Xiaobai replied with a smile.

“You’re the one who can’t rely on… You’re the one who can’t act!”

Li Biying caught herself mid-sentence and quickly changed her tone.

“Oh, but you’re the one who can’t rely on your looks.”

“Jiang Xiaobai, are you looking for a fight?”

“Your looks are subpar.”

“Jiang Xiaobai…”

The two of them began to bicker, their words sharp but light tones. The other actors were initially surprised but soon grew accustomed to their antics.

“Here they go again, tearing into each other,” Gu Xue said with a shrug.

“Doesn’t it feel like they’re flirting?”

A rookie actress timidly voiced her thoughts.

The others paused for a moment before nodding in agreement.

Rong Juan shook her head helplessly, but her eyes showed amusement as she watched Jiang Xiaobai and Li Biying.

Since the incident with Li Biying, she had become much more polite to everyone on set, keeping her temper in check. But with Jiang Xiaobai, it was a different story.

The two often engaged in playful banter, their exchanges sharp but lacking malice. It felt more like friends teasing each other than genuine arguments.

The male actor who had set Jiang Xiaobai’s photo as his chat background couldn’t resist taking a candid shot of her as she sat calmly in her chair.

After taking the photo, he glanced at it. Despite the chaotic background filled with crew members, Jiang Xiaobai stood out effortlessly.

Some people are born to shine, and everyone else naturally fades into the background.

She was dressed in an exquisite costume, her makeup flawless, her posture straight and elegant. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, and a red ribbon around her waist accentuated her graceful figure.

Although it was just a candid shot, her pose was so perfect that it could have been a professional photoshoot.

The actor, Lin Tingliang, sent the photo to his group chat with his friends, mentioning that it was a candid shot. The group immediately erupted.

“Wow, is this my goddess on set? She’s so beautiful!”

“Nice job, Xiao Liang! Make good use of your position and keep sending us photos of beauties. They’re such eye candy!”

“Is she talking to my Biying? Are they close?”

Seeing the last message, Lin Tingliang replied without hesitation—

“Yeah, they’re pretty close. They just like teasing each other.”

“Liang, do you have any photos of my wife without makeup? I don’t trust makeup—it’s too deceptive!”

“Xiao Mao, wake up. You’ve been single since birth. What wife are you talking about?”

“Ha, keep dreaming. In your dreams, you can have anything.”

“You guys don’t get it. Ever since I saw that cover photo, I knew she was my destined wife!”

The others: …

Too much to unpack.

“Wait, didn’t she post a no-makeup photo on Weibo before? Xiao Mao, you can go check it out yourself.”

“No, I want Liang to take a real one, no makeup, no filters!”

Lin Tingliang replied, “No makeup photos? Those are hard to get. She’s usually in makeup as soon as she arrives on set. I’ll keep an eye out, though.”

Even though they were all part of the same production, their schedules didn’t always overlap. Sometimes, they wouldn’t see each other for days; when they did, they were usually already in makeup. Getting a no-makeup shot would require perfect timing.

Besides, getting a clear shot of her face wasn’t easy even without makeup since she’d usually head straight to the makeup artist.

“Why not ask her directly if you can take a photo?”

“Old Zhao, you’re dreaming. Why would an actress let someone take a no-makeup photo? That’s just asking for fans to leave!”

Some celebrities post “no-makeup” photos, but anyone with eyes can see they’ve been edited—at the very least, with skin smoothing or whitening.

Does that even count as a no-makeup photo? It’s fake as hell!

Lin Tingliang also thought getting a photo without makeup was nearly impossible. But after spending time with Jiang Xiaobai, he noticed that she was approachable and kind but wasn’t talkative.

He had also seen her arrive on set without makeup before, and her natural beauty surpassed many others, even with makeup on. So, she probably wouldn’t be too opposed to it.

Maybe he could find an opportunity to try. After all, these were his childhood friends, and he wanted to fulfill their requests.

As luck would have it, Lin Tingliang found his chance the following day.

He had just arrived on set and was preparing his costume when he saw Jiang Xiaobai walk in.

Since it was still early, Jiang Xiaobai had come without makeup to avoid the hassle of removing it later. Seeing this, Lin Tingliang’s heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively approached her.

“Xiaobai, uh, can I take a photo of you?”

He was nervous as he asked.

Jiang Xiaobai, still a bit groggy from waking up, was momentarily surprised but smiled and nodded. “Sure.”

Sure!

The word made Lin Tingliang’s heart race. His face turned red with excitement as he fumbled with his phone, his hands trembling as he tried to take the shot.

Jiang Xiaobai smiled patiently, not rushing him. She waited until he was done before heading to the makeup artist, but she thought of something before she left.

“Would you like to take a photo together?”

She could tell that this young actor seemed to admire her. It wasn’t romantic—more like the admiration of a fan. His eyes had followed her on set, and now he was blushing and shyly looking at her.

“Really? Can we take a photo together? Yes, yes!”

Lin Tingliang was thrilled. He nodded eagerly and handed his phone to another actor to take the photo.

After the photo, Jiang Xiaobai went to get her makeup done. At the same time, Lin Tingliang excitedly shared the images in his group chat.

 

Chapter 58: Resource Snatching

One photo of Jiang Xiaobai without makeup and two slightly different group photos of the two of them.

The group chat exploded once again.

“This is her without makeup, and she’s still so beautiful. She’s a true goddess! I’m officially a fan now!” Old Zhao was the first to reply.

“Damn it, Liang! How dare you take a photo with my wife and stand so close! I’m jealous, just you wait!” Xiao Mao was still living in his dream world.

Lin Tingliang glanced at the chat briefly, satisfied with completing his task, and then returned to his work.

Jiang Xiaobai had been busy all morning, even filming a physically demanding fight scene that left her feeling like her body was about to fall apart. After eating the standard boxed lunch the crew provided, she took a short nap before her next scene.

“Xiaobai, someone’s stirring up trouble.”

Dong Ran walked over and handed her phone to Jiang Xiaobai.

Jiang Xiaobai took the phone and read her brow furrowing.

A new topic had already climbed to the trending list—

“Jiang Xiaobai Snatches Resources? The Forest Princess Was Supposed to Be Li Biying!”

The topic claimed that the cover of Tianwei Magazine’s latest issue was initially supposed to feature Li Biying. Li Biying had even traveled to France over a month ago for the shoot. Although it wasn’t officially announced, some senior fans in her group had hinted at it.

Not many people knew about it, but those who did were eagerly anticipating the issue, looking forward to seeing their idol on the cover of Tianwei and planning to buy multiple copies for collection.

But instead of Li Biying, they got Jiang Xiaobai!

Some long-time fans contacted Li Biying’s assistant, who revealed that the collaboration with Tianwei had been temporarily canceled. However, there will be opportunities in the future, and fans shouldn’t be disappointed.

But how could the fans not be disappointed?

The collaboration had been confirmed, so why had it suddenly fallen through? Moreover, many had doubts about Jiang Xiaobai’s status, feeling she wasn’t prestigious enough to grace the cover of Tianwei. Now, with Li Biying’s canceled collaboration and the timing so close…

It didn’t take long for fans to connect the dots—

So, their idol’s resource had been snatched by Jiang Xiaobai!

At first, fan groups discussed this privately, but somehow it leaked online. Fans were outraged, feeling their idol had been wronged, and relentlessly began to criticize Jiang Xiaobai.

“Biying is so unlucky to have her resource stolen by a scheming second lead from the same drama. This is just too much!”

“With this collaboration canceled, getting another chance will be even harder. Tianwei’s cover models are from all over the world—who knows when it’ll be China’s turn again, and even then, it might not be Biying!”

“I used to be grateful to Jiang Xiaobai for speaking up for my sister, but now it’s clear she’s just a scheming b*tch. What a joke.”

“Speaking up for her was just a ploy to gain attention, right? Acting all innocent like a pure white flower, but now her true green tea nature is finally showing!”

“My sister is so pitiful, like a poor little cabbage. My heart aches for her!”

These comments were relatively mild compared to outright insults and curses hurled at Jiang Xiaobai, which were too vulgar to repeat.

Jiang Xiaobai hadn’t expected the Tianwei issue to cause such a backlash from Li Biying’s fans. But if this wasn’t resolved properly, even if there was no genuine issue between her and Li Biying, it could quickly escalate into one.

There had been precedents where two celebrities got along fine. Still, their fans were convinced the others were leveraging their idol’s popularity. This led to heated arguments, with fans digging dirt on each other and creating a huge mess.

In such cases, the fans’ hostility often affected the celebrities’ relationship, forcing them to avoid each other and eventually creating a rift.

“The company will handle the PR for you. Someone has contacted me, but staying silent isn’t the best solution. To quell the rumors, it would be best if Li Biying personally addressed the issue,” Dong Ran analyzed for Jiang Xiaobai.

“Alright, I understand. I’ll talk to Li Biying.”

Jiang Xiaobai nodded.

Both she and Li Biying knew the truth of the matter, but the general public didn’t. They enjoyed the drama, but Jiang Xiaobai couldn’t let herself be smeared like this.

However, Li Biying wasn’t on set today, so the only way to contact her was by phone.

Dong Ran called Li Biying’s manager, Brother Xu, who calmly replied, “Got it. We’ll handle it.”

“It seems they already have a plan. Let’s wait and see,” Dong Ran said.

The controversy had started in the morning and had been brewing all day, escalating by the evening.

Seeing that neither Jiang Xiaobai nor Li Biying had responded, the fans began to spin their narrative, posting one theory after another. They claimed that while the two actresses were in the same drama and had conflicts, they couldn’t openly feud because the investors would pressure them to avoid scandal. Thus, their idol had to endure the injustice in silence.

But then the tide began to shift subtly. Some started saying that Li Biying wasn’t entirely innocent either—if she hadn’t caused a scandal by acting entitled before, how could an 18th-tier actress like Jiang Xiaobai have snatched her resources?

“This isn’t as simple as it seems. I feel like someone is behind this,” Dong Ran said, her intuition sharp.

“Is someone targeting Xiaobai?” Ming Zhu asked nervously.

“Unlikely. Xiaobai’s popularity has risen recently, but she’s still not influential enough for someone to go to such lengths to target her,” Dong Ran thought momentarily and then shook her head.

Not influential enough…

Jiang Xiaobai felt a pang in her chest and slumped onto the bed, defeated.

“So it’s targeting Li Biying?” Ming Zhu mused. “Then Xiaobai is just collateral damage. How unfortunate. I wonder when Li Biying will clarify things…”

Dong Ran was about to say something when her phone rang. She walked to the window to answer it, and her expression changed.

“Alright… I understand. Thanks for letting me know.”

When she returned, Jiang Xiaobai had already sat up and looked at her.

“Li Biying is live on Paopao Yu,” Dong Ran said, quickly opening the live stream on her phone.

 

 

Chapter 59: Clarification

Paopao Yu was one of the most popular live-streaming platforms, boasting a massive audience. Many hosts had skyrocketed to fame because of it, and to boost traffic, the platform occasionally invited popular celebrities to go live.

However, when celebrities went live, the website usually started promoting the event several days before. But Li Biying seemed to have skipped this step, going live suddenly.

Jiang Xiaobai clicked into the channel and saw Li Biying’s clear face on the screen.

She was sitting at a table, and the background was clearly a hotel room. Unlike her usual polished and glamorous appearance in front of the camera, she looked relaxed and comfortable, as if she were at home.

She wore a cotton pajama set with a large bunny ear design on the front, which looked very cute. Her makeup was light, almost natural.

However, live-streaming software always comes with beauty filters, so even without heavy makeup, her skin looked smooth and her features delicate.

“…Yes, many fans have been saying they wanted to see me go live. A few days ago, Paopao Yu also contacted me about an invitation to stream. Since I didn’t have any scenes to film today, I thought, why not? Are you all surprised?”

Li Biying smiled gracefully and playfully blinked at the camera, appearing lively and adorable.

Considering her haughty demeanor on set and comparing it to her current girl-next-door vibe, Jiang Xiaobai and the other two couldn’t help but fall silent momentarily.

Li Biying had just started streaming, and the live room already had over a million viewers. But in the short time they had been watching, the number had skyrocketed to three million, and the comments were flying by so fast they were almost impossible to read.

“Ahhh! Sister Biying is live! Oh my god, seeing you up close like this, I can’t breathe!”

“Front row, grabbing my little stool.”

“OMG, I saw the banner on the homepage saying you were going live, but I couldn’t believe it. It’s really true!”

Of course, some of these viewers and comments were likely from the platform’s bots. Still, Li Biying’s popularity was undeniable, as evidenced by the rapidly increasing viewer count.

“Someone asked how long I’ll be live. It’s just past 9 now… probably until 10. Liu Liu, is it 10?”

“Yes, Sister Biying,” came the voice of her assistant, Liu Liu, from off-screen.

“That’s right. I’m currently at the hotel for the Legend of the Nine Heavens production. There’s still much filming left, so it’ll probably be another two months before we wrap up.”

Li Biying kept a sweet smile as she read the comments, occasionally picking a few questions to answer.

Her interaction with the audience intensified the comments to the point that they were almost overwhelming.

Most of the questions were about Legend of the Nine Heavens. Li Biying would briefly explain if they didn’t involve significant spoilers.

Her tone was gentle, and she occasionally acted cute, even throwing in a playful pout. Jiang Xiaobai noticed that some trolls were popping up in the comments, saying unpleasant things and even resorting to personal attacks. Li Biying must have seen them, but her expression didn’t change, as if she hadn’t noticed.

If Jiang Xiaobai hadn’t seen Li Biying’s other side on set, she would have thought this was just an adorable girl.

Many comments also asked about the Tianwei Magazine cover, directly accusing Jiang Xiaobai of stealing her resources. Fans expressed their sympathy for Li Biying, saying she had “been wronged,” but Li Biying completely ignored these comments.

About half an hour into the stream, the live room’s popularity peaked. Li Biying finally addressed the issue as everyone had hoped.

“I see some friends asking about the Tianwei Magazine situation. I wasn’t planning to address this because it’s all just baseless rumors, but since so many people are asking, I’ll clarify it once and for all. As for my relationship with Jiang Xiaobai…”

At this point, Li Biying moved slightly.

She pulled a thin black cord with a petal-shaped pendant hanging from her collar.

“See this? Isn’t it pretty? Let me tell you, this was a gift from Jiang Xiaobai, and I’ve been wearing it close to my heart ever since… As for the magazine, Tianwei contacted me over a month ago to discuss collaboration. But as you all know, I had some negative news recently, and I didn’t think I was in the right state to shoot such a high-profile magazine cover. So, after explaining the situation to Milly from Tianwei, I recommended Jiang Xiaobai.”

Li Biying didn’t beat around the bush but straightforwardly explained the situation.

She knew better than to treat the audience as fools. If they wanted to, everyone could be a Sherlock Holmes. It would only make things worse if they found inconsistencies in her explanation.

So it was better to be upfront—there was nothing to hide here.

After Li Biying finished speaking, the comments were flooded with questions about why she had done this.

“The reason is simple. Although Jiang Xiaobai and I had never worked together before, we hit it off right away when we met on the Legend of the Nine Heavens set and became good friends. She gave me this necklace, and I introduced her to a resource. Isn’t that what friends do—help each other out? Besides, I only made the introduction; the final decision was up to Tianwei… What? That we don’t get along? Don’t believe those rumors.”

Li Biying explained with a bright smile.

Her “instant best friend,” Jiang Xiaobai, was now watching the screen with a blank expression, showing no emotion.

Ming Zhu, standing beside her, almost burst out laughing.

Instant best friend? If she didn’t know the truth, she might have believed it!

Li Biying’s acting skills were indeed something else. Ming Zhu would fight anyone who said she couldn’t act!

“I also think Legend of the Nine Heavens is a magical production. I’ve learned so much here. Director Niu’s guidance has helped me improve my acting skills, and I’ve also made a good friend in Jiang Xiaobai. I’m pleased about it! So, I hope my fans can like Jiang Xiaobai as much as you like me. Please don’t be swayed by others into saying inappropriate things—it puts me in a difficult position… Of course, I just like her a little bit! If you all switch to her, I’ll cry!”

After promoting Legend of the Nine Heavens and giving the production a boost in popularity while subtly flattering Director Niu, Li Biying checked the time and waved goodbye to the camera as it hit 10 PM.

Dong Ran let out a sigh of relief. “Her coming forward to clarify the misunderstanding like this is the best way to handle it. Now her real fans won’t attack you anymore, Xiaobai. You should thank her in person.”

 

 

Chapter 60: Do You Have a Conscience?

Although they all knew Jiang Xiaobai was innocent in this matter, Li Biying was not obligated to step in and clarify things for her.

The entertainment industry was full of fake friendships. Li Biying didn’t need to do anything in situations like this. All she had to do was stay silent. In the eyes of the public, that would be seen as tacitly agreeing that Jiang Xiaobai had stolen her resources. After that, countless people would slander and attack Jiang Xiaobai, and it was hard to predict how far things would go.

Even if the truth came out later, no one could blame Li Biying because she hadn’t said a word!

Helping you was a favor, but not helping was her right. Dong Ran understood this clearly, so she specifically reminded Jiang Xiaobai.

“I understand. I’ll thank her in person when I see her on set tomorrow.”

Jiang Xiaobai noticed it was getting late. After taking a shower and doing her skincare routine, it would be time for bed, so she asked Ming Zhu and Dong Ran to return to their rooms.

She heard her phone ring incessantly when she exited the bathroom after a relaxing hot bath. It wasn’t a call; it sounded more like a video chat request.

Who was sending her a video call? Could something have happened with Dong Ran?

Jiang Xiaobai paused, towel in hand, as she dried her hair and picked up her phone. The name “Li Biying” appeared on the screen.

“Hello?”

Jiang Xiaobai answered.

“Jiang Xiaobai, do you have a conscience?!”

Li Biying’s furious voice came through.

From the video feed, she was sitting on her bed, still wearing that pink bunny-ear pajama set, looking adorable—except her expression was twisted with anger.

“What are you talking about?” Jiang Xiaobai was confused.

“I just helped you! I went live and spoke up for you. Don’t tell me you didn’t know!”

Li Biying was fuming.

She finished her livestream at 10 PM and waited for Jiang Xiaobai to call and thank her. But after waiting and waiting, there was no sign of any message from her.

What she had said during the livestream had already been reposted on Weibo, and the topic was trending. She couldn’t believe Jiang Xiaobai hadn’t heard about it. Even if Jiang Xiaobai hadn’t checked Weibo, her manager or assistant must have seen it by now. She should have known about it hours ago!

But it was past 11 PM, and Li Biying was so tired that her eyelids drooped. Yet Jiang Xiaobai still hadn’t made a move!

She couldn’t wait any longer, so she took the initiative to call Jiang Xiaobai, but the look on Jiang Xiaobai’s face was utterly clueless. How infuriating!

Jiang Xiaobai blinked, looking at Li Biying’s angry expression and thinking about her words. She seemed to understand what was going on.

“Were you waiting for me to thank you?” she asked tentatively.

“Of course! Don’t you think you should thank me?!”

Li Biying gritted her teeth.

This ungrateful woman! If she had known Jiang Xiaobai would take it so lightly, she wouldn’t have bothered helping her!

She deserved to be attacked by her fans!

“Of course, I should thank you. I just thought a phone call wasn’t formal enough, so I planned to thank you in person tomorrow on set,” Jiang Xiaobai said with a laugh. “Sorry for the misunderstanding. Thank you so much for tonight.”

Hearing this, Li Biying’s expression softened slightly. She snorted and rolled her eyes. “That’s more like it. But how are you going to thank me? Don’t think a few words are enough.”

How to thank her?

Jiang Xiaobai was genuinely stumped.

“Do you have any requests? If it’s something I can do, I’ll consider it.”

Li Biying was her “senior” in the industry, with far more connections and experience than her. She didn’t have the means even if she wanted to return the favor with resources!

Li Biying was momentarily caught off guard. She had just blurted that out and hadn’t thought about how Jiang Xiaobai should thank her.

Suddenly, an idea came to her, and her eyes lit up. “Ah, I’ve got it! You can curse people, right? Curse Jiang Bingqian for me!”

Jiang Xiaobai’s mouth twitched. “…What?”

“That woman Jiang Bingqian screwed me over last time, and I’m 80% sure she’s behind this mess too!” Li Biying’s eyes blazed with anger at the mention of Jiang Bingqian, her eyebrows furrowing. “This time, it looks like they’re saying you stole my resource, but they’re also subtly implying that I have bad relationships with people. That woman is a lunatic! She’s been holding a grudge against me for years!”

Hearing this, Jiang Xiaobai believed her.

Dong Ran mentioned earlier that this was aimed at Li Biying, and if Jiang Bingqian was behind it, it made sense.

During the previous incident, when Li Biying was accused of being a “diva,” Jiang Bingqian publicly stirred the pot. But she was clever about it, using “professionalism” as her angle to attack Li Biying. This left no room for criticism since it was based on facts. No one could accuse her of having a personal vendetta.

“Are you sure it’s her? Do you two have that much of a feud?” Jiang Xiaobai asked.

“How should I know? I thought it was all in the past, but she’s still holding onto it. Ugh, that woman’s heart is narrower than a needle’s eye! It’s not even a big deal, but she still holds a grudge. What can I do? But I’m sure it’s her. Brother Xu has already dug up some clues, though there’s no direct evidence yet.”

Li Biying started off angry, but she began sounding aggrieved as she spoke.

She regretted it—how had she crossed paths with such a crazy woman? Two incidents in a row! Anyone would be fed up!

“Jiang Xiaobai, curse her! Curse her to leave the entertainment industry, live in poverty, and drown in debt!” Li Biying’s eyes gleamed as she thought of Dou Fang’s fate and chuckled evilly.

Brother Xu was Li Biying’s manager. The more popular Li Biying was, the more influence her manager had. Since he had already found some leads, it seemed credible.

This made Jiang Xiaobai a little angry, too. Whatever feud Jiang Bingqian had with Li Biying was none of her business, and they could fight all they wanted, but now the fire had spread to her. Jiang Xiaobai couldn’t just sit back and do nothing.

Fortunately, Li Biying had some goodwill toward her. If it had been someone else, they might not have stepped forward to clarify things for her.

It was time to teach her a lesson.

After thinking it through, Jiang Xiaobai made up her mind and spoke. “I understand. I’ll handle it.”

“Great! I’ll be waiting to see her downfall then.”

Li Biying’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, and she rubbed her hands together eagerly. But then she frowned, her hand reaching up to touch the pendant around her neck. “Wait a minute, didn’t you say this pendant would bring me good luck? I haven’t seen any good luck yet—I almost got into trouble this time! Jiang Xiaobai, are you some kind of scammer?!”

“Don’t rush it. The longer you wear it, the more it will resonate with you. Besides, turning danger into safety is a form of good luck, isn’t it? If I’m not mistaken, this livestream will probably attract a new wave of fans for you. That’s a blessing in disguise.”

 

 

Chapter 61: Let Me Introduce You

Jiang Xiaobai had watched Li Biying’s live stream from start to finish today, and she had to admit she was impressed.

Li Biying’s popularity wasn’t without reason. Regardless of what she was like in private, at least on the surface, she was very presentable. Her words and actions were warm and elegant, with nothing to criticize.

This made Jiang Xiaobai admire her. How did she manage to be both aloof and approachable at the same time?

Even if it was an act, it was an incredibly convincing one!

Based on today’s livestream, her popularity was bound to rise even further.

“What you said makes sense. I’ll wait a little longer then. I hope I’ll have even better luck in the future!”

Li Biying tilted her head, considered it, and found it reasonable.

Turning misfortune into fortune was a form of luck, after all. If her popularity rose because of this, Jiang Bingqian’s schemes would fall flat. She wondered how furious Jiang Bingqian would be?

Just thinking about it made her feel so vindicated!

After ending the video call, Jiang Xiaobai considered Li Biying’s request.

Cursing Jiang Bingqian was possible, but what should she curse her with?

Making her leave the industry was too severe.

It wasn’t that Jiang Xiaobai was soft-hearted, but the situation hadn’t escalated to that point. Even if Jiang Bingqian’s plan had succeeded, the worst that would happen to her and Li Biying was a drop in popularity and a damaged reputation. Such a punishment would be disproportionate.

Jiang Xiaobai had come to this world with abilities from another realm, giving her an inherent advantage. She could use this to benefit herself, but everything had its karmic consequences. Even if no one was watching or judging her, she had to hold herself to a high standard.

“Jiang Bingqian’s studio will be exposed for a scandal and will be too busy dealing with it to cause trouble.”

After some thought, Jiang Xiaobai decided on this curse.

She felt slightly nervous as she said it, unsure if the curse would work.

Jiang Xiaobai was actually being clever here. If Jiang Bingqian’s studio had no scandals but one was exposed, she could still try to clear her name, though it would cause some trouble. But if there was a scandal, karma caught up to her.

After saying this, she felt that familiar cool sensation rise and slowly dissipate.

She sighed in relief, feeling that the curse had likely taken effect.

Then, Jiang Xiaobai’s heart stirred.

She and Jiang Bingqian had never interacted before. They had never met, and Jiang Xiaobai had only seen her on TV as a viewer. If she could successfully curse someone she had no connection with, what about cursing others?

“All rapists will become impotent, and all human traffickers will die horrible deaths,” she tried saying.

But after waiting for a while, there was no reaction.

That didn’t work. Was the scope too broad?

Probably. If she could casually curse so many people and have it take effect, her curse ability would be too overpowered, and the consequences would be too terrifying.

So, no more wide-scale curses. What if she narrowed it down to someone she didn’t know?

Jiang Xiaobai suddenly remembered a news story she had seen a few days ago. It was about a clothing store owner in T City who had been slain in the early hours of the morning. The killer had robbed her and then s*xually assaulted her before killing her. She had been wounded 18 times, and the scene was gruesome. The police had used surveillance footage to identify the suspect, a widower surnamed Lao and had released his information yesterday, issuing a nationwide warrant for his arrest.

Jiang Xiaobai opened her phone and searched for the news, finding the suspect’s name—

Old Bie San.

Hmm, that name was… unique.

“Let the murderer Old Bie San from T City die a sudden and gruesome death!”

Jiang Xiaobai said thoughtfully, looking at the man’s photo on her phone.

One second passed.

Two seconds passed.

Jiang Xiaobai, “…”

Huh? That didn’t work, either?

The cool sensation didn’t come, which meant the curse had failed.

Jiang Xiaobai was initially puzzled, but after thinking about it, she understood.

She summarized the commonalities of her successful curses. She realized that the people and events involved somehow related to her, especially the people. They had all provoked or disrespected her first, which was why she could curse them.

This theory made sense to her; she felt about 70% confident.

She felt a sense of relief, and knowing this actually made her feel more at ease.

She could test it a few more times in the future to confirm.

Having fulfilled Li Biying’s request, Jiang Xiaobai lay down, satisfied.

The next day, things unfolded just as Jiang Xiaobai had predicted. The hashtags “Li Biying Clarifies Resource Theft” and “Li Biying Says She and Jiang Xiaobai Hit It Off Immediately” were trending. There were text posts and short clips from the livestream.

And not just that—another keyword unexpectedly made it to the top of the trending list: Jiang Xiaobai’s Gift Necklace!

During the livestream, Li Biying showed off the necklace she was wearing, which made many fans curious and eager to get their hands on one. Some even begged for a link to buy it.

The petal-shaped pendant wasn’t a rare design, and many similar ones were available online. Some savvy merchants saw the opportunity and started using this as a marketing angle. Surprisingly, it boosted sales of similar necklaces, something neither Jiang Xiaobai nor Li Biying had anticipated.

Of course, there were comments like, “Jiang Xiaobai is so stingy, giving such a cheap gift. It’s not a brand name and costs just a few hundred yuan. She’s clearly just going through the motions. This doesn’t match Li Biying’s status, blah blah blah…” But these mindless remarks didn’t require Jiang Xiaobai or Li Biying to respond. Other reasonable netizens quickly shut them down, leaving no room for argument.

By noon, Li Biying updated her Weibo, and Jiang Xiaobai did the same almost simultaneously.

[Li Biyingv: Let me introduce you. This is Little White Flower. She’s not my good friend, hmph!]

[Jiang Xiaobai Not So Whitev: Let me introduce you. This is Little White Cabbage. She’s not my good friend either, hmph!]

Both posts had almost identical wording and tagged each other. They also included the same photo.

The photo was taken on set. Both were in character costumes, standing close together and making funny faces at the camera. They looked playful and adorable.

“Hahaha, they’re definitely good friends! Only close friends would take silly photos like this. Otherwise, they’d just put on their professional smiles.”

“Little White Cabbage’s mouth is perfectly crooked, and Little White Flower’s eye roll is on point. It’s so cute! Of course, pretty people can make funny faces and still look good. Unlike me—my funny faces are just ugly!”

 

 

Chapter 62: Little White Flower

“What is ‘little white cabbage’ and ‘little white flower’? I’m so confused.”

Someone who didn’t understand the joke asked in bewilderment. However, they were quickly enlightened. It turned out that during the “resource-grabbing” controversy, some aggressive netizens accused Jiang Xiaobai of acting like a “little white flower.” In contrast, others sympathized with Li Biying, calling her a “pitiful little white cabbage.” These two comments received many likes and were pushed to the top of the discussion.

Now, Jiang Xiaobai and Li Biying were jokingly calling each other “little white cabbage” and “little white flower,” clearly poking fun at those who were stirring up drama. Their Weibo posts made it clear that their relationship was genuinely good. If it were just a superficial friendship, Li Biying’s live-streamed clarification the previous night would have been more than enough. There was no need for such an intimate Weibo post. The playful tone and the natural look of the two in the photo led to comments like, “Why does this feel like a relationship announcement?”

After posting on Weibo, Jiang Xiaobai glanced at the comments and put her phone aside. The photo was taken during lunch when she and Li Biying were on set. Some young actors were joking around, and one took selfies with their phone. Li Biying suddenly suggested, “Let’s take a photo too.” Jiang Xiaobai thought about it and agreed.

Initially, they planned to take a standard photo, but Dong Ran suggested they act more naturally and not be so stiff. She even encouraged them to make funny faces. And so, the two of them ended up making silly expressions. After taking the photo, Li Biying started nitpicking, saying that the funny face ruined her beauty and elegance and that Jiang Xiaobai looked out of place. But despite her complaints, she still saved the photo.

Before posting it that night, Li Biying informed Jiang Xiaobai, which is why their posts were so close in timing. Jiang Xiaobai thought she was sharing a casual update, but things turned unexpectedly.

“Hey, Xiaobai… Your fan club name has been decided…”

Dong Ran’s expression was… peculiar.

“Fan club?” Jiang Xiaobai was intrigued. “What is it?”

Her previous fans were disorganized, and there was no official name. But recently, with increased exposure, she attracted many fans who admired her looks. Some active fans had organized an official fan club. Dong Ran acknowledged it, even having her assistant Ming Zhu join to stay updated on the latest news.

“Sister Xiaobai… You should see this for yourself.”

Ming Zhu handed her the phone. Jiang Xiaobai then saw three words circled—Little White Flower!

“Little White Flower?”

Jiang Xiaobai was stunned, thinking she must be seeing things. “My fans are called Little White Flower?”

Even her usually calm voice couldn’t help but rise.

“Yes, they thought the name was interesting and had a fresh, cute vibe. After much consideration, they chose it over ‘Little White Rabbit.’ Of course, if you don’t like it, we can ask them to change it,” Dong Ran said, trying to suppress her laughter.

Originally, “little white flower” was just a literal term. Still, it had become synonymous with being fake or pretentious over time.

“Fresh and cute? Are you sure?”

Jiang Xiaobai gave Dong Ran a look that said, “You must be joking.” What kind of fans would choose such a name? Were they actually anti-fans? Or maybe spies from the enemy camp?

“Sister Xiaobai, maybe they got the idea after seeing Li Biying’s Weibo… Should I tell them to change it to ‘Little White Rabbit’? Or if you have any other preferences, that’s fine too,” Ming Zhu suggested.

She also felt the name wasn’t quite right, but the fans argued that since Li Biying’s Weibo had been seen by many, choosing “Little White Flower” would be like free advertising.

“Sister Ran, what do you think?”

Jiang Xiaobai turned to Dong Ran.

Dong Ran thought momentarily and said, “Actually, I don’t think it’s a big deal. There might be some controversy initially, but people will get used to it. Over time, no one will pay too much attention.”

In fact, it might even attract some attention for being unconventional. “Little White Rabbit” would have been suitable if Jiang Xiaobai had been looking for a cute and innocent image. However, she clearly wasn’t, so it felt a bit off.

“Alright, I’ll go with your suggestion, Sister Ran.”

After a moment of hesitation, Jiang Xiaobai nodded.  She trusted Dong Ran’s experience and judgment in this matter.

And so, it was decided. Under Dong Ran’s guidance, Jiang Xiaobai even posted a Weibo to announce the fan club’s name officially.

Then, many onlookers burst out laughing.

“Little White Flower? Hahaha, it feels like they’re insulting themselves.”

“What a bunch of geniuses!”

“Are these really fans? Or are they actually anti-fans?”

“I think it’s pretty good. It matches Jiang Xiaobai’s name, is simple and easy to remember, and has a unique meaning, making it stand out.”

“Yay, awesome! Sister Xiaobai has acknowledged it! From now on, we’re part of the Little White Flowers!”

There were both praises and criticisms, but in the end, it was settled.

Li Biying even reposted Jiang Xiaobai’s Weibo with a comment:

[Li Biyingv: Should my ‘Dandelions’ also change our name to ‘Little White Cabbage’? Laughing to tears…]

This was clearly a joke, as Li Biying’s fan club name had long been established as “Dandelions,” and it wouldn’t change. The comments were unanimously against the idea.

Not only did “Little White Cabbage” sound unappealing, but it also had no connection to Li Biying’s name. Her fans made it clear: “Hard pass, thanks.”

The news of Jiang Xiaobai’s fan club name didn’t attract much attention, as her fame wasn’t that high, and it wasn’t a major news story. Without someone pushing it behind the scenes, it was unlikely to trend.

However, strangely enough, Jiang Xiaobai’s on-set, makeup-free photos trended that night.

It all started when a blogger posted two photos of Jiang Xiaobai. One was a candid shot taken during a break on set, in full costume and makeup for her character, Liu Ruyan. The other was a makeup-free photo of her in her clothes.

[Xiao Mao Loves Natural Beauty: The first photo is a candid shot of the goddess taken by a friend on set. I was blown away when I saw it. But as you know, I never trust photos with makeup—I only like seeing girls’ natural faces. So, my friend asked the goddess for a makeup-free photo at my request, and she graciously agreed. The second photo is the original, and I guarantee it’s 100% makeup-free! From now on, I’m also a member of the ‘Little White Flowers.’ Goddess, please take care of me!]

 

 

 

 

Chapter 63: Breaking News

“Xiao Mao Loves Natural Beauty” was an ordinary small blogger with fewer than 10,000 followers, and it was not even verified.

He gained these followers by frequently posting natural beauty photos he collected from various sources. Still, engagement on his posts is usually low, with few comments or likes.

However, he didn’t expect this particular post to go viral quietly.

The post contained two photos. The first was taken outdoors on the film set, and the second was clearly shot in the makeup room. Neither setting was perfect, and the surroundings were messy, with multiple people in the frame. Yet, it was precisely this that highlighted Jiang Xiaobai’s exceptional beauty.

In the first photo, she was dressed, sitting upright among a group of slouching people and sitting carelessly.

While she looked stunning, it could be attributed to her meticulous makeup.

But the second photo was undeniable. The makeup room was chaotic, and the image captured several staff members. Perhaps everyone else’s skin looked dull due to the lighting or the camera. At the same time, Jiang Xiaobai appeared radiant in the center, her skin fair and flawless, as if she were glowing.

“She’s breathtaking! And I’m certain both photos are unedited—no whitening or skin smoothing. Just look at the small mole on her neck if you don’t believe me.”

This comment from a new fan of Jiang Xiaobai’s looks was quickly upvoted to the top.

At first glance, it seemed unclear, but zooming in revealed what they meant.

Previously unnoticed, Jiang Xiaobai had a tiny black mole above her collarbone, about the size of a grain of rice. One will easily miss this detail if one does not pay close attention.

The mole was visible in the photo, and her neck and face color were nearly identical. The mole would likely have been removed if the image had been retouched.

“A beauty for the ages! I’m obsessed.”

“Even in an industry full of beauties, her looks are top-tier. If I looked like that, I’d join the entertainment industry too—even if the world called me a flower vase, I’d be fine with it. Beauty is enough!”

“Born to be in this industry. Can’t compete with that.”

“Strange, I’ve seen Jiang Xiaobai’s photos before, but I never noticed her beauty being this dazzling. Did she get plastic surgery?”

“Plastic surgery? Are you blind? Her face hasn’t changed at all!”

“Actually, I feel the same. Her face hasn’t changed, but her aura and overall vibe seem slightly different. Can’t quite put my finger on it…”

Some sharp-eyed viewers did notice something different about Jiang Xiaobai. She had been practicing a cultivation technique that, while not granting her supernatural abilities, had subtly improved her physique, making her posture and skin more radiant.

For example, the original host would occasionally break out or have puffy eyes and dark circles from lack of sleep. Still, these issues have disappeared since Jiang Xiaobai began practicing the technique.

With more time, her pores would shrink, impurities in her body would decrease, and she would appear even more luminous—now popularly referred to as having “immortal aura.”

The comments were overwhelmingly positive, with many begging Jiang Xiaobai to share her skincare and beauty secrets.

These two photos boosted Jiang Xiaobai’s followers by nearly a million, and “Xiao Mao Loves Natural Beauty” also saw a surge in followers. Many asked if he knew anyone on the set and if he could share more photos of Jiang Xiaobai.

Lin Tingliang, who took the photos, later apologized to Jiang Xiaobai. He hadn’t intended for them to be posted online, and he was worried she’d be upset about the unauthorized release.

Lin Tingliang was also surprised that his friend Xiao Mao had shared the photos, and that they had gone viral! He was relieved the images turned out well—if they hadn’t, it could have led to losing followers.

Jiang Xiaobai understood. She had agreed to the photoshoot knowing the pictures might be seen by others, and since the outcome was positive, she didn’t mind.

The photos briefly trended on social media but were soon overshadowed by other news.

Then, a bombshell dropped, “Tragic Passing of Female Artist from Jiang Bingqian’s Studio Sparks Investigation!”

The news exploded, instantly topping all other entertainment updates and reaching the top of the hot search list within half an hour.

When the news broke, Jiang Xiaobai had just finished her day’s work and was changing out of her costume. Hearing the cast discuss it sank her heart, and her face turned pale.

An artist from Jiang Bingqian’s studio tragically passed away?

After cursing Jiang Bingqian, Jiang Xiaobai kept an eye on her studio, unsure when or how the curse would manifest. Now, her first thought was:

This was bad—an innocent person had been caught in the crossfire!

Jiang Xiaobai only wanted Jiang Bingqian to face some troubles to keep her from causing problems for others in the industry. She had hoped for financial issues, like failed investments or box office flops, to disrupt the studio.

After all, Jiang Bingqian had her own studio, indicating her ambition. Striking at her career would have been more satisfying, but Jiang Xiaobai never imagined it would lead to someone’s death!

“Who was it?” Jiang Xiaobai asked, her voice tense.

“It’s Ling Zi, a new actress Jiang Bingqian signed earlier this year. She graduated from the First Film Academy and played a supporting role in The Most Beautiful Youth alongside Jiang Bingqian. She was a quiet, pretty girl,” replied an actress holding her phone.

“The others in the room didn’t notice Jiang Xiaobai’s distress. Everyone was shocked—a tragic loss in the industry was already big news, and the fact that it involved someone from Jiang Bingqian’s studio would undoubtedly cause a seismic reaction.

“Her manager couldn’t reach her all day, so they went to her apartment and discovered her. By the time they arrived, it was tragically too late.”

“She was only 20! I remember her from The Most Beautiful Youth. She played the bullied classmate of the male lead. Her screen time was limited, but she left a deep impression.”