After Transmigrating, I Joined a Dating Show with the Fake Heiress Actress - Chapter 33

Su Qingwan was acutely aware of Bai Man’s magnetic pull on her. Forcing herself to look away, she ignored her pounding heart and feigned composure. “She’s so talented… everyone likes her. They really like her.”

 

Even as the words left her lips, she couldn’t resist glancing back at Bai Man.

 

Bai Man remained expressionless, betraying no hint of emotion. Yet this only tightened Su Qingwan’s heart. If Bai Man truly cared for her, shouldn’t she have shown some reaction to those words?

 

Whether it was displeasure or joy, Bai Man’s complete lack of response left Su Qingwan feeling uncertain, making her doubt her own feelings.

 

The assistant spotted Yu Meng and Shangguan Yu emerging from the room and immediately rushed over, eagerly inviting them to sit down. “Ms. Shangguan and Ms. Yu, were you childhood friends?”

 

Shangguan Yu lifted her chin slightly, a smile playing on her lips. “Of course. Mengmeng and I have known each other since we were little. If I hadn’t gone abroad for a few years, I would have entered the entertainment industry with her.” She glanced at Su Qingwan. “Then Mengmeng wouldn’t have to worry about these rumors.”

 

The assistant held the microphone to Yu Meng. “Ms. Su just praised Bai Man’s excellence. Ms. Yu, what’s your opinion?”

 

Yu Meng chuckled softly. “She is quite remarkable.” She glanced at Bai Man. “After all, not everyone possesses her fearlessness—and her foresight.”

 

The assistant shifted the microphone to Bai Man. “Bai Man, do you agree with Ms. Yu’s praise?”

 

Bai Man lifted her gaze to the camera. “A brain is a useful thing. If you don’t have one, you can always acquire one later.”

 

The assistant’s face flushed crimson, and she struggled to find her words.

 

Yu Meng rose with a cold smile, looking down at Bai Man, who remained seated. “So you believe everyone here lacks brains except you?”

 

Bai Man didn’t even spare her a glance. “By saying that, you’re just admitting your own lack of intelligence.”

 

Yu Meng nearly choked on her own breath. Her intention had been to humiliate Bai Man and retaliate for yesterday’s humiliation. She never expected Bai Man to be so brazen, openly accusing her of being brainless.

 

Shangguan Yu, fiercely protective of her loved ones, immediately stood up when she heard her beloved Mengmeng being insulted. She pointed a finger at Bai Man. “Apologize to Mengmeng-jie, right now! Immediately!”

 

Bai Man rose from her chair, glancing at Su Qingwan, who stood frozen in place. “No one has the authority to command me,” she declared.

 

With that, she strode upstairs.

 

The assistant’s question revealed the Production Team’s deliberate attempt to provoke conflict between Bai Man and Yu Meng. Their motives were clear: to generate buzz for the show, pressure Bai Man into withdrawing, and, if all went smoothly, curry favor with Yu Meng and Shangguan Yu.

 

Unfortunately for them, they hadn’t accounted for Bai Man’s refusal to cooperate.

 

Behind her, Su Qingwan took a step forward, wanting to follow, but her shame held her back.

 

She had to admit, when Yu Meng deliberately mocked Bai Man, her sister’s words echoed in her mind: You’re not alone. The entire studio is behind you. If your personal actions jeopardize the studio, you’ll never forgive yourself.

 

Yet she couldn’t bear to let Bai Man face this battle alone. Even if she couldn’t offer any practical help, she wanted to stand by Bai Man’s side, to show her support.

 

But Bai Man seemed angered by her hesitation.

 

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Damn, the assistant’s question was so reasonable, and Bai Man’s response was surprisingly gentle. If it were me, I’d have slapped her across the face!

 

The Production Team must be insane. They know Bai Man and Yu Meng don’t get along, yet they deliberately stirred up trouble.

 

Did anyone else notice that Su Qingwan didn’t immediately stand by Bai Man’s side today? What’s going on?

 

What do you think? Yu Meng’s mom is a Gold-Medal Manager with countless resources. Just one word from her could limit Su Qingwan’s opportunities. Su Qingwan’s studio still has artists to support, so it’s understandable she’d prioritize self-preservation.

 

So, so we’re just going to let Bai Man fight this battle alone? Even if she doesn’t speak up, just standing with her would show solidarity.

 

Bai Man was asking for trouble from the start. What’s wrong with Su Qingwan prioritizing self-preservation now that she’s come to her senses?

 

But, but the Little Princess has already targeted the Bai Family’s Hengjie Garment Factory! I just heard their livestream host begging viewers to confirm their orders quickly. Could the banks be pressuring the Bai Family again?

 

Serves them right. This was always a battle of an egg against a stone. They’re paying the price for their recklessness.

 

That’s true, but they were still her adoptive parents who raised her for over a decade. Isn’t prioritizing self-preservation to this extent a bit much?

 

 

Su Qingwan remained unaware of the online commentary. She had resolved to stand by Bai Man’s side, even if it meant provoking Yu Meng and risking her wrath.

 

The moment this thought took root, a voice deep within her conscience whispered: What about the studio? Aren’t you considering its future?

 

If Yu Meng truly intended to make things difficult for her and cut off her resources, a sudden silence or a single meal wouldn’t change her mind.

 

Su Qingwan turned her gaze skyward. Part of the reason she had terminated her contract with her previous agency was to escape constant restrictions and the Gold-Medal Manager’s relentless directives to prioritize the company’s interests above all else.

 

Now that she had established her own studio, her sister repeatedly urged her to prioritize its success and secure work.

 

Sometimes, she wondered: Why? Why must I bear this responsibility alone? The studio isn’t just mine.

 

For the sake of the studio’s development, her sister was asking her to betray her own principles and leave Bai Man to fight alone. How is this any different from abandoning the gratitude owed to her adoptive parents?

 

She couldn’t do it.

 

Having reached this realization, Su Qingwan rose from her chair and strode toward Bai Man, only to be stopped by her assistant and led aside for an interview.

 

As soon as the interview concluded, Yu Meng approached. “Let’s talk,” she said.

 

She shook her head and stood up to leave.

 

“It’s not too late for you to come to your senses,” Yu Meng said, spreading her hands. “Right now, she can only put on a brave face. In fact, today will likely be the last time she can even do that.”

 

Since the bank had received a call from the Shangguan Family, they would undoubtedly recall the Bai Family’s loans ahead of schedule. The Bai Family’s clothing sales wouldn’t generate immediate funds, leaving them with only one option: liquidating their assets.

 

If the Shangguan Family exerted even slight influence during the liquidation process, the Bai Family wouldn’t be able to repay the bank loans even after selling everything. They would be left burdened with debt, struggling to make a living.

 

Bai Man lacked academic qualifications and professional experience, making the entertainment industry her most likely destination.

 

The entertainment industry was Yu Meng’s battlefield. If she wanted, she could eliminate Bai Man in an instant.

 

The thought of Bai Man desperately seeking employment made the corners of Yu Meng’s lips curl upward, but this still couldn’t quell the fury over losing tens of millions of followers because of Bai Man.

 

Su Qingwan retracted her foot. “What do you mean?”

 

“She hasn’t told you yet?” Yu Meng stroked her chin and nodded. “That’s just her style—always putting on a brave face.”

 

Su Qingwan frowned deeply, her expression anxious. “You—”

 

Yu Meng gestured for silence. “Xiaoyu is fiercely vindictive. After what Bai Man did to her, how can she possibly quell her anger without making Bai Man lose something?” She stepped closer to Su Qingwan, closing the distance between them. “For your sake, I’m willing to help her one last time. But you need to tell me who’s helping Bai Man.”

 

Su Qingwan retreated a step, refusing to believe Yu Meng would ever help Bai Man. She hadn’t forgotten the look of utter loathing Yu Meng had given Bai Man yesterday. Yu Meng’s last question was clearly just a ploy to extract information.

 

Feigning confusion, Su Qingwan countered, “Bai Man has an accomplice? Who?” When Yu Meng remained silent, she pressed urgently, “Does this really have to escalate so far? Yes, I admit some of Bai Man’s words were harsh, but aren’t your actions equally excessive?”

 

Yu Meng’s attempt to pry information failed. Just as she was about to press further, Shangguan Yu’s voice interrupted them.

 

“Mengmeng, you’re here!” Shangguan Yu hurried over, naturally looping her arm through Yu Meng’s. She feigned surprise at seeing Su Qingwan. “Oh, you’re here too. Sorry, I was just focused on Mengmeng.”

 

She glanced around. “Why are you two here? Where is everyone else?”

 

Su Qingwan didn’t want to come between Yu Meng and Shangguan Yu, especially given the hostile look Shangguan Yu was giving her. She quickly made an excuse: “I’m a bit thirsty. I’ll go get some water.”

 

With that, she hurried out of the room.

 

As she stepped into the courtyard, she saw Bai Man watching her.

 

Her heart skipped a beat. Had Bai Man seen her talking to Yu Meng alone?

 

Bai Man had always disapproved of her spending time with Yu Meng. Would she misunderstand?

 

Bai Man’s hand, clenched into a fist in her pocket, betrayed her inner turmoil. She understood Su Qingwan’s hesitation and the difficult position she was in, but she couldn’t bear to watch Su Qingwan go to Yu Meng.

 

She hadn’t forgotten that Su Qingwan still harbored feelings for Yu Meng.

 

The thought of those lingering affections sent a surge of anger and jealousy through her heart. She strode over, took Su Qingwan’s hand, and led her upstairs.

 

Sensing Bai Man’s intense anger, Su Qingwan tried several times to explain, but it wasn’t until Bai Man dragged her into the room that she finally spoke up: “After the interview, Yu Meng came in,” she said, lowering her gaze with a hint of timidity. “She asked me who was helping you.”

 

She quickly raised her hand. “I didn’t say anything! I don’t know anything either!”

 

By the last few words, her voice carried a note of grievance.

 

Bai Man had only told Su Qingwan that she had a way to deal with Shangguan Yu’s schemes, but she hadn’t mentioned she had an accomplice.

 

Su Qingwan’s words did nothing to quell the anger in Bai Man’s heart. She reached out and pinched Su Qingwan’s chin, her voice icy: “Have I ever told you to stay away from Yu Meng?”

 

Su Qingwan’s mouth was distorted by the grip, her phoenix eyes, misty with tears, brimming with hurt as she nodded slightly.

 

Seeing this, Bai Man’s heart trembled, and she loosened her grip on Su Qingwan’s chin, though her tone remained sharp: “Will you dare to do it again?”

 

Su Qingwan shook her head vigorously. Knowing that being alone with Yu Meng would drive Bai Man mad, she would bolt the moment Yu Meng approached her.

 

Bai Man finally released Su Qingwan’s chin, ignoring the redness her grip had left on Su Qingwan’s face, and turned her back.

 

Where Su Qingwan couldn’t see, a flicker of regret crossed Bai Man’s eyes.

 

Reason told her she shouldn’t blame Su Qingwan for being alone with Yu Meng. Yet she couldn’t suppress the jealousy in her heart, nor the urge to tell Su Qingwan outright: Once you’ve caught my attention, you can forget about anyone else.

 

She knew she couldn’t say such things until she had made a firm decision to stay here.

 

Leaving aside whether it would frighten Su Qingwan, once those words were spoken, it would mean she was confessing her feelings.

 

To confess without being able to offer Su Qingwan a future—how would that be any different from Yu Meng’s actions?

 

Su Qingwan rubbed her sore cheek, still stinging from Bai Man’s grip, and watched her retreating figure. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have hesitated earlier.”

 

“There’s no need to apologize. You have your own reasons.”

 

Bai Man’s words carried no trace of blame, yet Su Qingwan’s brow remained furrowed, her eyes filled with confusion. “Bai Man, are you really not jealous? Not even a little? Does it not bother you that I’m with someone else?”

 

Bai Man’s eyes flickered slightly. How could she not be jealous at all?

 

“Be wary of Shangguan Yu.” She turned, opened the door, ignored Su Qingwan’s gaze, and pushed her out.

 

Shangguan Yu’s possessiveness was fierce—but wasn’t Bai Man’s just as strong?

 

She couldn’t stand the thought of anyone else being near Su Qingwan, no matter who they were.

 

A few hours later, Bai Man learned from her assistant that the interview had concluded. She immediately grabbed her suitcase and headed downstairs.

 

Hearing the commotion, Su Qingwan immediately rushed out, her eyes fixed on the suitcase in Bai Man’s hand. “Are you leaving already? Wait for me! I’ll come with you. Just give me a moment.”

 

Seeing her determination, Bai Man reluctantly stopped. She pulled out her phone from her pocket and booked a ticket for Su Qingwan.

 

Shangguan Yu, who had come upstairs with Yu Meng, glanced at the suitcase. “Mengmeng, do you think she finally realized she’s unwelcome and decided to leave gracefully?”

 

“Not likely,” Yu Meng mused. “It’s more like she’s running for cover.”

 

“Now that you mention it, I just saw an article about a garment factory refusing to repay a massive debt,” Shangguan Yu gasped, covering her mouth in mock surprise. “Could that factory… be hers?”

 

Bai Man held up her phone slightly. “Adults should be responsible for their words.” The unspoken implication was clear: Stop spreading baseless rumors.

 

Shangguan Yu’s smile faltered. Seeing the photographer was gone, she dropped the pretense and sneered, “Sometimes I really admire your composure. Even with the fire at your doorstep, you remain so calm.”

 

“Calm? It’s just a facade,” Yu Meng scoffed.

 

Su Qingwan had packed her clothes the night before. She quickly tossed her skincare products into her suitcase and opened the door to hear Yu Meng’s mocking tone. She retorted, “You seem to know Bai Man quite well.” Turning to Bai Man, she added earnestly, “Looks like I need to work on my acting skills.”

 

“You definitely do,” Shangguan Yu replied with a saccharine smile. “Don’t come running to others for help when you’re in trouble, only to make a fool of yourself.”

 

Yu Meng, who knew Shangguan Yu well, recognized the warning signs. Shangguan Yu was about to make her move against Su Qingwan.

 

She glanced at Su Qingwan with mixed emotions, opened her mouth to speak, but ultimately said nothing.

 

Bai Man took Su Qingwan’s suitcase and remarked casually, “What could be more laughable than someone who’s already a joke?”

 

Without giving Shangguan Yu a chance to reply, she urged, “Let’s go.”

 

Shangguan Yu glared at their retreating figures, snarling, “Bai Man, I’ll live to see you begging on the streets!”

 

“In your next life, maybe!” Bai Man retorted.

 

Those simple words left Shangguan Yu speechless.

 

“I can’t wait any longer. I need to get back and keep an eye on things,” she muttered, turning back to her room.

 

Yu Meng, also eager to return home early, packed her belongings and boarded the Production Team’s arranged vehicle to the airport.

 

By the time they arrived, Bai Man and Su Qingwan had already boarded their flight. Su Qingwan gazed out the window at the darkening sky, her turbulent thoughts instantly soothed by the presence of the person beside her.

 

Without notifying Xu Mengjie, Bai Man exited the airport, hailed a taxi, and, without consulting Su Qingwan, tossed their suitcases into the trunk and gave the driver the Bai Family’s address.

 

At the Bai Family residence, Xu Mengjie sat anxiously on the sofa, watching Bai Shanheng, who sat opposite her in silence. She hesitated, then finally spoke, “Shouldn’t we… contact the seller as soon as possible?”

 

When Bai Shanheng remained silent, she rose and sat beside him. “I know you’re still considering Manman’s words, but Old Bai, Manman doesn’t really know us. The bank only gave us three days. If we delay any longer, the price will really…” She trailed off, knowing Bai Shanheng understood the unspoken consequences.

 

Suddenly, Bai Shanheng slapped his thigh and looked around frantically. “Where’s my phone?”

 

Xu Mengjie handed Bai Shanheng the phone she had found. He immediately opened it and scrolled through today’s news headlines. He pointed to an article about Hengjie Garment Factory’s bankruptcy, massive debts, and the bank’s relentless pursuit of repayment. “This is our fallback plan,” he declared.

 

Xu Mengjie didn’t understand.

 

“The bank initially gave us a month’s grace period, but they suddenly reversed course with unwavering resolve, clearly leaving us no room to maneuver,” Bai Shanheng said, finding an article about Shunyang. “Didn’t you suspect that Manman offended their Little Princess, prompting them to pressure the bank?”

 

He set down the phone. “I’ve heard about the conflict between Shunyang and Tiansheng Group. Shunyang is determined to win the auction for that prime piece of land next month. If we expose Shunyang’s disregard for regulations and abuse of power, it will undoubtedly draw the attention of higher authorities. They’ll be forced to reconsider whether Shunyang is a suitable candidate.”

 

Xu Mengjie pondered for a moment before realization dawned. “You mean Manman is using Tiansheng Group to target Shunyang.”

 

Bai Shanheng nodded. “If our suspicions are correct, Shunyang should be dominating the headlines tomorrow.”

 

Hearing the door open, everyone turned to look. Bai Man entered, pushing a suitcase, with Su Qingwan following behind.

 

Xu Mengjie immediately stood up. “Why didn’t you call? It’s so late! What if something had happened?”

 

Bai Man set the suitcase aside and casually tossed Su Qingwan’s slippers near her feet. “We live in a society governed by law. There’s not much danger.”

 

Su Qingwan nodded in agreement. “Exactly.” After changing her shoes, she looked at Bai Shanheng, who was sitting on the sofa. “Mom, Dad, why aren’t you asleep yet?”

 

Bai Man, sensing their worry, reassured them, “Everything is under control. Nothing will go wrong.”

 

Xu Mengjie and Bai Shanheng exchanged a knowing glance, confirming their suspicions.

 

Their initial anxiety instantly eased.

 

Xu Mengjie smiled. “You must be hungry. I’ll make you some midnight snacks. You two go upstairs and shower first. By the time you’re done, the snacks will be ready.”

 

After thanking her, Bai Man and Su Qingwan went upstairs, one after the other.

 

“Qingwan, why don’t you stay in Manman’s room for the night? I’ll make some late-night snacks, and then I’ll tidy up your room,” Xu Mengjie said apologetically. She hadn’t known Su Qingwan was coming and hadn’t prepared the room Su Qingwan used to stay in.