How To Deal With Being Transmigrated As The Scumbag Ex-Wife - Chapter 39

39: The Shen Family’s Shocking Scandal

B City Shooting Base

“Cut! How was that take?”

Yu Qingjia tilted her head toward assistant director Chen Xuan. He promptly checked with the sound engineer, who shook his head awkwardly.

Seeing this, Yu Qingjia grabbed the headphones and listened. On the monitor, as Meng Zhou collapsed, a clear stomach growl echoed through the audio.

Yu Qingjia: …

Probably starving.

Catching her gaze, Meng Zhou sheepishly pressed his stomach, looking embarrassed.

Sighing inwardly, Yu Qingjia set down the headphones. “One more take. Let’s nail it this time.”

This morning, damaged props delayed shooting, tiring everyone out. Meng Zhou’s hunger was understandable, but if they didn’t finish now, the afternoon would be wasted too.

“Eternal Life, Scene 25, Shot 3, Take 4. Action!”

Clap!

…

During lunch break, a commotion stirred not far from the set.

Pausing mid-bite, Yu Qingjia looked over and saw a familiar figure approaching, surrounded like a star—Yu Qingyi, her usually stoic face now beaming with an unusually warm smile.

Tch, she never visited when it was all Tianyue actors, but now she’s here.

Amused, Yu Qingjia shifted her gaze to Mo Lan, eating nearby. Mo Lan seemed oblivious to Yu Qingyi’s arrival, delicately nibbling her food with pleasing grace.

Mo Lan had no scenes these past few days but arrived early each morning, even helping guide actors’ emotions. Her dedication shamed even the diligent Tang Jin.

Over these days, Yu Qingjia found Mo Lan increasingly enigmatic.

Mo Lan was too perfect—humble, gentle, approachable, unflappable. She kindly accepted photo requests from extras, showing no resentment from her decade-long ban, only a burning passion for acting.

That was what felt off. For someone so devoted to performance, unjustly banned for ten years, how could she remain so composed?

But since Mo Lan never showed it, Yu Qingjia didn’t dwell on it. As long as an actor stayed professional and didn’t cause trouble, she didn’t care about the rest.

Lost in thought, Yu Qingjia noticed a figure. Looking up, she saw Yu Qingyi’s distracted face.

Tsking inwardly, before Yu Qingjia could speak, Yu Qingyi pursed her lips, affronted, and headed straight for Mo Lan.

Yu Qingjia: …

Fine, she’s just an emotionless tool.

Mo Lan, aware of the off-set buzz, had glanced over and identified the visitor—Tianyue’s chairman’s eldest daughter, Xinghui’s CEO, Yu Qingyi. Single, never linked to anyone, orientation unclear.

Not a romantic prospect, but Mo Lan didn’t mind befriending a young, accomplished CEO—without seeming too eager.

As Yu Qingyi approached, Mo Lan’s grip on her chopsticks tightened. If she’d been born into such a family, would she…

Before she could dwell, a shadow fell over the table. She quickly composed herself, her gloomy eyes clearing as she looked up with a gentle smile.

The beautiful, poised woman smiled. “Sorry to interrupt your meal. I’m a huge fan, Sister Mo, and thrilled you’re in Eternal Life!”

Seeing the barely concealed joy and nervousness in her eyes, Mo Lan’s mind wavered, recalling her lost decade. Her fingers paled on the chopsticks, but she made her choice.

Smiling warmly, she said, “It’s my honor to have such an accomplished fan like President Yu.”

Watching Yu Qingyi and Mo Lan chat happily, Yu Qingjia felt uneasy—not out of sibling rivalry, but concern that Yu Qingyi might get hurt in this unequal dynamic.

Chewing her chopsticks, she decided to stay out of it. Yu Qingyi, in her thirties, would have to learn from any mistakes herself.

…

As Eternal Life’s filming continued, a bombshell hit the internet—

Intimate bed photos of Shenji Group’s current CEO, Shen Ru, and a certain woman had leaked. If the woman was just Shen Ru’s lover, it would be fine. At most, everyone would just treat it as a scandal and let it go.

But the problem is that this woman looks 50% similar to Shen Ru, until someone claiming to be the ex-girlfriend of the CEO’s “lover” appeared and said that this person was named Shen Yiruo and was a bl00d cousin of Shen Ru, causing the Internet to explode:

“Holy crap, Shen Yiruo? Isn’t that the villain in Look Up?”

“Wait, I’m dizzy. This counts as incest, right? Did the Second Princess know something, naming the character that?”

“Can netizens think for themselves? Believing everything they hear, the people are so stupid.”

“Sorry, but this is indeed true. Doubters can search Shen Zhengcheng and Shen Zhengbo. Shen Zhengcheng took his granddaughter to Languo’s to attend the wedding of the Prince of Lan. The pictures prove it.”

Skeptical netizens searched and were floored. Shen Yiruo existed, Shen Ru’s cousin, and they were photographed in bed together.

The news was overwhelming, leaving people unsure where to start.

Though the exposing account was deleted and posts scrubbed, savvy netizens had screenshots saved.

It was a blunder. If Shenji had claimed the cousins were just close and shared a bed, people might not have jumped to incest. But suppressing posts screamed cover-up.

The more they hid, the more netizens believed it, casting a strange shadow over Shenji.

“Tch, SR finally got her karma. Who caught that? What goes around comes around.”

“Spill the tea privately, upstairs!”

“SR was my idol. Never thought my idol would crash like this. Nearly crushed me.”

“What a dumb move. Shenji’s PR team sucks, looks so guilty.”

As netizens gawked at the scandal, they mocked Shenji’s poor crisis management.

Watching it unfold, Ming Yin’s lips curved slightly, her eyes icy.

Shenji wouldn’t botch this themselves. Mingyue’s PR team handled the suppression, fanning the flames. Without a confession, incest rumors needed fueling to stick.

Assistant Lin, waiting for Ming Yin’s orders, was inwardly thrilled.

Her brilliant CEO, drugged twice by Shen Ru, could’ve torn her apart. Yet Ming Yin calculated perfectly, even accounting for Shen Ru and Shen Yiruo’s actions. They’d never trace it back, no one forced them into that room or to drink that wine.

The drug, extracted by Dr. Chen, was turned back on Shen.

Beaming inside, Lin’s face stayed neutral, her admiration for Ming Yin soaring.

Ming Yin set the tablet aside. “Keep monitoring. If Shenji moves, pull back.”

Lin, slightly disappointed, wanted to keep the heat on until Shen Ru’s reputation tanked, pressuring Shenji to reallocate resources to Ming. But she knew toppling Shen Ru in one go was unlikely.

“Director contacted?” Ming Yin shifted, her dark eyes deep and cool, like an unfathomable well.

Assistant Lin straightened. “Ready to act anytime.”

Ming Yin nodded. “Then move tomorrow.”

Assistant Lin’s eyes gleamed with schadenfreude, her smile barely contained. “I’ll prepare now.”

The Shen family’s lax morals paled against the Mings’. Ming Yin’s father lost control for keeping a mistress, while Shen’s patriarch had multiple lovers and countless illegitimate children. Ambitious heirs eager to replace Shen Ru abounded. With her reputation stained and massive losses, her position was shaky.

…

“Have you heard? That Shen Ru thing—my god, unreal!”

“Who doesn’t know by now? I thought that stuff only happened in novels. Who knew it’d happen for real?”

“Not surprising. Those types love their games, maybe they just found it fun.”

Overhearing Shen Ru’s name while watching the camera team adjust, Yu Qingjia glanced over. Some actors were chatting.

Between retakes or setups, which took half an hour, actors rested, chatted, or reviewed scripts. The young, outgoing cast easily bonded.

Seeing them, Yu Qingjia asked, “Talking about Shen Ru?”

Caught off guard by her approach, the actors froze. At her question, they exchanged glances.

Someone didn’t know?

The tiger-toothed girl explained Shen Ru’s alleged incest scandal with her cousin. Yu Qingjia didn’t know whether to laugh or cackle but maintained her mature director persona, nodded, and left.

Back to adjusting camera positions, the actors whispered:

“Didn’t they say Director Yu hates Shen Yiruo? She seems unbothered.”

“That’s a top director’s poise. Maybe she knew already.”

“Director Yu’s always so calm.”

Yu Qingjia was inwardly howling. She didn’t believe Shen Ru and Shen Yiruo were involved, she’d bet they were set up.

The thought of Shen Ru, the schemer, being played into bed made her want to laugh.

During filming, her good mood was obvious. Even when Chen Xuan’s laughter triggered the actors, she stayed unfazed.

Buoyed by the news, Yu Qingjia was energized through the wrap-up. She searched online but found no trace of the story, though her comment section was flooded with gossiping netizens:

“Did Director Yu know, naming her SYR?”

“God, SYR must’ve pissed her off. So hateable now.”

“Hahaha, SYR crossed Director Yu. This revenge is adorable.”

Clearly, the scandal made Shen Yiruo a household name, with netizens seeing Yu Qingjia’s disdain and “retaliation.” Some found her petty-cute, others called her vicious for smearing someone.

“Turning anti. Her character’s awful, using her influence to cyberbully nobody?”

“Jeez, some idiots think this revenge is cute? Hope you get targeted like this daily.”

“No bottom line for netizens? You’re Yu Qingjia’s unwitting weapon!”

Yu Qingjia ignored the noise. She wasn’t that petty. If Shen Yiruo’s actions hadn’t disgusted her, she wouldn’t have bothered, even feeling Shen Yiruo insulted her film.

Enjoying the buzz, she called Yu Qingyi, only to hear her sister’s impatient tone. “Hey, what’s up?”

“About Shen Ru—”

Before she finished, Yu Qingyi cut in sharply, “Got it. Decide for yourself.”

Yu Qingjia: ???

What was she on about?

Before she could respond, Yu Qingyi hung up, leaving rapid beeps.

Staring at the ended call, a chilling thought hit—

Was Yu Qingyi kidnapped?!

The more she thought, the likelier it seemed. If Yu Qingyi was involved in Shen Ru and Shen Yiruo’s scandal, with Shen Ru’s vindictive nature, kidnapping wasn’t far-fetched!

Yu Qingjia redialed. After one ring, Yu Qingyi answered, sounding annoyed. “Stop calling. I’m busy. Talk tomorrow.”

Before Yu Qingjia could process, a gentle, familiar voice said, “If President Yu has work, we can meet another time.”

Despite the phone’s distortion, Yu Qingjia recognized Mo Lan.

“No big deal, just a clumsy assistant.” Yu Qingyi replied, her tone softening, like a spring breeze.

Relieved, Yu Qingjia hung up before Yu Qingyi could, muttering at the “Call Ended” screen—lustful woman, forgetting her sister for a crush!

About to toss her phone, she thought of Ming Yin. If Shen Ru was in trouble, Ming Yin likely had a hand in it.

She called her.

…

Receiving Yu Qingjia’s call, Ming Yin was surprised and delighted. Since that incident, Yu Qingjia rarely reached out.

Answering, her tone lifted. “Hm? What’s up?”

Sensing her good mood, Yu Qingjia grew certain. “I heard about Shen Ru and Shen Yiruo. What happened?”

Knowing the call was about this, Ming Yin felt a pang of disappointment but explained, “There was a big gala. President Yu had Pan Xing toast Shen Ru. She drank without suspicion, it was the drug Dr. Chen extracted for me.”

Her lips curved. Who’d expect cautious Shen Ru to trust Pan Xing, downing the wine without hesitation?

Poetic justice, Shen Ru fell to her own dirty tricks.

Elated, Yu Qingjia was about to praise her but froze, thinking of Pan Xing. “What about Pan Xing?”

Though they wouldn’t reconcile, her concern irked Ming Yin. Pursing her lips, she said, “Pan Xing’s clear. Surveillance proves it, and President Yu’s protecting her.”

Relieved, Yu Qingjia didn’t want Pan Xing entangled with Shen Ru. In the original story, even without ties, Pan Xing suffered. Now, with Shen Ru in trouble over the wine, she might target Pan Xing, worsening her fate.

Noticing Ming Yin’s low mood, Yu Qingjia asked, “Something bothering you?”

Hearing her concern, Ming Yin’s mood lifted. “Just busy with work.”

“Am I interrupting?” Realizing, Yu Qingjia was about to hang up when Ming Yin’s pleasant laugh came. “No, I just got to the hotel. No work here.”

Hearing “hotel,” Yu Qingjia asked, “Xiao Lizhi’s not with you?”

Ming Yin glanced at Zhizhi, rolling on the bed with a pillow, and stepped onto the balcony. “She’s asleep.”

Though early, Yu Qingjia saw no issue. They’d just arrived, likely exhausted—especially a child like Xiao Lizhi.

“Oh…” Thinking of the scandal, she eagerly asked, “What happened next? Did the Shen’s give Shen Ru trouble?”

Recalling Shen Wende’s message, Ming Yin smirked, her eyes mocking. “You know Shenji’s film investments flopped? The directors submitted and bailed.”

Didn’t they mention crew issues? Were those projects still running?

That’s a fortune spent.

In a flash, Yu Qingjia got it—failed investments plus this scandal. She almost pitied Shen Ru.

Laughing, she said, “After this, will the Shen’s still trust her with power?”

“They’ve pulled half her authority, but she’s not giving up.” Ming Yin said, toying with a decorative plant on the balcony, tracing its veins. “Shen Yiruo took a big hit—she’s confined, barred from leaving Languo.”

Ha, a double strike—well played!

Yu Qingjia felt exhilarated, avenging Xiao Yu too. Shifting position, she smiled. “Don’t let your guard down. Those two won’t quit easily, especially Shen Ru—she’s unpredictable.”

Sensing her care, Ming Yin’s gaze softened. “I’ll be careful. How’s filming?”

“It’s okay,” Yu Qingjia replied. Green screen work was new to the cast, and some actions looked silly, causing laughter that spread, forcing retakes. But they were adapting.

Ming Yin said, “President Yu mentioned you’re in B City?”

Yu Qingjia hummed, and Ming Yin added with a smile, “I’m in B City too. Mind if I visit the set?”

Unsurprised—B City was a financial hub—she replied, “You want to visit my set?”

Before she answered, Ming Yin added, “We haven’t seen each other in a while. Zhizhi misses you.”

Thinking of Xiao Lizhi, Yu Qingjia’s smile softened. “Sure, you’re welcome.”

After planning the visit, they chatted briefly before hanging up.

Turning, Ming Yin saw Zhizhi, who should’ve been rolling on the bed, standing in the living room, arms akimbo, pouting. “Mommy secretly called Xiao Yu!”

Ming Yin: …

Wasn’t it aboveboard?

Zhizhi whined, “Last time you covered my eyes!”

Ming Yin pursed her lips, ruffling Zhizhi’s head, teasing, “Xiao Yu called me, not you.”