"Congratulations. You've been shortlisted."
The words didn't hit Jiang Yue right away.
She sat in SkyInk's casting office, blinking down at the printed script. Her name was among five finalists for the lead role in Scarlet Line, a high-profile romance-thriller backed by three major studios.
Lead role.
Face on the poster.
Her own name in the opening credits.
"You're a front-runner," the agent said. "The director loves your voice—and your screen test."
She should have smiled.
But something in her gut felt off.
[System Alert: FL Casting Milestone Achieved]
Skill Compatibility Score with "Lin Wan" (Lead Character): 91.3%
Casting Probability: 61.8%
Danger Level: Yellow
Risk Detected: External Interference Targeting Casting Vote
Two hours later, the scandal dropped. Entertainment Gossip Exclusive: SkyInk Actress "J" Slept Her Way Into Scarlet Shortlist?
— Unverified sources claim actress Jiang Yue was personally backed by SkyInk CEO Lu Zeyan.
— Rumors suggest romantic ties may have swayed early selection.
Anonymous screenshots. Blurred hotel check-ins. An out-of-context dinner photo of her and Zeyan—six feet apart, under fluorescent lights.
The captions didn't care.
They screamed:
"Talent or Pillowcase Privilege?"
"From Nameless to Notorious"
[System Alert: Reputational Threat Level: ORANGE]
FL Popularity Points: -0.005612847 (ongoing)
Potential Project Loss: "Scarlet Line" casting committee split
Suggested Action: Strategic Reputation Control Needed
Jiang Yue stood in front of Zeyan's office holding the tabloid printout.
He looked up from the report.
"Are you here to ask if I leaked this?"
"No," she said quietly. "I'm here to ask if I should fight it. Or ignore it."
Zeyan leaned back.
"If you ignore it, the bloodthirsty ones will invent more. If you fight it, they'll dig deeper."
A pause.
Then, she asked the real question.
"…Is this the first time?"
"That you've been targeted?" he said. "No."
She nodded.
"Then let's give them a first they'll never forget."
[System Update: Crisis Protocol Unlocked]
Module: "Scandal Reversal – Controlled Emotional Weaponization"
Requirements:
– Use of prior acting footage as defense narrative
– Direct public response timed with leak decay curve
Cost: 2.7 BP + 6.1 PP
Estimated Reputation Recovery: +0.0113
Viral Surge Probability: 42%
That night, SkyInk dropped a short film.
Three minutes long.
Jiang Yue sat on a dark stage, lit only by a spotlight.
"They say silence is guilt.
But in this industry, silence is survival."
"I didn't beg for this role. I bled for it."
Scene cuts to actual footage of her bathtub confession test. Then, her stunt reel. Her voice acting reels. Clips of her studying under Mu Shengzhi.
"If my work doesn't speak louder than a headline, I wasn't good enough to begin with."
No names. No lawsuits. Just evidence and emotion.
[System Alert: Clip Engagement Spike – Trending Rank #5 within 2 hours]
Viewer Comments:
– "Even if she did, she earned it."
– "This woman's been clawing her way up. Let her breathe."
– "That acting… chills."
Reputation Points Recovered:
+0.014912394
FL Public Favorability: 87.1% (Stable)
Gu Yuxi sipped from a silver thermos.
Su Cheng sat across from her, smirking at the failed scandal.
"She beat it again," Cheng said.
Yuxi's eyes narrowed.
"No. She survived. There's a difference."
Meanwhile, Jiang Yue sat in the SkyInk practice lounge, reading the updated casting board.
Her name was still there.
Now ranked #1.
She smiled.
Not because she'd won.
But because she hadn't bowed.
Later that night, Zeyan's phone buzzed.
Jiang Yue:
"Thanks for not answering that day.
If you had tried to defend me then, they'd say you were proving the story true."
He typed back:
"You defended yourself better than I ever could."
Then:
"But if you ever want me to be your shield, I will."
No reply.
But across the city, Jiang Yue looked at that message…
…and didn't delete it.