Public [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: Role Play**

In the top-floor presidential suite, Qin Mang stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. From her vantage point, she overlooked nearly half of Qingcheng. Though the city wasn’t large, it housed the biggest film production base in the country.

This five-star hotel marked the dividing line: on one side stood clusters of ancient-style buildings that felt like stepping back into a traditional, timeworn era; on the other, towering skyscrapers with neon lights crisscrossing the sky, a jarring contrast especially stark at night—like a strange, fantastical dreamscape.

“Heh, without Zhou Yuan Studio’s marketing team backing her, that woman’s fans are panicking and trying to drag you down by claiming you copied her debut,” Meng Ting said, typing away on the laptop beside the coffee table.

“OK.”

“I’ve already posted a screenshot of the timestamp from your debut video.”

The reflection on the glass showed the lit-up screen displaying a post from Meng Ting’s account:

**[Breaking News… Huge Drama Alert!]**

The so-called “huge drama” was, of course, how Shen Wanyin had been leeching off Qin Mang’s debut all along—and even had the nerve to play the victim.

Qin Mang replied with a slow and lazy hum.

She didn’t need to check Weibo to know the storm was already brewing.

A faint chill flickered in her eyes.

Shen Wanyin had set her up last time. Qin Mang had long been waiting for the perfect moment to strike back.

She was not one to forgive or forget.

Only by exposing someone’s deepest fears—the secrets they worked hardest to hide—could you deliver a truly devastating blow.

The air conditioning was on low. Qin Mang picked up a shawl and draped it over her delicate shoulders, bare under a thin spaghetti-strap dress. She nestled into the sofa and tapped her phone, opening her gallery.

Then she lazily said, “You’ve got three minutes to do a good deed. Give Director Zhou a heads-up. If the script needs changing, change it. If the second female lead’s scenes need to be cut, cut them. I think promoting the third female lead sounds about right.”

Qi Rong was much easier on the eyes, after all.

Meng Ting went quiet for a few seconds: “…”

“That’s what you call a good deed?”

Qin Mang didn’t answer and switched screens.

Suddenly, the sound of wooden fish echoed in the room.

Accompanied by her cheerful voice: “Collect 1,000 merit points, and you earn one chance to be a little… irrational.”

At first, Meng Ting didn’t get what she meant.

Until three minutes later.

The company’s PR department blew up his phone. “Ahhh! You need to stop Qin Mang right now!”

Meng Ting: “!”

He knew it—nothing good ever came from her chanting and hitting those wooden fish!

Last time she did it a thousand times, she tried to feed someone to sharks in public on a yacht.

Qin Mang’s red lips curled upward. “Don’t worry. I’m good at attacking the body…”

“And even better at attacking the heart.”

So—

**Qin Mang V:** *“I don’t enjoy playing ugly.”*
*Photo.jpg ×9*

A nine-photo collage, all privately taken by Wu Yuxi during vacations over the years.

**Wu Yuxi instantly reposted:**
* »Our little lion has been beautiful since she was a child. When it comes to looks, she’s always been copied, never surpassed. »*
*Photos ×18*

Last time when Qin Mang was being viciously attacked online, Wu Yuxi had been watching the Northern Lights in Iceland and couldn’t step in. She’d been holding in her anger ever since.

Now she let it all out—and felt amazing.

Their little lion was not only beautiful, but strong. In the entertainment world, she had every reason to stand proud!

Copy her?

What a joke!

A total of 27 private photos of Qin Mang. A feast for beauty lovers.

Flawless from every angle.

Breathtakingly gorgeous.

Netizens finally came to their senses—

Right.

Since ancient times, it’s always been the unattractive ones copying the beautiful.

We’ve heard of Dongshi imitating Xishi, but never Xishi imitating Dongshi.

With Qin Mang’s natural beauty—clear in every unedited high-definition photo—and her acting talent that outshone Shen Wanyin in the same frame, how had she been overshadowed these past two years?

Soon, people began digging.

Starting from the video timestamp Meng Ting posted, they uncovered a trail of suspicious details.

Turns out Shen Wanyin drastically changed her style less than 24 hours after Qin Mang’s debut video dropped. From a sweet, innocent girl-next-door look, she suddenly shifted to a bold and glamorous « top-tier beauty » vibe. Even her early makeup and outfit styling were blatant copies of Qin Mang’s signature red gauze lion dance look.

The deeper they dug, the more shocking it got.

Even Zhou Yuan Studio, who signed Shen Wanyin, got dragged into it.

After all, from boss to artist, their entire brand relied on riding the coattails of others through heavy marketing—a tactic bound to backfire once exposed.

Meng Ting finally exhaled in relief.

“Miss Qin… could you please not make things this thrilling every time?”

“As long as it works.”

As if she’d already predicted how public opinion would turn, Qin Mang casually waved her hand. The rich royal purple jade bangles on her slender wrist clinked softly, emitting a crisp and pleasant sound.

Her gaze flicked to the top Weibo comment under her post:
**“It’s easy to copy the skin, but hard to copy the soul.”**

The sarcasm was razor sharp.

—

In the hotel suite next door, separated by just one wall—

No lights were on. The room was dim and gloomy.

On the carpet lay a cracked tablet, still displaying the Weibo page.

All the hateful words that had once pierced Qin Mang…

Now boomeranged back with greater force—stabbing right into Shen Wanyin.

She sat curled up in the corner, pale-faced, recalling what Wei Qin had said before leaving.

It felt like grasping at a lifeline.

“…Wei-jie, about what you said last time—I agree.”

Laughter came from the other end. “Wanyin, this will be the best decision you’ve ever made.”

Just in time—right before Zhou Yuan Studio planned to cut ties with her.

After hanging up, Wei Qin and Zhou Yuan exchanged a knowing smile.

Now that they had the backing of President Zhou from Feiyun Entertainment…

Zhou Yuan said meaningfully, “In this industry, without a sponsor, the path forward is almost impossible.”

—

**#RealVsFakeGlamGoddess** shot to the top of the trending list.

It was a three-way war: Qin Mang fans posting stunning pics, Shen Wanyin fans flooding retouched glam shots, and random gossip-loving bystanders joining the chaos.

Usually, in such beauty showdowns, the less attractive side gets awkward.

Compared side by side, top to bottom, left to right—Qin Mang’s looks were simply in a league of their own.

No comparison.

Ironically, this messy fan-driven confrontation ended up benefiting Qin Mang.

More and more people began to believe Shen Wanyin had stepped on a newcomer (Qin Mang) to climb her way up—leeching resources, stealing her spotlight, and leaving Qin Mang struggling in mediocrity for two years.

Qin Mang’s journey now looked like a classic underdog comeback story.

She gained a fresh wave of sympathy and support.

As for Shen Wanyin—once adored as a goddess and sweetheart—she instantly became a pariah.

Everyone began speculating how her PR team would respond.

Then, at 3 AM—

A bombshell dropped: Shen Wanyin announced an indefinite retreat from the entertainment industry due to “health reasons.”

It diverted all attention in an instant.

Netizens were stunned.

They’d barely started enjoying the gossip when the main character bowed out.

It was like punching a pillow—dissatisfying.

Meng Ting saw the post and frantically called Qin Mang dozens of times.

“Aaaaah! The more I think about it, the more confused I get. Why would she quit the industry? What if it’s a tactical retreat?”

Woken up in the middle of the night, Qin Mang opened her drowsy eyes slightly, then let them drift closed again.

Her tone was lazy and indifferent:
“Who cares if it’s real or fake? Just make the fake real.”

Real or not—what difference did it make?

From that day on, Shen Wanyin quickly finished filming a few scenes and left the production team.

Ever since she left, the overall progress sped up significantly.

Soon enough, Qin Mang’s shortcomings in acting began to show.

The director had originally hoped Qin Mang would win an award for this role, but… the further into filming they got, the more despair he felt.

It wasn’t that Qin Mang lacked acting skills.

It was just that the latter half of the drama contained many delicate scenes with emotional tension, entangled gazes, and layered interactions that all needed to be portrayed accurately.

The male lead chosen for the drama was Jiang Hengyan, a well-known, award-winning actor recognized for his skills. He had good looks, an impressive resume, and excellent chemistry with actresses of his age group. As a warlord and a qipao beauty pairing, they should’ve had instant CP (couple pairing) appeal. And yet, when he and Qin Mang stood together, it felt like a big sister and her loyal little follower.

It was strange.

The main issue was the way Qin Mang looked at him—completely lacking the bashfulness of a young girl experiencing her first love.

Their very first partner scene took several days just to get through.

At first, the director thought it might be because they weren’t familiar with each other, so he skipped the emotional scenes and had them film other parts first, hoping the chemistry would build over time.

But…

The result was obvious.

“First love, first love! Is that how you look at a lover? Or are you looking at a little sidekick?! Qin Mang, have you never been in love before?!” Director Zhou lost his temper again and shouted into the megaphone, livid.

Qin Mang’s fair and delicate face was full of innocent confusion. She actually thought about it seriously, then shook her head honestly: “…No.”

Director Zhou nearly passed out. He blurted out, “But aren’t you with He—”

The entire crew’s eyes lit up instantly, all turning to the director.

Dozens of eyes screamed: *There’s gossip! We want the tea!*

He abruptly cut himself off.

Director Zhou went silent for a few seconds, wiped his face, and gave a cold chuckle. “Heh…”

“I don’t believe it.”

Meng Ting, afraid their precious young lady would blow her cover, quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “Director, our Mangmang has always been focused on her career. She really hasn’t had time for romance. How about giving her some time to practice a bit more?”

Director Zhou also realized that if Qin Mang kept filming like this, it would lead to a vicious cycle. After a brief pause, he asked, “Will half a month be enough?”

“She’s a fast learner—half a month is definitely enough!”

“Just give us two weeks, and she’ll come back a whole new person.”

Meng Ting held Qin Mang’s hand and made her thank the director.

In the nanny van after leaving the set:

Qin Mang: “…”

She looked gloomily at Meng Ting. “Who told you to decide for me?”

Half a month?

Learn how to fall in love?

Learn what it’s like to have a crush?

She hadn’t figured that out in 22 years.

Meng Ting, for once, took on the posture of a true manager. “What are you looking at? You want to stay on set and keep wasting film over and over again? Wasting your husband’s money is the same as wasting your own!”

He finished earnestly, “I’m doing this for your own good.”

Of course, besides helping her improve her acting, Meng Ting also arranged for her to shoot the September magazine cover during this break.

Back when Qin Mang was getting dragged online, most brands quickly distanced themselves—except for *EG* magazine, which stayed firm.

No wonder they’re a top international brand.

While blacklisting all the backstabbing brands, Meng Ting added, “If you were single, you could explore more options. But now, you only have one.”

“Have your husband help you rehearse.”

Next to them, Ah Tong hugged the costumes they had brought back from the set and chimed in dreamily, “President He would look perfect in a warlord outfit! The aura of a mysterious, noble general—he could totally pull it off.”

She rested her chin on her hand and whispered, “And I think the reason you and Mr. Jiang have no CP chemistry is because his aura just isn’t strong enough.”

“But if President He wore that outfit, you’d definitely get into character!”

“I have CP chemistry with He Lingzhi?”

“Aren’t we the least-likely couple on that CP forum?”

Qin Mang still remembered that post and casually grumbled.

She took a sip of iced water, her long lashes drooping as she slumped in the leather seat, gazing listlessly at the willow trees rushing by outside the window.

Truthfully, she was feeling defeated.

She had clearly worked hard to improve her acting, but when it came to scenes with a partner, it was like something just didn’t click.

For other scenes, she just needed a glance at the script to know exactly how to perform, slipping into character instantly.

But with her pride, there was no way she’d tell Meng Ting and the others.

These past few nights, she’d stayed up until the early hours studying scenes, watching countless movies, and re-reading her mother’s acting notes over and over.

But no matter how rich her theoretical knowledge was, once the cameras started rolling, her mind went blank.

She never knew what expression or look she should have.

And besides…

Would He Lingzhi really help her rehearse?

Qin Mang thought of how he usually responded and said flatly, “I can’t afford President He.”

Meng Ting hesitated a moment. “How about you swallow your pride and ask him nicely?”

Qin Mang glanced over with an intense, smoldering look.

Meng Ting avoided her gaze, pretending not to notice, and cleared his throat. “Hey, everyone has their burdens. Chasing your dreams isn’t easy. Just think of this as the final boss on your path to becoming Best Actress. Once you beat it, you win!”

“Even the pilgrimage to the west required 81 tribulations. You’re barely on the second one.”

Finally, he played his trump card: “Unless you’re afraid you’ll really fall for President He and be unable to stop?”

“…Ha?”

“I’m more afraid he’ll fall for *me* and be unable to stop!”

Qin Mang really fell for the bait.

Meng Ting was overjoyed, but kept a straight face. “Then let’s wait and see.”

He added solemnly, “President He is an ascetic and disciplined glacier. If he melts for you, you’d better tell me in advance so I can stock up on supplies.”

“Because—”

Ah Tong added, “If the glacier melts, the apocalypse begins.”

Qin Mang listened to their banter and let out a soft snort of laughter.

They really had awakened her competitive spirit.

A melting glacier?

She *wanted* to see if the end of the world would come.

The young woman who had been stuck in an emotional rut due to her partner scenes now had a new goal—and renewed energy.

She was already mapping out a detailed plan in her mind.

That night, He Lingzhi returned to the lakeside estate.

And saw someone he hadn’t seen in a while.

Under the dim, dreamy lights—

A woman in a sheer silk qipao stood gracefully at the doorway, like a forest siren sent to lure men in and steal their hearts. If one succumbed to her beauty, it would be a fall from which there was no return.

He Lingzhi wore a conservative and aristocratic suit, buttoned up meticulously, a pair of fine-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. He looked elegant, but distant and untouchable.

At that moment, he looked over against the light—

His gaze swept over the military-green uniform draped on Qin Mang’s pale arm, clearly a man’s outfit, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

Like a volcano lurking beneath a glacier.

Hiding an unknown danger.

The next moment—

Qin Mang’s slender arm had already wrapped around his.

Her red lips parted slightly as she used her teeth to undo the top button of his tightly fastened shirt, occasionally brushing against his Adam’s apple.

Her sultry voice stretched out:

“President He~”

“Roleplay~”

“Wanna play?”