Chapter 24

Chapter 24

I only had one scene in the afternoon. I was getting ready to leave after finishing it, but to my surprise, Sun Manning started acting up again.

“My diamond ring is missing!”

Sun Manning was throwing a tantrum, claiming that her pink diamond “pigeon egg” was a recent auction purchase and worth a fortune. She was certain someone had stolen it.

She ordered the Director to lock down the set, forbidding anyone from leaving, and had her assistants search everyone’s bags one by one.

Although the Director was speechless, Sun Manning’s benefactor was the primary investor. He couldn’t afford to offend her, so he had to let the young lady have her way.

After searching for a long time and finding nothing, only the male and female leads and I were left.

I understood now-this was targeted at me again.

“Zhiyi, you don’t mind if I look through your bag, do you?” Sun Manning asked, her arms crossed over her chest and a smile playing on her bright red lips.

Knowing full well that someone must have tampered with my bag, I said coldly, “Actually, I do.”

I refused to suffer in silence any longer. “You have no right to search my things. I’ll only let the police do that.”

Sun Manning sneered and rolled her eyes. “Zhiyi, if you won’t let us search, are you feeling guilty?”

As soon as she finished speaking, she ordered several assistants to snatch my bag and Sister Fang’s bag.

I certainly couldn’t let her touch them, so I quickly turned to the Director for help. “Director Li, are you just going to stand there and watch?”

Director Li pretended to check the equipment and turned his back.

With a ripping sound, my bag was snatched away and torn open. My makeup and notebooks spilled onto the ground with a clatter.

Among them was a velvet jewelry box I had never seen before.

Sun Manning let out a shriek. “My diamond ring!”

Furious, she rushed over and slapped me across the face without a word. “Caught red-handed! What else do you have to say for yourself?”

Sister Fang shielded me. “Stop framing people! Our Zhiyi didn’t take that thing.”

Sun Manning sneered. “A country bumpkin from some small town who’s never seen expensive jewelry… greed and sticky fingers go hand in hand. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do.”

Sister Fang was enraged and grabbed Sun Manning by the collar. “Keep your damn mouth clean!”

Sun Manning’s bodyguards swarmed forward, ready to strike Sister Fang.

“Nobody fucking move!”

I pulled Sister Fang behind me and looked Sun Manning straight in the eye. “Let’s just call the police. Once they check the fingerprints on the ring, everything will be clear.”

A flash of panic crossed Sun Manning’s eyes, but she gave a cold snort. “There’s no need to waste police resources on such a small matter. Xu Zhiyi, you need to get on your knees and apologize to me.”

“Impossible,” I said firmly. “This concerns my reputation. I insist on calling the police!”

With that, I looked at the Director. “Director Li, could you help me call the police?”

Director Li tried to play peacemaker. “It’s not that big a deal. Zhiyi, just say you’re sorry to Manning and we’ll let this go.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong. Why should I apologize?”

Director Li’s face darkened. “Are you going to make everyone wait here with you then? Apologize now!”

I was trembling with rage and was about to argue back.

Suddenly, a pleasant male voice came from ahead.

“I saw it. An hour ago, Miss Sun’s assistant snuck into Xu Zhiyi’s dressing room while she was filming.”

I looked toward the voice.

The man speaking was handsome and tall-the male lead of this production, Lin Yanxi.

Lin Yanxi nodded and smiled at me, his hands in his pockets. “I support calling the police. Let them check the fingerprints.”

The atmosphere suddenly turned tense, and the air on set was thick with the scent of gunpowder.

Sun Manning lashed out at Lin Yanxi, waving her arms. “What does this have to do with you? Get lost!”

Lin Yanxi leaned lazily against the wall. “I just can’t stand by and watch. I feel like being meddlesome today.”

Just then, a cameraman hurried over and whispered a few words into Director Li’s ear.

Director Li gave me a meaningful look, then stood up and said, “Alright, enough of this nonsense. There’s surveillance footage on set. It’s perfectly clear who did what.”

After saying that, Director Li looked at Sun Manning. “Miss Sun, please keep a better eye on your belongings and your people in the future. Don’t let them wander off or leave things where they don’t belong.”

The implication was obvious; everyone present understood exactly what he meant.

Sun Manning’s face turned beet red, and she looked like she wanted to keep arguing.

Director Li was fed up and snapped, “Are we going to fucking film or not? If not, then get out!”

Sun Manning froze, and tears immediately began to fall. She threw out a parting shot: “Just you wait!”

With that, she turned and ran off.

I breathed a sigh of relief. This farce had finally ended without any real harm done.

Director Li’s attitude had changed the moment the Assistant Director whispered to him.

It seemed a benefactor was helping me.

The corners of my mouth curled up. It had to be him.

At that moment, Lin Yanxi walked over to me.

“Thank you for just now,” I said quickly.

Lin Yanxi gave a casual wave of his hand. “It’s nothing. Helping you was the right thing to do.”

I asked in surprise, “Why do you say that?”

Lin Yanxi smiled. “I’m also a graduate of the acting department, just two years ahead of you. Technically, I’m your Senior Brother.”

I reached out my hand. “Then thank you, Senior Brother.”

Lin Yanxi shook my hand. “Just saying thanks isn’t enough. How about this-give me a chance to take you out to dinner?”

I readily agreed.