Chapter 24.2
Editor: Jodi
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Back at the hotel, Mu Nan ordered a serving of ice cream from room service, trying to cool down his temper while thinking about how to strike back.
The situation wasn’t in his favor. The production team could act without shame, but he couldn’t stoop to their level and rave like a shrew.
Just as he was deep in thought, his phone rang. It was actually Cheng Han.
The person who had been absent for so long suddenly reappeared at a time like this. Was this just a coincidence?
He answered it suspiciously, only to hear Cheng Han’s calm voice on the other end:
“Are you coming home today?”
“Huh?” For a moment, Mu Nan thought he’d been transported back a few days—back to a time before the drama, when he hadn’t gone to set, and Cheng Han hadn’t been dragged into trouble by Bai Wenyan.
“Auntie’s cleaning the house today. She asked if your room needed tidying up.”
Before Mu Nan’s brain could catch up, his mouth answered on autopilot: “I’ll come back. Thanks.”
It wasn’t until he hung up that he realized what he’d just said.
Still, after everything that had happened, the idea of distancing himself from the nauseating drama of the production team was more appealing than ever. So he instructed Xiao Jin to arrange for him to head home that very night.
While packing, Mu Nan noticed that no staff members came to check on him. They were probably hoping to wait until morning, thinking his anger might subside by then.
However no one could have anticipated that he had already left without a word.
Since the drama was set in modern times, the production team had been filming in Mu Nan’s home city. So after a drive of just over an hour, Mu Nan arrived at the house he shared with Cheng Han.
And as if to welcome him back, the house had already been cleaned meticulously. Cheng Han was sitting at the dining table, eating. When he saw Mu Nan walk in, he asked, “Want something to eat?”
“No.” Mu Nan waved it off. “I’ve got no appetite.”
It had been a while since they last saw each other, and Cheng Han looked noticeably thinner. The defined muscle lines on his arms were now gone.
Cheng Han put down his chopsticks and took out a USB drive, placing it on the table. “For you.”
“What’s this?” Mu Nan took it.
“Something you’ll need.” Cheng Han lifted his bowl and downed the rest of his porridge in one go. Then without another word, he went upstairs. By the time Mu Nan remembered the questions he’d meant to ask, he had already disappeared.
“Thank you.” Mu Nan mumbled softly to the empty space where Cheng Han had stood.
Two hours later, he posted his third Weibo update in two days:
[Mu Nan: It’s unfortunate to part ways with the Internship Lawyer production team under these circumstances. As per our contract, the unilateral termination fee amounts to 60 million yuan. After receiving the funds, I will donate the full amount to the Women and Children’s Foundation, specifically to support the education of girls in remote areas. In addition, since I won’t be part of this project, I’ll keep this audition tape as a personal memento.]
The USB drive Cheng Han gave him contained his audition footage, which was supposed to be confidential for the production team—and for his past self.
However since the production team had unilaterally terminated ‘all’ contracts, including the confidentiality agreement, then he had no qualms about sharing the video.
So after two hours of nail-biting anticipation, Mu Nan’s fans finally got his response.
[Way to go, Nan Nan! We repay evil with good. Who has a clear conscience and who throws others under the bus is plain as day!]
[Nan Nan is the best! A man who cares about women and children is the most admirable man!]
[I’m a fan of the original novel, and I’ve seen the audition video. The accuracy is incredible—it’s nothing like someone who’s never acted before. Losing you is the production team’s loss.]
[His acting was clearly fine! I don’t get why some people kept saying he couldn’t act. Have any of you even seen Mu Nan perform?]
Meanwhile, the screenwriter of’Internship Lawyer’, Qiu Yun, the director, the producer, and the male lead Xu Shang were huddled in a room holding an emergency meeting. Off to the side, Du Ling sat lounging on a window seat, watching the drama unfold like a spectator.
The producer was pacing the room anxiously: “Sixty million! How could he just announce it like that? We might’ve been able to negotiate it down if he hadn’t gone public.”
“Where the hell are we supposed to find an extra sixty million now? And worse, the whole country knows we owe him that money!”
“Heh.” Du Ling leaned against the window frame lazily. “Now you regret it? If you didn’t want to pay the penalty, then maybe you shouldn’t have put that clause in the contract.”
The producer trembled with anger: “You—you—”
“What you?” Du Ling rolled her eyes. “But since I’m feeling generous, here’s a tip. You know the saying: ‘the wool comes from the sheep’. Can’t find the sixty million? Isn’t there someone else whose contract you haven’t finalized yet? Why not cut their pay?”
The others exchanged glances. It was true—they hadn’t finalized the payment for one person yet: Xi Qing.
While the group began calculating how to squeeze Xi Qing’s pay, Du Ling pulled her phone out casually and sent Mu Nan a message.
[Sis has done a good job with this one, right?]
[Thanks, Sis!] Mu Nan replied almost immediately.
Mu Nan wasn’t interested in ruining Xi Qing’s role. On the contrary, he couldn’t wait for Xi Qing to take it.
Because he swore he’d make Xi Qing regret ever crossing paths with him.
Just as the group finished their calculations, Du Ling, who had been scrolling through her phone, suddenly blurted out, “Oh no! Qiu Yun, Xu Shang, you two are trending!”
“That’s impossible!” Xu Shang jumped up in shock, snatching Du Ling’s phone from her hand. He was still in the early stages of his career, so if people found out he was dating Qiu Yun, it would be disastrous.
But the moment he saw the post, his vision darkened.
Netizens had dug up a picture of him and Qiu Yun leaning close together in a corner. And the place this picture came from was——
The reflection of the marble wall behind Mu Nan’s audition video.