Chapter 30 He Is Destined to Fail

As the gloomy emotions continued to pile up within Lin Yanran, Xu Fangyuan walked in from outside the door. Upon seeing Lin Yanran’s current state of despondency, she felt both heartache and anger. With this demeanor, how could she ever become a diva?

Xu Fangyuan rushed forward, snatched the beer bottle from Lin Yanran’s hand, and tossed it into the trash bin. “Still drinking? Have you looked in the mirror lately to see what you’ve become?” she scolded. “How have I always taught you? To be a diva, you must remain composed in the face of both praise and criticism. I don’t care what you think inside, but you absolutely cannot show it! And to be like this over a man you’ve already dumped—don’t you find it laughable? What, are you regretting it now?”

Those last three words struck Lin Yanran like a blow to her very core. She reacted as though her tail had been stepped on, bristling all over like a startled cat. She sprang up from the sofa, her expression twisted, and shouted, “I am not! I do not regret it! I have never regretted anything!”

Seeing Lin Yanran in such a state, Xu Fangyuan did not get angry. Instead, she saw something on Lin Yanran’s face that she had never seen before—ruthlessness. Yes, ever since Xu Fangyuan had known Lin Yanran, she had always been the epitome of a gentle and serene woman from the south. That character was likable, but it was utterly unsuited to the murky world of show business. Her overly conservative nature and preference for quiet living always left her at a disadvantage in social situations.

Xu Fangyuan had tried more than once to urge Lin Yanran to change, but the latter had always refused, and Xu Fangyuan hadn’t wanted to force her. But now, Xu Fangyuan sensed a turning point. Her tone softened, and she spoke gently, “I know you don’t regret, and you have no reason to. You are destined to be a diva! As for Su Chen, he’s destined to fail!”

Lin Yanran abruptly raised her head. “Destined to fail… What do you mean?”

Xu Fangyuan’s lips curled into a smile, her voice leisurely. “Just now, Xiang Province Television announced the list of contestants for ‘Tomorrow’s Star.’ Su Chen’s name is on the list.”

“He… he’s going to be on ‘Tomorrow’s Star’? How is that destined to fail?” Lin Yanran suddenly grew more anxious. With Su Chen’s current popularity, this show would surely boost him even further.

“Relax. This time, Starshine is sending people too. Aside from Wang Qi, there’s also Meng Xiaotian,” Xu Fangyuan said.

Lin Yanran was stunned. “…Meng Xiaotian? He’s participating in this kind of talent show?”

Meng Xiaotian had been a member of the “Optimists” group, once signed with Starshine. That group had been wildly popular across the country a few years ago. After some unknown event, the group disbanded, and their fame gradually faded, but Meng Xiaotian’s talent was beyond doubt, and he still retained a large base of fans left over from the Optimists’ heyday.

“Both men have been given orders by the company: they must eliminate Su Chen in the show. With Meng Xiaotian taking action, Su Chen is nothing more than a clown,” Xu Fangyuan declared.

Hearing this, Lin Yanran finally felt herself relax, though an uneasy feeling lingered. “Although Su Chen can’t compare to Meng Xiaotian, these competitions hinge mostly on the mentors. It’s still not foolproof…”

“Exactly,” Xu Fangyuan smiled, picking up her thread. “But what if I told you we have someone among the mentors as well?”

“What… what?!” Lin Yanran’s face was full of shock, quickly replaced by wild joy.

After hearing Xu Fangyuan’s words, Lin Yanran instinctively began to speculate. “Tomorrow’s Star” had four mentors. Han Hong was famously upright, uncompromising, and impossible to be involved with Xu Fangyuan. Zhou Zhiqian, currently at the peak of his career, sought steady progress and had a reputation as a guardian of new talent. Not only would he not sully his reputation with such deeds, even from a standpoint of maintaining his public persona, he would never do it. Yan Mi was even less likely. Sister Mi had transitioned from actress to investor, and Xu Fangyuan was merely a small-time agent; the gap in status was vast.

Thus, among the four mentors, the only one who could possibly have ties to Xu Fangyuan was Zheng Huayu. Lin Yanran suddenly recalled a rumor: after Zheng Huayu’s contract with Fashion Media expired, he enjoyed a honeymoon period with Starshine… Looking at it now, the rumor must be true.

Xu Fangyuan ignored the torrent of thoughts swirling in Lin Yanran’s mind, lifting her chin with pride. “I helped Zheng Huayu a great deal in his early years. He owes his current status entirely to me!”

With a gentle smile, Xu Fangyuan continued, “I’ve already reached out to him regarding this talent show. He’ll do everything he can to help me eliminate Su Chen, and will subtly manipulate his words during the show to shift Su Chen’s public image. After Su Chen is eliminated, I’ll buy some trolls to control the narrative and suppress any chance of a comeback. With this strategy, Su Chen is doomed!”

Listening to Xu Fangyuan’s words, Lin Yanran’s eyes grew brighter and brighter, until at last she clenched her fists in excitement. This plan held great promise—much more reliable than the previous attempt! With the mentors on their side, what hope did Su Chen have of victory?

As Xu Fangyuan spoke of Su Chen, a cold smile appeared on her face. “Su Chen may be talented at singing, but competitions are not just about ability—they’re about capital and connections, and he has neither. Besides, he took on Wang Bingling’s sorrowful ballad. That’s a risky gamble, and I don’t believe he can win. With a little guidance during the show, we won’t even need to intervene directly. Wang Bingling’s fans alone will be enough to give him trouble.”

“Hmph… Su Chen, let’s see what you have left to fight me with this time!”

After a long wait, the seventh day finally arrived—Su Chen was set to depart for Shashi. The boarding time for his flight was at nine in the morning, but since Xiaoshan Airport in Hangzhou was somewhat out of the way, to be safe, he had to leave no later than seven.

Su Chen had packed his clothes the night before, stuffing all necessities into his suitcase. Early in the morning, he dragged his bags, ready to head out.

But when he opened the door, he was stunned to find someone standing there.

Han Jiangxue was radiating a sense of melancholy, standing right in front of him. Her dark circles, barely concealed by foundation, were evident; she was fully dressed, with a suitcase nearly half her height resting by her feet. Clearly, she’d gotten up very early…