Chapter 11: The Scoundrel Returns?

As soon as the words left her lips, Wu Liping realized she had said something she shouldn’t have.
She hurried to make amends, “Xinluo, I was just too angry, too anxious. You are the daughter I bore with so much effort—how could I possibly let you…”
Shen Xinluo shook her head and took the initiative to embrace her mother.
But out of Wu Liping’s sight, Shen Xinluo’s eyes flashed with a ferocious glint.
Bailu! It was all because of Bailu!
Her father hit her, her mother scolded her, and even said she should take Bailu’s place and be sold!
It was all Bailu’s fault!
She wanted Bailu to meet a terrible end!
Wu Liping gripped her daughter’s shoulders tightly. “Xinluo, the mistress of Yuxing Entertainment must be you—only you! As long as you can marry into the Yu family, your father’s debts, and that wretched orphan Bailu, everything will be resolved.”
“But Brother Fuqing likes Bailu,” Shen Xinluo’s tears began to fall.
Wu Liping said, “Shen Xinluo, just answer me—do you want to marry Yu Fuqing?”
Shen Xinluo nodded fiercely, “Even if I die, I’ll be a ghost of the Yu family.”
Wu Liping sneered, “Good, you’re indeed my daughter. Xinluo, come here, let Mama teach you. When Young Master Yu arrives, you just need to…”
------------
The moment Shen Yanghong left, Bailu rubbed her swollen, red eyes and climbed off the hospital bed.
Oh dear, she’d cried several times today—she really needed to replenish her water and electrolytes.
She opened the fridge, her little hand lingering by the icy cola for quite a while before she finally remembered her identity as an actress.
Actresses shouldn’t drink happy, unhealthy soda!
With a tearful wave, she shut the fridge and made herself a cup of flower tea, then sat at her desk, carefully writing out her grand plan stroke by stroke.
It was a plan that had surged up in her heart just now while the nurse auntie was hugging her—a decision to defend everything she had, a magnificent plan that suddenly bloomed within her.
Since she had been reborn, simply seeking revenge or finding her father would be far too petty!
If she was going to play, she’d play big!
The era of idol mania, IP explosions, the rise of live streaming, business opportunities in product endorsements, the emergence of large-scale outdoor reality shows, the healing warmth of slow-paced variety shows…
She knew the entertainment industry’s development for the next ten years like the back of her hand—this was the golden cheat code straight out of a wish-fulfillment novel.
So, why shouldn’t she build an entertainment empire of her own?
It wasn’t until the sky outside had been dyed orange by the evening glow that Bailu finally put down her pen.
She carefully read over her grand plan, and at last, her gaze lingered on a string of names.

“Hahahahahahahahahaha—”
Bailu laughed with the air of a true villain.
To live again was to be unrestrained, to be wild, to be wanton, to live a dazzling, extravagant life!
Why be human?
She wouldn’t be human anymore!
As she laughed, tears welled up in her eyes.
What use was a golden cheat code anyway?
Forget building her own entertainment empire—she couldn’t even come up with ten dollars now, and was drowning in debt!
In her previous life, all the money she earned had been squandered by Shen Father and Shen Mother in gambling; she never cared much for money anyway—her food, clothing, and shelter were all sponsored by brands, her daily needs handled by partners, so she really had no need to spend.
That’s why she’d never checked her account once in her previous life, and had no idea how much she’d actually earned.
Now, after being reborn, she only knew that at this point, Shen Father and Shen Mother had already started borrowing money everywhere in her name.
But she had no clue how much debt was actually in her name!
Furious, Bailu raised her hand, about to slap herself hard.
Just then, her phone rang. Bailu picked it up, and Shen Yanghong’s excitement was barely contained in his voice, “Bailu, I have great news for you!”
Bailu immediately became wary.
Shen Yanghong’s good news was always her nightmare.
Seeing her silence, Shen Yanghong said, “Bailu, are you still sleeping? Wake up, your Brother Fuqing is here to see you!”
Bailu: “!!!”
Yu Fuqing!
Her childhood friend, the young heir of Yuxing Entertainment, who appeared to pursue her wholeheartedly but was secretly entangled with Shen Xinluo.
After she lost her commercial value, he abandoned her without hesitation, marrying Shen Xinluo—the one who had stolen her identity and become the little miss of the Lu family!
Her father’s death had Yu Fuqing’s hand in it!
Shen Xinluo was too timid to embezzle Lu Group’s money—the entire scheme was Yu Fuqing’s idea. After they were exposed, it was also Yu Fuqing who urged Shen Xinluo to find her father and take the fall!
So, Yu Fuqing needed to die too!!
Yanghong continued to babble excitedly, but Bailu didn’t listen—she only caught his final words: “Bailu, get up and tidy yourself—Dad and Brother Fuqing will be there soon.”
Bailu was suspicious.
In her previous life, she’d been unconscious for more than a month before waking up, and Yu Fuqing had only rushed back to see her on the second day after she returned to set.

Now, she’d only been unconscious for half a month—how come Yu Fuqing was here already?
But his arrival was perfect—she’d been waiting for him!
Bailu’s lips curled into a sinister smile, her expression fierce, though her voice was sweet as honey: “Really, Dad? Brother Fuqing is here? Where is he now?”
Shen Yanghong teased her, “What, you only care about your Brother Fuqing and not your father? You little rascal, girls always slip away as they grow up. Well, turn around.”
“Bailu.” A gentle voice sounded from behind her.
Bailu quickly wiped the fierceness from her face, and in the next moment, someone pulled her up from her chair and into their arms.
A faint scent of classic cologne mingled with a biting chill.
“Bailu, you waking up is truly wonderful!”
Yu Fuqing’s voice seemed to tremble ever so slightly.
Shen Yanghong’s face brimmed with flattery. “Bailu, you have no idea. Young Master Yu was beside himself with worry when he heard about your accident! He flew for over ten hours to come home, then rushed here by train and car, barely slept for days, just so he could see you sooner!”
Bailu looked up—Yu Fuqing’s face, weary but still gentle, gave her a refined smile.
The warm orange glow of the setting sun bathed him, as if a soft filter had been applied just for him.
Snowflakes still clung to the shoulders of his trench coat, his hair was messy, and blue stubble dotted his chin.
Despite his travel-worn appearance, Yu Fuqing’s handsomeness was unmistakable.
To be fair, even among the countless beautiful men and women of the entertainment industry, this scumbag’s looks could make anyone stop and stare.
And with his distinguished background and gentle manners, plus their childhood bond, Bailu thought that choosing Yu Fuqing as her fiancé in her previous life wasn’t entirely blind after all.
After all, Yu Fuqing had worn that mask of refinement for so long, he’d come to believe it himself.
Yu Fuqing gazed at her, his eyes full of tender concern. “As long as my Bailu wakes up, nothing else matters.”
Yu Fuqing was overflowing with affection, but Bailu was only worried about her notebook—she hurriedly pushed him aside, trying to gather up the open pages.
Shen Yanghong, displeased that Bailu ignored her golden prospect, snatched the notebook away. “You’ve just woken up and you won’t rest—what’s all this writing? Young Master Yu has gone through so much to see you, and you only care about your stupid notebook!”
“Dad! Give it back!”
Bailu jumped up to snatch it. Shen Yanghong hadn’t expected her reaction to be so fierce; he lost his grip, and the notebook fell to the floor, a single sheet drifting out.
Shen Yanghong glanced down, then looked at Bailu in disbelief. “Bailu? You—”