Chapter 1: One Cannot Abandon Money for the Sake of Dignity

Jiang Nanxi was reborn. No sooner had she regained consciousness than someone slapped a check across her face.

"Jiang Nanxi, a bottom-tier actress like you is only going to drag Shen Lan down. Stop clinging to him, lest you ruin his future! Consider this money charity from me; stay away from Shen Lan from now on!"

The woman turned and walked away after speaking.

Jiang Nanxi took the check off her face and glanced at it. It was written for five million. Gradually, she recalled the situation.

The woman who had just left was Song Wanwan, the eldest daughter of the top wealthy family in the Imperial Capital and a trending top-tier celebrity.

Shen Lan was her childhood sweetheart, a boyfriend of seven years, and currently the most promising newcomer in the entertainment industry.

A few days ago, she had checked Shen Lan’s phone and discovered he was cheating with Song Wanwan. Today, Song Wanwan had come to find her, throwing a check in her face to demand she break up with him.

In her past life, Jiang Nanxi had felt deeply insulted. She tore up the check in a fit of rage and told Song Wanwan that she would never leave Shen Lan.

Shen Lan had no intention of breaking up with her either, but he would constantly gaslight her, claiming she was lacking in this or that, making her doubt herself immensely. She couldn't help but try to please him, and she became increasingly paranoid about Song Wanwan.

In secret, the two continued their affair, cheating repeatedly and leaving her with a metaphorical "green pasture" of betrayal.

When Jiang Nanxi went to confront Song Wanwan in person, she was set up. Her videos were taken out of context and posted online, leading netizens to believe she was having a mental breakdown, intentionally hurting people, and bullying Song Wanwan.

Shen Lan even stabbed her in the back, claiming he had long since broken up with her and that Song Wanwan was his true girlfriend.

Song Wanwan was a top-tier celebrity, and her fans were furious upon learning she had suffered such "grievances," spending every day cursing and wishing death upon Jiang Nanxi online.

One of Song Wanwan’s extremist fans eventually ambushed Jiang Nanxi on her way home from work, stabbing her multiple times and killing her.

Thinking of her past life, a wave of fury surged in Jiang Nanxi’s heart. Her hand holding the check trembled.

She and Shen Lan had grown up in an orphanage together, both without parents, supporting each other. She hadn't just seen him as a boyfriend, but as family.

Later, when they entered the entertainment industry, she often sacrificed her own time to find opportunities for him, sometimes even accompanying big directors and producers to drinks and enduring harassment just to secure him an audition for a supporting role.

Now that Shen Lan had finally gained some fame and met a wealthy, famous woman, he wanted to kick her to the curb?

That would be one thing.

But he had repeatedly used money to insult her dignity!

*Slap.*

Jiang Nanxi suddenly slapped herself. Looking at the check in her hand, she said with regret, "I actually turned down money for the sake of dignity in my past life? I’m such a fucking idiot!"

Jiang Nanxi went to the bank first.

She cashed the check.

Seeing the extra digits in her bank account, Jiang Nanxi felt a bit more satisfied. Then, she called that bastard Shen Lan.

"Shen Lan, what are you doing?"

Shen Lan’s panting voice came from the other end of the line, "Baby, I’m running at the gym. The role in my next drama has high requirements for my physique, so... I have to work out hard."

Jiang Nanxi said expressionlessly, "Why do I hear slapping sounds?"

"Oh, that’s a brother next to me lifting weights; his friend is clapping to cheer him on."

"Then keep running. I’m going to the set to play an extra, so I won't chat anymore."

"Alright, you do your best too, baby."

"..."

Jiang Nanxi walked out of the bank and looked at the sky.

Hmm, the weather was great, the sun was bright, and the lawn on the ground was lush and vibrant—very beautiful and very green, just like the "hat" she was wearing.

She checked the internet again.

The netizens were spewing filth, all directed at her.

They were cursing her this time because when she had discovered Shen Lan’s affair on his phone, she had posted a snarky essay online mocking Song Wanwan.

The netizens didn't believe for a second that Song Wanwan would be a mistress, claiming Jiang Nanxi was just trying to grab attention and clout.

After thinking it over, Jiang Nanxi took a taxi straight to Shen Lan’s apartment and started a livestream.

Livestream title

【Shen Lan and Song Wanwan doing it live!】

Simple and brutal.

The name of her livestream quickly attracted a large crowd of onlookers, many of whom were fans of Song Wanwan and Shen Lan.

When these fans entered and saw Jiang Nanxi’s face instead of their idols, they were instantly enraged.

【Where is Wanwan? Jiang Nanxi, you dog, trying to leech off Wanwan’s popularity again!】

【What kind of title is that? Have you gone crazy trying to get famous, Jiang Nanxi? If you keep spreading rumors about Wanwan, I’ll fight you!】

【Do you even know who Song Wanwan is? She’s the eldest daughter of the Song family, the top wealthy family in the Imperial Capital with assets in the hundreds of billions. Why would she ever look at Shen Lan!】

【Delusional wife, imagining every day that someone is trying to steal your man. Why would Shen Lan ever pick someone like you as a girlfriend!】

Seeing the screen filled with insults, Jiang Nanxi said calmly, "Since you all like barking like dogs so much, do you want me to tie you up at my front door so you can bark to your heart's content? Stop the fucking noise; I’ll feed you all in a bit, I promise you’ll get your fill."

【??? You dare call us dogs?】

【Jiang Nanxi, change the title of your stream, or we’re reporting you!】

Jiang Nanxi ignored the comments. She entered the passcode and opened the door to Shen Lan’s apartment.

As Shen Lan’s girlfriend—oh, no, she should be called his free nanny—she naturally knew the code to his smart lock.

Jiang Nanxi walked toward the bedroom. The viewers vaguely heard some discordant moaning, and they finally quieted down.

Jiang Nanxi called out in confusion at the bedroom door, "Shen Lan, are you in there? Didn't you go to the gym? I came to help you clean up."

Shen Lan’s panicked voice came from the bedroom, "I... I'm here, don't come in yet!"

"Oh."

Jiang Nanxi stood at the door, unmoving.

She wasn't moving, but the netizens were getting anxious.

【That really is Shen Lan’s voice. There seems to be a woman in the room; I heard moaning.】

【Who is that woman? Jiang Nanxi, hurry up and open the door to see!】

【It definitely can't be Wanwan. It must be some other woman! Wanwan has such high status, there’s no reason for her to be someone else’s mistress!】

*Click.*

Shen Lan opened the door from the inside. He came out wearing only a pair of shorts, his upper body covered in sweat.

"Why did you suddenly come to my place without telling me beforehand!"

He complained, but then he noticed Jiang Nanxi holding her phone, and his expression changed instantly.

"Nanxi, what are you filming with your phone?"

"Didn't you say you’ve been working out lately? I’m livestreaming to show the netizens how good your physique is."

Jiang Nanxi pointed the phone at his body. The viewers could clearly see that he was not only covered in sweat but also had suspicious red marks on his skin.

(End of chapter)