In front of Jiang Wu lay a love letter. A letter that could be described as sincere and heartfelt, filled with the passionate infatuation of youth. Every character in the letter was written with great care, without a single mistake or smudge, clearly showing how much emotion and effort the writer had poured into this love letter. Words that couldn’t be spoken directly were conveyed through writing to the person she wanted to know her feelings. Her fingertips glided over the smooth surface of the paper, stopping at the signature in the bottom right corner, where a strikingly different, flamboyant "商" character boldly established the final tone of the letter. Her fingertip lingered on the "商" for a moment, and after gazing at it expressionlessly for a long time, she finally closed the love letter again, just as she had done so many times before, and placed this cherished letter deep into the safe. However, at the very moment she was about to let go, she couldn’t help but let out a soft scoff, no longer handling it with care but instead tossing it casually into the very back. The corner of the envelope bumped against the safe, producing a faint muffled sound. Then, the cabinet door closed, and everything was completely concealed. *** Once, Jiang Wu carefully treasured a love letter—a letter that Shang Xu had given her back in the day. But she never imagined that this love letter wasn't meant for her; it was a letter that had been carelessly passed on to her by Shang Xu after its true owner had rejected it— a second-hand love letter. *** At Spark Entertainment Company, in Conference Room No. 3. "Teachers, we really want to collaborate with your team, but unfortunately, we just can't fit it into our schedule. Xiao Tian's variety show is about to start filming, and we've already signed a contract with the production team. So, this afternoon, I have to fly to Spring City to meet with the crew. Therefore, we can only look for another opportunity next time. I’m really sorry about this..." The agent for the male supporting role, who had already confirmed the entry time, smiled obsequiously as he apologized to the two seated individuals. However, no matter how soft and sweet his words were, it couldn't change one clear fact— they had been stood up. As the director of the production team, Ban Manman crossed her arms with an unhappy expression, unable to suppress a pout. It was almost as if the ones who had secretly signed contracts with the variety show a few days ago weren’t part of her team at all. Although the pay from their production wasn’t high, it was still at the industry average, which was worlds apart from the exploitative rates of the variety show. However, everyone has their own ambitions; they were eager to climb that high branch and might even be willing to pay to do so. The atmosphere in the conference room was tense. Ban Manman remained silent, while her agent’s gaze shifted to Jiang Wu, who was focused on her phone nearby. As the screenwriter and a key figure behind the investment for the production, Jiang appeared much more composed, as if she didn’t care at all about the male third lead backing out, even though it meant that the upcoming filming schedule would have a significant gap. At that moment, Ban Manman finally seemed ready to speak. “Jiang, what do you think?” Jiang Wu slowly lifted her head. When her sharply contrasting black-and-white eyes landed on Ban Manman, she seemed somewhat indifferent. “If it doesn’t work out, we can always find someone else. The industry is so large; there are bound to be others available.” “Just remember to sign the contract in advance next time. At least if we get stood up, we can still collect some compensation for breach of contract.” The agent, who had been jabbed at, kept smiling, although his expression was grim. After all, when their artist was struggling, the other party had extended an olive branch. While what they did wasn’t exactly honorable, an offer from a well-known television station holds far more value than an unknown film crew or a web drama that might launch who knows when. Sure, the pay is low, but the prospects are promising—this is a decision even a fool would know how to make. “Director Jiang is joking,” the agent said. “Don’t worry; we have plenty of other types of artists in our company. Feel free to choose; you’ll definitely find someone you like.” These words darkened Ban Manman’s expression. For a small crew like theirs, they were pinching pennies, and the previous male supporting actor was already the best value they could find among the vast pool of talent. Choosing again? Time and effort aren’t free, are they!? In the end, the two parties parted ways unhappily, and the agent hurriedly left the office to get back to work. Ban Manman nudged Jiang Wu, who was staring intently at his phone, and said, “What are you so focused on? Hey, I was wondering, if it doesn’t mess with the plot, could we tweak the male third character’s mixed-race persona a bit? Good-looking mixed-race people are really hard to find. Look at how many we’ve gone through just to find this one who fits. If this jerk affects my filming, I’ll be so mad!” “Sixteen messages now,” Jiang Wu suddenly looked up, his clear eyes meeting his friend’s. “If we change the male third character’s persona, the logic and the subsequent plot won’t hold up, so it’s best not to change it.” “Fine, I’ll trust your expertise on that. But what’s with this ‘sixteen’?” Ban Manman found it strange and leaned over to take a look, only to discover it was yet another message from a rival, identical to the previous ones—“Don’t get too proud; he’s just playing around with you.” “Here we go again?” Ban Manman couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Which idiot sends these every day out of boredom? This couple is in love; why does this oddball have to butt in and make comments?” “By the way, what did your partner do to provoke this person?” she asked. Jiang Wu glanced at the five-carat pink diamond sparkling under the light on her left hand's index finger. However, she only gave it a brief look before turning her gaze away and replied淡淡地说, “I’m not sure. You know I’ve been busy with work lately; I really don’t know what he’s been up to.” “Alright then,” Ban Manman shrugged and continued, “But it’s been a few months, and you still haven’t blocked that crazy rival. If it were me, I would’ve confronted her the first time. At the very least, I’d dig up some personal information to keep her in check.” Jiang Wu’s fair fingertips brushed over the short message on the screen, and she smiled slightly, “It’s not too troubling; I’ll keep it around for fun.” Ban Manman truly didn’t understand what her friend meant by “for fun,” but thinking about the string of suspenseful stories Jiang Wu had written, she could only feel sympathy for that unknown rival. As the two chatted casually while walking outside, Jiang Wu's phone suddenly rang. The screen displayed "Assistant Dan," glaringly announcing its presence. Out of the corner of her eye, Ban Manman caught sight of those three words and let out a disapproving sound, "How many calls is this today? For those in the know, it’s your boyfriend's assistant; for those who don’t, they might think that's your boyfriend calling. Checking in on you every day with relentless calls, not a single one missed." Jiang Wu smiled and stepped aside to answer the call. "Miss Jiang, when are you coming back today? Do you need me to book a flight for you? That way, I can arrange for someone to pick you up at the airport?" After a few brief pleasantries, Assistant Dan skillfully got straight to the point. Jiang Wu was already accustomed to this routine between them. After carefully considering her work schedule, she replied, "There’s been a last-minute change in my work plans, so I’ll likely need to stay here for another two days. I’ll let you know the exact time once I have it confirmed." On the other end, Assistant Dan fell silent for a moment before responding in a slightly heavy voice, "Miss Jiang, your return has already been postponed three times." As fellow workers, Assistant Dan understood Jiang Wu's dedication to her work, but unfortunately, the capitalist who paid her a high salary neither understood nor wanted to understand; he simply needed his girlfriend to come back quickly. In front of the floor-to-ceiling window, Shang Xu stood in the warm autumn sunlight, facing away from him. Although Assistant Dan couldn’t see his expression, he could tell from his posture that his boss was definitely in a bad mood. So, he quietly spoke into his phone, "Miss Jiang, if you have the time, please consider coming back once. If there are any issues at work, we can still lend a hand in the entertainment industry." Not only could they lend a hand, but Shang Xu's maternal family was also quite involved in that field. The wealth he inherited made it easy for him to wield significant influence there. Assistant Dan didn’t say it too explicitly, but he conveyed all the necessary hints. "I'll think about it," Jiang Wu said, wrapping up the call. "Are they pressuring you to return?" Ban Manman asked as they stood in front of the elevator. "Not really," Jiang Wu replied, organizing her schedule on her phone without looking up. Ban Manman scoffed, clearly unconvinced. "Is that it? With that control freak Shang Xu’s temperament, being so strict with you, you’re telling me he hasn’t urged you to go back this whole time? I can’t buy that for a second!" "As long as he hasn’t personally said it, it doesn’t count in my book." Jiang Wu lifted her head and smiled, her radiant beauty rivaling that of any young starlet in the entertainment industry. In Ban Manman's eyes, there lingered a sense of regret for her friend not entering the entertainment world to captivate the public’s attention. However, considering Jiang Wu's talent, her looks held equal weight, which made that regret feel a bit diminished. Fortunately, while preparing for her first drama, thanks to her friend’s connections, she finally secured some debut perks after a long wait, which felt like a small consolation. With a ding, the smooth mirror of the elevator opened, revealing a tall girl inside. The other girl exuded a pure and sweet charm; when their eyes met, she first froze for a moment, then gathered her emotions, her lips, painted with peachy pink lipstick, curving into a polite smile. However, mixed within that smile was something that caused a slight discomfort—a blend of pity and sympathy, along with jealousy and disdain. Jiang Wu was puzzled but returned a polite smile, trying to recall the slightly familiar face from her memories. Yet, perhaps due to the other person's overly idol group-style outfit and makeup, she pondered for a long time without any clue. It wasn’t until she and Ban Manman reached the underground parking lot that she managed to retrieve a face from her high school memories that bore a somewhat closer resemblance, but it was still too unfamiliar to strike up a conversation. “That girl we just saw is a member of the girl group from the hit talent show ‘Supernova,’ right?” Ban Manman suddenly exclaimed, as if realizing something. “This show is really popular; my sister even made me watch a few episodes to vote for them. I remember there was an episode where they collaborated with the neighboring boy band talent show. It seemed that a few of the mixed-race boys over there looked pretty good. What do you think? Should we consider it?” As Ban Manman enthusiastically spoke and started the car, she noticed her friend beside her slightly furrowing her brows, looking deep in thought. “What’s wrong? Why do you look so serious?” Jiang Wu turned slightly and smiled, her expression subtle. “I just thought of something, but I’m not sure whether to call it good news or bad news.” “Is it really that complicated?” Ban Manman sighed. “For me, the best news would be if we could quickly find the actor for the male supporting role. I need to talk to Xiao Wu and have her hurry up and find some suitable candidates for interviews. The production team really can’t afford any delays.” The two were chatting about work-related trivialities while sitting in the car. When they stopped at a traffic light, Ban Manman was momentarily blinded by the overly dazzling brilliance of something in the sunlight next to her. She couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “I have to say, your new ring is a bit too flashy; it’s almost blinding me!” Jiang Wu, teased, glanced at the pink diamond and gave a faint smile. “I found this moissanite on a shopping app. It’s just a cheap piece. If you like it, feel free to take it for a spin.” Ban Manman clicked her tongue playfully and smiled teasingly, “You really are generous.” Who hasn’t played with Mo Sang? If it were Mo Sang, she would have eaten her own steering wheel. However, thinking about Shang Xu’s temper and his controlling nature towards his friends, any slight envy she had quickly vanished. If she were in Jiang Wu’s position, facing Shang Xu’s bad temper, she would have probably lost it long ago! Only Jiang Wu has a good temper; after all, she has been dealing with this scoundrel for years. As Jiang Wu’s friend, she finds Shang Xu quite annoying, but all she can do is refrain from interfering in their relationship. If given a choice, she still hopes Jiang Wu can “find her way back” from Shang Xu. Perhaps it was the unexpected incident in front of the elevator and Ban Manman’s mention of the pink diamond that made Jiang Wu suddenly recall Shang Xu, whom she had set aside for a long time. A month ago, she unexpectedly discovered that the love letter she had carefully treasured was actually a “second-hand love letter” that had slipped from its true owner into her hands. Remembering Shang Xu’s indifferent attitude back then, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had merely given it to her out of pity. Pity, huh? Now when Jiang Wu thinks of this word, she can’t help but chuckle a little; after all, it really is somewhat unexpected. At that time, she wasn’t in a good mood and didn’t bother to hide her emotions while flattering the businessman. Consequently, after noticing her cold demeanor, he sent her a gift to cheer her up. According to Assistant Shan, this was a carefully selected gift from his boss; the businessman had personally outbid a group of competitors at the auction to win it for her sake. However, based on Jiang Wu’s understanding of him, his thoughtfulness likely only extended to casually flipping through the auction catalog and pointing with his fingertip. As for defeating the other competitors, apart from spending money, he probably wouldn’t even lift a finger. Having received too many gifts that were purchased without any real thought in the past, Jiang Wu accepted this one with the same calmness. Whether she wore it or not completely depended on her mood. But this mood wasn’t about her own feelings; it was about the businessman’s feelings. Due to work commitments, she didn’t particularly like wearing rings, so the item was left untouched on a high shelf. Yet, just before going on a business trip, he might have suddenly remembered it and found it to put it on her. The ring size wasn’t quite right for her; it was a bit too loose. 商序 playfully slipped it onto her index finger as if he were playing with a toy and genuinely complimented her beauty. At that moment, when Jiang Wu saw his satisfied expression, her lips curved slightly, and she smiled to brush it off. Later, she wrapped the ring with thread twice, feeling that it ensured the safety of this asset. 商序 was wealthy and extravagant, never caring about such details, but Jiang Wu did care; after all, she had never had the luxury to squander. Reflecting on this and remembering her job that had almost fallen through, she pondered for a moment and, amidst her friend's incessant chatter, sent a message to Assistant Shan— “I’m going back today; could you book me a flight for tonight?”