Investigate

Sister Li felt a pang of envy, while Yu Shuman was deeply shocked. "Sister Li, is it really okay for me to accept something this expensive?"

Snapping back to reality, Sister Li quickly fabricated an explanation. "It's fine. The brand wants you to showcase their jewelry. This is the latest design from their in-house designer. They'll be sending you more pieces for future events, and you'll be expected to wear their jewelry at other events as well."

Qin Ran had fully grasped the workings of the entertainment industry, which is why she boldly let Yu Shuman wear such expensive jewelry. At these events, celebrities are essentially moving display cases for the brands. No matter how luxurious or eye-catching the jewelry, if asked, one can always say it was "on loan."

In reality, other artists from 99 Entertainment also wear expensive jewelry to events. While jewelry worth less than a million yuan might be given outright, anything above that is generally only lent and must be returned.

Hearing Sister Li's explanation, Yu Shuman finally felt relieved.

Once Yu Shuman's look was complete, Sister Li had her go to the living room, where they used the curtains as a backdrop for Xiao An to take some photos. These were sent to the company to be edited and then posted on Weibo to let fans know she was about to head out.

After adjusting her dress one last time, Yu Shuman followed Sister Li, surrounded by a large team of staff, down to the underground parking lot. She got into the van, heading to the event venue. Sister Li had arranged for a veteran male actor from the company, who was in his thirties with a wife and children, and known as a good husband in the entertainment industry, to accompany Yu Shuman on the red carpet. Walking with him ensured that there would be no scandal.

After stepping out of the van, Sister Li swapped places with the actor, asking him to take care of Yu Shuman. She also reassured Yu Shuman, "Just call him Brother Hui. If you need anything, ask him. Don't worry, you look stunning today, enough to outshine everyone."

Forget about just looking stunning—her gemstone dress alone would overshadow at least half of the other artists.

Yu Shuman nodded, indicating she was okay. Only then did Sister Li and Xiao An head backstage. The van slowly approached the red carpet, where security opened the door. Brother Hui stepped out first, then extended his hand to help Yu Shuman out.

The media and fans outside had been waiting for a long time. Brother Hui was a popular and well-respected actor, so cameras immediately focused on him.

Then, the cameras caught sight of the woman emerging from the van. First, they saw a long, slender hand with a beautifully shaped wrist, followed by a bracelet with an intricate platinum design that highlighted the orange-yellow gemstone.

As the black dress hem touched the red carpet, the woman finally stepped out fully.

Her face was unfamiliar, but her figure and features were striking. She had wavy hair partially pinned up, exposing her ears adorned with matching gemstone earrings. The platinum necklace with its orange-yellow gemstone highlighted her fair skin.

The off-shoulder black gown had a V-neckline that stopped just above her chest. The long, black mermaid dress had a slit below the thigh, revealing a glimpse of white skin and adding a touch of sensuality to the simple black.

She was stunning beyond words, and with that set of gemstone jewelry, she instantly became the most eye-catching artist of the evening.

The media began murmuring among themselves: "Who is she?"

"She's so beautiful..."

"Is that imperial padparadscha sapphire? Wow, that color and size—how much is this set worth?"

"Isn't that dress from the fashion show in May? She's already wearing it?"

"The dress has been altered. I remember there wasn't a slit originally. But the slit looks great... Although, making such a big alteration, can the dress even be returned?"

They continued to discuss until someone checked online. "Found it! She's Yu Shuman, from the same company as Brother Hui. Wow, looks like Brother Hui is here to introduce a new star."

"She's no ordinary newcomer—wearing something like this, that's at least worth millions..."

"Well, you know how it is with 99 Entertainment. Any artist from that company is bound to be a star."

As the media kept chatting, Brother Hui led Yu Shuman to the signature board. The event host asked them a couple of simple questions before inviting them to sign the board.

Yu Shuman's hand trembled slightly as she held the pen. She had practiced her signature under Sister Li's guidance for a long time, and now she could sign in one smooth motion.

At that moment, Yu Shuman thought back to signing autographs for students when she returned to school while waiting for her junior. Her current signature was completely different from back then, and she hoped those students wouldn't mind. She smiled, handed the pen back to the host with both hands, and then entered the venue with Brother Hui.

It was Yu Shuman's first time attending such an event, and although she was nervous, having Brother Hui by her side and her prior experience with various commercial events helped her manage. She wasn't naturally sociable, but her pleasant demeanor allowed her to navigate the social scene reasonably well.

However, a star-studded commercial event like this was different. Everyone walked around with drinks in hand, making statements and gestures that carried deeper meanings. Yu Shuman was, after all, just a college student with limited life experience, and she sometimes struggled to respond to what people said.

Fortunately, 99 Entertainment had earned a reputation in the industry as a fierce and unyielding entity. No one wanted to cross them, so they didn't trouble her either. Yu Shuman breathed a sigh of relief, quietly praying for the evening to end soon.

While she was feeling uneasy inside, news about her kept flooding the outside world. Multiple trending topics were related to her. Although bigger stars soon overshadowed her, among second and third-tier celebrities, Yu Shuman's moment was unmatched.

Many were discussing her gemstone jewelry. There were plenty of knowledgeable people out there, and it didn't take long for someone to estimate the value of her jewelry. Once the price became known, a hashtag quickly appeared on the trending list: #YuShumanMillionDollarGemstoneJewelry.

The hashtag itself was normal, but the content underneath it was not. Initially, it was just a few people making snide remarks, but as more joined in, it turned into suspicion, and eventually, slander. The anonymity of the internet nurtured a breeding ground for malice, and many hid behind their screens, spreading their venom freely.

"A million-dollar gemstone? Does a no-name actress like her even deserve it?"

¨Show how it is to make money in the entertainment industry these days. She's barely been in the industry, and she's already wearing things she could never have touched before."

"Give me a break. Who knows how she got those gems?"

"Nice body. I'd pay to have her for a night."

"I swear I saw her get into the boss's luxury car."

Some were spreading malice, while others were just there to watch the drama unfold. Soon, people discovered that Yu Shuman was an artist under 99 Entertainment, the same company that had fiercely defended her when she was accused of snatching an endorsement from another celebrity. Seeing this, many people began to mock those spreading rumors.

"You people making up lies won't get away with this. I've already screenshotted everything and sent it to 99 Entertainment's official account."

"Haha, are you seriously talking trash about 99 Entertainment's artist? Just wait until they go into full attack mode."

"99 Entertainment: Who's badmouthing our artist? Can't wait to see the legal team go after them."

"Man, these people are clueless. If it were any other small-time artist wearing such expensive jewelry, I might think something was off. But she's from 99 Entertainment. Don't forget how just a few days ago, another one of their artists accidentally damaged a million-yuan couture outfit, and when rumors spread that she'd have to pay for it, 99 Entertainment shut it down by announcing they bought it outright."

The spectators eagerly awaited 99 Entertainment's next move. In the chairman's office, Assistant Wu was doing everything she could to keep Qin Ran from flying off the handle.

"We need to be strategic here. Reacting too quickly or aggressively might tip people off that the boss has a special interest in Yu Shuman. That wouldn't be good for her. Plus, she's still at the event, and starting a confrontation now would only increase the attention. It's better to wait until tomorrow to respond."

Assistant Wu wasn't initially familiar with the entertainment industry, but after working in it for some time, she had become well-versed in its dirty tricks. She knew how to use negative press to generate buzz for an artist, but with Yu Shuman, she had to tread carefully.

Qin Ran knew all of this even better than Assistant Wu, but whenever it involved Yu Shuman, she couldn't help but lose her composure. Assistant Wu found it exhausting.

Her boss, usually decisive and unerring in her judgments, turned into someone almost unrecognizable whenever Yu Shuman was involved—more cautious, more hesitant, like a 19-year-old girl in love. The lengths Qin Ran went to for Yu Shuman often made Assistant Wu wonder if Yu Shuman had once saved Qin Ran's life.

After much persuasion, Assistant Wu finally managed to calm Qin Ran down.

But Qin Ran wasn't entirely calm.

She sat at her desk, arms crossed, her gaze icy and venomous as she stared at the screen in front of her. She had feared something might go wrong at Yu Shuman's first big event, which was why she had come to 99 Entertainment to work late and keep an eye on things. And sure enough, something had gone wrong.

As she scanned the comments from those spreading rumors, Qin Ran's thoughts turned dark. People should be held accountable for what they say. She had anticipated some petty remarks and had initially decided to let them slide. After all, living in the world, one would always encounter a few clowns chirping in the background. In her previous life, Qin Ran had dealt with far worse and had learned to tune it out.

But when it came to Yu Shuman, it was different! Hearing others speak ill of Yu Shuman made Qin Ran feel like ants were crawling all over her, gnawing at her insides. She seethed with anger, thinking, "These people have no idea how wonderful she really is!"

Qin Ran silently watched as the trending list continued to refresh with new posts and comments. She closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them, her mind was made up.

"Investigate those spreading the rumors and see if Pei Qi is behind this."

Peppa Pig, beware.