Chapter 35

After a moment, the man who had been resting with his eyes closed gave an order. "Play some music." "Sure." The driver turned on the radio, and to Winnie's surprise, it was a Spanish-language station. At this time of night, they were broadcasting a late-night entertainment commentary program. From the host's tone and exaggerated canned laughter, Winnie could tell it was a gossip show. A series of female voices began to report, "The lead role in the film was taken by the Oscar-winning actress, no wonder Mina showed a cold attitude on set after the wrap-up, and the tension immediately exploded." After reading the script, the female host switched to a lighter, more relaxed tone. "Oh, fresh gossip, this is interesting!" The male host laughed and casually said, "But with Winnie's status, she probably doesn't need to fight for roles." The driver, knowing that the man in the backseat had no interest in the entertainment world, instinctively tried to switch to a news station. The audio jumped and switched to a clear, authoritative voice, "International crude oil prices have plummeted," but a deep, indifferent command came from the backseat, "Go back to the previous one." The Spanish-language broadcast came on again. The female host said, "There are rumors in the industry that Mina is Director Fang's favored student, and also a rising star supported by Director Fang's studio, Legend Films. She's using her final project to promote her student and continue the legacy, which is quite touching. The problem is that the production company behind this movie swooped in with our Oscar-winning actress and took the leading role, which is why we saw Mina's sour expression on set." Winnie couldn't understand what the radio hosts were saying, and it felt a bit out of place. Van doesn't watch movies, so how would he care about this gossip? But soon, her mind was no longer on that, because she received a call from David. Her phone vibrated inside her evening bag, and she quickly declined the call. Winnie immediately sent him a message on SnapChat: Not a good time, I'll talk here. David typed quickly: Mina released a press statement. There might be some drama in the next couple of days, but it's not a big issue. Just wanted you to be aware. What could Mina be releasing a press statement about? As Winnie opened X, the lively discussion on the radio continued. The male host cleared his throat twice, and his gossip-filled voice took on a very suggestive tone. "I think I know which production company you're talking about. The night before last, they suddenly appeared on X's trending list, declaring their dominance. Definitely some 'CEO-level' moves." The two shared a tacit understanding, laughing so hard they could barely breathe, until the female host teasingly asked, "Can we really say all of this? Are we going to get banned tomorrow?" "Hasn't our show always made it through the storm, no matter what? We've got enough gossip to last a lifetime," the male host replied casually. "We're not the ones creating the gossip, we're just shooting the breeze." The laughter of the entertainment show filled the air. "Hey, hey, how about a bet?" the female host continued. "Let's say— and I'm just saying 'let's say,' for legal's sake— if our Oscar-winning actress really marries into a wealthy family, will she choose to stay at home, making soup for her rich husband, or keep making movies?" "I feel like, given the situation with Wyatt's last marriage, he probably wouldn't be okay with his partner being in the spotlight," the male host chimed in. Van's patience had run out. His brows were furrowed, and his face showed clear irritation. He was on the edge of being completely fed up. "Turn it off." The driver had broken out in a cold sweat long before, and as soon as he heard the sound, he quickly turned it off. Sneaking a glance at the rearview mirror, he thought: This Oscar-winning actress really has remarkable mental fortitude. Winnie had already seen the press release and the entry Mina had bought on X. The entry was about Winnie, and the marketing accounts had posted a standardized template. "Unbelievable, Winnie wrapped up filming yesterday, but Mina had a full-on cold face the entire time. It's shocking, really. I heard the crew didn't even prepare a wrap-up party for Winnie. What's going on here? Could it be true that Winnie came in with funding to steal the role? Mina's situation must be pretty bad now... Just here for the drama!" Having debuted for so many years, Winnie had always been in the spotlight, dazzling with her success but also making countless enemies—from top-tier celebrities to rising stars, from arthouse actors to commercial ones, and from male to female actors. Her fans had been embroiled in conflicts with all of them. The world had been weary of Winnie's fans for a long time. In terms of her career, she had no flaws—no scandals, no rumors. Therefore, the previous attacks on her were usually limited to mocking her as a fashion outcast, or complaining about her being mistreated in the fashion world. This time, the 'stealing the role' incident was absurd, but it followed Wyatt's late-night X trend, the confirmed gossip, and Mina's photo with a scowl on set. It was a rare opportunity. The comment sections of marketing accounts and the X entry were buzzing with unprecedented fan battles. "It wasn't a surprise. After all, wasn't she aiming to be a boss's wife? With her acting skills declining, of course, she had to bring funding into the production." "Let's talk about Angela—it's common knowledge that she was the one who brought the whole movie down. Thirty minutes of pure embarrassment, all the way to Cannes." "LOL. Our award-winning, talented, and stunningly beautiful Oscar-winning actress hasn't won anything in ages, while everyone in Angela is taking home awards, and she's left with nothing. Who's embarrassed? I won't say it." This kind of online bickering was nothing new. For every fan typing away, back and forth in a heated battle, both Winnie and David knew there would be no resolution, no winner, and certainly no truth revealed. In the end, everyone would forget what they were arguing about, only remembering how intense it became. Years into her career, her life had become a cycle of this kind of chaotic repetition. Winnie put down her phone, comforted Yulia, and told her not to argue with anyone. Then, she replied to David: Just handle it. She didn't click on anything else. Her mind drifted back to the set, to Nancy's untimely joke, and to the frenzy of camera clicks after she and Mina shared a look. David must've anticipated the press release at that moment, already preparing a response plan. As for the fans, their narrative would be adjusted and controlled by the fan club, organized and disciplined like a well-trained army. The phone slipped into her small, hard-shell evening bag, landing with a soft, muffled thud. She regained her composure, pressed her lips together, and smiled at Van. "What was that on the radio? It sounded like quite a commotion." The driver, who had been gripping the steering wheel, paused and glanced at her through the rearview mirror. So the famous actress didn't understand Spanish. For some reason, his gaze softened with a hint of pity. The man, who had kept his eyes closed this whole time, opened them and turned to face her. He gazed at her silently for a moment, then said, "It was an advertisement for a New Year's event." Winnie didn't doubt him for a second. No wonder he had listened for a moment earlier. She took a deep breath, her hands tightly clasped together, her shoulders slightly sinking with the motion of her breath, thin and fragile. Looking at Van, the smile on her lips grew sweeter. "Do you also have any New Year's traditions?" "Not many. Occasionally."