Chapter Eighteen: The Script

“I never gave her any money either! I thought...”

For a moment, Kunjie Li and Fengmei Li exchanged glances, each seeing surprise reflected in the other’s eyes. They had always assumed the other had been giving Chuxi Li pocket money, so neither of them had ever handed her a single cent.

If neither of them had given her money, then how had Chuxi Li managed to get by all these years?

A flicker of guilt inevitably crossed their hearts.

“Dad, Mom, this is all my fault,” Xuehui Li said with a remorseful expression. “It’s because of me. If I hadn’t taken my sister’s living expenses, Grandpa wouldn’t have blamed you. I shouldn’t have taken that money. But it was your heartfelt intention, and I couldn’t bear to refuse.”

Those few words instantly wiped away the rare pangs of guilt from Kunjie and Fengmei’s hearts.

“Hmph, if that unfilial girl thinks she’s capable, then she should earn her own money!” Kunjie Li said with a dark scowl. “Since she’s so capable, let her stop relying on the old man. I’ll call finance tomorrow and have her allowance cut off again. She wants to make her mark in the entertainment industry? Then she should use her own skills, not depend on the family.”

Though Xuehui’s face remained composed, a spark of joy flickered deep within her heart. If Chuxi’s allowance was being cut off, did that mean she could continue to receive hers?

“Honey, don’t you think this isn’t quite right?” Fengmei Li disagreed. “Dad just scolded us earlier. If we do this now... he’ll definitely be angry.”

“Hmph, I’m only telling finance to stop Chuxi’s allowance, not Xuehui’s again,” Kunjie Li snorted coldly. “Dad’s anger was because we gave Chuxi’s money to Xuehui, not because we refused to give Chuxi her living expenses.”

After some thought, Fengmei Li agreed with Kunjie.

Xingjue Li, standing silently by, remained nothing more than a background figure. Not because he didn’t want to voice his opinion, but because he knew that no matter what he said, it wouldn’t be accepted.

Xuehui felt her smile almost falter. The hope that had just risen vanished instantly. Yet, to maintain her persona of serene detachment, she forced a gentle smile and continued comforting Kunjie and Fengmei.

Chuxi Li was completely unaware of the turmoil unfolding within the Li family.

---

After learning her current popularity rating, Chuxi realized she really couldn’t afford to be lethargic any longer. To boost her popularity, she had no choice but to keep working hard!

Yet, after much deliberation, she found no better plan for now. So she decided to focus on completing the task at hand: Director Chen’s film.

Looking at the script on her computer, Chuxi couldn’t help but praise sincerely, “Lingling Yao, you really are something! We just talked about the script, and you’ve already managed to get it.”

She had planned to use her hacker skills to break into Director Chen’s computer and get a look at the script herself.

Of course, she had her limits—she only intended to read the script, nothing else. Besides, it wasn’t much of a secret; many actresses hoping to audition had already found ways to get the script, with auditions fast approaching.

She hadn’t expected Lingling Yao to have the script so early this morning.

“Hmph, how could such a trivial matter be difficult for this system?” Lingling Yao’s voice was full of pride. “It’s just a little script, such a simple thing!”

Then it couldn’t help but urge, “Host, take a look at the script quickly. I see a role that fits you perfectly—it’s the third female lead. She...”

“Let me see the script first!” Chuxi cut off Lingling Yao. “We can talk after I finish reading.”

Lingling Yao immediately fell silent, not wanting to disturb Chuxi. Yet it secretly began plotting how to persuade her to choose the role it had picked out.

Chuxi studied the script intently, analyzing the characters' personalities and psychological nuances.

She spent the entire morning immersed in the script.

At last, when she closed her laptop, Lingling Yao eagerly broke the silence, “Host, this script is really amazing, isn’t it?”

“Indeed,” Chuxi agreed firmly.

---

Chuxi completely concurred with this.

The story followed a fallen prince’s path of revenge—a grand male lead drama. The female lead was an innocent and romantic princess, yet the daughter of the monarch who destroyed the male lead’s kingdom. From the start, they were adversaries, making a happy ending impossible. Their final fate was to part ways and forget each other in the world.

Compared to a typical happy ending, this tragic conclusion left a deeper impression.

Since it was a male lead drama, the story focused heavily on political intrigue, with little emphasis on romance.

Still, many top actresses, even award-winning ones, fought fiercely for the few female roles.

Everyone knew Director Chen’s skill: almost every project he helmed became a huge hit. Although his dramas centered on male leads, every female character was richly developed and unforgettable.

Many actresses rose to fame, even skyrocketed, thanks to Director Chen’s works.

His casting was fair—important roles went to those who passed auditions. Of course, some roles were reserved for investors’ connections, but those were always minor parts.

Despite this, Director Chen’s projects attracted abundant investment. Investing in his work was nearly a guaranteed profit.

“Host, the third female lead role suits you best,” Lingling Yao quickly said. “I’ve read it already. She’s the female lead’s close friend, gentle and kind, always helping both the male and female leads—a very likable character.”

“If you play that role, you’ll definitely attract a huge fanbase. Your popularity will soar, and maybe your negative score will even drop!”

Hearing the mention of her negative score, Chuxi felt an instant headache.