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Wei Yuan is now very famous on television.

In just a few months, she went from a small-time model to a star on the TV station.

First she filmed commercials, then hosted a fashion program, and now she's taken over a weekend primetime variety show.

People at the station were gossiping behind her back: "Who has Wei Yuan latched onto? How did she get promoted so quickly?"

"I heard that she has a boss backing her up, and she's the one who gets advertised and TV shows by name."

"So what if she's young and pretty? What skills does she have?"

When these words reached Wei Yuan's ears, she was not angry at all; on the contrary, she was quite pleased.

This means she's become famous, and some people are envious.

Wei Yuan was half an hour late for the recording of the program that day.

The director was getting impatient and immediately lost his temper upon seeing her, "Wei Yuan, do you look at the time? The whole crew is waiting for you!"

"There was a traffic jam on the way," Wei Yuan said calmly as she touched up her makeup. "It wasn't on purpose."

"Couldn't you have left earlier if there was traffic? This is the third time this week you've been late!"

"Alright, alright, just be careful next time." Wei Yuan waved her hand. "Hurry up and record! I have a dinner party tonight."

The director was furious, but dared not say anything, knowing that Wei Yuan had powerful connections.

After the recording of the program, the station director called Wei Yuan to his office.

"Wei Yuan, have you been getting too cocky lately?" The station manager banged on the table. "You're always late, leaving early, and have a terrible attitude towards your colleagues. The complaints are piling up!"

“Director, my show has high ratings!” Wei Yuan said confidently. “The audience likes me, that’s enough.”

"The high ratings are because the program is good, not because you are good!" the station manager raised his voice. "If it weren't for President Xiao's continued support, would you have had so many opportunities? The advertisements and programs were all brought to you by him!"

Wei Yuan's expression changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. "Director, what are you saying? President Xiao supports me because I have value. What's the point of his support if the program isn't good?"

"You..." The station director was speechless.

"I'm leaving now, nothing else." Wei Yuan stood up and left without looking back.

Only after leaving the office did Wei Yuan reveal a smug smile.

Knowing that the station director was telling the truth, she was able to rise to power so quickly entirely thanks to Xiao Ran's support behind the scenes.

Xiao Ran secured the advertising, invested in the program, and even bribed the TV station's leaders.

But Wei Yuan didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

Isn't that how the entertainment industry is?
You need someone to support you to become famous.

As for why she's being praised, is it because she resembles Han Ling?
None of that matters! As long as I become famous.

……

In the evening, Xiao Ran came to pick up Wei Yuan for dinner.

In a high-end Western restaurant, Wei Yuan was cutting her steak when she suddenly asked, "Xiao Ran, why are you so good to me?"

Xiao Ran was taken aback. "Why are you suddenly asking this?"

“I’m just curious.” Wei Yuan looked at him. “Everyone at the station says you spent so much money and effort promoting me. Why are you willing to do so much for me?”

Xiao Ran remained silent for a moment, then put down his knife and fork.

"Because...because you look a lot like her."

"Han Ling?"

“Yes.” Xiao Ran nodded. “The way you smile, the tone of your voice, even the way you glare when you’re angry, are just like her when she was young.”

"So I'm Han Ling's stand-in?"

“Not entirely.” Xiao Ran shook his head. “You are you, and she is she. But… seeing you reminds me of her. It reminds me of when she first came to Shenzhen, so young, so innocent, and so full of dreams.”

"Later, Han Ling suffered a lot and endured a lot of injustice with me. At that time, I was incompetent and couldn't give her a good life. Now... now that I see you, I don't want you to go through those things too."

Wei Yuan's heart stirred upon hearing this.

She didn't expect Xiao Ran to say that.

I always thought that Xiao Ran promoted her just because of her face.

But now it seems that's not entirely true.

"Do you still love her now?" Wei Yuan asked.

Xiao Ran smiled bitterly, "Does it matter whether she loves me or not? She's with Su Ning now and doing very well. She doesn't care about me."

"Do you care?"

“I care,” Xiao Ran said frankly, “but it’s no use. So… so I want to be good to you. I want to treat you like she was back then, and give you everything I didn’t give her back then.”

Wei Yuan's eyes felt a little hot.

Suddenly, she reached out and grasped Xiao Ran's hand. "Xiao Ran, I don't care that you have her in your heart. Really. This world doesn't have so much sentimentality. I know what I can get from you—career, opportunities, a good life. And you can get comfort from me. That's enough."

This is a very realistic statement, but Xiao Ran likes this kind of directness.

Don't you feel wronged?

"What's there to feel aggrieved about?" Wei Yuan laughed. "So many people would love to be with you but can't. I'm lucky to have this opportunity. As for who you have in your heart... that's not important. What's important is that you're by my side now."

Looking at Wei Yuan, Xiao Ran suddenly realized that this girl was smarter than he had thought.

She knew what she wanted, and she also knew what Xiao Ran could give her.

No affectation, no pretense, everything is clear and straightforward.

“Oh, right,” Wei Yuan remembered something, “the original host of the station’s hit program, ‘Urban Night Talk,’ is sick and they need to find someone to fill in. I’d like to give it a try.”

"You want to do it?"

"Yes!" Wei Yuan's eyes lit up. "That's the station's highest-rated program. If I could host it, I'd be a real star!"

“Okay, I’ll go and say it for you,” Xiao Ran readily agreed.

……

A week later, Wei Yuan indeed became the substitute host of "Urban Night Talk".

The news caused an uproar at the station.

"Why should she? She's only been here a short time."

"It must be because of Xiao Ran!"

"Why use her when there are so many experienced hosts at the station?"

Ignoring the gossip, Wei Yuan arrived at the station early every day to memorize her script, go over the flow, and find guests.

Although she rose to her position through connections, she genuinely wanted to achieve something.

The show achieved good ratings after it aired.

Wei Yuan is young, beautiful, and quick-witted, making her very popular with young viewers.

Although the station's leaders were unhappy, there was nothing they could do; ratings and connections were the only things that mattered.

Wei Yuan became even more smug.

He walks with a brisk pace and speaks louder.

……

On Friday night, Xiao Ran took Wei Yuan to Paradise KTV.

Liu Yuan was taken aback when he saw them come in.

Especially when she saw Wei Yuan holding Xiao Ran's hand, looking so intimate.

"Xiao Ran, who is this...?" Liu Yuan greeted him.

“Wei Yuan, this is my girlfriend,” Xiao Ran introduced. “This is Liu Yuan, my old classmate, the owner of Paradise KTV.”

"Hello, Mr. Liu," Wei Yuan greeted him warmly.

"Hello."

Liu Yuan looked at Wei Yuan, then at Xiao Ran, and understood...

This girl looks just like Han Ling when she was young.

They were seated in the best private room. Liu Yuan came out and said to the head waiter, "That man inside is General Manager Xiao. Take good care of him."

"Mr. Liu, who is that woman? I've never seen her before."

"A new girlfriend! Someone Han Ling found." Liu Yuan lit a cigarette.

The foreman was surprised. "Is that so?"

Liu Yuan exhaled a puff of smoke. "It seems Xiao Ran really can't get over it. He's just finding a substitute and deceiving himself."

Inside the private room, Wei Yuan was singing, and Xiao Ran was drinking.

Wei Yuan sang an old song, and her voice was clear and bright.

As Xiao Ran listened, his eyes became unfocused...

It felt like going back many years, when Han Ling was still by his side, singing the same songs.

"Xiao Ran, did you like it?" Wei Yuan finished singing and ran over to sit on his lap.

"It sounds beautiful." Xiao Ran hugged Wei Yuan. "It sounds especially beautiful."

"From now on, I'll sing for you every day."

"Okay." The two drank, sang, and partied until midnight.

When it was time to pay the bill, Liu Yuan personally saw them out.

"Xiao Ran, come by often!" Liu Yuan patted him on the shoulder, his words carrying a hidden meaning, "If there's anything, just tell your brother."

"I understand." Xiao Ran understood what Liu Yuan meant.

Watching Xiao Ran and Wei Yuan get into the car and leave, Liu Yuan stood at the door and sighed.

Chen Qiming died, Xiao Ran found a substitute, and Han Ling went with Su Ning.

They came to Shenzhen to make a living, but now their fates are very different.

Who is right and who is wrong? It's hard to say.

All I know is that time moves forward, and so do people.

They can never go back.

As the car drove into the night, Xiao Ran looked at Wei Yuan beside him and felt a moment of calm.

Even though he knew it was fake, at least for this moment, he wasn't in so much pain.

But as Wei Yuan leaned on his shoulder, her thoughts were...

Which big-name guest will we invite for next week's show?

Everyone gets what they need; there's nothing wrong with that.

Shenzhen remains vibrant even at night.

And everyone continues to live in their own way.

……

However, Xiao Ran's happiness didn't last long; after the initial excitement, he started to feel bored and listless again.

So Xiao Ran went to Paradise KTV to drink every day, and then returned to his mansion drunk.

Seeing Xiao Ran's decadent and dissolute behavior, Zhou Zhenxing felt utterly disappointed.

The news of Wei Yuan's pregnancy exploded in Xiao Ran's mind like a bomb.

That day at Paradise KTV, Wei Yuan found Xiao Ran, who was completely drunk, and slammed the pregnancy test on the table.

"I'm pregnant, with yours."

Xiao Ran stared at the two red lines, his mind blank.

"Abort it." That was the first thing Xiao Ran said.

Wei Yuan's face turned deathly pale instantly. "What did you say?"

"Get rid of it," Xiao Ran repeated, her voice icy. "I don't want the child, especially not now."

"This is your child!" Wei Yuan screamed. "How could you be so cruel?"

“Precisely because it’s my child, I can’t keep it.” Xiao Ran stood up and staggered out. “I’ll give you money, enough for an abortion and to help you recover. That’s all.”

Wei Yuan chased after him and grabbed him, "Xiao Ran! How can you be so heartless? This is your own flesh and blood!"

Xiao Ran shook off her hand, turned his head, and his eyes were colder than she had ever seen before. "Wei Yuan, I made it very clear from the beginning. We each got what we wanted. I don't love you, and you don't love me. Now that something has happened, it's time to get rid of you."

"But...but I've fallen in love with you now!" Wei Yuan cried, tears streaming down her face. "At first, I was after your money and the opportunities you gave me. But now I'm in love with you, really!"

“Then you should wake up,” Xiao Ran said. “My heart is not with you, and it never will be. The sooner you realize this, the less you will be hurt.”

Xiao Ran turned and left, leaving Wei Yuan alone, slumped on the ground.

The next day, Wei Yuan went to Yu Xueqing Company to find Xiao Ran, but was stopped by the receptionist.

"Miss Wei, Mr. Xiao said he will not see you."

Tell him I must see him today!

The receptionist shook her head awkwardly, "Mr. Xiao really instructed that he won't see anyone."

Wei Yuan waited downstairs all afternoon, but Xiao Ran never showed up.

Next, Wei Yuan tried to barge into Xiao Ran's house.

The locks have been changed, so she can't get in.

Soon, Wei Yuan completely broke down.

Suddenly, I thought of someone—Han Ling.

Since the problem lies with Han Ling, then we should go find Han Ling.

……

The Shenzhen-Hong Kong Ling Yun Performing Arts Troupe has now moved to its headquarters in the Shenzhen-Hong Kong headquarters, where all the hardware and software facilities are quite complete.

In the rehearsal hall, Han Ling was instructing the actors on how to rehearse.

A staff member came in and told her that a woman named Wei Yuan was looking for her.

Han Ling was stunned for a moment.

She naturally knew Wei Yuan, Xiao Ran's new girlfriend, the girl who looked just like herself when she was young.

"Let her in."

Wei Yuan walked into the rehearsal hall with red and swollen eyes and a haggard face.

Looking at Han Ling in front of her—although she was older than her, she was well-maintained and had an elegant demeanor, completely unlike the ex-girlfriend she had imagined.

"Commander Han, I'd like to have a talk with you," Wei Yuan said, getting straight to the point.

Han Ling gestured for the others to leave, then pointed to a chair, "Sit down! What do you need me for?"

“I’m pregnant, with Xiao Ran’s child.” Wei Yuan stared at Han Ling. “He doesn’t want it and wants me to have an abortion. I’m begging you, please put in a good word for me.”

Han Ling laughed, a very sarcastic laugh. "Miss Wei, have you got the wrong person? Xiao Ran and I broke up a long time ago. He's your boyfriend now, not mine."

“But the problem lies with you!” Wei Yuan said excitedly, “Xiao Ran has always had feelings for you, that’s why he doesn’t want my child! If you can let him go, if you can explain things to him clearly, maybe he will accept the child!”

“Miss Wei,” Han Ling said, her smile fading. “First, Xiao Ran and I are over, completely and utterly over. Who he’s with now, whether he wants children or not, is none of my business. Second, even if I tried to talk to him, he wouldn’t listen. I know Xiao Ran better than you do.”

"Then tell me, what kind of person is he?" Wei Yuan sneered. "Let me hear how well you know him."

Looking at the young girl in front of her, Han Ling suddenly felt sorry for her.

Just like myself back then... naive, innocent, believing that love could conquer all.

“Okay, I’ll tell you.” Han Ling sat down and slowly said, “Xiao Ran and I were classmates in college, at the Agricultural University. Back then, he was very poor, really poor, with less than a hundred yuan a month for living expenses. But when he was pursuing me, he would save up his entire month’s living expenses to buy me a dress.”

Wei Yuan quieted down and listened.

"Back then, there was another person pursuing me, Su Ning. Su Ning's family was rich, and he was a popular figure at school; all the girls liked him. But I chose Xiao Ran because I felt that love was more important than money."

"and after?"

"Later we came to Shenzhen together," Han Ling continued. "It was tough when we first arrived. We lived in a tiny rented room and ate the cheapest boxed meals. But I felt very happy then because we were together and had something to look forward to."

"And then what?"

"Later, he succeeded in his business and made money." Han Ling's tone turned cold. "We moved into a big house, drove a nice car, and lacked nothing materially. But he changed—he would socialize until midnight every day, come home reeking of alcohol, and always have various perfumes on him. His phone was always on silent, and he would even take it into the bathroom when he showered."

Wei Yuan's hand tightened.

“I kept lying to myself, telling him it was for his career, for our future. Until one day, I found a woman’s thong in his pocket.” Han Ling looked at Wei Yuan. “Do you know what that feels like? It’s like someone is holding a knife and cutting your heart piece by piece.”

Wei Yuan's face turned even paler.

“So, Miss Wei,” Han Ling stood up, “I’m telling you this today not to show off how well I know Xiao Ran, but to tell you that so-called love has an expiration date. Especially after he becomes rich. You think you’re favored now because you’re special? No, it’s because you’re like me when I was young. When he gets tired of you, or when he finds someone more like you, you’ll be the next me.”

“But…but I love him…” Wei Yuan’s voice trembled.

"Love?" Han Ling laughed. "Miss Wei, I used to think that love could conquer all. But the reality is that love can't conquer human nature, and it can't conquer time. You're pregnant now, and he doesn't want you. That's reality."

"so what should I do?"

“That’s your business,” Han Ling said. “But I can tell you my choice—I left Xiao Ran and went with Su Ning. Although I don’t have a formal relationship, I have a career, a stage, and respect. Most importantly, I don’t have to live in fear every day, worrying that he has other women outside.”

“Miss Wei, you are still young and have good prospects. Instead of getting entangled with a man who has someone else in his heart, you should think about your future. Whether or not to have the child is your decision. But don’t expect Xiao Ran to love you because of this child. He won’t.”

Wei Yuan sat there, not saying a word for a long time.

Finally, she stood up, bowed to Han Ling, and said, "Thank you. I understand."

"Figured out?"

"I've figured it out." Wei Yuan smiled bitterly. "Actually, I should have understood a long time ago. I just didn't want to admit it."

She turned and left the rehearsal hall, her back view lonely and resolute.

Han Ling watched her leave, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Han Ling thought of herself back then, and those painful days.

But soon, he shook his head and shook off those memories.

Let bygones be bygones...

Now, she has a new life and a new path to walk.

And everyone must be responsible for their own choices.

Wei Yuan was like this, she herself was like this, and so was Xiao Ran.

This is life—cruel, but real.

...(End of this chapter)