120. Getting Into Character

Ji Fanxing worked quickly, and the results were ready that very evening.

Scanning the list of ingredients on the report, her brow furrowed. It was exactly as she had suspected. Beyond the food additives used to improve taste and texture, the primary components were actually agents used to suppress growth in children.

"Fanxing, what does this say? Why do you look so troubled?" Ning Ze asked, looking at her with concern. He was curious about the document; Fanxing had remained calm even when the entire internet turned against her, so why was she suddenly so serious?

Ji Fanxing handed the materials to him.

"Citric acid, grape flavoring, phenytoin sodium, sulfonamide... what is all this?" Ning Ze was bewildered.

Ji Fanxing did not hide anything from him, explaining her deductions point by point.

"What?! You mean drinking that stuff will cause developmental delays in Mo Xiaodong?!"

"The most terrifying part is that it could halt his development entirely. And the side effects of these drugs are absolutely not something a ten-year-old child like Xiaodong can withstand," Ji Fanxing said, her heart heavy.

"Fanxing, let's call the police!"

"Of course we must call the police. Such a heinous act cannot be condoned! But, not right now."

"?"

It was already two in the morning. The two were walking back to their hotel, the streetlights casting soft, dim, and mottled shadows around them. Sensing Ning Ze’s confusion, Ji Fanxing stopped and looked at him with a serious expression.

"With the evidence I have, calling the police would indeed bring the mastermind to justice. But then what? Another Tenghai would rise quickly to take over everything. The same things we saw today would simply continue to happen in a different form."

"We can't just watch and do nothing..." Ning Ze said, feeling distressed.

"Of course not!" Ji Fanxing’s eyes turned cold. "A company like Tenghai is like bacteria in a wound, silently eroding the entire entertainment industry. If we don't disinfect it with alcohol, the wound will become chronically infected, unable to heal, and could even lead to the necrosis of the entire industry."

"What do you mean?"

"Ning Ze, I want to topple Tenghai completely and give the entertainment industry of the Dragon Kingdom a fresh start."

Only then, when she stood at the pinnacle of the industry and looked down, would she be able to see a truly pleasing sight.

"Fanxing..."

Under the night sky, Ji Fanxing’s eyes were bright, making Ning Ze’s heart skip a beat. Without thinking, he blurted out, "Okay, I’ll be with you!"

"You agreed just like that?" Now it was Ji Fanxing’s turn to be startled. "This isn't a simple matter. Don't you want to question it further? Besides, according to my current plan, you might not be able to film the script I showed you earlier. Don't you feel regret?"

"...Will I have no work to film?"

"Not necessarily..."

"Then there's no problem." Ning Ze crossed his arms, confident. "I'm an outstanding graduate of the Film Academy! I’m not that shallow! Have you forgotten? In our very first acting class, the teacher told us, 'True acting is feeling with your heart and interpreting with your soul. The size of the production budget or whether one plays a lead or a supporting role doesn't matter...'"

Mentioning their student days left Ji Fanxing feeling dazed. For over a thousand years, if it weren't brought up, she truly would have forgotten. However, at a thousand years old with a perfect memory, she would never admit that she had forgotten.

"Pfft, as if you're the only one who's an outstanding graduate," Ji Fanxing said, smoothly shifting the focus.

Ning Ze’s attention was easily diverted. "Remember our first job after graduation? We were performers at the children's park. You were the little squirrel, I was Mr. Elephant, and our biggest headache every day was dealing with the overly enthusiastic kids after the show."

"Right. Later, I left the theater to audition for 'Dance,' you went to Tenghai, and then..."

As she spoke, Ji Fanxing’s gaze drifted upward, piercing the depth of the night and landing on the distant stars. That sky seemed like another mysterious world.

Ning Ze looked up at the sky in sync, seeing the moon casting a cold, faint glow. He turned to look at Ji Fanxing, and instinctively, he felt as if they were not looking at the same night sky.

His heart tightened. When he came to his senses, his hand was already covering her eyes, blocking out her view of the night.

"Don't look anymore... Fanxing."

Ji Fanxing pulled his hand down and turned to him. The handsome young man who had been spirited while talking about his dreams now had reddened eyes, his gaze brimming with tears, looking shattered.

"Promise me, never leave me again, okay..."

"Ning Ze, you..." Ji Fanxing was startled. Why was he so emotional? And saying such things... could it be?

She stood on her tiptoes, slowly raising a hand toward his cheek, brushing past his eyes. His long lashes grazed the back of her hand. At that moment, time seemed to freeze, and even the evening breeze slowed, as if afraid to disturb them, swirling cautiously around the pair.

Ji Fanxing raised her arm again, her fingers curling as she brought her hand down.

"Thwack!"

"Ow! That hurts!"

"The scene is over, why aren't you out of character? Look closely, I am Ji Fanxing, not Qin Siyu."

"I know, I know! I'm awake now! Can't you be a little gentler?!"

With clear eyes, Ning Ze rubbed his forehead, looking at Ji Fanxing with annoyance.

"Don't fully wake up yet. We're at the hotel. Get some rest, and tomorrow, come fishing with me."

"Fishing? What kind of fish are we catching?"

"A big fish that will lure Tenghai into the trap."

Although Tenghai had sent her an S+ contract, her behavior at the time was a disguised rejection. If she were to go crawling back to them now, she would naturally lose the upper hand. The best way was to make them come to her.

As for the opportunity, it was Ye Sanchuan.

As it happened, Ye Sanchuan had booked the same hotel for Fanxing and Ning Ze as he had for himself. When he introduced the hotel, he specifically mentioned that the breakfast buffet was quite good. Ji Fanxing planned to have a "chance encounter" with Ye Sanchuan at the restaurant the next morning.

As for the bait, it was, naturally, the songs worth millions from the genius of the entertainment industry.

Chu Hao, Hai Lan, and Lu Tianyu had all exploded in popularity because of her songs. Many were already moving in anticipation. The "Huaxia Studio" had just been established, and currently, it was only her; Ji Fanxing did not want to be harassed by people begging for songs.

Meanwhile, Shen Zhiyao of Jiangshan Entertainment was striking while the iron was hot, looking to continue the "two-hundred-million-miracle," and was willing to pay a high price for Ji Fanxing's songs. This also served to "drive up the price," making others hesitate.

The two had reached a tacit understanding. Sure enough, once the rumor of the fifty-million-yuan contract spread through the industry, things became much quieter around Ji Fanxing.

Ten million yuan for a single song—those with intentions shook their heads upon hearing it, fleeing as fast as they could.

It was the perfect bait to hook Tenghai, Ji Fanxing thought, smiling with a devious glint in her eyes.