It truly was her own weakness and incompetence that allowed this group of people to have her completely under their thumb.
Xu Yizhi assumed that for the sake of money, she would only ever be humble and desperate to please him. When Fang Chenchen couldn't get money out of her, she had gone straight to Xu Yizhi!
"None of my business!"
After firing off that message, Fang Tong blocked Xu Yizhi on WeChat. She thought for a moment, then went through her other social media accounts, blocking him on every single one where they were connected.
With a long exhale, Fang Tong stopped dwelling on the past with such maudlin self-pity. She had nothing left to lose, so what was there to be afraid of? They—Xu Yizhi and the entire Fang family—wanted to manipulate her?
In their dreams!
Fang Tong stood up and walked outside. If she couldn't find resources through Xiao Yinwan, she would find them elsewhere. The entertainment industry was vast. Even though she had long since lost her fame and was mired in scandal, she still possessed enough notoriety to generate buzz if she wanted a comeback.
The entertainment industry didn't fear scandal; it feared being irrelevant.
Of course, she had never signed with a talent agency; she had been under the umbrella of Lu Feier’s screenwriting company, with Lu Feier handling all her affairs. Since she hoped to repay Director Song and his team alongside earning a living, she didn't intend to approach another agency unless it was an absolute last resort.
After all, there was always a way out. She had to carve her own path, one that belonged to her and wasn't dependent on others.
Fang Tong bolstered her spirits, intending to brainstorm other options. She checked the balance on her phone; only three thousand yuan remained.
It was truly speechless. She had spent three years with Xu Yizhi, and with a monthly allowance of one million, she could have lived luxuriously and saved a fortune. Yet, she had given all that money to Qiao Shu. As for her jewelry, bags, and other valuables, she had left them all behind in a fit of pique when she walked out of the old estate yesterday.
As for the card Xu Yizhi had given her, she hadn't touched it since the moment he warned her to yield to Sun Qing, and she never would again.
Not long after leaving the private room, Fang Tong ran into someone she recognized: Mu Yuning. She was also in the industry, and they had crossed paths during a commercial shoot years ago, though they weren't close at all.
Fang Tong had no intention of saying hello and kept her head down, pretending not to see her, but Mu Yuning called out to her.
"Sister Fang Tong, is it really you?"
Mu Yuning walked over happily. Although she called her "Sister Fang Tong," she was actually a year older than Fang Tong. She used the title because, in the past, Fang Tong’s fame had far eclipsed her own, and one was always expected to show respect to seniors.
Fang Tong gave a guarded nod and tried to skirt around her, but Mu Yuning was overly enthusiastic, stepping forward to make small talk. "Did you just finish eating?"
"Yes, heading home now," Fang Tong replied, her tone cold and distant.
Mu Yuning smiled brightly. "I’m here on personal business today. Sister Fang Tong, I haven't seen you in so long, I’m truly delighted. I wonder if you’d do me the honor of joining me for a cup of tea?"
"I..."
Before she could say she was busy, Mu Yuning, fearing a rejection, rushed to add, "I never had the chance to get close to you before, but I’ve always wanted to thank you in person for helping me back then. If it weren't for you, I might not have stayed in this industry, and I wouldn't have the success I do today."
Fang Tong thought for a while before she remembered. Back during that commercial shoot, Mu Yuning had been a complete newcomer, just standing there as a background extra. It had been freezing that day; the others had assistants to wrap them in heavy coats, but Mu Yuning had come alone and had nothing. Shivering violently, she had huddled in the staff room to get warm and accidentally kicked a power strip, cutting the power to two lighting rigs.
The lighting director had grabbed Mu Yuning and cursed her out viciously. Fang Tong, seeing that the girl was just a youngster, felt a surge of pity. She stepped in to speak up for her and even had her assistant bring a blanket over. It was such a small thing that Fang Tong wouldn't have remembered it without careful reflection.
Seeing Fang Tong’s expression soften, Mu Yuning pressed her advantage, guiding her into a private room to order tea and starting to talk about her career in the intervening years.
"Have you seen the drama *With You*?"
Fang Tong shook her head. "I’m sorry, I rarely watch television." After leaving the industry, she had stopped watching TV and movies; her entertainment consisted of reading and boxing.
Mu Yuning didn't mind. "It was a low-budget production. I didn't think much of it while filming, but to my surprise, even the second female lead became quite popular. Things got much smoother after that. In the last few years, I’ve filmed four dramas and appeared on two variety shows. My exposure is up, and my fan count is pretty decent."
Fang Tong smiled genuinely. "I’m really happy for you."
"That’s why I really wanted to thank you," Mu Yuning said. "Please, don't mind me; I know I’m a year older and shouldn't be calling you 'Sister.' But in terms of seniority, you are my senior, and I respect you deeply. I truly, truly thank you for my success today."
She paused, then added, "Actually, the mistake that day wasn't my fault. It just happened that I was there, and they took their anger out on me, and I was too afraid to speak up."
Fang Tong was slightly stunned. She couldn't remember the specifics of that day, but she believed Mu Yuning. Her own life was like that now; because she was at the bottom of the social ladder in everyone’s eyes, anyone could bully her, and she was powerless to resist.
Mu Yuning continued, "I don't just owe thanks to you, but to Director Song as well. I was in a movie early this year—just a small supporting role—and was about to be replaced by someone pushed by the investors. It was Director Song who insisted on keeping me."
At the mention of Director Song, a pang of sadness rose in Fang Tong’s heart. She couldn't help but ask, "How has Director Song been these last few years?"
"He’s only filmed one movie in the last few years, and things haven't gone well; his reputation has suffered significantly," Mu Yuning said truthfully. "But it was just one film. If the next one goes well, it’ll be fine. Oh, that’s right—his film *The Silent* is finally going into production. Hey, that’s the one you were supposed to star in, back when it… got shelved."
*The Silent* was the movie Director Song had purchased, specifically claiming it was tailored for Fang Tong. Unfortunately, just before shooting began, Fang Tong vanished and retired from acting. With no female lead and no backup options, the film was completely shelved.
Mu Yuning stopped speaking, hesitating, perhaps feeling that the event had been too public and that she shouldn't have brought it up in front of Fang Tong.
But Fang Tong didn't care about that at all. She simply said, "I had heard the film was shelved, but I thought Director Song had given up on it entirely."
Mu Yuning waved her hand. "Not at all. I heard that after you retired, Director Song wasn't interested in any other actresses, and then the original second female lead ran into tax issues... it was just a series of setbacks. People said even if they forced a shoot, the outcome wouldn't be good, so they let it go. It’s been three years. Recently, they started open auditions again. The supporting roles are cast, but the two female leads haven't been decided yet."
*The Silent* was a female-led crime drama, which was indeed very appealing. Most crime films were male-dominated, with female characters serving as mere accessories. There were dual-male-lead films, but never a dual-female-lead one. The screenwriter was Wen Luoluo, a young, famous, and incredibly progressive writer—even Lu Feier, Director Song’s wife and his go-to screenwriter, ranked behind her.