Chapter 147 Thirty Million

Chapter 147: Thirty Million

No one present offered to help him up.

The brand had already issued a legal notice. The online videos were confirmed as authentic, and Du Ze's meticulously crafted public persona had completely collapsed.

For the agent and the entertainment company, losing Du Ze was not an insurmountable obstacle; they could simply cultivate other stars, reallocating the resources previously invested in him. They had no fear of failing to promote new talent.

However, for the studio staff, it was a different story. They were all employees who relied on Du Ze for their livelihoods. If Du Ze were truly driven out of the industry by public outcry, their association with his studio might blacklist them, making it difficult to find future employment.

Suddenly, everyone's gaze toward Du Ze turned resentful.

"What should we do now?" Their voices were tinged with panic.

The agent snorted. "What else can we do? Apologize and compensate. Otherwise, if the brand escalates this, it won't be something money alone can fix."

Du Ze gritted his teeth, remaining silent. He picked up his phone from the floor, repeatedly refreshing his chat with Wang Shilan.

He couldn't believe it—how could this woman be so heartless? To divorce him so abruptly. What was he supposed to do now?

"...I can't record an apology video in this state," Du Ze said, his face red and swollen.

The agent was already directing someone to set up a camera. He showed Du Ze the draft apology letter sent by his editor on his phone. "Memorize it quickly. Do I need to teach you how to apologize? Weren't you always the best actor? If you want to salvage your reputation, act a little more pitiful, a little more sincere..."

Du Ze stood before the camera, humiliated, silently reciting the apology.

The agent didn't care about the impact of the apology video; he was going to terminate his contract with Du Ze regardless.

"Alright, transfer the compensation to the brand immediately. Three and a half million."

Du Ze bit his lip until it bled, then pulled out his phone and processed the compensation payment to the brand.

This three and a half million happened to precisely match the penalty fee Wang Shilan had transferred to the brand.

The apology video was posted across various platforms. Most netizens were there to witness the drama unfold, eager to stir the pot—the messier it got, the more excited they became.

Du Ze dared not look at his phone, instead bombarding Wang Shilan with message after message.

Unbeknownst to him, Wang Shilan was, at that very moment, seated in a conference room not far away.

She was still recovering from illness, but her complexion looked good, and a satisfied smile even played on her lips.

Du Ze's apology video had been posted, and the comments beneath it were almost entirely mocking.

Some even accused him of faking the swelling on his face with makeup to garner sympathy.

[Why didn't he do this earlier? If he wanted to apologize, he should have done it sooner. He's only apologizing now because he couldn't handle the pressure and the criticism.]

[Putting everything else aside, my heart truly aches for Niu Niu. How old is she? She looked so happy as a flower girl, but in that video, Du Ze scolded her until she was utterly miserable.]

[Boycott opportunists! Ladies, seriously, don't marry down. This is a stark warning.]

[An hour ago, I thought that video was absurd. Now, I'm just furious. I can't even look at Du Ze the same way anymore.]

[......]

After the apology video and letter were released, the agent turned and walked away without a backward glance.

As he was leaving, Du Ze rushed forward to stop him. "Brother Tian, I... You wouldn't abandon me, would you?"

Brother Tian snorted coldly and shook off Du Ze's hand. "Du Ze, you're an adult. You need to take responsibility for your actions. Wasn't that what you told a newcomer once? You haven't forgotten so quickly, have you?"

Brother Tian knew Du Ze's true nature because one of his newcomers had been targeted by Du Ze early in their career. That newcomer had been bombarded with negative press and nearly left the industry under the pressure.

And Du Ze's reason for targeting them? The director had given the newcomer a last-minute extra scene that day, and Du Ze felt upstaged.

After Brother Tian left, the studio staff followed him out. Not a single person remained.

Two minutes later, Wang Shilan and her team passed by the office. Du Ze remained standing where he was, staring in the direction Brother Tian and the others had gone.

It was only then that he realized Wang Shilan was more than just a stepping stone for his advancement.

Without Wang Shilan, no one would give him a second glance. The moment he made a misstep, if Wang Shilan didn't protect him, he would be utterly ruined.

He hated those who had maliciously edited the clips. The online comments were too vile to read.

His mind raced, desperately trying to figure out who was behind this attack.

He suspected every male actor he had competed with for roles, every person he had ever argued with or reprimanded backstage.

He even considered Mi Huan and Shen Yan, but it never crossed his mind that the mastermind behind it all, the one who had stripped him of everything in an instant, was Wang Shilan.

The sound of noisy footsteps grew closer. Du Ze instinctively stepped aside, and his eyes locked onto a short-haired woman walking at the center of a group of people.

"Wife—"

Du Ze rushed forward, but before he could get near, one of Wang Shilan's assistants shoved him away.

Wang Shilan stared at him without saying a word.

Du Ze didn't know what was wrong—both sides of his face were red and swollen, and he seemed unsteady on his feet, as if possessed by something unclean.

Everyone took a step back in unison, awaiting Wang Shilan's next instruction.

To be honest, Wang Shilan felt nothing but profound embarrassment at that moment.

She was ashamed that she had ever loved a man like this.

Du Ze straightened up, wiped his face, and took small steps forward, putting on a pitiful expression. "Wife."

"You have to help me. Everyone is bullying me."

Du Ze didn't care if anyone was watching. He only knew that Wang Shilan had always fallen for his helpless act.

Wang Shilan let out a mocking laugh. "Come here."

Du Ze leaned in, pricking up his ears.

"You haven't received the message yet, have you? I consulted with a friend.

What you did to Niu Niu is illegal. I've already had someone prepare the lawsuit and evidence. I can file a case with the court at any time."

Du Ze's mind went blank, as if struck by an axe.

He knew all too well that Wang Shilan was a woman who tolerated no wrongdoing. He finally accepted that he and Wang Shilan could never go back to how they were before.

Wang Shilan was pleased with his reaction and continued, "However, out of respect for our marriage, I can offer you another choice."

Du Ze looked up instantly.

"If you compensate Niu Niu for emotional damages and finalize the divorce at the civil affairs bureau tomorrow, I won't sue you."

"You know, a male actor with a stained reputation who has offended me has no future in this industry."

Du Ze did some quick calculations. Over the past two years, almost all his living expenses and event appearances had been covered by Wang Shilan, who never inquired about his income.

Even if he left the industry, the money he had saved would be enough to live on comfortably for the rest of his life.

But if it came to a lawsuit, he would never live it down. Media outlets across the country would undoubtedly compete to report on it.

Everyone would watch him slinking away from the entertainment industry like a stray dog.

He couldn't bear that humiliation. It would be better to pay a sum of money, cut ties completely with Wang Shilan and her daughter, and later issue a statement claiming it was an amicable breakup.

"Alright, how much do you want?"

Wang Shilan had already had someone tally up all his earnings over the past two years. The corners of her lips curled slightly as she said, "Thirty million."

——————

Note: Private setting assumes no divorce cooling-off period; income figures are fictional.