TL: Moonlit
This chapter and the next chapter are the scheduled chapter for today.
Shen Ye searched for Chen Zi’s recent photos and noticed that she had heavy dark circles under her eyes. Even with heavy makeup, she couldn’t conceal them.
After thinking for a moment, he replied to Chen Zi: [I’m sorry, but I can’t leave right now. If you’re available, you can come to the Shen family.]
He then sent her the location.
Today was Shen Shimu and Zong Yiming’s wedding banquet, and he couldn’t leave. However, Chen Zi’s situation was unique, and he felt that he should meet her and help her resolve the issue as soon as possible.
Chen Zi, being a popular celebrity in recent years, was well-informed. She knew that today was the day of the wedding banquet for the young master of the Shen family. Many people in the entertainment industry were eager to receive an invitation. Unfortunately, the Shen family did not invite anyone from the entertainment industry or the media.
She was surprised that Master Shen invited her to the Shen family, but she didn’t have any intentions of currying favor with anyone during this opportunity. Given her current precarious situation, she actually wanted to avoid such social events.
But since Master Shen asked her to come, she couldn’t refuse.
An hour later, Chen Zi arrived at the Shen family with her manager.
As Chen Zi was a popular star, Shen Ye thought it would be better for her to keep a low profile.
He privately informed Shen Shimu and, as soon as Chen Zi’s car arrived outside the gate of the Shen family, a servant quietly led her to find Shen Ye.
Shen Ye and Ye Ze were waiting for Chen Zi in the lounge.
It was the first time Chen Zi had seen Shen Ye in person, and she couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous, especially with Ye Ze sitting next to Shen Ye.
Shen Ye greeted her, “Please have a seat.”
Chen Zi and her manager sat obediently on the opposite sofa.
Shen Ye glanced at Chen Zi’s face.
Chen Zi had just come from an event, with heavy makeup on her face. However, even so, it couldn’t hide her terrible dark circles.
Feeling Shen Ye’s gaze, Chen Zi touched her lower eyelid and whispered, “I’ve been suffering from insomnia every night for the past six months. I can never get a good night’s sleep, and my dark circles have been getting worse. Our studio can only tell the fans that it’s due to late-night filming and a busy schedule…”
Shen Ye nodded and continued to stare at her face.
In the past, Ning Shihua also suffered from insomnia. Perhaps it was a common problem among celebrities. On one hand, they had busy schedules and limited sleep time, and on the other hand, the psychological pressure could also cause insomnia.
But it was clear that Chen Zi’s insomnia was much more severe than Ning Shihua’s, as Ning Shi Hua didn’t have such heavy dark circles.
“Master, can you cure Chen Zi’s insomnia?” The manager, a middle-aged woman who was Chen Zi’s relative, spoke. Although she was called a manager, she was more like a personal assistant, managing Chen Zi’s daily life.
Chen Zi hadn’t been sleeping well for the past six months, and her weight had been dropping. Two months ago, she even fainted on the set and was rushed to the hospital. As her manager, she was extremely worried and hoped to cure Chen Zi’s condition as soon as possible.
Shen Ye withdrew his gaze and calmly said, “Insomnia can certainly be treated, but Chen Zi didn’t come to me today just for the treatment of insomnia, right?”
Upon hearing this, Chen Zi widened her eyes in astonishment.
She… indeed didn’t come to seek treatment for her insomnia. She never expected that Shen Ye could see through her true intentions without even asking.
Truly worthy of being a master, so formidable.
Chen Zi became even more respectful, nodded sincerely, and said, “I came to ask you how long I can remain popular.”
The manager was taken aback. They clearly discussed seeking treatment for insomnia and dark circles before coming…
Shen Ye glanced at Chen Zi and said, “You can remain popular for several more decades. You will be a legend in the TV drama industry until you grow old.”
Before Chen Zi could respond, the manager exclaimed with joy, “Really? Can Chen Zi truly remain popular for that long?”
Which celebrity in the entertainment industry doesn’t want to be famous? With fame comes resources, reputation, and the ability to earn a lot of money. So, unknown stars desire fame, and once they become famous, they want to stay famous…
If Chen Zi can remain popular for several more decades, it means she can earn a lot of money… a continuous source of income. How could the manager not be thrilled?
However, Chen Zi remained silent.
Shen Ye stared at her. “Don’t you want to continue being famous?”
Chen Zi didn’t say anything.
The manager noticed something was wrong and turned her head to look at her. “What… what’s wrong with you?”
Just now, when Chen Zi asked herself how long she could remain famous, the manager was quite delighted, thinking that Chen Zi was ambitious despite already being so famous.
But now, looking at Chen Zi’s expression, she didn’t seem happy upon learning that she could remain famous for several more decades.
Could it be… Chen Zi wanted to leave the entertainment industry?
Leaving at the peak of one’s career is not a wise choice.
Not to mention how to explain it to the fans and audience, even for Chen Zi herself, it wouldn’t be a good thing. The entertainment industry changes rapidly, and if Chen Zi goes silent for three to five years, the audience will definitely forget about her. If one day Chen Zi wants to return to the entertainment industry, it would be extremely difficult to regain her fame.
The manager suddenly became anxious and couldn’t help but hold Chen Zi’s hand. “You can’t leave the industry!”
Chen Zi hesitated for a moment but still didn’t say anything.
Shen Ye stared at her. “I know something has happened to you, but I hope you can speak up. If you don’t even have the courage to speak up, how can I help you? You have to give me an attitude and let me know if you genuinely want to resolve this matter.”
Upon hearing this, Chen Zi immediately sat up straight, took a deep breath, and said, “Yes, I want to leave the industry.”
The manager stood up abruptly from the sofa. “No! I don’t agree!”
As a relative of Chen Zi and belonging to the same generation as Chen Zi’s parents, she usually didn’t interfere with Chen Zi’s actions. But when it came to Chen Zi wanting to leave the industry, she absolutely couldn’t agree.
“I’m going to call your parents right now and have them come!” The manager took out her phone and was about to dial.
Chen Zi didn’t stop her, but she also didn’t show any signs of regret. Her expression was resolute.
Shen Ye said, “Continue.”
“I… I’m extremely fragile. My mental resilience is very poor, and I have a bad temper. When I first became famous a few years ago, whenever I saw people online criticizing and insulting me, I would get so angry that I would hide and cry in secret. I know that as a celebrity, everyone faces criticism, and you need to have strong mental resilience. But I really can’t do it. These past few years, I’ve been holding back from reading the negative comments and ignoring the hateful reviews. But I still live in this world, and occasionally, I hear some unbearable insults. I get so angry, but for the sake of my public image, I can only endure it and cry or vent by smashing things at home… I feel like I’m going crazy…” Chen Zi became more and more agitated as she spoke, covering her face with both hands, almost crying.
The manager had already dialed Chen Zi’s mother’s phone and was waiting for her to answer. But after hearing Chen Zi’s words, she stood there dumbfounded.
It wasn’t until Chen Zi’s mother’s voice came from the other end of the phone that the manager snapped out of it and whispered, “Cousin, Zi Zi is fine. I’ll talk to you later.”
She hung up the phone and hurriedly walked to Chen Zi, tightly grabbing her hand. “You… you…”
Looking at Chen Zi’s troubled face and the heavy dark circles under her eyes, the manager suddenly couldn’t find the right words to say.
She knew that Chen Zi cared a lot about the comments from online critics, but she didn’t expect Chen Zi to be affected to this extent.
Over the years, Chen Zi’s popularity has been growing with each drama she starred in, and while many people liked her, there were also many who criticized her.
It’s the same for artists in the industry. The more famous you become, the more criticism you will inevitably face. Even legendary predecessors like Ning Shihua had to go through a lot of hardships to achieve success.
If your mental resilience is not strong enough and you care too much about external comments, you’ll be labeled as sensitive.
Because in everyone’s eyes, as an artist, you have to accept public opinions. People love to gossip about celebrities, and if you can’t handle both positive and negative reviews from the audience, it’s better to leave the industry early.
That’s what the manager initially used to persuade Chen Zi.
She thought that Chen Zi had taken it to heart and made adjustments… but now, it seemed that the situation was getting worse…
“Is it because of those online critics that you have insomnia?” the manager asked softly.
Chen Zi nodded, then shook her head.
Shen Ye said, “Continue speaking. Say everything at once, so I can help you.”
Chen Zi looked up at him, then lowered her head again. “I… I have too much pressure… I can’t handle the insults from the critics, but if I leave the industry, I’m afraid of disappointing my fans and drama lovers… I’ve been struggling for several years, and now I’m becoming more and more confused. Especially in the past six months, I’ve been caught in a dilemma of whether to leave or not… I’ve been in a bad state all along.”
“Mm.” Shen Ye knew she wasn’t lying. “Your life palace is dark, which is a sign of life-threatening danger… Your current mental state is endangering your life.”
Chen Zi wasn’t surprised by this revelation.
In the past six months, her mental state has been extremely poor. Sometimes she would appear absent-minded, as if she was lost in thought. She could be reciting lines one moment and then suddenly become blank, as if she had turned foolish and could only stare into space. She knew that if she didn’t solve this problem soon, something bad would happen.
Her manager was both anxious and afraid. She sat beside her and anxiously said, “Please don’t overthink… I’ll find a psychologist for you… No, let’s ask Master Shen… Master Shen is so amazing, he will definitely help you!”
Chen Zi had seen a psychologist before, but it didn’t seem to have any effect. Her manager trusted Shen Ye more.
“Master Shen, please help Chen Zi,” the manager’s voice trembled as she said, “Chen Zi is a good girl and a dedicated actress. She has great acting skills, which is why so many people love the dramas she stars in. She has never made any mistakes, and she genuinely had no knowledge of some of the team’s actions… She shouldn’t have to suffer like this…”
Shen Ye nodded and said, “Her problem is not significant. I can treat her insomnia. As for her psychological resilience, I can draw some talismans for her to improve her mood and not pay attention to those negative comments.”
The manager had heard of Shen Ye’s capabilities before, and now that he assured her he could help Chen Zi, she couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
“Thank you! You’re truly a kind person!” the manager sincerely expressed her gratitude.
Shen Ye waved his hand and looked at Chen Zi. “You probably have something you haven’t told us, right?”
The manager was astonished. Could Chen Zi be under even greater pressure?
Chen Zi tightly pursed her lips and remained silent.
Shen Ye continued, “I know why you haven’t spoken about it. It’s because you’re afraid that if you reveal it, you’ll be sent to a mental hospital, isn’t it?”
Chen Zi widened her eyes and looked at Shen Ye in disbelief.
“You… You’re really amazing,” Chen Zi murmured.
It was her deepest secret that she hadn’t told anyone, yet Master Shen seemed to know everything.
Shen Ye shrugged, “I’ve always been amazing. I’ve never been wrong in fortune-telling.”
The manager grabbed Chen Zi’s wrist anxiously and said, “Don’t scare me. Mental hospital? You better explain it clearly to me… How can I face your parents if something happens!”
She was Chen Zi’s elder, and she cared more about Chen Zi’s health than her career. Besides, Chen Zi’s parents were the ones in charge of her career, and she couldn’t make decisions on their behalf.
Chen Zi gritted her teeth but remained silent.
Shen Ye looked at her and said, “You don’t have to be afraid. It’s not your imagination; it’s the truth.”
This time, Chen Zi’s eyes widened even more.
“Someone is following you and wants to kill you,” Shen Ye said.
Chen Zi stared at Shen Ye in shock for a long time without saying a word.
The manager, on the other hand, jumped up and asked in a series of questions, “What’s going on? Someone is following you and wants to kill you? Who is it? Why didn’t you tell me?” Then she seemed to realize something and said in a high-pitched voice, “So, when you mentioned someone threatening you earlier, it was true?!”
Her voice was too loud, and Shen Ye finally couldn’t bear it and said coldly, “Calm down.”
The manager sat back down embarrassedly but still worriedly looked at Chen Zi.
Shen Ye looked at Chen Zi and said, “Now you can tell the truth. I can assure you that it’s not your imagination; your mind is fine, and no one will send you to a mental hospital.”
Encouraged by Shen Ye, Chen Zi finally agreed to speak.
“About half a year ago, I started receiving harassing phone calls. The caller said they wanted to kill me, sometimes even in the middle of the night. I told the people around me about it initially, and they were very concerned and reported it to the police, but they didn’t find any results.” Chen Zi smiled bitterly. “Later, everyone thought it might be someone playing a prank or a wrong number, and they advised me not to think too much about it…”
Shen Ye listened quietly, waiting for her to continue.
“Two months ago, someone started camping outside my house and even broke into my home using various gruesome methods to scare me. They even tortured and killed small cats and dogs in front of me… but they never laid a hand on me… As soon as they left, I immediately reported it to the police and informed my family, but when the police checked the surveillance footage, it showed that no one had entered my home. I don’t know how those devils managed to avoid the cameras or what their intentions are. Maybe they want to break my willpower and sanity.”
As she spoke, Chen Zi’s face turned pale, and sweat formed on her forehead.
But Shen Ye didn’t interrupt her and gestured for her to continue.
After a moment of silence, Chen Zi said, “These incidents happen every few days. Unfortunately, because the police haven’t found any evidence and my family thinks I’m overthinking, I can’t help but wonder if I’m hallucinating or suffering from hysteria…”
That’s also why her dark circles have become more prominent.
Many nights she couldn’t sleep, fearing that someone would break into her home.
Shen Ye asked, “When was the most recent threat?”
Chen Zi recalled, “It was when I asked Cai Zhiwei to help me contact you. That night, after I finished recording a show and returned home, they were waiting for me in the living room. As soon as I turned on the lights, they started torturing small animals in front of me…”
With every word she uttered, her body trembled, and fear was evident in her eyes. The scene at that time must have been terrifying.
“They have tortured and killed small animals in front of you before, why are you so scared this time?” Shen Ye asked again.
He certainly knew the reason, but he hoped she would say it herself.
Chen Zi bit her lip and trembled for a while before shakily saying, “Because… because this time they killed my dog that I raised…”
The manager was stunned for a moment. “Your dog was really killed? I thought the dog had run away, and you couldn’t accept its disappearance, so you said it was killed.”
Chen Zi shook her head and painfully hugged her head. “They are monsters! They killed my dog… killed my dog…”
She couldn’t continue speaking and suddenly burst into tears.
Shen Ye handed her a few tissues and then drew a talisman on her body to help her calm down.
Then he continued to ask, “There are four men in total, right?”
“Yes.” Chen Zi, soothed by the talisman, became more stable in her emotions and nodded gently. “At first, I thought they were my fans, following me because they liked me… But later, I realized they just wanted to intimidate and frighten me… I installed surveillance cameras at home and tried to capture their actions, but they always managed to evade the cameras, and I don’t know how… They are devils, sneaky and elusive. I’m so scared…”
As she spoke, her body continued to tremble. This was an instinctive fear response. Although her emotions were controlled by the talisman, her deep-seated panic still manifested in her physical reactions.
In the past six months, she was afraid that she had developed hysteria and would be seen as mentally ill. She was constantly harassed by those four men, worrying about her safety. Even her family didn’t trust her, and she couldn’t provide any evidence when she reported it to the police… Countless factors combined, making it difficult for her to sleep at night.
Recently, she didn’t dare to go home and slept in the car instead. She had to have her manager and assistant accompany her. However, even in this situation, she would wake up every half an hour, feeling mentally drained. If this state continued, she would surely collapse.
The manager murmured, “We… We thought you were hallucinating due to excessive stress… So everything is true?”
Shen Ye glanced at her and said, “It’s true. She’s being intentionally threatened by those four men, causing her mental and psychological pressure and pushing her to the brink of collapse.”
The manager was shocked, her mouth agape. She suddenly grabbed Shen Ye’s hand and pleaded, “Please, you must save Chen Zi for me.”
Shen Ye pulled his hand back and said, “Don’t get too worked up. As long as it’s not something illegal, I will help. You just need to pay me.”
The manager was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly, saying, “You just name your price, we’ll pay whatever!”
Even if it meant giving up everything, they had to save Chen Zi!
Chen Zi finally pulled herself out of her memories and timidly looked at Shen Ye, asking, “Am I not imagining things?”
“No,” Shen Ye replied firmly.
With this affirmation, Chen Zi couldn’t help but burst into tears.
Her family said she was delusional, and for a while, she thought she might be going crazy. She was worried that she would be sent to a psychiatric hospital.
Now that Shen Ye confirmed her suspicions, she felt a heavy burden being lifted off her chest.
Although there were still several burdens weighing on her, it was a slight relief, and she felt much lighter.
Shen Ye said, “Those four men were hired to torment you. The person who wants to harm you is a woman.”
Chen Zi was stunned.
The manager shouted anxiously, “Is it Xu Feixue? She has been your biggest competitor in recent years, but your ratings have always been better than hers. She must be the one who wants to harm you!”
Chen Zi was puzzled.
While it was true that she and Xu Feixue were competitors, they weren’t acquainted at all. They only saw each other occasionally at year-end award ceremonies. In their regular work, whether it was TV programs or filming dramas, or brand activities, both agencies deliberately avoided having them appear together.
Because of this, Chen Zi hardly saw Xu Feixue throughout the year. Even if they did meet, they would only exchange greetings, without much interaction.
But Chen Zi didn’t believe Xu Feixue was behind her troubles.
After all, there were too many competitive relationships in the industry. Xu Feixue couldn’t possibly treat everyone as enemies, right?
Moreover, those four men always avoided surveillance cameras when entering and leaving her house… She had been tormented to the point of almost becoming neurotic over the past six months…
If Xu Feixue had the power to manipulate such individuals, she would have already achieved great success. Why would she bother entering the entertainment industry as an actress?
After all, actors had to endure hardships like going into freezing water in winter, wearing thick coats in summer, performing dangerous stunts, and staying up late for filming… These were the basics. Why would Xu Feixue go through such hardships?
Just as the manager and Chen Zi were speculating, Shen Ye said, “It’s not her.”
Both of them turned their gaze toward Shen Ye at the same time.
Shen Ye didn’t pay attention to them and turned to Ye Ze, saying, “Uncle, I want to bring Miss Liu from the Liu family here. Is that okay?”
Miss Liu from the Liu family was Liu Silu, eighteen years old, a spoiled rich girl who had been pampered since childhood.
After being with Ye Ze and Shen Ye for so long, Ye Ze instantly understood his intentions.
“Okay,” he patted Shen Ye’s head, “Do whatever you want to do.”
Shen Ye rubbed his hand against the palm of the man’s hand and said, “Love you.”
“I love you too,” Ye Ze kissed his face.
The two of them showed their affection without caring about anyone else. Shen Ye then asked the servants of the Shen family to bring Liu Silu and her elder brother Liu Sichen over.
The Liu family was also one of the prestigious families in the imperial capital. They had a close relationship with the Ye family, and Liu Silu’s elder brother was one of Ye Ze’s childhood friends.
But for Chen Zi and the manager, whether it was the Liu family or Liu Silu, they were unfamiliar with them.
They had no idea why Shen Ye wanted to bring a stranger over.
Could it be… that Miss Liu from the Liu family was the woman trying to harm Chen Zi?
But Chen Zi didn’t even know Liu Silu!
Shen Ye didn’t explain either. Playing with Ye Ze’s hand, he said, “Don’t worry, I promised to help you solve the problem, and I won’t go back on my word.”
Chen Zi and the manager exchanged glances, temporarily suppressing their doubts.
After about five minutes, Liu Sichen and Liu Silu arrived.
Liu Sichen was familiar with Ye Ze and knocked on the door with a smile, saying, “Boss, did you call for me?” He then looked at Shen Ye and cheerfully called him brother-in-law.
Ye Ze nodded and said, “Come, have a seat.”
Liu Silu was a bit afraid of Ye Ze, mainly because her brother was strict, and Ye Ze was the boss in her brother’s eyes, emitting an extraordinary aura. This made her even more fearful.
She timidly called out, “Brother Ye Ze…”
Ye Ze glanced at her and responded indifferently.
Liu Silu shrank back and followed behind her brother as they entered the room.
After taking a couple of steps, she suddenly looked up and saw Chen Zi and the manager sitting on the sofa. A strong sense of disgust flashed in her eyes.
Chen Zi didn’t miss Miss Liu’s expression and was immediately surprised.
Why would Miss Liu feel disgusted with her? She couldn’t recall having any conflicts or interactions with Miss Liu at all!
Shen Ye directly asked Liu Silu, “You’re a fan of celebrities, right?”
Liu Silu and Shen Ye made eye contact and then looked away, replying, “Um…”
Shen Ye asked, “Do you like Luo Zifan?”
Upon hearing Luo Zifan’s name, Chen Zi finally understood!
Luo Zifan was her co-star in her previous drama, and coincidentally, about six months ago… There were rumors online about her and Luo Zifan dating, and many fans shipped her with Luo Zifan. She was subsequently subjected to insults from Luo Zifan’s fans for a long time… His fans called her shameless, accused her of throwing herself at any man, accused her of hyping up their CP, and said she couldn’t live without a man. They hurled all sorts of offensive words at her…
But she and Luo Zifan actually had no connection whatsoever. At most, they exchanged WeChat contacts and went their separate ways after finishing the drama, without any further contact.
At the time, she was afraid of being sensitive and didn’t pay much attention to online matters. She thought the fans would move on after a while.
Could it be that Miss Liu here is targeting her because of the rumors between her and Luo Zifan?
Author’s Note:
This chapter is about 6,500 words~ Remember, my darlings, that stories are all fiction~ Love you all~
I forgot to give out red envelopes in Chapter 100, so I’ll give them out in Chapter 111, hehe~ Here’s a red envelope for this chapter~
See you tomorrow, my darlings. Goodnight~
I’ll revise the text another day~
