Chapter 138 — The Ex-Girlfriend Is My Boss

Mu Yuewei dug her long nails deep into her palms. She stole a glance at Li Gang, who was sitting beside her, and fidgeted, unable to speak.

She could tell that Li Gang was not a person to be trifled with.

If Li Gang could hear Mu Yuewei’s inner thoughts, she would surely burst into loud, mocking laughter. Mu Ran was the one who was truly not to be trifled with!

Li Gang felt that Mu Yuewei was suffering from some kind of delusion. This woman actually dared to shout and point fingers in front of Mu Ran; wasn't she dancing on the head of a tiger?

Li Gang cast a sidelong glance at the affected, pretentious woman and let out a cold snort. She turned her head, tilted her chin to look at Bai Zehan, and said in a hollow, eerie tone, "Best Actor Bai, I see you have a lot to say. Why don't you take the floor?"

Bai Zehan: "..."

*I thank you so much!*

"Xiao Ran..." Bai Zehan furrowed his brows, his peach-blossom eyes filled with guilt and regret. He even considered walking around the desk to stand beside Mu Ran and comfort her...

"SY’s rules really aren't great, are they? Why are the company's artists calling the boss by her childhood nickname? What kind of relationship is this?"

Li Gang, a seasoned spectator of drama, leaned back in her chair, crossed her legs, and toyed with her phone with one hand. Her tone was profound, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Li Gang’s gaze wandered between the three of them before she finally sighed, "A love that comes too late is cheaper than grass."

Bai Zehan’s ears turned red. He gave a dry cough. "President Mu, I didn't expect you to be the CEO of SY. Heh."

The moment he received the invitation to sign with SY, Bai Zehan had been overjoyed. SY was a rising star in the Chinese film and television industry, possessing both formidable strength and vast capital.

Originally, terminating his contract early with Chengxing Entertainment would have incurred a massive penalty fee. However, his agent had told him that because of the friendly relationship between SY and Chengxing, the penalty could be waived.

Bai Zehan hadn't been able to stay at Chengxing, partly because he feared Gu Beicheng. Now that he had signed with SY—a company on par with Chengxing—his career was sure to advance further.

What dissatisfied him, however, was that the operational mechanism for artists at SY was completely different from that at Chengxing. At Chengxing, he was barely considered the "top brother," but at SY, he was treated as if he were worthless. As soon as he signed, he was scheduled to record a survival reality show on a deserted island.

That was a *real* desert island survival! Eating insects, wild fruits, and earthworms was the least of it! The worst part was being completely cut off from the outside world! He had lived like a savage!

He had finally been urgently recalled to the company this afternoon, only to be told that the boss was Mu Ran! His ex-girlfriend—the ex-girlfriend he had once despised and loathed—was actually his current boss. On his way back to the company, he had explicitly demanded that his agent help him terminate his contract, only to be informed that he had signed for thirty years!

"Bai Zehan, how did you end up like this? What have you been doing?"

Mu Ran looked at Bai Zehan with detachment, failing to comprehend the thinly veiled love and guilt in his eyes. Her dissatisfaction with Bai Zehan stemmed solely from his diva behavior—refusing to show up for the assembly and forcing other artists to come and "invite" him.

"You were the one who made me participate in the desert island survival show..."

Bai Zehan’s tone was heavy with grievance and apology. He bent over, attempting to grab Mu Ran's hand, which was resting on a file of artist profiles.

Just as he was about to make his move, Gu Beicheng turned around. The man, dressed in a crisp black suit, seemed to be suppressing something. He was dangerously imposing, his deep eyes burning with irritation, and he radiated a peril as vast as an abyss.

He merely lifted his foot slightly, and Bai Zehan, who had frozen in place, quickly withdrew his hand.

Seeing Bai Zehan’s reaction, Gu Beicheng let out a satisfied, cold snort. He curled his lips slightly and turned back to look out the window at the Chengxing building across the street.

Li Gang couldn't help but twitch the corners of her mouth, struggling to suppress a laugh. Because she owned her own studio, she followed the entertainment industry closely. She had originally thought Bai Zehan was a "warm man," or what people called a "central air conditioner."

Unexpectedly... he was a coward! Was Gu Beicheng really that scary?

As Li Gang thought this, her gaze involuntarily drifted toward Gu Beicheng. The moment he shifted his body, she immediately looked away.

Uh... he was indeed quite scary!

"I made you participate in the variety show? Don't you know how to use sunscreen? With this face of yours, how is the company supposed to arrange new roles for you?"

Mu Ran’s gaze held a warning. She glanced coldly at Li Gang, signaling for her to settle down. Not long ago, Li Gang had been acting all high and mighty; how had she turned into a mindless, drama-loving girl?

Bai Zehan’s eyes widened, his hands gripping the edge of the table tightly. His heart trembled violently. He couldn't understand why Mu Ran had changed so much. When they were filming *Love in Travel*, Mu Ran had suddenly started hating him and plotting against him. Why was she now acting like she didn't know him? And her hatred and disgust had only increased.

He had only cheated, hadn't he? Did this woman have to go through so much trouble to sign him just to torture him?

If the Mu Ran from before she was hypnotized had heard this, she certainly would have nodded vigorously: *Yes, it was absolutely necessary!* She wanted to bring everyone who had bullied her in her past life under her own thumb, so she could torment them however she pleased.

"The variety shows the company arranges for you are suited to you. Your previous persona was too lacking in masculinity. In the future, you should participate in more survival shows like this."

Mu Ran continued to dangle the carrot: "Don't think I'm arranging your work out of personal vendetta. I just want what's best for you."

*Mu Ran’s inner thoughts: I am absolutely using personal vendetta to assign you the dirty, exhausting work! I am the boss! I just don't like you! Who told you to act like a diva in front of me!*

The woman’s smile was chilling, making others afraid to get close. Bai Zehan was certain that Mu Ran had malicious intentions! She was abusing her position to settle old scores!

"There is a new variety show, also a wilderness survival program, called *Star Transformation*. You three, plus her—three women and one man."

Mu Ran tilted her head toward Li Sancai, who was obsessively staring at Bai Zehan’s back in the corner. "Sancai, you don't have any objections, do you?"

Li Sancai stood up, leaning against the wall, her mouth nearly splitting into a grin. She walked slowly toward Mu Ran and shook her head repeatedly. "No, of course not. It is my honor to participate in a show with Teacher Bai."

"Go sit over there."

Li Gang scolded Li Sancai angrily. Seeing her sister’s bobbed haircut, she felt a surge of irritation. She had wondered why Li Sancai had suddenly cut her hair that way, but the moment she saw Mu Ran, she realized it was just a pathetic imitation.

"Stop looking and get over there!"

Li Gang was frustrated by her sister's lack of self-respect. How could she fall for every man she saw?

Li Sancai answered unwillingly and shuffled toward the sofa.

"Go back and get your hair extensions put back in."

Mu Ran’s voice was completely devoid of emotion, making a cold shiver run down Li Sancai’s spine.

"Wait, President Mu! Why make me participate in that kind of show? I don't have the time! I have several more episodes of *Immersive Script Murder* to record."

Xu Yunshu stepped forward urgently, her voice filled with dissatisfaction and resentment. Mu Ran was settling personal scores! Didn't she just post a few photos of her and Gu Beicheng online? Did she have to go to such lengths to ruin her?!

Seeing that Mu Ran remained silent, Xu Yunshu felt a bit uneasy, but she still raised her voice, "I don't want to participate in this show!"

"Neither do I!"

"Mu Ran! I am your sister, after all! I’m not going!"

Bai Zehan and Mu Yuewei chimed in, echoing Xu Yunshu.

Mu Ran didn't speak. She didn't even spare a glance at the three people standing before her, filled with resentment and dissatisfaction. She toyed with her pen and casually signed her name on the folder: Mu Ran.

"Whose sister are you?" Suddenly, Mu Ran tossed the pen aside and looked up. A flash of cold light appeared in her eyes, shooting out like blades that could carve flesh.

"I think the three of you are quite rebellious; it's the perfect time to go on that show and 'transform'."

Mu Ran sneered and threw the folder at Xu Yunshu. "If you don't go, get out. You’re blacklisted."

In the office, everyone except Gu Beicheng was terrified by Mu Ran’s decisive, cold, and ruthless demeanor.

Xu Yunshu took a tentative step forward, her gaze wandering, not daring to meet Mu Ran’s eyes. Finally, her eyes landed on the folder in front of her.

"A letter of indefinite suspension?"

Was Mu Ran planning to shelve her career?

"Not just yours, but the two of yours as well. I have already signed them."

The three exchanged glances, their eyes filled with grief, hatred, and regret. "We'll go!"

"Good, that’s more like it. Go ahead. It’s like this: since you’ve agreed to participate in *Star Transformation*, your faces will inevitably be ravaged. I’m afraid you won't be able to act for a while—especially you, Mu Yuewei. You’re already dragging down the company’s overall aesthetic."

Mu Yuewei gritted her teeth, thinking that if she had known Mu Ran was the CEO of SY, she would never have signed with them! She could already see a future shrouded in darkness, with no escape from Mu Ran’s revenge and destruction!

"Mu Ran, I admit I cheated on you and that I have guilt toward you, but I suspect you are using your position to settle personal scores! You won't let me act!"

Bai Zehan pulled Mu Yuewei aside, unable to bear it any longer. Veins bulged on his forehead and wrists as he clenched his fists and slammed the desk, accusing Mu Ran of deliberately setting him up.

Mu Ran’s smile widened. She glanced at the man’s hand, her tone lazy, her words icy: "Do you have evidence that I’m settling personal scores? So what if I just don't want you to act?"

Hearing the man’s angry accusations, fragments of memory flashed through Mu Ran’s mind—memories regarding Bai Zehan. She felt even more disgust for the man before her.

"The three of you, don't try to act superior with me. Don't think you're something special just because you've been in the industry a long time. In my eyes, you are worthless."

Mu Ran’s words completely crushed the hearts of the three, as an endless darkness closed in on them.