Showbiz Scandal: The Official Announcement of My Ex and Myself-Chapter 109: Playboy Aura

The casting photos were scheduled for Friday, and the crew only informed her of the rest of the cast members two days in advance.

She already knew some of the more important roles. This show doesn’t have strict male or female leads; there are three male actors with similar screen time, just with different levels of prominence.

The male actor she had the most scenes with was a perpetual second-place in TV series, handsome and talented but never quite making it big.

Another female lead with similar screen time to hers was only confirmed recently, reportedly because the character’s setup was not well-received, making it hard to find someone to play the role.

On the way to the set, Yu Xia summarized the script’s characters for Mei.

"A dumb, sweet Cinderella falls in love with a domineering CEO. Both characters are criticized in the show, which makes them hard to cast."

"My character is the most outstanding one—a domineering and passionate female CEO... constantly changing boyfriends."

Mei perked up at the last line.

"That really suits you, sis! Many fans say you exude a playboy vibe!"

Yu Xia looked at her speechlessly, wondering if that was supposed to be a compliment.

Mei purposely turned to inspect her head to toe and praised, "Look, fair skin, great figure, and beautiful... There aren’t many more beautiful than you in the entertainment industry. Plus, you’re different from those frail, pitiful starlets; you’re dazzling! If you’re not the playboy, who is?"

Constantly changing boyfriends is understandable if it’s someone with a kind of aggressive beauty.

After all, just because someone can’t become a love guru doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy watching others be one. Who doesn’t like a beautiful woman, especially one with talent and men?

Mei’s eyes were as bright as flashlights at night, and Yu Xia leaned back to avoid her radiant gaze.

"Thank you for the compliment; I’m happy. But having a playboy aura doesn’t mean I want to be one. I’m actually quite pure and shy."

Become a playboy? She would if only managing one Xie Qingci wasn’t already a handful. If she really had such thoughts, who knows how he’d react.

Little did she know, thanks to Song Xi’s actions, Xie Qingci was already on the brink.

Upon arriving at the set, Yu Xia followed the stylist to change into costume and get styled.

Since the role is modern, the styling didn’t take long. They just had to shoot a couple of different scene settings for the official photos to ensure everything fit the vision.

The first was a simple women’s suit with a white shirt that was meticulously detailed, the waist and chest tightly fitted.

Her hair tied in a low ponytail, adorned with expensive jewelry, and with sharp makeup, she sat in an office chair holding a pen, her black high heels resting on a document thrown on the ground, her expression cold and mocking, with an air of superiority.

Mei was thrilled by her queenly vibe, taking photos feverishly beside her.

The second was a red spaghetti strap dress, with long wavy hair and enchanting makeup, the gown slit up to the thigh.

She leaned against a floor-to-ceiling window with a glass of champagne, smiling slightly at the camera, her gaze seductive, as if there was a man behind the lens with whom she was having a great conversation, and she was very aware that the man was interested in her.

People around her were all praising her, and Mei was giving her a thumbs up while swallowing hard.

She felt this drama definitely had potential!

After the photos were taken, Yu Xia didn’t rush to remove her makeup. She went to check the next costumes she had to wear—her character had dozens of professional outfits, varied in color, likely ensuring she wouldn’t repeat an outfit in any episode.

Once all the other characters finished their photos, the crew made a simple backdrop, formally announcing the cast.

They then notified them that filming would start in ten days.

After filming started, Yu Xia would have to balance time with a talent show, afraid the director here would be displeased. Even though everything was agreed upon beforehand, she stayed to sincerely explain again.

Reporters already heard the news and came over. Yu Xia stayed inside, reposted the crew’s Weibo to claim her role, and then returned to the car, protected by two assistants, wearing a mask and hat.

Fans on the roadside recognized her; after she got in the car, she waved to them through the window as they jumped around with joy, clutching their milk teas.

She thought that if this drama did make a splash as they anticipated, the fans cheering for her from the roadside would only grow in number, and she could elevate her national status with a representative role.

It would only get better, her career prospects, her dreams, all of it.

The ride back was a bit long, so she leaned against the side of the nanny car, eyes half-closed, checking messages and accepted a friend’s gaming invitation.

It was quiet when Mei suddenly uttered an "Huh" in confusion.

"Oh my god, no way."

Yu Xia lifted her eyelids, continuing her actions: "What’s wrong?"

"Fan Chu got exposed... casting couch, arranging private meetings, and bribing officials."

She raised her head in shock.

"So severe? Is it true?"

Mei: "Most likely real, the police are involved."

The earlier parts, no matter how unsavory, were consensual between adults, but the latter ones are illegal.

Breaking the law means a trial, and not just an ordinary detention or fine—it’s jail time!

Yu Xia didn’t expect that the under-the-table dealings within a crew would, after a few days of fermentation and entanglement, pull out such a string of events and develop to this extent.

As if a tear was made in the facade of the entertainment industry, possibly leading to more revelations.

She exited the game, switched to a smaller account to surf the internet.

This week’s Weibo had a new buzz every day, and explosive events occurring within a single day were not just typical.

For instance, today’s trending topics were—

#SuYanLinBanyanRumoredMarriageCertificate#

#FanChu#

#ThreeMillionViewersBoycottPeiLu#

#SunJunWorksAllRemoved#

Even as a bystander, one couldn’t catch up with all of it.

After consuming all these stories, almost home, she barely made sense of the drama.

The final conclusion was: Fan Chu was definitely done.

Even without a conviction, there’s no way to continue; in just one day, she lost two million followers, with many fans turning to criticize her.

The boycott is a certainty.

As for everyone else involved in this affair, their end is likely similar, and who knows if more people or scandals are to emerge.

A storm is brewing.

Yu Xia sighed, pressing her temples, deciding to keep a low profile for the time being, not to stand out.

So, when she received a call from Xie Qingci in the evening, she advised not to contact her for the time being and to delete all chat records for the best.

Xie Qingci did not respond with a sound or a word. He breathed heavily for a long time on the other end, long enough for Yu Xia to feel strange, until he finally sent a message.

Xie Qingci: Why did you get involved with Song Xi?