Chapter 553: Otherwise How to Conceal It

Reporters are adept at flocking to the influential and shying away from the waned, every rise and fall exaggerated by the stroke of their pens.

Last night, as soon as Chen Man’s scandal was exposed, the L brand announced on social media the termination of their collaboration with her, stating the brand and its subsidiaries would never work with Chen Man again.

They also announced plans to pursue legal action for damaging the corporate image and claimed a substantial penalty for breach of contract, nearly astronomical in amount.

Her career in entertainment was essentially over.

Nan Jiaojiao had an inkling who had forced the hand.

To strike so swiftly, decisively, and ruthlessly at Chen Man, a minor celebrity, who repeatedly topped the headlines as the subject of public scorn, would not have been possible without directives from higher ups.

Who else would allocate such immense traffic?

After all, the “Little Princess” of Rongcheng City shared the surname Lu.

Coincidentally, early in the morning, Lu Zhenzhen sent Nan Jiaojiao a message.

It was nothing much, just a few forwarded news articles about Chen Man and the copy of the statement about the contract termination from the L brand.

“This miss has been blinded for the first time in my life, and I must reclaim what I’ve lost.”

Nan Jiaojiao sat cross-legged on the balcony, cradling a freshly brewed cup of milk tea, and exchanged a few messages with Lu Zhenzhen.

Then, she thought of Chu Yao and decided to give her a call.

“Hello?”

Chu Yao’s voice sounded weak and scratchy, hoarse.

“What’s wrong with you?” Nan Jiaojiao asked.

“Babe, your sister was sleeping.

Aren’t you feeling guilty for waking me with your call?”

Nan Jiaojiao purposely pulled the phone away from her ear to check the time, “It’s almost ten o’clock.”

“So what?

Who decreed that beautiful celebrities must get up early?”

Chu Yao tried to raise her voice deliberately, but it still sounded weak, and at one point, when she made it higher, she nearly choked, coughing violently.

Nan Jiaojiao felt something was really off with her voice, “What exactly is wrong?”

Chu Yao kept coughing, unable to control it, finally letting the coughs out until the sound became fainter.

After a pause, she spoke, “Making such a fuss for what?

Sister drank all night, of course my throat’s like this.”

“But didn’t you leave the party early last night?”

Chu Yao: “I went somewhere else to drink.

Mo Tingshen was there, and I couldn’t stand him nagging me.”

Nan Jiaojiao’s heart eased, “You should cut back on smoking and drinking.

They age you quickly.”

Chu Yao laughed, her raspy voice carrying a hint of seduction, “Who are you calling old?

Even if I were to get old, my bust won’t shrink, unlike you — flat—”

Beep.

Nan Jiaojiao hung up the phone abruptly.

She took a big sip of her milk tea.

The tapioca pearls burst in her mouth as she looked out the window at the scenery, sighing, “Life is so wonderful; no need to get angry with someone who has a bigger bust.”

“Huh…”

On the other end, Chu Yao listened to the dial tone for a while before putting the phone down and letting out a faint laugh.

That laugh dispersed faintly from her lips—hardly any volume to it, most of it too weak to hear.

To pass it off to Nan Jiaojiao, she had used all her strength even to laugh.

Otherwise, how could she deceive her?

Chu Yao tried to get up to place the phone on the bedside table, but used the arm on her injured side.

When she exerted force, the broken rib jabbed into her flesh, causing her whole body to spasm, a pain so deep and bone-aching that her slightly raised body slammed back down onto the pillow, her head hitting the headboard.

For a moment, she wasn’t sure which pain to attend to first.

Footsteps approached rapidly.

The next moment, a hand supported her back, gave her a light hug, and stuffed another pillow behind her for support.

“What were you trying to get?”