Xiaobai helped her block everything, protecting her as she entered.
Lin Xiaoman initially wanted to avoid confrontation, but seeing the disheveled Xiaobai, she suddenly became angry. Pushing Xiaobai back, she strode to the girl who had been throwing eggs and smashed an egg on her head: “How does it feel to be treated like this?”
The young girl was stunned, and the small group fell silent.
“I’ll repeat this: I’m not the culprit. If you continue like this, I won’t stay silent!” Her momentum was strong, her sharp gaze carrying a cold and oppressive pressure that made people fear her.
Everyone forgot their shouting, watching her walk into the film set.
After entering, the staff saw her and deliberately avoided her. She didn’t mind, finding a corner to sit and read the script.
After sitting for a while, Director Qian came to tell her that the film set would temporarily suspend shooting until the matter was resolved, and asked her to go home and rest.
“What a disaster,” Ning Yumei deliberately passed by, her tone unabashedly mocking, “The entire film set can’t work normally.”
“How is it because of me? It’s clearly because of the person who harmed Jiani,” Lin Xiaoman calmly replied.
“The makeup remover was from you, so of course it was you,” Ning Yumei glared at her, “Don’t try to argue.”
Now even the investors have withdrawn, you should have a conscience and admit the truth, so you don’t implicate Director Qian.”
“How is stating facts considered arguing? You’re so confident, do you know the truth?”
“I know nothing,” Ning Yumei’s expression stiffened, becoming angry, “Besides you, no one else had the opportunity to access the makeup remover, so it must be you.
Lin Xiaoman closed the script and stood up, lightly laughing: “Could it be that you are the murderer?”
“You’re talking nonsense!” Ning Yumei’s expression became uneasy, “You’re slandering me!”
“Xiaoman.” Xiaobai suddenly rushed over, still panting from urgency, “Found the culprit! Found the culprit!”
★ Chapter Fifty-Six: Support
Ning Yumei knew that Lin Xiaoman had been using small makeup samples recently and was aware that there were no surveillance cameras around the makeup room. So she took the opportunity when everyone was away to replace the makeup remover with sulfuric acid.
But unexpectedly, it was Jie Ni whose face was ruined.
When she rushed to the scene hearing the screams, the makeup sample on the ground was the one she had switched.
She couldn’t understand why the makeup remover bottle that should have been in Lin Xiaoman’s makeup room had ended up on Jie Ni’s side. Could Lin Xiaoman have known and deliberately framed her?
At the time, she was terrified, and when the police questioned her, she claimed to know nothing.
However, nothing happened, and Lin Xiaoman seemed to know nothing. Online comments were cursing her as the culprit, a vicious woman who should be punished.
Ning Yumei began to suspect whether she had entered the wrong room because the two makeup rooms looked similar.
Regardless of the truth, she was determined to make Lin Xiaoman take the blame. As long as Lin Xiaoman was charged with disfiguring Jie Ni, she would have no way to continue in the entertainment industry.
Hearing Xiaobai say they found the culprit, she panicked and asked: “Who is the culprit?”
“Who else would know better than you?” Xiaobai looked at her with hostility, “There’s video evidence online, so why are you still pretending?”
“I know nothing!” Ning Yumei immediately retorted.
Seeing her panicked appearance, Lin Xiaoman understood. Xiaobai had released a video showing someone entering the makeup room and tampering with the samples.
When the person turned around, their face was clearly captured.
“So it was you,” Lin Xiaoman said coldly as she glanced at Ning Yumei.
Previously, she had only thought the other was stupid, but now she realized she was both stupid and vicious. “Using such despicable methods!”
“No, there are no cameras there,” Ning Yumei kept shaking her head, “How could this be? How?”
“If you don’t want others to know, don’t do it. Haven’t you heard this saying?” Lin Xiaoman looked at her as if she were something disgusting. “Even if you hate me, targeting me would have been enough. Why involve an innocent person?”
“You’re hypocritically playing the good person? Shouldn’t you be glad that if it weren’t for her, you would have been the one disfigured!” Ning Yumei laughed, her eyes becoming crazed.
She knew that the moment the video was exposed online, she was ruined.
She would become the target of public criticism and face legal consequences for harming Jie Ni.
But while she would end up like this, Lin Xiaoman would continue to live well.
“It’s all because of you!” She lunged towards Lin Xiaoman, “I won’t let you off! Even if I die, I’ll take you with me!”
Xiaobai blocked her before she could reach Xiaoman, pushing her to the ground and looking at her with disgust: “What did Xiaoman do wrong?! The one who actually did something wrong was you!”
“If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have become like this!” Ning Yumei lay on the ground, looking up at Lin Xiaoman with hatred, “You forced me to this! You’re the one who harmed me!”
“
Indeed, if Lin Xiaoman hadn’t been constantly provoked, she wouldn’t have taken such actions.
“Why couldn’t you just listen to me like before? Why did you have to compete with me?! Why?!”
“Because all of this belongs to me,” Lin Xiaoman said before turning to leave, “Xiaobai, let’s go to the hospital.”
She had been waiting to catch Ning Yumei red-handed but hadn’t expected to involve an innocent person. She felt guilty towards Jie Ni.
So even when Jie Ni threw away the flowers and fruit basket she brought and cursed her, she silently endured.
“Xiaoman, don’t worry too much,” Xiaobai comforted her, “The company has issued a statement and will do everything possible to help her recover.”
After the video was published online, public opinion immediately shifted. Everyone apologized to Lin Xiaoman and expressed disgust towards Ning Yumei. Overnight, Ning Yumei became a target for public ire.
Since Ning Yumei was a member of a girl group, Xinhe Company issued a statement regarding the incident, indicating that the culprit would bear corresponding responsibility, and the company would also take responsibility to compensate the victim.
At this point, staff from the production team said that the two had conflicts from their first meeting, thus people interpreted the incident as a dispute between female actors.
“
A few days later, as the incident somewhat subsided, the production team resumed work.
When Lin Xiaoman returned to the set, many fans surrounded the entrance, holding “Lin Xiaoman” signs and shouting her name.
“When you were wrongly accused last time, many fans spoke up for you. This time, they’ve spontaneously organized to cheer you up,” Xiaobai explained. “Everyone really likes you.”
Lin Xiaoman greeted her fans and then smiled brightly at Xiaobai. “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”
Although she felt guilty and dejected about the incident with Jing Ni, she knew there were still many people who cared about her, and she needed to pull herself together. And—
She saw Huo Qizhi getting out of the car, and her fighting spirit was reignited.
Yes, she still had something important to do.
“You’ve worked hard these past few days,” Huo Qizhi comforted her as they walked together. “Being wrongly accused, but fortunately the truth came out in the end.”
“Thank you for your concern, Teacher Huo,” Lin Xiaoman replied, determined. “As an actor, you have to face all kinds of public opinion. This is nothing.”
“Your attitude is good,” Huo Qizhi thought back to when he first entered the entertainment industry and was harshly criticized by Tang Feifei’s fans after announcing their relationship.
