Blame the Villain – Chapter 19
by Little PandaThe Villainous Film Empress (19)
A little rich girl bent on saving the world X A paranoid, dark, and vengeful Film Empress
Song Jun was indeed the male lead of this small world. Not only had he completed the tasks assigned to him by the Song family to an exceptional degree, but over the past two years, he’d also earned immense praise within the family’s ranks through his superb managerial skills.
Song Jun had returned to the country in secret.
Ever since Song Xuyi had joined the research institute to study, she’d increasingly felt her own inadequacies. She filled her schedule with more and more classes. Furthermore, she hadn’t expected Song Jun to return so early, so she was completely unaware of his return at first.
But Zhao Qingyu was different.
She’d been keeping a close eye on Song Jun’s movements. In fact, it was safe to say that no one in the world understood Song Jun better than she did.
Zhao Qingyu learned of Song Jun’s return the very instant it happened.
This time, Song Jun had brought his grandmother and his girlfriend, Sun Wan, back to the country with him. He’d also transferred the majority of his assets, seemingly intending to establish his career domestically.
Zhao Qingyu knew that Song Jun had always been interested in robotics research and development, and that he’d undoubtedly invest in this sector upon his return. She’d long since covertly bought off and groomed a group of talented individuals specifically to target him. As soon as his company was established, they’d infiltrate it and serve as her planted moles.
Afterward, she’d let him taste some sweet success. Once he was riding high on his achievements and his company began to expand, she’d seize the perfect moment to deliver a thunderous blow, ensuring he plummeted to the abyss with no hope of ever rising again.
This was the plan Zhao Qingyu had been orchestrating all these years.
She’d bided her time day after day, waiting in the shadows for so many years, just for this chance to utterly defeat Song Jun.
Yet, an unexpected complication arose after Song Jun’s return.
Zhao Qingyu had initially assumed that, given Song Jun’s pride, he’d refuse to remain sheltered under the massive canopy of the Song family. She’d expected him to establish his own independent company upon returning. However, she hadn’t anticipated that Father Song would hold him in such high regard—to the point of deciding to invest in and finance his business venture.
With the backing of the Song family, crushing Song Jun would undoubtedly become far more difficult. What worried Zhao Qingyu even more was that the Song family had invested in Song Jun’s company, meaning they were now in the same camp.
If… she ultimately crushed Song Jun, the Song family’s interests would inevitably suffer. When that happened… how would Song Xuyi look at her?
Zhao Qingyu had never imagined that after waiting so bitterly for all these years, she’d be faced with such a choice at the very last moment.
Zhao Qingyu didn’t want to stand on opposite sides from Song Xuyi. Yet, for all these years, defeating Song Jun had been the sole obsession that sustained her…
Sure enough, those born without blessings carry a curse for their entire lives.
Perhaps she’d been letting herself get too carried away lately.
To actually harbor forbidden desires and wildly hope to be with Xuyi… Even heaven couldn’t stand to watch, creating such a predicament just to make things difficult for her…
Zhao Qingyu had never considered herself a coward. She’d always charged straight ahead—after all, a barefoot person never fears getting their shoes dirty. Yet this time… she chose to run away.
She didn’t dare to contact Song Xuyi too frequently anymore. She threw herself doubly into filming, trying to let the busy schedule numb her senses. However, the anxiety in her heart grew more agonizing by the day, and her longing for Song Xuyi nearly drove her mad…
While Zhao Qingyu was feeling tormented and anxious, Song Jun, who’d just returned to the country, wasn’t in a much better mood.
He stared at his grandmother, who was cowering in the room and crying out, “Retribution, the ghost is coming…” over and over again, his brow furrowed deeply.
Actually, during their two years or so abroad, his grandmother’s condition had originally improved a bit. But one day, she’d caught sight of a female celebrity named Zhao Qingyu on the television. She’d suddenly fallen from her chair in sheer terror, screaming in panic, “There’s a ghost!”…
Even while far away overseas, Song Jun had heard of Zhao Qingyu’s name. This actress was beautiful and highly skilled, rising to fame both at home and abroad shortly after her debut. The movie his grandmother had been watching was precisely one starring her.
For a long time after that, as long as his grandmother saw any video or poster of Zhao Qingyu, she’d become incredibly terrified. Moreover, because Zhao Qingyu endorsed a certain international luxury brand, massive posters of her were everywhere now, and it seemed like this female star’s shadow was everywhere…
On the rare occasions when she was lucid, his grandmother would only shed tears and sigh with a blank face, “This is all retribution!” yet she never told Song Jun the reason.
Song Jun was raised by his grandmother, so he naturally couldn’t bear to let his grandmother continue like this. Thinking that a disease of the mind still required medicine for the mind1, he brought his grandmother back to the country.
His grandmother’s symptoms couldn’t be separated from Zhao Qingyu. Song Jun hired someone to investigate the connection between them, but Zhao Qingyu’s past was incredibly difficult to investigate, as if someone had deliberately erased her origins. Yet, the information he found on the person behind the scenes…
Why did his mother secretly sponsor Zhao Qingyu and erase her past?
Song Jun remembered that for a brief period in his childhood, his mother had doted on him immensely. Later on, his grandmother made his father bring his mother back home. In his memories, his mother loved his father deeply, but his father had never once shown a smile to him and his mother. However, suddenly one day, his mother moved out and began refusing to meet with him, and later on, his father died too…
He’d worked tirelessly to excel, thinking that his mother would recognize his worth one day. He’d never expected that all these years, she’d rather pay attention to and support an orphan girl than care about her own biological son!
How truly laughable!
Song Jun let out a cold laugh, unconsciously lighting another cigarette…
“Stop smoking.” The female lead, Sun Wan, couldn’t bear to watch any longer. She threw away the cigarette in Song Jun’s hand, her face full of anxiety. “What on earth happened?”
Song Jun said nothing, however, and only gently embraced Sun Wan back.
Sun Wan furrowed her brows. Looking at Song Jun, who seemed inexplicably weak, then at his shivering grandmother, and finally at the breathtakingly beautiful female star on the television, she took a deep breath and made up her mind.
When she was informed that a girl wanted to see her, Zhao Qingyu originally didn’t want to meet her. Too many fans came to visit the set, and for safety, Zhao Qingyu had always refused any set visits. However, that girl was unexpectedly resourceful, and in no time, the call went straight to Zhao Qingyu’s cell phone.
“Hello, my name is Sun Wan. May I ask… Do you know someone named Song Jun?”
Zhao Qingyu met Sun Wan in the dressing room.
It was Sun Wan’s first time meeting Zhao Qingyu, but it wasn’t Zhao Qingyu’s first time seeing her. She’d seen Sun Wan’s photos long ago. She knew Sun Wan was Song Jun’s girlfriend, had liked Song Jun since childhood, and also knew she was the young lady of a well-known film and television group in the industry. Because of her stellar background, that old crone who liked to categorize people into different classes had allowed her to stay by Song Jun’s side since they were young.
“I’ve heard of Song Jun’s name,” Zhao Qingyu said, arching an eyebrow. She offered her usual, seemingly approachable smile. “I hear he’s a young talent who just returned from abroad, an internet-famous entrepreneur. Is there something you need from me…?”
The woman in front of her was truly too beautiful; her every frown and smile possessed a special charm, drawing one’s gaze as if she were radiating light. Sun Wan’s family owned a film and television company, and she’d grown up going in and out of the company and seen plenty of stars, yet she’d never seen a woman as dazzling as Zhao Qingyu.
When she smiled, Sun Wan’s face flushed involuntarily.
“Do you have some sort of grievance with Song Jun’s family?” Sun Wan pressed. “To be honest, I’m Song Jun’s girlfriend, and he’s been very unhappy lately. Song Jun’s grandmother panics and shrieks about ghosts the moment she sees you. When I ask Song Jun, he won’t tell me the reason either, just sitting there and smoking. That’s why I’ve taken the liberty of coming to ask you…”
“Is that so!”
Zhao Qingyu smiled faintly, raising her eyebrows.
So, the old crone can still feel fear after all…
But this was only the beginning.
Zhao Qingyu lowered her head as waves of dark satisfaction surged within her, her gaze gradually darkening. The old crone would watch with her own eyes as Song Jun, whom she was so proud of, plummeted to the very bottom, never to rise again…
“My apologies, I was just mentally reviewing my script,” Zhao Qingyu said. A tempest of emotions swirled in her eyes, yet when she raised her head, her smile was as gentle as ever. “Perhaps you shouldn’t have come to see me. While I do know some things, it’s not my place to disclose the private matters of the older generation…”
“But although there are some things that aren’t convenient for me to reveal, you can investigate them yourself,” Zhao Qingyu subtly guided her. “Those involved are often blinded by their own perspective2. As an onlooker, perhaps you can help him make sense of it all…”
Song Jun was starting to get anxious too. Did he find out something?
Was he afraid to tell Sun Wan the truth because he feared she’d be scared once she knew he wasn’t the perfect person in her heart?
She’d deliberately make Sun Wan wade into this muddy water!
…
Watching the persistent “I must find out everything” expression on Sun Wan’s face as she left, Zhao Qingyu curled her lips in amusement—
The good show was only just beginning.
By the time Song Xuyi learned of Song Jun’s return, it was already the end of the month.
Father Song returned from social obligations at the dinner table, patting Song Xuyi’s shoulder with deep emotion. “My daughter really has great taste, recommending that kid Song Jun to me back then. Song Jun is really something else now, with ambition and drive. I’ve just signed a contract with him, and if nothing unexpected happens, his company will turn the industry upside down in the future…”
Only then did Song Xuyi learn about Song Jun’s return.
Once she understood the nature of Song Jun’s company, Song Xuyi fell silent:
After going in circles, everything had returned to its original trajectory; Song Jun had still returned to the country to start his company.
Then what about Zhao Qingyu?
Song Xuyi opened WeChat; her last contact record with Zhao Qingyu still remained fifteen days ago. Song Xuyi had originally thought Zhao Qingyu was busy with work, but now Song Xuyi finally understood everything: given Zhao Qingyu’s focus on Song Jun, she must’ve known the news of Father Song investing in Song Jun’s company, which was why she was deliberately distancing herself.
Was Zhao Qingyu still planning to seek revenge now?
Song Xuyi sighed soundlessly.
“Xuyi, what do you plan to do?” The System’s voice was a bit muffled and stagnant.
Song Xuyi couldn’t see it clearly, but the System knew of Zhao Qingyu’s affection for Song Xuyi. The System had hidden Zhao Qingyu’s feelings from Song Xuyi because it had also felt that Zhao Qingyu might change for Song Xuyi’s sake. But looking at it now, Zhao Qingyu didn’t have any intention of giving up her hatred…
Song Xuyi didn’t reply. She glanced at the dark, overcast sky outside the window, then opened the chat window with Zhao Qingyu on her phone.
“It’s gotten colder in the mountain area where you are lately, so wear a bit more clothing. The sachets I sent you should be arriving soon. Two of them have insect-repellent properties, which I’ve specially marked for you. There are many snakes and insects in the mountains, so remember to keep them on you…”
There was no reply from Zhao Qingyu’s side. Song Xuyi didn’t know if she was busy or deliberately trying to distance herself.
Song Xuyi locked her phone.
Even if a storm was brewing, what could she do about it now?
“Whatever happens, happens.”
Song Xuyi opened her textbook and began working on the assignments Huang Shuo had given her.
She didn’t have the right to advise Zhao Qingyu to give up her hatred. In any case, Sun Wan and Song Jun were on very good terms right now, so the incident of falling off a cliff wouldn’t happen again…
As for how the future would unfold, she could only take things one step at a time.
The author has something to say:
If nothing unexpected happens, this novel will go VIP3 on August 4th, with a ten-thousand-character update on that day.
There won’t be an update tomorrow so I can stockpile some drafts, but there’ll be a ten-thousand-character update the day after tomorrow.
As for the small worlds, some will have happy endings while others might not be as perfect. Regardless, the final ending will definitely be a happy ending!
Footnotes
- From the Chinese idiom 'xīnbìng hái xū xīnyào yī,' meaning 'a sickness of the heart must be cured by medicine for the heart.' It suggests that psychological distress can only be resolved by addressing its root cause.
- From the Chinese idiom 'dāng jú zhě mí,' meaning 'those involved are blinded,' which is often completed by 'páng guān zhě qīng' to express that onlookers see a situation more clearly than those inside it.
- In Chinese webnovel culture, 'rù V' (入V) or 'going VIP' refers to the transition of a serialized story from free-to-read chapters to paid, premium content.
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