Chapter Fifteen: Who Truly Caused Pei Wansweet’s Death?

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In front of the camera, Shen Li’s eyes brimmed with tears, yet she forced herself not to let them fall. She stared straight into the lens. Her exquisite features were etched with sorrow and unwillingness, but she struggled hard to keep them from giving her away.

“I’m sorry,” Shen Li’s gentle voice trembled. “The things I said during the live stream earlier were just impulsive words spoken in the heat of the moment. Please, everyone, don’t take them to heart.”

She bit her lip, looking pitifully fragile, compelling people to listen despite knowing that she acknowledged the truth they had seen. Still, something about it left a bitter taste in their hearts.

Members of the props team whispered among themselves:

“Did the director or someone else force her to say those things?”

“Shh!” A female staffer glanced nervously toward the bigwig behind the monitor. “Don’t let them hear you, or you’ll never make it in this industry.” Though she suspected the same, she dared not speak out.

Shen Li raised her head, stifling the tears threatening to spill as she looked at the camera again. “The production team did not cheat. Everything was just my speculation. Although you saw the fish disappear, perhaps it was just a bug. In short, I was rambling. Here, I sincerely apologize to everyone.”

Her amber eyes, clear and beautiful like a fawn’s, shimmered with tears. She blinked, a crystal tear falling, which she hastily wiped away in nervous panic. “Also, no one has slandered me. Those scandals are... really true.” She paused before uttering the last two words, then bowed her head, covered her face, and turned away from the camera.

Then, a faint smile appeared.

Taking the villain’s path, leaving no way out for the villain.

The cameraman hesitated, unsure whether to follow. He glanced toward the director, who was clearly stunned. So he remained on standby.

—Did Shen Li say those words willingly?

—I feel like someone really forced her. Seeing her expression, I almost feel sorry for her.

—Who else could it be? The production team, obviously.

—Have you thought that if Shen Li was truly framed by the powers that be, you’re all accomplices? The production team clearly cheated, yet they still forced her to clear things up.

—You believe this little manipulator just because of one act? This world is hopeless—Shen Li scripted and staged it all! Shen Li scripted and staged it all! Shen Li scripted and staged it all!

Pei Wenxuan clenched his fists, his neck flushed red with anger and hatred. Staring at the rapidly scrolling barrage of comments overwhelmingly against them, he was furious to the point of collapse. He rose and went out to make a call.

He would never allow Shen Li to manipulate public opinion like this. That despicable woman dared to use this trick!

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With his financial power, the public controversy stirred up by Shen Li moments ago was instantly reversed by a flood of marketing accounts and paid trolls. Pei Wenxuan smiled in satisfaction as he watched them take the field; he loved the feeling of controlling everything.

However, netizens surfing the wave quickly identified the trolls:

—Suddenly so many marketing and new accounts attack Shen Li. Looks like she was right—someone deliberately wants to ruin her.

—The more you think about it, the scarier it gets. No matter how you analyze it, it’s terrifying!

—So who really killed Pei Wantian??

—I’m starting to think it might not have been Shen Li.

—You fickle people, can’t she be trying to clear her name in reverse? She’s already playing mind games with you.

Pei Wenxuan’s manipulation backfired, sparking endless online debate. Suddenly, an account named “Retired Insider” posted:

[Some connections but can’t reveal identity—anyway, Shen’s case is just a victory for capital. You should understand what “victory” by capital means.

Anyone who knows a bit about Shen knows she was a complete outsider entering the industry. If she had any connections or backing, she wouldn’t have been so harshly criticized.

That show has favored top-tier celebrities for a long time. Careful viewers can easily find evidence by looking back at previous seasons. It’s clear the production team never tried to hide it—they just wanted “scandalous” artists to be stepping stones.

I can’t say more. Think about it yourself.]

After this post went up, more people began to suspect Shen Li’s words were true. Some dug into past seasons and uncovered more evidence of the production team cheating to favor top stars, confirming the truth of Shen Li’s initial live broadcast and suggesting her apology was coerced.

Shen Li’s Weibo followers surged, and many started paying renewed attention to the “Pei Wantian suicide” case.

Jiang Nian put away his phone, his gaze coolly sweeping over Pei Wenxuan, who was angrily smashing the equipment behind the monitor, a mocking smile curling his lips.

...

No matter how chaotic the online world became, the live broadcast continued as usual. The scandal team arrived at Station 1. Shen Li remembered this station’s challenge was “Intimate Contact with Sheep.”

Each challenge required two contestants, dressed in “grass” suits, holding a basin of water on their heads. At the start, sheep were released from the pen. While the sheep grazed on the grass suits, the contestants must remain still until the grass was completely eaten. The remaining water level in the basin would be their score.

After some discussion, the scandal team decided that Ji Beishu and Shen Li would compete here, while the other two teammates went to different stations. The station attendants helped the contestants into their grass suits. Suddenly, Pei Wenxuan behind the monitor’s eyes widened, a sly smile spreading across his face.

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“Notify Jiang Fuya to come over. I have a task for her.”

The director heard this and hurried off to arrange it.

All was set. Ji Beishu crouched beside the second sheep pen holding his basin, while Shen Li stayed at the first. The game officially began. The sheep joyfully “baa’d” as they rushed out and surrounded Shen Li.

Despite the sheep closing in, Shen Li’s hands holding the water basin remained perfectly steady. Even as the sheep engulfed her and devoured the grass on her suit, she showed no fear; her basin stayed full.

In contrast, Ji Beishu lost a large portion of his water while dodging the sheep, leaving only half the basin full. He watched Shen Li crouching steadily hundreds of meters away and felt humiliated.

A true man should not fear sheep—mere sheep are nothing to fear!

He straightened his back and held himself to Shen Li’s standard. For a long time, neither of them spilled any water.

Then, the unexpected happened.

Just as the grass on her suit was about to be completely eaten, three sheep suddenly went berserk and charged at Shen Li. In an instant, she was knocked to the ground, the sheep ramming her repeatedly with their horns, emitting angry cries.

Any experienced keeper could immediately tell from the deep “baa” that the sheep were enraged. The keeper rushed forward urgently shouting, “Quick, pull them apart!”

The sheep were usually docile but terrifying when angry.

The sudden incident caused chaos. Only with the combined effort of a dozen people were the frenzied sheep finally pulled apart. Shen Li’s clothes were all rumpled and messy, her fair face dirty, with a bleeding wound on her cheek.

The director anxiously called for the medical team, who carried Shen Li on a stretcher into the ambulance. After treating her wounds, she returned to the site, but the strange looks she received puzzled her.

“What’s wrong?”

No one answered or dared meet her gaze. The few looks she caught were full of contempt.

After a while, Jiang Fuya came over and linked her arm with Shen Li’s.

“Sister Shen Li, I know you want to return to acting, but you can’t harm your body just for attention.”