Out of control and sinking

Chapter 51 Am I right, Miss Jiang?
Every word he said was directed at her.

Jiang Ruan's expression changed slightly. Holding her wine glass, she looked at Rong Cheng with a forced smile, remaining neither humble nor arrogant: "What do you mean by that, Director Rong?"

"If I remember correctly, this should be the first time we've met. I wonder how I offended Director Rong?"

Rong Cheng scoffed: "The literal meaning,"

The two were locked in a fierce confrontation.

Those present couldn't help but look at each other in bewilderment.

I wonder what Jiang Ruan did to offend Director Rong. They said it was their first meeting, or was there some past conflict?
Seeing that things were not going well, the director quickly tried to smooth things over, saying nice things: "Director Rong, Jiang Ruan is the female lead of our crew. Don't underestimate this young girl. She is beautiful and has good acting skills. She is very popular with fans. If she has done anything to upset you, Director Rong, I apologize on her behalf."

"How about this, I'll punish myself with three drinks, and also to liven things up for everyone, okay?"

After saying that, the director generously downed three drinks in a row.

After three cups of baijiu, the director drank heavily.

He gets flushed from drinking; his cheeks turn red immediately.

Holding up an empty cup, the director laughed.

“I drank it all, Director Rong.”

As everyone watched, they couldn't help but secretly envy the director's protectiveness towards Jiang Ruan.

The director smiled bitterly to himself; he had no choice but to protect her.

If he doesn't protect him, someone will cause trouble for him.

That would be a much bigger loss than offending Rong Cheng.

Li Xin watched with jealousy, her fingers clenching tightly under the table, a cold smile playing on her lips.

Did the director personally protect Jiang Ruan?

Ah.

Protecting them won't help.

Sure enough, Rong Cheng glanced at him and turned his attention back to Jiang Ruan: "No matter how good your acting is, you have to learn how to be a decent person first. Relying on your youth and beauty to climb the ladder with underhanded means, no amount of acting skills will help. The public has discerning eyes."

Am I right, Miss Jiang?

In front of everyone, Rong Cheng made no attempt to hide his true feelings.

They were directly targeting Jiang Ruan.

The private room was extremely quiet.

No one dared to speak; they could only watch.

You could hear a pin drop.

Jiang Ruan's face turned completely cold, and her fingers gripping the cup turned white.

Looking at this fat, balding old man with a belly like he was eight months pregnant.

Jiang Ruan was so angry that she lost her temper and was about to retort on the spot.

"Director Rong, what you're saying..."

What's wrong with the bureau chief? Even a bureau chief should speak like a normal person, right?
What did she do to him? Or did she dig up his ancestral graves?
Is he targeting her like this on their very first meeting? Is he crazy?
Before he could finish speaking, Bai Yi stopped him.

Seeing that she was angry, Bai Yi quickly grabbed Jiang Ruan's arm and interrupted her gently, "Jiang Ruan."

Jiang Ruan looked at him, her eyes filled with anger.

Bai Yi gestured to her with his eyes, indicating that she should bear with it.

After all, the other party is a bureau chief, an official in Beijing, although he is not involved in the entertainment industry.

But you should know that while businessmen and officials may appear to have nothing on the surface, they often have connections behind the scenes.

It's not worth ruining your future for a moment of pleasure.

Jiang Ruan bit her lip, feeling incredibly frustrated.

Seeing that she had calmed down, Bai Yi gentlemanly let go of her, then picked up a bottle of baijiu and poured himself a full glass.

"Director Rong, Jiang Ruan is young and naive, but I can assure you that she is a kind and upright young woman."

"The internet is inherently a place of right and wrong, so please don't let what's said online lead you astray, Director Rong. I'll also toast you three times."

"Brother Bai Yi," Jiang Ruan tried to stop him, "You don't need to..."

She didn't want them to drink for her; it was just a favor.

"It's okay, don't say anything."

Bai Yi was even faster than her, grabbing the bottle of liquor and filling himself to the brim, downing three glasses in the blink of an eye.

"Director Rong, I didn't leave a single drop of wine in those three cups, you have to give me this face, right?"

Bai Yi said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

The director and Bai Yi both spoke to Jiang Ruan personally.

The celebrities present were extremely envious.

I thought that would satisfy Rongcheng and that the matter would be over.

Unexpectedly, Rong Cheng snorted coldly, and his mocking voice came again: "One is a director who has made countless big stars, and the other is a popular movie star who is all the rage in the entertainment industry. Jiang Ruan, what is it about you that makes these two big shots lower themselves to speak up for you in front of me?"

"You still say you didn't get to your position through improper means? Do you really think I, Rongcheng, am a fool?"

His words were all aimed at belittling Jiang Ruan.

It implies that she rose to power through her own efforts.

The director's expression changed.

Just as he was about to speak, Rong Cheng said, "Shut up."

“I was talking to Jiang Ruan, not you.”

The director looked grim.

I thought to myself, "This is it."

They could only turn their attention to Jiang Ruan.

Suddenly remembering something, he took out his phone.

A text message has been sent.

Bai Yi looked at her worriedly, his eyes signaling her to be patient, for a moment's patience would bring peace.

Jiang Ruan had reached her limit. She stood up abruptly, glaring at Rong Cheng, this balding old man, her fingers clenched tightly, her smile frozen. She demanded, "Director Rong, have I ever offended you?"

"If I remember correctly, this should be the first time I've met you. I don't know what I, Jiang Ruan, have done to offend you, Director Rong, that makes you target me like this today."

Rong Cheng: "Whether I offend someone or not doesn't seem to have anything to do with what I'm saying right now, does it?"

"Did I say something wrong?"

"I heard you're from Jiangcheng. It's already a rare thing for a college student to come from such a poor rural area. You went to a third-rate university. You're a performance student with no status or background, a third-rate undergraduate degree. How did you manage to climb to your current position in the entertainment industry in just a few years?" Rong Cheng sneered, "Miss Jiang's abilities are enough to crush 90% of the top performance students in Beijing."

"To say that there was no connection or any other effort involved, I, Rongcheng, would never believe it."

These words were tantamount to putting Jiang Ruan on the hot seat.

If she backs down, it would be tantamount to admitting that she got to her position through improper relationships.

If they don't admit it, then the only option left is to fight against that old geezer back then.

Jiang Ruan's eyes were filled with tears, and she felt incredibly aggrieved.

Oh shit.

Did she forget to check the almanac before going out today?
She must have dug up that old man's ancestral graves for him to target her like this.

How she got to her position is none of his business.

Something is wrong.

"If I remember correctly, Director Rong doesn't seem to be in charge of the entertainment industry, right? So he probably doesn't pay much attention to entertainment industry matters. I, Jiang Ruan, started as an extra in college. I've done at least eighty or a hundred scenes as a stunt double for dead bodies. I've gotten to where I am today entirely through my own hard work."

“That’s right, I didn’t graduate from a prestigious university. I don’t deny that luck played a part, but I, Jiang Ruan, have always been true to myself and my conscience. So I don’t agree with what Director Rong said!”

Jiang Ruan looked at Rong Cheng calmly and said, word by word.

This was tantamount to a direct rebuttal to Rong Cheng.

The director was so frightened that cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Goodness gracious, you're incredibly bold.

This is the bureau chief.

He was no ordinary minor official.

Bai Yi also looked at Rong Cheng with a worried expression.

I was afraid he would get angry.

Sure enough, Rong Cheng's face darkened instantly. As the bureau chief, when had he not been fawned over and flattered? When had he ever been so rudely criticized?

What a courageous person.

Rong Cheng snorted and sneered, "Miss Jiang is certainly sharp-tongued."

"I, Rong, truly admire you."

"You don't acknowledge it, huh? Fine, I, Rong Cheng, will see who in the entire capital would dare to hire you, Jiang Ruan, to make another film if they dare to offend me, Rong Cheng."

These words are tantamount to a direct verbal ban on her.

Rong Cheng is the director of a bureau in Beijing; he holds a high position and wields great power.

Anyone who dares to offend him or disrespect Rong Cheng is doomed.

He said no one was allowed to cooperate with Jiang Ruan, and who would dare to risk offending him by cooperating with Jiang Ruan?

The director never expected that a banquet, which was originally intended to help everyone get along well, would turn out to be a gathering of friends.

But it harmed Jiang Ruan.

He couldn't understand why Rong Cheng was targeting Jiang Ruan, who didn't even know her.

Jiang Ruan was so angry that she could hardly breathe, so she decided to throw caution to the wind: "Director Rong, this is completely unreasonable."

"I haven't offended you, so why are you treating me like this? You're bullying me!"

"Jiang Ruan!" Bai Yi called out, but he couldn't stop her anymore.

Jiang Ruan has been in the entertainment industry for several years and has endured all kinds of grievances, but she has always put up with them.

But today's grievances were the only thing she could no longer bear.

After she finished speaking, Jiang Ruan's eyes were filled with tears, looking both aggrieved and helpless.

She couldn't help but think of Bo Ye, wanting to find him and pour out all her grievances.

But I also felt so ashamed.

With a loud "smack," Rong Cheng slammed his palm hard on the table, his anger flaring: "How dare you say that I, Rong Cheng, am unreasonable?"

Rong Cheng sneered: "I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice. How dare you, a little brat, criticize me like this? Who gave you the guts?"

The atmosphere in the private room was tense and ready to explode.

"Director Rong, don't be angry, don't be angry. Jiang Ruan didn't mean that."

The director humbled himself, trying to persuade and coax her.

"What does she mean? Is she saying that I'm abusing my power and that so many people are listening?"

"So what if I bully others because of my power?"

"Who do you think you are? To put it bluntly, you're just an entertainer in the entertainment industry, someone who makes a fool of themselves. How dare you act so presumptuously here?"

Rong Cheng cursed loudly.

Bai Yi's face had turned completely dark; these words were no longer just directed at Jiang Ruan.

Everyone present was from the entertainment industry.

If what Rongcheng says is true, then are they all just actors who gamble for fun?
These words are an insult to a person.

Sure enough, everyone in the private room looked unhappy.

Rong Cheng's words were a direct insult to all of them.

Li Xin, who was listening nearby, was also startled.

I've never seen Rongcheng lose his temper like this before, but to be honest, it was actually quite satisfying.

Yes, that's exactly what she wanted.

Seeing Jiang Ruan's red-rimmed eyes, her trembling with anger yet forced to suppress it, I could only watch as she struggled to stay calm.

Li Xin was extremely pleased with herself.

The smile on her lips was impossible to suppress.

Aren't you amazing, Jiang Ruan? Doesn't everyone fawn over you?
I'm going to teach you a lesson.

Today is just the beginning, just the appetizer.

I will trample you under my feet in the future, so that you will stay under my feet forever and never be able to turn your life around.

Never again will she be a leading lady.

Li Xin thought viciously.

Just then, an unpleasant ringing phone broke the silence in the private room.

(End of this chapter)