"Boss, what should we do now?"
Da Tiantian and Yingbao looked at Su Cheng anxiously.
Unlike the other female stars Su Cheng had dated, these two were different. They were artists under Su Cheng's own company—discovered and nurtured by him personally.
They had always been loyal to him.
Even the accusations that appeared online earlier had been coordinated by Su Cheng himself. He had told them what to say. Otherwise, when he was inevitably blacklisted, the fallout would drag them down too.
While this approach still implicated them, it was a far better option than being banned outright.
"It's fine. You don't need to worry," Su Cheng said, his voice calm and dismissive. "It's just a ban. It's not like I'm being thrown into prison."
He sneered. "Besides, I've had no intention of staying in this country forever."
Su Cheng wasn't exaggerating. At this point, he was the most popular star in the entire Xia Kingdom. But despite his fame, the entertainment industry at home was still laughably behind the times.
Forget short videos—there weren't even real live-streaming platforms. Only three films in the country's history had broken the one-billion-yuan box office mark.
And all three had been written, directed, and starred in by him.
That alone spoke volumes about the state of the domestic entertainment industry.
It also explained the envy and hatred of major entertainment companies.
Su Cheng's movies alone generated more revenue than an entire company's annual profits. His trilogy alone had earned more than the combined profits of all entertainment companies in the country—even those tied directly to the General Administration.
Of course, they wanted to bring him down.
Worse, he had refused to pay off the General Administration like the others did. He didn't want to get involved in something illegal and risk future trouble.
Naturally, they wouldn't let him off the hook.
Su Cheng's real advantage, however, wasn't just his looks or fame—it was his system.
The "Most Popular" System.
It converted popularity into points, which he could use to enter lucky draws and gain rewards. The more buzz around his name, the stronger he became.
Having already conquered the domestic scene, he had long set his sights on the global stage.
Hollywood.
"Ah... what do we do, then?" Yingbao asked, her voice soft and uncertain.
If her boss left the country... would she follow him?
But she had never been abroad. She didn't speak a word of a foreign language. What would she even do over there?
If she stayed behind, she'd be without Su Cheng's protection. As a rising actress, she'd be vulnerable, especially when so many powerful entertainment companies were now targeting them.
It was a lose-lose situation. Her brows furrowed deeper as she thought about the future.
\
On the other hand, Da Tiantian remained calm. She had been with Su Cheng for three years. She had everything she needed.
Even if he was banned, Su Cheng was still worth over a billion. He could easily afford to take care of her.
Of course, that didn't mean Su Cheng had treated Yingbao poorly. She had also gained plenty as one of the first artists under his label. But unlike Tiantian, Yingbao had always wanted to achieve success through her own strength.
Because of that, she worried more about losing her momentum now.
"You'll stay here for now," Su Cheng said after some thought. "Even if I'm blacklisted, the scripts I've written are still worth a fortune."
"You won't lack roles. Just forget about movies for the time being—stick to TV dramas for now."
"Once I establish myself overseas, I'll take you both with me."
Though it sounded like he was resigned to his ban, Su Cheng was far from defeated. He knew the value of his writing. No matter how the industry tried to bury him, they couldn't deny that his scripts were unrivaled.
Of course, he wouldn't hand them over to the companies that betrayed him.
But there were still other ways.
For example, he could write TV dramas with strong female leads, then sell those scripts directly to major television networks.
He'd designate either Tiantian or Yingbao as the female lead—and let the networks handle the approval process themselves.
He already had ideas in mind.
He planned to write Palace, originally intended for Da Mimi, and have Da Tiantian star in it instead. She could also sing the theme song, Suicide of Love.
As for the historical romance Scarlet Heart, he could let Yingbao take the lead role. It would be poetic justice, considering the actresses he had originally written these works for had turned against him.
Sure, everything they accused him of was true—he had said sweet things, made promises, played the romantic lead in their lives.
But come on—what man hadn't told a few lies to make a woman happy?
Especially in the heat of the moment.
They had known what they were getting into.
And if they wanted to cry victim now, that was their own business.
They made their choices—and they would have to live with the consequences.
Su Cheng wasn't their fan, and he certainly wasn't their obedient lapdog.
He had no obligation to spoil them or cater to their delusions.
He'd treated them well over the years. Given them exposure. Helped their careers. If they chose to turn on him now, then he was fully within his right to give those opportunities to others.
He looked at Tiantian and Yingbao again, his gaze sharp but steady.
No matter what happened next, he would not go down quietly.
And when he made his comeback, it would be not just in Xia Kingdom—
But on the biggest stage in the world.
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