Chapter 129: Stirring Up Trouble 02

Many fans and casual observers who had previously been quite firm in their stance began to waver, wondering if perhaps they had been mistaken and the production team of *Starlight* was indeed unfairly targeting Han Sen.

However, if Tang Su could speak up to whitewash him, couldn't others do the same? Such transparent lies were only something someone like Tang Su—who lost all reason whenever Han Sen was involved—would attempt.

Sitting in the lounge, Song Wan made no effort to hide the contempt in her eyes. Everyone found Tang Su’s behavior not only baffling but also absurd and ridiculous. Still, there were concerns.

"What Tang Su said about the confidentiality of the audition footage..." Zhou Qi frowned. If that wasn't clarified, it would surely have an impact. Even if it wouldn't be fatal, it was best avoided.

Song Wan smiled. "Director Zhou, audition content is not to be leaked at will, but since the target is an actor, the contract doesn't state that the production team cannot use it. Besides, don't forget that it was Han Sen who slandered the production team first; our actions can only be considered a counterattack."

Zhou Qi was taken aback, then suddenly enlightened. "I almost got led astray." He had been so focused on the drama that he was easily swayed.

Song Wan didn't mind and pointed out, "What Tang Su said is so easy to debunk. While we can't tamper with the audition footage already filmed, if we have a truly talented male actor, wouldn't it be effortless to shatter her lies?"

A truly talented male actor? Wasn't that Guo Kai, who had recently been at the center of such a buzz? Zhou Qi looked at her, immediately guessing her plan, and his eyes filled with teasing. "It seems you have strong feelings about Han Sen and Tang Su."

Song Wan didn't hide it. "If you were targeted right after your debut, you wouldn't have any affection for those who targeted you either." Zhou Qi nodded, deeply agreeing.

As for Han Sen? Having been in the industry for over a year, it was perfectly normal for Song Wan to have found out about the true relationship between Han Sen and Tang Su. There was a saying: love me, love my dog—the inverse, hating the person, hating their associates, was equally true.

Gao Xiang gave Song Wan a meaningful look but did not expose her lie. As a manager who had mastered the art of reading people, she had sensed Song Wan's emotional fluctuations upon seeing the names Tang Su and Han Sen, and had already suspected there was bad blood between them. Sometimes, Gao Xiang even wondered if Song Wan had entered the entertainment industry solely for their sake. Yet, at other times, Song Wan seemed indifferent to news about them, leading Gao Xiang to wonder if it was all just her imagination. But now, she was certain: Song Wan and those two were indeed enemies.

However, this truth could not be known by others. Gao Xiang simply looked at Song Wan and turned away without a word.

"What is your plan?" Zhou Qi asked, not digging any deeper.

Song Wan didn't hesitate, sneering, "Didn't Tang Su claim that lighting, positioning, and camera angles can make an actor's performance look completely different? Why don't we have Guo Kai perform the exact same segment from Han Sen's audition video under identical conditions?"

"If that’s not enough..." Song Wan lowered her head, her eyes mocking. "I can do it too!" She wanted to show the netizens the difference between a woman’s performance and a man’s under the same conditions. With three actors—two men and one woman—the contrast would be clear. The two men would provide the sharpest comparison, while Song Wan’s performance would be the final, fatal blow to Han Sen. If a woman could outperform him under the same conditions, what face would he have left to claim he had acting skills? And what face would Tang Su have to keep insisting that Han Sen was talented? After all, the roles Han Sen played were all male!

This would be the greatest blow to Han Sen’s career and would cast the most severe doubt on Tang Su’s credibility. From then on, even her most die-hard fans would be forced to question the truth of anything she said, especially when she was defending Han Sen or attacking Song Wan.

Zhou Qi thought for a moment and agreed. The assistant director immediately pulled out his phone. "I’ll call Guo Kai right now!"

Guo Kai had already secured the role of the second male lead in *Starlight* and had no interest in playing bit parts elsewhere. With his schedule clear until filming began, he arrived at the set quickly.

"You want me to reenact Han Sen’s audition segment using his style?" Guo Kai frowned. "Is that necessary?"

Song Wan curled her lips. "It’s the only way to shut up those skeptical netizens!" She looked at him provocatively. "You don't want them suspecting your acting is inferior to that loser Han Sen, do you?"

Guo Kai realized Song Wan was provoking him, but he didn't care. "So you want to stir up trouble? Why would I refuse that?" After understanding the motive, he immediately agreed to the director’s plan, urging him, "Director Zhou, since we have a solution, let’s start filming." The thought of crushing Han Sen—who had almost stolen his role—with pure acting ability excited him.

Song Wan, enjoying the spectacle, added, "Don't slack off just because the opponent is weak. Your benchmark isn't just that hack, Han Sen."

"Huh?" Guo Kai paused. "Who else?"

"Me," Song Wan said maliciously.

"..." Guo Kai looked back at her, eyes full of scrutiny. "Why is a woman meddling in a man's role?"

"If you're going to stomp someone into the dirt, you have to make sure they never have a chance to rise again," Song Wan said lightly, as if she didn't realize how ruthless she sounded.

Guo Kai smacked his lips, finding Song Wan even more to his liking, though he felt a pang of regret. Then Song Wan added, "The point is, my acting will surely be galaxies ahead of Han Sen’s, which will make him a pariah. But if my acting happens to crush yours as well... will you really be able to keep the role of Lu Yang?"

Guo Kai was stunned. "Are you setting me up?"

"How could I?" Song Wan shrugged. "Don't you have that much confidence in your own acting? Regardless of which audition video of Han Sen's we use, all his roles were male."

Guo Kai looked at her for a long time before finally walking into the audition room. But his mindset was now much more serious. "Director Zhou, could I see Han Sen's audition video first to study it?"

Zhou Qi, who was busy adjusting the camera to match the exact lighting and angles used in Han Sen's original audition, was startled. He looked at Guo Kai, then his gaze shifted to Song Wan. "You really are something!" He remembered how perfunctory Guo Kai had been earlier. He could already foresee the end for Han Sen and Tang Su.

"You two should look online and pick an audition video, then we'll..."

Song Wan looked at Zhou Qi with a half-smile. "Director Zhou, you've already picked it, haven't you?" She gestured toward the camera. If he hadn't, how did he know how to set it up?

Zhou Qi pointed at her, amused. "Nothing gets past you!" He placed his laptop in front of them. "Here, this is it. It’s supposedly Han Sen’s ‘peak performance’ and his most praised role." Zhou Qi shrugged. He felt Han Sen had merely benefited from the character design, which closely mirrored his own personality. Yet, even then, he had managed to make a refined gentleman look sleazy.

"We want to go big," Zhou Qi said. "Let his fans see how poorly he performed his most praised role." He wouldn't admit that this was also his revenge for having his eyes offended by Han Sen's acting in the first place.