Shen Xiaoyu was getting increasingly busy.
After deciding not to be Su Huan's manager anymore, her workload suddenly increased.
Not only did she have to hand over Su Huan's work to the new manager, but she also had to learn about the new artists and arrange their schedules.
After others in the company learned that Shen Xiaoyu would no longer be managing Su Huan, quite a few people came to witness her humiliation.
The news wouldn't have spread so quickly if not for the boss deliberately calling her during a meeting, with barely concealed delight in his voice.
"Xiaoyu, I'm really happy you've come to your senses. Su Huan is getting more and more popular, and it's becoming too stressful for someone of your abilities to manage her. Not to mention that Su Huan and Tang Tang are now promoting their CP—one PR mistake could affect more than just Su Huan."
"I'm not saying you lack ability, but you are still young after all. You should start by managing some new artists to build experience. There will be plenty of opportunities and time in the future."
She had heard these words when she first joined the company.
At that time, Su Huan had just become famous because of a movie, and Shen Xiaoyu had been promoted from assistant to manager, still inexperienced in many things.
Many managers in the company saw Su Huan's potential and deliberately created obstacles for Shen Xiaoyu, hoping she would give up.
That period was her most difficult time.
Su Huan was running around for appearances every day, and once she entered production, she would be gone for months.
Shen Xiaoyu shuttled between the company and filming locations, both wary of sneak attacks from others in the company and attentive to Su Huan's every need.
Sleeping less than three hours every day, she lost ten pounds in a month.
Everyone was waiting to see her fail, but Shen Xiaoyu was like a sponge, frantically absorbing all the knowledge she could.
In just half a year, she forced herself to become an excellent gold-standard manager.
But now, Shen Xiaoyu no longer cared.
These matters were insignificant in the face of having only one month left to live.
To reduce her future troubles, Shen Xiaoyu worked busily for three consecutive days, and finally, on the morning of the fourth day, handed over all of Su Huan's materials to her new manager—Qin Miao.
She was the company's ace manager, with more top actors and actresses, rising stars, and traffic stars under her management than could be counted on both hands.
Most importantly, she was Tang Tang's manager.
Shen Xiaoyu lowered her head, the corners of her mouth turning up in a mocking smile.
This would likely further confirm the authenticity of the "Huan-Tang" CP.
Qin Miao held the materials, sighing slightly, "Su Huan is not only a top-tier female artist but also a film queen. Are you really willing to give her to me?"
Qin Miao's fingers caressed the smooth cover of the file, looking at the ring on Shen Xiaoyu's hand, her gaze carrying a hint of inquiry.
"In the company, there have always been rumors about you and Su Huan dating. You haven't already gotten married without telling any of us, have you? That wouldn't be very nice."
Hearing the probing in her words, Shen Xiaoyu pondered for a moment, then, under her watchful gaze, removed the ring from her left ring finger and clutched it tightly in her palm.
"It's just a cheap trinket I bought casually," Shen Xiaoyu said, pressing her lips together and smiling. "If we had a relationship, would your plan for them to hype their CP still be successful?"
Shen Xiaoyu's tone was light, devoid of any emotion.
Qin Miao stared at her for a good while but couldn't detect any inconsistency, so she also smiled, seemingly letting out a big sigh of relief.
"With your assurance, I can rest easy. These years, they've been following the process of teasing fans to purify and solidify their fanbase. In the fans' eyes, they're already completely tied together. At this time, whoever reveals a relationship would be finished."
"After all, Su Huan was brought up by your hand. You wouldn't want her hard-earned career to be ruined in an instant, would you?"
The smile on Shen Xiaoyu's face remained unchanged.
"Sister Qin, that's something for you to consider, since from today onwards, Su Huan is under your management. Whatever happens to her in the future has nothing to do with me."
After speaking, Shen Xiaoyu raised her hand to check the time on her watch.
"My artist is waiting for me downstairs. I have to go now."
As Shen Xiaoyu turned around, she saw Su Huan standing at the door.
She didn't know how much Su Huan had heard, but there was no expression on her face—only her eyes, like storm clouds charged with lightning, signaling an impending storm.
This was a sign of her anger.
In the past, Shen Xiaoyu would have immediately gone to appease her, reviewing her own mistakes, striving to make her happy.
But now, Shen Xiaoyu acted as if she hadn't seen her, skillfully nodding at her.
"Since you've heard everything, I won't repeat myself. I hope you get along well with Sister Qin."
After saying this, Shen Xiaoyu found herself amused.
What an unnecessary thing to say.
The whole internet knew about the relationship between Su Huan and Tang Tang, and Qin Miao was Tang Tang's manager. They would definitely get along better than with her.
Shen Xiaoyu shook her head and walked out, feeling completely unburdened.
But after taking just a few steps, someone grabbed her arm.
"Shen Xiaoyu, don't you need to explain something to me?"
"Explain what?" she asked, confused.
Su Huan questioned coldly, "Why didn't I know about the change of manager?"
"You were busy," Shen Xiaoyu smiled. "Besides, you said it yourself: don't bother you with everything, I can handle it myself."
Those were Su Huan's own words.
When Shen Xiaoyu was following her around like a mother hen, asking about schedule arrangements, Su Huan was exasperated.
'Shen Xiaoyu, you're the manager. If you can't even arrange my work properly, I suggest you resign early.'
After that, Shen Xiaoyu never asked for her opinion again, determining her schedule by herself, only to be insulted by Su Huan's fans for being dictatorial and disrespectful to the artist.
Su Huan's fans put her on the trending topics, questioning the company's senior management, photoshopping her obituary photo, sending funeral wreaths, demanding she leave the company.
Su Huan never said a word in her defense, yet when Tang Tang was accused by her solo fans of riding on trending topics, Su Huan angrily posted on Weibo, confronting her solo fans.
Solo fans abandoned her, while CP fans celebrated.
Shen Xiaoyu stayed up for two consecutive nights and collaborated with Su Huan's major fans to prevent the situation from further deteriorating.
To avoid similar incidents in the future, Shen Xiaoyu had her team take over her Weibo account.
Unexpectedly, just two days later, Su Huan's suspected alternate account liked comments demanding Shen Xiaoyu leave the company, which shot up to trending topics, once again subjecting Shen Xiaoyu to the fans' wrath.
Thanks to Su Huan and Tang Tang, she had also accumulated quite a few anti-fans.
How nice, everyone had a bright future.
Shen Xiaoyu said naturally, "Besides, aren't your fans calling for the company to change your manager every day? Now you can give them this good news."
Su Huan's expression gradually tightened, her deep eyes narrowing, her gaze lingering on her for a long time.
"You're sulking with me," she stated firmly, as if she was about to criticize Shen Xiaoyu for being unreasonable.
Shen Xiaoyu spoke first, "How could that be? Your career and future are more important than anything."
She exhaled, looking relaxed, "Anyway, I've already handed over your work to Sister Qin. From now on, communicate with her if there's anything."
"Perhaps you can discuss with Sister Qin about announcing your manager change through the company's account. It could even get you on the trending topics and increase your fan stickiness."
Just after saying this, she smiled again, "You two decide."
Shen Xiaoyu broke free from her hand, but before entering the elevator, she heard the system's cold electronic voice.
[Mission countdown twenty-six days, electric shock punishment activated!]
The sudden electric shock made Shen Xiaoyu's body stiffen, her feet stumbling. She quickly reached out to support herself against the wall, holding her body up to avoid falling.
Su Huan, watching Shen Xiaoyu from a distance, keenly noticed her unusual behavior, "Shen Xiaoyu, what's wrong?"
Shen Xiaoyu lowered her head, her hand tightly clenched into a fist, her nails digging into her palm. The pain in her palm made her mind slightly clearer.
She breathed slightly, enduring the pain spreading through her body and the trembling of her limbs, answering with feigned ease.
"I'm fine, just tripped. Thanks for your concern."
Shen Xiaoyu didn't look at her, took a deep breath, straightened her back, and walked toward the elevator.
Step by step, steadily, no one could tell she was enduring bone-piercing electric shocks.
Only when the elevator doors closed did Shen Xiaoyu let go of all her strength. After pressing the floor button, she collapsed in the elevator, leaning against the wall, her body trembling slightly, feeling as if every nerve was twisting in pain, every cell being torn apart.
She tilted her head in agony, painful spasms crossing her lips, those two wrinkles quivering like two bitter smiles.
[Punishment time remaining, eight minutes.]
Only two minutes had passed?
The pain throughout her body made it impossible for Shen Xiaoyu to open her eyes.
She thought self-mockingly that if other people in the company saw her in this state, who knows what rumors would spread.
But now, she had no strength to make herself look normal. To divert her attention, she tried negotiating with the system in her mind.
[Can the daily punishment time be fixed at midnight? Being in the company every time, someone will eventually discover my embarrassing state. Don't I need to save face?]
The system coldly replied: [Are you sure you'll be home at midnight?]
Shen Xiaoyu thought for a moment and nodded seriously, [That's not guaranteed.]
In her line of work, working hours weren't fixed, nor were rest times. When busy, she might not even return home once in a month.
Then it didn't matter—she'd eventually face public humiliation anyway.
Things couldn't get worse than this.
[But next time, don't do it in front of Su Huan. Don't think I don't know your scheme—letting Su Huan see me in a miserable state, then making her sympathize and marry me.]
[But your scheme has failed; Su Huan won't soften towards me.]
The system sheepishly replied, then spoke with a resigned tone.
[Then what other way is there? It's been ten years—even a stone would have warmed up by now, let alone a person of flesh and blood.
Perhaps if Su Huan sees you injured, she might soften and marry you, completing your mission so you can go home. Better than being electrocuted for ten minutes every day in this world. Even I feel the pain watching you.]
Shen Xiaoyu didn't respond, tapping her fingers, her mind clearly drifting, trying to ignore the physical pain.
The system thought she was angry and backed down.
[Alright, I'll choose times when no one is around for punishment in the future. Is that okay?]
Shen Xiaoyu still didn't speak, keeping her eyes closed, cold sweat continuously pouring down her pale face.
She no longer had the strength to wonder which floor the elevator had reached, or if Su Huan would see her current miserable state.
Though it was only ten minutes, it felt like a lifetime, unbearably long.
Just as she was about to pass out, a voice suddenly came through.
"Sister Xiaoyu? Why are you sitting here?"