She, Willingly Degraded

Lin Qingyan sat alone in her room for a very long time, watching as only two hours remained before she was supposed to meet with President Liu.

In the end, she changed into a red dress.

She put on heavy makeup.

Then she grabbed a handbag and put on a face mask.

"Second Sister, where are you going?" Lin Qingxiu asked, frowning.

She felt that her second sister's outfit didn't match her usual style.

In the past, unless she was walking a red carpet, Lin Qingyan would never wear such a low-cut dress.

"Nothing, I'm just going to work," Lin Qingyan said, avoiding eye contact.

"Oh," Lin Qingxiu nodded. "Then, Second Sister, be careful when you go out."

"Okay."

Lin Qingyan bit her lip and headed toward the Imperial Hotel.

Sister Chen was waiting for her at the entrance of Room 605 at the Imperial Hotel.

When Sister Chen saw Lin Qingyan, she walked up with a smile.

"Yan Yan, you've finally come to your senses. Good, good. Don't worry, I'll make sure you become a huge star."

Sister Chen looked at Lin Qingyan with satisfaction.

Lin Qingyan really did have a great figure and decent looks.

If she was willing to sleep with those men, getting resources wouldn't be a problem at all.

"Mm."

Lin Qingyan bit her lip and nodded.

Sister Chen led Lin Qingyan into the room.

The first thing they saw was a portly, potbellied man.

When he saw Lin Qingyan, a grin spread across his face.

"Yan Yan, I've been waiting for you for a long time. Come here," the man called out.

Suppressing the nausea rising in her throat, Lin Qingyan walked over.

She sat down next to President Liu.

President Liu reached out and wrapped an arm around her, laughing heartily. "My little darling, as long as you take good care of me, I'll make sure you get the best resources. The lead role in The Hairpin Flower has already been signed, so you'll have to settle for the female lead role in the second one. But don't worry, I'll give you the lead in the next drama."

Lin Qingyan nodded. "Mm, thank you, President Liu."

Sister Chen smiled and said, "Qing Yan, President Liu, I have some things to take care of, so I won't disturb you two."

Sister Chen picked up her handbag and left.

The room was now left with only Lin Qingyan and President Liu.

Thump, thump, thump. Lin Qingyan's heart raced.

President Liu's hand began to wander over her face.

Lin Qingyan's body stiffened, unmoving.

She closed her eyes in despair.

In the end... she had betrayed the help Xiao Xuan had once given her.

Xiao Xuan, I'm sorry.

A tear slid down Lin Qingyan's cheek.

That day, Su Hua was busy working at the company. Lin Xuan, Wang Dahe, and Luo Yuan finished handling the wedding arrangements, so Lin Xuan took them to eat at the Imperial Hotel.

After finishing their meal and coming out of the private room,

Wang Dahe, patting his full stomach, said contentedly, "This really is worthy of a five-star hotel meal. The taste is amazing."

"It's all thanks to you, Xiao Xuan, that I could ever step foot in the Imperial Hotel. Otherwise, in my whole life, I never would have dreamed of it."

This Imperial Hotel—a single meal could easily cost hundreds of thousands, money that ordinary people might spend decades working to save.

In the past, he wouldn't have dared imagine eating here.

"Wait." Wang Dahe stopped in his tracks.

"What's wrong?" Luo Yuan asked, frowning.

"Xuanzi."

Wang Dahe grabbed Lin Xuan's arm, pointing in the direction of Lin Qingyan. "Isn't that your second sister, Lin Qingyan?"

Lin Xuan followed Wang Dahe's gaze.

His brows furrowed slightly.

Lin Qingyan was arm in arm with President Liu, laughing and chatting with him.

There were several hickeys on her neck—clear signs left just moments ago. What had happened between Lin Qingyan and President Liu didn't need explaining.

Lin Qingyan also saw Lin Xuan, and her heart jolted.

Panic filled her eyes.

It's Xiao Xuan. How is Xiao Xuan here too?

"Xiao Xuan," Lin Qingyan said nervously. "Let me explain. I didn't have a choice, I had to—"

"You don't need to explain to me."

Lin Xuan cut her off, his tone flat.

"We don't have any relationship anymore. So, Lin Qingyan, whatever you do, you don't need to explain it to me."

Lin Qingyan looked at Lin Xuan in pain.

Even though Xiao Xuan didn't say it aloud, he must have been utterly disappointed in her.

After all, back when she was about to be coerced into selling herself for a role, it was Xiao Xuan who saved her. And now, just a month later, she was willingly degrading herself for some resources.

But she really had no choice.

Now she had no background, no backing, and no money. If she still wanted to stay in this circle, she had no option but to accept the status quo.

"Dahe, Luo Yuan, let's go," Lin Xuan said.

Lin Qingyan watched Lin Xuan's retreating figure and murmured to herself, "Xiao Xuan, I'm sorry... really, I'm sorry. Your second sister has let you down."

President Liu said, "Lin Qingyan, your whole family really has rocks in their heads. To treat a capable younger brother like this."

Lin Qingyan bit her lip.

Her family... indeed, they weren't right in the head.

President Liu chuckled again. "But it's a good thing your family is so foolish. Otherwise, how would I have ever gotten the chance to be with you?"

Lin Qingyan lowered her head.

Wang Dahe was astonished. "Lin Qingyan actually became a mistress just for some resources?"

Luo Yuan said, "That's normal. Before, with Star Glory Group, Lin Qingyan didn't have to give anything to get good roles. But now she has nothing. To get good resources, she has to give up her face and her body."

Lin Xuan gave a faint smile. "This is just their own doing."

Wang Dahe nodded in strong agreement. "Right, exactly. It's their own fault. After how they treated Xuanzi back then, karma finally caught up to them."

The media was still very interested in the Lin family situation.

Their current predicament had also been exposed online.

One trending topic climbed all the way to the number one spot on the hot search list:

#How Miserable the Lin Family is Now#

[Jiang Shuqin became a hotel cleaner, Lin Qingxiu took a job as an assembly line worker, Lin Qingwan disappeared without a trace, and Lin Chang spent his days drinking at the bar and passing out.]

Lin Chang originally still had about one hundred thousand on him.

He spent day after day drinking until the money was all gone within a few days.

The bar staff threw him out.

He went looking for Jiang Shuqin and his daughters, but not a single one of them paid him any attention.

They all felt that Lin Chang was the root cause of the disaster that had befallen them.

If it weren't for Lin Chang,

they would never have driven Lin Xuan away, let alone ended up in this miserable situation.

They unilaterally cut ties with Lin Chang.