I have a persona specifically for acting.

Ning Zhiyi didn’t feel at all that he was cutting off someone’s financial path.

He thought he was actually doing a good deed, accumulating merit.

And it was for Tong Zhao’s benefit.

If Tong Zhao collaborated with Wei Zekai and a bunch of second-generation heirs lost money, even if they had agreed in advance that the investment could result in a loss, how could they not hold a grudge against her? He didn’t want to see her offend so many people. Not only did he advise others not to invest, but he also called Tong Zhao to persuade her to reconsider.

Ning Zhiyi cautiously asked, “Are you really going to invest with Wei Zekai?”

“Yes, is there a problem?”

Tong Zhao responded coldly.

Ning Zhiyi frowned and tried to give good advice, saying many heartfelt words. As the conversation went on, he drifted further: “You’re a girl, you shouldn’t mix with Wei Zekai and his crowd. I heard you even invested your own film earnings? They’re all only children in their families; no matter how they waste money, there’s always someone to cover it. Now that Uncle Tong is old and has a child, and you’ve fallen out with him, you need to think about your own future…”

“I’m investing for my own benefit,” Tong Zhao interrupted him. “I know you’re advising people you know not to invest.”

Caught off guard by her directness, Ning Zhiyi awkwardly fell silent for three seconds. “I’m just worried about you.”

“Worried about me? That’s a bit amusing. But I don’t mind your little maneuvers behind my back. I’m not planning to bring too many people into this. I just want to let you know that since you’ve chosen your side, there’s no need to contact me again. I’m not interested in being friends with Xu Zhu’s boyfriend.”

In a flash, Ning Zhiyi thought he had grasped the issue.

He softened his tone, “Are you jealous of Xu Zhu?”

Tong Zhao was momentarily at a loss for words.

Duan Ge was quite displeased: “I’d rather eat raw than be jealous of Xu Zhu. What a joke.”

Empress Chen: “Help, does he think Zhao Zhao likes him? I’m offended; it’s disgusting.”

She pulled at the corners of her mouth, remaining calm. She smiled and said, “Why is it that you’re so confident when you’re even less appealing than Wei Zekai? Goodbye, don’t bother me again.”

With that, Tong Zhao ended the call.

When Ning Zhiyi tried calling again, the line was already disconnected.

“What do you mean that even Wei Zekai is better?”

Wei Zekai himself felt somewhat offended.

Tong Zhao turned off the speakerphone and looked at the group of friends gathered in her apartment. Five young men and women had crowded the already small room to the point where there was barely space to move. These pampered young masters and mistresses didn’t seem to care at all. They brought their own drinks and junk food, and were huddled together munching on McDonald’s.

When she turned back, she saw Wei Zekai with a whole chicken wing hanging from his mouth.

Wei Zekai was quite good-looking, but his nutritional supply seemed uneven. He must have lacked a crucial bit of brain function, as there was a glob of ketchup smeared on his straight nose, though it was unclear how it got there—truly a unique character.

This was the final small group willing to invest and make money with Wei Zekai and her.

The group consisted of only seven people in total, with clear roles of president and vice president.

Wei Zekai was the president, and everyone gave him the nickname “Philanthropic Gambler.”

Tong Zhao was the vice president, not because the others thought she was inferior to Wei Zekai, but because she was responsible for stopping the president from turning investment into charity.

The second-generation rich were not merely ignorant. They had received high-quality education and understood business and investment knowledge better than children from ordinary families. They could deduce why a business would succeed based on results, but when it came to starting a business from scratch and making money…

They were at a loss.

Originally, everyone thought this was just a new kind of social gathering for eating, drinking, and spending money, with the chance to get to know the hot and popular Tong Zhao and take some pictures to show off on social media. However, after sitting down and listening to Tong Zhao’s series of personal speeches…

They realized how knowledgeable Tong Zhao was.

The more they listened, the more they realized.

It seemed like it really had potential!

In the past, Tong Zhao had managed to gather a group of followers during the apocalypse. Now, in peacetime, persuading others to make money with her was not difficult, especially when dealing with pampered young masters and mistresses who had never experienced significant hardships.

By the end of the afternoon, they were convinced that listening to Tong Zhao would eventually lead to big profits.

Tong Zhao thought that if she weren’t acting, she might have become a successful pyramid scheme leader and made a fortune.

“Ning Zhiyi thinks I like him,” Tong Zhao said casually.

Second-Generation A: “Ning Zhiyi really has too high an opinion of himself. I can’t wait to see his reaction when he finds out we’ve made money.”

Second-Generation B handed Wei Zekai a tissue to wipe the ketchup from his nose: “Don’t even mention it. My brother was on good terms with him. I had persuaded my brother to join, but after Ning Zhiyi talked him out of it, he stood me up today. It’s so annoying.”

…

In the shabby room, a group of not-so-promising young rakes had gathered.

The high-quality cigarettes that Wei Zekai had bought for Tong Zhao were also divided among them.

To be honest, Tong Zhao thought they were a bunch of simpletons.

But what did it matter if they were simpletons? Just like in many stories where the protagonist enjoys being favored by a group, the most important thing in life is to be on the right team.

And the biggest advantage of these simpletons was that they had chosen her.

Simpleton C: “Strategist, I want to take a photo with you!”

…

Tong Zhao lifted her chin: “Alright, come over.”

*

After finalizing the investment plans, Tong Zhao went to participate in the promotional program for “Countdown 72 Hours.”

Since it was Duan Ge’s performance, she also took charge of this interview, gladly taking a break.

The interview included some common mini-games, and the content of the games was directly taken from the film. Tong Zhao sat in the makeup room, having her makeup touched up by the artist while flipping through the script, worried that the director might ask her to perform a demonstration of her marksmanship.

In the end, the program team asked her to perform some shooting skills on stage.

They used a temporary shooting range, originally intended to show the audience the difference between reality and holographic filming, emphasizing that being a cool sharpshooter isn’t as easy as it seems. However…

Holding a real gun similar to the one used in the film, Tong Zhao wore safety goggles and earmuffs.

She was dressed in a bright red cocktail dress with high heels, a stark contrast to her more neutral, professional attire in the film. Yet, after pulling the trigger and achieving a score of 200 hits from 20 shots, no one could see her as just a pretty face.

Why?

Despite her beautiful appearance, she was remarkably formidable.

Duan Ge: [Is this all you wanted me to do?]

Duan Ge curled her lips with a hint of disdain.

That smug, over-the-top smile was captured in a close-up by the production team, adding an extra layer of shine to her fierce persona.

Anna and Tang Jingjie clapped excitedly, letting the audience know that the lead actor had good chemistry.

Only Xu Zhu stared blankly at her step-sister.

There was no venomous jealousy to prompt netizens to write more negative commentary. However, her dazed and out-of-sorts appearance meant she couldn’t grab any camera time or opportunities to shine. All the spotlight went to Tong Zhao.

When did the step-sister learn to shoot?

Xu Zhu was a bit unsettled.

But it wasn’t surprising; wealthy children often learn a wide range of things—piano, flower arranging, skiing, extreme sports. There are plenty of extravagant ways to spend money.

During the interview, Tong Zhao was specifically asked a few questions that netizens were curious about.

“Your two characters are quite different, but since it’s a primal instinct film, which one do you think is closer to the real you?”

Tong Zhao: “Feng Yanqi. I am very ambitious; the Empress often has to act against her will.”

Against her will.

Seeing this interview, Ming Emperor Song Wanzhuo felt as if he had experienced heartbreak all over again.

When the topic of “acting against one’s will” came up, her tone suddenly softened, likely due to thoughts of the Empress.

The male host grinned mischievously and said, “So, among the ‘Zhao Jie CP’ with Tang Jingjie, it seems the female lead’s name is ranked first this year. I heard this is… implying the dominant role, right?”

The female host nodded knowingly.

Tang Jingjie’s face flushed red.

“It’s normal,”

Tong Zhao, not at all shy about the scandal, turned to smile at Tang Jingjie and reached out to drape her arm over his shoulder. “When I stand next to him, the roles of dominant and submissive are quite clear, right?”

As soon as the answer was given, the studio erupted in laughter without needing any cues from the stage crew.

Tang Jingjie, covering his face in resignation, said, “I wish I were half as handsome as Sister Zhao.”

The host responded, “It’s okay, the fans just love your cuteness.”

Tong Zhao and Tang Jingjie’s CP was essentially a pairing that happened halfway through, without much fanfare.

The buzz around Ming Emperor X Empress is far behind.

It’s clear that the dominant-male, submissive-female dynamic is mainstream.

However, this does not affect Tong Zhao’s fan base.

On the contrary, most of her followers are career-oriented fans who do not want her to be involved in romance or interact with male celebrities. They prefer her to remain independent and exclusive.

After this episode aired, the video of Tong Zhao using a real gun again topped the trending searches.

Before it even fell off the trending list, she moved on to filming the promotional video for *Be Careful, Sea King*, where she met the five people who would live with her in the holographic world for a month.

Reality shows in this format emphasize authenticity, so not all participants are celebrities.

Many are influencers or just ordinary people.

The only common trait they share is that they all look quite good.

However…

After greeting the director, Tong Zhao walked over to a man with dyed golden-brown hair and tapped Male Contestant Number One on the shoulder:

“Charity Gambling King, explain why you are here.”

“Call me Mingzun,”

Today, Young Master Wei was wearing a shorter black shirt, and when he lifted his arm, the tattoo on his abs was visible, making Tong Zhao think he might need an extra layer; “Didn’t I say? I invest in any show you’re involved in. The director thought I had a talent for acting and invited me to join. Everything’s all set, and I’m free!”

He seemed quite excited: “Let me tell you, this show is the first time our Mingzun and Anzun are collaborating, and we absolutely can’t mess it up.”

From Wei Zekai’s brief explanation, strategist Tong Zhao had already deduced the truth.

The director must have seen Wei Zekai’s good looks and wealthy background, figuring he’d be a great addition to the show and persuaded him to join.

“Wei Zekai,”

Tong Zhao looked at him thoughtfully: “Do you know this isn’t a movie shoot? You’re here to find romance.”

Wei Zekai: “…What?”