Chapter 111: A Gentle Slap in the Face

“Heh, I actually saw it a long time ago. After all, I’m the only one here who knows best whether I’ve acted in a spy drama or not. But if someone went out of their way to save your scene, you really ought to thank that racer properly. What was his name? Mo something?” Sun Wan’er tried to remember Mo Shu’s name carefully. It’s rare to meet such a commendable junior; perhaps they’d have the chance to collaborate in the future.

“Mo Shu—‘Mo’ as in the mysterious ‘Mo,’ and ‘Shu’ like a big tree. Isn’t that an unusual name?” After this experience, Lin Meinu was certain she’d never forget those two characters.

Mo Shu’s nature was undeniably kind.

At the beginning of the dispute with Lin Meinu, Mo Shu had been eager to seize upon her major mistake, to teach her a lesson, to strip her of her dignity and shame her publicly.

As for how to coax Sun Wan’er into confessing her spy drama past, Mo Shu had a perfect plan.

It was simple: if he publicly posed the question to Sun Wan’er, she would hardly lie to protect Lin Meinu. After all, with the internet so advanced, a quick search would reveal the truth instantly. The only reason Lin Meinu had been careless enough to accuse without checking online was that she underestimated Mo Shu, thinking he was just an inexperienced young man.

But why didn’t Mo Shu use this method?

Because suddenly, he remembered Black Mirror, the once formidable elder brother in the future whom he had defeated, only for him to fall into ruin.

Since the Black Mirror incident—when he was killed in a car accident orchestrated by the Viermin family—Mo Shu had quietly resolved to cultivate a forgiving character in his future life.

Yes, sometimes trouble finds you, and you can’t always avoid it.

And if he ever faced enemies as formidable as the Viermin family, Mo Shu would not allow himself to be soft-hearted in those moments.

“Don’t cause trouble, but don’t be afraid of it either.” This was a saying Mo Shu had heard in his original world.

It was also a favorite motto of a celebrity he admired, one he often echoed.

That was the kind of man Mo Shu was. Because of these qualities, he became widely liked.

Mo Shu also noticed that as his abilities and achievements grew, the name Mo Shu, along with the emblematic titles of the Divine Racing Team and the Four Supreme Deities, had already become quite influential across several European countries.

Mo Shu especially hoped that those fans who loved racing and admired the Divine Deities would never discover that their idol was a ruthless, unscrupulous villain. How heartbreaking that would be.

As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility—perhaps this perfectly described Mo Shu’s current aspiration.

So, when Mo Shu was about to strike Lin Meinu’s flawless face to the ground, he hesitated.

He knew that if he did so, he would surely turn the tables and walk away victorious.

But what about Lin Meinu? Her reputation would undoubtedly suffer.

Moreover, if Sun Wan’er answered the question Mo Shu intended to ask, it would be tantamount to slapping Lin Meinu in the face, potentially fracturing the relationship between the two actresses—a situation Mo Shu wished to avoid.

Besides, he didn’t believe that humiliating Lin Meinu publicly would have much of an impact.

If he could instead provoke a dramatic reversal of her anger, leading her to apologize and admit fault in front of everyone, it would not only strike a blow to Lin Meinu’s pride but also earn him a good reputation, helping him win over fans—a triple win.

With that in mind, Mo Shu finalized his plan and first enlisted two powerful allies: his manager and the chief director, Xiao Yao.

The manager’s job was to deliver the message. This way, it would be easier for Lin Meinu to accept, and Mo Shu wanted her to know through a third party that he was acting in her best interest, sparing her face despite knowing her mistake—a noble gesture.

Such words would not be as effective coming from Mo Shu himself, but from someone else, they carried weight.

Indeed, when Mo Shu saw the look in Lin Meinu’s eyes—full of respect, admiration, with a touch of shame and avoidance—as she grasped his intention, he felt satisfied.

Xiao Yao’s stepping forward was also pre-arranged by Mo Shu, meant to have an authoritative figure speak at the crucial moment to settle the storm quietly.

In the end, Lin Meinu would thank Mo Shu for his magnanimity and rescue, Sun Wan’er would avoid the embarrassment of exposing Lin Meinu, and Xiao Yao’s crew could smoothly continue filming.

Another triple win—Mo Shu couldn’t help but admire himself.

Even if other celebrities or staff realized the truth later, they would undoubtedly praise Mo Shu’s wit and generosity.

This was not merely a slap in the face; it was a slap that left the recipient feeling apologetic, comforted, respectful, even happy.

Sure enough, Lin Meinu could no longer hold back. Mo Shu’s kindness deeply moved her, and feelings of guilt and remorse gradually surfaced in her heart.

Lin Meinu’s manager gathered everyone on site, announcing that Lin Meinu had something to say.

“Everyone here is part of our crew, so I won’t hide anything. I want to start by apologizing to you all because of me, the program that should have started long ago has been delayed until now, wasting your precious time. I am truly, truly sorry!” Lin Meinu bowed deeply to everyone.

“Next, I want to apologize to one person. Because of my stubbornness, I not only wronged a good man but almost ruined his acting career.” She was referring to the incident of trying to oust Mo Shu, showing just how confident she still was.

“The person I’m talking about is Mo Shu. Yes, Mo Shu was right—Sun Wan’er did have experience in spy dramas, something I didn’t even know. But because of my ignorance, I harshly accused and wronged Mo Shu. I am deeply ashamed. I’m sorry, Mo Shu!” Lin Meinu’s emotions welled up, her eyes turning moist. Overwhelmed, she turned and bowed to Mo Shu again.

Mo Shu quickly bowed back in return; after all, she was a senior and deserved respect.

These celebrities hadn’t filmed much today, but their bows were plentiful.

“All right, since Lin Meinu has explained everything, my earlier fibs don’t count. But to keep you all quiet, dinner’s on me after tonight’s filming—no one dares ask for leave!” Xiao Yao seized the opportunity to clear his well-intentioned fib and strengthen the crew’s unity.