The Abusive Novel System Pleads with Me to Resign-Chapter 56

Yu Ting fell silent. For a moment, he found himself at a loss for words to refute such shameless accusations.

After struggling for a long time, he could only muster one sentence: "I didn’t add scenes just because it looked cute."

Shen Ying raised an eyebrow. "Then why?"

Yu Ting straightened his neck and declared righteously, "Of course, it’s because of its professional attitude and passion for acting."

Shen Ying immediately feigned heartbreak. "So this is how you exploit someone’s dreams and passion? Dangling their hopes to force them into submission?"

Yu Ting: "I wasn’t just dangling hope—there were also dozens of premium cat cans involved. Otherwise, would it even get on the bed?"

Realizing how that sounded, Yu Ting grew flustered. "Wait, no—I was just playing with a cat. You make it sound like if this got out, I’d be ruined overnight."

"Who’s the gossip feeding you this nonsense?"

"The Director," Shen Ying promptly sold him out.

Yu Ting laughed in exasperation. "He has time for that? I don’t drag out the schedule, don’t stir up trouble, don’t act like a diva—so all the time I save him goes into gossiping?"

But after Shen Ying’s relentless teasing, Yu Ting’s anxiety about the shoot had mostly dissipated.

The tension that had been weighing on him since morning gradually eased, leaving him looking a little pitiful and dejected.

Seeing this, Shen Ying knew it was time to get to work. "What’s the problem?"

Yu Ting scoffed. "Don’t you already know everything?"

Shen Ying: "The Director and the others just enthusiastically report your daily activities to me. Since I borrowed your and President Pei’s influence to get into the crew, I can’t exactly undermine my own credibility."

"I just awkwardly humor them—it’s not like I’m actively digging for info on you."

Yu Ting: "Yeah, right."

Shen Ying didn’t press further. "Go on, what’s the issue?"

"My consulting services cover a wide range, not just relationship advice. Maybe I can help with your problem."

"Of course, the payment has to be worth it."

Yu Ting gave her a skeptical look. "How? Another round of ‘psychological electroshock therapy’?"

But despite his words, after a moment of hesitation, Yu Ting still explained the issue to Shen Ying.

The scene he was filming today involved the protagonist’s body being taken over by his own soul from the future.

Though the two souls belonged to the same person at different stages of life, centuries of time had completely transformed him.

The future protagonist was no longer the righteous cultivator who sought to restore his sect and protect the world.

Instead, he had become a cold, ruthless demon lord—someone who saw mortals as ants, wielded terrifying power, and delighted in manipulating the entire cultivation world.

The same soul, yet two starkly different personas, both expressed through the same body.

The confrontation between past and future, the hidden yet frenzied battle of souls within the flesh—it was an immense test of acting skill.

Yu Ting: "At first, the future soul dominates."

The moment this powerful, centuries-old soul awakens in its younger body is one of the film’s most pivotal scenes.

In fact, this moment is one of the core performances that would define the entire movie.

Yu Ting: "The producer says it’s fine, the Director thinks it’s passable, but—"

Shen Ying: "But you know that if you don’t want to just be another nominee filling a seat, ‘passable’ isn’t enough."

The Director and producer had to consider the film as a whole. This project was meticulously crafted—from the special effects team to the narrative structure, even the costume design (which Yu Ting had helped refine) and the soundtrack—all aimed for excellence.

As long as the film met the submission deadline, it was bound to make waves during awards season.

Their focus was on the overall quality. While Best Actor was important, Best Picture was their priority.

But for Yu Ting, the two awards held the opposite weight.

Not that he didn’t care about the other—the two categories complemented each other—but naturally, their perspectives differed.

Yu Ting’s struggle with this scene was holding up production. Once the Director was satisfied with the take, he wouldn’t let Yu Ting waste more time chasing perfection.

Time was running out.

Yu Ting had prepared extensively for this role. Before joining the crew, he had done his homework—visiting elders who held power and influence, volunteering among the elderly, observing souls shaped by age, experience, achievement, hardship.

All to portray a centuries-old soul in a youthful body.

Yet something always felt missing.

Yu Ting glanced at Shen Ying, who was driving.

At this point, he’d already embarrassed himself in front of her enough times—what was one more?

"I tried blending and mimicking the demeanor of elderly people, but it never felt right."

"The future me is old but not frail. His soul has endured devastation, even shattered and reformed, but as a cultivator, he remains youthful despite his age."

"His weariness shouldn’t carry the resignation of a decaying body, nor the urgency or acceptance of battling time. Instead, it’s the endless boredom and fatigue of someone who’s already attained everything—something none of the elders I observed could convey."

"Not even the most powerful ones," Yu Ting emphasized.

He knew his own life experience wasn’t enough to perfectly capture that kind of performance.

With a deep sigh, he stubbornly added, "I don’t just want praise for ‘portraying two distinct personalities.’ I want the raw, shocking impact of a centuries-old soul taking over a body."

Otherwise, with so many actors delivering brilliant dual-personality performances, why should he win?

Then he laughed at himself. "What am I saying? How can I perfect something that doesn’t even exist in reality through imagination alone?"

But just as the words left his mouth, Shen Ying spoke: "You mean like this?"

Yu Ting turned to her absentmindedly—but the moment he did, his entire being trembled with excitement.

"Yes! Exactly! That’s it!"

Their car was stopped at a red light—a long one, ninety seconds—giving Yu Ting ample time to study her.

She was the same person, yet completely different. He still remembered her sly wit from just minutes ago, the way she’d riled him up, the remnants of that agitation still lingering.

But now, Shen Ying exuded an intangible aura—not the cultivated elegance of wealth and refinement, but something deeper, more enigmatic.

As if she carried centuries of weight, yet her vitality showed no signs of fading. Only the languid indifference of someone who had long since satisfied every desire.

Yu Ting was stunned. This was exactly what he needed.

Without hesitation, he demanded, "Teach me!"

Shen Ying nodded. "Sure. Place your order."

"Done!" He didn’t even think to bargain.

Once the payment was settled, Shen Ying got straight to work.

Yu Ting immediately turned the car around and drove straight toward the city center—

After getting out of the car, he went all out with his disguise—hat, sunglasses, and mask—not daring to cut any corners.

Once properly concealed, Shen Ying led him into a roadside café, where they took a seat by the window with a view of the bustling square outside.

After ordering coffee and desserts, she began analyzing Yu Ting’s problem—

"To recapture that feeling, you need to meet three conditions."

"First, patient observation and relentless imitation and refinement—something you already possess, so we’ll skip that."

"Second, the composure that comes from profound wisdom and experience, that sense of power where everything is under your control. Not the kind of power your accomplished elders wield, but a power that transcends worldly concerns—money, ethics, even laws."

Yu Ting nodded. A personality from the future would indeed stand above all things, so this made sense.

Then ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‍Shen Ying continued, "Words alone won’t make you understand, so just this once, I’ll share it with you."

Yu Ting: "??? Share—?"

He had no idea what she meant, but Shen Ying just smiled. "You were born into privilege. Manipulating someone’s fate isn’t hard for you, but it still has to be done within the rules, through indirect means."

She looked at him, and for a split second, her gaze sent a chill down his spine—

"Want to experience what it’s like to decide life and death with just a flick of your fingers?"

At that moment, Yu Ting thought Shen Ying was the real acting genius—because he felt like he was talking to a serial killer.

Yet despite knowing how absurd it was, an indescribable feeling rose in his chest. "How?"

Shen Ying: "Right here, right now."

She turned to the window, scanning the crowd outside before locking onto a target.

She tilted her chin toward the man. "Two o’clock direction. Black shirt, gray pants, holding a cigarette, on the phone."

"Let’s play an observation game. First, guess his age."

Though confused, Yu Ting looked over, focusing for a moment before answering, "Between 40 and 45."

Shen Ying shook her head. "More precise."

Suppressing his doubts, Yu Ting scrutinized the man again, this time examining every detail—

"42 to 43. That’s the range." He sounded confident. "I once played a forensic examiner and shadowed some top professionals for the role."

"My mentors could deduce a person’s height, build, age, even subtle bone conditions just from a footprint."

"I’m nowhere near their level, but this guy isn’t wearing makeup, doesn’t have signs of extreme fatigue or a high-stress job, and hasn’t had cosmetic procedures. My guess won’t be wrong."

Shen Ying nodded approvingly. "Correct. He’s 42, just celebrated his birthday last week."

Yu Ting was about to gloat when her last sentence threw him off. "How do you know his exact birthday?"

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Shen Ying: "There are many ways to deduce it. His life is more than halfway over—his body bears the marks of fate. Well, it was halfway over. He won’t make it past today."

"Back to the point. The most recent mark on him is a large scabbed scrape from his cheek to behind his ear, with matching injuries on his arm—clearly from a minor car accident."

Yu Ting agreed; he’d noticed the scrape too.

Shen Ying: "Based on the depth and healing stage, the crash happened last month, during the Ding-Si month. The Yin-Si-Shen earthly branches clash, forming a calamity trigram—that’s how I pinpointed his birth chart."

Yu Ting blinked. "Wait, when did you start sounding like a fortune teller from under a bridge?"

Shen Ying chuckled. "Don’t worry if you don’t get it. Explaining without a foundation would take too long. Just follow the logic."

"Next, guess his profession."

Though annoyed, Yu Ting obeyed, studying the man again.

He analyzed slowly, "Messy hair and beard, no signs of regular grooming. His posture and gait are sloppy, even sleazy. And judging by the reactions of women passing him, his body odor is strong—he clearly neglects hygiene."

"He seems completely unrestrained, with no trace of workplace discipline or social adaptation. Probably unemployed or self-employed."

"Despite his disheveled appearance, his clothes and shoes aren’t cheap. He’s wearing a gold chain and a watch worth tens of thousands. He hasn’t been flaunting them in the crowd but keeps checking their condition—likely real."

"His financial situation seems stable. During his call, he keeps glancing toward XX Tower, which houses a lot of shady businesses—places that often get raided. He even accepts and inspects those adult service flyers handed out on the street, suggesting he frequents such establishments."

Yu Ting concluded, "This guy’s in some kind of sleazy, probably illegal line of work."

Shen Ying praised, "Not bad. A bit rough around the edges, but close to the truth."

She’d always known he wasn’t stupid—he just reserved his intelligence for what mattered, making him seem like an airhead otherwise.

She pressed, "Now guess the specifics."

Though baffled by this impromptu test, Yu Ting was enjoying the rare chance to showcase his sharp observational skills.

He continued, "Most likely a thief."

"Even in broad daylight in a crowded square, he stays alert—rarely lifting his head to show his face. His eyes instinctively dart to valuables on passersby, and his fingers keep fidgeting subtly, a clear occupational habit. The way he flips the flyer before pocketing it shows dexterity."

Shen Ying’s approval deepened. "Partial credit. Keep going."

Yu Ting thought, then ventured, "Scamming? No solid evidence, just a hunch."

To his surprise, Shen Ying confirmed it. "Another correct guess. Anything else?"

Yu Ting shrugged. "I could list more, but it’d be pure speculation. Based on what I’ve observed, those two are it."

"What did I miss?"

Shen Ying smiled. "Plenty. His biggest income source—home invasion robbery, home invasion rape."

"Even the jewelry he’s wearing now? Spoils of his crimes."

Her gaze fixed on the man’s chain and watch.

Yu Ting shot to his feet. "You’re joking, right?"

"Though this guy clearly looks shady, let’s not throw around accusations like murder and rape without evidence."

Shen Ying gazed at him with a profound intensity: "Have I ever wronged an innocent person?"

Yu Ting’s mind reeled—

No.

Aside from being a bit unscrupulous toward the four of them, based on Yu Ting’s observations, she was actually a rather decent and considerate person.

Many small details proved it. Back when she stabbed him, indirectly causing the film crew to work two extra hours—something no one else would’ve noticed and wasn’t even her direct responsibility—she still dug into her own pocket to compensate them.

That time she tricked him into going to the club, leading to him being mistaken for a male escort, she also stopped him from holding the new manager accountable.

Shen Ying held a fair amount of empathy and kindness toward strangers. She wouldn’t maliciously slander someone without reason, even if they’d never know.

So Yu Ting’s expression darkened. "How do you know this? Do you have proof? Should we call the police now? What if he disappears before we can stop him?"

But then Shen Ying said something that sent a chill down Yu Ting’s spine—

"Disappear? No. There’s no way he’s getting away today."

"More importantly, are you ready? Ready to play the Demon Lord, deciding a man’s fate with a single gesture?"