Bai Yin went to visit her grandmother in the recuperation center. Her grandmother had undergone surgery for a cerebral hemorrhage, and her condition was now preliminarily stable. However, she remained unconscious, and the doctors were unsure when she would wake up. Even if she did wake up, she might forget many things.
Bai Yin knelt by her grandmother's bedside, holding her hand, praying for the blessings of Buddha. She had nothing left but her grandmother, her only relative.
As she leaned on her grandmother's knee, Bai Yin fell asleep and dreamed of the plane trees in the courtyard of the Jiangnan town. Her grandmother was fanning her slowly, and she looked at the Huizhou-style buildings with white walls and black tiles in the distance.
When Bai Yin was seven, her mother died tragically, and her father remarried. The young Bai Yin was sent to live with her grandmother. The Bai family in Jiangnan was particularly famous in the southern region, thanks to her grandmother's superb embroidery skills.
Her grandmother had made cloth bags for the little girls in the town, designed patterns for luxury brands for celebrities, and even embroidered "The Ode to the Goddess of Luo" for the National Embroidery Arts Exhibition. Her skills were truly unparalleled.
Unfortunately, due to her mother's unfortunate death, her grandmother had cried for several months and her eyes had been damaged. She could no longer pick up a needle and thread to do meticulous embroidery. The Bai family had accumulated a considerable amount of wealth through her grandmother's skills, but they had all been lost due to the gambling debts of several unscrupulous uncles.
Bai Yin struggled to survive with her grandmother in the town. To make ends meet, she also began to learn her grandmother's embroidery skills and became quite proficient in creating good patterns. However, her grandmother hoped that Bai Yin would carry on her legacy, but Bai Yin's ambitions lay elsewhere.
When she was ten, Bai Yin saw a television program featuring Su Anning, her half-sister. Su Anning was dressed like a little girl in a New Year's painting, and she was extremely beautiful. She sang and danced on TV, and the spotlight shone on her fair and delicate face. She looked so happy.
Bai Yin looked at herself in the mirror, with two crooked braids and dirty clothes. Due to malnutrition, she was thin and small, and looked very shabby.
She clenched her fists.
From that day on, whenever she had free time, Bai Yin would run to the town's art troupe to watch the girls dance and learn their moves. She also sang along with the TV, singing pop, rock, Cantonese, and English songs.
Next door to her grandmother's house lived an old man named Chen who loved to fish. He often fished under the ancient bridge in the town.
Whenever Bai Yin heard someone singing on the bridge, she would come over and offer to help, "Grandpa, let me dig for worms and catch some fish for you."
Grandpa Chen didn't mind and accepted her offer, "Sure, little girl. You can help me out."
Bai Yin obediently dug up a box full of worms and presented them to him, asking, "Grandpa Chen, why do you come here to fish every day?"
"Because I need to eat," Grandpa Chen replied with a chuckle.
"Then your family must be very poor, unable to afford to buy fish. You have to catch them yourself, or else you'll go hungry," Bai Yin said with concern.
Grandpa Chen laughed heartily, "Yes, I'm poor. If I can't catch any fish, then I'll have to go hungry. Now, hurry and dig up some more worms for me."
"I'll dig up worms for you, but you have to pay me! I never work for free," Bai Yin said defiantly.
Grandpa Chen looked at her innocent face and smiled, "Tell me, what do you want the most?"
"I want to become famous! I don't want to be bullied anymore. I want to make those who bullied me stay far away from me," Bai Yin said resolutely.
Grandpa Chen chuckled, "You have big ambitions. I like your spirit. You remind me of my grandson. But I can't make you a star. You have to work hard and earn it yourself."
Bai Yin pouted, "So, you're still making me work for you."
"As long as you dig up worms for me, I'll give you the fish I catch today, and you won't have to eat plain steamed buns every day," Grandpa Chen promised.
"Really?" Bai Yin's eyes lit up. "I want to make fish soup for my grandma."
"Then dig up a full box of worms for me first," Grandpa Chen said with a smile.
For years, Bai Yin dug up worms for Grandpa Chen, and he would occasionally give her a few fish.
Those were truly tough times.
But with the kind help of Grandpa Chen next door, Bai Yin persevered and grew up like a resilient little plant, breaking through the dark soil and reaching for the sunlight.
As an adult, Bai Yin transformed herself.
She wanted to protect her only relative, her grandmother. She wanted her to see how she avenged her mother and how she lived a dignified life, becoming the happiest person in the world.
...
Three days later, at the banquet, Bai Yin finally saw Chen Huaixiao.
He was wearing a sleek, bespoke suit, his face as cool as a snowy mountain, with lips slightly curved.
He held a tall wine glass and nodded in her direction, as if intentionally provoking her.
Bai Yin noticed the black obsidian earring she had given him years ago on his left earlobe.
He must have deliberately worn it to irritate her.
Bai Yin turned her back and rolled her eyes.
Oddly enough, Su Anning hadn't shown up yet.
In the past, at events like this, Su Anning would always be socializing like a butterfly, fluttering around.
At this moment, Chen Huaixiao has arrived, but Bai Yin is nowhere to be found. This is unusual, and Bai Yin suspects that something is amiss.
Fortunately, Bai Yin has a backup plan. She calls her best friend from college, Sun Lili.
Sun Lili is a wealthy heiress who dreams of becoming a top talent agent. She knows everything about the entertainment industry and is willing to help Bai Yin for free to help elevate her own status and impress her family.
"Xiaoyin, I'm glad you had me keep an eye on Su Anning. You won't believe what she's up to!" Sun Lili says.
Bai Yin knows that Sun Lili must have some information to share. "What did you find out?" she asks.
"I saw her enter room 3304 in the Suk Hotel," Sun Lili reveals.
The celebrity banquet is being held on the second floor of the Suk Hotel's banquet hall, so it's not unusual for someone to go upstairs to rest. However, it's strange that Su Anning has access to Chen Huaixiao's room.
Bai Yin is surprised to learn that Chen Huaixiao is the one who booked the room. Does this mean that they are secretly involved with each other?
"Don't get the wrong idea," Sun Lili cautions. "Chen Huaixiao has a poor tolerance for alcohol and often asks his assistants to book a room for him when he attends banquets. It's just that this time, Su Anning managed to get hold of his hotel key card."
Bai Yin understands. The Suk Hotel is owned by the Su family, and with the support of her mother, Zou Meizhi, Su Anning must have used her connections to gain access to Chen Huaixiao's room.
"But even if she's in his room, what can she do if he doesn't cooperate?" Sun Lili wonders.
"Just being alone together is enough," Bai Yin says coldly. "There are many big names in the entertainment industry at this banquet, as well as many media people. If a scandal breaks out, it will be a huge blow to Chen Huaixiao's reputation."
Bai Yin realizes that Zou Meizhi has a plan in place for such a scenario. If anything happens between Chen Huaixiao and Su Anning, Su Anning can use her fame and the power of the media to force him into a marriage.
"Even if Chen Huaixiao doesn't touch her, Zou Meizhi can still bring a group of entertainment reporters to the door and make it look like they were together," Bai Yin notes. "Chen Huaixiao won't be able to defend himself."
Sun Lili asks if Bai Yin wants to get involved, but Bai Yin believes that Chen Huaixiao is too smart to be taken advantage of by Su Anning. She also knows that he has a reputation for being ruthless and cunning in the entertainment industry.
"He doesn't need my help. Su Anning won't get anything from him," Bai Yin says confidently.
Sun Lili agrees. "You're right. Chen Huaixiao has been using his wits to climb to the top of the entertainment industry for years. Su Anning's little tricks won't work on him."
Chen Huaixiao is no longer the same person he was in college, and Bai Yin and Sun Lili know better than to underestimate him.
That night, Chen Huaixiao "teased" Bai Yin, with a hint of panic in his eyes, and promised her something.
But the current Chen Huaixiao is ruthless and fierce, and no one can take advantage of him if he doesn't want it.
So no matter what Su Anning does, the outcome is destined to be a "loss".
...
Bai Yin stood by the French windows, swaying her wine glass, watching the spectacle calmly.
As the neon lights came on, they shone on her fair face, revealing a hint of enchanting crimson.
Chen Huaixiao stood far away at the other end of the banquet hall, chatting with people, and his indifferent gaze occasionally glanced at her.
In those years, Bai Yin was like a shadow, faintly reflected in his heart, not hurting, but impossible to erase.
But now, filled with hatred, Bai Yin's glamorous and seductive aura has gone to the opposite extreme.
Driven to the extreme, Chen Huaixiao was irritated.
Bai Yin's beauty not only attracted Chen Huaixiao's attention, but also that of other men. One man approached her and started chatting.
Sun Lili, who was secretly observing, immediately messaged Bai Yin, "The man talking to you is Xu Yin, the producer of 'Ni Chang.' You've always wanted to be a dancer in 'Ni Chang,' so get to know him, it can't hurt."
Bai Yin lifted her wine glass and smiled, "Shall we toast to Xu the producer?"
"Do you know me?" Xu Yin asked.
"'Ni Chang' is a big IP, and I really like it," Bai Yin replied.
"Then we have something in common."
...
After Bai Yin finished chatting with Xu Yin and looked back at Chen Huaixiao, he was nowhere to be seen.
"How long ago did he leave?" she messaged Sun Lili.
"About fifteen minutes ago," Sun Lili replied. "I saw him enter the elevator, and he didn't look too good. He probably went back to his room to rest."
"Okay," Bai Yin put down her phone and stood by the French windows, looking at the high-rise buildings and neon lights outside.
Sun Lili warned her, "You'd better not get involved. There are too many media reporters here. If there's a scene where sisters fight over a man, your reputation will be ruined before you even enter the entertainment industry. Su Anning's crazy fans and Chen Huaixiao's fans will all turn their guns on you! Your chance of marrying into a wealthy family will be lost."
"I know," Bai Yin replied.
She wouldn't get involved. With Chen Huaixiao's power, he could completely handle it himself. But her reputation would suffer.
If she got involved and things went wrong, she couldn't handle the consequences.
...
Bai Yin swayed her glass of red wine, looking at the neon lights outside.
Her mind was a bit drunk, and the flashbacks were all from that exciting night years ago.
In her four years of college, in the media department where handsome guys were abundant, she also wore a nonchalant mask and dated many boys, many of whom are now popular male stars.
Their common feature was that they all looked like Chen Huaixiao, especially with his enticing peach blossom eyes and slightly upturned cool lips.
They all resembled him, but none of them were him.
A few minutes later, as if determined, Bai Yin finished her drink and strode out of the hotel, heading straight into the opposite Emperor Holiday Hotel. She used her ID to get a room and then called Chen Huaixiao.
But before she could dial his number, Sun Lili's urgent voice came through on the phone: "Bai Yin, what are you doing? Don't do anything rash!"
Bai Yin, standing with her back against the wall and clutching her room key, had a hint of drunkenness in her eyes.
"If I want to sleep with him, it's not like Su Anning has any say in it."
