Chapter 13

Chapter 13: 013: Exactly As they Wanted

Soft music drifted through the hall as the lights dimmed. Voices lowered. The ceremony settled into its scripted calm.

The hosts stepped onto the stage—one man, one woman, both seasoned enough to make charm look effortless.

“Welcome, everyone, to the 35th Jin Ying Awards. I am your host…”

A popular male idol sang the opening number. His voice was clear and bright, the kind that smoothed over nerves and made people forget, for a moment, that the room was full of knives.

Qiao Qing Yan lifted her head occasionally when someone spoke onstage, eyes half-lidded, looking almost bored.

That was what everyone else saw.

In truth, she was watching the storm online through the system’s feed, finger tapping the screen with quiet precision.

Ever since Xu Shu Jing started stirring trouble at the signing desk, Qiao Qing Yan had known it wouldn’t end cleanly.

And she’d been right.

[master, your online reputation is getting worse. Everyone’s decided you set Director Liu up with a honey trap.]

[You’re completely the villain now. Everyone wants you to quit showbiz and stop poisoning the entertainment industry.]

[If this keeps going, the mission difficulty will increase.]

Qiao Qing Yan’s lips curved slightly.

“Then let them have what they want.”

The smile on her face made it impossible to tell whether she meant it.

The system hesitated, as if it didn’t believe what it heard.

[master, what did you say?]

Qiao Qing Yan didn’t answer.

She already understood the shape of the game.

Wu Lan wouldn’t let an opportunity like this slip by. The company had wanted to use this moment to raise Xu Shu Jing’s status from the start.

If Xu Shu Jing could climb by stepping on her, why wouldn’t the company applaud?

It was a pity, though—

Their wishful thinking was about to—

[master, you have a new message.]

Her phone vibrated.

An unfamiliar number lit up her screen. And yet, it tugged at memory.

She’d seen it on a business card.

Madam Wang.

The message contained only a few words.

“Have you thought it through?”

Qiao Qing Yan’s thumb hovered, then she locked the screen. No reply.

By then, the ceremony had moved past the halfway point.

“Now, let us announce the winner of Best Film…”

“It is…”

“Lifeless World. Let us congratulate Director Liu…”

The spotlight jumped over Qiao Qing Yan and landed on the seat beside her.

Director Liu rose, accepted congratulatory embraces, and strode toward the stage with the satisfied confidence of a man who believed the world still belonged to him.

As he passed Qiao Qing Yan, he gave her a look—half a warning, half a sneer, like he was savoring her position.

When he disappeared into the light, Xu Shu Jing leaned over, voice soft enough to sound kind.

“What a pity. That award should’ve belonged to Director Wu Zhong Ping.”

She sighed delicately.

“Sister Qing Yan, don’t you think it’s a pity? Look at Director Wu… he looks so worn down.”

To anyone watching, it looked like comfort.

To anyone paying attention, it was bait.

Qiao Qing Yan felt a resentful stare burning into her from across the seats.

She didn’t need to search long.

A middle-aged man—about 40—was watching her with an expression tangled in resentment, regret, and frustration.

Wu Zhong Ping.

From the moment Lifeless World had been announced, his gaze had locked onto her as if she were the reason he’d lost.