Chapter 26

Chapter 26: 026 – Banquet Invitation

The Jin Ying Awards banquet organizers hadn’t planned to invite Qiao Qing Yan in the first place.

Her work over the past few years had been bad—truly bad—and her reputation in the industry was hard to describe even for people paid to spin it.

Even though the film submitted for evaluation had real strength, the organizers still hadn’t intended to send her an invitation.

Elder Ji had pushed through objections anyway, insisting on his principles, insisting that Best Actress had to go to someone with real ability.

But even then, the organizers still didn’t plan to invite her to the banquet.

They were afraid she’d use it as a stage. Afraid she’d cause trouble and ruin the night.

After all, she had too many incidents like that on record.

No one expected that while everyone guarded against Qiao Qing Yan making a scene, she would announce her retirement right there at the awards ceremony.

She caught everyone completely off guard.

Then the hotel scandal reversed. The mud she’d been smeared with slid right off her shoulders, and she became the innocent victim instead.

Online, people started criticizing the Jin Ying Awards, claiming insider deals and bought judges. But the organizers knew very clearly there was no insider deal at all.

Even with Elder Ji’s support, Qiao Qing Yan’s performance in that film was plain for everyone to see.

After a night of build-up, the Jin Ying Awards’ attention soared higher than in previous years.

“Miss Qiao, hello.” The room phone rang just as Qiao Qing Yan finished lunch and started considering a nap. “There’s a ma’am downstairs looking for you. She says she’s Jin Ying Awards staff.”

Qiao Qing Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Very soon, the call transferred, and a different voice came through the receiver.

“Miss Qiao, hello. I’m Jin Ying Awards staff. My surname is Yang.” The woman sounded formal, careful. “I’m here to deliver an invitation. We sincerely invite you to attend tonight’s banquet.”

Qiao Qing Yan gave a lazy, indifferent hum. “Mm.”

“Leave the invitation at the front desk,” she said, voice warm with a languid ease that made it sound like she was doing them a favor. “I’ll go down and pick it up sometime.”

For a second, Staff Yang didn’t respond. Hearing that voice—lazy, soft, faintly charming—her heart jolted as if she’d been pushed.

When she snapped back to herself, she was already saying, “Yes, of course.”

She left the hotel.

Only after stepping outside did she realize what she’d done.

She’d actually listened to Qiao Qing Yan. She’d left such a valuable invitation at the front desk without even meeting her once.

Annoyed, Staff Yang smacked her own forehead, then called her supervisor, voice deflated.

“Sorry, boss. I messed it up.”

The person on the other end didn’t sound furious. “It’s fine. Delivering an invitation at the last minute is our fault. Not yours.”

He paused, tone shifting into calculation. “But at a time like this, if we don’t invite Qiao Qing Yan, it’ll look like we’re avoiding suspicion. The internet will start guessing again about insider deals and bought judges.”

He sighed. “Forget it. Come back first. I’ll arrange for someone else to go later. Someone with weight.”

Tonight’s banquet had to include Qiao Qing Yan. They didn’t want to be cursed for it.

Staff Yang lowered her head, still stubborn. “Boss… I don’t think it’s necessary.”

“Oh?” The supervisor sounded amused.

“I just have a feeling.” Staff Yang’s voice brightened, the devotion shameless. “Tonight, my goddess will definitely go.”

“If it were before, maybe,” the supervisor said, chuckling. “But your goddess announced her retirement last night. You still think she’ll go?”

Staff Yang didn’t hesitate. “Boss, I think last night my goddess was beautiful on a whole new level.”

A beat.

“Maybe tonight she’ll go.”

The supervisor laughed again and hung up, but even as he did, he started weighing names in his head.