Lan Yening sat silently beside her, scrolling through his phone with an indifferent expression.
To him, everything that had happened over the past few days was nothing more than a re transaction.
He felt no joy, not even at the most critical mont; everything afterwards was just calm and uneventful.
He had closely followed everything about Yuwei, including the various "short essays" about the incident circulating on platforms like Pocket and forums.
In the narratives spun by those people, Yuwei had beco the most shaless, venomous, and manipulative woman in the world.
At the sa ti, fans angrily criticized the company’s inaction, cursing out Old Mu and Shen Xing relentlessly.
So extre fans even bought funeral wreaths, attaching Yuwei’s photo like a morial, and sent them over.
But oddly enough, none of the girls in Pocket ntioned the incident.
It was as though this public relations storm, which had stirred up a massive vortex, had never happened at all.
Lan Yening’s heart was filled with countless questions as he worried anxiously about Yuwei, eager to know what his "idol" was doing now.
But after hesitating for a long ti, he still couldn’t bring himself to send her a ssage.
The plight he had experienced during this ti made him realize that only by becoming stronger himself could he truly attain what he desired.
"Xiao Ning, let’s go out this afternoon! I’ll help you pick out a car." Zhang Shuya’s voice ca lazily, tinged with weariness and magnetism.
"Thank you, Sister Zhang, but I don’t know how to drive," Lan Yening replied without even looking up.
"If you don’t know how, you can learn! A man needs a good car to go places."
"Then I’ll wait until I learn how to drive."
Seeing Lan Yening’s aloof deanor, Zhang Shuya imdiately felt a flash of irritation.
But she couldn’t bring herself to get angry at her own little "puppy."
"Then co with to get my hair done! And while we’re at it, you can get so grooming too."
"Sure, Sister Zhang," Lan Yening nodded before continuing, "Sister Zhang, I want to find a more professional teacher to really work on my singing."
"...Why? Are you thinking about joining so show now?"
"No, I don’t have any skills right now, so there’s no point in joining any show! I just want to learn sothing."
"Haha! Nowadays, celebrities survive on their looks. I’ll handle your marketing."
Zhang Shuya assud this was Lan Yening’s way of trying to ask for sothing in return after catering to her needs.
Which worked perfectly fine for her—so long as he had sothing to ask of her, she could keep holding onto him tightly.
Yuwei, dragging her suitcase, was just about to step into the waiting lounge when Wu Jingxiang suddenly appeared in her view.
"Yuwei, what’s this? Are you leaving the city?"
"Teacher Wu!"
Yuwei didn’t answer. From her teacher, she felt a terrifying presence that unsettled her deeply.
"Let’s find a place to sit," Wu Jingxiang said with an elegant smile.
"Alright," Yuwei hesitated for a mont but did not refuse.
She had rushed straight to the airport after leaving the center in an attempt to escape Wu Jingxiang.
She knew that this woman—or rather, this man—was not soone who would let her go easily.
The two of them went to the airport café and sat down face to face.
"Yuwei, what did Yu Manting say to you?"
"...How do you know that? Are you watching ?"
Wu Jingxiang sighed, her eyes reflecting disappointnt and sorrow.
"Yuwei, do you really believe what she told you? Do you think I would harm you?"
"Teacher Wu, I just want so ti to rest. Too much has happened lately."
"If you want peace and quiet, I can help you find a place."
Wu Jingxiang’s words sent a chill through Yuwei’s heart, but she quickly kept her emotions in check.
"Thank you, Teacher Wu, but I have sowhere to go."
"Yuwei, it seems you still don’t trust . Has Yu Manting brainwashed you?"
"This has nothing to do with Manting. She doesn’t even know about our relationship. This is my own choice."
"Heh! Yuwei, have you now learned to lie to your teacher too?" Wu Jingxiang sneered coldly, her dark eyes brimming with suppressed rage.
Looking at her teacher, Yuwei felt a pang of guilt and chose to remain silently seated.
"I know everything about Yu Manting. She’s only trying to sar in order to have you for herself."
"Yuwei, co with . I can give you everything you want."
Wu Jingxiang’s eyes burned with passion, yearning, and tenderness.
In that mont, Yuwei’s resolve wavered. She wasn’t doubting what Manting had told her.
Instead, she began to wonder: were those missing girls only after Teacher Wu’s money?
After they got the money and wanted to betray her, didn’t that an they deserved it?
But the bond she shared with Teacher Wu—wasn’t it true affection?
Even if this person wasn’t fully a man or a woman,
It didn’t matter. Love was supposed to transcend all boundaries.
Just as she was about to relent and agree to Wu Jingxiang’s request, her phone screen lit up.
Yu Manting had sent her two pictures: surveillance stills of Director Ma and Wu Jingxiang entering the sa café, with the tistamps circled in red.
Yuwei’s mind buzzed. Her entire body broke out in goosebumps, and a chilling dread overwheld her.
"Teacher Wu, are you close with Director Ma?"
"...Yuwei, let explain. It’s just a professional connection between us."
"Teacher Wu, do you know? I’ve always regarded you as the closest person to . Even though I was afraid, I refused to believe those things. But now..."
Yuwei let out a bitter laugh, her eyes glistening with tears as she stood and turned to leave.
Wu Jingxiang watched her silhouette fade away, her pupils constricting abruptly, a dark, seething fury flashing across her gaze.
"Yuwei, you are mine. Don’t ever think you can escape the palm of my hand," Wu Jingxiang hissed through clenched teeth, her voice oozing malice.
"Wu Hao, investigate Yu Manting’s recent activities. I want every detail."
"Cousin, Yu Manting is not soone we can ss with. Is it really worth it to do all this just for Yuwei?" Wu Hao’s anxious voice ca through the phone, clearly worried about being implicated himself.
"I know what I’m doing. Just carry out my orders," Wu Jingxiang said icily.
Wu Hao wanted to keep persuading her but knew it would be futile. He could only say, "Fine. But cousin, if you truly care about Yuwei, I could..."
"I’ve said it before—I will make her willingly fall into my arms," Wu Jingxiang cut him off, ending the call, her gaze growing ever colder.
On the plane, Yuwei stared out at the ground slowly disappearing from view, her heart filled with lancholy and desolation.
Everything beautiful had turned out to be nothing but a fragile illusion. Once burst, only a horrifying ugliness was revealed. Human nature was utterly unpredictable.
The plane’s intercom softly played the song "Ti Cooks Rain."
The lody stirred Yuwei’s emotions, and she couldn’t help but cover her face with her hands, burying herself into the seat, motionless.
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