"Who would dare challenge you? You're so influential you can take a nobody and, in just three years, bring her to the verge of being named Best Actress. Give yourself another three years, and she'll undoubtedly be famous worldwide."
Qin Jinhai snorted. "Announce your connection to Li Qing publicly tomorrow. Otherwise, I'll have my PR team handle it."
"You think you're in a position to negotiate terms with me?"
"So, in your eyes, I'm just a dog, huh? Is even barking twice a mistake?"
Without a glance at the other Qin family members, Qin Jinhai went straight upstairs.
As soon as he entered his room, someone outside locked the door.
The TV in the room turned on automatically.
The screen showed Fu Bing being bullied in prison.
Qin Jinhai picked up a stool and hurled it at the TV.
Cracks spiderwebbed out from the point of impact.
The screen flickered a few times before going completely dark.
However, the very next second, Fu Bing's screams echoed from every corner of the room.
They were piercing and desperate.
His face ashen, Qin Jinhai slammed his fist against the hard wall.
Qin Sheng watched the surveillance feed from Qin Jinhai's room. Seeing Qin Jinhai stand motionless for a long time, a satisfied smile touched Qin Sheng's lips.
"Why must you back him into a corner, forcing him to resist you?" Qin Jinmo asked.
"There can only be one master in the Qin family, and for this generation, it has to be you. As an abandoned son of the Qin family, being allowed to live is Qin Jinhai's greatest privilege. The more fiercely he resists, the better it will be for your future."
Li Yuan flinched as if the seat beneath her had burned her.
She got up and left quickly.
Qin Sheng's eyes were filled with coldness.
"Those destined for greatness must be ruthless."
Qin Sheng's gaze returned to Qin Jinhai in the room. "Qin Jinhai was once my most perfect heir. Unfortunately, he developed a weakness."
Anger flared in Qin Sheng's eyes.
Fu Bing destroyed his most satisfying work.
Serving another thirty years in prison wouldn't be enough to atone for her mistake!
Hearing this, a shadow passed over Qin Jinmo's eyes.
Qin Sheng's implication was clear: if Qin Jinhai hadn't been disobedient, Qin Jinmo wouldn't even qualify to be a pawn.
*
Fu Bing didn't bother with the online storm.
Her release from prison, the Best Actress award left vacant because of her... Either of these news items was enough to convulse the internet; she felt no need to pay attention.
After returning home and freshening up, she chatted with Xiaomei about the evening's events before taking a bath.
Xiaomei had been thrilled all night after seeing her on the awards ceremony live broadcast and had a million things to say. But, considering Fu Bing had been busy all day, Xiaomei thoughtfully held her tongue.
"Sis, fifty million suddenly appeared in my account. Is that from you?"
"I took on a project, and that's the payment from the client."
Usually, clients paid a 30% deposit before the design drafts were delivered. Qin Jinhai, on the other hand, had paid in full.
The thought of Qin Jinhai having seized her assets made her lungs ache with anger.
Seeing Fu Bing's exhaustion, Xiaomei gave her a massage.
She noticed faint pink marks on her neck.
Like... kiss marks...
Apart from Qin Jinhai, she couldn't think of anyone else.
Thinking of her sister's emotional investment in Qin Jinhai and the devastating outcome, she felt a pang of heartache.
"Sis, I know we need money, but I don't want you to debase yourself..." Xiaomei said, her voice trembling.
Fu Bing shook her head. "Don't overthink it; it's nothing. It's late, go get some rest. This coming week, many people will be contacting you about termination fees. You'll need to coordinate everything and distribute the funds reasonably. It'll be a bit tricky at first, but it's excellent experience and will help you grow."
"Mm-hm."
After her bath, Fu Bing sat at her desk to work on the design drafts.
In embroidery, aesthetics are just as important as craftsmanship.
There were plenty of skilled embroiderers. Masters with decades of experience produced flawless embroidery, yet their pieces often failed to sell well. The main reason was that their aesthetic sense was lacking.
Embroidery is an art form rich in Eastern character, with a wealth of traditional elements. Without flexible application, these elements can become a mere jumble, failing to impress and certainly not commanding high prices in the market. She could sell her embroidery for exorbitant prices precisely because her aesthetic resonated with Eastern sensibilities.
A wave of nausea washed over Fu Bing as she remembered she was designing wedding attire for Qin Jinhai and Li Qing. However, her professionalism wouldn't allow her to cut corners.
She drafted Qin Jinhai's design with ease. Despite her hatred for him, she remembered his preferences.
Qin Jinhai's appearance was flawless. He could wear a burlap sack and still be the most striking man on the street. Black and gold both suited him. His aura was powerful enough to carry off these two bold colors.
Li Qing…
Fu Bing still couldn't figure out why Qin Jinhai would take a fancy to Li Qing.
Li Qing was certainly innocent-looking, but definitely not Qin Jinhai's type.
What Qin Jinhai wanted was an equal.
Not some clinging vine, delicate and always needing support.
Even if wealthy families wanted someone 'sweet and innocent,' it was merely for show.
Certainly not a genuinely empty-headed fool.
Perhaps she had never truly understood Qin Jinhai; maybe he really did prefer women like Li Qing.
Irritably, Fu Bing snapped her design book shut.
She couldn't draw any longer…
「The next day.」
When Fu Bing came downstairs, Wu Shi was already waiting by the car.
Wu Shi noted the dark circles under Fu Bing's eyes with concern and pointed to his own.
"Are you asking if I didn't sleep well?"
Wu Shi nodded.
"I had nightmares all night," Fu Bing said offhandedly.
Even after leaving prison, nightmares still plagued her as soon as she fell asleep.
It was a deep-rooted fear.
She couldn't control it.
Wu Shi's body stiffened.
When Fu Bing opened the car door, she found him still staring at her, his eyes filled with worry.
Fu Bing smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."
Wu Shi typed on his phone for a bit and then handed it to her.
"You're out of prison. You can take revenge on those you want to."
Fu Bing stared at the line of text for a long while, then countered, "Are you going to help me?"
Wu Shi nodded.
"I haven't even figured out who my real enemies are yet. Rash revenge will only tip them off."
"Isn't it Qin Jinhai and Li Qing?"
"There are others besides them," Fu Bing stated coolly.
Call her blinded by Qin Jinhai's looks if you will, but she didn't believe he was the mastermind behind her imprisonment.
Unless her judgment of character was exceptionally poor.
Wu Shi typed another line and passed it to her.
"Is it because you can't let go of Qin Jinhai?"
"His face, I admit, is hard to let go of."
Wu Shi coughed discreetly a few times.
Fu Bing patted his back. "You're so serious. Can't you take a little teasing?"
Wu Shi glared at her.
Fu Bing flashed him a radiant smile, then applied some foundation in the car to cover the dark circles under her eyes.
"Feeling any better? Earlier, you looked like you had a storm cloud hanging over your head."
Wu Shi pursed his lips and stayed silent.
His eyes involuntarily followed her as she put on makeup.
Just a touch of makeup made her look vibrant and stunning.
Fu Bing didn't notice Wu Shi's gaze.
She said, "Look on the bright side. If someone hurts you, find your enemies and get your revenge, but don't throw your life away in the process. Life has so many wonderful things to experience."
Revenge, of course, she would take it.
The prerequisite was to figure out what exactly happened back then.
To investigate the past, she'd still have to deal with Qin Jinhai.
The mere thought gave her a headache.
"After you drop me at the film set, I need you to do something for me."