In Qingqian Baby's livestream, Zhou Yuqing was putting on a tearful performance for the camera:
"Everyone, I'm so wronged… Those spreading rumors don't know the truth at all…" She delicately dabbed at her eyes with a tissue, careful not to smudge her meticulously applied makeup. "I'm just a girl chasing her dreams. Why do I have to endure so much hate?"
The comments scrolled rapidly:
「Hugs for Qingqian baby, the antis are disgusting!」
「Homewrecker still playing victim?」
「Get out of the stream if you're just here to hate!」
「No matter what, Qingqian is the prettiest!」
I scoffed and clicked into her profile. 980,000 followers—200,000 more than before the scandal broke. Of course. In this era where clout is king, even infamy is fame.
"Zhou Yuqing, just because I exchanged a few words with Lin Xuyan, you couldn't sit still, huh?" I muttered before exiting the stream. I didn't need to guess who was behind the hit-and-run rumor—after she and Lin Xuyan left that day, they must've had a fiery argument.
My phone buzzed. Candy texted:「Saw the hot search? Mr Fang is so cool! Legal team held a press conference—all those rumor accounts got nuked!」
At the end of the hallway, shrill cursing and the sound of shattering objects echoed. I slowed my steps, stopping just around the corner. Zhou Yuqing's dressing room door was ajar, revealing the scene inside—
"Useless! All of you!" She hurled a bottle of foundation at the wall, splattering milky liquid everywhere. "What do you mean 'CEO Fang personally stepped in'? What's their relationship?!"
Her assistant cowered in the corner. "I-I don't know… I just heard from PR…"
Zhou Yuqing whirled around, her flawless face twisted in rage. "That idiot Lin Xuyan is one thing, but now even Fang Yichen—"
I quietly stepped back, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping. Then, her icy voice slithered through the crack in the door:
"Acting all high and mighty, but she probably just slept her way to the top…"
So it was her.
Zhou Yuqing, I'll wait for you to hit a million followers.
Because I want you to learn what it means to climb high only to fall harder.
After the shoot, I didn't go home. Instead, I stood in front of the villa I had lived in for three years in my past life. Every tree, every blade of grass was etched into my bones—the French plane tree Lin Xuyan and I planted together, the European-style streetlamp we installed on our anniversary.
The familiar rumble of an engine approached. A black BMW rolled to a stop. I adjusted my expression, letting a perfectly timed look of surprise cross my face as the car parked.
"Ms. Nan Zhi?" Lin Xuyan nearly tripped getting out of the car. "You… here to see a friend again?"
I shook my head lightly, my hair swaying in the evening breeze. "No, I came to see you." I took a step forward, letting the streetlamp light wash over my face. "Last time, we didn't get to talk properly before CEO Fang interrupted us." I deliberately bit my lower lip. "We didn't even exchange contacts."
Lin Xuyan's eyes lit up instantly, his Adam's apple bobbing. "O-Oh. Right." He fumbled for his phone. "Should I scan you?"
"Sure." I unlocked my phone, deliberately letting my fingertips brush against his knuckles. The tiny contact made him freeze for a second.
After adding me, his gaze lingered on my face. "So… would you like to come up? I just bought a nice bottle of red…"
I pretended to hesitate for three seconds, then smiled. "Then I'll trouble you."
Lin Xuyan looked thrilled, eagerly leading the way. As we stepped into the elevator, a familiar cologne hit my nose—the same one I bought him in my past life.
Mid-ride, his phone rang abruptly. The screen flashed: "Yuqing." He frowned, his thumb hovering over the decline button.
"Something wrong?" I tilted my head, feigning concern.
"No, no!" He swiftly rejected the call. "Just… work stuff."
The moment he hung up, it rang again. Lin Xuyan clicked his tongue in annoyance, this time opening WeChat to reply:
「Working late. Talk later.」
After sending it, he muted his phone entirely, giving me an awkward smile. "Sorry, busy with projects lately."
"I understand." I said softly, but inside, I was sneering—just like before, using "working late" as an excuse while sneaking around with Zhou Yuqing.
The elevator dinged at the top floor. His hands shook slightly as he fumbled with the keys, missing the lock twice before finally opening the door.
Meanwhile, Zhou Yuqing sat fuming in her car, staring at the location tracker on her phone—Lin Xuyan's dot was clearly at home, yet he'd told her he was working late?
"Lin Xuyan," she hissed, starting the engine with a jerk, "you'd better have a damn good explanation."