b

Ling Buyi recalled just how worried she had been when Xu Jing's assistant showed up at her house. The fear gripped her so tightly that her heart nearly stopped. Her mother had been congratulating her on the live show, telling her how well she had handled everything, but Ling Buyi could hardly hear any of it. She had felt a sense of dread creeping in, something unshakable.

Thirty minutes ago…

Ling Buyi had just walked into her home, the one she now shared with her parents after taking it back from Yuan Fei and his family. Her mother, Madam Chen, was sitting on the couch, watching a rerun of the live interview that had just aired, still glowing with pride. The moment Ling Buyi entered, her mother looked up with a proud smile.

"You were fantastic, my dear," Madam Chen said, rising from her seat to embrace her daughter. "The fans love you, as always."