Later that evening, Bai Zhi received a message.
Unknown Number:
[Don't trust Chen Yuxuan. He's meeting Bai Meilin again tonight. Location: Eastview Lounge. 8 PM.]
She stared at it.
No name. No sender. Just a blunt warning.
She knew better than to act on unverified tips. But the pieces were falling into place too neatly.
She'd seen how Meilin looked at Chen Yuxuan. The casual touches. The way she used "Ah-Yuxuan" like it was a private joke. And she knew Meilin well enough to know the girl didn't waste time on things she didn't plan to own.
But still… a part of her hesitated.
Why did it still sting?
She sighed, then grabbed her coat.
At Eastview Lounge, Bai Zhi arrived quietly, hidden behind a dark cap and long beige trench coat. She took a seat in the corner booth, a place with a clear view of the VIP section upstairs.
And there they were.
Meilin and Chen Yuxuan.
He looked frustrated. She looked… thrilled.
They were talking over wine. Meilin leaned forward, touching his arm. He didn't flinch.
Then Meilin said something Bai Zhi couldn't hear, but Chen Yuxuan actually smiled.
Bai Zhi didn't wait any longer.
She stood up and walked out into the rain.
She walked for half an hour, no umbrella, the rain soaking through her clothes.
When she reached the plaza near her apartment, she heard the low hum of a luxury car pulling to a stop beside her.
The window rolled down.
Li Jiannan sat in the driver's seat, eyes narrowing slightly as he saw her wet figure.
"Get in," he said simply.
She hesitated, then opened the door.
The warmth inside the car hit her instantly.
He handed her a towel. She dried her hair silently.
"You're quiet," he said, starting the engine.
"I'm just tired of pretending things don't hurt," she replied softly.
Jiannan glanced at her, surprised by the honesty.
"Was it Meilin?"
"She's meeting my ex-fiancé," she said. "And clearly enjoying herself."
Jiannan was silent for a moment.
Then, "She's playing a long game. You should too."
Bai Zhi looked at him.
"I'm done playing. Now I'm rewriting the rules."
He smiled faintly. "Good."
The next morning, Bai Zhi stood before the towering glass doors of Phoenix Studios, a high-end but mid-tier production company best known for its visually rich, yet poorly scripted, dramas.
Her heels clicked sharply against the marble floor as she walked in. No assistant. No PR manager. Just her, armed with a pitch and a plan.
The receptionist glanced up and did a double take. "Y-You're Bai Zhi?"
"Yes," she smiled politely. "I have a meeting scheduled with Director Zhang at 10:00 a.m."
"Right away! Please go in!" the receptionist nearly stumbled in her haste.
Inside, Director Zhang was nursing a lukewarm coffee when she walked in. He looked up with a jaded expression that shifted to surprise, then cautious interest.
"Miss Bai? The new sensation
"Among other things," she replied coolly, placing a neatly prepared folder on his desk.
"I'm not here for a role," she continued. "I'm here to produce and star in a drama. One that I wrote."
Director Zhang blinked. "You wrote a script?"
"Two actually. But this one is the game changer."
He opened the folder.
The title page read:
"Veil of Echoes"
Written by Bai Zhi
He flipped through the first few pages, and froze.
The story was gripping. Dark academia meets corporate suspense. A university genius wronged by the system, returning with a new identity to dismantle the empire that stole her life's work.
Art imitating life, perhaps?
"You wrote this?" he asked slowly.
She nodded.
"Why come to me?"
"Because you have the visual eye," she replied. "But more importantly, you need a win."
He studied her. "What do you want?"
"Executive creative control, co-producing credit, and full say in casting. And I'm playing the lead."
It was a bold ask.
But Bai Zhi was not here to be timid.
After a long silence, Director Zhang chuckled. "You've got guts."
"I've got talent," she corrected. "The guts are just extra."
By noon, word had already leaked online.
#BaiZhiNewDrama #VeilofEchoes trended within hours.
Meilin, sitting in the Bai family's sunroom sipping imported tea, nearly crushed her teacup.
She stared at her phone in disbelief. "What is this nonsense?"
Her mother, sitting across from her, glanced over. "Zhi'er is doing a drama?"
"Not just acting, she's producing it too," Meilin said tightly. "How did she write a script so fast? And why is everyone praising her like she's some genius?"
"Because maybe she is," came a dry voice from the doorway.
It was Bai Mingzhu, the second daughter of the Bai family and Bai Zhi's cousin. Elegant and sharp-tongued, she walked in with her tablet in hand.
"I read the synopsis," Mingzhu said. "It's clever. Smart revenge without being over-the-top. Very… real."
Meilin's grip on her phone tightened.
"Do you know how hard it is to get a greenlight for a drama in this industry?" Meilin snapped.
"Yes," Mingzhu replied casually. "And that's why it's even more impressive that she did it."
Meanwhile, at Li Group Headquarters, Li Jiannan was reviewing the same news.
Lin Shao stood beside him, expression unreadable. "It's already secured a production budget and is trending across forums."
Jiannan tapped a finger thoughtfully.
"She's moving faster than expected," he murmured.
"Should I reach out?" Lin asked.
Jiannan shook his head.
"Not yet. Let's see what she does next."
But inside, he was amused, and intrigued.
She was no longer a quiet girl lost in her family's shadows. She was stepping into the spotlight on her own terms.
And it suited her.
That evening, Bai Zhi received a call from an unknown number.
She picked up, expecting another reporter.
Instead, a deep voice greeted her.
"Miss Bai. This is President Li Jiannan."
Her heart skipped. "President Li," she said evenly. "To what do I owe the honor?"
"I wanted to congratulate you. 'Veil of Echoes' is bold. And timely."
"Coming from you, that sounds suspiciously like an invitation to partner."
He chuckled. "Not yet. But I am curious… how do you plan to fund distribution?"
"I have my methods."
"Perhaps we should meet," he said. "To discuss those methods. And perhaps… alternatives."
She considered.
Then said, "Fine. Dinner. Tomorrow."
Meanwhile, in a quiet rooftop restaurant, Chen Yuxuan sat across from Bai Meilin.
"I heard Bai Zhi's starting her own production," he said flatly.
Meilin twirled her straw. "I heard she's trying too hard."
"She's succeeding."
That annoyed her.
"She's always been good at pretending," Meilin said, feigning a smile.
Chen Yuxuan gave her a strange look. "Pretending to write a script? To negotiate a contract? You think that's pretending?"
Meilin's expression cracked just slightly.
"Why are you so interested in her all of a sudden?" she asked, a bite in her tone.
"Maybe because she's not who I thought she was," he said quietly.
Meilin leaned back, her smile fading.
Things were not going according to plan.