Two daughters. One picture.
One was a rose.
The other? A rose with thorns.
Later that evening, Chen Yuxuan watched the news coverage on his office television.
His jaw clenched slightly at the image of Bai Zhi composed, dazzling, untouchable.
She hadn't replied to any of his messages lately. Not even a single word.
Across the screen, Bai Meilin's face appeared, her tone saccharine. "I'm very grateful to my adoptive sister for taking care of the family in my absence. I hope we'll continue to support each other as sisters."
The lie was smooth, the act flawless.
He frowned. Something about Meilin's smile… didn't sit right.
But he shook it off. Maybe he was overthinking it.
That night, Bai Meilin cornered Bai Zhi in the garden after the press had cleared out.
The fairy lights above them cast a soft golden glow, but neither woman's expression was warm.
"Sister," Meilin began, tone soft. "I hope you didn't misunderstand anything. I just wanted the media to know we're close."
"We're not," Bai Zhi said bluntly.
Meilin's eyes widened.
"We're not close, and we never will be. You're welcome to your title. Your parents. Your press. I don't need any of it."
Meilin's mask slipped a little. "Are you… still upset about the truth?"
Bai Zhi's gaze sharpened. "Upset? No. I'm relieved. You've freed me from an illusion I should've dropped long ago."
Meilin narrowed her eyes now, tone dropping. "You think walking around in red and singing songs makes you powerful?"
Bai Zhi smiled slowly.
"No. But walking around in red, holding a signed contract from Phoenix Studios, a pending collaboration with Li Jiannan, and full media attention while you're still struggling to form a sentence in public, that makes me powerful."
She stepped closer. "Keep playing the innocent white lotus, Meilin. Let's see how long you last under the sun."
And with that, she walked away, heels clicking against the stones like punctuation marks to her power.
Behind her, Meilin's fingernails dug into her palm, lips trembling, not with fear, but fury.
A fury she needed to let out so Bai Zhi can feel it.
The golden lights of the Bai estate had barely dimmed when Bai Meilin returned to her room, her calm façade cracking the moment the door closed behind her.
Her fingers tore at the satin ribbons of her dress, her breath uneven.
Bai Zhi.
That woman didn't just steal the attention today, she dominated it. The reporters barely looked at Meilin once Zhi arrived. Her red cheongsam. Her calm elegance. The way she turned every question to her advantage without even blinking.
It was infuriating.
Meilin's phone buzzed.
Chen Yuxuan: Are you alright? The press conference looked intense.
She stared at the message for a moment, then deleted it.
She needed more than empty concern.
She needed strategy.
And power.
Meanwhile, Bai Zhi was having dinner at a quiet rooftop restaurant, tucked above the city lights. Tang Wei sat across from her, still giddy from the day's events.
"You were trending all day. #RedPhoenix and #BaiZhiReturns hit the top five tags in under three hours," Tang Wei said, scrolling through her tablet. "Everyone thinks you're the elegant older sister stepping aside for your long-lost sibling. They're calling you the 'Silent Flower of the Bai Family.'"
Bai Zhi sipped her tea, amused. "Let them. I don't need to tell the world my story. My success will do that for me."
As she set her cup down, a familiar, powerful presence approached the table.
Li Jiannan.
He wore a deep navy suit, his tall figure commanding as ever. He gave Tang Wei a courteous nod before turning to Bai Zhi.
"Miss Bai," he greeted, voice low and steady.
"Mr. Li." She met his gaze calmly, though her heart fluttered unexpectedly.
"I saw the press coverage. You handled the media with poise." He paused, then added, "You're even more interesting than I originally assumed."
"Should I take that as a compliment?"
"Take it however you like," he said with a slight smirk, pulling out a chair and joining them without asking. "I came to offer a proposition."
Tang Wei blinked. "I..uh...I'll give you two some privacy."
Once she'd stepped away, Jiannan leaned in slightly. "Phoenix Studios and my family's conglomerate are jointly funding an elite creative think tank. We're choosing one performer, one artist, and one researcher to represent the next generation of talent."
"And you want me to apply?"
"No," he said simply. "I want you to win it."
She raised a brow. "Why?"
"Because someone like you, sharp, composed, underestimated, is exactly what I need to counterbalance the vultures in this industry." His tone darkened slightly. "And if I'm being honest, I enjoy watching you outmaneuver people."
Bai Zhi was quiet for a moment, studying him. "Alright. I'll consider it."
He smirked. "I'll take that as a yes."
He was always a little too confident
Elsewhere, Bai Meilin stood in a dim room lit only by her vanity mirror. A laptop was open before her. The face on the screen belonged to a slim, bespectacled man with a thin voice.
"Professor Qian," Meilin said sweetly. "Are you sure it will be enough to pin it on her?"
"Absolutely," he replied. "The lab files you provided me match an unpublished research draft on quantum-based AI. If this gets leaked under Bai Zhi's name, the plagiarism accusations will follow."
"Good." Her voice turned cold. "She likes the spotlight? Let's see how she looks drowning in scandal."
"Do you want me to time the release with the university board meeting?"
"No," Meilin said, smiling as she twirled a pen between her fingers. "Wait until her name is formally submitted for the Li Group Creative Program. That way, she'll fall harder."
Three days later, Bai Zhi walked into Minghua University's research annex, unaware of the trap slowly being set. She'd come to collect sealed documents for her upcoming project submission.
As she passed through the corridor, a group of students turned to whisper.
"That's Bai Zhi…"
"Isn't she the one applying for the Li Group program?"
"I heard she ghostwrites papers for celebrities."
She ignored them, but her instincts sharpened.
Something was brewing.
And soon, she'd find out exactly what.