"Alright, Miss Bai, take a look."
In the makeup room, a masked stylist finished tidying up her tools, while another gently pushed the makeup mirror toward Bai Yi.
The soft, warm glow from the mirror lit up Bai Yi’s flawless face. Her slightly tousled bangs were neatly fixed, and her eyelashes, delicate as butterfly wings, framed her starry eyes.
After a quick glance, she smiled slightly.
"Looks good. Thank you."
"Great! We’ll head outside to assist with the preparations. If you need anything, just call us, Miss Bai."
"Mm."
The two stylists left the room, and Bai Yi glanced at her phone. No new messages on
Plane
.
"Still no call from the director?"
With no notice to start shooting the MV, Bai Yi rose from her seat, deciding to look for Yan Huan instead.
As she walked down the corridor leading to the backstage area, a male voice floated out from a nearby room.
"You’re saying the male lead for today’s MV... is Ye Lan from Ye International’s adopted son?"
Bai Yi paused mid-step, her ears catching the unexpected conversation.
The room was a designated smoking lounge, separated by clear glass panels. The sign on the door read: Smoking Room.
Inside, two men in black suits, wearing Golden Lion Group badges, were chatting casually, cigarettes between their fingers.
The second man chuckled in response, his voice dripping with amusement.
"Adopted son? More like... a child husband."
"Child husband?"
Even the other man sounded surprised.
Outside the glass, Bai Yi’s own steps halted completely. She, too, frowned slightly at the term and turned her gaze toward the room.
The men inside, facing away from the corridor, remained oblivious to her eavesdropping.
The first man, still smirking, spread his hands as he continued,
"Ye Lan wasn’t even planning to attend this MV shoot at first. But guess who dragged her over here? Her
daughter
. Saw the kid and was hooked immediately. You weren’t there, man—if you saw the way that girl was
staring
at him from the sidelines... Well, tell me—what kind of ‘sister’ looks at her ‘brother’ like she’s about to
eat
him alive?"
Bai Yi’s eyes narrowed.
That look...
She instantly recalled the icy, bone-chilling gaze Ye Shiyu had thrown at both her and Yan Huan earlier.
It wasn’t just a look—it was
possession.
Inside the smoking room, the other man took a slow drag of his cigarette and sighed,
"Now that you say it... it
does
seem off. Though honestly, I thought that guy was Bai Yi’s boyfriend. They looked pretty compatible to me."
"Compatible? Pfft." His companion scoffed with a sneer.
"Compatibility doesn’t mean squat. Ye International’s daughter sets her eyes on something... you think some little starlet can compete with that?"
He chuckled coldly, shaking his head,
"Bai Yi’s still too green. Doesn’t know how cutthroat this world is. If Ye Lan’s kid decides to flick her wrist, that little celebrity career of hers could go up in smoke."
"True."
Outside—
Bai Yi leaned against the corridor wall, her lips pressing into a thin line.
The sting of their words cut deep, and with it came a familiar urge—to run, to hide.
But...
Where could she even
hide
? She was alone here. There was nowhere to retreat.
So—
She had to
face it.
The truth.
And the truth was... yes.
She liked Yan Huan.
It was more than a crush.
When she had stood, trembling and terrified on that convention stage—when her mother’s endless criticism and her own self-doubt had nearly crushed her—
It was
Yan Huan
who had been her lifeline.
With just one line—"I’ll handle it."—he had turned her chaos into calm.
Because of him, she had kept singing. Because of him, people had listened.
Because of
him,
her music had finally been heard.
Without him—there would be no contract, no MV shoot, no Golden Lion endorsement.
He had risked everything and asked for
nothing.
How could she
not
have feelings for him?
But... what about
his
feelings?
For Yan Huan... Was she anything more than a fan?
Probably not.
But that was okay... right?
If he didn’t feel it
yet,
she could
make
him feel it.
It wasn’t impossible.
A woman chasing a man... it’s just a thin veil between them.
If she stayed close—if she tried hard enough—maybe...
Just maybe.
But—
In her mind’s eye—
Ye Shiyu’s cold, dead, doll-like stare returned.
Empty... and yet
all-consuming.
A gaze that said:
He’s mine.
That wasn’t just a woman’s stare. That was a
beast’s.
And it terrified her.
Because Ye Shiyu wasn’t just terrifying. She was...
untouchable.
Her family’s power alone could crush Bai Yi into dust—without even noticing.
And so...
Bai Yi felt that old, suffocating instinct rise—
Run. You can’t win. You’ll only get hurt.
Her pace slowed. Her shoulders dropped.
And her heart whispered bitterly:
What’s the point?
Yan Huan doesn’t even like me that way.
And Ye Shiyu... is a monster.
I’m nothing. I can’t fight her. So... why not let it go?
A forced smile tugged at her lips.
A normal fan-idol relationship... That’s enough, isn’t it?
Why make it complicated?
Her lips said "let go."
But...
Her chest felt... tight.
Because her mind replayed—
That day on the convention stage.
When the music had started... unplanned. Unrehearsed.
When fear had paralyzed her.
When her mother’s scorn had screamed in her ears—
You’ll fail. Just like always.
But then—
His voice.
“I’ll handle it.”
And the chaos... vanished.
The memory hit her—
And her feet...
Stopped.
“......”
Her head dipped—
Her teeth clenched—
And then—
Bang!
Her fist slammed, sharp and sudden, into the wall beside her.
Anger flared. Hot and raw.
Her voice shook with it—
"So what... She has money, and that’s supposed to mean she can just
take
what she wants?!"
Her nails dug into her palm.
"
Just because she’s rich and powerful, everyone automatically decides he belongs to her?!
"
A bitter laugh scraped her throat—
"What a joke."
Ye Shiyu...
That cold,
inhuman
doll of a person...
Nothing about her felt real. Nothing about her felt...
human.
But somehow, because of her
last name
Everyone just
assumed
Yan Huan was already hers.
Like he was...
property.
It made Bai Yi’s skin crawl.
But—
She couldn’t fight it.
Because reality was...
She
couldn’t win.
She had no family. No power.
Even Uncle Jiang wanted her to build ties with Ye Lan for business.
Even her own mother—Zuo Jiangqin—was giving her the cold shoulder over her singing career.
They were right.
She had nothing.
Her fists trembled... with helplessness.
But then—
A flicker—
A thought—
And her breath caught.
Because—
Her palm felt...
something.
A sudden weight—
A cold, metallic
presence.
Bai Yi’s eyes lowered—
To her hand.
A—
Pocket watch.
Intricate. Polished.
Its once-still hands—
Shivering.
Her lips parted—
She hadn’t even realized she summoned it.
And then—
A whisper—
From her own heart—
"Yeah..."
Her voice was soft—almost... amused.
"I’m not like them..."
Her eyes...
Glinted.
"Because I—"
Tick... tick...
The watch’s hand...
Began to move.
"I... have
powers.
"
滴滴...嗒嗒...
Soft, steady—like a heartbeat—
The watch ticked on.
But...
Her smile faltered.
Because...
Her power?
It was
useless.
All it did... was make her...
fade.
A power of...
concealment.
How...
would that help her win
him?
If Yan Huan
liked
Ye Shiyu...
Could she make him...
turn back?
And if he
didn’t
like her...
Could she...
steal him away?
Her gaze sank into the watch’s shifting face—
Searching—
For...
Something.
But—
The answers...
Weren’t there.
Yet.
Still—
She stopped
standing still.
Her feet moved—
One step.
Then another.
Toward the director’s set.
And with every step—
Her fingers—
Gripped the watch tighter.
Bai Yi soon arrived near the set. Finding no answers from her thoughts, she tucked the pocket watch back into her pocket. With a quick adjustment of her expression, she put on a slight smile and entered the area. “Yan Huan, I’m ba— Huh?”
No sign of Yan Huan. Instead, the director stood there, ramrod straight, his gaze fixed in a single direction—like a soldier on guard.
“Director, did you see where Yan Huan went?” Bai Yi kept her distance, her tone polite. He was, after all, her superior, not someone she was close to.
Without turning, the director finally spoke, “A girl named ‘Ye Shiyu’ came looking for him. He went with her.”
“...Ye Shiyu?” Bai Yi’s pupils shrank. Her brows immediately furrowed.
I leave for a second, and she’s already on the attack?!
“Director, where did they go?”
“That way.” The director gestured. Bai Yi turned toward the direction he indicated. The area was abuzz with activity, and her eyes skimmed over the crowd.
Just as she was about to thank him and move on—her peripheral vision caught something. A tall figure, with sleek, straight black hair—slipping into a dim, secluded hallway.
Ye Shiyu.
Bai Yi’s lips parted slightly. She glanced back at the director, still standing stiffly, and felt a flicker of doubt. But—there was one possibility.
She’s already met up with Yan Huan. Which means... they’re together.
Wait—
Alone.
Him and her.
In a deserted hallway?!
Bai Yi’s eyes shot wide. Her heart skipped—then lurched into a sprint. “Thanks!” she called over her shoulder, yanking out her pocket watch and bolting after them.
Oh, no, no, no—you’re not—!
Her mind,
far
too vivid, painted the nightmare ahead—A dim, empty corridor. Ye Shiyu, forceful and cold, shoving Yan Huan against the wall—her fingers already tugging at his collar.
Yan Huan, panicked—his voice urgent, protesting—“Shiyu-jie, are you insane?! We’re in public—! And we’re siblings! You can’t—”
But Ye Shiyu’s gaze, chilling and sharp, lifted to his—“What? Are you planning to
defy Ye International
?”
Yan Huan’s breath hitched—his face drained pale. The unspoken
weight
of Ye International crushed his voice—suffocated his fight.
The helplessness—The bitterness—The silent agony of being trapped under that colossal shadow.
And Ye Shiyu—her lips curving, eyes glinting with a twisted thrill—“Well then, Xiaohuan...” she whispered into his ear, “As punishment for filming that MV with Bai Yi without my permission... I’ll
teach
you personally—while shouting ‘Ye Family
Impact
’ with every—”
The horrific fantasy slammed Bai Yi’s chest with a wave of icy dread—Her face went stark
white.
Damn it—!!!
I won’t let you turn him into your... your...!
Her feet barely skimmed the floor as she sprinted—
Bai Yi—Mission: Save Private Yan Huan—ENGAGE!!!
The hallway around her flickered with dim, broken lights—Each flicker felt like the shadows of some abyss—like Yan Huan’s impending
doom.
But—
where—
?! The hallway was too dark—too winding—She slowed, straining her ears—
And then—Voices.
Not Ye Shiyu’s icy domination. No. A different voice. Mocking. Cold. And dripping with scorn.
Spencer.
“Oh? He told me you’re just his
sister.
And not even a
real
sister—your surnames don’t match. No blood ties. Not family. And certainly... not someone he
likes.
”
Spencer?
Bai Yi’s steps halted abruptly—Her body froze, breath caught—
What the hell... is Spencer doing here?!
Without a sound, she pressed into the shadows—years of sneaking through the industry’s backdoors giving her the instincts of a natural spy. Her footsteps
silent.
Her presence...
vanished.
And her eyes—
Locked onto the scene.
Ye Shiyu. Spencer. A
showdown.
Bai Yi, hidden at the corner, peered through the angle—out of their line of sight. Her ears caught every word.
“So... Yan Huan sees her only as a sister?”
No deeper feelings?
Her heart gave a cautious, hopeful flutter—
But...
Spencer’s an idiot.
Big mouth, small brain—who knew if she was talking out of her ass again?
Bai Yi’s gaze flicked to Ye Shiyu’s face. The moment she saw it—Her lips
twitched.
Ye Shiyu’s expression—Was blacker than
coal.
A murderous, seething,
glitching
puppet on the verge of cracking.
“Pfft—” Bai Yi clamped her hand
hard
over her mouth—nearly losing it.
Ye Shiyu—absolutely livid.
Oh, my god, you’re losing your mind, aren’t you?
And Bai Yi—
Enjoyed every second.
This... is premium drama.
And then—
WHAM—!
Spencer’s hand
slapped
Ye Shiyu’s phone clear across the floor—The screen exploded into a spiderweb of shattered glass.
Bai Yi’s eyes gleamed—
Oh, this is delicious—
The
sister.
The
idiot.
Both clawing at each other—And both—
Losers.
Because to Yan Huan—Ye Shiyu was a
sister.
Spencer was a
buffoon.
Both—
defeated dogs.
And me?
His
idol.
His
inspiration.
The one he
admired.
The one who made his eyes
shine.
What could
they
compare to
that?
Pfft.
Bai Yi’s lips curled. She leaned into the wall, arms folded—fully ready to
enjoy the show.
Let them fight. Hero vs. Hero. Wealth vs. Wealth. Two queens tearing each other apart—For a prize they could never
win.
Because—Yan Huan? He wasn’t for
them.
...And then—It hit her. A
spark.
A
perfectly
rotten
idea.
Her smirk sharpened—And her cheeks burned slightly—Because—Her mind—Suddenly flashed—To a certain
doujin
she’d picked up from the
Hentai Club.
《Transparent Manipulation Series: The President Knows Nothing About Last Night~》
...
Wait.
What if... while they’re busy playing WWE...
I... just... slip right past them...
And... "say hi" to Xiaohuan... personally.
Her chest tightened—face flushing—Because the thought—
Was outrageous.
And also...
Hot.
Because—In
Unconcerned State
—Her power—
She could do anything.
Yan Huan—Wouldn’t even
notice.
And after? They’d still be smiling at each other like... Nothing. Ever. Happened.
Her pulse raced. Her throat—dry. A wild, forbidden heat—That had
nothing
to do with temperature.
But—More than the heat—Was the
thrill.
Because—Ye Shiyu—Spencer—Both with their money, their power—Would be
right there.
And still—
Completely powerless.
Because the
idol
—The
nobody
—Would walk away—With everything
they
wanted.
Her breath quickened—Fingers tightening over the cool metal of the pocket watch. The watch—Ticked—Faster.
... And with every tick—The idea—Stopped being
fantasy.
It became... A
plan.
...And then—A voice—Close—Too
close.
“Shiyu-jie?”
Yan Huan.
The chain snapped. Reality hit her like a whip—Her body jerked, back pressed tight to the wall. Heart—
Thundering.
Her fingers—sweaty, clutching the pocket watch. Her face—Scarlet. And the watch—Like a heartbeat—Sped.
The line—Between power—And
temptation
—Began to
blur.
Because—What could Ye Shiyu’s brute force—Or Spencer’s arrogance—
Ever
achieve—Compared to
this?
...And so—The watch—
Spun.
And Bai Yi’s lips—Curved.
"...Fools." She whispered—"I mock Ye Shiyu’s folly—" "And Spencer’s stupidity—" "
You fight for him...
" "
But I...
" "
Will take him.
"
...And back to the
present—
The flash from her camera—Captured it
all.
And her cheeks—Still warm—Her eyes—Glistening—Breath—shallow—Her fingers—Twitching—Reaching—Toward his—Skin.
Closer—And closer—
Under Yan Huan’s perfectly frozen smile—His eyes—
Wide.
Bai Yi—
...
What the hell are you—
...Doing?!