The lights at the party dimmed, and a hush fell over the room as the host's voice filled the air. "Silence, please. Feng Yue's piano performance is about to begin."
At that moment, a breathtaking woman in a sleek black dress stepped onto the stage, drawing everyone's attention. A wave of whispers rippled through the crowd. "Wait, that's not Feng Yue," people murmured, confusion evident in their voices.
The woman approached the piano confidently, taking the microphone in hand. "Good evening, everyone. My name is An Ning, and I'll be performing in Feng Yue's place tonight."
An Ning had always hated introducing herself as Feng Yue's sister, but tonight, with the truth finally out in the open, she couldn't care less about keeping up appearances. There was no need to pretend anymore.
Without waiting for the audience to fully grasp what was happening, An Ning began to sing. Her voice was smooth and captivating, a sound that immediately silenced the room. Her fingers glided effortlessly across the piano keys, creating a melody that was both haunting and beautiful. The busy chatter of the party faded into silence as all eyes turned to the stage, mesmerized by the unexpected talent of this mysterious woman.
What no one in that room knew was that An Ning had always loved to sing and play the piano. She had never been allowed to take formal lessons, but her passion for music had driven her to practice in secret, honing her skills on her own. She knew that if her fake mother, Lan Yue, had ever discovered how talented she was, she would have done everything in her power to crush her—after all, no one could be allowed to outshine Lan Yue's real daughter, Feng Yue.
In the audience, Grampa Qiang Hao sat back in his chair, enraptured by the performance. He was so engrossed in the music that he didn't even notice when his grandson, Zhi Hao, quietly took the seat beside him. Zhi Hao's eyes were fixed on the stage, his gaze intense as he watched An Ning sing, the emotion in her voice resonating with something deep within him.
When An Ning finished the final note of her song, she stood up, smiling softly at the stunned crowd. "Thank you," she said simply, her voice clear and calm.
For a moment, the audience was too shocked to react. Then, slowly, someone began to clap. Soon, the entire room was filled with applause, and a voice from the back called out, "That was incredible! What's her name again?"
Grampa Qiang Hao, surprised to see Zhi Hao sitting beside him, turned and asked with innocent curiosity, "That was an amazing performance. Do you happen to know who that young lady is?"
Zhi Hao, his expression unreadable, replied in a steady voice, "An Ning."
The name lingered in Grampa Qiang Hao's mind. She's the same age as Ming Hao, he thought. I wonder if they know each other. Little did An Ning know that Grampa Qiang Hao was already beginning to scheme, imagining the possibility of introducing her to Ming Hao—a disaster in the making. But even if she had known, it wouldn't have changed anything. An Ning was ready to ruin Ming Hao if he ever crossed her path, and she was certain that Grampa Qiang Hao wouldn't mind, as long as she exposed the truth about his worthless adoptive grandson. After all, he was a fair man, and the only one who had protected her throughout all the years she had been trapped as Ming Hao's fiancée.
Backstage, An Ning caught sight of Feng Yue, still unconscious from earlier, her long hair spilling across the floor. A mischievous glint flickered in An Ning's eyes as she noticed a pair of scissors lying on a nearby table. Slowly, she picked them up, her lips curling into a smug smile.
I can't wait to see her face when she wakes up, An Ning thought as she crouched down beside Feng Yue, lifting a lock of her long, luxurious hair. Memories of her own hair being brutally chopped off by Feng Yue resurfaced, fueling her desire for revenge. Leaning closer, she whispered softly, "I'll give you the same haircut you gave me."
With swift and precise movements, An Ning snipped through the strands, watching as clumps of Feng Yue's once-pristine hair fell to the ground. She continued until there was almost nothing left, a satisfied grin spreading across her face.
Moments later, Feng Yue stirred, her hand instinctively reaching for her head. Her eyes shot open, and a horrified scream filled the room as she realized what had happened. "My hair! What have you done to my hair?!"
An Ning stood up, brushing the stray strands of hair from her hands. "Consider it payback," she said coolly, her voice laced with satisfaction, before turning and walking away from the chaos she'd left behind.
As An Ning made her way home, she had no idea that the events of the night were far from over. Within hours, videos of her performance began to flood the internet. Clips of her singing, playing the piano, and the stunned reaction of the audience spread like wildfire across social media. By morning, her name was trending everywhere.
People couldn't stop talking about the mysterious and talented woman who had stolen the show. Comment sections filled with praise, asking who this captivating singer and pianist was. Even major news outlets began covering her sudden rise to fame, with headlines like "Who Is An Ning? The Woman Who Took the Stage and Our Hearts" appearing online.
An Ning had unwittingly become a sensation overnight. Her once-hidden love for music, kept in the shadows for fear of Lan Yue's wrath, was now out in the open for the world to see. But as An Ning basked in her newfound fame, she also knew this was just the beginning.
An Ning was completely caught off guard when she woke up one morning to discover that a video of her playing the piano and singing had gone viral overnight. She had become famous, just like that. As she scrolled through the comments and views, a soft laugh escaped her lips. It was surreal how quickly things had changed. The morning felt brighter, her mood lighter, as if everything in her world had suddenly aligned. When she arrived at her classes, she noticed something different—no one bothered her as they usually did. There were whispers, of course, but whispers had always been a part of her life. They no longer bothered her the way they used to. Besides, in just one month, she would be sitting for her university entrance exams, and after that, she'd never have to see these people again. The thought gave her a quiet sense of relief.
With that in mind, An Ning turned her attention to preparing for something more exciting—the audition for the upcoming movie The Flowers of the Garden. This wasn't just any film; it was a huge production, especially because Zhi Hao, the "Emperor of Films," was making his long-awaited return to the screen after a two-year hiatus. Everyone was talking about it. Curious, An Ning quickly searched for pictures of Zhi Hao online. She couldn't help but think to herself, Wow, he's incredibly handsome. But that was the extent of her thoughts—just a fleeting admiration.
In her past life, An Ning had never met Zhi Hao personally, though she knew of him. Back then, when she had been engaged to Ming Hao, she'd learned that Zhi Hao had fallen into a coma while filming this very movie. He had suffered a terrible accident, falling from a significant height and hitting his head. The accident left him in a deep coma for years, and that was the reason she never crossed paths with him.
What An Ning remembered most, though, was how much Zhi Hao meant to his grandfather, Grandpa Qiang Hao. She recalled how the old man would visit the hospital frequently, always returning with a sorrowful expression on his face, weighed down by sadness. An Ning sighed, thinking about it, and whispered to herself, "If I have the chance this time, I'll save him. It'll be my way of repaying Grandpa Qiang for everything he's done for me."
Little did she know, those simple words would set off a chain of events that would not only change her fate but also that of Zhi Hao and many others.
Suddenly, the sharp ringing of her phone broke through her thoughts. Irritated, she glanced at the screen. Seeing who was calling, she took a deep breath before answering, her voice sharp with impatience, "What do you want, Lan Yue?"
The voice on the other end of the line was surprised by An Ning's tone. "Watch how you speak to your mother!" Lan Yue snapped, her tone defensive.
An Ning smirked, hearing the words, but she didn't respond. There was no point in engaging—at least not yet. She needed to gather more information first.
Lan Yue grew more irritated with the silence. Her voice became cold and venomous as she spat out, "You bitch! Look at what you've done to your sister!"
An Ning's patience finally ran out. Her voice, now icy, cut through the tension, "She deserved every bit of it. And let me warn both of you—if you push me again, you'll end up in an even worse situation."
Lan Yue was left stunned as the line abruptly went dead. She stared at her phone, muttering under her breath, "That girl's acting strange." There was a flicker of worry in her voice as she realized that she might be losing her grip on An Ning. And she knew she couldn't afford to let An Ning slip out of her control.
Turning to Feng Yue, Lan Yue's eyes narrowed as she hissed, "Be careful with An Ning." Feng Yue didn't respond, but her eyes gleamed maliciously as she watched An Ning's viral video on the internet, her mind already scheming about how she could sabotage An Ning.
Later that day, An Ning carefully filled out her online application for the movie audition, attaching the viral video as her only proof of talent. She had never taken any formal lessons, and this video was her sole chance to show what she could do. An Ning had her eyes set on the second female lead—a role that wasn't as highly contested, but one she believed she could play perfectly. The character reminded her a lot of herself, and she felt she could bring something special to the part.
After submitting the application, An Ning waited anxiously, a nervous excitement bubbling just beneath the surface. Days passed without a response, and she began to wonder if she'd ever hear back. But just one day before the audition, an email finally arrived with the details—time, location, everything she needed. Her heart leaped in her chest as she read the message, and she couldn't help but jump up in excitement, her joy spilling over.
What An Ning didn't know, however, was that during those days of anticipation, someone else had been obsessively listening to her song on repeat. Her voice had become a lullaby, the only thing that could bring peace to someone's restless nights.
Zhi Hao woke up early that morning, his mind still clouded with thoughts of the long break he had taken from the public eye. He stretched lazily, feeling the weight of the two years spent in recovery after his accident. Just as he was about to drift back into thought, his phone buzzed, pulling him out of his daze. It was his agent.
"Zhi Hao, are you planning to attend the audition today?" his agent asked, sounding a bit surprised. "The director and writer specifically requested your presence. They want your input on the casting."
Zhi Hao paused for a moment, his gaze distant as he thought about it. He hadn't planned on going initially—he had been hesitant to step back into the limelight. But for some reason, the thought of attending intrigued him today. He couldn't quite put his finger on why, but something in the back of his mind nudged him, a feeling he couldn't shake.
After a brief silence, Zhi Hao replied with surprising certainty, "Yes. I'll be there."
His agent was taken aback but quickly responded, "Great! I'll let them know."
Years later, Zhi Hao would look back on this moment and realize that this was one of the best decisions he had ever made—one that would change his life in ways he could never have imagined.
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