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Xu Jiaqi continued in a soft, trembling voice. Her hands clutched the hospital blanket, knuckles white.
"It was a luxurious hotel... the Xingrui Imperial," she began. "Even now, I remember it too clearly. That towering, glittering monster of a place with glass windows that reflected the stars and golden lights that dazzled the eyes. The kind of hotel where power and darkness met behind velvet curtains. Qingsi and I stood outside, hesitating. My palms were cold despite the warm evening, too stunned to move."
She gave a bitter smile. "Qingsi turned to me, her eyes hidden behind her sunglasses, and asked, 'Should we go in?' I could tell she was just as nervous as I was."
Mo Yuwei stayed silent, her gaze sharp and unblinking, absorbing every word.
Xu Jiaqi laughed bitterly, the memory still stinging. "I remember laughing softly—nervously. "Since we're already here, let's stick to the plan. No drinking. And no separating.
She nodded and squeezed my hand tightly.
We walked in together, sunglasses covering half our faces, scarves wrapped to hide us as we'd become a little famous and it could ruin our reputations if we were seen there.
Just as the doorman raised his head to question us, a sharply dressed waiter stepped forward.
"Miss Xu? Miss Yan?"
My throat was dry, but I managed to say, "Yes."
He didn't ask for ID. Just nodded and motioned for us to follow.
I remember everything—the soft murmur of a grand piano playing in the distance, the scent of expensive cologne and fresh-cut orchids, the click of our heels echoing on marble.
My stomach twisted tighter with each step.
The elevator was lined in red velvet and gold trim. It felt like a cage rising into the sky.
When the doors opened, we were met with silence. Plush cream carpet. Dim gold wall sconces. And that heavy wooden door at the end of the hall.
He knocked twice.
I wanted to run.
However , I couldn't.
Instead, I walked in.
We walked in.
The suite was dim, almost ominous. Velvet drapes blocked out the world. A crystal chandelier above us shimmered faintly.
And seated on that enormous U-shaped velvet couch were three men—Fang Zemin, Gu Yanchuan, and Su Xian.
"Welcome, welcome," Fang Zemin stood, smiling like a viper. "Come, sit."
Sit where? There were no other seats. Just the couch.
Only that one couch—where the three men were already sitting.
Su Xian, lounging smugly on the left. Gu Yanchuan on the right. Fang Zemin in the center.
Su Xian patted the cushion beside him. "Miss Xu, right here."
Gu Yanchuan gestured to Qingsi. "And you, Miss Yan."
I glanced at Qingsi. My spine stiffened. We walked forward and forced ourselves between them.
No one said a word about it, but I saw the flicker in their eyes.
Annoyance. Frustration.
Qingsi, brave even then, asked, "Weren't there other actresses auditioning?"
Fang Zemin, who was pouring wine, paused.
Su Xian let out a low laugh. "There was no need to see others. You two are perfect."
He laughed and said he'd personally invest in the entire movie.
"Fresh. Talented," Gu Yanchuan added with a smirk. "Just what we want." "
She looked away. "Fang Zemin handed them wine... and then us.
We refused.
Gu Yanchuan raised his brow. 'What do you mean?' he asked.
I looked at Qingsi and nodded—we both took the glasses.
But we never drank. We just held them."
She bit her lip. "Fang Zemin started singing their praises.
Said they could make us stars.
That we'd be nothing without powerful men behind us.
"To your future," Fang Zemin said.
But we didn't. We placed the glasses on the table."
Mo Yuwei's jaw clenched.
Xu Jiaqi looked down. "Su Xian got angry.
He'd narrowed his eyes. "Is something wrong?"
Gu Yanchuan's voice went cold. "Not drinking? That's not very polite."
Fang Zemin leaned closer, the false smile fading. "With men like this behind you, you could rule the industry."
Qingsi's voice was small but firm. "Thank you, but we'd prefer not to drink."
Su Xian slammed his glass down.
"You think you're better than us?" he spat. And then he grabbed Qingsi's wrist.
My heart leapt. I stood up instantly. "Let go of her!"
Her face. I'll never forget the fear in her eyes.
"You think fame comes for free?" Fang Zemin barked. "You'll never make it without help."
He told us we were ungrateful. That talent wasn't enough. That we needed backing. I told him I'd rely on myself.
"We're leaving," I said.
I stood between Qingsi and them.
My whole body was shaking.
Fang Zemin's voice still echoes in my nightmares.
He'd looked me in the eye and said: 'You'll regret this. I'll bury you so deep, no one will even hire you for a shampoo commercial.'"
Mo Yuwei cursed under her breath.
"He kept his word," Xu Jiaqi said. "After that night... I was shelved. Ignored. No auditions. Nothing. Even my manager dropped me. Qingsi too. They didn't blacklist her directly, but she only got tiny roles. The bright future we had? Gone."
—
She paused to catch her breath. " Jiang Xueyi became a star. We became best friends with Qingsi. We clung to each other. Qingsi was my only family. My only friend. "
Mo Yuwei's expression was unreadable, but her fingers were clenched into a fist.
"For the two and a half years, things were okay," Xu Jiaqi continued. "We'd moved out of the company's domitory and lived outside. Qingsi always came to visit once in a while and we sometimes had sleepovers.
But four months ago, she changed. The sparkle in her eyes dulled. She was quieter. Had nightmares. I started noticing bruises she wouldn't explain."
She paused, her voice cracking. "I begged her to tell me what was going on."
Mo Yuwei waited, her heart heavy.
"Finally, she did."
"Gu Yanchuan's harassing me again," she said.
He'd almost forced himself on her. She had gone to Fang Zemin, but he brushed her off. Said it was just 'part of the game'... said making connections is how actresses survive."
Xu Jiaqi's fists clenched in her lap.
"I wanted to scream. I told her I'd report it. She begged me not to. Said it'd just cause more trouble. Said I had a mother and little brother to care for. That I couldn't afford more enemies.
I begged her to stay with me then. I wanted to protect her. She agreed… and for a month, it was peaceful. And for a while, she smiled again. I thought we were healing."
Mo Yuwei saw the tears welling in her eyes again.
"Then one day, she didn't come home. She said she was filming.
But her voice—it didn't sound right.
However, I believed her.
"I really believed her. I went to sleep. I shouldn't have..."
She choked on a sob. "I should've gone to find her. I should've known something was wrong. Her voice sounded off."
She swallowed hard, eyes filled with grief.
"I woke up the next morning... to the worst day of my life."
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