Bai Lanyue sat elegantly in front of her camera, the soft lighting accentuating her features as she smiled perfectly—delicate and poised. The room around her was adorned with soft pastels, a stark contrast to the storm brewing beneath her polished exterior.
"Bai Lanyue, you are too cute!" a fan commented, prompting her to beam even brighter.
"Hello, everyone! I am Bai Lanyue," she began, her tone warm and inviting. "Today is Saturday, and tomorrow will be my sister's banquet party. It's a pity that the banquet hall was reduced to ashes." The anger simmering just beneath the surface was masked by her expression of sadness, a performance she had perfected.
"Bai Lanyue, that's the signal that Bai Zhiqi is nothing but a vile woman!" another comment flashed on the screen.
"Bai Lanyue, if I were you, I wouldn't throw that Bai Zhiqi a birthday banquet since she's a vile woman. Even the banquet hall testifies to it!"
Bai Lanyue glanced at the comments, feeling a twisted sense of satisfaction. She needed the show to go on, even if the anger within her threatened to spill over.
"Don't talk about my sister like that. She isn't a vile woman; she's just been a little... jealous. We all have our moments," Bai Lanyue replied, her tone softening.
"Lanyue, can you not be so kind?" a fan typed.
"The same kindness Su Yiren showed Bai Zhiqi, and she stabbed her in the back!"
"Bai Lanyue, you should be careful of these kinds of people!" another fan warned.
"Bai Lanyue, it's a pity after all this we won't be able to attend the party," the comments continued to flood in.
"Oh, I understand my sister is a little jealous, but she has every right to be. And I want to make it clear—the banquet will be a live stream! I'll showcase all my late sister's photos!" Bai Lanyue declared, her voice rising with calculated enthusiasm.
"Bai Lanyue, you keep mentioning 'late.' Is Bai Zhiqi dead?" A chilling comment flashed across the screen, and Bai Lanyue's heart raced. She recognized the username—someone trying to stir the pot.
Her palms tightened into fists, a surge of rage bubbling within her. *Stay calm,* she reminded herself. *You're in control.*
"I don't know. My sister was supposed to be out eight months ago, and when I went to the prison, she was not there." Bai Lanyue let a fake tear slip down her cheek, knowing the netizens would eat up her emotional display.
"Hey, who the fuck are you?" another user shot back.
"Why did you have to spoil Bai Lanyue's mood?" someone else chimed in.
"What mood? She keeps mentioning 'late sister.' No news at all? Doesn't that mean good news? Bai Zhiqi might be alive and closer to you than you think!"
Bai Lanyue could feel her insides burning with fury, but she maintained her composure, forcing a smile as her heart raced.
She sniffed and wiped her tears, playing the role perfectly. "It's fine, all of you. I see no reason for you to fight. I really didn't mean to call my sister 'late.' She wasn't in prison and nowhere to be found, so I believed maybe... she—she—maybe she died." More tears spilled, a calculated move to elicit sympathy.
"I'm sorry, all of you," she said, her voice quivering as she ended the livestream, her heart racing as the comments continued to flood in.
As soon as Bai Lanyue ended the stream, Weibo erupted into chaos. Fans cursed the commentator and dragged the veiled musician into the fray, igniting discussions that spread like wildfire.
Seething with anger, Bai Lanyue folded her fists, the urge to confront Bai Zhiqi intensifying. "Calm down, Bai Lanyue," Wen Qing said, stepping closer. "Tomorrow is the day we close the chapter on Bai Zhiqi and the veiled musician for good. Even Ji Lanxue and Ji Yanluo will crumble down in pieces."
"Alright," Bai Lanyue said, her voice steadying. "Everything will go back to its rightful place tomorrow."
"But what if things don't go as planned?" Wen Qing asked, her brow furrowing with concern.
"They will," Bai Lanyue replied, her determination solidifying. "No one gets to take what's rightfully mine. Not Bai Zhiqi, not Ji Yanluo. This is my moment, and I won't let it slip away."
Wen Qing nodded, sensing the fire in her friend. "Then let's prepare. We'll make sure everything is set for the banquet. This time, it's not just a celebration; it's a statement."
As they plotted their next moves, Bai Lanyue felt a sense of purpose wash over her. The chaos of the world outside faded, leaving only her resolve to rise above the ashes of betrayal. Tomorrow would be the turning point, and she would ensure that the narrative shifted in her favor.
With a final glance at the screen, filled with the chaotic comments and speculation, Bai Lanyue smiled knowingly. The game had only just begun, and she was ready to play her hand.