Chapter 57

The moment the incident happened on 【Meet on Friday】, news spread like wildfire. With the show airing live to a massive audience, there was no containing it.

The news flooded every corner of the internet. Fans of the 【Breaking the Cocoon】 novel, the drama series, the actors, the show itself, and even casual viewers all tuned in.

The video of the incident involving Gu Ling was replayed over and over—especially the moment when the decorative piece fell from the stage, Kong Xiyan turned to shield Gu Ling, and then Fu Qiu rushed in to push her away. Within just two hours, the clip had over ten million views.

This time, netizens didn't use harsh words. They simply asked, over and over: Are they okay?

They were okay.

Kong Xiyan wasn't hurt.

Gu Ling had a fractured shin, but nothing else too serious. She was shaken from the fall and needed rest to recover. Then there was Fu Qiu.

Fu Qiu was worse off. She had a mild concussion and scratches on her neck. Fortunately, it was winter, and she was wearing a thick down jacket, so the rest of her body was unharmed.

A blessing in disguise.

As Kong Xiyan sat in the hospital room, Fu Qiu still unconscious, she watched the pale face of her assistant lying in the bed and let out a sigh. "You little fool."

Fu Qiu had charged in without a second thought. Even Kong Xiyan had been shocked.

Half an hour later, the production crew came by to check on injuries. Kong Xiyan told Tong Yue that they needed rest, then sent them all away. Tong Yue held back a horde of reporters and production staff, standing at the door with a frown on her delicate face.

The hospital was surrounded by tabloid reporters, all trying to get the first scoop, practically plastering themselves to the doors of the patient rooms. When they couldn't get any information from Kong Xiyan's side, they turned to Gu Ling's room.

They got kicked out.

When Chi Wanzhao arrived, there were still plenty of reporters in the corridor, cameras slung around their necks. One sharp-eyed reporter shouted, "It's Chi Wanzhao!"

His call snapped the others back to attention; they all turned to look. A woman was walking toward them, her pretty face tense, lips pressed thin, her presence icy and sharp. Before she even got close, the pressure was suffocating. Instinctively, everyone stepped aside, shuffling nervously out of her path.

Whether they had ever seen Chi Wanzhao in person or not, they all lifted their cameras. A flash of light erupted, illuminating the corridor!

Chi Wanzhao!

The CEO of Jingyan!

She never gave interviews, never attended events, and even photos of her were rare. To have such a mysterious figure suddenly appear in front of them—they had to capture it.

Even if they couldn't get the story about Gu Ling's injury, this alone would be enough to appease their editors.

Chi Wanzhao frowned at the flash. Standing behind her, Assistant Zhou quickly blocked the reporters. Her voice was calm but brooked no argument: "Zhou Sheng, handle this."

Zhou Sheng bowed his head. "Yes, CEO Chi."

As she walked on her heels to the end of the corridor, Zhou Sheng smiled warmly, adjusted his glasses, and said softly, "Ladies and gentlemen, would you like me to do it myself, or will you do it on your own?"

The reporters exchanged glances. One of them said, "Why should we? If she's so tough, she should just not come out!"

Zhou Sheng nodded knowingly, took a step closer to him, and glanced at his name tag. "Qiyue Entertainment, is it? Fine. Let's make a bet. Send that photo to your supervisor right now and see which happens faster: you getting fired, or that photo getting out to the public."

The others exchanged looks. A few tried to back up their photos, but Zhou Sheng gave a cold shout: "That goes for you too!"

His gaze swept over the crowd, his smile still gentle. "Weigh your options carefully."

With that, Zhou Sheng walked away. The remaining reporters muttered, "Who does she think she is?"

"Wow, so arrogant!"

"Forget it. I'm sending this to my boss first."

The Qiyue reporter forwarded the photo immediately, and within three seconds, his phone rang. He assumed his boss was calling to praise him, so he put it on speaker. Instead, he got berated: "Are you stupid? You've been in this industry for years, have you been eating sh*t? Do you know what you can and can't do? How the hell did I end up with a useless piece like you?"

"Do you know who you photographed?"

"Chi Wanzhao of Jingyan!"

"Her information is strictly off-limits in this circle. Have you forgotten what happened three years ago—that magazine that got torn apart in one night? You want me dead? If you don't want this job anymore, just say so! Don't drag me down with you!"

His supervisor hung up with a click and then sent a text: "Don't come back until you delete those photos!"

The young reporter, shaken and scared, deleted the photo on the spot.

The others who had been tempted to keep backups all deleted theirs too, not even daring to call their own supervisors.

After deleting, the Qiyue reporter nudged the man beside him and asked quietly, "What happened three years ago? Why was that magazine torn apart?"

He'd only been in the industry for two years and didn't know the details.

The man beside him sighed and thought for a moment before saying, "It wasn't that big a deal, really. At the time, there were rumors about Chi Wanzhao and Chai Yin. Someone had taken a photo of Chi Wanzhao outside an apartment, and somehow it got out. That magazine claimed she was Chai Yin's secret lover. Within two days, the story was pulled, and the entire magazine was shut down."

The others wanted to ask more, but he quickly added, "I don't know the full details either. It's all just rumors. After all, in the whole of City B, there are only a handful of people close to Chi Wanzhao, let alone those who know her private matters."

"Don't even think about it."

"No, seriously, stay away from her. Her influence is even more terrifying now than it was three years ago. With a flick of her finger, she could bring down your magazine. Just lie low."

When he finished, everyone fell silent. Not one dared to have another thought.

News was important, but their jobs were even more so.

Compared to the buzz in the hallway, the atmosphere in the hospital room was cold and quiet.

When Tong Yue saw Chi Wanzhao and Assistant Zhou approaching together, she paused, then bowed her head and said, "CEO Chi, Assistant Zhou."

So the matter had blown up enough to alert Chi Wanzhao.

Tong Yue kept her head low. Chi Wanzhao gave her a cold glance and walked into the room with a stern expression. Assistant Zhou followed with a calm face.

The door opened and closed.

Kong Xiyan turned her head. "Sister Tong..." she started, but before she could finish, she saw Chi Wanzhao's tense face and sharp eyes. She called out weakly, "CEO Chi."

Seeing Kong Xiyan standing there unharmed, Chi Wanzhao let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She clenched her trembling hands and asked in a hoarse voice, "Are you okay?"

Kong Xiyan shook her head. "I'm fine. Nothing happened. It's Xiao Qiu—she saved me."

She spoke in fragments, and Chi Wanzhao, who had just arrived and hadn't seen the video yet, felt a cold sweat break out as Kong Xiyan recounted the scene on stage. She clenched her fists tighter.

Kong Xiyan was also shaken. If that decorative piece had landed on her, it could have been worse than a mild concussion.

She looked at Fu Qiu with gratitude. "Thanks to Xiao Qiu."

Chi Wanzhao's face remained dark and unreadable. Every word Kong Xiyan said tortured her—the falling wire stunt, the falling decorations that nearly hit her. Each detail struck her heart, making it hard to breathe.

Her face grew paler and paler, white as the patient in the bed. Kong Xiyan noticed and quickly steadied her. "CEO Chi, what's wrong?"

Chi Wanzhao grabbed her wrist and pulled her into an embrace, her hands still trembling.

She held Kong Xiyan tightly and whispered hoarsely, "From now on..."

From now on... don't go on stage anymore, okay?

Chi Wanzhao couldn't ask that. She knew that suggesting it would be cruel to Kong Xiyan.

This person was meant to stand in the spotlight, in a place that shined brightly, to be admired by all.

That was who she was.

But today's accident had scared Chi Wanzhao.

She was truly afraid that when she pushed open the hospital room door, she'd find Kong Xiyan lying in bed, her life hanging in the balance.

That was why this terrible thought had crossed her mind.

She wanted to hide Kong Xiyan away.

Kong Xiyan, unsure of what was happening, patted Chi Wanzhao's slender back and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Chi Wanzhao tightened her arms around Kong Xiyan's waist and said, her voice low, "Nothing. I'm just a bit dizzy. Let me hold you for a minute."

Kong Xiyan quickly said, "Do you want me to help you sit on the bed?"

"No need."

Chi Wanzhao felt the warmth of the person in her arms, the soft breath as she spoke. She buried her head in the crook of Kong Xiyan's neck, took a deep breath, and then let go.

Some color had returned to her face.

Kong Xiyan was still worried. She tilted her head and asked, "Are you okay?"

Chi Wanzhao looked at the face so close to her—full of concern, with a delicate nose and slightly parted lips, and a faint fragrance lingering between them. She reached out with one hand, wanting to cup Kong Xiyan's face, to bite her lips, to feel her warmth pressing close.

Assistant Zhou had already turned away.

But a faint moan broke the air. Fu Qiu, holding her head, murmured, "Sister Kong."

Kong Xiyan turned around. Chi Wanzhao's hand missed, and she stumbled forward, nearly tripping.

She sighed as she saw Fu Qiu waking up.

What could she do?

She was thinking of replacing that assistant again.