Qinglin City, 7 pm.
In the dimly lit hospital room, the quiet of the night wrapped around like a shroud. The rhythmic beeping of monitors echoed, breaking the silence. Soft moonlight filtered through the partially drawn curtains, casting gentle shadows on the walls.
At the center of the room lay a patient, resting peacefully in the bed, surrounded by various machines monitoring their vital signs.
The ambiance in the sterile hospital room was anything but calm.
There were four men occupying the space, each exhibiting an aura of indifference, despite the presence of the patient lying motionless on the bed.
The first man stood beside the patient, his countenance vacant as he observed the figure in the bed. His blank expression hinted at a mind caught in contemplation, lost in its own thoughts, detached from the scene before him.
On the couch, another man lay in an awkward position, his arm shielding his eyes from the ambient light. Despite his slumber, a furrowed brow suggested that it wasn't a peaceful and comfortable sleep.
Meanwhile, the third man, standing near the window, wore a deep frown etched across his face. His eyes narrowed as if scrutinizing an unseen problem. His furrowed brow and tense posture hinted at an internal conflict, emotions bubbling beneath the surface, yet contained within.
Lastly, the fourth man remained motionless, his gaze fixed on the floor. His features were stoic, his expression cool and detached. There was a certain air of authority in his stance, and a subtle hint of disapproval in his expression.
The silence in the room shattered when the man near the window spoke, "Keep this matter from my parents. They can't know about this."
Beside the bed, another man furrowed his brow, "Your sister was just pushed down the stairs. We're not even certain if she suffered a head injury. It might be wiser to inform them."
The man by the window shook his head, "No, you don't get it, Jiahao. If Father finds out, he'll likely send her overseas. He's tolerated her troublesome behavior, but this... this won't be overlooked."
The man with his head lowered raised his gaze, "Mingyu Zhang, wouldn't it be better if she went abroad?"
Silence enveloped the room once more.
Mingyu Zhang, who was standing beside the window, frowned, "What are you suggesting, Yuchen?"
Lin Yuchen spoke in a monotone, "This can't continue. She's not just jeopardizing her own future; she's ruining mine too. If Cai Ruiming hadn't bribed those two women, this would've been a much bigger mess. She's not only tarnishing your family's reputation but dragging me down with her."
Mingyu Zhang's expression turned icy. "Lin Yuchen, watch your words. You're still speaking about my sister."
"Now that she's lying in a hospital bed, suddenly she's your sister?" Lin Yuchen sneered. "Have you forgotten how you always reminded us she was just a step-sister?"
Mingyu Zhang replied with a gritted teeth, "But that does not mean I want her to leave—yes, I never treated her like my blood-related sister but I can't deny that she had been working hard for her ambition. Sending her abroad will crush her dream to become an actress."
Lin Yuchen leaned back in the chair, fixing a cold gaze on Mingyu Zhang. "Who do you think is the cause of her strong drive to succeed as an actress?"
Mingyu Zhang fell silent at the question, provoking a scoff from Lin Yuchen.
The three of them understood why Mingyu Zhang's step-sister, Mei Lingzhi, had chosen to pursue acting—to stand alongside Lin Yuchen, a superstar idol.
She hoped that by doing so, she could prove herself and earn his attention. However, this only aggravated Lin Yuchen.
"It's easy for you to talk because you're not the one she's incessantly bothering and following day after day," Lin Yuchen added, sneering.
Sensing the tense atmosphere, Huang Jiahao sighed. "That's enough now."
While the three were engrossed in their conversation, no one noticed the patient on the bed; tears silently streamed down her cheeks, dampening the hospital pillow.
Mei Lingzhi didn't expect she'll experience this again.
The pain she received after she fell down the stairs, and the pain she felt when she heard those words from Lin Yuchen.
Why hadn't she stop her pursuit of him after hearing him say those words?
Why was she so insistent on winning his affection?
Ah, yes, because she was merely the unwanted third female lead in a book, to strengthen the relationship between the male lead and female lead!
To make matters worse, she was also a dispensable character in other people's story—her brother and her brother's friends were the male lead of a novel series!
Having undergone a transformative rebirth and gained insight into her predetermined fate, Mei Lingzhi adamantly rejected the idea of letting everything happen again.
To hell with her role and everyone associated with it!
She refused to let herself be trapped within the confines of the novel's plot!
She, Mei Lingzhi, would not go down that path again, and instead would focus on herself and become a Film Goddess!