Bai Zhi stood in front of the mirror in her studio office, dressed in a sleek cream blouse and high-waisted black trousers. Her long hair was pulled into a loose ponytail that framed her sharp, graceful features.
Today wasn't about revenge, it was about severing dead ties and cutting off burdens.
One of those ties was Chen Yuxuan, her fiancé in her past life. Or more accurately, the man she had thought was her fiancé.
In her first life, she had given him up for Meilin believing Meilin loved him and that her feelings didn't matter.
He repaid her sacrifice by mocking her behind her back and marrying Meilin.
This time, Bai Zhi would end it first.
At the Chen family's estate, Chen Yuxuan was lazily flipping through a fashion magazine when his phone buzzed.
Bai Zhi: Let's meet. One last time. The rooftop café at Qinghe Plaza, 4PM.
He smirked. "So she finally realized her place."
Beside him, his mother, Madam Chen, raised an eyebrow. "Who messaged?"
"Bai Zhi. Probably wants to apologize or beg."
"She should. You were always too good for her," Madam Chen said with disdain. "She was only a stand-in until Meilin returned."
Yuxuan chuckled. "I'll enjoy watching her grovel."
By 4PM, the rooftop café was buzzing. The sun dipped low on the horizon, painting the sky in orange and purple streaks.
Bai Zhi sat at a private table, sipping lemon water, radiating elegance and self-assurance.
Chen Yuxuan arrived five minutes late, as always, wearing a smug grin.
"You called me out to apologize?" he asked as he sat.
Bai Zhi raised an eyebrow. "No. I called you out to end this engagement."
The grin faltered.
"What?"
"I'm returning the second Chen family's engagement token." She placed the gold ring box on the table. "I have no desire to marry a man who sees me as a placeholder."
His brows furrowed. "Bai Zhi, are you serious?"
"I've never been more serious."
"But I was only with Meilin because your family insisted she join our circle. You know I only care about you"
Those words would have worked with the past Bai Zhi not the present Bai Zhi who has seen death
"Chen Yuxuan," she cut him off sharply, her eyes like frost, "do you even hear yourself?"
"You lied to me for while playing two sides. You didn't care what happened, You just wanted a quiet puppet who wouldn't embarrass you."
"You are a fake daughter," he spat. "You are lucky I stayed engaged at all."
Bai Zhi stood. "And now you're unlucky that I've decided not to."
She turned and walked away, heels clicking against the stone tiles.
She turned and walked away, heels clicking against the stone tiles.
That evening, news broke in the upper circles of Donghai City:
"Chen-Bai Engagement Officially Cancelled!"
"Bai Zhi Cuts Ties with Longtime Fiancé... Industry Shaken!"
Bai Zhi watched the headlines scroll on her phone with a cool expression. In the past life, she was humiliated when the Chen's publicly abandoned her.
This time, she left first, with grace.
Meanwhile, at the Bai estate…
Meilin stormed into her room and slammed the door.
"How dare she!" she seethed. "Yuxuan was supposed to dump her. Not the other way around!"
She threw a porcelain perfume bottle against the wall, where it shattered.
All her plans, Bai Zhi crying, Bai Zhi broken, they were all ruined.
In her last life, Bai Zhi was pitiful and easy to manipulate.
Now she was confident. Sharp. Cold.
Almost like she knows something and changed.
"She's faking it," Meilin whispered to herself, trembling. "She has to be."
Still, a pit formed in her stomach.
Later that night, Bai Zhi sat in her apartment above Zhen Studios, reviewing upcoming audition tapes and music demos.
She paused when she saw a familiar name on a submission: Ye Chenhao.
In her past life, he was a quiet medical researcher, a background character.
In this life, she remembered something else:
Ye Chenhao's research won a national innovation award… with data she had gathered.
It was one of many stolen credits during her "invisible" years.
She sent a message to Jiang Qiao:
"Schedule a meeting with Ye Chenhao. I want to talk to him personally."
If she had to reclaim every piece of herself, she'd start with the ones they thought she'd forget.
The next day, Bai Zhi walked into a private tea house for the meeting with Ye Chenhao. He looked up as she entered, clearly surprised.
"Miss Bai?" he stood awkwardly.
"You remember me?" she asked calmly, sitting across from him.
"Of course. You… helped with the genetic analysis reports"
"Helped?" she smiled. "I wrote them. It was submitted under your name.
Ye Chenhao's face turned red. "I-I didn't mean to...Meilin said you agreed..."
"Meilin says many things." Her eyes bore into his. "But this time, I want my name on the paper. And my contribution acknowledged. Publicly."
He hesitated. "And if I don't?"
Bai Zhi leaned forward.
"Then I'll go to the academic board and present my copies of the drafts. With timestamps. And emails. Your choice."
He wilted like a flower in winter. "Fine. I'll do it."
"Good." She stood up. "You have three days."
Back at Zhen Studios, Jiang Qiao approached her with a bright expression.
"You're trending again," he said, showing her his phone.
#BaiZhiQuitsChenFiancé
#IndependentQueen
#SheDeservesBetter
Bai Zhi looked at the tags and exhaled softly.
In the past, her life was filled with silence, like she never existed.
Now the world was finally noticing her.
But she wasn't done.
She pulled out a folder from her bag and handed it to Jiang Qiao.
"Start prep on this."
"What is it?"
"A film script," she said. "My debut."
"You're writing and starring?"
She smiled. "Who else can tell my story better than me?"
It was about time she started showing what she was made of. She won't end her life at twenty years of age to live for another person like she did in the past.
Her next ten years won't be filled with strives another person would take credit for.