“xxxx year x month x day

Doesn’t know what’s good for her.”

A few days later, at the Youth Film Festival awards ceremony.

This was Wu Man’s first time attending a ceremony, her first time wearing a haute couture gown borrowed from a luxury brand, her first time enjoying the siege of media cameras and lenses.

It was also the first time her birthmark was exposed before cameras, accepting the crowd’s astonishment.

For this awards ceremony, she had drastically controlled her eating a week in advance, only consuming fruits and low-calorie cereal, supplemented with vitamins, in order to maintain the best figure for her appearance.

The weather had already turned cold, but wearing only thin fabric, she didn’t feel the slightest chill, because the temperature of the flashbulbs gave her the illusion she would be ignited.

The moment everyone’s gaze gathered on Wu Man, she felt that even being burned to ashes wouldn’t matter.

She opened her legs and walked onto the red carpet. The gait she’d practiced many times still seemed somewhat stiff during the process. But fortunately, there was no major accident of spraining an ankle from nervousness.

Walking smoothly was already the limit, let alone finding cameras or knowing how to display her body’s most beautiful angle. She came stiffly to the backdrop board and, with her back completely turned, wrote her name on the board stroke by stroke.

Wu, Man.

From now on, you will remember this name. She hoped ambitiously.

After walking the red carpet, Wu Man found her assigned seat and sat down, her legs trembling non-stop under the gown.

On one hand, she anticipated the upcoming awards ceremony; on the other, she wondered whether the person she’d invited would come. She unnaturally looked frequently toward the audience seats behind her, but until the awards ceremony began, she still hadn’t seen that familiar figure.

Wu Man withdrew her gaze with slight disappointment, focusing intently on the stage.

After the photography, music, art, and editing awards were all announced, the Best Newcomer Award was about to be revealed.

For the entire evening, this was the moment Wu Man anticipated most. She’d never known that her heart, which had been alive for over twenty years, could beat so violently.

She pressed her chest, breathing deeply repeatedly, when she suddenly caught with her peripheral vision a figure leisurely entering from the side door.

It was Yu Jiaze.

…Why would he sit in the first row? The organizer’s invitation list clearly didn’t include him.

Receiving Wu Man’s confused gaze, Yu Jiaze showed no surprise.

But he paid no attention, walking casually to his seat and sitting down. He’d come timing it precisely, planning to leave right after watching Wu Man receive her award.

On stage, the host began announcing the Best Newcomer Award. Yu Jiaze in the audience yawned, and the next second heard Wu Man’s name spoken without any suspense.

He raised his head to look at the big screen. The director had cut the camera to Wu Man at this moment. This silly little bird’s face was filled with obvious delight, as if she truly believed she was the one blessed by heaven. She was so excited that even her steps going up to the stage were somewhat unsteady.

Yu Jiaze watched her triumphant appearance, thinking he’d made the right choice coming tonight after all.

He enjoyed seeing her dizzy with surprise, because this confusion was what he’d bestowed upon her.

Wu Man took the microphone. Whether it was eyeshadow shimmer or tears welling in her lashes, her eyes appeared especially touching and pitiful, making him momentarily lose focus.

If idols were most charming on stage, then actors’ most charming destination must be the award platform.

In this moment, he saw radiance on her, but that light was like the moon—soft and not dazzling, because behind it relied on the sun.

Without the sun, the moon would have no light.

He was very satisfied with this.

As applause thundered, Yu Jiaze silently walked toward the exit, retiring after accomplishing his mission.

That evening, he knew the little bird definitely wouldn’t be able to resist coming to share her medal with him. He specially declined an evening engagement, had his assistant deliver Michelin food, set up candles, and created a bit of ambiance.

In these twenty-seven years, he’d never had such refined interest.

He hummed a song, confidently glanced at his phone. At this moment it vibrated—a message from Wu Man.

She asked where he was.

As expected.

He replied that he was home, waiting for the little bird to fall into the net.

About an hour later, the doorbell finally rang. Yu Jiaze raised his eyebrows. He remembered he’d told her the gate password.

He stood up and walked toward the door. His gaze swept to the door screen display showing Wu Man’s appearance, and he sensed something odd.

Her expression held no joy at all. Her face was somber, like a totally eclipsed moon, her entire being engulfed by this night’s darkness, unable to emit a single ray of light.

He pulled open the door. Wu Man raised her face and got straight to the point: “They said this award of mine… was bought by you behind the scenes? Is this true?”

Yu Jiaze leaned against the doorframe: “Yes, so what?”

“Why would you do this?!” She questioned with great humiliation. “Do you not believe I could win the award?!”

“Heh… If I didn’t buy it, someone else would have won this award now, understand?” He looked down at Wu Man with pity. “This isn’t about belief or not. If I don’t buy it, someone else will. This is the inside story of most awards nowadays. There’s no absolute fairness, only absolute capital.”

Wu Man’s expression was dazed, showing an incredulous helplessness.

“Unless your acting is so good they wouldn’t dare manipulate things to replace you, but do you think you’re at that level?”

Yu Jiaze didn’t care about her answer at all, continuing on his own: “You must admit one fact—you don’t have that kind of talent, otherwise you’d have become famous overnight, right? If I weren’t there today, who knows who would have gone on stage. Maybe you, but more likely someone else. What you’d have waited for would be empty joy.”

Wu Man bit her lower lip, deeply affected: “So what you said in the car about believing in me—was that all a lie?”

“How is this a lie? I believed because I knew I could give it to you.”

“I understand.” Wu Man smiled bleakly. “In the end, you only believe in yourself.”

“What I don’t understand is why you’re giving me attitude now?” Yu Jiaze pinched her chin, scrutinizing her expression carefully. “You won the award and you’re not happy? Not thanking me?”

“You naturally can’t understand. When I was so excited holding the trophy coming off stage, only to be sneered at and mocked that it was all stolen, that feeling of falling from heaven to hell in utter humiliation. I thought I was mounting the award platform, but I was actually mounting a pillar of shame. This was a chance I’d waited twenty years for, finally able to prove myself…”

Yu Jiaze interrupted her, focusing instead on another point in her words.

“Who was the person who said that to you?”

Wu Man choked, after a long while saying quietly: “That’s not important… because they weren’t wrong! Do you understand what this award means to me? I invited you to witness my glory and growth, to thank you for the opportunities you once gave me! Not for you to…”

She couldn’t continue.

Meeting Yu Jiaze’s increasingly indifferent gaze, she felt she was clearly conversing with a black hole. That black hole expanded toward her, irresistibly about to swallow her.

“Do you know what your current behavior is called?” He said word by word: “Getting a bargain and acting good.”

In the night sky, a drifting cloud quietly approached, covering the moon.

“A few words from others about your relationship with me makes you this upset? Once you’ve been a whore, don’t try to build a memorial arch—that’s the most basic rule.”

As he finished speaking, he immediately felt her chin trembling as she clenched her jaw. He rubbed it lightly twice, withdrew his hand, and sighed: “A perfectly good celebration night, just ruined by you like this.”

Wu Man suddenly pulled out the trophy from her bag without warning and smashed it against the doorframe with a “bang.”

“Then let’s ruin it even more thoroughly.”

Yu Jiaze glanced at the shattered trophy, his Adam’s apple moving slightly.

“Pick it up.”

He lowered his voice, calmly issuing a command.

“…What if I say no?”

The two stared tensely at each other for a while.

“The taste of flashbulbs is pretty good, isn’t it?” Yu Jiaze suddenly bent down, speaking softly in her ear. “But perhaps this is both the first and last time in your life you’ll be noticed.”

Wu Man’s body shook, her lips bitten until they bled.

Yu Jiaze straightened up and entered the villa without looking back.

He knew his little bird would obediently fly in.

He returned to sit by the dining table, composed and calm as he watched the clock on the table. Tick tock, tick tock. The minute hand made several rounds before Wu Man, holding the broken trophy, came before him with her head lowered.

Yu Jiaze picked up a bite of food, then spat it out, muttering: “What kind of Michelin is this? So unpalatable.”

He deliberately acted as if he couldn’t see her.

Wu Man clenched her hands, as if futilely trying to grasp something, but ultimately couldn’t hold it—her palms were empty.

She opened her mouth, paused several times, then said stiffly: “I’m sorry.”

Only then did Yu Jiaze raise his head: “This is your first time defying me. Is one ‘sorry’ enough?”

“…Then what do you want me to do?”

He propped up his chin, excitedly contemplating how to brand the little bird. Without a profound lesson, one could easily be betrayed by memory and repeat mistakes.

He placed his gaze on the dining table, saying very regretfully: “Look, to celebrate you winning the award, I even prepared this whole table of dishes for you. Although unpalatable, for you who’s never eaten Michelin… it should be at an acceptable level. Such waste won’t do.”

He picked up a dish, about to hand it to Wu Man, when his hand suddenly slipped and the exquisite food scattered all over the floor.

He clicked his tongue: “I’m really so angry at you today my hands are shaking. I can’t even hold the dishes steady.”

“…”

“But regardless, this dish—you must eat every bit.” Yu Jiaze’s toe pointed at the broccoli on the floor. “This is my heartfelt gesture for you, understand?”

He wanted her to kneel down, prostrate on the ground, accepting his bestowal in the most humble posture.

She was clearly the first person in this world he’d actively given gifts to, and not only did he not receive gratitude, but was questioned? Was there anything so unreasonable under heaven?

He could not tolerate it.

Even after punishing her, he still felt unsatisfied.

Disobedient pets should be neglected for a period of time.

He gave the leading lady script originally custom-made for her to some female entertainer who’d clung to him at a social event, and finally dispatched Wu Man to an obscure TV drama to play an arrogant, vicious supporting character.

The female entertainer who got this script was overjoyed. She’d heard that as long as you latched onto Yu Jiaze, almost all requests were granted, but she hadn’t even asked him yet and got resources—such hot resources at that.

She immediately became presumptuous, boasting outside that she’d definitely caught Yu Jiaze’s eye.

And Yu Jiaze turned a blind eye, tacitly approving her behavior, which made the female entertainer more certain her feelings were correct.

She’d always been very confident in her charm. Every man she set her sights on was easily captured, which was how she’d made it to today.

Yu Jiaze was a man, so he couldn’t be an exception either.

At several recent social engagements, Yu Jiaze, who’d previously stopped liking to bring female companions, kept bringing her along. He gently held her waist, kissed her forehead, but also made her drink alcohol until she had stomach bleeding.

She began to feel anxious, wondering if her high profile had displeased this young master.

“Young Master Yu, I really didn’t spread word about us outside. I just shared with close girlfriends. I didn’t expect her to go blabbing outside.”

He just smiled indifferently: “So you’re saying the whole circle knows?”

“…I don’t know.”

Yu Jiaze looked down at his phone. That little broken bird still showed no movement.

He reached out and pinched the woman’s cheek: “How could I be angry? No need to restrain yourself. You can say whatever you want outside.”

The woman was slightly stunned. After reacting, she hugged Yu Jiaze’s arm coquettishly: “You scared me to death. I thought Young Master Yu would punish me.”

“You’re overthinking.”

Punishment meant having expectations of this person, meant another chance, and also meant tolerance.

For these people, he couldn’t even be bothered to give them the qualification to be punished. They only deserved to be directly eliminated.

Yet some people just didn’t know their blessings while in them.

Months later, when Yu Jiaze pushed open the door to Wu Man’s residence, what greeted him was an empty building.

He didn’t react at all at first, until he saw the note stuck on the entrance table. On it was Wu Man’s handwriting: “I understand what you mean. Since you have other better choices, I won’t come pester you, please rest assured. When there’s a chance in the future, I’ll find a way to thank you. Thank you!”

Yu Jiaze silently examined those two lines back and forth, crumpling the note into his palm.

Understand what he meant?

Utterly absurd.

After the tidal wave of initial rage receded, what swept over his heart was a trace of intrigue… Her actions were very impulsive, as if stimulated by something, not a decision made after rational consideration.

Regardless, this little bird absolutely had to be personally caught and brought back for interrogation.

But before catching the little bird back, he had to make some thorough preparations.

He had someone investigate Wu Man in detail, obtaining detailed information about her background. Much more detailed than what he’d initially received on the cruise.

Specific birth date and time, birthplace, growth experiences, and family background.

He flicked Wu Yulan’s photo, asking the private detective: “This is Wu Man’s mother?”

The other party nodded: “Yes, she was also a very popular actress back then, but she suddenly retired from acting. After that, there was no news of her. Before retiring, she had an underground romance with Tang Jiarong, but they broke up before Tang Jiarong decided to get engaged. Her retirement probably had something to do with that.”

The file stated that over these years, Wu Yulan had lived casually, hastily married and divorced a man, then gave birth to Wu Man and raised her alone. Later she became addicted to gambling, owed a pile of loan shark debts, and was beaten into the hospital.

And the day she was hospitalized was the day before Wu Man came to the cruise banquet.

Yu Jiaze thoughtfully understood something.

Caught your weak spot, little bird.

He flipped through two pages of materials, seeing the staggering numbers on the loan shark debt, clicking his tongue in wonder.

“Wu Yulan has quite an appetite. Who’s repaying this debt now? Wu Man?”

The detective nodded: “But Miss Wu Man has only paid back a fraction. Plus Wu Yulan’s medical expenses are also a big sum. Miss Wu Man’s financial situation doesn’t look very optimistic at present.”

“Wu Yulan is still hospitalized?”

“There’s no longer any danger to her life, but her brain function is damaged. I’m afraid she’ll need a very long period of recuperation.”

“That kind of small place—what good nursing home could there be?” Yu Jiaze seemed to mention casually, then picked up the file on the man divorced from Wu Yulan to browse.

Although Wu Man was born after their divorce, theoretically this person should be considered Wu Man’s father.

A marriage that lasted only one month—was it worth Wu Yulan bearing him a child? And after divorce, no less?

Yu Jiaze sensitively detected something subtle here.

He asked with interest: “How long did Wu Yulan and Tang Jiarong’s underground romance last?”

“About two years.”

“And she gave birth to Wu Man how long after they broke up?”

“This needs more exact investigation, but estimating, it’s about one year.”

Yu Jiaze thought with interest that he seemed to have discovered an even more hidden weak spot.

So this little crow’s background wasn’t simple after all.

The day Wu Man returned from filming out of town to her rental apartment, Yu Jiaze caught her perfectly in his trap.

He pressed step by step, insisting on prying an answer from her mouth.

When Wu Man sullenly nodded, admitting she indeed felt uncomfortable seeing the photos, he suddenly forgave all the things about her these days that he’d found displeasing.

His tone was amiable: “These days have indeed been a bit much for you. That loan shark debt—I’ve already helped you pay it off.”

Wu Man’s expression was shocked.

“I didn’t ask you to help me repay it…”

“With your repayment ability, you’d be lucky to pay off the interest in this lifetime. Since you’re going to owe someone anyway, just owe me. I don’t like you owing others.”

Yu Jiaze continued with both kindness and威严: “Oh right, I also looked into your mother’s condition. Her recovery in China, especially in a small city like your hometown, has basically no chance of healing. I’ve inquired about good doctors in LA. We can directly transfer Wu Yulan there.”

Wu Man hadn’t even digested the previous sentence when the next one left her dumbfounded.

Everything around her had already been arranged with airtight routes by Yu Jiaze, and apart from accepting, she had no second choice.

Who told him to label all of it as being good to her? If she didn’t appreciate it, it was her fault.

This favor was suffocating.

“Little bird, you owe me too much.” He leaned against her head and nuzzled lightly, his expression certain and intimate. “So if I don’t say it’s over, there’s no end between us, understand?”

He didn’t know when he would press that pause button, but he was very clear about one thing—if that button wasn’t pressed by him, he absolutely couldn’t tolerate it.

Because this was his little bird. No matter how big the world, only under his domain could she find rest.