Outside, the other beauties in the pool, exhausted from their playful splashing, sat on the sofas by the poolside. They were resting and chatting. The privacy of this mansion was excellent. The surrounding area was vast and open, with rows of trees providing cover. It ensured there was no need to worry about prying eyes.
After their earlier conversation, everyone now understood the truth behind the so-called mysterious old Great Xia doctor. The atmosphere had grown somewhat awkward, especially since Zhang Yi had entered the mansion alone and had yet to come out, making the air even more delicate and charged with unspoken thoughts.
The first to lose patience was Wang Fei. The renowned singer, famous across the three regions of Great Xia, had always been known for her independent and eccentric personality. There was an innate coldness and arrogance beneath her carefree exterior.
"I'm leaving." She changed back into her clothes and said indifferently, "Don't invite me to things again. We are not the same and I have no interest in this path."
With that, she turned and walked away. A moment later, Zhao Yan and Lin Xun also chose to leave. However, unlike Wang Fei, they didn’t make any harsh statements. Instead, they politely bid farewell to Miss Fan, maintaining a facade of courtesy. But once they stepped out of the villa's courtyard, they each boarded their own business vehicles and left.
Miss Fan escorted them out, watching their cars drive off into the distance. Then, a scornful smirk crept onto her face.
"Heh, acting all high and mighty. We’re all in the same circle. Who doesn’t know what kind of person we all are? Sooner or later, you’ll come begging me for this." She sneered coldly.
It was now late at night, but Zhang Yi had yet to leave. Her body was completely limp, her eyes dazed and unfocused. With Miss Fan’s support, she was helped to a guest room on the second floor, where she collapsed into bed and fell into a deep sleep.
“Ah!” A sharp scream rang out from the room.
Zhang Yi stared at her reflection in the mirror, unable to contain the overwhelming joy in her heart. It wasn’t an illusion. She had truly become younger. Her skin was smoother, firmer, and even fairer than before. Her entire body radiated vitality.
Even the minor ailments she had accumulated over the years, stomach issues from late-night filming, persistent backaches, and neck discomfort had completely vanished. For the first time in years, she woke up feeling refreshed and utterly free of fatigue.
When she thought back to last night, from the humiliation, the sheer exhaustion, and the point where she had almost lost consciousness, she had almost thought she might not survive the ordeal.
But look at me now? Could such a miraculous thing truly exist in this world?
Standing naked in front of the bathroom mirror, Zhang Yi examined every inch of her body over and over again. The few moles she once had were gone. The scar on her back from an old filming injury had disappeared without a trace. Her hair seemed thicker. Even her eyes looked brighter, clearer.
She stared in stunned silence at her reflection. She looked at least seven or eight years younger. A single, overwhelming question surfaced in her mind.
That fat man... who exactly is he? This is simply unbelievable.
Three days passed in a flash. That afternoon, the citizens were taken aback to discover that several main roads near the Olympic Sports Center had been temporarily closed.
All the shops and entertainment facilities around the stadium had been shut down and armed paramilitary officers were patrolling the area. No one without proper credentials was allowed to approach.
“Is there some big event tonight?”
“Did a national leader arrive?”
“Haven’t heard anything about it.”
Curious bystanders, blocked from entering, engaged in hushed discussions.
Just then, a convoy of twenty large buses slowly entered the main road and parked neatly in the stadium parking lot.
“Wait... are those celebrities?”
“Isn’t that the singer Wang Fei?”
“And that movie star... Zhang something? Why are so many famous people here? Is a concert happening?”
Sharp-eyed onlookers quickly recognized some of the people stepping off the buses. Many of them were household names, top-tier celebrities known across the nation. Of course, there were also plenty of unfamiliar faces.
Wang Fei walked through the crowd with her manager, feeling a subtle sense of excitement. Her manager had informed her that tonight’s event was of an extremely high caliber. National leaders would be in attendance and the gathering was part of an international cultural exchange.
Every individual present had undergone multiple rounds of selection and vetting. Being here meant receiving a form of official recognition. Though she was a highly acclaimed singer across Great Xia, Hong Dong and Taifan, she still felt deeply honored to have been chosen for such an event.
"Huh? Look over there. Why is she here?" Suddenly, Wang Fei's manager whispered to her.
Following the manager’s gaze, Wang Fei saw Miss Fan. She was instantly confused.
It didn’t make sense. Actors usually had little opportunity to showcase their talents at such national-level cultural exchange events.
Besides, to be blunt, Miss Fan’s public image in recent years had been far from positive. Scandals and controversies had surrounded her, making it hard to believe that someone like her would be invited to an event of this caliber.
Wang Fei couldn't figure it out. Then, she witnessed something even more unbelievable. A group of reception staff politely escorted Miss Fan and her manager through a VIP-exclusive passage, treating her with exceptional courtesy.
Wang Fei’s eyes widened in shock.
Did she latch onto someone powerful?
It wasn’t impossible. Miss Fan’s beauty had undergone a dramatic transformation after being treated by that old Great Xia doctor. Her appearance now was ethereal and almost divine. She became the kind of woman who could make any man lose himself at a glance.
It wouldn't be surprising if some high-ranking elite had taken a liking to her and decided to keep her as a pampered mistress. The thought made Wang Fei feel an odd mix of emotions. Was it envy, jealousy, or disdain?
As she wrestled with her thoughts, something else caught her attention. A plain-looking private car, with an ordinary license plate, had somehow passed through multiple layers of heavy security and driven smoothly up to the venue entrance.
Two figures stepped out. One fat, one thin. The fat one looked oddly familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before. The thin one was dressed casually and looked like a college student. Yet, both were immediately escorted through the VIP passage by the reception staff.
“Who are they?” Wang Fei frowned in suspicion.
Everything about tonight felt... off.
The event staff quickly escorted Wang Fei and dozens of other artists through the standard entrance into the backstage dressing rooms.
"Brother, is there some kind of big event happening here?" Li Guorui looked around curiously.
He had never expected that his big brother was this well-connected. The roads outside were completely sealed off, with armed paramilitary officers standing guard. Yet somehow, Brother Li had effortlessly driven through security and entered through the VIP passage without any issues. This wasn’t something money alone could accomplish.
Just who exactly is this man I have met by chance in the hard-seat carriage of a green train?
"There’s an exchange competition tonight between Great Xia and Jiepeng’s superhumans," Li Xiaofei glanced at him and said casually. "I brought you here to broaden your horizons."
Li Guorui’s heart skipped a beat.
Does Brother Li somehow know that I am a superhuman? No... that’s impossible.
Li Guorui had been extremely careful about hiding it. He hadn’t told a single soul.