With that in mind, An Ning turned her attention to preparing for something more exciting—the audition for the upcoming movie The Flowers of the Garden. This wasn't just any film; it was a huge production, especially because Zhi Hao, the "Emperor of Films," was making his long-awaited return to the screen after a two-year hiatus. Everyone was talking about it. Curious, An Ning quickly searched for pictures of Zhi Hao online. She couldn't help but think to herself, Wow, he's incredibly handsome. But that was the extent of her thoughts—just a fleeting admiration.

In her past life, An Ning had never met Zhi Hao personally, though she knew of him. Back then, when she had been engaged to Ming Hao, she'd learned that Zhi Hao had fallen into a coma while filming this very movie. He had suffered a terrible accident, falling from a significant height and hitting his head. The accident left him in a deep coma for years, and that was the reason she never crossed paths with him.

What An Ning remembered most, though, was how much Zhi Hao meant to his grandfather, Grandpa Qiang Hao. She recalled how the old man would visit the hospital frequently, always returning with a sorrowful expression on his face, weighed down by sadness. An Ning sighed, thinking about it, and whispered to herself, "If I have the chance this time, I'll save him. It'll be my way of repaying Grandpa Qiang for everything he's done for me."

Little did she know, those simple words would set off a chain of events that would not only change her fate but also that of Zhi Hao and many others.

Suddenly, the sharp ringing of her phone broke through her thoughts. Irritated, she glanced at the screen. Seeing who was calling, she took a deep breath before answering, her voice sharp with impatience, "What do you want, Lan Yue?"

The voice on the other end of the line was surprised by An Ning's tone. "Watch how you speak to your mother!" Lan Yue snapped, her tone defensive.

An Ning smirked, hearing the words, but she didn't respond. There was no point in engaging—at least not yet. She needed to gather more information first.

Lan Yue grew more irritated with the silence. Her voice became cold and venomous as she spat out, "You bitch! Look at what you've done to your sister!"

An Ning's patience finally ran out. Her voice, now icy, cut through the tension, "She deserved every bit of it. And let me warn both of you—if you push me again, you'll end up in an even worse situation."

Lan Yue was left stunned as the line abruptly went dead. She stared at her phone, muttering under her breath, "That girl's acting strange." There was a flicker of worry in her voice as she realized that she might be losing her grip on An Ning. And she knew she couldn't afford to let An Ning slip out of her control.

Turning to Feng Yue, Lan Yue's eyes narrowed as she hissed, "Be careful with An Ning." Feng Yue didn't respond, but her eyes gleamed maliciously as she watched An Ning's viral video on the internet, her mind already scheming about how she could sabotage An Ning.

Later that day, An Ning carefully filled out her online application for the movie audition, attaching the viral video as her only proof of talent. She had never taken any formal lessons, and this video was her sole chance to show what she could do. An Ning had her eyes set on the second female lead—a role that wasn't as highly contested, but one she believed she could play perfectly. The character reminded her a lot of herself, and she felt she could bring something special to the part.

After submitting the application, An Ning waited anxiously, a nervous excitement bubbling just beneath the surface. Days passed without a response, and she began to wonder if she'd ever hear back. But just one day before the audition, an email finally arrived with the details—time, location, everything she needed. Her heart leaped in her chest as she read the message, and she couldn't help but jump up in excitement, her joy spilling over.

What An Ning didn't know, however, was that during those days of anticipation, someone else had been obsessively listening to her song on repeat. Her voice had become a lullaby, the only thing that could bring peace to someone's restless nights.

Zhi Hao woke up early that morning, his mind still clouded with thoughts of the long break he had taken from the public eye. He stretched lazily, feeling the weight of the two years spent in recovery after his accident. Just as he was about to drift back into thought, his phone buzzed, pulling him out of his daze. It was his agent.

"Zhi Hao, are you planning to attend the audition today?" his agent asked, sounding a bit surprised. "The director and writer specifically requested your presence. They want your input on the casting."

Zhi Hao paused for a moment, his gaze distant as he thought about it. He hadn't planned on going initially—he had been hesitant to step back into the limelight. But for some reason, the thought of attending intrigued him today. He couldn't quite put his finger on why, but something in the back of his mind nudged him, a feeling he couldn't shake.

After a brief silence, Zhi Hao replied with surprising certainty, "Yes. I'll be there."

His agent was taken aback but quickly responded, "Great! I'll let them know."

Years later, Zhi Hao would look back on this moment and realize that this was one of the best decisions he had ever made—one that would change his life in ways he could never have imagined.