The red carpet shimmered under a sea of flashing lights.
Cameras clicked endlessly. Reporters called out names. Designers, actors, CEOs and everyone who mattered was there.
And right now…
All eyes were waiting for Jiang Yue.
Inside the limousine, she sat frozen.
"I don't think I can do this," she whispered.
Across from her, Li Zhenkai adjusted his cufflinks with calm precision. "You already have."
"That was writing," she shot back. "This is… public execution with glitter."
His lips twitched faintly. "You survived worse."
"…That's not comforting."
[System Alert: Host anxiety level elevated.]
[System Suggestion: Hold ML's hand for emotional stability.]
She shot the invisible system a mental glare. You just want romance content.
[System: Correct.]
Before she could argue further, the car stopped.
A staff member opened the door—
And chaos began.
Jiang Yue stepped out or tried to.
Her heel got caught and her dress snagged,
Andthe painful part was the limo door slammed shut on the fabric of her gown, and yes you're right it was a whooping disaster.
For one horrifying second, everything froze.
And then
RIP.
The sound echoed like a death sentence.
Gasps erupted. Cameras went wild.
Jiang Yue stared at the trapped hem of her dress… then slowly lowered herself to the ground.
And crawled out.
Yes.
Crawled.
On the red carpet.
Under flashing lights.
"…I'm going to disappear," she muttered.
[System Alert: Viral moment detected.]
[System Title Upgrade: "The Unluckiest Genius Alive — Red Carpet Edition."]
"PLEASE STOP ENCOURAGING THIS!" she screamed internally.
By the time she stood, her hair slightly disheveled, dress half-wrinkled, the paparazzi had already immortalized the moment.
"Miss Jiang Yue! Over here!"
"Look this way!"
"Is this part of the concept?!"
"…Yes," she said flatly. "It's called survival chic."
Behind her
Zhenkai stepped out of the limo like nothing had happened.
Calm. Composed. Dangerous.
He walked straight to her, shrugged off his suit jacket, and draped it over her shoulders.
The crowd lost it.
Cameras flashed faster.
[System Alert: ML protective instinct triggered.]
[System Bonus: Public affection rating skyrocketing.]
Jiang Yue peeked up at him. "…You're making it worse."
"I'm making it clear," he replied quietly.
Her heart skipped but before she could relish on the romance.
Zhou Meili Arrives
"Clear?" a voice cut in smoothly. "Or desperate?"
The temperature dropped instantly.
Jiang Yue turned.
Zhou Meili stood at the edge of the carpet, flawless in a silver gown, her smile sharp enough to cut glass.
Ah.
Of course.
"This again," Jiang Yue sighed under her breath.
Zhou Meili stepped closer, her voice sweet but loud enough for the microphones.
"I didn't realize awards were giving recognition to… accidents now."
The crowd leaned in.
Tension crackled.
Zhenkai's expression hardened instantly.
But Jiang Yue,
Jiang Yue smiled.
"Funny," she said lightly. "I didn't realize jealousy came with a dress code."
A ripple of laughter spread through the crowd.
Zhou Meili's smile tightened. "Careful. Fame built on chaos collapses just as easily."
Jiang Yue tilted her head. "Then I guess I'll just have to keep surviving."
Their eyes locked.
War.
Inside the venue, the tension didn't fade.
If anything, it sharpened.
Jiang Yue sat beside Zhenkai, fingers lightly gripping the edge of his sleeve.
"You okay?" he murmured.
"I crawled on a red carpet in front of the entire world," she replied. "I'll recover in ten to fifteen business days."
His lips almost curved.
Almost.
[System Alert: Incoming danger detected.]
Her breath caught.
"…What?"
[System: Don't panic. Just… don't drink anything suspicious.]
She slowly looked down at the glass of champagne in front of her.
"…You could've said that earlier."
Zhenkai noticed the shift instantly. "What is it?"
Before she could answer,
A waiter approached.
"Miss Jiang Yue, a complimentary drink from"
The tray tilted.
The glass slipped.
Time slowed.
Jiang Yue's instincts screamed,
She shoved the glass away.
It shattered on the floor.
The liquid hissed faintly as it touched the marble.
Silence.
Dead silence.
Zhenkai stood instantly, his gaze snapping to the waiter.
Yuze moved at the same time, grabbing the man's wrist before he could react.
"Don't," Yuze said quietly.
The man froze.
Security rushed in.
Jainyu swore under his breath. "That's not normal."
Zixuan's voice dropped. "That's attempted murder."
Zhenkai's expression turned lethal.
The Fallout
"Poison," Yuze confirmed quietly. "Fast-acting. Not enough to kill instantly, but enough to incapacitate."
Jiang Yue sat down heavily. "…Okay. That's new."
[System Alert: Survival event avoided.]
[System Note: Host reflexes improving. Proud of you.]
"I almost drank poison!" she snapped internally.
[System: But you didn't. Growth.]
Zhenkai crouched in front of her, his hands gripping the arms of her chair.
"Are you hurt?"
"No," she said softly. "I'm okay."
His jaw clenched.
"…They're escalating."
She nodded slowly. "…I know."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then she reached out and tugged lightly at his sleeve.
"I still have to go on stage."
His head snapped up. "No."
"I have to," she insisted. "If I don't, they win."
Silence.
Then,
"…Fine," he said quietly. "But I'm coming with you."
Her lips curved faintly. "Of course you are"
When her name was called
The applause was thunderous.
Jiang Yue walked onto the stage, Zhenkai just a step behind her, his presence unshakable.
The spotlight hit her.
For a moment, she stood there.
The girl who crawled onto the red carpet.
The girl who dodged explosions.
The girl who almost drank poison.
And still,
She smiled.
"Hi," she said into the mic. "I'd like to thank my bad luck for keeping things interesting."
Laughter broke through the tension.
She exhaled softly.
"…And I'd like to thank everyone who read my words and found a piece of themselves in them."
Her gaze flickered briefly to Zhenkai.
"…Even in chaos… there's meaning."
Applause filled the room again.
Stronger this time.
Real.
Later that night
Jiang Yue sat quietly, the award resting beside her.
Her dress was still wrinkled.
Her hair still messy.
Her life still chaotic.
But her hands were steady.
And his hand was still holding hers.
[System Status Update:]
Survival Rate: 72%
Emotional Bond: Extremely High
Threat Level: Critical
She exhaled slowly.
"…I really am cursed, aren't I?"
Zhenkai glanced at her.
"No," he said.
She blinked. "No?"
"You're just… hard to kill."
She laughed.
And for the first time that night—
It didn't feel forced.