"Gao Wenwen has shown immense courage and dedication to charity tonight," the host's voice boomed over the sound system. "I now invite the Vice President of BMW China and Miss Gao Wenwen to the stage to present the award to Mr. Xiang Nan—and to thank him for his incredible generosity!"
Thunderous applause followed, but Gao Wenwen, still seated, looked visibly shaken. Her eyes dimmed for a moment before she stood up slowly and walked toward the stage.
Around her, the other celebrities cast glances—some full of envy, others tinged with pity.
Such was life in the entertainment world.
Many of them knew the inside story, but none dared to speak it aloud.
Huayi Group was a powerhouse in the industry. Crossing its president could mean career suicide. Being chosen by him, on the other hand, was a supposed "blessing." One kiss in exchange for financial backing and screen opportunities… For many, it was a price worth paying.
To the struggling actresses, Gao Wenwen was lucky.
To those who'd seen the truth behind the glitz, it looked like something else entirely.
Back at the VIP table, Xiao Yu glanced at the attention on stage and whispered, "Wait... didn't Secretary Yao joke earlier that the prize might be a kiss from an actress?"
"I was just joking," Yao Yi replied, surprised. "Didn't think it'd actually happen. And with only eight teams donated? Why wasn't it Chen Mo who got picked?"
Chen Mo shrugged, unfazed. "Even if it was me, I wouldn't have accepted. Xiao Yu would have murdered me before I got to the stage."
The group laughed as Xiao Yu blushed and nudged him under the table.
"But this doesn't seem like a simple reward," Chen Mo said more seriously, turning his gaze to the stage. "Look at Gao Wenwen. She doesn't seem happy. Almost like she's being forced."
"Wasn't she the one we ran into earlier?" Xiao Yu asked. "She looked lost. Do you think this was on her mind?"
Chen Mo's brows furrowed, remembering the encounter. "Could be."
Dong Zhu leaned in, her tone low. "I wouldn't be surprised. This kind of reward doesn't belong at a charity gala. If it was fixed ahead of time and she had no choice... they're just using the name of charity to trap her. If she says no, they'll destroy her."
Suddenly—bang!
Gasps echoed across the hall.
On the steps leading up to the stage, Gao Wenwen collapsed. She'd tripped, slammed her head, and was now bleeding from her forehead—unconscious.
"Call an ambulance!"
"Get help!"
The scene devolved into chaos as staff rushed toward her. The crowd froze, shocked, murmuring and craning their necks to see what had happened.
At the VIP table, everyone stared in stunned silence.
Sun Hua was the first to break it. "That wasn't an accident. I don't believe it for a second. She faked it—to escape the situation."
"Unspoken rules, disguised as charity," Yao Yi said, his voice heavy. "Disgraceful."
The mood at the table shifted completely.
"This has become a farce," Yao Yi muttered, glancing at the time. "It's getting late—I'm heading out."
"I'll head back too," Dong Zhu said, standing.
"Let's all go," Chen Mo added.
The party had lost any remaining charm. And in this kind of situation, leaving early wasn't considered rude anymore—it was common sense.
The rest of the table quietly agreed and stood up to leave.
With most eyes still on the stage, their departure went unnoticed by most of the guests.
But as they reached the exit, they were intercepted.
"Secretary Yao, President Dong, President Sun—why the sudden exit?" A man in a well-tailored suit approached them with a concerned smile. It was Su Guo, the organizer of the event and host of the charity night.
"It's getting late," Yao Yi said flatly. "I have work tomorrow."
"At this hour?" Su Guo asked, looking from face to face, hoping someone would give a more honest answer.
Dong Zhu smiled politely. "Company matters. Urgent issues to handle. My plane's tonight."
Chen Mo and Xiao Yu gave a small nod and slipped past without a word. The group left Su Guo standing there with forced calmness and rising panic.
"What just happened?" Su Guo muttered to himself.
He waved over a waitress. "Go check the donation records for Table 16."
The waitress returned quickly. "That table… I overheard someone say Marching Ant donated eight teams. But only Huayi's name was announced on stage. Then they started talking about Gao Wenwen."
Su Guo's heart dropped.
He inhaled sharply, realization hitting him like a slap. They figured it out. They left because they know the event was rigged.
"Check the donation form from Table 16 immediately!" he barked, dialing his assistant.
Moments later, the host on stage tried to steer the evening back on track.
"We've confirmed that Miss Gao Wenwen is only unconscious—she's safe and receiving care. Unfortunately, the special 'surprise' for the evening will be canceled. Instead, we now invite all representatives who made donations to the stage for recognition!"
The audience clapped, though the energy had noticeably dipped.
The host smiled brightly and continued.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome the representative of Marching Ant Company—four ambulance teams donated! One of our most iconic tech enterprises, known for its commitment to innovation and charity. Please welcome them with warm applause!"
Applause echoed across the room.
But no one stepped forward.
The host paused, looked around, then smiled awkwardly.
"Hmm… maybe they're playing hide-and-seek?" he joked. "Or maybe they're just shy. Still, let's welcome Mr. Chen Mo—who donated four teams in his personal name as well!"
More applause. Still no one appeared.
Whispers spread among the crowd.
"Is he avoiding the spotlight?"
"Maybe he wants to stay anonymous."
"Probably just an introvert. Not everyone likes the stage."
The hosts exchanged looks, sweat building on their brows. This was… not in the script.
"Alright then!" one host chuckled nervously. "Let's not embarrass ourselves calling names if they won't come up. Everyone else who donated, please join us on stage!"
As others made their way to the front, the hosts wiped their brows behind the scenes. They'd saved face—barely.
Meanwhile, back in the operations room:
"President Su," said an assistant, holding a phone. "I've confirmed the donation list from Table 16. Marching Ant Company donated four teams. Chen Mo donated four more in his personal name. Two were donated in the name of Ms. Dong Zhu. And another from Runhua Group."
"The representative for Marching Ant… was Chen Mo."
That last sentence hit like thunder in Su Guo's ears.
The true top donor of the evening… had walked out.
And they gave the prize to someone else.
Even if the reward had been skipped, the name should've been announced.
He'd offended the Marching Ant Company. Not just that—he'd publicly slighted its chairman.
"Get me Chen Mo's contact info. Now!" he snapped.
Moments later, the phone rang again.
"President Su… we reached out to Marching Ant. They said Chen Mo is the chairman, but… they don't have a direct number on file."
Su Guo stared at the screen, cold sweat on his back.
He'd just insulted one of the most powerful young entrepreneurs in the country—at his own event.
And now… there was no way to reach him.