As soon as the door opened, several security guards at the entrance blocked the group of fans trying to follow in.
Serena Tong walked in. Her figure was curvy and striking, with long, wavy pale-blond hair and a delicately upturned nose. She wore a pale-blue cheongsam, and her exposed fair wrists were like creamy jade—so tender they seemed nearly breakable.
Her classic oval face and a pair of large, expressive eyes gave her an ethereal beauty, as if she were untouched by the mundane world.
"Sis!"
Seeing Serena Tong walk over, Queenie Tong immediately stood up and hurriedly introduced, "This is the master I told you about!"
"Hello." Serena Tong glanced at Evan Lin sitting there, her eyes especially cold and emotionless. After a faint greeting, she considered it done.
Just as Serena Tong was about to sit down, a woman in black-rimmed glasses walked up behind her. With her hands on her hips, she didn’t even glance at Evan Lin, but looked straight at Serena and said, "Serena, the fan meeting is about to start. Go to the dressing room and touch up your makeup—then head straight to the stage."
The woman’s surname was Ji—she was Serena Tong’s manager. Her tone allowed no argument, and she glanced at her wristwatch, adding, "You have five minutes to get ready."
"Sister Ji, can you let the master check my sister first?" Queenie Tong asked anxiously when she heard this.
Manager Ji shot her a look, her face cold. "Queenie, stop making trouble. Isn’t your sister already cured? I don’t mind you bringing friends to hang out, but be mindful of appearances—if the sleazy media catches him and Serena together, a scandal would be a nightmare."
"And stop saying your sister is sick all the time—I never want to hear that again!"
Manager Ji’s tone was harsh. After finishing, she looked over at Serena Tong, who was still sitting there.
Serena Tong picked up the teapot from the table, poured Evan Lin a cup of tea, then nodded lightly to him before getting up and heading to the dressing room, closing the door behind her.
"Sis!"
Seeing this, Queenie Tong’s face turned anxious and she tried to stand up and pull Serena back, but Manager Ji stopped her halfway.
Manager Ji’s face was cold, her brows furrowed as she looked at Queenie Tong in front of her. "Queenie, you’re not a kid anymore. All these years, you’ve followed your sister everywhere. Serena hasn’t said anything, but in my view, you need to learn to stand on your own."
"You can’t expect your sister to support you forever. Serena’s career in the film industry will only keep rising—I’m not asking you to be a huge help to her, but at least don’t drag her down. Otherwise, I’ll have to limit how often you two can meet!"
After dropping that harsh warning, Manager Ji looked at Evan Lin. "If you came to see your idol, you’ve seen her now. Leave through the back door later, and make sure nobody sees you!"
Manager Ji snorted coldly, then followed in the direction Serena Tong had gone.
"Master!"
Queenie Tong was burning with anxiety and frustration. She looked at Evan Lin, nearly in tears with worry. "My sister was seriously ill before—she often couldn't even walk, and every night at midnight she would start crying. After you gave her that pill, she got much better, but I feel like she's completely changed, like she's become someone else!"
"I'm really not lying to you!"
Queenie was terrified that, thanks to Sister Ji the manager, Evan would get angry and walk away.
"Yeah, I can see that," Evan replied, sipping his tea with a calm air.
"Master?" Queenie was startled by Evan's words.
"One of her three souls is missing, blocking her spiritual intelligence. That's why she seems so wooden. When did this start?" Evan asked, curiosity in his eyes.
From the moment Evan first saw Serena Tong, he sensed something was off. Even though her words and actions seemed normal, her eyes betrayed her.
"It probably started after her last round of promotional events, about half a year ago, when 'Mysterious Detective' premiered. My sister went around to all the theaters for publicity, and when she came back, she started getting sick," Queenie explained, telling Evan everything she knew.
"Oh, and sometimes my sister makes really strange noises in the middle of the night."
Queenie suddenly remembered something and hurried to add it.
"Strange noises?" Evan frowned, looking at her.
"Yeah, kind of like a wild cat," Queenie said, her face full of worry.
Queenie's face was clouded with concern. "Master, will you be able to cure my sister's illness?"
"It's not a big problem. I can try at midnight tonight," Evan replied coolly.
Hearing Evan's answer, Queenie's face lit up with joy. She quickly bowed a full ninety degrees. "Thank you, Master!"
But then, as if something had just occurred to her, Queenie's face fell and she looked awkward. "But Sister Ji probably won't let you come to our place at midnight. My sister and I are staying in the presidential suite at the Shanggrida Grand Hotel, and Sister Ji is right next door..."
Queenie looked incredibly uneasy—she was clearly still afraid of Sister Ji.
As they spoke, a tidal wave of screams erupted outside.
Serena Tong, makeup flawless and a faint smile on her lips, walked out from backstage to center stage. Facing her enthusiastic fans, she spoke in a calm, gentle voice: "Thank you all for coming to my fan meeting. I'm Serena Tong. Thank you for your support all this time."
"Serena! Serena!"
"Aaaah!"
"I'm your biggest fan!"
The crowd below erupted into excited shouts.
Eric Yu, mixed in with the fans, waved at Serena on stage. He was hoping to strike up a conversation, but Serena's gaze swept right past him without even pausing.
Eric felt a little embarrassed, but luckily Mason He and the others nearby didn't notice.
"Wow! She's absolutely stunning! I've heard Serena Tong looks like a classical goddess straight out of a landscape painting, and seeing her in person is just unreal!" Wendy Wen's eyes sparkled with excitement as she gazed at Serena.
Beside her, Lynn Chen showed little reaction.
The fan atmosphere was warm and harmonious. Serena kept her smile throughout, but no one could actually get close to her.
Stella Huang and several media reporters all tried to get an interview, but she was short and not very strong, and quickly got shoved aside by her colleagues.
Stella was sweating with anxiety. Interviewing Serena was her assignment from the TV station, and if she couldn't get it done, she'd be in serious trouble.
But all the reporters around her were seasoned pros, and Stella got squeezed to the very back—especially by the ones who were always competing with her for scoops.
Just then, Sister Ji, who had been standing by the stage watching everything, heard footsteps behind her. She frowned, thinking Evan was coming, and turned, her face darkening: "Didn't I tell you already? After seeing your idol, hurry up and leave—don't..."
She stopped mid-sentence, her tone freezing, as she saw three men in suits approaching. Her expression changed instantly.