Chapter 462: Her Stunning Performance, His Pleasant Surprise (8)

In stark contrast to the usual grand spectacle, only sparse applause came from the audience.

Many of those clapping weren’t even looking at the stage, their lack of interest palpable.

Meng Sijia’s expression immediately turned hideous.

When Shen Nian had been performing just moments before, Meng Sijia could feel the electric atmosphere from backstage!

If her own performance had at least been on par with Shen Nian’s—never mind overshadowing it—Meng Sijia would have felt a little better.

But the reality of the situation made Meng Sijia wish she had never set foot on that stage!

’I’m finished. Utterly finished!’

As the "Beauty of the Entertainment Department," her acts had always been the most popular. But this time, she was met with a reception so cold it was unprecedented.

And to make matters worse, the act right before hers had been a roaring success.

Meng Sijia could already imagine the treatment she would face when she returned to the Entertainment Department.

Her family, the Meng Family, was already in a precarious position because of Meng Chengyu. And now, thanks to this performance, she might lose her title as the Beauty of the Entertainment Department.

Without her family’s backing and without her title, her, Meng Sijia’s, standing in the corporation’s Entertainment Department would be in jeopardy.

’I regret it. I regret letting Shen Nian participate, and I regret underestimating her even more. I should have personally made sure the sabotage was absolute before Shen Nian went on stage!’

Although Meng Sijia’s performance received an unprecedentedly cold reception, the gala as a whole was still a great success.

Shen Nian’s performance was voted the most popular act by the entire audience.

For the first time, the title long monopolized by Meng Sijia of the Entertainment Department had gone to someone from outside the department—an employee’s family member.

After returning backstage, Shen Nian changed out of her costume. Once she was ready, she planned to leave. The show was over, and she could finally go find Lu Cheng.

As it happened, Meng Sijia’s performance had just ended, and Shen Nian ran right into her as she came off the stage.

Meng Sijia saw Shen Nian too, and the look she gave her was one of pure hatred, as if she were staring at her father’s killer.

"You did this on purpose, didn’t you!"

At this point, how could Meng Sijia not understand? Her people’s attempt to sabotage Shen Nian had clearly failed.

"Beauty Meng, what do you mean by that? I don’t quite understand."

"You..."

"Oh, I see. Beauty Meng, are you asking why my performance went perfectly fine even though you tampered with my costume?"

Shen Nian watched the expression on Meng Sijia’s face shift, and before Meng Sijia could say a word, she continued.

"It’s actually quite simple! I knew from the very beginning that you would try to pull something. So, that outfit? I prepared it specifically for you to find. The backstage area is your turf, after all. You weren’t foolish enough to think I’d come completely unprepared, were you?"

Shen Nian’s words were already humiliating enough for Meng Sijia. ’She had underestimated Shen Nian and overestimated herself.’

But Shen Nian’s final words made Meng Sijia’s expression even more foul.

’Didn’t her actions prove just how foolish Shen Nian said she was?’

Meng Sijia glared at Shen Nian, the fury in her heart about to erupt.

’She was the one who had provoked Shen Nian time and again, yet she had never managed to do her any real harm.’

’This time, she had even handed Shen Nian an opportunity to become famous throughout the entire corporation! That should have been my chance!’

"Shen Nian, you’ve ruined me, and you’ve ruined the Meng Family! I’ll never forgive you! Just you wait. Even if I can’t do anything to you, someone else will make you pay!"