Chapter 26: A New Image

Li Lin was a die-hard fan of Qi Fei, and also one of the harshest critics who tore into her after the scandal broke. It was a true testament to the saying: the greater the love, the deeper the hate. She hated Qi Fei for her lack of self-respect and for choosing the wrong person to love. When she learned that everything Qi Fei had gone through was actually a frame-up, Li Lin cried tears of joy, feeling deeply remorseful for ever having doubted her.

Li Lin was not only a devoted fan but also a high-profile influencer with millions of followers. As soon as Qi Fei’s social media account updated, she received a notification. Knowing this livestream was Qi Fei’s first public appearance since the incident, she immediately shared the news and posted it in her fan groups.

Qi Fei was surprised by the sudden influx of viewers, but upon learning that her fans had come to support her, she perked up. "Hello everyone, I’m Qi Fei. I’m so happy to see you all in the livestream."

Watching the screen fill with exclamations about her new look, Qi Fei instinctively treated the camera lens like a mirror. "Is it really that big of a change just because I got a haircut?" she asked, leaning in close to the screen.

Seeing her face up close, many were struck by her beauty. Her dazed, cute expression amused both her fans and the audience. There were many streamers who imitated celebrities, often relying on heavy makeup to bridge the gap, but even with light makeup, the face before them was undeniably Qi Fei’s. Furthermore, that unflattering, close-up angle without any beauty filters was something only someone with Qi Fei’s sharp, well-defined features could pull off. It was undoubtedly her.

Even Qi Qi had been stunned when she first saw this face: a small, oval shape; large, bright eyes; a slender, elegant nose; and delicate, refined features that were striking from every angle. It was the face of a natural-born beauty with exquisite bone structure. While Qi Qi had always considered herself pretty, she was never the type to turn heads instantly. If Qi Fei were a nine-out-of-ten beauty, she would have been a six at best. She often wondered how anyone could have such a small face—it was no exaggeration to say it was the size of a palm.

Qi Fei’s attention was fixed on the screen, her smile widening as she read the comments praising her appearance. Her vanity was thoroughly satisfied. When she saw the dazzling array of virtual gift effects popping up, her eyes lit up; if it hadn't been inappropriate, she would have loved to ask if she got a cut of the money. She was genuinely envious.

With the screen overflowing with gift effects and comments marveling at her transformation, Qi Fei couldn't ignore them even if she wanted to. Feeling a bit emboldened by the positive reception, she grinned broadly. "Alright, alright, I know I'm beautiful."

The group in the room turned to look at her, having never seen a celebrity be so openly narcissistic. Yet, with a face like that, it was impossible to dislike her; in fact, the gesture felt strangely endearing.

Shi Lin laughed heartily at Qi Fei’s vanity. Su Xiang and Wan Yang also joined the stream, and honestly, they were stunned to see a Qi Fei so different from their impressions of her. After the initial surprise, they felt that someone capable of handling the recent events as she had *should* look this beautiful, sharp, and slightly defiant. She possessed a blend of three parts casualness, four parts deep-seated confidence, and three parts pride. Yet, when she laughed, that sense of detachment faded, and her relaxed, crinkled eyes made her seem unexpectedly cute.

Gone was her former heavy makeup. With a fresh look and a simple, crisp outfit that couldn't hide her great figure, it was impossible to associate her with the "sexy" label that had defined her past. Zhou Ying, watching the wave of praise, clenched her fists in excitement.

As more netizens flooded the stream, skepticism naturally arose, but Qi Fei didn't even need to explain—her fans did it for her. This was her first public appearance since the "downfall," and the scandal was unavoidable. The "trashy" exes were dragged out for public scorn once more, and many netizens stepped up to apologize for how cruelly they had treated her.

When the two sat down, the host took the lead: "Feifei, many netizens are here to apologize for the recent events, and some are even standing up for you."

Having already had her revenge, Qi Fei waved it off dismissively. "Thank you all, but that is in the past."

Knowing she had to address it, she continued, "At the time, the public opinion was so one-sided that even I almost gave up on explaining. I don't blame you. Given the situation, you were all being manipulated by people with malicious intent. To be honest, if I weren't the one involved and knew the truth, I might have believed the same thing about the other person."

"This has been a blessing in disguise. I have some good news: I’ve received my contract termination papers."

Zhou Ying had just announced this on social media, and the screen was instantly filled with congratulations. While many believed her, there were, of course, the inevitable nasty comments claiming it was all just a PR stunt to clean up her image. Qi Fei chose to ignore them entirely.

When she noticed netizens asking why she had taken on a livestream, she realized there was no good way to answer. While she could play the victim, it wouldn't benefit today's stream. The host, quick-witted as ever, sensed her discomfort and immediately pivoted to the products.

Qi Fei’s appearance on the stream became a trending topic within minutes. It reached this status because over a million people had tuned in within the first hour, and because her transformation was so radical. As the news of her livestream shopping event hit the trends, even more netizens were drawn in.

Zhou Ying wouldn't miss this opportunity; she immediately hired people to fuel the momentum. She wanted Qi Fei to stay on the trending list every single day. During a break, Qi Fei took the phone from Zhou Ying and saw the constant stream of group messages.

"Sales are great," Zhou Ying noted as she handed over the phone. "The inventory is cleared out, and we’ve started pre-orders."

Qi Fei nodded. Seeing screenshots of her livestream in the group chat, she took a selfie and sent it. "Am I super beautiful today?"

"Congrats on your return to the entertainment industry, Qi Qi! Throwing confetti!"

They all knew this was her first public appearance since the incident, and the reaction in the livestream was clearly positive. Tong Sheng, having just stepped off a plane, saw the selfie. His first thought was that she was wearing a wig, as celebrities often changed their hairstyles. But he had to admit, this version of Qi Fei strangely matched the image he had formed in his mind.

Scrolling up through the chat, he realized she had actually cut her hair short. Seeing the screenshots from the stream, he finally grasped her change in style.

In truth, Tong Sheng rarely paid attention to the domestic entertainment industry, having spent most of his life abroad. It was only after taking over the family business that he began traveling back frequently. Before this, he had barely heard the name Qi Fei. He had only looked up her photos after finding out she was his gaming friend. He didn't know if it was his imagination, but the person he had seen online before and the Qi Fei he saw now seemed like two different people.

Although her features hadn't changed, her aura was entirely different. Could a person’s temperament really shift so drastically after a crisis? Or, as Qi Fei claimed, was her previous image just a facade? Tong Sheng found himself unexpectedly curious about her.

Seeing everyone celebrating her return to work, Qi Fei decided to share the good news: "The termination contract is in hand. From now on, I am a free woman. Congratulate me!"

They truly hadn't expected her to secure the contract so smoothly. It was, indeed, great news.