The audience erupted into enthusiastic applause and cheers, and Ning Xixi and her friends hugged each other excitedly.

The only one who seemed out of it was Ruan Xixia.

The male celebrity who had just won Best Actor subtly smiled, nudging her gently with his elbow, "Miss Ruan, you’ve won Best Actress. It’s time to go on stage to collect your award."

His reminder finally pulled Ruan Xixia back to reality.

She quickly adjusted her expression, revealing a smile that was both pleasantly surprised yet not overly exaggerated. The hem of her fiery red dress swayed gracefully with her steps, perfectly complementing her stunning beauty, radiant and captivating.

On stage, Ji Yemo gazed at her and uttered two words, "Congratulations."

Ruan Xixia responded, "Thank you."

Taking the trophy from his hands, Ruan Xixia said a few words of thanks and bowed slightly, "Once again, I want to thank my family, my fans, and my friends for their great support. I will continue to work hard, hoping to bring better works to the audience in the future."

The applause was like a tidal wave.

Ji Yemo joined in the applause, his profile tense. Thinking of how she looked when she received flowers from Liang Qianli, his expression darkened slightly.

A faint scent of something burning reached his nose, and a sense of foreboding rose in his chest. Instinctively, he pulled Ruan Xixia close to him. In a split second, several light bulbs of the grand chandelier above them shattered! Sparks flew, leading to a chain reaction, and soon all the chandelier’s bulbs burst! Crystal fragments used for decoration rained down like leaves, and screams echoed throughout the venue.

Ruan Xixia felt the world spinning and found herself being lifted into someone’s arms. A mature man’s deep voice suddenly sounded by her ear, "Lower your head, close your eyes!"

He reacted swiftly, his steps steady, bringing her to a safe spot.

Once he set down the still-shaken Ruan Xixia, Ji Yemo carefully checked her over. Only after confirming she had no injuries did he finally exhale in relief.

The host addressed the microphone, "Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are pausing the award ceremony! Everyone, please exit through the safety doors and do not panic!"

People quickly evacuated the venue. Someone accidentally bumped into Ruan Xixia, and Ji Yemo frowned as he pulled her into his arms.

"Were you scared?"

Ruan Xixia turned her face away, "No."

Ji Yemo’s gaze shifted down to her hands.

Her slender, fair fingers were painted with burgundy polish, and at that moment, her fingertips trembled slightly.

As if she wasn’t afraid.

Such a contrary woman.

Ji Yemo picked her up again, but this time Ruan Xixia protested, "Hey, put me down! Are you crazy?"

"First, my name is not ’hey.’ Second, I am not mentally ill, nor do I have any hereditary mental illnesses in my family." He said expressionlessly, striding forward and carrying her into the car.

Ruan Xixia, both embarrassed and angry, raised her only weapon—the Best Actress trophy—to try and hit him.

Ji Yemo asked, "Do you want me to cooperate or not?"

Ruan Xixia was puzzled, "What do you mean cooperate or not?"

"To cooperate means to stand still and let you hit me. Not to cooperate means to struggle while you hit me. Which one do you prefer?" He asked with such seriousness, as if discussing a philosophical or economic issue.

Ruan Xixia: "..." How did I suddenly become the one bullying a nice guy...

She snorted proudly, "Hitting you would only hurt my hand! I choose the third option."