My Soul card is a Reaper

"I wouldn't be standing here tonight if not for your love and loyalty. The only way I can repay you is by continuing to work hard."

She bowed her head slightly.

"Thank you, Black Stars. Thank you, Harmony Music Awards. And thank you to everyone who voted for me."

Her speech was brief.

She didn't list dozens of names.

Tonight truly belonged to the fans who had fought tirelessly for her.

*

As she walked back toward her seat—

A sudden chant erupted.

It was so loud that the ceremony nearly paused.

Elena stopped halfway down the steps, turning toward the sound.

The Black Stars were shouting at full volume.

"Our boss is number one!

Never number two!

She's always the best in whatever she decides to do!

Go boss! Go boss!

L-O-V-E Elena Zhang!

B-O-S-S that's our boss!"

They even performed a synchronized cheer routine taught by Simon.

Touched, Elena placed her trophy down briefly and gave them a deep curtsy bow.

Then she hurried over to the nearest Black Stars in the VIP section.

That happened to be Feng Wan, Si Xinyue, Bai Li, and Kung Mian.

She hugged each of the four elegant ladies.

"Thank you for supporting me," she whispered sincerely.

The women looked emotional, wiping tears from their eyes.

They were incredibly proud.

*

Elena glanced toward the front row.

Her gaze met Jin Di's.

Just a brief moment.

But the warmth between them was unmistakable.

Then she returned to her seat beside JJ and DJ Song.

*

Next came the final People's Choice award.

Most Popular Male Artist.

There was no suspense.

Everyone already knew the result.

"And the winner is—Jin Yang!"

The crowd cheered loudly as he walked up to the stage.

Like Elena, he thanked his fans and dedicated the award to them.

But as he walked back toward his seat—

A new chant erupted across the arena.

"YangNa! YangNa! YangNa!"

The YangNa shippers were ecstatic.

Their favorite "couple" had just won the two biggest People's Choice awards together.

To them, it was destiny.

Proof that Prince Yang Yang and Boss Elena belonged together.

The earlier bouquet incident only strengthened their belief.

Jin Yang waved half-heartedly at the chanting fans.

Then he hurried back to his seat.

Inside his head, he was praying desperately.

Please stop chanting.

Because the longer the chant continued—

The more terrifying Jin Di's expression became.

Fortunately, the chant eventually faded when the program cut to another commercial break.

Jin Yang silently released the breath he had been holding.

For a moment he truly felt as though he had just survived a life-and-death disaster.

His older brother had always been intimidating. That cold, distant aura of Jin Di's could freeze a room within seconds. But tonight was different. What Jin Yang felt earlier wasn't merely coldness.

It was fury.

And he had the uncomfortable realization that Elena Zhang had become his brother's greatest trigger.

Next time he had better think twice before doing anything dramatic around her. Otherwise Jin Di might genuinely forget that they were brothers and simply beat him into the floor.

*

After the commercial break, the awards ceremony resumed.

The tension in the arena rose rapidly.

For many of the first-time nominees, the anticipation was unbearable. Some looked pale enough to faint as they waited for their categories to be announced.

Elena, however, appeared completely relaxed.

She sat comfortably between JJ and DJ Song, chatting with them while occasionally glancing at the stage.

Winning awards had never been her primary goal.

What mattered most to her was sharing her music with the world and letting people feel something through it. She refused to allow a small council of judges to determine her worth as a musician. Whether they chose her as a winner or not was simply their opinion.

Of course, she would still be happy if she won.

Awards meant recognition. Recognition meant more opportunities.

But regardless of the results, she wanted to enjoy the experience.

*

The minor categories continued first.

There were emotional speeches, polite applause, and flashes of cameras.

Finally, the ceremony began moving toward the more significant awards.

The male host opened the next envelope.

"And the winner for Best Instrumental Album is…"

A pause.

"Rebirth Melodies by Elena Zhang!"

Cheers erupted immediately.

It was Elena's first win among the official categories.

Earlier in the evening she had been nominated for two minor awards but lost both of them. JJ had nearly exploded with outrage when those results were announced.

Now his mood reversed completely.

He looked absolutely ecstatic.

Elena laughed softly, hugging both JJ and DJ Song before walking toward the stage.

*

After receiving the heavy golden treble-shaped trophy, she stepped to the microphone once again.

Her eyes swept across the arena.

She spotted the Black Stars cheering wildly.

In the front row, the four elegant ladies were already wiping tears from their eyes.

Then her gaze shifted.

Jin Di stood among the audience, applauding steadily.

Even from the stage she could see the pride and affection shining in his eyes.

When Elena began speaking, she looked straight at him.

Completely ignoring the man in the pinkish-grey suit sitting beside him.

"Thank you so much."

Her voice echoed clearly across the hall.

"First, I want to thank my fiancé for loving and supporting me."

The audience immediately began hooting teasingly.

"You've always been patient with me whenever I get lost in composing music," she continued softly. "Thank you for never asking me to choose between you and my music."

Her expression warmed.

"And when Rebirth Melodies was criticized for supposedly imitating classical music, I know you were more upset about it than I was."

A faint smile appeared.

"I just want to say that I love you. And I appreciate you."

*

The teasing whistles grew louder.

Cameras zoomed in on the diamond ring sparkling on her finger.

Another camera cut to Jin Yang in the audience.

The YangNa shippers immediately exploded into chaos again.

They were absolutely convinced Elena had just confessed her love to him publicly.

None of them realized that the real recipient of her words was the man sitting right beside him.

*

Elena soon concluded her speech, thanking JJ and his label, her manager, Bright Summit, and the Black Stars. She also congratulated the other nominees before stepping down from the stage.

More congratulations greeted her as she returned to her seat.

*

A few awards later—

"The winner of the Best Songwriter Award is… Elena Zhang for 'Rebirth'!"

Applause thundered across the hall.

Elena returned to the stage once again to accept her third award of the evening.

Technically her second official win.

Her first trophy tonight had been the People's Choice award.

*

Soon afterward another category appeared.

"For Best Producer of the Year, the award goes to…"

A dramatic pause.

"JJ!"

The crowd burst into laughter and cheers.

JJ stood up with the most smug expression imaginable.

His chest puffed out so far it almost looked like it might burst through his suit.

He already held the record for the most wins in this category throughout the years, but this one felt particularly meaningful.

Working with Elena had forced him to grow.

For the first time in ages, someone actually challenged his musical ideas.

Their constant arguments over compositions had made both of them improve.

*

When JJ reached the stage, he spoke into the microphone.

"Brat," he said bluntly while looking at Elena in the audience.

"You're one of the most infuriating artists I've ever worked with."

The audience laughed.

"You're not afraid to shove the flaws in my ideas right into my face. But that's exactly why we make great music together."

He smirked.

"I do the same to you. We cover each other's weaknesses."

He raised the trophy slightly.

"So thanks, brat."

Then he added dryly:

"But don't let it get to your head."

*

Laughter spread throughout the arena.

Elena chuckled along with everyone else, though her eyes showed genuine gratitude.

JJ might be arrogant and difficult, but his talent was undeniable.

She was still glad that he was the producer who discovered her early demo tapes.

*

Now only a few awards remained.

And they were the most important ones.

Winning them would cement a musician's name in the history of the Harmony Music Awards.

*

"The nominees for Best Music Video are…"

Six names appeared.

Including Jin Yang and Elena Zhang.

After a tense pause, the host announced:

"And the winner is… Jin Yang!"

The arena exploded.

His massive fanbase screamed so loudly it almost shook the building.

He had already won twice earlier tonight.

This made his third official award.

Beside Elena, JJ scowled.

"Dammit. What were those judges thinking?" he muttered. "They chose sex appeal over artistry."

DJ Song shrugged.

"Well… sex sells."

Elena simply continued clapping politely.

She understood the result.

Jin Yang's video was flashy, exciting, and extremely entertaining.

Her own video was more symbolic and artistic. It required viewers to actually think to understand its meaning.

Even Dominic had watched Jin Yang's video more than a thousand times while squealing at his dance moves.

*