After I died, they cried in the live studio

Chapter 187 Cooperation
At the after-party following the awards ceremony, Lu Chen appeared wearing a bracelet he had custom-made for his sister, sparking heated discussions in the media and leading to much speculation about the story behind Sangjia Design. In an interview, Lu Chen openly shared information about his sister and praised Sangjia Design, stating, "This bracelet is a special companion for my sister, allowing her to face life with more confidence." This statement led to more custom orders for Sangjia Studio, including from an autism rehabilitation organization that wanted to commission a batch of jewelry to aid in therapy.

Meanwhile, the "Crown of Thorns" designed by the Sang family shone brightly in the film "The War of Roses." The scene in the film where the female politician wears the crown became a famous moment, driving up the sales of film-related jewelry. Xu Ruolin was nominated for Best Director at an international film festival for this film. At the awards ceremony, she thanked the Sang family again and revealed: "The Sang family's jewelry gave the characters a soul. It is not only an ornament, but also a symbol of the character's spirit."

As the entertainment industry began to embrace the Sang family's designs, the family also faced plagiarism controversies. A fast-fashion brand launched inexpensive jewelry featuring a similar "thorn" motif, sparking outrage from fans and the fashion world. Sang Shuwan stepped forward to defend her rights, sharing design sketches and the production process on social media, emphasizing the cultural connotations and craftsmanship behind the designs: "This thorny gentleness is a legacy passed down through generations of our family; it cannot be simply copied through imitation." This controversy brought greater public attention to original design, further enhancing the Sang family's reputation.

The renowned fashion magazine *Vogue* invited the three members of the Sang family to shoot a special feature for them, themed "Tenderness with Thorns: Fashion and Heritage." On the day of the shoot, the studio was filled with various rose-inspired gowns and jewelry. Sang Shuwan wore a black long dress embroidered with thorns, the hem resembling a blooming rose; Sang Jiyue wore a white off-the-shoulder dress with uniquely designed rose thorns on the shoulders; and their father wore a custom-made suit with delicate rose patterns embroidered on his pocket square. They shot in a rose garden, the camera capturing the sunlight filtering through the branches and leaves, casting a star-like glow on the jewelry.

During a break in the photoshoot, the magazine's editor-in-chief spoke with the Sang family and expressed high praise for their design concept: "You have perfectly blended family heritage with modern fashion, allowing the ancient rose to radiate new vitality on the fashion stage." After the special feature was released, it caused a sensation in the global fashion industry, with many international celebrities and fashion bloggers inquiring about collaborations.

A French actress took a liking to a rose brooch from the Sang family, inlaid with sapphires, hoping to wear it at the Cannes Film Festival. Sang Jiyue personally altered the size for her and paired it with a sapphire necklace, creating a complete look. The actress made a stunning appearance on the red carpet, becoming the focus of media attention. Foreign media praised her look as "a perfect collision of East and West, elegance and sharpness coexisting."

In China, a fashion variety show called "Fashion Genesis" invited Sang Jia as a mentor team to collaborate with young designers and create innovative fashion pieces. During the show, Sang Jia shared design inspiration and production techniques, helping young designers understand how to combine traditional culture with modern fashion. In one task, the designers were asked to create works on the theme of "future women." Sang Shuwan guided them to draw inspiration from the resilience of roses, resulting in a series of thorny garments with a technological and futuristic feel, which impressed the audience.

As their careers have flourished, the Sang family has established themselves in the entertainment and fashion industries, but they have never forgotten their original aspirations. A copy of their great-grandmother's nautical logbook hangs on the wall of their studio, a constant reminder of their mission to carry on the family legacy. In an interview, Sang Shuwan said, "We hope to convey the strength and gentleness of women through these thorny pieces of jewelry, allowing every wearer to find their own radiance."

As Sangjia Design's popularity in the entertainment industry continues to rise, a celebrity jewelry experience reality show, "Brilliant Star Jewelry," has extended an olive branch to Sangjia, hoping they will become the exclusive jewelry partner and create bespoke jewelry for the show's guests. In the program, eight celebrities are divided into four groups and, under the guidance of Sangjia Studio, participate in jewelry design segments, ultimately showcasing their finished products on the fashion runway.

During the show's recording, the celebrities fully unleashed their creativity, proposing a variety of unique ideas. Popular idol Lin Yu wanted to incorporate his zodiac sign into a necklace, while Sang Shuwan cleverly combined star-shaped gemstones representing his constellation with rose thorn designs, creating a necklace that was both fashionable and personalized. Talented actress Su Yao has a particular fondness for vintage styles, and Sang Jiyue, referencing vintage elements from her great-grandmother's nautical logbook, designed a thorn brooch inlaid with rubies, which Su Yao absolutely loved.

The recording process wasn't without its challenges. The celebrities' understanding of jewelry design varied greatly, leading to disagreements about design concepts and difficulties encountered during the production process. The three members of the Sang family patiently provided guidance, sharing the cultural and technical knowledge behind the designs to help the celebrities understand the meaning behind every detail. In one discussion, actor Li Ze expressed concern about the sharp shape of the rose thorns, worrying about their safety on stage. Sang Shuwan explained, "These thorns, though seemingly sharp, are actually a gentle protective shell. We can adjust the process to ensure both aesthetic appeal and safety." Ultimately, through special treatment, the tips of the rose thorns were rounded and inlaid with crystals, preserving the design aesthetic while eliminating any safety hazards.

The show received a warm reception after its broadcast, with viewers captivated by the Sang family's design talent and the celebrities' creativity. Topics such as "Sang Family Jewelry Design" and "Celebrity Creative Jewelry" repeatedly trended on social media, with many viewers expressing being moved by the show's portrayal of female empowerment and the spirit of heritage. Simultaneously, the show boosted orders for the Sang family studio, with many viewers requesting custom-made jewelry inspired by the celebrities or reflecting their personal style.

As their reputation grew, the Sang family was invited to participate in an international jewelry design competition. This was a grand event that brought together top designers from around the world, and the Sang family decided to design a jewelry collection under the theme "Thorns and Stars: A Dialogue Across Time." Sang Shuwan was in charge of the lead design, combining rose thorns with diamonds and sapphires, representing the stars, to create a set of gorgeous necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Sang Jiyue incorporated family elements into the details, such as engraving rose patterns on the necklace clasp and arranging the gemstones of the bracelet in the shape of the family crest. The father, with his exquisite craftsmanship, ensured that each piece was flawless.

At the competition, the Sang family's work attracted considerable attention. The judges praised the design concept and craftsmanship, noting its perfect fusion of tradition and modernity, East and West, showcasing a unique charm. Although they didn't win the grand prize, the Sang family received a special award, a recognition of their hard work and innovation. Following the competition, internationally renowned jewelry brands extended offers to the Sang family, hoping to collaborate on a jewelry collection.

Meanwhile, celebrities in the entertainment industry have been wearing Sang's jewelry on important occasions to promote the brand. At the Cannes Film Festival, actress Lin Yue wore a thorn crown and diamond necklace designed by Sang, becoming the focus of attention on the red carpet. At domestic award ceremonies, many stars used Sang's jewelry as a highlight of their looks, showcasing their unique style. The name Sang is gradually emerging in the international fashion world, becoming a new calling card representing the power of Eastern design.

Despite their success, the Sang family remains true to their original aspirations. They offer free courses in their studio, teaching jewelry design to girls in impoverished areas, hoping to empower more women through design. Sang Shuwan said in an interview, "We hope these thorny jewels can become bridges connecting people and transcending time and space, allowing more people to feel the coexistence of gentleness and strength." As the studio grows, the Sang family's story continues to unfold. With a blend of tradition and innovation, they shine even brighter in the fashion and entertainment industries.

As the Sang family gained recognition in international jewelry design competitions, their influence in the entertainment industry grew exponentially. The leading domestic entertainment magazine, *Starry Weekly*, featured the Sang family on its cover with the theme "Beneath the Thorns, Gentle Bloom: The Inextricable Bond Between Sang Family Jewelry and the Entertainment Industry." On the photoshoot, Sang Shuwan wore a black thorn-embroidered long dress, while Sang Jiyue accessorized with simple yet elegant rose thorn jewelry. Her father, on the other hand, exuded mature charm in a sophisticated suit and a delicate rose brooch.

Following the magazine's release, a new wave of interest in Sangjia jewelry emerged. Many celebrities proactively contacted the Sangjia studio, hoping to wear their designs on important occasions. Newly crowned Best Actor Chen Yu specially commissioned a set of cufflinks and tie clips featuring thorns for the press conference of his directorial debut. At the conference, he stated, "Sangjia's designs are full of power, just like filmmaking; it requires overcoming difficulties to shine." This statement inspired his fans to follow suit, searching online for similar jewelry styles.

Meanwhile, a variety show called "Fashion Creative Camp" invited the Sang family as mentors to collaborate with celebrity trainees on creating fashion pieces. In the program, the three members of the Sang family incorporated jewelry design concepts into clothing design, guiding the celebrities to use various materials to create unique fashion items. Among them, popular actress Su Yue, under the guidance of Sang Shuwan, created a thorn-patterned cape from scrap metal and silk, stunning the audience during the runway show. This piece not only showcased environmental protection concepts but also perfectly presented the Sang family's design style, sparking discussions among viewers about the combination of fashion and environmental protection.

As the Sang family's fame in the entertainment industry continues to grow, they also face new challenges. An international jewelry brand questioned the originality of the Sang family's designs, claiming that their Thorn collection bore similarities to a niche collection the brand had released several years prior. The Sang family quickly responded, showcasing detailed design sketches and sources of inspiration, emphasizing that their designs were based on family heritage and unique cultural connotations, and had no connection to other brands. Fans and celebrities rallied to support the Sang family, condemning the international brand's unreasonable accusations. This controversy not only failed to damage the Sang family's reputation but also allowed more people to learn about the stories behind their designs.

At a fashion awards ceremony, the organizers created a special "Annual Fashion Influential Jewelry Brand" award, and Sangjia was a strong contender. Ultimately, Sangjia won the award thanks to its widespread influence in the entertainment industry and its unique design philosophy. On the awards stage, Sang Shuwan gave her acceptance speech: "We hope to convey the strength and gentleness of women through these spiky jewelry pieces, and we also hope to inject new vitality into the fashion culture of the entertainment industry."

As their business expanded, the Sang family decided to open a physical store in a city with a high concentration of celebrities. The store's design incorporated elements of a rose garden and nautical themes, immersing customers in the Sang family's world. On opening day, numerous celebrities graced the event with their presence, creating a dazzling spectacle. Lin Zhiyi, Xu Ruolin, and other stars were among the first customers, selecting their favorite jewelry and exchanging design insights with members of the Sang family.

During the operation of the experiential store, Sangjia also launched a customization service, allowing customers to create unique jewelry based on their own preferences and stories. This service was warmly welcomed by celebrities and fans, resulting in a steady stream of orders. Sangjia also used this opportunity to further deepen its connection with the entertainment industry, becoming a representative brand that blends fashion and art.

Since its opening, Sangjia's offline experience store has enjoyed immense popularity, with many celebrities voluntarily becoming "ambassadors," sharing their shopping experiences in the store and posting beautiful photos of themselves wearing Sangjia jewelry on social media. Among them, Su Yao, the "national fairy" who rose to fame with a fantasy drama, shared the entire process of customizing her thorny hair crown. From design conception to the finished product, every step was meticulously recorded. Once the video was released, it quickly garnered over ten million views, and the topic of "Sangjia Jewelry Customization" skyrocketed in popularity, causing the store's appointment schedule to be booked three months in advance.

At this time, a phenomenal music variety show, "The Ultimate Song Contest," extended an olive branch to the Sang family, inviting them to create exclusive jewelry designs for the final stage. After thoroughly understanding each singer's style and song selection, the Sang family team began intensive design work. For rock singer Lin Yu, they designed a necklace and armband themed around thorns and flames, using red agate and black titanium. The sharp thorns shimmered with a cold luster under the lights, complementing the leaping "flame" gemstones, perfectly matching his wild and unrestrained stage style. For ballad singer Su Yue, they created a gentle thorn bracelet inlaid with pearls and pink rose crystals. The bracelet's length was adjustable, allowing it to be worn on the wrist or as a necklace, adding a soft glow to her deep and melodious voice.

On the night of the finals, the singers, adorned with Sangjia Jewelry, took to the stage, instantly becoming the focus of the entire audience. Lin Yu, wearing a thorny armband, sang passionately on stage, the metal spikes flashing with his movements, igniting the atmosphere; Su Yue, gently touching her bracelet, told a tender story through her song, the pearls and crystals on the bracelet sparkling under the spotlight, perfectly showcasing her elegant temperament. This performance sparked heated discussions online, with many netizens taking screenshots and discussing the singers' jewelry looks. Some fans even launched a poll for "The Most Beautiful Sangjia Jewelry Stage Look," further expanding the influence of Sangjia Jewelry.

Meanwhile, the Sang family received an invitation from Jack, a well-known Hollywood producer, to design jewelry for a big-budget female-centric film in pre-production. Jack wrote in an email, "I saw your designs in a fashion magazine; those jewels, blending strength and gentleness, are exactly what my film's heroine needs. She's a brave and fearless warrior, yet also possesses a delicate inner world. I believe you can use jewelry to showcase this contradictory yet unified quality." The three members of the Sang family felt deeply honored and immediately began studying the film script, seeking inspiration from the heroine's growth and personality traits.

After a month of meticulous design and production, the jewelry designed by the Sang family for the film made a stunning debut. One piece, a thorn necklace themed around the starry sky, features a large sapphire as its centerpiece, surrounded by thorns crafted from diamonds and platinum. The sapphire symbolizes the vast universe, while the thorns represent protective strength. The matching earrings are shaped like small shooting stars, set with rose-shaped rubies, signifying that the female protagonist can find her own light even amidst thorns. Jack was full of praise after seeing the design drafts and the finished product, and immediately decided to make these jewels a major highlight of the film's promotion.

As the film's promotional period began, the lead actors wore Sangjia jewelry to various events, from the Los Angeles premiere to fashion parties in Paris, showcasing the brand's brilliance on the international stage. Foreign media outlets widely reported on the brand's designs, praising their perfect fusion of Eastern aesthetics and Western fashion, adding a unique charm to the film. Domestically, the film's popularity also boosted sales of Sangjia jewelry, with many fans visiting experience stores hoping to customize jewelry inspired by the film.

While their business flourishes, the Sang family never forgets to give back to society. They have partnered with an art college in China to establish the "Sang Family Jewelry Design Scholarship," encouraging talented students to pursue jewelry design and to inherit and innovate traditional craftsmanship. Sang Shuwan is also frequently invited to give lectures at the school, sharing her design experience and family story to inspire students' creative ideas.

During a Q&A session after a lecture, a student asked, "Professor Sang, your jewelry designs are always full of stories. What new directions for inspiration will you take in the future?" Sang Shuwan smiled and replied, "Life is our greatest source of inspiration. Whether it's the dazzling stardom of the entertainment industry or the ordinary daily life of ordinary people, every story and every emotion can become the soul of the next piece of jewelry. We will continue to move forward on the path of design with this passion and original aspiration, allowing more people to feel the power of gentle strength with thorns." Sang's jewelry brand is enjoying a meteoric rise in international acclaim, attracting the attention of the world's top fashion event, Paris Fashion Week. The organizers invited Sang as a specially invited designer brand to hold an independent jewelry show at a venue next to the Louvre Museum in Paris. This was both an unparalleled honor and a tremendous challenge for Sang.

The Sang family began preparations for this grand show six months in advance. Sang Shuwan led her team to conduct in-depth research on French history and culture, especially the style of French court jewelry, attempting to draw inspiration from ancient French romance and integrate it with their family's inherited philosophy of "thorny gentleness." During a trip to the National Library of France to research materials, Sang Shuwan stumbled upon an 18th-century nobleman's diary, which detailed a court banquet themed around roses, sparking a burst of inspiration in her.

Meanwhile, Sang Jiyue was responsible for communicating with various celebrities and inviting them to be guests on the runway. Leveraging the connections the Sang family had built in the entertainment industry, they quickly secured eight internationally renowned stars, including Lin Zhiyi, Xu Ruolin, and Su Yao, as the opening and closing guests. The remaining spots were open to emerging actors and models from around the world, and as soon as the news was released, applicants flocked to apply.

During the design process, the Sang family encountered a material challenge. To realize the "starry" element in the design, a special type of star sapphire was needed, a gemstone that is rare and varies greatly in quality. Sang Shuwan personally traveled to the gemstone mines in Sri Lanka and, after many days of selection, finally found a gemstone that met the requirements. After returning to the studio, countless cutting and polishing experiments were conducted before the gemstone was perfectly integrated into the design.

As Paris Fashion Week approaches, the setup for the show is in full swing. The Sang family decided to transform the venue into a dreamlike rose garden, using real roses and lighting to create a mysterious and romantic atmosphere. A week before the show, celebrities arrived in Paris for rehearsals. Lin Zhiyi was full of praise for the thorny crown designed for her by the Sang family; the rose petals on the crown were crafted from pink diamonds, and the stamen was a dazzling star sapphire, perfectly complementing her white off-the-shoulder gown.

On the night of the show, the venue next to the Louvre was packed, drawing the attention of the global fashion world. As the music began, the first model walked the runway in a black gown adorned with a ruby ​​thorn necklace and a diamond rose bracelet. Her steps were elegant and confident, and the jewelry sparkled mesmerizingly under the lights. Following her, celebrity guests took to the stage one by one. Xu Ruolin wore a gold thorn-embroidered gown and a gold thorn bracelet, exuding nobility and grandeur; Su Yao, in a light blue tulle dress paired with pearl and rose earrings, looked like a fairy descended to earth.

When Lin Zhiyi made her grand entrance wearing the thorny crown, the atmosphere reached its peak. The jewels on the crown refracted iridescent light under the lights, perfectly complementing her smile. Photographers in the audience frantically snapped photos, and reporters from major fashion media outlets immediately posted pictures and videos of the event online.

After the show ended, thunderous applause filled the venue. International fashion critics published articles praising the event, with Vogue magazine commenting: "Sang's jewelry show was an aesthetic feast that transcended time and space, perfectly blending Eastern subtlety with Western passion. Each piece was like a story, telling of the strength and gentleness of women."

The success of this Paris Fashion Week has led to a flood of orders for Sang's jewelry. In addition to custom orders from celebrities, many internationally renowned brands are also seeking collaborations with Sang. Sang has also received an invitation from a top Hollywood director to design a complete set of jewelry props for their next epic film, which is expected to be a global sensation.

While their business flourished, the Sang family never forgot their social responsibility. They partnered with UNICEF to launch the "Light of Thorns" charity project, donating a percentage of the proceeds from every piece of jewelry sold to help women and children in impoverished areas around the world receive education and training. At the project's launch ceremony, Sang Shuwan stated, "We hope that through these thorny jewels, we can not only convey beauty and strength, but also bring more warmth and hope to the world." As the "Light of Thorns" project progressed, the Sang family's story spread globally, inspiring countless people to bravely pursue their dreams and shine their own light.

The buzz surrounding their successful Paris Fashion Week show hadn't even died down when the Sang family received an invitation from the Hollywood film "Rise of the Stars" to design a series of jewelry pieces with mysterious cosmic elements for the film's female lead. The film tells the story of an ordinary girl who unexpectedly gains superpowers and searches for herself and protects her home in the vast universe. The Sang family's "thorny gentleness" design philosophy perfectly aligned with the film's protagonist's resilient yet tender personality.

Sang Shuwan led her team in tireless research, drawing inspiration from the vast starry sky and mysterious galaxies. To capture the profundity and vastness of the universe, they used numerous rare gemstones, such as the rare Paraiba tourmaline symbolizing mysterious extraterrestrial energy, and star sapphires to simulate dazzling stars. These were paired with platinum thorns, representing the heroine's arduous journey through space. During the creation process, to ensure the lines of the thorns were smooth and natural, the craftsmen meticulously refined every detail, with each thorn undergoing hundreds of refinements.

At the film's global premiere, the lead actress walked the red carpet wearing jewelry designed by Sang, instantly becoming the center of attention. A galaxy-themed necklace featured a large blue Paraiba tourmaline at its center, surrounded by white gold thorns and sparkling diamonds, resembling a dazzling star in the Milky Way. The matching bracelet and earrings were equally striking; the bracelet's gemstones were arranged in a constellation pattern, while the earrings were designed in the shape of shooting stars, radiating captivating brilliance with every movement of the lead actress. Media outlets widely reported on this, praising it as a perfect fusion of fashion and film, and Sang jewelry once again became the talk of the town.

Meanwhile, the Sang family collaborated with a globally renowned game company to design virtual jewelry for a popular female-oriented role-playing game. In the game, players can acquire this jewelry by completing quests and exploring dungeons, enhancing their character's attributes and charm. Sang Jiyue was in charge of the design, creating unique pieces based on different game scenarios and character classes. For example, a ruby ​​ring with thorny gauntlets was designed for the warrior class, increasing attack power and showcasing their bravery; while a thorny crown inlaid with amethyst was designed for the mage class, enhancing magical abilities and exuding a mysterious aura.

After the game's launch, these virtual jewelry pieces were enthusiastically received by players, with many spending considerable time and effort exploring the game world to collect all the styles. Capitalizing on this success, the game company released limited-edition real-world merchandise, bringing the virtual jewelry to life, which sold out immediately upon release. This cross-industry collaboration not only brought new business opportunities to the Sang family but also attracted the attention of younger consumers, further expanding the influence of Sang family jewelry.

As the Sang family's status in the entertainment and fashion industries became increasingly solidified, they decided to host a charity gala, "Thorns and Starlight," inviting numerous celebrities, fashion icons, and dignitaries from various sectors. At the gala, the Sang family showcased a series of newly designed jewelry pieces, each symbolizing praise for female power and aspirations for a bright future. During the auction, these pieces became highly sought-after items, with all proceeds ultimately donated to education projects for women and children in impoverished areas.

That evening, Lin Zhiyi made an elegant appearance wearing a thorn necklace themed around the flower of hope. The necklace's centerpiece is a rose composed of pink diamonds and pearls, surrounded by white gold thorns, with a sparkling yellow diamond set in the center, symbolizing the light of hope. In an interview, she said, "The jewelry from the Sang family is not only beautiful, but also carries warmth and strength. I am honored to participate in this charity event and contribute to those in need."

Following the charity gala, the Sang family received letters of gratitude and accolades from around the world. Many women expressed that the Sang family's jewelry and stories inspired them to bravely pursue their dreams and express their authentic selves. Moving forward, the Sang family will continue to uphold its "thorny gentleness" philosophy, constantly exploring and innovating in design to bring more jewelry pieces that shine with love and strength to the world, continuing to write their legendary chapter.

While the charity gala was still in full swing, the Sang family was invited to participate in the filming of an international fashion documentary. The documentary comprehensively records the entire process of the Sang family's jewelry design, from capturing inspiration to the birth of the finished product, showcasing the unique charm of "gentleness with thorns" to the world.

The camera pans across the dressing room backstage at the Hong Kong Film Awards, where Sang Shuwan is adjusting the thorny shoulder embellishment on her haute couture gown. Thirty small diamonds are arranged above her collarbone to form a thorny laurel branch. As Sang Jiyue pushes open the door, she deliberately knocks over a jewelry box, and a rhinestone earring rolls to her sister's feet: "Sister, you're going to win the grand slam tonight, can you give me a Best Popularity Award?" Her fingertips trace across Sang Shuwan's trophy display wall, lingering for three seconds on the "Most Controversial Artist of the Year" trophy—the "spoils" of last year's "resource-grabbing" scandal, which she had bought off marketing accounts to create hype.

During the live broadcast of "Explosive Stage," Sang Shuwan's holographic projection was dancing with mechanical thorns when the platform suddenly tilted out of control. As screams erupted from the audience, Sang Jiyue heard her manager's instructions through her earpiece: "Proceed with the original plan." Wearing ten-centimeter high heels, she cut in from the side stage, a hidden wire in her skirt catching on Sang Shuwan's holographic projection line. Fragments of light and shadow shattered into a thorny galaxy on camera. As the director urgently cut to a close-up, Sang Shuwan, clutching the broken wire, smiled at the camera: "Looks like someone's worried this 'thorny rose' of mine is blooming too brightly." The live chat was instantly flooded with comments like "Sang Shuwan, the queen of saving the day!" and "Sang Jiyue did this on purpose, didn't she?"

The most deadly clash occurred at the Cannes Film Festival selection meeting. Three days in advance, Sang Jiyue posted a photo on social media of herself with a coffee cup belonging to a renowned international director, captioned "Thorns will eventually climb to new branches," successfully snatching the lead role in "The Eastern Assassin" that should have belonged to Sang Shuwan. On the day of the audition, she wore a deliberately imitated red carpet dress worn by Sang Shuwan three years prior, but suddenly coughed while reciting her lines—the mute drug she had hidden in her throat lozenges was taking effect. As the directing team was in a state of panic, Sang Shuwan pushed open the door with the script: "I'll temporarily fill in for my sister." She recited the key passage in Sang Jiyue's signature breathy voice, but with a chilling edge at the end that Sang Jiyue couldn't imitate: "This sword should pierce the heart of the traitor." The next day's headline: "Sang Shuwan saves the day at audition, production company replaces her on the spot."

The battle of public opinion reached its climax on the night of the "Rose Derby" live stream. Sang Jiyue's team bribed hackers to tamper with Sang Shuwan's charitable donation data, and the hashtag #QueenofFraudulentDonationsSangShuwan# dominated the trending searches at 3 a.m. Sang Jiyue herself wore a thorn necklace customized by Sang Shuwan's fan club during the live stream, tears welling in her eyes: "My sister taught me the meaning of charity; perhaps I misunderstood." The camera panned across her trembling fingertips, but failed to capture her quietly turned off her phone—containing a confirmation text message from the hacker stating "data deleted." Half an hour later, Sang Shuwan appeared in the live stream, behind her a wall piled high with original donation receipts, each with a thorn sticker in the upper right corner: "Real thorns don't pierce the soil; they only become fences protecting seedlings." She suddenly pointed to Sang Jiyue's necklace: "I applied for a patent for this design last year; isn't what you're wearing a fake?"

In a blind spot of the agent's office surveillance, Sang Jiyue threw a thorny rose into the shredder: "She's clearly just an adopted daughter, so why does she always have a star higher than me?" The rose fragments spit out by the shredder were mixed with a paternity test report that hadn't been destroyed—Sang Shuwan was the true heir to the Sang family bloodline. Meanwhile, Sang Shuwan was burning old letters in the old house, the firelight reflecting the beauty mark at the corner of her eye. In her hand, she clutched Sang Jiyue's medical record from twenty years ago when she was adopted: "Congenital heart disease. So what you stole wasn't resources, it was the oxygen for survival."

The climax of the final chapter takes place backstage at the New Year's Eve concert. Sang Jiyue slips medication that would cause vocal cord edema into Sang Shuwan's throat lozenges, but as she hands over the box, she notices a bandage peeking out from her sister's sleeve—a burn from shielding her from a stalker's coffee the previous night. On stage, Sang Shuwan finishes singing "The Thorny Moon" in a hoarse voice, suddenly handing the microphone to Sang Jiyue backstage during the chorus. The spotlight shines on both of them simultaneously; Sang Shuwan has a thorn tattoo on her Adam's apple, while Sang Jiyue has a matching scar on her collarbone—a mark left when Sang Shuwan carried her through a fire as a child. As the chorus roars, two trending topics simultaneously appear: #SangShuwanPersistsDespiteVocalCordHemorrhage# #SangJiyueSharesHighNotesWithSister#.

The camera pans out through the paparazzi's telephoto lens: beneath the rose-covered wall of the Sang family's old house, Sang Jiyue tosses a box of medicated candies into the trash, while Sang Shuwan picks it up and puts it in her makeup bag. Surveillance footage shows that after the two leave, a stray cat steals the mints from the box—each candy core hollowed out and replaced with genuine throat lozenges. Moonlight filters through the thorny branches, weaving the truth in their overlapping shadows: all the "framing" is quietly resolved, all the "struggles" conceal a thorny tenderness. And the headlines of the entertainment industry are always sharper and cheaper than the truth.

(Under the crystal chandeliers at the Oscar nomination party, Sang Shuwan's thorny diamond earrings reflected a cold light as she chatted amiably with the director of "Interstellar Rose." Sang Jiyue walked in, wearing custom-made 12-centimeter "Queen of Thorns" heels. Suddenly, the steel wire inside her skirt snapped, and shards of diamonds mixed with blood splattered into Sang Shuwan's champagne glass. "My sister said that thorny roses must bloom together." She held the blood-stained silk in her fingers, her gaze drifting to the director's suit pocket—where the audition video USB drive that should have belonged to Sang Shuwan was located.)
During the filming of the reality show "The Evolution of Film Queens," Sang Jiyue deliberately replaced Sang Shuwan's allergy medication with vitamin tablets. When the camera captured Sang Shuwan's body covered in rashes during a scene on the grassland, yet she still insisted on filming, Sang Jiyue was practicing a distressed expression in front of a mirror in her RV: "I want the audience to think that I discovered my sister's medication was switched before her agent did." During a live broadcast, she suddenly grasped Sang Shuwan's hand covered in rashes: "Actually, I noticed the medicine bottle was wrong yesterday." Before she could finish speaking, the production team abruptly cut her off, but the live chat exploded with millions of reposts of "Sang Jiyue trying to cover up the truth"—some people discovered that she had just searched for "urticaria first aid measures" that morning.

The most ruthless move was hidden on the night of the inheritance ceremony at the Sang family's old mansion. Sang Jiyue bribed a hacker to break into Sang Shuwan's cloud hard drive, only to discover a shocking secret in countless encrypted folders: surveillance footage from a fire twenty years ago showed that young Sang Shuwan pushed her out of the flames, suffering severe burns herself. The true Sang family bloodline certificate had been replaced with Sang Jiyue's name long before the late Sang patriarch's death—the "inheritance right" she had always believed belonged to her sister was actually relinquished by Sang Shuwan herself. Trembling, she opened the last folder, which contained hundreds upon hundreds of unsent messages: "Jiyue's surgery fees have arrived," "Don't tell her this is my acting fee."

A media storm erupted at Paris Fashion Week. Sang Jiyue's team bribed a foreign journalist to suddenly ask during a live broadcast: "We've heard there's a dispute over the inheritance of the Sang family fortune. As the adopted daughter, are you uneasy about this?" Sang Shuwan, wearing a custom-made thorn crown, paused for a mere 0.3 seconds on the diamond thorns: "The Sang family crown has never belonged to bloodlines, but to those who can protect the rose garden." She suddenly removed the crown and placed it on Sang Jiyue's head, the thorns pressing precisely against the scar from her suicide attempt last year: "The weight of this crown is thirty million heartbeats—I still remember the origin of every single diamond from the money used for your heart transplant." In the global live broadcast, Sang Jiyue's pupils contracted sharply, while a miniature camera inside the crown transmitted her instantly deathly pale face to millions of screens.