The glow from her phone screen reflected in Song Zhining’s slightly widened pupils.  

2023? A commission from five years in the future.  

She knew of Shen Xingyi. Though she didn’t pay much attention to the entertainment industry, Shen Xingyi was too famous—infamously so.  

Suicide on September 7th? Wasn’t that just four days from now?!  

Come to think of it, she remembered hearing female colleagues gossiping in the office today about another scandal involving Shen Xingyi being exposed.  

Without checking the details of the commission yet, Song Zhining frowned and opened Weibo.  

Top search: **Shen Xingyi sleeps with fans!!!**  

Second top search: **Shen Xingyi’s longtime female fan of 5 years reveals she was coerced by him, suffers depression and contemplates suicide**  

Third top search: **Shen Xingyi splashed with sulfuric acid!**  

…  

Shen Xingyi, a young male actor who rose to fame in the domestic entertainment industry two years ago thanks to a web series. Back then, entertainment media described the 23-year-old Shen Xingyi as having “peerless beauty” and “god-like acting skills.”  

After his overnight rise to stardom, almost every drama Shen Xingyi starred in became a hit, and he landed countless top endorsements. His Weibo followers skyrocketed to over ten million in just a year.  

But at the beginning of this year, Shen Xingyi’s reputation began to crumble.  

First, he was photographed checking into a hotel with an older wealthy woman, accused of sleeping his way to the top. Then, he was caught bullying fellow artists from his own company.  

Because of these incidents, brands and productions that had initially sought Shen Xingyi out quickly turned to others instead.  

Though Shen Xingyi publicly denied the allegations, claiming they were baseless, no one believed him.  

…  

Half an hour later, Song Zhining summarized the current scandals surrounding Shen Xingyi: being kept by a wealthy woman, nearly beating his adoptive uncle and aunt to death, bullying a classmate to death, and the latest bombshell—sleeping with a fan.  

“This Shen Xingyi sure has a lot of scandals,” Song Zhining muttered, her gaze lingering on the most recent update about him.  

A talk show on Strawberry TV had invited Shen Xingyi’s uncle and aunt, Shen Anliang and Li Juan, for an interview and planned to have Shen Xingyi join them for a face-to-face discussion.  

Shen Xingyi’s uncle and aunt had agreed, but Shen Xingyi had yet to respond.  

“These scandals are probably all fake.” If they were true, the future client from five years later wouldn’t have commissioned her to clear Shen Xingyi’s name. Besides, Shen Xingyi wouldn’t have succumbed to depression and taken his own life.  

Only kind-hearted people die by suicide.  

Closing Weibo, she opened the commission app, clicked on the details of the second request, and began reviewing the attached files one by one.

Finally reaching the last line, Song Zhining looked up, her heart settling on a definitive answer.  

Shen Xingyi was indeed framed.  

Her lips pressed into a tight line, her gaze darkening. Those people are truly despicable—for their own selfish desires, they could so brazenly destroy Shen Xingyi. Perhaps in their eyes, others’ lives meant nothing, and anyone who didn’t obey deserved to be eliminated.  

After a brief moment of contemplation, Song Zhining clicked “Accept Commission.”  

[Ding! The client has prepaid the advance reward. The relevant compensation has been placed in the host’s bag.]  

Song Zhining raised an eyebrow. After completing Qin Rouxia’s commission last time, the system had upgraded from LV1 to LV2. Now, clients would pay an advance reward upfront, with the remaining balance due upon completion of the task.  

If the mission failed, the advance would be reclaimed by the system.  

What’s the advance reward this time? She casually picked up her bag and opened it, pulling out a bright red booklet that stood out starkly among her belongings.  

The words “Real Estate Ownership Certificate” were clearly printed on the cover.  

Her eyes widened as she flipped it open.  

“Sunshine Garden, Phase 2, Block 3, Unit 01, 15th Floor, 268 sqm with rooftop garden…”  

Owner: Song Zhining. ID number: … 

It took her a long moment to process. This commission’s advance reward… was a 269 sqm luxury apartment in Sunshine Garden?!

What kind of tyrant is this client?  

Not only that, but the property had already been transferred to her name.  

So… I’m officially a homeowner in Shanghai now? What working-class dream wasn’t to own a home and a car? Song Zhining was no exception.  

But the hardships of life had made her dare not even fantasize—especially in a city like Shanghai, where property prices were exorbitant. Sunshine Garden, for instance, was sold fully furnished at over 30,000 yuan per square meter. 

This 268 sqm apartment was worth over 8 million yuan outright.  

Snapping the certificate shut, Song Zhining’s heart pounded wildly, her eyes burning with fierce excitement.  

No matter what, I have to stop Shen Xingyi from taking his own life and clear his name. This commission must be completed. 

Once it was, this apartment would truly be hers. Sunshine Garden was close to Kangning Hospital, making it easy to visit her father whenever needed. And if—if—the worst came to pass, she could even sell the property. The proceeds would be more than enough to cover her father’s surgery.  

Buzzing with exhilaration, it was well past midnight before Song Zhining finally drifted off to sleep, hugging her blanket tightly. Her last thought before sleep claimed her: Tomorrow morning, I’ll go see the apartment, move my things in, and then fly to Beijing in the afternoon to find Shen Xingyi. 

…

October 10, 2023, 2:58 PM 

Gengsheng Pharmaceutical Group, General Manager’s Office

The 25-year-old Li Jing, dressed in a sleek black suit, stood by the window, gazing at the city’s towering skyscrapers. On his desk, his phone screen glowed, displaying the interface of the Future Commission App.

With his hands in his pockets and a face like still water, he wasn’t as calm as he appeared on the surface. His mind replayed the moment the property ownership certificate had vanished into thin air right before his eyes.  

“So… that app is real, isn’t it?” 

Seven years ago, Li Jing was Su Jing—not a member of the Li family, let alone the general manager of Gengsheng Pharmaceutical.  

He was just an orphan who had grown up in a welfare home. After graduating from college, he stumbled into a job as Shen Xingyi’s assistant.  

Over those two years, he witnessed Shen Xingyi’s hard work, kindness, and talent, gradually coming to idolize him.  

When he learned that Su Jing had been trafficked and ended up in an orphanage, he even spent his own savings, using every possible means to help him find his biological family.  

But someone as good as Shen Xingyi was targeted, smeared, and vilified by the entire world, until he fell into depression.  

Li Jing would never forget that day—the day he had finally found his own family. Overjoyed, he rushed to share the news with Shen Xingyi late at night… only to push open the door and find his lifeless body.  

Shen Xingyi had taken his own life. He had been one step too late.  

And yet, those who had persecuted him, those who had cyberbullied him, feasted on his tragedy, continuing to thrive without consequence.  

Li Jing could not accept that.  

So, after being recognized by the wealthy Li family and becoming Li Jing, he dedicated himself to one goal. In just six months, every single person who had harmed Shen Xingyi met their deserved fate.  

But the radiant, kind-hearted Shen Xingyi… would never come back.  

Five years had passed, and the pain still haunted him.  

Earlier that day, he had visited Shen Xingyi’s grave. Then, that night, a mysterious Future Commission App suddenly appeared on his phone…  

If it were possible…  

He wished that, five years ago, Shen Xingyi could have lived. That he could have stood on the stage he loved, untainted and shining brightly, the way he was meant to.