Chapter 44: Causes and Consequences

When Gu Na first met Zhuo Hu, she felt nothing but admiration, not affection.

They met in Dali, not Lijiang.

Though Zhuo Hu appeared dwarf-like and spoke with venom, she, new to society, was oddly grateful to this man whose words were as sharp as a scorpion’s sting yet possessed a heart akin to a "Bodhisattva."

People can be strange that way.

In Gu Na’s eyes, every word he spoke was reasonable, every path he pointed out clear, saving her from danger multiple times and sparing her many detours in her acting career.

At that time, Zhuo Hu was short and rough-looking, but his image shone with brilliance and stature.

To Gu Na, he was her great benefactor. As a newcomer, she was like an innocent young girl just entering the workforce, full of admiration for a senior who was so willing to help—and he seemed so safe.

Who would feel threatened by a middle-aged man with such an unappealing appearance?

Besides his short, frail frame, if things turned physical, he would be no match—any young girl could take him down.

Yet, it was this seemingly harmless little man who would bring hellish disaster into her life—something Gu Na, a tough woman, never anticipated.

At first, Zhuo Hu used his connections to secure her many good roles: leading parts in idol dramas, heroines in historical series, key supporting roles in soap operas, even a co-production in an international blockbuster. It was overwhelming.

A rising star was about to be born.

One day, news of an award-winning project she starred in spread throughout the company. For a newcomer with just over a year in the industry and no formal training, such achievement drew envious, jealous, and hateful gazes from all directions, suffocating in their intensity.

But for Gu Na, it was pure enjoyment—extreme enjoyment. Her vanity plunged her into a haze where she no longer recognized her true self. She basked in her colleagues’ praise, reveled in others' envy, and savored the steady flow of money filling her wallet and bank cards.

Born in a rural village, traveling north alone, she had never known such glory.

She had transformed inexplicably from a tomboy into a graceful star in an elegant gown, and her next step was to walk the red carpet and appear on the grand stage.

Though dizzy and overwhelmed, she still remembered her benefactor—the humble Zhuo Hu, willing to be a servant for her success, offering himself as the supporting leaf while she bloomed as the flower.

She wanted to repay him but didn’t know how. She never considered giving money—it felt like an insult to someone who had recognized her talent. Coincidentally, this "leaf" suddenly proposed holding a celebration party for her to share the joy.

Gu Na agreed without hesitation, authorizing Zhuo Hu to handle everything. She even planned to publicly express her gratitude at the banquet. Knowing his birthday was near, she secretly prepared a giant cake to surprise him.

Most of her success was thanks to Zhuo Hu; repaying him was only right. The village elders had always taught her that a drop of kindness deserves a fountain of gratitude.

She had no idea, however, that this small kindness would cost her all happiness and joy for the rest of her life.

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Zhuo Hu easily overpowered a heroine, took her virginity, and held her heart captive.

All it took was a cocktail laced with some impurities.

Their colleagues were long used to such tricks from Zhuo Hu; to them, his tactics were routine and unoriginal, though secretly envied. So they showed no sympathy for Gu Na’s misfortune—instead, they saw it as a spectacle, a joke to be chuckled over in private.

A scrawny chicken wanting to be a phoenix? What a laugh. We’re all just here for show.

Some even took Zhuo Hu’s bribes and took turns brainwashing Gu Na, telling her she had climbed the social ladder and was on a smooth path with an unlimited future.

In the end, Gu Na reverted to her tomboyish nature, wiping tears from her eyes with determination.

She forced herself to love this man, who was over a decade older and unattractive, and quietly registered their marriage to become a legitimate couple.

Of course, none of this was to be revealed publicly—she was a dazzling new star!

It wasn’t until two years later that she realized she had been deceived. During that time, she suffered two miscarriages and bore no children for Zhuo Hu. He grew cold toward her.

At first, Gu Na blamed herself, thinking her body had failed him and caused his disillusionment.

Then, by chance, she discovered the truth wasn’t what she expected: Zhuo Hu had another woman.

This was a thunderbolt from a clear sky, shattering Gu Na utterly.

Her first thought was to try to salvage the relationship, but Zhuo Hu offered only exposed truths.

Secrets cannot stay hidden. Having mingled in the circle for a while, Gu Na had a few close friends who tentatively revealed Zhuo Hu’s unsavory lifestyle, leaving her heartbroken.

She asked them why they hadn’t warned her sooner.

Their answers were almost unanimous: Better to preserve a temple than ruin a marriage. We didn’t know if you two truly matched, nor whether Zhuo Hu had changed his ways... and besides, we weren’t that close at the time.

With no room for argument, Gu Na swallowed her pain in silence. She believed she deserved it, working hard to earn money while trying desperately to save the marriage. She even thought of bearing Zhuo Hu a child to tie him down.

But some things cannot be undone. All efforts were futile.

Zhuo Hu came home less and less, eventually not returning at all. He openly lived with a young, beautiful woman.

When Gu Na heard the news, she attempted suicide by slitting her wrists.

The company quietly covered up the incident; no news leaked out. But from that moment, Gu Na’s acting career was over.

Who would hire a young woman looking haggard and perpetually sorrowful? There were countless others eager for the role, readily available for minimal cost. A poorly performing project cost far more than that. The production team swiftly canceled her appearances.

Accustomed to luxury, Gu Na soon found herself destitute again. She had known poverty and wealth, but if you think having been poor once protects you from losing wealth, that’s unrealistic. Glamour had become a habit, carefree pleasure a skill; once immersed in high society, falling is not an option.

The inevitable result was squandering her fortune.

Gu Na transformed from a resentful wife into a grieving woman, then from a widow to a black widow—a twisted path of growth.

She sought revenge, absolute and thorough. Once the paint was stripped away, her true nature was a fighter. As she uncovered more of the truth, her fury grew. Against that rat, she desired only one fate: to tear him apart piece by piece, to release the torment in her heart.

Her method was simple: the cat playing with the mouse.

Before the incident at the Mu Mansion theater, she had already carried out many revenge plans—always stopping short of killing, aiming to sabotage, expose, and disrupt. She played cruel games without delivering the final blow.

She wanted Zhuo Hu’s complete disgrace—and he could not withstand those suicidal attacks. His reputation was too filthy to endure.

Defeated, Zhuo Hu fled to Lijiang, hoping to hide for a while. By chance, he encountered the Mu Mansion Performing Arts Company. Both parties immediately agreed, and he settled there, using his unique appearance to perform in costume, wear makeup, and reveal his true nature. He quickly gained momentum.

Few could recognize Zhuo Hu’s true face.

But Gu Na could, which led to the shocking fall at the Mu Mansion theater that made headlines. Liu Zichen guessed correctly: Zhuo Hu did not survive the fall by luck—it was because Gu Na never gave him the chance to die.

After recovering, Zhuo Hu quietly slipped out of the hospital, drifting again until his lustful desires led to his capture by Li Yiting.

Unaware of this, Gu Na still bitterly vowed, “I will play this game with him for a lifetime!”