Chapter Four: Ten Million for the Cutting-Room Floor

The old project folder remained on Gu Yan's drive, but every clip was now zero bytes. The internet had no record of Xu Zhou. In a graduation photograph, the child who should have stood beside Gu Yan had become an overexposed human-shaped patch. The raven projected a notice. 【CUTTING-ROOM LAYER ENTRANCE DETECTED.】 【Deleted narratives do not vanish. They only lose their credit.】 “The Marquis didn't suddenly grow my face,” Gu Yan said. “I left my choices for him to inherit.” Applause sounded at the door. Tang Jing entered alone, white fire suppressant still staining his cuff. He laid down a contract as if the previous night had never happened.