The hotel suite's living room.
A crowd had gathered around the brown leather sectional sofa in the centre of the room to watch the drama unfold.
"What's this?" Wu Zhijin asked curiously.
Qu Feifei twitched at the corner of her mouth. "Is this what you used to ask Lu Wenhao to help you with? A promise letter? Does it become valid just by signing it?"
Bao Ruanruan nodded. "More or less."
"It works kind of like a wish."
[Pffft!]
[Not even close! It's already Version 2.0 now!]
[Help, I'm dying of laughter!]
[Maybe it's the surprise V3 version~]
[Hhhhh, Qu Feifei is so screwed.]
[It's fine; let the guests from Nancheng see how brutal our Jiangcheng variety shows can be!]
[No worries, let these Nancheng guests experience the ruthlessness of our Jiangcheng variety shows!]
"Director, is this really allowed?" Han Mo, who had been standing with his arms crossed, raised an eyebrow at Zheng Mingchang. "Your show has no rules? You can just get help whenever you want?"
Of course not!
Zheng Mingchang shook his head firmly.
But he only did this action in his mind.
He was, of course, strict with guests on his own show.
In fact, he was planning to set stricter rules in the next episode to keep Bao Ruanruan in check!
However, when it came to guests from other shows...... he had to save face for his own programme.
"These are just our standard game props—nothing against the rules."
Zheng Mingchang spread his hands, lying through his teeth.
"You can ask everyone—doesn't each person have one?"
Bao Ruanruan was the first to nod obediently.
Each person has one.
True, she'd used one today.
But she still had a 'life-saving contract' for each guest!
Seeing her nod, Lan Zhi and Xiao Mengfei subconsciously followed suit.
Cheng Yao wanted to say something but decided against it in the end.
While Lu Wenhao, who had been cooling off alone in the room, had finally digested everything and walked out looking calm.
It was at that moment that he heard Director Zheng spouting nonsense.
He stood silently in the corner, casting a sympathetic glance at Qu Feifei, Han Mo, and the others.
The live camera deliberately panned across their faces with great precision.
[Hahahaha! Everyone's a liar1!]
[Look at my Bro Lu's expression—it's lit~]
[Lu Wenhao: 'I sympathise, but this baby still can't help you.']
[I just wanna know—will this Nancheng variety show continue? Might as well merge it into Chasing Dream! Our Xiao Bao might need to store her life-saving contracts in a folder next time, wahahahaha!]
[+1!]
In Chasing Dream, Lan Zhi was a trained actress, whereas Xiao Mengfei was naturally a sweet and naïve airhead.
Cheng Yao was quite the mensao2, and Lu Wenhao clearly hadn't recovered from the trauma of dancing to a girl group's choreo.
Their expressions were each more perfectly straight and real than the last.
At that moment, Han Mo didn't know what to say either.
The only thing he could do was to give his variety show teammate, Qu Feifei, a look of helpless sympathy.
Qu Feifei clenched her teeth.
She was trained in martial arts.
From a young age, she had been taught to walk upright and sit straight3.
She never lied and never broke a promise.
"Fine. I'll sign. I lost," said Qu Feifei as she stepped forward and signed the paper.
The camera followed her.
It caught a shot of Ruanruan's face, radiating with joy as though she had just taken a magical elixir.
[Bao Ruanruan: 'This is the empire Zhen4 has built.']
[The harem has just expanded.]
However, after signing, Qu Feifei didn't hand the paper back straight away. She held it and looked at Bao Ruanruan.
Qu Feifei had lost so few times in girl group dance battles that they could be counted on one hand.
Today's loss felt unjust and hard to accept.
"Without any stakes—do you dare go against me one-on-one?"
"Nope," Bao Ruanruan instantly chickened out.
Qu Feifei: "!"
"If you want to compete, I'll go against you! Bao Bao isn't even from a girl group background—what's the point in dancing against her? Even if you win, it's not a fair win!"
Bao-stan Xiao Mengfei immediately jumped in to defend her.
Qu Feifei gave her a complicated look.
When both of them were in The Restaurant, Xiao Mengfei had been extremely dismissive of the mascot.
And now she was defending her so much like this.
For a moment, Qu Feifei had an unbelievable thought.
“Wait... is Bao Ruanruan your fan?”
We are both fellow victims under the same endless sky.5
Qu Feifei tried to exchange a secret signal.
Xiao Mengfei looked confused. "Nope."
"Oh, never mind then."
Qu Feifei lowered her gaze.
The heavy feeling in her chest from the past few days eased slightly for a split second.
Bao Ruanruan had once been so nice to her that she had mistaken her for a fan.
Yet Xiao Mengfei, also a girl group leader, had never received that kind of attention from her.
Could this mean—
Bao Ruanruan had once considered her... special?
After all, in the girl group world, Xiao Mengfei was currently the top traffic queen.
Yet in Bao Ruanruan's heart, was she—Qu Feifei—the only one worth 'conquering6'?
For the first time, Qu Feifei noticed the fresh air in the suite.
It even seemed to carry a faint scent of orchids—sweet and refreshing.
Even her breathing felt much smoother.
"Ahem, then let's drop the competition. Here."
She handed over the A4 sheet to Bao Ruanruan.
"Alright, to ensure better service next time, I shall now carefully read aloud the terms of your #Life-Saving Agreement: Qu Feifei Exclusive Edition#."
"??"
[Special edition? Isn't this just V3! Hahaha!]
[WTF! It really got upgraded again?!]
[I surrender, Ruanruan!]
Qu Feifei was stunned in front of the camera.
Looking up, she saw Bao Ruanruan gazing at her with utter sincerity.
"1. Qu Feifei must offer help unconditionally when Bao Ruanruan needs it."
"2. When spending time with Bao Ruanruan, Qu Feifei must not bring in any unrelated grudges or negative emotions."
Qu Feifei: "!"
Bao Ruanruan's voice was clear, and every word was pronounced precisely.
She then tilted her fair face, revealing her long and graceful neck that was just like a swan's.
"3. Qu Feifei must inform her fan club of the second clause, including but not limited to her 12.04 million Weibo followers and core fan groups 1–8."
"All final rights of interpretation belong to Bao Ruanruan."
Qu Feifei: "!!"
[Pfffft]
[Xiao Bao, did you even stalk her Weibo?]
[It's definitely an upgraded version! Even Brother Lu's V2 didn't have the fan-notification clause, hahaha.]
[This is tailor-made! That second rule is clearly about Tang Yuxin—telling Qu Feifei to stay out of it?]
[I'm a Qu-fan, but honestly, I approve of Bao Ruanruan's second rule. After all, she did save Feifei in the kitchen last time.]
[Good on you, Qu-fan—you're sensible!]
"I even have to notify my fans?" Qu Feifei honestly hadn't expected this 'life-saving contract' to be this complicated.
Bao Ruanruan nodded and held the A4 paper out for her to see from a distance.
It even listed the exact number of Qu Feifei's Weibo followers.
Lu Wenhao, listening in, shook his head sympathetically.
Another poor soul who signed without reading the clauses.
Just like him, another victim had joined the ranks.
He should've stopped her.
But... even he couldn't beat up Bao Ruanruan.
Bao Ruanruan carefully folded the paper in half. "I saw your fans commenting on your Weibo—they said they'll always be one big family with you."
12 million followers—that's a lot of family members!
How could she possibly handle that many people?
Qu Feifei, however, was stunned.
Glancing up, she could see five words peeking from the folded paper: 'Qu Feifei Special Edition'.
She instantly bit down on her mouth, which was threatening to curl up into a smile.
Family.
Her fans really did call each other that in private.
Bao Ruanruan even knew that? She even went to her Weibo to read her fan comments?
Could it be that she used to like her but later climbed over the wall7?
Qu Feifei looked at Bao Ruanruan with mixed emotions.
Checking her idol's Weibo follower count daily and keeping tabs on how many core fan groups she had… those were all fan behaviours.
But it had only been just over two months since The Restaurant.
Bao Ruanruan's affection faded away far too quickly.
"Hey, hang in there."
While Bao Ruanruan stepped away to pack her bag, Lu Wenhao took the chance to walk over and whisper a reminder to Qu Feifei.
"Be careful next time."
Qu Feifei blinked.
Lu Wenhao was one of Bao Ruanruan's biases.
"Umm… Brother Lu, did you sign a guarantee letter for her, too? What was yours called—Lu Wenhao special edition?"
Qu Feifei couldn't stop herself from asking.
And she regretted it the moment she asked!
Why on earth had she asked that?
But Lu Wenhao let out a long sigh. "Of course not."
He looked down at her with pity.
"You're the only one who got that version."
Hers was stricter than the one he got.
Qu Feifei immediately looked up.
Lu Wenhao secretly felt relieved. "Mine was still just version 2 when I got it recently."
They were two victims sharing their stories.
Lu Wenhao was thankful that Bao Ruanruan hadn't given him harsher terms.
Qu Feifei's eyes suddenly lit up.
Lu Wenhao had only got the standard edition.
Was she the only one with the special edition?
At that moment, she could smell the sweet scent of orchids again~
"Xiao Bao, everyone gets a chance to perform this episode. If you don't do anything, it'll be difficult for me to include you in the final cut."
Zheng Mingchang pulled Bao Ruanruan aside for a private talk.
Lu Wenhao had competed in two segments.
He had gotten more screen time than the other guests.
When one gained something, the other would lose it.
Right now, it was Bao Ruanruan who had lost out on screen time.
But in a variety show, which celebrity wouldn't want more screen time?
Except for this one person.
Bao Ruanruan remained unfazed.
The pay would still be the same.
The size of the safe apartment this paycheque could buy wouldn't change.
So why should she put in extra effort?
Bao Ruanruan shook her head nonchalantly. "Let the capable one do more. I don't mind having less screen time."
Lu Wenhao, who had just finished talking to Qu Feifei and was about to get a drink, felt a sudden jolt in his heart.
"Sigh… fine. I've never seen an artist who doesn't fight for screen time like you."
Zheng Mingchang was speechless.
"People who don't know better would think your family owns a gold mine8. If you keep staying low-key, people won't notice you. You'll get fewer and fewer jobs, and then you'll end up crying. Female artists have a shorter blooming period9 than male artists."
Lu Wenhao, whose family owned a gold mine8 and who was a long-blooming male artist: "!"
Had he just stolen screen time from a disadvantaged female artist who didn't have a gold mine at home8?
No—she had let him have it.
Let him...
Let...
Lu Wenhao's mind was greatly shaken.
*
After the filming of the variety show ended and he got home, Lu Wenhao hesitated for a long time.
Finally, he decided to find his father's Special Assistant Zhou.
"My dad said… he sponsored the variety show I was in?"
"I, uh, want to get a guest a dance segment… and have the production team post it on Weibo! No—it must be included in the final cut!"
Only after leaving the set did Lu Wenhao realise his Weibo account had gained 50K followers from that girl-group dance performance.
He was shocked.
And horrified.
Could having thick skin actually have this kind of effect?
But this outcome… was supposed to belong to Bao Ruanruan...
Director Zheng's words kept circling in his ears.
He had to give it back to her!
"Oh, giving it to a guest? A girl?" Lu Zhengda came out of the study, his old face lighting up.
Was it that female guest who had motivated his son to improve?
Lu Wenhao nodded reluctantly. "If it's not doable, then just forget it. Dad, don't get the wrong idea. I just owe her a favour."
Lu Zhengda laughed heartily. "What am I thinking? I'm not thinking of anything at all! Sure, I'll have Assistant Zhou take care of it right away!"
Those live-stream comments clearly described how the girl had 'violently' pressured him into changing his ways.
In the past, when he lectured too much, Lu Wenhao would erupt—he was as stubborn as an untamable bull!
Absolutely unteachable.
Now he wants to thank the girl who had 'violently' pressured him into changing his ways?
His youngest son was slowly... developing a broad mind that could tolerate others.
This was precisely the kind of leadership quality a high-level executive needed!
Lu Zhengda was ecstatic.
"Dad supports you. Xiao Zhou, move fast—have the production team invite that female guest tonight to record a segment. Give her a chance to shine!"
Lu Wenhao let out a sigh of relief.
That evening at six o'clock.
Bao Ruanruan received a direct call from Director Zheng Mingchang, which left her completely confused.
"A fan wants to see me dance?"
Bao Ruanruan was surprised.
"Then just do a dance," Chen Feng said, smiling after hearing about the situation. "Consider it a little fan service."
Fan service?
Essentially, it meant doing something nice for the fans.
Images of 'good stuff' suddenly popped into Bao Ruanruan's head.
She glanced at the time—her dinner had just about finished digesting, too.
"All right then. I'll go and change into my training outfit."
Chen Feng: "?"
What?
After hanging up the phone, he was still stunned.
Training outfit?
Had he heard that right?
An hour later, Chasing Dream's official Weibo account suddenly became active, and a new update was posted.
—[This is a special bonus clip from Bao Ruanruan to her fans — the dance she didn't perform.]
Surprisingly, the production team was generous this time.
They even bought a trending topic: # TheDanceBaoRuanruanDidn'tDoBackThen #
In an instant, her casual fans, new fans, longtime fans, and regular viewers of her shows all clicked in out of curiosity.
[Wow. Surprise! Thought Xiao Bao would skip it!]
[The celeb who delivers the best fan service.]
[Kiddo Ruan actually made up for that dance? Joy!]
[Grateful for the treat.]
Some fans immediately left comments but couldn't quite bring themselves to click on the video.
For example, 'fake mom fan' Tang Xi.
She couldn't even bring herself to click, just from seeing the words: 'fan service'.
Tang Xi's hand, resting on the keyboard, was shaking uncontrollably.
This was all a side effect of having once followed Tang Yuxin.
Over the past year, Tang Xi had almost forgotten the meaning of 'fan service'.
In her first year as a fan, Tang Yuxin's studio released at least one fan service video per month—behind-the-scenes clips of her on set.
By the second year, it dropped to once a quarter.
In the third year… once every six months.
By the fourth year… not even one in a whole year.
Whenever Tang Xi saw other celebrities releasing mukbang or game-related fan service clips, she was consumed by envy.
Even if her 'sister' just casually posted a video of her walking, Tang Xi could lick every frame clean.
But there was nothing!
She refreshed the studio's Weibo countless times but got nothing every time.
Taking a deep breath, Tang Xi cautiously peeked at the length of the video attached to the Chasing Dream post.
—It was a whole five and a half minutes long!
So long!
Tang Xi's heart was racing.
What kind of god-tier fangirl experience was this?!
It turns out that stanning a 108th-tier celeb from the very beginning was clearly this joyful~
Tang Xi was hyped!
She scrambled to grab her noise-cancelling headphones, wiped down her keyboard and mouse, opened a browser tab, and got ready to screenshot everything.
Before sitting down, she even went to the bathroom solemnly and reverently.
After washing her hands and applying nice-smelling hand cream, she took a deep breath and carefully hit play.
—Even if Bao Ruanruan didn't perform the girl group choreography particularly well, that's OK!
—She definitely wouldn't make fun of her.
Without realising it, Tang Xi had developed a true 'mom-fan' mindset: No matter what her girl does, Mama will always love her!
She was also a little nervous.
Worried that her 'kid' might underperform and be mocked by other fans or casual viewers. She was already drafting mental essays to defend Bao Ruanruan. 'Her courage to try already outshines most artists.'
But the moment she opened the five-minute video…
Tang Xi's mouth just kept dropping wider and wider open!
In the video frame—
In a cosy but modest bedroom, Bao Ruanruan stood on a patch of open space in front of the bed. Her delicate features glowed as if naturally lit.
She was dressed in a pale green, loose-fitting silk… traditional Chinese training outfit with frog buttons🔗.
Bao Ruanruan's slender hands made a distant mock fist-and-palm salute towards the camera.
"This is Bao Ruanruan's fan service time~"
"Please enjoy Bao Ruanruan's fitness dance."
Tang Qian: "!"
?
??
Fitness… dance?
In the video, Bao Ruanruan remained deadly serious. "According to The Biography of Hua Tuo: 'I have a technique, called the Five Animal Frolics📹… which is useful for curing illness…'"
"May your body feel light… I hope all my fans can be healthy, light on their feet, and full of vitality."
Tang Xi: "!!"
On screen, Bao Ruanruan inhaled deeply, letting her arms fall naturally at her sides.
She stood as straight as a pine tree.
Bowing her head slightly, she curled her small, fair hands in mid-air, her fingers bent like a tiger's claws.
Then she lifted her head, as if a fierce tiger were roaring.
......
Stepping forward lightly with her left foot, she bent her knee, extended her slender arms, pinched three fingers together, and raised her index and pinky fingers upright — like antlers.
She bounded gracefully across the screen.
......
She straightened her right leg to stand and raised her left knee.
Her hands lifted outwards to her sides, her wrists arched, and her middle fingers pointing downwards, as if they were a crane's outspread wings.
She soared through the air.
......
"Finishing the whole routine and breaking into a light sweat is just right."
On-screen, Bao Ruanruan smiled as she ended the routine with a closing gesture, stopping with satisfaction.
She looked straight into the camera.
She was ready to give a serious explanation.
"This set is a newly compiled version of the Five Animal Frolics📹, based on Tao Hongjing's Manual of Nourishing Life and Extending Longevity🔗, and finalised following research by the Sports Academy."
"Baobao fans who need it can purchase Fitness: Five Animal Frolics📹 to study the movements in detail."
"Beginners, remember to warm up. Pay attention to your breathing and the range of movements—don't pull a muscle."
After exercising, her delicate, snow-white face had a slight flush to it.
A faint bead of sweat glimmered subtly on the tip of her nose.
There was now a touch of lively colour amid her delicate, fragile beauty.
However, her expression remained serious as she offered her blessing.
"Fan service delivered—wishing everyone a long life! Bye-bye~”
Her petal-soft hands then abruptly covered the lens.
The screen went black — the video was over.
Tang Xi: "......"
It took her a long time to finally close her gaping mouth.
She looked down.
"—Pfft!"
She covered her mouth.
Sorry.
I said I wouldn't laugh.
But I really couldn't help it!
What kind of artist has such a quirky yet oddly charming vibe?!
Tang Xi's shoulders shook with laughter. It took her ten minutes to regain her composure, after which she started watching it again from the very beginning.
As soon as she started watching again, her eyes lit up!
Bao Ruanruan's movements were incredibly fluid, and her expressions were vivid.
Clearly, she had worked hard to present the core spirit of the Five Animals.
The tiger was adorably fierce, the deer light and nimble, the bear strong and tough, the monkey clumsy, and the crane graceful and clever.
…She really nailed it.
Even Tang Xi, who previously couldn't remember which five animals were featured in the Five-Animal Frolics, could recognise them simply from Bao Ruanruan's movements and expressions.
Amazing.
Tang Xi's face, which had been contorted with laughter, slowly turned to awe!
She had always been an 'acting stan'.
When it came to judging acting, Tang Xi proudly considered herself a five-star expert.
Now, she could tell at a glance that Bao Ruanruan was an outstanding actress!
Anyone who said otherwise was slandering her, period!
Tang Xi was fired up. The essay she had imagined about explaining Bao Ruanruan's bravery in awkward girl-group dancing… instantly transformed into a critique of her acting skills.
She couldn't resist it—she dragged the mouse back to rewatch the video.
She had to watch it again!
This time, she would watch it with a proper analysis in mind.
But—
"…So cute."
Tang Xi was utterly captivated by how Bao Ruanruan earnestly educated her fans about the importance of correct movements.
Even the rosy flush on her cheeks seemed charming!
Awooo.
Tang Xi slammed open Weibo, logged into her alt account, and started writing a mini-essay: — #WhyIsSheSoAdorable#
The official Chasing Dream Weibo account basically exploded.
[…The show's over, yet Bao Ruanruan still targets my laugh muscles? hhhhh, help!]
[Xiao Bao, you're a cheekbone arsonist10. You've set fire to my cheekbones—they can't help but lift up and shoot to the sky~]
[I'm laughing myself to death. That title was intentional, right? # TheDanceBaoRuanruanDidn'tDoBackThen # — yep, the dance had nothing to do with actual dancing! Pfft!]
[She even cited sources for these exercises??? @BaoRuanruan, sports academies should give you an honorary position!]
The top comments were all in the 'haha style'.
But soon, comment threads with a completely different vibe and tone emerged.
[Came for cute idol dances, but... BaoRuanruan stop, stop! I'm already rolling off the couch to exercise!]
[She's calling me out. The second I saw the video, I got out of bed and rolled out my yoga mat.]
[I'm obsessed with the first move from my girl's routine... those tiger-claw grips seem perfect for this tendonitis-suffering programmer mom.]
[Kiddo Ruan: 'Moms, have you started exercising yet?']
[Did you hear that? Kiddo Ruan said this could help your body feel light—she's calling us out! Get up, stop lying around and start training!]
[Another day of successfully getting sold by our kiddo. I'm a bit overweight, running hurts my knees, cardio tires me out in five minutes, and I'm afraid of getting hurt doing yoga on my own… Time to look into this Five-Animal Frolics thing.]
[@Bao Ruanruan, please make a fitness special! Do you have a Bilibili account? If you do, I swear I'll triple-support and toss coins11 to you daily!]
Since Chasing Dream started airing, it had regularly posted behind-the-scenes clips and previews.
The usual view count hovered just above a million.
However, this time, the number of views shot up to three million.
And the very next day, Bao Ruanruan was invited to officially join Bilibili.
Bilibili was one of the earliest platforms to introduce videos with bullet comments.
Even now, it remained among the top three major video platforms in terms of the number of young users—it was in the elite tier.
Chen Feng conveyed Bilibili's celebrity UP creator recruitment plan to Bao Ruanruan: "They find you hilarious and a perfect fit for their platform's diverse content style. As a UP creator, you can post whatever you want."
"It's a win-win situation."
If a video was entertaining enough, it was easy to make it onto the Bilibili trending list.
This kind of trending algorithm was tailor-made for a goofball like Bao Ruanruan.
"I'm not! That's not true! Don't misrepresent me!"
Bao Ruanruan reflected inwardly.
When had she become a goofball?
Chen Feng: "...Have you even read the bullet comments?"
As long as she was on screen, the comments would be flooded with 'hahaha'.
That Five-Animal Frolic video from yesterday even shot straight up to #3 on the trending search.
Bao Ruanruan felt wronged.
She was completely serious about promoting health and longevity.
"What a coincidence - Brother Xue secured you a spot on that trendy dating show a month ago,"
Chen Feng smirked.
"It's produced by Bilibili, too, and now everything's clicked into place. You were originally scheduled to join in episode 4, but now you can start from episode 1."
Bao Ruanruan's little face froze in shock. "He wants me to go on a date?"
"Ahem, ahem, ahem! What are you thinking? You're a studio panel guest, not someone who goes there to date!" Chen Feng wiped his sweat.
Bao Ruanruan let out a sigh of relief. "Oh."
But she soon lifted her little face, looking blank.
She had never even been in a relationship before.
How was she supposed to observe other people?
Chen Feng: "...!"
He hadn't been in a relationship either.
And as for Brother Xue? No need to even mention him.
This question? None of the three of them had the answer!
"Uh, don't you like reading books? How about I buy you a Love Manual to read?"
Bao Ruanruan's fair little face paused for a second.
"Will reading this book benefit my body in any way?"
She was not just someone who read any random book.
Chen Feng: "..."
"Life is very precious. We shouldn't waste it by reading useless information."
Especially when it has zero survival value!
Bao Ruanruan puffed up her 'steamed bun' face and refused to allow any useless content into her home.
"Stop—if you don't read it, you can just use it to prop up the corner of your table. Didn't you say before that the vanity table was too low and hurt your back when you sat at it?"
"Ah!"
In that instant, Bao Ruanruan had no more objections.
The next day, the express delivery arrived.
After thoroughly disinfecting it, Bao Ruanruan was ready to set it aside.
But then she had second thoughts—even a mosquito's leg counts as meat12. At twenty yuan, this book equalled... one-quarter of a certified safe light bulb for her safe house.
"Phew."
In that case, she might as well skim through it once before using it to prop up the table leg.
Bao Ruanruan opened the first page.
Five minutes later, her eyes were sparkling.
She couldn't help but stroke her own little lips.
"Kissing... can actually... extend your life?"
Lu Group.
"President Lu, Chen Kaiwei, the young master of the Chen family, is prepped for the dating show. The show will officially begin filming the live stream featuring the panel guests tomorrow."
Lu Wenyao looked up, a trace of satisfaction flashing across his handsome face.
Ever since the Zhi Zhi Milk Tea incident, his father had been displeased with him.
Even the other elders on the board of directors had quite a few complaints about him.
He had to increase his bargaining chips.
The Chen family was the second most powerful family in Nancheng and held a strong position in the current e-commerce landscape.
"Have the panel guests been taken care of?"
"Yes. Besides the host, we've brought in centre-stage guest Yang Xuenie. She's already got the script - she'll focus on praising Chen Kaiwei and ensure he gets the most screen time."
Yang Xuenie.
Yuxin's bestie.
Lu Wenyao smiled and immediately felt at ease. "Are the trending topics ready?"
"Mm, just in case, we've bought two."
"Okay. Once this variety show wraps up, Huangtai will sign him for his debut. You will personally oversee his media resources."
This move is going to be solid.
Chen Kaiwei was the Chen family's current generation's most favoured heir.
As long as he gained Chen Kaiwei's friendship, he'd have a firm grip on the Chen family's connections.
Lu Wenyao smiled confidently.
"Right—make sure the trending searches we bought don't clash with the production team's. The director of this show is from the Zhong family."
The Zhong family has been renowned for its expertise in antique appraisal for over a hundred years.
In a family surrounded by ancient bronzeware, with thousands of pieces in their collection and years of daily handling, they naturally became experts in authentication.
They used to be nobility and remain incredibly aloof to this day.
They were not easy to please.
Offending them was absolutely out of the question.
"Tell the staff not to butt heads with the director. If necessary, flatter him a little."
*
At the entrance of the dating show's filming studio.
"Xiao Bao, you... never mind, just go ahead."
When saying goodbye, Chen Feng had intended to warn Bao Ruanruan to be careful.
It was better for Bao Ruanruan to clash with Yang Xueni than to offend that director guy.
However, remembering what Brother Xue had said about giving her freedom and considering her naturally mythical-beast-like constitution, Chen Feng decided not to say anything.
Cheng Feng couldn't handle that big shot from the Zhong family.
But Brother Xue could still go head-to-head with him.
"Be yourself, Xiao Bao!"
"If anything happens... Brother Xue will carry a hoe on his shoulder13!"
Bao Ruanruan blinked.
That sounded kind of dangerous.
She waved at Chen Feng and said goodbye.
She paused at the studio entrance, looked around, and walked in.
This dating show was seriously next-level in terms of girly flair.
The tables, chairs, and walls were all pink.
Even Bao Ruanruan felt a bit of a princess mood rise up inside her...
But that feeling only lasted a second.
She almost reached for her mask to put it on.
"Excuse me, how long ago was this room renovated?"
The Bilibili staff member was briefly startled, then quickly replied, "This was converted from an internal meeting room last year. Teacher Bao, is your chair too old? Shall I get you a new one?"
"Ah, then it's fine."
Bao Ruanruan's face lit up instantly.
She had thought the room had only been renovated recently.
"There's no need to replace it—my chair is great."
But in the next second, goosebumps rose on the back of her neck.
She turned around to see a man in black standing behind her.
Zhong Zeyuan, the director of the dating show, who had been giving instructions on set, could barely suppress his laughter when he saw her reaction.
"Teacher Bao," he came over to greet her. "You're the first to arrive. I'm Zhong Zeyuan, the show's director — just call me Xiao Zhong."
He had watched some of Bao Ruanruan's edited clips from Chasing Dreams.
Zheng Mingchang had been his directing professor during his university days.
Bao Ruanruan's health and wellness philosophies had really tormented his professor.
Zhong Zeyuan chuckled softly at the memory.
He had thought it was just her on-screen persona, but even before the cameras started rolling today, she was seriously concerned about the renovation and ventilation of the room.
Turned out it was her true personality.
Zhong Zeyuan's first impression of Bao Ruanruan instantly improved.
But when he smiled and lowered his gaze, he saw this delicate actress, whose gentle beauty carried a touch of vulnerability—
Right then and there, she politely and cautiously took a step back!
She positioned herself a full metre away from him.
Zhong Zeyuan was briefly stunned.
It seemed those rumours about her and the Lu family were false.
In private, she kept her distance from men at all times.
"Hello, hello!"
After backing up to a safe distance of about an arm's length, Bao Ruanruan's snow-white face instantly filled with 'respect'.
—This wasn't actually the first time she had seen him.
While observing the interior of the recording studio from the doorway before entering, she had already seen the director—this deeply tanned man.
He was hard to miss.
Because he didn't look like a director—he looked like he'd just come out of the Shaolin Temple's Bronze Men📹 formation.
The black basketball vest he wore was almost bursting at the seams due to his chest muscles.
Even more absurdly, he looked just like a Bronze Man, with a buzz cut barely an inch long and thick, slashing 'blade-like brows', like a villain from a Wuxia movie.
From afar, he looked fierce and menacing.
If he suddenly walked over and punched her—
Bao Ruanruan wouldn't even be surprised.
She had previously made it through the Shaolin Bronze Men formation in a video game—those shameless developers had placed them in a survival game set in the entertainment industry and maxed out their aggression stats!
She ended up howling and running for her life.
Bao Ruanruan looked up and gave him an obedient little gaze.
"How could I be so rude as to call you Xiao Zhong?" Bao Ruanruan bent slightly in a solemn little bow to show her 'respect'.
Oh, mighty Bronze Man, please guide me well in the future.
Taking this opportunity, she secretly checked out his legs.
Beneath his black beach shorts, she could see his muscular calves and healthy-looking leg hair.
Those feet had to be at least a size 44🔗.
He'd probably be really fast if he chased after someone.
She swore to herself:
I will cooperate fully with the filming today. No slacking off and no causing trouble.
"Hahaha, Teacher Bao, you're far too polite!" Zhong Zeyuan burst into hearty laughter.
The current Bao Ruanruan was no longer just a '108th-tier flopped celebrity'.
Although she didn't have many followers on Weibo, her last live stream had attracted 7 million viewers.
One video of her performing the Five Animal Frolics📹 exercise had received over 3 million views in a single day.
She had great audience appeal.
By letting her lead the charge for the new variety show, Bilibili was acknowledging the traffic she was currently generating.
If it were any other rookie, they would have already been floating on air.
But Bao Ruanruan remained true to her original self.
Zhong Zeyuan raised one of his 'blade-like brows'.
In the industry, he was still a complete newbie with no work to his name.
So he hadn't expected Bao Ruanruan to be so humble and easy-going.
"Well then, Teacher Bao, please take your seat."
"Okay, okay," Bao Ruanruan politely replied, smiling as she backed her way to the table.
The guest observation room wasn't very large. At the front was a blackboard and, to the right, was a projector screen that would soon display the 'Love Cottage' footage.
In the centre stood a long conference table.
There were three seats on each side.
This show had invited some really heavyweight guests.
Among them was Zhou Minwen, a veteran actor whose fame had recently surged after the broadcast of his new drama. He was also an old acquaintance of Bao Ruanruan and a regular at The Restaurant.
Then there was Yang Xueni, the silver screen's reigning femme fatale, with whom Bao Ruanruan had briefly crossed paths.
The other three guests were Qu Feifei, a girl group member, Xiao Qi, a singer, and Jiang Xu, a nationally beloved talk show host.
Bao Ruanruan knew three of the five guests.
But the others hadn't arrived yet.
Out of habit, Bao Ruanruan came early to survey the terrain and claim the most advantageous spot.
"Then I'll sit here."
Bao Ruanruan was very satisfied with the third seat from the right, right in the corner.
It was at the far end of the long table.
It was also the furthest from the bronze-man director, who was sitting on the left.
Also, among the five people present: one werewolf (Yang Xue'ni, with whom she had a grudge), one werewolf who couldn't kill her tonight (Qu Feifei, who had signed a peace agreement), one villager (Zhou Minwen), and two suspected villagers (the host and the singer Xiao Qi).
The situation on the field was really complicated.
Bao Ruanruan chose to stay away from the central battlefield and observe from the shadows.
She quickly pulled out the chair in that very corner, with her face saying: 'Don't anyone dare fight me for it—this is my throne.'
She even placed her thermos flask on the table — a declaration of sovereignty.
"Uh… Teacher Bao, your seat is the second one on the right," a staff member said in alarm, hurrying over to remind her.
The guest seating arrangements had been pre-assigned by the production team.
The seating arrangement was determined by each guest's star ranking, fan buzz, and the all-important variety show effect.
For instance, Bao Ruanruan, who has recently become quite the laugh-generator, was seated ahead of Qu Feifei, a member of the girl group.
Teacher Zhou Minwen also specifically requested a seat in the corner, as he might not contribute much to the conversation.
"This spot suits me."
Bao Ruanruan waved her hand, looking very cautious.
"My agent said all the other guests debuted before me, so they're my seniors~"
The staff looked troubled.
But Director Zhong Zeyuan smiled.
The entertainment industry had gradually changed.
Nowadays, if a senior weren't as popular as a junior, they would be pushed to the sidelines.
Yet Bao Ruanruan still kept a sincere and respectful heart.
"Xiaowei, let Teacher Bao keep the seat," Zhong Zeyuan said approvingly.
Bao Ruanruan stood up instantly, feeling flustered. "Director, just call me Xiao Bao~"
Oh, Shaolin master on the run.
No need for formalities!
Zhong Zeyuan's knife-like brows curved with laughter. "Alright."
*
In the hallway outside the studio:
A graceful figure in red heels walked in, accompanied by a sigh.
"Brother Minwen, I was just on a show yesterday, and the director nearly lost it because of a rookie."
"To steal the spotlight, he had stood in the middle and didn't give way to any of his seniors."
With her red lips slightly pursed, Yang Xueni said, "These rookies nowadays are all scary good."
"Brother Minwen, what do you think?"
Author's Note:
Ruanruan: Bet you didn't see that coming, huh?
Footnotes Full List
- In the raw, the commentator used the characters 骗纸 (Piàn zhǐ), which literally means 'scam (骗) paper (纸)'. If you paste these characters into a Google search, you will find Chinese pamphlets on how to deal with scammers. 😅 It is actually a playful, internet-speak variation of "骗子" (piàn zi, meaning "liar/fraud/scammer").
- 闷骚 (mēnsāo) is a fascinating and somewhat nuanced Chinese term that doesn't have a single, perfect English equivalent. It describes a personality type. Literal Meaning: "闷 (mēn)" means stuffy, muffled, repressed, or bored. "骚 (sāo)" means flirty, coquettish, restless, or showy. Figurative/Implied Meaning: When combined, 闷骚 describes someone who is outwardly reserved, quiet, or even introverted but secretly or internally passionate, rebellious, flirty, or even a bit wild. They may appear calm and composed on the surface, but they have a hidden, often suppressed, vibrant side.
- 行得正、坐得端 (xíng dé zheng, zuò dé duān)– a metaphor for acting with integrity and being honourable
- The 朕 (zhèn) is the imperial 'I' or 'we', used exclusively by the emperor.
- 同是天涯受害人 (tóng shì tiān yá shòu hài rén) is originally from the proverb: 同是天涯沦落人 (tóng shì tiān yá lún luò rén) = Fellow souls cast adrift under the same endless sky. The characters 沦落人 (fellow souls cast adrift) have been humorously altered to "受害人 (fellow victims)". The original proverb comes from a poem by Bai Juyi called 'Pipa Song'.)
- 攻略 (gōnglüè) literally means to storm and capture. However, it is used as slang in dating sims or games to mean winning someone over romantically.
- 爬墙 (páqiáng)– "Climbing the wall", which is used to describe switching fandoms or crushes. It is typically used to describe fans who shift loyalties from one celebrity to another.
- The Chinese phrase '家里有金矿 (jiālǐ yǒu jīnkuàng)' is a metaphor for having a family who owns enough money to not care about fame or career pressures.
- The Chinese phrase '花期短' (huā qī duǎn - short blooming period) is often used to describe the limited career span of female celebrities, referencing the fleeting beauty of a flower.
- "颧骨纵火犯 (quángǔ zònghuǒfàn)" — internet metaphor: someone who makes you laugh so hard that your cheeks hurt from smiling
- The phrase' 三连投币 (sān lián tóu bì)' comes from internet slang, especially on platforms like Bilibili, and literally means: 三连 (sān lián) = 'triple action', usually refers to like, comment, and favourite, 投币 (tóu bì) = 'to toss a coin' — on Bilibili, viewers can 'throw coins' to support a video (similar to tipping).
- "蚊子腿再小也是肉 (wénzǐ tuǐ zài xiǎo yě shì ròu)" — an idiom meaning that even something small has value, and is often used to justify frugality.
- 扛着锄头 (kángzhe chútou) — a metaphor from military or physical contexts, meaning "bear the burden" or "take the heat".
きつね's Energy Level
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