《After Being Cyber Bullied, She Reveals Her True Identity》


 Chapter 1 - 1 001 Not to Become a Lone Ghost Wandering the

    ?Chapter 1: Chapter 001: Not to Become a Lone Ghost Wandering the Wilds Chapter 1: Chapter 001: Not to Become a Lone Ghost Wandering the Wilds ¡°Since she¡¯s so stubborn, send her over.¡±


    This was a merciless voice.


    ¡°Sir, Miss Shen is still ill.¡±


    ¡°That was her choice,¡± the voice grew even colder.


    *


    Was the torment of illness taking its turns again?


    Shen Yan sneered at herself: this broken body of mine, these lunatics in the laboratory won¡¯t let go, meaning I still have some value.


    Her breathing eased, and Shen Yan suddenly opened her eyes.


    Huh?


    This wasn¡¯t the cold, clinical research base.


    Where was this?


    Had those crazies changed their method of studying her?


    An ordinary room, with curtains, a normal door, a wardrobe, and walls plastered with posters and various trinkets of a man.


    Confused, Shen Yan then mocked with a smile, ¡°Are they testing my reaction?¡±


    Shen Yan found that her body didn¡¯t feel as heavy as before, it felt much lighter.


    It was far better than that failing body, plagued with numerous terminal diseases, unable to die nor live well.


    Could it be that after causing a fuss, her body healed itself?


    Shen Yan looked around the room suspiciously yet defensively; there were no cameras.


    ¡°Bang, bang!¡±


    The sound of knocking came abruptly.


    Shen Yan¡¯s body suddenly tensed.


    ¡°Shen Yan, are you awake?¡± The voice outside was very impatient, ¡°If you are, get moving. The penalty for breaking the contract is costly, you have to complete these episodes of the program no matter how badly they make you look.¡±


    Penalty for breaking the contract? Program?


    Shen Yan walked to the vanity, staring blankly at the face in the mirror, both familiar and somewhat foreign.


    It was undeniably her face, but it couldn¡¯t possibly have this healthy and vibrant aura.


    In her later stages, she was tormented and her body was permeated with terminal illnesses, her appearance not only gloomy but also sickly pale.


    Like a ghost.


    The complexion before her, on the other hand, resembled that of her former self.


    Could it be...


    Suddenly, there were many memories in her mind that didn¡¯t belong to her.


    As it turned out, she had transmigrated into a book.


    She became a foolish supporting female character in ¡°Actress,¡± sharing her name.


    She remembered an obnoxious researcher showing her this book deliberately, mocking her with the story¡¯s foolish female supporting character.


    Unexpectedly, after her death, she had transmigrated into it.


    In ¡°Actress,¡± the female protagonist was an idol for the entire world, adored by countless mindless fans.


    The female lead came from a modest family, but her life was as if she had hit the jackpot, not only was she an excellent student, but she was also lucky in everything with benefactors in all aspects.


    The male lead, a wealthy young master from Shen City, was both handsome and talented, yet willingly supported the female lead from behind the scenes in the entertainment industry.


    Even the original character she had now taken over always made foolish decisions for the male and female leads.


    For example, she was so crazed for the male lead that she went to prison for the female protagonist, who later drove over and killed someone, and she even died to perfect their love story.


    When Shen Yan saw that part, she really wanted to kill the author of the original story.


    The original character, for the sake of the male lead, abandoned her wonderful family and spoke harshly to her betrothed fiance?.


    Even after marrying, she was still fixated on the male lead, and her end was to die as a substitute for the female lead.


    And the female protagonist? Not a single hint of guilt, she walked towards the pinnacle of life with the male lead, their love story becoming a tale told with admiration.


    Shen Yan tugged at the cold corners of her lips.


    Since she took over, the plot no longer existed.


    ¡°Shen Yan, Shen Yan...¡±


    As soon as the door opened, the noise outside came to an abrupt halt.


    Agent Zhang Lu saw Shen Yan and her face darkened a few more shades, giving her a critical once-over, ¡°Quickly tidy yourself up and put on this outfit.¡±


    Zhang Lu handed the bag to Shen Yan and then sat down in the living room to wait.


    Shen Yan gave Zhang Lu a cool glance.


    She was directly assigned by the company to be managed by Zhang Lu, who had a terrible reputation there.


    Her attitude toward the artists under her was even worse, coupled with a somewhat pathological need for control.


    The original host was thoroughly defamed from their debut, with Zhang Lu contributing significantly to that.


    Upon opening the bag, as expected, it contained a purple dress with an exaggeratedly high slit.


    The reality show she was attending was about wilderness survival, not a beauty pageant. Intentionally picking out such a dress to grab attention meant that Zhang Lu was not trying to make the original host famous; she was slandering her.


    The original host¡¯s makeup was always weird, paired with bizarre outfits, which indeed made her stand out as quite an oddball.


    No wonder she became a hot search topic for getting blacklisted.


    The original host was a peculiar one, too, going along with Zhang Lu even after getting seriously ill on the first episode of the wilderness survival. She insisted on returning and would either hit or hurl insane insults at her fiance?, whom she lived with.


    If she were the fiance?, she would have lost patience and slapped the original host to death by now, not speaking calmly and having someone send her back.


    The only commendable thing Shen Yan found about the original host was that she never revealed her true background; no one knew her origins even to the end.


    With the original host¡¯s self-destructive behavior,


    No amount of power at home could withstand her trouble-making.


    Staring at the sickly beautiful face in the mirror, Shen Yan curved her lips, and the reflection followed with a chilling smile. The former vulnerability vanished, replaced by a cold and unordinary charm.


    It was a switch between the innocent damsel and the dark femme fatale.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you put on that dress!¡±


    Zhang Lu stood up abruptly, staring at Shen Yan, who was dressed in casual and neat attire, with unmistakable dissatisfaction.


    Shen Yan tossed the bag back to her: ¡°The quality was too poor, it got torn accidentally.¡±


    Zhang Lu hurriedly checked inside the bag, her face turning black in an instant.


    The dress was split in two from the slit¡ªit was clearly no accident, but deliberately ruined.


    Luckily, the dress wasn¡¯t very expensive.


    Seeing her in simple, elegant makeup, Zhang Lu¡¯s controlling urge resurfaced.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wear the makeup I set for you? Didn¡¯t I say you look bland, not the type netizens like? You need makeup to highlight your charisma. If you want to be famous, do as I say...¡±


    Shen Yan flicked her curly hair to the front, mocking, ¡°If being infamous also counts, then you¡¯ve succeeded.¡±


    Zhang Lu stared at Shen Yan in disbelief, annoyed, ¡°What¡¯s with your attitude, do you still want to stay in the entertainment industry or not!¡±


    She was actually planning to leave the industry.


    [Popularity System Online, host¡¯s soul detected with multiple terminal illnesses, to fully cure them, you must climb to the highest popularity.]


    Shen Yan: ???


    What the hell?


    [Host, to reiterate, this rebirth requires maintaining the highest popularity for an equivalent exchange. Do not take your life as a joke.]


    Shen Yan said mentally, ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡±


    [Without the support of popularity, your soul will soon return the way it came.]


    Shen Yan¡¯s face turned a bit darker at once.


    Her body had already completely broken down, by now it was probably already thrown into the primeval forest outside the base.


    Go back to being a wandering ghost?


    No, she wouldn¡¯t be a wandering ghost.


    It¡¯s just popularity; she would earn it!


    ¡°Even bad publicity is a form of popularity, isn¡¯t it? So with my current popularity, isn¡¯t that enough to cure at least one of the terminal illnesses of the soul?¡±


    [Host, please do not exploit loopholes. There will be penalties that add more terminal illnesses. Popularity must be genuine and clean; ugly popularity will only backfire. You have one month. Without the highest popularity support, one of the terminal illnesses will transfer to the host¡¯s body. Please be aware of your actions. This is a robot customer service explanation, with no after-service.]


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±

 Chapter 2 - 2 002 What You are Shen Yan

    ?Chapter 2: Chapter 002: What! You are Shen Yan! Chapter 2: Chapter 002: What! You are Shen Yan! Shen Yan¡¯s residence was over thirty kilometers away from the live broadcast location.


    In the car.


    Zhang Lu was on the phone, visibly impatient.


    On this end, Shen Yan refused to cooperate, and the company berated Zhang Lu intensely over Shen Yan¡¯s cyberbullying issues. Zhang Lu replied meekly, then hung up and stared at Shen Yan, who was browsing on her phone.


    ¡°What¡¯s the use of looking? Those who want to blacken your name will do so anyway.¡±


    Shen Yan ignored her.


    Her personal Weibo had been stormed with negative comments, and her phone screen had frozen due to the influx of haters.


    Her Weibo homepage was filled with the trending topic #ShenYanGetOutOfTheEntertainmentIndustry#.


    Her page was overflowing with brainless attacks from haters.


    The original host had made a splendid debut in the first episode streaming live. Naturally inclined to attract negativity, there was a period when she was famously controversial. The show invited a new top influencer, hoping to include a star known for stirring controversies.


    That¡¯s when the original host, a newcomer of less than a year, joined in.


    Director Li believed, ¡°No clash, no topic.¡±


    He had grasped a new formula for popularity.


    Sure enough.


    When the original host joined the show, haters swarmed the live broadcast room, sparking a surge of new viewers.


    The trending search attacking the original host lasted two days and was still on the charts.


    Shen Yan indifferently scrolled through the insults, knowing well that with her current status, the company wouldn¡¯t clean up this mess for her.


    The company only cared about the money the celebrities could make for them, not about the celebrities themselves.


    Shen Yan could not understand why the original host hid her family background.


    Just flaunting her fiance?, who she was about to marry in a few months, would have made big names in the industry lower their voices, let alone a small entertainment company.


    Look what the haters had turned her into now.


    Accusations of gold-digging, no princess life yet acting like a princess, and being fake and pretentious.


    During the first episode¡¯s recording, she constantly clung to the male lead, earning scolding from his fans for being a clinger.


    She used every trick in the book against the female lead, landing her directly on the trending blacklist.


    Shen Yan hadn¡¯t forgotten the reminder from the popularity system.


    She kept scrolling but couldn¡¯t find a single fan speaking up for her.


    Even the number of followers on Weibo was bought with money; not a single real fan existed¡ªa monumental failure on the original host¡¯s part.


    One might think, no matter how blackened, there should at least be one or two fans, right?


    [Routine check-in to see when Shen Yan will exit the entertainment industry.]


    [The second episode had no taste of the Fake Princess clinging, just my idol and the goddess creating adorable moments together, healed my whole life!]


    [Although it¡¯s not a love reality show, it¡¯s sweeter than one. I love wilderness romance!]


    [Haha, without the Fake Princess¡¯s pretentiousness, I had a few beautiful days off, making life seem much brighter. Another day I don¡¯t have to do any real work...]


    Ever since the original host became famous, haters considered attacking her their ¡°day job.¡±


    Shen Yan confirmed that the original host indeed failed to have even one fan, and promptly turned off her phone.


    Zhang Lu saw it all and visibly rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Your new assistant is ready; she¡¯s waiting over there and has already spoken to Director Li. Don¡¯t cause any more trouble. Everyone understands you¡¯re severely ill, so try to look the part in front of the camera.¡±


    When Zhang Lu first entered the entertainment industry, she had secured Shen Yan a role as the third female lead in an internet drama, only to find out that Shen Yan¡¯s acting was disastrously bad.


    Luckily, the web drama didn¡¯t have high requirements.


    Just act sweet and cute, and that was it.


    After it aired, Shen Yan was brutally attacked by the haters.


    And it followed her continuously.


    The worst attacks came from this variety show.


    Noon.


    Shen Yan reached the program group¡¯s temporary resting area, which was located in front of a river, with an uninhabited island in the middle.


    The guests invited by the program group were recording on the island.


    As soon as Shen Yan got out of the car, she saw a girl with a round face and dodgy eyes, ¡°Shen Yan.¡±


    ¡°Round-faced girl just yelled when she saw Zhang Lu getting off the car, ¡®Sister Lu!''¡±


    Zhang Lu pointed at Shen Yan, ¡°I¡¯m handing her over to you. This is Xiao Zhao.¡±


    After saying that, she got into the car and left.


    There was no further explanation.


    Xiao Zhao smiled reluctantly, ¡°Director Li had already briefed us. As soon as you arrive, we¡¯ll take the boat to the island.¡±


    ¡°Alright, lead the way.¡±


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t have much to prepare. Since it was a wilderness survival live show, guests were not allowed to bring their own survival tools.


    Xiao Zhao looked at Shen Yan, who was one step ahead, and felt a bit puzzled.


    Wasn¡¯t Shen Yan supposed to be difficult to serve?


    She had watched the previous broadcasts before coming and had a terrible impression of Shen Yan. But for the sake of making a living, Xiao Zhao endured.


    Once they were on the ferry, Xiao Zhao secretly glanced at Shen Yan again.


    She was stunned!


    She hadn¡¯t noticed before, but now she wondered if the person she had seen on the live broadcast was the same person.


    Was this really Shen Yan?


    Xiao Zhao noticed that Shen Yan, standing quietly at the front of the boat, had a very sculpted and tall profile.


    The reflection of the water shimmered on her beautiful face, as if diamond fragments were sprinkled, devoid of the slightly exaggerated makeup, pure and elegant like a cold plum, displaying a distinctive pride amidst the cold.


    The observant Shen Yan turned her head and her similarly cold black eyes collided with Xiao Zhao¡¯s gaze.


    Xiao Zhao quickly averted her eyes, startled.


    For some reason, her face suddenly flushed.


    Upon closer inspection, she realized that Shen Yan was actually bare-faced today!


    Even more beautiful than Jinghe and Chu Jing!


    Xiao Zhao admitted she might have been too harsh when criticizing Shen Yan¡¯s looks online.


    The program team had set up a makeshift dock on the small island. The boat took about ten minutes to reach the shore.


    The filming team had a camera set up at the dock, and as soon as the boat approached, they entered the filming zone.


    The assistant director responsible for filming on the water saw the cold beauty emerging from the fog like a scene from Jiangnan, stunned for a long time before nudging a crew member next to him, ¡°Who is that?¡±


    The crew member stood on tiptoes to get a better look and shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know. A new guest invited by the production team to fill a spot?¡±


    ¡°The production team invited a new guest, and I wouldn¡¯t know?¡± the assistant director glared at the crew member, ¡°Director Li said Shen Yan would be back today...¡±


    Crew member, ¡°Could that be Shen Yan?¡±


    Assistant director, ¡°I¡¯m not blind, nor have I lost my memory.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what Shen Yan looked like?


    As the boat docked, Shen Yan¡¯s true face appeared in front of the camera.


    Viewers who happened to be in the live hall, seeing the sudden appearance of the bare-faced beauty, had the screen filled with rolling comments in an instant.


    ¡°Wow! Who is this newcomer? She¡¯s really beautiful! I think I¡¯m in love!¡±


    ¡°Is she the mysterious guest designed by the program team?¡±


    ¡°Could she be replacing the fake princess? Guys, our extra bonus has arrived!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in love, I¡¯m in love. I¡¯ll definitely support this beauty in the future broadcasts!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d willingly give my heart and soul for such beauty.¡±


    Shen Yan met the assistant director¡¯s puzzled gaze and suddenly, facing the camera, she smiled slightly.


    The live hall instantly erupted with cheesy comments ¡®I¡¯m dying,¡¯ ¡®Her smile stole my heart.¡¯


    The assistant director felt like he was hit by a love arrow!


    ¡°Director Ji, sorry to bother everyone again.¡±


    As soon as Shen Yan spoke, the assistant director recognized the familiar voice¡ªit sounded like he had heard it somewhere before.


    It was the crew member who reacted first, eyes wide in shock, ¡°You¡¯re Shen Yan!¡±


    Director Ji, sitting in the chair, almost jumped up in surprise, ¡°What! You are Shen Yan!¡±


    Had Shen Yan gotten plastic surgery!?


    Shen Yan smiled slightly, ¡°I am Shen Yan.¡±


    The live room exploded!

 Chapter 3 - 3 003 Visual Impact

    ?Chapter 3: Chapter 003: Visual Impact Chapter 3: Chapter 003: Visual Impact [???!!! I¡¯m beginning to suspect the production team is playing with some really new trick!]


    [A newcomer with the same full name?]


    [Did the fake princess undergo plastic surgery?]


    [Even plastic surgery should need recovery time, right? It hasn¡¯t even been a week, how did they whip up a fake face?]


    [Who hasn¡¯t had surgery, tell me, has plastic surgery become instant, disposable now?]


    [The production team should stop messing around, it¡¯s not funny at all...]


    ...


    The barrage became denser, and haters began to flood in.


    Of course, Shen Yan couldn¡¯t see the barrages insulting her on screen; she was giving Director Ji a friendly smile.


    It took Director Ji and the staff quite a while to snap back to reality, and then they hurried to call Director Li.


    After explaining the situation here, a dedicated staff member quickly ran over, his expression not the best. He came over and looked around several times, but couldn¡¯t see the so-called ¡°Shen Yan¡±; he paused, thinking Director Ji was playing a joke on him.


    ¡°Director Ji, didn¡¯t you say Shen Yan was here? Director Li asked me to bring someone over...¡± Where is she?


    With an expression rich with unsaid thoughts, Director Ji slightly lifted his chin to signal the staff member to look at Shen Yan.


    The staff member, seeing Shen Yan¡¯s face, had his pupils constrict slightly. Whose artist is this?


    With that beauty, even as a vase, fans would buy it.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m well now, and I can completely continue participating in the show¡¯s filming,¡± Shen Yan stepped forward and said to the staff member.


    The staff member looked and looked, his eyes widening in shock, and blurted out, ¡°Shen Yan, how did you end up looking like this!¡±


    Despite being constantly questioned about her identity, Shen Yan maintained a good temper, ¡°I have always looked like this.¡±


    Recalling Shen Yan¡¯s heavily made-up appearances before, everyone¡¯s expressions became even harder to describe.


    You look like this, why on earth would you dress down and scare people!


    As the staff member led Shen Yan away, Director Ji immediately reacted, adjusted the camera, and followed.


    Once that long take was finished, it immediately followed the camera as it came out from another side, directly entering Shen Yan¡¯s exclusive live broadcast room.


    Everyone thought Shen Yan wouldn¡¯t appear this episode, so Shen Yan¡¯s exclusive live broadcast room had been stuck on a still image, with only two or three haters idly lingering.


    As soon as Shen Yan¡¯s live broadcast room showed activity, those few watching haters instantly became agitated.


    [???!!!!]


    [Holy crap, she¡¯s alive! I thought the fake princess wouldn¡¯t show up, her skin¡¯s thicker than I imagined by several feet.]


    [Brothers and sisters! Let¡¯s start!]


    [Hahaha... there¡¯s work to do again! Is the fake princess wearing ten-centimeter high heels and a revealing halter dress this time!]


    The screen suddenly clashed against a serene and exceptionally beautiful face.


    The barrage seemed to suddenly freeze, the live broadcast room eerily quiet.


    [This, this this... which immortal sister has graced us with her presence?]


    [I¡¯m sorry, fairy, I wasn¡¯t cursing you just now, I was cursing myself...]


    [Wait, isn¡¯t this the fake princess¡¯s live broadcast room?]


    The haters withdrew one after another, rewatching it over and over, confirming that it indeed was Shen Yan¡¯s exclusive live broadcast room.


    They hadn¡¯t looked closely before and took several more looks.


    No matter how many times they looked, it was still that serene and refined face.


    The haters belatedly realized.


    This is Shen Yan without makeup!


    The haters instantly reacted again, starting another round of fervent insults.


    It was even more intense than before.


    ¡°Director Li, look at Shen Yan¡¯s live broadcast room, our viewership has suddenly surged!¡±


    Someone threw this information in front of Director Li.


    Director Li burst into laughter upon seeing Shen Yan.


    Here comes the drama!


    Ratings are secured!


    The show is gearing up to trend again!


    ¡°Deliver the survival tools to Shen Yan, no need for greetings, just send them over!¡± Director Li hadn¡¯t even closed his mouth before he started giving orders.


    He was anxious not to miss a single moment of heat.


    Shen Yan, who was about to go greet Director Li, received the assigned survival tools and was taken over right away.


    This live wilderness broadcast had invited eight guests, four females and four males, pairing up for survival.


    With Shen Yan¡¯s absence, another male guest had to complete the tasks alone.


    The male lead, Mu Jincheng, and the female lead Chu Jinghe were naturally paired together. Wen Yan, who partnered with Shen Yan last time, had originally debuted as a singer and acted in a movie last year, which did pretty well and significantly raised his profile.


    Zhou Jingming, who had entered the circle with the show ¡°Dancing Storm,¡± was also quite famous and paired with the female star, Liu Qiang.


    Xu Zishen had debuted as an intern and so far, his family background was semi-public. He was the son of a wealthy family from a certain province and had chosen to debut rather than take over the family business.


    His partner, Qin Dingyue, liked excitement, hence she participated in this survival show.


    In reality, survival was just that.


    It profoundly disappointed Qin Dingyue, who even talked about quitting at one point.


    If not for the contract that bound her, she probably would have run away by now.


    Shen Yan¡¯s arrival not only caused a stir among the black fans in the live broadcast room, but those surviving on the desert island were also stunned upon seeing her.


    Liu Qiang blinked, ¡°Is there a new guest? Should we go up and welcome her?¡±


    It was still the same pairing from the first episode, and Zhou Jingming was teamed with Liu Qiang.


    Zhou Jingming was making fire with wood. Their food for the day was a small fish smaller than a palm and a couple of wild fruits, which the crew had identified as edible.


    There were also some wild greens.


    Neither of them had a rural background, so their knowledge of wild greens was limited.


    That¡¯s why they only gathered a little.


    Hearing Liu Qiang¡¯s words, he looked up and saw, from afar, a graceful girl in neat casual attire approaching.


    Judging just by her demeanor, she was definitely a beauty.


    However, Zhou Jingming quickly diverted his gaze and continued with his task.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go over after we finish dinner,¡± Zhou Jingming said without looking up.


    Liu Qiang smiled and praised, ¡°The new female guest is very beautiful!¡±


    [Qiangqiang! Quick, clean your eyes, that¡¯s the fake princess, don¡¯t be deceived by her fac?ade.]


    [I just came over from next door, and it¡¯s confirmed¡ªit¡¯s definitely the fake princess. Only my beautiful and kind Qiangqiang would praise her against her better judgment.]


    Shen Yan arrived with a tent and a small shovel in front of Wen Yan, who was vigorously making fire.


    Wen Yan looked up at her, his pupils slightly vibrating.


    ¡°I¡¯m back again. Take good care of me,¡± Shen Yan said, glancing at the unevenly gathered wild vegetables and two fish, each the size of two fingers, by his side.


    Wen Yan¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°You are Shen Yan!¡±


    Wen Yan, who had just thought his new partner had arrived, visibly soured in an instant and instinctively stepped back before remembering something and hurriedly guarding the hard-earned food with both hands.


    [HAHAHA! I¡¯m dying of laughter, how could Wen Yan be so adorable!]


    [????jpg, why should the fake princess enjoy the fruits of Wen Yan¡¯s labor right upon her arrival, knowing how hard he searched for this little bit of food? The fake princess didn¡¯t come early or late but just at this time. It must be deliberate.]


    [No matter how pretty she is, she is trouble, spit, she better not touch Wen Yan¡¯s food!]


    [Have some shame, fake princess, that¡¯s Wen Yan¡¯s dinner today.]


    [Poor my Wen Yan...]


    Shen Yan was numb to this reaction by now, ¡°I¡¯m here to join your team, not to steal your food, so don¡¯t look so horrified.¡±


    The audience: ...


    As if they heard her say: ¡°I¡¯m here to join this family, not to break it apart.¡±

 Chapter 4 - 4 004 Its Always Her Fault

    ?Chapter 4: Chapter 004: It¡¯s Always Her Fault Chapter 4: Chapter 004: It¡¯s Always Her Fault ¡°I don¡¯t have a partner; it was decided from the beginning,¡± Wen Yan didn¡¯t want to be partnered with Shen Yan at all.


    Shen Yan threw the small shovel onto the ground and sat on its handle.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to partner with anyone either, but the program has its rules,¡± Shen Yan felt the production team had no clue how to run a show, no wonder they relied on top celebrities and negative fans to boost viewership.


    Despite that, this wilderness survival show still failed to take off, falling far short compared to the neighboring romance reality show.


    How can a wilderness survival show be this lax?


    It¡¯s just like playing house with little kids, totally uninteresting.


    No wonder the adventure-loving Qin Dingyue thought about quitting.


    Throughout the day, these pampered stars would just go into the water to feel for fish and shrimp, pick some wild fruits or vegetables, and even paired up males and females to mimic the neighboring love reality show and create a romantic atmosphere.


    It ended up being a mess.


    If it weren¡¯t for these top celebrities participating, this show would have been canceled long ago.


    They got the wilderness part right, but the survival aspect was terribly lacking.


    Front of the camera they pretend, behind the camera, they eat and drink, completely putting on a show.


    Shen Yan was considering giving some advice to the director when she saw Wen Yan across from her getting red in the face, unable to produce any sparks by drilling wood.


    Shen Yan felt a bit of disdain.


    So soft and powerless, not at all manly.


    Upon closer inspection, Shen Yan realized this man was even wearing makeup, her mouth twitching with indescribable feeling.


    He already lacked masculinity, yet he wore makeup too; doesn¡¯t he feel that¡¯s too effeminate?


    [Green tea fake princess, that¡¯s enough, stop staring at my Wen Yan, disgusting.]


    [I bet the fake princess has fallen for Wen Yan.]


    [Delusional green tea act, what right does she have to like Wen Yan, she¡¯s not even worthy to carry his shoes.]


    [Green tea fake princess, get out of the entertainment industry, stop disgusting us.]


    [Don¡¯t think that just because you put on a no-makeup look and pretend to be decent, you can erase your past actions.]


    [It¡¯s done, my Wen Yan has been tainted by the green tea fake princess! Tainted!!]


    Shen Yan couldn¡¯t stand it and suddenly got up walking towards Wen Yan.


    Wen Yan was sweating profusely from trying to start a fire with the wood drill but still couldn¡¯t produce any sparks.


    But he was not anxious.


    After all, the production team wouldn¡¯t leave them hungry.


    So in this program, he just went through the motions without much care.


    Everyone who came here, except for the initially adventurous Qin Dingyue, joined with a playful mindset.


    They couldn¡¯t really expect them to survive like wild men.


    How would that look on camera?


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Shen Yan raised her hand to press his shoulder, intending to push him back.


    But as soon as Shen Yan touched him, Wen Yan jumped up very agitatedly, ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡±


    His voice was loud, filled with disgust.


    Wen Yan got up quickly, stumbled, and fell backward.


    His butt hit the ground, burned by the pebbles, causing Wen Yan to inhale sharply from the pain.


    His face turned pale.


    [Fake princess, what are you doing! Let go of my Yan!]


    [So damn disgusting, the fake princess actually pushed Wen Yan.]


    [That¡¯s too much bullying, won¡¯t the production crew manage this? What a lousy show, if it weren¡¯t for my precious Wen Yan, I would have left long ago.]


    [How could they think to let such a person in, it¡¯s so disgusting I could vomit my dinner from last night.]


    Shen Yan hadn¡¯t expected Wen Yan to be so fragile.


    She had just gently pressed him.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t realize you were so fragile,¡± Shen Yan was a bit speechless.


    Wen Yan clenched his teeth, and to prove he was not a weak man, despite the pain, he forced a smile, ¡°I overreacted, it¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    [Wuuu! My precious Yan is too good, clearly pushed by the green tea act yet he takes the blame himself, what merit does green tea act have...]


    [I say, the production team should kick the green tea fake princess out.]


    Seeing that he still showed some manliness, Shen Yan sat down in his place, picking up the stick.


    Then...


    Her hands rapidly started spinning.


    The viewers felt dazzled, unable to clearly see Shen Yan¡¯s speed in wood drilling.


    In a few seconds, the fire was lit.


    Wen Yan¡¯s eyes widened.


    Is this the fragile person from the last episode who couldn¡¯t even drag a few small twigs?


    Seeing the clumsy setup he managed, Shen Yan, unable to stand it, quickly retied it into a solid one and mounted the pot distributed by the program team.


    Her actions were unbelievably smooth!


    It was all just to salvage some reputation; otherwise, Shen Yan wouldn¡¯t have bothered with this stuff.


    ¡°What are you looking at? Do you want me to cook and feed you, too?¡±


    After finishing, Shen Yan took a tent and found a spot to set up for the night.


    Realizing this, Wen Yan hurried to put the uncooked fish on the frying pan.


    [What¡¯s with fake princess? She¡¯s acting strange...]


    [Those moves just now, they seemed so real.]


    [Maybe she¡¯s practiced hundreds of times before, fake princess is just fake princess, trying to deceive us with such cheap tricks, just drop dead.]


    Smelling something burning, Shen Yan shook her head.


    Then continued to look for a safer spot to set up the tent.


    The original protagonist got sick because she messed up the tent setup and caught a chill here last episode, and then got scared by mountain bugs.


    Also, a staff member was bitten by a snake, luckily it wasn¡¯t a very venomous one.


    They managed to get medical attention in time, and here they are back at work this episode.


    Just as Shen Yan found a comparatively safer spot and was about to put down the tent, a figure beat her to it: ¡°I and Jinchen just agreed to settle here, could you give this place to us?¡±


    A gentle voice came over; Shen Yan looked up, only to meet Chu Jing¡¯s innocent and gentle gaze.


    At the moment she met the female lead, Shen Yan didn¡¯t think the protagonist described in the book possessed anything extraordinary to drive everyone in that world crazy over her.


    Today, Chu Jing wore a ginger-yellow long shirt, black pants, and soft-soled climbing shoes, all proper survival gear.


    Nothing to fault.


    With her hair draped over her shoulders and lightly made-up delicate eyebrows, her clear, gentle eyes were instantly likable.


    The original author had portrayed the female protagonist beautifully.


    [Oh my God! Hehe is really, really gentle! As a woman, I¡¯m already swooned!]


    [Hehe, ignore the fake princess, she¡¯s just purposefully cozying up to you! Shameless!]


    [I¡¯ll say it a hundred times, fake princess scram out of the entertainment industry!]


    [I really want to see the fake princess suffer! Why didn¡¯t the snake bite her the other day? Instead, it bit a staff member who was by her. The heavens are blind.]


    [This spot was clearly occupied by Hehe and others first, Shen Yan is too shameless, blatantly stealing Hehe¡¯s spot.]


    [Just seeing fake princess makes me annoyed.]


    Knowing that this spot belonged to the male and female leads, Shen Yan didn¡¯t think twice and turned away.


    Thinking about how the original owner ended up imprisoned because of the female lead and lost miserably, she felt quite disgusted with the female lead.


    Although it was the original owner¡¯s own doing, now that she had taken the original owner¡¯s place, she naturally represented herself.


    Chu Jinghe prepared her words, but they got stuck as she watched Shen Yan walk away.


    Mu Jincheng, who was hammering in stakes for the tent, came back and saw Shen Yan turning away, frowning, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Chu Jinghe shook her head, a bit frustrated with herself, ¡°Maybe I accidentally said something wrong, the new guest didn¡¯t want to deal with me.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps they just don¡¯t like talking,¡± Mu Jincheng didn¡¯t mind.


    Seeing Mu Jincheng pulling up the rope, Chu Jinghe quickly said, ¡°Jincheng, let me help you with that.¡±


    Mu Jincheng smiled at her, ¡°Sure!¡±


    [Hehe, that¡¯s not a new guest, she¡¯s just that green tea bitch trying to ruin your relationship!]


    [Mu Jincheng is too handsome! He and Hehe baby match perfectly!]


    [To the one before, even though I acknowledge Chu Jinghe, I still must remind you, this isn¡¯t a love reality show, it¡¯s wilderness survival! Don¡¯t forcefully ship CPs.]


    [Ship Jincheng and Jing CP! I just love shipping! I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s wilderness survival, I¡¯m shipping alright! Didn¡¯t you see the pink bubbles when they looked at each other? It¡¯s way sweeter than the couple on the neighboring love show!]


    Regardless of how the comments were flying, those participating in the program couldn¡¯t see them.


    Shen Yan found a place and set up the tent, and the viewers were surprised that she didn¡¯t run over to Mu Jincheng to act coquettishly like last episode, insisting that Mu Jincheng help her.


    Could it be that the fake princess changed her tactics?


    Upon setting her tent and discovering it lacked stakes, Shen Yan went to ask the program staff for a knife.


    She headed towards the forest at the front, and it just so happened that Mu Jincheng was coming from the other side to retrieve the stakes he hadn¡¯t finished collecting, and coincidentally, Shen Yan came right where he temporarily put them.


    [I knew it, how could fake princess suddenly change her nature, she was waiting here.]


    [Here we go again, she¡¯s coming to annoy Brother Mu again.]


    [Truly shameless, stealing the stakes Brother Mu worked hard to chop, she¡¯s so annoying, always like this. Why do they even invite her to join the program?]


    [Just when I started to slightly change my opinion of her, now I see her true colors remain, just looking for a chance to be alone with Brother Mu, taking shamelessness to the extreme.]


    Mindless fans didn¡¯t care whether Shen Yan reached to grab them or not, the mere motion was her fault.


    Mu Jincheng, prompted to intervene, also had to scold Shen Yan.


    In short, Shen Yan could do nothing without being chastised.

 Chapter 5 - 5 005 Embarrassment All Over the Face

    ?Chapter 5: Chapter 005: Embarrassment All Over the Face Chapter 5: Chapter 005: Embarrassment All Over the Face Seeing Shen Yan seemed to reach for the logs he had stored, Mu Jincheng¡¯s handsome brows instantly furrowed.


    His voice carried displeasure, ¡°Those are the logs I chopped down. If you want them, please chop your own...¡±


    Before he could finish, he saw Shen Yan gripping a knife and hacking at a tree trunk that was neither too big nor too small.


    Hearing Mu Jincheng¡¯s words, she looked up in confusion.


    An embarrassment Mu Jincheng had never felt before crept onto his face.


    ¡°I know they¡¯re yours,¡± Shen Yan said, and continued chopping.


    Since this area had the most miscellaneous trees, she didn¡¯t chop down pine trees but used the other trees to make small stakes.


    Mu Jincheng felt even more embarrassed.


    His complexion also darkened a bit.


    He felt that Shen Yan was doing this on purpose. With so much space available, why did she have to choose this spot?


    Only then did Mu Jincheng notice that the new female guest was very beautiful, even possessing a stunning beauty that captivated souls!


    He wondered which company had signed this new female artist?


    And she was instantly placed on this show.


    However...


    Given her looks, he could understand why she was brought in to attract viewers.


    It wasn¡¯t that Mu Jincheng had a dark heart, but he did harbor some unusual speculations when it came to beautiful female artists getting such resources for no apparent reason.


    In the entertainment industry, such things were not rare.


    In Mu Jincheng¡¯s mind, only the beautiful female artists that he had always been guarding, like Chu Jinghe, were the cleanest.


    Mu Jincheng, his face stern, picked up the logs and left.


    [Fake princess is definitely doing this on purpose, damn it, how dare she treat Brother Mu like that.]


    [She made that fake gesture just now on purpose to make Brother Mu misunderstand, trying to get close to him and saying those words, disgusting.]


    [Get out of this show, don¡¯t defile my Brother Mu.]


    [Such a vast area and she had to choose the same spot as Brother Mu? Shen Yan¡¯s actions are becoming increasingly disgusting.]


    The trolls started cursing Shen Yan from behind.


    But there were also rational fans who spoke up for Shen Yan.


    [Why do I feel that Shen Yan did nothing wrong this time? That area has the most trees, and Zhou Jingming and Xu Zishen were also chopping stakes there. Are they also trying to ride on Mu Jincheng¡¯s coattails? And I noticed that Shen Yan only chopped miscellaneous trees, unlike Mu Jincheng, who chopped down pine trees.]


    [To those who were saying offensive things earlier, is a despicable fake princess worth your defense? The audience sees everything clearly; you can¡¯t whitewash her.]


    [Probably external aid that the fake princess brought in, I guess.]


    That person who had spoken fairly for Shen Yan silently shrank back.


    No matter how much the trolls trolled, Shen Yan, having finished making the stakes, went back to set up the tent.


    The live stream¡¯s trolls were eagerly waiting to see Shen Yan go over to seek help from the male celebrities.


    In the last episode, it was either courting Mu Jincheng¡¯s favor or Zhou Jingming¡¯s. Xu Zishen, being a semi-public rich heir from a certain province, wouldn¡¯t lift a finger to help female stars with such tasks; the original owner at least had some self-awareness.


    So since she couldn¡¯t cling to Mu Jincheng for help, she had to turn to Zhou Jingming.


    But since a problem had occurred while helping her, Zhou Jingming no longer had any good feelings towards Shen Yan.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Discarding his own half-cooked fish and wild vegetables, Wen Yan found Shen Yan, curiously watching her roll some grass leaves in her palm, and couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    As soon as he asked, Wen Yan regretted it.


    He should have stayed far away from Shen Yan, not come closer.


    But right now, he was Shen Yan¡¯s partner, and their tents had to be set up together.


    ¡°Making herbal paste.¡±


    Shen Yan responded succinctly, then placed the finished herbal paste to the side, and shook out the tent, pulling ropes, driving stakes, and arranging the simple living supplies.


    Her movements were crisp and efficient.


    More adept than even professional campers.


    Wen Yan watched, dumbfounded.


    Is this really the same Shen Yan who was so listless before?


    Wen Yan now doubted whether she had lied about her name.


    But thinking about it, with Shen Yan¡¯s reputation for attracting negativity, there was no need for her to impersonate anyone.


    ¡°Did you practice setting up a tent at home?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Shen Yan saw that he was still standing there and asked, ¡°What about yours?¡±


    She really wasn¡¯t used to having someone lie down close to her, but the program rules stated that partners must stick together.


    Wen Yan pointed to a large package and said, ¡°I¡¯ll set up over there.¡±


    ¡°There are a lot of bugs and ants over there,¡± Shen Yan knew Wen Yan wasn¡¯t good at this kind of work, so she simply walked over and effortlessly picked up the not-so-light tent, displaying a surprisingly impressive strength.


    Keeping some distance, Shen Yan started setting it up for him.


    She had his tent up in no time.


    [Shen Yan must be sick, my Yan doesn¡¯t even want to be near her.]


    [Couldn¡¯t cling to Mu Jincheng, now she¡¯s clinging to Wen Yan?]


    [How dare she fantasize about my Yan, I wish the fake princess gets bitten by a snake and crawled over by centipedes tonight...]


    [Are fans¡¯ antipathy a bit much these days? Shen Yan helped Wen Yan, is that wrong now? I like camping myself, and from a professional standpoint, Shen Yan¡¯s movements are quite skilled. Even men might not be able to set up a tent as quickly as she did.]


    [What¡¯s the big deal with setting up a tent? They act like it¡¯s some skill nobody has, please, those calling for outside help, stop whitewashing her, it¡¯s just backfiring.]


    Wen Yan watched Shen Yan with a wary gaze.


    What was Shen Yan suddenly up to?


    Wen Yan didn¡¯t believe someone could change for the better overnight.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t care what he was thinking.


    She crawled into the tent and lay down to rest; she had been quite fatigued from all the activity since waking up.


    The trolls in Shen Yan¡¯s live broadcast couldn¡¯t see her anymore and started accusing her of pretending and being afraid to show her face.


    ...


    Shen City.


    High-rise apartment.


    A handsome, indifferent man was sitting in front of a live broadcast camera, his gaze deep.


    His slender hand rested on the edge of a desk, pressing down on a pen.


    The light reflecting off the silver bands on the black pen cap created the illusion that its graceful joints belonged not to a human hand, but to the finest jade.


    Half of the man¡¯s face was hidden in shadows, making it difficult to discern his expression.


    But the half that was revealed was sharp and severe, possibly from lack of rest, his complexion somewhat ashen.


    Two figures appeared behind the door; one donned a white coat, while the other appeared somewhat older.


    ¡°Sir, Doctor Fei is here.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Qi, your condition is quite serious. It would be best to put your work aside and receive treatment immediately.¡±


    Another man¡¯s voice followed, warning Qi Si inside that he needed to start treatment right away.


    Qi Si turned off the live stream and stood up, walking past the two men towards the living room.


    ¡°Handle the production team on that end,¡± he ordered in a low voice as he took a seat on the sofa.


    The middle-aged man looked at Qi Si with surprise but ultimately asked no questions.


    The middle-aged man knew that Qi Si still cared about Miss Shen; otherwise, why would he be so upset that an old injury flared up that he wanted to take care of things for her?


    Miss Shen was participating in this program, in which their sir also had invested, just to better monitor the program¡¯s progression.


    The previous episodes he had ignored, intending to force Miss Shen to come back on her own, which had resulted in her falling ill.


    Perhaps that was why the sir had changed his mind in a hurry.


    The middle-aged man could clearly see that Qi Si¡¯s problem was his strong sense of responsibility, which led him to follow the family elders¡¯ arrangement to bring Miss Shen home to adapt to life together.


    They were just waiting for a few more months until Miss Shen turned twenty to get a marriage certificate.


    Sadly, Miss Shen had another man in her heart and insisted on becoming a small, scandal-prone celebrity in the entertainment industry.

 Chapter 6 - 6 006 Shen Yan Trending Again Due to Another

    ?Chapter 6: Chapter 006: Shen Yan Trending Again Due to Another Scandal? Chapter 6: Chapter 006: Shen Yan Trending Again Due to Another Scandal? Late at night.


    On the still live stream, a few comments occasionally fluttered by.


    They were from night owls on watch.


    The show crew was faking everything else, but sleeping in tents at night was for real.


    No matter what kind of top star you were, you had to follow the rules and go into the tent to rest.


    Among the several live stream rooms, Shen Yan¡¯s was the quietest.


    Not many of her haters had the habit of staying up late.


    The real fans of Shen Yan were not present yet.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    In the quiet live stream room, a sudden scream startled everyone!


    Soon, noise came from a cluster of tents not far away.


    The show crew staff ran towards the direction of the scream.


    It was a sound coming from the direction of Liu Qiang¡¯s tent.


    [What happened, what happened!]


    [I heard Qiangqiang¡¯s voice.]


    [Was there an incident?]


    [What on earth happened, I¡¯m dying to know.]


    Next to Shen Yan, Wen Yan also crawled out of his tent.


    He looked towards the source of the noise, ¡°It seems like something happened at Liu Qiang¡¯s site.¡±


    Shen Yan had just come out when another loud scream came from not far away.


    It was from Chu Jinghe¡¯s direction.


    The staff hurried over again, ¡°What happened?¡±


    The camera angle shifted, revealing Chu Jinghe hanging onto Mu Jincheng¡¯s body.


    Mu Jincheng held onto Chu Jinghe tightly, as if afraid she would fall.


    [Oh my God! What did I just see!]


    [I¡¯ll toast to this sugar bowl first!]


    [Raise the banner for the Jinjing couple!]


    [The princess carry! So sweet it kills me!]


    Mu Jincheng felt a bit excited inside.


    When his beloved had thrown herself towards him, his heart beat a bit faster.


    ¡°There¡¯s a centipede! It crawled past my foot...¡± Chu Jinghe¡¯s voice trembled, her body shaking in Mu Jincheng¡¯s embrace, clearly terrified.


    ¡°Centipedes, centipedes again!¡± Upon hearing this, the staff¡¯s face changed several times.


    These two were top stars invited by the show; it was a situation no one could afford.


    All the floodlights were switched on.


    The quiet woods instantly became bustling.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the centipede, where is it!¡± Qin Dingyue¡¯s excited voice came, instantly attracting Liu Qiang¡¯s ire.


    Liu Qiang was nearly scared to death while Qin Dingyue seemed to be basking in Schadenfreude.


    ¡°Qin Dingyue, can you shut up,¡± Liu Qiang said, thinking of the centipede crawling over her hand; the mere thought made her skin crawl, wishing she could chop off the affected hand.


    It was too revolting.


    If it weren¡¯t for the cameras, Liu Qiang would have cried on the spot.


    A centipede bite wasn¡¯t just excruciatingly painful; it could be lethal on the spot.


    She shuddered at the thought.


    She regretted participating in this damned survival show.


    Holding Chu Jinghe, Mu Jincheng commanded the staff with a grim expression, ¡°We can¡¯t sleep in the tents anymore, it¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°But...¡± the staff member hesitated, ¡°Let me contact Director Li first.¡±


    Such incidents had not occurred in the previous episodes.


    Centipedes being nearby was no joke; the staff quickly contacted Director Li.


    Director Li was sleeping soundly, but upon hearing there was an incident, he immediately got up.


    ¡°Jincheng, let me down first,¡± Chu Jinghe then realized she had been in Mu Jincheng¡¯s arms this whole time; her cheeks flushed red as she whispered.


    Reluctantly, Mu Jincheng let her down, ¡°Can you stand?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Chu Jinghe responded in a low voice, her head bowed.


    Under the bright lights, Chu Jinghe¡¯s blushing face was enchanting and caused Mu Jincheng to stare transfixed.


    Chu Jinghe pursed her lips; she knew Mu Jincheng was watching her intently. Although her heart did not flutter awkwardly, she liked the feeling of being pursued by his gaze.


    [Just got fed a big bowl of dog food late at night, I¡¯m stuffed.]


    [I always said Jinjing CP is real!]


    [Guys, before we get carried away, let¡¯s remember the show crew¡¯s negligence. They chose such a dangerous place without fear of a fatality.]


    [Right, and I suspect the show crew intentionally released venomous creatures for drama. The crew has no humanity...]


    [Why is it all okay for Fake Princess while my beloved Jinghe is the one in trouble, it¡¯s so unfair.]


    Director Li¡¯s face turned ugly when he heard about the centipede sighting.


    If anything happened to them, the show¡¯s team couldn¡¯t afford the responsibility.


    Director Li instructed everyone to vacate the area and spend the night in a safe location.


    Yet Qin Dingyue thought this made things more exciting and refused to leave, ¡°Director Li, I¡¯m fine over here, don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Out of all the program¡¯s participants, it was only Qin Dingyue who was taking the survival show seriously.


    She was like this in the previous episode too.


    Director Li wanted to dissuade her, but Qin Dingyue didn¡¯t care and crawled back into her tent.


    Shen Yan just glanced and followed her back in.


    ¡°I, I can¡¯t sleep here anymore...¡± It was too terrifying.


    Liu Qiang was the first to head towards the safe zone.


    Zhou Jingming thought for a moment and then didn¡¯t stay either.


    Wen Yan saw Shen Yan returning to the tent, swallowed his saliva, and called out through the tent, ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±


    ¡°This place is quite safe. I¡¯ve scattered crushed herbs around the tent; snakes and bugs won¡¯t dare to come near, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Wen Yan stammered, ¡°Is, is that reliable?¡±


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t respond.


    Wen Yan saw that the two guys, Mu Jincheng and Zhou Jingming, had left together, and figured he wouldn¡¯t lose face by following them.


    He immediately made up his mind and ran after them, ¡°Wait for me.¡±


    Shen Yan turned over and continued resting.


    Xu Zishen walked a few steps outside but then followed back into the tent.


    Director Li choked back the words he wanted to persuade with.


    ¡°Fake Princess, what are you even pretending for?¡±


    ¡°Clearly scared to death inside, still stubbornly refusing to leave.¡±


    ¡°Just watch, she¡¯s definitely going to sneak off later.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to stay up all night just to see Fake Princess mess up!¡±


    ¡°+1¡±


    ¡°I really want to see how long she can last...¡±


    Thus, a strange scene unfolded in Shen Yan¡¯s live stream.


    Those who left had shut down their live streams, and then fans from various streams, along with Shen Yan¡¯s haters, all swarmed into her stream.


    The chat was teeming with more and more messages.


    Fans and haters engaged in a rather magical conversation in the chat, talking about everything under the sun!


    As a result, Shen Yan lasted until dawn.


    All the fans and haters, bearing panda eyes, went about their business¡ªsome to work, some to school, and some took leave...


    After a night¡¯s adjustment, last night¡¯s scare was seen as a minor interlude.


    However...


    Director Ji brought over the incredible data from last night to find Director Li.


    ¡°Old Li, our ratings last night surged to an unbelievable level!¡±


    Director Li¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Is it because Chu Jinghe made it onto the trending search due to the centipede incident?¡±


    When Director Ji heard this, his expression turned odd as he replied, ¡°Not Chu Jinghe, it¡¯s Shen Yan!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Director Li quickly opened his phone, and there it was on the trending list¡ª#Fake Princess¡¯s Magical Live Stream Event#.


    Shen Yan got blacklisted again?


    No.


    Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t negative; it was a somewhat blackened fame that got her trending.


    Once Director Li understood what had happened, his smile almost stretched to his ears.


    In the past, Director Li¡¯s variety shows were always slightly overshadowed by Director Du, who produced love-focused shows.


    It turned out that bringing in the controversy-attracting Shen Yan was an extremely wise decision!


    Thinking of Director Du¡¯s gloomy face, Director Li felt so delighted he wanted to laugh out loud three times.


    In the morning, as Shen Yan came out to tidy the tent, she felt something not quite right lingering about.


    Wanting to check her phone to see what was going on, she remembered that to pursue a realistic survival live stream, the production team only provided them with a button phone for emergencies, without internet access.


    The other guests had returned from their respective areas, and when Qin Dingyue crawled out and saw Shen Yan, she instantly gained respect for this new guest who had spent the night alone in that spot!


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Qin Dingyue...¡±


    Qin Dingyue approached with a smiling face to greet her.


    Shen Yan touched her face, knowing her makeup hadn¡¯t transformed her into a ghastly sight, yet wondered how these people couldn¡¯t recognize her.


    ¡°I am Shen Yan.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hello Shen Yan...¡± Qin Dingyue suddenly froze her smile, staring blankly at Shen Yan with disbelief raising her voice, ¡°You¡¯re Shen Yan!¡±


    The others approaching looked up sharply at Shen Yan.


    In their eyes, astonishment was palpable!


    The scene was somewhat comical.

 Chapter 7 - 7 007 You Are Too Unrealistic

    ?Chapter 7: Chapter 007: You Are Too Unrealistic Chapter 7: Chapter 007: You Are Too Unrealistic Watching the flawless face ahead, Chu Jinghe¡¯s eyes swiftly flashed with a strange light, but she quickly lowered her gaze to hide the jealousy that she hadn¡¯t managed to restrain in time.


    Chu Jinghe had risen to her current status as a popular young actress within a few years partly because of her striking beauty.


    This was the first time she saw Shen Yan¡¯s bare face.


    She had to admit that she was momentarily mesmerized by that stunning face.


    She immediately looked at Mu Jincheng.


    She noticed a look of awe flash across his eyes.


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s expression darkened slightly, and it took her a long time to force a smile on her face, ¡°So it¡¯s Shen Yan, we didn¡¯t notice at all, we thought they had brought in a new guest. I wanted to go over to greet her earlier, but I was afraid of being abrupt...¡±


    Mu Jincheng snapped out of it, a hint of disgust flickering in his eyes that was hard to detect.


    He had thought it was some new actress signed by a company, but it was Shen Yan.


    Recalling various occasions Shen Yan had clung to him, Mu Jincheng found himself even more repulsed when he looked at her face again.


    However, he always appeared courteous and gentlemanly in public, hence he showed tolerance towards Shen Yan.


    She, however, took his tolerance for granted.


    He was annoyed and secretly threw numerous obstacles her way.


    At the end of the last episode, she had fallen ill.


    He had thought she would have the sense to leave the show.


    Yet she shamelessly came back.


    Everyone¡¯s expression was somewhat complex when they looked at Shen Yan.


    Qin Dingyue felt the most awkward, ¡°Ahahaha... so, what is our task for today? Isn¡¯t Director Li going to announce it?¡±


    Director Li waited until everyone had finished catching up before clearing his throat and announcing today¡¯s task.


    Today¡¯s task was simple¡ªfollow the route map to a designated location and retrieve a box at the final point, which contained tonight¡¯s dinner menu. The person who finished first could request one meat dish and two vegetable dishes from the menu from the production team.


    The second place could get one vegetable dish.


    Third and fourth places had to fend for themselves.


    The area around the route had already been surveyed by the production team; there were no dangers so the four groups could boldly proceed.


    For realism, the production team had altered the route this time; out of ten route maps only one was correct, and the routes were very intricate.


    Liu Qiang furrowed her brows while looking at the route map in her hands.


    This was complex.


    Were they playing with them?


    Qin Dingyue¡¯s eyes shone as she eagerly studied the route map in her hands.


    This was what real survival on a desert island was all about.


    ¡°What about our lunch?¡± Wen Yan asked with a frown, raising his hand.


    Director Li smiled mysteriously, ¡°You¡¯ll have to rely on yourselves for that.¡±


    Liu Qiang and Wen Yan voiced a few complaints, while others frowned slightly.


    Holding the route map, Mu Jincheng gave Chu Jinghe a gentle smile, ¡°Jinghe, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you go hungry.¡±


    Chu Jinghe, who was feeling anxious, smiled on hearing Mu Jincheng¡¯s words, ¡°Thank you!¡±


    [Wow, Brother Mu is really smooth.]


    [Seriously sweeter than the romance reality shows next door!]


    [Why do I feel like in this group, it¡¯s all Mu Jincheng doing the work?]


    [Jealous, are you? What¡¯s wrong with Brother Mu doting on Jinghe?]


    They not only had to walk but also carry folding tents because these tents would be their beds for the next few days.


    Lost or broken, the production team wouldn¡¯t replace them.


    They also had to carry cooking equipment and various survival tools.


    Carrying such heavy stuff on this kind of mountain trail was simply torture for them.


    Not to mention carrying so many things, even just walking on a mountain trail wouldn¡¯t necessarily go well.


    Qin Dingyue was brimming with enthusiasm as she began tying things together, marching as if in a hurry, though the bindings were somewhat unstable.


    As her partner, Xu Zishen, also lacked talent in this area, the two of them tied up their halves of the load in a clumsy manner, barely managing to carry it without bending their backs.


    Liu Qiang was a bit delicate, complaining that even the pot was dirty, and she really didn¡¯t want to carry it on her back, so she handed it over to Zhou Jingming.


    Although Zhou Jingming usually worked out, his strength was limited. Besides carrying his own tent and supplies, Liu Qiang had thrown all the cooking equipment his way. He was somewhat displeased, but didn¡¯t show it, silently bearing the load on his back.


    Chu Jing¡¯s side had no disagreements; Mu Jincheng took on both tents and all the pots and pans himself.


    It was his first time carrying such a load, and he struggled to stand up several times, unable to lift it.


    It was embarrassingly awkward.


    ¡°Pfft.¡±


    Shen Yan couldn¡¯t help but laugh rudely at Mu Jincheng¡¯s red face as he stubbornly persevered.


    Chu Jing quickly said, ¡°Jincheng, let me carry some of it. I can handle it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Mu Jincheng, having heard Shen Yan¡¯s snicker, turned around and glared at her coldly. Gritting his teeth, he managed to stand up with the huge load on his back, staggering almost to the point of falling out.


    [Wow, I¡¯m so touched! Brother Mu is being so nice to Chu Jing. It¡¯s hard not to ship this pair.]


    [Brother Mu is truly a doting husband. He was just as caring towards Chu Jing in the last episode. Importantly, Chu Jing deserves it!]


    [The Fake Princess was mocking Brother Mu just now, wasn¡¯t she? She should think about how Brother Mu is carrying a load meant for two, way stronger than Zhou Jingming and Xu Zishen. Later, I want to see the Fake Princess fall flat on her face...]


    [The Fake Princess might not even be able to carry it. Everyone, get ready to type.]


    While Mu Jincheng struggled, Shen Yan, along with Wen Yan¡¯s tent and their personal belongings, tied hers very professionally, like a soldier in battle, then slung it over her shoulder effortlessly.


    Wen Yan had been ready to refuse Shen Yan¡¯s ¡°kidnap,¡± but what he saw now!


    Shen Yan lifted all the stuff single-handedly, walking ahead effortlessly.


    Wen Yan¡¯s eyes widened, and he forgot to close his mouth.


    The audience was left speechless: ¡°...¡±


    Shen Yan must be carrying cotton.


    Snapping back to reality, Wen Yan tried to sling the tent over his back, almost throwing himself back in the process.


    His own tent was already so heavy; didn¡¯t Shen Yan feel the weight?


    Shen Yan, carrying a large pile of supplies that must have weighed dozens of pounds, easily walked on as if she was carrying feathers, her hand opening the route map and telling the catching-up Wen Yan, ¡°We¡¯re going to take first place today.¡±


    ¡°Oh...okay...do you... do you not find it heavy?¡± Wen Yan eyed the clanging gear on his back.


    Shen Yan glanced at him, ¡°You¡¯re too weak.¡±


    Wen Yan paused, then realizing what she meant, his face darkened: ¡°You¡¯re the weak one.¡±


    Your whole family is weak.


    Wen Yan¡¯s live stream: [The Fake Princess really knows how to insult people, such disgraceful manners.]


    [She must have faked her load. The screen looked cut for a moment; she definitely bribed the production team to switch the screens.]


    [Pfft, Wen Yan¡¯s fans are hilarious. How can you blindly support without discerning right from wrong? Open your eyes wide and see clearly, Shen Yan is carrying most of the stuff for Wen Yan. You don¡¯t even thank her and instead maliciously attack a girl.]


    [Wen Yan¡¯s fans really lack manners.]


    Wen Yan¡¯s fans, realizing this, swarmed over to insult those defending Shen Yan.


    Unyieldingly, these two fought back.


    As they argued, their bold and powerful words emerged.


    [Today I¡¯m laying it down; from now on I¡¯m a fan of Shen Yan! I¡¯ll be her first fan, not bothering with you low-class Wen Yan¡¯s fans. I¡¯m leaving!]


    With one person leaving, Wen Yan¡¯s fans, furious, hurled a slew of insults, but the other side simply ignored them, eventually forcing them to retreated in frustration.


    Unbeknownst to Shen Yan, she had unwittingly gained two fans.


    At that moment, she put away the map and chose a route different from the others.


    Wen Yan held her back, ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to follow them? They all chose the same path.¡±


    Wen Yan felt that following Shen Yan would surely lead to loss.


    ¡°If you want to follow them, go ahead, but I prefer this path,¡± Shen Yan continued forward.


    Wen Yan gritted his teeth and followed her.


    He guessed, partnering with Shen Yan, he shouldn¡¯t hope to win.

 Chapter 8 - 8 008 Survival Skills

    ?Chapter 8: Chapter 008: Survival Skills Chapter 8: Chapter 008: Survival Skills When Shen Yan was leading Wen Yan down a solitary path, her fans, enraged, stormed into Shen Yan¡¯s live broadcast room and joined the trolls in berating her.


    The two newly minted fans of Shen Yan put up a fight against the trolls and her fans, making for quite a spectacular scene.


    The person in question knew nothing about this.


    Shen Yan moved swiftly, with Wen Yan lagging behind, barely managing to carry his own tent without gasping for breath like a bull.


    Shen Yan, on the other hand, was carrying a huge load of stuff without breaking a sweat or even getting out of breath.


    She was as cool and comfortable as if she were strolling in her own garden.


    Wen Yan couldn¡¯t help but wonder again if Shen Yan¡¯s load was lighter than his.


    Seeing Wen Yan struggle like this after just a short distance on a mountain path, Shen Yan couldn¡¯t help but shake her head in exasperation.


    If his physical fitness was this poor, he needed serious training!


    After the age of fifteen, Shen Yan had always been running around in the forests. She was quite familiar with wilderness survival.


    Moreover, this deserted island had been scouted by the production team, making it quite safe for her.


    Her sense of direction was good. Without needing a map, she could easily find her way to the endpoint.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a break,¡± Wen Yan, dizzy from exhaustion, felt like vomiting.


    Unable to endure any longer, he leaned against a boulder, gasping for air as he called to Shen Yan ahead.


    Shen Yan pointed ahead, ¡°I see a stream up there, we should be able to catch some fish.¡±


    Lunch was sorted then.


    Wen Yan was already out of strength.


    Even if there were fish, he didn¡¯t want to move anymore. Might as well resign himself to drinking air for lunch.


    After all, it was all pointless toil.


    Shen Yan ignored Wen Yan¡¯s slump and walked over, dropping her load onto the ground with a thud.


    It was evident that her load was indeed not light.


    She took out a knife, chopped up some miscellaneous tree roots, sharpened one end, tried it in her hand, and then took off her shoes to reveal her fair, flawless feet.


    She rolled up her trousers a bit.


    Her pale skin, lit by the ripples of the river, appeared even more lustrous and jade-like!


    Barefoot, she stepped into the shallow river and swiftly speared toward the fish coming out of the dark stream.


    Her movements were swift and decisive.


    Wen Yan watched from a higher vantage point and was about to sneer at her actions when he saw Shen Yan strike twice in quick succession, lifting up three lively, flapping fish!


    Wen Yan¡¯s eyes were wide with amazement!


    How was this possible?


    Shen Yan flipped the fish onto the shore and speared twice more.


    Only catching one this time.


    Four fish was enough for a meal.


    Shen Yan hadn¡¯t expected to be this lucky, to find fish in such a place.


    All of the wild fish were almost as big as the palm of a hand.


    Shen Yan, back on shore, began gutting the fish by the river¡¯s edge¡ªscaling, removing the gills, and cleaning out the innards before running two clean sticks through them.


    Only after all four were cleaned did she search for a place to start a fire with some dry wood, set up a stand, and slowly fry them in a flat pan.


    The production crew had provided salt and a bit of oil.


    They weren¡¯t going to make them eat bland, tasteless food.


    Wen Yan was dumbstruck.


    Shen Yan had spent less than ten minutes to complete all these tasks.


    The smell of the fish drifted over, prompting Wen Yan to suddenly come to his senses and run over.


    Staring at Shen Yan in shock, he said, ¡°You, you really are Shen Yan!¡±


    Shen Yan gave him an indifferent glance, ¡°If you want lunch, come and help.¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh...¡±


    Wen Yan was still a bit stupefied.


    Wen Yan squatted opposite her, eyeing the fish that were starting to smell delicious.


    ¡°Flip them, don¡¯t let them burn,¡± Shen Yan passed the stick to him.


    ¡°Then, what about you?¡± Wen Yan unconsciously took it in his hand.


    ¡°Looking for wild vegetables,¡± they can¡¯t just eat fish after all.


    Wen Yan blinked foolishly, staring blankly at Shen Yan as he walked away. His hand touched the edge of the pot and scalded him, making him retract it quickly.


    At this time, the chat in Shen Yan¡¯s live-streaming room became eerily quiet.


    [Hahaha, look at how you guys can bad-mouth Shen Yan now.]


    Shen Yan¡¯s top fan was brimming with pride.


    Another fan with little flags commented: [Look how stunned you Wen Yan fans are. Shen Yan¡¯s move is 6666...]


    [Scared you clueless Wen Yan fans, lol...]


    Wen Yan¡¯s fans and the haters were not going to stand for it.


    [Surely the show crew has rigged the scenes.]


    [That must be Shen Yan¡¯s body double.]


    [The fake princess hired a body double for the show, I¡¯m gonna puke!]


    [Pff, acting blind¡ªWen Yan fans and haters are equally nauseating. Look at Shen Yan¡¯s professional moves, professional fishing¡ªnone of those who handle fish have Shen Yan¡¯s skills! Worthy of being my idol! Carry the banner for Shen Yan, let¡¯s go!]


    The drone that followed the filming captured the scene of Shen Yan picking wild vegetables.


    The audience¡¯s eyes were sharp, especially those from rural areas who could tell at a glance that the wild vegetables Shen Yan found were edible.


    The haters, whether the vegetables were edible or not, claimed Shen Yan had inquired with the show crew in advance or had pre-selected the area for future picking.


    In any case, haters will always find a loophole to throw insults.


    Passerby fans came in, rolled their eyes at the nitpicking and insulting barrage.


    Originally neutral observers, they were instantly captivated by Shen Yan¡¯s appearance upon seeing her.


    They didn¡¯t know about the earlier parts, but what they saw now¡ªShen Yan didn¡¯t act like the other celebrities, all prissy and pretentious. She was beautiful, down-to-earth, and likable.


    Only the haters would be blind enough to miss out on such a great person.


    Because of Shen Yan¡¯s actions, she gained some fans, and her number one fan immediately created a fan group for Shen Yan and pulled all her fans into the group.


    Now, with no other messy rankings to swipe for, fans focused on sending barrage comments.


    Shen Yan was unaware of all this and continued to pick wild vegetables, only to come back to see Wen Yan had burned a fish to a crisp, her mouth twitching.


    ¡°Let me do it,¡± Shen Yan pointed to the vegetables she had picked, ¡°go wash them.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Wen Yan, hating that he couldn¡¯t cook, took the vegetables down to the river to wash. He had crouched for so long, that when he stood up, he slipped on a smooth stone.


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    Wen Yan, clutching the vegetables, was about to fall into the river in a twisted shape.


    The filming staff sucked in a breath at the sight.


    The water just in front of Wen Yan was a bit deep, and Wen Yan, who couldn¡¯t swim, turned pale at the thought of plunging in.


    But quicker than the staff was a graceful figure, whose pale hand suddenly seized Wen Yan¡¯s wrist and yanked him back.


    Wen Yan spun half a turn, pulled backward by a force until he landed on solid ground, his shaky form finally steadied by a hand across his waist.


    The entire process lasted just a few seconds.


    Shen Yan, from dashing forward to catching Wen Yan with one arm, moved in the blink of an eye.


    When people saw the nearly six-foot-tall Wen Yan leaning on the slim Shen Yan, their jaws dropped!


    [Damn! Hero saves ... no, beauty saves the dude!]


    [Freaking cool! Ahhh! How can someone be so cool!]


    [Oh my gosh! First time realizing Shen Yan can be so cool. All those who sent hate comments, aren¡¯t you afraid of karmic retribution?]


    [Wen Yan fans, aren¡¯t you going to come over and thank her? Wen Yan is too frail, right? He couldn¡¯t even wash vegetables without falling, wasn¡¯t it on purpose?]


    Wen Yan fans temporarily shut up.


    Shen Yan let go of Wen Yan and said indifferently, ¡°Be careful.¡±


    Still shaken, Wen Yan stammered, ¡°Thank, thank you...¡±


    Shen Yan went back to check on her fish, hoping it wouldn¡¯t be burnt again.


    Off-camera.


    In the medical room.


    The stunning man in front of the screen watched the scene, his brows slightly furrowed, then silently pressed down on the tablet.

 Chapter 9 - 9 009 Truly Difficult for the Qi Family

    ?Chapter 9: Chapter 009: Truly Difficult for the Qi Family Chapter 9: Chapter 009: Truly Difficult for the Qi Family Shen Yan¡¯s side was going smoothly, and lunch was ready.


    Wen Yan held the portioned fish meat and started eating without caring for his image, his eyes suddenly sparkling!


    ¡°Delicious!¡±


    Who would have thought that a fish seasoned only with oil and salt could taste so good!


    Shen Yan sat down on the ground without any burden and started gnawing on one end of a stick.


    The down-to-earth Shen Yan suddenly made the audience reveal strange expressions; they were not used to it.


    On the other hand.


    Due to the 24-hour filming by the production crew, Liu Qiang fell several times, couldn¡¯t find a gap to touch up her makeup, and looked utterly disheveled.


    It was a significant change from her usual appearance.


    The situation wasn¡¯t so perfect anymore.


    Though Zhou Jingming was a male star, he too would wear a bit of makeup and apply sunscreen.


    But now, he was sweating profusely, feeling extremely uncomfortable with his greasy skin.


    Beside him, Liu Qiang¡¯s incessant annoying noises made Zhou Jingming wish he could smash the stuff he was carrying onto her face.


    At this moment, Mu Jincheng was gasping like a bull carrying the belongings of two people, Chu Jing and himself had brought quite a lot of makeup products, all on his back.


    Chu Jinghe only needed to smile beautifully at the camera, not needing to do anything.


    Mu Jincheng rested repeatedly, tired to death.


    His slightly long hair, because of the constant sweating, stuck to his skin, feeling uncomfortable and ruining his image.


    Chu Jinghe frowned several times, offering to help, but he refused each time.


    He wouldn¡¯t let the woman he loved do such dirty and tiring work.


    This deeply touched Chu Jinghe.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.


    [What is Chu Jinghe playing at? All she does is thank everyone along the way, all talk and no action; compared to Qin Dingyue, she¡¯s far behind.]


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s fans couldn¡¯t stay quiet and immediately fought back.


    [It was Brother Mu who took on the tasks; how can you blame Hehe? Brother Mu is willing, but the fans are unhappy, seriously?]


    [Exactly, such a small task can¡¯t stump Brother Mu. Brother Mu is doting on Hehe, and you are just jealous.]


    [I somehow feel that Chu Jinghe is a bit pretentious?]


    [Blackie get out, my Hehe is definitely not that Fake Princess.]


    Unwittingly, Mu Jincheng and Chu Jinghe ended up last, with Qin Dingyue and Xu Zishen leading at the front.


    Though Qin Dingyue was so tired her back was about to break, her adventurous spirit wouldn¡¯t allow her to give up halfway.


    She had to persevere.


    ¡°Did we take the wrong route?¡± Xu Zishen took out the route map, and frowning, his brows knitted together.


    ¡°No way, we followed this path, the widest one must surely lead to the endpoint!¡± Qin Dingyue believed in her judgment.


    The markings by the program group were so obvious, how could there be a mistake?


    She knew the program group well; they wouldn¡¯t do something so harmful.


    However, they were wrong.


    This time, the program group was all about causing trouble.


    Walking until midday, starving and still unable to find the correct route.


    A dead end appeared ahead, Qin Dingyue and Xu Zishen looked at each other, leaned back simultaneously, and rolled their eyes skyward.


    This amused both of their fans immensely.


    ¡°Did we really take the wrong route?¡± Qin Dingyue was on the verge of tears.


    She thought it would be as easy as the last episode, but the second episode started with the program group stirring up trouble.


    Xu Zishen was also very frustrated.


    He turned to ask Qin Dingyue, ¡°Did you see Shen Yan and the others?¡±


    Qin Dingyue was too excited earlier and didn¡¯t pay attention to the condition of others.


    She shook her head: ¡°I didn¡¯t see them catching up.¡±


    Xu Zishen took a deep breath: ¡°Let¡¯s find something to eat first.¡±


    He did not want to starve halfway.


    This time, the program group was really inhuman.


    They didn¡¯t even prepare food.


    In the last episode, food was set at specific points, and they were supposed to find them with the help of a route map.


    This time, they just made a show of it at the beginning, and today, not even food was prepared.


    Were they really expected to eat unknown wild plants on the island?


    After one episode, they might end up malnourished and in the hospital.


    Shen Yan watched the process of this episode, which wasn¡¯t described very clearly.


    There definitely wasn¡¯t this segment.


    Had she just reborn and twisted the plot already?


    Shen Yan looked at the finish line in front of her and touched her nose.


    Wen Yan couldn¡¯t believe they had won.


    Won so effortlessly.


    It felt like a dream!


    ¡°We won...¡± Wen Yan looked blankly at Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan nodded, as it was just a route map, and the distance wasn¡¯t long; the mountain path was smooth and easy to walk, so wasn¡¯t it normal for them to win?


    The staff at the finish line was also stunned.


    Was today¡¯s task so easily completed?


    Several hours earlier than expected.


    Was the production team sure no one had leaked the route map to Shen Yan?


    Not only were the staff members suspicious, Director Li¡¯s face turned green when he received the footage.


    How can they continue the game if it got broken so early?


    Compared to the rough state of others, Shen Yan¡¯s group seemed as leisurely as playing house.


    What would other people think?


    ¡°Shen Yan definitely bribed the production team!¡±


    ¡°Shen Yan cheated!¡±


    ¡°There must be an explanation; everyone else struggled so much, why should she get to the finish line so effortlessly?¡±


    ¡°Haha, you people really have short memories¡ªwasn¡¯t it you who mocked Shen Yan for never reaching the finish line even if she walked till tomorrow? Face-slapped, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°24-hour live broadcast, how could Shen Yan bribe the production team? Not like some people doing god-knows-what after turning off the live broadcast.¡±


    This comment directly ignited the anger of fans from various camps.


    Fans battled it out in the comment section.


    In desperation, Shen Yan¡¯s new fans pulled out the no-makeup faces of several female celebrities.


    Shen Yan¡¯s bare face was super strong while Liu Qiang and Chu Jinghe had secretly applied light makeup.


    Ultimately, majority wins; Shen Yan¡¯s few fans were quickly overwhelmed by spam from other fans.


    The hashtag #ShenYanCheatingOnShow quickly moved up to become the 8th trending topic.


    Director Li, keeping up with the times, stared at the trending list on the app, took a deep breath, and said: ¡°Hurry up, let someone give hints to others off-camera!¡±


    Whether it was Mu Jincheng or Chu Jinghe, they couldn¡¯t be made to look too bad.


    These were his top-tier partners who he had begged and pleaded to bring onto the show. Aside from Shen Yan attracting black fans for their traffic last time, these two had the highest popularity due to their co-appearances, which stayed trending for days.


    It also contributed a boom in their show¡¯s popularity.


    So these two couldn¡¯t be offended.


    Especially Chu Jinghe, who had a massive fanbase; when they start fighting, it is extremely terrifying.


    The crew quickly followed the directives.


    After Director Li had given the instructions, Director Ji picked up his walkie-talkie and said, ¡°Old Li, Shen Yan¡¯s live room is about to explode.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t about to explode, it had already exploded.


    Director Li had a headache.


    He needed Shen Yan¡¯s bad press for views.


    But if black trending topics kept getting pushed up, wouldn¡¯t that ruin the image of the show?


    ¡°Focus more cameras on Chu Jinghe and their group,¡± hoping to salvage the situation.


    Chu Jinghe, who was guided to a shortcut, ended up in second place, which made the fans feel heartbroken.


    They could have been first, but were overtaken by cheaters.


    #Chu JingheAndSurvivalOnADesertIslandSecondPlace# magically pushed Shen Yan¡¯s cheating trending topic down and shot up directly to the third spot.


    Seeing this, Director Li quietly breathed a sigh of relief.


    *


    Airport.


    As the private plane touched down, a young man in a suit took a mobile phone handed to him by an assistant, fixed on the trending topic about Shen Yan from yesterday.


    The handsome young man¡¯s cold eyes narrowed, his expression turned sour: ¡°What¡¯s going on with the Qi Family, were they supposed to look after her, and yet she ends up in showbiz?¡±


    The anger in his voice.


    The assistant who came to pick him up cautiously said, ¡°Miss Shen insisted on doing it. There was nothing anyone could do.¡±


    Thinking of something, the young man¡¯s expression grew even darker.


    ¡°Let her suffer the consequences, and next time, don¡¯t bring such annoyances before me. The Qi Family really has it rough...¡±


    Upon hearing this, the assistant knew that the Shen Family was washing their hands of her.

 Chapter 10 - 10 010 His Trending Topic is Gone

    ?Chapter 10: Chapter 010: His Trending Topic is Gone Chapter 10: Chapter 010: His Trending Topic is Gone Everyone had reached the finish line.


    Liu Qiang saw Shen Yan and Wen Yan sitting leisurely under the shade of trees, and a nameless rage surged up.


    It was evident that Shen Yan and Wen Yan had been behind everyone else, so how could they have possibly arrived at the finish line first.


    There must be some inside story!


    Definitely, there was something fishy.


    Zhou Jingming shared the same thoughts as Liu Qiang.


    However, he was better at concealing his dissatisfaction, not letting it show on his face, though his expression wasn¡¯t much better, and he occasionally glanced in Shen Yan¡¯s direction.


    Qin Dingyue complained a few times about the program team not being fair and playing tricks.


    Xu Zishen just frowned and remained silent, but his gaze drifted towards Shen Yan a few times, seemingly suspicious.


    Mu Jincheng was utterly exhausted and disheveled, and all his efforts had earned him nothing but a plain vegetable dish.


    Seeing Shen Yan sitting leisurely under the tree, still looking beautifully clean faced without a speck of dirt, even her hands exposed to the sunlight were glowing with a milky white sheen.


    She seemed like she was on vacation, not participating in a survival show.


    Seeing this scene only added to the frustration.


    Mu Jincheng suspected that Shen Yan had some unmentionable secret with the financial backers after leaving the show, otherwise how could such a significant change have happened suddenly?


    Even the production team seemed to favor her.


    Mu Jincheng really despised such actresses who used their advantages to garner resources.


    Disgusting!


    Taking his eyes off with disgust, he looked over at Chu Jinghe, who was standing next to him laughing elegantly, and Mu Jincheng¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t help but soften.


    Jinghe was different from other actresses, he had watched her grow up.


    Chu Jinghe saw Mu Jincheng¡¯s attention being captured by Shen Yan earlier, her eyes dimmed, and she bit her lip repeatedly, suppressing the sourness rising in her heart.


    Everyone was participating in the same program.


    Chu Jinghe realized that Shen Yan¡¯s no-makeup look was impeccable, untarnished by sweat, unlike her own waterproof makeup which seemed to melt away the moment she sweated, revealing her disheveled appearance as soon as she reached the finish line.


    It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this.


    Shen Yan should have been making a fool of herself like she did in the last episode.


    Not overshadowing her with a fresh face.


    Indeed, Chu Jinghe¡¯s beauty was among the top three in the circle of female celebrities.


    But compared to Shen Yan now, there was a noticeable gap.


    This visible gap was particularly aggrieving for Chu Jinghe, causing her to breathe unevenly.


    No matter what was in her heart, in front of the live cameras, Chu Jinghe still had to maintain her kind and gentle image, smiling until her face almost stiffened.


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, have some water,¡± Chu Jinghe seized the opportunity, grabbed a bottle of water handed by a staff member, twisted the cap, and passed it to Mu Jincheng.


    This act excited the fans to burst forth in a barrage of comments.


    Mu Jincheng, seeing Chu Jinghe¡¯s smile, felt his heart throb a few times.


    Qin Dingyue muttered, ¡°We¡¯ve reached the endpoint early, so are we just going to starve until tomorrow?¡±


    That was rather inhumane.


    A day without food wouldn¡¯t kill anyone.


    What about tomorrow¡¯s task?


    Could they manage to get up and continue participating after starving for a day?


    The frustrating part was, they had labored in vain today.


    Zhou Jingming and Liu Qiang¡¯s faces looked very unpleasant.


    Xu Zishen, from being composed at the beginning, to now realizing they might have to endure hunger for a day and night, couldn¡¯t keep his composure anymore.


    He had done his research before participating in this program, knowing that the production team wouldn¡¯t give overly difficult survival tasks or mess with them, these popular celebrities, for no reason.


    What was happening now?


    Liu Qiang looked at Xu Zishen, hoping Xu Zishen would say something.


    Among those present, Xu Zishen held the highest status. When he spoke, people from the director¡¯s team definitely listened.


    Due to Xu Zishen¡¯s semi-public identity as a wealthy heir, Liu Qiang had tried to pair up with Xu Zishen intentionally or unintentionally in the first episode, even having her company create rumors about her and Xu Zishen.


    Xu Zishen¡¯s company quickly handled the public relations, and Liu Qiang failed to cling to success twice.


    Starting from the last episode, Liu Qiang started to hate Qin Dingyue, who had taken her spot.


    The atmosphere had now become eerily tense, and the nearby cameraman even felt like picking up his camera and running away.


    The two groups who hadn¡¯t received the dinner menu were now thinking about ditching the task.


    For Shen Yan, this survival show wasn¡¯t really about survival at all, but for these pampered celebrities, even walking on mountain trails was challenging.


    Not to mention being hungry, carrying a bunch of stuff, and still having to find food was harder than simply slitting their throats.


    The atmosphere here was oppressive, and Director Li was over there, head down, discussing how to get through the next while.


    He also couldn¡¯t really let the other two groups starve.


    Perhaps because the resentment was quite heavy, everyone¡¯s gazes subconsciously turned toward Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan, feeling everyone¡¯s unfriendly stares, didn¡¯t even frown, just leaned against a tree trunk, leisurely waiting for the production team to announce the next steps.


    Whether they would distribute dinner early or had other arrangements.


    Just as Shen Yan was about to close his eyes to rest, a figure came and stood beside him.


    ¡°Shen Yan.¡±


    Shen Yan looked up to see the female lead with a hypocritical smile on her face.


    The female lead was certainly beautiful, but her heart wasn¡¯t that great.


    What kind of values and mood did the author have to come up with such a female lead?


    She doubted the author must have had a brain thrombosis to depict such a female lead.


    Minor flaws and shortcomings are normal for everyone.


    Yet, the female lead¡¯s issues went beyond minor flaws ¨C hit-and-run accidents, keeping several sugar daddies while pretending to be pure in public, and playing the male lead for a fool.


    And the male lead.


    He was no good either.


    Their ability to have a ¡°happily ever after¡± was also inexplicable.


    Similar moral standards, a perfect match!


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t get up, just looked up at her, waiting for what she would say next.


    Chu Jinghe turned around with a worried look at the two groups who hadn¡¯t gotten anything, then turned back to Shen Yan and said, ¡°I know the prizes were rightfully won by you, and I shouldn¡¯t really say anything, but Liu Qiang and her group haven¡¯t eaten all day. I see that you and Wen Yan don¡¯t have big appetites, so when you get the dinner, could you share some with them?¡±


    As soon as Chu Jinghe¡¯s words fell, Zhou Jingming and a few others looked her way.


    That look had a bit of a coercive intention.


    Like saying, you¡¯d be unkind if you didn¡¯t share.


    While Director Li still didn¡¯t know what to do, Chu Jinghe had already started speaking.


    He then closely observed the expressions of the others.


    His eyes lit up like lightbulbs!


    Was this going to lead to some kind of confrontation?


    After Chu Jinghe spoke, everyone quietly waited for Shen Yan¡¯s response.


    Based on their understanding of Shen Yan, he was expected to stand up and argue, which would then stir up a series of events.


    They had already written the headlines for the ¡°hot search¡± for Chu Jinghe.


    Black hot searches were not an option anymore, so they seized the opportunity to send Chu Jinghe¡¯s story up to the ¡°hot search.¡±


    While everyone was anticipating something to happen, Shen Yan simply nodded indifferently, ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°If you... what?¡± Chu Jinghe was about to say something more when she realized what Shen Yan had said and suddenly felt foolish.


    The others also showed surprised expressions.


    The production team was also stunned.


    This wasn¡¯t what they had expected.


    Director Li: His hot search just vanished!

 Chapter 11 - 11 011 She Really Did It on Purpose

    ?Chapter 11: Chapter 011: She Really Did It on Purpose Chapter 11: Chapter 011: She Really Did It on Purpose Taking her prize to gratify others, our leading lady¡¯s move was pretty smooth.


    Shen Yan turned her head to the accompanying VJ and said, ¡°I hope the production team provides a generous meal for the first place. I¡¯ve got quite the appetite.¡±


    Now that she had said that, if the production team didn¡¯t provide a large portion, wouldn¡¯t that mean letting the losers snatch the winner¡¯s reward?


    Chu Jinghe was securing a sumptuous dinner for the other two teams.


    That meant she and Mu Jincheng couldn¡¯t very well shamelessly join in, could they?


    Chu Jinghe, who snapped back to her senses, realized she had done something that didn¡¯t please herself and nearly failed to keep her smiling face.


    Which is to say, she and Mu Jincheng could only gnaw on a plate of vegetables tonight!


    Mu Jincheng, who reacted belatedly, frowned and shot an icy glance at Shen Yan.


    He didn¡¯t believe for a second that Shen Yan wasn¡¯t doing it on purpose.


    Was this a new tactic to attract his attention?


    First, she cleansed her face, attempting to seduce him with her looks, and when he showed no interest, she switched strategies.


    Shen Yan was certainly persistent.


    Thinking of Shen Yan still spying on him behind his back, Mu Jincheng felt repulsed.


    Liu Qiang and the others¡¯ expressions eased quite a bit.


    Before anyone else could speak, Shen Yan turned towards Chu Jinghe and added with a smile, ¡°Mr. Chu is truly beautiful inside and out! We juniors should all learn from Mr. Chu!¡±


    Chu Jinghe forced a smile, ¡°You flatter me, it¡¯s all part of my duty!¡±


    [Wuu~ always believe in Hehe¡¯s character!]


    [Hehe is truly beautiful inside and out. Even facing the fake princess, she maintains her composure and propriety.]


    [Our Hehe is the fairy that descended to earth! Kind and upright!]


    [Just a passerby here, but wasn¡¯t that comment from Chu Jinghe to Shen Yan a bit fake princess-ish?]


    [You¡¯re the fake princess, your whole family is fake princesses. Look clearly, the one pretending to be a princess is Shen Yan!]


    The moment anyone dared to criticize Chu Jinghe, fans immediately jumped out to fiercely defend her.


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s fans kept praising her, drowning out all the negative comments in the barrage.


    The VJ received a call from Director Li and quickly turned the camera towards Chu Jinghe.


    Chu Jinghe was drenched in sweat, and although her current discomfort was one thing, she felt as if the false eyelashes she put on this morning were about to fall off.


    However, the VJ¡¯s camera was not only on her but also close to her face.


    Chu Jinghe instinctively stepped back a few paces and, perhaps by chance, tripped over Mu Jincheng¡¯s foot, falling backward.


    Chu Jinghe exclaimed in surprise, and Mu Jincheng reached out to catch her.


    The scene froze with the two in a close embrace.


    Fans from both sides crazily flooded the chat!


    Mu Jincheng was sweating profusely, perhaps having sprayed on some cologne, the mix with sweat making his scent a bit unpleasant.


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s shirt stuck to his wet clothes, getting a large patch of her own shirt damp, and she stiffened.


    Suppressing the disgust at the bottom of her heart, she quickly got up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I wasn¡¯t paying attention,¡± Chu Jinghe hurriedly apologized to Mu Jincheng.


    Her posture was somewhat distant, which was not what Mu Jincheng wanted.


    Reflecting on the fact that this was a live broadcast, Mu Jincheng also understood they couldn¡¯t be overly intimate and start any unfavorable rumors that might hinder Chu Jinghe¡¯s career.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you didn¡¯t do it on purpose! Come to think of it, I inadvertently took advantage,¡± Mu Jincheng said with humor to relieve the awkwardness between them.


    Chu Jinghe met Mu Jincheng¡¯s concerned gaze, her face flushing slightly, shook her head, and said softly, ¡°I¡¯m fine, let me help you up.¡±


    Chu Jinghe looked at Mu Jincheng¡¯s sweaty hand, suppressed the sticky feeling, and using a bit of effort, pulled Mu Jincheng to his feet.


    Their hands clasped together, prompting the fans in the live stream to go wild shipping their pairing.


    Shen Yan saw everything they did, and she wanted to burst out laughing on the spot.


    It seems that the heroine doesn¡¯t like the hero that much after all.


    It was only because the hero was willing to flatter, and later his family background was revealed, that the heroine resolutely chose this man who loved her crazily.


    For now.


    The hero was just the heroine¡¯s backup option.


    After this episode, the heroine would find out about the hero¡¯s background, and she¡¯d show another attitude towards him.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t care about the protagonists¡¯ mess.


    There were still over two hours until dinner.


    Director Li quickly had someone distribute a small plastic bucket to each person and led the still unrested guests to the riverbank.


    The sand on the riverbank was very fine, much softer than the sand at the beach.


    Arriving at the riverbank, there were shady trees and a breeze.


    It quickly cooled off.


    Liu Qiang grumbled a few complaints, but he didn¡¯t refuse to follow the large group to pick river snails.


    It happened to be the breeding season for river snails.


    There were many dense clusters of river snails by the rocky reefs; Director Li was letting them fend for themselves.


    On the live broadcast screen, a supporting task was displayed.


    This way, they could legitimately give everyone an extra meal.


    Chu Jinghe was carrying a plastic bucket, walking beside Mu Jincheng.


    The slanting sun cast a golden glow on the two, giving an illusion of a golden boy and a jade girl.


    The VJ quickly adjusted the camera to the most beautiful angle, and a new round of screen flooding ensued in the live broadcast room!


    Seeing the popularity rise, Director Li¡¯s eyes nearly disappeared into his smile.


    That¡¯s more like it.


    Stomp that rival romance reality show from next door into the dust!


    Qin Ding Yue was holding a bucket, more excited than anyone.


    The fans in the live broadcast room were covering their eyes, unable to watch.


    Their silly girl always did things that made people roll around laughing.


    ¡°Snails, oh snails! Here I come!¡± Qin Ding Yue flung off her shoes and rolled up her pants, then dashed towards the river snails.


    When she ran into the river, she splashed Liu Qiang and Zhou Jingming who were by her side.


    Holding back her anger, Liu Qiang furrowed her brow and said, ¡°Qin Ding Yue, can you act normal for once?¡±


    So wild and madcap, truly irritating.


    Qin Ding Yue just laughed, and her actions became less exaggerated.


    ¡°If you¡¯re scared, then don¡¯t go into the water,¡± Shen Yan noticed Wen Yan¡¯s pale face; he was clearly still haunted by a fear of water.


    Wen Yan was startled, not expecting Shen Yan to be so kind-hearted. He couldn¡¯t help but also feel suspicious. Maybe Shen Yan was doing it on purpose.


    Perhaps she was making it look like he was cowardly and weak to ruin his image.


    He hadn¡¯t expected Shen Yan to be so scheming.


    He had underestimated her.


    Wen Yan gave her a sidelong glance, repressed the fear in his heart, and walked into the water in a huff.


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    What was that look just now?


    Shen Yan watched them swarm towards the area with the most river snails; she chose the other side.


    As she turned, she almost bumped into Mu Jincheng.


    Shen Yan took a few steps back to steady herself.


    But Chu Jinghe, who was at Mu Jincheng¡¯s side, was hit by Mu Jincheng¡¯s retreat and fell backward.


    Mu Jincheng quickly turned to catch Chu Jinghe, but they both ended up falling into the water.


    Mu Jincheng was pulled down by Chu Jinghe, and his whole body ended up resting on top of her.


    The pose was suggestive.


    The moment Mu Jincheng came down on her, Chu Jinghe¡¯s face clearly changed.


    Worried that he had hurt Chu Jinghe, Mu Jincheng immediately got up, his face ashen as he saw himself drenched, then he turned to look at Shen Yan with an iron-clad expression.


    He, Mu Jincheng, didn¡¯t believe for a second that Shen Yan¡¯s move just then was accidental.


    [What the heck, the fake princess really is shameless.]


    [Angry angry angry.jpg, please, fake princess, stay away from my idol. This kind of clinginess is really gross.]


    [Aren¡¯t the fans of both sides going a bit too far? Shen Yan didn¡¯t even see Mu Jincheng step behind her.]


    [It¡¯s just an accident. Is it necessary to make such a fuss?]


    Shen Yan, seeing the indignant and ashen look on Mu Jincheng¡¯s face, raised an eyebrow: ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have eyes on the back of my head.¡±


    Just now Mu Jincheng and Chu Jinghe were clearly walking in that direction; how did they end up behind her? She wasn¡¯t to blame.


    Drenched, with her image utterly destroyed from the mud and sand, Chu Jinghe was feeling very irritated inside.


    But for her public persona, she had to suppress her anger and not let it show.


    Finding a moment away from the cameras, she looked at Shen Yan with a somewhat sinister look in her eyes.


    ¡°Mr. Chu, are you okay? I¡¯m really sorry, I honestly didn¡¯t see you guys walk behind me just now,¡± Shen Yan said, full of apologies as she extended her hand towards Chu Jinghe.


    Chu Jinghe didn¡¯t want to touch Shen Yan in the slightest.


    Shen Yan was doing it on purpose, no doubt. She¡¯s supposed to be kind-hearted? Then she¡¯ll just peel that facade away layer by layer, slowly sapping away the heroine¡¯s popularity.


    Chu Jinghe looked at Shen Yan¡¯s flawless, pale hand, her body tensing up slightly.

 Chapter 12 - 12 012 Play by the Rules

    ?Chapter 12: Chapter 012: Play by the Rules Chapter 12: Chapter 012: Play by the Rules After a moment, Chu Jinghe finally placed her hand in Shen Yan¡¯s.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    The moment Shen Yan held Chu Jinghe¡¯s hand, Mu Jincheng forcefully grabbed her wrist and pulled her away. If it were the old Shen Yan, she would have definitely been yanked backward and fallen.


    The area behind them had deeper water.


    Mu Jincheng didn¡¯t like Shen Yan touching Chu Jinghe.


    When he saw Shen Yan¡¯s movement, he instinctively went to pull her away.


    Plus, he was already displeased by Shen Yan¡¯s earlier actions and didn¡¯t control his strength.


    Shen Yan staggered backward a couple of steps before barely regaining her balance.


    Mu Jincheng quickly pulled Chu Jinghe up and heard her gentle thanks.


    The live streaming room became chaotic.


    Whenever everyone appeared on screen together, the feed would switch to the live hall.


    Each live stream channel showed the same screen.


    [Is Mu Jincheng a little hostile toward Shen Yan?]


    [That look in his eyes earlier was definitely disdainful.]


    [Come on, if you were being pestered by a fake princess like that, you¡¯d be annoyed too. Brother Mu isn¡¯t a saint; he has emotions like everyone else.]


    [Brother Mu has already been pretty good about it. If it were me, I¡¯d have lost my temper in the first episode.]


    The camera accidentally caught Shen Yan massaging her wrist. Because of her fair and delicate skin, Mu Jincheng¡¯s grip left visible finger marks.


    [Take a closer look, Shen Yan was just trying to help Chu Jinghe. Mu Jincheng suddenly grabbed her without considering his strength and almost made her fall into the deeper water.]


    [Who doesn¡¯t remember Shen Yan scheming against Chu Jinghe in the previous episodes? The internet doesn¡¯t forget easily.]


    [Shen Yan did nothing wrong this time. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re all arguing.]


    [We¡¯re not arguing, just stating facts.]


    [If it weren¡¯t for Shen Yan, would Brother Mu and Chu Jinghe have fallen into the water? It¡¯s clear she was being manipulative.]


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t know if her actions would spark a heated discussion, but at least everyone saw that Mu Jincheng wasn¡¯t so great.


    *


    Even though it was summer.


    Mu Jincheng and Chu Jinghe, both soaked, left the live stream to change into dry, clean clothes.


    Because of this, the two of them who had ruined their image earlier needed to thank Shen Yan.


    By the time they returned, the others had almost finished.


    They handed the river snails to the production team to make stir-fried snails for their dinner bonus tonight.


    The dining area for dinner was set up at a flat spot at the finish line, where small tables were already arranged.


    At 6:45 p.m., the production team started bringing out the dinner for the evening¡¯s first-place winners.


    When they saw the two who had changed into clean clothes, the others who were still wearing their sweat-soaked outfits weren¡¯t too pleased.


    Chu Jinghe had obviously freshened up.


    She had also reapplied some light makeup.


    She looked fresh and radiant.


    Jealousy was barely hidden in Liu Qiang¡¯s eyes as she said, ¡°I was just wondering where Mr. Chu disappeared to. Turns out you were changing clothes.¡±


    The atmosphere turned awkward as soon as she said that.


    All eyes turned to look at Chu Jinghe.


    Shen Yan pulled up a small stool and sat down to watch the drama unfold.


    Chu Jinghe smiled and said, ¡°I accidentally bumped into Shen Yan and fell into the water. I was worried about getting sick and delaying the show¡¯s schedule, so I asked the production team for a favor!¡±


    Shen Yan couldn¡¯t help but smirk.


    Even in explaining, she didn¡¯t forget to drag her down.


    Liu Qiang couldn¡¯t say anything more.


    She didn¡¯t want to offend the production team directly.


    If they decided to target her, showing her in the worst light, it could ruin her career.


    Chu Jinghe then smiled sweetly at the camera, her face slightly blushing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for causing trouble for the production team.¡±


    The filming VJ quickly shook his head, indicating it was no problem.


    The audience in front of the screen was moved.


    [Hehe, you don¡¯t need to apologize. If it weren¡¯t for Shen Yan, this special treatment wouldn¡¯t be necessary.]


    [The one who should apologize is Shen Yan.]


    [These fans really know how to twist things. Did everyone not see it was Mu Jincheng who intentionally caused trouble for Chu Jinghe?]


    [Pfft, Shen Yan still has fans? Learned something new.]


    [Shen Yan can¡¯t wash away her bad reputation. Stop trying.]


    ¡°Mr. Chu, we don¡¯t blame you at all.¡±


    Qin Dingyue blurted out bluntly.


    Xu Zishen also looked over and, for once, agreed, ¡°Don¡¯t mind what others think.¡±


    The comment was pointed.


    Shen Yan was well aware of the female protagonist¡¯s charm.


    It would be odd if no one spoke up for her.


    Zhou Jingming and Wen Yan also chimed in with comforting words, saying they hadn¡¯t thought much of it.


    Chu Jinghe gave them all a sweet smile.


    The atmosphere became warm and cheerful again.


    But when dinner was served at the two tables, the good mood turned a bit awkward again.


    One table was lavish and plentiful.


    The other table only had one vegetarian dish and two bowls of rice.


    ¡°How about we eat together...¡± Wen Yan glanced at the pitiful single vegetarian dish and looked at Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan remained silent.


    The others turned to look at her.


    Shen Yan found it amusing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s follow the show¡¯s rules; it doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡±


    Shen Yan generously threw the issue back to the production team.


    The production team: ¡°...¡±


    Mu Jincheng frowned again.


    Shen Yan was deliberately targeting Chu Jinghe¡ªhe knew it was because of him.


    He had already told Shen Yan very clearly.


    He would never like someone like her.


    Chu Jinghe sympathetically said, ¡°We came in second, we should enjoy what we deserve without any special treatment.¡±


    ¡°Actually, eating together isn¡¯t a big deal. There¡¯s enough for everyone. We should share our blessings,¡± Liu Qiang couldn¡¯t stand seeing Mu Jincheng suffer and couldn¡¯t help but speak up.


    The others remained silent.


    But their looks toward Shen Yan were the same as before¡ªexpecting her to give in.


    Only Qin Dingyue felt a bit embarrassed.


    They had lost and could still benefit from Shen Yan¡¯s reward, which was already fortunate enough. They had no right to divide the rewards.


    ¡°Shen Yan, I eat very little,¡± Qin Dingyue secretly approached Shen Yan and whispered, ¡°I can even eat your leftovers, I¡¯m not picky.¡±


    Shen Yan glanced at Qin Dingyue and smiled.


    Her smile caused an uproar among her fans watching the screen,


    The person they were stanning was indeed very attractive!


    When she smiled, it was like a fairy enchanting the world!


    ¡°Shen Yan, you and Wen Yan should eat first,¡± Zhou Jingming was getting hungry, especially after smelling the delicious food, and his stomach was beginning to rebel.


    Shen Yan: ¡°Let¡¯s eat together. It¡¯s awkward if you just watch us eat.¡±


    Liu Qiang, hearing this, didn¡¯t hesitate and was the first to grab a bowl and chopsticks to start eating the meat.


    After being hungry for most of the day, Liu Qiang found the meat dishes the production team prepared to be incredibly delicious!


    Shen Yan followed suit, and Xu Zishen and Zhou Jingming also joined in.


    Even though they were starving, they maintained their image in front of the camera.


    Mu Jincheng and Chu Jinghe were left out, with no one to speak up for them.


    Chu Jinghe felt restless.


    Why did she have to arrange a meal for the other two groups? There was a sense of frustration at making a wedding dress for others.


    No matter how unsettled she felt, Chu Jinghe maintained her graceful and quiet persona.


    Sitting at the small table, staring at the scant vegetarian dish, she didn¡¯t have any appetite.


    Mu Jincheng had never worried about food and clothing, ever before or after his debut. Today, seeing his beloved eating a single vegetarian dish, he naturally directed his anger at Shen Yan.


    This dinner was tasteless for Mu Jincheng and Chu Jinghe as they swallowed their food with difficulty.


    The fans watching felt extremely distressed.


    Unable to help it, they ran to Shen Yan¡¯s live stream to curse her out.


    But Shen Yan¡¯s new fans weren¡¯t pushovers; they retaliated in turn.

 Chapter 13 - 13 013 Strange Strangely Pleasant to the Ear

    ?Chapter 13: Chapter 013: Strange, Strangely Pleasant to the Ear Chapter 13: Chapter 013: Strange, Strangely Pleasant to the Ear After dinner, Director Li felt that just a dry live stream wasn¡¯t creating enough of a splash.


    So he set his sights on Chu Jinghe.


    Why not borrow a trick from the neighboring love-themed reality show?


    No sooner said than done.


    Director Li, with a megaphone in hand, had people set up a bonfire on the flat ground.


    He challenged several guests to improvise a bonfire dance!


    As a former dance king, Zhou Jingming was the first to be called out.


    The Jingming fans in the live stream got so excited they started spamming the chat with messages.


    Under the eager requests of the audience and the show providing the music, Zhou Jingming danced a traditional-styled dance that combined both grace and strength.


    He knew that young people nowadays loved such dances.


    Indeed.


    After he finished his dance, there was a round of rapid-fire applause!


    Qin Dingyue was so impressed her eyes were nearly popping out, not to mention the fans watching the screen.


    The dance was quickly clipped into short videos and uploaded overnight to a certain platform.


    In less than half an hour, likes and shares had reached hundreds of thousands.


    The comment section had succumbed.


    It was clear that Zhou Jingming¡¯s popularity was frighteningly high.


    ¡°Zishen, I remember you¡¯re also quite amazing when it comes to dancing!¡±


    Chu Jinghe, perhaps with some ulterior motive, suddenly spoke up.


    She successfully diverted everyone¡¯s attention to Xu Zishen.


    Xu Zishen just froze for a moment, then met Chu Jinghe¡¯s gentle smile, feeling a bit awkward.


    The moment of their eye contact was caught by Mu Jincheng, who frowned unintentionally.


    He didn¡¯t like Chu Jinghe smiling at other men like that.


    Moreover, during the first episode, Xu Zishen had nearly ended up in the same group as Chu Jinghe.


    If it weren¡¯t for his subtle maneuvering, Qin Dingyue¡¯s partner would have been him.


    So, Mu Jincheng wasn¡¯t too fond of Xu Zishen.


    ¡°I can dance too,¡± Wen Yan said with a smile as he raised his hand, ¡°Mr. Chu, I¡¯m considered a singer who can dance too!¡±


    Undeniably, Wen Yan¡¯s voice was really good.


    But when it came to dancing, he was a bit far off compared with Zhou Jingming, who debuted as a dancer.


    Liu Qiang was a bit discontented as they took turns stepping up.


    But aside from acting, her singing and dancing weren¡¯t up to par.


    Chu Jinghe said with a smile, ¡°Of course I know Brother Yan is an expert in this area, and he¡¯s even our senior among us. I was just thinking, maybe we younger ones could learn from any shortcomings and ask our senior for some guidance. You wouldn¡¯t mind, right Brother Yan?¡±


    These words pleased Wen Yan to no end!


    Among those present, Wen Yan was the eldest.


    But Wen Yan had a babyface, appearing almost a decade younger than his actual age.


    He didn¡¯t seem out of place standing together with Zhou Jingming, Xu Zishen, and others.


    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t mind!¡± Wan Yan was not only unopposed but also delighted.


    Shen Yan sat quietly on the side, watching how the female lead displayed her charm that enchanted everyone.


    As long as the female lead spoke up, those around her would bask in her glow.


    Tsk tsk, true to being the enchantress of a female lead.


    Even if she swear, people would automatically interpret it as sweet talk!


    Looking at the male lead, he was already so infatuated with the female lead he couldn¡¯t tell north from south.


    In Shen Yan¡¯s view, no one present was clear-headed.


    Then, seduced by Chu Jinghe¡¯s sweet words, they formed a team on the spot and cooperated on a very cohesive dance.


    Handsome guys, who doesn¡¯t like to watch?


    The fans watching the live stream went crazy, completely losing their minds.


    After the men had their turns, it was Liu Qiang and Qin Dingyue¡¯s turn.


    Chu Jinghe took the initiative to stand out and sang a song.


    That song was actually one of Wen Yan¡¯s, and after singing she sweetly asked Wen Yan to give her feedback.


    Wen Yan was already spellbound by the female lead, naturally, he lavished her with praise.


    You have to admit, the female lead did sing quite well.


    Qin Dingyue, who came from a theater background and was naturally blunt and adventurous, spontaneously performed a sword dance for everyone, unanimously earning their recognition.


    Liu Qiang, on her part, managed to pull off a decent soft dance.


    It was just a token effort.


    Most of them were performing dances.


    Finally, when it was Shen Yan¡¯s turn, Chu Jinghe appeared considerate, ¡°Shen Yan is the youngest and least experienced among us, so let¡¯s not be too hard on her, shall we?¡±


    Liu Qiang laughingly chimed in, ¡°I think Shen Yan usually keeps her talents well-hidden, she must have some skills we don¡¯t know about! Show us a couple, enlighten us!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think Shen Yan will definitely be able to do it. Everyone else has performed their talents, so we can¡¯t have one person left out,¡± Wen Yan turned around, smiling as he spoke.


    Facing Shen Yan¡¯s indifferent gaze, Wen Yan¡¯s smile froze instantly.


    He was even frightened almost to the point of choking on his own saliva.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t refuse either.


    Everyone had showcased their talents; she couldn¡¯t be the exception.


    ¡°In the presence of all my seniors here, the talents displayed earlier are something that, as a junior, I am ashamed to admit I cannot match. As for me, I have nothing to offer except for a bit of acting skill.¡±


    Hearing the word ¡°acting.¡±


    Those who had seen the web drama starring Shen Yan couldn¡¯t help but twitch at the corners of their mouths.


    Did Shen Yan even have a claim to acting talent?


    To them, she was just a beautiful but talentless vase.


    [If I hadn¡¯t seen that eye-sore of a web drama of hers, I might have believed her.]


    [I suggest Shen Yan try playing the role of a fake princess; a natural performance would definitely become a hit.]


    [I doubt how she, of such a caliber, managed to get the resources for this show; there must be some hidden story.]


    [Just say she¡¯s been involved in some under-the-table deals.]


    [Waiting for the fake princess to mess up.]


    [She¡¯s bound to make a fool of herself! Allow me to laugh out loud...]


    Shen Yan¡¯s fans exploded in anger upon seeing this.


    Crying out words of encouragement for Shen Yan.


    The haters appeared to mock them for supporting a mere vase.


    Chu Jinghe had a slight smile on her lips, her expression filled with anticipation: ¡°I¡¯m actually looking forward to this!¡±


    Mu Jincheng sneered disdainfully.


    What talent could Shen Yan possibly have.


    She had her share of making a fool of herself.


    ¡°Give me an erhu.¡±


    Shen Yan suddenly requested an erhu from the program team.


    Director Li, who was actively monitoring the shoot, was confused for a moment, ¡°We didn¡¯t prepare instruments like the erhu...¡±


    They were here for survival, with no musical instruments brought along at all.


    ¡°I just so happen to have brought a ukulele with me,¡± Xu Zishen suddenly remembered the little guitar he had in his suitcase, ¡°Would that be okay?¡±


    His last question was directed at Shen Yan.


    ¡°That would be perfect,¡± Shen Yan smiled at him, ¡°then I¡¯ll trouble you to borrow it for a bit!¡±


    Xu Zishen had his assistant go to retrieve the instrument.


    Chu Jinghe furrowed her brows ever so slightly.


    She was very aware of her own charm.


    Although she came from a comfortably well-off family, from childhood to adulthood, no one around her had ever treated her poorly, everyone always accommodating her. Her path to stardom had been smooth sailing, and even when facing any issues, there was always a benefactor to help.


    Xu Zishen had clearly been looking at her just moments ago, but was so easily hooked away by Shen Yan.


    It incomprehensibly bothered Chu Jinghe.


    The ukulele was quickly brought over.


    Shen Yan took it and strummed it lightly, producing a clear sound.


    It was clearly no ordinary little guitar.


    Mu Jincheng watched her movement and inwardly sneered at the pretentious display.


    Chu Jinghe watched Shen Yan with a gentle and expectant smile still on her face.


    Liu Qiang adjusted her position, the corners of her mouth holding a smile that was far from well-meaning.


    Everyone else followed suit, their eyes fixed on Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan¡¯s fans felt nervous.


    As new fans of Shen Yan, they had of course looked into her past and really felt that aside from her face, she seemed to have no special talents.


    As everyone waited for Shen Yan to make a fool of herself, her slender fingers plucked the strings, and a calming yet refreshing tune poured forth from her unhurried hands.


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s gentle smile slowly stiffened on her face.


    Liu Qiang was directly petrified.


    What tune was this?


    Strangely, strangely pleasant to hear...


    Then, the girl¡¯s thin lips parted, and her clear, elegant voice swept over them like a spring breeze, penetrating the heart and soothing the soul!


    Shen Yan sang an unfamiliar ballad in a capella.


    The melody and lyrics of the ballad carried a faint hint of melancholy...


    The song that spilled out within the room caused the tall figure walking in the courtyard to halt.


    The manor¡¯s servants were secretly gathered around a tablet, watching the live broadcast in the break room.


    The door was half-open.


    Qi Si stood straight outside, his eyesight excellent enough to see the graceful figure on the tablet.


    The ballad and the sound of the ukulele seemed to be imbued with magic, dazzling him, preventing him from moving for a moment.


    For the first time, he realized that his fiance?e, who always insulted him and wanted to escape from his side, actually possessed such a little talent.

 Chapter 14 - 14 014 Just a Shattered Ballad

    ?Chapter 14: Chapter 014: Just a Shattered Ballad Chapter 14: Chapter 014: Just a Shattered Ballad The music and ballads gradually ceased.


    The atmosphere became quiet.


    Shen Yan gently set the guitar down.


    The soft sound snapped everyone back to reality.


    ¡°Bravo!¡±


    The applause started sparsely but eventually found its rhythm.


    Qin Dingyue approached with bright eyes, staring intently at Shen Yan


    as if Shen Yan were a piece of tempting meat.


    ¡°Shen Yan, you play so beautifully. I had no idea you had such a great voice! What should I do; I¡¯m starting to worship you! I¡¯m going to be your number one fan girl!¡±


    Shen Yan smiled faintly, that moment of ethereal grace made Qin Dingyue, who only had eyes for handsome men, stare in awe!


    Oh my god!


    It was the first time she realized Shen Yan could be so bewitchingly beautiful!


    [The silly girl is beyond saving.]


    [Someone, please, come and slap my silly girl awake!]


    [Girl! Please smarten up! You¡¯re killing your mom here.]


    A woman¡¯s jealousy is stronger than one might imagine,


    especially the jealousy between female celebrities.


    Liu Qiang couldn¡¯t maintain her smile any longer, barely able to conceal the envy in her gaze.


    She thought Shen Yan was useless, but the result was unexpected.


    A mere casual performance revealed that Shen Yan¡¯s skills were far more profound.


    Shen Yan still had more to show!


    And that face¡ªLiu Qiang, clutching the corner of her garment, nearly poked a hole through it.


    Damn it.


    Shen Yan managed to outshine her.


    The more Liu Qiang thought about it, the more annoyed she became at her own subpar performance.


    [Whoever said my Shen Yan is just a vase, care to take a stroll out here?]


    [My idol is not as simple as you think!]


    [Ha! Take that, fake princess.]


    [From my professional point of view, there is something exceptional about the way the fake princess plays and sings.]


    [Is it so hard to admit my Shen Yan is outstanding? Some people just can¡¯t stand to see others succeed.]


    The trolls and Shen Yan¡¯s new fans started to clash.


    The comments flew thicker and faster.


    Chu Jinghe noticed several male guests¡¯ gazes being drawn towards Shen Yan, even the disdainful Mu Jincheng had a moment where he was spellbound.


    This was not a good sign.


    Chu Jinghe felt things were going off track.


    She felt a bit uneasy,


    profoundly uncomfortable with Shen Yan¡¯s recent performance.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s face turned a shade darker as he pulled his gaze away from Shen Yan.


    He had actually been distracted.


    And by Shen Yan, of all people.


    Totally inappropriate.


    Xu Zishen walked over, picked up his guitar, and looked at Shen Yan again, ¡°You play really well! Have you had professional training?¡±


    ¡°No, just picked it up for a few weeks by chance.¡±


    Shen Yan wasn¡¯t lying.


    That was before she was sent to the base when she had learned outside school for a few weeks.


    Thoughts darkened in Shen Yan¡¯s eyes as she recalled something.


    It was because of her special talent that those people wanted to research her.


    And her family...


    ¡°What song is that? I¡¯ve never heard it before?¡± Wen Yan, a singer who had heard more songs than most people had eaten salt,


    couldn¡¯t recall this song from memory.


    Shen Yan spoke with a light tone, ¡°Just a shattered ballad.¡±


    Shattered?


    Why describe a ballad like that?


    ¡°What a rubbish explanation. Such an act,¡± Liu Qiang muttered under her breath.


    Shen Yan¡¯s unrecorded ballad and tune went viral online.


    After dinner, everyone boredly scrolled through short videos and Weibo on their phones.


    Netizens stumbled upon the treasure in the desert island live broadcast and began to share it across Weibo and various apps.


    [Even though I don¡¯t know her, the young lady is truly an immortal beauty! And she plays such beautiful music! Sings so well! Instant fan!]


    [Pure passerby, completely captivated by the immortal girl!]


    [Sob! Is it just me who gets teary easily, or do the tune and ballad sound so... mournful?]


    ¡°[It¡¯s not that exaggerated,¡± I didn¡¯t hear any sadness in it, sounds pretty average to me.]¡±


    ¡°[Nowadays netizens just love to overhype things,¡± it¡¯s just a light and airy ballad, is there really a need to go so overboard with the praise?]¡±


    ¡°[I don¡¯t care, don¡¯t care,¡± from today on, I¡¯m joining Shen Yan¡¯s fan squad!¡± If Black doesn¡¯t like it, then roll away early and don¡¯t bother sis!]¡±


    ¡°[Let me promote @ShenYanV, the protagonist of the acapella ballad!]¡±


    Shen Yan had no idea that because of this ballad, she had successfully captured a batch of casual fans.


    The number one fan immediately went down to recruit new Shen Yan fans into the group!


    After recording all day and carrying equipment all the way, even after dinner, the exhaustion from the day wasn¡¯t relieved, and everyone smelled awful, disgustingly so.


    Liu Qiang was the first to couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and went down to request a bath.


    Regretting being on this show for the nth time.


    Not just Liu Qiang, but even the male celebrities couldn¡¯t take it any more.


    They swore they wouldn¡¯t carry such heavy stuff again tomorrow.


    Usually, they couldn¡¯t run for long in the gym, and here they were, hiking with weights on a mountain track, and on top of that, they had to find food on this deserted island; they were clearly being played with.


    Today was the most hardcore day of shooting.


    Director Li knew he was at fault and had previously set a precedent for Chu Jing and another person.


    Once Liu Qiang spoke up, others followed suit.


    ¡°Let¡¯s all go take a bath; otherwise, we won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight,¡± Qin Ding Yue affectionately grabbed Shen Yan¡¯s hand and started walking.


    Shen Yan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed.


    She didn¡¯t like physical contact with others.


    Especially this level of intimacy.


    She subtly withdrew her hand and nodded at Qin Ding Yue.


    Qin Ding Yue was carefree and rarely paid attention to the details.


    Shen Yan¡¯s subtle move went unnoticed by her.


    She was happy that Shen Yan had responded to her.


    The fans watching the screen were already speechless about their naive daughter.


    They were also scared Qin Ding Yue would be attacked by Shen Yan¡¯s Black, tiptoeing around various apps only to find they were overthinking it.


    Their naive girl was still quite popular, and many spoke up for Qin Ding Yue.


    Although the way they spoke was a bit... peculiar, at least it was not a direct attack on Qin Ding Yue.


    After the bath, nobody wanted to move.


    Even Qin Ding Yue, who had been clamoring for adventure, lay sprawled in the tent refusing to come out and ¡°open for business.¡±


    The evening¡¯s filming was much more relaxed.


    The camera positions were fixed; no one needed to watch over them.


    Everyone was too exhausted to even lift their fingers, having to carry weight, suffering hunger, and still maintaining their image in front of the cameras, the post-dinner entertainment was already their limit; after bathing, they flopped down like Ge You lying down, ignoring anyone who came by.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t sleep but lay quietly in her tent staring at the tent ceiling.


    Although it was supposed to be a 24-hour live broadcast, there were angles that weren¡¯t covered.


    Not knowing how long she lay there, a faint noise came from outside¡ªclearly, someone was avoiding the camera to sneak over to her.


    Shen Yan sat up and lifted the part of the tent that wasn¡¯t on camera.


    In the night, she saw Mu Jincheng looking at her with a cold expression.


    Mu Jincheng gestured toward a spot not far away, signaling her to follow.


    Shen Yan raised an eyebrow and watched him groping his way over; she didn¡¯t move.


    Mu Jincheng, who had moved a distance away and noticed Shen Yan hadn¡¯t followed, furrowed his brows and said in an impatient tone, ¡°Come here.¡±


    What was going on with Shen Yan?


    Before, just a glance from him would send her scurrying over happily, and now, despite his obvious gesture, she pretended not to understand.


    Thinking about Shen Yan¡¯s performance in this issue.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s expression turned uglier.


    Playing hard to get with him? Useless.


    Shen Yan ignored this lunatic who didn¡¯t sleep at night and came looking for her, fixed the tent, and lay back down.


    Mu Jincheng outside: ¡°...¡±


    Although the camera couldn¡¯t capture it, what if another inadvertently did?


    Would she be blacklisted on the hot search again tomorrow?


    She didn¡¯t like the leading male and female characters in the book, and if possible, she didn¡¯t want to have any connection with these two at all.


    Mu Jincheng about to burst from anger because of Shen Yan.


    But Mu Jincheng dared not bluster back and scold Shen Yan; it would ruin his reputation.


    Mu Jincheng had no choice but to suppress his frustration and fumble his way back.


    He thought he had covered his tracks perfectly, but Zhou Jingming saw everything clearly as he passed by earlier.


    Zhou Jingming felt strangely unsettled by Mu Jincheng¡¯s movement toward Shen Yan¡¯s tent, and his mind speculated deeper about the relationship between the two.


    In the first issue, Shen Yan was all over Mu Jincheng without any regard for public opinion.


    But last time, Mu Jincheng had maintained his gentlemanly demeanor and didn¡¯t take issue with Shen Yan.


    But since then, Mu Jincheng had been pranking Shen Yan intentionally or unintentionally, which Zhou Jingming had occasionally noticed.


    He just hadn¡¯t bothered with these trifles.


    Plus, Shen Yan from the previous issue was indeed detestable.


    Thinking about the young girl playing guitar and singing by the campfire tonight, the scene of a beautiful woman engrained into his mind, Zhou Jingming turned over restlessly.

 Chapter 15 - 15 015 Regrouping

    ?Chapter 15: Chapter 015: Regrouping Chapter 15: Chapter 015: Regrouping Perhaps it was because yesterday¡¯s weighted trek turned out too embarrassingly, this morning, a immediate meeting was called by the program¡¯s team.


    Mu Jincheng crawled out of the tent and his gaze immediately darted in Shen Yan¡¯s direction.


    Bathed in the morning light, Shen Yan¡¯s skin glowed with a dreamy luster. Under the warm light, he felt Shen Yan suddenly elevated!


    Chu Jinghe, who had applied a no-makeup makeup look in the tent, came out and saw Mu Jincheng staring blankly in Shen Yan¡¯s direction, a hint of darkness flickering in his eyes.


    Following his gaze that landed on Shen Yan, Chu Jinghe took a sharp breath.


    Suppressing the jealousy surging in her heart.


    From the moment she saw Shen Yan¡¯s true face, Chu Jinghe knew she could not outshine Shen Yan in terms of looks.


    But she didn¡¯t think she was inferior to Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan had performed too outstandingly yesterday. Last night she checked the ratings on Weibo and all major apps.


    She discovered that Shen Yan, who only had haters before, now had a true fan club.


    And Shen Yan¡¯s popularity with the general public was gradually improving.


    From the moment Shen Yan saved Wen Yan by catching a fish, his brilliance could no longer be hidden.


    It shouldn¡¯t have been like this.


    Yet, the data online couldn¡¯t lie.


    The sense of crisis that Shen Yan caused Chu Jinghe grew stronger.


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Chu Jinghe pretended to cough.


    Mu Jincheng immediately diverted his gaze, then startled by his own action.


    What was he doing just now?


    Could he actually find Shen Yan, standing in the morning light, charming?


    The person he liked was Chu Jinghe, and the one he would protect in the future was also Chu Jinghe.


    Definitely not Shen Yan with hidden agendas.


    Mu Jincheng thought this must be an illusion intentionally created by Shen Yan.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s expression slightly darkened.


    Turning back to face Chu Jinghe, his expression softened.


    Revealing a gentle smile, ¡°You¡¯re up!¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Chu Jinghe replied with a reserved smile, ¡°I wonder what kind of challenge Director Li will set for us today.¡±


    Survival on a desert island had five episodes in total, each lasting five days.


    They started filming on Wednesday.


    By the time Shen Yan returned, they had already been filming for one day; counting yesterday, they would finish filming in three days.


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s gaze suddenly landed on Xu Zishen who was stretching nearby.


    Sensing her gaze, Xu Zishen looked over and greeted Chu Jinghe with a slight nod and a smile.


    Upon seeing this, Chu Jinghe walked over.


    Qin Dingyue had applied makeup today as well. Her skin was still quite good, but since joining this show, she had tanned significantly.


    Qin Dingyue had the kind of skin that easily tans but does not easily whiten again. Her manager was so anxious and had already scheduled a beauty treatment for her on Monday.


    ¡°Shen Yan!¡±


    Qin Dingyue climbed out and immediately noticed Shen Yan standing there, bathed in the morning light.


    Seeing her not interacting with Xu Zishen but instead running to Shen Yan, who attracted negative attention, her manager felt like smashing his phone!


    She had missed the chance to get close to Xu Zishen last episode. Even after being reminded, she was still so careless, beyond saving.


    In fact, besides Qin Dingyue, other participants were also reminded by their managers to cozy up to Xu Zishen.


    After all, he was a rich heir from a certain province. It would always be beneficial to build a relationship with him.


    Wen Yan, standing nearby, saw Qin Dingyue approach Shen Yan and rolled her eyes in bafflement.


    Feeling that Qin Dingyue was particularly annoying, she got slightly irritated.


    ¡°Shen Yan! Your skin is really nice! Is it truly natural?¡± Qin Dingyue, perhaps not thinking clearly, reached out to touch Shen Yan¡¯s face.


    Upon contact, Qin Dingyue¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Your skin is really smooth!¡±


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    How could such a frank girl survive in the entertainment industry?


    Her manager must have played a big role.


    ¡°It¡¯s really natural! I¡¯m so envious of your naturally beautiful skin!¡± Qin Dingyue said with a frown, ¡°Unlike me, who tans and can¡¯t get back to being pale, it¡¯s driving me crazy...¡±


    Qin Dingyue stood beside Shen Yan and started complaining.


    In front of the camera, her fans felt helpless.


    Silly girl, not everyone can be complained to casually. Look at who¡¯s standing in front of you.


    Shen Yan looked at Qin Dingyue.


    Qin Ding Yue apologized with a smile, ¡°Did I talk too much?¡±


    [Stupid girl, you finally know what you¡¯re doing!]


    [Facepalm, can¡¯t watch this.]


    [That¡¯s not my girl.]


    ¡°I can make you a medicated ointment for your skincare concerns once we wrap up the episode.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Qin Ding Yue gazed at Shen Yan in shock.


    She realized Shen Yan was serious.


    ¡°Are you, are you a medical student?¡±


    Shen Yan shook her head, then nodded, ¡°Half a medical student, I suppose.¡±


    Before she turned fifteen, she truly followed the path of traditional medicine, but after that, her life underwent drastic changes.


    At that base, she also learned a lot.


    So, one could say she was half a medical student.


    Qin Ding Yue suddenly became more interested. ¡°Then how did you enter the entertainment industry? Don¡¯t tell me it was because of Mu Jincheng, like the rumors say?¡±


    Although Mu Jincheng is indeed handsome.


    But Qin Ding Yue thought he was just okay.


    Qin Ding Yue¡¯s fans: ¡°...¡±


    If they were there in person, they¡¯d really want to drag her away.


    Should you ask such a direct question?


    Grow some tact!


    Shen Yan¡¯s new fans were thrilled!


    They also opened another gateway of understanding towards Shen Yan.


    So Shen Yan had learned medicine too.


    Truly surprising.


    [Wuu~ I want the medicine too!]


    [Yanyan, my skin is also dark, I need the ointment!]


    [Pfft, Shen Yan¡¯s lies are getting more outrageous.]


    [Watching her spear fish and make fire from wood, doing farm work like a pro, I started wondering if Fake Princess comes from a rural area.]


    [What¡¯s wrong with being from a rural area? Can¡¯t people from rural areas become stars? Are they eating your rice or sleeping in your beds?]


    [Right, haters just like to make trouble, being skeptical and indignant without any reason.]


    [My Yanyan¡¯s looks and charisma, you city folks can¡¯t even match a third.]


    [Even if my Yanyan is from a rural area, I still like her! Haters, get lost.]


    [Forget the haters, jealousy makes people ugly. Let¡¯s cheer for Yanyan!]


    A wave of ¡°cheering¡± passes.


    The haters grit their teeth, and start furiously typing on their keyboards.


    ¡°Guests, please gather in front here,¡± Director Li announced through a megaphone.


    Here it comes!


    Scheming Director Li is starting his performance again.


    Qin Ding Yue cheerfully pulled Shen Yan¡¯s hand, ¡°Let¡¯s head over!¡±


    Shen Yan, still unaccustomed to such close contact, pulled her hand away.


    Qin Ding Yue gave a silly laugh, somewhat goofy.


    The fans couldn¡¯t bear to watch anymore.


    Director Li, looking innocently at several guests, said, ¡°Today we are changing the rules.¡±


    Changing the rules?


    Everyone immediately tensed up.


    Director Li was definitely up to something.


    ¡°Director Li, time is precious, let¡¯s get started,¡± Xu Zishen was somewhat speechless.


    Director Li, grinning like a fox, said, ¡°I know you¡¯ve all developed good rapport with each other since grouping up, but hey, we need to be fair, so we¡¯ve decided to mix up the groups and redraw the teams!¡±


    Mu Jincheng frowned slightly.


    He was very opposed to this suggestion.


    Who knows if he¡¯d still be able to be in the same team as Chu Jinghe after the shuffle?


    Qin Ding Yue excitedly exclaimed, ¡°I want to be in the same team as Shen Yan!¡±


    Director Li cleared his throat, ¡°The ladies will draw lots to decide their male partners.¡±


    Qin Ding Yue¡¯s smile quickly disappeared, much to the delight of the fans.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t mind who she teamed up with at all.

 Chapter 16 - 16 016 Drew the Male Lead

    ?Chapter 16: Chapter 016: Drew the Male Lead Chapter 16: Chapter 016: Drew the Male Lead Director Li noticed that the guests were silent and cleared his throat, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s draw lots now to decide the new teams.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± Liu Qiang didn¡¯t want to be on the same team with Zhou Jingming anymore, and she had her sights set on Xu Zishen.


    A staff member brought over a small box with the names of several male guests written inside.


    Whomever you drew, you¡¯d team up with.


    Liu Qiang wanted to draw Xu Zishen.


    After picking up a slip of paper, she returned to her spot and unfolded it, only to become completely stiff.


    How could it be him.


    ¡°Sister Qiangqiang, whom did you draw?¡± Qin Dingyue curiously leaned in, and Liu Qiang almost wished she could smack her with a big backhand!


    The others also looked over.


    On the male guests¡¯ side, Mu Jincheng was a bit nervous the other party would draw him.


    He sighed in relief when he saw the name Liu Qiang reluctantly revealed.


    Liu Qiang drew Wen Yan.


    Liu Qiang didn¡¯t like Shen Yan, and similarly, she didn¡¯t want to be on the same team with Wen Yan.


    It was exactly what she dreaded.


    ¡°Shall I go next?¡± Chu Jinghe smiled gently, looking at Qin Dingyue and Shen Yan.


    Both deferred to her.


    Watching Chu Jinghe reach for a slip, Mu Jincheng¡¯s breath slowed down.


    He silently prayed she would draw him.


    Chu Jinghe didn¡¯t immediately reveal her paper but looked towards Shen Yan instead, ¡°You can draw too.¡±


    Qin Dingyue went first, picking up a slip, while Shen Yan took the last piece of paper in a leisurely fashion.


    Chu Jinghe unfolded her paper with an air of composure, and there it was, the name Xu Zishen emblazoned on it.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s face changed instantly, and he shot a look at Xu Zishen.


    Xu Zishen felt nothing in particular; teaming up with anyone just meant completing tasks.


    ¡°Zishen, I¡¯ll be counting on you from now on,¡± Chu Jinghe smiled beautifully, her voice as gentle as ever.


    ¡°You too, please count on me,¡± Xu Zishen responded, moved by Chu Jinghe¡¯s smile.


    Mu Jincheng clenched his fists.


    He had a fifty percent chance of being paired with Qin Dingyue, certainly better than being with Shen Yan.


    ¡°Zhou Jingming, I¡¯m with you!¡±


    Before Mu Jincheng could brace himself, Qin Dingyue blurted out her result.


    Zhou Jingming gave Qin Dingyue a slight nod, clearly indifferent about who his partner was.


    Still, he couldn¡¯t help but glance at Shen Yan and Mu Jincheng.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s gaze turned sharply toward Shen Yan, his eyes chilly.


    Shen Yan hadn¡¯t expected her luck to be this bad, ending up drawing the male lead.


    Seeing the male lead¡¯s reluctant expression, Shen Yan felt a bit helpless as well.


    But this wasn¡¯t her fault.


    The male lead didn¡¯t see it that way.


    He always felt that Shen Yan had a hand in this; what had she done now?


    Bribed someone on the production team?


    ¡°Alright! The new teams are settled; next, let¡¯s announce today¡¯s survival task. You won¡¯t have to carry heavy loads, but you¡¯ll need to find your own food. We won¡¯t provide any fire source or food, but water and tools will be supplied appropriately. Oil and salt will also be in limited quantities, so please keep them safe. There are four routes, meaning you won¡¯t have any chance of running into each other today. Everyone is on their own for lunch, and whatever you catch or gather during the day will be your dinner tonight.¡±


    The four teams all had grim expressions.


    Another survival task.


    However, today they wouldn¡¯t need to compete for resources, as each team had its own separate route.


    Chu Jinghe smiled faintly at Xu Zishen, ¡°Let¡¯s work hard together today!¡±


    Xu Zishen, looking at that enchanting smile, nodded subconsciously!


    He had already taken a liking to Chu Jinghe, and now, seeing her smile, he couldn¡¯t help wanting to get closer to her.


    Seeing the situation over there, Mu Jincheng felt gloomy.


    Liu Qiang frowned, turning back to see Wen Yan also frowning, and asked irritably, ¡°Can you handle it?¡±


    Wen Yan was a man, of course, he couldn¡¯t admit incapacity, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s up to you now.¡±


    For breakfast, they were only given two steamed buns and some water each, a meal they wouldn¡¯t have glanced at before being on the show.


    But after eating the wild food they had prepared themselves, the steamed buns provided by the production team tasted unbelievably good.


    Each group received their route map and set out.


    They didn¡¯t have to carry heavy loads, but they needed to take tools, oil, salt, and a medium-sized frying pan.


    This was their tool for cooking wild food.


    Shen Yan packed her water and a small shovel and also slipped a small bottle of oil and salt into the small backpack distributed by the production team.


    As for that frying pan,


    Shen Yan looked to Mu Jincheng.


    Seeing his still sullen face, she was a little disdainful of the male lead.


    Such a petty man.


    How is he fit to be the male lead?


    Forget it.


    Shen Yan couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with Mu Jincheng and wrapped the frying pan with a bag, stuffing it into her backpack; it would fit, but it meant she couldn¡¯t zip it up.


    Shen Yan carried all the heavy items on her back.


    Mu Jincheng only needed to carry a bottle of water and his assigned small iron shovel, which fit perfectly into his backpack.


    Seeing her carry most of the items without offering to help,


    [The production team is unbelievable, how could they pair Fake Princess with Brother Mu, give us back our CP!]


    [I don¡¯t care, I just want Brother Mu and Chu Jinghe to be in the same group!]


    [That¡¯s it, our sweet island romance is gone.]


    [Please wash your brains, people, this is survival on a desert island, if you want romance go to the love reality show next door.]


    [My Brother Mu doesn¡¯t need to be in a CP with anyone, let him be beautiful on his own.]


    [Although I¡¯m annoyed by Chu Jinghe¡¯s fans randomly shipping, I¡¯m more afraid that Brother Mu will be dragged down by Fake Princess.]


    [Brother Mu, you must hold on!]


    [Actually, Hehe and Xu Zishen are quite a match!]


    Not only were Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans worried, but Shen Yan¡¯s fans were also concerned that Shen Yan wouldn¡¯t be able to restrain herself.


    Those who knew about the first episode were aware that Shen Yan clung to Mu Jincheng whenever she could and even confessed to him.


    She claimed she entered the entertainment industry because of Mu Jincheng, even at times when the hate comments were particularly cruel.


    The concerns of Shen Yan¡¯s fans were unnecessary.


    After putting on all her gear, Shen Yan stepped forward without interacting with Mu Jincheng, not even sparing him a glance.


    Mu Jincheng felt relieved in reality.


    Knowing that he was in the same group as Shen Yan, he had tensed up.


    If Shen Yan dared to cause as much trouble as she did last time, he wouldn¡¯t mind using his connections to have her removed from the show.


    Yet, he had braced himself for it, but Shen Yan, who was walking ahead, hadn¡¯t even looked at him once; it was as if he didn¡¯t exist.


    This made Mu Jincheng a bit surprised.


    Then he wondered, could this be Shen Yan¡¯s tactic of playing hard to get?


    Shen Yan glanced at the route map and then put it away, only to take it out again and hand it to Mu Jincheng.


    Because of her sudden approach, Mu Jincheng involuntarily stepped back, nearly failing to maintain his composure.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Look at the route map yourself.¡±


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t care whether he took it or not, throwing it directly at him.


    Mu Jincheng looked a bit displeased.


    What did Shen Yan mean by this, expecting him to lead the way?


    Did she think she could rely on him to complete the task?


    Was she thinking too much?


    If it were Jinghe, he would without hesitation take on the task himself.


    But as for Shen Yan, no matter how pretty she was, he wouldn¡¯t go easy on her.


    Moreover, who knows whether Shen Yan had done some unspeakable deal to be teamed up with him this time.


    With this thought, Mu Jincheng felt an inexplicable irritation.

 Chapter 17 - 17 017 Soaring Popularity

    ?Chapter 17: Chapter 017: Soaring Popularity Chapter 17: Chapter 017: Soaring Popularity ¡°Let¡¯s go this way.¡±


    Mu Jincheng pointed to the narrower path ahead.


    Shen Yan had no objections and followed him.


    Mu Jincheng himself was born a rich young master, and no matter how much he worked out in the gym, it was just a place to exercise his muscles.


    The path they were walking today had both uphill and downhill slopes, and even carrying almost nothing, he felt tired after a while.


    But it was much better than the weighted march they did yesterday.


    Since joining this show, he had lost a considerable amount of weight.


    The VJ and PD following them noticed Shen Yan trail a bit behind without even gasping for breath, and thinking of her performance from yesterday, they couldn¡¯t help but secretly admire her.


    When Director Li organized this group of guests, they had prepared for a relaxed approach.


    With these celebrities on board, achieving realism in the show was impossible.


    Yesterday was an example.


    After several guests¡¯ agents called to criticize Director Li for being too harsh, making their artists lose face in front of the camera and receiving poor fan reactions, today they immediately returned to a relaxed state, not daring to take it too far.


    Among all the guests, only Shen Yan¡¯s agent didn¡¯t call to complain about the show going overboard.


    If Shen Yan knew their thoughts, she would scoff.


    Her agent wasn¡¯t magnanimous, she just didn¡¯t care about her artist at all.


    Let it be whatever.


    Even if Shen Yan ran into trouble with the show crew, Zhang Lu wouldn¡¯t stand up for her.


    You could say her agent was about as unreliable as they come.


    ¡°There¡¯s a river ahead,¡± where there¡¯s a river, there could be wild fish.


    It was summer, a time when freshwater fish were plentiful.


    Shen Yan said and moved towards the sound of water. Noticing a fork in the road, Mu Jincheng had wanted to go further to look for other wildlife.


    But Shen Yan had already gone over, and he suppressed the irritation in his heart and followed.


    Sure enough, there was a small river ahead.


    The riverbank was covered with plenty of moss-grown river snails.


    The water was clear, and you could see several small fish darting across the weedy surface.


    The presence of small fish meant there could be bigger ones.


    Shen Yan took out the small knife provided by the show crew, intending to use her talent for spearfishing to catch a few fish.


    Since there was no rule on winning or losing, Shen Yan didn¡¯t plan on increasing the catch.


    Enough for their day¡¯s meal was sufficient.


    This was the so-called wilderness survival by the show crew.


    Not challenging at all.


    Mu Jincheng watched her pick and choose among various branches nearby, opened his mouth, then decided not to interfere in her business.


    But fishing...


    He was troubled.


    He didn¡¯t know how.


    Then the thought struck him, perhaps Shen Yan was setting him up for embarrassment here.


    If so, that would mean she was quite scheming.


    Hence, he assumed that Shen Yan preparing branches must be for his use.


    How should he react when Shen Yan hands him the spear for fishing?


    How could he refuse without letting fans think he was useless?


    While Mu Jincheng was pondering this, Shen Yan had already swiftly and neatly trimmed the branches, sharpening one end.


    Seeing him standing quietly by the river bank being good-looking, Shen Yan didn¡¯t bother him.


    She was as aware as a mirror how much the male lead disliked her, so she tried her best not to touch the man meant only for the female lead.


    To avoid any further misunderstandings.


    The VJ promptly framed Shen Yan¡¯s actions in the shot.


    The VJ and PD following them today were fixed on Mu Jincheng and Chu Jinghe, so they weren¡¯t aware of Shen Yan¡¯s skill in spearfishing.


    After a day of filming, they were as exhausted as dogs, without even the desire to check their phones, and they would fall asleep as soon as the break started.


    Thus, they had no clue about Shen Yan¡¯s capability.


    The VJ, curious, said, ¡°Shen Yan, are you going to spearfish? Or are you asking our Teacher Mu to do it...¡±


    The VJ hadn¡¯t finished speaking when they saw Shen Yan take off her shoes, revealing smooth and pale feet.


    [I¡¯m telling you, I could play with Yanyan¡¯s little feet for years!]


    [Pfft! How vulgar. If it were me, I could definitely play for over a decade! And even play fancy with them!]


    [Is Mu Jincheng planning to just watch without doing anything? Could it be because his partner is Shen Yan he refuses to lift a finger, wanting to enjoy the fruits of labor directly? That¡¯s hardly gentlemanly.]


    [Ha-ha, my Brother Mu¡¯s survival skills in the wild are the strongest among all the contestants. Can the Fake Princess even compare to Brother Mu taking action?]


    [That¡¯s right, the Fake Princess isn¡¯t worth it.]


    [I still prefer watching Brother Mu and Chu Jinghe as partners. The Fake Princess can roll as far away as possible.]


    Seeing Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans praise him so highly, Shen Yan¡¯s fans became unhappy.


    Letting a girl do all the work while he, a grown man, just watches from the shore is not the behavior of a real man.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans were fierce, boasting about Mu Jincheng¡¯s capabilities and saying Shen Yan wasn¡¯t worthy.


    [Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans aren¡¯t afraid of ¡®blowing him up¡¯ with their hype.]


    There was a hint of malicious intent in that comment.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans were furious.


    Already at the final point and waiting, Director Li scrolled through the live stream shared by Shen Yan and Mu Jincheng, grinning like a sly fox.


    Unexpectedly, these two partnering up had generated even more heat than partnering with Chu Jinghe!


    Unlike yesterday, when they only had to sort out lunch.


    Today they needed to prepare a whole day¡¯s worth of food.


    Shen Yan, holding a two-meter-long stick, rolled up her trousers and stepped into the water.


    The camera just followed her move.


    Then they saw Shen Yan spear a fish in one swift movement and swiftly spear another.


    Raising them up, she then speared two more fish onto the shore in quick succession.


    Both the VJ and the PD¡¯s eyes bulged in amazement.


    An overly self-conscious Mu Jincheng, ¡°...¡±


    He thought Shen Yan would toss this task to him, but instead, she pulled off such a fierce stunt right before his eyes!


    It truly scared Mu Jincheng.


    How did he not know Shen Yan had such skills?


    Shen Yan pulled two fish onto the shore, letting them flop and jump around in the mud.


    She then turned and pierced into the water where the aquatic plants were thick.


    Water splashed all around, and Shen Yan lifted up another fish, which must have weighed at least three pounds, twisting wildly.


    Shen Yan tossed it along with the stick onto the shore.


    Whether by coincidence or not, the sharp end landed straight into the mud, and Shen Yan, turning back, plunged her hands into the water and grabbed forcefully.


    In the camera¡¯s view, Shen Yan actually caught two hand-sized fish barehanded!


    Barehanded fish catching!!!


    The spectators were stunned!


    Mu Jincheng was dumbfounded by the abrupt scene that invaded his mind.


    [Holy shit! Holy shit! Catching fish barehanded! Freakin¡¯ awesome!]


    [I¡¯m asking my mom what kind of immortal I¡¯m a fan of?!!]


    [Give me a net and I wouldn¡¯t be able to catch the fish in the pond; wild fish are so alert. Yanyan can actually catch fish barehanded! If I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, I would suspect those lively jumping fish were Photoshopped in.]


    Both fans and haters of Mu Jincheng fell silent.


    The blow to their face was too sudden, too unexpected!


    Haters who had been badmouthing Shen Yan about making a fool of herself were now watching this scene, feeling as uncomfortable as if they had swallowed several lumps of shit.


    They wanted to find Shen Yan¡¯s dark side, but there wasn¡¯t a single fault to find.


    For one thing, Shen Yan wasn¡¯t leeching off Mu Jincheng, for another, she wasn¡¯t being pretentious, and thirdly, Shen Yan¡¯s performance was so stunning, astonishingly quirky!


    Director Li, who was drinking water at the final point, choked so badly on this move that his face turned bright red!


    Someone clipped the live stream video and posted it online, instantly attracting a wave of casual viewers into the live stream. Female stars with both looks and ability were rare to come by.


    They thought it would be just another monotonous survival show, but it turned out there was a hidden gem of a girl here!


    The excitement added much joy to the dull lives of netizens!


    Director Li saw the heat in the shared live stream room skyrocket to an alarming level, his eyes nearly popping out!


    This was beyond his expectations!


    Director Li felt like letting out three hearty laughs again!

 Chapter 18 - 18 018 Shrimp Catching

    ?Chapter 18: Chapter 018: Shrimp Catching Chapter 18: Chapter 018: Shrimp Catching With popularity comes doubt.


    Shen Yan¡¯s animated GIFs of hand-catching fish were posted online and quickly shot up the hot search charts.


    Besides the hand-catching fish GIFs, there were also ones of spearing fish, and the funny GIFs of her carrying weight from the previous day, which her fans posted, attracting a wave of meme enthusiasts to save and use.


    There were also fan-made comics; surprisingly, there were industry masters in Shen Yan¡¯s fanbase.


    The chibi-style drawings they produced were very vivid and entertaining.


    Some animation wizards even made a short video for Shen Yan with adorable dubbing.


    Whether it was animation or comics, they all drew lots of likes and shares.


    In this myriad of ways, Shen Yan captured a bunch of fans!


    ¡°Too outrageous, the live broadcast must have been bugged.¡±


    ¡°It feels so fake.¡±


    ¡°The live video has definitely been tampered with.¡±


    ¡°My husband has bought so much fishing gear, but he¡¯s not as good at fishing¡ªor should I say, spearing fish¡ªas the Fake Princess.¡±


    ¡°In short, it¡¯s as fake as if they spliced in a different video.¡±


    ¡°I suspect the water and fish were green-screened, with animations added post-production.¡±


    ¡°This green-screen theory seems right, is there any expert coming out to draw circles and mock us?¡±


    Silence.


    Even Shen Yan¡¯s fans couldn¡¯t be bothered with this group of nitpicking flies.


    Shen Yan wasn¡¯t just lucky in her ability to catch fish by hand; she had been trained in the past by a bunch of maniacs to catch mudfish in the water.


    And they trained her using the mudfish from outdoor ponds.


    So for her, catching a couple of fish was nothing.


    You could say she was quite skilled from practice.


    When she got back to shore, she found a twig that was both flexible and tough, skewered the still twitching fish through their gills, and hung them in a bundle to hand over to Mu Jincheng.


    Mu Jincheng snapped back to reality, stepping back half a step with an uncomfortable expression, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Take them to the production team to be stored in water,¡± otherwise, just carrying them like this, although they wouldn¡¯t rot, would make them both fishy and stiff. Eating them in the evening, the meat quality would not be so good.


    Mu Jincheng wanted to say why don¡¯t you go, but Shen Yan had already dumped the smelly and heavy fish into his hands, grabbing the small looped branch that Shen Yan had purposely bent, getting her hand wet.


    Mu Jincheng frowned in disgust but didn¡¯t end up tossing the fish away.


    The VJ received a hefty chain of fish and turned to look at the PD he was paired with.


    The PD nodded, and then someone came over with a bucket of water to put the fish in.


    For the fish caught on sticks, whether they¡¯d been left out for too long, the PD on the scene asked Director Li through the walkie-talkie whether they should take the injured fish to the endpoint first to be killed and preserved.


    With the weather so hot, the production team had also brought portable refrigerators.


    The generators were continuously supplying power.


    Director Li hadn¡¯t anticipated Shen Yan would exploit this loophole, and as he hadn¡¯t said the production team couldn¡¯t assist in preserving food, seeing the popularity skyrocket, Director Li broke protocol this once, allowing the wild fish caught by Shen Yan to be taken and preserved by the on-site chefs.


    Turning his head back, Mu Jincheng saw Shen Yan entering the water again and his eyelid twitched, ¡°What are you doing now?¡±


    ¡°Checking if there are any shrimps.¡±


    Shen Yan bent down and waded at the water¡¯s edge among the weeds, feeling the presence of many living creatures, before stepping onto soft mud and coming back up.


    Seeing those previously flawless pale feet now smeared with mud, Mu Jincheng found it unexpectedly displeasing.


    He wanted to remind her to clean them but felt it was unnecessary.


    Shen Yan got back on land and started looking around.


    Mu Jincheng followed behind like an idiot, ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t respond.


    She chopped down several vines of various sizes, choosing those that were both soft and tough.


    Using them as a substitute for bamboo, she quickly began weaving them together.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s brow furrowed deeply, unsure what trick Shen Yan was about to play.


    Staring at the person bathed in mottled light and shadows, Mu Jincheng, who was closer, noticed that Shen Yan¡¯s skin was so tender it seemed like water could be squeezed out from it, and even her lips had a natural rosy hue, tempting for a kiss.


    She also had a faint layer of sweat clinging to her subtly prominent collarbones, as if that patch of skin was exuding a seductive fragrance...


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s face darkened.


    How could he be tempted by such a woman?


    To others, Mu Jincheng¡¯s demeanor appeared to be discontentment with Shen Yan¡¯s disregard.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t care about him. After all, whether they would still be in the same group tomorrow after today¡¯s task was another matter.


    However...


    She didn¡¯t remember the book mentioning any group changes because from the beginning, the male and female protagonists were in the same group until the recording of the fifth episode was complete.


    Even the cop crime movie they later received had them both as the male and female leads.


    So what had caused the show to turn out this way?


    The butterfly effect, maybe?


    Shen Yan only wondered for a moment and didn¡¯t reflect on it deeply.


    No matter what had caused the change in the storyline from the book, she now just needed to trend online, eliminate the terminal illness that her soul had brought along, and then live beautifully alone in this world from the book!


    In just a while, Shen Yan had woven something that looked like a sieve, then she walked to the riverside, specifically looking for a patch of aquatic plants. She targeted a spot, plunged in, and then fiercely scooped up, flinging everything toward the shore.


    Carrying pebbles, river snails, wild shrimp, and some small fishies, she flung them all onto Mu Jincheng who was watching the excitement unfold.


    A slimy little fish slipped into Mu Jincheng¡¯s collar and slid down to his belly against the skin, causing a chilling sensation over his entire body!


    He was so angered that he jumped up on the spot.


    Like a young girl who encountered a large rat, he hurriedly shook out the little fish from inside his clothes.


    After shaking out the little fishie, Mu Jincheng, with a dark face and teeth clenched, said bitterly to Shen Yan standing in the water, ¡°Did you do that on purpose?¡±


    On purpose to make him look foolish, on purpose to catch his attention.


    Shen Yan was a bit speechless, ¡°Who told you to stand there? Move aside; I¡¯m going to catch shrimp.¡±


    Mu Jincheng, suppressing his rage, moved aside grudgingly and watched her with a dark expression.


    [Pfft! Mu Jincheng is really hilarious, he hasn¡¯t lifted a finger to do any work from the beginning, and he still dares to give my Yanyan a dirty look.]


    [Is this the ¡°strong¡± that Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans boast about? Or did I misunderstand the word ¡°strong¡±?]


    [It¡¯s confirmed, Mu Jincheng is no doubt a woman in man¡¯s clothing! Hahaha!]


    [Here comes Fake Princess again, using such despicable means to attract Brother Mu¡¯s attention, wasn¡¯t it the same last episode?]


    [That¡¯s right, and also playing sick for sympathy.]


    [Brother Mu is just unwilling to be in the same group with her, try switching to Chu Jinghe.]


    [It was decided by drawing lots; Shen Yan doesn¡¯t want to be in the same group with Mu Jincheng either, it¡¯s just my Yanyan¡¯s bad luck to encounter such a man.]


    Those comments incited another battle.


    And none of this was known to Shen Yan or Mu Jincheng.


    Shen Yan tried several times, and she caught quite a few little river shrimp.


    Seeing Mu Jincheng standing there like a door god with his arms crossed, Shen Yan felt he was a bit too much.


    ¡°Can you pick up the shrimp and little fish and put them together?¡±


    Just standing there watching, don¡¯t you feel it¡¯s a loss to your manhood?


    Don¡¯t forget, this is a live broadcast!


    Mu Jincheng reluctantly bent down to pick them up, flailing somewhat cheerfully, making him look rather ungainly.


    ¡°Splash!¡±


    Suddenly, Shen Yan flung another thing onto the shore, and a long, soft thing wriggled to Mu Jincheng¡¯s foot.


    His face turned pale white with fright, ¡°Snake!¡±


    He sat down hard and kept kicking at the wriggling creature.


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    National audience: ¡°...¡±


    His fans covered their faces: ¡°...¡±


    VJ and PD: ¡°...¡±

 Chapter 19 - 19 019 Treated as a Useless Person

    ?Chapter 19: Chapter 019: Treated as a Useless Person Chapter 19: Chapter 019: Treated as a Useless Person Watching Mu Jincheng¡¯s pale, panicked face, Shen Yan said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, it¡¯s just a slightly larger mudfish.¡±


    To prove it was indeed a mudfish, Shen Yan climbed ashore, picked up the wriggling creature, and held it in front of Mu Jincheng. It wriggled just enough to slap Mu Jincheng across the face.


    His already pale face turned even whiter.


    The fishy smell invaded his nostrils, making him want to vomit.


    Mu Jincheng clenched his teeth and pressed his pale lips tightly together, barely holding back.


    His hands, clenching the ground, were so tight that veins bulged visibly.


    For Mu Jincheng, who had embarrassed himself so badly for the first time, his face went from pale to ashen, contorting with the effort of restraint.


    He gritted his teeth and managed to squeeze out two words, ¡°Shen Yan.¡±


    Shen Yan shook her head, clicking her tongue in disapproval.


    So little courage, yet daring to join a survival show.


    To her, such an unchallenging program was like child¡¯s play.


    Such minor difficulty caused these pampered stars, whose fingers had never touched spring water, to end up in utter disarray.


    If not for the last-minute leniency from the production team, these pampered stars wouldn¡¯t make it to the finish line the next day.


    Actually, every task like this had some hints provided.


    If there hadn¡¯t been a contract and a need to use the show to trend online and shake off a deadly illness, Shen Yan, upon arrival, would¡¯ve definitely thrown in the towel.


    Instead of helping him up, Shen Yan dug a shallow pit on the shore, padded it with some leaves, scooped some water into it, and placed the mudfish inside.


    After finishing this, Shen Yan returned to the water to continue catching shrimp.


    [[Hahaha ... I¡¯m dying of laughter!]]


    [[Pfft! Hahaha...]]


    [[Mu Jincheng looks so embarrassed, I¡¯m discovering more and more how brave and cute my Yanyan is!]]


    [[Mistaking a mudfish for a snake, unbeatable! Allow me to laugh a bit... Hahaha!]]


    [[Sorry, I just can¡¯t help it, hahaha...]]


    The screen was filled with floating ¡°hahas.¡±


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans hated Shen Yan to death.


    To catch their Brother Mu¡¯s attention, Shen Yan really used every trick in the book, how despicable.


    They might curse horribly outside, but they dared not make a sound in the live stream.


    Afraid it would reflect badly on Mu Jincheng.


    Mu Jincheng tried hard to adjust his facial expression, taking a long time to suppress his scowl.


    Breathing deeply, he cleaned the dirt off his body while Shen Yan had already caught many small river shrimps.


    Shen Yan loved stir-frying these small shrimps, eating them completely, antennae and all.


    Shen Yan took the two small mudfish she caught later and the earlier big one to the riverbank to clean them. The VJ, snapping out of it, quickly focused the camera on her.


    It clearly captured how Shen Yan cleaned the mudfish, astonishing the viewers.


    Her crisp and skillful technique was that of a wilderness survival expert!


    Looking at the others and then back at this team was like a tragedy in comparison.


    Mu Jincheng, having calmed down, still stood foolishly aside, clueless about what to do.


    Earlier, the fish they had caught ¡°with great difficulty¡± were just thrown into a frying pan, not even bothering to gut them.


    Their outer scales were particularly throat-grabbing.


    Last episode, no one had really caught wild fish; they were all feed fish prepared in advance by the production team.


    The fish were placed near them off-camera, and then they were allowed to catch them.


    Even so, only a few caught any.


    It took another round of leniency to barely catch one or two half-dead ones.


    Director Li turned this desert island survival show into a romance-selling spectacle to draw in viewers.


    The male and female leads in this couple¡¯s group brought in a lot of public attention steadily.


    This time, Director Li had also intended to stir up some controversy between Mu Jincheng and Chu Jinghe to boost the show¡¯s popularity, but Shen Yan, an unexpected dark horse, charged into the scene!


    Director Li was surprised.


    He had initially chosen Shen Yan for her ability to attract controversy, just to bring a sharper edge to the topic.


    Yet now looking at Shen Yan¡¯s haters, despite their continued negativity, there seemed a somewhat half-hearted vibe about it.


    Shen Yan was clearly on her way to stardom!


    Director Li looked at the data and laughed like a fool.


    Shen City.


    A high-tech skyscraper on the tenth floor.


    The man sitting in the cold office leaned back slightly as he answered a video call, his tone as chilly as his demeanor, ¡°Speak.¡±


    The person on the other end wasn¡¯t just anyone, it was the housekeeper sent by his family to assist him.


    ¡°Sir, the situation at Star Language Media has been dealt with. Who do you plan to appoint to manage the newly acquired company?¡±


    Star Language Media, the very entertainment company where Shen Yan had signed.


    It had now become a small subsidiary under the Qi Family.


    ¡°Her manager isn¡¯t good enough.¡±


    The laconic man simply pointed out that Zhang Lu, the manager, was inadequate, and said nothing more.


    Liu Su knew he might have to handle it personally.


    The company wasn¡¯t too large or too small; managing it should not be too difficult.


    Liu Su understood that Qi Si had dispatched him precisely to rid himself of him and to pave the way for Shen Yan to enter deeper into the entertainment circle.


    Despite how terribly Miss Shen treated his boss, the boss had no choice but to smooth the way ahead for Miss Shen.


    After all, Miss Shen was the prized gem of the Shen Family.


    Perhaps this truly had angered the Shen Family.


    The group from the Shen Family had thrown Miss Shen to their boss and then completely disregarded her. In a few months, they were to register their marriage, and Miss Shen would become the boss¡¯s wife, thus naturally, they left her in the boss¡¯s care.


    Actually, Liu Su felt that the Shen Family was incapable of managing her and that¡¯s why they had tossed this hot potato to Qi Si.


    ¡°Regarding this, I will handle it properly,¡± Liu Su stated solemnly.


    ¡°No need to make a fuss over the company¡¯s matters.¡±


    With that, he ended the video call abruptly.


    Liu Su: ¡°...¡±


    That is to say, he still needed to keep a low profile around Miss Shen.


    What was he managing, then?


    He might as well work behind the scenes.


    Liu Su now understood what he needed to do.


    Shen Yan had once again performed the act of creating fire by friction on a live stream, earning an uproar of praise from the viewers!


    Mu Jincheng watched the entire process dumbfounded, completely useless.


    Passersby even felt embarrassed for Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans.


    Shen Yan started a fire, using stones and wet clay to build a small stove, placed a flat pan on it, added oil and salt, then small fish and shrimp, and cut a wider piece of wood to make a spatula to flip the fish and shrimp.


    The aroma of the small fish and shrimp quickly filled the air. It wasn¡¯t just Mu Jincheng, even the VJs and PDs who followed with the camera had their mouths watering!


    Those who only had dry food to chew now heard their stomachs protesting.


    The dry food in their hands no longer seemed appetizing!


    Shen Yan picked some thick and smooth leaves, washed them by the riverbank, and used them to serve the stir-fried fish and shrimp.


    It was strange how the production team operated, providing some things while omitting others, like providing a flat pan but no bowls or chopsticks, forcing her to utilize resources from her surroundings.


    Those loaches, Shen Yan fried them last.


    She again started with oil and salt as having salt at the bottom prevents sticking to the pan.


    Mu Jincheng observed these simple survival skills up close for the first time and was amazed more times than he could count.


    To Shen Yan, these were basic survival skills, but in the eyes of Mu Jincheng, they were complex, high-level skills.


    Mu Jincheng knew he was incapable of doing such things.


    The person he disliked suddenly appeared very formidable, and Mu Jincheng felt extremely uncomfortable.


    He felt that such skills shouldn¡¯t belong to Shen Yan, yet the reality was right before his eyes.


    As Shen Yan performed these tasks, she radiated a dazzling aura that couldn¡¯t be concealed.


    He was forced to acknowledge, albeit reluctantly, Shen Yan¡¯s prowess.


    Feeling useless in Shen Yan¡¯s presence, Mu Jincheng¡¯s mood was somber, and his expression darkened.


    He needed to find an opportunity to prove himself...

 Chapter 20 - 20 020 The Male Leads Red Underwear

    ?Chapter 20: Chapter 020: The Male Lead¡¯s Red Underwear Chapter 20: Chapter 020: The Male Lead¡¯s Red Underwear Mu Jincheng, who was racking his brains trying to salvage his masculinity, saw Shen Yan eating the fried small fish and shrimp directly and twisted his face, blurting out subconsciously, ¡°Are you eating all by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    Shen Yan gave him a look as if he were trash.


    Mu Jincheng regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth.


    He had done nothing the whole time, just foolishly standing by while Shen Yan worked.


    He wouldn¡¯t even ask a simple question.


    Shen Yan¡¯s fans complained that he wouldn¡¯t even lend a hand, just sitting there waiting to be fed, which was rather shameless.


    You can¡¯t spear fish, but you can at least pick them up, right?


    You can¡¯t gather small fish and shrimp, but you can help pick them up, right?


    You can¡¯t start a fire by drilling wood, but you can gather some dry branches, can¡¯t you?


    However, because of the last episode, Mu Jincheng actually managed to just stand by and watch a girl busily going up and down.


    Was he even a man anymore?


    Even Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans felt he was being a bit too much.


    No matter how much you dislike someone, you shouldn¡¯t lose the decency expected of a man.


    They were partners on a survival task, not on solo missions.


    Following Shen Yan¡¯s gaze downward, Mu Jincheng felt so embarrassed that he wanted to crawl into a hole.


    Shen Yan had already portioned out his share and set it aside.


    His earlier words had basically positioned him as a young master, waiting for Shen Yan to hand him his food.


    Seeing the mocking smile in Shen Yan¡¯s eyes, he now felt so distressed that he wanted to flee beyond the camera¡¯s reach.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t care what he was thinking; she fed herself first.


    Mu Jincheng swallowed hard the fish and shrimp made by Shen Yan, being served a small loach.


    Remembering the previous incident where it was mistaken for a snake, Mu Jincheng¡¯s expression almost broke.


    Shen Yan ate quickly, as if she were battling.


    With Mu Jincheng¡¯s elegant eating habits for maintaining his gentlemanly image, Shen Yan really wanted to toss him into a base she had once stayed in.


    She guessed he wouldn¡¯t last three seconds there.


    Shen Yan patted off the dust on her clothes, started washing the flat pan, fetched some water to extinguish the charcoal fire, and covered it with sand.


    Although it was a deserted island, starting a fire could mean no escape even by jumping into a river.


    Watching Shen Yan finish all this, Mu Jincheng wanted to ask why it had to be done this way but couldn¡¯t swallow his pride.


    Dressed up, Shen Yan continued moving forward.


    The route was completely new. The trees on the deserted island were lush, with many various types of trees.


    People must have lived here before, but due to inaccessible transport, they had moved out.


    Now, only the deserted island remained.


    Mu Jincheng silently followed behind Shen Yan, looking like a wronged little wife, shocking even Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans.


    What happened to their Brother Mu!


    It was all Shen Yan¡¯s fault.


    No need to work so fiercely.


    Who was she performing for?


    They complained inwardly but dared not speak out and ruin their idol¡¯s career.


    Shen Yan looked over the route map; it wasn¡¯t very far.


    At their pace, they would arrive soon.


    Their main task now was to find food ingredients; they had fish, and next, Shen Yan planned to gather wild vegetables.


    There were plenty of wild vegetables on the island.


    They could find a large patch just by walking a bit.


    This time Mu Jincheng knew what to do, and reluctantly, he had to follow Shen Yan to pick wild vegetables.


    Shen Yan looked up at a tree, her eyes slightly brightening.


    Mu Jincheng followed her gaze, seeing her expression and obviously spotting something edible.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Shen Yan walked to the base of the tree, looked up, and smiled, ¡°Jujube!¡±


    ¡°Can we eat these curved, gray things?¡± Mu Jincheng expressed his skepticism.


    Wouldn¡¯t it be poisonous?


    Shen Yan put down her backpack, rolled up her sleeves revealing a fair section of her arm, and prepared to climb the tree.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Mu Jincheng immediately called out to her.


    Wasn¡¯t this the perfect opportunity to show himself?


    Mu Jincheng couldn¡¯t sit idly by this time, could he? Was he waiting for Shen Yan to completely overshadow him?


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Mu Jincheng volunteered eagerly.


    Shen Yan looked at him skeptically, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Facing Shen Yan¡¯s doubt and never having climbed a tree before, Mu Jincheng clenched his teeth, ¡°I can.¡±


    A man can¡¯t admit defeat.


    Although Shen Yan doubted his ability, she stepped aside to let him show his skills.


    It was great not having to do it herself.


    Mu Jincheng stood under the tree and tried several climbing methods but couldn¡¯t manage to get up.


    He had climbed at a club before; how could this be different?


    Mu Jincheng tried a few more times, each time hugging the trunk like a bear, climbing a bit, then sliding down.


    The sight was as comical as could be.


    Shen Yan was rather speechless.


    ¡°Do you even know how to climb?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do... What¡¯s the rush? Come over and help me,¡± Mu Jincheng directed Shen Yan while attempting to climb.


    Afraid of him, Shen Yan went over and stood behind him, unsure how to help.


    Seeing him sticking his butt out and straining to climb, Shen Yan thought of a maggot.


    A nearby VJ zoomed in, a bit worried that Mu Jincheng might fall.


    ¡°Help me.¡±


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s face turned red from exertion, but he still couldn¡¯t make it up, and there was no movement from behind; he grew annoyed.


    Shen Yan then placed her hands directly on his bottom.


    Mu Jincheng stiffened all over, almost bursting into curses.


    His face darkened.


    Shen Yan lifted up, her strength surprising.


    Suddenly, she boosted Mu Jincheng onto a branch, and feeling the heat on his backside, he quickly grabbed on and climbed higher.


    Now all he wanted was for Shen Yan to remove her hands quickly.


    Seeing him safely up, Shen Yan brushed off her hands, which had no dust, and directed, ¡°Right in front, snap them off, I¡¯ll collect them.¡±


    Mu Jincheng, perched on the branch and trembling slightly, started to move forward but then stiffened again, daring not to move.


    He was a bit scared of heights!


    Shen Yan looked down on Mu Jincheng who wanted to help but only made things worse.


    Mu Jincheng finally overcame his sudden onset of acrophobia, stood using another branch for support, and freed a hand to snap off some jujubes.


    Shen Yan collected them below.


    Looking down, Mu Jincheng saw her effortlessly gathering the jujubes while he embarrassingly fumbled with the possibly inedible fruits.


    He felt quite aggrieved.


    Frustrated, Mu Jincheng snapped off a bunch haphazardly, not caring whether they were good or bad, and threw them down.


    Shen Yan paid no mind to his resentful mood.


    She sorted through them, keeping the edible ones together.


    The inedible ones were discarded right there, the labor of picking being Mu Jincheng¡¯s burden.


    Mu Jincheng realized later he was only torturing himself.


    He began earnestly picking some plump, intact jujubes.


    ¡°All the good ones here are picked, climb higher, the ones above are better,¡± Shen Yan directed.


    Mu Jincheng grimly gritted his teeth and kept climbing as she said, not paying attention and catching his pants on a branch.


    He took quite a large step.


    A tearing sound of ¡°rip¡± came from behind.


    Mu Jincheng felt something and froze, daring not to move.


    It seemed like he realized something, and Mu Jincheng felt a surge of blood rush through him, his handsome face turning ghostly pale.


    Shen Yan looked up, seeing the scene in the tree very clearly.


    Due to his excessive force, Mu Jincheng¡¯s pants had ripped slightly, revealing his red underwear below!


    ¡°Pfft!¡±


    Shen Yan couldn¡¯t help herself.


    Seeing Shen Yan laugh, the VJ quickly adjusted the camera angle to capture the moment.


    The audience, tickled by Shen Yan¡¯s laugh, were left hanging with curiosity.


    What happened? What happened?


    What¡¯s going on?

 Chapter 21 - 21 021 Hes Going to Kill Shen Yan

    ?Chapter 21: Chapter 021: He¡¯s Going to Kill Shen Yan! Chapter 21: Chapter 021: He¡¯s Going to Kill Shen Yan! Shen Yan, aware of the situation, did not stop the VJ from turning the camera around.


    Mu Jincheng frantically sat back on the tree branch, just managing to cover the crack behind his butt.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing,¡± the VJ said, staring at the camera, puzzled that he didn¡¯t capture the shot he wanted.


    What was Shen Yan laughing at just now?


    [Tsk, the Fake Princess must be drooling all over.]


    [Why is the Fake Princess so annoying?]


    [Brother Mu, jump down and squash the Fake Princess!]


    Shen Yan¡¯s fans were speechless when they saw these comments.


    [I can guarantee that Yanyan¡¯s laugh just now was definitely not a silly crush.]


    [Why do I feel like it¡¯s because Mu Jincheng¡¯s pants split and Yanyan happened to see it that she laughed?]


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans got angry.


    [It¡¯s your butt that¡¯s split, your whole family has split butts!]


    [Shen Yan¡¯s fans are just like her, lacking manners and morals.]


    Shen Yan¡¯s fans retorted: [My Yanyan is much stronger than a certain fragile young master who can¡¯t take care of himself and has everything handed to him.]


    [To the person before who¡¯s blind, I only said the pants were split, I never said Mu Jincheng¡¯s butt bloomed!]


    [Why do I feel this Fireworks fan has a point? Shen Yan¡¯s smile does seem a little cunning! Cute and adorable!]


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans firmly denied any splitting.


    In the end, the trolls and fans of both sides were all focused on the topic of whether Mu Jincheng¡¯s underpants were exposed or not.


    Shen Yan thought Mu Jincheng was quite clever.


    Knowing to use sitting on the tree branch to avoid a disaster.


    However,


    when he came down later, he was sure to be photographed.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s expression grew worse and worse, knowing he had made a fool of himself big time.


    He absolutely could not let the camera catch the image of his pants split open; otherwise, today¡¯s headline would be #MuJincheng¡¯sButtBloomsShowingRedUnderwear#.


    Thinking of that image, Mu Jincheng¡¯s scalp tingled.


    He glared menacingly at Shen Yan, who was smiling with bad intentions.


    It was all because of Shen Yan.


    If it wasn¡¯t for Shen Yan performing too well, would he have gone looking for trouble by climbing the tree?


    Shen Yan definitely did it on purpose.


    What now?


    Mu Jincheng worried about how to slide down.


    Shen Yan waited below unhurriedly, looking forward to his joke.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s eyes hardened, and through gritted teeth he suppressed his voice, ¡°Cover for me, and I¡¯ll drop the issue about targeting Jinghe, and I can also give you a chance.¡±


    Last night, Mu Jincheng approached Shen Yan just to warn her not to target Chu Jinghe anymore, otherwise, he would not be polite to her.


    Unfortunately, Shen Yan did not go along with his words.


    Shen Yan thought this male lead, Mu Jincheng, had a problem with narcissism.


    Shen Yan stood below with a smile, silent.


    But Mu Jincheng, sitting on the tree branch, became anxious.


    ¡°What exactly do you want, aside from making me your boyfriend, you can ask for something else.¡±


    Shen Yan acted as if she didn¡¯t hear him speak, squatting in front of the pile of Jujube, happily picking the poor-quality ones.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s veins throbbed.


    ¡°Shen Yan, what do you want exactly, you can ask for it now.¡±


    Shen Yan still pretended to be deaf and mute.


    Mu Jincheng was so angered he wanted to crash down from the tree.


    Following that statement, the atmosphere froze.


    After waiting two or three minutes, the silence became a bit eerie.


    Mu Jincheng had lost his patience because of Shen Yan, ¡°I can agree to give you a chance for a date...¡±


    Suddenly, Shen Yan looked up.


    Mu Jincheng, avoiding the camera, looked terribly upset.


    Indeed.


    Shen Yan was just waiting for him to say that.


    He was saying this to get through the situation, later on, he would deny it, and what could Shen Yan do to him then?


    Mu Jincheng, having resolved to be a deceitful gentleman, waited for Shen Yan to speak up and cover for him.


    However, the next second, he froze again.


    ¡°Are you sick?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Mu Jincheng was a bit slow to react.


    ¡°I don¡¯t fancy men with kidney deficiencies.¡±


    ¡°Shen Yan!¡±


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s roar nearly exploded uncontrollably.


    He moved, lost his grip, and tumbled straight down from the tree branch.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans all held their breath, while the Fireworks fans began to taunt Mu Jincheng.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Mu Jincheng took a fall that left his butt blossoming with pain, seeing stars in his eyes.


    The VJ and PD filming were so frightened they ran forward.


    The camera was knocked askew to one side.


    It just happened to avoid the spot where Mu Jincheng fell.


    The audience couldn¡¯t see what happened, they could only hear sounds, and they were anxiously worried.


    ¡°[Angry]jpg How could Shen Yan remain indifferent and just watch Brother Mu fall down like that? So heartless.¡±


    ¡°Fake Princess used to cling to Brother Mu, but now that Brother Mu is in trouble, she stands by coldly. It would have been different with Chu Jinghe.¡±


    ¡°If it were Chu Jinghe, she wouldn¡¯t have let Brother Mu climb the tree in the first place.¡±


    ¡°If anything happens to Brother Mu, I¡¯m holding Fake Princess accountable!¡±


    ¡°Hilarious, do you really expect Yanyan, a delicate girl, to catch a man?¡±


    ¡°What heartless, cold bystander? Just now, you wanted Mu Jincheng to crush my Yanyan, you people are the heartless ones!¡±


    ¡°Mu Jincheng definitely did it on purpose. Yanyan never asked him to climb the tree; he volunteered. Whose fault is that when he falls?¡±


    ¡°Can Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans please use their brains? Even if a grown man was standing underneath, he would get injured if he tried to catch him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a passerby, and I think Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans are a bit crazy.¡±


    ¡°With Shen Yan¡¯s stature, it would be her good fortune to catch Brother Mu.¡±


    ¡°Stop arguing, let¡¯s first find out how Brother Mu is doing. If he¡¯s hurt anywhere, we¡¯re collectively suing Fake Princess.¡±


    The Fireworks fans thought Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans were both ridiculous and infuriating.


    ¡°Teacher Mu, are you alright?¡± they helped Mu Jincheng stand up.


    Mu Jincheng had landed on his waist.


    He had just sat up when a stabbing pain surged from his lower back.


    Mu Jincheng started to panic.


    What if he had seriously hurt his back?


    Shen Yan leaned in to check, pressing down on his waist.


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    Caught completely off-guard by the sudden pressure, Mu Jincheng¡¯s eyes lit up with pain.


    An involuntary scream escaped his lips.


    At that moment, Mu Jincheng still had the cameras in mind and endured the pain forcefully.


    He turned his head and glared furiously at Shen Yan.


    The VJ and PD were both startled by his cry and turned to look at Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan appeared nonchalant, not the type to play practical jokes.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a bruise; it¡¯ll get better after a while,¡± said Shen Yan. Then she gave Mu Jincheng¡¯s lower back a couple of forceful prods.


    Mu Jincheng winced in sharp pain.


    The big man nearly cried.


    How embarrassing!


    Nobody had really seen what Shen Yan had done in those quick movements.


    After the intense pain, it slowly started to fade away.


    Huh?


    It didn¡¯t hurt as much anymore?


    Shen Yan picked at the nearby grass roots and bundled up the pile of jujubes, then stood up, looking down at Mu Jincheng: ¡°I¡¯ll do this task alone.¡±


    He looked like he wouldn¡¯t be continuing any further.


    Good, she was tired of him anyway.


    But Mu Jincheng gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I can still walk; no need to drop out.¡±


    Quitting partway would be unacceptable.


    Shen Yan hogged all the spotlight, while he made a complete fool of himself.


    The situation was completely reversed from the last episode, which left a bad taste in Mu Jincheng¡¯s mouth.


    He had to turn the tables on this.


    Shen Yan gave him a sideways glance, shrugged her shoulders, and said, ¡°If you can manage, then carry on.¡±


    Mu Jincheng was really agitated by her indifferent look; he bit down hard and pushed himself up with his hand.


    ¡°Snap!¡±


    Crap!


    He rose too quickly.


    His pants ripped even more!


    ¡°What was that noise?¡± The VJ and PD inadvertently looked towards Mu Jincheng¡¯s half-raised bottom.


    Both fell silent and struggled to restrain their laughter, their faces contorting.


    They finally understood why Shen Yan had laughed so maliciously a moment ago.


    Mu Jincheng was freaking out!


    Aaaaah!


    He was going to kill Shen Yan!

 Chapter 22 - 22 022 This Heat is Unbelievable

    ?Chapter 22: Chapter 022: This Heat is Unbelievable Chapter 22: Chapter 022: This Heat is Unbelievable To preserve the male protagonist¡¯s dignity, the camera cut away for ten minutes.


    The staff quickly got a new pair of pants from Mu Jincheng¡¯s assistant.


    With nowhere to change clothes, Shen Yan pointed to the tall bushes.


    Mu Jincheng gloomily hid in the bushes to change into the new pants, and when he came out, his face was as grim as a ghost¡¯s.


    The VJ and the PD did not dare to breathe.


    Mu Jincheng was a top influencer, and the program was relying on him and Chu Jinghe to attract viewers.


    The other participants also had significant online followings.


    But compared to those of the two of them, it still fell short.


    To keep their jobs, they had to endure, even though it was uncomfortable.


    Shen Yan ignored Mu Jincheng¡¯s scowl.


    The two cameramen quickly banished the mental image of the red underpants that had invaded their minds and readjusted their emotions, signaling Mu Jincheng and Shen Yan to redirect the camera back to the original position.


    Shen Yan gave an ¡°OK¡± hand gesture.


    Mu Jincheng put on a face as if someone owed him billions, almost stormed off and refused to cooperate any further.


    Luckily, his skin was thick enough, and he soon adjusted, so his expression was not too ugly.


    When the camera returned, everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Mu Jincheng unharmed.


    The comments were all asking about Mu Jincheng¡¯s condition.


    The Fireworks fans, with their sharp eyes, noticed that Mu Jincheng¡¯s pants had been changed, and their eyes lit up, furiously flooding the chat.


    This caused Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans to howl and desperately try to cover up the mishap.


    Regardless of their efforts, they couldn¡¯t cover up what was captured on camera.


    Everyone has eyes to see.


    Mu Jincheng had just changed into a new pair of pants.


    Consequently.


    Weird hashtags started appearing on Weibo.


    #So, Did Shen Yan See Mu Jincheng¡¯s Exposed Holes?, #Mu Jincheng¡¯s Rear Couldn¡¯t be Saved#, #Shen Yan Gleefully Staring at Mu Jincheng¡¯s Ass# and a host of other maliciously amusing hashtags emerged endlessly.


    One even got pushed to the trending searches.


    It included some mockingly made GIFs.


    This angered Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans.


    They went to that trending post, cursing, and even organized some haters to drag Shen Yan down with them.


    Suddenly, the show¡¯s popularity skyrocketed.


    *


    Liu Su took over Xingyu Media Company, and the first thing he did was issue personal notices for Shen Yan.


    Zhang Lu, this manager, was truly awful; aside from this show, she hadn¡¯t secured any other gigs.


    Once this episode finished recording, Shen Yan would have gaps in her schedule, and Zhang Lu, as her manager, should quickly fill those gaps to allow her artist to shine.


    Instead, she did the opposite.


    She had no care, and even aimed to ruin Shen Yan¡¯s reputation.


    The makeup and wardrobe were all up to Zhang Lu.


    These two days, Liu Su was also busy learning about public relations and other media company operations, and was also getting familiar with these online apps.


    Seeing these hashtags, Liu Su¡¯s expression turned sour.


    If the boss saw this, even if he didn¡¯t like Miss Shen, he would be furious.


    Remarks like Shen Yan ogling Mu Jincheng¡¯s ass were in extremely poor taste.


    Liu Su instantly put down his phone, rushed to Xingyu Media Company, gathered the public relations department for a meeting, and quickly controlled this maliciously amusing topic that mocked Shen Yan.


    Although Liu Su did not explicitly mention Shen Yan, the senior staff vaguely sensed something.


    *


    Shen Yan, carrying a bag and holding quite a few jujubes, walked ahead, turned back to see the pale-faced Mu Jincheng, and casually asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Mu Jincheng, with a look that seemed to want to tear a piece of flesh from Shen Yan¡¯s body, gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    His waist was still aching.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t think a man would be so weak that falling once required special care.


    Because in the world she came to later, there was no such thing as ¡°fragility¡± and ¡°being cared for.¡±


    Seeing this, Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans were displeased again.


    Cursed Shen Yan for being inconsiderate.


    Cursed the crew for being inhumane, making people continue with tasks even after they had fallen.


    It really was a wrongful accusation against the crew.


    The follow-up team had already reported to Director Li and asked Mu Jincheng for his input.


    Mu Jincheng had insisted on finishing the day¡¯s task, leaving them with no choice.


    Because of the fall, fans were sympathizing from left and right, almost enough to make ¡°Sympathy for Mu Jincheng¡± trend on social media.


    There were also viewers who disliked this, calling Mu Jincheng pretentious.


    Comparing him to the female student Shen Yan only made them feel Mu Jincheng, a grown man, was nothing.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans still supported him.


    They said that Mu Jincheng had always focused on acting and couldn¡¯t be compared to Shen Yan, who came from a rural background.


    Shen Yan was naturally labeled as the ¡°country kid.¡±


    Still, Shen Yan continued down this path with ease.


    But it was tough for the one trailing behind.


    From the jujube tree onward, he continually held his waist as he walked.


    Each step was as painful as tearing his muscles and bones.


    Seeing Shen Yan¡¯s relaxed demeanor, Mu Jincheng felt a surge of jealousy.


    Why could Shen Yan be so casual and relaxed while he had to embarrass himself following behind her?


    He didn¡¯t want to be teamed up with Shen Yan anymore.


    He had to talk to Director Li that evening.


    He would team up with anyone but Shen Yan.


    Having decided to chat with Director Li later that night provided Mu Jincheng with some relief.


    Soon, they saw the endpoint, and Shen Yan threw the wild medicine and jujubes she had collected into the designated large tray before turning to look at Director Li, who was beaming in front of the camera.


    Director Li, stroking his chin, was inwardly scheming how to torment the guests.


    Suddenly meeting Shen Yan¡¯s gaze, Director Li choked a bit.


    What did Shen Yan¡¯s look mean?


    At that moment, Mu Jincheng¡¯s assistant hurried over anxiously to inquire about Mu Jincheng¡¯s condition, prompting Director Li to immediately have the accompanying medical staff check on him.


    If a guest were to have an accident here, he¡¯d be trending on social media tomorrow.


    Seeing that no one else had arrived, Shen Yan simply sat to the side to cool off.


    There was still plenty of time.


    Director Li had people take Mu Jincheng to the rest tent, then turned back only to see Shen Yan sitting leisurely there, which greatly irritated him.


    Ever since Shen Yan had returned to the show, he felt he couldn¡¯t handle it anymore.


    Shen Yan completed tasks so effortlessly and beautifully, which was discouraging for the other guests.


    Director Li felt defeated but dared not increase the difficulty anymore.


    If he did, others might literally end up being carried into the hospital from the show.


    ¡°cough, Shen Yan Ah, since there¡¯s still time, let¡¯s chat about your experiences with today¡¯s task.¡±


    ¡°Experiences?¡±


    Shen Yan thought about it but couldn¡¯t come up with any insights to share.


    ¡°Yes, tell us about your survival experience today!¡± Director Li struck a new pose, eagerly staring at Shen Yan.


    The camera focused on Shen Yan¡¯s face as she pondered seriously for several seconds.


    It was quiet.


    Very quiet.


    ¡°None.¡±


    Shen Yan coldly threw out two words at Director Li.


    Director Li: ¡°...¡±


    Audience: ¡°...¡±


    Director Li took a deep breath, capturing Shen Yan¡¯s best angle again, ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about the changes in this episode, everyone must be curious if you were purposely hiding your skills last time, or if you prepared differently after going back.¡±


    Shen Yan looked towards the camera, her bright, clear eyes captivating anyone who met them, making their heart beat faster.


    ¡°No preparation¡ªit¡¯s innate talent and essential survival skills. Without such basics, one might as well wait to die.¡±


    The moment the word ¡°die¡± was mentioned, everyone in front of the screen felt a sudden tightness in their chest.


    That moment felt very uncomfortable.

 Chapter 23 - 23 023 Alone in Beauty

    ?Chapter 23: Chapter 023: Alone in Beauty Chapter 23: Chapter 023: Alone in Beauty ¡°Haha, I didn¡¯t expect Shen Yan to have a sense of humor,¡± Director Li took a quick breath and hurriedly spoke up to disperse that inexplicably gathering gloom.


    Shen Yan, facing the camera, said seriously, ¡°This isn¡¯t humor, it¡¯s reality.¡±


    Director Li was struck by Shen Yan¡¯s gaze straight in the heart and became a bit stiff, ¡°Haha... really?¡±


    The audience all felt embarrassed for Director Li.


    They thought Shen Yan¡¯s serious demeanor was charmingly adorable to the extreme!


    Director Li quickly changed the subject, ¡°Let¡¯s see what other curious questions the netizens have. Oh, found one. Some viewers are questioning your academic background, Shen Yan. It seems that netizens really love to learn, huh, seizing on your education to ask.¡±


    His words told Shen Yan that this question had to be answered.


    Shen Yan searched her mind briefly and realised that the original text didn¡¯t describe much about the original host¡¯s education.


    At nineteen, the original host would, of course, still attend university.


    With money to burn, for the original host, the school was just a place to hang the title.


    Once the time was up, just grab the diploma and it was all done.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find time to complete my studies. Besides this, are there any other questions?¡±


    Shen Yan answered earnestly, and the viewers in front of the camera could not see the slightest trace of lying.


    Even so, it didn¡¯t stop the trolls from mocking.


    Director Li hurriedly turned the page, ¡°Some netizens are asking if Shen Yan comes from the countryside; otherwise, how could she be so good at doing chores?¡±


    Shen Yan gave Director Li a glance.


    Director Li guiltily shifted his gaze away.


    This was obviously a self-deprecating question.


    Answering poorly would definitely result in being chased and cursed by a wave of trolls and might even be attacked by netizens who come from the countryside.


    Director Li was very scheming.


    ¡°Children from the countryside indeed are better at enduring this kind of hardship. My Shen Family originated from farming households hundreds of years ago. Not every noble family can maintain their status for a thousand years. Although there are tales of hundred-year dynasties and thousand-year families, how many can truly achieve this through ancient and modern times? In ancient times, no matter where a hero came from, surely no one has regressed to judging people by their family background these days, right?¡±


    Director Li: ¡°...¡±


    Audience: ¡°...¡±


    What did they just hear?


    In her statement, she seemed to be challenging those who asked such superficial and foolish questions ¨C are you of noble birth?


    ¡°Are there any other questions?¡± Shen Yan asked sincerely.


    That speech had already made everyone uncomfortable.


    After all that, the audience still didn¡¯t get a clear answer about Shen Yan¡¯s background.


    It felt like she said something, but also like she didn¡¯t.


    ¡°The Q&A session is over. Let¡¯s see what the other guests are up to!¡± Director Li was sly, quickly shifting the camera away, leaving Shen Yan¡¯s camera on standby. Let Shen Yan be beautiful by herself.


    The more questions they asked, the more like fools the production crew appeared.


    The Fireworks fans were laughing their heads off!


    Their idol, Shen Yan, every move, every word, just seemed so perfect!


    While waiting, Shen Yan really wanted to stroll around wildly, to see if she could catch more little crayfish to bring back.


    However.


    The words of Shen Yan were cut into a short video and posted on the official live broadcast account, where the Fireworks fans flooded in, stirring up another wave of popularity in the trending topics section.


    And with the behind-the-scenes manipulation of Star Language Media, collaborating platforms were all competing for the rights to stream the survival show.


    As the backstage operations got underway, Director Li quickly received calls from a certain TV station and partnership resources from a certain APP.


    The previous financial issues had been resolved thanks to the additional ten million from a mysterious investor, making Director Li feel like he was floating on cloud nine!


    He felt like he was on a lucky streak, utterly thrilled!


    Just as Shen Yan was about to become ¡°Sleeping Beauty,¡± there was finally some activity in the distance.


    And at this point, the sun was also beginning to set in the west.


    It must be that the production crew had given some leeway; otherwise, given that group¡¯s capability, they wouldn¡¯t have reached the endpoint so easily.


    The first two to appear in sight were Qin Dingyue and Zhou Jingming.


    This pair made quite the strong team, one being adventurous and unpretentious.


    The other liked to exercise regularly and was in decent physical shape.


    ¡°Wow! I¡¯m dead tired,¡± Qin Dingyue exclaimed as she saw Shen Yan and rushed over quickly, all her fatigue dissipating the moment she laid eyes on the beauty!


    Qin Dingyue collapsed dramatically next to Shen Yan, gasping for breath, utterly disregarding her celebrity image.


    Her fans were watching anxiously.


    Zhou Jingming thought their group was the fastest, but to his surprise, Shen Yan had arrived at the finish line first again.


    He felt a subtle discomfort.


    With a quick glance, he looked forward repeatedly but didn¡¯t see Mu Jincheng.


    Zhou Jingming didn¡¯t ask any questions. He handed over their foraged goods to the production team¡ªsour wild fruits, wild vegetables, and the small fish and shrimp they had caught with difficulty.


    No big fish at all.


    In a place like this, it was already quite an accomplishment to have gathered these.


    Zhou Jingming might not have asked, but that didn¡¯t stop the naive Qin Dingyue.


    ¡°Eh? Where¡¯s Brother Mu? Aren¡¯t you two in the same group?¡± she asked, her voice lowered significantly in the latter part.


    Yet, her voice was still audible to those nearby.


    Zhou Jingming¡¯s mouth twitched slightly.


    He had known that Qin Dingyue was not the sharpest one, but he hadn¡¯t realized she was this obtuse.


    Could she not see what had happened between Mu Jincheng and Shen Yan in the previous episode?


    The production team had intentionally paired Chu Jing with Mu Jincheng, clearly aiming to concoct a desert island survival romance.


    Director Li¡¯s marketing tactics were undeniably successful.


    The audience really enjoyed the charm of these two.


    Their couple¡¯s chemistry brought significant traffic to the show.


    Mu Jincheng suddenly teaming up with Shen Yan had alarmed the others.


    They thought Director Li was becoming bolder and bolder.


    They weren¡¯t afraid that something major would happen midway between the two, leaving the production team in a mess.


    If Qin Dingyue wasn¡¯t being thoughtless by asking such questions, then what was she being?


    ¡°Oh, he went to tend to an injury.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Brother Mu is injured? Is it serious?¡± Qin Dingyue asked with concern.


    Shen Yan glanced at her.


    Qin Dingyue was baffled; why was Shen Yan looking at her like that?


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, I¡¯ve been here waiting for everyone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, should we go check on him?¡±


    Zhou Jingming: ¡°...¡±


    Was Qin Dingyue really doing this unintentionally?


    Although Mu Jincheng hadn¡¯t shown much, it was obvious to anyone with sense how much he disliked Shen Yan¡¯s closeness.


    His injury was more likely than not tied to Shen Yan.


    If they were to visit him now, wouldn¡¯t they only add to Mu Jincheng¡¯s annoyance?


    It was at this point that Xu Zishen and the Chu Jinghe group showed up, followed last by the disheveled duo of Liu Qiang.


    Enduring the stickiness all over her body, Chu Jinghe forced a stiff smile as she greeted everyone.


    She was tired, hungry, and had ruined her image.


    It was almost too much for her to maintain her image in front of the cameras while trying to appear as if she had survival skills.


    Finally reaching the endpoint, she saw the pristine and leisurely chatting Shen Yan, and Chu Jinghe¡¯s smile almost broke.


    Shen Yan seemed completely unaffected.


    How could this be?


    The one who had constantly embarrassed herself in the last episode had returned this time, and everything about her felt off.


    As if she was a completely different person.


    Liu Qiang was so exhausted she was rolling her eyes. She plopped down, ¡°You, how come you always look so fresh and at ease every time? Didn¡¯t the production team really go easy on you?¡±


    In contrast to Shen Yan, Liu Qiang felt she looked as though she¡¯d crawled out of a construction site; meanwhile, Shen Yan appeared refined and untarnished, like nobility!


    The stark contrast ignited her jealousy once again.

 Chapter 24 - 24 024 Sense of Crisis

    ?Chapter 24: Chapter 024: Sense of Crisis Chapter 24: Chapter 024: Sense of Crisis Shen Yan ignored Liu Qiang¡¯s sarcasm, and just as Director Li had finished his cheerful phone call, he heard Liu Qiang¡¯s remark, and suddenly he wasn¡¯t feeling too good.


    ¡°Liu Qiang, I personally guarantee that the production team hasn¡¯t favored any guest,¡± Director Li responded humorously.


    Liu Qiang¡¯s smile stiffened a bit.


    She didn¡¯t dare to confront Director Li directly, fearing that she¡¯d be targeted later.


    ¡°Haha, Director Li, I was just speaking my mind. Those words meant nothing, I was just praising how good Shen Yan is!¡± she said sarcastically. ¡°None of the male guests here can compare with her. It looks like I have to learn from you, Shen Yan!¡±


    With these words, she had drawn the male guests to her side, isolating Shen Yan.


    Zhou Jingming and Xu Zishen frowned.


    They knew Liu Qiang was deliberately stirring up trouble.


    Her words, however, did catch the attention of several male guests, who turned to look at Shen Yan.


    Chu Jinghe sat on the side with a slight smile, not joining in the conversation.


    ¡°Sister Liu, you just realized how impressive Shen Yan is? If Shen Yan were a guy, I would definitely choose her!¡± Qin Dingyue¡¯s gaze swept over, showing a hint of sympathy, ¡°Sister Liu, why are you in such a sorry state? When this episode is over, let¡¯s sign up for a survival course together. Otherwise, during the third episode, it will be even worse.¡±


    Liu Qiang: ¡°...¡±


    Others: ¡°...¡±


    Liu Qiang¡¯s temper flared silently, cursing Qin Dingyue for being an idiot.


    Wen Yan, who had previously partnered with Shen Yan, now deeply regretted pairing up with Liu Qiang.


    Partnering with Liu Qiang was even more awkward and annoying than pairing with Shen Yan.


    Liu Qiang could pretend to be delicate and fragile, constantly complaining about being tired or not knowing how to do things.


    Wen Yan had almost lost his temper several times.


    At this moment, Chu Jinghe noticed that Mu Jincheng was not there and looked at Shen Yan. ¡°Shen Yan, where is Jinchen?¡±


    Her tone was intimate, as if she was still partners with Mu Jincheng.


    The way she asked seemed somewhat accusatory.


    Shen Yan gave her a meaningful look.


    It was just like the main female character, never missing an opportunity to show concern for the main male character.


    ¡°Shen Yan said Brother Mu is injured and undergoing treatment,¡± Qin Dingyue blurted out, answering for Shen Yan.


    Chu Jinghe slightly frowned, a worried expression on her face. ¡°How did he get hurt? We¡¯ve been filming for so many days, and this is the first time Jinchen has been injured. Is it serious?¡±


    She verbally expressed concern, but didn¡¯t seem to intend to leave the camera to visit.


    This remark also drew criticism toward Shen Yan.


    Yes.


    Being partners with Chu Jinghe for so many days without injuries, but getting injured as soon as he partnered with Shen Yan, must be bad luck.


    Fans who disliked Shen Yan cursed her as a star of calamity.


    There were also those online who posted long Buddhist prayers, attempting to ¡°suppress¡± the evil spirit that they thought Shen Yan was.


    Liu Qiang, gripped by jealousy, blurted out, ¡°Shen Yan, it couldn¡¯t be you who caused Mu Jincheng¡¯s injury, could it?¡±


    Shen Yan glanced at her. ¡°I don¡¯t have as much skill as Sister Liu.¡±


    Liu Qiang reacted slowly and recalled the online rumors about her causing a wealthy benefactor to end up in the hospital due to bedroom activities. Her face color changed slightly.


    She suspected that Shen Yan was making an insinuation!


    But she had no proof.


    Chu Jinghe threw in a remark, then silently stood aside, smiling as she watched the drama unfold.


    Such a fool, Liu Qiang.


    A few words could provoke emotions; no wonder there were so many unsavory rumors about her.


    Just when the atmosphere was becoming strange, Director Li called for Mu Jincheng, who had come.


    Chu Jinghe saw the handsome man walking towards them from a distance, her heartbeat quickened slightly, wanted to go forward to greet him but subconsciously glanced at Xu Zishen on one side.


    Xu Zishen was chatting with Zhou Jingming and hadn¡¯t noticed her.


    Chu Jinghe considered herself as charismatic as ever, and it was obvious that Xu Zishen was fond of her when they were partners.


    Sometimes, she felt Xu Zishen wasn¡¯t looking her way, which left her feeling insecure.


    She cast a resentful glance at Xu Zishen, pursed her lips, then turned to Mu Jincheng who was walking over, ¡°Jincheng, I heard you were injured; are you all right?¡±


    The two had been partners before, so Chu Jinghe¡¯s concern didn¡¯t seem out of place.


    Both of their fans praised Chu Jinghe and criticized Shen Yan for being cold-blooded and heartless among other things.


    Fireworks fans were incensed.


    It was you who forbade sticking around, and also you who accused her of clinging for fame¡ªso, Shen Yan was wrong whether she acted or not.


    Mu Jincheng gave her a gentle smile, the gloominess that had been present dissolved the moment Chu Jinghe appeared.


    He felt more comfortable partnering with Jinghe.


    Thinking about everything that had happened along the way with Shen Yan, Mu Jincheng¡¯s expression darkened again.


    ¡°You¡¯re alright, that¡¯s good; missions are important, but you must remember to protect yourself. If some tasks can be split, just split them.¡±


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s smile was too sweet, her tone so gentle.


    The words seemed innocuous.


    But actually, they were implying Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan, sitting right behind them, couldn¡¯t help but want to laugh.


    So, the protagonist is actually the green tea bitch, isn¡¯t she?


    The fans of both Chu Jinghe and Shen Yan engaged again in their usual praises and slander, the black water fans seizing every opportunity to attack Shen Yan.


    Indeed, Chu Jinghe¡¯s fans were fanatical.


    Even the Fireworks fans had no chance against them.


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s concern made Mu Jincheng feel more at ease.


    Director Li saw everyone had arrived and hurriedly announced each group¡¯s findings.


    When the findings of all four groups were laid out, Liu Qiang exclaimed, ¡°How could Shen Yan¡¯s group have so much cured fish meat? This couldn¡¯t be...¡± ingredients secretly added by the production crew, could it?


    Luckily, he stopped himself in time.


    Chu Jinghe, with a serene smile on her face, looked at her own group¡¯s findings and almost shared Liu Qiang¡¯s thought.


    Didn¡¯t Shen Yan cheat?


    The clumsy participant from the last episode had suddenly transformed into a survival expert¡ªthis seemed highly suspicious.


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s eyes landed on Shen Yan¡¯s flawless face briefly before she lowered her gaze, hiding a flicker of jealousy.


    For a moment, Chu Jinghe wondered if Shen Yan had used improper means to achieve her results.


    It wouldn¡¯t be surprising.


    To become famous from the ¡°Survival on a Desert Island¡± show, Shen Yan¡¯s future resources would keep pouring in.


    For fame, actresses can go to great lengths.


    Mu Jincheng hadn¡¯t intended to speak up initially, but considering he was in the same team as Shen Yan and had witnessed the entire process, with the production team not giving any advantages,


    ¡°I caught the fish with Shen Yan; the production crew didn¡¯t intervene at all,¡± Mu Jincheng looked at Liu Qiang, ¡°Miss Liu, if you have doubts, you can check the playback of today¡¯s live broadcast.¡±


    Liu Qiang¡¯s expression stiffened.


    She looked incredulously at Mu Jincheng.


    Mu Jincheng was actually defending Shen Yan!


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean that; I was just surprised by your haul...¡± Liu Qiang¡¯s mouth corners stiffened.


    Chu Jinghe, her expression complex, looked at Shen Yan, who stood there quietly, as serene as a virgin, as stunningly beautiful as a lone figure in a painting¡ªhow could such a scene not evoke jealousy.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Mu Jincheng to speak up for Shen Yan.


    Wasn¡¯t he always disdainful of Shen Yan?


    At this moment, Chu Jinghe felt the threat Shen Yan posed to her once again.


    She could not let Shen Yan shine in this program.


    In the blind spot of the cameras, Chu Jinghe quietly clenched her fists.

 Chapter 25 - 25 025 Slapping the Face to Act Rich

    ?Chapter 25: Chapter 025: Slapping the Face to Act Rich Chapter 25: Chapter 025: Slapping the Face to Act Rich Dinner was entirely sourced from the harvest of four groups.


    The evening bonfire was ready, and the show¡¯s staff had set up tables and chairs in four groups around the fire.


    Liu Qiang looked down at the small table covered with a few wild vegetables and those two sour fruits, almost grinding her teeth in frustration.


    Wen Yan also looked bitter.


    They had managed to find the right path to the destination, which was already quite an achievement. How could they have foraged for food along the way?


    Wasn¡¯t the crew making it difficult for them?


    When Wen Yan saw the abundant fish and meat at Shen Yan¡¯s table, he didn¡¯t even dare to complain.


    Besides Shen Yan¡¯s bountiful gathering, Qin Dingyue and Zhou Jingming¡¯s group were next.


    Xu Zishen glanced at the table that was frequently served with food and felt a bit helpless.


    He had thought that the survival skills he had learned in advance would shine in this program.


    When it came to actual implementation, there was a big discrepancy.


    Shen Yan started eating as soon as the dishes were served, not paying attention to Mu Jincheng¡¯s complex face that was at a loss for words.


    Chu Jinghe looked at her table¡¯s two small dishes and lost all appetite.


    She looked to Mu Jincheng¡¯s side, seeking help.


    Mu Jincheng said to Shen Yan, ¡°We can¡¯t eat so much either, how about we join tables and eat together?¡±


    He felt sorry for Chu Jinghe.


    So he wanted to share the meal like yesterday.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t even lift her head, acting as if she hadn¡¯t heard.


    Mu Jincheng clenched his chopsticks, ¡°Shen Yan, it¡¯ll be leftover anyway, the weather won¡¯t preserve it till tomorrow, we might as well share it among everyone.¡±


    He raised his voice slightly, to make sure everyone could hear.


    Shen Yan could no longer play deaf at this point and lifted her head to look at him, ¡°You¡¯re encouraging bad habits of relying on others without effort.¡±


    Mu Jincheng frowned, ¡°It¡¯s not that serious.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Shen Yan neither nodded nor refused, indifferently throwing him those words.


    This left Mu Jincheng uncertain whether she agreed or not.


    Mu Jincheng thought Shen Yan was petty, stingy, and difficult.


    What was wrong with sharing some food with others, especially when she couldn¡¯t finish it herself? That would just be wasteful.


    Mu Jincheng looked again at Chu Jinghe¡¯s table, feeling even more pity.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give up my portion, okay?¡± Mu Jincheng bit his lip, somewhat resentfully telling Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan glanced at him and lightly tossed out two words: ¡°Up to you.¡±


    ¡°You...¡± Mu Jincheng¡¯s expression soured.


    Shen Yan gave a sarcastic look for someone to see.


    Mu Jincheng picked up his portion and walked over to Chu Jinghe, handing it to her.


    For a moment, everyone turned to watch.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t stop him and hurriedly ate.


    ¡°Mu Jincheng, are you being a bit unfairly partial? Could I shamelessly ask for a portion too?¡± Liu Qiang pleaded pitifully.


    Mu Jincheng saw everyone was watching him.


    It wouldn¡¯t be right to only give to Chu Jinghe.


    He turned back and took some more from the table to distribute to everyone, immediately earning a series of thank you cards.


    Chu Jinghe shyly said thank you.


    After speaking, she glanced at Xu Zishen sitting across from her.


    Xu Zishen was truly hungry and also said thank you.


    Seeing Xu Zishen showed no other emotion, Chu Jinghe slightly relaxed.


    Qin Dingyue didn¡¯t want to accept it, but since it was offered, she took it and thanked Mu Jincheng, and also said thanks to Shen Yan, who was still eating.


    Shen Yan nodded without lifting her head and continued eating.


    When Mu Jincheng returned to his own table, he found only some fish bones and a bit of fish left, his eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°Shen Yan, did you eat it all by yourself?¡±


    Shen Yan popped the washed jujube into her mouth and chewed. Glancing at him, she said, ¡°We split the food evenly between the two of us. I even gave out an extra portion. I tend to burn a lot of calories, so what¡¯s the problem with eating it all?¡±


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s face turned sour.


    He had only taken a couple of bites and his stomach was still empty.


    Now was Shen Yan asking him to clean the plate?


    Mu Jincheng didn¡¯t want to eat what Shen Yan had left over, but his larger portion had already been given away. He certainly couldn¡¯t ask for it back.


    Seeing his reaction, Shen Yan chuckled inwardly.


    Serves him right for biting off more than he can chew.


    It won¡¯t kill him to be hungry.


    Leisurely, Shen Yan picked another jujube, put it in a shallow pan with some water, and set it beside the fire to cook slowly.


    Mu Jincheng stared at the scraps on the table, his mood fluctuating.


    He was disgusted by Shen Yan¡¯s leftovers tainted with her saliva, and since he¡¯d given away all of his own portion, he faced a night of hunger if he didn¡¯t eat.


    The thought infuriated him.


    Shen Yan was deliberately antagonizing him to draw attention.


    ¡°Jincheng, I saved a bit for you,¡± Chu Jinghe stepped forward, giving back a small portion of fish to Mu Jincheng.


    Mu Jincheng was overwhelmed with gratitude.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t mind that I¡¯ve touched it...¡± Chu Jinghe said shyly, glancing at Mu Jincheng and casually praising Shen Yan: ¡°Shen Yan, I didn¡¯t expect you to have such a good appetite. They say a good appetite is a blessing; I¡¯m quite envious.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Everyone says I¡¯m blessed,¡± Shen Yan accepted the compliment with ease and contentment.


    Chu Jinghe smiled faintly, said no more, and returned to her seat.


    Mu Jincheng thought even more highly of Chu Jinghe¡¯s beautiful and kind nature!


    Compared to her, Shen Yan was like a lump of clay.


    Shen Yan watched the interaction between the two, utterly speechless.


    These are the original male and female protagonists.


    They might as well have Zhou Jingming and Xu Zishen as the male leads and Qin Ding Yue as the female lead.


    Like a radar, Qin Ding Yue rushed to Shen Yan¡¯s side, curiously asking, ¡°Yanyan, what is this? You ate it raw before, is it edible?¡±


    Shen Yan explained, ¡°Jujube. It can be eaten raw or steamed. Also good for making liquor.¡±


    ¡°Ah! It looks so ugly, yet it¡¯s edible?¡± Qin Ding Yue appeared enlightened, drawing scorn from Liu Qiang.


    Shen Yan briefly explained the benefits of eating jujube once more.


    Qin Ding Yue¡¯s eyes sparkled with admiration!


    It left a few of them rather speechless.


    ¡°Can I try some?¡± Zhou Jingming followed and asked for a bit.


    Shen Yan generously gave some to Zhou Jingming. Seeing this, Xu Zishen also stretched out his hand for some, and Wen Yan joined in, not wanting to be left out.


    Each person got a bit to taste; it was neither bitter nor sweet, but a tad astringent.


    ¡°Ptui!¡± After tasting a bit, Liu Qiang spat it out. ¡°What is this? It tastes awful.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes turned toward her.


    Realizing what she had done, Liu Qiang forced a smile and explained, ¡°I, I can¡¯t handle the taste.¡±


    ¡°Everyone has different tastes,¡± Chu Jinghe smiled warmly, defending Liu Qiang, her gracious demeanor surely winning fans¡¯ hearts.


    Her words immediately garnered plenty of praise from many fans.


    Mu Jincheng was displeased seeing Shen Yan giving away the jujubes he had picked, but he didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Right, everyone has different tastes, and I don¡¯t like this thing,¡± Liu Qiang quickly grabbed the lifeline Chu Jinghe had thrown.


    Even if you don¡¯t like it, you shouldn¡¯t spit it out in front of everyone and say something like that.


    [Speechless, what has Liu Qiang turned into?]


    [Survival on a desert island really is like a truth mirror; it reflects everyone¡¯s true nature from every angle.]


    [I don¡¯t care what kind of ghost Liu Qiang is, the biggest revelation this time is Shen Yan! I love Shen Yan!]

 Chapter 26 - 26 026 Wronged Fianc茅

    ?Chapter 26: Chapter 026: Wronged Fiance? Chapter 26: Chapter 026: Wronged Fiance? After Liu Qiang¡¯s actions had attracted some negative attention, Director Li didn¡¯t ask for any guest to hold an entertaining activity, and the evening live broadcast was cut.


    Although it was a 24-hour live broadcast, could the guests even catch their breath during continuous streaming?


    After dinner, everyone dispersed.


    The tents were all set up for the guests.


    Exhausted from a day¡¯s hard work, everyone took this time to relax, scrolling through their phones or discussing things with their managers over calls.


    Shen Yan got her phone back and after a simple wash up, she lay on the bamboo mat staring at the phone screen.


    Xiao Zhao had been following the production team all this time, and now he groped his way over in the dark, standing outside the tent and asking in a low voice, ¡°Shen Yan, I¡¯ve brought some ice lollies, do you want some?¡±


    The wind that blew in the summer was a bit stuffy, Xiao Zhao¡¯s ice lollies were just the thing to relieve the heat.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Xiao Zhao hurried in with a small bag and handed it to Shen Yan.


    The small bag contained two ice lollies, Shen Yan only took one, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Xiao Zhao was flabbergasted by the gratitude, ¡°You¡¯re welcome, it¡¯s my duty to do this.¡±


    Xiao Zhao hadn¡¯t expected Shen Yan to be so easygoing.


    She was nothing like the bad temper rumor had it, proves that gossip can¡¯t be trusted!


    If anyone dared to speak ill of her Yanyan again, she would have a fit with them!


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, go rest,¡± Shen Yan said, tearing open the wrapper and taking a bite.


    Ice-cold and refreshing, delightful!


    Xiao Zhao quickly said it wasn¡¯t hard!


    Where was she tired? These last couple of days, she had been squatting bored with the production team, scrolling on her phone, liking Shen Yan¡¯s posts and voting for her.


    It was only tonight when the live broadcast window was cut off, leaving only the show¡¯s official live stream, that she could come over and talk to Shen Yan.


    Seeing that Shen Yan didn¡¯t need anything, Xiao Zhao went back to rest with peace of mind.


    Shen Yan played with her phone for a bit, then deleted all the photos of Mu Jincheng from her album ¨C the memory was all taken up by Mu Jincheng¡¯s videos and photos, and none of the others existed, not even her own.


    Shen Yan watched the deletion process, speechless.


    The original owner was crazy about the male lead.


    Then she logged into her own Weibo account and unfollowed Mu Jincheng directly.


    Thinking about the original owner¡¯s tendency to attract hate, she didn¡¯t want to read the negative comments from the haters, planning to log out.


    Huh?


    Shen Yan opened up the messages and saw quite a few from her fans.


    She has fans?


    Fireworks fans?


    Indeed, that was her fans¡¯ name.


    Shen Yan looked at the data which was increasing by the day, and felt a bit complicated.


    She scrolled for a while, getting a general understanding of the fan community.


    Shen Yan was really grateful to that top fan; if not for their organization, she wouldn¡¯t even have a fan base.


    Just about to check the home page of this top fan, a WeChat message popped up on her phone screen.


    Her hand had already clicked into the messages.


    Glancing at the blank avatar and the name, which hadn¡¯t been changed and was a few numbers and letters.


    No notes, no idea who it was.


    But when she saw the content,


    Shen Yan instantly understood.


    It was her wretched husband... er, fiance?.


    [Uncle Liu will pick you up after the program is over.]


    Just from those words, one could taste his coldness towards the original owner.


    Looking at the message page between them, only three messages had been sent, and all three were from Qi Si.


    The previous two messages were: [Uncle Liu will come to pick you up.] [Uncle Liu will take you to school.]


    Shen Yan fell silent for a while.


    All cold messages.


    The original owner never took the initiative to reply.


    Shen Yan herself was very indifferent when it came to family bonds; her own family, heartlessly, had sent her at fifteen into that kind of hell.


    It would be odd if she nurtured illusions about family bonds.


    No illusions didn¡¯t mean she would reject true family affection.


    The original owner in the novel was a fool who didn¡¯t know what blessings she had.


    Even though her family also had those wishing her ill, compared to her own family, they were much, much better.


    Someone who has lingered in a cold cellar for too long will also crave warmth.


    Shen Yan typed a line of text in the chat box, then deleted it, typed it again, and deleted it again.


    After several iterations, she finally settled on sending out three words.


    *


    Qi Si, who was working overtime on some documents, picked up his phone, which had vibrated briefly. He looked at the screen.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    The three blunt words shone on the display.


    Qi Si was taken aback for a moment.


    Imagining the annoyed emotion with which Shen Yan must have typed those words, Qi Si covered his phone expressionlessly and resumed his work.


    Since it was the elders¡¯ decision, whether there was any affection or what kind of person she was, didn¡¯t matter anymore.


    As long as the purpose of the arranged marriage was achieved, she was free to divorce if she wanted.


    As for the man she was interested in, Qi Si wouldn¡¯t interfere.


    Having fulfilled his obligations, there was nothing more the Shen family could ask for.


    In the end, they would probably feel indebted to him.


    He was a businessman; naturally, he would speak of business matters. Emotions ¨C he didn¡¯t need those.


    Others praised his patience with Shen Yan, not knowing that it stemmed from his indifference.


    As for acquiring that media company, it was to avoid Shen Yan tarnishing her reputation further.


    After all, she was the person he would marry in a few months; he had to maintain appearances.


    *


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t pay any more attention to the message.


    She scrolled through the contacts of the original owner and found very few people; she couldn¡¯t even find traces of family members.


    It seems that quite a few had been deleted or blocked before.


    With nothing of interest in the contacts, she started browsing various apps.


    She realized her popularity had actually risen.


    Testing her soul for a reaction.


    There was none.


    On the trending search list, there was a clip of her singing a tune.


    But it hadn¡¯t reached number one.


    The top spot was taken by the female lead, Chu Jinghe.


    A common topic had made it to the number one spot on the hot search.


    The second and third places were hot topics from a neighboring romance reality show.


    Shen Yan¡¯s hot search was fourth.


    Such a favorable topic reaching fourth place was already quite good.


    As long as it wasn¡¯t a negative hot search, it was a positive thing; she believed she could manage one hot search a month.


    After browsing for a while, Shen Yan saw that most of the apps were flooded with the female lead¡¯s popularity.


    There were also topics shipping her and the male lead¡¯s CP (couple pairing), subtly surpassing the neighboring reality romance show.


    Shen Yan put away her phone, propped her head on her hands, stared at the tent ceiling for a while in a daze, and decided to get up and exercise.


    She got up and snuck into a dark path ahead without others noticing.


    Just as she was about to start running, she noticed two dark figures ahead speaking face to face.


    Shen Yan turned to leave.


    But then she heard Mu Jincheng¡¯s voice, ¡°Make a move, Shen Yan being here has a bad influence.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Master, I will handle it well. Last time we only made the person ill, but this time, we¡¯ll be harsher and ensure she completely withdraws from this show.¡±


    These words carried a sinister undertone.


    Shen Yan frowned.


    Mu Jincheng couldn¡¯t restrain himself from messing with her any longer.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t kill anyone; it¡¯s okay if you break her arms or legs, just get her out of here.¡±


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s voice was very cold; he didn¡¯t find such actions problematic at all.


    The entertainment industry had even darker secrets.


    From poisoning to creating accidents, all sorts of ploys existed.


    Mu Jincheng was a wealthy scion who had long been exposed to the dark side of his family.


    So employing these little tactics in the entertainment circle didn¡¯t bother him.


    Shen Yan was just a nuisance to his and Chu Jinghe¡¯s affair.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t listen any further because she saw the female lead walking over from the other side, so she chose a direction and jogged off slowly.

 Chapter 27 - 27 027 Treasure Grabbing

    ?Chapter 27: Chapter 027: Treasure Grabbing Chapter 27: Chapter 027: Treasure Grabbing The next day, at 6 a.m.


    Shen Yan got up punctually for her morning routine.


    Facing the camera was another face as soft and fair as a peeled egg, making fans lick their screens in admiration!


    Just after greeting the camera, someone else walked up behind Shen Yan.


    It was Chu Jinghe!


    Chu Jinghe still wore her no-makeup makeup look, smiling just right.


    Knowing Shen Yan had good skin, and it seemed genuinely bare, Chu Jinghe didn¡¯t stand next to Shen Yan.


    ¡°Shen Yan, morning.¡±


    ¡°Morning.¡±


    ¡°Jinchen, morning!¡± Chu Jinghe then greeted someone behind Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan stepped aside, leaving the scene to the male and female leads.


    Noticing Shen Yan¡¯s movement, Mu Jincheng slightly frowned.


    But when he looked at Chu Jinghe, a gentle smile spread across his face.


    ¡°Jinghe, morning!¡±


    This round of greetings again excited fans from both sides, who screamed in delight.


    And on the spot, they started shipping the couple.


    ¡°Morning, everyone!¡± Qin Dingyue¡¯s carefree greeting rang out, causing Liu Qiang to roll her eyes.


    Liu Qiang had noticed her skin was dark and rough when she looked in the mirror last night, so she got up at 5 a.m. to do her makeup.


    But one look at Shen Yan, and Liu Qiang felt utterly ashamed.


    Xu Zishen and Zhou Jingming¡¯s gazes both landed on Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan was simply too dazzling.


    Before Shen Yan removed her makeup, she looked really ordinary.


    Chu Jing, who had garnered much attention in the previous episode, now frequently had her spotlight stolen by Shen Yan, her smile straining.


    ¡°Zishen, Zhou Jingming, did you sleep well?¡± Chu Jinghe asked, smiling, successfully drawing their attention.


    Xu Zishen¡¯s eyes flickered as they swept over Chu Jinghe, then he nodded, ¡°Slept well, and you?¡±


    ¡°I might be a little allergic, didn¡¯t sleep very well,¡± which was a perfect explanation for her less than perfect skin.


    Xu Zishen asked out of concern, ¡°Allergic? Do you want the program¡¯s on-call doctor to take a look?¡±


    ¡°No need, it¡¯s just a slight allergy, slept through most of it,¡± Chu Jinghe said with a gentle smile, standing there serene as a painting!


    Upon hearing this, Zhou Jingming also focused on Chu Jinghe, advising, ¡°Allergies are no trivial matter, don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡±


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s smile deepened as she again explained she was used to it and said she wasn¡¯t the delicate sort of girl who needed special care.


    Shen Yan listened to a few words then didn¡¯t interject.


    The female lead regained her aura, and Shen Yan was content to watch from the sidelines, no need to meddle.


    The female lead was quite enthusiastic toward Xu Zishen, and Shen Yan knew why.


    It was because of Xu Zishen¡¯s partially revealed identity.


    The original work didn¡¯t explicitly state Xu Zishen¡¯s later identity, but one could guess from bits of information that Xu Zishen¡¯s so-called wealthy scion backstory had no credible authenticity.


    It might just be a marketing persona.


    Shen Yan wasn¡¯t concerned with others¡¯ selling of personas.


    Whether they were good or bad, it was none of her business.


    She glanced at Mu Jincheng, who was chatting warmly with Chu Jinghe, wondering what their plan for her was today.


    Whatever Mu Jincheng had concocted behind the scenes, she would not hesitate to return the favor.


    Wen Yan was a bit irritable today, he didn¡¯t want to be partnered with Liu Qiang any longer.


    ¡°Good morning, everyone!¡±


    Director Li shouted through a megaphone at the front.


    Nearly scaring everyone¡¯s souls out of their bodies.


    The guests perked up and greeted the smiling Director Li.


    Mu Jincheng, having used some privileges the night before, knew that Director Li would play the reshuffling game today, so he was well aware of what was to come.


    He didn¡¯t have to worry about anyone separating him and Chu Jinghe at all.


    ¡°Today, as usual, we¡¯ll draw lots for teams, with ladies drawing for the gentlemen.¡±


    As soon as Director Li finished speaking, a staff member came up holding a small cardboard box.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± Liu Qiang said somewhat impatiently.


    Such eagerness caught the attention of Chu Jing and Zhou Jingming.


    Liu Qiang silently prayed in her heart that she absolutely had to draw Xu Zishen!


    Although she liked Mu Jincheng, given her status, she preferred being in Xu Zishen¡¯s team.


    But when she unfolded the paper, her face turned green.


    Wen Yan again!


    Wen Yan tiptoed, glanced over, and saw her own name, her eyes practically rolling back in her head.


    Such injustice.


    Qin Dingyue still yielded to Chu Jing, ¡°Mr. Chu, you go first.¡±


    Chu Jing had just taken a step when he suddenly turned back to look at Shen Yan, ¡°Shen Yan, you go first.¡±


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t mind, stepped up to draw, and casually flipped over the name.


    It was Xu Zishen.


    Xu Zishen blinked, then smiled faintly.


    Chu Jing¡¯s frown was barely noticeable, annoyed with himself for yielding.


    Chu Jing took a breath and then let Qin Dingyue draw.


    Qin Dingyue ended up with Zhou Jingming.


    Qin Dingyue waved the slip of paper, ¡°Dancing King Zhou, we¡¯re partners again!¡±


    Zhou Jingming smiled handsomely, ¡°It¡¯s an extreme honor.¡±


    There was no need to draw after that, it was certainly Mu Jincheng.


    Chu Jing smiled shyly at Mu Jincheng, ¡°Jincheng, we¡¯re together again.¡±


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but strangely, there wasn¡¯t much joy in it.


    He glanced subconsciously in Shen Yan¡¯s direction.


    Meanwhile, Shen Yan had already joined Xu Zishen, the two of them talking about something in a low voice, creating an eye-catching scene of talents and beauty.


    ¡°Jincheng?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very happy to be partnered with you again!¡± Mu Jincheng was slightly annoyed at himself for being distracted just now.


    Director Li announced today¡¯s survival task, ¡°Today we won¡¯t be following the routes we were given yesterday to find ingredients at the end. We¡¯re going to play a more fun game.¡±


    At this, everyone¡¯s brows furrowed fiercely.


    Seeing everyone¡¯s reaction, Director Li smiled somewhat smugly, ¡°We will sporadically place dummy items, location unrestricted, but the real ingredients will only be one set. Our theme is ¡®Treasure Hunt!''¡±


    The guests: ¡°...¡±


    This was going to be a mad scramble!


    Imagining the scene of the scuffle, several people frowned deeply.


    Like old ladies fighting unseemly over cabbage in the market, it looked bad.


    Shen Yan seemed indifferent.


    Her eyes swept to the side.


    She saw one of Mu Jincheng¡¯s assistants sneaking around outside the venue, Shen Yan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, then she discreetly looked away.


    ¡°The production team is really upping the ante, can you handle it?¡± Xu Zishen quietly asked Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan nodded, ¡°Should be fine.¡±


    This was much easier than searching for ingredients on her own.


    Shen Yan¡¯s reaction seemed a bit show-offy to Xu Zishen.


    Although they had won by pairing up with Shen Yan in this episode, how much of that was genuine, was hard to say.


    Like Mu Jincheng, Xu Zishen had reason to suspect that Shen Yan had made some shady deals behind the scenes when she came back to the show.


    With that body and that face, it was hard not to have one¡¯s thoughts stray.


    Mu Jincheng comforted Chu Jing, ¡°With me here, we won¡¯t lose this time.¡±


    Having lost twice already, Chu Jing forced a stiff smile.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s gaze swept toward Shen Yan, his eyes a shade deeper.


    He promised, today Shen Yan wouldn¡¯t get an advantage; perhaps she would have to drop out before the live broadcast even reached the halfway point.


    If so, their group would have a great chance of winning.

 Chapter 28 - 28 028 Catching a Snake Barehanded

    ?Chapter 28: Chapter 028: Catching a Snake Barehanded Chapter 28: Chapter 028: Catching a Snake Barehanded After breakfast, Director Li announced the start of the timed challenge.


    The only guidance they had was a vague destination point.


    How to get there and how to search was all up to the small shovel in the guests¡¯ hands.


    This time, there were no backpacks, no water, and certainly no salt provided.


    The only survival tool was a small iron shovel.


    At this moment, the guests realized that Director Li was seriously upping the stakes.


    Without oil, salt, or water, how were they expected to trek to a distant endpoint under such scorching heat?


    Was this not basically a death wish?


    Ignoring the displeased faces of the guests, Director Li announced the start and took off to wait at the endpoint.


    ¡°Director Li really wants to kill us this time,¡± Qin Dingyue complained while poking the ground with the small shovel.


    The others also looked unhappy, and after several seconds of silence, they steeled themselves and set off.


    Shen Yan was the only one who didn¡¯t seem to resist.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stick together!¡± Ding Yue¡¯s eyes brightened, and she quickly moved closer to Shen Yan.


    Zhou Yingming opened his mouth but followed silently without saying a word.


    The others exchanged glances and joined in.


    Especially Wen Yan, who moved particularly quickly.


    Liu Qiang looked down on Wen Yan, who could only sing and seemed more delicate than a woman, possessing no survival skills and disgracing men.


    But Wen Yan didn¡¯t care about Liu Qiang¡¯s disdain; he knew that following Shen Yan was never a mistake.


    Mu Jincheng felt a bit anxious seeing everyone following Shen Yan.


    How were they supposed to drive Shen Yan away if everyone walked together?


    Shen Yan did not drive anyone away and seemed to have a good temperament.


    Xu Zishen looked back at the long line of people trailing behind and felt slightly annoyed.


    What was wrong with these people, sticking to them like clingy plaster?


    ¡°Can we find the food buried by the production team by just walking straight?¡± Xu Zishen¡¯s unspoken implication was to scatter and search.


    However, the people behind him seemed to turn a deaf ear and kept following.


    Without the need to search for wild food and having no burden to carry other than a small iron shovel, their advance was much quicker.


    The production team had given them shovels, indicating that food must be buried underground, so everyone was carefully scrutinizing the surrounding soil and bushes.


    At any sign of disturbance, they would dig a few times.


    But all for nothing.


    After an hour¡¯s walk, all of them were drenched in sweat, and the blazing sun nearly made them faint.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore; this path is too uneven, it¡¯s killing me,¡± Liu Qiang, the first to give in, plopped down on a rock, refusing to move.


    She was dying of thirst.


    And there was no water.


    ¡°I¡¯m dying of thirst, my throat is smoking, can¡¯t you guys think of how to find some water?¡± Wen Yan fanned his red face with his hands.


    The others were also parched from the heat and had long wanted to find water to drink.


    When Shen Yan saw them stop, she didn¡¯t.


    The few looked back to see the VJs and PDs brazenly drinking water right in front of them, their eyes bulging.


    So infuriating.


    The production team was definitely messing with them on purpose!


    The production team was too inhumane.


    ¡°Shen Yan...¡± Seeing Shen Yan continuing to walk, Xu Zishen called out.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t stop.


    Their individual follow-cameras immediately caught up with her.


    This time, seeing Shen Yan walking away, they didn¡¯t follow.


    Xu Zishen caught up, slightly out of breath: ¡°Aren¡¯t you thirsty?¡±


    ¡°A bit.¡±


    It was then Xu Zishen noticed that Shen Yan¡¯s body was cool and refreshing, with only a bit of fine sweat on her forehead.


    Her snow-white skin shimmered under the sunlight, glowing with a lustrous sheen!


    The person before him suddenly became very tempting.


    Xu Zishen swallowed hard.


    Undeniably, Shen Yan was truly attractive at the moment!


    ¡°What are you looking at,¡± Shen Yan, who was walking a step ahead, suddenly turned back, her gaze somewhat cold.


    Xu Zishen quickly reined in his blatant stare, ¡°Nothing much, just wanted to ask if you knew how to find some clean water to drink.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a river up ahead, there are no residents nearby, the environment hasn¡¯t been polluted, so the water quality should be up to standard.¡±


    ¡°You mean to suggest we drink river water!¡± Xu Zishen was a bit incredulous, then his face twisted into a look of disgust.


    Shen Yan spoke calmly, ¡°Then hold on for now.¡±


    Saying this, Shen Yan headed towards the river.


    Xu Zishen furrowed his brows and followed, ¡°Do you really plan to drink this bacteria water?¡±


    Shen Yan stood by the riverbank and then used a shovel to dig a hole next to a small mound.


    Turning around, she saw a banana tree ahead. She bent down for a closer look and noticed the unopened banana flower buds that had just sprung up.


    Shen Yan first tore off a banana leaf, then turned back and placed a few at the bottom of the pit where water was seeping out. She shaped another leaf into a conical form. Once the mud settled, Shen Yan used the banana leaf to scoop up water and began to drink.


    The water was cool and refreshing as it filled her stomach.


    Seeing the source of the water next to the mud, Xu Zishen¡¯s brows were tightly knit.


    The nearby VJ quickly adjusted the camera.


    The audience watching exclaimed at the old countryside experience being displayed.


    Those who had guessed that Shen Yan came from the countryside began to stir again.


    They were saying it was certain that Shen Yan came from a rural background.


    After quenching her thirst, Shen Yan tossed aside the banana leaf in her hand.


    Xu Zishen was still hesitating about whether or not to drink.


    He coughed, his throat dry as a tinderbox.


    In this heat, without drinking water, he really might die of thirst.


    Xu Zishen didn¡¯t hesitate much longer and, imitating Shen Yan, he tore off a banana leaf, rolled it up loosely, and scooped up some water to drink.


    Still, he grimaced as if he were drinking poison.


    Shen Yan glanced around and noticed a figure dart past at the intersection ahead.


    She raised her eyebrows slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve drunk my fill...¡± Although there was an odd taste, it wasn¡¯t enough to make him nauseous.


    Xu Zishen began to size up Shen Yan standing there once again.


    She stood quietly, exuding a hermit-like aura.


    Xu Zishen was once again taken aback.


    He had genuinely not realized Shen Yan was this beautiful before.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Shen Yan frowned, not very fond of Xu Zishen¡¯s explicit stares.


    If it weren¡¯t for the live broadcast, she really would have poked out his eyes.


    Rubbing his eyes, Xu Zishen walked ahead first.


    Shen Yan trailed behind him by two steps.


    ¡°Sss~¡±


    ¡°It sounds like something,¡± Xu Zishen abruptly stopped, sounding a bit unsure.


    Shen Yan looked around and noticed a greenish trap hidden in a secluded spot.


    Her dark eyes narrowed dangerously.


    Xu Zishen took two steps forward and seemed to step on something, which made a ¡°sss¡± sound, then wrapped tightly around Xu Zishen¡¯s calf.


    The tightness and the sudden appearance of a lengthy, flexible organism in his field of vision scared Xu Zishen to the extent that his eyes bulged and his face turned deathly pale!


    ¡°It¡¯s a venomous snake!¡±


    His scalp went numb instantly, and he jumped reflexively.


    As the snake wrapped around his calf, its head darted towards his leg.


    Its movement to bite was fast as lightning.


    However, a fair and flawless hand was even faster.


    As the snake¡¯s fangs made contact with Xu Zishen¡¯s flesh, it was grabbed and held.


    Its slightly flattened head was somewhat misshapen by the grip.


    The poisoned fangs caught on Xu Zishen¡¯s trousers, and in that moment, Xu Zishen just wanted to faint on the spot.


    His body stiff, he trembled as he spoke, ¡°I, I think I¡¯ve been bitten...¡±


    The on-screen persona Xu Zishen had previously maintained seemed to collapse in that instant.

 Chapter 29 - 29 029 It Seems the Company Has Given Up on You

    ?Chapter 29: Chapter 029: It Seems the Company Has Given Up on You Chapter 29: Chapter 029: It Seems the Company Has Given Up on You No sooner had he spoken than Xu Zishen¡¯s legs went weak, and he plopped down on the ground.


    Shen Yan still held the poisonous snake, which was about two fingers in size, and yanked it from his pant leg.


    Her tug was even stronger than the constricting force of the snake.


    It made Xu Zishen shudder all over; he nearly wet himself on the spot.


    The feeling of the snake¡¯s tail sliding over his skin was really unpleasant!


    The pupils of the VJs and PDs abruptly contracted!


    The audience, seeing the snake coiled around that fair arm, felt their own pupils shake violently!


    The scene of the girl quickly seizing the snake truly shocked the national audience, and the barrage in the live broadcast room instantly died down.


    Soon, everyone snapped back to reality, their hands trembling as they typed.


    [Oh my God, Yanyan, you¡¯re grabbing a poisonous snake, not a little earthworm, throw it away, quickly!]


    [I knew there were many snakes in summer, what is the production team doing, how could such a mistake happen.]


    [Did it bite anyone, why is the production team still dazed, don¡¯t they know poisonous snakes can be deadly.]


    [If something happens, the production team would be indirectly committing murder.]


    [Yanyan, you, you¡¯re scaring us, tell us if you were bitten, say something...]


    At this point, even Yanyan¡¯s haters were worried for her.


    Finally, the production team came to their senses and raced over, ¡°Xu Zishen, Shen Yan.¡±


    Shen Yan disentangled the snake, an action that gave onlookers goosebumps. Just imagine such a soft-bodied venomous creature wrapped around one¡¯s body; it would make anyone explode on the spot!


    On camera, Shen Yan, unhurriedly, removed the snake from her arm and, in front of the audience¡¯s eyes, tossed it away, then swiftly picked up a small spade.


    ¡°Whack, whack...¡±


    The several people who had rushed over froze.


    They watched as Shen Yan smacked the snake¡¯s head into the soft mud, then kept hitting, hacking, smacking...


    In the serene forest, the only sound was the clear and forceful whack after whack.


    Voices full of urgency came through the walkie-talkies, with no response.


    Xu Zishen, who was sitting on the ground, watched the ethereal girl crisply smashing the snake, a twist in the scene that was a bit too abrupt for him.


    Shen Yan continued smacking and kicked sand over the snake¡¯s body at the same time.


    To avoid any blood splatter.


    The snake¡¯s tail wriggled twice and then stilled.


    Shen Yan wiped the small spade on the grass and looked towards the stunned crowd, her tone calm, ¡°He wasn¡¯t bitten, neither was I, the snake is dead.¡±


    The snake is dead...


    Everyone stared at the scene before them, their minds crashing and rebooting.


    Xu Zishen was the first to snap out of it, promptly rolling up his pant leg to find not a single mark.


    He took a long breath.


    His whole body relaxed along with it.


    ¡°Shen Yan, are you hurt at all?¡± the others gathered around Shen Yan, frantically checking her over.


    Shen Yan spread her hands open, pristine except for the red marks from gripping the spade too hard.


    Everyone exhaled in relief.


    Having relaxed, they felt utterly weak.


    Then came a chill down their spines¡ªthe production team had already checked carefully, sprinkling a lot of realgar around places where snakes might hide. How could such a poisonous snake still be on the prowl?


    Right on their unavoidable path.


    Just think, if the person in front wasn¡¯t Xu Zishen, but one of those following with the cameras, then they would have been the ones bitten by the snake.


    Everyone had a terrible look on their faces.


    The presence of the poisonous snake had killed the mood for recording.


    Someone finally answered the walkie-talkie; Director Li and others running towards the scene all breathed sighs of relief.


    With a stern face, Director Li stared at the dead snake on the ground and then at the composed Shen Yan, taking a deep breath, ¡°We¡¯ll pause the broadcast here for now; other team members, conduct a thorough safety check.¡±


    Everyone sprang into action.


    Xu Zishen¡¯s assistant helped him up and took him back.


    Though he wasn¡¯t bitten, the scare was no less intense.


    The roads were no longer passable.


    Shen Yan did want to continue, but everyone else was scared, so she followed them back to the rest area.


    Xiao Zhao ran over from afar, also with a look of sheer anxiety on his face, ¡°Yanyan, are you, you¡¯re okay, right?¡±


    Shen Yan shook her head.


    The faces of the returning crowd all looked grim, and Xiao Zhao, wanting to ask questions, could only hold them back.


    Xu Zishen went back to his tent with a pale face and immediately changed out of the pants that had been nicked by the snake¡¯s fangs, then had his assistant dispose of them.


    When Shen Yan returned to her tent, Xiao Zhao followed, asking insistently, ¡°Yanyan, you really weren¡¯t bitten by the snake?¡±


    Shen Yan glanced at her, ¡°If I were bitten, could I still be standing here all well? That was a viper.¡±


    Xiao Zhao knew about this viper and her eyes instantly widened.


    Thinking of that scene, Xiao Zhao¡¯s voice trembled, ¡°You, you¡¯re too bold... How could you dare to catch a snake with your bare hands, if it had bitten back, even if there was antivenom, you might still...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, aren¡¯t I,¡± she had caught more poisonous snakes in the jungle before.


    Xiao Zhao turned pale, ¡°I, I¡¯ll call Sister Lu.¡±


    Shen Yan thought to herself, even if you do call, that controlling agent probably won¡¯t care.


    The most she¡¯d do would be to mock Shen Yan¡¯s terrible luck.


    However, once Xiao Zhao¡¯s call was made, she was stunned.


    Running back, she said with a strange look in her eyes, ¡°Yanyan, it seems like the company... has abandoned you.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Sister Lu said that from now on, you¡¯re no longer under her management, whether you live or die is up to you, which means you won¡¯t have an agent to manage you anymore.¡±


    No agent to manage her, so was she supposed to pull in her own resources?


    Then what¡¯s the point of being an artist, might as well switch careers and become an agent.


    Shen Yan raised her eyebrows, surprised, ¡°I haven¡¯t received any notification from the company.¡±


    Her phone was spotless.


    Immediately, she thought of something and understood.


    Presumably, there was some adjustment on the company¡¯s side, and they had explained that to Zhang Lu, but Zhang Lu had not handed things over to her.


    ¡°Being on this show, the attention and response I¡¯ve brought has been quite good; the company won¡¯t ignore that.¡±


    Even an idiot could see she was quickly improving, and she might even become a cash cow for the company.


    The top management at Xinyu would have to be foolish to neglect her.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask around again to see what¡¯s going on with the company,¡± Xiao Zhao felt uncertain.


    Shen Yan nodded.


    The encounter with the venomous snake that Xu Zishen and Shen Yan had experienced was quickly known to everyone.


    The live broadcast of the show had just begun not long before it was interrupted.


    With such an incident, the audience could completely understand the program team¡¯s decision to halt the broadcast.


    They needed to perform a thorough check before the live broadcast could resume.


    But this situation agonized Director Li.


    The losses from halting the broadcast for a day were immeasurable.


    Thinking of the snickers from his peers behind his back, Director Li¡¯s anger flared even more.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with the production crew? Didn¡¯t they say that the area was checked and safe? Now a venomous snake appears, nearly biting someone; how are we supposed to ensure the personal safety of our people?¡± The complaints came from outside; Shen Yan didn¡¯t go out.


    ¡°Suddenly stopping the broadcast, the program crew are facing major losses; it can¡¯t be helped,¡± said Zhou Jingming.


    Everyone had returned to the starting point, now sitting together in a circle.


    Chu Jing noticed that Mu Jincheng¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t very good and asked with concern, ¡°Jincheng, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Mu Jincheng shook his head, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    As he spoke, his gaze drifted to the other side.


    That was Shen Yan¡¯s tent.


    Shen Yan was lucky not to have been bitten.


    Mu Jincheng knew very well that it was his own people who had arranged for the venomous snake.


    He had only requested the person to be taken out, never had he ordered to take a life.


    If the snake had bitten and there wasn¡¯t enough time to get to a hospital, the person would have undoubtedly not been saved.


    Mu Jincheng felt irritated, walked to the side, picked up his phone, and called someone. As he moved away from the crowd, he asked through gritted teeth, ¡°What¡¯s going on, why release a venomous snake?¡±

 Chapter 30 - 30 030 Is This Returning Kindness with

    ?Chapter 30: Chapter 030: Is This Returning Kindness with Ingratitude? Chapter 30: Chapter 030: Is This Returning Kindness with Ingratitude? The final scene of the live broadcast caused quite a stir online.


    #Rising Female Star Catches Poisonous Snake Barehanded# skyrocketed to the top of trending searches.


    That scene was heart-stopping, enough to make one¡¯s hair stand on end.


    Liu Su watched Shen Yan¡¯s live broadcast on his phone in the car heading to the program¡¯s live broadcast site.


    And he took in that particular scene.


    Liu Su immediately called Qi Si, ¡°Mr. Qi, did you watch the live broadcast?¡±


    Qi Si, who was in a meeting, replied coldly, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that idle?¡±


    Liu Su quietly hung up the phone.


    He knew Qi Si really didn¡¯t care about such things.


    Assigning him to manage Star Language Media was simply a way to get him out of the way, so he wouldn¡¯t have to watchdog for the family elders.


    Liu Su scrolled through the trending searches and watched the snake-catching clip again, still feeling shocked.


    The production team was too careless; the life of an artist was threatened. Who would dare to continue recording?


    On this matter, Liu Su thought about suing the production team directly.


    Shen Yan¡¯s performance on this show surprised Liu Su.


    The usually pampered Miss Shen not only knew how to spear fish and cook but also could catch snakes with her bare hands.


    Had they overlooked too much and failed to fully discover Miss Shen¡¯s plethora of skills?


    Then Liu Su remembered all the verbal insults Shen Yan had hurled at Qi Si and even the smashing of objects and had to discard those unrealistic thoughts.


    The family might not know, but Liu Su, who was assigned to follow Qi Si, was well aware that Shen Yan had long harbored an unrequited love for a male star.


    And that male star was in this live broadcast show.


    Liu Su felt somewhat worried.


    *


    Shen Yan suddenly felt a slight jolt in her soul, and her spirits inexplicably lightened considerably.


    She immediately thought of something and quickly checked her phone, seeing the snake-catching trending search at the top.


    A pleased smile curved her lips.


    ¡°Looks like they didn¡¯t lie to me.¡±


    Sure enough, hitting the top of the trending list made her feel much better.


    It was as if a terminal illness had been eradicated from the depths of her soul.


    In that case, she really ought to thank Mu Jincheng.


    ¡°Yanyan, I¡¯m coming in to see you!¡± Qin Dingyue¡¯s voice hadn¡¯t finished before she entered.


    Seeing Shen Yan holding her phone and sitting on a small chair, Qin Dingyue was taken aback.


    Shen Yan looked behind her. Aside from Xu Zishen, everyone had come in.


    Mu Jincheng quickly assessed Shen Yan, feeling somewhat guilty.


    Shen Yan noticed his flicker of guilt and sneered inwardly.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Mu Jincheng to be so ruthless.


    To actually want to kill her off.


    Chu Jinghe asked, ¡°Shen Yan, we were all shocked when we heard you caught the snake with your hands.¡±


    Liu Qiang pouted, secretly wishing the snake had bitten Shen Yan dead.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. You should be visiting Xu Zishen. He was really scared,¡± Shen Yan pointed outside.


    ¡°Yanyan, you¡¯re really brave. Even though it was dangerous, you were so cool!¡± Qin Dingyue gushed, stars practically sparkled in her eyes.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to hover around me, go do what you need to do. It¡¯s not easy to get some rest, so why waste it?¡± Shen Yan said with a slight smile.


    She didn¡¯t seem to have any psychological shadow from the incident.


    Qin Dingyue¡¯s admiration grew even stronger!


    It was just like something out of a TV show, incredibly cool!


    Qin Dingyue felt nearly overwhelmed by Shen Yan¡¯s brilliance.


    Seeing that she was really okay, everyone left.


    But once outside, seeing Xu Zishen¡¯s pale face, they exchanged looks and then cast sympathetic glances his way.


    Xu Zishen came to thank Shen Yan; had it not been for her actions, he truly might have been done for right then and there.


    Xu Zishen greeted everyone and then went inside.


    Shen Yan was about to take a short rest when she saw Xu Zishen run in, still deathly pale, obviously he hadn¡¯t recovered yet.


    It was understandable; anyone experiencing such an event for the first time would be scared.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Very good,¡± Xu Zishen squeezed out an uglier smile than crying, ¡°Thank you, if it wasn¡¯t for you, I might have been a goner right there.¡±


    ¡°It was nothing.¡±


    Indeed it was a simple act, but this simple act allowed Xu Zishen to dodge death, and he felt immense gratitude and was moved.


    Watching the undisturbed Shen Yan, oddly enough, Xu Zishen found his own heart quieting down too.


    ¡°I¡¯ll repay you.¡±


    Xu Zishen said somewhat stiffly.


    He said it very sincerely.


    Shen Yan: ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°I must thank you,¡± Xu Zishen thought for a moment, ¡°what do you want?¡±


    Shen Yan glanced at him: ¡°I don¡¯t need anything.¡±


    ¡°I can help you gain popularity.¡±


    ¡°I currently have quite a bit of popularity already, no need for more.¡±


    Xu Zishen said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you money.¡±


    Shen Yan: ¡°I consider money as nothing more than dung.¡±


    Xu Zishen: ¡°Work like an ox or horse for you?¡±


    Shen Yan: ¡°I¡¯m not short of oxen or horses.¡±


    Xu Zishen bit his teeth: ¡°I offer myself to you!¡±


    Shen Yan looked at him, then slowly shifted her gaze and said faintly, ¡°I don¡¯t like plain boiled chicken.¡±


    Xu Zishen: ¡°...¡±


    How did he become a plain boiled chicken?


    He exercised, controlled his diet, and his popularity in the entertainment industry wasn¡¯t low either.


    Because of his persona as a wealthy scion, he attracted quite a following, and there were plenty of female stars in the industry who wanted to sleep with him.


    Didn¡¯t Shen Yan want to?


    ¡°Being my girlfriend wouldn¡¯t be a loss for you, won¡¯t you reconsider?¡±


    It was only then that Xu Zishen really took a good look at Shen Yan, she was truly beautiful!


    Whether it was her figure or her face, both were top-tier.


    Even attracting a wealthy tycoon would be an easy feat for Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan turned off her phone and stood up to look at him: ¡°Are you repaying kindness with hostility?¡±


    ¡°Not at all...¡±


    ¡°Then is this charity?¡±


    Xu Zishen couldn¡¯t speak anymore, Shen Yan¡¯s gaze was too mocking.


    *


    Seeing Xu Zishen slinking out from Shen Yan¡¯s tent, everyone¡¯s gaze unconsciously followed him.


    Mu Jincheng frowned slightly, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.


    What had they been talking about, being alone together for so long?


    Then he thought that Shen Yan was a bit shameless. Didn¡¯t she know what it meant to avoid suspicion?


    To be alone in a tent with a male celebrity in front of everyone, wasn¡¯t she afraid of rumors?


    Perhaps, Shen Yan herself couldn¡¯t wait to be involved in a scandal with Xu Zishen, the pseudo-rich scion.


    Mu Jincheng silently sneered and redirected his gaze away from that direction.


    Shen Yan saving Xu Zishen was of great interest to Chu Jinghe.


    Ever since she joined this program, she had been trying to get close to Xu Zishen, intentionally and unintentionally, with little success. And now, Shen Yan had beaten her to it.


    The production team was still investigating when Xiao Zhao suddenly received a call from the company and hurriedly found Shen Yan: ¡°Yanyan, someone from the company is here!¡±


    The company sending someone meant they hadn¡¯t given up on Shen Yan.


    Xiao Zhao was so happy she was almost laughing her teeth off.


    Hearing this, Shen Yan paused, then followed the staffer to the temporary break room, where she saw a senior executive from Star Language Media talking to Liu Su.


    When they heard the noise, both men turned around at the same time.


    The executive¡¯s eyes went wide upon seeing the real Shen Yan!


    ¡°Uncle Liu?¡±


    The middle-aged man before her was the Qi Family¡¯s butler; after the original host and Qi Si got engaged, the family assigned him to look after Qi Si and, by proxy, to watch over them on the family¡¯s behalf.


    To ensure they got married without a hitch.


    Shen Yan was puzzled. Hadn¡¯t Qi Si said he would come to get her after the program ended?


    There was still one day left in the program, so why had Liu Su arrived?


    ¡°Miss Shen,¡± Liu Su stood up as soon as he saw Shen Yan and motioned for the others to leave.


    Once everyone had left, Liu Su spoke with concern: ¡°I heard Miss Shen had an accident; the sir sent me to check on you.¡±


    Shen Yan watched him lie through his teeth without calling him out.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. You¡¯ve gone to a lot of trouble coming here, Uncle Liu. Please thank Mr. Qi for his concern on my behalf,¡± Shen Yan said in an even tone.


    Liu Su, however, was taken aback.

 Chapter 31 - 31 031 The Butler Becomes the Agent

    ?Chapter 31: Chapter 031: The Butler Becomes the Agent Chapter 31: Chapter 031: The Butler Becomes the Agent Shen Yan said these words, and Liu Su¡¯s first reaction was: when did Miss Shen become so polite?


    Liu Su¡¯s expression was too obvious, and Shen Yan also paused.


    Had she overacted a bit?


    To be honest.


    After the age of fifteen, the days she lived were always breathtakingly thrilling.


    She had hardly ever experienced normal emotional interactions.


    The person in front of her was the housekeeper of her original fiance?, and he might also become her housekeeper in the future. In a sense, they needed some emotional interaction.


    Her manner just now didn¡¯t quite fit the original character.


    But she didn¡¯t correct it.


    There was no need.


    She would continue to live in her own way in the future.


    So she was representing herself now. There was no need to pretend to be someone else.


    Liu Su knew that his reaction had been a bit excessive and quickly adjusted himself, saying, ¡°This is what I should do, Miss Shen. I have already joined the Xingyu Media Company. Your agent, Zhang Lu, made quite a few mistakes at work, so the company has adjusted her position accordingly. From today onwards, I will take over as Miss Shen¡¯s agent.¡±


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    She hadn¡¯t expected him to go to such lengths to watch over her.


    It wasn¡¯t a matter of rejection. If it were her, facing someone like the original owner, she would only have acted more excessively.


    Her fiance? only did this much, and he really had a very good temper.


    ¡°Miss Shen, from now on, I will be your agent. Regarding your future development in the entertainment circle, I will help you set the direction.¡±


    ¡°Can Uncle Liu handle it?¡±


    ¡°...Ahem, I¡¯m just a bit old, not some stubborn old man. I accept new things very quickly. It¡¯s just the entertainment circle; I can still handle it.¡±


    Hearing this, Shen Yan nodded, ¡°Then I will trouble Uncle Liu from now on.¡±


    ¡°No trouble at all, it¡¯s what I should do,¡± Liu Su straightened his expression, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡±


    ¡°Curious about what?¡±


    ¡°Do you think that Sir intentionally assigned me to monitor every move of Miss Shen, then achieve the goal of controlling you?¡± Liu Su had already prepared a script to deal with the rowdy Shen Yan.


    However.


    Shen Yan not only didn¡¯t make a scene, but she also calmly accepted the adjustment by Xingyu Media Company.


    Even her transformation from a housekeeper to an agent was accepted indifferently.


    There was absolutely no intention to cause a scene.


    In the past, facing such a situation, Shen Yan would have already started cursing loudly.


    Such calm acceptance made Liu Su feel an inexplicable chill on his back, feeling that there was some trick waiting for him.


    ¡°I know this is arranged by Qi Si,¡± Shen Yan was still calm and did not reject this change.


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Liu Su was stunned.


    ¡°What, does Uncle Liu hope that I will call Qi Si and battle it out for hundreds of rounds right now?¡± Shen Yan saw his reaction and knew what he was thinking.


    Liu Su felt a bit embarrassed: ¡°I would rather hope that Miss Shen and Sir could be loving and harmonious.¡±


    Hearing ¡°loving and harmonious,¡± Shen Yan raised her eyebrows.


    Coexisting peacefully was possible, but there was no need for love.


    She had never been in love, didn¡¯t understand emotions, and dared not expect any familial affection.


    Seeing that Shen Yan did not respond, Liu Su quickly changed the topic, afraid that talking more would provoke Shen Yan to revert to her original state.


    ¡°Regarding the snake incident, I will talk with the show team to secure Miss Shen¡¯s interests to the fullest.¡±


    Shen Yan¡¯s eyes flashed slightly, ¡°Before the live broadcast began, the program group had already checked the island¡¯s paths three times, and every morning before the live broadcast started, they would check again. The path we took was very clean. That kind of snake shouldn¡¯t have appeared.¡±


    Being experienced and coming from a major family of professional housekeepers.


    The moment he heard this, his eyes flickered, then they darkened.


    ¡°Miss Shen suspects that someone deliberately released the snake.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit suspicious,¡± Shen Yan didn¡¯t ambiguously deny. There was no need to cover up for someone who wanted to harm her. ¡°Maybe I was a bit too outstanding, and it got in someone¡¯s way, which led to this accident.¡±


    Liu Su¡¯s expression turned stern, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, the matter is serious. Miss Shen, rest assured, I will talk to the show¡¯s team about this incident.¡±


    Shen Yan nodded, ¡°Uncle Liu, is there anything else you need to instruct?¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen, if you have any issue in the future, please come directly to me. Don¡¯t feel it¡¯s a bother, even if it¡¯s just a trivial matter. I, as your manager, will handle it.¡±


    Liu Su was worried that Shen Yan, due to his identity, wouldn¡¯t rely on him.


    Shen Yan smiled, ¡°I will.¡±


    Director Li saw that everyone had calmed down considerably, then asked about Xu Zishen¡¯s condition, came personally to ensure Shen Yan wasn¡¯t psychologically affected, breathed a sigh of relief, and then gathered the guests at one spot.


    Since they couldn¡¯t continue the live survival show today, Director Li found a spot by the water and let everyone showcase their skills in foraging for wild food in the water.


    The guests adjusted their emotions and returned in front of the cameras.


    First up was Xu Zishen stepping forward to greet the vast audience, then clarified that he hadn¡¯t been bitten by a venomous snake, was not psychologically affected, and sincerely thanked Shen Yan.


    Speaking of thanks, he jokingly said, ¡°Shen Yan said she doesn¡¯t lack money or cattle, so I thought about offering myself in marriage, but alas, Shen Yan doesn¡¯t like my style!¡±


    He said this while putting on a very dejected expression.


    Chu Jinghe and Liu Qiang, standing on the other side, both frowned deeply.


    Mu Jincheng, hearing another man talk about offering himself to Shen Yan, felt strangely unpleasant.


    He hadn¡¯t realized before that Xu Zishen was such a frivolous person.


    The audience, hearing this, all started posting the words ¡°offering oneself in marriage.¡±


    Seeing the screen filled with ¡°offering oneself in marriage,¡± the audience spontaneously laughed.


    [Hahaha, Xu Zishen, even you have days when you are rejected!]


    [Suddenly, I find Shen Yan very adorable. What¡¯s this about not lacking cattle, it killed me with laughter.]


    [I lack the kind of cattle like Xu Zishen! Hahaha!]


    [I want to ship this couple [CP]!]


    [I bet one cent that Xu Zishen has definitely proposed an ¡®offering himself in marriage¡¯ to Shen Yan.]


    [I bet one cent and one!]


    [One cent and two.]


    [Three cents, no more.]


    The comments became even jollier.


    When people praised Shen Yan and said they wanted to become her fans, Shen Yan¡¯s haters weren¡¯t happy.


    Someone jumped out questioning whether the snake was real, nowadays, realistic toys are too lifelike, even automated, and at that moment no one was clear whether the snake was real or fake.


    Catching a venomous snake barehanded seemed quite far-fetched.


    Even professional snake catchers wouldn¡¯t dare to do that.


    The appearance of haters sparked another round of debates.


    After Xu Zishen finished speaking to the camera, it was Shen Yan¡¯s turn, and her speech was very cautious.


    ¡°Regarding the thanks, I¡¯ve already expressed to Mr. Xu that it was just a small effort, not worth mentioning. If it were anyone else, I would have done the same, so Mr. Xu need not take it to heart.¡±


    [I deeply felt the resistance from Shen Yan from head to toe!]


    [Zishen and Yan CP seem really good to ship, what¡¯s going on.]


    [My Yan Yan doesn¡¯t need forcefully created couple hype, focused on survival!]


    [Scared, refuse to be paired in a CP, lest the haters come ranting again.]


    [Please let my Yan Yan be beautifully alone!]


    Xu Zishen, hearing Shen Yan¡¯s statement, momentarily stiffened, maintaining an appropriate smile on his face.


    Next, it was time for them to show their individual talents.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t perform spearfishing again; she didn¡¯t need to prepare her own ingredients, there was no need to stand out too much.


    During this time, Mu Jincheng and Chu Jinghe performed very well, online they received a lot of praise, and people started shipping the two.


    Chu Jinghe also quietly breathed a sigh of relief as things got back on track.


    She said to herself, how could Shen Yan¡¯s popularity overshadow hers?

 Chapter 32 - 32 032 Wool Gathering

    ?Chapter 32: Chapter 032: Wool Gathering Chapter 32: Chapter 032: Wool Gathering Night fell.


    A figure emerged from one of the tents.


    The figure quickly crossed a patch of shaded woods and slipped toward the river.


    In the gleaming river water, the surface was suddenly bisected by a black line that drew closer and closer.


    The black line began to twist, smoothly slicing through the water.


    ¡°Splash!¡±


    A figure rapidly grabbed the writhing line and lifted it up before swiftly leaving.


    The shadow avoided the camera positions and tossed the thick line into one of the tents.


    It then returned to its own tent in complete silence, took off its shoes, and lay down on the makeshift bed as if it had never left.


    Five minutes later.


    ¡°There¡¯s a snake! A poisonous snake!¡±


    Screams accompanied by the sound of collisions traveled far and wide.


    Director Li, who had just fallen asleep, was startled awake by the scream, his eyes flying open.


    ¡°Director Li, Director Li!¡± someone called out as they ran toward him.


    Director Li instantly came to his senses, dressed, and stepped out, nearly colliding with the person running toward him.


    ¡°Director Li, a poisonous snake has been found near Mu Jincheng¡¯s tent!¡±


    The staff member¡¯s face was extremely grim.


    Director Li¡¯s face changed color, and without hesitation, he ran toward Mu Jincheng¡¯s location.


    Mu Jincheng was sitting on the ground disheveled, half-drenched and smeared with mud, having apparently stepped somewhere unsavory.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s complexion was ashen, appearing deeply shaken.


    Director Li¡¯s eyelids began to twitch uncontrollably.


    Weren¡¯t checks in place?


    How could there be a snake in the rest area!


    ¡°Director Li, it¡¯s not a poisonous snake, just a common water snake. Mu Jincheng has been bitten. Although it¡¯s not venomous, we¡¯d be more reassured after a check,¡± the on-site doctor was already treating Mu Jincheng.


    ¡°Hurry up with the examination,¡± Director Li urged upon hearing about the bite, his heart leaping to his throat.


    With more snakes appearing, Director Li¡¯s complexion grew increasingly darkened.


    Can tomorrow¡¯s show still go on?


    This episode was just one day short when the incident occurred.


    Poisonous or not, Mu Jincheng needed to be evacuated immediately.


    There were no adequate medical facilities here, only emergency medications and procedures.


    They were also equipped with necessary antivenom.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s agent received the news and rushed to a nearby city to make arrangements overnight.


    While the outside was noisy through much of the night, Shen Yan¡¯s area remained eerily still.


    The next day, except for Shen Yan, who was full of energy, everyone else looked as though they had their vitality drained throughout the night, with dark circles clearly visible.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with everyone?¡± asked Shen Yan, feigning ignorance.


    An active Qin Ding Yue forced a smile, ¡°Yanyan, didn¡¯t you hear anything last night?¡±


    ¡°I slept very deeply, what happened?¡±


    ¡°A poisonous snake appeared in Mu Jincheng¡¯s tent, and he was bitten. He was taken to a hospital outside last night. My God, these poisonous snakes are too fierce. I didn¡¯t dare close my eyes the whole night.¡±


    Qin Ding Yue shrank her neck as if still frightened.


    Shen Yan gave her a glance. Wasn¡¯t this girl supposed to be full of adventure spirit?


    To be scared by such a trivial matter, and yet talk of adventure.


    ¡°Director Li hasn¡¯t shown up today; I reckon he¡¯s ending this episode¡¯s live broadcast early,¡± Zhou Jingming said.


    The looks on everyone else¡¯s faces weren¡¯t relaxed.


    Because there were still three more episodes to go.


    They needed to continue live broadcasting from this island.


    ¡°Director Li has taken emergency measures and this matter is to be kept confidential. Let¡¯s not leak any information,¡± suddenly, the assistant director, Director Ji, appeared behind them and advised the group.


    Chu Jinghe suddenly looked at Shen Yan with an odd expression in her eyes.


    ¡°We understand the seriousness.¡±


    If this program were to be canceled, it would also be a huge loss for them.


    When they signed up for this survival show, they were drawn by Director Li, and indeed, their popularity had noticeably increased after the last episode.


    ¡°After this incident, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to continue with today¡¯s live broadcast,¡± said Wen Yan as soon as Director Ji left, slumping into a chair.


    Liu Qiang took out her mobile phone to contact her agent, mumbling something indecipherable.


    Xu Zishen¡¯s gaze fell on Shen Yan, with something seemingly brewing in his mind.


    Chu Jinghe vaguely felt that something was off with the situation, but then again, it seemed all too normal upon reflection.


    Qin Dingyue was a bit worried and took out her phone to communicate with her agent.


    Seeing this, the others also relayed the situation to their own agents.


    Shen Yan, however, was the most relaxed among them.


    The production team was so anxious it was enough to turn their hair white.


    In the end, Director Li made the decision not to form teams anymore, but to continue with the live survival broadcast along designated routes.


    None of the guests had any objections.


    However, without Mu Jincheng today, and with the solo survival participants in low spirits, the entire broadcast was off-kilter.


    Viewers immediately noticed the absence of Mu Jincheng.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans bombarded the comment section, asking what happened, and the official response from the program¡¯s team was that Mu Jincheng had suddenly fallen ill and wouldn¡¯t be participating in that day¡¯s broadcast.


    This instantly tugged at the heartstrings of hordes of fans.


    [I feel like today¡¯s survival is a bit fake.]


    [Be confident, remove the ¡®bit¡¯; everyone is out of sorts today.]


    [My girl seems so listless too, did something happen?]


    Others could be understood, but why was the always energetic Qin Dingyue looking so deflated as well?


    Director Li was on one hand contacting the hospital and on the other monitoring several live streams.


    Once he confirmed that the water snake was not poisonous and Mu Jincheng was safe, Director Li breathed a sigh of relief.


    Then his phone blew up again with another bombardment¡ªit was Xu Zishen¡¯s agent, who was quite upset about the near miss with the poisonous snake and didn¡¯t hesitate to criticize the production team¡¯s irresponsibility.


    With a forced smile that nearly broke his back, Director Li managed to make amends with Xu Zishen¡¯s side by doling out a favor to settle the matter.


    No sooner had he hung up that another call came in.


    His expression grew even worse.


    He picked up the call, and it turned out to be Shen Yan¡¯s agent.


    Huh, didn¡¯t he remember that Shen Yan¡¯s agent was Xinyu¡¯s Zhang Lu? When did it change to a serious-sounding man?


    Liu Su made it clear from the start that he was Shen Yan¡¯s new agent and started leveraging Shen Yan¡¯s heroic act for a favor from Director Li.


    Director Li¡¯s mouth twitched.


    Another one looking to fleece him.


    Liu Su repeated his dissatisfaction with Director Li¡¯s branding of survival on a desert island as romantic reality show marketing.


    Director Li¡¯s mouth started twitching again.


    Liu Su hinted indirectly that he considered him a director not devoted to his craft.


    Director Li: ¡°...¡±


    Shen Yan¡¯s new agent was a tough nut to crack, and Director Li was tempted to hang up.


    Finally, gritting his teeth, Director Li mentioned that a friend of his was shooting a commercial movie, with a role that might suit Shen Yan.


    Liu Su finally stopped his personal attacks.


    After hanging up the call, Director Li cursed and laughed to himself.


    *


    Shen Yan was still diligently doing the survival show, finding tasks easy when working alone.


    She moved along the designated route in a playful manner, occasionally stopping, and then reached the Jujube tree. In front of the camera, she reached up, grabbed a branch, and with a little effort, swung herself up.


    [Wow! Skyrocketing monkey!]


    [The reincarnation of a splendid Monkey King is born!]


    [This scene makes me involuntarily recall Mu Jincheng¡¯s mysterious butt...]


    What followed was a series of exclamation marks.


    The two crew members trailing behind: ¡°!!!¡±


    Stubborn haters: Fancy schmancy!

 Chapter 33 - 33 033 You Value Shen Yan So Much

    ?Chapter 33: Chapter 033: You Value Shen Yan So Much? Chapter 33: Chapter 033: You Value Shen Yan So Much? With Shen Yan¡¯s effortless leap, the trolls and Mu Jincheng¡¯s fans who had been slandering her all shut their mouths.


    The Fireworks fans were overjoyed!


    Having ¡°proven¡± that Mu Jincheng wasn¡¯t up to par was a delight for both mind and body!


    But some of Jincheng¡¯s fans still tried to forcefully compare him with other male guests, arguing that it wasn¡¯t their Brother Mu¡¯s deficiency but Shen Yan deliberately holding back to embarrass their Brother Mu, thus Shen Yan got cursed by Jincheng¡¯s fans for being manipulative.


    Shen Yan picked a large bunch of Jujubes, even sharing some with the two following photographers on the spot.


    The two were stunned as they received them, truthfully, they weren¡¯t fond of the taste of Jujubes.


    ¡°Jujubes are also called Longevity Fruit, known for their benefits like stimulating the production of body fluids to quench thirst, nourishing the internal organs, aiding digestion, beautifying the skin and preventing hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and high blood pressure. They also contain a high level of minerals; truly a rare delicacy.¡±


    ¡°Is it really that good?¡± How come they didn¡¯t know?


    ¡°Good stuff is always overlooked,¡± Shen Yan said, while tying the large bunch of Jujubes with a vine.


    Two large piles of Jujubes were tied into two bundles, held in both hands.


    The two photographers exchanged looks and silently accepted the gift.


    The last day, which was also the first time they had to complete the tasks separately, everyone found it hard to get excited.


    The show¡¯s effect was somewhat lackluster.


    Surprisingly, the popularity on Shen Yan¡¯s side didn¡¯t diminish, but rather increased!


    This was unreasonable.


    Director Li repeatedly checked the live broadcast popularity on various apps, and surprisingly found that Shen Yan¡¯s popularity was dangerously close to surpassing Chu Jinghe¡¯s.


    He stroked his chin, reflecting on whether he had misjudged Shen Yan¡¯s position.


    If he had placed her in a better position from the start, could the popularity have been even higher?


    Maybe Shen Yan would have become a sensation by now.


    He pondered over this until the end of today¡¯s show recording.


    After the afternoon recording ended, everyone was free to leave the crew and wait for the next episode¡¯s airing.


    The last time they transitioned quickly, but given what happened this time, who knows when the next scheduled broadcast would be.


    Director Li didn¡¯t give a precise date.


    Aside from Shen Yan, the others all had events to rush to.


    They had been planning to leave directly in the afternoon, but Chu Jinghe suddenly suggested visiting Mu Jincheng in the hospital.


    Everyone unanimously agreed to go, but as Shen Yan made no comment, all eyes turned to her.


    ¡°Shen Yan, if you have urgent matters, it¡¯s okay not to go. I¡¯ll pass on a message for you to Jincheng,¡± Chu Jinghe said considerately.


    ¡°We have to rush to events early tomorrow anyway, what urgent matters could she possibly have?¡± Liu Qiang, with her arms folded in front, spoke somewhat rudely, ¡°Considering what she did to Mu Jincheng before, he¡¯s probably better off not seeing her. Might just make his condition worse.¡±


    ¡°Jincheng isn¡¯t so petty,¡± Chu Jinghe said with an elegant smile: ¡°Shen Yan, will you come with us?¡±


    Shen Yan glanced over at the group and nodded, ¡°I need to leave the island to catch a flight anyway.¡±


    Chu Jinghe seemed very pleased, ¡°Jincheng will definitely be happy to see us!¡±


    ¡°There aren¡¯t any paparazzi at the hospital, right?¡± Liu Qiang frowned and asked.


    ¡°The news of Mu Jincheng being bitten by a snake hasn¡¯t leaked out, otherwise, that hospital would¡¯ve been swarmed by now,¡± Xu Zishen casually said before glancing towards Shen Yan, frowning.


    Shen Yan¡¯s crush on Mu Jincheng was known to all from the first episode.


    Xu Zishen remembered being rejected by Shen Yan despite offering himself, which was a bit of a blow to his dignity.


    The group decided, and made arrangements with their assistants to leave the island together.


    Director Li and his crew still had work to do on the island and would not wrap up until tomorrow.


    They would then decide on the date for the next episode¡¯s broadcast.


    Director Li checked the calendar; tomorrow would be August 1st.


    He needed to schedule the broadcasts quickly.


    Knowing that they were all leaving to visit Mu Jincheng, Director Li asked everyone to send his regards.


    Once they left the island and arrived at the county hospital, it was already past 9 p.m.


    Dinner was hastily consumed on the drive over.


    The day¡¯s filming might not have been strenuous, but it was certainly exhausting.


    After getting into the arranged car, I slept all the way to the hospital.


    VIP ward.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s agent had just left when they arrived.


    A group of big stars covertly entered the hospital, heading straight for Mu Jincheng¡¯s ward.


    Mu Jincheng, who was getting ready to rest, couldn¡¯t just lie back down after seeing the group, and he showed a surprised expression, ¡°Why are you guys here?¡±


    ¡°We came to check on you, Jincheng, are you alright now?¡± Chu Jinghe spoke first.


    Mu Jincheng looked at Chu Jinghe with a gentle gaze, ¡°Thanks for your concern, I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    After he finished speaking, he nodded to Zhou Jingming and the others as a greeting.


    His eyes flickered when he caught a glimpse of Shen Yan standing by the door.


    ¡°Without you, our recording today wasn¡¯t looking optimistic,¡± Liu Qiang began a bit listlessly, but perked up after seeing Mu Jincheng, and started talking about today¡¯s live broadcast situation.


    Mu Jincheng had actually been watching.


    Moreover, he had compared the popularity of Shen Yan with Chu Jinghe and discovered that, somehow, Shen Yan had gradually started to outshine Chu Jinghe.


    This revelation left Mu Jincheng feeling quite astonished.


    ¡°Have you guys arranged a place to stay?¡± Mu Jincheng suddenly asked, interrupting Liu Qiang¡¯s unending chatter.


    ¡°My agent has already booked a hotel, they¡¯ll come to pick me up in a bit,¡± Zhou Jingming checked the time and said.


    The others also indicated that they had their accommodations arranged and that Mu Jincheng needn¡¯t worry about them.


    Chu Jinghe didn¡¯t speak but stealthily glanced at Xu Zishen.


    Mu Jincheng said to Chu Jinghe: ¡°I just happened to have arranged a room; I was actually planning to be discharged and stay there today. My agent worried about my condition and decided to stay another night. The payment for the place is already taken care of, Jinghe, if you don¡¯t have arrangements, you can go stay there.¡±


    ¡°Ah, is that okay?¡± Chu Jinghe hesitated, not immediately rejecting the offer.


    Shen Yan was thinking that her own appearance might have interrupted the plotline where the female lead finds out the male lead¡¯s true identity.


    Presumably, with the male lead¡¯s offer to stay, the plot would twist right back to its course.


    Truly the male and female leads, their fated connection was inescapable.


    Having seen everyone, Shen Yan turned to Xiao Zhao and spoke, then left.


    By the time Mu Jincheng finished speaking and looked for Shen Yan, he found she was already gone, his handsome brows furrowing slightly.


    ¡°Shen Yan,¡± Xu Zishen followed behind, chasing after her.


    ¡°Is there something else?¡± Shen Yan turned to see the two people who had followed her out.


    Behind Xu Zishen was an assistant with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Have you arranged a place to stay?¡± Xu Zishen asked.


    ¡°My agent has arrived,¡± said Shen Yan, and just as she finished speaking, she saw Liu Su, who had been waiting outside, walk in.


    Xu Zishen was stunned to see Liu Su.


    The demeanor of Liu Su did not seem like that of a typical agent; after all, he was a wily old hand who had spent years in powerful and wealthy families, and his undeniable aura was something he simply couldn¡¯t hide.


    Liu Su, who had been waiting outside, immediately became alert upon spotting a young and attractive man following Shen Yan.


    It was already troublesome to have one strong rival for the master, but another would be even more problematic.


    Liu Su couldn¡¯t understand why Shen Yan would choose to enter the entertainment industry.


    Great families generally don¡¯t have a favorable view of celebrities.


    In fact, they tend to be somewhat disapproving.


    When the Qi Family elders found out Shen Yan joined the entertainment circle, they didn¡¯t know how many calls they made to scold Qi Si.


    Seeing Qi Si getting scolded made Shen Yan even more delighted.


    So the original host was on a path of no return in courting disaster.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± Xu Zishen had met Shen Yan¡¯s previous agent, which was Xinyu¡¯s Zhang Lu.


    ¡°My new agent, Uncle Liu,¡± Shen Yan nodded to Liu Su: ¡°Uncle Liu, I¡¯m sorry for the trouble of you coming here so late.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, it¡¯s my duty,¡± Liu Su stepped forward, conveniently blocking the sightline of Xu Zishen, ¡°Shall we head over now?¡±


    Shen Yan nodded, took one last glance at Xu Zishen, then followed behind Liu Su out of the hospital.


    Xu Zishen was somewhat puzzled inwardly, and subconsciously followed them out only to see a luxury car parked in the passage, and he was somewhat surprised!


    Does Xinyu value Shen Yan so much?

 Chapter 34 - 34 034 I Will Get Along with Him Peacefully

    ?Chapter 34: Chapter 034: I Will Get Along with Him Peacefully Chapter 34: Chapter 034: I Will Get Along with Him Peacefully Inside the black sedan.


    Xiao Zhao shifted uncomfortably in his seat as if a hot iron was pressing against his buttocks.


    The driver was someone else, and Liu Su was sitting in the passenger seat. He now asked, ¡°Does Miss Shen need to rest for two days?¡±


    Shen Yan fiddled with her phone and upon hearing this, she recalled the short message Qi Si had sent her, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s postpone other engagements for two more days.¡±


    Previously, such a statement from Shen Yan would have been laughable.


    However, after this latest live broadcast, her popularity had surged dramatically and was showing signs of becoming a sensation.


    Her fan base had been growing continuously.


    Even without Liu Su¡¯s behind-the-scenes maneuvering, Star Language Media would capitalize on this momentum.


    Before the show even finished, numerous brands had already extended their offers of collaboration, and Director Du, who was working on a romance show, had personally called to invite Shen Yan to participate in his next episode.


    Since Shen Yan was already engaged, Liu Su would never allow her to participate in such variety shows.


    After rejecting it once, Director Du had called Liu Su again today.


    And Liu Su had directly refused once more.


    Liu Su didn¡¯t plan to tell Shen Yan about this.


    ¡°I will make a schedule for the upcoming engagements.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if Uncle Liu decides, I trust Uncle Liu won¡¯t make the wrong decision,¡± Shen Yan said, supporting her fair chin as she looked out the window at the passing scenery.


    Liu Su felt a bit peculiar at this moment.


    Had Miss Shen become too easygoing?


    She still trusted him?


    If this were a week ago, even he would have been berated harshly.


    She could get really furious, even at him.


    The current Shen Yan seemed so strange to Liu Su.


    Undeniably, he liked this version of Shen Yan.


    It was much less worrisome.


    All the way to the hotel, Liu Su kept stealthily observing Shen Yan through the rearview mirror.


    *


    ¡°Miss Shen, please rest well. Tomorrow morning, you¡¯ll take a flight back to Shen City.¡±


    In front of the hotel room, Liu Su directly told Shen Yan that she would be staying at Qi Si¡¯s place tomorrow.


    Shen Yan showed no reaction, ¡°It¡¯s late, Uncle Liu should go back and rest too.¡±


    Xiao Zhao had been arranged in another room, so Shen Yan didn¡¯t need to worry about it.


    After opening the door to her room, she pushed a small suitcase inside, glanced at the relatively luxurious setting, turned on the air conditioner, took a shower, and then heavily lay on the bed almost falling asleep instantly.


    The next day when she opened her eyes, Shen Yan was bathed in the light, feeling slightly warm.


    It wasn¡¯t that she was afraid of the dark and slept with the lights on, but rather, she preferred the light over darkness.


    It was not as if she couldn¡¯t manage without light; she didn¡¯t have those sorts of petty issues.


    There was a knock on the door.


    Opening it to see Liu Su standing outside, Shen Yan stepped aside, ¡°Please wait a moment, Uncle Liu.¡±


    Seeing that Shen Yan was still in her pajamas, he didn¡¯t dare to enter, ¡°Miss Shen, please freshen up. We¡¯ll wait in the restaurant on the third floor.¡±


    Shen Yan nodded. She was quick with her morning rituals and didn¡¯t make Xiao Zhao run an extra trip, taking her small suitcase herself to the third floor.


    The third floor housed the hotel¡¯s restaurant.


    There were very few people dining at this time.


    At a glance, she recognized everyone there!


    The group she had parted with the previous night were all staying at this hotel.


    This was the best hotel in the county and also the most secure.


    It was no surprise that everyone was staying here.


    ¡°Shen Yan! What a coincidence, you¡¯re staying at this hotel too,¡± Xu Zishen suddenly stood up to greet her.


    Xu Zishen¡¯s manager glanced at him and then slightly frowned, keeping quiet not to embarrass their client.


    Although Shen Yan seemed to be on the brink of becoming popular, that¡¯s just how the entertainment industry is, one second you¡¯re a sensation, the next you¡¯re snuffed out.


    Some stars merely fizz out as soon as their moment passes.


    So, whether Shen Yan could become famous was still an unknown.


    The entertainment industry was not a place where one could succeed merely based on their looks.


    And Shen Yan¡¯s appearance revealed a lot of negatives...


    Several agents did not want their artists to have too much contact with Shen Yan.


    Just as Qin Dingyue had stood up, her agent held her back and gave her a warning look.


    Shen Yan nodded to them, then seated herself in front of Liu Su, ¡°Uncle Liu, good morning.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen, good morning!¡±


    ¡°What time is the flight?¡±


    ¡°Nine o¡¯clock. We¡¯re not far from the airport, about fifteen minutes away, so Miss Shen can enjoy her breakfast slowly,¡± Liu Su handed Shen Yan a cup of lukewarm milk.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Shen Yan stopped allowing this elder to serve her and pulled her own breakfast toward herself.


    Xiao Zhao and the driver were mostly bowing their heads eating, not participating in the conversation between the two.


    During breakfast, Shen Yan specifically glanced at Chu Jinghe sitting on the other side.


    Chu Jinghe seemed somewhat quiet.


    Thinking back to what Mu Jincheng had told her in the hospital, Shen Yan guessed something.


    Chu Jinghe probably already knew Mu Jincheng¡¯s true identity.


    No matter how the plot unfolded, as long as it didn¡¯t involve her, it had nothing to do with her.


    *


    At nine o¡¯clock, they boarded the plane on time.


    Liu Su had bought first-class tickets.


    As soon as Shen Yan sat down, she saw Zhou Jingming sitting on the other side.


    Their gazes met, and Zhou Jingming paused, then smiled, ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to be on the same flight as you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s normal, we¡¯re both heading to Shen City at this time,¡± Shen Yan wasn¡¯t surprised.


    Before boarding the plane, Liu Su had sent a message to Qi Si, telling him they were already on the plane.


    Qi Si had little patience for his unruly fiancee, merely glanced at it, and did not reply to Liu Su.


    Liu Su felt he needed to do something to ease their relationship, and turned around to see Zhou Jingming talking with Shen Yan.


    His frown deepened.


    How could there be another one?


    Miss Shen like this in the entertainment industry, is indeed at a disadvantage.


    With so many handsome young people in the entertainment industry, could Miss Shen, at such a young age, really handle it?


    Liu Su suddenly felt very sympathetic towards Qi Si.


    Fortunately, Shen Yan did not continue the conversation but took the eye mask Xiao Zhao handed her, covered her eyes, and leaned back without speaking.


    Zhou Jingming glanced at Shen Yan¡¯s slightly upturned white, beautifully contoured neck. Somehow, he suddenly felt a bit thirsty, turned around, picked up the water beside him, and gulped it down.


    Shen Yan wasn¡¯t sleeping, but was spacing out.


    *


    Three hours later.


    Shen Yan stood at the exit, watching Zhou Jingming, fully guarded by his agent and assistant, walk out.


    The fans who had come to pick him up surged forward frantically.


    Shen Yan had no disguise, and given her current popularity, she didn¡¯t expect any fans to come pick her up.


    Xiao Zhao was arranged to leave first because Shen Yan was going back to Qi Si¡¯s residence in Shen City, and so far, she hadn¡¯t revealed her identity.


    After a fallout with her family, she had harshly declared her intention to shine in the entertainment industry on her own.


    And the original owner indeed did.


    Only the direction of shining was a bit off.


    ¡°Our car is already waiting outside; we¡¯ll go through the special passage,¡± Liu Su ended the call, turned back, and reached for the small suitcase in Shen Yan¡¯s hand, but she pushed him away.


    ¡°I can do it myself.¡±


    Liu Su¡¯s eyes flickered, and he walked ahead, saying, ¡°The master will only be home in the evening, Miss Shen...¡±


    ¡°I will get along with him,¡± Shen Yan cut him off before he finished, ¡°I was too willful before. Now I¡¯m determined to reform.¡±


    Liu Su was slightly taken aback, then let out a long sigh of relief and smiled, ¡°The family would definitely be happy to know this!¡±


    Shen Yan made no comment.

 Chapter 35 - 35 035 Rebirth

    ?Chapter 35: Chapter 035: Rebirth! Chapter 35: Chapter 035: Rebirth! After many years, Shen Yan stepped into the place she called ¡°home¡± for the first time.


    But this home was somewhat too spacious and desolate.


    A detached villa, with electronic sensor doors, a garden, and servants.


    Upon entering the hall, Shen Yan couldn¡¯t feel any trace of it being lived in.


    The decoration style was cold, with various antiques adding a somber touch to the villa.


    Despite the servants moving about in the hot weather, Shen Yan inexplicably felt a bit cold.


    She knew that Qi Si normally didn¡¯t live here and would only come over when she returned to stay.


    After handing over the luggage to a servant, Liu Su took a phone call outside, and his expression turned at the first sentence he heard.


    ¡°Are you sure... I understand, leave the island.¡±


    After hanging up the brief call, Liu Su quickly returned to the hall and, seeing Shen Yan examining the layout, said, ¡°Miss Shen, please go upstairs and rest first, I¡¯ll have someone call you when dinner is ready.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve slept enough on the plane,¡± Shen Yan told the servant about to take her luggage, ¡°Give me the luggage, please.¡±


    ¡°The luggage is quite heavy, let someone bring it up to Miss Shen¡¯s room.¡±


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t bother to argue, walked over, picked up the seemingly weightless suitcase, and went upstairs.


    Servant: !!!


    She had lifted it earlier; the case was not light.


    But Shen Yan made it look as easy as carrying a small backpack.


    After instructing the servant, Liu Su left.


    He needed to make a trip to Xingyu Media Company.


    As for the matter on the island, it had been cleared up; Miss Shen had endured such an insult, and it couldn¡¯t just end there.


    Shen Yan surveyed her own room, which was arranged very warmly, in stark contrast to the cold solemnity outside.


    The original owner had hardly spent a few days here, staying either in hotels with the crew or in dorms at Shencheng University.


    Shen Yan was a sophomore in college this year.


    Even though she had entered the entertainment industry, she hadn¡¯t dropped out.


    No matter how much trouble the original owner caused, the family would never allow her to neglect her studies.


    So, in September when school starts, she would have to go back.


    Not to mention college; she hadn¡¯t even experienced high school.


    For this university, Shen Yan was quite looking forward to it and didn¡¯t plan to give up such an opportunity.


    Lying on the soft bed, Shen Yan took out her phone and glanced through the trending search terms.


    She clicked on the top trending hashtag #MuJinchengAndChuJingheSeenTogetherAtTheAirport# and saw a nearly high-definition photo of the two.


    The background was the ever-flowing crowd of the airport.


    The pair was seen leaving the airport together, walking closely side by side.


    In the picture, both were wearing thick smiles, and their gazes were fixed on each other.


    The whole photo reeked of saccharine, nauseating romance!


    Beneath it, both sets of fans were ridiculously fawning!


    CP fans also flooded in to comment.


    The pair¡¯s popularity shot up to the number one spot on the trending list.


    Not long after, a ¡°Breaking¡± icon followed.


    ¡°True to your reputation, you two really scare people with your popularity.¡±


    Shen Yan scrolled past their trending topic and continued down.


    Checking out stuff about the entertainment industry.


    She didn¡¯t have a complete grasp of the celebrity world.


    She still needed to slowly learn more.


    She saw some celebrities were interacting with their fans, even joining fan groups and supporting fan clubs...


    And so on, all kinds of messy stuff.


    Shen Yan then turned to her own homepage; the slander from her haters was still there.


    But it was much better than before.


    Her fans had increased quite a bit, and seeing everyone fighting against the haters warmed Shen Yan slightly.


    It felt like being protected by ¡°family.¡±


    Holding her phone, Shen Yan smiled faintly.


    Despite being tortured by numerous terminal illnesses and having her body examined over and over again, she still harbored some hope for what was called warmth!


    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Yanyan posted on Weibo again?¡±


    ¡°All ten of her last posts were about Mu Jincheng, I¡¯m so fed up with seeing them.¡±


    ¡°Better she doesn¡¯t post, I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll tarnish my Brother Mu.¡±


    ¡°Any kind of crap gets splashed in here, my Yanyan¡¯s feeling is admiration, is that not allowed?¡±


    The Fireworks fans clearly lacked confidence.


    After all, everything Shen Yan had posted previously was about Mu Jincheng.


    It wasn¡¯t just promoting Mu Jincheng¡¯s new drama or recommending all the good things about him to everyone, but Shen Yan had also collected a lot of merchandise and organized some small activities to attract fans for Mu Jincheng.


    Some trolls clacked away on their keyboards, then quickly changed into a new avatar to play the innocent and accept gifts.


    Shen Yan even spared no expense in getting casual fans to vote for Mu Jincheng and the like, doing whatever silly thing she could do.


    Shen Yan flipped through her own homepage again and again; the more she scrolled, the more her mouth twitched.


    The original owner of the account was truly a complete idiot!


    Shen Yan moved her fingers and immediately deleted everything related to Mu Jincheng. Her Weibo became instantly clean.


    Since registering, she hadn¡¯t posted anything about herself, not even once!


    This move by Shen Yan caused an uproar within minutes.


    The Fireworks fans¡¯ eyes bulged as if they had seen the dawn¡¯s first light!


    The trolls were stunned but quickly caught on, their fingers flying across the keyboard.


    Armed with newfound strength, the Fireworks fans fought back against the trolls, their blood boiling with fervor!


    Shen Yan saw that other celebrities would share their food or little details of their life, as well as recommend things that were beneficial to the public, and so on.


    They called this doing business!


    Supporting her chin, Shen Yan thought for a moment but still walked over to the window, took a photo of the azure sky, and posted it on Weibo.


    Caption: Rebirth.


    No one could understand what these two words meant.


    For Shen Yan, these two words carried weight, relief, and more importantly, freedom!


    The only thing that could now bind her was the terminal disease hiding in her soul.


    Fans rushed in to leave comments!


    The trolls followed closely behind.


    For every comment a fan made, they had a rebuttal, sticking like plaster that couldn¡¯t be shaken off.


    After posting the photo and caption, Shen Yan logged out.


    Standing by the window and gazing at the beautiful scenery outside the villa, Shen Yan felt an immense sense of relaxation and warmth flowing through her chest.


    She was enjoying the freedom of this world!


    Time flowed, and night arrived.


    A knock sounded at the door.


    It was Liu Su: ¡°Miss Shen, dinner is ready.¡±


    Shen Yan opened the door to darkness, illuminated only by light from the windows and door.


    Liu Su was taken aback, ¡°Miss Shen, did you just wake up?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep,¡± replied Shen Yan and then asked, ¡°Has Qi Si returned?¡±


    ¡°The master may be a bit late returning; you don¡¯t have to wait.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Shen Yan walked out and went downstairs.


    Liu Su closed the door for her before turning to head downstairs, instructing the household staff to bring the meals out from the kitchen.


    Seeing the long table set up in the dining room, Shen Yan asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a smaller table?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have one at home, I¡¯ll arrange to get one soon,¡± Liu Su immediately took note.


    ¡°Uncle Liu, please join me for dinner,¡± said Shen Yan as she took a seat, gesturing to the opposite side.


    Liu Su replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten outside.¡±


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t insist and just acknowledged with a ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Regarding the schedule for the day after tomorrow, I¡¯ve laid it out ¨C we¡¯ll start with a skincare product advertisement. Although the brand can¡¯t compare to the high-end ones, it has a good reputation...¡±


    ¡°I trust Uncle Liu¡¯s judgment and vision,¡± Shen Yan interrupted him.


    Liu Su was about to speak when there was a noise at the entrance, and a servant outside called for the master.


    There was a moment of silence in the dining room, then Liu Su said, ¡°The master has returned.¡±

 Chapter 36 - 36 036 Dinner Together

    ?Chapter 36: Chapter 036: Dinner Together Chapter 36: Chapter 036: Dinner Together Shen Yan had barely hesitated before she stood up.


    The steady sound of footsteps moved towards the dining room and stopped there, eyes casting inside.


    Her gaze met Shen Yan¡¯s.


    The atmosphere suddenly turned somewhat eerie.


    Shen Yan knew Qi Si was good-looking, but seeing him in person still made her involuntarily gasp in admiration.


    In the original story, not much was written about Qi Si.


    But every appearance he made had an extreme impact.


    When he appeared, it wasn¡¯t his looks that struck first but his aura.


    Dressed in a dark, tailored suit under the dazzling crystal lights, the hem shimmered with subtle, scattered starlight¡ªunderstated and refined.


    The waist was slightly cinched, following the smooth contours of his back down to his long, straight legs, the side light faintly soft, casting a gentle glow on his brow, exuding an innate nobility!


    Shen Yan¡¯s eyes were completely captivated by the perfect figure outlined by the suit.


    This man was simply a walking clothes hanger!


    And that face needed no further explanation.


    More like the male lead than the male lead himself!


    With sharp, distinguished brows over a pair of ice-cold, pitch-black eyes!


    In the instant their eyes met, Shen Yan could feel the chill surrounding them, as if it had solidified into ice.


    She furrowed her brow slightly.


    Was this man¡¯s presence too sharp?


    For a moment, she wondered if she really had transposed into the book.


    The book had never portrayed Qi Si to such an extent.


    Today¡¯s Shen Yan looked both pleasing and unfamiliar.


    Qi Si¡¯s icy eyes seemed to see right through the delicate young lady standing at the table.


    ¡°Sir, Miss Shen is about to have dinner.¡±


    Liu Su glanced back at Shen Yan, signaling with his eyes.


    Shen Yan knew what he meant¡ªhe was reminding her to keep her word.


    ¡°Live in harmony!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat together.¡±


    Shen Yan said drily.


    Qi Si had planned to return and discuss the interests of both families with his young fiance?e, but contrary to expectations, she calmly invited him to share dinner.


    It was rather surprising.


    Qi Si¡¯s gaze momentarily fell on Liu Su.


    Liu Su then said, ¡°Sir, I¡¯ll go busy myself.¡±


    He left them alone.


    Servants hurriedly served the food and scurried away.


    They knew the meal might end up on their master¡¯s head, and as mere servants, they dared not stay to watch.


    Shen Yan sat down, noticing he was still standing there, unmoving.


    Thinking it over, she tentatively asked, ¡°Do you need help with the food?¡±


    Qi Si moved.


    He took off his jacket and placed it on the coat rack by the door.


    Through the high-quality shirt, one could faintly discern his perfect figure.


    He must have worked out.


    Otherwise, how could his body lines be so smooth?


    Qi Si served himself and sat down opposite her.


    The width of the long table wasn¡¯t large, pulling their gazes very close.


    Under Shen Yan¡¯s scrutiny, Qi Si ate expressionlessly, making Shen Yan feel as if she were invisible.


    The atmosphere was not exactly stiff but there wasn¡¯t a hint of liveliness either.


    As cold as the dining room¡¯s decor.


    Had it been someone else, they would definitely be stiff and afraid to move.


    But with another Shen Yan sitting across, the situation changed.


    As the meal neared its end with no movement from Shen Yan, the ears of the servants outside perked up, exchanging glances.


    What¡¯s happening?


    There was no sound from the dining room.


    Liu Su also paid close attention to the noises from the dining room, stretching his neck till it was numb, yet inside it remained peaceful, occasionally only the light clinking of chopsticks against porcelain bowls could be heard.


    As long as they didn¡¯t cause a scene, that was good.


    The servants silently heaved a sigh of relief.


    Finally, there was no need to prepare new tableware.


    Shen Yan set down her chopsticks and looked at Qi Si, expressing seriously, ¡°I promised Uncle Liu that I would reform and get along with you in peace in the future. Please give me your guidance.¡±


    Shen Yan reached over the leftover dishes, extending her pale, delicate hand.


    In Qi Si¡¯s eyes, the young girl¡¯s hand was slender and white as jade. He felt for a moment that holding it with his own calloused hands might scratch it.


    Qi Si watched her.


    His gaze was the kind that pierced through anything, cold.


    He was scrutinizing her.


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    His tone was as flat and cold as his gaze.


    Shen Yan naturally withdrew her hand, ¡°Let¡¯s consider those past incidents as if they never happened. I will try my best to cooperate with you from now on.¡±


    Qi Si, ¡°We must get married.¡±


    Shen Yan nodded, ¡°I will marry you next year, but...¡±


    ¡°The marriage contract lasts for two years, then divorce. I will let you find your true love.¡±


    Qi Si¡¯s voice was so cold it lacked any emotion.


    Yet Shen Yan heard a hint of irony in his words.


    Shen Yan nodded without objection.


    Qi Si elegantly wiped the corner of his mouth, then stood up and left.


    His attitude towards Shen Yan was still as indifferent as ever.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t mind and drank a cup of warm water to finish off.


    True love, she would never have such a thing.


    Shen Yan also stood up and saw Liu Su with a worried expression as she left the dining hall, ¡°Miss Shen.¡±


    ¡°I promised Uncle Liu I would get along with him, and I will keep my promise,¡± Shen Yan nodded slightly to him, ¡°I¡¯m going upstairs first.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Liu Su thought Shen Yan was just teasing him and didn¡¯t expect her to actually do it.


    Today passed without incident, truly a cause for celebration!


    The servants entered to clean up the leftover food, still feeling somewhat dazed.


    Shen Yan went upstairs and looked towards the other end of the corridor.


    The door was closed, and faint voices discussing business probably belonging to Qi Si could be heard inside.


    Shen Yan felt a bit unaccustomed to this idle and stagnant lifestyle.


    She walked back and forth in her room to aid digestion.


    Shen Yan felt that resting for two days was too long.


    Now, she just wanted to work.


    The next day, when Shen Yan got up, Qi Si had already left.


    ¡°Miss Shen, good morning!¡±


    ¡°Uncle Liu, morning.¡±


    Shen Yan looked around but did not see Qi Si.


    Liu Su said, ¡°The master has to leave Shen City for a while, he might not return for a month or two.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Shen Yan didn¡¯t ask too much. Even if Qi Si ran off and didn¡¯t return for a year, it was none of her concern.


    After their brief conversation last night, Shen Yan knew that Qi Si had no intentions towards her, perhaps in his world, there was no place for romantic feelings.


    Coincidentally, neither did she.


    Was this what they call a perfect match?


    Liu Su said, ¡°Regarding everything about Miss Shen, I might have to report to the master.¡±


    He was testing Shen Yan¡¯s reaction.


    The original host might have exploded, but Shen Yan just gave Liu Su a look.


    That look suddenly made Liu Su feel guilty.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but there¡¯s no need for too much detail.¡±


    Liu Su was both surprised and pleased, ¡°Of course, I will clearly report the important matters to the master.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to the company today?¡± Shen Yan walked towards the dining room, asking.


    ¡°I need to make a trip there,¡± Liu Su was now Shen Yan¡¯s manager and couldn¡¯t stay cooped up at home like a housekeeper anymore; he needed to go out and network to pull resources for his artist.


    Shen Yan said, ¡°After breakfast, I¡¯ll accompany Uncle Liu for a visit.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen is coming too?¡±


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just show my face and won¡¯t be a burden to Uncle Liu,¡± Shen Yan added.


    Liu Su was bewildered again.


    Had Shen Yan been switched out?

 Chapter 37 - 37 037 Snatching the Top Actresss Endorsement

    ?Chapter 37: Chapter 037: Snatching the Top Actress¡¯s Endorsement? Chapter 37: Chapter 037: Snatching the Top Actress¡¯s Endorsement? On the way to the company.


    Liu Su glanced at Shen Yan¡¯s attire, a white shirt, long black pants, and a pair of pristine white sneakers¡ªfresh and youthful!


    The standard student look.


    Bare-faced.


    With Shen Yan¡¯s face, there was no need for deliberate embellishment; every feature was just right.


    Knowing that Liu Su was sizing her up, Shen Yan still rested her chin on her palm, looking at the scenery outside the window.


    She breathed in a sense of freedom and ease.


    Liu Su had already prepared a makeup team, but now, seeing Shen Yan¡¯s transformation, he decided to dismiss the team and just hire a personal makeup artist instead.


    The style of her clothes needed to be adjusted as well.


    It wasn¡¯t that Shen Yan¡¯s comfortable clothing was bad, but some changes were necessary to highlight features more prominently.


    Star Language Media.


    As soon as Shen Yan got out of the car, she saw Xiao Zhao waiting at the door and hurriedly ran over, ¡°Uncle Liu, Yanyan!¡±


    Liu Su saw Xiao Zhao and thought about the matter of changing assistants.


    When he replaced Zhang Lu as the agent, he had already begun looking for a more capable assistant.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had lunch.¡±


    Shen Yan casually showed her concern.


    Xiao Zhao was a bit excited, ¡°Yes! I heard you were coming, so I¡¯ve been waiting here for a while.¡±


    Shen Yan nodded, ¡°Uncle Liu, you go do your thing; Xiao Zhao is here with me now.¡±


    Seeing that Shen Yan seemed quite fond of Xiao Zhao, Liu Su thought to put off the assistant change and observe a little longer.


    *


    As soon as Liu Su left, Xiao Zhao surreptitiously leaned in, ¡°Yanyan, the company actually gave you the upcoming advert that should¡¯ve gone to our A-list celebrity!¡±


    Shen Yan looked at her, ¡°You¡¯re well-informed.¡±


    Xiao Zhao smiled sheepishly, ¡°I have a friend at the company, and he let me in on the news.¡±


    Shen Yan thought it must be the skincare advertisement Liu Su mentioned.


    Isn¡¯t it just a mid-range brand?


    Just learning the rules of the entertainment industry, Shen Yan was aware that stealing resources from the company¡¯s A-lister was a major source of criticism.


    Perhaps the A-lister had already cursed her entire lineage.


    ¡°Is this A-list celebrity Shi Lian?¡±


    Shen Yan asked.


    Xiao Zhao nodded, cautioning, ¡°When we go in later, Yanyan, you¡¯d better steer clear.¡±


    Shi Lian¡¯s agent is rather formidable, and she was worried they¡¯d give Shen Yan a hard time.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Shen Yan said, resource grabbing was a common occurrence in the entertainment industry, and she believed Liu Su could handle it.


    Xingyu Media Company¡¯s location was neither remote nor too bustling, perfectly situated between the busy and the serene parts of Shen City.


    The building wasn¡¯t very tall, just eight stories.


    But it covered a large area.


    As soon as Shen Yan entered, she saw a large, fashionable poster featuring a woman dressed in a very professional suit. Her makeup was perfected, highlighting a sense of beauty with an aggressive charm.


    This woman¡¯s face and temperament had very strong plasticity.


    This was the A-lister Xiao Zhao mentioned, Shi Lian!


    Apart from Shi Lian¡¯s poster, there were also many others of different artists hanging inside the company.


    The elevator doors opened and a few people came out, led by the woman from the poster.


    Shi Lian¡¯s attire today was quite casual, and her makeup was light; she didn¡¯t have the same aggressive look as on the poster.


    However, her gaze retained the same sharpness as depicted.


    Because she was filming an urban drama about life, where she played a strong woman, she had cut her long hair to a medium length.


    Her entire demeanor exuded a more dashing air.


    Standing by her side was Dai Qiu, the top agent Star Language Media had poached at the beginning. He was a bit nearsighted, his gaze peeking at Shen Yan through a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, then continued to turn toward Shi Lian, entrusting her with some task.


    ¡°Mr. Shi! Brother Qiu!¡± Xiao Zhao¡¯s back was bent at a perfect right angle, displaying utmost respect for the two men.


    Shen Yan¡¯s face remained impassive, ¡°Mr. Shi, Brother Qiu.¡±


    Upon seeing Shen Yan, Shi Lian¡¯s face passed a flicker of surprise, then she raised a not-so-friendly smile, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Shen Yan. Barely recognized you without makeup.¡±


    ¡°You go on ahead. I will handle things here at the company,¡± said Dai Qiu, with a mere nod at Shen Yan before urging Shi Lian to hurry over.


    Shi Lian dared not delay and took her people out the door.


    Dai Qiu adjusted his glasses, his eyes sharply scrutinizing Shen Yan as though to dissect her inside and out.


    Xiao Zhao stood to the side, trembling uncontrollably.


    She really feared Dai Qiu.


    Not even in his thirties, his presence as an agent was more domineering than a president¡¯s.


    At Star Language Media, hardly anyone dared to directly confront Dai Qiu.


    ¡°Shen Yan, I hope your good luck continues.¡±


    With those words, Dai Qiu turned and walked back into the elevator.


    Expecting that Shen Yan would not dare to follow, to his surprise, she entered the elevator as if unfazed by the coldness in his eyes.


    Xiao Zhao tucked herself beside Shen Yan, shrinking like a quail, minimizing her presence.


    The silence in the elevator was eerily oppressive.


    Xiao Zhao shook even more violently.


    With Shen Yan snatching Shi Lian¡¯s endorsement deal, Dai Qiu was certainly angry.


    Although the two remained silent, Xiao Zhao felt as if she could see electricity crackling through the air!


    ¡°Since you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t we pay President Kang a visit on the eighth floor?¡±


    Shen Yan nodded and followed up to the eighth floor.


    Upon exiting, she immediately felt gazes from all directions which quickly retreated after meeting Dai Qiu¡¯s eyes.


    Dai Qiu had argued with Kang Xiangwen several times in the past few days, and people casually noticed the shattered ashtray in President Kang¡¯s office.


    The atmosphere within the company grew somewhat chilly, with everyone acting even more cautious around Dai Qiu.


    It was not easy securing a mid-tier skincare brand endorsement only to have it snatched away by an insignificant eighteenth-tier star¡ªanyone would flip out over that.


    Yet at this moment, the reputedly more attractive Shen Yan had dared to share an elevator with Dai Qiu¡ªa noteworthy testament to her mental fortitude!


    The fact that Liu Su was the behind-the-scenes owner of Star Language Media wasn¡¯t public knowledge, and President Kang was still ostensibly in command.


    President Kang, too, was in a predicament. Liu Su had suddenly popped up, seized Xingyu Media Company, and started promoting a female artist who still hadn¡¯t made it after a year.


    This made President Kang wonder if Shen Yan had secured a wealthy, influential sugar daddy who was completely smitten with her and willing to take over Xingyu just to boost her alone.


    ¡°President Kang.¡±


    Dai Qiu knocked briefly before opening the door, and the response from within was half a beat slow.


    Upon seeing Liu Su still seated inside, Dai Qiu¡¯s expression darkened.


    Liu Su stood up, ¡°President Kang, I¡¯ll go make arrangements.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Liu, with so many endorsements, your artists don¡¯t need to take this one specifically. What if we both step back? I can negotiate a different endorsement deal for you as compensation,¡± Dai Qiu stood in front of the door, blocking Liu Su¡¯s departure.


    Liu Su glanced behind Dai Qiu and saw Shen Yan.


    ¡°This ad is better suited for Shen Yan,¡± Liu Su said.


    Dai Qiu¡¯s expression grew stern, indicating his refusal to budge, ¡°President Kang, you should be very clear who negotiated this endorsement deal. An eighteen-tier nobody seizing the endorsements from a top-tier star doesn¡¯t sound very good. It¡¯s not favorable for Shen Yan either.¡±


    Liu Su looked at him with an unconvinced face and turned to Kang Xiangwen, ¡°You should tell him why the ad sponsor relented.¡±


    Kang Xiangwen was already at his wit¡¯s end, meeting Dai Qiu¡¯s icy gaze head-on, ¡°The brand side was originally swayed because of Uncle Liu... The Asia endorsement was meant for another company¡¯s top-tier actress.¡±


    Dai Qiu furrowed his brows, suspecting that the two had already synchronized their stories.

 Chapter 38 - 38 038 Her Financial Backer

    ?Chapter 38: Chapter 038: Her Financial Backer Chapter 38: Chapter 038: Her Financial Backer Shen Yan was still pondering, if this was the advertising endorsement that the other party had gone to great lengths to obtain, then she would back out.


    But now, it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°President Kang, you didn¡¯t say that before,¡±


    ¡°I already hinted to you before,¡± said President Kang with some helplessness, his shiny face looking rather bitter.


    Liu Su nodded towards Dai Qiu, who was a bit stiff, and then stepped past him to walk out, ¡°I¡¯ll handle this matter, Miss Shen, why don¡¯t you and Xiao Zhao look around with Xiao Zhao.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Shen Yan glanced at Dai Qiu, who still seemed a bit resentful, and left with Xiao Zhao from the eighth floor.


    ¡°I was scared to death,¡± Xiao Zhao said with an exaggerated pat over her heart, ¡°I was really afraid they were going to start fighting just now, I heard that Brother Qiu and President Kang even had several arguments and got physical in the office.¡±


    ¡°It seems that brand is not just a mid-range one, after all,¡± said Shen Yan indifferently.


    ¡°AIYA, why would it be a mid-range brand, that¡¯s a real international brand, the stars really like to use this brand of skincare products...¡±


    In her previous life, Shen Yan had most often dealt with heart-stopping pursuits, with her days filled with troubles, so there was no room in her mind to study these inconsequential things, naturally, she didn¡¯t know the quality of these skincare brands.


    ¡°Is that so, no wonder they were fighting over it.¡±


    ¡°Because of this, everyone is wondering if Uncle Liu could be...¡±


    ¡°A sponsor?¡± Shen Yan finished her sentence.


    Xiao Zhao said naively, ¡°I know that you, Yanyan, definitely got this endorsement on your own merits, I and the Fireworks fans all believe in you!¡±


    Unexpectedly, Shen Yan threw out directly afterward, ¡°Uncle Liu isn¡¯t a sponsor, but if we¡¯re talking about a sponsor, there indeed is one.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Xiao Zhao was stunned!


    It couldn¡¯t be possible that Shen Yan was that sort of person, absolutely not.


    If it came down to ability, this endorsement was indeed not something she earned on her own, but rather Liu Su had gotten it by leveraging the power of the Qi Family.


    So, rounding it off, Qi Si was essentially her backer.


    *


    On the transoceanic flight, Qi Si wrinkled his somewhat itchy nose.


    With a slight frown on his handsome brows.


    He turned his head to look at the white clouds drifting by outside when he suddenly thought of what Liu Su had said to him that morning.


    ¡°Somebody intentionally created some trouble on the last episode, which led to Miss Shen getting sick and leaving early. This time with the snake incident, someone was also manipulating things from the shadows.¡±


    ¡°The eldest son of the Mu Family appeared very calm on the surface, but behind the scenes, he¡¯s pulling these petty tricks on Miss Shen. Miss Shen has given her heart to the wrong place.¡±


    ¡°Sir, should we send a warning? If we don¡¯t take some action, I¡¯m worried he might try the same thing next season.¡±


    ¡°I watched the live broadcast of this season and noticed Miss Shen has changed quite a bit, and Sir, you saw it last night too, Miss Shen has been much more obedient than before.¡±


    Obedient?


    Qi Si didn¡¯t think so.


    That word didn¡¯t match Shen Yan in the slightest.


    Perhaps this was a new ploy Shen Yan was playing.


    A man in a business suit with a commanding presence came up to Qi Si and said in a low voice, ¡°Sir, they¡¯ve placed someone on our flight in economy class.¡±


    Qi Si¡¯s eyes turned cold, and his tone was indifferent, ¡°During the transaction, they¡¯ll pay the interest they owe.¡±


    The man in the suit quickly understood, nodded, and returned to his place outside.


    *


    At a certain life drama film set.


    Dai Qiu came over from the company, and Shi Lian had already finished filming for the morning; the next scenes involved other actors.


    Seeing Dai Qiu, Shi Lian found a quiet spot and asked, ¡°How did it go?¡±


    ¡°Today I found out that the brand side gave the endorsement to Xinyu because they favored Liu Su,¡± Dai Qiu¡¯s words made Shi Lian freeze.


    ¡°Directly to Xinyu? Without specifying an artist?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct,¡± Dai Qiu¡¯s expression was somewhat grim.


    So all his previous running around and arguing had turned into a joke?


    Shi Lian found it unbelievable, ¡°Doesn¡¯t the brand worry that Xinyu might just pick any artist for the endorsement?¡±


    It would take a lot of clout to secure such a privilege.


    Had Xinyu¡¯s power really reached this extent?


    Dai Qiu pushed up his glasses, a flash of light crossed his eyes, ¡°This Liu Su has quite the background; those rumors in the company might not be unfounded.¡±


    ¡°Do you also think that Liu Su is the financial backer behind Shen Yan?¡± Shi Lian frowned.


    A glint flickered in Dai Qiu¡¯s eyes, ¡°I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s just a dog for Shen Yan¡¯s financial backer.¡±


    Shi Lian thought back to the time she encountered Shen Yan at the company. The instant she saw Shen Yan, she felt a pang of jealousy.


    Wealthy and powerful men would probably find it hard to move their legs when they see a girl as heavenly as her.


    ¡°Without a clear understanding, treat it as though nothing has happened if you encounter this again in the future,¡± said Dai Qiu.


    At this moment, Shi Lian felt very conflicted, ¡°I know what to do.¡±


    The endorsement deal was completely off the table.


    She had been hoping to use this endorsement to outshine a certain queen, but it still hadn¡¯t come to pass.


    She indulged in a bitter smile, thinking to herself about all she had contributed to the company, and yet, they wouldn¡¯t even give her an endorsement.


    Her thoughts then shifted to the olive branch the Mu Family had thrown out last time, and suddenly she was tempted.


    Her contract still had six months until it expired. Whether to renew it or not would need careful consideration.


    *


    Shen Yan only made a brief tour of the company before losing interest and left after half an hour.


    Liu Su had gone to pull in resources and arranged for a driver to take Shen Yan back to rest. Xiao Zhao didn¡¯t get to follow and was sent back to rest.


    Shen Yan collapsed onto the bed in the villa and zoned out before finally getting up for dinner.


    Such an oversleeping to the extreme was refreshing indeed, but utterly boring.


    Liu Su returned before it got dark and laid out several plans in front of her, ¡°Miss Shen, are you looking to go the variety show route, or...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with anything, whether it¡¯s film and television or variety shows, as long as I can become famous, they can all be arranged.¡±


    She could handle this level of workload.


    Liu Su said, ¡°Being involved in too many things can actually hinder your development.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about others, but I don¡¯t need to consider other factors here. No matter the type of job, I can handle it. Uncle Liu, since I¡¯ve chosen this career, I will take it seriously.¡±


    To eradicate the cure of her soul, she had to do her best.


    Prepared with a pile of talks and arrangements, Shen Yan dismissed them with a single comment.


    ¡°I understand. I will filter quality schedules for Miss Shen.¡± It was Liu Su¡¯s first time managing an artist, and he hadn¡¯t run around outside for many years, so he needed to retrain his business skills. Precisely because of this, he¡¯d been a bit too aggressive in some matters, causing friction with his peers in just a few days!


    Shen Yan nodded, for her, resting was a waste.


    Plus, she didn¡¯t know what to do when she did rest.


    She had learned that very well these past two days.


    So it was better to stay busy and aim to rid herself of the disease as soon as possible!


    After discussing all this, Liu Su cleared his throat twice, under Shen Yan¡¯s gaze, he said, ¡°Miss Shen, although you¡¯ve mentioned that you will get along with the gentleman, communication between family members is still essential for harmony, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Shen Yan looked directly into his eyes, ¡°Uncle Liu, speak plainly.¡±


    ¡°The gentleman has been traveling all year round, and he has no one by his side who truly knows him. He has three mobile phones, but I¡¯ve never seen him take any calls outside of work. Uncle Liu has been working for the Qi Family for many years; I watched him grow up. Don¡¯t let his cold exterior fool you; in fact, he has a tender heart and also longs for affection...¡±


    Shen Yan, ¡°...I¡¯ll make time to call him.¡±


    Finally, Liu Su smiled, taking out his phone, ¡°Miss Shen, you don¡¯t have the gentleman¡¯s other mobile number yet.¡±


    Shen Yan quietly saved this ¡°sponsor¡¯s¡± alternate number.

 Chapter 39 - 39 039 We Have Found the Spokesperson

    ?Chapter 39: Chapter 039: We Have Found the Spokesperson Chapter 39: Chapter 039: We Have Found the Spokesperson The next day, Shen Yan got up even earlier than Liu Su had imagined.


    By six o¡¯clock, Shen Yan had already washed up and gone downstairs for breakfast.


    Seeing Shen Yan sitting at the breakfast table at that time, Liu Su thought he was hallucinating and checked his watch twice.


    It was definitely six in the morning.


    Liu Su¡¯s reaction made it clear just how lazy the previous host had been.


    Shen Yan greeted Liu Su.


    Liu Su didn¡¯t adhere to any sort of hierarchy between master and servant, quickly joining Shen Yan at the table for breakfast.


    At 6:30, both of them left on time.


    Once in the car, Liu Su said, ¡°Miss Shen, I¡¯ve already found a personal makeup artist for you, though you might not need one, it¡¯s safer to have your own. Also, I hired an additional assistant. Xiao Zhao is still too young, having joined us shortly after graduating from college since he was poached by Zhang Lu.¡±


    Nowadays, celebrities in the entertainment industry like to employ various assistants and are always surrounded by a large entourage.


    There are life assistants, umbrella assistants, and so on; any title you can think of has been added.


    On top of that, some hire bodyguards.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t need so many people following her.


    That kind of setup made her feel like she hadn¡¯t escaped the base at all.


    ¡°The personal makeup artist can come along, but there¡¯s no need to add more assistants. Although Xiao Zhao was hired by Zhang Lu, he works hard, and I quite like him.¡±


    Hearing this, Liu Su gave up the idea of arranging for more people: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let me know about anything as soon as possible, Miss Shen.¡±


    Shen Yan nodded.


    ¡°The brand¡¯s own team will handle the shoot, so they might have stricter requirements for the advertisement.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, Uncle Liu, I have professional ethics, and I won¡¯t throw tantrums,¡± unlike the original host.


    Liu Su wasn¡¯t completely relieved, still concerned that Shen Yan might encounter some problem during the shoot.


    *


    The brand AIYA had rented a floor in Shen City¡¯s Lizi Building to set up a small division in Asia.


    Most tenants of the Lizi Building are involved in the entertainment industry.


    Because Lizi Building can provide enough security and privacy, those in the industry prefer to rent here.


    AIYA was on the eleventh floor.


    At this time, office workers of Lizi Building were steadily streaming in.


    Some caught a glimpse of Shen Yan and were momentarily astounded.


    Shen Yan followed Liu Su into the elevator, and instantly, everyone¡¯s gaze fell on her, some even surreptitiously took out their phones and opened Weibo to look up Shen Yan¡¯s photo for comparison.


    It was really Shen Yan!


    There were regular businesses in Lizi Building as well.


    Half of the people in the elevator were employees of these companies.


    In a corner of the elevator, two girls whispered to each other.


    ¡°It¡¯s really Yanyan!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so excited!¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡±


    Even in a spacious elevator, no matter how quietly the two spoke, those standing nearby could still hear them clearly.


    Those who didn¡¯t recognize Shen Yan shifted their gaze over.


    The moment Shen Yan stepped out of the elevator, she felt the hustle and bustle of the eleventh floor.


    The back and forth movement of the staff made one wonder if they had worked overtime all through the previous night until now.


    ¡°Agel!¡±


    Liu Su saw the person in charge and called out to him.


    Surrounded by the hustle and bustle, Agel turned around and saw Liu Su, immediately putting down what he was holding and striding over.


    The man had a typical Western face, with distinctive features¡ªdeep-set eyes and brown hair.


    He seemed to be around thirty-five years old.


    ¡°Mr. Liu, I¡¯ve been waiting for you to come over. Is this your Xinyu artist?¡± Agel spoke Mandarin quite well.


    He sized up Shen Yan as he spoke.


    The first time he saw Shen Yan, she dazzled him.


    A simple attire, yet it couldn¡¯t hide the radiance she emitted!


    Such an Eastern beauty, it was his first encounter!


    Previously, when the headquarters mentioned assigning the endorsement to a small media company, Algert had vehemently opposed.


    He had braced himself to settle for an unremarkable actress as their endorser, not expecting Xinyu to have such an eye-catching talent hidden away!


    It was a complete surprise.


    Seeing the sparkle in Agel¡¯s eyes, Liu Su knew that Shen Yan met their criteria.


    ¡°Agel, I wonder if the artist we¡¯ve chosen meets your requirements.¡±


    ¡°Perfect! She¡¯s perfect!¡± Agel came to his senses, his gaze on Shen Yan shining even brighter, ¡°Mr. Liu, we¡¯ve already prepared the contract, come with me quickly.¡±


    Foreigners don¡¯t like to beat around the bush; they go straight to signing the deal.


    Once in the office, the advertisement director Brendon hurried over at the news.


    His brows were deeply furrowed, and just as he pushed the door to enter and was about to speak out, his eye caught Shen Yan on the other side of the room, and he swallowed his words right back down.


    ¡°Brendon? Weren¡¯t you in the middle of shooting? How come you have the time to drop by? Perfect timing. Let me introduce you, this is the Xinyu endorser I told you about,¡± Agel introduced Shen Yan, pointing at her.


    Brendon paused, then walked over to Shen Yan, appraising her blatantly from head to toe.


    This actress before him was unfamiliar yet stunning.


    Shen Yan extended her hand: ¡°Shen Yan.¡±


    ¡°Brendon,¡± Brendon instinctively reached out to shake her hand, ¡°You¡¯re new, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°No wonder we haven¡¯t seen you before. Oh, for the campaign endorsement in Asia, we¡¯ve scoured your Z country¡¯s entertainment industry again and again, never finding the right candidate. My God, you look astonishing! The very spokesperson we¡¯ve been looking for!¡± Brendon went from opposition to unequivocal satisfaction.


    He couldn¡¯t wait to whisk Shen Yan off for the shoot right then and there.


    Agel smiled, ¡°Brendon, we still need to sign the contract!¡±


    ¡°Hurry and sign; I can¡¯t wait,¡± Brendon¡¯s impatience was evident.


    Agel quickly took out the contract, and Liu Su carefully read it over once, confirming it was the previously agreed terms, and both parties proceeded with the signing.


    The contract was hardly closed before Brendon was eagerly pulling Shen Yan off to get styled!


    Liu Su and Agel exchanged a few words before hurriedly following.


    With a smile, Agel tucked away the hand he had just shaken with Liu Su and looked at the contract in his hand, securing it properly.


    He hadn¡¯t even had the chance to leave the office when his phone rang.


    It was an unknown number.


    Agel answered regardless.


    A strange voice came through, ¡°Mr. Agel, this is Mu Jincheng, my agent contacted you before.¡±


    As soon as Agel heard the name, his brows knitted slightly.


    This Mu Jincheng¡¯s agent had called him about the endorsement advertisement, coming across rather forceful.


    Agel didn¡¯t need to ask for favors, it was the other way around, so he didn¡¯t like Mu Jincheng¡¯s agent, and now by association, he was unimpressed with Mu Jincheng himself.


    ¡°What can I do for you, Mr. Mu.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you haven¡¯t found the right person for the endorsement, I have someone very suitable on my end, can we meet to discuss?¡±


    Agel, who had been around Z country, was well aware of the ins and outs of the entertainment industry and knew who Mu Jincheng was.


    ¡°Sorry, Mr. Mu, you¡¯re a step too late, we¡¯ve found our endorser. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll hang up,¡± Agel hung up quite definitively.


    On the other end, Mu Jincheng held the phone, momentarily stunned, ¡°Found someone?¡±


    His agent stood beside him, saying, ¡°This Agel is quite arrogant. When I called him last time, the attitude was poor. You shouldn¡¯t bother with a foreigner and stir up trouble.¡±


    It¡¯s still best to focus on your own career path.


    Mu Jincheng arched an eyebrow: ¡°You know why I entered the entertainment industry.¡±


    The agent choked up.


    Of course, he knew Mu Jincheng had entered the industry for Chu Jinghe, but over the years, his career had taken off rapidly.


    The agent didn¡¯t wish to see him constrained by Chu Jinghe.


    ¡°Check who they chose.¡±


    He had already promised Jinghe; was he going to go back on his word?

 Chapter 40 - 40 040 Taking Over the Drama Auditioning

    ?Chapter 40: Chapter 040: Taking Over the Drama, Auditioning Chapter 40: Chapter 040: Taking Over the Drama, Auditioning When Shen Yan changed her clothes and came out, everyone in the photoshoot area was stunned!


    It was as if a fairy had descended from heaven.


    Brendon¡¯s voice trembled with excitement, ¡°Oh my God! You¡¯re truly God¡¯s favorite!¡±


    Liu Su followed her the whole process, and upon seeing Shen Yan¡¯s elegant yet stunning makeup, he hurriedly took out his phone, snapped several pictures from different angles, and then sent them to Qi Si, who was overseas.


    Qi Si faced the sea breeze, standing on the deck of a cruise ship.


    His phone in his pocket vibrated slightly, and with his slender hand, he took it out and saw the dozen photos Liu Su had sent.


    His handsome eyebrows furrowed slightly.


    If Liu Su wasn¡¯t someone the old man had assigned to him, he would have sent him away long ago.


    He glanced at the photos, intending to switch off the phone, but paused.


    His gaze fell on the slightly upturned smiling face of the young girl, so delicate it reminded him of a fairy who had descended to earth.


    The styling was simple yet elegant, giving a very comfortable feeling at first sight!


    Her loose long hair was slightly curly, seemingly no different from her usual makeup, yet combined with her face, it inexplicably gave off a celestial aura.


    In the photos, the girl¡¯s skin was so white it shone!


    The halo light hit the side of her face, perfectly blurring her gaze towards the camera, giving one the illusion that she was tenderly watching you.


    His fingertips unintentionally touched those eyes, and the screen just turned off.


    Qi Si immediately came to his senses.


    His handsome brows tightened a bit.


    What was he doing just now?


    He placed the phone back in his pocket, and a young man in a suit and leather shoes respectfully stood behind him, ¡°Sir, they have already entered the casino.¡±


    Qi Si¡¯s phone in his pocket vibrated again.


    This time he didn¡¯t take it out, but turned around and walked into the cabin with the man in the suit.


    *


    Shen Yan¡¯s photoshoot lasted a whole day.


    Brendon was so dedicated that he almost didn¡¯t give Shen Yan time to eat lunch, only thinking about shooting a better product quickly.


    He had altered all the previously designed ad actions and lines for Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan¡¯s performance also impressed Brendon!


    It didn¡¯t look like she was new at all.


    Shen Yan herself was very perceptive, especially skilled at capturing the camera.


    It wasn¡¯t until after nine in the evening that Brendon reluctantly let her go.


    The car was already waiting outside, and as soon as Shen Yan got into the car, she leaned against the window and looked toward a direction with a momentary sharp coldness in her eyes.


    Liu Su stood outside the car, looking around, feeling that they were being photographed from their side.


    ¡°Miss Shen must be tired.¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    She didn¡¯t feel tired.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Miss Shen to have such strong camera presence. I¡¯ve heard that Brendon is very picky, but with you, he seemed to totally drop his airs,¡± remembering how Brendon asked for Shen Yan¡¯s private WeChat and immediately followed her Microblog on the spot, he couldn¡¯t help feeling reassured.


    ¡°Brendon is very professional,¡± Shen Yan gave a fair assessment.


    Liu Su smiled and let Shen Yan rest for a while.


    *


    Liu Su trusted his instincts and after dropping Shen Yan at the entrance, he quickly made a call to keep an eye on things so no substandard photos would leak out.


    Though the endorsement ad wasn¡¯t meant to be secretive, having it publicized by outsiders meant losing the initiative to the brand.


    It would make a stronger impact if released directly by the brand.


    Liu Su believed that with this endorsement ad, Shen Yan would definitely make a hit.


    After arranging everything, Liu Su went upstairs and knocked on Shen Yan¡¯s door.


    Shen Yan was preparing to freshen up, and upon seeing Liu Su, she asked, ¡°Uncle Liu, is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to Brendon¡¯s dedication, your advertising video and the main film were shot together. I won¡¯t need to manage Miss Shen¡¯s Weibo account anymore. When the brand releases the advertisement, please just repost it on Weibo.¡±


    Shen Yan nodded, ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Also, here is a drama that I¡¯ve selected for Miss Shen. The live survival show hasn¡¯t confirmed when shooting will continue, so let¡¯s take up something else during this gap.¡±


    Since Shen Yan had said that she would take on any role, Liu Su naturally had to make sure he chose the right ones for her.


    The drama he had in hand was a serious political plot, and Shen Yan¡¯s status was not yet high enough; a secondary female role would be more suitable for her.


    He had examined it closely, and there were absolutely no intimate scenes.


    In the drama, this secondary female character was a female assassin stationed by the male lead¡¯s side.


    Her character setting was not bad.


    Shen Yan took the script and said, ¡°I¡¯ll think it over carefully. Is this for tomorrow¡¯s schedule?¡±


    ¡°If Miss Shen finds it appropriate, she could go directly for the audition tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get back to Uncle Liu in a moment.¡±


    Liu Su left.


    Shen Yan did not immediately flip through the script; she washed up before sitting on the bed to review it.


    The words ¡°Stratagem Sage¡± were printed on the first page.


    Shen Yan briefly looked through the script, knowing her role was the secondary female.


    The male lead was a tragic prince of the dynasty, thrown into a cold palace at the age of three to fend for himself, and at the age of six, almost lost his life in the palace due to a power struggle.


    A great fire forced him to flee the palace and wander outside.


    Only after repeatedly facing dangers outside did he manage to survive and meet the reclusive Stratagem Sage, who saved him and naturally passed on his mantle to him.


    The role Shen Yan was taking, the secondary female, was rescued by the male lead from traffickers, thus avoiding being sent to a place of ill repute.


    Then it was mutual redemption, with the secondary female eventually dying for the male lead.


    From those experiences, if the secondary female did not die, she would definitely be the lead.


    Since Liu Su had gotten the script, her role as the secondary female was essentially confirmed.


    Shen Yan quite liked it and sent a message to Liu Su using her phone.


    Liu Su told Shen Yan to rest well and go for the audition tomorrow.


    A confirmation was a confirmation, but the audition process was definitely necessary.


    After all, Shen Yan¡¯s acting skills were terrible.


    When Director Li heard the name Shen Yan, he checked who she was.


    The results almost sent his blood pressure through the roof.


    Compelled by power, he gritted his teeth and agreed to it.


    He had intended to give her a minor role, but Liu Su forcefully secured this likable secondary female role using his influence.


    Now, Director Li was literally having a heart attack at home.


    Sending Shen Yan for the audition was with the intention of eliminating her from the role.


    As long as Shen Yan¡¯s acting was poor enough, the ¡°Stratagem Sage¡± crew could find a way to cut her out.


    To offend the capital or not.


    For the perfection-seeking Director Li, he would rather offend than accept a rough actress.


    The secondary female role was no less critical than the lead and secondary lead.


    Because in the later stages, the secondary female had significant influence over the male lead.


    She was also the key person who brought the male lead and the lead female together.


    Such a role, how could they possibly let someone with no acting skills play it?


    *


    Shen Yan still sat down punctually at 6 o¡¯clock to have breakfast.


    Liu Su was eating while taking a call.


    After putting down his phone, he said to Shen Yan, ¡°Last night, someone photographed Miss Shen coming out of the Lizi Building; there were quite a few speculations. All have been handled by public relations, so there¡¯s no need to worry. The role for today¡¯s audition is highly contested, but it shouldn¡¯t affect Miss Shen. Just do your best without any pressure.¡±


    Shen Yan nodded.


    Although she had never acted before, she was quite confident in her abilities.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard some rumors that the female lead in ¡®Stratagem Sage¡¯ has already been decided. It¡¯s someone Miss Shen knows.¡±


    ¡°Chu Jinghe?¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen guessed right; it¡¯s her. After all, it¡¯s Director Li¡¯s drama, everyone is desperately trying to get in. I specifically looked into Chu Jinghe¡¯s acting skills, and they are quite good.¡±


    Shen Yan¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, ¡°Is the male lead Mu Jincheng?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t found out about that,¡± Liu Su frowned deeply, if it was Mu Jincheng, it might be better not to take this drama.


    Liu Su was already planning in his mind how to keep Shen Yan and Mu Jincheng apart.

 Chapter 41 - 41 041 What a Coincidence You Are Also Here for

    ?Chapter 41: Chapter 041: What a Coincidence, You Are Also Here for the Audition Chapter 41: Chapter 041: What a Coincidence, You Are Also Here for the Audition Director Li had rented one of the floors of the Lizi Building as the audition venue.


    Shen Yan glanced at the Lizi Building which she had just returned to, then turned to share a look with Liu Su and suddenly said, ¡°Why does this Lizi Building seem so familiar?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Liu Su was taken aback, his eyes clouded with confusion.


    Shen Yan raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Never mind.¡±


    She hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it before.


    But now that she thought about it, she felt that she had heard of this building somewhere before¡ªit wasn¡¯t from that book, so perhaps the original author hadn¡¯t mentioned it?


    Why, then, did she feel this sense of familiarity?


    A brief moment of doubt caused Shen Yan¡¯s steps to falter slightly, but before she could contemplate it further, a familiar female voice sounded from behind.


    ¡°Shen Yan? Are you here for the audition too?¡±


    Turning around, Shen Yan saw Chu Jinghe and, one step behind her, Mu Jincheng.


    Encountering the male and female leads again, Shen Yan¡¯s movements halted momentarily.


    Liu Su instantly went on high alert, discreetly positioning himself in front of Shen Yan.


    Mu Jincheng cast a glance at Liu Su, who stood slightly ahead, and raised his eyebrows slightly.


    Was this Shen Yan¡¯s new agent?


    He seemed steady, not an ordinary person.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here for the audition,¡± Shen Yan said, looking past Chu Jinghe and catching a glimpse of Mu Jincheng at her side, her lips curving into a slight smile.


    That smile, like a shimmering diamond, drew people¡¯s eyes.


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s internal alarm bells rang, and she quickly probed, ¡°Is it Director Li¡¯s film?¡±


    ¡°Yes, looks like we¡¯re all here for this drama. Let¡¯s go upstairs together,¡± Shen Yan suddenly changed her usual demeanor and invited them both to join her.


    Mu Jincheng was initially taken aback by Shen Yan¡¯s smile and then felt disgust.


    Shen Yan couldn¡¯t change her ways, shamelessly trying to seduce him in public¡ªcompletely disgraceful.


    Keeping a stern face, Mu Jincheng moved to Chu Jinghe¡¯s side, his voice softened, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    In Mu Jincheng¡¯s eyes, Shen Yan auditioning for Director Li¡¯s film was just setting herself up for humiliation.


    With Shen Yan¡¯s shitty acting, she¡¯d be booted offstage the moment she appeared.


    Since Shen Yan had come to make a fool of herself, he might as well stay and watch her make a spectacle of herself.


    Remembering the information his people had dug up, Mu Jincheng was even more convinced that Shen Yan had secured a rich and powerful backer, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have snagged the AIYA endorsement.


    Pandering with one¡¯s looks wasn¡¯t a sustainable strategy, and she wouldn¡¯t last long in the entertainment industry.


    Such scandals would inevitably be uncovered.


    He waited to see Shen Yan¡¯s downfall.


    Chu Jinghe smiled demurely, standing at the forefront with a sense of entitlement, accepting Mu Jincheng¡¯s ¡°protection¡± naturally.


    Ever since learning of Mu Jincheng¡¯s hidden status that day, Chu Jinghe had resolutely focused her attention on him.


    Compared to Xu Zishen¡¯s ambiguous status as a wealthy heir, Mu Jincheng was a bona fide scion of a powerful family.


    The Shen City Mu Family was no ordinary wealthy clan.


    Certainly not something that any rich second generation from a province could match.


    The moment Shen Yan appeared just now, Chu Jinghe felt that unexplainable sense of crisis wash over her again.


    Fortunately, Mu Jincheng was plenty good to her.


    She even suspected that Mu Jincheng had entered the entertainment industry because of her.


    Otherwise, with his family background, there was no need for him to stoop to this industry and suffer indignities.


    At that thought, Chu Jinghe¡¯s heart swelled with sweetness.


    As long as Mu Jincheng¡¯s heart remained with her, there would always be a chance to completely conquer him.


    Fifth floor.


    Upon exiting the elevator, three rows of chairs were immediately in view, with staff controlling the area.


    A person in charge brightened upon seeing Mu Jincheng and immediately approached, ¡°Teacher Mu and Mr. Chu came together?¡±


    Mu Jincheng nodded: ¡°This many people?¡±


    ¡°These are all auditioning for other roles, most actresses are here for the role of the third female lead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve looked over the role of the third female lead, the character design is pretty good,¡± Chu Jinghe said, unable to help glancing in another direction.


    Shen Yan hadn¡¯t followed them; instead, she took her audition number and sat outside waiting.


    Chu Jinghe was the pre-determined female lead; two days prior, Director Li had already met with her personally.


    Director Li was worried about finding a male lead, so Chu Jinghe mentioned Mu Jincheng to him.


    She also expressed to Mu Jincheng her desire for him to play the male lead.


    For the sake of being in the same production as Chu Jinghe, Mu Jincheng had also specially leveraged his family connections and met privately with Director Li yesterday.


    After seeing Mu Jincheng¡¯s acting and considering his appearance and demeanor, which fit the male lead, Director Li was very impressed.


    However, Director Li still hoped that Mu Jincheng would come to audition.


    Mu Jincheng had made a partial investment in the production, and he had acting skills; unless Director Li was foolish, he wouldn¡¯t eliminate him.


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s gaze drifted over, and Mu Jincheng subconsciously followed her look.


    Seeing Shen Yan sitting there among a group of stars preparing to audition, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder which role was Shen Yan aiming for?


    ¡°Jincheng, let¡¯s also follow the rules, take a number, and wait for the audition,¡± said Chu Jinghe, lowering her voice near Mu Jincheng¡¯s ear.


    The coordinator, noticing how familiar the two seemed, flashed a knowing look and swallowed any further comment.


    Director Li had given the two a bit of privilege, instructing that once they arrived, they would be auditioned first.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Seeing the compliant manner in which Mu Jincheng responded, Chu Jinghe had trouble suppressing the smile creeping at the corners of her mouth.


    Their agent got numbers for both of them.


    *


    At this moment, Liu Su was very anxious.


    He was annoyed with himself for not verifying whether Mu Jincheng was auditioning for this drama.


    It resulted in an unexpected encounter here.


    From the past two days¡¯ behavior, Liu Su could tell that Shen Yan had a certain special regard for Mu Jincheng.


    Back on the first floor, Shen Yan had especially smiled at Mu Jincheng.


    His mind flashed again with the images of Shen Yan going crazy over Qi Si, along with all the unfiltered insults:


    Mu Jincheng was her idol; she entered the entertainment industry for her idol; she stayed chaste for her idol; Qi Si, you are trash, and so on.


    In short, every possible insult was hurled.


    Not at all like the daughter of a wealthy family.


    Shen Yan was a lunatic who would throw a teapot at Qi Si just for the sake of Mu Jincheng!


    Seeing Liu Su¡¯s defensive stance, Shen Yan didn¡¯t say much.


    Instead, she took out yesterday¡¯s script to read.


    She reviewed the lines in it.


    ¡°Eh? Shen Yan, are you auditioning for the role of the third female lead?¡±


    It was Chu Jinghe¡¯s voice again.


    Hearing the sound, the people sitting in front turned their heads for a look.


    Only then did they realize such a top beauty was sitting behind them, and for a moment, they were somewhat taken aback.


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence, Jincheng is auditioning for the male lead,¡± Chu Jinghe commented casually, yet with an undertone of probe and provocation.


    Shen Yan glanced at her, ¡°Quite a coincidence indeed.¡±


    Shen Yan¡¯s indifference caused Chu Jinghe to imperceptibly arch an eyebrow.


    Mu Jincheng sat down next to Chu Jinghe, and hearing Shen Yan¡¯s response, he scoffed to himself.


    She wants the role of the third female lead?


    Overestimating herself.


    Remembering that the third female role had no small amount of scenes with the male lead, Mu Jincheng¡¯s expression grew even grimmer.


    Shen Yan hadn¡¯t given up on getting closer to him!


    The mere thought of acting with Shen Yan made Mu Jincheng feel nauseous.


    He began to consider using his connections to speak with Director Li about this matter; he was set to be the male lead, and there was no way he¡¯d allow Shen Yan to play the third female lead.


    Then, when he thought of Shen Yan¡¯s twisted acting, he felt his concern was completely unnecessary.

 Chapter 42 - 42 042 Exchanging Information

    ?Chapter 42: Chapter 042: Exchanging Information Chapter 42: Chapter 042: Exchanging Information The auditions up front were fast.


    With so many people every day, it wasn¡¯t possible to dawdle for too much time.


    Liu Su¡¯s sharp gaze had been fixed on Mu Jincheng and Shen Yan the whole time, afraid that their eyes might meet even for a second.


    Shen Yan wasn¡¯t a dead person, of course, she could feel the gaze Liu Su was directing at her.


    Shen Yan found it a bit amusing.


    If she really had no choice but to pick a man, truth be told, she didn¡¯t think much of the likes of Mu Jincheng at all.


    A man who could split his pants climbing a tree was simply too weak.


    She had no protective desire for that kind of man.


    If she absolutely had to choose...


    Her mind suddenly flashed with the image of that gracefully tall figure.


    Without a doubt,


    She would choose him!


    It was strange.


    She had only met the man once, yet the impression he left was so deep.


    She could even remember clearly the slight furrow of his brow and the elegance with which he dined.


    Shen Yan¡¯s hand tapped unconsciously on the phone screen, wondering if she should send Qi Si a greeting message.


    After all, she had promised Uncle Liu to give him a call, to get along well.


    Just as Shen Yan opened her phone and found his number, about to type a message, Liu Su¡¯s voice came from behind, ¡°Miss Shen, it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    Liu Su also touched Shen Yan¡¯s shoulder.


    Feeling slightly guilty, Shen Yan flipped her phone over.


    She didn¡¯t know why she felt guilty, but she just did so when Liu Su craned his neck over to look.


    ¡°Cough.¡±


    Shen Yan coughed, calmly put her phone back in her pocket,


    And stood up, making her way to the audition room.


    What she didn¡¯t realize was that she had already sent the message.


    *


    Overseas.


    Qi Si had just finished his washing, wrapped in a towel, his well-defined upper body bare, with muscles perfectly contoured, droplets of water from his black hair sliding down his chiseled face, trickling along the lines of his six-pack into that extremely sexy V-shaped area.


    One hand drying his black hair, the other picked up the phone from the table that had just buzzed.


    He opened it.


    [Everything went smoothly.....]


    Qi Si: ???


    Looking again at the previous message, he confirmed it was indeed from Shen Yan.


    He raised an eyebrow.


    Tossed the phone onto the bed.


    Didn¡¯t plan on responding.


    Roughly towelled his hair dry.


    He opened his wardrobe to look for clothes, then turned back to pick up the phone again.


    He stared at the message for a while, typing back a reply: What¡¯s up.


    Three words.


    Cold as frost.


    Just like the man himself.


    After that, he didn¡¯t pay it any more attention.


    Nor did the message provoke any thoughts.


    *


    Shen Yan appeared in the audition room.


    After a brief pause, someone notified Director Li.


    Director Li was next door and soon entered the audition room, a figure looking very stern.


    His piercing gaze dissected Shen Yan thoroughly, inspecting her inside and out, repeatedly.


    The assistant directors were all dazzled by the young lady who had just appeared and admired how Director Li maintained his serious demeanor.


    Indeed, a man fit to be a great director.


    Steadfast!


    ¡°You¡¯re Shen Yan.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Which part are you auditioning for?¡± Director Li¡¯s tone couldn¡¯t be considered friendly.


    Because in his view, Shen Yan was a typical case of nepotism.


    He disliked stars who climbed ranks through their looks.


    Moreover, the acting skills of the lady before him were a disaster.


    There was no pleasant expression on his face.


    Shen Yan smiled and said, ¡°You could pick a scene for me, and I¡¯ll improvise.¡±


    ¡°Huh, that¡¯s bold,¡± sneered Director Li, no longer bothering to be polite. He chose a silent argument scene with the male lead and instructed Shen Yan to find someone to assist her on the spot.


    ¡°No need, there¡¯s no dialogue, I can perform directly into thin air.¡±


    Director Li laughed again, unkindly and mockingly.


    Everyone knew that the less dialogue there was, the harder it was to perform.


    Moreover, in this scene, Shen Yan had to rely entirely on her expressions!


    Only an actor of national first-class level could possibly capture the essence of the role, could Shen Yan, a vase-like female star, even achieve one percent of the essence?


    Director Li finally found a reason for this backdoor starlet to know her difficulties and retreat. Without any fuss, he directly had everything prepared.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t look at the script again.


    The moment she looked at Director Li, her gaze instantly became the character.


    Director Li was taken aback by that majestic yet non-lethal gaze!


    The disappointment in the male lead, the frustration of his failures, and in the end, the anger, as well as the resentment for the influence the female lead had on the male lead¡¯s emotions...


    She layered the performance, one depth after another.


    It was but an instant.


    She dragged everyone into the world of her character, letting them feel her intense disappointment.


    As soon as the resentment was in place, those eyes that seemed to speak slowly returned to calm.


    It was a resigned acceptance of the male lead¡¯s choices and a firm support.


    Even at the cost of her own life, she would endorse all of the male lead¡¯s decisions with determination.


    The audition room was very quiet.


    The real Shen Yan stepped back a few steps and snapped out of character in a second.


    Her eyes returned to their usual cool indifference.


    Director Li¡¯s eyes were slightly open, looking at Shen Yan in astonishment.


    Was this really the Shen Yan he knew?


    While the expressive eyes were not particularly complicated, Shen Yan had perfected them.


    What did this imply? Shen Yan had a natural talent in this aspect!


    Perhaps previous directors rushed through, settling for a brisk shoot without allowing Shen Yan to shine and snatch up the role of the leading lady.


    Director Li felt he had been shortsighted for the first time.


    ¡°Go back and wait for notification...¡±


    Director Li was ashamed of his prior actions.


    He had judged too one-sidedly.


    He had discounted Shen Yan¡¯s acting based on the online series alone.


    ¡°Do I not need to perform the parts with dialogue?¡± Aren¡¯t they worried about me not speaking well?


    ¡°No need, there are still many others waiting to audition,¡± Director Li¡¯s tone was much softer this time, drawing curious glances from those nearby.


    Director Li was quite pleased with this young lady¡¯s acting.


    Was the role of the third female lead set?


    Shen Yan nodded slightly to Director Li and the others in acknowledgment.


    With so many going in, only Shen Yan had taken a bit longer, causing Liu Su to pace worriedly at the door.


    Seeing Shen Yan emerge as usual, Liu Su quickly approached, ¡°How did it go?¡±


    Shen Yan shook her head.


    Liu Su frowned, his eyes flashed, then he comforted, ¡°It¡¯s okay, we can look for more suitable roles.¡±


    Perfect, then they wouldn¡¯t have to be in the same production as Mu Jincheng.


    Even if rejected, Liu Su wouldn¡¯t trouble the production team.


    It was a blessing in disguise.


    Over there, Chu Jinghe stood up upon seeing Shen Yan shake her head, looked towards Mu Jincheng, ¡°It seems Shen Yan isn¡¯t confident either.¡±


    To which Mu Jincheng internally remarked that this was to be expected.


    With Shen Yan¡¯s poor acting, what confidence could she have?


    She only seemed destined to be rejected.


    Did she think that dawdling that long would make Director Li lenient?


    Shen Yan was too nai?ve.


    ¡°It¡¯s my turn, I¡¯ll go in.¡±


    ¡°Okay, go ahead, good luck!¡± Mu Jincheng changed his expression in a blink.


    As Chu Jinghe walked past, he paused by Shen Yan and said, ¡°Shen Yan, Director Li is always strict. Reflect on your acting, and you¡¯ll have opportunities in the future.¡±


    Shen Yan glanced at him.


    Chu Jinghe didn¡¯t wait for her response before going in.


    Shen Yan asked Liu Su, ¡°Where to next?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Brendon wants you to come up for another round of promotional shooting.¡±


    ¡°So many promotional shoots for one advert?¡±


    ¡°He always strives for perfection, he might be dissatisfied with some part,¡± Liu Su explained.


    Talking, they entered the elevator and went up to the eleventh floor.


    Shen Yan remembered the message she hadn¡¯t sent, pulled out her phone, and saw her own sent message and Qi Si¡¯s response, falling into silence for a spell.


    She had meant to ask if everything went well.


    Instead, she had accidentally sent it.


    Shen Yan edited: ¡°[The phone sent it out when it heated up in my pocket by mistake.]¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Liu Su noticed the subtle change in Shen Yan¡¯s demeanor, and just as he leaned in closer, Shen Yan put away her phone.


    ¡°Nothing, just checking the latest trending topics.¡±


    ¡°Once Miss Shen¡¯s advert is released, it¡¯ll surely hit the trending lists!¡± Not that Liu Su had confidence in Shen Yan, but he trusted the brand, and even more so, Brendon¡¯s creative genius!

 Chapter 43 - 43 043 What Qualifications Does Shen Yan Have

    ?Chapter 43: Chapter 043: What Qualifications Does Shen Yan Have! Chapter 43: Chapter 043: What Qualifications Does Shen Yan Have! After shooting another promotional video for Qi Si, the brand announced Shen Yan as their official endorser.


    The internet blew up in an instant!


    All the actresses who had vied for the endorsement watched Shen Yan, who appeared ethereal in the advertisement, like an immortal, and fell into deep thought.


    Chu Jinghe had previously hinted to her fans that she was in the running for this endorsement, but the official announcement featured Shen Yan, who had risen to fame through scandals.


    Fans rushed to Shen Yan¡¯s Weibo to make sarcastic comments.


    Shen Yan¡¯s enormous number of detractors also followed, blatantly stating that Shen Yan won over Chu Jinghe by selling her looks, spewing disgusting remarks one after another.


    Shen Yan¡¯s fans were furious.


    Apart from Chu Jinghe¡¯s fans, the fans of several other female celebrities also joined in, subtly twisting the truth.


    Somehow, the discussion turned towards Shi Lian, the top actress of Star Language Media.


    [Both are actresses signed with Xinyu, but how could this endorsement skip the top actress and land on a scandal-ridden one?]


    [Isn¡¯t it obvious? Some Fake Princess must have manipulated things again behind the scenes. How despicable must one be, casting her net everywhere.]


    [It¡¯s clear that some patrons are extremely satisfied with her ¡°services¡± and are thus strongly supporting her.]


    [Forgive my ignorance, but what are these ¡°services¡±?]


    [Compare water and land for female and male, afraid to get censored, enough said!]


    ¡°Miss Shen, don¡¯t worry about these comments online, Star Language¡¯s PR will handle this. Once casting is over, you should be able to join the crew for filming,¡± he reassured her.


    In the rearview mirror, Liu Su saw Shen Yan browsing her phone; he had also seen some of the online rumors.


    The things these detractors said were downright outrageous.


    A perfectly fine affair was being smeared by them.


    He had been by Shen Yan¡¯s side for the last few days, and there was no basis to these rumors. Seeing how the detractors had distorted the situation frustrated him.


    Shen Yan wasn¡¯t bothered at all, ¡°I thought Uncle Liu said I would fail the audition.¡±


    Liu Su felt awkward for a moment, ¡°I also hope that Miss Shen can succeed.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about Mu Jincheng, Uncle Liu. I don¡¯t fancy that style.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Liu Su clearly didn¡¯t believe her.


    He thought it was just an excuse from Shen Yan.


    ¡°It was only after I got to know him closely that I saw the other side beneath his dazzling appearance. I don¡¯t like his true self.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Mm, I¡¯ve been disillusioned with him for a while now.¡±


    Liu Su cautiously observed Shen Yan¡¯s expression.


    It didn¡¯t seem like she was lying.


    But when Liu Su recalled how Shen Yan had argued and clashed with Qi Si, his heart tensed up again.


    Though he didn¡¯t let it show on his face.


    *


    Chu Jinghe was very confident about her audition this time.


    She had just split from Mu Jincheng at an upscale restaurant not too long ago when her manager, Zhong Chi, put away his phone and said, ¡°That endorsement has been snatched up by Shen Yan.¡±


    The smile Chu Jinghe still had from her date froze instantly as she looked sharply at Zhong Chi, ¡°Shen Yan? How could it be her!¡±


    What qualifications did Shen Yan have?


    Zhong Chi said, ¡°I heard that Xinyu pulled some strings, and Shen Yan¡¯s agent fought for it.¡±


    ¡°I recall that Xinyu has another actress, Shi Lian, whose popularity continues to soar,¡± Chu Jinghe¡¯s brow slowly furrowed.


    She couldn¡¯t grasp why the brand had chosen Shen Yan.


    Zhong Chi wasn¡¯t sure either, but he had other suspicions, ¡°I guess Xinyu wants to promote new talent. I¡¯ve found out that Shi Lian¡¯s contract is about to expire. Looking at her recent developments, she probably doesn¡¯t plan to renew with Xinyu. They naturally wouldn¡¯t waste such valuable resources on an artist they aren¡¯t focusing on.¡±


    ¡°Even Lian Jinchen couldn¡¯t secure it, exactly what does Shen Yan rely on?¡± Chu Jinghe still couldn¡¯t swallow the bitter pill and voiced her indignant question.


    During the live broadcast of ¡°Survival on a Desert Island,¡± her popularity had exploded from the very first episode.


    By the second episode, Shen Yan had changed her strategy and managed to win a substantial number of fans and popularity.


    This made Chu Jinghe sense danger emanating from Shen Yan.


    The entertainment industry was just like this, a continuous push forward from one generation to the next, if you didn¡¯t fight or vie for it, you would be trampled as others climbed up.


    She didn¡¯t want her career to dim before it had even reached its peak.


    ¡°What exactly Shen Yan is relying on isn¡¯t clear; there are all kinds of speculation,¡± Zhong Chi was also a bit irritable, the two collaborations he had been fighting hard for recently had both fallen through. He hoped this audition would go smoothly.


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s eyes flickered, and she suddenly said, ¡°I wonder what Shi Lian and her agent are thinking.¡±


    Zhong Chi paused, his gaze flickering as well.


    Dai Qiu was a top agent, having brought up two best actresses and one best actor.


    Now, he had brought up Shi Lian, who was directly challenging best actress status. Wouldn¡¯t the company worry about provoking some resistance from Dai Qiu?


    Shen Yan snagging this endorsement was akin to climbing over Chu Jinghe to rise up, and as her agent, Zhong Chi was naturally not pleased.


    If they could stir up some trouble for Shen Yan over this, perhaps they could make the brand see ¡°clearly¡± just what kind of unvirtuous artist Shen Yan really was.


    *


    The storm then headed towards Shi Lian.


    It was a case of disasters descending from the heavens while one sits at home.


    ¡°This clearly looks like someone is manipulating the reviews, and it¡¯s even been pushed to the trending search list,¡± Dai Qiu sneered, slipping the phone back into his pocket, and looked towards Shi Lian, who was removing her makeup, ¡°The PR at the company hasn¡¯t even been paying attention to such public sentiment, probably still resentful over the last collapsed negotiation.¡±


    Plus, President Kang had been explicitly and implicitly mentioning the contract renewal. Both Dai Qiu and Shi Lian had not responded directly, which had annoyed President Kang.


    So now the company wanted to use Shi Lian¡¯s momentum to give Shen Yan a boost?


    Next, it looked like they would have to discuss terms with them.


    Shi Lian looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes slightly darkened.


    It seemed she really needed to consider her next move carefully.


    ¡°They¡¯re currently focused on promoting the newcomers, and it looks like they¡¯ll be trying to leech off your popularity soon.¡±


    Shi Lian¡¯s brows furrowed, ¡°I¡¯m still an artist at Star Language Media. If President Kang makes a request, I¡¯m afraid it would be difficult for me to refuse.¡±


    ¡°Shen Yan rose to fame controversially; having you support her will only damage your popularity. I won¡¯t let the company do that,¡± he wouldn¡¯t allow a controversial star to ruin the artist he had worked so hard to bring up.


    Right after Dai Qiu said this, President Kang called.


    Dai Qiu saw the caller ID, raised his eyebrows, but still answered.


    President Kang wanted him to come to the office first thing in the morning.


    After Dai Qiu hung up, Shi Lian had finished removing her makeup and stood up, ¡°What did President Kang say?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything specific, just asked me to visit his office tomorrow morning, probably not for anything good,¡± Dai Qiu¡¯s temples throbbed with annoyance.


    ¡°Do you need me to go?¡±


    ¡°You continue filming tomorrow, I can handle it alone,¡± Dai Qiu was somewhat irritable.


    The promotional clip was released, and the brand followed closely with a final advertisement that hardly needed any edits. Upon opening the advertisement, fans were astonished!


    An ad that was made to look like an immortal film!


    Impressive!


    Shen Yan¡¯s popularity soared.


    The trending search list saw the entry #ImmortalDescending# skyrocketing to the second spot.


    Shen Yan glanced at this freshly released advertisement and couldn¡¯t deny that Brendon truly deserved his reputation as a master of the advertising world.


    The creative concept of the advertisement was maxed out!


    The filming technique was exceptional.


    Had he not been solely focused on advertisement shooting, the big directors in the country might have to step aside.


    Her phone buzzed, displaying a message notification; Shen Yan tapped to open it.


    Several hours had passed before Qi Si¡¯s response came.


    [Hmm]


    A solitary ¡°Hmm,¡± conveying his coldness.


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    She should never have messaged him out of whim.

 Chapter 44 - 44 044 Passed. Number 1

    ?Chapter 44: Chapter 044: Passed. Number 1! Chapter 44: Chapter 044: Passed. Number 1! F Country.


    The cemetery closest to the jungle.


    Exiting the cemetery, there was a broad highway.


    Across the highway was the church.


    Occasional peals of bells could be heard.


    In front of the simple cemetery¡¯s lawn, several luxury cars were parked, and intermittently, the buzzing of helicopters could be heard as the winds swept by, causing a helicopter to land on the landing lawn across.


    Groups of people in suits strode over, including a few in white coats within a large team.


    Their presence was very formidable.


    Even a hint of blood could be smelled in the wind.


    A low-profile black sedan pulled up, and a couple from Z Country emerged, both having distinct appearances.


    Their arrival attracted some people¡¯s attention.


    Outside the venue, besides this couple, there was also a group of people from Z Country.


    Around the periphery of the cemetery, Qi Si stood before the white brick path leading toward the church, flanked by several tall bodyguards in suits.


    They kept vigilantly scanning their surroundings.


    Their gaze instantly shifted toward the couple.


    ¡°Mr. Qi,¡± a man from F Country approached with several others.


    Qi Si nodded slightly toward him.


    This blond man was a decision-maker in a certain field in F Country, possessing great power.


    He was here today to discuss a cross-country project.


    Qi Si looked toward the cemetery.


    The blond man also looked that way and said, ¡°A subject from the Jungle Base has died.¡±


    ¡°A subject?¡±


    Qi Si, unusually interested, repeated.


    Seeing Qi Si¡¯s interest, the blond man smiled and said, ¡°It was a genetics researcher, and we also invested in that project. After the subject died, the base preserved it and extracted and researched for many days, but couldn¡¯t obtain more valuable samples. They almost got wiped out by the subject...¡±


    He swallowed the last few words.


    Qi Si, listening to this, showed no emotion on his face.


    However, his gaze fell on the couple, who looked very attractive.


    The blond man continued, ¡°Those are the subject¡¯s parents.¡±


    The people beside Qi Si quickly glanced at the blond man.


    Even Qi Si couldn¡¯t help but give him a glance.


    Feeling their stares, the blond man¡¯s scalp tingled, and he chuckled nervously, ¡°They are team instructors, willingly offering their own lineage...¡±


    Qi Si frowned slightly, uncomfortable.


    Realizing that Qi Si was not interested, the blond man tactfully changed the subject and pointed in the direction of the church, ¡°Mr. Qi, let¡¯s talk about the project we¡¯re going to collaborate on.¡±


    Qi Si, striding ahead, led the way while the blond man dabbed the cold sweat from his forehead and hurriedly followed.


    *


    Shen Yan woke up from a sleep feeling refreshed and extremely comfortable.


    She got up on time for breakfast.


    Just as she reached the dining room, she received a call from Director Li.


    Shen Yan was a bit surprised.


    It was unexpected that Director Li would call her personally.


    She had left her phone number with the ¡°Stratagem Sage¡± production team, and it was normal for Director Li to know it.


    ¡°Shen Yan, you¡¯ve been confirmed for the third female lead, and all the casting should be decided the day after tomorrow. Spend these next two days getting familiar with the script,¡± said Director Li.


    His tone was noticeably gentler than the first time he spoke to her, yet still serious.


    Shen Yan smiled, ¡°I will definitely study it thoroughly! Thank you, Director Li, for this opportunity!¡±


    ¡°I hope you will not disappoint me,¡± Director Li paused, ¡°Regarding the contract, I will have someone contact your agent separately.¡±


    Shen Yan chatted with Director Li for a bit longer before hanging up.


    Liu Su entered the dining room at that time, and Shen Yan shared the good news with him.


    Liu Su had received a call from Director Du the previous night, inviting Shen Yan to be a regular guest on his romance-themed show; this time, Liu Su did not outright refuse.


    Shen Yan hadn¡¯t expected to actually pass the audition!


    ¡°Did Director Li mention who was chosen as the male lead? Uncle Liu isn¡¯t worried about you and Mu Jincheng¡¯s past; he¡¯s worried you won¡¯t perform well in front of Mu Jincheng.¡±


    Yes, that¡¯s correct.


    It¡¯s definitely not because he¡¯s afraid of Shen Yan messing around with Mu Jincheng.


    Shen Yan said, ¡°Uncle Liu, I¡¯m very professional.¡±


    Liu Su found it unreliable, just from how Shen Yan had stubbornly stuck to Mu Jincheng before; he couldn¡¯t trust her.


    At the time, Shen Yan had really given her all for true love.


    How could she just give up so easily.


    Liu Su felt he was foolish too, to have been fooled by Shen Yan¡¯s words just yesterday.


    Liu Su changed the subject, bringing up Director Du¡¯s invitation.


    ¡°Romance-themed show? Does Uncle Liu want me to participate?¡±


    ¡°Setting aside everything else, I¡¯ve thoroughly researched this variety show. In just the first few days of this month, it shot up to three hot searches. Director Du is indeed experienced in directing such shows. Plus, the young people nowadays love watching these kinds of fake romantic bubbles and following the couples¡¯ story alone.¡±


    Liu Su was indeed quick to embrace new things.


    Shen Yan asked, ¡°So, what does Uncle Liu think?¡±


    ¡°¡®Stratagem Sage¡¯ has no scenes for you in the early stages, you can¡¯t just be idling, waiting to shoot your parts.¡±


    Shen Yan thought for a moment and said, ¡°Uncle Liu, arrange as you see fit, I don¡¯t mind. However, being a regular guest is out of the question, but a temporary guest is fine.¡±


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll have a talk with Director Du,¡± as long as it¡¯s not overdone, Shen Yan could use the romance show to boost her popularity.


    Now that he had taken on the role of her agent, Liu Su would exhaust all avenues to make Shen Yan famous.


    So, anything that could benefit Shen Yan was within his considerations.


    Since Shen Yan had set her heart entirely on Mu Jincheng, and Mu Jincheng wouldn¡¯t be on the love-themed show, he wasn¡¯t worried at all.


    *


    In a drama crew in Shen City.


    Dai Qiu took the opportunity of lunchtime to meet Shi Lian.


    Shi Lian sent the people around her away from the resting tent and handed a lunch box to Dai Qiu, ¡°What did President Kang say?¡±


    At this mention, Dai Qiu scoffed with a hint of laughter, ¡°What can she say except ask you to share that advertisement and do her publicity? She also wants you to take her out in public more. It¡¯s clear she wants to use you to elevate the newbie. Xinyu doing this, it¡¯s disgusting. If you weren¡¯t a woman, she¡¯d probably even ask you, a senior, to stir up a scandal with her.¡±


    Dai Qiu finished speaking with a cold laugh and started eating fiercely.


    Shi Lian¡¯s expression also soured, ¡°I haven¡¯t received many appearances recently, I¡¯m focused on shooting. I don¡¯t have time to babysit her. As for sharing the post, I still have to do it...¡± who told her she couldn¡¯t pressure the company due to her lower status.


    Dai Qiu, with a stern face, said, ¡°Let me handle the posting; you focus on your shoot.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thanks, Brother Qiu.¡±


    *


    The project negotiation was not going smoothly.


    Primarily because Qi Si¡¯s side was asking for too much, and the country from F needed to discuss it again before they could give an answer.


    They stepped out of the church.


    Standing by the road where the cars were parked, Qi Si impulsively looked toward the empty graveyard.


    The people beside him also followed his gaze.


    ¡°Sir...¡±


    Qi Si was already walking toward it, standing in front of a hastily yet somewhat meticulously buried grave.


    His gaze froze upon encountering a name in the cold hue of marble.


    Shen Yan.


    It was in Chinese characters.


    Under the gravestone, a line in F-script: No.1¡ªStrong Gene.


    The summer breeze blew from the depths of the solemn graveyard, slightly cool...

 Chapter 45 - 45 045 Shen Yans Ideal Type

    ?Chapter 45: Chapter 045: Shen Yan¡¯s Ideal Type Chapter 45: Chapter 045: Shen Yan¡¯s Ideal Type Director Du was drawn to Shen Yan for her performance in the ¡°Survival on a Desert Island¡± live stream, not to mention the popularity of her commercial, and was eager to invite Shen Yan to join.


    After Shen Yan nodded her agreement, Director Du couldn¡¯t wait to pull her in to record the very night.


    As dawn broke, Shen Yan set off for the shooting location in a car with Liu Su.


    Romance reality shows weren¡¯t like survival on a desert island shows; they didn¡¯t need to pick an outdoor setting, and each installment wasn¡¯t that long, lasting just three days.


    Xiao Zhao sat weakly beside Shen Yan, clutching a big bag and listening to Liu Su and Shen Yan¡¯s instructions.


    When it came to his part, Xiao Zhao quickly responded that he had taken note of it.


    ¡± ¡®Pink Heartbeat¡¯ uses a mix of live and taped broadcasts, and has two permanent couples as regular guests, with no amateurs participating. You already know the male star you¡¯ll be paired with, Miss Shen. In addition to the permanent guests, Director Du invited two additional temporary couples...¡±


    ¡°I know this male star?¡±


    Liu Su looked at his phone, ¡°It¡¯s the male star named Xu Zishen. His popularity is good and he has great potential. The other pair of guests are Liu Qiang and Zhou Jingming, who participated in the ¡®Survival on a Desert Island¡¯ show with Miss Shen.¡±


    It turned out that, aside from the regular couples, all the others were acquaintances.


    I wonder if Director Li would flip out if he knew?


    Thinking of Xu Zishen¡¯s ¡°devotion¡± to her as thanks, Shen Yan felt a sudden urge to change partners.


    Perhaps she could switch with Liu Qiang.


    *


    Other guests were filmed directly from where they lived, but Shen Yan was the only one who joined temporarily, so as soon as she arrived on set, she was immediately incorporated into the filming.


    Announcements of the surprise guest came out overnight, exciting Shen Yan¡¯s fans so much that they huddled early in her exclusive live-streaming room.


    [I¡¯m headed to the romance show!]


    [Who is Yanyan¡¯s partner?]


    [Do we even need to ask? Whoever is single on the scene, that¡¯s who!]


    [So, are we now shipping the Zishen and Yanyan CP (couple pairing)?]


    [I feel like Xu Zishen doesn¡¯t deserve Yanyan.]


    [What a joke, it¡¯s the Fake Princess who doesn¡¯t deserve Zishen.]


    [Haters are so annoying, sticking around like glue, bringing bad luck!]


    As soon as Shen Yan stepped out of the car, the cameras waiting at the door immediately zoomed in on her face.


    It almost injured Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan stepped back to avoid getting hurt.


    ¡°Hello everyone, I am Shen Yan!¡± Shen Yan greeted the camera.


    [Wow!! Yanyan is barefaced again, right? Even with a close-up, you can¡¯t find any flaws! Perfect!]


    [Yanyan¡¯s beauty is really strong!]


    [Uh-oh, this heartbeat feels too terrible!]


    [It¡¯s hilarious, even people with plastic surgery deserve such praise, isn¡¯t that awkward?]


    [You¡¯re the one who¡¯s hilarious, haters get out, you¡¯re not invited.]


    [Looking forward to seeing Yanyan in love and sweet!]


    Seeing Shen Yan¡¯s overwhelming positive feedback, the haters couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.


    They all came out organized to smear Shen Yan.


    Even though many fans defended her, they couldn¡¯t cope with the sudden influx of haters with strong ¡°Combat Power,¡± frustrating the fans who were hopping mad and helpless against the haters.


    At the end of ¡°Survival on a Desert Island,¡± there were hardly any haters left in sight.


    Lately, they seemed to have multiplied from nowhere, surging out in droves.


    Shen Yan, pulling her small suitcase, followed the camera¡¯s direction inside, then appeared in front of the studio.


    All the guests turned to look.


    Xu Zishen, who was sitting alone on the side waiting to play games, brightened up upon seeing Shen Yan and stood up immediately.


    [Facepalm! Zishen, can¡¯t you be a little more reserved?]


    [Whoa! Little Zishen¡¯s face is blushing!]


    [With that face, who wouldn¡¯t be confused? No wonder Zishen can¡¯t hold himself back!]


    ¡°Holy smokes! Isn¡¯t that the Fake Princess?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s the Fake Princess, no, how could my Zishen be paired with the Fake Princess!¡±


    ¡°Director Du, we protest! Change partners, we must change partners!¡±


    ¡°Whoever partners with the Fake Princess is unlucky, Zishen is too pitiful.¡±


    No matter how much Xu Zishen¡¯s fans protested, it was useless. As soon as Shen Yan appeared, Xu Zishen seemed to lose his soul and rushed forward to help Shen Yan with her luggage.


    Shen Yan would be staying in the room arranged by the program group for three days, so she brought several sets of clothes to change into.


    ¡°Let me! How can we let a beauty carry such heavy things?¡±


    Liu Qiang and Zhou Jingming had long known that Shen Yan was Xu Zishen¡¯s partner, so they were not surprised when they saw her.


    The permanent guests included a pair of traffic idols, as well as a group of actors with real talent and high popularity.


    Tao Rongye and Song Xuan, one the Best Actor and the other the Best Actress, both were esteemed actors.


    The two of them played love interests on the silver screen, and in reality, they were also a genuine couple.


    They were also the oldest pair among all the guests.


    Another pair of partners was the traffic star Li Xu and Dai Molin.


    Liu Qiang was talking to Song Xuan. Seeing Shen Yan looking fresh and beautiful appearing before her eyes, she almost couldn¡¯t suppress the jealousy jumping out of the bottom of her eyes.


    Shen Yan was dressed simply, in a white shirt, black pants, and sneakers, youthful and radiant!


    Even without makeup, her skin was as lustrous and white as a piece of fine jade.


    Shen Yan¡¯s neat and youthful attire immediately made Liu Qiang feel like she was a cabaret girl.


    The sexy slip dress she was wearing felt like wearing nothing at all.


    She couldn¡¯t explain how awkward and uncomfortable it was.


    Liu Qiang was confident in her body figure, but as soon as Shen Yan appeared, Liu Qiang¡¯s light was completely overshadowed.


    ¡°Shen Yan is really beautiful! I thought those photos online were Photoshopped! She looks better in person than in the pictures,¡± Song Xuan said with a smile beside her.


    Dai Molin slightly arched her eyebrows but didn¡¯t say anything.


    Seeing Xu Zishen carrying her luggage and heading upstairs, Shen Yan had no choice but to turn around and greet her seniors before hurrying to follow him.


    The rooms arranged by the program group were not dormitory-style; each person had a separate room.


    They were just divided into male and female sides.


    To the left of the staircase were rooms for the girls, and to the right for the boys.


    Xu Zishen placed Shen Yan¡¯s luggage outside the door and did not go in.


    ¡°Shen Yan, after you put away your luggage, let¡¯s go down together.¡±


    He was waiting for Shen Yan to put away her luggage so they could go downstairs together.


    Shen Yan opened the door, pushed her suitcase inside, and turned around, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Xu Zishen looked at Shen Yan with a very eager smile, ¡°Shen Yan, I¡¯m so happy that I can be your partner this time!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy too,¡± Shen Yan said perfunctorily.


    As soon as the two of them went downstairs, they heard Dai Molin jest, ¡°We all saw it, when Zishen looked at us, he barely stopped himself from making a face, but as soon as he saw Shen Yan, his eyes and smile were tinged with a rosy blush!¡±


    Xu Zishen, somewhat embarrassed, scratched his hair, ¡°Teacher Dai loves to joke, Shen Yan previously saved me, of course, I have to be diligent towards my savior! Shen Yan, if it wasn¡¯t for you last time, I might have been done for, and wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to record today! So, I¡¯m really grateful to you!¡±


    ¡°Eh? A life-saving savior! Does that mean, Zishen, you need to ¡®dedicate yourself¡¯ to her?¡± Dai Molin said humorously. After speaking, she didn¡¯t forget to give them a playful wink, causing everyone to laugh along.


    Xu Zishen was even more embarrassed, ¡°Well, that¡¯s what I was thinking, but I might not be Shen Yan¡¯s ideal type, so she turned me down! I can¡¯t really ¡®dedicate myself¡¯ by force, can I?¡±


    Shen Yan¡¯s eyebrows flicked upward.


    Starting off with the whole ¡®life-saving savior¡¯ and ¡®dedicating oneself¡¯ routine, Zishen had the perfect excuse for any overly intimate actions towards her later on.


    ¡°Zishen is a great guy, what¡¯s your ideal type, Shen Yan?¡± Dai Molin immediately followed up with a question.


    This question should have been asked by the program team, but Dai Molin took on the task.


    Director Du laughed like a fox.


    Loving reality shows meant stirring things up to have fun!


    As soon as these words were spoken, everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on Shen Yan.

 Chapter 46 - 46 046 At the Competition Site

    ?Chapter 46: Chapter 046: At the Competition Site? Chapter 46: Chapter 046: At the Competition Site? Shen Yan didn¡¯t have any ideal type¡ªshe already had a fiance?, how could she consider others?


    She looked towards the camera, ¡°No.¡±


    Love, such a thing, was harmful to health and utterly boring.


    ¡°Does Zishen have no chance at all?¡± Dai Molin continued to ask.


    Xu Zishen looked at Shen Yan with an expectant face.


    The others also turned to look.


    Shen Yan glanced at Xu Zishen and replied bluntly, ¡°No.¡±


    Xu Zishen¡¯s smiling face almost fell.


    Shen Yan wasn¡¯t even willing to give lip service, and there seemed to be even a hint of disdain.


    [LOL! I¡¯m cringing for Xu Zishen so hard it¡¯s like I¡¯m carving out a three-bedroom apartment, haha!]


    [What is Dai Molin trying to do, meddling and asking such questions, isn¡¯t she just making things awkward for everyone?]


    [Molin just wants to help Zishen, what¡¯s wrong with that?]


    [I feel the disdain Yanyan had for Zishen in that instant!]


    [Fake Princess can really put on an act. I bet she can¡¯t wait to throw herself at any man she sees.]


    [Fake Princess indeed doesn¡¯t have an ideal type, because she¡¯s like a bus, spreading her legs whenever she sees a man.]


    [Damn, haters are disgusting. What have you turned a decent girl into?]


    [I¡¯m not anyone¡¯s fan, but I also find those who talk like that disgusting and lacking in manners.]


    ¡°Shen Yan, you¡¯re quite firm,¡± Dai Molin said somberly and then did not continue the questioning.


    ¡°Shen Yan, we meet again,¡± Liu Qiang extended a hand towards Shen Yan with a fake smile.


    Shen Yan glanced at the camera position near the pink love heart wall and reached out her hand for a shake, ¡°Teacher Liu, we meet again.¡±


    ¡°Alright, now that we¡¯ve caught up, shall we start with today¡¯s first task?¡± Tao Rongye, the eldest, hurriedly organized everyone.


    ¡°Shen Yan arrived last, so let me repeat our individual tasks...¡± Song Xuan had not finished speaking when Xu Zishen stood up.


    He said, ¡°Mr. Song, just let me explain it to Shen Yan!¡±


    Song Xuan saw Xu Zishen eager to show off in front of Shen Yan and was happy to pass the task to him.


    Seizing the opportunity, Xu Zishen approached Shen Yan, ¡°The production team has given us a double Dutch jump rope task. Within half an hour, we¡¯ll see who can achieve the best results. The last place has to prepare lunch for everyone today! The first place gets to order two dishes from the last place, second place gets to order one. The last place must fulfill the request, or there will be an additional punishment.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the punishment if you can¡¯t do it?¡± Shen Yan asked.


    She wasn¡¯t good at cooking, so she had to win this task.


    ¡°The show producers want to keep it mysterious, so they didn¡¯t say. Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t lose. Even if we can¡¯t get first, we must get second.¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± Shen Yan hadn¡¯t considered losing.


    The third place has to assist the last place.


    Without waiting for others to move, Shen Yan walked straight to an open space, picked up a pink jump rope from the table, and looked at Xu Zishen, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The production crew about to speak, ¡°...¡±


    Xu Zishen, ¡°...¡±


    Everyone else, ¡°...¡±


    Could she be any more direct?


    Shen Yan rolled up her sleeves, revealing a small, fair portion of her arm.


    Director Du cleared his throat from the outside, reminding Shen Yan that it was supposed to be the man leading the woman, not the other way around.


    Shen Yan, looking at the pink rope in her hand, handed it to Xu Zishen, ¡°Can you handle it?¡±


    Xu Zishen took a deep breath.


    A man couldn¡¯t say he couldn¡¯t handle it.


    ¡°Of course, I can.¡±


    ¡°Spin it faster; I can keep up.¡±


    Shen Yan stood in front, ready to jump, which somewhat amused everyone.


    Director Du clearly wanted to create a romantic atmosphere, but Shen Yan¡¯s readiness for action with sleeves rolled up washed away any hint of flirtation in an instant.


    All the cutesy decorations around just turned to dust.


    Director Du covered his face, then looked back at Liu Su, whose expression was changing.


    There wasn¡¯t enough time, they hadn¡¯t managed to teach Shen Yan how to be romantic.


    Liu Su had regretted it from the moment Xu Zishen approached Shen Yan, wishing he could gouge out the young man¡¯s eyes.


    Liu Su was no youngster, he could clearly see what kind of look was in Xu Zishen¡¯s eyes.


    The kid was too frivolous.


    ¡°Brother Liu, has Shen Yan ever been in a relationship?¡± Director Du hesitated for a moment but still asked.


    ¡°She probably hasn¡¯t.¡±


    Liu Su said dryly.


    Director Du covered his face again, realizing it was a blunder.


    Standing behind Shen Yan, Xu Zishen smelled the faint fragrance on her, and he became somewhat distracted.


    Shen Yan stood in front of Xu Zishen, waited for quite a while without any action from him, and looking at the rolling time reminded him, ¡°It¡¯s started, move it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh... I¡¯m starting,¡± Xu Zishen swung the rope, his movements were a bit uncoordinated and the rope hit Shen Yan¡¯s hand right off the bat.


    He hurriedly apologized, and Shen Yan lifted an eyebrow, saying it was no big deal.


    Jumping again, his feet lifted off, but his hands barely moved.


    Shen Yan followed his jump, only to find the rope didn¡¯t even swing towards her, she turned around incredulously to face the stiff Xu Zishen: ¡°Are you not able to coordinate your hands and feet?¡±


    A bead of cold sweat slid down Xu Zishen¡¯s forehead as he said, ¡°No, let¡¯s try again.¡±


    So Shen Yan faced him, watched him swing the rope over, she jumped, but he couldn¡¯t keep up, and the rope caught on his feet.


    It wrapped around one side, and he nearly tripped himself up.


    Shen Yan was sure now.


    He really did have no coordination!


    His hands would move but his feet were too slow; when his feet would jump, his hands were a beat behind.


    Shen Yan snatched the rope from his hands: ¡°Turn around.¡±


    Xu Zishen was stubborn as a dead duck: ¡°I can do it.¡±


    ¡°One more word and we¡¯ll be waiting to take the last place. I can¡¯t cook, so turn around,¡± Shen Yan pushed him.


    Xu Zishen opened his mouth and awkwardly turned around, his tall stature hunching in front of Shen Yan.


    He looked a bit pitiful yet comical.


    [Ha ha ha! Never expected you to be like this, Xu Zishen!]


    [Xu Zishen: I can do it! Shen Yan: No, you can¡¯t... ha ha ha!]


    [If you keep dawdling, time will run out.]


    [I suspect Xu Zishen is doing this on purpose; he wants to cook with Shen Yan!]


    Shen Yan arranged the rope and said, ¡°Try to jump faster.¡±


    Xu Zishen felt awkward and said nothing.


    He had been too embarrassed just now.


    And now even more so.


    It was truly a failure to be led by a girl.


    ¡°Start!¡± the moment Shen Yan shouted to start, she twirled the rope, not too fast, but not too slow either.


    ¡°Faster,¡± Shen Yan quickly sped up the swinging, Xu Zishen gasping as he tried to keep up with her quick pace.


    Shen Yan sped up even more, until the shadow of the rope blurred.


    Jumping, jumping, and Xu Zishen found himself moving forward.


    ¡°Thump!¡±


    The rope tripped Xu Zishen and his 1.8-meter-tall body fell heavily forward.


    ¡°Get up, keep going,¡± Shen Yan didn¡¯t give him a chance to cry out in pain, she grabbed him up before he could steady himself and sharply swung the rope again.


    Gasping for breath, Xu Zishen tried to keep up with Shen Yan¡¯s rhythm but still fell.


    Every fall, Shen Yan pulled him up, and with each time, the rope swung faster.


    People outside the ring were dumbfounded!


    Was Shen Yan¡¯s competitive spirit too strong?


    And looking at Xu Zishen, who was now bruising, it was pitiful.


    The audience was stunned!


    This wasn¡¯t a love-themed show, was it a jump rope competition instead?

 Chapter 47 - 47 047 The Haters are Divided

    ?Chapter 47: Chapter 047: The Haters are Divided Chapter 47: Chapter 047: The Haters are Divided I did not expect a pulse-racing jump rope session could be so intense.


    The first group surely had their hearts racing.


    Xu Zishen felt like his heart was about to explode.


    The moment it ended, Xu Zishen¡¯s legs were so weak they hardly felt like his own; he nearly collapsed on the spot, gasping for air with his tongue out.


    He held back for the sake of his image.


    It felt as though a hot coal was lodged in his throat, terribly uncomfortable.


    Looking at Shen Yan,


    not a drop of sweat, not even out of breath,


    calmly collecting the ropes while looking at their score.


    She was very dissatisfied with the results.


    ¡°Clap, clap!¡±


    The usually composed Tao Rongye wasn¡¯t skimping on applause.


    The rest caught on and offered a sparse few claps.


    Liu Qiang and Dai Molin¡¯s mouths twitched uncontrollably.


    Nobody knew what to make of Shen Yan anymore.


    Did Shen Yan forget this was a romance show when she came?


    Did she understand what a romance show was?


    It was all about making the audience feel like you were in love, but she turned a perfectly good romance show into a competitive match in a blink.


    ¡°Next group, we¡¯ll use our age as an excuse to go first; no objections, right?¡± Tao Rongye asked with a smile, seeking everyone¡¯s approval.


    Facing real talents, these younger influencers naturally had no objections.


    Tao Rongye and Song Xuan proved they were a real couple; compared to the rest who were just pretending, they were much more natural.


    As soon as they started, the audience went wild on social media!


    Because the two really exuded that sweet couple vibe.


    As people of privilege, even if they occasionally exercised, they had to take care of the female¡¯s stamina continuously within half an hour, managing only 1105 jumps.


    Shen Yan and Xu Zishen were still far ahead with 1725.


    It was a score Xu Zishen almost broke his leg for.


    Half an hour passed, and Xu Zishen still felt like he was gasping heavily, the sensation of his heart exploding was still vivid.


    With the seniors¡¯ turn over, they were in a stable position.


    No need for them to cook.


    Next up were Liu Qiang and Zhou Jingming.


    Liu Qiang was off to a bad start, leaning into Zhou Jingming.


    Had Zhou Jingming not had a stable lower body, Liu Qiang¡¯s slight bump would have surely brought them both down.


    Zhou Jingming steadied her and immediately withdrew his hand, his brows furrowed.


    Being so close, Zhou Jingming could tell that Liu Qiang was doing this on purpose, trying to create ¡®pink bubble¡¯ moments, but there was no need to get that close.


    Zhou Jingming already regretted pairing up with Liu Qiang.


    ¡°No, sorry about that, Jingming.¡±


    Liu Qiang glanced at Zhou Jingming with a shy expression.


    What could Zhou Jingming say? He just forced a smile and reassuringly said it was okay.


    Thinking Liu Qiang would take it seriously, Zhou Jingming, for the nth time, found himself frustrated and irritable after she bumped into him again.


    ¡°Is Liu Qiang doing this on purpose?¡±


    ¡°Dancing King Zhou teaming up with someone like her must be exhausting.¡±


    ¡°Liu Qiang is getting more and more contrived.¡±


    ¡°I thought Fake Princess would be the joke, but it turned out to be Liu Qiang; totally unexpected.¡±


    ¡°Liu Biao, keep your distance from my Zhou Zhou, with her figure, she still dares to show off...¡±


    ¡°Damn, I never realized how annoying Liu Qiang was before.¡±


    ¡°With Liu Qiang there, I actually started to like Fake Princess, unbelievable!¡±


    Netizens switched to battle mode, thoroughly criticizing the pretentious Liu Qiang.


    This deathly worried the managers who were watching the live broadcast outside.


    They had long advised Liu Qiang not to be so obvious, just a little act would have been enough.


    But Liu Qiang¡¯s acting was too much and it backfired.


    Seeing the netizens attacking Liu Qiang so uniformly, the Fireworks Fans were the happiest.


    They had been worried that Shen Yan, being younger, might not be able to control herself in front of a handsome man like Xu Zishen.


    Now it seemed that the Fireworks Fans had worried too much.


    This group just barely scraped together 700.


    On camera, Zhou Jingming, suppressing his irritation, handed the pink rope to the last group.


    Liu Qiang was wearing a sexy camisole, and every time she leaned into Zhou Jingming¡¯s arms, he could catch a glimpse of some risque views.


    Now that he thought about it, Zhou Jingming just felt a throbbing in his head.


    Seeing the scores made him even more agitated, wanting to swear.


    Liu Qiang really didn¡¯t know how to pick the moment to be flirtatious¡ªengaging in such intimate acts in public was just disgusting.


    Zhou Jingming¡¯s anger surged.


    Liu Qiang, panting, her chest heaving, might make otakus¡¯ eyes light up, but Zhou Jingming just wanted to kick this woman out of the game.


    He must have been sick to partner with a woman like Liu Qiang a second time.


    Even partnering with Shen Yan would be a hundred times better.


    Thinking this, Zhou Jingming turned his gaze towards Shen Yan, who was leisurely sitting nearby.


    At that moment, Shen Yan was as calm as a maiden, her skin shimmering with a faint glow under the white light, inexplicably enticing.


    Just this one glance made Zhou Jingming feel that the sight of Shen Yan made his heart race more than Liu Qiang¡¯s paltry flesh.


    During the survival live broadcast, he had noticed something special about Shen Yan.


    When Liu Qiang turned around and saw Zhou Jingming looking towards Shen Yan, jealousy surged in her eyes.


    ¡°Dancing King Zhou...¡±


    Liu Qiang¡¯s voice still carried a pant.


    Zhou Jingming immediately got goosebumps!


    Zhou Jingming coldly said, ¡°We lost. Are you ready to cook for everyone?¡±


    Liu Qiang¡¯s coquetry was choked back in her throat.


    Indeed, just as Zhou Jingming said, they had lost.


    The next segment was for the two of them to cook for the group.


    Li Xu and Dai Molin narrowly beat Tao Rongye and Song Xuan, with the older couple assisting Zhou Jingming¡¯s team.


    Liu Qiang couldn¡¯t even cook, let alone cook rice.


    The production team had prepared a wide range of ingredients, fearing only that they couldn¡¯t cook.


    Shen Yan, as part of the winning side, wasn¡¯t modest, ¡°I¡¯ll have braised lion¡¯s head!¡±


    Liu Qiang was taking the orders and, hearing this, suddenly looked up at Shen Yan.


    She knew Shen Yan wouldn¡¯t let them off easily. Clenching the pen, she tugged at a stiff smile, ¡°Shen Yan, given our skills, we might not be able to cook this dish...maybe choose another?¡±


    Shen Yan looked disappointed, ¡°That¡¯s too bad. Then let¡¯s have braised pork ribs.¡±


    Liu Qiang frowned again but wrote it down anyway, followed by Xu Zishen asking for mapo tofu.


    Liu Qiang¡¯s lips twitched. Faced with Xu Zishen, she didn¡¯t dare to get angry but instead asked in a negotiating yet slightly coquettish tone. ¡°Zishen, can we pick something simpler?¡±


    Xu Zishen frowned. Why was this woman acting coquettish towards him?


    But in front of the camera, he couldn¡¯t say much and reluctantly ordered scrambled eggs with tomatoes.


    Zhou Jingming was pretty good at cooking, this series of actions indeed earned him quite a few fans.


    Liu Qiang wanted to gain new fans with this show, but it completely backfired.


    With her performance just now, she was utterly self-destructive.


    If she checked her phone for updates, she would definitely find not only did she not gain fans, but she lost nearly a hundred thousand fans and even gained a bunch of haters.


    Because of Liu Qiang, a large portion of Shen Yan¡¯s haters switched sides, and she even gained some new fans.


    But...


    Liu Su, outside the venue, watched the screen filled with terms like ¡°tomboy¡± and ¡°rope-jumping queen,¡± his lips twitching several times.

 Chapter 48 - 48 048 Refusing to Be Bound as a Couple

    ?Chapter 48: Chapter 048: Refusing to Be Bound as a Couple Chapter 48: Chapter 048: Refusing to Be Bound as a Couple In the area.


    Several guests were praising Zhou Jingming for his cooking skills.


    Left out, Liu Qiang stood to the side like an outsider, unable to help with anything.


    She could even mix old and tender vegetables together and couldn¡¯t recognize all the types of green vegetables.


    Standing by Zhou Jingming¡¯s side, she would just add to the chaos.


    In the end, Zhou Jingming asked her to stand outside, and she felt wronged to the point of tears.


    [Damn, I really want to strangle Liu Biao.]


    [It¡¯s affecting my enjoyment of watching Dancing King Zhou cook. Liu Biao, step back...]


    Liu Qiang¡¯s manager was pinching his phone, his expression fierce, wishing he could rush in and wake up his artist.


    Bored, Shen Yan sat to the side and finally walked over, ¡°Is there anything I can help with?¡±


    Zhou Jingming looked up from the long table and met Shen Yan¡¯s gaze, smiling, ¡°You are the Ying family, just sit and wait to eat! Do you like braised lion head meatballs?¡±


    ¡°Not particularly, I just remember there¡¯s such a dish,¡± Shen Yan put her hand on the barrier and said earnestly, ¡°I¡¯ve never had it, so I wanted to try it.¡±


    She thought the name sounded quite imposing!


    A nice sounding name must mean it¡¯s delicious too.


    [Wow! Why do I feel that Dancing King Zhou is so gentle towards Yanyan.]


    [What should I do, I want to ship this couple!]


    Zhou Jingming was startled when he heard Shen Yan¡¯s words and couldn¡¯t quite tell if she was being sincere.


    ¡°Once the show is over, I¡¯ll learn it myself, and then you¡¯ll have to honor me by trying it!¡±


    ¡°Uh... I was just saying. Don¡¯t take it seriously,¡± Shen Yan didn¡¯t expect Zhou Jingming to actually want to learn the dish just for her, and she gave an awkward smile.


    She really wasn¡¯t a foodie.


    But Zhou Jingming just laughed, ¡°I¡¯ve recently become obsessed with making all kinds of delicious foods. It¡¯s not just for you.¡±


    His words carried a hint of cover-up.


    Smartly, Shen Yan didn¡¯t continue the conversation but just smiled and said, ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°I heard something! You guys are actually thinking of cooking privately!¡± Song Xuan said teasingly, ¡°It seems that Dancing King Zhou and Shen Yan are so familiar that they can cook for each other privately!¡±


    With Song Xuan¡¯s words, everyone seemed to catch the scent of a story between them.


    Zhou Jingming did not explain but just smiled and continued with his work.


    Shen Yan gave Song Xuan a look.


    There wasn¡¯t a trace of intentionality in Song Xuan¡¯s eyes; it seemed like a casual tease to stir up the atmosphere.


    Xu Zishen frowned slightly, discreetly scrutinizing Zhou Jingming.


    Was Zhou Jingming¡¯s attitude towards Shen Yan too friendly?


    Outside, Liu Su watched the scene and took a deep breath.


    Reminding himself.


    Miss Shen was just recording a dating reality show, not flirting with a man.


    ¡°Are you Shen Yan¡¯s manager?¡± behind him, a man in his thirties, smiling, handed over his business card, ¡°I am Xu Zishen¡¯s manager, Li Kunzhe!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Liu Su,¡± Liu Su took Li Kunzhe¡¯s business card and put it into his coat pocket, ¡°What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like this, Zishen really admires Miss Shen, and our company is also interested in having the two create some buzz, mutually benefiting each other...¡±


    Before Li Kunzhe could finish, Liu Su understood his intention, ¡°You want my artist to create a scandal with your artist to mutually boost popularity?¡±


    Li Kunzhe did not deny it, ¡°Zishen has a larger presence than Miss Shen, it would be a great opportunity for her. Once the popularity reaches a certain level, both sides can clarify, and no one loses.¡±


    On the contrary, Shen Yan gains from it.


    Liu Su was not foolish.


    Although this was his first time as a manager, he had some understanding of the stars in the entertainment industry, big and small.


    Xu Zishen¡¯s popularity was high, but Miss Shen¡¯s popularity wasn¡¯t low either, and there was still a lot of room to rise.


    For Xu Zishen to climb another step wouldn¡¯t be so easy.


    The other party wanted to ride on Miss Shen¡¯s popularity.


    Such righteous sounding words, yet such audacity.


    ¡°My artist is still young, this path is not suitable for her, the company replaced the former manager precisely to avoid these crooked approaches,¡± Liu Su spoke quite bluntly, unafraid of offending anyone.


    ¡°Refuse any paired-up CP!¡±


    Li Kunzhe¡¯s face turned dark in an instant.


    Liu Su even said he was unorthodox!


    ¡°Shen Yan has many haters; it won¡¯t be easy to turn a disliked celebrity around. Missing this opportunity would be Shen Yan¡¯s loss,¡± Li Kunzhe, somewhat infuriated and embarrassed, tossed out these words and walked to the other side.


    Liu Su was dismissive of this.


    It was just a mere entertainment industry; even if Miss Shen was useless, he could still lift her to the clouds with his financial power!


    One hour later.


    Liu Su, looking at the guests sitting around a large dining table, took a photo of Shen Yan alone and sent it out.


    ¡°Sir, Miss Shen appeared on the reality show. Also, I found out she likes braised lion¡¯s head meatballs.¡±


    Overseas, in a business negotiation, Qi Si glanced at the photo against a pink wall background and slightly raised his handsome brows.


    The counterpart, sweating and feeling parched, stuttered upon seeing Qi Si¡¯s subtle expression.


    Was that a sign of dissatisfaction?


    The sweat on the counterpart¡¯s brow flowed even faster.


    Qi Si glanced at the message sent by Liu Su and subtly furrowed his brows.


    Was Liu Su too idle? Reporting such trivial matters to him.


    With his slender hand covering the phone on the table, his icy eyes glanced at the counterpart, and he spoke indifferently, ¡°Continue.¡±


    Having eaten their fill, everyone gathered around the living room sofa to chat and digest.


    Tao Rongye and Song Xuan, true to their skilled acting talents, naturally led the younger crew, playing according to the director¡¯s script.


    That meant sharing stories of first loves or secret crushes.


    Everyone was an adult and had walked a long path; certainly, there had been a pure ¡°moonlight¡± or a deep ¡°cinnabar mole.¡±


    This topic indeed excited the audience!


    Tao Rongye and Song Xuan both shared a real yet ordinary secret love history, then exchanged smiles. In that moment, a faint pink aura naturally radiated between them.


    To salvage her earlier image, Liu Qiang tenderly recounted a first love story.


    It was a brief college romance, sprinkling her stellar academic achievements throughout her tale and seemingly boasting.


    Then the others talked about either secret crushes or open romances, nothing novel.


    Xu Zishen painstakingly crafted a deep tale of first love, speaking of how his significant other had gone abroad for education, and how he had followed them to the airport but ultimately missed their farewell.


    After finishing, he did not forget to impersonate a dejected expression.


    The audience¡¯s hearts went out to him.


    Sitting near Shen Yan, as soon as she heard this, she felt it was phony.


    Her story was different.


    She directly faced the camera and declared, ¡°I¡¯ve had neither a first love nor a secret crush.¡±


    Instantly, all the guests turned to look at her.


    Dai Molin exaggeratedly said, ¡°No way, Shen Yan, you¡¯re so beautiful. How can no one have pursued you? You¡¯re surely lying, or perhaps you didn¡¯t fancy any of those men who chased you?¡±


    Liu Qiang sneered inwardly, twisting her body as she said seemingly casually, ¡°That¡¯s not right, Shen Yan, I remember during the survival show, you were confessing your feelings to Mu Jincheng! That counts as a crush, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Shen Yan glanced at her lightly and responded coolly, ¡°Mu Jincheng isn¡¯t my type, and I don¡¯t remember chasing after him to confess. Perhaps Teacher Liu is mistaken? The internet still has memories; shall we check?¡±


    Liu Qiang gave a forced smile, ¡°Maybe I remembered wrong...¡±


    Xu Zishen and Zhou Jingming simultaneously furrowed their brows; Liu Qiang was bringing up an uncomfortable topic.


    Zhou Jingming slowly spoke from behind, ¡°Shen Yan just saw Mu Jincheng as an idol, which shouldn¡¯t count as a crush.¡±


    This comment drew Shen Yan¡¯s sideways glance.


    Wasn¡¯t Zhou Jingming obviously defending Shen Yan?


    Recalling their interaction while cooking earlier, the atmosphere suddenly became a bit subtle.


    Liu Su, closely monitoring the live broadcast, his forehead twitched.


    Anyone with eyes could feel Zhou Jingming¡¯s special treatment towards Shen Yan.


    Yet, Shen Yan herself remained unaware of this peculiarity, giving Zhou Jingming a thankful smile.


    Seeing that smile Shen Yan directed at Zhou Jingming, Xu Zishen¡¯s face darkened; why was he so displeased?

 Chapter 49 - 49 049 What Astonishing Strength

    ?Chapter 49: Chapter 049: What Astonishing Strength! Chapter 49: Chapter 049: What Astonishing Strength! The pink-themed program scheduled for the afternoon was really testing the boys¡¯ strength and endurance.


    Pairs were formed with each boy linked by a slightly elastic band, standing on a centerline, holding a large pink plastic bowl filled with red glowing magnetic hearts.


    The girls would stand outside the third line, holding a small plank for the boys to affix the hearts from their bowls.


    Whoever attached the most hearts would win.


    The time was set for 20 minutes.


    This was entirely a tug-of-war between the boys.


    All the girls had to do was hold up their planks and cheer the boys on.


    Glancing around,


    Shen Yan¡¯s doubtful gaze fell once again on Xu Zishen.


    Xu Zishen¡¯s brow twitched: ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡±


    ¡°A doubtful look,¡± Shen Yan pointed to her own eyes, ¡°Out of all the gentlemen here, you look the weakest.¡±


    Accused of being feeble, Xu Zishen couldn¡¯t take it, grinding his teeth and saying, ¡°I can do it.¡±


    ¡°Heh heh...¡± Shen Yan threw back a chuckle, letting him reflect on that.


    Remembering the morning¡¯s jump rope contest, Xu Zishen¡¯s face struggled to maintain composure.


    ¡°The first half was an accident,¡± Xu Zishen wanted to regain his manliness in front of Shen Yan.


    ¡°Would you also call failing in the second half an accident?¡± The rules were the same, the losing side had to cook dinner for everyone.


    So, they couldn¡¯t afford to lose.


    Xu Zishen emphasized: ¡°I¡¯m really not weak.¡±


    Shen Yan glanced down.


    Xu Zishen¡¯s forehead vein throbbed as he slightly shifted, attempting to avoid Shen Yan¡¯s meaningful gaze.


    Drawing lots decided the teams.


    Xu Zishen stepped forward to draw, pulling Zhou Jingming.


    Zhou Jingming was taken aback, then laughed, ¡°What a coincidence, we¡¯re competitors again.¡±


    Xu Zishen was silent.


    Zhou Jingming, coming from a dancing background, was disciplined and regularly worked out, built much stronger and taller than Xu Zishen.


    Without a doubt, Xu Zishen was going to lose this one!


    Xu Zishen took a deep breath, forcing a slightly stiff smile: ¡°It is a coincidence, Dancing King Zhou, I won¡¯t make it easy for you.¡±


    ¡°Me neither,¡± Zhou Jingming smiled back.


    Thinking Zhou Jingming might also have some feelings for Shen Yan, even if Xu Zishen had to grind his teeth to bits, he had to win.


    Shen Yan was the woman he had chosen first, and Zhou Jingming better not try to snatch her.


    Li Xu and Tao Rong, both regular guests, were well-acclimated to this kind of game.


    So, they demonstrated to the guest players first.


    Dai Molin and Song Xuan each stood beyond the third line, the middle line being the division for the two men, and the drawn lines on the sides marked the distance for the girls who couldn¡¯t extend their planks over the line, otherwise, they¡¯d lose.


    The host rang a small bell, and both men charged towards their respective female partners, scooping out hearts from their bowls.


    Right at the start, several hearts were dropped, and both kept tugging, neither yielding.


    The girls were supportive, continuously cheering their male partners passionately.


    The atmosphere instantly heated up.


    Tao Rong still lost by a bit, Li Xu being slightly younger, won inevitably.


    When the 20 minutes were up, Tao Rong just sat on the floor, a rueful smile on his face as he held the plastic bowl, ¡°I¡¯m old, really can¡¯t deny it anymore!¡±


    Li Xu stepped forward to help him up, apologetically saying, ¡°Teacher Tao let me win, it¡¯s not a glorious victory.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be modest; I didn¡¯t let you win. I really gave it my all. At times like this, I wouldn¡¯t go easy just because you¡¯re a younger junior,¡± Tao Rong insisted earnestly.


    However, it was clear to everyone that there wasn¡¯t the slightest spark of conflict between the two male guests.


    Instead, it was very harmonious.


    It was the relaxed atmosphere between juniors!


    Li Xu, knowing how to behave, gave Tao Rong two opportunities, ensuring that Song Xuan didn¡¯t just stand holding a blank plank.


    When it was Xu Zishen and Zhou Jingming¡¯s turn, Shen Yan took the bowl full of hearts and handed the plank abruptly to Xu Zishen.


    Xu Zishen: ???


    Shen Yan pushed him towards the three-eight line, ¡°Hold it steady.¡±


    Seeing her step into the circle, Xu Zishen¡¯s forehead vein throbbed again.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I think if you do this, we¡¯ll directly lose a goose egg.¡±


    Xu Zishen gritted his teeth, ¡°I won¡¯t lose.¡±


    ¡°No, you will lose, and you¡¯ll lose miserably.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lifting the sign,¡± he had already lost face once and couldn¡¯t afford to lose it again.


    Shen Yan ignored him, ¡°Dancing King Zhou, let¡¯s start.¡±


    Zhou Jingming: ¡°...¡±


    Others: ¡°...¡±


    Shen Yan grabbed the hoop and urged the head servant, ¡°Please announce the start.¡±


    ¡°Shen Yan, let Zishen do it. Girls have less strength; it will be a disadvantage,¡± Zhou Jingming couldn¡¯t shamelessly take advantage of Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan raised her eyebrow, ¡°Dancing King Zhou, just do your best, or you¡¯ll end up in a big loss.¡±


    Zhou Jingming: ¡°...¡±


    The head servant looked helplessly towards Director Du.


    Before Director Du could say something, Shen Yan had already grabbed the hoop and caught Zhou Jingming in it, ¡°Start!¡±


    The host reflexively reacted, shaking the bell in his hand.


    The timer started!


    It was an unexpectedly abrupt start.


    Shen Yan noticed Xu Zishen still foolishly standing inside the line and shouted, ¡°What are you standing there for, go hold the sign.¡±


    Xu Zishen saw the timer had started and hurriedly lifted the sign in front, stiffly taking his position.


    Liu Qiang didn¡¯t know what to say about Shen Yan¡¯s behavior.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly breaking the rules,


    but it wasn¡¯t quite right either.


    Because the show¡¯s rules did not specify that it had to be men inside the circle.


    Shen Yan suddenly dashed forward a great distance.


    Zhou Jingming, gathering strength in his legs, was abruptly pulled along, nearly falling to the ground.


    Zhou Jingming: !!!


    Such astonishing strength!


    People offstage: ??!!


    The audience was dumbfounded.


    [Is Dancing King Zhou going easy?]


    [I did not know love shows could play out like this, thanks to Shen Yan!]


    [Dancing King Zhou must like Shen Yan, otherwise why couldn¡¯t he bring himself to exert any strength?]


    [Definitely!]


    [Speechless. Even Dancing King Zhou can be swayed by a beauty trick.]


    [Dancing King Zhou, what are you doing? Be a man and show some backbone! Don¡¯t be soft!]


    [Say no to flirting!]


    Zhou Jingming was not intentionally going easy, he, a grown man, used all his strength and still couldn¡¯t move petite Shen Yan; truly, no one would believe it.


    No, even the live audience didn¡¯t believe it.


    Zhou Jingming strenuously dashed forward, barely managing half a step, and Liu Qiang quickly cheered him on, ¡°Jingming, you can do it!¡±


    Shen Yan grabbed the heart-shaped tokens from the bowl and quickly stuck them to the small board, not missing a single one.


    Her movements were brisk and fluid.


    She finished the game right from the start.


    Everyone inside and outside the venue was stunned!


    Xu Zishen couldn¡¯t believe that Zhou Jingming, to woo Shen Yan, could go this far.


    In this aspect, Zhou Jingming was indeed a true man.


    Destroying his own manly image for the sake of pursuing someone, Xu Zishen felt defeated.


    Liu Qiang¡¯s face darkened.


    While everyone looked at Zhou Jingming with skeptical eyes, he was there doubting his own life!


    ¡°Dancing King Zhou really does have a soft spot for the ladies,¡± Liu Qiang sarcastically squeezed out a sentence.


    Zhou Jingming, gasping slightly, wiped the sweat from his forehead and said solemnly, ¡°I did not go easy.¡±


    Director Du was overwhelmed.


    Shen Yan turned a perfectly sweet game into a strongman contest; how was she supposed to continue now?


    The Fireworks fans were dying of laughter!

 Chapter 50 - 50 050 This Works

    ?Chapter 50: Chapter 050: This Works? Chapter 50: Chapter 050: This Works? Facing everyone¡¯s unanimous skepticism, Zhou Jingming was tongue-tied.


    He finally gave up struggling and gloomily stood aside to watch the last group.


    ¡°Shen Yan, I¡¯m no Dancing King Zhou,¡± Li Xu reminded with a smile.


    Clearly, Li Xu was stronger than Zhou Jingming.


    Shen Yan stepped into the ring and signaled Li Xu to stop talking.


    Let the battle decide if you¡¯re capable.


    Seeing Shen Yan¡¯s assertive stance, Director Du didn¡¯t know what to say.


    He really wanted to send someone to wake her up. This was a romance show, not a survival program!


    It wasn¡¯t her brute strength that was needed, but her shyness!


    Do you understand shyness at all?


    Shen Yan truly didn¡¯t understand what shyness was.


    Such pretense was simply not her style.


    The corner of Li Xu¡¯s eye twitched almost imperceptibly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start then.¡±


    Dai Molin held up the sign, smiling sweetly, ¡°Li Xu! Come on!¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Li Xu responded with a nod and a smile at Dai Molin, an air of sweetness flowing between them.


    The live broadcast¡¯s comments quickly started rolling in.


    Everyone exclaimed that they were totally shipping them!


    Xu Zishen felt utterly humiliated, his face looking rather unsightly, ¡°Why am I hold the sign again?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in the loser¡¯s spot,¡± if you¡¯re not strong, just shut up.


    Xu Zishen: ¡°...¡±


    The host rang the bell, ¡°Time starts now!¡±


    Li Xu didn¡¯t hold back because of her femininity; as soon as it started, he dashed forward.


    The result.


    He didn¡¯t budge an inch!


    Li Xu exerted more force.


    Still unable to move forward even half a step.


    Instead, a mysterious force was dragging him backward.


    Li Xu then exerted all his strength.


    Yet it was pointless, he was still being dragged backward.


    Shen Yan had already stuck the fifth heart on the sign.


    Dai Molin blinked, stunned for a few seconds, then cheered Li Xu on again, ¡°Go Li Xu!¡±


    Li Xu had hit the throttle fully, but still couldn¡¯t overpower Shen Yan¡¯s mysterious force.


    It was evident from the tension in the resistance band that Li Xu wasn¡¯t pulling any punches, his forehead veins popping, yet still not able to drag Shen Yan over.


    The scene turned somewhat awkward for a moment.


    Zhou Jingming forced a smile.


    Soon, he could prove his innocence.


    He had just been questioning if he really was that weak.


    Seeing Li Xu having the same trouble with Shen Yan put his mind at ease.


    [No way, even Li Xu got tricked by a beauty trick?]


    [Are you blind? Didn¡¯t you see Li Xu using all his strength?]


    [So the conclusion is, Shen Yan is actually super strong?]


    [...]


    The comments went quiet for two minutes.


    Shen Yan¡¯s live room was filled with joy!


    After Liu Qiang attracted most of the haters, Shen Yan¡¯s live room had become much cleaner.


    [Xu Zishen looks like a resentful woman! Hahaha]


    [Let¡¯s just call him Miss Xu from now on!]


    [Seriously, our Yanyan really has great strength, even Li Xu couldn¡¯t match her.]


    [Why does it feel like the male celebrities are getting weaker?]


    [Male celebrities really lack exercise, can¡¯t even beat a girl, kind of embarrassing.]


    Both had marks on their waists, the resistance band almost snapping, as Shen Yan swiftly patted hearts, causing Xu Zishen to stagger backwards several steps.


    Shen Yan¡¯s strength was so great she almost flipped him and the sign over.


    The results were still beautifully dominant!


    Shen Yan relaxed and Li Xu was dumbfounded.


    Was that it?


    Only six minutes had passed.


    Li Xu¡¯s mouth twitched as he looked towards Zhou Jingming.


    The two shared a moment of understanding, almost like brothers in hardship!


    Only they knew how abnormal Shen Yan¡¯s strength was!


    Li Xu was slightly better off, having nearly hit the sign a couple of times.


    Zhou Jingming didn¡¯t take Shen Yan seriously at all and lost miserably.


    The host cleared his throat and stuttered, ¡°Shen Yan and Xu Zishen¡¯s team won first place and there¡¯s an extra reward!¡±


    Shen Yan¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard there was an extra reward.


    ¡°What reward?¡±


    ¡°Announced later!¡± the host teased.


    The dramatic victory caught many off guard.


    The atmosphere stiffened.


    The host awkwardly fumbled to liven the mood.


    Liu Qiang, realizing her misunderstanding of Zhou Jingming, approached him, ¡°Zhou Jingming, I didn¡¯t mean to misunderstand you just now, I thought you...¡±


    She had thought Zhou Jingming had other intentions toward Shen Yan which was why he deliberately held back.


    Zhou Jingming didn¡¯t bother with her.


    Liu Qiang was rebuffed and struggled to keep her smile.


    Dai Molin couldn¡¯t believe that Shen Yan, so small and unassuming, hid such great potential. She asked Li Xu, who seemed equally in doubt of life, ¡°You really can¡¯t compete with her?¡±


    Li Xu¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, ¡°Do you think I would be that kind of person?¡±


    He certainly wasn¡¯t the kind who judged on appearance alone.


    Dai Molin knew she shouldn¡¯t doubt Li Xu as it involved a man¡¯s pride.


    No man wants to be known as weaker than a woman.


    Director Du, looking at the situation on the set, felt he aged in minutes.


    He questioned whether bringing Shen Yan in was a mistake.


    The popularity for this episode was now lost.


    Everything seemed off because of Shen Yan¡¯s involvement.


    Yet to Director Du¡¯s surprise, within three hours, the romance reality show surged to the top of the trending list!


    First place belonged to Shen Yan!


    Could this even be possible?


    #TheMysteriousForceOfShenYan#¡± trended at the top.


    The romance reality show successfully drew in a fresh wave of interest!


    *


    Director Li, looking distressed at home, saw the trending news and checked it out, instantly upset.


    So sneaky of you, Du, digging behind my back!


    Fuming, he called Director Du, ¡°Hey, Du, congratulations, your show is doing better and better.¡±


    Director Du, at the live broadcast site, restrained his laughter, giving a symbolic chuckle, ¡°Oh, where can it compare to your Survivor show, Old Li? But I must say, Shen Yan has a knack for variety shows! She really brought in a lot of popularity for the program!¡±


    Director Li forced a laugh: ¡°The people I choose can¡¯t be that bad. But, I¡¯ll be back to live broadcasting my program soon, and I¡¯ll need her to return to my side.¡±


    Even if it brought popularity, it was just for one episode, while he had signed her for five, with three more awaited to be broadcasted.


    Director Du wasn¡¯t upset; upsetting Director Li made him cheerful.


    ¡°I find Shen Yan quite interested in dating shows. I plan to discuss long-term cooperation with her,¡± Director Du said cheerily.


    Director Li inwardly cursed several times but replied with a forced smile, ¡°Then, I wish you a pleasant collaboration!¡±


    ¡°Blessed by your words, Old Li! When the show hits it off, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal!¡± Director Du exclaimed joyously.


    Director Li responded indifferently and hung up.


    Hmph, as if I need your meal, Du!


    *


    Shen Yan was unaware of the directors¡¯ manipulative talks behind the scenes. The mysterious reward from the production team was a feast, which she examined over and over again but found nothing special.


    ¡°Wow! Thanks to Shen Yan, we all get to enjoy this feast! Shen Yan, you really are our lucky star!¡± Song Xuan¡¯s tone was natural yet somewhat exaggerated, but not distasteful.


    ¡°This might be the production team trying to reward everyone for the physical work today. I can¡¯t take any credit,¡± Shen Yan quickly spoke, avoiding appearing to receive special treatment.


    Such comments could lead to misunderstandings.


    Claiming she received special treatment upon arrival.


    Song Xuan paused, also just realizing this, and knowing she misspoke, quickly shifted the conversation, ¡°It¡¯s been a tough dinner preparation for you all today.¡±


    Liu Qiang¡¯s smile nearly vanished.


    Zhou Jingming had no aversion to cooking; what bothered him was outmatched by Shen Yan, suggesting he needed more training.


    During food preparation, winners could roam freely; rooms had no cameras, only the entrance had a live stream.


    Although a winner, Xu Zishen failed to feel any joy.


    Dispirited, he returned to his room, pulled out his phone, and called his manager off-site, ¡°How¡¯s the paired couple publicity coming along?¡±


    Li Kunzhe said, ¡°Shen Yan¡¯s manager has refused.¡±


    Xu Zishen frowned, ¡°They have no reason to refuse a chance to trend.¡±


    ¡°Given Shen Yan¡¯s current surge in popularity, maybe we should drop the couple set-up,¡± Li Kunzhe worried that forcefully promoting a couple could backfire, affecting his own artist.


    Xu Zishen¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°What if there¡¯s a rumor about me and Shen Yan dating at this moment...¡±


    Li Kunzhe¡¯s forehead creased, ¡°No!¡±


    Xu Zishen¡¯s popularity had been waning since his appearance on the survival show, signaling the downtrend. The entertainment industry was harsh; if you aren¡¯t advancing, you are retreating.


    ¡°Brother Li, this is an opportunity,¡± now that Shen Yan¡¯s popularity was skyrocketing, she was no longer infamous.


    Besides, Shen Yan¡¯s look... was really his type.


    Li Kunzhe hesitated, ¡°Let me think about it.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Xu Zishen ended the call but harbored other plans.


    He couldn¡¯t let this golden opportunity slip by!

 Chapter 51 - 51 051 Return with Local Specialities

    ?Chapter 51: Chapter 051: Return with Local Specialities. Underground Affection? Chapter 51: Chapter 051: Return with Local Specialities. Underground Affection? The first day had ended with Shen Yan¡¯s feat of strength topic claiming the top spot on the trending search list.


    After freshening up, Shen Yan lay on the big bed prepared by the show¡¯s crew and scrolled through an app on her phone, only to realize her popularity had stealthily climbed up a notch.


    She wondered if it was because of the trending search.


    She felt somewhat more invigorated, those unpleasant sensations had diminished bit by bit.


    She had no way to check the state of the terminal illness of her soul, she could only guess blindly!


    Talk about no after-sales service, there really was none.


    Shen Yan opened WeChat.


    After breaking ties with her family, the original owner of the WeChat account only had three people left.


    One was Liu Su, another was Qi Si.


    And, of course, the last one was her assistant Xiao Zhao.


    Looking at it like this, the original owner¡¯s life was quite a failure.


    Not even a single friend?


    Even classmates were deleted so thoroughly, and friend requests were restricted; nobody could add her.


    Opening the chat with Qi Si, she lingered on the cold ¡°Hmm¡± message.


    Shen Yan realized she was a bit bored.


    Otherwise, why would she have the desire to chat with someone?


    As soon as she thought that, her fingers moved on their own.


    [Are you busy?]


    The two characters were sent, she hesitated for a moment, wanting to retract them.


    Her phone buzzed.


    Two cold characters popped up: [What¡¯s up?]


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    She¡¯d never chatted like this with anyone before.


    Without much thought, she composed another message and sent it.


    [I¡¯ll bring back some local specialties.]


    After sending it, she looked and looked again, thinking the message seemed a bit silly.


    She didn¡¯t even know where he was, what kind of specialties he could bring.


    Seeing no response from Shen Yan, she added another line: [Just kidding.]


    The message seemed to sink into the ocean once again.


    The person on the other end simply couldn¡¯t be bothered with her.


    Shen Yan thought that next time, she wouldn¡¯t send such boring stuff again.


    First, she should think about how to live a healthy life in this world.


    Just as Shen Yan was about to fall asleep, the phone on the nightstand buzzed.


    She picked it up, drowsy, and unlocked it to see a message lying in the chat.


    [I¡¯ll have someone prepare it.]


    Shen Yan blinked, sat up, and looked repeatedly at the message still lying there on the screen.


    So, he took it seriously.


    Shen Yan thought, if he took it seriously, so be it.


    She was sleepy, time for a good rest¡ªto nourish her skin!


    Before long, she had successfully drifted off into dreamland.


    In her dreams, everything was peaceful!


    *


    The next morning, after washing up and putting on casual clothes, she stepped out.


    Camera lenses immediately zoomed in on her.


    Shen Yan was already familiar with this dodging motion, ¡°Good morning, everyone!¡±


    Stunned by the girl¡¯s smile, the photographer returned a half-hearted good morning.


    Shen Yan seemed to be in a good mood!


    That was what everyone thought upon seeing her.


    Breakfast consisted of ingredients provided by the show¡¯s crew, for everyone to use as they pleased.


    Everyone was the type who couldn¡¯t really tell grains apart, so the crew had thoughtfully prepared sliced bread and instant noodles.


    Shen Yan grabbed some instant noodles, poured hot water over them, and began eating in front of her station.


    The aroma of instant noodles wafted beyond the screen first thing in the morning.


    [Sob~ On my way to work on the subway, didn¡¯t have breakfast, Yanyan is eating a seafood feast right? I can smell the delicious scent even through the screen!]


    [I¡¯m craving the instant noodles in Yanyan¡¯s hands!]


    [Eating instant noodles so early and still having such good skin, amazing!]


    [Yanyan¡¯s skin is so dewy, how does she take care of it?]


    [Online tutorial, please!]


    [Shen Yan: Youth is truly the best asset!]


    ¡°Shen Yan! Why are you eating instant noodles?¡± Xu Zishen came downstairs, looking at Shen Yan with a face full of concern, ¡°I¡¯ll make you a nutritious meal, don¡¯t eat that.¡±


    Shen Yan glanced sideways, sizing him up with a strange look.


    What was Xu Zishen up to?


    Shen Yan would never think that just because she once saved Xu Zishen¡¯s life, he would be sincerely grateful to her.


    On the contrary.


    Shen Yan could see the filth in Xu Zishen¡¯s eyes.


    He was probably scheming something against her right now.


    Xu Zishen reached out to snatch the cup of instant noodles from Shen Yan¡¯s hands.


    ¡°No need, I think the instant noodles are quite good,¡± Shen Yan moved away, leaving Xu Zishen grasping at air.


    Xu Zishen blinked and leaned in to sit close to Shen Yan, ¡°They smell delicious, seems different from when I make them, may I have a taste?¡±


    He said as he moved closer to Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan was very repulsed by this unfamiliar closeness.


    Seeing her dodge, Xu Zishen put on a hurt expression, ¡°Shen Yan, given our relationship, can¡¯t you even let me have a taste?¡±


    Shen Yan raised an eyebrow.


    The people who had come down behind her heard what Xu Zishen said and gave them curious looks.


    Their eyes became a bit odd.


    Their relationship?


    What kind of relationship?


    Could there be some unspeakable secret relationship between them?


    Even the viewers caught onto this remark and began furiously typing comments.


    [Why does Xu Zishen seem a bit flirty with Shen Yan?]


    [Shen Yan saved Xu Zishen¡¯s life before, and now they are on a dating show together, something¡¯s off.]


    [They couldn¡¯t possibly be dating, could they?]


    For a moment, the comments flew with various speculations.


    And finally, they just settled on the ¡°fact¡± that the two were in a secret romance!


    Liu Su was in the car, on the way to the set.


    Watching the live broadcast from the morning, his expression grew darker.


    Playing these tricks when the CP binding failed.


    Does this youngster match up?


    *


    Xu Zishen was still sticking close to Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan finished her instant noodles and tossed the leftover soup to him, ¡°Have a taste.¡±


    Looking at the soup residue, Xu Zishen: ¡°...¡±


    Shen Yan wiped her mouth and stood up to keep her distance from him.


    Rejected!


    The first activity of the morning was to take couple photos, striking various poses for the camera.


    Xu Zishen, like it was free, stuck close to Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan, without politeness, gave him a kick and, with an apologetic face, said sorry, it wasn¡¯t on purpose and moved on.


    Xu Zishen got kicked twice and finally became much more behaved.


    But his mouth did not hold back, spewing flirty words recklessly.


    During the afternoon mini-games, Xu Zishen kept intentionally or unintentionally getting close to Shen Yan, smiling tenderly at her.


    If it weren¡¯t for being on camera, Shen Yan would¡¯ve thrown up right then.


    He probably thought he looked quite handsome.


    Xu Zishen is sick!


    At night, Shen Yan lay in bed and stumbled upon a trending topic on social media, #XuZishenAndShenYanSuspectedSecretRomance, her face darkened.


    Liu Su was doing overtime at the company and asked the PR team to clamp down on this baseless gossip.


    Shen Yan received a comforting call from Liu Su, but she didn¡¯t really say anything.


    On the other side.


    Xu Zishen was thrilled with his handiwork.


    Thanks to this maneuver, indeed his fan base had grown; a good sign.


    It proved he was moving in the right direction.


    Next, even if Shen Yan clarified things, it wouldn¡¯t affect him.


    After all, he had never publicly acknowledged any romance between them.


    If Shen Yan did have such feelings for him, he wouldn¡¯t mind having a secret romance.


    The Fireworks fans ran to Shen Yan to ask whether she was truly in a romance with Xu Zishen.


    Shen Yan flat-out responded: Focus on studies, no time for love.


    [Does that mean it¡¯s all unrequited on Xu Zishen¡¯s part?]


    [Pfft, you believe that Fake Princess? She might be secretly lying in Xu Zishen¡¯s bed right now.]


    [Trolls, get lost. Yanyan is beautiful like a flower; Xu Zishen doesn¡¯t deserve her.]


    [It¡¯s obvious to anyone with eyes that Xu Zishen is the one sticking to Shen Yan.]


    [Suddenly I feel Xu Zishen is really beneath her.]


    Public opinion fermented rapidly.


    Even though Xinyu¡¯s PR was trying to control it, the gossip still splashed quite a bit.

 Chapter 52 - 52 52 Restless People Dont Deserve a Good End

    ?Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Restless People Don¡¯t Deserve a Good End Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Restless People Don¡¯t Deserve a Good End On the last day, Xu Zishen finally managed to secretly bind Shen Yan in an underground romance.


    He had pondered this with his agent the night before.


    Stirring up this scandal with Shen Yan held quite a few benefits for him.


    His agent also relented, handling the operations from the outside, forking out cash to push the buzz up the trending searches.


    Xinyu¡¯s public relations were no less impressive.


    They actually smothered the ripples that had just begun to spread, leaving only a few minor splashes bouncing about.


    Xu Zishen emerged in the morning and ran into Shen Yan, greeting her with a smile that was both sunny and tender.


    Before Shen Yan could react, he eagerly leaned in closer.


    ¡°Shen Yan, don¡¯t eat instant noodles again today, give me a chance to show off my skills!¡± Xu Zishen said, ¡°My cooking may not be spectacular, but it won¡¯t taste too bad.¡±


    Shen Yan responded indifferently, ¡°Is that so? Then you should invite everyone to try.¡±


    ¡°This...¡± Xu Zishen certainly didn¡¯t want to cook breakfast for everyone; his culinary skills weren¡¯t that outstanding, managing to make one good meal would be quite the feat.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t prepare it for everyone, then I¡¯ll just stick to instant noodles,¡± Shen Yan said as she turned and walked down the stairs past him.


    ¡°Of course, I can do it for everyone! I¡¯ll get started right away!¡±


    In that instant Xu Zishen turned to head downstairs, a phone slipped out of his pocket like a piece of silk, deftly landing in a pair of fair and flawless hands.


    Shen Yan turned around, ¡°You¡¯ve dropped something.¡±


    Xu Zishen, caught up in figuring out how to show off, hadn¡¯t noticed Shen Yan returning to her room.


    *


    Meanwhile, online.


    Xinyu directly released an official recording.


    It was the conversation between Liu Su and Li Kunzhe that had previously taken place.


    Li Kunzhe had approached Liu Su on the first day to talk about pairing up for a ¡°CP¡± stunt.


    Liu Su, fearless of offending anyone, went straight ahead and released the recording.


    Once this recording was out, it once again stirred up a storm on the internet.


    The onlookers, thinking the show was over, were surprised to find a new melon to peel, excitedly analyzing it inside out.


    [Tsk tsk, a shocking bombshell!]


    [Never thought there would be such a twist, Xu Zishen, what were you thinking, rubbing off Shen Yan in such a ridiculous way.]


    [Xu Zishen¡¯s agent must be a joke.]


    [Fake Princess: I never imagined that one day, I¡¯d have a little traffic-seeking actor using my popularity.]


    [Fake Princess: Feeling high and mighty now!]


    [See, I told you Xu Zishen¡¯s performance yesterday was fishy; even Fake Princess disdains interacting with him.]


    [Fake Princess: Didn¡¯t expect this, right? I only love Mu Jincheng, this man!]


    Li Kunzhe, after listening to the recording, turned green with rage.


    He hadn¡¯t expected Liu Su, that old fox, to have recorded their talk!


    ¡°Snap!¡±


    Li Kunzhe, irritated, slammed his phone onto the desk.


    Now, how to salvage this.


    Had he known Liu Su was recording, he would never have made his intentions so clear.


    It was now impossible to erase it.


    As one wave settled, another rose.


    An anonymous account posted a long string of conversation screenshots, unabashedly uncensored.


    It revealed Li Kunzhe¡¯s name directly, and the person speaking with Li Kunzhe was none other than Xu Zishen.


    While the content of the conversation wasn¡¯t explosive, it was quite interesting nevertheless.


    The screenshots from the anonymous account were rapidly shared, pushed out, and then soared straight onto the infamous trending searches!


    Netizens even went out of their way to pull the recording from Xinyu and place it below, stringing together the entire spectacle.


    [Laughing to death here, Xu Zishen has fallen so low as to grub for traffic from Shen Yan.]


    [No wonder I felt Xu Zishen¡¯s performance on the love show was off, turns out he harbored such sordid thoughts, ugh! Truly sickening!]


    [Seriously, is Xu Zishen out of his mind? Why would he do such a stupid thing?]


    [Zishen isn¡¯t that kind of person; it must be the agency forcing him to do this.]


    [Xu Zishen¡¯s fans sure are bold to whitewash this, ironclad evidence is unshakeable.]


    [This drama will have me laughing for a whole year.]


    [Yanyan already said she isn¡¯t considering romance; she¡¯s still a university student, and her studies take priority.]


    ¡°I had almost forgotten Shen Yan was still a student.¡±


    ¡°Shen Yan goes to Shencheng University, right? Anyone who can get into Shencheng University must have good grades.¡±


    ¡°No way, are the Fireworks fans now trying to sell Fake Princess as a top student?¡±


    *


    Xu Zishen, who was still recording the show, had no idea about the earth-shattering changes happening online.


    He was still eagerly leaning in close to Shen Yan, trying to show their closeness.


    His phone slipped out of his pocket and back in just as stealthily, everything so quiet.


    At this moment, Xu Zishen¡¯s behavior, in the eyes of the netizens, was disgusting and cheap.


    There were many bullet-screen comments cursing Xu Zishen in the live broadcast, and the Fireworks fans originally wanted to join in, but in the end, they held back their revulsion towards Xu Zishen and focused on their own broadcast.


    Several guests seemed to have realized.


    Xu Zishen was pursuing Shen Yan.


    As for this, everyone just watched tacitly without getting involved, only occasionally laughing ambiguously at the interaction between the two.


    Xu Zishen felt a bit smug about this.


    Little did he know, he had outsmarted himself.


    *


    At night after the show ended, Shen Yan slowly walked out. Xiao Zhao, who came up to meet her, looked back at her with a somewhat angry expression.


    ¡°Shen Yan! Wait up!¡± Xu Zishen rushed over, completely unaware of the looks people outside the venue were giving him.


    Shen Yan turned around, and before she could speak, Xu Zishen¡¯s assistant, with an ugly look on his face, ran over, pulled Xu Zishen aside, and whispered a few words. Xu Zishen¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, then he took out his phone anxiously, and just as he turned it on, his face turned several shades, from pale to flushed.


    His figure swayed, almost collapsing.


    ¡°Yanyan,¡± Xiao Zhao protected Shen Yan, watching Xu Zishen behind her warily.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Shen Yan said, taking Xiao Zhao with her. They said hello to Director Du and prepared to leave.


    Director Du looked at her hesitantly.


    Shen Yan knew what Director Du wanted to say, but she didn¡¯t plan to stay, saying a few words before leaving.


    ¡°Shen Yan, I think you did great on the romance show, are you interested in coming back for another episode?¡±


    Shen Yan glanced back at the dispirited and somewhat angry Xu Zishen and said, ¡°If there¡¯s a chance, I will come to work with Director Du again.¡±


    Director Du understood her meaning.


    She didn¡¯t want to participate anymore.


    Director Du was a bit disappointed.


    *


    Liu Su personally came to pick up Shen Yan.


    As soon as Shen Yan got into the car, Liu Su asked, ¡°Did you open that secondary account?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it Miss Shen?¡± Liu Su frowned.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t admit to it.


    Liu Su thought for a moment and his eyes brightened slightly: ¡°Maybe it was one of Miss Shen¡¯s hacker fans who did you a big favor!¡±


    Xu Zishen had been recording all day; it was impossible for anyone to get his phone, so this was the most reasonable explanation.


    Shen Yan silently sat in the back seat without saying a word.


    ¡°This time, Xu Zishen is completely done for,¡± Liu Su¡¯s eyes darkened and he chuckled coldly, ¡°Those who don¡¯t behave shouldn¡¯t expect to end well.¡±


    The latter sentence had a bit of a ruthless taste to it.


    Shen Yan couldn¡¯t help but lift her eyes to look at Liu Su.


    Xiao Zhao shrank into a ball, quieting his breathing as low as possible.


    Shen Yan said, ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter that doesn¡¯t really hurt or itch; Uncle Liu doesn¡¯t have to get mad about it.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Liu Su looked at Shen Yan and asked uncertainly, ¡°Miss Shen, about this Xu Zishen...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, Mu Jincheng isn¡¯t my type, and he isn¡¯t even worth considering as scraps,¡± Shen Yan felt Liu Su¡¯s concerns were really unnecessary.


    Liu Su laughed happily, looking very pleased.


    Although he didn¡¯t believe Shen Yan had completely let go, he was still happy.


    Xiao Zhao was dropped off halfway, given money for a cab, and the car zoomed off.


    On the road.


    The car¡¯s radio was broadcasting news about a disaster currently happening in a certain country.


    Shen Yan, who had been sleepy in the back seat, suddenly opened her eyes, sat up slightly, and her dark pupils focused ahead, her beautiful brows lightly furrowing.


    The moment she heard the news broadcast, she had a very strange feeling.


    In the pages of the book, there was no description of this country...

 Chapter 53 - 53 053 Personal Live Streaming

    ?Chapter 53: Chapter 053: Personal Live Streaming Chapter 53: Chapter 053: Personal Live Streaming As soon as Liu Su got home, he received a call from the ¡°Survival on a Desert Island¡± show team.


    They notified Shen Yan that she would be going back to the island in three days.


    Liu Su mentioned it to Shen Yan, telling her to rest well for these three days and that before going back to the island, they didn¡¯t plan on accepting any more engagements.


    Then he remembered that Shen Yan¡¯s career was just on the rise, and it was necessary to make an appearance during such gaps to promote herself.


    Linking with the popular reality show had pushed Shen Yan¡¯s popularity even higher.


    Liu Su suggested that Shen Yan do a live stream at home over the next three days to chat with her fans without needing her to twist and dance around.


    Shen Yan agreed and then shut herself in the room.


    After freshening up,


    Shen Yan picked up her phone to search for the country she had heard about. It did indeed exist, and disasters happening there were also reported.


    Perhaps it wasn¡¯t written in the original work, but from her perspective, could it really be part of the book?


    That reasoning was very logical.


    And besides,


    she had traversed into a book, so what need was there for logic in such a fictional world?


    For such matters, Shen Yan didn¡¯t give it much thought.


    She tossed her phone aside and went to sleep.


    Regarding the live stream Liu Su had proposed, there was no need for her to think about it.


    Of course she had to do it!


    The next day, after having breakfast, Shen Yan ran upstairs, asked Xiao Zhao how to do a live stream, then sent the live streaming platform link to Liu Su.


    Liu Su was her agent and also represented the company.


    Since her live stream as an artist was also tied to the company¡¯s name, she needed to give Liu Su a heads-up.


    As for her trending topic from two days ago, it had already been squeezed out by the male and female leads.


    They were in the same drama crew, naturally generating a high level of interest, and there were many fans shipping their couple.


    The two of them going into and out of the drama set together was enough to sweep them onto the hot search list and successfully bumped her down.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t react much to this.


    Before starting the live stream, she directly posted the link on Weibo. Her fanbase wasn¡¯t small at the moment, so the start wouldn¡¯t be uneventful.


    [Wow! Yanyan is really live streaming from home!]


    [Is this Yanyan¡¯s home? Why do the buildings outside the window look so upscale?]


    [I¡¯m here to watch how the Fake Princess performs.]


    [I really want to ask, with Xu Zishen trending negatively, was it the Fake Princess scheming behind the scenes?]


    [Why are you Black fans everywhere? We didn¡¯t invite you, just get lost.]


    [Yanyan, don¡¯t mind the Black fans!]


    [Here to see Yanyan¡¯s stunning beauty! Are you in Shen City, Yanyan?]


    ¡°I am indeed in Shen City. It¡¯s my first live stream, there are many things I am not good at, and this is my first direct interaction with everyone, so I am a bit nervous...¡± Shen Yan subtly adjusted her own emotions.


    [Yanyan is so gentle! Her voice is so pleasant!]


    [Is this where Yanyan lives?]


    ¡°Yes, this is where I¡¯m staying temporarily in Shen City.¡±


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t really consider this place her home.


    The original owners, Shen Yan and Qi Si, were not authentic natives of Shen City, so calling it a temporary residence was not wrong.


    [It feels a bit familiar. I¡¯m in Shen City too! It looks like a private luxury villa, right?]


    [To live in a wealthy district of Shen City, the Fake Princess is really amazing.]


    The comment had a sarcastic undertone.


    [Pfft, just say the Fake Princess found a wealthy patron.]


    [Impressive, impressive, openly disclosing her lover¡¯s residence, the Fake Princess truly lives up to her name, unmatched, truly unmatched!]


    [Black fans are so freaking annoying. Does Yanyan need to be kept by someone? Why don¡¯t you say that Yanyan keeps a man!]


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    There was no need for such defending.


    ¡°It¡¯s not anyone¡¯s mansion; the company specially rents this place for us artists to stay temporarily,¡± Shen Yan explained calmly.


    [Whoa! Xinyu is this generous, huh!]


    [Xinyu¡¯s got some power!]


    [See, those haters have such low standards. What¡¯s wrong with Yanyan staying somewhere nice given her current status? They just can¡¯t stand to see others doing well, getting jealous everywhere they go.]


    [Yanyan, don¡¯t bother with these uncultured fools, they¡¯re not worth your anger.]


    ¡°Thanks, everyone, I¡¯m doing fine. As for those who like to attack me, I hope you can find a way to be a human being in real life.¡±


    Shen Yan¡¯s tone was still rather detached.


    [Pfft! Yanyan¡¯s so powerful! Insults without the filth!]


    [I bet those haters can¡¯t even understand what she¡¯s saying.]


    [She¡¯s essentially calling them sub-human...]


    Shen Yan¡¯s live stream didn¡¯t last long, she just chatted with fans in a haphazard way for half an hour before going offline.


    The first time hosting a personal live stream, it felt awkward.


    Even though she was a big shot capable of anything in a certain field, she still felt uncomfortable doing this sort of thing.


    Her fans, however, were not pleased.


    They just wanted to talk to Shen Yan a bit more, even if it meant just watching Shen Yan stand silently in front of the camera; they would happily feast their eyes on her!


    Where there¡¯s a first, there¡¯s a second.


    Once the live stream ended, fans flocked to Weibo to comment, still eager to see Shen Yan¡¯s second, third, and nth live stream!


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t expect that she could stir such frenzy among her fans just by picking a few comments and chatting aimlessly.


    So Shen Yan was pondering what to do for tomorrow¡¯s live stream; she couldn¡¯t just pick a few comments and chat away again. Even the highest of enthusiasms would eventually fade.


    Liu Su was also paying attention to Shen Yan¡¯s live streaming.


    He, too, didn¡¯t expect the fans to be so enthusiastic.


    Hearing Shen Yan asking for his opinion, Liu Su gave some suggestions, ¡°What about cooking? I see a lot of streamers do cooking shows...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not really good at cooking.¡±


    ¡°Then how about a tutorial, like yoga or fitness training? I remember Miss Shen sang a song during the survival program that was really nice. And playing an instrument... Yes, do a singing and instrumental live stream.¡±


    Shen Yan thought the last suggestion was not bad, ¡°Good, I¡¯ll try that tomorrow.¡±


    Liu Su said, ¡°I¡¯ll have someone prepare the instruments!¡±


    *


    In a high-end club in Country F.


    It was that blonde again.


    He glanced at the man sitting across from him and pushed the documents he brought over, ¡°According to the rules, I can¡¯t reveal too much. Please understand, Mr. Qi.¡±


    The man with the long legs draped over the arm of a secluded sofa leaned forward to pick up the documents from the table, which were just two thin pages.


    No photos, the details were not comprehensive.


    Name: Shen Yan.


    Nationality: Country Z.


    Gender: Female.


    Age: Unknown.


    Weight: Unknown.


    Appearance: Unknown.


    Experimental focus: Unknown.


    Combat Power: Unmeasurable.


    Cause of death: Unknown.


    Genetic mutation: Unmeasurable.


    Capabilities: Unmeasurable...


    Beyond that, the rest was a vague description of the benefits of the experiment, with no mention of any downsides.


    Because in their view, there were only benefits to the experiment, no drawbacks.


    Blonde waited for him to finish reading, his smile warm and welcoming, ¡°Mr. Qi, Jungle Base has restarted another experiment, would you be interested in joining?¡±


    Qi Si was only slightly interested in the test subject who shared a name with Shen Yan.


    After reading those vague and possibly inaccurate details, he lost most of his interest.


    ¡°We will not participate in any inhumane experiments,¡± Qi Si stated coldly.


    Blonde chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Understood, understood. You Eastern people are just like that.¡±


    Conservative, afraid of trouble, stubborn...


    Qi Si didn¡¯t bother explaining much, just folded the paper and placed it in his jacket pocket.


    Blonde didn¡¯t think of taking it back; after all, other than the name and nationality, everything else on the document was unclear.


    So he wasn¡¯t at all worried about Qi Si leaking anything out.

 Chapter 54 - 54 054 Shipped Please Check for Delivery

    ?Chapter 54: Chapter 054: Shipped, Please Check for Delivery Chapter 54: Chapter 054: Shipped, Please Check for Delivery Perhaps it was because of the deceased who shared the same name and surname.


    Qi Si turned around and had France¡¯s specialties prepared, then mailed them directly back to the country.


    She also dropped a reminder to Shen Yan.


    [Package sent, please check for it.]


    Shen Yan sat by the flowerbed on the large balcony, holding her phone and staring blankly at the message.


    He really did send over the specialties!


    Not just mailed them, but also reminded her.


    Thinking about how the original owner treated her fiance? with punches and kicks, verbal insults, Shen Yan¡¯s expression was somewhat indescribable for a moment.


    Doesn¡¯t Qi Si have any personal feelings?


    Could he tolerate his fiance?e blatantly hurting him and being unfaithful?


    Does he have a masochistic tendency?


    Or does he enjoy being wronged?


    She then thought of the original owner¡¯s family background and put away those messy speculations and thoughts.


    For Qi Si who lacked feelings, the original owner¡¯s actions couldn¡¯t really hurt him.


    Qi Si only wanted benefits!


    Sending her the specialties was also for his own benefits.


    Understanding this, Shen Yan stopped dwelling on Qi Si¡¯s matters.


    [Thank you.]


    After sending out the two-word message, she started to think about what to do for her live stream the next day.


    As for what reaction Qi Si might have upon seeing it, it was no longer within her concerns.


    *


    Xu Zishen and his agent walked out of the agency with gloomy faces.


    Before the agent had time to instruct Xu Zishen, Li Kunzhe¡¯s phone rang again.


    After a few words, Li Kunzhe¡¯s face turned even uglier; the other side ended the call quickly, and despite his multiple ¡°hello¡±s, he failed to keep them on the line.


    ¡°Another brand is calling to terminate the contract...¡±


    Upon hearing this, Xu Zishen went pale.


    Li Kunzhe, frustrated, ruffled his hair and said, ¡°You go back and rest. In three days, you¡¯ll appear on the survival show to try and pull back the popularity.¡±


    Xu Zishen nodded with a stern face.


    He regretted everything deeply now.


    Just as he had climbed into the car, he reopened the door and said to Li Kunzhe, ¡°During the romance reality show, someone either hacked my phone or stole it. But the latter is more likely; we need to get cooperation from Director Du¡¯s side.¡±


    Get cooperation from Director Du?


    He had just been scolded by Director Du, who told him his artist nearly ruined his romance reality show.


    Director Du¡¯s show had to pause for two weeks to cool off.


    Li Kunzhe, anxiously said, ¡°I¡¯ll think of a way. After you go back, don¡¯t do anything, and don¡¯t post any comments online. You¡¯ve earned so much money for the company; they won¡¯t abandon you lightly.¡±


    So, as long as this wave of negative popularity died down, everything would gradually get back on track.


    Xu Zishen¡¯s face became even paler.


    If the agency gave up on him, after another year or two, he wouldn¡¯t have a career left...


    This time, he had really suffered a major setback!


    Xu Zishen returned to his residence, angrily smashing many things, while his assistant ran far away, not daring to approach.


    While Li Kunzhe received countless calls about contract terminations and demands for compensation, his mood darkened more than sewage.


    Upon receiving Director Li¡¯s call about contract termination and compensation demands, no matter how composed Li Kunzhe normally was, he was now in utter disarray.


    Such contracts usually had clauses that require artists to maintain certain standards of conduct and moral behavior; now that Xu Zishen was in such a predicament, everyone saw the signs and rushed to terminate their contracts, aiming to minimize their losses and damage as quickly as possible.


    Even the two dramas Xu Zishen had just signed for were scrapped.


    Shen Yan really had a knack for spreading bad luck; whoever was involved with her was jinxed!


    They were tasting the bitter fruit of their actions, full of regret.


    In their eyes, it was just a minor incident, but it had evolved into this current state so stealthily.


    And this.


    It was all due to Liu Su¡¯s vigorous efforts to suppress him.


    He dug up Xu Zishen¡¯s sordid past, listing scandals and spreading rumors of a morally debauched artist¡ªwho would dare to hire him?


    Even the talent agency was planning to give up on Xu Zishen.


    The internet was full of curses towards Xu Zishen, even his fans had turned against him.


    Li Kunzhe and Xu Zishen were at their wits¡¯ end when Shen Yan started another live stream the next morning.


    In front of the live stream camera, she was holding her small guitar, playing the tune she had just learned the night before, delicate and crisp, delightfully pleasing to the ear.


    Suddenly, the gifts in the live stream shot up, and Shen Yan exclaimed in surprise. Seeing the flurry of gifts, she frowned, ¡°I just wanted to play a tune for everyone to listen to; there¡¯s no need for gifts. Many of you fans must be students, right? Better save your money for your tuition fees, don¡¯t find yourselves asking your parents for money when school starts.¡±


    Then, Shen Yan promptly returned the gifts to the senders, even adding a bit of her own money, before she turned off the gifting feature.


    The fans who received their money back were stunned.


    Then they began furiously posting comments on the screen.


    Amidst the flood of positive comments, Shen Yan played another tune.


    The fans wanted to request songs.


    Shen Yan seemed a bit troubled but didn¡¯t refuse. She asked them to type out their favorite tunes, and she noted them all down, promising to play each one during the live stream the next day.


    This live stream lasted three hours.


    As soon as Shen Yan went offline, she started to sift through the songs her fans had requested and began practicing them that very day.


    Liu Su, returning from the company, heard occasional strains of music from upstairs. The playing was seamless, not the stuttering notes of a beginner, but a smooth flow one after another.


    He hadn¡¯t expected Shen Yan to possess such a musical talent!


    It had been hidden until now.


    Liu Su went upstairs and, standing outside the door, took out his phone and recorded a segment of an upbeat tune before sending it off.


    Qi Si was getting ready to leave when his phone buzzed on the small table. He opened it and saw a recording sent by Liu Su.


    Initially indifferent, by some inexplicable impulse, he clicked on it.


    A beautiful piano melody instantly filled the cold room.


    It lasted only a minute.


    But even for Qi Si, who had no knowledge of music, it sounded like a master¡¯s performance.


    After listening, he saw the message that followed and fell into deep thought for a moment.


    [This should be Miss Shen¡¯s newly learned piece.]


    ¡°Sir, the ambassador from France has called to remind us again,¡± a subordinate¡¯s urging voice came from outside the door.


    Qi Si put the phone into his suit pocket and stepped out.


    Shen Yan¡¯s talent show live stream created a bit of a buzz.


    Although it didn¡¯t make the trending search list, it did appear in the Weibo search bar.


    The third day¡¯s live stream attracted even more viewers; the scrolling barrage of comments was impossible to keep up with.


    With a viewership close to 600,000, it was evident that Shen Yan¡¯s popularity had indeed soared.


    Her fans had also started to band together.


    Xinyu also had their artists share the link to Shen Yan¡¯s live stream to boost her popularity.


    Dai Qiu showed displeasure at this.


    But in the end, using Shi Lian¡¯s account, Dai Qiu reposted for Shen Yan, begrudgingly praising her with a few words.


    Shi Lian was Xinyu¡¯s top artist and a leading actress in the entertainment industry with an astonishing number of fans.


    Shen Yan watched as groups of new viewers poured into the live stream, saying they had been recommended by this or that celebrity, coming to have a look.


    Of course, there were also those who entered the stream just to scold Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t pay them any mind and just focused on her playing.


    Meanwhile, Chu Jinghe, who had just finished a scene, took her phone from her agent and saw the live stream of Shen Yan.


    Her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly: ¡°Shen Yan¡¯s popularity has been quite high recently.¡±


    Her agent spoke gravely, ¡°We have to go back to the ¡®Survivor¡¯ show crew tomorrow. Last time, she almost completely stole your thunder; this time, we can¡¯t give her a chance to overshadow you.¡±


    The agent was really worried about the big threat Shen Yan posed to Chu Jinghe.


    Chu Jinghe glanced at the live stream again, listening to the relaxed tune being played, and felt an even greater sense of crisis toward Shen Yan.


    As if a voice was echoing in her mind: Shen Yan will eventually trample you beneath her feet.

 Chapter 55 - 55 055 Return to the Survival Show Crew

    ?Chapter 55: Chapter 055: Return to the Survival Show Crew Chapter 55: Chapter 055: Return to the Survival Show Crew Shen Yan¡¯s personal livestream might have been a common occurrence, but with Xinyu¡¯s top beauty promoting the link, it conveyed a message to the industry insiders.


    Xinyu was fully backing Shen Yan!


    Even the top beauty had to bow down to Shen Yan.


    Analysing Shen Yan¡¯s recent surge in both infamy and popularity, several entities had detected an unusual flavor to the situation.


    Beautiful and rumored to come from rural origins, why would such a lovely actress receive Xinyu¡¯s full support?


    There probably was some unspeakable secret behind it all.


    Everyone was in the same circle; those who knew, just knew.


    Then there was bringing up the matter of Xu Zishen to analyze Shen Yan¡¯s backing, sniffing out a scent of ¡°significant origin!¡±


    So, those who were eagerly brewing moves behind the scenes dared not lightly touch upon the topic of this rising star with growing influence.


    They all covertly analyzed and searched for opportunities to tie themselves to Shen Yan.


    Due to Shi Lian¡¯s promotion, a professional musician, long forgotten, listened to a few songs and went straight to Weibo to declare that Shen Yan was no amateur but rather seemed to be a professional musical talent.


    Although this musician was suspected of leeching off Shen Yan¡¯s popularity, he indeed managed to ride the wave, reminding many people of who he was and his moment of glory in music.


    Liu Su was at a loss when it came to such opportunists.


    After all, they were bringing certain benefits to Shen Yan, only praising her musical talent without doing anything detrimental to her.


    Thus, Liu Su had no grounds to rebuke them.


    He even had to log into Shen Yan¡¯s account to thank this music senior!


    Shen Yan, who had been sitting in the car heading to the airport early in the morning and had handed her account over to Liu Su, now closed her eyes to rest.


    Once Liu Su finished his tasks, Shen Yan slowly opened her eyes and said, ¡°Please remember to note down Senior Shi¡¯s favor for me, Uncle Liu.¡±


    Xiao Zhao quickly took out her phone to take notes, ¡°Yanyan, I¡¯ll jot it down! Not only Mr. Shi but also...¡±


    ¡°Whoever they are, write them down for me,¡± Shen Yan didn¡¯t know much about the company¡¯s internal artists.


    Aside from Shi Lian, the top beauty, there were several other famous artists within the company.


    Where there was a top beauty, there would be a top man.


    However, this top man had gone overseas to film movies and was rarely in the country for the past two years.


    He could be disregarded.


    At the airport.


    Shen Yan took a special passage, so nobody knew about her itinerary that day.


    Upon boarding the plane and entering first class, she saw Zhou Jingming and Tao Rongye, leaving her stunned.


    ¡°What a coincidence, we¡¯re all on the same flight,¡± Tao Rongye greeted Shen Yan with a smile.


    Shen Yan quickly came to her senses, greeted her seniors, and nodded to Zhou Jingming.


    After sitting down, she was still curious about Tao Rongye being there.


    Tao Rongye, sitting across the aisle, chuckled and dispelled Shen Yan¡¯s fleeting doubt, ¡°This time, I, an old man, am taking a risk with all you young people. Shen Yan, I¡¯ve heard you did quite well on the survival show! I¡¯ll need to learn from you!¡±


    ¡°Teacher Tao is being too modest. We¡¯re not many years apart; you¡¯re still youthful and far from the age of an elderly person. If we¡¯re talking about learning, it¡¯s me, the junior, who should be seeking advice from Teacher Tao.¡±


    Shen Yan was momentarily surprised before she understood the situation.


    Xu Zishen might have been ousted by Director Li, leading them to bring in a big shot like Tao Rongye for a last-minute save.


    ¡°What Shen Yan said is right; Teacher Tao is just being too modest,¡± Zhou Jingming added with a smile.


    Tao Rongye was just about to speak when a surprised female voice came from behind, ¡°Teacher Tao!¡±


    They turned around and saw Liu Qiang, dressed coolly and seductively, staring at Tao Rongye with excitement.


    Tao Rongye greeted her impartially with a smile, ¡°Liu Qiang, you¡¯re also on this flight!¡±


    ¡°How come you¡¯re here?¡± Liu Qiang¡¯s gaze clung to Tao Rongye.


    Without hiding anything, Tao Rongye replied, ¡°Director Li specifically called me up for a rescue mission. I¡¯ve been quite interested in survival adventures lately, so I accepted! I hope for guidance from you all in the coming days.¡±


    Liu Qiang, excited by his words, suddenly blushed and stammered, ¡°Teacher Tao, I didn¡¯t expect you to be the special guest this season! I¡¯m thrilled to be on this show with you!¡±


    After checking her seat number, which happened to be next to Tao Rongye¡¯s, Liu Qiang carefully sat down and turned to talk to him.


    Tao Rongye, as a senior in the industry and well-known for being easy to get along with, did not ignore the conversation topics that Liu Qiang threw her way.


    Shen Yan and Zhou Jingming sat diagonally from each other, one above the other. Seeing the two strike up a conversation as soon as they sat down, she exchanged a glance with Zhou Jingming, then they both looked away.


    Shen Yan took out the prepared eye mask and put it on, then leaned her head to rest.


    Even if the two of them dragged her into their conversation during this process, she could ignore it.


    Shen Yan still underestimated Liu Qiang¡¯s chit-chat combat power.


    Throughout the entire flight, she never stopped talking with Tao Rongye.


    Whether cooing for professional acting advice from Tao Rongye or coquettishly hinting to him, this ¡°nice guy¡± Tao Rongye maintained a beaming smile throughout, accepting Liu Qiang¡¯s various ¡°requests for guidance.¡± Watching the two of them, Shen Yan felt they seemed like a natural pair.


    Who knew what Tao Rongye was thinking, he even went along with it.


    One could say it was quite torturous.


    *


    After one o¡¯clock in the afternoon, they exited the airport together.


    Shen Yan signaled to Xiao Zhao to push the luggage quickly.


    Director Li had already sent a car to pick them up.


    As soon as Shen Yan saw the car, she quickly chose one and sat in it, with Liu Su and Xiao Zhao joining her, urging the driver to start the car.


    Xiao Zhao turned to look back. Those two who had been talking non-stop the whole way hadn¡¯t even gotten into the car yet.


    Seeing Shen Yan¡¯s anxiety to avoid them, Xiao Zhao couldn¡¯t help but snicker.


    Shen Yan shot her a glance.


    Xiao Zhao promptly stifled her laughter.


    Liu Su, sitting in the passenger seat, slightly frowned and said, ¡°Miss Shen, as for those two, staying away from them would be best.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to avoid them when we¡¯re on the same program.¡±


    Liu Su¡¯s frown deepened, having listened to them the entire way.


    The impression the two gave others was somewhat frivolous...


    Several cars arrived at the program team¡¯s temporary workspace, one after the other, with Director Li already there waiting for them.


    Director Li personally coming out to meet them felt quite flattering.


    But then, considering that Tao Rongye, the esteemed actor, was among them, it didn¡¯t seem so surprising.


    Shen Yan glanced around and noticed that, apart from the male and female leads, everyone else had arrived.


    Seeing no sign of Xu Zishen, everyone tacitly avoided mentioning him.


    ¡°Yanyan!¡±


    Qin Dingyue, seeing Shen Yan, smiled so wide her eyes nearly disappeared. In an unladylike manner, she ran over, wanting to hug Shen Yan¡¯s arm.


    Shen Yan subtly dodged her. She wasn¡¯t too fond of physical contact.


    Qin Dingyue, in her carefree way, seemed not to notice Shen Yan¡¯s little evasion and, with stars in her eyes, said, ¡°Yanyan, you are really amazing! You¡¯ve been praised to the skies by professional musicians!¡±


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    Why did she feel like this wasn¡¯t a compliment?


    Qin Dingyue¡¯s agent standing by wanted to hide her face. Being Qin Dingyue¡¯s agent was so hard.


    Fortunately, Shen Yan knew Qin Dingyue¡¯s nature; otherwise, she might have thought Qin Dingyue was being sarcastic.


    Around 5 o¡¯clock, Mu Jincheng and Chu Jinghe finally arrived, fashionably late.


    After so many days, seeing Shen Yan again sparked a mix of feelings in Mu Jincheng. It wasn¡¯t outright aversion that he felt, but it also didn¡¯t feel right to say he found her pleasing to the eye either.


    He just felt that Shen Yan was different from before, colder and clearer in the way she looked at him.


    Not like before when she couldn¡¯t hide her fervor.


    Mu Jincheng frowned uncomfortably.


    Chu Jinghe, standing by, saw that Mu Jincheng had fixed his gaze on Shen Yan the moment he arrived, and his expression darkened.

 Chapter 56 - 56 056 Shen Yan is Safe and Reliable

    ?Chapter 56: Chapter 056: Shen Yan is Safe and Reliable! Chapter 56: Chapter 056: Shen Yan is Safe and Reliable! Tao Rongye, as the biggest celebrity guest on the scene, had to bow his head in front of the seniors, even with the influence of the male and female leads.


    Shen Yan stood by the side, watching them compliment each other back and forth.


    Qin Dingyue squeezed herself next to Shen Yan with a gloomy expression, casting several glances at Liu Qiang that she just couldn¡¯t hide.


    Qin Dingyue¡¯s agent wished she could cover her expressive eyes, but in the end, it was Shen Yan who turned her away.


    ¡°Yanyan, when did Liu Qiang and Teacher Tao become so close?¡±


    She thought, all dressed up and constantly rubbing up against Tao Rongye.


    If Qin Dingyue were Tao Rongye, she would have been stirred into restlessness by now.


    Looking at Tao Rongye, she saw his smile was seamless.


    Just like an emotionless person.


    Qin Dingyue stole another couple of glances before leaning closer to whisper to Shen Yan, ¡°Teacher Tao¡¯s self-control is really impressive.¡±


    The ferry brought them to the island, and the production team handed out a tent to each person.


    The place was the same as before, only that now there were many more people from the production team.


    The fact that Tao Rongye was even there showed that the production team wasn¡¯t short on money.


    With Tao Rongye around, the popularity of Mu Jincheng and Chu Jinghe dissipated, and after nightfall, the production team started a bonfire gathering.


    Shen Yan excused herself early, claiming she felt unwell, and went to rest in her tent.


    Shen Yan felt that the production team was somewhat inconsiderate of the reality, having a bonfire in such hot weather, as if they weren¡¯t afraid of baking everyone into jerky.


    ¡°Miss Shen.¡±


    Liu Su was going to stay on the island to supervise, so he would be staying with the crew.


    ¡°Come in, I¡¯m not asleep.¡±


    Liu Su entered with a freshly made bowl of nutritional soup: ¡°The soup was made with the help of others, it has cooled down, and you can drink it now, Miss Shen.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Liu, you¡¯re an elder, you don¡¯t need to take such good care of me,¡± said Shen Yan, looking at the soup box on the small table with somewhat indescribable feelings.


    ¡°This is what Uncle Liu should do,¡± he reassured her. ¡°Tomorrow Miss Shen will be working outside in the sun and rain, doing physical labor. Drink more nutritional soup to strengthen your body!¡±


    ¡°From now on, let Xiao Zhao handle these kinds of things,¡± Shen Yan took the soup.


    ¡°Miss Shen,¡± Liu Su hesitated before asking, ¡°Have you called your husband, or sent messages? It¡¯s only been a few months since your registration... Take this time to foster some affection, so it won¡¯t be awkward when you live together later.¡±


    Liu Su was gentle as he advised Shen Yan, gauging her reaction. If Shen Yan wasn¡¯t angered, he would push slightly further.


    Shen Yan¡¯s expression was odd.


    Uncle Liu had not heard what Qi Si told her; if he had, he probably wouldn¡¯t have mentioned fostering affection.


    Qi Si had made it crystal clear that their marriage arrangement would only last for two years, and it was purely a verbal agreement.


    So all of Uncle Liu¡¯s efforts were in vain.


    Shen Yan¡¯s gaze fell on the box of nutritional soup, and she inexplicably softened, nodding, ¡°I will send him more messages.¡±


    Glancing at Liu Su¡¯s expression and considering whether to bring up the topic of asking for local specialties, Shen Yan still didn¡¯t speak up.


    Liu Su cleared his throat, ¡°Miss Shen can send a goodnight message to your husband now...¡±


    He finished and stood at the tent entrance, watching Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    He was going to stand there until she finished sending the message.


    Shen Yan emotionlessly took out her phone, emotionlessly sent a ¡®good night¡¯, and then emotionlessly handed it to Liu Su.


    Liu Su left with an especially benevolent smile.


    *


    Shen Yan had initially wanted to retract the message but let it be.


    Time to drink the soup.


    She picked up the bowl and took several sips. The soup tasted great!


    And she wondered who had made it.


    Overseas, Qi Si received Shen Yan¡¯s goodnight message and looked up at the blazing sun, falling into a brief silence.


    He had just flown from F country to S country; his local contacts had not yet arrived, but he received a goodnight greeting from Shen Yan.


    His recent chat history with Shen Yan, compared to before, had become abnormally frequent.


    Shen Yan wondered what to do.


    He couldn¡¯t guess what profound things that foolish brain of Shen Yan could hold.


    He concluded that she sent those messages simply because she found them amusing.


    Or perhaps she was maliciously teasing him.


    ¡°Mr. Qi!¡±


    Several figures in suits and leather shoes gathered around Qi Si under the scorching sun.


    Each of them oozing with an imposing air.


    Not far off,


    A luxurious fleet from the S country arrived in parallel with helicopters, with monks in white robes and suited bodyguards inside the vehicles.


    This call of ¡°Mr. Qi¡± highlighted another layer of Qi Si¡¯s identity outside.


    This time, he wasn¡¯t standing here as a true businessman.


    Qi Si glanced indifferently at the impressive procession and leisurely responded to Shen Yan.


    ¡°There¡¯s a time difference.¡±


    Shen Yan received the message, merely glanced at it, walked around in the tent for a while, rode the waves for some time, and then collapsed onto the small bed to sleep.


    *


    Tao Rongye had just arrived, and the production team wouldn¡¯t possibly give them the most difficult survival task right from the start. First, they needed to let Tao Rongye acclimate.


    It was still the pairing of males and females.


    Tao Rongye and Liu Qiang drew the same group; the two had a friendly relationship prior to this and now being in one group, the other guests couldn¡¯t help but steal glances at them.


    Liu Qiang seemed unaffected, still red-faced and excited about being paired with Tao Rongye.


    Shen Yan was paired with Wen Yan again.


    Wen Yan was actually happy.


    Since after the last episode, Shen Yan¡¯s popularity had surged, and she was close to having her image cleansed, plus Shen Yan was competent. Wen Yan was naturally pleased to be in the same group as Shen Yan.


    It made no difference to Shen Yan who she was grouped with.


    Mu Jincheng and Chu Jinghe were still in one group, leaving the final pair to be Qin Dingyue and Zhou Jingming.


    Except for replacing Xu Zishen, it was surprisingly similar to the setup in the first episode.


    Shen Yan couldn¡¯t help but suspect that the production team was playing tricks.


    The main task for the first day of the third episode was to find food ingredients.


    This seamlessly connected to the food-finding theme of the last episode.


    Lacking originality.


    Tao Rongye joining the survival show brought a flood of fans directly into the livestream, bringing a fresh dynamic to the program.


    Director Li was outside, laughing his head off!


    Although hiring Tao Rongye was expensive, just looking at this surge in popularity, it was worth it!


    What surprised Director Li the most was Shen Yan. Although there were still many haters, new fans had also joined.


    The two waves of fans coming in actually managed to push Chu Jinghe down a notch!


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s agent, Zhong Chi, kept an eye on several livestreams. It was no use comparing with male artists, but amongst female artists, Chu Jinghe was nearly overtaken by Shen Yan, the newcomer.


    This was incredible.


    And a dangerous signal.


    No matter how anxious Zhong Chi was outside, he had to admit, the recently inactive Chu Jinghe, without a boost in popularity compared to Shen Yan, seemed somewhat dim.


    Liu Su held his phone like he was watching his own daughter, his smile becoming more and more gracious!


    Shen Yan and Wen Yan walked a few steps behind. Shen Yan glanced forward and happened to see Liu Qiang ¡°accidentally¡± spraining her ankle and then successfully falling into Tao Rongye¡¯s arms.


    Shen Yan and Wen Yan turned around unanimously, pretending they hadn¡¯t seen it, and then, with their backs to those ahead, they exchanged a look.


    Both sets of fans were thrilled to see this!


    Wen Yan signaled Shen Yan with a look that screamed ¡®let¡¯s take another path,¡¯ as if avoidance was the only option.


    Even the foolish Wen Yan could see that Liu Qiang was making a play for Tao Rongye, and having witnessed Liu Qiang¡¯s ¡°skills,¡± Wen Yan truly became afraid.


    Suddenly, Wen Yan felt that staying by Shen Yan¡¯s side was far safer!


    Remembering the scene where Liu Qiang almost clung to Tao Rongye, Wen Yan shuddered and then quickly moved closer to Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan was safe, reliable!


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±

 Chapter 57 - 57 057 Getting Shot While Using a Smartphone

    ?Chapter 57: Chapter 057: Getting Shot While Using a Smartphone Chapter 57: Chapter 057: Getting Shot While Using a Smartphone Shen Yan and Wen Yan once again took a different path.


    Mu Jincheng and Chu Jinghe remained the sweetest couple among both of their fans!


    Compared to the others.


    Qin Dingyue¡¯s group appeared much calmer.


    Shen Yan¡¯s team very effortlessly found the raw ingredients hidden by the show¡¯s crew.


    ¡°Wow! I knew that following you would bring good fortune! Shen Yan, how did you turn from that state into being so lucky? Did you pray at some temple?¡±


    Wen Yan squatted in front of a big bag of ingredients, his eyes sparkling as he stared at Shen Yan.


    It was as though he was saying: Tell me, tell me.


    Shen Yan¡¯s eyes twitched slightly: ¡°This isn¡¯t luck; it¡¯s just that the crew hid them too poorly.¡±


    It¡¯s not like being blind; you could still tell the difference between fresh mud and old mud.


    But Wen Yan didn¡¯t believe it: ¡°Tell me, I won¡¯t tell anyone else.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Shen Yan indifferently said: ¡°The Town Temple in Shen City.¡±


    Wen Yan¡¯s eyes brightened: ¡°You really went to pray.¡±


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    She picked up the big bag of ingredients and walked away.


    She didn¡¯t want to do the show with an idiot anymore.


    Wen Yan signaled to the following camera crew, telling them not to disclose it, then quickly caught up to Shen Yan.


    The filming crew: ¡°...¡±


    [Shen Yan: At this age, it shouldn¡¯t be happening.]


    [When did Wen Yan start being funny?]


    [Shen Yan: The more you despised me before, the more you admire me now!]


    [Shen Yan: Kneel down to my wild skirt!]


    [What the hell is a wild skirt?]


    [I just wonder, Shen Yan completed the tasks so easily the last time, and this time too. Is there really no trick?]


    [I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s no trick. Looking at Shen Yan¡¯s performance during the first episode, it¡¯s like she wasn¡¯t even the same person.]


    [Again with the annoying haters, if you don¡¯t like watching then leave, we didn¡¯t ask you to come.]


    *


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    An astonishing scream suddenly erupted up ahead.


    Those who didn¡¯t know what was happening were a bit panicked.


    What happened?


    Could there be another poisonous snake?


    The cleanup crew was still on standby at the original spot, and they had cleared the potential hazards on the mandatory paths; how could something still go wrong?


    ¡°Did something happen?¡± Wen Yan walked to the riverbank, ready to help Shen Yan pick some river snails when he suddenly heard the scream not far away and was slightly startled.


    Shen Yan heard the scream and lost the interest in wading into the river for snails.


    In front of the cameras, she still had to maintain her own image.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out,¡± Shen Yan pulled up her trouser cuffs, put on her shoes, and walked forward with Wen Yan.


    When they arrived, many people were already comforting Liu Qiang, who was wrapped in a large shawl.


    Liu Qiang was a mess, her hair dripping wet and her shoes off, standing barefoot on the muddy ground.


    On the other side.


    Tao Rongye¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t much better.


    Drenched all over, his short hair still dripping water, his facial expression no longer gentle and smiling, slightly heavy.


    Shen Yan¡¯s sharp eyes spotted two or three faint lipstick marks on the sky-blue T-shirt clinging to his chest, then looking at Liu Qiang¡¯s slightly swollen and discolored lips, you didn¡¯t need to ask to imagine the scene of the two of them falling into the water together.


    Director Li rushed over, his expression not too good.


    He stared at the sobbing Liu Qiang, a vein on his forehead twitching slightly.


    He hadn¡¯t expected that this time the trouble would be caused by Liu Qiang.


    Was Liu Qiang sick?


    Thinking she was somebody.


    She was just a slightly popular actress, yet she dared to blatantly clash with Tao Rongye.


    The camera captured it clearly: Liu Qiang deliberately sliding into the water.


    Tao Rongye apparently felt forced into the water when she jumped in.


    Tao Rongye¡¯s fans were so angry that they ran to Liu Qiang¡¯s live broadcast to scold her. They not only cursed in the live broadcast but also went to her Weibo to continue. It wouldn¡¯t be long before this blew up on the hot search.


    Tao Rongye worried Song Xuan would see it and misunderstand something, so at that moment, he wanted to call Song Xuan to clarify everything.


    This woman was trying to kill him!


    Although the water wasn¡¯t deep, for someone who couldn¡¯t swim, just falling into the water and gulping a few mouthfuls down was like teetering on the edge of life and death.


    And after setting him up, this woman was here crying, making it seem like he was bullying her.


    Chu Jinghe watched the whole scene from the side.


    Silently mocking Liu Qiang for her foolishness.


    Since she couldn¡¯t latch onto Xu Zishen, she chose this Best Actor.


    As if she could easily cling to a Best Actor!


    Recalling Liu Qiang¡¯s past different treatment towards Mu Jincheng, Chu Jinghe found delight in watching Liu Qiang cling to other men, courting disaster.


    They had no idea Mu Jincheng was actually the young master of the wealthy Shen City Mu Family!


    That rich Mu Family!


    After learning the true identity of Mu Jincheng, Chu Jinghe wondered if Shen Yan knew about it too, otherwise why would she keep clinging to him shamelessly?


    Upon checking, it turned out Shen Yan didn¡¯t know about Mu Jincheng¡¯s identity.


    Chu Jinghe breathed a sigh of relief and decided to keep Mu Jincheng¡¯s identity hidden for him.


    She witnessed the special treatment Mu Jincheng gave her.


    She was convinced, Mu Jincheng would be hers, and no one could take him away.


    *


    Liu Qiang¡¯s incident caused a temporary suspension of the filming.


    Tao Rongye, holding back a stomach full of anger, returned to the tent, changed into fresh clothes, and came out. His assistant handed him the phone.


    It was his agent calling.


    Tao Rongye walked to a quiet spot away from the cameras to answer the call, his tone slightly impatient.


    Shen Yan, squatting nearby and scrolling through her phone, thought of reminding him but refrained.


    ¡°I will call Song Xuan to explain,¡± after saying this, he hung up and dialed another number, his tone much softer, ¡°Xuan Xuan, about Liu Qiang¡¯s incident...¡±


    Before he could finish, the other party spoke up.


    The phone¡¯s volume was a bit loud, leaking some sound.


    Shen Yan, sitting close with sharp ears, heard Song Xuan irritably scold on the other end, ¡°Ah Ye, don¡¯t treat me like a fool. I saw clearly that she fell on you into the water, but what about before that? I watched the live broadcast. Weren¡¯t you too friendly towards her? Do you have any idea how many scandals your management company has suppressed for you? Ah Ye, I¡¯m exhausted, I don¡¯t want to argue with you today.¡±


    After speaking, the other end hung up.


    Tao Rongye¡¯s expression turned very ugly.


    Shen Yan glanced over, noticing the veins throbbing as he gripped his phone.


    She thought he would leave, but he made another call, his tone cold, ¡°No matter what it takes, crush Liu Qiang in this show!¡±


    Crush didn¡¯t mean literally.


    It meant to destroy Liu Qiang¡¯s career.


    Tao Rongye pressed his brow, trying to calm himself, then continued, ¡°Song Xuan had a scandal that was suppressed before, find a chance to let netizens dig it up again. Only in this way will she have no reason to make a fuss with me. Get it done on your end...¡±


    After giving instructions, Tao Rongye turned around and directly faced Shen Yan, who was squatting on the side.


    Tao Rongye froze.


    Shen Yan lifted her phone, ¡°I was here before Teacher Tao.¡±


    Tao Rongye¡¯s face suddenly darkened!


    Staring hard at Shen Yan.


    ¡°You heard,¡± Tao Rongye said definitively.


    Shen Yan nodded, ¡°Heard it.¡±


    Even if she didn¡¯t admit it, he wouldn¡¯t believe it.


    Tao Rongye¡¯s gaze on Shen Yan turned very strange.


    Shen Yan wasn¡¯t afraid of him, this Best Actor. It wasn¡¯t her intention to eavesdrop; he was the one who came here and rattled on. She didn¡¯t want to listen.


    As Tao Rongye¡¯s gaze gradually darkened, Shen Yan pointed to the tent next to them, indicating that he should see clearly that this was her residence.


    Tao Rongye clenched his phone, silently walked away.


    But the look he left with made it clear to Shen Yan that Tao Rongye wouldn¡¯t let her off.


    Shen Yan put away her phone, looking for Liu Su¡¯s whereabouts.

 Chapter 58 - 58 058 An Inexplicable Fear

    ?Chapter 58: Chapter 058: An Inexplicable Fear Chapter 58: Chapter 058: An Inexplicable Fear After all, he was an esteemed actor with connections and relationships within the industry.


    His public persona was also quite perfect.


    Kind-hearted, easy to talk to, easy to get along with, gentle as jade...


    In a word, there was always a cunning manipulation taking place behind the scenes.


    For an actress like Liu Qiang, whose career was neither hot nor cold, suppressing her was a piece of cake.


    Within just ten minutes after Tao Rongye put away his phone and left, his team made some subtle online manipulations, setting the pace on the internet.


    And Liu Qiang was immediately vilified as a despised rat in the street.


    Just last month, netizens were scolding Shen Yan to leave the entertainment industry.


    Today, in less than half an hour, Liu Qiang was being bombarded wave after wave by trolls, clamoring for her to get out of the entertainment industry.


    Liu Qiang¡¯s manager did not accompany her, only placing a call through to her assistant.


    After changing her clothes and applying medication in the tent, and while reminiscing about the moment she had fallen onto Tao Rongye, her assistant rushed in and, before Liu Qiang could curse, handed over her phone, indicating with her mouth that it was the manager.


    Liu Qiang then leaned back in her chair and gestured for another female assistant to continue treating the wound on her foot.


    ¡°Li Qiang, has your brain been clogged with shit?! How could you blatantly do such a thing ¨C do you know that you¡¯re done for?!¡± The manager¡¯s roar was enough to stun Liu Qiang.


    Her gut was telling her that something bad had happened.


    ¡°Wha... what¡¯s going on...¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? You¡¯re asking me what¡¯s going on? Liu Qiang, is your brain mushed with crap? Tao Rongye is no ordinary person, yet you dared to rub him the wrong way, and now that you¡¯ve stirred up trouble, no one can save you.¡± The manager swore with no courtesy.


    Realizing that her previous actions had backfired, Liu Qiang¡¯s face turned slightly pale, ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    ¡°Because of your nonsense antics, you¡¯ve now attracted the entire internet¡¯s hatred, calling for you to leave the entertainment industry. Your dark past has also been revealed online; you¡¯re completely ruined! The company has given up on PR for you, Liu Qiang. You truly have a death wish.¡± The manager continued to berate her, his face dark with anger.


    Liu Qiang could no longer listen.


    Her mind was in total chaos!


    Impossible.


    Shen Yan had been so troublesome in the past, merely targeted by online haters, but didn¡¯t she manage to come back in the limelight?


    Why was it over for her?


    This couldn¡¯t possibly be the end. She could ask Tao Rongye for help to clarify things.


    Tao Rongye was so easy to talk to; he would definitely help her!


    Yes, she must turn to Tao Rongye.


    The manager continued speaking grimly on the other end, ¡°You¡¯re not suitable for appearing on shows anymore. All sorts of bookings and invitations have been canceled...¡±


    Liu Qiang, pale-faced, insisted, ¡°I will beg Tao Rongye. It can definitely be settled.¡±


    With that, she hung up the phone.


    The manager was so furious he called several times, but it was the assistant who answered.


    Enraged and helpless, the manager ordered the assistant to stop Liu Qiang, to prevent her from doing anything more foolish.


    Director Li was completely overwhelmed.


    Things had escalated too quickly!


    The third episode had barely been out for a few hours before the show crashed and burned. Director Li sincerely wished he could kill Liu Qiang.


    She was even more self-destructive than Shen Yan!


    During the first episode, although Shen Yan clung to Mu Jincheng, she at least had some integrity.


    Liu Qiang was only short of stripping and throwing herself into the arms of that distinguished actor right on the spot.


    As Director Li was handling this tricky issue, Shen Yan had sought out Liu Su and mentioned the incident with Tao Rongye.


    Liu Su said, ¡°Miss Shen, don¡¯t worry. I will immediately prepare our company to handle this.¡±


    ¡°Mhm, thank you, Uncle Liu,¡± Shen Yan left the matter in Liu Su¡¯s hands.


    Since the other party was a distinguished actor, Liu Su took this matter even more seriously.


    They had to suppress Tao Rongye¡¯s actions as quickly as possible.


    If Tao Rongye dared to ruin Miss Shen¡¯s career, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to drag him down from his throne!


    Watching Liu Su leave, Shen Yan also stepped out.


    Qin Dingyue, with her keen eyes, spotted her at once.


    ¡°Yanyan, where did you go?¡±


    ¡°Just needed to use the restroom.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Qin Dingyue moved in closer, lower her voice to whisper, ¡°Liu Qiang went to see Teacher Tao. Have you checked online, Yanyan? Liu Qiang is topping the trend for being notorious. Her past scandals have been exposed, one more explosive than the other, and she supposedly had affairs with high-level execs at her agency...¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough!¡±


    Zhou Jingming cleared his throat sharply.


    Qin Dingyue immediately quieted down.


    Shen Yan looked forward and thought to herself that Tao Rongye¡¯s tactics were indeed swift.


    This time, Liu Qiang wouldn¡¯t stand a chance to turn things around.


    Chu Jinghe suddenly turned to look at Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan had been universally maligned online, but she was fortunate.


    She had actually managed to turn the tables in such circumstances.


    Qin Dingyue also belatedly remembered the incident, giving an awkward smile, seemingly wanting to offer Shen Yan an explanation but then thinking any explanation from her redundant.


    She hadn¡¯t said anything about Shen Yan, after all.


    Wen Yan was getting impatient, ¡°How much longer do we have to wait? A perfectly good show has been thrown into disarray by Liu Qiang, casting such a pall. Truly bad luck.¡±


    Though Wen Yan¡¯s voice was low, everyone heard.


    But no one responded to his comments.


    Everyone was annoyed.


    Because of Liu Qiang alone, the show was thrown into this state at the very start, and who would compensate them for their losses?


    Why had they joined this show?


    Obviously, to catch another wave of fame.


    Now, with the recording starting and stopping, it wasn¡¯t just about gaining fame; keeping their current popularity stable was uncertain.


    In the entertainment industry, it wasn¡¯t just about them as artists. Just during the brief moment they were all waiting here, who knew how many other artists were scrambling to climb up the ladder outside?


    The program kept having such blunders, and the viewers were losing patience¡ªwhat could retain the heat of the show then?


    Tao Rongye watched Liu Qiang cry her eyes out, his frown so tight it could kill a few flies.


    The assistant had an ugly look on their face.


    Tao Rongye couldn¡¯t say anything harsh, so the assistant had to play the villain.


    ¡°Miss Liu, this matter has nothing to do with Teacher Tao, and we can¡¯t help with your request. Teacher Tao has his own agency, and what can or can¡¯t be said online all has to be approved from above. We hope you understand Teacher Tao¡¯s difficulty. Miss Liu, Director Li is waiting for you,¡± the assistant stated firmly.


    The assistant was effectively showing Liu Qiang the door.


    With tears streaming down her face, Liu Qiang looked at Tao Rongye, pitifully begging, ¡°Teacher Tao, I... I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose... I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re maligning me so, I haven¡¯t done anything. If you don¡¯t help me, I¡¯m really finished.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Liu, I might truly be unable to help you,¡± sighed Tao Rongye, instructing the assistant, ¡°take Miss Liu over there.¡±


    The assistant helped Liu Qiang up, and as she tried to resist, the assistant coldly reminded her, ¡°Do you want to make another scene here, Miss Liu? There are plenty of cameras outside; if you¡¯re not afraid of being filmed with more negative history, then by all means, go ahead and make a fuss.¡±


    Liu Qiang¡¯s face turned instantly pale.


    Then she walked out of Tao Rongye¡¯s tent, her eyes red and swollen.


    The guests waiting outside to resume recording witnessed this scene and felt a subtle shift in their hearts.


    Soon, Tao Rongye came out as well.


    The moment he lifted his gaze, it met with Shen Yan¡¯s, still exuding his warm and amiable demeanor.


    Everyone else cast Tao Rongye sympathetic looks.


    Rubbing shoulders with a woman like Liu Qiang must¡¯ve been quite frustrating for the Best Actor at the moment.


    Qin Dingyue discreetly tugged at Shen Yan¡¯s sleeve, whispering, ¡°Teacher Tao is really unlucky to have Liu Qiang as a partner.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Shen Yan glanced at Tao Rongye and looked away nonchalantly, agreeing with Qin Dingyue.


    ¡°If it were me, I¡¯d have thrown up last night¡¯s dinner. Teacher Tao has such good self-control.¡±


    Qin Dingyue looked at the approaching Tao Rongye with eyes full of admiration.


    Tao Rongye came over and offered everyone a small smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have caused a scene, if not for me, your time wouldn¡¯t have been wasted.¡±


    ¡°Teacher Tao, you¡¯re too kind. It¡¯s not your fault at all,¡± Qin Dingyue hastened to comfort Tao Rongye.


    Shen Yan watched Tao Rongye behave as if nothing had happened, inwardly expressing admiration¡ªnot for nothing was he the Best Actor, his acting was impeccable.


    Tao Rongye stood there, managing to smile, speaking kindly on behalf of Liu Qiang as if absolving her.


    This only made others even more indignant on his behalf.


    Liu Qiang¡¯s actions could spoil his clean reputation, yet here he was, speaking up for someone so recklessly.


    He truly was too kind.


    After some conversation, Tao Rongye¡¯s assistant brought over a phone. Tao Rongye gave everyone an apologetic smile, took the phone, and walked a distance away, ensuring no one could overhear before stopping.


    Qin Dingyue was still indignant on behalf of Tao Rongye, ¡°Teacher Tao is just too good-hearted. No wonder he¡¯s known as the good guy of the entertainment industry!¡±


    Shen Yan glanced at her sideways.


    Qin Dingyue blinked, ¡°Yanyan, why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    Shen Yan saw in Qin Dingyue¡¯s eyes a clear... foolishness!


    Tao Rongye was holding the phone to his ear, listening to his agent speak.


    The agent¡¯s tone was a bit grave, ¡°Xinyu made a preemptive call, and although their words were very veiled, the warning was clear. For now, the company won¡¯t touch Shen Yan; keep an eye on her and don¡¯t let her spout nonsense.¡±


    Tao Rongye turned around, looking towards Shen Yan.


    His gaze grew deeper.


    ¡°So the rumors that Xinyu is strongly supporting Shen Yan are true?¡±


    ¡°From the current look of things, yes. Even Shi Lian is doing promotion for her, and Xinyu is throwing their best resources at her. So I suspect there¡¯s another reason behind it.¡± For the time being, they couldn¡¯t touch Shen Yan.


    At least, not until they had thoroughly investigated her background and could not take the risk.


    Tao Rongye¡¯s gaze deepened further.


    When he looked up again, he met Shen Yan¡¯s gaze head-on.


    Shen Yan nodded slightly towards him.


    At that moment, Tao Rongye inexplicably felt a sense of fear toward Shen Yan!

 Chapter 59 - 59 059 Shen Yans Proposal

    ?Chapter 59: Chapter 059: Shen Yan¡¯s Proposal Chapter 59: Chapter 059: Shen Yan¡¯s Proposal Liu Qiang¡¯s tumble was not unjustified, nor was it without dramatic flair.


    By 3 p.m., Liu Qiang had been sent off the island.


    Director Li breathed a sigh of relief and publicly claimed that Liu Qiang had caught a high fever from falling into the water and would be temporarily exiting the recording of the program.


    The netizens, upon hearing this, instantly knew what was going on.


    It was clear she had been kicked off.


    The netizens weren¡¯t fools¡ªto get sick from a dip in the warm water, how weak did one have to be?


    Then they all teasingly said that Director Li had quite the talent for dramatics, calling it a ¡°high fever,¡± when it was clearly a ¡°high stir¡± that was more accurate!


    The recording continued.


    The original partner teams remained unchanged, and Tao Rongye completed the task alone.


    The task load had also been reduced.


    Unsurprisingly, by evening, Shen Yan and Wen Yan¡¯s team won.


    The first day brought no novel gameplay; the netizens were there purely for the sake of supporting the guests.


    Aside from Liu Qiang¡¯s scandalous exit, the rest of the show met with lukewarm reactions.


    Seeing the bountiful gains from Shen Yan and Wen Yan¡¯s victory, Director Li felt his headache return.


    The evening meal was still served in the form of a campfire.


    Shen Yan and Wen Yan¡¯s table was the most generously stocked.


    Without Liu Qiang¡¯s gloomy presence, Chu Jinghe looked around and said with a laugh to Shen Yan, ¡°Shen Yan, you¡¯re amazing, always winning over us with ease.¡±


    Her words could easily lead to speculation by the audience.


    Shen Yan winning with ease each time just didn¡¯t seem right.


    In the live broadcast¡¯s chat, a flurry of messages demanded ¡°fair and unbiased treatment of all guests¡± and similar questions about the program¡¯s integrity, stopping just short of outright accusing Director Li of having an affair with Shen Yan.


    Seeing these messages, Director Li almost smoked with anger.


    With the whole thing broadcast live, were they blind to the reality?


    The same routes, the same games¡ªhow could he cheat for Shen Yan?


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t even give Chu Jinghe a glance and said, ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re all too weak.¡±


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s smile instantly froze on her face.


    The others: ¡°...¡±


    Caught in the crossfire for no reason.


    ¡°Shen Yan, Jinghe was complimenting you. How can you speak to her like that?¡± Mu Jincheng couldn¡¯t stand hearing aggressive words towards Chu Jinghe.


    ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± Shen Yan gave Mu Jincheng a meaningful look.


    Mu Jincheng immediately thought of the embarrassing moment when he revealed too much and his face turned dark in an instant, ¡°That¡¯s because you were just lucky.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m always the lucky one, and you¡¯re all just unlucky.¡±


    Mu Jincheng: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Shen Yan, it¡¯s my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have said those words. Jincheng, stop arguing with Shen Yan,¡± Chu Jinghe said, making herself look like the culprit, which utterly moved her fans.


    [Fake Princess should roll out of here. Hehe kindly compliments her and she bites back immediately, just as nauseating as in the first episode.]


    [Shen Yan, get out of the entertainment industry.]


    [Exactly, Chu Jinghe didn¡¯t say anything harsh. Is it wrong to compliment now? Chu Jinghe is just too kind.]


    [Chu Jinghe has such a good temper. If it were me, I would have turned the Fake Princess¡¯s table over.]


    ¡°Jinghe, it¡¯s not your fault; you have nothing to apologize for,¡± Mu Jincheng flared up with indignation, ¡°The one who should be apologizing is her. Shen Yan, don¡¯t think that just because you win every time, you can look down on everyone. Apologize to Jinghe.¡±


    The atmosphere suddenly tensed because of Mu Jincheng¡¯s words.


    Chu Jinghe, looking at Mu Jincheng standing up to shield her, felt her heartbeat speed up.


    The way Mu Jincheng looked at her started to grow warm with a fervent heat.


    No matter how many people coveted Mu Jincheng, she alone enjoyed this kind of treatment from him.


    No matter how pretty Shen Yan was or how many victories she had, no manipulation could make Mu Jincheng like her.


    On the contrary, it made him dislike her even more.


    Tao Rongye, as a newcomer observing the scene, gave Shen Yan a strange look, her gaze flickering.


    ¡°Please tell me what I did wrong to insult everyone, as I don¡¯t even know where I offended Mr. Chu and can¡¯t properly apologize.¡±


    As Shen Yan spoke, she continued to eat her barbecue, comfortably leaning back in her chair, watching them with an unhurried gaze.


    Chu Jinghe gently tugged at Mu Jincheng, forcing a smile and said, ¡°Let it be, Jincheng. Shen Yan indeed didn¡¯t say anything harsh to me. It¡¯s just that her bluntly calling everyone weak was a bit improper. Perhaps it was because everyone took care of you, being the youngest, by intentionally giving way.¡±


    Shen Yan really wanted to applaud Chu Jinghe.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m really so grateful to all the seniors! Mr. Chu didn¡¯t mention it, so I had no idea that was the case. I¡¯ll clarify with Director Li later that no concessions should be made. Increase the difficulty, and it¡¯s best if there¡¯s a hefty penalty for not completing the task. Teacher Tao, what do you think of my suggestion?¡± Shen Yan looked with a smile toward Tao Rongye, who seemed to be enjoying the show from the sidelines.


    Tao Rongye: ¡°...¡±


    He was just there to watch the drama, so why was he being dragged onto the stage?


    ¡°Ahem, I think it¡¯s not bad.¡±


    ¡°What about Director Li?¡± Shen Yan asked again with a smile towards where Director Li was.


    Director Li: ¡°...¡±


    He was already in a tough spot; don¡¯t make things harder for him.


    Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Director Li gave a forced smile and asked Shen Yan perfunctorily, ¡°Do you have any good suggestions?¡±


    ¡°Does Director Li really want to hear my opinion?¡± Shen Yan chewed and finished the last piece of meat, looking casually at Director Li with a smile.


    Seeing that smile, Director Li felt uneasy for some reason and regretted throwing the question back to Shen Yan.


    Since the words were already out, Director Li could only nod his head determinedly: ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been playing on land this whole time, which isn¡¯t very exciting. How about we play in the river?¡± suggested Shen Yan.


    ¡°In the river?¡± Director Li thought Shen Yan would come up with something shocking, but it turned out to be just going down the river; it scared him to death.


    Shen Yan: ¡°Diving to survive, Director Li, doesn¡¯t that sound more thrilling?¡±


    Chu Jinghe, who suffered from thalassophobia, turned pale.


    She hadn¡¯t felt anything about the shallow river, but if it involved diving...


    She simply couldn¡¯t do it.


    She stared intently at Shen Yan.


    She suspected that Shen Yan knew about her condition all along and thus made this proposal on purpose.


    This was her vulnerability; she couldn¡¯t publicly display it for everyone to see.


    Director Li paused.


    The production team had considered a diving segment before, but they opted for a simple survival mode because they were worried about the guests¡¯ safety.


    Shen Yan¡¯s suggestion was not out of the question.


    After all, they were prepared with diving equipment.


    However...


    Director Li looked toward Tao Rongye.


    Tao Rongye said with a smile, ¡°This sounds good, I agree.¡±


    ¡°I agree too!¡± Qin Dingyue, who was eager to try, raised her hand.


    ¡°I have no problem with it either,¡± surprisingly, Wen Yan, who couldn¡¯t swim, did not refuse.


    Wen Yan¡¯s inability to swim was well-known, and if he agreed, how could others fall short in comparison?


    Zhou Jingming casually agreed as well.


    Mu Jincheng, who could swim, didn¡¯t mind joining the production team for some fun. Plus, this mode of play was more exhilarating and might even stir up more buzz online.


    Now, only Chu Jinghe was left.


    Chu Jinghe forced a stiff smile, feeling a bit parched, ¡°I, I agree too.¡±


    She didn¡¯t understand how things had gotten to this point.


    She merely wanted to smear Shen Yan.


    Instead, she ended up dragging herself down.


    Mu Jincheng secretly edged closer to her and said, ¡°Jinghe, I¡¯ll protect you, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Chu Jinghe forced a smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. When we¡¯re underwater tomorrow, I¡¯ll find an opportunity to vent for you,¡± Mu Jincheng¡¯s voice grew even lower.


    Chu Jinghe looked at Mu Jincheng and then quickly lowered her gaze, ¡°Jincheng, actually, you don¡¯t need to do this for me. I know Shen Yan dislikes me. She just says a few words that don¡¯t hurt or itch; I¡¯m okay.¡±


    To Mu Jincheng, seeing her like this just made his heart ache even more.


    It was all because of Shen Yan that Jinghe had to suffer like this.


    Mu Jincheng looked at Shen Yan coldly.


    But Shen Yan was blatantly looking at him, returning his gaze with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile.


    A look of disgust flashed through Mu Jincheng¡¯s eyes.


    The audacity to stare at him so brazenly, Shen Yan really had no shame.


    Tao Rongye watched the undercurrents among the three of them from the side, looking at Shen Yan with a meaningful glance.


    Perhaps, he could use Mu Jincheng to give Shen Yan a taste of her own medicine.

 Chapter 60 - 60 060 Peril Underwater

    ?Chapter 60: Chapter 060: Peril Underwater Chapter 60: Chapter 060: Peril Underwater No matter how much Shen Yan¡¯s suggestion of such a dangerous project was attacked online, the guests gathered at the riverbank after breakfast the next day.


    Though it was called a river, the river¡¯s surface didn¡¯t differ much from that of the sea.


    Chu Jinghe stared at the dark spot in the middle of the river, her complexion turning slightly pale.


    Mu Jincheng noticed Chu Jinghe¡¯s condition and asked with concern, ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing; I just have a bit of low blood sugar,¡± Chu Jinghe said stiffly, tugging at the corners of her mouth.


    Despite her manager¡¯s persuasion the previous night, she insisted on joining the others in the task.


    She couldn¡¯t let Shen Yan gain all the limelight while she withdrew and lost all the attention.


    Her manager had even cursed at Shen Yan for this.


    Now they all suspected whether Shen Yan knew Chu Jinghe had this phobia.


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s deep-sea fear was quite severe.


    The production team had casually announced the prepared tasks earlier, and upon seeing diving on the list, she had specifically gone to practice diving. However, Chu Jinghe had fainted from fright as soon as she entered the sea.


    Her manager immediately called Director Li, saying diving was too dangerous.


    If it wasn¡¯t canceled, Chu Jinghe had no plans to join the team.


    Director Li had no choice but to cancel it.


    Recalling this incident, Director Li had discussed with Chu Jinghe the night before, saying she didn¡¯t have to participate in this diving task.


    He suggested letting Tao Rongye and Mu Jincheng pair up instead.


    But Chu Jinghe insisted on diving too.


    After Director Li had confirmed her decision several times, he no longer tried to persuade her.


    *


    The river simply cannot be compared to the sea.


    There were more fish in the sea, and no shortage of shellfish either.


    Though there were also fish at the river bottom, the crew were worried catching them would be difficult, so they opted for a ¡°treasure hunt¡± recording method instead.


    Because of the live broadcast, the netizens grabbed their phones, switched on their TVs, tablets, and other live streaming devices early on, waiting to watch this most thrilling survival live show!


    As the guests donned their diving gear, the live comments were flooded with remarks on who had good figures.


    ¡°Yanyan¡¯s figure is as striking as her beauty! Especially those long legs, oh ho ho ho...¡±


    ¡°Have you guys noticed that Shen Yan seems taller than Chu Jinghe, and even her looks and figure are better. I¡¯m just an onlooker, not a fan of anyone.¡±


    ¡°Our Jinghe is the belle of the entertainment world! Which part of Fake Princess isn¡¯t fake?¡±


    ¡°Pfft! I¡¯m dying of laughter, still the belle... if I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think Chu Jinghe¡¯s family sells wreaths.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so great about Shen Yan? She can¡¯t even compare to a single strand of Chu Jinghe¡¯s hair. If it wasn¡¯t for her ambiguous relationship with Director Li, how could she always come in first in tasks?¡±


    ¡°Chu Jinghe can¡¯t stand losing. She deliberately spoke misleading words last night. Chu Jinghe is the real fake.¡±


    The fans of both sides started to argue again.


    Meanwhile, everyone followed the direction pointed by Director Li, and saw many water balls floating calmly on the river surface, with food ingredients tied beneath them by the production team.


    But not every water ball was tied to ingredients; some were tied to rocks and various empty objects.


    There were only three portions of food hidden beneath the vast circle of floating balls.


    After understanding the rules, all the guests put on their oxygen masks, fastened their safety belts, and added rescue floating balls, which were attached to their waists before entering the water.


    As soon as the transparent packaging was squeezed, the rescue ball would shoot up to the surface, signaling the people in the water and on the shore to immediately initiate a rescue.


    Everything was ready.


    The underwater videographers followed suit and dived in along with the guests.


    The items tied to the water balls had sunk down, so they all had to dive to the very bottom.


    Wen Yan hesitated as soon as he entered the water.


    In the end, he held back and step by step followed Shen Yan downwards.


    Underwater, Shen Yan made a hand gesture to Wen Yan.


    Wen Yan didn¡¯t understand.


    Shen Yan directly tied a rope around Wen Yan and signaled him to stay close.


    Wen Yan understood this gesture.


    The following underwater photographers were impressive, handling the underwater camera while recording and ensuring safety around them.


    Shen Yan noticed that Mu Jincheng was highly skilled at diving.


    A casual glance revealed the close couple, which left her a bit speechless.


    Even underwater, they didn¡¯t forget to show off their affection.


    As expected.


    Both fanbases were rooted in front of their screens, going wild over them!


    To Shen Yan¡¯s right was Tao Rongye, who was diving even faster, his movements clearly professional.


    Tao Rongye, acting alone, was more convenient.


    Shen Yan still had to deal with an encumbrance.


    Wen Yan was clutching the rope tied around his waist by Shen Yan, his eyes half-closed.


    After diving in, he felt light and airy as if stepping on air; overwhelmed by fear, Wen Yan trembled, his face ashen white.


    Shen Yan thought about letting them go first and then swimming to the left.


    Unexpectedly, Tao Rongye in front suddenly stopped, turned around to point at Shen Yan and then at himself.


    Shen Yan waved her hand, indicating she didn¡¯t need his help.


    Tao Rongye¡¯s fans were worried sick.


    ¡°Brother Tao, don¡¯t bother with Shen Yan; she¡¯s not worth it.¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten Liu Qiang? Brother Tao, run for it, stop being the good guy.¡±


    ¡°Brother Tao, no more good deeds, there¡¯s no reward for them.¡±


    ¡°Shen Yan¡¯s character isn¡¯t good, run fast, don¡¯t provoke her.¡±


    ¡°The bait that¡¯s delivered to the door, Shen Yan will definitely take it, I¡¯m truly anxious for Brother Tao.¡±


    After waving her hand, Shen Yan swam to the side, saw a thick rope ahead, and then swam toward it before diving down.


    Mu Jincheng saw that rope, his eyes slightly narrowing, and, disregarding Chu Jinghe¡¯s fear, led his group to dive in the direction taken by Shen Yan, intending to take the food ingredients from her.


    One had to admit, there was indeed a very special kind of luck about Shen Yan.


    Following her was never a mistake.


    Tao Rongye hesitated a little, then also dove down.


    They were all heading for that thick rope extending to the bottom of the water.


    Mu Jincheng saw Shen Yan reaching for the rope stretching down to the water¡¯s floor, and in his urgency, seemed to lose regard for everything else.


    Tao Rongye circled around to the side, perfectly blocking the three camera positions that couldn¡¯t turn around in time, although it was only for a few seconds, it was enough.


    With a push of his hand, as if he was swimming, it was this push that flung Mu Jincheng, who was holding onto the rope, to the side.


    And Mu Jincheng¡¯s hand, involuntarily following, tugged as well.


    Shen Yan, diving below, inadvertently lifted her head, and the rope directly wrapped around her neck.


    Tao Rongye added force, reaching out ¡°attempting¡± to snatch the rope from Mu Jincheng¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Cleverly¡± wrapping the rope swiftly around Shen Yan¡¯s neck, he pulled fiercely.


    Shen Yan¡¯s neck was tightly strangled.


    Bubbles ceaselessly escaped from Shen Yan¡¯s mouth.


    The three cameras simultaneously captured the scene of the rope wrapping around Shen Yan¡¯s neck.


    The audience¡¯s eyes widened.


    Fireworks fans outside shouted anxiously for those two to let go of the rope, wishing they could dive through their phones to help untie it.


    The three following photographers¡¯ faces changed color.


    They all swam towards Shen Yan.


    Chu Jinghe, having been pulled down, saw this scene and in that moment she didn¡¯t feel afraid at all.


    Seeing Shen Yan¡¯s neck ensnared, a bold thought suddenly jumped out from deep inside her.


    It would be best if Shen Yan was entangled and died underwater!


    Wen Yan, being closest, was so anxious his eyes turned red. Unable to swim, he flailed his arms haphazardly, kicked his legs, and swam towards Shen Yan in desperation.


    He wanted to tell the people above holding the rope to let go quickly, but he couldn¡¯t make a sound.


    At that instant, Shen Yan suddenly stretched out both hands and gave a fierce pull.


    Directly pulling the water¡¯s surface rescue ball into the water.


    Those holding tight to the rope were thus pulled downward.


    Mu Jincheng then realized that the rope had wrapped around Shen Yan¡¯s neck, his face turning pale with fright.


    He let go abruptly, panic flashing in his eyes.


    He did not know the rope had tangled around Shen Yan¡¯s neck.


    However, underwater, someone was giving him a cold, mocking smile.


    For an instant, he thought he saw a delicately beautiful water ghost!


    His heart stopped fiercely!


    ¡°Splash!¡±


    In the water, a whirl of water suddenly stirred.


    The three camera positions, struck by the swinging rope, were thrown off, and Shen Yan took advantage of that moment to fiercely sling the rope towards Tao Rongye¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Splash!¡±


    Another rolling sound came from the surface.


    Underwater.


    In the brief moment the cameras moved, Shen Yan suddenly performed a splendid underwater somersault, that slender hand pressing down on the thick rope around Tao Rongye¡¯s neck.


    Then she abruptly pressed him down to the bottom.


    Tao Rongye¡¯s breathing and heartbeat stopped that instant, his eyes as wide as bronze bells!


    His body sank quickly.


    He saw clearly Shen Yan¡¯s actions, graceful and swift.


    She knew!


    Fear struck him, and a phrase flashed through his mind.


    Shen Yan directly pressed him down underwater, then with one hand, undid the wrapper and tossed it to Wen Yan, whose eyes were wide open.


    Tao Rongye, with his back against the pitted riverbed, struggled in Shen Yan¡¯s grasp, wheezing.


    Pure terror filled his eyes.


    Shen Yan, however, coldly smiled watching his helpless struggle.


    Wen Yan, catching the package tossed over, stood rigid, seeing Tao Rongye¡¯s struggle grow weaker, he was frightened and tugged at the rope entangling the two.


    Seeing Shen Yan look over, he frantically shook his head.


    Shen Yan slowly released Tao Rongye, gave him a kick and swam away with Wen Yan towards the other side, without any intention of waiting for the photographers to find them.


    Liu Su, witnessing the scene in the water from outside, was desperately anxious and found Director Li, furiously shouting to rescue them.


    That was Shen Yan, the darling of the Shen Family from Beijing!


    Even if she had fallen out with her family, she was still their prized possession!


    If anything happened, no one would get away with it!

 Chapter 61 - 61 061 Are Your Connections Strong

    ?Chapter 61: Chapter 061: Are Your Connections Strong? Chapter 61: Chapter 061: Are Your Connections Strong? Underwater operations went awry, and Director Li was even more anxious than Liu Su.


    ¡°Brother Liu, don¡¯t panic yet. Our underwater photographer is a professional diver and will find Shen Yan soon.¡±


    Director Li was soothing Liu Su.


    Just as Liu Su was about to start berating someone, the assistant director¡¯s voice came through, ¡°We¡¯ve found them! Shen Yan and Wen Yan appeared in Zhou Jingming¡¯s livestream, both unharmed, as are the others. The photographer following Shen Yan and Wen Yan has already caught up, so no one needs to worry.¡±


    Liu Su immediately ran over.


    And sure enough, he saw the underwater footage.


    Shen Yan appeared on the live broadcast screen with Wen Yan, alongside Zhou Jingming and Qin Dingyue.


    They greeted each other kindly and then each swam to the opposite side to avoid any underwater conflicts.


    The cameraman following them had reset the frame on Shen Yan and Wen Yan, who were carrying a large package, clearly already having made a haul.


    Underwater, there were no traces left behind.


    To find ingredients, one had to rely on their own skills.


    Now, no one could accuse Shen Yan of surviving by pulling strings.


    Seeing Shen Yan¡¯s footage again, Fireworks fans almost cried with joy.


    [Yanyan is okay, really, that¡¯s such a relief!]


    [Did anyone notice that the footage just now was a bit strange? According to my analysis, something entangled around Yanyan¡¯s neck, and it must be related to those two above.]


    [Yes, I¡¯ve been staring at that footage the whole time, feeling like Mu Jincheng and Emperor Tao were acting strangely.]


    [If it wasn¡¯t on purpose, then it was an attempted murder, right?]


    After all, one¡¯s a popularity star and the other an emperor of the screen.


    Fireworks fans dared not discuss it too excessively.


    The comments became a bit quiet.


    Then they tacitly switched to other topics.


    [Wen Yan acts like such a little wife, following fearfully right behind Yanyan!]


    [Wen Yan is really bold, daring to go underwater without knowing how to swim!]


    [Said he couldn¡¯t swim before, isn¡¯t that just a lie? Typically, people afraid of water avoid it at all costs.]


    [Dizzy, Wen Yan only said he couldn¡¯t swim; he never said he feared water.]


    [Just walk at the bottom, now with Shen Yan leading, of course, Wen Yan isn¡¯t scared.]


    [Swimming is really simple.]


    [Right, I jump into the water, and in three days, I can float up.]


    [Hahaha! Actually, non-swimmers can just relax their bodies and still float on the water waiting for rescue!]


    On the screen.


    Shen Yan and Wen Yan luckily found a second package.


    Though they had several missed attempts, securing two bags meant they won.


    Shen Yan no longer searched for other packages, but rather started grabbing at the riverbed¡¯s algae and various weeds, fumbling around, unclear what she was doing.


    When she pulled out several medium-sized crabs, everyone chuckled knowingly.


    Each diver had been equipped with a net bag for carrying items when they descended.


    Shen Yan opened hers and began filling it up.


    Wen Yan, clutching two bags, carefully followed behind.


    At a glance, he indeed looked just like a little wife trailing behind Shen Yan!


    Shen Yan felt around the muddy crevices and surprisingly fished out several large prawns.


    Afterward, she didn¡¯t lift them up to show the camera, but simply tossed them directly into the net bag.


    She quickly gathered quite a variety of groceries.


    Fish, shrimp, river crabs, and a good amount of aquatic plants were all put in.


    So, even though the camera lens was pushed up close, it was still unclear what was packed inside.


    [Yanyan is really capable, even genuine villagers couldn¡¯t manage what she does.]


    [What on earth is there that Yanyan can¡¯t do?]


    [Talking nonsense here, just like Fake Princess¡¯s song last time, completely tone-deaf and the lyrics were utterly nonsensical.]


    [It¡¯s Black again, let¡¯s see you try singing one.]


    [Any ordinary person could do better than Fake Princess, even if it¡¯s staged.]


    ¡°Regarding the Fake Princess playing the piano on live stream, I suspect she used a playback and even hilariously invited that washed-up musician to boost her popularity.¡±


    ¡°The tricks of the Fake Princess are plentiful, why didn¡¯t she drown in the water just now?¡±


    ¡°If it were me, I would have taken her down in the water.¡±


    ¡°Black fans are toxic, aren¡¯t they? Making criminal verbal attacks, these should be sued one by one.¡±


    ¡°Come on... let your Fake Princess sue me then!¡±


    ¡°Damn, I really want to crawl through the internet cable and beat someone up.¡±


    *


    The underwater task had everyone on edge from start to finish.


    Watching each guest emerge from the water, Director Li and others breathed a sigh of relief.


    Shen Yan and Wen Yan were the last to come ashore.


    The fastest to get ashore was Tao Rongye, who was excessively scared.


    As soon as he got ashore, Wen Yan, pale-faced, removed his diving mask and started violently vomiting everything he had eaten in the morning.


    Shen Yan patted his back and called someone to help Wen Yan away.


    Chu Jing and the others weren¡¯t faring much better; if she wasn¡¯t afraid of ruining her image on camera, she would have vomited just like Wen Yan.


    Suppressing psychological fear for too long, relaxation after coming out resulted in vomiting, which was normal.


    Shen Yan put the net bag and two packages she collected into the foam boxes prepared by the crew; Director Li came over to see Shen Yan and Wen Yan¡¯s catch, his mouth twitching.


    Shen Yan truly didn¡¯t disappoint.


    Besides grabbing two packages, she managed to capture so many good items; she must be wild at heart.


    Otherwise, how could she be so good at wild capturing?


    Mu Jincheng was worried about Chu Jinghe and had already followed them.


    Qin Dingyue was still happy about their package, but when Shen Yan¡¯s catch was revealed, it instantly slapped her in the face.


    Truly worthy of the person she admired!


    Always so impressively compelling!


    ¡°Yanyan, you, you¡¯re really amazing!¡± Qin Dingyue ran over, her eyes sparkling as she stared at Shen Yan!


    Zhou Jingming laughed, ¡°We thought we were sure to win, but we didn¡¯t expect to still lose to you. However, compared to the other groups, we were lucky too.¡±


    ¡°Cough cough...¡±


    Tao Rongye touched his neck, his face extremely pale.


    Director Li then realized the urgency, quickly calling people to check on Tao Rongye; the clear strangulation mark on his neck made everyone gasp.


    Tao Rongye¡¯s fans in the live stream were cursing the show crew fiercely.


    Shen Yan stood beside the large box, turning to look back at Tao Rongye.


    She also raised her hand to touch the shocking rope mark on her fair neck, which due to her pale and delicate skin, even bled at the touch.


    It looked as if she had acquired another head, more severe than Tao Rongye¡¯s.


    Fireworks fans were furious for Shen Yan; why was Tao Rongye getting the show crew¡¯s attention when no one noticed Shen Yan¡¯s injury?


    Shen Yan¡¯s wound looked even more severe than Tao Rongye¡¯s.


    Tao Rongye was so shocked by Shen Yan¡¯s gaze and action that he stiffened.


    His face turned even paler.


    Liu Su hurried over, taking Shen Yan to change out of her diving suit, then treating the wounds on her neck.


    He didn¡¯t know how anxious he had been throughout this process, having almost called Qi Si several times.


    After changing into regular clothes, Shen Yan sat in the medical tent letting the doctor apply medicine to her neck.


    The doctor, seeing Shen Yan being silent the whole time as if it weren¡¯t her own injuries, couldn¡¯t help but inwardly praise her.


    He had thought her a delicate actress; her pain tolerance was many times stronger than a man¡¯s.


    The coarse rope had torn the flesh on her neck, and applying medicine must have been excruciatingly painful.


    Yet, Shen Yan acted as if nothing had happened.


    After the gauze was wrapped, Liu Su checked for any other injuries before taking Shen Yan back to her tent.


    After dismissing everyone else, Liu Su asked Shen Yan seriously, ¡°Miss Shen, did you face any attack underwater?¡±


    Shen Yan touched her neck, her voice calm, ¡°Is Tao¡¯s network in the entertainment industry very strong?¡±


    Liu Su was puzzled, ¡°Miss Shen, why do you suddenly ask that?¡±


    Shen Yan just smiled and remained silent.


    Liu Su¡¯s expression suddenly turned extremely grim, his eyes fierce, ¡°It was Tao Rongye who did it!¡±

 Chapter 62 - 62 062 Does Shen Yan Want to Act Spoiled and

    ?Chapter 62: Chapter 062: Does Shen Yan Want to Act Spoiled and Seek Comfort from Him? Chapter 62: Chapter 062: Does Shen Yan Want to Act Spoiled and Seek Comfort from Him? Shen Yan almost got strangled in the water, and Liu Su was furious.


    He wished he could rush over and kill that so-called ¡°Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen, you should rest well, I¡¯ll handle this. Can Emperor just kill someone like that?¡± Liu Su gritted his teeth, ¡°No matter how influential he is, can he really overpower the truth and the law?¡±


    Shen Yan took her cellphone, leaned on the small bed, and watched Liu Su hurry off.


    If it weren¡¯t for her concern that there might be a problem in the water, she might have killed that piece of paper man.


    Xiao Zhao walked in, and Shen Yan had already concealed the fierce light in her eyes.


    ¡°Yanyan! Wuu wuu!¡±


    ¡°... What are you crying for? I¡¯m not dead yet,¡± Shen Yan didn¡¯t understand why Xiao Zhao was crying like a tearful person just for this little matter.


    Xiao Zhao sniffled, ¡°But I, I feel so heartbroken.¡±


    While sobbing, she covered her chest, and snot and tears fell together.


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    She looked at Xiao Zhao, feeling somewhat complicated.


    Could there really be someone who was so heartbroken for her, to the point of crying?


    At that instant, recalling unpleasant memories, Shen Yan frowned and said somewhat stiffly, ¡°Stop crying, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t help it, when I think of you being strangled in the water, I, I just feel so uncomfortable,¡± Xiao Zhao now was also a Fireworks fan, joining everyone else in treating Shen Yan like their own daughter.


    How could she not feel heartbroken when her own daughter underwent such an ordeal?


    But these words, Xiao Zhao dared not say them in front of Shen Yan.


    She was afraid Shen Yan would kill her.


    Shen Yan watched her expressionlessly.


    After Xiao Zhao finished expressing her heartache, she finally remembered the serious matters, ¡°Yanyan, you¡¯re trending again. Everyone is praising how amazing you are! You¡¯ve gained a lot of new fans, and those haters can¡¯t touch you anymore, hehe!¡±


    Looking at Xiao Zhao¡¯s silly demeanor, Shen Yan was already considering whether to change her assistant.


    Shen Yan picked up her phone and scrolled through, indeed seeing herself trending.


    However, she was only second in the trending list.


    The first was Tao Rongye.


    After all, he was the Emperor, stable in his fan base.


    ¡°Shen Yan.¡±


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s voice came from outside.


    Xiao Zhao¡¯s eyes widened, and she whispered, ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s Teacher Mu.¡±


    ¡°Shen Yan, are you alright?¡± Mu Jincheng, for some unknown reason, suddenly came to check on her.


    Through the tent fabric, Shen Yan said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Is there something?¡±


    Her tone was cold.


    Mu Jincheng hesitated a bit before saying, ¡°May I come in and check on you?¡±


    ¡°You better not come in, to avoid misunderstandings,¡± Shen Yan lowered her gaze and continued scrolling her phone.


    Mu Jincheng said, ¡°I¡¯m coming in.¡±


    Without waiting for a response from inside, he walked in.


    Seeing Mu Jincheng¡¯s sudden intrusion, Xiao Zhao flustered, ¡°I, I¡¯ll go make some hot water for you to soothe your throat,¡± Shen Yan.¡±


    Unperturbed by why Xiao Zhao would want to scald her throat with hot water, Shen Yan glanced at Mu Jincheng who had just barged in and said indifferently, ¡°You¡¯ve seen me, you can leave now.¡±


    Shen Yan¡¯s indifference made Mu Jincheng frown, ¡°Shen Yan, in the water, I didn¡¯t know you were tangled up by the rope below. If I had known, I definitely would have let go sooner.¡±


    Shen Yan¡¯s coldness made Mu Jincheng somewhat annoyed.


    He had come to see her, yet Shen Yan still acted this way.


    He really hadn¡¯t known about her predicament below.


    ¡°Then I really appreciate that you nearly strangled me to death.¡±


    ¡°Shen Yan, don¡¯t be sarcastic like that, I just came to tell you. Don¡¯t think you can make me feel sympathy by using such a painful ruse.¡±


    Shen Yan looked at him as if she was looking at an idiot.


    My dear male lead, are you okay?


    ¡°If your brain is sick, go see a doctor. Don¡¯t come bothering me,¡± Shen Yan spoke and then shifted her gaze back to her phone.


    Mu Jincheng wanted to say a few caring words, but with her attitude, he just couldn¡¯t.


    He glanced at the conspicuous gauze around Shen Yan¡¯s neck, left with a cold face.


    Chu Jinghe lay weakly in bed, having heard from her assistant that Mu Jincheng had gone to see Shen Yan after leaving her.


    Then she heard that Mu Jincheng had left Shen Yan¡¯s place with a dark expression, and she breathed a sigh of relief.


    Clearly, Shen Yan did not know Mu Jincheng¡¯s true identity.


    If she did, she would definitely want to climb into Mu Jincheng¡¯s bed immediately.


    Fortunately, only she knew about this.


    Chu Jinghe sent her assistant to check on Tao Rongye, who was a celebrated actor in the industry, naturally deserving of her efforts to curry favor and increase her connections.


    *


    Tao Rongye had just sent away a few groups of people and, exhausted, leaned on a small bed to rest.


    Liu Su came over with Shen Yan¡¯s ¡°regards.¡±


    Shen Yan¡¯s regards?


    Tao Rongye suddenly sat up, looking at the middle-aged man who walked in. The man¡¯s gaze seemed a bit heavy.


    ¡°Emperor Tao, Miss Shen asked me to check on you and also give a heads-up. The artists from Xinyu never suffer in silence. Please take good care of yourself, Emperor Tao, I¡¯ll say no more.¡±


    Face off in the open!


    After dropping those words, Liu Su didn¡¯t care about Tao Rongye¡¯s status and turned to leave.


    Tao Rongye¡¯s face turned grim as he held his phone, his hand trembling slightly.


    He struggled to make a phone call, his throat tense and voice somewhat hoarse, ¡°There¡¯s been an accident here, Xinyu might make a move on me, it¡¯s better if you act quickly on Shen Yan¡¯s side.¡±


    *


    Liu Su returned to Shen Yan¡¯s side without mentioning anything else but snapped a photo of Shen Yan¡¯s neck and immediately sent it to Qi Si.


    ¡°Sir, Miss Shen was almost murdered at the variety show. She wanted to call and act coquettishly with you but was afraid to disturb you. I¡¯m thick-skinned on behalf of Miss Shen to send you this message. Miss Shen almost died in the water, and she has been crying ever since she got out, nearly blinding herself while crying and wanting to seek comfort from you.¡±


    Country S.


    Night.


    Qi Si sat by the pool, looking at the desert night scene of Country S.


    His phone buzzed twice on the glass table.


    As soon as he opened it, he saw a shocking photo.


    A tempting, fair neck wrapped in layers of gauze, faint traces of blood seeping through.


    His immediate thought was that the injury to the neck was severe.


    Qi Si¡¯s handsome brows slightly furrowed. As he read the lengthy explanation, his brows furrowed even tighter.


    Shen Yan wanted to act coquettishly with him, seek comfort?


    That was becoming more and more outrageous.


    Everything else could be disbelieved.


    But the crying part, believable.


    He could even imagine Shen Yan screaming in pain, her face a mess of tears and snot.


    The image was certainly not a pretty one.


    He covered the phone and decided not to bother with such trivial matters.


    Looking up at the dim stars, for some reason, Qi Si¡¯s mind flashed back to that very unusual scene from that night.


    Shen Yanqing¡¯s cold facial features left an impression.


    It was a far cry from her usual hysterical and unattractive outbursts, and the feeling it gave him was indescribable.


    Overall, it wasn¡¯t as annoying as usual.


    Perhaps it was that momentary image that touched him, and he picked up the phone again to send a cold reply.


    ¡°Handle it yourself, no need to be lenient.¡±


    *


    Receiving the reply, Liu Su immediately returned to Shen Yan, ¡°Miss Shen, this is a serious matter. I accidentally mentioned it to the sir, and he is quite angry. He even asked if you would like him to call to offer some words of comfort, but I took the liberty of refusing on your behalf, fearing you wouldn¡¯t accept.¡±


    Shen Yan, ¡°...¡±


    Are you sure it was an accident?


    She could hardly imagine that cold person comforting her.


    Seeing Shen Yan¡¯s non-reactive demeanor, Liu Su added fuel to the fire, ¡°The sir has already booked a plane ticket, preparing to return and handle this matter personally. Miss Shen might not be aware, but the sir has a bad temper. Once he takes action, many people will suffer.¡±


    Shen Yan finally reacted, ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter, there¡¯s no need for him to bother. Uncle Liu, I¡¯ll give him a call and explain that we can handle it ourselves.¡±


    Liu Su smiled till his eyes nearly disappeared, ¡°Good, good, then Miss Shen please hurry. I will go and confirm with Xinyu again.¡±


    Without any hesitation, Shen Yan made the first call to Qi Si as soon as Liu Su left.

 Chapter 63 - 63 063 Has the gentleman boarded the plane

    ?Chapter 63: Chapter 063: Has the gentleman boarded the plane? Chapter 63: Chapter 063: Has the gentleman boarded the plane? A strange yet somewhat familiar number called, causing Qi Si¡¯s handsome brows to furrow slightly.


    Although he didn¡¯t save Shen Yan¡¯s number, he had an extraordinary memory.


    He instantly remembered that it was Shen Yan¡¯s number.


    After three rings, he still answered.


    On the other end was Shen Yan¡¯s voice, sounding unfamiliar.


    ¡°Mr. Qi, there¡¯s no need for you to come back personally; Uncle Liu and I can handle this minor issue. We won¡¯t bother you.¡±


    Qi Si subconsciously tried to discern if there were any traces of crying in Shen Yan¡¯s tone.


    Apparently.


    Liu Su had exaggerated again.


    ¡°Mr. Qi?¡±


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t hear a response and thought Liu Su had given the wrong number, about to hang up.


    Just then, a cold, low, magnetic male voice came from the other side, ¡°No other issues.¡±


    Shen Yan blinked, ¡°I just wanted to tell you about this matter; there¡¯s nothing else. Mr. Qi, please cancel your ticket. I won¡¯t disturb you further.¡±


    Qi Si¡¯s handsome eyebrows furrowed again.


    Cancel what ticket?


    Some new internet slang?


    ¡°Uncle Liu¡¯s words should only be taken half seriously.¡±


    Uncharacteristically, the icy man added another sentence.


    ¡°Ah? Oh...¡± Shen Yan paused, then asked again to confirm, ¡°Mr. Qi, is there anything else?¡±


    The urgency in her tone to hang up made Qi Si¡¯s brows furrow again as he spoke softly, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Hanging up,¡± Shen Yan ended the call directly.


    Qi Si put down his phone, thinking about what Shen Yan had said.


    He confirmed that Liu Su was causing trouble.


    That ticket cancellation...


    His slender fingertips moved, touched the phone, and then put it back down.


    He suspected that ¡°canceling the ticket¡± and ¡°tearing the ticket¡± might mean the same thing.


    In the end, he didn¡¯t bother to check such a trivial and ridiculous thing on his phone.


    After hanging up the phone, Shen Yan was slightly puzzled, their conversation was fine, right?


    It should have been.


    He wouldn¡¯t come back to meddle in such a trivial matter.


    Soon after, Shen Yan¡¯s lips twitched.


    Was she fooled by Uncle Liu?


    Regarding Qi Si, that emotionless automaton, would he care about such a trivial matter of hers?


    Given how the original owner treated him, he would probably wish to kick her when she¡¯s down.


    Shen Yan pressed her brow, thought about her foolish behavior, and couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    As soon as Liu Su called Xinyu, the whole team sprang into action, for Shen Yan had provoked Emperor Tao, who had significant connections in the entertainment industry. Why did Shen Yan have to provoke such a significant figure?


    President Kang was going bald from all the stress.


    With such a big commotion in the company, even Dai Qiu, who hadn¡¯t been to the office, heard about it.


    These past few days, Shi Lian wasn¡¯t doing well, so Dai Qiu stayed with her at the filming site. After receiving the call from the company, he immediately turned to Shi Lian and relayed the news.


    Shi Lian looked surprised, ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s no mistake?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Dai Qiu said emotionlessly, ¡°The person Shen Yan provoked is indeed Tao Rongye.¡±


    Shi Lian looked puzzled, ¡°The company dares to tackle such a tough nut for her; have they gone mad?¡±


    To promote Shen Yan, they even dared to confront a figure like Emperor Tao.


    Dai Qiu was very disdainful of Shen Yan, ¡°The company had just managed to suppress all the negatives about Shen Yan, and now she¡¯s brought such a huge problem to the company; her backing must be really solid.¡±


    The last sentence, no matter how one heard it, carried a tone of mockery.


    Shi Lian¡¯s expression was complex, ¡°Even so, the company is willing to give their all against Tao Rongye¡¯s suppression. What did Shen Yan do to provoke Emperor Tao? To make him tear into her like that.¡±


    Dai Qiu shook his head, then sneered coldly, ¡°It¡¯s probably the same tricks Liu Qiang used, just overplayed.¡±


    Shi Lian was immediately speechless, unable to understand what Shen Yan was thinking. Did she really believe she could rely on her youthful appearance to last in the entertainment industry forever?


    Today, the company could vigorously promote her, tomorrow they could push her into the abyss.


    She was still too young after all.


    *


    Tao Rongye¡¯s talent agency dug up and down, only managing to unearth some dark secrets about Shen Yan and Mu Jincheng, along with the fabricated family background Shen Yan concocted herself.


    After all the effort, only one conclusion was arrived at.


    Shen Yan¡¯s darkness, all came from Mu Jincheng!


    As for her acting skills and her suspected rural background, they weren¡¯t scandalous material.


    There were several from rural backgrounds in the entertainment industry, and even more who weren¡¯t formally trained.


    With acting skills like Shen Yan¡¯s, there were plenty in today¡¯s entertainment industry; they couldn¡¯t be criticized.


    Now only two options remained, using Mu Jincheng to further defame Shen Yan, the other was to frame her!


    No... there was one more.


    That was the baseless rumors about Shen Yan with the higher-ups at Xinyu.


    Anyone who saw Shen Yan¡¯s looks and figure couldn¡¯t help but think in that direction.


    Tao Rongye, somewhat agitated, dialed his agent, instructing him to start from within Xinyu.


    His agent couldn¡¯t help but ask him, ¡°Did you do something to Shen Yan?¡±


    Tao Rongye denied, ¡°Other than hearing my calls, nothing else. Do you suspect I did something else?¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure that Xinyu will take action over this issue? We¡¯ve been watching the internet closely, and it has nothing to do with your attacks. Xinyu hasn¡¯t made a move, are you maybe too anxious?¡± The agent stared at a tablet displaying an old scandal involving Song Xuan and a popular celebrity, his frown deepening.


    Liu Qiang¡¯s scandalous news was still trending.


    Their purchased trolls attacking Shen Yan also stirred up some sprays, and he believed it wouldn¡¯t be long before Shen Yan would be attacked by trolls trending online.


    It was all the reaction from their actions, without anything disadvantageous to Tao Rongye.


    On the contrary, due to the fermentation of Liu Qiang¡¯s incident, netizens were sympathizing with Tao Rongye.


    Tao Rongye didn¡¯t believe Xinyu was inactive; they were probably just waiting for the right moment.


    Liu Su¡¯s words clearly meant for him to watch his own actions.


    ¡°Anyway, keep an eye on Xinyu, they will act soon.¡± Tao Rongye felt it was better to be cautious. He had climbed to his position today with difficulty and couldn¡¯t allow a young actress to ruin his career path.


    The agent merely responded affirmatively.


    *


    After resting for two hours, by 5 PM, all the guests continued the livestream.


    Shen Yan came out clad in a circle of white bandages, Liu Su¡¯s eyes flickered, he quickly walked up to Shen Yan and whispered, ¡°Miss Shen, what did Mr. Qi say?¡±


    Shen Yan gave him a strange look and responded, ¡°Mr. Qi said he already bought the plane tickets, so don¡¯t waste them. By this time, he should be boarding.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Liu Su was dumbfounded.


    Shen Yan looked serene, not like she was lying.


    Shen Yan walked toward the guests, her face breaking into a perfectly timed smile before entering the livestream camera together.


    Liu Su hurriedly took out his phone to call Qi Si, but it rang for a long time without anyone answering.


    It wasn¡¯t switched off, so he must not have boarded.


    There¡¯s still time!


    Try another call.


    After a long wait, the call was finally picked up.


    But the tone that came through, wrapped with icy sharpness, said, ¡°Speak.¡±


    A single word let Liu Su hear an underlying message: If you don¡¯t have anything good to say, wait to twist your own head off in apology!


    Liu Su shivered and asked dryly, ¡°Sir, did you board?¡±


    ...The other end had already hung up.


    Liu Su: ???


    He boldly reflected for a moment; the sir had clearly had a tone of having just woken up.


    So, had he been played by Miss Shen?


    Liu Su somewhat laughingly and cryingly looked at Shen Yan on the other side, who was smiling and greeting everyone. Was it easy for him? If it weren¡¯t for this couple, would he have made such a foolish, embarrassing mistake?

 Chapter 64 - 64 064 The Emperors Ceiling Collapsed

    ?Chapter 64: Chapter 064: The Emperor¡¯s Ceiling Collapsed Chapter 64: Chapter 064: The Emperor¡¯s Ceiling Collapsed Seeing Shen Yan wrapped in bandages, the Fireworks fans were heartbroken, and the barrage was uniformly filled with messages saying how much Shen Yan had sacrificed and how pitiful she was.


    In Emperor Tao¡¯s live streaming room, fans pitied him while cursing Shen Yan.


    If it hadn¡¯t been for Shen Yan¡¯s suggestion, would their Brother Tao have gotten hurt?


    He almost died in the water.


    A wave of powerful haters flooded into Shen Yan¡¯s live streaming room and started hurling insults.


    They completely overwhelmed the Fireworks fans¡¯ defense, making one wonder if multiple families were paying for trolls to attack Shen Yan.


    Whenever Mu Jincheng saw the obvious bandages on Shen Yan¡¯s neck, his gaze uncontrollably drifted her way.


    Tao Rongye smiled warmly, ¡°Guess we¡¯re both in difficult straits, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    Shen Yan smiled, ¡°At most, we¡¯re just sharing hardships. I wouldn¡¯t dare to call you brother or sister, Teacher Tao. I¡¯m afraid your true fans would tear me apart! So scared!¡±


    Saying this, she moved to the side, standing closer to Wen Yan.


    At this moment, Wen Yan¡¯s body was stiff, and he was barely able to keep smiling.


    He was amazed at his own heart¡¯s ability to endure!


    He had seen everything that happened underwater.


    His gaze covertly flitted back and forth between Tao Rongye and Mu Jincheng.


    After getting ashore, he carefully recalled the scene where the rope entangled Shen Yan, and it was Mu Jincheng and Tao Rongye.


    Currently, he felt very conflicted about these two.


    There were moments he suspected that they had colluded to harm Shen Yan.


    But he had no evidence and dared not think too much.


    Yet, he couldn¡¯t stop such images from popping into his mind; his head was about to explode.


    The knowing of someone¡¯s secrets and still having to nervously mingle among them was truly torturous.


    Wen Yan covertly admired Shen Yan, who smiled flawlessly, feeling even more respect for her.


    If it had been him, he would have buckled under the pressure and fled long ago.


    At that time, Shen Yan¡¯s treatment of Tao Rongye¡ªcould it be she knew who the real culprit was?


    Thinking this, Wen Yan¡¯s face looked even more troubled.


    ¡°Are you alright, Teacher Wen?¡± Shen Yan turned her head, smiling with concern.


    ¡°No, no... I¡¯m fine...¡± Wen Yan was almost in tears.


    How did Shen Yan manage to remain so terrifyingly calm?


    Director Li pondered over Shen Yan¡¯s impressive capabilities for quite a while before getting to the main point.


    Those who hadn¡¯t gotten any food today were supposed to go hungry, but since Tao Rongye was injured, he received special treatment.


    Netizens had no objections, and neither did the other guests.


    Yet Fireworks fans cornered themselves, feeling injustice for Shen Yan.


    Since there was eventually food, why bother fighting so hard?


    Seeing Tao Rongye accept it calmly, the impression of Emperor Tao soured instantly.


    [ I can understand Emperor Tao getting hurt, but for the crew to blatantly ignore Shen Yan¡¯s efforts, that¡¯s just too unfair.]


    [ Might as well rename ¡®Survival on a Desert Island¡¯ to ¡®Shen Yan Feeds the Guests¡¯.]


    [ I feel it¡¯s not fair for Shen Yan.]


    [ Fireworks fans really can twist facts.]


    [ Fake Princess seems to be finding another way to attract Emperor Tao¡¯s attention. Just now, Emperor Tao deigned to call her his unfortunate sibling, and she dared to talk back to him.]


    [ This is one of Fake Princess¡¯s typical tactics. Just wait and watch, she¡¯ll surely be the next Liu Qiang.]


    [ Liu Qiang¡¯s negative trending topics are still prominent; Shen Yan wouldn¡¯t want to keep her company, right?]


    [ I¡¯m so annoyed by Fake Princess, wishing her an unending streak of bad luck!]


    [ Condescend? What are Tao Rongye¡¯s fans feeling so noble about? What is he, really, to talk of condescending, it¡¯s ridiculous.]


    [ He must think he¡¯s some king who descended from the mountains, even daring to say things like condescend. It shows the level of education among Tao Rongye¡¯s fans isn¡¯t very high.]


    [ Perhaps they don¡¯t even know where condescend should be used. Tao Rongye has been hyped up too much; be careful not to trip and die from such a height!]


    [ I don¡¯t see how Tao Rongye¡¯s acting is so good; it¡¯s mediocre at best. I don¡¯t understand why so many people hype him up.]


    ¡°Looks like they took a different approach...¡± Fireworks fans shot back using words from their haters.


    *


    After nightfall in Shen City.


    Song Xuan was furrowing her brows, standing inside her apartment and staring out the glass window at the dark sky.


    The ringing of the phone on the desk behind her went on for quite a while before she snapped back to attention and answered it.


    The manager¡¯s tone was a bit heavy, ¡°Found out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Song Xuan gripped her phone more tightly.


    The manager said angrily, ¡°It was your beloved boyfriend pulling the strings.¡±


    Song Xuan¡¯s face paled instantly, her stance becoming slightly unsteady, ¡°It was him...¡±


    ¡°He knows your business the best, got himself muddied, scared of you arguing logically with him, and used such a low method to keep you from raising your head in front of him. To hell with him, you and that person had nothing at all, if it weren¡¯t for that person, who knows who might have had the title of Emperor...¡±


    The manager was very agitated as he spoke.


    Song Xuan¡¯s face turned even paler.


    Finally, the manager calmed down a bit, ¡°Song Xuan, a man like that is not worth what you¡¯re doing for him...¡±


    Song Xuan closed her eyes briefly, then opened them with a cold sharpness, ¡°I will break up with him.¡±


    The manager sighed in relief but then asked worriedly, ¡°You¡¯re alright?¡±


    Song Xuan forced a bitter smile, ¡°What can happen to me? We¡¯ve been together since high school, went to university together, entered the entertainment industry together. He said dating too early as celebrities would lose fans... I listened to him, managed a secret relationship. But he¡¯s disappointed me time and again...¡±


    Song Xuan began to choke up.


    The manager cursed Tao Rongye as total scum.


    After finishing, the manager regained his composure with a heavier tone, ¡°This news was leaked to me by Xinyu, the company doesn¡¯t know, and if they found out, they¡¯d protect Tao Rongye first.¡±


    Song Xuan and Tao Rongye belonged to the same company and Tao Rongye¡¯s fame was somewhat greater than Song Xuan¡¯s.


    No need to guess who they would favor.


    Song Xuan was a bit surprised, ¡°Xinyu?¡±


    ¡°I found out through some insider info at Xinyu that they¡¯re preparing something for Shen Yan.¡±


    ¡°Preparing what?¡±


    ¡°It might also involve Tao Rongye.¡±


    As the manager finished, Song Xuan¡¯s face went even paler, ¡°Tao Rongye and Shen Yan...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think,¡± the manager said, ¡°It seems Tao Rongye offended Shen Yan.¡±


    Speaking of which, Xinyu was actually bold enough to stand up against the Emperor for a minor star.


    ¡°Tao Rongye provoked Shen Yan!¡± Song Xuan¡¯s complexion didn¡¯t improve much.


    What kind of provocation?


    An image of Shen Yan¡¯s youthfully stunning face flashed through Song Xuan¡¯s mind.


    That was indeed the type Tao Rongye would like.


    It was the first time she realized Tao Rongye had such a lack of morals!


    *


    It calmed down overnight, but then trouble erupted the very next day!


    Director Li had just gotten up when the assistant director brought him the shocking bad news.


    Emperor Tao¡¯s public persona had collapsed overnight!


    Director Li¡¯s face twisted in frustration.


    Shaking as he opened his phone, he saw the top trending search with a ¡°Breaking¡± tag, feeling waves of darkness before his eyes.


    What sin had he committed, why did a simple survival show turn out like this?


    Spending big money on an Emperor, and just three days after the premiere, it all fell apart!


    Director Li simply couldn¡¯t accept it.


    At that moment, Tao Rongye.


    His face a ghastly pale, his hand holding his phone creaking, his assistant stood by trembling and not daring to make a sound.


    ¡°Smash!¡±


    In a fit of anger, Tao Rongye hurled his phone to the ground, the furiously distorted face was a far cry from his usual calm and courteous demeanor.


    He gritted his teeth, hissing out a name with venom: ¡°Shen Yan!¡±

 Chapter 65 - 65 065 No More Chance to Turn the Tables

    ?Chapter 65: Chapter 065: No More Chance to Turn the Tables Chapter 65: Chapter 065: No More Chance to Turn the Tables Online.


    Hashtags like #ActorEmperorBigCollapse#, #StolenActorEmperor?#, #ActorEmperorMurdersYoungActress# surged to the top trends.


    The top trend was #ActorEmperorBigCollapse#, even marked with the word ¡°explosive¡±.


    The top of the trending list was filled with evidence of Tao Rongye¡¯s dirty tricks and scheming behind the scenes.


    Stories of how he previously framed other celebrities causing them to lose their career path, his two-faced nature, and secret parties with several female stars, were all exposed.


    The title of Actor Emperor that he had sealed was actually given up for him by someone else; in the hashtag #StolenActorEmperor# there was a very long recording.


    In it was a conversation with his contemporary, Li Yanbai, clear as day.


    Song Xuan was mentioned as well.


    Li Yanbai, the one involved in relationship rumors with Song Xuan.


    An actor whose skills were unknown how many times better than Tao Rongye¡¯s.


    Back then, his and Tao Rongye¡¯s TV dramas aired concurrently.


    Tao Rongye received some insider tips claiming that the Actor Emperor title was to be awarded to Li Yanbai.


    So he sneakily approached Li Yanbai, and in every word he spoke, there was a hint of Song Xuan.


    Tao Rongye knew that Li Yanbai had liked Song Xuan since high school, yet he pretended to be oblivious and shamelessly pursued Song Xuan.


    He even asked Li Yanbai to help him chase Song Xuan, and under such onslaught, Song Xuan fell.


    Because of Song Xuan, Li Yanbai gave up the title of Actor Emperor and since then, never starred in another drama and instead moved to film.


    Song Xuan cooperated with Xinyu to bring about Tao Rongye¡¯s downfall, but never imagined that at that very moment, Tao Rongye would turn to Li Yanbai.


    Even more shocking was the third hashtag on the trending list.


    Liu Su had someone analyze the obscured underwater footage, and though quite subtle, they still found evidence of Tao Rongye with his hands around Shen Yan¡¯s neck.


    Within that, Mu Jincheng too was caught with a piece of rope in hand, just as he released his grip in panic, which ironically helped clear Mu Jincheng¡¯s name.


    But because of this, Tao Rongye plunged into another wave of controversy.


    The talent agency¡¯s public relations couldn¡¯t keep up, as netizens flocked to their official social media to curse.


    Layers of damning information were unearthed, shattering the pupils of Tao Rongye¡¯s true fans.


    They could never have imagined that the Actor Emperor they idolized was such a despicable person behind the scenes!


    Many true fans couldn¡¯t accept it and confronted him on Tao Rongye¡¯s Weibo.


    His agent¡¯s phone was bombarded until they finally gave up struggling.


    Renowned in the circle as a good guy, to fall so dramatically overnight was jaw-dropping!


    People within the circle speculated on who Tao Rongye could have possibly offended, to have the capability to pull him down from his divine Actor Emperor pedestal so ruthlessly.


    Afternoon.


    Tao Rongye left with an air of defeat and a grim demeanor.


    The look in the eyes of everyone on the island turned from admiration to disgust and fear.


    Director Li accompanied him out with a few others, forcing a dry laugh as they saw Tao Rongye off.


    As they passed by Shen Yan, Tao Rongye swept her a dark and icy glare.


    It was as if he wanted nothing more than to pounce on Shen Yan and tear her to pieces.


    Tao Rongye could never have imagined he would be defeated by a young actress.


    Did he regret what he did under the water? He couldn¡¯t say.


    If he had another chance, he would finish Shen Yan off!


    Shen Yan raised her hand, touched the gauze on her neck, and suddenly gave Tao Rongye a faint smile.


    But this smile, in Tao Rongye¡¯s eyes, was a provocation!


    Facing such a provocation, Tao Rongye was utterly powerless to do anything about it!


    Qin Dingyue moved closer to Shen Yan and tugged at her sleeve, ¡°Yanyan, did you see that just now? Emperor Tao¡¯s gaze was so terrifying!¡±


    Shen Yan responded with a faint smile.


    ¡°Yanyan, I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re okay. My God, I would never have imagined Emperor Tao could be so deranged, no, why would he want to hurt you?¡± Qin Dingyue covered her mouth as if struck by a sudden thought, her gaze on Shen Yan turning into one of pity and sympathy, ¡°Were you, were you forced by him!¡±


    For someone like Tao Rongye, seeing such a beautiful Yanyan, he surely couldn¡¯t move a muscle, right?


    Even she, as a girl, felt her legs tremble in the presence of such a stunningly beautiful sister, let alone men!


    The others, upon hearing Qin Dingyue¡¯s words, rolled their eyes speechlessly.


    Director Li was stressed to death.


    First, Xu Zishen was removed, then Liu Qiang, and now Tao Rongye.


    Director Li felt like everyone he saw could be the next guest to be blacked out!


    *


    After Tao Rongye left, he kept looking for old connections, only to find each one making excuses to brush him off.


    Those who once called him brother couldn¡¯t avoid him fast enough.


    He called Song Xuan, knowing well that she must be in on it, and all he wanted to do was to ask her why she had done this to him!


    Song Xuan picked up the phone.


    Her voice was cold as she spoke, ¡°Tao Rongye, we¡¯re officially breaking up.¡±


    ¡°Tao Rongye, you¡¯re framing me!¡± Tao Rongye almost roared.


    ¡°Framing you? If you hadn¡¯t done those things, would you be in this predicament? Was it you who stirred up the old scandal about me and Li Yanbai a couple of days ago? Don¡¯t deny it, I have already looked into it very clearly. Tao Rongye, you truly disgust me.¡±


    ¡°Disgusting? And you? Even though you were with me, you were unclear with Li Yanbai, so who is truly disgusting? Song Xuan, you must have slept with Li Yanbai¡¯s bed, haven¡¯t you? You always hesitate to even kiss me, but you¡¯ve gone behind my back and rolled into bed with him, you whore.¡±


    ¡°Tao Rongye!¡±


    Song Xuan roared with anger.


    Tao Rongye had lost all reason and mocked, ¡°To me, you¡¯ve always been like Jade, preserving your purity on his behalf. Song Xuan, I¡¯m a man, how can I not have my needs. Since you can¡¯t fulfill them, don¡¯t blame me for seeking out others.¡±


    ¡°Tao Rongye, you¡¯re really disgusting. Just thinking about the years I¡¯ve spent dating you makes me sick,¡± Song Xuan felt she would hate to keep talking to him, preferring to strangle him instead.


    *


    After receiving the call from President Kang, Liu Su found Shen Yan, ¡°Miss Shen can rest assured now, Tao Rongye will never be able to turn the tables again and won¡¯t have any chance to harm you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your efforts!¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen, why say such things? This is what I should do as your agent. He dared to reach out to Miss Shen without seeing what he¡¯s really worth,¡± Liu Su¡¯s eyes turned cold!


    Shen Yan looked forward and said, ¡°It looks like this episode of the show will have to end early too.¡±


    Director Li was busy finding someone to come in as a temporary guest, rather overwhelmed.


    Filming was suspended for the day; after such an incident, they couldn¡¯t continue with the survival tasks, so Director Li gathered a few guests to showcase their talents in front of the camera.


    In the live broadcast room, the Fireworks fans were leaving comments expressing their sympathy for Shen Yan.


    It was unclear what kind of grudge or resentment Tao Rongye held against Shen Yan to want to murder her!


    That night, everyone learned that Director Li had invited Li Xu and Dai Molin to come in as replacement guests.


    Both were guests on the romance show with Tao Rongye, and their arrival as substitutes made everyone feel a bit uneasy.


    Praying privately that nothing else would go wrong in the last two days.


    Shen Yan had just lay down with her phone when she received a message from Liu Su.


    [Did Miss Shen say goodnight to Sir yet? For the sake of family harmony, Miss Shen should try to communicate more with Sir through messages!]


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    In the end, she casually sent ¡°Goodnight¡± to Qi Si.


    After a moment¡¯s thought, she added, [The matter has been resolved perfectly.]


    Qi Si felt a strange sensation receiving a goodnight message in broad daylight.


    Qi Si responded expressionlessly with a single ¡°Hmm,¡± not bothering to type another word.

 Chapter 66 - 66 066 Qi Si Is Very Cold-blooded

    ?Chapter 66: Chapter 066: Qi Si Is Very Cold-blooded Chapter 66: Chapter 066: Qi Si Is Very Cold-blooded Country S.


    Qi Si had just finished his call with Shen Yan when another cell phone rang.


    Upon seeing the string of numbers, he paused for a moment, then answered the call with indifference.


    The slightly deep voice of a man came through, ¡°Qi Si, are you aware of the plot against Yanyan?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°Is this how you¡¯re handling it?¡± the other party asked, somewhat accusatory.


    ¡°What did you want me to do, kill them?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t let them off so easily, they only lost their star career. I thought based on your style of doing things, you wouldn¡¯t just let it go.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Shen can take care of it himself.¡±


    The handsome face on the other end of the line darkened, ¡°Yanyan is about to become your wife.¡±


    Isn¡¯t that your responsibility as well?


    ¡°That¡¯s her choice,¡± Qi Si¡¯s tone was so cold it lacked any trace of human emotion.


    Shen Zheng on the other end massaged his brow, ¡°You know full well she¡¯s had a fallout with her family. The Shen Family made it clear to her face that they won¡¯t help her, no matter what kind of grievances she suffers.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your business.¡±


    Shen Zheng frowned, ¡°What do you plan to do about Mu Jincheng?¡±


    Qi Si: ¡°Let her be.¡±


    Shen Zheng knew how heartless Qi Si was; he simply didn¡¯t care about the affairs of Shen Yan.


    As long as it didn¡¯t involve his interests, whatever Shen Yan did, he could not care less.


    From the beginning, he had strongly opposed the idea¡ªQi Si, a man so devoid of affection, was not the ideal choice.


    But the elders of both families had long made an agreement...


    Moreover, the two families were truly united in marriage.


    ¡°Enough,¡± Shen Zheng was also suffering from a headache over Shen Yan¡¯s matter.


    Qi Si ended the call abruptly.


    *


    The next morning, the new substitute guests had already arrived.


    Dai Molin and Li Xu greeted everyone, introduced themselves, and then started the survival task!


    This time, Director Li dared not play around in the water.


    It was safer on land.


    As soon as Dai Molin appeared, she behaved very close to Shen Yan, which caused Chu Jinghe to cast a sidelong glance.


    Dai Molin was beautiful, with a bit of a mature charm.


    Even Li Xu showed friendliness toward Shen Yan:


    ¡°Yanyan, may I call you that? It¡¯s my first time on a survival show with Li Xu, please give us your guidance!¡±


    ¡°Of course! The survival tasks are simple, Teacher Dai, don¡¯t worry,¡± Shen Yan smiled elegantly and refinedly in front of the camera.


    Dai Molin¡¯s eyes gleamed, ¡°Yanyan, you are really beautiful. I¡¯ve wanted to compliment you last time! Finally, I have the chance!¡±


    Shen Yan smiled, ¡°Thank you! Teacher Dai is very beautiful too!¡±


    ¡°Stop calling me Teacher Dai, we are making it sound like a generational difference. I¡¯m just two or three years older than you; just call me Sister Lin.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    Shen Yan was amenable.


    ¡°Sister Molin!¡± Chu Jinghe joined in as they chatted happily together and followed up with a comment.


    Dai Molin smiled and assessed Chu Jinghe for a moment, ¡°If I remember correctly, Chu Jinghe, you¡¯re one year older than me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The smile on Chu Jinghe¡¯s face stiffened momentarily.


    Shen Yan glanced at Chu Jinghe.


    Qin Dingyue joined the conversation, ¡°Yeah, Jinghe Sister, you are also a year older than me!¡±


    The smile at the corner of Chu Jinghe¡¯s mouth was starting to falter.


    What women care most about is their age, and these two directly revealing her age was embarrassing her, wasn¡¯t it?


    Chu Jinghe forced a smile and discreetly glanced at Shen Yan, her eyes flashing with a hint of coldness.


    Shen Yan used this way of forming cliques to undermine her. Isn¡¯t it fun?


    Shen Yan almost laughed out loud at Chu Jinghe¡¯s reaction.


    Among all the female guests, Chu Jinghe was the oldest.


    Which made Chu Jinghe feel a bit uncomfortable.


    The male guests watched the chattering group of female guests with a sense of helplessness, exchanging glances.


    It was only after Director Li reminded them that it was time to set off that everyone found their own partners and resumed the wild food foraging survival activity.


    Wen Yan didn¡¯t reject Shen Yan like he did during the first episode, because the scene underwater made him feel that he and Shen Yan were now on the same side, and they had grown considerably closer to each other.


    Avoiding the cameras, Wen Yan leaned in and asked her quietly, ¡°Was the incident with Tao Rongye your doing?¡±


    Shen Yan glanced at him.


    Wen Yan added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone. But you have to do something for me.¡±


    Shen Yan looked at him and raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I want to invite you to be my concert guest singer! I¡¯m holding a concert outside of the province in two days. I know you play the piano well, and the folk song you sang has a nice tune, so I was thinking...¡±


    ¡°Okay, but this folk song isn¡¯t suitable for a concert,¡± Shen Yan agreed readily.


    Wen Yan¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re really willing!¡±


    ¡°Being your concert guest is beneficial to me, isn¡¯t it? Why would I refuse?¡±


    She might even get on the trending search list again because of this!


    Shen Yan gave Wen Yan a look. He wasn¡¯t really asking her to do something for him; he was helping her out, wasn¡¯t he?


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to my agent about it later but don¡¯t back out.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t back out. But I¡¯m not too good with the five tones. Are you sure you want me as your guest singer?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to sing; you can just play a few pieces on stage for me!¡± Wen Yan had researched Shen Yan¡¯s recent popularity data. Inviting her to be a resident singer definitely wouldn¡¯t lose him anything.


    Shen Yan thought, since she had already agreed, she would prepare well.


    ¡°I will try to learn to sing a few songs in these two days, but I can¡¯t guarantee the quality.¡±


    ¡°If you need anything, you can ask me!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss it later,¡± Shen Yan was inexplicably unfamiliar with singing and still needed to seek advice from Wen Yan, the king of songs.


    Wen Yan nodded, then focused on completing the task.


    Not surprisingly, Shen Yan and Wen Yan¡¯s team won again.


    Today, Chu Jinghe was somewhat in a difficult spot, and Mu Jincheng wasn¡¯t any better off.


    Upon closer inspection, they both had been stung by bees!


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s neck and hands were stung and sought a doctor¡¯s treatment as soon as he returned.


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s cheek was stung, as well as her forehead, and she had two more stings on her body.


    She couldn¡¯t stop her tears from the pain.


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s fans were distressed and went to the program¡¯s official blog to scold the production team; it was one thing after another¡ªwere they making a show or harming people?


    Director Li didn¡¯t dare to take it lightly and promptly had the standby doctors treat both of them.


    Some bee stings could be very poisonous, and one must be careful or it could be fatal.


    In just half an hour, Chu Jinghe¡¯s face swelled up, not only hurting but also feeling chills all over.


    She lay in the tent tossing and turning, and Mu Jincheng didn¡¯t come to see her once. Through the tents, she could still hear Mu Jincheng¡¯s voice talking with everyone.


    Chu Jinghe felt aggrieved and her eyes reddened again.


    Outside.


    Mu Jincheng, enduring the pain on his body, forced himself to sit among all the guests.


    Li Xu and the others expressed their concern, while only Shen Yan was huddled closely with Wen Yan, whispering about something unknown.


    The harmonious atmosphere between the two made Mu Jincheng frown repeatedly, even getting a bit irritable about Shen Yan being close to another man.


    Didn¡¯t she say she liked him?


    What was going on now?


    Had she shifted her target to Wen Yan? So Shen Yan¡¯s taste was just like that, favoring useless pretty boys.


    Mu Jincheng watched for a long while; Shen Yan hadn¡¯t looked his way, and he didn¡¯t know what came over him when he suddenly said in a sarcastic tone to Shen Yan and Wen Yan, ¡°You two seem so close. What are you discussing? Share with everyone, so we can all hear!¡±


    Suddenly, all eyes turned towards them.


    Shen Yan turned her head, looking somewhat puzzled at Mu Jincheng.

 Chapter 67 - 67 067 Strange CP

    ?Chapter 67: Chapter 067: Strange CP Chapter 67: Chapter 067: Strange CP ¡°Teacher Mu loves gossip as much as little girls do,¡± Shen Yan said indifferently.


    The smile at the corners of Mu Jincheng¡¯s mouth almost split apart.


    He¡¯s being called a gossiping woman!


    The others pressed their lips together, trying not to smile.


    Just a moment ago, they were somewhat curious, now they¡¯d completely lost interest.


    What did other people¡¯s affairs have to do with them?


    Since they were whispering, it must be something that they did not want others to hear.


    Mu Jincheng asked nonchalantly, his desire for gossip maybe a bit too strong.


    Just as Shen Yan said, like a little girl who loves to gossip.


    Struggling to suppress something, Mu Jincheng said, ¡°I¡¯m just curious, because the two of you didn¡¯t seem as close as you are now before.¡±


    Not only Shen Yan but also the others frowned upon hearing these words.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s statement was clearly meant to lead to misunderstandings.


    Shen Yan gave him a rather cold look, ¡°I don¡¯t believe I have any obligation to satisfy others¡¯ curiosity. According to Teacher Mu, doesn¡¯t that mean you and Mr. Chu are inseparable?¡±


    At this moment, Mu Jincheng¡¯s die-hard fans were roaring in the live broadcast room.


    [Fake Princess is really hateful, daring to speak that way about our Brother Mu. What¡¯s wrong with Brother Mu and Chu Jinghe being inseparable? They are the sweetest CP!]


    [Exactly, and she even dares to argue with Brother Mu. Who gave her the face to do that?]


    [Hold on, I¡¯m not anyone¡¯s fan, and you guys are being quite hypocritical. It was clearly Mu Jincheng who made ambiguous remarks, so why isn¡¯t Shen Yan allowed to hit back?]


    [Another lapdog for Fake Princess shows up. Scram and bark somewhere else, don¡¯t dirty this place.]


    [Damn! A bunch of brain-meningitis idiots, with fans like these, the idol can¡¯t be any good either.]


    Because of this very comment, the live broadcast room turned into an absolute noise fest.


    People were tying him and Chu Jinghe together; he should have been happy about it.


    But when Shen Yan said those words, he couldn¡¯t find any joy in them.


    On the contrary, he felt an underlying anger.


    Maintaining his image, he forced a smile, ¡°What happens between Jinghe and me is different; it¡¯s for the tasks.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I was just discussing professional knowledge with Teacher Wen,¡± Shen Yan glanced at him, ¡°It has nothing to do with being as intimate as Teacher Mu mentioned. Since you¡¯re so curious, why not come over and listen in?¡±


    Shen Yan gestured openly to a spot next to her.


    You want to listen, right?


    Then come over openly and listen.


    This move actually made Mu Jincheng so embarrassed he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.


    What was he now?


    Someone who liked to listen to gossip and make sarcastic remarks on the side, stirring up trouble?


    In a word, he was creating a scene!


    ¡°It was just a joke. I¡¯m feeling a bit unwell, so I¡¯ll head back to rest,¡± Mu Jincheng stood up abruptly, knocking over the chair. He stiffly smiled at everyone, hurriedly picked up the chair, and retreated to his tent.


    Once inside his tent, his face suddenly darkened.


    Shen Yan was deliberately humiliating him!


    Mu Jincheng was fuming inside the tent, hearing the laughter outside, his face alternated between ashen and livid.


    The Fireworks fans openly mocked Mu Jincheng.


    In the first episode, Shen Yan was fawning over Mu Jincheng; now, she was as cold as could be.


    This was precisely what the Fireworks fans wanted to see.


    Compared to Mu Jincheng, the Fireworks fans preferred Wen Yan, who could be Shen Yan¡¯s ¡°little wife.¡±


    Of course, a strong Yanyan needed a delicate and helpless ¡°wife¡±!


    The Fireworks fans were not short of talented artists, and they produced a series of Q-version illustrations of Shen Yan holding Wen Yan.


    Liu Su scrolled through a wide array of these bizarre CP collections, his body shuddering thrice.


    These young people can¡¯t even ship a CP properly, yet they have the audacity to call themselves fans.


    ¡°Could someone with a pretty boy face like Wen Yan ever deserve Miss Shen?¡±


    ¡°But sir is a much better match for Miss Shen!¡±


    Liu Su captured a screenshot, phoned someone to search the internet for a master artist, and asked them to draw Shen Yan and Qi Si.


    He didn¡¯t have a picture of Qi Si, so he provided various adjectives to describe him instead.


    The person who answered the phone heard a multitude of descriptions like ¡°tall and mighty,¡± ¡°handsome as a jade tree,¡± ¡°domineering and brave,¡± ¡°skin white as snow,¡± ¡°ten feet tall,¡± ¡°with three heads and six arms,¡± and so on, until the corners of their mouth twitched.


    Good Lord, are these even human descriptions?


    What kind of bizarre stuff is this?


    Faced with a major client, the person in charge pressed down their inner shock with a weary heart and weakly agreed.


    Anyway, just drawing based on descriptions of a normal human being like ¡°tall and mighty¡± would suffice, and as for something like ¡°three heads and six arms¡±... they would treat it as a metaphorical inner image!


    After giving these instructions, Liu Su looked forward to the finished product.


    *


    Shen Yan hadn¡¯t rested much the night before; after adding Wen Yan on WeChat, they had been talking about the song all along.


    With such a rushed timeline for preparation, Shen Yan still worried about holding Wen Yan back on stage.


    Waking up yawning in the morning, as soon as she saw Liu Su, she told him about her agreement to perform a residency with Wen Yan.


    Liu Su frowned slightly, ¡°Miss Shen, do you have enough time to prepare now?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that he objected but feared that insufficient preparation could lead to a misfire.


    He was concerned that a poor performance could cause Shen Yan to lose fans and might even trigger a wave of negativity.


    ¡°Uncle Liu, don¡¯t worry. After I go out tonight, I will start preparing right away, cramming on this area,¡± she added. After all, she wasn¡¯t going to take the stage immediately upon arrival.


    She would only sing two or three songs and play an instrument.


    If she performed too well, she would overshadow the host.


    ¡°Since Miss Shen has decided, I¡¯ll also make preparations on my side,¡± Liu Su said.


    ¡°I appreciate it, Uncle Liu.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen, you are too polite again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not politeness; it¡¯s gratitude.¡±


    In her memories, people only sought to exploit her value; no one had truly handled these trivial matters for her.


    Even though this was the world within a book, she liked this carefree and unrestrained world and planned to stay here for life.


    *


    Both Mu Jincheng and Chu Jinghe had been stung by bees.


    Mu Jincheng fared better, but Chu Jinghe¡¯s normally fine face swelled up like a pancake.


    Ordinary filming was out of the question today; they would have to miss it.


    Mu Jincheng, watching the scene of Shen Yan walking with Wen Yan, couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene of the two of them talking closely together the previous night.


    This was probably for the best.


    It would spare Shen Yan from disturbing him and Chu Jinghe again.


    Mu Jincheng felt he should visit Chu Jinghe and not dwell on a woman who had once pestered him persistently.


    Chu Jinghe covered her face with a thin blanket, afraid to show Mu Jincheng her current pitiful state.


    Seeing Chu Jinghe¡¯s action, Mu Jincheng felt a twinge in his heart, meltingly soft, ¡°Jinghe, no matter how you look, I will never despise you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Chu Jinghe asked muffledly from behind the blanket, ¡°Even if my looks are ruined, you won¡¯t despise me?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Mu Jincheng said without a second thought.


    After all, Chu Jinghe wasn¡¯t going to be disfigured.


    Chu Jinghe was mollified and slowly pulled down the blanket, ¡°You can¡¯t laugh at me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t laugh. It will only make me feel heartache,¡± Mu Jincheng said, frowning slightly at the sight of Chu Jinghe¡¯s swollen face, ¡°How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?¡±


    ¡°It hurts a lot,¡± Chu Jinghe whined to Mu Jincheng.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s brow furrowed again, as a flashback of the first episode where Shen Yan deliberately approached him with a slight cut on her finger wanting to act spoiled crossed his mind.


    His expression turned slightly sour. Why did he have to remember such a disgusting scene!


    He sternly reminded himself that the person before him was the one he was pursuing, and he entered the entertainment industry for her sake.

 Chapter 68 - 68 068 Professional Kidnapping

    ?Chapter 68: Chapter 068: Professional Kidnapping? Chapter 68: Chapter 068: Professional Kidnapping? Perhaps it was because she hadn¡¯t rested well, or maybe it was intentional.


    On the last day of the task, Shen Yan and Wen Yan were particularly lethargic.


    In the afternoon, when their task ended, the ones with the biggest chance of winning turned out to be Qin Dingyue and Zhou Jingming.


    Neither of them was happy about their win.


    The survival show had five episodes in total, and now only two remained.


    After the third episode ended, Shen Yan went to find Director Li: ¡°Director Li, the show could actually be made more realistic. Haven¡¯t you noticed? The day we filmed underwater, the popularity was especially explosive.¡±


    Director Li: ¡°Are you saying the audience prefers more exciting content?¡±


    Shen Yan: ¡°Exactly.¡±


    It¡¯s always right to head in that direction.


    Thinking about the two major incidents from the third episode exhausted Director Li.


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider your suggestion,¡± he replied, intending to produce a survival show, not an elimination show.


    He was now worried that the next episode might once again feature images of a guest being ¡®eliminated¡¯.


    Actually, Shen Yan wanted to suggest creating an extreme survival show.


    The kind where you have nothing and have to rely on yourself for survival throughout.


    But when she thought about the group of guests, frail and unable to take care of themselves, she held her tongue.


    In the evening.


    All the guests gathered in one place to say farewell.


    Qin Dingyue hugged Shen Yan, then turned around and saw Chu Jing, who was bundled up tight, and ran over carelessly: ¡°Mr. Chu, are you alright? Let me have a look.¡±


    Chu Jing pulled a stiff smile to dodge Qin Dingyue¡¯s tugging.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, thanks for your concern.¡±


    Chu Jing cursed Qin Dingyue several times in her heart.


    It must have been intentional.


    She knew that Qin Dingyue and Shen Yan were friends, so she must be trying to help Shen Yan.


    ¡°Mr. Chu, it¡¯s good you¡¯re okay. I was worried you¡¯d end up with a ¡®pancake face¡¯ after being stung. I¡¯ve heard some people¡¯s swelling doesn¡¯t go down for a while, carrying the ¡®pancake face¡¯ for years,¡± Qin Dingyue laughed. ¡°But you don¡¯t need to worry, Mr. Chu, it might just be a joke. You won¡¯t become ¡®pancake-faced¡¯.¡±


    Chu Jing went stiff.


    The phrase ¡°pancake face¡± kept flashing through her mind like a curse, revealing her fright.


    She turned to seek help from Mu Jincheng.


    However, Mu Jincheng was on the other side talking to his agent, not noticing her at all.


    Chu Jing bit her lip and suppressed the surge of grievance.


    After saying those words, Qin Dingyue ran back to Shen Yan¡¯s side, reluctantly watching Shen Yan leave first.


    Upon seeing this, Chu Jing was even more certain that Shen Yan had intentionally had Qin Dingyue say those words to block her heart.


    In the car.


    ¡°Miss Shen, are you heading back to Shen City first?¡±


    ¡°Taking a trip to Shen City is quite a hassle, I¡¯ll head straight to Jin City.¡±


    Jin City was where Wen Yan was going to hold a concert.


    The next morning, they flew directly to Jin City.


    Sitting on the plane, Shen Yan looked down from the high altitude and could only see a blanket of floating white clouds.


    She had already arranged with Wen Yan to fly directly to Jin City.


    She would find a place to do some preparations.


    When they arrived in Jin City, it was already 1 pm.


    Liu Su had arranged the accommodation for the whole trip, ¡°The place you¡¯re staying is very close to the concert venue.¡±


    Shen Yan had no particular demands for accommodation, ¡°Uncle Liu has arranged it well.¡±


    Reaching the place of stay, Xiao Zhao¡¯s eyes widened; wasn¡¯t the accommodation a bit too luxurious?


    Xiao Zhao¡¯s room was very close to Shen Yan¡¯s, to facilitate taking care of her.


    Once in Jin City, Liu Su went to find musical instruments for Shen Yan.


    Instead of taking a nap, Shen Yan started reviewing past concert footage of Wen Yan.


    Having gained a general understanding of the concert, she began preparing her songs, choosing two that Wen Yan had sung before and two from others.


    She warmed up her voice for two or three hours and, feeling it was sufficient, she stopped.


    As she began to sing, she discovered that she actually had a bit of a talent for singing!


    Seven o¡¯clock in the evening.


    At seven in the evening during the summer, the sky hadn¡¯t completely darkened yet.


    Xiao Zhao knocked on her door to ask if she wanted to go have dinner.


    Shen Yan took out a duckbill cap from her suitcase, pressed the hat low, with her long hair and the brim just covering her true face.


    ¡°Yanyan, why are you dressed like this? Are you going to do something?¡±


    ¡°I heard that the food in Jin City is good,¡± Shen Yan put on her shoes and walked out.


    ¡°But...¡± Xiao Zhao became anxious when she heard she was going out, ¡°But you¡¯re different from before now, going out like this will easily lead to being mobbed.¡±


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t have any self-awareness that she had become famous. She dressed carelessly and left the house.


    Xiao Zhao hurriedly followed, and once they were out of the hotel, she looked around like a thief.


    Xiao Zhao led Shen Yan onto the subway with trepidation, tense throughout the journey, seeing everyone as if they were Fireworks fans.


    However, Xiao Zhao¡¯s worries were unnecessary. Until they had their hands full with all sorts of snacks, nobody around them recognized Shen Yan.


    With delicious food in hand, Xiao Zhao completely relaxed.


    They wandered to a bustling square where a spot was surrounded by people, and a handsome guy was playing the drums.


    Shen Yan stopped to watch.


    Her eyes were like a precision-calculating computer, focusing on his every move, every rhythmic beat.


    After it ended, the surrounding people gave him a round of applause!


    ¡°Wow! He plays so cool!¡±


    Shen Yan glanced at her, you have eyes only for handsome guys, huh.


    Shen Yan handed her the snacks she was holding, then walked towards the handsome guy. After a short conversation, Shen Yan took his place.


    During this whole process, Xiao Zhao hardly dared to breathe.


    She was really worried that someone would recognize Shen Yan.


    Just when Xiao Zhao was anxious about how to get Shen Yan out, Shen Yan picked up the drumsticks and began to play.


    The way she swung was cool and nimble!


    Her rhythm was precisely timed, the music exhilarating, her movements were impressively slick.


    Even the handsome guy at her side widened his eyes.


    The crowd of onlookers grew larger.


    Seeing a girl play the drums so stylishly, they all started recording videos.


    Soon, the topic of a Jin City girl playing the drums stylishly skyrocketed to the trending topics.


    The short video APP was about to explode!


    The comment section was filled with praise.


    Those who tried to find faults were rebuffed by professionals.


    After Shen Yan finished playing, she put down the drumsticks and walked towards Xiao Zhao amid applause.


    Xiao Zhao¡¯s eyes sparkled. It was impossible to hide.


    ¡°Yanyan, you, you¡¯re amazing! I admire you so much!¡± Xiao Zhao excitedly exclaimed, almost crying.


    Shen Yan took the snacks from her hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go, if we don¡¯t leave now, we won¡¯t be able to.¡±


    Among the onlookers, someone whispered, ¡°Doesn¡¯t this girl look familiar?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t she look like Shen Yan, who has been somewhat popular lately?¡±


    ¡°Ah! It is Shen Yan! Oh my god, that is Yanyan!¡±


    By the time they went to look for her, Shen Yan and Xiao Zhao had disappeared without a trace.


    Shen Yan, having enjoyed a feast, contentedly headed back to the hotel with Xiao Zhao.


    Xiao Zhao, who had eaten too much, was belching while holding her stomach and walking behind Shen Yan.


    ¡°Yanyan...¡± Xiao Zhao was about to speak when she saw a figure suddenly emerge from the dark spot ahead, shouted, ¡°Yanyan, watch out!¡±


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Xiao Zhao was knocked out by someone from behind.


    Shen Yan dodged away from the closest attacker, looked back and saw Xiao Zhao had already collapsed on the ground, her dark pupils narrowed as she coldly faced the three men who had suddenly appeared.


    They had the aura of practitioners.


    Professional kidnapping?


    One of the men coldly asked, ¡°Shen Yan from the Shen Family in Beijing?¡±


    With that, Shen Yan immediately realized that an enemy had come knocking.

 Chapter 69 - 69 069 I am Shen Yan

    ?Chapter 69: Chapter 069: I am Shen Yan Chapter 69: Chapter 069: I am Shen Yan ¡°No, I¡¯m Shen Yan from the Yanhua Family.¡±


    Man: ???


    Not the precious daughter of the Shen Family of Beijing?


    Impossible.


    The firsthand information they got was that she was exactly like this, choosing to forsake being a pampered heiress to become a minor celebrity in the entertainment industry.


    Then, another person reminded, ¡°She¡¯s playing us.¡±


    The leading man sneered, ¡°Miss Shen, sorry, but Mr. Qi has offended too many people; blame him and your family.¡±


    Shen Yan raised an eyebrow.


    It turned out to be one of Qi Si¡¯s enemies.


    So.


    Was she implicated now?


    ¡°Who sent you?¡±


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t show any panic, but calmly inquired about their origins.


    ¡°Miss Shen doesn¡¯t need to know that,¡± the man in charge said, then took two large steps forward, reaching out to cover her mouth and nose with a pre-prepared cloth.


    Faced with the delicate heiress, they had utterly dismissed her.


    And in their eyes, Shen Yan¡¯s dodging was merely a fortunate probability.


    ¡°Is that so? Then you don¡¯t need to go back alive either.¡±


    Shen Yan¡¯s eyes flashed a cold gleam.


    Using the movement of the man trying to cover her, and his hand reaching to restrain her, she suddenly overpowered him, seizing his wrist holding the cloth and turning it back towards his own face.


    ¡°Uh?¡±


    The man was dazed by his own preparation, stifling his breath unwillingly.


    Shen Yan kicked him in the stomach.


    The pain caused him to open his mouth.


    The scent on the cloth streamed into his nostrils and mouth.


    His eyes rolled several times before he collapsed unwillingly.


    In this particular spot, professional monitoring had already been disrupted and destroyed.


    This made Shen Yan¡¯s movements much less troublesome.


    Muscle memory prevented her from pulling her punches.


    Every strike was lethal.


    Shen Yan¡¯s hand connected with the chin of the second man who dared to approach her.


    She moved like a swift sparrow, passing by the man while simultaneously avoiding his attack.


    ¡°Crack!¡±


    Their mouths knocked together, producing a breaking sound.


    The moment she darted behind the man, Shen Yan kicked backwards from two steps away, still facing away from him.


    The power was astonishing.


    The kick at his lower back produced the sound of a spinal fracture.


    The last man, looking awful, watched as his companions were swiftly defeated by Shen Yan.


    He pointed in astonishment at Shen Yan, ¡°You¡¯re really not that Shen Yan.¡±


    Shen Yan adjusted her hat brim, took a few quick steps, and charged at the pale-faced man.


    Her leap was graceful, imbued with a feel of lightness reminiscent of martial arts.


    The man stepped back abruptly, raising his hand to block the knee coming down on him.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    The force slammed him back against the wall.


    By the time he realized it, his throat was pinned against the corner by a finger bone.


    Just a push from the hand¡¯s owner could snap his throat.


    A tremor of fear radiated from deep within the man.


    ¡°You¡¯re a body double for Shen Yan!¡±


    Some children from major families often have confidentially trained doubles.


    These doubles would appear in public to do the most dangerous tasks, while the real person only needed to stand in the safest spot enjoying the fruits of labor.


    But...


    Only people of high reputation from major families or those who have achieved great success receive such special treatment.


    Shen Yan, apart from being the heiress of the Shen Family, was nothing else.


    She couldn¡¯t afford such treatment.


    ¡°I am Shen Yan.¡±


    Shen Yan coldly pronounced the words, revealing her true identity, not the foolish love-struck version.


    Without any hesitation, her actions sharp and decisive, she shattered his throat.


    Her hand, silky smooth, slid into the waistband where a knife was concealed.


    Shen Yan¡¯s hand, covered by the fabric, drew out the knife and delivered a fatal blow to the body, and then moved back outside and directly dealt with the other two men.


    From the moment she started, there was not a hint of hesitation.


    She knew that in such situations, there usually were other accomplices nearby.


    If contact was not made within half an hour, their people would come looking.


    After finishing the task, Shen Yan grabbed Xiao Zhao and threw him over her shoulder.


    She carried him away!


    *


    Shen Yan was in a very bad mood.


    The smell of blood made her especially uneasy.


    She knew that she had broken the law.


    But had she not acted, she would have been the one to die.


    Sometimes, people can be a million times scarier than ghosts.


    In the end, it was the ¡°paper doll¡± argument that convinced her, and she slowly fell asleep.


    However, that night, she was plagued by nightmares.


    In her dreams, no matter how she tried to flee, she couldn¡¯t escape the Jungle Base.


    Nor could she escape the control of that group of madmen.


    She had pleaded with her parents for help, to no avail.


    She would forever remember the cold, sacrificial gaze with which her parents had looked at her.


    They, too, were like those madmen, personally experimenting on her!


    Initially, she had been deceived by her parents into going there, thinking they truly missed her and had been happy about it for a long time.


    During the initial successful period, they traveled with her from country to country, eliminating obstacles for some big shots.


    She still remembered the fear the first time she was forced to act...


    *


    Shen Yan suddenly opened her eyes and sat up abruptly.


    Sweat soaked her hair and clothes.


    On the bed, there were obvious signs of sweat.


    She dragged her sticky body into the bathroom to wash away all the sweat.


    Feeling refreshed, she emerged only to hear the door being frantically knocked on.


    While drying her hair, Shen Yan opened the door.


    Outside stood a very anxious Xiao Zhao and Liu Su.


    ¡°Miss Shen! Are you alright?¡±


    Liu Su, having heard from Xiao Zhao about the attack last night, was so anxious that his heart felt like it would explode.


    ¡°Yanyan! Oh! You¡¯re alright, thank goodness!¡± Xiao Zhao¡¯s tears flowed copiously as she hugged Shen Yan, inhaling her softly scented body and even taking a couple of deep breaths!


    Thank goodness!


    Her Yanyan was alright!


    Shen Yan held up her hand, a towel still on her head.


    Suddenly attacked by Xiao Zhao, Shen Yan nearly threw her off by the head.


    She frowned and pushed Xiao Zhao away.


    Only then did Xiao Zhao realize she had smeared her runny nose on Shen Yan¡¯s fragrant clothes, her face turning red!


    ¡°Come in first,¡± Shen Yan turned and sat down on the sofa.


    Liu Su gave Xiao Zhao a cold look and followed, ¡°Miss Shen, Xiao Zhao mentioned that you were attacked last night.¡±


    ¡°We did encounter two or three people who blocked our way, but they just issued a few warnings and let us go.¡±


    ¡°What? Why did they knock me out then?¡± Xiao Zhao asked innocently.


    Liu Su furrowed his brow, suspecting that Shen Yan was hiding something.


    Shen Yan said, ¡°You were too noisy.¡±


    Xiao Zhao: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Xiao Zhao, go fetch some breakfast for Miss Shen,¡± Liu Su sent Xiao Zhao away.


    Once the door was closed, Liu Su spoke seriously, ¡°Miss Shen, you don¡¯t need to hide anything from me.¡±


    Seeing this, Shen Yan picked a few things she could share, ¡°The other party claimed they were seeking revenge for Mr. Qi, clearly Qi Si¡¯s enemies. They didn¡¯t get a chance to harm me, as a kind person subdued them on the spot.¡±


    Liu Su¡¯s expression grew even more serious, ¡°Miss Shen was frightened, I will report this incident clearly to Mr. Hui.¡±


    Shen Yan nodded.


    ¡°That kind-hearted person...¡±


    ¡°I was too scared and only focused on hiding; I didn¡¯t get a clear look at him, but he was very skilled...like a fighter from TV, very capable.¡±


    Liu Su kept watching Shen Yan, and indeed, she seemed to have been frightened.


    This must be someone sent by the Shen Family.


    To say they don¡¯t care about her well-being, not considering her their daughter, yet still secretly sending someone to protect her.


    ¡°Miss Shen, you rest first, I¡¯m going to step out,¡± Liu Su stood up and left.

 Chapter 70 - 70 070 Mr. Qi Im Afraid of Death

    ?Chapter 70: Chapter 070: Mr. Qi, I¡¯m Afraid of Death Chapter 70: Chapter 070: Mr. Qi, I¡¯m Afraid of Death Xiao Zhao sat opposite Shen Yan, watching her earnestly finish the food on the table before she couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Yanyan, was it you who carried me back to the hotel?¡±


    Shen Yan: ¡°Otherwise, what, a ghost?¡±


    Xiao Zhao excitedly yinged in her heart.


    So shy!


    She hadn¡¯t expected that her first princess carry in life would be from Yanyan!


    So beautiful she wanted to cry!


    Shen Yan looked towards the door; Liu Su had been out for quite a while now.


    He must have found out what he needed to know by now.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Qi Si¡¯s enemy to be so bold.


    The important point was that she hadn¡¯t read about this aspect of Qi Si in the original story.


    Before Liu Su returned, a message from Wen Yan came in.


    He asked her if she had any specific requirements for her dress she¡¯d wear on stage; his people would prepare it.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t like those fancy, colorful clothes that were too bright and shiny¡ªthey made her feel constrained.


    She stated she didn¡¯t need to dress up on purpose; her usual clothes would be fine.


    It wasn¡¯t like she was going to walk the red carpet; no need for all those fancy things.


    Wen Yan then asked her how the song preparation was going, confirming everything was alright on Shen Yan¡¯s end before fully putting his mind at ease.


    Shen Yan only told Wen Yan she would arrive early in the evening, and then he didn¡¯t say much more.


    *


    On the other side.


    Liu Su reported the home situation to Qi Si over the phone.


    This matter was no small thing; after Qi Si listened, he gave a reply, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to return to the country these next few days.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen was quite frightened; if possible, please, sir, give her a call for some reassurance. Miss Shen knows she was wrong about what happened before; please, sir, consider that this last time Miss Shen didn¡¯t make a fuss and give her a call.¡±


    After saying this, Liu Su waited for a while, but when no response came from the other side, he quietly hung up.


    Shen Yan decided not to go out anymore.


    She would just crash-course some music knowledge in the hotel.


    Although Xiao Zhao was always with Shen Yan in the room, when Shen Yan worked, she entered a realm of self-forgetfulness, completely ignoring Xiao Zhao¡¯s existence.


    While Xiao Zhao marveled at Shen Yan¡¯s strong learning ability, the phone on the side buzzed.


    ¡°Yanyan! Your phone¡¯s ringing.¡±


    Shen Yan turned her chair to face the calmly ringing phone and leisurely picked it up.


    ¡°Mr. Qi?¡± Although Shen Yan hadn¡¯t saved the number, she was very clear it was his.


    Mr. Qi?


    Xiao Zhao¡¯s ears instantly perked up.


    Shen Yan glanced at Xiao Zhao and walked out to the balcony before starting again, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°This matter, my people will handle it cleanly.¡±


    ¡°Does someone have a crush on Mr. Qi?¡± Shen Yan suddenly asked.


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s real enmity, they should¡¯ve targeted Mr. Qi, not me,¡± Shen Yan said.


    This point of reasoning actually surprised Qi Si.


    ¡°It can be seen as competition for an arranged marriage.¡±


    ¡°So, there is such a woman. Does Mr. Qi know who she is? Hiring someone to harm me shows that the woman¡¯s identity is not simple.¡±


    ¡°Whether she exists or not, does it matter?¡± Qi Si¡¯s voice still carried not a hint of emotion.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, except she might want me dead. Mr. Qi, I¡¯m afraid of dying.¡± That woman had better stay hidden for a lifetime.


    ¡°Contact Uncle Liu if there¡¯s trouble.¡±


    Qi Si wasn¡¯t keen on talking more with Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan said, ¡°I will if I need to.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± the cold voice asked her right before hanging up.


    ¡°Uh?¡± Shen Yan was startled, ¡°What I want, Mr. Qi probably can¡¯t give.¡±


    Qi Si fell silent.


    Shen Yan thought that he might have misunderstood.


    Misunderstood that she wanted to get out of the arranged marriage.


    Shen Yan hung up the phone, holding the mobile for a while before going back to the room.


    *


    After hanging up that call, Qi Si experienced a very strange feeling.


    Shen Yan¡¯s words were hiding something.


    Her reaction was somewhat unfamiliar.


    It wasn¡¯t like the Shen Yan he knew.


    A sharpness began to grow in Qi Si¡¯s icy eyes.


    Soon after, a call from Beijing came through.


    He looked at his buzzing phone indifferently, with no intention of answering.


    The persistent ringing continued several times until the caller finally gave up.


    But then a message popped up.


    [Qi Si, I had no knowledge of the attack on Shen Yan.]


    [But honestly, even if you marry Shen Yan, the daughter the Shen family doesn¡¯t want, it won¡¯t serve any purpose of a marital alliance between your two families.]


    Even so, Qi Si still ignored this unnecessary explanation.


    Because he simply didn¡¯t care.


    They hadn¡¯t even started investigating,


    And one by one, they were jumping out.


    Really can¡¯t keep their cool.


    *


    At six in the evening,


    Shen Yan arrived at Wen Yan¡¯s concert with her agent and assistant.


    The APP had announced the list of guest performers at Wen Yan¡¯s residency show; Shen Yan was not the only guest, Wen Yan also invited three of his friends.


    They were also part of the music scene.


    Knowing that Wen Yan had invited Shen Yan, the rising new star, everyone was waiting to see her in person.


    When the real person appeared before them, their gazes shifted, and they instantly understood why so many online praised Shen Yan¡¯s looks.


    With such a face, such a temperament,


    Walking among the crowd, she was surely the first person to catch anyone¡¯s eye.


    Shen Yan was like a luminous body, unable to hide the radiance about her.


    Xie Xuan stood beside Wen Yan, his tall and handsome presence garnered only a sidelong glance to set the fans into a frenzy!


    Speaking of music industry heavyweights, there was also Xie Xuan!


    And because of having Xie Xuan, the big name, as a guest performer, Wen Yan¡¯s concert tickets sold out instantly, leaving many frenzied fans unable to grab a ticket.


    Many people didn¡¯t understand why a music mogul with both looks and talent would become best friends with someone like Wen Yan.


    Even seeing them standing together now, they still couldn¡¯t comprehend.


    ¡°Your new friend is quite the sensation,¡± Xie Xuan said, leaning over to whisper in Wen Yan¡¯s ear, ¡°I watched your survival show, and she did pretty well.¡±


    Bathed in the spotlight, Wen Yan turned and caught a glimmer of light in his eye, making Xie Xuan, facing the light, seem almost unreal.


    Hearing his words, Wen Yan gave him a silent eye-roll, ¡°Did I not do well?¡±


    Xie Xuan laughed: ¡°Hmm, you did fine too.¡±


    That laugh sent the fans, who couldn¡¯t get in, into a dazzled frenzy, followed by wild screams.


    Shen Yan walked down the aisle and was slightly dazzled by this scene.


    Hearing the wave-like screams, she felt an urge to cover her ears.


    ¡°Shen Yan! Wen Yan has already mentioned you,¡± one of the three friends, a woman named Zhang Yu, spoke up.


    A powerhouse vocalist!


    Many recent TV drama theme songs were sung by her, and her popularity was soaring.


    Another was also a powerhouse, able to handle songs in various languages with ease, with several of her songs being very popular and widely sung.


    As for Xie Xuan, there was no need to elaborate.


    It was said that he gained fame while still in school and carried the title of Little King Xie.


    He was not called Little King because of his young age, but because the title was bestowed upon him in high school and had stuck with him ever since.


    Shen Yan introduced herself to Zhang Yu, showing modesty, then followed the others backstage.


    Wen Yan had already gone to prepare, and everyone backstage seemed a bit busy.


    ¡°My name is Xie Xuan,¡± Xie Xuan formally introduced himself at last.


    Shen Yan shook his hand and nodded, ¡°I know you.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! Who doesn¡¯t know Little King Xie?¡± Zhang Yu laughed heartily, ¡°Shen Yan, don¡¯t be fooled by his serious look, he¡¯s actually a joker!¡±


    Xie Xuan gave a resigned smile, ¡°Don¡¯t listen to Zhang Yu¡¯s nonsense.¡±


    Shen Yan smiled faintly when suddenly Liu Su leaned in from behind and whispered to her, ¡°Miss Shen, it¡¯s a call from the Shen family.¡±


    Shen Yan was startled.


    The Shen family called Liu Su?

 Chapter 71 - 71 071 Shen Family

    ?Chapter 71: Chapter 071: Shen Family Chapter 71: Chapter 071: Shen Family Shen Yan always had a very subtle feeling towards her family members.


    ¡°Is it because of that thing on the internet?¡±


    Liu Su nodded, ¡°I didn¡¯t pick it up. I wanted to ask for Miss Shen¡¯s opinion.¡±


    Just as Shen Yan was about to say something, Liu Su¡¯s mobile phone buzzed into vibration again.


    Liu Su pushed the phone into Shen Yan¡¯s hands, letting her decide for herself.


    Looking at the words ¡°Mrs. Shen¡± that popped up on the screen, Shen Yan¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised.


    It was the original owner¡¯s mother.


    Staring at those words.


    She subconsciously doubted the reliability of kinship.


    ¡°Shen Yan, if there¡¯s an issue to be dealt with, go ahead. We¡¯ll discuss things here first,¡± Zhang Yu saw her conferring with the agent and discreetly walked to the side.


    Shen Yan went to a quieter corner before answering the call from Mrs. Shen.


    As soon as the connection was made, a piercingly clear female voice came through: ¡°Housekeeper Liu, is it true that someone is harming my daughter? Can the Qi Family guarantee my daughter¡¯s safety? If not, the Shen Family will make separate arrangements for someone to protect her.¡±


    You could tell that the woman was both angry and anxious.


    She might be a high-society lady, with good upbringing, not cursing like a shrew.


    ¡°I admit that Yanyan is spoiled and wilful, but she is still one of us...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    Shen Yan cut off the noblewoman¡¯s words directly.


    The other end stopped abruptly, remaining quiet for a long time without speaking.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t care about the other party¡¯s reaction and continued, ¡°Uncle Liu has already taken care of it for me.¡±


    ¡°What about the troubles from Qi Si¡¯s side, your elder brother said you were nearly harmed by Qi Si¡¯s enemies. I originally preferred Qi Heng, Qi Si is aloof, cold-blooded, and his methods are brutal...¡± The voice that was clear just before couldn¡¯t help but choke up.


    Shen Yan stiffened all over.


    The insincere sobbing of that woman echoed in her mind.


    Deceptive.


    The other party wasn¡¯t genuinely concerned about you.


    Shen Yan frowned slightly: ¡°That matter has also been settled cleanly, I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±


    Sensing Shen Yan¡¯s cold tone, Mrs. Shen felt heartbroken all alone.


    The daughter had decided to break with the family, changing her number, and deleting contacts of relatives and friends completely.


    All for a man.


    The family cut off her funds and even spread the word in the industry not to help her, all to force Shen Yan to come back.


    But the original owner was more stubborn than expected.


    Shen Yan thought, perhaps it was because she had Qi Si, this big scourge, looking out for her that she could be so reckless.


    The Shen Family had implicitly sent Shen Yan to Qi Si so someone would protect her.


    However cold-blooded and brutal Qi Si¡¯s methods were, he would not lay a hand on Shen Yan, who was arranged by an elder and could offer benefits.


    On the contrary.


    Qi Si had to protect her.


    Shen Yan hung up the phone and turned to return it to Liu Su.


    Liu Su was taken aback by Shen Yan¡¯s expression.


    Shen Yan¡¯s eyes were very cold!


    She felt a bit irritable again.


    Hearing the powerful singing voice of Wen Yan coming from the stage at the front, Shen Yan paused for a moment, then moved to another exit, joining everyone else in watching the incredibly dazzling Wen Yan on stage.


    Different from his image during the survival show.


    Wen Yan seemed to be born for the stage, transmitting explosive vitality with his voice, influencing everyone¡¯s emotions!


    Different from a dull concert, Wen Yan started off with a lively song that everyone could dance and sing along to as soon as he hit the stage!


    Whether it was the backup dancers or the Fireworks fans below, everyone jubilantly jumped along with his dynamic rhythm!


    It looked a bit like a massive clubbing scene.


    Shen Yan watched this scene in a daze,


    ¡°Wen Yan¡¯s concerts are always like this, they¡¯re about letting the fans vent and release their emotions¡ªthat¡¯s what a concert is all about!¡±


    Zhang Yu¡¯s words reached Shen Yan¡¯s ears.


    Shen Yan looked at her, making eye contact.


    ¡°He¡¯s naturally suited for this stage,¡± Su Huai said with a smile, adding his own comment.


    Meanwhile, Xie Xuan¡¯s gaze stayed fixed on the dazzling figure on stage, not engaging in their conversation.


    Shen Yan thought that Wen Yan was indeed well-suited for this stage.


    Wen Yan was born with a great voice.


    There¡¯s a big difference between listening live and online, Shen Yan preferred the live experience, where both visuals and hearing were fully immersed.


    A concert like this was pure enjoyment!


    And this was only just the beginning.


    Wen Yan was the star, singing several songs in a row without stopping, constantly dancing and interacting with the fans at the front.


    He seemed much stronger than he did during that survival show.


    After a few songs, it was Zhang Yu¡¯s turn to come on stage and sing three duets with Wen Yan. Zhang Yu was very straightforward, able to get along with her own fans and other artists¡¯ fans alike, driving the energy even higher!


    From Wen Yan¡¯s entry to Zhang Yu taking the stage, the fans¡¯ excitement soared continuously!


    Jumping and shouting, it almost felt like the concert was going to get out of control.


    The security guards, responsible for order, had their hearts in their mouths.


    Just worried that some overly excited fan might rush the stage!


    After the three songs, it was back to Wen Yan¡¯s show, singing several more songs before it was Su Huai¡¯s turn to take the stage.


    On stage, Su Huai sang a challenging French song, smooth yet powerful.


    Wen Yan took the opportunity to run backstage for a breather during this song.


    Xie Xuan stood at the front, handing him a water bottle and a towel, seeing Wen Yan guzzling down water, he took another towel and began to wipe his sweat for him.


    The backup dancers were also working hard, running around the entire venue.


    ¡°Shen Yan, you go on stage with me later, senior...¡± Wen Yan said, gasping for breath and looking at Xie Xuan.


    Xie Xuan heard the word ¡°senior,¡± gave a faint smile, and nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll be the finale with you. The young lady needs to preserve her skin, she should go rest early!¡±


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    She was fine in the morning and at night, but the way he put it sounded odd.


    As soon as he¡¯d finished giving instructions, and not long after a brief rest, Wen Yan had to go back to the stage to warm up the audience again.


    After all, it was Wen Yan¡¯s show, even though the other three had incredible talent, they would not overshadow Wen Yan.


    Shen Yan stood behind them, watching the camaraderie among them unfold before her eyes.


    She had not expected to find such friendship in the music world.


    She had eyes and senses, able to discern some truth from pretense.


    Watching the different Wen Yan on stage, even Shen Yan was gradually stirred.


    She seemed to understand why his fans were so crazy about him.


    Being in such a musical world, the gloom from that phone call earlier was instantly washed away.


    In its place was a rising fervor in her heart.


    Shen Yan even felt the urge to run into the audience and join in the excitement.


    Shen Yan stood with her arms folded, leaning to one side and enjoying Wen Yan¡¯s performance.


    The singing voice, truly a wondrous thing.


    ¡°You all know I¡¯ve made a new friend recently! Guess who it is!¡±


    From the direction the microphone was pointed, a uniform response came:


    ¡°Shen Yan!¡±


    The moment Shen Yan¡¯s name was called out, the Fireworks fans who had been waiting excitedly lifted their light signs and started chanting her name. Although they were few in number, their voices still reached every corner.


    The Fireworks fans were shouting with all their might.


    Shen Yan, holding the microphone, walked towards the center of the stage, joining Wen Yan.


    Under the dazzling lights, Shen Yan greeted everyone, her beauty stunning the crowd and eliciting waves of screams!


    Surrounded by the roar of the crowd, Shen Yan felt slightly dazed.

 Chapter 72 - 72 072 The Shining Stage

    ?Chapter 72: Chapter 072: The Shining Stage! Chapter 72: Chapter 072: The Shining Stage! ¡°Being friends with Teacher Wen is the greatest honor of my life! When Teacher Wen invited me, I was always nervous, afraid that my imperfect sense of tone would scare Teacher Wen! As I was about to go onstage, I decided not to start singing right away to spare everyone a shock¡ªI even borrowed flowers to offer to Buddha! Teacher Wen, you have to cover for this poor little soul!¡±


    Shen Yan turned around with a smile.


    Wen Yan burst out laughing, ¡°Who says we¡¯re friends? I¡¯ll even accept your devilish noise! I¡¯ve got your back, so go ahead and play to your heart¡¯s content!¡±


    As Shen Yan spoke, she walked toward the drum set that had been moved out earlier, placed the microphone on it, and adjusted it properly.


    Wen Yan smiled and nodded at her.


    ¡°The next song, a Cantonese track, will be delivered by Shen Yan and me for everyone!¡±


    A wave of excitement erupted from the audience!


    The moment the drums started playing, the lights and cameras shifted their focus.


    Under the lights, the powerful silhouette of the girl was partially revealed, her movements cool and the impactful sense of the sound seemed to take on her charisma as well!


    Shen Yan and Wen Yan coordinated flawlessly.


    The combination of high notes and vocals brought the fans a different kind of ultimate pleasure; the venue was nearly exploding with excitement!


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t expect it, but little sister has quite a blast in her!¡± Zhang Yu said with a touch of admiration as he watched Shen Yan at the venue.


    Su Huai said, ¡°I also saw that show; her skills are indeed very strong, and it¡¯s clear that Wen Yan genuinely considers her a friend.¡±


    A friend of Wen Yan is a friend of theirs.


    Su Huai was actually a very gentle and reserved person, not quite as expressive as Xie Xuan, but he went to great lengths when it came to protecting Wen Yan.


    Whenever anyone bullied Wen Yan, he struck back fiercely.


    Zhang Yu nodded and smiled with amusement, ¡°I really like this little sister!¡±


    Xie Xuan still hadn¡¯t joined them, his gaze fixated on the stage.


    After a while, Xie Xuan frowned slightly, ¡°Wen Yan is too excited today; his throat won¡¯t be able to take it.¡±


    ¡°When is he not like this?¡± Zhang Yu walked over to him, raised his hand and patted him, ¡°Move over; let me take a look.¡±


    Xie Xuan didn¡¯t move.


    Zhang Yu could only poke his head out; on the stage, one song had just ended, and Wen Yan was panting while he adjusted his in-ear monitor.


    The fans went a bit crazy, begging for another song!


    Shen Yan had already taken the microphone and walked over with Wen Yan to interact closely with the fans, choosing a softer foreign song.


    Wen Yan¡¯s voice was naturally good, and as soon as he started singing, it elicited screams from the fans.


    When Shen Yan sang the female part, everyone was instantly stunned!


    The Fireworks fans who had heard Shen Yan sing that ballad before were even more excited than the others!


    Shen Yan¡¯s pronunciation was very pure, even more fluent than her native language songs.


    ¡°Shen Yan isn¡¯t from a music college, right?¡± Zhang Yu suddenly turned around and asked.


    No one answered her.


    Because for many, Shen Yan was someone they only learned about today.


    And even those who knew of Shen Yan didn¡¯t know much about her.


    The songs Shen Yan prepared all found their place among the waves of fans crying for another encore, and when Shen Yan ran into any trouble, Wen Yan flawlessly took over.


    After all, having been on three shows together, they did share some chemistry.


    With the limited time given to Shen Yan, it was really not easy to achieve this level.


    The concert¡¯s live broadcast audience was nearly bursting!


    Especially the Fireworks fans.


    Knowing that Shen Yan had gone to Wen Yan¡¯s concert, they all stood by at the live broadcast window, just waiting to see Shen Yan appear.


    Then they took screenshots and videos and posted them online.


    With Shen Yan¡¯s popularity, they rapidly climbed to number five on the trending searches!


    And the #WenYanConcert tag was also pushed to another level, with the combined support of several fan groups, keeping the concert¡¯s popularity soaring!


    There were fans for Shen Yan, but of course, there were also some who ridiculed and cynically trolled her, searching for all kinds of angles to attack her.


    ¡°They said she couldn¡¯t sing and yet had the audacity to embarrass herself at someone else¡¯s concert, really overestimating herself.¡±


    ¡°They even said she forced Wen Yan to take her along.¡±


    ¡°In short, they would tarnish her reputation however they could.¡±


    ¡°In the end, Shen Yan played the guitar on the spot, and Wen Yan actually sang a song a cappella, the only accompaniment being the guitar in Shen Yan¡¯s hands!¡±


    ¡°The guitar and Wen Yan¡¯s singing matched perfectly, a seamless beauty!¡±


    ¡°Being able to perform solely with the guitar, both their talents were genuinely showcased!¡±


    ¡°This gave it a rather unique feel.¡±


    ¡°Even after Shen Yan left the stage, the fans were still left wanting more.¡±


    ¡°Mainly because just standing under the lights, without singing or dancing, Shen Yan and Wen Yan still looked eye-pleasing!¡±


    Liu Su mentioned the call from the Shen family to Qi Si and said Shen Yan was very unhappy after receiving a call from Mrs. Shen.


    But turning around, he saw Shen Yan getting excited on the stage again, and Liu Su felt relieved.


    While Shen Yan was performing, he shot several videos and sent them out.


    Qi Si saw the continuous pop-up of videos, his forehead vein twitching slightly.


    He had endured and endured, yet still gave Liu Su a chance, not deleting him as a friend.


    It was probably because of that call, Qi Si clicked on the videos that followed, seeing Shen Yan dazzling on stage, he slightly raised his eyebrows.


    There wasn¡¯t a trace of expression on his face.


    Watching her coordinate with the people on stage, exchanging smiles and interactions, as well as interacting with the fans, his eyebrows raised again.


    Shen Yan went backstage, and it was Wen Yan¡¯s solo time.


    Wen Yan debuted several new songs, once again stirring the fans¡¯ emotions.


    Shen Yan felt the fans¡¯ throats were nearly hoarse from shouting, their excitement uncontainable, genuinely worried they wouldn¡¯t be able to take it and pass out.


    ¡°Shen Yan, let¡¯s exchange contact information!¡±


    Zhang Yu saw her coming back and immediately grabbed her to exchange contact methods.


    Shen Yan hesitated but ended up giving her the contact information.


    Seeing this, Su Huai did not ask for her private WeChat, instead, he went to a social platform and followed Shen Yan.


    Xie Xuan had just pulled out his phone when outside, a wave of sounds erupted.


    He handed his phone to the manager, then hurried out to join Wen Yan.


    The uproar was more astounding than any other!


    Zhang Yu laughed, ¡°Little King Xie, every time he appears, it causes a frenzy.¡±


    Shen Yan nodded, understanding the fans¡¯ feelings.


    ¡°Are you staying or going back first?¡± asked Zhang Yu.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to do if I go back, so I¡¯m staying here to watch the entire show, and if there¡¯s a chance to coordinate later, I can join in,¡± Shen Yan didn¡¯t plan on leaving; she watched the two shining under their own lights moving towards each other, then stirring a wave of excitement!


    So thrilling!


    Xie Xuan was very talented, but on stage, he deliberately subdued his own brilliance and subtly enhanced Wen Yan¡¯s.


    Their coordination was truly perfect!


    At that moment, Zhang Yu¡¯s voice echoed again next to Shen Yan¡¯s ear, ¡°Little King Xie was Wen Yan¡¯s senior in high school. It¡¯s said that before Xie Xuan made a name for himself with his singing, it was Wen Yan who was running around for him, even several songs were written by Wen Yan, and he helped pull some strings...¡±


    Su Huai spoke somewhat speechlessly, ¡°Don¡¯t say ¡®it¡¯s said.¡¯ You were a part of it.¡±


    Zhang Yu gave a sheepish smile, ¡°This isn¡¯t just telling a story to sister Shen Yan? Using ¡®it¡¯s said¡¯ adds a bit more narrative flavor!¡±


    Su Huai looked at Shen Yan and continued, ¡°We all came from the same school, I, Zhang Yu, and Xie Xuan, all from the same class. Wen Yan was several classes behind, but attended the same school. Xie Xuan and I are neighbors to Wen Yan; our families are both in music, naturally influencing each other.¡±


    Shen Yan listened and nodded slightly, briefly puzzled by Su Huai sharing this with her, then she paused.


    He was treating her as a friend by sharing this with her.


    Shen Yan¡¯s gaze moved past the layers of lights, focusing on the two slender figures at the center of the stage, showing a complex expression for the first time!

 Chapter 73 - 73 073 Your Warning is Unnecessary

    ?Chapter 73: Chapter 073: Your Warning is Unnecessary Chapter 73: Chapter 073: Your Warning is Unnecessary ¡°The word ¡®friends¡¯ was really foreign to her!


    It¡¯s often said that the entertainment industry is a dark place filled with mixed fishes and dragons, only driven by competition and interests.


    Yet, from these four individuals, she could see genuine friendship.


    The atmosphere among them couldn¡¯t deceive anyone.


    Su Huai treated her as a true friend when he spoke to her.


    She was beginning to understand.


    Understand why she had involuntarily followed the figure at the center of the stage.


    It was because of the light emanating from Wen Yan!


    Xie Xuan hadn¡¯t left the stage, and Su Huai joined them, turning the two silhouettes into three, as if they were guarding Wen Yan.


    Then came Zhang Yu.


    Demonstrating their sincere friendship to everyone with their actions.


    Until the end of the concert, Shen Yan¡¯s gaze never left the stage.


    Even when Wen Yan tried to invite her to join them, she stood still.


    Subconsciously, she felt she shouldn¡¯t intrude.


    Or perhaps, she wasn¡¯t worthy...


    *


    Midnight.


    After confirming that all the staff could leave on time, Wen Yan left first with a few friends.


    Shen Yan was also called away.


    They were going to Su Huai¡¯s nearby apartment for a late-night snack!


    Shen Yan told Xiao Zhao and Liu Su to head back first, and she went with them.


    Liu Su, worried, wanted to accompany them, but Shen Yan said she needed some privacy, and Liu Su only escorted them to the highly private apartment before leaving.


    Shen Yan¡¯s safety was a must to confirm.


    Su Huai¡¯s apartment was very spacious, inhabited by the wealthy.


    Normally, the wealthy don¡¯t pursue them like crazy fans.


    This kind of place was relatively safe.


    They came over discreetly without anyone knowing their whereabouts.


    The apartment had a bar, a gym, a gaming room, and even a music room...


    A two-story duplex.


    An entire floor, over two hundred square meters.


    To buy such a large apartment in this area and have it equipped with so many facilities, either Su Huai¡¯s family was rich, or he himself was good at earning money!


    But in the circle, they were all pretty low-key.


    The fact that their family dealt with music was little known, at least it hadn¡¯t been exposed in the media.


    Zhang Yu expertly headed to the bar and opened a bottle of red wine, ¡°Want some?¡±


    While observing the apartment, Shen Yan shook her head at the offer.


    Alcohol couldn¡¯t numb her; regardless of how high the alcohol content was, it made no difference to her from drinking water.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be polite with us, enjoy yourself. What would you like to eat? I¡¯ll make it for you,¡± Su Huai said as he rolled up his sleeves, ready to cook as soon as he entered.


    ¡°I¡¯m easy, I¡¯ll eat whatever is made,¡± Shen Yan wasn¡¯t picky about it.


    ¡°Su Huai specifically learned cooking for two years for Wen Yan; he¡¯s quite a good chef! Order what you want, don¡¯t be too polite with him! This opportunity is rare; don¡¯t miss out,¡± Zhang Yu revealed the secret with a smiley face as he poured a glass of wine.


    Xie Xuan unapologetically ordered two spicy dishes, and asked Su Huai to make something light for Wen Yan, to protect his throat.


    Annoyed, Wen Yan retorted, ¡°Why do you guys get to enjoy all the spicy and flavorful stuff, and I have to eat bland food like I¡¯m sick?¡±


    Hearing the word ¡®sick,¡¯ Xie Xuan¡¯s brows furrowed, and his expression became serious, looking somewhat intimidating: ¡°What do you mean sick, are you sick?¡±


    Wen Yan shrank back a little: ¡°I misspoke, not sick, just a normal person.¡±


    Zhang Yu, holding the wine, approached Su Huai, ¡°Make everything light, if Xie Xuan wants spicy let him cook it himself.¡±


    Su Huai nodded, his expression also slightly solemn.


    It was evident they were afraid of Wen Yan falling ill.


    Or perhaps, something serious had happened to Wen Yan before.


    Xie Xuan took the red wine handed to him by Zhang Yu and had a few sips before turning to Wen Yan and telling him to rest a bit more before eating.


    Wen Yan had already rolled his eyes at him, ¡°I¡¯m not a porcelain doll, is this really necessary?¡±


    Wen Yan felt he was losing face, especially with Shen Yan around.


    Being a grown man and still being treated like a delicate doll, it was embarrassing.


    ¡°You got a bit too excited today, and if you can¡¯t get up tomorrow, don¡¯t blame us for not warning you,¡± Xie Xuan said, seeing that Wen Yan was unwilling to rest and thus not pressing further.


    Wen Yan glanced sidelong at the two seated together, then turned to Shen Yan, ¡°Shen Yan, thank you for today!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me who should thank you!¡±


    ¡°I noticed just now, your presence really boosted my concert, I was just riding on your popularity...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mutual cooperation, I also benefited,¡± because of this concert, Shen Yan had also trended online, and although she wasn¡¯t topping the charts, it brought her another real burst of traffic!


    Zhang Yu watched them exchanging courtesies back and forth, couldn¡¯t help but laugh, and raised his glass to toast with Xie Xuan, ¡°They are really something!¡±


    Xie Xuan was also watching them, took another sip, put down his glass, and walked toward the kitchen.


    ¡°Wen Yan, Yanyan, come have a drink!¡±


    Zhang Yu immediately retrieved two empty glasses, poured some red wine, and gestured for them to come over.


    Wen Yan forcefully pulled Shen Yan to drink, and Shen Yan joined in.


    When Xie Xuan came out with the cut fruits, he saw the three of them getting happily drunk and weakly raised an eyebrow.


    The midnight snack was served at one-thirty, and as Zhang Yu said, Su Huai¡¯s cooking was really good!


    Shen Yan enjoyed the process but left quickly.


    She didn¡¯t believe she could truly fit into this close-knit group.


    Holding a wine glass loosely in her hand, her other hand resting below her right elbow, she half lounged on the sofa back, facing the still bright night view.


    ¡°I noticed you¡¯ve had quite a lot to drink but are still as sober as ever. If I hadn¡¯t seen you refilling your glass repeatedly, I would have suspected you were drinking plain water,¡± Zhang Yu had a good capacity for alcohol, but even he felt a bit tipsy by then.


    Shen Yan finished the last sip of her red wine and said, ¡°Wine and water are the same to me, I think it¡¯s about time, I¡¯ll head back now.¡±


    ¡°Su Huai has reserved a room for you,¡± Zhang Yu said, frowning slightly as he saw her wanting to leave.


    Letting a young woman go back alone at this time, they would be too heartless.


    Shen Yan said, ¡°My agent is already waiting downstairs, thank you for your hospitality today!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you downstairs,¡± Zhang Yu quickly put down his glass and said.


    Overhearing this, Xie Xuan stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take her, you¡¯ve had a bit too much.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Zhang Yu took a few steps and realized he indeed felt a bit dizzy.


    Shen Yan did not refuse and greeted everyone before leaving.


    *


    In the elevator.


    Xie Xuan looked at the descending numbers and said to Shen Yan, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thanking me?¡±


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s the help you gave Wen Yan on the show or this time, I should thank you.¡±


    ¡°It benefited me as well.¡±


    They didn¡¯t talk further.


    The first floor arrived.


    As they walked out of the elevator, Xie Xuan squinted slightly and said, ¡°I hope this new friend Wen Yan has made will treat him earnestly. I can take those unpleasant rumors about you as just rumors.¡±


    Standing at the front, Shen Yan turned to look at him.


    Her gaze was not intense, very calm.


    ¡°His vulnerabilities are too obvious, hurting him would be too easy.¡±


    Hearing this, Xie Xuan¡¯s eyes turned slightly cold.


    Shen Yan continued, ¡°Your warning is unnecessary.¡±


    She had never thought of actively hurting anyone, even if she had endured inhuman tortures.


    Understanding her, Xie Xuan said, ¡°Your agent didn¡¯t come, I¡¯ll drive you to the hotel.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t bring himself to let a young woman go back alone at such a late hour.


    ¡°No need, I live close by, I suddenly feel like walking,¡± said Shen Yan as she started walking.


    Shen Yan had walked alone for a while when the car behind her pulled up, Xie Xuan rolled down the window and pointed behind him, ¡°If Wen Yan finds out I let you go alone, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯d make a fuss and cut ties with me, get in.¡±


    Shen Yan looked at him and saw Xie Xuan inside the car, shrugging his shoulders helplessly.

 Chapter 74 - 74 074 Thank You

    ?Chapter 74: Chapter 074: Thank You Chapter 74: Chapter 074: Thank You Shen Yan didn¡¯t stay in Jin City.


    The next day, Liu Su booked her a flight back.


    On the plane.


    Liu Su kept glancing at Shen Yan, who was resting, wanting to ask about the man who had brought her back in the middle of the night, but he swallowed his words each time.


    A few hours later.


    Shen City.


    Qi Si¡¯s villa.


    ¡°Miss Shen, a package from country F!¡± The servant pointed at the large overseas express package in the living room as soon as Shen Yan walked in.


    Liu Su couldn¡¯t help but look as well.


    It really was airlifted from country F, the timestamp on it showed it had arrived several days ago.


    Shen Yan had flown straight to Jin City after recording a survival show and only came back today.


    She suddenly remembered about the local products she had asked Qi Si to bring when she heard the servant mention the package.


    ¡°Is he abroad?¡± Shen Yan turned to Liu Su.


    Liu Su, happy that Qi Si had finally got it right, nodded, ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention to Miss Shen that the Mister was abroad?¡±


    Shen Yan raised her eyebrows slightly.


    ¡°Quickly, open it and see what Mister sent back for Miss Shen!¡± No need to ask, it was definitely sent by Qi Si.


    Shen Yan immediately opened the several large boxes.


    The first box.


    Top-grade wine from country F.


    The second box.


    More wine from country F.


    The third box.


    Still wine.


    No need to open the rest, all wine.


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    Where exactly did she seem like a drunkard?


    Liu Su covered his face, unable to look.


    He would have preferred it if Qi Si hadn¡¯t sent anything back.


    *


    Shen Yan had the servant store the several large boxes of wine in the cellar, waiting for Qi Si to come back and drink himself to death.


    Liu Su, frustrated beyond words, had the servants quickly move them away; they were too much of an eyesore.


    ¡°Miss Shen, Tao Rong was taken away by the authorities yesterday. Some matters require a thorough investigation,¡± Liu Su quickly found another topic to divert Shen Yan from the boxes of wine.


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    With so many explosive secrets, who else if not him should be investigated?


    It was expected.


    ¡°The ¡®Stratagem Sage¡¯ crew won¡¯t be shooting your scenes for another couple of days...¡±


    ¡°Xinyu has acting classes, right?¡± said Shen Yan, ¡°I¡¯ll head there later.¡±


    Liu Su checked his phone and said, ¡°At this time, the classes are just about over, but, there¡¯s another session in the evening.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go in the evening,¡± she wasn¡¯t worried about her acting skills, but a little more learning couldn¡¯t hurt.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let Xinyu know!¡± Liu Su hoped Shen Yan would take some time to rest.


    *


    Shen Yan turned and sent Qi Si a message.


    ¡°Thanks a lot.¡±


    For treating her like a drunkard.


    Elsewhere.


    Early morning.


    Qi Si usually slept little and woke up early.


    Once awake, he found it hard to fall asleep again.


    This was a lifelong habit that couldn¡¯t be changed or cured.


    About to shower, he saw the screen of his phone light up in the dark. He glanced at it and saw the name that had been appearing frequently lately.


    Shen Yan.


    Upon opening it, he saw her thanks.


    After a brief thought, he knew what she was thanking him for.


    He simply replied with a ¡°hmm.¡±


    Taking a cold shower, Qi Si couldn¡¯t help but feel that his ¡°thank you¡± wasn¡¯t quite right.


    Shen Yan held her phone, staring blankly at the ¡°hmm¡± on the screen.


    Such people as Qi Si indeed didn¡¯t understand that kind of humor.


    *


    At seven o¡¯clock in the evening.


    Star Language Media.


    Due to the Tao Rongye incident, Shen Yan had been involved and swept into the storm.


    Then came Wen Yan¡¯s concert, keeping Shen Yan¡¯s popularity on the rise; artists at Star Language Media were taken aback to see her during the company performance class.


    The artists only whispered among themselves, not daring to approach her.


    Upon entering the room, Shen Yan didn¡¯t make any unnecessary movements and did not engage in conversation with others.


    Though in the same company, they were not acquainted.


    Many were seeing her in person for the first time.


    The acting class teacher glanced at Shen Yan and then continued with the lesson.


    The teacher was willing to teach students who wanted to learn acting.


    The entertainment industry had reached a point where anyone with popularity could enter.


    People without any acting skills dared take on roles.


    What resulted was simply unwatchable.


    The teacher didn¡¯t evaluate what Shen Yan was like.


    Coming to learn acting was considered a bit of progress.


    After one acting class, Shen Yan had indeed learned quite a bit and indicated she would return tomorrow.


    Shen Yan had a company car to pick her up. After the class, she left the company using a back passage, but somehow there was a lapse in the security here.


    Just as Shen Yan was about to get into the car, suddenly a figure darted out in front.


    The driver was startled.


    Luckily, the person only blocked Shen Yan and didn¡¯t do anything rash.


    ¡°Shen Yan, catching you isn¡¯t easy,¡± Xu Zishen stared at Shen Yan with a fierce gaze.


    Shen Yan indicated to the driver not to come over as she could handle it, ¡°Is there something?¡±


    Since appearing on the reality show, Xu Zishen had disappeared for many days.


    Seeing him now, he looked completely worn out, a far cry from his bright and ambitious self.


    ¡°Rejected by everyone, burdened with massive debts, even Li Zhekun has given up on me. Are you satisfied now?¡± Xu Zishen seemed a bit off, as if he could harm Shen Yan any moment.


    Shen Yan spoke softly, ¡°So, you think it¡¯s my fault that you ended up like this?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it you? The content on the mobile, it¡¯s your doing, right?¡± Xu Zishen suddenly became agitated. ¡°I just wanted to ride on the CP trend, it didn¡¯t harm you in any way. Shen Yan, you¡¯re really cruel, crippling me with your actions.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just about looping a CP; in your eyes, I saw a man¡¯s desire,¡± Shen Yan¡¯s calm voice echoed in the garage.


    Though not loud, it made Xu Zishen stiffen.


    ¡°You always do this, finding excuses for the crimes you¡¯re about to commit. Had this not been thwarted and if I was just a simple village girl, wouldn¡¯t I already be tied to your bed?¡±


    Her voice unflinching, Shen Yan¡¯s words heavily weighed on Xu Zishen, preventing him from raising his head.


    Xu Zishen clenched his fists: ¡°None of that happened, what male desire? You¡¯re just looking for a justification for hurting me. Dare you say, to get where you are today, you¡¯ve never utilized your attributes? Being beautiful, young, continuously having resources ¨C you exchanged your values for those, right? Women have it good, only needing to offer so little to gain so much.¡±


    Looking at him, Shen Yan¡¯s gaze resembled one looking at a naive child. ¡°You harbor quite a bit of malice towards women.¡±


    ¡°Shen Yan, give me everything back,¡± Xu Zishen took a few steps forward, looking somewhat crazed.


    The driver no longer heeded Shen Yan¡¯s previous instruction and pinned the assailant to the ground before calling the police.


    Upon hearing the driver call the police, Xu Zishen¡¯s expression changed. He struggled fiercely to break free from the driver, ran forward then turned back to glare at Shen Yan before disappearing from her sight.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Shen Yan stopped the driver who seemed ready to give chase.


    ¡°What he said to Miss Shen was appalling,¡± the driver couldn¡¯t believe that Shen Yan could endure to such an extent.


    ¡°He¡¯s just indulging his mouth, a mere paper tiger. Why bother?¡± A few words won¡¯t harm her, but Xu Zishen showing up let her witness his disgrace.


    This was also a humiliation he brought upon himself.


    Driver: ???


    As their car left Xingyu Garage, passing another vehicle parked behind, Shen Yan slightly turned her eyes, her indifference casting a glance through the car window.


    Dai Qiu, as if feeling an actual piercing chill, shivered inside the car.


    He had been watching when Xu Zishen entered Xinyu Garage, curious to see how Shen Yan would handle the situation without stopping him.


    That moment just now.


    Dai Qiu began to wonder if Shen Yan already knew he had let the man in.


    He somewhat regretted his action.

 Chapter 75 - 75 075 Joining the Drama Crew

    ?Chapter 75: Chapter 075: Joining the Drama Crew Chapter 75: Chapter 075: Joining the Drama Crew Shen Yan almost got attacked in the Xingyu Garage, and Liu Su heard about it from the driver.


    That evening, he angrily made a phone call and gave an instruction.


    Xu Zishen, who was originally not completely collapsed, now had all his family details dug up.


    His previously implied wealthy heir persona on the internet had been fully exposed.


    While the netizens were still enjoying the big reveal, Xu Zishen sent another juicy piece of news that made everyone even happier.


    [Recently, I¡¯m stuffed with one revelation after another, thinking Xu Zishen¡¯s wealthy heir status was ironclad, but it turned out to be made of paper, easily shredded with a poke!]


    [All his family details are out, and the persona of that province¡¯s wealthy son can no longer stand.]


    [Such people should stop harming the entertainment industry.]


    [I mean, if he were really a wealthy son from that province, after so many days had passed, why hadn¡¯t any powerful backers come forward to clean up after him?]


    [There were people saying Fake Princess was sticking to him; now that¡¯s a slap in the face.]


    [Dare to say Fake Princess never thought of sticking to Xu Zishen?]


    [With Xu Zishen¡¯s character, does he deserve Shen Yan to stick to him? What a joke.]


    [Fake Princess herself came from the countryside, saw a tall, rich, and handsome guy, and must¡¯ve thought about marrying into a wealthy family to turn into a phoenix.]


    [LOL! I¡¯m going to die laughing, Xu Zishen is tall, rich, and handsome? He¡¯s at most from a well-off family and doesn¡¯t look as good as Mu Jincheng.]


    [What¡¯s wrong with being from the countryside, were they eating your family¡¯s rice? Can¡¯t they live? Besides, how can you be so sure that Yanyan came from the countryside? Did she tell you personally?]


    [Of course, she won¡¯t admit it herself, maybe she¡¯s also making up a wealthy background like Xu Zishen.]


    Within a few sentences, Fireworks fans and some antis started clashing again.


    Shen Yan was completely unaware of it.


    Recently, she had handed her social media account over to Liu Su to manage.


    Liu Su managed Shen Yan¡¯s account to the best of his abilities, posting some everyday scenic photos now and then, or picking some positive comments to reply to.


    Liu Su felt that since he took over the agent¡¯s duties, he became much younger!


    His energy seemed inexhaustible every day!


    *


    The next morning, Shen Yan got up early, ready with her luggage to join the crew.


    Stratagem Sage¡¯s filming crew was mobile, filming indoor scenes initially, so they had been shooting inside the film studio.


    This time, they were going to another location to shoot the scenes where Shen Yan meets Mu Jincheng.


    Liu Su was worried that Xiao Zhao alone would not be able to handle everything at the outdoor location, so he prepared an additional assistant to accompany him and help out wherever Xiao Zhao could not manage.


    Shen Yan¡¯s personal makeup artist, Gao Xia, though she had not participated in major competitions, had won many medium-level competition certificates and often did makeup for stars in the film industry, meriting the title of a senior makeup artist!


    In choosing people, Liu Su picked the best one.


    Otherwise, having a useless person around would only require splitting his attention to look after them, which was unnecessary.


    Gao Xia was almost forty years old and had been in the entertainment circle long enough to know what could be said and what couldn¡¯t, which was why Liu Su hired her at a high price.


    *


    Shen Yan arrived in G Province that evening.


    This part only had a small portion of the female lead¡¯s scenes, later in the production, so seeing Chu Jinghe at the location so early, Shen Yan looked a bit peculiar.


    Chu Jinghe had fully recovered from the bee sting, also looking quite spirited.


    Seeing Shen Yan, he could gently smile at her.


    Shen Yan nodded slightly to him and approached to greet, ¡°Mr. Chu.¡±


    ¡°Shen Yan, you¡¯re too polite. By the way, I watched the concert you did with Wen Yan, very successful! Congratulations on taking another step! In the future, you will definitely surpass me and become a rising star!¡± Chu Jinghe¡¯s face was beaming as he spoke pleasantly, though what he truly thought was anyone¡¯s guess.


    Shen Yan looked at him for several seconds before withdrawing her gaze, ¡°Then I will shamelessly take Mr. Chu¡¯s kind words and strive to surpass Mr. Chu soon, becoming the star you expect me to be!¡±


    Chu Jinghe¡¯s smile started to falter.


    She was just being polite, couldn¡¯t Shen Yan hear it?


    Had there been no one else around, would she have bothered talking such nonsense with Shen Yan?


    As soon as Shen Yan appeared, Chu Jinghe¡¯s brilliance was completely overshadowed.


    ¡°Shen Yan!¡±


    Director Li saw Shen Yan and shouted loudly.


    When she first met the male lead, Shen Yan, playing the third female, was in a total mess.


    So there wasn¡¯t any need for special makeup.


    Shen Yan ran over and saw Mu Jincheng, who had messy makeup on, standing next to the director listening to him discussing the scene, and looked up at Shen Yan.


    She didn¡¯t know what was happening.


    As soon as Shen Yan showed up, Mu Jincheng found it hard to look away.


    There seemed to be a kind of magic about Shen Yan, attracting people¡¯s attention!


    Seeing Shen Yan in good spirits, Director Li had the staff hand over the prepared rough clothes to Shen Yan, ¡°Go change into these, put on a beggar makeup, and get ready to shoot your first scene.¡±


    Without any objection, Shen Yan took the clothes to change, and according to the script, Gao Xia applied a grimy makeup on her that even her parents wouldn¡¯t recognize.


    The makeup was genuinely dirty.


    But it somehow felt a bit fake.


    ¡°Wow! Sister Gao, your makeup skills are incredible!¡± Xiao Zhao walked around her and couldn¡¯t spot any flaws.


    If one hadn¡¯t been watching the whole process, they wouldn¡¯t have known that the grimy-looking person was Shen Yan!


    Because she was escaping, and then captured and tortured, her body was either covered in mud or blood.


    The mix of mud and blood was not a pleasant sight.


    Shen Yan felt it was still not enough, and as soon as she went outside, she rolled into a mud pit nearby, nearly scaring everyone to death thinking she had fallen.


    When Shen Yan with all the dirt returned in front of Director Li, no one recognized her.


    ¡°Director Li, is this good?¡±


    As soon as Shen Yan spoke, everyone was stunned.


    Director Li once again expressed his admiration for Shen Yan¡¯s dedication.


    Shen Yan was so beautiful and delicate; he had thought she would be like other actresses who refuse to uglify or dirty themselves.


    This was what you call a mess!


    Mu Jincheng glanced at Shen Yan and slightly furrowed his eyebrows.


    Compared to Shen Yan¡¯s makeup, he now seemed too clean, appearing somewhat unprofessional.


    Shen Yan must have done it intentionally.


    ¡°Director Li, I need to touch up my makeup as well since I¡¯m also supposed to be a fugitive,¡± Mu Jincheng pointed at Shen Yan and added, ¡°The scene is set right after it has rained, it seems inconsistent for one to be dirty and the other clean.¡±


    ¡°No need for that hassle, Teacher Mu can just roll over there,¡± Shen Yan pointed to the mud pit she had rolled in, and said.


    Mu Jincheng followed her pointing finger and his expression slightly changed.


    Shen Yan was actually suggesting he roll in the mud pit!


    His eyes narrowed slightly, staring coldly at Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan looked back at him innocently.


    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, just as Mu Jincheng was about to force himself to roll, Director Li said, ¡°Your escape is different from hers, yours is a trained escape, hers is a desperate flight from being hunted. They¡¯re not the same; when you slide down the mud slope later to save someone, getting muddy will achieve the same effect.¡±


    Mu Jincheng sighed in relief.


    At this time, he had already met his master and was being sent by his master for night training in the woods to learn counterattacking through escapism.


    It just so happened that he encountered the third female played by Shen Yan being chased, desperately needing rescue, and he, the male lead, saved her.


    This was their first encounter!

 Chapter 76 - 76 076 Qi Si has blocked him

    ?Chapter 76: Chapter 076: Qi Si has blocked him! Chapter 76: Chapter 076: Qi Si has blocked him! Since it was a scene set at night, and her face was smeared with dirt, Shen Yan only had one line of dialogue.


    So there was no need to display any acting skills.


    A group of people chased after Shen Yan, with various knife wounds on their bodies, both deep and shallow.


    Shen Yan was chased to a tall mound of mud and kicked down by someone.


    When filming, Shen Yan didn¡¯t use a stunt double, which Liu Su really wanted to oppose, but Shen Yan had already agreed with Director Li. By the time Liu Su thought to intervene, it was too late.


    Director Li viewed Shen Yan in a new light.


    Who says young people today can¡¯t endure hardships?


    Just look at the delicate Shen Yan¡ªwho didn¡¯t even use a stunt double¡ªand rolled down herself without hesitation.


    Liu Su watched from the side, his heart stopping.


    Xiao Zhao was so scared that he dare not watch.


    Shen Yan had no protection and rolled down directly. Although a safe area had been tested, a human body is made of flesh, and such a roll would certainly leave her in pain all over.


    The extras immediately reacted, rushing down, ready to lift their swords and finish off Shen Yan.


    It was then Mu Jincheng¡¯s turn to make his entrance.


    ¡°Mu Jincheng! What are you dazing at!¡± Director Li roared when he saw Mu Jincheng spacing out at that moment.


    Was he going to waste Shen Yan¡¯s roll?


    Mu Jincheng quickly adjusted his emotions and was pulled down by the wire rigging.


    It was in that instant that Mu Jincheng¡¯s gaze collided with Shen Yan¡¯s.


    The camera angle switched to the back, and then to the front, where based on Mu Jincheng¡¯s frowning expression, they would have definitely needed to call cut.


    The few pursuers were dealt with.


    Mu Jincheng picked up Shen Yan, who was lying in the mud, and the camera zoomed in closely.


    The blood packets on Shen Yan¡¯s body were still oozing blood, making her appear close to death, which was heart-wrenching.


    Seeing the image of Mu Jincheng half-supporting Shen Yan in his arms, Chu Jinghe clenched his fists, reminding himself it was just acting.


    Shen Yan suddenly grabbed Mu Jincheng¡¯s hand, the desperation in her eyes so intense that it shocked Mu Jincheng.


    ¡°Save me.¡±


    After Shen Yan delivered the line, she collapsed into Mu Jincheng¡¯s arms.


    Mu Jincheng stiffened.


    Just now.


    He had actually zoned out!


    Fortunately, at that moment Director Li called cut.


    In one take!


    Thankfully, no one noticed his lapse of attention.


    The person in Mu Jincheng¡¯s arms suddenly stood up, not lingering at all as she distanced herself from him.


    Looking at his empty arms, Mu Jincheng became somewhat dumbfounded.


    ¡°Yanyan! Let me help you!¡± Xiao Zhao jogged over and stood at the slippery area above to pull Shen Yan up.


    Shen Yan was all dirty; she needed to quickly clean up her makeup.


    Next, she had to go to the cabin to film the indoor scene.


    For the indoor scene, she just needed to lie down.


    Because that scene was only between Mu Jincheng and another experienced actor.


    After the performance, all that was left was the next day¡¯s scenes.


    *


    ¡°Jinchen, are you okay?¡± Perhaps Mu Jincheng¡¯s dazed look had alarmed Chu Jinghe. She ran to the front and called out a bit anxiously.


    Mu Jincheng instantly snapped back to reality.


    His complexion was a bit ugly.


    He started to feel that Shen Yan¡¯s action just now was deliberate retribution.


    Because he didn¡¯t give her a chance, was it love turning into hate?


    Only after Director Li made sure that Shen Yan wasn¡¯t bruised or injured, did he start preparing for the next scene, and then everyone could wrap up and rest.


    Mu Jincheng¡¯s acting was still not bad; at least in front of the demanding Director Li, he passed without many NGs (no good takes).


    After filming this indoor scene, Shen Yan, just like before, got up to greet her seniors, then returned to her place to rest.


    Without giving Mu Jincheng a second glance.


    Mu Jincheng stared at Shen Yan¡¯s retreating figure, his gaze somewhat profound.


    ¡°Jinchen,¡± Chu Jinghe walked up to him, blocking his line of sight, ¡°My agent prepared some late-night snacks, let¡¯s eat together.¡±


    The staff nearby overheard and teased them again.


    Chu Jinghe invited everyone with a smile, and upon hearing this, everyone happily expressed their thanks!


    While Chu Jinghe was building her goodwill outside, Shen Yan had everyone go to rest after removing her makeup.


    After a long day, what everyone needed most was rest.


    Shen Yan took out a mirror, lifted her shirt, and looked behind her; her fair back was a mess of blues and purples, looking terrifying.


    But Shen Yan didn¡¯t feel any pain.


    It was just that this body was too delicate and prone to bruising.


    Shen Yan merely glanced at it and didn¡¯t bother with it.


    *


    Liu Su was sending messages to Qi Si again.


    He recorded the scene of Shen Yan rolling down the muddy slope and sent it over; it wasn¡¯t live but a screenshot from the camera.


    What Qi Si saw upon opening the message was the moment Mu Jincheng rushed down to save someone, capturing only half of Shen Yan¡¯s figure.


    Qi Si¡¯s expression chilled after a glance, and then he didn¡¯t reply a single word.


    Liu Su kept babbling and sending a bunch of messages.


    By the time Liu Su wanted to send another message, an exclamation mark appeared.


    Liu Su realized that Qi Si had blocked him!


    It was like a bolt from the blue!


    He had angered Qi Si!


    Poor Liu Su was anxiously running in circles on his side, not daring to call Qi Si.


    He was afraid Qi Si would add his number to the blocklist too.


    *


    The next day, after the makeup artist finished with Shen Yan, Liu Su approached and asked, ¡°Miss Shen, has the gentleman blocked you?¡±


    Shen Yan looked at her pale reflection in the mirror and paused slightly at Liu Su¡¯s words, ¡°Uncle Liu got blocked by him?¡±


    Shen Yan thought that besides being cold, Qi Si¡¯s temper was fairly good. For Uncle Liu to have annoyed him to the point of getting blocked must have taken some doing.


    Liu Su looked like he was about to cry, ¡°I was reporting Miss Shen¡¯s recent situation to the gentleman. He probably got annoyed. Miss Shen, try to see if you can send him a message.¡±


    ¡°Why should I message him all of a sudden?¡± Shen Yan couldn¡¯t comprehend Liu Su¡¯s current train of thought.


    ¡°I told Miss Shen before that I have to report everything about Miss Shen to the gentleman. Now that the gentleman has blocked me, Miss Shen has to report to him herself in the future!¡± Liu Su¡¯s eyes lit up as he spoke.


    Right!


    How did he not think of that!


    He suddenly didn¡¯t feel so gloomy anymore.


    Being blocked was good!


    This way, he had an excuse to get Shen Yan to send more messages!


    Simply perfect!


    Seeing Liu Su¡¯s gleaming eyes, Shen Yan knew what he was scheming.


    ¡°I need to start shooting. We can talk about anything after I¡¯m done,¡± Shen Yan didn¡¯t take up Liu Su¡¯s conversational baton and quickly walked out of the temporary tent.


    *


    Seeing how eager Shen Yan seemed to interact with him, Mu Jincheng¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, looking down on such behavior from her.


    Shen Yan indeed seemed to be playing hard to get.


    Mu Jincheng thought that Shen Yan was feigning modesty to capture his attention.


    Once he started thinking this, everything Shen Yan did seemed like a deliberate attempt to lure him in.


    Chu Jinghe, who came out early, saw them standing beside the wooden house rehearsing their lines, and jealousy nearly overflowed from her eyes.


    She withdrew her steps only when a staff member nearby greeted her with a good morning.


    From the time Shen Yan lay down inside the house to waking up, not much real time had passed.


    Upon awakening, her first scene was opposite Mu Jincheng.


    Mu Jincheng expected a flimsy performance, but by the end of the scene, he belatedly realized that Shen Yan¡¯s acting was quite good!


    Acting opposite him, she wasn¡¯t overshadowed, which was almost unbelievable!


    Since when did Shen Yan have such acting skills?


    Wasn¡¯t it widely said online that her acting was as erratic as her facial features?


    Not only was Mu Jincheng surprised, even Chu Jinghe couldn¡¯t believe that Shen Yan could keep up with Mu Jincheng¡¯s performance.

 Chapter 77 - 77 077 Life Isnt Easy for Mister

    ?Chapter 77: Chapter 077: Life Isn¡¯t Easy for Mister Chapter 77: Chapter 077: Life Isn¡¯t Easy for Mister The veteran actor playing the role of Jincheng¡¯s master was named Zeng Hongzhuo, over fifty years old, but possibly due to good self-care, he didn¡¯t look his age.


    He had the look of someone brimming with wisdom.


    Such a character was most fittingly portrayed by him.


    Performing opposite Zeng Hongzhuo, Shen Yan also easily took up the challenge.


    A smooth performance in a single take made Jincheng¡¯s expression increasingly gloomy.


    The better Shen Yan performed, the more it proved he wasn¡¯t as good as Shen Yan.


    After the morning¡¯s scenes, Chu Jinghe clearly felt that Jincheng was in a bad mood.


    ¡°Jincheng, let me rehearse with you.¡±


    Chu Jinghe said in a gentle voice.


    Right after lunch, as Jincheng was pondering over the script, he needed silence, but it was Chu Jinghe who came to disturb him, so he could only suppress his irritation and nod with a smile to Chu Jinghe.


    Watching the two rehearsing, Shen Yan took the initiative to find the seasoned Zeng Hongzhuo.


    Zeng Hongzhuo had initially thought Director Li had brought in just a pretty face.


    But today¡¯s performance opposite her was genuinely satisfying.


    Just from the eye contact alone, he could see Shen Yan¡¯s caliber.


    Compared to the highly popular Jincheng, Shen Yan was notably remarkable.


    This part of the film wasn¡¯t extensive; with this level of performance, it wouldn¡¯t take many days before they could wrap up and return to Beijing Movie Park to shoot indoor scenes.


    Director Li was present during Shen Yan¡¯s audition and knew exactly what to expect from her acting.


    But without actually filming, no one could guarantee the quality.


    Today¡¯s shooting of Shen Yan and Zeng Hongzhuo¡¯s scenes were all completed in one take.


    Everyone could feel Director Li¡¯s elation!


    In the afternoon, they shot the scenes with Shen Yan and Jincheng.


    During a moment of eye contact, Jincheng seemed to falter.


    ¡°Cut!¡±


    Director Li shouted stop for the third time.


    He frowned at Jincheng and scolded, ¡°Jincheng, what¡¯s gotten into you? You were fine yesterday, what¡¯s the matter today, can¡¯t even handle a look from Shen Yan? What was all that winking about just now? Who are you trying to seduce?¡±


    Jincheng¡¯s face turned an ugly shade as he was scolded, he took a deep breath and tried to adjust his emotions, ¡°Director Li, I need a bit more preparation.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been preparing all morning, how much more time do you want to waste? If it¡¯s not working, we¡¯ll change the lead actor!¡± The mention of a replacement showed how irritated Director Li was.


    If he couldn¡¯t even handle a gaze, what was he doing playing the lead?


    Might as well start preparing as an extra.


    Jincheng knew Director Li was prone to cursing when shooting, but this was the first time he had to endure such unmeasured scolding.


    Shen Yan just stood by, watching him get rebuked.


    It took some effort, but finally, Director Li grudgingly approved.


    For the sake of quality, the crew opted for real-location shooting and earnestly traveled to various locations to shoot for this movie.


    And for this particular scene, he had personally rushed over to take charge.


    Unexpectedly, the least satisfying performance ended up being from the male lead, Jincheng.


    *


    Jincheng took the subsequent shootings much more seriously.


    At least he no longer underestimated Shen Yan.


    Shen Yan had definitely downplayed her talent before.


    Because of this, the scenes that were supposed to feature both of them were all rehearsed by Jincheng with Chu Jinghe.


    The more he did so, the more issues he felt upon facing Shen Yan.


    The moment he sensed something was off, Director Li would call NG!


    In the end, Shen Yan¡¯s killer gaze completely overpowered Jincheng.


    From the looks of it, one might think it was a heroine-centric drama.


    And Shen Yan was that heroine!


    Director Li felt increasingly that something was off as he filmed more scenes.


    In the end, he could only ask Shen Yan to tone it down a bit, not to overshadow the male lead¡¯s presence too much.


    Shen Yan glanced at Mu Jincheng.


    That look seemed to say he was so weak that he couldn¡¯t even compare to a woman.


    Mu Jincheng felt humiliated by that glance.


    By the eighth day of filming, the scenes depicting Shen Yan¡¯s growth were essentially complete.


    What followed was the clash between the male and female leads, naturally leading to the female lead¡¯s arrival and the male lead¡¯s return to Beijing.


    Once Shen Yan had finished shooting her scenes, she had no plans to stay and observe the main leads¡¯ scenes.


    She hastily bid farewell to Director Li and left the filming location that afternoon.


    The road out was rough, and Xiao Zhao got sick in the car twice.


    They settled in the city that evening, and Shen Yan was still going over the script when Liu Su knocked and entered, remarking that she was still engrossed in the script so late at night, ¡°Miss Shen, hard work is important, but you must also take care of your health.¡±


    Shen Yan put down the script; her scenes wouldn¡¯t be shot for a few more days, after which she would be filming in the studio city.


    ¡°Is there something you need, Uncle Liu?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, school starts in a few days. Miss Shen, do you want to retract your decision to take a break from school?¡±


    It was then that Shen Yan remembered that the original owner was in her sophomore year at university.


    Having never properly experienced high school and university, Shen Yan harbored a strong interest in college life.


    ¡°Of course, I retract it. Even though I¡¯m in the entertainment circle, I still need to earn my degree,¡± Shen Yan said earnestly. ¡°Since I¡¯ll be continuing my studies, we may need to adjust some schedules regarding my appointments!¡±


    Liu Su breathed a sigh of relief.


    In his view, no amount of fame could compare to a real diploma.


    Shen Yan was, after all, from a prominent family; if her educational background were too limited, she wouldn¡¯t be able to find stable footing in high society in the future.


    She was supposed to become Mrs. Qi one day; it wouldn¡¯t do to have people ridicule her education at social gatherings.


    Perhaps Qi Si wouldn¡¯t mind.


    But Liu Su also worried that Shen Yan couldn¡¯t withstand such ridicule.


    If Shen Yan were to say now that she wanted to leave the entertainment industry, Liu Su would fully support that decision with both hands and feet.


    ¡°That goes without saying, Miss Shen should prioritize her studies primarily. It¡¯s sufficient to film occasionally and participate in small programs to maintain a certain volume of work,¡± planned Liu Su, waiting to see if Shen Yan would accept this approach.


    Shen Yan had no objections.


    She had taken on this drama with not many scenes left for her, and there were two survival shows waiting for her afterwards.


    That was about right.


    ¡°Is there anything else, Uncle Liu?¡±


    ¡°Sir has returned from abroad; he will be arriving in Shen City tomorrow morning,¡± Liu Su observed Shen Yan¡¯s reaction.


    Shen Yan nodded slightly, ¡°I got it.¡±


    ¡°There seems to be some trouble at the Qi Family,¡± hesitated Liu Su, unsure whether to tell Shen Yan about the Qi Family¡¯s issues.


    After all, Shen Yan had always shown impatience at the mention of the Qi Family.


    Shen Yan looked up at Liu Su, ¡°If it¡¯s something I shouldn¡¯t hear, you don¡¯t need to say it, Uncle Liu.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t hear it; sooner or later, you will be part of the Qi Family, so it wouldn¡¯t hurt to know a little,¡± Liu Su sighed. ¡°We¡¯ve received news that the Qi Family may want the Sir to hand over external business to Mr. Qi Heng.¡±


    As soon as Shen Yan heard it was about family business issues, she raised her hand, ¡°I don¡¯t understand these matters, Uncle Liu, so you don¡¯t need to go into details with me.¡±


    Liu Su was a bit disappointed, but still chose some light words to express, ¡°Sir¡¯s relationship with his mother has always been very strained, as you know. Although the family business has grown under Sir¡¯s control, there¡¯s increasing criticism of how he conducts himself... Life at the Qi Family is difficult for Sir. I worry that upon returning to the Qi Family this time, Sir will be pressured into doing something.¡±


    Shen Yan frowned deeply.


    She really didn¡¯t know that Qi Si¡¯s relationship with his family was bad.


    Because in the original story, the Qi Family situation was never described.


    Qi Si in the book was completely portrayed as a tool, an innocent victim.


    ¡°Even if there is something, I can¡¯t help him. It¡¯s no use telling me all this, Uncle Liu,¡± Shen Yan responded with an aloofness that left Liu Su at a loss for words.


    Even if he portrayed Qi Si as pitiable, it wouldn¡¯t change the image of Qi Si as heartless in the eyes of others.


    Liu Su sighed, advised Shen Yan to rest well, and left.


    Shen Yan watched the door close and fell into a silence.

 Chapter 78 - 78 078 I Will Fulfill My Duties

    ?Chapter 78: Chapter 078: I Will Fulfill My Duties Chapter 78: Chapter 078: I Will Fulfill My Duties The next morning, Shen Yan flew straight back to Shen City.


    Just as she stepped out of the airport, a large group of fans surrounded her, drawing envious glances.


    The sudden fanfare almost scared Liu Su into drawing a weapon to counterattack.


    Relieved to see that the crowd was made up of Fireworks fans, he promptly maintained order at the scene with Xiao Zhao.


    ¡°Yanyan! My girl! Auntie loves you a lot!¡±


    ¡°Yanyan! Yanyan!¡±


    ¡°Everybody, don¡¯t crowd around, don¡¯t make Yanyan uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Is Yanyan just back from filming out of town? Yanyan, are you tired?¡±


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    She looked at the group of women who were barely older than she was, surrounding her and showing concern, somewhat in a daze.


    ¡°Oh my god! Yanyan looks so cute when she¡¯s distracted! Just like my daughter!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I never imagined the real Yanyan would be even prettier than on screen. Her skin is so white and delicate, I really want to touch it!¡±


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Yanyan must be tired after her flight, everyone make way.¡±


    At that voice, everyone automatically stepped aside, clearing a path for Shen Yan to pass through.


    A wry smile tugged at the corner of Shen Yan¡¯s mouth.


    This kind of spectacle, she really couldn¡¯t handle it.


    Had she even done anything to deserve such adoration?


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t even understand why her fans were doing this.


    But faced with such a scene, her feelings were incredibly complex.


    ¡°Uncle Liu, it¡¯s not easy for everyone to come, please make some arrangements for them,¡± Shen Yan noticed several who seemed to have traveled from afar, probably without even a place to stay sorted out.


    Some had been starving and waiting here for hours, unsure about which flight Shen Yan would take or when she¡¯d land.


    They had sprinted to the airport without a meal, just to wait for Shen Yan.


    ¡°You all shouldn¡¯t do this in the future, it¡¯s not worth it,¡± Shen Yan voiced out her thoughts.


    When she said this, she truly believed she wasn¡¯t worth such actions.


    She wouldn¡¯t even do this for her own beloved daughter.


    ¡°Yanyan, you are worth it!¡± Several fans shouted excitedly.


    Shen Yan tried to persuade them a few more times to disperse.


    Seeing the fans reluctant to leave, Liu Su had Xiao Zhao escort Shen Yan out first, while he stayed behind to arrange for the fans¡¯ food and lodging.


    Shen Yan got into the car, and as the driver started the vehicle, they left the airport.


    Through the rear-view mirror, she could still see a few fans chasing after them.


    Xiao Zhao was somewhat excited, ¡°Yanyan, now the fans are spontaneously coming to the airport for you, it means you¡¯re really going to be a big hit!¡±


    It was only a matter of time!


    Shen Yan, however, frowning slightly, asked, ¡°Do fans often do this sort of thing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one way fans show their love; there will be more of these kinds of things in the future!¡± Xiao Zhao contrasted this spontaneous gesture with the recent trend of celebrities spending money to organize fan groups for airport pick-ups, a world of difference in love and intent.


    Shen Yan fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°They don¡¯t truly like me as a person. If one day I fall from grace, I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll become even more terrifying than haters.¡±


    Xiao Zhao¡¯s face changed, ¡°Stop! Stop! Stop! Yanyan, you¡¯re in the limelight now. Don¡¯t talk about collapsing. That¡¯s not something to joke about!¡±


    Shen Yan offered a noncommittal smile.


    Xiao Zhao was dropped off at the company¡¯s assistant dorms, and Shen Yan then proceeded alone with the driver to the villa.


    *


    As she entered the door,


    Shen Yan immediately sensed a familiar, chilling presence, unmistakably Qi Si¡¯s.


    The servants, seeing Shen Yan, hurried over to take her suitcase and whispered, ¡°Miss Shen, Mr. Qi has returned.¡±


    Amused by the servants¡¯ deferential behavior, Shen Yan thought Qi Si wouldn¡¯t bite anyone.


    She thanked them and walked towards the glass doors of the back courtyard, pushing them open to see a tall figure standing with his back to her.


    He had taken off his jacket, with the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up slightly, revealing powerful wrists.


    After finishing a sentence on his phone, he turned around.


    His eyes were deeper and colder than the first time they had met.


    Perhaps the person on the other end said something that made the chill around him even more pronounced.


    ¡°I understand,¡± he coldly uttered before hanging up.


    The two of them locked gazes across the short distance.


    The intensity of eye contact was as strong as ever.


    Just one look at Qi Si,


    The word ¡°cold-blooded¡± immediately came to mind.


    He was like a heartless killing robot, simply standing there could terrify you into a frantic mess.


    But in Shen Yan¡¯s world, when it came to cold-bloodedness, no one could surpass her biological parents.


    Without blinking an eye, they sent her to hell¡ªthat was the epitome of cold-hearted ruthlessness.


    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±


    Shen Yan looked at him, trying to make conversation.


    Qi Si nodded indifferently.


    It was evident that he was not in a good mood.


    Or rather, with that deadpan face of his, no one could tell whether he was in a good or bad mood.


    Shen Yan didn¡¯t care much: ¡°I heard from Uncle Liu that there was some trouble with the Qi Family.¡±


    Qi Si¡¯s gaze turned icy as he stared at her.


    ¡°You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡±


    Shen Yan asked somewhat mechanically.


    The frost in Qi Si¡¯s eyes thawed a little, ¡°It won¡¯t involve you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that,¡± Shen Yan said, seeing he did not wish to discuss it, she turned around and changed the subject, ¡°I have already discussed with Uncle Liu that I will not neglect my studies anymore. I will go back to school to register in the next few days.¡±


    Qi Si just stood there, watching Shen Yan¡¯s figure. No emotions, happy or angry, could be discerned from his icy expression.


    Not even a slight flicker in his eyes.


    Whether Shen Yan continued her studies or not truly had nothing to do with him.


    Liu Su followed in after her, clearly sensing the somber atmosphere between the two and tried to find something to say to lighten the mood.


    Qi Si, walking into the living room, spoke first: ¡°I will visit the Qi Family tomorrow.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t clear whom he was addressing; both Liu Su and Shen Yan turned to look at him simultaneously.


    Qi Si¡¯s icy eyes turned to Shen Yan.


    She paused, uncertainly asking, ¡°Do you want me to go back with you?¡±


    Liu Su¡¯s eyes lit up and he quickly said, ¡°The family would definitely hope Mr. Qi would bring Miss Shen back with him. Should I make some preparations?¡±


    Qi Si glanced at Liu Su and said in a cold voice to Shen Yan: ¡°There¡¯s no need. On the day you register back at school, I will fulfill my obligation.¡±


    With that, he went upstairs.


    He didn¡¯t care whether the people behind him understood or not.


    Fulfill his obligation?


    What obligation?


    As smart as Shen Yan was, even she couldn¡¯t decipher his meaning at that moment.


    She could only turn to look at the equally puzzled Liu Su.


    Liu Su cheerfully said: ¡°Mr. Qi means to personally take Miss Shen back to school on the day she returns to school!¡±


    Shen Yan: ¡°...¡±


    Was that really what he meant?


    Had she analyzed it correctly?


    Reassured by the confirmation, Liu Su happily went to make preparations.


    As for what he was preparing, only he knew.


    With nothing else to do, Shen Yan simply went upstairs.


    Standing in the hallway, she glanced at the room to her left and faintly heard the sound of conversation coming from inside.


    Busy with business!


    Shen Yan rested until dusk before getting up, just as the maid came up to call her for dinner.


    The maid didn¡¯t dare to call the person in the room to the left, so Shen Yan took it upon herself.


    Just as she knocked on the door, an icy voice came from inside, ¡°What is it.¡±


    Shen Yan paused, then said, ¡°Mr. Qi, dinner is ready, we¡¯re just waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°Click.¡±


    As the door opened, Shen Yan was immediately hit with the chill emanating from Qi Si, taking a half-step back.


    Raising her head, she saw his ice-cold eyes.


    Shen Yan frowned slightly.


    What, did someone upset him?


    The two stood, inside and outside of the door, looking at each other for a long time.


    Qi Si said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to have dinner.¡±


    Shen Yan turned first to go downstairs, then something crossed her mind¡ªshe stopped at the bottom of the stairs, turned, and looked up at him: ¡°I wanted to confirm with you, Mr. Qi, about what you meant earlier by fulfilling your obligation. Were you saying you¡¯ll take me back to school yourself?¡±


    Qi Si replied, ¡°Yes. Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing. Just wanted to clear it up so I don¡¯t embarrass myself by reading too much into it later,¡± Shen Yan walked down as she spoke.


    Qi Si, following step by step, focused his gaze on her.


    A flicker of confusion sparkled.


    The woman before him had changed too much.

 Chapter 79 - 79 079 Who Do You Favor

    ?Chapter 79: Chapter 079: Who Do You Favor Chapter 79: Chapter 079: Who Do You Favor The second time Shen Yan ran into Qi Si was the day after their first encounter, and Shen Yan heard he had left early.


    After breakfast, Shen Yan hurried off to Xinyu for her performance class.


    The acting teacher, upon seeing that Shen Yan had joined a drama troupe and still came to attend class so conscientiously,


    treated her with much better regard.


    The issues Shen Yan consulted about, the acting teacher was also very willing to teach.


    At noon, Dai Qiu returned to the company for a bit.


    As soon as he walked in, he bumped into Shen Yan, who had just come out of her acting class.


    Meeting Shen Yan¡¯s gaze, Dai Qiu couldn¡¯t help but think about the incident that had happened in the parking garage.


    Dai Qiu felt a moment of stiffness.


    Shen Yan nodded slightly to Dai Qiu.


    Just as she was about to walk past, Dai Qiu suddenly called out to her, ¡°Shen Yan.¡±


    ¡°Is there something you need, Brother Qiu?¡±


    With Dai Qiu stopping Shen Yan, everyone¡¯s gaze followed suit and turned their attention to them.


    But they weren¡¯t curious enough to stop and listen to the conversation between the two.


    Dai Qiu gave Shen Yan a complex look and said, ¡°I saw what happened last time in the garage.¡±


    Shen Yan was taken aback.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Dai Qiu to just admit outright that it was he who had let Xu Zishen in.


    Even though Dai Qiu didn¡¯t spell it out, his words were tantamount to an admission.


    As long as Shen Yan mentioned it to Liu Su, it would definitely be possible to investigate and find out.


    That¡¯s why it was said that Dai Qiu had directly admitted it.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it quite normal for Brother Qiu to be in the garage? Why did you mention this to me?¡±


    Shen Yan¡¯s feigned ignorance also took Dai Qiu by surprise.


    Was she not going to dwell on the matter?


    Could Shen Yan be so generous?


    Ever since that endorsement advertisement, Dai Qiu had been trying to probe the true depth of Shen Yan.


    Though he had not succeeded, he also had a vague idea that there was nothing simple about what was behind Shen Yan.


    If Shen Yan insisted on not letting go of the matter, Dai Qiu was also worried it would implicate Shi Lian.


    Therefore, Dai Qiu directly admitted to Shen Yan that it was he who had let Xu Zishen in.


    The look Dai Qiu gave Shen Yan now was even more complex than before.


    ¡°Brother Qiu isn¡¯t planning to use Xu Zishen¡¯s incident to threaten me, is he?¡± Shen Yan laughed and added another sentence.


    Dai Qiu: ¡°Could the matter with Xu Zishen threaten you?¡±


    Shen Yan: ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°I still have some matters to attend to with President Kang; please, make yourself at home,¡± Dai Qiu withdrew his gaze from Shen Yan and turned to enter the elevator.


    Shen Yan truly hadn¡¯t taken Dai Qiu¡¯s affair to heart.


    Of course.


    However, if Xu Zishen had committed some harm against her at that time, Shen Yan would have minded.


    *


    Beijing.


    Qi Family.


    Just as Qi Si had entered the Qi family¡¯s gate, he was called over by someone from his mother¡¯s side.


    Qi Si¡¯s mother was from the prominent Song Family of Beijing, and he had been subjected to a rather cold education from a young age; his parents¡¯ marriage, too, had been one of alliance.


    Ever since Qi Si¡¯s father had become bedridden due to an accident, his mother became even stricter in educating him.


    Even now, as Qi Si was nearing thirty, Song Jinwei was still harsh with him.


    Precisely because of this, the relationship between mother and son was very poor.


    Ever since it was decided that Qi Si and the Shen Family would form an alliance through marriage, the majority of the family businesses fell into Qi Si¡¯s hands, and gradually Song Jinwei began to transfer the power she held to her second son, Qi Heng, also hinting at a desire to fade from the business world.


    However, recently, Song Jinwei had become discontent with the younger son merely taking over a bit of the power from her hands.


    Thus, Song Jinwei had been discussing privately with Qi Si, suggesting that Qi Heng help share the burden of the family business.


    Qi Si had not given a response.


    The matter couldn¡¯t be settled over the phone, so Song Jinwei directly summoned him back.


    To discuss face-to-face; after all, Qi Si would have no reason to avoid it then.


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    As Qi Si entered, he glanced at the person sitting on the sofa and called out with a cool tone.


    Song Jinwei¡¯s brows furrowed slightly.


    Song Jinwei herself had a strong presence, capable of commanding authority both outside and at home.


    People in the business world had even given her the nickname ¡°Iron Lady,¡±


    At this moment, as she furrowed her brow and with such an iceman standing before her, the temperature in the living room dropped to an extreme.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you about the matter, how have you considered it?¡±


    Song Jinwei couldn¡¯t resort to cloying mother-son affection with this son.


    It was as cold and confrontational as if she were facing an enemy.


    It had always been this way since childhood.


    Both had grown accustomed to it.


    ¡°The request from Qi Heng?¡± Qi Si no longer flinched in front of his mother as he did when he was a child, coldly tossing out the question before sitting on the sofa opposite her.


    ¡°Your brother, of course, wouldn¡¯t be the one to ask this,¡± Song Jinwei glanced at him, ¡°it¡¯s just to have him share a small part for you. He is your younger brother; it¡¯s only right for him to help you out.¡±


    Qi Si didn¡¯t bother being polite, ¡°Is it really sharing, or is it grabbing? You know very well.¡±


    ¡°Qi Si,¡± Song Jinwei¡¯s gaze turned utterly cold, ¡°Must family members really speak to each other so distantly?¡±


    ¡°You were the first to create distance.¡±


    The atmosphere between mother and son became even more rigid.


    Song Jinwei looked worse, ¡°Originally, during the marriage alliance with the Shen Family, it was your brother that the Shen Family was interested in. Had your brother not stepped aside, would the Qi family¡¯s power have fallen into your hands?¡±


    Qi Si¡¯s handsome brows furrowed coldly, ¡°Stepped aside? You should say that to grandmother.¡±


    There was no point in continuing the conversation if they couldn¡¯t agree.


    Song Jinwei¡¯s face underwent a tiny change once again.


    Qi Si stood tall and said indifferently, ¡°Have you forgotten how grandmother died?¡±


    Song Jinwei¡¯s face turned ashen at once.


    ¡°Do you have to tear open your own mother¡¯s wounds to feel satisfied?¡±


    Qi Si no longer wished to stay.


    He turned and left the living room.


    This home, it suffocated him.


    Qi Si didn¡¯t visit the old patriarch, nor did he go to the medical room to see his father who couldn¡¯t get out of the sickbed.


    Instead, he went to the headquarters to deal with a pile of official business.


    It wasn¡¯t until the next morning that he returned to the Qi Family home.


    But this return trip brought another argument with his parents.


    In the afternoon.


    He flew straight back to Shen City.


    Shen Yan returned home from her company¡¯s performance class and immediately noticed the unusually low atmosphere in the household.


    Liu Su did not dare to speak loudly to Shen Yan, ¡°Every time Mr. Qi comes home, it¡¯s like this. Miss Shen, it might be best not to provoke Mr. Qi today.¡±


    Shen Yan glanced upstairs before nodding, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to provoke him with anyway.¡±


    Liu Su remained worried.


    The last time Shen Yan provoked Qi Si under such circumstances, they all thought Qi Si was going to kill her.


    Though Qi Si didn¡¯t kill Shen Yan that time, she was so frightened that she fainted.


    At dinner, Qi Si still came downstairs.


    The atmosphere was even more oppressively low than usual.


    But it wasn¡¯t terrifying enough to scare Shen Yan.


    Seeing the servants trembling with fear, Shen Yan swallowed the question about whether he would drive her back to school the next day.


    At the dining room.


    The two of them ate this meal amidst the chilly atmosphere.


    Watching him rise from his seat, Shen Yan couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Mr. Qi, is everything alright?¡±


    Qi Si turned around to meet the girl¡¯s clear and calm gaze.


    For some reason, having this meal with Shen Yan had calmed his heart quite a bit.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re busy tomorrow, I can go back to school by myself.¡±


    ¡°Get up early tomorrow.¡±


    Qi Si dropped these words and turned to leave, but as if something crossed his mind, he looked back at Shen Yan, who was still sitting at the dining table, and asked, ¡°Compared to me, do you prefer Qi Heng more?¡±


    Shen Yan blinked and counter-questioned, ¡°Is the Qi Family planning to change the marital alliance partner?¡±


    Qi Si did not answer her but coldly asked again, ¡°Who do you prefer?¡±


    ¡°If the Qi Family wants to switch people, I think the marriage alliance does not need to happen.¡± She didn¡¯t want to interact with another stranger.


    Shen Yan¡¯s response caught Qi Si off guard. Then, without saying anything, he just nodded and left the dining room.


    It had to be said, Shen Yan¡¯s response had improved Qi Si¡¯s mood slightly.

 Chapter 80 - 80 080 Taking Her to School

    ?Chapter 80: Chapter 080: Taking Her to School Chapter 80: Chapter 080: Taking Her to School The next morning, Shen Yan got up very early.


    Unexpectedly, Qi Si rose even earlier than she did.


    He looked as if he hadn¡¯t slept at all.


    Neat and tidy, no different from the day before.


    During breakfast, Shen Yan glanced at him several times.


    After finishing breakfast, Qi Si went outside the living room to take a couple of phone calls.


    Shen Yan put on her shoes and waited at the entryway.


    Qi Si put down his cell phone, walked over to Shen Yan¡¯s side, and gestured that they could leave.


    It was the first time both of them were sitting in the same car.


    The driver and Liu Su were both fully attentive to any movements of the two in the back seat.


    However, to their disappointment, the two people in the back seat were each minding their own business, with no hint of interaction.


    Shen Yan lowered the car window slightly, letting the outside wind blow in, causing her long hair to flutter back.


    It just happened to fall on Qi Si¡¯s hand holding the tablet, the hair sliding over the expensive cufflinks, and the ends wound around, getting caught a bit.


    Qi Si turned off the tablet screen and with his other hand, lifted the hair off his sleeve, all done without a sound.


    When Shen Yan turned her head, she saw him shifting to the other side and picking up the tablet to continue his work.


    Did he find sitting close to her objectionable?


    Shen Yan was baffled by his behavior.


    Shen Yan raised an eyebrow and saw a group of high school students crossing the street in front of her, which piqued her curiosity, and she stretched her head out the window slightly.


    Qi Si, without looking up, said, ¡°Don¡¯t stick your head out.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she was just curious about what high school students were like.


    She drew her head back in, but her gaze still followed the group of youthful high school students.


    Even a look of envy appeared in her eyes.


    Qi Si lifted his head from the world of his tablet and saw her turning to look behind, as if something back there was capturing her attention.


    ¡°Mr. Qi, did you attend high school?¡±


    Qi Si just gave her a serene, indifferent look.


    Wasn¡¯t what she asked obvious?


    ¡°What¡¯s high school like?¡± she asked out of curiosity.


    ¡°Study.¡±


    Although he thought Shen Yan¡¯s question was naive, he still responded with two words.


    That answer was so Qi Si.


    Shen Yan found it boring and didn¡¯t ask any further.


    Shencheng University.


    First-year freshmen registered quite early, and as Shen Yan returned to the campus, she didn¡¯t witness the hustle and bustle of the start of the school year, which was a small regret.


    Shen Yan half lay against the window, staring somewhat absentmindedly at the groups of students.


    Qi Si ordered, ¡°Drive straight in.¡±


    Shen Yan admired the serene scenery of Shencheng University along the way.


    So, this was university.


    Nice environment, the atmosphere seemed quite good too.


    When Shen Yan was a freshman, she had joined the entertainment industry, and although she wasn¡¯t very famous, many people in school knew her.


    Now it goes without saying, the freshmen who were just registering knew of Shen Yan.


    Her popularity had grown significantly recently.


    As soon as she got out of the car, students around her started pointing and talking about her.


    ¡°Sir, I will accompany Miss Shen to register.¡±


    Seeing the situation outside, Liu Su immediately followed her out of the car.


    The fact that Qi Si had personally brought Shen Yan to school was surprising enough.


    No one dared to expect him to accompany Shen Yan as a parent any further.


    Qi Si¡¯s phone rang, and upon hearing this, he nodded towards Liu Su.


    Shen Yan wanted to say she could manage by herself, but Liu Su had already exited the car.


    The second year was not as troublesome as the first year.


    Upon entering the registration area, Shen Yan was scrutinized by the tutors.


    With Liu Su standing by her side as a parental figure, no one asked too many questions.


    Second and third-year students had returned to school a week early to welcome the freshmen. Shen Yan registered the latest, but no one had dictated that she must come early.


    ¡°Shen Yan!¡±


    As she stepped out of the registration area, she was faced with a tall, fair-skinned boy looking at her in surprise.


    Shen Yan had no memory of this person, but he knew her, so she nodded slightly in acknowledgment.


    There were two boys and one girl with the boy, and the girl curiously said to Shen Yan, ¡°Shen Yan, you¡¯ve become quite famous lately. We thought you were going to drop out and join the entertainment industry.¡±


    That explained why they were surprised to see her.


    Shen Yan said, ¡°I have no intention of giving up my studies.¡±


    ¡°The gentleman must be Uncle Shen, we are Shen Yan¡¯s classmates! My name is Lin Shuangxu!¡± The girl greeted Liu Su first.


    Liu Su said, ¡°My last name is Liu, and I¡¯m also part of Shen Yan¡¯s family.¡±


    Lin Shuangxu was taken aback, but she wasn¡¯t embarrassed and said, ¡°So you are Uncle Liu.¡±


    With an elder present, the tall and fair-skinned young man who was the first to call out to Shen Yan also introduced himself, ¡°My name is Ji Yao, and I¡¯m also a classmate of Shen Yan from the same department.¡±


    Liu Su smiled and nodded, ¡°Shen Yan is lucky to have you looking out for her at school!¡±


    ¡°Shen Yan wasn¡¯t at school for more than a few days in her freshman year...¡± Lin Shuangxu wanted to say they weren¡¯t that close, and nobody could really look out for anyone, but she swallowed her words at the last second.


    Since they were Shen Yan¡¯s classmates from the same department, Liu Su suggested treating them to a meal.


    They all declined; they were busy with other things. They couldn¡¯t even accept an invitation for dinner, let alone lunch.


    Under the scrutinizing eyes of the group, Shen Yan left.


    ¡°Shen Yan really has changed a lot.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t spent many days with her. How do you know she has changed?¡±


    ¡°Do we need to spend time together for that? Just do a comparison online, and everything is clear.¡±


    ¡°With her current popularity, she¡¯s definitely going to be mobbed at school.¡±


    ¡°Everyone is busy studying. It¡¯s a bit weird to chase after a classmate who¡¯s a star.¡±


    Shen Yan hadn¡¯t gone far when she could still hear the conversation of the group behind her.


    As long as she didn¡¯t offend anyone, there wouldn¡¯t be too much trouble for her on campus in the future.


    Shen Yan still hoped to smoothly continue her university studies.


    She liked the atmosphere of the campus.


    Shen Yan was in the computer science department, having chosen the major on a whim.


    In rebellion, she didn¡¯t choose any of the majors suggested by her family but picked computer science instead.


    Now, Shen Yan had no plans to switch majors.


    There was nothing bad about computer science, and it wasn¡¯t hard to learn.


    *


    Qi Si took a rare moment to quietly appreciate the scenery of the campus.


    As soon as the door opened, he withdrew his gaze.


    ¡°Mr. Qi, it¡¯s still early. If you could drop me by the office, then you can go and tend to your own affairs.¡±


    Seeing that it was still too early for lunch and that she couldn¡¯t accompany Qi Si to his company, Shen Yan had no choice but to go back to her acting class.


    Qi Si didn¡¯t say anything and gestured for the driver to drive on.


    Liu Su tried to speak several times but ended up swallowing his words.


    Once they arrived at the company, Qi Si sat in the car and watched Shen Yan enter before looking at the hesitant Liu Su, ¡°The man she¡¯s chasing, what¡¯s the situation?¡±


    Liu Su¡¯s eyes widened in shock!


    Why was Qi Si suddenly asking about this?


    Did he care?


    ¡°Keep an eye on it; the marriage alliance between our families must not go awry.¡±


    Liu Su¡¯s excitement instantly turned cold, ¡°Miss Shen has already indicated that she has lost interest in the Mu family¡¯s candidate.¡±


    Qi Si just listened, not taking it seriously.


    How could she lose interest in someone she¡¯s pursued so fervently?


    Liu Su followed suit and got out of the car, watching Qi Si¡¯s car merge into traffic before turning to enter the company.


    Shen Yan stood on the third floor by the window, just in time to see the low-profile black sedan slip into the flow of cars, lost in thought.


    Liu Su went upstairs, thought of something, and called Qi Si, ¡°Sir, will you be coming home for dinner?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    After the call, Liu Su was overjoyed.


    Upon reaching the third floor, Liu Su shared the good news with Shen Yan, ¡°Sir said he would like to have dinner with Miss Shen tonight.¡±


    ¡°Out?¡± Shen Yan asked subconsciously.


    ¡°Does Miss Shen want to dine out?¡± Liu Su was surprised.


    Shen Yan shook her head, ¡°Dining at home is fine.¡±


    ¡°The crew of ¡®Stratagem Sage¡¯ has sent a message asking Miss Shen to come to the film city two days earlier,¡± Liu Su remembered and casually mentioned.


    Shen Yan nodded and asked, ¡°Is Qi Heng really Mr. Qi¡¯s younger brother?¡±


    ¡°He is indeed his younger brother, doesn¡¯t Miss Shen already know?¡± Liu Su was puzzled by the question.


    Shen Yan then asked, ¡°Does the Qi family have any plans to replace the person marrying me?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about that,¡± Liu Su frowned.


    Initially, the Shen Family preferred Qi Heng, but Madam Qi explicitly stated that it could only be Qi Si.


    Liu Su knew that Song Jinwei always favored Qi Heng and would prefer such a good match for Qi Heng.


    But he couldn¡¯t tell Shen Yan that.


    Given Qi Si¡¯s cold nature, if it weren¡¯t for this arranged marriage, he would probably end up alone for life.


    It wasn¡¯t that no one wanted to marry him, but they feared he wouldn¡¯t want to marry.