After a good night's sleep, Bao Ruanruan got into the nanny van early the next morning and immediately saw her agent, Xue J...
After a good night's sleep, Bao Ruanruan got into the nanny van early the next morning and immediately saw her agent, Xue Jing, with dark circles under his eyes, along with Chen Feng, whose smile just wouldn't come off his face.
Bao Ruanruan was surprised.
Why does he look weaker the more he eats that thing?
Xue Jing's peach-blossom eyes swept over her small face.
"Next time… you don't need to bring me that kind of gift."
"What kind?"
"……"
Those peach-blossom eyes glanced over her from head to toe.
“…My qi and blood are fine.”
There's no need next time.
"Pfft."
Chen Feng's shoulders shook with suppressed laughter.
Bao Ruanruan couldn't help reminding him, "Drive carefully."
As she fastened her seatbelt, she also took a closer look at Xue Jing.
"With the way young people pull all-nighters nowadays, it's easy for them to end up with a weak constitution."
Xue Jing: "…"
Starting today, no more staying up late.
Looking at the young girl in her black dress today, her skin appeared dewy and radiant.
The off-the-shoulder cut of her dress showcased her elegant neck, which she had further accentuated with a bold red scarf, leaving just a hint of her long, delicate collarbone visible.
Xue Jing's Adam's apple bobbed as he turned to look out of the window.
"Gifts like that—don't give them to other men either. Just me."
Bao Ruanruan blinked. "I wouldn't."
For now, there wasn't anyone else she needed to thank.
Xue Jing's brow twitched.
She only cared about his kidneys.
Being suspected of having a kidney deficiency actually made him a little happy…
Clearing his throat softly, Xue Jing cracked the car window open.
He let the slightly cool breeze blow away the stuffy heat inside the car.
"The magazine shoot later is sponsored by M Shoes, mainly to highlight the shoes' features."
"The photographer is someone you know: Xiao Minghua—"
He was one of the judges from the Model Angel Competition.
Xiao Minghua had taken a strong liking to her back then and had always wanted to photograph her.
One of our own people.
In an instant, the corners of Bao Ruanruan's lips lifted, revealing a relieved expression.
However, after taking a breath, Xue Jing added the second half of his sentence.
"—Xiao Minghua's rival."
Bao Ruanruan: "???"
You're picking up bad habits, agent.
"A few top-tier photographers in the industry have carved up most of the fashion-shoot market."
"Xiao Minghua was trained in multimedia production and transitioned from professional photography into the fashion world. His approach to composition leans towards Western, which top-tier magazines really like."
"The one shooting the magazine for you today is Xia Hai, the person who doesn't get along with him."
Xue Jing explained.
"He was originally a kitchen apprentice, but he spent his free time browsing photography magazines online and gradually developed an interest in the subject. He then quit and began working at a photo studio. After shooting studio portraits for four or five years, he became highly skilled at using light and shadow to accentuate women's beauty. After moving into the fashion world, many female celebrities began requesting him by name."
One had received formal academic training, while the other had a grass-roots1 background. The two had completely different paths, and as a result, they disliked each other on sight.
One thought the other didn't understand anything at all.
The other felt his counterpart was all theory and no individuality.
Bao Ruanruan understood.
Today was going to be another hard battle.
In any case, she absolutely could not mention the name 'Xiao Minghua'.
When they arrived at the studio, Xue Jing remained in the car and watched as Bao Ruanruan walked inside, swaying her slender waist.
"Mm. Notify HR that this year's company medical check-ups will be upgraded."
"Schedule it for next week."
Chen Feng froze for a moment. "Oh."
Xue Jing took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
Since the employees were getting medical check-ups, he'd get himself examined too.
Next time, at least he could show her a medical report proving he wasn't weak at all.
Meanwhile, Bao Ruanruan was led straight to the make-up room after entering the studio, where she bumped into an old acquaintance again.
It was Zhao Ming, Tang Yuxin's fan and make-up artist.
"Yo."
"So, how's the 'door' this time?"
“……”
Early in the morning, while still on set, Tang Yuxin couldn't wait to ask the system for Lu Wenhao's list of preferences.
Game accounts—buy.
In-game items—buy.
Game skins—buy.
There were also autographs from professional players and prizes from their tournament victories.
After confirming the address of Lu Wenhao's practice studio, she hurriedly sent everything over.
Not only did she prepare gifts for Lu Wenhao according to the system's favourability prompts, but she also thought of his boy group teammates.
She prepared extra gaming-related gifts for them as well.
After all, boys tend to like similar things.
Based on her experience 'conquering' people, she knew that it wasn't enough to cater to the target's preferences—you also had to win over the people around them.
This way, she could maximise the support rate.
However—
After sending everything via express delivery and paying extra postage, Tang Yuxin waited for good news before heading back to filming.
Not long after, she received a text from Lu Wenhao.
[Sister Yuxin, thank you very much.]
The corners of Tang Yuxin's lips lifted into a smile.
[But at the moment, I don't need these—and neither do my teammates.]
Tang Yuxin: "?"
Would a wealthy second-generation heir really bother with fake politeness?
[I'll mail it back to you. You can list it on Xianyu🔗 to sell—no need to lower the price.]
?
??
Tang Yuxin suddenly sprang to her feet on the film set, still holding the script.
How could this happen?
[Gift delivery to Lu Wenhao failed.]
[Favourability rating decreased by 1.4%!]
[Warning: Favourability of key target has dropped; penalty triggered.]
Tang Yuxin's face turned deathly pale.
Is the system bugged?!
How could this happen?
"Hold on—I need to make a call. Let the director know. I'll be right back."
Tang Yuxin instructed her assistant, then hurried back to her room with her phone.
The assistant nodded quickly, but once Tang Yuxin had left, a trace of shock appeared on her face.
The moment Sister Yuxin spoke, she could smell a stale, overnight odour.
What had Sister Yuxin eaten?
Back in her room, Tang Yuxin quickly shut the door.
"I gave him something he likes—how could the favourability drop?!"
[Please wait. System checking.]
Tang Yuxin: "......"
Would her favourability be restored once the system had finished with the check?
[Lu Wenhao's preferences have changed.]
[Current status: dislikes games.]
[He no longer wants anything so distracting and ambition-wasting.]
Tang Yuxin felt like she could spit out a mouthful of blood just by opening her mouth.
"You said he liked it—that's why I gave it to him!"
[Character preferences may change.]
[Host, please explore on your own.]
“………………”
[Appearance decreased, and a next-day favourability reduction penalty applied.]
[Random penalty generated: Whenever you speak more than five words, there is a certain chance you will sneeze.]
Tang Yuxin: "!"
[Duration: 72 hours or until favourability increases.]
Tang Yuxin was about to pass out.
The strategy she thought was foolproof had gone wrong at every step.
What should she do now?
When she sent Lu Wenhao a message, his support dropped.
When she gave him a gift, his support dropped again.
What else could she do?
Most of what she knew about Lu Wenhao came from the system's data.
However, the system's information about the games he liked was completely wrong, so what could she rely on now?
Tang Yuxin rushed to the mirror and saw that her eyelids had begun to swell, and the dark circles under her eyes had deepened.
Worst of all, faint neck lines had started to appear on her once smooth, delicate neck.
Lines that not even a foundation could hide.
[Warning: your support rate has dropped more than three times in succession recently.]
[Host, please proceed with caution.]
[If the support rate drops sharply, this system may develop bugs or even self-destruct.]
Tang Yuxin sucked in a sharp breath.
[Due to outdated hobby data, the system is issuing a special compensation: the host is granted an additional action opportunity today.]
[Who do you wish to target? And by what method?]
She covered her forehead with both hands.
Lu Wenhao was off-limits for now.
After two failed interactions in a row, his impression of her must have turned poor, and it would be easy for him to develop outright dislike towards her.
Yang Xueni… the last phone call had actually caused her support rate to drop.
Tang Yuxin thought about it again and again.
She finally selected ——— [Fan Group]
"Today, I choose to win over my own fans."
Her fans truly loved her.
The increase might not be significant, since she was already close to the peak, but at least it wouldn't drop.
And it could quickly restore her appearance.
"Xiao Li, tonight after I finish filming… achoo!…!!"
She stumbled through her sentence.
The sneezing wouldn't stop.
Tang Yuxin's face darkened.
"At eleven tonight, have the make-up artist come to… achoo!… touch up my make-up. Then we'll film a short late-night snack video… for my fans."
In the magazine shoot studio, Bao Ruanruan bumped into the make-up artist, Zhao Ming, once again.
When Zhao Ming saw Bao Ruanruan, his expression shifted repeatedly.
Ever since the incident in which he tried to copy Bao Ruanruan by using a hairpin to pick a door lock, breaking it and forcing the production team to dismantle the door, he hadn't received any advertising make-up jobs for two or three months.
He had become famous in the industry for it.
He'd earned the nickname 'the door-breaking make-up artist'.
After much difficulty, he finally got some magazine make-up work, only to unexpectedly bump into Bao Ruanruan again.
Zhao Ming's expression changed.
Then, calmly and without hesitation, he dropped into a smooth knee-slide🔗.
"Teacher Bao."
"Today, I'll definitely give it my all to style you."
He didn't dare stir up trouble anymore.
Besides, everyone in the Tang2 Fandom now knew that Lu Wenyao was a scumbag. It was only because Bao Ruanruan hammered3 him that the entire internet finally saw his true colours.
If Teacher Yuxin had also been deceived, then when she finally woke up to the truth, Bao Ruanruan deserved credit for reclaiming this territory4!
Zhao Ming didn't hate Bao Ruanruan anymore—he was just afraid of her.
"Teacher Bao, today I want to give you a crystal-style look—a doe-like, precious daughter of a tycoon family vibe—to coordinate perfectly with the uppers of M's latest shoe collection."
He was terrified she'd suggest something like darkening or uglifying her look again.
I honestly cannot do that!
To his surprise, Bao Ruanruan agreed quite readily. "OK!"
Zhao Ming let out a sigh of relief.
"Can you add some freckles?"
Zhao Ming: "……"
When it came to purposely making herself look ugly, she was truly stubbornly determined.
"…Fine."
Bao Ruanruan's long, straight black hair was temporarily curled into large waves and adorned with large pink-and-blue flowers.
He then applied highlighter to her nose and forehead to accentuate her porcelain skin.
Zhao Ming carefully picked up tiny crystals with tweezers and scattered them along both sides of her perky nose and beneath her expressive eyes.
These 'freckles' shimmered with every breath.
Paired with her slightly trembling, jet-black, curled lashes and the watery sheen in her eyes, she looked exactly like an exquisite doll displayed in a shop window.
The very expensive kind.
When Bao Ruanruan opened her eyes and saw the sparkling, crystal-like 'freckles'…
"!!"
That rebellious make-up artist!
She could do without 'these freckles'!
"Could you lighten my face a bit and remove the freckles?"
"I'm afraid not, Teacher Bao."
"! I heard there are laser procedures now that remove freckles without leaving scars."
"…No."
How had he ever thought she was deliberately tormenting him before?
Now he seriously suspected that she genuinely wanted to look ugly, and he had evidence.
"Unless the photographer agrees."
Bao Ruanruan puffed out her cheeks, staring at her outrageously flashy, crystal-covered face in the mirror and feeling deeply insecure.
But once she had changed into an asymmetrical white dress made of layered fabric strips and put on M's shoes, even Zhao Ming took a sharp breath.
She looked exactly like a shattered porcelain doll.
Inside the photography studio.
Xia Hai was sitting on a tall stool, holding a camera in one hand, while scrolling through his phone with the other.
[Sister Lanzhi: Xiao Xia, I heard Xiao Bao is shooting for a magazine today. Please take good care of her.]
[Qu Ji'en: Brother Hai, Bao Ruanruan doesn't have much experience with hard shots5, but she's very expressive emotionally.]
[Fang Lei: Ruanruan is my friend, so please take good care of her~]
[Qian Hongyi: Brother Xia, Bao Ruanruan is a Pengmai brand ambassador. I heard she'll be working with you on a magazine shoot. Get acquainted first—next March, I'd like to ask you to shoot product photos for her. Oh, and she's also my sister's benefactor. Please look after her; sorry to trouble you.]
[Zhong Zeyuan: Bro, I heard you're shooting Xiao Bao today…]
[Lu Wenhao: Brother Xia, um… aren't you shooting today…?]
Xia Hai: “……”
Actors, models, brand owners, directors, idol groups…
The Qu family, the Qian family, the Zhong family, the Lu family.
Bao Ruanruan—just who on earth is she?
Since early morning, his phone notifications hadn't stopped.
It was as if he were someone who bullied models for no reason!
Is this really necessary?
But a minute later, when he saw the girl descending the staircase in glass slippers, clutching the hem of her ethereal, layered gown…
He caught a fleeting glimpse of her exquisite face as she turned the corner of the stairs.
Xia Hai: … when it comes to that…
Beneath her clear eyes, the tiny diamond accents looked like glistening mermaid tears, casting a soft, ethereal glow.
Amid the luxury, there was a bold, flamboyant extravagance; yet a faint, elusive sense of fragility and brokenness was hidden within it.
…It made people want to hide her away and protect her.
"Teacher Xia."
Bao Ruanruan blinked lightly and looked over with a hint of guarded caution in her clear eyes.
Xiao Minghua's rival might not like her.
However, when Xia Hai met her slightly cautious gaze, he felt as though the blood in his entire body froze for a second.
Then it boiled.
Where did this little fairy come from?
Xia Hai suddenly understood all those messages.
The fragility in those eyes should practically be insured!
"Teacher Bao, let me briefly explain the shooting concept."
Xia Hai's assistant stepped forward first and began explaining things to Bao Ruanruan.
"Today we want to create a circus-style effect, using comedic contrast to highlight the high heels…"
Xia Hai: "……"
Shut up!
What circus?
How could a little fairy like this belong in a circus?
Xia Hai cleared his throat, pulled his assistant back and gave Bao Ruanruan a solemn nod.
"She is the noble, one-of-a-kind fairy queen of the circus, fallen into the mortal world."
Assistant: "...?"
Isn't that still a circus?
"Fairy?"
The moment Bao Ruanruan heard that, she instantly forgot her worries about her bling-bling6 freckles.
A trace of longing joy spilt into her eyes.
After all, fairies were known to be long-lived.
"Then what do I need to do?"
The assistant raised the strings in his hand. "Do you know what a marionette is?"
Xia Hai said, "You will be a pitiful soul that is imprisoned."
Assistant: "..."
Xia Hai quickly pushed the obstructive assistant aside. "Go set up the stepping stool."
Then he explained it to Bao Ruanruan himself.
"We'll tie your hands and feet with ribbons, but don't be afraid. We won't let you get hurt—it's just for posing."
Despite being a rugged northerner, he deliberately softened his voice for fear of frightening her.
"The final shots will show you performing movements in mid-air. Just relax and keep your body feeling light."
"At that time, I'll shine strong lights onto your face."
"One ribbon on your ankle will come loose... symbolising that these shoes are guiding you away from physical and emotional restraints towards a new world that belongs to you."
Bao Ruanruan understood immediately, her small face glowing with excitement.
Wasn't this the very moment when a marionette gained its life?
She loved this theme!
"Alright, Teacher Xia. I'll give it my all."
Xia Hai was moved.
Where could you possibly find a fairy who's both beautiful and good-tempered?
Doesn't Jiangsu–Zhejiang–Shanghai offer free shipping?7?
"Teacher Xia, could you give me half an hour? I would like to study marionette movement techniques first."
Bao Ruanruan was serious.
She was determined to capture the essence of this life-awakening puppet.
She was certainly hardworking.
Xia Hai nodded instinctively. However, he only realised afterwards that something felt off.
Marionette movements... techniques?
What did that even mean?
Under normal circumstances, Xia Hai wouldn't have had the patience to wait for a model to study on set.
But today, seeing those fragile eyes, he couldn't bring himself to refuse—especially after receiving so many messages asking him to look after her.
"All right. You study. I'll go have a cigarette."
As he spoke, Xia Hai asked the assistant to retrieve the step ladder that had been placed beneath the suspended ribbons in front of the camera rig.
"Sit while you study. There's no rush."
Assistant: "..."
Xia Hai went off to smoke, while Bao Ruanruan sat on the stool and began searching for videos to study.
Four white silk ribbons were tied to the metal rigging above the photo studio.
After watching five or six videos, she had a solid grasp of what was required.
Then she stood up.
She walked over to the camera position and tugged at the ribbons.
She was testing their weight-bearing capacity.
The ribbons hung down, stopping at about one metre above the ground.
Just in case, a mattress had been placed underneath.
Bao Ruanruan took a look and felt there wouldn't be any problems.
"Then I'll give it a try."
The assistant: "?"
Ten minutes later, having finished a cigarette and suppressed his excitement at being able to photograph such a pretty young woman, Xia Hai returned to the studio.
He thought to himself that with her hands and feet bound and suspended, it would be difficult for her to control her body, so it would probably be best to have someone support her.
But when he looked up, he saw a girl with slender wrists and ankles wrapped twice in the ribbons, performing a graceful backward flip in mid-air!
Xia Hai: “!”
"Teacher Xia."
Bending backwards in a deep arch, Bao Ruanruan caught sight of Xia Hai.
"I've more or less got the hang of it."
As she spoke, she executed another full side split📹.
?!
Xia Hai glanced over and saw that the stool she was supposed to step on was still in the same place, beside his camera.
There was nothing beneath the ribbons — she was completely suspended in mid-air.
How did she get up there?
"Teacher Xia, what kind of pose would you like me to use?"
You can even… place an order for the dishes8?
Xia Hai completely lost the ability to think on the spot.
An hour later, he stared at the photos transferred onto his computer.
His heart skipped a beat.
Wearing high heels, the girl looked as if she were stepping upward on an invisible ladder of clouds, gradually breaking free from the bindings around her feet.
There was a longing for life in her eyes, mixed with a trace of shy, unfamiliar apprehension towards a new beginning.
However, her expression changed when sunlight fell across the right side of her face.
That apprehension seemed to melt away slowly.
The joy of gaining freedom blossomed inside her.
A masterpiece!
D@mn it, he'd just shot a masterpiece!
Xia Hai almost spun in little circles on the spot from sheer joy!
That d@mn Xiao Minghua! At this week's internal photographers' dinner, he was going to slap this photo right down in front of him!
This is art~
Xia Hai was so excited that it felt like his blood was surging through his entire body. Looking again at Bao Ruanruan, who still had no idea how well she had done, he felt as though he had found a treasure.
He truly wanted to live in the studio.
All he wanted to do was keep shooting.
New ideas were constantly bursting forth in his mind right now.
For instance, he could have her walk across a single-plank bridge, or dance in the lake water…🦊
"Teacher Bao, when is your next magazine shoot?"
“……”
They weren't letting her rest at all.
After finishing work, Bao Ruanruan took off her make-up, got into the nanny van and went home to review the shortlisted scripts before attending a film appreciation class.
Meanwhile, Xia Hai, who was still in the studio, was busy going through the photos on his computer.
Once he had finished, he felt a sudden emptiness in his heart.
What fun could there be in the studio without the little fairy?
Having seen a lake, one could no longer be satisfied with a tiny ditch.10
He wanted to see even more sides of Bao Ruanruan on camera.
So he followed his heart and searched online for her other works.
And as a result, he became deeply absorbed.
"Hahahaha..."
"Pfft, hahaha..."
"Hahahah-gh..."
It was the clip from Taking Dreams that had been going viral lately... the more he scrolled through videos from the same show, the more addicted he became.
[Kiddo Ruan, my forever daughter~ Mommy will protect you and help you become the brightest star.]
Xia Hai: “!”
In that instant, his urge to become a dad began to stir.
When make-up artist Zhao Ming came to say goodbye to Xia Hai after finishing packing his kit, he saw the look of fascination on Xia Hai's face.
At least Xia Hai still remembered this make-up artist.
"Thanks for your hard work on my daughter... ahem, I mean, you really brought out Teacher Bao's features. Beautiful."
Being praised like that put Zhao Ming in an excellent mood.
But he waved it off.
He hadn't really done much—he just didn't darken her skin, and added 'freckles' at her request, that was all (not really).
Bao Ruanruan probably takes great care of her skin—it was flawless.
She didn't require much effort from him at all.
"I'll head off first—I've got another job to rush to. See you next time, Teacher Xia."
Zhao Ming hurried off after speaking. He had just taken on a new job, joining his senior to do make-up for Tang Yuxin on a film set!
So excited!
He had liked Teacher Yuxin for nearly a year and a half.
When he first entered the industry as a make-up artist, he hoped one day he would be able to do her make-up.
Now, finally assisting his senior, his dream had come true.
After transferring buses twice, Zhao Ming arrived at the hotel where the crew were staying. It was already night.
"You were brought in for this job because you know how to keep your mouth shut."
His senior colleague reminded him.
"In our line of work, we see celebrity teachers without make-up. No matter what they look like, we must keep our mouths shut."
Zhao Ming nodded frantically. "No problem."
Teacher Yu Xin was his ultimate bias.
No matter how beautiful she was, he would never tell anyone; he would just keep it to himself.
But he hurried all the way, excitedly following his senior into Tang Yuxin's resting hotel.
Upon seeing the female celebrity in question, who—after removing her make-up—had heavy dark circles, enlarged pores, sparse eyebrows and lashes missing half of them, dull, lifeless eyes, and even a hint of bad breath…
Zhao Ming: "!"
Where did his huge… goddess go?
When the powder puff passed over a closed comedone and skin whose under-eye pores couldn't be concealed, Zhao Ming's mouth twitched.
He couldn't help recalling how that same powder puff had glided smoothly over Bao Ruanruan's flawless, well-rested, fully hydrated skin that morning.
[One major fan is disappointed in you.]
Tang Yuxin, who had her eyes closed, snapped them open.
"!"
[The commercial endorsements he purchased for you total 20,554 yuan.]
[There are signs he may unstan you.]
[Warning: Each time a major fan switches allegiance or leaves the fandom, your fan support rate will drop by 1%. When you lose 70% of your major fans, your overall support rate will drop by 50% (when a fanbase loses its organisational structure, it is considered a loss of collective cohesion).]
Tang Yuxin: "!!"
What major fan?
Why would someone suddenly unstan her for no reason?
She looked suspiciously at the two extra make-up artists in the room, but found nothing unusual.
After finishing his work, Zhao Ming picked up his make-up case and hurried away.
At 11 p.m. that night, he received a push notification on Weibo regarding a new post by Tang Yuxin, whom he had marked as 'special follow'.
#Sister Yuxin Eating A Supper#
"…"
With her skin in that condition, how can she still be eating?
[One major fan has officially left the fandom and unfollowed you.]
[Support rate has decreased by 1%.]
Tang Yuxin: "!"
"Xiao Li, ask the director for leave on my behalf. I need to go out on Monday."
She was going to the Lu residence.
She had to take Lu Wenhao head-on!
She could no longer trust the system!
Bao Ruanruan spent three days finishing the hand soap video ad and the body lotion promotional photos.
Before she knew it, it was time to record 'Taking Dreams' again.
This week, it was time to keep earning for the travel funds once again.
The guests from the Red and Blue teams regrouped as soon as they were in front of the cameras.
Bao Ruanruan glanced at her own team and let out a long sigh.
"Making money is just too exhausting."
She had been completely worn out this week, so why did the four of them still have to keep earning money even after coming onto a variety show?
Life was far too harsh on a little kitty like her.
[I'll quietly listen to you humble-brag.]
[Kiddo Ruan, when you say that, take a look at the Red Team.]
[Could I have this kind of 'tired' too? I also want to catch a wanted criminal and get a 200,000 yuan reward!]
[Judge Bao is tired and never wants to earn money again—then she turns around: today +200,000.]
[Hahaha, cheer up, Bao Bao.]
Bao Ruanruan didn't want to cheer up.
Glancing at the other three members of the blue team, she realised they weren't in great shape either.
Qu Feifei had also been overwhelmed by stacked schedules lately and looked faintly drained.
Lu Wenhao and Zhen Xuan's boy group was preparing for year-end performances and undergoing intense training.
All four of them had been running at high intensity for an entire week.
They hadn't got enough rest, not even on the weekend.
"Only by resting can we perform better. I suggest we don't make money this week."
Bao Ruanruan wouldn't mistreat her own body.
She immediately made a suggestion that would probably cause Director Zheng Mingchang to lose even more hair.
"Let's sign up for a two-day, one-night tour."
The three members of the blue team: "!"
[!!]
Bao Ruanruan even had a solid justification: "We need to experience it ourselves first so we can design travel routes for the audience."
For a moment, the other three members of the Blue Team all felt she had a point.
They were utterly unable to argue back.
Lu Wenhao had another clever idea.
"We can choose a farmhouse stay similar to Hengshan and use it as a reference."
Zhen Xuan also became interested, his eyes lighting up.
He hadn't travelled in a long time as he'd been practising non-stop.
"Where should we go?"
Without realising it, Lu Wenhao slipped into a money-management mindset.
"Let's pick a place with similar prices to what we'd offer the audience—three to four hundred?"
Zhen Xuan nodded and pulled out his phone to start searching.
"How about Lerong Mountain, where Sister Feifei filmed a variety show last time?"
Qu Feifei: "!"
[Hahahahaha!]
[Back to the Night of Thunder and Lightning~]
[Revisiting old ground, hehe.]
[This is a meaningful trip for @QuFeifei.]
Bao Ruanruan didn't really care where they went and simply followed the team leader's suggestion.
The Lerong Mountain they chose really did have an environment similar to that of Hengshan Village.
Since they had decided to set off, Zhen Xuan went online to search for travel packages.
Two days and one night.
That night, they would be staying in a small farmhouse courtyard at Lerong Mountain.
"We might need to take the subway, and then transfer to a high-speed train."
Zhen Xuan glanced at the map and started to lead the way.
However, as soon as he had finished speaking, he was stopped by PD Liu Qiu, who was out of breath.
"Everyone, stop for a moment."
"If we film inside the subway, we have to notify the station in advance. Otherwise, it could attract crowds and easily cause public safety issues."
"Try to hire a private vehicle, enlist the help of other teachers, or just stay active within Jiangcheng."
"Do not use public transport."
[Upvote—this show's safety awareness is really high now!]
[Director Zheng has already learned the essence of Kiddo Ruan.]
However, the cost of hiring a private vehicle was too high.
And staying within Jiangcheng alone would lose the point of a 'two-day, one-night' travel experience.
The four members of the Blue Team all frowned.
After a moment's thought, Bao Ruanruan proposed a compromise: "Since we can't go on a two-day, one-night trip, why don't we spend these two days learning instead?"
The other three looked at her, full of question marks.
Learn what?
Bao Ruanruan pondered for a moment, then raised her fair index finger. "Learn how to design a travel route."
The three Blue Team members: "!"
So impressive.
But how would they learn to do that?
Listening to your words is just that: listening to your words.11
"First, find a travel agency and ask one of the little sisters if she can teach us."
The three Blue Team members: "!!"
[!!]
[I'm cracking up—I love Ruanruan's brain hole12.]
[Going into a company? I'm excited—does that mean I'll get to see Kiddo Ruan as a corporate drone13?]
[Kiddo Ruan, come to mommy's company~]
"Then have the little sister check with her company to see if they can drive us out to experience the tour route."
The three Blue Team members: "……"
[Hahaha, Kiddo Ruan still wants to have fun.]
[Let her play! Let her be happy~]
Although Lu Wenhao knew little about travel agencies, he had overheard many conversations between his elder brother and his father.
Business people valued profit.
Treating them to a free trip like that was basically impossible.
After all, this wasn't a charity.
But just as he was thinking this, PD Liu Qiu's phone rang!
Liu Qiu was stunned. Holding the phone, she ran over. "Teacher Bao, Director Zheng says that five travel agencies have all called the production team. They're offering you the opportunity to undertake a one-day internship and a travel package with a private vehicle to take you to Lerong Mountain."
Lu Wenhao: “!”
He really was young.
So this was what they meant by seizing advertising opportunities?
[The celebrity effect—these travel companies are really clever.]
[My Kiddo Ruan gets everything she wishes for!]
"Five companies?"
Bao Ruanruan was startled as well.
These options would be enough to drive someone with decision-making anxiety to death.
But she didn't have decision-making anxiety.
Once she had learned the names of the five companies, she went to Tianyancha🔗 to check everything, including legal representatives, creditor records, and unresolved lawsuits.
"Hm, this one has a tourist compensation case."
"This one… has an overseas accident lawsuit."
"Hm… a goods-payment debt dispute of 930,000 yuan."
Even Lu Wenhao felt he had learnt something new.
[Justice Bao—so mighty~]
[That's good, that's good. Seeing Kiddo Ruan still being so cautious puts this mom at ease.]
[No way she dislikes all five companies, right?]
[I'm laughing so hard I can't breathe.]
"This one… Jingtian Travel. It seems okay—no pending lawsuits."
Bao Ruanruan double-checked.
"The legal representative doesn't have any negative records either."
"Shall we go with this one?"
[Jingtian—marked.]
[Writing it down in my little notebook. Looks like their service is pretty good.]
[Certified by Justice Bao.]
[Don't rush—wait until Ruanruan tries it herself. Remember the Zhi Zhi tea incident?]
Zhen Xuan, the Blue Team captain, was now Bao Ruanruan's number one fanboy.
He even nudged Lu Wenhao. "Bro, doesn't your family run a travel business too? It looks like your side needs to work harder."
Lu Wenhao's temple twitched.
"Then let's go and take a look at Jingtian."
"Off we go~"
Jingtian's office building.
Designed by a veteran architect, the twin-tower building stood tall in Jiangcheng's financial district.
It was majestic, rising straight into the sky like a barrier.
At that moment, however, someone rushed onto the top floor of the building.
"B-Boss—Xiao Baozi is bringing the production crew to inspect our company!"
It sounded as if an official were coming to inspect them.
Xue Jing lifted his gaze. Before he could say 'Why panic?', his body froze.
"Who did you say?"
"Oh my, Xiao Baozi! She said on the show that she wanted to experience a two-day, one-night travel route and also learn how tourism products are designed. Old Chen from the tourism department happened to see this while watching TV at home with his wife, so he called the production team and invited them over."
Chen Feng rattled all of that off in one breath.
"Old Chen thinks this is a great opportunity to promote Jingtian's tourism products!"
Xue Jing: "……"
The tourism division under Jingtian wasn't huge.
He had given his subordinates considerable autonomy—any decision involving less than five million didn't require his approval.
"Boss, what should we do? Should we hide for a bit?"
Xue Jing: "……"
Am I really that embarrassing to be seen?
"No need."
Chen Feng calmed down. "True."
But only for a second—then he panicked again.
"Last time Xiao Baozi went to inspect Zhi Zhi Milk Tea, Zhi Zhi was done for."
"……"
"Boss, tourism is only a small part of Jingtian's business. But it carries Jingtian's brand name—if Xiao Baozi decides to be ruthless and destroy her kin for the sake of great justice14, what will we do then?"
Destroy her kin for the sake of great justice.14
Xiao Baozi is absolutely capable of that.
If she turns around and slaps an 'unsafe tourism' label on them, she'll wipe them out without recognising any kin at all!
Xue Jing took off his glasses; his peach-blossom eyes swept over them coolly.
"Sounds good."
"Perfect chance to collect your bones15."
"Let her investigate. If she finds problems, I'll even reward her."
Chen Feng: "……!"
Alright then.
Xiao Baozi has turned into an Imperial Envoy.
These two are both utterly merciless.
Put them together, and they're lethal.
Bao Ruanruan and her group arrived at Jingtian Tourism's office building and looked up.
She opened her mouth slightly.
"It's above the 13th floor."
"If there's a fire, even the water cannons on modern fire engines can't reach that height."
Chen Feng, secretly watching the livestream: "……!"
Someone who sat on the 17th floor every day—he was genuinely scared now!
Should the company relocate?
[!!!]
[There's actually knowledge like this? What about my 15th floor then?]
[For real? Oh no, oh no—the me on the 17th floor is panicking.]
[High-rise buildings have fire-fighting water systems. But be careful—if there's no water and it's just for show, that's seriously screwed.]
[…When I have money, I'll obediently live on a lower floor instead~]
Bao Ruanruan entered the lobby and was pleased to see the clean, tiled floors.
There were security guards posted at the entrance.
Four turnstile gates🔗, which could only be opened by swiping a company access card, blocked their only route forward.
She nodded. "The security measures are pretty good."
With her hands clasped behind her back, she waited cheerfully while Zhen Xuan called the tourism business department to arrange for someone to pick them up.
Not many people were working at the company on Saturday.
However, the tourism department had arranged for some staff to work overtime to assist with their study and filming that day.
As soon as the call connected, a girl with short hair wearing a mask rushed down immediately.
Her face was flushed red.
When she looked at Lu Wenhao and Qu Feifei, then at Bao Ruanruan, her expression was a mix of excitement and restraint, while she pretended nothing was going on.
"Teachers, please come in with me."
Tang Xi's voice was trembling.
Bao Ruanruan looked at her, and when she noticed the mask, her gaze paused for a moment.
A mother knows her own child best.16
She was afraid of viruses.
Tang Xi hurriedly explained, "I'm not sick. I'm just covering my face a bit for the camera."
Bao Ruanruan blinked. "It's fine even if you have a cold. We can wear masks too—double protection."
Tang Xi: "……"
Sure enough, this kid is still cautious.
"Have I seen you somewhere before?" Bao Ruanruan couldn't help but glance at her again.
Tang Xi jolted in shock!
Last time, when she had gone with Little White17 to stake out an advertising shoot, she had filmed Bao Ruanruan, who was wearing a mask properly and even stopping Tang Xi from bumping into a rubbish bin.
At the time, Bao Ruanruan was wearing a dark green tracksuit, and her fair skin and red lips gave her a fragile, broken beauty.
Thinking about it now, the scene was still vivid.
"No way?"
Zhen Xuan immediately became alert to the sense of familiarity exuded by Bao Ruanruan.
He pulled Lu Wenhao back a step.
Then he took out his phone.
Tang Xi: "?"
Lu Wenhao reacted half a beat slower in front of the camera, but Zhen Xuan's step back quickly tipped him off.
Muttering an expletive under his breath, he took out his phone, too.
[?]
[??]
Meanwhile, Qu Feifei had already lowered her head and opened the official Public Security Bureau account to start checking the wanted list.
"There don't seem to be any young female criminals recently."
The two boys huddled together. "Did you look carefully? Maybe there aren't any this year—could it be from last year?"
Tang Xi: "……"
What?
Bao Ruanruan: "Hm?"
[Hahahaha—or! Oh my god! I've just realised it! The last person Bao Ruanruan thought looked familiar has already been arrested!]
[Kid Lu: "Another 200,000?!"]
[Zhenzhen: "Don't come any closer! Take one more step, and I'll call the police!"]
[Pfft, pfft, pfft — everyone on the Blue Team has PTSD now whenever Kiddo Ruan says "you look kind of familiar".]
[I'm laughing myself to death. Where would there be so many payouts of 200,000, day after day? Kid, what are you even thinking?!]
Tang Xi had also watched the previous episode, and once she realised what it meant, her face was covered in black lines.
Bao Ruanruan even spread her hands. "This time, I literally just meant 'looks familiar'."
This kid is innocent.
The three members of the Blue Team: "……"
Sorry to disturb you.
Once the topic shifted, Bao Ruanruan stopped dwelling on the 'familiar-looking' issue.
Tang Xi quickly swiped her card and took them up to the 12th floor. "I'm a domestic travel product manager. I happen to be working overtime today, so I can teach you how to plan a two-day, one-night itinerary."
She had originally been ordered to work overtime — she was one step away from cursing at home in true Zuan-style18.
If she couldn't watch 'Taking Dream' livestream, what meaning did the weekend even have?
Especially the thrilling moment in the last episode where they caught a '200,000' bounty criminal! Tang Xi couldn't stop watching the show and only regretted that her precious 'daughter', Bao Ruanruan, couldn't live inside variety shows all the time.
Working overtime on the weekend? She refused!
But she never expected today's overtime to actually mean meeting the real people who had come to learn in person!
What kind of blessing is this?!
After leading Bao Ruanruan and the others into the tourism office on the 12th floor and sitting at the desk she had just carefully tidied, Tang Xi felt her heart leaping out of her chest with excitement.
She looked at Bao Ruanruan's profile, then at Lu Wenhao's, then Zhen Xuan's…
Good heavens — my little 'daughter' is still the cutest!
Tang Xi didn't even know what to do with her hands and feet anymore.
The only thing she could manage was to move the computer mouse awkwardly.
"Travel products are usually created by assembling the transportation, accommodation, dining and activity options, which can be selected and purchased. Group tours also come with a guide."
"For activities, rural farm stays offer a variety of options, such as photo shoots for social media, picking fruit and vegetables, farming experiences, and watching sunsets and sunrises…"
As Tang Xi spoke, Bao Ruanruan lowered her head and took notes in her small notebook.
— Heaven, could everything she was saying be written straight into Kiddo Ruan's survival manual?
Tang Xi suddenly straightened her chest proudly.
[Awoo! Kiddo Ruan is working so hard for Mom's travel project!]
[So serious~]
[Ruanruan is a professional at everything she does.]
Of course.
Bao Ruanruan was serious about everything she did.
Because in games, if one didn't understand the rules and controls, one could literally die — game over!
Tang Xi was explaining enthusiastically.
Suddenly, an unread email notification popped up on her computer.
— #Company Staff Free Medical Check-Up Registration, Friends & Family Price: 288 Yuan#
Tang Xi instinctively moved her mouse to click the close button.
But the next instant, she heard a soft, tender voice speak up beside her.
"Your company's employee health check only costs 288?"
Bao Ruanruan's little face was filled with shock.
[Hahaha!]
[Kiddo Ruan: "Can I be your friend too?"]
[Kiddo Ruan: "A full health check only costs as much as two vaccine shots—this bargain would be a crime to pass up!"]
[Good grief! Is the entire Blue Team going for health check-ups today or what?]
But in front of the camera, Bao Ruanruan shook her head. "I already had my health check this year."
There was a hint of regret in her voice.
"I saw online before that even group-buy health check-ups cost 588, and slightly more comprehensive ones go over 1,288."
"Why is yours so cheap?"
Bao Ruanruan beat her breast in regret.
Clearly, she had missed out!
Tang Xi hesitated awkwardly for a moment—she wasn't from HR, so she wasn't sure either.
After thinking for a bit, she replied, "Maybe it's because our company has a lot of employees, so we get a corporate-exclusive bulk rate with a big discount."
Bao Ruanruan's little face was instantly filled with shock again. "Corporate-exclusive?"
Something that magical actually exists?
[Kiddo Ruan, individual health checks are definitely more expensive than group packages.]
[Yeah, Kiddo Ruan, forget it—just try to join next year. Mommy spent 988 on a check-up this year too~]
[Our poor Bao… she lost out on a 900-yuan price difference! By the way, I spent 1,588 last year—sob, sob, sob—the health check centres really rip people off!]
After comforting her, Tang Xi was about to continue explaining the lodging arrangements for the trip.
But then, a soft little hand brushed up against her mouse.
"Little Sister Tang, then for the two-days-one-night Hengshan trip we're giving to viewers… can we add a health check-up to the package?"
Tang Xi: "!"
[!!!]
Author's Note:
Ruanruan: There's nothing I can't think of~
Footnotes Full List
- 草根 (cǎo gēn): Literally 'grass-roots'; slang for self-made, non-elite background.
- 糖 táng: sugar, a play on Tang Yuxin's surname. Chinese character for Tang Yuxin's surname is 唐 (táng).
- 锤 chuí: internet slang meaning expose with solid evidence.
- 这江山 (zhè jiāng shān): metaphor for the situation, reputation, or moral high ground.
- "硬照" (yìng zhào): industry slang referring to posed, static fashion photographs that rely on structure and form rather than emotion or movement.
- "blingbling": Internet slang borrowed from English, meaning sparkly/shiny; here, it humorously describes glittery freckles
- "江浙沪包邮吗 (jiāng zhè hù bāo yóu má)": Internet meme—It either means jokingly treating a person as a purchasable item. Implies admiration and humour, not literal intent. Or that Bao Ruanruan got special treatment for looking high-class. FYI, in the e-commerce world in China, only Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai enjoy free shipping, and these three areas are the most developed, convenient, and wealthy parts of China. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
- "点菜 (diǎn cài)": Literally 'ordering dishes'. Here, it is a humorous metaphor, implying that he can choose poses as freely as ordering food, which highlights his astonishment.
- Bao Ruanruan already did those things, though.
- 见过湖水,再也不满足于小沟渠了 (jiàn guò hú shuǐ, zài yě bù mǎn zú yú xiǎo gōu qú le ): This is a metaphor: once someone has experienced something extraordinary, ordinary things no longer suffice.
- The original proverb is 听君一席话，胜读十年书 (Tīng jūn yī xí huà, shèng dú shí nián shū.) which literally means: 'Listening to your words is better than reading books for ten years'. The actual meaning: 'Your advice is so profound and enlightened that I've learned more from you in one minute than in a decade of study'. In contrast, the author used a slang version of the proverb, which is 听君一席话，就是一席话 (tīng jūn yī xí huà, jiùshì yī xí huà). It literally means, 'Listening to your words... is just listening to your words'. The actual meaning: 'You just spoke, but you said absolutely nothing of value'.
- 脑洞 (nǎodòng): Internet slang meaning imaginative, unexpected, or unconventional ideas.
- 社畜 (shè chù): Internet slang meaning "office drone," humorously describing overworked employees.
- The core literal meaning of the idiom 大义灭亲" (dà yì miè qīn) is: To place the greater moral principle or justice above familial loyalty, even if it means acting against or punishing one's own kin who have committed grave wrongs.
- 收骨头 (shōu gǔ tou): Dark humour—literally 'collect your bones', meaning clean up the aftermath of someone being destroyed.
- 自己孩子,自己知道 (Zìjǐ háizi, zìjǐ zhīdào): a proverb meaning "one understands their own child best," implying intimate familiarity.
- her camera used for stalking
- Zuan (祖安) is an internet meme referring to extremely aggressive, insulting trash-talk.
COMMENTS