As autumn night fell over Jiangcheng, it washed away the clamour of the day, leaving the city shrouded in a faint moonlit glow....
As autumn night fell over Jiangcheng, it washed away the clamour of the day, leaving the city shrouded in a faint moonlit glow.
A slight cool breeze blew, bringing a hint of chill to the air.
Yet the little girl's voice was like peach and apricot blossoms blooming in springtime — a vibrant splash of colour against the dull autumn landscape.
"Could you say a few words… to lull me to sleep?"
This question ignited a fire in the listener's heart.
As a faint warmth spread along Xue Jing's back, a ringtone sounded from his bedroom.
He lifted his dark eyes and saw the young girl leaning against the window. Her watery eyes were misty with pleading as her slender fingers tapped lightly on the phone.
He lowered his gaze and glanced at the creamy, jade-like skin that was faintly revealed as she clutched her red sweater.
"Go back to the bedroom."
"Put something on."
"Wait for me."
Bao Ruanruan's lips curved upwards, and she nodded happily.
Xue Jing took a few steps into his room and picked up his phone.
He answered the call.
From the other end of the line came Bao Ruanruan's soft voice, making request after request.
"Dear great agent, sorry for disturbing you at night."
"But could you read me a short story? It'll only take a tiny bit of your time."
Bao Ruanruan's soft, tender voice came through the phone.
A WeChat message arrived afterwards, and Xue Jing glanced at it.
—
#Once upon a time, there was a girl who was captured by an evil dragon.
She had to pass 1,000 trials to escape the dragon's world.
Otherwise, even in death, she would remain trapped within those trials.
She never succeeded, and since she didn't even have a moment to cry, she could only strive again and again each day.
Just when she was about to give up, a warrior suddenly split open this world one day…
He said, "This is nothing much."
He rescued her, granting her freedom and a long, safe life.
Later, the girl and the warrior both lived for a very, very long time…#
—
"Could you please read the story a little?"
The young girl's soft voice sounded again.
Xue Jing felt an inexplicable pain in his chest.
This retelling of the old 'knight saving the princess' fairy tale felt like countless needles were piercing his heart.
Pain.
And pity.
They rolled up without reason.
"Mm."
It took him a moment to snap back to reality.
Only then did he manage to squeeze out this single syllable with difficulty.
"Once upon a time…"
In the boundless darkness of night, the man's calm, elegant voice sounded steady and unhurried.
It was slightly hoarse, perhaps from a long, tiring day.
Bao Ruanruan closed her eyes and placed the phone down beside her pillow.
It felt as though he was speaking right by her ear.
His steady breathing accompanied his words.
It made her feel especially at ease.
His slow speech was like a specially made sleeping pill for her.
A hazy drowsiness quietly crept over her.
"He said, 'This is nothing much…'"
Bao Ruanruan suddenly jolted awake, opening her eyes.
"Wait, say that again."
In an instant, she sat up and grabbed her phone.
The man's voice on the other end paused.
Bao Ruanruan held her breath.
"He said…"
"Please repeat the second half."
"It's nothing much…"
Bao Ruanruan let out a cry, and her phone fell to the floor beside the bed.
She clutched her rapidly pounding chest.
How can his voice be so similar?
Bao Ruanruan collapsed onto the bed, unable to think straight.
In that instant, she felt as if she had returned to the moment when she had cleared the level.
It was at that moment that her entire world shifted from darkness into light.
That man had saved her…
Bao Ruanruan rolled around on the bed, pulling the blanket up over her flushed face with both hands.
It's over.
Now she was completely unable to sleep.
This voice really didn't let people sleep.
......
#An agent who 'commits crimes' with his voice#
Early the next morning, Bao Ruanruan got up with rare, faint dark circles under her eyes and changed the contact name in her phone.
Before getting into the nanny van, she couldn't help but glance at the long-legged man seated in the back.
Does he really not play games?
Bao Ruanruan looked suspiciously at the phone in his hand.
After sending a company email, Xue Jing lifted his peach-blossom eyes and saw the young girl's watery gaze fixed on his hand.
Her gaze seemed filled with grievance, as if she wanted to pry his hand open and take a look inside.
Xue Jing raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over her slightly listless, drooping eye corners.
"What is it?"
Bao Ruanruan quickly turned her head away, blushing.
A text message popped up on her phone.
[Xiao Mengfei: You said your agent's voice sounds very similar to your saviour's? But your saviour is good at games, and your agent doesn't play?]
[Xiao Mengfei: Then it's probably just a coincidence, right? A voice isn't like a fingerprint—there must be people with high similarity.]
Bao Ruanruan immediately sighed.
That was probably the case.
[Xiao Mengfei: Finding someone by voice is really hard. But you're an artist, so finding your saviour should be easier than for ordinary people. After all, you have exposure, so maybe your saviour will see you on TV.]
Bao Ruanruan's eyes lit up.
She had been too shallow before in cursing the 'god of games' for throwing her into the world of the entertainment industry after she had cleared the level.
It turned out that sending her into the entertainment industry was useful after all!
She knew that she had to work hard and give it her all now.
She must increase her exposure!
In the back seat, Xue Jing lifted his gaze and saw the young girl in the front seat hugging her phone and grinning foolishly. She was clenching her small fist in excitement, and her profile was full of fervour. He raised one eyebrow.
The 3rd Jiangcheng Photographers Exchange Conference was held at the Hengfeng Grand Hotel.
Each photographer brought their proudest work, exchanging experiences from the past year, ostensibly in the name of 'mutual improvement'.
In reality, however, it was a large-scale competitive battleground.
"Old Zhang, the light and shadow treatment in your waterfall photo should have been more subtle. The light on the model is too bright; it steals focus from the water. Look at mine."
"Lin Cheng, this is where you don't understand. Leaving a bit of imperfection is like the 'blank space1' in traditional Chinese painting. How can everything in life be perfect? This photo carries philosophy. Your depth of understanding is at level three, while I'm already at level five."
"...Yeah, keep bragging!"
No one was willing to admit that anyone else was better.
It wasn't until Xiao Minghua walked into the hotel lounge that all the photographers stood up.
"Teacher Xiao."
"Old Xiao, you've finally arrived."
Xiao Minghua smiled and glanced around.
Good. His rival Xia Hai, that annoying guy, hadn't arrived yet.
"Old Xiao, you've really grown your face2 this year."
He had received the most invitations from top-tier fashion magazines, both women's and men's editions.
More than half of the blue-blood and red-blood3 endorsement campaigns sought him out.
This year was a fruitful one for Xiao Minghua.
Much of his success was thanks to the Model Angel Competition, which had begun to show its colour4 over the past two months.
The model photos he shot during the competition, along with his sharp critiques as a judge, boosted both his market recognition and his fame.
Looking back now, Xiao Minghua felt that joining the model competition had been the right decision.
He was most grateful to Qu Ji'en for inviting him to participate, and to Bao Ruanruan, the contestant who had withdrawn at the time.
She had bravely seized first place5 with ease in the first two rounds, stunning most of the audience.
Even now, Xiao Minghua still believed that the dynamic photo he took of Bao Ruanruan striking a snake was his most satisfying candid shot of the year.
"I watched the show too. It's a pity she didn't become a print model back then."
"Exactly. Old Xiao, you completely captured her essence—the courage to protect her teammates despite her fear. Those two contradictions fully express the heroism of ordinary people. There's also an innate, imperfect delicacy about her."
"Yes, no wonder she's become popular recently. With that kind of personal charm and good looks, it would be unreasonable if she didn't become famous."
"I saw that snake-fighting photo on TV: motion and stillness combined, light and shadow contrast, beast and beauty, wildness and restraint. It's absolutely incredible, worthy of Teacher Xiao!"
Xiao Minghua was pleased, but didn't say so.
"Her eyes tell a story. I merely captured that moment of the story. This photo isn't about technique."
It was simply the natural culmination of years of skill and experience.
Photographers are witnesses to nature and life.
They are not creators.
The more he experienced, the more he came to believe these statements.
This year, he started to return to simplicity and authenticity.
After discarding excessive techniques, he gradually realised that even his old rival, Xia Hai, also had his merits.
"By the way, Old Xiao, Old Xia is coming today too. Have you heard? A few days ago, that Bao Ruanruan, whom you photographed, appeared on the cover of T magazine, and they actually commissioned Old Xia for it."
Any movement from top-tier industry magazines was closely watched within the photography circle.
After all, there was only one cover per month.
There were 12 months in a year, and including special issues, the total number of photo shoots was never more than 14.
Which photographer would be chosen, and whose work would be used more?
Everyone was paying attention to this information.
They also learnt from each other in secret.
This month, that photographer used this kind of composition for the cover and worked with that model—could he use the same approach next time?
Anyone with a bit of ambition in the photography circle kept a close eye on these things.
It was also common knowledge that Xiao Minghua and Xia Hai did not get along.
There were also rumours in the modelling circle that Xiao Minghua's preferred go-to models were the same ones listed on Xia Hai's blacklist.
The two were clearly divided.
They had each carved out their own territory in the fashion and modelling circles without interfering with one another.
"Then I hope he puts in some effort."
The smile disappeared from Xiao Minghua's face.
As he got older, he wasn't as aggressive as he had been before.
However, due to the intensity of their past conflicts, he still couldn't shake hands and speak of harmony6 with the other side, despite realising in recent years that he was partly at fault.
"It's fine if he dislikes me, but bringing personal emotions into work every time and affecting the shoot, that's unprofessional."
Xiao Minghua sighed.
Xia Hai was even more stubborn than he was.
His temper was even worse and more unyielding.
"That's right."
The other photographers all chimed in.
"Last time, your regular model was assigned to Old Xia by an inexperienced new assistant because you were sick, and Old Xia scolded the model until she cried."
Xiao Minghua shook his head. "That's just his bad temper. He can't change it."
With this thought in mind, he took out his phone.
"I'll ask Teacher Bao. I hope she's not angry. I'll shoot her cover next time."
After not seeing her for a few months, Xiao Minghua could no longer call her 'Xiao Bao'.
Bao Ruanruan's status had clearly risen.
Ever since appearing on the cover of a top-tier magazine, she had fought her way out to a piece of sky and earth7 of the industry and from then on, she had a name and a surname8.
"We'll have to talk to Xia Hai later. Don't let him offend a female celebrity without even realising it."
"Yeah, she's quite well-liked in the industry too, right?"
As they were discussing this, Xia Hai strode in briskly, carrying several folders of documents.
"Talk to me about what?"
His voice was loud.
Everyone immediately fell silent.
Only Xiao Minghua dared to speak up after giving his old rival a meaningful look.
"We're trying to advise you not to bully Teacher Bao."
Xia Hai: “?”
"I mean Bao Ruanruan," Xiao Minghua explained.
"Although I admire her, have had the honour of working with her and taking great photos of her, don't take your grudge against me out on her. Don't deliberately make things difficult for her..."
After a long pause, Xia Hai finally blurted out a 'd@mn'.
"Xiao Minghua, are you sick or what?"
Xiao Minghua: "..."
The two confronted each other while the other photographers hurried to mediate.
But then a ringtone sounded.
It was a soft, cute, gentle girl's voice singing, but the content was somewhat… strange.
—'On Sunday, I strolled around, following the PD. Don't get lost~ If you do, don't cry. Look for Old Zheng on the camera, and the Director will find you, quick, quick, quick~'
All the photographers were stunned.
How had Xia Hai, who was always known for his odd temper, ended up with such a style?
As soon as the ringtone sounded, Xia Hai, who had just been drawing swords and cocking crossbows9 with Xiao Minghua, instantly lost all signs of displeasure on his face.
Instead, he revealed a slightly strange, doting smile, like that of an indulgent father.
Then he answered the work call.
Xiao Minghua: "?"
All the photographers: "?"
After hanging up, all of Xia Hai's anger had completely dissipated. Smiling warmly, he looked at everyone. "Where was I just now?"
—You were saying that Xiao Minghua is sick.
"Oh, right. Let me show you my recent proud work."
"Don't be too shocked—hold onto your jaws well10."
"Don't be stunned by my daughter's peak fairy-like state."
Xia Hai proudly took out the document bag he was holding and handed one copy to each person.
But everyone was far too shocked.
Daughter?
Fairy?
But when they looked down, they saw the still-warm document bag in their hands, with bold words on it—T. December.
Goodness!
T Magazine? It hasn't even been released yet, has it?
"It's released today. These are only sample copies—no photos. I'm taking them back after you've finished looking at them."
Then Xia Hai even handed them disposable gloves.
All the photographers: "?"
Xia Hai looked deadly serious as he said, "Put these on before you start flipping through them."
All the photographers: "??"
"Don't leave your filthy fingerprints on my daughter's perfect, flawless fairy face and her expressive body posture."
All the photographers: "!"
Xiao Minghua: "!!"
This guy is seriously not well…
But they could only comply.
Xia Hai had trained as a chef in his early years—his arm strength from flipping woks was no joke.
While they were weak and small, they couldn't win against him in a fight.
They put on the ridiculous disposable gloves and opened the folder.
They pulled out the magazine, but stopped halfway. Just seeing half of the cover… they suddenly realised that Xiao Hai's actions were not ridiculous after all!
A divine, heavenly face—!
An expression full of intense contrast.
A composition shrouded in light and shadow.
The concept of a marionette gaining freedom.
Absolutely stunning!
"Isn't this fairy Bao Ruanruan!?"
Everyone froze.
Xiao Minghua looked at Xia Hai in shock.
Xia Hai stood proudly with his chest out. "Well?"
"This is your daughter?"
"Mm. I just joined her 'dad fan' group yesterday."
“…………”
Old Xia, you've changed!
At 10 a.m. on Saturday, the official T Magazine account posted on Weibo about its December cover.
[#T December Issue# Cover, together with @BaoRuanruan. In this issue, we take 'releasing one's nature' as the theme, calling on everyone to pay attention to their inner voice amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Loving life begins with loving yourself—release your true self and rediscover your original heart.
The cover model, Bao Ruanruan, is suspended high in the air, yet an undying vitality burns within her flickering gaze.
Her fragile shoulders speak of unyielding pride, and her slender ankles move against the wind towards the light…
In this moment, the restraints slowly fall away.
From then on, she is like the wind—free, captivating, belonging only to herself.
Photographer: Xia Hai
Stylist: Zhao Ming]
Along with the cover image of Bao Ruanruan stepping forward while suspended by ribbons in midair, the post quickly shot to the top of the real-time entertainment trending list.
#Bao Ruanruan's Stunning December Cover#
A group of her followers clicked on the post and were left speechless.
[My baby… is actually this beautiful! Mommy kneels before you—no exquisite doll is better than you!]
[Is this something I'm allowed to see for free?]
[I'm crying, Ruanruan—how many more surprises do you still have that mommy doesn't know about?]
Some fans even started writing long posts.
[At first, I was drawn to her humorous variety show style, but later I realised that it's her true personality.
A soul as interesting as hers is one in a million—she's a treasure you'll regret missing.
I later realised that she's actually very capable.
This magazine cover proves it even more—weakness is only her exterior, while strength lies within.
Returning to one's original heart and releasing one's nature, her endless vitality reveals a willow-like essence that appears fragile yet is full of resilience.
I love you—I've said it so many times that I'm tired of saying it.
From now on, I'll accompany you as you grow. I'll be your harbour when you're tired—that's the only thing I can do as your 'mom'.]
Even more casual viewers clicked in after seeing it trending.
They originally just wanted to verify whether it was stunning enough to merit a spot in the top trending list.
But once they entered, they couldn't leave.
[A mysterious force has pulled me into the fandom.]
[Non-combat personnel, evacuate! Bao Ruanruan is killing everyone with her beauty!]
[Wrong—she's killing with her feet… This cover is sponsored by a shoe brand, and the composition highlights the crystal shoes on her feet.]
[Brand M is crying: "Even if I'm covered in crystals, I still can't outshine Bao Ruanruan."]
Ten minutes later, T Magazine also released a behind-the-scenes video.
In it, Bao Ruanruan could be seen suspended off the ground with her hands and feet bound with champagne-coloured ribbons.
Her white dress looked torn, as if she had endured countless wounds and suffering.
Yet, with her eyes closed, she flipped, arched, and walked through the air amid light and shadow…
She was so beautiful, like an elf.
[This level of core control—even gym trainers wouldn't dare attempt!]
[If you drop the act, aren't you actually an aerial yoga instructor, Bao Ruanruan?]
[If the acrobatics troupe doesn't have a spot for Bao Ruanruan, I refuse to accept it!]
Netizens reposted and commented in waves.
Back on set again, Tang Yuxin was filming a kissing scene with the male lead.
She kept hearing cold system notification sounds in her ear.
[Lu Wenhao's support rate has dropped by 1.3%]
[Qu Ji'en's support rate has dropped by 2.5%]
[Yang Xueni's support rate has dropped by 1.1%]
[Qu Feifei… 1.5%]
Tang Yuxin: “!”
"Cut! Yuxin, what's wrong?"
The Director frowned and called for a break.
Tang Yuxin quickly felt a sharp pain at the corner of her mouth.
[Today's key target, Lu Wenhao, has seen a drop in his support rate.]
[Punishment: a ring of blisters growing around the mouth.]
Tang Yuxin: "......"
She instantly covered her mouth.
Her fingertips immediately felt small bumps appearing one after another in her mouth.
Almost instantly, even the slightest touch caused her to feel pain.
"Teacher Tang, your mouth!"
The male lead had been about to lean in for an affectionate kiss.
But when he lowered his head, he saw a ring of white, pus-like blisters around Tang Yuxin's red lips.
They varied in size.
Instantly, he felt a wave of nausea.
[One of your major fans has had their 'filter' shattered.]
[He was teetering on the edge of no longer being a fan.]
Tang Yuxin's vision went dark, and she nearly fainted.
What is going on today!
At 11 o'clock, the December issue of the T Magazine officially went on sale.
There were only 20,000 copies, with no extras.
In less than half an hour, they were completely sold out.
Online, a group of slow-handed Ruan's 'mom fans' and 'career fans' wailed.
Even a few casual passers-by who wanted a copy to add to their collection were questioning their life choices.
Fans of the variety show 'Chasing Dreams' who liked Bao Ruanruan, both casual viewers and show fans, were even more in disbelief.
[Shouldn't you all be watching the variety show live-stream? 233333……]
This Saturday was destined to be anything but calm.
Everyone was so busy that they wished they could split into multiple bodies.
When the Chasing Dreams director, Zheng Mingchang, appeared on screen looking helpless, the audience burst into laughter.
[23333, the Director is gradually breaking down.]
[Director: "I'm gradually forgetting what show I'm even making. I thought I was running a Taobao catalogue shop."]
[Good grief! If the Director hadn't shown up, I would have almost forgotten that this is Chasing Dreams.]
Because the magazine release time overlapped with the variety show live-stream, a group of viewers, especially Bao Ruanruan's fans, kept switching between apps.
One moment, they were on Weibo, admiring Bao Ruanruan's looks and writing long, emotional posts about her; the next, they were watching the live-stream to see if she was on screen.
At the same time, they had to spare a hand to grab the limited-edition magazine.
They were too busy!
Fortunately, most of the morning's footage focused on the red team.
The live-stream didn't show much of Bao Ruanruan from the blue team. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to keep up!
Zheng Mingchang took a deep breath. "Everyone must also be curious about what the Blue Team is doing."
[It's still manageable.]
[Hahaha, I just came out of a 'mom fan' group chat. Everyone there was shouting, 'Forget the live-stream, hurry and grab the magazine! Last 5,000 copies!', 'Last 1,000 copies!' and 'D@mn, it's gone, it's gone!'……]
[Hehe, I really didn't even have time to care about the live-stream today. I asked my roommate to help me grab a copy, but the four of us only got one, and my roommate doesn't even want to give it to me… she says it's too pretty and wants to keep it herself, wuwuwuwu!]
[It's okay, Director. We're back. I couldn't get hold of the magazine that I cried a lot, so I came to see Kiddo Ruan.]
[What was talked about in the live-stream all morning? Director, give me a recap.]
A helpless Zheng Mingchang: "......"
Early this morning, the live stream focused on Qu Ji'en and the other three attending a fashion show he had been invited to.
Normally, the audience could not see what happened backstage at a fashion show.
However, thanks to his connections, Qu Ji'en had managed to bring both the Red Team and the cameramen inside today.
All four members of the Red Team took part in this domestic designer's show, for which they were paid a total of 400,000 yuan.
This shot propelled the Red Team to prominence.
They were the main force of this morning's live stream.
In contrast, the production team only filmed a brief four-person shot of the Blue Team meeting up in the morning.
As Lu Wenhao and Zhen Xuan had to spend half an hour resolving some team issues, there was no subsequent footage of the Blue Team afterwards.
It was at this moment that the live-stream camera switched back to the Blue Team.
It showed Bao Ruanruan and Qu Feifei sitting together in the Jingtian Travel office waiting for them.
After scrambling for the magazines, the fans finally had time to properly 'absorb11' Ruan.
[Baby, mommy is here.]
[I let the little one play by herself all morning—it's mommy's fault.]
[So pitiful—even this old mother couldn't get a copy of the magazine. How could this happen! @KiddoRuan, can you ask the publisher to print more?]
The live-stream camera deliberately swivelled to focus on Bao Ruanruan.
She lifted her slightly perked-up little face and smiled at the camera.
Despite not sleeping well and feeling a bit tired, she was determined to work hard today.
She wanted to become a big star so that she could publish a missing-person notice on TV and find her life-saving benefactor.
As Bao Ruanruan thought about this, a flash of determination and confidence crossed her little face.
At that moment, PD Liu Qiu walked over.
"Our Blue Team's funds are now at 620,000. For a travel fund of 1,000 people, that's 620 per person."
"We have already completed the fundraising plan."
"Last week, the teachers experienced a two-day, one-night product itinerary. This morning, under the guidance of the staff, teachers have also finalised the preliminary travel route design."
[Wow! It's finished already?]
[That was so fast.]
"Teachers, this week we can move on to confirming the list of 1,000 lucky audience members.'
[Whoa! Raise your hands quickly!]
[Pick me~]
[620 per person—I want to go!]
In front of the camera, Bao Ruanruan and Qu Feifei nodded in agreement as they listened.
Just then, Zhen Xuan and Lu Wenhao finished their phone call and resumed recording.
The four of them gathered together and began discussing.
As the team leader, Zhen Xuan spoke first. "The fairest and most impartial way is to draw lots."
Lu Wenhao frowned; recently, his mind seemed to advance with sudden flights and fierce strides12.
"The live-stream audience averages 30 million daily, and tonight it will reach its peak, estimated to exceed 40 million."
"One in ten thousand—the base number is too large. How do we draw lots?"
Zhen Xuan: "......"
He was stumped.
What use was he as a team leader?
At their company's annual meeting, for example, each employee was given a number, or a number was placed under each seat.
Then the boss drew the lottery—whichever number was drawn was the winner.
Lu Wenhao knew this because he had attended several of the Lu Group's annual meetings after all.
"We can ask the production team to export all the live-stream viewers' ID accounts, then have a programmer create a small lottery program and randomly select 1,000 from it."
Zhen Xuan raised his thumb in approval.
But before he could speak, Liu Qiu approached from the side.
"The production team will not provide any assistance."
"If you require the production team to provide a list, it will be considered as requesting help."
Zhen Xuan: "……"
Lu Wenhao: “……”
They both froze at the same time and looked towards Bao Ruanruan.
[Hehe, silly kid, why are you looking at Ruanruan?]
[Zhen Xuan, you're the team leader—wake up!]
[Kids like Baobao are treasures.]
[No need to struggle, silly kid, just pick me.]
[You've made the right choice by picking me! For the other 999, just keep clicking all the way down—whoever it lands on is the one!]
Asking celebrities to think through this kind of logical calculation problem was simply too difficult.
Just counting from 1 to 1,000 alone might take the four of them an entire morning.
If they also had to consider the order in which viewers arrived, classify those who sent bullet comments versus those who didn't, the distribution of viewers today and tomorrow, as well the differences between those who watched the live-stream or not… trying to include all new and old viewers into the total and create a fair draw—without seeking help from the production team would be impossible.
Bao Ruanruan spread her hands and blinked.
"Then we'll ask for help."
She patted her backpack; inside now lay a thick folder.
Each page was a 'life-saving agreement'.
"Should we let Director Zheng handle it directly, or ask the Red Team to draw all 2,000 slots?"
The three members of the Blue Team: "……"
[hhh]
[Bao Ruanruan: "What? Asking the production team for a list isn't allowed? PD, say that again—louder!"]
Lu Wenhao and Qu Feifei had never, not for a single moment, felt that this 'life-saving agreement' thing was so useful.
What a great thing it was!
"Let's do it this way—have the Red Team handle it," said Lu Wenhao, waving his hand. "Director Zheng's life-saving agreement must be saved for a critical moment."
"For this round, we'll use Cheng Yao's life-saving agreement."
Qu Feifei nodded.
Zhen Xuan silently gave a thumbs-up.
His respect for Bao Ruanruan increased a little more in his heart.
Of the current team members, only he and the PD had survived from being forced to sign the 'life-saving agreement'.
Since they were small and weak, they were too scared to take any action.
"Teacher Bao…"
PD Liu Qiu was almost in tears and hurriedly ran over.
"Think it through."
[Hahaha!]
"The Red Team is doing a runway show today—they don't have time for this."
"That's fine. They can finish it next week."
“……”
[Hehehe~]
[Anyway, it's after the Spring Festival… I'm dying of laughter.]
PD Liu Qiu covered her forehead.
She took a deep breath.
Calm down.
As long as you have a tolerant heart...
But just as she was preparing herself mentally and about to give up, she suddenly heard a heavenly sound.
"PD, what task did the Director originally want us to do?"
Bao Ruanruan asked, having actually decided to cooperate with the production team after all.
She had just made up her mind that morning to show her face13 properly and take her work seriously.
Now, she was making an effort.
Liu Qiu let out a little 'ying14' sound, feeling touched.
Teacher Ruanruan really is the best.
"Our production team has prepared an amusement park check-in project."
Bao Ruanruan tilted her small face slightly.
Liu Qiu quickly explained, "There are five amusement rides in Jiangcheng Amusement Park. As long as the Blue Team members go and play, and meet certain conditions, each ride will unlock a lottery method and list for 200 audience members."
[So that's how it is—the list was already decided by the production team.]
[I see. I was wondering why they'd make the guests do math problems.]
Zhen Xuan's eyes lit up. "I haven't been to an amusement park for a long time."
Lu Wenhao also showed a look of longing.
Play amusement park rides?
That's way too easy.
He could go on the drop tower five times without even screaming once.
But just as he was about to speak, he heard a soft, gentle girl's voice beside him.
"PD, while you were explaining just now, I suddenly thought of a way to select 1,000 lucky audience members."
In front of the camera, Bao Ruanruan's smooth little face glowed softly.
Liu Qiu: "…What?"
Had everything she had said been for nothing?
[Ruanruan: "What you said is right, but I won't listen."]
[Kiddo Ruan puts amusement parks into the danger zone… Director Zheng did this on purpose, didn't he?]
[Ruan: "Amusement parks are great, but don't bring it up next time."]
Bao Ruanruan blinked her curled, ink-black eyelashes and spoke seriously.
"I suddenly thought that we could set up a test paper and let the Chasing Dreams audience answer the questions."
Liu Qiu: "?"
The three members of the Blue Team: "!"
[???]
[…?!]
Bao Ruanruan's expression was solemn.
Written all over it were — eight big Chinese characters: fair and just15, honest with old and young16.
"We can design a 100-point test and select the 1,000 highest-scoring audience members as the lucky ones chosen for our Blue Team trip."
[…Help…]
[Kiddo Ruan, listen to yourself—does this sound reasonable? Using an exam to pick lucky audience members… ying14!]
[I'm starting to lose the meaning of the word 'lucky'!]
[Kiddo Ruan, you're not allowed to target your mom like this…]
[Today I finally understand Director Zheng's suffering, hahaha.]
[Sorry, I shouldn't have laughed at the production team's incompetence before. I was wrong. The amusement park check-in really is a good idea. Kiddo Ruan, let's just listen to the PD, okay?]
The entire Blue Team went through a long silence.
Bao Ruanruan thought they had agreed.
"Then each of us can set 25 questions."
"That's 100 questions in total."
[!]
[100?! Are you even human?!]
[Even university professors wouldn't dare to set this many questions!]
PD Liu Qiu could be seen trembling slightly on camera.
This wasn't because she was actually shaking, but because the cameraman couldn't stop laughing.
The other three members of the Blue Team also slowly regained their ability to think.
Were they the ones who were going to set the questions to test the audience?
After a brief moment of shock, all three members of the Blue Team revealed 'devilish' smiles in front of the camera.
They were the representatives of a generation of study dregs17.
They were the students who used to fear exams the most.
Today, they finally had the chance to set questions for others?
They were instantly wide awake!
"Should we make it 200 questions?" Zhen Xuan rubbed his hands eagerly. "After all, we need to pick 1000 high scorers."
Lu Wenhao and Qu Feifei nodded in unison.
[Inhuman! This is even worse than Bao Ruanruan!]
"So what questions should we set?"
Lu Wenhao was excited.
He asked Bao Ruanruan for a sheet of blank paper, and then… that was it.
Sorry.
They were also the kind of study dregs17 who didn't even know how to set questions.
Their smiles gradually disappeared.
Qu Feifei touched her nose. "How about… we go to a bookstore and find a copy of Five Years of University Examinations, Three Years of Mock Exams18?”
The trio's faces all lit up at once.
Their confidence returned.
[…Hmm, I won't go travelling anymore. I'm still young—I've decided to give this heaven-sent opportunity to other viewers who need help and love travelling.]
[Suddenly, my knees start to hurt a little. I'll leave this travel opportunity to people with fully functioning limbs~~~]
[Suddenly, I don't feel like watching this show anymore, hehe (dog head19)]
In an instant, the entire live-stream audience all felt the familiar fear of being dominated by 'Five-Three20' and the Gaokao21.
The comment section was filled with sobbing, and a 'harmonious' scene of people becoming like Kong Rong22 by yielding the travel opportunity.
It was a sight too beautiful to take in.
Even Director Zheng couldn't help but grin when he saw it.
#If You Don't Study, Don't Watch Variety Shows#
#Want To Travel Do Five-Three20 First#
#Bao Ruanruan Heaven Chosen Lottery Method#
Before long, With Dreams As Horses attracted the attention of the Education Bureau.
[Thanks to this entertainment variety show for helping everyone to recognise the importance of studying and improving the learning atmosphere for students and parents. We recommend that parents and children watch it together.]
With an official label attached, the show became a family educational programme.
Bao Ruanruan, by her own efforts, made millions cry, and millions of parents laugh.
[Give me more shows like this, and I won't limit my child's TV time anymore!]
[Haha! If my son wants to play, I'll just make him watch this show!]
[Method learned! From now on, if you want to buy toys, you'll have to pass a test first~]
Bao Ruanruan almost became children's nightmare.
But during the live stream, she calmly took books out of her backpack.
An Introduction to Human Acupoints and Meridians
Nutrition: How to Combine 1483 Types of Food
Emergency Care Guide
Each book was thick.
Then, she spread out her own A4 paper.
She began setting questions.
The three members of the blue team: "!"
Liu Qiu: "!"
[!]
Halfway through writing, Bao Ruanruan lifted her head.
Facing the camera, she gave a shy smile.
"The 25 questions I set are all about health knowledge."
"A lot of them are common knowledge, not difficult."
"They're free-mark questions~"
[……I……is it still in time for me to buy these books now?]
[Only today did I realise that 'Five-Three20' is actually kind of adorable...]
[Free marks… are you sure you're not just giving me a dog head19?]
The three books she took out had at least over a thousand pages!
The other three members of the blue team couldn't help but reach out to flip through Bao Ruanruan's books.
Then, simultaneously, they all turned to the camera with a look of shared sympathy.
How lucky!
They were just guests on the show.
And not the show's audience~
One hour later, 100 questions were posted on Chasing Dreams' official Weibo page.
Furthermore, the questions were in test format, with a 20-minute time limit and a 'no copy-paste' restriction to prevent anyone from asking 'Du Niang23' for the answers.
All viewers had to answer the questions directly online!
Author's note:
Ruan: Within books lie the secrets to longevity.
Footnotes Full List
- 留白 (liú bái) → a concept in Chinese painting where empty space enhances artistic meaning
- 长脸 (zhǎng liǎn) → to gain honour / bring prestige
- 蓝血 (lán xuè: blue-blood) / 红血 (hóng xuè: red-blood) → industry slang for high-end luxury brands (blue-blood = top-tier elite brands; red-blood = slightly lower but still premium luxury tier)
- 有了起色 (yǒu le qǐ sè) → started improving/showing positive progress
- 勇夺第一 (yǒng duó dì yī) → to decisively win first place
- 握手言和 (wò shǒu yán hé) → An idiom meaning to make peace
- 杀出一片天地 (shā chū yī piàn tiān dì): To carve out a place for oneself through fierce competition; to establish one's position or territory in a challenging field.
- 有名有姓 (yǒu míng yǒu xìng) → To be somebody; to be recognised as an individual with status; not just a nameless face.
- 剑拔弩张 (jiàn bá nǔ zhāng) → describes a situation of extreme tension, like being on the verge of conflict.
- 托好你们的下巴 (tuō hǎo nǐmen de xiàba) → implies 'so you don't drop your jaw in shock'.
- 吸 (xī) → (Internet slang) In fandom context: to enjoy, admire, or indulge in a favourite idol ("soaking in their cuteness/content").
- 突飞猛进 (tū fēi měng jìn) → rapid and significant progress
- 露脸 (lòu liǎn) → iterally "to show one's face"; metaphorically, to appear in public or gain visibility/exposure (especially on camera).
- 嘤 (yīng) → an onomatopoeic internet slang expression mimicking a soft whimper or cute crying sound; literal meaning: "(sound of whimpering)," often used to express being touched or emotionally moved in a cute way.
- 公平公正 (gōng píng gōng zhèng) → A common compound expression emphasising impartiality in all matters.
- 童叟无欺 (tóng sǒu wú qī) → A classic Chinese idiom meaning 'we cheat nobody, not even children or the elderly'. It was traditionally used by honest merchants to advertise that they treat all customers equally, without taking advantage of the young or old. It implies absolute integrity and fairness in business dealings.
- 学渣 (xué zhā): A slang term referring to a poor student (opposite of "学霸 (xué bà)" – top student).
- 五年高考三年模拟 (wǔ nián gāokǎo sān nián mónǐ) → A famous (and feared) exam prep book in China that symbolises intense exam practice. Reference🔗
- 狗头 (gǒu tóu) → Refers to the "doge" emoji🔗, indicating a sarcastic or joking tone.
- Full name: 《五年高考三年模拟 (wǔ nián gāo kǎo sān nián mó nǐ)》 → Five Years of Gaokao, Three Years of Mock Exams. This is the most famous (and infamous) test prep book series in China. Almost every high school student preparing for the Gaokao has used it. It contains past Gaokao papers (five years' worth) and intensive mock exams (three years' worth).
- 高考 (gāo kǎo) → China's National College Entrance Examination. It is one of the most consequential, high-stakes exams in the world. It determines university admission, which strongly influences career and life trajectory.
- The phrase "孔融让旅游" (Kǒng Róng ràng lǚ yóu) appears to be a creative or humorous adaptation of the classic Chinese idiom "孔融让梨" (Kǒng Róng ràng lí) — "Kong Rong gives up the pears." It is a play on words or a parody created by replacing 梨 (lí / pear) with 旅游 (lǚ yóu / tourism).
- 度娘 (Dù Niáng) → Literally means Lady Du. It is an internet nickname/personification of Baidu (the Chinese search engine giant, equivalent to Google in China).
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