Chapter 26: Day Twentysix, No thought

Si Nian heard Jiang Yihan’s sudden conspiracy theory.

She actually hadn’t thought in that direction before.

She just found it strange.

After all, the last time she met Lu Shuyan, he didn’t seem like he really wanted to send her to prison.

Maybe he had a change of heart at some point.

But now, after being reminded by someone else, Si Nian suddenly felt that thinking in that direction might actually make sense…

It’s always good to be more cautious.

Regardless of whether Lu Shuyan had any schemes, Si Nian had already decided to accept this advertisement.

Because when something goes far beyond common sense, even if there’s no major pitfall, there must be some kind of trick involved.

She firmly believed that there was no such thing as a free lunch.

Qiao Qiao received Si Nian’s decision to accept the Aup advertisement.

She thought Si Nian had figured out that this was actually some kind of scam or pig-butchering scheme.

She quickly apologized for not reviewing it carefully and falling into the trap.

But Si Nian told her that the other party was indeed Aup, and she simply wanted to accept it.

“Why… why?” Qiao Qiao was completely confused.

Car advertisements were in high demand.

Even if she didn’t care about the brand’s level, shooting an advertisement earned a lot of money.

Was she going to turn down money too?

Si Nian looked at Qiao Qiao and said, “It’s my ex-boyfriend’s company.”

Qiao Qiao: “?”

She suddenly felt like her boss had just casually dropped an earth-shattering bomb in a tone as if she were talking about the weather.

Aup.

Ex-boyfriend.

Company?

Si Nian didn’t bother to explain too much to Qiao Qiao, who seemed to be experiencing a brain freeze.

However, when she asked Qiao Qiao to reject the advertisement, a few days later, Qiao Qiao reported back that Aup had been persistently reaching out.

They sincerely hoped to collaborate and earnestly requested that Miss Si Nian not refuse.

Si Nian became more certain that this was Lu Shuyan’s doing.

Otherwise, why would a brand like Aup keep reaching out to the same model over and over again?

If she declined, they could simply move on to the next candidate immediately.

Even international superstars didn’t receive this kind of treatment.

Yet again, an email arrived from Aup, as persistent as a lingering ghost.

The offer had even doubled compared to the original.

Someone who didn’t know better would think it was an endorsement fee for an international celebrity.

Qiao Qiao forwarded the email to Si Nian.

Si Nian stared at it for a few minutes before finally deciding to unblock a contact she had blacklisted long ago.

She sent a direct message.

Screenshot.jpg

What are you trying to do?

The reply came quickly.

Why won’t you accept it?

Si Nian saw the response and confirmed that it was indeed Lu Shuyan behind this.

Why should I accept it?

Don’t think I don’t know you’re plotting something again.

Do you think I’ll fall for it?

Lu Shuyan took a moment before replying.

…

Si Nian scoffed at the six dots on the screen.

She was about to blacklist the number again when her phone buzzed with another message.

I didn’t plan anything.

Not towards you.

Si Nian regretted that text messages weren’t like WeChat, where she could send reaction stickers.

Right now, she really wanted to send a “Yeah, right.jpg” meme.

Then tell me, what is this supposed to mean?

Si Nian sent a screenshot of Aup’s repeated collaboration requests.

Rongsheng now held 51% of Aup’s shares, which meant Lu Shuyan had absolute authority over its decisions.

Another brief silence from Lu Shuyan’s side.

After a while, he finally replied with three words:

You’re suitable.

“……”

Si Nian read those three words and threw her phone aside, too lazy to think about it anymore.

No matter what tricks he was playing, she would just deal with them as they came.

If she didn’t engage, then there was nothing to fall for.

Rongsheng, President’s Office.

Lu Shuyan quietly stared at the chat interface, where no further replies had come.

He gazed at it for a long time before finally putting down his phone and leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed.

When he saw Si Nian’s message earlier, there was a fleeting moment of joy in his chest.

It was just a simple message from her, yet it made him feel this way.

Feelings seemed to be the only thing in the world that defied logic.

Sometimes, you don’t even realize when or how someone else can affect your emotions.

Lu Shuyan opened his eyes again.

Upon hearing his subordinate report that Miss Si Nian was still refusing to accept the Aup advertisement, his brows furrowed.

Si Nian turned down Aup’s advertisement and resumed filming the third episode of Trendy Hosts.

In the first two episodes, she had gone viral because of her “speechless reaction” memes while watching “Deep Love Like the Sea” fake their on-screen romance.

This time, she clearly felt that the camera was focusing on her more, as if waiting to capture more of her reactions.

Even Yu Hai and Luo Zhiqing happily greeted her upon entering the set.

Of course, once they had to work together, they immediately went back to ignoring each other.

This time, there was a new segment.

The NPC models could finally speak.

In the first two episodes, the guests had picked the models.

But in this one, the models could pick the guests, forming 1v1 teams.

Yu Hai and Luo Zhiqing both looked hopeless upon hearing this rule.

They played rock-paper-scissors to decide.

Si Nian, lucky as ever, got the first pick.

She smiled at Yu Hai and Luo Zhiqing apologetically before choosing the male celebrity, Zheng Yinglun.

She really liked the New Chinese Style outfit he had styled for her in the last episode.

She trusted his taste completely.

Zheng Yinglun was 31, a well-known “fashionable guy” in the Hong Kong entertainment circle.

Although his Mandarin wasn’t perfect, he was always friendly and joked around with staff members.

When he saw Si Nian pick him, he immediately smiled and said, “Thank you.”

Si Nian stood beside him, forming a team.

The competition this time had a different format.

The production team provided limited outfits and accessories.

To get better options, the guests had to complete challenges.

There were multiple game segments and even outdoor shoots.

Once the teams were set, the models had some downtime.

Since the show mainly focused on the celebrities, they all went out to complete challenges, while the models stayed in the studio to chat.

The two models paired with Yu Hai and Luo Zhiqing looked miserable.

“You don’t have to be so worried,” someone patted their shoulders.

“Luo Zhiqing promised she studied mix-and-match styling. She’ll be fine.”

“And last time was probably an accident.

I think their destructive power will be lower now that they’re separated.”

Everyone chuckled.

Si Nian’s eye twitched as she recalled the disastrous look she got from them last time.

Cici, sitting next to her, suddenly turned and pouted.

“So jealous of you, Si Nian.”

“I wanted to pick Zheng Yinglun too, but you beat me to it.”

Si Nian chuckled.

Cici raised her hand.

“Next time, no one compete with me, okay? I want to pick Mr. Zheng.”

A male model teased, “Wait, do you have a crush on him?”

Cici confidently replied, “So what if I do?”

“Zheng Yinglun is handsome, stylish, and kind.

I’m a fan.”

“I’ve watched all his dramas.”

Si Nian realized she had never watched any of his shows before.

Would she start now?

The show filming continued late into the night.

Zheng Yinglun’s styling ranked first in audience votes.

As Si Nian packed up, Cici leaned in suspiciously.

“Be honest.

Are you secretly a fan of Zheng Yinglun too?”

Si Nian pointed at herself.

“Me?”

Cici narrowed her eyes.

“Because the way you looked at him tonight was so affectionate.”

Si Nian: “?”

She had never even looked at Lu Shuyan that way in her life.