Shi Yi stayed over at Xu Meimei’s house.
Considering Shi Yi hadn’t brought much luggage, Xu Meimei invited her to go clothes shopping in the afternoon, beautifully calling it “sacrificing one’s life to accompany a gentleman.”
No one could resist the temptation of a shopping spree, especially a shopping spree where one didn’t have to consider the cost, only whether they wanted it or not.
Both of them had money on hand. Xu Meimei was the only daughter in her family; the entire Xu Corporation belonged to her. Back then, after Shi Yi’s parents had an accident, she had made the prompt decision to sell their company shares. She might not have had anything else, but she had plenty of cash.
The two of them joyfully browsed through major luxury brands, and by the time they returned to the villa that day, it was already almost seven o’clock.
Xu Meimei’s mana bar was completely depleted. Throwing out a single sentence—”I’ll take you to see my little Male God tomorrow”—she lay down on the bed to regenerate her health. She didn’t even get up for dinner.
Why hadn’t she felt this tired while they were actually shopping??
Shi Yi covered her with a blanket, tidied up the large and small bags that had been delivered to the door, and went into the bathroom to take a bath.
Hot steam rose in the bathroom, quickly filling the small space. Shi Yi wrapped up her hair and stepped into the bathtub.
In the dead of night, the emotions she had deliberately ignored during the day surged up again.
Gu Zhan’s presence was simply too strong. The corner cafe had his posters plastered on it, the large screens played his commercials, and pedestrians discussed his news while shopping. He was absolutely everywhere. It was as if no matter where she went, she was surrounded by him.
Her pale, slender fingers poked at the surface of the water somewhat in boredom, then inexplicably touched her own lips.
—
The next day, Shi Yi informed the producer of her decision. She decided to go. It was a rare opportunity, and learning a bit more could never be a bad thing.
Qin Liyuan: “Alright.” “It’s not convenient for you to go by yourself. I’ll help you contact the production team; the day after tomorrow, you can go together with a few of the guests.”
“That fast?” Qin Liyuan switched the hand holding his phone. “Mn, the show started preparations a long time ago. The scheduled time to begin filming is in three days.”
Started preparations a long time ago, yet the promotions turned out like this? Shi Yi held her cup. It’s nearing the broadcast date, yet hardly anyone knows about it… No wonder she could also be a guest. Shi Yi took a sip of milk and felt a bit more at ease.
She set down her cup and asked a few other questions, including the contract terms provided by the production team, whether the island was safe, and so on.
The producer said not to worry; Teacher Chen was considered a national treasure-level artist, so the production team would pay strict attention to the safety aspect. As for the contract, Qin Liyuan tactfully said that she could negotiate the specific terms with the production team when the time came. However, regarding the compensation… the show’s previous female guest had temporarily breached her contract and bailed, so she was basically being pulled in to make up the numbers.
How much compensation could someone making up the numbers really get?
Ten minutes later, Qin Liyuan hung up the phone and breathed a sigh of relief.
Qin Liyuan was about thirty-something years old. He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, acted vigorously and resolutely, and exuded an elite aura of having undergone long-term tempering.
He walked toward the CEO’s office.
The CEO’s office was on the top floor. The door was half-closed, and faint sounds of an argument drifted out through the crack. Qin Liyuan adjusted his glasses and knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
President Fei was sitting in the boss’s chair with his brows furrowed, seemingly very unhappy. Two people stood in front of the office desk: one was Zhang Wenyuan, and the other was Director Chen.
Producer Qin nodded at the two of them and called out, “President Fei.”
President Fei grunted in acknowledgment, massaged his brow, and said to Zhang Wenyuan, who was still standing there, “I don’t want to say this a second time. I will not change my decision. You can head back.” “Liyuan, speak.”
Zhang Wenyuan still had more to say. “President Fei.”
President Fei: “I said, get out.”
Director Chen hurriedly pulled Zhang Wenyuan, who still wanted to pester further, outside. The moment they stepped out the door, he couldn’t help but explode.
“What exactly is going on with you? Didn’t I already make everything clear to you? Why are you still coming to bother President Fei?!” That day, when Zhang Wenyuan fainted and couldn’t accept the facts, Director Chen had broken it down piece by piece and advised him, saying everything there was to say. Today, having just been discharged from the hospital, he came running to find President Fei again.
Zhang Wenyuan, “Stop Making Trouble was discovered by me. On what grounds am I being replaced?”
Director Chen didn’t want to argue with him. Stop Making Trouble had already been in the company’s sights; even without him, someone else would have picked it up. He merely sneered. “On what grounds? You wanted to replace their screenwriter. On what grounds couldn’t the screenwriter replace you?” Was it based on your stubbornness, your lack of foresight, or the fact that you annoy the investors?
“The one who provokes first is in the wrong. Since you kicked an iron plate1, don’t blame others for breaking your leg.”
Director Chen didn’t want to say harsh words. Given their many years of camaraderie as classmates, he always wanted to give Zhang Wenyuan a hand. But he just wouldn’t listen to advice. Director Chen let out a breath. “I’ll advise you one last time: quit while you’re ahead.”
“Don’t speak. I am very serious, not joking with you. If you still can’t wrap your head around this, I won’t get involved with you anymore.”
Yes, they were old classmates, but more than half of their lives had already passed. He had a large family behind him; he had to think about himself and his family. After Qin Liyuan took over Stop Making Trouble, he didn’t mind that Director Chen was Zhang Wenyuan’s old classmate and chose to continue cooperating. This was him giving face, and Director Chen couldn’t afford not to accept it.
He couldn’t continue messing around with Zhang Wenyuan anymore.
Zhang Wenyuan stood frozen in place.
Seeing them leave, President Fei shook his head. “This Zhang Wenyuan guy…” President Fei didn’t voice the rest of his evaluation. Snapping back to reality, he looked at Qin Liyuan. “What did you come here for? Speak.”
Qin Liyuan pretended he didn’t hear the evaluation of Zhang Wenyuan. “It’s about the matter Mr. Gu assigned—” President Fei’s eyes lit up. “It’s done?” Qin Liyuan nodded. “Mn.”
President Fei slapped his thigh. “Good, good, good! Little Qin, you did a great job. I’ll give Young Master Gu a call right now.”
Qin Liyuan swept a glance over President Fei’s beaming expression and mentally elevated Gu Zhan’s status and importance a bit more. In reality, Qin Liyuan could have contacted Gu Zhan himself, but he didn’t. He chose to report the results to President Fei so that the credit would belong to President Fei.
Sure enough, President Fei was very satisfied with his choice and mentally noted down a merit for him.
“…”
Yu Wensheng came to report on work and happened to encounter Gu Zhan taking a call.
Yu Wensheng was very curious. The imperceptible anxiety on Gu Zhan dissipated during this phone call. What good news was shared?
Gu Zhan didn’t hide it from him, the corners of his lips turning up. “Shi Yi is going to participate in a variety show.”
What? The manager grew instantly vigilant. “You aren’t planning to go too, are you?” After saying this, he realized he had asked a stupid question. The answer was undoubtedly yes.
Manager: “What variety show?” Gu Zhan: “Desert Island Survival Diary.”
The manager searched for the show’s name, wanting nothing more than to die. Where did this shady, no-name variety show come from?! Could he even participate in this kind of trash?
Gu Zhan: “Don’t worry, it’s just borrowing a name.”
A spark of inspiration hit the manager. “Love Island?” “Mn.”
The manager’s eyes lit up.
Love Island was a dating variety show meticulously planned by Feilou Entertainment. It was slightly similar to Desert Island Survival Diary. But while the latter was pure survival, Love Island aimed to foster romance between guests through an isolated life. Essentially, it was a dating reality show.
In fact, in the original novel, Love Island exploded in popularity after it aired, becoming the phenomenal variety show of the year in one fell swoop.
The manager thought of an issue and warned him, “Watch your boundaries.” The manager didn’t oppose Gu Zhan going public, but it had to be done gradually. He needed to exercise some restraint at the beginning; the fans wouldn’t be able to handle too massive of a shock… If he was given the time of two episodes, he was confident he could expand the number of their CP fans.
Gu Zhan nodded. The manager was relieved.
“Just in case, I’ll contact the company’s PR department. Should we announce your participation?” “No rush.” If they announced it now, he was afraid Shi Yi would notice Love Island. The promotions for Love Island had already started a long time ago anyway; it wouldn’t hurt to wait before adding the icing on the cake. “Alright.”
Yu Wensheng trusted Gu Zhan a lot. This trust stemmed from Gu Zhan’s calmness; he believed in Gu Zhan’s self-control.
…But he found out that he might have been wrong.
At three o’clock that afternoon, Chu Fengming posted a WeChat Moment, accompanied by a picture of him and two girls: Fan girls came to visit the set, so happy.
Chu Fengming was an idol who debuted from a survival show the year before last, and Gu Zhan’s “star pupil.”
The girl on the left was extremely familiar. A fan? Shi Yi?
The manager instantly felt the low air pressure radiating from the person beside him.
Gu Zhan’s gaze landed on Chu Fengming—the big boy had just turned nineteen after the New Year. His face was full of collagen, brimming with youthfulness.
Heh.
Gu Zhan tapped his fingers on the table, his tone cold. “What’s his name? Chu Honeybee2?”
Manager: “…”
Manager: “…”
Translator’s note:
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