Cheng Yao's casual fans were the first ones to notice something off about his Weibo post.
His die-hard fans were all like, "So good~", "On repeat!", "When's the next song?"—that kind of vibe.
But the casual fans spotted something unusual.
Among the four other guests on 'Chasing Dream', Bao Ruanruan was definitely the least experienced.
So why was she the first one he tagged?
[You're overthinking it. Brother definitely went by the Pinyin order🔗—Bao starts with 'B,' so first, duh.]
[Yeah!]
Agent He Jun immediately wiped his sweat.
Thank God for the almighty netizens!
Thank God for the wise fans!
The rumours stop with the wise.
But before he could even celebrate, a comment suddenly appeared—
[Uh, no, it's not because of the pinyin order. Check out the show's official Weibo! They posted behind-the-scenes footage!]
Agent He Jun: "...?"
He turned his head stiffly to look at Cheng Yao, who was taking a break by watching a movie beside him. "You didn't say anything weird in the footage, did you?"
But the moment he asked—
A chill ran down his spine.
He remembered what Cheng Yao had said during filming that day—"This is the first time I've met someone who understands my music so thoroughly...!"
He Jun's vision went dark.
He lowered his head and grabbed his mobile phone.
"What's wrong?" Cheng Yao glanced away from the movie.
He Jun: "I'm looking up the PR team's number."
"...?"
*
Meanwhile, at home, Bao Ruanruan was in the middle of meditating to clear her mind when the doorbell rang.
She exhaled slowly.
Only then did she slowly stand up and padded to the living room in her lemon-yellow loungewear.
She cautiously looked through the peephole.
All she could see was a single button on a black man's shirt.
This terrible peephole!
"Who is it?" Bao Ruanruan asked softly from behind the door.
"Delivery."
Bao Ruanruan blinked. "Is the name on the package 'Bao Bao who can live for 100 years' or 'Bao Bao who can live for 110 years'?"
"............"
Silence from outside. After a long pause, an uncertain voice replied,
"...110?"
"Wrong answer." Bao Ruanruan's fair little face darkened. "You liar, I'm calling the police!"
".............Stop messing around, Xiao Baozi. It's me and Brother Xue. Open the door."
"Oh ho, you failed at pretending to be a delivery man; now you pretend to be my agent?"
"...? You seriously don't recognise my voice?..."
"How do I know this isn't just a pre-recorded voice clip?"
".........."
Chen Feng nearly fainted in the stairwell. He crouched down and pressed his face closer to the peephole.
Bao Ruanruan took a look, then finally opened the door in relief.
"Brother Feng, pretending to be a delivery man makes me think you're not a good person, you know?"
"That's how trust between people is destroyed."
Her expression was downright solemn.
Chen Feng didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Alright, my bad, Lord Bao."
Xue Jing followed behind him and stepped inside.
He shot a glance at Chen Feng. "Where's the stuff you brought for her? You better double it."
Chen Feng's face fell.
Bao Ruanruan's eyes lit up. "You brought me something?"
Chen Feng finally placed the bag in his hand on the table. "I brought you some truffles. One of our next projects just had them dug up from the mountains and shipped them directly here. I thought you'd like them."
They were seriously generous.
Bao Ruanruan immediately forgot about the earlier antics at the door.
Hand in hand, they were best friends again.
She opened the bag, utterly enchanted as she admired the rare and famously expensive truffles inside.
Each of the black truffles was the size of a small fist.
They carried a faint, elegant fragrance—the scent of nourishment.
Truffles weren't just delicious; they were also highly nutritious and were said to have the ability to boost the immune system.
Bao Ruanruan's eyes twinkled happily, and her whole face lit up.
Xue Jing sat down on the sofa in the living room.
His calm, peach-blossomed eyes swept over her.
They lingered on her radiant face for a moment. "I heard Cheng Yao likes you?"
"Huh?"
............
Bao Ruanruan is caught in a scandal!
Netizens who heard this were stunned.
Even her agent rushed over to question her.
But she herself had no idea.
"Who likes me?"
She was utterly bewildered.
And after Chen Feng gave her a crash course on how dating could affect her career, she panicked.
The whole Lu family mess hadn't even blown over yet, and now this?
She couldn't take it.
She still hadn't secured that ultra-safe house.
She immediately checked Weibo.
With just one glance, she was shocked.
Several new private messages had appeared in her inbox.
All from unfamiliar accounts.
"Unfamiliar? Do you usually know who DMs you?"
Chen Feng was curious.
Fans and random users sent messages to celebrities all the time.
Even he couldn't finish reading the last round of messages the studio received!
But Bao Ruanruan blinked, "Just those few accounts that keep threatening to send me razor blades—I would recognise them even if they turned to ashes."
Chen Feng: "!"
After mumbling that, Bao Ruanruan began scrolling through a new batch of messages that looked like shady spam ads.
[1593V: If you don't want the rumour to be exposed, transfer 2 million to ** Bank...]
[394056V: If you don't want this to be leaked, send 1 million to the following account...]
[akgyitV: If you want to keep it quiet, transfer 3 million first, then...]
What!
There were actually people crazy enough to try and go after the money she'd saved to buy a safe house?
Bao Ruanruan was both shocked and enlightened.
"So many sellers in the market."
"These guys didn't even bother coordinating their price tags~"
Chen Feng leaned forward to take a look.
"......"
"Block them. Don't engage."
"No."
"?"
Soon after, several gossip accounts started reposting the trending forum rumour about Cheng Yao and Bao Ruanruan.
[Really? No way, Mom doesn't believe it!]
[Cheng Yao and my baby Ruanruan? Can't be, right?]
[Help! I've been watching Chasing Dreams all this time; now you're forcing me to rewatch them with a magnifying glass?]
[Didn't Bao Ruanruan like Lu Wenyao? She moved on already?]
[She found a new man??]
Fans, gossip-loving onlookers, and Internet trolls all flooded the comment sections under the gossip accounts.
Suddenly, Bao Ruanruan updated her Weibo.
[BaoRuanruanV: I, Bao Ruanruan, have no such attachment.]
[!]
[!!]
Instantly, the comment section exploded.
[Pfft hahaha!]
[She's panicking! She's totally losing it!]
[I'm dead; Cheng Yao hasn't even said anything yet!]
[Awoo, girl, if you say it's not true, Mom will believe you!]
[The more you deny, the more suspicious it looks.]
But then Bao Ruanruan posted a video on Weibo that silenced all the haters.
#Sharing my own video: Click in to help you steer clear of rumours and fake news.#
[Hhh!]
[Sorry, I haven't even clicked play, and I'm already laughing at the title.]
[Yup, this is the real Ruanruan, not hacked—I'd bet my Huabei📹 on it.]
[Our girl is so tough! Mom is going to watch your video now.]
The video opened to a small white-walled room.
Bao Ruanruan sat dead centre on a chair, and her fair face was serious as she stared into the camera.
"The Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner—a time of joy and family reunions."
"But just as this joyous occasion was approaching, someone actually fabricated a scam message and tried to take advantage of me in my vulnerable moment."
[Pfffft!]
[100 points for this little dramatic essay!]
[Are you seriously giving it 100 points? Is that how 'take advantage of someone's weakness or vulnerability' is used?—LOL, I can't breathe.]
[This tone is familiar… it's giving 'dark stormy night in Hengshan Village, someone's about to get wrecked again!' And yes, we're talking about you, shady gossip accounts!]
The screen filled with laughing comments, but video-Bao Ruanruan remained calm, holding up her phone and pointing it at the camera.
"Scenario 1: Online rumours claim that Mr Cheng Yao is romantically interested in Miss Bao Ruanruan and that the two are currently in a relationship."
Her phone screen showed screenshots of the viral gossip posts she had just seen.
One had 1,025 reposts and 1,924 comments.
Both numbers were circled in red.
And a big red "FAKE" character was scrawled right across the rumour text.
"Some netizens who do not know the truth and have no sense of deception are easily manipulated by these rumour mongers and end up spreading false information."
[Hahaha!]
[LOL, Bao Ruanruan, are you writing a comedy skit or what?]
Bao Ruanruan put down her phone and tapped her fingers on the table.
"Scam pattern analysis: These rumour-mongers twist jokes from the internet, label them as 'true', and use the attention to gain followers and rake in massive sponsorship money."
She picked up her phone again.
This time, she pulled up a comparison post.
On the left:
[MarketingCatCatV: *** is a once-in-a-lifetime fairy, unique and incomparable.]
On the right:
[MarketingCatCatV: ** is a once-in-a-lifetime angel, incomparable and captivating.]
The posting dates were circled: one in March last year, the other in February this year.
The names were blurred, but clearly, one had two characters, the other three.
"How many 'once-in-a-lifetime' and 'incomparable' people can there be in this world?"
"Even the compliments are lies."
"You profit off fake stories, rake in fan traffic and marketing revenue—does that really make you happy?"
[!]
[D*mn!]
[I know that big account! I knew it—they're literally paid to talk nonsense!]
Bao Ruanruan lowered her phone again.
And then she looked solemnly into the camera.
"Reminder: Dear lovely children, if you come across such false information, always check the publisher's source and authenticity to avoid being deceived."
"Solution: The net of Heaven has wide meshes, but nothing escapes it1. If you become a victim, report it to the police immediately~"
Bao Ruanruan pulled up the police report records on her phone.
"Reposting more than 500 times can lead to legal consequences."
"Article 246, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Law states:
'Whoever publicly insults others by violence or other means, or fabricates facts to defame others, if the circumstances are serious, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention, public surveillance, or deprivation of political rights.'"
[LMAO, making a video to expose gossip accounts! Legendary! First time seeing this!]
[Isn't this 'Marketing Cat Cat' the first account to post the Cheng Yao-Ruanruan rumour?]
[D*mn, Bao Ruanruan! Flawless logic! And she even reported it to the police!]
[I believe it now—the rumour is fake. Bao Ruanruan is fearless!]
[She just obliterated that gossip account! But the video is only halfway done??? Is she coming for another one? I'm hyped!]
On the screen, Bao Ruanruan actually picked up her phone again.
It was as if she were wielding Thor's hammer for round two.
"Scenario 2."
[?]
[There's more?!]
She didn't speak, but everyone could see the screenshots of Weibo DMs on her screen.
"If you don't want the rumour to be exposed, transfer 2 million to ** Bank..."
"If you don't want this to be leaked, send 1 million to the following account..."
[!!]
[What the—all alt accounts!?]
[Wait, isn't this blackmail?]
Bao Ruanruan's little face scrunched up.
"Scenario 2: While gossip accounts spread rumours, some Weibo alt accounts—probably criminals—pose as 'insider reporters' and try to extort large sums of money from Ms Bao Ruanruan under the guise of 'suppressing the scandal'."
"There were so many of them—it was shocking."
"Scam analysis: These variously priced alt accounts are all fishing in troubled waters, trying to exploit Ms Bao Ruanruan's anxiety to scam her. Once paid, they cannot actually suppress any so-called scandal."
[Oh no, Ruan, you didn't actually pay, did you?!]
In the video, Bao Ruanruan raised a finger.
"Fortunately, I downloaded the Anti-Fraud Centre app🔗."
"The net of Heaven has wide meshes, but nothing escapes it."
She began her familiar chant once again, her little face filled with a look of holiness.
Then, she picked up her mobile phone.
On camera, her slender finger tapped on the icon of the Anti-Fraud Centre app.
She clicked on "Identity Verification".
A line of text appeared at the bottom: Enter the other party's phone number to verify their real identity.*
"Weibo alt accounts s1593, a394056, akgyi—I call your names - dare you answer?!"
[HAHAHAHA!]
[That's freaking hilarious! That's a quote from the Gold Horn and Silver Horn's scene2!]
Soon, her finger swiped to the app's first tab—'Report Fraud'.
"Solution: Verify the other party's info. If they're criminals, report each account one by one, screenshot the evidence, and file a police report."
"Goodbye, you scammer."
Bao Ruanruan gave a casual wave toward the camera.
—Then she finally put down her phone.
"Lastly, a brief statement regarding the rumours about Mr Cheng Yao and me."
"I, Bao Ruanruan, currently have no one I like, and no one likes me."
"To this day, I have not received any confessions, not even from Brother Cheng. Please don't believe hearsay or rumours."
"To conclude, here's an article for reference—#Woman loses 500,000 after replying to a scam text#"
[PFFT—]
[Stop, stop! Master! We believe you're innocent, okay?!]
[After watching this, I, who only came to eat melon3, actually feel like I learned something! This app seems to be quite useful!]
[Bao Ruanruan has no scandal—I believe it now, LOL!]
[Never thought I'd die laughing at a celebrity's scandal clarification.]
[This is the most unique debunking method ever.]
Ten minutes later, Bao Ruanruan's studio released a formal statement:
[We already reported this to the police; thank you for your concern.]
Short and crisp.
The official statement was just a few words, but oozing with the studio's pride and dignity.
They did not even bother to engage with trolls, haters or rumour-mongers.
It was in line with Bao Ruanruan's stance: Let the law deal with it—end of story.
[So cool, Studio!]
[Love it!]
[Being a Bao Ruanruan fan is pure joy—so satisfying and hilarious.]
Tang Xi, who'd been on the fence about 'climbing the wall4' and becoming a multi-fan, found all her worries forgotten whenever she watched Bao Ruanruan's variety shows.
Today, she'd been torn between rewatching The Model or Chasing Dreams to satisfy her growing fondness for Bao Ruanruan.
But then she casually refreshed the feed—and saw the scandal involving Ruanruan and Cheng Yao!
Tang Xi's eyes widened in shock.
But before her heart could skip two beats and her hand could swipe past two marketing accounts, she quickly discovered... that Weibo post had been deleted.
Tang Xi: "!"
That was fast—she only caught two words!
She rushed to Bao Ruanruan's Weibo and fan page.
And she froze.
"Pfft—"
To clarify, Bao Ruanruan had actually declared that she 'have no such attachment'.
And the speed with which she clarified it—it was wild!
Not only did she get ahead of the male party involved, but she also got ahead of her, the bystander who was just here to eat melon3!
What kind of god-tier speed is this?
Back when Sis Yuxin had a scandal, they could never get a clarification from her in time.
It was always the fans who rushed to the front line again and again.
Bao Ruanruan's fans must feel so lucky.
Tang Xi was both emotional and envious as she casually clicked on Bao Ruanruan's video.
She didn't even read the title carefully.
And then—'Anti-Fraud Centre App🔗: Report with one click, clean and tidy'. Bao Ruanruan's clear, bright voice rang out.
"Pfffft!"
Tang Xi burst out laughing.
She literally couldn't straighten her back.
How could Bao Ruanruan be so talented!
[TangFan Group 24 – 99 Unread Messages]
Tang Xi's eyes drifted to the corner of her screen, and her smile instantly froze as her mood dropped.
She's been completely worn out this month.
In order to find the truth for Sis Yuxin, she's been running around watching all of Bao Ruanruan's promo videos, searching for the slightest clue.
But even an outsider like her can see that it was all just self-delusion.
Because of all this, she was absent-minded and hadn't finished her report yet... Her life and work were both a complete mess.
And the only times she genuinely laughed—when she thought back—were all while watching Bao Ruanruan's videos?
Tang Xi was stunned.
Suddenly, everything felt meaningless. She was supposed to organise a post thread on Weibo today but closed the QQ window instead.
Instead, she returned to the comments under Bao Ruanruan's video.
Sure enough, it was like eating Pop Rocks🔗—she couldn't stop giggling.
Bao Ruanruan was actually chatting with fans in the comments!
[BaoRuanruanV replies to Quanquantity5: So, you guys are my 'mom' fans? Mom.]
"Hahahahaha!"
Tang Xi nearly fell off her desk laughing.
Truly amazing.
How could there be such an artist?
[Quanquantity: Aaaah, my baby girl! My sweet girl actually called me Mom! She recognised me!]
So much happiness.
Tang Xi was genuinely jealous.
[BaoRuanruanV replies to Quanquantity: Mom, have you listened to my new song?]
[Quanquantity: Not yet, sweetie. I saw you posted a video, so I came over to chat first.]
[BaoRuanruanV: Fake mom.]
"Pfft!"
Tang Xi clapped a hand over her open mouth.
All her stress vanished.
Then her curiosity kicked in:
"Wait, Bao Ruanruan has a new song?"
Tang Xi immediately went to search.
And found out—yes, she did. It's a song called 'Wind and Rain', with lyrics and music by Cheng Yao.
Only then did she understand the possible source of this scandal.
Tang Xi couldn't help laughing again.
For some reason, the image of Bao Ruanruan at home muttering, 'Someone actually wants to harm Zhen6', while cautiously checking if the three hairs she had placed on the door were still safe, popped into her head... just thinking about it made her laugh again.
The more she imagined it, the more she laughed.
She instantly clicked on 'Wind and Rain' and started playing it.
Not long after, she heard a truly awkward rap verse in her earphones.
It sounded like a sample track from a reading app.
Tang Xi's scalp tingled as her toes curled up in second-hand embarrassment.
But just as she was about to cringe, she froze.
In her headphones… came a young girl's unpolished, raw, almost clumsy voice—it was like a swinging sledgehammer.
Each beat struck her ears one after another.
"You better remember this!"
"You better remember this!"
"Remember this!"
That fragile voice rose like wave after wave!
It carried a fragile yet powerful vitality, brimming with hope for life!
What it lacked in polish, it made up for in raw emotion.
A reader's rap... it could actually be this emotionally impactful?
Tang Xi's lips parted in surprise.
Her clenched toes slowly relaxed.
She reached up and touched the top of her head.
Numb. Her scalp was numb.
A surge of electricity raced from the soles of her feet to her skull.
Those last three shouted lines had directly shaken her soul.
Tang Qian grabbed her mouse and immediately dragged the track back. She had to hear it again.
Fifteen minutes later, she finally came back to her senses.
She glanced at the song's comment section:
—Got drawn in by Bao Ruanruan's hilarious anti-fraud video... now I'm stuck with the song on repeat. That last part is too lit! Added to playlist! Best of the year!
—Heard it was Brother Cheng's scandalous work. I came to check it out... this is the scandal? You trolls are really reaching! I love the final lyrics—thanks, @BaoRuanruan; I get what Brother Cheng was thinking now. Truly grateful. I truly loved the expressiveness in that last part.
—Exactly. If it were me, I'd thank her first, too. Several artists have built the song's structure, but she gave it a soul at that last moment.
—Even after I turned off the player, I swear I can still hear her voice screaming in my ear to remind me... I remember! I remember, sis!
Not only did Bao Ruanruan's scandal have no negative effect— It actually drove traffic to her song, 'Wind and Rain'.
Now, the reviews were overwhelmingly positive.
Tang Qian took a deep breath.
Her hands were trembling.
She had a feeling…
In less than a year, Bao Ruanruan could very well shake the entire entertainment world...
Talent, acting, looks, singing (not really), ambition—she was surprisingly good at all of them!
Even though it was obvious that Bao Ruanruan had the weakest sense of musicality out of the five people, she still managed to turn the tables in the end and become the most memorable part of the entire song.
What kind of ability is that?
It's the heaven-defying ability!
Tang Xi looked at the Canon camera on her desk.
The first photo in it was of Bao Ruanruan—from before she was even famous.
"Xiao Bai, you may be witnessing a world-shaking miracle."
Inside a one-bedroom apartment.
Bao Ruanruan was lying on her back.
After an intense exchange with netizens, she had finally cleared up the scandal.
Cheng Yao also quickly sent a short message to apologise.
He even posted it on Weibo himself:
[ChengYaoV: Currently single. I only work with Xiao Bao in a variety show. She's a great actress—someone I admire and look forward to working with. Please don't spread rumours.]
"It's over."
Bao Ruanruan's pink lips parted in a broad smile as she looked at Chen Feng and Xue Jing.
After all, most crises begin with an information gap.
She had already crushed the budding crisis hard—right in the cradle.
Safe~
She even directed a few 'mom-fans' in the comments to listen to her song.
Now, the number of plays for 'Wind and Rain' was steadily increasing, fulfilling the show's requirements.
The fees for the five-star hotel were also waived.
Bao Ruanruan could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
And yet, she was met with the helplessly amused faces of her two agents in the room.
Chen Feng couldn't take it anymore, "You're fearless, Xiao Baozi! Shouldn't you let someone else manage your Weibo?"
In the blink of an eye, she had gone online with mic in hand, fighting with netizens.
She even uploaded an astonishing video!
"No need; I can do it myself." Bao Ruanruan wanted to control the source of any information gaps.
There was no way she was going to hand over her personal account.
Xue Jing closed his peach blossom eyes and opened them again, his gaze landing on her rosy, delicate, rosy face.
But he didn't say anything else—he just adjusted his cuff links and stood up with his long legs.
"Actually, the main reason we came today was to talk to you about tomorrow's Fashion Night red carpet."
Bao Ruanruan: "......"
Wasn't the scandal supposed to be the health hazard here?
Chen Feng chuckled, "It's fine, it's fine. After your anti-fraud stunt, you gained 2,000 new mom-fans and 3,000 new career-fans."
"......"
"Hahaha! I'm dying over here—Bao Bao, your agent is hilarious. Did he really just sit there while you dealt with your scandal? Didn't he panic at all?"
Xiao Mengfei's voice came through WeChat, full of laughter.
"...I was just asking you about the red carpet experience."
Bao Ruanruan pouted, her bun-like face scrunched up. She just wanted to prepare in advance.
Know yourself, know your enemy, and you will win every battle.
Keep crises far, far away.
But she hadn't even finished her sentence before Xiao Mengfei laughed herself breathlessly.
"Aiya, Bao Bao, don't be mad. I'm just jealous! You don't know how strict my agents have always been—whether it was Ji Fei or the one before. Any hint of a scandal, and they'd lecture me nonstop."
"The other girls in our group had it even worse. A single vague photo and their agents would scold them for not keeping enough distance from male guests—blah blah blah."
"Basically, if there's a scandal, it's always our fault! So frustrating!"
Xiao Mengfei continued to rant.
Bao Ruanruan's eyes flickered.
Come to think of it, Xue Jing was pretty chill.
Very hands-off.
He gave her a lot of freedom. Even though he seemed very eager for her to make it big within a year, he never forced her into any gigs.
"If the scandal isn't even real, what does it have to do with you? Why should you be scolded?"
Bao Ruanruan realised for the first time that other managers weren't like hers!
She'd broken things off with Ji Fei as soon as she entered the industry.
Her memories of the past with him were hazy.
All she had in her head was a story written like a rough novel draft.
So, she had no idea that Ji Fei had managed artists like that.
"Aiya, they all say it takes two to tango. And since they can't control the male celebs, they take it out on us."
"Like, 'Why were you in so many shots with the male guest?' or 'Why did you smile at him?'"
Bao Ruanruan frowned as she listened.
In comparison, Xue Jing was definitely a good one.
"And for you to manage your own Weibo and say whatever you want? That's totally a no-go! Every post has to be approved by the company!"
Bao Ruanruan let out an 'ah'.
Then how could she ever protect herself in critical moments?
"Bao Bao, I'm so jealous of you. Oh, right, you asked about the red carpet—I've only walked on one once."
"I was so nervous all day. I was terrified of falling on my face."
Bao Ruanruan's fair little face turned serious.
That made sense.
Falling on the red carpet—definitely a crisis.
"Besides, I wore a strapless dress that day. I was scared it would slip down."
Oh ho.
Bao Ruanruan took out a little notebook and started jotting things down.
"Anything else?"
"Hmm... probably just the fear of ugly red carpet photos."
Bao Ruanruan's expression relaxed—this one's no big deal.
"And for evening events, I was usually super hungry too."
Bao Ruanruan let out a sharp 'tch—'!
This was really a problem.
She glanced at the schedule Xue Jing had posted in the workgroup:
— Fashion Night (indoor): 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
— Red carpet time: 5:00 pm
— Photoshoot: 4:00 pm
— Styling: 3:00 pm
Bao Ruanruan frowned and started to worry about food.
"Thanks, Xiao Xiao. I'll mail you some truffles—can you send me your address?"
Good things should be shared with teammates.
Teammates were supposed to help each other.
Xiao Mengfei instantly sat up. "Wow, where'd you get those?"
"From my agent."
"!"
There's a type of agent called 'Someone else's awesome agent'.
*
Xiao Mengfei hung up and immediately posted to her Moments feed:
[Why are the good agents always someone else's? I'm bitter.]
Ji Fei's reaction when he scrolled through the Moments before bed: "!!!"
[Just another day of wanting to switch agents~]
Ji Fei's reaction when he tried to sit up: "!!"
He almost fell out of bed!
The next afternoon, major marketing accounts and fashion influencers all started hyping up the fashion gala in advance.
Everyone was waiting for the red carpet at 17:00.
Even the name of the event hinted at the fierce competition:
— Fashion Night.
This was a gala hosted by the third-ranked fashion magazine in the industry.
Plenty of big-name male and female celebrities had been invited, along with a number of rising stars.
Tonight was destined to be a chaotic night of glamorous rivalry between actresses!
Unlike male celebrities, who always turned up in formal and conservative suits, the red carpet looks of female stars have long been the battleground for fierce competition between the top blue-blood7 and red-blood8 fashion houses.
It was practically a silent war once they gathered on the red carpet.
So tonight, as fans eagerly awaited their idols, gossip lovers were already sharpening their claws.
# Let's see who's the most beautiful tonight.#
#Opening a live red carpet discussion thread—photo spam warning!#
#Remember how last year Sasha wore a Chanel dress and looked so awful that the brand blacklisted her?#
#Still can't beat that red carpet nightmare two years ago—two actresses 'accidentally' wore the same dress: one in authentic, one in a knockoff. Cringe!#
# Analysing this year's red carpet drama (thread in progress)#
Several high-traffic forums had already started melon-eating3 threads—everyone was hungry and banging their bowls, waiting for the juicy drama.
At 16:30, the livestream channel opened early to satisfy the public demand.
The on-site lights flickered, and the thick red carpet laid on the ground looked like a sea of blood-red roses blooming in the night, waiting for one charming person after another to step onto it.
Both sides of the red carpet were packed.
At the front were the security guards, keeping order.
Behind them were the pros—professional photographers, hired paparazzi, entertainment reporters, and even dedicated fansite photographers.
Further back were swarms of fans who had caught wind of the event.
The moment the live stream started, the scene filled with chaotic noise—shouts of "Brother!" and "Sister!" echoing nonstop.
Bao Ruanruan's two modest fan groups were also watching.
The 'mom-fan' group chat was full of activity:
[IAmTheRealMom: Is our girl really going to show up?]
[Mama9IsMe: I heard this is hosted by a fashion magazine? Our Xiao Ruan has never been on a magazine cover before, right? Was she really invited?]
[Mama10IsHere: A bit worried. Have you seen the gossip and fashion analysis threads on Douban? The comparison threads and designer breakdowns are already up. Our Xiao Ruan always has weak fashion resources. I did some research the other day—apparently brands think she looks... too delicate. Not bold enough. That worries me.]
[MamaIsMe: Isn't being delicate a good thing?]
[I'mTheRealMom: Sigh, fashion now favours bold, charismatic looks. All these luxury brands are pushing the "I'm a queen, I reign supreme" aesthetic. But our Xiao Ruan... used to look too soft, and now even her vibe feels a little too cautious.]
[MamaIsHere: Hahaha, talking about her cautiousness makes me laugh. I wonder what clothes she'll wear tonight and when she'll come out?! Looking forward to it.]
[IAmTheFakeMom: Lower your expectations, everyone. This is her first red carpet. She's never had fashion resources before, so getting invited is already a win. Don't compare her to anyone else.]
Tang Xi, who had been secretly checking her phone at work, quietly typed a few lines and quickly hid her screen.
She felt... a bit guilty.
But it was fine—she was a fake mom-fan.
She could always join in more later!
"Bao Ruanruan's fans are so new," Tang Xi muttered as she read the group chat.
Not a single seasoned superfan in charge!
What they were saying was half right, half wrong.
It made her itch to correct them.
[IAmAFakeMom: It's fine to chat casually in here, but don't go around saying she lacks charisma and fashion brands don't like her. If fans say that, the outside world will use it to smear her even more!]
[IAmAFakeMom: If that image sticks, brands will avoid her in the future!]
[IAmAFakeMom: This Fashion Night event is hosted by a Tier-1 magazine. Every year they only invite artists who've appeared in the magazine. She's never been featured—but she got an invite. That's a record-breaking achievement! Wait and see, there might be good news coming.]
Bao Ruanruan was probably about to shoot a magazine cover!
And no one even noticed the signal.
Sigh.
There are too many newbie fans.
Tang Xi couldn't help but speak up in the chat.
But after she hit send, she started to regret it.
She had only joined the group for fun—to watch these happy, stress-free fans bask in their idol's easy success.
She had never meant to get this involved.
But—
[MamaIsHere: Wow, newbie! You really know your stuff!]
[IAmTheRealMom: Are you an industry insider?]
"......"
This information was such basic common sense—anyone following C-entertainment for two years would know it.
What 'industry insider', seriously.
[MamaIsMe: I've made you a group admin, sis—you really know your stuff. Help me manage the group, okay?]
Tang Xi: "?"
[MamaIsHere: Sis, are you angry? Please say something. It's my fault. I promise I won't say our kid has weak resources or lacks presence anymore~ Our kiddy Ruan is the trendiest~]
Tang Xi: "……"
[MamaIsMe: WTF! I think I just saw our kid Ruan! Go check the livestream, quick!]
Tang Xi: "!!??"
She glanced up and saw that it was merely 4:45.
The red carpet wasn't supposed to start until 5:00.
Did they begin early?
Tang Xi instantly grabbed her phone and, after making sure her boss wasn't looking, she darted into the bathroom.
When she opened the live stream video—
Under the night sky, there was a black-haired woman wearing a long, sheer black dress and a black trench coat.
She had a black mask on… and had just appeared in the livestream's red carpet frame.
She was wearing a staff badge.
The other staff members were busy talking to security. No one seemed to notice her.
But on screen—
Her fair skin stood out starkly among the entertainment reporters and security guards—absolutely striking!
With her head down, she lifted the hem of her dress with two pale, delicate hands and walked carefully and quickly across the red carpet's starting point.
A few seconds later, she walked back across again.
Her long, inky-black hair flowed like seaweed in the wind, reaching her waist.
As she came back into view, Tang Xi finally got a good look at her.
—— Her small, oval face peeked through the flowing black hair; only her snowy forehead and delicate, upturned nose could be seen in the dim light, like a little elf.
Her long dress swirled as she moved, and her milky-white legs became a stunning highlight on the red carpet.
She couldn't hide her beauty even with the mask, coat, and darkness!
But—what was she doing?
"???"
Tang Qian had been a seasoned fan of Tang Yuxin for three years.
She considered herself a veteran fangirl.
She'd followed Tang Yuxin through a dozen red carpets, large and small!
She even had a top-notch fan, TangChao, who passed on red-carpet knowledge all the way.
There was nothing about the red carpet that she didn't know!
And yet... she was dumbfounded.
Just like the livestream viewers.
[Holy, what did I just see? This girl is gorgeous.]
[Her skin is so fair! That side profile is killer!]
[Why is this staff member so good-looking? A rich beauty experiencing civilian life?]
[Is she the fashion magazine's editor-in-chief or something?]
Tang Xi: "……"
You all really guessed wrong.
Wait, are there really this many people camped out in the live stream already?
*
In no time, it was 17:00, and everyone was in position on the red carpet.
One by one, the actresses and actors began to walk.
The women were glamorous or elegant, the men handsome or mature.
But the livestream comments... were mentally stuck on a different timeline.
[None of them looks as good from the side as that girl earlier.]
[Even that masked staffer's forehead looked better than this person's…]
[Can a staff walk on the carpet? Petition for her return!]
[+1 Can we see that staff girl again?]
[It's been 23 minutes since I last saw her… I miss her.]
Tang Xi: "!"
She glanced down and saw the notification from the 'mom fan' group again.
[IAmTheRealMom: OMG, I just asked our kid Ruan on Weibo, and she said that girl was really her! She was checking the route beforehand to ensure the carpet had no folds so she wouldn't trip later!]
Tang Xi: "......?!"
[IAmTheRealMom: Fake Mom, what do we do? You said we should lower our expectations, but now our girl has raised everyone's expectations!]
Tang Xi: "......!"
Crap.
She was completely thrown off now.
Author's note:
Ruanruan: Pre-checking the location... no need to call me out~
Footnotes Full List
- The core meaning of the idiom 天网恢恢，疏而不漏 (tiān wǎng huī huī, shū ér bù lòu) is that while the mechanisms of justice (often implied as a higher, universal force or the law) may seem broad or even lax ("疏 - sparse, wide-meshed, thinly woven"), ultimately no wrongdoing will go unpunished ("不漏 - does not let slip through").
- It's this scene.
- '*吃瓜 (chī guā - eating melon)' is internet slang for someone who casually observes a situation or drama without being directly involved, like someone who sits back and eats melon while watching a show.
- supporting another idol
- This username is written initially as 泉quantity. 泉 means spring, fountain; wealth, money.
- I, the sovereign; we [used by royalty]
- In the fashion and luxury industries, 'blue-blood' brands are those with a long and prestigious heritage, often associated with royalty or aristocracy. They are typically established, high-end, and highly desirable. e.g. Chanel/Dior
- Similarly, 'red-blood' brands are also top-tier luxury brands, often with a strong contemporary appeal and significant market influence. While they may not always have the same historical lineage as 'blue-blood' brands, they are just as influential and aspirational. e.g. Gucci/Balenciaga energy
- 妈妈 māma = Mother/Mom
- 麻麻 má má = (Internet slang) Alternative form of 媽媽 / 妈妈 ("mum"))
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