Friday night meant early dismissal for schools, and office workers weren't keen on working overtime either.
By 5:30 pm, the number of people watching the Fashion Night livestream had surpassed 39.43 million.
By six, the night was guaranteed to kick into high gear.
"Xiao Baozi, where did you go? Are you feeling sick?"
Cheng Feng was in the artists' lounge.
The lounge was situated inside the building next to the red carpet.
When he saw Bao Ruanruan return, he sat up on the couch and glanced at his watch with concern.
"That was a long trip to the toilet."
Bao Ruanruan blinked. "Mm... I wasn't feeling sick. I just went to check out the surroundings."
"As long as you're okay. I thought you had eaten something bad."
Chen Feng grinned as he spoke.
He hadn't realised how serious the situation was.
"Brother Xue was right. We should get you a female assistant—it would be more convenient for you."
Just as Chen Feng was about to continue talking about the assistant, someone knocked on the door of their room.
"Is Teacher Bao here?"
A staff member poked his head in.
"Did you just go to the red carpet a little early just now?"
Chen Feng: "!?"
The chips he had just picked up fell out of his hand.
Bao Ruanruan immediately blushed.
They found out?
But the staff member just smiled.
"The livestream audience is looking forward to your reappearance."
Chen Feng: "!!"
"Teacher Bao, do you need more bottled water or fruit in your room?"
Chen Feng paused.
He was sharp.
He immediately realised that the magazine organiser's attitude towards them had changed.
"Xiao Baozi, you're really something. Brother Xue was amazing—he said he would raise you, kiddo, with a hands-off approach, and you really managed to raise yourself pretty well!"
Bao Ruanruan: "...?"
Excuse me, where's the respect?
And who are you calling a kid?
*
6:00 pm sharp.
The red carpet livestream reached its climax.
The red-blooded and blue-blooded designer dresses were locked in a fierce battle.
The livestream chat was non-stop, bustling with activity.
[Qu Feifei really came from behind, huh? Her styling is on point.]
[OMG, what is that rainbow dress Sis Qiu is wearing? It's a disaster. Get her off.]
[Xiao Mengfei's look is okay too. She looks like a little mermaid—it suits her. She is officially the undisputed visual queen of the group!]
Not only the celebrities but even the casual viewers went wild in the live comments.
Even the melon-eating people1 were busy criticising the head and discussing the feet2 of every female celebrity walking on the red carpet.
Each time someone appeared, they would be criticised and faced everyone's judgement.
[Too bad Tang Yuxin isn't here tonight. She would have outshone all these girls!]
[Speaking of outshining, two others haven't shown up yet—Bao Ruanruan and Yang Xueni!]
[Wait, aren't they rivals? Yang Xueni is Tang Yuxin's bestie!]
[Rivals? Don't flatter Bao Ruanruan. Yang Xueni is a cinema queen—a multiple Best Supporting Actress winner, the ultimate seductive beauty! Bao Ruanruan? Please. Fake visuals, timid personality. The fashion world dropped her ages ago.]
[Facts. Last year, Bao Ruanruan wore a Chanel suit in a drama and looked super tacky. Her fashion resources dried up right after that.]
[No doubt, Yang Xueni is gonna crush her. Cute doesn't stand a chance against sexy! Yang Xueni is probably doing this on purpose—showing up with Bao Ruanruan just to destroy her on the red carpet.]
The comments kept rolling.
But then—a sudden pause.
It was because a slender figure had appeared at the entrance to the red carpet—the figure of a person who had haunted the memories of many who had tuned in early to the live stream.
Her long, wavy hair fell to her waist, swaying under the night sky like a queen of the night.
She was wearing a gown of pure black silk studded with shimmering pearls that created subtly different bands of light depending on the angle at which one looked.
She had taken off her black trench coat that she had worn at 4:45 pm earlier.
She stood slender in the breeze, revealing her beautiful off-the-shoulder black silk gown and flawless alabaster skin, which seemed to glow white against the night.
From her slender waist down, the black silk skirt flared gently like an unfurling parasol, its hem rippling softly against the ground.
With every step she took, it was as if a black lotus bloomed beneath her on the red carpet.
Facing the livestream camera, she lifted her small, delicate face.
Her eyes were like a ripple in spring lake water, reflecting the starlight that filled the night sky.
Beneath her eyes was her black mask.
But wait—isn't that the stunning lady staff member from earlier!?
[!!]
[WTF!]
[SHE'S BACK!]
[I'M DONE.]
Holding the hem of her dress, she paused halfway down the carpet as the corners of her reddened eyes lifted ever so slightly.
She stretched out her slender forefinger and reached to the back of her captivating jet-black hair.
Then she hooked the finger into the elastic strap of the mask and slowly took it off.
At that moment, it was like an ancient scroll painting gently unfolding the scene of a single, enchanting red apricot blossom blooming delicately in the middle of a vast, snow-covered white landscape.
On her snow-white small face, her nose was delicate and high, and her red lips were like blazing flames.
Flashbulbs instantly went off in a frenzy. Countless voices rose from behind the flashing cameras.
"Ah, such a beauty! Look this way, gorgeous!"
Photographers and fans clicked their shutters frantically.
"This way!"
"Left side! Over here, beauty!"
"Goddess, look to the right!"
Everyone who was taking photos screamed wildly to get her attention.
With that face, who wouldn't want to press the shutter?
The inky-black gown, which blended seamlessly into the night, should have been unremarkable on the red carpet.
Yet on Bao Ruanruan, it transformed into something otherworldly—like a dark queen draped in shadows.
Even though Bao Ruanruan had prepared herself, she still didn't expect to be hit by so many blinding flashes all at once.
Her delicate eyebrows immediately furrowed.
The harsh lights were damaging to her eyes.
They made it difficult for her to see the path ahead clearly.
So she simply closed her eyes slightly and paused in the middle of the red carpet.
[Holy crap! Sleeping Beauty?!]
[Amazing, truly amazing! With her eyes closed, those features, those brow bones, those red lips... I'm dead!]
[Okay, this is just too good-looking.]
[She's a staff? No way, she's more like a beauty pageant winner!]
[Awooo, I want a wife like this!]
[@above Wake up. This person is clearly a celebrity walking on the red carpet!]
[?? With a face like that? There's no way I haven't seen her before. Waiting for the HD pics now!]
[Screenshot! Screenshot! Beautiful sister, you're taking up space in my phone memory!]
Comments poured in like wildfire.
On the red carpet, the host noticed that Bao Ruanruan had been standing still for a while and quickly smiled to guide her:
"Welcome, Miss Bao Ruanruan."
"Please make your way over to the interview stand."
[?!]
[??]
[Who?!]
[Host, can you please speak in human language?]
[Bao Ruanruan?! No way! What happened to that professional in being petty and narrow-minded?]
[Wait—so everything I saw before was just hate-fueled fake edits?!]
[OMG, where have I been?!]
On the livestream, Bao Ruanruan finally moved after hearing the host's prompt.
She'd gotten used to the flashing lights.
But this time, as she stepped forward, she lifted her swan-like neck, raised her snow-white face, and straightened her posture—each step stronger than the last.
The aura of a queen radiated from every strand of her hair.
When many strangers are present, closely watching you and trying to keep you around— you must show your fangs and tell them that you are not easily bullied.
"Beauty, look over here!"
"Don't go yet—just a few more shots!"
The photographers shouted louder than ever.
But Bao Ruanruan turned her head and gave them a cute-but-deadly glare.
[D*mn! I'm dead!]
[Ah, this beauty also has the commanding aura of a mature, queenly woman!]
[WTF have I been looking at all these years? Have I been seeing fake photos of her circulating online? Where is the timidity? Where is the petty demeanour? Bao Ruanruan fans, what have you all been doing?! Why don't you ever share her gorgeous official photos for promotion?!]
[Her vibe has changed so much!]
"Teacher Bao, over here."
The host was a confident woman who stood at 1.75 metres tall and was also an acquaintance of Bao Ruanruan—Fang Lei.
Fang Lei had worked as a model for several years and was a favourite in the fashion world.
She'd been invited to host the red carpet section of the event.
Fang Lei had long legs and a slender waist, and with her defined, square face, she exuded a strong presence.
When she stood with the previous actresses, she completely outshone them.
But the moment Bao Ruanruan appeared, Fang Lei seemed to soften.
She even extended her hand to guide Bao Ruanruan to the front of the camera and greeted her warmly.
Not only that, Fang Lei also took two steps back.
This way, from the camera's perspective, she wouldn't look much taller than Bao Ruanruan and wouldn't steal her spotlight.
[Whoa, even beside a supermodel, Bao Ruanruan doesn't lose out!]
[True, the red carpet was easy—but the real challenge lies in the interview. The host is so tall! Bao Ruanruan is probably the first one to hold her own next to her today, right?!]
[Who cares about a 10cm height difference when you've got THIS level of beauty?!]
"I heard from the organisers that you accidentally stepped onto the red carpet before the official start of the live stream, and some viewers have caught a glimpse of you."
Fang Lei said with a playful smile.
This statement not only deftly rescued Bao Ruanruan from the awkward moment by providing the perfect excuse but also drew the live audience back into the lingering memory of that breathtaking glimpse from earlier.
This recall would etch Bao Ruanruan's presence even more deeply in viewers' minds.
That was the benefit of having friends in the industry.
But Bao Ruanruan waved her hand in embarrassment. "It wasn't an accident."
Fang Lei: "Huh?"
[?]
"I came early to check out the length of the red carpet, the time it takes to walk through, and how to avoid tripping." Bao Ruanruan admitted straightforwardly.
Fang Lei's mouth fell open.
She was still new to hosting and didn't know how to react for a moment. "Teacher Bao, you're... very thorough."
[hhh, okay, like I'm going to believe that!]
[Only newbies would buy that story!]
[When the organisers hear this, they'll probably be pissed. And this rookie presenter? Praise her?! The red carpet layout had been sent out to all the celebrity teams well in advance!]
"It's nothing. I wouldn't say it's very thorough."
Bao Ruanruan modestly deflected.
"Just standard procedure."
Sister Lan Zhi would be the last guest to walk on the red carpet tonight.
She would surely walk in high heels, pose and wave... the risk of her tripping would be high if she walked without looking down.
Bao Ruanruan thought for a moment, and when she still felt a bit uneasy, she looked cautiously into the camera.
She gripped the mic and said:
"The sisters who walk after me should be careful; about 50 metres from the signing wall, slightly to the left of the centre, there's a raised spot on the red carpet."
"Also, near the centre and just in front of a photographer in brown, there's a patch about 5-10 cm wide that's slippery—probably from someone spilling their water there earlier."
Bao Ruanruan explained everything clearly as she looked into the camera with genuine concern.
"If you're in one of those spots, please don't stop for photos—watch your step. Everywhere else is pretty safe for posing and interacting."
[!!!]
[?]
[Dear girl, you're always so cautious! Mom is proud!]
Bao Ruanruan didn't have many fans yet, and her few supporters hadn't mastered the art of spamming the live stream. Therefore, their comments were often drowned out.
But now that everyone was stunned, the 'mom-fans' finally showed up.
[Bao Ruanruan's fans really do say the most baffling things.]
[So many people who had walked down the red carpet in front of her ended up just fine—what kind of safety issues is she even talking about?!]
[Is this some kind of new character gimmick or what?]
Today's live stream had a lot of random viewers and people from the fashion industry tuning in, many of whom didn't usually follow variety shows.
They had no idea that Bao Ruanruan was just naturally cautious.
This group of people included Yang Xueni, who had just wrapped up filming and was about to walk onto the red carpet.
As Yang Xueni approached the centre of the red carpet—right where Bao Ruanruan had warned was a risky spot—she slowly stopped, put her hands on her hips, and struck a sultry, seductive pose for the photographers at her side.
She was wearing a blazing red, tight-fitting gown that hugged every curve.
Paired with her bold make-up, she was a walking bombshell.
Facing the flashing lights, she raised her elegant neck, her red lips curling slightly into a haughty smile.
[Holy hell! Yang Xueni is here to slay!]
[She's k*lling me with that bewitching look!]
[Told y'all—Yang Xueni is Tang Yuxin's bestie. She's here to throw shade at Bao Ruanruan tonight!]
[She's totally doing this on purpose. Look at her standing right where Bao Ruanruan warned about! hhhh, tonight's drama is getting good!]
Over the past four years, Yang Xueni and Tang Yuxin had co-starred in three films, always playing dual female leads.
On-screen, they were sisters. Off-screen, they were famously inseparable best friends.
One was Best Actress, the other Best Supporting Actress.
They were an iconic duo in the industry.
Before Tang Yuxin announced her engagement, they even had a strong CP3 fandom.
They imagined the loving daily interactions between Yang Xueni's cold, sharp-tongued personality and Tang Yuxin's dignified air.
[Let's go, Xuexue!]
[I've been waiting for her to wrap up filming! It's time to settle the score for Yuxin! GO GO GO!]
On the live stream, Yang Xueni's charming and seductive eyes looked with obvious disdain at Bao Ruanruan, who was speaking near the signature wall.
"The sisters who walk after me, please be careful of the red carpet..."
So fake.
Just trying to get screen time.
Yang Xueni waved at the photographers on either side—each gesture dripping with sarcasm.
She strutted deliberately towards the interview platform, swaying her hips dramatically, pausing every few steps!
Let her actions shatter someone's baffling and hypocritical remarks!
I'm going to stop right in front of the photographer in the brown jacket. How about that?
I'll even wave at him—how about that?
I will even walk on the red carpet with big strides—how about that?
Am I going to fall?
Nope—
Yang Xueni smirked.
But just as she was waving to both sides, she noticed a patch of brown fabric in front of her, like a jacket… And then—she felt her foot slip.
The M brand high-heeled crystal shoes on her feet were seven centimetres high.
The shoes didn't have a flat, solid platform at the front.
At the back, they had needle-thin stilettos.
In an instant, Yang Xueni felt as if she had suddenly stepped onto an ice rink... and with a whoosh, she completely lost control of herself on the slippery surface!
Her body's centre of gravity had tilted backwards!
Her tight-fitting, inelastic, bright red gown was wrapped tightly around her core muscles down to her ankles.
This condition made it impossible for her to move.
Like an upturned turtle, she fell backwards, her limbs flailing before she crashed to the ground.
Yang Xueni: "!"
A staff member rushed over just in time to catch her by the back so she didn't fall all the way onto the red carpet.
The searing pain might be delayed, but it would never fail to arrive.
When it finally came, it burned her face red!
But what hurt her the most was... her own fallen reputation.
Footnotes Full List
- drama spectators
- The idiom 评头论足 (píngtóu-lùnzú) means to be overly picky or overly critical of someone's appearance, behaviour or faults - often in a petty or superficial way.
- couple pairing
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