Shao Yuye rushed back to the capital overnight.
During a break, he watched the videos the students had uploaded. Hearing Shao Hongyuan call out “Ningning” again and again made his blood boil, his fists clenching tightly.
When he and Shen Wanwan had finally acknowledged each other as siblings, she had never wanted to talk about that old name.
And now Shao Hongyuan had shamelessly exposed it to the public. Rage surged through Shao Yuye, and he wished he could beat the man senseless on the spot.
If even he was this furious, then his little sister must surely be upset as well.
So as soon as filming wrapped up, he turned down the production team’s invitation to celebrate New Year’s together and hurried back to the capital without stopping.
The house was quiet.
His sister was most likely already asleep.
Just as he was about to wash up, the electronic lock at the front door beeped.
Shao Yuye turned around and found himself staring at Shen Wanwan, who had just opened the door.
She froze for a moment.
“You’re back this early?”
Shao Yuye glanced at what she was wearing. It was the same outfit she’d had on in today’s video. She had probably gone back to see Shen Mingzhen.
His feelings toward Shen Mingzhen had become rather complicated, so he chose not to ask about it. Instead, he simply said,
“I was worried about you.”
“But I told you already. I’m really not angry at all.” Shen Wanwan changed into her slippers by the entrance, “But it’s good that you’re back. We can welcome the New Year together.”
As she walked inside, Shao Yuye suddenly stepped closer.
“Wait a second.”
Shen Wanwan stopped where she was, letting her brother study her for a couple of seconds.
“What is it?”
His gaze remained fixed on her rosy lips.
“Why do they look… kind of inflamed?”
For once, Shen Wanwan was caught off guard.
“Huh?”
She instinctively touched her lips.
“Maybe a little.”
For some reason, panic welled up inside her. Casually tossing out, “I’m going to take a shower,” she quickly went to grab some clean clothes.
Meanwhile, Shao Yuye was busy searching online for foods that could reduce ‘internal heat,’ completely missing the faint blush spreading across her ears and the slight disorder in her hurried footsteps.
Shen Wanwan took her clothes into the bathroom. When she looked in the mirror, she realized her lips were startlingly red.
—We kissed for too long… They’re actually swollen…
The scene of her kiss with Qi Luozhou replayed vividly in her mind.
An indescribably strange feeling filled her heart.
Subconsciously, she licked her lips.
The next morning, Shao Yuye brewed her a cup of chrysanthemum tea.
“Drink this. It’ll help reduce the heat.”
Shen Wanwan obediently finished the entire large cup.
Everyone’s social media feed was filled with New Year’s greetings, and as the new year began, Shen Wanwan also received wonderful news.
Shao Hongyuan had been summoned by the police for investigation on suspicion of financial fraud.
It was obvious this was her stepfather’s doing.
Back then, Shen Rong had already wanted to deal with Shao Hongyuan, but Shen Mingzhen had only wanted to live her life peacefully. Since she had said to let it go, Shen Rong had reluctantly backed off.
But this time, the one Shao Hongyuan had provoked was his precious daughter.
Shen Rong’s game of cat and mouse officially came to an end. Over the years, he had quietly collected plenty of evidence of Shao Hongyuan’s crimes, more than enough to ensure the man would spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Shen Wanwan sent her Dad a thumbs-up emoji.
Shen Rong replied almost immediately.
It was a sticker she had made earlier using a photo she’d taken of him.
In the image, Shen Rong tilted his chin up slightly with a smug smile on his face. Across it were three decorative words:
‘Piece of cake~’
Shen Wanwan couldn’t help laughing out loud.
Meanwhile, the normally low-profile official Weibo account of Rongyi Group unexpectedly posted an update.
Previously, many people hadn’t been able to connect the company with Shen Wanwan.
But after everything that had happened the previous night, countless people had finally realized one undeniable fact—
Shen Wanwan was the princess of Rongyi Group.
@RongyiGroup : [The boss says it’s a new year and a fresh start. We’re picking a few lucky—well, unlucky—people to receive a free apartment. (image.jpg)]
Comments:
[A whole apartment?! Dad, look at me! I want to be one of those ‘unlucky’ people!]
[Wow! That’s insanely generous! They’re literally giving away a house!]
[Am I the only one who noticed the sticker? President Shen is actually this trendy? He’s using Shen Wanwan’s meme sticker!]
Rongyi Group soon followed up with another post:
[That’s right. Our boss is a total daughter doter, so the giveaway is only open to fans who have never bad-mouthed Shen Wanwan and who genuinely like her!]
It was obvious they were using the giveaway to thank Shen Wanwan’s fans.
The ‘Wan Feng’s was deeply touched.
[Thank you, President Shen! He really loves Wanwan!]
[This slap in the face feels amazing! Yesterday so many people were stirring up drama, claiming Wanwan wasn’t President Shen’s biological daughter and that he wouldn’t care about her. And today he’s openly showing off his daughter!]
[Exactly! I don’t get people who try to drive a wedge between them. If their relationship were bad, would he give away multiple apartments to thank her fans? Would he use his daughter’s meme stickers when chatting with employees?]
The hashtag #Rongyi Group Stands Up for Shen Wanwan# shot straight to the top of the trending searches.
As people praised the company, Rongyi Group’s stock price also surged.
Very few people online were still paying attention to Shen Wanwan’s past.
When the incident first began to gain traction, quite a few people who were just as rotten as Shao Hongyuan came out in support of him.
But it wasn’t long before clear-headed netizens fought back.
Everyone condemned Shao Hongyuan.
They also condemned irresponsible fathers who were every bit as awful as he was.
As for the mastermind behind Shao Hongyuan…
It was none other than Lin Shiran, who still refused to give up.
Apparently, the previous lesson hadn’t been painful enough.
Before long, Lin Shiran shot back onto the trending search. This time because he had been beaten up by a wealthy businessman’s legal wife after having an affair with her husband. The scandal left countless gossip lovers utterly stunned.
[What the hell?]
[A popular idol was secretly the ‘other man’ in someone else’s marriage?!]
[How did this guy even manage to keep fans?]
After the earlier scandals involving casual hookups and sleeping with fans, some die-hard supporters had still defended him, insisting that their idol was just a normal man with normal physical needs. Those people truly were the definition of brain-dead loyalists.
But this time, despite everyone roasting him nonstop, not a single fan account came out to control the narrative.
Turns out they had mostly been paid internet trolls all along.
With this mountain of black material exposed, the amateur celebrity’s career was completely over. On top of that, he would have to pay astronomical breach-of-contract penalties to every company he had partnered with.
At last, this farce finally came to an end.
Having finished their popcorn-worthy drama, netizens eagerly shifted their attention back to Qi Luozhou and Shen Wanwan.
You couldn’t really blame their curiosity.
After all, in all the years since God Zhou debuted, this was the first time there had ever been even the faintest hint of a pink romance surrounding him.
One side argued:
[God Zhou just happened to pass by and lent Shen Wanwan a hand. You’re all reading way too much into it.]
The other side insisted that there had to be something going on between Qi Luozhou and Shen Wanwan.
Ironically, it was the ‘Xiao Chuan’s, Qi Luozhou’s own fans, who were the most laid-back:
[Whatever the truth is, as long as God Zhou is happy, we’ll support him!]
That didn’t stop the ‘WanZhou’ shippers from getting a wealth of fresh material to work with.
Within just one day, another famous fan editor uploaded a brand-new CP compilation video. The moment it was posted, WanZhou rocketed straight to the No. 1 spot on the CP rankings.
[【WanZhou】Your Eyes Are a Galaxy That Never Sets
[I may one day grow tired of this horizon,
[And everything that lies upon it.
[But I will forever cherish
[The tiny universe reflected in your eyes.]
As a devoted Wanzhou shipper, Xiao Le clicked on the video the instant the notification popped up.
A gentle, soothing melody began to play.
The screen slowly brightened as the black fade disappeared, revealing a dazzling hall filled with brilliant lights.
It was footage from the StarShow charity gala.
Shen Wanwan turned around in a flowing white gown. The blue diamond hanging from her slender neck sparkled brilliantly.
Qi Luozhou, dressed in a white suit, walked slowly toward her through the light.
The subtitles had all been written by the uploader.
“Hello.” He stopped in front of her, “I’m Qi Luozhou.”
She looked at him calmly with her cool, detached gaze.
“Shen Wanwan.”
Off to the side, Shao Yuye watched them like a hawk. He tore Qi Luozhou’s nameplate off his chair and warned, “Hey. Stay away from my little sister.”
Qi Luozhou turned his head slightly.
The corners of his lips curved upward ever so subtly, carrying an unfathomable smile.
“‘Little sister,’ huh…
“Are you really that close? Calling her that so affectionately.”
Shen Wanwan lifted her chin arrogantly.
Qi Luozhou simply looked at her in silence.
The crystal chandelier above shone brilliantly, making his fair skin appear even paler. His peach blossom eyes were clear and luminous.
As his long eyelashes lowered, the slight curve of his lips seemed tinged with a trace of playful amusement.
Then the scene transitioned.
She had been trapped in the middle of the crowd. Even then, she held herself proudly, though her predicament lent her an almost imperceptible hint of dishevelment.
Then he appeared, and everything changed for the better.
She looked at him and arched a brow.
“Why are you here?”
The man strode over, his well-defined fingers closing around her wrist.
“What, was I supposed to stand by and watch you be humiliated?”
With everyone’s eyes on them, he led her away.
They stopped somewhere far from the crowd. Shen Wanwan took out her wallet and began counting the money inside.
“How much do you want?”
The corners of his lips curved upward. He was still smiling, but there wasn’t the slightest warmth in his eyes.
“I don’t want money.”
“Hm?”
Shen Wanwan paused in the middle of counting.
“Then what do you want?”
“If it’s what I want… would you give it to me?”
What followed was a long sequence of symbolic, atmospheric shots: his Adam’s apple bobbing ever so slightly, his hand suddenly clenching into a fist, lights swaying softly, and roses slowly blooming in the darkness.
The video ended with breathless, heart-racing gasps that made viewers blush, but the imagination it left behind continued to run wild.
[AHHHH! What kind of scenes are you hiding from us adults?! Show us! Please!]
[Brother Ye: So I’ve become part of your roleplay too?]
[This ‘WanZhou’ pairing is insanely addictive!]
[After watching this video I really want to ship them in real life… but these two probably have absolutely no chance of getting together, huh…]
Xiao Le was completely swept away by the pairing. She watched the video over and over before excitedly sending it to her friend.
[AHHHHHHHH! They’re so shippable! So shippable!]
[Help! Why are these two so sweet? Meanwhile my own boss is as cold as ice sitting right next to me!]
[Teacher Qingwa is just built differently. They took a bunch of ordinary clips and turned them into something that has everyone shipping them like crazy! You have to watch it, it’s so good!]
After sending it, she realized she was hungry and went to make herself a cup of instant noodles. When she checked her phone again, Shen Wanwan had replied with a single:
[?]
Late at night.
Her boss… replying with a question mark.
Xiao Le’s heart skipped a beat. She nervously opened the chat window, and the moment she did, she nearly jumped out of her skin.
When had she sent the video to Wanwan?!
The chat history was filled with her string of excited screams… followed by the video itself.
*Gulp.*
Swallowing hard, Xiao Le clutched her phone with icy hands. She felt like the world had ended.
I’m dead.
She’d been shipping her boss’s CP, and had accidentally shoved it right into the boss’s face. She was definitely getting fired.
Xiao Le: [Ahem… S-sorry, Wanwan. I sent it to the wrong person…]
She attached a pitiful crying sticker for good measure.
She didn’t even have the appetite for her instant noodles anymore, anxiously waiting for Shen Wanwan’s reply.
—Please don’t… It’s New Year’s Day. Am I really going to lose my job today?!
Just as she was drowning in worry, Shen Wanwan’s message arrived.
[Is it really that shippable?]
Xiao Le’s eyes lit up.
—Well, if you’re asking me that… then I’m definitely not sleepy anymore!
Still uncertain about her boss’s attitude, she answered as tactfully as possible.
[It’s… not that bad. Mostly it’s just us shippers being good at imagining things… Wanwan, I’m really sorry. I swear, you and God Zhou are only just a tiny little bit shippable… just this much…]
Reading the reply, Shen Wanwan could almost picture Xiao Le sticking her thumb and index finger together, leaning forward slightly as she gestured, “Just this tiny.”
Lowering her eyes, she let out a soft laugh before deftly typing a reply.
[It’s okay. Ship away.]
[Happy New Year.]
Xiao Le: “!”
—Boss… If that’s your attitude…
—Then I’m going to ship you two with everything I’ve got!
The ‘WanZhou’ pairing quickly became the hottest topic. Yu Cheng, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle, sent the video’s link to Shao Yuye.
[Seen it yet? Interview time, how do you feel?]
Just reading the title made Shao Yuye’s breathing hitch.
[Blocked!]
He immediately unsent the message, threw Yu Cheng onto his blacklist, then expressionlessly tossed his phone aside.
Fortunately, Qi Luozhou had shown up in time yesterday, sparing his little sister from further trouble.
Back then, with mixed emotions, Shao Yuye had sent Qi Luozhou a message containing only one cold words:
[Thanks.]
Qi Luozhou replied with only two words:
[No problem.]
Business was business; personal matters were personal.
What kind of idiot watches a CP video shipping his sworn rival with his own little sister?!
Yu Cheng : [Come on, Brother Ye!]
But his WeChat displayed:
[You are no longer this person’s friend. Please add them before sending a message.]
Yu Cheng: “…”
Just as he was feeling dejected, another message from Shao Yuye arrived.
[Send me that video again.]
—What the hell is he doing now?
Yu Cheng grumbled under his breath and resent the video.
[What are you trying to pull here?]
To his surprise, when he sent the message, WeChat once again displayed:
[You are no longer this person’s friend. Please add them before sending a message.]
Yu Cheng: “… What the hell is wrong with this guy?!”
Still unaware of just how terrifying Shao Yuye could be, he went to Weibo, posted a screenshot of their chat, and tearfully sought comfort.
@YuCheng : [Guys, does anyone understand my pain? This man actually treated me like this. (screenshot.jpg)]
His fans rushed over, initially thinking their idol had suffered some major setback and were ready to comfort him.
Then they opened the screenshot.
After reading the conversation…
Everyone fell silent.
[Ah Cheng… honestly, it’s pretty merciful that Brother Ye didn’t beat you up.]
[Seriously, were you asking for it? You showed that to a siscon?]
[HAHAHAHA! Brother Ye even warned you before blocking you. Seriously… I’m crying. He! Loves! His! Sister!]
[ Just admit it, you were jealous that Wanwan stole Brother Ye’s attention. This little green-tea move deserves full marks. ‘ChengYe’ shippers are eating well today, you know?]
Everyone roasted him while laughing uncontrollably.
Two minutes later—
@ShaoYuye: [I’m reporting this video right now. Please help me report it too! (Link : All Your Best Videos on AiliAili)]
It was obviously an automatic sharing message from the AiliAili video platform.
The ‘Yu Yu’s clicked the link.
When they realized it was a ‘WanZhou’ shipping video, they completely lost it.
[Brother Ye: I’m so pissed! I’m so pissed! I’M SO PISSED!]
[HAHAHAHA! It’s New Year’s Day, and this is the emotional damage you guys deal to Brother Ye?!]
[I really want to know what reason Brother Ye gave when reporting the video. 😂]
To everyone’s surprise, Shao Yuye actually replied to that comment:
[Obscene pornography. Please help me report it.]
*Pfft*!
Everyone laughed so hard they nearly choked.
‘Yu Yu’s : [We’d like to interview Brother Ye. How are you feeling right now?]
@ShaoYuye : [ I’m in a great mood. Great enough to punch the uploader twice.]
‘Yu Yu’s : [Does it feel like your precious cabbage has been stolen by a pig?]
@ShaoYuye : [First, my sister is not a cabbage. Second, Qi Luozhou is a pig.]
‘Yu Yu’s : [Brother Ye, who in the entertainment industry do you think is worthy of becoming your brother-in-law?]
@ShaoYuye : [Heh.]
In his eyes, there wasn’t a single man in the world worthy of his little sister.