Sensing the System’s inner sulking, Jiang Ning curled her lips into a faint smile. She waited until Lin Yiren had finished tidying up, then gifted the newly released Starry Sky Skin to the System.
With so many eyes around the film set, Jiang Ning didn’t linger to watch. She found a corner and sat down on her own. Lin Yiren’s costume photoshoot went smoothly, and before Jiang Ning had waited long, she saw Lin Yiren hurrying over, an assistant trailing behind with a bottle of water in hand.
“I’m not going to run anywhere. What are you rushing for?” Jiang Ning rose to her feet. Seeing that Lin Yiren had come over before even changing out of her costume, she couldn’t help but feel a little helpless. She pulled a tissue from her pocket and dabbed at the sweat on Lin Yiren’s face.
Lin Yiren tilted her head up to make it easier, her smile turning sweet at Jiang Ning’s intimacy. “I was just afraid you’d be bored.”
She hadn’t seen Jiang Ning a moment ago and thought she had already left. One sweep of the surroundings and the moment she spotted her, she had run over on instinct, just to see her and chat for a bit.
“Did you come here specially to see me?” At first she had assumed Jiang Ning was there on business, but now that she saw her still lingering, hope bloomed in Lin Yiren’s heart.
“Mmm…” Jiang Ning deliberately dragged out her tone, taking in the anticipation brimming in Lin Yiren’s eyes before smiling. “I came specially to see you.”
Jiang Ning glanced at her watch and found that an hour had already passed. She sent Lin Yiren off to change, then turned to her assistant. “Does she have any other commitments today?”
“Brother Li originally wanted Yiren-jie to go study acting with Teacher Zhang Xue, but it seems she has something later, so it was pushed back.” Hearing her boss’s question, Lin Li was a bit nervous, doing her best to keep her voice steady so she wouldn’t stumble over her words.
The assistant had only recently been promoted from intern, and she treasured the job dearly, which was why she worked so conscientiously. Jiang Ning had looked into Lin Li’s background and found it clean enough, her character passable, so she had assigned her to Lin Yiren’s side.
Seeing how nervous the girl was, Jiang Ning asked a few more questions about Lin Yiren’s schedule. When she heard that Lin Yiren would be heading to a company under the Xiao Corporation later, her tone paused for a beat. Then she gave a few simple instructions: pay attention to Lin Yiren’s physical condition and make sure she didn’t get heatstroke, and report any difficulties to her.
When Lin Yiren came out, she happened to catch the two of them chatting, and her eyes flickered.
That afternoon, a new gown collection would be unveiled, personally designed by the renowned designer Daphne. Lin Yiren remembered that Jiang Ning adored Daphne’s style, but Daphne’s gowns could only be obtained through luck. Even the upper crust scrambled for them, and Jiang Ning had never managed to get one.
Although the Xiao Corporation’s lottery this time featured a livestream, only people present on-site had the chance to draw in person. That morning, Lin Yiren had wanted to ask Jiang Ning to come along with her, but remembering that Jiang Ning still had work to handle, she had swallowed the words back down.
But looking at her now, Jiang Ning seemed rather free. Lin Yiren walked over and took Jiang Ning’s hand. “I wonder if Sister Jiang has time to come browse around with me?”
“Of course.” Jiang Ning was still thinking about the steps she hadn’t accumulated yet, and Lin Yiren’s invitation was exactly the reminder she needed.
Lin Li kept her eyes lowered, pretending to have heard and seen nothing. Ignoring their clasped hands, she quietly trailed behind the two of them before heading back to the company first.
By the time they arrived at Xiaoxiao Mall, it wasn’t yet four o’clock, and tickets could still be purchased for entry. Each ticket cost five thousand yuan; most ordinary people would never dream of spending that much just to enter a lottery. But Daphne’s name was simply too enticing. Plenty of wealthy people had sent representatives to draw on their behalf, and because the event was livestreamed from start to finish, many merchants had invested as sponsors, erecting billboards throughout the mall.
Before the Xiao Corporation’s lottery began, they had invited a string of popular celebrities to hold variety show events in the mall. Well-off fans bought tickets just to watch live, and in a previous Weibo post, the Xiao Corporation had announced that two audience members would be selected to film the variety show alongside the stars. Even some lesser-known celebrities had come to join in the excitement.
As Jiang Ning and Lin Yiren entered the mall, they found it filled mostly with women clustered around the handbags and cosmetics section, joining the lottery. The rules were simple: pay one hundred yuan and you qualified to participate. Everything the Xiao Corporation had put on display was a famous brand, items routinely worth thousands or tens of thousands, so plenty of people were willing to try their luck.
The event also allowed online participation. Anyone who reposted the livestream link or any of the Xiao Corporation’s Weibo posts during the broadcast stood a chance at a lottery draw, with prizes delivered straight to their door. Even some high-end items only required one yuan to purchase an entry ticket. The odds weren’t as good as drawing in person at the mall, but payments could be stacked to increase the chances of winning.
Jiang Ning scrolled through the Weibo posts that had just gone up and noticed product placements for other merchandise as well. She had to admire Xiao Yisheng’s business acumen. Holding her number ticket, she found their seats. Since she still hadn’t reached her step quota, she asked Lin Yiren if there was anything she wanted to buy, planning to wander the mall with her.
On the second floor, Xiao Yisheng watched Lin Yiren from afar. The long dress she wore lent her a gentle, graceful air, and his heart, dormant for so many years, seemed struck in an instant. He pointed toward her and asked his assistant, “Find out what her number is.”
He knew she was Lin Zhiyuan’s younger sister, the one who had recently signed with Jiangtian Entertainment, but seeing her through a screen had never felt quite real. Now, watching her in person, Xiao Yisheng felt as though he had fallen in love at first sight.
The assistant quickly made inquiries and tracked down the number on Lin Yiren’s ticket. Understanding the President’s intentions, he removed the number they had prepared in advance and replaced it with Lin Yiren’s.
“President Xiao, will you be participating?” To heighten the suspense, Xiao Yisheng also had an appearance segment in the variety show, one that involved drawing numbers too.
“Go ask her first if she’s willing to join. If she goes, put mine in as well.” With that, Xiao Yisheng turned to discuss some business matters with another man in a crisp suit who had come over.
Quite a few new products had been displayed in the mall this time, so Xiao Yisheng wasn’t the least bit surprised that someone had come to negotiate a partnership.
Wang Long received his orders and set off at once, walking up to Lin Yiren. “Young Miss Lin, the system has just selected you as our lucky audience member. Would you be willing to take part in today’s variety show recording?”
By all rights, now that Lin Yiren was in the entertainment industry, a free opportunity to gain fans like this shouldn’t have given her any hesitation. What Wang Long never expected was that her first reaction was to turn to the woman beside her.
“Sister Jiang, do you want me to go?” The opportunity was rare, and the lineup for this variety show was impressive, but she had dragged Jiang Ning all the way here; she couldn’t possibly abandon her. So she handed the choice over to Jiang Ning.
Jiang Ning watched the man who had come over specifically to ask, and instinctively something felt off.
System, who is this person?
Meanwhile, the System was observing the ins and outs of Jiangtian Entertainment while proudly showing off its Starry Sky Skin all over the System Forum. Hearing Jiang Ning’s question, it hurriedly activated Scanning and found the answer in under a second.
[Wang Long, the capable right-hand man at the Male Lead’s side.]
Hearing this, Jiang Ning began to weigh her options. She hadn’t expected the plot to move up its timeline. In the original story, the Male Lead fell for Lin Yiren precisely because he was captivated during a variety show. That episode’s script had even included scenes of the two of them working together, the spark that gave rise to the first wave of CP Fans.
Under normal circumstances, if Jiang Ning lived on happily and Lin Yiren never went seeking revenge, the so-called tragic, anguished romance would have no grounds to begin. But the thought that after today, Lin Yiren, who always loved clinging to her, might suddenly fall for someone else, and get tortured by that love to boot, left Jiang Ning feeling uncomfortable. Her brow furrowed slightly, and she didn’t respond right away.
Seeing that Jiang Ning seemed a little unhappy, Lin Yiren assumed she was unwilling. She immediately shook her head, about to politely decline Wang Long’s invitation.
“Go on. It’s a rare opportunity.” Jiang Ning took Lin Yiren’s wrist, changing her mind for her.
Only after the man had left did Lin Yiren ask, “Why did you suddenly tell me to go?”
Lin Yiren was always sensitive to Jiang Ning’s moods. She was certain Jiang Ning had been a little displeased just now, and she couldn’t understand why she had suddenly changed her mind.
Jiang Ning smiled, her tone calm and composed. “Because I have a feeling that with the fate between the two of us, we’re bound to end up together.”
Lin Yiren was half-convinced, half-doubtful. As they walked back to their seats, the mall’s announcement suddenly rang out.
“Congratulations to our two lucky winners with ticket numbers 0218 and 0368, selected as today’s Non-Celebrity participants for the variety show. Winners of numbers 0218 and 0368, please stand up. A staff member will come to guide you.”
Lin Yiren stared in astonishment at the slip of paper in Jiang Ning’s hand. Thinking of what she had just said about fate, the corners of her lips curled up without her meaning them to, and then she couldn’t help herself. She flung herself into Jiang Ning’s arms. “We really are destined for each other!”
Feeling the excitement in Lin Yiren’s voice, laughter welled up in Jiang Ning’s eyes as well. As the announcement played a second time, she pulled Lin Yiren up by the hand.
Jiang Ning sensed someone watching her from upstairs. She lifted her head and met Xiao Yisheng’s somewhat frigid gaze, then broke into a radiant smile.
Love at first sight, my ass.
Get lost.
Hmm, lol
Ooohh she’s jelly..~~~