Chapter 37 Part 1

After one night, the popularity of #New Fashion Model Contest Champion Mo Yu# showed no signs of fading and still ranked in the top ten on the hot search list.

The pre-event interview for the third round was also released last night at midnight in the form of an electronic magazine featuring Mo Yu’s spread, and pre-orders for the physical magazine opened as well.

The response was excellent.

Although some claimed that Mo Yu’s victory was unearned, relying entirely on public sympathy, the post she made on Weibo about winning the championship received a like from Wen Ruoyi that very morning.

#Wen Ruoyi Likes Mo Yu# quickly climbed to the front ranks of the hot searches. This action also drew a considerable number of fans to Mo Yu, with her follower count visibly skyrocketing.

It was just a single like, and Nianhua wasn’t sure if it was a slip of the finger or intentional.

She arrived at the dressing room and asked Chi Yumo, who was getting her makeup and hair done, “Wen Ruoyi liked your post. Do you two have a deep connection?”

They knew they had sought Chen Pingsheng’s help before, and that he was both Chi Yumo’s and Wen Ruoyi’s teacher, so she asked if their “connection was deep” rather than if there was “any connection at all.”

After all, Mo Yu was still at the center of controversy right now, with netizens’ opinions sharply divided. Wen Ruoyi’s move at this time clearly showed she was “standing up” for her fellow junior sect sister.

After looking at the tablet Nianhua handed over, Mo Yu typed on her own tablet: 【Last year, by a stroke of coincidence, I met Teacher Wen once and chatted about topics related to school and our major. My dream back then was to one day enter the Capital Drama Theater. Teacher Wen even signed the phone case for me, with the message—see you at the Capital Drama Theater. Mu Xi-jie has seen that phone case.】

“Then this…”

Nianhua felt a bit troubled. A like demanded a response, but ignoring it also felt wrong. “Do you have Wen Ruoyi’s contact info? Maybe thank her privately?”

Chi Yumo shook her head: 【No. I can ask Teacher Chen to pass on my thanks for me.】

She still had Sheng Yingfei’s business card from that time, but… a year ago, Sheng Yingfei had been exposed for secretly marrying and then divorcing the double award-winning actress Jiang Shu Yao, which had caused a massive uproar in the entertainment industry. So she wasn’t sure if Sheng Yingfei and Wen Ruoyi were still together or if they had truly made it work.

“That works too.”

【Hua-jie, in the comments of your post, @ Teacher Wen and send a “sun” emoji.】

—Teacher Wen was the sun of our entire class.

—What do you mean?

—The sun rises and the moon endures, illuminating the universe—a role model and a goal.

But she was about to break that promise.

Nianhua didn’t quite get it, but since she had no dealings with Wen Ruoyi or her team, she went along with Chi Yumo’s idea. “Alright, I’ll post exactly as you said.”

Chi Yumo had been the center of attention all week, and the company’s other artists congratulated her when they saw her today.

They came to the company so early precisely to ride on Chi Yumo’s coattails. They first begged Nianhua, then went to beg Shen Muxi.

Shen Muxi had been pestered by three Omega actresses who had only debuted recently for twenty or thirty minutes. They asked the boss to arrange for them to shoot photoshoots with Mo Yu, get on magazines, or even buy scripts to film web dramas with Mo Yu as the lead while they played supporting roles—or tailor a script for Mo Yu and shoot it as a short drama series for the popular short-video platforms. Shen Muxi neither confirmed nor denied, telling them to spend more time honing their acting skills and follow the company’s arrangements.

After shaking them off, Shen Muxi came to the dressing room to see Chi Yumo.

“I heard you got wasted last night?”

【Sorry, my tolerance is good—I didn’t give you a show.】

“Who wants to see your show? You…” Shen Muxi had come to pick a fight with herself first thing in the morning. “Can’t you behave in front of me for just one day?”

Yesterday, after watching that tearjerker VCR at the event, she had thought Chi Yumo had a change of heart and decided to reform, acting like a good little doll in front of her too.

And because Nianhua had gone to accompany Chi Yumo last night, she hadn’t even gotten to eat the water honey peaches!

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Shen Muxi slapped Chi Yumo’s shoulder. “For today’s lunch banquet, drink sparingly—just put on a show. You already drank your fill last night; I won’t let you drink yourself to death every day. Don’t you have a date with Cheng Xiangxiang this afternoon?”

Chi Yumo had teased her and gotten smacked in return—now they were even.

She hadn’t gotten to see Cheng Xiangxiang alone yesterday, but Cheng Xiangxiang had messaged her about how Shen Muxi had taken her to and from the event.

【Thanks for looking after my friend yesterday, Mu Xi-jie. Xiangxiang said you’re the biggest star she knows who’s the kindest and doesn’t put on airs.】

Hearing that Cheng Xiangxiang had praised her put Shen Muxi in a good mood, but then she thought better of it and asked, “How many big stars does she know?”

【Just you.】

As expected.

Leaning against the vanity, Shen Muxi rolled her eyes, crossed her arms, and kicked the leg of the chair Chi Yumo was sitting in, startling the stylist behind her into nearly dropping her tool.

“Shave her bald. She can wear wigs from now on—saves time.”

The stylist happened to be holding scissors and turned with a grin, offering them to Shen Muxi. “Want to do it yourself, Xi-jie? I could learn a thing or two.”

Having served Shen Muxi for years, the styling team knew her temperament well and joked without fear.

Shen Muxi acted tough on the outside but was soft-hearted.

Chi Yumo smiled obediently and tugged at Shen Muxi’s sleeve: 【Mu Xi-jie, I was wrong. But I wasn’t lying—Xiangxiang really turned into a fan. She doesn’t chase stars or have favorite idols; you’re the first one she said she wants to support and join the fan group for.】

Support??

Chi Yumo’s word choice always rubbed her the wrong way.

“All good things? Nothing else?” Shen Muxi was skeptical. She had indirectly caused Cheng Xiangxiang’s skin allergy yesterday, and she wasn’t sure if the symptoms had cleared up today.

After leaving the studio, she had the driver take them to the hospital first and personally accompanied Cheng Xiangxiang to see a dermatologist.

While waiting in her private doctor’s office, she had been grilled by her doctor friend.

—Teacher Shen signed a new talent? Where’d you scam this little girl from this time? You were scared Mo Yu, an Alpha, would get poached; aren’t you going to tie up such a pretty, delicate Omega?

—She’s Mo Yu’s classmate and friend, a legitimate actress from the Provincial Drama Troupe. Don’t talk nonsense.

—Oh? Drama troupe actress is legitimate, but Mo Yu modeling on the runway isn’t? Teacher Shen, you’re playing favorites already—it’s showing on your face.

What favorites? She always treated the company’s artists fairly. Except… for the ungrateful little Mo Yu.

She was infuriating beyond measure.

Chi Yumo looked puzzled: 【What else does Mu Xi-jie want to hear?】

“Nothing.”

Shen Muxi stopped thinking about Cheng Xiangxiang and got to business. “Starting tomorrow, you’ll have three days off. You have work on the 2nd and 3rd of next month; Nianhua will coordinate the details with you. The 4th is domestic assembly for pre-competition prep, and you fly out to Lan Wei at dawn on the 5th. Nianhua and Qiuxue will go with you—I’m more at ease with them there to look after you.”

Nianhua was one of the company’s two pillars; if she went to Lan Wei, wouldn’t all the company matters fall on Shen Muxi?

Chi Yumo didn’t place much weight on the international finals. She firmly believed that if her mother were still alive, she would be in the country.

【Don’t you have schedules at the beginning of the month? Let Hua-jie stay to hold down the fort at the company. Snow-jie and I can manage just fine.】

Shen Muxi’s schedule next month was packed, and the company couldn’t run without Nianhua, but Chi Yumo and Chen Qiuxue were both young, and Chen Qiuxue wasn’t very experienced. If something happened abroad, she and Nianhua would be too far to help.

She had only acted in TV dramas since debuting and had achieved considerable success, with no interest in vying for fame in films, so her overseas connections weren’t as strong as Wen Ruoyi’s, who had broken into the international film market.

Not just weaker than Wen Ruoyi’s—they were also inferior to Shi Youwan’s.

She didn’t want Chi Yumo to go through another Li Longfeng Villa incident; otherwise, that madwoman Shi Youwan would skin her company alive.

“We’ll see. Nianhua and I will discuss it,” Shen Muxi said, a new idea forming.

Why not play matchmaker?

…

The press conference went smoothly. The lunch banquet included only the top five contestants, several MENAS executives, and committee members.

Chi Yumo shed last night’s easygoing humility and reverted to her aloof persona who didn’t understand worldly affairs.

Her fans, who loved that persona the most, snapped up the leaked photos from the press conference site, and online Omega fans began competing to declare themselves her wife.

In a five-star hotel suite, Shi Youwan sat by the window, holding a video conference.

Qiao Ke sat on a nearby sofa, cradling a tablet and wearing Bluetooth earphones as she watched the live broadcast of the post-competition press conference for the model contest. She also refreshed real-time hot searches on her phone. After seeing the comments on Chi Yumo’s leaked photos and the MENAS official announcement for brand ambassador, her heart tightened.

She sneaked a glance at Shi Youwan, wondering how to report the new development of “Mo Yu gaining wife fans” to the boss later.

As soon as the press conference livestream ended, Qiao Ke followed orders and asked if Chi Yumo could spare time for a meal.

During the two years Chi Yumo had served as Shi Youwan’s bodyguard, Qiao Ke had contacted her the most. So neither she nor Shi Youwan saw anything wrong with the protocol.

Qiao Ke messaged Chi Yumo: 【Miss Mo, are you done over there? President Shi wants to treat you to dinner to celebrate your win. Are you free tonight?】

She had contacted Nianhua that morning, and Nianhua had shared Chi Yumo’s recent schedule.

Of course, only after getting Shen Muxi’s approval.

This made Qiao Ke sense the agency’s shifting attitude toward them—at least they weren’t as hostile anymore and were willing to communicate amicably.

The press conference was held at the same hotel as last night’s celebration banquet, and the lunch was there too.

After stepping off stage, Chi Yumo changed into casual clothes. Chen Qiuxue handed her the phone. “After you’re done eating, the driver will pick up Miss Cheng. I won’t tag along.”

Only the two of them had come today: 【Okay. You’ve worked hard these days, Snow-jie. Now we can all get some proper rest.】

Entering the banquet hall, Chi Yumo was led by MENAS staff to Xiao Wei’s table. Last night, she hadn’t sat with him but had shared a drink.

Once seated, Chi Yumo nodded to the group.

She had deliberately not brought Chen Qiuxue in to signal she didn’t want to chat much with those present.

Xiao Wei knew Chi Yumo didn’t like him and didn’t push his luck. He even helped fend off approaches from company higher-ups. After all, Chi Yumo had a strong backer and was red-hot right now—they needed to pamper her.

Looking at Qiao Ke’s message in her list, frost gathered in Chi Yumo’s eyes. She replied: 【Sorry, I have plans tonight—both afternoon and evening with my friend Cheng Xiangxiang.】

Last night, drunk and emotional, she had inexplicably ended up at Shi Youwan’s hotel.

But as soon as she entered the lobby, she saw Yin Man with her suitcase and heard her checking in at the front desk: Yes, the 42nd floor—give me a suite as close as possible to this one.

Shi Youwan’s world was filled with so many people and things far more important than her. Hadn’t she recognized long ago that she was insignificant and chosen to withdraw?

Alcohol caused trouble and misled people—spot on.