Beach bar street.
The little hearts on the live broadcast interface never stopped, and the comment section was filled with all sorts of languages. Qi Jiujiu felt dizzy looking at them, casually replied to a couple of English inquiries about the address, and went offline with a dry throat.
Just as she was about to lock the screen, a message from Wen Wanning arrived: Where are you all?
There were too many people, and the fresh-cut flowers at the stall were more than half gone. Qi Jiujiu was busy restocking and hurriedly sent a voice message back: "No hands, make a video call."
The top-tier new phone provided by the program sponsor had first-class clarity, making the product placement effect excellent.
As soon as the video call connected, the three faces from the sports group popped up on the screen. From the sand prints on Xu Jiashu's knees to the sparkle in Wen Wanning's eyes, everything was crystal clear.
"Here to learn the ropes?"
Qi Jiujiu set the phone aside and briefly introduced their location: "The night market here is very lively and the roads are winding. If you really can't find it, I'll come to pick you up."
"We'll try to find it ourselves first." The background noise was a bit loud. Jiang Yun walked while turning the volume to the max. Seeing only Qi Jiujiu in the frame, busy running around, she frowned slightly: "Is Ling Ye not there?"
What a huge misunderstanding.
Qi Jiujiu quickly switched to the rear camera, her tone as devout as if praying to a god: "I was just about to say, Ling Ye is our storefront, the sales champion of champions."
It just so happened to be the Phuket Beach electronic music festival. Their flower stall was set up in the rest area behind the crowd. The beams from the stage spotlights swept over, dyeing the tips of Ling Ye's dark hair with a blue edge.
Amidst the heavy bass beats, the lines of the young man's brow bone and the tip of his nose were three-dimensional. Wearing a pure black tank top, he lacked the enthusiastic and attentive nature of the guy at the neighboring stall, but had a certain indescribable charm instead.
That aloof and cold sense of seriousness is sometimes the most captivating thing.
The crowd in front of the stall was bustling. Many girls didn't know Ling Ye was a race car driver; they just came to join the fun, and after paying, they would turn their heads and blow kisses with reluctance.
Jiang Yun watched with a doting smile, while Wen Wanning's attention was entirely on making money.
Seeing that besides small bouquets like roses and tulips, there was also a row of pink and green flower crowns hanging, she asked: "Are the flower crowns more expensive?"
"You have a good eye," Qi Jiujiu gave a thumbs up. "The bouquets are at market price, but the flower crowns are one-of-a-kind originals, sold at three times the price of a bouquet."
Three times...
The world is going downhill, morality is decaying; it's only slightly better than outright robbery.
Wen Wanning blurted out, "Can anyone actually buy these?"
Qi Jiujiu raised an eyebrow, acting mysterious: "Do you understand cultural added value? The flower shop older sister taught us the weaving method, saying that in the original festival rituals, boys would weave them to give to the girls they liked, which meant something similar to a marriage proposal."
She tilted the camera, aiming it directly at the advertisement on the small blackboard: "For just three times the price, Ling Ye can personally put it on you. Tell me, isn't this charity? Ling Ye is losing out big time."
As if demonstrating on the spot, the girl behind the camera had just paid. Ling Ye said a soft thank you. The moment the branches and leaves of the flower crown fell into place, the girl covered her face with both hands, as happy as if she had found a gold bar.
Wen Wanning: ...
She seemed to have realized something.
Sometimes, whether a person can make big money isn't about information asymmetry, but about who lets go of their conscience first.
The director on the side whispered a prompt that the soft advertisement placement had a duration requirement, and the more material, the better.
Qi Jiujiu was busy weaving flower crowns, so she simply used a tripod to fix the phone diagonally in front of the cash register, switched to the front camera, started screen recording, and focused directly on Ling Ye's face—
She knew clearly in her heart who the audience wanted to see most.
A first-person video call was originally excellent material for fans, and with a direct camera angle, her title as the angel older sister was secure.
The main window was their flower stall, and in the middle of the small window was the curious Wen Wanning, her clear almond eyes focused, looking toward their side.
I don't know if it was her imagination, but the moment the camera turned, Ling Ye's movement of finding change seemed to slow down by half a beat, and even his expression stiffened as he looked away.
Before she could think about it, a collective exclamation came from the other side of the video, interrupting Qi Jiujiu's train of thought.
The three of them were passing by a large, gorgeous neon sign. Outside the door was a specially built multi-level swimming pool, where a dozen male models in tight shirts were standing or sitting, waving repeatedly at the passing crowd.
The entertainment industry on the island is well-developed, and there are many bars like this along the way. Qi Jiujiu had watched this group of men posturing all night, and having seen every explosive customer-attracting trick, her heart was like still water.
The one in the picture was closest to the electronic music festival stage, almost directly opposite their stall.
Looking up, sure enough, Wen Wanning and the others had arrived.
It wasn't even eleven o'clock yet; business couldn't stop.
Ling Ye was tied up, so he gave a greeting and stayed behind to continue collecting money. Qi Jiujiu finally managed to clear a space in front of the stall and pulled the three of them and the production crew in.
Everyone chatted for a while, and they vaguely heard the DJ at the male model pool bar change the song. A more ambiguous drum rhythm than before came over. Wen Wanning was tugged on the arm by Jiang Yun and looked back.
When she turned back, Qi Jiujiu hugged her arms with a teasing look: "What's so good to look at? Our Teacher Wen's eyes were fixed on it."
Wen Wanning coughed lightly: "It's not that I wanted to look, it's that Teacher Jiang called me."
She paused, as if she had made a great decision, before saying the second half vaguely: "She said there were abdominal muscles over there."
The sound waves from the electronic music festival and the bar attacked from both sides. Even Qi Jiujiu had to lean in to hear what she was saying. Somehow, Ling Ye, who was behind the cash register, suddenly looked up and glanced over here.
The small lights in front of the stall were warm. Wen Wanning's profile was embedded behind the crowd, very fair and clean, with a slight blush.
The acting profession is somewhat deceptive.
Some people are used to playing the "silly, sweet, and innocent" type, but in private, they smoke, drink, and are uninhibited. Wen Wanning, however, because she was born with a "Big Sister Type" face, had roles on the big screen that were all full of charm, yet in some aspects, she was as innocent as an elementary school student.
There were few flowers left at the stall, and the director came over to call them.
Qi Jiujiu retreated to the counter to wipe the small blackboard while wanting to laugh. Just as she was about to complain to her friend, she heard the crowd behind her suddenly go quiet for two seconds, followed by a burst of intermittent screams.
She looked up and saw Ling Ye, who had been quietly selling flowers, stop what he was doing. He casually lifted the hem of his tank top and slowly wiped the sweat from behind his ear to his jaw.
Qi Jiujiu: ...
Why don't you go work on the opposite side?
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