A few books had just been unwrapped and were spread out on the table.
"Essential Conversation Formulas for Interesting Women, 48 Practices for Stand-up Comedians, Advanced Guide to Stand-up Comedy..."
Qi Jiujiu read aloud as she looked through them. Wen Wanning hurriedly closed the book in her hand, her inner anxiety rising again.
"I really feel like I'm quite dull. If I don't struggle a bit in advance, I'm definitely going to become a utility pole traveling around the world."
"Teacher Qi, save me."
She had debuted too early, and the seniors in Mai Liwen's circle were all very old-fashioned; they had no idea what young people liked to watch or how to go viral.
Qi Jiujiu, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. Her witty quotes were constantly on the hot search, and she was a veritable torrent of variety show talent among top young actresses.
"Your focus is all wrong," the friend on the other side of the video call sat up. "If you want to not be dull, you need interaction, and if you want interaction, you need to pay attention to people."
"My dear," Qi Jiujiu's upturned eyes were startlingly bright, "don't you know who is coming this time?"
"The good fortune from all the kind deeds you and I have accumulated for years has finally arrived—it's Ling Ye from the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team!"
"..."
Wen Wanning was stunned for a few seconds. "When did this happen?"
The candidate was still a question mark yesterday, and it was confirmed today?
It seemed Zhou Fu really didn't care who the finale guest was, as she hadn't even told her.
This mysterious guest, who only nodded at the very last minute, had nothing to do with the top streamers the studio had guessed; it was actually Ling Ye.
"It was decided this afternoon. It hasn't been officially announced yet. My manager got the intel while out for a meal."
Qi Jiujiu picked up her phone to video call her. "Orange TV are veterans at hype. I thought they were just stringing people along for ages and would end up with a dud, but they really went all out this time. They even managed to invite Ling Ye."
"It must be fate, it has to be! I just happened to spend the last two days on set binge-watching his highlight reels. It was so exciting."
"So many young boys in the circle nowadays are just forcing an 'atmosphere.' My god, how long has it been since I've seen such raw, effortless handsomeness?"
"That physique, that bone structure—it's incredible. I must appreciate it properly when I see the real thing."
Wen Wanning didn't know what to say for a moment and clicked on the link she sent.
The dim footage paused for a frame. The sunset over the Morocco city circuit spread out like orange-red watercolor, filling the entire screen.
It was a video reposted by fans from the team's official TikTok—a short skit the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team did every Valentine's Day. This year, it was from a girlfriend's perspective, celebrating a victory with the racer.
Under the palm trees and the sky full of champagne foam, Ling Ye had his black racing suit half-off, carrying his helmet in one hand as he ran toward the crowd.
His face, even more sharp and profound after dehydration, was damp with sweat on his stubble and eyelashes. His cheeks were flushed, but his eyes were cold.
He carried a quiet, predatory air like a wild animal—both ascetic and alluring.
In the final two seconds, the corners of Ling Ye's lips curled slightly as he brushed past the edge of the camera lens. With a muffled sound of fabric rubbing that felt incredibly immersive, he pulled "me" tightly into his arms.
The team's material was shot very well; the atmosphere was spot on, and the angle was chosen to be ambiguous.
The cold, mechanical feel of the world's most expensive competitive sport was softened by the halo of a champion into flickering pink bubbles. Bullet comments flooded the screen like dark clouds; there weren't many worth reading.
【Just a passerby who has never watched racing, but he is objectively stunning. I've looped this six times and my period cramps are gone.】
【Wuwuwuwu, my world champion! Damn you, Mercedes, can you give him a good car next season?】
【I don't really want to admit it, but this made me feel a bit... that way.】
【Who understands? I feel like he's the type who is usually cold and quiet, but works hard when doing it—either he doesn't start, or you can't make him stop.】
【I'm sorry Ling Ye, stop for a second, my throat hurts.】
【Number one on the must-eat list of the F1 paddock.】
...
Coming back to her senses and hearing Qi Jiujiu start reading the bullet comments, Wen Wanning made up her mind and spoke.
"Jiujiu, do you remember the child I picked up from Northeast China the year I graduated?"
The question came out of nowhere, and Qi Jiujiu didn't react for a moment: "?"
"I think there was something like that. You said it was too miserable to ignore, but then you complained to me that being a mom is hard."
"…?"
Qi Jiujiu paused while peeling off her face mask, her mouth opening and closing as her expression shifted several times. "Don't you dare tell me—"
"That kid back then was Ling Ye."
"Holy crap," Qi Jiujiu took several seconds to process this, then let out a wail. "If I remember correctly, you even lived with him for over half a year?"
"It wasn't living together."
Wen Wanning hurriedly explained, stopping her from letting her imagination run wild. "He had nowhere to stay when he first arrived in Shen Cheng, and it was troublesome for a minor to stay in a hotel, so I let him sleep in the guest room for half a year."
"…I was so speechless back then, but now I understand you completely."
Qi Jiujiu's focus was strangely specific. "If my 'big son' had that face, I would overcome any obstacle to be that mom for a hundred years."
"What kind of luck do you have, Teacher Wen?" Qi Jiujiu was already incoherent. "I've been to the countryside for filming too, so why did I only see a few chickens and cows in the mountains?"
She changed her train of thought to comfort her friend.
"Listen to me, throw away that stack of books on your table right now. For this season of Spontaneous Travel, the traffic magnet is basically your son. As long as he stands in front of you, I don't believe anyone would dare cut your camera time."
Wen Wanning felt inexplicably guilty. "I feel like he might not be very willing to get close to me."
She still had that much self-awareness.
As for what happened early yesterday morning, it should have just been an accidental encounter.
"Why?" Qi Jiujiu glanced at her, dropping a bombshell. "Did you two date back then?"
Wen Wanning reached through the screen to hit her. "He was only in high school back then, okay?"
"So what if he was a high school boy?" Qi Jiujiu was unimpressed, looking at her with a look of exasperation. "Besides, was he just an ordinary high school boy?"
"That's Ling Ye!"
"Eight hearts and eight arrows Cupid cut, the diamond among diamonds."
✦✦✦