After a night of busy scheming that yielded nothing, Zhang Ying returned home dejected, her stomach full of bitterness.
Yun Qingqing had no time to care about her petty emotions. She was enthusiastically directing the system in her mind:
“Hurry, hurry! System, help me calculate—if I resell all these treasures I got tonight, how much would they be worth?”
System No. 999 had never imagined that, as a dignified artificial intelligence, it would be reduced to functioning as a calculator in Yun Qingqing’s hands.
Like a ruthless boss squeezing her employee dry, Yun Qingqing earnestly brainwashed it, “System, you have to understand—I chose you instead of a calculator because I value your ability. Don’t look down on simple addition and subtraction. This is actually expanding your database…”
After that whole string of persuasion, the simple-minded system was thoroughly talked into dizziness.
System: 【…Calculating estimate for you. Based on current market conditions, the icy yang-green jade ‘Wushi’ pendant is estimated at 280,000 yuan, the mid-Qing famille-rose vase at 100,000 yuan… Yuan-style calligraphy scroll premium imitation estimated at 250,000 yuan. Total approximately 800,000 yuan.】
“Eight hundred thousand?!” Yun Qingqing bared her teeth in delight.
She carefully hugged the brocade boxes to her chest. When she looked up at Gu Mingyan again, she only saw a walking, living bodhisattva radiating the fragrance of RMB.
Gu Mingyan was instructing the bodyguard to get the car when she suddenly sensed the scorching gaze from beside her and turned her head away slightly, a bit uncomfortable.
This Yun Qingqing—why did she always look at her with such warm, friendly eyes?
It was… strangely unfamiliar.
“Ahem.” Gu Mingyan cleared her throat, masking that trace of awkwardness. “It’s getting late. I’ll have the bodyguard send you back. Remember, tomorrow at 2 p.m., you need to arrive at Huaguang Media Building on time to shoot the Best Partners promo photos.”
“OK!” Yun Qingqing nodded agreeably.
After being escorted back to her shabby little apartment by the bodyguard, Yun Qingqing was still in an excited state.
She carefully stored the valuable auction items, then flopped onto the bed and leisurely started scrolling through her phone.
Big data automatically pushed information about Best Partners. Yun Qingqing casually tapped in and discovered that the production team’s official account had updated the guest list overnight, replacing Zhang Ying’s name with Yun Qingqing’s.
However, for a tiny nobody like Zhang Ying, her departure or stay attracted no attention at all.
Online discussion was almost entirely focused on Meng Xian, who had been constantly trending since returning to the country.
Back in college, Meng Xian had gone viral across the internet from a random passerby snapshot, becoming the publicly recognized campus beauty. Later she entered the entertainment industry and, relying on the popularity she built from that “campus beauty” image, successfully landed the female lead role in a campus drama and smoothly rose to second-tier status.
The official account’s comment section was bustling:
【Ahhh it’s finally announced! Xianxian baby, I’m here! I’ll be camping the variety show on time~】
【Thank you for descending to the mortal world, Sister Meng Xian! Best Partners really has good taste inviting you!】
【Hehe, this variety show is invested by our Young Master Ye Jinyan~ Who else is shipping this, I won’t say.】
【The moment I saw Gu Mingyan on the list, my grin disappeared. Seriously, why is she haunting us like a ghost?】
【Obviously because she saw Young Master Ye in the investor list and shamelessly chased after him again.】
【Ugh, Gu Mingyan is so shameless. Young Master Ye clearly likes Meng Xian, yet she insists on butting in.】
【More than that—heard she got jealous of how good Young Master Ye treats Meng Xian and forcibly snatched a nearly-secured endorsement from her a few days ago! How does someone with such bad character deserve to be on the same show as Xianxian?】
…
Public opinion was almost completely one-sided—lavishly praising Meng Xian while stepping on Gu Mingyan. The most frequently mentioned accusations, aside from her pestering Ye Jinyan, were that she bullied others with her background and stole Meng Xian’s luxury endorsement.
And the show hadn’t even started yet—Gu Mingyan’s public favorability had already hit rock bottom.
Lying on the bed scrolling through comments, Yun Qingqing couldn’t help clicking her tongue.
Based on what she knew of Gu Mingyan so far, the girl was just a somewhat spoiled rich lady. She clearly wouldn’t stoop to something as tasteless as snatching someone else’s resources.
She called the system in her mind. “System, what’s the deal with this endorsement snatching they’re talking about? Did Gu Mingyan really do it?”
System No. 999 responded: 【Host, to be fair, Gu Mingyan is actually quite wronged in this matter.】
“Oh? How so?” Yun Qingqing grew interested.
The system explained: 【When Lumira was selecting a brand ambassador for the Asian region, they took a liking to both Gu Mingyan and Meng Xian. Because their facial features are quite similar, the brand had been wavering internally.】
Yun Qingqing pressed, “And then?”
System: 【Then somehow, the ambassador selection news leaked early. Meng Xian’s fans assumed it was a done deal and started celebrating halfway, spreading everywhere that Meng Xian had secured the endorsement. But after comprehensive evaluation, the brand felt Gu Mingyan’s slightly aggressive, bright and flamboyant aura better matched their new-season positioning, so they ultimately chose Gu Mingyan.】
Yun Qingqing understood. “So after the official announcement, Gu Mingyan got chased and cursed by Meng Xian’s fans and clueless netizens, thinking she used her background to forcibly snatch it.”
System: 【That’s correct.】
Yun Qingqing scrolled through her phone. Although Lumira had specifically clarified that Meng Xian had never been finalized as ambassador, people still refused to believe it, insisting Gu Mingyan had suppressed the truth.
【So what if you’re rich? Does having a powerful family mean you can just grab other people’s resources?】
【Feel bad for Meng Xian—she worked her way into the entertainment industry on her own, only to get bullied by some capital princess.】
【Not enough to steal resources—she even has to steal men. Is this Miss Gu just addicted to taking other people’s things?】
Of course, there were occasionally a few rational comments:
【Rational discussion: Lumira already clarified. Fans don’t need to insist Gu Mingyan snatched resources.】
【If I remember right, Gu Mingyan and Ye Jinyan were already close before Meng Xian returned to the country. How is Gu suddenly the third party now?】
【To be fair, Gu Mingyan’s face is indeed more striking and glamorous than Meng Xian’s. The brand choosing her makes sense.】
But these faint voices were quickly dismissed as paid trolls, as if only criticizing Gu Mingyan counted as the correct stance.
Watching this absurd scene, Yun Qingqing couldn’t help smacking her lips. “This public opinion—way too one-sided. They’re practically turning black into white.”
【This is actually a manifestation of plot influence,】 the system said. 【As the vicious supporting female character, Gu Mingyan is naturally framed with a negative baseline in public perception. Just like her love-brained obsession with the male lead Ye Jinyan and her destined fall into becoming the female lead’s foil—these are, to some extent, irresistible forces under the world’s rules and very hard to change.】
“Very hard to change?” Yun Qingqing showed a dismissive expression. “Not necessarily.”
The system asked: 【How so?】
Yun Qingqing said, “According to the original plot, Gu Mingyan was supposed to appear at the fashion show tonight on time and get publicly slapped in the face by that scummy male lead after pestering him, right?”
System: 【…Yes.】
Yun Qingqing’s lips curled. “But what actually happened? She waited to have dinner with me and perfectly missed that melodramatic scene with the scummy male lead. So you see—this so-called ‘irresistible plot force’ isn’t that unbreakable after all.”
The system was completely speechless and could only emit a string of silent static: 【…】
For some reason, from her nonstop chatter, the system had already foreseen a future where the plot would derail like a runaway wild horse.
The next noon, Yun Qingqing was punctually picked up by the car Gu Mingyan sent and taken to Huaguang Media Building.
Each guest group had staggered times for their promo shoot. Gu Mingyan’s status was clearly exceptional—not only did she have an independent dressing room, she even had her own makeup team.
Yun Qingqing sat side by side with Gu Mingyan, eyes closed as the makeup artist carefully worked on their faces.
Moments later, the dressing room door was suddenly pushed open without warning.
The system alerted in her mind: 【Host, important plot character Ye Jinyan detected.】
Yun Qingqing raised her head upon hearing this. Through the reflection in the mirror, she saw the person standing at the doorway.
He wore a well-tailored black suit. His features were deep and handsome—he did look presentable enough to deserve the title of “male lead.”
It was just that the faint arrogance in the sideways glance he cast made Yun Qingqing instinctively curl her lips in disdain.
Almost at the same time, Gu Mingyan also noticed Ye Jinyan.
A look of delight instantly bloomed on her face as she called out eagerly, “Jinyan-gege! Did you come to see me?”
Ye Jinyan neither confirmed nor denied it. He said coolly, “Come here.”
Yun Qingqing couldn’t help rolling her eyes. Who was that scummy male lead ordering around? Acting all high and mighty.
But Gu Mingyan didn’t mind at all. She happily turned to Yun Qingqing and said, “Wait for me a bit—I’ll be back soon.”
After thinking for a moment, she added, “If you’re bored, you can add anything you like to the shopping cart. I’ll clear it for you later.”
With that, she didn’t even wait for the makeup artist to finish the final step. Lifting her skirt, she stood and trotted toward the door like a cheerful butterfly.
Yun Qingqing idly scrolled through her phone and obediently began selecting items she wanted to buy.
She waited for a while. As time ticked by minute after minute, Gu Mingyan still hadn’t returned.
“System,” Yun Qingqing finally called the system suspiciously, “what is that dog of a man Ye Jinyan doing after calling Gu Mingyan out? It’s been almost half an hour.”
The system checked and answered honestly: 【Host, they are currently running the classic domineering-CEO-standing-up-for-the-female-lead face-slapping plot.】
“Standing up for her? What standing up?” Yun Qingqing froze.
The system explained: 【Ye Jinyan believes Meng Xian suffered grievance because her Lumira endorsement was ‘snatched.’ He is currently demanding that Gu Mingyan voluntarily give up the endorsement and return it to Meng Xian, thereby seeking justice for the female lead.】
Yun Qingqing exploded instantly. “What the hell? That endorsement was chosen by the brand for Gu Mingyan—it has nothing to do with Meng Xian! What justice is there to seek?”
The system stated flatly: 【No helping it, Host. Watching the vicious female supporting character suffer setbacks is a common face-slapping trope. Audiences enjoy seeing the male lead step forward to support the female lead and act cool. Whether Gu Mingyan is wronged is not the plot’s main concern.】
“Outrageous!”
Yun Qingqing glanced at the freshly credited 100,000 yuan salary for today, then at the shopping cart that was about to be fully cleared.
She suddenly slammed the table and stood up.
The system asked in confusion: 【Host, what are you doing?】
Yun Qingqing rolled up her sleeves aggressively:
“What do you think?”
“Of course I’m going to protect my golden thigh!”