PANT - Chapter 31
Chapter 31
The production team announced that “First Time Seeing Snow” was the winning team, so they could do whatever they wanted and make whatever arrangements they pleased.
Hearing this, Shi Ning’s eyes lit up.
She felt so hungry her abs were about to disappear.
This variety show was truly inhuman. Not only did she have to get up at the crack of dawn for makeup, but they also had to rehearse their entrance shots several times before the live broadcast officially began. To look good on camera, Shi Ning had only eaten a single egg that morning.
And she was a picky eater who only ate the yolk. She had cracked open a perfectly round, glistening white egg, devoured the yolk in two bites, and was left with two lonely slivers of egg white.
Luckily, it didn’t go to waste. Su Tianxue had seen it, reached out her hand to Shi Ning, and taken the egg whites she didn’t know what to do with.
“I don’t like egg yolks,” Su Tianxue had said, passing the yolk from her own egg to Shi Ning. “You can have it.”
Even though the woman was sitting right beside her, she would still occasionally think of her from a random memory fragment like this.
Shi Ning thought she was going a little crazy.
Su Tianxue subtly adjusted her posture and then asked Shi Ning, “What do you want to eat?”
Zhu Yu quickly interjected, “No, Su Tianxue, don’t let her choose.”
Zhu Yu said pitifully, “She’s definitely going to fleece me.”
【Xiao Yu, don't cry, mommy will hold you!】
【It's okay, you lost the game... but you won your chastity. Chastity is an Alpha's best dowry.】
【Is the person above sick? The Qing Dynasty fell a long time ago!】
【Someone who earns 2.08 million a day is pretending to be poor here? Can't she even afford a single meal?】
【How much money she makes is her own business. How she likes to spend her money is her own financial philosophy, what does it have to do with you?】
Suddenly being accused like this, Shi Ning pretended to be upset and explained, “Hey, how can you say that about me? Am I that kind of person?”
Zhu Yu and Su Wanxing nodded in unison without hesitation. In one voice, they replied, “Yes, you are.”
Shi Ning: “...”
“Wait.”
She suddenly realized something.
Shi Ning looked at Zhu Yu, then at Su Wanxing, and then turned to look at the director. At that moment, the director was still basking in the traffic generated by the kissing contest, her face beaming with delight.
Shi Ning’s scheming nature reared its head again. A little devil’s tail sprouted behind her—a long one with a red heart at the tip—and reddish horns grew on her head. The post-production team must have really liked her, as they even added a pair of little devil wings. So, when Shi Ning spoke again, the devil wings fluttered continuously, like a dancing butterfly.
“I say, Director, something’s not right here.” Shi Ning walked up to the production team. Her presence was powerful as she strode toward the camera in her high heels. Then, with a flick of her skirt, she squatted down in front of the team, her legs neatly together.
【Jiejie, did you take those two steps just to walk straight into my heart?】
【So cool... save me, how can someone be both beautiful and handsome?!】
【What is Shi Ning trying to do??】
The production team shared the same confusion as the live comments: Boss, what are you trying to do?
Although they didn’t know anything yet and were completely baffled, for some reason, under Shi Ning’s gaze, the production team felt a primal fear and a slight urge to retreat.
...Please don’t dock our pay, Boss!
Did we mess up?!
The production team had a bad feeling. They saw Shi Ning rest a hand on her leg, gently turning the bone ring on her finger, before turning back to point at Zhu Yu. “That last game wasn’t right.”
“It was best two out of three. Zhu Yu had already lost. Why did we and Zhou Lu’s team have to compete in a third round?” Shi Ning questioned. “Are you trying to trick people in creative ways?”
The director facing Shi Ning had the sudden urge to cry.
What the hell?
She really wanted to grab Shi Ning by the collar, shake her violently, and ask: Didn’t you enjoy that kiss? You were so fucking ready to grope her [bleep], and now you're here playing innocent!!
But her desire for a salary and her love for her job made her suppress the urge to question her boss.
Facing her boss, the director calmed herself and smiled faintly. “Things got too intense just now, I didn’t realize.”
【A guest finally noticed and pointed out this bug, hahaha.】
【Director... are you still the director I know? In other shows, no matter what tricks the guests pulled, you’d always counter them and lovingly (torment) them. Why do you suddenly seem so docile today?】
【+1, I feel the same way!!】
The director glanced at the live comments, wanting to cry but having no tears.
Folks, I really want to maintain my iron-fisted demon king persona from other shows!!! But this time is different!!!!
The guest challenging me right now is my boss!!!!
Even the company’s official CEO has to call Shi Ning ‘daddy.’ What’s wrong with me groveling a bit!?!?!?
A worker’s life, a worker’s spirit! Being flexible makes you a god!
The director smiled faintly at Shi Ning. “This guest,” she said, emphasizing the word “guest,” “tell me, what do you propose we do?”
Shi Ning: “Oh, I’m very easy to talk to.”
“How about this? Let’s not have Zhu Yu be responsible for tonight’s meal. The production team can take the blame and treat us to a meal out of their own pocket. How does that sound?”
The director hesitated for a moment. “Are you serious?”
Is this woman stupid or what!
The production team pays out of pocket... but isn’t that still her own pocket!!
Even the sponsors were roped in by the Shi family, ffs.
Shi Ning frowned. “No?”
“If not, then we’ll just have to think of another way.” As she said this, she made a gesture of rolling up her sleeves.
The director played along with her performance, pretending to be helpless. “Fine, fine, absolutely no problem.”
It’s your money, spend it however you want.
Zhu Yu, the only one in the room who knew the truth, was now somewhat moved.
Although Su Wanxing knew the production team had a connection with Shi Ning, she just assumed it was because she was a sponsor. After all, in the “plot” she had seen, Shi Ning never entered the entertainment industry. Even she herself had never participated in a romance variety show.
She was heading down a path different from the “future.”
Su Wanxing was happy about that.
Little did she know, Shi Ning was not just the show’s sponsor, but also the mastermind behind it—the boss of everyone present.
:)
With a bit of negotiation, Shi Ning saved Zhu Yu from having to spend money.
Looking at Shi Ning, Zhu Yu’s eyes were already glistening with tears. “Jiejie Ning~~”
“Are you doing this to save me money?”
Hearing this, Shi Ning frowned without hesitation. “Of course not.”
Zhu Yu: ?
Shi Ning smiled. “I just feel that it’s not right for us to be put through all this while the production team reaps all the benefits.”
【Wow, you call kissing ‘being put through all this’?】
【I suggest Shi Ning go check out the deserted island survival show next door to see what real suffering is!】
【I love it, I love it~~ I just love guests who battle the production team, hahaha!! I’ve seen enough of guests being tormented, I want to see the production team cry for a change.】
Production Team: Hey, is that any way to talk?
An hour later, the six-person romance show team arrived by van in what looked like a wilderness area.
Su Wanxing was bewildered. “Jiejie Shi Ning, what on earth did you order? Why did the production team bring us here?” She looked up at the endless green hills, seeing no sign of civilization, and a bad premonition crept into her heart. “Don’t tell me... we offended the production team and are being thrown into the mountains as punishment?!”
Zhu Yu’s imagination ran wild. “Could it be that we’re about to start a wilderness survival challenge?”
The two looked at each other, instantly saw the fear in each other’s eyes, and let out a yelp before hugging each other tightly.
【No, no!! Mommy says no, Xiao Yu!!!】
【Why are they hugging all of a sudden...】
【Why do I always get a sense of strange compatibility from these two??】
【Person above, that must be your imagination!!】
Zhou Lu stroked her chin, guessing, “Are we here because eating grass is more economical?”
Hearing this, Xin Ya immediately quipped, “No way, no way. I don’t eat grass, I only want to eat you.”
At these words, Zhou Lu shot her a resentful look.
【Hahahahahahaha!! The master of cringe, our girl Xin!】
【Xin Ya, forget about eating Zhou Lu, you can eat dirt!】
【First time watching a show where I’m already hungry before the people on TV have even eaten. Dirt, grass, you guys really know how to eat.】
Shi Ning snapped her fingers, and the production crew sprang into action.
While they couldn’t build a castle in fifteen minutes, setting up a small folding tent wasn’t difficult.
The crew members all pitched in, raising the tent from the flat ground.
But then, they suddenly ran into a problem.
Everyone stared at the tent poles, unable to tell which was the main load-bearing pole and which wasn’t.
The director was baffled. “Why did you suddenly stop?”
The stage manager said, troubled, “Director, we’ve never set up a tent before.”
Director: “Where’s the instruction manual!”
Stage Manager: “Didn’t you say setting up a tent was so simple, who needs a manual? We threw it away.”
Director: “...”
【Hahaha, this is hilarious!!!】
【This guy is so honest, does he not want his job anymore?】
【I love these instant karma moments, more please, more~~】
Su Tianxue walked over, squatted down, and compared the weight and length of two poles. After feeling the tent’s material, she held up an aluminum pole, lifted it slightly, and then turned to the stage manager. “It should be this one.”
Stage Manager: “Really?”
“Yes, it’s easy to tell. You can deduce its function in the tent setup from the pole’s basic properties. For example, this aluminum pole’s length and weight are ideal for bearing loads, making it suitable for support. Why don’t you try it first?”
The stage manager, treating it as a last-ditch effort, swapped the pole. He found that the tent, which had been wobbly and sagging just moments ago, unable to stand up, was now standing firm, not swaying or tipping even in the wind.
When the stage manager looked at Su Tianxue again, his eyes were sparkling, filled with pure admiration. “Right, right, you’re right. Jiejie Su, you’re amazing.”
Su Tianxue gave a faint smile, thinking nothing of it, and bent down to help. “Come on, let’s do it together.”
Seeing this, Shi Ning immediately ran over, her voice carried on the wind. “Wife, I’ll help too.”
She ran to Su Tianxue’s side, facing the stage manager who was still occasionally stealing admiring glances at Su Tianxue.
Shi Ning offered a friendly reminder: “This is my wife, you know.”
When the stage manager looked at Shi Ning, his eyes looked like those of a person who had lost the light.
【Hahahahahaha!!!】
【Is there a counter here? Can someone please count how many times Shi Ning has called her ‘wife’ in the short time since the show started?】
【I think she wants to announce to the whole world that Su Tianxue is her wife!!】
【My favorability for Jiejie Su is at max. Why were so many people flaming her when she first appeared... I think Jiejie Su is a really nice person.】
【Such a knowledgeable woman, I love her.】
【As a sapiosexual, I feel like someone is dancing wildly on my kink.】
The stage manager muttered under his breath, “What’s so great about having a wife?”
Shi Ning smiled slightly. “Yeah, it is. Do you have one?”
The stage manager stumbled backward. The witty and clever post-production editor photoshopped noodle tears onto his face, which flapped in the wind, strongly resembling the noodles pulled by a Haidilao chef. Not only that, the editor also kindly included a personal ad.
「Twenty-eight-year-old worker. No car, no house, no wife. Brave warriors are welcome to take on the challenge.」
【Stage manager, did you offend the post-production team before? Did you refuse to lend them toilet paper when they were on the toilet?】
【I reasonably suspect this is deliberate retaliation, hahaha.】
【More of this kind of retaliation, please. I love to see it, 2333.】
With everyone’s help, the tent was quickly set up. The production team prepared a large gas cylinder and cooking equipment, then unfolded a folding table and placed a copper pot for shuan yang rou (instant-boiled mutton) on it.
Su Wanxing guessed, “Are we having instant-boiled mutton?”
Shi Ning: “Isn’t the weather perfect for it lately?”
“Bundle up in spring, dress lightly in autumn. A little something warm.”
Su Tianxue corrected, “Dressing lightly in autumn refers to wearing fewer layers.”
Xin Ya didn’t believe in such things. With a flick of her long hair, she declared coolly, “We true beauties don’t care about that. Spring, summer, autumn, winter—all year round, we wear whatever we want!”
As she spoke, the cross-shaped accessory on her spaghetti-strap dress, nestled perfectly in her cleavage, sparkled brightly.
【Xin Ya, thank you. You are a Bodhisattva of the streets.】
【Let us all say, thank you, Bodhisattva.】
Zhou Lu silently walked over, jumped up on the spot, and blocked the view of Xin Ya’s chest.
Like Super Mario trying to smash a brick block above his head.
Su Tianxue: “You can wear whatever you want, whenever you want.” She reminded the viewers at home, “But in autumn, the mornings and evenings are cool while the afternoons are hot. If you wear too many clothes and frequently take them off and put them back on, it can easily cause problems.”
After she finished speaking, she looked at the unresponsive camera and asked softly, “Got it?”
Seeing the camera still not reacting, Su Tianxue turned back to Shi Ning in confusion. “Why isn’t it nodding?”
Her tone sounded a bit like a child who had a disagreement while playing with friends and came home to tattle to her parents.
Shi Ning wanted to laugh but held it in. She asked with a serious expression, “Su Tianxue, why do you think it would nod?”
Su Tianxue explained logically, “Last time, I saw my junior slacking off and watching a variety show in the office. I didn’t call her out, but I glanced over and saw that the cameras in it would nod.”
【@Su Tianxue's junior, did you hear that?? Don't slack off in the office next time, your supervisor can see you!!】
【Can someone give me a supervisor who won't notice me slacking off and won't get angry? :)】
Shi Ning wrapped her arms around her and burst out laughing, unable to resist planting a kiss on her cheek. “Silly wife, you’re so cute.”
Su Tianxue’s brow furrowed. “I’m not silly.”
Shi Ning hummed in agreement, thinking to herself that at least Su Tianxue hadn’t retorted with, I’m not your wife.
Su Tianxue emphasized again, “I’m not cute.”
Shi Ning hummed again, but the expression on her face clearly didn’t agree with what Su Tianxue was saying.
The cameraman probably couldn’t take it anymore. He held his camera and manually nodded it up and down.
【The camera says: Stop feeding me dog food, can't I just nod myself?】
【Jiejie Su is unexpectedly cute. I like her. If she were my wife, I'd like her even more.】
【@Shi Ning, hurry up, someone here wants to steal your wife.】
【Teacher Su is right, Teacher Su is brilliant.】
【Why doesn't Su Tianxue become a university professor? I feel like her resume is more than qualified. I've seen her publications in several authoritative academic journals.】
【Maybe she just doesn't want to be a professor? Becoming a teacher at a university now involves navigating all the internal politics. Wherever there are people, there's conflict. A lab is much simpler.】
【But I feel like Su Tianxue is so suited to be a teacher, sob. If she were my teacher... with her in the classroom, I would never be late or leave early!】
【Heh, you wish. In a class with her, you wouldn't even be able to get a seat!】
Once all the preparations were done and the ice and meat were brought out, everyone finally understood what Shi Ning had ordered.
Zhu Yu: “Ice-boiled lamb?”
The hand-sliced, paper-thin pieces of lamb were placed on ice, emitting wisps of white vapor, like clouds swirling around a snow-capped mountain peak, giving off an ethereal lightness.
This dish, paired with the vast, endless grassland and the expansive scenery, instantly lifted everyone’s spirits.
Seeing this, Zhou Lu murmured, “Good thing we didn’t lose.”
If she had to pay to treat everyone to a meal like this, she had no idea how much it would cost from her precious little savings.
Everyone took their seats at the table, and the ice and lamb were poured into the pot together. Underneath, a roaring flame burned, and the ice began to melt at a visible rate.
Xin Ya muttered, “What’s the difference between ice-boiled lamb and water-boiled lamb?”
“Doesn’t the ice just turn into water when it melts?”
She couldn’t figure it out. Xin Ya just couldn’t figure it out.
Zhou Lu: “Stop thinking, just eat.”
Shi Ning casually mentioned, “This method of eating lamb, ice-boiled lamb, has been passed down since the era of Genghis Khan. It’s more common in Mongolia. I personally feel it tastes a bit better than regular boiled lamb, but I don’t know why.”
Zhu Yu: “It might be a psychological effect. After all, when you spend more money, you tend to think the thing should taste better.”
Su Wanxing disagreed. “You can’t say that. They say the best food is found among the common people. I think the ice jelly sold on the street in summer and the hotpot restaurants in the alleys are way better than the expensive ones.”
Zhu Yu lowered her eyes. “Really? I’ve never been.”
Only then did Su Wanxing remember that Zhu Yu had debuted very early. Her childhood was spent in a practice room. As a trainee idol, her every move was under scrutiny. After she became famous, it was even more impossible for her to wander the streets whenever she wanted without caring about what others thought, like Su Wanxing could.
Su Wanxing quickly said, “It’s okay, next time, I can get it to-go for you.”
Hearing this, Zhu Yu smiled and said gently, “Okay.”
Su Tianxue explained in a cool voice, “If ice-boiled lamb tastes better than water-boiled lamb, it’s likely due to thermal expansion and contraction. When the fresh lamb slices are covered in ice, they tighten up in the low temperature. When the heat is turned on later, they expand due to the high temperature. This shrinking and expanding might affect the texture.”
The director immediately added, “Actually, Su Tianxue is right. This thermal expansion and contraction effect makes the lamb firmer and more tender. And this time, we’ve chosen yuanbao meat from Xilingol lambs. This cut of meat isn’t gamey or smelly, has no strange taste, and is absolutely delicious.”
Xin Ya couldn’t wait any longer. She looked like she was about to go into a zombie frenzy, her face screaming: Feed me, feed me.
As if hearing her soul’s craving for food, the ice in the pot melted into water, and the lamb rolls began to boil. A breeze blew in from the distance, carrying the unique freshness of the grassland.
The aroma of lamb wafted on the wind.
Xin Ya’s mouth watered. She slurped and was just about to put her chopsticks into the pot when the director spoke through a megaphone: “Wait. It’s not that simple to get the lamb we’ve prepared.”
“What?” Xin Ya could barely hold her chopsticks. “What did you just say? Say that again?”
Director: “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
...Heh, the main reason was that the production team thought that if Shi Ning was going to mess with them like this, they had to at least mess with her back and create some highlights for the show. Otherwise, people would really think this was a travel and food-tasting variety show. As for whether their boss would retaliate...
They were doing this for the buzz, for the sake of the show!
Shi Ning’s gaze shot over like a sword, and the director suddenly felt the words she was about to say get stuck in her throat.
Su Wanxing was getting anxious. “What is it? Hurry up and say it, the lamb is going to get overcooked.”
It wasn’t just Xin Ya who was hungry; she was getting hungry too.
Zhu Yu nodded in strong agreement.
Under Shi Ning’s stare, the director forced herself to continue, “We’re now going to have a lamb-clipping competition.”
“Within ten seconds, whoever clips the most lamb for their female partner wins.”
“Begin!”
It all happened in a flash.
With a few clacks, several pairs of chopsticks dove into the pot. The freshly cooked lamb, which had been tumbling in the boiling broth, vanished in an instant.
The camera panned over and found that all the lamb had already landed in everyone’s bowls.
The production team quickly replayed the footage and found the scene rather amusing.
Zhou Lu tried to clip lamb for Xin Ya, but she was too short and struggled to fish anything out while sitting in her chair. Xin Ya, on the other hand, had already piled a lot into her bowl, saying, “Lu Lu, Jiejie will get it for you. Don’t forget to share some with me later, okay?”
Anyone could see the deep reluctance in Xin Ya’s eyes as she watched the lamb fall into Zhou Lu’s bowl.
Sob.
Her lamb, her one true love.
The smoothest progress was made by Zhu Yu and Su Wanxing. After losing the pocky game so badly they had nothing left, they made a stunning comeback in this round. Zhu Yu simply held down Su Wanxing’s wrist and stood up to grab the meat.
The most hilarious, however, were Shi Ning and Su Tianxue.
It was just a game of picking up food, but the two of them turned it into something out of a martial arts movie. Their chopsticks clashed back and forth, making clanging sounds. As if that wasn’t enough, they moved so fast and with such force that their metal chopsticks actually scraped together and created sparks.
Sizzle.
What great chopstick technique!
Shi Ning gritted her teeth. “I’ll get it for you.”
Su Tianxue was resolute. “I’ll get it.”
Both had determined gazes and serious expressions. In the end, ten seconds passed, all the meat in the pot was gone, and their chopsticks hadn’t even touched the broth. The tips were still completely dry.
...
Su Wanxing quickly picked up some meat from her bowl and gave a good portion to her sister.
“Jiejie, for you.”
Shi Ning looked pitiful. “Meimei, what about me?”
Su Wanxing: “Have you ever considered that the northwest wind is actually quite refreshing to drink?”
The northwest wind, my ass!!
Seeing a business opportunity, Zhou Lu’s eyes lit up. “Shi Ning, one yuan a piece. I’ll sell them to you.”
Hearing this, Xin Ya was shocked. “Zhou Lu!! The meat I clipped for you!! It’s filled with my love, how could you sell it to someone else!!”
Zhou Lu: “Hmm... wasn’t it love for the meat?”
Xin Ya fake-cried, “You’re so mean. Your cold words have cut a wound in my heart. I’m going to cut you too, and then we’ll be a couple.”
Zhou Lu: ...
She silently picked up a piece of meat and held it out to Xin Ya. “Ah, come eat.”
Eating meat should shut this woman’s mouth, right? Zhou Lu thought.
【Xin-style cringey pickup lines, late but never absent, 23333.】
【Don't make me die laughing. First Time Seeing Snow... you have to fight like this even over a meal. If you two actually get in bed, won't you strangle each other?】
【Even for a double-A couple, this is too much. It's just a meal, can't you talk things out nicely!】
【Let's congratulate Zhu Yu x Su Wanxing for finally achieving a victory!! Manual applause, clap clap clap clap.】
【Can these two get a CP name? Zhu Ni Wan An (Wish You Goodnight)? Zhu Xing (Wishing Star)??】
【Damn, my dead youthful memories are suddenly attacking me... Isn't Zhu Xing a song??】
When Su Wanxing heard the director announce their team as the winner, she jumped up with joy.
“We won!!”
“Zhu Yu, we won!!”
Su Wanxing happily high-fived Zhu Yu, who also had a smile on her face. “Yes, we won.”
But in the next second, the director’s words plunged them into an icy abyss.
“Congratulations to our two winners. Please step into the center and perform something for the losers to liven things up.”
The smile on Su Wanxing’s face vanished instantly. Zhu Yu looked at the director in disbelief. “Say that again?”
Shi Ning put on an I-knew-it expression and nudged Su Tianxue’s arm. “I told you, there’s no point in winning this kind of competition.”
【Stop trying to save face, hahaha!!】
【Let's dedicate the song "Face" to Shi Ning.】
【Is this the legendary 'winning is losing, and losing is winning'?】
Microphones were thrust into Zhu Yu and Su Wanxing’s hands. Forced by the production team, Zhu Yu had no choice but to decide to sing. But the show required them to perform together.
Zhu Yu was troubled.
She asked Su Wanxing, “Is there any song you’d like to sing?”
Su Wanxing said softly, “Anything is fine with me.”
Zhu Yu thought she was just too shy to speak up, so she came up with an idea and asked the production team, “Is a children’s song okay?”
The production team passed the buck to the other guests. “Let the losers choose.”
Xin Ya shouted, “I want to hear that one!! The one you wrote, composed, and performed yourself with an instrument!!”
Zhu Yu guessed, “Flowers for Anna?”
Xin Ya nodded frantically. “Yes, yes, that’s the one. I just couldn’t remember the name for a second.”
This... this song was not simple.
Zhu Yu said worriedly, “Wanxing, do you know this one?”
Before Su Wanxing could speak, Su Tianxue answered for her sister, “Yes, she does.”
To be precise, there wasn’t a single song of Zhu Yu’s that Su Wanxing didn’t know.
Su Wanxing was suddenly put on the spot, placed on a high pedestal. Now, she had no choice but to sing. She was a little nervous.
Shi Ning watched this scene, raising an eyebrow with interest.
She called over the production team, specifically asked for a phone, and saw that the live comments were, as expected, full of complaints.
【What right does Su Wanxing have to sing a duet with Zhu Yu?】
【Save me, knowing how to sing and being able to sing well are two different concepts.】
【Please, I'm begging you, don't ruin the song. Flowers for Anna is my favorite.】
From the start of the show until now, Su Wanxing had probably not received a single positive comment. Most of the comments about her were negative, saying she was just Su Tianxue’s sister, that she didn’t deserve to be Zhu Yu’s partner.
Many of the comments were even organized and premeditated. On the way to the grassland, Shi Ning had taken a look at the online news from the production team.
Outside of the live broadcast, some marketing accounts were leading the charge to slander Su Wanxing.
And Zhu Yu’s fans, completely unaware they were being used as weapons, would turn a spark into a wildfire, running with any piece of information they got.
Shi Ning had already sent people to investigate the backers of these marketing accounts.
The production team was still worried. If this continued, would Su Wanxing’s public image be salvageable even after the show ended?
After all, the guest had been found on short notice, and there wasn’t enough time to write much of a script for the variety show. Even if they wanted to redeem Su Wanxing and build a persona for her, they didn’t know how.
But as far as Shi Ning was concerned, Su Wanxing’s chance to turn things around was coming right up.
The moment Su Wanxing opened her mouth to sing, even Zhu Yu’s fans would probably be captivated by her.
Because... this was a required skill for a Mary Sue n-p female protagonist!!
In the original novel’s plot, one of Su Wanxing’s secret identities was a legendary cover singer in the ACG world who had since retired. One of her past lovers was even a partner with a dominant-sounding voice whom she met online and later dated in real life.
Shi Ning didn’t know how it would play out in reality, but she had a certain confidence in Su Wanxing.
She was making a bet, a bet on whether the hand she was playing would lose.
The intro music started. Su Wanxing held the microphone a bit awkwardly, standing stiffly like a little zombie.
But singing while standing probably wasn’t her usual style. She gritted her teeth and plopped down on the grass. Seeing her candid action, Zhu Yu smiled and sat down beside her.
Their knees touched as they sat side by side, which brought to mind a childhood rhyme.
Sitting in a row, eating fruit.
Only now, it could probably be changed to, Sitting in a row, singing a song.
The weather was beautiful, and beyond the endless grassland lay vast cliffs.
Zhu Yu hummed softly, starting the first line herself, afraid Su Wanxing wouldn’t find the key.
Flowers for Anna told the story of a painter in the last century who fell in love with a wealthy young lady at first sight, painting for her and picking flowers for her. The story’s tone was tragic, hiding a desperate yet passionate love one person had for another.
“Midnight by the Seine, your skirt swayed.”
“A silent summer, raindrops in a freefall.”
Zhu Yu’s singing had a narrative quality, with a hint of huskiness. After finishing the first part, she looked at Su Wanxing, giving her an encouraging glance.
Su Wanxing clasped the microphone with both hands and closed her eyes. Her long eyelashes trembled, but when she opened her mouth, her voice was like a gift from heaven.
“In the heatwave, my love and my sin coexist.”
When Su Wanxing usually spoke, her voice was very sweet. She was the kind of soft girl who seemed like a cute peach—one pinch and she would ooze juice.
But when she sang, her voice was different. She could handle the low notes, like shattered candy, carrying a kind of stunning beauty. Her high notes were even more powerful, and she switched between different vocal ranges with incredible ease.
“The flowers before your window saw you kiss him for me.”
“Oh~”
Su Wanxing opened her eyes, her expression matching the emotion of the lyrics.
In her cat-like eyes was the pain and despair of a lover’s betrayal.
Zhu Yu’s heart skipped a beat. Acting on instinct, she held her microphone and joined Su Wanxing for the chorus.
“Anna Karenina, you said you liked my flowers.”
“I knelt at your feet to paint you.”
“But only his roses could kiss your long hair.”
The husky and sweet timbres met, a back-and-forth contest.
The two had incredible chemistry. Even without prior discussion, they could naturally divide the vocal ranges during the song. Zhu Yu was like a passionate wind, carrying the call of the wild. And Su Wanxing was the rose in that wind, singing of desperate love.
Everyone present was stunned into silence, and the live comments went wild.
【She’s actually... not inferior.】
【I even think Meimei's version has a bit more charm than the original.】
【Holy, holy, holy crap!!! Meimei, please debut!!!!】
【Am I the only one who finds this voice really familiar?】
【Person above, you're not alone.】
【I feel like my dead memories are attacking me again, I miss my Night Star-dada, who understands, sob!! No you in online voice acting, I won't listen. No you in cover songs, I won't listen!!!】
【I have a bold theory... Night Star retired from the scene years ago, saying she was in her third year of high school and needed to focus on her studies. Is it possible that... Su Wanxing is Night Star? The voice is too similar, and based on the timeline, Night Star should be around Meimei's age. Their names are also similar.】
It wasn’t just the netizens who thought so; Zhu Yu had the same suspicion.
She knew Night Star.
When she had just debuted, Night Star would cover every one of her songs.
After the song ended, Zhu Yu put down her microphone and looked at Su Wanxing’s relieved expression. The suspicion in her heart grew larger and larger, feeling more and more real.
The two of them had set a great precedent. After they finished singing, Xin Ya dragged Zhou Lu up to sing as well. A rendition of “Lone Warrior” nearly made Xin Ya sing her throat raw. Zhou Lu stood to the side holding the microphone, her mouth opening and closing, but not a single sound could be heard, as if the microphone was swallowing her voice.
All the other guests had sung. It seemed inappropriate for Shi Ning and Su Tianxue not to go up.
But Su Tianxue was very resistant to singing.
Shi Ning decided to take the initiative and set an example for her wife. Amidst the cheers of the staff, she went up and took the microphone.
As for why this group was so excited, the reason was simple... it was rare to see the big boss perform even at the annual company party! Now they could witness it in person without fear of later retribution!! Why wouldn’t they cheer? What were they waiting for!!
To be honest, no one had high hopes for Shi Ning’s singing voice.
She just didn’t look like the type who could sing.
Who knew that the moment she opened her mouth, she would stun everyone.
When Shi Ning sang, her voice was even lower than her usual speaking tone, like a deep pool. It would sound amazing singing rock or love songs. Now, holding the microphone, she looked in Su Tianxue’s direction, found a random chair, sat down, and sang slowly.
The final lyrics went:
We should exist more resiliently, we should stop the world from getting worse
It’s not just science, not just idol worship
Love, the truth is love
As the final note slowly faded, the light in her eyes was so fiery that Su Tianxue almost had the urge to look away.
After finishing, Shi Ning held the microphone and said softly, “A song, ‘TO Hebe,’ dedicated to us.”
Love, the truth is love.
As she sang that line, Shi Ning looked into Su Tianxue’s eyes and, for a moment, felt that she had also found her own truth.
Amidst hesitation, avoidance, unwillingness, and repeated confirmations, she saw her own heartbeat.
Perhaps, when she started to feel that a big ice cube like Su Tianxue could be described with the word “cute.”
Her feelings for her were definitely not as simple as mere amusement.
Perhaps, perhaps love was still too far away, not yet on the table.
Shi Ning had never experienced love; she couldn’t judge.
But in this moment, she could be sure of one thing.
Su Tianxue.
Yes.
She liked this woman. A little.
Shi Ning passed the microphone to Su Tianxue. “Want to try?”
Su Tianxue pressed her lips together. After a long moment, she walked up, took the microphone, and softly sang a very simple line from “Two Tigers.”
But it was precisely this simple song that she managed to sing completely off-key...
If Su Wanxing had a voice kissed by God.
Then Su Tianxue’s throat had probably been strangled by the devil.
Shi Ning coughed once and applauded earnestly. “That was great.”
Su Tianxue tilted her head slightly and said bluntly, “Shi Ning, I’m not deaf.”
But the tips of her ears were still a little red.
In all her years, Shi Ning was the first person to ever say she sang well.
【Are they really biological sisters??!!】
【I'm laughing so hard I'm hitting the wall, hahaha! I finally know why Su Tianxue refused to go up just now.】
【It's nothing else, just self-awareness.】
Seeing everyone having fun, the production team decided to press their advantage. “Why don’t we have a little after-dinner game?”
Shi Ning said coolly, “I haven’t had a single bite of meat yet. How can you call this an after-dinner game?”
The director gave a dry laugh and had the staff bring out more meat.
The pot started boiling again, and the production team brought out their new method of torment.
Director: “Let’s play something simple, a love competition.”
Hearing this, Shi Ning and Su Tianxue looked at each other and thought, It’s over.
It’s all over.
What love did the two of them have?!
The two were terrified, but they didn’t know that two other people on set had also tensed up.
...After all, Shi Ning and Su Tianxue weren’t the only fake couple on this show.
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