Chapter 9

The sun is warm and the morning breeze is gentle.

The alley twists and turns, flanked by low, weathered houses. Advertisements piled on top of each other on the walls, and the colorful graffiti looks comical in the sunlight.

There are breakfast stalls every few steps, selling steamed buns, fried dough sticks, soy milk... The food just out of the pot is bubbling with steam, the fragrance is intertwined in the air, and people come and go, outlining a bustling market picture.

The most down-to-earth place in Qinglan City is the urban village, which seems to be an isolated island away from the bustling city, housing a large number of migrant workers.

Shen Fengni dodged the oncoming electric bike by sideways. The young man on the bike was carrying a heavy backpack and was in a hurry, with a half-finished bag of milk in his mouth.

She looked down at the navigation on her phone and continued walking forward.

Song Manman lives in the Liunian apartment building in the urban village. Like many recent college graduates, she has very little money, so she chooses to rent a youth apartment with the best value for money.

It's hard to park nearby, so you can only take a taxi and then walk.

The things in his hands were a bit heavy, so Shen Fengni changed hands twice and finally arrived at the destination.

This is a three-story building with walls painted gray-blue. There are layers of colorful graffiti on it. The colors have faded in the wind and rain, and it looks mottled from a distance.

The sign at the door was crooked, with "Liunian Apartment" written in cursive.

There were no security measures at the entrance, and the empty duty room was useless. Shen Fengni glanced at the dusty visitor registration book and chose to go directly upstairs.

"I already said I'm fine, why are you being so polite and buying so many things?"

Song Manman started complaining the moment she saw her. She took the fruit and milk from her hands and put them aside, then pulled her into the house. "Miss, you must be freezing. Come in and sit down."

The room was a single room, with a sink and induction cooker in the entrance, barely enough to qualify as a kitchen. Further in was the bed, and a narrow loveseat by the window, painted golden by the morning light.

However, although the conditions are simple, the interior environment looks clean and tidy. The walls and cabinets are brand new, and it should have been renovated not long ago when it was rented out.

Chen Fengni sat down on the sofa and watched Song Manman take out milk from the refrigerator and heat it up for her.

After not seeing her for a few days, Song Manman seemed to have lost some weight, and she looked even more petite wrapped in the loose plush home clothes.

"Are you still having a fever?" Shen Fengni took the milk handed to her.

"I've retired, I'll go back to work as usual tomorrow."

Song Manman looked at her with a smile, "Why, during the two days I was away, did you find that the live broadcast room couldn't run without me?"

Chen Fengni doesn't like to go out, and the live broadcast location is at home, so a lot of work coordination in the past was handled by Song Manman, her assistant.

Yu Qian's company doesn't keep idle people, and Song Manman is a newcomer in the workplace. In addition to assisting Chen Fengni with her work, she also has to participate in other miscellaneous affairs, so she is usually busy.

Seeing that she was in good spirits, Shen Fengni felt relieved.

She laughed: "Don't even mention the live broadcast room, the earth will stop turning."

After chatting with Song Manman for a while, Shen Fengni declined her invitation to have lunch and returned home before noon.

She needed to adjust her mindset alone to face the evening social events.

Yu Qian has already asked someone to deliver the clothes and accessories. The exquisite gift box has beautiful and complex patterns and is printed with the logo of a well-known brand.

Chen Fengni casually opened the largest box, revealing a dark red fishtail dress.

She stood in front of the mirror trying it on.

The skirt was Yu Qian's favorite style, with a V-neck that revealed her delicate collarbone and a hem that resembled blooming rose petals. The waistline was very tight, and even though Shen Fengni was already thin, she still felt constrained and uncomfortable.

It's beautiful, but not suitable for her.

Shen Fengni took off her skirt and put it aside, then checked the jewelry one by one. After confirming that there was no problem, she retreated to the lazy sofa in the living room.

She took out her cell phone and clicked on the dialog box of broken branches.

Before typing, Shen Fengni hesitated for a moment.

Recently, she seemed to be communicating more with Zhezhi, and the way they got along was becoming more and more like friends. She didn't know if this was appropriate.

As an anchor, you should distance yourself from the crowd and provide emotional value to your fans, rather than developing unnecessary feelings for your customers.

But she quickly found an excuse for herself: Zhezhi is her biggest sponsor, and it is the host's job to protect the sponsor.

It's just routine maintenance, there's nothing else to talk about.

Shen Fengni clicked send.

Feng Ni: Are you busy?

This time, Zhezhi replied half an hour later: Well, I'm a little busy today.

Feng Ni: I have a social engagement tonight and can’t play the game.

"Jiang Hu Nuo" has fun activities every Monday night. She and Zhezhi both like it very much, so they usually go online to play together on Mondays.

Zhezhi: What a coincidence, I also have a social event tonight.

Shen Fengni continued typing: I don’t like occasions like this, but I have to go.

Zhezhi: I don’t like it either.

Zhezhi: But I'm looking forward to tonight.

Shen Fengni was curious: Why?

Zhezhi: Because there is someone I want to see.

Chen Fengni's eyes narrowed slightly, and she thought of the person Zhezhi had mentioned before, the one she loved but couldn't have. She subconsciously wanted to question whether her guess was correct, but she felt it was too presumptuous.

So she finally just replied: Have fun then.

At six o'clock in the evening, Yu Qian arrived as promised.

It was obvious that Yu Qian took tonight's event very seriously, having dressed herself to look presentable. However, her inherent casualness remained, and she managed to wear her black couture gown with a touch of irreverence.

"Hurry up and get in the car, there's a bit of traffic today."

Yu Qian urged through the rolled-down car window.

Shen Fengni quickened her pace and immediately felt discomfort in her ankle.

The shoes Yu Qian prepared for her were a pair of silver matte high heels. The fine sequins on the surface shone brightly, and the thin heels were slender and delicate, making her ankles look white and slender.

But these shoes were really uncomfortable, and the waist of her skirt was too tight, which limited her walking speed.

Of course, Chen Fengni would not complain about this to Yu Qian. She got into the car without saying a word. The two of them sat side by side in the back seat, feeling so unfamiliar as if there was a wall between them.

"When we get to the Jiang family, don't talk nonsense."

As the car turned a corner, Yu Qian suddenly spoke. The light from the street lamp shone into the car, reflecting the faint thought in her eyes, "Mr. Jiang's personality is hard to understand. Don't offend him."

Shen Fengni raised an eyebrow, "Jiang family?"

Yu Qian glanced at her and said, "It's Mr. Jiang's private residence."

Shen Fengni was even more surprised. It was rumored that Jiang Zhuoyan was aloof and aloof, always keeping people at a distance. She didn't expect that he would set the venue of the dinner in his own home. She guessed that he was going to entertain some important person.

She responded, "I know."

After all, it was acting, so she didn't care what role she played. She could keep silent and be a vase, or she could play both sides and support the show.

Being a qualified actor and not getting into unnecessary trouble will be a good thing for both her and Yu Qian.

Yu Qian rarely explained, "We're discussing cooperation with the virtual hosts 'Yimeng'."

Shen Fengni understood.

Jiang Zhuoyan's company recently launched several virtual anchors, livestreaming on the "Moment" app, and within a week, they've amassed a massive following. The virtual anchors are portrayed by real people wearing top-tier motion capture equipment, perfectly replicating every movement and expression. Coupled with their refined, polished appearance, which is difficult for real people to achieve, they've captivated countless fans.

In the age of live streaming, traffic is king. Many companies are interested in collaborating with the virtual anchor "Yimeng." However, Jiang Zhuoyan seems to have a barrier of her own, making her difficult to approach, leaving everyone unsure how to gain her favor.

It may not be easy for Yu Qian to achieve her goal on this trip.

Jiang Zhuoyan's villa is not far from the city center, quiet and elegant in the midst of the hustle and bustle.

The courtyard is deep and secluded, with a gurgling stream. The lights on both sides of the road are soft, illuminating the road just right without being glaring.

Yu Qian got out of the car first, stood there for a moment, and then stretched out her arms.

Chen Fengni understood and reached out to hold her hand.

They have to do enough face-saving work, at least on the surface, they have to appear to be a loving couple.

After being married for half a year, Chen Fengni and Yu Qian had no intimate contact. Just holding hands made her feel uncomfortable.

The night wind blew, and even with a coat on, it was still freezing. Shen Fengni didn't care about anything else, enduring the discomfort in her heart, and only wanted to reach her destination quickly.

The banquet hall is decorated luxuriously and grandly, without any exaggerated decorations, but every detail reflects the organizer's meticulousness.

The party was filled with drinking and luxury, and everyone had a smile on their face, hiding the unclear meaning in their eyes.

Shen Fengni saw the focus of the crowd at a glance.

The beauty has an ethereal demeanor and a beautiful, distant smile in her eyes. Even when surrounded by people, she still appears cold and unapproachable.

The white evening gown seemed to absorb the brilliance of the sun and moon, like soft petals blooming freely under the moonlight, graceful and charming. But in front of the top beauty, it could only be reduced to a foil.

The beauty of that person could not be ignored at all, and it made people dazzled for a moment.

Her arm was gently pulled forward, and it was Yu Qian who was leading her towards Jiang Zhuoyan.

Shen Fengni came back to her senses.

The man seemed to sense the noise and turned around. His dark blue pupils reflected a hint of light, cold and deep, like the shimmering water of a lake in the deep winter forest.

"Mr. Yu." She glanced at Yu Qian first and nodded slightly, "Good evening."

Then it stayed on Shen Fengni.

Chen Fengni held Yu Qian's arm loosely, smiling politely and appropriately, and no one could find fault with her.

This was not her first time experiencing such an occasion. Business people only use a few polite words, and she could even predict in advance how Mr. Jiang would greet her.

It's nothing more than "Good evening, Mrs. Yu," or perhaps a polite addition like "Mrs. Yu is very beautiful."

"Miss Chen." Jiang Zhuoyan spoke.

Shen Fengni's eyes widened slightly in surprise.

She looked at the stunning beauty before her and listened to her continue, "I've heard a lot about you."