Chapter 37 Cannon Fodder Assistant 2: Two Hands Clasped Together

Li Qingran lowered her eyes and fed Qin Yanyun spoonful by spoonful. The latter behaved very well, opening her mouth when the spoon was near her lips. The room was quiet for a moment, with only the sound of the spoon scraping against the yogurt container and Qin Yanyun chewing large blueberries in the jam.

The tense atmosphere from not long ago seemed to have completely vanished from the man. However, after finishing the last bite of his yogurt, watching Li Qingran turn to throw away the yogurt container, Qin Yanyun couldn't help but ask another question.

"Did you really collect that photo because of me?"

The tall, slender figure in front of the trash can paused for two seconds. Then, Qin Yanyun heard Li Qingran's usual cold voice.

"Of course."

When Li Qingran answered the question, he did not turn to face Qin Yanyun. The man could not see the expression on his face. Similarly, after he finished speaking, he could not immediately catch the expression on Qin Yanyun's face.

So much so that neither of them knew that after saying and hearing the answer, the other's face showed a complex expression.

Li Qingran was exhausted by this undercover game.

Qin Yanyun, on the other hand, was happy because he realized that even though he knew Li Qingran was clearly deceiving him, he would still be happy that she had chosen him.

"I told you long ago, you were bound to fail," Brother Zhang said coldly on the other end of the phone.

"After I finished investigating his information, I told you to fire him, but you wouldn't listen. You said that life was too boring and you wanted to find some fun for yourself. You should see how this little hater will endure hardship and dig up dirt on you."

"In the end, we didn't dig up any dirt, but he stole your heart," Brother Zhang said sarcastically to Qin Yanyun as he signed the documents.

"So, Mr. Qin, are you satisfied with the result?"

Qin Yanyun: "...Why are you bringing this up?"

Brother Zhang sneered, "What else is there to talk about if I don't want to talk to you about this? Oh! I do have something else to say. There's an advance gathering this Saturday for that travel variety show you participated in with Chu Yu. You should prepare in advance."

"Prepare what?" Qin Yanyun asked suspiciously.

Brother Zhang: "Prepare your good temper in advance, so you don't get into an argument with Chu Yu at the party. The cameras are on, so watch your image."

Qin Yanyun: "...Thank you for reminding me, but is it mandatory to attend this advance gathering? Can't I skip it and have the interview done later?"

He didn't really want to see Chu Yu's face right now.

Because of the photos on Li Qingran's phone, Qin Yanyun rarely goes online now. If she sees a photo of Chu Yu on the street, she immediately puts on sunglasses, as if looking at the other person's face for too long would give her a sty.

The fact that Qin Yanyun and Chu Yu have been at odds since childhood is something that most of their close friends and family know.

Xiaowen understands this, after all, no one is perfect, and who doesn't have a nemesis they've hated since childhood! Especially since this nemesis and Qin Yanyun are competitors in the entertainment industry, it's normal for them to dislike each other.

Li Qingran was completely unconcerned about this matter. He was like a diligent worker who was oblivious to everything else and only focused on his work. Unless absolutely necessary, he would never participate in the comparison contest between Qin Yanyun and Chu Yu in various aspects.

As for Brother Zhang, he has a completely new perspective on the competition between Qin Yanyun and Chu Yu's fingertips—sometimes he agrees, sometimes he's sarcastic, and if necessary, he might even exchange a small jab.

The above three forms are basically based on Qin Yanyun's work attitude.

For example, right now, hearing Qin Yanyun's reluctant voice on the other end of the phone, Brother Zhang smiled slightly.

"That's definitely impossible. Other guests might be able to be absent if they really have something to do, but thanks to the recent viral CP clips of you and Chu Yu, the production team confirmed your schedule with me a month in advance. You could say that, apart from me, the production team of this world probably knows your schedule the best."

"Just before I called you, I was coordinating with the staff there. Now they're saying they have work to do at the last minute. Let alone the production team, even if it were you, would you believe them or not?"

Qin Yanyun: "I...believe!"

As long as you don't see Chu Yu's face, what does it matter if you lie through your teeth!

However, after hearing Qin Yanyun's blatant lie, Brother Zhang wasn't speechless and bewildered like Xiao Wen, unsure how to respond. Instead, he simply sneered and said:

"If you believe that, it just means you're a complete idiot!"

Qin Yanyun: "No, what you're saying is—"

"Don't talk to me about anything else. Anyway, the job is already settled. You should use these next few days to mentally prepare yourself. When the cameras start rolling, you have to maintain a good image. If I see you rolling your eyes at Chu Yu, Li Qingran will lose her bonus this month."

Qin Yanyun: "??? Are you kidding me?! What does this have to do with Li Qingran?!"

Brother Zhang maintained his polite smile. "Of course, this has nothing to do with Li Qingran, but I think that right now, you should be more proactive and hardworking when it comes to things related to Li Qingran than when it comes to your own affairs."

"..."

"Oh, by the way, just so you know, there might be a game you and Chu Yu will play together at the party," Brother Zhang said, dropping another bombshell on Qin Yanyun's head.

Qin Yanyun was so shocked that she saw stars. "Why!"

Qin Yanyun is not very familiar with the filming process of variety shows.

Due to her positioning and her sharp tongue and bad temper in private, Qin Yanyun has basically not participated in any variety shows since her debut, except for talk shows.

The reason for his participation this time is twofold: firstly, the show was created by his company, and secondly, Brother Zhang has recently made new plans for his image. After all, Qin Yanyun has been known to the public since his debut as a cold and aloof nobleman who speaks little and has a strong sense of distance.

This kind of image can indeed accumulate a lot of fans based on looks and temperament at the beginning, and it is also easier to get scripts with similar positioning. However, as he gets older, this positioning needs to be changed slightly to be more down-to-earth and make his image more real and vivid. This can also lay the groundwork for Qin Yanyun to take on roles in serious dramas and historical dramas in the future.

However, it is clear that there are certain requirements for this realistic and vivid image.

At the very least, Brother Zhang would absolutely not allow Qin Yanyun to bring her childish temper from private to the screen.

So, amidst Qin Yanyun's broken-down questioning, Brother Zhang patiently explained to him:

"Because your pairing with Chu Yu is so popular, the production team will definitely keep putting you two together to keep the show going."

"..."

At this moment, Qin Yanyun felt that Brother Zhang's voice was coming from hell.

The other person whispered in his ear like a demon.

"Actually, it's very likely that this won't just happen at the pre-event gathering. You'll be traveling together afterwards, and your seats on the plane, your hotel rooms, your partners when eating and doing missions will probably all be with Chu Yu..."

Stop talking.

He no longer wanted to participate.

Qin Yanyun suddenly felt a headache coming on.

At this moment, he felt a suffocating sense that the whole world was trying to bind him to Chu Yu.

Who knows, they've been mortal enemies since childhood.

Why force a pair of mortal enemies to become a couple?!

Qin Yanyun didn't understand.

Zhang Ge doesn't need Qin Yanyun's understanding; he just needs Qin Yanyun to obediently participate in variety shows so that the audience can have a new and better understanding of his image.

So, he once again brought up someone who had recently become very useful to Qin Yanyun.

"You can only bring one assistant for this travel variety show. I originally planned for you to bring Xiaowen, but if you perform well at the pre-show party, I can consider letting Xiaoli go with you."

As expected, Qin Yanyun's voice immediately changed upon hearing this news.

"real?"

Brother Zhang smirked. “When have I ever lied to you? But don’t go too far in front of the camera. Besides, you probably don’t know if Xiao Li likes you too—oh! No, I should say, you don’t know if he still dislikes you, after all, he’s your biggest hater.”

Qin Yanyun: "...Will you die if you don't bring this up?"

"You won't die," Brother Zhang said with a smile, "but you'll have far less fun."

Qin Yanyun: "..."

"Alright, I'm not teasing you anymore. That's about all I wanted to say. Do you have anything else to say? If not, I'll hang up now. I have something to do later, so I need to take a break."

"Nothing's wrong," Qin Yanyun said hesitantly. "I'm just debating whether or not to take Li Qingran to the advanced gathering."

Brother Zhang asked in confusion, "Why are you worrying about this?"

"It's all because of that Chu Yu." Qin Yanyun's head ached just thinking about that photo.

Brother Zhang, however, didn't think there was anything to worry about.

"Take him there. It'll be a good opportunity to see for yourself what his attitude is towards Chu Yu. It will save you from guessing all day long and bothering me when you can't figure it out yourself."

Qin Yanyun: "...Has anyone ever told you that your mouth is really sharp?"

"If you don't work hard, my tongue will get even scathing~" Brother Zhang chuckled twice into the microphone, then tapped the clapperboard and said:

"Alright, it's decided then. You take Xiao Li with you. Make a good impression at the advanced party. If I see you giving me the cold shoulder, you're done for. This call is over. Goodbye."

"Snap! Beep—"

The call was disconnected.

Before she could finish speaking, Qin Yanyun rubbed her throbbing temples, stood on the balcony for a while to calm herself down, and then turned back to the living room.

Xiaowen and Li Qingran had already set out the food and were now huddled together discussing what TV shows they would watch while eating.

It was mostly Xiaowen who did the talking, while Li Qingran simply acted as a listener, just as he had been when facing each of them before.

Qin Yanyun stood there, silently staring at his back for a while, before finally walking towards them, asking in a seemingly casual tone:

What are you talking about?

"Let's talk about what movie to watch after dinner," Xiaowen replied with a smile.

"Brother Qin, is there anything you'd like to see?"

"I don't have any specific requests; you can pick whatever you like."

As Qin Yanyun spoke, his gaze eagerly fell upon Li Qingran. The latter sensed this and looked up. Their eyes met, and Qin Yanyun subtly moved his Adam's apple.

"I just spoke with Brother Zhang on the phone," he said, looking at Li Qingran.

"There's an advance party for a variety show this Saturday, you all probably know that, right?"

Li Qingran nodded, and Xiao Wen echoed her.

"Then..." Qin Yanyun moved his lips, wanting to say something, but the words suddenly changed, and he swallowed them back down. In the end, Li Qingran only heard him utter one sentence.

"Then you two get ready and come with me."

Actually, Qin Yanyun's words were rather unnecessary. After all, as assistants, Li Qingran and Xiao Wen were bound to stay by Qin Yanyun's side unless there were special circumstances.

Therefore, 888 doesn't understand why Qin Yanyun would specifically say these things to Li Qingran, and why he would keep staring into Li Qingran's eyes while saying them.

"Maybe they're afraid I'll ask for leave at the last minute." Li Qingran gave 888 an answer.

But 888 disagreed, saying, "But host, you haven't taken a single day off in the past two months, have you?"

"Is that so?" Li Qingran didn't even look up when she heard this, and simply replied, "Then I don't know."

[I have an idea!] 888 suddenly had a flash of inspiration and said: [Host, do you think he might still be hung up on that photo he found in your phone's album?]

Li Qingran raised an eyebrow: [How so?]

[After all, the main character is the seme (dominant partner). Even if things were fine at the time, seeing a cannon fodder character with a picture of the seme (submissive partner) will still bother them when they think back on it later.]

888 analyzed: "Furthermore, the main character will definitely be attending this pre-party; he's probably afraid you'll be eyeing him!"

Li Qingran's eyelashes drooped again. "You're right."

Just don't say it again next time.

Li Qingran was too lazy to guess what the protagonist was thinking, after all, he hadn't completely resolved his own troubles yet.

Li Qingran is reading the plot updates that 888 is providing him in real time.

As the original plot unfolded, the cannon fodder saw Chu Yu's real appearance up close for the first time at this advanced gathering. Compared to the distance he felt online, Chu Yu in private was naturally more vivid and looked more refined and beautiful than in those photos or even videos.

Cannon Fodder was already his extreme fan, and seeing Chu Yu's vivid appearance, it could be said that he directly raised his flag in a dark corner.

Afterwards, she secretly went to the staff restroom to recall the glance Chu Yu had unintentionally given her earlier, and then engaged in a soul-searching hand exercise.

All of the above plot points are easy to manipulate, since these are all done by the cannon fodder alone and no one else knows about them, so Li Qingran doesn't need to actually do them.

The difficult part is mainly what follows...

Li Qingran looked at the line of text that had been specially highlighted in red by the system:

After releasing himself, driven by some twisted psychology, *** secretly sneaked into Chu Yu's room and smeared what he had on his hand onto the coat he had just taken off.

Then I took a picture and sent it to Chu Yu as usual...

Li Qingran: "..."

Do we really have to take this kind of photo?

Li Qingran closed her eyes in pain.

Seeing this, Xiaowen thought he was unwell and quickly asked with concern:

"Are you carsick? Should we put on a motion sickness patch?"

Qin Yanyun, who was sitting at the very back, also looked over.

Li Qingran didn't notice the gazes behind her. She could only weakly wave her hand at Xiaowen, "I'm fine, I just didn't sleep well last night."

After all, devising a plan to sneak into the room of another artist who doesn't get along with their boss, smear ice cream on the other artist's coat, and take a picture is not as easy as the two paragraphs of text provided by the system suggest.

The plot is so simple, but the mission takers are running themselves ragged!

Li Qingran couldn't help but sigh.

Lost in his own thoughts, he didn't notice Qin Yanyun's increasingly dark expression behind him.

Qin: [I knew he liked Chu Yu!]

Zhang: [How do you know?]

Qin: [He just told Xiaowen that he didn't sleep well last night.]

Zhang: [So?]

Qin: [Doesn't this just mean he was so excited to see Chu Yu today that he couldn't sleep all night!]

Zhang: [...I'll help you schedule an appointment with a psychologist when you have time.]

Qin: [What do you mean?]

Zhang: [It's nothing, I just feel like you've been a bit obsessed lately. Instead of worrying about whether Xiao Li likes Chu Yu or not, you should think about whether he's still your hater. Otherwise, no matter how much you try to stop him from meeting Chu Yu, no matter how frantic you get about it, you'll never achieve the result you ultimately want.]

Qin: [? The result I want?]

Zhang: [Don't tell me you've been agonizing over Xiao Li for so long just to find out if he likes Chu Yu. If you like him, try to make him like you too. Otherwise, what's the point of figuring out his feelings for Chu Yu? You're getting old, so you want to be a matchmaker, huh?]

Qin: [...]

Zhang: [Smiling face in JPG]

Qin Yanyun did not reply to Zhang Ge's sarcastic emoji, and the other party did not send any more messages.

After all, being a manager is tiring enough. He really doesn't want to have to act as a love guru for his artists during his own time when he's slacking off or taking a break.

Zhang Ge placed his phone screen-down on the desk, then tilted his head back to stretch his slightly sore neck. As his gaze returned to the documents on the desk, it inadvertently glanced at a photograph on the side of the desk…

Zhang Ge blinked twice behind his gold-rimmed glasses. He stared at the photo for two seconds, then reached out and brought it to his eyes. Looking at the four people with varying expressions, his gaze finally settled on the handsome young man standing at the far end. Looking at the strikingly beautiful man's appearance and the aloof air that seemed completely incongruous with his looks, he couldn't help but sigh:

"If I had known, I would have signed him as an artist."

Look at that detached, worldly-wise aura emanating from his very bones—if he were in those modern domineering CEO dramas, he'd be the quintessential Buddhist monk from the Beijing elite circle!

If he had signed Li Qingran instead, he wouldn't have had to worry about his artists' chaotic private lives like other agents, and he might not even have had to be a relationship coach.

After all, the young man looked like he didn't know anything about romance. Such a person might attract others, but whether anyone would actually be attracted to him in the end was hard to say.

Zhang Ge looked at the photos for a while, took a deep breath, and couldn't help but silently mourn for Qin Yanyun's difficult love journey for a second.

Falling for someone who seems so hard to fall for means Qin Yanyun will soon be in for a tough time.

Changing one's image in another person's eyes is a minor issue; the real problem is having to compete with others while doing so. No wonder Qin Yanyun was constantly troubled by whether Li Qingran liked someone else.

Brother Zhang understood, but he didn't respect it, because Li Qingran seemed to be someone who had a hard time liking or developing feelings for others.

In fact, many times, it felt like Brother Zhang wasn't just targeting the people around him, but the whole world; he always seemed indifferent.

They don't care or concern themselves; they just go through the motions of their work each day as if it were a task to be completed.

Without excessive emotional fluctuations, naturally, no more feelings will develop.

So, how could someone who is completely ignored by the world easily fall in love with another person just because of a single photo?

Brother Zhang didn't quite believe it.

However, just as Brother Zhang was casually analyzing the photo to see if Li Qingran was truly a heartless and indifferent person, the young man, who in his eyes was someone who rarely fell for anyone, was holding an ice cream cone and pondering how to slip through the throng of people in front of him and quietly sneak into Chu Yu's lounge.

Yes, he once again chose to use ice cream instead of some special white liquid.

Now that he has the liquid, how is he going to get the coat?

Standing outside the crowd, Li Qingran was quite bewildered.

[If that doesn't work, host, just pretend to be a staff member, go in, wipe it off, and leave!]

"Leaving aside the fact that everyone saw me get out of Qin Yanyun's nanny van," Li Qingran said expressionlessly, "just the act of going in and smearing ice cream—do you think everyone in the break room is blind?"

【So what should we do?】888 is also desperate.

Li Qingran: 【…If that doesn’t work, then—】

"Bang--"

Before Li Qingran could plan his next move, a powerful impact suddenly came from behind him.

He staggered forward uncontrollably a few steps, and the ice cream scoop in his hand rolled off the cone and into his other palm.

At the same time, a thud was heard behind him as something heavy fell to the ground.

Li Qingran subconsciously turned around, her gaze naturally falling down. Just then, the person who had just fallen also unconsciously looked up at her. Their eyes met, and both of them froze.

However, 888 screamed excitedly in Li Qingran's mind.

[Aaaaaaah! Host, this is the protagonist! Quick, pull him up, and while you're at it, smear some ice cream on his jacket!]

This is not a bad idea.

Li Qingran's eyes flickered slightly, then she reached out her hand to Chu Yu, her eyebrows curving slightly, her face showing obvious concern.

Are you alright?

"Oh? Oh! It's nothing, it's nothing. I just tripped by accident."

Chu Yu realized what was happening and immediately smiled apologetically at Li Qingran, "Sorry, I bumped into you."

"It's alright, let me help you up first." Li Qingran then extended her hand to Chu Yu.

The latter, initially embarrassed, thought he could simply push himself up, but under Li Qingran's repeated insistence, he couldn't refuse again and could only look up and smile at her once more.

"Thank you for your help."

As he spoke, he extended his hand to Li Qingran, his gaze falling on their clasped hands.

Then, this handshake wasn't the problem...

Chu Yu looked at the boy's right hand, which had a drop of cream on it.

I feel like I've seen this somewhere before...