The original words weren't "The moon is beautiful," but rather "The moonlight is beautiful," which is a subtle way of saying "I love you."
Zhuang Yan's eyes were stung by the wind, and he squinted as he replied, "Close the window a little smaller, the wind is too strong."
Lu Yan turned to look at Zhuang Yan, who was driving intently. The wind whipped her hair across her face. She scratched her hair and sighed, "Idiot."
There wasn't much to photograph on the road, so the photographer turned off the camera and fell asleep in the back seat.
"Our show has been trending on social media since it started airing, and we have millions of viewers clicking into the live stream alone." Bored on the way, Lu Yan started a conversation with Zhuang Yan.
Each guest was assigned a live stream room, meaning that nearly ten million people watched online simultaneously, generating over one hundred million views.
"Xia Wan is also watching you in the live stream."
Huh? The topic shifted so quickly, it almost caught me off guard. Why did it suddenly bring up Xia Wan?
"You don't know yet, do you? Xia Wan also participated in this program, but she's as an observer, along with Gu Qian." Lu Yan rolled up the car window, leaving only a small gap, and while speaking, she observed Zhuang Yan's expression. After all, they had been together for three years and almost got married. She wanted to see if Zhuang Yan had broken up with Xia Wan completely and if he still liked her.
Zhuang Yan's expression showed surprise for only a moment.
He knew that Gu Qian would be joining the variety show as an observer when he signed the contract. At the time, he thought the director was good at seizing hot topics. He didn't expect that Xia Wan would be invited as well.
What's going on here? Is this some kind of ex-partner reunion?
Zhuang Yan had already deeply felt the show crew's mentality of watching the drama unfold from the sidelines.
What can Xia Wan observe in the observation room? Is she observing his date with Lu Yan, or observing him sending flirtatious signals to her best friend?
A fleeting unease crossed my mind.
His breakup with Xia Wan wasn't exactly amicable. Given Xia Wan's personality, she probably wanted to see him fail. The more miserable he was, the happier she would be. Unfortunately, she was going to be disappointed.
"Is our variety show really rich? How come we can invite just anyone?"
In other variety shows, sponsors are everywhere, and there are often commercials inserted, but we didn't see any of that in this show from the beginning. Maybe the boss behind it is too rich to need sponsors anymore.
Unexpectedly, Zhuang Yan's first reaction was this. He was always different from others and said surprising things. Lu Yan chuckled and said in a low voice, "Is it possible that he was not invited by the production team, but came to us on his own initiative?"
Xia Wan did it this way, and so did she and Jiang Ning. They joined for free without paying any fees, all for you.
Lu Yan added, "Besides this matter, there are a few other things I need to tell you. Be prepared."
Zhuang Yan subconsciously gripped the steering wheel: "You say it." As long as it didn't involve his life, he could accept anything.
Lu Yan told Zhuang Yan everything about the trending topics online.
"The whole internet already knows about your breakup with the Zhuang family. Not only that, the Xia family has also bought a lot of smear articles about you, spreading rumors that you cheated on Xia Wan during your relationship and frequented nightclubs."
So that's what happened. He was also smeared online during this period in his previous life, but it wasn't this serious. It seems that his annulment of the engagement has angered many people, who are resorting to such low-class methods to retaliate against him.
It was better than expected, so Zhuang Yan could accept it completely, but...
"When did I cheat on you by going to a nightclub?" Zhuang Yan asked.
"Some of these are AI-generated face swaps..."
"You believe that?"
“They’ll just watch it for fun. They don’t care about the truth.” Lu Yan smoothed a strand of hair from her face. “I have evidence of their slander. What do you want to do with it? I suggest you hire a lawyer to sue them for defamation. They’ll win every time. These kinds of illegal and disorderly things should be left to professionals.”
Zhuang Yan didn't answer, but instead asked curiously, "When did you find out?"
"yesterday."
I found out yesterday, and they found evidence so quickly?
"You're handing over this evidence to me to handle? Aren't you afraid it will affect your relationship with the Xia family?"
"What is the Xia family? The Lu family can't even touch me. It's just that Zhuang Zhongming got involved in this matter. If you can't take action yourself, I can help you."
Zhuang Yan didn't believe in free lunches. He believed that everything has its price, and any advantage one gains would eventually have to be repaid.
“I have nothing to give you. You know I’ve cut ties with the bookmakers, so I don’t even have any money now.”
Zhuang Yan told him bluntly that he had no money and it was impossible for him to be with him; he wouldn't sell his body for such things.
Looking at it this way, he has absolutely no value to exchange.
Zhuang Yan didn't want to owe Lu Yan a favor, and just as Zhuang Yan was preparing to refuse, Lu Yan said, "I do have something I really want. After the date, the production team will ask us to send out 'heart-fluttering' text messages again. I hope you will send me this one."
That's it?
"No content restrictions?"
"You can send it to me as you like, but you can only give it to me, not to anyone else."
Lu Yan knew that when pursuing a man, she had to proceed gradually and not be too hasty. She also had to maintain an air of mystery to arouse his curiosity and desire to explore. If she could force him to be with her with a little favor, then all she would get was an empty shell without a soul.
Zhuang Yan thought to himself: What's the difference between this and getting something for nothing?
Lu Yan said there was a big difference; at least she told him in advance, showing him respect by not making a decision on her own.
Lu Yan has been thinking a lot these past two days. Doing good deeds without telling him seems pointless. She's pursuing a man, so how can she let him know everything she's done to pursue him if she doesn't tell him?
She wanted Zhuang Yan to know that she cared about him, that she was always watching over him, worried about him, and protecting him.
Men probably need this kind of security too, right?
Lu Yan was pursuing a man for the first time and couldn't grasp the right balance. All her experience came from online searches, such as how boys prefer sexy girls to innocent and cute girls, and how an unintentional touch could trigger their hormones.
Attract him with beauty, keep him in check with personality, create a sense of urgency for him with independence, and give him a sense of security with respect. Too far and he's afraid of being strangers; too close and he's afraid of being bothersome; too little and he's afraid of things fading away; too much and he's afraid of being clingy. It's so difficult...
Lu Yan waited quietly for Zhuang Yan to think it over. If Zhuang Yan rejected her, she would not be discouraged and would still secretly help him resolve these matters.
"Besides evidence that I've been smeared and slandered, what else is in the things you've prepared?"
"There's also evidence of tax evasion by several of the Xia family's subsidiaries. This trouble will keep them busy for a while, and the dealer also has..."
Zhuang Yan made a decision: "I don't need the owner's money, I'll do it myself."
Zhuang Yan knew his parents quite well; they were willing to sacrifice their loved ones for their own interests. Zhuang Zhongming's behavior of fawning over Xia Qingshan clearly showed that he had forgotten the warning he had given him.
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