Chapter 69 Recalling him sending two photos, you sent two hundred.
Shi Wei sat up from his lap and began flipping through the photos one by one, becoming more and more shocked: "Where did you get so many photos? And why are there videos too?"
These photos and videos were arranged chronologically, and she was surprised to find that the earliest photo was taken in Milan.
"This photo was taken when we first met," the man explained considerately, thinking she hadn't recognized him.
In the photo, she is wearing a blue dress, standing by a flower bed, seemingly talking to the air.
"I was talking to Lu Qi, right? You eliminated him, didn't you?" Shi Wei asked.
The man gave a reserved "hmm".
Shi Wei: "..."
She heard the man's confident voice: "The first time I saw you, I thought you would look beautiful in blue."
Shi Wei: "..." So, was it his idea to change into that dress back then?
She thought to herself, "As expected of royalty, they just casually gave me such an expensive dress to wear."
"But why do you have these photos?!" Shi Wei was getting a little frantic. Some of the photos showed her working at the company, and others showed her on small missions for the Security Bureau. There was no way he would be there in those situations.
Sklag II said casually, "It was given to me by Luce."
Of course, it was because he wanted it that Lu Qi provided it.
Actually, that's not all; he also has photos of her at birth.
Shi Wei cursed Lu Qi in her mind, gaining a new understanding of the Security Bureau's omnipresent surveillance.
The further you look, the more frequently the two people appear in the same frame.
On the day of the first shoot, inside the White Sandalwood Palace, she was fast asleep on the sofa.
Before she could even feel embarrassed, another animated photo popped up. A man in casual clothes walked over, observed her for a while, and then reached out and touched her face.
Shi Wei gave him a disdainful look.
Wow, he actually touched her face while she was asleep.
The man smiled, completely unconcerned by her gaze, and said instead, "Look at the next one."
Shi Wei's hand slipped, and she was speechless with emotion.
The next picture is of a man bending down to kiss her cheek.
"That's indecent assault!" Shi Wei accused. "We weren't even familiar with each other back then! Where's your gentlemanly manners? You're such a scoundrel!"
King Skrag II grabbed her hand and snorted, "I only kissed you once. If I hadn't transferred you back to my side, you would have rekindled your old flame with that Croce boy long ago."
Shi Wei looked at him in surprise.
"Don't think I don't know, you also have a crush on that kid." The man squeezed her hand.
This kind of thing shouldn't be explored too deeply, so Shi Wei quickly changed the subject: "So, does that mean you can kiss me whenever you want?"
"But you look so cute when you're asleep." The man recalled that scene, his heart filled with tenderness, his eyes almost drowning her.
Shi Wei rolled her eyes and continued flipping through the photos.
Sure enough, there were many photos of the two of them alone together. I don't know how he took them, but the angles were extremely tricky, managing to capture an ambiguous atmosphere in what was supposed to be a businesslike scene.
For example, in this picture: she is half-squatting to put protective gear on Leo's forelimbs. Leo's huge head almost knocks her over. Skrag II stands behind her, supporting her back with his knees, pushing Leo's head away with one hand, and naturally placing the other hand on her shoulder.
Every photo was taken from a carefully selected angle. At that time, she only showed respect to this man and would not make eye contact with him. This allowed the man to look at her without restraint and even make some small gestures that went beyond the appropriate distance.
Shi Wei quickly selected dozens of photos. Upon learning that she intended to use these photos to "show affection" in response to the public opinion created by Yi Lan, the man enthusiastically participated, providing even more photos and videos.
Then Secretary Wang received a huge "material package" in her email.
The man also stated that he could assist with filming if specific materials were required.
Shi Wei's lips twitched slightly.
"We've categorized these photos and videos. About a third can be released through other media, while most of the rest can only be released by the official channels themselves, mixed in with recent photos of the same person. These are some drafts we've prepared. These three photos will be included in the news the day after tomorrow." Secretary Wang was very efficient, and submitted the progress report to Shi Wei in just a few days.
These photos will not be published directly, but will be included in articles in various media outlets, waiting to be discovered by those who are interested.
People tend to trust information they discover and infer more readily.
Shi Wei originally wanted to take a slow and steady approach, gradually laying the groundwork so that the public would accept the information little by little. However, His Majesty disagreed, saying, "Yi Lan will definitely use any means necessary to pester you. We can't deal with him in a roundabout way. If he posts two, you post two hundred. After everyone has seen enough, they will know that he is just being unreasonable."
Although it sounded reasonable, it looked like a child throwing a tantrum. Shi Wei coaxed him, "Showing off your love will only lead to a quick breakup. Posting too much is a waste of media resources, and the public will get tired of it."
Not everyone likes the "true love" archetype. Some historians have argued that Skrag I compromised too much with Astar and that he acted on emotion.
“You are a monarch, the ruler of a country. You must maintain your dignity and not treat things like Yi Lan.” Shi Wei said sincerely.
For a powerful monarch like Skrage II, the "true love" persona is merely icing on the cake; too much publicity for it would only backfire, making his image appear unstable.
As for Yi Lan, he was never steady or reliable to begin with, so creating a romantic hero persona for him was not only harmless but also made him seem more positive.
What a messed up world.
"The information we released has been noticed. We have instructed some media outlets to drive traffic to it, and we are also monitoring the content that was reposted. Traffic is being released gradually..." Shi Wei listened to her subordinates' report. This "showing affection" project was just one of the tasks that her team needed to handle.
"The Omega Protection Association has also requested a promotional video and sent a representative to handle the matter, but they hope you will play the lead role."
"Me?" Shi Wei asked, puzzled. "The purpose of this promotional video is to subtly imply the mercenaries kidnapping people. It would seem too deliberate for me to personally participate."
"This is the script they submitted." His subordinate quickly turned on the projector.
A story outline appeared on the central screen. Shi Wei quickly glanced at it and her lips twitched: "Is this really a science popularization video? It feels more like a melodramatic idol drama to me."
The general plot revolves around two A's vying for one O', with a large number of melodramatic tropes mixed in with a few main themes, such as amnesia, forced marriage, and serious illness...
Secretary Wang coughed and said, "The promotional videos produced by their association are mostly aimed at young Omegas, so the effect is similar to a soap opera, but it's very popular and 'extremely' well-received."
She played several clips from the promotional video, and Shi Wei was even more speechless after watching them. She refused, saying, "No, I won't film it."
They're all melodramatic romance dramas featuring handsome Alphas and beautiful Omegas.
Is this really intended for public education?
She thought that refusing would be the end of it, but who knew that the person in charge of the Omega Association would harass Shi Wei for a long time, constantly urging her to film this promotional video.
"What's this kid's background?" Shi Wei asked his subordinates.
“He is a member of the royal family. Do you know Duke Himer? He is Duke Himer’s cousin, a very young Beta lad,” the attendant said.
Duke Himer's father is His Majesty's cousin, an Omega male. Although he is from a collateral branch of the royal family, he holds a high position in the royal family because of his light blue eyes.
Shi Wei remembered that this Omega had also been matched with Skrag II, and it seemed that the compatibility was even higher than that of Queen Eve. However, His Majesty's taste was very traditional, and he did not like men, so he was eliminated in the first round.
“He sent you an invitation,” the attendant said.
"I refuse." Shi Wei dislikes being in the public eye and rarely appears in formal settings with His Majesty, let alone filming those melodramatic promotional videos.
If Yi Lan hadn't kept tormenting her, she might have chosen to remain invisible.
A few days later, Miss Moran asked to meet her.
Shi Wei was eager to meet the beautiful young woman and the wealthy woman, but as soon as she got off the hovercar, a young man with brown hair rushed up to greet her enthusiastically.
"Hello, Miss Shi, I am Jing Chen! It's a pleasure to meet you!" The brown-haired man gave a very standard gentlemanly bow. Shi Wei noticed that his eyes were pure black, like a pair of black pearls, reflecting her image.
Shi Wei nodded in response to him, but did not take his outstretched arm. Instead, she looked at Miss Moran behind the man.
Miss Moran's residence is extremely luxurious, built by the sea, with a superb view.
“He’s a relative of my mother’s side, um… my mother has spoken, so it’s not easy for me to refuse,” Miss Moran explained while Jing Chen was preparing tea and snacks.
This Beta man named Jing Chen was much younger than Shi Wei. He seemed enthusiastic, cheerful, and very outgoing.
He was the person in charge sent by the Omega Association to coordinate the promotional video.
He was also Duke Hemer's younger brother.
"So you and Duke Himer are related?" Shi Wei didn't care about that, and instead asked another question.
Miss Moran breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Yes, Duke Hermer's grandfather was my father's uncle."
It was understood that noble families would intermarry with each other, and since the royal family was also a noble family, many noble families would also intermarry with members of the royal family.
Princes Jiang Chuge and Sirius Milan could be considered cousins, though their blood relation was rather weak. Mr. Allen, the head of the royal family, had provided Shi Wei with something resembling a family tree; the Manla royal family had existed for a thousand years, and their kinship ties were extremely complex.
Jing Chen said his mother was a Sino person, which is why he has a pair of pure black eyes.
Shi Wei is also a Sino person, and her eyes are also black. Jing Chen's eagerness to get along with her couldn't be more obvious.
"Have you done something wrong?" After chatting for a while, Shi Wei lowered her guard against this simple and enthusiastic boy and asked curiously, "Do you need me to plead with His Majesty on your behalf?"
Otherwise, why would a nobleman with no shortage of connections be so attentive to her?
A crack appeared in Jing Chen's smile. He looked pained and aggrieved as he said, "Why won't you believe me? I just wanted you to film this promotional video."
Shi Wei found it hard to understand and reluctantly asked, "Can't you find suitable actors in Manla?"
In today's world, the entertainment industry is still very developed. Although AI can perfectly create the storylines that everyone wants, actors have not lost their jobs as a result. Many people still prefer live performances.
A great empire like Manra has no shortage of live actors.
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