The "Leap" brand's advertising campaign was produced at an astonishing speed and released online during prime time. In the video, Su Nian and Xie Chen, dressed in matching sportswear, are seen running side by side, giving each other a high five, or... touching foreheads and gazing deeply into each other's eyes in a vibrant setting.
In the final shot, Su Nian looks up at Xie Chen with just the right amount of reliance and trust in her eyes, while Xie Chen looks down at her. Although his expression is still cold, his focused gaze makes it seem as if the whole world has turned to her alone.
The advertising slogan "Youthful Vigor, Fighting Side by Side" paired with rousing background music creates a powerful and impactful effect.
Overnight, the video garnered over 100 million views, and related topics dominated the trending searches.
[#LinNianFightingSideBySide# Holy crap! This visual appeal! This charisma! It completely blows away the Chinese entertainment industry!]
[That last eye contact killed me! Lin's eyes are so captivating! Nianbao is so sweet!]
This is the right way for esports couples to be! Gods, lock them up!
[Those who previously criticized Su Nian, please apologize! This girl has both beauty and talent; Lin's judgment was spot on!]
The comment sections of the official Weibo accounts for the Gods esports team and the "Leap" brand were completely flooded with the CP (couple) fans' frenzy. Wang Pangzi, watching the soaring number of followers and the snowflakes of collaboration invitations pouring in, grinned from ear to ear.
Su Nian scrolled through her phone, looking at the screen full of "perfect match" and "so cute together," her feelings as complicated as a ball of yarn that had been played with by a cat.
What? You guys didn't see the way he looked at me like I was an alien! And that eye contact, all I could think about was 'Is he counting my pores?' and 'If we keep looking at each other like that, my heart will start racing!' I was internally ranting, but my fingers honestly saved a few really nice photos of the two of us.
[Ugh... Host... Says one thing but does another... Behavior... Detection...]
[Advertising effect...positive...points...slight increase...redeemable...limited edition...cherry blossom flavor...potato chips...]
088's voice carried a hint of seduction.
"Shut up! Who's being hypocritical?! I'm just conducting necessary market research! Getting feedback from my target audience!" Su Nian retorted righteously, then subconsciously swallowed. ...Cherry blossom flavored potato chips, sounds pretty good?
The effects of the advertising were immediate. The Gods team received more invitations to practice matches, and they were overwhelmed with commercial offers. Su Nian and Xie Chen, on the other hand, were forcibly tied together by Fatty Wang, becoming inseparable "Siamese twins" in various activities.
Variety shows, media interviews, brand appearances... wherever they go, they are required to show a "sweet and tacit understanding".
Xie Chen seemed to gradually "adapt" to this bond. He was still a man of few words, but in front of the camera, he would subconsciously stand a little forward to Su Nian's side, forming a protective stance; when she answered questions, his gaze would naturally fall on her; during game interactions, he would choose her as his teammate without hesitation and give her the best equipment.
These details were captured and magnified by the camera, further solidifying their "e-sports legendary couple" persona.
But only Su Nian knew what kind of undercurrents were surging behind this "tacit understanding".
At an offline fan signing event, the crowd was immense. An excited male fan broke through security, nearly shoving his phone into Su Nian's face, trying to force a photo. Xie Chen almost instantly stepped in front of Su Nian, deflecting the fan's phone with one hand and instinctively putting his other arm around Su Nian's waist, pulling her behind him. His face was frighteningly dark, his eyes sharp as knives, and the oppressive aura he exuded made the surrounding air freeze for a few seconds.
"Keep your distance." His voice was cold, carrying an undeniable warning.
The fan was intimidated by his imposing presence and awkwardly retreated.
Su Nian was held tightly behind him, feeling the burning heat of his hands and the irresistible strength around her waist, and her heart raced again.
My inner monologue: Holy crap! This protectiveness... no, this possessiveness is practically overflowing the screen! That look just now was exactly like when a vampire prince sees someone eyeing his blood pack! Xie Chen, wake up! This is a society governed by law! You can't just kill someone with your eyes!
After the event, on the way back to the base, Xie Chen remained silent, his aura somewhat tense. Su Nian secretly observed him and noticed that his brows were slightly furrowed, and his fingers were unconsciously rubbing the hand that had just wrapped around her waist, as if confirming something, or perhaps restraining something.
Was he... also confused by his loss of control just now? Su Nian wondered to herself. After all, in the memories of 'Lin God' in this world, there was no setting where he would try to knock down anyone who got close to him at the drop of a hat.
Besides Xie Chen's increasingly obvious clingy and food-protective behavior, Su Nian also vaguely sensed that something else was wrong.
The person in charge of the "Leap" brand, a middle-aged man named Manager Li, always looked at her with an overly scrutinizing gaze, not like he was looking at a collaborating artist, but more like he was... assessing the value of a product? After several encounters, he would "casually" ask her about the details of her game operation, reaction speed, and even her daily routine.
At first, Su Nian thought it was just the brand's concern about the spokesperson's condition, but the more questions they asked, the more wary she became.
Did they discover something? Did they realize my actions weren't like a normal person's? Su Nian's heart pounded. That shouldn't be the case. I've been very restrained. At most, I'm just a little bit better at awareness and a little bit faster at reaction time than the average professional player… Okay, maybe much better, but it shouldn't be enough to make them suspect I'm an alien, right?
She tried to get some information from 088, but the foodie system had crashed again after it promoted cherry blossom-flavored potato chips, and it didn't respond no matter how she called it.
That day, Manager Li came to the base again, ostensibly to "care about the spokesperson's training life," but he deliberately chose a time when Xie Chen was called away by the head coach for a private review session, and found Su Nian drinking water in the rest area.
"Xiao Su, training must be tough lately, right?" Manager Li smiled kindly and handed over a beautifully packaged glass of juice. "This is our brand's new functional beverage, it's refreshing and invigorating, have a taste."
Su Nian thanked them and accepted the gift, but a warning bell rang in her mind: Unsolicited kindness is either a trap or a thief!
Sure enough, after a few pleasantries, Manager Li changed the subject: "Xiao Su, I've watched a lot of your match recordings and found your playing style to be very...unique. Especially your vision control and timing, it's simply not like the awareness you'd expect from a player of this rank...uh, not like someone this age. Do you have any special training methods, or...use any auxiliary tools?"
He asked the question tactfully, but Su Nian understood the underlying meaning—he suspected she was cheating!
My inner rage instantly exploded: A cheat tool?! You're the one cheating! Your whole family cheats! This is the consciousness and reaction I gained through countless hardships, traversing multiple worlds, and with my soul and tears! How dare you question it?!
On the surface, however, he had to maintain his composure, showing an innocent yet slightly aggrieved expression: "Manager Li, you're joking. There are no special tools. It's probably just... talent plus hard work, right? Besides, our competitions are supervised by referees, so it's impossible to use those kinds of things."
Manager Li stared into her eyes, seemingly trying to find a flaw, before finally smiling. "Hehe, I was just asking casually, don't mind it. It's just that your performance was so outstanding that it made me curious." He paused, lowering his voice, "Actually, our brand is also involved in some... cutting-edge technology fields, and we're very interested in some 'special' talents. If you have anything 'special' about you, perhaps we can have a deeper collaboration..."
Alarm bells rang in Su Nian's mind! Cutting-edge technology? Special talent? In-depth cooperation?
This doesn't sound like something a sportswear brand should be concerned about!
After seeing off the meaningful Manager Li, Su Nian sat there, unable to calm down for a long time.
Something's not right. This "Leap" brand is definitely suspicious! Are they connected to the Main God Space? Or are they investigating an "anomaly" in this world? Has my identity been exposed?
She felt a chill. If there really was something wrong with "Leap," then weren't she and Xie Chen operating right under the enemy's nose?
Just as she was feeling extremely confused, Xie Chen finished his debriefing and walked over. He seemed to keenly sense Su Nian's low spirits.
"What's wrong?" He sat down next to her, so close that their arms were almost touching.
Su Nian hesitated, unsure whether she should tell him about Manager Li's unusual behavior. Xie Chen's memories were currently confused and his power was suppressed; would telling him increase unnecessary risks?
"It's nothing, I'm just a little tired." She ultimately chose to keep it a secret for the time being.
Xie Chen looked at her, but didn't ask any further questions. He simply sat silently with her. After a while, as if remembering something, he took something out of his pocket and handed it to Su Nian.
It was a simple silver brooch with an interwoven pattern of stars and ice runes—a miniature version of the star and ice crystal emblem he wore between his brows in the Silent Ice Abyss!
Su Nian's pupils contracted slightly: "This is...?"
"Wear it." Xie Chen's tone was calm, but carried an air of undeniable authority. "Next time, don't wear so little." He was referring to the sleeveless dress Su Nian wore at today's autograph session, which was provided by the brand.
Su Nian looked at the brooch containing a faint source of power, and her heart skipped a beat again.
He...he remembers? Or is his very essence unconsciously shaping something to protect her?
She took the brooch, her fingertips touching the cold metal, yet she could feel a familiar, comforting warmth.
"Thank you," she said softly, pinning the brooch to her collar.
Xie Chen watched the brooch gleam at her collar, and something seemed to settle deep within his eyes. He reached out and very naturally tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his fingertips brushing against her earlobe unintentionally.
Su Nian froze, her ears turning bright red instantly.
My mind was racing: Here we go again! This damn, unconscious flirting! And that brooch... is it for protection, or just another form of marking?!
Xie Chen looked at her flushed ears and darting eyes, and the corners of his mouth curved almost imperceptibly before returning to calm.
"I'm going back." He stood up.
Su Nian touched the slightly cool brooch on her chest, looking at Xie Chen's silent yet satisfied back, feeling as if she were being caught in an increasingly dense net.
On one side of the internet are brands eyeing the market with unclear intentions, and on the other side is a gradually awakening, increasingly possessive, and obsessive god-like figure.
What should she, an astronomy writer who just wants to complete her task and have some potato chips along the way, do?
[Buzz...Special energy imprint detected...Binding...]
[Safety level...slightly improved...]
[Host... good luck... sizzle...]
088's voice carried a hint of schadenfreude as it logged off again.
Su Nian: "..." Thank you!
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