Chapter 28 (Combined Chapters): Who's on top and who's off? This is for me...
Jiang Muzhou tilted his head back and finished the last mouthful of porridge, then leaned back in his chair, rubbing his bloated stomach with one hand.
Su Cheng couldn't help but smile, feeling smug.
Could it be that I am the legendary, once-in-a-century, top-grade rice spirit root?
On her first attempt at making porridge, she managed to get the ever-meticulous young master Jiang to drink every last drop.
Drinking her porridge is like finding a boat.
He couldn't refuse her now.
Taking advantage of his most relaxed and comfortable moment after eating and drinking his fill, Su Cheng's eyes crinkled, like a cunning little fox revealing its tail.
"Could I borrow your tripod?" she asked him expectantly, getting straight to the point.
Jiang Muzhou raised an eyebrow. "Of course, what would you use it for?"
"Last night when I was editing the video, I found that my still shots were very stable, but when the kitten ran, the footage would shake a lot as it moved." She said, while simulating the action of following the kitten, giving a realistic performance without props. "So I was thinking, would using a tripod to stabilize the footage be much better?"
Jiang Muzhou gazed into her sparkling eyes, which were like a burning flame, intense yet scorching.
He belatedly realized that her attentiveness to him was actually for ulterior motives.
At first, he was secretly pleased with himself, thinking that his self-inflicted injury had worked.
She not only ate with him, but also gently helped him apply medicine, like a fawn encountering humans for the first time, innocently stepping into his carefully woven trap of tenderness.
But now it seems that her enthusiasm for making short videos far exceeds her interest in him.
The empty thermos reflected his distorted and twisted face.
Like the Joker in playing cards.
He himself was probably the one who fell into the trap.
He shook his head thoughtfully, "Handheld gimbals are still the most suitable for shooting moving images. Once you lock onto the subject, you can track it stably and automatically."
As he spoke, he led Su Cheng into the study and took out three different models of handheld gimbals from the cabinet.
He weighed each one in his hand and finally chose the lightest white one, handing it to Su Cheng.
Su Cheng's eyes lit up immediately.
Wow, there's such a good thing.
"Download the app and connect it to your phone first. If you don't like it, we'll switch to another one."
Jiang Muzhou attached her phone to the gimbal bracket and skillfully connected and adjusted it.
After adjusting each parameter, he would pause briefly and explain the underlying principle to Su Cheng in simple terms, ensuring that she could easily use it herself.
"This is a touch joystick to control the shooting direction." With a gentle slide of the thumb, the phone's camera rotates smoothly.
He carefully adjusted the gimbal's balance and handed it back to her, saying, "Try operating it."
Although the master leads you through the door, the practice depends on yourself.
But for a photography novice like Su Cheng, having a patient and responsible mentor is extremely important.
She searched for pet photography tutorials online and watched no less than twenty videos, but didn't gain any useful information.
They either pile up technical jargon that laypeople can't understand at all, leaving readers completely confused; or they ramble on and on for ages before finally selling an 88-yuan "nanny-level" course.
Jiang Muzhou's teaching method is quite different.
He knows how to teach according to aptitude, and can always get to the heart of the matter in just a few words. He also guides her to think for herself and form a unique shooting approach.
Su Cheng's gaze quickly swept around the study, and her personal little model, Yuanbao, was not in her usual spot today.
Left with no other choice, she had to point the camera at Jiang Muzhou.
Once the subject is detected, the autofocus frame immediately locks onto his profile.
She held up her phone and circled around him, like a Mercury orbiting the sun.
Suddenly, Mercury moved at a speed exceeding the escape velocity of stars. Centrifugal force overcame the gravitational pull, causing it to break free from its predetermined orbit and move irregularly around the Sun, sometimes near and sometimes far.
But the gimbal's intelligent tracking function was like a magnet; no matter how she moved, Jiang Muzhou's figure always remained firmly in the center of the frame.
"Wow! This is so intelligent!" Su Cheng exclaimed excitedly, like a child who had just received a new toy. "It seems that once it sets its sights on a target, it will never change its mind."
She tilted her head and tapped the menu in the upper left corner, trying to adjust the lighting parameters as Jiang Muzhou had taught her. The pop-up settings window blocked the entire viewfinder.
The face, firmly locked in focus, slowly turned towards the camera, repeating softly, "Yes, once you've made up your mind, it will never change."
-
Today is a weekday, but the animal rescue station was even busier than yesterday.
Apart from two full-time caretakers, the rest of the staff at the shelter are student volunteers.
The video Su Cheng filmed for Fangnaoke yesterday went viral, boosting sales of related products. Student volunteers who were resting at home saw the news and rushed over to help pack and ship the goods.
The warehouse was piled high with packages ready to be shipped. Everyone worked together, with some printing orders and packing goods, some folding boxes and stuffing them with bubble wrap, and others packing and sealing them.
Of course, we also have to thank "Muzhou" for visiting her comment section.
After seeing his comment, she suddenly had a brilliant idea and replied in Fang Naoke's tone:
[Meow~ No, the limited-edition gift pack is for helping more stray animals! But I'll try my best to fulfill your wishes, so I'll go to the warehouse and find some merchandise for you~]
Netizens who spend their lives asking for links saw her reply and within ten minutes, they had thoroughly searched the shelter's shop, even snapping up all the merchandise they had been hoarding.
Soon, cries of "[Hurry up and you'll miss out]" filled the dungeon.
Su Cheng didn't help with packing and shipping, as completing the video shoot was her top priority right now.
She plans to shoot more footage and, while the hype is still going strong, work herself to the bone editing, releasing two episodes a day.
After all, traffic is a mysterious thing. In the Internet age of explosive information growth, she, this newly emerging "post-90s generation", could be swept away by the "post-post-90s generation" at any time.
But unlike the one-star vitality of the square-headed guy, today's protagonist, Huajuan, is much more lively, jumping around and difficult to catch.
Su Cheng was like someone who had just left the beginner village and encountered a side boss. No matter how powerful the red-grade equipment Jiang Muzhou gave her was, it couldn't withstand Hua Juan's snake-like movements.
The gimbal ensured the stability of the image, but the speed of the rolling motion was too fast, and the lens could not keep up with its movements at all, resulting in blurry afterimages.
Don't let its round head fool you; when it runs, it's like it's on nitrous oxide.
Su Cheng felt that all she could inhale was its exhaust fumes as it drifted.
Looking at those videos of the whirlwind of activity, Su Cheng scratched his head helplessly.
She decided to open a short video app and browse the latest trending topics, hoping to find some inspiration for her own videos.
A plump, round Ragdoll cat stands with its back to the camera, its bushy tail swaying left and right to the beat of the music. The photographer skillfully manipulates the light and shadow, capturing the kitten's shadow on the wall with a disco-like atmosphere.
The golden shaded cat, dressed in a sweet maid outfit, blinked its big, watery eyes and threw the softest, cutest cat punches with the most innocent expression. Stepping to the beat of the "Fashion and Strife" BGM, it first transformed into a handsome Western cowboy, and then elegantly transformed into a young lady who had returned from studying abroad.
Su Cheng felt like she had developed an occupational hazard.
When I used to watch videos of kittens being cute, all I could think of was "So cute and adorable!" and "Hakimi, hurry up and go home with Ee!"
Now she unconsciously studies which transition technique was used to connect two segments, why the visuals are so captivating, and what ingenious lighting angles were used.
Sure enough, when a hobby becomes a job, the joy of simply appreciating it is lost.
She scrolled through a few more videos. The kittens were cute, but the trending topics associated with the videos didn't quite match Huajuan's personality.
New notifications kept popping up in the message bar.
I just clicked off a batch of notification red dots, and in the blink of an eye, I have accumulated 99+ unread messages.
Su Cheng never expected this account to become so popular.
Her initial intention in making the videos was to give these little homeless animals more opportunities to be adopted, because more exposure means more hope.
She originally thought that even if she benefited from the fame of "Muzhou", at most she would only attract some fans who like small animals to come and see, and she would be grateful if she could get a few thousand likes.
But in less than a day, her video received over 100,000 likes, and her number of followers exceeded 10,000, and the numbers are still rising.
A thin layer of sweat appeared on my palms.
Actually, Su Cheng was a little nervous.
After all, traffic is a double-edged sword; while gaining popularity, pressure also comes along with it.
Once a large number of people pay attention, even a small detail in the video may be magnified and discussed, or even over-interpreted.
She opened the comments section to see what other netizens were saying.
Perhaps it was the reminder that "kind words create good relationships, while harsh words hurt people's hearts" that had an effect, because her comment section was practically a large-scale praise group team building event.
Half of the people were so charmed by Fang Naoke that they were completely captivated and lost their senses, exclaiming that the earth couldn't turn without the little cat.
The other half of the group directly took up the banner of "Mu Yi Cheng Zhou" (meaning "the boat has been cleared"), while new fans were still digging deep to find sweet moments, and old fans had already consciously transformed into human navigators, pointing the way to the Decepticon documentary.
[The master said I lack iron in my five elements and a sword in my destiny. Can you give me one? /.starry-eyed].
Overnight, the previously ignored comments became solid evidence of the couple's affections, and were immediately pushed to the top of the trending comments.
[The sword is drawn~ The grudges are settled~ Who will laugh~ Since the young lady likes it, I will present this precious sword to her.]
My ideal man is a peerless hero. One day he will come to marry me riding on auspicious clouds and wielding a dragon-spring sword.
[Sisters, look at the timeline!! This is even earlier than the Decepticons movie!!]
Thank you, Daddy and Mommy, our food still tastes the best!
[I am the sword, I bear witness, I have been given to Chengzai by the Boat God.]
[Waaaaah, so my wife already has a husband.]
[Can the extra meteorite iron be used to make a lock? Lock it in place!]
Jiang Muzhou, fearing the comment section wasn't lively enough, simply poured a bucket of oil into the fire.
He casually tossed out four words: "We've been waiting for you."
Su Cheng assumed that this experienced blogger was subtly creating momentum for the so-called "opportunity."
However, the fans in the comments section were unaware of the truth and were in complete chaos.
[Suddenly everything went black; turns out I was overwhelmed by your sweetness.]
[(Screaming) (Stomping) (Crawling in the shadows) You guys are too sweet, sorry!]
[I initially thought it was Chengzai who took the initiative, but it feels like Zhoushen was the one who had been planning this for a long time?]
[Who will go up and who will go down? This is very important to me.]
This is not the bus to kindergarten.
[The doors are welded shut; nobody can get off!]
Looking at these comments, Su Cheng seemed to see a sports car speeding along a highway in her mind, the sound of tires screeching against the ground mixed with the sound of the wind rushing past, disappearing into the distance in an instant.
She suddenly had an inspiration.
No two leaves are exactly alike, just as no two kittens are exactly alike.
She doesn't need to use the same shooting template for every kitten.
-
Su Cheng updates two to three videos every day.
The filming of the first batch of 15 cats waiting to be adopted at the rescue station is nearing completion. Now, only one last shot is needed to bring the project to a successful close.
The most popular one was the video with the steamed bun.
She deliberately kept the first few blurry parkour shots, paired with the sound effects of a racing engine roaring, and added the classic background music from the movie "Initial D," to film Hanamaki speeding along with the style of a racing god on Mount Akina.
The adoption questionnaire for Huajuan was instantly filled out. A Ferrari owner even left a comment under the video, saying that Huajuan's temperament matched his car perfectly and that he had even reserved a passenger seat for it.
The screen was filled with comments like "Cat Cult Leader," "President of the Cloud Cat-Loving Association," and "Cat Video Production Machine," and the sense of accomplishment filled Su Cheng's stomach instead of making her feel full.
She only ate two mouthfuls of rice noodles before being completely captivated by the comments section of the short video platform.
The warm soup splashed onto Su Cheng's face.
The culprit was a beef ball.
I'm so sorry.
Jiang Muzhou, sitting across the table, put down his limp black plastic spoon and quickly apologized.
He pulled out a tissue, intending to wipe the soup stains off her cheeks.
Seeing her exquisite makeup, and fearing that I might accidentally smudge it, I simply handed her a tissue.
Su Cheng saw that his right hand was not fully healed and his left hand was not very skillful, yet he still insisted on adding beef balls and sausages, which were "hellish" level ingredients that were difficult to pick up, to the rice noodles.
Ever since he ate Chaoshan hot pot last time, he's been thinking about beef balls all the time; he's probably addicted to them.
She had a similar experience; for a while, she was particularly obsessed with the crispy chicken strips sold near the school gate and would eat them several times in a row before she would stop.
Su Cheng took a clean ceramic spoon from the cupboard and sat down next to him.
She picked up a beef ball, put it in a spoon, and gently blew on it to cool it down. Seeing that he naturally turned his head away, she held the spoon to his mouth.
Her gaze fell on the scar on Jiang Muzhou's hand, and a pang of guilt rose in her heart.
Most of the scabs have faded, and the new skin has a faint pinkish hue.
During high school, Su Cheng never noticed how beautiful Jiang Muzhou's hands were.
When he handed her the school uniform, or lent her his notes, she always kept her head down, afraid to look at him, as if looking at him for even a second would reveal her feelings.
Later, she followed "Du". Occasionally, her hand, with its distinct joints, slender and clean, would appear at the edge of the screen, and even the veins on the back of her hand could be clearly seen.
On the day Jiang Muzhou and "Crossing" were joined together, a scar was forever added to the back of his fair hand.
Jiang Muzhou got his wish and as he lowered his head to take the beef ball, he caught a strange aroma at the tip of his nose.
Unlike her usual light rose scent, the fragrance at this moment was exceptionally rich, with an indescribable sweetness.
Perhaps because some powder had been rubbed off, Su Cheng took out a powder compact from her bag and gently pressed it onto her face to touch up her makeup.
A sense of unease arose in Jiang Muzhou's heart.
She wore delicate light makeup today, with her eyes slightly upturned at the corners, making her eyes appear larger and more expressive.
That small white leather handbag was like a treasure trove. She took out a lipstick and carefully applied it to her lips using the small mirror that came with the powder compact.
Jiang Muzhou's gaze unconsciously fell on her lips.
Her light pink lips were clean and translucent, with a glossy sheen like a honey-colored grapefruit.
"This lipstick shade suits you very well." Jiang Muzhou's praise was tinged with a hint of probing.
Su Cheng raised an eyebrow in surprise, her face showing an expression that said, "You even know about lipstick shades?"
He obviously didn't understand any of this; he was just using this as an excuse to make the following questions seem more natural.
Why are you wearing makeup today?
"I'm going to see someone important."
Su Cheng pursed her lips, which she had just applied. Sure enough, the "man-slaying" color recommended by the sales assistant was something else; even a straight man like Jiang Muzhou thought it looked good.
She turned her head to avoid Jiang Muzhou's gaze, and grinned to check if there were any lipstick marks on her teeth.
Jiang Muzhou's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, his unease growing stronger. "Are we going to the shelter?"
She nodded readily in acknowledgment.
After confirming that her makeup was flawless, she snapped the lipstick shut, stuffed it into her bag, and stood up to leave.
Jiang Muzhou's already furrowed brows tightened even more.
Didn't you say you had already rejected Lin Yang last time? Why did you dress up so elaborately to meet her?
Could it be that Lin Yang's sense of humor has increased dramatically in just a few days, exceeding the threshold?
Or is it... that a new competitor has emerged?
His phone screen suddenly lit up, displaying a to-do list reminding him that he needed to go to the hospital to have his stitches removed today.
His fingernails gradually dug into his palm, and Jiang Muzhou said in a deep voice, "I'll drive you there."
"Huh?" Su Cheng turned around, her gaze sweeping over the injury on the back of his hand. "Can you even hold a steering wheel with that hand?"
Just now, I could clearly not even hold a spoon properly.
Jiang Muzhou didn't give her a chance to refuse, and took the car keys to go out with her.
"I was going to the hospital to get my stitches removed, and it just so happened to be on my way."
-
Having hitched a ride with Jiang Muzhou, Su Cheng arrived twenty minutes earlier than agreed.
As the popularity of the short video account continued to rise, Wendy and the two veterans worked overtime to review adoption applications.
After a rigorous selection process, half of the kittens have been moved to new homes and are about to begin a happy 15-year life of luxury and wealth.
After the kittens found new homes, the shelter had more space to rescue more stray animals, creating a positive cycle of continuous rescue efforts.
The rescue station is in short supply of more than just cage space.
Daily expenses like cat food and canned food are relatively minor; the real money-burning expense is medical treatment for stray animals.
Many cats and dogs are abandoned while they are sick. Some are sick cats deliberately abandoned by unscrupulous cat dealers, while others are abandoned by their owners who do not want to spend money on treatment.
Wendy spent several thousand dollars on hospital fees alone when she performed surgery on the female cat whose belly was entangled in wire.
The pet hospital where she works is already very ethical, charging only cost price for treating stray animals, but the costs of medicine, anesthesia, equipment, and ICU wards are all clearly stated.
There are also some kittens that have been abused and disabled; some will never see the light of day, and some will never be able to run or jump.
Kittens that have lost their ability to care for themselves require adopters to give them double the love and patience, and finding them a warm home is even more difficult.
What they are doing is like a group of ants building a dam with their bodies, trying to stop a raging flood.
However, the good news is that the "ant colony" is growing stronger and stronger.
After the video went viral, sales of the rescue station's merchandise also soared.
Last time, the surrounding area sold out immediately. A volunteer working in the e-commerce industry designed a pre-sale plan that can effectively manage inventory and flexibly adjust production quantities based on pre-sale conditions.
Newly arrived products are displayed on the warehouse shelves.
The Decepticons' temperature-sensitive color-changing cards are neatly stacked, next to a badge blind box designed by Su Cheng, containing adorable badges made from official photos of 15 kittens.
She opened the samples sent by the factory and placed the badges one by one on the windowsill.
Sunlight streamed through the glass, gilding the fifteen round cat heads with a fluffy golden edge, making them look like a group of kittens lazily sunbathing.
At that moment, the person she was waiting for finally arrived.
"You are, Su Cheng?" The sweet voice carried a hint of uncertainty.
Su Cheng turned around and met a face hidden behind Cartier sunglasses.
"Wow! I actually saw the leader of the Cat Cult in person!" The girl took off her sunglasses, revealing a face that Su Cheng found familiar but couldn't recall the name of.
Although everyone online loves to call her that, Su Cheng felt a sense of shame, as if her identity had been exposed, when she suddenly heard this nickname in real life.
The girl realized she had forgotten to introduce herself and quickly added, "Hello, hello, I'm Huajuan's adoptive parent, I've contacted you before!" She was both nervous and excited, and the amethyst four-leaf clover necklace around her neck swayed gently with her rapid breathing.
"Let me take you to meet Huajuan." Su Cheng led the girl towards the reception room and carefully carried out the airline case.
Actually, Su Cheng wasn't in charge of the kitten adoption procedures, but after the adopter was approved, she specifically messaged her, saying that she had the idea of adopting a stray cat after watching her video and really wanted to meet her in person.
Su Cheng glanced at the private message and realized it was from the Ferrari owner who had left a comment in her comment section before!
After all, Huajuan was her favorite kitten among them, and it would be a good opportunity for her to meet the little guy's future owner, so Su Cheng readily agreed.
Su Cheng lifted the blanket covering the flight case, and Huajuan's round eyes immediately lit up. In the dim light, its pupils appeared exceptionally large.
"Phew! It's even cuter than it looks in the video!" the girl couldn't help but exclaim softly, her voice brimming with joy.
"Because the video only focused on highlighting its speed and passion." Su Cheng smiled. "But as you should know from the video, its vitality level is five stars. You have to play with it for a long time every day, and it's best to have a spacious activity area."
"Mmm, I know." The girl tilted her head and smiled, her gaze sliding from Huajuan to Su Cheng's face. "I turned the golf course in the backyard into a cat playground, and even customized a slide with scratching boards and a swing for it."
Su Cheng's eyes widened suddenly, displaying an expression that seemed to say, "Is this still in China?"
Her current level of shock was a hundred times more exaggerated than when she saw the Ralph Lauren geometric rug at Jiang Muzhou's house. Her inner monologue was like: "Huajuan, Huajuan, you've reached the pinnacle of cat life, but don't forget about us!"
To avoid sounding naive to her fans, she suppressed her inner turmoil and quickly regained her composure with a smile, saying, "If you encounter any problems while raising your pet, feel free to contact us anytime."
She handed the adoption agreement to the girl, saying, "This is the adoption agreement. Please take a look at the terms. If there are no problems, please sign here. There are two copies."
As Su Cheng and Hua Juan bid each other a reluctant farewell, Wu Xin's voice drifted in from the doorway of the reception room, "Su Su, someone is looking for you outside."
"Who is it?" Su Cheng looked up in surprise. Sister Wen hadn't told her that other adopters were coming today.
"I don't know either." Wu Xin poked her head out halfway, scratching her chin, unsure how to describe it.
After a long pause, she finally found a precise word in her mind: "It seems to be a swordsman."
Author's note: Jiang Muzhou: Riding on the Longquan sword, I come to marry my beloved.
20 red envelopes to thank everyone for their support! [roses][roses]
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