Gu Ran saw the username "wdlpml" sitting at the top of the "Sign up here if you want to be spoiled by Ranran" list, and her expression twitched slightly.
The fans in the live stream were happily looking at the ranking list, trying to find their own IDs near the top.
Then everyone's eyes immediately landed on that "wdlpml" occupying the number one spot.
Everyone was far too familiar with who this person was.
From being a random string of characters, a Level 0 account that somehow won a VIP ticket to the Cat Paw Carnival, causing public outrage and getting kicked out of the fan group, to later single-handedly throwing down 580,000 in the idol charging event during the sports festival, storming back into everyone's sight as a "no-name fringe fan," and most recently, meddling in the core fan chat group by saying it was inappropriate for everyone to call Ranran "wifey."
Everyone stared at this number one ranked wdlpml: "..."
Even though it was just a playful sign-up list, everyone who had been frantically clicking the dialog box moments ago had a bit of a competitive streak.
Jealousy makes people irritable.
[How! The! Hell! Is! It! Him! Again!]
[Last time, a Level 0 account winning the ticket was absurd enough. This time, how does he get to be first in line! We have to be behind him!]
[I seriously suspect he's using hacks or has connections. @Supervisor, please check his account, okay?]
[So mad, really so mad. The two most important spots, the top donor and first in line, are both taken by him. What gives him the right!]
[What, are you amazing just because you're rich and have fast fingers, you no-name fringe fan without even proper fan status @wdlpml]
[Being first in line won't get you Ranran either. Ranran's romance with the CEO will be exposed tomorrow, piss you off, piss you off!]
[Yeah! Even the CEO is still waiting in line, so how could it be your turn? @wdlpml]
[I'd rather ship the domineering CEO and the streamer couple than let a no-name fringe fan like you succeed @wdlpml]
Gu Ran looked at the barrage of comments in her live stream: "..."
Was this the legendary "If I can't have it, neither can you"?
Because this wdlpml was so universally irritating, they'd rather have the prestigious CEO up front.
Knowing exactly who this wdlpml was, Gu Ran felt complicated emotions. Then, seeing that "domineering CEO x streamer" CP mention, her face darkened.
Ever since the "Princess of Xinbo" nickname surfaced, some people had begun to vaguely ship the mysterious CEO x seductive streamer persona CP. However, they held back, fearing the CEO might have a wealthy fiancée. Recently, they discovered not only was there no wealthy fiancée, but the CEO was actually the one pursuing her.
So it seemed some people had started seriously shipping it for real. The source of their "sugar" was the paparazzi's sneak photos, which were shot with such a strong, atmospheric vibe that they pulled quite a few people into the ship.
Gu Ran placed the "Want to be spoiled" sign-up list in the interactive panel next to the main interface of her live stream. She then explained that the list was just for fun, urging everyone not to get too worked up or engage in personal attacks. Finally, she started singing today's usual sweet song.
After the stream ended, Gu Ran called Ji Shiyu, hands on her hips in speechless exasperation: "Should I praise your fast fingers or ask if you have too much free time?"
Ji Shiyu asked over the phone, "Since I'm first, does that mean you'll really spoil me?"
Gu Ran: "...?"
First, she wondered if she'd heard wrong. Then, she was shocked by Ji Shiyu's level of shamelessness.
This dog man actually wanted her, a working girl, to spoil him?
Anyone else might be okay, but not Ji Shiyu, the one who had once spoiled her.
She had only earned how much money, and he already had the audacity to want her to support him, dreaming of that happy life where he doesn't have to work hard and gets spoiled every day.
"I absolutely will not spoil you," Gu Ran gritted her teeth. "Please have some self-respect!"
...
Screenshots from Gu Ran's live stream, where she stated she didn't accept the billion-yuan diamond and didn't need to marry into a wealthy family to achieve financial freedom herself, spread online.
The persona of "Rich Lady Ran" was being circulated with conviction—so wealthy she could seemingly ignore the pursuit of the Xinbo CEO. This sparked widespread public curiosity about just how much a top female streamer could earn.
Even her former plastic-surgery clique "sisters" sent her WeChat messages, subtly probing about how much one could earn as a streamer. It sounded amazing, and they wanted to give it a try too.
Gu Ran never imagined this day would come.
Before, she was afraid others would find out she was a streamer and laugh at her. Now, people were asking her how to become a streamer because they wanted to try.
Gu Ran replied to the plastic sisters and saw the work schedule Ding Ze had sent her.
It had been a while since she last recorded "Celebrity Charge Forward." After the show aired, because she had great variety show sense and was funny, Cat Paw received many variety show invitations. One virtual dating show was deemed unsuitable by both Cat Paw and Gu Ran. Another travel show was scrapped because it required being away for over half a month with no streaming during that period.
Gu Ran saw the name of the show Ding Ze sent this time: "Our Little Cabin." It was described as a rural cohabitation slow-life variety show, inviting her as a permanent resident. The recording period was fourteen days in total.
Gu Ran frowned at the words "recording period: fourteen days in total," hesitating, "Isn't that a bit too long? It wouldn't be good for me not to stream for two whole weeks, right?"
She still thought being a guest star, recording for just two or three days at a time, was more suitable.
Ding Ze was being mysterious: "You don't need to worry about that at all. Do you know why the show invited you and why we think you should take it?"
Gu Ran: "Why?"
Ding Ze: "The program is doing live streaming!"
"Our Little Cabin" was in its second season. The first season did well, and for the second season, the production team adopted a bolder format, deciding to live stream the entire process of the guests' lives during recording, later editing it down into a twelve-episode highlights version for TV broadcast.
Because they were doing full live streaming this year, the production team set their sights on the current queen of live streaming, the seductive streamer being pursued by the Xinbo CEO (a man of questionable behavior), Cat Paw's number one beauty, Gu Ran.
Ding Ze: "During the recording, fans can not only see you every day, they can even see you twenty-four hours a day."
Ding Ze sent Gu Ran a detailed document.
The last show Gu Ran participated in, "Celebrity Charge Forward," was a web variety show. This time, "Our Little Cabin" would be broadcast on Fruit TV, a major satellite channel. The first season of this show consistently ranked first in its time slot. In terms of celebrity status, Gu Ran wouldn't normally receive an invitation to be a permanent resident on a satellite TV show. However, her unique position as the current streaming queen was the main reason the production team, which had decided to incorporate live streaming this season, chose to invite her. They aimed to leverage Gu Ran's live streaming popularity to draw viewers to the show during the live streaming period.
Gu Ran saw the recording fee on the information sheet and gulped.
As expected of a major TV station's key project, they were incredibly generous.
She immediately replied to Ding Ze: "I'll take it!"
...
The news that streamer Gu Ran would become a permanent resident on Fruit TV's hit variety show "Our Little Cabin" Season 2 was released. Some initially commented sourly that this streamer's resources were too good, as expected of a princess. However, seeing the live streaming format during the recording period, it was clearly justifiable to choose her.
The fans in the live stream were initially lamenting that they wouldn't see Ranran for half a month. But when they heard there would be live streams during the program recording, they all started celebrating as if it were New Year.
Gu Ran also announced in her live stream that she would be participating in the program recording, saying, "For the next few days, you'll be seeing me from a different location."
"The link to the program's live stream is pinned in my streamer updates, don't forget it."
[Beauty Gu Ran is going global! Go for it!]
Then a fan asked: [Ranran, where is this season being recorded?]
[Can you tell us who else is recording at the same time?]
Gu Ran answered cautiously: "I can't reveal that yet, the production team requires confidentiality. You'll all know when the time comes."
After answering the fans' questions, Gu Ran ended the live stream and saw that Ding Ze had just sent her the flight information.
The recording location was in a remote but scenic small village in West Province. The other regular cast members also had good reputations within the industry.
Gu Ran started packing her luggage.
She laid open her suitcase and began putting in things she might need during the recording.
While Gu Ran was picking out clothes from her wardrobe, she received a call.
Ji Shiyu asked her: "Can I come up?"
"I have something I want to bring over."
Gu Ran looked out the window and saw Ji Shiyu's car parked downstairs. She thought for a moment, then said, "Oh."
After opening the door, Gu Ran saw Ji Shiyu holding something—a bag from He Ji, containing crayfish.
It was indeed that.
Gu Ran took the crayfish: "Thank you."
Ji Shiyu tentatively asked: "Can I sit for a bit?"
"Half an hour," he added.
Gu Ran looked at him, then turned around holding the crayfish, leaving the door open.
Ji Shiyu entered.
Gu Ran decided to stop packing for now anyway she had all of tomorrow. She sat down at the coffee table, turned on the TV, and started eating the crayfish.
Ji Shiyu saw the open suitcase by the bedroom door.
He had been away on a business trip for the past couple of days. As soon as he returned, he heard the news that Gu Ran had accepted a spot as a regular on a variety show and was going to West Province to record.
This time, Gu Ran didn't take the food and ask him to leave immediately.
Ji Shiyu sat down and asked, "How many days is the recording?"
Gu Ran opened the sealed container, the aroma filling the entire living room. She answered, "Two weeks."
Ji Shiyu felt that was quite long. However, he didn't say anything, just watched as Gu Ran picked up a crayfish and started peeling it.
Ji Shiyu also took one. Gu Ran gave him a strange look, wondering to herself when he had changed his tastes, when Ji Shiyu placed the peeled crayfish meat in front of her.
Gu Ran looked at the crayfish meat in front of her, then ate it anyway.
Neither of them spoke, leaving only the sound from the TV program.
The spice made Gu Ran's lips bright red. She gasped for air between bites and tilted her head back to finish a can of cola.
Half an hour passed quickly. The crayfish were finished, the shells piled into a small hill.
Gu Ran went to the bathroom to wash her hands. When she came out, she saw Ji Shiyu cleaning up the shell debris from the coffee table.
She took a breath. Faced with this version of Ji Shiyu, she seemed at a loss for words.
Her phone rang.
It was Ding Ze, another video call.
Gu Ran moved to a spot where the front-facing camera wouldn't capture Ji Shiyu and answered.
Ding Ze: "A sponsor sent a few outfits to me for you. Do you want to see if you like..."
He stopped mid-sentence, staring puzzled at his phone screen.
It was only when Ding Ze stalled that Gu Ran horrifyingly realized she had actually opened the rear-facing camera this time, and the lens was pointed right at the living room.
Shit. Frightened, she quickly switched to the front camera. Hopefully, she was far enough away that Ding Ze hadn't seen clearly. Just as she was about to explain, Ding Ze, full of confusion, asked: "Why is there someone cleaning in your house so late?"
"Oh," he remembered the recent joke about 'Rich Lady Ran,' "Is that your new housekeeper or cleaner?"
