Gu Ran finished speaking and took a step back, separating herself from Ji Shiyu. She lowered her head and zipped up her down jacket.
Ji Shiyu raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile on his lips. "Using me and then pretending nothing happened?"
Gu Ran puffed out her cheeks indignantly. "It was your idea to let me use you in the first place."
Ji Shiyu didn't press further. He just adjusted the collar of Gu Ran's jacket, looking at her as she seemed to be swallowed whole by the bulky down coat, like a little penguin from the South Pole.
He chuckled, then remembered how Gu Ran looked on the red carpet earlier. "You looked beautiful," he said.
Gu Ran suddenly felt the warmth from before rush to her cheeks, her face flushing hot.
She looked down, trying to suppress the corners of her mouth that kept wanting to curl upwards. "Thank you," she said.
...
The venue was heated, so today's attendees finally didn't have to rely on sheer willpower to look glamorous in the freezing wind. Most had draped beautiful, lightweight shawls over their outfits.
Gu Ran had now swapped her thick down jacket for a cashmere shawl. As a nominee for "Annual Most Influential Newcomer," she was seated in the middle of the guest section.
The scene of her sprinting away at full speed the moment the host announced the end had already hit the trending topics. Gu Ran only realized her mistake after seeing the trending search. She thought no cameras were on her, but it turned out there were plenty behind her, and the director had even given her a full 180-degree back-view close-up.
Online wits were already working overtime creating memes of her—one second elegant and poised on the red carpet, the next fleeing in a desperate sprint. Captions read, "I'm not cold, I'm just acting."
The award ceremony and performances alternated on stage. When it came time for the "Annual Most Influential Newcomer" award, Gu Ran grew incredibly tense. She sat up straight, her eyes fixed intently on the stage.
Unfortunately, the name read out by the presenter in the end wasn't hers. It was a popular young star who had debuted not long ago, rumored to have strong backing and heavy industry support.
Gu Ran felt a twinge of disappointment, but she quickly let it go, joining everyone else in applauding to congratulate the winner.
Except for a planned donation segment later requiring a specific group of guests to go on stage, everyone else could leave after receiving their awards.
Gu Ran left the venue and met Ding Ze, who was waiting for her backstage.
"Where did you go this afternoon?" Gu Ran asked, wearing an expression like she was interrogating a traitor. "Didn't you say you'd be waiting for me at the finish line with my clothes?"
Ding Ze gave an awkward laugh. "I had a sudden emergency! Mr. Ji happened to be there, so I asked him to hold the clothes for me while I attended to... urgent business. Who knew you'd come out so fast?"
"Really?" Gu Ran thought Ding Ze's excuse was quite convincing. If she were any more naive, she might have believed it.
"Look at this," Ding Ze said, changing the subject and showing Gu Ran what he was holding.
Although she didn't win the award, every nominee received a nomination certificate.
Gu Ran took her certificate, running her fingers over the cover and the inside page. It somewhat made up for the disappointment of not winning.
At least getting frozen stiff today wasn't for nothing.
Gu Ran hugged her certificate, then craned her neck, looking around. "Where is he?"
Ding Ze naturally knew who she was asking about. "Waiting for you in the car."
"Let's go then."
Ding Ze saw Gu Ran to the car door, said goodbye, and went off to drive himself home from work. Gu Ran, holding her nomination certificate, got into the car. Ji Shiyu was in the back seat, and a driver was in the front.
The car's heater was on high. Gu Ran took off her down jacket, revealing the champagne-colored slip dress she had worn on the red carpet.
It hadn't been convenient to change with so many people backstage. Since her outfit wasn't a cumbersome gown that hindered movement, she planned to change at home.
Ji Shiyu placed a pair of shoes by Gu Ran's feet. "Here."
Gu Ran looked down to see a pair of white flat sneakers.
She untied the straps of her heels and slipped on the sneakers. The muscles in her calves, which had been tense all along, finally relaxed.
Gu Ran let out a soft, comfortable sigh.
The driver in the front seat asked where to go.
Ji Shiyu gave Gu Ran's home address.
As the car drove smoothly, Gu Ran noticed Ji Shiyu hadn't paid any attention to her red booklet. She simply picked it up and handed her nomination certificate over to him. "Here, take a look."
"Don't damage it."
Ji Shiyu opened it. It read: Congratulations to Gu Ran on her nomination for the "Annual Most Influential Newcomer" award at the 9th Starlight Awards. This certificate is issued in recognition.
Gu Ran: "Don't think it's just a nomination. I'm the first live-streamer ever nominated for this award."
Ji Shiyu closed the certificate after looking. "Congratulations."
Gu Ran, being a bit stingy, pulled her certificate back from the man's hands. "It's nothing special."
After showing off her certificate, Gu Ran lowered her head to play on her phone.
Her Weibo homepage was flooded with memes of her from this afternoon—"I'm not cold, I'm just acting." A few metaphorical black lines slid down her forehead.
Gu Ran then switched to her alternate account. Her alt account's homepage finally wasn't all "I'm not cold, I'm just acting" memes, but the group chat notifications were blowing up again.
The fan group for the "Century Couple" had 9999+ messages.
It was usually lively, but never this excited. Gu Ran clicked in and saw the screen filled with:
【Ahhhh so sweet!!!】
【Sniffle, when will they finally get their happy ending?】
【So the CEO really does check Weibo, huh】
Amid the barrage of new messages, Gu Ran barely managed to gather that it seemed to be because Ji Shiyu had liked something.
Last time, to help clarify the housekeeper incident, Ji Shiyu had registered a Weibo account. Even though he hadn't used it since, that didn't stop the enthusiasm; his followers kept growing exponentially every day.
Gu Ran navigated to Ji Shiyu's Weibo homepage and discovered he had actually liked several posts today.
All of them were beautiful photos of her from today's red carpet, posted by various entertainment news accounts.
Tucked into her seat, Gu Ran pursed her lips into a smile. She scrolled further down and saw the most recent post liked by this user.
It was a hilarious, absurdly catchy meme version of Gu Ran's "I'm not cold, I'm just acting," posted by a goofy entertainment account.
Gu Ran: "..."
The smile vanished.
It was one thing for others to joke around, but what did he mean by joining in the fun!
That dog of a man!
...
Ji Shiyu noticed that Gu Ran's attitude towards him that evening was subtle.
He could sense a sudden unfriendliness from Gu Ran.
She wasn't talking either. As soon as they got back, she went to remove her makeup and take a shower. She then picked out the pajamas that most aligned with his aesthetic preferences and began wandering around the room. Finally, she sat on the sofa looking at her phone, her legs propped up on the coffee table. Her skirt was short, revealing long, straight, snow-white legs.
The strap of her slip dress on one shoulder hung loose and was about to slip off, held up only by the thin strap on the other side.
Gu Ran glanced at Ji Shiyu as he went to wash up, then looked back at the photos on her phone and the fan group for the "Century Couple," which had been bombarded with waves of excitement all night like it was New Year's.
After the "like" candy came the ultimate sugar rush.
Someone had captured the moment after the red carpet when Ji Shiyu held her to keep her warm and posted it online.
In the picture, the man's long black overcoat was open. The girl in front of him, bundled in a white down jacket, looked like a little penguin. They were facing each other, pressed close, and the man had pulled the girl into his embrace.
In the photo, the girl still has her down jacket hood on, completely enveloped by the man's body and the jacket, not showing her face at all. Yet, fans, relying solely on the high heels on her feet, managed with eagle-eyed precision to identify her as the currently popular live-streamer Gu Ran, who earlier that day had become a meme due to the cold.
Whoever took this photo had an absolutely masterful sense of composition. It was even uploaded with a filter applied. A young man and woman embracing in the cold wind—if you didn't know better, you'd think it was a poster for an idol drama.
The comments under the photo were a scene of mass hysteria, like a field of screaming rubber chickens:
[Ahhhhhhhh how can this NOT lead to a happy ending? How can it NOT?]
[Stick together, stick together hard! You're not allowed to separate without everyone's permission!]
[So sweet, so sweet, I'm deceased wuwuwuwu]
[I've never seen a new couple match this perfectly before, falling headfirst into this ship.]
[Headfirst into the ship +1]
[And Ji Shiyu even liked Gu Ran's stunning red carpet photos on Weibo tonight, it's so sweet.]
[I hereby decree that the "Century Couple" must have their happy ending now, immediately, right this second!]
[Gu Ran, I'm begging you, stop playing hard to get. If you keep fishing, we'll really grow old waiting wuwuwuwu.]
[I used to support Gu Ran continuing to play hard to get too, but after seeing this photo, I really can't hold back anymore. Stop fishing, stop fishing! Wouldn't a sweet romance be nice? Wuwuwuwu.]
[It's fine if he's the CEO by day and the hourly cleaner by night, just let him be the husband when it's time to sleep. Tearing up emoji]
[The person above, I suspect you're being inappropriate.]
[+1, I suspect you're making this suggestive and I seem to have some evidence.]
...
Gu Ran looked at those comments from fans "obsessively shipping them to death," and pouted.
Fortunately, there were other voices present.
Gu Ran's own fans, "Little Fishies," saw this incredibly atmospheric photo and were first stunned, then desperately resisted the urge to scream "this is so damn sweet" and join the collective shipping frenzy. They instead flooded the topic with comments like:
[What's there to ship? He's just a human heater for a beauty to warm herself with, pfft.]
[The hourly cleaner just provides a heating service on the side, is it that big a deal?]
[If you think this is sweet, you must have seen nothing of the world.]
[Beauty Gu Ran refuses to be tied down to a human heater.]
[Ranran, keep playing hard to get!]
Thinking of Ji Shiyu's action of liking her ridiculous meme earlier that day, Gu Ran snorted indignantly and also gave a like.
Thus, the crowd obsessively shipping the "embracing for warmth" photo saw that user "Cat Paw Streamer Gu Ran" had just liked a Weibo post:
"What's there to ship? He's just a human heater for a beauty to warm herself with, pfft."
The obsessively-shipping crowd: "..."
...
Ji Shiyu came out of the bathroom after his shower.
His phone received a WeChat message.
Gu Mingjing had just shared a few screenshots from Weibo with him.
One was the "embracing for warmth" photo that everyone was obsessively shipping, another was a screenshot of Gu Ran liking the "just a human heater" comment moments ago.
Gu Mingjing: [So after all this time, you're still just a tool?]
Ji Shiyu looked at the screenshot with Gu Ran's like, his tongue pressing against the inside of his right cheek.
He walked to the living room. Gu Ran was still sitting there, her legs appearing startlingly white under the light, the right strap of her top slipping loosely off her shoulder.
She saw him. Their eyes met. Gu Ran didn't even change her sitting posture, seemingly not finding anything improper about her appearance.
Ji Shiyu walked over.
Gu Ran had started giving him the cold shoulder in the car on the way back. After returning, she had deliberately dressed like this and paraded in front of him. And just now, while others were obsessively shipping the photo, she had publicly liked the "human heater" Weibo post with her main account.
Ji Shiyu stood in front of Gu Ran. His back was to the light, casting a shadow over her.
Gu Ran looked up from her phone, frowned, saw the man standing before her, and said rather ungraciously, "Move. You're blocking my light."
So Ji Shiyu crouched down.
He was now at eye level with the still-unfriendly Gu Ran. He let out a soft sigh, then asked with a serious look in his eyes, "What's wrong?"
Gu Ran: "What do you mean, what's wrong?"
Ji Shiyu: "You know."
Gu Ran knew Ji Shiyu was asking why she was suddenly acting this way.
Gu Ran narrowed her eyes: "Well, you know too."
"Quite the expert at liking posts, huh. Pfft."
Ji Shiyu furrowed his brow slightly. Hearing Gu Ran mention liking posts, he picked up his own phone and looked down at it.
He had liked some of Gu Ran's red carpet photos that day.
Ji Shiyu didn't think there was any issue with those likes, until he scrolled to the end and saw his most recent like.
Gu Ran's ridiculous, meme-worthy expression pack: "I'm not cold, I'm just pretending."
Ji Shiyu finally understood why Gu Ran had been targeting him all evening.
While searching for Gu Ran's red carpet photos, he had come across these memes. He hadn't intended to like that one; it must have been an accidental slip of the finger at the very end.
Ji Shiyu clicked into the original Weibo post. The comments below were all: "OP, you got a like from President Ji!" "Holy crap, is President Ji using Gu Ran's meme packs with us? Hahahahaha" "Ji Shiyu, looking is one thing, but liking it? Does the great beauty Gu Ran have no face to save?!"
Ji Shiyu took a breath.
Gu Ran cared about her face, hence her being at odds with him all night because of this.
Ji Shiyu, right in front of Gu Ran, canceled his like and explained, "I clicked it by accident."
Gu Ran let out a disdainful "hmph" and turned her head away.
Ji Shiyu leaned forward a little: "Ranran."
Gu Ran kept her head turned away.
Ji Shiyu lowered his head and chuckled softly.
Gu Ran, frowning, turned back: "What are you laughing at?"
Ji Shiyu remembered the Weibo post Gu Ran had liked and asked, "Isn't being a tool enough of an apology?"
Gu Ran puffed out her cheeks and immediately sat up a bit straighter: "You chose to be one yourself, I didn't make you."
"Alright," Ji Shiyu nodded sagely, "I chose to be one myself."
His gaze fell to the strap slipping off Gu Ran's shoulder: "So this is how you torment me?"
Gu Ran: "..."
Her face flushed slightly, her expression beginning to look a bit awkward. Just as she thought about grabbing a cushion to cover herself a little, Ji Shiyu cupped her cheek and kissed her.
Gu Ran let out a soft "mmph."
The man's lips and tongue tonight seemed particularly intent on conquest, like soldiers seizing territory. Where this would lead, no one could predict. Gu Ran responded somewhat, finally finding a chance to pull away during a brief pause in his breathing, pushing against his chest.
Gu Ran's voice was like a cat's, and lacking in strength, she simply said, "Don't."
Ji Shiyu paused slightly. He knew what she meant by "don't."
"You're not allowed to bully me." Gu Ran's voice held a hint of a sob, knowing that if this continued, she would eventually crumble.
In truth, they were the same. She knew what Ji Shiyu liked, and Ji Shiyu knew how to most easily make her abandon reason.
Ji Shiyu put a little distance between them, looking into Gu Ran's moist eyes.
Gu Ran clutched the button on Ji Shiyu's pajama top.
She clung to a stubborn shred of self-respect. By now, she knew she seemed unable to sever her ties with this man, yet she persisted in this obstinate insistence. She didn't want to be like before; matters of the heart should be equal. She had once stooped so low, and now, she was aware of his submission, his yielding. But still, she wanted to see him lower himself a little before her, not forever looming above her.
Gu Ran lowered her gaze, avoiding Ji Shiyu's eyes, and still said, "No."
Ji Shiyu pecked at Gu Ran's lips and agreed in a deep voice, "Alright."
But he did not end the kiss.
Gu Ran was confused at first, not understanding why Ji Shiyu was still doing this when he had just agreed. It wasn't until the kisses finally landed on her lower abdomen that she suddenly realized what he intended to do, her eyes flying wide open.
"Don't... mmm—" She tried to push his head away, but she was like a little fish on a chopping board, arching her back and writhing a couple of times, yet utterly unable to escape.
The curtains had been drawn all along. The living room was quiet, save for some muffled, restrained whimpers.
Only when Ji Shiyu finally raised himself up did those sounds temporarily cease. He chuckled softly and finally asked her in a low voice, "Is this okay then?"
"Go away." Gu Ran sobbed into her hands, her face buried, refusing to ever let her hands drop.
