Before winter break, at the students’ enthusiastic urging, Ji Zhaoxi took part in another one-day store manager event.
But the lab had been especially busy lately, so she could only squeeze in time to learn all the latest hand dances and duet videos trending online.
The sky outside was already pitch-dark. The empty classroom was still lit, and with the background music playing, Ji Zhaoxi suddenly froze mid-move. She exchanged a glance with Lu Huainan behind the camera, and the two of them immediately burst out laughing.
“I’m a little slow at memorizing the moves.” Ji Zhaoxi wrapped herself in her coat and went over to watch the video they had just recorded.
There were more than a hundred videos to memorize. She had already deleted quite a few, but she estimated that she would still have to learn some of them on the spot when the time came.
Lu Huainan warmed her hands for her and said quietly, “They’ll like it.”
The two of them huddled together in the empty classroom, watching the videos on her phone. Ji Zhaoxi held her thermos cup, looking a little guilty.
“Do you think my fans will feel like I’m not very professional?”
Lu Huainan looked at her face and wiped the thin sheen of sweat from her forehead.
“If they wanted to watch something professional, they would’ve gone to follow professional dancers already.”
As someone who had been her anti-fan for years, he understood this perfectly well.
Ji Zhaoxi thought about it and decided he was right. Apart from her singing, which seemed to be the only thing people had differing opinions about, her fans blindly praised everything else she did.
After posting a little behind-the-scenes clip that day, Ji Zhaoxi ended her practice.
As expected, the fan group showered her with praise.
[Xixi Kitty: What a good baby, working so hard for this offline event [sobbing uncontrollably]]
[Xixi Kitty: Xixi was still practicing in the classroom at two in the morning. She’s working this hard, and you people still have the nerve to say mean things about her? I order everyone to cry right now!]
[She should switch to becoming a video creator from now on. She’s been livestreaming much less often lately [stroking chin]]
[Yes! Video creators have an easier time getting sponsorships.]
[Aren’t you curious who filmed her? Am I the only one wondering?]
[Are they actually dating or not? Can someone make this Ji Zhaoxi give us a definite answer? I’m seriously about to explode! Are they dating or not? Are they dating or not? Hello! Have you started dating, miss?]
[Qinqin: Why even ask? I’ll be grateful if she doesn’t rebrand as a couple-content creator someday [laughing through tears]]
[Chaoxi’s Little Train: Those who understand are already crying.]
[She dares to show a man on camera? Unfollowed!]
The lab was also unbearably busy. Their advisor had even started taking supplements lately. She kept wondering why kids these days seemed to be getting dumber and dumber. Poor her—she was already old, yet still had to put up with all this in the lab every day.
The advisor stood beside her senior fellow student, looking as though she wanted to say something but couldn’t. After letting out a deep sigh, she said, “Do you really want to pursue a PhD in the future? Have you considered taking a different path?”
Perhaps not everyone was suited for research.
The senior fellow student stared at the advisor in despair.
“Professor, weren’t you the one who kept telling me to pursue a PhD?”
She had even said that he had an exceptionally strong ability to withstand pressure.
He had been working hard toward this goal all along!
The advisor left with a solemn expression, leaving the devastated senior fellow student behind.
Wen Shuning comforted him in a low voice. “It’s fine. She’s only saying that for now. Maybe later she’ll be begging you to do a PhD again.”
After all, he was the only one among them who actually wanted to pursue one.
Hearing that only made the senior fellow student see even darker.
So the reason she wanted him to do it was because nobody else was willing, right?
After wandering around, the advisor came back to Ji Zhaoxi’s side. Ji Zhaoxi noticed her presence out of the corner of her eye and immediately became more serious about her work.
The advisor kept observing Ji Zhaoxi’s movements. After a while, even Lu Huainan glanced in the advisor’s direction. Ji Zhaoxi felt herself breaking into a nervous sweat.
Had she been so obsessed with hand dances lately that she had neglected her experiments?
Hand dances were truly a menace.
“Have you checked this data?” the advisor asked.
Ji Zhaoxi nodded honestly, and the advisor made a slight correction to her movements.
Ji Zhaoxi stole a glance at her teacher and continued working. Unable to help herself, she smiled at the advisor. When their eyes met, the advisor smiled and nodded back.
Ji Zhaoxi became even more confused. Why had her teacher been staring at her this whole time?
“Zhaoxi, do you want to become an internet celebrity in the future, or do you want to pursue research?”
The advisor tested the waters with a smile.
“In this day and age, becoming an internet celebrity can certainly earn you money that ordinary people could never make. But knowledge is important too.”
Ji Zhaoxi answered awkwardly, “Professor, I haven’t decided yet. I’ll probably get a job.”
Good jobs were hard to find these days.
The advisor smiled warmly. “Of course you can find a job. With the reputation of A University and our field, you’ll be fine. But life is short. Have you ever considered pursuing a PhD?”
She had taken a liking to Ji Zhaoxi long ago. Before, Ji Zhaoxi had been a little immature and liked cutting things close every day, but she had clearly grown more mature now and no longer got distracted as often.
The senior fellow student beside them watched the scene unfold, struck by a thunderbolt.
It was over. He was no longer the advisor’s favorite.
The advisor had taken a liking to the Queen of Last-Minute Arrivals!
One of their fellow students patted him sympathetically on the shoulder.
“The advisor’s favor can change in an instant.”
At last, the day of the event arrived. Ji Zhaoxi had prepared early. She probably wouldn’t have many opportunities to attend this kind of event in the future, so she had put exceptional effort into this one.
She had even hired the makeup artist of a certain major celebrity.
The suite was especially spacious. City lights flickered beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, while the staff hurried around the room, quietly explaining the upcoming procedures to Ji Zhaoxi.
“Teacher Ji, we may need you to cooperate with us a little later…”
There were too many influencers who refused to cooperate, so the staff were genuinely somewhat worried.
Ji Zhaoxi sat before the vanity as the makeup artist gently held her chin and carefully applied her makeup. Beside them, the stylist worked on her hair.
Ji Zhaoxi stared silently at her reflection in the mirror.
She looked exactly like a major celebrity.
Of course, she didn’t dare say that out loud.
Lu Huainan stood in the corner. Wearing a cap and mask, he kept most of his body hidden in the shadows, a coat she had just taken off hanging from one hand.
His gaze passed through the busy crowd and remained fixed on her. His eyes held an unmistakable, almost impossible-to-hide tenderness.
When the makeup artist finished and stepped away, their eyes met in the mirror. Ji Zhaoxi curved her eyes into a smile, looking as though a prank had succeeded.
Caught you! You were sneaking glances at her again!
When Lu Huainan met her gaze, the tips of his ears instantly turned red. He lowered his head awkwardly, even stopping his breathing for half a second.
The makeup artist, who had witnessed everything: …
The rumors on the forums were true. The top female streamer really did have a “brother-in-law”!
Once she was ready, the entire team set off. Before they even got out of the car, they could already feel the biting cold outside.
The other people in the car looked straight ahead without comment as someone helped Ji Zhaoxi change her shoes. Then she stepped out of the vehicle.
The moment she got out, screams erupted all around her. Some fans had even come dressed in their school uniforms.
