Seeing them act so crazily, the girl shook her head and decided not to remind them anymore.
Thinking about it now, she found it strange. Ever since encountering Ruan Nian today, it felt as if all her previous impressions had been washed away.
It was as though the filters she had once viewed Ruan Nian through had completely vanished. This wasn’t the usual disillusionment that came with losing interest in someone—it was more like a literal filter had been lifted from her eyes, making everything seem better than it was.
And now, that filter was gone.
Meanwhile, inside the restaurant, Ruan Nian, who was busy preparing ingredients, suddenly received another notification about a drop in her "pity points."
The system sounded worried: [Nian, we just detected another significant drop in pity points from someone who could’ve provided a lot. There have been too many declines lately—we need to be careful.]
Ruan Nian, who had been handling the ingredients, froze upon hearing this.
Her face paled, and she couldn’t bring herself to continue prepping the remaining food.
What did this mean? Whose pity points had dropped again?
She recalled the system’s earlier alert—back when she was interacting with Chu Yanze. Was it him?
Why? Ever since Chu Yanze started spending time with Gu Zhaoping, he had been cold and guarded toward her, never showing even a hint of warmth!
Though Chu Yanze had never been particularly affectionate toward her before, she could always sense that he made allowances for her.
This didn’t make sense. Why had Chu Yanze’s goodwill toward her disappeared?
Ruan Nian found it utterly absurd—there had to be a reason behind this.
Now, watching her charm points continuously plummet, she was too agitated to sit still. Glaring at the tank of still-wriggling fish in front of her, she seethed. Here she was, a long-celebrated A-list star, crouched in a kitchen, forced to handle these raw ingredients.
Meanwhile, those two spoiled rich kids, Gu Zhaoping and the others, stood outside, looking down on everything and acting like they owned the place. The resentment and bitterness in Ruan Nian’s heart reached its peak.
She knew exactly why this was happening.
It was because her relationship with Gu Zhaoye was only rumored—they weren’t even officially together, let alone married into the Gu family.
Only when she truly became Mrs. Gu would these people show her the respect she deserved.
Just look at Gu Zhaoping. No matter how bad her reputation was, no matter how much people whispered behind her back, who dared to openly cross her?
Even if the production team quietly manipulated the contract or edited footage against her, would they dare to openly defy her if she demanded to exploit the show’s rules?
Ruan Nian gritted her teeth. "I need to make a move. I can’t just sit here and wait for things to get worse."
She had to take the initiative. This new version of Gu Zhaoping, who had replaced the original antagonist, was too unpredictable. If she waited any longer, she’d only become more powerless.
But she could probably guess what the new Gu Zhaoping was up to—using this show to rehabilitate her image and reclaim her glamorous life as a wealthy socialite.
Maybe she even planned to marry off her best friend to Gu Zhaoye, securing more influence within the Gu family.
To Ruan Nian, Gu Zhaoping was never her real enemy. Her true rival was Gu Zhaoye’s fiancée.
The reason she and Gu Zhaoping clashed was simple: they both wanted control over Gu Zhaoye’s future marriage—and through him, the position of the Gu family’s true matriarch.
Gu Zhaoye was the core of power in the Gu family, and everyone wanted a piece of him.
But thinking about it now, if that was the case, shouldn’t she be even more wary of Liang Zhiwei, who was grouped with Gu Zhaoping?
A flicker of satisfaction eased Ruan Nian’s tension. She despised this girl who had always copied her. Now that Liang Zhiwei was stuck in the same group as Gu Zhaoping, who knew what kind of torment she’d face?
Though Gu Zhaoping hadn’t shown any signs of her notorious temper in the past few days, Ruan Nian believed it was only because this new version of her had learned to hide her cruelty.
But the moment Liang Zhiwei revealed any ambition to rise above her station, Gu Zhaoping would surely put her in her place.
This competitor could be crushed just by letting Gu Zhaoping handle her.
As Ruan Nian feverishly plotted her next moves, her hands never stopped, violently scraping scales off the fish.
Li Xunxi, draped in a coat and arms crossed, turned at the sound of frantic splashing behind her.
Watching Ruan Nian’s frenzied movements, she muttered to Li Xunwen, "She’s lost it."
Li Xunwen nodded silently, disturbed by Ruan Nian’s sudden intensity.
"Our restaurant’s concept is all about branding—making sure customers understand this isn’t just any ordinary dining experience," Li Xunxi explained enthusiastically. "We’re using traditional Italian slow-cooking techniques, sourcing premium French Blue Lobster from Brittany… handcrafted through 24 meticulous steps, 108 rounds of pounding, and 7 fermentation cycles… not to mention Spanish charcoal-grilling methods… simmered 8 times and filtered 5 times for purity…"
Li Xunwen nodded along, impressed—until a thought struck him. "Does Ruan Nian know how to do any of this?"
Li Xunxi paused.
Both turned to look at Ruan Nian, who was still angrily butchering fish in the kitchen. After a long silence, Li Xunxi said, "We’ll train her."
Meanwhile, Ruan Nian remained blissfully unaware of the grueling training awaiting her.
On the other side of the set, Liang Zhiwei had just finished perfecting the day’s menu.
Satisfied, she placed the last dish on the table, wiped her forehead with her sleeve, and beamed at her teammates. "Dig in! Is everyone full? How’s the taste? Any adjustments needed?"
Gu Zhaoping glanced at the table, now overflowing with dishes—so many that they had to push two tables together to fit them all—and fell silent for a moment.
Liang Zhiwei’s passion had truly been unleashed, and there was no stopping her now.
"That’s enough. Really, we have more than enough," Gu Zhaoping said, putting a stop to it before their menu became an encyclopedia.
"Are you sure? I could keep going…" Liang Zhiwei sounded almost disappointed as she washed her hands and joined them at the table.
Tasting one of her own creations, she suddenly had an idea. Combining two dishes with a new seasoning, she created yet another innovative flavor.
Liang Zhiwei picked up a pair of communal chopsticks and a small plate, placing a bite of food on it before holding it up to Gu Zhaoping’s lips, her eyes brimming with anticipation. "Sister Zhaoping, try this! I think you’ll really like it!"
Gu Zhaoping paused, glancing down slightly. Being fed so enthusiastically by someone else still felt a little strange to her.
But it wasn’t a big deal. If this was her teammate’s way of bonding, and Liang Zhiwei had gone to the trouble of preparing it, taking a bite wouldn’t hurt.
The usually solitary, aloof, and unapproachable CEO Gu merely lowered her head without any change in expression as Liang Zhiwei carefully fed her the bite.
Then, picking up a spoon, Liang Zhiwei watched her eagerly, waiting for her reaction.
Gu Zhaoping nodded. "It’s good. This can be tomorrow’s featured dish."
Liang Zhiwei beamed.
She’d earned Sister Zhaoping’s praise again!
This made her happier than any compliment she’d ever received from anyone else.
Over on the other side, Chu Yanze watched the two of them, his lips pressing together briefly before he fetched a fresh bowl, scooping up a spoonful of his own meatballs and a serving of soup. His movements were light but deliberate as he pushed the bowl toward Gu Zhaoping.
"Sister Zhaoping, what do you think of this?" he said casually. "It’s my secret recipe—something you definitely won’t find anywhere else."
Liang Zhiwei glanced over, completely oblivious to any underlying competitive tension, and instead looked genuinely impressed. "That looks amazing too! How did you make it, Teacher Chu?"
At the mention of the topic, a trace of pride flickered in Chu Yanze’s eyes. "My grandfather was a master Sichuan chef. I grew up by his side and even helped him entertain foreign guests."
"That’s really impressive."
Chu Yanze accepted the praise but then turned his attention back to Gu Zhaoping, nervously awaiting her verdict.
Seeing that she had nearly finished the bowl of soup, his expression grew slightly awkward, though the corners of his lips betrayed an irrepressible smile.
"Not bad. High marks," Gu Zhaoping praised.
Their team really had some hidden talents. Who would’ve thought that among the entertainment industry’s stars, they’d manage to find two such skilled chefs—both assigned to the same group?
Gu Zhaoping suddenly recalled Fang Yining mentioning that Chu Yanze had attended the same university as her third brother.
And then, belatedly, she remembered—Liang Zhiwei had once been Gu Zhaoye’s stand-in.
Yes, because Gu Zhaoye was so thoroughly detestable and utterly useless, she often forgot about the connections between people around her and him. For instance, she frequently overlooked the fact that Fang Yining was his fiancée.
Who would’ve thought that both of her teammates had ties to her brothers? What a coincidence.
Lost in thought, Gu Zhaoping suddenly asked, "Did you cook often while studying music abroad? Your skills haven’t dulled at all."
It was a natural, almost familial compliment, but Chu Yanze froze, suddenly feeling uneasy as a flurry of thoughts rushed through his mind.
Sister Zhaoping knew he’d gone to university abroad? And that he’d studied music?
Had she been keeping tabs on him?
His heartbeat quickened, and the rest of her words blurred into background noise. His face warmed, his mind stuck in a loop replaying this revelation. Had she heard anything about his university days? Were there negative rumors she might’ve come across?
Public opinion of him online had never been particularly favorable—many dismissed him as a rebellious rich kid who’d dropped out to pursue music, someone lacking discipline.
Now he was overthinking.
Would Gu Zhaoping think the same? His withdrawal hadn’t been without reason—should he find a way to explain it to her? He’d heard she valued education when scouting male models—would she hold his dropout against him?
With just one sentence from Gu Zhaoping, Chu Yanze had spiraled into a whirlwind of anxiety, completely unaware that neither of the other two had noticed his internal turmoil.
Gu Zhaoping turned to Liang Zhiwei. "Are you involved with anyone right now?"
At the question, the brightness in Liang Zhiwei’s eyes and the smile on her face vanished instantly.
So it was finally happening…
Was Sister Zhaoping going to ask about her history with Gu Zhaoye?
Though she’d grown fond of the dependable and authoritative Sister Zhaoping in such a short time, the shadow of her past with Gu Zhaoye still loomed large. Once Sister Zhaoping learned the truth, would she still treat her with the same kindness?
Liang Zhiwei’s heart clenched. She lowered her head, nervously twisting her fingers, unsure how to respond. After a long pause, she finally confessed in a trembling voice, "I…"
Gu Zhaoping had intended to warn her—if she was still entangled with Gu Zhaoye, it was better to cut ties sooner rather than later.
After her upcoming conference in Los Angeles, the Gu family patriarch might arrange for Gu Zhaoye to join the show. With Ruan Nian—the white moonlight who could send Gu Zhaoye into a frenzy—also in the picture, the dynamics would be unpredictable.
Since they were teammates, she wanted to advise Liang Zhiwei not to get caught up in their chaos.
Chu Yanze, still reeling from his own thoughts, took a moment to process the sudden shift in topic. Why would Gu Zhaoping ask about Liang Zhiwei’s love life out of nowhere? She didn’t seem like the type to pry.
But then Liang Zhiwei’s face paled, as if she’d been asked something unbearable. After a long silence, she finally admitted,
"I’m sorry, Sister Zhaoping. Please don’t misunderstand. I did have… a relationship with your brother in the past, but we were never officially together, and it ended completely over a year ago. I don’t have any contact with him now, and I would never pursue him again…"
Liang Zhiwei was earnest in her explanation, as though Gu Zhaoping’s opinion of her mattered far more than anything involving Gu Zhaoye.
"I know he and Miss Ruan are deeply involved. When we were… together, it was during one of their breakups. I never interfered in their relationship."
Her voice wavered, a lump forming in her throat. It wasn’t just that she hadn’t interfered—she hadn’t even wanted to be with Gu Zhaoye in the first place. He had forced her into it.
Back then, he’d known she was desperate for money and had used that to manipulate her, swiftly bringing her under his control. Once he grew bored and Ruan Nian returned, he discarded her without a second thought.
Liang Zhiwei wasn’t hung up on the emotional aspect—she just didn’t want anyone, especially Sister Zhaoping, to misunderstand her because of that chapter of her life.
Chu Yanze was stunned.
His eyes widened in shock. What? What was all this?
Hold on, let him sort this out. Did Liang Zhiwei just say she used to date Gu Zhaoping’s younger brother?
Gu Zhaoping’s younger brother—wasn’t that the Gu family’s Gu Zhaoye? Wasn’t he the one who had been all over Ruan Nian?
What kind of twisted story was this?!
Chu Yanze’s mind reeled, snapping out of his earlier boyish fluster as he suddenly realized he had stumbled upon some major drama!
Gu Zhaoping raised an eyebrow. She hadn’t expected Liang Zhiwei’s first reaction to be an apology to her. What was there to apologize for? Was her image really that terrifying?
Seeing Liang Zhiwei lower her head, trembling as if holding back tears, even someone as composed and indifferent as Gu Zhaoping couldn’t help but feel a flicker of amusement.
“I don’t care about his mess,” Gu Zhaoping said. “His romantic entanglements are his own problem to sort out. If he can’t handle it, that’s on him. No one else is obligated to clean up after him.”
Liang Zhiwei froze, lifting her head in surprise. What? She didn’t care?
“I just wanted to warn you. I won’t be here for the next episode, and Gu Zhaoye might show up. Be careful—don’t get dragged into his nonsense.”
While Gu Zhaoye was easy for Gu Zhaoping to deal with, to others, he was nothing short of a walking disaster.
Gu Zhaoping calmly considered the possibilities. Gu Zhaoye was the type to pull something like eloping with Ruan Nian on live television, or publicly declaring their relationship to stir up online frenzy. He might even spout some cringe-worthy CEO lines like, “Only I can spoil my woman.”
Worse, he might try to humiliate Liang Zhiwei just to prove his devotion to Ruan Nian.
As teammates, Gu Zhaoping had a decent impression of Liang Zhiwei—certainly better than her opinion of Gu Zhaoye. A small warning wouldn’t hurt.
Liang Zhiwei was stunned, staring at Gu Zhaoping in disbelief.
Was Gu Zhaoping always this blunt—and accurate—when talking about Gu Zhaoye?
Did she really not care about Liang Zhiwei’s past with him?
At the mention of Gu Zhaoye possibly appearing next episode, her face paled slightly. But then she pressed her lips together and nodded. “Alright, I understand. Thank you for the warning, Zhaoping-jie. I’ll be careful.”
After the initial shock, determination flickered in Liang Zhiwei’s eyes.
She would stay far, far away from Gu Zhaoye. She refused to be dragged into his mess again, and she absolutely wouldn’t become a pawn in his and Ruan Nian’s on-again-off-again drama.
Still, she was genuinely surprised Gu Zhaoping would go out of her way to warn her. Grateful, she met Gu Zhaoping’s gaze. “Zhaoping-jie, thank you!”
Only then did Chu Yanze finally snap out of his daze. “So… you two also think Ruan Nian is weird?”
Both women turned to look at him.
Chu Yanze hesitated, then seized the chance to voice his long-held suspicions:
“I’ve always felt like there’s some kind of curse around Ruan Nian. Anyone who opposes her ends up in trouble.”
“Since we’ve all had issues with her, I’ll just say it outright.”
Liang Zhiwei gaped at him. “Wait, you and Ruan Nian aren’t involved?!”
She, too, had fallen for those dating rumors. Chu Yanze nearly choked in frustration.
“No! Not at all!”
He vehemently denied the rumors. “Once, I publicly denied the gossip about us. The next day, my album got pulled, and my company barred me from events. At first, I didn’t connect the dots. But then, another time, I openly said I disliked Ruan Nian—and the next day, I missed my first concert in the most absurd way possible.”
“How absurd? A kid threw a firecracker into the river as a prank, except he accidentally grabbed a massive industrial-grade one his parents had hidden. At that exact moment, my van was the only vehicle on the bridge. The explosion sent a tidal wave of fish onto the road. The police shut down the bridge, and I spent four hours buried in fish as a ‘suspect’!”
“Another time, right after I clarified the rumors on a flight, the plane suddenly malfunctioned, filling with smoke like it was about to explode. Everyone panicked and evacuated. But once we were off, the plane was fine—no issues found. And my statement never went out.”
Chu Yanze exhaled, relieved to finally get this off his chest.
No one would believe these stories—except the two women before him, whose expressions told him they did.
After years of near-breakdowns, someone finally understood.
Liang Zhiwei nodded grimly. “Now that you mention it… every time Gu Zhaoye tried to commit to me—whether it was a date, a promise, or even taking me to meet his family—something always went wrong. Back then, I was just relieved and didn’t think much of it.”
The two unlucky souls, both casualties of Ruan Nian’s inexplicable influence, had grown accustomed to expecting the worst.
Their recent winning streak in the competition felt surreal. Just making it this far was more than they’d dared hope for.
Gu Zhaoping fell silent for a moment, a theory forming in her mind.
Unlike the others, she knew the truth—she was a transmigrator.
If her brother Gu Zhaoye was the domineering CEO male lead, then Ruan Nian was the female lead.
And Ruan Nian’s strange confidence during their first encounter… What if she had some kind of cheat—a system at her disposal?
No wonder she’d been so sure of herself.
The thrill of defying fate’s script? Now that was addictive.
Gu Zhaoping looked up, a faint smile playing on her lips. “So it seems there really might be a ‘chosen one’ in this world.”
The other two turned to her, intrigued.
Her tone was calm, devoid of fear or hesitation, as if stating the obvious:
“In that case, I’d like to see… whether humans can triumph over destiny.”
Perfect. Gu Zhaoping loved a challenge—whether the opponent was a person, fate, a script, or even some digital entity. She was more than ready to play.
The two stared at her, stunned.
It’s hard to say what kind of shock Gu Zhaoping had just delivered to them at this moment.
...
Early the next morning, the show’s cameramen were already stationed outside each guest’s room, ready to go.
They had planned a surprise segment—knocking on the doors before 6 a.m. to catch the guests groggy and slightly irritated, still half-asleep. Then, they’d deliver the punchline: "This is what it’s like in the food industry—you have to wake up this early!"
The director was certain this would make for great TV. With his order, the cameramen split up and began pounding on doors.
But just then, one door suddenly swung open from the inside.
The cameraman: “!”
He nearly toppled forward, machine and all, into the room!
Stunned, he checked his watch. It wasn’t even 5:30 yet—who could possibly be awake and opening the door?!
Gu Zhaoping was already fully dressed, impeccably put together. After opening the door, she calmly returned to her sofa and picked up a document to read, a smoothie resting on the side table.
The cameraman gaped, then suddenly remembered something.
Hadn’t the preview mentioned that Gu Zhaoping woke up insanely early and spent her mornings on personal routines?
No way… Everyone had assumed it was just for her image. But she was actually serious? She really woke up this early?
Was this like her yoga practice—also completely real?
The camera lens wavered uncertainly, panning around the room before freezing on an appliance. What was that—a blender?
A noise-proof cover was fitted over it.
Gu Zhaoping had brought her own blender to the show?!
Gu Zhaoping glanced up, noticing the camera’s focus, and casually explained, “Ashwagandha and huperzine A,” before returning to her reading.
The cameraman was utterly lost… That wasn’t what he’d been asking about!
As she lifted her cup to drink, the camera zoomed in—revealing an inscription at the bottom:
You are what you calculate. What you compute determines your outcome.
His jaw dropped further.
Wait, this… this sounded familiar. Hadn’t Gu Zhaoping mentioned this phrase in her intro, saying it was engraved on her favorite coffee mug? Back then, he—and the entire audience—had assumed she was just showing off!
Yet here was the proof, one detail after another. It was all true!
The planned morning chaos had fizzled out at Gu Zhaoping’s door, leaving the cameraman awkwardly standing there.
Meanwhile, Li Xunxi had set the earliest alarm possible, determined to be the first one up and captured on camera—ready to deliver a dose of "elite discipline" to the audience.
But the moment she stepped out, ready to greet the crew, she spotted a figure jogging back, drenched in sweat and panting—with someone trailing behind.
It was Gu Zhaoping.
She had already finished her morning run!
Li Xunxi froze, her expression shifting. The door didn’t even budge under her grip.
How was she already back?!
Just how early had she woken up? Was that even humanly possible?
Gu Zhaoping paused when she saw her, not brushing past but instead offering a polite, almost amused greeting: “Li Xunxi, what’s wrong? Want to make another bet today?”
Li Xunxi’s face nearly twisted before she caught herself. What was Gu Zhaoping so smug about?
She spun around and stormed back inside to drag Ruan Nian out of bed. Today, their team had to outperform Gu Zhaoping’s. There was no way they’d lose!
Li Xunxi barged into the room and shook Ruan Nian awake.
Ruan Nian, still half-asleep, wanted to scream.
She had practiced Spanish knife skills until midnight, barely getting any rest before Li Xunxi was at her again.
“Hurry up! Gu Zhaoping’s team is already leaving, and you’re still in bed? How lazy can you be?”
Ruan Nian seethed. You’re the one who made me train until midnight! You got your beauty sleep—what about me?!
But she swallowed her anger, remembering her plan for the day. If she played her cards right, she could win massive sympathy points. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself up. “Xunxi-jie, I’m awake.”
By the time Gu Zhaoping’s team had already settled into their car, Li Xunxi’s group was just stumbling out.
While one team was a chaotic mess, the other was well-rested and sharp.
Liang Zhiwei, scrolling through Weibo, suddenly frowned. “Ruan Nian’s fans seem to be mobilizing? They’ve organized a group to come support their restaurant?”
Her agent had just texted her the update. Liang Zhiwei’s eyebrow twitched. “They’ve gathered hundreds of people—and the numbers are still growing!”
Chu Yanze: “…”
Well, that was just blatant cheating. They weren’t even trying to hide it.
Sure, they’d all considered leveraging their fame to attract customers—but that was supposed to be a surprise on opening day! Pre-arranging an entire fan brigade with spending plans? That was just shameless.
Liang Zhiwei bit her lip. “With this, their sales will skyrocket. If they win… does that mean our team’s rewards go to them?”
She didn’t care about the prizes for herself—but Gu Zhaoping had worked so hard to secure them. It wasn’t fair to lose to Ruan Nian’s premeditated fan army.
“Don’t worry.” Gu Zhaoping glanced out the window, calmly rolling it up. “Their team has too many weak points. Let’s focus on our own work. Just wait and see.”
The cars rolled forward.
The other two exchanged glances. Gu Zhaoping sounded so certain, they started mentally listing the flaws in Li Xunxi’s team.
The tension was obvious—Li Xunxi ruled with an iron fist, her brother Li Xunwen blindly followed her lead (ah, the famed "sibling bond"), and Ruan Nian was clearly simmering with resentment.
But what else?
Then again, if Gu Zhaoping saw something, it was probably beyond what normal people could spot.
They decided to stop overthinking it.
The entire ride, Li Xunxi’s mood was foul. Waking up early for nothing, losing the "first-riser" spotlight to Gu Zhaoping—it grated on her.
And the more Gu Zhaoping defied her expectations, the more irritated she grew, taking it out on Ruan Nian.
Ruan Nian, enduring the constant nitpicking, clenched her teeth.
Just wait. You’re treating me like trash now, but soon you’ll be relying on my fans to save your business. Let’s see how smug you are then.
After the show airs, the audience will have sharp eyes—they’ll surely recognize who actually put in the effort and worked hard, and who just flapped their lips and gave orders. These so-called elite heirs aren’t all that impressive.
When they got out of the car and were about to head to their restaurant, they froze in shock, stopping dead in their tracks.
The cameraman followed, only to freeze as well.
Li Xunxi pointed at the massive crowd, her voice cracking with disbelief: "Where did all these people come from? Are they insane? It’s not like there’s a sale on eggs here!"
The director, who had just caught up, was equally stunned.
He hadn’t heard about any events nearby—how could so many people have gathered?
Sweating profusely, he quickly sent someone to investigate. The moment the staffer squeezed into the crowd, they overheard the excited chatter:
"Why isn’t Ruan Nian here yet? I heard she’s opening her restaurant today! And we might even get to taste her cooking!"
"I brought four friends—we’re going all out today! And we’ll leave huge tips to boost her sales!"
"I brought five!"
"My whole team’s here—we’re having our group dinner here!"
The director’s heart sank. Ruan Nian again?!
All these people—her fans?!
What the hell was going on? They’d only scouted the location yesterday—how had the news leaked? And how had so many of Ruan Nian’s fans shown up? Sure, she was popular, but this was ridiculous!
It wasn’t like Ruan Nian was some reclusive star making a rare public appearance—she had plenty of fan events. There was no way her fans would mob her like this unless something was up!
Just then, someone in the crowd spotted the parked van and gasped, pointing: "Isn’t that Ruan Nian’s car? I see her bodyguards!"
In an instant, the crowd erupted, surging forward like a tidal wave!
The director, caught in the chaos, barely had time to react before he was shoved backward, nearly toppling over multiple times.
"Damn it! Stop pushing! People could get hurt—I’m getting crushed here!"
Stumbling uncontrollably, he was swept out of the building by the frenzied crowd, nearly landing in a roadside dumpster.
When he finally steadied himself and looked back, all he saw was Ruan Nian’s fans swarming the van like ants!
Ruan Nian had been about to step out when she saw the horde rushing toward her like zombies. Terrified, she yanked the door shut again!
Outside, the fans screamed wildly:
"Ruan Nian, look over here! Say hi! I traveled from another city just to see you!"
"Will there be a fan meet today? Can we take some photos with you?"
The atmosphere was beyond overwhelming. Li Xunxi turned to Ruan Nian, her face pale with shock—what the hell had just happened?!
Ruan Nian’s own face was ashen. She’d asked Sister Li to arrange for some fans to show up and help them outshine Gu Zhaoping’s team—but she never expected this many!
Word had spread like wildfire, and the crowd had snowballed out of control.
It took forever for the driver to maneuver the van away, with bodyguards clearing a path. The three of them barely managed to slip inside through a back entrance, squeezing through the packed stairwell.
Only after the director lured the fans away with a decoy could they finally hurry into the elevator.
But their relief was short-lived.
The moment the elevator doors opened, they were met with another sea of people in the hallway, who immediately erupted in cheers: "Ruan Nian!"
The director spun around, his eyes nearly bulging out of his skull:
"What the—?!"
Did you people get drafted into some kind of army?! How did this tiny hallway fit so many of you? And how the hell did you even get up here—did the elevator even have space?!
But when he glanced toward the stairwell, he realized—many had climbed twenty-plus floors on foot!
This… was the sheer power of Ruan Nian’s fandom.
This… was the influence of a top-tier star like Ruan Nian!
In the middle of the crowd, the fan club leader stood proudly, sweating but beaming as she rallied everyone: "Alright, sisters, hold your positions! No pushing! Before we start snapping pics, let’s chant first!"
"3… 2… 1!"
"Never forget Ruan Nian—we echo your light!"
"Never forget Ruan Nian—we echo your light!"
"Ruan Nian, we’re here for you!"
The synchronized chant boomed so loudly the elevator seemed to tremble!
Li Xunxi’s face twisted in fury. She shot Ruan Nian a glare before ducking her head and shoving her way through the crowd.
Ruan Nian’s expression was a mix of horror and frustration. Normally, she’d smile and wave, even pretending to tear up with gratitude—but right now, she just wanted to disappear.
A wave of irritation crashed over her. How had things spiraled so badly?!
Her face darkened as she followed the director, who was flailing his arms like a bear to carve a path. But the moment he took a step forward, the crowd surged in behind him.
After an exhausting struggle, they finally made it into the restaurant. The director slammed the door shut, and everyone inside collapsed in relief.
"Good god, that was like surviving a disaster!"
The director looked shell-shocked, his face twisted in agony. How had things ended up like this?!
He whirled around and barked, "Who leaked the location?!"
The crew members all shook their heads—no one would break the confidentiality agreement.
Ruan Nian shifted uncomfortably. She hadn’t expected things to escalate like this and quickly tried to deflect: "I’m so sorry, Director, Xunxi-jie, Xunwen-ge. I had no idea my fans would go this crazy, gathering here without any regard for safety. They didn’t even ask for my permission—"
As she rambled her excuses, the curtains behind her rustled.
Two people emerged, cameras in hand.
Their faces had been lit with excitement—but now, they just stared at Ruan Nian, their expressions crumbling into disbelief.
The director and Li Xunxi nearly jumped out of their skins!
How the hell had these two been hiding here?!
The fans, still gripping their cameras, murmured in dazed confusion:
"Ruan Nian… is that really what you think of us? That we’re just… bothering you?"
Their confusion quickly gave way to hurt and betrayal:
"But Sister Li told the fan club to organize this! We came to support you!"
"You always said you loved your fans… so why would you say that about us?"
The fan asked, her emotions so intense she was nearly in tears. Not only was Ruan Nian stunned, but even the director was completely dumbfounded. They snapped out of it and quickly stepped forward to snatch the camera from the fan’s hands!
Yet, in the heat of the struggle, the camera slipped and crashed to the ground with a loud smack—instantly silencing everyone!
At that moment, the bustling crowd outside seemed to sense the abrupt quiet, and a hush spread through the air.
After a long pause, Ruan Nian lifted her head, dazed.
This is bad.
How could this happen?!
......
Over at the commercial street, the newly opened Sichuan-style health food shop had caught the attention of many young office workers passing by.
Gu Zhaoping knew that fusion dishes like these usually didn’t taste great, making it hard to win people’s trust. So, she had selected a few sample dishes to display at the entrance—visually appealing, aromatic, and delicious—immediately drawing the gaze of every passerby.
They still had plenty of capital left, so they hired two waitstaff at market rates.
The customers who were initially drawn in glanced around the shop curiously.
Then, they saw someone walk out from the kitchen, wearing an apron—none other than Chu Yanze!
“Holy crap, it’s Chu Yanze! He looks so different in an apron!”
The customers immediately placed their orders, eating while stealing glances at Chu Yanze as he bustled between tables.
Chu Yanze seemed to notice a camera flash and turned to look, raising a finger to his lips in a silent shh.
The person quickly lowered their phone and nodded vigorously, refraining from posting anything further.
When they finally tasted the food, they were shocked—how could it be this good?
It was nothing like the bland health food they usually ate!
Then they took another look.
The one in the kitchen was Liang Zhiwei? And the person chatting with customers in the shop was Gu Zhaoping??
Were they filming a show here?
Wait, how could a bunch of celebrities and a wealthy socialite, just for the sake of a show, make food this delicious?
Could they just keep filming here forever? This would solve their eternal struggle of finding tasty, healthy meals!
The thought of them leaving after filming made many customers feel a pang of regret, and they immediately pulled out their phones to call friends over—they had to try this while they still could!
Of course, some couldn’t resist leaking Chu Yanze’s location to fan groups.
But since it was a weekday, only a few had the time to rush over, with most of the crowd being curious locals.
When Ruan Nian’s fan arrived with her coworkers and friends the next day, she found a long line already stretching outside the shop.
She had expected the crowd but still turned to reassure her friends repeatedly: “This place is seriously amazing, you’ll understand once you try it—I’m not lying!”
Her friends were skeptical but followed her into the queue.
“Even if the food’s just okay, getting to see Chu Yanze makes it worth it.”
“No matter how much this meal costs, it’s a win.”
Among them stood another person.
She was also Ruan Nian’s fan—though she hadn’t abandoned her yet—sent as a spy to scope out the competition. Hearing the chatter, she rolled her eyes disdainfully.
What kind of people were in this group? Gu Zhaoping, Liang Zhiwei, and Chu Yanze—no way they could run a decent shop together.
Today’s victory was destined to belong to Ruan Nian!
Ruan Nian already had tons of fans showing up to support her; she was just here to gather intel on the other teams.
These people were delusional—probably die-hard fans of one of the three.
The line grew longer, but since this was the main street of the commercial district, the wide sidewalks kept traffic flowing smoothly.
The spy then noticed that they had already set up a separate takeout lane outside the shop, with everything running smoothly.
With enough staff, business was booming, and there wasn’t a hint of chaos.
Her expression darkened, brows furrowing.
Just a cheap stunt.
Ruan Nian would do way better.
Finally making it inside, the spy’s group quickly grabbed a table and ordered the dishes one girl had already confirmed were delicious from her visit the day before.
As she ordered, the girl discreetly observed Chu Yanze bustling around the shop, Liang Zhiwei in the kitchen, and Gu Zhaoping.
Blushing, she whispered to her friends: “I came here yesterday—Chu Yanze took my order, Liang Zhiwei gave me a freebie, and Gu Zhaoping even had Chu Yanze share their secret sauce recipe with me! She told me to bring friends today if I could!”
The others gasped.
“No way, a restaurant run by celebrities and a socialite, and their service is this good?”
At the next table, the spy scoffed. Yeah right. What a joke. No way these high-profile guests would go that far. Keep lying to yourselves, but don’t expect others to buy it.
Chu Yanze would never indulge you like that.
“Oh my god! Chu Yanze is coming over!!”
The spy watched in disbelief as Chu Yanze walked straight to the waving table next to hers.
Her eyes nearly bulged out of her skull—just like that?!
When Chu Yanze actually approached and asked about their meal, they realized the girl hadn’t been exaggerating at all—it was even better than they’d imagined!
The spy’s face twisted in shock and frustration.
Then the food arrived, and the neighboring table lost their minds.
“How is this possible? It’s this good?”
“This is chef-level stuff! I could eat this every day!”
The spy still refused to believe it.
No way it tasted good. None of them looked like they could cook, and they were messing around with fusion cuisine.
Ruan Nian was the real culinary queen of the entertainment industry.
With that bitter thought, she spitefully took a bite—and nearly choked, almost spitting it out!
Her pupils shook. No… how could it be this delicious?!
Did they secretly hire a professional chef?!
Still in denial, she tried every dish on the table. After finishing, she numbly sipped her soup, her disdain and disbelief warring violently inside her.
Fine, whatever. After a long internal struggle, she consoled herself—so what if their food was good? Ruan Nian’s team was just as strong, and with all her fans there, their business was definitely better. No, it had to be.
Just then, as Chu Yanze was rushing between tables taking orders, his phone rang.
He happened to be standing between the spy’s table and the next when he froze, glancing around before lowering his voice: “Ruan Nian’s team called the police?”
He was stunned. How had they already landed in trouble with the cops in such a short time?
"What? Someone actually reported her?!" Chu Yanze was even more shocked.
At that moment, the former fan of Ruan Nian at the same table overheard this remark.
Just as she expected—those people were bound to cause trouble!
Meanwhile, the undercover listener heard it too and instantly spat out a mouthful of soup. "Pfft!"
What? Ruan Nian got reported to the police?!
