I was criticized on a dating reality show, but I retaliated and became an internet sensation.

Gu Yan sat on the edge of the bed without moving, tilting his head to look at her: "Then I'll leave?"

Shu Zi shrank her face further into the blanket: "Mmm."

Gu Yan still didn't move, reaching out to poke her shoulder that was sticking out from under the blanket: "I'm really leaving?"

Shu Zi: "..."

"Get out of here!"

Gu Yan smiled, stood up, walked to the door, then turned back:

"The porridge is kept warm in the pot, and the side dishes are placed next to it. Help yourself."

"understood."

The door closed, and the room became completely quiet.

Shu Zi stayed under the covers for a while before slowly peeking out.

She first tentatively moved her legs.

Hiss, sour.

She tried twisting her waist again.

Oh, even more sour.

She lay flat on her back, expressionless, staring at the ceiling, and began to mutter curses:

"Gu Yan, you dog of a man... a beast in human clothing... a hypocrite... a scoundrel of refined manners..."

She went through all the words she could think of before she felt a little better.

She lay there for a full two minutes before gritting her teeth and trying to sit up again.

This time it was a success, but the moment my feet touched the floor, my knees buckled and I almost knelt down.

She quickly steadied herself by holding onto the bed, took a deep breath, looked down at her two slightly trembling legs, remained silent for a moment with a complex expression, and then let out a heartfelt sigh:

"...I really admire myself for surviving."

She took a couple of breaths before slowly and unsteadily moving out of the room.

As she went downstairs, she practically shuffled down step by step, holding onto the handrail. She would pause at each step and mutter a curse under her breath.

After finally making it to the kitchen, I opened the pot lid, and a warm, fragrant aroma of white porridge wafted out.

Next to him were a dish of pickled vegetables, a dish of pork floss, and a small plate of fried eggs, all neatly arranged, clearly prepared by Gu Yan before he left.

She ladled out a bowl of porridge, sat down at the table, and slowly drank it, sip by sip.

After eating the hot porridge, my stomach felt warm, and the aches and pains in my body didn't seem so unbearable anymore.

After finishing her meal, she rinsed the dishes clean and put them in the drainer. Then, dragging her still sore body, she collapsed onto the sofa in the living room and turned on the TV.

She randomly picked a variety show to use as background music, then curled up in the corner of the sofa with a cushion, sinking into the soft seat, not wanting to move at all.

The sunlight outside the window gradually softened from bright to gentle, and then slowly took on a warm orange hue.

She dozed off halfway through the night, and when she woke up, she found a thin blanket on her. She didn't know when she had pulled it on or if Gu Yan had come back.

She didn't investigate further, turned over, and continued to lie there paralyzed.

Her phone vibrated on the coffee table. She reached for it and saw it was a message from Lan Manwen.

Big Sister: "Are you ready? I'll be there in twenty-five minutes."

Shu Zi glanced at the time; it was 6:05 PM.

She replied "Okay," then sat up from the sofa and stretched.

My bones cracked a few times, and after a whole afternoon of rest, the soreness in my body finally eased up quite a bit.

After going upstairs, Shu Zi first took a shower in the bathroom, then stood in front of the wardrobe for a moment, picked out a simple black dress, and paired it with a short blazer of the same color.

It's neither too formal nor lacking in propriety.

After changing her clothes, she sat down in front of the makeup mirror and put on light makeup.

After finishing her makeup, she tilted her head slightly in front of the mirror to check the marks on her collarbone and neck. She then applied concealer to several more noticeable areas to make sure they were completely invisible before she felt relieved.

She applied a thin layer of lipstick, looked at herself in the mirror, then gathered her hair, took a hair tie from the side, and quickly twisted it into a loose low bun, with a few stray hairs falling naturally beside her ears.

She turned around in front of the mirror to make sure she looked good before picking up her phone and going downstairs.

She had just stepped down the stairs when the doorbell rang.

Shu Zi picked up her handbag from the sofa, walked to the entryway, changed into a pair of low-heeled pointed shoes, and opened the door.

Lan Manwen stood outside the door, dressed in a smart dark suit, carrying a briefcase.

Her gaze lingered on Shu Zi's face for a moment, then swept downwards, her brows twitching almost imperceptibly before she casually looked away.

Shu Zi noticed the pause, her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly changed the subject with a smile:

"Sister Wen! You look so cool today! I almost thought you were going to shoot a magazine cover!"

Lan Manwen looked at her expressionlessly: "Don't give me that."

Shu Zi chuckled, turned around and closed the door, mentally cursing Gu Yan a hundred times over.

Lan Manwen turned and walked towards the car: "Get in, I'll tell you about tonight's events on the way."

Shu Zi followed, opened the back door, and got in.

Lan Manwen got into the car from the other side and sat down next to her.

The car drove out of the Park Hyatt Yunqi and merged into the evening rush hour traffic.

Lan Manwen leaned back in his chair and began speaking calmly:

"The dinner party tonight is at Wangjiang Pavilion. Director Fei, the producer, and the screenwriter will all be there. You and Qu Xuan are the two female leads, and Qi Yu has been cast as the male lead."

Shu Zi paused for a moment, then turned to look at her: "Qi Yu? That little boy who did the cover shoot yesterday?"

"Um."

Shu Zi raised an eyebrow: "What a coincidence?"

Lan Manwen glanced at her, expressionless: "You'd better tone it down, or you'll scare the male lead away on the very first day."

Shu Zi immediately retorted, "How could that be! Do you think I'm that kind of person?!"

Lan Manwen ignored her and continued speaking:

"Just keep Qu Xuan in mind. As for the rest, just act normally. Tonight is mainly for everyone to get to know each other, so the atmosphere won't be too serious."

Shu Zi nodded, turned her gaze to the window, and didn't ask any more questions.

The car moved slowly and stopped in the evening rush hour traffic, and after about forty minutes, it stopped in front of Wangjiang Pavilion.

Lan Manwen got out of the car first, followed by Shu Zi, and the two walked into the lobby one after the other.

The waiter led them through the corridor, stopped in front of a heavy wooden door, pushed it open, and gestured for them to enter.

Several people had already arrived in the private room.

Director Fei was sitting in the main seat, talking to the producer next to him. Hearing the noise at the door, he looked up, smiled, and waved to them.

"Coming, coming, please have a seat."

Shu Zi put on a polite smile, greeted Director Fei, and followed Lan Manwen inside, taking her seat in the spot indicated by Director Fei.

As soon as Shu Zi sat down, she glanced around at the people in the private room.

The producer was sitting next to Director Fei, and the screenwriter was sitting next to him. I had met him on the day of the audition.

She nodded in greeting, and the other person returned a polite smile.

The two seats opposite were still empty, obviously reserved for Qu Xuan and Qi Yu.

As the waiter came in to refill the tea, Director Fei smiled and said:

"Most of the people have arrived, except for Qu Xuan and Qi Yu. Qu Xuan said there was some traffic on the way, and Qi Yu has finished filming and is on his way."

The moment the words were spoken, the door to the private room was pushed open.