"Did you agree to my conditions? In eight countries and twelve cities, provide our class with a maximum activity fund of 12 million USD, and assign dedicated personnel to assist with our travel and shopping. In each city, they will stage a performance under your company's name using unique local backgrounds for promotion. When Seven Rain performs, I will be in the back, accompanying quietly without being seen."
"As long as you agree to perform a promotional concert for our company when we need it, we accept the conditions."
"That's fine, but the timing must be at least three years later. I don't want to appear in public during these next few years. Only when I turn sixteen will I return to the stage."
"If that's your condition, I can agree to it. But I want to see Ayase..."
"Zhao Ziming, it's not that I won't let you see her. It's that she doesn't want to see anyone—whether it's you or anyone else."
"..."
"Can you tell me why?"
"Don't you already know? You know how proud Ayase is. Even if you can't be the best, you must at least surpass her—otherwise, she won't even glance your way. She is that proud, proud enough to disregard the entire world. But isn't that what you love about her?"
"I just want to see her once. Even if we don't speak, that would be enough."
"She's beside me right now. When she heard what you said, she was silent for a while and then said something. Do you want to know her answer?"
"Tell me..."
"If you can find the mastermind behind those who slandered me, provide sufficient evidence, and make it public, she will agree to see you once. It's both a test and a form of revenge for me..."
"I... I'll try. I can't promise anything, but I'll give it my all..."
"I wish you success."
"Please... give her my regards."
"Alright..."
Beep... beep... Chu Lian tossed the disconnected phone to the bedside and lay down gently, letting out a low chuckle. "Ayase, do you think I was too cruel to him? Giving him hope when there's absolutely no possibility. For someone who loves you so deeply, I must be really awful."
"Beauty and flesh are merely adornments on a skeleton. No matter how stunning someone may be in life, they're just a pile of yellow earth in the end. Besides, he might not truly love me, but rather the appearance I wear. If he encountered my true self, he would surely flee in fear."
"That's human nature—the indelible mark of emotions and desires. Whether one understands it or not, people like him or anyone else... to me, they're nothing more than wind passing by. At most, they lift the hem of my robe. What else could they possibly leave behind?" Whenever the topic turned to emotions, Ayase always sounded so detached, as if she had long given up on such things.
"But how many people in this world can truly see through someone at a glance and fall in love with their pure soul? Only through slow interaction, through the outer appearance, can one come to understand the true essence within." Chu Lian rested her hands behind her head, gazing at the dimly lit ceiling, murmuring softly.
"Which is why love at first sight is less about love and more about possession and desire..." Chu Lian could almost picture Ayase's expression and smiled helplessly. "Then why did you make me say all that to him? Originally, the plan was just to establish a partnership, but now the relationship is much more complicated. What were you thinking?"
When not talking about emotions, Ayase's voice always carried a lazy, seductive tone. "I just wanted to keep him occupied for a while—use him to uncover some behind-the-scenes players we need. Don't tell me you don't know the impact of the 420,000 copies of the Bunbunmaru Newspaper you released this morning? I happen to know your Integrity Points are getting quite high lately..."
Looking at the prominent number in the system stats panel, Chu Lian fell silent. "Integrity Points: 1,472,435"—in just one day, simply by posting a photo of herself in white stockings and cat ears dressed as a maid, she had earned over 1.4 million Integrity Points.
She knew that newspaper readers alone couldn't have generated that much. There was only one explanation: someone uploaded the photo online and specifically labeled it as Chu Lian.
The result was chaos on Weibo. Countless @ mentions flooded in, most of them about that photo. Many speculated who could have gotten such a clearly private picture, whether there were others, and whether even more revealing ones existed. These wild guesses and delusions gave Chu Lian a headache the moment she logged in.
She knew explaining to each person was impossible, so she simply posted a Weibo to respond:
"My computer was silently hacked. Most of the photos Ayase took of me show signs of being copied. The images have now been relocated and will no longer be stored on any internet-connected devices."
"Also, please note that all these photos are informal, personal cosplay shots. Though some might be odd, they don't contain the kind of content you're hoping for. So if anyone claims scandalous pictures of me are leaked in the future, don't fall for it."
Due to Weibo's character limit, she could only write those 140 words. While there were obvious flaws in the statement, few people seemed to care. At least it helped her smooth things over for now. However, in the coming days, Bunbunmaru Newspaper might become a target for attacks by her fans.
But for a paper already notorious for shamelessness and bottomless tactics, such attacks were more promotional than harmful. After all, its origins were unknown, and there was no way to ban it—it just kept circulating.
Of course, this impact came because the image was a clearly private one not released by her, and due to her current peak popularity. Even though she hadn't appeared in public recently outside of school, her fame was rising rather than waning. That made the photo all the more enticing.
In the future, gaining that many Integrity Points in a single day would be impossible—unless she became a ten-million-follower superstar. Right now, Chu Lian was still striving toward her 500,000 follower milestone. Based on the trend, it would take four or five years to reach ten million, and only with consistent headline-worthy exposure. Otherwise, it was just wishful thinking.
Still, she couldn't forget that Fantasy-level quest. Otherwise, she wouldn't keep risking overexposure and the danger it brought. The rewards were too enticing to ignore, and she had to plan her actions with that in mind.
"Honestly, I didn't expect this newspaper to cause such a stir. I thought it would take a long time to gain recognition. Instead, it became famous overnight because of my photo. Though negative feedback outweighs positive, once popularity rises, improving the image won't be hard—right, Ayase?" Chu Lian picked up the Bunbunmaru Newspaper from her bedside table, flipped through a few pages, and smirked at her own handiwork.
"That's also why I told you to have Zhao Ziming find the culprits behind your harassment. When the time is right, publish their offenses and the evidence in the newspaper. It'll help win back some of the audience. Honestly, getting the proof and finding a good excuse to give it to Bunbunmaru won't be hard, right?" Ayase's voice was calm, but it warmed Chu Lian's heart.
She always covered every angle, preparing everything well in advance once she had the details. But unless Chu Lian asked, Ayase never volunteered any of it.
That was what made Chu Lian feel at ease—no matter how big a mess she made, no matter the enemies she stirred, she wouldn't be alone. Because someone would always be behind her, silently supporting her…
Caught in a moment of emotion, Chu Lian said something even she couldn't believe:
"Ayase, will you stay with me forever?"
Ayase didn't respond. Chu Lian was stunned herself…
In the night sky, the stars were few, the hazy moon a thin arc. Wind rustled the curtains, carrying with it countless wandering thoughts…