Your Aloof Persona Has Crumbled - Chapter 30

“I didn’t expect you to watch those,” Lu Jingwei said, lowering her head to take a sip of soup, feigning composure.

Wen Shike looked at Lu Jingwei, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly as she asked softly, “Why wouldn’t I?”

Lu Jingwei: “…”

During the evening training session, Wen Shike was called away by the staff. When she arrived at the office, she found Ming Wangxue and Lu Jingwei already there, sitting in chairs waiting for her. According to the staff, they were there to film an advertisement for a mobile phone.

“Here are the contracts.” The staff member brought out three stacks of contracts, three copies for each person, nine in total and placed them on the table, looking at them with a smile.

Wen Shike flipped through them, decisively took out her phone, snapped photos, and sent them to her lawyer.

“It’s better to be cautious, though we’ve already had the program’s lawyers look them over and confirmed there are no issues,” the staff member noted.

“I know. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but since it’s a contract, it’s better to see it clearly. Once both parties have confirmed everything, it’ll be easier to resolve any disputes in the future,” Wen Shike replied with a polite smile.

After waiting about half an hour, the lawyer replied confirming the contract was fine, and the three of them promptly signed.

The filming was scheduled for the morning of the day after next. The script was sent to them immediately after signing; there weren’t many lines. Since the phone’s main selling point was its camera, the script revolved entirely around taking photos.

“This script…” Ming Wangxue fell into deep thought. “Why does it feel a bit strange?”

The plot was very simple: Wen Shike and Lu Jingwei are outside taking photos but find them blurry. Ming Wangxue then runs over with the new phone, teaches them how to take photos, and they eventually capture the perfect shot.

“Before I arrive, it’s the two of you taking photos. After I arrive, it’s still the two of you taking photos. I’m just a tool to upgrade your equipment!” Ming Wangxue looked at Wen Shike and then at Lu Jingwei. “This is too much.”

Wen Shike: “…”

“I used to think you two just had ‘people on the inside’ in the post-production team, but I never expected this… even the people writing the commercial scripts are your people.” Ming Wangxue pouted, wiped away non-existent tears, turned, and ran off.

“I don’t understand,” Wen Shike frowned. “Who are ‘our people’? How come I don’t know we have people? I told my parents not to arrange anything.”

Lu Jingwei, however, knew exactly what Ming Wangxue meant. She watched a lot of variety shows, but since Wen Shike didn’t know, she figured it was best to keep it that way. “I don’t know either.”

Wen Shike stared at Lu Jingwei, narrowing her eyes. “You hesitated. You’re lying to me. You won’t tell me.”

Lu Jingwei: “…”

“Let’s go train,” Lu Jingwei said, averting her eyes.

During practice, Wen Shike’s mind was occupied by this matter, but she felt it wasn’t right to ask others. After all, if it was something Ming Wangxue could say but Lu Jingwei refused to explain, it probably wasn’t anything good.

After training ended, Wen Shike returned to her room, showered, and quickly crawled into bed to grab her phone. She couldn’t find anything through a general search, so she searched the phrase “people on the inside in post-production” on Weibo. Although there was no explicit definition, anyone could grasp the meaning.

[User: Setting Sun]: Hahaha, Little Sheep and Little Chicken! With this editing, there must be people on the inside in post-production! Wuuu, they’re such a good match.

[User: Shall We Go On An Outing Together]: Did anyone notice the special effects in The Coding Adventure? Why do pink bubbles pop up on the screen whenever AA and BB appear together! It’s confirmed there are people on the inside. Which sister is it? Let’s ship them together!!!

Wen Shike: “…”

Good thing I didn’t ask.

Wen Shike’s ears burned, and she shifted uncomfortably, causing her phone to fall and hit her in the face.

This was toxic.

[Wen Shike]: Why did you think Lu Jingwei was my “new flame” last time?

[Huang Xiyun]: Oh, I accidentally saw your CP (Couple) Super Topic. I felt that kind of vibe.

[Wen Shike]: …

[Huang Xiyun]: I even saved a few drawings by your CP fans. I’ll send them to you!

Wen Shike wanted to refuse, but the woman on the other end went ahead and sent over a dozen images.

[Huang Xiyun]: The ‘food’ (fan content) is quite delicious. And I feel they very intuitively captured your actual psychological state.

Wen Shike: “…” Wen Shike: “???”

The content Huang Xiyun sent was actually a comic strip. It started with a photo of her and Lu Jingwei, and the artist had expanded on it with endless imagination.

For example, the first photo showed Wen Shike leaning in to whisper in Lu Jingwei’s ear. Neither had much of an expression at first glance, it didn’t suggest anything other than two beauties sharing a secret.

But the artist was very good at “divergent thinking.”

In the drawing, she had sketched the two of them but added Chibi (Q-version) characters to represent their inner thoughts.

The Chibi Wen Shike was smiling dopily like an idiot: “Wife smells so good.”

The Chibi Lu Jingwei was covering her face but because her Chibi head was big and her hands were small, she couldn’t hide the blush: “Ahhh, she leaned in! There are so many people around.”

The next one was a bit “inappropriate for minors.” Both she and Lu Jingwei were in pajamas. She was buried against Lu Jingwei’s stomach, and just a little further down was a spot that would be censored. Her hand was resting on a thigh, while Lu Jingwei had one hand gripping the bedsheet and the other covering her face.

There was even an incredibly embarrassing line of dialogue: “Wife, you really smell so good.”

The background was clearly their dorm bed; even the patterns on the sheets were detailed. It was obviously the very bed Wen Shike was lying on right now.

Wen Shike glanced at it, her brain buzzing, and she immediately closed it. This blogger was truly a “talent.”

[Wen Shike]: Where exactly did they ‘intuitively capture my psychological state’? I was probably just asking her what she wanted for lunch.

[Huang Xiyun]: Exactly! Look, didn’t they draw what you were ‘eating’ that night at the end?

[Wen Shike]: ???

[Wen Shike]: Just wait until I get out and find you. 🙂

[Huang Xiyun]: Oh, come on, I’m just joking. Don’t be mad. But the drawing really is good. If I looked for an artist outside, this level of detail would cost thousands!

Wen Shike found the original blogger’s name in the bottom right corner of the images Huang Xiyun had sent. She looked up the account and found that the person actually had 80,000 followers, she was a dedicated illustration blogger.

The artist had posted a new Weibo update just three minutes ago, another photo of her and Lu Jingwei. The caption consisted of only two words: [Teaser]. Below it, plenty of fans were already waiting in anticipation.

[92*@712]:** I’ll give you 100,000 yuan. Stop drawing Wen Shike and Lu Jingwei.

Wen Shike expected the other party to take a while to reply, but the response was instantaneous.

[Future Rich Woman]: ?

[Future Rich Woman]: A “poisonous solo” fan? We’re just enjoying our ship in our own corner, how is that bothering you? Honey, I don’t need your petty cash! Get lost.

Wen Shike: “…”

[92*@712]:** Or at least stop drawing those suggestive “edge pushing” pictures?

[Future Rich Woman]: ???

[Future Rich Woman]: Where did this little morality police officer come from! I’m not short on money.

[92*@712]:** One million? The crackdown on “obscene content” is quite strict right now. If you keep this up, your account will be in danger.

[Future Rich Woman]: ???

[Future Rich Woman]: Stop playing games with me. Screw off.

Wen Shike wanted to say more, but she realized she had already been blocked.

She switched to a secondary account and saw that the blogger had already screenshotted the exchange and posted it.

[Future Rich Woman]: Someone said they’d give me a million, and I turned them down. Do you guys think I did the right thing? Although, she has a point. I’ll just stick to “light” edge-pushing from now on.

Wen Shike: “…”

Wen Shike sighed. Before she could recover, she saw that Huang Xiyun had sent her a screenshot.

[Huang Xiyun]: Hahahaha, are you an idiot???

[Huang Xiyun]: Relax, there isn’t anything truly scandalous yet. If it really goes too far, I won’t just stand by. But these poses are pretty normal, right? What’s wrong with best friends being affectionate?

[Huang Xiyun]: It’s just a little bit of hugging, kissing, and cuddling!

With a blank expression, Wen Shike blocked Huang Xiyun.

I’ll unblock her tomorrow.

Wen Shike spent some more time browsing the “CP Super Topic” for herself and Lu Jingwei. She saw a plethora of fanfiction: “Crematorium” (regretful exes), classic “running away with a secret baby,” “forced love,” “confinement in a dark room”…

Every trope was represented.

She had to admit, these people were truly talented.

Struggling to suppress her sense of shame, Wen Shike clicked on a story titled [She Flees, She Pursues, She Finds It Hard to Fly Away].

Halfway through, her soul was profoundly shaken. She stared at the ceiling for a long time, unable to snap out of it.

How did I become a total pervert?

Wen Shike checked the time and shoved her phone away.

It was time to sleep, but this was destined to be a restless night.

When Wen Shike saw Lu Jingwei the next morning, her head was still filled with that cringe worthy, bizarre novel.

[Wen Shike gave a cruel laugh as she tied Lu Jingwei’s hands and feet with rope. Pulling tightly, she suddenly jerked Lu Jingwei toward her: “Say you love me! Only me! Why aren’t you saying anything? Speak! Why won’t you speak!”

Lu Jingwei’s body was limp, being shaken by Wen Shike like a ragdoll: “I don’t know what to say. I can’t say it. If you’re not satisfied, you can just kill me.”

“Ah, what are you saying! How could I ever kill you! You are my very heart and soul!”]

“You look even worse today than you did yesterday,” Lu Jingwei said with a frown. “Do you need to see a doctor?”

Wen Shike shook her head and lowered her voice: “I lost track of time playing on my phone.”

“Is that so? Then why are you afraid to look at me?”

Wen Shike: “…”

Wen Shike turned her head and stared at Lu Jingwei, not looking away for a long time.

Now it was Lu Jingwei’s turn to feel uncomfortable.

“You’re not looking at me either,” Wen Shike noted.

Lu Jingwei: “…”

“There’s preserved egg and lean pork porridge this morning! If you’re late, it’ll be gone. Can you two go back behind closed doors to play your ‘I look at you, you look at me’ game?” Ming Wangxue grumbled as she dragged Sheng Ling past them. She looked back, clicked her tongue, and shook her head.

“There’s preserved egg and lean pork porridge today.” Wen Shike glanced at Lu Jingwei, then immediately looked away, grabbing her hand to speed up.

So the point is the porridge?

Lu Jingwei caught a glimpse of Wen Shike’s bright red ears.