Emotion

"My conditions are that in eight countries and twelve cities, you provide our class with a maximum budget of 12 million dollars for activities and arrange for specialists to handle our entertainment and shopping. In each city, they will perform a unique show under your company's name for publicity. When the Rain band performs, I will accompany from the back, out of sight."

"As long as you agree to perform a promotional concert for our company when we need you, we accept these conditions."

"Okay, but the time must be limited to three years from now, as I don't want to appear in public until I turn sixteen."

"If those are your conditions, I can agree, but you have to let me meet Ayase..."

"Zhao Ziming, it's not that I won't let you see her, but she doesn't want to see you. Whether it's you or anyone else, she doesn't want to meet."

"..."

"Can you tell me why?"

"Don't you already know? Ayase's pride is beyond measure. If you can't be the best, you must at least surpass her, or she won't acknowledge you. She is so proud that she disregards the world. Yet, isn't it her pride that you admire?"

"I just want to see her, even if we don't speak."

"She's beside me and heard what you said. After a moment of silence, she gave me a message for you. Do you want to know her response?"

"Tell me..."

"If you can find and provide sufficient evidence of the masterminds behind those who slandered me and expose them publicly, she will agree to meet you once. This is both a test and a way to avenge me..."

"I... I will try. I can't guarantee success, but I will do my best..."

"Good luck..."

"Please give her my regards..."

"I will..."

"Beep...beep..." Chu Lian tossed the phone onto the bedside table and lay down, chuckling softly. "Ayase, do you think I'm being too cruel to him? Giving him hope for something that will never happen. For someone who loves you so much, I feel really hateful."

"Beauty and flesh are but decorations on bones. No matter how stunning someone is, they end up as dirt. Besides, he may not love me; he might just love this outer shell. If he encountered the real me, he would surely run away in fear."

"This is human nature, an indelible effect of emotions and desires. Whether seen through or not, he and others are just fleeting winds to me. Apart from stirring my clothes, what else can they leave behind?" Whenever discussing emotions, Ayase always seemed so enlightened, as if she had already given up on such matters.

"But how many people in this world can see through someone's essence and love that pure person? Only through gradual interaction, beyond the external appearance, can one understand the true nature within." Chu Lian placed her hands behind her head, gazing at the somewhat blurry ceiling under the light, and whispered softly.

"So, instead of calling it love at first sight, it's more about the desire to possess at first sight..." Chu Lian could imagine Ayase's expression at this moment and smiled helplessly. "Then why did you want me to tell him those things? The original plan was just to collaborate, but now the relationship is more complicated. What are you thinking?"

When not discussing emotions, Ayase's voice was always lazy and seductive, "I just wanted to keep him busy and find some useful hidden hands. You can't be unaware of the impact of the 420,000 copies of 'Aya News' you published this morning, right? I know your Integrity Points have increased a lot..."

Looking at the system's attribute panel, Chu Lian fell silent as she saw the conspicuous number: "Integrity Points: 1,472,435." In just one day, she had earned over 1.4 million Integrity Points simply by posting a photo of herself in a white silk cat-ear maid outfit.

She knew that just the newspaper readers alone couldn't have contributed that many points. The only other explanation was that someone had uploaded the photo online and explicitly mentioned that it was Chu Lian's.

The result was a frenzy on Weibo, with countless mentions, most related to this photo. Many people wondered who had the ability to find such a private photo and whether there were more revealing pictures. These speculations and assumptions gave Chu Lian a headache as she checked Weibo.

Realizing that individual explanations were impossible, she simply posted a response: "My computer was quietly hacked, and most of the photos Ayase took of me have been copied. The pictures have now been transferred and will no longer be stored on internet-connected devices."

"However, please note that these are personal, unofficial photos. Although some are a bit odd, they do not contain the content you're hoping for. So, if anyone claims to have more revealing photos of me in the future, it's definitely a lie. Don't be fooled."

Due to Weibo's character limit, she could only write these 140 characters. Although there were some flaws in her explanation, not many people would notice, and it allowed her to smooth things over. However, in the coming period, "Aya News" would likely become another target for her fans' attacks.

But for "Aya News," which was already known for its shamelessness, these attacks were more promotional than harmful. After all, its origins were unknown, and it couldn't be banned or stopped, so all anyone could do was watch.

This incident happened because it was the first time a photo not officially released by her had appeared, and it was clearly a private one. Coupled with her recent popularity, even though she hadn't appeared publicly other than attending school, her fame was still growing. This made the photo particularly enticing.

To gain that many Integrity Points in one day again, she would have to become a mega-celebrity with millions of fans, which was currently impossible. Chu Lian was still striving towards 500,000 fans. At this rate, reaching 10 million would take at least four or five years of consistent exposure. Without regular spotlight moments, it would remain a distant dream.

Nevertheless, she couldn't forget the fantasy-level task. Otherwise, she wouldn't risk increasing her exposure despite the danger. The rewards of the fantasy-difficulty task were too enticing, forcing her to consider how to achieve those things.

"To be honest, I didn't expect this newspaper to cause such a stir. I thought it would take a long time for it to become widely known. But because of one photo, it gained significant publicity. Although there were more negative comments than positive ones, once popularity rises, isn't it easy to improve the situation? Right, Ayase?" Chu Lian picked up a copy of "Aya News" from the bedside table, flipped through a few pages, and spoke self-deprecatingly.

"That's why I asked Zhao Ziming to uncover some hidden manipulators. At the right time, we can publish their persecution and evidence against you in the newspaper. This will help shift some readers' perceptions of the paper. I think getting the evidence from him and finding a good reason to hand it to 'Aya News' for publication won't be difficult, right?" Ayase's voice was calm but warmed Chu Lian's heart.

Ayase always did things meticulously. Once she had the necessary information, she could quickly prepare for future tasks. Yet, if Chu Lian didn't ask, Ayase would never mention these plans.

This was what reassured Chu Lian. No matter how much trouble she caused or how many enemies she made, she would never be alone. Because someone was always silently supporting her...

In a moment of emotion, Chu Lian said something she herself couldn't believe: "Ayase, will you stay with me forever?"

Ayase remained silent, and Chu Lian was stunned...

The night sky, sparse with starlight, a hazy crescent moon, and the wind blowing through the curtains, brought countless thoughts...