Approaching the New Year

After a day off, Yu Shuman returned to her familiar work routine, while Qin Ran resumed her usual idle state with nothing much to do. The most productive thing Qin Ran did was scroll through her phone, occasionally learning about the entertainment industry and keeping an eye on Ling Miaohan's side activities.

As Fashion Week approached, Ling Miaohan's alias in the fashion world started becoming more active.

Qin Ran had already forgotten the exact name of Ling Miaohan's alias, but by searching for famous female designers in recent years, she could easily identify it. Ling Miaohan's fashion alias was "Rose," and her designs always featured an abundance of floral elements. She was a third-generation disciple of a famous luxury brand founder and had already won two prestigious fashion awards. But, as someone who didn't really understand fashion, Qin Ran could only think one thing when looking at Ling Miaohan's designs: What is this?

It wasn't that she didn't understand that most design sketches were free-flowing and often exaggerated in proportions for effect, but even so, Qin Ran still couldn't grasp Ling Miaohan's designs, especially the clusters of small circles meant to represent flowers.

To be honest, Qin Ran believed that the real talent wasn't Ling Miaohan but rather her tailoring team. They managed to turn her chaotic ideas into actual, wearable clothes—truly impressive individuals.

Recently, Ling Miaohan's alias, Rose, posted several concept sketches on foreign social media, labeling them as drafts, with promises that the final products for Fashion Week would be even more stunning. Soon, these drafts circulated back to China through various media outlets.

However, fashion news doesn't get much attention in China, except around events like Fashion Week, so these reports didn't garner much attention. Soon enough, they were overshadowed by other news.

This news concerned 99 Entertainment and the convicted man from the lawsuit. Photos of two actresses from the company tearfully reacting to his sentencing were released, drawing widespread attention and praise in the comments.

[Glad he's locked up. Remember to keep busy with the sewing machines in there]

[This is my favorite episode from my childhood!]

[Honestly, he got off too lightly. When are they going to start using chemical and biological castration for these scumbags who target minors? He should just die already]

When the two actresses first came forward to sue the investor, some trolls voiced opposing views and used foul language to insult them. However, after 99 Entertainment started sending legal notices and actually winning compensation, few dared to speak out of turn again.

Some people thought 99 Entertainment was too aggressive, while others cheered them on:

[LOL, aggressive? If you haven't done anything wrong, what's there to be afraid of?]

[I agree with the person above. They compared 99 Entertainment to a ghost? More like a rabid dog! (sarcastic emoji)]

Seeing this trending news bury Ling Miaohan's alias further down the list, Qin Ran couldn't help but feel a bit of "sympathy" for her.

Poor thing, she really is down on her luck, Qin Ran thought. Compared to her novel counterpart or even just a while ago, Ling Miaohan's situation had drastically declined. Whenever her name came up, it was either attached to criticism or overshadowed by other news. It reminded Qin Ran of a certain fallen pop star from her previous life.

But this time, it wasn't Qin Ran's doing. She no longer paid attention to the convicted investor. It was just fate. After enjoying so many years of easy living, it was Ling Miaohan's turn to face adversity. Qin Ran casually thought this while snacking on some fruit.

The custom-made gift that Qin Ran had prepared for Yu Shuman's mother had also arrived. Wu Special Assistant arranged for someone to deliver it personally, considering its high value. The delivery was handled by a junior assistant from Qin Ran's team, who visibly relaxed after handing over the gift to Qin Ran.

After sending the assistant off, Qin Ran happily returned to her tasks. Curious, she asked her personal assistant, "Why was she so happy?"

The assistant replied somewhat wistfully, "Because Sister Wu told her she could start her vacation after delivering the gift."

It was then that Qin Ran realized the New Year was fast approaching. Her assistant had been assigned to stay on during the holidays, with a break scheduled after the new year. Qin Ran's bodyguards were on a rotating shift, with three teams taking turns to ensure her safety.

Wu Special Assistant had made these arrangements, knowing Qin Ran's status required top-notch security. After the incident at Zeng Qian's birthday party, Wu had become extra cautious. Qin Ran couldn't help but feel that her current lifestyle was far more luxurious than her parents had ever enjoyed.

And rightly so, considering her parents still had to work for their wealth, while Qin Ran didn't have to lift a finger.

Once again, she gave thanks to the ever-reliable Wealth System.

System!

The system, as usual, began throwing a fit in her mind, encouraging her to use its power more frequently. After briefly acknowledging its usefulness, Qin Ran promptly silenced it. While the system was great, it could be annoyingly noisy and often tried to take credit for things Qin Ran did for Yu Shuman.

The assistant delivering the gift was another reminder that the New Year was just around the corner.

As Qin Ran opened the package, she reflected on the time passing. The holidays were fast approaching, and many production crews were starting to wrap up for the year. Yu Shuman's director, however, was a workaholic, and she herself was a hardworking "iron woman." They likely wouldn't stop until just before the New Year.

The director had certainly changed after being scolded by the producer. He no longer yelled at people and treated everyone with more kindness. His dedication to his craft remained, but he no longer passed his stress onto others. To his surprise, progress on the project actually improved after he stopped shouting.

This wasn't surprising, really. No one likes working with a "stress monster," especially if that person is their boss. When everyone feels pressured, it's hard to be productive. The fact that things didn't fall apart entirely before was a miracle in itself.

Qin Ran placed the opened gift—a string of pearls—onto the table and carefully inspected it. The necklace was simple, with 50 pearls measuring 8.5 millimeters in diameter, and a centerpiece of a 15-millimeter gold pearl. The pearls themselves were flawless in shape, luster, and color. The whole set had cost no less than 300,000 yuan.

She had initially wanted to buy an even more expensive gift, but Yu Shuman would have caught on. Yu Shuman would ask how much it cost and probably even demand the receipt. If the gift were worth a million or two, Yu Shuman would reject it, claiming it was too extravagant.

So, Qin Ran had no choice but to go with a less pricey option.

Even though the pearl necklace was exquisite, Qin Ran still wrinkled her nose and muttered, "It's still too cheap."

With a sigh, she turned to the other package—a down jacket that had been vacuum-sealed for easy transport. Though bulky, the packaging kept it compact. The custom clothing store had also included a booklet with design sketches, photos of the finished product, and detailed information.

Qin Ran took one look at the large bundle and decided not to open it. If she did, she might not be able to pack it back up again. The down jacket was large, and she still had plenty of other things to pack in her suitcase.

A few days later, Yu Shuman's crew finally announced they would break for the New Year after one more day of filming. Qin Ran asked her assistant to buy her some clothes, but her request left the assistant confused. The assistant repeated, "Boss, you want me to get you an outfit that costs less than 300 yuan?"

"Hmm… 300 does seem a bit low. Make it 500."

The assistant was baffled. She almost thought she'd misheard or that Qin Ran had forgotten to add a "thousand" to the amount. But since the boss was so insistent, she obediently went shopping. Qin Ran also asked for a pair of student-style glasses with a 200-yuan budget. The assistant left nervously, while Qin Ran called in her bodyguards.

She told them that they could take time off for the New Year, as she planned to visit Yu Shuman's family and didn't need protection.

The assistant smiled broadly when she heard she'd be able to go home for the holiday, but the bodyguards hesitated. "But Boss…"

"China's pretty safe. I won't be wandering around. If there's a problem, I'll just call the police."

After some back-and-forth, they agreed that the bodyguards would stay in a nearby hotel, ready to assist if needed.

Once they left, Qin Ran felt a bit sentimental. The dedication of these professional women was impressive.

When Yu Shuman came home from work, she was surprised to see that Qin Ran had reverted to her old style—or rather, hadn't changed much at all. While the company had stylists who made Qin Ran look more glamorous, she now stood before Yu Shuman in a bulky winter coat, her hair loose, and wearing thick, black-framed glasses, looking like a typical, unassuming student.

"Manman, what do you think of my look?"

Yu Shuman cupped Qin Ran's face, squeezing her cheeks gently. "Why the sudden change?"

Qin Ran's voice was muffled as Yu Shuman squished her face. "Well… changing too much would be hard to explain to Auntie…"

It was true. Yu Shuman sighed, then leaned in and planted a soft kiss on Qin Ran's lips. "But did you have to make yourself look this plain?"

Qin Ran protested, "How is this plain? This is the most comfortable outfit!"

Qin Ran, staring at the 300,000 yuan necklace: Still too cheap.

Yu Shuman: ?