Chapter 14 – The Party Trap
The momentum of Stars and Survival culminated in a high-profile, glittering party hosted by the production company to celebrate the show's unexpected success.
The ballroom was saturated with the smell of champagne, expensive perfume, and pure, raw ambition.
Cameras weren't just present; they were the main event, every social interaction a potential headline.
Rumors about the 'Xiao Xi and CEO Gu' alliance were the unspoken guest of honor, swirling through the crowd like expensive smoke.
Gu Yanzhou, dressed impeccably in a dark, bespoke suit, entered first.
He moved with the calm, self-assured smile of a man who owned the room, drawing immediate attention from investors and media alike.
He was a pillar of controlled power.
Moments later, Xiao Xi made her entrance.
She was wearing a stunning silver dress provided by Gu Yanzhou's stylist, a gown that shimmered and demanded attention without being overtly revealing.
She walked in with a casual, lazy grin, radiating an effortless, almost arrogant dominance that was far more potent than any carefully curated elegance.
Every flashbulb in the room seemed to turn her way, blinding the crowd.
She had completely overshadowed the other contestants, including a visibly tense Lin Yueran.
A bold reporter, pushing past security, thrust a microphone into her space.
"Miss Xiao Xi, is it true you and President Gu are currently in a romantic relationship—a secret partnership behind the cameras?"
Xiao Xi paused, the entire room holding its breath.
She didn't deny it with outrage; she embraced the chaos.
She tilted her head, feigning a moment of deep, thoughtful consideration.
"We're definitely business partners," she announced, her voice carrying clearly.
She then lowered her tone slightly, offering a playful, intimate look toward Gu Yanzhou, who was conversing nearby.
"Though, in fairness, he does owe me dinner—a very expensive one, I think, for having to put up with his terrible choice of stock market advice."
The crowd erupted in laughter—shocked, delighted, and thoroughly entertained.
The tabloids went wild; the statement was ambiguous, playful, and completely unprovocative, yet fueled the speculation perfectly.
Gu Yanzhou, hearing the statement, nearly choked on the champagne he was sipping.
He felt a surge of adrenaline—part fury at her audacity, part admiration for her brilliance.
Her system, however, was in a frenzy of positive feedback:
[+1000 Luck Points — 'Public Charm Spike' (Leveraging high-value target interaction for maximum public impact.)]
[Hidden Affection Level Gu Yanzhou → 23%]
[Current Luck: 3300.]
Later that night, escaping the stifling crowd, Gu Yanzhou joined her on a secluded balcony overlooking the city lights.
"You're dangerous," he stated, his voice low, a mix of warning and praise.
"You just publicly implicated me in a frivolous debt without my permission."
"You noticed," she replied, leaning against the railing, her silver dress reflecting the moon.
"You signed the contract, Mr. Gu.
You gave me fifty-fifty creative control over my brand.
Your brand is now linked to mine, and I decided to make us the most talked-about item in the room."
Their eyes met—a moment suspended between sharp, professional amusement and a deeper, softer challenge that lurked beneath the surface of their partnership.
The emotional variable, tracked only by the System, was steadily rising.
They were falling into the plot's inherent gravity, even as they tried to rewrite it.
And somewhere in the distance, hidden in the cloak of the night, a furious, excluded Lin Yueran stood in the empty production trailer, her hand tight around her phone.
She was tired of losing the narrative.
She made a decisive phone call.
"It's time," Lin Yueran whispered, her voice laced with venom. "Release the video.
Tonight."