"?"
Xu Gui asked doubtfully, "Does this Mom Bell know me?"
Otherwise, why would he specifically ask her to be a model for *Fashion* magazine?
"He doesn't know you," Kuang Ming said, "but he's seen your photo and was absolutely blown away by it. After that, he's been claiming everywhere that you're his muse, giving him tremendous inspiration."
As he spoke, he found the photo saved on his phone and pushed it in front of Xu Gui.
Xu Gui looked down and, upon seeing the photo, exclaimed in realization, "Oh, it's this photo!"
She was very familiar with it, as it was currently her phone's wallpaper. In fact, not only was she familiar with it, but many netizens online would also find it familiar—the photo was none other than the one captured on camera when Xu Gui was interacting with several betta fish.
Everything was perfect at that moment: the lighting, the composition, the angle. The camera, through the rippling water, focused on Xu Gui's delicate, snow-white profile. Under the lens, the ethereal, beautiful betta fish seemed to be kissing Xu Gui's cheek
. Xu Gui, with her black hair and red lips, possessed an otherworldly, almost otherworldly beauty, as if she existed in another dimension. Viewers in the live stream were utterly astonished by this scene. Countless people instinctively pressed the screenshot button to save it. Later, some even saved high-resolution images, and that very night, the photo was wildly shared and saved online.
Even now, this photo continues to circulate online, hailed by countless people as this year's "divine image," becoming incredibly popular. Whether you know Xu Gui or not, many have seen this picture.
Xu Gui looked up at Kuang Ming and said, "So, it's just because of this photo?"
Kuang Ming said, "That should only be one reason. As for the other, most important reason... as far as I know, the theme of the 'fashion' autumn press conference is 'sea.'"
He pointed to Xu Gui: "And you, they think you and the ocean theme are a perfect match."
The sea?
Xu Gui nodded in agreement, "shamelessly" declaring, "
That's true. No one in this world is more suited to the 'sea' theme than me. It seems this company has quite a good eye." Kuang Ming smiled—he liked Xu Gui's inexplicably confident demeanor; it meant she wouldn't suffer internal strife, a characteristic very suitable for this industry.
"In short, that's the situation. *Fashion* magazine really likes you. As a sub-brand of [Denla], *Fashion* holds a very high position in the fashion industry. For a newcomer like you, this is a great opportunity to break into the fashion world!"
In the entertainment industry, celebrities and fashion are always linked. Celebrities compete not only in fame, status, and works, but also in fashion resources. Especially in recent years, fans have increasingly valued the latter, and fashion resources have become an important factor in judging celebrities.
For Xu Gui, a newcomer without any works yet, to get this opportunity with *Fashion* magazine right away is truly impressive.
After listening to Kuang Ming's analysis, Xu Gui concluded, "So, this job is very good for me?"
Kuang Ming nodded.
"How much will they pay me?" Xu Gui asked curiously. "They can't expect me to work for free, can they?"
Kuang Ming said, "About 1.2 million after tax. After deducting the company's share, you'll get about 600,000 to 700,000."
Hearing about the money, Xu Gui didn't hesitate and immediately nodded, "Then I'll do it! I'll take this job."
Kuang Ming: "Aren't you going to think about it more carefully?"
Xu Gui gave him a strange look and said, "Didn't you say that this is the best job I can get right now? What's there to hesitate about?"
Kuang Ming: "Although that's true, I also hope you're interested in this job..." But from what he could see, Xu Gui didn't seem to have any passion for the job, only a strong desire for money.
Hmm, okay, having desire means having motivation, which is better than having no desire at all... Kuang Ming convinced himself.
"Then I'll give them a reply..." Kuang Ming said, then looked at Xu Gui: "Which of these three scripts do you think is better?"
Xu Gui pulled out one: "This one!"
Kuang Ming looked closely and realized it was an ancient script. He couldn't help but ask Xu Gui, "Why this one?" Did Xu Gui have some kind of foresight? He handed the script to Xu Gui, partly hoping she would use her fortune-telling abilities to predict its success.
Since Xu Gui could tell fortunes, she could surely predict which of the three scripts would be a huge hit, right?
However, Xu Gui's answer was somewhat unexpected.
Xu Gui said, "Because this script gives me the most powerful character, the number one in the world! I love being number one!" Her tone was completely matter-of-fact.
Kuang Ming: "..." He hadn't considered this reason.
He reached out and took the script from Xu Gui's hand. The script was titled "All Under Heaven is Bright," a tale of demons and monsters, telling the story of a young Taoist priestess who, on her journey to find her father, vanquishes demons and monsters, making countless companions along the way.
The production team invited Xu Gui to play the role of [Si Xuan], a powerful demon who, in a time of darkness and impending destruction, is found by the female lead atop a mountain.
Si Xuan isn't a prominent character, appearing in only a few scenes. However, within the world of the script "All Under Heaven is Bright," she is the most powerful demon in the world. Ultimately, she dies to save the world, transforming into the power to mend its empty void.
Kuang Ming initially had a lukewarm impression of the character, but after careful reading, he found her quite appealing.
What kind of character is most popular? Naturally, it's the "beautiful, strong, and tragic" type. Whether righteous or villainous, as long as it's associated with these three words, if the drama is a hit, the character is guaranteed to be popular.
And the character [Si Xuan], upon closer analysis, is a classic example of this "beautiful, strong, and tragic" trope.
Kuang Ming's gaze towards Xu Gui changed slightly. He didn't know if Xu Gui was genuinely drawn to the character because of her "powerful combat abilities," or simply because she thought the character would be popular
. Regardless, the character was indeed excellent.
"Okay, then this role it is!" he immediately said.
After discussing the matter, Kuang Ming took Xu Gui to dinner and told her about the resources the company had prepared for her, starting with a nanny van.
"...Yuan Lu can drive. From now on, if you need to go anywhere, you won't need to call a taxi; Yuan Lu can drive you there in her van." —Yuan Lu's ability to drive was a major advantage in getting her chosen as an assistant.
"Then there's the styling team. From now on, for any event you attend, your outfits will be handled by professional stylists, including your hair..."
Kuang Ming said, "If your collaboration with *Fashion* magazine goes smoothly, for a long time to come, all your clothes, including your jewelry, will be sponsored by *Fashion*..."
This was a good thing for Xu Gui. At least when attending events, they wouldn't have to worry about what to wear or which brand to borrow clothes from. As the spokesperson for this season of *fashion*, she naturally had to unconditionally cooperate with the brand's promotions during the contract period.
Xu Gui nodded twice to indicate that she understood.
"As for the housing, I'll have someone find something suitable. From now on, it's not really suitable for you to stay in the dormitory anymore," Kuang Ming said.
Upon hearing this, Xu Gui blinked twice and asked, "Can't I stay in the dormitory all the time? I think He Yuan and I get along quite well."
Kuang Ming said, "Of course you can, but the privacy in the company dormitory isn't very good. After you become famous, some problems might arise... Besides, your other roommate is Su Ya. If I remember correctly, you and she don't seem to get along."
Su Ya...
Xu Gui spotted the other person's face in her mind, nodded, and said, "We don't really get along. It's mainly because she doesn't like me." She herself is very easy to get along with.
Kuang Ming said, "In that case, think about the dormitory thing again."
Xu Gui nodded again.
...
After dinner, it was already dark. Xu Gui had eaten a bit too much for dinner, so after parting ways with Kuang Ming, she patted her stomach and decided to take a walk near the company.
There was a park near their company, by the river, and at night, the streetlights along the riverbank looked quite beautiful.
This was the time when everyone came out after dinner, especially in the summer when it was hot during the day and everyone was cooped up in air-conditioned rooms. Only at this time of year could the temperature cool down a bit and people could come out for a walk and enjoy the breeze.
So, the park was packed with people. Xu Gui, wearing a mask, strolled around the park with the crowd—Kuang Ming had made her wear the mask, wanting her to feel a bit like a "celebrity."
Xu Gui's first reaction: A celebrity? Oh, me?
Although she was quite skeptical of Kuang Ming's words, Xu Gui still listened to him and obediently bought a mask and put it on. Fortunately, there were other people wearing masks in the crowd, which made her look less out of place and allow her to blend in naturally. She strolled around the park casually like everyone else.
There were also stray cats in the park, not many, but not few either. When she reached the small square where people could rest, Xu Gui saw many people playing with the cats and feeding them cat food.
Although they were called stray cats, looking at their plump and strong bodies, with their big heads and ears, you would have thought they were domestic cats if you didn't know better.
"Meow~" A black cat with a round face and golden eyes suddenly came up to Xu Gui's feet, tilted its body, and fell right onto her feet. Xu Gui looked down and saw the big black cat meowing at her in a very charming manner.
Xu Gui: "..." Trying to scam me.
Hmph, you've scammed the wrong person. I don't like furry things.
Xu Gui sneered inwardly.
In her eyes, the Xuan Turtle was the most perfect and adorable creature in the world, and all other creatures had to step aside. Therefore, she wouldn't be seduced by any random cats or dogs outside.
The black cat looked at her and meowed again, "Meow~"
The cat didn't know, the cat didn't understand, the cat could only meow.
Xu Gui slightly raised her head and glanced down, seeing the big black cat lying at her feet. Her feet involuntarily shifted, and then her gaze casually swept around.
Seeing that no one was watching her, she quickly squatted down and reached out to touch the big black cat's warm body.
"Hmph, I admit, you do have something..." she muttered, gently stroking the black cat. "But let me tell you, the cutest creature in the world is still us Xuan Turtle! You cats can forget about taking our place!"
The black cat grabbed her hand. It had black fur, but its paws were white, and its soft claws, with their nails retracted, held Xu Gui's hand, looking incredibly soft and cuddly.
Xu Gui glanced at the others furtively, then casually grabbed the black cat's paw and rubbed it. She then saw the cat's paws spread out in all directions.
Xu Gui: Wow, its paws are blooming!
"Hey, so Big Black is here with you!" Suddenly, a female voice came from beside her. Xu Gui instinctively released her grip on the black cat's paws and guiltily turned her head to the side.
With a rustling sound, Xu Gui felt the person next to her squat down, just like her. Xu Gui glanced over and saw that the person was holding a bag of cat food and a cat bowl. She put these things down and reached out to pet the black cat.
"Meow!" The black cat, which had been lying on the ground, jumped up and cautiously hid behind Xu Gui's legs.
The girl squatting next to Xu Gui said with some disappointment, "Sigh, I thought you'd changed your ways and let people pet you, but I didn't expect you still won't let anyone pet you."
Xu Gui looked to the side and saw a very young girl squatting next to her, with round eyes and a pair of large, prominent ears—her ears were very eye-catching, and once people's eyes were on them, it was hard to take their eyes off them.
However, Xu Gui only glanced at them and then politely looked away.
"This is the first time I've seen Dahei so affectionate!" the girl said to Xu Gui, her tone quite surprised.
Xu Gui looked down at the black cat lying at her feet, purring at her, and asked, "First time?"
"It's true," the girl nodded firmly. "Dahei was abused before. When we first found it, both its hind legs were broken and glued together with superglue, and its body was covered in injuries… That's probably why it's so hostile to humans and never comes near them."
To this day, the person who abused Dahei hasn't been found. No one knows who could be so cruel as to treat an innocent, pitiful stray cat so cruelly.
"In all this time, this is truly the first time I've seen it approach people so willingly!"
The girl tried to tease the black cat, but it remained completely unmoved, its entire body radiating indifference and resistance.
The girl couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
"By the way, my surname is Yan, and my name is Yan Xiaomi, like 'rice' in 'big white rice.' What about you?" the girl introduced herself.
Xu Gui: "...My name is Xu Gui, the 'Gui' in 'return'."
"Xu Gui..." Yan Xiaomi repeated Xu Gui's name, nodding, "I'll remember."
Yan Xiaomi was clearly a very outgoing person. Although she had only just met Xu Gui, her tone was already very familiar, as if they had known each other for a long time and were very close.
According to Yan Xiaomi, she lived nearby, and because it was close, she would occasionally come to the park to feed the cats.
Besides her, many other people living nearby also fed the cats, which explained why the cats in the park were all so plump—it would be strange if they weren't fed by so many people.
"...All the cats here, as long as I see them, I've already taken them to the vet to have their testicles removed!" Yan Xiaomi said proudly, shamelessly proclaiming herself a "testicle removal expert."
She pointed to Dahei's ears for Xu Gui to see, "Dahei is a neutered cat. Look, there's a triangle on its ear; that's the mark of a neutered cat."
Here, there are quite a few people like Yan Xiaomi who are very "compassionate," and many who catch stray cats to neuter them. After all, while people like cats, they don't want to see them breeding freely here.
This isn't good for either the cats or the surrounding ecosystem.
Of course, just as there are many cat lovers, there are also those who hate cats, and even those who enjoy abusing them… Dahei is a cat that has been abused by humans and is now full of hostility towards them.
Ordinary people can't touch it at all; to feed it, you have to leave the cat food down and wait until the person is far away before Dahei will come to eat—it's very wary.
But now, this Dahei cat, which Yan Xiaomi described as wary of humans, is rolling around at Xu Gui's feet, behaving very affectionately.
Xu Gui silently looked at Yan Xiaomi.
Yan Xiaomi also found it strange and guessed, "Maybe it's just that Dahei and you get along really well?"
Xu Gui listened, her gaze falling on the black cat at her feet, and she couldn't help but think: Actually, this black cat isn't exactly friendly to...people, is it?
After all, she was originally a tortoise, and tortoises aren't exactly human, are they?
Just as Xu Gui was thinking this, she suddenly heard an excited voice shout, "...Do you know what? I just came from the river crossing bridge, and someone there was crying and saying they were going to jump into the river!"
Xu Gui looked up and saw that many people around her were slightly agitated by this news.
"Someone jumped into the river? Really?" someone asked.
"Really! Why would I lie to you? If you go over there now, you'll see a bunch of people gathered there, all trying to persuade the girl not to jump... Someone has already called the police, and they'll probably be here soon!"
It's not common for someone to commit suicide by jumping into a river, so upon hearing this news, many people who were resting or feeding cats went over there to see what was going on.
"Someone's going to jump into the river?" Yan Xiaomi exclaimed in surprise, enthusiastically calling out to Xu Gui, "Xu Gui, let's go check it out, maybe there's something we can do to help."
Xu Gui: ?
She couldn't resist Yan Xiaomi's insistence and was pulled along.
They didn't need to ask for directions, because many people who had heard the news were already heading that way. They just followed the flow of people.
After walking for about ten minutes, they crossed the park and arrived at the Dujiang Bridge.
The Dujiang Bridge was a cable-stayed bridge suspended high above the Dongliu River. Vehicles flowed continuously on the bridge, and there were sidewalks on both sides for pedestrians.
At this moment, a large crowd had gathered on one side of the sidewalk, and people were peering into the crowd, vaguely hearing shouts from inside.
"Girl, don't jump! Whatever happened to you, let's talk this out, okay?"
At the far end of the crowd, on the bridge, a haggard-looking young woman sat precariously, seemingly about to plunge into the churning river below.
A meter away, several passersby were trying to persuade her.
The woman's eyes were red and swollen, her face streaked with tears; she looked utterly dejected and haggard. Several empty bottles lay at her feet, clearly indicating she was heavily intoxicated.
Hearing their words of encouragement, she gave a bitter smile and cried, "What do you know? I worked so hard to close that deal! For it, I smiled and drank with everyone, I even vomited several times. I worked on the planning all night long, and just when I was about to sign the contract, someone snatched it away..."
"Just because she's the boss's niece! So she did this, and the boss didn't even pursue it, saying I'm incompetent..."
The woman was agitated and heartbroken.
"Waaah, that's bad enough, but my career is going badly, and now my love life is going badly too! My boyfriend cheated on me! He's the one who cheated, but he's blaming me, saying it's because I'm not attentive enough, that I don't care enough about him, that's why he cheated..."
"Oh, and there's more!"
"And my parents! They keep asking me for money, saying they raised me and it's time to repay them. Today they ask for two thousand, tomorrow for three thousand... Do they think I'm a money-printing machine? Even money-printing machines need a break!"
The woman became increasingly agitated as she spoke.
While others enjoyed success in both career and love, she suffered a double blow. Now, her parents were adding fuel to the fire, completely crushing her already rock-bottomed emotions.
The woman laughed and cried at the same time, her expression blank. "I don't understand," she said, "why are they treating me like this? What did I do wrong? Huh?"
"I consider myself filial to my parents, caring towards my boyfriend, and hardworking at work... but why, why do people worse off than me live such successful lives, while I, who have worked so hard, get such a blow from life?"
The woman shook her head, wiping away her tears. Her agitated emotions gradually calmed. She turned towards the riverbank, murmuring, "I'm so tired, I just want to rest..."
She carefully recalled her life and found nothing worth remembering.
Ha, her life was truly a complete failure.
Just as she closed her eyes, about to jump, the crowd became agitated, many shouting, "No, don't jump!"
But amidst these voices, a clear and crisp voice pierced the woman's ears.
Strangely, despite the surrounding noise, this voice somehow managed to squeeze through the other sounds and reach the woman's ears, causing her to suddenly pause, even her previously low and desperate emotions seemed to have been put on hold.
She simply heard the voice say, "...Ah, she just jumped into the river and died, what about her 30 million in the lottery?"
Lottery? 30 million?
The woman's suicidal thoughts were abruptly halted by these words. Her closed eyes snapped open, and she turned her head, her gaze sweeping over the people behind her.
Their eyes were filled with concern and anxiety. Seeing that she hadn't jumped, they cried out even more urgently, "Don't jump! Don't jump! Let's talk this out!"
Some of them were still tense, as if they would rush to her rescue if she jumped.
The woman looked around, unable to resist asking, "Who, who said I won the lottery?"
The onlookers were bewildered: Huh? What?
Just then, a pretty figure stepped out from the crowd.
She looked at the woman and said casually, "Oh, I was the one who said you won the lottery."
Suddenly, many gazes that had been on the woman shifted to this person.
Yan Xiaomi, standing in the crowd, looked at the people who had stepped forward, then at the empty seat next to her. She looked several times before finally confirming her suspicions.
"Xu Gui! What are you doing stepping forward?"