Day Twelve: No Thoughts

Si Nian turned down a mountain of miscellaneous business promotions that had come flooding in, seeking to capitalize on her recent surge in popularity. Many of these brands were names she had never even heard of. Though some of the offers were admittedly tempting, her rational side reminded her to keep her sights set on the long term.

An unexpected development followed the overwhelming success of the *MiniGlitz* launch show: the magazine decided to sign several models who had delivered standout performances. Naturally, Si Nian, who had surged to the top of the entertainment trending lists in the middle of the night after cutting through the fan wars of popular actresses, was among them.

These were not talent agency contracts. Because *MiniGlitz* intended to feature styling and makeup tutorials in its upcoming issues, the magazine needed models to showcase the content, leading them to sign the models who had received the best reception during the launch show. These contracts did not restrict the models from taking other work; they only required them to set aside time for regular photo shoots at the magazine offices. In essence, it was a long-term, stable safety net.

When she first interviewed, there had been no mention that a good performance could lead to a contract. Moreover, this was a subsidiary of *Glitz*. It was said that both the print and digital editions of *MiniGlitz* had broken sales records following the launch show. Clearly, the magazine had struck a chord with the desires of modern young women, promising strong sales for the future.

After securing her long-term "meal ticket," Si Nian felt a sense of happiness that bordered on surreal. Her "Mutterings" social media account had gained nearly a million followers. With the pressure of needing quick cash lifted, she decided to capitalize on the momentum and teamed up with Jiang Yihan to film two more short videos.

Compared to her previous posts—which consisted mostly of candid photos and behind-the-scenes clips—these videos featured actual editing and lighting. Yet, the concept remained simple: they filmed against a wall in their shared apartment. The goal was singular—to showcase her beauty. After all, that was the reason for her sudden fame; as a model, she relied on her looks to make a living. If she didn't show those off, what else was she supposed to showcase—her IQ or her academic knowledge?

In one video, Si Nian wore a fuchsia French-style camisole dress. Her voluminous, softly curled hair was swept to one side, and a large, fresh crimson flower was tucked behind the other ear. With the light hitting her from a side angle, she looked into the lens with an atmosphere so hazy and perfectly captured that one almost forgot the massive flower behind her ear. She truly proved that the beauty of the woman surpassed that of the flower.

In the second video, Si Nian wore a crisp denim shirt over a white top, paired with black cargo pants and sneakers. It was an incredibly androgynous outfit, yet it clashed strikingly with her deeply feminine, delicately made-up face and soft, dark hair. This contrast was even more stimulating to the senses.

The comment section was a frenzy, with users typing, "Her beauty is killing me," and "Her face is perfection." Both videos surpassed a million likes. A fascinating point raised in the comments was that even though these were videos meant to showcase her face, she lacked the typical "influencer" vibe. There was no plastic, overly-manicured, or synthetic feel. Instead, she exuded the palpable professional intensity and craftsmanship of a seasoned model.

At first glance, you thought she was just showing off her face, but upon closer inspection, you found yourself coveting every simple item she wore, even the subtle details of her makeup. Her innate talent and expressive power made even the most basic pieces look so captivating that it was undeniably a gift.

After seeing the strong performance of her latest videos, Si Nian breathed a sigh of relief. This consistent, high-quality output proved that her recent popularity was no mere flash in the pan. The platform would naturally continue to push her content. With her traffic temporarily stabilized, her next professional challenge was finally on the horizon.

It wasn't a guaranteed job, however; another audition was required. This time, it wasn't some sketchy micro-business promotion, but a legitimate, world-renowned beauty brand: Brand Y. The brand was so large that when Si Nian first received the invitation, she thought it was a scam. It was only after Jiang Yihan used her magazine connections to verify the internal rumors that Si Nian realized it was genuine.

Brand Y was launching a new moisturizing cream under a line aimed at young consumers. This product was set to be a key pillar for the brand, meaning its release would be accompanied by massive advertising campaigns. Since this line didn't use celebrity spokespeople, they were hiring commercial models.

The brand planned for a nationwide rollout, which meant the model would be seen across the entire country—a level of exposure that even minor celebrities rarely achieved. These opportunities were typically filled via internal recommendations rather than open casting, and they required approval not just from the domestic management but from the European headquarters as well.

Si Nian had been invited to audition because the domestic director of Brand Y had been in the audience at the *MiniGlitz* launch show and had been deeply impressed by her.

Si Nian had shot many photos and walked many runways, but she had never filmed a commercial, let alone one destined for national broadcast. Furthermore, because it was a skincare ad, the candidates were required to be completely makeup-free. After all, everyone knew that even the most expensive creams weren't truly miraculous, so it was better to find someone who already had great skin rather than someone who used their products. Si Nian felt her skin was decent enough, so she washed her face, checked the mirror, and went.

Unlike the *MiniGlitz* audition, where candidates waited together, Si Nian was the only one there at her scheduled time. Every candidate seemed to be handled the same way. There was no runway walk or image presentation; instead, she was placed in front of several cameras and bright lights. They filmed a significant amount of footage, likely to be sent to the European headquarters for review.

After finishing the audition, Si Nian headed out of the Brand Y headquarters with her bag in tow. The office was located in the city’s bustling CBD. She hadn't noticed it on the way in, but as she walked toward the subway station, she caught a glimpse of the towering skyscraper that stood in the heart of the high-rent district—the building every office worker dreamed of, with the name "Rongsheng" etched at the top.

Looking at those two characters, Si Nian recalled her resolve from not long ago: after five years of sleepless nights, if her breakup fee from Lu Shuyan was less than eight figures, she would storm into the Rongsheng building, find his office, and go down with him.

Yet, truth is often stranger than fiction, and things tend to take bizarre turns.

Who would want to go down with him? Staring at that building now, for the first time, Si Nian felt a flicker of disdain and contempt in her eyes. Regardless of whether she landed this audition, she realized that if she had known returning to her old profession could be this successful, she would have dumped him ages ago. She wouldn't have waited for Lu Shuyan to get bored and heartlessly discard her.

To be able to take advantage of someone’s youth and beauty so brazenly, especially as an elite-educated scion of a wealthy family—though he never had much charm to begin with—made Si Nian feel that the mystique surrounding such people had vanished once again.

Si Nian stood there, gazing toward the Rongsheng building, wondering if she would ever cross paths with Lu Shuyan again. By the standards of wealth and status, they should never meet again, but life always had exceptions—just as she never intended to know a "Young Master Lu" when she was in school.

Si Nian regretted her attempt to make him stay that day. She had lost all dignity, running to hug him from behind and begging him not to leave, only to tearfully offer the value of those five years as a bargaining chip for five million.

And she had failed. She was told she was "dreaming."

The various business promotions she had turned down over the past few days added up to nearly five million.

Thinking of this, Si Nian adjusted her bag strap and took a deep breath. She decided that if she ever ran into Lu Shuyan again, she would smash a bowl of spicy soup over his head, rip off his tie, and shout, "Get lost," right into his hateful, polished face.