20: Eat raw soup hot pot, remember to live stream!

"Dinner's ready!" Aunt Fen carried the chicken soup. Because she was worried about spilling it, she was busy watching the floor and didn't notice the situation over here.

Shen Lian: "..."

Just a tiny bit more!

And they would have kissed!

Shen Lian supported himself on Chu Yilan's shoulders to stand up and took a shallow breath. "Aunt Fen, let me help you."

Chu Yilan turned his head slightly and couldn't help but purse his lips into a smile.

Clearly pure as anything, yet pretending to be experienced, Master Chu thought to himself. For a full half-minute just now, Shen Lian's face was flushed with shame, and he didn't even dare to press his lips against his.

However, the shape of his lips was nice, and the color was nice too. Chu Yilan fell silent and lit a cigarette.

"Oh my, why are you smoking when we're about to eat?" Aunt Fen couldn't help but nag. "Didn't you say you were going to quit?"

Chu Yilan said warmly, "Just an occasional one, don't worry."

Aunt Fen was slightly stunned. When was the last time Chu Yilan spoke so peacefully?

Aunt Fen then asked why her washboard was here, and Shen Lian vaguely said he had picked up the wrong thing.

After eating and returning to their respective rooms, Shen Lian finally saw the messages from Zhu Yingyu and the others, and even one from his little assistant, Jiang You.

【Brother, you're viral! Quick, look at the trending searches!】

【Brother Shen! You're so strong!】

Shen Lian clicked on the Social Media Platform. His usually dead inbox was now overflowing with messages, including many from the official accounts of some third-tier brands. Shen Lian clicked on the trending searches and found his name was still up there.

The cosplay photos from the comic convention were being shared everywhere. Because she hua fans liked them, there were many professionally edited photos, some even with the original backgrounds from the anime added in, making them even more faithful to the source.

As for videos and audio, there were even more.

【Is this Shen Lian's original voice? How do I remember his lines being a mess? How can he deliver such a magnetic tone?】

【Someone who was there in person is here to testify, it really is his original voice.】

Amidst the praise, anti-fans were naturally jumping with anger.

【Hehe, looks like Dog Shen has run out of all resources and plans to enter the cosplay circle? How pitiful.】

【It's just a little trick to get back into the public eye, but what's the use? I heard his contract with Entertainment Company is about to end. I'd like to see who dares to sign a notorious artist.】

【If Shen Lian can make a comeback, I'll eat my hot pot.】

Shen Lian tapped away on his phone, and when he was done, he threw it onto the nightstand and fell asleep.

He completely ignored the storm his appearance had stirred up again.

Shen Lian V: @LoverOfRiverSnailNoodles 【Fine, I'm waiting for you to eat that hot pot raw. Remember to livestream it.】

【My brother, what have you been up to lately? You're so tough!】

Shen Lian didn't take these things online seriously. As he said before, popularity is temporary; he had to quickly find a reliable Entertainment Company.

Entertainment Company, however, didn't want to miss out on this wave of traffic and planned to talk to Shen Lian again. Qian Gao called personally to ask him to attend a banquet in three days. Many celebrities would be there, and it was considered a gesture of goodwill.

Since he was still under contract, Shen Lian had to go regardless.

This time he told Chu Yilan, and the man gave a soft "Mm," indicating he knew.

The suit for the banquet was delivered by Jiang You in a car. It bore the logo of a certain brand, clearly containing an advertising element.

Shen Lian accepted it readily, changed, and left with Jiang You.

Behind the building where the banquet was held, there was another small building specially set aside for celebrities to touch up their makeup. Even so, every room was packed.

Shen Lian certainly didn't have a private dressing room. He and Jiang You waited outside for a while before it was their turn to go in.

Having a good foundation is a huge advantage. The makeup artist first did Shen Lian's hair, and when finished, looked him over and thought he looked very handsome.

Shen Lian smiled slightly. "If you can avoid applying powder, please do. Sorry for the trouble, teacher."

The makeup artist smiled bashfully. "Alright, I'll give you a bit of eyeshadow, not too heavy."

Shen Lian nodded.

Shen Lian was finished in ten minutes. When he came out, he bumped into someone about his age. As soon as the person saw it was Shen Lian, his expression changed instantly.

Shen Lian quickly searched the Original Host's memories: Wu Cheng, an artist from Entertainment Company, but he had always been at odds with the Original Host. To be precise, he was the one who never gave the Original Host a good face. After all, with the Original Host's cowardly personality, he wouldn't have been able to take the initiative to make enemies.

Wu Cheng looked Shen Lian up and down and suddenly smiled. "Seems you've been doing well lately."

Shen Lian said indifferently, "Mind your own business."

Wu Cheng's eyes widened. It was the first time he had seen Shen Lian's tongue so sharp. By the time he recovered from his daze and turned around, Shen Lian had already walked far away.

The overall tone of the banquet hall was deep blue, low-key and charming. The lighting wasn't dim; instead, it plated everyone with a clear and definite "value." Who was the boss, who was the artist, who held the resources, and who needed to bow and scrape—even if they wore the most high-end clothes, it was all visible at a glance.

Many artists came today, including several heavyweights.

Shen Lian stood to the side, silently observing and filtering for useful connections.

There was a commotion at the door, followed by sounds of flattery and laughter. Shen Lian immediately sensed many gazes falling on him, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally.

It turned out that Zhou Tangsi had arrived with Zheng Ge.

These two had essentially gone public. Combined with Zhou Tangsi's status as a CEO, Zheng Ge's fans felt a sense of shared glory and pride, making it rare for them not to resent their idol being in a relationship.

Shen Lian expressed his lack of understanding regarding this.

You don't use your work to speak for you? A man relying on another man?

Zhou Tangsi was indeed quite handsome. His features weren't as deep and aggressive as Chu Yilan's. At first glance, he had a bit more elegance and brightness. These qualities would be very outstanding even in the entertainment industry.

But Shen Lian just found him an eyesore. He didn't easily judge people by their appearance; Chu Yilan was an exception.

And Zhou Tangsi, for the sake of his love with Zheng Ge, had ruined so much of the Original Host's life. Shen Lian knew this full well. Perhaps in his heart, Zhou Tangsi would even sigh: 'For a simp to be able to do this much for me is also your blessing.'

Shen Lian urgently needed Master Chu's face to wash his eyes.

From the perspective of a bystander, Shen Lian only gave a light glance before looking away.

Zheng Ge took Zhou Tangsi's hand when Shen Lian looked over, but he didn't expect the other party wouldn't care at all.

"Hmph." Zhou Tangsi gave a disdainful snort, clearly taking this as Shen Lian's new tactic. He preciousy warned Zheng Ge, "Don't give Shen Lian a chance to get close to you. If he troubles you again, I'll kill him."

Zheng Ge had a face full of happiness and sweetness. "Mm."

In fact, the two of them were overthinking it. Shen Lian moved among the guests, always maintaining a safe distance from them. For no other reason than the fact that everyone knew about the history between the Original Host and Zhou Tangsi. If there was any interaction today and it was exaggerated and spread around, how would he explain it to Chu Yilan? He couldn't use the washboard again, could he?

Chu Yilan had already seen through that trick after one use.

Shen Lian was calculating things in his mind, unaware of how dazzling he was. That kind of relaxation and slight arrogance, nurtured by years of flowers, applause, favoritism, and being sought after, made him exude a unique attraction.

Shen Lian sat on a high stool and took a sip of champagne, feeling somewhat bored. He wondered how Chu Yilan was doing.

The next second, as if sensing something, he looked up and was hit by a fierce flash of brilliance.

Several people walked in from the door. Who else could be standing in the center position but Chu Yilan?

It was no exaggeration; the moment their eyes met, Chu Yilan felt the fox tail behind Shen Lian stand up with a "swish" and then sway enchantingly.