CH 1

Recent entertainment industry gossip:

“It’s not that high.” Wen Li murmured to herself.

It’s the normal price for a first-tier female star. Recently, the upper management has been strictly controlling artists’ salaries, and no one dares to ask for exorbitant fees.

Her hairstylist was holding a curling iron and doing her hair when she suddenly heard Wen Li say this.

He looked down and smiled, “Why are you even looking at your own fake news?”

“My fans sent it to me.” Wen Li replied.

She had decided to look at her fans’ private messages on Weibo on a whim. There’s no indication of whether a message has been read or not, so she just took a look.

Out of the tens of thousands of messages, she happened to stumble upon this one.

「Entertainment Bro: [Weibo post]」

「Is the third piece of gossip true? Ahhhhhh!」

「CP fans are ecstatic! 」

She clicked on it and the last piece of gossip posted by this marketing account was about her.

It was too obvious, and the top comment decoded it in seconds.

「Number 3 is too easy to decode. Why not just include their names?」

「3. Song Yan and Wen Li.」

「Humanity’s official Weibo opened up a netizen voting channel a month ago, and this couple ranked first, at the top of the A-list.」

After decoding the hot comments, there were all sorts of comments from people who couldn’t quite grasp this Weibo fandom culture. Most of them were from outsiders.

「This is so fake. Isn’t this couple already considered a contractual couple in the industry? They’re even too lazy to act. It feels like they’re both counting down the days until the contract ends so they can officially announce their divorce. How could they appear on a variety show as a married couple?」

「Hilarious. If these two had any business sense, the CP fans would have already jumped on board with them.」

「CP fans would trade ten pounds of meat for Sanli and Beauty1.」

Some people just don’t believe these types of marketing rumors, which is the normal reaction of most outsiders to such news.

But as a person involved in the matter, Wen Li could responsibly say that this gossip was half true and half false. It was true that her salary wasn’t that high, but it was also true that the production team’s offer to get her on the show was very tempting, giving her a lot to consider.

The first season of the variety show [In This World with You] received good reviews with a rating of 8.6 on Douban with a great buzz. During its broadcast, with the help of marketing and buzz, almost every episode would dominate one-third of the hot search topics. Among the variety shows on other TV stations in the same time slot, [In This World with You] was the most popular.

The popularity of this show is mainly due to its unique positioning. It does not have family drama plots that immediately pull the audience into reality, nor does it play tear-jerking plots or set up sobbing segments. Instead, it focuses entirely on the married lives of glamorous and shining celebrities. [In This World with You] is a real-life idol drama that is more realistic than scripted drama and more dreamy than reality.

When preparing for the second season, the program group had more money and was able to invite first-line celebrities. They boldly opened up an audience voting channel. The audience did not care whether the program group would go bankrupt or not. The true leading cast received the most votes.

The CP combinations of celebrities in the entertainment circle are countless, with both male and female, real and fake. However, Wen Li and Song Yan are different. They are a real couple who have been married for two years, have not worked together in any films or variety shows, and are focused on their own careers. Their sweet moments in the show are all thanks to the skillful editing of the production team. Despite this, the “Salt Grain Couple” still firmly occupies the top of the CP super-topic list. A-class magazines scramble to feature them in photoshoots — their magazines sell out immediately. The comments on their official Weibo account are filled with requests for more merchandise.

The confidence of their fans is very strong. Although their CP idols are not doing any business, they have a marriage certificate! Their CP idols are a real couple! Have your idols gotten married today? If not, come and battle with us after they get married! Other CP fans have nothing to say.

Marriage is news that many CP fans have been waiting for their whole lives. For fans of the “Salt Grain Couple,” entering the fandom means graduation. Entering the fandom means achieving a happy ending. Which CP fan does not envy them?

Even the CP fan page has wedding photos of their CP idols, as well as their marriage certificate. The first thing new fans do when entering the fandom is to admire their wedding photos. On the day of their wedding, both Wen Li and Song Yan posted on their respective Weibo accounts:

Wen Litchi V: 「My Husband @Song Yan」

Song Yan V: 「My Wife @Wen Litchi」

Their posts received over 3 million likes and shares, making it the most popular lovey-dovey post of the year and leading to a series of “single dogs, come to us” copy-paste comments all over Weibo.

Just a simple exchange of words sent their fans to heaven. It’s no wonder they are the top CP in the industry.

One might expect that after they got married, they would turn from being advertisement bloggers to emotional bloggers. However, after two years, their Weibo accounts are still used primarily for promoting ads. Occasionally, they help each other promote something, and their fans go wild, sharing posts and holding raffles. It’s like Chinese New Year in their fan club.

In the entertainment industry, if you’re friends with someone, and you wish them a happy birthday a few minutes late, people will mock you for having a fake friendship. But this couple has had no real interaction on Weibo since their wedding.

People have all kinds of things to say. Fans of the couple laugh at those who doubt their love, while critics mock their fans for believing in true love in the entertainment industry.

After [In This World with You] aired, their fans couldn’t wait to see them together on the show. The fans felt that the show’s popularity would help the couple’s career. Regular viewers just wanted to see the drama unfold.

And so, the CP fans and regular viewers joined forces and voted for the couple in the official poll — they won first place.

The show’s producers naturally came calling.

“If the producers asked you to come on the show, would you do it?” the makeup artist asked curiously.

Wen Li gave a non-committal answer and laughed it off.

She had just sent Song Yan the divorce agreement.

She was lost in thought when the staff told her it was time for the photoshoot. The photographer liked the way she looked — in a trance.

“That’s it, that feeling, hollow.”

Wen Li’s features are not standard but unique, with a high degree of personal recognition. She has a long lower face and a slightly narrow face, in addition to her naturally superior physical stature as an artist. Her high forehead, swan-like neck, slim figure, and bright and brilliant eyes, with a touch of disdainful and cold world-weariness when looking down, make her perfect for a hardcover photo.

Some performers have very distinctive facial features, but they don’t look good on camera because their facial structure may not be as good. Facial structure is the soul of beauty.

When looking at the photos, the photographer nodded repeatedly in satisfaction and asked for her opinion, “Teacher Wen, what do you think?”

Wen Li stared at the photos for a while and suddenly said, “Why do I feel like I’ve gained some weight?”

“Sister, you’re really not fat,” her assistant Wen Wen sighed beside her.

Wen Li half-believed and half-doubted, “Really?”

Wen Wen spoke loudly, “Yes!”

Wen Li didn’t believe her and glared at her, “It’s all because you ate barbecue a few nights ago and even posted it on your moments for me to see. You should reflect on yourself.”

Wen Wen was speechless. If she had known that Wen Li would see her moments of eating barbecue in the hotel room late at night, she would never have ordered barbecue so late.

Wen Li has poor self-control when it came to food. If someone next to her is eating something delicious, she can’t resist and will regret it after eating. Then, she would blame others and play the victim while sweating profusely from exercise.

After finishing the photoshoot, Wen Li got into the chauffeured car and prepared to go home.

Her assistant Wen Wen sat in the passenger seat and reported her recent schedule to her.

“That idol talent show program with Sister Dan has already been negotiated, but Mr. Zhang’s idea is not to announce it yet. Instead, you will appear as the chief guest on the day of recording, so that the reaction of the contestants can bring more heat to the first episode of the program.”

As expected of Mr. Zhang, he knows how to play the game.

“Okay,” said Wen Li.

Wen Wen continued, “What about the couple’s show? Do you want to accept it?”

Wen Li remained silent.

Wen Wen continued to push, “Sister Dan said that at first, the program team knew that you and the second place were old opponents, so if you and Teacher Song accept, they will not invite the second place. But you haven’t given an answer yet, so the program team has already approached them.”

Wen Li had not seen the voting list and only knew that she and Song Yan ranked first.

“Who is the second place?”

“Lu Ming and Zheng Xue.”

“…”

She knew it. Why are those marketing accounts that Zheng Xue’s studio is raising recently posting about the ‘best true couple CP in the entertainment industry’? Every time, she and Song Yan were being dragged out and even the wording is exactly the same.

「Wen Li and Song Yan, a famous plastic couple in the entertainment industry, have a high level of popularity mainly because they are both well-known public figures. Even elderly people, who don’t usually go online, know them. Their good looks make them a perfect match. But who cares, nowadays fans are all about looks. But to be honest, whether it’s their activities together or daily details, they are no match for Ming-Zheng CP.」

「Can’t find anyone like them? Don’t make me laugh. You can search high and low for the most perfect-looking couple, but you won’t find anyone better than Ming-Zheng CP.」

「I’m proud to be a looks fanatic, but you with your bad taste should shut up.」

This kind of Weibo comment section is usually a place for fans to fight and argue, but they can also generate millions of views, which is exactly what the marketing team is hoping for.

Ha.

Wen Li had originally thought it was embarrassing to discuss divorce with Song Yan, but now she thinks that it’s nothing to be ashamed of, what’s really embarrassing is giving free publicity to her mortal enemy.

Wen Wen saw that she hadn’t spoken for a while, pursed her lips, and asked, “Sister?”

“Wen Wen, I want to take a nap,” Wen Li closed her eyes.

She thought about how she should discuss the divorce matter with Song Yan without losing any dignity.

Through the rearview mirror, Wen Wen saw Wen Li put on her eye mask.

The car was driving smoothly on the road.

As they passed by Joy City, a huge jewelry advertisement featuring Wen Li stood proudly above the entrance.

In the ad, Wen Li looked noble and elegant, while the woman in the back seat wore a Shiba Inu eye mask and slept soundly with her lips slightly open.

Wen Wen couldn’t help but bite her lip to hold back her laughter. She lowered her head and checked her Weibo, and saw a hot search that had just been pushed.

A man wearing sunglasses and a mask looked very casual, but his superior physique and long legs quickly set him apart from the other passersby in the frame.

「It’s our handsome Song Yan! .」

「His looks are enough to make anyone fall for him, even if they’re not a fan.」

「This is pure sugar!!! He came back early to be with his wife! @Salt Grain Couple Daily Bot」

「Don’t mention anyone else in your post, let’s focus on his career. 」

Did Teacher Song come back to Yancheng? Why did no one inform us?

——

Wen Li was awakened by Wen Wen. Her brain was still a bit muddled when she opened her eyes.

“Sister!”

Wen Wen wanted to tell her the news that Teacher Song had returned.

Wen Li rubbed her eyes, yawned, and said, “Can you wait until I wake up and then tell me later?”

Wen Wen kept quiet.

Well, then let it be. Let Sister be surprised later on.

When the elevator arrived at their floor, and the door opened, Wen Li was too lazy to turn on the lights. She dragged herself to the bedroom, and as she walked, she pulled down her dress zipper. She quickly took off her dress and threw it on the floor. Then, she deftly unbuttoned her shirt letting her body instantly relax. She was really tired, so she planned to sleep for half an hour and then wake up and remove her makeup.

When she opened the bedroom door, the light poured out from inside.

The sudden brightness stunned Wen Li.

“You’re back?”

A voice accompanied by the light fell into her ears.

The master bedroom was spacious, with a sofa and a small tea table beside the bed. A man sat on the sofa.

The man wore a light-colored wool sweater, with a casual posture, and his legs crossed, revealing his slender ankle bones. He had a document on his knee, the divorce agreement sent to him by Wen Li’s lawyer. His long fingers were pinching the edge of the paper, his gaze was fixedly scrutinizing the contents.

Obviously, he had just returned from the airport as he hadn’t changed out of his airport attire yet. Sitting at home, he was like a model posing for a poster.

Seeing the master bedroom door open, the man lifted his thin white eyelids and turned his head to look towards the door.

When he saw Wen Li standing at the door, Song Yan was also stunned. He slightly opened his lips as he swallowed in his throat slightly. He stared at her without turning his eyes, his gaze seemed to be lost for a few seconds.

But it was only for a few seconds. Then his clear and distinct eyebrows and eyes relaxed as he calmly exclaimed, “Oh my!”

Wen Li was stunned as she turned red from head to toe. She covered her chest in shock and exclaimed in poor language, “What the f*ck!”