Chapter 064: The Magazine

“Attention, passengers traveling to Kyoto: your flight, BG XXXX, is now boarding. Please take your personal belongings...” The awkward encounter between the two groups finally came to an end.

Song Wan could hardly wait to stand up. “President Jin, our flight is about to depart. You and Assistant Wu, please wait a little longer—we’ll head out first.” Jin Youqian looked at her with a faint, unreadable smile. “How do you know we need to wait?” Song Wan was startled, a trace of panic flickering in her heart. “President Jin, are you on the same flight as I am?” She hesitated, glancing back at him. “Then... President Jin, would you like to go together?”

Jin Youqian raised an eyebrow, letting out a soft laugh. “You go ahead.” The emotion in his eyes was veiled, as if shrouded in mist, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.

Song Wan hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Then we’ll go first. President Jin, take your time.” Gao Xiang and Zhou Yaya had already gathered their things and were waiting not far away. When Song Wan approached, Zhou Yaya hurriedly took her bag.

Gao Xiang looked at Song Wan with curiosity. “What were you talking to President Jin about just now? We’re about to leave, but you looked a little reluctant to part.” Her tone was casual, but if one listened carefully, there was a hint of probing beneath the surface. Gao Xiang had never hidden her suspicions about the relationship between Jin Youqian and Song Wan. She always felt things weren’t as simple as Song Wan claimed.

Song Wan looked at her and forced a smile. “It was nothing. President Jin just... wished me a safe journey.” Gao Xiang could hear the evasiveness in her words and understood at once that there was more to the story. She was about to ask further when Song Wan quickly interjected, “Sister Gao, boarding has already started. Let’s hurry.” Gao Xiang paused, then nodded and led the way to the gate, Zhou Yaya following close behind.

As they neared the gate, Song Wan felt a sudden urge to glance back in Jin Youqian’s direction. She saw Wu Yi discussing something with him, neither of them making any move to get up. Song Wan breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed she’d been overthinking things.

—

To set the mood, the director had scheduled the third episode’s shoot for the evening. What should have taken only a few hours to film was drawn out by the weather’s sudden turn: a heavy snowstorm descended without warning, sending the temperature plummeting to over twenty degrees below zero. The cold wasted countless shots, and after repeated delays, Song Wan and the others were still filming past three in the morning.

They had to be up again by six. Earlier, when she’d been sitting next to Jin Youqian, Song Wan had forced herself to stay alert. Now, seated alone, drowsiness washed over her in an instant. After requesting a blanket from the stewardess, she lay down and fell asleep at once.

The seat beside her was empty; clearly, her neighbor hadn’t arrived. But as she was by the window, she didn’t concern herself with it.

She had no idea how much time had passed when she felt someone poking her cheek.

“So annoying...”

She waved her hand in front of her face, trying to swat away the persistent “fly.”

Jin Youqian paused, his eyes narrowing dangerously. Then he reached out with both hands, pinching Song Wan’s cheeks and pulling them outward—

He was careful not to hurt her.

But for someone lost in sleep, this small mercy was far from enough.

Song Wan shot upright, anger flaring before she could even see who it was. “What are you doing? Can’t you let someone sleep?”

Jin Youqian: “...”

“Heh!” Jin Youqian’s cold gaze fell on Song Wan, making her shiver involuntarily. “Song Wan, are you sure you want to speak to your boss in that tone?”

Song Wan jolted, turning back in disbelief. “President Jin?”

Recalling Jin Youqian’s earlier ambiguous words, Song Wan’s expression fell. “President Jin, are you really on the same flight as me?” Jin Youqian looked at her, his eyes full of sarcastic amusement—as if to say, isn’t it obvious?

Song Wan winced. “...President Jin, I didn’t know it was you. I’m truly sorry.” Inwardly, she was on the verge of tears. How could she have known Jin Youqian would end up beside her? And to top it off, he’d had nothing better to do than interrupt her much-needed sleep.

Jin Youqian glanced at her. “We’ve arrived.” He said nothing more, rising from his seat and leaving.

Only then did Song Wan realize the first-class cabin was empty except for herself.

She hurriedly gathered her things and hurried out.

Gao Xiang was already waiting outside. When she saw Song Wan approach, she came forward. “When I came to look for you earlier, I saw President Jin sitting next to you.” She glanced behind Song Wan. “Didn’t President Jin come out with you?”

Song Wan sighed. “No, he left first.” After a pause, she looked at Gao Xiang. “Why would President Jin be on the same flight as us? And his seat was right next to mine?”

Gao Xiang shook her head. “I have no idea. When I bought the tickets, there was only one seat left in first class.” She thought for a moment. “Maybe it’s fate?”

But she said this casually, not giving it much thought, and turned to head toward baggage claim.

Zhou Yaya looked at Song Wan in curiosity, only to receive a dangerous smile in return. “Yaya, do you have any questions?”

Zhou Yaya shivered and shook her head hastily. “No, no, I’ll go ahead.”

Song Wan rolled her eyes inwardly. Fate? More like a curse.

She was about to move forward when a sudden realization struck her: when they were about to board earlier, neither Jin Youqian nor Wu Yi had shown any surprise. They hadn’t even asked about their seat numbers.

For some reason, Song Wan felt a chill run down her spine.

Gao Xiang had walked some distance before noticing Song Wan lagging behind. She turned back. “What’s wrong?”

Song Wan shook her head and quickly caught up.

—

Qiqi was a devoted fan of the TV series “Fairy in the Clouds,” enamored with every character. But the one who left the deepest impression on her was Song Wan, who played Miao Yu.

She had truly brought the essence of Miao Yu to life.

Qiqi adored Song Wan’s performance. So, as soon as the series ended, she followed Song Wan’s microblog.

But months had gone by, and aside from some initial posts and a few promotional ads, Song Wan had gone completely silent. No one seemed to be managing her burgeoning popularity; her agency had left her microblog to grow wild and neglected.

Qiqi began to feel restless, running daily to Imperial Entertainment’s official microblog to urge them for updates.

That day, she checked Song Wan’s microblog first—no new posts, as expected. Fuming, she stormed over to Imperial Entertainment’s official page.

Official admin, please, can you make Song Wan post something? It’s been months; weeds are growing taller than me on her page!

After posting, she noticed she wasn’t alone; many fans were demanding the same.

She thought the official account would ignore them again, but then—ding!—the admin posted a new update.

Qiqi rolled her eyes. It probably had nothing to do with Song Wan. Like always, the admin only promoted other companies’ artists, never their own. She began to wonder if Song Wan had really signed with Imperial Entertainment.

Still, despite her annoyance, she refreshed the page—

Imperial Entertainment (verified): After endless anticipation, Song Wan’s cover shoot for “Feminine Beauty” is finally about to be released. Please show your support! @SongWan [email protected] FeminineBeauty (verified) [pictures]...

Qiqi held her breath as she clicked on the photos, instantly captivated by every image of Song Wan.

The camera angle made it appear as if Song Wan wore nothing but a red men’s shirt. Her black hair flowed freely, and aside from a dark red ribbon at her throat, there wasn’t a single accessory. Her skin, already porcelain pale, seemed to glow even more under the post-processing, making the entire frame a study in red, white, and black.

She knelt on the bed, hugging a white plush toy, her teeth gently biting her lower lip, gazing at the viewer with crystal-clear eyes—straight into your soul.

The image was immaculate, yet Song Wan looked both pure and irresistibly alluring.

“Hiss—” Qiqi clutched her nose. “How can Song Master be this beautiful? I’m going to have a nosebleed!”

After a bout of howling, she frantically saved all the photos, but still not satisfied, she begged for more under the official post.

[Admin, I’m furious! How dare you hoard more photos of Song Master! Believe me, I’ll hunt you down if you don’t release them!]

After refreshing, she saw the comment section was already in an uproar—

[Can someone tell me why a single photo gave me a nosebleed?]
[Licking... ah, why did my screen go dark?]
[My mom asked why I’m kneeling while looking at my phone!]
[For the first time in my life, I can feel a phantom limb... and it’s hard!]
[Gorgeous! Song Master is as stunning as ever!]
...

Most comments were pure adulation, but fans like Qiqi, still unsated, clamored for more.

This time, the official admin didn’t play it cool, instead replying to direct everyone to another source—

Imperial Entertainment (verified): Look for @FeminineBeauty [email protected] SongWan (verified)

Qiqi: ...still cold as ever.

She couldn’t be bothered with Imperial Entertainment anymore and went straight to Song Wan’s microblog—only to find, to her surprise, that the usually silent Song Wan had actually posted something.

Song Wan (verified): “Tomorrow, @FeminineBeauty will be released. I hope for everyone’s support. Love you all~ [heart]”

Qiqi hurried to like and share the rare post, then opened the attached images.

Another set of nine stunning portraits, not a single repeat among them. Qiqi was so happy she nearly spun in circles on the spot.

Suddenly recalling something, she dashed to “Feminine Beauty’s” official microblog and was delighted to find nine completely different photos there as well.

Three microblog accounts, three sets of different styles, each photo unique!

Qiqi could barely restrain her excitement. “Ahhh! I’m buying this issue of ‘Feminine Beauty,’ and no one better try to beat me to it!”

—

Watching the comments and likes skyrocket, the editor-in-chief of “Feminine Beauty” couldn’t contain her delight, her lips curling into a smile wider than ever before.

“Hurry, notify the printer to run an extra thirty thousand copies.”

“Thirty thousand?”