Breaking the Rules [Entertainment Industry]

[Cool and calculating X rebellious, pretending to be well-behaved]

# Three Years After Their BE, My Favorite Ship Is Back to Work

Sheng Lishen has been named the most low-key superstar of his generation. Noble and aloof, above the mundane, he has earned his place as a music legend through sheer achievement.

He always wears a silver pinky ring on his left hand, cool and abstinent yet alluring.

Some say it's the ring with the most rivals in love in the whole world. So many girls can only dream of one day slipping it off his finger.

Three years ago, Sheng Lishen suddenly announced that he was married. His partner was Ji Youyang, a rising actress who had just worked with him on a drama. The trending topics crashed on the spot.

Despite the huge gap in their fame, their marriage certificate and their matchless, god-tier good looks made countless fans ship them with wild abandon.

But as the fans kept shipping them, they realized:

- The two had no interaction whatsoever after the announcement.

- Every kissing scene they filmed before and after the wedding used camera angles to fake the kiss, even kisses on the forehead.

- Three years later, the abstinent-looking pinky ring was still firmly on Sheng Lishen's hand...

Oh.

Online poll: [What's the most heartbreaking couple you've ever shipped?]

The Sheng-Ji pairing won by a landslide, making a powerful comeback three years later.

-

Latest news: Sheng and Ji, whose marriage announcement was followed immediately by a BE, are going on a variety show together!

Unfortunately, an "insider leak" soon followed:

[Heads up, this show is scripted!]

[What we know so far: Sheng and Ji have been given a friendly-breakup script. They'll sprinkle in some artificial sweetness and play along at first, then break up the CP later on!]

[Don't get emotionally invested!]

When the show aired, countless netizens showed up to tear it apart.

[Of course it's artificial sweetness. This is way too fake!]

[Is this really okay, production team? Aren't you embarrassed? You couldn't even be bothered to make it believable, and somehow it's a thousand times sweeter than the real thing?!]

[I can't take it anymore, I'm shipping them so hard... Artificial sweetness is the GOAT!!!]

Months later, as the show neared its end, the whole internet fondly looked back on all the perfect artificial sweetness they'd shipped along the way, anxiously awaiting the breakup.

That day, Sheng Lishen's Weibo account, followed by hundreds of millions of fans but never updated, posted a photo.

In soft, warm light, a girl rested her head on a dark gray wool coat, sleeping as peacefully as a picture. A man's long-fingered hand reached in from outside the frame, gently stroking her glossy black hair, as if she were the most fragile treasure in the world.

Even the pinky ring, famous for its cool, abstinent look, seemed to glow with tenderness.

And on the girl's slender little finger...

There was another silver pinky ring to match.

It fit perfectly, snugly in place.

The photo's caption read:

"May your dreams be sweet. May Sheng and Ji never fall."

Three years ago, that was the Sheng-Ji CP's most popular fan slogan.

-

Legend has it that when two people in love put pinky rings on each other, it represents a love and promise that will last until death.

--I'm not romantic, but I'll break my rules for you.

[The legendary musical genius at the pinnacle of fame X the drama-obsessed rising actress who accidentally became a top-tier star]

# Why does this artificial sweetness taste stranger and stranger the more I ship it?

# They promised to break up the CP, but it never happens

# I only wanted to admire their looks, so why are the stars themselves forcing me to ship their love story?!

[Happy ending | 1v1, each other's first love | Mutual pining]

[Showbiz | Dating variety show | Marriage between wealthy families | Married first, in love later | A marriage of convenience with no agreement | Half childhood sweethearts]

[The legend about pinky rings comes from the internet]

[Modern fictional world and fictional people falling in love, Mary Sue and Gary Stu. Please don't compare it to reality or overanalyze it.]

[The male lead is a genius and has a disorder. Don't judge him by ordinary standards. See the story for details.]

[The marriage announcement takes place before the story begins, and the romance begins after it starts, so there is no secret relationship deliberately hidden from fans.]

Another upcoming novel in the same genre, A Trending-Topic-Style Secret Crush [Showbiz]:

# I'll give you the most spectacular secret crush in the world

Xu Xiaoxiao had a crush on Ji Mingshi for seven years.

Later, they meet again on a film set. She's a low-profile supporting actress, while he's an award-winning actor at the peak of the entertainment industry, with both top-tier popularity and nationwide acclaim.

During a break, she approaches him for an autograph, pretending to be a fan, and showers his incredible acting with every kind of lavish praise.

After silently signing, Actor Ji glances up at her. "Don't worry. I know you invested in this movie. I'll do a good job."

Xu Xiaoxiao's smile freezes on the spot.

*

A love letter Xu Xiaoxiao wrote to Ji Mingshi in high school is dug up by busybodies and exposed online, rocketing to the top of the trending list. The comments are unanimous in accusing her of chasing clout.

Not long afterward, "#TheGirlJiMingshiSecretlyDrewInSchool" suddenly hits the top of the trending list.

On yellowed drawing paper, delicate strokes depict a smiling girl, with clouds and mountains sweeping across the background to form the character "Xiao."

Actor Ji reposts and comments from his main account: Same secret-crush feelings. The feeling's mutual. @XuXiaoxiao

Netizens: ???

In person.

Xu Xiaoxiao puts down her phone, takes a deep breath, and looks at the man on the sofa. "Mr. Ji, according to your contract, you need approval from company headquarters before making your relationship public."

The man smiles warmly, his tone teasing. "If it's a secret crush, how can it count as making it public?"

"..."

"I'm formally applying to turn this secret crush into an open one. Boss, do I have your approval?"

# Don't put me on the trending list. I'm just your fan

# I inherited the family business and became my idol's boss

* 1v1, mutual pining finally becomes real

* The heroine is a low-key, outrageously wealthy heiress

Upcoming novel 2, His Majesty Read the Comments I Posted Mocking Him:

# The Noble Consort Walks Through the Melon Patch, With Comments Floating Over Her Head

Sang Wan transmigrates as a princess in a remote ancient kingdom. As the world descends into chaos and rival powers compete for supremacy, her father, the king, just wants to lie flat.

Sang Wan follows his lead, spending her days cooped up in the palace, obsessed with her built-in livestream gossip System. She even posts comments along with the other viewers, mocking the latest gossip:

[The customs of Yong are so wild! The new ruler just ascended the throne and married his stepmother?!]

[I'm counting this as the 405th male lover the Princess of Wei has taken. Respect her stamina!]

[Heh. The prime minister has practically emptied Chen's treasury, and that idiot emperor still dreams of conquering the world.]

After more than a decade of lying flat, the world is finally united. Sang Wan's father promptly pledges allegiance to the new dynasty that has unified the Central Plains, completing a peaceful transfer of power.

To show the full extent of the imperial grace, the court selects Sang Wan to enter the palace and makes her a Noble Consort.

As a lucky mascot used by the new emperor to win over the various regions, Sang Wan simply changes locations and carries on enjoying fine clothes and fine food. She can even watch fresh palace intrigue unfold in person, posting comments and having a grand time every day.

After all, every consort in the harem knows she's basically a princess of a fallen kingdom, kept in the palace as a hostage. Her rank may be high, but she poses no threat to them, and they don't even bother including her in their palace schemes.

Until one day, Sang Wan meets the new emperor, famed for his ruthless decisiveness.

--What's wrong with this man? Why does he keep looking above her head?

*

Fu Qiuyuan, the legitimate son of the Wei royal house, lost his mother early and grew up surrounded by enemies.

When he was five, he was sick and about to drink the medicine a palace attendant had brought him when two lines of purple text suddenly drifted through the air.

[Don't drink it!!]

[This is killing me, the medicine is poisoned!!]

When he was eight, he went hunting at the royal grounds and was about to mount his horse.

[Ahhh, the Fourth Prince tampered with the horse's hooves. He wants you to fall and break your legs, poor baby!]

When he was twelve, his father passed away. As he grieved...

[Stay strong, baby! Now's not the time to cry!]

[The Regent plans to forge the late emperor's will and put the eldest prince on the throne.]

Later, Fu Qiuyuan cleared every obstacle in his path, ascended the throne, and united the Central Plains, but he never saw the writing in the air again.

He had always thought it was guidance from heaven.

Until one day.

He saw the princess of An, whose kingdom had fallen, in the palace. She was his newly arrived Noble Consort.

The young woman bowed to him with impeccable respect, as docile as could be.

But large purple words floated above her head, line after line.

[Oh my god, that little bean sprout from back then has grown into such a handsome man!!]

[Look at that waist! Those legs! That butt!]

[Ahhhhh, his proportions are absolutely perfect!]

[This old mother's tears are flowing with joy.]

Fu Qiuyuan: ???

Theme: Where the flowers of love bloom, life flourishes. -- Vincent van Gogh