Chapter 55: Forgotten That Feeling

It had to be said, if Ning Lan could channel her acting skills into her roles, she would undoubtedly shine on screen. Just as she did now—she forcibly swallowed her anger toward Yun Fu, wearing a look as if the two of them had already reconciled and nothing untoward had happened.

“Yun Fu…” She hadn’t even spoken the rest of her sentence before Yun Fu’s sharp gaze forced her to retreat. In that instant, Ning Lan felt as if, in Yun Fu’s eyes, she was already a dead woman.

Yun Fu radiated a nameless sense of danger as she leaned in, her voice cold enough to freeze, “Ning Lan, it seems you’ve already forgotten what prison tastes like.”

With a mere, indifferent glance, Yun Fu made Ning Lan recall that day when she cried out for help in vain—no one heard her pleas. Damn it! She’s threatening me! Ning Lan trembled with rage. Who did Yun Fu think she was to threaten her—a nobody actress with no agency, no backing, not even any resources to speak of. Did she really believe someone like Lian Hanqi would remember her forever?

Now, like many in the industry, Ning Lan had long since forgotten Yun Fu’s reputation as a miracle doctor. Her fans, even more so.

Not far away, her fans were chattering among themselves—“Isn’t this commercial supposed to be Lanlan’s? What’s Yun Fu doing here? Though, for her, an ad like this is a big deal.”
“Advertisers aren’t stupid. Why would they choose Yun Fu over Ning Lan? They’re not even in the same league.”
“So why is Yun Fu here? Looking to embarrass herself?”
“Who knows? Maybe she thinks she has some trick up her sleeve. Heh.”

Such voices kept rising. Qiao An’s expression grew cold, but seeing Yun Fu’s indifferent demeanor up ahead, she swallowed her anger.

Just as Ning Lan was basking in her own smugness, a well-dressed man with an air of authority walked out of the SC building and made his way toward them. As the crowd watched, the man’s expression grew respectful when he saw Yun Fu. He walked right up to her.

“Miss Yun, you’re here. President Su has been expecting you.” Yun Fu gave a slight nod, signaling him to lead the way, and then, together with Qiao An, strode confidently into the towering SC building. It was as if an invisible line split the plaza—on the SC side, luxury and prosperity; on their side, plain and ordinary.

Ning Lan stared in disbelief at the three retreating figures. She knew of SC—such a massive building, teeming with cutting-edge technology that few had ever heard of. Only the Lian Group could rival it. Rumor had it that a major figure backed SC, that even those pouring water there had graduate degrees.

How did Yun Fu deserve this?

By this time, the internet was ablaze as well. Yun Fu’s fans had once received word that she might become the ambassador for GEE watches. But today, the official announcement named Ning Lan instead. What more did the fans need to understand? Meanwhile, Ning Lan’s remaining brainless fans were still jumping around, mocking and gloating.

“How pitiful, they have to daydream about endorsements now?”
“Haha, where did they get such fake news? Claiming their idol would endorse GEE? What a joke!”
“A third-rate actress who only courts controversy for attention—advertisers must be blind to pick her.”

Those few devoted Yun Fu fans who knew the inside story were fuming, but, not wanting to make trouble for Yun Fu, they all kept silent. To Ning Lan’s fans, however, their silence was a sign of weakness, which only made them even more arrogant.

Inside the SC building, Su Changzhou watched the young woman approach, cursing Lian Hanqi as a beast under his breath. Today, Yun Fu wore a brightly colored tracksuit, making her look even more beautiful and youthful—further highlighting what an old scoundrel Lian Hanqi was.

“Little Fu, you’re here.”
At Su Changzhou’s words, those present froze in surprise. These two seemed much closer than anyone had imagined. Yun Fu, hearing herself addressed so familiarly, merely glanced up and nodded.
“President Su.”
Su Changzhou chuckled, “Why so formal? You weren’t this polite when you hit me the other day.”

This remark stunned everyone further—he was plainly telling them they were close, that how they treated Yun Fu depended on his regard for her.

Yun Fu’s lips curved into a small smile, understanding his meaning—it was about Lian Hanqi. The two exchanged a knowing look.

“Come, let me show you our product.”
The building was a marvel of science fiction, with doors unlocked by automatic iris scanners and robots everywhere. Su Changzhou led them into a room that, at a glance, seemed like the heart of the cosmos—stars swirling all around. The only sound was the ticking of clocks.

“Do you know what this is?” Su Changzhou looked at the calm-eyed girl beside him. For some reason, he sensed—she would know.

“Universal Time,” she replied.

Su Changzhou raised his eyebrows, intrigued. “And do you know our creative concept?”

“The Big Bang model is currently the best explanation of the universe’s birth, involving quantum mechanics and superstring theory…” As she spoke, the expressions of those watching her grew more and more serious.

“To be but a mayfly in the vastness of the universe, a mere grain in the sea. I lament the brevity of life, and envy the endless flow of the Yangtze River… It’s quite romantic.”

This was her understanding of the watch, her understanding of time. Standing amid the stars, her expression serene, Su Changzhou knew in that moment—no one could be a more fitting ambassador.

Even the executives behind her fell silent. At first, they had been completely opposed to making Yun Fu the ambassador—this was SC’s new concept, the fruit of their team’s hard work; even top international celebrities had declined, and now they were to pick a minor domestic actress who had gotten in through connections. If not for Su Changzhou’s influence, they would have kicked up a fuss.

Now, looking at the girl before them, not one of them could utter a word of protest.

For what she said was exactly their design philosophy.

The project’s chief designer snapped out of his reverie, his face alight with excitement: “Exactly! This is Universal Time—accurate to the tiniest moment. What we record is not just time, but the changes of the universe itself!”

Humanity is ever fascinated by the unknown—that was why they created this watch. They could already foresee that, when it launched, people would flock to it.

Su Changzhou’s fox-like eyes gleamed with a particular light. Smiling, he nodded, “In that case, make it official. Announce it—and proceed as planned.”