Chapter 65: Xi Rou'er Returns to Her Homeland

The news that Du Xingyuan had been sent abroad reached Yun Fu through Mo day almost instantly.

“They actually sent him to Country M. Boss, do you want me to ‘keep an eye’ on him for you?” the message read.

Being targeted by an international hacker, Du Xingyuan’s days in Country M would hardly be peaceful.

Yun Fu curled her lips in a faint smile and leisurely tapped a few words on her screen. “As you like.”

“Boss, rest assured, I’ll make sure to entertain him properly, so he can learn what it means to be a good host.”

“...” She almost forgot—the headquarters of the Hacker Alliance was in Country M.

For Mo day, being able to have fun and curry favor with the top boss at the same time made this a very satisfying task. Hackers like them, if they weren’t careful, could end up in international prisons. The mysterious “Blank” now ranked first on the hacker leaderboard—everyone wanted to win her favor. After all, if you were ever caught, having this boss erase your tracks would make you untouchable.

That’s why Mo day was so enthusiastic.

After dealing with two troublesome people, Yun Fu’s mood had improved considerably, though her face betrayed nothing.

On the set of “Jinghong,” everyone was keeping their heads down, terrified of angering the director again. What should have been a smooth production was thrown into chaos by Ning Lan’s scandal. The female lead had to be replaced at the last minute, and scenes needed reshooting—no one was happy.

Originally, Bai Yu had wanted Yun Fu to play the lead, but she declined. Upon reconsideration, he decided not to change things. Yun Fu’s performance as Qian Xuan had already satisfied the book’s fans.

For the past few days, everything seemed to irritate Bai Yu, and stress had broken out blisters on his lips.

“Ms. Yun Fu, you’re here! I’ll go tell the director so we can shoot your scenes first,” a crew member exclaimed, his face lighting up before he dashed off.

Sure enough, a couple of minutes later, Bai Yu’s voice rang out.

“Yun Fu’s here? Let’s shoot her scenes first. Thank you for your hard work.” His tone was noticeably gentler, and the entire crew breathed a sigh of relief.

The newly chosen female lead was an actress who had been in the industry since childhood, talented but never quite popular. She was known for her professionalism and down-to-earth attitude, fully aware of the pressures she’d face stepping into this role.

Yet when she saw Yun Fu in person, she couldn’t help but be stunned.

She’d heard about Yun Fu’s acting skills, but to be so striking and talented—she was destined for stardom.

After several scenes together, Zeng Yuci was completely convinced. As a former child star, she was confident in her craft. But acting opposite Yun Fu, she had to muster every bit of her ability just to keep up.

Afterwards, Zeng Yuci, like the rest of the crew, started calling her “Sister Yun Fu,” even though she was two years older.

That evening, as Yun Fu was having dinner, Qiao An arrived, brimming with excitement.

“Xiao Fu, I just landed a variety show gig—you’ll never guess what it is!”

Judging by her expression, it had to be something big.

Yun Fu swallowed her food and raised her chin, signaling her to go on.

“It’s ‘Our Journey!’ From Orange Channel—the same show that invited all those A-listers and award-winning actors. They actually sent us an invitation!”

Qiao An could barely contain her excitement.

Orange Channel was a satellite station rivaling even the national broadcaster, with a reputation built over the past two decades. Anyone who appeared on their shows became a superstar, and their productions were universally recognized for their quality.

No wonder Qiao An was so thrilled.

“Guest appearance?” Yun Fu guessed, given her current status, she probably wasn’t qualified for a regular spot.

But Qiao An beamed and shook her head. “Amazing, right? You’re actually a regular guest! The timing fits perfectly after you wrap ‘Jinghong.’ But you’ll need to hurry—I’ve already spoken to Director Bai to concentrate your scenes so you won’t feel rushed.”

“Alright, I’ll leave the arrangements to you.”

Still, Yun Fu felt some reservations about “Our Journey.” With that in mind, she sent a WeChat message to Lian Hanqi.

“Was this your doing?”

The reply came quickly: “What?”

“The variety show on Orange Channel.”

“No, why? Did you get an invitation?”

“Yes.”

So it wasn’t Lian Hanqi. Could it really be thanks to her own talent?

Yun Fu’s suspicion was not unfounded. The chief director of the show, Xie Yuanxing, had been struggling to find the last female guest for their five-person lineup. The other four—two men and two women—had long been decided. Then, while browsing Weibo, he came across Yun Fu’s name. A quick search, and his decision was made.

With her popularity, skill, looks, and personality, Xie Yuanxing saw her as a future superstar.

Later, he would joke that he should set up a fortune-telling stall under the overpass to predict who would become famous, since he was always so accurate.

But that’s a story for another time.

Meanwhile, at the airport—

A girl, in the middle of checking in, suddenly spotted a figure in her peripheral vision. Even just the corner of her garment drew the eye.

The girl looked up and froze in shock.

“Zhou… Xi Rou’er!”

Her scream drew everyone’s attention.

What met their gaze was a pair of long, slender legs, a delicate waist barely the span of a hand, and a dress that shimmered with every graceful step.

And above all, that face—like an ink-wash landscape, containing all the world’s beauty. Her eyes, especially, seemed to hold the gentlest spring water.

She was almost otherworldly in her beauty, like a celestial maiden descended to earth.

“Oh my god! It really is Xi Rou’er! What kind of luck is this?”

“Mom, I’ve seen a goddess—could this really be Xi Rou’er? She’s back in the country!”

“She’s so beautiful, a true star bringing glory to her homeland. Has there ever been another like her?”

“She didn’t even use the VIP channel! They say she’s really down-to-earth, and it must be true. She’s wonderful.”

The airport crowd surged toward her, even mothers carrying infants joined in.

Xi Rou’er, surrounded by the throng, maintained her gentle smile, not the least bit impatient.

As the crowd pressed in closer, a change flickered across Xi Rou’er’s face.

The next moment, her clear, melodious voice rang out, reaching everyone’s ears. “Please, could you all make way? Let the mother carrying a child come through first.”