No lusting after the big boss's good looks!

"Jiang Ze, I'm not making this up. If you hadn't gone missing, that Shen Yun guy wouldn't have stood a chance on that variety show!"

Over the phone, Mu Shaoxuan sounded quite dismissive of Shen Yun.

He thought Jiang Ze was not only better-looking than Shen Yun, but also much more likable in the way he spoke and acted. If he had finished filming the show, he would definitely have become an overnight sensation.

"Have you checked the trending searches? They're full of fake innocents and two-faced schemers, along with tags for Shen Yun and Jin Zhizhi. But all the comments under his are tearing him apart."

Jiang Ze hadn't had time to go online yet, but thinking of Jin Zhizhi's spoiled-princess temperament, he could see why Shen Yun hadn't fared well against her.

Besides, Jin Zhizhi was a top actress with her own massive following and publicity. How could an ordinary nobody like Shen Yun compete with her?

"Ha, but he does have some skills. He's got Meng Zimu completely wrapped around his finger. That precious nephew of Zhiyuan's is running himself ragged for him right now!"

Mu Shaoxuan must have had too much time on his hands. Who knew where he had gotten all this information? He seemed to have finally found someone to gossip with and rattled it all off to Jiang Ze without stopping.

Jiang Ze got the gist of it. Just as in the novel, Wild Mountain Survival had become a huge hit as soon as it aired.

Shen Yun's exposure had also skyrocketed after the show aired, but instead of winning widespread popularity as he had in the original plot, he was being cursed out all over the internet.

For some reason, the director of Wild Mountain Survival hadn't cut Jiang Ze's footage. In particular, the part where Shen Yun forced him to sleep alone in the Cave had prompted plenty of viewers to accuse Shen Yun of deliberately targeting him.

After hanging up, Jiang Ze searched online himself. He hadn't expected to gain a little popularity despite only filming the first half.

"Oh my god, this guy is ridiculously handsome! With looks like that, he's really just an ordinary person?!"

"He looks kind of familiar. Does anyone remember that insanely handsome guy who trended a while ago? Someone tried to scam him, but he ended up catching human traffickers instead?"

"I remember, person above! I think that was this Jiang Ze!"

"I wasn't a fan before, but I am now. He's got his head on straight and isn't fake at all. The director wanted them to struggle to survive, and he went and caught a wild chicken to make chicken soup. That's hilarious!"

"Who even is this Shen Yun? Why does everything he says sound so fake and manipulative? And why is he targeting Jiang Ze?"

"That cave is terrifying! Does the production team have no conscience? Imagine sleeping there alone at night! Is Shen Yun scared Jiang Ze will steal his spotlight?"

Jiang Ze gained a wave of fans who loved his looks and others who felt sorry for him. When viewers reached the second half and discovered he had suddenly vanished, quite a few even went to the Production Crew's Weibo page to demand an explanation.

Of course, the Production Crew couldn't tell them the truth, so they brushed it off as a scheduling conflict.

"System, this counts as changing an important plot point, right? Without this publicity boost, the protagonist won't have such an easy time bringing down the Meng Family later."

After saying that, Jiang Ze eagerly waited for the system's points notification, only to be met with silence.

The system finally responded after a long while, but it wasn't what Jiang Ze wanted to hear.

"Although you changed this part of the plot, host, it won't make much difference to the protagonist's future~ After all, Shen Yun still became famous. Netizens love following the crowd. With a little repackaging, he'll regain his momentum~"

As the system spoke, Jiang Ze saw that public opinion online was indeed slowly shifting. Most of the comments attacking Shen Yun were gradually being replaced.

Fans praising his academic achievements and character suddenly emerged, and Shen Yun's image rehabilitation began.

"Shen Yun isn't that bad, is he? I think he's pretty gentle, and he's great at studying too. I heard he's been smart since he was little!"

"Exactly. I think Jiang Ze is the fake one. Where would a wild chicken come from in the mountains? Maybe he has connections and the Production Crew prepared it specially for him!"

Jiang Ze pursed his lips, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the system.

He was about to chat with it a little longer when he heard Elder Feng calling him.

"Young Master Jiang, the young master sent you something."

Curious, Jiang Ze stepped out and saw an exquisite gift box sitting on the table in the hall.

"From Meng Zhiyuan?"

Elder Feng smiled and nodded beside him, his eyes full of satisfaction.

"Yes. This is the first time I've seen the young master give anyone a gift. His assistant brought it over and said he would come to pick you up this evening for some charity gala."

Jiang Ze opened the gift box curiously and found a white couture suit inside, along with a small, delicate box.

"What's this?"

He opened the smaller box and discovered a pair of exquisite emerald-green earrings.

He suddenly remembered what the man had whispered in his ear a few days ago. His ears turned scarlet, and he unconsciously touched his earlobe.

It was as though the warm, soft, damp sensation of the man's touch still lingered there.

Touching the piercings he had gotten two days earlier, Jiang Ze felt his face grow warm too.

"Young Master Jiang, go get changed. Judging by the time, the young master should be back soon."

Elder Feng's reminder snapped Jiang Ze out of his daze, and he shook his head vigorously.

He couldn't help mentally berating himself.

Jiang Ze, you can't lust after the big boss's good looks! He's the novel's ultimate villain! A total psycho who turns dark later and locks people up. Get a grip!

After scolding himself, Jiang Ze gathered up the box and hurried upstairs to change.

"Where's Jiang Ze?"

When Meng Zhiyuan returned and didn't see that lively figure, he instinctively asked Elder Feng.

Elder Feng wore another inscrutable smile.

"Young master, Young Master Jiang is upstairs. I'm not sure why he hasn't come down yet."

Meng Zhiyuan nodded, set down the documents in his hand, and headed up to the second floor.

"Ow, ow, ow! What's going on? Why is this thing so hard to put on..."

Before he even entered, he heard the young man muttering complaints. He smiled and pushed open the door.

"Why haven't you..."

Before he could finish, the man froze, a rare look of surprise crossing his face. The young man was standing beside the mirror, frowning as he struggled with something in one hand.

His figure was slender, a little thin but strikingly upright. He was wearing the couture suit Meng Zhiyuan had given him, its tailoring impeccable, with delicate pleated detailing at the cuffs.

Combined with his finely sculpted features, it gave him the elegant air of a young aristocrat.

"Uncle Zhiyuan, you're here... Give me a second. I'm almost ready!"

Seeing that the man had arrived, he seemed to grow anxious, and his movements became even rougher.

"Hiss... That hurts!"

A large, well-defined hand suddenly enclosed the hand struggling to put on the earring. Jiang Ze blinked, realizing the man had somehow come to his side.

"Don't move."

The man gently held his hand and carefully put the earring on for him.

The emerald-green earrings made the young man's skin look even fairer and more luminous.

"There. Be gentler when you put them on next time. Don't be so rough."

The man seemed a little helpless, his voice unusually gentle.

"Mm... Got it..."

Jiang Ze felt his face heating up again. Afraid the man would notice, he hurriedly spoke.

"Are we going to a gala later?"

"Yes. There's a charity gala. You're coming with me."

Jiang Ze nearly asked whether big shots usually had some impressive female companion, like a popular actress or a fiancée.

Yet the thought left him inexplicably annoyed.

"What are you thinking about?"

He received a flick to the forehead. Clutching his head, Jiang Ze glared indignantly at the culprit.

"You're so popular, Uncle Zhiyuan. Why don't you have a woman going with you? I'm worried I'll embarrass you."

For some reason, the more he spoke, the angrier he became.

There must be some fiancée or old flame among his unwanted admirers. If they see me at the gala, they might try to put me in my place!

Seeing the young man pout and puff up in anger, clearly thinking up all sorts of nonsense again, Meng Zhiyuan couldn't help finding it amusing.

"What female companion? I have a business deal to discuss tonight, so I might not be able to keep an eye on you. Enjoy yourself."

He ruffled the hair the young man had just styled, his mood inexplicably improving.

Unfortunately, he didn't know that although none of his own admirers dared approach him, Jiang Ze would encounter a particularly troublesome one.