Chapter 136: Chapter 86: Jiang Wanyi: Let’s Go Quickly
"Brother Chao couldn’t make it today, so it’s just us. Let’s figure out how to monetize this. Feel free to say whatever’s on your mind."
"I’ve already got a script figured out," Huang Shengyuan said.
"For the first video, Xiaoxi will be on camera. The coffee shop’s main selling point is its animals, which fits her ’underclassman’ persona pretty well."
"What do you mean? An upperclassman like me can’t interact with animals?"
"You two have completely different vibes," Chen Yuan said quietly. "We’ll have you on camera when we land a gig for a foot massage parlor or a bathhouse."
"Damn it!"
Everyone laughed, then got down to business.
"For the outfit, let’s go with a JK uniform for now. The opening will be the ’underclassman’ showing you around University City. The content has to be university-related to clearly define our account’s niche. After that, we can start filming normally."
Jiang Shuyi looked at Wang Haoci. "Lao Wang, you’ve done content creation before. What do you think?"
"I think it’s okay, but it’s not different enough. If we don’t have something that really makes us stand out, the results won’t be great," Wang Haoci said.
"We can brainstorm a bit more. If we can’t come up with anything, we’ll go with Big Huang’s idea."
"Ooh..."
Chen Yuan let out a thoughtful hum. "I watched a movie yesterday and got an idea."
"What kind of idea?"
"We put the word ’WARNING’ at the beginning, splice in some pictures of the Grand Lisboa, and I even have a track for it. Let me play it for you..."
"Brother Yuan, was that a... legitimate movie?" He Xiaoxi asked.
Huh?
All eyes snapped to He Xiaoxi.
"Xiaoxi, you know a little too much," Jiang Shuyi said.
Chen Yuan glanced at Jiang Shuyi, then at He Xiaoxi.
’It seemed the position of Head of the Public Relations Department was being passed down at that very moment.’
"That could actually work," Wang Haoci said.
"We can copy the Grand Lisboa’s style, list all the coffee shop’s features on the screen. That takes care of making the intro stand out. The rest is about making the content itself unique."
"My thought is, we shouldn’t just say it tastes good. Taste is subjective; a thousand people will have a thousand different opinions. Just saying that is too bland and unoriginal," Li Yong’an said.
"Then let’s personify the animals to highlight their unique traits," Huang Shengyuan suggested.
"Personify them as what?" Jiang Shuyi asked.
Chen Yuan suddenly thought of Song Jianye.
"Let’s make them into mental patients."
"Holy shit! That’s a great idea! Perfect!" Huang Shengyuan exclaimed.
The four guys got it immediately, but Jiang Shuyi and He Xiaoxi were a little slow on the uptake.
’In any case, their roles were essentially the same. Since all the guys thought it was a good idea, then it must be good.’
...
「The next morning」
They went to class after breakfast.
Ideological and Moral Cultivation and Law.
A required general education course like this was always exceptionally relaxed.
The guys sat in one group, the girls in another, and the shameless couples in their own.
"Chen Yuan."
Wang Wei came to the last row and sat down next to Chen Yuan.
"What’s up, Brother Wei?"
"We made it to the departmental finals in the debate competition."
Chen Yuan looked Wang Wei up and down. "Brother Wei, don’t tell me you want me to take your place in the competition."
"How did you know!" Wang Wei said seriously.
"I just joined for fun, I never thought we’d make it to the finals. I get too nervous. I barely said a word during the last match; they completely carried me to victory."
"No way, absolutely not. I am merely the champion of the Top Ten Campus Singers competition. An outstanding individual such as myself should leave this opportunity for others. Go ask someone else."
"I already asked the others. They all said no."
Chen Yuan: ???
"So you’re just using me as a backup? Do all those vows of eternal love we shared mean nothing to you? Ptooey! Brother Wei, you’re such a player."
"Don’t be ridiculous, I’m not a player at all."
Chen Yuan glanced at Brother Wei’s ample waist and XXXL T-shirt. ’Yeah, she probably couldn’t be a player even if she tried.’
"Hey, hey, hey..."
The classroom was getting a little loud, and the teacher at the podium was reaching his limit.
"Everyone, please quiet down a bit. Especially those of you who are dating or have crushes on each other. I’ll allow you to whisper, but can you please not make out? I just had a fight with my wife yesterday, and I can’t stand the sight of it."
"Haha..."
’Hey, a blow-off class is supposed to be relaxing.’
"To all the female students here, I’m now going to give you a rather important lesson. It might be something you’ll benefit from for the rest of your lives."
’The teacher was about to start talking about useless things, so all the students focused intently.’
"Do you know what type of rape cases are most common nowadays?"
Everyone shook their heads, but they were all completely absorbed and full of interest.
"As law enforcement has cracked down harder, those kinds of violent stranger-rapes have actually become quite rare. The majority are now perpetrated by acquaintances. For example..."
The teacher paused.
’This Old Deng, leaving us on a cliffhanger at the best part.’
"For example, between a boyfriend and girlfriend, or between friends. People who know each other. The man wants to have relations, but the woman doesn’t consent. So, to all the female students, don’t just think about the fun parts of romance. You must also be vigilant. When you’re out and about, you have to protect yourselves. And as for the male students..."
The teacher paused again.
’Damn it, Old Deng’s leaving another cliffhanger.’
"If the woman doesn’t consent, you can try coaxing her. If coaxing doesn’t work, then find someone else. Go for her best friend."
"Haha..."
’This Old Deng is a real piece of work.’
"Alright, that was just a joke to wake everyone up. Now let’s get back to the lesson."
"Professor!"
A girl in the front row raised her hand.
"Yes?"
"If a woman does that to a man, does it count as rape?"
"According to our country’s current laws, it does not."
In the back row, Wang Wei suddenly whipped her head around to look at Chen Yuan.
"Brother Wei..."
Chen Yuan swallowed and shuffled backward. "What are you doing? I’m warning you, this is a school..."
"Don’t be nervous..."
"That makes me more nervous."
"I just thought of something. The topic for the departmental debate finals is: ’If you witness an illegal act, should you intervene to uphold justice?’ You’re smart, so I wanted to hear your thoughts."
"That’s an interesting topic..."
’A decade or so ago, a topic like this wouldn’t have even existed. If you didn’t intervene, you’d be violating the Core Socialist Values.’
’But now, no one would say anything, because the prerequisite for intervening is to ensure your own safety isn’t compromised.’
’Otherwise, if I get hurt, who’s going to take care of me?’
"It depends on the situation. If someone were drowning and I can’t swim, am I supposed to jump in?"
"Let’s exclude cases like that. For example, like the professor just mentioned, what would you do if you witnessed a rape?"
"I’d record it."
"Huh?"
"Don’t get the wrong idea. I’d record it for evidence."
When morning classes ended, Song Jianye went to practice driving, preparing for his Subject Two exam the next day.
After his afternoon classes, Chen Yuan went to Jiang Wanyi’s place.
At the entrance to her residential complex, he saw someone selling balloons and bought one.
’He didn’t know when it started, but whenever he came to see Mili, he felt like he had to buy her a little snack or a toy. In any case, he didn’t want to show up empty-handed.’
Besides the balloon, he also saw someone selling hawthorn balls and bought a bag for Jiang Wanyi, too.
Arriving in the complex, he saw the mother and daughter taking a stroll downstairs.
"Da... da..."
Mili was the first to spot Chen Yuan, and she started bouncing up and down in her stroller.
Jiang Wanyi turned, saw Chen Yuan as well, and pushed the stroller over to him.
"Da-da..."
Mili grinned, showing her tiny teeth, and reached out her arms.
"Come here, let me hold you."
Chen Yuan lifted Mili out of the stroller.
"Do you like it?"
"Giggle..."
Chen Yuan held the child in one arm and the balloon in the other.
Mili waved her hands, batting at the balloon.
Jiang Wanyi stood to the side, holding the hawthorn balls Chen Yuan had bought. ’She was already used to seeing the two of them like this.’
’Mili was still little now. Once she grew up, there probably wouldn’t be any place left for her mother.’
"Alright, Uncle is getting tired. He can’t hold you forever."
Jiang Wanyi looked at Chen Yuan. As happy as her daughter was, she also felt for him. "Put her back in the stroller. Don’t keep holding her."
"It’s fine, I’m not tired. I’ll hold her a little longer."
As if she understood, Mili settled down obediently in Chen Yuan’s arms, resting her small head against his chest like a young girl in the throes of first love lying in her boyfriend’s embrace.
Seeing her daughter’s behavior, Jiang Wanyi rolled her eyes, speechless.
"She’s only well-behaved when she sees you. When she’s with me, she never gives me a moment’s peace."
"That just means it’ll be the two of us from now on. You can take a backseat."
Chen Yuan looked at Mili. "What do you say, is that a good idea?"
"Da...da-da..."
This was Mili’s way of responding to Chen Yuan.
Jiang Wanyi was so exasperated she rolled her eyes again, but the next second, she turned her head away, covering the side of her face with her hand.
"What’s wrong?"
Jiang Wanyi didn’t speak. She kept her head down, seeming to hide from someone she knew.
"Let’s go, quickly!"