Chapter 7: Starry Sky Princess Dress

A while back I heard that my own white moonlight was being turned into a big‑screen movie, and the fans rose up en masse, blood‑sweeping the drama's early‑opened fan forum.

Later, the official Weibo launched a poll, letting book fans pick the female lead; Shen Xingman took a cliff‑drop first place. The male lead's online votes were all over the place, with no clear gap.

The producers and director of Star Frost had already approached Qiao Yun several times, and she turned them down each time—partly to free up the schedule for Chen Cheng's film, and partly because the male lead's star power in Star Frost didn't match Shen Xingman, and Qiao Yun didn't want her own artist boosting another's fame.

Shen Xingman pressed her temple, ultra‑Buddhist: "Honestly, I don't really want to. But I heard Jiang Xiaoyan has been courting this role lately, and after several talks still hasn't landed it."

The director's reason for rejection was simple: Yun Shuang is both bewitching and seductive, and Jiang Xiaoyan just isn't that type at all.

"Ugh, so you want to get revenge on her?" Qiao Yun's first thought was that reason.

Shen Xingman didn't deny: "There's that intention, I guess."

But she has a reason more important than that.

"The author of Star Frost wrote me a letter."

Qiao Yun fell silent for a moment, then, bewildered, asked, "When was that?"

"About four or five days ago," Shen Xingman said softly, "When I received it I read it carefully, intended to tell you, but then I forgot."

"…" Speechless; how could she forget that?

"What's the content???" She can't have forgotten that too, right?

Shen Xingman lazily replied, "She's my fan."

Anything Shen Xingman endorses, she buys; any drama Shen Xingman stars in, she streams endlessly; for every offline event of Shen Xingman she buys gifts, hoards tickets, and shows up in person.

She started out as a laid‑back online writer, then fell for Shen Xingman, began writing seriously, and almost every novel's heroine bears Shen Xingman's likeness.

She said that the feeling of giving everything for one person is truly great; for example now, she's transformed from a struggling writer into a well‑known online author.

Shen Xingman: "At first she didn't want to sell the rights, but the rights aren't in her hands; they're decided by the publishing platform."

Qiao Yun: "So you've now become her exclusive heroine, right?"

Shen Xingman nodded.

"Wow, that's pretty moving," Qiao Yun teased, "This author seems pretty popular; I've read her novels—absolutely great, each a masterpiece, a naturally talented writer. And have you noticed, her novel titles all seem to contain your name."

"Star Frost, Wandering Through Years, The Legitimate Daughter of the Shen Mansion, Moon‑Locked Star Bridge—these are all her works."

The book fans aren't stupid; they also see she's a Shen Xingman fan.

But Shen Xingman's popularity, reputation, and public appeal are all great; there are few haters, so the author's comment section is fairly harmonious.

"Alright then, it's getting late; after we finish the red carpet tonight, we'll go find the director tomorrow and discuss cooperation."

Qiao Yun still had some reservations; after all, the male cast over there isn't great.

"There's a red carpet tonight?" Shen Xingman widened her eyes.

Qiao Yun: "Otherwise? What else do you want to do?"

…

Shen Xingman's stylist is Shi Nan, a cool, clean‑cut handsome guy, about the same age as Qiao Yun, steady‑tempered, and especially likable.

The key is his family is wealthy; his mother founded a domestic luxury brand that offers global haute couture, perfume, cosmetics, and high‑end jewelry lines.

Originally this little handsome guy was supposed to go back and inherit the family business, but he hates running a company, prefers to live his own way, savoring life freely.

And precisely because of that, Shi Xiao Shuai Ge leveraged his family connections to loan Shen Xingman all sorts of haute couture, even securing limited‑edition pieces from multinational brands.

Last year, a Blue Sea Mermaid gown of Shen Xingman trended for several days; both passersby and fans were stunned, and reporters on site praised the red‑carpet look as otherworldly and unique.

Tan Yun had tried to poach Shi Nan before, but this kid gave him several cold stares.

Of course, even without Shi Nan's connections, Shen Xingman's top‑tier star power would still attract sponsors to lend her haute couture, but Shi Nan is truly impressive; his taste is superb, and he can dress Shen Xingman in each red carpet as both ethereal and seductive, cold and lustful—so beautiful it's practically a national disaster.

And for tonight's red carpet, he somehow sourced a starry‑sky oversized princess gown.

A gentle breeze gathered waves, scattering stars across the river; Shen Xingman almost thought he had stolen the heavens' stars while the moon snored.

"Whoa, that's amazing."

Qiao Yun's eyes were glued to Shen Xingman.

Almond eyes, red lips, fragrant shoulders, slender waist, the girl before the mirror had a long neck, skin like solidified cream, beauty like a flawlessly carved artwork that even master artists could scarcely capture.

Her makeup today was light, brows and eyes tinged with a soft, misty red hue, giving a tear‑filled beauty vibe; stray strands fell on her forehead, conveying a fragile, broken feeling.

It was like a thin veil of moonlight over a blue lake—ethereal, fragile, hazy, and utterly endearing.

Shi Nan watched and couldn't help but exclaim, "That's the true meaning of wearing stars and moon."

Compared with last time's deep‑sea mermaid gown, this starry‑sky dress adds a touch of serenity, gentleness, and brilliance.

The sea feels deep and tranquil, but that's a bit stereotypical; it can also be lively and bright—see, waves kiss the shore, gulls splash clouds, sea breeze darts into shells. They constantly weave a vibrant ocean.

If the deep sea is the mother, the beach is the child.

Thus, Shen Xingman's mermaid dress isn't that solemn; it's somewhat lively and playful, like a soft beach and a light cloud.

And this starry‑sky oversized princess gown is dazzling, gorgeous, sparklingly beautiful, as if a sky full of stars were its embellishment.

The girl in the gown is more beautiful than the stars themselves.

"So gorgeous." Qiao Yun tilted her head, cradling her face, suddenly on the verge of tears, "Baby, your brain's a bit off, but at least you're excessively beautiful, it makes up for the flaw—boohoo…"

Shen Xingman frowned, sensing complexity: "Are you praising me or slandering me?"

…

"Sis." Shi Nan, taking advantage of Qiao Yun's phone call, suddenly spoke to Shen Xingman.

"Hmm? What's up?"

"I always feel the female lead of a novel we read looks a lot like you."

Shen Xingman: "Is that so?"

"Yes," Shi Nan, usually taciturn and terse, only brightens up with friends, "Her name is Yun Shuang."

"Ah, her." Shen Xingman asked, "Then tell me, where do I resemble her?"

"Very beautiful," Shi Nan's words were concise, "and her personality is good too."

Shen Xingman smiled, didn't speak.

"I think you're suitable to play her," he pursed his lips, "others aren't suitable."