Chapter 42: Exposed, Under the Eyes of the Multitude

Ruan Mian felt a little afraid, her pair of apricot eyes filled with timidity, looking just like a startled little deer, causing a thick desire to protect her to rise in one's heart.

How he wished he could just take her into his arms like this, stroke her back, and tell her, don't be afraid, I am here!

But he could not.

Huo Junze moved his wrist, ultimately restraining that impulse, only raising his hand to gently rub the top of her hair.

Using a tone of gentleness he had never used before, "It's okay, our contract has a clause protecting your privacy, you haven't done anything wrong, so they have no right to obtain your address."

Hearing him say this, Ruan Mian instantly felt much more at ease.

Look, this is the benefit of finding a powerful backer.

"Moreover, the device I installed for you is a Signal Jammer I designed, its functions and every aspect are top-tier, so don't be afraid, they won't be able to find you easily!"

Ruan Mian's moth-like eyebrows were still knitted; this felt like a knife hanging over her head, as if it could fall at any moment.

"They are after the plants, right!"

Huo Junze looked into her eyes, seemingly able to see that she had other plans, and felt some worry.

"What do you want to do?"

Rather than constantly living in fear and anxiety, it would be better to just lay it all out, let everyone know, put it out in the open, and be watched by everyone.

"President Huo, you tell me, how about I start a livestream?"

"A livestream?"

In just an instant, Huo Junze guessed her meaning.

"This will put you in the center of the storm, are you sure?"

Ruan Mian forced a bitter smile, "It can't be hidden anyway, so I might as well be open and honest, focusing all eyes on me, what do you think?"

After thinking it over repeatedly, Huo Junze nodded in agreement.

"This is not a bad way to pull the firewood from under the cauldron!"

He lowered his eyelids, looked at her, and unable to help himself, he still raised his hand to wrap around her somewhat slender shoulders, restrained and gentlemanly.

"Don't be afraid, no matter what, you still have me, this ally."

Clearly his tone hadn't changed much, clearly his expression remained cold, without any emotion.

Yet it made Ruan Mian feel at peace.

Having wandered for so long, it seemed she had finally found a harbor where she could briefly stop.

Her heart, which had been wandering and helpless since arriving in this world, could finally take a breath of relief.

"You..." She looked up, meeting those eyes, the words she wanted to say drowned in extreme gentleness, her throat feeling a bit parched.

She turned her face away, leaving him only her tender white earlobe hidden among her hair.

"I'll remember that, my ally!"

【The Rehuohu Meishidian livestream is about to begin, fans and friends who follow us, hurry online to watch~】

Everyone who had followed Rehuohu Meishidian and customers who had purchased items received this message after Ruan Mian clicked to send the upcoming livestream notification.

A livestream?

Rehuohu Meishidian was actually going to livestream!

When Yun Na received this message, she almost couldn't help but scream out loud.

She didn't want to do a shred of the work at hand, and ran straight to the manager's office to ask for leave.

She had to ask for leave!

"Manager, I need to take some leave, not much, two hours will do."

It just so happened that it was only two hours until the lunch break.

The manager naturally agreed with a wave of his hand; after all, Yun Na had always been a diligent and serious employee, and had never asked for leave without a special reason.

It was just a bit tough for the people who came to ask for leave afterward.

The manager looked at the third person coming to ask for leave with a bewildered face, his brows furrowed, "What's going on today, why is everyone coming to ask for leave one after another?"

Those who didn't get leave: Sigh, why are these people so annoying one by one.

At this very moment, Ruan Mian, far away on LG Star, had already finished setting up the background and was preparing to start the livestream.

She was just still a little nervous, her hand resting at her side unable to stop tugging at the corner of her clothes.

"Don't be nervous, I will turn on the blurred portrait function for you, it won't let you show your face."

"I know, I'm not nervous."

That was what she said, but when it was time to really appear in front of the camera, she still couldn't help but feel nervous.

This was instinct, impossible to control.

A pair of warm, large hands cupped her cheeks, forcing her gaze to meet the person in front of her.

The moment their skin touched, the heat from his palms transferred to her face.

A feverish emotion replaced the nervousness.

"Ruan, you are very good, you can grow the only plants in the Interstellar, and you can make so much delicious food, you can't imagine how great you are, so there is nothing to be afraid of, right?"

Huo Junze's pitch-black pupils were almost enough to make one drown in this gentleness.

If Mo Mishu were here, he would definitely have to cover his eyes; he couldn't bear to look, he really couldn't bear to look.

The person being encouraged, under this scorching gaze, nervously pursed her lips.

She muttered softly, "I'm not that good..."

He gently curled his lips, like ice and snow on a high mountain, gradually melting under the sun, warm as spring.

"To me, you are a perfect score."

Ruan Mian felt that this person might be feeding her empty promises, and without realizing it, she seemed to have been PUA'd; otherwise, why would she feel so dizzy?

She couldn't remember anything else, only that smile?

"Ruan, it has begun."

"Oh, okay."

Wait, no.

Wait, wait, wait, wait!

Why did he call her Ruan?

When did she ever give him permission?

However...

A name blessed by his deep, mellow voice seemed to be tinged with intoxication when spoken aloud.

It was somewhat intoxicating.

【Holy crap, the boss is actually doing a live stream! Hahaha, I arrived just in time!】

【Boss, what dish is the Boxed Meal today? I want to eat, I want to eat!】

【Wow, the boss looks so young~】

【Wait, wait, wait, if I'm not mistaken, the background behind this streamer is a patch of green plants, right?】

【What's so strange about that? Haven't you guys seen the plants and flowers made by virtual bloggers?】

【If it's a virtual projection, then this streamer's one is a bit too realistic.】

【Did you buy it there? I feel like I quite like this kind of simplicity.】

【That's not right, the leaves of those plants seem to be moving in the wind, don't they?】

【Are you a paid shill? Have you never seen current virtual technology? What's the big deal about moving in the wind? It could even do a Thomas flair for you!】

【No, haven't you guys noticed that the direction the plant leaves are moving is the same as the streamer's hair?】

【You guys don't actually think the plants behind this streamer are real, do you?】

【Are you crazy? How is that possible? You're killing me.】

The Live Broadcast Room's comments were projected virtually in mid-air in a semi-transparent state, so Ruan Mian and Huo Junze saw them the entire time.

But Huo Junze was truly impressive; in the Live Broadcast Room's feed, both of their faces were blurred, making it impossible to tell who they were at all.

In an instant, the tension dissipated quite a bit.

Ruan Mian did something that made all of them find it unbelievable.

She walked to the tomato trellis, pulled back the leaves, and plucked a cluster of bright red tomatoes...