Chapter 47 (3/5): The slap that changed everything

The PR team from President Hou’s side moved quickly.

They immediately cut together a high-quality video: the clip of Gu Zhaoping slapping Gu Zhaoye cleanly edited with the company’s logo, dramatic music, and the text: “Stand up for what’s right—even against your own blood.”

Underneath, in bold: [Official Endorsement: Gu Zhaoping, New Spokesperson for Hou Industries.]

The post went live—and exploded.

In the restaurant, Gu Zhaoping, still checking the situation online, suddenly saw the announcement and choked on her soup.

“What the hell?!”

She exclaimed.

When did she become a spokesperson?

Just as she looked up to ask someone, President Hou’s assistant called directly:

“Congratulations, Miss Gu. Our boss said this is the best spontaneous marketing we’ve had in years. And don’t worry about the contract—we’re drafting it as we speak. Just say yes, and we’ll handle the rest.”

Gu Zhaoping held the phone in silence for two seconds.

Then slowly said,

“…Can I get a copy of the contract first?”

“Of course, Miss Gu. We’ll send it over right away,” the assistant replied enthusiastically, seemingly oblivious to her hesitation.

Gu Zhaoping put the phone down, her mind a whirlwind.

The reality of it all hadn’t fully hit her yet.

She had never expected this—a slap that seemed so impulsive now had turned into a viral moment that was propelling her into a new business venture.

She wasn’t sure how she felt about it.

Was it just luck, or had she just stumbled into something far bigger than she had imagined?

As the day went on, the restaurant became a spectacle.

News outlets, influencers, and fans flooded the comments with praise, and even the staff were buzzing about how their small restaurant had become the talk of the town.

In a way, it felt like a scene from one of the reality shows they’d all been a part of.

Liang Zhiwei couldn’t help but chuckle as he observed the situation unfold.

Despite being in the background, he had always been a keen observer of the drama around him, and this latest turn of events was no exception.

“You really did it this time,” he said to Gu Zhaoping with a smirk as they both stood behind the kitchen counter, watching customers stream in with curious expressions.

“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen,”

Gu Zhaoping muttered, running her fingers through her hair in exasperation.

“I just wanted to serve good food and do my job…”

Liang Zhiwei raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

“And now you’re a media sensation. That slap really set the stage for your ‘big debut,’ huh?”

Gu Zhaoping glanced at him, a frown playing at the corners of her mouth.

“I don’t know if I want this kind of attention. It feels…weird.”

He gave her an amused look.

“You’re underestimating your appeal. People love drama, and they love authenticity even more. You slapped the guy and, now, you’re the hero. It’s how things work, especially in this industry.”

Gu Zhaoping wasn’t sure she could get used to that notion, but the truth was undeniable: the public was hungry for more, and she was suddenly the center of their attention.

Meanwhile, in the corner of the restaurant, Ruan Nian stood with a plate in hand, overhearing the conversation between Gu Zhaoping and Liang Zhiwei.

She felt a surge of conflicting emotions.

On one hand, she couldn’t ignore the fact that Gu Zhaoping had made an undeniable impact; on the other, she felt a pang of jealousy and frustration.

It had never been her goal to compete with anyone like this, but with every step Gu Zhaoping took, Ruan Nian felt herself losing ground.

The tension in the restaurant seemed to hang in the air like a thick fog.

Ruan Nian, still holding the plate, let her fingers tighten around the edges of the ceramic as her thoughts swirled.

She had spent years building her reputation, carefully cultivating an image of the perfect celebrity chef, but now, in the blink of an eye, it felt like all of that was slipping through her fingers.

Gu Zhaoping’s simple act of defiance had turned her into a sensation, and Ruan Nian couldn’t help but wonder if it was her own fault for being so careful, so perfect, all the time.

As she walked back to the kitchen, the chatter of her fans and staff filled the air, a stark contrast to her growing unease.

She set the plate down and leaned against the counter, staring at the knife she had just used to prepare a dish.

Was this how it felt to lose control of your own narrative?

To see someone else rise while you were left scrambling to figure out what went wrong?

“Ruan Nian, you alright?”

It was Li Xunxi’s voice, warm and familiar, cutting through her spiral of thoughts.

She didn’t even notice when he entered the kitchen, his usual confident swagger replaced with a touch of concern.

She forced a smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes.

“I’m fine. Just thinking.”

Li Xunxi tilted his head, studying her face carefully.

He could tell she wasn’t fine.

But before he could push her for more details, the kitchen door swung open, and Liang Zhiwei strolled in with a knowing grin on his face.

“Well, well, Ruan Nian, didn’t expect to find you sulking in the kitchen,”

Liang Zhiwei teased, his voice light, though there was a hint of something more serious beneath it.

Ruan Nian’s smile faltered.

“I’m not sulking.”

“Sure, sure,”

Liang Zhiwei said, clearly unconvinced.

“But you know, there’s nothing wrong with feeling a little left behind. Gu Zhaoping’s got the spotlight now, and all of a sudden, people are calling her the new face of the restaurant world.”

Ruan Nian’s gaze hardened.

“I don’t need a spotlight.”

“No,” he agreed, his voice softer now.

“But it’s hard to ignore when the world starts looking at someone else like they’ve got all the answers. You’ve built something here, Ruan Nian. You’ve got your own following, your own brand. Just don’t let this get to you.”

For a moment, Ruan Nian said nothing, the weight of his words sinking in.

She had worked so hard to carve out a name for herself, to be seen as the best, and now, it felt like her entire world was being upended by a single slap and a single mistake.

The idea of losing control, of becoming irrelevant, was a fear she couldn’t shake.

But what hurt more was the thought that she might not be enough anymore.

“Maybe you’re right,” she finally muttered, though it didn’t sound convincing even to her own ears.

“Maybe I’m just scared.”

Liang Zhiwei’s expression softened.

“It’s okay to be scared. It’s what you do with that fear that counts.”

She didn’t have an answer for him, not right now.

The fear was there, gnawing at her, but it was too tangled up in everything else.

The fame, the pressure, the competition—it was all starting to suffocate her.

Outside, the restaurant’s popularity continued to skyrocket.

Social media posts and gossip filled every corner of the internet.

Everyone wanted a piece of Gu Zhaoping, and the people behind her restaurant, including the once-untouchable Liang Zhiwei, were starting to gain traction too.

The spotlight was on them, whether they were ready for it or not.

But for Ruan Nian, it was a reminder of her own fragility in this industry.

And as she looked up at the bustling kitchen around her, she realized that the only way out of this overwhelming feeling was to find her own way to reclaim what she had lost—before it was taken from her entirely.

Ruan Nian took a deep breath, letting the tension in her chest release bit by bit.

She had always prided herself on her control—on the way she could juggle everything, from her image to her restaurant’s reputation.

But now, it seemed like that control was slipping through her fingers.

Liang Zhiwei, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, didn’t press her further.

Instead, he nodded thoughtfully and changed the subject, his usual playful demeanor returning.

“Look, I know things are tense right now, but you’ve always been able to turn things around before. Don’t let anyone—or anything—make you think you’ve lost your edge.”

Ruan Nian’s lips curled into a tight smile, though it still felt like an effort.

“I’ll think about it,” she said, the words coming out more like a promise to herself than to him.

Li Xunxi, still lingering in the background, raised an eyebrow.

“This is a competition, Ruan Nian. You’ve always known how to play the game, haven’t you?”

Her gaze met his, and for a brief moment, she could almost see the challenge in his eyes.

He was always the one who pushed her hardest, but it wasn’t out of malice.

It was because he knew what she was capable of, even when she doubted herself.

“I’ve played the game. But this…this is different.”

She glanced toward the door of the kitchen, where the bustle of the restaurant continued unabated.

“They’re playing a new game now.”

Liang Zhiwei’s eyes twinkled with an understanding that made her want to laugh and cry at the same time.

“Then it’s time for you to change the rules.”

Ruan Nian didn’t respond immediately.

Instead, she took another look at the knife she had been holding earlier, her mind racing.

She wasn’t sure what she was going to do next, but one thing was clear:

she wasn’t about to let someone else steal her spotlight, especially not Gu Zhaoping.

The world had its eyes on her now, and she would have to prove that she was still the one who deserved to be in the limelight.

She just felt a bit flustered and exasperated.

What does that mean?

What does it mean that Ruan Nian is supposed to “serve her”?

Clearly, Ruan Nian is the one being dragged into this mess, right?

And what’s even more ridiculous—what does it mean when people say Gu Zhaoping and her brother are better-looking?

Do those two siblings even have any real sibling bond?

At that moment, Li Xunxi clicked on another piece of gossip.

After watching the video, she was completely dumbfounded.

Who was hitting who?

She wasn’t seeing things, right?

Was that Gu Zhaoping hitting Gu Zhaoye?

No, this can’t even be called hitting—this was outright one-sided humiliation!

Wait a second—

Gu Zhaoping, did you secretly learn jiu-jitsu just for this?

Just so you could pin Gu Zhaoye down and beat him at a moment like this??

And Gu Zhaoye had a thing with that Liang Zhiwei?

What the hell, are you all crazy?!

Has the entire Gu family lost it?

Gu Zhaoye, Gu Zhaoping, Ruan Nian—you’re all out of your damn minds!

What are you people even doing?!

Li Xunxi was on the verge of a breakdown.

So when these netizens said the sibling duo was “good-looking,” they meant their fight scenes were good-looking??

The elevator doors opened.

Gu Zhaoye and Ruan Nian were waiting inside the shop, thinking a customer had arrived—only to see Li Xunxi and her brother striding in dramatically.

Li Xunxi’s face practically screamed the words:

“Drama King and Queen.”

“President Gu, you’re really generous, huh? The internet is already in an uproar over all this, and you don’t seem the slightest bit interested in stopping it?”

Li Xunxi turned to Ruan Nian with biting sarcasm,

“So now your job is to serve the little missy, huh? You’re busy serving me, is that it?”

“Well, sorry to disappoint, but ever since you got assigned to our team, we’ve been working our butts off brainstorming ideas—and then you show up and your fans blow everything up, messing up our entire day’s performance. And now I’m the one getting cursed at! So tell me, who’s the unlucky one here?”

Even though this was all just part of a show segment, after everything that had happened, Li Xunxi had emotionally bought into it.

Just thinking about her business being disrupted made her furious!

Ruan Nian was stunned.

What was even going on?

Why was Li Xunxi suddenly losing her mind?

Could it really be that, just because of her fans’ actions earlier that morning, Li Xunxi still wanted to hold it against her?

She hurriedly picked up her phone and tried to calm her down.

“Xunxi-jie, don’t get upset. Let me check what’s going on. What exactly are they saying about you? If anyone’s badmouthing you, I’ll definitely speak up for you.”

Ruan Nian, trying hard to maintain her dignity, was practically swallowing her frustration.

But the moment she opened the internet, Gu Zhaoye also caught a glimpse—though it was too late to stop it.

Ruan Nian’s eyes went wide as she saw what was trending.

It wasn’t about her at all—it was about Gu Zhaoping slapping Gu Zhaoye across the face!

She was completely dumbfounded!

What?

Was she seeing this right?

Gu Zhaoye got slapped by Gu Zhaoping?!

How was that even possible?

Who had gone insane?

Sure, Gu Zhaoping had always been arrogant, but she used to back off when Gu Zhaoye got angry, didn’t she?

What did this mean?

Was she done pretending?

Was she planning to break ties with the Gu family?

And then, to make it worse, she saw that Gu Zhaoping had actually protected Liang Zhiwei from Gu Zhaoye.

Ruan Nian was absolutely fuming.

Why would Gu Zhaoping protect Liang Zhiwei now??

She’d always been targeting her, so why not Liang Zhiwei?

What had Liang Zhiwei done to win her over?

Ruan Nian could hardly believe it.