In the production team of I Shall Seal the Heavens in Meng City, Ji Ran sat in the dressing room, getting his makeup done. The makeup artist beside him couldn’t help but stare at his flawless, porcelain-like skin, practically dying of envy.

“Xiao Ran, don’t lie to me! If you weren’t taking exceptional care of your skin, how could it possibly be this perfect? Everyone’s been pulling all-nighters lately, and they all look exhausted—except for you. It’s like you’ve got some kind of cheat code. Look at your skin, smooth and delicate like a freshly peeled egg! Even Sister An has dark circles under her eyes, but you? You’ve been working nonstop for a week and still look completely unfazed. You’re sure you’re not using some secret beauty product? Come on, tell me! I swear I won’t tell anyone.”

The makeup artist was in her thirties—after all, you don’t get to be the lead actor’s makeup artist without years of experience—so seeing Ji Ran’s skin in such a state left her feeling both envious and resentful.

“I’m really not! My routine is just like everyone else’s. I finish filming, go to bed, and that’s it. I don’t use anything special.” Ji Ran responded casually, but in his mind, he couldn’t help but think of the little candies he had been eating every day. At first, he had treated them like ordinary sweets, but the more he ate, the more he noticed a striking improvement in his complexion. It startled him so much that he actually had them examined by a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, worried they might contain something harmful.

To his surprise, the “candies” turned out to be beauty-enhancing pills. The TCM experts told him they were made entirely of Chinese herbs, designed to nourish the skin and enhance one’s appearance. No wonder he felt more energetic, looked better than ever, and had skin that practically glowed.

But there was no way he was telling anyone about this—especially not about where he got them. If Xiao Yinghua found out he had spilled the secret of such a precious gift, who knew if she would be upset? Something this valuable, given to him personally, wasn’t something he could casually share with others.

This was truly an unfortunate misunderstanding. If Gu Yingying ever found out that Ji Ran’s secrecy had cost her a golden opportunity to sell her miracle pills, she would probably regret it for the rest of her life…

“Sigh~ Some people are just blessed by the heavens,” the makeup artist grumbled, though there was a hint of warning in her tone. “Look at you, looking fresher than ever—even better than Sister An! At this rate, you’re bound to make enemies. I mean, come on, is it really okay for the male lead to be prettier than the female lead?”

Her words weren’t just complaints—they were a reminder. Ji Ran might be the young star the production had spent 80 million yuan to cast, but he wasn’t the biggest name in the drama. That honor belonged to the female lead, An Yuruo.

Despite her soft and elegant name, An Yuruo was anything but delicate. She had started out as an action star, and in this production, every fight scene had to be done for real. Her character was a fierce, no-nonsense warrior who solved problems with her fists, while the male lead—frail and powerless—relied on his intelligence to survive.

Naturally, this meant An Yuruo had far more action scenes and a much tougher workload. Being an action star was no easy feat.

Hearing such a blatant hint from Sister Meng, Ji Ran knew he couldn’t play dumb any longer. But this also meant betraying Xiao Yinghua’s kindness. She had given him those pills as a gift, and now he was about to hand them over to someone else. If she found out, she’d definitely be upset, right?

“Thanks for the reminder, Sister Meng,” Ji Ran said, sighing inwardly. “I won’t hide it from you—I’m not using any skincare products. I’ve been taking a kind of beauty pill, something a fan gave me. It’s an unregulated product, though. But if Sister An doesn’t mind, I’m willing to share some with her. It might help a little.”

In the entertainment industry, Ji Ran knew he couldn’t always hold his head high. There would be times when he had to bow. Besides, ever since he joined the production, An Yuruo had been looking out for him. Giving her some of the pills wasn’t a big deal. However, he had to be crystal clear about one thing—these were unregulated products. If anything happened to her because of them, no amount of explanation would clear his name.

“Beauty pills?” Sister Meng—the makeup artist—immediately perked up, her eyes gleaming with interest. Then she said, “If you’re willing to take them yourself, that means they must be good. Don’t worry, Sister An always looks after her juniors. You helping her now means she’ll return the favor in the future. Xiao Ran, you really are a good kid.”

The film industry was a battlefield of hidden agendas and silent rivalries. Every actor wanted to look their best on camera. With the grueling night shoots over the past few days, An Yuruo’s skin had taken a hit. The makeup team was well aware of the problem, and Sister Meng, unable to stand by and watch any longer, had taken it upon herself to ask for a solution.

Everyone in the industry guarded their beauty secrets like treasure. Sister Meng understood that. But they were all part of the same production—if the final footage didn’t turn out well, it would reflect poorly on everyone. Better to work together than to let things fall apart.

“Then I’ll leave it to you, Sister Meng,” Ji Ran said, handing over a small porcelain bottle that he had carefully kept on him. “Make sure to tell Sister An clearly—these are just homemade pills from a fan. They’re completely unregulated. If she wants to take them, it’s entirely up to her.”

Ever since Ji Ran discovered how effective these pills were, he had made a habit of carrying them with him. The rest of his stash was safely stored with Chen Shen—no one else knew about them.

This stuff was better than any skincare product out there. As someone who had always disliked tedious skincare routines and heavy makeup, Ji Ran was beyond thrilled with the results. That was why he had gifted Gu Yingying several front-row tickets to concerts—practically the best seats in the house.

Sister Meng left, satisfied with the small porcelain bottle in her hands, while Ji Ran finished getting his makeup done. Only then did he pick up his phone and check his messages, noticing the latest one from Gu Yingying.

Aside from her usual thanks for the concert poster and tickets, there was something else that caught Ji Ran’s attention.

[Xiao Yinghua: I totally forgot big brother had a concert coming up! I just found out and made something special to support you—it’ll be up in six days! You’re definitely going to see it! Wishing you an amazing concert! I’ll be there in person to cheer for you!]

Support? This little girl… had she been scammed?

Ji Ran was well aware of fan support projects—after all, he was a top-tier idol whose career thrived on his fanbase. It was only now that he found a moment to reply.

[Ji Ran: Just showing up is enough, no need to go through all that trouble. By the way, thanks for the beauty pills—they work wonders! Not sure how difficult they are to make, but I might be hosting a birthday party this year. If it happens, I’ll send you an invite.]

Not knowing how to properly thank this little girl, Ji Ran decided he’d wait until his birthday party to express his gratitude in person.

There was no reply from her, but Ji Ran wasn’t in a hurry. Before long, a crew member came to call him over, leaving him no time to check his phone.

As for Gu Yingying? She had spent the entire afternoon refining medicine, and by the time she was done, exhaustion had completely taken over. After getting some rest, she found herself staring at the five concert tickets in her hands, feeling a bit conflicted. One for herself, one for A’Yin… that still left three. Who should she give them to?

That question was still lingering in her mind when Qin Yusen arrived home later that evening—only to be greeted by his little sister’s enthusiastic embrace.

“Brother, there’s a concert in two weeks! Do you want to go with me?” Gu Yingying clung to his arm excitedly, her eyes shining. She had never been to a concert with her brother before, and the thought of it filled her with anticipation.

Qin Yusen was momentarily stunned. A concert? That had never been part of his life’s itinerary. He had never followed celebrities, let alone attended a concert.

“You really want to go? If you do, I’ll go with you.”

His sister’s request was something he couldn’t refuse.

It was only after agreeing that a delayed realization hit him.

“Whose concert is it? Is it a celebrity you like?”

“It’s for Solar Flare! I absolutely love Brother Ji Ran!” Gu Yingying gushed excitedly, eager to share her enthusiasm. More than anything, she was dying to know—was Ji Ran actually related to her current brother by blood? Just by looks alone, they didn’t really seem alike…

Hearing the name Solar Flare, Qin Yusen’s expression remained blank as his mind rapidly searched for any recollection of the group—only to come up completely empty.

Between running the company and managing endless responsibilities, he had never paid attention to the entertainment industry. Even when it came to brand endorsements, those decisions were handled by his team. As long as they maximized profit by choosing the most popular celebrity, he never questioned it. Truthfully, he had zero knowledge of any stars in the entertainment world.

“Mm. As long as you like it, that’s what matters.” He made a mental note to have someone investigate Ji Ran later—anyone his sister liked had to be a decent person.

And so, one of Gu Yingying’s extra tickets found a new owner—her brother, Qin Yusen!

With two tickets still in hand, she briefly considered asking her classmates if they wanted to go. But before she could decide, she was met with an unexpected wave of overwhelming concern from her family’s butler, Uncle Liu, that evening.

“Miss, would you like some pastries?”

“Miss, how about a cup of rose tea?”

“Miss, would you like a massage?”

This blatant, undisguised display of special attention was so obvious that even someone as slow as Gu Yingying couldn’t ignore it. Uncle Liu clearly wanted to go as well. So, without hesitation, she handed him one of the tickets and gave the last one to her brother’s bodyguard.

That’s right—someone of Qin Yusen’s status obviously couldn’t go anywhere without security. And just like that, all five tickets were distributed. Gu Yingying had originally thought about inviting Xuezhen, but unfortunately, there were no tickets left.

Monday Morning

At the crack of dawn, Gu Yingying was already up and about. After Qin Yusen dropped her off at school, she was immediately swept up in the academic atmosphere. While she spent her days at home feeling blissfully carefree, the moment she faced her schoolwork, her head spun in agony. This was especially true now—with midterms looming at the end of the week, the stress hit her even harder.

Three days later, during the exams, Gu Yingying was a bundle of nerves. No matter how many reassuring words Qin Yusen and Uncle Liu offered, nothing helped. Qin Yusen was so desperate to ease her anxiety that he even considered telling her not to worry—if worst came to worst, he could just buy the entire school for her. But despite his efforts, Gu Yingying remained on edge.

Two days later, as soon as the exams were over, Gu Yingying felt like she had been reborn. She had no idea how she did, but at least it was over—that was all that mattered.

“How do you think you did?” Gu Qingrang asked, strolling over curiously.

Gu Yingying shot him a glare. “You really need me to answer that?”

Her response left Gu Qingrang speechless, unable to utter another word. Song Ruoci, standing nearby, burst into laughter—watching Gu Qingrang get roasted like this was her absolute favorite pastime.

Busy with school and exams, Gu Yingying had no idea that her Xiao Yinghua Weibo account was exploding in popularity. Thanks to A’Yin, who was managing the account on her behalf, the entire fan support project had been posted online. The moment the news hit Weibo, it instantly attracted a flood of Ji Ran’s dedicated fans.

Everyone was buzzing with excitement, eager to see the LED support display, but the fans in Shangjing City were especially hyped—some were even planning to camp out downtown from midnight just to witness the event firsthand.

Saturday Night

As darkness fell over Shangjing City, countless Little Sparks refused to go home, all gathering at the heart of the city for one reason—to witness the long-awaited LED tribute.

And then, at the stroke of midnight, the city’s tallest skyscraper suddenly lit up with a burst of brilliant red, sending the crowd into an electric frenzy.

A moment later, a strikingly handsome face was projected across the skyline, triggering an explosion of deafening screams from the fans below.

Then, as if claiming its throne over the city, Ji Ran’s name flashed brightly at the highest point of Shangjing, standing out like a beacon in the night.

=^_^=