The afternoon sunlight streamed through the expansive windows of the presidential suite, painting soft amber patterns across the pristine carpet.
Su Ning sat gracefully on the edge of the enormous bed, her thoughts drifting briefly to the men she had met earlier in the elevator — the faint scent of danger that lingered around them still clung to her mind. She had long learned to recognize danger without fear. Instead, she viewed it as a challenge — an invisible current in the game of power.
After a brief nap, she rose languidly and padded into the suite's bathroom, it looked so stunning it looked like something carved from a dream.
The walls shimmered faintly, the golden hue of polished quartz rippling under the recessed light. Steam rose from the bathtub as she filled it with water infused with aromatic oils.
Her delicate fingers trailed through the surface, releasing a faint scent of orchids and crushed petals. She undressed slowly, stepping into the bath, the warm water embracing her like silk. Her mind quieted as she leaned back, eyes half-lidded.
Minutes later, she emerged, wrapped in a plush white robe, her long dark hair cascading like an inky river down her back. She stood before the full-length mirror and brought out her luggage from her space. From it, she drew out her clothes and selected a jewelry.
Her outfit was simple but impossible to ignore: a sleeveless yellow top that draped softly around her collarbone, paired with tailored black slacks that accentuated her slender figure.
Around her neck hung a necklace of black amethyst crystals, glinting subtly with every movement. Her wrist bore a matching bracelet, the faint sparkle reminiscent of twilight. She slipped on silver ankle-strap heels, their quiet click echoing softly against the floor.
Her stomach grumbled softly. With a faint smile tugging at her lips, she decided to head to the restaurant for lunch.
Just then, the familiar chime of the system echoed in her mind.
'Ding!'
'New Mission: Establish a social media presence on Stargram and gain 30,000 followers within 7 hours.
Reward: Vogue Pharmaceutical Company in London.
100 million yuan.
Medical Skill Lv 1.
Penalty for failure: Loss of all acquired properties.'
Su Ning froze.
Her lips parted slightly.
"Thirty thousand followers... in seven hours?"
Her calm eyes flickered with amusement. "System, are you testing my patience or my luck?"
'Host's charm level: Overwhelming. Mission difficulty: Average.'
She chuckled softly. "Average, you say?"
The sound of her laughter was light and crystalline, like wind brushing over glass. She sat on the lounge sofa, crossed one leg over the other, and unlocked her phone. The reflection of her porcelain skin glowed faintly against the screen — flawless, like moonlight trapped in human form.
"Okay, let's see..."
She quickly created a new Stargram account.
No profile picture. No followers.
An empty start.
She sighed faintly. "So, this is how even the mighty must begin."
She flipped through her phone's gallery but realized she had almost no pictures of herself except the few she'd taken for documents and company files. With a shrug, she lifted her phone and snapped a few selfies.
The result left even her slightly taken aback, the lighting, her expression, her delicate features framed by soft waves of black hair… it was perfect, almost unreal.
She smiled, faintly proud. "Even without filters, I look like a walking advertisement."
She posted one photo with the caption:
'Just a quiet afternoon.'
Then she scrolled absentmindedly through the feed, her eyes widening as a photo caught her attention — her photo, trending all over Stargram.
It was the same one from the airport — she was standing behind a famous idol named Vee, her serene face caught in the background as if the lens had chosen her instead of him. The post already had over a million likes and countless shares.
She curiously went over the comments.
@VeeNation_Queen: "Is that girl behind Vee?? She's so pretty!! 😭😭😭"
@StarlitDreamer: "Her vibe is unreal… she looks like someone out of a drama."
@ToxicAngel: "Probably some random rich kid trying to look cool. 🙄"
@VelvetMist: "No way, she's too natural. Look at that face, it's not even edited!"
@Vee_OfficialFanpage: "She's trending faster than Vee himself 😂💀"
@SkylineGirl: "Does anyone know her name?? Someone find her PLEASE."
Su Ning's eyes gleamed in amusement. The system really had an impeccable sense of timing.
She leaned back on the sofa, resting her chin in her palm. "Well then… I suppose I should thank whoever took that picture."
Just then, her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen and smiled — Anya.
The girl's voice came through, bright and lively.
"Ningning! I just saw you! You're trending on Stargram! You're so pretty, everyone's talking about you! Are you an actress now?"
Su Ning chuckled softly. "No, I'm not. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time."
"Wrong place?" Anya gasped. "If that's wrong, then I want to be wrong too! You look so cool! You will be the talk of the whole school on monday."
Su Ning's laughter was like soft chimes. "Is that so?"
"Yes! And you're in the capital too? What are you doing there?"
Su Ning paused. "Just business, nothing too important."
"Business?" Chen Anya huffed dramatically. "You're always so mysterious. But fine, I'll be your number one fan from now on!"
"I'll hold you to that," Su Ning teased.
They chatted for a while — about Liu Ting's new job, Chen Wei's excitement, and Anya's new wardrobe again before saying their goodbyes. When the call ended, Su Ning's smile lingered faintly on her lips.
Meanwhile, downstairs, the receptionist from earlier had just clocked out when her colleagues began gossiping about the mysterious girl trending online.
"Did you see her? The girl standing behind Vee at the airport? She's gorgeous!"
"She doesn't even look real. Like someone painted her."
The young receptionist froze, her mind racing. The girl looked familiar.
Then, like lightning, realization struck.
"Wait—!" she gasped, fumbling for her phone. Her fingers flew across the screen as she searched for the photo. When she saw it clearly, she let out a small scream that startled her colleagues.
"Oh my God! It's her! It's the guest from the presidential suite! The one who tipped me 100,000 yuan!"
Her colleagues blinked. "What?"
"I swear! That's her! Su Ning! She even signed her name when checking in!"
They didn't believe her.
"Yeah...right"
"Everyone is claiming they know her"
"A tip of 100,000 yuan? who would be so generous?"
"Stop pulling our legs..."
She pouted, but then smirked. "Fine. You'll see."
She logged onto Stargram, changed her username to @GoddessSu_Baby, and searched for Su Ning's account — she remembered the name clearly from the registration form. Her heart leapt when she found it.
2,000 followers. 15,000 likes.
She squealed and immediately created a fan page:
'The Goddess Su Ning Official Fanclub 💎'
Her post read:
"Guess who's staying at our hotel right now 👀
Yes — the trending beauty herself, Su Ning!
She gave me a huge tip too 😭😭💖 #SuNing #GoddessSu #VeeAirportGirl"
The comments rolled in immediately:
@VeeFan13: "Liar. Everyone says that."
@NightStar: "If it's true, post a pic as proof!"
@Luna_Cream: "What hotel?! Tell us!!"
@GoddessSu_Baby: "Can't say yet 😉 But I'll get a selfie with her soon."
Within minutes, her post blew up.
Her own account gained over 500 new followers, and the fan page had 36 dedicated members already waiting for "proof."
Determined, she ran back to the reception desk and begged to take over her colleague's shift again. The moment she was allowed, she stationed herself firmly behind the counter, eyes fixed on the elevator, waiting for Su Ning to appear.
Meanwhile, back upstairs, things escalated online.
A famous influencer, @VelvetMuse, stumbled upon Su Ning's page.
Within seconds, she followed Su Ning's account and reposted her selfie with the caption:
"Finally found her. The girl from Vee's photo. She's even more beautiful up close. Follow her before she becomes the next big thing 💅✨"
Her 3 million followers rushed to Su Ning's page.
In less than an hour, Su Ning's follower count skyrocketed.
23,000 followers. 40,000 likes. 9,000 comments.
Su Ning's had ordered room service,
a plate of roasted duck, buttered vegetables, and a glass of sparkling water. She had just finished eating and was watching TV. Her phone buzzed endlessly. She raised an eyebrow, sipping her tea leisurely.
She picked up her phone and checked. She nearly dropped her phone in shock, her followers had risen to 23,000 with over 40k likes in just three hours.
Her feed overflowed with praise, admiration, jealousy — and curiosity.
@Celeste: "Who is she? Actress? Model?"
@DarkRose: "She looks like royalty."
@LunaChaser: "I'd follow her even if she posted a blank wall."
Su Ning smiled faintly, setting the phone aside. It was amusing — how a single photograph could set an entire crowd ablaze.
Another chime interrupted her calm.
'Ding!
Mission Progress: 23,497 followers.
Time remaining: 3 hours, 52 minutes.'
Su Ning sighed softly. "Just a little more."
Moments later, her phone rang again — Zhao Qi's name flashing on the screen.
"Miss Su," his respectful voice came through. "I wished to report the preliminary investigations you requested earlier."
"Come to the Imperial Zenith Hotel," she said simply. "We'll meet in the restaurant."
"Yes, Miss Su," Zhao Qi replied instantly.
She stood, slipped into a light ivory coat, and left her suite.
Descending to the second floor, she walked into the grand restaurant, a masterpiece of quiet sophistication, with sculpted pillars, violet chandeliers, and soft jazz floating through the air.
Heads turned subtly as she passed. Her steps were light, her presence commanding.
She sat by the window, ordered coffee, and leaned back with her phone in hand, watching the city below shimmer in gold.
Her follower count ticked upward again — 27,400.
The mission was close to completion.