Chapter 78 — The Hand Model Competition (Conclusion)

Zhou Muyang possessed remarkable expertise in photography, and he now ranked first among the top ten outstanding photographers in the imperial capital. During their university years, Mu Ran, Zhou Muyang, and Fu Jiaojiao often collaborated on group projects. Frequently, thanks to Zhou Muyang's superb and highly creative shooting techniques, their group consistently took first place.

Mu Ran glanced back at Zhou Muyang, whose gaze was filled with kindness. Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, her lips, glossed with mirror-like sheen, curved into a subtle smile. Laughter lingered in her voice, “Brother Muyang, I have confidence in my hands, so…”

Zhou Muyang was momentarily stunned, then looked at Mu Ran’s delicate hand as she waved it before him, instantly understanding. “Alright, alright, you’re just as confident as you were in university, shining with self-assurance.”

Over the years, Zhou Muyang had followed Mu Ran’s journey in the entertainment industry. He had tried to reach out to her several times, but she had changed all her contact information. He knew that someone as proud and excellent as Mu Ran, who chose to leave graduate studies in acting to venture into entertainment, only to be maligned as a scandalous actress, must have felt defeated. That was why she didn’t want to contact him. Mu Ran had her pride.

“By the way, Ran, you never told me you were the world champion in freestyle skiing!”

The two left the men’s lounge, exchanging glances and words as they made their way to the competition shooting site. Mu Ran smiled lightly, accepting the high-end cosmetics handed to her by An Lan, and gestured with them in her hands. “If I’d told you outright, it would’ve ruined the fun. Back in junior year, when I took you skiing, didn’t you notice all the people there were either world champions or, at the very least, national champions?”

Standing behind the reflector, adjusting the camera, Zhou Muyang looked up in astonishment, regret and disappointment flickering in his eyes. He slapped his forehead in frustration. “Oh! Why didn’t you say so earlier? I always thought it was just a regular ski resort. Besides, I never liked skiing; if it weren’t for scouting locations, I wouldn’t have gone.”

In university, Mu Ran’s closest friends were Fu Jiaojiao and Zhou Muyang. But Mu Ran knew Fu Jiaojiao was occasionally envious and jealous of her, so she never revealed her world champion status to Fu Jiaojiao. Zhou Muyang, however, was different. Mu Ran understood him; both had struggled since childhood, earning their own living through part-time work.

Back then, Zhou Muyang was preparing for a photography competition, anxiously searching for shooting locations every day. Mu Ran decided to take him to her training grounds, a natural ski resort with stunning scenery, intending to tell him she was Mu Mu. But from the moment he arrived, Zhou Muyang wandered aimlessly, even tumbling down the slopes. Seeing his utter lack of interest in skiing, Mu Ran kept her secret.

“What difference does it make whether you know or not? Now, 'Mu Mu' is just the past.”

Mu Ran smiled lazily, patting the man’s shoulder before heading to the shooting platform with the high-end cosmetics in hand.

Once Mu Ran was on stage, Zhou Muyang once again witnessed the full force of her long-unseen aura. Though the camera focused solely on her hands, her powerful confidence radiated through the entire venue.

“Hey! Ran, move your elbow a bit to the left. Yes, just like that—this pose is excellent!”

Mu Ran was gifted in every aspect. After a brief few minutes, her hand shoot was complete.

“Ran, you really have potential. Both your hand flexibility and posing are outstanding. Go rest in my lounge for a bit.”

Zhou Muyang nodded in satisfaction, then glanced down to check the recently taken photos.

Yet the man failed to notice the resentful gaze of the contestant behind Mu Ran, flickering between her and him. A few people whispered complaints, grumbling that Mu Ran must have connections and an unusual relationship with the photographer.

Mu Ran, keenly perceptive, sensed the shift in atmosphere around her. She laughed softly, shook her head at Zhou Muyang, and said casually, “No need, I’ll wait for the results with everyone else.”

This hand model competition did not have professional judges critiquing the photos; instead, a thousand public reviewers would vote. These reviewers represented the brands of the products featured by the hand models. There were ten brands in total, with two hundred contestants randomly selecting a product for their shoot. The photographer would take a set of photos, which were then emailed to the thousand public reviewers. Once all hand models had completed their shoots, the reviewers would vote within half an hour, each casting one vote.

Mu Ran sat aside, using a tablet to plan her company’s future development and finalize which artists to sign.

“Miss Mu, you really dabble in a lot! Athlete, variety show comedian, and now you want a piece of the modeling world?”

A woman dressed in cool, punk style circled from behind Mu Ran, who was seated in the corner of the studio, and stood before her, arms crossed, scrutinizing Mu Ran’s appearance and attire with disdain.

Having found some sense of superiority over Mu Ran, the woman’s attitude grew increasingly mocking. She tilted her lips, carelessly standing before her. “Miss Mu, a minor comedian suits you well. Since you can’t be an athlete anymore, at least you can scrape by in entertainment. You’ve got neither the figure nor the looks—modeling isn’t for you.”

Suddenly, the temperature around the woman plummeted, and she shivered involuntarily. Mu Ran slowly raised her head, turning her face slightly, her lips curling into a scornful smile, eyes narrowed with a hint of menace.

She set down her tablet, stood up lazily, and strode toward the arrogant woman.

“You think you have a great figure? Do I look like a comedian to you? Am I funny?”

Mu Ran’s expression was cold, her presence overwhelming, her voice icy and laced with ridicule. She glanced down at the woman’s heavily made-up face, which was slightly upturned.

In that instant, as their eyes met, the woman felt a chill in her heart. She lifted her chin, her eyes trembling, chest rising and falling, barely daring to breathe. “Everyone has their specialty. I just don’t like your work attitude.”

“What attitude is that?”

Mu Ran’s gaze swept over the woman’s body with interest, the contempt in her eyes even more pronounced than what she had received moments before.

At this moment, everyone else in the studio was busy, unaware of the confrontation in the corner.

The woman stammered, realizing Mu Ran was unexpectedly tall, her figure curvaceous, nothing like the flatness of typical print models.

“What does a hand model’s figure matter? If it really came down to body shape, you wouldn’t make any money.”

Mu Ran’s demeanor was cold and ruthless, her words sharp and leaving no room for rebuttal.

The woman clenched her fists at her thighs, nostrils flaring, nose ring trembling. Her palms were sweaty, nerves frayed.

Who would have guessed that Mu Ran was so formidable, relentless in her approach?

“Ran, what are you two talking about?”

Having finished shooting the models, Zhou Muyang sought out Mu Ran to discuss company matters. Turning around, he saw Mu Ran in the corner, staring sarcastically at hand model Lin Su.

“Brother, she mocked me!”

Upon hearing Zhou Muyang’s voice, Lin Su was overjoyed. She hurried over to him, clutching his hand like a lifeline, clinging to his arm, resuming her earlier arrogance.

“Brother, Miss Mu just said I have a bad figure, and also…”

“She’s wrong?”

The man’s tone mirrored Mu Ran’s sarcasm, even colder than hers.

“Brother, I’m your girlfriend; shouldn’t you be more partial to me?”

Lin Su’s eyes widened, her hands gripping his arm tightly as she shook it twice, her tone frail and affected.

Zhou Muyang looked at her hand with disgust, frowned, and shook her off, his whole demeanor radiating coldness and disdain. “How many times have I warned you not to show up in front of me again? Lin Su, disappear from my sight now, or your father’s troubles will be much worse than bankruptcy.”

A chill raced up Lin Su’s spine. She reached out, pleading, “My father didn’t mean to target you; he just wants you to marry me. Brother Muyang, he’s always treated you like his own son!”

“Stealing my ideas, plotting against me behind my back—is that treating me like a son? But your father never expected that this poor photographer actually owns shares in Star City Group.”

“Lin Su, if you don’t want your father in jail, leave my sight now.”

Tears welled in Lin Su’s eyes, her lips trembling, fists clenched. “Zhou Muyang, is there no hope for us?”

“Leave.”

The man’s gentle façade was gone, replaced by a cold and sinister aura.

Lin Su, eyes reddened, glanced at Zhou Muyang and Mu Ran, bit her lip, and ran off.

“Brother Muyang, I didn’t expect you to be a shareholder in Star City Group.”

Mu Ran hadn’t realized Zhou Muyang was a shareholder there; it meant his relationship with Gu Beicheng was anything but simple.

“Ran, Beicheng and I are friends. You should get along with him—he’s a pure-hearted tough guy.”

Zhou Muyang raised his brows suggestively at Mu Ran. “Here, these photos are from Gu Beicheng, he wanted me to give them to you.”

“What’s this? Gu Beicheng’s hand?”

Mu Ran’s brows knitted in confusion as she took the photos. “He really did hand modeling?”

“Not exactly. He barely had time for variety shows as it is, let alone hand modeling. He said you liked his hands, so... you know.”

Zhou Muyang rambled on, about to say more when Milans called him away.

“Ran, the competition results are out. Go join the other hand models.”

Five minutes later.

Two hundred contestants stood in four rows, faces varied, most anxiously shifting from foot to foot. Only Mu Ran remained composed, calm and unruffled.

Before them was a massive screen.

Suddenly, several words appeared:

[The winner of this hand model competition is—Mu Ran!]