Sang Ning opened the courtyard gate and nodded politely. "That's me. May I ask what this is about?"
The middle-aged man raised both hands and clapped lightly in the air, signaling for the helicopter crew to start unloading large pieces of furniture.
"Miss Sang, hello. My name is Li, and I am the head of the home decoration and furniture division at Hai Chuan Group. We've been following your livestream and believe that your image aligns perfectly with Hai Chuan. We've decided to invite you to be the brand ambassador for our home décor and furniture line. The products we're delivering now are from our collection—hope you enjoy them."
[Holy crap! Could Hai Chuan not find celebrities? They're actually letting Sang Ning be their brand ambassador.]
[A reasonable suspicion: Sang Ning must have powerful connections with Hai Chuan Group.]
[Come on now, if that were true, would Sang Ning still be so hated online? There wouldn't be any dirt on her, not even a single negative story—this is Hai Chuan we're talking about!]
Sang Ning was stunned. She instinctively scanned the group of people in the yard, all of whom were completely frozen.
She hadn't expected that her casual pitch during the livestream would end up attracting someone like Hai Chuan Group. Did Hai Chuan really neglect to do a background check on her?
She did have decent traffic, but given her extremely poor reputation in the industry, a brand endorsement deal typically only came from small companies. As for a powerhouse like Hai Chuan, they certainly had countless artists to choose from.
"Are you sure you want me as the brand ambassador?"
"Absolutely. Don't doubt it—it's you, Miss Sang Ning."
Li Keyao had been following the livestream closely, and Li Juezhou had occasionally glanced at it as well. At this moment, he looked up and noticed Sang Ning's expression of disbelief.
Li Juezhou's lips curled slightly. It seemed even she was aware that, based on her current status, Hai Chuan's endorsement was far beyond her reach.
Though the home décor and furniture division might seem like a minor field within Hai Chuan's vast empire, the Hai Chuan name ensured due diligence in everything. Before approving Sang Ning as the brand ambassador, he'd instructed Secretary Wang to conduct a thorough investigation.
The backlash she faced online was tied to trivial matters and not serious offenses like tax evasion or fraud. Since Keyao liked her, granting her a minor endorsement wouldn't cause any harm.
He rubbed his chin and gazed ahead nonchalantly—on the surface, he seemed to be lost in thought. In reality, though, his eyes were fixed firmly on Sang Ning's screen, eager to see her next move.
The woman on-screen furrowed her brows, her big eyes darting about before she solemnly responded, "Thank you for your kind offer, President Li. However, I specialize in trial-based business endorsements. Even though your group boasts an impressive reputation, for the sake of consumer responsibility, I'll need to test your products first. If they show any significant flaws, I reserve the right to decline becoming your brand ambassador."
President Li's smile froze instantly. Li Juezhou, just as he was taking a sip of water, ended up choking and spraying it out in surprise, coughing uncontrollably.
"Bro, are you okay?"
Li Keyao turned to look at him, utterly shocked.
Her brother was always composed—never once had she seen him lose his composure to such a degree.
"I'm fine. Feels like my throat caught a chill—just slightly uncomfortable."
Li Juezhou grabbed a tissue from the coffee table and carefully wiped the water stains from his lips.
Li Keyao immediately instructed the smart home assistant to increase the air conditioning temperature. "The air conditioning temperature really is a bit low."
"Bro, did you hear what Sister Sangsang said just now? She's really different from those stars who just cash in recklessly. So many celebrities endorse products they haven't even tried, misleading consumers left and right. In comparison, Sister Sangsang's approach is truly meticulous."
"Busy, didn't hear."
Li Juezhou lowered his gaze, though inwardly a cold smirk surfaced.
Calling it 'trial-based' sounded nice—calling it freeloading sounded more accurate.
[Sang Ning has got some guts. Other celebrities rack their brains trying to get Hai Chuan's endorsement deals, and here she is, acting nonchalant when it's handed to her on a silver platter.]
[Sang Ning's stance makes sense. Ever heard the saying 'big brands bully consumers'? Just being a major name doesn't guarantee flawless products.]
[But we're talking about Hai Chuan—a name standing tall above other renowned brands. The mere mention of Hai Chuan equals an ironclad guarantee of quality.]
If this were another average brand, even without a formal endorsement agreement, Sang Ning's approach would generate buzz, creating a win-win situation for both parties. But with Hai Chuan involved, her reaction made Sang Ning come off as a little ungrateful.
President Li was encountering this scenario for the first time, and though his smile remained on the surface, frustration was brewing inside.
"It seems Miss Sang hasn't used our company's products before. If she had, she wouldn't say anything like this."
The comment carried a hint of mocking Sang Ning's lack of exposure. Hai Chuan catered exclusively to the elite, and anyone with a modicum of social standing would certainly have used its products.
When Sang Ning lived with the Chu Family, her belongings had all been custom-made. Indeed, she'd never used Hai Chuan's products. After returning to the Sang Family, she clearly couldn't afford them with Sang Family's financial limitations.
Thus, she nodded honestly. "Correct, I've never had the opportunity to use Hai Chuan's products before. I'll look forward to a pleasant trial experience."
The conversation hit a dead end. President Li's lips twitched, unwilling to continue engaging with her. He instead directed his team to hurry with the furniture unloading and complete their boss's orders as soon as possible.
Chu Xi couldn't understand why Sang Ning had managed to receive Hai Chuan's endorsement invitation on her first day filming the show. This development was entirely against her plan—she'd intended for Sang Ning to serve as her foil, ensuring Sang Ning never recovered in the entertainment industry, not to give her the chance to rehabilitate her image and embark on a legitimate career path.
Summoning her courage, Chu Xi approached President Li and started a polite conversation.
"President Li, hello. I'm a loyal fan of Hai Chuan Furniture. I greatly admire your smart home design philosophy—centered on user-focused functionality, avoiding flashy but impractical features, and delivering products that are highly functional and easy to use for a seamless consumer experience."
[No surprises here—Chu Family's eldest daughter clearly hasn't skimped on her exposure to high-end brands.]
[I can't wrap my head around it. If Hai Chuan really wanted a brand ambassador, wouldn't someone like Chu Xi—an affluent heiress—make a much more convincing choice?]
President Li's gaze drifted toward Chu Xi for a few seconds longer. This young woman's understanding of Hai Chuan was far more comprehensive than Sang Ning's, and her outward qualifications were excellent too. It baffled him why the boss had insisted on Sang Ning.
Feeling it was a missed opportunity, President Li sighed softly. "What a pity. Personally, I think you're far more suited to be our Hai Chuan Furniture brand ambassador than Sang Ning."
Chu Xi feigned modesty. "You're too kind. Miss Sang is also an admirable individual."
"You raise a good point—our brand has another philosophy: pursuing ultimate aesthetics. Not only does it need to captivate consumers at first glance, but it also needs to age beautifully over time, becoming increasingly breathtaking and enduring. From that perspective, Sang Ning's physical appearance does align better with our brand vision."
President Li elaborated lightly on his boss's thought process, following Chu Xi's lead.
But Chu Xi's expression darkened abruptly, her smile faltering visibly.
Was this a veiled insult suggesting she looked unattractive?