Three trending hashtags shot straight to the top of the hot search list:
#YanSiRespondsToBeingVisualCeilingOfEntertainmentIndustry
#NeverBackedDownInABeautyContest
#YanSiAndAuntieHan
It was possible that Yan Si’s agency had paid to boost the hashtags for publicity, but Jiang Ji still reaped real, tangible benefits.
At the very least, people all over the country now knew about this new restaurant opening.
【SiSi is the most beautiful, Auntie Han is the prettiest, they’re both top-tier beauties!】
【SiSi is bold and radiant, Auntie Han is gentle and elegant—different styles, both stunning.】
【SiSi’s definitely queen of surfing the internet lol】
【Honestly, if Auntie Han were born twenty years later, she’d totally be a goddess of the otaku crowd.】
【Nonsense! If she were twenty years younger, she’d be my wife!】
【Dude, have some shame, okay?】
【Jiang Ji Private Kitchen—got it, writing this down. I’ll be sure to check it out on my business trip to Linhuai next month.】
【Oh my god! Auntie Han has that pure first-love face, are you kidding me?!】
…
Yan Si had a small fanbase admin named Wenwen, and in her heart, SiSi was an absolute goddess. While most netizens thought the trending reposts were just playful banter, Wenwen was not having it. The thought of SiSi being mentioned in the same breath as some pancake vendor auntie? Absolutely unacceptable.
Definitely a stunt pulled by the agency!
Her fingers flew across the keyboard, keys clacking furiously—she was in full crisis mode.
“Ladies! That sleazy agency is at it again, giving SiSi this self-sabotaging ‘goofy everygirl’ image! This is totally misaligned with her high-end branding. The buzz hasn’t fully exploded yet, so we still have time to fix this! Group A, go control the narrative—make sure you emphasize her goddess status! Group B, keep fighting the haters. I’ll contact the agent right away…”
She hit send on this long, urgent battle cry.
But then… silence.
The chat stayed eerily quiet. No one responded, no one confirmed the orders. Group A and B? Radio silence.
What the heck?
Wenwen was confused.
Finally, a group leader popped up—“Sister Wenwen, have you seen Auntie Han’s photo?”
Wenwen: “No, why? Isn’t she just a pancake vendor auntie? No matter how pretty, she can’t compare to a celeb, right? Let’s be real—SiSi shouldn’t stoop to this level just to grab some clout.”
“Uh… maybe take a look first before you say that?”
Baffled, Wenwen opened the trending tag and scrolled down until she found the photo.
She was expecting someone in a greasy apron flipping pancakes at a stall.
Instead, she saw a young-looking woman, posing with her family of four in a beautifully framed photo.
There was another shot of a couple—clearly from their wedding day. A simple white dress, a clean-cut suit. The woman had striking red lipstick and delicate willow-leaf brows.
Maybe it was the lighting, but her skin looked porcelain-pale.
And when she smiled—those soft, peach-blossom eyes radiated warmth, like ripples spreading through still water…
Alright, fine, Wenwen admitted—she really was beautiful.
But was she that stunning in her youth? Her own mom’s old photos looked gorgeous too. That whole generation had an aesthetic glow thanks to vintage cameras.
Still, Wenwen wasn’t ready to back down…
She kept staring at the two photos, hoping to find something to criticize. But there really wasn’t anything.
Then a light bulb went off— She looked good when she was young, sure. But now that she’s older, she must be wrinkled and washed up, right?
Hmph! How dare they use old photos to mooch off SiSi’s fame. The nerve some people have just to get noticed!
Wenwen immediately followed the trail to the Jiang Ji fan thread. She clicked in, expecting more fuel for her rebuttal—but what she found floored her.
The feed was filled with check-in photos from diners.
Many featured fans posing with the so-called “pancake vendor auntie.” Wenwen tapped on one of the photos—and froze.
She clicked on another.
Then another.
Completely bare-faced?!
Not only bare-faced, but sometimes she even had an apron on, a light sheen of oil on her skin… And yet— she was still beautiful.
It wasn’t just the looks—it was something deeper.
That grace, that poise, expressed in every subtle smile and movement. It was the kind of beauty that made people feel warm and at ease.
When she smiled, it felt like the whole world softened with her.
