CEO's Sweetheart is a Super Idol-Chapter 387 - 379: Losing the Endorsement

Knock knock!

The sound of knocking came, and Yuwei and Zijing looked a little helpless, but they still went to open the door.

"Zixuan."

"Yuwei, Zijing, I’m back, but is this a bad time?"

"Not at all, come in quickly."

Yuwei smiled faintly; she could tell that Wu Zixuan was being cautious.

"By the way, I brought you guys some food. I really love this takeout." Wu Zixuan said as she placed the large plastic bag on the table.

When she opened it, a strong spicy aroma immediately spread across the room.

Zijing smelled the fragrance and felt a bit uncomfortable. Despite being from Sichuan, she couldn’t handle spicy food.

"It smells so good! Is this deep-sea yellow chili dried and stir-fried with small salted fish?"

"Yes! Yuwei, have you tried this? It’s so delicious, crispy, and addictively spicy."

"My former teammate brought it from home once."

At this point, Yuwei couldn’t help but think of Manting.

Ever since Manting disappeared without a trace, she hadn’t been able to contact her.

"I also bought some alcohol. Let’s drink a little tonight."

"Haha! Why buy alcohol? We’re never short of various types of alcohol here."

"This is high-purity vodka. It’s pretty strong."

Wu Zixuan shook the bottle in front of the two of them, its transparent liquid appearing almost like spring water.

"I’ll go fetch disposable placemats to protect the table." Zijing tactfully stepped out.

"Yuwei, today everyone else went to shoot a variety show, so it’s just the three of us. We must have a good drink tonight." Wu Zixuan’s eyes were sincere.

"Alright, we’ll drink some tonight, and next time we’ll gather everyone around for a feast." Yuwei said with a smile.

Wu Zixuan’s expression suddenly darkened: "Yuwei, thank you so much for the other day. If you hadn’t stepped up to help me out, I wouldn’t have had the face to stay here anymore."

"In fact, no one was really upset with you; it’s just that Yang Ni fainted and everyone’s mood was affected."

"Still, Yuwei, I have to thank you. You gave me the opportunity to explain myself to everyone."

"Haha, it’s nothing. Misunderstandings can always be cleared up through communication."

Yuwei understood that all Wu Zixuan wanted was for her to make a sincere promise.

She could also see that Wu Zixuan was genuinely trying to reintegrate into the group as quickly as possible.

To Yuwei, Zixuan rejoining the group harmony was ideal—when the team’s spirits were aligned, their performances improved, and when the group succeeded, everyone shared the benefits.

Around 10 p.m., while the three were enjoying their food and drinks, Zhou Dan arrived uninvited.

As soon as she stepped onto the second floor, the strong smell of alcohol hit her.

She frowned slightly; she wasn’t too fond of the girls drinking alcohol.

She worried that the girls might get drunk and cause trouble; many people behave well when sober but lose control after drinking.

For a girl group, image was the most important—more so than for a boy group.

When a boy group scandal happened, although there would be backlash, it would eventually be forgiven. Women were lenient toward men and tended to become fans again once they cooled down.

A girl group scandal, however, was different—once tainted, it was essentially over.

"Mr. Zhou, you’re here. Let us serve you a new dish; you should drink a little too." Wu Zixuan offered with a smile, her face flushed, clearly tipsy.

"I know Mr. Zhou prefers light dishes. Let’s order a steamed fish!" Zijing added, slightly woozy herself.

Zhou Dan smiled kindly, her expression warm: "No need. I just came to check on you all."

Yuwei knew Zhou Dan wouldn’t come without a reason; she clearly had something to discuss.

She straightened her posture and said, "Mr. Zhou, we’re doing fine. If there’s something to address, please feel free to say so."

After a moment’s thought, Zhou Dan said, "Yuwei, I need you to come with me alone for a moment."

Zixuan and Zijing sobered up slightly upon seeing this scene.

Yuwei followed Zhou Dan to the garden, where the full moon hung in the sky like a pair of ethereal eyes.

"Yuwei, you and Xiaoyu will need to give back the milk endorsement deal to Meng and Wu."

At Zhou Dan’s words, Yuwei felt her heart sink uneasily.

The milk endorsement was short-term, lasting only six months, but it was from a major brand.

It would greatly enhance her image, and if sales were strong, it could even lead to a long-term deal, representing significant benefits.

Initially, the endorsement was intended for Meng and Wu, but after they left the group, through negotiations, the company retained the business and awarded it to Yuwei as a reward.

Fu Xiaoyu, though not as popular, was also included as part of the deal—it was company policy to allocate her some work.

"It’s okay, I understand the company’s decision; this endorsement was originally Meng and Wu’s," Yuwei responded, feigning magnanimity, knowing that the company’s decision was unchangeable.

Zhou Dan was surprised by Yuwei’s gracious response; most others would have started a quarrel if faced with losing resources.

"I’m truly sorry, Yuwei. The brand insisted on Meng and Wu as representatives."

"Haha, Mr. Zhou, there’s no need to apologize; I understand the rationale."

"Yuwei, I know you have a strong sense of the bigger picture. This time, you’ve been wronged, but the company will compensate you in other areas."

Zhou Dan was satisfied with her attitude; she had been prepared to spend time persuading her.

The group was very popular now, and Yuwei’s current influence was not small, so her tone naturally had to be respectful.

"Thank you, Mr. Zhou; don’t worry. Since they’re back, we are one family now," Yuwei said, understanding the subtext of Zhou Dan’s words.

"Very good, Yuwei. The company hopes you’ll set an example and bring everyone together."

"I’ll definitely live up to the company’s expectations."

The two exchanged a few more words before Zhou Dan left, feeling satisfied.

"What did Mr. Zhou say to you? It seemed so secretive," Zijing couldn’t help but ask.

"Did they hand you a resource package?" Wu Zixuan teased.

Yuwei noticed their expressions and realized they were still unaware of the milk endorsement situation.

Clearly, Zhou Dan had entrusted her with delivering the news herself to mitigate conflicts.

If Zhou Dan had announced it, the other members might feel the company was playing favorites, which could lead to resentment against Meng and Wu.

Fans might even start a public outcry, harming the brand’s reputation.

Yuwei felt increasingly stressed; she was beginning to understand Lu Bingbing’s struggles.

Sometimes, you really have no choice but to sacrifice yourself.

"Mr. Zhou mentioned that the milk endorsement was still meant for you and Meixuan," Yuwei said casually, even nibbling on a small fish while speaking.

Zijing was stunned, and Wu Zixuan’s face turned noticeably grim.

After rushing back to bond and seek acceptance, Zixuan felt mortified that she’d indirectly taken Yuwei’s endorsement deal—the epitome of humiliation.

Zijing, after recovering from her shock, looked equally upset; were it not for Yuwei, she might have stormed off angrily.

"...Yuwei, I... I didn’t intend for this..." Wu Zixuan stammered, tearfully and at a loss for words.

Yuwei took Zixuan’s hand seriously:

"Zixuan, I understand what you mean."

"This doesn’t blame you or Meixuan; it’s the brand’s request."

"The company couldn’t influence their decision either."

"And besides, such a significant endorsement couldn’t be forfeited, so it’s only right you both take it. The company is giving Xiaoyu and me other projects too."

Yuwei’s reassurance brought Zixuan a sense of relief; she was genuinely afraid of being ostracized again. "Mr. Zhou also mentioned that we shouldn’t dwell on this matter."

"Yuwei, you genuinely don’t resent us?"

"Really, I don’t. We have to listen to the ones footing the bill!"

Yuwei joked lightly, though Zijing almost broke down in tears.

Unlike Yuwei, she felt she’d die of frustration in such a scenario—but Yuwei remained optimistic, even comforting Wu Zixuan.

"Besides, Mr. Zhou also said they’d assign other projects to Xiaoyu and me, so we’re not losing out!"

"Wah! Wah! Yuwei, you’re amazing."

Moved, Wu Zixuan attempted to throw herself into Yuwei’s arms but was held back by Zijing: "Zixuan, your hands are greasy, and Yuwei just changed into clean clothes."

"Oh gosh, sorry, I got too excited."

"Calm down, let’s wait until Meixuan and the others return to discuss this."

Yuwei sent a reassuring glance to Zijing, whose expression wasn’t pleasant.

"Why didn’t Mr. Zhou say this himself? We don’t even know when they’ll be back."

"Mr. Zhou was busy and asked me to relay the message. It’s fine; I can stay up late."

After finally comforting Wu Zixuan, Yuwei felt truly drained.