Floating life reflects two lotuses

"Xiao Jinlian! You're trending!" Xu Nianni rushed into the room, phone in hand, her voice blaring with excitement. "In the video, you jumped into the water to save someone, and then a handsome guy carried you ashore... My god, it's like a real-life hero saving a damsel in distress!"

Chu Wanlian was lying on the sofa flipping through a book when she heard this. Her heart skipped a beat: "Handsome guy? Hug? And a video?" She tried to remain calm, but her eyebrows twitched slightly.

“Yes!” Xu Nianni shoved her phone in front of her face. “Look, the whole internet is praising you! ‘Most beautiful woman who saved lives,’ ‘modern heroine,’ ‘model citizen of kindness’… These labels are all so exaggerated, and some people even say you’re like a heroine reincarnated!”

Chu Wanlian glanced down at the screen and, sure enough, saw herself in the trending video. In the video, she was struggling to pull a child out of the water, and a man behind her was slowing down the footage several times, accompanied by sentimental music, giving the screen a strong sense of a "fairy tale idol drama".

"This shot is absolutely amazing." Chu Wanlian thought to herself, speechless, but on the surface she tried her best to act nonchalant: "Oh, this is nothing."

"Nothing?!" Xu Nianni looked at her like she was an alien. "Lianlian, you're incredibly low-key! Do you know how proud the company is of this? They gave you paid leave and even held a commendation ceremony!"

"A commendation ceremony?" Chu Wanlian was taken aback, and Xiao Jinlian's voice immediately popped into her mind: "What kind of new thing is this? I've never even been awarded 'Outstanding Employee' in the company, and now I'm going to be 'praised and lauded'?"

"Don't forget, it was I who saved someone using your body," Chu Wanlian silently replied in her heart. "Isn't that a good thing? At least you won't be called a 'procrastinator' anymore."

"But I'd rather be scolded than stand in front of the whole company and be stared at!" Xiao Jinlian's voice was full of despair. "This is practically a major social death scene!"

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you get your dignity." Chu Wanlian thought without changing her expression, then changed the subject, "But, Nian Ni, how long is this paid leave? Can I use this time to learn your 'modern survival skills'?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Nianni excitedly rushed over: "Oh, Lianlian, you've finally figured it out! I've been wanting to help you transform for a long time. Lose weight, change your clothing style, familiarize yourself with company business—three things at once, and I guarantee you'll become a beautiful career woman!"

"Losing weight?" Chu Wanlian frowned. "In the palace, being a little chubby is a symbol of good fortune."

"The palace? What palace?" Xu Nianni didn't hear clearly.

"Uh, I meant that being a little chubby makes one look prosperous... prosperous." Chu Wanlian quickly corrected herself.

“Lianlian, modern society doesn’t care about being rich; it’s about having good figure and poise!” Xu Nianni sighed in exasperation. “Don’t worry, leave this to me. I have a complete plan! Starting today, we’re going to completely transform you!”

"A complete overhaul?" Chu Wanlian felt a chill run down her spine.

"Don't worry, modern life is quite interesting," Xu Nianni said with a mysterious smile. "Let's start with losing weight! Come to my place tonight, and we'll have a 'battle to say goodbye to fat'!"

"A battle to say goodbye to fat?" Chu Wanlian looked at the excitement on Xu Nianni's face and her heart pounded. In her mind, Xiao Jinlian was frantically complaining: "A battle to say goodbye? Are you modern people too idle? You're doing this kind of fancy stuff!"

Experiencing the Joys and Sorrows of Modern Life

That evening, Xu Nianni pulled Chu Wanlian to spread out a yoga mat in the living room: "Come on, let's start with the first step, the fat-burning exercise! Do this 'fat-burning exercise' that's all the rage on TikTok with me."

"TikTok?" Chu Wanlian's eyes widened. "Is it... a form of criminal law?"

"Criminal law? Hahaha!" Xu Nianni laughed so hard she almost fell over. "It's not criminal law, it's a short video platform. Oh, never mind all that, just follow my movements!"

Chu Wanlian tried to follow along with a few movements, but in less than five minutes, she collapsed to the ground, panting heavily: "I can't take it anymore... This princess... cough, I'm about to fall apart!"

"This is nothing!" Xu Nianni put her hands on her hips, her expression as serious as a drill sergeant. "Lianlian, you have to persevere! Remember, for your commendation ceremony, for becoming the strongest corporate slave!"

"Corporate slave?" Chu Wanlian stood up, leaning against the wall, covered in sweat. "Why does that term sound so miserable?"

"It just means working class! But if you work hard, you can upgrade from a corporate slave to a workplace elite!" Xu Nianni said earnestly. "Come on, let's try this 'sweat-inducing fat-burning exercise'!"

Chu Wanlian took a deep breath: "Alright, to avoid 'dying' in this industry, I'll give it my all!"

Xiao Jinlian in his mind couldn't help but speak up: "Hey, don't actually turn me into a dried-up piece of cured meat!"

"Shut up!" Chu Wanlian shouted in her heart, and then followed Xu Nianni to start sweating again.

Under Xu Nianni's "iron-fisted policies," Chu Wanlian slowly began to adapt to the pace of modern life. In her mind, Xiao Jinlian, while complaining, also felt a faint sense of relief: "This guy... doesn't seem completely unreliable after all."

Chu Wanlian was well aware of the cruelty of modern society. She knew that since she still had the "paid leave" benefit, she had to make full use of this time to change herself—to completely reinvent herself from the inside out, especially since the company's commendation ceremony was already scheduled. In order to avoid becoming a "social disaster" at the commendation ceremony, she decided to accept Xu Nianni's transformation plan and become a "workplace elite" in the eyes of modern people.

Despite her strong determination, she still harbored a lingering worry: just how terrible was this so-called "reform"?

Part 1: Weight Loss Plan

Xu Nianni had already prepared a "weight loss plan." She proudly handed a form to Chu Wanlian: "Look, this is a weight loss plan I tailored to your figure and physique! It'll show results in three days, guaranteeing you'll transform from a chubby girl into a goddess!"

"A goddess of elegance?" Chu Wanlian raised an eyebrow, glancing down at her legs encased in yoga pants, and suddenly remembered her pampered status in the palace. "In the palace, being a little plump was considered dignified and graceful. Why do you modern people all strive to be thin?"

"Oh, that's not the point! Modern people have high standards for their physique, especially career professionals. A good figure and a great demeanor are invaluable assets!" Xu Nianni continued to persuade her while flipping through the diet plan. "Look, you're so tall, you'll definitely look amazing when you lose weight! Besides, losing weight is a kind of 'soft skill' in the workplace! You need to make yourself more competitive!"

"Soft skills?" Chu Wanlian was stunned when she heard this new term. Xiao Jinlian in her mind immediately exploded: "Soft skills? Don't you modern people just know how to show off? Soft skills? What the hell is this! I remember you used to be quite hardworking in the palace, how did you become so 'efficient'!"

“That’s how the modern workplace is.” Xu Nianni saw her eyes widen with excitement. “You have to know how to market yourself and how to present your best self! But don’t rush, this process is both painful and enjoyable!”

"Painful yet pleasurable..." Chu Wanlian repeated several times, took a deep breath, "Alright, let's bring it on, I need a full-scale battle anyway."

And so, the weight loss plan began. Xu Nianni specially prepared "morning green juice," "low-calorie oatmeal," and a completely "oil-free and sugar-free" meal plan for her. Chu Wanlian held those herbal-like foods and almost gave up on the spot: "This is the delicious food you were talking about?"

"Don't worry, you'll love them after a week," Xu Nianni said confidently. "Not only will eating them help you lose weight, but your skin will also become better!"

"Better skin?" Chu Wanlian looked helplessly at the bowl of green, viscous liquid. "Does it make your skin whiter, or does it make you transparent?"

"Haha, don't worry, once you're past the age of being chubby, we'll start adjusting your figure and make you look like a 'modern princess' who is showered with love and affection!"

"A modern princess?" Chu Wanlian sighed silently. "I don't need any 'modern' identity."

Part Two: Clothing Style Transformation

Just a few days into the weight loss plan, Xu Niannii began forcing her into a second round of "clothing makeovers." She walked into Chu Wanlian's room laden with shopping bags, her expression one of unwavering confidence, as if she had discovered the ultimate truth of life.

"What we're going to do this time is completely revamp your wardrobe! You absolutely need to understand modern professional style!" Xu Nianni said as she took out all sorts of clothes from the bag and began to explain: "First of all, a white shirt, an essential item for modern working women. Wearing it will instantly get you a promotion and a raise!"

"A promotion and a raise?" Chu Wanlian's eyes widened, as if she had heard something unbelievable. "A promotion just from a piece of clothing?"

"Of course! You have to know how to 'dress for work'!" Xu Nianni explained seriously. "In the modern workplace, you prove yourself through your clothing and performance, especially a white shirt, which is practically synonymous with a workplace goddess!"

"So you'd call yourself a fashion icon?" Chu Wanlian scoffed softly. "These clothes look like they were picked out from a 'modern imperial court'."

Xu Nianni completely ignored her complaints and excitedly began changing: "Come on, try this on! Business attire! High-waisted pants, black high heels, it perfectly accentuates your leg curves!"

"High-waisted pants?" Chu Wanlian put on the pants and immediately felt restricted. "Is this the 'symbol of power' for modern women?"

“Yes, it’s the ‘symbol of power’! Wearing it will make you walk with a swagger!” Xu Nianni pushed her hard in front of the mirror. “Look, your back is so high, you’re exuding confidence!”

Chu Wanlian stood in front of the mirror, frowning as she realized, "These pants feel...incredibly embarrassing!"

"Oh, don't worry! A little 'tightening' will show off your waistline!" Xu Nianni said excitedly. "Modern women should dress stylishly, not only with ambition but also with presence and charisma!"

"Oh..." Chu Wanlian looked down and recalled her unkempt days in the palace. She suddenly found the modern atmosphere quite strange. "To avoid getting killed, I can only try my best."

Third: Familiarity with company business

Besides the image makeover, Xu Nianni also arranged for Chu Wanlian to start adapting to the company's work. She suggested, "Lianlian, since you have time now, why not try to learn about the company's business? You can also take this opportunity to shine in meetings!"

"What's with all the shining?" Chu Wanlian asked, puzzled. "I'm just going to a performance, why do I need to be so shiny?"

"Do you want to just sit there and pretend to be beautiful at the performance event?" Xu Nianni asked seriously. "If you can act like a capable professional at the event, you will definitely attract everyone's attention and get off to a good start."

Chu Wanlian fell silent upon hearing this. She didn't want to be just a sitting, decorative vase. Now that she was in the modern world, she might as well do a better job. So, she began to calm down and gradually understand the company's business processes and the interactions between her colleagues.

Gradually, Chu Wanlian felt herself adapting to the modern lifestyle and pace. Although these changes weren't easy, she realized that she was slowly saying goodbye to her "princess" life and entering a larger stage of modern society. And her goal gradually shifted from "preserving her identity" to "how to become a better version of herself."

However, Xiao Jinlian's voice kept echoing in his mind: "Your modifications are really interesting, but remember not to use my body for random things!"

"Alright, alright, shut up already," Chu Wanlian thought to herself, preparing to throw herself back into this "modern survival battle."