《Dressed As a Cannon Fodder For the Rich and Powerful》


 CH 1

    TL: Hua


    The night was quiet in the western suburbs of S City, a well-known wealthy area. A black Maybach gently slid into a courtyard covered by tall trees.


    A gust of cool autumn wind blew in from the open car window, blowing away the young man¡¯s bang, revealing a well-shaped widow¡¯s peak1This M-shaped hairline. In English, it¡¯s called Widow¡¯s Peak, but in Chinese, it¡¯s literally translated to beauty tip. It was a beauty standard of some sort in ancient China. If you watch Chinese period dramas, you will see that men all have this kind of hairline. and a small face the size of a palm, glowing white in the night.


    Qi Xiaoyu was woken up by the cool wind and vaguely heard someone shouting, ¡°Why did you make the person unconscious? What if word goes out that our Xun family is robbing people?¡±


    Then an extremely flattering voice said, ¡°Mr. Cheng, don¡¯t be angry. He volunteered, and we¡¯ve made an agreement. I promise, it¡¯s absolutely voluntary.¡±


    A shadow shrouded Qi Xiaoyu, and the flattering voice said again, ¡°Mr. Cheng, look, don¡¯t you think this kid looks exactly like the person in the third master¡¯s painting?¡±


    Mr. Cheng¡¯s voice was still angry, ¡°I can¡¯t say they are exactly the same. It¡¯s only about seventy or eighty percent similar.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, as long as you said so. Now¡­are we sending him in?¡±


    Mr. Cheng said slowly, as if deliberately pinching someone¡¯s lifeline, ¡°The person is already here, so just send it. If the third master likes him, perhaps the warding-off wedding can be done.¡±


    Warding-off wedding2³åϲ[ch¨­n¨À x¨«]: a wedding arranged for a young man who was dangerously ill, in the hope that the joyous occasion would ward off imminent death.? With a man? Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s temples suddenly jumped. He didn¡¯t recognize anyone, and he had never heard of this third master or whatever. Was he being drugged and sold?


    Who dares! He, Qi Xiaoyu, has been in the Red Moon Troupe for twenty years. He has grown from a bullied apprentice to a pillar of the stage. His name was popular and widespread, from Beiping City to Shanghai Beach. What big storms has he not seen? Who would dare to drug and sell him? Aren¡¯t they afraid of being cut alive by him when he wakes up?


    Prince Rong from Deyue Building, Boss Jiang from the Qing gang, Commander Sheng from the army, and those theater fans who waited at the door of the Red Moon Troupe every day waiting for him to take the stage, any one of these people could be the third master he had never heard of.


    But¡­ It seems that something is wrong.


    Qi Xiaoyu heard the flattering voice trying to curry favor with this Mr. Cheng again: ¡°Mr. Cheng, the person is already delivered, then the money¡­¡±


    Mr. Cheng snorted, ¡°Give me his IOU, and the money will be in your account tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you, thank you, Mr. Cheng.¡±


    Then Qi Xiaoyu was carried out from the back seat of the Maybach.


    The world was spinning; the drug made him want to vomit, but everything that entered his eyes made him forget to vomit.


    Who are these people? Where is he? Is he still in Shanghai in the 14th year of the Republic of China3History 101. The Republic of China (1912¨C1949) was formed after Chinese people successfully overthrew the Qing dynasty and ended over two thousand years of imperial rule in China.?


    Why is everything so strange?


    Qi Xiaoyu quickly scanned everything around him.


    There are no more than 100 cars in the whole of Shanghai, none of which look like this, all black and airtight.


    No one¡¯s bodyguards are all dressed in black clothes with white shirts like this.


    The prince in the Deyue Building and his house¡¯s servants all wear long robes4.


    The boss of the Qing Gang and all his subordinates wear Mandarin jackets5.


    The commander of the army and the soldiers he leads are naturally dressed in neat military uniforms.


    The stewards at those places are all so proud that their chins are turned high toward the sky. On the surface, they are not as friendly and peaceful as the people in front of him.


    There are also the overly fashionable decorations of the villa: the porch made of stones, the door that opens automatically¡­


    The bright light reflected on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s jet-black pupils, and a large number of pictures and words suddenly flooded into his mind like a raging tide, tearing his nerves apart.


    He actually inexplicably transmigrated into a novel called ¡°Sick President Sadistically Loves Me¡±.


    Although he hadn¡¯t read the novel, the plot flooded into his mind automatically.


    The main plot of this novel is the story of Xun Qian, the sickly president, and Tang Yuning, the forbearing and gentle movie king. They fell in love, healed the president¡¯s mental and physical sickness, and eventually got married.


    And Qi Xiaoyu, who has the same name as him in the novel, is pitiful and hateful cannon fodder.


    He originally had a good birth; his parents opened a company, which flourished better and better, but unfortunately, his mother passed away early. After his stepmother married his dad, they had their own children, so he was driven to a boarding school with only an 800 yuan6112 USD monthly allowance.


    Qi Xiaoyu was living in exile, with no one to turn to, and was lazy and unmotivated. He lived aimlessly until the age of 22 and finally got a job at a third-rate entertainment company after graduating from university. Because of his outstanding appearance, the company sent him to participate in a singing and dancing talent show.


    While participating in the program, Qi Xiaoyu had a long-term relationship with a boy in the same dormitory. Although the other party was just playing with him, Qi Xiaoyu was blinded by love and borrowed a huge amount of usury in order to repay the gambling debts of his ¡°boyfriend¡±.


    Qi Xiaoyu thought that this would earn his ¡°boyfriend¡± true love. However, the ¡°boyfriend¡± took the money and turned around to form a CP with someone else on the show. He even revealed that his roommate in the same dormitory had an ulterior motive toward him, saying, ¡°It¡¯s really disgusting. He even peered at me while taking a shower and helped me wash my underwear. I really want to move over and live with Zhouzhou.¡±


    Faced with the abandonment of his ¡°boyfriend¡±, Qi Xiaoyu was overcome with grief and cried uncontrollably in the dark. At the same time, the loan shark came to his door to collect the debt. He has no money. He¡¯s just a trainee who has not yet made his debut and has to pay for his own taxi fare to record the show.


    So Qi Xiaoyu could only brazenly ask his family for it. The phone was hung up after he just said ¡°hello¡±, and when he sent them a WeChat message, he received ¡°the other party has rejected your message¡± prompt in return.


    Out of desperation to pay back the loan shark, Qi Xiaoyu promised to attend this wedding. But the loan shark was afraid that he would go back on his word midway, so he sent him here unconscious.


    The mysterious and unpredictable Mr. Xun, who overtook all the business in the gray area of S City, was about to die of illness. He couldn¡¯t get out of bed, he frequently vomited blood, and there was no cure for his illness! Mrs. Xun was a superstitious person. She said that since doctors can¡¯t cure him, he should find someone to get married to and wash off the bad luck as a last attempt to save his life.


    Third Master Xun followed Mrs. Xun¡¯s arrangements, but he has one request. Find someone who looked similar to the person in the painting, and then he would ¡°marry¡± the person.


    Which child from a decent family would be willing to marry a dying person? Who would want to follow this kind of feudalistic superstition?


    What¡¯s more, Mrs. Xun is very particular about the horoscope of birth date, and Third Master Xun also has requirements for appearance, so after looking around, Qi Xiaoyu was found.


    Qi Xiaoyu just happened to have a good horoscope, and his appearance was similar to that in the painting¡ªpuppy eyes, cherry lips, an exquisite nose, an adrogenous appearance, with childish and innocent buffs. Such a unique appearance is rare.


    Qi Xiaoyu regained consciousness again and was already on a big, soft bed. Although it was a happy event, the Xun family handled it very low-key. After all, it was not a glorious thing, and Qi Xiaoyu was not an important person. Even if he married Xun Qian, it was just a little thing that could be divorced at any time.


    Qi Xiaoyu moved. The apricot-colored silk quilt was as smooth as a baby¡¯s skin, the white pillow was bulging and filled with goose feathers, and the crystal chandelier hung down at low voltage.


    Although the taste is a bit poor, this is indeed a wealthy family. Qi Xiaoyu took advantage of the moonlight outside the window to look around this luxuriously decorated bedroom, and finally his eyes fell on the wardrobe next to the bed.


    The effect of the drug has not yet passed, and he turned his head with difficulty. From the mirror on the wardrobe, he saw the face of the original owner, who looked similar to himself in his previous life. The hair that was dyed golden yellow like a bird¡¯s nest and a set of flashy, almost tacky clothes were somewhat of an eyesore. In addition, this person lacked vitality, and his bones were also thin.


    It¡¯s fine. Hair color and clothes can be changed. The body can also be trained.


    After Qi Xiaoyu was forced to accept the original owner¡¯s information, he lay down on the bed for fifteen minutes, scolding the original owner for being stupid and ignorant, scolding the original owner¡¯s father for being inhumane, and scolding the original owner¡¯s boyfriend for being a scum.


    Both of his parents died when he was a child, and he lived in his uncle¡¯s house. When he was four or five years old, he was picked up by Qi Fengjian, the leader of the Red Moon Troupe, in a ruined temple and became an apprentice. After twenty years of wandering from place to place and enduring many hardships with the troupe, he was accustomed to life and death. After hearing countless supernatural stories of demons, ghosts, gods, and serpents, there was really nothing he couldn¡¯t let go of or accept.


    On the contrary, the situation in front of him is much more troublesome.


    In the original book, Qi Xiaoyu is an important villain cannon fodder, so his plot is quite full. According to the development of the plot, his life after being given to Mr. Xun is much better than outside, but Qi Xiaoyu, who was severely lacking in intelligence, refused to accompany a dying patient peacefully. He dared to take Mr. Xun¡¯s money to keep a little lover outside and even tried to take away the Xun family¡¯s property under other people¡¯s instigation.


    When the protagonist shou finally made an appearance, Qi Xiaoyu framed him in various ways and even drove him into the ICU, courting his own death in order to promote the relationship between Third Master Xun and the protagonist shou.


    The result can be imagined. When the two protagonists gong and shou¡¯s relationship stabilized, the angry Third Master Xun quickly divorced him and sent him directly to the asylum. At first, Qi Xiaoyu was clamoring to go out, but after several high-intensity electric shock treatments, Qi Xiaoyu really went crazy.


    The original text reads, ¡°Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s cheeks were sunken, his eyes were hollow, and he no longer had the domineering look of the past¡­ The long-term detention had made his legs unable to stand upright like a normal person¡­ He was lying on the ground like a dog, his arms folded. He grabbed a dead and crushed cockroach, played with it for a while, and then cheerfully sent it into his mouth, chewing it with rattling sounds.¡±


    This ending is too tragic, disgusting, and disrespectful. Although Qi Xiaoyu was born into a humble background and his status as an actor is not high, maintaining his dignity is the bottom line of his life.


    The year Shanghai was occupied, he did not escape. He hid in the air raid shelter and starved for five days. His arms were thinner than a rolling pin, and he was starved into an empty skin, but he did not go out to ask for a bite of food.


    How could he eat cockroaches? ? ?


    Qi Xiaoyu looked at the ceiling silently, bent his fingers, and clenched his fist tightly. He bit his tongue until he was bleeding and slowly felt the recovery of strength in his limbs. He had made up his mind and was determined to change the fate of the original owner, no matter what.


    ¡°click¡ª¡± the sound of the door lock opening.


    The moonlight outside the window streamed in like autumn water, shining on the man¡¯s black silk shirt and protruding collarbone. His soft and warm skin was like white porcelain, and his delicate and fragile bones were like glass tile.


    Soul-stirring beauty.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s appearance carried a youthful innocence and naive sweetness.


    But the man in front of him was indisputably stunning.


    Even if he was shrouded in pain, it only added a gloomy filter to his beauty.


    He is Xun Qian, the third master of the Xun family.


    He didn¡¯t expect such an old-sounding name to have such a young and handsome face.


    That¡¯s right, Third Master Xun was only 26 years old when he appeared in the book.


    Sitting in a wheelchair, Xun Qian coughed twice, then hooked his thin, white, and long finger backward.


    Butler Cheng understood and immediately bent down and said something softly.


    As soon as the man opened his mouth, he let out a lazy, smoky voice: ¡°They dare to send over a starlet from a talent show? Don¡¯t you know that I have a cleanliness habit?¡±


    ****


    Qi Xiaoyu likes beauties and also likes this kind of lazy and hoarse voice, but at this time, a plot in the original book about the wedding night flooded into his mind: ¡°Xun Qian didn¡¯t even look him in the face and asked someone to throw Qi Xiaoyu, who was unable to move after taking the medicine, into the basement¡­ It wasn¡¯t until Mrs. Xun, who was abroad, heard the news and called back that he was released.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s heart trembled. He didn¡¯t want to have such a miserable first night after transmigration, not to mention he was a little afraid of the dark.


    The author has something to say:


    Xiaoyu: Yes, I¡¯m not clean; don¡¯t touch me.


    Xun Qian: QAQ I didn¡¯t say it; I deny it.

 CH 2

    TL: Hua


    Butler Cheng kept his bent posture and remained motionless; his voice was completely different from before, ¡°I¡¯ve investigated it; he¡¯s clean.¡±


    Seeing that Third Master Xun was silent, he added, ¡°The old lady has also seen him, and she¡¯s quite satisfied. Third Master, why don¡¯t you look at his appearance first? It¡¯s similar to your request.¡±


    Xun Qian lowered his eyes; his long eyelashes pressed against the delicate white porcelain skin like a small fan, and the corners of his thin, bloodless mouth pressed down a bit. It seemed he really felt disgusted and unhappy.


    ¡°Clang¡ª¡± Before Xun Qian could speak, the figure on the bed suddenly moved and then quickly rolled down.


    This bed is not only big but also high, and the fall was strong enough to completely break the effect of the drug on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s body.


    Qi Xiaoyu put his hands on the ground and struggled to get up with his stiff limbs. The hard woolen carpet pricked his torn palm and caused him some pain.


    But he didn¡¯t care about this at all. After getting up, he quickly tidied up his shirt that was tugged out of his belt, straightened the wrinkled jacket, then stood up respectfully and said in a humble manner, ¡°Hello, Third Master. My name is Qi Xiaoyu. You can call me Xiaoyu in the future.¡±


    Xun Qian and Butler Cheng didn¡¯t speak. The moonlight hit the boy¡¯s body, casting a gentle halo.


    From the moment he watched ¡°Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s miserable life¡± to the time when Xun Qian came in, Qi Xiaoyu has made his current life plan very quickly and decisively: Given that he has a huge IOU in Xun Qian¡¯s hand, and he even married Xun Qian, as well as the fact that the Xun family was one of the local wealthy families in the book, and Xun Qian has the ability to cover the sky with one hand, before the protagonist appeared, he had to clamp his tail and behave well. He had to coax this Mr. Xun, trying his best to hug his thighs, save money, pay off debts, and try to get the IOU in hand as soon as possible. It would be even better if he could borrow the resources of the Xun family to develop his own business.


    Then, when the plot timeline reaches the time when the protagonist shou appears, he must try his best to match the gong and shou together, retire, divorce the president after success, and rewrite the tragic ending of being locked up in an asylum!


    And in order not to be thrown into the basement to sleep tonight, he must immediately behave well and make this Bodhisattva happy.


    Ah, in short, with such a foolish original owner, the glorious days of his previous life are temporarily beyond imagination. Let¡¯s just think of it as if he had returned to the days when he was an apprentice in a theater troupe.


    Qi Xiaoyu lowered his head and said in a youthful voice, ¡°Xiaoyu is ignorant and has soiled your quilt. Please forgive me. I hope I won¡¯t disturb your rest.¡±


    Butler Cheng almost wanted to let go of the wheelchair and applaud him. This sharp vision, this speed of reaction, and this understanding of the rules are really rare among young people. What¡¯s more, that meekness and innocence that came from his bones and voice were perfectly controlled, making people only feel sympathy and not anger at him.


    But Xun Qian is not an ordinary person.


    Xun Qian sized him up. His eyes were as dark as a cold pool without any wave of emotion, and for a moment, the atmosphere was as cold as the moonlight.


    Qi Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t help thinking of the description of Xun Qian¡¯s character in the book: ¡°The shadow of childhood was like a heavy shackle that firmly bound Xun Qian, causing him to be deeply tormented at all times for twenty years, both physically and mentally¡­ which led to the development of his temperamental, surly, and even cruel personality that was close to cold-blooded.¡±


    In the original book, after the protagonist Shou appears, the two of them love and hurt each other and slowly melt the iceberg in Xun Qian¡¯s heart, bringing him into the sun out of love and hatred and living a normal life.


    Qi Xiaoyu fully understands this miraculous chemistry between people, so he doesn¡¯t have the extravagant hope that he can make Xun Qian normal. He only hopes that he can survive without being sent to an asylum to eat cockroaches.


    Every minute and every second of Xun Qian¡¯s silence was extremely difficult. He obviously didn¡¯t move, but he was able to control the atmosphere to be as delicate and fragile as his skin, and it would break when touched, making everyone around tremble with fear.


    After a while, when the atmosphere was extremely low, he saw Xun Qian sneer and say slowly with a long, lazy voice, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to find someone who looks like the one in the painting.¡±


    Butler Cheng and Qi Xiaoyu stood still with their heads hanging obediently, not speaking.


    Butler Cheng has stayed at Xun¡¯s house for decades, and he has never seen the person in the painting. He didn¡¯t know who the Third Master was painting, but his mind was always unpredictable, so Butler Cheng didn¡¯t bother to speculate too much to avoid making mistakes.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to change the bed.¡± Xun Qian¡¯s voice was still so lazy, and then he waved his hand and said, ¡°Go down.¡±


    Butler Cheng took a look at Qi Xiaoyu, who was extremely well-behaved with a lowered head and eyes. Except for that yellow hair, which was a bit out of place, everything else seemed to be good, so he closed the door and went out gently.


    Qi Xiaoyu lowered his head meekly. When he thought that this was his creditor and the person in charge of his fate, he was particularly capable of being humble.


    After Butler Cheng went out, only the deep and shallow breathing of the two of them remained in the huge bedroom.


    After a while, Xun Qian stretched out his hand.


    Before he could speak, Qi Xiaoyu had already walked over and held up his hand¡ªthe hand was cold and unlike a living person¡ªand said, ¡°I¡¯ll help you over.¡±


    Xun Qian finally raised his eyes to look at Qi Xiaoyu one more time. His hand was on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s, and his body was leaning against the wheelchair. His unbuttoning black collar loosely rested on his fair chest, and his lazy appearance was as if he were leaning against a throne, towering over all beings. ¡°Why agree to the wedding?¡±


    There is no such plot in the original book, so it all depends on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s own actions.


    He mulled over the words, and combined with the setting of the original book, although Xun Qian can cover the sky with one hand, he also had several business rivals in S City, one of whom was surnamed Mao. Qi Xiaoyu had once attached himself to the youngest son of the Mao family, and they had a brief affair. However, later, the youngest son of the Mao family broke off contact when he went abroad.


    Qi Xiaoyu sucked in a breath. If Xun Qian thought he had any unclear relationship with the Mao family when he came here, that would have changed the ending very quickly. The more it changed, the worse he would be¡­


    The original owner, this silly boy, has dug so many holes for him.


    ¡°I borrowed money from a loan shark and couldn¡¯t pay it back.¡± After Qi Xiaoyu said this, he obviously felt that the pressure had been lowered again.


    Immediately afterwards, he added, ¡°Plus, I admire Third Master Xun very much, so I agreed. How many people would dream of being able to follow someone like you?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu naturally didn¡¯t have this idea in his heart, but as soon as the nonsense came out of his mouth, it felt natural and sincere.


    During those years when he was in the theater troupe, he came and went and met countless people from all walks of life. He was able to protect himself by advancing and retreating, plus relying on his mouth to deal with people.


    A mocking smile curled up on the corner of Xun Qian¡¯s mouth, ¡°Admiring me? Admiring me for approaching death?¡±


    Heh, this person is unmatched when it comes to bitterness and meanness. He even cursed himself so smoothly. Qi Xiaoyu rolled his eyes in his heart, but on the surface, he was still infatuated like a little movie fan.


    ¡°Of course I admire the third master for creating such a big family business at such a young age, and I admire the third master¡­ for being so good-looking.¡± The last sentence even carried a hint of bashfulness and admiration for the beauty.


    Xun Qian snorted lightly. No one knows if he believed these words or not.


    Xun Qian¡¯s legs were not completely damaged; his limbs were intact, but they were light and unable to exert any force, and all the weight fell on Qi Xiaoyu.


    Although Xun Qian looked thin and slender, a man of about 1.8 meters weighed a lot, and he was pressing on Qi Xiaoyu, who had just recovered from the effects of the drug, which caused his legs to tremble.


    Qi Xiaoyu was trembling just like that, and helped him onto the bed.


    After Xun Qian lay down on the bed, he stretched out his hand again.


    Qi Xiaoyu secretly wiped off his tired sweat. This time, he really doesn¡¯t know what he wants.


    Xun Qian didn¡¯t speak; he just looked at him leisurely.


    From the teasing in Xun Qian¡¯s eyes, Qi Xiaoyu remembered that today is a ¡°happy¡± day. Could it be that Xun Qian¡­ wants to consummate?


    Can Xun Qian cope with this sickly look?


    And in the original book, didn¡¯t Xun Qian hate him so much when he met him for the first time and wanted to throw himself into the basement? Does changing tonight¡¯s plot make such a big difference?


    Qi Xiaoyu frowned, and his mind was already running fast. During those years when he was in the theater troupe, there were quite a few people who wanted to do something with him, and he dealt with them one by one. But this one in front of him¡­


    Qi Xiaoyu said in a considerate voice, ¡°Third Master was tired from coming here just now. Xiaoyu can give you a squeeze on your legs.¡±


    Xun Qian glanced at Qi Xiaoyu unhurriedly and sneered at him, as if he could see through Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s mind at a glance. ¡°Smoke.¡±


    Now Qi Xiaoyu was a little embarrassed, but Xun Qian¡¯s sneer made him feel as if he was favored by the other party.


    ¡°Please wait.¡±


    Turning around, he went straight to the desk. Qi Xiaoyu had observed this bedroom when he just woke up, and he remembered all the furniture and decorations in his heart. Now that Xun Qian wanted cigarettes, he immediately went to the desk, brought the cigarette and lighter, and lit it up for him.


    Xun Qian¡¯s fingers are long and slender, and the joints are distinct under the cold white skin.


    Xun Qian took a deep breath, lowered his eyes, did not spit out the smoke, and did not look at him. ¡°Don¡¯t come into my bedroom if you have nothing to do in the future.¡±


    This is really unlike the treatment of newlyweds, but Qi Xiaoyu was relieved to know that he could leave at the end of the day, but on the surface he curled his lips, showing a reluctant attitude, saying, ¡°Okay, then I¡¯m leaving first; you have a good rest.¡±


    When closing the door, Qi Xiaoyu raised his eyes and glanced inside. Xun Qian was half lying on the bed when a cloud of misty smoke gushed out of his mouth, like a fleeting flower blooming from his life.


    ****


    The next morning, Xun Qian was sitting at the bedroom window smoking a cigarette, holding the cigarette in his left hand and resting his right hand on the window sill. From there, he looked down at the neatly trimmed lawn. Under the white parasol swinging in the wind, there was a wooden dining table and a wooden lounge chair.


    Sitting on the lounge chair is a young man wearing gray silk pajamas with dark stripes. The young man is holding a fine porcelain teacup with a gold rim in his left hand, and his right hand is hanging on the armrest of the chair. In front of him were peanut butter toast and a plate of sliced fruit, as well as a small stereo.


    Butler Cheng, ¡°Mr. Qi got up at six in the morning, did a set of Tai Chi in the backyard, and exercised his throat for half an hour.¡±


    Xun Qian coughed violently and only asked when he recovered, ¡°Exercised his throat?¡±


    ¡°yes.¡±


    After Butler Cheng finished speaking, he looked up and saw that Xun Qian had stopped talking, so he continued to report, ¡°After that, he made breakfast in the kitchen by himself. He lives in the guest room on the second floor and went to the checkroom last night to pick out some clothes that fit him. He is allowed to enter and leave the common areas freely, and other precautions have been reminded to him.¡±


    Xun Qian looked at the leisurely figure on the lawn from a distance and slowly exhaled a puff of smoke. The faint sunlight in the morning shone through his eyelashes on his almost transparent white skin, as if it had shone into a piece of crystal stone.


    On the lawn, Qi Xiaoyu picked up a fine porcelain gold-rimmed teacup and slowly took a sip¡­ Monk fruit tea¡ªyes, he filled a cup full of monk fruit tea with the black tea cup. This kind of tea is good for the throat.


    Apart from the fact that the original owner of this body was too stupid and left him with a bunch of mess, he was very satisfied with this era. There is no war, no warlords, life is comfortable, technology is advanced, and the status of stars seems to be quite high. In the morning, he heard a few maids talking about celebrity gossip, saying that a popular female celebrity can earn hundreds of millions a year.


    Qi Xiaoyu felt that a broad road appeared in front of his eyes. The original owner borrowed 2 million usury loans at that time, and the revolving interest quickly became 20 million. He thought about the original owner¡¯s 800 yuan a month¡¯s living expenses and 2,000 yuan appearance fee on the show and felt that this was really a huge sum of money that he couldn¡¯t afford to pay back. But if a popular star can earn 100 million yuan a year, he thought he would be able to retrieve the IOU and repay the money in less than two years!


    Qi Xiaoyu closed his eyes, relaxed, recalled the content about this era that he received last night, and let himself familiarize himself with the survival rules of this era one by one.


    In the air is the strong aroma of monk fruit tea, the smell of soil and green grass, the fragrance of sweet-scented osmanthus sent far away by the autumn wind, and the smell of sunshine.


    There is soothing and brisk violin music in his ears.


    The Xun family¡¯s front yard is well built, with rows of green lawns, laurel trees, and magnolia trees in a circle.


    Qi Xiaoyu took a deep breath and already began to imagine life after paying back the money and getting divorced. He would buy a big villa just like this, decorate it as he likes, fill the villa with various collectibles, raise a big dog who waits for him to come home every day, then go on a trip and eat delicious food. When he wanted to go on stage, he would perform, and when he didn¡¯t want to, he would sing to himself¡­ Wow, that¡¯s what life is all about.


    Qi Xiaoyu was dreaming of a bright future when the cell phone in his pajama pocket suddenly rang.


    The phone vibrated for almost a minute before he realized it. This thing wasn¡¯t invented yet during his time.


    By the time he took out his cell phone, according to the original owner¡¯s memory, and was about to answer the call, the other party had already hung up.


    Immediately afterwards, several voice messages popped up.


    He turned on the screen and clicked on the voice. ¡°Qi Xiaoyu¡± agent Yu Xiaosheng¡¯s voice exploded in his ear like firecrackers, ¡°Qi Xiaoyu, where have you been these last two days? Are you still attending the top 20 meeting this afternoon?¡±


    ¡°Do you still want to mix around in the entertainment circle?¡±


    ¡°You think you¡¯re popular just because you have hundreds of live fans? How dare you fall in love on the show and even wash other people¡¯s underwear? They¡¯ll sell you out as soon as you turn around, do you know that?¡±


    ¡°Please grow a brain; do you think you can make a debut in the top ten? You¡¯re about to be eliminated by the show! Hurry up and grab the last chance to show your face in front of the camera a few more times!¡±


    ¡°At 3:30 in the afternoon, roll to the eighteenth floor of the Boyue Hotel!¡±


    After Qi Xiaoyu listened to this series of voices, before he had time to reply, the other party sent another 5-second voice, ¡°Did you hear that?! If you don¡¯t show up on time again today, get the hell out of here!¡±

 CH 3

    ¡°Boyue Hotel is in the city, quite far from here. Mr. Qi, do you want a car to take you there?¡± Butler Cheng folded his hands in front of his lower abdomen and leaned over slightly to answer Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s question.


    Qi Xiaoyu waved his hands quickly, like a well-behaved child: ¡°No need, I¡¯ll just take the subway myself. It¡¯s my first time here, and I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to find the subway station. Would it be convenient to take me to the nearest subway station? If there¡¯s a spare car available.¡±


    Butler Cheng frowned slightly when he heard this: ¡°I¡¯m afraid this is not appropriate.¡±


    But in his heart, he was quite satisfied with Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s actions. After all, Qi Xiaoyu had just arrived at the Xun family and had not stayed overnight in the Third Master¡¯s room last night. Although he was married to Xun Qian, he was just a beautiful decoration. If he dared to ask for this and that and ask the Xun family to support him, it would be a bit greedy and not so pleasant.


    Qi Xiaoyu is a very wise person. He knows how to deal with such small things best and can get close to others to harvest goodwill, so he immediately followed Butler Cheng¡¯s words, ¡°Taking subways can help me get familiar with the nearby roads. By the way, Uncle Cheng, don¡¯t call me Mr. Qi in the future; it sounds awkward; just call me Xiao Yu.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s appropriate; that¡¯s what the elders at home and the teachers at school call me. You see, I¡¯m new here, so you are my elder, and I need you to take care of me in the future.¡±


    Butler Cheng laughed and patted Qi Xiaoyu on the shoulder, saying, ¡°Okay, Xiao Yu, from now on I¡¯ll call you Xiao Yu.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Uncle Cheng.¡±


    *****


    It takes half an hour to drive to the nearest subway station from Xun¡¯s house.


    Qi Xiaoyu left Xun¡¯s house at nine o¡¯clock, arrived at the subway station at half past nine, and took two more subway trips before reaching the city.


    Before going to the Boyue Hotel, he went to a nearby shopping mall to dye his hair, trim it again, and buy a new set of clothes to change into. The clothes from the original owner were too flashy, while the clothes from Xun Qian were too mature.


    By the time he finished these things and rushed to the Boyue Hotel, it was only ten minutes short of three o¡¯clock.


    When Qi Xiaoyu came out of the hotel elevator, he saw Yu Xiaosheng leaning against the wall with his back to him, holding a cigarette in his hand, while cursing the person in question, ¡°That f*cking Qi Xiaoyu stood me up again. If he doesn¡¯t want to do it anymore, just say something, and I¡¯ll tell Old Ding not to arrange any schedule for him in the future. You guys should look at his example and not follow that bastard. Only grow f*cking tall, not grow a brain. It¡¯s such a waste for that face¡­¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng was cursing vigorously. Standing to his right, a young man with a hip-hop style, wearing a ripped hoodie and dreadlocks, suddenly bumped into his chest and pointed behind him. ¡°Brother Yu¡­Look, is that Xiao Yu1His name is Yu (ÓÝ) meaning guess or expect, but his nickname is [y¨²] (Óã) which means fish.?¡±


    ¡°Where? Where is that little bastard? See if I don¡¯t beat him to death¡­¡± Yu Xiaosheng yelled and then turned his head to look for someone.


    Yu Xiaosheng¡¯s eyes swept back and forth from the people in the corridor. ¡°Ren Fei, are you joking with me? Where is that little bastard?¡±


    The hip-hop teenager Ren Fei stretched his neck and pointed towards the elevator, saying, ¡°Hiya, Brother Yu, how dare I joke with you? That¡¯s the one, the one in the white sweater.¡±


    ¡°Damn!¡± Yu Xiaosheng couldn¡¯t help but let out an exclamation from the depths of his soul when he saw the tall, slender, Japanese-style young man at the end of the elevator.


    The young man was dressed in neat and tidy clothes, with a loose white sweater on top, revealing a blue-striped shirt collar and cuffs. Below were a pair of washed blue straight-leg jeans with white canvas shoes. Combined with his smooth black hair style, he looked like a high school senior who walked out of a Japanese manga, so tender that water could be squeezed out and as fresh as the morning breeze in April.


    After Yu Xiaosheng finished cursing, his first reaction was, ¡°Does Qi Xiaoyu still have a twin brother?¡±


    The second reaction was, ¡°Was Qi Xiaoyu arrested and forced to reform during the two days he disappeared?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu walked over under Yu Xiaosheng¡¯s dull gaze, showing a hearty smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Brother Yu, I¡¯m late due to the traffic jam on the road.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng looked at Qi Xiaoyu up and down several times before he managed to connect the energetic and brightly smiling Qi Xiaoyu with the ¡°Qi Xiaoyu¡± who was lazy and boneless all day.


    Then Yu Xiaosheng extinguished the cigarette butt on the trash can and said to the two young people who were also stunned beside him, ¡°You two go in first.¡±


    Then he pulled Qi Xiaoyu into a corner, coughed twice, and chided in a low voice, ¡°You said you weren¡¯t with the program group these two days; where have you been fooling around?¡±


    But the scolding now was obviously less severe than the scolding on the phone before and in the corridor just now.


    Qi Xiaoyu chuckled a few times and casually found an excuse: ¡°Something happened at home.¡±


    Although this sounded like an excuse, Yu Xiaosheng¡¯s face softened a little after snorting. After all, the original owner¡¯s work attitude was poor. He couldn¡¯t even come up with an excuse.


    But immediately afterwards, Yu Xiaosheng frowned and said, ¡°There¡¯s something I need to clear up with you now.¡±


    ¡°Brother Yu, please say it.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and that Dong Fan?¡± Dong Fan is the original owner¡¯s previous bitter, unrequited love ¡°boyfriend¡± and his roommate.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a roommate.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng clearly didn¡¯t believe it and snorted, ¡°Didn¡¯t you like him? Didn¡¯t you peep at him taking a bath? Didn¡¯t you wash his underwear?¡±


    Although the original owner had indeed done all these things, Qi Xiaoyu hadn¡¯t, so he said it with absolute confidence, ¡°Really not, I promise.¡±


    Seeing Yu Xiaosheng staring at him with disbelieving eyes, Qi Xiaoyu glanced at him with disgust on his face and asked, ¡°With his Sanpaku eyes2Èý°×ÑÛ Eyes in which either the white space above or below the iris is revealed. and big buck teeth, can I like him?¡±


    Only then did Yu Xiaosheng nod thoughtfully and say, ¡°Then if you are asked this question in the interview later, remember to separate yourself from the relationship, don¡¯t get involved with him, and don¡¯t let others use you as a stepping stone.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled slightly, feeling that although this agent had a bit of a temper, he was not bad. He was really thinking about the original owner: ¡°Brother Yu, don¡¯t worry, he can¡¯t take advantage of me.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng patted Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Okay, the press conference will start soon; go in quickly.¡±


    ****


    The audition show that the original owner participated in is called ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees¡±, which is a male group audition variety show produced by Youguo Video.


    Just like the various popular talent shows in the past two years, ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees¡± also selects 10 trainees from 100 trainees to form a boy group to debut.


    Although similar in form to other talent shows, this type of program has been popular for a year or two, and its early popularity has long passed. There are still people watching it, but it can only be considered a program with a barely passable click rate under Youguo.


    This show has gone through three rounds of elimination so far and has progressed to the selection of the top 20, and it will soon enter the final stage of selecting the final 10.


    According to Yu Xiaosheng¡¯s voice message this morning, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s real popularity ranks second, and it¡¯s no problem to make his debut in the top ten. However, the Star Entertainment company Qi Xiaoyu signed with is a small company and doesn¡¯t have much capital. The quota for debuting in the group has long been bought by other big companies.


    Therefore, Qi Xiaoyu will definitely be eliminated on the night of the finals, regardless of the number of votes. However, Youguo will invite many big names to the scene on the final day, and after a wave of marketing, the traffic will be huge.


    Qi Xiaoyu was originally popular and highly talked about, so if he performed better, he could still get more screen time, show his face, and make more fans.


    The current top 20 press conference is to prepare for the warm-up of the final night more than ten days later.


    When Qi Xiaoyu entered the stage, the other top twenty contestants had already taken their positions according to their rankings from the previous stage.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s ranking is higher than Dong Fan¡¯s and lower than Yu Zhou¡¯s, so his position is exactly between the two.


    It¡¯s true that Dong Fan has Sanpaku eyes and a slightly protruding mouth, but he is tall and big, with broad shoulders and long legs and a good figure, so his appearance is still quite attractive.


    He was talking to Yu Zhou when he saw Qi Xiaoyu walking in with long legs wrapped in jeans. His eyes lit up, he quickly turned his body to let the person in, and he reached out to touch Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s waist.


    Qi Xiaoyu quickly avoided it with sharp eyes and hands.


    Dong Fan didn¡¯t know that the core had changed; he just thought that Qi Xiaoyu was having a petty tantrum with him.


    He has always liked the feeling of stepping on a few boats and flirting with a group of people. Today he felt Qi Xiaoyu was very different from usual and had a special taste, so he lowered his head and whispered next to Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s ear, ¡°You look really good today. Your body also smells good.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu laughed ¡°hehe¡± in his heart, thinking that it¡¯s no wonder the original owner loves this scumbag so much. He¡¯s quite good at fooling people, and his mouth is smeared with honey. Unfortunately, Qi Xiaoyu is now invulnerable to all poisons, and he doesn¡¯t even flinch. He only feels that someone is farting in his ear, which is extremely smelly.


    Dong Fan liked Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s looks at first, but later he got tired of Qi Xiaoyu because he was too clingy, and because he got closer to the most popular Yu Zhou, he felt annoyed with Qi Xiaoyu even more. But now, seeing Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s cold and aloof appearance, he suddenly felt greedy and leaned over again without giving up. ¡°After the press conference, let¡¯s have dinner together.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was calm and focused on the radio receiver handed over by the staff. If it weren¡¯t for the crowd of reporters and staff around him, he would really want to slap this person in the face.


    However, Dong Fan didn¡¯t fart for long because they soon entered the interview session with reporters.


    According to the procedure, the interview was conducted according to the routine of the script, and some well-regulated questions were asked. For example, are you nervous about the finals? Will there be any different stages in the finals?


    The staff of the program team wrote the answers to these questions before, and everyone just needs to recite them.


    As soon as the routine process was over, a reporter immediately poked the microphone in front of Qi Xiaoyu and asked, ¡°How is the relationship between Xiaoyu, Dong Fan, and Zhou Zhou? Can you tell us about your dormitory life?¡±


    Yu Zhou is the TOP and Center contestant in ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees¡±. Dong Fan and Qi Xiaoyu are also very popular.


    But according to previous interview experience, among the three people, Qi Xiaoyu is the one who is most likely to be full of loopholes in his words, so of course reporters who like to make trouble go to Qi Xiaoyu.


    When Dong Fan heard the question, he immediately turned his head and stared at Qi Xiaoyu. In Dong Fan¡¯s heart, Qi Xiaoyu was still the roommate who loved him to death. Although today¡¯s Qi Xiaoyu was a bit abnormal and had not looked at him in person since he came in, Dong Fan has never doubted Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s obsession with himself. After thinking about it for a while, he felt that Qi Xiaoyu was probably deeply hurt by him and was on the verge of collapse.


    Therefore, Dong Fan kept a close eye on Qi Xiaoyu and was ready at any time. If Qi Xiaoyu took any out-of-control actions, he would take control of the field. He would definitely take this opportunity to stir up the popularity of both the Fanyu CP and the Fanzhou CP!


    Beside him, Qi Xiaoyu politely straightened the reporter¡¯s microphone and thought for a while before speaking: ¡°Dong Fan and Zhou Zhou have a very good relationship.¡±


    After he finished speaking, he paused for a while and deliberately glanced at Dong Fan and then at Yu Zhou, who was maintaining his aloof personality with a stern face.


    Dong Fan thought for a moment, and as expected, Qi Xiaoyu was stimulated. He immediately reached out and prepared to grab the microphone to save the scene, even thinking of his lines. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me, Xiaoyu. Zhouzhou and I are just very good brothers. I know your feelings for me, and I also treat you as a good brother.¡± Then he would hug them one by one. That¡¯s beautiful.


    However, as his hand was about to reach in front of Qi Xiaoyu, the other party turned his body slightly to block it and then curved his mouth, showing a bright and cheerful smile, saying, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not just the two of them. I have a good relationship with Dong Fan and Zhouzhou, including the other seventeen brothers. We all participated in this program together, experienced setbacks and parting, grew up together, and have a very deep relationship.¡±


    The expression is natural, the smile is sincere, and the tone is cheerful. There is no flaw.


    The other people, led by Ren Fei, applauded in unison, praising their ¡°sincere¡± brotherhood.


    Only Dong Fan¡¯s hand halfway to the microphone froze in the air.

 CH 4

    Yu Zhou¡¯s stern face was about to collapse.


    The reporter, who had been in the entertainment industry for a long time and had a keen eye, glanced at the three people¡¯s different expressions and persevered in order to get more gossip: ¡°I heard that you would peek at Dong Fan taking a bath in the dormitory. Is there such a thing?¡±


    It¡¯s a pity that no matter how shrewd the reporter is, they can¡¯t compare to Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s sophistication.


    When Qi Xiaoyu was popular, the status of an actor was not high, and the unscrupulous reporters of the gossip tabloids were much more sharp and sarcastic than this. Every interview was like a confrontation in court, and the questions became more and more shameless: ¡°Do you have an affair with the boss of XX company?¡±


    So now, Qi Xiaoyu can pretend to be silly and sweet without changing his face. ¡°Peeping? If you and your friend are taking a bath in the same bathhouse, did you keep your eyes closed the whole time?¡±


    A burst of laughter broke out in the audience.


    Qi Xiaoyu looked at the reporter, then turned his head to look at Dong Fan, deliberately showing a puzzled expression. ¡°So where did the word peep come from? It doesn¡¯t seem appropriate.¡±


    The reporter who asked this question looked at Dong Fan.


    Dong Fan was still regretting that he didn¡¯t play out the last question and had not kept up with the current pace. He froze under the reporter¡¯s gaze for a while, then retracted his hand stiffly, pretended to scratch his head, and forced out an awkward smile.


    The reporter, who is actively and diligently working for the year-end bonus, also silently rolled his eyes in his heart but still didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Do you help Dong Fan wash clothes in the dormitory?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu frowned, making a serious expression as if recalling something: ¡°If the dormitory is dirty, I will clean it.¡±


    Then he showed a surprised expression, saying, ¡°Ah? I always thought that what I was holding was a rag; was it Dong Fan¡¯s clothes?¡±


    In just two sentences, he managed to convey two meanings. One is that Dong Fan doesn¡¯t like to be clean; not only are his clothes dirty, he also doesn¡¯t care about sanitation. Another meaning is that, look how hard I work and how difficult it is. I kept the dormitory clean, but people still gossip behind my back.


    In the end, before Dong Fan had a chance to refute, Qi Xiaoyu smiled at Dong Fan in a friendly and ¡°affectionate¡± way, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for treating your clothes as rags. Fanfan, we have such a good relationship, so you shouldn¡¯t mind, right?¡±


    Dong Fan has long been unable to keep up with the rhythm, and now he could only follow the steps Qi Xiaoyu gave him: ¡°We are all good brothers. It doesn¡¯t matter if you take the wrong one.¡±


    Hehe. Qi Xiaoyu sneered in his heart. This person can only flirt with a boy like the original owner; his other skills are really not that good.


    *****


    In the end, the top twenty press conference ended with Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s overall victory.


    After the conference, everyone prepared to return to the dormitory. Yu Xiaosheng pulled Qi Xiaoyu back and said, ¡°Today¡¯s performance is good, boy. Are you finally a little enlightened?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled flatteringly and said, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Brother Yu¡¯s advice.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I only complimented you twice, and now your mouth is pretty slick, huh?¡± Yu Xiaosheng patted Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s head in satisfaction and clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Hey, judging by your performance just now, you are quite suitable to debut on this show. I should have talked to Old Ding before and tried to spend some money to get you a debut spot.¡± Old Ding, as Yu Xiaosheng mentioned, is Star Entertainment¡¯s boss.


    Qi Xiaoyu shrugged his shoulders and wanted to say that you¡¯d really misjudged. He couldn¡¯t wait to be eliminated. As far as he observed today, Dong Fan will debut in this group. If he also debuts, he will have to sign a two-year contract with the program group, which he isn¡¯t quite willing to do.


    However, he has to find a way to make money. After he dyed his hair and bought good clothes for today, the money left by the original owner is only three digits, which starts with number one. If he doesn¡¯t make money, he would have to live very meagerly. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t starve to death at Xun¡¯s house, but it felt terrible to have no money to pay off debts. Only after eight hundred years can he redeem himself for divorce.


    ¡°If I can¡¯t debut, then don¡¯t make a debut. It¡¯s okay. I feel sorry for letting the company spend so much money.¡± After Qi Xiaoyu finished speaking, he took out a cigarette that he got from Xun Qian, handed it to Yu Xiaosheng, and helped to light the fire.


    ¡°Brother Yu, I need your help with something.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng glanced at the brand on the cigarette holder and took a puff with satisfaction, saying, ¡°Say it.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu, ¡°Can you help me find a suitable script? I want to try acting.¡±


    ¡°Yo,¡± Yu Xiaosheng called out exaggeratedly. ¡°I know that you¡¯re motivated, but have you been enlightened by Buddha recently?¡±


    After speaking, he took a puff of cigarette, showing an ecstatic expression. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll help you look for it, but you also know that our company is small and we don¡¯t have much resources. This show¡¯s rating is mediocre, and you¡¯re not as popular as Yu Zhou, so you might not find a good script. ¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu obediently said, ¡°It¡¯s okay; I¡¯m not picky. Anything is fine at the moment. I¡¯m still a newcomer, so of course I have to take my time. One more thing, Brother Yu, do you have any connections with the Peking Opera Troupe of S City?¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng gave Qi Xiaoyu a strange look and asked, ¡°What do you want to do? You still want to sing opera? Or do you like the young men from the Peking Opera Troupe? They don¡¯t like you.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t refute and blinked innocently, saying, ¡°Brother Yu, don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m just interested and want to learn more. In this circle, one can¡¯t be too skilled.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng gritted his cigarette butt and thought for a while, ¡°I do know a couple of people there.¡±


    ¡°Then when will they recruit people? Can you introduce me?¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng snorted, like he was discussing an unreliable joke: ¡°Fine, as long as you can save me all the trouble in the future, just like today.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you, brother.¡±


    ****


    After chatting with Yu Xiaosheng, Qi Xiaoyu planned to take the car back to the dormitory that was provided by the program team.


    He hasn¡¯t officially debuted yet, and Yu Xiaosheng also has five or six newcomers under his care, so he doesn¡¯t have a special assistant to take care of his schedule and has to do everything by himself.


    Tonight, they will be recording the content of the last episode of ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees¡±. Twenty people will be divided into two groups to train according to their choice of the song they want to perform on the final night stage.


    Although he knew in advance that he would not be able to make his debut on this show, Qi Xiaoyu knew that he had to seize every opportunity to appear on stage, gain more fans, and accumulate capital for the future.


    Although the plots about him as cannon fodder in the original book are full, it¡¯s all about how to seek death and frame the protagonist. These places are completely not mentioned, and it¡¯s all up to Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s own play.


    Qi Xiaoyu was naturally full of enthusiasm, ready to fight for his life.


    Whether or not he¡¯s cannon fodder in other people¡¯s lives, he has to be the main character in his own life and do his best to be the unique main character.


    While thinking about it, Qi Xiaoyu approached the elevator, humming a little tune.


    Just as the elevator door was about to close, it stopped for a moment when it was still a crack away and then slowly opened to both sides.


    Then Dong Fan, who was tall and burly, rushed in.


    After Dong Fan came in, he went straight to Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s side and put his big hand on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s shoulder, saying, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to have dinner together just now? Why didn¡¯t you wait for me?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu raised his hand and blocked Dong Fan¡¯s hand in midair, asking, ¡°Who made an agreement with you?¡±


    As soon as he saw Dong Fan, he was angry. If not for this scum, how could the original owner have borrowed from a loan shark? How could he owe so much money and be forced to marry? How could he plant the bitter fruit of being sent to an asylum?


    At the press conference today, he was already being lenient enough and didn¡¯t even ask him to pay back the money. Yet this person somehow can¡¯t tell good from bad?


    Dong Fan rushed up to disgust Qi Xiaoyu and said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you agree? You said you wanted to accompany me to dinner every day, baby. I still keep the WeChat messages you sent me before.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was so nauseated that he wanted to vomit.


    Dong Fan still doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on and thinks that Qi Xiaoyu has been throwing a tantrum with him since the press conference.


    Speaking of which, he is also really cheap. Previously, the original owner would stick to him every day, but he doesn¡¯t like it. Now seeing Qi Xiaoyu, who was cold and aloof, he couldn¡¯t help but feel his heart racing. He approached Qi Xiaoyu and even dragged his voice flirtatiously: ¡°Xiaoyu, don¡¯t be angry with me; let¡¯s make up.¡±


    The elevator was cramped, and Qi Xiaoyu had nowhere to retreat. Right now, they are only on the 10th floor. ¡°Getting angry with someone like you? I¡¯m not sick in the head.¡±


    Dong Fan tugged at his hand and felt that Qi Xiaoyu, who was staring at him with big eyes and fierce eyes, looked like a fairy descending from heaven, which made his tenderness rise. ¡°Xiao Yu, stop making trouble. Didn¡¯t you say you loved me? From now on, I¡¯ll treat you well, and I¡¯ll only have you.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was getting annoyed to death, so he shook off his hand forcefully and said, ¡°Mr. Dong, please respect yourself.¡±


    Dong Fan remained affectionate and flirtatious. ¡°You are so good-looking; how can I respect myself?¡±


    After speaking, he held down Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s head and wanted to force a kiss.


    Although Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s body was also 1.78 meters tall, it was far inferior to Dong Fan¡¯s 1.9-meter body. He struggled to turn his head, but he was still shrouded in the shadow of Dong Fan¡¯s tall body. He could even smell Dong Fan¡¯s disgusting body odor.


    Qi Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He swept his eyes down, tilted his body to one side, and then found the right position. He lifted his knee and kicked Dong Fan¡¯s half-driven lifeline, saying, ¡°Get lost, stay away from me!¡±

 CH 5

    Dong Fan grimaced in pain, couldn¡¯t straighten up, and kept holding on to the handrail until the elevator door opened, unable to move.


    Qi Xiaoyu stood outside the elevator and glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me about any of these things in the future. If you want to chat, just talk about when you will pay back the money I lent you.¡±


    Dong Fan gritted his teeth in pain but still didn¡¯t forget to argue, ¡°What money? You didn¡¯t give me that money; you gave it to the casino directly. What am I paying back for?¡±


    The corner of Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s mouth twitched, and he snorted coldly, ¡°Who goes to the casino every day? Who owes money to the casino? Could it be me? This kind of thing can be found out as soon as you investigate it. You want to renege on your debt? Hmph, it¡¯s not that easy.¡±


    Dong Fan was in pain and anger, and his face was twisted into a ball. He probably didn¡¯t expect Qi Xiaoyu to change so quickly. A few days ago, he was eager to help him pay off his debts and wash his clothes. Today, he was arguing and demanding that he pay back the money.


    Seeing that Qi Xiaoyu was about to wave his sleeves and leave, Dong Fan endured the pain, lunged out to pull his hand, and shouted, ¡°You¡­don¡¯t forget that I have a lot of chat records on my mobile phone. If you force me, I will expose all of this!¡±


    ¡°Expose?¡± Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s face darkened, and he kicked Dong Fan away. After looking left and right and seeing that there was no one around, he mercilessly kicked that place again while putting on the expression of someone who has nothing to lose.


    ¡°I borrowed money from a loan shark and couldn¡¯t repay it back. If you want to expose me, then hurry up. If it¡¯s exposed, am I the only one who is finished? I¡¯m more than happy to drag you down with me. Do you want me to expose how you chased Yu Zhou and how you stepped on two boats at the same time?¡±


    *****


    Abandoning Dong Fan, who was as annoying as a fly, Qi Xiaoyu immediately stopped a car and went to the dormitory arranged by the program group.


    In the car, Qi Xiaoyu thought about the original owner and Dong Fan again.


    When he thought about it, he felt very vexed. The original owner was too foolish to willingly help someone repay the money, and under Dong Fan¡¯s coaxing, he didn¡¯t leave any evidence or IOU. This whole decision doesn¡¯t make any sense.


    But of course Qi Xiaoyu wouldn¡¯t bear this suffering and swallow this debt in the dark like a fool.


    Qi Xiaoyu thought about it and immediately had an idea in his mind.


    Hmph, Dong Fan still dared to threaten him with the ambiguous messages sent by the original owner. See if he doesn¡¯t beat that kid down.


    Qi Xiaoyu moved his joints a bit. It¡¯s fine for him to pretend to be a good grandson in front of Xun Qian, but does Dong Fan think he¡¯s also worthy?


    But there are priorities, so let¡¯s wait until he finishes the program first.


    The recording site and Boyue Hotel are very close.


    It was only six o¡¯clock when Qi Xiaoyu got off the taxi.


    The recording of the program started at eight o¡¯clock in the evening, and he decided to go to the cafeteria to have a meal first.


    The food in the cafeteria was not good, giving Qi Xiaoyu a sense of heartache from the spoiled ingredients.


    However, he¡¯s a person who enjoys wealth and can endure poverty, so he happily ordered two of his relatively favorite dishes¡ªone braised tofu and one stir-fried pork with lettuce. In fact, it cannot be said that he¡¯s relatively fond of eating tofu and vegetables. He loves them because they are good for his throat.


    The chef who served the dishes saw his friendly expression, unlike other young snobbish contestants who thought they were about to become popular, and gave him two more spoons of meat.


    After he ordered the dishes and found a seat, a young man with dreadlocks sat opposite him.


    ¡°Xiaoyu, where did you go, and why did you just come back?¡± Ren Fei leaned over half of his body towards Qi Xiaoyu, and one hand lifted up a braid that had fallen next to his mouth and put it behind his ear.


    ¡°Why does your stir-fried pork lettuce have more meat than mine?¡±


    Ren Fei and Qi Xiaoyu are of similar age and were newcomers to Star Entertainment in the same year; thus, they were sent to participate in ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees¡± together.


    However, the two people took different routes. The company positioned Qi Xiaoyu as a sweetheart little milk dog, while Ren Fei was a wild boy who loved rap.


    But in fact, Ren Fei is not wild at all except for his dreadlocks. He is even more delicate and sensitive than the original Qi Xiaoyu.


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled and said, ¡°I look good, so I got more.


    ¡±


    ¡°Tsk~¡± Ren Fei snorted, ¡°Have you watched the interview video released today on Weibo?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Qi Xiaoyu glanced at Ren Fei, keenly aware of something: ¡°What happened to the video? Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°No problem, it¡¯s just¡­ hey, I can¡¯t tell; you can read the comments yourself.¡± Ren Fei took out his mobile phone, opened Weibo, and entered the search keyword ¡°Qi Xiaoyu¡±. The first thing that popped up was today¡¯s interview video.


    The video came out so quickly because they hadn¡¯t done much post-production. They just cut off the redundant parts.


    Qi Xiaoyu took the phone and clicked on the comment section.


    The top two or three comments are from Yu Zhou¡¯s fans.


    But if you scroll down a little bit, there will be no critics but enthusiastic discussions among fans of the show.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only watched this interview 10 times. The story of the three people is so exciting.¡±


    ¡°Every frame is a full-scale drama. When I have time, I¡¯ll draw some fanarts for you guys.¡±


    ¡°Did you see Dong Fan¡¯s face change? Hahahahaha, I laughed so hard. He¡¯s such a scumbag. He tried to step on two boats, but the boat capsized.¡±


    ¡°I thought it was a rag; hhhhh, I haven¡¯t seen Xiaoyu for a few days. Now he¡¯s changed from an innocent fish to a scheming fish.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re so close; you shouldn¡¯t mind, my ass; the b*tchiness is overwhelming.¡±


    ¡°But I really like the b*tchy fish.¡±


    Some even said, ¡°It feels like Xiaoyu has been reborn, completely different from the previous feeling.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, what¡¯s the difference? He¡¯s not a flower vase anymore, but he¡¯s got a brain?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if he was reborn or if he grew a brain. The key still depends on his performance on the final night. If his stage is still the same crap, this rebirth is useless.¡±


    ¡°Friends, sisters, don¡¯t talk too much; go vote. You vote, I vote, so Xiaoyu can make his debut.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, do you think number two is a stable position? It¡¯s time to worship the sky every minute.¡±


    Because this show is not very popular, there are not many comments. There are only more than a thousand comments in total, which is much less than the comments on popular variety shows, but what is rare is that the quality is very high. There are no fans blindly controlling comments, and no water army brainlessly blackening people. The comments are quite analytical.


    After Qi Xiaoyu scanned the comments, he felt that in this world, even the fans have more brains than the original owner.


    Even if the original owner read more fan comments, he wouldn¡¯t be so stupid.


    Ren Fei kept his braids up and waited until Qi Xiaoyu had finished reading and put down his phone before asking, ¡°How about it? Did you feel a lot of pressure?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu, ¡°Why should there be pressure?¡±


    Ren Fei pointed to his phone and said, ¡°Look, although it was an interview with everyone, your discussion was the loudest and even overshadowed Yu Zhou.¡±


    ¡°En.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu nodded calmly.


    What does this count as? In the past, half of Beijing¡¯s eyes were focused on him, and he overshadowed every corner. Back then, he didn¡¯t even feel the slightest pressure.


    Ren Fei yelled, ¡°With so many eyes staring at you, don¡¯t you feel any pressure?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu ate all the tofu on the plate with a few mouthfuls and said perfunctorily, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m under a lot of pressure, so finish your meal soon, and let¡¯s go to the training room.¡±


    *****


    At eight o¡¯clock, all the contestants put on their white training uniforms and assembled at the entrance of the training room where the recording took place.


    Dong Fan also came limping. Seeing the calm Qi Xiaoyu, he had finally learned his lesson and dared not to come over casually, but also stood far away at the other end.


    According to the arrangement of the program, first listen to the demos of two songs, and then each person selects songs and parts one by one according to their ranking; the lower-ranked ones choose the songs and parts they want to sing first, and the higher-ranked ones choose later.


    If they choose the same part, the one with the highest ranking can push the others ahead.


    The content recorded today will be broadcast in five days and will be the first half of the final. Its main purpose is to heat up the final night, so the choreographer and director will try to create as many conflicts and topics as possible.


    After grouping, they went in to meet the instructor, auditioned, waited for the instructor¡¯s comment, and practiced again.


    Qi Xiaoyu finished reading the process of the program and guessed that he would have to stay up all night.


    After thinking about it, he took out his mobile phone and sent a message to Uncle Cheng: ¡°I¡¯m recording a program outside today, and I won¡¯t be going home. If the third master asks, please pass it on. Thank you, Uncle Cheng.¡±


    Although Xun Qian didn¡¯t take him seriously and it was impossible for him to ask him whether he came home or not, he had to behave well and not show any flaws, right?


    When the time comes for divorce, if Xun Qian can¡¯t find fault in his behavior, he can fight for more rights and interests for himself.


    After sending the message, Qi Xiaoyu put the phone in silent mode and put it in his pocket.


    Then the recording started.


    *****


    There are two songs for them to choose from; one is a rap song called ¡°Love, Again.¡± Another one is a ballad song called ¡°Along with You¡±.


    Qi Xiaoyu chose ¡°Along with You¡± almost without hesitation.


    He has no foundation in rap, and he doesn¡¯t like this style.


    He was ranked second in the previous stage, with only Yu Zhou in front of him.


    Yu Zhou is good at rap and dance, which doesn¡¯t conflict with him at all. As long as Yu Zhou doesn¡¯t deliberately oppose him, he can choose any part he wants.


    The part selection process begins.


    Cautious people choose parts that they can definitely win according to their abilities and rankings.


    Ambitious people fight for the most expressive part.


    The lead singer part of ¡°Along with You¡± was reserved for a contestant named Gu Lei.


    Gu Lei has an average appearance and can make it to the top 20 thanks to his delicate and good voice. He has performed well on stage the last few times and won recognition from the audience and his mentors. He is the strength of ¡°Let¡¯s debut, Trainees¡±.


    After he chose the lead singer part, other people who ranked higher than him tacitly chose other parts without touching his name.


    Until Qi Xiaoyu came out.


    Before Qi Xiaoyu went on stage, Ren Fei lobbied beside him, ¡°Xiaoyu, don¡¯t stress out. I think you can choose ¡°love, again¡± with me. I¡¯ve already shown you the part. Just this paragraph, you see, it¡¯s less than 20 words; you¡¯ll definitely have no problem.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu ignored him, concentrated on reading the numbered musical notation of ¡°Along with You¡± in his hand, then pointed to the number 5 with a dot on it and asked, ¡°Does the dot on it mean the high note?¡±


    Ren Fei glanced at it, hummed casually, and poured a basin of cold water on his head. ¡°You want to sing? Come on, the rest of the song is not only bad but also difficult. On the day of the final live broadcast, you have to sing live.¡±


    When Ren Fei said this, Gu Lei and several other contestants looked at Qi Xiaoyu from the corner of their eyes, either strangely or disdainfully.


    ¡°In rap, you only need to memorize the words correctly. I think you still¡­¡±


    Before Ren Fei finished speaking, it was time for Qi Xiaoyu to go up.


    Qi Xiaoyu ignored Ren Fei¡¯s nagging and walked through the gap between the few people in front. With his left hand holding a few thin pages of the music score, he firmly and calmly walked towards the bulletin board with everyone¡¯s names attached and then picked up his own name from the box next to him.


    The host on the side tried to create some suspense and enthusiastically explained, ¡°Next is Qi Xiaoyu, who ranks second. Come on, let¡¯s guess which song Xiaoyu will choose. Is it the emotional song ¡°Along with You¡± or the more exciting rap song ¡°Love, Again¡±.


    ¡°Wow, Xiaoyu went directly to Along with You.¡±


    ¡°Wow! He changed Gu Lei¡¯s name and put his own name on it!¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyu will replace Gu Lei as the lead singer of Along with You!¡±


    The audience was in an uproar.


    The discussions exploded with a bang, filling the recording room.


    ¡°He wants to be the lead singer.¡±


    ¡°Gu Lei, Gu Lei, he stole your part.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s never tried singing before.¡±


    ¡°Just now he was asking other people¡¯s common-sense questions about music scores.¡±


    ¡°Is there something wrong with the arrangement of the program group?¡±


    Because they were recording a program, although everyone¡¯s hearts exploded, on the surface, the discussion was as tactful as possible.


    Yu Zhou, Dong Fan, and Ren Fei also stared at Qi Xiaoyu with different expressions.


    The cameraman also immediately aimed all camera positions at Qi Xiaoyu.


    The program team is more than happy when there are conflicts and explosive points. Who will watch the program if it¡¯s not controversial?


    They hope that there will be more contestants like Qi Xiaoyu.


    Qi Xiaoyu removed Gu Lei¡¯s name and walked back very calmly.


    He¡¯s not humble at all.


    He also knows what the crew wants and how to get more screen time.


    He won¡¯t stand out when he shouldn¡¯t be in the limelight, but when it¡¯s time to compete, he will definitely not be a Buddhist. Anyway, everything is within the established rules of the show.


    In the future, he will say goodbye to this program and these people, but he can¡¯t leave with the image of a useless vase.


    On the last stage, he had to show off his strength and then walk away in style.


    When he returned to his seat, Ren Fei couldn¡¯t help but pat Qi Xiaoyu on the shoulder, keeping his mouth in an O shape. ¡°Xiaoyu, you dare to take Gu Lei¡¯s place!¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°You¡­..¡±


    Ren Fei looked around and lowered his voice. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that Orange Juice Entertainment will trouble you?¡±


    ¡°Orange Juice Entertainment?¡± He¡¯s vaguely heard the name¡­..


    Qi Xiaoyu tried hard to recall the plot of the original book, only to realize that this is an entertainment company under the Xun family. However, Xun Qian didn¡¯t put much effort into it and used it more for bookkeeping, so the scale was not very large. The original work only mentioned it in passing.


    Since it¡¯s a small company that Xun Qian doesn¡¯t value, what is he afraid of?


    Qi Xiaoyu said perfunctorily, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it when they trouble me.¡±


    Ren Fei gave him a thumbs up, saying, ¡°Xiao Yu, you are too daring.¡±

 CH 6

    The missing chapter 6  : )


    Compared with Qi Xiaoyu, Yu Zhou, who ranked first, was much more polite. He chose the rap position that everyone didn¡¯t pick, like a king who didn¡¯t fight or grab, so he was in sharp contrast with Qi Xiaoyu.


    Qi Xiaoyu raised his eyebrows; he didn¡¯t want to do such nonsense.


    After selecting songs, everyone was divided into two different practice rooms for training according to the songs they chose.


    Dong Fan, Yu Zhou, and Ren Fei all went to ¡°love, again¡±.


    Qi Xiaoyu, Gu Lei, and eight others went to ¡°Along with You¡±.


    As soon as they entered, the vocal instructor was already sitting in front of the piano, waiting for them.


    The vocal instructor is Yuan Yaling. He is a middle-aged man in his fifties. He has thick eyebrows and big eyes. His overly thick hair is neatly combed behind his ears. He is wearing an ironed white shirt and a black suit with a mottled collar. Just by looking at his attire, you can tell that he is a rigorous academic.


    He had a few hit records twenty years ago and a few songs that were widely sung and can now be heard at major parties.


    But with the change of times, he himself has become a bit outdated.


    Yuan Yaling watched the group of contestants walk in, greeted Gu Lei as he entered, and then visibly frowned when he saw Qi Xiaoyu.


    He doesn¡¯t like Qi Xiaoyu very much.


    From his point of view, disliking Qi Xiaoyu hardly needs more reasons. After all, besides those little fan girls who only look at appearance, who would like such a person with little to no talent?


    Those who are weak in strength don¡¯t seek to make progress. They only know how to fish in troubled waters every day, occupying the debut position and hindering others.


    On the stage where he is present, he is basically nurtured by all the staff.


    Such a contestant should have been eliminated according to his strength, but because of his popularity, he has been kept until now, and he has gotten much more screen time than those who worked hard but have low popularity.


    Yuan Yaling hates this kind of competition system that only focuses on traffic and not strength, and even more, he hates himself for coming to participate in this show for such little popularity and remuneration.


    All the disgust was added together, and it was doubled on Qi Xiaoyu.


    Qi Xiaoyu is a product of this absurd era and a testament to his own failure.


    Next, after Yuan Yaling finished asking everyone about the part allocation, he was even more surprised.


    How dare Qi Xiaoyu choose the lead singer part at his level?


    Although this song is made for the contestants and the overall difficulty isn¡¯t high, the lead singer part is the emotional explosion point of the whole song, the most eye-catching and ear-catching part, with several difficult transitions that are not easy to control. It requires the singer to have excellent skills and a delicate grip on the sound.


    Qi Xiaoyu obviously didn¡¯t.


    Yuan Yaling looked at Gu Lei sympathetically and then said to Qi Xiaoyu, ¡°Come out, read the score, and sing for me.¡±


    All eyes were on Qi Xiaoyu at once.


    Qi Xiaoyu held two pieces of paper and took a step forward.


    He chose the lead singer part, but he doesn¡¯t know how to sing it now.


    In fact, as early as the beginning of song selection and when he first received the notation, Qi Xiaoyu was stunned for a while.


    He couldn¡¯t read simplified notation.


    When Qi Xiaoyu was learning opera in the opera troupe, Western staff notation1 had just been introduced, and numbered musical notation2 had just been invented. The old masters in the troupe looked down on these notation methods, and they only used traditional Chinese musical notation (Gongche notation)3.


    As one of the traditional notation methods, Gongche notation uses characters such as gong and che to indicate the strength of rhythm and the pitch of sound, which is very different from staff and numbered notation.


    In traditional operas and musical instruments, the subtle tones and transitions recorded in Gongche notation cannot be reflected in staff notation or numbered notation at all.


    Therefore, Gongche notation is much more difficult, and few people know it.


    Later, when staff notation and numbered notation became popular in China, Qi Xiaoyu learned almost all the classic arias.


    His master, Mr. Cheng, who has sung operas all his life, said, ¡°The rhythm and essence of Peking Opera depend on one¡¯s own understanding, and it is only those dull and rigid Western songs that require a score. We don¡¯t need it.¡±


    But right now, it¡¯s a bit embarrassing not being able to read the numbered notation.


    And in the demo played just now, there were only one or two lines of the part Qi Xiaoyu was going to sing.


    Qi Xiaoyu stood still in front of the piano, pinched the edge of the paper with his fingers and rubbed it a few times, and said in a humble tone, ¡°Teacher Yuan, can you sing a verse first so I can learn along?¡±


    Yuan Yaling showed a standard eight-teeth smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be nervous, you sing a few lines according to the score first; I just want to see your foundation.¡±


    After speaking, he pointed to the others and said, ¡°Qi Xiaoyu will sing first. Then you guys can come one by one according to the portion and prepare.¡±


    This is basically driving a duck on a perch4forcing people to do things beyond their ability, forcing Qi Xiaoyu to speak up.


    The original owner¡¯s singing level is very bad. Just now, he expressed his desire to learn before singing, but Yuan Yaling insisted that he sing immediately. Isn¡¯t it clear that he wanted to make him look like a fool in public?


    Qi Xiaoyu quickly recalled the plot in his mind. He didn¡¯t remember any grievances between himself and his mentor, Yuan. Of course, it¡¯s possible that the original book didn¡¯t explain it.


    Qi Xiaoyu took another look at the notation in his hand. He studied the numbered notation in his hand while other people were choosing songs. In fact, he could guess what sound each number corresponds to and what meaning different notes represent.


    It¡¯s just that the time was too short. He only got to ask Ren Fei one question, and no one else answered him, so it was inevitable that there would be mistakes and uncertainties.


    In addition, he found out when he practiced his throat this morning that the original owner¡¯s body was too weak, his lung capacity was poor, his breathing was insufficient, and his singing skills were almost nonexistent. He needed sufficient time to slowly train all these flaws.


    The innate talent is already poor, plus he can¡¯t read the score¡­


    It would be too humiliating to just sing like that.


    He, Qi Xiaoyu, has sung operas for so many years, and he has never been so embarrassed in front of others¡­


    Qi Xiaoyu thought and took a silent breath. Out of the corner of his eye, he found that everyone was looking at him with the expressions of eating melons and watching a play.


    Perhaps the original owner and these people have no grudge, but because he ranks high and his strength is poor, it attracts people¡¯s envy. He can understand the malice of this crowd.


    Yuan Yaling pressed a few notes on the piano and urged in a gentle voice, ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu took another look at the cameraman and the ubiquitous cameras surrounding them in the room and immediately made a decision. Since others want to add scenes to him, he should just add more scenes to himself.


    Qi Xiaoyu shook the paper, flattened it in front of him, and then frowned with a puzzled expression. He sang unskillfully without trying to control the messy breath of the original owner.


    ¡°Your love,¡±


    ¡°Your flowers,¡±


    ¡°Your applause,¡±


    ¡°The honor you gave me¡±


    ¡°Thank you for walking with me.¡±


    ¡°I will always treasure it in my heart.¡±


    The words are pronounced intermittently, and the pitch is always a little bit off from the exact tune, like an old accordion making a creaking and ugly sound.


    ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± After he finished the last sentence with the trembling ending of the word ¡°heart¡±, some of the contestants laughed out loud.


    Gu Lei, who had been silent all this time, curled his lips in disdain.


    Yuan Yaling put his hands down from the piano, folded them on his lap, looked at him with a very serious and tangled expression, and asked, ¡°Qi Xiaoyu, do you know that you take the lead vocal part, the most important part of the whole song?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu lowered his head and said ¡°um¡± in a low voice.


    Yuan Yaling¡¯s eyebrows twisted, and he continued in a regretful voice, ¡°But you are like this now; your breathing is unstable, and your singing¡­is not in tune; the high notes can¡¯t go up and the low notes can¡¯t turn around; I think¡­ you may not be suitable for such an important part.¡±


    All the cameramen turned their cameras toward Qi Xiaoyu.


    Qi Xiaoyu lowered his head and did not speak, but his lips and fingers were trembling slightly. He looked helpless and at a loss, like a poor student who had been reprimanded and given up by the teacher.


    Yuan Yaling followed up with another question: ¡°You chose this song, and I¡¯ll be responsible for teaching you well. But this part may be too difficult for you, so take a look. Do you want to exchange parts with other students?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu lowered his head and said in a voice that was about to burst into tears, ¡°Well, I know my level is not good. But I want to try my best. Before the finals, I will practice hard.¡±


    After Qi Xiaoyu finished speaking, he raised his hand to wipe his eyes, then turned his head to look at the director team aside and asked in a low voice, ¡°Director, if I change the part now, do you have any problems?¡±


    The director was also stunned for a moment. He didn¡¯t expect Qi Xiaoyu to throw the question at them all at once.


    Yuan Yaling did not expect that Qi Xiaoyu, who usually gave up when encountering difficulties, would be so stubborn today.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t change parts now.¡±


    The director was only stunned for a while before he came to his senses. They had made so many arrangements before to let them choose parts according to their rankings. If the parts are allowed to change, the audience and fans will scold them to death.


    The director team had already spoken, and Yuan Yaling couldn¡¯t say anything more, so he could only smooth things over for himself. ¡°In this case, Qi Xiaoyu, you have to hurry up and practice hard. Next, it¡¯s Gu Lei¡¯s turn.¡±


    *****


    Subsequent recordings were carried out according to the established procedures. The instructor sang, the students sang along, and then guided the training one by one. Finally, nothing happened.


    After listening to Yuan Yaling¡¯s singing, Qi Xiaoyu immediately made a general judgment.


    He estimated in his heart that there are still more than ten days before the finals. With just seven or eight lines of lyrics, if he practiced, his performance on that day would definitely not be a problem. He could even be better than this instructor, Yuan.


    For now, though, he has to take his time and act like he¡¯s taking it step by step, relying on his constant efforts to get the singing right.


    Only in this way can he change his impression in everyone¡¯s mind, let the director¡¯s team give him more shots, and maximize the effect of the script.


    He glanced at the camera in the training classroom and decided to pull an all-nighter.


    The clock on the wall ticked, and the hands went from twelve o¡¯clock to three o¡¯clock.


    The night outside the window is getting darker and darker.


    The others left one after another, and even the cameraman got off work.


    Qi Xiaoyu was the only one left in the training room.


    Qi Xiaoyu was leaning against the wall with one leg on the ground and the other bent in front of his chest, holding the wrinkled paper in his hand, and humming the lyrics. Upon closer inspection, except for the strong fatigue in his voice, his pitch was no longer a problem.


    But Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t feel particularly tired.


    When he was in the opera troupe, no matter how cold or hot it was, he had to do the horse stance, split his legs, sing, and meditate every day¡­ No matter what, it was much harder than this.


    He still remembered that one winter when their master asked everyone to put a basin of ice water on top of their heads while doing horse stance. He had a high fever and felt that there was a thousand pounds of pressure on his head, making him unable to stand firm. Everyone was frozen and shivering from the cold.


    Just like that, the master didn¡¯t let him dry off the ice water on his body and beat him severely with a broom.


    He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, but the corridor outside became lively again.


    It was a cloudy day outside the window in late autumn and early winter. He couldn¡¯t tell what time it was, but it was probably getting late, so Qi Xiaoyu got up and planned to go back to the dormitory to sleep for a while.


    After sitting on the ground for several hours, his legs became stiff. He stood up and stretched his stiff legs while taking out his phone to check the time.


    Because he had to record the show, he put his phone on silent last night.


    When he opened it, he realized that there was a missed call and two or three messages.


    It was Uncle Cheng¡¯s phone number that was saved just yesterday.


    Qi Xiaoyu was thinking about why Uncle Cheng was looking for him when he opened the messages. It can¡¯t be that Xun Qian is looking for him, right?


    It turned out that Xun Qian was really looking for him: ¡°Third master is looking for you; come back right away.¡±

 CH 7

    The lights in Xun Qian¡¯s bedroom were not turned on, and the room was so dark that only the outlines of the furniture could be seen.


    Today is cloudy, and the sky is covered with thick and heavy dark clouds, giving the impression that it is about to rain.


    Xun Qian was the same as yesterday morning, sitting by the window and smoking; the ashtray at hand was full of cigarette butts.


    Next to the ashtray, there was a document.


    Xun Qian took a deep puff of the cigarette and then slowly felt the smoke winding and permeating his lungs.


    Such stormy and gloomy autumn weather reminded him of many unpleasant memories.


    He shook off the ash and turned his head to look at the lawn downstairs.


    The lawn, which was favored by the sun yesterday, was now empty, except for the white parasol, which was blown to the side by the wind.


    This scene made people feel even more gloomy.


    Xun Qian put out the half-smoked cigarette butt, staring at the lawn downstairs in a daze.


    After a while, a new cigarette was lit.


    Suck in a puff, put it down, and the fire burned slowly until it reached his fingertips before he let go.


    There was silence everywhere.


    In fact, there were many other people in the villa: the butler, the cook, the gardener¡­ But no one dared to make a sound, and no one even dared to pass by the lawn under his window.


    Everyone avoided him cautiously, as if he were a snake or a scorpion.


    In fact, he was only twenty-six years old, but since the tragedy happened more than ten years ago, his world has only been black and white.


    Xun Qian lowered his long and narrow eyes and casually smoked another cigarette.


    Just like before, he lit it but didn¡¯t want to smoke it, so he just held it between his fingers, hanging on one side of the chair.


    Time seems to be frozen; only the red sparks on the cigarette butt burn closer and closer.


    Just when the sparks were about to reach Xun Qian¡¯s fingers, Butler Cheng walked in with a wool blanket in his hands and said, ¡°Third Master, it¡¯s windy at the window. Cover your legs with a blanket; otherwise, your knees will hurt again.¡±


    Xun Qian lowered his eyes and threw the cigarette into the ashtray again.


    Butler Cheng squatted down knowingly, flattened the blanket, and covered Xun Qian¡¯s knees.


    When he got up, his eyes stayed on the document next to the ashtray for a while, and he asked in a low voice, ¡°Third Master, do you want to investigate him again?¡±


    Xun Qian said nothing.


    Butler Cheng didn¡¯t dare speak anymore.


    After a while, he heard Xun Qian slowly ask again, ¡°Where is he?¡±


    Butler Cheng, ¡°Mr. Qi went to record a show and didn¡¯t come back last night.¡±


    ¡°Call him back.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Xun Qian has been ascetic all these years, and has never shown any interest in men or women. Butler Cheng couldn¡¯t help being surprised, but he quickly realized that he was talking too much and bowed his head respectfully and said, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ****


    In the training room, Qi Xiaoyu saw the message and immediately called back.


    It was answered after just one ring.


    Qi Xiaoyu was the first to speak: ¡°Uncle Cheng, I handed over my mobile phone to the program group for safekeeping during the recording of the program last night. I just saw your message after I got the phone back. I¡¯ll take a taxi back immediately.¡±


    Uncle Cheng said, ¡°Why are you taking a taxi? You wait at the gate right now. I¡¯ll ask the driver to pick you up. He should be there soon.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu agreed without hesitation. Hearing Uncle Cheng¡¯s tone, he thought that Xun Qian really wanted to find him.


    But what did Xun Qian want him for?


    Qi Xiaoyu tried to recall the plot while running back to change clothes.


    Although the original owner used Xun Qian¡¯s money to mess around outside in future plots, bullied Xun Qian¡¯s sweetheart unscrupulously, and even got involved with the youngest son of the Mao family in an attempt to cooperate with each other and empty Xun¡¯s property while Xun Qian was seriously ill, none of these things have happened yet.


    Now, apart from having had an affair with the young man from the Mao family, he has not done anything bad. Xun Qian is not a prophet.


    After Qi Xiaoyu carefully recalled the plot that had happened, he decided to take corresponding measures so that he could serve this big creditor with peace of mind.


    After changing his clothes, he ran out of the training room building, shivering from the cold.


    Before, when he looked outside the training room, he only knew that the weather was not good today, but he didn¡¯t know how cold it was until he got outside.


    The cold wind, accompanied by light rain, hit people. The weather changed from autumn to winter in a short period of time, making people feel like hundreds of years had passed since yesterday¡¯s bright sun. It will be the beginning of winter in a while.


    Qi Xiaoyu wrapped his sweater tightly, and in the bitter wind and rain, as if blessed by the god of fortune, a description of Xun Qian¡¯s childhood rushed into his mind.


    ¡°Seven-year-old Xun Qian was frightened. He hurriedly turned back from the seaside and ran to the beach¡­Suddenly seeing blood made him overwhelmed, and he froze in place in panic¡­ He learned from the TV series and tore his clothes into pieces, wrapping them around his sister¡¯s leg, but the blood continued to flow from the wound, unable to stop. After a while, the sandy beach under their feet was dyed red¡­ The strong wind swept the rain onto him, and the endless red flooded all his memories.¡±


    The day his sister died seemed to be such a cloudy, cold, and rainy early winter day.


    Qi Xiaoyu tucked his hands into his sleeves, thinking carefully that Xun Qian was quite pitiful.


    But at such a miserable time, Xun Qian actually asked him to go back?


    When Qi Xiaoyu opened the car door and went up, he always had a bad feeling.


    ****


    The car was parked in front of the villa, and Butler Cheng was already waiting at the door.


    He was stunned for a moment when he saw Qi Xiaoyu. Yesterday, Qi Xiaoyu still had yellow hair and an out-of-date suit, but today he completely changed his image.


    But obviously, the new image is much better.


    Butler Cheng couldn¡¯t help but sigh first: ¡°Young people still look good with black hair.¡±


    Then, while leading Qi Xiaoyu to the villa, he whispered, ¡°The third master is in the room. He¡¯s in a bad mood today. Be careful, answer whatever you are asked, and do what you are asked to do. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Don¡¯t make the third master angry.¡±


    After finishing speaking, Butler Cheng pushed Qi Xiaoyu into the elevator, helped press the button to the third floor, and then exited, ¡°I still have something to do; you can go up by yourself.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was speechless. He told him so much, but he slipped away. He is really an old fox who knows how to keep himself safe.


    The entire third floor was quiet, just like Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s first visit the night before yesterday.


    Qi Xiaoyu knocked lightly on the door twice, but there was no sound from inside.


    He stood at the door and waited. Since Butler Cheng said that Xun Qian was there, he must be inside.


    He slightly increased the force and knocked twice, but there was still no sound.


    Well, isn¡¯t this person just so annoying? He was called to come back, but there was no answer when he knocked on the door.


    If he weren¡¯t his creditor and marriage partner, he would be too lazy to care.


    Qi Xiaoyu thought about it and decided to stop wasting time.


    He pushed in; the door was unlocked, and it slid open quietly.


    The room was dark, and a person could be vaguely seen lying on the bed.


    The overall atmosphere is a bit depressing and miserable.


    Well, it fits the description in the original work very well. Before the protagonist shou, Tang Yuning, appeared, Xun Qian had been living in meaningless and empty darkness.


    When he got closer, he saw that Xun Qian was half lying there with his eyes closed.


    Xun Qian seemed to have fallen into a soundless sleep that he would never wake up again.


    The reason it gave people such an illusion was because his facial features were too delicate. The brow bone, nasal bone, and profile of his face are all as slender as a thin piece of glass.


    But in the original book, Xun Qian will not die no matter how much he struggles, and his methods of dealing with people are cruel, cold-blooded, and ruthless.


    Don¡¯t think too much, Qi Xiaoyu admonished himself and then coughed gently.


    Xun Qian opened his eyes.


    When he woke up, his eyes were dark and clear, as if he hadn¡¯t fallen asleep and had only closed his eyes for a moment.


    It¡¯s really a very strange and contradictory temperament, Qi Xiaoyu thought. He has seen so many people, and there is no one like him.


    ¡°Third Master is looking for me?¡±


    Xun Qian carelessly swept a glance at Qi Xiaoyu and said casually and slowly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to pinch my legs the day before yesterday?¡±


    Huh? Qi Xiaoyu was just making up a random excuse at the time, but he didn¡¯t expect to be remembered.


    Why does Xun Qian remember this?


    Although he was unwilling in his heart, Qi Xiaoyu said enthusiastically, ¡°Yes, wait a moment.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu agreed, without much nonsense, and turned around and quickly closed the window first, then turned on the air conditioning and adjusted the temperature to 26 degrees.


    Then he went to the bathroom and soaked his hands in hot water for a while. Next, he searched for towels, essential oils, aromatherapy, candles, and other small items, put them in a small golden tray, and brought them out.


    Xun Qian kept a half-lying position, watching him busy here and there.


    Qi Xiaoyu put the tray down at the head of the bed and dragged a stool over to sit down. He stretched his hands forward, as if he were a professional. ¡°Lie down and let me know if the strength is too light or too heavy.¡±


    Xun Qian carelessly swept a glance at him again, watching Qi Xiaoyu light the candles and incense, allowing Qi Xiaoyu to take the blanket off his body, roll up the legs of the silk pajama pants, and squeeze the essential oil into the palms of his hands and then his legs.


    It feels warm and creamy to the touch, like a pool of warm water sticking to your legs.


    Every step and movement of Qi Xiaoyu has its own rules, just like sitting downstairs and drinking tea on the lawn yesterday morning. Plates, knives, and forks¡ªevery piece of tableware is neatly arranged; the same goes for toast and fruit, none of which can be missing¡ªeven the stereo.


    Finally, Xun Qian¡¯s eyes fell on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s hand. His hands should have looked jerky and clumsy, but they landed on his legs, and every stroke was full of strength.


    It¡¯s true that he can pinch his legs; that¡¯s not a lie.


    There are really few things that Qi Xiaoyu can¡¯t do to serve people.


    Although he has always been praised by others since he became popular, as a child, he was afraid of being beaten. In order to make his master happy and avoid the pain of flesh and blood, the first thing he had to learn was to read people¡¯s faces. Secondly, he had to learn various skills for serving people, such as massaging legs and shoulders, pouring tea and passing water, cooking, drinking, and gambling. There is nothing he can¡¯t do.


    He will also add some of his own thoughts to these things, such as adding a cushion and a side dish for people. Therefore, whatever he does, he is better than others.


    For example, thinking that Xun Qian might not be in a good mood, he lit candles and used lavender aromatherapy, trying to create a warmer atmosphere in such cold weather.


    The effect also looks very good.


    Although Xun Qian didn¡¯t say a word, it¡¯s the best thing for a person like him not to say anything.


    Xun Qian¡¯s skin was as cold as his personality, and there was a deep scar on his knee. Qi Xiaoyu raised his head and glanced at Xun Qian.


    It just so happened that Xun Qian also raised his eyes to look at him.


    Xun Qian¡¯s eyes are very long, with thick eyelashes and big pupils. If he looks at others, it¡¯s easy to give people the illusion of a deep sentiment.


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled gently.


    After pinching for almost an hour, the creditor finally closed his eyes again, and his breathing became more stable.


    Amidst the gently flickering light of the candle and the faint, sweet fragrance of lavender, Qi Xiaoyu also secretly yawned. He hadn¡¯t slept for almost 30 hours from yesterday morning to today.


    He wants to sleep.


    Qi Xiaoyu yawned again.


    In the few days since he transmigrated into this world, what happened one after another did not keep him idle.


    After Qi Xiaoyu finished his work and saw that Xun Qian didn¡¯t wake up again, he covered him with the blanket, packed up his things, and prepared to go back to sleep.


    As soon as he went out, he saw Butler Cheng guarding the door.


    Seeing him coming out, Butler Cheng quietly pointed to the room.


    Qi Xiaoyu understood and said softly, ¡°Probably fell asleep.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t ask you anything?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu shook his head; sleepiness made him a little confused. ¡°I¡¯m also going to my room to sleep.¡±


    Butler Cheng looked at the back of Qi Xiaoyu leaving and showed a satisfied smile. For the first time, he felt that Mrs. Xun was really thinking about Xun Qian this time, and brought back a reliable and sweet ¡°Madam¡±.


    ****


    ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees¡± is being edited, so they don¡¯t need to record the show.


    Qi Xiaoyu stayed at Xun¡¯s house for a few days with peace of mind.


    He got up every morning to do Tai Chi and practice singing. He cooked three meals by himself, and in his spare time, he practiced singing and learned the introductory knowledge of numbered notation and staff notation.


    Then he went to massage Xun Qian¡¯s legs.


    Although it was Xun Qian who told him to come over, he kept a cold face and said nothing every time, as if someone owed him three million.


    Qi Xiaoyu was upset, but he didn¡¯t dare to refuse when called by his creditors. Just think of it as if he were practicing self-cultivation; once completed, he could ascend.


    That day, after Qi Xiaoyu finished practicing his song, it was rare that Xun Qian was not at home.


    He thought that he could do something he likes, such as read the information about the Peking Opera Troupe in S City that Yu Xiaosheng sent him two days ago.


    As a result, as soon as he turned on the phone, he saw the message, ¡°What are you doing, baby? Are you still angry?¡±


    It¡¯s from Dong Fan.


    After reading it, Qi Xiaoyu almost laughed out of anger, thinking that this person is really cheap.


    A few days ago, he was kicked a few times, but today he forgot his pain and had the guts to mess with him again.


    He originally wanted to finish recording the show before dealing with Dong Fan, but now it seems that Dong Fan must be dealt with as soon as possible.


    It just so happened that Xun Qian was not around today, and no one bothered him.


    Qi Xiaoyu thought about it, changed his clothes, and went straight to the casino that Dong Fan usually went to.


    He didn¡¯t know what casinos in this era played. But guessing size and playing poker are all his specialties.


    Coincidentally, today Xun Qian also happened to have some business at the casino that was legitimately operated under his banner.

 CH 8

    The casino is located at the Weihao Hotel on the riverside of S City, a prime location in the city center.


    The 1st to 4th floors are casinos, the 5th to 10th floors are shopping malls, and the 11th to 30th floors are hotels. The scale is large, the view is excellent, and the daily turnover exceeds eight figures.


    It is the first and largest legally operated casino in S City.


    In the office of the casino area on the fourth floor of the Weihao Hotel, the full set of leather furniture and various gold-plated decorations are extremely luxurious.


    Xun Qian leaned on the wheelchair, wrapped in a soft and luxurious black fur coat. The scarf was also black, fluffy, and soft, covering half of his face. The exposed black hair and snowy skin were like a trembling rose in a greenhouse¡ªincredibly beautiful.


    But no one dared look at him.


    Butler Cheng stood behind him.


    Four or five bodyguards in black lined up in the room.


    On the sofa opposite him sat a middle-aged man in a neat suit.


    The man¡¯s name is Xu Zhihui; he is about forty years old, with a gold chain on his right hand and a Rolex on his left hand. His hands were resting on his knees, his body was leaning forward in the direction of Xun Qian, his beer belly was shrinking, and his face was full of timidity.


    ¡°Xiao Qian, no matter what, I¡¯m still your little uncle¡­¡±


    Xun Qian caressed the shiny fur on his clothes without making a sound.


    Butler Cheng coughed lightly and interrupted Xu Zhihui¡¯s words.


    Xu Zhihui wiped the sweat from his head and immediately changed his tone: ¡°Third Master, in the absence of merit, there is also hardship. For the sake of me managing the Weihao hotel for so many years, can you give me some time? I will definitely make up for the embezzled money.¡±


    ¡°What will you use to make it up? There¡¯s still money in your account?¡± Xun Qian¡¯s cold and clear voice had a hint of sarcasm.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s better if you just go to jail, saving yourself the hard work of raising money.¡±


    ¡°Xiao Qian¡­ No, Third Master, Cheng Cheng is still young, and Xiao Jie is going to get married next year. If I went to jail at this time, who would marry him? What will Cheng Cheng do?¡±


    Xun Qian didn¡¯t raise his eyes, and his tone even carried a hint of impatience: ¡°Uncle, what does this have to do with me?¡±


    Xu Zhihui was shocked. ¡°How can there be no relationship? They are all your younger brother and sister.¡±


    Xun Qian smiled mockingly. He didn¡¯t even bother to return a word at this time.


    Xu Zhihui kept moving his mouth, saying, ¡°Third Master, look, Xiao Mo and Xiao Ran both passed away early; Cheng Cheng and Xiao Jie are your closest brother and sister. And¡­ and your mother also knows that I take this money to invest. She didn¡¯t say anything, so can you let me off the hook too?¡±


    Butler Cheng coughed again, but this time the voice was louder than last time. ¡°Director Xu, you see that the more you talk, the more outrageous you are. We were talking about the matter at hand, how did you pull this topic so far away¡­ I think you should quickly pack up your things and go back to handle your family affairs before going to court.¡±


    Xu Zhihui¡¯s eyes widened. He glanced at Butler Cheng, then turned to Xun Qian and said, ¡°Third Master, I know I was wrong this time. Why don¡¯t we talk about it when your mother comes back? Give me some more time, and I will definitely get the money. If you take me to court for something like that, my life is over.¡±


    Xun Qian propped his head on his hands and leaned on the wheelchair; his eyes were lazy, as if he were watching a boring play. ¡°Uncle Cheng, I¡¯m tired; if Director Xu refuses to leave, please ask him to leave.¡±


    When Xu Zhihui heard this, he knew that Xun Qian had made up his mind; his face changed, and he cursed like a cornered beast: ¡°Xun Qian, is that how your mother taught you to treat your elders? The Xun family has such a large family business. This hotel alone earns more than that in a day, so what if I embezzled tens of millions? This is my sister¡¯s money, and she is willing to give it to me. Why do you have any objection?¡±


    Xun Qian curled the corner of his mouth and smiled, full of sarcasm.


    Three or four bodyguards stepped forward, lifted Xu Zhihui up, and dragged him out.


    But they couldn¡¯t stop the continuous stream of shouting and cursing.


    ¡°Xun Qian, do you know why everyone left you? Why did you end up like this? It¡¯s because you are so cold-blooded and ruthless. You are so inhumane to your family that you want to send your own uncle to jail. You deserve to be in a wheelchair for the rest of your life!¡±


    Butler Cheng followed to close the door, turned around, and said in a low voice, ¡°This Xu Zhihui is too much. You have given him several chances to make up the money, but he has embezzled more and more greedily instead. In the end, he blames you.¡±


    He turned his head and glanced at Xun Qian¡¯s face, but Xun Qian had his head hanging down, and only his fair forehead and high nose tip could be seen under his scatter bang. ¡°Don¡¯t take what he said just now to heart.¡±


    ¡°You explain to others. Before a suitable person is found, report the work here directly to me.¡± Xun Qian played with a gilded dice on the table, as if nothing had happened just now. ¡°Push me out for a walk.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    *****


    In another office on the fourth floor, a croupier was running around to find Manager Zhang, who was in charge of the casino.


    ¡°A guest came to the casino today and won more than 20 games in a row. Now the whole casino is in chaos.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu, who had won more than 20 rounds, had stacks of chips as high as a hill in front of him.


    He was wearing a vintage brown round-neck sweater, corduroy pants of the same color underneath, a pair of carved brown leather shoes, and a camel coat by his hand, all of which he got from Xun Qian.


    With such a retro outfit and his exquisite eyebrows and eyes, he looks like a little prince walking out of a picture book.


    The little prince is now leaning on the chair with his legs crossed, holding two chips in his hand and tossing them up and down.


    The bald man with a large gold chain sitting opposite him was clearly losing, and his eyes were red. After Qi Xiaoyu chose to raise in the fourth round, he pushed all the chips in with both hands.


    What they are playing is ¡õ¡õ1I think it¡¯s poker. But why are they censoring poker? -_-.


    The five public base cards on the table now are 5, 7, 10, A, and K.


    In the last round, only Qi Xiaoyu and the bald man raised, and everyone else folded.


    The bald man played his cards first.


    He stared at Qi Xiaoyu fiercely, then lifted the corner of the bottom card and looked at it.


    Then, with a big laugh, he grabbed the bottom card, lifted it violently, and dropped it on the table.


    There were 2 kings on the table plus the public undercard, making a total of 3 kings.


    When the bottom card came out, there were gasps of ¡°wow¡± all around.


    Three kings is a very rare hand, basically a sure win.


    There were still 5.7.10. A left in the public base cards. Qi Xiaoyu can only win if he gets two Aces.


    The bald man waved his fist twice and showed a smug smile at Qi Xiaoyu.


    ¡°The cards are good.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu gave a very sincere compliment and then unveiled one of his bottom cards without haste.


    He flipped it in a position that turned the back of the card towards himself and flipped it facing everyone. After the card was turned over, he held it up to the side of his face, which was about the size of his face.


    Someone in the crowd yelled, ¡°Damn it, he already has an Ace of Hearts.¡±


    There is an Ace of Spades among the public cards, and Qi Xiaoyu uncovers an Ace of Hearts in his hand. If the remaining card is an Ace, then three A¡¯s will win, but the probability of obtaining such a deck is too small.


    Everyone held their breath and stared at the remaining card in Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s hand.


    While everyone was staring eagerly, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes fell lazily on the bald man opposite, and he tapped the unopened card lightly with his fingers and said, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know what this card is either.¡±


    Then he leaned forward, as if teasing, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen the card yet; do you think it will be the Ace of Diamonds?¡±


    The bald man pressed his hands on the table, obviously impatient, and shouted, ¡°Stop rambling; hurry up if you¡¯re a man.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu changed his posture, supported his chin with his left hand, and looked at him with a smile, then slowly lifted the card like lifting the bride¡¯s veil.


    There was a little red in the corner of the card, and the rest was blank.


    It could be the ace of diamonds, or it could be another card of diamonds or hearts.


    Anxious people had already bent over half of their bodies, wishing they could put their heads on the table.


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled lightly and lifted the card as easily as opening the lid of a dessert.


    It¡¯s really the Ace of Diamonds!


    3 Aces!


    Complete victory!


    The bald man slammed down the table and shouted, ¡°Impossible! His cards are too good! He¡¯s cheating! He must be cheating!¡±


    The onlookers also whispered that it was too difficult to get three aces and that there were very few people who would win every gamble.


    Qi Xiaoyu took all the chips to himself, with a pair of slightly drooping puppy eyes showing innocence and ignorance of the world.


    He tilted his head, looked at the people around him, and smiled. ¡°Is no one playing?¡±


    The croupier stood on the stairs of the second floor and pointed at Qi Xiaoyu downstairs, saying, ¡°Manager Zhang, look, it¡¯s him; he has won almost thirty games in a row. Now the customers who come to play are saying that he¡¯s the swindler we found, and they¡¯re calling the police.¡±


    Manager Zhang stared closely at Qi Xiaoyu with his small eyes behind his black, wide-rimmed glasses. ¡°Do you know this person?¡±


    The croupier shook his head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. This is the first time we¡¯ve seen him.¡±


    ¡°Then how could it be the swindlers we hired? Aren¡¯t they just being paid to mess around?¡±


    The croupier scratched his head and said, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. This person won too many games. What should we do?¡±


    Manager Zhang frowned. ¡°Invite him to my office; the boss is here today; don¡¯t make a big scene out of it.¡±


    ****


    On the fourth floor, through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, Xun Qian watched what happened downstairs without saying a word.


    In the thickly carpeted corridor, Butler Cheng walked back quickly with a file folder, took out a piece of A4 paper, and showed it to Xun Qian, saying, ¡°This is Mr. Qi¡¯s record just now. He won all 27 bets. ¡±


    Xun Qian rubbed the dice in his hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s luck if you win one bet, but it¡¯s not luck if you win twenty-seven.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed very impressive; he can¡¯t be a novice¡­ It¡¯s also difficult for veterans to do it.¡±


    Xun Qian remembered the way Qi Xiaoyu lowered his eyebrows and lit a cigarette for him, massaging his legs, and the way he threw dice with his legs crossed just now. A faint smile appeared on his face. ¡°He really knows how to act docile in front of me.¡±

 CH 9

    The meaning in Xun Qian¡¯s words doesn¡¯t connote positive or negative meanings, nor do they connote a compliment or sarcasm. Butler Cheng pretended not to hear it and didn¡¯t dare to say more. He could only stand by.


    On the other hand, after negotiating with Manager Zhang, Qi Xiaoyu took the video of Dong Fan¡¯s entry and exit from the casino, as well as the accounting records, and walked out satisfied.


    What kind of person is Dong Fan? Qi Xiaoyu has dealt with him twice and already has a clear understanding. He¡¯s outwardly strong but inwardly weak, ferocious in appearance but feeble in essence.


    With these things in hand, when he saw Dong Fan in rehearsal two days later, it was enough to intimidate Dong Fan to delete their previous Chat log, as well as some other things, and then threaten him again!


    You can¡¯t give people like Dong Fan a good face. He¡¯ll only behave himself when you scare him a few more times.


    In other words, the original owner was played by this kind person.


    He deserved his bad luck when he met Qi Xiaoyu.


    Qi Xiaoyu took out a mask, put it on, and walked out of the Weihao Hotel happily.


    It¡¯s only three o¡¯clock now, and the sun, obscured by the clouds, is faintly visible. A golden light shines on the all-glass exterior wall of the Weihao Hotel and reflects on the center of the river, illuminating sparkling waves.


    Today¡¯s work was completed faster than he imagined. The level of gambling here is not as high as in his era, and winning is quite easy. Perhaps it¡¯s because everyone doesn¡¯t have the energy to put their lives on the line by gambling, so they don¡¯t have the spirit to study.


    Although the word ¡°study¡± is not suitable for gambling.


    Qi Xiaoyu walked out and calculated the money he won today. In fact, there was quite a lot of money left. A few visits here would be enough for him to pay off the money he owed Xun Qian.


    But his master once warned him not to engage in such windfall ideas.


    If you make a windfall, you will inevitably lose the fortunes of other places.


    That¡¯s quite unfortunate.


    Qi Xiaoyu leaned against a railing outside the hotel, thinking about whether to go back to Xun Qian¡¯s house or do something else next.


    He has achieved good results in practicing songs these days. Although the basic conditions of the original owner are a bit weak, his own skills are very good. He has only practiced for a few days, and his breathing has become much more stable. At this speed, he¡¯d have absolutely no problem on the live stage.


    So is it okay to slack off and play for a few hours today, such as by going for a drink or taking a walk?


    Qi Xiaoyu was thinking aimlessly when his phone rang.


    It¡¯s a call from Yu Xiaosheng.


    Qi Xiaoyu pressed the answer button, wondering in his head why Yu Xiaosheng was looking for him. Did he find a job for him? Or is it to recommend him to the Peking Opera?


    As a result, a question came as soon as he opened his mouth: ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡­¡±


    Before Qi Xiaoyu could answer, Yu Xiaosheng intercepted him and asked, ¡°Where are you going again if you¡¯re not practicing singing? I¡¯m warning you: don¡¯t make up lies to deceive me. I can hear how noisy your side is!¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu glanced at the environment around him. There were cars coming and going on the road and people coming and going on the sidewalk. It was very lively.


    Yu Xiaosheng wasn¡¯t happy with it. ¡°If you didn¡¯t practice singing well, why did you snatch Gu Lei¡¯s part? Don¡¯t you know that Gu Lei is under Orange Juice Entertainment? Don¡¯t you know that the Xun family is behind Orange Juice Entertainment? What if you offend them?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu finally knew why Yu Xiaosheng came to him with fury. He laughed, trying to fool him. ¡°What do you mean by snatching? Isn¡¯t it a rule set by the program team?¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng snorted, ¡°The program team set up a trap, and you have to drill into it? Have you watched the trailer released today?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees¡± usually airs on Fridays at 7:00 p.m. The day before, a 5-minute clip will be cut and posted online using the official blog.


    The clip this time is 5 minutes and 34 seconds in total. After excluding the prelude and the ending, there are 5 minutes and 20 seconds left.


    In these 5 minutes and 20 seconds, 3 minutes were about Qi Xiaoyu taking Gu Lei¡¯s lead vocal position, and the remaining 2 minutes were about Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s poor audition performance in front of Yuan Yaling.


    Oh, and the remaining 20 seconds include Gu Lei¡¯s audition and Yuan Yaling¡¯s words of praise for Gu Lei, forming a stark contrast with Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s audition.


    There is no mention of Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s hard training all night. Of course, it¡¯s also possible that 5 minutes aren¡¯t enough to include all that.


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t know about today¡¯s cut; even if he knew, he didn¡¯t care. The program team wanted gimmicks and topics, so Qi Xiaoyu knew what the contents would be without needing to look at them.


    And all of these were within his prediction. The worse they made him look, the better. Otherwise, how can he reflect his hard work, his diligence, his overturning against the wind, and his survival?


    Regarding the matter of attracting fans, Qi Xiaoyu thinks it should be the same throughout the ages.


    First, lower the expectations of others, and only when the final effect is achieved can people feel beyond expectations.


    Let others underestimate you first; then they will be impressed and remember you deeply.


    He still remembered the first time he sang ¡°Jade Hairpin¡± and played the female role of Zhang Yuzhen. His reputation was not good, the tickets could not be sold, and his fellow apprentices in the same troupe hid his outfit. At that time, a play determined one¡¯s life and death in this line of work.


    It¡¯s an opportunity he earned with great difficulty. If he doesn¡¯t perform well, his future life may be even more difficult than before.


    The situation at that time was much more tense than this, but it was also his successful performance of this scene that made him a hit and made him the pillar of the Red Moon Troupe.


    Now he¡¯s just being scolded by people he didn¡¯t know online, so what¡¯s the matter?


    But now he couldn¡¯t say so to Yu Xiaosheng because he wouldn¡¯t understand it, so he could only pretend to be ignorant and answer, ¡°I haven¡¯t watched it yet.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng really blew up: ¡°You didn¡¯t even watch the trailer? What are you doing every day? You¡¯re still laughing? Do you know how badly people are scolding you on the internet right now? Not many people watch this stupid show, but there are quite a few who came to curse you.¡±


    The sound of Yu Xiaosheng drinking water was heard from the opposite side. After drinking, he had the strength to continue cursing: ¡°They¡¯ve already edited you into this kind of character in the trailer; when the full episode is released, what will that dogsh*t program team paint you into?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu knew that Yu Xiaosheng was doing it for his own good, so he could only try his best to comfort him at this time. ¡°Brother Yu, don¡¯t worry, I will perform well on the final day; let¡¯s speak with my strength.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng automatically filtered out Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s words of ¡°speaking with strength¡±, and continued to be aggrieved.


    ¡°This crap show is too bullying. They don¡¯t even give you a debut spot; they only use you for hype. Those sons of a b*tch are really shameless.¡±


    After Yu Xiaosheng scolded and scolded, he finally changed the topic to, ¡°Did you stay in the training room all night on the recording day?¡±


    ¡°Um.¡±


    ¡°You kid has really improved recently; you know how to put on a show.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was speechless.


    Yu Xiaosheng, ¡°You have to tell me about this kind of thing next time. Fortunately, Ren Fei saw you coming out of the training room this time and took a photo for me. Just wait. If the program team doesn¡¯t edit this scene properly, I will use the company¡¯s official blog to post these photos. At least it shows that although your singing is out of tune, you have worked hard.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t even know what to say.


    *****


    After talking on the phone with Yu Xiaosheng, Qi Xiaoyu went across the road to buy a cup of milk tea that had to be queued.


    This stuff wasn¡¯t available during his era, so he was quite curious about the taste. The sweet milk flavor mixed with the strong tea flavor was quite delicious. It¡¯s just that the price is not cheap. A cup of milk tea costs more than 20 yuan12.8USD. He¡¯s not rich, and his family¡¯s assets are even thinner. Qi Xiaoyu is ready to try making it at home by himself.


    While queuing for milk tea, he looked up at Xun Qian¡¯s property across the road. His family¡¯s wealth and business are enviable. If he had a building like this, he could pay off his debts in less than a day, eat and drink whatever he wanted, and immediately lead his ideal, perfect life.


    He vaguely remembered that, by the end of the novel, Xun Qian had given the Weihao Hotel building and the other buildings across the river to the protagonist shou, Tang Yuning, his true love.


    But Qi Xiaoyu only envied other people¡¯s love for a second. He doesn¡¯t need love. He just wants to be alone, free, and unrestrained.


    After Qi Xiaoyu went back, he didn¡¯t watch the trailer that day.


    Although the Internet has long been cursing him for stealing the lead singer position and singing out of tune, he was oblivious to the outside world and was particularly calm.


    It wasn¡¯t until the full episode was released the next day that he took out his phone, opened the Youguo APP, and clicked on the show.


    Before clicking on the show, he also got a phone stand and placed his phone on it. Next to it was a pile of food, including preserved fruits, a stack of melon seeds, and a pot of tea. To watch a show, everything must be prepared.


    Then he clicked on the chat.


    The chat provided Qi Xiaoyu with a wealth of laughs that day, much more straightforward and interesting than those contestants who secretly dissed people behind their backs.


    When Qi Xiaoyu robbed the position of the lead singer, the chat read:


    ¡°How dare he take Gu Lei¡¯s position? How shameless?¡±


    ¡°What did I just see? Qi Xiaoyu, who is tone deaf, wants to sing?¡±


    ¡°And live on the day? Can you listen to it?¡±


    ¡°What level is he? Doesn¡¯t he have any AC numbers in mind?2A tactful way to say, ¡°Don¡¯t you know your own place?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think too highly of yourself?¡±¡±


    ¡°Who gave Qi Xiaoyu the courage to choose the lead singer position? Dong Fan?¡±


    When Qi Xiaoyu auditioned in front of Yuan Yaling:


    ¡°My ears are going deaf.¡±


    ¡°My dogs all sing better than him.¡±


    ¡°From the look of it, he doesn¡¯t even have basic musical literacy.¡±


    ¡°Teacher Yuan is too difficult. His teammates are too difficult.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t drag your teammates down.¡±


    ¡°Come here to listen to the crash scene.¡±


    ¡°So this is a person in the top 20? Awesome.¡±


    When Gu Lei auditioned:


    ¡°Qi Xiaoyu, come and learn what singing is.¡±


    ¡°My ears have been cleaned.¡±


    ¡°Without comparison, there is no harm.¡±


    Of course, there are also the dying struggles of Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fans.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being the lead singer? If you don¡¯t like it, you can vote for second place.¡±


    ¡°No matter how badly my brother sings, he¡¯s still the lead singer. If you don¡¯t agree, please vote.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see Xiao Yu say that he would work hard?¡±


    ¡°See what you¡¯ve made the child into?¡±


    ¡°The finals haven¡¯t come yet; why are you so anxious? Can¡¯t my brother make progress?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was eating melon seeds and drinking tea, smiling happily as he watched. Let them make a fuss; the louder the better. Anyway, the voice is his, and the song is also his. See you on the night of the final.

 CH 10

    The program group is quite humane, not as shameless as Yu Xiaosheng said.


    Although the clip of Qi Xiaoyu practicing songs all night was not included in the episode, it was released in the preview to create suspense, which probably implies that Qi Xiaoyu, who has been training hard, might be able to sing in tune and complete the lead singer task.


    It was also placed alongside other suspense such as ¡°Yu Zhou¡¯s super-burning stage¡±, ¡°Dong Fan¡¯s cool new look¡±, ¡°Gu Lei¡¯s immortal voice,¡± and so on.


    While other people¡¯s suspense is full of anticipation and screaming, his suspense is full of mockery.


    Although Qi Xiaoyu was dragged from the very beginning due to his lack of strength, he gained a lot of fans on this program due to his attractive appearance, so the scolding and praise are divided in half.


    But after recent incidents, netizens who don¡¯t watch ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees¡± know that the second part of this show is about a flower vase1A derogatory term generally refers to actors or singers who are good-looking but have no talent. who sings out of tune.


    Qi Xiaoyu had a lot of black fans2Anti-fans and a bit of fame for a while.


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t care about these things at all. After watching the video, he chatted with Yu Xiaosheng for a while, telling him to put his mind at ease and not worry. Then he practiced nursery rhymes for a while and went to bed.


    For the next three or four days, Qi Xiaoyu continued to exercise and practice singing. He neither surfed the Internet nor cared about gossip, and he lived a very regular and comfortable life.


    In the middle, he went to the show and practiced the song with the same team for two afternoons. Although there were people talking about his singing and online comments behind his back during the rehearsal, Qi Xiaoyu pretended not to hear them and got along harmoniously.


    The only strange thing is that at the Xun family¡¯s side, Xun Qian didn¡¯t ask him to massage his legs, and he didn¡¯t see Xun Qian anywhere in the house.


    Butler Cheng also disappeared.


    Although Xun Qian didn¡¯t show up, he could clearly feel the low pressure in the house, which made people very uncomfortable. Everyone showed some kind of fear and was careful not to speak loudly.


    One day at noon, Qi Xiaoyu was eating alone in the dining room downstairs and happened to see the chef bring the food upstairs. Half an hour later, she brought the food back as it was.


    Qi Xiaoyu wondered why Xun Qian locked himself upstairs without eating or drinking.


    ****


    On the day of the official rehearsal, Qi Xiaoyu thought that if he didn¡¯t come back for two days, it would be better to go upstairs and talk to Xun Qian or Butler Cheng.


    He originally wanted to send a message to Butler Cheng as he did last time, but since he was at home, it would be impolite to send a message.


    He went up to the third floor, and the corridor was as quiet as ever.


    Although the weather that day was better than the previous few days, with the sun and clear sky and birds singing in the yard, the entire third floor was more depressing and gloomy than usual.


    The curtains at the end of the corridor were drawn shut, blocking most of the sunlight, and the dark gray carpet absorbed the rest of the light.


    What Qi Xiaoyu hates most is the dark space, but Xun Qian seems to particularly like to hide himself in the dark.


    He walked to the door of the room, hesitating whether to knock on the door. Xun Qian¡¯s gloomy and unpredictable temper was really not to his liking.


    Qi Xiaoyu was lifting his hand and stopping at a distance of one centimeter from the door when suddenly there was a ¡°clang¡±, and the door shook. It was the sound of something hitting the door.


    Qi Xiaoyu withdrew his hand and quickly took three steps back, deciding that it was better to send a message and not get himself into trouble.


    Just as he was about to walk away, the door opened.


    He peered inside. There were pieces of broken glass on the ground, as well as a deformed metal frame knocked against the door. What was thrown seemed to be a picture frame.


    Butler Cheng bent over and quietly opened the door. Seeing Qi Xiaoyu, he was slightly surprised and said, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu walked back, knelt down to help clean up the broken glass on the ground, and glanced at the old photo that was pressed under a few pieces of glass.


    It was a family portrait of a couple and two children taken at the seaside. Behind them was the blue sea under the sun and strange-shaped stones. The man and the woman sat on a large stone, while the little boy and girl snuggled in their parents¡¯ arms. With the sea breeze blowing, everyone smiled brightly and naturally. The little boy who leaned against his mother and tilted his head in his sister¡¯s arms smiled especially sweetly, like a rose bud trembling in the wind.


    Qi Xiaoyu took all the glass in his hands and said, ¡°Let me do it, Uncle Cheng; be careful not to prick your hands¡­ I¡¯m going to record the show and may not be back until the day after tomorrow.¡±


    Butler Cheng waved his hand and said in a low voice, ¡°Okay, you can go. I¡¯ll contact you if there¡¯s anything. Hey, don¡¯t pick it up. I¡¯ll call Mama Liu to clean it up later.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu peeked in through the crack of the door, but the lights were not turned on inside and the curtains were still drawn. It was dark, and he couldn¡¯t see where Xun Qian was. He nimbly stacked several pieces of broken glass together and obediently said in a small voice, ¡°Never mind, let me do it. Don¡¯t ask anyone to come up and disturb the third master.¡±


    ¡°Hiya,¡± Butler Cheng sighed with a gloomy expression on his face.


    ¡°The third master and the old lady had a quarrel, and it may take several days to get over it. It¡¯s better if you¡¯re not at home, so stay out of the limelight.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± When Qi Xiaoyu heard that this was a family matter, he felt that it was inappropriate to ask too much. He got up and said, ¡°Then I¡¯m leaving, Uncle Cheng; take good care of the third master, and remember to eat something yourself.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu came down from the stairs, feeling that the Xun family was really not peaceful. According to the plot line in the original novel, at the beginning of winter this year, Xun Qian had a serious illness. It seemed to be around this time, and the cause turned out to be this quarrel.


    Xun Qian was already in poor shape, but he still continued to work without exercising, and his heart was also plagued with trouble. It would be strange if he didn¡¯t have a serious illness.


    Hey, shouldn¡¯t Xun Qian be reminded to pay attention to his body? Or have Uncle Cheng send him to the hospital?


    Qi Xiaoyu stopped going downstairs, glanced back at the quiet and dark corridor, and dismissed this idea. Anyway, Xun Qian isn¡¯t dead yet, and this person might even send him to an asylum in the future.


    *****


    The rehearsal for ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees¡± starts at two o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    Qi Xiaoyu came out of Xun¡¯s house and rushed to the recording location at twelve o¡¯clock.


    The contestants haven¡¯t arrived yet, and the staff is busy setting up the stage and preparing props in the venue.


    Cameras, chairs, and clothing were placed everywhere, and everything was in a mess.


    Qi Xiaoyu looked at the situation and decided to hurry up and go to the dressing room to change his clothes, then find Dong Fan and clean him up.


    These few days he was at home, he received at least 20 or 30 harassing messages from Dong Fan, over and over again, such as ¡°baby, I miss you so much¡±, ¡°baby, don¡¯t be angry¡±, ¡°baby, what are you doing?¡±


    He blocked the number, and Dong Fan changed his number and continued to do so.


    The more frustrated he was, the more courageous Dong Fan became.


    Qi Xiaoyu walked around the messy things under his feet towards the dressing room.


    It just so happened that before he reached the dressing room, he met Dong Fan.


    Dong Fan had already finished his makeup and was walking out of the dressing room.


    As soon as he saw Qi Xiaoyu, his eyes lit up like a mouse seeing a cake. He stopped in front of him and said, in a posture that he thought was very handsome, ¡°Baby, you¡¯re here?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu pursed his lips; his disgust was self-evident.


    However, Dong Fan seemed to like Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s expression very much, and he was very attentive. ¡°Don¡¯t rush in; it¡¯s full of people. Do you want to put on makeup? I¡¯ll let our company¡¯s make-up artist help you.¡±


    ¡°No. Thank you.¡± Qi Xiaoyu glanced up at Dong Fan and looked around. Seeing that there weren¡¯t many people around, he was too lazy to get entangled with Dong Fan any further and decided to clear things up here. After thinking for a moment, he said bluntly, ¡°Take out your phone.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Dong Fan was stunned for a moment, then took out his mobile phone and handed it to Qi Xiaoyu. ¡°Baby, what are you doing? Check my mobile phone? Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ve put your chat at the top. I¡¯ll see it first as soon as you send me anything¡­¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu interrupted him, ¡°Unlock it; delete all our chat records.¡±


    Dong Fan¡¯s face changed, and he understood what Qi Xiaoyu meant: ¡°I won¡¯t delete it. How can I be willing to delete our chat records?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu looked at Dong Fan with folded arms and said plainly and without emotion, ¡°I went to Weihao Hotel a few days ago and happened to take the video of you going in and out of the casino. Tell me if I send these videos to your dad or post them online¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Dong Fan¡¯s expression changed again, and his eyebrows jumped sharply. His family conditions are actually good, but he often gambles with money from home, which angered his dad a long time ago. He has repeatedly promised to stop gambling, but if his dad finds out¡­


    ¡°Qi Xiaoyu¡­don¡¯t lie to me; where did you get these things?¡±


    ¡°I have my own method. If you don¡¯t believe me, how about I send a clip to your dad tomorrow?¡±


    Dong Fan stared at Qi Xiaoyu.


    But Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s face was calm. He wasn¡¯t willing to negotiate any further.


    The two people were at a standstill for a while.


    Anyone who loses his composure first will be the loser.


    Obviously, Qi Xiaoyu won¡¯t be the one who can¡¯t remain calm.


    In the end, Dong Fan was defeated and said, ¡°Okay, I will delete it. You have to delete the things in your hands too.¡±


    ¡°No problem. If you don¡¯t mess with me, don¡¯t worry; I¡¯m too lazy to bother you.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu watched Dong Fan delete everything from both phones before bypassing him and preparing to leave.


    Dong Fan stared at his phone reluctantly and stayed in a daze for a while before shouting, ¡°Xiao Yu, can we start over?¡±


    It¡¯s a pity that Qi Xiaoyu left without looking back.


    ****


    The dressing room of more than 40 square meters was filled to the brim with assistants, agents, makeup artists, cameramen, and a few contestants who arrived as early as Qi Xiaoyu.


    As the final was approaching, there were many distinguished guests who came that evening. All companies worked hard to prepare for the rehearsal in order to earn prestige for their own company and artists.


    Qi Xiaoyu was dazzled by the crowd. After gathering his composure, he walked through the crowd and saw Ren Fei in a small corner at the other end of the dressing room.


    Ren Fei happened to see him too and stretched out his arms to wave to him.


    When Qi Xiaoyu walked up to him, Ren Fei immediately took his hand and said, ¡°Xiao Yu, it¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re here; otherwise, I¡¯d be bored to death here alone.¡±


    ¡°Where are Brother Yu and the others?¡± In addition to Ren Fei, there is also a person named Gu Junnan from Star Entertainment who also participated in this show and was eliminated from the top 50.


    But on the day of the finals, all the contestants will be present, so he also came to participate in the rehearsal.


    ¡°They¡¯re still on their way. I wanted to go out and buy something to drink, but Brother Yu wouldn¡¯t let me go, saying he was afraid that my stool would be occupied and we wouldn¡¯t even have room for makeup.¡±


    Although Ren Fei was complaining, his expression was quite exciting.


    He leaned into Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s ear and pointed to the other people who were surrounded by threes and fives, saying, ¡°Do you see that there are five people from Orange Juice Entertainment over there and six people from Han Feng Entertainment over there? Big companies are indeed different, with several stylists. It¡¯s really cool that you don¡¯t have to occupy the position yourself. Oh, by the way, do you know which company is the most exaggerated?¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡±


    ¡°Feichi Media, tsk tsk tsk, that mannerism. Even the assistant wears LV. The whole body is written with money.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu has the impression that Feichi Media has appeared many times in the original book. This is an entertainment company controlled by the Mao family, and Tang Yuning was founded by this company.


    But now he hasn¡¯t taken this to heart.


    Ren Fei then hung his head on Qi Xiaoyu and sighed, ¡°Hey, I really want to go to a big company to experience it. There is a dedicated makeup artist and several assistants. I heard that the brand-name clothes are all bought by the company. That¡¯s super cool.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu raised his eyebrows. Ren Fei¡¯s words were indeed quite exaggerated. Compared with other entertainment companies, Star Entertainment is indeed quite simple, just like a small workshop next to a high-rise building.


    When Yu Xiaosheng told him that the company was small and had no money or resources, he hadn¡¯t deeply felt it. The comparison now is quite tragic.


    Qi Xiaoyu peeled away Ren Fei¡¯s hand from his shoulder and said, ¡°Then you continue to occupy the place here; I¡¯ll go first to change my clothes.¡±


    Dong Fan¡¯s matter was settled, so he could concentrate on the rehearsal.


    ****


    Because the contestants who were previously eliminated also came to participate in the rehearsal, the number of people was quite large. Star Entertainment does not have its own makeup artist like other big companies. When they line up to put on their makeup, the rehearsal will begin.


    The rehearsal on the final day had to go through the entire process. From the introduction of the guests to the review of the top 20 contestants, and then the performance stage.


    First is ¡°love, again¡±.


    The rehearsal didn¡¯t go very smoothly. Someone sang the wrong lyrics, someone dropped the mic, and someone else moved the wrong way, rehearsing three times in a row.


    Next is ¡°Along with You¡±.


    In addition to the camera that recorded the scene on the night of the final, there was also a camera that recorded behind-the-scenes footage and followed the whole process.


    Qi Xiaoyu carefully took all of this in. He couldn¡¯t perform too well today; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to impress people on the final night.


    It is also important to not perform too poorly, to show people his efforts and progress, and to give a gradual impression.


    The piano sounded, and everyone sang according to their own parts.


    Like the previous one, during the performance of this song, some people forgot the lyrics, and some people made mistakes.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s performance was mediocre but very steady. He didn¡¯t forget his lyrics, didn¡¯t make a wrong move, and had one or two very cute interactions with the camera.


    Although he was far from fully displaying his strength, he was much better than at the first audition. His pitch was accurate, and his breathing was steady. One could tell at a glance that he had been training very earnestly.


    After he finished his performance and left the stage, Ren Fei and Yu Xiaosheng rushed over immediately.


    Ren Fei, ¡°Xiao Yu, you¡¯re so awesome. You¡¯ve improved so much in just a few days.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng: ¡°Not bad, not bad, better than I thought; just perform like this tomorrow.¡±


    But other than that, everyone else looked at Qi Xiaoyu with either disdain or indifference.


    The people at the rehearsal site were all insiders in this industry, and everyone was clear about it. The debut position had already been determined by default. Where could there be a spot for Qi Xiaoyu? He was just overhyped cannon fodder.


    This is especially true for Orange Juice Entertainment and Feichi Media. One of them is backed by the Xun family, and the other is backed by the Mao family. They don¡¯t even bother to waste a single glance on Qi Xiaoyu.


    Next to Gu Lei, a contestant from the same company as him snorted mockingly, ¡°Who does he think he is? It¡¯s just the level of ordinary people singing karaoke. What¡¯s there to be happy about?¡±


    He also said, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing he won¡¯t debut with us; otherwise, he would really drag down the team¡¯s level. He can¡¯t sing; he can¡¯t dance; it¡¯s a waste of places.¡±


    Gu Lei¡¯s agent also reassured him, ¡°That¡¯s right. It took him ten days of practice to reach this level. Even if he gets the lead singer, he won¡¯t be as good as you tomorrow.¡±


    Gu Lei curled his lips and said nothing, but his eyes were filled with disdain that couldn¡¯t be concealed.


    *****


    For the program group, in order to gain more traffic, on the night of the rehearsal, they edited a 20-minute behind-the-scenes video and put it on the Internet.


    The netizens who stayed up late immediately made various analyses of the performances of the contestants.


    Some of them posted,


    ¡°Xiao Yu has made great progress; maybe tomorrow he will deliver an eye-catching performance.¡±


    Not long after that, fifty or sixty floors were built below. ¡°Landlord3In Chinese internet culture, landlord means the original poster, building means the post or threat, and floors mean the comments under it., beware of being slapped in the face.¡±


    The formation is very neat.


    Occasionally, a sentence was inserted in the middle: ¡°Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fans are just like him. They really like to dream big.¡±


    As a result, this floor was also advised to be deleted. The reason was to stop talking nonsense with Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s idiot fans and maintain a good formation.


    In short, a group of people angrily pressed the landlord into the dust and never dared to speak up again.

 CH 11

    In the tense preparations of the program group and the noisy atmosphere on the Internet, at 7 p.m. on Friday night, the final night of ¡°Let¡¯s debut, trainees¡± arrived as scheduled.


    The venue for the final was divided into five main blocks, with the stage performance area in the center, the eliminated contestants area in the back, the fan support area right next to the stage, the agents area for each company on the left, and the guests and mentors area directly in front.


    A total of five guests came today, including actors, idols, and singers, and the most important one was the musician Kang Qitao.


    When the host introduced him, all the fans in the audience cheered and applauded. After all, everyone has heard quite a few songs from this music industry predecessor.


    He sat in the middle, facing the stage, while the others sat next to him in order of seniority.


    Yuan Yaling sat next to him on his right.


    Kang Qitao was in his forties, wearing a black casual suit with a hood, and his hair was dyed flaxen gray. The whole person looked slender and very refined.


    He released an album at the age of nineteen and turned behind the scenes at twenty-five, working as a music director and songwriter and later opening his own studio.


    The lyrics and music of Yuan Yaling¡¯s popular songs are all written by him.


    However, unlike Yuan Yaling, Kang Qitao has been popular for a longer time, and at that time, he was full of creative talent. Until now, he has released three or four popular songs every year.


    It was also clear from the program¡¯s ranking and previous promotions that they were very proud to have invited someone of Kang Qitao¡¯s strength and fame on their show.


    After the show started, Yuan Yaling kept explaining to Kang Qitao things such as what the contestants¡¯ names were, what specialties they had, and how difficult it was to take care of these young kids.


    Kang Qitao kept his mouth shut and listened to Yuan Yaling¡¯s words, nodding his head from time to time to show that he was listening.


    It wasn¡¯t until the performance began that Kang Qitao said politely, ¡°Are you the one who directed the next two songs, Yaling?¡±


    Yuan Yaling waved his hand and said, ¡°Not the first one, but the second one.¡±


    He really wanted to show off in front of Kang Qitao so that the other party could write a few more songs for him. Therefore, when he was asked, he always wanted to say a few more words.


    He turned off the mic, shook his head, and sighed, ¡°It¡¯s too difficult taking care of young people nowadays. They can¡¯t even practice one song well. If I direct two songs, I¡¯ll have a few more gray hairs.¡±


    Kang Qitao asked a little curiously, ¡°Are young people of this generation that bad? I have come into contact with a few that are not bad.¡±


    Yuan Yaling whispered, ¡°How can people who enter your studio be inferior? In this program, only Gu Lei is quite good, and he has a basic background in the related major. The others, sigh, are barely passable, especially the lead singer, who¡¯s really bad at singing¡­¡±


    Kang Qitao: ¡°Then how can he become the lead singer?¡±


    Yuan Yaling shook his head again and said with sarcasm, ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. Now, as long as you¡¯re good-looking and not mute, anyone dares to sing and do anything. It¡¯s not like our era, where ordinary school graduates weren¡¯t even good enough.¡±


    After finishing speaking, he pointed to the girls in the crowd holding the ¡°Qi Xiaoyu¡± support light sign and said, ¡°Look, just like that.¡±


    Kang Qitao immediately understood and comforted Yuan Yaling, saying, ¡°That¡¯s really difficult for you.¡±


    Yuan Yaling was about to make a few modest remarks to show his ability when the performance started.


    A few electronic sounds that seemed to be rubbing against the tiles came up, which was the intro to ¡°Love, again¡±.


    ¡°Zi zi zi¡ª¡ª¡± The voice that reached Kang Qitao and Yuan Yaling¡¯s ears was filled with the sound of electric current.


    Live performance and rehearsal are different after all. There are many people on the scene and many uncontrollable factors, resulting in poor audio.


    But the song was sung and danced, and the stage as a whole was pretty explosive.


    Yu Zhou¡¯s performance was also very good, and after it was over, he was the one who had the biggest response among the audience.


    After the performance of this song, the rap and dance mentors made a brief comment.


    Immediately afterwards, the lights dimmed, and the contestants who sang ¡°Along with You¡± came to the stage to prepare.


    Amidst a large crowd of cheers with different names mixed in, the stage lights slowly turned bright again, with light smoke lingering under the lights, and youths in suits appeared one after another.


    Different from the hip-hop style of the previous group, the youths on stage were all wearing dark suits and white shirts, exuding a classical and elegant temperament in their every move.


    ¡°After this journey, will we meet again?¡±


    ¡°At the next intersection, will you still applaud me?¡±


    Although there was a whistling electric sound, some people¡¯s tunes were slightly off.


    But the victory lies in the soothing and light melody of the whole song, so it¡¯s not bad to listen to.


    After everyone sang their individual parts, the harmony sounded, and they were about to enter the highlight part of the whole song.


    The scattered lights were all gathered together. Qi Xiaoyu, who was wearing a black suit, a stand-up collar shirt, and permed brown chestnut wavy hair, walked to the center of the stage.


    On and off the stage, some people were nervous, while others were secretly happy. Some people looked at him curiously, while others gloated.


    Qi Xiaoyu looked at the camera, looked at the audience, and opened his mouth in a relaxed and soothing manner.


    ¡°Your love,¡±


    ¡°Your flowers,¡±


    The camera that originally moved towards Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s side immediately moved back to the center.


    He walked to his spot, stretched his limbs, and sang with his eyebrows lowered.


    ¡°Your applause,¡±


    ¡°The honor you gave me,¡±


    Then he raised his eyes to look at the audience and the camera once again.


    ¡°Thank you for walking with me.¡±


    ¡°This memory will always be treasured in my heart.¡±


    The first two notes were sung high and then suddenly lowered in the next sentence, but the singers on the stage didn¡¯t appear jerky between the rise and fall.


    These few choruses are not easy, with a wide range of high and low notes, but they are handled so lightly and naturally that they are full of appeal.


    His breath is very steady, like steel that has been tempered repeatedly. He can freely retract and release like a boat that isn¡¯t afraid of big waves.


    His voice still carries a youthful clarity. Singing such a song seems to be able to reach people¡¯s hearts with just one sentence.


    There was also a strong sense of fondness and affection in his voice, as if what he said about forever was really forever.


    He was like a little prince coming out of a classical painting, dazzling as if everyone before him was just a pretext and he was the only protagonist.


    Although there are only seven or eight short lines of lyrics, all the people and voices in front and behind have been diluted, making people only remember these seven or eight lines.


    Even if the ¡°zi zi zi¡± current is still there, no one will pay attention to it anymore. His voice is sweet and sad, covering everything else.


    Kang Qitao waited for Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s part to finish before turning to the left and saying, ¡°Yaling, is this the worst lead singer you said? Isn¡¯t he quite good? I never expected to meet a child here with such excellent singing skills and voice. Such qualifications, alas¡­ are too wasteful.¡±


    Yuan Yaling didn¡¯t know how to answer, and he himself stared at the stage in astonishment. He remembered what he said in front of Kang Qitao just now and felt that his face had been slapped in just ten minutes.


    How is it possible? Ten days ago, Qi Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t even sing in tune, and his breathing was a mess. How could he improve by leaps and bounds in just ten days?


    Is it talent? That talent is too strong.


    Not only Yuan Yaling thought this way, but almost everyone who had heard Qi Xiaoyu sing had the same thought at this moment. Is this really Qi Xiaoyu?


    Not lip-syncing? Or were they imagining things?


    On the stage, Gu Lei was so surprised that he kept staring at Qi Xiaoyu and forgot to sing when it came to his part.


    Offstage, Dong Fan was stunned. Although he had known about Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s changes for a long time, he never expected such a big change.


    Ren Fei, who was going to change clothes backstage, also sneaked out, poked half of his head from behind Yu Xiaosheng, pointed to the stage, and asked softly, ¡°Was that sung by Xiao Yu just now?¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng stared blankly at the stage before he could react. ¡°It should be.¡±


    In the auditorium, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s station sister1If you¡¯re into kpop, you¡¯d see those fans with advanced cameras and equipment that follow idols to their schedules and take pictures. They¡¯re like the top top fans. Usually, they help manage fan groups, do publicity work, etc. They can also get in touch with the idols at close range. forgot to press the shutter of the SLR, and it took a long time before she grabbed the hand of the little sister next to her and shouted, ¡°Xiao Yu sang really well just now!¡±


    ¡°His stage presence has improved a lot. It¡¯s really amazing. I always feel like he was staring at me just now.¡±


    Yes, Qi Xiaoyu not only sings well, but his stage presence is even more invincible.


    When performing on stage, a common mistake made by rookies is to only look at the audience and forget to look at the camera position. In this way, there is no sense of interaction with the audience in front of the camera.


    But if you only look at the camera, the audience at the scene will find it very strange.


    In Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s time, although there was no such thing as a video camera, the most important thing to do when singing on stage was to have expressive, enticing eyes and to convey the subtlest emotions of the characters with every look.


    During the rehearsal yesterday, he paid special attention to the direction of the camera positions. Coupled with his many years of stage experience, he can easily balance the two without more practice.


    When the second chorus part came, the audience, which had been quiet for dozens of seconds, finally came to their senses, and the audience cheered ¡°Qi Xiaoyu¡± unanimously.


    The song was accompanied by cheers and continued until the end.


    Music can empathize, and Qi Xiaoyu has undoubtedly brought this function to the extreme in the shortest possible time.


    After the song ended, Kang Qitao was the first to comment, ¡°Everyone performed very well tonight, especially the lead singer of this song. You¡¯re called Qi Xiaoyu, right? You performed very well, like a professional singer. No, a professional singer may not be as good as you are tonight. I can say that you are already a mature and excellent singer, and you have a good grasp of the emotion and tone of the whole song.¡±


    Kang Qitao originally had more to say, such as the stage presence, the state of singing, and Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s composure and dedication, as if he was born on stage and knew how to use his body and eyes to gather people¡¯s hearts.


    But considering that Qi Xiaoyu is still a rookie and is on the stage of the final, he can¡¯t talk too much, but in his heart, he is already amazed.


    Qi Xiaoyu held the microphone in both hands, and listened to the speeches of the guests. The light fell on his almost flawless skin. He was neither overjoyed nor embarrassed. Just like Kang Qitao commented, he accepted the flowers and applause calmly.


    After Kang Qitao finished commenting, he handed over the microphone to Yuan Yaling.


    Yuan Yaling originally prepared a lot of things to say, such as the difficulty of rehearsing, the hard work of teaching, and the inability of some students to teach, but now his drafts are obviously not suitable for tonight¡¯s scene.


    He licked his lips and said dryly, ¡°Everyone is doing very well. Especially Qi Xiaoyu¡­he has made great progress.¡±


    ****


    After the song was performed, the contestants went backstage to change their clothes.


    There will be a transition period of 20 minutes where a sensational VCR will be played, and then the ranking will be announced.


    Qi Xiaoyu got into the backstage dressing room and just changed his clothes when Yu Xiaosheng ran over and patted him on the shoulder excitedly, ¡°Today wasn¡¯t bad, very good, no, excellent, you really give your brother some faces!¡±


    Pulling Qi Xiaoyu aside again, he said in a low voice, ¡°I just passed by the stage and heard your votes soar. I don¡¯t know if those bastards dare to touch your votes.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled, but he didn¡¯t dare put much interest into this. He didn¡¯t do all this to make his debut. What he wanted was to open their eyes, teach them a lesson, and then leave this stage.


    Looking at the reaction at the scene just now, he knew he had done it.


    How he develops in the future is up to him.


    Qi Xiaoyu dragged a chair over, sat down, and called Yu Xiaosheng to have a rest together. He was going to sit down and then go on stage to finish the final procedure.


    Yu Xiaosheng refused. The excitement of discovering a peerless treasure was mixed with the thrill of almost missing this treasure, which made him feel restless.


    Qi Xiaoyu just let him be.


    He leaned back on the chair and stretched. The continuous rehearsal and competition were quite exhausting. Now that he was relaxed, his fatigue surged.


    In his sleepiness, he suddenly thought of Xun Qian. He wondered how the Xun family was doing these past two days.


    Thinking of this, Qi Xiaoyu took out his mobile phone and planned to send a message to Butler Cheng to ask.


    As soon as he opened the message app, he saw an unread message, which was sent just now: ¡°Third Master is seriously ill; you¡¯d better come back as soon as possible.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s heart skipped a beat; is he really seriously ill?

 CH 12

    The backstage of the show was in chaos.


    From the time Qi Xiaoyu took the stage just now, it seemed like everything was in disarray.


    The originally established distribution of votes was completely disrupted, and Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s vote count increased wildly.


    When the voting channel was finally closed, the director, Ma Guoguang, who was waiting by the side, had already rubbed his hands red, and the assistant director, Zhou Zheng, standing beside him, was also pacing back and forth nervously.


    As early as the first few episodes, they had already negotiated with brokers from big companies and decided on the final top ten list. So they casually played out the parts that Dong Fan exposed about Qi Xiaoyu and highlighted his bad side. Anyway, Qi Xiaoyu was just an existence that sparked controversies and was sacrificed for the sake of popularity.


    The situation now is absolutely unexpected.


    The staff ran all the way to the printer to take out the voting results and send them to director Ma Guoguang.


    Ma Guoguang only took a glance at it, then closed his hands and immediately covered it.


    Assistant director Zhou Zheng leaned over to him, his face full of anxiety. ¡°Old Ma, how is the ranking? Is he far from Yu Zhou?¡±


    Ma Guoguang nodded expressionlessly.


    Zhou Zheng clapped his hands, and his expression immediately changed from anxious to relaxed. ¡°It¡¯s enough as long as he¡¯s far behind Yu Zhou. With Yu Zhou pressing them down, those behind him all have similar votes and can¡¯t really make a fuss. Then, according to the previous plan, swap his votes with the ones behind?¡±


    Ma Guoguang still had no expression on his face, but the air pressure around him had dropped significantly. ¡°I mean, there¡¯s a big difference between him and Yu Zhou. He has a higher vote than Yu Zhou.¡±


    Zhou Zheng¡¯s expression changed from surprise to horror. ¡°What? It¡¯s only been twenty minutes; how many votes can be cast for him?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, didn¡¯t you see his performance on stage just now? Our vote pool is small, let alone twenty minutes, or even ten minutes; as long as someone is willing to vote, the ranking will immediately change dramatically.¡±


    Zhou Zheng rubbed his hands and said, ¡°Then, what should we do now? Shall we still follow the original plan?¡±


    Ma Guoguang threw the piece of paper with the ranking to Zhou Zheng¡¯s chest and patted it, saying, ¡°Look at it for yourself. You¡¯re the one who promised other people a debut spot.¡±


    Zhou Zheng, ¡°Old Ma, what you said is wrong. When Orange Juice Entertainment came to talk about the quota, you were also present, weren¡¯t you? At that time, you were also afraid of the Xun family behind them, so you went along with it. If you take back your words now, aren¡¯t you afraid of angering the Xun family?¡±


    Ma Guoguang waved his hand irritably and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it all a bridge built by you? Now you have to solve this matter, but you must also think clearly about whether you can deal with the aftermath.¡±


    *****


    Qi Xiaoyu switched off his phone. He planned to stay in the dormitory tonight, but looking at the situation, he had to rush back to Xun¡¯s house after the show.


    Qi Xiaoyu felt a little indescribable.


    It was one thing for him to know that Xun Qian was sick in the plot line before, but now that he is witnessing it, it is a completely different feeling.


    It¡¯s like reading other people¡¯s stories before, but now it¡¯s a personal experience.


    There is also a little bit of guilt in it. Xun Qian was not that seriously ill when he left yesterday, so he should have reminded him to pay attention?


    ¡°Xiao Yu, what are you thinking?¡± Yu Xiaosheng patted him on the shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s almost time to go on stage.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu came back to his senses, only to find that everyone else in the dressing room had changed their clothes and put on their makeup and was about to go back to the stage. Several of them looked at him with jealousy or envy.


    Even Yu Zhou and Gu Lei, who usually dismiss him, looked at him strangely.


    But no one spoke, and the whole atmosphere was tense.


    The tense atmosphere continued all the way to the stage.


    Everyone held their breath and waited for the host to speak.


    The host, who was ready to announce the results with the script, wished to pause for two seconds after each word and dilly-dally for half a day without saying anything else but to report the number of votes for each person.


    On the livestream channel of the show, the audience was still reminiscing about Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s amazing performance. From top to bottom, there are overlapping barrages all over the place: ¡°Was that really Qi Xiaoyu just now?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, he¡¯s making rapid progress. Is he singing for real?¡±


    ¡°With the mics turned on in the audience and the sound of the electric current, was he lip-syncing alone?¡±


    ¡°Whose fan said that this is lip-syncing? Please care about your brother¡¯s out-of-tune issue first.¡±


    ¡°Is it too late to vote for him?¡±


    ¡°After watching several episodes of the show, I finally found my pick.¡±


    ¡°It feels like I¡¯m in love again.¡±


    ¡°The look in those eyes¡ªahhhhhh, amazing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, brother, look at me.¡±


    ¡°Quick, quick, we¡¯re about to see Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s solo direct shot!¡±


    ¡°I want my brother to debut immediately!¡±


    On Weibo, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s station sister posted a picture almost simultaneously: ¡°Little brother is so beautiful, I don¡¯t need to edit it.¡±


    In the photo, Qi Xiaoyu either turned around, smiled, or pondered; every move and gesture had a natural temperament.


    The following replies were all screaming ¡°ahhhhhhhhhhh¡±.


    There are also Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s solo stage photos taken by a few fans. Although it was a bit shaky, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fresh and not-cringy stage presence, plus his love-whisper voice, were quickly forwarded and became popular.


    Various show-related discussion threads are grasping at straws to predict the outcome of the competition.


    The predictions for the ranking are:


    ¡°If you don¡¯t bet on the debut spot, you can bet on whoever ranks first. I bet it¡¯s Yu Zhou.¡±


    ¡°I want to bet on Xiao Yu. After the performance, all the little sisters who watched the show with me in the same dormitory voted for him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also betting on Qi Xiaoyu. His performance tonight is really popular. The fan vote pool for this show is small, but the votes of passers-by are still considerable.¡±


    There are also those who predict the debut position:


    ¡°Come to eat melons. The debut position has already been determined by default. The list of ten people has been exposed. There is no Qi Xiaoyu.¡±


    ¡°It would be too fake without Qi Xiaoyu. His popularity is not bad, and now his strength is visible to the naked eye.¡±


    ¡°Damn it, if that¡¯s really the case, this list would be too fake. Gu Lei¡¯s face and figure are so-so, but he made it? No wonder this show isn¡¯t popular.¡±


    The post that predicted Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s extraordinary performance yesterday was also dug out.


    It¡¯s just that the message changed from ¡°Landlord, beware of being slapped in the face¡± to ¡°Landlord 66661Amazing, awesome, etc. Expression of approval.¡°, ¡°Who exactly got slapped in the face¡±, and then the IDs of yesterday¡¯s message were picked out one by one to ridicule.


    Of all the people who followed this show, probably only Qi Xiaoyu was the most distracted.


    So much so that after the entire ranking was read and the results were announced, he didn¡¯t show any abnormality when the whole audience shouted ¡°shady program¡±.


    After that, everything developed even faster. The program group quickly cleared the venue, and the ribbons were thrown in the air to finish in a hurry.


    Kang Qitao at the guest table secretly shook his head, said ¡°What nonsense¡±, got up, and left first.


    Ma Guoguang, who was behind the scenes, looked at the chaotic scene and turned to stare at Zhou Zheng.


    In this program group, although Ma Guoguang is the director, the assistant director, Zhou Zheng, is the one who ¡°brought capital into the group¡±.


    The program¡¯s largest titleholder, Golden Butterfly Wash & Care, is a daily chemical company under the Xun family. And Zhou Zheng¡¯s younger brother is the general manager of that company.


    Due to his background, Zhou Zheng¡¯s backbone is stronger, and his voice even surpasses that of the director.


    Zhou Zheng was holding a cigarette in his mouth, and the initial panic had passed. Now that he had figured out a way, he leisurely revealed a mouthful of yellow teeth: ¡°Old Ma, don¡¯t worry, Star Entertainment is just a small workshop, and this Qi Xiaoyu is without any background. He can¡¯t make any waves. I have already made an agreement with Orange Juice Entertainment and asked my brother to help keep an eye on him. I will not let him have any exposure in the future. No matter how much trouble we have now, it¡¯s just helping us stir up the topic. After a while, everyone will forget about this person, and everything will be calm.¡±


    Ma Guoguang still frowned.


    Zhou Zheng blew a mouthful of smoke out and said, ¡°Old Ma, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know who¡¯s behind Orange Juice Entertainment. No one dares to disrespect the Xun family.¡±


    After a while, Ma Guoguang half-sighed and half-joked, ¡°Old Zhou, don¡¯t bully the poor youth.¡±


    Zhou Zheng clicked his tongue and didn¡¯t take it seriously.


    ****


    In the dressing room, the top ten contestants were pulled to take group photos, while the others packed up their belongings and went home. There was a mess everywhere.


    Yu Xiaosheng and Ren Fei surrounded Qi Xiaoyu and tried their best to comfort him: ¡°Xiaoyu, it¡¯s okay; you¡¯ve performed well enough today.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s no other way out if we leave this show. We can still attend other programs, and I¡¯ll help you find the script.¡±


    Ren Fei pulled away his dreadlocks and said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not a big deal. We can form our own group and make our debut. If you sing and I rap, we will definitely become popular.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu felt a bit helpless. Although he didn¡¯t care about this matter in his heart, he still cooperated and showed some disappointment on the surface. ¡°Well, I¡¯m fine, just a little tired. I want to go home and rest first.¡±


    Apart from the Xun family, no one else knew about him or Xun Qian.


    He also didn¡¯t want others to say it. After all, Xun Qian is the leading factor in this relationship. If Xun Qian didn¡¯t say it, he would never say it. He still has such self-awareness.


    Yu Xiaosheng quickly patted him on the shoulder and said, ¡°Okay, you go first. Anyway, we don¡¯t have anything to do here.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu squeezed through a bunch of people, and all the envious and jealous eyes that fell on him before turned into sympathy.

 CH 13

    TL: Hua


    The Xun family villa, contrary to usual, was still brightly lit in the early morning.


    Qi Xiaoyu got out of the car at the gate, tightly wrapped up the thin suit he wore during the performance, and braved the cold wind in the middle of the early winter night.


    When he was about to reach the villa, several luxurious starlight BMWs drove past him like flying.


    Butler Cheng stood in front of the steps at the entrance of the villa, maintaining a bowed posture, as if he were sending someone away. There were also a few servants standing beside him, all bowing uniformly.


    Qi Xiaoyu looked curiously at those BMWs left in the dust, walked towards the exhausted Butler Cheng, and supported him. ¡°Uncle Cheng, why are people still coming at this late hour?¡±


    Butler Cheng sighed silently and slowly stood up straight with Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s help. ¡°It¡¯s the old madam.¡±


    The old madam¡ªthat¡¯s Xun Qian¡¯s mother.


    Xun Qian is not in good health, and Qi Xiaoyu has been here for more than ten days, but it¡¯s only today that he sees his mother for the first time.


    ¡°Old madam? When did she come?¡±


    ¡°She has just arrived tonight. She heard that the third master was ill and came back for a visit. She also wanted to see you; that¡¯s why I told you to come back quickly.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu immediately said, ¡°Sorry for coming back late. But why did the old madam leave so soon?¡±


    The night Qi Xiaoyu first crossed over, he already felt strange. Madam Xun was the one who found him for the wedding, so why didn¡¯t she come to ¡°inspect the goods¡± by herself?


    It¡¯s even more strange now. Isn¡¯t she worried that her son is seriously ill?


    Moreover, on such a cold and silent night, she came but left so soon, not even staying for one night.


    It¡¯s written in the original book that since Xun Qian¡¯s sister and father passed away one after another, the relationship between mother and son has not been very good.


    But these few sentences didn¡¯t describe in detail why the relationship between mother and son deteriorated, nor did they describe how bad it was.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you came.¡±


    Butler Cheng showed a bitter and helpless smile and said slowly in a tired voice, ¡°The relationship between the old lady and the third master finally eased up a bit. The old lady asked you to come here, and the third master also agreed¡­ Unfortunately, because of her brother¡¯s matter, it has become like this again¡­¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu helped Butler Cheng get to the villa. The Xun family had a big family business, and Xun Qian was in charge of such a big power at a young age. Madam Xun¡¯s natal family was naturally jealous. These kinds of things need no detailed explanation. Qi Xiaoyu can guess the end by listening to the beginning.


    He turned to ask, ¡°Then how is the third master¡¯s situation now?¡±


    ¡°The fever hasn¡¯t subsided yet. He still needs an IV drip and is under observation.¡±


    ¡°Why not send him to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Already did. I sent him there last night when he got a high fever.¡± Butler Cheng said, holding Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s forearm tightly. ¡°Yesterday¡¯s situation was really dangerous. Fortunately¡­¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu comforted him with a slight sense of shame: ¡°Heaven always provides for good people.¡±


    ¡°He stayed in the hospital all day today.¡± Butler Cheng sighed again. ¡°He should have recuperated in the hospital for half a month. But he refused.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu remained silent. He knew a little about Xun Qian¡¯s character, which is stubborn and unpredictable. No one could probably make him stay in the hospital.


    Butler Cheng sighed as if he knew what Qi Xiaoyu was thinking: ¡°After so many years of suffering like this, whose words would he listen to? Even what the old lady said is useless.¡±


    *****


    Xun Qian was lying in his bedroom with a needle inserted in the back of his hand, and the bottle had to be changed every half hour.


    Butler Cheng was getting old. After traveling from home to the hospital and then from the hospital to home for two days, he immediately showed the fatigue of the elderly.


    The others looked as if they would rather die than take care of Xun Qian.


    Qi Xiaoyu could only take the initiative to pick up the burden: ¡°Uncle Cheng, you go back to rest; I¡¯ll watch the third master.¡±


    After getting along for more than ten days, Butler Cheng can trust Qi Xiaoyu. ¡°Okay, remember to tell me as soon as the third master wakes up, and call me immediately if there is any situation. Also, don¡¯t forget to replace the hanging bottle.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled obediently and said, ¡°Okay, Uncle Cheng, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    After Butler Cheng closed the door, the room became so quiet that only the sound of dripping water in the hanging bottle could be heard.


    Qi Xiaoyu walked in, first opened the curtains, and then turned on several wall lamps and the night lamp on the bedside table.


    Then he moved the cushion bench at the foot of the bed close to the hanging bottle and put it parallel to the bed.


    In this way, he can lie down and rest, and it¡¯s also convenient for him to keep an eye on Xun Qian¡¯s situation at any time.


    He took off his coat, loosened the top buttons of the stand-up collar shirt, lay sideways on the bench, and stared at Xun Qian¡¯s profile.


    After not seeing each other for only two days, Xun Qian has lost a lot of weight.


    Even under the dim light of the night, his face was paler than usual, but his lips were bright red, with thick eyelashes and narrow eyeliner. The color scheme of black, white, and red had a sense of ghastly beauty.


    It¡¯s not bad to just appreciate this beautiful face.


    Qi Xiaoyu stared at Xun Qian for a while and couldn¡¯t help feeling sleepy, so he yawned.


    This bottle of liquid medicine has just been replaced and would probably take more than half an hour to finish.


    Qi Xiaoyu set the alarm clock on the phone half an hour later, set it to vibrate, put it at hand, and then closed his eyes to prepare for a rest.


    He didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d slept, but it felt like he only squinted and was woken again.


    It wasn¡¯t the phone that rang; the sound came from Xun Qian.


    ¡°Sister.¡± Xun Qian half-opened his eyes. His long eyelashes trembled slightly, and his bright red lips opened and closed slightly.


    At first, Qi Xiaoyu thought Xun Qian was murmuring in his sleep, so he ignored it.


    It took a while to realize that Xun Qian was talking to him.


    He stared at Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s face with eyes that seemed bewildered but also awake and called out again, ¡°Sister.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu thought that Xun Qian was so sick that he confused himself for his sister.


    He got up from the bench and put his hand on Xun Qian¡¯s forehead to test the temperature, thinking that if it was too high, it would be better to call a doctor.


    His hand rested on Xun Qian¡¯s forehead for a while, and Xun Qian looked at him with half-opened eyes.


    After Qi Xiaoyu tested the temperature and was about to withdraw his hand, Xun Qian suddenly grabbed his wrist.


    Qi Xiaoyu struggled to break free but couldn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t expect the sick Xun Qian to be quite strong.


    ¡°Sister, don¡¯t go.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu finished recording the show and rushed back without removing his makeup. His red lips, white teeth, and eye makeup made his already exquisite facial features more beautiful and androgynous.


    ¡°Sister¡ª¡±


    Xun Qian called out again. His hoarse, smoky voice and spoiled ending tune, paired with those naturally amorous eyes¡­


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s gaze fell on Xun Qian¡¯s long and slender fingers, and he hesitated for a moment.


    Seeing that he was not moving, Xun Qian smiled very lightly.


    Xun Qian still knows how to smile. This was Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s first thought, and then he remembered that old photo. The little boy in the photo smiled much more innocently than this.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s heart softened a little, and he felt that although this person was usually very annoying, he could barely be called cute and good-looking at this time.


    He also felt that Xun Qian¡¯s sickness was partly his fault, so he let him hold his hand and said, ¡°I won¡¯t leave; you lie down.¡±


    Xun Qian wandered back and forth between a high fever and a low fever. The tired Qi Xiaoyu also slept on the bench for several days to look after him.


    ****


    During the days when Qi Xiaoyu worked hard to accompany the patient, there was a heated discussion outside about his affairs.


    The main focus is on his performance on the night of the final and the inside story of the show.


    On the night when the show ended, the only two hot searches rushed to the front row: one was ¡°Qi Xiaoyu Sings¡± and the other was ¡°Qi Xiaoyu Shady¡±.


    The first hot search is naturally all beautiful pictures and videos, and everyone is licking his face from a 360-degree angle.


    The second is much more complicated. There are people who eat melons, people who watch the excitement, and fans who accuse each other. There¡¯s a little bit of everything.


    Those who followed the trend and ridiculed Qi Xiaoyu for singing out of tune are now fighting against the injustice, asking, ¡°What the hell? I¡¯ve only heard of Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s name on this show. Why hasn¡¯t the most famous contestant made his debut yet? There¡¯s something shady about this show.¡±


    ¡°This ranking is really unexpected.¡±


    The netizens who became Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fans on the final night said, ¡°My friend and I both voted for Qi Xiaoyu on the day of the final. How could it be possible that he didn¡¯t even rank in the top ten? Wasn¡¯t he the second before?¡±


    ¡°In terms of appearance, singing level, and stage presence, at what point does Xiao Yu fail to meet the debut standard? This is obviously too shady.¡±


    Someone dug up the previous post that predicted the debut list: ¡°There are too many face-slappings in this show. Two days ago, someone said that Qi Xiaoyu could perform exceptionally well, but everyone didn¡¯t believe it, and then was slapped in the face. Later, someone said that Qi Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t make a debut; everyone still didn¡¯t believe it and got slapped in the face again.¡±


    ¡°Hahahahaha, the most successful thing this show does is slap fans in the face.¡±


    There is also the indignation of the fans: ¡°Have we not felt distressed enough before? Or Xiao Yu didn¡¯t work hard enough? The fans have been very fired up, and there are even a lot of netizen votes. Why can¡¯t he make it into the top ten?¡±


    The support team also made a long table that detailed the number of votes cast by each voting group during the finals. ¡°Let¡¯s speak with data. Leaving aside the netizens and passerby vote pool, the results of fans¡¯ votes aren¡¯t much worse than Yu Zhou, let alone Gu Lei, who was ranked outside the top ten before.¡±


    Reasonable and compelling.


    There was a lot of scolding about the rigged show to Gu Lei, who relied on capital for his position, and Orange Juice Entertainment behind Gu Lei.


    Then someone found out that the scale of Orange Juice Entertainment is not large, not comparable to big companies like Feichi Media. Where did the capital come from?


    It turns out that the Xun family is behind the investment.


    Then someone else picked up that the show¡¯s titleholder, Golden Butterfly Wash & Care, is also owned by the Xun family.


    No one knows who the boss of Xun Enterprise is. Xun Qian lives in seclusion and neither accepts interviews nor shows up in public. However, everyone knows that the largest company under the Xun family is Wanhai Real Estate.


    Wanhai Real Estate includes the Weihao Hotel, Xingye Commercial, and many other projects. They also have an official blog.


    So netizens who paid attention to this incident swarmed to leave comments under the official blogs of Wanhai Real Estate and Golden Butterfly Wash & Care.


    At the same time, although Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s popularity reached its highest peak since he participated in ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees¡±, it did not bring any practical benefits.


    There are still no announcements, no advertisements, no invitations to variety shows, not even a feature in small domestic magazines.


    Yu Xiaosheng helped Qi Xiaoyu contact several production crews, but the news that was cast was like stones sinking to the bottom of the sea.


    After a few days, Ren Fei felt that something was wrong and asked Yu Xiaosheng on a leisurely afternoon, ¡°Brother, what¡¯s going on? The show just ended, and Xiao Yu¡¯s popularity is still high. Why hasn¡¯t there been a single announcement? Those who made their debuts are so busy that they have already accepted five or six advertisements.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng took a dull puff of smoke and said, ¡°How would I know?¡±


    Ren Fei bit his finger and thought for a while: ¡°Brother, did Orange Juice Entertainment trip you up behind the scenes?¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng spat all the smoke on Ren Fei¡¯s face and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Cough, cough, should we talk to Xiao Yu about this? Let him post a Weibo message to show off to Gu Lei?¡±


    ¡°Ptooey. Thank you for speaking up. Didn¡¯t you see that Xiao Yu was in a bad mood that day? And you want to tell him this?¡±


    ¡°Then¡­then what should we do?¡± Ren Fei¡¯s voice gradually became weaker. ¡°We can¡¯t have trouble with the money either¡­ If you didn¡¯t bring in enough money, be careful that Old Ding will trouble you.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng stomped the cigarette under his feet a few times and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mention it to Xiao Yu about the public announcement. How great are big companies? I, Yu Xiaosheng, have been in this industry for so many years. Do you think I take people¡¯s money without getting the work done?¡±

 CH 14

    TL: Hua


    Qi Xiaoyu, who was the center of discussion, was sleeping at this time.


    The medicine bottle for Xun Qian has been removed, and his bench is almost seamlessly adjacent to the bed.


    He fell asleep with his body facing Xun Qian¡¯s direction.


    Without a pillow, he bent his own hand under his head and grabbed Xun Qian¡¯s hand, together as a human cushion.


    He slept quite comfortably, resting on both his and Xun Qian¡¯s hands. His breathing was even, and his pointed nose was gently bulging, but the human cushion was clearly not happy, and he had already coughed several times.


    Qi Xiaoyu was woken up by the sound of coughing.


    He first stared at Xun Qian¡¯s face in a daze for a while, then rubbed his eyes and slowly focused on Xun Qian¡¯s gloomy face.


    ¡°Let go.¡± Xun Qian, who was awake, had that indifferent and cold face again.


    Qi Xiaoyu rolled his eyes in his heart, thinking that this person was the most normal when he was sick, but on the surface he obediently said ¡°oh¡± and let go of Xun Qian¡¯s hand. He then got up from the bench, quickly tidied up all the furniture, returned to the bedside, and asked considerately, ¡°Are you feeling better, third master? Do you need me to call the doctor again for a physical examination?¡±


    How can a person not bow his head when living under someone else¡¯s roof?


    ¡°No.¡±


    Xun Qian lowered his eyes, and his gaze fell on the hand he had just drawn back.


    Qi Xiaoyu followed suit. It seemed that the pressure was quite severe, and the back of his pale white hand had turned red, as if it had been scalded by hot water.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s heart thumped. Looking at the situation, he was probably going to be angry.


    ¡°Can you cook?¡± After a while, Xun Qian spoke abruptly, not caring about his hand.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Xiaoyu was taken aback for a moment and then asked in a very polite manner, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±


    Xun Qian finally withdrew his gaze from his hand. He was half lying there, just like before he got sick. His face was pale, and his dark eyes showed boredom and laziness. ¡°Whatever you want, do what you are good at.¡±


    ****


    Qi Xiaoyu is quite familiar with the Xun family¡¯s kitchen.


    Without the chef by his side, he found all the raw materials and prepared them himself.


    Qi Xiaoyu plans to cook porridge. According to Uncle Cheng, Xun Qian¡¯s fever was due to pneumonia, so he added Lily to it.


    Qi Xiaoyu learned to cook, just like everything else, initially to make a living and please his master. After he became famous, he relaxed and started to really fall in love with it.


    Although Qi Xiaoyu is a good singer, he is also good at socializing and entertaining people. Whether it¡¯s singing on stage or dealing with various dignitaries, it takes time and effort.


    That¡¯s why he especially enjoys cooking, planting flowers, walking the dog, and decorating the house¡ªthings he can do to satisfy his stomach and body, as well as enjoy life without having to look at anyone else¡¯s face.


    He also spent a lot of money on these hobbies.


    His senior sister laughed at him, saying that she had never seen young people so eager to enjoy life. When you earned a lot of money at a young age, you¡¯d want to spend it all immediately on the best food, clothing, and other necessities.


    Qi Xiaoyu grinned and told the senior sister not to worry. He didn¡¯t spend all the money and still had some left to invite his senior sister to eat the roast duck of the Eight Treasures.


    The senior sister laughed and told him to save that money to marry a wife.


    Qi Xiaoyu thought to himself that, in fact, he had the mentality of a nouveau riche. When he was a child, he was afraid of living a difficult and poor life. Now he wants to learn and collect everything that is good, for fear that he won¡¯t be able to enjoy it later.


    He cooked white rice porridge with great delicacy.


    He didn¡¯t use a pressure cooker to cook, but instead chose a purple clay pot.


    He also didn¡¯t put the rice in first but added two-thirds of the water to the pot first. Only when the water boiled did he put in the japonica rice mixed with glutinous rice.


    After that, he waited by the side, set the timer, and added another spoonful of cold water after it boiled for five minutes.


    Then he set the timer again, and after three minutes, he added another spoonful of cold water.


    He repeated this three times until all the aroma of the rice was boiled out, and then added the soaked lilies.


    Finally, he turned it to low heat and simmered it for another half an hour.


    Qi Xiaoyu made sure that there was no problem before asking the chef to keep an eye on it. In the meantime, he hurried back to his room to take a shower, change his clothes, and then lay down on the bed.


    He was lying on the bed, watching the porridge cook time, and staring aimlessly at a bird whose species he didn¡¯t know on the balcony.


    The guest room for Qi Xiaoyu is at the end of the corridor on the second floor. It faces south and has windows on both walls. The windows facing east have a small garden outside, and the windows facing south are floor-to-ceiling windows. When you walk out, you will find a small balcony.


    The lighting and ventilation of the room are quite good, and the area is not small¡ªnearly forty square meters.


    Qi Xiaoyu is very satisfied with this room, except for the decoration: the golden wallpaper and the luxurious Simmons bedding will blind people¡¯s eyes; the solid wood furniture is bulky and hard, and your back will hurt when sitting on them.


    In Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s view, the entire decoration of Xun¡¯s house is not good enough. Nobility is nobility, and neatness is neatness, but there is no soul. It¡¯s like buying a model house directly and not moving it again, showing the owner¡¯s lack of attention and neglect of life everywhere.


    He likes his home to be lush, less chaotic, and more smoky.


    If he had been given the job of decorating, he would have remodeled the house. He will hang a few oil paintings on the wall and spread a Turkish plush carpet under the bed so that it will be comfortable to step on bare feet, and he will get up every morning in a good mood.


    He wants to put a rocking chair in the corner, a shelf next to the chair, books on the shelf, and a small speaker on it so that he can drink tea and listen to a little song when he¡¯s free.


    He still wants to buy¡­


    He can¡¯t buy anything; he has no money.


    The 80 or so yuan left over from the last time he drank milk tea was all used as cab fare to rush back two nights ago.


    Suddenly thinking of money, Qi Xiaoyu remembered that Yu Xiaosheng hadn¡¯t contacted him for so many days after the competition.


    He had talked to Yu Xiaosheng before, asking him to help find an acting role.


    Yu Xiaosheng also said that he¡¯d help him contact the crew.


    But after such a long time, there was no news at all. Not to mention further talk about any role; there¡¯s not even an audition chance.


    It¡¯s really weird¡­


    It stands to reason that he has just finished the competition, so it shouldn¡¯t be that there was no announcement at all.


    Qi Xiaoyu thought about it and immediately took out his mobile phone and tentatively sent a message to Yu Xiaosheng, ¡°Brother Yu, I¡¯m sorry that I haven¡¯t come to the company for a few days due to family matters.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng replied quickly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯ve worked hard in the previous competition; take a good rest and pay attention to your body.¡±


    ¡°Is there an announcement in the company?¡±


    This time, after a while, the opposite side kept displaying ¡°the other party is typing¡±.


    After typing for a long time, he said, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that there was no announcement; it¡¯s that those advertisements and endorsements are too rubbish and not worthy of you. You are popular now. The company must seize the opportunity to plan a long-term development route for you in the future.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu pretended to accept Yu Xiaosheng¡¯s words, ¡°Okay, thank you for your hard work.¡±


    After closing the dialog box with Yu Xiaosheng, he thought for a moment and rummaged through the trash can to find Dong Fan¡¯s chat.


    ¡°Baby, what are you doing at home? Are you bored?¡±


    ¡°Baby, come to me, and I¡¯ll take you to variety shows. I¡¯m not afraid of Orange Juice Entertainment.¡±


    ¡°Baby, does my new advertising look good? (A selfie picture is attached.)¡±


    There¡¯s no need to read a lot of news afterward. Qi Xiaoyu already understood what was going on when he saw this.


    In fact, when Ren Fei introduced those entertainment companies to him one by one on the rehearsal day, he was already prepared for the worst in his heart.


    Although he severely slapped the program crew in the face on the final, at the same time, he also gained too much attention and was bound to be remembered.


    What he didn¡¯t expect was that, even if a stage exploded that night, for such a newly emerged character who only has one million Weibo followers, the fans would actually go into war on the internet, and the situation was beyond remedy.


    Qi Xiaoyu turned over on the bed. He originally entrusted Yu Xiaosheng to help find the script because he wanted to have more people and more ways.


    Now Yu Xiaosheng probably has no way out.


    But it doesn¡¯t matter; isn¡¯t there still Xun Qian here?


    He can¡¯t serve Xun Qian for nothing. He massaged his legs, accompanied his bed when he was sick, and even cooked for him.


    Qi Xiaoyu followed the part of the original book related to the entertainment industry to find clues. After Xun Qian and Tang Yuning got married, they invested in a movie almost every year, making Tang Yuning the male lead and pushing him as a movie emperor. The spokespersons for their brands were also Tang Yuning.


    In addition¡­ Before Tang Yuning appeared, the Xun family seemed to have invested in several movies.


    Some have already been released, some are under preparation, and a Republic of China spy film seems to be coming out next year!


    Qi Xiaoyu turned over again, jumped off the bed, served the porridge, and immediately went to Xun Qian.


    He doesn¡¯t have high requirements. It¡¯s fine as long as he can get a small supporting role in a big movie.


    As long as he is given basic resources, he¡¯ll be able to make his own network of contacts along the way!

 CH 15

    TL: Hua


    The rice porridge is very fragrant¡ªnot the smell of spices, but the pure rice fragrance mixed with the smell of sesame oil, which makes people hungry and their stomachs growl.


    Qi Xiaoyu stood at the door with a bowl in his hand. He held the plate in his right hand and raised his left hand to knock on the door. He couldn¡¯t help but swallow his saliva first. He came too fast just now, and he didn¡¯t even have time to eat a bowl.


    The people inside should have smelled the fragrance, and before Qi Xiaoyu knocked on the door, the door was opened first.


    Butler Cheng stood inside the door; his whole body looked much better than the previous few days. He glanced at the porridge in Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s hand and saw that the rice grains were plump and thick, and the whole thing looked crystal clear. Satisfied, he nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Xiao Yu. Bring it in quickly, and just put it on the coffee table.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu walked in and put the porridge on the small coffee table beside the bed, according to his words, while stealthily looking at Xun Qian.


    Xun Qian was leaning on the bed, wearing a pair of flat gold-rimmed glasses, and frowning slightly as he looked at a document in front of him. There was still a slight sick look between his brows, but he was more focused than usual.


    This kind of concentration and seriousness seemed to cast a faint light on him. Even though the overall look was still tired and alienated, it was so good that people couldn¡¯t take their eyes off him.


    Beauty misleads people.


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t have any other thoughts either. He simply glanced at him a few more times out of admiration and, for a moment, forgot where to start talking about the movie.


    Just at this time, Butler Cheng walked in quickly.


    When he came in, he went straight to the desk first, picking up a burgundy-colored envelope with a dark pattern on it before walking towards Qi Xiaoyu.


    He handed the envelope to Qi Xiaoyu and said, ¡°Mr. Qi, this is the invitation card for Kang Qitao¡¯s 50th birthday party. Please keep it.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s heart fluttered, somehow guessing what this meant, but he was a little puzzled. What is Xun Qian up to?


    Butler Cheng seemed to know what Qi Xiaoyu was thinking and explained with a smile, ¡°Mr. Kang sent an invitation for the birthday banquet, but Third Master isn¡¯t in good health and never attends such occasions, so I will trouble you to attend it on his behalf.¡±


    Then he said in a low voice, ¡°Kang Qitao has a high reputation in the industry and has a wide network of contacts. There will be many celebrities and big names in the entertainment industry attending that day. It¡¯s very suitable for Mr. Qi to go.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu naturally understands this without needing Butler Cheng to say more. Just by seeing the program group kiss up to Kang Qitao during ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees¡±, he can tell that this person¡¯s status in the entertainment circle is not low.


    He understands better that invitations to such a celebrity-filled occasion aren¡¯t so easy to get.


    Between drinking and toasting, one can expand one¡¯s network of contacts more quickly than a movie.


    Qi Xiaoyu took the envelope with both hands and glanced at Xun Qian from the corner of his eye.


    He thought that Xun Qian was quite an interesting person. He¡¯s disinterested in everything but understands people¡¯s hearts. Before he could open his mouth, he delivered what he wanted to his door.


    He really didn¡¯t hold this thigh in vain.


    Let¡¯s look for another opportunity to talk about the movie and seize the good opportunity to expand contacts and resources first.


    Qi Xiaoyu was thinking about something when he saw Butler Cheng hand over another white folded card, revealing half of a fixed magnetic card inside.


    Butler Cheng handed this to Qi Xiaoyu and said, ¡°This is a high-end membership card for a fashion studio. Mr. Qi can order a few custom-made suits. Any other purchases made at the store can be put on Third Master¡¯s account.¡±


    ****


    Qi Xiaoyu obediently thanked him.


    After he left with the envelope and magnetic card, only Xun Qian and Butler Cheng were left in the room.


    There was a weird silence for a moment.


    After a while, Xun Qian finally finished reading the document in his hand and put it aside.


    Butler Cheng immediately brought the porridge up and set up a small table, saying, ¡°It looks like it¡¯s cooking well.¡±


    Xun Qian sat up from the bed, holding the spoon without saying anything and slowly scooping a spoonful into his mouth. After a while, he took another spoonful.


    Qi Xiaoyu thoughtfully used a ceramic bowl with two ears to hold the porridge, which is convenient to hold, won¡¯t burn your hands, and has a large capacity, but it didn¡¯t take long before Xun Qian got the bottom of it.


    Butler Cheng watched Xun Qian finish his porridge and smiled. ¡°Since he was already invited to attend Kang Qitao¡¯s birthday banquet, why not just give him the movie resources as well? It will be much easier to support him this way.¡±


    Xun Qian wiped his mouth slowly and said casually, ¡°Who said I¡¯m going to support him? Let¡¯s wait and see first.¡±


    Wiping his mouth clean, he asked slowly, ¡°You said he was the one in my room a few days ago?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Butler Cheng looked at Xun Qian¡¯s face and said slowly, ¡°I think Mr. Qi is pretty good. He¡¯s smart and capable. It¡¯s good to let him spend more time with you.¡±


    Xun Qian covered his mouth and coughed a few times, curling his long, white fingers against his mouth.


    Butler Cheng immediately fell silent, not daring to speak again.


    After a while, Xun Qian picked up another document to read and suddenly said through the paper, ¡°Jiang Feibai and ¡õ¡õ, you go and deal with them.¡±


    Jiang Feibai is the CEO of Orange Juice Entertainment.


    ¡õ¡õ is the general manager of Golden Butterfly Wash&Care and the younger brother of Zhou Zheng, the deputy director of the program group.


    Butler Cheng quickly agreed.


    *****


    Qi Xiaoyu went back to his room, took out the invitation card in the envelope, and took a closer look. Kang Qitao¡¯s birthday banquet is next Saturday night; there are still seven or eight days, but to buy clothes, the time is still quite tight.


    He took out the card from the fashion studio and looked at it. It was a red and white design on a translucent card with a magnetic stripe. It said Clothes Sewing Studio on the front, and a faint Xun character was printed on the back.


    The design is quite impressive.


    Usually, this type of studio is not very efficient.


    Qi Xiaoyu thought for a moment and decided to search the store online first.


    Click on the black and white official website; the first page shows that this studio can get the latest fashions of the world¡¯s top brands for the first time; the second page shows that they provide private customization services from top designers; and the third page shows that all the clothes will have to wait for a season before they can be delivered to the customers.


    One season¡­¡­


    The flowers were all gone by that point.


    But this is Xun Qian¡¯s card; he shouldn¡¯t be cheated¡­.


    Qi Xiaoyu seized the time and decided to go to this studio early the next morning. After all, people rely on clothing to attend such a banquet, so he still needs to dress up well.


    He got up early the next morning and transferred buses and subways to go to this studio located in the CBD of the city center.


    He really didn¡¯t have any money to take a taxi. Xun Qian just sent him an invitation and gave him a card, so he was too embarrassed to ask for money.


    After rolling around buses and subways for almost two hours, he finally arrived at the station, and just after getting out of the subway, he received a call from Yu Xiaosheng.


    Yu Xiaosheng¡¯s tone had uncontrollable excitement: ¡°Xiao Yu, let me tell you some good news. There¡¯s a shooting notice this afternoon; you and I will go there.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was stunned for a moment, not expecting that Yu Xiaosheng could still receive resources for him at such a time. The recent online situation has not been good.


    Although at the beginning it was Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fans and passers-by who accused the program group of being shady, receiving bribes behind the scenes, and disrespecting viewers¡¯ votes, gradually there were more and more marketing accounts and water armies, all of which publicized fairness and justice in the program group, Gu Lei¡¯s innocence, and various means to whitewash the program group and smear Qi Xiaoyu.


    Together, the top ten candidates selected by the program group formed a group called TEN, which had been brushing their faces at various events in the past few days. Their fans were all enthusiastic and were also incited by marketing accounts to attack Qi Xiaoyu.


    On Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s side, there was no movement at all, as if he had disappeared.


    On one side, the company and the idols are working together, and on the other side, both the company and the idol are silent, so the battle is predictable.


    Qi Xiaoyu immediately responded enthusiastically to Yu Xiaosheng, ¡°OK, you send me the address and specific time, I¡¯ll come over on time in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll send it to your phone later.¡±


    After Yu Xiaosheng finished speaking, it seemed as if he was still unsatisfied and continued loudly, ¡°This time I picked up a good magazine for you. They asked you to shoot a back cover for them.¡±


    After a pause, the enthusiasm grew even higher, ¡°Although it¡¯s on the back cover, it¡¯s a second-tier women¡¯s magazine, and it¡¯s quite popular among middle and high school students. I told them that the styling and clothing had to be the best.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you, Brother Yu.¡±


    ¡°The location is at No. 51 Tianxing Road!¡± Although he just said that he would send it to his mobile phone, Yu Xiaosheng couldn¡¯t help but repeat it.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll remember.¡± Qi Xiaoyu looked up, and when he arrived, there was an office building with more than 40 floors in front of him. Looking at the address, this clothing studio was on the 16th floor.


    ¡°Xiaoyu, where are you now? How about I pick you up right now, lest you be late?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu reported the address.


    When Yu Xiaosheng heard this, he changed his mind again: ¡°I¡¯m nearby; just wait; I¡¯ll come to you right away, and we¡¯ll go to the filming place together after we¡¯re done.¡±


    Due to the excitement of finally grabbing a resource, Yu Xiaosheng was particularly swift and resolute. After ten minutes, he arrived at the place and walked upstairs with Qi Xiaoyu, shoulder to shoulder, asking, ¡°Why are you here? Rent clothes or buy clothes? I¡¯ve heard of this studio before. Only big entertainment companies patronize this place. That Old Ding didn¡¯t even have the money to reimburse your styling fee.¡±


    Before Qi Xiaoyu could answer, the elevator door opened, and the pretty receptionist greeted them with a bow, saying, ¡°Welcome both of you.¡±


    The sewing studio is quite big, occupying the entire 16th floor.


    The overall design of the studio is also very modern. There are rooms with frosted glass everywhere, and the shadowy figures and clothes can be vaguely seen inside.


    The receptionist was pretty and polite, but when she heard the words ¡°have no money to reimburse your styling fee¡±, her face distorted uncontrollably.


    After she scanned the clothes of Qi Xiaoyu and Yu Xiaosheng with her sharp eyes, the face with delicate makeup became even more distorted.


    Fortunately, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s face gave her a little confidence. She briefly introduced herself, asked about Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s needs, and then led the two of them around a glass room full of clothes, finally arriving at the innermost room hung with clothes and saying, ¡°Gentlemen, here are the rentable gowns, which are more cost-effective and may be more suitable for you two.¡±


    She spoke politely, but both inside and outside her words, there was an implication that Qi Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t afford other clothes.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s eyesight wasn¡¯t inferior to the receptionist¡¯s.


    With a single sweep, he realized that although these clothes were all big brands, they were obviously a bit old.


    Yu Xiaosheng¡¯s expression also changed slightly. He raised his head and urged impatiently, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we still have to shoot, don¡¯t waste any more time here.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu raised his hand to stop Yu Xiaosheng, who was about to leave. He took out the card Xun Qian gave him, imitated the receptionist¡¯s polite but haughty tone, and said, ¡°If you are a member here, can you choose more clothes?¡±

 CH 16

    TL: Hua


    When the beautiful almond eyes of the front desk lady caught a glimpse of the card in Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s hand, she froze for a moment and then frowned slightly.


    The design of this card is definitely from the sewing studio, but she has never seen this type of membership card.


    Like all other high-end studios that cater to rich people, their membership cards here are divided into regular, VIP, and premium levels, but this red and white-designed card doesn¡¯t seem to belong to any level.


    The receptionist looked at the two people opposite again. Qi Xiaoyu was dressed neatly, and Yu Xiaosheng was dressed business-like. However, based on the brand¡¯s texture, they were all average and definitely not related to luxury goods. She couldn¡¯t grasp what the little star and his agent were really doing. She had seen too many small-name celebrities come here trying to keep up appearances.


    Last time, an 18th-tier starlet lied about being a brand ambassador in order to wear big-name clothes for free on a show. He lied about being a brand ambassador, saying that he came here to rent clothes after contacting the brand.


    Thinking of this, the receptionist looked even worse. She didn¡¯t even pretend to be polite and took the card from Qi Xiaoyu. ¡°Please wait a moment; I¡¯ll check if this card is available.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu made a ¡°please go ahead¡± gesture very gentlemanly.


    Yu Xiaosheng looked at Qi Xiaoyu suspiciously and asked, ¡°What the hell are you doing, kid? I don¡¯t want to embarrass myself like this with you! Look at the way they judged people. I won¡¯t come to this kind of place even if I have money.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu shrugged and joked, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know what this card is for.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Yu Xiaosheng glanced at Qi Xiaoyu with a look that said, ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t believe you,¡± and walked out.


    ¡°Then why are we still here at this sh*t place? Go, go, why don¡¯t we go to the shooting place earlier?¡±


    But before Yu Xiaosheng reached the door, seven or eight people had already walked towards them with joyful smiles on their faces.


    The studio that had just been empty, like no one was there, all of a sudden came alive.


    These few people were obviously not in the same rank as the receptionist just now, and all of them were decently dressed and looked experienced.


    The ladies¡¯ skirts are cut just right, revealing the slender legs; the men¡¯s ties are low-key and elegant, complementing the color of the suit.


    A man who looked like a manager stepped forward and bowed to Qi Xiaoyu, saying, ¡°Hello, Mr. Xun. We didn¡¯t know you were here and have been neglecting you. This is our most professional design and styling team; may I ask what you need?¡±


    It¡¯s no wonder that the manager misidentified him. It¡¯s because Xun Qian is as mysterious as Batman and basically doesn¡¯t appear outside his home or office building.


    The last time they saw this card was more than four years ago. Xun Qian came to their studio to order a large number of clothes, left his size information, and left.


    At that time, Xun Qian was personally received by the head and chief designer of their studio, and the others were not even qualified to watch.


    Since then, Xun Qian has never appeared again. The designer will go to his house once a year to deliver the clothes.


    But this doesn¡¯t stop them from being curious about Xun Qian. After all, Xun Qian holds the unique top-level gold card here and can enjoy all the services within the legitimate range, making him their most esteemed guest.


    The honor given by the Clothes Sewing Studio is natural because the Xun family is powerful enough. For example, the high-standard office building in a prime location where they were staying was Xun Qian¡¯s property.


    For another example, the Xun family holds 60% of the stake in a luxury brand that they have cooperated with for a long time and are most proud of.


    According to the rumors, Xun Qian is young and handsome; his skin is so white that it can reflect light; his waist is so thin that he only needs to wear an 87cm belt; and one look can seduce the soul. He is so good-looking as if he were an immortal descending from the heavens.


    When the manager saw Qi Xiaoyu, he felt that the young man¡¯s face in front of him was worthy of the rumored beauty, although the clothes on his body didn¡¯t look like those sent by their studio.


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled slightly, without embarrassment, and said generously, ¡°My surname is not Xun, but Qi. This card belongs to my friend.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng turned his head and glanced at Qi Xiaoyu curiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The manager nodded, but his respectful expression remained unchanged. To get this card, he must have a close relationship with Xun Qian. Otherwise, why hasn¡¯t anyone else come here with this card in all these years?


    ¡°Excuse me, what do you need, Mr. Qi? We¡¯ve prepared some refreshments; please move to the lounge next door to eat something while we¡¯re chatting.¡±


    Although the lounge was located next door, it was clearly different from the room in the corner just now. The floor-to-ceiling glass is facing the river, and looking across the bank is the Weihao Hotel, with an excellent view.


    Inside, couches that looked like shells or pebbles were placed in twos and threes.


    On a dark green marble coffee table in the center, there were small gold-rimmed coffee cups, a three-tiered cake plate with colorful macaroons, and strawberry cubes1I don¡¯t know if strawberry cube is the right name. that gave off a rich, creamy aroma.


    Qi Xiaoyu expressed his idea of choosing some formal suits for banquets.


    The manager nodded again and again, saying, ¡°Wait a minute; I¡¯ll measure the size for you first.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng originally wanted to ask Qi Xiaoyu why he chose suits, but several staff members have already stepped forward to surround Qi Xiaoyu, two with iPads and two with tape measures, helping him record his waistline information.


    At the entrance of the lounge, the receptionist, who had just walked away, poked her head out and looked eagerly at Qi Xiaoyu, who was surrounded in the center like a flower cluster.


    She came to work here to look for opportunities to meet rich people so that she could get out of her current life and take a step to become a rich wife.


    But regular guests will make appointments in advance and have their own stylists they know to take them in.


    She has shallow qualifications and can only entertain random visitors at the front desk. Among these people, either they came to take a look out of curiosity or they came here to keep an appearance. There are not many who really have goods in their pockets.


    Today, she finally met a rich man, but she seemed to miss it.


    Sighing, she deeply remembered the way the manager¡¯s eyes lit up when she handed over the card.


    Had she known that it was the highest-level gold card, she would have seriously tried to win Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s favor in the beginning.


    The receptionist was so angry that she stomped her feet secretly. After glancing at Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s face, she was even more regretful. Why do rich people dress so casually these days?


    ¡°Why are you still here? Don¡¯t disturb the guest choosing clothes.¡±


    Before the receptionist had enough remorse, the manager had already driven the person away with a sullen face.


    On this side, Qi Xiaoyu had just taken his measurements when someone pushed a row of clothes in and bent down to introduce him. ¡°You can pick any style here.¡±


    ¡°This is the D¡¯s design for next spring, this is the G¡¯s latest poster model; and this is ¡­¡­.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing you like here, you can take a look at this design draft, which is all exclusive styles designed by major designers. We can also make an appointment for you, but the time may be longer.¡±


    During the conversation, another staff member pushed in a glass cabinet, which shone with various metallic lusters. Rings, brooches, cufflinks, and neckties were neatly arranged in different categories. ¡°Here are accessories, Mr. Qi; see if you like them.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng had been in the entertainment industry for a number of years and had seen a lot of the world, so he could tell what these things were worth even if they didn¡¯t have a price tag.


    It is said that celebrity spending is high; isn¡¯t it just spent on these places?


    Being surrounded by such expensive items, Yu Xiaosheng couldn¡¯t help but feel a little restrained. This is a very normal situation; when a person faces items beyond their financial ability, there will always be some discomfort, which may be accompanied by inferiority, vanity, and greed.


    He subconsciously glanced at Qi Xiaoyu, a little surprised at the other party¡¯s calmness.


    Qi Xiaoyu felt no sense of constraint. Like sweeping goods in a supermarket, he swept over those expensive clothes and accessories. With his slender and fair fingers, he picked up a brown woolen brooch and compared it to a suit of the same color scheme.


    The eyes of the manager and other staff members followed Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s hand. The jewelry in this cabinet all looks more valuable than this brooch. However, this brooch is designed and made by the chief designer of D House himself. The crochet flower on top is very detailed and lifelike, and although the materials used are average, they are definitely unique.


    The manager couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of relationship this young man had with Xun Qian. Is it Xun Qian¡¯s lover? It¡¯s no wonder that Xun Qian has taken a liking to him. His vision is really extraordinary.


    Qi Xiaoyu chose the clothes and said, ¡°Please alter these suits according to my body shape. I¡¯ll come pick them up next Friday.¡±


    The person next to him immediately wrote that down.


    After finishing, another group of people sent Qi Xiaoyu and Yu Xiaosheng to the elevator in a grandiose way, with completely opposite attitudes from when Qi Xiaoyu came.


    If it weren¡¯t for Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s decline, they would probably send him to the underground parking lot.


    *****


    Fortunately, they didn¡¯t, because there was only an old Buick LaCrosse parked there.


    When the two got into the car and the door was closed, Yu Xiaosheng finally couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Xiao Yu, where did you get the card from such a place?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu made an excuse casually: ¡°It¡¯s a gift from a fan.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng took out his cigarette and hesitated. ¡°Xiao Yu, are you¡­¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu fastened his seat belt and looked at him.


    Yu Xiaosheng took out the cigarette but didn¡¯t light it. ¡°Although our company is small and has no resources, don¡¯t make detours. If you get exposed later, it¡¯s over.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu laughed out loud: ¡°Brother Yu, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not what you think.¡±


    Even if the relationship between him and Xun Qian is exposed in the future, it¡¯s still a legitimate marriage and divorce.


    What¡¯s more, with Xun Qian¡¯s status and power, who would dare expose his information casually?


    Yu Xiaosheng put the cigarette back and suddenly sighed, ¡°Xiao Yu, you have really changed a lot recently.¡±


    ****


    Yu Xiaosheng made an appointment with the magazine to start shooting at 3:00 pm, and they arrived at 2:00 pm.


    The Buick stopped at the parking lot in the backyard of the magazine office. Yu Xiaosheng looked at the front yard through the rearview mirror when reversing the car and asked, ¡°Why are there so many people? Your fans?¡±


    After speaking, he smacked himself and said, ¡°I only finalized this project this morning. It¡¯s impossible for your fans to know the news so quickly.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu also turned around to take a look. There was indeed a circle of fans outside the studio, but upon closer inspection, it was basically Yu Zhou¡¯s banners or posters: ¡°It¡¯s not mine, it¡¯s Yu Zhou¡¯s.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng stopped the car to take a look and cursed angrily, ¡°I C2originally written in raw, why are they here?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu knew that Yu Xiaosheng was afraid he (qxy) would be embarrassed, so he comforted him, ¡°It¡¯s fine, the entertainment industry is just this big. We¡¯re bound to meet each other.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng was still indignant. ¡°You¡¯re fine; I¡¯m not fine, okay?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu really didn¡¯t take them seriously. The influence of this show is great, but that¡¯s it. The overall level is not very good. He has a good idea of his future development and doesn¡¯t want anything to do with these people.


    ¡°All right, all right, let¡¯s do our own shooting and ignore them.¡±


    Five or six people from Yu Zhou¡¯s group came to shoot the cover, but not all of them were there. Beside Yu Zhou, there were Gu Lei and a few others.


    In order to maintain the popularity of this group, their daily itinerary will be posted on the group¡¯s official blog, which is convenient for fans to organize support and build momentum. In the entertainment industry, sometimes, no matter whether you are really popular or not, you have to create momentum first so that others will think you are popular.


    Therefore, when Qi Xiaoyu and Yu Xiaosheng entered the magazine office through the back door, they saw Yu Zhou and Gu Lei coming in from the front door, surrounded by fans and managers.


    Comparing the two, it seems that Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s side is a bit deserted.


    Especially when people from both sides meet in the corridor, the atmosphere is even more weird.


    Gu Lei, who was walking in front, saw Qi Xiaoyu walking head-on from afar. His face darkened on the spot, and he immediately turned his head to ask his agent, ¡°Why does this magazine invite just anyone?¡±

 CH 17

    TL: Hua


    Gu Lei¡¯s agent didn¡¯t look too good and muttered, ¡°How do I know? I heard that the female star who was shooting the back cover was temporarily absent for other activities, so perhaps he came to replace her.¡±


    Gu Lei snorted, ¡°Really know how to pick up unwanted things.¡±


    Gu Lei now really hates Qi Xiaoyu to death.


    During ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees¡±, he just didn¡¯t take Qi Xiaoyu seriously. His singing and dancing skills were poor, and he didn¡¯t seek to make progress. Whichever team he was on, he would hold them back, and the whole team had to nurse him. How can such a person occupy the debut position? What about those who put in real effort?


    Wouldn¡¯t it be a big joke if someone like Qi Xiaoyu could debut and become an idol?


    At that time, not only he but other people with real ability also looked down on Qi Xiaoyu.


    Later, Qi Xiaoyu stole his position as lead singer in the finals, and all Gu Lei had was a faint disdain.


    At most, he just wanted to ask Qi Xiaoyu, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel ashamed for stealing my position with your strength?¡±


    After all, apart from disdain, he couldn¡¯t muster any more emotions. He was 100% convinced that with Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s strength, even if he stole the lead singer position, it would be a public embarrassment, just like auditioning in the training room that day.


    Apart from highlighting his excellence, he has no other function.


    And why should he be serious with a rookie?


    Unexpectedly, on the night of the finals, Qi Xiaoyu performed exceptionally well, and Gu Lei was overwhelmed with an inconceivable and unbelievable shock.


    He has liked music since he was a child. He started vocal training at the age of four, learned the violin at the age of five, played the piano at the age of six, and won a prize in a singing competition at the age of seven.


    He has practiced singing for so many years, worked hard to get into the music department, was selected into Orange Juice Entertainment with his singing ability, and used his strength to make up for his shortcomings in appearance to break into the top 20.


    No one knows better than him how much hard work one has to put in in this day and age in order to become popular with singing, in addition to being talented.


    And Qi Xiaoyu, after only ten days of training, was able to perform so well? !


    Obviously, he should be the dazzling lead singer that night. Everyone always praised his voice, and Yuan Yaling also said that he was born for this profession.


    Yet Qi Xiaoyu only sang seven or eight lines and easily took away all the light that should belong to him? His fans even hyped up his dedicated, hardworking persona because of it.


    At that time, apart from the shock, there was also a trace of jealousy, which rose from the bottom of his heart like a flame, scorching his angry and unbalanced heart.


    Why is Qi Xiaoyu so lucky?


    Fortunately, everything developed on the right track afterwards. As promised by the company and the program group, he made his debut smoothly, and there was no Qi Xiaoyu in this team.


    He was very happy and satisfied with the result. When he took a photo with his teammates on the night of his debut, he even forgot the unhappiness Qi Xiaoyu had brought him.


    After forming the group, his teammates liked him. This group needs a lead singer, and he is the best lead singer!


    In the new song they are preparing, all the high-pitched parts have been given to him.


    His agent also encouraged him, saying that in addition to activities with the group, he would also help him receive movie OSTs and release singles, which would definitely make him a top idol singer.


    But all of this was ruined by Qi Xiaoyu and his fans.


    Those fans scolded him, preached everywhere that he relied on capital to rise to power, and said that he was shady.


    They asked him to leave TEN and apologized to the audience, sending him private messages saying that he sings poorly and that his look is unworthy of being there.


    They even left comments under the official blogs of Orange Juice Entertainment and Wanhai Real Estate, saying that he¡¯s morally corrupt and not worthy of their investment.


    Although the company quickly bought a large number of marketing accounts and water armies to help him clean up the matter and even suppressed Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fans, it still had a serious impact on him.


    His agent told him that a movie OST that was originally discussed might have to be temporarily put on hold. The other side had to reconsider the candidate and wanted to choose an artist with a better reputation to cooperate with.


    Needless to say, the implication is that Gu Lei has a lot of anti-fans.


    His bright future through hard work has been discredited by Qi Xiaoyu and his fans!


    Up to this point, Gu Lei had been unilaterally involved with Qi Xiaoyu.


    So now, it can be said that when enemies come face-to-face, their eyes blaze with hatred.


    One of them came in through the front door, and the other came in through the back door, but their destinations were all in the dressing room.


    When they met at the corner, Qi Xiaoyu politely took two steps aside and let them go first.


    But Gu Lei obviously didn¡¯t want to walk properly. He insisted on pulling his agent and others to squeeze towards Qi Xiaoyu until they squeezed Qi Xiaoyu into the wall before giving up.


    Qi Xiaoyu stuck his body against the wall and retracted his feet a bit to avoid being stepped on.


    Yu Xiaosheng was about the same as him, his whole body clinging to the wall.


    He glared at the group of people angrily, but this time he didn¡¯t scold anyone; he just pulled Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s sleeve after they left and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go get your makeup done. The shooting is going to be at three o¡¯clock.¡±


    But when the two of them entered the dressing room, they found that it was basically occupied by people from Yu Zhou and Gu Lei¡¯s sides.


    The dressing room of the magazine was originally small because, usually, only one or two stars would come, so only four workbenches were set up. Now there are five or six people in Yu Zhou and Gu Lei¡¯s group, plus their respective assistants and agents, fully packed into the entire space.


    The staff in charge of makeup and hair for the magazine were opening their kits and preparing to start their makeup. Hearing the voice, she looked up at Qi Xiaoyu and asked, ¡°Are you guys here for the shoot as well?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu nodded.


    The makeup artist casually pointed to a sofa under the window and said, ¡°Sit there and wait.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng frowned, then walked towards the makeup artist, changed into a smiling face, and said in a negotiating tone, ¡°¡±Your deputy editor-in-chief and I have scheduled a three o¡¯clock shooting and two-thirty make-up. Look, it¡¯s exactly two twenty-five. Shouldn¡¯t you help us put on makeup first? Besides, we¡¯re only one person here, so it¡¯s going to be done quickly.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Lei¡¯s agent stood up and said to the makeup artist, ¡°I just talked to your editor-in-chief, Fang. As soon as we arrive here, we will prepare for makeup and shooting. Our artists will go to a live broadcast party next. If we don¡¯t hurry, we might not be able to finish the shooting.¡±


    Gu Lei¡¯s agent hates Yu Xiaosheng, no less than Gu Lei hates Qi Xiaoyu. He already has a sense of superiority from a big company and looks down on small workshops like Star Entertainment. Yu Xiaosheng has caused him so much trouble these days, which makes him even more furious and angry.


    Now that they met, he naturally had to vent all that anger: ¡°People who have no other job and were pulled in just to fill the page can put on makeup at any time. No need to act so important.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng¡¯s face froze in an instant. The exaggerated big words that he boasted before were exposed as lies, and he didn¡¯t dare look back at Qi Xiaoyu at all.


    The makeup artist glanced at Qi Xiaoyu and immediately understood.


    The back cover of their issue was indeed not Qi Xiaoyu at the beginning, but another new-generation female star. But that girl did as she pleased and didn¡¯t keep her word. She just said she couldn¡¯t make it without giving explanation.


    The other stars of a similar level are all fully booked and couldn¡¯t get an appointment on a temporary basis.


    In desperation, they have resorted to contacting a little fresh meat1Young, handsome male celebrity..


    Presumably, the people brought in like this are not very important.


    The entertainment industry is always a place where the highs step on the lows. This makeup artist is also a shrewd person. She turned her head and asked, ¡°Do you know Editor-in-Chief Fang?¡±


    Gu Lei¡¯s agent glanced at Yu Xiaosheng, showing a seemingly modest but smug smile. ¡°Editor Fang and our Boss Jiang have a good relationship. They often eat and drink tea together. It seems that they have an appointment for lunch today as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡±


    The makeup artist smiled immediately and said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve talked with the editor-in-chief, you must be in a hurry. Let¡¯s get started.¡±


    After finishing speaking, she dipped the makeup brush in a soft white cream and carefully patted Gu Lei¡¯s shoehorn face2Face with protruding jaw. This author sure hates Gu Lei., ignoring Qi Xiaoyu and the others.


    On the side, Yu Xiaosheng gritted his teeth in anger. He searched for resources for Qi Xiaoyu everywhere without taking a break because he didn¡¯t want to admit defeat to those big companies, but in the end, he was still humiliated.


    Qi Xiaoyu looked at his slightly trembling back, stepped forward and pulled his sleeves, then turned to look at the makeup artist and asked, ¡°Is your name Daisy?¡±


    The make-up artist called Daisy stopped what she was doing. She didn¡¯t expect Qi Xiaoyu to know her name, and she was a bit caught off guard as she looked at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled faintly and said, ¡°Nothing; it¡¯s just that since you guys haven¡¯t scheduled a time properly, we¡¯ll leave first. If your deputy editor asks, I¡¯ll tell the truth.¡±


    The make-up artist didn¡¯t expect this no-name star to be so stubborn. Her expression changed, but she still insisted, ¡°OK, if the deputy editor asks, I¡¯ll tell him it¡¯s first come, first served. What¡¯s wrong with that? They came first.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled mockingly and turned to Gu Lei¡¯s agent, saying, ¡°Your company¡¯s artist foundation isn¡¯t good, and it does take some time to slowly put on makeup. Let¡¯s go first and not waste time.¡±


    Without giving Gu Lei¡¯s agent time to react, he said loudly to Yu Xiaosheng, ¡°Brother Yu, isn¡¯t there a movie that invited us to chat at five o¡¯clock? Why don¡¯t we go there now? After all, it¡¯s a big-name director. It¡¯s not good to be late.¡±


    After Qi Xiaoyu finished speaking, he showed a decent smile, pulled Yu Xiaosheng up, and walked out of the dressing room, leaving behind a room full of people who couldn¡¯t find anyone to argue with because they didn¡¯t react fast enough.


    *****


    At the same time, Boss Jiang from Orange Juice Entertainment was having a drink with the magazine¡¯s editor-in-chief, Fang.


    Editor Fang, who was wearing a pair of black round-framed glasses, held down Jiang Feibai¡¯s hand that was pouring wine and said, ¡°Old Jiang, what are you doing? Look at what time it is in the afternoon? It¡¯s not the right time to drink. You¡¯re not going to the company this afternoon?¡±


    Jiang Feibai shook his neatly combed hair and said, ¡°Go to the company? What company? I¡¯m going to be fired soon.¡±


    Editor Fang, ¡°Are you really drunk? You¡¯ve done a good job, and you¡¯re the leader of Orange Juice Entertainment. Who wants to fire you?¡±


    Jiang Feibai replied with two words in a low voice: ¡°Big Boss.¡±


    Editor Fang wondered, ¡°Which big boss? Xu Xiujie? His father is about to go to jail, so why does he care about you?¡±


    Jiang Feibai: ¡°It¡¯s not him.¡±


    Editor Fang, ¡°It¡¯s not him? Then who else?¡±


    Jiang Feibai lowered his head and did not speak.


    After a while, Editor Fang was startled and said in a low voice, ¡°Could it be¡­ that Mr. Xun¡­.he¡¯s going to fire you?¡±


    Jiang Feibai nodded lifelessly.


    Editor Fang became even more curious now and widened his small eyes behind the small round glasses, asking, ¡°How is this possible? Why does he care about you?¡±


    Jiang Feibai groaned.


    ¡°The Xun family¡¯s family business is so large, and your company is as small as a grain of sand in comparison. Doesn¡¯t he think it¡¯s a waste of time?¡±


    Jiang Feibai shook his head and said, ¡°You ask me, and who should I ask? I haven¡¯t even met him face-to-face; how do I know where I offended him?¡±


    Editor Fang clicked his tongue and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been in this industry for almost ten years, but I haven¡¯t seen the true face of this immortal. Old Jiang, you¡¯re really good; you¡¯ve managed to offend him.¡±


    Jiang Feibai snorted and said bitterly, ¡°Yeah, just keep laughing at me. There is really no one in this world who is more stupid than me. I don¡¯t even know where it went wrong.¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong? Old Jiang, you¡¯re not such a foolish person. You can offend anyone but him.¡±


    ¡°But this time, I¡¯m really so confused. I¡¯ve been thinking about it for two days, and I really can¡¯t figure out how I offended this great Buddha. I really, really haven¡¯t even met him. How could I offend him?¡±


    Editor Fang raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s your subordinates who have offended him, or perhaps you¡¯ve done it unintentionally. Hey, stop drinking, go back and check the recent events carefully one by one, and find out what went wrong.¡±

 CH 18

    Translate by Hua


    Chapter 18


    Qi Xiaoyu and Yu Xiaosheng walked out of the magazine office and went straight to the backyard to pick up the car.


    Yu Xiaosheng got into the car, put the key in, and put his foot on the pedal, but before he could start the car, he let go of his foot and stopped the car again, still out of breath.


    Qi Xiaoyu glanced at him.


    He pulled out a cigarette to light it, inhaled two puffs, and laughed at himself. ¡°You know everything? You kept pretending to be oblivious in front of me and even told them that we had an appointment with the director to talk about movies. Your acting skill is pretty good. It¡¯s a waste if you don¡¯t become an actor.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled and said, ¡°Really? I also think I¡¯m quite suitable for this profession. I just lack the script.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng smiled, trying to match Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s jokes. But the smile he forced out was uglier than crying.


    Qi Xiaoyu touched his nose and comforted him. ¡°Brother Yu, this matter has nothing to do with you at all. It¡¯s me who wants to show off, so you don¡¯t have to blame yourself.¡±


    With a cigarette in his mouth, Yu Xiaosheng took two deep puffs, and a straight puff of smoke came out of his nose. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard this time, but I didn¡¯t keep up.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu patted Yu Xiaosheng on the shoulder and said in a brisk tone, ¡°It¡¯s fine, brother Yu. There will be more opportunities in the future.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng was a little low and depressed. ¡°Xiao Yu, since you know all these things, I won¡¯t hide them from you. The company¡¯s financial situation this year is not good, and it has been losing money for the past few months¡­ Only you and Ren Fei are a bit popular among the company¡¯s artists, but now you can¡¯t even get any work. If this continues, the company may not last long. I told you all of these, so you can make plans for yourself.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    It sounds worse than in the original book. Why did the company go bankrupt once he transmigrated¡­ In the original book, the company survived until the end of the full text.


    He was suddenly a little worried that his unexpected appearance would change many things.


    Seeing the change in Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s expression, Yu Xiaosheng, who was originally sad, quickly changed the subject: ¡°Take out your phone. I¡¯ll transfer today¡¯s shooting fee to you.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ they paid us in advance? If you have already received money, it would be bad for us to come out like this.¡±


    ¡°What the hell? Who but us would be willing to fill their pages in such a hurry? This amount of money isn¡¯t even enough to cover travel expenses, and they don¡¯t even give us any face. Tsk, no wonder they¡¯re still a second-tier magazine.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t help but want to laugh, ¡°That¡¯s not what you said in the morning. You said that there¡¯s a market for junior high school students.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng also smiled and said, ¡°You think I like to lose face? Let¡¯s go; we won¡¯t come to this crappy place in the future, not even if we¡¯re invited.¡±


    ****


    Qi Xiaoyu separated from Yu Xiaosheng at the subway station. He didn¡¯t go back directly to Xun¡¯s house, but he took a detour to a nearby supermarket. Tomorrow is Lidong (the start of winter, November 8th). He decided to make good preparations and put other things aside for the time being.


    Just now, Yu Xiaosheng transferred several thousand yuan to him, enough for him to buy something.


    He likes the winter holiday.


    In the past, in the opera troupe, apart from Chinese New Year, the only day he could rest for half a day was Lidong.


    On this day, Master will use the erhu to play some lively songs, and the senior sister will make dumplings for everyone.


    Mfn:


    The martial brothers who don¡¯t have homework can go out for a stroll in the street, buy candied hawthorn, eat prawn wontons, watch street performances, and so on.


    Master doesn¡¯t let them eat things like fish and shrimp that can trigger sickness and allergies. He only makes an exception and allows everyone to eat whatever they want during Lidong.


    For teenage Qi Xiaoyu, there is simply no happier life than this.


    Therefore, even though the era has changed and the character has changed, and he is the only one left, he still wants to celebrate this festival well.


    There are three floors in the supermarket. Qi Xiaoyu went straight to the fresh food section on the first floor. First, he picked out six hairy crabs, then bought flour, pork belly, Chinese cabbage, shrimp, bamboo shoots, mangoes, and a bag of butter.


    After buying all the ingredients, he was still a little unsatisfied. He passed by the department store and picked up a small harmonica.


    Then he went to the flower and bird antique market next to the supermarket to take a stroll.


    Qi Xiaoyu loves to buy things, especially small tableware. Once he buys them, he can¡¯t stop the car.


    But the things in this kind of flower and bird market are so-so. Qi Xiaoyu strolled for a long time but only picked up one cup. It was a Tianbai (sweet white) glazed cup with a fine dark pattern decoration looming under the white glaze.


    The owner of that antique shop originally wanted to charge a high price, saying that it was Tianbai glaze produced in Ming Dynasty official kilns.


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled and took out his phone to turn on the flashlight, shining diagonally at the bottom of the cup at a 45-degree angle. Then, pointing to the pattern on the bottom of the cup illuminated by optical fibers, he said, ¡°Boss, can you explain why the Tianbai glaze produced by official kilns has such broken flaws on the pattern?¡±


    Knowing that he had met an expert, the boss stopped talking and asked Qi Xiaoyu to name a price and take the cup away.


    When Qi Xiaoyu came back happily with two big bags of things, Butler Cheng was taken aback. ¡°Xiao Yu, you¡¯re shopping for New Year¡¯s goods?¡±


    The corners of Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s mouth curled up, and he smiled sweetly. ¡°Tomorrow is Lidong. I want to make dumplings for everyone to eat.¡±


    After speaking, he flashed into the kitchen, mixed the flour and water in advance, and stirred them up to make dumpling wrappers.


    The cook, Mama Li, rushed over to help and said that there are ready-made dumpling skins in the refrigerator, so there is no need for trouble.


    Qi Xiaoyu raised his flour-stained hand and brushed the scattered hair around his ear with the back of his hand. ¡°The dumpling wrappers I made myself are chewier and thicker. Besides, Lidong only comes once a year, so it¡¯s not too troublesome.¡±


    Mama Li sighed. ¡°Is Lidong tomorrow? Oh, then let me help you make dumpling wrappers. Our hometown also eats dumplings during Lidong.¡±


    ¡°Okay then, help me knead the dough. I¡¯ll go and deal with the shrimp.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Xiao Yu, did you add salt to the dough? Do you want to add some more?¡±


    Butler Cheng looked at Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s serious attitude and was slightly stunned. The Xun family didn¡¯t celebrate festivals often. Not to mention local festivals like Lidong, they couldn¡¯t even celebrate the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, or even birthdays.


    Xun Qian was not interested in these things, so the others naturally kept silent. The Xun family was deserted all years round.


    It¡¯s always as silent as a pool of stagnant water, with no joy or sadness.


    While Butler Cheng was staring at the kitchen, Xun Qian also pushed the wheelchair over.


    Butler Cheng immediately stood behind Xun Qian respectfully and asked, ¡°Shall I call Mr. Qi over?¡±


    Xun Qian raised his hand, indicating that there was no need.


    The master and servant stayed silent for quite a while.


    Only after a long time did Butler Cheng tentatively say, ¡°After Mr. Qi came, the house was really much more lively. This holiday season has also taken on a festive look.¡±


    Xun Qian didn¡¯t say anything. He lazily looked at the kitchen, but his eyes were focused on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s back.


    Qi Xiaoyu was busy until it was dark in the evening, and only then did he prepare all the ingredients that would be used the next day.


    Although a little tired, Qi Xiaoyu was in a good mood. When working with Mama Li, the happy shadows of the past always flash in his mind.


    At that time, the senior sister had not passed away due to dystocia. In the afternoon of Lidong, she was always busy in the kitchen, kneading noodles, mixing meat, and chopping vegetables.


    Memories related to his senior sister were always mixed with a sweet and meaty aroma.


    Qi Xiaoyu returned to his room, unable to sleep for a while.


    He pushed open the door to the balcony and walked outside to the small terrace, where a full moon hung high in the sky like a jade disk.


    Qi Xiaoyu leaned on the railing, resting his chin with his hand, looking at the moon.


    He has no nostalgia for the past world because his master and senior sister were no longer there.


    But he thought of them from time to time, and whenever he remembered his master¡¯s strict teaching and his senior sister¡¯s attentive care, he felt that even in this world, Master and Senior Sister are still with him.


    During that one winter solstice, it was also such a full moon. Master sang to them an excerpt from the Peking opera ¡°Wen Zhao Guan¡±¡ªa round of bright moon shining in front of the window, piercing the sorrowful hearts like an arrow.


    He took out the harmonica he bought in the afternoon and played a simple section.


    The tune of ¡°Wen Zhao Guan¡± was sad. At that time, he didn¡¯t feel it when listening to this song with many seniors. But tonight he was alone, and against such perfect moonlight, it seemed especially bleak.


    ¡°Qi Xiaoyu.¡±


    He had just finished playing when he suddenly heard someone calling him.


    The raspy and lazy voice was Xun Qian¡¯s.


    Qi Xiaoyu looked up and saw that Xun Qian was sitting on the terrace diagonally above him, wearing a thick fur coat that only exposed his face.


    After Xun Qian finished calling out to him, there was no further conversation.


    Qi Xiaoyu looked up at him and met a pair of pitch-black eyes.


    Qi Xiaoyu turned his head away unnaturally and felt that this was quite awkward, so he tried very hard to liven up the atmosphere. ¡°Today¡¯s moon is quite round.¡±


    Xun Qian gave a cold ¡°um¡±.


    Judging from the meaning in that tone, it seems as if he was saying, ¡®I have eyes; I can see that it¡¯s very round.¡¯


    Qi Xiaoyu sighed inwardly, thinking that it was really too difficult to chat with this person.


    But he remembered that Xun Qian had given him the birthday invitation card and studio gold card, so he made another effort: ¡°It¡¯s windy outside today. Are you feeling cold, Third Master? Should I bring you a heat pack?¡±


    Xun Qian said ¡°um¡± again.


    The central air conditioner used in the villa is also equipped with floor heating. In winter, it¡¯s so warm that you can wear short sleeves. There is really no need to use a heat pack.


    Qi Xiaoyu felt that his IQ was not online today. Why did he dig a hole for himself?


    But since the hole has been dug, it has to be filled.


    First he found an empty milk bottle and filled it with hot water, then he found a fluffy towel, wrapped it around the milk bottle, and touched it with his hand. It was warm and soft.


    Qi Xiaoyu went up to the third floor with the DIY heat pack, while Xun Qian was still sitting on the terrace.


    The cold wind made the tip of his nose red, his skin was transparent, and his eyelashes were as wet as if they were soaked in water.


    Qi Xiaoyu handed over the hot water bottle.


    Xun Qian tucked it under his arms and stroked the soft fur twice.


    Then he remained silent again.


    After a while, when Qi Xiaoyu wondered if Xun Qian¡¯s wheelchair broke down because he stayed here blown by wind, the other party unexpectedly spoke up first, ¡°What were you playing just now?¡±


    ¡°Just playing at random. It¡¯s a short piece of Peking opera that I heard when I was a child.¡±


    ¡°You know a lot.¡±


    No matter what Xun Qian said, he was aloof and indifferent, as if he were mocking others.


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t know whether it was a compliment or sarcasm, so he could only reply cautiously, ¡°It¡¯s just so-so.¡±


    After a while, Xun Qian looked up at the sky and said, ¡°The last time I saw the moon with my sister, it was also the 16th.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu momentarily didn¡¯t know what to pick up when Xun Qian mentioned the most important person in his heart. Once again, he felt that it was really difficult to chat with Xun Qian. As soon as he opened his mouth, it was this kind of statement.

 CH 19

    Translate by Hua


    Qi Xiaoyu wisely chose to remain silent.


    He didn¡¯t want to take on this topic, firstly because he was afraid that if he didn¡¯t take it seriously, it would make Xun Qian angry. Secondly, this topic broke through the security line in his heart.


    He turned around, pretending not to hear this sentence, and looked up at the moon in the sky.


    Pushed by the cold wind, a few streams of clouds quickly slid over the moon.


    Fortunately, Xun Qian didn¡¯t speak again.


    Qi Xiaoyu breathed a sigh of relief and then looked up at the moon. The bright moonlight gave him peace of mind.


    He loved every night with the moon; even if he didn¡¯t light a lamp, the house wouldn¡¯t be dark.


    He is quite afraid of the dark.


    But no one knows about this.


    The senior sister once laughed at him, ¡°Why do you still sleep with the lamp on at night? Are you still afraid of the dark, although you¡¯re already an adult?¡±


    He casually lied, saying that he was too tired from singing yesterday and forgot to blow out the light when he went to bed.


    But in fact, as long as he stays alone in absolute darkness, he will easily get nervous, suffer from insomnia and restlessness, and even when he falls asleep, he will have nightmares again and again.


    He looked at the moon for a while and then sneaked a glance at Xun Qian from the corner of his eye. Xun Qian also raised his head, and the moonlight shone on his jade-like facial features.


    Qi Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t help but think of the lyrics from ¡°A Dream of the Lady in Spring¡±,


    ¡°The end of the day is like drunken sickness; I¡¯m sitting near a smoked cage until morning.


    The flowers on the street were like brocade when I was there, and the willows at the top of the building are green again today.¡±


    As soon as he thought of it, he sang softly:


    ¡°Poor me, I¡¯ve been waiting for you in my room, but now the begonias are in bloom.¡±


    He hummed very lightly, and the melodious tune accompanied by the faint moonlight was like a frame of silent and ethereal animation.


    ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡ª¡±


    Halfway through his singing, Qi Xiaoyu was suddenly interrupted by a fit of coughing.


    Xun Qian, who was just sitting there holding a hand warmer, covered his mouth with a handkerchief, as if he were about to cough up his lungs. The corner of the handkerchief was vaguely dyed red.


    Qi Xiaoyu was startled. The rumors that Third Master Xun was bleeding at every turn were not groundless.


    He didn¡¯t ask for Xun Qian¡¯s idea and quickly pushed him into the bedroom, helped him onto the bed, and closed the doors and windows tightly.


    Xun Qian was still coughing so hard that he couldn¡¯t straighten up, even though he covered his mouth and coughed with a graceful and cold motion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call a doctor for you.¡± The last time Xun Qian was ill, he accompanied him to bed, and he had already written down the doctor¡¯s number.


    *****


    The doctor came quickly after receiving a call from the Xun family, as if he were on standby at any time.


    When Butler Cheng heard the news and rushed to Xun Qian¡¯s bedroom, the doctor had already finished the examination and prescribed the medicine for Xun Qian. Qi Xiaoyu was sitting quietly in the same position where he accompanied the bed last time.


    Butler Cheng stared wide-eyed in disbelief at the doctor who appeared in Xun Qian¡¯s bedroom and didn¡¯t respond for a long time.


    The doctor, surnamed Song, stood straight at the head of the bed in his clean white coat and was urging Xun Qian to go to the hospital in a very soft voice, ¡°Third Master, if you have time, it¡¯s better to come to the hospital for an examination. Take a lung X-ray, so we can see where the problem is and prescribe the right medicine.¡±


    After Dr. Song finished speaking, as if he were afraid that Xun Qian would disagree, he continued to lobby: ¡°Now there are many ways to treat lung diseases, with good results and few side effects, so it won¡¯t take much time for Third Master to come and see us.¡±


    Xun Qian lowered his eyes; his long eyelashes held back all his emotions, seemingly lost in his own world. Whether he listened or not, at least he waited for Dr. Song to speak before sending him away.


    Butler Cheng sent Dr. Song off and said, ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Dr. Song. Did the third master call you over tonight?¡±


    Dr. Song shook his head. ¡°No, it was Mr. Qi who called me.¡±


    Butler Cheng came to a sudden realization and said, ¡°The third master didn¡¯t dismiss you after you came?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Dr. Song also said, showing doubts. ¡°The third master was very cooperative tonight. That¡¯s why I wanted to try to persuade him to come to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Very good, very good.¡± Butler Cheng signed several times in succession. ¡°It¡¯s time to go to the hospital for a thorough examination. Can the third master really recover from his illness? Sigh, it¡¯s been dragging on for so many years, and in the past two years, it¡¯s gotten worse and worse.¡±


    ¡°Nowadays, medical technology is very advanced. It shouldn¡¯t be a big problem to cure the third master¡¯s lung disease. The key is whether he¡¯s willing to be treated. As for the years of delay with which he hasn¡¯t been properly treated, the lung disease is prone to recurrent attacks. Like this sudden attack, it was caused by the aftermath of the previous high fever. If he was willing to be hospitalized for treatment last time, this situation would not have happened.¡±


    Butler Cheng¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Okay, I will definitely find a way to persuade him to go to the hospital.¡±


    *****


    On the night when Qi Xiaoyu and Xun Qian watched the moon and went to see a doctor together, Weibo was buzzing with excitement.


    First, there was an account that broke the news: a certain talent show idol, who gained a bit of popularity, started to act like a prima donna and disrespect the staff. They complained about the makeup taking too long, not cooperating with the shooting, and ditching the magazine.


    Immediately after this piece of news came out, the gossip account and the marketing account moved over, causing a wave of speculation.


    Some people guessed that this was Dong Fan, saying that only Dong Fan had such a bad temper among the newly debuted talent show artists.


    There are also people who guess that this is an artist from another talent show. Here and there, the fans are pointing at each other, saying that their flopped idol is the one who¡¯s thick-skinned and disrespecting the staff.


    Anyway, at this time, each fan secretly brought up the name of their opposite favorite.


    Probably because the netizens are not up to the mark, this account continues to tip-off: the talent of this ¡°idol¡± is not directly proportional to their appearance. Apart from a short-lived live performance that was good, the rest was lackluster. After debuting, he disappeared without any work, unable to receive even a single advertisement. Even this hard-to-come by magazine invitation was screwed up by him, a really incompetent and unprofessional person.


    ¡°Wow, it turned out to be him¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, I get it; I get it; I have decoded it.¡±


    ¡°Hey, sisters upstairs, the code is qxy right?¡±


    ¡°No wonder there was no sound when he debuted; that¡¯s why.¡±


    The point of the revelation is so obvious: the talent is not directly proportional to the appearance; there is only a short-lived stage, and he disappears after his debut. With so many things combined, who else is there besides Qi Xiaoyu?


    Gu Lei¡¯s fans were the first to react and rushed to the front line: ¡°It¡¯s strange that he can debut with this kind of temper. Please, please, qxy family¡¯s fans don¡¯t dump pots on my family in the future.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s to blame for someone not being able to debut? Of course, the person in question is to blame. He probably offended the staff when he was on the show at the time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s him who bullies others. From now on, the eliminated contestant in the show should stop rubbing my family¡¯s popularity, okay? My family is the main vocalist now, and I refuse to be tied up with other trash.¡±


    Some people pretended to be insiders and posted on Weibo that Qi Xiaoyu was acting like a big name, had a bad temper, and didn¡¯t cooperate with the filming. ¡°The makeup artist just told them to wait, but Qi Xiaoyu turned around and left with a black face.¡±


    They spoke as if they were at the scene and were frantically reposted by Gu Lei¡¯s fans.


    At the same time, at Gu Lei¡¯s home, Gu Lei was contacting the magazine¡¯s makeup artist, asking her to help post a Weibo to prove that Qi Xiaoyu was acting like a superstar and ditching the shooting.


    On the side, his manager was pacing back and forth with his mobile phone. ¡°Gu Lei, do you think this matter should be settled here? This afternoon, Mr. Jiang just told us that we need to do things a little more low-key lately. If you¡¯re like this now, what if Mr. Jiang finds out?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Gu Lei¡¯s excited face darkened slightly. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s rare to have such a good opportunity; how can we let it pass? Have you forgotten Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s attitude today? His nose is facing the sky, and he mocks me in front of so many people¡­ And did you forget how his fans curse at me? I won¡¯t let it slide!¡±


    The agent thought for a moment, but couldn¡¯t resist the way Yu Xiaosheng turned his head and left. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Okay, then I will listen to you.¡±


    When Yu Xiaosheng saw this breaking news, he snorted coldly.


    He has the recording of the day in his hand; what is he afraid of?


    He has been in the entertainment industry for so many years that, although he has not accumulated enough network resources, he still has some tricks.


    Ever since he saw Gu Lei and the others appear at the magazine shooting, he paid extra attention and turned on the phone recording.


    As long as this recording is played, anyone can tell that it was Gu Lei and the makeup artist who bullied people first.


    They made an appointment for shooting at 3:00 p.m. and an appointment for makeup at 2:30 p.m. They were on time, so what¡¯s to stop them from getting their makeup done? Instead, they let others cut in line?


    What¡¯s more, he still has the chat records of the shooting appointment in his hand.


    Yu Xiaosheng urgently contacted the person in charge of Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s support club and asked her to organize Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fans to stay calm and stay still.


    After the other party has been reposted 500 times, take screenshots of all these rumor-making accounts and hand them over to the police the next day.


    At that time, we will see who can have the last laugh.


    The next morning, netizens got up one after another to check Weibo with their mobile phones, and there were more and more people eating melons. However, except for Gu Lei¡¯s fans who continued to repost Weibo, the other passersby were just spitting out the fact that celebrities nowadays are ignorant and aren¡¯t dedicated to their work.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fans, on the other hand, have been under calm control. Except for the occasional few who were too young to know better and wanted to rush up to curse, the rest of them, with the experience of battling the water army before, did not casually venture out.


    On the other hand, the editor-in-chief of the magazine, Mr. Fang, was calling his old friend, ¡°Old Jiang, how¡¯s your investigation going?¡±


    Jiang Feibai sighed. ¡°Recently, all the people and things have been investigated, and all that¡¯s left is one named Qi Xiaoyu, who is suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Qi Xiaoyu? Why does this name sound familiar?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a trainee who participated in ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees¡± and was eliminated before making his debut. His popularity is pretty good, but other than that, he¡¯s nothing special. Because he didn¡¯t make his debut, his fans made a big fuss. Zhou Zheng and I just¡­ did a little bit of work. He hasn¡¯t shown up much. Say, if he were Third Master Xun¡¯s person, how could he be so easily¡­¡±


    Although Jiang Feibai spoke hesitantly, Editor Fang understood what he meant: ¡°Who knows, but if there are no other suspicious characters, you should pay attention to this one.¡±


    Jiang Feibai frowned worriedly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll check and contact you again.¡±


    Less than ten minutes later, Jiang Feibai called first, ¡°Old Fang, I got in touch with Zhou Zheng. Did you know that his brother has also been suspended!¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought over all the recent events, and the only thing that Zhou Zheng and his brother and I were involved in at the same time was the matter related to Qi Xiaoyu. It must be him!¡± Jiang Feibai exclaimed in chagrin, ¡°This is really unexpected. He has a relationship with Third Master Xun but still messes around like this.¡±


    ¡°Since he has something to do with Mr. Xun, maybe he has some background, but you never know¡­¡±


    Halfway through his sentence, Editor-in-Chief Fang suddenly slapped his thigh. ¡°Oh, no wonder I think his name is very familiar. It would be bad if it was him. It¡¯s over. I won¡¯t talk to you now. I¡¯ll contact you later.¡±

 CH 20

    After Qi Xiaoyu woke up in the morning, as usual, he first performed a set of Tai Chi in the yard and then exercised his throat for a while.


    After this period of training, he basically had no problem controlling his breath and has been able to send out a breath from weak to strong and gradually lower and higher while keeping the sound mellow and pure.


    His master said that if you skip practicing even a day, your skill will drop. After a few days, although others can¡¯t hear you, the sound will not deceive you.


    After he finished exercising his throat, the sun just came out, shining softly on the lawn covered with a thin layer of white frost.


    Back then, Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t have such a thing as a mobile phone, so he didn¡¯t have the habit of using it frequently, and those things on the internet hardly affected him.


    He went back to his room as usual, changed into a new set of clothes, and then ran to the kitchen to prepare today¡¯s lunch.


    He had already prepared all the ingredients yesterday, and today he just needs to cook. Mama Li happily came to help and brought a bottle of winter brewing wine, saying that winter brewing wine is a must on the night of the winter solstice.


    Everything is full of a festive atmosphere.


    And in the Weibo trending search column this morning, a trending search with the tag #Qi Xiaoyu acting like a prima donna# is slowly rising from the bottom.


    Gu Lei lowered his head, stared at the phone closely, and smiled satisfied when he saw an arrow representing an upward trend appearing behind #Qi Xiaoyu acting like a prima donna#.


    Last night, although he let people break the news on Weibo and pointed the finger at Qi Xiaoyu, the storm he caused was far from what he expected. His fans were too few, and the news was only forwarded a few thousand times in one night. It couldn¡¯t even get on the popular Weibo. Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fans didn¡¯t join the fight, and passersby only gave a few meaningless chimes.


    How can this work!


    Gu Lei immediately bought a trending search for Qi Xiaoyu and got the water army to come down to the scene. He pushed up the matter of Qi Xiaoyu acting like a big name and even attached some pictures from magazines to prove that Qi Xiaoyu was indeed not present when the shoot was taken that day.


    Now, seeing that this topic was about to be brushed up, Gu Lei said smugly towards his agent sitting on the sofa, ¡°Don¡¯t the higher-ups hate rookies with bad attitudes the most? Hmph, if he dares to make me quit the group, I¡¯ll make him never turn around again.¡±


    The agent was not as optimistic as Gu Lei. He just asked, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the makeup artist replied to you yet?¡±


    Before Gu Lei had time to reply, suddenly a related post with good retweets and likes jumped into his eyes.


    Gu Lei swiped past it, but when he saw the profile picture, he immediately pulled it back. ¡°Why is he popping out to meddle in other people¡¯s business at this time?¡±


    The agent leaned over, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Who?¡±


    Dong Fan¡¯s avatar and Weibo name appeared on the screen¡ª¡ªOrdinary Musician: I have lived with Xiao Yu for so long, how can I not know his character? He¡¯s absolutely OK, cute, and good-natured.


    It was accompanied by a heart emoji and a photo of the two together on stage.


    Although it was posted on Weibo ten minutes ago, the comments are quite lively.


    Dong Fan and Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s former CP fans rejoiced, ¡°This is true. A friend in need is a friend indeed? No, it¡¯s my cute CP making a return.¡±


    ¡°The old mother shed tears of excitement.¡±


    There are also melon eaters watching the fun. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that Dong Fan and Xiao Yu¡¯s relationship is so good. I still remember the last group interview with reporters. I thought that the two of them had already torn their faces apart, but Dong Fan actually spoke up for Xiao Yu.¡±


    ¡°Does this mean that Xiao Yu has a good interpersonal relationship in the program group? Then what¡¯s the deal with the rumor?¡±


    Just when Gu Lei was so angry with Dong Fan that his stomach hurt and he was about to make the marketing account guide public opinion, another post came¡ªMiss Daisy, the make-up artist: I didn¡¯t expect that my personal relationship would have a bad influence on Mr. Qi Xiaoyu on the Internet, so I¡¯m here specifically to explain the situation to everyone.


    Yesterday, Mr. Qi did come to the magazine shooting, but nothing like the online rumor happened.


    On the contrary, Mr. Chi was very nice yesterday. I was the one who messed up the timing of the artist¡¯s makeup, which affected the progress of the shoot.


    I¡¯m here to apologize to everyone and ask everyone not to misunderstand the artist in question. I hope to work with Mr. Qi again next time. [Heart hand emoji]


    Just when Gu Lei was dumbfounded and thought he had seen it wrong, he refreshed the page, and the official blog of the magazine also spoke out: Yesterday¡¯s shooting was a mistake in the magazine¡¯s arrangement. We made an appointment with Mr. Qi and his agent for a three o¡¯clock shooting and two thirty-minute make-up. Mr. Qi arrived on time. It was our wrong arrangement that caused the shooting to be unfinished and delayed Mr. Qi¡¯s time.


    This matter has nothing to do with Mr. Qi; please don¡¯t mistakenly believe the rumors on the Internet. We are very much looking forward to inviting Mr. Qi to take a cover photo for our magazine next time.


    What the hell is going on here? Did Weibo get hacked? Or has the magazine changed its editor-in-chief? Has everyone lost their minds? Inviting him to shoot the front cover next time? Gu Lei looked at his agent and said, ¡°Have they all been hacked by Star Entertainment?¡±


    The manager also opened his mouth wide in shock, ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on; it¡¯s really weird. What¡¯s wrong with them?¡±


    Gu Lei frowned, tapped open the comments, and felt dizzy for a while when he glanced over. At the same time, he was 100% sure that they were all possessed.


    Because no matter whether it¡¯s the makeup artist or the official blog of the magazine, after posting on Weibo, the netizens were also doubting them.


    The attitude of the explanation is very sincere, and the words are very humble. In short, it¡¯s my fault, it¡¯s our fault, it¡¯s our time arrangement that is not appropriate, it¡¯s our failure to schedule well, etc. To sum it up, it has nothing to do with Qi Xiaoyu.


    But whenever you ask about Qi Xiaoyu, Teacher Qi¡¯s attitude is very good; Teacher Qi is kind-hearted; Teacher Qi arrives on time; Teacher Qi is very considerate of our work; everything is our fault.


    Just like that, it feels like the makeup artist and the editor behind the posts will burst into tears if the netizens keep asking.


    Regarding the matter of the magazine, not only Gu Lei and his agent were stunned, but even Yu Xiaosheng was stunned.


    Yu Xiaosheng looked at his half-edited Weibo and didn¡¯t know whether to post it or not.


    What happened? Before he played the recording, the other party had already admitted their mistake so thoroughly that they almost knelt down and called Qi Xiaoyu father.


    This was not the only thing that surprised Yu Xiaosheng. Immediately afterwards, he received a call from the editor-in-chief of the magazine.


    Editor-in-chief Fang was very polite over there. ¡°Hello, are you Mr. Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s agent, Mr. Yu?¡±


    After Yu Xiaosheng replied, the other party became more enthusiastic: ¡°We would like to invite Mr. Qi to take the front cover at the end of the year. Is Mr. Qi¡¯s schedule convenient?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng also wanted to ask the same question as Gu Lei: Have you been hacked?


    *****


    At this moment, Qi Xiaoyu was fishing the first wave of dumplings up from the pot.


    He picked six snow-white and plump dumplings and put them on an ivory-white porcelain plate. ¡°Uncle Cheng, give this plate of dumplings to the third master. I also made hairy crab and shrimp dumplings, but the third master is not in good health. I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t be able to eat those.¡±


    Butler Cheng glanced at the chubby dumplings, but instead of taking the plate, he looked at Qi Xiaoyu with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Xiao Yu, it¡¯s better for you to send it up to the third master. Bring some shrimp dumplings too. The third master likes to eat shrimp.¡±


    And he added, ¡°When you go up, remind him to take medicine.¡±


    Upstairs, Xun Qian was resting with his eyes closed. When he heard the sound, he turned his head and looked at the door on the left. There, he saw Qi Xiaoyu holding a plate in each hand, pushing the door open with his body, and walking in.


    The crystal-clear dumplings are still steaming, and the smell of pork and cabbage is faintly floating in the air.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes were shining brightly with a lovely smile, ¡°Today is Lidong (the start of winter), so we¡¯re celebrating by eating dumplings. Mama Li and I made them by ourselves. I also asked Dr. Song if it¡¯s okay for you to eat dumplings, and he said there¡¯s no harm. Would you like to get up and try them?¡±


    Xun Qian¡¯s eyes lightly glanced over the two plates of dumplings, covered his mouth, and he coughed a few times before slowly saying, ¡°Help me up.¡± His whole body was still as cold as an iceberg.


    Fortunately, Qi Xiaoyu was used to it. He helped him up, prepared the table, and arranged the dumplings.


    It¡¯s only upon closer inspection that he realized how delicately Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s dumplings are wrapped, with layer upon layer of folds arranged at uniform intervals. The two sides are curled up like crescent moons, and the middle is bulging. It was obvious that they had been packed with enough ingredients.


    Xun Qian picked out a shrimp dumpling first and took a bite. The taste of the fresh shrimp immediately melted in his mouth. It was soft and refreshing, sweet but not greasy.


    Xun Qian¡¯s lazy eyes lit up slightly. ¡°What did you add?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled and said, ¡°I put horseshoe bamboo shoots, so that you won¡¯t get sick of them even after eating many. Do you want another one?¡±


    Xun Qian ate up all the shrimp dumplings and ate two more cabbage and pork dumplings. At the reminder of Qi Xiaoyu, he also took today¡¯s medicine.


    Seeing Qi Xiaoyu come down with two half-empty plates, Uncle Cheng smiled more kindly than before and kept saying to Qi Xiaoyu, ¡°Not bad, not bad, Xiao Yu, thank you for your hard work. Go and have some food yourself.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu served a plate of dumplings for himself, poured a glass of winter-brewed wine, returned to his seat, and contentedly enjoyed the dumplings. Suddenly, he received a call from Yu Xiaosheng.


    Yu Xiaosheng was clearly in high spirits on the other end of the phone. ¡°Xiao Yu, do you know how strange things happened today? Those scoundrels from the magazine apologized to us and even invited you to shoot the cover at year end! Damn, it¡¯s amazing that they ever bow down to me.¡±.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu put down his chopsticks and supported his chin with his hand. He was also quite curious. After all, he still remembered their attitude yesterday clearly. The makeup artist is already this problematic; how can the rest be any better?


    ¡°They came to apologize? Then what do you say?¡±


    ¡°What the hell did I say to them? Of course I rejected them. Hahahahaha, that was awesome. I never thought there would be a day when I rejected others.¡±


    The two couldn¡¯t help laughing for a while. They didn¡¯t expect that the bluff they had made yesterday would come true today.


    When he was done gloating, Yu Xiaosheng returned to the topic, ¡°By the way, Xiao Yu, do you know anyone from Youth Weekly?¡±


    ¡°Huh? I don¡¯t know, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng¡¯s excitement subsided a little, but there was a greater sense of mystery in his words. ¡°Just now, after I finished the call with that damn magazine, I actually received a call from Youth Weekly. They invited you to do an exclusive interview with the youth of the era, or whatever. How did they¡­. think of looking for you to do an exclusive interview? If you don¡¯t know anyone from Youth Weekly, did someone recommend you?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu stroked his chin and thought for a while, then sharply raised his head and glanced upstairs.


    ¡°Youth Weekly¡± is not comparable to ordinary women¡¯s magazines.


    It¡¯s a weekly magazine under the State Central Press.


    Usually those who can be featured are the promising young people in business, academia, or politics, and they rarely pay attention to the entertainment industry.


    How did you think of interviewing Qi Xiaoyu this time?


    Compared with the New Year¡¯s cover of a second-tier women¡¯s magazine, the level is obviously much higher!


    After Yu Xiaosheng and Qi Xiaoyu finished the phone call and agreed to go to ¡°Youth Weekly¡± tomorrow, the official blog of ¡°Youth Weekly¡± also posted a Weibo: ¡°He is a new generation idol coming out of the talent show stage; he is a representative of inspiration and hard work; he has the spirit of young people who never give in; tomorrow we will interview Qi Xiaoyu; do you have anything you want to ask him? ¡±


    Gu Lei watched a series of Weibo posts from different official accounts on his mobile phone, and was so surprised that he could only say the same thing over and over again.


    ¡°Impossible, impossible; how is this possible? Where did Qi Xiaoyu get these resources? Youth Weekly, the positive energy weekly magazine authorized by the state, how can Qi Xiaoyu get on it? He also got an inclusive interview, and the official blog of Youth Weekly even posted a Weibo for him. Why can¡¯t our company get such good resources? What kind of luck did he suddenly have?¡±


    Gu Lei¡¯s agent looked at the phone; his face collapsed as if he had lost 5 million yuan. ¡°There are even more unbelievable things.¡±


    Gu Lei turned to look at his agent.


    The other party laughed twice and said, ¡°Mr. Jiang personally sent a message, asking you to apologize to Qi Xiaoyu.¡±

 CH 21

    translate by hua


    ¡°what? apologize to him?¡±


    gu lei was so startled that he jumped up from the stool, slammed his phone on the sofa, and yelled as if he had heard some kind of bizarre remark: ¡°has president jiang gone mad? he wants me to apologize to that trash, qi xiaoyu?¡±


    the agent¡¯s face darkened, and his tone became unconsciously severe: ¡°gu lei, watch your words.¡±


    he is older than gu lei and has more experience.


    although he was as shocked as gu lei at first, he has slowly recovered.


    the magazine¡¯s official blog rushed to apologize to qi xiaoyu. youth weekly said that they would invite qi xiaoyu to do an exclusive interview. the company¡¯s ceo, jiang feibai, asked them to apologize to qi xiaoyu. what do all these mean?


    it shows that qi xiaoyu is not as simple as it seems on the surface!


    the relationship in the entertainment industry is complicated. qi xiaoyu may have been a nobody yesterday, but if he found a financial backer today, it would be completely different, not to mention that qi xiaoyu is really good-looking. he has the capital to rise to the top.


    the agent has figured it out. no matter how much unwillingness he felt in his heart, he had to suppress it at the moment. he came to this industry as a broker to make money, not to offend anyone. now it¡¯s clear that qi xiaoyu is someone he couldn¡¯t afford to offend, and of course, he must stop immediately.


    but gu lei obviously hasn¡¯t figured it out yet.


    gu lei is filled with disgust towards qi xiaoyu, and in his opinion, he is just retaliating because qi xiaoyu did it first. his (qxy) fans have caused him a lot of trouble, and what¡¯s the problem with him taking revenge? why should he apologize to qi xiaoyu?


    the agent looked at gu lei¡¯s condition and pursed his lips.


    he picked up gu lei¡¯s phone from the sofa and quickly tapped on the screen a few times before throwing the phone back to gu lei. ¡°from today on, your social media accounts and passwords will be handed over to me. those marketing accounts and water army, accounts that should be deleted are deleted. you shouldn¡¯t contact them anymore.¡±


    gu lei stared at him with red eyes.


    but the agent had already picked up his things and was ready to take his leave. ¡°you¡¯re not in the right state of mind these days. please rest well at home and think carefully about your apology. don¡¯t make mr.jiang unhappy, or you¡¯ll become the unlucky one.¡±


    ****


    youth weekly¡¯s schedule was to start the interview at 10:00 a.m. and go in for makeup at 9:00 a.m.


    qi xiaoyu got up at seven o¡¯clock in the morning, rushed to the company to meet yu xiaosheng at eight o¡¯clock, and arrived at the entrance of the building where youth weekly was located before nine o¡¯clock.


    the building is inlaid with a few big characters made of metal¡ªnational newspaper group.


    the building is quite high, and the yard outside the entire building is equipped with a power grid. all people entering and leaving must register their identity information with their real names.


    the person sent to receive qi xiaoyu was a young intern reporter named hua wei. his face was riddled with acne, and the bangs covering his forehead were so greasy that they seemed to have not been washed for several days. he is in his early twenties and a fresh graduate from media university.


    he majored in journalism, communication, and economics, focusing on economic news. he usually interviews young entrepreneurs or the second generation of rich people who have been in business for several generations.


    this time, he was asked to help receive a starlet from a survival show, which made him feel a bit upset and puzzled.


    he has always disliked the handsome men who are sought after by those ignorant girls. he felt that these people had nothing to offer but their faces, and even more so, he felt that giving such people an exclusive interview would be pulling down the grade of the magazine.


    therefore, the reception of qi xiaoyu was not so dedicated.


    qi xiaoyu and yu xiaosheng waited downstairs for a while before seeing hua wei come down.


    the two were very polite and wanted to shake hands with hua wei to say hello.


    hua wei, however, just gave a rather indifferent hmm, and without introducing himself, he turned around and took them upstairs.


    when they arrived on the 11th floor, where youth weekly was located, hua wei took them out of the elevator, turned left and walked to the door of the dressing room. he pointed in hastily and said in a stiff tone, ¡°the dressing room is inside. after putting on makeup, go to the interview room at ten o¡¯clock. don¡¯t be late.¡±


    he neither led them in nor explained anything more before leaving.


    qi xiaoyu and yu xiaosheng glanced at each other, but both tacitly did not say anything.


    fortunately, the makeup went smoothly.


    qi xiaoyu has good skin and good facial features. he has big eyes and double eyelids. although his nose and mouth are small, his nose bridge is straight, and his lips are very distinct, so he doesn¡¯t need much makeup to enhance his features.


    it just took a little more time to choose clothes because most of the people who came here to be interviewed were people from academia and business circles, so most of the clothes prepared were very professional-style shirts and suits. it¡¯s a bit too mature and serious for qi xiaoyu.


    after choosing for a long time, they finally chose a white t-shirt and jeans. simple clothes look best on qi xiaoyu, who is tall, youthful, and energetic.


    after putting on makeup and getting everything ready, it was not yet ten o¡¯clock.


    qi xiaoyu went to the interview room first and waited for the other party¡¯s arrival.


    he heard from yu xiaosheng that the reporter who came to interview him this time was named li da, who was very famous in youth weekly.


    the big-name celebrity interviews are organized and post-written by him.


    when li da entered the interview room at ten o¡¯clock sharp, the room, which was full of laughter and chatter, instantly quieted down.


    the intern, whose eyes were higher than his head, also changed. he turned into an obedient boy who dared not speak in front of the teacher. he lowered his head, put his hands behind his back, and said to li da, ¡°hello, teacher li.¡±


    li da is about 30 years old, wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses, a plaid shirt, and jeans.


    the whole person appeared very capable and experienced. he glanced at qi xiaoyu up and down and seemed to be very satisfied with his appearance. he extended his hand and made a gesture of invitation: ¡°mr. qi, please take a seat; let¡¯s skip the pleasantries and start the interview straight away.¡±


    after finishing speaking, he turned around and said hello to the people behind him. the lights and the sound were on, and he immediately took his place. the interview began shortly after.


    li da is worthy of being the top reporter for youth weekly. the questions he asks are not as aggressive as those in gossip magazines, but they are very sharp and hit the nail on the head.


    ¡°we have collected some questions from netizens, as well as some questions about the entire ecosystem of talent show artists. we would like to hear mr. qi¡¯s thoughts.¡±


    ¡°well, teacher li, please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°did you choose to make your debut through the talent show because you thought it was a shortcut to fame?¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s definitely true that i want to be famous. after all, it¡¯s a good thing to become famous as early as possible, but i don¡¯t think this is a shortcut. we put in just as much effort in the company, in the practice room, and during the program. and when we enter the entertainment industry later, our efforts won¡¯t be less than others, but instead we¡¯ll bear double the pressure of expectations. so i don¡¯t think it¡¯s a shortcut, but a means.¡±


    li da glanced at qi xiaoyu and was a little surprised by his answer.


    he knows that pretty boys or little milkdog1clingy, cute, sunny type of guy like unweaned puppies. boys are a popular trend nowadays. when he saw qi xiaoyu¡¯s photos before, he thought he was just a pretty kid with little substance and was not worth wasting space for an exclusive interview. however, they happened to have an issue where they planned to interview talent show artists, and someone recommended qi xiaoyu, so he had no choice but to follow up.


    unexpectedly, when meeting him today, he found that he was completely different from those boys with heavy makeup in his impression. he was clean and refreshing and not repulsive at all, just like the energetic boy next door. what¡¯s even more rare is that there were basically no loopholes in his answer, much like the organization speech of a debate contestant.


    li da coughed twice and continued to ask, ¡°your performance in the early stage of the competition was not very good, and your ability has been criticized by others. do you think you have the talent to be an idol?¡±


    ¡°i think talent is just as important as hard work. i¡¯m not at the point where i can talk about talent with the effort i¡¯m putting in. i¡¯m also on my own journey to find the answer.¡±


    another flawless answer that could be put directly in a magazine


    ¡­¡­


    after the nearly two-hour interview ended, li da and qi xiaoyu shook hands, and li da sincerely praised him: ¡°young people who work hard in the circle have a great future ahead of them.¡±


    li da is different from the young intern hua wei, who only judges people¡¯s identity and background.


    he had met so many people that he had been able to tell which people in all walks of life could be the best in their respective industries.


    he felt that the young man in front of him had this potential.


    after saying this, li da picked up the thermos cup beside him and went to the tea room.


    qi xiaoyu took out a box of throat lozenges from his bag, followed into the tea room, knocked on the door first, and then showed a cute smile. ¡°thank you, teacher li, would you like one?¡±


    li da gave qi xiaoyu another surprised look this time.


    although it¡¯s a small gesture, it¡¯s especially effective in creating a favorable impression.


    li da is a reporter. he has to deal with people every day and talks a lot. his voice is indeed not very good.


    however, people in general would rarely notice such details and sympathize with them. he didn¡¯t expect qi xiaoyu to be so young and have this kind of ability to read people or such a high level of emotional intelligence.


    li da took it and said thank you.


    when qi xiaoyu came out of the youth weekly building, li da personally escorted him out.


    hua wei followed li da step by step, watching the two chat in front of him, but couldn¡¯t get a word in.


    he remembered that qi xiaoyu and li da were talking in the tea room just now. thinking that qi xiaoyu had told li da that he had neglected him and seeing that li da admired such a small star, he was worried and regretted it for a while. his heart was tormented to the point of no return.


    in fact, qi xiaoyu behaved very normally. he shook hands with li da to say goodbye and even made an appointment to have a meal together in the future. he only ignored hua wei, who came up and also wanted to shake hands with him to say goodbye.


    isn¡¯t his attitude the same as hua wei¡¯s attitude towards him before?


    but in front of li da, qi xiaoyu¡¯s cold attitude made hua wei have to think more.


    until he saw qi xiaoyu¡¯s back disappear, hua wei was still immersed in his own speculation and regret.


    youth weekly posted a weibo on the day after interviewing qi xiaoyu, saying that today¡¯s interviewee is not only good-looking but also very polite and considerate, and especially @qi xiaoyu.


    the accompanying picture shows li da¡¯s blurred back in the foreground, giving qi xiaoyu a frontal close-up.


    in the close-up, qi xiaoyu is in a clean white t. his hair is simply blown out and fluffed up, without much perming or styling. the whole person appeared between a teenager and a young man, which is comfortable and refreshing for people to look at.


    qi xiaoyu hasn¡¯t shown his face in public since the end of the competition nor posted any pictures, so as soon as this weibo post came out, it was popular among qi xiaoyu¡¯s fans.


    meanwhile, the matter of qi xiaoyu acting like a big name was once again brought up.


    at first, not many people paid attention to this matter. although qi xiaoyu¡¯s popularity on the show was good at that time, and he had a lot of fans, the entertainment industry is so big, and the ratings of the show weren¡¯t very high.


    in the entire entertainment industry, he¡¯s just a very small stream of traffic.


    but with gu lei¡¯s help, buying those hot searches, and hiring a water army, many people knew about this scandal.


    but now, there¡¯s the magazine¡¯s official blog trying its best to help qi xiaoyu clarify, and the official blog of youth weekly stamped qi xiaoyu¡¯s humility and courtesy.


    what else can other people say? of course, they choose to believe the two magazines rather than groundless rumors, believing that qi xiaoyu was blackened as soon as he emerged. what a miserable man, but so lovable. he gained a lot of passerby fans, and his weibo followers increased by hundreds of thousands.


    the accounts that spread rumors about qi xiaoyu and were reposted 500 times, together with several of gu lei¡¯s fan sites, were banned for widely spreading rumors.


    on this side, after qi xiaoyu came out of the youth weekly¡¯s office building, yu xiaosheng opened his cell phone, only to realize that there were a dozen missed calls.


    everyone had set their mobile phones to silent mode during the interview, so he didn¡¯t hear the phone call.


    yu xiaosheng clicked on the missed calls and looked at them. they were all dialed from the same two or three numbers.


    yu xiaosheng thought it might be something important, so he took the initiative to call back.


    the other party answered the call quickly and introduced himself. unexpectedly, he turned out to be from orange juice entertainment.


    as soon as yu xiaosheng heard the words ¡°orange juice entertainment¡±, he wanted to hang up the phone.


    the other party probably recognized his intention and exclaimed repeatedly, ¡°mr. yu, mr. yu, don¡¯t hang up yet. please wait for me to finish speaking. the previous events were all misunderstandings, and we hope you and mr. qi don¡¯t mind. now we have two or three resource packages here, including advertising, variety shows, and a big ip drama2¡°intellectual property¡±. dramas or films that adapt from novels, comics, or games. why is it a big thing? because the work already has a big fanbase, and as long as it¡¯s done well, the popularity is guaranteed. the untamed and word of honor are two good examples.. i would like to invite mr. qi to come over and take a look. i wonder when it¡¯s convenient for you and mr. qi to make an appointment?¡±


    ¡°what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    qi xiaoyu saw yu xiaosheng holding his mobile phone with a confused and surprised expression, so he asked.


    yu xiaosheng covered the phone and whispered to qi xiaoyu, ¡°what a ghost. why are there always people begging to give you resources recently?¡±


    he frowned and thought for a while, then said in disbelief, ¡°is it because i have been an agent for more than ten years and my fortune has finally turned around?¡±

 CH 22

    translate by hua


    chapter 22


    hearing yu xiaosheng¡¯s words, qi xiaoyu raised his eyebrows.


    yu xiaosheng then whispered, ¡°it¡¯s orange juice entertainment. they want to discuss cooperation with you.¡±


    qi xiaoyu stood there, frowning and thinking for a while, then nodded to yu xiaosheng and made an okay gesture.


    he¡¯s not a god who doesn¡¯t eat earthly food, so how can he not take the money that was delivered to him?


    this is unlike magazines, which only take a few cover shots at most and have a limited audience.


    but if they discuss cooperation with orange juice entertainment and can obtain resources from them, the benefits and exposure will be much higher.


    now that they have taken the initiative to extend an olive branch, it would be a waste not to take such resources.


    after all, qi xiaoyu was going to earn money by taking the path of acting. he wouldn¡¯t have a problem with money.


    since qi xiaoyu has already agreed, the next matters were easy to discuss.


    the two sides immediately agreed that it would be better to meet tomorrow morning to discuss cooperation.


    the attitude of the other party was so polite that yu xiaosheng was the first to hang up the phone after the discussion.


    before hanging up, they were still trying to curry favor with qi xiaoyu: ¡°we will send a driver to pick you and mr. qi up tomorrow. we will also host the lunch, so if you and mr. qi have any dietary restrictions, just let us know.¡±


    then came a bunch of flattering words: ¡°i¡¯m really sorry to trouble you and mr. qi to come here with your busy schedules. it¡¯s really an honor for our company to cooperate with mr. qi.¡±


    after yu xiaosheng hung up the phone, he had goosebumps all over his body. he bared his teeth and made a distressed expression. ¡°what¡¯s wrong with everyone? what kind of drug did they take?¡±


    he imitated the tone of the person on the phone just now and choked out, ¡°it¡¯s an honor for our company to be able to cooperate with mr. qi.¡±


    then he looked at qi xiaoyu with doubtful eyes and asked, ¡°do you think this is really someone from orange juice entertainment? why is it so like a scammer? orange juice entertainment has its back against a big tree and never looks people in the eye. can they really say something like that?¡±


    he shook his head vigorously as he spoke. ¡°this whole thing always felt strange somewhere; is there really a time when pie falls from the sky?¡±¡±


    during yu xiaosheng¡¯s self-directed and self-acted period, qi xiaoyu¡¯s mind was spinning very fast, and he had already guessed what was going on.


    he patted yu xiaosheng on the shoulder and said, ¡°brother yu, let¡¯s go. don¡¯t think so much. go back and call the front desk of orange juice entertainment to check the number and ask if there is such a person.¡±


    yu xiaosheng looked at qi xiaoyu and smiled. ¡°your brain is turning pretty fast now, kid.¡±


    qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t reply; he was concerned about other things. ¡°what kind of cooperation does orange juice entertainment talk about?¡±


    ¡°probably one advertisement, several variety shows, and tv dramas.¡±


    qi xiaoyu thought for a while and then asked, ¡°what¡¯s the price i¡¯m getting for taking these now?¡±


    yu xiaosheng glanced at qi xiaoyu with a slightly incomprehensible expression. ¡°the advertisements are around 500k168246.35 to 600k; the variety show is probably 100k213649.27 an episode; and for the tv series, it¡¯s probably between 50k to 100k per episode as well.¡±


    ¡°oh¡±, qi xiaoyu nodded and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°how much does a villa in the western suburbs of this city cost? do you know?¡±


    yu xiaosheng glanced at qi xiaoyu again and said jokingly, ¡°the villa in the western suburbs is worth at least 100 million, ok? so you had your eyes on that place. the villas there are not only expensive but also not something that ordinary people can buy. without a net worth of one billion or so, people won¡¯t sell it. with your current assets, you¡¯d better act a little humble. don¡¯t try to be fat in one bite.¡±


    qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t answer. he calculated silently in his mind. he had to pay back 20 million to xun qian and spend another 100 million to buy a villa. however, he only received 500k for an advertisement and 100k for a variety show. not counting the money allocated to the agency¡­ if he can¡¯t become a top star, it seems that the road to making money is still quite far.


    ¡°take it easy,¡± yu xiaosheng said in a drawn-out tone.


    ¡°when you become a big name like tang yuning, lu shanshan, and qi moli, you can earn 10 million from an advertisement and 20 million from a variety show, then you can start thinking about a villa in the western suburbs.¡±


    *****


    the next day, he went to discuss cooperation with the people from orange juice entertainment.


    the other party sent a car to the gate of star entertainment to pick up qi xiaoyu and yu xiaosheng, as they said on the phone.


    the driver, wearing snow-white gloves, got off the shiny bentley and opened the door for qi xiaoyu.


    zheng zhengyi, the general manager of the orange juice entertainment artists department, smiled and invited the two of them in.


    the other party not only had a good attitude and thoughtful service but also provided a generous resource package, including an advertisement for a milk brand, a variety show on satellite tv, and two ip dramas.


    zheng zhengyi looked at qi xiaoyu¡¯s face during the whole process and said, ¡°this banana milk commercial was shot in collaboration with xue qingchu. after the shooting, the promotion was very intensive.¡±


    xue qingchu is a young flower of the new generation. in the past two years, she has filmed several popular idol dramas.


    ¡°this variety show is produced by longjiang satellite tv. it¡¯s a laid-back show in which the guests run restaurants while traveling. mr. qi, see if you have any ideas to join.¡±


    after introducing the above resources, zheng zhengyi pushed the materials of two tv series in front of qi xiaoyu, saying, ¡°these are all projects invested in by our orange juice entertainment. the male and female protagonists and some roles have already been determined, which is quite difficult to change. so you can take a look at the rest of the roles and pick whatever you like.¡±


    zheng zhengyi¡¯s attitude was respectful, without any flaws. people who don¡¯t know may think that he is party b and qi xiaoyu is the sponsor.


    he rubbed his hands together and looked at qi xiaoyu. ¡°look, mr. qi, what happened before was really all a misunderstanding. a great man rarely stoops to the pettiness of the villain¡¯s mistakes. please don¡¯t take it to heart. we will arrange for gu lei to apologize to you right away.¡±


    qi xiaoyu showed a polite and business-like smile but did not answer directly. he said in an ambiguous tone, ¡°it¡¯s hard on you, manager zheng.¡±


    he has dealt with all kinds of people, and he knows how to handle the weaknesses of this kind of person best. he can¡¯t appear uninterested, and he can¡¯t show too much gratitude. there must be a little gratitude in it and a sense of distance.


    yu xiaosheng licked his back molars with his tongue and sat down next to qi xiaoyu in the posture of a big brother, trying his best to cooperate with qi xiaoyu¡¯s performance.


    after getting in touch these days, he feels more and more that qi xiaoyu is not only different from before but also mature and sophisticated. from the interview in youth weekly to meeting the people from orange juice entertainment today, he originally wanted to advise qi xiaoyu on how to deal with it, but looking at the current situation, qi xiaoyu is completely at ease and can handle it himself.


    after zheng zhengyi gave the resources, qi xiaoyu and yu xiaosheng discussed it and decided to take the banana milk ad next. it took less time to shoot the ad, and the results were quick. the price given by orange juice entertainment was 800k, higher than yu xiaosheng¡¯s estimation yesterday.


    the 800k is divided into two parts, half for the company and half for qi xiaoyu.


    this is already a large amount of income for qi xiaoyu at the moment.


    for variety shows, qi xiaoyu also agreed to get in touch with the program team first.


    whether it¡¯s getting along with people while traveling or cooking and running a restaurant, it¡¯s something qi xiaoyu is good at, and a good performance can capture a lot of fans.


    only tv dramas can¡¯t be decided for the time being. they have to read the script first before making a decision. after all, it takes a long time to be on the crew to make a drama. if the script and characters chosen are not good, it will be a waste of time.


    saying goodbye to zheng zhengyi and on the way back to the company, yu xiaosheng couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°that variety show is good. it aired for one season this year, and the effect is not bad, but you can get a lot of fans if you can cook. do you know how to cook?¡±


    ¡°of course.¡± qi xiaoyu smiled. ¡°don¡¯t believe me? shall i cook for you next time?¡±


    yu xiaosheng pulled down the corners of his mouth on both sides with a look of disbelief. after a while, he said, ¡°i still don¡¯t feel real. today is the easiest cooperation i¡¯ve had in over ten years. which resource wasn¡¯t torn apart in the past? today is too fast; it¡¯s as fast as a dream.¡±


    after he finished speaking, he turned his head to look at qi xiaoyu. his eyes became sharper. ¡°xiao yu, tell the truth. what kind of ecstasy soup did you pour into orange juice entertainment?¡±


    qi xiaoyu smiled, showing a pure and harmless expression. ¡°i really don¡¯t know; maybe¡­ this is their way of apologizing for what happened with gu lei, as well as their previous behavior.¡±


    yu xiaosheng was full of doubts in his heart. he guessed that this matter had something to do with qi xiaoyu, but if qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t say anything, he couldn¡¯t help it.


    the two talked about their future work arrangements, and then they parted ways and went back to their homes.


    when qi xiaoyu returned to xun¡¯s house, he found that the clothes he ordered at the sewing studio had already been delivered.


    qi xiaoyu recalled the clothes-ordering time he saw on the official website of the sewing studio, saying it would take a season, but with xun qian¡¯s card, it took less than a week. the clothes were altered to his size and delivered in only four or five. xun qian¡¯s reputation was indeed great.


    a total of 5 sets of clothes and 5 sets of accessories were neatly hung in xun qian¡¯s cloakroom.


    there are velvet materials, checked patterns, satin, woolen, single-breasted, and double-breasted. they are all big-name designs, neatly cut, and ironed without any wrinkles.


    butler cheng took out a velvet black suit and said, ¡°do you want to try it?¡±


    the clothes that qi xiaoyu took from xun qian before were all high-quality in terms of fabric and cutting, but after all, there was a difference in the body shape of the two; although xun qian looked weak, he was about 1.8 meters tall and had broad shoulders, so his clothes are always ill-fitting for qi xiaoyu.


    now that he¡¯s wearing clothes tailored for him, his demeanor is completely different.


    seeing the young man with straight shoulders, a slender waist, and slender legs outlined by the suit in the mirror, butler cheng couldn¡¯t help admiring, ¡°it¡¯s really good. you look just as good as when the third master first put on a suit when he was seventeen or eighteen years old.¡±


    then he said, ¡°xiao yu, try it first; i¡¯ll ask the third master to come over and have a look.¡±


    *****


    yu xiaosheng returned home at night, had dinner, and took a shower again, only to recover from today¡¯s smooth sailing.


    he was lying on the sofa in a bathrobe, with his legs crossed, a cigarette in his left hand, and a mobile phone in his right hand.


    he made a call to qi xiaoyu and ren fei at the same time.


    as soon as the group was pulled together, he said, ¡°to celebrate xiaoyu¡¯s acceptance of the new commercial and variety show, i¡¯m going to invite everyone to dinner this saturday night. what do you want to eat? you choose yourself.¡±


    when qi xiaoyu heard this, he tidied up the cufflinks carefully and quickly replied, ¡°i can¡¯t make it on saturday. how about sunday?¡±


    ren fei said at the same time, ¡°i want to eat the chongqing meiwa hot pot in maoming park. i heard that it is difficult to line up. i haven¡¯t eaten it yet.¡±


    after hearing qi xiaoyu¡¯s voice, ren fei cheerfully called out again, ¡±sunday is fine, then you have to make up another meal, xiao yu. i heard brother yu say you can cook, but i have never eaten your cooking. when will you make some for me?¡±


    qi xiaoyu was in a good mood today. the fact that he¡¯d soon earn his first sum of money made him happy. he was also satisfied with the new clothes, so he smiled and replied, ¡°what do you want to eat?¡±


    ren fei deliberately used a coquettish voice to say, ¡°i like everything xiaoyu makes.¡±


    qi xiaoyu said cheerfully, ¡°that¡¯s fine; next time i¡¯ll come to the company to cook for you.¡±


    xun qian, who was sitting in a wheelchair outside the door, listened to the lively chat inside and leaned against the back of the chair with his head supported by his hand, not making any movements.


    the light of early winter dusk shines in through the window without curtains, falls on the side of his face, and casts high and low shadows on the carpet.


    butler cheng stood behind him, neither advancing nor retreating for a moment.


    xun qian¡¯s character is really unpredictable. even though butler cheng watched him grow up, he often couldn¡¯t tell whether xun qian was happy or angry.


    but he knew that whenever xun qian held his head like this and lowered his eyes, although he looked lazy, he was probably quietly angry.


    support me on ko-fi for extra releases !

 CH 23

    translate by hua


    qi xiaoyu finished trying on clothes in the cloakroom and waited for a while but didn¡¯t see xun qian coming, so he hung the clothes back up, went downstairs to have dinner, and then went back to his room to rest.


    he was going to shoot a commercial tomorrow morning, so he had to rest and recharge. after all, the asking price was 800,000 yuan, and he had to be worthy of the profit.


    the next day, qi xiaoyu got up early and rushed to shoot.


    the shooting location was in the northernmost suburb of s city, and the xun family villa was in the western suburb. the distance was quite far¡ªalmost 60 kilometers by car on the highway.


    qi xiaoyu considered it for a moment. thinking that his relationship with xun qian seemed to be pretty good recently and that he served his creditor quite well, he asked butler cheng to borrow a car to go to the set.


    when butler cheng heard qi xiaoyu¡¯s words, he glanced at him somewhat awkwardly, as if deliberately trying to avoid his gaze. ¡°the cars are all used today. i¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to spare one for you.¡±


    qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t react on the surface, but he silently counted the number of cars in the garage. there was a sports car, two suvs, a few luxury sedans, and an off-road vehicle. xun qian usually didn¡¯t use cars often, and most of them were collecting dust in the corner. how come they were all occupied today?


    qi xiaoyu had a head full of question marks, but when butler cheng said so, he understood and even said very nicely, ¡°okay, thank you, uncle cheng.¡±


    it made butler cheng very embarrassed.


    he thought that he could call a taxi himself, but it was just a bit troublesome.


    this is a top-class villa area for rich people. every household has more cars than they can count on two hands. how can any taxi be willing to come here to haul customers?


    moreover, there are many checkpoints at the entrance. unless they¡¯re dropping people off, generally, the security guards won¡¯t allow online cab hailing to go in.


    qi xiaoyu walked almost three kilometers until he reached the main road outside before he hailed a taxi.


    today he went to shoot alone.


    yu xiaosheng will not accompany him this time. after all, besides him, yu xiaosheng has several other trainees to take care of. now that qi xiaoyu has made progress, he also has to find some work for other people to avoid favoritism.


    the shooting location was a long-established middle school in the northern suburbs of s.c.


    the teaching building has been cleared. a small white and green five-story building facing the playground stood in the cold wind, and the corridors were filled with staff wearing black down jackets, walking around to set up the venue and camera positions.


    the female lead of this commercial, xue qingchu, was standing at the end of the corridor, holding a script in her hand, while facing the playground and the school gate. she looked at the script for a while, then looked up at the playground for a while, looking for the feeling of the female lead in the script.


    xue qingchu is twenty-seven years old this year. she has a cute round face, chubby cheeks, round eyes, and a small nose. with her fair skin and delicate appearance, she overall gives people a non-aggressive and harmless impression, which is how she became popular.


    coupled with her own hard work and good acting skills, the idol dramas she starred in became popular one after another, and the male actors who collaborated with her also skyrocketed.


    just like now, even if it¡¯s a commercial with a simple plot, she¡¯ll familiarize herself with the script and lines ahead of time to get into character.


    it was windy in the corridor, so she stood for a while, and her assistant taotao came over with a hand warmer and said, ¡°sister qingqing, here you go, stop standing here, phew~ it¡¯s really cold today¡­ ugh, sister qingqing, look over there.¡±


    taotao raised her chin and pointed to a taxi outside the school gate. ¡°is the person who got out of the taxi the bargain that manager zheng stuffed in?¡±


    seeing qi xiaoyu get out of the taxi without even an assistant by his side, taotao¡¯s eyes opened even wider, and her thin lips cracked like spitting beans as she poured out words.


    ¡°sister qingqing, the company is getting more and more outrageous now. the people you worked with before were at least second- or third-tier male celebrities or capable actors with good acting skills. this time they throw you a freshly debuted talent show idol; what does that count for? and he¡¯s so poor, my goodness; he doesn¡¯t even have an assistant. what does manager zheng see in him? i thought he had some special relationship with the company¡¯s top management before, but now i suspect it¡¯s just the company trying to screw you. what a bully!¡±


    taotao huffed and puffed, ¡°sister qingqing, why don¡¯t we just leave? you¡¯re on the rise right now, you¡¯re popular, and you have a lot of masterpieces, so why are you staying with this company? there are plenty of companies out there that want to sign you. isn¡¯t it better than here?¡±


    xue qingchu glared at taotao.


    taotao shut up knowingly, but after a second, she began to complain softly, ¡°isn¡¯t it because jiang sicheng pursued you and you didn¡¯t agree? relying on him being the son of president jiang and you having a soft temper, do they bully you like that? finding a poor rookie for you to lead isn¡¯t this a waste of your popularity?¡±


    xue qingchu looked at qi xiaoyu, who got down from the cab, and her heart wasn¡¯t in the right place either.


    however, her thoughts were different from those of her assistant, taotao. she didn¡¯t think that qi xiaoyu was a newcomer with nothing; on the contrary, she thought that he was far more complicated than he seemed.


    otherwise, it would be impossible to obtain this resource.


    she inquired and found out that this commercial was originally scheduled for her alone. it¡¯s the company¡¯s senior management who negotiated with the brand, which resulted in this buy-one-get-one-free situation and forced qi xiaoyu in.


    to be able to make the company¡¯s top management do such a thing for him, either qi xiaoyu had someone behind him or his means were brilliant.


    in addition to this, she also looked at gu lei¡¯s circle of friends.


    gu lei was in the same company as her, and as coworkers, the two, of course, added wechat.


    in the circle of friends, gu lei complained that he¡¯d been framed by a villain, which had brought him to the point where he now had not made a single announcement and couldn¡¯t even log on to weibo freely.


    she had heard some things about gu lei. although qi xiaoyu had a great victory in this matter, as an insider, she knew that the more this happened, the more obvious and powerful connection was at play.


    combined with all that she knew, it was hard not to think that qi xiaoyu was a scheming person.


    on the other side, qi xiaoyu got out of the taxi and went to the director to report. after receiving the script, he was taken to the dressing room to put on makeup and change clothes.


    the makeup artist was surprised that qi xiaoyu came to report alone without even an assistant. however, he felt relieved when he saw that qi xiaoyu was slim and handsome and could achieve the script effect without much makeup.


    this film is very long, with a script of more than ten pages.


    banana milk has good annual sales and is a national brand in the beverage industry. the brand owner has money and plans to make this into a short film.


    in the story, the female lead, played by xue qingchu, is a daughter from a wealthy family, while the male lead, played by qi xiaoyu, is a poor student, so poor that he only eats steamed buns and pickles for three meals a day.


    the good thing is that although the male lead is poor, he is motivated, has good grades, and has a gentle personality.


    the female lead secretly has a crush on the male lead, so she puts a box of banana milk on his desk every day.


    after graduating from high school, the two went their separate ways.


    ten years later, the male lead has a successful career, while the female lead, whose family has fallen on hard times and struggles to make a living in the metropolis, has become a subordinate in the male lead¡¯s company.


    when they meet again, the male lead recognizes the female lead but doesn¡¯t directly reunite with her. instead, he places a bottle of banana milk on her seat every day, silently encouraging and accompanying her.


    a simple but warm romantic love story with a simple plot and little difficulty in interpretation, it mainly portrays the contrast between the characters¡¯ youth as well as the sourness and sweetness of secret love.


    the teenage years were filmed first.


    the makeup artist changed the two into their school uniforms and applied very light makeup¡ªjust foundation, eyeshadow, and a little lip balm.


    the blue and white school uniform was washed white and loose, but when worn by qi xiaoyu, it didn¡¯t feel disheveled or sloppy at all¡ªonly the nostalgic breath of youth.


    his long neck was exposed from the collar of his school uniform, and his brows and eyes showed the stubbornness and silence of a poor boy. through the open zipper, you could see the boy¡¯s raised collarbone and delicate skin.


    next to him, xue qingchu wore a school uniform jacket and pleated skirt, with her hair combed into a high ponytail.


    with the round eyes and chubby face, it immediately takes people back to their high school days when they were fifteen or sixteen years old.


    the assistant director immediately praised them: ¡°not bad, not bad; the feeling is very spot on.¡±


    then he called the assistant next to him, ¡°xiao zhang, quickly take a photo of the male and female leads together to commemorate the occasion.¡±


    when qi xiaoyu heard this, he took a step next to xue qingchu.


    taotao was staring closely at qi xiaoyu. upon seeing this, she darted between the two and smiled at the assistant director. ¡°director liu, you see, it¡¯s so cold today, and sister qingqing is wearing so little. let¡¯s not take pictures and start shooting quickly.¡±


    the assistant director looked at xue qingchu¡¯s frozen red cheeks and nodded. ¡°it¡¯s me who didn¡¯t think it through; xiao zhang quickly got the venue ready; we¡¯ll start filming right away.¡±


    taotao took a down jacket and put it on xue qingchu while glaring back at qi xiaoyu. she said in a voice that was not loud but that they could all hear, ¡±in the future, when you¡¯re not filming, don¡¯t get so close to our sister qingqing. don¡¯t think that just by filming a small commercial, you can start a scandal with sister qingqing. dream on.¡±


    qi xiaoyu touched his nose but said nothing.


    he¡¯s someone who¡¯s fresh off the boat and is filming for the first time. since he was in the taxi, he had warned himself to do more, talk less, and do whatever the director asked.


    fortunately, everything went smoothly after filming started.


    it was not difficult for qi xiaoyu to play the role of a poor student. he was already quite poor when he was a child. when eating pickled vegetables and steamed buns, he could naturally act like he was swallowing hard to satisfy his hunger.


    in addition, he is only in his early twenties and has just graduated from college, so his youthful student feeling is still there.


    on the contrary, xue qingchu had a plot that kept going.


    xue qingchu was used to playing the role of a young girl. she is cute and has round cheeks. even at the age of 27, she doesn¡¯t feel out of place playing a girl in movies and tv dramas.


    but in this film, she is, after all, ten years older than the character, plus she¡¯s in bad shape because of her period today. the scene where she poked her head out from behind the horizontal bar and peeked at qi xiaoyu eating lunch was rejected almost ten times. none of it was good.


    according to the director¡¯s words, ¡°the little girl¡¯s heartbeat and palpitation are missing.¡±


    qi xiaoyu has already eaten four cold steamed buns.


    the cold wind has caused the crew to become a little restless, and as the sky gradually turned dark, everyone frowned. they just wanted to finish filming the playground scene early and switch to the classroom scene. xue qingchu herself was so cold that her hands and feet were numb, and she felt that her abdomen was falling down because of the pain.


    after another ng, the director behind the camera joked, ¡°come on, qingqing, why are you being outclassed by a newcomer?¡±


    xue qingchu¡¯s face suddenly turned paler. she was usually good-tempered, but at this time she was a little worried. she felt that she was dragging everyone down and was being compared to a newcomer.


    qi xiaoyu still had a bulging bun in his mouth. hearing this, he said with a smile, ¡°which is not true; today it¡¯s all because sister qingqing acted so well that she was able to bring me into the scene.¡±


    then he joked with the cameraman, ¡°is it because my back view is not handsome enough and it¡¯s hard to make people¡¯s hearts flutter? otherwise, i¡¯ll turn around a little bit to take a side shot. i think it¡¯s easier to make girls¡¯ hearts flutter at this angle of mine.¡±


    in fact, from the camerman¡¯s perspective, qi xiaoyu¡¯s entire back is blurred. it doesn¡¯t matter at all if he is handsome or not, whether he looks good or not.


    but one sentence helped xue qingchu get out of the situation, showing the newcomer¡¯s humble attitude and revitalizing the originally awkward scene.


    xue qingchu glanced at qi xiaoyu with a slight surprise but said nothing.


    she put aside her initial prejudice, forgot about her discomfort, put on a little more makeup, and stood in front of the camera again.


    she gripped the cold bar with both hands and poked her head out to look at the teenager off-camera.


    qi xiaoyu was wearing a washed-white school uniform and sitting on the steps next to the playground. he lowered his head and ate steamed buns while humming softly. the sun in the early winter afternoon fell on the tips of his fine hair, glowing with golden light.


    xue qingchu lowered her head and smiled, showing an excited but shy expression.


    ¡°cut!¡± this scene is finally complete!


    because this short film is relatively long, it¡¯s expected to take almost half an hour to edit, so it cannot be finished in one day and must be continued the next day.


    qi xiaoyu did not return to xun¡¯s house that night and stayed in a hotel arranged by the director¡¯s team.


    as soon as he returned to the hotel, after removing his makeup and taking a hot bath, qi xiaoyu lay down on the bed and fell asleep, with his phone still stuck on the alarm setting screen.


    this was his first time filming. he went out at 6 a.m. and finished filming at 11 p.m., working for more than ten hours. he doesn¡¯t have an assistant around him, so he has to handle small things such as getting boxed meals and room cards himself. it¡¯s really tiring.


    *****


    on the third floor of xun¡¯s house, xun qian¡¯s bedroom was, as always, buried in layers of darkness.


    butler cheng stood outside the door holding a dinner plate and took two deep breaths.


    except for the last argument with mrs. xun, xun qian hadn¡¯t been like this for several days, smoking, not talking, and locking himself in the room.


    normally, butler cheng wouldn¡¯t care.


    but xun qian didn¡¯t eat all day today. he just heard xun qian coughing again, so he probably didn¡¯t take any medicine.


    the doctor said that xun qian¡¯s disease has become very serious over the years, so he must consistently take four courses of medication without stopping.


    it¡¯s rare that xun qian starts to get better; he can¡¯t go back to being liberated all of a sudden.


    butler cheng took a deep breath and mustered up the courage to knock on the door.


    there was no movement inside, and it took a long time before two suppressed coughs came.


    butler cheng said, ¡°third master, do you want to eat something? mr. qi made some dumplings two days ago. there are still some dumplings left. i asked mama li to cook them. they are still hot. do you want to try one or two?¡±


    still silent.


    butler cheng could only push the door open and go in by himself.


    the room was very dark, with no lights on. through the light from the corridor, xun qian could be seen half-leaning on the bed.


    butler cheng walked in and put the dinner plate on the bedside. he turned to look at xun qian and said casually, ¡°mr. qi went to film a commercial and won¡¯t be back tonight.¡±


    xun qian said nothing and showed no expression, but the atmosphere was not good.


    butler cheng licked his lips, walked to the desk, took out the medicine, and went to fetch a cup of hot water, placing it by the side of the dinner plate. ¡°sir, it¡¯s time to take the medicine.¡±


    xun qian still didn¡¯t respond.


    butler cheng said, ¡°although mr. qi didn¡¯t come back, he sent a message specifically to ask about your situation, third master.¡±


    xun qian finally sneered softly.


    butler cheng had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue to make things up. ¡°you see, it¡¯s mr. qi who reminded mama li to cook the dumplings. the appearance and taste of these dumplings are just different. which chef outside can compare with his skills?¡±

 CH 24

    translate by hua


    the shooting location on the second day was changed from a university town in the northern suburbs to an office building in the city center.


    after all the adjustments on the previous day, the shooting process went more smoothly on the second day.


    qi xiaoyu changed into a gray plaid three-piece suit, and his hair was combed back, revealing his beautiful widow¡¯s peak and full forehead. he transformed from a youthful teenager into a young and wealthy business elite.


    xue qingchu, on the other hand, put on a white shirt and a black pencil skirt, swapped her high ponytail for a big wave, and transformed herself from a rich girl into an office lady who has just entered the work force.


    like yesterday, the assistant director made an excited comment after seeing the two¡¯s outfits: ¡°very good, very good. a talent and a beauty¡ªwhat a perfect match! with such an eye-catching combination, this commercial must be popular.¡±


    after the assistant director finished praising them, this time xue qingchu took the initiative to walk next to qi xiaoyu and asked with a smile, ¡°does director liu want to take a group photo of us as behind-the-scenes content?¡±


    taotao¡¯s eyes widened with anxiety. she wanted to stop xue qingchu, but the latter had already positioned herself against qi xiaoyu. the crew assistant had also taken out their phones and snapped a dozen or so pictures.


    because both xue qingchu and qi xiaoyu were in good condition, today¡¯s filming was completed ahead of schedule and ended before six o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    as soon as the director shouted ¡°cut¡±, taotao neatly packed xue qingchu¡¯s things, said goodbye to the director team, and immediately went to the parking lot downstairs, as if she were afraid that if she waited a second longer, someone would catch up with her.


    while taotao pulled xue qingchu away, she also didn¡¯t forget to say, ¡°sister qingqing, you can¡¯t be like this. why are you so good-tempered with a newcomer like this? you even gave him your lunchbox today? have you forgotten how tang kui, who you worked with last time, seized the opportunity to stir up scandals with you and gain exposure?¡±


    xue qingchu left early, and when qi xiaoyu came out after changing his clothes, he could no longer find anyone.


    qi xiaoyu remembered that at noon, xue qingchu gave him the lunch box she brought from home, and he hadn¡¯t returned the thermos box yet, so he picked up the box and looked for the person.


    after all, he isn¡¯t from orange juice entertainment, and he didn¡¯t when he could work with xue qingchu again. it¡¯s not good to carry someone else¡¯s lunch box.


    *****


    xue qingchu was still in the parking lot and had not left.


    she was stopped by someone.


    jiang sicheng has a head full of korean-style wavy perms, wearing a flashy cool-tone pink suit and a pair of loafer shoes. he is turning the car key in one hand and holding roses in the other. half of his body is leaning on xue qingchu¡¯s white mercedes-benz, with a face of deep and undying affection. ¡°qingqing, you¡¯ve worked hard; i¡¯m here to take you home.¡±


    xue qingchu quite disliked jiang sicheng. when she saw him, she felt uncomfortable all over, but she didn¡¯t dare to disrespect him. after all, he was the son of orange juice entertainment boss jiang feibai. she had already rejected him once before, but jiang sicheng seemed to be getting more and more aggressive and pursued her even harder.


    xue qingchu showed a polite smile and said, ¡°thank you, mr. jiang. taotao can drive me home. i don¡¯t dare to trouble you.¡±


    when jiang sicheng heard that she wanted her assistant to take her back, he immediately felt that the assistant had hindered the development of their relationship. he immediately threw the roses on the ground and snatched the things from taotao¡¯s hands. ¡°go home by yourself. don¡¯t follow qingqing all day long; you¡¯re in the way!¡±


    ¡°she¡¯s a little girl who can¡¯t drive as well as me, my dear; it¡¯s better if i take you home.¡±


    taotao¡¯s eyes widened, and she shouted, ¡°young master jiang, i¡¯m sister qingqing¡¯s assistant; this is what i should do.¡±


    as she spoke, she rushed to snatch the luggage back.


    but jiang sicheng was quite agile. wherever taotao went, he went around in a circle, putting the luggage behind him so that taotao couldn¡¯t take it away.


    xue qingchu was trapped between the two of them and was made to spin around. she could only circle around and say helplessly, ¡°mr. jiang, i can really go home by myself. i don¡¯t need you to send me¡­ um ¨C what are you doing!¡±


    while xue qingchu was speaking, taotao circled behind him again. jiang sicheng seized the opportunity, leaned over to hold down xue qingchu¡¯s head, and kissed her on the cheek.


    xue qingchu was so frightened that her face turned pale. she pushed jiang sicheng away and took several steps back.


    ¡°sister qingqing, are you okay?¡± qi xiaoyu came down from the elevator and happened to see this scene. he immediately ran a few steps forward, supported xue qingchu, and said loudly, ¡°fortunately, you didn¡¯t leave. the director has something to ask you.¡±


    jiang sicheng glared at qi xiaoyu, pointed at him, and asked xue qingchu, ¡°who is he? what does he have to do with you?¡±


    xue qingchu turned her head away and wiped her face with her hands a few times, unwilling to pay attention to jiang sicheng.


    qi xiaoyu pulled xue qingchu behind him and said, ¡°sister qingqing and i are colleagues who film a commercial together.¡±


    jiang sicheng snorted and looked qi xiaoyu up and down with his small eyes. ¡°aren¡¯t they all done shooting? why are you still looking for qingqing?¡±


    ¡°a scene was ruined by accident, and the director said it needed to be reshot.¡±


    jiang sicheng groaned, ¡°the makeup has been removed; how can they retake it? won¡¯t it be fixed in post-production?¡±


    this time, before qi xiaoyu could lie, taotao said first, ¡°no, we have to go back to make up for the shooting. the director¡¯s requirements are very strict. if we don¡¯t go back, what will happen if there are rumors that sister qingqing¡¯s work ethic is unprofessional?¡±


    when jiang sicheng wasn¡¯t paying attention, she grabbed the luggage and ran behind qi xiaoyu in three steps to hide.


    jiang sicheng chuckled and walked towards xue qingchu with his head held high. ¡°with me here, who dares to talk nonsense?¡±


    qi xiaoyu stretched out his hand to stop the person and said with a cold expression, ¡°the director asked me to come here just now. everyone on the set is waiting for sister qingqing to go back. if you keep pestering her and the crew sees you here, or if someone takes a picture and posts it online, i¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be good for you, boss jiang, or orange juice entertainment.¡±


    jiang sicheng stared at qi xiaoyu fiercely, and qi xiaoyu stared back without avoiding it.


    after a while, jiang sicheng couldn¡¯t hold on anymore, blinked, then took a step back and spat on the ground as if to save his face. ¡°okay, you are the one who stopped me today, right? this young master will settle scores with you next time.¡±


    *****


    after jiang sicheng left, qi xiaoyu accompanied xue qingchu back upstairs and found a cafe to sit down at.


    xue qingchu kept her head down and wilted all the way.


    qi xiaoyu ordered a cup of hot chocolate and a stack of brownies and placed them in front of her. ¡°sister qingqing, don¡¯t think about what just happened. eat some sweets to calm down.¡±


    xue qingchu forced a smile and said, ¡°thank you, xiaoyu.¡±


    in fact, the reason she was moping wasn¡¯t just because she was kissed by jiang sicheng, but she felt a sense of powerlessness when she thought about the fact that there was no way for her to get rid of jiang sicheng¡¯s harassment if she worked for orange juice entertainment.


    although taotao always advised her to change to another agency, firstly, the liquidated damages were very expensive, and secondly, other companies may not have as many suitable resources for her as orange juice entertainment.


    when qi xiaoyu saw her stirring the drink in a daze, he tried to comfort her by saying, ¡°sister qingqing, if you develop well in the future, you may not have to rely on orange juice entertainment all the time.¡±


    xue qingchu raised her head and stared at qi xiaoyu. she didn¡¯t expect that qi xiaoyu could even guess her deepest thoughts. no wonder gu lei lost so miserably. it¡¯s because qi xiaoyu was too smart, but this ¡°smart¡± is no longer a derogatory impression in her heart as it was at the beginning, but rather a clever one that can read people¡¯s hearts and be considerate.


    thinking of this, she couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath and say again, ¡°thank you. i¡¯m fine. i¡¯ll sit down for a while and leave. if you have something to do, you can go first. i won¡¯t delay you any further.¡±


    taotao was still a bit hesitant, sneaking a glance at qi xiaoyu, and softly said to xue qingchu, ¡°sister qingqing, why don¡¯t we let him go with us? what if jiang sicheng is guarding you downstairs again?¡±


    after saying that, she stared at qi xiaoyu eagerly.


    seeing that the day ended early and there was no rush to go home anyway, qi xiaoyu gentlemanly took all of xue qingchu¡¯s luggage into his own hands and said, ¡°let¡¯s go; it¡¯s my honor to have eaten sister qingqing¡¯s lunchbox today and then to be the escort at night.¡±


    ****


    on the way, taotao drove, xue qingchu sat in the passenger seat, and qi xiaoyu sat in the back seat.


    they were chatting for a while about the interesting things that happened while filming when suddenly xue qingchu changed the topic: ¡°xiaoyu, on saturday night, which is tomorrow, i was invited to a party. do you want to go with me?¡±


    before qi xiaoyu could refuse, xue qingchu added, ¡°it¡¯s kang qitao¡¯s birthday party. i happen to be short on a male companion. are you willing to accompany me? many seniors in the circle will be present that night. if you go, it will be good for your future development.¡±


    qi xiaoyu originally wanted to refuse, but he didn¡¯t expect that xue qingchu and him were going to the same party.


    he couldn¡¯t help but weigh it in his mind. of course, there was no problem for him to go alone, but he knew too few people in the entertainment industry. xue qingchu¡¯s seniority was much deeper than his own; if he had her to lead the way, he should be able to save a lot of effort.


    more importantly, after getting along these two days, he felt that xue qingchu was nice and didn¡¯t have those crooked and bad intentions.


    now that the girl has invited him, if he refuses, wouldn¡¯t it be awkward if he met her at the party tomorrow?


    seeing that qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t answer immediately, taotao glanced at him through the rearview mirror and snorted, ¡°sister qingqing is willing to invite you as her companion, and yet you¡¯re secretly rejoicing but didn¡¯t agree immediately. for such an occasion, if sister qingqing hadn¡¯t invited you, you don¡¯t know how many years it would have taken you to go there by yourself.¡±


    xue qingchu shouted, ¡°taotao, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±


    taotao stuck out her tongue and asked again, ¡°speak, are you going or not? you are so overwhelmed with happiness that you are speechless?¡±


    qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t want to talk to taotao, so he just smiled and said, ¡°thank you, sister qingqing.¡±


    xue qingchu bit her lip and revealed a smile before asking again, ¡°xiaoyu, where do you live? i¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow.¡±


    qi xiaoyu vaguely reported an address: ¡°the area in the western suburbs.¡±


    xue qingchu said ¡°oh¡± thoughtfully. taotao also pursed her lips.


    in addition to villa areas, there are also a large number of demolished houses and low-priced commercial housing in the western suburbs.


    villas cost hundreds of millions per unit, and demolished houses cost rmb 20,000 per square meter. there are even some policies that do not allow buying and selling, so they can only be used for group rentals.


    because of its remote suburban location, the rent of typical commercial housing is also much cheaper than that in an urban area.


    in xue qingchu¡¯s eyes, qi xiaoyu naturally couldn¡¯t afford to live in a villa worth hundreds of millions. he could only live in the western suburbs because of poverty. after all, he was a newcomer who took a taxi to the crew.


    not only her, but yu xiaosheng also thought so. star entertainment is poor and has no company dormitories. qi xiaoyu was also poor, so he had to rent in the remote western suburbs, so far that he was not happy to drive qi xiaoyu back every time.


    ¡°you don¡¯t have to pick me up; i¡¯ll just take a cab over myself.¡±


    ¡°let me pick you up. i also want to pick out a dress first. i can¡¯t decide on my own, so you can help me choose.¡±


    when xue qingchu said so, qi xiaoyu could only agree and told xue qingchu the road where he usually took a taxi.


    *****


    after saying goodbye to xue qingchu, qi xiaoyu returned to xun¡¯s house at around nine o¡¯clock.


    for the bustling s city, the nightlife had just begun at this hour, but xun¡¯s house was already dark, as if it were late at night.


    qi xiaoyu dared not make a sound, quietly opened the door, sneaked into his room, took a bath, and immediately got into bed to sleep. he didn¡¯t even notice that there was someone else in the room above him who was still awake.


    before going to bed, qi xiaoyu also thought about the fact that xun qian had ignored him for several days, but remembering that xun qian had an unpredictable personality, he just let it be.


    the next morning, qi xiaoyu slept in for a while and then continued his daily routine.


    by the time he finished his lunch, he looked at his watch and saw that it was almost time for his appointment with xue qingchu, so he went to the cloakroom and changed into a black velvet suit, ready to set off.


    when he walked to the living room, he thought about whether to borrow xun qian¡¯s car to go out, but remembering butler cheng¡¯s awkward reaction last time, it¡¯s better to go out by himself.


    on the other side, xun qian was sitting by the window sill, holding a cigarette in one hand and leaning his elbow on the edge of the window. he happened to see qi xiaoyu, who was wearing a neat suit with a slim waist and long legs, walking out.


    butler cheng was observing the situation and was reminded in a low voice, ¡°kang qitao¡¯s birthday party should end very late tonight. i¡¯m afraid mr. qi won¡¯t be able to call a taxi back. third master, shall we send a car to follow him?¡±


    xun qian slowly put the cigarette in his mouth and took a puff. ¡°what¡¯s there to follow? doesn¡¯t he have legs?¡±


    butler cheng retreated silently, not daring to say anything more.


    fifteen minutes later, the black maybach slowly drove out from the main road of the xun family villa, surrounded by evergreen vegetation.


    ¡­


    after driving another half kilometer, a tall and slender figure wearing a black velvet suit finally appeared in his sight.


    ¡°stop.¡± xun qian gave the command calmly, and the driver immediately stepped on the brakes.


    butler cheng turned around and whispered, ¡°third master, shall i call mr. qi up?¡±


    ¡°yeah.¡± xun qian just nodded. ¡°wait. don¡¯t go yet.¡±


    he rolled down the window and glanced at the green belt. through several lush sycamore trees, he saw a white mercedes-benz parked in front of qi xiaoyu from a distance.


    then, the window in the back seat of the mercedes-benz rolled down, revealing the round face of a girl. even though it was far away, a faint smile could be seen on the girl¡¯s upturned face, and her voice warmly greeting qi xiaoyu to get into the car could also be heard.


    xun qian¡¯s face was expressionless as he watched qi xiaoyu open the door and get in. he then silently closed the maybach¡¯s window, leaned back in the seat, and even laughed lazily.


    however, the driver and butler cheng swallowed silently, too frightened to breathe.


    the author has something to say:


    xun qian: okay, very good, giving me a dose of anger every day.


    little fish: do you blame me?


    butler cheng: blame me. blame me.

 CH 25

    the limited edition maybach 62s looks like a giant black bird with gorgeous feathers, quietly lurking among the plants, motionless.


    butler cheng slowly turned his head back 30 degrees, not daring to shake his hair for fear of affecting xun qian¡¯s mood. every word he said was carefully crafted: ¡°it¡¯s all my fault. it¡¯s not good for mr. qi to go to the party alone when he has just entered the circle. i should have found a companion to go with him in advance.¡±


    xun qian held a slender cigarette in his hand and slowly crushed the tobacco with his round and smooth fingertips. the black suit and black hair made his whole body look whiter and more transparent than snow, as if he would melt away if he took one more breath.


    butler cheng turned his head quietly again.


    the driver also didn¡¯t dare to move. he put his white-gloved hands on the steering wheel, as if he were pressing on an active volcano that could erupt at any time. after a long time, the driver, whose mental endurance was about to collapse, looked at butler cheng for help.


    butler cheng took a deep breath and thought about the words again.


    just as he was thinking about what to say for a long time, he heard xun qian in the back seat lowering his eyes, patting the tobacco on his body, and saying, ¡°go home.¡±


    the people in the car breathed a sigh of relief. the driver only took five seconds to complete a series of starting and turning movements.


    *****


    on the other side of the white mercedes-benz, the atmosphere was completely different.


    xue qingchu held a boxy shopping paper bag in her arms, with the big letter logo of the g family printed on it.


    but when she saw qi xiaoyu coming up wearing a complete velvet suit, she put the bag in her arms aside and praised, ¡°you look very handsome today. the clothes suit you very well.¡±


    taotao in the driver¡¯s seat glanced at qi xiaoyu several times in the rearview mirror, from the style of the clothes to the brand¡¯s logo to the cut of the pants, and finally landing on his sleeves.


    the sewing studio helped him adjust and modify this suit.


    the original ready-to-wear was the g family¡¯s poster model for next spring and summer, but the sewing studio made adjustments based on qi xiaoyu¡¯s figure and also revised some details based on qi xiaoyu¡¯s temperament, such as cufflinks and collars.


    for this outfit, they replaced the original exaggerated gold cufflinks with more low-key and textured wood-grain cuffs.


    after scanning through the modified details, taotao¡¯s first reaction in her heart was that qi xiaoyu bought a good-quality counterfeit, which was still the kind of counterfeit that differed from the original version.


    she curled her lips and said in a good tone for qi xiaoyu, ¡°sister qingqing brought you a suit. it¡¯s quite expensive. you can change into another one later.¡±


    qi xiaoyu glanced at the paper bag beside xue qingchu, smiled politely, and said, ¡°thank you.¡±


    but he didn¡¯t answer taotao¡¯s words.


    xue qingchu said hurriedly, ¡°this is a suit i got from a friend, but the size may not be suitable for you. don¡¯t listen to taotao¡¯s nonsense.¡±


    taotao pursed her lips again and said nothing.


    after ending the topic of suits, xue qingchu briefly explained to qi xiaoyu, which heavyweight seniors would be present today, including people from the tv stations, films and singer circles.


    while chatting, they soon arrived at the place where xue qingchu wanted to choose a dress¡ªa high-end office building in the city center.


    by coincidence, xue qingchu was going to the clothes sewing studio.


    *****


    xue qingchu has her own regular stylist named levina at the clothes sewing studio.


    taotao was quite proud of having a regular stylist in this kind of studio. she has explained how rare this is to qi xiaoyu since she got down from the car: ¡°here you can get the latest clothes from all the big brands, but only celebrities who have collaborated with these big brands can have regular stylists here. of course, our sister qingqing is now the brand ambassador for y¡¯s family. the title should be upgraded in the future, and it will be a matter of time before we have a fixed stylist.¡±


    qi xiaoyu nodded cooperatively and praised xue qingchu for being so awesome.


    taotao smiled with satisfaction, looked at qi xiaoyu¡¯s clothes again, and walked silently in front of qi xiaoyu.


    on the 16th floor, at the elevator entrance, levina was wearing a white shirt and a royal blue silk fishtail skirt with high slits. she stood very elegantly at the door, waiting for xue qingchu. her look and demeanor were no worse than those of a female star.


    xue qingchu was also very polite to her and said in a soft tone, ¡°i¡¯m going to attend a very important dinner tonight, but i don¡¯t have a suitable dress yet, so i hope levina will help me pick out a suitable dress and do some styling tonight.¡±


    even taotao, who had always been harsh in speech, became polite and smiled. ¡°yes, tonight¡¯s party is very important. levina must dress sister qingqing beautifully.¡±


    xue qingchu¡¯s fashion resources are actually much worse than those of female stars in the same age group. she is too cute, too much of a girl next door, and doesn¡¯t meet the requirements of the fashion industry for a high-class face, so she can¡¯t get many brand-sponsored clothes.


    her own styling team is also not very good, often coming up with looks that are criticized by groups of fans.


    however, the sewing studio not only has a high threshold but also has high consumption. a single styling service costs more than six figures. without brand sponsorship, she is actually a little overwhelmed.


    so she didn¡¯t feel confident enough to come here.


    levina smiled professionally and listened to the two of them talking, but her eyes fell on qi xiaoyu, who was silent at the side. like taotao just now, she sizes up qi xiaoyu from head to toe and finally fixes her gaze on the cuffs of qi xiaoyu¡¯s suit.


    but unlike taotao, her eyes were more filled with surprise.


    she recognized at a glance that qi xiaoyu¡¯s clothes came from them.


    in order to make changes to a ready-to-wear garment from a major brand like g¡¯s, you must first contact the designer on g¡¯s side of the house, which is not a difficult process, but it is tedious.


    not many customers can enjoy such a standard of service.


    levina has stayed in the sewing studio for 5 or 6 years but only made it to senior stylist, and with her rank, she hasn¡¯t been able to serve a guest like qi xiaoyu, who is holding a gold card, so she didn¡¯t meet qi xiaoyu last time.


    however, after seeing qi xiaoyu¡¯s clothes, she became even more polite to xue qingchu: ¡°i have prepared this season¡¯s new dresses in advance according to your needs. you can see if you need any.¡±


    xue qingchu has always been a cute girl, and she usually wears tutu dresses or princess dresses when attending events.


    therefore, the dress levina prepared for her was also the princess dress of this season from major brands, all with pink tones, blue, pink, and yellow, inlaid with pearls, and dotted with small flowers.


    xue qingchu chose a white puffy gauze long-sleeved short dress and put it on, revealing her slender white legs.


    taotao said it looks good.


    but xue qingchu shook her head. she frowned and said, ¡°levina, i want to change my style.¡±


    levina raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°please wait a moment.¡±


    then, launching into a row of nude-colored dress-length gowns, she suggested, ¡°i think this lighter, more elegant style might suit you better and be something to consider if you¡¯re looking to make the transition.¡±


    xue qingchu looked a little hesitantly at the various s-curve and backless dresses.


    seeing this, qi xiaoyu stood up and walked to the clothes rack. he tilted his head and picked out the clothes one by one. finally, he picked up a nude strapless dress from the pile of clothes and asked xue qingchu, ¡°why don¡¯t you try this piece? the color suits you very well.¡±


    taotao said with dissatisfaction, ¡°sister qingqing has always gone for the cute style. this is too sexy and not suitable. she once wore a backless black dress but was scolded by fans.¡±


    qi xiaoyu smiled. ¡°the off-the-shoulder style is very sexy. if the legs are exposed, it will indeed be sexy, but this skirt is very long, which neutralizes the excessive sexiness. in addition, its color is very gentle, which can bring out sister qingqing¡¯s gentle and tranquil temperament. what do you think? do you want to try it?¡±


    ¡°ok.¡±


    ****


    by the time xue qingchu finished styling, it was already half past six, and the dinner party started at seven, so it was just a good time to get there.


    the three people hurriedly came out of the styling room and bumped into someone as soon as they walked out.


    it¡¯s the manager of the studio.


    when he saw qi xiaoyu, he quickly put on a humble posture and said, ¡°mr. qi? why are you here? why didn¡¯t you notify me when you came? is there something else you need this time?¡±


    ¡°i¡¯m just accompanying a friend to pick out a dress; i¡¯m sorry to bother you more.¡±


    ¡°mr. qi, you¡¯re too polite.¡±


    as the manager spoke, he looked at qi xiaoyu¡¯s friend, xue qingchu. the round, mouse-like eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses suddenly became even rounder.


    the unstoppable turmoil in his mind automatically revealed a big drama.


    this mr. qi is simply too bold.


    not content with being close to this super big tree like mr. xun, he even went out to hunt for wild food!


    the one he hooked up with is also a popular actress!


    rumor has it that master xun is bedridden and bleeding; is that true?


    but no matter what, cuckolding mr. xun is too courageous!


    qi xiaoyu only said one sentence, but the manager was already frightened and simulated by his serial imagination. then, he cautiously took a step back as if he had exposed a secret: ¡°mr. qi, if you have an event to attend, then please go ahead; i¡¯m not sending you off as i still have things to do.¡±


    qi xiaoyu gave the manager a strange look, then carried his things and walked out, saying, ¡°goodbye.¡±


    xue qingchu and taotao behind them looked at them strangely, wondering why the manager of the sewing studio was so polite to a newcomer?


    when getting off the elevator to the parking lot, taotao held it in for a while but couldn¡¯t help asking in confusion, ¡°how do you know the manager here? have you¡­been here?¡±


    ¡°well, i came here once, and i happened to know him.¡±


    qi xiaoyu brushed it off and didn¡¯t say much. he was not willing to talk so much about himself to others. he and xue qingchu were just colleagues, not close friends.


    not to mention that even if it was a deep friendship, he preferred to keep people at arm¡¯s length.


    ****


    when butler cheng heard the news that qi xiaoyu had accompanied xue qingchu to choose a dress, he was so frightened that he almost dropped his phone on the carpet.


    the manager of the sewing studio described it vividly: ¡°the dress mr. qi helped choose was an off-the-shoulder long dress, which is particularly sexy.¡±


    ¡°he also stayed with her for 3 hours to do the styling and was very patient. normally, even male assistants find this kind of thing annoying.¡±


    ¡°he even helped carry things when they left. he was very considerate. there are pictures for you to see.¡±


    below is a picture of qi xiaoyu holding two large paper bags to block the elevator door, letting the two ladies go in first.


    manager, ¡°i know the relationship between mr. qi and third master, and i feel that it would not be good to hide this matter from third master, so i want to tell you, you see¡­¡±


    butler cheng clicked on the picture and zoomed in. qi xiaoyu¡¯s profile was clearly visible.


    ¡°the photos were taken well.¡±


    perhaps butler cheng was so preoccupied with what he was looking at that he didn¡¯t even notice xun qian¡¯s wheelchair parked next to him.


    this time, butler cheng¡¯s cell phone really fell to the carpet.


    ¡°third master¡­¡± butler cheng almost bit his tongue. ¡°mr. qi is really a gentleman¡­ accompanying a lady to a banquet to choose a dress is¡­ nothing¡­ i think their relationship is just that of ordinary colleagues¡­¡±


    ¡°i want to go out for a walk.¡±


    ¡°huh?¡± butler cheng glanced at the dark sky and cold wind outside. he paused for a moment before reacting, ¡°okay, okay, the doctor said that going for a walk is good for your health. i will arrange a driver right now.¡±


    the author has something to say:


    xun qian: try to keep smiling.

 CH 26

    translate by hua


    kang qitao¡¯s birthday banquet was held in an old-fashioned small villa on tai¡¯an road.


    it was the quietest place in the downtown area, with a layer of tall sycamore trees that separated the hustle and bustle of the city far away, creating a quiet space where no one could easily glimpse its true appearance.


    at seven o¡¯clock in the evening, the winter night fell heavily, and luxury cars one after another came out of the lights, passed under the sycamore trees, and drove into the shadows of fragrant clothes.


    surrounded by sycamore trees, kang qitao¡¯s house was divided into two small buildings at the front and back, with a neatly built lawn in the center.


    the banquet was arranged from the living room on the first floor to the outdoor lawn.


    the swarovski crystal lamps in the living room glowed brightly, shining on the jewelry in the men¡¯s and women¡¯s hair and wrists.


    white tables are lined up on the outdoor lawn, filled with red wine, cakes, and delicacies. the string lights glittered in mid-air, and umbrella-shaped lights doubled as heaters, emitting a steady stream of heat to dispel the cold of winter nights.


    qi xiaoyu is very familiar with this gorgeous and luxurious world.


    when he was in shanghai, he experienced too many such scenes.


    he has long since learned how to adjust the smile on his lips to the perfect arc and control his voice to the most pleasant frequency.


    he knows better how to control some inconspicuous compliments to the best extent, making everyone feel that this young man is so talkative but sincere, as if every compliment he gives is from the bottom of his heart.


    since he entered the scene, many people have turned their attention to him. the combination of him and xue qingchu is too eye-catching¡ªa black velvet suit paired with a nude hollow-out long skirt, a fair lady paired with a gentleman.


    someone asked from a distance, ¡°who is that person? is he the male protagonist of xue qingchu¡¯s new drama? it seems that he will be the next traffic star.¡±


    ¡°pretty good-looking. which company does he belong to?¡±


    someone who had just spoken to qi xiaoyu said, ¡°it¡¯s a very small entertainment company. i forgot the name, but that kid is nice and polite.¡±


    ¡°quite a good eye too.¡± the speaker raised the green, crystal-clear ring on his ring finger as if he were not aware of it. ¡°he can actually tell at a glance that this is the laokeng glass species jadeite1jadeite species with dense structure, pure green color, even distribution, good transparency, and hardness.. kids nowadays really know what they¡¯re talking about.¡±


    some people also lamented, ¡°the entertainment industry is like the yangtze river, where the waves behind push the waves ahead2³¤½­ºóÀËÍÆÇ°ÀË[ch¨¢ng ji¨¡ng h¨°u l¨¤ng tu¨© qi¨¢n l¨¤ng]: each new generation excels the last one..¡±


    kang qitao also recognized qi xiaoyu at a glance, but he didn¡¯t greet him first. he waited until qi xiaoyu and the others were almost near him before waving to qi xiaoyu.


    kang qitao had a deep impression of qi xiaoyu. at that time, as a judge for the final night of ¡°let¡¯s debut, trainees¡±, he watched the whole night¡¯s competition, and the only thing that he remembered was him¡ªa proper singing voice, good timbre, and a steady stage presence. this is a good seedling who could develop into a famous figure.


    he was quite sad that qi xiaoyu was eliminated and even thought of taking him as his apprentice.


    but after thinking about it, he felt that it wasn¡¯t good for him to lower his stature to promote qi xiaoyu. secondly, the current entertainment industry was too impetuous, and qi xiaoyu was a newcomer who had just debuted. kang qitao was worried that if he made a hasty move, qi xiaoyu might think that success comes too easily and not cherish this opportunity.


    but he didn¡¯t expect to see this young man again so soon.


    xue qingchu saw kang qitao waving to them; her eyes lit up, and she whispered in qi xiaoyu¡¯s ear, ¡°teacher kang has written osts for many movies. if you can leave your name with teacher kang, you¡¯ll have another way to enter the big screen.¡±


    although xue qingchu is now very popular among the new generation of female stars, she suffers from the image of a cute girl, is limited to tv series, and has a narrow acting path. she is now getting older and is imminently in need of a change of image.


    after she finished speaking, she immediately pulled qi xiaoyu over and walked over quickly.


    xue qingchu introduced herself first.


    qi xiaoyu then introduced himself, raised his glass to kang qitao, and said, ¡°i wish teacher kang would be able to write popular songs every year.¡±


    after saying that, he raised his head and downed all the wine in his glass.


    ¡°haha, well said. come on, i¡¯ll drink this glass too.¡± kang qitao patted qi xiaoyu on the shoulder, not hiding his admiration at all. as a newcomer who just debuted, he could attend such an occasion without coming off as too humble or arrogant. kang qitao once again felt that he hadn¡¯t misjudged this person. he¡¯s indeed a good seedling!


    kang qitao was filled with joy. yuan yaling on the other side looked at the graceful qi xiaoyu, frowned with dissatisfaction, and silently walked away.


    in addition to yuan yaling, the other dissatisfied person at the banquet was jiang sicheng.


    when xue qingchu appeared at kang qitao¡¯s birthday party holding qi xiaoyu¡¯s hand, he was so jealous that his head boiled with anger.


    especially the way xue qingchu spoke in qi xiaoyu¡¯s ear just now, it made him feel like he was close to wearing a green hat3being cuckold. bro, she¡¯s just not into you..


    he gritted his teeth and racked his brains to think of how to deal with qi xiaoyu without making xue qingchu angry with him.


    ****


    as the night grew darker, the birthday banquet slowly came to an end in a peaceful atmosphere.


    a three-tiered cake was pushed to the center of the living room.


    all the people gathered around, holding kang qitao in the center.


    qi xiaoyu knowingly retreated to the periphery of the crowd. he looked around, stopped a waiter, and asked, ¡°may i ask how to get to the resting lounge?¡±


    he¡¯d been talking all night and drinking a lot of wine. being surrounded by a rowdy crowd made him feel a little nauseous.


    ¡°the lounge is in the building opposite, just across the lawn. i¡¯ll take you there.¡±


    ¡°okay, thank you.¡±


    the building across the lawn is much more deserted than here, especially now that all the waiters have rushed off to assist at the banquet hall.


    but it happened that qi xiaoyu wanted to seize the time to rest quietly for a while. after the scene dispersed, he would once again have the energy to say goodbye to the people he¡¯d met tonight and head back halfway across the city.


    the waiter sending qi xiaoyu to the lounge closed the door and left.


    qi xiaoyu took a big sip of hot water, sank into the sofa, and closed his eyes to rest. he went through the people he had met today in his mind, capturing the important characteristics of each person and memorizing them. when saying goodbye later, he would greet them one by one, and they would remember him the next time they met.


    it was a method he had learned when he was in the red moon troupe. he met every person who came to praise him once and could name them the next time, so the number of people who supported him grew.


    it takes a little more effort to do this, but it¡¯s very useful. as his master said, if you¡¯re not born into a good family, how can you live a good life if you¡¯re not clever?


    while qi xiaoyu was resting with his eyes closed, outside the door, jiang sicheng rushed toward the lounge and then crouched down. with a click, he quickly locked the door from outside and ran to the meter box to turn off the electricity on this floor.


    qi xiaoyu opened his eyes again, and what he saw was darkness like an abyss.


    *****


    everyone was now singing birthday songs in the living room of the building opposite. no one would be coming over here for a while, and just now he¡¯d chosen the innermost lounge for the sake of quietness.


    qi xiaoyu stood up, holding his forehead, and staggered before proceeding to the window.


    the curtains were drawn open. there was no moon tonight, and it was the same bottomless darkness outside.


    the sound of the wind blowing on the sycamore trees came from far away, and the ¡°rustling¡± sound echoed in his ears like it had been processed countless times, making him dizzy.


    it seemed like he was back in the winter when he was four or five years old, when he was abandoned by his aunt in a dilapidated shrine.


    the darkness made his whole body numb, and he couldn¡¯t move his hands or feet.


    ¡°little bastard, if you can¡¯t even pick up a basket, you¡¯re basically eating for free. no wonder your parents died early.¡±


    at four or five years old, he was trembling with fear and crying in the impenetrable darkness.


    but no one paid any attention to him. there was no one in the countryside at night, and everywhere was so quiet that it was like a ghost town.


    qi xiaoyu took a few deep breaths. he could do many things by himself. he could travel the world alone without fear of anything, but he was always afraid of the dark.


    he took out his cell phone with trembling hands, trying to find someone to help open the door, but after looking at the few people in his address book, they were either too far away or only had average relationships with him.


    moreover, the only two he could think of were yu xiaosheng and ren fei, who weren¡¯t really that well acquainted. if he had to ask someone to make a trip late at night just to open the door for him, he¡¯d rather wait until xue qingchu or the waiters found out and released him.


    finally, he turned on the flashlight with trembling hands and shined it aimlessly out of the window.


    ****


    a maybach parked quietly under a sycamore tree. it has been in the same place for almost an hour.


    butler cheng¡¯s back and neck hurt from sitting up. he really couldn¡¯t figure out what it meant to not get out of the car when they had already arrived here.


    he peeked at the back, only to see xun qian, with his eyes downcast, slowly stroked a piece of leather carving and made no other movements for a long time.


    butler cheng sighed silently. how many years has xun qian been like this? ten years? fifteen years? or twenty years?


    he was obviously a very lively child back then. he would cling to the master and madam every day, act like a spoiled child, and clamor for his sister to play with him.


    he ran faster than anyone else, like a wild horse, and always made a mess in the house. all the servants can¡¯t do anything about him. they can only spoil him by saying that the little young master is really a troublemaker.


    but why is this little troublemaker so considerate?


    on his birthday, he would call everyone, including the servants, and give them a piece of cake.


    he would also sneak home a stray dog on the roadside and hide his lunch to feed it.


    so when did the innocent and cute child become what he is now?


    don¡¯t get close to anyone; don¡¯t look at other things more than a glance; have no interest in anything; stop running; stop laughing; do nothing except being alone; even the things he likes are pushed away; no one can guess what he¡¯s thinking.


    ¡°third master,¡± butler cheng called out in a low voice.


    xun qian responded as if he¡¯d just woken up from a dream: ¡°go and find the person.¡±


    butler cheng answered in a loud voice and hurriedly turned his head to order the people outside, ¡°quickly go and get mr. qi over here.¡±


    butler cheng couldn¡¯t wait any longer. as soon as he thought of qi xiaoyu¡¯s well-behaved appearance, like grasping a life-saving straw, he felt that he could pull xun qian back from the darkness. thus, he himself ran out of the car and stretched his neck, waiting for someone.


    after waiting for a while, no one was seen, but he received a call: ¡°mr. qi is missing. he wasn¡¯t among the people celebrating the birthday.¡±


    ? butler cheng lowered his body and looked back at xun qian in the car.


    xun qian was also rolling down the car window and looking at him, his dark eyes shining like cold stars. ¡°uncle cheng, push me out.¡±


    his voice sank a tad deeper. ¡°get kang qitao here as well.¡±


    the author has something to say: i understand that you guys want to see some bloody drama, but according to the outline, it will only appear nearly at the end of the full text qaq


    thank you very much for your support! i will continue to work hard!

 CH 27

    thank you @messci for the kofi !


    ¡°who are you?¡± kang qitao looked at the young man sitting in the wheelchair in front of him; his expression was calm, and his tone was stiff.


    he had just finished blowing out the candles, and the cake hadn¡¯t even been cut yet. all the guests were still there, but he was dragged here as if he had been kidnapped, so he¡¯d inevitably be a little angry.


    xun qian leaned on the wheelchair with a cold smile on his lips. ¡°my name is xun qian.¡±


    ¡°xun¡­¡± kang qitao was startled and swallowed back the last half of the word.


    although he had been in this circle for so many years and was considered a bigwig in the music industry, he really didn¡¯t dare say much in front of xun qian, who was only twenty-six years old.


    he subconsciously put his feet together, straightened his back, lowered his head slightly, and raised his eyes again to look at the young man in front of him quietly.


    is this the legendary mr. xun who controls half of s city¡¯s wealth but is weak and might pass away at any time?


    he didn¡¯t expect that the real person would be so young and good-looking. the manga-stripping1someone who looked like they came straight out of a manga. thus the term manga-stripping man. handsome men who are highly touted on the internet are nothing compared to him.


    in fact, the light at night wasn¡¯t very good. the street lamp shed mottled light and shadow on his face through the withered leaves of the sycamore tree, but it still highlighted a sharp outline and illuminated his flawless skin.


    mr. xun, who never appears in public and few people see his true face, actually has an appearance so beautiful that it¡¯s almost detached from the mortal world.


    kang qitao admired in his heart, and at the same time, he looked away after just one glance. as notorious as xun qian¡¯s overwhelming power were his ruthless style and tactics.


    rumor has it that xun qian killed his own sister and father at the age of seven and then strangled his mother¡¯s lover to death on a horse farm at the age of fifteen. if it weren¡¯t for his young age and lack of evidence, such a person would have been convicted long ago.


    kang qitao swallowed silently. he just sent an invitation to the big boss behind orange juice entertainment as a courtesy, but he unexpectedly attracted this evil star.


    the man in front of him was obviously so young, still half-paralyzed, and sickly, but he could invisibly give people overwhelming pressure.


    people who can do this are nothing but devils.


    ¡°hello, third master, you come to join me today¡­¡±


    xun qian¡¯s dark eyes swept over kang qitao, shining with an indifferent yet sharp light. ¡°i¡¯m here to find someone.¡±


    butler cheng immediately stepped forward and said, ¡°mr. qi came to attend your birthday banquet today, but now he¡¯s missing. out of respect for mr. kang, third master didn¡¯t want to disturb the cheerful atmosphere of the birthday banquet, so he didn¡¯t look for the person privately.¡±


    kang qitao had a face full of astonishment. ¡°mr. qi¡­qi xiaoyu?¡±


    as a person who had seen much of the world, he immediately suppressed his shock and said, ¡°i was just talking to him. third master, wait a moment. i will go and ask if anyone has seen him.¡±


    kang qitao didn¡¯t even dare to let xun qian wait for one more minute. he immediately called for the butler. while pulling up the surveillance camera, he asked, ¡°mr. qi is resting in the lounge opposite. he may have drunk too much. do you want me to take you there, third master?¡±


    ¡°no need.¡± xun qian turned the wheelchair around. after moving half a step, he stopped again and turned his head to look at kang qitao. in the shadow of the tree, his side profile was as slender and delicate as if carved with a knife.


    ¡°i know that mr. kang has a huge reputation in the circle and has a wide range of connections. it¡¯s just that in the future, when you do something, you have to be a little more careful.¡±


    ¡°yes¡­thank you, third master, for today¡­¡±


    before he finished speaking, xun qian had already disappeared.


    *****


    qi xiaoyu opened his eyes, looking at the little light illuminated by his mobile phone and the deeper darkness around him.


    it was as if he himself was the weak light, which was quickly swallowed up by the boundless darkness.


    dizziness, discomfort, and nausea


    he closed his eyes and took two deep breaths, trying to pass the time slowly, but he fell into a circle of dreams again.


    the dark shrine, stiff legs, sore and swollen knees, and tall and worn-out buddha statues


    the night in the countryside was so dark that four- or five-year-old qi xiaoyu couldn¡¯t get up or walk out.


    he shook his head twice, trying to concentrate on thinking about some happy things, such as his master and senior sister.


    master always has a straight face, and senior sister always smiles.


    after thinking for a while, he thought of the way his senior sister had died¡ªblood all over her body, sweat all over her face, her whole body deformed by the pain of difficult labor.


    the dizziness got worse.


    he shook his head again and suddenly thought of xun qian.


    what kind of mood did xun qian, who had been staying in the darkness, feel? would he be afraid? would he be lonely?


    or, did he prefer to stay in the dark and not come out because he was misunderstood, felt guilty, and had no family¡­..?


    ¡°qi xiaoyu.¡±


    a cold voice suddenly rang out.


    qi xiaoyu thought he was overthinking and was hallucinating, but when he turned around, he saw a ray of light coming from the door. a thin figure was sitting in a wheelchair, in the center of the light, looking at him.


    this situation was like that cold winter. in the middle of the night, an opera troupe passed by a dilapidated shrine. the troupe master, with a weathered face, pushed open the creaking door. a little girl as tall as his waist probed inside with a fire stick2, suddenly shining into the darkness. ¡°dad, do you think there¡¯s a child over there?¡±


    qi xiaoyu supported the sofa and stood up shakily. he swallowed his saliva and said with some difficulty, ¡°xun qian?¡±


    xun qian sat in the wheelchair and looked at him. he still looked cold and unbothered, but¡­


    qi xiaoyu then asked, ¡°why are you here?¡±


    xun qian looked at him quietly, his eyes quickly passing over his pale face and half-awake eyes. ¡°have you been drinking?¡±


    qi xiaoyu pressed his lips together a few times. he never expected that xun qian would appear here. out of 365 days a year, xun qian spent 360 days locked up in his bedroom, and the remaining 5 days were spent inspecting the properties under his name. how could he appear here?


    qi xiaoyu thought that the one who came to open the door for him must be the servant of kang residence, or xue qingchu, who realized that he had disappeared, but he never thought that it could be xun qian.


    he asked again, ¡°why are you here?¡±


    xun qian lowered his eyes, seemingly careless, and with a bit of mockery, ¡°kang qitao invited me; can¡¯t i come?¡±


    ¡°then why did you come here?¡±


    xun qian¡¯s long eyelashes drooped, as if qi xiaoyu were asking something clearly self-evident: ¡°isn¡¯t this a public lounge?¡±


    ¡°oh.¡±


    qi xiaoyu lowered his head, feeling that something was wrong, but the alcohol and the hallucination just now made his brain turn much slower than usual.


    ¡°is the party outside over?¡±


    ¡°yeah.¡± when xun qian answered, he looked at qi xiaoyu more carefully than before and even saw the cold sweat on his forehead when he lowered his head.


    he seemed to have considered it for so long, and then, as if it were a casual gesture, he stretched out his hand, palm upwards, and beckoned towards qi xiaoyu, ¡°the party is over; go back with me.¡±


    *****


    the banquet outside had ended, and the guests each got into their own cars and went back.


    xue qingchu stood outside the white mercedes-benz, looking around. ¡°where is qi xiaoyu? how come he was still there when the birthday song was sung, but now he¡¯s gone?¡±


    ¡°who knows? maybe he went back first.¡± taotao puffed warm air into her hands and stomped her foot.


    xue qingchu frowned. ¡°did something happen to him? i saw jiang sicheng before, but then he disappeared too.¡±


    ¡°what could happen? he¡¯s a grown man¡­ sister qingqing, look over there; isn¡¯t that qi xiaoyu?¡±


    xue qingchu followed taotao¡¯s finger towards a sycamore tree at the far end.


    there was a limited-edition maybach parked there. a bodyguard in a black suit was holding the door. qi xiaoyu followed someone and bent down into the back seat.


    next to the maybach, kang qitao and his butler watched them get into the car in a respectful manner.


    taotao was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t close her gaping mouth. she usually gossiped with people on the set and had never heard of qi xiaoyu¡¯s background. star entertainment is also just a small company. she never expected that he was actually working with kang qitao. no, no, no. looking at that posture, his status seemed to be higher than that of kang qitao.


    taotao gulped a little. she¡¯d always thought that qi xiaoyu was extremely poor, but she didn¡¯t expect that he would be invited into the maybach.


    she and xue qingchu looked at each other in surprise.


    xue qingchu was also taken aback. who at today¡¯s banquet deserved such humble treatment from kang qitao? and what was the relationship between qi xiaoyu and kang qitao?


    but then her mind turned around to the fact that he was able to make the company¡¯s senior management add him to the commercial. the manager of the sewing studio was courteous to him, and now that he¡¯s in a maybach¡­..


    xue qingchu and taotao both stared motionless at the maybach until it passed quickly in front of their eyes. through the half-open window, they could vaguely capture an almost perfect face.


    who are the people inside?


    *****


    during the hour and a half drive, the car was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.


    qi xiaoyu frowned and leaned on the back of the seat, still not recovering from the previous discomfort.


    xun qian seemed to be concentrating with his eyes closed and didn¡¯t say a word.


    but this silence was different from the silence xun qian had in the car before. at least butler cheng¡¯s heart, which had been hanging for a few days, finally relaxed. he also leaned back in his seat and almost fell asleep.


    this kind of silence lasted until they returned to xun¡¯s house, back to qi xiaoyu¡¯s room.


    qi xiaoyu took off his coat and was about to unbutton his shirt when he turned around and realized xun qian was behind him.


    xun qian raised his head and stared at qi xiaoyu, actually looking quite carefree. ¡°are you okay?¡±


    qi xiaoyu pursed his lips, feeling a little uncomfortable. he hadn¡¯t shown his emotions like today in front of others: ¡°i¡¯m fine; i just drank a little too much.¡±


    ¡°really?¡± xun qian smiled slightly while looking at qi xiaoyu¡¯s still-white lips. he propped his head with his hand, as if he were teasing him, ¡°you busy yourself; i¡¯ll sit here for a while.¡±


    after saying that, he sat there until qi xiaoyu changed clothes, took a shower, got into the quilt, and went to bed.


    xun qian didn¡¯t move. he thought of qi xiaoyu¡¯s unscrupulous appearance in the casino, how well-behaved and smart qi xiaoyu was in front of him, and how his fingertips were trembling slightly in the dark lounge just now. his eyes were dimming slightly¡­¡­


    he sat there, watching qi xiaoyu¡¯s nervousness slowly calm down, and then moved the button on the wheelchair. when he was about to leave the room, he turned back halfway and gently turned on a small nightlight at the end of the bed.


    ****


    qi xiaoyu woke up later than usual the next day.


    it¡¯s almost nine o¡¯clock, and the winter sun has already risen in the sky and shined through the glass.


    he raised his head and looked at the chandelier that was shining brightly in the sun. what happened last night flashed past his eyes like a dream.


    night banquets in fine clothes, fine wines, and beauties¡­until xun qian appeared.


    ¡°kang qitao invited me; can¡¯t i come?¡±


    qi xiaoyu couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    the nightlight above the bed still glowed in the golden sunlight, looking like a glowing tangerine.


    he took a deep breath. as long as he wasn¡¯t in a dark, confined space, his energy would always recover quickly, especially after a full sleep, and on such a bright winter day, all his energy would come back at once.


    he got up, got dressed, ran downstairs, and rushed directly into the kitchen.


    the butter and glutinous rice flour he bought on the winter solstice haven¡¯t been used yet, so he can make some snacks like mango goldfish3he meant something like this? i¡¯m not sure either. for breakfast.


    ¡°isn¡¯t this a public lounge?¡±


    qi xiaoyu almost laughed out loud while kneading the flour. this snack is ready and will be served to others for breakfast later.


    the author has something to say:


    xun qian: why am i a little happy?

 CH 28

    kofi bonus!


    the first mango-goldfish snack qi xiaoyu had tasted was made by his senior sister.


    one time, he had a fight with his fellow apprentices and was punished by his master for two hours of horse stance1 without asking for a reason. he was so aggrieved that he hid in his room and cried.


    later on, senior sister came to his door with a plate of mango goldfish to coax him. ¡°come out, xiao yu, and see what delicious food i made for you.¡±


    qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t respond.


    senior sister raised her voice and said in a provocative way, ¡°the mango in this snack was brought back from guangzhou by si nian. if you don¡¯t eat it, i will give it to si nian.¡±


    zhou sinian is a young man from a wealthy family. he has been obsessed with his senior sister for several years. he comes to cheer her up every day and sends flashy gadgets every now and then, showing his unswerving affection.


    qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t like him. he felt that this kind of sweet-talking young master was unreliable, but his senior sister was so smitten that she lost her soul.


    when qi xiaoyu heard that his senior sister was going to give the snacks made for him to that bastard zhou sinian, he immediately wiped away his tears and ran out to open the door, snatched the plate, and ate them all in one bite.


    the mango goldfish made by his senior sister is so delicious. the glutinous rice on the outside is chewy, and the mango in the middle is sweet and soft. one bite can make people forget all their grievances and worries.


    while recalling the taste of his senior sister¡¯s cooking, qi xiaoyu removed the core of the mango, cut it into two halves, wrapped the mango with dough made from glutinous rice flour, and carefully squeezed out an expanded goldfish tail.


    regardless of whether xun qian came to him on purpose or accidentally, he was very grateful to xun qian for showing up at that time and place.


    after making the mango goldfish and putting it in the steamer, qi xiaoyu poured a cup of fresh milk and added some chocolate rings, corn flakes, and dried strawberries to it.


    then he cut two more plates of fruit, one for himself and one for xun qian.


    after steaming for ten minutes, he put the three portions of food on the plates and went upstairs to xun qian¡¯s room.


    xun qian was already up. instead of sitting in front of the window and smoking as usual, he was draped in a black gold velvet nightgown, dealing with official business at his desk.


    he heard the knock on the door and said ¡°come in¡±, without lifting his eyes off the screen.


    when qi xiaoyu opened the door with a plate, he just raised his eyelids from behind his gold-rimmed glasses and took a casual look, his attention still remaining on the small laptop screen.


    qi xiaoyu was not annoyed either. he put the breakfast on the desk with a slight smile. his hand propped up on the edge of the desk, and without mentioning anything else, he only laughed and said, ¡°thank you, third master, for letting me ride your car home last night.¡±


    xun qian then raised his chin from the computer and looked at qi xiaoyu with no expression. ¡°it¡¯s along the way.¡±


    ¡°yes.¡± qi xiaoyu nodded, as if confirming xun qian¡¯s statement, ¡°i just want to thank third master for stopping by and saving me the time of taking a taxi. so i would like to treat third master to breakfast. if you are willing to do me this favor.¡±


    qi xiaoyu stood across from him with a smile, not as well-behaved as usual, but with a kind of playful feeling.


    xun qian glanced at the snacks on the white porcelain plate. two small goldfish-shaped things were lying on the plate. their round scales were neat and uniform, as if carved by an artist¡¯s knife. there were also two small eyes on the head. the stomach is bulging, and you can¡¯t tell what¡¯s inside.


    xun qian sneered, ¡°what is this? are you trying to coax a child?¡±


    qi xiaoyu lowered his head, pursed his lips, and smiled. he used to think that such a mean xun qian was really annoying.


    but after last night, he not only sees xun qian as just a creditor, but a friend. although he still finds xun qian difficult to get along with, he can still tolerate it.


    ¡°try it first.¡±


    the snacks made by qi xiaoyu are different from the mango goldfish used to coax children. they are not just made of mangoes in the shape of goldfish.


    it is wrapped with fresh and sweet mango, a layer of cooked glutinous rice flour on the outside, and a layer of delicate and silky cream in the middle.


    take one bite, and as soon as you bite through the outermost layer of skin, the cream and mango melt on your tongue at the same time.


    sweet, fragrant, smooth, and not greasy.


    after eating, there¡¯s still a sweet aftertaste of mango on the lips.


    eating qi xiaoyu¡¯s cooking is just like listening to the ditty he sings. it¡¯s a kind of enjoyment that relaxes the mind and relieves worries.


    xun qian narrowed his eyes slightly.


    qi xiaoyu pushed the milk over at the right time and said, ¡°i wish third master a happy meal.¡±


    after that, he turned around and left without saying any more words.


    *****


    qi xiaoyu happened to meet butler cheng when he came out of xun qian¡¯s bedroom.


    butler cheng looked at the empty plate in his hand, and his eyes lit up. ¡°did you make breakfast for third master this morning?¡±


    ¡°yes.¡±


    butler cheng had a pleased expression on his face. ¡°that¡¯s right. third master cares about you very much.¡±


    while talking, he couldn¡¯t help but nod his head, like an elder who saw his child finally becoming sensible.


    qi xiaoyu followed the good advice and said, ¡°thank you, uncle cheng, for reminding me. xiaoyu will always remember the third master¡¯s help these days.¡±


    butler cheng nodded again with satisfaction, and it wasn¡¯t until qi xiaoyu walked away that he pondered over the meaning of these words.


    he looked back at qi xiaoyu¡¯s back a few times, but he still felt uncomfortable. even though he couldn¡¯t pick a fault, he still felt uncomfortable.


    ****


    after lunch, it was only three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, and the three-person group that yu xiaosheng pulled last time was buzzing with activity.


    ren fei urged the other two people to move faster: ¡°it¡¯s difficult to queue up for that hot pot restaurant. brother yu, have you made a reservation? should we go there early? i checked, and it seems that the number will be voided, so don¡¯t queue up for nothing.¡±


    yu xiaosheng smiled and scolded ren fei for being a loser who only thinks about eating, but he still @qi xiaoyu, ¡°it¡¯s better to come out early. let¡¯s talk about the next work arrangements.¡±


    so qi xiaoyu simply tidied up and went out at 3:30.


    as soon as he came downstairs, butler cheng chased after him and said, ¡°xiaoyu, wait a minute.¡±


    then, butler cheng handed over a brown, old-fashioned wallet, saying, ¡°inside is the key to the lexus car. the car is parked in the garage. it has already been cleaned by someone this morning¡­¡±


    halfway through, he changed to a more relaxed tone and said, ¡°third master has many cars, and he doesn¡¯t usually use them. you can use it as you like when you drive out.¡±


    qi xiaoyu took it and smiled slightly. ¡°thank you, uncle cheng, and please thank the third master for me. i will use it with care and not get it scratched or stained.¡±


    butler cheng pursed his lips and blinked at qi xiaoyu¡¯s excessive politeness. in fact, this car was the worst and cheapest one in the entire garage. xun qian never used it himself, and sometimes the servants would drive it when they had urgent matters. he didn¡¯t know what xun qian was thinking. if he was going to give someone a car, why give him the cheapest one?


    isn¡¯t that porsche 930 turbo a good gift for your wife?


    butler cheng smiled uneasily and said, ¡°it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine; there¡¯s no need to be so nervous; feel free to use it as you like.¡±


    unlike butler cheng¡¯s embarrassment, qi xiaoyu was in a very good mood after receiving the car.


    first, the lexus was quite worthy of his current worth. if he drove a car that was too good, he would probably scare yu xiaosheng and ren fei first, thinking that he¡¯d done something illegal.


    second, the xun family lives in a remote area. it¡¯s really inconvenient not to have a car.


    although xun qian had many cars, he was too embarrassed to ask for a car directly. after all, no matter how much they cost, they were still xun qian¡¯s property, and his skills were average, so it would be hard to explain if he damaged them by driving them himself.


    however, modern automatic cars are much more convenient to operate than old-fashioned cars. in addition, although lexus ranks lowest in xun qian¡¯s garage, its performance is also very good. even before qi xiaoyu drove out on the road, it was already very smooth.


    *****


    because he had a car, it was not yet five o¡¯clock when qi xiaoyu rushed to the agreed-upon place.


    seeing that it was still early, he spent some time in the parking lot in order to position the car more squarely in the parking space.


    although cars were very common in this era, in his time, cars were a rare and fashionable thing.


    in fact, not long after he came here, he had been thinking about when he could buy a beautiful car, just like he was thinking about when he could buy a villa.


    in his plan, at his current rate of making money, it would take at least more than a year. unexpectedly, xun qian lent him one first.


    although the car was only for him to drive temporarily and would have to be returned in the future, qi xiaoyu still mustered up his enthusiasm to treat it well.


    so he struggled until about 5 o¡¯clock, reversing into the garage back and forth a dozen times. he got out of the car and carefully looked at the front, rear, left, and right widths, and then he went upstairs to the restaurant to find yu xiaosheng and the others with satisfaction.


    there was already a long line at the door of the restaurant.


    qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t wear a mask. when he entered, he was stopped by several young girls, who asked him if he was qi xiaoyu and asked for a photo with him.


    qi xiaoyu was stunned for a moment and then immediately revealed a standard smile. he patiently took photos with several girls, said thank you for the support, and then hurriedly entered the box reserved by yu xiaosheng.


    in fact, he didn¡¯t even wear a mask when he went out before because not many people out there recognized him.


    his previous appearance on ¡°let¡¯s debut, trainees¡± didn¡¯t have a wide audience and was watched mostly by girls in the idol fandoms.


    the few waves that were created were limited to weibo and didn¡¯t go deep offline. after all, those online and those in real life were like two groups of people in parallel worlds. even when yu xiaosheng scolded him, he said he only had a few hundred active followers.


    therefore, when qi xiaoyu entered the box, the first thing he did was to ask yu xiaosheng, as a joke, ¡°brother yu, did you hire some fans for me outside? just now, a few girls asked me to take pictures.¡±


    yu xiaosheng laughed loudly. ¡°the company is so poor, and lao ding is so stingy. we can¡¯t even afford to hire water armies.¡± he scooped a spoonful of soup and put it on the sauce plate. ¡°you, in the future, should go online more often and pay more attention to what you are doing.¡±


    ren fei looked at qi xiaoyu with envy and said, ¡°the commercial you took two days ago came out.¡±


    while flipping out his mobile phone and opening several apps for him to see, he said, ¡°the brand bought the opening screens of five popular apps in one go, plus three advertising slots on weibo. as long as you surf the internet, no matter if you listen to a song or watch a video, you will be able to see your face. do you think it¡¯s possible not to avoid being recognized?¡±


    yu xiaosheng, ¡°besides, you looked very handsome in that film. even i liked it after watching it.¡±


    qi xiaoyu put the fished-out vegetables in a cup of hot water and rinsed off the spicy oil. ¡°the film was just finished shooting, and it came out so soon?¡±


    ren fei: ¡°if a brand has money, anything is possible. there¡¯s no problem shooting in the morning and releasing it in the afternoon.¡±


    yu xiaosheng, ¡°i¡¯ve asked about this before. they want to launch this new package of milk before the winter vacation to boost sales during the spring festival. they have invested resources to buy the location long ago, and they are working overtime to get the first half of the finished film rushed out.¡±


    he looked at qi xiaoyu with an indescribable feeling and said, ¡°xiaoyu, you are so lucky.¡±


    while putting down the chopsticks, he opened his cell phone and found out a chat record to show him, ¡°the big ip script given by zheng zhengyi didn¡¯t have many good roles left, but in the past two days, there happened to be a third male lead who had a clashed schedule and couldn¡¯t be cast. i took a look into it. the third male lead role in this drama is quite good, with a few scenes and an outstanding performance. and it only took a little over ten days to shoot.


    after filming this, you can just go to record a variety show, that travel show. i went to talk to the director yesterday. the post-production is very reliable. they recorded and broadcast at the same time, which just happened to catch up with the popularity of that commercial. there¡¯s also¡­¡­¡±


    when yu xiaosheng said this, he showed an even more surprised expression: ¡°kang qitao called me today and said that there¡¯s an ost for a new movie that he wants you to audition for. he thought that your singing in the last competition was very suitable. it feels like a movie. tsk tsk tsk, kang qitao even took the initiative to call you. what kind of luck have you had lately?


    there are also a couple of smaller events, so i¡¯ll see if i can get you in if you have time, but if not, forget it.¡±


    when ren fei heard this, he added a little bitterly, ¡°xiaoyu, your resources have really taken off now.¡±


    he and qi xiaoyu debuted on the same program and were eliminated together. however, in less than a month, qi xiaoyu has made a lot more progress than him. according to this trend, it won¡¯t take long for there to be unknown differences between him and qi xiaoyu.


    upon hearing this, qi xiaoyu was keenly aware of ren fei¡¯s emotions. he looked at yu xiaosheng with a smile and said, ¡°brother yu, thank you for helping me arrange my work so well¡­ recently, i have seen quite a lot of resources, and i may not be able to follow all of them. you look at what¡¯s suitable for ren fei and recommend a few for him to try as well. if we can film programs together, we can also take care of each other.¡±


    qi xiaoyu isn¡¯t a person who dines alone2not share profits with others.. he also needs the support of his brothers in the opera troupe to become successful. moreover, the entertainment industry is big, and fighting alone is actually quite laborious.


    as long as ren fei remembers his goodness in the future, he doesn¡¯t mind sharing it with his friends when there are benefits.


    ren fei¡¯s eyes lit up, and he poured a full cup of sour plum juice into qi xiaoyu¡¯s cup. ¡°really? xiaoyu, you want to take me with you?¡±


    yu xiaosheng glanced at qi xiaoyu discreetly. he actually had this idea for a long time and wanted to pull in some resources to lead other people in the company. otherwise, he would not have invited ren fei to this meal. ren fei has the best foundation among the few remaining artists in star entertainment.


    but at present, all the resources are directed at qi xiaoyu. if qi xiaoyu doesn¡¯t speak up, he is too embarrassed to think about it.


    now that qi xiaoyu had said it, he immediately felt relieved. the current situation in the industry is that there are too many monks and too little gruel3too many people, but too few resources.. some celebrities would rather sit out and be scolded than share the good resources they have. he really didn¡¯t expect that qi xiaoyu would be willing to bring people in the same company with him as soon as his popularity exploded.


    he then picked up a bullfrog leg and put it into qi xiaoyu¡¯s bowl. ¡°come on, xiaoyu, you awesome little guy. let¡¯s have a toast. i wish you both would become more and more popular and have more resources.¡±


    the author has something to say:


    xun qian: i have a beautiful car and a beautiful house.

 CH 29

    last kofi bonus !


    while qi xiaoyu and the others were raising a glass to the future, the milk commercial he and xue qingchu co-starred in was attracting fans like crazy for him.


    in the film, qi xiaoyu is wearing a baggy school uniform. he has long hands and feet, a small head, and a small face. his whole body is clean and limpid, like a clear spring.


    when he discovered that the female lead had secretly brought him milk, his eyelashes drooped and trembled slightly. the corners of his mouth were stubbornly pursed into a straight line. his emotions were suppressed in his chest because of his inferiority complex. his wilting, big black eyes appeared particularly distressing.


    under the relevant weibo, everyone was ¡°ying ying ying1crying sound¡°, shouting that they wanted to send love to qi xiaoyu, that they wanted to raise funds for the little brother to go to school, and not let him suffer anything.


    the fans qi xiaoyu accumulated during the competition all screamed like marmots.


    ¡°ahhhhhhhh, xiaoyu can sing, and he¡¯s good at acting too!¡±


    ¡°what kind of immortal is this? he can sing and act. it really saves this mother¡¯s worries.¡±


    ¡°little cub is so pitiful, it makes mama¡¯s heart ached.¡±


    ¡°go to grab the banana milk immediately. from today on, i will give away a box of milk to everyone!!!¡±


    ¡°i would like to ask if the sponsor¡¯s father will print my brother¡¯s photo on the bottle? great, 5555552crying sound again wuwuwuwu, i want to collect it.¡±


    thanks to the traffic from the commercial film, there is an influx of new fans who bend over for qi xiaoyu¡¯s beauty.


    and thanks to the fact that this film has a story, a plot, and is not short in length, it¡¯s more helpful to attract fans and spark more discussions than a song in his finals.


    ¡°who is this newcomer? the acting is quite good. he doesn¡¯t feel raw even when he¡¯s partnered with xue qingchu, and he hasn¡¯t been overwhelmed by xue qingchu at all.¡±


    ¡°not only was he not suppressed, i feel that he¡¯s more suitable to play a high school student than xue qingchu. tender looking and has natural acting skills. i will wait for the next episode.¡±


    ¡°wow~ my little brother is so slender and beautiful, i even want to make a clay sculpture of him [shy].¡±


    ¡°i just looked through his materials. the song is pretty good, and his stage presence is also excellent. to the sisters who want recommendations, you¡¯ll reap something beautiful.¡±


    ¡°i saw the stage that the floor above mentioned. i had watched it on the homepage before, but i wasn¡¯t interested in talent show idols, so i didn¡¯t look carefully. so it turned out to be this little brother. it was really amazing. i understood how the sisters were feeling at that time.¡±


    ¡°i won¡¯t allow anyone on the homepage to miss this film. the little brother is so handsome.¡±


    ¡°there is also a preview of the next episode. the little brother will really kill me if he puts on a suit!¡±


    ¡°i¡¯ve only watched this film a few hundred times, wuwuwuwu, begging for other materials.¡±


    the spread of this film is very wide. first, the brand has money, and the film is spread all over the place. in just one day, the shelves of subway stations, airports, and supermarkets were all replaced by qi xiaoyu and xue qingchu¡¯s pictures.


    secondly, xue qingchu has a good influence. she starred in a popular idol drama that aired every two days and went on a hot search every time it was released. besides, she¡¯s also a well-known little flower in the circle, so as soon as this film is released, it¡¯s immediately carried away by the marketing account, praising xue qingchu¡¯s youthful charm and playing the role of a sixteen-year-old high school student with no sense of disharmony.


    at the same time, qi xiaoyu¡¯s previous interview in youth weekly was also released.


    because of youth weekly¡¯s high profile, the entire interview didn¡¯t paint qi xiaoyu as a star with a halo but rather as a representative of the industry.


    the reporter looked at all aspects of the talent show and finally asked qi xiaoyu about his future plans. ¡°today¡¯s talent show artists are basically at their peak when they debut. many artists are indeed very popular during the competition, but then slowly disappear and are forgotten. do you have any plans for your future?¡±


    ¡°as i said before, i¡¯ve just touched the edge of the entertainment industry, so either an uphill or downhill path is possible in the future.


    i want to work harder than before because there are so many outstanding people in the circle, and it¡¯s no longer limited to competitions. first of all, i can¡¯t leave my singing career behind, and i hope to release my own single. in addition, i¡¯ve been studying acting. i hope to start with small roles and hone my acting skills step by step.¡±


    ¡°so the next focus is all on your career?¡±


    ¡°yes, i will focus on my career for the next few years and not think about other things.¡±


    a series of clear, well-organized answers were given to his own career planning. in an instant, the new fans who were still looking for materials and worried about the lack of follow-up were reassured.


    ¡°this little brother is really outstanding. he¡¯s humble and hard-working. it can be seen that he has a very clear mind.¡±


    ¡°i like this kind of career-focused idol. those who only think about falling in love and living a good life every day, why do they work in showbiz in the first place?¡±


    ¡°after watching his videos from the beginning of the competition to now, especially the finals where he practiced singing all night, he is really making progress, like he said. ying ying ying, i can feel the rapid decline of the cultivation system.¡±


    because the interview went smoothly that day and the reporter, li da, was pleased with him, he later took a lot of behind-the-scenes pictures, which are now added to the page.


    the refreshingly handsome young man, coupled with his eloquent words and a series of interviews, completely solidified the fans who were captivated by him.


    taking advantage of the commercial film¡¯s popularity, yu xiaosheng took qi xiaoyu to audition the next day.


    this is an ancient drama about a female lead who fought to survive in the palace. the main plot is the inspirational story of the female lead becoming the empress dowager after entering the palace. the role played by qi xiaoyu is that of a romantic young prince who pursues the female lead in the early stages. but a dozen episodes later, he received a lunchbox3when a character is about to die or leave the scene. the term ¡°lunchbox¡± comes from the movie ¡°the king of comedy¡±. in the movie, stephen chow plays a small character who wants to be a big actor but can only play some passing roles. when the director doesn¡¯t need him, he just gives him a lunch box to send him away. the term ¡°lunch box¡± has also spread, which means the director¡¯s severance pay. source: baidu. to protect the female lead.


    yu xiaosheng took the script with full confidence and said to qi xiaoyu, ¡°i¡¯ve seen every character in this drama, and this one is the best. now it¡¯s popular to have this kind of rich, powerful, and love-struck persona. although it¡¯s the third male lead role, if you perform well, you will surely gain a lot of popularity. just perform at the same level as you and xue qingchu did in the film, and i¡¯m sure there will be no problem.¡±


    after yu xiaosheng finished speaking, he took a puff of cigarette and exhaled a long breath into the void. ¡°xiaoyu, do you know? when you just finished the competition, you couldn¡¯t get any jobs. i was quite worried. why am i, yu xiaosheng, so unlucky? i finally met a good seedling, but he was nipped in the bud before he even made a name for himself. tsk, that¡¯s really infuriating. unexpectedly, everything changed in just over ten days. hahaha, xiaoyu, you must stand up for me and become popular. i¡¯ve been in this business for more than ten years but haven¡¯t made anyone famous yet. ahem, i am not putting pressure on you; i just want you to fight for it.¡±


    qi xiaoyu was taking the time to read the script again. after hearing this, he raised his head and looked at yu xiaosheng with a smile. ¡°don¡¯t worry, brother yu, everything will get better and better in the future.¡±


    the audition process went smoothly.


    because orange juice entertainment is one of the investors, zheng zhengyi has contacted the crew in advance. besides, qi xiaoyu currently has a good reputation, and his popularity is on the rise, so he got the role with little effort.


    after the role was finalized, the crew gave qi xiaoyu two days of buffer time to prepare. he will join the crew and start filming this wednesday.


    qi xiaoyu said goodbye to yu xiaosheng, agreed to meet the crew two days later, and then drove home.


    on the way home, the cell phone dinged, and the money for the commercial photo shoot was also credited to his account. after taxes and fees were deducted, he got more than 300,000 yuan.


    qi xiaoyu looked at the increasing amount of money in his bank account and thought that after joining the crew, there were still hundreds of thousands of yuan filming fees to get, which made him feel better.


    the crew gave him two days to prepare. in fact, he could pack up his things in half a day and spend another half day on the set to familiarize himself with the environment in advance. he wanted to use the remaining day to celebrate the first income he earned after transmigrating. although he had received some remuneration from the magazine, the amount was a bit too small in comparison.


    qi xiaoyu was thinking about how to celebrate while driving.


    he wants to get a massage to relax, but he also wants to go to an antique market or a furniture store to see if he can find something interesting. he wants to go to the pet market and get a dog, but he also wants to watch a peking opera. he doesn¡¯t know what kind of songs are being performed now or how developed they are.


    with money and an era where everything is available, qi xiaoyu feels that life is too beautiful, and he doesn¡¯t want to do too many things.


    of course, he can¡¯t spend too much money; after all, he still has to buy a house, a car, and pay off debts.


    qi xiaoyu thought about it all along but still hadn¡¯t decided what to do. when he was parking in the garage, he suddenly thought of whether to call xun qian together. after all, xun qian also contributed to this. if it weren¡¯t for xun qian, the people from orange juice entertainment wouldn¡¯t be so kind as to pull the string and build the bridge for him.


    if he wants to take xun qian with him, there will be much less he can do. xun qian has difficulty moving and doesn¡¯t like liveliness, so he has to find a quieter place.


    qi xiaoyu thought about it and decided that it would be better to go to see peking opera. moreover, looking at the scene on the night of the winter solstice, xun qian seemed to be quite interested in peking opera.


    qi xiaoyu made up his mind and immediately checked online to see if there would be a performance tomorrow.


    there happened to be a performance at the peking opera house, and there is one last box seat left.


    qi xiaoyu was afraid that the box would be gone if he delayed for too long, so he immediately locked the car and went upstairs to ask xun qian for his opinion.


    xun qian seems to have been particularly focused on work recently. before qi xiaoyu came in, he was discussing work matters with butler cheng in the room.


    butler cheng bent over and said, ¡°zhang han came back today after handling matters in europe. he just got off the plane this morning. should i leave the work at weihao hotel to him?¡±


    xun qian nodded lightly. ¡°let him check all the accounts again¡­ and orange juice entertainment. if jiang feibai can¡¯t do it, let him keep an eye on it as well.¡±


    butler cheng nodded repeatedly. although jiang sicheng was taught a lesson about what happened at kang qitao¡¯s birthday party, jiang feibai had caused trouble twice after all. according to xun qian¡¯s standards, jiang feibai was probably a bit hung up.


    as soon as the two of them finished speaking, they heard a gentle knock on the door outside.


    qi xiaoyu came in quietly. he glanced at two people inside, and when he saw that they were talking about work, he was ready to exit.


    butler cheng hurriedly stopped him and said, ¡°mr. qi, please come in.¡±


    only then did qi xiaoyu come in and smile at xun qian, ¡°i got the commercial gig¡¯s salary today. thank you, third master, for your support and help. i would like to invite you to watch a show.¡±


    butler cheng glanced at xun qian, who showed no reaction, and boldly reminded him, ¡°your schedule is open tomorrow.¡±


    xun qian then raised his eyes and asked leisurely, ¡°which show?¡±


    qi xiaoyu had now figured out xun qian¡¯s temper and knew that xun qian continued to ask because he wanted to go, so he smiled and said, ¡°a dream in the spring boudoir; i sang it to you last time.¡±


    sure enough, xun qian seemed to think about it for a moment before replying, ¡°okay.¡±


    ¡°okay, then i¡¯ll book the tickets. tomorrow at three o¡¯clock in the afternoon at the city peking theater.¡±


    ¡°um.¡±


    watching qi xiaoyu close the door and go out, butler cheng suppressed his joyful tone and said, ¡°third master, i think mr. qi wants to go on a date with you!¡±


    the author has something to say:


    butler cheng: what should the third master prepare for his first date? it¡¯s still a bit nerve-wracking to think about.

 CH 30

    translate by hua


    after lunch the following day, at one o¡¯clock in the afternoon, qi xiaoyu set out to find xun qian.


    as a result, no one answered the door after knocking for a long time.


    qi xiaoyu felt strange. xun qian usually never left the house and never stepped out of the door, just like an unmarried young woman. where was he today?


    he leaned over the window sill in the corridor and opened the window, craning his neck to look out into the front and back yards, which were empty and deserted, except for the cold wind blowing wildly across the lawn.


    he searched for a while and was about to close the window when mama li, who was downstairs in the kitchen, happened to see him and looked up to ask, ¡°xiaoyu, you¡¯re looking for third master?¡±


    qi xiaoyu nodded. ¡°where is he? have you seen him?¡±


    mama li pointed to the window next to the bedroom and said, ¡°third master and butler cheng are in the cloakroom. they even had lunch there just now.¡±


    why are they staying in the cloakroom for so long?


    qi xiaoyu became even more curious, knocked on the cloakroom door, and walked in.


    inside, xun qian was sitting in a wheelchair, wearing a leather coat with fur lapels, which made his waist slim and his skin as smooth as tofu. in addition, his newly trimmed hair hung gently by his ears, making him look like a noble son of a wealthy family.


    qi xiaoyu glanced at xun qian, then looked down at his own clothes. he thought about going out to unwind. since the weather is cold and being spontaneous is the most important thing, he wore a black hooded down jacket, which was light and warm.


    it¡¯s a bit shabby compared to the magnificently dressed xun qian.


    xun qian saw the person coming in from the dressing mirror, lowered his head, and concentrated on stroking the smooth tuft of fur on his sleeves without looking at qi xiaoyu.


    butler cheng, who still had a few coats hanging on his arms, glanced at qi xiaoyu several times and was a little confused. ¡°aren¡¯t you going to the theater?¡±


    qi xiaoyu was also a little confused. ¡°yes, it¡¯s almost time to set off now.¡±


    butler cheng showed an angry expression. ¡°is this what you¡¯re wearing?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    butler cheng shook his head and took out a black coat similar to xun qian¡¯s style from his arm. ¡°how about trying this one? third master just tried it on, and it¡¯s a bit small under the armpits. it should be just right for you¡­ this one is all cashmere, has a beautiful style, is warm, and is more comfortable than a down jacket.¡±


    after saying that, he put it in qi xiaoyu¡¯s hand.


    qi xiaoyu could only change his coat under butler cheng¡¯s burning eyes and was pulled by butler cheng to praise for almost five minutes before he left with xun qian.


    *****


    the peking opera house is in a beautiful antique-style building with old brick walls on the outside but very modern on the inside.


    there are three floors of viewing seats, and the top floor is a box.


    there is a special passage to enter the box.


    the lady in charge of checking tickets dragged her hands again and again, her eyes flicking back and forth between qi xiaoyu and xun qian four or five times. although qi xiaoyu wore a mask and half of xun qian¡¯s small face was covered by the fur collar, the young lady still decisively concluded that they¡¯re wearing a couple¡¯s clothes. the face value is comparable; they must be a pair!


    it¡¯s a pity that one of them is in a wheelchair and has limited mobility¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter, though. it proves that love is as deep as the ocean and as strong as gold!


    qi xiaoyu touched his nose through the mask and hurriedly pushed xun qian into the box under the overly eager gaze of the ticket inspector.


    the private room is very spacious, with two sofa chairs and a small table in the middle, as well as tea sets and fruit plates.


    the two sat down, and the show hadn¡¯t even started yet.


    qi xiaoyu made tea first and poured a cup for xun qian and himself.


    xun qian picked it up, smelled it, put it on his lips, and took a small sip. he was wearing a fur coat. his long finger, with neatly trimmed nails, was holding the cup to his full pink lips. when he lowered his eyes, there was an indescribable sense of nobility, just like the aristocrats of the qing dynasty in the last century.


    xun qian took a sip of tea and asked, ¡°are you joining the crew tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°uh-huh. it¡¯ll probably take about ten days of filming.¡±


    ¡°oh.¡±


    ¡°the filming location is not far away. you can always call me back if anything happens, third master.¡±


    ¡°well. you¡­¡±


    then, before xun qian could finish his words, the music started playing, the curtain opened, and zhang, the leading actor in ¡°a dream in the spring boudoir,¡± came on stage wearing pink pleats.


    qi xiaoyu¡¯s attention was completely captured.


    xun qian also picked up the teacup and drank while watching.


    ¡°a dream in the spring boudoir¡± tells the story of the warrior wang hui, who was forcibly recruited into the army just after his wedding in the late eastern han dynasty and died of an arrow wound. his wife, zhang shi, waited at home all day long, accumulating thoughts into a dream.


    today¡¯s performance is the twelfth most classic scene, which vividly expresses zhang shi¡¯s longing for her husband:


    ¡°¡±pity the poor crossbow charging the front line, through all the winds and frosts and ten thousand harpships;


    hungry, cold, fed and warmed by no one, sleeping and eating alone!¡±


    qi xiaoyu slowly followed the beat while watching. he couldn¡¯t help but follow along and harmonize a few lines.


    he was a little envious.


    in his era, there were frequent wars and social turmoil. the opera troupe was always short of musicians who could play the erhu1 or allegro2, so the members of the troupe were trained to play almost any musical instrument.


    it¡¯s not like now, where a band is in full order and there are backups when they get tired.


    but he was slightly disappointed.


    zhang shi¡¯s costume is a bit out of place.


    his master once said that pink is frivolous, so zhang shi¡¯s costumes should be in light yellow or lake blue, not pink.


    ¡°when you left, the flowers on the street were like brocade, but today the willows on the roof of the building are green again.


    poor me is waiting in the boudoir, and the begonia has been blooming ever since.¡±


    he had performed this section many times, and it was also the section he sang to xun qian that day.


    qi xiaoyu sang softly to the beat, completely forgetting that there were other people around him until he heard xun qian¡¯s voice say, ¡°you can sing better than him.¡±


    only then did qi xiaoyu remember that xun qian was also here.


    qi xiaoyu doesn¡¯t mind. he¡¯s always happy to be acknowledged. ¡°thank you, third master, for the compliment.¡±


    his eyes returned to the stage.


    xun qian, however, didn¡¯t look away. qi xiaoyu tilted his head slightly, half of his body protruding from the box, his neck slender and demure, his eyes shining as he looked at the stage.


    after a while, xun qian said calmly, ¡°if you like it, why don¡¯t you go sing in an opera?¡±


    qi xiaoyu glanced at xun qian. it¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t want to; it¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t have money.


    he had long asked yu xiaosheng to help inquire about the situation at the peking opera theatre. although it may be the best era for humanity now, it seemed to be the worst era when it came to the peking opera.


    the supporting facilities are complete, but the number of people watching peking opera is far less than what it was back then. otherwise, box tickets for such a famous play would not have been sold the day before.


    during this time, the tickets were sold out a month in advance.


    with a smaller audience, he naturally earns less. the salary paid is far from allowing him to achieve financial freedom. however, qi xiaoyu put it more tactfully in front of xun qian: ¡°i also enjoy filming and singing. i want to try them all.¡±


    xun qian said nothing.


    *****


    it was half past five when they left the theater.


    butler cheng called them on time, as if he had a third eye: ¡°mama li is sick today, and there¡¯s no one who can cook at home. mr. qi, why don¡¯t you eat dinner outside with the third master before coming back?¡±


    qi xiaoyu remembered mama li, who had enthusiastically given him directions in the cold wind this afternoon but didn¡¯t expose the butler¡¯s lie that was exposed at the first poke.


    he already invited the person to watch peking opera, and it wouldn¡¯t be too abrupt if he invited him to dinner as well, so he asked xun qian what he wanted to eat for dinner.


    five or six o¡¯clock is the peak time for commuting from work. people come and go, traffic flows continuously, and people rushing home make the cold city full of sparks.


    there are also pairs of couples holding hands going on dates in restaurants or bars.


    it seemed like he hadn¡¯t been so close to the crowd for a long time. xun qian looked at the bustling scene outside the car window and said, ¡°i¡¯ll treat you to a restaurant of your choice.¡±


    ¡°then¡­ let¡¯s eat roast duck.¡±


    ¡°ok.¡±


    so they didn¡¯t go home until after nine o¡¯clock that night.


    in fact, xun qian didn¡¯t eat much, probably because the roast duck was too greasy, so he took a small bite and put it down.


    most of the roast duck was eaten by qi xiaoyu.


    xun qian ordered a portion of dumplings, took one bite, and lazily put down his chopsticks.


    qi xiaoyu felt a little embarrassed on the way back and said politely, ¡°i shouldn¡¯t have chosen roast duck. it¡¯s because i want to eat roast duck every time i finish watching a play, and i didn¡¯t consider your preferences clearly. i¡¯ll treat you to something else next time as compensation.¡±


    xun qian said, ¡°en, okay.¡±


    qi xiaoyu, ¡°¡­¡±


    *****


    after resting, qi xiaoyu brought his suitcase to the set the next day.


    the filming location of the crew is at a film and television base in the southwest of s city. it takes just over two hours by car from xun¡¯s house. qi xiaoyu can go back and forth every day if he wants to.


    but he thought that since he was a newcomer, he would appear spoiled and delicate if he went back and forth every day. when encountering night or early morning scenes, he would also be in a rush, so it would be more convenient to live with the crew.


    yu xiaosheng met him on the set, helped him unpack his luggage, and went to the lifestyle producer to arrange accommodation in advance.


    on the way, yu xiaosheng carried the luggage up the stairs and said, ¡°xiaoyu, the company is already hiring an assistant for you. from now on, you don¡¯t have to do everything by yourself.¡±


    ¡°thank you, brother yu, but didn¡¯t you say that the company was in financial difficulty last time? it¡¯s fine to slow down the recruitment of assistants if the turnover hasn¡¯t improved.¡±


    ¡°no, you are the third male lead now. in this crew, even the nth male lead is followed by two or three people. you can¡¯t be taken lightly.¡±


    yu xiaosheng looked around and saw that there was no one around, so he lowered his voice and said, ¡°i¡¯ve heard that this show is favored by many people. those who can come in must have backgrounds or abilities. i heard that jiang feibai¡¯s son, jiang sicheng, is also in this crew¡­ although we were recommended by orange juice entertainment, we still have to do our best because there might not be after-sale service¡­ in short, i will help you find a capable assistant, and i will come to see you often. take care of yourself.¡±


    qi xiaoyu nodded.


    according to yu xiaosheng, with such a hidden dragon and crouching tiger3people of different backgrounds crew, qi xiaoyu, a newcomer, shouldn¡¯t be assigned any good rooms. a standard room or a superior single room would be enough.


    but when he went to get his room card from the lifestyle producer, he was given a room card for the vip suite.


    the lifestyle producer looked at him from behind his glasses. whether it was out of curiosity or pity, he said, ¡°your room is in the vip suite on the 9th floor. go up there yourself. if you need anything, just ask at the front desk.¡±


    qi xiaoyu glanced at the room allocation list in the hands of the lifestyle producer. there are only four vip suites in total. the male and female protagonists must each occupy one. there are also the second male and female leads, two directors and producers, etc. why was it his turn?


    the author has something to say:


    xun qian: please, i have money.

 CH 31

    translate by hua


    the day before qi xiaoyu came to the set, at the door of the vip suite on the 9th floor, jiang sicheng took the room card, pointed to the room next door, and asked the lifestyle producer, ¡°who lives next door to me?¡±


    jiang sicheng is the prince of orange juice entertainment, and orange juice entertainment is one of the investors. so the lifestyle producer still has to hold him in high esteem. ¡°originally, it was for brother hua, but he said he liked living on the first floor, so this room was given to tang kui.¡±


    jiang sicheng rubbed his belly and pursed his lips. ¡°why give him a place to stay? who the hell is he to live next door to me?¡±


    he hated qi xiaoyu and tang kui even more.


    tang kui had never become famous until last year, when he co-starred in an urban idol drama with xue qingchu, playing the role of a heartwarming ceo, and suddenly became famous.


    during that time, tang kui bought many water armies to promote his and xue qingchu¡¯s cp, marketing the persona of an ideal boyfriend. after the persona was stable and he started to gain more girlfriend fans, he immediately stepped on xue qingchu by ambiguously saying that goddess was interested but king xiang had no intention1 king xiang was interested, but the goddess had no intention. a metaphor for one-sided or unrequited love. but the tang kui guy reversed the sentence. he¡¯s trying to say that xue qingchu¡¯s the one who¡¯s interested in him..


    king xiang his uncle.


    son of a b who reverses right to wrong, black to white.


    so now jiang sicheng feels sick when he sees tang kui.


    ¡°uh¡­¡± the lifestyle producer was at a loss for words, thinking that this young master was really not afraid of offending people when he spoke like this.


    jiang sicheng curled up and leaned against the door frame, shaking his legs. ¡°isn¡¯t qi xiaoyu coming too? where does he live?¡±


    the lifestyle producer had heard that qi xiaoyu came in through orange juice entertainment and wondered if the two knew each other and wanted to live together. however, he had also heard of jiang sicheng¡¯s reputation for being arrogant, domineering, and bad-tempered and listened to this tone of voice that he is now ¡­¡­


    he thought for a while and decided that it was better not to worry so much. ¡°he lives in the deluxe single room downstairs.¡±


    jiang sicheng narrowed his eyes and said in a domineering tone, ¡°change tang kui¡¯s room and let him live next door to me.¡±


    ¡°uh¡­¡± the lifestyle producer was a little embarrassed. ¡°mr. jiang, this is a vip suite. there are only two rooms on this floor, and there are only four rooms in total. brother hua can¡¯t live there, so it should be given to the second male lead¡­ qi xiaoyu is the third male¡­¡±


    jiang sicheng impatiently interrupted the lifestyle producer, ¡°it¡¯s just one room; why are you so long-winded? how much is the difference between the two rooms? i¡¯ll make it up to you! or do you want to transfer money via mobile phone? come on, come on, i¡¯ll scan the code right away.¡±


    after saying that, he took out his cell phone.


    jiang sicheng has also been very unhappy recently. first he was rejected by xue qingchu, and then after kang qitao¡¯s birthday party, he was blocked in an alley and beaten. the beating was very harsh. his face wasn¡¯t hit, but only places like the stomach were targeted, causing his stomach to twitch and hurt even now.


    after being beaten, he went home injured. he originally wanted to cry and ask his father for help as revenge.


    as a result, after his father found out the whole story, he scolded him in the face.


    his father hit him on the back of the head while scolding, ¡°i finally managed to stabilize the company, and you come to muddy the waters again! you prodigal son, why did you provoke qi xiaoyu when you have nothing to do? why did you give me so much trouble?! you little bastard, you little brat, see if i don¡¯t beat you to death.¡±


    jiang sicheng held his head and begged for mercy, ¡°dad! dad! please take it easy and don¡¯t always scold me.¡±


    jiang feibai didn¡¯t hit him for real. jiang sicheng held his head while he slapped his arm. ¡°be polite next time you see qi xiaoyu, or i¡¯ll beat you to death, you little bastard! do you hear that?!¡±


    jiang sicheng was confused. is this man his biological father? why is he helping others beat his own son?


    jiang sicheng, with a face full of question marks, hid behind the sofa, stuck his head out, and asked his father about qi xiaoyu¡¯s background. isn¡¯t he just a young rookie from the talent show? be polite? be polite to the ghost!


    of course, he was greeted with another beating on the head and face.


    jiang sicheng no longer dared to ask.


    but after thinking, he couldn¡¯t swallow it. especially when he thought about xue qingchu being so good to qi xiaoyu, he felt that the cuckold was giving him a headache.


    his dad doesn¡¯t let him mess with qi xiaoyu, so why not pull him to his side to keep him under surveillance? so that he doesn¡¯t have time to go out and hook up with xue qingchu!


    ¡°okay, please say something! or i can pack up my things and move next door to qi xiaoyu!¡±


    ¡°uh¡­¡± the lifestyle producer sighed deeply, feeling that this young master jiang was indeed as bad-tempered as the rumors. while silently mourning for qi xiaoyu, he said, ¡°i¡¯ll ask the director.¡±


    *****


    here, qi xiaoyu checked into the vip suite with his luggage and swiped his card.


    he didn¡¯t bother to think so much.


    anyway, the conditions in this suite are quite good. there is a living room outside with a set of oversized sofas, and a bedroom inside with an oversized single bed. it¡¯s not facing the street and is not noisy, so it is very quiet to sleep at night.


    no matter who arranged it for him, he would always thank them.


    after he checked in for the day and unpacked his luggage, he picked up the script and started studying it.


    he knew that acting could make more money, but based on his past experience, the more money-making jobs you had, the more effort you had to put in.


    so he read his part again and again until late at night, memorized the lines, and took notes, then turned off the lights and rested.


    at eight o¡¯clock the next morning, qi xiaoyu got up on time to have breakfast and then put on makeup.


    as soon as he opened the door, he saw a man with curly hair leaning against the opposite wall.


    jiang sicheng glanced at him, his curly hair shaking like a teddy bear. ¡°i thought you weren¡¯t going to come out.¡±


    qi xiaoyu frowned. ¡°what are you doing staying in front of my room?¡±


    jiang sicheng narrowed his eyes and showed a bright fake smile. ¡°no reason; you don¡¯t have an assistant; i¡¯ll take you to the restaurant and the dressing room, ah.¡±


    seeing that qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t move, he turned around and pulled him. ¡°let¡¯s go. will i kidnap you?¡±


    qi xiaoyu was not afraid of abduction, but he felt that the man in front of him was mentally ill. however, he was going to have breakfast and put on makeup anyway, so he went downstairs with jiang sicheng.


    unexpectedly, jiang sicheng really decided to follow him. when he went to eat, jiang sicheng sat across from him. when he went to put on makeup, jiang sicheng sat next to him with his make-up artist.


    fortunately, qi xiaoyu has a strong psychological quality. after being followed by jiang sicheng for a few hours, he was able to naturally treat him like air, change costumes, take makeup photos, and start his first formal acting career very calmly.


    the young prince he plays is seventeen years old. he was a dandy in the early stages who wandered around the brothels and saw everyone as a ¡°girl to kiss¡±. later, when he met the female lead, he just wanted to tease her at first. as a result, he went back and forth, the teasing became real, love broke out of control, and in the end, he fell into an abyss for the female lead.


    the clothes prepared for him were also very flashy, with golden and red embroidered silk and satin piled up on top of him. he also wore a small gold crown on his head and a white jade bone fan in his hand.


    it¡¯s not easy to control such a character. if too restrained, there¡¯s no flirtatious charm. if too much, it becomes cringy.


    the actor they found before was a very experienced veteran actor. although he was a little older, he was used to playing roles such as princes, and he looked good in period costumes.


    however, he had the film resources of a famous director and thought about entering the big screen, so he let the crew go.


    this gave qi xiaoyu a chance.


    but everyone is somewhat unsure about qi xiaoyu¡¯s level. after all, qi xiaoyu¡¯s only work now is that commercial short film. the previous audition was rather hurried, and he didn¡¯t put on makeup or costume.


    the assistant director glanced anxiously into the dressing room several times. while watching the staff and props team build the scene, he said to the director next to him, ¡°director zhu, what do you think of qi xiaoyu wearing an ancient costume? i saw the one commercial he shot. he looks good in school uniforms, but i don¡¯t know about ancient costumes. it¡¯s all because i was in too much of a hurry last time; i only watched the performance. i should have asked him to put on some makeup.¡±


    the director sat on a small stool, with his hands folded in the sleeves of his cotton-padded clothes, and said nothing. in his mind, qi xiaoyu¡¯s effect on ancient costumes was half or half. he thought qi xiaoyu¡¯s facial features and facial shape were good enough to handle ancient clothing, but he was afraid that he was too young to have that temperament.


    however, when qi xiaoyu, who had put on makeup, appeared in front of everyone, their worries disappeared.


    the sounds at the scene gradually died down, until it was completely silent and only a few sounds of inhalation were left. all eyes were on qi xiaoyu. he wore a jade belt, long black boots, and a sachet hanging from his waist. holding a white jade bone fan, he has a smile on his face and a graceful demeanor. there is a sense of nobility in every move he makes, and his eyes are full of cynical charm.


    the makeup artist was very satisfied with his work, half asking for credit and half showing off, ¡°director zhu, what do you think? isn¡¯t it just like little prince yan in the flesh?¡±


    the director nodded repeatedly.


    jiang sicheng, who was following from the side, made a disdainful sound. he thought he¡¯s also quite good-looking in an ancient costume, no worse than qi xiaoyu. why didn¡¯t these people praise him so much? what a lack of vision!


    after the director, surnamed zhu, finished watching, he wiped his beard and asked, ¡°have the young prince¡¯s makeup photos been taken?¡±


    after getting a positive answer, he called qi xiaoyu over and asked, ¡°have you read the script before?¡±


    qi xiaoyu nodded. ¡°i¡¯ve read it several times.¡±


    ¡°okay, let¡¯s shoot the scene where you and the female lead meet today. go ahead; don¡¯t be nervous; give it a try first.¡±


    this director¡¯s usual temper isn¡¯t very good, but qi xiaoyu is, after all, the person recommended by orange juice entertainment. more importantly, he looks very good in this costume, so the director¡¯s mood also improved, and his words became gentler. the other one from orange juice entertainment, jiang sicheng, is much worse than this one, making him angry every day.


    ****


    the scene where qi xiaoyu and the female met was filmed in a brothel. he went upstairs, and the female lead, who was disguised as a man, went downstairs.


    when the two met, he saw through her disguise at a glance and teased her, ¡°this young lady is quite intriguing. why do you come to a brothel alone? do you want to accompany this young master to play?¡±


    the female lead is an actress named xu yan. she can¡¯t be called a great beauty, but she has very distinctive looks. she is born with willow eyebrows and tear mole eyes, which are very suitable for ancient costumes. she can handle characters from the ages of 18 to 38.


    she¡¯s in her early thirties and has been in the industry for over a decade. she has many representative works in the tv industry. in the past two years, she has appeared in several tv series with high ratings and is very popular.


    she had met qi xiaoyu at kang qitao¡¯s birthday party before and had a good impression of him.


    so when she saw qi xiaoyu coming in costume, she took the initiative to ask, ¡°you¡¯re here, boy?¡±


    qi xiaoyu greeted her politely, ¡°hello, sister xu.¡±


    although xu yan looks graceful, she behaves like a big sister. seeing that qi xiaoyu is so young and polite, she¡¯s even more satisfied.


    it didn¡¯t go too well at first, though.


    in the first take, qi xiaoyu went to the wrong position, and in the second take, there was a lighting problem, but in the third take, the scene of encounter and teasing passed smoothly.


    qi xiaoyu raised the female lead¡¯s chin with a fan and bent his head, looking half arrogant and half debauched.


    the director looked at qi xiaoyu¡¯s movements and expressions in the camera and nodded with satisfaction. even though it was a flirtation that took place in a brothel, the performance by him was not frivolous but rather had a youthful air that made people yearn for it.


    qi xiaoyu¡¯s acting skills were honed along with his singing skills.


    to be able to impress opera lovers and amateur actors is his master¡¯s basic requirement.


    the others who weren¡¯t filming just crowded around. some came to listen to the gossip, some came to watch the director curse, but all claimed that they came to learn.


    the second male lead, tang kui, wearing a red guard uniform and holding a prop sword in his hand, was also among the crowd of onlookers.


    after watching for a while, he walked up to jiang sicheng and said casually, ¡°is this the new guy who became famous after filming a commercial with qingqing? he¡¯s quite handsome.¡±


    he could remember the inexplicable room change early yesterday morning. being driven from the vip suite to a single room, he was so angry that he could spit out blood. if not for his agent stopping him, he really wanted to quarrel with the director¡¯s team.


    jiang sicheng gave him a blank look. ¡°what are you doing?¡±


    tang kui pretended not to notice the look. ¡°this role will definitely attract fans if he acts well. what¡¯s going on with orange juice entertainment? how come the role given to him is better than yours?¡±


    jiang sicheng snorted.


    tang kui kept up his efforts: ¡°look, director zhu usually scolds you every day, but today he doesn¡¯t scold this person. this differential treatment, tsk tsk tsk, young master jiang, can you tolerate this?¡±


    jiang sicheng glanced at him and cursed inwardly that he was insane. he now just wanted to keep an eye on qi xiaoyu, not causing trouble for him.


    he didn¡¯t dare because he was afraid of being beaten to death by his own father.


    tang kui shook his head and laughed as if mocking jiang sicheng¡¯s stupidity when he saw that the other party was as immovable as a piece of wood, then turned around and left first.


    *****


    qi xiaoyu¡¯s final makeup photos were released after a few days of filming that went smoothly overall.


    ¡°you are the proud son of heaven and the most affectionate and persistent prince yan. please look forward to @qixiaoyu¡¯s wonderful performance in ¡°the legend of the tang dynasty empress.¡±

 CH 32

    translate by hua


    as soon as this post was posted on weibo, the first hot comment was, ¡°the young prince yan in ¡°the legend of the tang dynasty empress¡± is actually qi xiaoyu!¡±


    the filming of ¡°the legend of the tang dynasty empress¡± took a long time.


    this novel was very popular when it was serialized five or six years ago. after its publication, the sales volume was also very good, and there were many fans.


    as early as two years ago, when it was rumored that the novel was going to be adapted, there was a lot of speculation about the casting for the main roles. various marketing accounts had almost gone through half of the actors in the industry.


    in the end, everyone had a built-in blocking function for all kinds of rumors and no longer believed them.


    it wasn¡¯t until filming began this year that the crew successively announced the male and female leads and other characters, which finally settled the hearts of the people.


    the role of prince yan was previously cast by someone else, and the semi-official promotion was not qi xiaoyu.


    so when it was announced in the first two days that qi xiaoyu was going to join the cast of ¡°the legend of the tang dynasty empress¡±, not many people believed it, especially the fans of the actor who was replaced. they didn¡¯t know that it was their idol who rejected this role first; instead, they believed that it was qi xiaoyu who¡¯s here to gain hype.


    some people even make fun of him: ¡°with just one gig, and now you¡¯re thinking of joining a crew. the stage isn¡¯t as big as your heart. don¡¯t you know that the role has been booked for a long time?¡±


    ¡°how many waves of hype have been done, and now you are still using this hype? which artist¡¯s hype method is so old-fashioned?¡±


    ¡°which young idol nowadays doesn¡¯t want to enter the film and television industry, but do they have the resources?¡±


    ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter what status the other people in this crew have. the worst one is probably jiang sicheng, but he¡¯s also the prince of orange juice entertainment, so he can barely make it through. meanwhile, qi xiaoyu, a bottom-tier star, what¡¯s he doing here?¡±


    qi xiaoyu¡¯s fans have nothing to say. they can only express their position by refusing to believe anything that¡¯s not an official announcement.


    they didn¡¯t even take a second look at those fake gossip accounts. they were just waiting silently for the next episode of the short film to come out. they were satisfied with ten minutes of content and being able to see their little fish in the subway and supermarket.


    after going through those days when there were no contents or resources, their requirements are now very low.


    therefore, the release of the final makeup photos made people so surprised: ¡°this role was really won by qi xiaoyu.¡±


    ¡°i¡¯m going, so curious to know the behind-the-scenes story.¡±


    this is the official announcement that qi xiaoyu has joined the crew.


    some novel fans didn¡¯t pay attention to those taunting remarks before, but once they saw qi xiaoyu¡¯s makeup photo, they instantly couldn¡¯t look past it.


    ¡°what¡¯s wrong with being at the bottom tier? is it because of poor acting skills or poor appearance? just this face and this look are enough. isn¡¯t it more comfortable than looking at someone with a wrinkled face acting like a teenager?¡±


    the photo of qi xiaoyu in the final makeup photo is a half-silhouette. he¡¯s holding a folding fan in his right hand and turning his head to look at the camera, like a casual glance. however, the smile and flirtatiousness in his eyes make it hard to turn away, vividly portraying prince yan in the imagination of novel fans.


    the face-dog fans1ÑÕ¹· a very literal translation. fans that stand anyone good-looking all lamented, ¡°this is great, and just looking at the face makes people addicted to it.¡±


    a few days later, the official blog of ¡°the legend tang dynasty empress¡± posted another behind-the-scenes video, which happened to include a short scene between the female lead and qi xiaoyu. when the female lead first entered the palace, she offended a certain nobleman. qi xiaoyu happened to pass by and saved her with ease.


    in fact, qi xiaoyu only had two or three sentences and a few seconds of footage, but his previous material was too little, and the short film took ten days to release an episode. moreover, he has never worn ancient costumes before, but the result is unexpectedly stunning. most of the comments praise him.


    ¡°i¡¯m at a loss for words. i can only say that he¡¯s so beautiful and handsome. please invite the sisters downstairs.¡±


    ¡°the sisters downstairs will also let out a groundhog squeal.¡±


    ¡°i can only say that the editors have added a lot of material. i hope the drama will come out soon.¡±


    ¡°xiaoyu is really a treasure boy. he can sing, act, and even look stunning in costumes. it¡¯s really something new every day!¡±


    with the pictures and tidbits released bit by bit on the official blog of the show, qi xiaoyu¡¯s popularity has climbed up a bit, and his weibo followers have slowly increased from 1.56 million to more than 2 million. after all, those who win the beauty lottery win the world. what star-chasing fans look at first and foremost is the face.


    at the same time, some good marketing accounts also compare qi xiaoyu and tang kui together. they both have partnered with xue qingchu; both have filmed ¡°the legend of the tang dynasty empress¡±, both are flower boys, and their fans are mainly girls in their early to mid-twenties. their routes seem to be pretty much the same at the moment, except for the fact that tang kui is five or six years older than qi xiaoyu.


    tang kui has always paid special attention to his online evaluations and the dynamics of his fan circle. after all, he became popular through marketing his personality. when he saw this article comparing him with qi xiaoyu, especially when he saw someone replying, ¡°it didn¡¯t clash too much, right? after all, tang kui is old,¡± he was filled with displeasure.


    after scrolling a bit, he became even more angry.


    one of his fans actually forwarded qi xiaoyu¡¯s makeup photo. this person¡¯s weibo profile is still a character photo from his previous tv series!


    qi xiaoyu robbed his room a few days ago, robbed his fans today, and might even rob his endorsements and resources in the future.


    tang kui wanted to say it was a deliberate provocation, but he couldn¡¯t because his persona would collapse.


    he is a gentle ceo, a warm-hearted boyfriend, and the gentlest white moonlight in the hearts of his fans. how could he argue with someone over such a trivial matter?


    he took a deep breath but still couldn¡¯t let go of the article.


    so he switched to his side account, forwarded it, and commented, ¡°hehe, he doesn¡¯t even have a single representative work, so don¡¯t cross the line.¡±


    after tang kui finished with this one, he forwarded a few more weibo messages praising himself before putting down his phone with satisfaction and going to film today¡¯s scene.


    today there¡¯s a group scene in front of the palace.


    the male protagonist, the female protagonist, him, qi xiaoyu, and jiang sicheng are all here.


    when tang kui went in, the others had all arrived and were wearing their costumes as they each read their own scripts, except for jiang sicheng, whose small pair of eyes had been poking around qi xiaoyu with malicious intent.


    tang kui sneered, put on a smiling face, and walked into the hall.


    *****


    in the main hall, qi xiaoyu was having a dialogue with the male protagonist, long hua.


    this is the first time he has acted opposite long hua. all his previous scenes were with the female lead.


    long hua is a veteran actor in the industry. he has acted in both formal and idol dramas. he has won the best actor award in several tv series. he has a good command of lines and can be cast directly without dubbing. therefore, the requirements for actors who play opposite him are also very high.


    qi xiaoyu practiced for two or three hours in front of the mirror in the bathroom the night before. his own line skills were good, but after accumulating practical experience in the past few days, he felt that singing is still different from performing in front of the camera. the pronunciation and tone are all different, so he has been studying carefully during the filming process.


    ¡°the stability of the border is related to the foundation of the country. although chen2chen (³¼) is what commoners/ministers used to refer to themselves when speaking to the emperor. is usually playful and ignorant, chen understands this point. your majesty, if they are unwilling to go, please send chen to go.¡±


    although they are not difficult lines, when qi xiaoyu says them, they have the right amount of liveliness and innocence in the character.


    after he finished speaking, he was praised by long hua. ¡°not bad. your foundation is pretty solid, much better than that of other actors of this age.¡±


    jiang sicheng, who was watching on the sidelines, felt his heart tremble. he felt that long hua was mocking him, but he had no evidence.


    he could only give qi xiaoyu a hateful look, doubling the ounce of compliments.


    he had been following qi xiaoyu these days to prevent him from hooking up with xue qingchu, but he ended up listening to a hundred and eight people praising qi xiaoyu.


    by the way, yesterday he was watching xu qingchu¡¯s interview in the hotel. as a result, xue qingchu mentioned qi xiaoyu in the interview and praised him for his professionalism.


    he was so angry that he couldn¡¯t even enjoy the interview in peace.


    ¡°jiang sicheng, where are you looking?! everyone else is rehearsing their lines, but you¡¯re the only one loafing around?¡±


    as soon as the director came in, he was angry when he saw jiang sicheng doing nothing.


    in fact, he was quite polite to jiang sicheng in the first two days, but later his temper was worn away by this playboy.


    who can stay in a good mood when every scene with jiang sicheng has to be polished dozens of times before it can pass?


    he was really glad that jiang sicheng was the fourth male lead who didn¡¯t have many lines. he even secretly wanted to reduce the number of scenes for this fourth lead actor. ¡°qi xiaoyu joined the crew later than you, yet he made a lot more progress. before looking at others, take a good look at yourself. stop gawking here!¡±


    ¡°oh.¡±


    jiang sicheng was filled with anger. he took the script from the assistant¡¯s hand and read it in a daze.


    he¡¯s indeed not good at acting. he only joined the industry to have more common topics with xue qingchu.


    although he was scolded by the director for no reason, jiang sicheng couldn¡¯t help but keep looking in qi xiaoyu¡¯s direction when filming started. xue qingchu praised qi xiaoyu for his skill, but he wanted to see what was good about him.


    well¡­. he¡¯s just good at saying his lines.


    after reading, jiang sicheng followed qi xiaoyu into the dressing room.


    qi xiaoyu originally wanted to change clothes, but when he saw jiang sicheng following him, he turned around and stopped him.


    ¡°why are you following me every day?¡±


    jiang sicheng couldn¡¯t stop in time and almost hit qi xiaoyu¡¯s chest.


    ¡°your family runs the set? i just want to come to the dressing room; why can¡¯t i?¡±


    ¡°okay.¡± qi xiaoyu crossed his arms and looked at the young master.


    ¡°then i won¡¯t change clothes. i¡¯m going to the bathroom. do you want to come with me?¡±


    ¡°okay, together, together.¡±


    ¡°okay, then you can follow.¡±


    qi xiaoyu turned around and came out of the dressing room. as soon as he opened the door, he bumped into tang kui again.


    tang kui walked in with a smile on his face. ¡°sorry, did i hit you?¡±


    qi xiaoyu was instinctively wary of people with tang kui¡¯s personality, but he also had the same fake smile on his face: ¡°no. do you want to use the dressing room? there happens to be no one in there.¡±


    after watching tang kui enter the dressing room and walking some distance away, qi xiaoyu turned back and asked the follower, whom he couldn¡¯t get rid of, ¡°did he follow you?¡±


    jiang sicheng frowned, looking confused. ¡°who?¡±


    ¡°tang kui.¡±


    ¡°how do i know? how can i have time to care about him?¡±


    qi xiaoyu was helpless. ¡°then i ask you to spend less time on me and pay more attention to other people.¡±


    *****


    on the other side, the xun family fell into silence again after qi xiaoyu went to film.


    xun qian once again stayed in the bedroom every day and never came out.


    except for butler cheng, no other servants in the family dared to go upstairs, let alone talk to xun qian.


    butler cheng¡¯s steps were also gentle. he counted silently in his heart. this was the eleventh day that he missed qi xiaoyu.


    if he had known better, he would have persuaded qi xiaoyu to do something else. it took too long for the crew to finish filming.


    butler cheng opened the calendar and saw that there were only ten days left until the death anniversary of xun qian¡¯s sister and father. alas, it was a difficult winter every year, not to mention that he had an unpleasant thing to tell xun qian today.


    butler cheng deeply felt that it was too difficult for him, but he still mustered up the courage to say, ¡°third master, things at weihao hotel are not going well. master xu refuses to hand over the finances of the weihao hotel to zhang han.¡±


    xun qian lowered his eyes. the shadows under his eyes intertwined with the shadows of his eyelashes. ¡°if he won¡¯t, you guys just let him be?¡±


    butler cheng swallowed his saliva. ¡°he asked the old madam for help. if you don¡¯t say anything, zhang han wouldn¡¯t dare use strong tactics against the old madam.¡±


    xun qian seemed to be very tired and waved his hand. ¡°let zhang han handle it as he pleases. don¡¯t ask me.¡±


    ¡°yes.¡± the butler exited more carefully than when he came in and closed the door.

 CH 33

    translate by hua


    butler cheng, who exited xun qian¡¯s bedroom, walked around downstairs after replying to zhang han¡¯s message.


    although the heating of the central air conditioner was sufficient, he still felt cold. the dining table, which was as clean as a mirror, was cold, and the sofa, which was neat and wrinkle-free, was also cold.


    when dr. song came last time, he told him that xun qian should not only take medicine and check-ups regularly but also ensure that he was in a good mood and not worry too much.


    but in such a life, how can they not worry too much? even he¡¯s going to get depressed if he stays too long.


    butler cheng thought for a while: why not call qi xiaoyu and ask him to come back to visit the family?


    qi xiaoyu is the only person who has had a few words with xun qian in all these years. maybe a chat can help xun qian¡¯s condition improve a little bit.


    qi xiaoyu, who was remembered by butler cheng, was filming a scene opposite jiang sicheng that day.


    according to the rhythm of the plot, prince yan, played by qi xiaoyu, wants to lead troops on an expedition, and the guard, played by jiang sicheng, is responsible for stopping him from going to see the emperor.


    jiang sicheng hugged qi xiaoyu from behind, put his hands under his armpits, and pulled his hands down his waist. ¡°little prince, don¡¯t be impulsive; leading an army into battle is not a child¡¯s play! there are thousands of miles of yellow sand in the northwestern part of the country; what if you don¡¯t make it back?¡±


    the line that qi xiaoyu was supposed to say was, ¡°let go! everyone said that i, the young prince, would only linger in the brothel, so i¡¯m going to show them what i¡¯m capable of!¡±


    but he was so tickled by jiang sicheng¡¯s hand on his waist that he couldn¡¯t help but laugh after saying the first sentence.


    ¡°stop.¡± the director¡¯s eyebrows were twisted, and he said to qi xiaoyu, ¡°xiaoyu, control your expression and don¡¯t laugh.¡±


    jiang sicheng looked at qi xiaoyu being taught a lesson with a smug smile. half of the pent-up anger he felt these days was immediately relieved. humph, let¡¯s see what the director said about him! i¡¯ll make you laugh every time you film a scene!


    however, this anger was only relieved half-way because the director quickly pointed the gun at him and said, ¡°jiang sicheng, what the hell is wrong with you? it¡¯s not enough that you¡¯re ng; you¡¯re affecting other people¡¯s normal filming! are you trying to stop him or kidnap him? is he the prince, or are you the prince? look at your actions; are they right?¡±


    ¡°???¡± jiang sicheng was speechless and could only mutter without confidence, ¡°what does it have to do with me? i¡¯m not the one who laughed.¡±


    the weather was already very cold today, and the director was not in a good mood. he became even more angry at jiang sicheng and said, ¡°you tighten your grip a bit more, and qi xiaoyu will be strangled to death.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± jiang sicheng argued with his neck stiffened, ¡°that¡¯s how the action is.¡±


    at this time, qi xiaoyu, who had recovered from the tickling, looked at jiang sicheng with a smile, then turned to the director and said, ¡°director zhu, why don¡¯t i and sicheng change our movements? don¡¯t let him hug me from behind. change it to a scene where i want to leave and he blocks me by fighting. perhaps it¡¯ll be more exciting.¡±


    the director rubbed his head and thought for a moment, ¡°okay, just do as xiaoyu said. jiang sicheng, go get your sword.¡±


    jiang sicheng went into battle with his sword in hand and stood fiercely opposite qi xiaoyu, with an expression of who is afraid of who.


    as soon as he got ready, he was scolded by the director again: ¡°jiang sicheng, are you trying to stop someone or stir up trouble? if your expression is any worse, i¡¯ll just film you being dragged to beheading in the next scene.¡±


    jiang sicheng lost half of his arrogance but still stared at qi xiaoyu as if he wanted to fight to the death.


    qi xiaoyu secretly smiled. he has been practicing peking opera for so many years. he has been doing kung fu since elementary school. he can handle swords and guns, and he can turn, fall, leap, and jump.


    he really didn¡¯t want to bully jiang sicheng too much, but jiang sicheng always came to his door asking for a beating¡­


    a few moments later, jiang si was beaten to the ground by qi xiaoyu.


    as he fell, face down, butt puckered up, and elbows propped on the ground, it was so hilarious that the crowd of onlookers and even the cameraman around him erupted into a fit of laughter.


    the director couldn¡¯t help but point at jiang sicheng and say, ¡°you said you¡¯re not good at literary drama; how come you are so bad at martial arts too?¡±


    jiang sicheng put his hands on the ground and was stunned for about ten seconds. then he slowly raised his head, rubbed his chin, and got up on his own, still groaning.


    qi xiaoyu turned to him and asked with a smile, ¡°sicheng, where does it hurt? do you want me to rub it for you?¡±


    jiang sicheng didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with qi xiaoyu calling him this just now. but when he heard the word ¡°sicheng,¡± he instinctively took a step back in fright. he almost stepped on the sword, which he dropped on the ground, and fell again.


    his action made the crowd laugh again.


    tang kui, who was sitting on a recliner and watching, also laughed out loud.


    his agent happened to come over. he clearly remembered that a few days ago, tang kui was holding his cell phone and being angry all day long. why was he smiling so happily today? when he saw this, he asked, ¡°what¡¯s wrong? why are you so happy today?¡±


    tang kui held a warm water bag and acted like he was zhuge liang1a well-known military strategist during the three kingdoms period.. ¡°do you think jiang sicheng hates qi xiaoyu?¡±


    the agent nodded. ¡±it¡¯s quite an annoying sight. i heard that these days, no matter what qi xiaoyu does, jiang sicheng will follow behind to make trouble. just now, it¡¯s also obvious that jiang sicheng doesn¡¯t want to shoot the drama properly and won¡¯t let qi xiaoyu shoot properly as well. however, to say that this young master jiang really hates qi xiaoyu, then his tactics are a bit too childish.¡±


    tang kui snorted coldly, ¡°that¡¯s because he¡¯s stupid. he doesn¡¯t know how to cause trouble or use the resources his family has. what a fool.¡±


    the agent didn¡¯t answer.


    tang kui stared at qi xiaoyu and jiang sicheng in the center of the field for a while, then narrowed his eyes and said, ¡°since jiang sicheng can¡¯t cause trouble, i¡¯ll give him a hand.¡± he said this, putting his head next to his agent and rambling on.


    on qi xiaoyu¡¯s side, after giving jiang sicheng a lesson, he became much more honest.


    after three or four more ngs and a couple of visits from the martial arts instructor to correct the moves, the segment passed.


    qi xiaoyu watched jiang sicheng walk away, holding his broken chin, and walked to his seat in a good mood.


    his scenes were very tightly scheduled in the past few days, but today they were relatively relaxed. it¡¯s only half past one in the afternoon, and all the scenes for today are already finished.


    before he could return to his seat, he saw his phone flashing.


    the call was from yu xiaosheng, who said that he had found an assistant for him. his name was li kun. he had just graduated from college, but he had been an intern on the crew before and had relevant experience. he will come to work today. the two of them were preparing to come to the film and television city and asked qi xiaoyu if he wanted anything.


    qi xiaoyu thought for a while and asked yu xiaosheng not to come. the assistant could come alone. he also said that he would leave the crew after filming his part in a few days and asked the assistant to buy some small gifts for the crew to thank them for taking care of him.


    qi xiaoyu had his own intentions for doing this.


    since he was looking for an assistant and someone closely related to his future life and work, he wanted to hire someone who could handle things clearly, act reliably, and not offend others. otherwise, if he finds a careless person, he might need to clean up the mess afterward. it¡¯s too much of a loss.


    after qi xiaoyu finished explaining, he went back to the room to remove makeup and change clothes.


    three hours later, after qi xiaoyu had taken a shower and changed clothes, a call came in from the new assistant. the voice sounded like that of a young boy full of energy.


    the other party first introduced his basic situation, then briefly explained what tasks yu xiaosheng had handed over to him, and then said, ¡°brother xiaoyu, i bought all the gifts as you said and put them in the car. the car is right in front of the hotel; do you want to come down and take a look?¡±


    ¡°okay, i¡¯ll come down now.¡± after hanging up the phone, qi xiaoyu went downstairs to inspect the things li kun bought.


    qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t tell li kun what he wanted to buy or how many copies he wanted to buy.


    what li bought are all small items to keep out the cold in winter, such as warm stickers and warm water bags that can be carried in the pocket. they were put together and packed in gift boxes.


    this little thing is not very expensive, but it¡¯s indispensable for the winter crew.


    after looking at the gift box, li kun showed him the price list, quantity, and invoices.


    qi xiaoyu took a look and found that li kun was quite meticulous. in addition to the actors and the director¡¯s team, even the camera, lighting, and post-production teams were taken into account.


    qi xiaoyu nodded with satisfaction. in this circle, you need to be cautious so as not to offend others. he patted li kun on the shoulder and said, ¡°drive the car to the parking lot and put the things in my room first.¡±


    then he added, ¡°you have to run around on your first day at work today. i¡¯ll treat you to a meal tonight.¡±


    ¡°yes, brother xiaoyu.¡±


    li kun secretly took a breath. he originally sent his resume to various big companies and had never thought of joining star entertainment. after all, star entertainment¡¯s reputation is much worse than that of other large companies. however, this year¡¯s economic situation is not good, and there are not many job opportunities. after waiting for a long time and only receiving a call from star entertainment, he went with the mentality of giving it a try.


    after the interview, he felt that the salary offered by the other party was good, and he heard from yu xiaosheng that the celebrity he was working with was also very good, so he continued to come with the mentality of giving it a try.


    he just didn¡¯t expect that qi xiaoyu, who looks a few years younger than him, would be so sophisticated and discreet when it comes to testing people, and at the same time, he doesn¡¯t make people feel resentful because he will acknowledge your efforts in a timely manner and also give awards.


    li kun has also been an intern on several film crews. he has dealt with all kinds of stars; some are smart and smooth, some are seniors, and some are juniors. however, there are really few people who have as much emotional intelligence as qi xiaoyu, especially when he¡¯s so young.


    this reminded li kun of those invincible heroes in martial arts novels. on the surface, he was calm like wind and cloud, but on the inside, he was strategizing and winning thousands of miles ahead of you.


    this also made him instantly determined to stay and work hard with qi xiaoyu. he believed that with this emotional intelligence alone, qi xiaoyu would do well in the circle in the future.


    ¡°by the way, don¡¯t call me brother xiaoyu; just call me xiaoyu,¡± qi xiaoyu blinked, feeling that being called that made him feel a little uncomfortable.


    ¡°okay, i¡¯ll try my best to change it.¡± li kun was ready to start the car when he said this. before he stepped on the accelerator, he was suddenly stopped by qi xiaoyu.


    ¡°wait, don¡¯t drive; what¡¯s under the car?¡±


    ¡°it seems to be¡­a cat?¡±


    qi xiaoyu immediately opened the car door and got out. under the car, a little black dog was curled up for warmth.


    the puppy is less than 30 centimeters long and is completely black except for two white hair strips on its eyes, which look like two white eyebrows.


    it curled up next to the exhaust pipe. when it saw qi xiaoyu, its round eyes looked down pitifully, and its tail swung from left to right and then from right to left.


    li kun teased it with his hands, but it didn¡¯t move, so he grunted twice. ¡°it seems it¡¯s too cold to keep warm. huh~it seems like the lowest temperature today is going to be 0 degrees. you can sit in the car first, and i¡¯ll get it out.¡±


    qi xiaoyu stopped li kun from taking the dog out. ¡°wait a minute; buy some ham sausage and mineral water.¡±


    li kun complied and immediately went to a nearby convenience store to buy water and food. he asked, ¡°it will follow you after you give it food. do you want to adopt it?¡±


    ¡°en.¡±


    qi xiaoyu originally wanted to keep a dog to accompany him in this era, but unfortunately, he has been too busy to go to the pet market. he didn¡¯t expect to meet a stray dog in such cold weather.


    the dog was not only cold but also hungry. when it saw the ham sausage, it immediately crawled out from under the car with its tail wagging, bit off half of it in one go, and then took a bite directly to the root of qi xiaoyu¡¯s finger there, but was very careful not to hurt qi xiaoyu.


    after eating the ham sausage, it licked up the water qi xiaoyu poured into his palm.


    after eating and drinking enough, it looked up at qi xiaoyu with its round little head and barked twice.


    li kun smiled and said, ¡°he seems to be thanking you.¡±


    ¡°yes, the poor little thing is so sensible.¡±


    qi xiaoyu lifted it up and took a look. ¡°it¡¯s a little male dog. i don¡¯t know if it was thrown outside during the cold on purpose.¡±


    li kun also sighed, ¡°hey, people are really irresponsible these days. they buy dogs on a whim and throw them away when they don¡¯t like them.¡±


    qi xiaoyu¡¯s eyes dimmed, but then he cheered up again. ¡°we can¡¯t control others; we can only do our best. come on, it just so happens that i have time after all of today¡¯s scenes are shot. i¡¯ll put things away later. first send him to the pet hospital for a checkup, and then get him a nest.¡±


    qi xiaoyu did what he said and quickly took the puppy to the hospital for a check-up. the dog was only more than four months old. it must have been abandoned by its owner not long ago, so it didn¡¯t contract any diseases outside.


    however, according to the doctor, it was fortunate that qi xiaoyu took him home. otherwise, in such cold weather and snow in the next two days, such a small dog would easily starve and freeze to death outside.


    after qi xiaoyu finished the checkup, on his way back to the hotel with the little poor thing, he received another call.


    this time it was butler cheng calling.


    butler cheng asked him how long he would stay on the set.


    ¡°the filming here will be completed in three or four days.¡±


    qi xiaoyu thought for a while and felt that butler cheng would not call him for no reason and asked, ¡°is there something going on at home?¡±


    ¡°no, it¡¯s okay. it¡¯s because i¡¯m old and have a bad memory, so i remembered the wrong date. i thought you were coming back today and asked mama li to prepare dinner.¡±


    butler cheng said it tactfully, and he was even a little annoyed that he had remembered the date wrong, but how could qi xiaoyu not understand the implication?


    he smiled and said, ¡°i just finished shooting today¡¯s scene, and tomorrow¡¯s scene won¡¯t start until ten o¡¯clock. can you let mama li cook later? i¡¯ll be home in about two hours.¡±


    the author has something to say:


    qi xiaoyu: the cozy life is getting happier and happier~


    xun qian: has my wife forgotten me? qaq

 CH 34

    tl: hua


    qi xiaoyu hung up the phone. after explaining something to li kun and making an appointment to treat him to dinner another day, he got out of the car to go back to xun¡¯s house.


    he wasn¡¯t ready to let li kun know about his affairs with the xun family, and li kun also tactfully didn¡¯t ask.


    when they were getting out of the car, the little black dog grabbed qi xiaoyu¡¯s hand with its four paws and refused to let go. he kept pouncing upward, and even li kun couldn¡¯t pull him away.


    qi xiaoyu saw that he was really pitiful and cute. it wouldn¡¯t be good to leave the dog he had just picked up with others on the first night. after a slight consideration, he also brought the little black dog with him.


    when the little black dog saw qi xiaoyu hugging him again, he immediately shrank into qi xiaoyu¡¯s arms and rubbed his chest with satisfaction before he calmed down and followed qi xiaoyu home happily.


    *****


    it was just eight o¡¯clock when qi xiaoyu arrived at his destination.


    the courtyard, where the lights are usually long out, was brightly lit.


    qi xiaoyu slowed down his car and looked around suspiciously.


    this situation¡­is waiting for him to come home?


    however, this idea only crossed his mind for a moment before being rejected by qi xiaoyu. it was probably unlikely.


    when qi xiaoyu was reversing the car, he couldn¡¯t help but think of something¡­ the last time he saw such a situation was when mrs. xun came back!


    could it be that mrs. xun is back again today?


    qi xiaoyu looked around and indeed saw a bmw parked in the outermost part of the garage.


    the last time mrs. xun came back to visit the sickly xun qian, the latter¡¯s illness became even worse. he had a high fever, and he had to stay in bed for several days.


    this time¡­¡­


    qi xiaoyu had a bad premonition.


    as soon as the car was safely parked in the garage, he jumped out with the little black dog in his arms.


    the servants were all staying in the kitchen on the first floor, with an ¡°i¡¯m just a transparent person¡± attitude.


    in the distance, intermittent shouting came from upstairs.


    qi xiaoyu trotted up the stairs and saw butler cheng standing between the stairs from the second floor to the third floor, looking up with an anxious and helpless expression on his face.


    ¡°uncle cheng, what happened?¡±


    as soon as qi xiaoyu finished asking, a woman¡¯s sharp, aged yelling came from upstairs.


    butler cheng quickly pulled qi xiaoyu, put his index finger tightly on his lips, and gestured, ¡°shh, don¡¯t go up.¡±


    then the distinct yelling and cursing came in: ¡°who the hell is zhang han? you¡¯re actually helping an outsider instead of your own cousin?¡±


    ¡°xun qian, the biggest mistake i, xu xueyin, have ever made in my life is giving birth to you. if it weren¡¯t for you, xiao mo would not die, xiao ran would not die, xun tao would not die, and yide would not die either. everything is your fault! now you actually want to force your uncle to death, driving his family into a corner. zhihui is right; you are the most indifferent and selfish person in the world! ¡±


    qi xiaoyu¡¯s expression changed when he heard this.


    when xun qian¡¯s sister, xun ran, and father, xun tao, died, xun qian was just seven years old.


    according to the original description, xun qian always blamed himself for his father¡¯s and sister¡¯s deaths. he always lives with guilt.


    his mother, xu xueyin, has never opened up to him and even blamed him for the premature death of a previous child, saying that xun qian was an evil star who would kill the whole family.


    if xu xueyin could have put more thought into her child, instead of being induced by her mother¡¯s family to fight for the family¡¯s property, instead of listening to the rumors outside and blaming xun qian for all her faults and having another lover outside, xun qian would never have become like this. at least he wouldn¡¯t have suppressed his feelings so deeply.


    but xu xueyin didn¡¯t think so. in her heart, ever since her lover fell off his horse and died at xun qian¡¯s feet, there has been an irreparable gap between mother and son.


    when occasionally reminded of the past, she would pity the sickly and depressed son. she would also, according to the superstitions, find someone to wash away the bad luck that the xun family had been suffering for so many years.


    but more often than not, it¡¯s the layers of resentment that push them further and further away from each other.


    just like at this moment, xun qian ignored her, and she continued to curse, ¡°you have such a big fortune in your hands; aren¡¯t you satisfied? humph, no wonder people outside say that you killed xiao ran and your father for the sake of family business. i didn¡¯t believe it before, but now, haha, i can¡¯t be in denial anymore.¡±


    these unpleasant and heartbreaking words can be hurtful even if they are spoken by unrelated people, let alone your own mother.


    qi xiaoyu thought of countless dark nights when xun qian slowly passed by alone, smoking a cigarette.


    with xun qian¡¯s mean and venomous manner, if xun qian really lost his temper and came out to refute, he could probably silence xu xueyin in a few words.


    but xun qian just closed the door and refused to come out.


    thinking of this, qi xiaoyu couldn¡¯t help but feel a little sorry for xun qian. he gave the puppy in his arm to butler cheng and said, ¡°uncle cheng, wait here and help me look after the dog. i¡¯ll go up and take a look.¡±


    *****


    ¡°tell zhang han to get out of here and hand over the hotel to your cousin tomorrow¡­¡±


    ¡°shut up¡ª¡± a clear voice suddenly sounded, interrupting the woman¡¯s endless curses.


    standing at the top of the stairs, xu xueyin turned her head and looked at qi xiaoyu, her eyes like two sharp knives. ¡°who¡¯s there?¡±


    although xu xueyin is called old madam xun by the xun family, she¡¯s only in her early sixties, not that old. in addition, she is well maintained, fashionably dressed, and often goes to beauty salons. she looks like a woman in her forties or fifties.


    she was wearing a dark blue satin cheongsam and a white woolen coat on her arms. her hair was tied up and combed behind her head. although her face was wrinkled, her facial features were still beautiful, especially from the side. her facial structure is exactly the same as xun qian¡¯s: delicate and slender.


    she turned her head, looked at qi xiaoyu, who was slowly walking over, and lifted her lips. ¡°are you qi xiaoyu?¡±


    ¡°yes.¡±


    xu xueyin snorted and glanced at qi xiaoyu. ¡°it¡¯s not your turn to speak here.¡±


    qi xiaoyu walked up to her. he tilted his head slightly, looked directly into her eyes, and said with a smile, ¡°why is it not my turn to speak? i am xun qian¡¯s legal partner and the co-owner of this family. have you forgotten that this is a bridge you built yourself?¡±


    ¡°you,¡± xu xueyin¡¯s teeth chattered with anger, and the wrinkles at the end of her eyes trembled. ¡°i never thought i¡¯d find something as shameless as you.¡±


    qi xiaoyu smiled softly again. ¡°yes, you have already chosen me. it¡¯s too late to regret it.¡±


    after saying that, he turned towards the stairs and shouted, ¡°butler cheng, the third master, is going to rest at this late hour. please call the security guard to remove the irrelevant people.¡±


    xu xueyin sneered, ¡°i gave birth to him and raised him, yet i¡¯m an irrelevant person? then who are you?¡±


    qi xiaoyu still maintained the same smile as before, but his demeanor became obviously colder. ¡°gave birth to him and raised him? you did? not to mention, growing up, just these last four or five years, have you ever eaten with him, chatted with him, or seen a doctor with him? if you can¡¯t do any of these things, how dare you stand here and say such things?¡±


    ¡°you¨C¡±


    butler cheng, who was standing on the stairs, heard the sudden change in the situation and immediately rushed out with the dog in one hand, making a gesture of invitation, ¡°old madam, why don¡¯t i send you back first?¡±


    xu xueyin refused to leave and looked at the door fiercely, wanting to say something.


    qi xiaoyu blocked in front of the door, raised his hand, and moved his wrist, deliberately making a ¡°click¡± sound. ¡°madam qin, you are an elderly person and an elder. i don¡¯t want to cause an unpleasant scene.¡±


    there was qi xiaoyu blocking the door like an evil spirit in front of her and butler cheng behind her, coaxing her away. xu xueyin can¡¯t advance or retreat, so she could only throw off her coat and walk away in high heels.


    butler cheng walked to the window and watched xu xueyin¡¯s bmw drive out like a wind. then he patted his chest in relief and turned back to qi xiaoyu. ¡°hiya, i just wanted to ask you to come back and have a nice meal. i didn¡¯t expect to encounter such a troublesome thing.¡±


    qi xiaoyu glanced at the door and asked, ¡°where is the third master? has he been in there all this time and hasn¡¯t come out?¡±


    butler cheng sighed and shook his head. ¡°he hasn¡¯t come out. it¡¯s been like this for several days now.¡±


    qi xiaoyu thought for a moment and said, ¡°bring the food over. i¡¯ll bring it to him.¡±


    ¡°okay.¡± butler cheng was eager to hear this sentence. he immediately put down the dog and came up with a dinner plate in less than ten minutes. then he knocked on the door and said, ¡°third master, i will bring you dinner.¡±


    there was no response from inside.


    but butler cheng showed a look of relief, took out the key, and opened the door, then winked at qi xiaoyu.


    qi xiaoyu carried the dinner plate and walked into the dark and cold room.


    behind him, before butler cheng closed the door, the little black dog scurried in with quick eyes and claws.


    ****


    qi xiaoyu first walked to the wall according to the direction in his memory and turned on a few wall lamps.


    finally, there was dim light in the room.


    xun qian had his back to him and was sitting in front of the window. the window was open, and the wind blew in.


    no wonder the room was so cold.


    qi xiaoyu walked over, closed the window, and brought a piece of clothing to cover xun qian¡¯s legs. ¡°are you hungry? do you want dinner?¡±


    xun qian rested his head on his hands, closed his eyes, and seemed to be asleep, paying no attention to anyone.


    qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t force him. he yawned, feeling a little sleepy. he wanted to go back to his room to rest, but he was afraid that something would happen to xun qian. after all, what if he coughed up blood after staying in the cold wind for so long? someone had to call the doctor for him.


    he looked around and saw that there was only one bed in the room. he simply laid down on the bed and ignored xun qian¡¯s little mysophobia. it would be better if xun qian paid some attention to him at this time.


    ¡°i¡¯ll take a nap first. if you¡¯re hungry, ask me to heat up some food for you.¡±


    beside the bed, the little black dog that had been left on the ground by his owner was pulling hard on his trouser legs, howling, and trying to climb up.


    qi xiaoyu glanced at him, then picked him up in one smooth motion and tucked him in together.


    he didn¡¯t know how long he had slept when he was woken up by a barking sound.


    he rubbed his eyes, looked up slightly, and saw the little black dog standing on his belly, head tilted up, ears pricked, barking menacingly at the bedside.


    beside the bed was xun qian, sitting in a wheelchair.


    with dim morning light as a backdrop, merging light and darkness, the emotion in his eyes couldn¡¯t be seen.


    his raspy voice made a low sound that seemed to carry a slight hint of dislike. ¡°where did this black thing come from?


    the little black dog stared at xun qian menacingly. after sleeping for a whole night, it seemed to have regarded this bed as its own territory.


    he bared his teeth and barked ¡°woof woof woof¡± three or four times at xun qian, who was approaching him.


    the author has something to say:


    xun qian (angrily): i haven¡¯t even slept, and a dog fell asleep first!


    hua: the author sometimes uses it or he to refer to the dog. so if you notice the inconsistency, just ignore it.

 CH 35

    thank you @allison for the ko-fi ! ¦Ø


    bonus chapter 1/6


    chapter 35


    qi xiaoyu was still a little confused. he picked up the little black dog and patted the top of its head comfortingly. he subconsciously retorted, ¡°it¡¯s not black. the eyebrows are white.¡±


    the puppy barked coquettishly as if asking for credit, and then nuzzled qi xiaoyu¡¯s hand docilely.


    qi xiaoyu pulled it into his arms and rubbed its neck.


    immediately after feeling the death gaze from xun qian, qi xiaoyu immediately opened the quilt, picked up the little black dog, and got up from the bed. ¡°i just bathed it before bringing it here yesterday¡­¡±


    xun qian smiled and finally looked away from the little black dog. ¡°i¡¯m hungry.¡±


    qi xiaoyu wasn¡¯t much better either. he went to bed without eating dinner yesterday, and now his stomach was growling.


    he took out his phone and looked at the time. it was only half past five, so mama li and butler cheng probably hadn¡¯t gotten up yet.


    ¡°i¡¯m going to heat up some food¡­and make some porridge for you?¡±


    after walking a few steps outside, he turned back and asked, ¡°how about you go downstairs and we eat in the dining room together?¡±


    the dining room has floor-to-ceiling glass windows facing the outdoor lawn. a row of short, four-season begonias, with clusters of pink flowers blooming, was at the end of their flowering period.


    in such a faint morning light and a cold winter morning, it¡¯s just right to eat a steaming breakfast while waiting for the sun to rise little by little.


    xun qian pondered for a moment, then turned around in his wheelchair and followed him.


    qi xiaoyu used the leftover rice to cook a pot of preserved egg and lean meat porridge, one bowl for himself, one for xun qian, and another bowl for the little black dog.


    after picking out a few leftovers and heating them up, the two of them quietly ate breakfast in the room, illuminated by the morning light.


    the sun in the winter morning rises from behind xun qian, passes through his golden hair, and falls on qi xiaoyu¡¯s fingers holding the spoon opposite, covering it with a layer of warm yellow color, and then continues to shine on the little dog.


    everything seems to be shining, light, and warm in the morning after a dark night.


    after qi xiaoyu finished eating, he was ready to return to the set.


    the little black dog, lying under the window basking in the sun after finishing its meal, saw qi xiaoyu get up and scratch the ground with its paws. it immediately got up and wanted to leave with him.


    as it passed by xun qian, it was picked up by a pair of cold hands.


    xun qian pinched a piece of smooth fur on the back of its neck and smiled softly. ¡°keep this little guy here; don¡¯t take him away.¡±


    the little black dog seemed to understand xun qian¡¯s meaning. it barked twice, ¡°woof, woof,¡± then flapped its four paws in the air toward qi xiaoyu.


    xun qian, however, seemed as if he didn¡¯t see it. he stretched out a slender finger, scratched the puppy¡¯s chin, and teased it, ¡°don¡¯t bark; i¡¯ll feed you delicious food.¡±


    qi xiaoyu was a little hesitant. he saw that xun qian¡¯s complexion looked much brighter than last night, although he didn¡¯t know if he was feigning it¡­..


    while he was hesitating, butler cheng, who had just gotten up, knocked on the door and came in. ¡°mr. qi, just leave the puppy at home. i will help take care of it.¡±


    qi xiaoyu felt relieved and said, ¡°okay, i¡¯ll be back after filming in a few days. i¡¯ll trouble uncle cheng and the third master to take care of him for me.¡±


    xun qian just teased the dog with his fingertips and turned the wheelchair in a different direction, blocking the little dog in front of him.


    *****


    qi xiaoyu returned to the crew, and after another three or four days of filming, it was time for his last scene: falling from a cliff.


    young prince yan wanted to sneak out with the army and had just slipped out of the capital when he happened to come across the female lead being chased. in order to protect the female lead, he was stabbed from behind and fell from the cliff.


    the dream of family and country, the young love, came to an abrupt end.


    for safety reasons, the scene of falling off a cliff was shot in front of a green screen with a mat underneath for protection.


    however, qi xiaoyu still wanted to jump down from the top with a wire.


    before the official shooting, qi xiaoyu and xu yan were doing final touches in the dressing room.


    in the studio, where people were coming and going, the staff were all lowering their heads and doing what they were doing.


    the most leisurely person is young master jiang, who keeps swaying around all over the place.


    although this scene had nothing to do with him¡­he had gotten used to following qi xiaoyu recently. when he saw qi xiaoyu filming, he subconsciously followed him to the studio.


    he wandered around in boredom, not knowing what to do, and finally found a reclining chair, crossed his legs, took out his mobile phone, and prepared to continue watching a mixed-edited video of xue qingchu that he had not finished watching last time. to be honest, he probably has hundreds of such videos on his phone.


    he unlocked the screen of his phone, and before he entered the video app, he heard someone calling him.


    tang kui stood at the top of the four or five-meter-high green screen and waved at him, ¡°jiang sicheng, young master jiang, come up?¡±


    when jiang sicheng heard tang kui calling him, he raised his hips, turned his body, and changed direction, with his back to tang kui.


    tang kui was not annoyed and continued to shout to jiang sicheng, ¡°i have something to tell you about qi xiaoyu and xue qingchu. don¡¯t you want to hear it?¡±


    jiang sicheng¡¯s ears twitched, and he stood up.


    tang kui pretended to be profound and stopped talking.


    after a minute, jiang sicheng slowly put away his phone, stood up from the recliner, and walked towards tang kui with casual steps.


    ¡°what did you say you wanted to tell me just now?¡±


    tang kui stood on top and waved to him, ¡°you come up first, and then we can talk.¡±


    jiang sicheng reluctantly walked up.


    tang kui smiled when he saw jiang sicheng coming up. ¡°i heard about a travel variety show recently. it seems that both xue qingchu and qi xiaoyu are invited.¡±


    after that, seeing jiang sicheng show an angry expression for a second, tang kui added another blow: ¡°what? young master jiang doesn¡¯t know? they were recommended by orange juice entertainment.¡±


    jiang sicheng¡¯s face darkened, trying not to show his emotions too obviously.


    but he was so angry that the curly hair on his head shook slightly.


    tang kui grinned and sighed. ¡°with this long journey and spending time together day and night, i really don¡¯t know what will happen on the way.¡±


    ¡°young master jiang, don¡¯t you want to do something?¡± tang kui said, picking up the wire from the ground as if he were bored. he looked ahead and then stuffed it into jiang sicheng¡¯s hand. ¡°say, if this wire is broken and someone falls down, it must be very painful.¡±


    jiang sicheng was still thinking about the variety show and followed tang kui¡¯s words to look down below. although it was only three to four meters high, if he hit his face on the mat, he might get a scratch, break his nose, or something.


    it took him a while to realize the meaning of tang kui¡¯s words. he took a step back and distanced himself from tang kui. ¡°g-g-get lost; if you want to commit a crime, commit it yourself. don¡¯t bullsh*t with me.¡±


    after saying that, he looked at tang kui with disgust and said, ¡°what the hell?¡±


    tang kui laughed twice with self-deprecation, clapped his hands, and said, ¡°okay, if you don¡¯t want to, forget it; just treat it as a joke.¡±


    after saying that, he showed another fake smile and walked off the top of the green screen.


    jiang sicheng was still thinking about the variety show tang kui was talking about and stood there for a while until the director entered the scene and shouted at him from a distance, ¡°jiang sicheng, you don¡¯t have any scenes today. what are you posing up there with wire in hand? are you waiting for someone to take a photo of you?¡±


    only then did he come to his senses, put down the wire, and walk down.


    he was put in a bad mood by tang kui, and he didn¡¯t feel like tailing qi xiaoyu anymore.


    just as qi xiaoyu came out of the dressing room, he saw jiang sicheng walking away.


    he gave jiang sicheng a puzzled look, wondering why he was climbing up there alone and why he left first today without waiting for him to come.


    this confusion lasted until the staff tied the wire on him, and the director said to him from below, ¡°xiaoyu, there is a cushion below. you can just fall down later. relax and don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    ¡°yeah.¡± qi xiaoyu nodded.


    immediately afterwards, just before the staff cleared the scene and prepared to start shooting, qi xiaoyu suddenly thought of something: ¡°wait a minute, don¡¯t shoot yet.¡±


    then he shouted to li kun, ¡°come here and help me pull the wire to try.¡±


    unsure why, li kun gripped the end of the wire and pulled.


    ¡°no, pull harder; use all your strength.¡±


    li kun nodded. as soon as he put all his strength into it, he heard a ¡°click,¡± and the steel wire broke.


    xu yan, who was standing next to qi xiaoyu, frowned. she sensed something but decided to keep quiet for now. she just turned around and said sternly to the staff, ¡°what¡¯s going on? what if something happens if he falls this high?¡±


    the director saw all this from the camera and rushed over, angrily shouting, ¡°why did the wire break? where¡¯s the props team? do you no longer want this job?¡±


    the staff from the props team quietly came to check and muttered in a low voice, ¡°i checked before, and it was fine. who knew it could break so easily?¡±


    ¡°it was fine, fine enough to break with a pull?¡±


    as the director said this, he immediately thought of jiang sicheng standing there with the wire when he entered the scene just now. jiang sicheng loves to confront qi xiaoyu in everything, and everyone in the crew can see it.


    although he was usually very mean to jiang sicheng when he was filming, this matter could not be handled too hastily if it was really related to jiang sicheng. after all, jiang sicheng is the son of the owner of orange juice entertainment, and he has to give them some face.


    he said to the people on the props team with a sullen face, ¡°go and get a new wire immediately.¡±


    he comforted qi xiaoyu and said, ¡°maybe it¡¯s too cold, and this wire has been used for too long, so it¡¯s frozen. fortunately, you found it in time and weren¡¯t injured. you go and have a rest first. we¡¯ll replace it with a new one, then begin shooting again.¡±


    after saying that, he patted qi xiaoyu on the shoulder.


    ¡°um.¡±


    qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t say anything in front of the director and agreed very sensibly.


    next to him, li kun reacted very quickly and took out his mobile phone to take a set of photos of the place where the wire was broken as evidence.


    *****


    although there was a small accident, the subsequent scenes of helping the heroine block the knife and falling off the cliff went smoothly.


    after the filming, everyone gathered around the foam mat to pull qi xiaoyu up and help him untie the wires on his body.


    the director looked at him with a guilty conscience and said, ¡°go back and have a good rest. remember to come back on the final day so that we can all have a meal together.¡±


    xu yan glanced at the director and snorted. she had been on the set for so many years and had a clear understanding of what had just happened. she knew that the director was afraid of accidentally offending people. she sympathized with qi xiaoyu, who had no background and was bullied but couldn¡¯t say a thing. she could only hug him and say, ¡°next time, look for your sister to shoot a drama together.¡±


    ¡°well, thank you, director zhu, and thank you, sister xu.¡±


    after walking out of the studio, qi xiaoyu looked back and said to li kun, ¡°if you have time in the next two days, go and find out why jiang sicheng went up to the green screen roof just now. apart from him, has anyone else been there, especially tang kui? pay attention to his whereabouts in the past few days and see if there is any surveillance here or if anyone has taken a video or something¡­¡±


    before qi xiaoyu finished speaking, a car parked on the roadside beeped twice.


    immediately, the car window rolled down, revealing xun qian¡¯s cold face.


    xun qian kept a low profile today and drove over in an audi a8. qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t even recognize it was his car.


    li kun was stunned for a moment when he saw xun qian. it wasn¡¯t that he knew xun qian, but he just felt that he had never seen such a good-looking man in the entertainment industry. those ¡°golden beauties,¡± ¡°heartthrob arsonists,¡± and ¡°peerless visuals¡± that were used to praise celebrities are really suitable to be used on him.


    it¡¯s just that¡­ his eyes were a little too cold and a little too oppressive. even if li kun thought he was the most stunning person in the world, he would naturally look away.


    qi xiaoyu was also stunned for a moment, not expecting xun qian to come here.


    he sent li kun away, then lowered his body and asked, ¡°third master, why are you here?¡±


    xun qian pressed the lively, leaping little black dog into his arms. ¡°i was passing through on an errand and stopped by to take a look.¡±


    the author has something to say:


    lazy third master: ¡°there are people who don¡¯t have eyesight. what should i do?¡±


    xiaohei: woof, woof, woof

 CH 36

    tl: hua


    bonus 2/6


    qi xiaoyu¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw the little black dog, and he immediately took it out through the car window.


    as soon as it returned to qi xiaoyu¡¯s hands, the little black dog swiftly rubbed and licked as if enjoying itself, drilling straight into qi xiaoyu¡¯s arms.


    qi xiaoyu laughed and could only hide his face to avoid being licked.


    xun qian glanced over. qi xiaoyu was still wearing costumes and makeup. his gorgeous brocade robe made him look like a golden young master. his long black hair hung down from his shoulders, further emphasizing the delicacy of his eyebrows.


    he held up the puppy and smiled so hard that his eyes were bent, and his whole person was filled with vitality.


    qi xiaoyu played with the puppy for a while, then put it back in the car and said to xun qian, ¡°do you want to wait for me to go home with you? i¡¯ll go change clothes, remove makeup, and come back. it will take about twenty minutes.¡±


    xun qian nodded slightly and held back the puppy, which was flailing around and ready to jump out.


    twenty minutes later, qi xiaoyu, who had changed his clothes, appeared downstairs on time and got into the car.


    the little black dog immediately struggled out of xun qian¡¯s arms, swayed its round butt from side to side, and climbed onto qi xiaoyu¡¯s body. it stood upright with its hind legs and put its front paws on qi xiaoyu¡¯s chest, its tail brushing past qi xiaoyu¡¯s stomach.


    xun qian tilted his head and looked at it with slight disgust, then turned his head back and looked straight ahead. ¡°it¡¯s really noisy.¡±


    qi xiaoyu glanced at xun qian and said, ¡°it¡¯s obviously very cute.¡±


    after teasing it for a while, he added, ¡°it doesn¡¯t have a name yet; let¡¯s give it one.¡±


    xun qian¡¯s dark eyes were silently staring at the puppy that was tossing in qi xiaoyu¡¯s arms, even pulling down part of qi xiaoyu¡¯s v-neck collar.


    qi xiaoyu looked at the little black dog¡¯s face and thought about it carefully. ¡°well¡­how about white eyebrow hero?¡±


    xun qian pursed his lips but said nothing.


    ¡°the name is white eyebrow hero1°×ü´óÏÀ [b¨¢im¨¦i d¨¤ xi¨¢] that¡¯s a long name..¡± qi xiaoyu smiled. the appearance of xun qian and the dog immediately dissipated the little bit of haze created by the wire incident.


    he remembered that the last time he and xun qian came out together, they watched a peking opera and ate roast duck afterward. he had also promised to treat him to dinner, so he said, ¡°have you had dinner yet? if not, we¡¯ll have dinner and then go home?¡±


    xun qian nodded slightly.


    ¡°what do you want to eat?¡± qi xiaoyu opened his phone, searched for nearby restaurants, and then considered xun qian¡¯s taste.


    according to his previous observations, xun qian probably doesn¡¯t like greasy or spicy food, but he seems to like the shrimp dumplings, dim sum, and porridge he made. ¡°how about a cantonese restaurant?¡±


    xun qian nodded again.


    *****


    when qi xiaoyu took one person and one dog down to the cantonese restaurant, an explosive post on the internet was slowly fermenting, and the heat was rising.


    the title of the post is very eye-catching: explosive! the cast of the tang dynasty empress is harmonious on the surface but intrigues behind the scenes.


    the content in it refers directly to the crew of ¡°the legend of the tang dynasty empress.¡± a certain rich second generation who brought money to join the crew used their family background to bully the newcomers, affecting the newcomers¡¯ filming, slowing down the filming rhythm, and even maliciously breaking the newcomers¡¯ wires, wanting the newcomers to fall from a high altitude.


    the poster should be very familiar with the entertainment industry¡¯s routines. he gets straight to the point right from the start and uses tons of explosive pictures.


    there are photos of jiang sicheng rolling his eyes at qi xiaoyu, photos of him blocking qi xiaoyu from putting on makeup, and photos of jiang sicheng glaring at qi xiaoyu with a knife the last time they were filming a scene together.


    in fact, there are some things that look like a very small action on the spot, an inadvertent expression, but after being caught and photographed from a clever angle, what is shown is jiang sicheng¡¯s domineering look, which is enough to make people think about it and cause a lot of controversy.


    especially at the end, there¡¯s a short interview about jiang sicheng breaking the wire.


    the staff member in mosaic said, ¡°yes, the wires were damaged by someone. i have checked them before, and they are all good. the last person who touched the wires¡­ seems to be jiang sicheng.¡±


    although the staff face is blurred, you can tell from the background that they are from the tang dynasty crew.


    ¡°the legend of the tang dynasty empress¡± has become very popular since the filming started.


    with the release of the character makeup photos and the broadcast of daily short videos, the popularity and discussion of the show and its leading actors have become even higher.


    and it¡¯s especially so for qi xiaoyu. the second episode of the commercial short film with xue qingchu was also released just a few days ago.


    in the subsequent episode, qi xiaoyu, who was dressed in a suit and tie, played the role of an ascetic elite, a sharp contrast to the fresh and clean boy image before. he has also captivated a group of star-chasing girls, increasing his weibo followers to three million, and his super topic2super topic, or chaohua, is basically like a subreddit of weibo. you can create a community with those who share similar interests or topics. ranking has also entered the top 30.


    at this moment, there are rumors of disharmony within the crew, scheming, and bullying newcomers, and there are also pictures, interviews, and evidence. how can the masses not come to watch the drama unfold and contribute to traffic flow?


    after reading this post, everyone started to complain.


    ¡°this guy, surnamed jiang, is such a bully. it¡¯s amazing that he brought money to join the group. it¡¯s sad that domestic tv series are getting more and more ugly. it turns out that the ones who mixed in are this kind of person.¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s so miserable for xiaoyu. this is his first time joining a filming crew, and yet he encountered this kind of sb.¡±


    ¡°+1, qi xiaoyu is really miserable. how on earth did he offend such a young master and be bullied like this?¡±


    ¡°upstairs, didn¡¯t you read the post? didn¡¯t you get involved in the back? this jiang sicheng pursued xue qingchu, but to no avail, so he vented his anger on qi xiaoyu, who is close to xue qingchu.¡±


    ¡°is there anyone who doesn¡¯t know that jiang sicheng likes xue qingchu? when xue qingchu and tang kui co-star, jiang sicheng rented out the hotel next to the set for xue qingchu¡¯s birthday and invited the entire crew to dinner. even when xue qingchu¡¯s fans got together to make a birthday cake, it didn¡¯t cause that much noise in the circle.


    jiang sicheng also watched xue qingchu on the set every day and refused to let her film kiss scenes, not even holding hands with tang kui. later, it was revealed that all the intimate scenes used stunt doubles. these things have long been spread throughout the fandom. at that time, some people said that this was a real-life love story between a female star and a tyrant.¡±


    ¡°i¡¯ve followed the gossip about jiang sicheng and xue qingchu. it¡¯s really romantic, okay? i just didn¡¯t expect jiang sicheng to be so evil. cutting off the wire is too vicious. what if he falls and hurts his face? after all, actors have to rely on their faces to eat.¡±


    after the post became popular, it was moved to weibo and forwarded by a bunch of marketing accounts.


    on this ordinary weekday night, when no one announced their relationship and no one held a concert, people were worried about having no gossip to pass the time. it was rare to see such a serious rumor, so they all came to watch.


    the commentators below are also very busy. they are popularizing jiang sicheng¡¯s legendary love for xue qingchu and, at the same time, condemning jiang sicheng¡¯s various evil deeds towards qi xiaoyu.


    qi xiaoyu¡¯s fans were naturally very distressed when they saw this.


    ¡°i feel so bad for my little cub. i was so happy every time i got to watch behind-the-scenes footage, but it turns out life on the set wasn¡¯t easy.¡±


    ¡°my baby has a lot of fight scenes, and i¡¯m worried that something will happen with the wire. fortunately, my baby noticed in time. i¡¯m so heartbroken.¡±


    originally, the fans just felt sorry for xiaoyu working so hard on the set, but gradually, more and more people stood with qi xiaoyu and criticized jiang sicheng.


    some accounts using qi xiaoyu¡¯s picture as a profile cursed jiang sicheng with all sorts of profanity and even cursed his entire family.


    *****


    yu xiaosheng was discussing qi xiaoyu¡¯s next variety show schedule today, and it ended at seven o¡¯clock in the evening.


    after coming out, he found a place to smoke, then turned on his phone as usual to check the news updates of several of his artists today, when he immediately saw the news about qi xiaoyu.


    he took a long drag on the cigarette, frowned, and read all the relevant popular weibo posts, then spit out the smoke and cursed, ¡°nnd3abbreviation of ÄÌ???????????ÄÌµÄ (n¨£i n¨£i de: your grandma). it¡¯s basically used to curse people. in chinese, people like to curse your family¡ªyour mom, your dad, your grandma, your ancestor¡­ , someone tried to stir trouble by hiring the water army?¡±


    ren fei, who happened to be recording a program at the same tv station, came to join him for a smoke after recording. he was also browsing the same weibo topic while appearing confused. ¡°why do you buy water armies? no one said anything bad about qi xiaoyu. the people in the comments this time are quite discerning, and they¡¯re all feeling sorry for him.¡±


    yu xiaosheng¡¯s face darkened. with a puff of smoke on ren fei¡¯s face, he said, ¡°what do you know? anyone helping qi xiaoyu scold jiang sicheng at this time has no good intentions. are they all criticizing him normally? no, they¡¯re all profanity.¡±


    yu xiaosheng was sure that this was not done by qi xiaoyu¡¯s fans.


    after experiencing the shady incident of the talent show last time, he communicated with several large fan groups of qi xiaoyu and asked them to restrain the fans and not attack other artists in the future.


    after observing for a period of time, yu xiaosheng found that the fans did a good job. occasionally, a few ignorant ones would come out and talk nonsense, but they would soon be taught a lesson. it¡¯s impossible for today¡¯s large-scale swearing incident to occur.


    yu xiaosheng continued, ¡°orange juice entertainment has been very kind to xiaoyu and has helped connect him with so many resources. the current commotion is that jiang sicheng bullied xiaoyu, and then a bunch of fans helped xiaoyu complain, scolded him on his behalf, and even pushed his name on trending topics. what do you think will happen when the people from orange juice entertainment see this?¡±


    ren fei swallowed his saliva and finally realized that something was wrong. ¡°i would¡­ i would have thought that xiaoyu was hyping himself up and stepping on jiang sicheng to get the upper hand¡­but¡­people from orange juice entertainment wouldn¡¯t be so stupid, right? why would xiaoyu want this kind of hype?¡±


    yu xiaosheng snorted, ¡°even if they don¡¯t think so, as soon as this happens, xiaoyu will inevitably form a feud with jiang sicheng. and so many trolls scold the boss¡¯s son¡­ if you were the boss of orange juice entertainment, what would you think when you saw it?¡±


    ren fei took a breath and said, ¡°f*ck, who is this? such a dirty trick.¡±


    ¡°they not only dealt with jiang sicheng but also pulled xiaoyu into the water, a master who understands hype and marketing.¡±


    yu xiaosheng took another puff of cigarettes and said, ¡°i¡¯ll ask xiaoyu about the situation first.¡±


    *****


    when yu xiaosheng called qi xiaoyu, the latter just got up and went to the bathroom.


    xun qian was picking at the shrimp in the shrimp dumplings, putting the skins all on one side. when he glanced out of the corner of his eye, he saw the contacts displayed on his phone.


    his eyes lingered on the fresh and smooth shrimp meat for a moment, then he stretched out his hand and pressed the silent mode on the incoming call.


    then he casually threw the shrimp back onto the plate.


    he took out his cell phone and dialed a number.


    xun qian¡¯s tone was calm. ¡°how did the things i asked you to do this afternoon go?¡±


    zhang han replied quickly, with a bit of nervousness, ¡°it has been arranged. don¡¯t worry, third master.¡±


    xun qian snorted softly, ¡°i don¡¯t want to hear anything related to this matter anymore, ¡õ¡õ.¡±


    zhang han became even more nervous. ¡°yes, yes, third master, please give me another hour. i will definitely handle it.¡±


    xun qian then hummed in a neutral tone.


    as soon as he hung up the phone, qi xiaoyu came back with the little black dog.


    qi xiaoyu glanced at xun qian¡¯s plate and asked, ¡°it¡¯s not to your liking?¡±


    xun qian said expressionlessly, ¡°i¡¯m full.¡±


    seeing qi xiaoyu return to his seat and reach out for the phone, he added, ¡°come for a walk with me.¡±


    ¡°huh?¡± qi xiaoyu was a little surprised. he forgot about his phone and stuffed it back into his pocket. ¡°where do you want to go for a walk?¡±


    xun qian pointed at random and said, ¡°there is a furniture store next door. push me to go shopping.¡±


    ****


    yu xiaosheng couldn¡¯t contact qi xiaoyu, so he thought about contacting jiang feibai and jiang sicheng in a roundabout way to see if he could explain the matter clearly to avoid offending them.


    but neither of these two could be reached on their cell phones either.


    jiang feibai was rushing to educate his son on the phone. ¡°why is there a rumor that you bullied qi xiaoyu?¡±


    not waiting for jiang sicheng¡¯s to retort, he came up with three consecutive scoldings: ¡°have you forgotten what i told you? have you forgotten how you promised me? your words are useless now, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    after jiang feibai finished yelling, jiang sicheng finally had the opportunity to complain: ¡°which bastard said that i bullied him? why did i bully him?¡±


    ¡°you didn¡¯t interfere with his filming? didn¡¯t you follow him and cause trouble every day?¡±


    ¡°i¡­i followed him to learn acting from him. is this called bullying?¡±


    ¡°hmph, you think i don¡¯t know what kind of person you are?¡±


    jiang sicheng gasped and said nothing.


    ¡°what about his wire? did you break it?¡±


    ¡°no, i swear to god i didn¡¯t do it!¡±


    ¡°huh, if it wasn¡¯t you, why did the crew say you were the last person who touched the wire?¡±


    ¡°i¡­i¡­it¡¯s tang kui. it must be him.¡±


    ¡°tang kui? do you have any evidence?¡±


    jiang sicheng was stunned and then endured another five minutes of merciless scolding.


    ****


    at this time, the evidence is lying on li kun¡¯s mobile phone.


    this evidence was like a pie falling from the sky. he was looking for surveillance or video of that day, as qi xiaoyu said in the afternoon, but the studio was in the middle of filming at the time. it was a mess everywhere. he didn¡¯t know which camera might have been the one to capture what had happened at the time.


    in a hurry, li kun suddenly received airdrop requests from other mobile phones.


    he glanced at it and accepted all the documents with confusion.


    the author has something to say:


    xiaohei: i went shopping with daddy.

 CH 37

    tl: hua


    after li kun finished receiving the airdrop and opened it, he was stunned in place.


    he had been looking for the video all afternoon, and it landed on his phone out of nowhere.


    there are not only videos, but also pictures.


    in the continuous pictures, you can see tang kui¡¯s agent appearing on the set, quietly walking to the wire, taking out a knife, and placing it on the wire.


    in other videos, other staff members actively testified, ¡°yes, when i was preparing for the set, i saw tang kui and his agent appear here.¡±


    ¡°jiang sicheng came here before, but it was tang kui who asked him to come up.¡±


    after reading all the evidence, li kun immediately packaged and sent these pictures, videos, and several high-definition photos of the broken wires he had taken to yu xiaosheng and qi xiaoyu.


    *****


    tang kui hates qi xiaoyu. from the moment he had his room changed by qi xiaoyu and was compared to qi xiaoyu by the marketing accounts, he hated this person.


    especially since everyone in the crew liked qi xiaoyu, as the behind-the-scenes footage was broadcast, qi xiaoyu¡¯s popularity was about to surpass that of the second male lead. it makes him feel uncomfortable all over.


    it¡¯s uncomfortable to scroll through his own updates every day.


    he was not an open-minded person to begin with. in his early years, he was depressed because he couldn¡¯t become popular. after he became popular at the age of 28, he began to worry about gains and losses again and was overly nervous.


    he is a bit embarrassed about his age. he is neither a young talent nor an experienced actor. he is blocked by countless seniors like mountains in front of him, and there are groups of young people chasing behind him.


    he originally wanted to take advantage of the popularity of the previous drama to get another male lead role, but all the good resources were divided up, and jiang sicheng was in the way, so he could only earn a second male lead role after all the hard work.


    all the unhappiness added together, and they were all vented on qi xiaoyu.


    he hated jiang sicheng even more.


    it wasn¡¯t that he wanted to dissociate himself from xue qingchu at the beginning.


    xue qingchu had good acting skills and a good reputation. at that time, he wanted to take advantage of the popularity of the drama and continue to hype up the cp with xue qingchu.


    but jiang sicheng always made him uncomfortable. first, xue qingchu was not allowed to have any physical contact with him during filming, and then xue qingchu was not allowed to appear on the same show as him.


    he had contacts with the milk commercial that xue qingchu accepted this year, as well as the travel variety show, but in the end, they were all messed up by jiang sicheng and offered at a discount to qi xiaoyu.


    in addition, jiang sicheng was arrogant and domineering and never gave him a good look.


    if jiang sicheng didn¡¯t have a good family background, he would have wanted to teach this idiot a lesson.


    this time, he originally wanted to use jiang sicheng¡¯s hand to teach qi xiaoyu a lesson and, at the same time, use public opinion to attack jiang sicheng, making it difficult for both of them.


    who knew that qi xiaoyu was so lucky? he discovered in advance that there was a problem with the wire.


    tang kui was lying on the hotel bed in his pajamas, always paying attention to what was going on at orange juice entertainment.


    two or three hours have passed since the report came out.


    all the water armies he paid for had all exited the stage. seeing these people scold jiang sicheng really put him in a good mood.


    why is there still no movement from orange juice entertainment?


    tang kui was a little anxious while waiting and subconsciously bit his fingernails. he couldn¡¯t understand how orange juice entertainment could tolerate this. the water armies scolded the boss¡¯s son; why didn¡¯t they fight back?


    after waiting for a while, he logged into weibo, switched to his side account, and forwarded several weibo posts about jiang sicheng¡¯s bullying, showing off his ability to curse.


    when he finished this series of actions and refreshed the topic page of #jingsichengbullyingnewcomers# again, his fingers stayed on the first screen, as if he were frozen and unable to move.


    the first weibo post on the first screen ¨C a big plot twist. the one who really bullied the newcomers and cut off the wire was the second male lead, tang kui, who had just become famous through idol dramas last year.


    let¡¯s break down tang kui¡¯s five sins since he became popular: 1. binding himself with a popular actress to hype up cp, but the hype failed, and he bit back at the actress; 2. buying a large amount of trolls and hot searches to market his gentle boyfriend¡¯s persona; 3. bullying a newcomer and maliciously cutting off his wires; 4. putting blame on others and hiring trolls to personally attack others, which is extremely disgusting; 5. opening a side account and arbitrarily insulting people in the industry, a two-faced person who breaks through the lower limit of morality.


    the accompanying pictures below follow the pattern of tang kui¡¯s revelations about jiang sicheng, with a nine-panel grid stuffed to the brim with pictures.


    tang kui didn¡¯t dare to click on it. he only took a cursory glance at the small picture, and he already felt like his head was going to explode.


    that picture was his side account.


    he has scolded many celebrities in that account, mocking qi xiaoyu for not knowing his place and insulting him, and just now he used it to scold jiang sicheng in an unscrupulous manner.


    his head felt dizzy, and his heart was beating wildly. his side account had been well protected and had no connection with the main one. how could it be suddenly exposed?


    with trembling hands, he wanted to click on the comment but was frightened and backed away.


    the five deadly sins were flying around in front of his eyes like mosquitoes.


    if someone just digs out the side account, he can veto it very firmly, saying that it was a plant by someone else.


    if it¡¯s just about him buying the water army and hot searches, he could also say without blushing that it had nothing to do with him and that it was his opponent who was slandering him.


    but the five crimes were connected together, and there was evidence for each and every one of them. he really didn¡¯t know where to start refuting.


    ¡°ding, ding, ding.¡± his cell phone suddenly rang sharply, startling him.


    it was the manager of the company¡¯s artist department who called him.


    tang kui naturally knew what was going to happen next. he didn¡¯t dare to answer it, so he put his phone on silent and threw it far away.


    he switched to a computer to surf the internet, and the wechat messages on his desktop kept flashing again, blurring the screen.


    he had to exit wechat in the background.


    the world cleared up a bit, then.


    with a trembling hand, he logged into weibo again.


    the first item on the homepage of weibo is a lawyer¡¯s letter from orange juice entertainment¡¯s official weibo, saying that legal action would be filed against those who spread rumors and slander jiang sicheng.


    following closely behind are star entertainment and the crew of the legend of the tang dynasty empress, who successively issued statements saying that they would assist the police in investigating the malicious damage to the wire and make every effort to protect the personal safety of the crew and the company¡¯s employees.


    tang kui didn¡¯t dare to look at weibo anymore, let alone read the hot searches. he just wanted to contact two marketing companies with which he had a good relationship and ask them for help. using the water army¡¯s comments to suppress the comments that criticized him will make things a little less ugly.


    his fingers were trembling while typing, ¡°i can give you three times the previous price, as long as you help me suppress the bad reviews online.¡±


    three minutes later, one of the companies read his message but didn¡¯t reply.


    tang kui wanted to send another message but found that the other party had blacklisted him.


    another company that had made many transactions with him replied, ¡°brother, we really can¡¯t afford to offend the person you offended this time. there is no need to contact us in the future.¡±


    then they also blocked him.


    tang kui¡¯s brain shook and rattled.


    he didn¡¯t understand who he had offended. it shouldn¡¯t be orange juice entertainment. when he used this method to deal with xue qingchu before, the other party¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t even this fast, this sharp, or this ruthless.


    he licked his chapped lips and vaguely felt that this matter might be related to qi xiaoyu, but he couldn¡¯t guess who qi xiaoyu, a celebrity with a lower status than him, might be related to.


    but he didn¡¯t bother to think about it.


    anyway, everything is over. no one knows better than him that the power of public opinion, hot searches, and trolls can carry a boat or capsize it.


    he became famous by relying on waves of marketing, but his foundation was unstable. now that his image is ruined, who will cooperate with him again?


    he closed the notebook in despair and threw it aside, letting the quilt slowly slide off his body.


    *****


    jiang sicheng chose a photo of himself and qi xiaoyu from thousands of choices. he carefully crafted it and wrote a touching text. after reading it five times, he posted it on his personal weibo account.


    then, jiang sicheng confidently called his father back, ¡°dad, i¡¯ve taken care of everything.¡±


    jiang feibai looked at the weibo that his son had just sent, his eyebrows knitted together. ¡°brotherhood is deep and cannot be criticized.¡±


    after jiang feibai finished reading, he snorted coldly, ¡°you¡¯ve gone too far with your nonsense. are you not afraid of being slapped in the face?¡±


    jiang sicheng said with certainty, ¡°no, dad, don¡¯t worry, i think qi xiaoyu is pretty good, much better than that grandson, tang kui.¡±


    ¡°since you think he¡¯s a nice guy, why are you still bullying him everywhere in the crew?¡±


    jiang sicheng whispered, ¡°dad¡­¡±


    ¡°don¡¯t think i don¡¯t know. although what tang kui said is unreliable, there are always some truths. otherwise, why would there be so many photos leaked?¡±


    jiang sicheng immediately interrupted, ¡°dad, don¡¯t worry, i will definitely protect qi xiaoyu in this circle from now on.¡±


    *****


    at this time, qi xiaoyu, who needed to be protected, was happily shopping at a furniture store.


    this is a western antique furniture store.


    it occupies an entire building next to the cantonese restaurant. there are two floors, nearly 4,000 square meters.


    but there were not many guests. after all, the price of this kind of antique furniture is not low, and the price of any jewelry tray is more than four figures, which is really not affordable for many people.


    but the style is really nice. the glass is carved with classical patterns, and the wooden furniture has traces of time.


    and they have everything: large items such as sofas, chairs, clocks, cabinets, table decorations, and paintings; small items such as photo frames, crystal vases, and porcelain¡­ everything is available in all styles.


    qi xiaoyu enjoyed himself so much that he was reluctant to leave.


    he took a fancy to a brown leather sofa, a carved glass cupboard suitable for placing tableware, and a set of classic british tea sets.


    there are too many things he wants to buy, but qi xiaoyu can only remind himself that he doesn¡¯t have his own house yet, so it¡¯s hard to buy too many things back.


    at most, he can feast his eyes on them first or pick out some small items.


    after shopping around for more than two hours, he only selected a gramophone with a base made of dark mahogany and a large speaker made of brass. there is a sense of age to it, but the overall condition is very new.


    qi xiaoyu hugged the gramophone contentedly, letting xun qian hug the little black dog, and walked back happily.


    on the way back in the car, qi xiaoyu received another call from yu xiaosheng.


    yu xiaosheng, ¡°why didn¡¯t you answer my call?¡±


    ¡°brother yu, did you call me? well, maybe it was too noisy outside, and i didn¡¯t hear it.¡±


    yu xiaosheng clicked his tongue twice. ¡°you haven¡¯t looked at your phone for the past two hours?¡±


    then he said, ¡°you¡¯re really enjoying yourself, kid. when something happened, you were out wandering around. when you finished wandering, the matter was completely resolved.¡±


    ¡°what happened?¡±


    yu xiaosheng briefly talked about what happened online in the past few hours and finally concluded, ¡°anyway, nothing will happen to you. tang kui will probably be fired from the crew for his own fault, and he may be detained for a few days after the police investigation is completed. hmph, with such a vicious heart, there¡¯s no way he can mix around in this circle anymore.


    in order to express their apology, the production team contacted me and told me that they would mention you as the second male lead. before finalizing, you have to come to the crew to reshoot some scenes, expand the scenes, and lengthen some storylines. i¡¯ll let you know when the specific time is decided.¡±


    after yu xiaosheng said the above, he told him the new work arrangements. he is going to record a new variety show tomorrow and is required to gather at the airport early in the morning. li kun and the program team will be waiting for him there.


    qi xiaoyu wrote down everything and then hung up the phone.


    the car was silent.


    he turned to the side and saw xun qian and white eyebrow hero in xun qian¡¯s arms, looking at him with dark eyes.


    seeing qi xiaoyu look at him, xun qian turned his head away naturally. only the little black dog jumped from xun qian¡¯s arms to qi xiaoyu¡¯s arms.


    *****


    butler cheng was waiting for the two of them at the door of the villa when they returned to xun¡¯s house at night.


    seeing qi xiaoyu carrying a large cardboard box out of the trunk, he immediately asked someone to help him, ¡°what did you buy, mr. qi?¡±


    qi xiaoyu smiled and said, ¡°it¡¯s a gramophone. uncle cheng, do we have any vinyl records at home?¡±


    butler cheng thought for a while and replied, ¡°yes, i will find it for you later. you can listen to it tonight.¡±


    after butler cheng finished speaking, he glanced at xun qian again and said, ¡°third master, do you want to listen to it together? those are records you bought when you were a child.¡±


    xun qian was bending down to pick up the little black dog that was trying to climb up the steps but was defeated at the first step. hearing this, he looked up at qi xiaoyu and nodded.


    butler cheng followed immediately: ¡°how about i put the gramophone in your room first? you just happen to have the records in your room¡­ and then we can move it to mr. qi¡¯s room later.¡±


    so the gramophone was placed on the large desk in xun qian¡¯s room.


    the vinyl record that was found was an english ballad from the last century.


    the melody of the whole song is very light, like the summer evening breeze blowing away the heat wave, like the warm winter sun melting the ice and snow, and the lyrics also depict the shallow love of a young man.


    when the singer¡¯s soothing voice came from the gramophone, the whole room was in a graceful, elegant, and romantic atmosphere.


    qi xiaoyu was leaning on the desk, one leg casually draped over the other. the music could be empathic. these soft tunes reminded him of many happy memories¡ªthose dreamlike moments in the opera troupe.


    xun qian also leaned his head back and listened quietly to the song. the music brought him back to the few happy times in his life¡ªhis childhood, when he ran freely like an elf.


    when the song ended, the two of them were still immersed in a gentle and romantic mood.


    butler cheng walked gently to the gramophone and asked, ¡°would you like to listen to another song?¡±


    xun qian said nothing.


    butler cheng was about to continue, but qi xiaoyu stopped him. ¡°i won¡¯t listen anymore. i¡¯m going to record a show early tomorrow morning, so i¡¯ll go back and rest first.¡±


    butler cheng put his hand on the gramophone for a moment and asked in surprise, ¡°why do you have to record another program? how long will it take this time?¡±


    ¡°a travel variety show may last more than ten days.¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s quite a long time. the chinese new year will be here in more than ten days.¡± butler cheng said, looking at xun qian out of the corner of his eye.


    the author has something to say:


    butler cheng (worrying): why don¡¯t you try to keep your wife? don¡¯t you want to say something?

 CH 38

    bonus 4/6


    however, xun qian didn¡¯t respond.


    it wasn¡¯t until qi xiaoyu hugged the little black dog and was about to leave for his own room did xun qian say, ¡°celebrate the new year however you want to.¡±


    ¡°uh¡­yes.¡±


    butler cheng lowered his eyes and was speechless for a moment. he could only follow qi xiaoyu, quietly close the door, and retreat.


    after everyone left, the room became quiet again.


    the night was silent, and the singing was gradually fading away. xun qian pushed the wheelchair to the front of the gramophone.


    there is still a faint residual warmth on the record, like a warm smell that has not dissipated in the room.


    his long, slender fingers gently traced the rough grain of the record before winding it up and releasing the brake button.


    the song is like a gentle night, flowing slowly once again.


    xun qian closed his eyes again, but he couldn¡¯t return to the tranquil state of mind just now.


    the happy memories gradually faded away, and the scarlet background color came up.


    in the middle of the blood, qi xiaoyu¡¯s figure emerged.


    he frowned, but still closed his eyes patiently and waited quietly.


    wait until the song is finished.


    xun qian opened his eyes again. under the long eyelashes, his eyes were as cold and sober as a blade unsheathed.


    ****


    qi xiaoyu got up early the next morning, packed his bags, and went out.


    the little black dog refused to let him go.


    it followed him like a little stalker. when he went to wash up, the little black dog crouched in the bathroom doorway.


    when he ate breakfast, the little black dog was squatting under the dining table.


    when it saw qi xiaoyu standing up, it also stood up and tried its best to pull qi xiaoyu¡¯s body with the front paws, asking for a hug.


    it was as if it could sense that qi xiaoyu was going on a long trip.


    fortunately, the butler showed up on time and used a few ham sausages to trick the little black dog into the kitchen.


    after butler cheng tricked the little black dog away, he first said, ¡°look, xiaohei (little black) can¡¯t bear to leave you. come back soon after the show is finished.¡±


    after saying that, he added depressingly, ¡°third master is still sleeping. i guess it was too cold yesterday, and he went to bed late, so he hasn¡¯t gotten up yet. don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s fine. i¡¯m leaving so early today. if i woke up the third master, i would feel bad.¡±


    ¡°hey, look how well-behaved this child is!¡± butler cheng sighed.


    then he sent qi xiaoyu to the parking lot and watched him get into the lexus and drive out of the garage to the door of the xun family villa.


    ****


    qi xiaoyu arrived at the airport at 8:30. li kun was waiting for him at the check-in area.


    qi xiaoyu wore a hat and a mask when going out this time, but as he walked through the airport, passersby still kept looking back.


    after meeting li kun, he went through the security check, went to the waiting room, and met with the program team and other guests.


    in addition to qi xiaoyu, there are five guests in this recording of the program.


    qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t recognize three out of the five prior to this. one was the 50-year-old actor zheng peizu, the other was the 37-year-old female artist gu meiling, and there was also the 19-year-old female star lu tongtong.


    of the two remaining people, one was xue qingchu, and the other, somewhat surprisingly, turned out to be the curly-haired jiang sicheng.


    yu xiaosheng had briefly mentioned the members who recorded the program together to him before, but there was no jiang sicheng.


    when qi xiaoyu arrived, there were already three people in the waiting room. jiang sicheng was sitting on the sofa next to xue qingchu.


    when qi xiaoyu came in, he seemed to be nailed to the sofa, motionless, but his eyes clearly read, ¡°surprised? surprised?¡±


    qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t want to respond to him that much.


    the other two ladies gave qi xiaoyu a very warm welcome.


    needless to say, xue jingchu even gave qi xiaoyu a hug in front of jiang sicheng, which made jiang sicheng¡¯s face deform with jealousy.


    another person who actively welcomed qi xiaoyu was lu tongtong.


    lu tongtong exchanged a hug with qi xiaoyu like xue qingchu did, then said with a smile, ¡°hello, my name is lu tongtong. my aunt said that your acting skills are very good, and she wants me to learn more from you.¡±


    when qi xiaoyu heard what she said, he couldn¡¯t help but take a closer look at lu tongtong¡¯s appearance.


    lu tongtong also has willow-leaf eyebrows and a little tear mole under her eyes. these characteristics are very similar to those of xu yan, but her complexion is a bit more tan. with such distinctive facial features, she didn¡¯t have that classical chinese beauty, much less so than xu yan.


    qi xiaoyu smiled and said, ¡°i have to thank sister for the appreciation.¡±


    lu tongtong raised her eyebrow and asked immediately, ¡°is it because my aunt and i look alike, so you can tell at a glance?¡±


    qi xiaoyu blinked and replied wittily, ¡°it¡¯s the way you deal with people¡ªvery bold and grand.¡±


    when lu tongtong heard this, she immediately burst into laughter.


    she actually hated people who said that she looked similar to her aunt. she always heard such comments when she was a child, but the next sentence was always a pity that she was not as beautiful as her aunt.


    although she has a good relationship with her aunt xu yan, she always feels uncomfortable hearing such words too often.


    that¡¯s why she was so happy when she heard qi xiaoyu¡¯s words, ¡°no wonder my aunt likes you. i also like you very much.¡±


    as soon as the two finished chatting, zheng peizu, a regular guest from the first season, and gu meiling, who was carrying two large suitcases, appeared one after the other.


    after everyone introduced themselves and gathered together, they boarded the flight to new zealand soon.


    this show is called ¡°eating light on the road,¡± and it is currently recording its second season.


    the recording location of the first season was in europe, but the purpose of the program crew¡¯s arrangement this time was to reach a new country on the other side of the ocean.


    the flight time is nearly 12 hours.


    the program team is only responsible for transporting them to the new country.


    upon arrival, there was only 200 yuan128usd per person for the original cost.


    they need to make money by running a restaurant and completing travel tasks.


    this is a slow variety show that focuses on travel and food. the biggest attraction is that the stars run restaurants and cook food like any normal folks, as well as travel interspersed in it.


    although the ratings of the first season were average, the reputation was very good, so longjiang tv launched the second season.


    *****


    the consumption level in new zealand is not low. a bottle of mineral water costs 5 yuan20.7usd. the starting price of a taxi is around 30 yuan34.21usd, plus extra labor service fees.


    it will cost nearly 600 yuan484.21usd in taxi fare from the airport to the restaurant they will operate.


    however, each of them was carrying so much luggage, and there was no direct public transportation, so there was no other way except taking a taxi.


    lu tongtong pitifully asked the director¡¯s team, ¡°can i rent your car to go to the restaurant?¡±


    the director¡¯s team said with an iron face, ¡°the rent fee is 1,000 yuan.¡±


    when jiang sicheng heard this, his face collapsed. ¡°i heard that you guys weren¡¯t like this last season.¡±


    ¡°so the rules have been changed this season. travel costs have also increased, haven¡¯t you noticed? this season, you have to earn 5,000 yuan a day to complete all travel projects.¡±


    everyone chose silence.


    of course, the calmest among them is qi xiaoyu. after all, when it comes to enduring hardships and living a hard life, no one here can compare to him.


    as long as he can buy basic ingredients, he will not starve to death here and can still make money.


    by the time they took a taxi and arrived at their destination, the six of them only had 600 yuan left.


    young master jiang looked at the remaining money on his body and silently tightened his small wallet. unfortunately, this small move didn¡¯t escape the eyes of the director team, who directly ordered each member to hand over all their property.


    jiang sicheng protested loudly, ¡°so what are we eating tonight?¡±


    the director team was very calm and asked innocently, ¡°aren¡¯t there still 600 left?¡±


    young master jiang looked up to the sky and sighed, ¡°600 is not enough to eat a lobster.¡±


    just as he finished, lu tong tong slapped him from behind. ¡°why are you so troublesome? you¡¯re more pretentious than a girl. look at xiaoyu; how about learning from him? he didn¡¯t say a word the whole time.¡±


    ****


    the restaurant is in a small forest, consisting of a few cabins, with a mountain behind and a river in front, making it very scenic, wild, and remote.


    after entering the store, according to seniority, everyone elected zheng peizu as the store manager.


    of the rest, gu meiling very much volunteered to be a waitress and bravely admitted, ¡°i can¡¯t cook. the eggs will be burned, and the rice will be undercooked. but i have no problem being a waitress.¡±


    lu tongtong also refused to cook. ¡°i¡¯m afraid that once i¡¯m in the kitchen, we¡¯ll lose money. otherwise, you should leave the grocery shopping and reception work to me. i can help sister meiling.¡±


    two people had already suggested that they didn¡¯t want to cook, so zheng peizu could only lock his eyes on the remaining three. after all, the chef was in the most important position in running a restaurant.


    based on his experience, the program team should arrange a guest who can cook.


    jiang sicheng looked at xue qingchu, and xue qingchu looked at qi xiaoyu. qi xiaoyu raised his hand and said, ¡°i can try being the chef.¡±


    then jiang sicheng also raised his hand and said, ¡°i can also try to be a chef.¡±


    zheng peizu¡¯s eyes turned around the two of them. ¡°okay, then you two will handle today¡¯s dinner. for the rest, meiling and tongtong will go buy ingredients, while qingqing and i will stay to clean up the restaurant and kitchen.¡±


    when the work was arranged, everyone got busy.


    in the kitchen, qi xiaoyu was deftly cleaning foreign pots and pans. after cleaning them, all the dishes, cups, and saucers were methodically, cleanly, and neatly placed on the counter.


    jiang sicheng came over and asked, ¡°are you really good at cooking?¡±


    qi xiaoyu nodded.


    jiang sicheng scratched his head and said, ¡°ahem, can you teach me?¡±


    qi xiaoyu nodded leisurely and said, ¡°okay. or you can watch the video yourself.¡±


    jiang sicheng whispered, ¡°can i learn it by watching the video?¡±


    qi xiaoyu told him, based on his own experience, ¡°yes.¡±


    so, after the people who went out to buy food came back after spending 100 yuan to buy eggs, meat, vegetables, and noodles, another half hour later, jiang sicheng appeared in the restaurant with two large bowls of noodles.


    the noodles cooked by jiang sicheng according to the video instructions look good. the meat is meat, and the eggs are eggs. the noodles have distinct roots and look quite clear.


    he was very satisfied with the result of his first cooking and said quite proudly, ¡°you guys must be hungry. come and try it. i move much faster than qi xiaoyu. he¡¯s still there, cooking slowly, while i¡¯m already serving the food.¡±


    lu tongtong, who was extremely hungry, took a bite first.


    after eating, she remained silent, not uttering a single word.


    then, out of curiosity, gu meiling also took a bite. she turned away after finishing the meal without making any comment.


    finally, zheng peizu and xue qingchu both tasted it.


    xue qingchu was worried about her image and turned away silently, like gu meiling.


    only zheng peizu had the courage to tell the truth, especially since he was the last victim.


    he first got up and walked to the kitchen, spitting out all the noodles he had eaten into the trash can.


    then he took a large glass of water and poured it into his mouth.


    finally, he came out with a deformed face and said angrily to jiang sicheng, ¡°did you pour the whole bottle of salt in?¡±


    faced with such a straightforward question, jiang sicheng knew he was in the wrong, but in order to prove that he didn¡¯t pour the whole bottle of salt in, he hunched his shoulders, raised his hand, and compared his index finger and thumb about three to four centimeters apart. ¡°no, not the whole bottle¡­ less than half a bottle.¡±


    if there weren¡¯t a bunch of cameras surrounding him, zheng peizu would have wanted to scold jiang shicheng on the spot.


    lu tongtong and gu meiling, who went shopping for groceries, also wanted to do the same. it was all money.


    in an atmosphere of anger and hunger, qi xiaoyu¡¯s noodles were also ready.


    just like the noodles made by jiang sicheng, they are clear and bright, with a poached egg lying on top.


    but there was a fine sprinkling of scallions and a drizzle of sesame oil on the side.


    but this time, everyone is afraid to just try it. maybe the better-looking something is, the more poisonous it is.


    gu meiling looked at zheng peizu, zheng peizu looked at jiang sicheng angrily, jiang sicheng looked at xue qingchu affectionately, xue qingchu¡­ and lu tongtong were both ready to give it a brave try.


    then, once they tried it, they didn¡¯t stop.


    the food made by qi xiaoyu was already very delicious, and with jiang sicheng as a comparison, it was as delicious as the queen mother¡¯s peach feast5according to chinese legend, it¡¯s a feast held every 3000 years at the celestial jade palace in paradise..


    for a moment, everyone picked up their chopsticks one after another and then showed the expressions people had when eating delicious food in ¡°chuuka ichiban6a japanese manga about chinese food in 19th-century china during the qing dynasty..¡±


    the director¡¯s team swallowed their saliva silently. it was not easy for them to follow the shooting for more than ten hours. if it were jing sicheng¡¯s level, they wouldn¡¯t want to eat, but the food now looks quite delicious.


    qi xiaoyu walked up to them with a bowl of freshly cooked noodles and said with a sly smile, ¡°do you want to eat it? i cooked a lot, 58 yuan a bowl, with eggs and meat~¡±


    the guests who were about to share joys and sorrows silently gave a thumbs up in their hearts, saying that the money is only worth it when spent.

 CH 39

    bonus 5/6


    thanks to qi xiaoyu¡¯s sly marketing tactic, their first dinner after arriving in the new country not only cost them nothing, but they also made a net profit of 400 yuan.


    everyone was in a very good mood after eating and drinking well and earning their first profit. the fatigue from continuous flying and recording shows was reduced by half.


    it¡¯s especially so for zheng peizu and gu meiling. they immediately had a different view of qi xiaoyu.


    during the last season, because they spent too much money on the first day and didn¡¯t make any income, they had to eat instant noodles for three miserable days. gu meiling even suspected that she was here to participate in metamorphosis.


    therefore, both of them silently identified qi xiaoyu, who could cook and make money, as their group favorite.


    on the other hand, the people from the program team were very happy to pay for the noodles. after taking a bite, they exclaimed, ¡°it tastes really good.¡± it was much better than their usual work meals. they all asked qi xiaoyu how to cook the noodles, which are so delicious and fragrant. even a big bowl isn¡¯t enough.


    someone else chimed in, ¡°nowadays, the guests we invite are becoming more and more sophisticated, and even our money is being stolen.¡±


    the director was also laughing. he was previously dissatisfied with orange juice entertainment for crowding in so many people, but now he felt that he had found a treasure. jiang sicheng could contribute as a comedic effect, and qi xiaoyu could hold up the scene.


    he had watched the scene where qi xiaoyu was cooking just now. the young man had slender fingers, a fair and slender neck when he lowered his head, and his jawline was clearly visible. his eyes were focused and full of energy. most importantly, his knife skills were proficient and delicate. if this were broadcast, it would definitely bring a lot of fans to the program.


    hearing everyone¡¯s teasing and compliments, qi xiaoyu smiled obediently, neither talking much nor stealing the spotlight. although he was in the limelight as soon as he arrived, he didn¡¯t take any credit or show off, and he stood silently at the back.


    zheng peizu placed his hand on qi xiaoyu¡¯s shoulder and pulled the person to the front of the camera with a somewhat protective posture. ¡°from now on, don¡¯t covet whatever delicious food xiaoyu makes. i won¡¯t sell it to you even if the price doubles.¡±


    gu meiling wiped her mouth gracefully and said with a smile, ¡°look, zheng peizu was bought over with just a bowl of noodles.¡±


    jiang sicheng didn¡¯t hear gu meiling¡¯s irony and echoed in a low voice, ¡°that¡¯s right, you were bribed with just a bowl of noodles.¡±


    lu tongtong immediately scolded him, ¡°then don¡¯t eat it. go and eat what you made yourself.¡±


    the others also kept up with the rhythm and started to criticize jiang sicheng: ¡°that¡¯s right, you can eat your own noodles. look at how much money you waste.¡±


    although it¡¯s winter in china, it¡¯s midsummer in the country across an ocean.


    everyone gathered around the dining table in the pavilion by the water, eating noodles and chatting. the cool evening breeze blew from the lake, not to mention how comfortable it was.


    in a ¡°hahaha¡± atmosphere, the first day of recording ended perfectly.


    *****


    in order to seize the time to make money and complete the tasks assigned by the program team, everyone got up and started working at seven o¡¯clock the next morning.


    the new country¡¯s summer mornings have just recently awakened from the darkness of the night, and animals like squirrels, bunnies, and alpacas are out in force next to the restaurant.


    under zheng peizu¡¯s arrangement, he, gu meiling, and lu tongtong were responsible for tidying up the restaurant; qi xiaoyu made breakfast; and xue qingchu helped tidy up the kitchen. jiang sicheng was kicked out and went to set up signboards on several main roads outside the restaurant to attract customers.


    after these things were done, the restaurant was tidied up, with tableware and flowers placed on every seat. after finishing the egg-fried rice made by qi xiaoyu, everyone went to a nearby supermarket to purchase ingredients.


    this purchase was different from last night¡¯s impromptu purchase; last night they were buying for themselves in small quantities, so a few at the neighborhood mini-mart would suffice.


    this time they wanted to buy all the ingredients that would be used in the restaurant for a while, so they went to the hypermarket.


    the hypermarket is about ten kilometers away from the restaurant, and it takes more than 20 minutes to drive one way.


    according to zheng peizu¡¯s plan, this time he will buy all the ingredients that will be used in the restaurant in the following week.


    after all, the restaurant is too far away from the hypermarket, and it takes too long. if they don¡¯t buy more at once, it would be embarrassing if they couldn¡¯t make a dish because they¡¯re temporarily short of this or that.


    but after arriving at the hypermarket, everyone was a little confused when faced with the endless stacks of shelves and the dazzling array of various products.


    even veteran members zheng peizu and gu meiling, who had participated in the last season, were a bit dumbfounded. this store is too big. a single floor has an area of tens of thousands.


    they recorded last season in europe. although it was also a foreign country, the population was much denser than that of new zealand, and the supermarkets weren¡¯t as big.


    several people stood at the door in confusion for a while. gu meiling said, ¡°i¡¯m going to ask for directions and see where the fresh food area is.¡±


    although gu meiling is a little bit princess-like and her suitcase is the largest and heaviest when she comes to record the show this time, she has strong communication skills and speaks fluent english. she quickly asked the salesperson for the location of the fresh food area and led the group there.


    the fresh food area is not small, with more than a dozen containers plus refrigerators.


    lu tongtong, who has the least experience in life, was the first to ask, ¡°there are so many vegetables, but we only have a thousand yuan1140.77usd; what do we need to buy?¡±


    gu meiling said calmly, ¡°it¡¯s okay. we just buy commonly used vegetables. for meat, we¡¯ll buy pork or beef. that¡¯s all.¡±


    in the last season, there was no one who was particularly good at cooking. when everyone went to the vegetable market, they bought whatever they saw and knew how to cook. after buying it, they figured out how to make it, and they pieced together things to keep the restaurant going.


    from experience, gu meiling thinks it¡¯s best to follow the above.


    zheng peizu is even simpler: ¡°pick the cheapest to buy. beef is the cheapest here; let¡¯s buy more beef.¡±


    young master jiang¡¯s eyes fell on all kinds of cooked food and snacks. ¡°can we buy some salmon and potato chips?¡±


    he was immediately rejected by the store manager, zheng peizu. ¡°no.¡±


    it was very much the posture of a head teacher reprimanding a bad student.


    jiang sicheng pursed his lips and returned to the cart pitifully.


    qi xiaoyu took out a piece of paper and showed it to zheng peizu. ¡°teacher zheng, i thought about what dishes the restaurant could sell last night. this is the list i made. can you look at it and see if it¡¯s okay?¡±


    zheng peizu didn¡¯t expect that qi xiaoyu and jiang sicheng were of the same age. qi xiaoyu was not only good at cooking but also thoughtful. he couldn¡¯t help but praise the kid first before looking at the list.


    the menu is full of classic chinese dishes, such as scrambled eggs with tomatoes, sweet and sour pork, diced chicken with chili sauce, mapo tofu, braised pork, shrimp fried rice, dried flat string beans, and noodles with mixed sauce.


    after zheng peizu read it, he nodded with satisfaction and said, ¡°yes, as long as you can do this.¡±


    qi xiaoyu nodded. ¡°yes, i can make all of them.¡±


    once the menu was finalized, the process of sourcing ingredients went much smoother. just follow the menu.


    zheng peizu is responsible for checking the price. when others put something in the cart, he writes it down on his phone and resolutely controls the budget within 1,000 yuan.


    gu meiling is responsible for asking for directions and helping everyone find the specific location of each ingredient.


    xue qingchu and lu tongtong were responsible for putting the ingredients into the cart.


    jiang sicheng, as the young laborer who could neither be the chef nor manage the finances, rightfully took on the job of pushing the cart and carrying things.


    after all the ingredients were purchased, they passed by the cake and dessert section on their way to the cash register.


    a sweet aroma of bread and chocolate wafted over and instantly hooked a few ladies who couldn¡¯t walk away.


    although the egg-fried rice made by qi xiaoyu this morning tastes very good, they have been busy for several hours since early morning and are already hungry again.


    not to mention that girls are naturally unable to resist the temptation of sweet cakes.


    looking at the rich and smooth chocolate and the cream as soft and delicate as snow on the glass counter, gu meiling said in a coquettish voice, ¡°old zheng, how much money do you have there? is it enough to buy a cake?¡±


    although gu meiling is 37 years old, she is known to have princess syndrome, and sometimes she is more spoiled than xue qingchu and lu tongtong. however, because of her good acting skills and her consistent ¡°pretentiousness¡± for more than ten years, there are many people who hate her, but also many people who like her, and the princess syndrome doesn¡¯t affect her reputation.


    zheng peizu was a little more polite than he was to jiang sicheng just now, but his tone was still firm: ¡°no, the remaining money must be kept for later use.¡±


    gu meiling repeated, ¡°but i want to eat cake,¡± and then took a few steps towards the cake counter.


    lu tongtong also said, ¡°teacher zheng, just buy a small cake. i want to eat it too, and the cakes here are quite cheap. it¡¯s less than a hundred yuan.¡±


    although xue qingchu didn¡¯t say anything, looking at her expression, she was also inclined to buy a cake to cushion her stomach.


    zheng peizu was engrossed in settling accounts and didn¡¯t fully understand the feelings of the three ladies. he shook his head mechanically and said, ¡°no.¡±


    gu meiling frowned. ¡°old zheng, you can¡¯t do this. this is everyone¡¯s money. it should be decided by vote. the three of us want to eat the cake.¡± she turned to jiang sicheng and said, ¡°xiao cheng, you must be on qingqing¡¯s side, right?¡±


    jiang sicheng immediately pushed the cart and stood behind xue qingchu.


    after gu meiling finished speaking and doing this series of actions, zheng peizu, who was settling accounts, suddenly put his cell phone aside, looked at gu meiling, and said, ¡°meiling, you have also been a guest in the first season; why are you still so willful?¡±


    gu meiling immediately retorted, ¡°how am i being willful? a cake costs less than a hundred yuan. and everyone wants to eat it.¡±


    zheng peizu, ¡°have you forgotten the previous sentence about us being so poor that we eat instant noodles?¡±


    gu meiling, ¡°but don¡¯t we have xiaoyu this time? we already earned 400 yuan yesterday. xiaoyu, come on, say whether you¡¯ll buy a cake for your sister or not?¡±


    zheng peizu didn¡¯t speak, but his expression had changed a little.


    seeing that the atmosphere became more subtle, qi xiaoyu asked with a smile, ¡°which cake does sister meiling like to eat?¡±


    gu meiling¡¯s eyes curved in delight. ¡°well, let¡¯s have a chocolate cake.¡±


    zheng peizu¡¯s eyes glazed over, and he looked at qi xiaoyu a bit anxiously.


    qi xiaoyu pointed to the grains and cereals area next to the dessert area and asked with a smile, ¡°sister meiling, let¡¯s buy some flour and chocolate powder. i¡¯ll go back and bake a cake for everyone, ok?¡±


    then he said to zheng peizu, ¡°teacher zheng, flour is cheap. i remember there being an oven in the kitchen. i can make a few more at a time, slice the rest, and sell them as desserts after cooking. it just makes up for the fact that we don¡¯t have desserts.¡±


    gu meiling immediately became happy: ¡°okay, okay, the cake made by xiaoyu must be delicious.¡±


    lu tongtong also clapped her hands and said, ¡°this is a good idea. we can eat it ourselves, and we can also sell it to make money. xiaoyu, you¡¯re very clever.¡±


    qi xiaoyu¡¯s intervention was equivalent to giving both sides a step back. zheng peizu¡¯s expression softened a little. ¡°okay, let¡¯s listen to xiaoyu and buy some flour.¡±


    no wonder the poor and needy wives are saddened by everything. without money, even buying food could get ugly.


    fortunately, after they bought the groceries and went back, things went much smoother.


    everyone split up and started to prepare for the official opening and reception in the afternoon.


    the main dishes of the restaurant are the ones on qi xiaoyu¡¯s menu, including staple dishes, meat and vegetables, and desserts.


    in addition, xue qingchu also contributed two home-cooked dishes: seaweed and egg soup and steamed eggs with clams.


    there is qi xiaoyu working as the chef, xue qingchu carefully shuttles between the kitchen and the lobby, jiang sicheng soliciting customers outside, gu meiling and lu tongtong warmly greeting guests, and zheng peizu responsible for collecting money.


    at the end of the day, they actually made more than 3,000 yuan. although it did not meet the program team¡¯s target, it was still a considerable amount since it was only open for half a day.


    it had been a busy day, and everyone was collectively paralyzed with exhaustion.


    in the evening, when zheng peizu was counting money behind the counter, jiang sicheng and others were so tired that their backs arched and they lay on the table to rest regardless of their image.


    jiang sicheng lay on the table like a ¡°´ó¡± character and said, ¡°i¡¯m so tired. it¡¯s not easy to make money. can we raise the price tomorrow? my service can¡¯t be so cheap.¡±


    ¡°keep dreaming. at this price, if it weren¡¯t for xiaoyu¡¯s delicious food, people would probably not be willing to pay for it.¡± gu meiling¡¯s sitting posture was quite elegant, but she couldn¡¯t help kneading her waist. ¡°last season, there was no business to worry about. this season, the business is so good that i¡¯m worried my waist is going to break.¡±


    ¡°thank you for your hard work, sister meiling. do you want to try the freshly baked chocolate cake?¡±


    while everyone was complaining, they suddenly saw qi xiaoyu walking out of the kitchen behind gu meiling, holding a fragrant and tempting chocolate cake.


    today was too busy, and no desserts were added to the menu. everyone thought that qi xiaoyu would not start preparing the cake until tomorrow or the day after. unexpectedly, he even baked a cake despite having his hands full.


    even the cameraman who was following them was so excited that he quickly picked up the camera again and worked hard.


    gu meiling looked at the cake that unexpectedly appeared behind her, as well as the young man holding the cake, wearing a chef¡¯s hat, and speaking to her in a gentle voice. she couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°oh my god, my heart actually fluttered for the boy who¡¯s a dozen years younger than me.¡±


    qi xiaoyu laughed and didn¡¯t take it seriously. he invited lu tongtong and xue qingchu to taste the cake together.


    in the harmonious and lively atmosphere, someone said something, ¡°i was not too comfortable thinking that i would have to record the program right before new year, but it was such a blessing to meet you guys.¡±


    qi xiaoyu had a smile on his face, but his hand holding the cake plate paused slightly. the new year is coming soon¡­


    he remembered butler cheng¡¯s mention that xun qian¡¯s sister seemed to have died just before the new year.


    *****


    on the same day, s. city, suburban cemetery.


    the sky in late winter is a bit gloomy, and the silent cemetery seems to stretch to the end of the horizon.


    xun qian bent down and placed a bunch of fresh daisies in front of the tombstone.


    the cold wind of late winter blew past him, blowing his inky black hair and his white, almost bloodless face hidden in the fur collar.


    after putting down the daisies, he sat there silently until dusk fell over the fields and small snowflakes began to float in the sky.


    many scenes flashed through his mind, from the age of seven until now, from his sister to qi xiaoyu.


    there are also those rumors and insults from qin xueyin, who say that he was ill-fated and brought misfortune to everyone around him.


    he lowered his eyes and showed a sarcastic smile.


    butler chen gently moved his stiff legs, shook off the snowflakes on his body, took a step forward, and said softly, ¡°it¡¯s time, third master. let¡¯s go home.¡±


    ¡°you go to the car and wait for me. i want to stay a little longer.¡±


    ¡°sigh¡­yes.¡±


    butler cheng walked farther and farther away, and xun qian seemed to be the only one left in the world.


    he was a little tired and a little somber. the snow fell on the back of his hand and on the wheelchair, unmelting for a long time.


    ¡°buzz buzz¡ª¡± in the dead silence, someone actually dared to call this number.

 CH 40

    last kofi bonus!


    xun qian glanced at the caller number and subconsciously paused with his thumb on the hang-up button.


    small snowflakes fell on the screen and instantly turned into water.


    his heart blazed with heat and warmth, but it was quickly engulfed by an infinite cold.


    xun qian looked at the screen silently, the bones of his curved fingers bulging.


    the phone rang for a long time and kept ringing until it automatically hung up.


    the screen dimmed, snowflakes covered it, and everything fell into deeper silence.


    ****


    qi xiaoyu took off his chef hat but was still wearing a white chef uniform. he stood in a shadow outside the restaurant door, deliberately avoiding the cameraman.


    after the phone rang for a long time, there was a short bleep, signifying that the call wasn¡¯t answered.


    qi xiaoyu glanced at the time on the phone screen in confusion. the time zone in new zealand was several hours ahead of city s. it was probably just getting dark in city s. xun qian probably wouldn¡¯t rest so early.


    qi xiaoyu thought for a while and was hesitating whether to call butler cheng to ask about xun qian¡¯s situation when he heard someone calling him from behind, ¡°why don¡¯t you go back to sleep? aren¡¯t you tired after working all day?¡±


    it was jiang sicheng who came to find him.


    when allocating rooms, zheng peizu arranged the two of them into one room.


    qi xiaoyu glanced at him and put the phone back into his pocket. ¡°let¡¯s go.¡±


    jiang sicheng saw qi xiaoyu leaving as soon as he said so and chased after him. he opened his little eyes as wide as possible, filled with the light of gossip. ¡°are you secretly calling someone? who are you calling? you¡¯re secretly in a relationship, are you?¡±


    qi xiaoyu glanced at him expressionlessly, as if he didn¡¯t even bother to pay attention to him.


    but jiang sicheng got excited and carefully spit out some facts: ¡°you¡¯re an idol on the rise, and you mustn¡¯t have any love scandals. if an idol falls in love, their death won¡¯t be pretty¡­¡±


    after the first day of adjustment, the recording of the program became smoother and smoother.


    although there may be situations where there are too many guests and the kitchen is overwhelmed, or there are not enough temporary ingredients and they need to buy them urgently, they all managed to cope with it with the concerted efforts of everyone.


    the biggest setback came from jiang sicheng.


    that day, the restaurant took over a few tables for a birthday banquet, and the demand for dishes was high, but the kitchen sluice gate was broken, and no water could come out, causing problems with washing dishes and vegetables.


    jiang sicheng volunteered and said he would repair it.


    as a result, due to his unremitting efforts, the emergency repair of the sluice gate was unsuccessful, and the kitchen almost flooded.


    the water rose until it reached their calves. xue qingchu and qi xiaoyu, who were preparing vegetables, looked at jiang sicheng speechlessly.


    fortunately for xue qingchu, the skirt and sandals she wore didn¡¯t cause her any problems, even if she got wet from walking in water.


    qi xiaoyu was wearing trousers and canvas shoes, which were much worse when soaked in the water. he was busy cooking for the birthday party and had no time to go back to the dormitory to change his pants and shoes. the knife in his hand became alive, and it began dancing on the chopping board.


    *****


    when the group reached the seventh day of recording in new zealand, the first episode of the second season of ¡°eat light on the road¡± was officially aired.


    the first group of people watching in front of longjiang satellite tv and mobile app were old fans of the show from the previous season.


    this show does not have the largest number of fans among similar variety shows, but its fanbase loyalty is high.


    they don¡¯t like seeing celebrities playing games and tearing each other apart, but they like to see everyone happily traveling and cooking together. occasionally, conflicts will not be deliberately amplified by the program team but will be reconciled and resolved like friends.


    this kind of program, paired with cooking, would be even more perfect for them. variety shows are meant to be a leisurely pastime, but if they have delicious food, what more could they ask for?


    for them, the only dissatisfaction is that there are too many new guests this season.


    before the main film started, the program team released a trailer to introduce the new members.


    however, old fans of the show generally don¡¯t have a good impression of the newcomers, echoing each other, ¡°return the previous lineup.¡±


    ¡°i don¡¯t want to see new people. i hope there won¡¯t be too many.¡±


    ¡°one look at this jiang sicheng, and i know that he was forced in by using money. a person like him can be found everywhere.¡±


    ¡°isn¡¯t qi xiaoyu filming a drama right now? why did he come to this kind of program? can he cook?¡±


    ¡°please, newcomers, don¡¯t steal the spotlight and show off. we just want to watch a program that is relaxing and worry-free.¡±


    ¡­


    but not long after the show started, they all became ¡°really fragrant1meme/slang when a person makes up their mind not to support something but, in the end, falls in love with it..¡±


    from the moment the program crew took away jiang sicheng¡¯s wallet until everyone ate jiang sicheng¡¯s dark cuisine, the barrage was all ¡°hahahaha.¡±.


    ¡°hahahahaha, the way he protects his wallet is so funny. it always reminds me of my family teddy, who was wronged, sorry hahahaha. but the curly hair really does look like him.¡±


    ¡°i really want to know how unpalatable the food made by young master jiang is. why do i feel so sad and want to laugh at the same time?¡±


    ¡°jiang sicheng can become famous. don¡¯t become an actor; become a comedian; he will definitely become famous.¡±


    ¡°actually, jiang sicheng¡¯s presentation is pretty good. i can see that master jiang has worked hard.¡±


    although jiang sicheng is useless and can¡¯t do anything, his comedic effect is indeed first-rate.


    when qi xiaoyu brought out the noodles and everyone finished eating, their faces had contrasting expressions, as if they had come from hell to heaven, and there was another burst of ¡°hahaha¡± on the barrage.


    ¡°jiang sicheng shouldn¡¯t take things too hard. who told him to show off his cooking skills before qi xiaoyu?¡±


    ¡°maybe he is confident in his cooking skills.¡±


    ¡°don¡¯t talk nonsense; he is obviously using his life to show how powerful xiaoyu is.¡±


    in particular, the camera shows the details of qi xiaoyu cooking noodles. the young man squinted his eyes slightly in the rising steam, held the chopsticks firmly with his slender fingers, skillfully picked the noodles into the bowl, and then added the seasonings one by one. the dedication and seriousness with which every ingredient is treated wholeheartedly are particularly attractive.


    ¡°why am i watching this at night? i¡¯m so hungry.¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s so enjoyable to watch him cook.¡±


    ¡°i beg qi xiaoyu to start a cooking class. i want to learn.¡±


    ¡°the program team doesn¡¯t have to record anything else. i can just watch him cook for another hundred episodes.¡±


    with his excellent cooking skills, qi xiaoyu easily gained a lot of fans.


    in addition to fans of the show, the second wave of viewers are fans of each guest.


    zheng peizu is well-known and has a wide audience. although he has stopped relying on fans for a long time, there are still many mother-level fans who see him and click in to watch the show.


    gu meiling is also well-known, but unlike zheng peizu, she also has many older male fans.


    in addition, xue qingchu, lu tongtong, and qi xiaoyu also bring a lot of their own fans.


    qi xiaoyu¡¯s fans naturally set their eyes on their cub as soon as they tuned it. the more they looked at him, the more adorable he became.


    ¡°i feel like every time xiaoyu appears, he unlocks a new skill. why didn¡¯t i know that such a perfect little cub could cook before?¡±


    needless to say, the variety show really gave qi xiaoyu extra points.


    many celebrities fall apart as soon as they appear on variety shows due to a lack of emotional intelligence or an inability to speak, but qi xiaoyu¡¯s variety show results are outstanding.


    he knows when to speak and when to be silent, doesn¡¯t show off or steal the spotlight, makes no mistakes throughout the process, speaks well, and has outstanding skills, which makes his character three-dimensional at once!


    some fans even said, ¡°in order to be worthy of my husband, i will clock in and lose weight every day from today on.¡±


    interestingly, after that, in a very famous slimming exercise video barrage, someone actually clocked in under the name of ¡°qi xiaoyu¡¯s wife¡± every day, and the team was getting bigger and bigger.


    fans from other fandoms didn¡¯t pay attention to qi xiaoyu at first. later on, they found out that their own celebrities depended on qi xiaoyu for food, so they gradually changed their views.


    after all, when you¡¯re out in the world, eating is the most important thing.


    especially when zheng peizu and gu meiling got into an argument over buying a cake in a hypermarket and it was qi xiaoyu who resolved the awkward situation, fans couldn¡¯t help but praise him: ¡°qi xiaoyu¡¯s eq is really high.¡±


    ¡°if qi xiaoyu hadn¡¯t come to mediate, it would have been quite embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°i want a friend like qi xiaoyu.¡±


    later, qi xiaoyu came out holding the cake with a doting smile, and the barrage exploded.


    ¡°hey, he¡¯s totally my ideal boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°gu meiling spoke to my heart. who wouldn¡¯t be tempted by this kind of boyfriend?¡±


    even mothers who watch tv like qi xiaoyu.


    if they could post a barrage, it would be, ¡°i want a son-in-law like xiaoyu.¡±


    throughout the program, zheng peizu and gu meiling provided a foundation for the masses. xue qingchu was sweet and lovely, lu tongtong was bold and lively, jiang sicheng was humorous and natural, and qi xiaoyu¡¯s skills were outstanding.


    in addition, longjiang satellite tv doesn¡¯t deliberately create conflict on purpose during the later editing; they also edit the program in a cute and adorable way, often adding cute little expressions to the guests.


    even on the day it was broadcast, the number of views online reached more than 10 million.


    the people on the program team were shocked when they saw the online broadcast volume and ratings. last year, it was a variety show that couldn¡¯t even make it into the top five, but this year it broke into the top three in the first episode.


    there are also several hot searches on weibo about ¡°eating light on the road,¡± #eatinglightontheraodseason2#, #qixiaoyucooking#.


    qi xiaoyu¡¯s fans were also shocked. they saw that there were so many love rivals on the super topic all of a sudden, asking for resources and beautiful pictures.


    yu xiaosheng and li kun were equally shocked. after the show was broadcast, in just one night, qi xiaoyu¡¯s weibo followers exceeded 5 million. although the number of fans on qi xiaoyu¡¯s weibo had increased sharply when the commercial film and makeup photos were posted before, it wasn¡¯t that exaggerated.


    and this is only the first episode!


    if this trend continues, qi xiaoyu¡¯s popularity will soon rise to several levels!


    the second season of ¡°eat light on the road¡± can be said to be an instant hit.


    even the servants of the xun family have an extra entertainment activity after dinner: mr. qi¡¯s variety show.


    as soon as xun qian came downstairs that day, he heard two servants in the corridor discussing the content of last night¡¯s broadcast.


    ¡°do you think it¡¯s strange? i usually don¡¯t notice it when i look at him at home every day. but once compared with other people outside, i feel that mr. qi is really good-looking.¡±


    ¡°he¡¯s both good-looking and intelligent; there¡¯s nothing strange. he¡¯s not like other people, who can¡¯t do this and won¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°there are few young people today who can compare with mr. qi. my niece is clamoring that she wants to marry mr. qi when she grows up.¡±


    xun qian¡¯s wheelchair stopped.


    then he heard another servant say, ¡°i want the third master to hide mr. qi and don¡¯t let him go out to be a star. i think a lot of people like mr. qi. what if he finds someone outside and no longer wants to come back?¡±

 CH 41

    tl: hua


    the night when ¡°eat light on the road¡± was released, the country had just entered the morning of a new day.


    everyone didn¡¯t have time to check weibo. they all got up at six o¡¯clock, put on their makeup hastily, and went out with sleepy eyes.


    according to the arrangement of the program team, the guests can go out on the weekends after earning enough travel expenses from the previous week.


    the designated activity for this week¡¯s program is diving.


    new zealand has a long and beautiful coastline and many dreamlike islands. the clear, pristine water and beautiful coral reef make it particularly suitable for various types of diving.


    the island they chose to dive on this time is about an hour away from the mainland.


    the driver drove the speedboat as if it were flying, facing the wind and splitting a white path in the blue sea, taking the six people to a small island in the sea.


    after arriving in new zealand, they were finally able to come out and let off some steam after five consecutive busy days, so everyone was in a good mood.


    gu meiling and xue qingchu took selfies from various angles, while lu tongtong and jiang sicheng urged the driver to drive faster and wilder.


    in comparison, qi xiaoyu was much quieter, sitting on the edge all the time without saying a word.


    in fact, he felt a little uncomfortable.


    yesterday, after wearing wet pants and wet shoes while cooking for the whole day, he felt a headache when he returned to the dormitory at night. he thought he was too tired and would get better after a nap, but this morning, when he woke up, his head was still groggy.


    he didn¡¯t say anything about being unwell. firstly, it was inconvenient to see a doctor abroad. secondly, according to the schedule of the program team, they would return to china for the new year in a few days of recording, and the remaining parts would have to wait until after the spring festival. he didn¡¯t want to delay everyone¡¯s progress because of his illness.


    having been out for so long, it was obvious that everyone wanted to go back, and he kind of wanted to go back himself. after all, it was going to be new year¡¯s eve, and they all wanted to spend time with their family and friends.


    after arriving at the island, it was followed by several hours of deep diving.


    although the whole process is fun, and the underwater world is uniquely beautiful, it¡¯s quite tiring.


    you have to carry an oxygen tank and dive to a depth of ten meters under the guidance of an instructor. the whole process is very physically demanding, and your ears hurt from the pressure of the sea water.


    by the time they got back from the fun, they were all wet, and then it was another nearly hour-long speedboat ride through the wind and waves.


    after getting off the speedboat, qi xiaoyu felt a little dizzy and wanted to vomit.


    but since he hadn¡¯t eaten lunch, he couldn¡¯t vomit anything.


    xue qingchu, who was walking next to him, saw his pale face and asked with concern, ¡°xiaoyu, are you sick?¡±


    qi xiaoyu swallowed and suppressed the feeling of nausea. ¡°maybe i¡¯m a little seasick. i¡¯ll just take a rest later.¡±


    but when they got to the car, qi xiaoyu didn¡¯t get any better.


    he originally closed his eyes and wanted to rest for a while, but ended up sleeping until he got off the bus, his head falling deeper and deeper into sleep.


    xue qingchu put her hand on his forehead and said, ¡°it seems he has a fever.¡±


    jiang sicheng was a little jealous, but when he heard that qi xiaoyu was sick, he asked anxiously, ¡°how about going to the hospital for a checkup?¡±


    gu meiling, who was sitting in the front row, heard this and turned her head. ¡°is xiaoyu sick?¡±


    ¡°it seems he has a cold and a fever.¡± after xue qingchu finished speaking, she glanced at jiang sicheng and remembered that yesterday, when jiang sicheng was repairing the sluice gate and the kitchen was flooded with water, qi xiaoyu spent the whole day cooking with his shoes and trouser legs wet. his illness may have something to do with it.


    but xue qingchu didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°then go to the hospital quickly.¡± gu meiling had already arranged for the driver to change the route and go to the hospital first.


    ****


    qi xiaoyu was already awake when he arrived at the hospital.


    when he opened his eyes, he realized that it wasn¡¯t the restaurant, and when he inclined his head again, he saw gu meiling discussing something with someone while the others were surrounding him.


    when lu tongtong saw him waking up, she pushed him back into the chair.


    xue qingchu explained the situation and asked qi xiaoyu to wait patiently, saying that sister meiling was trying to make contact.


    but it¡¯s not convenient to see a doctor abroad. new patients need to make an appointment to see if they have insurance and what kind of insurance they have. if there¡¯s no insurance or it doesn¡¯t match, the doctor won¡¯t necessarily see them.


    gu meiling has been at it for half a day and said they would have to wait a little longer.


    qi xiaoyu looked at the time and saw that it was already past four in the afternoon. he did some calculations and realized that if everyone stayed with him in the hospital, the night shooting would not be able to proceed as scheduled.


    but if he just said he was going to leave, the others probably wouldn¡¯t agree, so he tried to appear spirited and gave a compromise suggestion: ¡°sister meiling, i don¡¯t need to see a doctor. can you help me buy some cold and fever-reducing medicine?¡±


    after he finished speaking, the others were still hesitating. zheng peizu glanced at qi xiaoyu and walked over to pull the person up, then he said to gu meiling, ¡°just do as xiaoyu said, buy the medicine, and go back to the restaurant.¡±


    after saying that, he took the initiative to help qi xiaoyu and walked to the car.


    zheng peizu used to think that qi xiaoyu was smart and reliable among the younger generation, but now he appreciates qi xiaoyu even more.


    in the situation just now, if he insisted that he wanted to see a doctor, it would delay the recording of the program. if he tried to show himself off and insisted on not seeing a doctor, it would make everyone worried and make it difficult to decide what to do. perhaps after the broadcast, the audience would even accuse the cast for being too indifferent. instead, what he did was take the initiative to give a compromise suggestion, taking every aspect into consideration without revealing any traces.


    zheng peizu has been in the industry for the longest time and has met all kinds of people. he knows how rare it is to be good at dealing with others while also taking them into consideration. this sense of propriety and hidden kindness are rare among the masses, not just younger people.


    ****


    after taking medicine to reduce fever and treat colds, although qi xiaoyu¡¯s condition did not improve significantly, it didn¡¯t get worse, and he looked better, so he pushed through the filming for the next few days successfully.


    in a blink of an eye, new year¡¯s eve arrived, and they were ready to return to their country.


    qi xiaoyu¡¯s destination is s city.


    others either return to their hometowns to celebrate the new year or, like xue qingchu, rush to other cities to participate in spring festival programs.


    after more than ten hours of flight, the plane landed at s city airport at six o¡¯clock in the afternoon.


    the thin sunlight shines on the huge glass of the airport, covering the glass with layers of orange film, making the empty ground look even colder.


    as soon as he got off the plane, li kun quickly found the down jacket from the suitcase and put it on qi xiaoyu.


    qi xiaoyu had already sneezed four or five times in a row. the long-distance flight was very tiring, and the cold that was suppressed before seems to be on the rise again.


    li kun looked at qi xiaoyu¡¯s slimmed-down figure with a worried look on his face and said, ¡°you¡¯ve been holding off your cold for too long; otherwise, you should go to the hospital tonight.¡±


    qi xiaoyu pulled the zipper of the down jacket to his chin and put on the mask again. ¡°no, let¡¯s go back today. you have been out with me for so long this time, so go spend the new year with your family. they must have missed you a lot. go home quickly.¡±


    li kun really wanted to go home. his family had already called him several times to ask him if he would come back for the new year and what time he would arrive at the airport.


    but he was still worried about qi xiaoyu. he dragged his luggage and walked beside qi xiaoyu while saying, ¡°if it¡¯s still not good after two days, remember to see a doctor yourself. don¡¯t delay until after the new year because there will be more work arrangements. i¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to bear it. by the way, xiaoyu¡­ is there anyone in your family to accompany you to the hospital? if there¡¯s no one¡­ call me, and i¡¯ll pick you up. i have nothing else to do during the spring festival other than go to my grandma¡¯s house¡­¡±


    li kun remembered that yu xiaosheng said that qi xiaoyu¡¯s mother died early, and his father didn¡¯t care about him when he started a new family. he didn¡¯t know where qi xiaoyu would go during the new year.


    but before he could ask more questions, the scene outside the airport attracted all his attention.


    from the distance where he and qi xiaoyu stood, one could see groups of fans holding qi xiaoyu¡¯s banners and posters standing outside the railing for his arrival.


    at a glance, the rows and rows of people were like small mountains.


    when qi xiaoyu left city s, no one was there to see him off. of course, this was because his itinerary was kept secret, so no one knew he was taking off that day.


    when he came back this time, there was unexpectedly a huge queue to pick him up.


    although li kun saw on the internet that qi xiaoyu¡¯s weibo followers were increasing, it was one thing to see it online and another thing to actually experience qi xiaoyu¡¯s current popularity in person.


    li kun was a little shocked, a little proud, and a little nervous. he hurriedly asked, ¡°you¡¯re not feeling well, and there¡¯s only two of us, so it wouldn¡¯t be good if there was chaos. otherwise, it¡¯s better to use the vip channel; i¡¯ll go and contact the people at the airport.¡±


    qi xiaoyu stopped him. ¡°it¡¯s their first time picking me up at the airport, and the queue is neatly arranged. it wouldn¡¯t be good if i just avoided them.¡±


    li kun looked outside and saw that the fans were indeed very orderly, so he reluctantly nodded. ¡°okay, i¡¯ll go in front, and you follow me.¡±


    the fans who came to pick him up were of all ages.


    it can be seen that after the broadcast of ¡°eat light on the road,¡± the number of qi xiaoyu¡¯s mother fans increased rapidly. among the people who came to pick him up at the airport, there were many fans in their thirties and forties.


    they lined up neatly in several rows along the exit, holding qi xiaoyu¡¯s support posters and waving to him enthusiastically.


    knowing that qi xiaoyu had returned from a long journey, everyone was neither noisy nor fussy, and even their voices were gentle. they all wished qi xiaoyu a happy new year and asked qi xiaoyu to go home early for the new year, pay attention to his health, and have a good rest.


    others noticed that qi xiaoyu had a cold and asked him to take care of himself.


    qi xiaoyu also took off his mask and patiently greeted everyone, stopping at intervals to let li kun help him take photos with fans.


    after spending more than ten minutes saying goodbye to everyone, qi xiaoyu went to the parking garage to pick up the car he had parked here before and drove back to xun¡¯s house.


    ****


    the distance from the airport to xun¡¯s home is nearly 70 kilometers, which takes more than two hours.


    it started to rain lightly during the journey, and coupled with the lingering fog in the winter night, it wasn¡¯t easy to drive.


    while qi xiaoyu was waiting at the red light, he quickly took out a bottle of fengyoujing and applied a large amount to his temples to get rid of the feeling of dizziness and nausea.


    although he wasn¡¯t feeling very well and the weather wasn¡¯t very good, he was in a good mood.


    when he thought of going home, even though it was xun qian¡¯s house, i immediately felt a sense of stability and peace.


    after staying in a foreign country for almost half a month and being sick at a later stage, now when he thinks of the bed in the bedroom, the small orange lamp beside the bed, the noisy and clingy white-browed hero, and those familiar people, his heart¡­ is filled with warmth.


    he just wants to hurry back home, have a meal, take a hot bath, and then roll around on the bed with the little black dog in his arms. the next day, he will be full of energy to welcome the arrival of the new year.


    finally, before nine o¡¯clock, the xun family villa appeared in sight.


    after scanning the lexus license plate, the huge, carved iron door opened automatically.


    qi xiaoyu made a neat and smooth turn, and the car slid along the driveway to the villa.


    he didn¡¯t even want to drive the car into the garage, and he got out of the car somewhat impatiently. he also forgot his mask, so when he got out of the car, he was hit by the cold wind and sneezed several more times.


    he took a few steps up the stairs with his luggage, pushed open the door of the villa, and peeked inside. the dog is sometimes kept on the first floor, and it might rush out to greet him at any time.


    he waited for a while, but the villa was quiet, as if there was no one here.


    qi xiaoyu sneezed, and a strange feeling arose in his heart as he walked through the hall towards the inside.


    the person who came out was not the white-browed hero, but mama li.


    when she saw qi xiaoyu, she immediately shouted, ¡°oh, mr. qi, why are you back today? why didn¡¯t you tell us? luckily, i¡¯m not going back to my hometown this year; otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t even have dinner when you¡¯re back. quickly, give me the luggage.¡±


    qi xiaoyu waited for a long time and finally waited until mama li finished speaking before he interrupted, ¡°i told uncle cheng that i would come back today.¡±


    mama li¡¯s eyes widened, and she asked in surprise, ¡°then why didn¡¯t butler cheng tell us?¡±


    ¡°he didn¡¯t say anything?¡± qi xiaoyu frowned slightly, then realized why he felt so strange just now: ¡°where¡¯s uncle cheng?¡±


    mama li was startled for a moment and felt something was wrong. ¡°butler cheng is out, and so is the third master¡­¡±


    the more she spoke, the softer her voice became. ¡°xiao hei was also taken away.¡±

 CH 42

    tl: hua


    90 miles southeast of s city, there is a small coastal island.


    in the middle of the island is a forest park with beautiful and pleasant scenery. the sandy beach that surrounds the sea is dotted with jagged and strange rocks of all sizes and colors, glowing in the sunlight, and is known as jewel beach.


    on the east side of the island, the most scenic beach is occupied by several luxury resort hotels and wealthy villas.


    a three-story villa facing east, with the best view of the beach and the sunrise, belongs to xun qian.


    the villa had been vacant for many years, and the entire west-facing wall was covered in ivy.


    the closed iron door also showed signs of rust.


    it¡¯s a good thing that the inside of the villa gets cleaned twice a year, so the traces of the careful decoration and layout can barely be seen.


    butler cheng pushed the wheelchair into the villa, leaning forward a little eagerly. ¡°third master, mr. qi is back today; what are we doing here?¡±


    xun qian lazily leaned back in the chair, holding the little black dog in his arms, as if he didn¡¯t hear butler cheng¡¯s words, ¡°find someone to come and clean up. i¡¯ll stay in my bedroom upstairs.¡±


    butler cheng paused in his steps and bent even lower. ¡°third master, are you going to stay here tonight?¡±


    ¡°en.¡± xun qian¡¯s smooth fingers gently followed the satin-like fur of the little black dog. ¡°we will celebrate the new year here this year.¡±


    butler cheng felt his face twitch. he hesitated again and again, but couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°¡­ are you celebrating the new year here? but there is nothing here; how deserted it is¡­ and¡­ what about the people at home? and mr. qi¡­ should we bring him over?¡±


    xun qian didn¡¯t even pause to think and replied quickly, as if he had already made a decision, ¡°no need.¡±


    butler cheng took a deep breath and felt his heart sink as he sensed something, and immediately after, he heard words that shocked him even more.


    ¡°after the spring festival, ask zhang han to vacate the apartment on the top floor of weihao hotel and let him move there.¡±


    ¡°this¡­¡± butler cheng¡¯s lips trembled. this is the situation he was most afraid of. xun qian no longer locked himself away from people but drove away those who had finally entered his life.


    ¡°the apartment in the weihao hotel is nice, but it¡¯s too lonely for mr. qi to live alone. besides, he is used to living at home, and everyone likes him. if you ask mr. qi to move out suddenly, he will inevitably have doubts in his heart¡­¡±


    ¡°uncle cheng.¡± xun qian suddenly opened his mouth, interrupting butler cheng¡¯s words, his cold voice carrying a warning.


    ¡°yes,¡± butler cheng gritted his teeth, straightened up, and took half a step back, ¡°i¡¯ve spoken out of turn.¡±


    ****


    xun qian, butler cheng, and the dog weren¡¯t here, so qi xiaoyu ate a bowl of noodles in the dining room downstairs and then returned to his room with his luggage.


    he placed his suitcase next to the bed. he had brought some new zealand specialties, such as woolen scarves and lanolin, to give to everyone as new year gifts.


    but now he¡¯s too lazy to even think about opening the suitcase.


    he clapped his hands together and stood up from the heel of his suitcase, ready to shower and go to bed. he would dig out the lanolin and give it to mama li tomorrow.


    he walked around the room, took out his pajamas, took a few steps towards the bathroom, then backed out and fell onto the bed.


    the previous excitement and anticipation were gone, leaving only fatigue and exhaustion. he didn¡¯t want to do anything, not even take a shower.


    he rubbed his nose, and after lying down, the cold, combined with the fatigue of the long flight, gave him a lethargic and dizzy feeling that gradually emerged.


    in the midst of bouts of confusion, his cell phone rang. qi xiaoyu grabbed it and saw that it was a message from butler cheng: ¡°xiaoyu, third master is busy and won¡¯t come back in the next few days. take care of yourself at home and ask mama li to help with anything. happy new year.¡±


    from this tone, does xun qian not come back for the new year?


    if he¡¯s not coming back, why did he take the dog with him?


    qi xiaoyu had an indescribable feeling; in short, he felt uneasy. perhaps due to a discrepancy with his own expectations, or maybe it was the chinese new year, he always hoped to have more people around.


    regardless of his original intention, since he came to this world, he has had the closest relationship with the xun family. now that they can¡¯t celebrate the new year together, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit disappointed.


    but what happened to xun qian during the chinese new year? whether it was work or family matters, he remembered that on the day of his sister¡¯s death anniversary, he called xun qian but didn¡¯t get through, which made him even more worried.


    then, amidst the worry, the dizziness, and the sleepiness, qi xiaoyu fell asleep without even taking a shower.


    it was a long, long sleep, so long that he thought he was still on a long-distance plane across the ocean.


    when he woke up, everything in his vision was shaking slightly.


    his throat was still a little dry, as if it had been dried out by fire.


    he checked his phone and saw that it was already past eleven o¡¯clock. he had slept for almost thirteen hours.


    this time, qi xiaoyu reached out and touched his forehead and then his arm. he really had a fever, which was much higher than when he was in new zealand.


    he lay there with his eyes closed for a while, feeling that he couldn¡¯t go on like this, as it would get worse and worse, so he got up and took out the antipyretic medicine he bought in new zealand from his suitcase.


    after finding the antipyretic medicine, he remembered that there was no water in the room, so he had to call mama li and ask her to bring water.


    there weren¡¯t many people in the house, but mama li¡¯s movements were swift, and it didn¡¯t take long for her to come up with a cup of warm water.


    after seeing qi xiaoyu¡¯s appearance, mama li was taken aback and said, ¡°mr. qi, are you sick? or do you have a fever? why is it so severe? do you want to go to the hospital? hiya, how come, at a time like this, both third master and butler cheng aren¡¯t here? the driver has also gone back to celebrate the new year.¡±


    qi xiaoyu poured out the pills and drank them with warm water while listening to mama li¡¯s words. it took an hour to drive from xun¡¯s house to the nearest hospital. his current condition was much worse than last night. there¡¯s definitely no way to drive. he didn¡¯t want to trouble li kun or yu xiaosheng. after all, today was twenty-nine, and tomorrow was new year¡¯s eve. it was the day for a family reunion, so it wasn¡¯t good to disturb others.


    ¡°don¡¯t worry, mama li. i¡¯ll take a nap after taking the medicine. i won¡¯t come down for lunch.¡±


    ¡°oh my!¡± ma li exclaimed again. ¡°why is your voice so hoarse? you were obviously fine yesterday.¡±


    qi xiaoyu forced a weak smile and walked to the bed.


    mama li nodded repeatedly. ¡°okay, if you get hungry anytime, just ask me to bring you food.¡±


    ¡°en.¡± qi xiaoyu nodded, got back into the quilt, and fell asleep again soon.


    ****


    beach house, second-floor bedroom window.


    xun qian held his head and sat there for who knows how long.


    his eyes seemed to have no focus, looking through the window at the rugged beach by the seaside.


    he was motionless, like a sculpture without emotion, and no one knew what he was thinking.


    the little black dog was lying on the side of the bed, its head resting on its two front paws, also looking at xun qian without moving, occasionally wailing a few times, as if trying to attract its master¡¯s attention.


    after a while, it heard footsteps outside, stood up immediately, wagging its tail, and rushed to the door.


    butler cheng jogged all the way in.


    ¡°mama li called just now to say that mr. qi is sick. he hasn¡¯t gotten up from his sleep all day, and it seems to be getting worse now. the family driver is also not there, and no one is taking him to the hospital.¡±


    xun qian¡¯s eyes focused quickly for a split second, but there was no more movement, not even much emotion in what he said after.


    ¡°ask song yue to come over.¡±


    butler cheng¡¯s mood was like a roller coaster: ¡°why don¡¯t you go back and take a look? mr. qi rarely gets sick, and it happened to be on chinese new year.¡±


    xun qian suddenly turned his head, his eyes even a little fierce. ¡°i¡¯m not a doctor; tell song yue to come over.¡±


    ¡°ah, yes.¡±


    within five minutes, butler cheng came back again: ¡°dr. song went abroad with his family to travel and was not in the city.¡±


    xun qian returned to his usual appearance and said, ¡°then find another doctor. or let zhang han handle this matter.¡±


    butler cheng lowered his head and quietly retreated.


    ten minutes later, butler cheng appeared again, his voice much deeper than before: ¡°the chinese new year is coming soon, and it¡¯s hard to find a doctor. i just contacted one, but they¡¯re quite far away. it will take three hours to get to the house.¡±


    ¡°yeah,¡± xun qian nodded lightly.


    ¡°third master¡±, butler cheng walked to the door and stopped, his hand on the doorknob, half his body inside and half outside. he seemed to have thought for a long time before speaking, ¡°it may not be the best choice for you to treat mr. qi like this. in a family like mr. qi¡¯s, no one will leave a way out for him. in a place like the entertainment industry, he¡¯ll be eaten up if he¡¯s not careful. i don¡¯t need to say it all out, third master; you also understand¡­


    mr. qi probably has no other choice; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have rushed back here to celebrate the chinese new year, let alone lying alone at home alone when he¡¯s sick. i also hope that you can change your perspective and think more about mr. qi.¡±


    when xun qian didn¡¯t respond, butler cheng added, ¡°besides, even if you want him to move out, you should make it clear to him in person.¡±


    xun qian didn¡¯t look back or move. but the five fingers hanging on one side were tightly held together at this time.


    he thought of the night he listened to music with qi xiaoyu, and the tranquility and warmth he felt in his heart actually made him addicted and unable to extricate himself for a moment.


    but it¡¯s too dangerous.


    in this world,


    beauty and darkness walk together.


    death and life go hand in hand.


    the other side of the day is darkness.


    the other side of love is loss, unavailability, and pain.


    what¡¯s more, he always brings misfortune to people.


    xun qian held his head and closed his eyes slightly. ¡°buzz buzz,¡± the phone rang.


    qi xiaoyu¡­


    he even called him¡­


    when the little black dog heard the sound, it circled xun qian and kept barking.


    ¡°i¡¯m afraid mr. qi has no other choice; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have rushed back here to celebrate the new year, let alone lie at home alone when he¡¯s sick¡­¡±


    ¡°a place like the entertainment industry, a family like mr. qi¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°if i were the third master, i would hide mr. qi¡­¡±


    ¡°i¡¯m xun qian¡¯s legal partner, and i¡¯m half the owner of this family¡­¡±


    ¡°i¡¯d like to invite you to watch a show¡­¡±


    ¡°if you¡¯re hungry, ask me to heat up food for you¡­¡±


    ¡°let¡¯s give it a name¡­¡±


    xun qian¡¯s fingers were hanging in the air.


    qi xiaoyu, if you take another step forward, don¡¯t blame me for dragging you into the abyss.


    hua: sorry for the lack of update. i¡¯ve been very busy recently £¾¦ä£¼

 CH 43

    TL: Hua


    ¡°Hello? Third Master?¡± Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s voice came from far away through the receiver. It was low and hoarse, as if gently rubbing against his heart. Every tone could make him tremble slightly.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Xun Qian¡¯s whole body relaxed, and the five fingers that had been clenched together slowly relaxed and dropped.


    Hearing Xun Qian¡¯s response, Qi Xiaoyu smiled softly, although there was clear tiredness in his voice. ¡°I heard from Mama Li that you found a doctor for me. I want to make a call to thank you.¡±


    Xun Qian leaned back in his chair. Outside, there was the sound of rising waves hitting the rocks. Inside, there was the sound of the puppy sticking out its tongue and panting. From the moment he pressed the answer button, it seemed like everything had just begun to show its true form.


    Xun Qian replied, ¡°No need.¡±


    ¡°Woof woof woof.¡± Probably because it keenly heard the voice of its owner on the other end of the phone, the little black dog anxiously circled the wheelchair twice, then raised its head and barked eagerly at Xun Qian.


    On the other end of the phone, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s attention was immediately drawn away. He coughed and asked, ¡°Huh? Is White-browed Hero next to you? Is it convenient to bring it with you when you have business outside?¡±


    Xun Qian bent down, took the little black dog into his arms, and patted its head comfortingly. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    After a while, he squeezed the puppy¡¯s front paws seemingly subconsciously and said, ¡°I¡¯ll come back tomorrow to celebrate the New Year.¡±


    ¡°Are you coming back tomorrow?¡± After Qi Xiaoyu finished speaking, he probably realized something was wrong. This was Xun Qian¡¯s home. Of course, Xun Qian could come back any day he wanted, so he quickly changed his words and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll talk to Mama Li and ask her to buy more vegetables tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Um.¡±


    Xun Qian hung up the phone and came to the window, holding the puppy.


    Fog condensed on the glass, and outside was the endless black sea.


    The nights at the end of winter are darker than any other time.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡­is afraid of the dark.


    *****


    ¡°Third Master, why are you back?¡±


    Mama Li was cooking porridge when she heard the noise outside and hurried out. She saw Butler Cheng push Xun Qian in with the dog in his arms.


    Butler Cheng¡¯s expression appeared heavy, but his tone was obviously joyful. ¡°Does the Third Master have to inform you first when he comes back? Where is Mr. Qi? Is he in the room?¡±


    Mama Li nodded quickly. ¡°Yeah, Mr. Qi is resting in the room. I just sent a pot of hot water up. He seems to be sleeping.¡±


    Butler Cheng lowered his voice subconsciously and asked, ¡°Is the fever still severe?¡±


    ¡°Yes, his clothes are all wet. Where¡¯s the doctor? When will he come?¡±


    ¡°I just called and asked. It would take another hour.¡±


    After speaking, Butler Cheng waved to her, ¡°Okay, you can go make porridge. If I don¡¯t call you later, don¡¯t come up again.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Mama Li poked her head out and watched Xun Qian enter the elevator without a moment¡¯s pause.


    Qi Xiaoyu was indeed still asleep.


    Under the dim yellow night light, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, his lips parted, his eyelashes trembled, his cheeks sunken, and his hair on his forehead and temples was soaked with sweat.


    Seeing him like this, Xun Qian couldn¡¯t help but feel a little nervous. Just an hour ago, he still had the energy to call and thank him.


    When the little black dog saw Qi Xiaoyu, it wanted to bark and climb onto the bed, but Xun Qian quickly pushed it into Butler Cheng¡¯s arms.


    Butler Cheng understood, immediately picked up the little black dog, closed the door, and went out.


    Soon, the only sound left in the room was Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s somewhat stuffy breathing.


    Xun Qian pushed the wheelchair to the bedside.


    Qi Xiaoyu seemed to be in a nightmare, breathing fast and slow and turning over with difficulty from time to time.


    This kind of Qi Xiaoyu made him feel reluctant to leave.


    If he was at home, he could have taken him to the hospital yesterday.


    He himself just started to get sick and didn¡¯t get treatment in time. The delay got worse and worse, leading to the present situation.


    He was already in this state, so he didn¡¯t want Qi Xiaoyu, too, to suffer from this.


    Xun Qian lowered his eyes and saw Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s hand hanging over the edge of the bed.


    The hand was also red, but the fingers were slender and slightly curved, giving a particularly pitiful and helpless look.


    It was obviously just a small piece of hand hanging outside, but Xun Qian couldn¡¯t look away from it.


    It was a long, long time before he moved slightly, leaning his body forward halfway.


    He seemed to be trying to grab the hand, and then again, just to look at it.


    He cautiously wanted to touch the fragile artwork and approached it slowly and lightly, touching the little skin on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fingertips.


    Piping hot and moist.


    It seemed as if he could feel the pulse beating at his fingertips.


    He first touched Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fingertips lightly, then held his fingertips, then moved up little by little, hooked his entire fingers, and finally wrapped his hand in his palm.


    Finally, Xun Qian supported his forehead with her right hand, grabbed Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s hand with his left hand, and raised the corners of his mouth in a self-deprecating smile. How childish.


    But there is another kind of contentment.


    He thought he cared about Qi Xiaoyu a little more than he thought he did.


    I don¡¯t want him to get sick.


    I don¡¯t want him to get hurt.


    I don¡¯t want him to be lonely.


    If you are also a lonely person, then let me accompany you for a while.


    ****


    An hour later, Zhang Han accompanied the doctor to Xun¡¯s house.


    After the doctor carefully examined Qi Xiaoyu, he concluded that the latter was overworked, coupled with fever and bronchitis caused by repeated colds.


    He brought fever-reducing medicine and said that if Qi Xiaoyu was given an injection for three consecutive days, then took the medicine on time and rested in bed for a few days, he would be cured.


    Qi Xiaoyu was suffering from a fever and was unconscious, so the fever-reducing drug had to be injected at the hip area.


    Xun Qian gave Zhang Han and Butler Cheng a look, and the two immediately turned around and left the room.


    When Zhang Han came out, he said, ¡°I thought the third master was interested in a no-name celebrity, but I didn¡¯t expect him to be so serious.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Butler Chen said as if he were watching his children fall in love. ¡°It¡¯s not easy for someone to accompany him after so many years. In the entertainment industry, you should always look out for Mr. Qi.¡±


    Zhang Han slightly wondered, ¡°If he¡¯s the person that the third master wants, why bother joining the entertainment industry? That place is such a mess, and the work is hard. Every time he goes out to record a show, it takes at least ten days or half a month¡­ Why not let him stay at home and properly accompany the third master to recuperate?¡±


    ¡°This¡­what you said makes sense, but it depends on what Mr. Qi means.¡±


    Zhang Han was even more curious: ¡°Do we still have to listen to what he wants?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the butler nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll know later after spending more time here. Things are too much for me to say in a moment right now.¡±


    Zhang Han and Butler Cheng stood in the corridor chatting for a while, then saw the doctor walking out of Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s room carrying a medical kit.


    Zhang Han walked over and glanced behind the doctor. ¡°Where is the Third Master?¡±


    The doctor replied, ¡°He¡¯s still in the room. I guess he wants to accompany the patient.¡±


    Zhang Han was even more surprised.


    Butler Cheng made a ¡°please¡± gesture and patted Zhang Han on the shoulder. ¡°Send the doctor back. You don¡¯t have to worry about things here.¡±


    ****


    The next morning, the late New Year¡¯s Eve sun shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows into Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s room.


    The sunlight first shone on Xun Qian¡¯s back and then on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s quilt.


    Qi Xiaoyu raised his hand to block the bright light shining on his face and squinted his eyes.


    Then he turned to the side and saw Xun Qian sitting next to his bed.


    Xun Qian supported his head with his hands and seemed to be asleep.


    He stared at Xun Qian for a while, and a strange feeling arose in his heart. Although it sounds a little pretentious, having someone accompany him when he was sick always felt different.


    Qi Xiaoyu opened the quilt and climbed up gently and slowly.


    He moved very slowly. Although the fever had subsided after the injection, he still felt sore all over his body, as if he had been run over by a car. He felt muscle soreness just now when he raised my arm.


    Xun Qian woke up just as he sat up.


    Xun Qian watched him get up from the bed. His face still paled as if he were sick, and he beckoned to him, ¡°Come here.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu walked over, as he said.


    Xun Qian grabbed his hand and squeezed it. ¡°Well, the fever has indeed gone away.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was stunned for a moment, feeling that this gesture was a bit overly caring and overly intimate and exceeded the boundaries between him and Xun Qian.


    But when he looked at Xun Qian, the other party¡¯s expression was still the same as before: indifferent, as if it were just a matter of course, so casually shaking it.


    He asked, ¡°When did you come back?¡±


    He originally wanted to ask, did you come back last night? But Xun Qian replied vaguely, ¡°For a while, I heard from Mama Li that you were sick, so I came to see you.¡±


    Then he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go; push me down to have breakfast.¡±


    Butler Cheng, Mama Li, and the little black dog are all downstairs.


    Although the family hadn¡¯t prepared any new-year goods, nowadays, with advanced commerce and convenient express delivery, as long as you have money, anything can be delivered immediately.


    Butler Cheng had risen early in the morning to make preparations, and now the red lanterns had been hung at the entrance, and the living room had been piled high with all kinds of food.


    Biscuits, chocolates, oranges, apples, and grapes filled the coffee table, and boxes of express delivery were still being delivered to the house.


    The little black dog had never seen this battle before, and he was very excited to see so much food.


    Hearing the doorbell, it barks frantically. When it saw the food being brought in, it barked again with excitement.


    When Butler Cheng was there setting up the plate, it circled around Butler Cheng¡¯s feet, wagging its tail uncontrollably.


    When it sees any food, it raises its hind paws, stands up straight, and wants to go up and smell it.


    Butler Cheng was so annoyed by it that he kept laughing, ¡°Xiao Hei, don¡¯t make trouble. I bought you some fresh, canned beef. I¡¯ll give it to you when it arrives.¡±


    The little black dog seemed to understand the word ¡°eat¡± and howled ¡°oooooooooo¡± even more cheerfully.


    Over in the kitchen, the aromas of cooked food were going strong.


    Mama Li has been giving her all, starting with breakfast, with noodles and congee, fried eggs, and stewed soup.


    It was like she wanted to make breakfast a full banquet.


    Just as Qi Xiaoyu pushed Xun Qian out of the elevator, the little black dog heard the sound and caught the familiar smell. When its ears moved, it ran towards them at a sprint speed of 100 meters.


    Qi Xiaoyu quickly squatted down, caught the flying little black dog, picked it up, and bounced it into the air like a child.


    When Butler Cheng saw them coming down, he also came over with a smile and said, ¡°Why are you up so early? You should sleep a little longer.¡±


    While comforting the overly enthusiastic little black dog, Qi Xiaoyu said a little shyly, ¡°I¡¯m hungry and want to come down for breakfast.¡±


    Butler Cheng laughed out loud. ¡°That¡¯s just right. Mama Li has made a table for breakfast, just waiting for you to eat when you¡¯re hungry.¡±


    Then he said, ¡°You should eat more when you¡¯re sick. Third Master, you should also eat more.¡±


    When Xun Qian and Qi Xiaoyu were having breakfast, sitting opposite each other, the canned beef they bought for the little black dog also arrived.


    Two people and one dog gathered around the dining table to have breakfast on another sunny winter day.


    Thus, the last day of this year begins in such a harmonious and warm atmosphere.


    ****


    The weather was good on New Year¡¯s Eve. The sun shone on the outdoor lawn, making it a vibrant green.


    But Qi Xiaoyu wasn¡¯t well and couldn¡¯t go outside to avoid catching a cold again.


    So they stayed indoors throughout the day, sitting on the sofa in the living room and watching Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s variety show.


    The show has reached its third episode. The first episode is when they first arrived in New Zealand to run a restaurant; the second episode is when they prepare a birthday party for guests from New Zealand; and the third episode is when they go deep diving together.


    After deep diving, the camera caught Qi Xiaoyu leaning against the speedboat with a frown on his face.


    In the later stage, a short piece of sad BGM was added, and a pitifully crying emoticon was added to enhance the atmosphere.


    The program team didn¡¯t want the scene to be emotional, but rather to be funny. The emoticons used were also adorable.


    Xun Qian¡¯s face didn¡¯t look very good. He looked at the TV and asked casually, ¡°Did you get sick before you even went to the sea?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t expect that Xun Qian would suddenly become concerned about this, so he felt a bit like a child caught by his parents. ¡°It was fine at the time, not too serious¡­ I didn¡¯t feel anything.¡±


    Xun Qian said nothing.


    After a while, the program filmed him falling asleep in the car and being sent to the hospital. Xun Qian suddenly said, ¡°Next time you get sick, don¡¯t record the program.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was keenly aware of something slightly wrong in the atmosphere. ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    ****


    This subtle atmosphere lasted until dinner time before slowly recovering.


    At night, they all gathered to watch the spring festival gala.


    After Butler Cheng and Mama Li finished their respective duties, they also went to the living room to watch the show together.


    Qi Xiaoyu ran upstairs as soon as he finished eating and didn¡¯t come down until the show started, holding a big paper bag in his hand.


    Xun Qian glanced at him and asked, ¡°What are you carrying?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled mysteriously and said, ¡°You¡¯ll find out later. Let¡¯s watch the show first.¡±


    There was nothing in the program that particularly attracted Xun Qian. He wasn¡¯t very interested in the singing and dancing sketches. His eyes would fall on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s bag every now and then.


    On the other hand, Mama Li and Butler Cheng enjoyed the program a lot and even discussed together, ¡°There are more and more young actors and actresses appearing in the Spring Festival Gala nowadays.¡±


    ¡°Will we be able to see Mr. Qi on TV in two years?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Qi will definitely look better than them if he goes up there.¡±


    Xun Qian folded his hands on his knees, glanced to the side out of the corner of his eye, and thought so as well.


    When the program on TV was coming to an end, the twelve o¡¯clock bell finally rang.


    In an instant, the sound of fireworks exploding could be heard in the distance, and the windows of the living room were filled with colorful fireworks from far away.


    Qi Xiaoyu first took out a red envelope and gift bag from the paper bag and handed them to Butler Cheng. ¡°Uncle Cheng, happy new year.¡±


    Butler Cheng took it with a smile and said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Qi. Normally, I¡¯m the one who should give it to you1Because it¡¯s customary for elders to give red envelopes to younger people.. You don¡¯t have to spend so much money next time.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu had a smile on his face. His recovery from the illness made him look particularly sweet and lovely. ¡°Uncle Cheng, you¡¯ve taken such good care of me at home. Now that I finally make money, this is what I should do.¡±


    After saying that, Qi Xiaoyu took out a red envelope and gift bag from the paper bag and said, ¡°Mama Li, happy New Year.¡±


    Mama Li took it with a smile, not as modest as Butler Cheng. She just said thank-you repeatedly.


    In December, Xun Qian will pay double wages to all the servants in the family. When they come to work next year, Butler Cheng will also give them red envelopes.


    But since New Year¡¯s Eve isn¡¯t usually celebrated, the family isn¡¯t in the habit of giving out New Year¡¯s Eve red envelopes.


    When suddenly receiving a new year¡¯s red envelope and a thick one at that, Mama Li is naturally very happy.


    She had thought that this year it would be her turn to keep such a big villa all to herself for New Year¡¯s Eve, deserted and cold. But this year turned out to be unexpectedly lively, and she even received such a big red envelope!


    Xun Qian¡¯s eyes followed Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s hands until those hands finally turned to him.


    ¡°Third Master, this is a New Year¡¯s gift for you. I wish you a happy New Year and peace every year.¡±


    Xun Qian took the red envelope and gift bag from Qi Xiaoyu. Inside was a gray wool scarf.


    This is not an expensive gift, not even valuable to Xun Qian, but the last time he received a New Year¡¯s gift was when he was six years old. After that, the family didn¡¯t celebrate the New Year anymore, and even more so, no one dared to give Xun Qian a gift. After all, facing Xun Qian, no one felt their gifts were worthy.


    Xun Qian accepted the gift and looked up at Qi Xiaoyu, who was also looking at him.


    Xun Qian said softly, with a smile as light as a gossamer, ¡°Happy New Year.¡±


    Another firework rose high and exploded outside the window.


    ****


    After the New Year, just after the seventh day of the lunar month, Qi Xiaoyu had to fly to New Zealand again to record the program. This time the recording time is two weeks.


    After resting at home for a few days, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s body has almost completely recovered.


    Under Mama Li and Butler Cheng¡¯s supervision, he even gained a little weight, and the look on his face became more energetic and brilliant.


    Xun Qian sent a driver to take Qi Xiaoyu to the airport. ¡°It¡¯s not convenient to park the car outside¡­ Ask the driver to pick you up when you come back.¡±


    Going back and forth to the parking lot to pick up the car is really not as convenient as having someone pick you up. ¡°Thank you, Third Master.¡±


    Xun Qian thought about it for a moment, looked at Qi Xiaoyu, who was about to get in the car, and added, ¡°If you encounter something on the program set¡­ you can call me and let me know.¡±

 CH 44

    TL: Hua


    Qi Xiaoyu glanced at Xun Qian in surprise. He could naturally see Xun Qian¡¯s changes in the past few days.


    In other words, he has been aware of Xun Qian¡¯s change since the morning after waking from a high fever on New Year¡¯s Eve.


    Qi Xiaoyu felt a little unexplainable in his heart. He was also not sure what Xun Qian meant. Did he start to regard him as a friend? This is¡­¡­


    But no matter what, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s belief in interpersonal relationships is that he will treat others the way they treat him.


    Xun Qian was kind to him, and he would reciprocate in equal measure.


    In fact, as early as the night when Xun Qian brought him back from Kang Qitao¡¯s house, or because of Xun Qian¡¯s various overt and covert help during this period, he was very grateful to Xun Qian and regarded him as a good friend.


    Qi Xiaoyu rolled down the window and waved to Xun Qian, ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Third Master, please go back quickly. Remember to take medicine every day.¡±


    ****


    At the airport, the number of people coming to send him off has almost doubled compared to the number of people picking him up at the end of last year.


    ¡°Eating Light on the Road¡± is Longjiang TV¡¯s main variety show this year, and it was replayed several times during the Chinese New Year.


    Longjiang Satellite TV has good ratings to begin with. During the New Year holiday, most families sit down together to watch the show. In addition, this variety show is generally relaxing and suitable for all ages, attracting Qi Xiaoyu a large number of fans.


    On top of this, the banana milk commercial with Xue Qingchu was also heavily advertised everywhere because the brand wanted to boost sales during the Spring Festival, which gave Qi Xiaoyu a lot of exposure.


    The first trailer for ¡°The Legend of the Tang Dynasty Empress¡± was also promoted during this spring festival, adding another layer of popularity.


    Of course, with the rise in popularity, Qi Xiaoyu also gained a new batch of anti-fans.


    They said he wore too much makeup in costume dramas, that he only relied on filters in the short film and variety show, and that he relied on photoshopping for advertising photos. They also dug out photos from when he first participated in competitions, saying that he had gotten plastic surgery.


    Even if Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fans showed pictures of him being picked up at the airport during the Chinese New Year, they still don¡¯t believe it. They even criticized and said that Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s pathological weight loss was the aftermath of plastic surgery.


    After all, black fans are like crayfish. They can pick on anything.


    ****


    For the flight to New Zealand today, both Yu Xiaosheng and Li Kun came to the airport, bringing two or three bodyguards with them.


    Seeing Qi Xiaoyu, both of them were very excited.


    Li Kun immediately took over Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s luggage.


    Yu Xiaosheng put his arm around Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s shoulders as they walked in. ¡°I heard from Li Kun that you were sick during the recording of the show last year. How are you now? Are you feeling better?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu nodded. ¡°Everything is fine. I¡¯m resting well at home these days.¡±


    ¡°Really? You went home?¡± Yu Xiaosheng showed a surprised expression. He had never heard Qi Xiaoyu mention the word ¡°home¡± in the long time he had taken care of Qi Xiaoyu. He also heard that his father and stepmother were pretty much no good and had kicked Qi Xiaoyu out a long time ago. He guessed that these parents, seeing Qi Xiaoyu become famous now, would come together to get a share of the pie.


    ¡°No, a friend¡¯s home.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what you meant¡­ But it¡¯s good. I¡¯m worried that no one at home will take care of you. I wanted to take some time to see you on the second and third days of the new year, but it turned out that there were too many bullshit things going on in the company, giving me so much trouble that I can¡¯t even have a good time during the new year.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu has been working too much recently and hasn¡¯t returned to the company for a long time. He rarely contacted Ren Fei, so he asked, ¡°What happened to the company?¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng smacked his mouth and lowered his voice slightly. ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention it to you before? The company¡¯s financial situation is not good. After your popularity went up, you brought some resources to the company. Especially after this variety show became hot recently.


    Old Ding was thinking about packaging the remaining few good-looking ones into a boy band and promoting them.


    What he was thinking was naive. It¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t know how difficult it is to promote a boy band nowadays. Just like the program you participated in last time, the boy band called Ten, created by Zhou Zheng and the others, was gone in less than a few months. I heard that even Yu Zhou is now looking for acting gigs¡­¡±


    When Yu Xiaosheng said this, he probably felt that what he said was too verbose, so he took the initiative to interrupt himself.


    ¡°Forget it; let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. As I said, you are getting better and better now, so plan more for yourself. Think about your future. If this shabby company continues like this, it will collapse sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Qi Xiaoyu nodded thoughtfully, and then he heard bursts of cheers and screams reaching his eardrums.


    ¡°Happy New Year, Xiaoyu,¡±


    ¡°Have a safe journey, Xiaoyu.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyu, pay attention to your health.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyu, mommy loves you.¡±


    ¡­


    Fans¡¯ shouts came from all directions.


    Qi Xiaoyu and Yu Xiaosheng, who were talking, looked up and found that they were at the airport in a blink of an eye, surrounded by fans seeing them off.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s current fan base has reached a certain scale, becoming more numerous and larger than before.


    A unified fan name was decided: fish balls [y¨² w¨¢n].


    Mfn: Because the nickname they gave him is Littile Fish [xi¨£o y¨²]. Everyone calls him this except Xun Qian.


    The support color was also decided: primrose-yellow.


    Now the airport is filled with primrose-yellow banners or glow sticks.


    Occasionally, there are banners for several other celebrities. At a glance, there are Jiang Sicheng, Xue Qingchu, and an unknown celebrity named Fang Qi.


    Yu Xiaosheng and Li Kun protected Qi Xiaoyu from left to right, followed by several bodyguards. They passed through the layers of enthusiastic fans and sent him through the security checkpoint.


    Qi Xiaoyu waved to the fans who came to see him off at the security checkpoint, took off his mask, and waited patiently for them to take photos before entering.


    Now that the Spring Festival holiday has come to an end, everyone is basically returning to S City for work from their hometowns or various tourist attractions. There are very few people going out from S City, so no one is queuing up at the security checkpoint, and the whole place is empty.


    From outside the security checkpoint, looking in unobstructed, you can faintly see the security check inside.


    Although Qi Xiaoyu patiently waited for the fans to take enough photos before going in, the reluctant fans still stayed outside with their mobile phones to watch him walk in.


    After Qi Xiaoyu entered, at the request of the security inspector, he took off his beret and his brown corduroy jacket.


    He came out of Xun¡¯s house today without any makeup at all. His hair was not styled and hung softly and smoothly in front of his forehead.


    He was wearing a loose khaki short sweater and brown plaid overalls.


    When he raised his arm to hold his hat for the security inspector to inspect, his sweater jumped up, revealing a fair and slender waist under his suspenders.


    His outfit was originally full of retro youthfulness, but now it¡¯s in a very relaxed and natural state. No matter how far away or from which angle the photo is taken, he looks as good-looking as the models in the old pictorials.


    In addition, in the past few months, Qi Xiaoyu has slowly adapted to the life of this era, gained money and status, made friends, and gained recognition. His calm and collected temperament, which he has accumulated in the opera troupe for many years, has also begun to be unleased. His condition is getting better and better. It was indeed incomparable to him when he first appeared in ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees.¡±


    In one of the videos, the camera turned sideways on Qi Xiaoyu and just caught him turning around under the command of the security inspector, looking down. His facial features were exquisite, his sweater was lifted up, and a thin waist popped out. He didn¡¯t have any more movements, but he had a calm and unique aura, combining a beautiful shell and an interesting soul.


    After this video was uploaded to Weibo, it quickly became a trending topic. There was also a hot search for #QiXiaoYuAirportPhoto#, which countered all previous criticisms of Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s appearance by anti-fans. After all, he was already this good-looking, even going out in the morning to go to the airport.


    And this style of clothing also left people speechless.


    Star Entertainment is a small company, and everyone has already discovered that even the makeup artist is shared by everyone. It¡¯s impossible for them to have the money to hire a separate styling team for Qi Xiaoyu. Compared with other artists in their company, these combinations could only be made by Qi Xiaoyu himself.


    It¡¯s not easy for celebrities to have a good aesthetic and fashion sense, or else there would be a bunch of monsters and demons coming in and out of every fashion show.


    On the other side, Qi Xiaoyu, who had no idea he was on the hot search, had just passed the security checkpoint when he saw Jiang Sicheng and Xue Qingchu buying drinks at a coffee shop.


    Xue Qingchu was playing with her mobile phone with her head down, while Jiang Sicheng was talking alone. Looking at his expression, he seemed quite happy talking to himself.


    Jiang Sicheng also saw him and waved from a distance, ¡°This way, Xiaoyu.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu walked over, wished Jiang Sicheng a happy new year, and asked the other about the spring festival.


    Jiang Sicheng naturally lived the life of a young master, eating, drinking, and having fun everywhere.


    In comparison, Xue Qingchu was much more dedicated. During the five or six days of the Spring Festival, she participated in four shows.


    Jiang Sicheng frowned when he heard this: ¡°I told you not to work so hard. Girls should lie at home, apply facial masks, put on makeup, buy clothes, and go shopping.¡±


    As usual, Xue Qingchu turned a deaf ear to Jiang Sicheng¡¯s words and didn¡¯t even look at him.


    Jiang Sicheng wasn¡¯t discouraged at all. He felt that his relationship with Xue Qingchu had become much better after participating in the show, making him extremely satisfied.


    So he turned to Chi Xiaoyu and asked, ¡°What do you want to drink? My treat.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was not polite. ¡°A cup of latte.¡±


    Jiang Sicheng ordered an extra-large cup.


    Thus, the three people waited for their coffee together.


    Jiang Sicheng added, ¡°Did you know? I heard that there will be special guests in these two issues.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu and Xue Qingchu asked at the same time, ¡°Who?¡±


    Jiang Sicheng narrowed his eyes and smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡±


    After receiving the disdainful looks from Qi Xiaoyu and Xue Qingchu, he said, ¡°Why are you so anxious? We can see them tomorrow anyway.¡±


    In fact, without waiting until tomorrow, on the same day, everyone met this special guest.


    Qi Xiaoyu and the others had just sat down on the plane. Before they had time to fasten their seat belts, a woman who looked about the same age as Xue Qingchu appeared, dragging a suitcase.


    She was wearing an A-line short skirt in winter, exposing her two straight legs. She stopped next to Qi Xiaoyu and pointed at her suitcase with her index finger. ¡°Can you help me put away my luggage?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu took a look at her luggage. It was a carry-on suitcase measuring about 20 inches.


    He looked at the luggage rack again. The show crew had booked them first-class seats. The luggage rack was not the kind that had to be lifted above the head. It was right at the door and about the same height as the seats.


    But the lady had a pleading look on her face: ¡°I¡¯m weak, and it¡¯s not very convenient. Can you¡­¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu raised his eyebrows, thinking that this was not a big deal, so he helped put it away like a gentleman.


    Then, this very weak lady sat down across the aisle from Qi Xiaoyu and asked, ¡°Are you Mr. Qi?¡±


    Then she pointed to the two positions at the back and asked, ¡°Are those two over there, Mr. Jiang and Miss Xue?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu nodded politely.


    The other party smiled with eight teeth and stretched out her hand towards Qi Xiaoyu. ¡°My name is Fang Qi. I¡¯m the special guest invited by the program team.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu shook her hand and said, ¡°Hello.¡±


    Then Fang Qi turned around and greeted Jiang Sicheng and Xue Qingchu.


    Qi Xiaoyu also turned to look at Jiang Sicheng.


    Jiang Sicheng was very¡­ frustrated and asked, ¡°What?¡±


    Fortunately, Xue Qingchu reacted quickly and immediately took out a steam eye mask and asked tacitly, ¡°I bought a new steam eye mask. It¡¯s scented with gardenia. Do you want to try it?¡±


    Jiang Sicheng hesitated and asked, ¡°Qingqing, why don¡¯t you give me a try?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu had already taken it, ripped it open, and put it on to avoid the nagging in his ears.


    ****


    It was another ten hours of long-distance flight, and when they landed, it was already night in New Zealand.


    In addition to Qi Xiaoyu and others, Zheng Peizu, Gu Meiling, and Lu Tongtong also returned to the restaurant from different cities one after another.


    When everyone met, they didn¡¯t have time to go back to the dormitory. They stood at the door of the restaurant and started chatting. They asked each other enthusiastically about the spring festival and Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s physical condition.


    Then, when Qi Xiaoyu finished speaking, Fang Qi seized the gap in the chat and took a step forward from Qi Xiaoyu, introducing herself to everyone enthusiastically.


    Then, when everyone finally finished their greetings and prepared to go back to the dormitory to rest and recuperate for the official shooting the next day, Fang Qi said to Qi Xiaoyu, ¡°Xiaoyu, can you take me to my room?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t answer and turned to look at the staff. ¡°Sister Ning, the new colleague here doesn¡¯t know where the dormitory is. Can you help guide her?¡±


    Fang Qi pointed at the camera and stopped her pettishly. ¡°But we¡¯re recording now, so it wouldn¡¯t be nice to have the staff on camera.¡±


    When she said this, the staff, who had originally taken a step forward, were now in a dilemma.


    Lu Tongtong saw this and took the initiative to step forward, saying with a smile, ¡°The boys¡¯ dormitory and the girls¡¯ dormitory are separate. Your room should be next to mine. I will take you there.¡±


    After saying that, she split them up, took Fang Qi¡¯s hand, and walked towards the dormitory.


    Jiang Sicheng, who was half a beat slower than everyone else, came to his senses, put his hand on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s shoulder, and asked, ¡°Does this new guest have a crush on you?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu could only say, ¡°I met her for the first time today.¡±


    In the evening, he returned to the dormitory, unpacked his suitcase, and washed up.


    Qi Xiaoyu is lying in bed. It¡¯s morning in China now, and he has been sleeping on the plane for a long time. The time difference has not reversed yet, so he doesn¡¯t feel too sleepy.


    Jiang Sicheng, who was in the same room as him, didn¡¯t sleep either. He was lying on the bed playing with his mobile phone when he suddenly called out, ¡°Xiaoyu, open the group chat; everyone is looking for you.¡±


    ¡°oh.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu agreed. He had just turned on his phone when he received a message from Yu Xiaosheng.


    Yu Xiaosheng asked, ¡°Have you seen today¡¯s hot searches?¡±


    ¡°You are so popular now. Any airport photos taken by fans can be trending.¡±


    He added, ¡°Now that you have gained a lot of fans and popularity, you need to take good care of your Weibo. You can¡¯t be as casual as before. I had already told Li Kun about this. Take some interesting photos and selfies when you have time. Daily life photos are also fine, so do more business.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu agreed and then looked at the group chat that kept popping up. Jiang Sicheng seemed to be chatting excitedly in the group and kept urging him, ¡°Qi Xiaoyu, please look at the group chat. What are you doing?¡±


    That group was created by Lu Tongtong. There were only six of them as regular guests and no one else.


    Qi Xiaoyu opened it and saw several messages @him, namely.


    ¡°Xiaoyu, be careful about that, Fang Qi. I think she¡¯s not only interested in you but also has other ideas.¡±


    ¡°I can also see it. It¡¯s way too obvious.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyu, I asked around. This Fang Qi is the new host of Longjiang TV, a newcomer that they¡¯re promoting.¡±


    ¡°A newcomer that¡¯s highly promoted? I guess she has some background.¡±


    ¡°Looking at her, can she not have a background?¡±


    ¡°She just wants to hype up CP with Xiaoyu. @qixiaoyu, Xiaoyu, please don¡¯t pay attention to her; she¡¯s just sucking your blood.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu responded with a pitiful expression, asking everyone to take more care of him.


    Fang Qi was a little annoying, but he didn¡¯t take it too seriously. No matter what the other party does, he will definitely keep a distance and spend as little time with her as possible.


    Qi Xiaoyu finished scrolling through the group chat and returned to the main page. He had very few friends on WeChat. They were basically colleagues he met at work and had a good relationship with. He scrolled through the group chat and suddenly remembered that he didn¡¯t have any friends with Xun Qian.


    He thought for a moment, then put Xun Qian¡¯s mobile phone number in the ¡°add friend¡± search box and looked it up.


    The result shows that this user does not exist.


    Qi Xiaoyu thought about it for a while. According to Xun Qian¡¯s almost-withdrawn character, how could he use these social apps?


    He checked on his Weibo again.


    The name of his Weibo is ¡°Qi Xiaoyuyuyu,¡± and it has not been updated for a long time. The latest Weibo was posted when he first joined the show ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees,¡± asking everyone to pay more attention to his show. This Weibo post has nearly 100,000 likes and comments.


    Qi Xiaoyu scrolled for a while and then went to bed.


    The next morning, when he woke up, there was a message prompt. Qi Xiaoyu thought it was time to wake up. He opened it and unexpectedly found that it was not a message but a red dot with a ¡°1¡± in the address book.


    He clicked on it and saw the name of his new friend, ¡°Xun Qian.¡±


    Added reason: ¡°Xun Qian.¡±


    Xun Qian added him as a friend?


    He searched last night, and the user doesn¡¯t exist. Today, he was added as a friend?


    Qi Xiaoyu was a little surprised and had a strange sense of tacit understanding. If it weren¡¯t for his personal information being kept confidential so far, he would have suspected encountering a scammer.

 CH 45

    TL: Hua


    But this isn¡¯t a scammer. It¡¯s really Xun Qian himself.


    Because the profile is a little black dog.


    White-browed Hero!


    Although there was only a black ball on the screen, Qi Xiaoyu recognized it at a glance.


    Xun Qian took the photos very casually; even the composition was crooked.


    White-browed Hero was lying on the carpet in front of the window, basking in the sun, with its face to the window and its butt to the room.


    Xun Qian took a diagonal photo of its round, black, hairy buttocks.


    Qi Xiaoyu zoomed in on the profile picture and stared at White-browed Hero¡¯s butt. He wanted to laugh a little, wondering how Xun Qian could take such a handsome photo of a dog.


    Then he exited and looked at Xun Qian¡¯s personal information.


    The circle of friends and cover are empty, as is the personalized signature.


    WeChat ID is xunqian0307.


    It looks very much like Xun Qian¡¯s newly registered account.


    Qi Xiaoyu accepted the friend request. Then the page automatically jumped to the chat dialog box between him and Xun Qian.


    He thought he should say something.


    It¡¯s almost noon in S City now, so he asked, ¡°Have you had lunch yet, Third Master?¡±


    The dialog box shows that the other party is typing.


    Qi Xiaoyu held his phone and waited for a few minutes, but the other party was still typing.


    Qi Xiaoyu thought to himself that Xun Qian had two faces, online and offline. If he could type online for so long, could he be a chatterbox?


    At this time, Jiang Sicheng, who had finished washing, came over and said, ¡°It¡¯s so early in the morning; what are you looking at?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu ignored him and continued to stare at the dialog box.


    Then a message popped up: ¡°Yeah.¡±


    After typing for 5 minutes, he just typed the word ¡°yeah.¡± Qi Xiaoyu fully suspected that he was typing with the paw of White-browed Hero.


    He was wondering what he should reply, but Jiang Sicheng urged him again: ¡°Stop playing with your phone and go record the show.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu checked the time and saw that it was indeed getting late, so he immediately went to wash up and replied, ¡°Third Master, I¡¯m going to record the show. Let¡¯s talk later.¡±


    *****


    Although Fang Qi met everyone yesterday, today she re-recorded a clip in which she made a mysterious appearance and surprised everyone.


    Thinking that this is a newcomer that Longjiang Satellite TV wants to push, everyone used their acting skills and cooperated to complete the show.


    After returning from the Spring Festival this time, the program team gave them a new problem. Not only did they have to run a restaurant to make money, but they also had to go out to deliver food to increase their turnover. They were given three small electric vehicles and several large, insulated boxes for food.


    Just like before the Spring Festival, Qi Xiaoyu, Xue Qingchu, and Jiang Sicheng are the fixed kitchen trio.


    With the experience of the past ten days or so, the three of them returned to the kitchen and became very proficient in it.


    The kitchen area is not big, about ten square meters, with an island in the middle for chopping and cooking.


    There are two walls; one is a freezer, used to store food.


    On one side is a sink for washing dishes and a disinfecting cabinet for dishes.


    Qi Xiaoyu wore an apron and stood next to the island to sort out all the knives and pots to be used.


    Xue Qingchu squatted in front of the refrigerator and put the various vegetables and meat she bought into categories.


    Although Jiang Sicheng looked lazy and didn¡¯t want to work, he took the pots and pans under the faucet and cleaned them.


    The three of them were working step by step seriously when Fang Qi followed them into the kitchen.


    The other three female guests wore trousers and flats to make it easier to work in the kitchen or at the front desk.


    Only Fang Qi wore a one-shoulder plaid top, a black and gray denim over-the-knee and hip-covering skirt, and a pair of one-strap black heels.


    It¡¯s beautiful, but it doesn¡¯t fit in with the kitchen environment.


    She poked her head in; her almond-shaped eyes were very pretty, and her voice was sweet. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu concentrated on sharpening the knife, while Jiang Sicheng was surrounded by the sound of rushing water and couldn¡¯t hear what was going on outside the window.


    Only Xue Qingchu looked up at her and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you help me sort out these ingredients? Here are the ones that will be used today. Keep some of the rest in the refrigerator and some in the freezer. Especially the eggs; be careful not to break them.¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    Fang Qi really didn¡¯t want to do these things. It¡¯s too dirty, tiring, and spoiled her image, but she also knew in her heart that this was what this show was all about. The celebrities became popular because they personally operated restaurants, cooked, and worked in the kitchen, so she put a smile on her face and quite cooperatively agreed to help.


    Although she was cooperative, her eyes kept glancing in Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s direction.


    Qi Xiaoyu was wearing an apron, sharpening a knife. His appearance and what he was doing were not very stylish, but his expression was more serious than usual, his eyebrows were drooped down, and his lips were pressed together. In order to match the height of the island, his two long legs were slightly parted. Because he was concentrating on his task, the contrast between this task and his temperament was so great that it unexpectedly gave people a feeling of a pounding heart.


    This again made Fang Qi feel that joining this program was the right choice. She had already paid attention to Qi Xiaoyu while watching the program before. Qi Xiaoyu has recently become popular, and his emotional experience is like a blank slate of paper. He doesn¡¯t even have a rumored girlfriend, so he became a suitable subject for spreading rumors.


    What¡¯s more, when she saw him in person, he wasn¡¯t as young as he appeared on TV. He had a man¡¯s elusive charm that instantly aroused Fang Qi¡¯s desire to conquer.


    However, the goddess has the heart, but the king doesn¡¯t have intention. Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s focus was entirely on the knife.


    Finally, Fang Qi, who had been sorting the eggs for a long time, couldn¡¯t hold back and took the initiative to join in.


    She walked around the workstation and stopped in front of Qi Xiaoyu. ¡°Do you have to handle so many knives and pots by yourself? I can help you.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s hands didn¡¯t stop moving, and he looked up at an iron pot next to him and said, ¡°Okay, then you help me heat and clean the iron pot. Can you do it?¡±


    Seeing Qi Xiaoyu responding to her, Fang Qi was in high spirits. ¡°Okay, just heat up the pot? I can.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu nodded. ¡°Heat it first, then wipe the inside of the pot with fat meat, and then clean it.¡±


    Fang Qi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She originally thought she could just heat up the pot and wash it with water. But when she heard the second half of the sentence, her expression changed. She actually had to use fat to wipe the pot. She felt sick just thinking about it. ¡°Does¡­ Does it have to be rubbed with fat?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu nodded indifferently. ¡°Yes, the iron pot must be coated with fat meat.¡±


    Fang Qi still wanted to struggle: ¡°There are so many pots here; why do we have to use iron pots? Can¡¯t stainless steel pots work?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu seemed to be casually stating facts: ¡°Chinese food made in an iron pot is delicious.¡±


    Jiang Sicheng heard their conversation and glanced back secretly. A flash of inspiration suddenly occurred to him. He suddenly remembered those days on the set of ¡°The Legend of the Tang Dynasty Empress.¡± Qi Xiaoyu seemed to have taught him a lesson quietly, like this. Tsk, tsk, tsk, Jiang Sicheng, who had been unaware for almost a month, finally realized that Qi Xiaoyu, who appeared harmless on the surface, was quite evil behind the scenes.


    Of course he won¡¯t tell Fang Qi. He chose to watch silently.


    Fang Qi had an expression that was hard to explain.


    But this was her request. She glanced to the side and saw that the other three people in the kitchen were all busy with their own things. She couldn¡¯t shirk away now, so she had to bite the bullet.


    First, heat the pot, then cut a piece of fat and throw it into the pot. Use a spatula to carefully press the fat and turn it around a few times, like painting.


    Qi Xiaoyu glanced at the movements on her hands and reminded her in a very fair and objective tone, ¡°Brush every spot of the pot; don¡¯t miss anything.¡±


    Fang Qi bit her lip, but she didn¡¯t dare to lose her temper in front of a bunch of cameras in the kitchen.


    She could only endure the nausea and carefully scour the inside of the iron pot.


    After washing the big iron pot, Fang Qi didn¡¯t want to stay in the kitchen anymore, even if she was working side by side with Qi Xiaoyu.


    Finally, she stepped on her high heels and ran outside to help Gu Meiling and Lu Tongtong tidy up the restaurant.


    ****


    By noon, all the dishes were ready, and it was time to deliver the food.


    The store sells prepared bento boxes.


    According to their configuration, the main members delivering lunch boxes are, naturally, the two young workers, Qi Xiaoyu and Jiang Sicheng.


    Jiang Sicheng begged and begged, insisting that Xue Qingchu deliver lunch boxes with him, saying, ¡°My English is not good,¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the way,¡± ¡°Qingqing, if you don¡¯t accompany me, I can¡¯t find out who ordered the takeaway, and I may not be able to come back,¡± ¡°By then, we will definitely lose money and won¡¯t be able to make it back today.¡±¡­¡­


    In short, seventy-two tricks were used, and Xue Qingchu was coaxed to get on his little electric scooter and accompany him to deliver the takeaway.


    Seeing this, Fang Qi also followed. With a twist of her butt, she got on the electric scooter first. She curled her long, wavy hair and asked Qi Xiaoyu,


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you and help you navigate. I also want to help the restaurant.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu carried a large incubator in one hand and placed one in front of the electric scooter and the other behind the seat, directly squeezing Fang Qi, who was leaning against the scooter.


    Qi Xiaoyu tied the incubator with a rope and showed a friendly smile. ¡°The program team should have prepared an electric bicycle. If you want to help deliver food, you can ride that one.¡±


    Fang Qi¡¯s face changed slightly, but she still kept a smile on her face, ¡°I can take your scooter and go with you to deliver it.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu pointed to the incubator with a troubled expression and said, ¡°It seems there is no place to take you.¡±


    Lu Tongtong, who happened to be wearing jeans and a cartoon-printed T-shirt, also ran out with an insulated box on her back. When she saw Fang Qi, she said with a smile, ¡°Fang Qi, do you also want to deliver food? Then join me; it just so happens that there is another box inside. Will you go and bring it over?¡±


    Fang Qi, who was wearing a hip-hugging skirt, glanced at Lu Tongtong and said with a smile, ¡°Since there is no one in the store after you leave, I¡¯d better help Sister Meiling and Brother Zheng guard the restaurant.¡±


    *****


    Delivering food is not as easy as cooking. Running outside for a whole day, feeling dizzy and sweaty in the sun, and getting your clothes all wet.


    New Zealand is vast and sparsely populated, and they are not very good at finding their way around. After the takeaways were delivered, it was already dark.


    When Xue Qingchu was looking for the road, she didn¡¯t notice the steps in front of her and twisted her foot. Fortunately, Jiang Sicheng was with her. He carried her to the electric scooter and brought her back.


    After returning, everyone helped find something to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis to apply to Xue Qingchu and studied whether to send her to the hospital for a checkup.


    After doing this, by the time everyone returned to the dormitory, it was already eleven o¡¯clock in the evening.


    Only then did Qi Xiaoyu have time to take out his mobile phone and look at personal things.


    Xun Qian replied to two messages he sent out in the morning, one of which was at that time, ¡°Okay.¡±


    One was sent two hours ago: ¡°Not finished recording yet?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu first looked at the time in S City, estimating that it was five o¡¯clock in the morning and that Xun Qian should still be sleeping.


    He¡¯s not sure if it¡¯ll wake Xun Qian up by replying now.


    But it¡¯s not good to go too long without news.


    He thought for a while and replied, ¡°Just finished recording.¡±


    Hm? Is the other party typing?


    Qi Xiaoyu thought to himself, Will it be just a one-word reply like last time?


    After typing for a while, a message popped up: ¡°Go to bed early.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu originally wanted to ask Xun Qian why he got up so early. After hesitating for a moment, he deleted it and replaced it with, ¡°Yeah. Good night.¡±


    ****


    Xun Qian stared at the words ¡°good night¡± for a while, then threw the phone aside.


    He held a cigarette in his hand, hesitating between smoking and not smoking.


    If he wants to recover well, he can no longer smoke.


    But there was something lingering in his mind that made him always want to smoke a cigarette to relieve himself.


    It¡¯s either smoke or Qi Xiaoyu.


    Only Qi Xiaoyu can replace the flavor of nicotine.


    The author has something to say:


    White Eyebrow Hero: Reasonable suspicion that Xun Qian is my anti-fan.

 CH 46

    TL: Hua


    Xun Qian stubbed out the cigarette and looked at the desk calendar placed on the cabinet.


    The 14th day of the second lunar month and the 16th day of the first lunar month were gently circled by him.


    After some calculations, February 14th is coming soon.


    Xun Qian originally wanted to wait for Qi Xiaoyu to come back from work before celebrating with him, but now that he thinks about it, he¡¯s a little¡­ anxious.


    Xun Qian took his cell phone and called Zhang Han, asking him to arrange a flight to New Zealand on the 13th of this month.


    ****


    Eight days into the program schedule in New Zealand, the fourth episode of ¡°Eating Light on the Road¡± was officially aired.


    That day was the Lantern Festival, catching up with the end of the Spring Festival. Having built up the popularity of the previous episodes, as soon as this episode went online, the number of clicks increased steadily.


    The viewers had been actively anticipating to see what problems the six guests would encounter in the process of running the restaurant. They also wanted to see Qi Xiaoyu cooking, Jiang Sicheng acting shamelessly, and Zheng Peizu settling accounts.


    The only thing not included is the special guest.


    Although the arrival of the special guest was teased before the official broadcast, there was little anticipation for Fang Qi since her fans and the audience of this show basically don¡¯t overlap.


    Before Fang Qi joined Longjiang Satellite TV as a host and became a rookie in the entertainment industry, she took the otaku goddess route, cosplaying game and comic book characters, participating in car shows, taking personal photos, and doing live broadcasts. She was very popular among otakus, but she really didn¡¯t have much of a crossover with this show.


    The show just started, and as always, everyone hahahahaha-ed.


    ¡°Xiaoyu is so handsome when sharpening a knife. I¡¯m willing to be that whetstone.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Jiang already has the paradigm of a dishwasher; look how skilled the posture is.¡±


    Not long after, when Fang Qi always appeared next to Qi Xiaoyu, the barrage was filled with,


    ¡°My cub is still young and can¡¯t fall in love.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyu is still a baby; don¡¯t seduce Xiaoyu; he won¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m laughing so hard right now. He taught a girl to use fat meat to brush an iron pot. Only he can think of it.¡±


    ¡°Little Cub, who only has takeout bags in his heart, is so cute. You have to focus on being single like this.¡±


    ¡°This Fang Qi is quite good-looking, but when she meets a straight man of steel like Xiaoyu, there¡¯s really nothing she can do.¡±


    While people are busy watching the show online, the program team is recording the content of the day as usual.


    After seven days of trying to make money, it was finally their turn to go out and play!


    The activity arrangement for the program group is skydiving.


    New Zealand is a great country for extreme sports, from deep diving to skydiving.


    The skydiving location selected by the program crew wasn¡¯t too far from the restaurant¡ªabout two hours¡¯ drive.


    Skydiving heights are divided into 9,000 feet, 12,000 feet, and 15,000 feet, allowing guests to choose freely.


    But¡­ skydiving is not everyone¡¯s cup of tea.


    Gu Meiling started complaining as soon as she got in the car: ¡°What I thought of as traveling was taking photos and drinking afternoon tea. I didn¡¯t expect that by the time I got to this show, every trip would be a self-challenge.¡±


    Other timid girls, like Xue Qingchu and Fang Qi, also showed uneasy expressions.


    Unexpectedly, the person who was most afraid was Jiang Sicheng.


    He was so scared that his entire body hung onto Qi Xiaoyu. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to do this. I¡¯m afraid of heights; I¡¯m afraid I might faint as soon as I go up. There will be no program effects. I beg the production team to let me go.¡±


    Then he turned around and cried to the director with tears in his eyes, ¡°Today is my birthday. Can you be more tolerant of me, the birthday boy, and don¡¯t let me do this? This would be the best gift you guys have ever given to me. I, Jiang Sicheng, will definitely remember it in my heart and never forget it.¡±


    Of course, the director¡¯s team ignored him.


    But he was allowed to choose the lowest altitude, 9,000 feet.


    Jiang Sicheng cried out and signed his name with a generous expression under all circumstances.


    Qi Xiaoyu chose the highest one, 15,000 feet. Besides being afraid of the dark, he wasn¡¯t afraid of heights, insects, or ghosts.


    After signing, they put on their skydiving suits and goggles under the guidance of the instructor and then followed the assigned instructor to learn the basics of skydiving.


    New Zealand¡¯s skydiving has a well-deserved reputation. When you jump from a high altitude, you will see majestic mountains and sapphire-like lakes at your feet.


    The magnificent scenery makes you feel relaxed and happy, and you will forget your worries after seeing it.


    No matter how much trepidation you feel when you go up, you will feel good when you come down.


    They went up one by one and finished jumping one by one.


    Jiang Sicheng was the last one.


    He dragged on until it was almost dark, still holding the director¡¯s thigh and refusing to move.


    Later, Xue Qingchu came to persuade him and coaxed him up.


    After coaxing Jiang Sicheng up, the lawn below began to be set up as well.


    The staff of the program team placed several wooden tables on the lawn, set up a circle of stools, tied balloons, and placed flowers.


    Upon seeing it, Lu Tongtong pointed to the white balloons and pink flowers and asked, ¡°How could he be so romantic as a big man celebrating his birthday?¡±


    The staff was half helpless and half joking. ¡°Young Master Jiang asked for this. We can only cooperate with him.¡±


    Gu Meiling was half disgusted and half joking. ¡°This kid is not losing out by falling in love at public expense.¡±


    After saying that, she suddenly turned around and asked Qi Xiaoyu, ¡°Xiaoyu, when is your birthday? Is it during the recording of the show? If so, your sister will help you do it.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was caught off guard and froze for a moment.


    He has no idea on which day his birthday is.


    He was born out of wedlock, and his mother died not long after he was born. He really had no idea when he was born.


    As for the birthday of the original owner of this body, the ID card seems to say January 16th, but he didn¡¯t know whether it¡¯s the lunar or solar calendar.


    People in general seem to look at the 16th of January as a solar calendar. At least, that¡¯s what his fans thought. At that time, he had just come to New Zealand to record the show, and he wasn¡¯t as popular as he is now. Fans gave him a small-scale celebration online. Li Kun mentioned this to him.


    But it seems that the date registered on the original owner¡¯s ID card is January 16 of the lunar calendar.


    If it is the lunar calendar, it should be within these two days¡­


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t really want to mention his birthday these past few days.


    He really envied Jiang Sicheng in this kind of regard. No matter what he (JSC) wanted, he could say it so openly and generously.


    But he (qxy) can¡¯t.


    He always felt that there was an almost weak sense of shame in voicing his desires and needs for others.


    It would cause stress for others and disappointment for himself.


    When he was very young, about four years old, he saw two cousins from his uncle¡¯s family celebrating their birthdays and wanted someone to celebrate his birthday as well.


    Once, he raised his head and asked his aunt in a low voice, when is Xiaoyu¡¯s birthday?


    As a result, his aunt scolded him: ¡°You little bastard even thought about having a birthday. Your shameless mother didn¡¯t even know which day you were born, so stop daydreaming.¡±


    Later, when he arrived at the opera troupe, everyone was a poor child without parents, and no one celebrated their birthday. Gradually, Qi Xiaoyu also forgot about birthdays.


    Now that Gu Meiling suddenly asked, he could only answer vaguely without revealing anything: ¡°It¡¯s already passed.¡±


    Gu Meiling still wanted to pursue, ¡°Is that so? What day is it? I¡¯ll invite everyone to celebrate your next birthday together.¡±


    Fortunately, at this time, Fang Qi came over and asked enthusiastically, ¡°Is Xiaoyu having a birthday too?¡±


    Everyone then tacitly turned the topic away from Qi Xiaoyu.


    *****


    There was no telling how much time Jiang Sicheng had spent in the sky, and when he jumped down, it wasn¡¯t long before it got dark.


    They didn¡¯t catch the sunset on the lawn by the lake, so everyone could only celebrate his birthday on the lawn at night.


    Although it was dark, fortunately the staff brought many small string lights to decorate the table with a romantic atmosphere.


    The night sky in New Zealand is also extremely beautiful, with the Milky Way as far as the eye can see and within reach.


    Jiang Sicheng sat in the middle, with Xue Qingchu on the left, Qi Xiaoyu on the right, and Zheng Peizu and Gu Meiling sitting opposite.


    There was a yogurt cake in front of him, and a winged elf was made on the cake.


    Qi Xiaoyu leaned back in his chair and looked at the balloons and flowers in the evening breeze, slightly in a trance. He couldn¡¯t help but feel that he was also celebrating the birthday of the original owner or himself.


    On the other side, Jiang Sicheng, who had just finished skydiving, was trembling with his fork and had no intention of eating dinner or cutting cakes, causing everyone to keep teasing him.


    Lu Tongtong smiled without giving him any face. ¡°What do you think I should post on Weibo to celebrate your birthday? Today I only took photos of you crying while holding the director¡¯s leg.¡±


    Gu Meiling added fuel to the fire: ¡°I also took photos of you crying out of fear on the plane. How about posting those?¡±


    In the photo Gu Meiling took, Jiang Sicheng¡¯s face was deformed by the wind, his facial features were wrinkled together, and his shape was indistinguishable.


    Jiang Sicheng had a pitiful and aggrieved look on his face. ¡°No, no, no, sister Meiling, please delete this photo; let¡¯s retake a group photo.¡±


    So he asked the staff to help take a group photo of everyone around the dining table. As a result, Jiang Sicheng took a look and found that his face was pale and his curly hair was blown all over the place by the wind. It didn¡¯t look like he was celebrating a birthday, but rather it looked like he had just come out of a haunted house.


    With a trembling hand, he deleted the photo and strongly requested to take a picture without showing his face. Everyone was asked to extend their fingers towards the sky and create a V-shape, taking a big group photo with the Milky Way as the background.


    After taking the group photo, Jiang Sicheng thought about it and solemnly warned them again, ¡°Forget it; all my photos today are too ugly to match this face of mine. You guys shouldn¡¯t post my photos to celebrate my birthday.¡±


    Everyone laughed. ¡°Then you ask the director to simply cut this episode and don¡¯t broadcast it.¡±


    ¡°Your image today is quite good. It¡¯s you in your true colors, and it¡¯ll definitely attract a lot of fans.¡±


    ¡°Jiang Sicheng, cut the cake and eat it quickly. If you don¡¯t eat it again, you¡¯ll attract insects.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Jiang Sicheng quickly stopped. ¡°Wait a minute; I want to make a wish first.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t wish quietly; everyone knows what you¡¯re going to wish.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, that too.¡±


    Everyone laughed and fooled around on the lawn for a while longer, until late at night, when they packed up and returned to the hotel.


    ****


    Xun Qian landed in New Zealand that night and found a hotel to rest.


    Although he was on a private jet, the interior environment was luxurious and abundant.


    He also brought a personal doctor to take care of him throughout the entire process.


    But his body was really not adapted to long-distance flights.


    As soon as he got off the plane, he coughed so much that his face turned pale, as if he were about to die.


    Song Yue, who was accompanying him, had a heavy look on his face, ¡°Third Master, before you get your body in good shape, next time it¡¯s better not to take such a long flight.¡±


    Xun Qian ignored him, pressed a dark blue handkerchief to the corner of his mouth with his fair fingers, and coughed several times in succession.


    Then he beckoned Zhang Han over: ¡°I won¡¯t go there tonight; prepare the dinner tomorrow.¡±


    Zhang Han responded to Xun Qian¡¯s intermittently suppressed coughs. After a long while, he finally took half a step forward, as if he couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer. He bent down and said, ¡°Third Master, is it worth it for you to do this?¡±


    Xun Qian raised his eyebrows and glanced at him sharply from the corner of his eye.


    Zhang Han pressed his head even lower, knowing that he was talking too much, but after hesitating, he continued, ¡°I heard that the program team has a new special guest, a lady, who is very close to Mr. Qi.¡±


    After he finished speaking, Xun Qian¡¯s face darkened to the naked eye, and the air pressure in the entire room suddenly dropped several degrees.


    Xun Qian took the handkerchief away from the corner of his mouth and spoke slowly, Xun Qian took the handkerchief away from the corner of his mouth and slowly spoke, ¡°Zhang Han, you used to follow me, and you were more cautious in what you did and said than you are now.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Zhang Han took out his mobile phone and wanted to dig out the evidence, but he stopped halfway through.


    When he got off the plane just now, he tracked Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s news. The first of the hot searches was the scandalous incident between Qi Xiaoyu and a female anchor called Fang Qi.


    Perhaps because the female anchor posted a photo under the starry sky revealing only two hands, fans quickly found out that one of the hands belonged to Qi Xiaoyu. After following this variety show for so long, everyone was impressed by the hand that was nimble in chopping vegetables and had excellent knife skills.


    Unexpectedly, less than an hour later, when everyone was discussing whether Qi Xiaoyu had been captured by Fang Qi, the hot search dropped and the rumor was refuted.


    The person involved personally posted a clarification on Weibo.


    Qi Xiaoyu posted a photo of himself and Jiang Sicheng and the original photo of a starry sky, and then wished his good friend a happy birthday on Weibo.


    Although Jiang Sicheng looked reluctant in the group photo, no one cared.


    Everyone¡¯s focus is that Qi Xiaoyu is really tough¡­ He doesn¡¯t save face for the woman at all¡­


    Zhang Han thinks so, and so do netizens.


    Xun Qian took one look at Zhang Han¡¯s face and understood everything immediately. He hummed softly, ¡°I¡¯m going to rest. Prepare for tomorrow¡¯s dinner.¡±


    The author has something to say:


    Xun Qian: My wife is so good~

 CH 47

    TL: Hua


    February 14th, Valentine¡¯s Day.


    The program team announced that today¡¯s recording will end at 6 p.m., so after they prepare dinner for the guest, they¡¯re free to move about.


    The people who were gathering together for lunch were all confused when they heard the news. They had never encountered such a situation since recording the show, where they stopped recording when a guest showed up.


    All of them couldn¡¯t help but speculate in their own minds about the origins of this guest.


    Gu Meiling put down her chopsticks and asked the director, ¡°Who is coming with such great fanfare?¡±


    The director smiled and said vaguely, ¡°I don¡¯t know; it should be someone at a senior level. I¡¯m not qualified to know this.¡±


    Seeing that she couldn¡¯t find out the news, Gu Meiling pursed her lips and said, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you just let us rest for a few more days and go back to China to celebrate Valentine¡¯s Day?¡±


    Lu Tongtong also looked puzzled. ¡°Right, what¡¯s the point of taking a night off? We might as well finish recording and go back home earlier.¡±


    Jiang Sicheng took the opportunity to move next to Xue Qingchu. ¡°Isn¡¯t it nice to have some time off? There¡¯s no need to fuss about it. We are going out for dinner on Valentine¡¯s Day today; what do you think, Qingqing?¡±


    Xue Qingchu concentrated on eating the food in the bowl and said nothing.


    After a while, she turned to look at Qi Xiaoyu, sitting aside.


    Qi Xiaoyu sat upright, holding a bowl in his left hand and chopsticks in his right hand. His eyebrows were lowered, and he ate with pleasure. He was not affected by the sudden incident last night or the sudden suspension of recording for the whole night.


    In comparison, the psychological quality of the other person involved last night, Fang Qi, is much worse than Qi Xiaoyu.


    She has not appeared since Qi Xiaoyu posted on Weibo last night.


    Gu Meiling then raised her head and glanced at Qi Xiaoyu. ¡°Xiaoyu, what are you going to do tonight?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu slowly swallowed the food in his mouth before speaking, ¡°The director said that he has something to find me in the evening. I¡¯ll just stay in the restaurant. I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±


    Lu Tongtong exclaimed, ¡°Ah, can¡¯t Xiaoyu go out to play? Then let¡¯s not go out. How about we play poker? Brother Zheng, will you play with us?¡±


    Zheng Peizu remained silent. After hearing this, he glanced at Qi Xiaoyu and nodded. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s play together.¡±


    Jiang Sicheng was the only one who was persistent and unyielding. ¡°If Qi Xiaoyu doesn¡¯t go, then we can go. We can go out and play.¡±


    Xue Qingchu said silently, ¡°I also want to play poker.¡±


    Young Master Jiang, in the midst of roaring laughter, conceded defeat and slumped on the table, lamenting, ¡°OK, OK, let¡¯s just play poker; I want to play too.¡±


    Arrangements were made for the evening¡¯s activities, and the group was active in preparing the food in the afternoon.


    Qi Xiaoyu skillfully put the ribs into the soup pot, added ginger slices, and then closed the lid.


    Jiang Sicheng held a bowl in his hand, squinted his eyes, and acted like a detective. ¡°Come here to eat; pictures were not allowed¡­ I just passed by the VIP lounge and saw people coming in and out who seemed to be cleaning up the room. Who is this person who comes here just to have a meal?¡±


    Neither Xue Qingchu nor Qi Xiaoyu answered.


    Jiang Sicheng himself was very attracted to the drama and then analyzed, ¡°I just asked the director secretly, and he doesn¡¯t seem to be lying about not knowing anything. It appears that only Director Wang knows who the person is. But Director Wang has tight lips that can¡¯t be pried open at all. Tsk, tsk, tsk, who can be so arrogant and pretentious¡­¡±


    Halfway through, he suddenly froze. ¡°It can¡¯t be the person Fang Qi found, right? Doesn¡¯t she have a good relationship with the senior officials of Longjiang Satellite TV?¡±


    Then he turned to look at Qi Xiaoyu and said, ¡°Xiaoyu, if she gives you trouble, you can come to me for help. I will forget the fact that you posted my photo without permission yesterday¡­¡±


    Jiang Sicheng was talking to himself when the curtain in the kitchen opened and a person suddenly walked in.


    He glanced at the visitor and spoke out, ¡°Fang Qi, why are you here?¡±


    Fang Qi¡¯s eyes were red and swollen. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Qi Xiaoyu.¡±


    Jiang Sicheng and Xue Qingchu both looked at Qi Xiaoyu worriedly. Everyone knew what happened last night.


    First, Fang Qi sent a very ambiguous photo of the starry sky with only two people¡¯s fingers.


    Less than half an hour later, she was mercilessly slapped in the face by Qi Xiaoyu.


    Jiang Sicheng knew that he had taken the group photo in a hurry, but after Qi Xiaoyu posted it on Weibo, he was both surprised and regretful. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me in advance? At least let me put up a more attractive pose before posting it.¡±


    Then he immediately said, in surprise, ¡°Xiaoyu, not bad. You¡¯re quite direct and frank.¡±


    Jiang Sicheng still remembers last night when Fang Qi was ridiculed by the netizens.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fans naturally laughed while watching Fang Qi¡¯s misfortune.


    Fans of the show also jumped out to defend the guest, asking Longjiang TV to cherish this show and control the situation.


    Even passers-by couldn¡¯t stand it, saying that this woman was too self-centered and would do whatever it took to gain popularity.


    Then, while Jiang Sicheng was eating melon online, he miraculously discovered that he was forced to bind a CP named Siyu with Qi Xiaoyu.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone notice? It was quite interesting when they were filming The Legend of the Tang Dynasty Empress together. At that time, Tang Kui said that Jiang Sicheng bullied Xiaoyu, but when I saw those videos, they were clearly showing elementary school chickens fighting and playing. How lovely.¡±


    ¡°Yes, from the first episode of Eat Light on the Road, I think the partnership between Jiang Sicheng and Qi Xiaoyu is the funniest. Have you seen Xiaoyu ever get angry at anyone? No! Except Jiang Sicheng, and now he even specifically posted a Weibo to celebrate Jiang Sicheng¡¯s birthday.¡±


    The naive and simple Jiang Sicheng was shocked by these remarks.


    That night, he slammed his cell phone on the pillow, pointed at Qi Xiaoyu, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t post photos of me and you randomly in the future. What if Qingqing misunderstands me?¡±


    Regardless of what Jiang Sicheng thought, Fang Qi was really pissed off.


    She worked hard to flirt with Qi Xiaoyu for seven or eight days, trying to stir up her and Qi Xiaoyu CP, but to no avail. She also got a lot of scolding, and the funniest thing was that she actually stirred up the Qi Xiaoyu and Jiang Sicheng CP instead.


    Now she was standing at the door with her arms crossed, saying that she wanted to talk to Qi Xiaoyu.


    *****


    5:45 p.m.


    Xun Qian¡¯s Mercedes-Benz quietly drove into the parking lot outside the restaurant.


    Before he even got out of the car, he heard two staff members from the program team gossiping in the corner, where they were smoking.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that women chase men with a veil between them1[Å®×·ÄУ¬¸ô²ãÉ´]: An old proverb that originated from ancient Chinese Confucius culture. It is believed that women shouldn¡¯t actively pursue men, which is quite outdated.. I just learned today that this is not the case at all.¡±


    ¡°You mean that thing between Fang Qi and Qi Xiaoyu? I even saw Fang Qi looking for someone to talk to this afternoon. Do you know how it turned out? I saw that the two didn¡¯t say a few words before Qi Xiaoyu pissed off Fang Qi.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, with Fang Qi¡¯s figure, it¡¯s really not easy for a young man of Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s age to hold back.¡±


    ¡°Haha, maybe Qi Xiaoyu already has someone.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say such nonsense. He is only in his early twenties, and in this industry, he shouldn¡¯t dare to fall in love.¡±


    Zhang Han originally wanted to open the car door and get out, but now that he heard these words, he was stuck in the middle. He didn¡¯t know if it was better to get out or not. However, when he secretly took a look in the rearview mirror, the boss seemed to be in a good mood.


    *****


    Qi Xiaoyu was left alone by the director, not really knowing what to do.


    Everyone else is now gathering in the restaurant lobby to play poker, and the lively sounds can be heard from afar.


    He wore a loose and comfortable white T-shirt and a pair of jeans, standing opposite the director¡­ He felt that the director¡¯s attitude towards him was a little different from usual.


    The director was very polite: ¡°We have a guest coming later, and I want you to go and receive them.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Qi Xiaoyu glanced at the unusual director suspiciously. ¡°May I know in advance who the next guest will be?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you get there.¡±


    The director accompanied Qi Xiaoyu to the door of the only VIP box in the restaurant and helped him push the door open.


    As soon as the door was opened, before Qi Xiaoyu could do anything else, a black dog rushed towards him, circling around him and clawing at him frantically with its two paws, barking ¡°woof, woof, woof¡± in excitement.


    ¡°Ha ha ha ha.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was made to laugh by White-browed hero. He coaxed and stroked it for a long time before he could calm down the little raving dog.


    Then he held the dog in his arms and had time to look at the surroundings.


    Xun Qian is here.


    He was leaning back in the wheelchair, with both hands resting on the armrests. The thumb of his right hand gently rubbed the pad of the index finger of his left hand. Seeing Qi Xiaoyu come in, he raised his chin slightly with a faint smile on his lips.


    He didn¡¯t wear black clothes today. He changed into a white shirt and a dark gray loose suit jacket. His face was paler than usual. It¡¯s unknown whether it was because of the clothes or something else.


    But he looks very nice.


    He usually doesn¡¯t notice it when he sees Xun Qian every day, but after not seeing him for a few days, he was struck by how good-looking he is at first glance.


    The director took one look, immediately closed the door, and went out. He had been in the entertainment industry for so many years, and he had never seen anyone look like the person inside. Every inch looked like it had been carefully crafted by an artist, but he vaguely guessed the identity of the person inside and didn¡¯t dare to stay any longer.


    In the room, Xun Qian looked at Qi Xiaoyu quietly. He was still coughing and said in a rustling voice, ¡°Sit down.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu sat down across the dining table.


    The room has been carefully decorated and is no longer what it was before.


    But unlike the girly, romantic atmosphere of yesterday¡¯s birthday celebration for Jiang Sicheng, it¡¯s more low-key and classy.


    The dining table was covered with a white crocheted tablecloth, and a few warm lights decorated the atmosphere just right. A gramophone was also specially brought to play the songs he heard last time in Xun Qian¡¯s bedroom.


    Qi Xiaoyu lowered his head and teased White-browed hero for a while, then raised his eyes and looked at Xun Qian and said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me in advance? I could pick you up at the airport.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not troublesome to come over.¡±


    Xun Qian still cherished his words as ever, and the conversation could be killed after two sentences, but it doesn¡¯t matter; Qi Xiaoyu can chat. He pointed to the dishes on the table and asked, ¡°Can you guess which ones I cooked?¡±


    Xun Shao nodded and scooped up two bowls of soup, pushing one in front of Qi Xiaoyu. ¡°The soup is good.¡±


    In the soft and melodious singing, Qi Xiaoyu lowered his head to drink the soup and wanted to ask Xun Qian why he came here today. This day¡­ is quite special.


    But after thinking about it, the question seems abrupt.


    After he finished drinking the soup, he heard Xun Qian say to the person next to him, ¡°Bring up the cake.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was slightly surprised when he heard the word cake. He wondered if this cake meant what he thought.


    But he wasn¡¯t given much time to speculate because he saw Zhang Han coming in pushing a gold-rimmed glass cart. There is a box with a silver ribbon on the cart. Judging from the size and shape, it is a cake of about 8 inches.


    At Xun Qian¡¯s signal, Zhang Han unwrapped the ribbon and took away the box. Inside was a simple-styled white buttercream cake, on top of which a black chocolate plaque with white buttercream read, ¡°Happy Birthday, Xiaoyu.¡± Next to it stood a little figurine wearing overalls and a brown sweater, the exact same look he had that day at the airport.


    Qi Xiaoyu lowered his eyes and placed his hand on White-browed hero¡¯s smooth and hot fur.


    He really didn¡¯t expect that Xun Qian could remember his birthday. Even the original owner¡¯s father and half-sister didn¡¯t give him any news. Besides, January 16th is on the lunar calendar and not easy to remember.


    Xun Qian not only remembered it but also ordered a cake for him and even came over in person.


    The light fell and shimmered on the gold-trimmed dinner plates, the song flowed through the air like water, and everything was just the right amount of tenderness.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes stayed on the cake for a while before slowly looking back.


    Xun Qian covered the corners of his lips and coughed a few times. ¡°It may not be as delicious as what you make.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Qi Xiaoyu said softly and stared at Xun Qian¡¯s face for a while, ¡°Are you feeling unwell, Third Master?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°The climate here is very different from S City. It¡¯s easy to catch a cold when you first come here¡­¡± Qi Xiaoyu thought for a moment, ¡°After dinner, I¡¯ll take you back. Are you staying in the hotel?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­you come and cut the cake.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Wait, let me make a wish first.¡±


    ¡°Zhang Han, turn off the light.¡±


    The candlelight swayed gently, reflecting on the young man¡¯s soft silhouette.


    In fact, there was a momentary blankness in his mind; he had never had a birthday, never made a wish, and for a moment he didn¡¯t know what to ask for.


    He subconsciously thought that this birthday was given to him by Xun Qian, so he wished Xun Qian good health.


    Hua: Sorry for the lack of updates. I haven¡¯t dropped this novel just superrrrr busy with work.

 CH 48

    TL: Hua


    Jiang Sicheng refused to play poker properly and insisted on seeing what Qi Xiaoyu was doing.


    Lu Tongtong was sitting cross-legged on a chair with a bag of yogurt in her mouth, using her eyes to urge Jiang Sicheng to hurry up and play his cards.


    Jiang Sicheng just held the cards and said, ¡°Tongtong, why are you like this? You¡¯re not worried about your colleagues at all.¡±


    Lu Tongtong almost spat at Jiang Sicheng¡¯s face with a mouthful of yogurt. ¡°Jiang Sicheng, what are you doing? Are you going to play cards or not?¡±


    Jiang Sicheng shook his legs and squinted his eyes, trying his best to hide his gossipy heart. ¡°What playing cards? Aren¡¯t you curious?¡±


    ¡°Director Wang asked Xiaoyu to go, so he will take care of him. He is much more reliable than you.¡±


    Gu Meiling also stared at the card table and urged Jiang Sicheng, ¡°Don¡¯t cause trouble. Xiaoyu is good-looking and smart. If Director Wang needs something, of course he will go to him. Or else, will he come to you?


    Jiang Sicheng curled his lips. ¡°Then¡­ what if Fang Qi finds someone to bully Xiaoyu? Director Wang also has to listen to Longjiang TV, right? Let¡¯s go and take a look. They¡¯re over there in the VIP room.¡±


    When Jiang Sicheng saw no one respond, the young master lost his temper and put down his cards. ¡°If you guys don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll go.¡±


    Lu Tongtong was helpless. She lowered her head and thought for a while, then looked at Zheng Peizu and Gu Meiling and said, ¡°Then, shall we go take a look?¡±


    When Jiang Sicheng heard that they were going, he actively encouraged them: ¡°Go, what are you afraid of? We are concerned about Qi Xiaoyu.¡±


    They were collectively deceived by Jiang Sicheng into boarding the pirate ship and found that they could not see anything at all.


    The security outside the VIP room is much stricter than usual.


    A row of bodyguards in black clothes stood neatly, wishing they could surround the restaurant, not even allowing a fly to casually fly in and out.


    It¡¯s just having a meal at the restaurant¡­


    Everyone looked at each other, and for a moment they became curious about the guest¡¯s identity.


    Lu Tongtong stuck out her tongue and said, ¡°I don¡¯t see many people in the circle that have such momentum. How does Xiaoyu know such a person? Hey, Jiang Sicheng, aren¡¯t you and Xiaoyu good brothers? Do you know? By the way, today is Valentine¡¯s Day¡­Are they¡­¡±


    Jiang Sicheng originally wanted to say he knew, but he suddenly remembered his father¡¯s repeated warnings, fell into deep thought, and then said coldly and slowly, ¡°I don¡¯t know; we are not as familiar as you think.¡±


    Lu Tongtong said ¡°Oh¡± without emotion.


    While everyone was waiting outside, Xue Qingchu couldn¡¯t help but think of the man sitting in the Maybach at Kang Qitao¡¯s banquet.


    Others also have some subtle feelings.


    They originally thought that Qi Xiaoyu was just a newcomer with good luck, good looks, and good conduct, but now it seems that there is a big boss behind him, although they don¡¯t know who the big boss is.


    Everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that, fortunately, their relationship with Qi Xiaoyu has been handled well since the recording of the show.


    Finally, it was the oldest and most mature Zheng Peizu who said, ¡°Go back to play poker. Don¡¯t crowd around here.¡±


    He has been in the circle for so long that he knows what to inquire about and what to pretend not to see.


    Everyone is very good at observing words and emotions, except for Miss Fang, who has just entered the entertainment industry and thinks she has a backstage.


    After she had been brushed off and ignored by Qi Xiaoyu several times, she was alone at the back of the restaurant, in a kiosk across the waterside, fuming at her cellphone. Several friends took turns comforting her, but they could not quell her anger in any way.


    She has had a smooth journey and has never experienced this kind of setback.


    Anger can easily make people lose their minds.


    When she saw Qi Xiaoyu and Xun Qian coming out of the box from a distance, she completely ignored the group of bodyguards following Xun Qian and unexpectedly took out her mobile phone, zoomed in, and snapped a few pictures.


    *****


    The hotel Xun Qian stayed in was a private villa by the lake.


    Walking into the living room of the villa and looking out from the floor-to-ceiling windows, you can see the vast lake and the stars in the sky.


    The stars were reflected in the lake, and heaven and earth shone with starlight, as if they had fallen into a glass ball full of stars.


    Qi Xiaoyu opened the window and couldn¡¯t help but admire: ¡°I have been in New Zealand for so long, but have never seen such wonderful scenery.¡±


    Xun Qian coughed twice before speaking slowly. ¡°If you like, you can stay here tonight. There are still free rooms upstairs.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t stand on ceremony and smiled graciously, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell the people on the program team that I¡¯ll go back tomorrow morning.¡±


    Then his eyes fell on Xun Qian¡¯s hand holding the handkerchief. ¡°Is Dr. Song here too? I¡¯ll go over and say hello to him.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu handed White-browed Hero to Zhang Han and pushed Xun Qian to find Song Yue. He actually wanted Song Yue to take a look at Xun Qian¡¯s condition. Xun Qian has had coughing fits, big and small, many times tonight.


    Song Yue raised his eyebrows when he saw the visitor. He didn¡¯t say that Xun Qian was on a long flight, and his body couldn¡¯t bear it. He only said that Xun Qian should have a good rest these days, don¡¯t smoke, don¡¯t be too tired, take medicine on time, and sleep more.


    Upon hearing this, Qi Xiaoyu immediately pushed Xun Qian back into the room and stared at him as he took today¡¯s medicine.


    Xun Qian himself didn¡¯t seem to care.


    He pushed the wheelchair to the balcony, looked up at the stars, and said, ¡°Sit with me for a while.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu took out a thin blanket from the bed, covered Xun Qian¡¯s body, and then sat down on the lounge chair beside him.


    The two of them didn¡¯t speak; they just looked up at the stars, but there was a rare tranquility in their hearts.


    After a while, Xun Qian asked, ¡°Do you drink? There is wine in the refrigerator.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu turned his head and looked at Xun Qian. On a night like this, it was time for a drink, but he said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to drink.¡±


    Xun Qian also turned his head. His dark eyes and raised corners of his lips, both carrying a bit of a smile.


    He knew that Qi Xiaoyu said this because he was afraid that he would drink.


    He has always liked Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s meticulous thoughts. When Qi Xiaoyu applied this kind of thought to himself, he felt even more satisfied: ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem if I just drink a little.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu looked at him with a smile on his lips. He knew that Xun Qian knew the meaning of what he just said: ¡°Then let me choose a wine that can help with sleep.¡±


    There were various red wines in the refrigerator in the hotel room. He spent a long time selecting them, looking at the ingredients one by one, and choosing a Sauvignon Blanc wine.


    He poured a full glass and a shallow one and took them to the balcony.


    New Zealand has large areas of vineyards and excellent sunshine conditions.


    The wine produced is sold all over the world.


    This villa hotel is top-notch luxury; even the free wine in the refrigerator is no less luxurious.


    The aroma of Sauvignon Blanc grapes is refreshing, mixed with the rich aroma of grassy passion fruit and tomato, with just the right amount of sourness and sweetness. On such a charming summer night with a gentle breeze, taking one sip is refreshing to the heart.


    Qi Xiaoyu is in a particularly good mood today.


    There are no distracting thoughts in his mind. All the efforts to work hard and make money since traveling to this world have been wiped away. It is a very pure state of relaxation.


    He even lazily chatted with Xun Qian about the fun of yesterday¡¯s skydiving, about the thrill and the recklessness of letting himself go, and very relaxedly said that he would drive White-browed Hero to travel around in the future.


    Xun Qian didn¡¯t say anything. He just felt that Qi Xiaoyu, who had drunk a little wine, was cuter than usual and showed some true temperament that he didn¡¯t usually have.


    He glanced over from the corner of his eye. Under the starlight, the corners of Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s mouth were shining with crystal luster, making people want to take a bite.


    But he looked away in time and drank all the wine in one gulp.


    ¡°When I make enough money, I¡¯ll go out and have fun¡­ I¡¯ll learn a way to cook steak here. When I get home, I¡¯ll make it for you to try next time¡­¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu propped his chin in his hand and was halfway through when his phone, which was placed on a small rattan table, rang. It was Li Kun who called.


    At the same time, Zhang Han eagerly knocked on Xun Qian¡¯s door.


    *****


    It¡¯s eleven o¡¯clock in the evening in New Zealand, and City S has just ushered in the morning of a new day.


    On a cold winter morning, when people don¡¯t want to get up from bed, the first thing they do is take out their mobile phones and scroll through Weibo for a few minutes, watching various gossip and videos to slowly get over their sleepiness before getting up.


    As a result, as soon as they opened Weibo, they saw a set of photos that someone had revealed: Falling in love just after becoming popular? Valentine¡¯s Day crew date? Same s*x partner?!


    In the photo, it was exactly the photo of Qi Xiaoyu and Xun Shallow on their way from the restaurant to the car park a few hours ago.


    However, Xun Qian was not captured in the photo. Xun Qian was sitting and was being watched by several people. The photo only captured the back of Qi Xiaoyu and Zhang Han walking side by side and half of a dog¡¯s head sticking out of Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s arm.


    The photo itself is nothing, but yesterday was Valentine¡¯s Day!


    That day was not ordinary! If they don¡¯t have a special relationship, how can they have dinner together? !


    Qi Xiaoyu has become popular recently and has attracted a lot of fans. It is inevitable that the number of negative fans has increased several times compared with before.


    Some of them are just ¡°keyboard warriors¡± who have nothing better to do than attack popular celebrities. Others are trolls bought by rivals who rush to attack anyone who conflicts with their own resources.


    Seeing such photos, they naturally couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. They didn¡¯t even try to understand anything else and just started attacking him like a swarm of bees.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he recording a show in New Zealand? Where are the other guests? Why is he the only one having a dinner date? For the sake of falling in love, he doesn¡¯t even care about work.¡±


    ¡°Awesome, you couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, huh? You¡¯re openly dating someone while recording a show. You don¡¯t have any self-consciousness as an idol at all. I hope you sober up as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°The relationship is so good. Did this man fly to New Zealand just to spend the holidays with him?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t jump to the conclusion that it¡¯s a boyfriend yet. This guy seems pretty rich, so maybe it¡¯s that kind of relationship.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right; think about Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s resources. The ten people that came from the same talent show as him are now nameless in the entertainment industry. Why did Qi Xiaoyu become famous? Think about it carefully.¡±


    ¡°No wonder he can refuse a sexy beauty like Fang Qi. It turns out he doesn¡¯t like women, and he was secretly in a relationship a long time ago.¡±


    ¡­


    Nowadays, information on the Internet is developed, it becomes popular quickly, and black material spreads faster.


    In just ten minutes, the search for Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s Valentine¡¯s Day date with a mysterious man jumped to the front row.


    Li Kun called Qi Xiaoyu and explained the matter briefly: ¡°I told Brother Yu about this matter, and the company will immediately issue an announcement to clarify it and list out all your itinerary. We won¡¯t let them criticize you as they please.¡±


    After a pause, he asked again, ¡°Xiaoyu, what is your relationship with the person whom you had dinner with today¡­? Do you need to communicate with the other person about this matter?¡±


    Although Li Kun has been following Qi Xiaoyu, Qi Xiaoyu has not told him anything about Xun Qian, and he didn¡¯t bring Li Kun to dinner last night, so Li Kun is basically unaware, but he also vaguely guessed that the other party was not an ordinary person.


    Qi Xiaoyu glanced at Xun Qian, who was talking to Zhang Han through the balcony glass. ¡°He¡¯s a friend. He came to celebrate my birthday with me. Don¡¯t involve him.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Is today your birthday?¡± Li Kun¡¯s attention was attracted by this, and he immediately became happy. ¡°As long as it¡¯s your birthday, it¡¯s normal to have a meal with friends on your birthday. It¡¯s also much easier for us to clarify. Then you rest well tonight; don¡¯t worry about anything else.¡±


    In the room, Zhang Han also told Xun Qian about this matter.


    Xun Qian sneered and glanced at Qi Xiaoyu, who was on the phone outside. ¡°Handle this matter as soon as possible without affecting him.¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡­¡­ so let¡¯s say Mr. Qi is celebrating his birthday with a friend?¡±


    ¡°Um.¡±


    Zhang Han didn¡¯t like people in the entertainment industry. At first, he was puzzled by Xun Qian¡¯s protectiveness of a star in the entertainment industry. But after seeing Qi Xiaoyu reject Fang Qi and seeing how he¡¯s a person with a sense of propriety, his favorability gradually increased.


    At this time, he even took the initiative to propose an idea: ¡°Other celebrities celebrate their birthdays in a much more high-profile manner, but Mr. Qi handled it in a low-key manner. Unexpectedly, he was still misunderstood. Should we simply give Mr. Qi a good celebration? After all, there is only one birthday a year.¡±


    Xun Qian rubbed his handkerchief with his fingers. ¡°Just go ahead and make arrangements. Don¡¯t worry about the cost, and don¡¯t let him suffer injustice.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±

 CH 49

    TL: Hua


    Zhang Han has never handled such a matter before, but he did everything according to the Xun family standard and the entertainment industry standard.


    Xun Qian said not to let him suffer any injustice, so he would have to put in twice as much effort.


    The Xun family had both wealth and means, and the orders passed down by Zhang Han are from Xun Qian. Even though they were separated by an ocean, things were extremely efficient.


    That morning, the large screens of buildings along both sides of the river in City S were all filled with photos of Qi Xiaoyu.


    The largest LCD screen in the city has ¡°Happy Birthday, Qi Xiaoyu,¡± written neatly in seven large characters.


    As soon as this row of PR was photographed and posted online, the entire fan circle was screaming in awe. Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fans are too rich. Even top-tier celebrities may not be able to enjoy this kind of treatment.


    Another person said, ¡°Next time, if you want to boast about traffic, try taking the ten large screens along the river in S city first. Qi Xiaoyu has just become popular, and there is such support.¡±


    In S City, where land is at a premium on both sides of the river, a large screen is not cheap. Normally, rental fees are charged by the second, about five to six hundred yuan per second, or hundreds of thousands per hour.


    Not to mention more than a dozen screens.


    Not only do they have to be settled, but they also have to be settled on the same day. This cannot be done by just spending money.


    However, someone did it.


    More than a dozen screens played Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s mixed-edited videos on a loop throughout the day.


    Qi Xiaoyu currently doesn¡¯t have much material for editing. They basically come from ¡°Eating Lights on the Road,¡± commercial videos of banana milk, and outtakes from ¡°The Legend of the Tang Dynasty Empress.¡±.


    In this way, even the program team, brand owner, and crew are very happy. This is really free and large-scale publicity.


    Everyone sighed in their hearts that it was really not in vain to invite Qi Xiaoyu to record the show, act, and film.


    Besides, the two sides of the river in S City were originally the most prosperous places, with many office workers and many people coming here for tourism and shopping.


    As they walked by, they could see Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s pictures at any angle and in any position, flooding their faces.


    Someone asked, ¡°Did fans do this? It¡¯s quite extreme.¡±


    ¡°It should be. Look, it says below, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s beloved fan group.¡±


    ¡°Wow, fans are so rich nowaday.¡±


    ¡°They are really wild. I remember there was a celebrity birthday last month, and the fans bought all the commercial signs on the subway I took to and from work¡­ But still, not this extreme.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, the price of this is really expensive. Last Christmas, my classmate¡¯s son wanted to use this screen to propose to his girlfriend. When he heard the price, he just turned around and left.¡±


    Not only pedestrians passing by were shocked and stopped in front of the big screen; even Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fans were shocked by the scale.


    Usually, brands invite celebrities to do activities. There will be activities where a large screen will be unlocked after buying enough items and selling as much as possible. Basically, you have to buy three to four million worth of products from this brand to unlock an hour of on-screen promotion.


    Now there are more than a dozen screens lighting up for Qi Xiaoyu at the same time!


    It¡¯s unknown how many people will be jealous of this.


    At the same time, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fans are also curious. Since when did they have a website called ¡°Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s Beloved Fans Group¡±?


    They searched one by one but could not find an official account, and they had never seen this fan group do fundraising before. It seemed to be a very private group.


    So they could only sigh silently in their hearts. This kind of website that does practical things without seeking fame is a really good website.


    They have to applaud their cub for having such an amazing fan group.


    Zhang Han was very enthusiastic about Qi Xiaoyu, and Yu Xiaosheng also issued a notice in the name of the company, pointing out the marketing accounts that first posted the photos and warning them not to spread rumors anymore.


    He also solemnly stated that February 14th is Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s 23rd birthday, and the pictures posted online are just friends celebrating Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s birthday.


    He also mentioned that the program team also knew about this. Because it was just a small birthday, and he and Jiang Sicheng had celebrated it together the day before, they didn¡¯t celebrate it with any fanfare.


    As soon as the announcement from Star Entertainment came out, some people jumped out and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s birthday on January 16th? When did it become February 14th?¡±


    Star Entertainment directly refuted, ¡°Don¡¯t you know that people have a lunar birthday?¡±


    The following ¡°hahaha¡± fully expresses the ruthless ridicule of this anti-fan and directly ranks this article as the number one hot comment. After all, there are many people celebrating lunar birthdays, from friends, to families, to themselves. They often can¡¯t figure out which day their Gregorian birthday corresponds to.


    Immediately after the company explained that this was Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s birthday, the public opinion of the anti-fans was also nailed to the pillar of shame.


    ¡°Does the person who broke the news have no friends? They dared to break the news just by taking a picture of someone¡¯s back.¡±


    ¡°I wish the whistleblower would celebrate their birthday alone every year.¡±


    ¡°Are they holding hands in the photo? Are there any intimate gestures? Is the requirement for being an anti-fan so low now? All you have to do is spew bullshit.¡±


    ¡°And didn¡¯t you notice that there is such a big dog¡¯s head between them?¡±


    ¡°Dog¡­head? Why is it that a dog so cute can be made to sound so funny? Is this Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s dog? It¡¯s so cute; why haven¡¯t I seen him before?¡±


    After a while, another stubborn anti-fan was still struggling, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he spend his birthday with family, but with friends?¡±


    Following this line, it was discovered that Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s mother had passed away when he was very young.


    There is almost no news from his father¡¯s side. It is said that he has remarried and has another family.


    Needless to say, this situation is probably due to Qi Xiaoyu not being cared for since he was a child.


    Qi Xiaoyu rarely mentioned his family in front of the camera before, and people didn¡¯t care about him before he became famous.


    Unexpectedly, at this juncture, he was caught off guard and exposed. Qi Xiaoyu, who celebrated his birthday quietly with his friends, without his family to accompany him, and had to be criticized, caused the fans to feel sorry for him.


    They all shouted that they would protect their cub from now on and spend every birthday with him after he turned twenty-three.


    Many fish balls that became fans because of ¡°Eat the Light on the Road¡± originally regretted missing Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s 23rd birthday, but they found that they could still catch up, especially now that New Zealand has not reached 24:00 on February 14. Early in the morning, before the company could organize any event, the trending search of #Qi Xiaoyu0214Happy Birthday# had already risen to the top 5 at the speed of light.


    Although Li Kun told Qi Xiaoyu to have a good rest and ignore the comments on the Internet, this was what he had caused after all, and he could not leave the whole aftermath to others.


    After reading the hot searches and various comments on the Internet, he posted a few photos of White-browed Hero and joked in a dog voice, ¡°This is a stupid owner who can¡¯t even remember his own birthday [disgusted] [disliked]. He even wants me to thank everyone for him, hmph.¡±


    Although this Weibo didn¡¯t mention anyone by name, it secretly satirized the anti-fans and sunspots and, at the same time, expressed his gratitude to the fans.


    And this is super cute.


    After posting on Weibo, White-browed Hero quickly became Fish Ball¡¯s new favorite.


    Except for those who wished Qi Xiaoyu a happy birthday, the other replies were all about the puppy: ¡°Zai Zai¡¯s dog is as cute as Zai Zai.¡±


    ¡°Look at this little black dog lying in this picture; his belly is so fat. Say, did you steal all the snacks at home?¡±


    ¡°Does anyone know what breed this dog is? I want to have the same puppy as my idol.¡±


    ¡°Such a stupid¡­looking black dog¡­a bit like a Frenchie pup, but the size is not the same.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, the size is different. Frenchie¡¯s belly is not as big as this one.¡±


    Seeing that fans were discussing dogs, Li Kun followed suit and posted a photo of the little black dog that had just been picked up. He also specifically explained that this was the puppy that Qi Xiaoyu picked up on the set during the winter. Because he was worried that the little black dog would have a hard time in the winter, he took it home.


    Then he posted several more photos of the puppy.


    In the photo, you can clearly see how thin and small it was when it was picked up, and then it became more and more plump under Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s care.


    It¡¯s so cute that everyone calls the puppy cute and Xiaoyu kind.


    There are also many dog lovers who retweeted and supported this behavior of adopting instead of buying.


    For a time, the little black dog became an internet celebrity.


    Immediately afterwards, after seeing Qi Xiaoyu himself posting on Weibo, the crew of ¡°The Legend of the Tang Dynasty Empress,¡± Long Hua, Xu Yan, and other actors in the crew all sent their blessings.


    On the New Zealand side, people from the program team knew that today was Xiaoyu¡¯s birthday, and they all joined in to forward blessings.


    Only Jiang Sicheng, after playing poker all night, returned to the dormitory and fell asleep without even taking a shower.


    But as soon as he was falling into the dream, he was woken up by a phone call.


    His father, Jiang Feibai¡¯s, loud voice came through the speaker. ¡°Why don¡¯t you post on Weibo when everyone else posts it?¡±


    Jiang Sicheng was feeling sleepy and muttered, ¡°Dad, what do you want me to do in the middle of the night?¡±


    His father snorted coldly, ¡°You even said that you two are good brothers. The whole world sent Weibo messages to wish Qi Xiaoyu a happy birthday, but you have been silent for a long time. And you¡¯re even in the same program group as him. How do you think people are going to scold you next? You can¡¯t remember such a small thing, you can¡¯t do what you promised; you¡¯re lying¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll send it right away. Dad, please stop talking.¡±


    When Fang Qi saw the trend of public opinion on the internet, she became so angry that she couldn¡¯t sleep.


    If she wanders around and understands more, she will know that, without enough evidence, she should never blackmail Qi Xiaoyu. According to netizens¡¯ summary, since the start of his career, people who blackmail him always get slapped in the face.


    The magazine incident is like this; the Tang Kui incident is like this; and now the Valentine¡¯s Day incident is the same. Oh no, it was fifteen minutes earlier than the previous incidents.


    What is unfortunate is that Fang Qi thought she was just unlucky this time and didn¡¯t handle Qi Xiaoyu correctly.


    She even naively thought that she had done a perfect job. After all, there were so many people coming and going from the show crew that whoever could have taken this set of photos was possible.


    It wasn¡¯t until the next day that she slowly realized something was wrong.


    Firstly, she was told to stop the recording of the program early and had to buy a ticket to return home on the same day.


    She stood at the door of the dormitory with her hands on her hips. Lack of sleep made her look ten years older than usual, and she completely lost the charm of the otaku goddess in the live broadcast room.


    She cursed angrily, ¡°The show recording hasn¡¯t concluded yet; why did you notify me to go back at such short notice?¡±


    The director, who was always well-rounded and caring towards her, said in a cold tone, ¡°We can¡¯t do anything about the TV station¡¯s arrangement. Miss Fang should go back as soon as possible. I think the station may have something to talk to you about.¡±


    When she returned to China, filled with anger, she discovered that there were still unbelievable things waiting for her. For example, her scenes in ¡°Eating Light on the Road¡± had been cut out, and for example, Longjiang TV¡¯s TV show, which was scheduled to be hosted by her, had now been changed to a different host.


    Then again, without realizing it, getting this far has been the end of her showbiz career.


    *****


    After Fang Qi left, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They didn¡¯t have to be wary of anyone causing trouble around them at any time. Everyone returned to their original relaxed and comfortable state, playing around and running the restaurant happily.


    Xun Qian went back the day after Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s birthday.


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t even get to thank this fan for his enormous support before the other party left on a plane.


    He had no choice but to send a message agreeing to compensate Xun Qian on his birthday.


    After a few more days of recording, the last day of ¡°Eating Lights on the Road¡± finally arrived.


    The last day was a very relaxing trip, which met Gu Meiling¡¯s expectations. Facing the green water and green mountains, a group of people gathered around the coffee table, drinking tea and eating snacks.


    Then everyone wrote down their feelings about this season of the show and their expectations for the third season according to the requirements of the show.


    This program was recorded for over a month, spanning the Spring Festival. Everyone went skydiving and experienced various extreme sports together. They also figured out how to spend money to make money. They got up early every day and stayed up late every day to buy and cook food. They had accumulated a lot of experience and deep friendship.


    The messages were all about thanking each other and looking forward to seeing each other again next season.


    Jiang Sicheng, a careless and unserious person, wrote things very straightforwardly: ¡°I hope to go to a livelier place next season, so that I don¡¯t have to work hard to solicit customers¡­ Of course, it must be the same lineup.¡±


    Finally, everyone packed up their luggage, waved goodbye to the Forest Restaurant, which had been in operation for a month, and flew back home.


    When they parted ways at the airport, they agreed to meet again in the future. Zheng Peizu also specially pulled Qi Xiaoyu and said that if there is a new movie this year, he will definitely contact him.


    ****


    When Qi Xiaoyu returned to City S, he was overwhelmed with work.


    After experiencing the soaring ratings of ¡°Eat Light on the Road¡± and the vigorous birthday support, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fame has steadily increased.


    A steady stream of invitations from brands and magazines was sent to Yu Xiaosheng.


    After experiencing such elaborate birthday support, everyone had the impression that Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fans were very rich.


    Who wouldn¡¯t like an artist who has rich fans, good popularity in the industry, a positive image, no negative news, and works under his belt?


    According to Yu Xiaosheng¡¯s arrangement, Qi Xiaoyu immediately returned to the crew of ¡°The Legend of the Tang Dynasty Empress¡± to reshoot some scenes.


    The role played by Qi Xiaoyu was taken early, with only some early scenes added, and was completed in one or two days.


    The treatment Qi Xiaoyu received this time when returning to the crew was completely different from before.


    The last time he came to the crew, he was still a newcomer who had just emerged and become popular. Now he can be considered a small hit and has become a first-line traffic.


    The staff on the set no longer called him Xiaoyu but instead called him ¡°Teacher Qi¡± with a very respectful attitude.


    Then, after completing the TV series clips, Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t even return home that day and went to shoot for magazines again.


    This is different from the last interview with Youth Weekly. It¡¯s a special issue of the Spring and Summer issue of a fashion magazine.


    On the way to the shooting studio, Butler Cheng called Qi Xiaoyu and asked him what time he would be home, and then said, ¡°Xiao Hei is already at home, missing you.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled and said, ¡°Uncle Cheng, take good care of him for me.¡±


    Li Kun heard it from the side and asked, ¡°Your dog? You can bring it along for a photoshoot.¡±


    The author has something to say:


    White-browed Hero: Woof woof woof, who said I have a big belly? Bite you~

 CH 50

    TL: Hua


    Qi Xiaoyu covered the microphone and asked Li Kun, ¡°What time are we going to shoot tonight?¡±


    Li Kun looked at the time schedule and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s eight o¡¯clock when we get there, and we will probably shoot until two or three in the morning.¡±


    Then he added, ¡°The magazine team even asked about the dog this afternoon if they could borrow it for a photo shoot together.¡±


    This magazine is called Fashion Magazine. It has a high status in the fashion circle, and the quality of its photos is usually good.


    So among so many magazines that came to invite them, Qi Xiaoyu and Li Kun chose this one without a second thought.


    Now that the magazine wanted to photograph his dog, Qi Xiaoyu hesitated. After all, it was their first collaboration, so he still wanted to make it more of a pleasant experience for both parties.


    On the other end of the phone, Butler Cheng seemed to have heard the conversation between the two and suggested, ¡°Send the address of the studio, and I will bring Xiao Hei to you later.¡±


    After saying that, without waiting for Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s reply, he made the final decision: ¡°That¡¯s it; everyone at home is very free tonight. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Qi Xiaoyu sent the address.


    The studio is in the suburbs, so it¡¯s hard to find, but the place is quite big and the equipment is very professional.


    When Qi Xiaoyu and Li Kun arrived, there were already many people inside. The lighting engineer was adjusting the light, the prop manager was setting the scenery, and the photographer¡¯s assistant was carefully checking the equipment¡­ When the staff saw Qi Xiaoyu coming, they immediately came out to receive him.


    After the two parties introduced themselves politely, the staff¡¯s eyes fell on the two large bags of things Li Kun was carrying.


    The staff member looked at it curiously when she heard Qi Xiaoyu smile and say to her, ¡°I just passed by the food court and saw a shop selling steamed dumplings. I thought that everyone might not have time to have dinner, so I bought a few boxes. I don¡¯t know if the amount is enough.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu said it politely, but in fact, the two big bags combined would probably contain more than a dozen boxes of dumplings.


    The staff originally thought that Qi Xiaoyu brought clothes and cosmetics, but she didn¡¯t expect that he brought food. She hurriedly said, ¡°Teacher Qi is too polite; why did you bring food over?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled slightly. ¡°I want to eat it myself, not to mention the store said there would be a discount for buying more, so I bought it along the way.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ let me thank Teacher Qi on behalf of everyone.¡±


    The staff¡¯s eyes are full of smiles. Their requirements for the artists are very simple: come on time, be patient, don¡¯t lose their temper, and be willing to cooperate with the shooting.


    They are even happier to meet someone like Qi Xiaoyu, who is considerate and very eloquent.


    When others saw the hot, steamed dumplings, they felt much better about having to work at night.


    They had ordered takeout before, but since the weather is cold, it has long since cooled down since it was delivered. Everyone just casually ate a couple of bites and went back to work.


    The steamed dumplings brought by Qi Xiaoyu were still steaming, making people¡¯s appetites increase just by looking at them. Especially after taking one bite, the hot but not scalding soup melted in their mouth. They were so content that they all rushed to express their gratitude to Teacher Qi for the food.


    Qi Xiaoyu has just become popular, and most people have only seen him on variety shows. No one in the industry has had direct contact with him and doesn¡¯t know what he really is like.


    But as soon as he came here, he easily used the dumplings to gain a lot of goodwill.


    Then he went to put on makeup and change clothes, and everything went smoothly.


    There are three sets of scenes prepared for Qi Xiaoyu.


    One theme focuses on the fresh jungle style, using deep and light green, vegetation, moss, and rocks to create a quiet forest scene.


    The second one is a clean music boy with a simple home background, so they want to use the White-browed Hero as a prop.


    The last theme has a very different style, contrasting with the two above. The style gave off a Japanese schoolboy vibe. It was shot in a dark and mottled bathroom, trying to express the rebellious and unruly side of teenagers.


    In order, they shoot the jungle style first.


    Qi Xiaoyu put on a set of white thin chiffon, a palace-style shirt with a big bow tie on the chest, and black suspender pants. The stylist blew his hair up and combed it back, revealing the beautiful hairline and making him look like a beautiful boy who had just stepped out of the classical oil paintings of the last century.


    ¡°It looks good.¡± The stylist looked at the nearly flawless and perfect boy in the mirror with satisfaction. Then he turned to the makeup artist and asked, ¡°Cindy, come and take a look. Do you want the eye makeup to be lighter? His eyes are already big; I don¡¯t feel like they need to be accentuated.¡±


    The makeup artist named Cindy came over, and after meeting Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s gaze in the mirror, she even turned her eyes away shyly and said, ¡°I think it looks pretty good like this, but it¡¯s too light, and I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be three-dimensional enough in the photos later.¡±


    ¡°Then the whole thing should be a little heavier? Add a little more nose contour here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll retouch the outline here.¡±


    Fashion Magazine usually invites all big-name celebrities and A-list entertainers. Everyone has very precise styling requirements, but it has been a long time since the stylist and makeup artist have created makeup looks so carefully and delicately for someone.


    But today was different. They didn¡¯t feel it was a waste at all to spend time with Qi Xiaoyu.


    During the makeup process, Qi Xiaoyu not only cooperated but also bent down or lowered his head to facilitate their work and kept smiling no matter how much he was being tossed around.


    Although they were all very small details, it gave them a feeling of being fully respected and made them feel that Qi Xiaoyu deserved to be treated with such care.


    The two of them fiddled around Qi Xiaoyu for a long time, trying to tie the bows in the most perfect and casual way. They didn¡¯t let Qi Xiaoyu out until someone came to urge them.


    Li Kun helped him pull the door open.


    As soon as Qi Xiaoyu walked to the door, he bumped into someone.


    ¡°Be careful.¡± Li Kun shouted.


    ¡°Did you touch the flowers?¡±


    ¡°Let me see if my clothes are wrinkled.¡±


    The stylist and make-up artist saw Qi Xiaoyu being bumped into and ran out after them nervously.


    When they saw who he bumped into, they both smiled helplessly and said, ¡°Photographer Ma, aren¡¯t you afraid of breaking your precious camera if you are so clumsy?¡±


    ¡°We will be ready soon. Don¡¯t rush, Brother Xiaowei. We will finish the make-up well and save you time later.¡±


    The person who bumped into Qi Xiaoyu was a photographer named Ma Weiye. He is a famous photographer hired by Fashion Magazine, and you can hardly see him anywhere else except Fashion Magazine.


    At this moment, he held the Contax G2 in his arms and took a step back. His single eyelid but very large eyes carefully swept around the camera first before looking at Qi Xiaoyu.


    Ma Weiye also shaved an inch off his head. His facial features were square, and his eyes were big but widely spaced. When he frowned and protected the camera, it gave him a fierce and impatient feeling. However, when he looked up at Qi Xiaoyu, a playful light flashed in his eyes. ¡°Qi Xiaoyu?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Xiaoyu was stretching out his hands to ask the stylist to help him straighten his sleeves. When he heard Ma Weiye call his name, he looked over and said calmly and politely, ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Qi Xiaoyu.¡±


    Makeup artist Cindy introduced him with a smile: ¡°This is our photographer, Ma Weiye. He will take your photo later. Don¡¯t be too polite with him, and just call him Xiaowei.¡±


    Ma Weiye feigned anger and said, ¡°Call me Brother Xiaowei.¡±


    The makeup artist suppressed a smile and said, ¡°Okay, okay, great photographer, don¡¯t stick around here. We will be ready soon.¡±


    Ma Weiye¡¯s eyes stayed on Qi Xiaoyu, as if he were looking at him but also as if he were exploring. After a while, he turned away and said with a playful smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay; I¡¯ll just wait here and take him with me later.¡±


    Under Ma Weiye¡¯s gaze, Qi Xiaoyu calmly asked the stylist to arrange his clothes, but his mind was racing. Ma Weiye¡¯s tone just now was definitely not a greeting for a stranger when they met for the first time. It¡¯s a kind of surprise when you encounter someone you haven¡¯t seen in a long time.


    He quickly scanned his memories. He¡¯s quite sure that he doesn¡¯t know this person. Could it be that the original owner knew him?


    But according to the plot of the original work, it seems that there is no such character.


    Forget it. Let¡¯s not overthink. Qi Xiaoyu decided to wait and see what happened. There shouldn¡¯t be any problems if he¡¯s being more cautious.


    ****


    Then the shooting officially started.


    Qi Xiaoyu stood on the set, leaning against a dead tree, with his head resting on the trunk. The staff used dry ice to create the feeling of smoke in the forest.


    The assistant helped the lighting engineer adjust the lighting on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s body and asked, ¡°Brother Xiao Wei, is there anything else that needs to be adjusted?¡±


    Ma Weiye was chewing gum in his mouth, looking at Qi Xiaoyu through the camera frame, and said, ¡°It¡¯s quite good; he¡¯s quite photogenic. Keep the smoke small; don¡¯t block his face; hmmm, okay, keep it like this and don¡¯t move; I¡¯ll take a few shots with the film camera and then switch to the D810.¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    Under the smoke, the boy¡¯s eyes were hazy and clear, like a lost elf or a little prince who strayed into the mortal world.


    Ma Weiye raised his lips into a smile, asking the lighting engineer to change the angle and keep his finger on the shutter.


    This set of photos was taken much faster than expected. Qi Xiaoyu only changed a few positions, while Ma Weiye took hundreds of photos.


    The assistant asks, ¡°Are you shooting the guitar-playing set next? But the dog hasn¡¯t come yet.¡±


    Li Kun, ¡°The dog will arrive in half an hour.¡±


    Ma Weiye said, ¡°Then let¡¯s shoot the bathroom scene first.¡±


    He said with a smile on his lips, ¡°Take him to change clothes.¡±


    The clothes in the bathroom are Japanese student uniforms.


    Wearing a white shirt and black trousers, Qi Xiaoyu matched seamlessly with the handsome senior in Japanese comics.


    Li Kun was standing by with a towel and a hairdryer. The stylist said a little embarrassedly, ¡°Later on, we¡¯re going to get your clothes wet. It might be a little cold, so bear with it.¡± That tone and look contained a feeling of heartache for their own children.


    Qi Xiaoyu nodded. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not cold under the light.¡±


    The stylist even felt that the child was extremely well-behaved.


    After all the scenery nearby was adjusted, Qi Xiaoyu sat down against the bathroom wall. The shower above his head was turned on. Water fell on his hair and soaked his shirt.


    The white shirt clung to his skin, vaguely revealing the outline of the muscles in his upper body. He was slender but not weak, giving people unlimited reverie.


    Ma Weiye walked over with a cigarette in his mouth and squatted down to be at eye level with him. ¡°Can you smoke?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu doesn¡¯t know how to smoke, but¡­he pictured Xun Qian sitting by the window smoking and said, ¡°Yeah, okay.¡±


    He took a cigarette, held it between his fingers like Xun Qian did, and put it into his mouth.


    Ma Weiye looked at the way Qi Xiaoyu took the cigarette awkwardly, turned around and blew out a puff of smoke, and asked deliberately, ¡°Is it okay if you do it like this?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was stunned for a moment. He¡­ had never really smoked¡­


    He tried taking one breath and choked until he could only cough.


    Ma Weiye laughed out loud. ¡°There¡¯s no need to smoke so hard.¡±


    He took out another piece of paper and gave it to Qi Xiaoyu. ¡°Wipe it quickly.¡±


    The staff who had been busy with their own work saw the situation, and all of them came up at once, scolding Ma Weiye, ¡°Why are you bullying others? Can¡¯t he just pretend to smoke? Why did you trick him into inhaling it!¡±


    While the staff was comforting Qi Xiaoyu, he said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t know how to smoke; as long as you get the idea, the smoke effect will be edited for you later.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu lowered his head and touched his nose. He felt a little embarrassed to be surrounded and comforted like this.


    Amidst the commotion, the second set also finished smoothly.


    Just in time, Butler Cheng also brought the dog to the studio and was waiting outside.


    Qi Xiaoyu blew dry his hair carelessly, put on a down jacket, and ran out. There was a Maybach parked across the road at the corner.


    As Qi Xiaoyu approached, before he could get closer, the car window rolled down, and White-browed Hero¡¯s black head was exposed, lying on the car window and barking at him.


    Qi Xiaoyu quickly ran over, took the dog out of the car window, and then smiled at Xun Qian in the car. ¡°Didn¡¯t Doctor Song tell you to go to bed early and get up early every day? Why did you come here so late?¡±


    The cold wind of late winter and early spring poured in through the car window. Xun Qian¡¯s dark eyes fell on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s hair, which was still stained with water drops, and his wet clothes.


    He seemed to want to say something, but he held it back and simply said, ¡°Go back to the shooting quickly. I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu seemed to want to say something but held back. ¡°Then wait for me.¡±


    After saying that, he walked back with the little black dog in his arms, crossed the road, and turned back to wave to Xun Qian, ¡°Hurry up and close the window. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Probably knowing that someone is impatient, White-browed Hero was unusually cooperative tonight.


    He does whatever he wants to do¡ªpuffers his bum when he wants to pucker his bum, spits out his tongue when he wants to spit it out. Even when he was told to lie flat and show his tummy, he laid flat and didn¡¯t roll over.


    With White-browed Hero cooperation and the simple poses of the third set, Qi Xiaoyu only had to sit on the blanket and play the guitar while also playing with the dog.


    So this set was shot in less than an hour.


    After the three sets of looks were taken, Qi Xiaoyu took several more photos with the staff before leaving the studio.


    Coming out of the studio, Li Kun took Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s car keys very sensibly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll help you drive your car to the set of the film tomorrow. You go home quickly. Don¡¯t keep people waiting.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Qi Xiaoyu stuffed White-browed Hero into his down jacket and immediately ran to the Maybach on the other side.


    Behind him, Ma Weiye, who was wearing a peaked cap, was hiding in the shadows of the corner. He watched him get into the car, then took out his mobile phone and dialed a number.


    ¡°You recognized him right. The person with Qi Xiaoyu in that photo is really Xun Qian.¡±


    After he finished speaking, he leaned against the wall and showed a sarcastic smile, ¡°A person like him, who doesn¡¯t even want his own mother or uncle, would actually go to New Zealand for a little star, haha. Really interesting.¡±


    It¡¯s unknown what the other person on the other end said, but Ma Weiye¡¯s face suddenly darkened. ¡°No,¡± he said, and then he laughed softly.


    ¡°That little star ¡­¡­ is quite interesting, so give me some time and I¡¯ll figure out how to get started.¡±


    ****


    Butler Cheng had already opened the car door and was waiting.


    Qi Xiaoyu got into the back seat as soon as he arrived.


    Xun Qian took off the hand-warming cotton muff he was wearing, handed it to Qi Xiaoyu, and then took White-browed Hero into his arms.


    Qi Xiaoyu pushed back, ¡°I¡¯m not cold. You wear them.¡±


    Xun Qian didn¡¯t answer, but frowned slightly and said, ¡°Have you smoked?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu raised his hand and put it under his nose. ¡°Is there still a smell of smoke?¡±


    After saying that, he saw Xun Qian staring at him and started explaining, ¡°Today there was a set of photos where I was asked to smoke. But I didn¡¯t learn it on the spot, and I was laughed at.¡±


    ¡°I will teach you.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Xun Qian put the little black dog aside and took out a cigarette.


    With a snap, it was slowly lit.


    Under the firelight, his delicate and fragile profile, as thin as glass, seemed to melt away at any moment.


    But at the same time, it¡¯s exceptionally beautiful.


    Just like a piece of white porcelain that can shine through under a firelight.


    Xun Qian took a shallow breath and spit it out.


    Qi Xiaoyu followed Xun Qian¡¯s actions and took a cigarette, putting it between his lips and teeth.


    He was about to take the lighter from Xun Qian¡¯s hand, but as soon as he leaned his body to the side, someone suddenly held his shoulder.


    The night passed quickly outside the window, and rows of street lights connected to form a river in the dark night.


    Xun Qian suddenly placed one hand on his shoulder. Half of his body leaned over, his cheeks grazed against his, and the cigarettes between their lips touched.


    They were so close.


    Qi Xiaoyu could even hear the sound of burning tobacco and the faint breathing from the tip of Xun Qian¡¯s nose.


    ¡°Don¡¯t inhale too deeply, just as far as the throat; don¡¯t let it enter the lungs; and don¡¯t use too much force; just push out the smoke ring gently.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s entire attention was still on the dancing fire in front of him and the straight bridge of his nose when he suddenly heard a low, hoarse voice in his ears.


    Low and slow, like murmurs and whispers in a dream.

 CH 51

    TL: Hua


    Chapter 51


    Qi Xiaoyu had never been so close to anyone before, so close that he could count how many eyelashes Xun Qian had.


    However, such a close distance is not annoying.


    Xun Qian¡¯s voice is very pleasant, and the faint smell of cologne and Chinese medicine on his body is also very good. Even the thin smoke around him gives people an unreal and gorgeous feeling.


    Qi Xiaoyu felt that his heartbeat was abnormally fast.


    Xun Qian¡¯s hair seemed to be brushing against his face, tickling him slightly.


    He wanted to push the hair away, but he seemed to be stuck there and forgot how to move.


    Before he could fully react, Xun Qian retreated and leaned back in his seat.


    Xun Qian held the cigarette in his mouth and looked at him sideways. Then he smiled and held the cigarette between his fingers. ¡°Have you learned?¡±


    The cigarette in Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s mouth had burned down a little, but he completely forgot what Xun Qian had just said, so he instinctively took a puff and choked again.


    Qi Xiaoyu turned around in embarrassment and held the lit cigarette in his hand. He felt that he was burning from his cheeks to his ears. It seemed that what Xun Qian lit was not the cigarette, but his whole body.


    He covered his mouth and coughed for a while, and it took him a long time to recover. ¡°I don¡¯t want to learn anymore. It¡¯s not good for my throat¡­ Anyway, the photos can be post-processed. For other things¡­ let¡¯s wait until I play relevant roles.¡±


    He didn¡¯t even know why he followed Xun Qian¡¯s instructions and lit the cigarette earlier.


    Xun Qian put his hand on his back and patted him gently a few times, with a smile on his lips, ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t know how to smoke.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu covered her mouth and turned her head to look at him.


    In the mixed light and dark night, Xun Qian¡¯s good looks and gentleness made him feel a little itchy.


    It was like a small insect crawling softly on his heart.


    ¡°Are you sleepy?¡± Xun Qian suddenly said.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Xiaoyu was stunned for a moment before replying, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Actually, Qi Xiaoyu was fine at first, but after Xun Qian asked him, he really felt somewhat drowsy. After he came back from New Zealand, he first went to the crew and filmed. Because he had to go to a new film crew to audition for an OST and a character, he also spent his rest time reading the script and practicing singing.


    Work came one after another, and he didn¡¯t have much rest for several days. Today¡¯s shooting was completed ahead of schedule, but it was already past one o¡¯clock.


    Maybe it was because he hadn¡¯t rested for so long that he was mentally confused today and had some strange delusions.


    ¡°If you feel sleepy, take a nap. I¡¯ll call you when we get home.¡±


    ¡°Um.¡±


    *****


    The Maybach glides smoothly and lightly through the deserted streets like an arrow on an early spring night.


    When Qi Xiaoyu woke up again, there was a faint morning light on the horizon.


    He rubbed his eyes and suddenly woke up.


    He originally just wanted to take a nap in the car, but why did he stay asleep for so long and even lean into Xun Qian¡¯s arms?


    He slowly supported his upper body with the cushion. Xun Qian was still closing his eyes. His long eyelashes were distinct and covered his snow-white skin. In the dim morning light, there were only black and white colors in sight.


    The little black dog was sleeping on the other side of Xun Qian, lying on his back with his paws in the air, his belly rising and falling with his breathing, and he was snoring a little.


    ¡°Awake?¡±


    Hearing the sound, Xun Qian opened his eyes, which were also clean black and white.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Qi Xiaoyu wiped the corners of his mouth, wondering if he was drooling.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t wake up no matter what.¡± Xun Qian¡¯s expression was indifferent, but he could hear the teasing implication. He pointed to the little black dog beside him and said, ¡°You slept more soundly than him.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu pursed his lips and stared at the sleeping little black dog.


    After a while, he wrapped half of his body around Xun Qian and extended his hand to pinch the raised paw of the White-browed Hero. ¡°Little Chubby, wake up,¡± he said.


    White-browed hero moved his paws, broke free from Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s clutches, and went back to sleep.


    Xun Qian smiled.


    Qi Xiaoyu grabbed the white-browed hero¡¯s other paw and squeezed it, ¡°Little fat man, I¡¯ll leave you alone in the car later.¡±


    White-browed Hero continued to struggle, but this time Qi Xiaoyu had a firm grip and prevented him from breaking away.


    After struggling in vain for a few times, White-browed Hero finally opened his round eyes, half-raised his head, looked at Qi Xiaoyu in confusion, and then let out an extremely aggrieved howl.


    It had a round belly, and its eyes were filled with surprise and pity, as if it had been bullied. This appearance made both Qi Xiaoyu and Xun Qian laugh.


    After laughing, Qi Xiaoyu yawned, not having slept enough.


    ¡°Go back to your room and sleep more.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Qi Xiaoyu opened the car door, shivered in the cold morning wind, and quickly pushed Xun Qian back to the bedroom with the butler.


    It was just five o¡¯clock in the morning. Qi Xiaoyu yawned several times on the way back to the room. White-browed Hero was also drowsy in his arms, his ears were drooped, and his eyes were narrowed into slits.


    They had slept in the car for about three hours or so, and the time when the sun was about to rise was the perfect time to sleep.


    Back in the room, Qi Xiaoyu helped Xun Qian to the bed. The little black dog jumped from his arms to the bed, then chose a comfortable position and laid down immediately.


    Qi Xiaoyu clapped his hands and waved at the little black dog, ¡°Follow me back to the room.¡±


    Unexpectedly, the little black dog not only ignored him but also burrowed under the quilt and pointed its butt at Qi Xiaoyu, obviously recognizing that this was its territory and refusing to leave.


    Qi Xiaoyu reached out and poked its soft butt. ¡°If you don¡¯t sleep with me today, you won¡¯t be able to see me for a long time.¡±


    The little black dog wagged its butt and didn¡¯t move.


    Qi Xiaoyu yawned and poked the dog¡¯s butt again. Seeing no response, he thought to himself, Forget it. Let¡¯s just go back by myself instead of arguing with a dog.


    He was about to turn around when he suddenly heard Xun Qian, who was half lying down, say, ¡°If you are sleepy, don¡¯t go downstairs. Just sleep here for a while.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu felt that his IQ was a bit off today, possibly due to lack of sleep, so he replied smoothly, ¡°I haven¡¯t taken a shower.¡±


    Xun Qian smiled and said, ¡°Let the housekeeper change the sheets tomorrow.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu actually didn¡¯t object to the harsh words and instead said, ¡°Oh,¡± subconsciously, ¡°Then you cover the quilt. I¡¯ll just lie down.¡±


    Xun Qian¡¯s bed was quite big anyway, and it would be breakfast time in a few hours¡­ He was too lazy to go downstairs to his room.


    It¡¯s unknown how long he had slept, but when he woke up this time, it was bright and clear.


    The sun shines on the white gauze curtains, giving them a white sheen.


    Qi Xiaoyu turned over and looked to the side with squinted eyes. Xun Qian and White-browed Hero were not there. He was like a child lying in bed, hugging the whole quilt by himself, and refusing to get up.


    But in the cold spring weather, staying in bed like this is too comfortable.


    Relaxed, satisfied, and lazy, he was washing away the fatigue of work, like being trapped in a crystal dream.


    It wasn¡¯t until his cell phone rang and Li Kun asked him what time he would come to the set that he was brought back to reality from his lazy dream.


    This time, he went to the set of a movie called ¡°The Evil.¡±


    Yu Xiaosheng mentioned to him before that Kang Qitao asked him to sing an ost for the movie. Now that the movie is about to be filmed, he asked him to audition.


    He heard that there were still one or two roles to be decided, one of which was the little white dragon. Yu Xiaosheng said that it suited him very well and asked him to give it a try and win this role.


    Variety shows can attract fans, but they cannot solidify them.


    If he wants to establish a firm foothold in this circle and go a long way, he still needs to have representative works that can stand out.


    After Qi Xiaoyu answered the phone, he immediately got up from the bed, then went back to the room to take a shower and change clothes.


    Li Kun made an appointment with someone at one o¡¯clock in the afternoon, and it¡¯s already past ten o¡¯clock. If he rushed over now, the time would be just right.


    He put his gloves into the sleeves of his woolen coat and walked downstairs. In the living room, Xun Qian was using a toy ball with a bell to play with White-browed Hero.


    Xun Qian threw the ball, and the little black dog ran to pick it up.


    Xun Qian pretended to throw the ball out, and the little black dog ran to pick it up, and then started spinning around in confusion, looking for where the ball had gone, making the butler and servants in the living room laugh.


    This time, Xun Qian really threw the ball.


    The little black dog was halfway chasing the ball. When he saw Qi Xiaoyu coming down, he made a very difficult choice. He stopped rushing towards the ball, turned sharply, performed a drift on the spot, and changed his direction towards Qi Xiaoyu.


    Qi Xiaoyu caught the dog and stroked its fur.


    Xun Qian looked up at him and said, ¡°You¡¯re going out?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was holding White-browed Hero with one hand and putting on his clothes with difficulty with the other hand. ¡°Yes. I have work in the afternoon.¡±


    Xun Qian stopped talking.


    Mama Li interrupted in a low voice, ¡°Are you leaving now? The meal will be ready soon.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu stretched his neck and glanced at the kitchen. ¡°Are there any steamed buns? I can just bring something to eat on the way.¡±


    Mama Li and Butler Cheng both looked at Xun Qian, and the joyful atmosphere in the living room suddenly solidified.


    Xun Qian suppressed the smile he had shown when he was playing with the little black dog, but did not show an unhappy expression. He first said to Mamai, ¡°Go and prepare a lunchbox.¡±


    Then he said to Butler Cheng, ¡°Let the driver standby.¡±


    Butler Cheng and Ma Li acted independently.


    Qi Xiaoyu walked to Xun Qian with the little black dog in his arms and squatted down. ¡°I¡¯m going to audition for a movie theme song this time, and I¡¯ll also audition for a movie role. If I can get it, I¡¯ll probably have to stay on the set for over a month.¡±


    Xun Qian said nothing and showed no expression.


    Qi Xiaoyu rubbed the furry chin of the little black dog a few times and then put the dog in Xun Qian¡¯s arms. ¡°Don¡¯t make it fat again. No brand will look for it next time for a photoshoot. It can make money now.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Xun Qian took the dog and suddenly hooked his fingers on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s little finger.


    Qi Xiaoyu was stunned for a moment. Xun Qian¡¯s fingers were icy and slippery.


    But it only hooked for a second before letting go. ¡°Be careful.¡±


    This time, it was Qi Xiaoyu who responded.


    Then, Mama Li took two large boxes of packed lunches and followed Qi Xiaoyu to send him to the car.


    Butler Cheng stood behind the wheelchair, showing an expression of regret and confusion. ¡°You specially asked people to buy so many dishes, and they are all Mr. Qi¡¯s favorites. Why don¡¯t you ask him to leave later? A movie is not that important.¡±


    Xun Qian clenched his hand into a fist and pressed it to his lips, coughing intermittently for a while before stopping. ¡°But it¡¯s important to him.¡±


    After a while, he said, ¡°Let Zhang Han invest more.¡±


    *****


    Qi Xiaoyu held the lunch box and watched the car drive out of the broad and deserted main road of Xun¡¯s house.


    The Xun house behind him has been like a sanctuary since the Chinese New Year¡ªlike the theater troupe when his master and senior sister were still there, allowing him to relax and immerse himself.


    But it also made him uneasy.


    He was afraid that he would not be able to get out if he stayed in it.


    After all, there is never a true sanctuary in this world.


    The toughest thing is emotion, and the most fragile thing is emotion.


    It reminds him of that broad young man who chased his elder sister for four or five years and how deeply in love and sworn in the beginning, but in the end, he caused his elder sister to die in miscarriage, and he didn¡¯t even give her a proper status.


    His career has just started, he has no property or house of his own, and he still owes Xun Qian 20 million¡­ Although Xun Qian didn¡¯t mention it¡­ all this makes him feel anxious.


    What¡¯s more, he has traveled into a book. This book has its own story and main line. The protagonist of the story has not even appeared yet¡­


    Although he seemed to have changed the fate of Qi Xiaoyu in the few months after he came over, who knows whether the fate of other characters will change accordingly?


    The photographer from yesterday flashed through his mind again, and that person always made him feel a little strange.


    Qi Xiaoyu brought his distant thoughts to the present. His situation wasn¡¯t too bad at the moment.


    He is making more and more money now. Yu Xiaosheng told him a few days ago that the fee offered to him for the third season of ¡°Eat Light on the Road¡± is 1 million per episode. If he can obtain the role of the little dragon in ¡°The Evil,¡± the fee will be several million.


    There are also several endorsement deals being discussed¡­


    If everything goes well, it shouldn¡¯t take long before he can earn the number he wants. Only then will he be able to think about other things with peace of mind and be more capable of changing his destiny.


    *****


    The crew of ¡°The Evil¡± had several filming locations. The screen test and singing auditions were held in an office building in a creative park in the city center.


    Li Kun followed him carrying his things and said to him, ¡°I just heard from Brother Yu that, halfway through the process, someone came out to compete with you for the OST of this movie. And guess who that person is?¡±


    ¡°who?¡±


    This creative park is very creatively built. After getting out of the car, there is no main road to enter. There are only a few stone paths that lead to the building.


    Qi Xiaoyu was just wondering who was going to compete with him for the top spot when he saw Jiang Sicheng¡­ walking happily from the stone road next to him.

 CH 52

    Tl: Hua


    Qi Xiaoyu glanced at Jiang Sicheng, then looked back at Li Kun. He didn¡¯t know that Jiang Sicheng could sing.


    Li Kun shook his head quickly, ¡°It¡¯s not Young Master Jiang,¡± but he also showed a curious look, ¡°Why is he here?¡±


    Jiang Sicheng happened to be two or three meters away from them. When he heard Li Kun¡¯s words, he swung the key of the Porsche around his finger, raised his chin, and showed a very proud smile, ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here?¡±


    Then he asked, ¡°Qi Xiaoyu, are you here for the audition?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu nodded.


    Jiang Sicheng was even more pleased with himself. If he had a tail, it would be wagging more frantically than White-browed Hero, ¡°I¡¯m not here for an audition. Director Wang personally called me and said there¡¯s a character that suits me very well. He wants me to give it a try.¡±


    As he spoke, he shook his head and sighed, ¡°Hey, originally I wanted to take a break after recording the variety show, but Director Wang, he¡¯s so sincere, I can only come to take a look.¡±


    While listening to him, Qi Xiaoyu recalled the undetermined roles in the crew ¨C one of them was the white dragon he was going to audition for, one was the female character golden mouse, and the other one was¡­ the black bear spirit.


    Qi Xiaoyu looked at Jiang Sicheng and compared him with the black bear spirit ¨C the curly hair and the round eyes were somewhat similar.


    Thinking of this, he couldn¡¯t help showing a suppressed smile.


    Li Kun looked at Qi Xiaoyu and also stifled a laugh, presumably thinking of the same thing as him.


    But looking at Jiang Sicheng¡¯s expression, it seems that the director has not told him about it, and Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t mention it either. He only said, ¡°Well, it means you have talent.¡±


    Jiang Sicheng felt even better after being praised, ¡°Well, I think so too.¡±


    The three of them walked up to the second floor while talking.


    Because the crew¡¯s preparations for filming have been going on for some time and are now nearing the end, there is not much work left, so the corridor is quite empty.


    Li Kun looked at his watch and saw that it was still a little short of one o¡¯clock, so he suggested that Qi Xiaoyu go to the lounge to eat lunch first.


    Jiang Sicheng glanced at the two big lunch boxes in Li Kun¡¯s hands, touched his belly, and followed them very consciously.


    The lunch box contains glutinous rice balls, steamed pork ribs, braised tofu, and a separate portion of sliced duck. Each portion is separated by a divider and placed neatly, even the sauce for the sliced duck in a small box.


    The whole thing can be described in one word ¨C exquisite.


    Jiang Sicheng sat across the table and glanced at those dishes, ¡°The food looks good. Who cooked for you?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t pick up the hint thrown by Jiang Sicheng, and lowered his head to send a message to Xun Qian, ¡°I¡¯ve arrived and am currently eating lunch.¡±


    Although Mama Li prepared the food, she must have followed Xun Qian¡¯s instructions.


    After a while, a red 1 appeared on the crooked dog¡¯s butt profile pic.


    Another simple ¡°Yeah.¡±


    It¡¯s really hard to get even one more word out of this person.


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled, turned off the phone, and looked up to see that Jiang Sicheng had already picked up a piece of ribs and started eating it himself.


    Jiang Sicheng squinted his eyes while eating and said vaguely, ¡°Who are you messaging with? Girlfriend? Look at your expression, both Qingqing and I have better control over messaging than you do.¡±


    Li Kun felt the same way when he saw Qi Xiaoyu messaging just now, but he didn¡¯t dare to say it, and he also didn¡¯t forget to warn Jiang Sicheng, ¡°Young Master Jiang, don¡¯t talk nonsense, be careful that walls have ears.¡±


    As soon as he arrived here, his first impression was that the soundproofing here was not very good, and anyone talking in any room could be heard outside.


    Qi Xiaoyu himself didn¡¯t think anything was wrong with himself, but he was embarrassed by what Jiang Sicheng said. He put his phone away and shot back, ¡°Will Sister Qingqing ever send you a message?¡±


    Jiang Sicheng grunted and concentrated on eating.


    After eating, Li Kun went to throw away the leftovers. Jiang Sicheng rubbed his belly, waved to Qi Xiaoyu, and went to the director¡¯s room first.


    Qi Xiaoyu sat on the chair and waited for a while, but found that Li Kun never came back.


    He looked at the time and saw that it was already one o¡¯clock, then he got up and walked to the garbage room.


    As soon as he pushed open the first door, walked a few steps along the fire escape stairway, and reached the fire escape door, he saw Li Kun standing there, obviously listening to the situation.


    Qi Xiaoyu walked over quietly and listened along.


    There were two staff members inside. It¡¯s unknown what they were talking about from the start, but when Qi Xiaoyu came, he happened to hear one of them say, ¡°In terms of seniority, of course, Yuan Yaling is better. But right now Qi Xiaoyu probably has more traffic.¡±


    ¡°Qi Xiaoyu has been very popular recently. I liked him after watching that variety show, but in terms of singing, he is still a little worse than Yuan Yaling. Hiya, I don¡¯t know who Teacher Kang will choose in the end.¡±


    Being interrupted by Jiang Sicheng just now, Qi Xiaoyu even forgot to ask Li Kun who was trying to compete for the OST with him. Now it turned out to be Yuan Yaling.


    Qi Xiaoyu patted Li Kun on the shoulder, signaling him to stop listening. Li Kun threw away the leftovers and hurried to the recording studio with Qi Xiaoyu. Although the staff gossiped a little, they didn¡¯t say anything bad about him, and even said most surface-level ¡°facts.¡±


    After returning from the garbage room, before they even reached the recording studio, Qi Xiaoyu and Li Kun heard Jiang Sicheng¡¯s roar from the director¡¯s room next door, ¡°What? You asked me to play the role of Black Bear Spirit. Get lost! I want to play a role like Little White Dragon!¡±


    Well, Li Kun was right. The sound insulation here is indeed not very good.


    Then they heard the director¡¯s earnest advice, ¡°Why don¡¯t you try the makeup first? The human form of the black bear spirit is quite good-looking. It took us a long time to find¡­ a suitable actor like you.¡±


    The director¡¯s words didn¡¯t sound like a compliment¡­after all, he was a black bear spirit.


    Sure enough, it was Jiang Sicheng who roared again, ¡°You think I¡¯ll believe your word?¡±


    Jiang Sicheng roared so hard that the ceiling trembled, and both Qi Xiaoyu and Li Kun were amused.


    Amidst the shuddering aftershock, the two arrived at the door of the recording studio.


    It¡¯s unknown what kind of luck they had today, but they could hear gossip wherever they went.


    As soon as they walked to the door, they heard someone bringing up Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s name again.


    The discussion this time was much less polite than the two staff members just now.


    ¡°Old Kang, you worked so hard to make a song, how could you let someone like Qi Xiaoyu ruin it?¡±


    It was Yuan Yaling¡¯s voice, and his voice was full of regret.


    As soon as Qi Xiaoyu heard this, he gestured to Li Kun with his eyes.


    Li Kun understood, immediately took out his mobile phone, and opened the recording app.


    Since the last time on the set of ¡°The Legend of the Tang Dynasty Empress¡±, when Tang Kui secretly cut off the wires, Li Kun and Qi Xiaoyu have been more cautious, taking pictures and recording when they can, so that they can have proof when settling accounts later.


    The last time he recorded a variety show, there were countless cameras following him throughout the whole process, so he didn¡¯t have to worry so much. But now that someone is openly and directly slandering him behind his back, it¡¯s better to record it first.


    Yuan Yaling showed a fake smile while saying, ¡°He had been training for three months in the program group, but couldn¡¯t even understand the five-line score. His performance on the final day was merely luck. Old Kang, haha, we¡¯ve known each other for so many years, and yet you¡¯re looking for him instead of me.¡±


    Inside the room Kang Qitao coughed twice, ¡°Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s level is pretty good as far as I¡¯m concerned. Yaling, don¡¯t be biased against him. After all, there are many talented people in this generation¡­ Hey, you both can sing this song later and see who is more suitable. Anyway, I have sent you the music score before.¡±


    Yuan Yaling snorted, his tone naturally showing arrogance and disdain, ¡°What about him? Why is he not here yet?¡±


    At this moment, Qi Xiaoyu knocked on the door a few times, the sound was neither gentle nor harsh, but enough to cheer up the people inside.


    Everyone in the room looked up at the door.


    In addition to Yuan Yaling and Kang Qitao, there are three or four staff members.


    Seeing Qi Xiaoyu standing at the door, Yuan Yaling didn¡¯t show any embarrassment and raised his eyebrows. He felt that it would be nothing even if Qi Xiaoyu heard what he just said. After all, he said nothing wrong.


    After Yuan Yaling served as the mentor of ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees¡±, he recently took on the role of judge on a singing show.


    After two programs, he has gained some recognition, and his popularity is gradually rising.


    But there are also criticisms, saying that he is so old and can¡¯t produce his own work, that¡¯s why he will go on shows every day to make money.


    He does want to make money, but he also wants to make it decently.


    But in this environment, it is really difficult to release another record.


    Popular songs nowadays are either OSTs from TV series and movies, or works produced by young idols and have a large number of fans paying for them.


    He can¡¯t be an idol, so he can only set his eyes on movies and TV series.


    Among them, movies are of course better than TV series.


    What¡¯s more, the theme song of this movie was written and composed by Kang Qitao.


    The popularity of the song will not be low. If he can sing this OST, not to mention becoming famous, he can also increase his value.


    What is unexpected to him is that the candidate in Kang Qitao¡¯s mind would be Qi Xiaoyu.


    Yuan Yaling was not very happy when he found out about it.


    He has always had a bad impression of Qi Xiaoyu as he¡¯s been Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s mentor for several months on the show. How could he not know what kind of strength the other party had?


    Although Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s performance on the final night was indeed amazing, it was only a few lyrics after all.


    Moreover, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s current popularity relies on variety shows, not singing.


    As for why Qi Xiaoyu was favored by Kang Qitao, it was even simpler in Yuan Yaling¡¯s mind. It was just because he knew how to manage interpersonal relationships, just like his performance at Kang Qitao¡¯s birthday banquet.


    Yuan Yaling didn¡¯t give a good look, and Qi Xiaoyu also kept a polite distance throughout the whole process.


    He greeted everyone politely, then stood in front of Yuan Yaling and said, ¡°Long time no see, Teacher Yuan.¡±


    Yuan Yaling didn¡¯t know if it was his imagination, but he always felt that Qi Xiaoyu had a fierce aura that didn¡¯t allow people to approach him easily after not seeing him for a few months.


    Unfortunately, Yuan Yaling¡¯s previous inherent impression of Qi Xiaoyu was so deep-rooted that he didn¡¯t even notice the difference in this aura in time. He was even slightly angry, feeling that Qi Xiaoyu was arrogant due to his popularity.


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t talk to him much. His back was straight, his neck was slender and fair, his mouth was just slightly pulled up, and his good-looking face immediately put on a look of calm and self-respect, which made Yuan Yaling and those few staff a little afraid to talk casually.


    In the past, Yuan Yaling was the mentor and he was the trainee. He had to respect others and maintain the surface politeness and harmony. Even though Yuan Yaling deliberately made things difficult for him on the show, he had to endure it.


    But it¡¯s different now. They are on a level playing field.


    Yuan Yaling is the one who said something so unpleasant, so there was no need for him to be polite.


    *****


    ¡°The Evil¡± is a movie adapted from Eastern mythology.


    The theme is the battle between gods and dragons.


    The director¡¯s name is Wang Mingge, and the subject matter he is best at shooting is ancient legends. Firstly, he is good at using colors, thick reds, gorgeous yellows, and splash-like blacks. There is no color that he dares not use, plus exquisite costume. The cinematics alone can make many people willing to pay for tickets.


    Secondly, he is the best at discovering the beauty of actors. Legend has it that an actor who is only fifty percent beautiful can look extremely beautiful under his lens, and a perfect actor will surely leave stunning shots.


    According to the information obtained by Yu Xiaosheng, the role of the little white dragon is the most expensive and visually appealing character in this movie. If Qi Xiaoyu were to win it, he might soon be able to acquire a classic big-screen character with a stunning appearance. Moreover, according to the script, this character is very unfortunate and is likely to become a white moonlight for many people.


    In addition to being a good director, Qi Xiaoyu also remembered that when Kang Qitao was mentioned in the original book, he said that one of his masterpieces was the theme song of ¡°The Evil¡±, and the movie and the song were both a hit.


    Xun Qian provided him with a lot of resources and connections in the early stage, and now that it was time to seize the opportunity, he would never miss it.

 CH 53

    TL: Hua


    Yuan Yaling entered the studio to sing first.


    Before the sound of human voices began, a flute sound broke through the air, followed by the sound of war drums and thunder, and the sound of shining spears and armored horses1½ð¸êÌúÂí [j¨©n g¨¥ ti¨§ m¨£]: Directly translated to metal, dagger, arms, horse, a symbol of war in ancient China. echoed everywhere, instantly leading people to the battlefield.


    Then, when the rhythm was the most intense, the drums stopped abruptly, and a deep male voice sounded.


    It must be said that, as an old singer, Yuan Yaling¡¯s strength and foundation are very stable. He sang the whole song with ease, and there was no mistake in the high and low note transitions.


    He also sang the ups and downs in the song¡ªthe determination and confrontation between the gods and demons.


    Someone next to him even praised, ¡°Even if we directly released Teacher Yuan¡¯s singing into the movie, there is no problem.¡±


    Kang Qitao also felt that Yuan Yaling¡¯s singing was indeed good. They had worked together more than ten years ago, and he was also aware of Yuan Yaling¡¯s strength.


    After Yuan Yaling finished singing, everyone in the recording studio applauded.


    He walked out with a smile that he couldn¡¯t hide but still said, ¡°I haven¡¯t sung for a long time, so I¡¯m a little rusty.¡±


    Li Kun looked at Qi Xiaoyu with a little anxiety and nervousness.


    Although he knew that Qi Xiaoyu sang in a talent show and had performed well before, he had never taken on any music work since he followed Qi Xiaoyu. Meanwhile, his competitor was a mentor on the previous show and sang well. His heart began to feel uncertain.


    Qi Xiaoyu was the most relaxed one.


    He was well-prepared.


    Yu Xiaosheng sent him the script and music score as early as when he was recording the show in New Zealand. He also read the script and thought about the song in the past few days after returning.


    More importantly, he has been exercising his body and voice for the past few months, and his ability to control his voice and breath is much better than when he participated in the competition.


    As long as he can control his breath, with his original foundation, the effect will be twice the result with half the effort, and he will make great progress.


    He cleared his throat and walked in.


    Outside, Yuan Yaling was sitting on a chair and chatting with a staff member next to him.


    The staff respected Yuan Yaling very much. After all, he was an old senior and a mentor for several programs. ¡°My mother likes your songs very much.¡±


    Yuan Yaling smiled and nodded, feeling very satisfied. In recent years, there have not been many songs that he has been interested in. Now that he liked one, he wanted to get it. Seeing that the goal was almost achieved, he was in a good mood. Just as he was about to say a few humble words, the music sounded, and then a clear male voice, followed by the sound of drums, broke through the air.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s skills were no less than Yuan Yaling¡¯s. His control of breath and voice was also accurate enough, and he even had a clear and bright feeling that only teenagers have.


    Although the theme of the movie is the battle between gods and dragons, dragons are not born evil.


    It¡¯s just that the gods and demons have different positions, so the dragons have to go to the side of opposing the gods.


    Compared with gods, dragons are more tragic, more complex and changeable, and even more like the protagonists of the movie.


    Qi Xiaoyu read the script and focused on studying the character of the little white dragon. Compared with Yuan Yaling¡¯s simple confrontation and determination, he truly sang out the tragic feeling in the song that made people uneasy.


    As a result, when the song sounded, the emotions changed several times, accompanied by the sound of drums, pipa, flute, etc. Everyone was a little distracted for a while.


    At the door, director Wang Mingge was coming in.


    He had just coaxed Jiang Sicheng to try on makeup and immediately ran over here, first to listen to the effect of the theme song and second to observe Qi Xiaoyu.


    He spent a lot of time looking for a suitable actor for the role of the little white dragon.


    But the ones with acting skills are old, and the young ones have shortcomings.


    He had found two similar ones before, but they didn¡¯t meet his expectations after putting on makeup.


    He likes to use heavy colors in movies. Meanwhile, the little white dragon is dressed in white with light facial features and clear eyes, which can¡¯t support the whole picture and blend into the context.


    He was interested when he saw Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s information from Kang Qitao. Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s age and appearance met his requirements. Yu Xiaosheng happened to send him more detailed information and said he wanted to try the role of the little white dragon, so he agreed.


    He also watched Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s variety show and discovered Jiang Sicheng, the ¡°Black Bear Spirit.¡±


    Now, Wang Mingge stood at the door, watching Qi Xiaoyu sing in the recording studio. He had only one thought in his mind¡ªthis was the little white dragon he was looking for!


    When Qi Xiaoyu took off his headphones, everyone outside was still in a daze.


    Li Kun felt that all those rainbow farts from the fans praising Qi Xiaoyu weren¡¯t that exaggerated anymore.


    Yuan Yaling¡¯s face changed. Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s performance on the final night was a big surprise, but he didn¡¯t expect that he could improve so much more after a few months.


    Kang Qitao was also stunned. He originally invited Qi Xiaoyu to audition for Xun Qian¡¯s sake, but he never expected Qi Xiaoyu to perform so well.


    The staff who thought Qi Xiaoyu was not good just now also changed their expressions and tone immediately and looked at Qi Xiaoyu with some admiration. Knowing that Qi Xiaoyu can sing is one thing, but singing better than Yuan Yaling is another. After all, Yuan Yaling has been singing for more than 20 years. Although he has been relying on variety shows to gain popularity recently, he is also a senior.


    The sound of applause suddenly rang out at the door, and the people in the recording studio also reacted and applauded.


    Wang Mingge strode inside.


    He is in his fifties, with a very kind face and a military coat on. Compared to a well-known director, he looks more like your average neighborhood old man.


    After he finished clapping, he greeted Kang Qitao first: ¡°Are you choosing the theme song?¡±


    After getting Kang Qitao¡¯s affirmative reply, he pointed at Qi Xiaoyu and said, ¡°Whether you use this kid or not, I must use him.¡±


    Kang Qitao said, ¡°Oh,¡± and understood, ¡°Have you found the white dragon?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Wang Mingge said, and without caring about others, he waved to Qi Xiaoyu directly, ¡°Qi Xiaoyu, right? Come with me; let¡¯s try on Little White Dragon¡¯s look.¡±


    Jiang Sicheng was originally in a very irritable mood. Although the look of this humanoid ¡°black bear spirit¡± was not ugly, it was no different from those cannon fodders in the martial world. He was dressed in a gray, tattered cloth shirt. If he were thrown into the wilderness, no one would be able to find him.


    He was already on the verge of going crazy, and when he saw Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s look, he became even angrier. He took off his wig, threw it on the table, pointed at Qi Xiaoyu, and asked the director, ¡°Why are his clothes and design so much better than mine? That¡¯s it. I won¡¯t act anymore. The discrimination in your crew is too much.


    Director Wang, don¡¯t persuade me. Even if you tell me that acting is my talent, I won¡¯t act anymore. Unless you change my look!¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s makeup wasn¡¯t done yet; he just changed his clothes and put on a wig.


    But he was dressed in white with brocade around his waist and holding a silver frost sword. Even if he was just standing there, people were unable to take their eyes off him.


    Qi Xiaoyu lowered his head and brushed the long hair that fell from his cheek to the back. The light shone on his face and hands as if it were shining on ice and snow, making the makeup lights in the room lose their brightness. He was the only one with a special color between heaven and earth.


    Except for Jiang Sicheng, who still had the energy to shout, everyone else in the room was only concerned with admiring Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s appearance from head to toe, from toe to head, and no longer had the heart to think about anything else.


    After the director decided on Qi Xiaoyu and Jiang Sicheng, he asked them to go out with the crew to start filming the next day.


    Kang Qitao naturally also decided on Qi Xiaoyu to sing the theme song, and he would record it when he had time during filming. They were in the same crew anyway, and the time was easy to negotiate.


    Because they wanted to take pure natural scenery, the shooting location this time was quite far away, in a scenic spot more than a thousand kilometers west of S. City.


    After arriving, the lifestyle producer directly arranged for Qi Xiaoyu and Jiang Sicheng to stay in the same hotel suite; after all, it was said on the Internet that the two had a good relationship.


    Qi Xiaoyu had lived with Jiang Sicheng since the last variety show, and he was already used to it.


    Jiang Sicheng was still very unhappy and kept saying that Qi Xiaoyu was not allowed to wear the white dragon¡¯s makeup into the room and that he had to remove his makeup before going back to the room to sleep.


    Jiang Sicheng was not satisfied with just setting the rules, and he also muttered, ¡°It¡¯s fine if the clothes are nice; the makeup is nice too; why don¡¯t they put dragon scale makeup on me?¡±


    If Jiang Sicheng were to let go of himself a little more, he would be so jealous that he would whimper.


    Qi Xiaoyu was indeed more stunning with full makeup.


    The long hair that fell to his waist made him look handsome and elegant, and the silver dragon scales from the end of his eyes to his temples added a touch of coldness and nobility.


    His eyebrows were longer than usual, and his facial features were more three-dimensional after the contour powder was applied.


    With the heavily crafted white clothes that shone with the luster of dragon scales and his thin waist that was only one foot eight, outlined by brocade, he was exactly the prince of the Dragon Palace that mortals could not reach.


    Even the female lead, Cui Jing, couldn¡¯t help but joke after seeing her female warrior costume and comparing it with Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s: ¡°Director Wang, how come White Dragon¡¯s costume is better looking than mine? I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be outdone by him when the movie is released.¡±


    Wang Mingge laughed. ¡°Originally, White Dragon was responsible for looking good. You are responsible for the IQ of the whole show. The task is also very heavy.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, Director Wang, that¡¯s pretty much what you¡¯re saying.¡± Cui Jing ended the topic with a smile.


    After the actors have each changed clothes and put on their makeup, the next step is to take pictures, a set of makeup photos, and a set of character photos with scenes.


    Usually, taking makeup photos is done by colleagues in the production team.


    But the person who appeared today with a camera was not from the production team.


    Qi Xiaoyu was standing in the corner against the wall, texting with Xun Qian, when suddenly someone tapped his shoulder. He turned off his phone and turned around to see Ma Weiye, who had a shaved head, wearing Martin boots and carrying a camera, standing behind him.


    While Qi Xiaoyu was filming in the far southwest, his first fashion magazine was officially launched.


    On the cover of the magazine was a picture of him in a palace-style chiffon shirt photographed in the jungle.


    In the selected photo, he was leaning against a tree trunk with his eyes closed. The camera shot him from top to bottom, making him look like a sleeping beauty who required a kiss to wake up.


    One of the photos revealed was a photo of him wearing a wet white shirt and leaning against the wall of the bathroom, smoking.


    Although the smoke was added later, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s look, posture, and expression were all in place. He exuded the smell of hormones and was youthful and mature, especially seductive.


    When Butler Cheng saw these photos, he sighed three times in a row: ¡°Mr. Qi has grown up.¡±


    Xun Qian was coughing while looking at the message Qi Xiaoyu sent him on his phone. It was a selfie with makeup, and the dragon scales at the corners of his eyes made his whole face glow.


    Hearing what Butler Cheng said, he put away his phone and gently stroked the fur of the black dog in his arms. ¡°Ask Zhang Han to buy more.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for sure. Aunt Li and the others all want it. I told Zhang Han to buy at least 100 copies.¡±


    Butler Cheng said it very naturally and affirmatively.


    However¡­ Zhang Han didn¡¯t buy any.


    Zhang Han never expected that his smooth-sailing career would suffer a stumbling block in this matter.


    Because the online sale of magazines was at 10 a.m., he deliberately postponed the meeting during this period for 15 minutes. Then he opened his phone at 9:55 and added 100 magazines to the shopping cart.


    Then he kept looking at his phone and the clock. When it was 9:59:50, he started refreshing it, ready to place an order at any time.


    But within a second¡ªno, it should be said that it was less than a second. He just refreshed the watch and entered the checkout page, and it showed ¡°Your order exceeds the purchase quantity, and the transaction cannot be completed.¡±


    Zhang Han was stunned for a moment, thinking that one hundred copies might be too many. He cleverly changed it to ten copies and refreshed it again, and it showed ¡°The item you purchased has been removed from the shelves.¡±


    Ten thousand magazines were sold out in seconds.


    Zhang Han was desperate. He didn¡¯t expect that buying a magazine would be so difficult.


    He immediately exited the shopping page and searched online to see if anyone wanted to resell this issue of the magazine.


    But he found that many fish balls2The name of the Qi Xiaoyu fandom in case you forgot. were crying and saying that their rivals were too fast, and they couldn¡¯t grab them at all.


    Those who managed to grab it were full of pride. ¡°It¡¯s the first big issue of my cub; of course, I have to collect it well.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that I only managed to grab three copies, one for the office, one for displaying at home, and one for hand journaling.¡±


    ¡°Excited to have three brand new sets of little cub¡¯s photos soon!¡±


    Zhang Han looked at his phone and couldn¡¯t help but fall into deep thought. How should he get a hundred magazines? Print them himself? Buy it back at a high price? Or put an advertisement for Fashion Magazine and ask them to reprint this issue?


    Zhang Han held his chin in thought and felt that he was in a difficult situation.

 CH 54

    TL: Hua


    It was already the end of February and the beginning of March. The spring atmosphere was getting stronger, but the temperature in the mountains was still very low, and the frost on the wild grass and vines had not melted, giving off a hint of cold air.


    When filming in the wild, as long as it wasn¡¯t their turn to go up, everyone wrapped themselves in a thick down jacket.


    But the person being filmed is quite miserable. Even if they wear less in low temperatures, they still need to maintain their best acting condition.


    The scene being filmed now was a scene in which the white dragon played by Qi Xiaoyu rose from the bottom of the water after Nirvana and was reborn, representing the dragon clan, to negotiate with the heavenly court.


    Qi Xiaoyu stood next to the waterfall that fell three thousand feet straight down, and the cold water splashed on his clothes. He opened his mouth, but before he could speak, a cloud of mist came out and covered half of his face.


    The director shouted ¡°cut¡± immediately, ¡°Xiaoyu, you can¡¯t do this. The breath you exhale is too heavy, and the picture is ruined.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s clothes are the most expensive and the best-looking, but they are also the least warm. Apart from looking beautiful, they are almost useless. Those glittering scales designed for beauty are as heavy and cold as ice, making people uncomfortable.


    More importantly, this outfit is tied too tightly at the waist and cannot be secretly fitted with thermal underwear.


    It just so happens that in this scene, he has the most lines, and the high-definition camera can even shoot his pores clearly, let alone his misty breath.


    The assistant director heard it and said, ¡°It¡¯s too cold, and misty breath will definitely come out.¡±


    After saying that, seeing that Wang Mingge¡¯s expression did not change, he tentatively suggested to Qi Xiaoyu,


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try holding some ice cubes in your mouth, Xiaoyu? If the temperature in your mouth is low, you shouldn¡¯t exhale misty breath.¡±


    The assistant director was also embarrassed.


    Wang Mingge looks easy to talk to, but he is very strict when filming. He can¡¯t tolerate any mistakes. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have spent so much time choosing an actor.


    But for Qi Xiaoyu, he didn¡¯t dare be too picky.


    Since Qi Xiaoyu joined the crew, Kang Qitao has brought a considerable amount of additional investment, saying that it¡¯s coming for Qi Xiaoyu.


    The people on the director¡¯s team are not stupid. They immediately understood what he meant.


    These days, everyone has taken care of Qi Xiaoyu and hasn¡¯t let him suffer any hardship in the crew. The makeup artist gave him the best makeup, and daily rehearsals were arranged for him during the day. He basically didn¡¯t stay up all night with the crew.


    But today¡¯s situation was really a bit difficult.


    The temperature at the water¡¯s edge was at its lowest, and he had to take the big shot all by himself, so there was no way to get rid of the misty breath the fastest except by containing ice.


    When Li Kun heard this, he was so distressed that he hurried over to discuss with the assistant director, ¡°The weather is cold. Are you trying to kill him?¡±


    Jiang Sicheng came to watch the commotion with a hot water bottle in his pocket, and he also couldn¡¯t help complaining, ¡°Told you that this crew is unscientific. Can¡¯t you just put a few heaters next to him? The kind with high power and super strong warm wind will definitely stop the misty breath.¡±


    The assistant director directly filtered out Jiang Sicheng¡¯s words as if they were nonsense. Not to mention connecting wires such a long distance, the strong wind by the waterfall alone would make any heater useless.


    Qi Xiaoyu thought it was okay when he heard this proposal. Although it was a little cold, he could bear it. He had worked much harder in the troupe before.


    Besides, no matter how much he suffered in the troupe, he didn¡¯t know what his future would be. It was nothing compared to the script he had in his hand. In order to look good on the big screen, it was worth it.


    He agreed immediately: ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as the misty breath can be stopped.¡±


    The staff hurriedly brought ice cubes, as if he were afraid that Qi Xiaoyu would regret it.


    The crew directly packed ice cubes in plastic bags. The weather was cold, and the ice cubes would not melt when left outside. The plastic bags were frozen and stuck together.


    The female lead, Cui Jing, who was standing opposite Qi Xiaoyu, ran over to give advice: ¡°Don¡¯t hold a whole piece at a time. Break it up and put it in little by little. Get used to it slowly.¡±


    After filming these days, the people in the crew got along well with Qi Xiaoyu.


    Although the crew was very mixed, with people from various entertainment companies, such as the male lead Liu Feng from Orange Juice Entertainment and the female lead Cui Jing from Feichi Media, everyone was not stupid. They could see that the director¡¯s team was taking care of Qi Xiaoyu. No one wanted to get into conflict with the person the director team was taking care of.


    Besides, Qi Xiaoyu is likable, good at talking, and knows how to behave, so when he was about to put an ice cube in his mouth, someone among the other actors who were going to appear in this scene said,


    ¡°Cheer up and don¡¯t NG.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t let Xiaoyu get frozen.¡±


    They were standing far away, but seeing Qi Xiaoyu standing by the waterfall, with wind, water, and ice cubes beside him, it felt quite cold.


    Over here, Qi Xiaoyu put the ice cube in his mouth without hesitation.


    It was really cool and refreshing, almost like swimming in winter.


    As soon as he put it in, the ice cube touched the inner membrane of the mouth, and he felt his whole mouth frozen and numb instantly.


    The staff looked at him and said, ¡°Can you talk? More?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu took a deep breath and removed the ice cube stuck on his palate. His voice was a little trembling. ¡°Yes, more.¡±


    After he had almost half a mouthful of ice cubes, his entire mouth was basically frozen and numb. When he opened his mouth again, the misty breath finally stopped coming out.


    Wang Mingge looked at Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s face close-up through the camera and then slowly pushed a distant view. Behind Qi Xiaoyu was the Jiutian Waterfall, and above his head was the blue and dry sky. Only he stood there alone, with violent eyes and a sword drawn, as if he were going to be an enemy of the whole world.


    Wang Mingge nodded and was finally satisfied with the effect: ¡°Not bad, okay, let him relax his expression a little more; don¡¯t be so tense; it¡¯s too much.¡±


    Li Kun watched from the side, feeling sad and distressed. He used his mobile phone to take pictures and record video silently. For ordinary celebrities, if they shoot a summer drama in winter, they will send a lot of press releases to praise their professionalism for not having misty breath coming out of their mouths. He would feel sorry for his salary if he didn¡¯t brag about Qi Xiaoyu.


    Ma Weiye also looked over from a distance. He leaned on a prop carriage, fiddling with the camera while watching Qi Xiaoyu swallow the ice cubes, then raised the camera and ¡°clicked¡± a few shutters. The beauty of eating ice in the cold winter was quite touching.


    This was quite different from the Qi Xiaoyu he knew before.


    Ma Weiye held a cigarette in his mouth, tilted his head, and took out the vibrating mobile phone from his pocket. A bunch of messages from the same person popped up on the interface. He pressed the clear option for all of them, then clicked randomly at a makeup photo taken of Qi Xiaoyu a few days ago¡ªthe original photo that had not been refined.


    After the scene was shot, Qi Xiaoyu felt that he was completely frozen and unconscious.


    As soon as Wang Mingge called for a stop, Li Kun immediately took a down jacket and a thermos cup over.


    ¡°How is it? Do you want a cup of Isatis root? Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu rubbed his hands and drank a small amount of hot water. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Li Kun looked at his purple lips and said, ¡°It¡¯s already March; the temperature should rise after a while.¡±


    Jiang Sicheng threw over the warm water bag he was holding in his hand and wrapped his brown fur coat tightly. ¡°What¡¯s the use of looking good? Clothes are better to be practical.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t even say thank you to Jiang Sicheng now, and he sat down next to a heater with the hot water bag in his pocket.


    He had a lot of shots in this scene, and he would have more later.


    After sitting for a while, Ma Weiye came over with a cup of something.


    As he approached Qi Xiaoyu, he shoved the things in his hand towards him and said, ¡°Are you ok?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu saw that it was a box of instant milk, but he didn¡¯t take it.


    Ma Weiye shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s hot, and it can replenish your energy. Don¡¯t you have a few scenes to shoot later?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu said politely, ¡°Thank you; it¡¯s quite cold. You still need to take pictures; don¡¯t give them to me.¡±


    Ma Weiye was not embarrassed and found an empty stool to sit down next to him. ¡°Well, I still need to take pictures¡­ Your makeup photos are ready; do you want to see them first? If there are any that need to be refined, just let me know, and I will retouch them for you according to your ideas.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was still polite: ¡°You are the photographer specially found by Director Wang; just retouch them according to your opinions.¡±


    Ma Weiye put his hands on his knees as if he had encountered a setback, lowered his head, and said jokingly, ¡°Actually, I just want to find an excuse to add you on WeChat. Why is it so difficult? After all, we have worked together several times.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu did not answer.


    After a while, Ma Weiye lowered his head and looked at Qi Xiaoyu from bottom to top. ¡°If the private number doesn¡¯t work, how about I add your assistant¡¯s work number?¡±


    Li Kun looked at Qi Xiaoyu.


    Qi Xiaoyu thought about it and decided that they would indeed have some overlap in work since they were on the same crew. He nodded and asked Li Kun to add Ma Weiye¡¯s WeChat with his work number.


    Ma Weiye added WeChat, sighed again, and then walked away.


    Although the temperature was low and the wind was strong, the weather was good, the visibility was high, and there was a moon at night. With the lighting, the photos were more beautiful.


    In order to seize the right time and place, Wang Mingge forced everyone to exert their potential and produced a lot of usable clips.


    After finishing the filming, although it was not very late, everyone felt that their bodies were hollowed out.


    After returning to the hotel, Qi Xiaoyu took a hot bath before Jiang Sicheng, then changed into pajamas and collapsed on the bed.


    He spread out on the bed, not wanting to move even a finger.


    The scenes later today were very tiring. Perhaps because Qi Xiaoyu was quite used to holding ice cubes, Wang Mingge felt that he had great potential to be developed. Within one day, he was asked to shoot underwater scenes and a section of martial arts scenes with wires.


    It really took him a lot of effort to go up and down the sea.


    Qi Xiaoyu lay down for a while, almost falling asleep in a daze, and suddenly he shuddered again, remembering that he seemed to have forgotten to reply to Xun Qian¡¯s message.


    Xun Qian seemed to have sent him a message, but he was in a hurry to shoot and had no time to reply.


    He stretched out his hand and hooked the phone on the bedside.


    As soon as he unlocked it, the phone vibrated. He quickly opened it and saw that it was indeed from Xun Qian, asking him if he had finished work.


    There was another message that he hadn¡¯t replied to in the afternoon, which was a picture of White browed Hero¡¯s lunch.


    Qi Xiaoyu was typing on his phone, and just after typing the three words ¡°just finished work,¡± he deleted them all.


    Then he glanced in the direction of the bathroom, where he heard the sound of water splashing and singing.


    Jiang Sicheng usually takes half an hour or forty minutes to take a shower. Seeing how he was washing and singing, it would probably take longer.


    Qi Xiaoyu himself is too tired to type, so he pressed the video call button.


    Xun Qian was a little surprised when he received the video invitation. He and Qi Xiaoyu had never had a video call.


    Not only Qi Xiaoyu, he had never had a video call with anyone.


    He didn¡¯t need to video call with others. His relationship with others was either as cold as an enemy or as simple as that of superiors and subordinates. He only needed to give orders.


    Except for Qi Xiaoyu, no one dared to send him a video request.


    He was stunned for a moment.


    The little black dog next to him heard the noise and barked around the wheelchair.


    He first put away the magazine in his hand, then took out a handkerchief and pressed it to the corner of his mouth to cough a few times before pressing the connect button.


    Qi Xiaoyu on the other end of the video had just finished taking a shower, and his hair was still a little wet.


    Xun Qian thought that he must have placed his phone on the bed and looked at the camera with his face tilted, so the face on the screen was a little distorted but still very good-looking.


    Xun Qian also thought that Qi Xiaoyu must be very tired today; his eyes were barely open, and his face was a little swollen.


    So the first thing Xun Qian said after connecting the video was, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping yet?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled and said, ¡°Who would advise others to sleep right after a video call?¡±


    Sure enough, he was tired, and his voice was eight degrees softer than usual.


    Xun Qian also smiled. He chose a comfortable position, holding the phone in his right hand and the black dog in his left hand. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at Xiao Hei?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu stared at the screen carefully for a while. ¡°Has it gained weight?¡±


    Xun Qian stroked the dog¡¯s fur and said, ¡°It¡¯s about 7 or 8 kilograms now.¡±


    ¡°It weighed 7 or 8 kilograms in just a few months. At this rate, it will probably grow to 20 or 30 kilograms when it grows up.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu, ¡°What did Mama Li cook for him today? Pies?¡±


    ¡°Beef pie.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, it¡¯s better than what I eat.¡±


    Xun Qian shifted his gaze from Xiao Hei back to the screen, lowered his eyelashes gently, and asked, ¡°When will you finish filming?¡±


    ¡°It should take another month.¡±


    Xun Qian said ¡°oh¡± with an ambiguous meaning, then looked up at the screen again and said, ¡°You should rest early.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu ended the video, looked at the chat page with Xun Qian for a while, then turned his head to look out the window of the hotel, feeling very relaxed¡ªa soothing relaxation.


    Then he set the alarm clock and prepared to cover himself with the quilt to sleep. Suddenly, he realized that he was acting a little spoiled just now when he said, ¡°better than what I eat¡±.


    He tried to concentrate his somewhat sleepy consciousness and recalled whether his tone just now was spoiled¡­ and whether Xun Qian noticed the difference in his tone.


    Today¡¯s shooting was indeed the most tiring day compared to other days, but he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d suffer so much that he¡¯d act spoiled¡­


    Whether he was standing in the cold wind with ice cubes in his mouth or filming in the water with a temperature of several degrees below zero, he didn¡¯t care about being tired when he was working. He only felt that this was a job, and he had to do his best to complete it well.


    And he really thinks it¡¯s nothing. What job isn¡¯t hard work? Who doesn¡¯t work hard to make a living? Not to mention the fact that he gets paid so much for his work.


    But when he was on video call with Xun Qian just now, he seemed to have a vague feeling of seeking comfort, so what kind of tone did he use to speak?


    This kind of emotion only occasionally occurred in front of his senior sister before, when he was very young.


    Qi Xiaoyu scratched his hair regretfully and even a little shyly, feeling that he was a little pretentious. He was obviously fine during the daytime filming, so how could he have so many awkward emotions when facing Xun Qian?


    After filming that day, the director seemed to have discovered more possibilities for his actors and pushed them to break through themselves.


    Then, after more than a month of filming in several places, the filming of ¡°The Evil¡± is finally coming to an end.


    At the same time, a series of starring posters, character stills, and theme songs are also ready to be released soon.

 CH 55

    TL: Hua


    Fishballs, knowing the news, have all packed their small benches and are eagerly waiting to receive fresh and beautiful pictures. Related topics such as Qi Xiaoyu, the little white dragon, ¡°The Evil,¡± and Qi Xiaoyu have also been trending early. Fans are waiting for the pictures to be released to push another round of trending searches.


    Everyone is full of expectations for the appearance of the white dragon; after all, the white-clothed, slender waist under the high-gloss lens has already hit the hearts of countless people, as seen in the roadshow photos.


    And Qi Xiaoyu hadn¡¯t sung for a long time. They watched the video of the previous competition repeatedly, and they had watched every minute and every second and knew every move by heart. Everyone was crying out for new resources to make up for the loss.


    Fans were rubbing their hands and waiting, watching the official blog of The Evil for the release of stills and theme songs while scrolling through Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s entries to pass the time.


    Then they found out that someone had started to slander them again.


    The cause was an interview.


    The protagonist of the interview was Yuan Yaling, who was currently a judge on a music program.


    Yuan Yaling didn¡¯t look very good. It was said that he got sick due to overwork, but he still recorded the show and accepted interviews.


    He first talked about the performances of the young singers in the show and commented on them one by one, which was considered polite and fair.


    Then the conversation changed to, ¡°I don¡¯t have any special requirements for them. First, I hope they practice well and strive to have an outstanding performance in the competition. Second, don¡¯t be like the students in the previous show. After they become famous, they forget that I was their mentor. It¡¯s disappointing.¡±


    The implication is that the students who were taught in the previous show became ungrateful and disrespectful to their teachers after they became famous.


    Then some people blew this statement out of proportion and speculated about who the young artist Yuan Yaling was referring to.


    It was because of Yuan Yaling¡¯s unclear words and his recent tendency to appear on similar programs that it felt like so many artists were caught in the crossfire for a moment.


    When fans saw this, they all rushed to take their idols away and throw dirty water at others.


    After all, in today¡¯s society, where filial piety is emphasized, being accused of disrespecting teachers will always affect people¡¯s impressions, no matter how good you are in other aspects.


    ¡°My family idol left a message on Weibo for his mentor during the Spring Festival. He¡¯s not the kind of person who would not recognize his mentor. Whoever is the white-eyed wolf in the claim has nothing to do with us.¡±


    ¡°My family¡¯s little brother always bows when he sees his elders, so I¡¯ll take him away first. You can discuss who Teacher Yuan is talking about by yourself.¡±


    When one or two Fishballs first saw these Weibo posts, they didn¡¯t take them to heart at all. They thought that such remarks could not be related to their own cub. After all, Qi Xiaoyu was known for having a good personality. No matter which program he recorded or who he partnered with, he was praised for being sensible and a good person.


    But¡­ after more than ten minutes, when Fishballs saw this Weibo again, they felt something was wrong. They don¡¯t know if it was intentional or unintentional, but the top comments all said that the person Yuan Yaling was talking about was Qi Xiaoyu.


    He has been under Yuan Yaling¡¯s mentor and is now becoming popular. Didn¡¯t Qi Xiaoyu meet these two criteria? Moreover, during the Spring Festival this year, many trainees in ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainee¡± left messages on Yuan Yaling¡¯s Weibo, except Qi Xiaoyu.


    For a while, rumors about Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s disrespect for his predecessors quietly emerged.


    Yuan Yaling himself was really sick, but it was just a minor cold caused by weather changes. The main symptom was tonsillitis. He took a few days off to rest at home. While resting, he couldn¡¯t help but want to make trouble.


    When he came out of ¡°The Evil¡± crew that day, Yuan Yaling felt uncomfortable. He couldn¡¯t get over the fact that he had lost his face and couldn¡¯t swallow this matter. Since Qi Xiaoyu was going to play the role of the white dragon, why did he compete with him for the theme song?


    Especially recently, he heard from others that after Qi Xiaoyu joined the crew, someone invested in him, and he felt even worse.


    He also heard that Wang Mingge attached great importance to the production of this theme song, spent seven figures, used the best recording studio, invited the industry¡¯s top accompaniment team, and Kang Qitao also used his connections to find a very famous recording engineer to record, which made him so jealous that he couldn¡¯t sleep well for several days.


    On the one hand, he couldn¡¯t accept the fact that he couldn¡¯t compare with Qi Xiaoyu, and on the other hand, he felt that Qi Xiaoyu had taken away his things and blocked his way to become popular again.


    Now, sitting in front of the computer, he saw that, under the guidance of the water army he had hired, some people gradually believed that Qi Xiaoyu was not a good person. Finally, the jealousy from the past few days has been discharged.


    Although Yuan Yaling didn¡¯t name anyone, such a hidden connotation was the most disgusting.


    Seeing someone bullying Xiaoyu, Fishballs immediately rushed out to protect their cub, but they were all very rational and didn¡¯t curse impulsively. Instead, they left a very gentle message under Yuan Yaling¡¯s interview on Weibo: ¡°We respect our predecessors and hope that they can explain the matter clearly to avoid misunderstandings and bad influence on other artists in the circle.¡±


    Because Fishballs¡¯ attitude was very humble and Yuan Yaling was hesitant, even passersby couldn¡¯t stand it and directly said, ¡°If you have something to say, just say it. If someone did something to you, just say it by name. Don¡¯t be so ambiguous.¡±


    ¡°Who made you feel so disappointed? What makes you feel disappointed? Say it honestly; don¡¯t be ambiguous and make people confused. Eating a melon doesn¡¯t make it any easier.¡±


    After a while, some fans who are following the music program but don¡¯t like Yuan Yaling also came out to mock, ¡°Our mentor Yuan is just like this¡ªso old, he can¡¯t produce any works, and he still likes to compete with young people for traffic. Haha.¡±


    ¡°Some people can do anything for popularity. If the student ignores the mentor after the program ends, perhaps the mentor is the problem.


    Yuan Yaling was happy for less than five minutes, and when she saw these remarks, he immediately became more angry.


    He gritted his teeth and pondered for a while, and another group of water army came out.


    ¡°What kind of position is Yuan Yaling in? At least he¡¯s a senior in the music industry. Qi Xiaoyu is a newcomer, and if there¡¯s really nothing wrong, why would Yuan Yaling say this about him? The two have no resource conflicts, and they have no intersection after the competition. Why does he need to blacken Qi Xiaoyu?¡±


    This wave of attacks seems to be effective. Some people who were originally wavering slightly leaned towards Yuan Yaling. On the one hand, they felt that Yuan Yaling really didn¡¯t need to blacken Qi Xiaoyu, and on the other hand, they felt that Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s performance in the variety show was quite good, unlike what Yuan Yaling said.


    At this time, Zheng Peizu posted on Weibo, ¡°Although the trip is over, Qi Xiaoyu still remembers that I like to eat beef jerky, and he specially sent me local beef jerky when he was filming outside.¡±


    As soon as Zheng Peizu¡¯s Weibo came out, Fishballs immediately rushed out. ¡°You said Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t respect his predecessors, so why did Zheng Peizu praise him again and again? Among the artists who have worked with Xiaoyu, no one has said that he is not good, except Yuan Yaling.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about Zheng Peizu, but just think about how many people sent blessings to Qi Xiaoyu on his birthday this year. If he doesn¡¯t respect his elders, are those people being threatened to send him a blessing?¡±


    Yuan Yaling was so angry that his teeth itched, and even his inflamed tonsils were burning with pain.


    He and Zheng Peizu were old acquaintances. They were about the same age. They had performed on the same stage at several evening parties. There was a TV series starring Zheng Peizu that invited him to make a friendly guest appearance.


    Now, seeing Zheng Peizu jump out to speak for Qi Xiaoyu first, he felt very depressed.


    Especially at this time, there are people who are talking to him, ¡°Please clarify who you are referring to in the interview, and don¡¯t attack innocent people. It¡¯s not easy for young idols nowadays to maintain a good image. If it¡¯s groundless, please apologize to everyone publicly.¡±


    He originally just wanted to allude to Qi Xiaoyu and leave some stains on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s character, but he didn¡¯t expect that he would be in a difficult situation now.


    The cast and crew of ¡°The Evil¡± are currently filming their last few days of scenes in C City.


    Qi Xiaoyu is wearing full makeup and following Wang Mingge to learn some directing knowledge, such as composition and how to switch lenses.


    This is the crew he has followed the longest so far.


    At the beginning, he encountered problems in filming, so he went to Wang Mingge for advice. Gradually, he found that he could learn a lot of things he had never touched before by following Wang Mingge. Later, whenever he had time, he ran to the director¡¯s team to help and learn at the same time.


    Wang Mingge also liked this junior, thinking that he was hard-working, dedicated, smart, and studious. During the filming process, he would give some advice on anything he could teach.


    For example, now he pointed to the one that was NG just now and asked Qi Xiaoyu, ¡°Xiaoyu, come here, tell me why this one didn¡¯t work.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu looked carefully. ¡°Is it because Sister Jing was too emotional?¡±


    Wang Mingge patted Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s shoulder, showing a satisfied look. ¡°Yes, if it¡¯s too much, there will be no restraint. There will be no restrained beauty in the filming. You can see that the whole picture is quiet, so she can¡¯t be too¡­Okay, go and rest first, and continue filming in the afternoon.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu helped Wang Mingge make a new pot of tea before returning to his resting place.


    Li Kun and Jiang Sicheng saw him coming back and immediately told him about the things on the Internet.


    After saying that, Li Kun couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°He¡¯s old, but he¡¯s still so active.¡±


    The people who were sitting next to him and resting heard about this, and they all sympathized with Qi Xiaoyu. They felt that this was really fabricated slander. He was filming with the crew, but he was still being blamed. Everyone advised Qi Xiaoyu to think more positively.


    ¡°When you become famous, someone will come up to slander you. It¡¯s always like this.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart. Just pretend you didn¡¯t see it. What can you do with such a person?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu thanked everyone for their concern, then pulled Li Kun to one side and asked, ¡°Is the recording from last time outside the door still there?¡±


    Li Kun quickly nodded his head. ¡°Yes, do you want someone to send it out? He said you don¡¯t respect him, but if people heard the recording, they would know who¡¯s the one looking for trouble.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu shook his head and said, ¡°Send the recording to Teacher Kang.¡±


    ¡°Send it to him?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu nodded affirmatively, ¡°Let him decide whether to publish the recording.¡±


    Li Kun was confused for a moment, and then he immediately understood that Yuan Yaling and Kang Qitao were friends, and Kang Qitao was also involved in this matter. It really needs Kang Qitao¡¯s consent. Otherwise, if he privately releases the recording, it will make Kang Qitao feel embarrassed and disrespected. Beside, they were eavesdropping at the door.


    But it would be different if Kang Qitao decided. First of all, he would feel that he was trusted, and secondly, he would be more likely to be biased towards Qi Xiaoyu.


    Judging by Kang Qitao¡¯s recent attitude, he would be more likely to stand by Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s side.


    More importantly, if Kang Qitao said this, credibility would definitely increase greatly, and all public opinion would stand on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s side. It can be regarded as a fatal blow to Yuan Yaling!


    Li Kun couldn¡¯t help but reveal a gaze of admiration, once again marveling at Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s ability to think so thoroughly at such a young age. ¡°I will contact Teacher Kang immediately.¡±


    In the bedroom on the third floor of the Xun family, intermittent coughs were heard all morning.


    Butler Cheng stood in the shadow of the window frame, bending over and not daring to move.


    After a long while, Xun Qian stopped coughing. The April morning sun shone on his black satin shirt, reflecting the golden light on his pale profile, ¡°Did they all leave for the Mao Company?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Young Master Xu¡­ Xu Xiucheng and Xu Xiujie both went there. I heard that the people of Mao Company treated them well and gave each of them the title of general manager.¡±


    The scale of Mao Company was far inferior to that of the Xun family, but in the past two years, their Feiqi Media had developed well, and they had merged two real estate companies, so they were developing quite fast.


    And¡­ the goal set at their shareholders¡¯ meeting is to surpass Xun.


    Xun Qian raised the corner of his mouth and smiled. ¡°Then let them go cleanly. Cut off all their previous connections and clean up all the people in the company, leaving no one behind.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I will tell Zhang Han.¡±


    Butler Cheng was about to leave, but he remembered something and asked, ¡°What about Mr. Qi¡¯s affairs? Do you want to take care of it?¡±


    Xun Qian shook his index finger, which was rare. ¡°No, let¡¯s see how he handles it first.¡±

 CH 56

    TL: Hua


    In the afternoon of that day, Qi Xiaoyu continued filming as usual.


    Wang Mingge looked at his face from the camera, which was no different from usual, and sighed with the assistant director next to him, ¡°Not bad; I like this kid. He is stable and can adapt well to the circumstances.¡±


    At the same time, Yuan Yaling was struggling on the Internet.


    He was pushed too hard, so he had to jump out and admit that he was talking about Qi Xiaoyu, and he even dug up some old stories from ¡°Let¡¯s Debut, Trainees,¡±  saying that Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t practice seriously, dragged down his teammates, and that his teaching was in vain.


    But as soon as these words were spoken, they were immediately refuted.


    Yuan Yaling had already lost his composure, and the trolls that he found in his haste are simply unreliable.


    First, Qi Xiaoyu had worked very hard in the later stages of the competition, and there was no such thing as he didn¡¯t practice seriously or Yuan Yaling¡¯s teaching was in vain.


    Instead, fans found out about his remarks at that time. He didn¡¯t treat Qi Xiaoyu very well and even wanted to replace Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s part in the finals with his favorite, Gu Lei.


    Yuan Yaling swallowed hard. At this time, he already had some regrets, but more than that, he was unwilling. He couldn¡¯t stop himself from thinking about how to drag Qi Xiaoyu into the water.


    However, at this moment, a marketing account in the entertainment industry with many fans exposed a recording.


    In the recording, Yuan Yaling¡¯s voice was full of arrogance and disdain: ¡°He was rehearsing in the program group for three months at that time, and he couldn¡¯t even read the music score¡­ We have known each other for so many years, and you actually went to him instead of me.¡±


    Originally, there was nothing special about this sentence, but after so many things happened, especially when the villain Yuan Yaling first reported that Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t respect his elders, there was a completely different feeling when people heard this recording. It shows how disgusting Yuan Yaling is.


    What followed behind this is something that pushed Yuan Yaling deeper into the ground. Kang Qitao actually posted on Weibo.


    Kang Qitao was aware of this incident long ago, but he hadn¡¯t spoken out because he and Yuan Yaling had known each other for so many years. Although their friendship had become increasingly distant over time, they still greeted each other on the show and occasionally interacted with each other at work. In private, they had almost no intersection. And even if this is the case, he didn¡¯t want to make things too unpleasant.


    Moreover, he wanted to save Yuan Yaling¡¯s face and didn¡¯t want to bring up the fact that he wasn¡¯t as good as Qi Xiaoyu and was outclassed when he sang the theme song.


    But unexpectedly, Yuan Yaling seemed to be under a spell and insisted on attacking Qi Xiaoyu.


    Kang Qitao was really in a dilemma. On the one hand, it was an old friend whom he had known for many years, and on the other hand, it was a young man with an extraordinary background. He really had a hard time choosing¡­ until Qi Xiaoyu politely sent him the recording and asked him to decide whether to publish it.


    By then, he had made up his mind.


    He obviously had evidence in his hand, but he sent it to him instead of making it public¡­ It can be said that he respects him and trusts him, and it can also be said that he¡¯s borrowing someone else¡¯s knife to kill people.


    At this moment, Kang Qitao realized that even if there was no Xun Qian behind him, this young man could go far in the entertainment industry.


    Whether it was to cherish talent or to keep another friend for himself in the future, he could only choose to help Qi Xiaoyu. He would not be as stupid as Yuan Yaling.


    Kang Qitao found a marketing account to release the recording, while he himself sent out a long Weibo post, roughly recounting what happened that day.


    Then, Jiang Sicheng also forwarded the recording: ¡°Some people with ugly hearts like to cause trouble for others, and they still love to cause trouble when they get old.¡±


    After posting it, he received a lot of praise: ¡°Young Master Jiang is true to his character and loves to speak the truth.¡± Jiang Sicheng went to his father that day to show off.


    Wang Mingge also posted a photo of the crew filming, and Qi Xiaoyu could be seen hanging on the wire from a distance. ¡°The young actors are very dedicated this time. Looking forward to the finished movie.¡±


    After the recording was released, coupled with the Weibo posts of Kang Qitao and others, the spearhead was completely turned to Yuan Yaling.


    In particular, those who were deceived by Yuan Yaling at the time and scolded Qi Xiaoyu for his bad character hated Yuan Yaling even more now.


    Not only did they delete their original comments silently, they also rushed to the front line to scold Yuan Yaling.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok for a senior to have no improvement in his professional ability, but he¡¯s so petty to suppress the juniors.¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t compete with the younger generation; that¡¯s why he makes trouble out of nothing.¡±


    ¡°Look at Zheng Peizu, look at Kang Qitao, and then look at you. No wonder you have been making quick money in variety shows for many years, but you can¡¯t produce any works and are outdone by your peers.¡±


    ¡°Although you haven¡¯t produced any works for so many years, the nostalgic filter is still there. I usually see you on variety shows, and although you are a little hypocritical, I still find it acceptable. Now you have really turned into a joke.¡±


    Netizens and fans think that Qi Xiaoyu was just blackened again, but in the hearts of people in the circle, they have a different view of Qi Xiaoyu, a newcomer.


    Kang Qitao fell out with Yuan Yaling for him.


    Wang Mingge also publicly expressed his love for him at this time.


    In this circle, it¡¯s not that hard to become popular. You can rely on your face or luck, but it¡¯s difficult to get the recognition of so many big shots.


    When people think about Tang Kui, who was completely disgraced for offending Qi Xiaoyu, and the grand birthday support¡­ These things are obviously impossible for Star Entertainment to arrange. It can only mean that there must be a background behind Qi Xiaoyu.


    Thus, the smart people who saw through this have silently classified Qi Xiaoyu into the list of those who can¡¯t be offended and can be befriended.


    On the other hand, Yuan Yaling was already furious. He did not expect that things would develop to this point. Kang Qitao even posted a Weibo supporting Qi Xiaoyu.


    He originally had tonsillitis, and now his entire throat has become inflamed. His voice is hoarse, and he can¡¯t even record the program normally.


    The program team originally respected him as a senior in the music industry, so they invited him to be a mentor, but now seeing that his reputation has fallen to such a state, coupled with his poor health and inability to speak, they simply invited other mentors to replace Yuan Yaling in the new program.


    Not only did Yuan Yaling fail to realize his dream of moving to a higher level, he also lost all the existing resources he had.


    But it¡¯s too late for regret.


    Two days later, at 2 p.m. on April 18th, the theme song and stills of ¡°The Evil¡± were finally officially announced in the eager anticipation of fish balls.


    Everyone originally only knew that Qi Xiaoyu played the role of White Dragon and sang the theme song.


    After this incident, they learned that he was chosen by the director to play White Dragon when he was auditioning for the theme song.


    Although it¡¯s still acting and singing, the feeling of being chosen by the director was different. The fish balls all felt proud of this achievement and looked forward to Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s performance.


    And the facts proved that he didn¡¯t disappoint them.


    It was even better than what they expected.


    The drums and musical instruments sounded together. The song was magnificent and heroic.


    In the midst of the war cry, the boy¡¯s voice was clear and melancholic.


    When you listen with headphones on, it¡¯s as if all the distractions around you disappear, leaving only the ancient world and myths.


    This is like a sad war song and also like a mournful funeral song.


    Qi Xiaoyu is so young, but his singing is full of ancient solemnity and sadness.


    Even the most discerning music critics gave it a nine out of ten, ¡°Excellent technique, full of emotion. Compared with movies, I look forward to his future achievements in music.¡±


    The comments under the music streaming platform upon its first release also received a lot of praise.


    ¡°I have added this song to loop playlists.¡±


    ¡°After listening to this song, I look forward to the movie even more.¡±


    As if responding to the expectations of this fan, the stills that followed were also crazy.


    Each set of costumes is carefully crafted according to the image of the character.


    For example, the female lead, Cui Jing, is a heavenly immortal, and one set of clothes is fairy-like and ethereal. At the same time, she can also fight, so the other set of clothes is shiny with fine steel.


    Another example is Jiang Sicheng. Because he is a black bear spirit, his clothes are similar to black and gray fur, full of wildness.


    Wang Mingge defines the role of White Dragon as the most handsome in the whole drama, and gives him the most gorgeous clothes. Sure enough, after the stills came out, he was pushed by the fans to the peak of the face value of the entire movie.


    ¡°He looks so good.¡±


    ¡°Even if you are not a fan of Qi Xiaoyu, you have to admit that this outfit is really beautiful and ethereal.¡±


    Although Qi Xiaoyu has had college-style looks, ancient costume little prince looks, and several looks in magazines before, fans always have unlimited imagination about their idols.


    Not to mention that this is Wang Mingge¡¯s work.


    ¡°A good director can really teach actors. Qi Xiaoyu joined Wang Mingge¡¯s team, and his appearance and aura have improved significantly.¡±


    There are also fans who compare the look of Prince Yan in ¡°The Empress of the Tang Dynasty¡± with that of White Dragon.


    The little prince wears gold and jade, while the little white dragon is cold and elegant. One is warm and the other is cold; one is naughty and the other is rigorous. The two really reflect each other.


    While Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s singing and photos were attracting fans, Li Kun was also busy. He prepared to organize the details of Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s hard work in filming into a long picture and text.


    Last time Yuan Yaling slandered his conduct, some people actually believed it. Li Kun felt that this wasn¡¯t good, and then he reflected deeply on whether his publicity work was not done well. So after discussing with Yu Xiaosheng, he decided to market his artist appropriately after the movie was done filming.


    When Li Kun was sorting out the photos, Ma Weiye suddenly appeared behind him and said with a smile, ¡°Do you want photos? I have enough pictures here.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    When Li Kun heard it, he didn¡¯t understand what Ma Weiye meant, but in a blink of an eye, he found that Ma Weiye had taken so many work photos of Qi Xiaoyu.


    Ma Weiye is a photographer, and his equipment is also professional. The photos he took are naturally not comparable to Li Kun¡¯s mobile phone.


    Li Kun took it without hesitation and said, ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    In this way, amidst everyone¡¯s busy schedules, after filming the last few days of scenes, they finally ushered in the wrap-up.


    One night before the filming was completed, Qi Xiaoyu climbed up the ancient city tower alone and looked at a slowly flowing section of the river on the opposite side.


    This is an antique film and television city located in a central city.


    In addition to their crew, there are three or four other crews filming here.


    At this time, a palace on his right was brightly lit, and a jib crane could be seen moving in the sky from afar.


    On the canal to his left, prop boats crowded the water, and the noise of people was lively and raucous.


    Only the river in the distance was quiet and peaceful.


    And he was in between.


    The evening breeze in April was gentle and comfortable, blowing softly across his cheeks and lifting a faint longing.


    This time, he filmed with the crew for almost two months, which was the longest filming he had experienced since he entered the circle¡­ and it was also the longest time he and Xun Qian were separated.


    He told Xun Qian at the time that he could finish the filming in one month, but Wang Mingge had high requirements, and many clips were polished, repeatedly revised, and re-filmed, which took more than ten days longer than the original time.


    These days, he stayed on the set all day, basically not going anywhere, all his energy was focused on filming, either learning how to act or learning how to film.


    Suddenly, he looked up and realized that so much time had passed.


    After the video call with Xun Qian in early March, he hadn¡¯t chatted with Xun Qian for a long time.


    It¡¯s partly because he was busy with filming and also because he noticed that his feelings for Xun Qian were a little strange.


    For example, he sprained his wrist when hanging on the wire yesterday. Because it was not serious, he didn¡¯t tell anyone and just applied hot compresses to himself.


    He preferred to keep many emotions, such as negativity, frustration, and pain, in his heart rather than say them out loud, so that no one could pry into them.


    After growing up, he rarely showed fragile emotions, even in front of his senior sister.


    But he wanted to tell Xun Qian.


    That kind of subtle, fragile feeling¡ªalmost aggrieved¡ªand desire to confide would suddenly be particularly large when thinking of Xun Qian.


    This made him¡­ a little confused about how to digest it for a while.

 CH 57

    TL: Hua


    Qi Xiaoyu propped his hands on the edge of the ancient city wall, taking a deep breath as he looked at the distant river. Something happened this afternoon that made him a little emotional.


    Zheng Peizu called him and asked him if he was interested in investing in a movie called ¡°The Turmoil in Mangchuan.¡±


    According to Zheng Peizu, the film was more than half shot and was about to be finished, but the funding chain was broken, and it was forced to stop shooting for almost a week.


    But even if the personnel and equipment are stopped, they still need to spend money. If there is no new capital injection, this movie may come to a premature end. After all, there are still a lot of costs for post-production.


    Zheng Peizu called and asked if Qi Xiaoyu would like to invest.


    ¡°I¡¯ve read the script, and it¡¯s pretty good. Some of the clips that have been edited are also pretty good. If it can be released, the box office should be guaranteed. The director of this movie is a friend of mine. I know his character. He¡¯s a person who¡¯s passionate about making movies. To be honest, I also invested some money myself, but it¡¯s not enough. I think it¡¯s a pity that a good movie is stopped like this, and it¡¯s also an opportunity to make money. Xiaoyu, see if you have any ideas.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was slightly surprised when he heard this. He had an impression of this movie. Although the title ¡°The Turmoil in Mangchuan¡± sounds like a historical drama, it is actually an ancient costume film set in a fictional location called Mangchuan.


    The investment in this film is actually only 70 million. The director and actors are not famous, and there are no big scenes or big productions, but the story is humorous and funny. After its release, the box office was second only to ¡°The Evil¡± in the same period.


    But the investment in ¡°The Evil¡± is nearly 300 million. In comparison, the return on investment of ¡°The Turmoil in Mangchuan¡± is five or six times higher.


    Qi Xiaoyu had a clear impression of it because this was the background introduction to Tang Yuning when he appeared in the original book.


    ¡°He left the domestic film industry for many years, but he attracted much attention as soon as he came back. Now he is not only an outstanding actor and a shining movie emperor, but also an investor with a precise and unique vision. The low-cost movie ¡°The Turmoil in Mangchuan¡± that was revived by his investment started low and ended high. In just one week, the box office exceeded 100 million yuan, and now it is still on the rise.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was surprised that the movie that was saved by Tang Yuning¡¯s investment in the original book was now in his hands.


    This made him a little confused for a while, not knowing which parts of this world were in accordance with the original book and which parts would change.


    He immediately asked Zheng Peizu how much money ¡°The Turmoil in Mangchuan¡± still needed.


    Zheng Peizu replied that it was still about 7 million.


    Qi Xiaoyu did some calculations in his mind. The money from the commercials, the variety show, the TV show, and this time¡¯s paycheck added up to just about the same amount.


    He had wanted to slowly save up to return it to Xun Qian, but now it would be good to take it out for a chance.


    Because according to the original plot, this deal will definitely make money¡ªthe kind that earns several times the investment.


    He only thought about it for a while and then agreed, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s sign the contract after I return from the crew.¡±


    Thinking that Zheng Peizu could think of him at this time, he added, ¡°Is the money urgent now? If it is, I can transfer part of it today.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s straightforwardness surprised Zheng Peizu for a moment. He contacted Qi Xiaoyu not because he couldn¡¯t get an investment. He¡¯s someone who¡¯s been in the entertainment industry for many years and has known many people.


    After reading the script and the sample film, he really felt that this was an opportunity to make money and invest, and he liked Qi Xiaoyu very much, so he recommended it to him, but he didn¡¯t expect Qi Xiaoyu to agree so readily. After all, seven million is not a small number.


    Zheng Peizu increasingly felt that he had not misread this person, and his tone was a little more enthusiastic than at the beginning.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be in such a hurry; it¡¯s better to go through the contract first before making the payment. Xiaoyu¡­ This time, you are helping me in times of need. I will talk to the crew to give you a 5 percentage point higher share when signing the contract.¡±


    An extra 5 percentage points means a few million more if the box office is high.


    Qi Xiaoyu naturally thanked Zheng Peizu for his kindness.


    The two of them happily negotiated the cooperation on the phone.


    The investment was a good deal, but in hindsight, if ¡°The Turmoil in Mangchuan¡± is a box office hit as it was in the original, would it mean that some of the plots that were already destined in the original book could not be changed by him?


    Then which ones are changeable and which ones are unchangeable?


    Qi Xiaoyu scratched his hair in annoyance, then took out his mobile phone and found the message that Butler Cheng sent him this evening.


    Butler Cheng asked him when he would come back.


    He never replied.


    The last time they had a video call, Xun Qian said he would come to pick him up, but now he wanted to see Xun Qian, but he also didn¡¯t want to see Xun Qian.


    But it¡¯s not good to ignore the message. He hesitated for a moment and sent a message first, asking, ¡°How¡¯s Third Master¡¯s health these days?¡±


    After sending the message, he turned around and leaned against the wall, waiting for a long time before he got a reply.


    Butler Cheng called directly and said, ¡°I accompanied Third Master to the hospital today and just came back. Xiaoyu, are you still filming?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu heard the first half of the sentence and immediately asked, ¡°Going to the hospital? What happened to him?¡±


    Butler Cheng¡¯s voice was a little tired. ¡°It¡¯s an old problem. When it comes to the transition from spring to summer in April and May, Third Master¡¯s lung disease becomes more severe than other times.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Doctor Song say that the Third Master¡¯s disease would gradually improve if he took medicine and took good care of himself? Why is it getting worse? Is it because he didn¡¯t take medicine properly during this period?¡±


    Butler Cheng sighed, ¡°If the Third Master takes good care of himself, goes out for exercise regularly, and takes medicine in accordance with the examination, he will gradually get better. But the Third Master¡¯s leg¡­ you also know. And the long-distance flight he took to New Zealand last time was not good for his lungs¡­ The company¡¯s affairs have also been quite troublesome recently¡­¡±


    Butler Cheng paused here and then continued, ¡°Third Master doesn¡¯t let us tell you about these things. Just forget it after you¡¯ve heard it.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t say anything. He just remembered how Xun Qian acted in front of him every time¡ªhis suppressed cough and his nonchalant expression.


    Then he thought of Xun Qian¡¯s leg again.


    Xun Qian¡¯s leg was injured when he was fifteen years old during a horse race with Tang Yide.


    Tang Yide was his mother¡¯s lover.


    Xun Qian didn¡¯t like that man. Although he was only fifteen years old at the time, he could see, at a glance, that man¡¯s naked and undisguised desire for the Xun family¡¯s wealth.


    That man obviously didn¡¯t like Xun Qian either. He had a son of his own. Of course, he wanted to get rid of Xun Qian as soon as possible rather than try to please Xun Qian.


    Fifteen-year-old Xun Qian was like a child walking on the road with a gold ingot in his arms, coveted by countless people.


    The two agreed to compete at the horse farm.


    It had just rained that day, and the racecourse was slippery with faint raindrops in the wind, making it hard for people to open their eyes.


    Tang Yide¡¯s horse slashed through and rushed in front of Xun Qian.


    The horse neighed, and the wind and rain were gloomy.


    After a brief but fatal panic, Xun Qian was thrown down, and Tang Yide broke his neck and died on the spot.


    When Qin Xueyin arrived, she threw herself on her lover¡¯s body and wailed, not caring in the least about her son¡¯s life and death.


    The scene was chaotic, and there were marks on Tang Yide¡¯s chest from being pressed down by the horse¡¯s hooves.


    From then on, everyone said that he personally strangled his mother¡¯s lover to death on the horse.


    At that time, Xun Qian missed the best treatment period, and he himself didn¡¯t want to receive treatment anymore. Once it was delayed, he became accustomed to using a wheelchair.


    Qi Xiaoyu was not overly concerned about Xun Qian¡¯s legs before, firstly because he had no such thoughts for Xun Qian, and secondly because he was too busy with work. More importantly, in the original novel, Xun Qian¡¯s legs were healed and he could walk, but this had nothing to do with him; rather, it was the story between Xun Qian and Tang Yuning.


    But how did he get better¡­it seems that the original plot did not explain much. The original novel was obsessed with describing how crazy ¡°he¡± was and how abnormal the love between Xun Qian and Tang Yuning was. Other plots with reference significance were hurriedly skipped.


    ¡°Xiaoyu?¡±


    Perhaps because Qi Xiaoyu had not spoken for too long, Butler Cheng called out tentatively.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Butler Cheng asked again, ¡°When will you come back after finishing the filming? I will ask Mama Li to prepare in advance.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu had been hesitant about whether to let Xun Qian pick him up. Now, when he heard Butler Cheng say that Xun Qian was not in good health, he immediately thought about not letting him make an extra trip, so he said vaguely, ¡°The filming will be finished in the next few days. The specific time cannot be determined yet. It depends on the arrangement of the director team. There is no need to ask Mama Li to prepare anything. I will tell you when I get on the plane.¡±


    After Qi Xiaoyu finished the call, he stood on the city wall for a while. He hadn¡¯t paid that much attention to the development of the original relationship line.


    His story line is so messed up, and all he wanted was to change his fate and not let this character repeat the mistakes of the original.


    Now he wanted to calm down and think about it, but he felt a little uncomfortable.


    Should he wait for Tang Yuning to appear in a few months to accompany Xun Qian to heal his legs?


    Or let Xun Qian continue to be sick like this?


    At the same time, the Xun family has been in turmoil recently.


    Xun Qian was half lying on the bed, holding a few documents with his scallion-white fingers.


    His eyes indifferently swept past the document. ¡°She¡¯s quite willing to let that Tang family kid inherit all the property. Has she signed it yet?¡±


    Zhang Han and Butler Cheng stood in front of the bed, one by one.


    Zhang Han said cautiously, ¡°Yes, today the lawyers from both sides are here, and the old madam has signed.¡±


    Butler Cheng looked at his face and added, ¡°Last time, after the old madam went back, she was not in good health. She might have made the decision in a confused state. Don¡¯t take it to heart, Third Master.¡±


    Xun Qian raised the corner of his mouth and smiled. ¡°Why should I take it to heart? She can dispose of them however she wants.¡±


    After speaking, he looked up at Zhang Han and asked, ¡°Have you cleaned up the remaining personnel in Xu Xiucheng¡¯s hands?¡±


    Zhang Han, ¡°All cleared, but it also affected some of our normal operations.¡±


    Xun Qian nodded. ¡°Make a copy of the assets I have now and give them to me as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After speaking, Butler Cheng and Zhang Han lowered their heads, looked at each other, and dared not speak.


    After a long while, Xun Qian waved his hand and let the two go.


    It was another dark night.


    The spring breeze blew in through the open window.


    The little black dog poked its head out, and while Butler Cheng was opening the door, it slipped in through the crack of the door, then pawed at the edge of the bed and looked at Xun Qian.


    With a hook of his hand, Xun Qian took the little black dog into his arms.


    The little black dog could probably sense Xun Qian¡¯s emotions and lay obediently in his arms without moving, just carefully licking Xun Qian¡¯s fingers.


    He wondered what Qi Xiaoyu was doing at this moment. Is the filming difficult? Will he be injured while hanging from the wire¡­


    He had originally thought that he could accompany Qi Xiaoyu for as long as possible; the longer, the better.


    But now it seemed that something was coming faster than he had imagined.


    Unlike his sister, he never felt guilty about Tang Yide, but he also knew that this matter would not end well.

 CH 58

    TL: Hua


    At the Film and Television City, the last scene was finished at five o¡¯clock in the afternoon of the next day.


    Li Kun stepped forward to assist Qi Xiaoyu in removing the wires.


    Wang Mingge, who walked past the two with a megaphone, patted Qi Xiaoyu on the shoulder and said, ¡°Don¡¯t remove your makeup yet. Let¡¯s take a group photo first.¡±


    There was a lot of noise everywhere around them; some were busy collecting equipment, some were dismantling props, some were taking off their headgear, some were clapping their hands in celebration, and some were just lying down to rest¡­


    There were hundreds of people on the crew of ¡°The Evil.¡± In the past two months, all of them followed the director to various places, from the wilderness to the film and television city, taking turns to work overtime and stay up late. Now that they can finally go home to rest, naturally, everyone is joyful, all showing a sigh of relief.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s mood¡­ is a bit complicated.


    Since last night, a variety of emotions have been tugging at his heart.


    Today, after the movie was finished, the thread that had been pulling on his nerves was broken, so it was inevitable that he indulged himself a little bit.


    Jiang Sicheng quickly took off the black bear clothes on his body and threw them aside. As a result, Wang Mingge saw it and severely criticized him: ¡°I told you not to take off your custom and take pictures first. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Jiang Sicheng made a face at him and immediately hid behind Qi Xiaoyu, ¡°I finally finished filming, and you still want to make me wear these ugly clothes!¡±


    He rested one hand on Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s shoulder, swaying one leg, and then caught a glimpse of Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? The filming is over; why do you still look bitter and resentful? Let me tell you, don¡¯t get too emotionally attached to the role you played; be careful of getting depressed.¡±


    Li Kun originally felt that Qi Xiaoyu was not in a good state these two days. After hearing what Jiang Sicheng said, his face changed, but he was afraid that showing too much worry would affect Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s mood even more, so he could only pretend to be angry. ¡°Young Master Jiang, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±


    He joked, ¡°You played black bear spirit for two months and were not even depressed. Xiaoyu gets to wear beautiful clothes every day; why would he be depressed?¡±


    Jiang Sicheng¡¯s mouth deflated. ¡±What¡¯s wrong with you, Li Kun? Can you please stop talking about this? I still haven¡¯t posted a single post in the past two months. Next time, I will never be fooled by this old man Wang Mingge again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The movie hasn¡¯t been released or promoted yet. You have to wait for at least a few more months.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    The two of them were laughing and joking, and Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s mood also improved a little.


    Then, when the venue was almost cleaned up, everyone gathered together under Wang Mingge¡¯s command and took a big group photo.


    At this point, the whole movie has officially finished filming.


    In the evening, Wang Mingge hosted and invited the entire crew to a hot pot restaurant next to the film and television city for dinner, and then they went to karaoke.


    There¡¯s no flight out of the city that night anyway, so everyone booked daytime flights home the next day, ready to eat, drink, and have a good time all night tonight.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s makeup was difficult to remove. He spent a long time cleaning the glitter under his eyes and carefully took off his clothes. When he arrived at the hot pot restaurant, the other main creative staff had basically arrived.


    Seeing him coming in from a distance, Cui Jing waved to him, ¡°Xiaoyu, this way.¡±


    Kang Qitao, who was sitting next to Cui Jing, also said to Qi Xiaoyu, ¡°Go get the dipping sauce first and then come over. The hot pot here will be ready soon.¡±


    This hot pot restaurant is not very big, and it was kind of crowded, so the boss added a few more tables, one next to the other. The person sitting at the farthest end had to stand up every time someone wanted to enter and exit, which was really inconvenient.


    Qi Xiaoyu went to get the sauce first.


    He likes sesame paste, but he was a little absent-minded today, so he accidentally scooped too much.


    Fortunately, the bowl was clean, and he pushed a little back.


    Across the spice cabinet, intermittent voices of people chatting came in.


    ¡°Brother Yue, are you really not going home to rest tomorrow and continue to stay in the film and television city?¡±


    ¡°What can I do? I have to pay off my mortgage and car loan. Recently, the stock price has fallen again. It just so happens that the crew next door is short of people. I can go there to help out and make some money.¡±


    ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you holding shares of Wanhai Real Estate? Such a big company and backed by Xun¡¯s to boot, how can it go down?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you really don¡¯t follow gossip news.¡±


    ¡°The crew is so busy, and I didn¡¯t even get enough sleep. Where do I have time to read gossip? What is it about?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of it¡­ Brother Yue, tell us what¡¯s going on. The stock price hasn¡¯t fallen too much, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, what can happen? I heard that it¡¯s internal fighting at the top, and the people below are suffering. I should have bought Mao¡¯s stocks earlier. Their stock price is rising.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu originally wanted to put a little sesame paste back, but for some reason, he poured out all the sesame paste in the bowl.


    At the back, Cui Jing was already urging him, ¡°Xiaoyu, the meat is ready; come quickly.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu hurriedly scooped a spoonful and added some fermented bean curd sauce and sesame seeds.


    On the table, the hotpot base was already set up. It was a double-flavored pot. One side was spicy red oil, and the other side was clear soup with mushrooms, and the red oil side was bubbling.


    The shelf next to it was filled with various dishes, including plates of tender pork, beef tenderloin, and pork belly, as well as platters of assorted mushrooms and fresh bean sprouts.


    Cui Jing left a seat for him between herself and Jiang Sicheng.


    Next to Jiang Sicheng sat Wang Mingge, and next to him sat the male lead and the assistant director. The people at this table were all the core members of the crew.


    As soon as Qi Xiaoyu sat down, Wang Mingge picked up a piece of freshly cooked beef tenderloin for him. ¡°Here, Xiaoyu, eat more since you don¡¯t need to wear costumes or do stunts anymore.¡±


    Jiang Sicheng, who was eating meat, stopped the chopsticks in mid-air when he heard this: ¡°Biased.¡±


    Wang Mingge looked at Qi Xiaoyu and seemed to ignore Jiang Sicheng¡¯s words, ¡°Xiaoyu, if you came late, this plate of meat will be eaten up.¡±


    Jiang Sicheng snorted when he heard this, opened his mouth, and swallowed the meat in a big mouthful.


    Everyone at the table laughed.


    Except for Qi Xiaoyu.


    He dipped the beef tenderloin in the sauce casually and put it in his mouth, but he couldn¡¯t tell whether the meat came from the red pot or the white pot.


    Kang Qitao glanced in his direction.


    Others started chatting while eating hot pot. The waiter also brought another box of wine and placed it at their feet.


    The people at this table didn¡¯t gossip like at other tables; they mainly talked about work.


    For example, how to arrange the post-production publicity and what work arrangements each of them had next.


    A few questions were thrown at Qi Xiaoyu, but he really wasn¡¯t in the mood today, so he barely managed to deal with them.


    Fortunately, the others were drinking and eating meat tonight, so they didn¡¯t pay much attention.


    It wasn¡¯t until Cui Jing lowered her voice and said to Wang Mingge, ¡°I heard that Tang Yuning is coming back to make a movie. Is this true?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s ears pricked up. In the original book, Tang Yuning¡¯s first investment was ¡°The Turmoil in Mangchuan,¡± and his first movie was ¡°The Departed.¡±


    Kang Qitao¡¯s eyes also became sharp.


    Wang Mingge smiled, ¡°I just heard that he seems to be coming back.¡±


    ¡°He is doing so well in country A; why would he suddenly want to come back? Which movie did he take a fancy to? Director Shen¡¯s ¡°The Departed¡±?¡±


    Wang Mingge laughed and said, ¡°This is not something I can just say casually.¡±


    Cui Jing also smiled. ¡°Speaking of which, he and I are in the same company, but we have never worked together before, and we haven¡¯t even added friends¡­ As for our boss, Director Wang, you also know that we don¡¯t see anyone all year round, and we can¡¯t even start team building in the company. I don¡¯t know as much about my colleagues as you do.¡±


    Wang Mingge smiled. ¡°What does that have to do with anything? Your Feichi Media is developing very well.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The meal lasted more than two hours. Many plates of meat and bottles of beer were served intermittently. In the end, everyone couldn¡¯t eat or drink anymore and gave up.


    Next, they went to the KTV while rubbing their stomachs.


    Kang Qitao walked around Cui Jing and toward Qi Xiaoyu. ¡°Xiaoyu, want to come and have a smoke with me?¡±


    Kang Qitao usually doesn¡¯t smoke with non-smokers. Since he said that, he probably has something to say to him. Qi Xiaoyu nodded and followed Kang Qitao to an empty alley at the back door of the hotel.


    Kang Qitao lit the cigarette, first asked about Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s workload, and then slowly turned to the things he wanted to say.


    ¡°After this drama is finished, what are your plans, Xiaoyu?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu leaned against the wall, raised his head, and looked at the sky without any purpose. ¡°This movie is very well done. I feel like I¡¯ve just started, and now it¡¯s already finished. I want to shoot a few more movies later.¡±


    Kang Qitao smiled. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I want to ask¡­ Do you want to stay at Star Entertainment? Star Entertainment can¡¯t give you many resources in the future.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu lowered his eyes and didn¡¯t answer.


    Kang Qitao turned his head and spit out a mouthful of smoke in the opposite direction. ¡°Or do you have other considerations?¡±


    After a pause, he continued, ¡°Xiaoyu¡­ I can barely be considered your senior, and I don¡¯t want you to take more detours, so I¡¯ll say one more thing¡­ You are now fully capable of developing yourself. You don¡¯t need to rely on anyone.¡±


    Both of them are smart people, and they understand everything without having to explain too much.


    Kang Qitao was one of the few people who knew the inside story of his relationship with Xun Qian. Qi Xiaoyu said calmly, ¡°Thank you, Teacher Kang, for your concern.¡±


    Kang Qitao looked at Qi Xiaoyu and felt that the other party didn¡¯t take his words to heart. He couldn¡¯t help but speak a little more seriously, ¡°Although that person is really capable, he is not an easy person to get along with. If you can get out of this situation now¡­ it¡¯s better to get out as soon as possible.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu maintained a calm expression on his face and said, ¡°I¡¯ll remember what Teacher Kang said.¡±


    Kang Qitao said everything he wanted to say and didn¡¯t force it. He patted Qi Xiaoyu on the shoulder and said, ¡°Okay, you are a smart kid; just know what you are doing. Let¡¯s go sing, and don¡¯t keep them waiting.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu followed behind him. He respected Kang Qitao very much, from his talent to his character, but even Kang Qitao looked at Xun Qian like that, let alone others.


    No one had ever dared to talk about Xun Qian, but they all thought so in their hearts.


    He had no expression on his face, but his heart suddenly sank, as if it were being pulled by something.


    Xun Qian¡¯s room had been lit for two consecutive nights.


    He sat at the desk with more than a dozen document windows open on the computer screen in front of him.


    He knew how his uncle, Xu Zhihui, and his two sons had embezzled public funds and filled their private pockets over the years, but he has always turned a blind eye.


    He used to think it didn¡¯t matter because he had no future to plan for and didn¡¯t care how much he left behind.


    But now it¡¯s not possible; he has to plan for another person.


    So, he couldn¡¯t let go of Xu Xiucheng and the Mao family¡¯s secret mischief as he had before. He also had to spend some time dealing with the Tang family and his mother.


    Although the little black dog¡¯s eyes were closed, it obviously hadn¡¯t slept for the whole night, just lying obediently on the ground, unlike the usual sleeping posture with all four paws in the air.


    Xun Qian propped his right hand on the chair, rubbed his temple, and looked up at the calendar. Qi Xiaoyu should be back tomorrow, and he wanted to deal with more things before he came back.


    The KTV reserved by the crew was full of people coming and going, and the coffee table was filled with opened bottles of wine.


    As soon as Qi Xiaoyu and Kang Qitao came in, someone came forward to greet them and say, ¡°Xiaoyu, come and start the show.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was not as good-tempered as usual and politely refused, ¡°You guys sing first.¡±


    Then he searched around and found Li Kun, who was a bit drunk, on the sofa.


    Qi Xiaoyu bent over and woke him up. ¡°I have something to do. I have to go back first.¡±


    ¡°Go back?¡± Li Kun drank a little too much. The people at this table today drank a lot, and he felt embarrassed to be the only person who didn¡¯t drink. Besides, they were supposed to go back tomorrow, and Wang Mingge also allowed everyone to drink tonight.


    Now, he rubbed his eyes when he heard Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t quite understand what he meant, thinking that the other party was tired and wanted to go back to the hotel first. ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going home. You can help me pack my stuff at the hotel tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Go home? But there are no flights today¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m going to the airport in the neighboring city.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ It¡¯s too late today. Hiya, if I had known, I wouldn¡¯t drink. I wouldn¡¯t be able to drive now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll call a taxi myself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to call a taxi in the middle of the night¡­ Or wait until I sober up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call first.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu twisted his wrist two days ago, and it¡¯s not convenient for him to drive.


    Li Kun also probably can¡¯t drive in this state.


    And most of the people here have also drunk alcohol.


    He took out his mobile phone to book a taxi while holding his coat in his hand. He walked to the door to see if he could try his luck and hail a taxi that was willing to go to the neighboring city.


    The street outside was very quiet, and the taxi booking page also showed that there were no available vehicles nearby.


    At this moment, a Cadillac pulled up next to him. The window rolled down, showing Ma Weiye, with one hand outside the window, ¡°Are you going to the airport?¡±

 CH 59

    TL: Hua


    Ma Weiye¡¯s whereabouts were uncertain. Although he said he came to the crew to take pictures, he was often there for a few days and then not for a few days.


    He originally only took pictures for fashion magazines and didn¡¯t accept private commissions. It is said that this time Wang Mingge personally invited him, so no one really cared even if he was absent.


    He was not there when the wrap-up photo was taken today. Everyone thought he had finished work early and did not come. Unexpectedly, he came again after the wrap-up party was over today.


    Ma Weiye wore a loose sweater and a baseball cap on his head. He said while chewing gum, ¡°I have to go to the airport too; can I give you a ride?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was anxious, but it was not shown on his face at this time.


    He never liked Ma Weiye, even though the other had not done anything weird in the past two months.


    He smiled slightly, and even his shoulders relaxed and slumped, ¡°Thank you; I called a car.¡±


    Ma Weiye looked at him with a teasing gaze that swept from Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s face to his fingertips.


    Qi Xiaoyu wore a white-printed T-shirt, a pair of jeans, and a loose black and white knitted sweater outside. He removed his makeup today with no decorations on his face. He looked like a bright and clean youth, but when standing so casually, he had a kind of coldness and alienation that kept people away from him.


    This is really interesting.


    This complex and contradictory temperament is quite fascinating.


    When he met Qi Xiaoyu for the first time, Ma Weiye found that this Qi Xiaoyu was not the same person as the original Qi Xiaoyu.


    Ma Weiye smiled crookedly, looking nonchalant. ¡°It¡¯s hard to get a taxi here at night.¡±


    ¡°Xiaoyu, I heard from Brother Wang that it¡¯s not easy to get a taxi here; otherwise¡­¡± Li Kun pressed his temple and followed him out of the KTV, looking drunk and having a headache. ¡°Brother Xiaowei, why are you here? Are you¡­ going to the airport?¡±


    After saying that, he looked at Ma Weiye and then at Qi Xiaoyu.


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t say anything, nor was he embarrassed. He even smiled at Ma Weiye openly, as if to say, I just don¡¯t appreciate your kindness. What can you do to me?


    Ma Weiye lowered the brim of his hat, smiled, flicked his fingers on the car door a few times casually, then looked up and said to Qi Xiaoyu, ¡°Speaking of which, we had a good relationship before. Why are you acting so unfamiliar with me when we meet again now?¡±


    The meaning of this sentence is¡­


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes darkened.


    He was sure that there was no Ma Weiye in the original novel; otherwise, he would have some impression of him, but the amount of information this person knew was obviously a bit too much.


    Since the first time they met, he felt that there was something wrong with this person, but he couldn¡¯t tell what the problem was.


    Now that Ma Weiye said this, his mind was a little clearer.


    But what exactly does Ma Weiye want to do?


    Is this a character that exists in the original novel but is not mentioned, or a newly added character, or¡­ Ma Weiye is not his real name. It¡¯s normal for him to give himself a different identity when he knows so much about what¡¯s going on.


    Qi Xiaoyu had all kinds of doubts in his mind, but his face quickly calmed down, and he even naturally went around to the other side and opened the passenger door to get in. ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble you.¡±


    Ma Weiye smiled, waved to Li Kun outside the car window, then stepped on the accelerator, and the car flew out along the quiet street.


    In the film and television city late at night, except for one or two crews working overtime in the distance, other places were silent.


    The car was very quiet, and no one spoke first.


    Ma Weiye didn¡¯t move until he passed a long red light intersection. He stretched out his hand, took out something like a medicine bottle from the storage compartment, and threw it to Qi Xiaoyu. ¡°Spray, for sprains.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu also didn¡¯t try to be pretentious. He picked up the white spray bottle and read the instructions on the back. It was indeed for sprains, so he removed the cap and sprayed a few times on the place where he sprained two days ago.


    Ma Weiye glanced at Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s action through peripheral vision, and he forced a smile again. ¡°I heard that you invested in ¡°Mangchuan Luan¡±?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu rubbed his wrist slowly and responded very casually, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    He was patient and not at all anxious.


    Since it was Ma Weiye who came to him, the other party had a purpose in mind and should be more anxious than him.


    Ma Weiye smiled again. In his peripheral vision, Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s eyelids drooped slightly, without any panic, which made him feel more interested.


    ¡°You have good eyesight. This movie will be a hit.¡±


    ¡°Really? Just invest and see.¡±


    Ma Weiye, ¡°Although you are a professional actor, what¡¯s the point of acting in front of me?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu curled the corners of his mouth and said nothing.


    ¡°It should feel good to be a big star.¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s good. Money, fame, and status¡ªwhich one is not better than a man?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu raised an eyebrow and did not comment.


    Ma Weiye¡¯s appearance, on the contrary, suppressed the eagerness and desire to return to the Xun family that he had felt at the very beginning.


    He had never thought that he would encounter such a plot before.


    Ma Weiye turned the steering wheel to the left and turned a corner.


    ¡°Based on my observations during this period, I think we should be the same kind of people. Don¡¯t you want to change your ending?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu looked up at him. What should he say? Ma Weiye is quite good at guessing people¡¯s hearts.


    Of course he¡­ wants to change his own ending. Who wants to end up in a miserable situation?


    However, if this was said to him a few months ago, it would be more convincing.


    Ma Weiye raised his lips and looked forward. ¡°Some people are unreliable¡­ Why not cooperate with me? I can give you everything you want. I can make you more famous; I can help you get rid of those people you hate¡­ If you cooperate with me, I guarantee you a different ending.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu retracted his gaze and looked forward. He spoke slowly, and his voice even carried a bit of sincere humility. ¡°Thank you for your kindness.¡±


    Ma Weiye laughed out loud when he heard this: ¡°If Qi Xiaoyu in the past was as smart as you, I might have been tempted a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Qi Xiaoyu responded casually again.


    A corner of the airport has appeared at the intersection ahead.


    Ma Weiye parked the car at the door of the departure floor. ¡°Let¡¯s keep in touch? Don¡¯t refuse so quickly. You will need me for something.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu had his hands in his pockets and didn¡¯t make a statement.


    Ma Weiye stretched out a hand and leaned on the car window. ¡°I think you should be interested in the movie ¡°The Departed¡±.


    Seeing that Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t respond, he added, ¡°Tang Yuning will come to participate. Aren¡¯t you curious about him? He is your future rival in love.¡± After that, he took out his mobile phone and said, ¡°I will send the director¡¯s WeChat to your assistant. See you then.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was originally hesitating about those feelings that had just emerged, like flower buds that were about to bloom in the wind and rain.


    He was also worried and anxious about Xun Qian.


    However, Ma Weiye¡¯s sudden appearance and Tang Yuning¡¯s upcoming appearance have calmed all the restlessness at once.


    Only one thing remains.


    He thinks Xun Qian needs him.


    Although Ma Weiye didn¡¯t mention anything else except that he wanted to cooperate with him, in this story, if he wants to rewrite anything, it will most likely be directed toward Xun Qian.


    Ma Weiye was right. He was eager to change the ending of the character ¡°Qi Xiaoyu,¡±  but now¡­ he also wanted to slightly change Xun Qian¡¯s story line.


    Qi Xiaoyu took a deep breath and walked quickly towards the security checkpoint.


    It had just rained in S City.


    The rain washed away the noise of the city, leaving a fresh and clear feeling.


    At dawn in early April, the air was filled with the fragrance of rain and grass.


    The taxi drove all the way to the western suburbs.


    On the road, the flowers were covered with morning dew.


    The early birds chirped crisply.


    The taxi driver looked at Qi Xiaoyu several times in the rearview mirror, and finally couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Are you the star in the TV series?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu hooked the mask under his chin with his fingers and nodded with a smile. He thought the driver was talking about ¡°The Legend of the Tang Dynasty Empress,¡±  which was recently broadcast in prime time on two satellite TV stations.


    ¡°You have beautiful eyes. I recognized you at a glance, even when you¡¯re wearing a mask.¡±


    The taxi driver laughed, ¡°I just saw the TV series you acted in last night. Your acting was so good that I thought you had the same personality as that little prince, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be so quiet. You even took a taxi when you went out. Aren¡¯t celebrities all super rich?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu wanted to say thank you for the compliment, but when he heard the last sentence, he didn¡¯t know how to answer for a while. He just invested his 7 million savings, so he was quite poor.


    Fortunately, the taxi driver didn¡¯t give him time to answer and started talking on his own, ¡°My daughter likes you too. I saw you on her phone screen. Can you let me take a picture later?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu hadn¡¯t been home for more than two months. He was a little timid because he was close to home. Now there was a driver talking all the way, which distracted him a lot.


    The taxi drove all the way into the high-end villa area in the western suburbs.


    It was just six o¡¯clock, and no one had gotten up yet.


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t disturb anyone. He opened the door and went upstairs by himself, heading directly to Xun Qian¡¯s room.


    He saw Xun Qian¡¯s bedroom with a light on as soon as he was downstairs.


    Just as he pushed open the door, he saw a black shadow darting out.


    White-browed Hero was so excited that it whimpered softly, and its two claws frantically scratched Qi Xiaoyu.


    Qi Xiaoyu quickly picked it up, rubbed its chin, let it kiss him, and coaxed it to keep quiet.


    Xun Qian fell asleep in the wheelchair.


    It had been almost two months since he last saw him, and Xun Qian had lost a lot of weight.


    Perhaps it¡¯s not that he lost weight, but he had always been like this, with a face as small as a palm, and even if you took a camera to capture him from a dead angle, it would still be sharp without any extra flesh.


    But Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s current mood made him feel that Xun Qian had lost weight.


    He stood there, not knowing what he was going to do. He didn¡¯t want to wake up Xun Qian, nor did he want to just leave.


    A mixture of pity, longing, dependence, and worry surged in his heart, and he himself could not figure out which emotion was dominant.


    Finally, his eyes fell on the scattered documents on Xun Qian¡¯s desk.


    He thought of the decline in Wanhai Real Estate¡¯s stock price and the ill-intentioned Ma Weiye.


    With the amount of information in Ma Weiye¡¯s hands, it would not be too difficult to do something unfavorable to Xun Qian, such as now¡­


    He thought Xun Qian must have a lot of troubles in his heart.


    There was no one to help him, and no one for him to rely on.


    When Xun Qian woke up, he heard the barking of their dog in the yard and the laughter of Butler Cheng.


    All the sounds, mixed with the April sunshine, drifted in from the window.


    He rubbed his temples. Lack of sleep gave him a headache and chest tightness.


    There was a thermos cup on the table, and he brought it over. The water in it was still warm, neither hot nor cold, just the right temperature.


    He took a few sips, and his throat felt much better. Then he pushed his wheelchair to the window.


    On the lawn under the window, Qi Xiaoyu was playing with the little black dog. He threw the ball, and the little black dog dashed out to pick it up.


    The little black dog had grown a little bigger, with shiny fur and a strong body. When it ran, it seemed that the whole lawn was filled with its scurrying shadow.


    Qi Xiaoyu wore a set of gray-striped silk pajamas and squatted on the lawn to wave at the little black dog. He looked as relaxed as when he was drinking tea here for the first time.


    Xun Qian looked for a while, and downstairs, Qi Xiaoyu looked up as if he had telepathy and waved at him, ¡°Are you awake? Why don¡¯t you come down for breakfast?¡±


    He said, ¡°Come down quickly; I made an appointment with Dr. Song. Let¡¯s go to the hospital today after breakfast, shall we?¡±

 CH 60

    TL: Hua


    Butler Cheng also looked up at the window on the third floor and said, ¡°Third Master, do you want to come down? Wait, I¡¯ll go up right away.¡±


    Xun Qian still looked downstairs, his eyes on Qi Xiaoyu.


    Qi Xiaoyu threw the ball to Butler Cheng. ¡°Uncle Cheng, ask Mama Li to bring breakfast to the table; I¡¯ll go pick up the Third Master.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu had long legs and moved quickly. With just a few steps, he disappeared from the lawn.


    When Xun Qian looked down again, he only saw a little black dog, panting and following.


    After a while, there was a knock on the door.


    Qi Xiaoyu had sweat on his forehead, and his whole body was filled with the smell of grass and sunshine on the lawn.


    Xun Qian coughed a few times and cleared his throat before looking up at Qi Xiaoyu. His voice was a little hoarse, but gentler than usual. ¡°Why did you come back early?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu walked towards Xun Qian in the sunlight. ¡°The film is finished. It¡¯s boring to stay with the crew, so I came back.¡±


    Xun Qian said ¡°hmm¡± softly. His dark eyes set against his snow-white skin, as if containing a pool of shallow water. ¡°Next time, tell me in advance. I¡¯ll ask the driver to pick you up.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu agreed and walked behind Xun Qian in a few steps, putting his hand on the dark brown leather handle of the wheelchair.


    He was about to push the wheelchair, but when he lowered his head, he saw the whorl of hair on Xun Qian¡¯s head and the protruding collarbone under the slightly open black pajamas.


    A kind of pitiful and fragile beauty.


    Qi Xiaoyu clenched the leather handle and paused in place. He didn¡¯t feel it before, but now, looking at Xun Qian like this, he actually had an inexplicable impulse.


    This time, when he came back, he felt that everything was wrong. No matter where he looked at Xun Qian, he felt weird.


    Especially when Xun Qian looked at him and talked just now, he actually felt a little flustered.


    Sensing that the person behind him didn¡¯t move for a long time, Xun Qian couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s go downstairs for breakfast.¡±


    As soon as Qi Xiaoyu came back, the whole house became lively.


    Butler Cheng and Mama Li both dared to speak up, unlike when they were alone with Xun Qian, each of them was on edge.


    ¡°Mr. Qi, will you rest at home for a while when you come back this time?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s watch TV series together in the evening. The TV series you starred in is really good. It¡¯s just that the update is too slow¡ªonly two episodes a night. Why don¡¯t you talk to your director? Since it¡¯s finished, just release it all at once. Waiting for the update is too anxious.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu agreed with a smile and said jokingly, ¡°Okay, I will definitely go and suggest it to the director.¡±


    While Qi Xiaoyu was chatting with Mama Li, Xun Qian bent over and took a piece of ribs to play with the little black dog.


    Mama Li said again, ¡°Mr. Qi, the magazine you shot last time was also very beautiful. I have several copies in my collection.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu glanced at Xun Qian and smiled. ¡°You have several copies? Li Kun told me that the magazines were sold out in seconds. It seems that he lied to me.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Mama Li was entangled, carefully glanced at Xun Qian, and couldn¡¯t answer for a while.


    Butler Cheng came out at the right time to chase her away, ¡°Go cut a plate of fruit and stop chatting with Mr. Qi.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu turned around with a smile, took a sip of the warm milk at hand, and said to Xun Qian, ¡°I haven¡¯t even read that magazine. Did you buy a lot? Bring me one later.¡±


    Butler Cheng glanced at Xun Qian¡¯s reaction.


    Xun Qian responded, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Then he added, ¡°Zhang Han bought a lot.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll thank Zhang Han next time for helping me increase sales.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The two chatted casually while the little black dog ran around under their feet.


    It took more than half an hour to finish breakfast.


    After the meal, Qi Xiaoyu immediately accompanied Xun Qian to the hospital.


    Although Xun Qian seemed to be in good spirits when he met him today, Qi Xiaoyu could see that his physical condition was not very good. He coughed several times in half an hour during breakfast, not to mention the coughs he tried hard to suppress.


    Qi Xiaoyu remembered what Butler Cheng said to him last time when he called him. Xun Qian sat in a wheelchair all year without going out much, which was harmful to his condition.


    That was why he was so eager to bring Xun Qian to the hospital. According to Butler Cheng, no one in the family dared to talk to Xun Qian about his legs. Besides, it had been dragged on for so many years, and everyone was used to Xun Qian sitting in a wheelchair.


    Moreover, Butler Cheng also vaguely expressed his concerns. What if he went to the hospital and the doctor said that he could not be cured and could not stand up? Wouldn¡¯t it just make Xun Qian more disappointed?


    Although Xun Qian usually looked cold and indifferent, no one was willing to do such a thing as rub salt into his wound.


    They didn¡¯t dare to say it, so Qi Xiaoyu had to do it.


    Qi Xiaoyu did not have Butler Cheng¡¯s worries. After all, in the original novel, Xun Qian¡¯s leg was healed in the end, which meant that they were not fatal.


    The private hospital they went to, located in the city, was also owned by the Xun family.


    It was quiet and less crowded here, and there was no need to queue up for registration. It had no other disadvantages except that it was expensive.


    When they heard that Xun Qian was coming today, the people in the hospital had long been standing by.


    They all knew that Xun Qian was in poor health, but they never got the chance to treat him throughout the year, unless he had a high fever like last year.


    Most of the time, it¡¯s Song Yue who¡¯s doing the house visit.


    This time, it was rare that Xun Qian came when he was conscious.


    The dean, the vice dean, several orthopedic and lung disease experts, and Song Yue were waiting at the entrance together. There was no fanfare, but the scene was grand enough.


    A group of people surrounded Xun Qian in the ward for examination.


    First, they examined the lungs, took X-rays, did blood tests and various other tests, and then came the leg examination.


    Qi Xiaoyu had been accompanying him since the start, but when it was time for his leg, Xun Qian didn¡¯t let Qi Xiaoyu go in with him. ¡°Wait for me in the lounge.¡±


    Then he turned to the dean and said, ¡°Ask someone to prepare lunch and send it to the lounge.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was stunned for a moment, but soon realized that Xun Qian was afraid of being humiliated.


    Although Xun Qian had accepted the arrangement to see the doctor in the morning, rehabilitation was not an easy thing.


    Besides, he had experienced so many things in his youth, watching his legs necrotize bit by bit in helplessness and loneliness, and having been in a wheelchair for so many years. And now, if he wanted to stand up again, it wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    His request was quite sudden, but Xun agreed.


    Qi Xiaoyu felt sour and swollen in his heart and agreed at once, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you in the lounge.¡±


    Despite what he said, he couldn¡¯t go to the lounge to eat in peace.


    He sat on a chair outside the consultation room and had lunch.


    The process of this diagnosis and treatment is particularly long.


    There were family members of patients pushing wheelchairs in the gardens on the front lawn of the hospital. Several groups of people had already walked in and out.


    Qi Xiaoyu finished his meal slowly, but there was still no movement inside.


    This made him a little uneasy. He originally thought that Xun Qian¡¯s lung disease was the most serious, but when he arrived at the hospital, he found that the leg problem seemed to be more serious.


    He didn¡¯t have this kind of uneasiness before coming, because he knew that Xun Qian¡¯s legs would definitely get better, but when he really arrived at the door of the ward, the feeling was completely different. Even if he knew the outcome, he would still worry about the process.


    While waiting, he didn¡¯t know how many times he checked his phone intermittently. He waited for more than three hours before he finally heard the sound of the door opening.


    Song Yue pushed Xun Qian out.


    Xun Qian sat in the wheelchair with his eyes downcast. He couldn¡¯t tell whether he was happy or angry. It seemed that he was just seeing a doctor, normally.


    But behind him, the faces of several doctors were not very good.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. This was not what he imagined.


    However, he didn¡¯t ask more questions. If Xun Qian didn¡¯t say anything, he wouldn¡¯t ask directly.


    It wasn¡¯t until he went downstairs to pick up the medicine that Qi Xiaoyu found an opportunity to quietly go and ask Song Yue.


    ¡°Doctor Song, how is the third master¡¯s leg? Can he stand up again?¡±


    Song Yue was embarrassed. ¡°Mr. Qi, you know that I specialize in lungs, not orthopedics.


    But I heard from Doctor Zhang that the situation is not very good.


    His legs have not been used for too many years, and the bones and muscles are already difficult to control.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu frowned. ¡°Did Doctor Zhang say what the probability of recovery is?¡±


    Song Yue shook his head again. ¡°Not much¡­ But he didn¡¯t dare tell the Third Master. He just asked the Third Master to try to stand for a while¡­


    The Third Master seemed a little unhappy.


    You know his temper. When he is unhappy, no one dares to speak in front of him.


    Anyway, it¡¯s very difficult to rehabilitate in this situation. You have to suffer a lot¡­ and you may not be able to recover completely.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Qi Xiaoyu responded. Half of his heart was hanging, and half of his heart was relieved. He felt that Xun Qian¡¯s leg would definitely get better according to the plot, and he regretted that he didn¡¯t persuade Xun Qian to see a doctor a few months earlier. After all, the sooner you see a doctor, the better.


    The car on the way back was much quieter than when they came.


    Xun Qian remained silent and motionless.


    The sunshine in the afternoon of April cast deep and shallow shadows on his side profile.


    It can be seen that he is not in a good mood.


    Qi Xiaoyu also tactfully didn¡¯t speak. He thought he might be a little too rash today. He listened to the words of Butler Cheng and wanted to take Xun Qian to see a doctor earlier, but he should proceed step by step and give Xun Qian some psychological preparation.


    The doctor¡¯s diagnosis today made even him a little uneasy, not to mention Xun Qian.


    The two of them didn¡¯t speak all the way until the car stopped at the door of the villa.


    Qi Xiaoyu opened the car door and went down, then went around to the other side to help Xun Qian get out of the car.


    As soon as he put his hand on Xun Qian¡¯s arm, he was stopped by Xun Qian.


    Xun Qian held his hand and raised his eyes slightly. ¡°Do you really want me to stand up?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu looked into Xun Qian¡¯s eyes and immediately understood why Xun Qian didn¡¯t speak all the way. He originally thought that today¡¯s diagnosis made him unhappy. He understood Xun Qian¡¯s mood very well and even thought about how to comfort Xun Qian after returning. After all, it wasn¡¯t a pleasant thing to know that he would have a hard time standing up.


    Now, after hearing Xun Qian¡¯s question, he realized that he was too anxious and put pressure on Xun Qian.


    When they were talking, the driver in front didn¡¯t dare to move, and Butler Cheng, who was halfway down the steps to help, didn¡¯t dare to move either.


    The birdsong in the yard is exceptionally crisp in April.


    But soon, whatever Qi Xiaoyu said, the atmosphere relaxed visibly, and Butler Cheng even saw Xun Qian smile.


    Qi Xiaoyu pushed Xun Qian out of the car and sent him back to his room.


    White-browed Hero followed him in.


    Qi Xiaoyu picked up the dog with difficulty and yawned, ¡°I¡¯ll go back to my room and sleep for a while. See you downstairs for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Xun Qian had already controlled the wheelchair and returned to the desk. There were still a lot of things waiting for him to deal with.


    Qi Xiaoyu walked to the door and looked back at him.


    Xun Qian also looked up at him.


    Qi Xiaoyu paused, and the two looked at each other before he closed the door.


    Xun Qian was still looking at the door, and it took a long time before he retracted his gaze.


    He didn¡¯t want to stand up before, just like he didn¡¯t want to care about his uncle making trouble. He felt that standing up was meaningless and that no one was worth doing it for.


    But just now, Qi Xiaoyu smiled and said to him, ¡°I just want someone to visit me often when I¡¯m filming.¡±

 CH 61

    TL: Hua


    Qi Xiaoyu slept until 6:30 in the evening and went to Xun Qian¡¯s bedroom first, then went downstairs to have dinner with him.


    Downstairs, Mama Li made a big table full of dishes, such as glutinous rice balls, steamed pork ribs, chopped peppers, and stuffed meat¡­ They were exactly the dishes that Qi Xiaoyu missed last time when he was in a hurry.


    Qi Xiaoyu slept for an afternoon and didn¡¯t feel hungry, but seeing that Mama Li cooked so many dishes, he still ate two large bowls of rice.


    After dinner, Qi Xiaoyu accompanied Xun Qian back to the room.


    Recently, Xun Qian had a lot of work to do, and when he returned to his room, he was working on his computer.


    Something has been going on lately. It was as if someone knew all the loopholes in the Xun family¡¯s business clearly and had been causing trouble for the Xun family.


    Xun Qian asked Zhang Han to keep an eye on the two brothers of the Xu family who went to Mao¡¯s, and he himself took control remotely to get rid of the troubles one by one.


    Qi Xiaoyu looked at the busy Xun Qian and sent a message to Zhang Han, asking him to help check Ma Weiye¡¯s background.


    After sending the message, he took a book and sat on the sofa chair diagonally opposite the desk. The book was ¡°On the Basic Qualities of Directors,¡±  which was recommended to him by Wang Mingge when he was in the crew.


    Behind the two of them, Butler Cheng stood silently in a corner of the room, guarding the teapot, and the corners of his mouth didn¡¯t fall for the whole night. As the saying goes, a short separation is better than a new marriage. He didn¡¯t feel it before, but now he finally understands the meaning of this saying!


    Looking at their current state, it really gives people a feeling of accomplishment and peace of mind.


    Butler Cheng stayed with them until half past ten. He looked at Xun Qian¡¯s tired face and Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s yawn and suggested in a gentle voice, ¡°It¡¯s quite late. I¡¯m going to bed first. Are you going to rest too, Third Master?¡±


    Hearing that, Qi Xiaoyu glanced at Xun Qian and then at his cell phone. Then he stood up from his chair and waved at White-browed Hero, saying as he did so, ¡°It¡¯s quite late. I¡¯m going back to my room to sleep as well.¡±


    Butler Cheng was stunned. ¡°You¡¯re going back to your room too?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu was also stunned. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Butler Cheng felt that he might have thought too much just now. This was still a long way from success. ¡°Oh, okay, go back to your room to sleep then.¡±


    With Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s current popularity in the entertainment industry, it is almost impossible for him to rest for more than a few days with the Xun family.


    He had only been idle for two days, and calls from work came in one after another.


    Yu Xiaosheng urged him to shoot commercials; Zheng Peizu asked him to check the progress of the investment projects; the crew of ¡°The Legend of the Tang Dynasty Empress¡± invited him to attend a celebration banquet and an awards ceremony; Li Kun contacted the crew of ¡°The Departed¡± and asked him to audition, and there were a lot of film contracts of all sizes waiting for him to handle.


    Qi Xiaoyu tactfully postponed the celebration banquet according to the urgency and time sequence of the matter. The most urgent commercial was put on the agenda first, followed by meeting the chief writer and staff of ¡°The Chaos in Mangchuan,¡±  auditioning for ¡°The Departed,¡±  and then attending the awards ceremony.


    He asked Li Kun and Yu Xiaosheng to filter the film contracts first. He didn¡¯t want those that purely consumed the enthusiasm of fans, those with too many loopholes in the script, and those with co-stars that have no acting skills¡­ After filtering them out, they would give them to him to choose from. Now he has works in variety shows, movies, and music that he can show off, so he should cherish his feathers even more.


    Yu Xiaosheng originally wanted Qi Xiaoyu to shoot a few dramas while he was popular, but seeing that Qi Xiaoyu had his own ideas, he gave up.


    The first commercial was shot in collaboration with a luxury brand called Y¡¤C.


    Speaking of which, Y¡¤C took the initiative to invite Qi Xiaoyu for collaboration because of Gu Meiling¡¯s recommendation.


    Gu Meiling has worked with Y¡¤C for many years and is the long-term spokesperson for the brand.


    Secondly, it is said that the designer of Y¡¤C liked the theme song sung by Qi Xiaoyu for ¡°The Evil¡± very much. Not only did he recommend this song to colleagues in the entire department, he also took the initiative to recommend Qi Xiaoyu when selecting the spokesperson for the new season, saying that Qi Xiaoyu brought him infinite inspiration and that he wanted to design a series of costume jewelry for Qi Xiaoyu alone.


    Y¡¤C was also very generous in this cooperation, directly giving Qi Xiaoyu the title of clothing line spokesperson and signing a one-year contract.


    Therefore, when Yu Xiaosheng received the cooperation invitation from Y¡¤C, he agreed on behalf of Qi Xiaoyu without hesitation and set an appointment for a photoshoot.


    Although Qi Xiaoyu had done advertisements before, the only nominal spokesperson was Xue Qingchu.


    Being the official spokesperson of a luxury brand is undoubtedly another great help for Qi Xiaoyu, who is now in the rising stage of his career.


    Starting his first endorsement with a luxury brand also adds a lot of convenience for him to develop in the fashion circle in the future.


    Qi Xiaoyu read the background introduction of Y¡¤C and the terms of the contract and felt that there was no problem, so he immediately put the advertisement shooting on the agenda.


    On the day of the shooting, Xun Qian sent a driver to drive a business Mercedes-Benz to take Qi Xiaoyu to the shooting location.


    Butler Cheng sent Qi Xiaoyu to the car door and said, ¡°This is the new driver that Third Master hired, specifically for Mr. Qi. Let him pick you up and drop you off whenever you need to go out in the future.¡±


    The location of the advertisement shoot was an abandoned factory in the suburbs.


    The brand invited many European and American models, all of whom were 18 years old, with long legs and high noses, exuding an imposing presence.


    When the stylist got Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s information, he was a little worried and discussed with his colleagues next to him, ¡°Will the new spokesperson be too short?¡±


    Although Qi Xiaoyu was also in his early 18s, he did not have an advantage in height among the models, especially male models.


    But when Qi Xiaoyu came and was styled, the stylist completely forgot what he had said before and immediately slapped himself in the face. His attention was completely attracted by Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s face and temperament. ¡°Height is not a problem; this height is just right!¡±


    Although Qi Xiaoyu was not as tall as a circle of models, when he stood there, his aura instantly stood up. No matter how tall the people next to him were or how three-dimensional their facial features were, they were suppressed by Qi Xiaoyu in the middle.


    He wore black ripped jeans, black Martin boots, and a black leather jacket. He stood in the middle of the crowd with one hand in his pocket. He was so cool and handsome that he attracted all the attention.


    After shooting the commercial for a whole day, everyone clamored to go to the bar together.


    Qi Xiaoyu was taking off his leather jacket and reached out to take his coat. A female model came up and took the initiative to talk to him. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the bar. Do you want to join us?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled and shook his head. ¡°Sorry, I have something to do at home.¡±


    The female model shrugged, showing a disappointed expression, then turned back to tell her companions. All the models looked at Qi Xiaoyu and showed disappointment on their faces.


    But someone still came over and insisted on adding Qi Xiaoyu as a friend. Her long, wavy hair even touched Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s face. The V-neckline revealed a plump and soft semicircle, and she exuded the sweet fragrance of roses.


    Unfortunately, Qi Xiaoyu was indifferent. He really wanted to leave. Xun Qian went to the hospital for a checkup today. He promised to pick him up from the hospital after work in the evening.


    In order to get out as soon as possible, he could only add the female model as a friend.


    The female model shook her phone with satisfaction and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go home one day, come out and play with us anytime.¡±


    When Qi Xiaoyu arrived at the hospital, Xun Qian was already waiting for him in his car.


    Rehabilitation and treatment made him look a little tired. While waiting, he kept his eyes closed to rest.


    Hearing the sound of Qi Xiaoyu getting in the car and smelling the strong perfume on Qi Xiaoyu, Xun Qian opened his eyes and frowned slightly, but he didn¡¯t show much reaction. He just leaned back in the seat and asked casually, ¡°Will you go back after dinner?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll eat it before going back, so that Mama Li won¡¯t have to cook again. These days, she has made too many dishes and even stares at me every day. I¡¯d feel bad if I didn¡¯t eat more.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu looked at Xun Qian and asked again, ¡°Are you tired if you go out for dinner?¡±


    As soon as Qi Xiaoyu finished speaking, his mobile phone vibrated continuously, and messages popped up on the screen one after another, all sent by the female model just now, and they were all vivid pictures.


    Xun Qian¡¯s face this time was a bit visibly worse than before.


    Qi Xiaoyu glanced at Xun Qian and said openly, ¡°They were going to have a dinner party after filming the commercial today, but I thought it was more important to come to the hospital to see you, so I didn¡¯t go.¡±


    Xun Qian responded with an ¡°um¡± and said to the driver, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the same Cantonese restaurant as last time.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled slightly at Xun Qian¡¯s tone.


    It was still the same Cantonese restaurant as before, but this time they ordered something different.


    It wasn¡¯t late after the meal¡ªless than nine o¡¯clock.


    Qi Xiaoyu wiped his mouth and asked Xun Qian if he wanted to go home to rest, do something else, or go to the furniture store next door.


    Xun Qian seemed to think for a while: ¡°See if there¡¯s a movie theater nearby.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t expect this activity.


    ¡°Okay, what kind of movie do you want to watch?¡±


    ¡°Anything¡¯s fine. You choose.¡±


    This time period is not too late, but not too early, so it¡¯s a bit inconvenient. Many movies have just started or are halfway through. Qi Xiaoyu took out his mobile phone to check, only to find that the most suitable time slot and accessible viewing experience was a horror movie.


    ¡°There¡¯s only horror movies. Can you watch it?¡±


    Xun Qian nodded.


    So the two quickly set a new schedule and went to see a movie.


    Before leaving the Cantonese restaurant, Qi Xiaoyu took out a mask, put it on, and gave Xun Qian one as well.


    Xun Qian shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m not a celebrity. I don¡¯t need to wear it.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu still held the mask in front of him and said, ¡°No, you are good-looking, so you have to wear it too.¡±


    Xun Qian has been very good-looking since he was a child, but no one dared to comment on his appearance, as if he was born as Third Master Xun, the heir of the Xun family, and had no personal characteristics other than that.


    He himself didn¡¯t care about his appearance, but he was very happy to hear Qi Xiaoyu say that.


    Every word Qi Xiaoyu said was just right, which made him feel the most pleasant.


    The title of the movie is ¡°There¡¯s a ghost tonight.¡± The poster shows a female ghost with disheveled hair, bleeding lips, and red eyes, as if they were afraid that the audience wouldn¡¯t know this is a ghost movie.


    When the two came to the cinema, the trailer for ¡°The Evil¡± was playing on the largest screen. Although the movie will not be released for several months, the trailer has been released, and the theme song sung by Qi Xiaoyu also fills the entire space.


    Occasionally, when someone walked by, they would look at it for a few moments, especially Qi Xiaoyu, who was like ice and snow on the screen. He was unforgettable at first sight.


    On the contrary, Qi Xiaoyu himself didn¡¯t feel much. When he stood in front of the movie theater and saw the poster, he only felt that the movie chosen today shouldn¡¯t be good.


    Other people should have the same idea. In addition, today is a weekday, so not many other people came to see it. In the entire hall, apart from the two of them, there is only a young couple sitting in the front row.


    Qi Xiaoyu bought a seat next to the aisle specifically to facilitate Xun Qian¡¯s entry and exit.


    After the two sat down, the movie started.


    It was no different from those routine ghost movies. At the beginning, a woman with a gloomy and indifferent expression appeared in the window. She looked at the couple walking downstairs with cold and resentful eyes.


    Then, the couple encountered strange things frequently.


    Everything was going normally at first.


    Further down the line, after the male protagonist finally met the female ghost, the style abruptly changed.


    The female ghost began to reminisce¡ªan exciting scene with the male protagonist.


    Although the censorship was strict and a lot of over-explicit scenes were cut, the vague images and sounds were still there.


    The more secretive it is, the more forbidden and exciting it is.


    Especially in an empty movie theater, the sensory stimulation was even stronger.


    Qi Xiaoyu lowered his head slightly and coughed twice. ¡°Are horror movies so erotic these days?¡±


    Xun Qian also laughed softly, his voice a little hoarse. ¡°You¡¯re an actor; you should know better than me.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t made this type of movie.¡±


    ¡°En.¡±


    The two didn¡¯t know what to say for a while.


    After a while, the sounds in the movie finally weakened, and there was a sign of entering the end, but some sputtering sounds were heard again.


    Looking forward from their position, they could see that the couple in the front seat had completely leaned against each other, their heads overlapping and indistinguishable from each other.


    The scene became even more awkward for a while.


    Qi Xiaoyu could only turn his head towards Xun Qian and whisper, ¡°Don¡¯t they know that whatever they do in the cinema will be seen by the staff?¡±


    Xun Qian turned his head and saw Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s blushing face close in front of him. He moved his eyes away and saw Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s hand curled up slightly on the chair. ¡°Will they?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah?¡±


    Xun Qian pinched Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s fingers and spoke in a hoarse voice. The voice was very low and slow, but very tempting: ¡°It¡¯s other people who¡¯re being seen. What are you nervous about?¡±

 CH 62

    TL: Hua


    Qi Xiaoyu almost instinctively wanted to deny it, but he didn¡¯t say anything.


    All his attention was on Xun Qian¡¯s hand.


    Xun Qian¡¯s hand was cold and delicate, and his fingertips were smooth and full. In the hot movie theater, it seduced him like a cool spring.


    He again saw the smile on Xun Qian¡¯s lips and Adam¡¯s apple in his throat rolling up and down as he spoke.


    He didn¡¯t have too many thoughts, and this afternoon, he didn¡¯t have any inappropriate thoughts towards those sexy female models, but now¡­ he felt his mouth parched and his tongue scorched.


    He was just 23 years old, at the age of vigor and vitality. He used to be in a theater troupe surrounded by wolves, and the few people he dated had sincere intentions. He was almost in a state of no desire, not being close to anyone or interested in anyone.


    But at this moment¡­ Xun Qian made his heart sway and his imagination run wild.


    Just as Qi Xiaoyu was trying to suppress his impulse, the movie scene suddenly turned bloody, and the woman who was lingering on the bed suddenly turned into a ghost.


    A terrified scream rang out.


    Qi Xiaoyu, who was struggling with himself, was startled and instinctively grasped Xun Qian¡¯s hand that was pinching his fingertips.


    Their knuckles were intertwined and tightly clasped together.


    They were so close to each other¡ªonly an inch apart.


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t dare to move, so he could only turn his head stiffly to one side and stare at the flickering screen in front of him, ¡°The rhythm of this movie is really strange.¡±


    Xun Qian looked at his eyelashes flickering slightly on the side of his face, smiling, but didn¡¯t move.


    After a long while, Xun Qian felt that the hand holding him had loosened.


    After another moment, the hand holding him seemed to be pulling out.


    Xun Qian didn¡¯t wait for that hand to be withdrawn and had already gripped it tightly, wrapping Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s entire hand in his.


    Qi Xiaoyu seemed to be surprised and struggled to break free.


    Xun Qian held his hand tighter and said, ¡°Don¡¯t move; watch the movie; if you move too much, someone will see you.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu stared at the screen without moving.


    It wasn¡¯t until the movie ended and the staff came to clear the venue that Xun Qian let go of his hand.


    The two walked out.


    The mall outside was closed, and the elevators from the cinema to the mall were also closed.


    Qi Xiaoyu looked at the time. It was already twenty past eleven, ¡°Have we been watching for so long?¡±


    Xun Qian smiled and suddenly looked up and asked, ¡°What happened to the female ghost at the end?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Xiaoyu was stunned. Since Xun Qian held his hand, he had no idea what the second half was about, but he still looked calm. ¡°She seems to have disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Xun Qian smiled again.


    They came out of the back door of the mall, and outside was a path full of sycamore trees.


    Under the sycamore trees, there were rows of small red houses.


    They stood by the road, waiting for the driver to drive the car out of the garage.


    The night breeze of late spring was intoxicating.


    Qi Xiaoyu stood, and Xun Qian sat; neither of them spoke, but there was a sense of tranquility in this silence.


    Suddenly, the phone rang and broke this tranquil atmosphere.


    Qi Xiaoyu got a phone call from Butler Cheng. He said with regret on the other end of the phone, ¡°Mr. Qi, Xiao Hei was playing outside just now and bit off two wires¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Xiaoyu was a little puzzled.


    Butler Cheng continued, ¡°There is a power outage at home now, and the property management is looking for someone to fix it. But it¡¯s too late today, and it probably won¡¯t be fixed until late night¡­ Why don¡¯t you stay outside with the Third Master tonight?¡±


    Then came another sound, ¡°Ouch, I bumped into the table again in this darkness. When will property management come?¡±


    Butler Cheng seemed to be talking to Mama Li, ¡°It will take a few hours.¡±


    After saying that, Butler Cheng sighed, ¡°Hiya, it¡¯s really inconvenient to have no electricity at home. The elevator can¡¯t be used, and the Third Master won¡¯t be able to go upstairs when he comes back. It¡¯s also inconvenient to take a shower and sleep¡­ Maybe you shouldn¡¯t come back tonight.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu felt that what Butler Cheng said was so reasonable that he had to agree, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±


    When he hung up the call, Xun Qian asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Then he told the other party about the wire being bitten off by White-browed Hero.


    Xun Qian rested his elbows on the wheelchair, bent his fingers, and placed them under his nose, smiling gently. He and Qi Xiaoyu knew exactly what was going on at home.


    The car stopped in front of the two of them, and Xun Qian suggested, ¡°Then let¡¯s go to Weihao Hotel.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu remembered that his plan for the next day was to meet the crew of ¡°The Turmoil in Mangchuan¡± with Zheng Peizu, and it happened to be near Weihao Hotel, so he nodded in agreement.


    The room on the top floor of the Weihao Hotel was unused and reserved for Xun Qian.


    Xun Qian rarely came here, and it was always vacant, but no one dared to neglect it. It was cleaned in the morning and evening, ready at any time Xun Qian needed it.


    Hearing about Xun Qian¡¯s sudden visit tonight, Zhang Han immediately came to receive him. Manager Zhong, who was in charge of the hotel business, and Manager Zhang, who was in charge of the casino, both were not yet off duty. They all lined up at the door to greet him.


    Recently, Xun Qian ruthlessly removed the influence of his uncle in the Xun family business. He personally checked the accounts and personnel transfer records. Anyone who had any relationship with his uncle was compensated and laid off, regardless of qualifications or background. His actions were swift and clean.


    The rest of the people, even if they were innocent, were cautious.


    Faced with the threat from Mao¡¯s family, Xun Qian also fought back with great force. However, every drop of money made the people next to him tremble with fear, and it was fortunate that Xun Qian had such courage.


    They had only heard that the big boss above them could not be offended. Now that they had a little understanding, they realized that the big boss¡¯s actions were really extraordinary.


    Manager Zhong hurriedly took out a breath freshener and sprayed it into his mouth several times, saying in annoyance, ¡°I¡¯m so stupid. How can I eat garlic for dinner?¡±


    Manager Zhang also reached out for it: ¡°Old Zhong, spray it on me too.¡±


    Zhang Han looked at their trembling and pitiful expressions and casually comforted them. ¡°How can the Third Master have time to talk to you?¡±


    Manager Zhong was stunned for a moment, as if he were both relieved and disappointed, ¡°Then why did he come?¡±


    As soon as he finished asking, he saw Xun Qian¡¯s Maybach driving towards them.


    A group of people immediately stood up and bent down.


    Zhang Han whispered a reminder: ¡°Don¡¯t talk about work problems in front of the Third Master; smile more; be more festive, especially to the person around him.¡±


    So when Qi Xiaoyu got out of the car, he received particularly enthusiastic attention.


    Even if Xun Qian was in a good mood today, the two managers didn¡¯t dare look at him.


    They followed Zhang Han¡¯s words and smiled with enthusiasm, especially at Qi Xiaoyu. They were both quite old, and when they smiled, half of their faces were covered with wrinkles, which made Qi Xiaoyu almost think that the two managers were in a state of mental abnormality.


    Fortunately, they only escorted them to the elevator.


    Zhang Han led Xun Qian and Qi Xiaoyu in, then said to Xun Qian, but also as if he were speaking to Qi Xiaoyu, ¡°All other rooms in the hotel are full; only this one prepared for you has been empty.¡±


    Then he said, ¡°The room has been decorated according to your previous requirements, Third Master. Do you like it?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu asked curiously, ¡°You decorated the room here?¡±


    Xun Qian didn¡¯t say anything.


    Zhang Han had already opened the door.


    After turning on the switch for the crystal chandelier, Qi Xiaoyu looked at the decoration of the living room and thought that Xun Qian had moved the entire Western antique furniture store back.


    He noticed that Xun Qian had moved all the things he wanted to buy at the furniture store here without missing a single one. They were all the things he paid extra attention to.


    In the dining cabinet, there was another set of sweet white glazed cups. He had found a similar one in the flower and bird market a long time ago, bought it back, and kept it in the house. He only took it out and used it occasionally when he drank tea.


    Qi Xiaoyu leaned on the brown solid wood side cabinet with one hand and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you decorate your home?¡±


    Xun Qian smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll leave the home for you to decorate.¡±


    Zhang Han gently closed the door and went out.


    Qi Xiaoyu and Xun Qian went from the living room to the bedroom.


    Looking out from the French window of the bedroom, the river below is full of cruise ships, and the high-rise buildings on the opposite bank are lined up. It is really the most beautiful location in S City.


    Xun Qian looked at Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s back, showing a little uncertainty and loneliness, ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu turned his back to him and nodded heavily.


    Standing in front of the window, whether looking inward and outward, it was like a meandering and luxurious dream.


    The two went to take a shower one after another.


    When Xun Qian came out, Qi Xiaoyu had already fallen asleep on the bed.


    He wore a bathrobe, bent his body, and lay on his side on the bed.


    The quilt slipped off his chest, the waistband of the bathrobe was loose, and the collar was open all the way to his abdomen.


    His bangs hung over his eyes, his eyelashes covered him like crow wings, his lips were closed together, and he looked very lithe and quiet when he was asleep.


    Xun Qian¡¯s heart also became quiet and relaxed. From the moment he saw the boy eating breakfast in pajamas on the lawn, Qi Xiaoyu brought him hope and yearning for a normal family life.


    Qi Xiaoyu made him feel comfortable and serene, and his progress was measured and just right, all to his liking.


    He took out his mobile phone, quietly took a photo of Qi Xiaoyu sleeping, and set it as wallpaper.


    He moved closer to him, raised his hand, and gently brushed Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s soft lips with his fingers.


    Qi Xiaoyu was sleeping soundly. He had been shooting commercials all day, and then went to the hospital to pick up Xun Qian, eat, and watch movies. He wanted to wait for Xun Qian to come back after taking a shower, and then they could chat before going to sleep. However, he was too tired and almost fell asleep as soon as he got on the bed, without any reaction to Xun Qian¡¯s movements.


    Xun Qian¡¯s fingers lingered from his lips to his cheeks. He even leaned over slightly, wanting to kiss the pink lips, but the phone rang twice.


    He glanced at the screen of his phone with some displeasure, wondering who would dare to send him a message at this time, but the screen showed that the message was sent by Zhang Han.


    If it was not an emergency, Zhang Han would not disturb him at this time.


    He swiped the screen, and Zhang Han¡¯s message showed: ¡°The old madam brought the person from the Tang family to S City. They just landed tonight and asked you to meet tomorrow morning.¡±


    Xun Qian¡¯s eyes darkened, and he coughed a few times with his mouth pressed down. The past, which had gradually faded away because of Qi Xiaoyu, came to him again.


    He turned off his phone and threw it aside.


    Then he gently covered Qi Xiaoyu with the quilt. No matter what, he had to solve the problem and not let those things affect Qi Xiaoyu.

 CH 63

    TL: Hua


    When Qi Xiaoyu woke up the next day, Xun Qian was no longer in the room.


    Hotel Manager Zhong personally brought someone to deliver breakfast, saying that Xun Qian had left for work.


    Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t have time to think much. He didn¡¯t know whether he was too tired yesterday or too excited. He had a lot of romantic dreams at night, and he overslept and got up late in the morning.


    Zheng Peizu sent him a message saying that he had arrived and asked him when he would arrive.


    He replied, then hurriedly got up to wash and eat¡­ He was naked and worried about his underwear, thinking that it was a good thing that Xun Qian had left for work.


    It was all because he let himself go in the dream yesterday that he made a mess.


    He was struggling with whether to wash and dry it and then wear it or buy a new one when he suddenly saw a large wardrobe with four doors in the bedroom.


    He originally thought it was just a wardrobe for people to put clothes in temporarily, but when he opened it, he found that it was full of clothes and accessories¡ªfrom woolen coats to cuffs and bow ties, pajamas and home clothes¡ªeverything was available; even underwear and socks were neatly arranged in a whole drawer.


    Qi Xiaoyu pulled out a few clothes out of curiosity and took a look. They were not Xun Qian¡¯s size, but they were all prepared according to his size.


    This place, from the decorations to the clothes, looks completely tailor-made for him. What does Xun Qian want to do?


    His phone rang twice again. Qi Xiaoyu guessed that it was to urge him to go over quickly, so he didn¡¯t have time to think about anything else. He closed the wardrobe door, changed into clean underwear, and went out.


    Zheng Peizu has arranged the meeting at a Sichuan restaurant.


    When Qi Xiaoyu arrived, the others were already seated.


    The main creative staff of ¡°The Turmoil in Mangchuan,¡±  from the director to the actors, are very young, about 20 to 30 years old.


    They were obviously very reserved when they saw Qi Xiaoyu.


    Even though Qi Xiaoyu was about the same age as them, or even younger, they all said, ¡°Hello, Teacher Qi.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu came over, greeted Zheng Peizu first, then pulled out a chair and sat down, smiling, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m late.¡±


    Then he started from the person closest to him, stretched out his hand to introduce himself, ¡°Is this Director Lu? Hello, I¡¯m Qi Xiaoyu. You can also call me Xiaoyu.¡±


    The director named Lu Zuo couldn¡¯t help but be surprised that Qi Xiaoyu could call out his name at a glance.


    Lu Zuo had a full beard and a head of thick hair that was unkempt and looked a little messy. He was not tall, about 160 cm, and wore a pair of black-framed glasses. He gave off the temperament of an artistic person.


    He was the oldest among the crew, but he was only 30 years old. He started making movies in college and has been working hard for almost 10 years. Having seen all kinds of human warmth and coldness, all his sharpness and arrogance have been worn away. In order to make movies, he couldn¡¯t even afford steamed buns when he was at his lowest.


    When he came to see Qi Xiaoyu today, the image he had in mind was an investor and a popular traffic star, so even if he was a bit condescending, it was a matter of course.


    But he didn¡¯t expect Qi Xiaoyu to have such a gentle personality and sincere kindness; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to call his name at a glance.


    Lu Zuo quickly stood up and shook Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s stretched hand, ¡°Hello, Teacher Qi.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled and exchanged a few words with Lu Zuo, praised his talent in movies, and then greeted and introduced himself to the other people at the table one by one.


    He could basically call out the names of everyone present.


    This is actually not a difficult thing to do. There are only two people behind the scenes, one Lu Zuo and one screenwriter, and they are both signed in the title.


    The other three or four were the main cast. He had seen them all when he watched the sample film, and he took note of everyone¡¯s name.


    But such an action of his was very good at winning goodwill.


    When these young, unknown actors shook hands with Qi Xiaoyu, their hands were obviously shaking with excitement and nervousness.


    The entire crew had not yet become famous.


    They gathered together purely for their dreams, but along the way, they suffered setbacks and frustrations.


    All the money they had collected before was spent on the venue and equipment, but the funds were still not enough, and they even had to stop the shooting for a while.


    They were treated coldly in other places, let alone in front of an investor like Qi Xiaoyu.


    So when Qi Xiaoyu came late, no one dared to say anything.


    They were all prepared to have a meal with the investor in fear, never expecting it to be a pleasant one instead.


    Zheng Peizu sat next to them and gave them a calm smile, as if to say, see, I told you not to worry. The investor I brought to you guys is very reliable.


    After the introduction, Qi Xiaoyu carefully asked about the progress of their filming and the publicity arrangements after encountering difficulties.


    He also talked with Lu Zuo about filming.


    He had learned a lot of filming techniques from Wang Mingge before, and recently read relevant books. When he talked about this with Lu Zuo, he didn¡¯t feel like an amateur at all.


    He carried himself very humbly, but not excessively, which only made people feel respectful and more friendly.


    Speaking of which, Qi Xiaoyu actually had his own plans. When Yu Xiaosheng told him that Star Entertainment was about to fail, he was thinking that after he had enough money, he would buy Star Entertainment and start his own company as a boss.


    Since he had entered the industry, he had carefully calculated the ratio of the money he earned on his own from each activity to the company¡¯s share and had observed the ratio of the entertainment company¡¯s inputs and outputs on the artists.


    There¡¯s only so much money he can make on his own, no matter how hard he works. He had to be his own boss and invest appropriately in financial management.


    He had seen how his master managed a troupe and learned some skills. If he learned from Xun Qian and Zhang Han, managing a modern company should not be a problem.


    Compared to running an entertainment company, the more difficult part is how to recruit potential artists.


    Except for Ren Fei, he has looked at the other artists at Star Entertainment and found that none of them have the qualifications to develop long-term or become popular in the entertainment industry.


    On the contrary, he thinks the newcomers in ¡°The Turmoil in Mangchuan¡± are not bad. They have not signed a contract with a company yet. He thought it would be best to sign them over if he bought Star Entertainment in the future.


    They had a two-hour meal.


    When they left after dinner, the actors of ¡°The Turmoil in Mangchuan¡± were much more relaxed and invited Qi Xiaoyu to attend the movie premiere.


    Lu Zuo, in particular, almost regarded Qi Xiaoyu as his confidant and mentor. He reluctantly said to Zheng Peizu and Qi Xiaoyu, ¡°Since I entered the industry, the luckiest thing for me, Lu Zuo, is to meet Mr. Zheng and Mr. Qi.¡±


    After meeting the main creators of ¡°The Turmoil in Mangchuan,¡±  Qi Xiaoyu concentrated on other trivial matters, such as several interviews with the crew of ¡°The Legend of the Tang Dynasty Empress¡± and some variety shows, all of which were arranged to be completed within a few days, leaving more than ten days to prepare for the audition of ¡°The Departed.¡±


    The background of the story of ¡°The Departed¡± is set in a period of foreign invasion and warlords fighting.


    The story told the different choices, destinies, and paths of the common people under such a turbulent background.


    According to the news, Tang Yuning has been determined to be the male lead.


    After reading the script, Qi Xiaoyu chose the second male lead, a declining aristocratic son, who was conservative, dandy, morbid, and greedy for pleasure, and finally died along with the cannon fire in his homeland. Not an outright bad guy, certainly not a good guy.


    Qi Xiaoyu chose this role because he remembered that in the original book, this role was named and played by someone else.


    He felt that he had changed some things in the original book, but he was not sure if everything could be changed, especially the things related to Tang Yuning, or whether he could change them completely.


    In addition, Ma Weiye was involved in this matter, and it was estimated that he had ulterior motives.


    He asked Zhang Han to check Ma Weiye¡¯s background before, and he found out that he was really just a photographer.


    This made Qi Xiaoyu confused and worried, so he could only wait until he joined the crew to slowly find out.


    When Qi Xiaoyu was at home, he carefully studied the script while accompanying Xun Qian in rehabilitation.


    It could be said that his career was going smoothly now, and his life in Xun¡¯s house was also comfortable and happy.


    But Xun Qian¡¯s rehabilitation has never improved, which is the most worrying thing for him.


    He called Song Yue, and the other party was full of doubt and helplessness, ¡°We have tried all kinds of methods in the past half a month. It stands to reason that even if the Third Master can¡¯t stand up, his legs should be getting better, but the current situation¡­ is a bit abnormal.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s heart tightened. The rehabilitation mentioned in a few sentences in the original book turned out to be so difficult to experience.


    Song Yue paused for a moment and then suggested, ¡°Mr. Qi, can you take him to a psychological consultation to see if it¡¯s a psychological problem. If he suffered psychological trauma when he was injured, it may also lead to difficulties in later rehabilitation.


    Also¡­ he seems to be under a lot of pressure recently. Can you help him relieve the pressure¡­ It¡¯s not good for his body if he¡¯s stressing himself out.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu agreed, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    But Xun Qian has been especially busy lately, only coming out of her room during meals. Zhang Han had also been coming in and out with documents.


    He was so busy that he couldn¡¯t even find time to go to rehabilitation as usual. He only went there twice intermittently, not to mention seeing a psychologist.


    Judging from Zhang Han¡¯s expression, it¡¯s all urgent.


    Qi Xiaoyu knows a little about the current situation of Xun¡¯s family.


    Xun¡¯s family business is so big. There are people outside eyeing it covetously, and there are moles inside making trouble; it¡¯s not so easy to clean up.


    Xun Qian usually doesn¡¯t tell Qi Xiaoyu about work, so he knows not to disturb Xun Qian. After thinking about it, he can only start with what Song Yue said to help him relieve stress.


    He studied for a while and found that there were still twenty days left for Xun Qian¡¯s birthday.


    He remembered that on his birthday, Xun Qian traveled thousands of miles to New Zealand to prepare a surprise for him.


    He also remembered their promise to celebrate their 27th birthday well.


    So while preparing for the audition, he carefully thought about how to celebrate Xun Qian¡¯s birthday.


    He thought about it for a while and decided to call Kang Qitao and ask, ¡°Teacher Kang, is it convenient to rent your recording studio for a day?¡±


    Xun Qian should like ¡°A Dream of Spring Boudoir¡± very much.


    He planned to record the most classic choruses of it and make a disk for him.


    The phonograph was always in Xun Qian¡¯s room, so he could listen to it anytime he wanted.


    Hearing that Qi Xiaoyu wanted to borrow the recording studio, Kang Qitao thought that he was going to release a song and said in surprise, ¡°Xiaoyu, do you want to record songs and prepare to release an album? Why didn¡¯t you tell me in advance? How is the progress now? I¡¯ll help you check it out.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu knew that Kang Qitao had misunderstood and answered generously, ¡°I¡¯m not releasing an album myself; I want to record a song to give to someone.¡±


    Kang Qitao immediately understood, thinking that Qi Xiaoyu really didn¡¯t listen to his advice last time. He felt a little melancholy, a little disappointed, and sighed, ¡°You put in so much effort. I hope you won¡¯t be let down.¡±


    After saying that, Kang Qitao probably felt that this sentence was a bit too much, and smiled, ¡°Which day do you want to use it? Just tell me, I¡¯ll ask someone to arrange it.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu thanked Kang Qitao, considered the time they had already arranged, and decided to go record next Wednesday.


    After deciding on this, he searched for a lot of recipes in advance, looked through all the cuisines from all over the country, took into account Xun Qian¡¯s taste and the combination of dishes, and carefully selected ten dishes to prepare for Xun Qian on his birthday.


    He also calculated the work arrangements before and after Xun Qian¡¯s birthday. If he successfully passed the audition, he would probably have to film with the crew during that period, and he would have to discuss it with the crew in advance.


    Although there were so many things to do, Qi Xiaoyu didn¡¯t feel tired at all when he thought about the arrival of Xun Qian¡¯s birthday, and he was even full of expectations.

 CH 64

    TL: Hua


    In Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s busy planning, the audition day came in a blink of an eye.


    Yu Xiaosheng and Li Kun both came along.


    They had read all the new scripts that Qi Xiaoyu had been invited to star in, and they both agreed that, in terms of the current scripts and configurations, none was better than ¡°The Departed.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu now has a popular TV series and a movie to be broadcast, but both are costume dramas and movies, so the new scripts sent to him are mainly costume movies, but Qi Xiaoyu cannot be limited to them. If he can follow it up with another type of movie, it will be much better for his development in the future.


    ¡°The Departed¡± happens to be a movie with a completely different style.


    The director behind it, Yang Wei, has a very good reputation. Although his output rate is not high and he mainly produces art films, he has won many international awards.


    The established male lead, Tang Yuning, is also very famous.


    Tang Yuning entered the industry very early. At the age of sixteen, he became famous for his first appearance in Yang Wei¡¯s art film and won the crown award at the most prestigious film festival in F country, becoming the youngest film emperor.


    At the age of 18, he went to A country to develop his career, and everything went smoothly. It is said that this time he returned to China to make a movie again because of Yang Wei¡¯s invitation.


    The good script, coupled with its already determined team, attracted many actors to audition.


    As soon as Qi Xiaoyu arrived at the audition set, he met many acquaintances¡ªCui Jing, Lu Tongtong, and Yu Zhou.


    He was not surprised by the first two. When he had a wrap-up banquet with the crew of ¡°The Evil¡± last time, Cui Jing expressed her interest in this movie.


    In addition to filming variety shows, Lu Tongtong also took the film route.


    As for Yu Zhou, he didn¡¯t expect to see him here.


    Since the competition, except for the chance encounter at the magazine shooting, he and Yu Zhou have not met again.


    The last time they met, he was still being looked down upon by a makeup artist.


    However, when they met again this time, the two were obviously not on the same level.


    Qi Xiaoyu auditioned for the second male lead, while Yu Zhou auditioned for a horsekeeper with very few scenes.


    Qi Xiaoyu nodded to the person from a distance, and Yu Zhou pulled the corner of his mouth reluctantly.


    He had an average relationship with Yu Zhou in the show before, and seeing that Yu Zhou had no intention of reminiscing, he just said hello and moved on.


    It just so happened that Lu Tongtong came to look for him again, so they went together.


    They talked about their respective situations after the variety show ended. Lu Tongtong seemed to envy him for getting Wang Mingge¡¯s movie, and hummed a few lines of the movie theme song in front of Qi Xiaoyu, saying that she had really listened to it many times.


    The two did not talk for long before entering the audition stage.


    There were quite a few actors who came to audition for the second male role, and Qi Xiaoyu was the second last in line. He listened attentively to every name called by the people in front of him, especially when he heard the name ¡°Chen Pei.¡±  He paid special attention to it.


    In the original book, Chen Pei was the second male lead of this movie.


    Qi Xiaoyu paid close attention to Chen Pei¡¯s appearance and performance.


    Chen Pei was very good-looking, especially his eyes, which were clear and watery, basically the same as the description in the original in just two sentences.


    Chen Pei¡¯s performance was also good, decadent, and depressing, showing the feeling of the character itself.


    Qi Xiaoyu also paid attention to Yang Wei¡¯s reaction. Yang Wei¡¯s serious face had no expression, but if you look closely, you will find that his demeanor was much more relaxed than the previous few auditions.


    Qi Xiaoyu couldn¡¯t help but think that if he didn¡¯t come, the second male lead role would really belong to Chen Pei.


    If he didn¡¯t intervene, the plot of the original novel would always be the plot of the original novel¡­


    After Chen Pei and two other people, it was Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s turn to go on stage.


    When Qi Xiaoyu first went to the crew of ¡°The Legend Tang Dynasty Empress¡± for an audition, in addition to the push from Orange Juice Entertainment, his own performance was also recognized by the director.


    Now, after training with two crews, it was even more incomparable to the past.


    Especially after the crew of ¡°The Evil,¡± directed by Wang Mingge, for two months.


    Wang Mingge was originally known for his ability to teach actors. Otherwise, it would not be possible to bring out the beauty of actors several times just by lighting and composition.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s skills were not bad, and Wang Mingge was particularly attentive to him in those two months. His acting skills, expressions, and lines were all improved.


    Besides, he had personally experienced that era. Every time he looked back and moved, he could not stop the temperament and demeanor of a noble young master.


    Today, he deliberately wore a small lapel sweater, plaid trousers, and a pair of shiny brogues on his feet. When Yu Xiaosheng and Li Kun saw him at the door in the morning, they praised his outfit today for being exactly the same as the character in the movie. Just now, Lu Tongtong also pulled him aside to praise him.


    They¡¯re going to perform a segment where they¡¯re letting loose on the couch. The cannon fodder outside was deafening, but the nobleman was still indulging in his last flourish.


    Qi Xiaoyu lazily went to the prop sofa, with one hand on the side of the sofa. He didn¡¯t need to make any expressions or say much. He was just a living, decadent young man.


    After his performance, the people in the waiting area were obviously depressed. Some of them had finished their performances long ago and were still standing by, waiting for the results. After Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s performance, they all started to pack up their things.


    Although Yang Wei¡¯s expression was still the same as before, he nodded to Qi Xiaoyu several times and even said, without avoiding suspicion, ¡°Qi Xiaoyu, right? I heard Wang Mingge and Kang Qitao mention you. You are really good.¡±


    Other staff members present also showed satisfaction with Qi Xiaoyu.


    Different roles were auditioned in different rooms. After Qi Xiaoyu finished the audition, he didn¡¯t see Lu Tongtong and Cui Jing, so he sent messages to them separately and left first.


    He made an appointment with Kang Qitao to go to the recording this afternoon. After leaving the crew, he took Li Kun straight to the recording studio.


    He was afraid that he wasn¡¯t in good enough shape after just auditioning in the morning and rushing over, so he started preparing himself while on the road by putting his hands on both sides of his cheeks, gently rubbing the muscles apart, and then flattening his tongue and repeatedly sticking it in and out to do some relaxation exercises.


    Li Kun, sitting next to him, couldn¡¯t help saying while he was resting, ¡°This is the first time I see you prepare a gift like this. That gentleman will definitely like it when he receives it.¡±


    Li Kun was very cautious and rarely mentioned things related to Xun Qian. But seeing that the relationship between the two people was getting better and better, and Qi Xiaoyu was also getting more and more attached, he boldly mentioned a mouthful.


    Qi Xiaoyu said generously, as he did to Kang Qitao, ¡°Well, I hope he likes it too.¡±


    They arrived at the recording studio at 1 p.m. and didn¡¯t finish until after 8 p.m..


    Although only a ten-minute piece was recorded, in the middle, Qi Xiaoyu always felt bad, so many details were repeatedly recorded several times, even a dozen times.


    It made even Kang Qitao, who was so critical, unable to bear it any longer. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You¡¯ve already sung the best I¡¯ve ever heard.


    If someone else records with your level, it would only take an hour.


    Well, next time I¡¯ll have to get you to record a special record. It¡¯s a waste to record just one like you did.


    Hey, Li Kun, please persuade him to go back and rest. I¡¯ll ask the post-production team to do a good job, and I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll be satisfied.¡±


    Although Kang Qitao said this, Qi Xiaoyu still fixed a few more details and finally felt that it was almost right.


    After recording, Qi Xiaoyu and Kang Qitao said goodbye.


    On the way back to Xun¡¯s house, he received a call from the crew.


    They asked him to officially join the crew tomorrow to shoot the movie.


    Yang Wei and Wang Mingge are good friends. Although they have different appearances, one looks like a kind-hearted person, and the other always has a stern face. Both of them are very strict with their work.


    They politely set the rules over the phone. After joining the crew, he¡¯s not allowed to be late, take leave at will, or take multiple roles at the same time.


    Qi Xiaoyu calculated that he needed to take leave for two reasons: one was the award ceremony he was going to attend with the crew of ¡°The Legend of the Tang Dynasty Empress,¡±  and the other was Xun Qian¡¯s birthday.


    While talking about these on the phone, he contacted the crew in advance and asked for leave.


    While Qi Xiaoyu was talking on the phone, he looked out the window.


    The driver had already turned the car from the main road to the branch road leading to Xun¡¯s house.


    It was dark, but the stars were bright.


    The starry sky, which could never be seen in the city, was clear here.


    Under the starlight, Qi Xiaoyu saw the starlight silver BMW he had seen twice passing by.


    Qi Xiaoyu came back very late, and seeing that the light in Xun Qian¡¯s room was dim, he didn¡¯t look for him again.


    He got up early the next morning.


    The main filming location of ¡°The Departed¡± is the same as that of ¡°The Legend of the Tang Dynasty Empress,¡±  which is in the film and television city in the suburbs of S City. Compared with the filming of ¡°The Evil,¡±  it¡¯s much closer to Xun¡¯s home and can be returned in more than two hours of driving.


    Even though he was close by, and he was prepared to come back in ten days to accompany Xun Qian for his birthday, he still felt reluctant.


    He has stayed at Xun¡¯s house every day for half a month. He wakes up every morning to see White-browed Hero¡¯s playfulness, reads the script on the sunny lawn every afternoon, eats three meals a day with Xun Qian in the dining room, watches TV series, and chats with Butler Cheng and Mama Li in the evening¡­ He has gradually become accustomed to this cozy and gradually improving family life.


    In the past, he regarded the troupe as his home, but there were so many people in the troupe, and the relationships were complicated. Except for occasionally playing with his master and senior sister, he had to be cautious and tense most of the time, which was naturally not as relaxed and comfortable as in Xun¡¯s house.


    Now that he suddenly has to leave here to go to the crew, it feels like going on a long journey. He was really not used to it and was reluctant.


    This reluctance made Qi Xiaoyu wake up quickly that morning.


    After he woke up, he walked around the room, took White-browed Hero downstairs for a walk, and then went to the kitchen to make a double sandwich, squeeze fresh orange juice, and cut fruits.


    In the sandwich, there was a soft-boiled egg fried to a crispy outside and tender inside, and the fresh cucumbers and tomatoes were cut to the same thickness and neatly arranged.


    After preparing breakfast and arranging the plates, it was almost eight o¡¯clock, but Xun Qian had not come down yet.


    White-browed Hero circled around Qi Xiaoyu, urging him to prepare dog food for him.


    While Qi Xiaoyu poured dog food into the bowl, he looked in the direction of the elevator. Usually Xun Qian would come down, and they had breakfast at this time.


    He prepared breakfast for the White-browed Hero and was about to go upstairs to take a look when he saw Butler Cheng pushing Xun Qian down.


    Xun Qian¡¯s face was paler than usual, and his pale lips looked particularly fragile, but his spirit seemed fine.


    Qi Xiaoyu¡¯s eyes swept across Xun Qian¡¯s face, and he wanted to say something, but Xun Qian had already sat down at the table and picked up the sandwich he had made.


    Xun Qian tasted the difference almost as soon as the first bite went down, and his narrow eyes, which always seemed to contain a pool of autumn water, curved slightly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep a little longer?¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu pulled out a chair and sat down; his attention shifted to breakfast, ¡°I felt a little nervous about the audition, so I got up early to find the state.¡±


    Xun Qian raised his eyebrows slightly and said, ¡°Oh.¡±


    Qi Xiaoyu smiled and said, ¡°And I¡¯m afraid that someone won¡¯t be able to eat my breakfast even if they want to for the ten days and half a month that I¡¯m gone.¡±


    Xun Qian¡¯s mouth curled up, and just as he was about to speak, White-browed Hero, who had eaten the dog food on his plate in a few bites, came out from under the table, his two front paws lying on Xun Qian¡¯s legs, barking at him.


    Xun Qian held the sandwich in his right hand and hooked the black dog¡¯s chin with his left index finger, teasing it gently. ¡°There¡¯s no meat; eat your own.¡±


    White-browed Hero refused to leave, staring at the sandwich in Xun Qian¡¯s hand.


    Qi Xiaoyu saw Xun Qian¡¯s hand move and hurriedly stopped him.¡± Don¡¯t give him food. He¡¯s really too fat right now. Yesterday, he almost suffocated me when he laid on top of me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? He¡¯s really good at finding places to lie down.¡±


    The two men teased the dog together and chatted for a while as usual.


    Time seemed to slip to nine o¡¯clock inadvertently.


    None of them talked about filming.


    It was obviously just a short separation; Xun Qian could come to visit, and Qi Xiaoyu could come back at any time, but both of them felt a faint and lingering reluctance.


    Why do I feel like something bad is going to happen?