Day: November 27, 2023

Chapter 3 – Signing the Contract

       Zhuo Yue felt that he really couldn’t figure out Fang Mingyan. His attitude, his thoughts, his purpose, almost nothing could be discerned.

       It was as if he brought him out but did nothing. He leisurely strolled around the business district, randomly chose a teahouse by the roadside, and sat down to have tea. He had this spirit of being someone who was the biggest boss out there and that the world was in the palm of his hand. Zhuo Yue had to be patient and accompany him even though he was full of questions.

       The sky was blue and cloudless. The sun was hanging in the sky, and the soft sunlight shone warmly on people. Not far away was a small park in the centre of the city, where flocks of pigeons had landed on the ground, waiting for visitors to feed them. On the crowded pedestrian street, everyone had a different expression on their face.

       In the elegant teahouse, a man was delicately setting the tea utensils in front of him with his slender fingers. What he drank was Dahongpao1an expensive type of oolong tea, and the tea slowly filled the small cup from the purple clay teapot. The fragrance of the tea permeated the air, lingering around the tip of the nose. It seemed that the whole world had settled down with each breath.

       Zhuo Yue watched his movements quietly, with eyes clean and gentle, like a focused deer in the woods.

       “How long has it been since you’ve gone out for a stroll like this?” Fang Mingyan started talking.

       He thought for a moment and said, “It’s been a long time. I’ve been at home most of the time.”

       “Fortunately, you don’t come out often; otherwise, those young ladies would all have developed neck problems.” The man teased.

       With their good looks and the fact that they were sitting by a window along the street, they naturally attracted a lot of attention. A few girls probably recognised Zhuo Yue, stretched their necks and stood at a distance, whispering, and even took out their mobile phones to take pictures.

       Hearing this, Zhuo Yue curled his lips and smiled with a gentle light in his unstretched eyebrows.

       Fang Mingyan picked up the cup, put it to his lips, took a sip and said, “Guess what gossip about you will be on the Internet?”

       Zhuo Yue was stunned, then understood and said, “When I meet you, there will naturally be rumours of me changing agency.”

       “You’re not too stupid.” There seemed to be approval in the man’s eyes. “You’ve been silent for too long and need to return to the public eye in a special way. I’ll have someone hype up this news and launch some attacks on your former employer. If Fenglan responds, the attention on this news will be even greater; people love watching these kinds of drama. As for you, just remain silent throughout this process. From today on, Everything you say on social networks must be approved by the company.”

       “I understand.” Zhuo Yue looked down at the transparent glass in his hand. The Junshan Yinzhen2Junshan Yinzhen is a yellow tea from Junshan Island of the Hunan Province in China. It is considered to be China’s rarest tea and one of the Ten Chinese Famous Teas.’s leaves were floating as if dancing.

       The silver bell hanging on the door made an ethereal sound, and someone pushed the door open and walked straight towards the two of them.

       Fang Mingyan raised his wrist to look at his watch, smiled at the man and said, “You’re right on time.”

       “You know I’m never late.” The man who spoke was a man in his thirties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a coat dr4p3d over a well-ironed suit. The whole person had a calm and reserved appearance. Behind him was a young female secretary whose skirt fit the curves of her body, outlining her perfect figure.

       The man took two sets of documents from the secretary and handed them to Fang Mingyan, “These three documents are termination agreements; Fenglan has already signed them. Additionally, this one is a contract drafted according to your request.”

       “It’s so worry-free to have a legal advisor like you. Let me introduce Zhuo Yue, Party B in the contract.” After Fang Mingyan finished speaking, he turned to Zhuo Yue and said, “This is Lawyer Qin Mu, Huasheng’s chief legal advisor.”

       “Hello, I’m sorry to trouble you.” Zhuo Yue stood up and reached out his hand. Qin Mu politely took off the black leather glove on his right hand and shook hands with him, “Mr. Zhuo, as a lawyer, I have the obligation to remind you that many clauses in the contract are unfair to Party B.”

       Zhuo Yue was stunned when he heard this and pursed his lips, “I understand, thank you.” This lawyer made him feel a faint sense of oppression, which was somewhat similar to the feeling Fang Mingyan gave him as if he was completely dominant, powerful, strong and confident.

       The lawyer glanced at Fang Mingyan, who was smiling next to him, and there was a bit of understanding in his eyes. He said nothing more, took the tea that was handed to him, and took a sip.

       “Would you like to have dinner together at noon? I have an appointment with the Earl.” Boss Fang invited him enthusiastically.

       “You’re really making the best use of people.” Qin Mu raised his hand and looked at his watch. “I have a lawsuit to deal with this afternoon, so I need to go back and prepare. Once the contract is signed, notify me, and I’ll have my assistant come to pick it up.”

       “Okay.” Fang Mingyan responded, lazily leaning on the chair and waving his hands, “Good luck this afternoon.”

       “I humbly accept your words of blessing and hope they will come true.” Qin Mu didn’t stay long and left with his female secretary.

       The man moved the materials on the table in front of Zhu Ye, “Let’s take a look.”

       Zhuo Yue didn’t read the paper with black characters carefully. He turned to the last page, picked up the pen on the table used to write the opinion sheet, quickly signed his name in the Party B column, and then handed it back to the other side.

       “Aren’t you afraid that I’ll sell you out in the contract if you sign it so hastily?” Fang Mingyan looked at him jokingly.

       “I promised that I would do whatever you want.”

       Hearing this, a smile appeared on the man’s eyes, “I didn’t expect you to be… so good.” The deliberate drawl was a bit frivolous, which made Zhuo Yue’s cheeks heat up, and he turned to look out the window hastily.

       Lunch was served in a private club with a quiet environment.

       With green bricks and blue tiles, artificial hills and pond fish, and carved wooden windows, the courtyard was filled with classical Chinese beauty at every turn. Several birdcages hung on the patio, and the birds inside were chirping gracefully as if welcoming familiar guests. In the centre of a mahogany round table sits an old-fashioned copper hot pot, with red-starred charcoal burning underneath, boiling the bone broth with a bubbling sound, filling the air with a rich aroma of meat. Platefuls of all kinds of fresh ingredients were placed on the table, and Zhi Ye couldn’t help but gulp down his saliva.

       “Are you hungry?” Fang Mingyan asked.

       “No.” He felt a little embarrassed and got up to tease the budgerigar3The budgerigar, also known as the common parakeet, shell parakeet or budgie, is a small, long-tailed, seed-eating parrot next to the pillar. Sensing someone approaching behind him, he turned his face to see a golden-coloured snack being handed to his mouth. He pursed his lips and reached out to take it but was avoided by the other party.

       “This thing is deep-fried; after grabbing it, you’ll need to wash your hands again. Just eat it like this.” The man brought it to his lips again.

       Zhuo Yue was immediately embarrassed, took a step back and said, “I’m actually not very hungry…”

       Originally, he had no intention of teasing him and just wanted him to satisfy his belly first, but his expression aroused Fang Mingyan’s bad taste. The man deliberately approached, forcing him to lean his back against the pillar. Passing the small snack to his mouth, he lowered his voice and said, “You don’t want to eat like this. Do you want me to feed you the way I did last night?”

       Zhuo Yue’s face turned red when he heard him mention last night. He was in a stalemate for a while and had to open his mouth and bite down.

       At this moment, there was a slight cough at the door.

       Somebody was coming.

       Zhuo Yue was startled and almost choked. He finally swallowed it and stood behind Fang Mingyan with a red face. Boss Fang calmly wiped his hands with a wet wipe and said to the visitor, “You arrived so slowly that we are almost starving to death.”

       “Really? I’m sure you have many ways to spend your time.” The man in a long black coat put his hands in his pockets, a cashmere scarf casually dr4p3d around his neck, and his eyes were as deep as an abyss in his handsome face. Just a quick glance made Zhuo Yue nervous. The one next to him was slightly shorter, with clear eyes and a faint smile.

       Fang Mingyan said to Zhuo Yue, “Do you need me to introduce you? You should have seen this person before.”

       “Second Young Master.” Zhuo Yue greeted very respectfully. Chu Yu, the second son of the Golden Eagle Group, appeared to be a reputable chaebol but was rumoured to control the triads. Many people in the entertainment industry wanted to get close to him, but this one was very cold and difficult to get close to. Zhuo Yue had only seen him from a distance a few times when participating in charity activities. He heard a while ago that the Second Young Master came out as gay publicly and got married abroad with a male partner, so the person around him should be… Zhuo Yue noticed that the two of them were wearing the same style of ring on their ring fingers.

       “This is the new chairman of Baihe Group, Xu Ye, the Second Young Master’s wife.” Fang Mingyan continued to introduce.

       “…What wife! You really…” The shorter, handsome man glared at him and then looked at the Second Young Master Chu next to him somewhat aggrievedly.

       There was a gentle smile in Chu Yu’s eyes, and he corrected, “My spouse.”

       “Okay, Second Young Master’s spouse.” Fang Mingyan corrected helplessly, “This is Zhuo Yue, the artist I just signed.”

       “I’ve seen your movie.” Xu Ye thought for a while and said, “It seems to be a historical movie with a complicated name. What is it called?”

       “Is it ‘The Flowers Bloom on the Road for the Lord’s Care’?” Zhuo Yue asked.

       “Yes. It happened to be on TV when I was sick last time, so I watched a few episodes. You acted really well, but the plot was too melodramatic. I suggest you not collaborate with that screenwriter named Mo Qingcheng next time; every script that person writes turns out to be trash4LMAOOOOOO.”

       Zhuo Yue laughed.

       Under the dim sunlight, these two people stood together. The two men were like two pieces of jade; one was smooth and warm, and the other was clear and transparent.

       The other two men exchanged glances. Fang Mingyan smirked, unreservedly took a seat, and picked up a piece of beef, putting it into the copper pot. He said, “Alright, let’s eat and talk. The pot is almost drying up.”

       The three of them sat down, with Xu Ye next to Zhu Ye. He was interested in the process of TV drama production, so the two of them chatted while they ate.

       Chu Yu glanced at Zhu Ye and asked Fang Mingyan, “Your people?”

       “My artist,” he added.

       “So there must be another reason why you invited me to dinner today.” Chu Yu peeled off the shells of the boiled shrimp and put them in Xu Ye’s bowl. The other party happened to give him fish balls, and the two looked at each other and smiled.

       “I heard Golden Eagle is investing in a movie, and Xie Anqing is currently selecting the cast.” Fang Mingyan swung the cabbage leaves in the hot pot and said bluntly, “Give him a chance to audition.”

       “Chu Xuan is in charge of everything in the cultural industry, and I rarely interfere. But it’s rare for you to speak to me. I’ll do you a favour this time.” Second Young Master Chu pressed the phone and asked, “His name consists of which two characters?”

       “Zhuo means ‘outstanding’, and Yue means ‘pleasing’.”

       Soon, the message came back.

       “Let him go to the Changting studio for an audition tomorrow afternoon. The main roles have basically been decided, except for one supporting male role left.” Chu Yu looked up at Fang Mingyan with a hint of playfulness in his eyes and added, “It’s a gay.”

       Fang Mingyan was stunned for a moment, then looked at Zhuo Yue, who was lowering his head to eat food, and slowly showed a smile, “It would be nice to let him expand his acting career.” After a moment, he added, “I almost forgot, there’s one more thing. I need you to help me give a heads up.”

       “You invite me to a meal and make a bunch of requests.” The Second Young Master Chu glanced at him.

       “Mainly, this matter is in your territory, and it’s tricky for me to handle.” Fang Mingyan looked innocent. “This kid is involved in some affairs on your Guangyu Street.”

       Chu Yu frowned, “How much?”

       “Including interest, it’s over three million.”

       “Leave this matter to Tang Can, and I’ll contact you when the result comes.”

       “Okay.” Fang Mingyan smiled slyly as he placed a cooked precious crab leg into Chu Yu’s bowl. He said, “Eat without worries; everything’s fine now.”


Notes:
I didn’t notice I kept writing him as Zhuo Ye coz I kept recalling Xu Ye’s name until I realised it was supposed to be Zhuo Yue instead. (ノД`)


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Chapter 94 – I considered it up, too

Chapter 94 – I considered it up, too

 

Jian Luo waited with a hint of nervousness for Lu Shifeng’s response.

 

The Marshal glanced at him, giving a cold, bone-chilling smirk as he asked, “Really?”

 

“…”

 

Terrifying.

 

Jian Luo shrank back, stammering, “I, I suddenly don’t really know.”

 

He tried to move away, but he was already on the bed, with nowhere to escape. In the end, he could only sit on the edge of the bed, feeling small, helpless, and vulnerable.

 

Lu Shifeng pulled him back, preventing him from falling off the bed. His demeanor was dominant, a departure from his usual laziness. At this moment, he seemed full of aggression, especially with those blood-red eyes, giving the impression that he was a fearsome predator and Jian Luo was the vulnerable prey.

 

Jian Luo nervously opened his eyes.

 

Lu Shifeng’s voice was low and magnetic, “Be good and don’t cry, okay?”

 

Jian Luo stammered, “I won’t run away.”

 

Lu Shifeng’s lips curved into a faint smile, “Good.”

 

After delivering his threat, the Marshal got up and left the room.

 

As he left, the oppressive atmosphere in the room diminished, and Jian Luo finally relaxed. It wasn’t because he was pleased but because this encounter reminded him of the immense gap between them. For Lu Shifeng, he seemed too insignificant, while for himself, Lu Shifeng was undeniably too powerful.

 

Jian Luo sighed in place, trying to forget the dream-like scenario he had been trapped in. The former Marshal had mentioned that dreams could sometimes be inaccurate; perhaps he was just overly worried.

 

 

“Luo Luo, let’s go shopping!”

 

Secretary Jin, came over after breakfast.

 

Jian Luo was excited, “Can we?”

 

Lu Shifeng, who was sitting at the table, remained motionless and gave Jian Luo a glance. “Take care of yourself.”

 

Jian Luo understood, “You’re not coming?”

 

Secretary Jin said, “The Marshal won’t be joining us. He has some business to attend to, but once he’s done, he should have some time.”

 

Lu Shifeng, sitting nearby, appeared nonchalant, waiting for Jian Luo to engage him.

 

However, Jian Luo was straightforward, “It’s okay; he’s busy. Just the two of us going for a walk is fine!”

 

“…”

 

The atmosphere suddenly grew colder.

 

Secretary Jin felt a chill run down her spine and forced a smile, “How could it be? The Marshal will have time to accompany you and the baby once he’s done.”

 

Jian Luo didn’t catch on, “I don’t need someone to accompany me.”

 

Secretary Jin’s smile almost disappeared.

 

Of course, Lu Shifeng’s smile vanished even earlier. Jian Luo hadn’t realized his mistake yet, but the Marshal was giving him a piercing stare.

 

Jian Luo’s heart tightened, “W-What’s wrong?”

 

Where could he find someone as considerate as him?

 

Lu Shifeng smiled thinly, “Okay.”

 

Thinking that he was just in a bad mood, Jian Luo returned a bright smile and left without even eating. Secretary Jin awkwardly accompanied him, and she didn’t dare to look back at Lu Shifeng’s expression, letting everything blow away with the wind.

 

 

The commercial district.

Industrial Star excelled in creating a variety of craftsmanship and inventions. They had astonishing talent and creativity in this field, making most shops on both sides of the streets selling these ingenious products.

 

Though there were no specific offerings, if one focused and searched diligently, occasionally, they could find high-quality items at affordable prices.

 

Jian Luo stood in front of a stall, looking at a yellow box, “What’s this?”

 

The vendor answered, “This is a lie detector.”

 

A real-life lie detector!

 

Jian Luo was genuinely excited, “Is this lie detector able to determine if someone is lying?”

 

The vendor, a scruffy young man with long hair that nearly covered his eyes, replied without making eye contact, “It can detect about 90% of questions, and the accuracy depends on the person’s mental strength.”

 

Wide-eyed and curious, Jian Luo looked at the yellow device. He inquired, “Can I try it?”

 

The vendor didn’t refuse, “Sure.”

 

So Jian Luo got a chance to use it.

 

Using the lie detector was straightforward. He inserted his hand, asked a question, and provided an answer. If the answer was a lie, the device would light up.

 

Jin, the secretary, asked, “Luo Luo, why are you interested in this?”

 

As Jian Luo inserted his hand into the lie detector, he replied, “It’s fun.”

 

One of the advantages of this lie detector was that you could mentally ask the questions, to avoid any potentially embarrassing results. To prevent awkward outcomes, Jian Luo chose to think the questions silently.

 

He took a deep breath and began to think the question:

 

“I am a person from the 21st century on Earth.”

 

After thinking the question, he began to wait. In a short time, the machine reacted, and the blue light lit up.

 

Secretary Jin said, “That’s correct.”

A hint of joy appeared in Jian Luo’s eyes, and he decided to change to another question, “I don’t like Lu Shifeng.”

 

The machine hesitated for a moment and then lit up with a red light.

 

Secretary Jin smiled and said, “That’s incorrect.”

 

“…”

 

Jian Luo looked at the machine in silence, deciding to ask a question that would yield a clear judgment, “I am currently a livestreamer.”

 

The machine lit up with a blue light.

 

“Lu Shifeng is a pig.”

 

The machine showed a red light.

 

Jian Luo enjoyed himself and chuckled.

 

Finally, when he grew tired of playing, the vendor asked, “How much do you want to pay?”

 

The vendor raised a finger, “10,000 star coins.”

 

“??!!”

 

It was quite expensive. Jian Luo was aware that he used to earn only 3,000 star coins a month in his previous job.

 

As expected, Secretary Jin said, “This is above market price. Many people are buying lie detectors, so if you’re looking for someone to overcharge, you’ve picked the wrong person.”

 

The vendor replied, “My lie detector is different from the others.”

 

Bending down in curiosity, Jian Luo asked, “What makes it different?”

 

“It’s only sold to those with fate,” the vendor lifted his emo-style hair to reveal his face, “and you two are the chosen ones.”

 

“…”

 

Jian Luo said, “5,000.”

 

The vendor replied, “I can’t even cover my costs with that, I can’t sell it.”

 

“5,000 is my final offer; I tested several questions, and it didn’t work well,” Jian Luo lied with wide eyes. “If you want to sell, sell it. If not, we’ll leave.”

 

The vendor felt frustrated, “It can’t be wrong.”

 

Jian Luo grabbed Secretary Jin’s hand, making a show of leaving, “I said 5,000; I’ll take it for 5,000. A fair price.”

 

Although he said he would leave, he rambled for a while and didn’t actually go. He had enjoyed the act, holding Secretary Jin’s hand.

 

After a brief hesitation, the vendor finally relented, “Fine.”

 

Hooray!

 

In the end, Jian Luo managed to obtain the lie detector as he wished, and he also won the admiring gaze of Secretary Jin, “Luo Luo, you’re amazing.”

 

Jian Luo sighed, “It’s nothing, just a little haggling.”

 

Secretary Jin was shocked, “You can haggle too?”

 

?

 

Jian Luo looked at her curiously, “Don’t you haggle when shopping?”

 

SecretaryJin didn’t answer, but Jian Luo could read the answer in her eyes. These capitalist ways were truly vile.

 

The rest of their shopping was mainly about getting to know the local environment. After a while, Jian Luo noticed something concerning, “Why is there no food for sale here?”

 

Jin messaged back, “Industrial Star used to be ruled by robots, and animals were enslaved. Later, there was a reformation, with robots stepping down, giving the people a chance to rule. However, during the earlier years, due to being enslaved by robots for a long time, their food and drink were all nutrient fluids. They didn’t have much interest in other things.”

 

Jian Luo nodded, “I see.”

 

With this explanation, Industrial Star seemed more desolate than he had thought.

 

The two of them got a rough idea of the situation and returned home. When Jian Luo returned, it was still early, and he hadn’t had a good meal since yesterday. His stomach was growling, especially since his morning sickness had subsided. He decided to cook a meal for himself.

 

Secretary Jin, the secretary, offered, “I’ll help.”

 

Jian Luo took a fresh fish out of the fridge and said, “Let’s make boiled fish.”

 

Jin took the fish and said, “I’ll prepare the fish.”

 

So, Jian Luo started preparing the other ingredients for the fish. He enjoyed the process of cooking, the gradual creation of delicious flavors, and he got lost in it. He decided to make a live stream of it.

 

He chose to make spicy boiled fish and, before starting the live stream, he checked the back-end data. So far, he had prepared nearly 20 different dishes, including snacks like fries and chips, which would start charging once the taste limit was exceeded.

 

Up to this point, he had cashed out only a few times.

 

The total earnings in the back-end were impressive, amounting to 780,000 star coins. Some dishes were particularly popular, with snacks like fries taking the lead at 190,000 star coins.

 

Jian Luo said, “I need to figure out a way to make more money.”

 

And it appeared that dealing with the factory issue was becoming increasingly urgent. Earth was in a state of disrepair, and everything required funds. Even with 780,000 star coins, it was challenging to afford a protective shield.

 

Secretary Jin asked, “Luo Luo, what are you looking at?”

 

Jian Luo snapped back to reality and said, “It’s nothing.”

 

He decided to take it step by step for now. There wasn’t much use worrying about it at the moment.

 

“Ding.”

 

The small spherical live broadcasting device was officially activated. Since the last time he crashed the Jinjiang Live Streaming Network, Jian Luo had become a bit more careful. Before starting the live stream, he informed Jiang Jiang, “I’m going live.”

 

Upon hearing this dreadful news, Jiang Jiang promptly called the programmers to prepare.

 

The audience in the live stream room began to increase.

 

“The streamer is live!”

 

“Why did the live stream start all of a sudden? I was still in Da Yu’s live stream.”

 

“Clashing schedules.”

 

“Oh my, there are fewer people today. Looks like most of them are at Da Yu’s stream.”

 

Jian Luo didn’t know who Da Yu was, but he was curious, “Who’s Da Yu?”

 

The audience in the live stream room replied, “A new food streamer. He makes some strange flavors.”

 

“Similar to you.”

 

??

 

Wasn’t that undermining my character?

 

Jian Luo asked with some difficulty, “What kind of strange flavors are we talking about?”

 

The audience replied:

 

“Charcoal-grilled stones.”

 

“Stir-fried tree leaves.”

 

“Steamed leather belts.”

 

“…”

 

Jian Luo fell silent for a while and said, “That’s… interesting.”

 

Because so many people mentioned it, Jian Luo specifically checked the profile of this guy. He found that he was indeed popular, ranking first on the popularity list with 5.2 million viewers, leaving the second place (which was him) behind by around 2 million viewers.

 

Fortunately, he wasn’t too concerned about these statistics, and he wasn’t eager to compete with others. So, he just checked and left it at that.

 

Jian Luo refocused, a laid-back streamer, and began his broadcast, “Let’s make boiled pork, a homey dish. Don’t miss it!”

 

Jin handed the fish to him, and Jian Luo started explaining to the camera how to remove the fishy smell. As his live stream began, more and more new viewers entered. This time slot used to belong to Da Yu, but with Jian Luo’s broadcast, more and more viewers began to split between them.

 

In Da Yu’s live stream room, there were some discordant voices:

 

“Luo Luo from next door started his live stream.”

 

“Friends, Luo Luo is live!”

 

“Oh, he finally started his stream?”

 

Clearly, Da Yu’s popularity began to decline visibly, which caught the attention of the room moderators and Da Yu himself. Since they joined Jinjiang, they had been the top dog in terms of popularity. They were widely praised, and no other streamer could surpass them. While they knew of Jian Luo’s existence, he rarely streamed, and due to the unpredictable timing of his streams, the two channels had never clashed before. So, everything was peaceful.

 

However, it happened by chance this time that they went live at the same time.

 

Da Yu checked the barrage and said, “Alright, everyone, please stop spamming. Let’s focus on my content.”

 

“Room mods, check this.”

 

“Organize the content.”

 

Most comments mentioning Jian Luo were either deleted or the users were banned. However, even after banning a portion, others still came up. This, to a large extent, caused dissatisfaction among Da Yu’s fans.

 

“Why are there so many annoying people?”

 

“Just let him stream; why spam everywhere?”

 

“I can’t see Da Yu’s content now. It’s so annoying.”

 

Although Jian Luo didn’t instruct such behavior, it contributed to the invisible tension in the air.

 

Soon, some of Da Yu’s fans started fighting back:

 

“I downloaded Jinjiang Streaming just for him. Why can’t I say that?”

 

“Some people are spamming Da Yu in Jian Luo’s stream. Why isn’t Jian Luo moderating his fans?”

 

“Freedom of speech. I’ll say what I want.”

 

“Why are you guys so anxious? Jian Luo has only streamed a few times, and he clashed with us just once. Is it necessary to be so impatient?”

 

Fans argued vigorously, sapping the viewership from both live streams. In the past six months, although Jinjiang wasn’t a top-tier streaming platform, it had achieved some success in the industry.

 

The overall ranking displayed the popularity of various live streams on different platforms, and Jinjiang had been able to enter the top five of the top ten rooms. Today, the rapid growth in popularity in both streams was quite astonishing, and their combined viewership was leaving everyone else behind.

 

“What’s going on with these two live streams?”

 

“Why are they growing so quickly?”

 

“Wow, I heard they’re feuding.”

 

On the other hand, Da Yu’s staff quietly mentioned the popularity of the live stream in their room. They were part of a team, so they knew how to maximize their benefits. Finally clashing with Jian Luo after so much time, they decided to seize this opportunity for a boost in viewership.

 

A room mod said to Da Yu, “Since they like discussing this, you can mention Jian Luo a bit more. It’ll help keep the conversation lively.”

 

Da Yu replied, “I don’t like creating a fuss.”

 

The mod smiled, “Jian Luo also became famous through hype. Don’t be concerned; after all, money and fame are more important. You both can win.”

 

“…”

 

On the other side, Jian Luo was focused on cooking.

 

The fish on the cutting board was ready, and the seasonings were prepared. He faced the camera and said, “Remember, we have to remove the fishy smell.”

 

The viewers’ attention was still mostly on Da Yu’s live stream:

 

“Jian Luo is crossing the line.”

 

“He’s talking nonsense.”

 

“Who would intentionally clash with him to steal viewers? Ridiculous.”

 

??

 

Did anything happen while he was preparing the fish?

 

Jian Luo looked baffled, but he continued to cook the fish. In a calm and gentle tone, he said, “Alright, please don’t mind those comments. I didn’t choose this time to go live with any intention. Everyone doesn’t need to argue. If you prefer to watch someone else, go ahead. It’s all your choice. I don’t mind if you think someone else is better and watch them. There’s no need to argue, right?”

 

Even though he was working hard, the war still raged on. Jian Luo couldn’t help but feel a bit frustrated. He rubbed his temples and adjusted his settings while saying in a gentle tone, “If it continues like this, I’ll have to turn off the live chat.”

 

Initially, he had been wearing a mask while cooking to avoid the fishy smell. However, while massaging his temples, he inadvertently loosened the mask, allowing the fishy odor to seep through the gaps and assault his nose.

 

Jian Luo froze in his tracks, struggling to suppress the nausea building in his stomach, but he couldn’t hold back any longer, “Ugh…”

 

He rushed to the sink and began retching, his movements so rapid and intense that it left viewers in shock.

 

What truly shocked them was the intensity of their own sensations. Because Jian Luo’s stream was broadcasting in real-time, viewers could share in his experiences. The momentary nausea and revulsion felt by everyone watching were a revelation:

 

“My goodness, that sensation was so vivid.”

 

“I actually felt like I was going to throw up just now.”

 

“I’ve never experienced this before.”

 

“Is this what morning sickness feels like?”

 

A large group of viewers, who were suddenly experiencing the urge to vomit, flooded the chat with their reactions. The stream’s popularity soared to new heights, and all the prior arguments were quickly forgotten.

 

As people marveled at this unexpected twist of fate, Jian Luo straightened up, leaned against the sink, and let out a light chuckle. Initially, everything seemed normal, but suddenly…

 

Jian Luo placed his hand on his stomach and then chuckled softly.

 

At the same time, the anxious viewers who were experiencing these sensations were equally astonished. They almost simultaneously felt the subtle sensations, as if tiny fish were swimming by, or bubbles were gliding across their fingertips. It was as though the little one had given them a gentle greeting.

 

In an instant, they were overwhelmed by a sense of happiness. For those whose brains didn’t naturally produce happiness factors, the feeling of joy flooded their minds at the same time.

 

“Ah, the little one is saying hello to me!”

 

“It’s so adorable!”

 

“Rounded up, I’m pregnant too, sob!”

 

“Eh?! Who’s still arguing? I’m immersed in this moment.”

 


 

T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

 

Chapter 10 – Peeled Face

       Initially, the news about the murder case was not reported by the local news media but rather began circulating through vague posts on the internet. Some people claimed that a murder had occurred near their neighbourhood, and the scene seemed quite gruesome. However, the details of the exact nature of the brutality were unclear, as the individuals sharing the information were unable to provide clear specifics.

       One after another, there were some rumours and news circulating. Among the most terrifying rumours was the claim that the victims were all young women, and their faces were completely peeled off.

       When Song Jun saw this post, he couldn’t help but think of some horrifying pictures.

       At that moment, he suddenly heard a sound coming from the window, startling him. When he turned around, he saw that it was the black cat jumping in.

       The little black cat raised its tail and walked back and forth on the window sill twice. It wasn’t until Song Jun took out a small bowl and gave it half a bowl of cat food that it jumped down from the window. With an elegant stride, it walked towards the direction of the small bowl.

       Song Jun squatted next to it, propped up his head and watched it eat.

       After the little black cat finished eating, the cat stuck out its pink tongue to lick its mouth and then plopped down.

       Song Jun then sat down next to it and touched its head with his hand.

       The little black cat seemed to feel comfortable under his touch and slowly lay down on its side, its tail wagging every now and then.

       Song Jun scratched his belly, suddenly stood up, ran over to open the door, and then knocked on Xia Hongshen’s door opposite.

       Xia Hongshen opened the door from the inside and saw Song Jun saying to him with a smile on his face, “Senior Brother, there is a kitten here that always likes to run towards my room. Do you know where it comes from?”

       Xia Hongshen glanced into his room.

       Song Jun also turned around, only to find that the little black cat was gone.

       Xia Hongshen said, “A wild cat from the neighbourhood.”

       Song Jun said, “Hmm”, thinking that he had made a fuss about knocking on Xia Hongshen’s door for this matter.

       Unexpectedly, Xia Hongshen said to him, “Would you like to eat? I bought some snacks.”

       Song Jun was startled, and before he could think about it carefully, he blurted out, “Sure.”

       Xia Hongshen asked Song Jun to sit in his room and took a bag of dried fish from the table to him. Song Jun looked at the bag of dried fish and couldn’t help but glance at Xia Hongshen again. It was strange that Senior Brother Xia would like to eat these things. It was so different from his overall character.

       Xia Hongshen sat down at the table and asked him, “Is it delicious?”

       Song Jun said quickly, “It’s delicious.”

       Xia Hongshen nodded, “Then eat more.”

       In the end, Song Jun sat down and ate a whole bag of dried fish at Xia Hongshen’s place. After returning home, he burped all night and always felt a fishy smell.

       The next day, Song Jun went to the lab in the afternoon. When he went to the bottom of the Forensic Medicine building, he found several police cars parked outside and a lot of people surrounding him downstairs.

       He hesitated in his steps, not knowing what happened.

       Actually, Song Jun would understand that this situation was quite common after staying in school for a long time. The campus’ Forensic Medicine Identification Centre would conduct external assessments. Often, in major cases where the police encountered challenges or when the deceased’s family had objections and disagreed with the forensic assessments conducted by law enforcement, the cases would be sent to the campus’ identification centre for examination.

       Just like when he waited until school officially started in September, he would go to the lab of the identification centre to help.

       Song Jun slowed down, and when he entered the gate, he noticed a young man squatting on the ground and playing games on his mobile phone.

       The young man had a delicate baby face, biting a lollipop in his mouth, and was concentrating on playing games on his mobile phone.

       When Song Jun passed by him, someone suddenly kicked the young man on the butt. The young man grabbed his cell phone, lost his balance and rushed forward just in time to hug Song Jun’s thigh to stabilise himself.

       Song Jun’s pants were almost pulled off. He had a mixed feeling of annoyance and amusement as he pulled up his trousers.

       The young man stood up, raised a hand and said to Song Jun, “Sorry, sorry.”

       Song Jun forced a smile.

       At this time, the middle-aged man who had just kicked the young man said, “Long Xing, stop playing around and go in and take a look.”

       The young man named Long Xing was a young detective. When he heard this, he said, “Oh, okay.” Then he put away his cell phone and walked inside.

       Song Jun also followed him into the building. When he saw Long Xing walking around in the direction of the autopsy room, he was curious and wanted to follow him to have a look.

       Before he entered the autopsy room, Song Jun saw Xia Hongshen, who was putting on gloves. His attention was drawn, and he took a few steps towards Xia Hongshen before suddenly noticing a corpse on the autopsy table next to him.

       It was the body of a young woman, still wearing a T-shirt and shorts. The body was intact, but the entire face had been completely peeled off from the hairline down, leaving only a bloody mess.

       Song Jun was startled and almost screamed and quickly reached out to cover his mouth.

       There were many people in the autopsy room, but no one noticed him. Only Xia Hongshen walked towards him.

       “Is something wrong?” Xia Hongshen asked.

       Song Jun shook his head, not daring to look in that direction anymore, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the young detective named Long Xing was standing next to the autopsy table and looking around. There was a lollipop in his mouth. It seems that he hadn’t finished eating yet.

       Xia Hongshen could see that he was nervous and asked, “Afraid?”

       Song Jun was embarrassed to admit it. He neither shook his head nor nodded.

       Xia Hongshen put his hand on top of his head and said, “Get out first if you’re afraid.”

       Song Jun was stunned for a moment and said, “Then I’m leaving.” After saying that, he immediately turned around and left. He was afraid that he would turn red if he didn’t turn around and leave.

       As he walked into the elevator, Song Jun was still thinking about Xia Hongshen’s actions just now. He felt that Xia Hongshen was a bit too close, and it didn’t look like they had just known each other for less than a month, but he didn’t hate it…

       After staying in the lab all afternoon, when Song Jun left, it seemed that the autopsy on the first floor was not over yet.

       He suddenly remembered the news he had seen online, saying that many young women had been murdered, but he didn’t know if this was that case.

       This time, Song Jun did not boldly look at it again, and walked towards the outside of the building straightaway.

       When he left, the young policeman, Long Xing, was still squatting next to the gate playing games. Two policemen were standing not far away, chatting. Song Jun heard one person say, “What kind of psycho do you think can do this?”

       The other person said, “It’s almost the Hungry Ghost Festival. Could it be the work of ghosts?”

       Song Jun slowed down, took out his mobile phone from his pocket, and checked that it was almost half the seventh month of the lunar calendar.

       Song Jun’s birthday was in the middle of the seventh lunar month. Actually, this was not the exact date. To be precise, he was an orphan. His grandmother burned money paper on the roadside for the Hungry Ghost Festivals and picked him up when she went back. So that day became his birthday.

       Song Jun never knew who his parents were, and it was quite perplexing for him. He was obviously a healthy boy, so it seemed strange that his parents would abandon him.

       The grandmother who adopted him actually had a son and a daughter. She was no longer young at that time, but she still worked hard to raise him. She travelled to many places to ensure he could study, going through the process of adopting him and getting him registered. His grandmother was the only family Song Jun had in this world.

       Now that the Hungry Ghost Festival was coming, Song Jun planned to go back to visit his grandma and celebrate his birthday.

       Grandma’s family lives on the outskirts of a small county town. Although she had a son and a daughter, they were not filial. Since Song Jun started living on campus during his university years, his grandmother had been living alone.

       Song Jun left school in the afternoon, and now he took the bus there just in time for dinner.

       When he arrived, the sun was almost setting, but it was not dark yet. Grandma lived in the suburbs of the county town, and behind her house was a large piece of farmland.

       When she suddenly saw Song Jun, Grandma was naturally very happy. She made him a large table of dishes and asked him how he was doing at school.

       Song Jun said that he was doing well now because he had a scholarship and did not have to spend money on tuition fees. He also had living expenses every month, so he did not spend too much money.

       He had been working part-time during the previous summer vacation, and he planned to continue working when he was familiar with the environment in his current school and when the experiments didn’t require so much time.

       While eating, Song Jun said to his grandma, “When I make enough money, I will buy a house in the city and bring you over.”

       Grandma reached out and touched his head and said, “Xiao Jun is a good boy.”

       After a while, Grandma asked him, “Does Xiao Jun have a girlfriend?”

       Song Jun was embarrassed when asked, “Grandma, why do you ask this?”

       Grandma said, “We are about the same age now. When your grandfather was your age, we already had a son.”

       Song Jun said to Grandma, “I know.”

       Grandma smiled and reached out to touch his head again.

       After dinner, Song Jun helped his grandma wash the dishes. Grandma stood beside him and said to him, “Xiao Jun, your grandpa and his family used to be landlords. During the Cultural Revolution, your grandpa was denounced publicly.”

       Song Jun didn’t know how many times he had heard his grandma say these words. He knew that she was old and had a bad memory, so he just listened to her quietly and didn’t interrupt her.

       He thought his grandmother was just reminiscing about the grandpa, but he didn’t expect that this time Grandma would say, “His family has a family heirloom, which was buried under the bed in my room. At that time, the Red Guards1The Red Guards were a mass, student-led, paramilitary social movement mobilized by Chairman Mao Zedong in 1966 until their abolishment in 1968, during the first phase of the Cultural Revolution, which he had instituted. came to search for things in the house, but they never found it.”

       Song Jun listened to her words and asked smoothly, “What is it?”

       Grandma said, “You will know later when you dig it up and take a look.”

       Song Jun nodded, “I will dig it out when I have the chance.”

       After washing the dishes, Song Jun watched TV with his grandma for a while. Because his grandma was used to going to bed early, he went to bed early too.

       His room was the one he used to have. Grandma had always kept it very clean for him. Perhaps due to it being a bungalow, even in the summer, it remained cool in the evenings, and there was no need for a fan.

       Grandma brought him a big cattail fan and told him to fan himself when it was hot.

       Song Jun said, “I know, grandma, go to bed early.”

       Grandma closed the door for him when he went out.

       Song Jun lay on the bed, grabbed a fan and fanned himself for a while. He soon felt sleepy, turned over and fell asleep. He woke up suddenly in the middle of the night. Song Jun felt like he wanted to relieve himself. He climbed down from the bed, reached out, pushed open the door and walked out.

       When he walked to the living room, Song Jun stopped. He saw a large black-and-white photo of his grandma on the square table in the living room. In front of the photo, there was an incense burner with the remnants of burned incense candles. It was unmistakably a memorial photo!


Notes:
Hungry Ghost Festival is usually in the middle of the seventh month or on the 15th day of the 7th month in the Lunar Calendar. Lunar Calendar days are different than the Gregorian ones, so the 7th month may not mean July, and it depends on when the Lunar Year start.
People usually burn paper money as a way to ‘send’ some money to their loved ones who have already died
Also, it’s believed that on that day ghosts will come back to our world and that’s why we paid our respect by burning off the money paper


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Chapter 133 – Who Says Omegas Can’t be as Explosive as Alphas

Chapter 133: Extra Story Four

 

To Wen Xingchen’s surprise, after the chaos of the first day settled, Lu Jingning exhibited an unexpected enthusiasm for raising cats.

 

Not only did he extensively browse through cat care guides online, but he also diligently started experimenting with making cat food in the kitchen.

 

Observing someone bustling around in the kitchen, Wen Xingchen leaned against the doorway in silence for a moment. Suddenly, he walked up and pulled the person into his arms from behind.

 

Lu Jingning could feel tiny strands of hair lightly brushing against his neck. Feeling a slight itch, he couldn’t help but nudge him gently with his elbow, “I’m cooking, don’t tease.”

 

A cryptic tone emerged from behind Wen Xingchen, “You’ve never cooked for me.”

 

Lu Jingning’s busy movements paused momentarily, seemingly realizing something. He glanced back at the other with a mix of amusement and exasperation, “Wen-ge, are you feeling jealous?”

 

Unexpectedly, under this banter, Wen Xingchen responded unusually calmly, “Yeah, the vinegar jar has turned into a huge vat. What do you think I should do?”

 

Lu Jingning: “…”

 

Wen Xingchen: “So, when are you planning to cook for me next?”

 

Lu Jingning scooped up a spoonful of a dark substance with a ladle and waved it in front of him, asking, “Are you sure about this? This is the extent of my culinary skills. Are you sure you want to eat it?”

 

A hint of resigned determination laced Wen Xingchen’s tone, “Even if it’s poisoned.”

 

Lu Jingning choked for a moment, then couldn’t help but burst into laughter, pushing him lightly, “Okay then, you just wait for me to poison my husband.”

 

As the two were jesting, a dark shadow whizzed past them, finally landing on the nearby table.

 

Charcoal stared with curious round eyes at the entwined pair, seemingly puzzled about their actions. It let out a meow in a childish voice.

 

Lu Jingning wriggled out of Wen Xingchen’s embrace and promptly served the sticky mass from the pot into a cute pet bowl, invitingly saying, “Little Charcoal, come here. See what delicious treat I’ve made for you.”

 

Charcoal’s gaze shifted from the blurry and peculiar food in the bowl. It bared its teeth at him and swiftly turned away, dashing off without a backward glance.

 

Lu Jingning: “Damn it! You stinky cat, stop right there!”

 

Wen Xingchen leaned against the cabinet, watching the antics of the two figures—one large, one small—as they resumed their daily chase, unable to suppress his laughter.

 

Ever since this little black creature came to their home, such scenes seemed to unfold daily. Strangely enough, no matter how many times he witnessed it, he found it endlessly entertaining.

 

In the end, Charcoal fell short in terms of stamina, exhaustedly grabbed by Lu Jingning by the neck and brought back, then casually placed in front of the plate of dark cuisine.

 

With a coaxing tone, Lu Jingning said, “Be good, Charcoal. Try your PAPA’s masterpiece, hmm?”

 

Charcoal looked at him with a sense of despair, lowered its head, and stared at the seemingly inedible thing in front of it, as if contemplating its tiny existence.

 

Finally, under Lu Jingning’s increasingly stern gaze, succumbing to the other’s coercion, it tentatively stuck out its pink little tongue and symbolically licked it.

 

Lu Jingning eagerly awaited its reaction. Yet, the moment the tongue touched the food, the small black mass seemed to be jolted as if electrified, abruptly convulsing and then stiffening completely, collapsing motionless onto the floor.

 

Lu Jingning’s heart skipped a beat, panicking as he stood up, “Wen-ge! Something’s wrong! What’s happening, Wen-ge!”

 

Wen Xingchen, witnessing the scene from a distance, raised an eyebrow without a hint of alarm.

 

Lu Jingning suddenly realized something. When he turned around, the little thing that had just been half-dead and stiff on the ground leaped up the moment he shifted his gaze, swiftly disappearing out of sight.

 

Lu Jingning: “…”

 

Damn, it even learned to play dead!

 

Noticing Wen Xingchen’s faintly curved lips, he cleared his throat and put on a proud tone, “Truly worthy of being raised by General Lu Jingning—the tactical application of feigning death is exemplary!”

 

Wen Xingchen couldn’t hold back his laughter anymore, “Indeed, it is.”

 

Lu Jingning, maintaining his expression, shifted his gaze to the window, pretending not to catch the undertone in those words.

 

After a while, he turned back, looking at Wen Xingchen, “So, are you still sure you want to eat it?”

 

Without hesitation, Wen Xingchen replied, “Of course.”

 

 

In the end, Lu Jingning fulfilled his top’s request, shifting his focus from cat food to egg fried rice.

 

In theory, this should have been a very simple dish. At least, based on the steps described, it seemed so. However, while Lu Jingning understood every word and sentence in the instructions, when it came to practical application, it seemed quite different.

 

The thought of Wen Xingchen eating this meal made his hand holding the spatula tremble slightly. Fortunately, the final presentation looked somewhat decent. At least, compared to the dark cat food served to Charcoal, this bowl of egg fried rice didn’t appear as terrifying.

 

When Wen Xingchen picked up his chopsticks, Lu Jingning could sense an extremely nervous gaze fixed on himself. His lips couldn’t help but curl up slightly, and he calmly took a bite.

 

Lu Jingning remained attentive to the taster’s reaction. However, from Wen Xingchen’s poker face, he couldn’t discern anything. Unable to resist, he asked, “Is it delicious?”

 

Chewing slowly, Wen Xingchen responded, “Mm, exceptionally talented.”

 

Receiving affirmation, Lu Jingning’s previously anxious heart finally eased. Watching Wen Xingchen eat with such relish, he happily served himself a bowl.

 

As he sat down at the table, he noticed Charcoal looking at him from a distance. Smiling, Lu Jingning invited, “Little Charcoal, delicious food here. Do you want a taste?”

 

Although Charcoal appeared vigilant, seeing Wen Xingchen enjoying the food, it cautiously took hesitant steps toward them.

 

Seeing it approach, Lu Jingning’s mood brightened. He picked up a spoon and offered it to Charcoal. Sniffing the food, Charcoal confirmed that it smelled much better than the previous “poison” and cautiously took a small bite.

 

Lu Jingning beamed, “How is it? Delicious, right—Damn it! Why are you running away?!”

 

Seeing Charcoal eat a mouthful and then resume escape mode, his expression froze completely. With a furrowed brow and full of doubt, he reluctantly put a spoonful of the food into his own mouth.

 

As the strange taste flooded his mouth, he immediately spat it out, almost bursting into tears from the saltiness.

 

Lu Jingning never expected his debut to result in this. Staring at Wen Xingchen in disbelief, he noticed that Wen Xingchen’s bowl was empty without him realizing it. He also saw the almost empty jug of water beside him, his expression turning complicated.

 

After a brief silence, he reached out to take Wen Xingchen’s bowl, but Wen Xingchen evaded it.

 

With tightly pursed lips, Lu Jingning said, “It’s so bad, don’t eat it.”

 

Wen Xingchen took the last few bites, saying, “As long as it’s made by you, it’s delicious.”

 

If not for the hurried drinking, his indifferent expression might have indeed conveyed such a sentiment.

 

Lu Jingning felt warmth rush to his ears, unusually disheartened, “It seems like I’m really not cut out for cooking.”

 

Wen Xingchen chuckled, ruffling his hair, “I like it.”

 

Lu Jingning looked at him, wanting to say something but ultimately staying silent.

 

 

That night, the living room lights remained on throughout.

 

Lu Jingning, worried, peeked into the bathroom from outside the door countless times, suggesting, “Should we go to the hospital?”

 

Wen Xingchen, just finished vomiting, weakly waved his hand, “No need, I’ll be fine soon.”

 

The war god who always stood firm on the battlefield seemed somewhat shaky at this moment.

 

Lu Jingning handed him another cup of hot water, watching the somewhat pale complexion, feeling both distressed and self-blaming. In his heart, he silently made a resolution—absolutely cannot let Wen-ge suffer another setback! If there’s a next time, he must taste the “poison” himself first!

 

In a corner not far away, Charcoal’s round eyes watched the two people who were still fussing in the middle of the night, softly meowing to itself. Meow meow meow, luckily, this cat runs fast!


T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~

If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!

I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!

https://ko-fi.com/hoenibean

 

Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!

If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield

If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’

How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection

What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love

How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep

 

Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!

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