Thank you so much, Yartizt, for the ko-fi! :blobaww:
If Zhu Ming hadn’t mistaken, the two people before him were Nova and Ye Lu—or rather, as the outside world knew them, the deeply affectionate couple of many years and current leaders of LotusX: Feng Jiachi and Tan Yu.
However, if not for the fact that their faces matched perfectly with the company poster downstairs, Zhu Ming might have thought he’d stumbled into an underground fight club.
Compared to the elementary-level arguments and cold wars between him and Xi Xianqing, the couple… in front of him seemed genuinely intent on killing each other.
“Divorce, right?”
Feng Jiachi, utterly furious, grabbed a book thicker than a dictionary and hurled it against the wall as though the act would enhance his imposing aura. “Don’t think that just because you say that word, I’ll back down! Fine, divorce it is—what, you think I’m scared of you!?”
Tan Yu’s build wasn’t as robust as Feng Jiachi’s, his physical strength clearly at a disadvantage.
However, he was evidently much better at verbal assaults, retorting with cold, labored breaths, “Good. I hope you can stand by your words.”
Feng Jiachi, enraged to the point of laughing, said, “Don’t you worry, I’m absolutely going through with it this time! Whoever doesn’t is a son of a bi—”
He was the living embodiment of “overcome with rage”—yelling as he picked up the glass ornament on the table, clearly intent on making it greet the wall.
Tan Yu bit his lip, silently clenching the wooden table lamp beside him.
When the conflict involved books and folders, it could still be written off as a domestic matter, one Zhu Ming felt it inappropriate to meddle in.
But with glass and wooden objects now in play, the situation escalated to potential criminal case. Zhu Ming decided he could no longer stand idly by.
Taking a deep breath, he was about to speak when the person next to him suddenly broke the silence—
“President Tan, President Feng, if you don’t want me to call the police, then put down what’s in your hands. Now.”
Xi Xianqing covered the back of his hand, his expression icy as he said, “The public backlash your company might face after a police report—please weigh it carefully, both of you.”
The two figures in the distance froze momentarily, finally turning their heads.
It was only then they noticed the two individuals at the elevator entrance, and immediately remembered that an exceptionally important meeting was scheduled. Xi Xianqing’s status was far from ordinary; the headquarters of LotusX had been built from a design generously gifted by Old Master Xi Jianfeng over a decade ago, and the ties between the two districts had always been close.
“Enough, Feng Jiachi, stop losing your composure in front of outsiders.”
Tan Yu weakly set down the table lamp, the Maine cat turned away with an expression of disdain. “You might not care about losing face, but I do.”
Feng Jiachi was instantly enraged by this remark. The Tibetan mastiff at his feet bared its teeth fiercely in response. “Who are you calling shameless? Why should things end just because you said so! I—”
“Enough.”
Seeing that Xi Xianqing’s elegant and refined threat of calling the police had little effect, Zhu Ming took a deep breath and cut to the chase. “President Feng, if the wound on the inside of your lip isn’t treated promptly, it will become infected and ulcerated. Chewing food for the next month will be a major problem.”
He then pointed to the purplish bruise on Tan Yu’s forehead. “President Tan, if that forehead wound isn’t treated, you’ll need stitches, it’ll scar, and it will ruin your appearance. The consequences are far-reaching.”
The two, who had been engaged in a fierce confrontation moments ago, both visibly paled at his words.
Indeed, for people who had been in a high position for many years, concerns about personal health often trump public relations crises, which could be smoothed over with money.
Zhu Ming twirled his finger in the air before pointing it at Xi Xianqing. “And as for you—”
His gaze landed on the fresh red scratch marks on the back of Xi Xianqing’s hand. For a moment, Zhu Ming felt a pounding headache. “Your hand needs immediate attention, too.”
Ten minutes later, Bang Bang returned to the office with a small first-aid kit.
This little gadget was indeed quite useful. Zhu Ming considered whether he should get one for himself and Zhu Yingying.
The most esteemed individuals in Xi Star had all gathered in this small office. Zhu Ming, now acting as a temporary head nurse, meticulously cleaned and dressed the wounds of the three injured parties one by one.
Lowering his voice, he asked Xi Xianqing, “What were you thinking, using your hand to block?”
Xi Xianqing looked out the window. “What were you thinking, using your face to catch it then?”
Zhu Ming expressionlessly tied a neat, beautiful bow. “There, don’t even think about using this hand for the next couple of days.”
Exhaling, he lifted his gaze toward the two people sitting at opposite ends of the sofa, now somewhat calmed down, along with their dog and cat.
In the end, it was Tan Yu who broke the silence first.
“Mr. Xi and Mr. Zhu, I apologize for today’s lack of composure… due to personal matters.”
Tan Yu glanced at Xi Xianqing, his tone polite but distant. “I understand how critical your evaluation is, but I’m afraid today’s meeting cannot proceed as planned. Can we reschedule and meet again next time?”
Feng Jiachi pressed a cotton ball against the corner of his mouth and gruffly added, “Yeah, I’ll have my secretary arrange a new time right away. Let’s make it this week—”
Tan Yu cut him off, “Thursday afternoon works.”
“You’re doing this on purpose, Tan Yu? You know perfectly well I have a magazine shoot that day!”
Feng Jiachi, furious, turned to Xi Xianqing. “I’m free on Friday morning. We can…”
Tan Yu: “I have a meeting Friday morning, so I can’t make it.”
Feng Jiachi nearly exploded. “You—”
Xi Xianqing sighed and calmly but firmly intervened with a cold voice. “I wonder if this Friday afternoon at 3:30 works for the two of you?”
The pair across from him fell silent. After a brief pause, they answered in unison, “…It works.”
On the way back to the hotel, Zhu Ming and Xi Xianqing were both still trying to process what had just happened.
The media’s glowing portrayal of this couple had raised their expectations for the meeting. Neither of them could have guessed that the seemingly perfect, deeply-in-love duo marketed to the public was, behind the scenes, so utterly chaotic and disgraceful.
Still, they didn’t leave empty-handed—out of apology, Tan Yu gifted them the robot named “Bang Bang.”
Hugging the round, bright-yellow robot, Zhu Ming couldn’t help but sigh, “Does marriage eventually become like this?”
Xi Xianqing stared out at the stream of traffic and city lights outside the window, remaining silent.
Noticing his poor expression, Zhu Ming asked, “What’s wrong? Does your hand still hurt?”
Xi Xianqing exhaled. “I was just thinking, if they really do end up divorced… who exactly should my work be designed for? And how should I proceed?”
Zhu Ming pondered this. “…You’ve got a point.”
When they returned to the hotel, Zhu Ming had already grown quite adept at using Bang Bang. After inputting instructions via the light screen, the little yellow robot waddled out of the suite on its round legs, returning shortly with a steaming meal.
After the meal, Zhu Ming re-treated Xi Xianqing’s wound.
“When you shower, make sure not to get it wet.”
Tidying up the first-aid kit, Zhu Ming once again maneuvered his wheelchair into the lab pod in the living room. Poking his head out, he cheerfully said, “Well, goodnight in advance la?”
Xi Xianqing on the sofa: “…?”
He stared at Zhu Ming’s retreating figure for a moment before realizing. “You’re pulling another all-nighter?”
“Yeah ya.” Zhu Ming nodded, giving the same explanation as always: “After all, two months is short. I need to make the most of it—the responsibility is enormous.”
“Responsibility.”
That “responsibility” Xi Xianqing had personally spoken of, the one Zhu Ming was obligated to fulfill.
Xi Xianqing lightly clenched his teeth, and after a long time, said, “You are dedicated enough.”
Zhu Ming looked at him with a slight smile. “You’re too kind. It’s only right.”
Although Xi Xianqing’s injury was to his hand, it was on his insignificant left hand, which theoretically shouldn’t have interfered with his drafting.
Yet, an hour later, his paper remained blank. His inspiration was blocked, and his mind felt utterly muddled.
Tan Yu and Feng Jiachi’s relationship was very clear —they were lovers. Unlike in District Two, where Xi Xianqing had to painstakingly extract details of Shen Ying’s life and key moments to find inspiration, this wasn’t necessary here.
It was evident that they were the most important people in each other’s lives—except it was obvious that nowadays, they had now reached the point of mutual contempt and irreconcilable conflict.
Xi Xianqing exhaled deeply and decided he would wait until after their first formal meeting to start sketching.
He set his pen down, washed up, and lay flat on his bed, attempting to fall asleep, but the feeling of drowsiness eluded him.
The bedroom door was left ajar, revealing a faint flicker of light outside.
In an attempt to lull himself to sleep, he fixed his gaze on that thin strip of white light. He didn’t know how much time had passed, but just as a bit of drowsiness began to settle over him, the glow from the white light abruptly dimmed.
Immediately after, he heard the sound of wheels rolling across the floor.
Xi Xianqing stiffened and instantly shut his eyes.
The sound of the rolling wheels grew closer, eventually stopping just outside his door.
However, the person outside didn’t push the door open. It seemed they hesitated for a moment before the wheelchair’s rolling noise resumed, gradually moving farther away.
Xi Xianqing’s brow furrowed slightly as he opened his eyes.
–
Zhu Ming maneuvered his wheelchair into the guest room.
The bed in the center of the room had been removed and replaced by two brand-new, massive gaming pods. Behind them, a row of bookshelves was fully stocked with stacks of game data discs.
As he examined the titles on the discs, he turned and unexpectedly locked eyes with a pair of emerald-green, calm, and indifferent ones.
Zhu Ming was startled, “You’re not asleep?”
Xi Xianqing, dressed in pajamas and holding a glass of water, appeared as though he had simply woken in the middle of the night and happened to pass by.
He spoke faintly, “What are you doing?”
“The medication effects take four hours. I figured I’d pull an all-nighter.”
Zhu Ming raised his hands and innocently explained, “Just to clarify, I’m not slacking off or goofing around. I’m just trying to pass the time.”
As if being choked, Xi Xianqing exhaled with extreme annoyance. “I was only asking what you were doing. There’s no need to explain so much.”
Zhu Ming let out an “oh”, shrugged his shoulders, and turned away.
“Since I have some time, I thought I’d try out one of District Four’s local specialties.”
He lifted a hand, his finger sliding along the spines of the game discs one by one. “I recall Nova mentioning a game this morning. Let me see if it’s here.”
<Choices>1This was English in the raw. was the first project our two bosses developed together after officially founding LotusX.”
Standing by the display case earlier, Nova had introduced it as such: “It’s a two-player co-op game. Although it has undergone numerous optimizations and updates, the technology feels slightly raw because it’s such an early work.”
“And if you plan to play it with a close friend or partner, I wouldn’t particularly recommend it.”
Her expression turned slightly subtle. “I still recommend trying other works from our company. For instance, these two are our most recent bestsellers…”
“The more she says it’s not recommended,” Zhu Ming’s finger paused as he pulled a disc from the shelf and examined it with a smile, “the more curious I get. I just have to try it. Want to join me?”
Xi Xianqing refused without surprise. “I’m not interested in games.”
“This is their first work oh.”
Zhu Ming continued to coax, “Highly skilled game developers often love hiding Easter eggs in their projects. Who knows? You might even uncover something from their early days that could inspire you.”
Xi Xianqing didn’t say anything.
Still smiling, Zhu Ming held the game disc up, pressing the edge of the plastic case lightly against Xi Xianqing’s abdomen. “So, how about it? Want to give it a try together?”
This time, Xi Xianqing didn’t immediately reject the idea. He merely glanced at the nearby gaming pod and asked, “Do you know how to use that thing?”
“I don’t,” Zhu Ming admitted, eyes curving into a grin. “But I think a certain little helper might.”
Five minutes later.
“Players, please follow Bang Bang’s instructions and insert the data card into the designated slot.”
The bright yellow, rotund robot stood in the center of the room, rolling to a stop between them. “Then proceed to lie down in the pods one by one.”
As Zhu Ming contemplated how to move from his wheelchair to the bulky gaming pod, a large hand gripped his waist from behind, lifting him with ease—
Startled, Zhu Ming tried to stop him. “It’s fine. I think I can manage on my own—your hand—don’t strain—”
His protest trailed off abruptly, voice hitching mid-sentence. Without giving him a chance to refuse, Xi Xianqing had already placed his other hand beneath Zhu Ming’s knees, skillfully lifting him. With a smooth motion, he set Zhu Ming gently in the center of the gaming pod.
He cast a light glance at Zhu Ming, said nothing, and walked off without looking back.
Zhu Ming: “…Thanks ha.”
Bang Bang’s mechanical voice, polite and cold, announced: “Bang Bang reminds you that this game is a fully immersive, holographic interactive experience. Eight hours in the game equals one hour in the real world.
“According to Xi Star’s anti-addiction system, if your gameplay time exceeds three hours, the system will automatically force you to exit. Please remember to save your progress and enjoy your gaming journey to the fullest oh.”
Zhu Ming couldn’t help but smile. “They even included an anti-addiction system… Looks like they’re pretty confident in their product.”
Following Bang Bang’s instructions, they equipped themselves with the provided gear: a highly sophisticated full-sensory helmet, electrode patches designed to connect with both the skin and brain, and all sorts of strange cables.
As the setup left him looking like a mummy, Xi Xianqing hesitated. “What happens if we don’t wake up?”
Bang Bang seemed to understand human speech: “If players fail to wake up for an extended period, the system will automatically trigger an alert, notifying LotusX headquarters and law enforcement, who will conduct a rescue. Please rest assured.”
“The system has detected that all preparations are complete,” Bang Bang continued. “Please refrain from moving while in the pods and close your eyes.”
After a brief pause, Xi Xianqing finally closed his eyes.
The sound of the gaming pod activating filled the space. Bang Bang’s previously clear electronic voice grew distorted, as though muffled, while the world felt as if it were sucked into a vacuum. A sharp, high-pitched ring stabbed at their eardrums.
When Xi Xianqing opened his eyes again, he found himself standing on a bustling, vibrant street.
He was now in District Four’s city center.
For a moment, he found it difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion. The evening breeze brushing against his skin was cool and refreshing, the honking of car horns crisp, the sun on the edge of the skyline warm, and the actress smiling brightly on the perfume billboard. Everything was so convincingly real.
He lowered his head and saw a green peac0ck with round beady eyes, its head tilted as it curiously peered around.
—Even his spiritual manifestation could synchronize into the game. Xi Xianqing suddenly found himself unnerved by the game’s authenticity and level of technology.
At that moment, glowing text appeared suspended before his eyes.
A cold mechanical female voice echoed in his ear: [Choices: New Player Tutorial will now begin.]
[Choice 0]: Would you like to bring your companion into the game now?
Two glowing options hovered beside him: [A] Yes. or [B] No.
Xi Xianqing’s finger hesitated. His first instinct was to immediately choose A, but he was curious about the result of refusing. What would happen if he selected “No”?
So he did.
The system responded with a beep beep: “Unfortunately, this game only operates in dual-player mode. Please adjust the expression on your face and prepare to welcome your beloved companion on this journey.”
Xi Xianqing: “…”
It was a multiple choice question, but in essence, there was no room for choice.
He selected “A” expressionlessly, thinking Zhu Ming would suddenly appear in front of him.
However, the street remained unchanged. The breeze softly rustled the leaves of the nearby palm trees, and the subtle swishing sound played lightly in his ears.
He sensed something moving near his feet.
Lowering his gaze hesitantly, a fluffy, snow-white tail came into view. Following it upward, Xi Xianqing locked eyes with a white fox, its black, round pupils glinting with a moist luster.
Immediately afterward, he heard a voice in front of him, “Xi Xianqing?”
Lifting his head, he saw Zhu Ming standing on the other side of the road.
Zhu Ming stood in the distance, his expression dazed. He looked down at his own hands and then glanced around, just like how Xi Xianqing had when he first arrived a few minutes ago.
His gaze soon fell on the green peac0ck at Xi Xianqing’s feet. With surprise, he teased, “Yo, Dish Soap can get in here too ah? Is this game’s tech really that advanced?”
Xi Xianqing silently stared at him without saying a word.
Zhu Ming’s smile slightly faded, and he hesitated, “What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like you want to eat me?”
Once again, he lowered his head to look at his hands and sleeves. His gaze slid downward and finally landed on his legs.
Then he froze.
Xi Xianqing didn’t say anything for a long time.
He saw Zhu Ming staring at his legs for a long while, his expression neither surprised nor delighted, just blank.
The evening breeze brushed through his hair, sweeping past his brows and nose. Yet, he never lifted his head, only stood quietly in place, staring at his legs.
After who knows how long, he tentatively moved his legs.
It had been so long since he last had the chance to use this part of his body—just as he took his first step, the ground seemed to turn as soft as asphalt, and his knee buckled.
Staggering clumsily forward with unfamiliarity, he took a step, heading toward the traffic ahead.
Although he knew the game couldn’t kill anyone by crashing, Xi Xianqing’s pupils still involuntarily contracted. He quickly crossed the road in a few strides, reached out, and yanked Zhu Ming back to the roadside. “Are you crazy?”
With the help of Xi Xianqing’s arm, Zhu Ming barely managed to steady himself. He lowered his head once more, looking at his legs.
The evening breeze was cool and pleasant, and the gentle glow of the setting sun blanketed the earth.
Zhu Ming’s breathing was slightly uneven. After a long while, he lifted his eyes and looked at Xi Xianqing’s face, smiling faintly and hastily, as if in a daze.
“Now I think I understand why this game needs an anti-addiction system,” he said.
Author’s Notes:
Sharing two hellish puns for today:
Q: Why can’t the little fox Zhu Ming stand steadily?
A: Because he’s cunning (slippery feet).2Play on words. The phrase “脚滑” (jiǎo huá) means “slippery feet” or “unstable footing.” However, it sounds very similar to “狡猾” (jiǎo huá), which means “cunning” or “sly.” It also combines the literal idea of the little fox having slippery feet and it being cunning.
Q: Why can’t Xi Xianqing work as a restaurant waiter?
A: ____ The correct answer will be pinned in the comments ^_^
A: Because he can’t open a screen(bottle).3Similarly, both words sound the same. The pun is based on 开屏 (kāi píng), which means “to open a screen” and refers to peac0cks spreading their tails while 开瓶” (kāi píng) means “to open a bottle.” The joke implies that XQ can’t do waiter’s tasks of opening bottles.
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