Chapter 6
Love Nikki - Dress Up Queen.
If he remembered correctly, it was a dress-up game where you spend money to raise a daughter. The clothing designs in the game were quite beautiful. Now it seems there’s a new version called “Shining Nikki - Fashion Makeover.”
Wen Xingze didn’t think there was anything wrong with guys playing Love Nikki - Dress Up Queen. If Chi Yan played it — you could just imagine the scene — it would actually be kind of cute.
He had downloaded it himself, and it was still on his phone, although he didn’t log in often. Several times, even someone as financially strapped as Wen Xingze almost fell for the in-game purchases. Fortunately, his bank balance kept him grounded.
“…”
Wen Xingze’s thoughts quickly shifted away from Love Nikki - Dress Up Queen.
It was hard to believe that the person standing next to him now was Chi Yan.
For every movie Chi Yan starred in, Wen Xingze would go to the cinema and later save up to buy the DVDs. Even their old second-hand TV at home was purchased for this purpose.
In the narrow, dim basement, Wen Xingze hesitated to turn on the lights. He watched frame after frame of scenes play out in the darkness.
He would analyze Chi Yan’s body language, interpret his expressions and emotions like a skilled detective, trying to piece together a complete picture of Chi Yan.
Wen Xingze’s feelings toward Chi Yan were complex — a mix of envy for his talent, jealousy, and a healthy dose of competitiveness. But most of all, it was admiration.
Chi Yan was his favorite actor.
The elevator descended silently.
The cleaning staff at Shengtian Entertainment must have loved their job; the elevator walls were spotless. Wen Xingze stared at Chi Yan’s reflection across from him. Perhaps he had been lost in thought for too long because Chi Yan turned his face slightly, lowering his gaze.
Their eyes met in the mirror.
Suddenly, Chi Yan’s brow furrowed.
“Have we met somewhere before?”
Uncharacteristically, he initiated the conversation again.
Chi Yan’s voice matched his demeanor — low, cold, devoid of emotion, like frost gripping snow.
If anyone else had said that, it would have sounded like a clumsy pickup line.
“Huh?”
Wen Xingze had a habit: the more focused he was, the less control he had over his mouth. Almost without thinking, he said, “I’ve also played… Love Nikki - Dress Up Queen. Maybe we crossed paths in the arena. My profile picture is like an ID photo.”
“If we’re in the same region, we could add each other as friends…” and exchange stamina or something. But his rational side made Wen Xingze stop.
“…”
Chi Yan’s gaze remained fixed, lips pursed.
He wore an expression that seemed to be suppressing something. Then he turned halfway, his back to Wen Xingze.
Wen Xingze’s words trailed off.
Great. He shouldn’t have said anything.
And now he was bringing up Love Nikki - Dress Up Queen again. What an idiot.
As the elevator descended from the twentieth floor to the basement in an awkward silence, just as Wen Xingze was about to rush out and escape, Chi Yan suddenly said:
“Fine.”
Wen Xingze’s foot was already halfway out the door. He turned back, looking bewildered. “Huh?”
“Add me as a friend.”
Chi Yan’s words were succinct.
He wordlessly flipped his phone screen, displaying a QR code for Wen Xingze to scan.
Wen Xingze was dumbfounded. Although he hadn’t quite grasped Chi Yan’s intentions, he instinctively opened WeChat to scan the code.
Twenty seconds later.
After agonizing for what felt like the most awkward minute of his life, Wen Xingze stepped out of the elevator. The doors closed behind him, leaving Chi Yan, who didn't have time to go out, to go back on the top floor.
Wen Xingze remembered the chubby guy who had blocked the door: “…Well, he’ll figure it out somehow.”
________________________
In the Elevator
Chi Yan stepped out of the elevator on the twentieth floor, his brow furrowed. He dialed a number.
“Brother, no, Uncle,” his partner Lin Binlin’s voice trembled, “If you don’t come back for the meeting soon, I’ll have to sell myself to the board.”
Chi Yan got straight to the point. “Has the company recently signed any new talent?”
“New talent? Oh, we recently decided to acquire a small company. They’re quite unique — only one artist.”
“What’s their name?”
“Who knows?” Lin Binlin scratched his head.
A secretary-like person nearby whispered, “Isn’t it Wen Xingze? Handsome kid.”
Wen Xingze.
The speculation was confirmed.
Chi Yan’s lips quirked slightly.
Lin Binlin continued, “Oh yes, the name sounds nice. So when are you coming back for the…” meeting.
Click.
The call was abruptly disconnected from the other end.
“Damn it!” Lin Binlin angrily gestured at his phone with his middle finger.
________________________
Wen Xingze wandered around the parking lot, unable to find his bicycle. The elevator scene kept replaying in his mind.
Although it was awkward overall, the fact that he had added Chi Yan on WeChat…
Was this real?
“Friend request confirmed. Now you can start chatting.”
A new chat box appeared in WeChat, and the user’s name was simply ‘y.’ Unable to resist, Wen Xingze opened it, then closed it again, and repeated the process.
________________________
Meanwhile, in Muse Empire:
[Raging Kuma: ??? Your Majesty, wake up!!!]
[Strawberry Pudding: As an old mother, I don’t think early romance is good. Even though he’s handsome, I don’t agree with this marriage.]
[Douglas: Early romance? First, let’s clarify what we mean by ‘early romance.’ Your Majesty, this isn’t exactly ‘romance’; at most, it’s a bit of ‘liking.’ The emotions fans have for idols differ significantly in hormone levels from romantic feelings.]
[Summer Ignorance: Damn dragons!]
The main quest was only halfway completed now because of that meme that went viral on his friends’ circle last night. The cub's popularity had smoothly risen from ‘8’ to the current ‘1072.’
Although parents still considered this popularity insufficient — after all, their king was so cute and lovable — even a million fans wouldn’t be enough. But compared to the previous seven fans that had stuck around for ages, the current situation was pretty good.
As for the favor of industry seniors, he only needed one more to complete the quest, which shouldn’t be too difficult.
But what everyone was curious about — from the game backend, it was clear that the Cub’s profile card now had a dragon filter mode marked in parentheses.
Usually, filters could only be activated by parents, so the dragons must have been quick to set it up. It made it seem like His Majesty and the dragon clan were quite close — scheming dragons, how childish!
And then there was the text message from the Light Tower Logistics that His Majesty received.
Anyone could guess that the private plane gifted to His Majesty was one of the three conditions proposed by the dragons yesterday. But those thick-headed dragons only knew how to send the plane. They didn’t consider other details — understandable, considering they had wings and could just fly wherever they wanted.
The private booking of that hotel was arranged by other parents.
________________________
The main star of the mermaid clan, Lancer Star
A young interstellar superstar and the mermaid tribe’s leader, lounged in an endless pool.
She was a shark-like mermaid with long red hair. At the moment, her iridescent blue fish tail, voted the most beautiful and dangerous in the entire universe, thrashed restlessly in the water, creating small tsunamis within the pool.
The reason for her agitation lay before her — three holographic screens.
Before Xia were three screens. One displayed Cub Raising Program, another showed the StarNet forum, and the third connected to the dragon tribe’s acting leader, Astor.
“Will His Majesty like the ‘airplane’ we’re giving him?” The naive golden dragon beamed, with a backdrop of the dragon tribe’s snow-capped mountains stretching for years. Occasional excited roars from other dragons echoed in the background. “I initially thought of gifting a starship or spacecraft, but the old red dragon said it wasn’t suitable. Who knew Blue Star's technology was so backward.” (Note: Blue Star = they're referring to Earth here)
Xia smirked. “Well, it’s quite unsuitable.”
Astor paid no attention to the mermaid’s sarcastic tone and remained immersed in his own world.
“You know, His Majesty lived on Dragon Star for four years. He loves flying — I even took him for a ride!” The golden dragon proudly displayed his back to the camera, where he had etched special patterns into his scales. It was his lifelong pride. “Back then, His Majesty sat right here.”
Was that supposed to be impressive? What was he showing off?
What were dragons, anyway?!
…Crack. Xia snapped off a piece of the pool’s edge with her bare hands.
“Psst, let me tell you something. Don’t tell anyone. The Light Tower agreed — we can have a conversation with His Majesty tonight. Only we dragons can do that. It’s incredible, almost like a dream—”
“Shut up! I don’t want to hear any more!” Unable to bear it any longer, Xia used the strength she’d use to strangle an enemy to disconnect the communication.
Threatening the Light Tower with energy cores was not just something the dragons could do. The mermaids could too, but they were a step behind. Now the Light Tower must be on high alert, and the same method wouldn’t work again.
Now, the opportunity to interact with the Cub, to become the most trusted parent in his eyes, had fallen into the dragons’ hands. Astor even called to gloat, leaving her infuriated!
Xia could only focus on the Cub to calm her anger.
Thankfully, this tactic worked remarkably well. Gazing at the screen, where the Cub looked bewildered and innocent, it took only two seconds for her urge to slay a dragon to subside.
“The Cub is so handsome,” Xia gazed at the game interface dreamily. “Hmm? Jiang Ye’s favor?”
‘Favor from industry seniors’ was one of the indicators for completing the main quest. But what surprised her was that these ‘favors’ were also aura skills. For instance, right now, the system was asking her whether she wanted to use one.
Nuzha immediately clicked to activate it and casually added two energy stones. These rare minerals could only be mined on the Mermaid Prime Star and were worth millions each.
She had recently discovered that energy stones could also be recharged and weren’t limited to ten million star coins. It must be a bug the Light Tower hadn’t noticed yet.
Suddenly, Nuzha had an idea.
Who said only dragons could add filters to His Majesty?
Summoning her attendant, she brought a whole cart of energy stones and said to the system:
“Max out the aura skill, and by the way, I want to send some small gifts to the Cub.”
________________________
Before Wen Xingze could find his bicycle, someone tapped his shoulder from behind.
“What are you looking for? You didn’t even answer your phone,” Jiang Ye jingled the car keys in his hand. “What’s wrong? Lost in thought?”
Wen Xingze: “Huh?”
Checking his phone, indeed, there were two missed calls. But he had been lost in memories just now and hadn’t heard them.
“Really sorry, I forgot to turn off the ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode on my phone. What can I help you with?”
Just ten minutes ago, he had bid farewell to Jiang Ye.
Jiang Ye had asked him to go home first today. While the meme from last night was still trending, they might do a promotional livestream for Treasure Adventure. As for the upcoming schedule, actor training classes would begin the day after tomorrow, followed by auditions and other announcements.
The female talent agent adjusted her hair with a flick and said, “Let’s forget about it this time. Keep your phone on at all times from now on. As for our bike — don’t bother looking, it's in my trunk.”
When she couldn’t reach Wen Xingze by phone, she worried he might have taken off on his bike. So, she had the security personnel temporarily confiscate Xingze’s beloved bicycle.
Jiang Ye motioned for Wen Xingze to take the passenger seat while setting up the navigation system. As they drove, she explained, “Originally, I was going to send you home, but it’s quite fortunate. Zheng Dao, the director of Encounter with the Dragon, is staying nearby at the Manli Hotel. I’ll take you to meet him.”
At her level as an agent, it was rare to personally accompany an artist to meet a director. There was no obligation or necessity to do so.
However, Jiang Ye found herself oddly fond of Wen Xingze, and the more she thought about it, the more she liked him. Plus, the timing was indeed fortuitous, so she decided to make this extra trip.
Moreover, the role she wanted to secure for Wen Xingze in Encounter with the Dragon wasn’t part of the public audition process. Rumor had it that it was already earmarked for Xu Baijing, but Director Zheng was still deliberating.
If she wanted to seize the opportunity, she had to act now. Waiting any longer would be futile.
“Xu Baijing?” The name made Wen Xingze pause. In truth, he was somewhat curious about the Manli Hotel. They had mentioned something about reserving the entire place for him to find a private plane on the runway, though he hadn’t taken it seriously.
Jiang Ye glanced at him. “His family has quite the background. Are you intimidated?”
Wen Xingze replied honestly, “Not really.”
Xu Baijing was the lead in 'The Wealthy Koi and His Lavish Life.' In the original novel, he met a tragic end due to opposing the protagonist. Since his debut, Wen Xingze had actively avoided running into him.
From the moment he received the script for Encounter with the Dragon, Wen Xingze knew he’d be facing Xu Baijing. But this time, he was taking it in stride.
'Worst case scenario, I’ll just fix cars. I’ve dealt with worse junk; being a mechanic might even be an upgrade.'
And then there was last night. Wen Xingze had a dream about a parallel universe within a game — a group of parents, calling him both “Cub” and “Your Majesty.” They worried about his every need, from food and shelter to his career. The dream felt so real that even now, he half-believed it was true.
After all, Xu Baijing had five wealthy fathers in that other universe, too.
Anyone sheltered by their parents would look down on those who don't have one.
________________________
In that alternate reality…
Wen Xingze’s thoughts appeared as inner monologue on the game interface.
After a prolonged silence, the barrage of comments exploded.
[Summer Ignorance: Ahhh!]
[NotWhite11: Ahhhhh!]
[Married the Emperor Squad: Ahhh, I’m crying! Even though I don’t know why, maybe because the Cub is too sweet! Ahhh!]
…All the interstellar parents simultaneously clutched their hearts.
________________________
Manli Hotel.
The morning tea gathering of wealthy ladies had just concluded, and the waitstaff escorted guests to the door. The valet opened the car door, and one of the ladies turned her head, whispering to her secretary:
“Who could be so extravagant?” Her secretary discreetly slipped a business card and tip into the waiter’s hand, asking, “Could you introduce us?”
Though this morning’s tea had been attended by the upper echelons of high society, none of them had the privilege — nor the qualifications — to book the entire Manli Hotel just to use the runway. It was practically a diplomatic reception.
Even the audacious young star Xu Baijing, whose adoptive father held shares in the hotel, couldn’t pull off such a feat. Despite being unimaginably wealthy in the eyes of ordinary people, they still fell short of the true elite.
In China, she could only think of the Chi family, but this situation clearly wasn’t their doing.
The trained waiter lowered his gaze, maintaining a respectful tone. “Madam Ye, I sincerely apologize. Please don’t put me in a difficult position.”
The wealthy lady sighed, no longer insisting, and gracefully entered the car.
Not far away, a young man in his early twenties stood on the porch, accompanied by an awkward-looking assistant. He was playfully whining into his phone, “Dad, I already told you I have a meeting with Director Zheng at the Manli Hotel to discuss the script… Book the entire hotel? I don’t want to hear about that. Can’t you even listen to me?”
His features were exquisitely handsome, every gesture revealing the pampered upbringing of a young master.
This was Xu Baijing.
“Xu Baijing, don’t be stubborn,” the voice on the other end of the line was deep and magnetic, unmistakably that of a leading man. However, it carried a hint of impatience. “Next week, I’m taking you skiing in Zurich. Didn’t your favorite designer release a new collection?”
“I’ve already said I don’t want to hear about it!”
Xu Baijing had always led a charmed life, and this kind of frustration was unfamiliar to him, especially in front of others — Zheng Xiao, the director of Encounter with the Dragon, was standing right there, making Xu Baijing feel increasingly embarrassed.
After another brief argument, the other side finally relented. A while later, the waiter wiped his brow and said, “Mr. Xu, you can use the area around the outdoor pool, but please make sure to finish by noon.”
The outdoor pool was the farthest area from the runway at Manli. Even so, Xu Baijing’s adoptive father had pulled every string to secure this privilege, and it was only available until the other guest arrived.
“Let’s chat somewhere else,” Zheng Xiao, a middle-aged man with round glasses, suggested. His appearance had a touch of the old scholars from the Republican era, and he had a good temper.
“No problem. My dad caters to my every whim. It’s not a hassle for him,” Xu Baijing replied.
Zheng Xiao subtly furrowed his brow but ultimately said nothing.
The waiter led them to the outdoor pool.
The once bustling Manli now lacked the usual flow of guests. String musicians sat in the vast central lobby, tuning their instruments. The fountain rhythmically sprayed water in the Baroque-style pool.
Midway through, Zheng Xiao stepped out to take a phone call. When he returned, he said, “I apologize. Two of my friends will join us shortly. Will that be a problem?”
Xu Baijing reclined under a sun umbrella, feeling a bit displeased but not showing it: “Hmm, feel free.”
Zheng Xiao’s friend arrived soon after — a man with medium-length hair who looked a bit disheveled. Xu Baijing had heard that Zheng Xiao enjoyed befriending eccentric people. If they got along, he’d even share a drink with beggars.
The man extended his hand to Xu Baijing, who chewed on ice cubes in his juice, engrossed in his phone.
The man wisely smiled and refrained from further conversation.
Zheng Xiao observed it all.
“Director Zheng, time is precious for both of us. Let’s cut to the chase,” Xu Baijing opened the script for Encounter with the Dragon. “I personally love this character. I’ve read the script multiple times — boldly speaking, it feels tailor-made for me. What do you think?”
Encounter with the Dragon, an epic fantasy drama, had a tightly woven timeline, set in a tumultuous human world. The male and female protagonists, from different factions, embarked on a quest during the long night.
The character Xu Baijing referred to was named Heng Zhi — an enigmatic figure in Encounter with the Dragon.
He was the last surviving descendant of the dragon race left in the mortal realm—the very ‘dragon’ of the story.
Heng Zhi was a multifaceted character, pampered by elders during his early years and later experiencing a fall from grace. He possessed youthful vigor and an indomitable spirit, both a carefree youth and the hidden ultimate boss of the entire drama.
Zheng Xiao’s sole requirement for the actor portraying Heng Zhi was an aura of spiritual energy.
It’s not particularly difficult.
But at least he knew that Xu Baijing didn’t meet this requirement.
Xu Baijing would ruin this character, and perhaps even the entire drama, turning it into a mere money-making, commercial piece of fluff. This isn’t an exaggeration; you can see it from Xu Baijing’s previous roles or, shall we say, the atrocities he’s committed in other shows.
This is also why Zheng Xiao hesitated to give in, despite the repeated pressure from the capital behind Xu Baijing.
“I know you’re a director who places great emphasis on visual and cinematic performance,” Xu Baijing said, having done his homework. “You can check my previous works… How did he get in?”
Xu Baijing looked toward the entrance, suddenly furrowing his brow.
Zheng Xiao followed his gaze, adjusting his glasses, and said, “I invited Jiang Ye. He might be her artist. Do you know him?”
Xu Baijing nonchalantly replied, “Know him? I suppose so. His name is Wen Xingze. In the past, he often complained on variety shows about his family’s financial struggles.” The part about complaining and playing the victim was false; the truth was that Xu Baijing was consistently overshadowed whenever he appeared alongside Wen Xingze. That’s when Xu Baijing had unilaterally formed a grudge:
“Yesterday, I saw him riding a tricycle, collecting scrap materials. I thought he’d changed careers. Quite pitiable. I’ve heard he’s played various odd jobs in self-produced web series and low-budget microfilms; he’s quite suited for it.”
Zheng Xiao remained silent.
Jiang Ye led Wen Xingze over. Contrary to Xu Baijing’s description of him as a “small-town kid,” Wen Xingze showed no signs of being naive. Even in a simple, inexpensive shirt, he exuded an air of sophistication. His tear mole near the corner of his eye added to his allure, though his expression seemed a bit weary.
In fact, he appeared even more refined than Xu Baijing.
Xu Baijing wasn’t unattractive. His features adhered to the standard human aesthetics — large eyes, high nose bridge. But compared to the person over there, he seemed like a deliberately crafted commoner.
The scruffy man with medium-length hair next to Zheng Xiao even exclaimed, turning his head enthusiastically.
Xu Baijing clenched his teeth inwardly.
Suddenly…
The automatic sprinkler in the nearby green area turned on, directly spraying Wen Xingze: “Ssssh—”
Everyone was stunned.
The water drenched only Wen Xingze, while Jiang Ye remained unscathed.
And at that moment, Xu Baijing finally remembered: Wen Xingze had incredibly bad luck. From the microphone malfunction to the missing background music during his performances, it was all standard procedure.
“Who would have thought that after all these years, he’d still be this unlucky,” Xu Baijing couldn’t help but revel in his misfortune.
No one responded.
Zheng Xiao, the scruffy man next to him, and even Xu Baijing’s own assistant — all stared fixedly in the same direction. Zheng Xiao even stood up and hurriedly took a couple of steps forward.
Wen Xingze stood there, drenched from head to toe, looking somewhat bewildered as he spoke to Jiang Ye, who had already descended the stairs.
He stood beneath the azure sky. The pool shimmered with ripples, and rays of light danced into the young man’s eyes. His pale irises caught a few threads of azure. The sudden summer breeze was urgent, and Wen Xingze stood alone at the top of the long staircase, his eyelashes drooping, enveloped in sunlight.
Words fail to describe the impact of this scene.
Wen Xingze’s mere presence was like narrating a story.
Solitary, mysterious, detached from the entire world, he carried the loneliness of a king without subjects, the last scion of a forsaken lineage.
He seemed favored by streams, rivers, and all things related to the ocean. Water droplets clung to his cheek, sliding down, a dance of light and shadow.
It left viewers spellbound.
Zheng Xiao even subconsciously looked for a camera. After a long while, he remembered that this wasn’t a filming location.
The inability to capture this moment on film would remain one of the biggest regrets of Zheng Xiao’s directing career for many years to come.
________________________
Muse Empire, within the “Cub Raising Program”.
Under unanimous agreement from all the parents.
The Dragon Clan filter and the exclusive buff for paying users, “Mermaid’s Blessing,” were activated simultaneously at this moment!
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