Ruan Xingwen quietly watched Li Li without saying a word.
Li Li sheepishly looked away, "Tomorrow afternoon, make sure you get ready. I'll pick you up at five, and we'll go together." She hurriedly finished speaking and stood up to leave.
Ruan Xingwen's eyes darkened for a moment, "I understand, take care."
After seeing Li Li off, Ruan Xingwen leaned back on the sofa, lost in thought.
People's hearts are the most fickle. Sister Li originally gave her all to help him, genuinely wanting the best for him. How did things end up like this?
Was it just because he wasn't lucky and couldn't get popular? Hopefully, tomorrow is just a regular gathering, otherwise...
Hearing the door close, Little Qilin crawled out of its nest and jumped onto the sofa, "Xingxing, take this cushion and wash it. I don't like her scent." As it spoke, it tugged the cushion onto the floor.
Ruan Xingwen's thoughts were interrupted by Little Qilin, and he reached out to take the cushion away, playfully teasing it, "Xingxing? Shouldn't you be calling me master?"
"...My master is the owner of the Mountain and Sea Realm..." It paused, surprised by its own words.
With a hint of delight in his voice, "Did you remember something?"
Qilin shook its little head, "No... When I heard the word 'master,' that sentence just came naturally, but nothing else came to mind."
Seeing Qilin fall into a state of low spirits, Ruan Xingwen thought for a moment and asked, "Little Qilin, what do you think that mysterious reward is? It's been so long, any news?"
His voice had a distinctive quality, a clear and melodious tone unique to young men, gentle and pleasing to the ear.
Now his tone carried a hint of comfort, his voice even more tender.
Qilin asked in its consciousness, "When will the reward arrive?"
[Please be patient. It is expected to arrive today at five in the afternoon.]
"Xingxing, it says it'll arrive by five, but who knows what it is." Little Qilin scratched its chin.
It was more of a comforting diversion, and Ruan Xingwen didn't pay much attention to the answer.
"Time flies, it's almost twelve now. I'll quickly whip up some lunch. Want to join me?" His tone carried a hint of inquiry.
Upon hearing this, Little Qilin shook its little head, with a clear "Look how considerate I am, praise me!" expression on its face.
"There's some dog food left, I'll have that~"
"...Alright then, let's talk about it after you eat."
Ruan Xingwen thought ruefully that he'd have to work hard to make money, or he wouldn't be able to afford this little one.
After finishing lunch, the two lay on the sofa watching TV.
With some confusion, Little Qilin asked, "This show is weird, why is this girl doing such tasks? Is it bullying?"
"The entertainment industry now is quite restless. Most shows lower their standards excessively, sometimes having no bottom line at all, just to go viral."
What he didn't say was that some people have no limits in their desire to be famous, even willing to sell their bodies.
There's no way around it; that's just how the larger environment is. Like him, his failure to gain fame isn't just bad luck; he refuses to lower his standards.
The day he met Little Qilin, Xu Yang brought in funds and pushed him out of his role. They originally had no intersection, but because the role was brilliant, it could propel him to fame.
The circle is only so big, and there's no secret that doesn't get out, especially with these capital-backed deals.
He switched the channel to an interview with Yu Xiaozhe.
The show had already reached its final segment. The standout feature of this program was the live audience Q&A at the end, unedited and spontaneous.
[Alright, let's have our actor Yu select a random audience member from the live audience to answer a question. Make sure you seize the opportunity and think carefully. You only have one chance!]
The host was adept at stirring the atmosphere, and the excitement among the audience grew noticeably, as they discussed what they might ask.
[Please welcome the lucky audience member, seat 26 in the fourth row! Come on, pass the microphone to them, thank you.]
It was a shy young girl, and her question took everyone by surprise.
[I want to ask God Ze, a few days ago in 'Godslayer,' when someone drew the last card, [Ze], what were your thoughts on that?]
There was a stir in the audience. What kind of question was this? People were more interested in Yu Xiaozhe's personal life! Compared to a game souvenir, nothing was more intriguing than having a girlfriend!
Obviously, Yu Xiaozhe hadn't expected such a question either.
He sat upright on the sofa prepared by the production team, exuding an aura of noble dignity, his deep eyes inscrutable.
His perfectly flawless face was strikingly gentle yet carried hints of sharpness.
Yet now, his gaze was devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if the question had nothing to do with him.
[Regarding the question, I have no opinion. We can only say that he was lucky enough.]
After speaking, he didn't say any more, not even acknowledging the host's hint to elaborate.
The host's earpiece carried the director's resigned voice, "Forget it, wrap it up. He won't say more."
The host, still unwilling, ignored the instruction, "I think the live and TV audience friends must be curious about another question, don't you think?"
Stopping the suspense, he turned to Yu Xiaozhe, displaying what he thought was a perfect smile, "Actor Yu, everyone's curious about a photo circulating online a few days ago. Would you clarify?"
At that moment, Yu Xiaozhe's expression didn't change, but his gaze towards the host was icy, "My studio knows which media company released the photo and has already initiated a lawsuit. They will pay for their false report, and as for the people in the photo, it was my cousin."
Despite his disdain for the host, his innate gentlemanly demeanor compelled him to answer the question.
Backstage in the production team
"Is this the person you recommended? No decorum at all! Disobeyed instructions! She dares to offend Mr. Yu? Does she want to lose her job? Inform her she doesn't need to come tomorrow!"
The director yelled furiously into the phone, hanging up without waiting for a response. Then, he dialed another number.
"Hello, Xiao Xiao, come back to continue recording the show tomorrow."
However, Ruan Xingwen remained oblivious to the events unfolding over there. He didn't see the question from the host either. At that moment, he was fretting over Little Qilin's reluctance to bathe.
"You've been here for days, and except for the first day, you haven't bathed at all. How dirty!"
Little Qilin still turned its head away, ignoring him.
He could only continue coaxing it gently, "Bathing not only cleans you up, but makes you smell nice, and soaking in water is really comfortable."
Little Qilin sniffed, somewhat tempted.
"If you agree to bathe, I'll take you for soup dumplings tomorrow~"
This trump card instantly had Little Qilin jumping onto his lap, just about to speak when the doorbell rang, accompanied by a voice.
"Hello, you have a delivery, please sign for it!"