Hmm… it's a really good idea.
But the problem was—
How exactly was he supposed to ask Yun Jin to perform Farewell My Concubine?
The theory was sound, but practice was another matter entirely.
At present, Cael barely had any connection with Yun Jin at all. They weren't even friends.
She was usually extremely busy, and he'd hardly seen her more than a few times since arriving.
Forget it, forget it.
No point overthinking this right now.
At the very least… he could write the script first.
Cael had copied scripts before. Back when he was studying, it had been a requirement.
Though it had been many years, he was confident he could still remember most of it.
With that in mind, he took out pen and paper from the system inventory and began writing furiously.
Around him, everyone was completely immersed in Yun Jin's performance.
No one noticed what Cael was doing at all.
...
Time passed quickly.
By the time Cael finished writing, Yun Jin's opera hadn't even ended yet. There was still plenty of time, so he placed the rough draft of Farewell My Concubine on the table beside him and continued watching the performance.
Another while passed.
The opera was nearing its conclusion, yet Cael hadn't noticed that dusk had already arrived—the sun touching the horizon.
Nor did he notice—
A small figure quietly approaching from behind.
Plum-blossom-shaped eyes blinked mischievously as they stared at his back.
The corners of her lips curled upward into a playful grin.
Step by step, she tiptoed closer.
When she was within half a meter—
Surprise attack!
"Cael~!"
Cael suddenly felt two small hands land on his shoulders, followed immediately by a familiar voice near his ear.
He wasn't actually startled at his core—but out of habit, his body instinctively tried to shake the hands off before he forcibly restrained himself.
To anyone else, however, it looked like he'd been scared stiff.
"…Director, what is it?" Cael sighed helplessly. "Why did you suddenly come looking for me?"
Hu Tao thought she'd successfully scared him and let out a smug giggle.
But when she heard how he addressed her, her expression instantly darkened. She puffed out her cheeks in clear displeasure.
"Cael! You really need to fix how you address me!"
"I've told you so many times—not to call me 'Director'! Friends don't use formal titles!"
Arms crossed, Hu Tao squinted at him irritably.
"Honestly… you watched the opera for so long. You're just like Zhongli—such an old fossil."
"Tell me, Cael—did Zhongli corrupt you? I told you not to learn from him! Seriously, you're both so young!"
She rattled on endlessly, while Cael simply smiled and listened.
Once she finally paused, he spoke.
"Then, Director… what exactly did you come looking for me for?"
"Still calling me that—!" Hu Tao pouted, clearly unhappy. "Forget it!"
She quickly changed topics.
"Look at the time! It's already so late, and you still haven't come back to eat. That's why this Director personally came out to find you."
As she spoke, she grabbed Cael's arm and tried to drag him back toward the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
"I can walk on my own…" Cael gently pulled his arm free and followed behind her.
"It is late, but Director, you really didn't need to come personally. How could I trouble you with something like this?"
"How is it trouble?" Hu Tao said matter-of-factly.
"We're friends! How could something this small be considered trouble?"
"…Eh?" Cael blinked. "Director already considers me a friend?"
"Huh?" Hu Tao suddenly stopped and turned around, staring straight at him with a face full of dark lines.
"Don't tell me you don't consider me a friend?"
Her expression was so intense it looked like if he nodded, she'd bury him alive on the spot.
The stare sent chills down Cael's spine. He immediately looked away and shook his head.
"No, no! It's just that… I thought I was the only one who considered Director a friend. I assumed everything you did before was just compensation."
He hastily made up an excuse—one convincing even to himself.
Only then did Hu Tao retract her gaze, instantly returning to her lively, mischievous self.
"Aiya~ you really know how to talk."
"Anyway, I've already considered you a friend for a long time now. You should feel honored!"
She puffed out her chest proudly—
though there wasn't much there to puff out.
"Yes, yes, whatever Director says," Cael replied perfunctorily.
"Cael! I told you to change it to Hu Tao!"
"Alright, Director."
"Ugh—! I'm going to die of anger! Cael!!"
...
And just like that, Cael followed Hu Tao back to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.
Yet along the way, something felt… off.
"Strange…" Cael frowned slightly.
"It feels like I forgot something important."
No matter how hard he thought, he couldn't remember.
"Forget it. Eating comes first."
...
...
— Ehe! —
Yujing Teahouse
Yun Jin had already finished her performance. She had planned to seek out that young man immediately afterward and introduce herself.
But when she turned around—
He was already gone.
Though he worked at the Yun-Han Opera Troupe and they'd have chances to meet again, Yun Jin still felt a trace of disappointment.
"He's already left…" she sighed softly.
"What a pity. I wanted to meet him right away… ask what he thought of my performance."
As she spoke, her gaze accidentally fell on the table where Cael had been sitting.
A piece of paper lay there, filled with dense writing.
"Eh?" Yun Jin picked it up curiously.
"He left this behind. I did notice he was writing something while I was performing… this must be it."
It looked like a rough draft. A story.
And at the top—
A striking title.
"Farewell… My Concubine?"
Yun Jin's interest was instantly piqued.
It clearly looked like a theatrical story.
Did he write this just now?
She stared at the folded paper in her hands, curiosity gnawing at her.
"It's not very polite to read someone else's things without permission…" Yun Jin murmured, glancing around.
Seeing no one nearby, she suddenly smiled mischievously—like a little girl about to play a prank.
"Just one look should be fine, right? Hehe."
With that, she unfolded the paper and began reading the story called Farewell My Concubine.
...
...
After a long while—
Only then did Yun Jin finish reading it.
No—appreciating it.
She stood there in a daze, unwilling to part from it, her heart heavy with lingering emotion.
It was a perfect script.
Though some parts differed from what she usually encountered, Farewell My Concubine was still an astonishing work.
Yu Ji sacrificing her life for Xiang Yu…
Xiang Yu still meeting his end in defeat—
The tragic ending was heartbreaking, yet it was the perfect finishing touch.
A final stroke sealing the sorrow of the entire story.
"This is incredible…" Yun Jin whispered.
"Did he really write this?"
She found it hard to believe.
And so, she made up her mind—
Tomorrow, she had to find that young man.
...
Wangsheng Funeral Parlor
Cael sat at the same table as Zhongli, staring at the strange-looking dishes before him, deep in thought.
"…Zhongli, you go first."
"No," Zhongli replied calmly.
"As the elder, I should yield to you."
"..."
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