Chapter 303: Fu Xuan: Su Mu, You Big Scoundrel!
A waist as slender as a bound willow, skin like congealed lard.
Combined with her ethereal and detached temperament, for a split second, Su Mu actually felt as if he had traveled back to ancient times.
A refreshing fragrance lingered within the teahouse, originating from the teapot in front of Fu Xuan.
"Please, have a seat."
She made a welcoming gesture toward Su Mu. Her amber-like eyes held no emotion, resembling a piece of cold ice.
"Qimen Black Tea?"
Su Mu sat down across from Fu Xuan. Smelling the tea's aroma, he couldn't help but smile slightly.
Fu Xuan arched an eyebrow: "Oh? It seems Mr. Chen is a connoisseur... I thought someone who mingles with Qingque would surely be an idle, do-nothing sort of person..."
Qingque, standing to the side, couldn't help but interject: "I might 'fish' (slack off), but I work my heart out when I'm actually on the clock! And 'mingling'... wait, why use the word 'mingling'? It sounds like Mr. Chen and I are some kind of disreputable bunch!"
Fu Xuan glanced at her and sneered: "Qingque, you seem to have forgotten where I received my tutelage. Do you think I wouldn't know about your little schemes?"
Qingque froze: "Wh-what little schemes? Master Diviner, don't go slandering people out of thin air! I, Qingque, am loyal to you to a fault. I have no ulterior motives!"
"Heh."
Fu Xuan stopped paying attention to Qingque. Her amber eyes turned toward Su Mu, with a faint cold glint flickering within them.
"Seeing is not believing, and hearing is not truth... If Mr. Chen intends to keep playing riddles, I'm afraid there's no point in continuing this meeting."
Su Mu smiled and pushed his business card toward Fu Xuan.
It wasn't the card for his alias in Canghai City, "Chen Ye."
It was the card for "MiHoYo Lead Game Director, Su Mu."
"As expected of a descendant of the Fu family of stargazers, Ms. Fu Xuan's insight is truly remarkable..."
Qingque leaned in to take a look and was instantly dumbfounded.
"Wait? How do you have this card... You're Su Mu? That damn Old Thief Su Mu?!"
Qingque's words made Su Mu's mouth twitch. Even the expressionless Fu Xuan had a facial muscle spasm; clearly, Qingque's outburst made it difficult for both of them to keep a straight face...
"Cough, cough, cough... s-sorry! I've just gotten used to calling him that online... No, Diviner, Director Su, you two chat, you chat! Haha!!"
Qingque tactfully shut her mouth and stepped aside with a dry laugh, though her eyes never left Su Mu.
Holy crap, I was wondering how he could offer the same recruitment terms as MiHoYo. Turns out this Chen Ye is Su Mu! Wait, why isn't this Old Thief staying in Tianqiu City? Why come to our Canghai City and open a new studio... Could it be he's going solo? Or is it a mission from MiHoYo?
Su Mu, naturally unaware of Qingque's wild thoughts, lifted the bag he brought onto the table.
"Hiding my identity was not my original intention; there were truly extenuating circumstances. Please accept this gift and I hope Ms. Fu Xuan can forgive me."
Seeing Su Mu's sincere attitude, Fu Xuan's tone softened slightly: "You are honest. Had it been anyone else, they would likely have engaged in a war of words with me... but there's no need for gifts..."
However, Qingque had already pulled open the bag. She peered inside and shouted: "Wow! Master Diviner! It's your favorite Taro Boba Milk Tea! The one we can never get because of the lines! And there are two cups!"
"Cough—"
Fu Xuan staggered, nearly knocking over the teacup on the table. Qingque's words made her lose her composure in a second. She glared at Qingque, her face full of shame and indignation.
"Qingque, what is wrong with you today? Why are you so talkative..."
"Are you going to drink it, Master Diviner? If you don't, I'll drink mine, okay?"
"H-hand it over—"
A moment later, Fu Xuan looked at the Taro Boba with the straw already inserted. She lowered her head, her face burning hot.
That image of the Master Diviner—calculated, cold, and peerless—had long since flown to the high heavens.
Qingque, sipping her milk tea, secretly gave Su Mu a thumbs-up. Su Mu arched an eyebrow back at her.
As the saying goes: One can guard against thieves day and night, but it is hard to guard against the thief within the house.
Qingque was exactly that "Su Mu-vetted" inside thief.
This cooperation was seamless. A smooth little combo had instantly broken Fu Xuan's facade.
With Qingque's meddling, the formal atmosphere could no longer return to its previous state.
"A m-miscalculation... Qingque, I didn't think you would go this far... Do you want to leave the Luofu that badly?"
If it had been anyone else, Su Mu and Qingque's performance might have fooled them. But Fu Xuan knew very well that these two had come prepared.
"Master Diviner, what are you talking about? I don't understand at all," Qingque said seriously while drinking her tea. "I just didn't want you to have to stand on your tiptoes after work every day, struggling to grab a limited Taro Boba in a crowd... Poor Master Diviner, because of your height, the clerks often overlook you, don't they? Every time I see the frustration and regret on your face when you can't get your tea, as your subordinate, I lose sleep..."
"Aaaaaah! Qingque! You brat, just how long are you going to keep exposing my weaknesses!!"
Fu Xuan slapped the table and stood up. In her mix of shame and anger, she wanted to punch Qingque right then and there.
"Master Diviner, mind your image! Mind your image! There are guests!"
Qingque hid behind Su Mu with a grin. She wasn't even pretending anymore; she had laid her cards on the table. Yes, she was exposing her weaknesses—what of it?
"Mr. Su Mu... I don't know what kind of soup you fed this girl to charm her, but if you think that just by turning Qingque against me you can get our company's secrets, you'd better drop that idea right now..."
"No, what would I want your company's secrets for?"
"...Eh?"
Seeing Fu Xuan stunned, Su Mu breathed a sigh of relief.
He had heard from Qingque that Fu Xuan, as a descendant of the Fu family of stargazers, had the ability to know the past, present, and future, and could predict good and bad fortune. But looking at her now, she wasn't as exaggerated as in the game...
And Fu Xuan didn't have the so-called "Third Eye" on her forehead.
Thinking about it, it made sense. In the game's world-building, Xianzhou people lived for hundreds of years, so common logic didn't apply. But in this world's reality, there were no "Mara-struck," no "Aeons," and no "Pathstriders"...
This was a good thing; otherwise, if Honkai and Aeons were crammed onto one tiny planet, Su Mu couldn't imagine how explosive it would be.
"Master Diviner, rest assured. The Old Thief... cough, Director Su is here to discuss a partnership with our company!"
Qingque leaned forward with a grin.
"Partnership?"
"Master Diviner, have you ever heard of Honkai: Star Rail?"
"I am familiar with Honkai Impact 3rd... but what is this 'Star Rail'?"
"It's a new game!"
"A new game?"
"Not just a new game, but even more thrilling than Honkai Impact 3rd?"
"Even more thrilling??"
Fu Xuan's eyes widened. In her spare time, she often saw her subordinates playing Honkai Impact 3rd. Even that guy Jing Yuan would secretly open his phone to "harvest crops" when he was slacking off.
He had once pointed at Theresa in the game, looked at Fu Xuan, and said: "Fu Xuan, for some reason, I feel you bear a resemblance to this silver-haired, youthful-looking girl... Hmm, could it be the height?"
This nearly caused Fu Xuan to faint from anger on the spot.
"Let me explain," Su Mu said, looking at Fu Xuan.
"Ms. Fu Xuan, you probably know that my last game, Honkai Impact 3rd, used real-life names for the characters, right?"
Fu Xuan nodded: "I am aware."
She had investigated matters related to Honkai Impact 3rd and was surprised to find that the names appearing in it could all be found in real life. Furthermore, many of those names belonged to legendary figures. For instance, the three CEOs of Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and World Serpent were all featured.
From this point alone, Fu Xuan could conclude that the power behind Su Mu was unfathomable.
However, the game industry and the current Luofu were worlds apart. How could they partner up? Although she had heard of Honkai Impact 3rd's cross-industry collaborations, the antique industry... wasn't that a bit too much of a leap?
"Actually, the new game I'm developing, Honkai: Star Rail, also wants to continue the tradition of Honkai Impact 3rd..."
Su Mu's explanation gave Fu Xuan a general idea. Simply put, Su Mu hoped to obtain the portrait and publicity rights of Fu Xuan and the others for his game creation. Of course, none of this was free. Anyone who authorized their appearance in Honkai: Star Rail would receive a considerable commission.
Judging from the data Su Mu provided, it was a figure Fu Xuan could not refuse. Money might not be omnipotent, but it could certainly solve 99% of problems, including Fu Xuan's current urgent needs.
"In other words... you want to use our Luofu employees' identities for game creation?"
Fu Xuan looked at Su Mu, her brow slightly furrowed.
"I have heard that Mr. Su Mu's ideas are imaginative and unconventional... It seems that is true. However, I am curious—if you don't have our authorization, can the game not proceed?"
"That is correct."
"...Answering so frankly took me by surprise... In a negotiation, you would have effectively exposed your own weakness to the enemy."
"Thank you for the advice, Ms. Fu Xuan. However, I don't believe Ms. Fu Xuan and I are enemies."
"Heh..."
Fu Xuan shook her head, her tone softening considerably.
"Before coming here, I was a bit apprehensive, fearing you would propose something disadvantageous to the Luofu... but it seems I was overthinking."
Su Mu could clearly feel that Fu Xuan was no longer as guarded. It seemed exactly as Qingque had said: even this omnipotent Master Diviner was currently worrying about the Luofu Company's cash flow. His arrival was, in a sense, a timely rescue. Fu Xuan naturally had no reason to refuse such an offer.
"But the game is still in development. Even if I give you everyone else's authorization, I'm afraid the commissions won't be received very soon, will they?"
"That is true. At least within this year, Star Rail cannot successfully launch... However, I have two methods that can solve Ms. Fu Xuan's immediate problems."
"Two methods?"
"To relieve the company's financial pressure, it's all about increasing revenue and cutting costs... and this 'increasing revenue' naturally involves making changes to the current Luofu."
Su Mu pushed a proposal toward Fu Xuan. Fu Xuan opened the proposal and was momentarily dazed.
"The Xianzhou Antique Appraisal Special Program Project...?"
Seeing Fu Xuan's bewildered look, Su Mu couldn't help but smile.
These days, if you want to make money, what's the fastest way? Traffic. As the saying goes, traffic is king; with enough traffic, even a pig can fly in a storm. One could say this is the era of traffic!
And... in Su Mu's previous life, this kind of appraisal livestream was incredibly diverse, with the representative show being Tingquan Appraisals. But in reality, this type of appraisal broadcast had predecessors long before the rise of the internet.
Those were the various appraisal programs on CCTV. Among the most widely circulated were shows like The Final Word. There was also Appraisal, which aired every Wednesday at 19:30 on the CCTV Finance Channel since October 2003.
The show targeted common collectibles of the general public, using an in-studio live appraisal format. Content included collectible displays and appreciation, collection anecdotes, expert appraisal commentary, and audience guessing of collectible prices.
The program used "treasures" as a medium to facilitate face-to-face communication between collectors and appraisal experts. It excavated the deep historical and cultural connotations reflected by the treasures, naturally integrating collection and appraisal. This allowed audiences to understand collection knowledge while clarifying new trends in investment and financial management.
Simply put, it utilized people's curiosity to attract viewership. Of course, to pull off this kind of appraisal show, it would be impossible without a certain background and influence. But the Luofu was backed by the Xianzhou Alliance and enjoyed a great reputation in the antique industry; therefore, it had the strength and conditions to produce the show.
The plan Su Mu provided Fu Xuan was a "two-birds-with-one-stone" approach. By promoting and broadcasting simultaneously on television and the internet, it captured the attention of both the elderly—who didn't know how to use the internet—and the curiosity of the youth.
The appraisal variety show served as the main body, while the appraisal livestreams served as a means to rapidly accumulate traffic and popularity... Using both methods simultaneously would surely yield twice the result with half the effort!
Looking at the two proposal drafts Su Mu provided, Fu Xuan's breathing became a bit rapid. Although she had never heard of such a unique program format, her intuition told her this might truly be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. An opportunity to become world-famous, surpass Jing Yuan, and reach the peak of her career as the Luofu's CEO!
The reason Fu Xuan felt this way was because the two drafts Su Mu prepared were just too detailed! It could be said no detail was overlooked. From the program's structure and operational matters to the profitability that Fu Xuan cared about most—everything was covered. Even scripts for simulated scenarios were prepared...
These two proposals alone made Fu Xuan see a glimpse of hope for the future. She pored over them for nearly an hour before finally snapping out of it!
"Mr. Su Mu... I must apologize for my previous rudeness."
Fu Xuan stood up and bowed deeply to Su Mu. Qingque, standing nearby, was stunned. What's going on? The Diviner actually apologized to someone? And so respectfully?
"These two proposals of yours have truly enlightened me... I never thought there could be such an innovative method."
As Fu Xuan spoke, her initial arrogance and hostility were gone. Her amber eyes were bright, and her gaze toward Su Mu now held a degree of respect.
"Although I still have many questions... if things can truly go as you envision, then the Luofu might regain its glory in another way."
She looked at the man before her, waves of shock rising in her heart. She thought Su Mu was only accomplished in games; she hadn't expected him to have such unique insight in other areas. He gave Fu Xuan a sense of being unfathomable—the first time she had felt this about someone.
As a descendant of the stargazers, Fu Xuan had possessed a talent for divination far beyond others since childhood. Although she couldn't literally know the past and future like in a novel, no one was better at judging people and objects. She could see that although Su Mu seemed to be shrouded in a layer of mist, hiding his true depth, her intuition told her the person before her was trustworthy.
"If he really wanted to deceive me, there would be no need for such an elaborate setup..." Looking at the two thick proposals, Fu Xuan gave a self-deprecating smile.
Yes. If Su Mu were truly a fraud, would he have made so much preparation? The heart put into these proposals... Fu Xuan couldn't imagine how much energy the man before her had spent writing them.
"Mr. Su Mu... I have one more question I would like you to answer."
"Please, go ahead."
"How were you certain that I would agree to cooperate with you today? If I had refused, weren't you afraid all your efforts would go to waste?"
Fu Xuan was no fool; she knew very well how much heart and soul had been spent to make these proposals so comprehensive... That was why she was shocked and confused at the same time.
Facing Fu Xuan's question, Su Mu smiled slightly.
"Because I believe in Ms. Fu Xuan."
"Believe in... me?"
"With Ms. Fu Xuan's keen eyes, you would surely see the value of these two proposals. So from the start, I never considered being refused."
"You..."
Su Mu's words made Fu Xuan freeze. Immediately, she couldn't help but sigh.
"In the business world, your approach is a major taboo... What if I had taken these two proposals, brushed you off with some other excuse, and kept them for my own use, stealing your ideas?"
"If that were the case, I would have launched a program of the same type."
"Meaning even if I plagiarized your ideas, you have absolute confidence in launching an even better proposal?"
Su Mu's answer brought a bitter smile to Fu Xuan's face.
"Someone as conceited as you is truly rare in this world... However, for some reason, I believe your words..."
Fu Xuan shook her head. She finally understood why even Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, World Serpent, and even the world-famous star Eden were willing to be Su Mu's backing.
"Giving one's all for a single cause" seems like a simple phrase, but in reality, very few can achieve it. Yet the man before her proved through action that it wasn't just empty talk. The sincerity he showed, and the effort and heart he invested, were all condensed in these two thick proposals.
Fu Xuan rarely praised others; even Jing Yuan would be labeled a "Do-Nothing General" by her. But today, for the first time, she had miscalculated.
"Mr. Su Mu..."
"Just call me Su Mu. Here's to a happy partnership, Fu Xuan."
Su Mu extended his hand toward her.
"Though the road ahead is long and the end unknown... since you are willing to give your all for this partnership, I naturally have no reason to retreat."
Looking at the man before her, Fu Xuan's lips curled up slightly into a breathtaking arc.
"Mr. Su Mu, this kindness... No, Fu Xuan will remember it in her heart. If there is anything I can help with in the future, just speak up. I will do my utmost to assist you."
The two hands gripped tightly together, symbolizing that Su Mu had officially reached an alliance with the Luofu. The Star Rail project had officially embarked on its journey.
"Now that the partnership is settled... we can be considered friends, can't we, Su Mu?"
"Of course."
"Is that so... Then for the next part, I am not speaking as a member of the Luofu, but as a friend..."
Fu Xuan took a deep breath. In the next moment, her exquisite face showed a hint of anger.
"Su Mu, you big idiot! Who does business like you? I simply can't watch this... If you hadn't met me today, but some other unscrupulous enterprise, your ideas would have been stolen clean! Even if you're conceited enough to think you could create a better project, what about the time and energy cost you spent?"
The great Fu Xuan stood with her hands on her hips. Her "resenting that the iron is not steel" look made Qingque sigh and cover her face nearby. Sigh, the Master Diviner is at it again! Since forever, she has loved lecturing people!
"From now on, you must never hand over your hard work without a clear agreement. Even if you want to show the results, you must never present the original plans in their entirety! You'll suffer a huge loss doing business like this! Stop treating your own efforts as nothing, do you understand?"
The rambling Fu Xuan, for some reason, gave Su Mu the feeling of being lectured by a grandmother. Looking at Fu Xuan, whose white skin was flushed with anger and whose cherry-red mouth was scolding him like a machine gun...
The Master Diviner is indeed very cute.
Su Mu listened to Fu Xuan's scolding with a smile.
"Are you even listening to me? You... how can you still be smiling? Sigh, be serious for a moment!"
Though the process was a bit bumpy, a heavy stone in Su Mu's heart had finally settled. Of course, Su Mu had considered Fu Xuan's concerns beforehand. He never fought a battle without preparation; if he dared to present the proposals intact, he already had corresponding countermeasures. However, those countermeasures were no longer needed... so there was no need to worry.
Su Mu didn't intend to argue with Fu Xuan. After all... an angry Fu Xuan possessed a unique charm. It wasn't a bad thing to enjoy the view.
Successfully implementing these two appraisal show proposals would likely take a lot of heart and time... But for Su Mu, none of that mattered. After all, what he loved most was enjoying danger... no, enjoying work.
After all, he was a top-tier "grind-dog."
After saying goodbye to Su Mu, the smile on Fu Xuan's face was replaced in the next second by a murderous gaze.
Qingque, who was trying to sneak away, felt a chill down her spine. She turned back trembling.
"Haha... M-Master Diviner? If there is nothing else, your subordinate will take her leave?"
Fu Xuan's hand reached out and grabbed Qingque's head. Qingque felt like her skull was about to be crushed.
"The Taro Boba was good, wasn't it? You told Su Mu everything about me in detail, didn't you? Qingque, oh Qingque, I have treated you well, and yet you betrayed me to this extent..."
"Master Diviner, this... this must be a misunderstanding, let me explain!"
Qingque was shaking like a sieve. She could only feel a giant "DANGER" character flashing over her forehead.
"Awooo—!!"
Su Mu, already several miles away in his car, suddenly looked back.
—"Qingque? (Expressionless)"
END OF CHAPTER
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