Chapter 97

Ji Wei lowered his head, the corners of his tightly pressed lips unconsciously turning up, revealing two faint pear dimples.

His mood remained excellent all the way from the hospital back to Hua Ting.

He went to the study and continued working on the painting he hadn’t finished that morning.

He didn’t finish until midnight. In the dark universe, a giant serpent held up a dim planet, as if the entire planet were about to die, pervaded by a faint sense of despair.

Something seemed to be missing.

He scanned the painting into the computer, opened Photoshop, and created a new glowing layer over the entire artwork. The planet then burst into a dazzling brilliance, making the entire universe sparkle.

Only then did he send both paintings to Wang Yuan at Fanzhou.

But Wang Yuan never replied to his message.

Perhaps it was too late.

Ji Wei didn’t think much of it and soon fell asleep after lying down in bed.

***

When Wang Yuan received the file, he was in a meeting in the conference room.

The development of Apocalypse had been put on the agenda. It was set to be the most important project after The Age of Great Contention, but it had hit a funding bottleneck. To successfully complete development, they were short at least two million.

Not yuan, but US dollars.

His partner looked at the proposal and said, “Apocalyptic games have always been popular. I’ve also looked at the concept the planners submitted. This is indeed a very promising game and will become our company’s first true 3D blockbuster. I’ll take care of the funding gap.”

“I’m relieved to hear you say that,” Wang Yuan sighed in relief. “If there’s nothing else, let’s call it a day.”

This partner of his was mainly in real estate, with deep pockets and extensive connections. If he said he could solve it, there would likely be no problem.

Unexpectedly, his partner shook his head. “But I have one condition: replace Ji Wei.”

“Why?” Wang Yuan asked in surprise. The inspiration for this game was entirely based on Ji Wei’s art. It could be said that without Ji Wei, there would be no game concept at all. Wasn’t this just using him and then tossing him aside? He couldn’t bring himself to do something like that.

The partner didn’t answer his question immediately, instead asking the others to leave first.

Only when the two of them were alone in the conference room did he speak. “His personal psychological state is unstable. He’s not suitable to participate in the game’s production.”

“I get along with him just fine,” Wang Yuan said, not quite agreeing with his partner’s view. “To be honest with you, I was under a lot of pressure recently and went to see a psychologist myself.”

The partner shook his head. “If this was just a million-dollar game, I’d have no objection to you hiring Ji Wei. But you’ve seen the scale of the investment. For a ten-million-dollar game, I can’t allow any unstable factors in my investment.”

Wang Yuan was silent for a while. “Let me think about it.”

The partner patted his shoulder. “No rush. Think it over carefully.”

There’s no such thing as a secret that can be kept forever. The next day, many people in the gaming circle knew about this matter.

Before the stream, an assistant was doing Gu Huaiyi’s makeup. While drawing his eyebrows, she said, “I heard Fanzhou is going to replace Ji Wei.”

“Not surprising,” Gu Huaiyi said with his eyes closed.

“That’s true. After all, you never know when Ji Wei might have a breakdown,” the assistant said with lingering fear. “I saw that video of his before it was deleted. It gave me a cold sweat in broad daylight. I don’t know why they chose him in the first place.”

“They were just interested in his fame.”

Gu Huaiyi shook his head.

“That’s also true. Ji Wei’s popularity is already declining,” the assistant’s voice dropped a few decibels. “How long has it been since he last streamed? He hasn’t been on any shows either. Now he’s been kicked out by Fanzhou. It’s quite pitiful when you think about it.”

After finishing the makeup, he offered a small compliment, “Now I think the most popular streamer is you, Brother Gu.”

“This is just the beginning.” Gu Huaiyi opened his zither case, his hand caressing the guzheng.

Meanwhile, Ji Wei, unaware of the discussions about him, woke up early and sat at the dining table with Lu Shenxing, eating the spicy oil-splashed noodles made by Huang Bo.

A spoonful of sizzling hot chili oil was poured over the distinct, handmade noodles, then sprinkled with some chopped green onions. It smelled fragrant and tasted wonderful.

“Is it good?” Huang Bo asked nervously, as it was his first time making these noodles.

“It’s delicious.”

“It’s alright.”

Ji Wei and Lu Shenxing spoke almost simultaneously.

Huang Bo smiled and ladled another large spoonful of noodles from the pot into Ji Wei’s bowl. “Weiwei is still cute. A-Xing is getting less and less cute.”

Was his idol ever cute?

Ji Wei couldn’t help but look up at Lu Shenxing. The man was expressionlessly eating his non-spicy oil-splashed noodles. He couldn’t imagine him looking cute at all.

Seeing the doubt in Ji Wei’s eyes, Huang Bo turned and went downstairs. When he came back up, he was holding a photo album. He asked Ji Wei, “Weiwei, do you want to see pictures of A-Xing when he was little?”

“Huang Bo.”

Lu Shenxing’s tone wasn’t as calm as usual; it held a hint of helplessness.

“Yes!”

Ji Wei nodded emphatically.

“Come over to the sofa.” Huang Bo spread the album open on the coffee table.

Ji Wei finished the last bite of noodles in his bowl and trotted over.

Huang Bo’s photo album started collecting pictures from when his idol was seven years old.

When his idol was little, his skin was fair, his brow bone was high, and he had a slightly mixed-race look. He was dressed in a neat little suit. Perhaps knowing the camera was on him, he hid behind Mother Lu, smiling shyly with his eyes curved into crescents, his thick eyelashes casting a small shadow on his lower eyelids.

Caught off guard—

Ji Wei was struck by the cuteness.

“There’s more.”

Huang Bo continued flipping through.

This photo album was really something else.

Not only were there pictures of Lu Shenxing dressed as a little Santa Claus, but there was even a picture of Lu Shenxing in a little dress, smiling sweetly. He looked just like a little girl. He was very curious how this photo album had survived to this day.

As Huang Bo showed him, he said, “When A-Xing was little, he thought I was his father. I told him many times, but he still stubbornly followed me around calling me ‘Dad’.”

“Why?”

Ji Wei asked curiously.

“Because Lu Ji rarely came home.”

Suddenly, Lu Shenxing’s voice came from above him. “I can’t remember what he looks like.”

He didn’t know when his idol had come over. His tone held no emotion, as if he were just talking about someone else.

But Ji Wei still felt a little sad.

“I forgot to turn off the stove.”

Huang Bo slapped his head, quickly stood up, and headed for the kitchen.

Perhaps sensing his low spirits, Lu Shenxing spoke softly, “I won’t be like him.”

Ji Wei looked up, about to offer comfort, but the man instead reached out and ruffled his hair. “Because there’s a little one waiting for me at home.”

He felt even sadder.

He really wanted to hug the little Lu Shenxing from back then.

And so—

He hugged the grown-up Lu Shenxing with all his might.

***

As Lin Yishen’s most trusted subordinate, the task of delivering gifts to the Lu family fell to Secretary Qiao.

Since Lu Shenxing’s birthday was next week, today he was delivering a wedding gift for Ji Wei.

—An authentic Zhang Daqian painting worth over ten million.

This was undoubtedly a significant gift.

Although Ji Wei and Lu Shenxing were married, he knew all too well the twists and turns of wealthy families. On the surface, they looked glamorous, but in reality, many wealthy marriages were tightly restricted by prenuptial agreements.

In the eyes of the wealthy, the danger level of marriage was on par with being kidnapped.

Lin Yishan calling Ji Wei a canary kept in the Lu family’s cage wasn’t entirely wrong.

He stepped into the elevator.

The Lu family’s butler greeted him.

He bowed and presented his business card. “Hello, I am Lin Yishen’s secretary. I made an appointment yesterday.”

“Why don’t I remember that?” Huang Bo muttered to himself.

Seeing this made Secretary Qiao a bit nervous. “You said I could come at nine o’clock today, that’s why I came.”

“I remember now.” Huang Bo finally recalled that the Lin family had contacted him yesterday. “You’re here to deliver a gift, right? Give it to me.”

“This is a painting by Zhang Daqian.”

Secretary Qiao emphasized. Wasn’t this handover a bit too casual? If it got bumped or damaged, no one could afford the responsibility.

“I don’t understand these things.” Huang Bo pushed up his reading glasses. “Then follow me.”

Only then did Secretary Qiao breathe a sigh of relief. He thought to himself that although the Lu family couldn’t be considered a prestigious family compared to the Lin family, hiring a butler of this caliber was a bit too unrefined.

“Where do you want to hang it?”

Huang Bo led him into the collection room.

Secretary Qiao was about to speak when he saw the paintings in the collection room and was instantly stunned. He had previously thought the Zhang Daqian painting was a significant gift; even Lin Yishen had felt a slight pang of pain.

But compared to the paintings on this floor, which were worth hundreds of millions, it was nothing. How could he possibly present it now?

He gazed at an authentic Monet painting in front of him and couldn’t help but ask, “Are these… all Young Master Lu’s?”

Only then did he realize how much of a gap had opened up between the Lin family and the Lu family over the years.

While the Lin family was still priding itself on being a prestigious family and unwilling to lower itself, the Lu family, without any nostalgia for its past glory, had transformed and restructured as needed, swallowing up all the profits it could, and finally growing into a behemoth.

“The paintings are all Weiwei’s. The rest of the antiques are A-Xing’s.”

Huang Bo had never been interested in these things. In his eyes, they were not as good as the fresh beef in the market, which could at least fill one’s stomach. But since the children liked them, he took good care of them.

Little did he know that his expression, in Secretary Qiao’s eyes, was interpreted as profound and unfathomable.

Secretary Qiao’s previous condescension vanished completely. After quickly estimating the value of these paintings in his mind, he couldn’t help but sigh. If Ji Wei was just a canary kept by the Lu family, he would love to be such a canary too.

Of course, this was just a joke.

The signal sent by the paintings was that the Lu family valued Ji Wei very much.

After having the people he brought hang the Zhang Daqian painting, he asked respectfully, “I wonder if I could see Young Master Lu?”

“No.” Huang Bo now saw all members of the Lin family as potential criminals. How could he possibly let them meet?

Secretary Qiao was slightly disappointed, but he had been prepared before coming. Even if Lin Yishen himself came, he would probably be turned away, let alone him.

“However, A-Xing asked you to bring a message to the Lin family.” Huang Bo’s tone suddenly changed.

Secretary Qiao asked excitedly, “What message?”

He didn’t know if it was his imagination, but the amiable butler’s tone suddenly turned cold, making him shiver involuntarily. But the person before him was still smiling. “Ask Lin Yiqiu what he did back then, and then come back to atone.”

Lin Yiqiu?

Secretary Qiao had not expected such an answer.

Lin Yiqiu was the black sheep of the Lin family. While everyone else fought endlessly for money and power, he voluntarily withdrew from the competition for inheritance and quietly ran his art museum. Although he wasn’t much older than Lin Yishen, he had always been a highly respected elder in the Lin family.

What could he have done?

But the most important rule for a secretary was not to ask too many questions and not to say too much. He suppressed his doubts and took his leave.

***

Lu Shenxing’s birthday was approaching, and the long-dormant Super Topic became active again. Everyone was preparing for the annual birthday celebration.

Because Lu Shenxing never accepted expensive gifts from fans, no one bought expensive luxury goods. Instead, they wrote letters, made cards, and recorded videos… The Super Topic was filled with the atmosphere of a craft class.

Ji Wei was also thinking about what to give his idol.

Fans couldn’t give expensive gifts, but he probably could, right?

He thought for a moment and opened his browser to search.

—What’s a good birthday gift to give a partner?

The webpage immediately popped up with countless search results, suggesting all sorts of things.

This made him even more conflicted. He made a list of suitable gifts.

At noon, Ying Guanxiao happened to come over for a free meal. He quietly pulled Ying Guanxiao aside and requested, “Later, could you please ask what birthday gift Lu Shenxing wants?”

Ying Guanxiao thought to himself, He’ll like whatever you give him. But Ji Wei, unlike Lu Shenxing who would even ask him to order a cake, had never asked him for anything. So he readily agreed, “Leave it to me.”

Ji Wei’s heart finally settled.

Lu Shenxing was in the study reading a script. He and Ying Guanxiao walked in together.

Ying Guanxiao cleared his throat and walked up to Lu Shenxing. “Your birthday is next week. What kind of gift do you want?”

Lu Shenxing put down the script and raised an eyebrow. “How rare.”

Ying Guanxiao: …

“I’ve recently taken a liking to Koenigsegg’s Agera RS,” Lu Shenxing said faintly.

Asking Ying Guanxiao to help him was indeed the right choice.

Ji Wei had never heard of this brand. He picked up his phone to search for it, and then his hand, which was swiping the screen, paused.

—It was a supercar brand.

It wasn’t a matter of being expensive; it was extremely expensive.

This car had recently broken the Bugatti Veyron’s record to become the world’s fastest accelerating car. Although it was no longer in production, it was priced at a staggering one hundred million. Ji Wei quickly determined in his mind that it was a price he couldn’t afford.

Ying Guanxiao was so angry he laughed. “Forget it. I couldn’t afford it even if I sold myself. Be serious.”

Lu Shenxing thought quietly for a moment. “How about Dragon Stone Jadeite?”

Ying Guanxiao: “…You don’t do commercials or endorsements. Do I look like I have money?”

“No need for a gift then.” Lu Shenxing continued reading his script.

Ying Guanxiao shrugged at Ji Wei. He and Lu Shenxing had never exchanged gifts. At most, they would go out for a meal together, so asking about it always seemed like a joke.

He closed the door and left.

Only Lu Shenxing and Ji Wei were left in the study.

Ji Wei was a little worried.

“What’s wrong?” the man suddenly asked.

He subconsciously replied, “It’s too expensive, I can’t afford it.”

Lu Shenxing understood at once. It wasn’t Ying Guanxiao who wanted to give him a gift, but his little one.

He looked at Ji Wei for a moment.

“I’ll save up,” Ji Wei added solemnly, not noticing his gaze. “As long as it’s what you want.”

“Come here,” the man said after a moment of silence.

Ji Wei walked over. He remembered the gift list he had made earlier and handed his phone over. “See if there’s anything else you want? I’ll give it all to you.”

“What I want?” Lu Shenxing suddenly repeated.

He held out the phone again. Just as he thought Lu Shenxing was reaching out to take it, his wrist was grabbed.

Then, a cool seal was pressed onto his wrist. The sensation was so cold that his skin couldn’t help but tremble. After the seal was lifted, he could see the characters on it.

Think Carefully and Act Resolutely.

—Lu Shenxing’s commonly used personal seal.

“Mine now,” the man said, putting down the seal and lowering his gaze.