Chapter 34

For a moment, Ji Wei’s expression was hard to describe.

His idol had clearly injured his leg, so how was it that his hand seemed to be malfunctioning as well? He sighed softly. Oh well, what could he do? He was his idol, after all.

Ji Wei pulled out a tissue and wiped the large wet spot on the bedsheet. “It’s fine. I can just make do for one night. It’ll dry quickly in the summer anyway.”

“You’ll catch a cold.” The man paused for a moment, his voice pleasant. “I don’t mind if you sleep in my bed.”

He minded… Ji Wei wanted to say that it wasn’t a good idea, but when he saw Lu Shenxing cast a puzzled look at him, as if he completely failed to understand his hesitation, refusing felt like he had something to hide. His confidence instantly evaporated.

“Alright then.”

Ji Wei nodded with difficulty, not noticing the corners of the man’s lips suddenly curve into a slight smile.

The lights went out again, and he was now lying in the same bed as Lu Shenxing. He pressed himself tightly against the wall, and although they were under the same blanket, they were quite far apart. The night in St. Lawrence was incredibly quiet, so much so that he could hear the other’s steady breathing. Ji Wei’s heart pounded, each beat stronger than the last, making it even harder to fall asleep.

“Are you cold?”

Suddenly, the man spoke.

Ji Wei was a bit confused. Although St. Lawrence was on the coast and the sea breeze blew at night, the temperature was still around twenty degrees Celsius, far from what could be called cold.

He was just about to say he wasn’t cold when, in the next second, the man’s arm wrapped around him, pulling him into an embrace. The move was so unexpected that Ji Wei’s mind went blank.

“Big brother is quite cold.”

The man’s voice was deep.

After coming to his senses, Ji Wei tried to push Lu Shenxing’s arm away, but he was met with an even tighter embrace. In the summer, their clothes were just a thin layer, so it was inevitable—he could feel the cool temperature of the man’s body beneath the fabric, and the hot breath fanning across his ear. He was completely enveloped in Lu Shenxing’s scent.

Ji Wei couldn’t help but stiffen. Lu Shenxing, however, made no further moves. As if he no longer felt cold, he rested his chin lightly on Ji Wei’s head. “Go to sleep.”

The man’s tone was flat, revealing no emotion, but as Ji Wei’s head rested on his chest, a hint of confusion appeared on his face.

Why was his idol’s heart beating so fast?

But the man didn’t speak again, seemingly having fallen asleep. Ji Wei didn’t dare to make a sound to disturb him, so he could only suppress his confusion. Whether it was because it was so late or because the embrace was so warm, Ji Wei finally felt drowsy. His eyelids grew heavy, and he drifted off to sleep.

Lu Shenxing opened his eyes. He opened the notes app on his phone and added to his Cohabitation Life Precautions:

—Little one likes barbecue.

—He also can’t sleep in unfamiliar beds.

***

At five in the morning, the production team started knocking loudly on the door.

Ji Wei didn’t have the habit of making people wait. Just as he was about to go out, Lu Shenxing came out of the bathroom in his wheelchair, with faint dark circles under his eyes.

“Did you not sleep well last night?”

Ji Wei asked with concern.

Lu Shenxing gave Ji Wei a deep look, slowly exhaled, but didn’t answer his question. The man’s gaze paused on the boy’s slender waist for a moment, then moved up to his fair and delicate collarbone. He suddenly spoke, “Button up the second button.”

Ji Wei walked to the full-length mirror. Today, he was wearing a loose blue and white shirt jacket. Because he was in a hurry to leave, he had only buttoned it up to the third button, leaving the collar slightly open. It wasn’t actually that low. His idol seemed a bit conservative… But Lu Shenxing was watching him quietly, exuding an invisible pressure. Ji Wei looked in the mirror and felt that buttoning it up looked a bit silly. He couldn’t help but ask, “Can I not button it?”

“You can in front of me,” the man said slowly, lowering his gaze. “But not in front of other men.”

He added, “And not women either.”

Ji Wei was speechless. His idol’s logic was truly strict.

The two left the room, and Ji Wei pushed Lu Shenxing into the shop. Everyone else looked exhausted, yawning one after another, until a message updated on the app.

—Congratulations on reaching ten million popularity points and unlocking the washi tape!

—Today’s Mission: Achieve a turnover of one hundred thousand US dollars! Upon completion, you will be able to design a cultural and creative product yourself!

[The early bird gets the worm! Are they opening the shop this early? I’m excited!]

[Weiwei changed his clothes. This blue jacket looks good, but the buttons are done up a bit high. He’s such a good boy, not revealing anything.]

[Is Ma Liqing the last one to leave his room? I reasonably suspect he likes to sleep in.]

The mission rewards were placed at the shop entrance. The guests went over and saw four large, full boxes. They didn’t hesitate; with only four hours left before the shop opened, they had to get the goods on the shelves as soon as possible. St. Lawrence was just a small town, and its scenery wasn’t up to the standard of a tourist attraction. The foot traffic was not heavy. To reach a turnover of one hundred thousand US dollars, Ji Wei roughly calculated that they would have to sell out all these boxes.

[This is way too hard. There are very few Chinese people in St. Lawrence, and not many people are interested in Chinese culture to begin with. And they have to sell a hundred thousand dollars’ worth? I’m shocked.]

[I’m shocked too. I haven’t seen many people on the streets. The production team is really being realistic, choosing a place like this to open a shop.]

[+1, I don’t think they can do it.]

Zhao Yue brought a box into the shop and was dumbfounded when he opened it. It was filled with layers upon layers of washi tape. “This doesn’t have any packaging. We’ll have to go to the supermarket to buy packaging materials.”

“Let’s just buy the most basic kraft paper and string,” Ji Wei said after thinking for a moment.

Lu Shenxing opened the map. “Schools, plazas, and parks are concentrated in the southern part. That’s likely where the high-end residential areas are. We can go there to hand out flyers.”

Ma Liqing also offered his opinion. “Don’t all shops have grand opening promotions? We can set up a lottery box to attract customers to buy products.”

But a problem stood before the guests. They only had 300 US dollars left. Everyone looked at each other, unsure of what to do. In the end, it was Lu Shenxing who made the decision. He lowered his gaze and said, “There’s no need to package items for customers who only buy one product. That way, we’ll only need one hundred and seventy dollars. The rest of the money can be used for the lottery.”

“The condition for the lottery is—” he paused for a moment before continuing, “—to purchase a product and share a photo on social media.”

“We’ll hand out flyers after we get some funds back.”

[If you turn off the sound and just watch, you’d think they were discussing a multi-million dollar business. Turn on the sound, and oh, it’s only three hundred dollars.]

[This is the first time I’ve heard Film Emperor Lu talk so much. He’s finally not slacking off! As an old fan from ‘National Style’, I’m crying tears of joy.]

[Maybe he feels he can’t get away with slacking off anymore. All the juniors like Zhao Yue are doing manual labor. How can he, a senior, just sit in a wheelchair and do nothing?]

It took them over an hour just to put the goods on the shelves. After the supermarket opened, Ji Wei and Ma Liqing bought a large bundle of kraft paper and string, as well as five pairs of scissors and double-sided tape. The rest of the money was spent on small lottery prizes like fruit candies and potato chips, which were piled up next to the lottery box.

With an hour left before the opening, Ji Wei picked up a discarded box from the floor, wrapped it in kraft paper, and cut a large hole in the top. A simple lottery box was made. Ji Wei took out a black marker and wrote “Lottery” in a flowing, cursive script. The movements were as smooth as flowing water, so neat that it looked like it was printed, sparking a heated discussion in the livestream.

[I’m not just saying this, but that’s too impressive. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it was handwritten.]

[Ji Wei’s calligraphy and painting are just incredible. His hand control is so strong. It feels straighter than a ruler. I wonder if he plays games. If he does, he’s probably pretty good.]

[Weiwei is a game streamer. He played PUBG for a while. He’s super strong, a human 8x scope.]

[But painting and calligraphy are still at a disadvantage compared to music. The guest on ‘Great Nation’s Artifacts’ yesterday was also a non-celebrity. He gained a million fans with his guzheng skills. But he’s also really witty, and his catchphrases have gone viral.]

[That’s pretty amazing. Ji Wei’s Weibo followers combined are only about a million, right?]

After Ji Wei finished making two lottery boxes, the shop officially opened at nine o’clock. Lu Shenxing was in charge of the lottery, Ji Wei was in charge of packaging, Xiao Chi was in charge of the cash register, and Zhao Yue and Ma Liqing were in charge of sales. Everyone was full of confidence, awaiting their first customer of the day. But they waited until ten o’clock, and no one came.

[Hahahahahahahaha, this is too tragic.]

[Didn’t that foreigner yesterday say he was coming? Where is he, where is he, where is he?]

[The foreign guy: I was just saying that. Who knew you guys would actually take it seriously.]

Just as everyone was considering whether to go to the southern part of town to attract customers, they suddenly heard a commotion outside the shop.

“This is the place. They have a really cool palace on the wall. They’re all Chinese, and they’re selling stuff today.”

Mike pulled a few friends into the Forbidden City’s Little Shop. Zhao Yue immediately went forward to introduce, “Hello, it’s our first day open. If you buy a product and share a photo on social media, you can get a chance at our lottery.”

Mike was intrigued. “What’s this?”

“Washi tape.”

Ma Liqing added, “The design on it is from A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains, one of China’s ten most famous traditional paintings. It’s a silk painting by Wang Ximeng of the Northern Song Dynasty…”

Mike was very interested, listening to Ma Liqing’s explanation and asking questions. However, after his friends finished taking pictures of the Forbidden Palace on the wall, they seemed bored.

“I don’t understand what they’re saying at all.”

“It just looks like ordinary tape.”

“I don’t know why Mike dragged us here. Wouldn’t it be better to go to a bar after class? I’m getting sleepy just listening to this.”

The group of them whispered among themselves.

[I’m so annoyed. They don’t want to buy it, but I do! And is Ma Laoyezi’s explanation something just anyone can hear? I’m so jealous.]

[I think opening a cultural and creative products shop abroad is really difficult. A large part of the product’s added value comes from its culture, but foreigners don’t understand it at all.]

[The number of viewers in the livestream actually dropped. Is this for real?]

Ji Wei listened quietly for a while, then walked into the first-floor room and took out a roll of white Xuan paper and a writing brush.

[Is he going to paint?!]

[Looks like it.]

[But that’s ‘A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains’. Not to mention the difficulty, the work is almost twelve meters long. There’s no table long enough for that.]

[Does anyone else feel like Ji Wei is a bit beyond the scope of a normal person? Last time, when he copied Emperor Huizong of Song’s calligraphy, my teacher said that although his brushwork was weak, his precision was terrifying.]

[A human photocopier? It does feel a bit like that.]

Ji Wei didn’t have a twelve-meter-long scroll. He just took out a sheet of Xuan paper, placed it on a felt mat, dipped his brush in bluish-green paint, and began the first stroke. The few foreign students curiously walked over to his side. Art knows no borders. Although they didn’t understand traditional Chinese painting, they could feel the breathtaking beauty beneath the layered colors.

The bullet comments fell silent. It wasn’t until Ji Wei finished one sheet of paper and took out another that they seemed to wake from a dream.

[Ahhhhh, I love ‘A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains’ so much, and I love Weiwei so much. Why does he only have a million followers on Weibo? Hasn’t anyone followed him?!]

[I have ‘A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains’ open on my phone. Can I say it’s almost identical? Ji Wei is seriously insane! Great master, please accept my bow.]

[Can you believe it! My art academy professor stopped the class to show us the livestream.]

[What did your professor say?]

[He said that even if he were looking at the original painting, he might not have Ji Wei’s precision. If he had to point out a flaw, it would be that he’s intentionally or unintentionally suppressing the spiritual quality. Logically, his skill level should be higher than this. It’s quite strange.]

Although Xiao Chi was standing by the counter, his eyes were fixed on Ji Wei without blinking. He had stumbled upon Ji Wei’s videos by chance. For some reason, watching the young man paint brought him a sense of peace and comfort. So when the Forbidden Palace mentioned they might invite Ji Wei, he agreed without a second thought.

Suddenly, Lu Shenxing’s indifferent voice came from beside him. “He’s married.”

Xiao Chi was stunned for a moment, as if his deepest secret had been discovered. A trace of panic he hadn’t even noticed himself crept into his voice. “Senior Lu, I know.”

“He’s married to me.”

Lu Shenxing continued.

Xiao Chi’s eyes filled with shock. This, he really didn’t know! And Film Emperor Lu just told him such explosive news so calmly? He was as calm as if he were talking about what he had for breakfast. Xiao Chi was so surprised he didn’t know how to react. He stammered, “Does… everyone know this?”

Lu Shenxing thought about the last livestream and lowered his eyes in contemplation for a moment. “The whole world knows.”

[Meow, meow, am I not part of the whole world anymore? Film Emperor Lu, you should at least follow some basic rules when you make up stories!]

[Oh my, look at Xiao Chi’s expression, he actually believes it.]

[This kid is so gullible. He believes whatever Film Emperor Lu says. Sigh, doesn’t he realize that even if they were married, they wouldn’t just say it so easily?]

[Film Emperor Lu, let the kid go and be a decent person!]

[Hahahahahahahaha, I actually feel a sense of superiority over Xiao Chi. They already made this joke during their livestream.]

Ji Wei was still painting quietly. Ma Liqing began to explain based on his painting, and the previously indifferent foreign students now had faces full of admiration. Before Ji Wei had even finished a quarter of the painting, they had already bought twenty rolls of washi tape and ten notebooks, priced at three hundred and fifty dollars.

Mike recorded a video of Ji Wei painting and posted it on Twitter. In an instant, it had over thirty comments.

[It looks like watercolor, but the coverage is stronger than watercolor, and it doesn’t look like oil painting. Since when are you interested in painting?]

[I know this is Chinese painting! Did you go to China? I love China’s giant pandas. I heard everyone in China has a giant panda.]

[Correction, I’ve been to China. Not everyone has a giant panda. Only people in Sichuan have giant pandas at home.]

[Ah! Then I want to go to Sichuan, China.]

He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He replied to each of them that he hadn’t gone abroad; he was in a new little shop in town that was selling Chinese goods, and someone was painting a traditional Chinese painting. Soon, groups of high school students came over. The originally spacious shop became crowded. Perhaps feeling embarrassed to enter the shop without buying anything, the goods sold quite quickly. Lu Shenxing was originally in charge of the lottery, but since Ji Wei was painting, he took over the packaging. Not just Lu Shenxing, everyone was so busy they couldn’t keep up.

But the sharp-eyed viewers in the bullet comments noticed a problem.

[The amount of money being collected is wrong, isn’t it?]

[The washi tape is five dollars a roll, and the notebooks are fifteen dollars. Xiao Chi only charged one hundred and ten dollars for twelve rolls of washi tape and ten notebooks.]

[That’s a huge loss. Why isn’t the staff reminding him?]

[Bro, this is a reality show. How can they remind him?]

The high school students had classes in the afternoon, so by two o’clock, the crowd had gradually thinned out. The shelves were half empty. Everyone began to count the money and found that there was only… twenty-five thousand four hundred dollars.

“Was it miscounted?” Ma Liqing asked.

Everyone’s eyes turned to Xiao Chi. He took a deep breath and counted again. It was still only twenty-five thousand four hundred dollars, a far cry from the mission’s requirement of one hundred thousand dollars.

Zhao Yue frowned. “How is that possible? The washi tape is five dollars, and the notebooks are fifteen. The price of the notebooks alone should be more than twenty thousand dollars.”

“Could the money have been misplaced?” Ji Wei also walked over, rubbing his wrist, which was red from continuous exertion. “Did you check the drawer again?”

Xiao Chi’s heart sank deeper and deeper. He understood now. He had remembered the price of the notebooks incorrectly! Everyone had worked so hard all day, especially Ji Wei, who had been painting without a moment’s rest, yet all their efforts were wasted because of his mistake. His body was tense, and he didn’t dare to speak.

He knew everyone wouldn’t blame him, but that made him feel even more guilty. He didn’t even have the courage to admit his mistake.

Lu Shenxing’s gaze fell on Ji Wei’s wrist. He pursed his lips and looked away, then said to Xiao Chi, “Young man, admitting your mistake is not scary.”

His tone was a bit heavy. Although he didn’t name names, everyone present knew who he was talking about. For a moment, the air was terrifyingly silent, even their breathing suppressed.

[Is Film Emperor Lu angry? So scary. Didn’t they say he’s very gentle with people?]

[I’d be angry too. Film Emperor Lu was in a wheelchair, responsible for both the lottery and packaging. Was that easy? And then Xiao Chi comes along and loses over thirty thousand in one go.]

[Xiao Chi is really something else. Film Emperor Lu has never lost his temper on camera before. This is the first time.]

Lu Shenxing felt that his current self was not suitable to be on camera. He pushed his wheelchair and slowly entered the room. He knew he shouldn’t be angry; anger couldn’t solve anything. It was just a variety show. He should have acted gentle and restrained, just as people hoped to see. But when he saw Ji Wei’s red wrist, he lost control.

He closed his eyes.

Suddenly, the door opened a small crack, and then the crack widened, revealing the boy’s fluffy head. “Are you… still angry?”

Lu Shenxing’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Scared?”

Ji Wei hesitated for a moment before answering, “If I were the one who made the mistake today, would you treat me the same way you treated Xiao Chi?”

With merciless criticism. He had seen Xiao Chi, a grown man, with red-rimmed eyes.

“No.”

Ji Wei breathed a sigh of relief. In that case, he wasn’t afraid. But then the man continued slowly, “If it were you, I would—”

“You would what?” Ji Wei asked.

The man suddenly smiled. “A child can’t hear about that yet.”