An Ruifeng's calendar was jam-packed. He was only able to make it to B city for the promotional shoot because he had specifically requested a day off from the director of Heroic Thief Saga. He took an early morning flight from S city and rushed to the studio upon arrival in B city. The staff had escorted him to the dressing room for styling and make-up as soon as he arrived. He had to dash to the airport for his return flight as soon as he finished filming because he had to shoot an action scene early in the morning, which required him to wake up at three o'clock in the morning.
An Ruifeng couldn't even close the distance with Ling Xi to within five meters in this race against time. They had obviously been in the same studio for more than three hours, but the only communication they had was eye contact and gestures.
God knew how badly he wanted to know how it felt to have Ling Xi's furry ears go over the palm of his hand.
An Ruifeng glanced towards Ling Xi before getting into the car with his agent. Ling Xi, who was clearly speaking with a black technology company employee with his back to him at the time, abruptly turned his head and looked in the direction of An Ruifeng.
Neither of them had anticipated such an unspoken understanding. Ling Xi raised a wide, happy smile, and his big, happy eyes were bent into crescents. He was clutching his tail, and the two of them were too far apart to say anything. He considered it and simply expressed his meaning with a gesture - he held the tip of his tail and waved it toward An Ruifeng.
Byebye~
An Ruifeng smiled, he shook his phone, and then turned and got into the car at the urging of Xu Zhiqiang.
Half a minute later, Ling Xi received a text message on his mobile phone.
An Ruifeng: Help me ask the sponsoring company if the dog tail and ears can be sold.
Three minutes later, he received a response.
Ling Xi: According to him, there are only a few prototypes, no mass production, and no sales.
—A frustrated little expression appeared next.
An Ruifeng: Then inquire as to the cost of the prototype.
Ling Xi immediately reported the figure. He was distressed by the long train of zeros at the back. Even after a month of hard work, a small singer like him might not make so much money.
An Ruifeng: Then ask him if I can just buy it for myself. I can sign an agreement to prevent the relevant product secrets from being leaked. Ask him if the company will sell it for five times the price.
Ling Xi: Σ(っ°Д °;)
An Ruifeng: Be good, go ask.
This An Ruifeng - wealthy but nowhere to spend it - blinded Ling Xi. He obediently acted as Ruifeng’s mouthpiece several times. The black technology company's staff had most likely never seen such a wealthy celebrity buyer before. He got in touch with his boss repeatedly before they finally agreed to sell a prototype to An Ruifeng after much back and forth.
The power of money is truly great!
Ling Xi: They’re requesting your address. Should the tail and ears be delivered to your house?
An Ruifeng: No, keep them with you for the time being. When I have time, I will come to your house and pick them up.
An Ruifeng had a hidden agenda, but Ling Xi was completely unaware that he had been duped. Instead, he stupidly calculated: With such expensive things kept at home, if he purchased a safe, could he ask An Ruifeng for reimbursement?
※※※
Ling Xi was suddenly at leisure after the photoshoot because he had not found a new job. Despite the fact that his Weibo followers had doubled, physical record sales had not skyrocketed. The album "zero" had seen a significant increase in online downloads as a result of {Scare☆surprise}, but the royalty share of domestic internet downloads was very small, a mere trifle.
When the contract was renewed, he was mentally prepared. It was highly unlikely that an album would be released after "zero." Wu Youpeng had fought the agency on his behalf several times, but the chances were still slim.
Ling Xi, contrary to popular belief, was open-minded: "At worst, after the contract expires, I will focus on being a behind-the-scenes player. I plan to be a composer and songwriter, and I hope to have my song included in every new album by a singer above the pink level."
Wu Youpeng popped his bubble: "You can't make much money singing, so why do you think you can make money writing songs? The royalty for writing songs is so low that you can't even afford to pay the piano's monthly rent!"
Wu Youpeng was stating the obvious. The recording industry has been in a slump in recent years. Even top-tier singers did not anticipate making a lot of money from physical albums. They took up endorsements, went to variety shows, held concerts, and then crossed the border into film and television to make money quickly. It was unfortunate that luck had not been on Ling Xi's side, and that after so many years, the opportunity to soar to the sky had not been seen.
Wu Youpeng couldn't stand Ling Xi being a lazy bum. He looked at the calendar and quickly calculated: "Jian Jue Tianxia has begun filming, but because An Ruifeng is still working on the film, the first ten episodes about the sect will be the last to be shot. According to the director's previous schedule, you will have about one and a half months before your scenes, so don't be idle during this time - I will find resources for you and organize a tour."
Ling Xi rolled directly from the sofa to the ground in shock.
The tour of a famous singer was called "concert," but for a small singer like him, it could only be called "Singer Club[1]." The difference in the number of fans was more than a hundredfold, but because the venue was smaller, the fans were closer to the idols and the atmosphere was more lively. Despite the Singer Club's small size, there were a lot of things that needed to be organized, especially for those like Ling Xi who didn't have the support of his agency or many fans. Many things had to be handled by him and his agent. Ling Xi's legs trembled as he imagined himself running around for the next month and a half.
"This decision is too hasty... There is absolutely no time for publicity..."
Wu Youpeng didn't even bother to look him in the eyes: "How many fans do you expect to attend the club? It will suffice to publicize it on your Weibo, web forum, and official website. I don't have the funds to advertise on your behalf. And this time, I'll only cover four first-tier cities before moving on to four provincial capitals. Every three days, we'll travel from south to north. This will allow you to rest for a few days before and after the event."
Ling Xi hurriedly raised the script in his hand: "But I still have lines to memorize..."
"Your screen time is shorter than the dog's, and your lines are not as long as song lyrics. I can recite them after only once reading through them. How intellectually challenged are you if you still can't recite them?"
Ling Xi was suffocated, dumbfounded, and speechless.
Wu Youpeng decided to go ahead with his plan instead of waiting for Ling Xi to find another excuse. He walked away and summoned volunteers to help with publicity and online ticket sales. The singer's clubs had been finalized by the time he finished the one-hour phone call. Ling Xi could no longer play any tricks.
Ling Xi sighed as he lay on the bed after taking a shower at night. He flipped through the script and simply used it as a fan to cool himself down. In fact, he harbored a secret in his heart that he hadn't even revealed to Wu Youpeng, who had cared for him for so long.
He was actually terrified of meeting fans.
It wasn't because he was shy; on the contrary, his passionate personality was as bright as nine suns in the sky. He always had a smile on his face, no matter when you saw him. He was afraid of meeting fans for one simple reason: he felt his accomplishments fell short of the fans' high expectations.
It had been many years since he debuted, and some of his contemporaries had won the best singer award, founded their own studio, switched circles to act in movies, endorsed high-end brands... But he was still the same as he had been eight years before, holding his guitar and singing quietly.
He poured his heart and soul into writing songs, only to see them sink into obscurity one by one. He wasn't bragging about himself; he truly believed his songs were melodious and catchy, but he had never found the right opportunity. His reputation as "Little singer king of two yuan stores" was too loud. He didn't want his fans to be mocked when they brought their idol to the attention of others.
He couldn't tell Wu Youpeng about his "self inflicted" concern.
He rolled over on the bed and sighed for the first time in his life.
Mama Ling used to tell him a bedtime fairy tale when he was a kid. She said that children should not sigh, because every time they sighed, there would be one less elf in the forest. He believed this story until he was twelve years old. His voice began to change when he was twelve. He was so flustered at the time, unsure whether he would be able to sing again. He sighed the entire day prompting Papa Ling to have a talk with him. He said that children should not sigh, because every time they sighed, they would wet the bed at night.
Twelve-year-old Ling Xi was no longer stupid. Of course he didn't believe it. Before going to bed that night, he sighed several times deliberately.
He got out of bed the next morning and, as expected, did not wet the bed. Instead, he had a wet dream...
Ling Xi didn't dare sigh casually since then.
However, he was in a bad mood today and couldn't help but become pessimistic. He only awoke in a daze when the phone next to his pillow repeatedly rang. When Ling Xi saw An Ruifeng's name flash across the screen, he grabbed it without hesitation.
"Did the filming end so early today?" Ling Xi inquired.
"You say it's early?" An Ruifeng's voice was very pleasant: "It's almost eleven. I was concerned that you were sleeping."
Only then did Ling Xi realize that two hours had passed while he lay in a daze. He purposefully inquired: "You called me even though you thought I was sleeping? Aren't you afraid of waking me up and enraging me?"
"I'm afraid, but I'm even more afraid of not hearing your voice today."
Ling Xi quickly covered the phone's microphone, and rolled around on the bed with a pillow in his arms.
An Ruifeng had been calling him every night around ten o'clock for the past few days. He didn't say much, just a few words about his work, inquired about Ling Xi's situation, and finally bid each other goodnight. They exchanged corny phrases like "you hang up" and "no, you hang up first" like a third-rate idol drama routine.
Ling Xi was delighted to play the part.
He'd never met anyone as gentle and considerate as An Ruifeng. His meticulous and proper care was like a light and soft scarf that kept you warm without being a burden. Ling Xi's mouth couldn't stop rising every time he spoke with An Ruifeng. He assumed that he was An Ruifeng's VIP.
Very Important Person. The very, very important Mr. Right~
Ling Xi's voice sounded a little sad that day. An Ruifeng noticed this very keenly and asked Ling Xi what was bothering him. Ling Xi hesitated a little, and suddenly realized that he didn't dare to speak to his agent, but he wanted to tell An Ruifeng without any psychological barriers.
An Ruifeng quietly listened to Ling Xi’s whitewashing, before comforting him, "Why do you believe you aren't good enough to make your fans happy? You have so many excellent works and have written songs for many singers. Despite the fact that you are severely limited in opportunities, you have bravely walked this path for so long and have never considered abandoning your dreams. Don't just look at those who are more successful than you. In fact, there are many more people who did not persist on this road - if you consider this point, you have done exceptionally well."
The fear that had plagued Ling Xi for many years was easily alleviated in a few simple words. Perhaps An Ruifeng truly possessed magical abilities. Just like a gentle breeze that blew away cobwebs, he cleared away the fears in his heart.
Ling Xi didn't know how to express his gratitude in words, so he paused for a moment before saying, "If this was a cultivation novel, after overcoming my heart demon, I should break the pill to give birth..."
This description caught An Ruifeng off guard, causing him to laugh out loud. His hearty laughter reached Ling Xi's ears via radio waves from the faraway S city, making him hot and thirsty.
"Let's not bring it up today, okay? It's too late now. I have to get up early tomorrow."
"What do you have planned for tomorrow?"
When he mentioned this, Ling Xi's shoulders slumped, and he sighed again without hesitation, "I will practice singing tomorrow."
"New album? Congratulations."
"The new album is a long way off... Mama Wu has arranged for me to go on a singer club tour beginning next week. I'll visit four first-tier cities and four provincial capitals from south to north. I only have a one-week break after the tour before rejoining the crew."
An Ruifeng's interest was piqued: "Singer Club? Will you visit S city?"
"Without a doubt. But do you have the time?"
"Of course." An Ruifeng stated confidently: "You are my VIP."
Ling Xi covered the phone microphone and rolled on the bed again. He sat up on the bed, his hair unkempt, and said solemnly: "Very well. Then I’ll save you a VIP seat."
...
When Ling Xi awoke early the next morning, he found himself wet between his legs. He threw away the quilt, lifted the edge of his underwear, and took a three-second look inside. From his cheeks to the tips of his ears, a bright red burned quickly.
—It looked like the saying was true. You shouldn’t sigh before going to bed.
Footnotes:
[1] Singer Club is an activity carried out by record companies to promote records, and the venues are mostly in campuses, TV stations, and small theaters.
An Ruifeng's calendar was jam-packed. He was only able to make it to B city for the promotional shoot because he had specifically requested a day off from the director of Heroic Thief Saga. He took an early morning flight from S city and rushed to the studio upon arrival in B city. The staff had escorted him to the dressing room for styling and make-up as soon as he arrived. He had to dash to the airport for his return flight as soon as he finished filming because he had to shoot an action scene early in the morning, which required him to wake up at three o'clock in the morning.
An Ruifeng couldn't even close the distance with Ling Xi to within five meters in this race against time. They had obviously been in the same studio for more than three hours, but the only communication they had was eye contact and gestures.
God knew how badly he wanted to know how it felt to have Ling Xi's furry ears go over the palm of his hand.
An Ruifeng glanced towards Ling Xi before getting into the car with his agent. Ling Xi, who was clearly speaking with a black technology company employee with his back to him at the time, abruptly turned his head and looked in the direction of An Ruifeng.
Neither of them had anticipated such an unspoken understanding. Ling Xi raised a wide, happy smile, and his big, happy eyes were bent into crescents. He was clutching his tail, and the two of them were too far apart to say anything. He considered it and simply expressed his meaning with a gesture - he held the tip of his tail and waved it toward An Ruifeng.
Byebye~
An Ruifeng smiled, he shook his phone, and then turned and got into the car at the urging of Xu Zhiqiang.
Half a minute later, Ling Xi received a text message on his mobile phone.
An Ruifeng: Help me ask the sponsoring company if the dog tail and ears can be sold.
Three minutes later, he received a response.
Ling Xi: According to him, there are only a few prototypes, no mass production, and no sales.
—A frustrated little expression appeared next.
An Ruifeng: Then inquire as to the cost of the prototype.
Ling Xi immediately reported the figure. He was distressed by the long train of zeros at the back. Even after a month of hard work, a small singer like him might not make so much money.
An Ruifeng: Then ask him if I can just buy it for myself. I can sign an agreement to prevent the relevant product secrets from being leaked. Ask him if the company will sell it for five times the price.
Ling Xi: Σ(っ°Д °;)
An Ruifeng: Be good, go ask.
This An Ruifeng - wealthy but nowhere to spend it - blinded Ling Xi. He obediently acted as Ruifeng’s mouthpiece several times. The black technology company's staff had most likely never seen such a wealthy celebrity buyer before. He got in touch with his boss repeatedly before they finally agreed to sell a prototype to An Ruifeng after much back and forth.
The power of money is truly great!
Ling Xi: They’re requesting your address. Should the tail and ears be delivered to your house?
An Ruifeng: No, keep them with you for the time being. When I have time, I will come to your house and pick them up.
An Ruifeng had a hidden agenda, but Ling Xi was completely unaware that he had been duped. Instead, he stupidly calculated: With such expensive things kept at home, if he purchased a safe, could he ask An Ruifeng for reimbursement?
※※※
Ling Xi was suddenly at leisure after the photoshoot because he had not found a new job. Despite the fact that his Weibo followers had doubled, physical record sales had not skyrocketed. The album "zero" had seen a significant increase in online downloads as a result of {Scare☆surprise}, but the royalty share of domestic internet downloads was very small, a mere trifle.
When the contract was renewed, he was mentally prepared. It was highly unlikely that an album would be released after "zero." Wu Youpeng had fought the agency on his behalf several times, but the chances were still slim.
Ling Xi, contrary to popular belief, was open-minded: "At worst, after the contract expires, I will focus on being a behind-the-scenes player. I plan to be a composer and songwriter, and I hope to have my song included in every new album by a singer above the pink level."
Wu Youpeng popped his bubble: "You can't make much money singing, so why do you think you can make money writing songs? The royalty for writing songs is so low that you can't even afford to pay the piano's monthly rent!"
Wu Youpeng was stating the obvious. The recording industry has been in a slump in recent years. Even top-tier singers did not anticipate making a lot of money from physical albums. They took up endorsements, went to variety shows, held concerts, and then crossed the border into film and television to make money quickly. It was unfortunate that luck had not been on Ling Xi's side, and that after so many years, the opportunity to soar to the sky had not been seen.
Wu Youpeng couldn't stand Ling Xi being a lazy bum. He looked at the calendar and quickly calculated: "Jian Jue Tianxia has begun filming, but because An Ruifeng is still working on the film, the first ten episodes about the sect will be the last to be shot. According to the director's previous schedule, you will have about one and a half months before your scenes, so don't be idle during this time - I will find resources for you and organize a tour."
Ling Xi rolled directly from the sofa to the ground in shock.
The tour of a famous singer was called "concert," but for a small singer like him, it could only be called "Singer Club[1]." The difference in the number of fans was more than a hundredfold, but because the venue was smaller, the fans were closer to the idols and the atmosphere was more lively. Despite the Singer Club's small size, there were a lot of things that needed to be organized, especially for those like Ling Xi who didn't have the support of his agency or many fans. Many things had to be handled by him and his agent. Ling Xi's legs trembled as he imagined himself running around for the next month and a half.
"This decision is too hasty... There is absolutely no time for publicity..."
Wu Youpeng didn't even bother to look him in the eyes: "How many fans do you expect to attend the club? It will suffice to publicize it on your Weibo, web forum, and official website. I don't have the funds to advertise on your behalf. And this time, I'll only cover four first-tier cities before moving on to four provincial capitals. Every three days, we'll travel from south to north. This will allow you to rest for a few days before and after the event."
Ling Xi hurriedly raised the script in his hand: "But I still have lines to memorize..."
"Your screen time is shorter than the dog's, and your lines are not as long as song lyrics. I can recite them after only once reading through them. How intellectually challenged are you if you still can't recite them?"
Ling Xi was suffocated, dumbfounded, and speechless.
Wu Youpeng decided to go ahead with his plan instead of waiting for Ling Xi to find another excuse. He walked away and summoned volunteers to help with publicity and online ticket sales. The singer's clubs had been finalized by the time he finished the one-hour phone call. Ling Xi could no longer play any tricks.
Ling Xi sighed as he lay on the bed after taking a shower at night. He flipped through the script and simply used it as a fan to cool himself down. In fact, he harbored a secret in his heart that he hadn't even revealed to Wu Youpeng, who had cared for him for so long.
He was actually terrified of meeting fans.
It wasn't because he was shy; on the contrary, his passionate personality was as bright as nine suns in the sky. He always had a smile on his face, no matter when you saw him. He was afraid of meeting fans for one simple reason: he felt his accomplishments fell short of the fans' high expectations.
It had been many years since he debuted, and some of his contemporaries had won the best singer award, founded their own studio, switched circles to act in movies, endorsed high-end brands... But he was still the same as he had been eight years before, holding his guitar and singing quietly.
He poured his heart and soul into writing songs, only to see them sink into obscurity one by one. He wasn't bragging about himself; he truly believed his songs were melodious and catchy, but he had never found the right opportunity. His reputation as "Little singer king of two yuan stores" was too loud. He didn't want his fans to be mocked when they brought their idol to the attention of others.
He couldn't tell Wu Youpeng about his "self inflicted" concern.
He rolled over on the bed and sighed for the first time in his life.
Mama Ling used to tell him a bedtime fairy tale when he was a kid. She said that children should not sigh, because every time they sighed, there would be one less elf in the forest. He believed this story until he was twelve years old. His voice began to change when he was twelve. He was so flustered at the time, unsure whether he would be able to sing again. He sighed the entire day prompting Papa Ling to have a talk with him. He said that children should not sigh, because every time they sighed, they would wet the bed at night.
Twelve-year-old Ling Xi was no longer stupid. Of course he didn't believe it. Before going to bed that night, he sighed several times deliberately.
He got out of bed the next morning and, as expected, did not wet the bed. Instead, he had a wet dream...
Ling Xi didn't dare sigh casually since then.
However, he was in a bad mood today and couldn't help but become pessimistic. He only awoke in a daze when the phone next to his pillow repeatedly rang. When Ling Xi saw An Ruifeng's name flash across the screen, he grabbed it without hesitation.
"Did the filming end so early today?" Ling Xi inquired.
"You say it's early?" An Ruifeng's voice was very pleasant: "It's almost eleven. I was concerned that you were sleeping."
Only then did Ling Xi realize that two hours had passed while he lay in a daze. He purposefully inquired: "You called me even though you thought I was sleeping? Aren't you afraid of waking me up and enraging me?"
"I'm afraid, but I'm even more afraid of not hearing your voice today."
Ling Xi quickly covered the phone's microphone, and rolled around on the bed with a pillow in his arms.
An Ruifeng had been calling him every night around ten o'clock for the past few days. He didn't say much, just a few words about his work, inquired about Ling Xi's situation, and finally bid each other goodnight. They exchanged corny phrases like "you hang up" and "no, you hang up first" like a third-rate idol drama routine.
Ling Xi was delighted to play the part.
He'd never met anyone as gentle and considerate as An Ruifeng. His meticulous and proper care was like a light and soft scarf that kept you warm without being a burden. Ling Xi's mouth couldn't stop rising every time he spoke with An Ruifeng. He assumed that he was An Ruifeng's VIP.
Very Important Person. The very, very important Mr. Right~
Ling Xi's voice sounded a little sad that day. An Ruifeng noticed this very keenly and asked Ling Xi what was bothering him. Ling Xi hesitated a little, and suddenly realized that he didn't dare to speak to his agent, but he wanted to tell An Ruifeng without any psychological barriers.
An Ruifeng quietly listened to Ling Xi’s whitewashing, before comforting him, "Why do you believe you aren't good enough to make your fans happy? You have so many excellent works and have written songs for many singers. Despite the fact that you are severely limited in opportunities, you have bravely walked this path for so long and have never considered abandoning your dreams. Don't just look at those who are more successful than you. In fact, there are many more people who did not persist on this road - if you consider this point, you have done exceptionally well."
The fear that had plagued Ling Xi for many years was easily alleviated in a few simple words. Perhaps An Ruifeng truly possessed magical abilities. Just like a gentle breeze that blew away cobwebs, he cleared away the fears in his heart.
Ling Xi didn't know how to express his gratitude in words, so he paused for a moment before saying, "If this was a cultivation novel, after overcoming my heart demon, I should break the pill to give birth..."
This description caught An Ruifeng off guard, causing him to laugh out loud. His hearty laughter reached Ling Xi's ears via radio waves from the faraway S city, making him hot and thirsty.
"Let's not bring it up today, okay? It's too late now. I have to get up early tomorrow."
"What do you have planned for tomorrow?"
When he mentioned this, Ling Xi's shoulders slumped, and he sighed again without hesitation, "I will practice singing tomorrow."
"New album? Congratulations."
"The new album is a long way off... Mama Wu has arranged for me to go on a singer club tour beginning next week. I'll visit four first-tier cities and four provincial capitals from south to north. I only have a one-week break after the tour before rejoining the crew."
An Ruifeng's interest was piqued: "Singer Club? Will you visit S city?"
"Without a doubt. But do you have the time?"
"Of course." An Ruifeng stated confidently: "You are my VIP."
Ling Xi covered the phone microphone and rolled on the bed again. He sat up on the bed, his hair unkempt, and said solemnly: "Very well. Then I’ll save you a VIP seat."
...
When Ling Xi awoke early the next morning, he found himself wet between his legs. He threw away the quilt, lifted the edge of his underwear, and took a three-second look inside. From his cheeks to the tips of his ears, a bright red burned quickly.
—It looked like the saying was true. You shouldn’t sigh before going to bed.
Footnotes:
[1] Singer Club is an activity carried out by record companies to promote records, and the venues are mostly in campuses, TV stations, and small theaters.
