Zhou Chenxi followed Zhou Mingxuan out to a corner in the corridor.
Zhou Mingxuan turned around and let out a disapproving sound, “Your relationship with Lu Ji, why didn’t you tell me before?”
Zhou Chenxi looked confused, “I did tell you. I said we were friends.”
Zhou Mingxuan maintained his composure, “Just friends?”
Zhou Chenxi appeared even more bewildered, “Yes?”
Zhou Mingxuan examined him closely and eased his furrowed brows, “Then what were you two doing just now?”
“Oh, hahaha!” Zhou Chenxi suddenly looked embarrassed and said, “Lu Ji wanted to see my sketchbook, but I didn’t want to show him. In the end, I accidentally knocked over the cola…”
He paused for a moment, then observed Zhou Mingxuan’s expression discreetly, “I just had a few sips, that’s all.”
That wasn’t important!
Zhou Mingxuan waved his hand, “Then why were you two getting so touchy-feely in your room?”
“What touchy-feely…” Zhou Chenxi’s face turned red; he couldn’t believe his brother’s thoughts.
“Why does it seem like you don’t really like Lu Ji, big brother?” Zhou Chenxi said, “I might have caused some misunderstandings before, but Lu Ji is genuinely a good person. He’s been taking care of me, both on the show and at work, and we…”
Advertisement“That’s enough…” Zhou Mingxuan cleared his throat. He didn’t want to hear about how good Zhou Chenxi’s relationship with Lu Ji was, and he certainly didn’t want to know how Lu Ji had been “taking care” of his naive little brother.
He had figured it out now. Zhou Chenxi had clearly developed feelings for Lu Ji, even if he himself wasn’t aware of it.
Upon closer inspection, Lu Ji seemed even more despicable. What was he plotting? It was hard to say.
Zhou Mingxuan didn’t want to say anything more to trigger Zhou Chenxi’s imagination, nor did he want to ruin his image in his little brother’s eyes. He said to Zhou Chenxi, “You go downstairs and greet Uncle Cheng. He hasn’t seen you in a while. I’ll talk to Lu Ji.”
Zhou Chenxi didn’t want to leave, insisting, “You can’t say anything you shouldn’t to Lu Ji.”
He means a lot to me.
The message was clear in Zhou Chenxi’s beautiful eyes.
Zhou Mingxuan suddenly felt a bit wounded.
AdvertisementHe waved his hand, “I understand. You can go now.”
Only then did Zhou Chenxi leave.
Zhou Mingxuan stood in place for a moment, contemplating, while Lu Ji came out of Zhou Chenxi’s room.
With the host gone, Lu Ji didn’t want to linger inside. Zhou Chenxi had called the maid upstairs to clean, and as Lu Ji stepped out of the room, he coincidentally ran into her. They exchanged glances.
Lu Ji had already tidied up his clothes to their original state, and he adjusted the cuffs of his shirt and suit sleeves as he walked.
Zhou Mingxuan watched him intently and suddenly noticed the cufflinks on Lu Ji’s shirt sleeve.
“Is this also a gift from my brother?” Zhou Mingxuan asked.
Lu Ji followed his gaze and hid his cufflink inside his sleeve.
Zhou Mingxuan remarked, “I know his preferences very well. My brother has been spoiled since he was a child. He doesn’t have much concept of the value of gifts. He gives them when he likes someone. Regardless of what he gave you, I hope you won’t take it too seriously.”
He had originally meant to convey, “He gave it casually, so don’t overthink it,” but he didn’t expect Lu Ji to reply, “I know. He told me that he gives gifts to those he likes. Not everyone receives gifts from him.”
AdvertisementZhou Mingxuan was momentarily taken aback.
It seemed like Lu Ji was a clever person, and Zhou Mingxuan decided not to beat around the bush anymore. He asked directly, “Do you like my brother?”
Lu Ji remained silent for a moment, then lifted the corner of his mouth and said, “Yes.”
“When I say ‘like,’ I mean a deep, meaningful kind of liking, not the superficial kind my brother casually talks about…”
“Yes,” Lu Ji interrupted him, saying, “Yes, I mean the kind of liking where I want to spend my life with him.”
He repeated “yes” three times and added, “Your brother isn’t shallow; he has always been sincere.”
Zhou Mingxuan found himself choked up once again.
Having been in the business world, Zhou Mingxuan knew that Lu Ji, like himself, was probably accustomed to speaking indirectly in business matters. However, Lu Ji had surprisingly spoken frankly and directly on multiple occasions, leaving Zhou Mingxuan at a loss for words.
Lu Ji stood tall with a straight posture, appearing even taller than Zhou Mingxuan.
He abandoned his casual demeanor and said to Zhou Mingxuan, “Mr. Zhou, to be honest, I realized over three years ago that I didn’t have an interest in women. As for how I came to that realization, I believe that’s a personal matter I won’t reveal. I just want to assure you that my feelings for your brother are genuine. You can trust me on that.”
“How can I trust you?” Zhou Mingxuan asked.
Lu Ji chuckled, “I can trust myself, but how can I make Mr. Zhou trust me? To be honest, I don’t know… Maybe you have some good advice?”
Zhou Mingxuan assessed him and asked, “Over three years ago? At that time, you didn’t know Chenxi, did you? Have you had feelings for anyone else?”
“No,” Lu Ji replied.
He had been too busy to think about these matters and only gradually realized that he wasn’t interested in women after Shao Yunyi confessed to him, though it had happened not over three years ago, but rather in a previous life. Still, it was almost the same for Zhou Mingxuan.
AdvertisementZhou Mingxuan said, “I don’t think you can make my brother happy.”
Lu Ji replied earnestly with a smile, “I think Mr. Zhou should have some understanding of my family’s situation… I’m sure you know. However, regardless of whether Chenxi eventually accepts me or not, I will ensure that he has a stable life. Would that put your mind at ease?”
“Even if Chenxi doesn’t want to be with you in the end?” Zhou Mingxuan felt a twinge in his heart.
“Even if he doesn’t want to be with me,” Lu Ji replied seriously, “he is a part of my life. I’m willing to make him the endpoint of my life, even if I’m just a passerby in his.”
Zhou Mingxuan was left speechless.
“Lu Ji! Lu Ji!” Zhou Chenxi suddenly called from downstairs.
Lu Ji politely nodded to Zhou Mingxuan and turned to head downstairs. “I’ll go down first.”
“Wait,” Zhou Mingxuan suddenly stopped him. “I need to reconsider this matter.”
“Of course, I respect your right to express your opinions,” Lu Ji said. “But should we wait for Chenxi’s feelings on this matter?”
Zhou Mingxuan felt somewhat uncomfortable.
Zhou Chenxi leaned on the staircase on the first floor, waiting for Lu Ji to come down. He smiled and looked up at him. “Did my brother say anything to you?”
Lu Ji smiled gently and replied, “Nothing at all.”
“That’s good,” Zhou Chenxi whispered. “He’s always a bit more serious-looking, so I secretly called you down!”
Lu Ji chuckled.
Zhou Chenxi suggested, “Do you want to see the roses my mother planted? There are fewer people in the garden. I can take you there.”
Lu Ji agreed, saying, “Sure.”
The two of them walked towards the garden.
Zhou Mingxuan watched them from a distance, feeling uneasy, and was about to go downstairs when he ran into Zhou’s mother, who had been standing there for a while.
“Do you have the feeling of ‘the eldest son leaves, and the family falls apart’?” Zhou’s mother laughed.
Zhou Mingxuan cleared his throat.
“Back then, your grandfather had just passed away not long ago, and your father was found to be in poor health. You took the initiative to offer help in managing the company. Our feelings back then were similar to what you’re experiencing now,” she said as she adjusted her shawl. “You shouldered everything, from company matters to family affairs, and your brother’s education. We only realized how far you’d gone when we finally snapped out of it.”
She came over and straightened Zhou Mingxuan’s collar. “I’ve met Lu Ji’s father. He’s not very good when it comes to matters of the heart, but surprisingly, his son is clear-minded,” she said to Zhou Mingxuan. “We believe in you and, of course, in your brother. Ultimately, he will have to walk his own path. Mingxuan, today is a special day. Put aside all other matters. I forgot to tell you, happy birthday.”
Zhou Mingxuan’s usually serious face showed a hint of embarrassment.
“Come on, let’s go downstairs,” Zhou’s mother smiled and patted him. “All the guests should be here by now.”
The dinner began, and the living room became lively.
In the garden, Zhou Chenxi nervously asked Lu Ji, “Did you secretly look at my sketchbook when I was talking to my brother just now?”
Lu Ji replied, “You didn’t give me permission, so why would I do that?” He indeed didn’t look.
Zhou Chenxi felt relieved. “That’s good.”
After the birthday banquet, Zhou Chenxi wouldn’t be able to see Lu Ji for quite some time.
After the banquet, he walked Lu Ji out and stood by the roadside, watching him drive away, sighing.
A few days later, Zhou Chenxi packed up and headed to a new film set, rushing to complete the final crucial scenes for “The Tale of the Cat Demon.”
The location for the live-action shoot was in the desert. Zhou Chenxi had already tanned considerably in the film studio, and now, after half a month, he was almost sun-kissed brown all over.
Dressed in black, Zhou Chenxi stood on the city wall, gazing at the distant palace engulfed in flames.
The strong wind lifted his robes, along with his headband, which fluttered up and down.
“The heavens may forgive one’s sins, but self-inflicted ones are inexorable,” Zhou Chenxi murmured as he leaped from the city wall.
Several small cats suddenly darted out from his feet. One chubby orange cat with an unusually large head rubbed against Zhou Chenxi’s legs, its tail standing upright.
This scene had voiceover, and the cat demon could talk. “Great Immortal, where are we going next?”
After hearing the cat speak, Zhou Chenxi gently picked up its plump body and affectionately stroked its head.
The cat demon purred contentedly.
Zhou Chenxi raised his head, and following the direction of the wind, he smiled with his slightly upturned eyes and said, “We’re heading to a new utopia.”
The camera zoomed out, showing the desolation of the imperial city juxtaposed with the lush greenery in the distance. Silence and vitality formed a stark contrast in the frame.
Director Luo shouted, “Cut!”
Zhou Chenxi gently placed the orange cat down, and everyone eagerly looked at Director Luo.
Director Luo clapped his hands. “I announce that ‘The Tale of the Cat Demon’ has officially wrapped up. Great job, everyone!”
The crowd erupted in cheers. They laughed and applauded, and Xiao Liang promptly brought sun umbrellas and bottled water. “We can finally go back. It’s unbearable in this godforsaken place. We’ve been here for over half a month, and even going to the restroom is inconvenient.”
Zhou Chenxi took a sip of mineral water and asked Xiao Liang, “Didn’t you say my phone kept ringing? Where’s my phone?”
Xiao Liang replied, “Oh, I checked it for you. It’s from Brother Zhi Qi.”
Zhou Chenxi took the phone handed over by Xiao Liang and found several missed calls. He called back.
“Ha-ha-ha!” Zhi Qi sounded cheerful on the phone. “Chenxi! Good news! Luo Xinghe is in big trouble, thanks to the investigation by the Lu family. Since the incident at Luo Xing Group, he’s been under close scrutiny by higher-ups, right? Then Luo Xingzhou got involved in some bribery for a few real estate projects, and recently, I don’t know what got into Luo Xinghe, but he went to visit his brother in prison. They ended up having a big argument, and during the argument, Luo Xinghe spilled a lot of beans about himself. Plus, the Lu family uncovered quite a bit of information. With all the evidence combined, it looks like Luo Xinghe is also headed for prison.”
Zhou Chenxi was taken aback. “How did Luo Xinghe end up in prison?”
“He was involved in some shady dealings for his brother. They’re siblings, and they couldn’t keep their hands clean. This was bound to happen, and he brought it upon himself. After his brother got into trouble, he couldn’t stand seeing us doing well. Instead of trying to improve his own business skills, he spent his time trying to undermine us behind the scenes. It’s best that he’s going to prison.”
Zhou Chenxi didn’t understand. “He actually got into an argument with his brother?”
Zhi Qi didn’t care about that. Although he didn’t know about Zhou Chenxi’s reincarnation, he had a vague sense that Zhou Chenxi’s luck had improved after Luo Xinghe’s incident. He started planning Zhou Chenxi’s future work arrangements. “Has Director Luo’s drama finished filming? We’ve been receiving a lot of audition scripts and job offers recently. I’ll help you sift through them carefully. When you come back, take a few days to rest, and I’ll pick out some scripts and offers for you to consider.”
Zhou Chenxi responded with a hesitant “Okay” before hanging up the phone, feeling increasingly awkward.
After reading the entire book “Conquering the Entertainment Industry as a Koi,” he knew that Luo Xinghe wasn’t romantically inclined and had no emotional attachments to any of the supporting characters in the story. Yet, he had actually gone to prison and had a direct confrontation with Luo Xingzhou, which seemed quite unbelievable to Zhou Chenxi.
But then again, considering Luo Xinghe’s inherently ruthless character, it wasn’t entirely surprising, although it did feel a bit out of character.
He called Lu Ji.
Lu Ji picked up quickly, his voice sounding somewhat tired but deep and particularly pleasant. “Filming finished?”
“Yeah,” Zhou Chenxi said, blushing. “Are you busy right now? I can call you later.”
“No need,” Lu Ji replied. “What’s up?”
“I heard about what happened with Luo Xinghe. Was that your doing?” Zhou Chenxi asked.
“Yes, it was,” Lu Ji confirmed. “You can rest easy now.”
“Even though he brought it upon himself,” Zhou Chenxi hesitated, “I still feel like it doesn’t fit his ‘character profile.’ Do you understand what I mean?”
“I understand,” Lu Ji said, “If we go by what you’re saying, I don’t fit my ‘character profile’ either. In the original story, I should have been hopelessly devoted to Luo Xinghe, right?”
Zhou Chenxi felt even more awkward.
“But I’m not,” Lu Ji continued, “Apart from the facts I remember from my past life, honestly, it doesn’t feel like my own experience. Remember what you told me about ‘transmigrating’?”
Zhou Chenxi replied, “Are you saying that we’re not ‘reincarnated’ but ‘transmigrated’?”
“My point is that Luo Xinghe is the one who ‘transmigrated,'” Lu Ji thoughtfully explained, “If we calculate it based on the time of our reincarnations, I’ve met him three times, but during two of those encounters, he gave me a different impression.”
Zhou Chenxi inquired, “How were they different?”
“The first time, he seemed more cunning. I had no experience, so it ended in failure. The second time, I attempted something new, but he wasn’t as shrewd as before, which made me overthink, and it also ended in failure.”
It was like playing a game where the walkthrough failed, and once you took the wrong turn, complications arose, and you had to start over.
“In this life, he’s actually quite similar to the previous one. Blindly confident and relying on luck. Perhaps it’s because you’re not willing to cooperate with him anymore, so he can’t follow the path the world had arranged for him.”
So, Koi Fish had lost its good fortune, and Zhou Chenxi and Lu Ji’s luck had returned.
“So, the ‘Luo Xinghe’ you’ve met might not be the same ‘Luo Xinghe,’ but two different ones, right?” Zhou Chenxi asked.
“Smart,” Lu Ji chuckled, “But researching these things doesn’t have much meaning. When are you coming back? I’ll come pick you up.”
“Tonight’s flight,” Zhou Chenxi glanced at the set and felt a bit reluctant, “Another drama has finished shooting!”
“Congratulations, our big star is coming back. Now, when I come to see you, I’ll have to wear a mask,” Lu Ji joked.
“Journey of the Immortals” was airing its most exciting parts, and Zhou Chenxi could see numerous confessions from his fans on Weibo every day. However, he didn’t feel much about it. Right now, he just wanted to see Lu Ji as soon as possible.
“I miss you!” Zhou Chenxi said, “I really want to come back and see you soon.”
There was silence on Lu Ji’s end for two seconds, and Zhou Chenxi could hear his slow, slightly hoarse breathing. After a while, he spoke in a low, husky voice, “I miss you too.”
Zhou Chenxi’s heart raced, feeling that something between them was about to burst out. “Then wait for me to come back!”
Someone nearby was calling him, so Zhou Chenxi had to hastily say goodbye to Lu Ji and quickly hung up the phone.
He touched his wildly beating heart and wondered if Lu Ji had some sort of magic. He could make him feel like a day without seeing him was like three autumns apart.
Author’s Note: He doesn’t have magic; he’s just a captivating beauty. Starting from the next chapter, Xixi will be a big star! Thanks to “鵷雛” and “某琥” for their landmines! Thanks to “扎格羅斯,” “奧爾加,” “虞胖胖,” “Pan,” “花朝,” “神秘路人,” “南鏡,” “人間絕色簡隋英,” and “sarahte” for their nutrients!1TL: YSIAD “You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you ”
Sponsored Content
