Chapter 13: Forging a New Path for the Magazine!

Chapter 13: Forging a New Path for the Magazine!

The last glimmer of light vanished from the sea's surface as a damp ocean breeze swept in, carrying with it the whispers of distant waters. The protagonist, gazing upon the endlessly churning waves, spoke of how this stretch of the sea met with another vast ocean, where tides rose both at dawn and twilight.

Aware that the silent person could not offer a response, she turned her head and said, "It's starting to get chilly; we should probably..."

On this stretch of beach, no one remained to answer her call.

Not far away, the wind gently brushed over eyes that had peacefully closed, as if the person seated on the riverside bench were, like in so many repetitive days gone by, dozing off while engrossed in a book sprawled across their table.

"... "

The air was filled solely with the sound of waves tumbling in the sea.

An ineffable hush spread from the shoreline, where a multitude of people stood along the beach, yet somehow managed to hold back every sound.

"Crack——"

What shattered the silence was the director's voice.

He reviewed the footage from several cameras and then declared, "Cut!"

The tension in the air dissipated instantly as everyone in the small film crew relaxed, the atmosphere suddenly becoming much lighter.

The person who had just died on screen came back to life, rushing over to check on the leading actress who was now overwhelmed with emotion, sobbing uncontrollably.

With the filming concluded, the onlookers were finally able to speak. Amidst the cacophony of voices, Li Qingzhou, holding a bouquet of flowers, spotted the director, who should have been the one commanding the set with authority, sneakily making his way over.

After confirming the recipient's name, he handed over the flowers.

The director thanked him as he accepted the bouquet, promptly calling out, "A Huai!"

Unfamiliar with who A Huai was, Li Qingzhou watched as the man consoling the leading actress by the beach looked up, directing his gaze towards them.

"..."

His steps, which had been moving backward after delivering the flowers, halted. Though aware that he was free to leave, for some inexplicable reason, Li Qingzhou remained still.

At the director's summons, Chen Bai, who had been comforting the actress whose emotions had somewhat stabilized, got up, entrusting her care to an assistant.

The filming location was brightly lit, creating a stark contrast with the dimness that prevailed near the edges. From a distance, everything appeared blurred and indistinct.

It wasn't until he drew closer that Chen Bai could see what the director held in his hands.

A bouquet of sunflowers, radiant even in the darkness, was being offered to him—a symbol of warmth and brightness amidst the gloom.

His eyes widened slightly as he accepted the flowers, their vibrant colors filling his arms. The sweet fragrance enveloped him, an unexpected gift from the night.

The director, middle-aged yet still fond of surprising others, preferred actions over words that didn't suit him. He simply wished Chen Bai a bright future, then remembered something else and added a wish for abundant wealth.

Chen Bai smiled, his grin broadening at the latter part of the director's well-wishes. He thanked him for the auspicious words.

Staff members by the beach called out to them, prompting Chen Bai to follow the director toward the sandy shore.

Midway through their walk, he seemed to sense something and turned back.

His gaze met that of a tall young man wearing an apron from the flower shop, standing among the crowd. Chen Bai tilted his body slightly, waving with a smile. "Thank you for the flowers; they're beautiful!"

The sea breeze tousled his tousled hair and billowed the shirt on his slender frame. Behind him, crimson clouds sank into the encroaching darkness, while his radiant smile shone bright against the twilight.

More vibrant and brilliant than the sunflowers he held in his embrace.

—After watching Li Qingzhou leave, and after the figure had walked a distance away, he also intended to head back, only for the other party to unexpectedly turn around.

The clear voice carried by the sea breeze into his ears, his gaze meeting with the pale gray irises, he slowly lifted his hand in response, waving: "...You're welcome."

There was an indescribable sluggishness to the gesture, completely different from when his fingers would dance nimbly on the keyboard.

This time, the person holding the flowers truly departed.

With the filming wrapped up, the crew began packing up and departing, and the onlookers around gradually dispersed.

Li Qingzhou climbed back into the flower shop's vehicle, casting one more glance in the direction of the film set before belatedly realizing something.

The voice he had heard just now seemed oddly familiar.

It was as if he had been hearing it every day recently.

Now that everyone had left the beach, the sea breeze continued to blow unceasingly.

Li Qingzhou returned to the flower shop. Parking his car in its usual spot, he entered the store and took off his apron, originally intending to leave right away. However, he paused and asked the person behind the counter, "Sis, do you know A Huai?"

Sister Li lifted her head. "Huh?"

"Never mind," said Li Qingzhou. "I'm going on stream now."

---

Chen Bai finished work early and had dinner with the crew. His work was done, but others still had work the next day and needed to rest early, so after the meal, they all headed back to their respective hotels.

He didn't return to the hotel, instead heading straight for a nearby internet cafe that he had already scouted out before coming here.

Paying for online access certainly hurt his wallet, but for the grand prize, he had to splurge.

By splurge, I mean spending dozens of yuan for the internet fee.

Opening the game and logging into WeChat, he sent a message to Qingzhou, saying that everything was ready here.

The person on the other end replied promptly.

The two of them were on a WeChat call. The WeChat call could be used for chatting even when the game wasn't in a match, allowing for continuous communication, which was more convenient than in-game voice chat.

It was still relatively early, and Qing Zhou hadn't started streaming yet; he was still preparing. Chen Bai wasn't in a rush and took the opportunity to send photos of the flowers he had taken that day to his good neighbor.

While sending the pictures, a voice suddenly came through his headphones. He heard Qing Zhou ask, "Are you working in City B?"

Working in City B?

Chen Bai pondered for a moment before replying, "No, I work in City A."

Although he was currently in City B, he was only there for a shoot and would leave the next day. All his other work was conducted in City A, so it could accurately be said that he worked in City A.

He asked, "Why do you ask?"

The person on the other end said it was nothing, simply mentioning, "I met someone today who sounded very much like you."

There was an inexplicable sense of disappointment in their voice. Chen Bai didn't pry further, merely chuckling and saying, "Is that so."

As the person on the other end began their live stream, the conversation about private matters came to an end.

Having already seen the announcement of a one-day broadcast hiatus, those who frequently frequented Chen Erbai's live stream initially thought it was a day without him. To their surprise, however, they heard his familiar voice in Qingzhao's live stream.

Some people may not be present, yet their presence is felt everywhere.

Moreover, the group of fans discovered that somehow, these two had added each other on WeChat at some point, making calls with an ease unmatched by anyone else.

A wonderful day ended with gaming until the wee hours of the morning.

By the time they returned to the hotel from the internet cafe, it was already deep into the night.

Having taken a quick shower, Chen Bai glanced at his phone before bed.

New messages awaited him. Replies from his good neighbor and messages from his agent.

It was too late to disturb his neighbor now; he should be asleep. So, Chen Bai opened the message from his agent instead.

The agent had been busy with other clients recently, but would wrap up work in a couple of days and return to City A, hoping to meet with him.

The message was sent five minutes ago.

Still at work, he truly seemed to be swamped.

After briefly contemplating his schedule for the next two days, Chen Bai replied with an affirmative. He promptly hung up and closed his eyes as quickly as possible.

The following day, he woke up very early once again. Drifting onto the bus, he soon found himself in another peaceful slumber.

After several hours on the road, when Chen Moubai disembarked from the vehicle, he was no longer the barely human figure he had been upon boarding. Instead, he was brimming with energy, more vibrant than any of the other passengers about to start their workday.

With his spirits high, business was also good. Upon returning, he took on three consecutive locksmith jobs. Sitting back down in his small locksmith shop, he resumed reading "An Actor's Self-Cultivation," a book he had yet to finish. The corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably, akin to the recoil of an AK-47.

In the afternoon, he punctually returned home to prepare dinner.

Unfortunately, his good neighbor was still working during the evening, leaving him to dine alone.

As usual, he streamed live that night. The next morning, he left earlier than usual to meet with his exceptionally skilled talent agent, who had a knack for raking in gold coins.

Their rendezvous was set at a café. When he arrived, the other party had not yet shown up, so he splurged on a cup of coffee and took a seat to wait.

During the wait, his agent sent an urgent message, explaining that an unexpected event had occurred, causing a delay. They would now arrive approximately twenty minutes later than originally planned.

The twenty minutes was enough for Chen Bai to peruse a musical score. With his mental state in check, he propped up his cheek with one hand and took the opportunity to view the piano sheet music on his phone.

As his agent arrived, he had just finished his cup of coffee.

Her name was Gao Qian, a woman who exuded a sense of urgency. Upon entering the café, she spotted him and headed over before the server could approach. After sitting down, she took a hearty swig of water.

Without glancing at the menu, she briskly ordered a black coffee once she put down her water glass. When the server left, she inquired about his time on set, wasting no words.

Chen Bai emulated the supporting actor's greeting by calling her "Sis Qian" and gave a brief response, concluding succinctly: "It's okay."

Gao Qian chuckled. "Director Zhang mentioned that he would consider you again for any suitable script in the future."

While there might have been an element of politeness, for a prominent director to say such things suggested it was more than just satisfactory.

Chen Bai grinned. "I'll do it if the money's right."

Gao Qian studied him closely for a moment. "You seem to have changed quite a bit."

He has changed quite a bit—not just in how he comes across, but also in his tone of voice and demeanor.

Chen Bai answers with a smile.

With a new person in the picture, it's only natural for things to change significantly.

Gao Qian takes a sip of the black coffee served by the waiter and asks, "Why did you suddenly decide to act?"

Chen Bai is succinct: "For the money."

Gao Qian's eyes instantly light up.

The two successfully align on their shared grand objective.

When goals align, tasks are easier to accomplish. Gao Qian immediately pulls out a magazine from her bag and hands it over, saying, "The unexpected event I mentioned earlier is this."

She taps the figure on the magazine and asks, "Are you interested in shooting this?"

Taking the magazine, Chen Bai ruffles his messy hair and glances down at it.