Chapter 27: Magazine Release

Chapter 27: Magazine Release

Gao Qian subconsciously found the man's words untrustworthy, yet couldn't pinpoint what was amiss.

Pink-haired put down his hands, which had been gesturing in the air as if conducting a universe of his own, and lowered his head to check the time on his phone.

Gao Qian glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "What is it?"

Chen Moubai stated matter-of-factly, "I should probably head back to make lunch."

This sentence felt out of place in this glamorous setting, tinged with the scent of decadence and extravagance. Its stark simplicity instantly brought everyone back to reality, deflating their dreams of instant stardom.

The others quietly began to pull out their phones, checking for lunch options.

The agent's eyebrows twitched as she said, "It's not early anymore. Let's find somewhere to grab a bite for lunch today."

She added an important detail, "You don't have to pay."

Pink-haired nodded quickly, without the slightest hesitation.

Every extra second of hesitation is a disrespect to what's free.

"..."

Gao Qian felt she had almost completely understood this person.

There wasn't much to eat in the cultural park, but there were stores around. Two people who weren't picky about food found a nearby place to satisfy their basic needs.

During the meal, the agent remembered something and swallowed the food in her mouth before saying, "In a few days, the issue of 'EV' you shot will be released."

Chen Bai raised his eyes slightly. "So soon?"

He worked every day and didn't notice the passing of time. It turned out that so much time had already passed without him realizing it.

The agent nodded and said, "The magazine side will handle their own promotion. The celebrity on the cover is quite famous, so sales and exposure shouldn't be a concern."

Sales and exposure were things for the magazine and the cover celebrity to worry about. They just needed to do their own job well. She took a sip of water and said, "I'm temporarily managing your account. You can log in anytime you want. When you have time, you can reply to the comments section. Just remember to be cautious with your words."

It was only then that Chen Bai remembered he had set up a Weibo account before.

Despite not fully understanding why someone would follow an account with hardly any content, Chen Bai nodded in agreement nonetheless.

The meal wasn't particularly delicious; it was merely filling enough to satisfy one's hunger.

After dinner, Pink-haired was chauffeured home by his agent and, upon arrival, casually took on a locksmith job as he entered his house.

Today, the landlord had come over for a visit, bringing along his beloved grandson. The neighborhood folks were enamored with the child, fondling him left and right. As Chen Bai passed by, he couldn't help but join in, giving the little one a couple of affectionate pats as well.

A couple of days later, in the evening just before he was about to start his live stream, Chen Bai received a parcel sent by his money-making partner. It was light and thin, and inside was a magazine.

It was the issue of "EV" that featured him. The person on the cover was unfamiliar but strikingly handsome.

So it was already on sale at this time. The magazine's release had been handled professionally by his money-making partner, and Chen Bai hadn't paid much attention to it, only knowing that his partner was highly satisfied with the outcome.

It was already time for his live stream, so he didn't open the magazine. Instead, he turned around, closed the door behind him, and returned to his room. He casually placed the magazine aside and powered on his computer.

---

In City B.

The roar of an engine faded through the streets as the motorcycle came to a halt in front of a flower shop, bathed in a warm glow. The rider, with a long stride, dismounted and lifted off his black helmet, revealing tousled hair beneath.

With a casual flick at his unruly locks, Li Qingzhou, helmet in one hand, stepped into the shop. "The flowers have been delivered," he said. "I'll head back to prepare for the live stream now."

No one acknowledged him; no one stood by the shelves arranging flowers as they usually did. He scanned the premises, spotting someone behind the counter.

As he looked over, the person finally became aware of his presence. They lifted their head and remarked, "You're back so soon."

Li Qingzhou untied his apron, responding, "Shall I make another round then?"

Sister Li assured him it wasn't necessary, waving him over with excitement, her cheeks still flushed. "Come take a look!"

The hands that had been untying the apron paused momentarily before moving towards the counter for a glance.

The person seated behind the counter had a magazine open beside them, its cover featuring a celebrity whose face was familiar even to him, despite his lack of interest. His expression remained unchanged, accustomed to such sights. "Congratulations," he said flatly. "Your favorite star is on the cover again."

His voice was steady and uninflected, a clear sign of the numbing effect of repeated exposure to such events.

"That's not what I wanted to show you," Sister Li said, flipping through the pages until she found the one she'd been reading. "I came across someone incredibly attractive."

She handed him the magazine, saying, "Take a look."

Li Qingzhou accepted the magazine, lowering his head to give it a cursory glance, already preparing to hand it back as he did so.

"..."

His motion to return the magazine paused as his gaze met the light-refracting pale irises hidden beneath a tangle of pink hair.

In the photo, the person held flowers in one hand, walking towards the lens. On one side, light pierced through the overcast sky, illuminating a blinding smile that overflowed with vibrant vitality and warmth akin to a March sun.

It was a gaze as if looking at someone he liked.

The same vivacious smile that made his heart skip a beat, just like before.

Though the hair color had changed, along with the style of clothing, Li Qingzhou recognized him as the person to whom he had given flowers before.

He hadn't encountered him again since the last time he gave him flowers, nor heard any news. He had originally thought he would never see him again, but unexpectedly, they met again in this manner.

"..."

Noticing that he kept staring at the photo in the magazine without any intention of passing it back, Sister Li seemed to have stumbled upon something amusing. Her eyes gradually widened as she asked with a smile, "So you have a thing for this type?"

Hearing her voice from beside him, Li Qingzhou snapped back to reality and instinctively denied it, saying, "No."

He explained, "I was just thinking about the time on set when the flowers were given to him."

As he spoke, his ears turned red involuntarily, the color stark against his skin, making it particularly noticeable.

It was the first time Sister Li realized how easily readable her younger brother was.

She had merely asked out of curiosity, intending it as a playful tease, but her brother was quick to explain himself, unable to hide his blushing face.

It was as if there was some truth to it.

"So those flowers back then were for him."

A good sister knows when to stop. Without mentioning his crimson ears, Sister Li said, "Well, he's still acting in TV shows."

She chuckled and added, "You should remember to watch them if they ever air."

Li Qingzhou cast another glance at the magazine in his hands.

Beneath the photograph was a line of fine print that, besides crediting the photographer and editor, also listed the name of the person depicted:

"Chen Bai"

His eyes returned to the room as he firmly stated, "Sis, I'm taking this magazine with me."

Sister Li looked at him.

"You always buy two copies of these books; I take one, and you still have the other." He said, "I made three trips this afternoon, the farthest being six kilometers away."

Sister Li waved her hand, hurriedly having someone take them away.

Li Qingzhou untied his floral apron and returned with the magazine. When he went back, it was earlier than his usual streaming time, so he started broadcasting ahead of schedule.

As usual, he connected via phone call with others, loaded into the game, and when he saw a familiar name on the game list, he asked aloud, "Why does Erbai go by Chen Erbai?"

The familiar voice came through the earphones: "Because of the Chen surname, and being penniless—'Chen Penniless' doesn't sound good, so it's Chen Erbai."

A simple and straightforward naming convention. Then the other party asked, "Why did you suddenly ask about this?"

Li Qingzhou let out a breath and chuckled, "Nothing, I was just curious."

Indeed, there were no coincidences in this world; previously, Erbai had indeed mentioned working in City A.

A simple explanation for a name conveyed the boundless bitterness of his impoverished reality.

Casually explaining the origin of his name, Chen Moubai teamed up with his buddies. When he checked the live chat again, he noticed that some viewers had started to rename themselves on the spot.

"I should call myself Zhen Penniless."

"My surname is Bai and I love reading, hence the name Bai Reading."

"Today, I came across a handsome guy named Chen Bai, my first thought was Chen Erbai x"

"I know which one the person above is talking about! I saw it too, EV hasn't produced a divine picture in ages! It's so stunning, I'm rolling all over the floor."

"Where is the handsome guy! Let me see! Let me see!"

"..."

Upon reading the latest comment, Chen Bai thought his name was rather common.

When he saw the subsequent messages, he silently pushed the magazine that was almost in frame further away from the camera on his desk, ensuring it was completely out of view.

It was another ordinary live stream without any surprises. Except for the sudden sight of his real name in the comments, which left him with an indescribable feeling, everything else was as usual.

Ending the stream at two o'clock, thanks to the black coffee he drank during the broadcast, Pink-haired couldn't fall asleep immediately. He chose to log into an account he had registered but neglected since then, instead of reading a book or messaging his good neighbor to bother them.

After some time apart, aside from the familiar image of the God of Wealth and the three characters "Chen Yibai," much about the account felt unfamiliar.

A small yellow V had appeared out of nowhere, signifying verification. The previously all-zero fan count had skyrocketed, and there were now double digits under the activity section. The only thing still at zero was the following list.

Money-making partner said this was his account, hence he hadn't followed anyone under his own name.

It was hard to imagine what had happened to this account in such a short period of time. Curious, he clicked into the activity feed to take a look.

The feed boasts over a dozen posts to date, with the most recent one, a simple repost, racking up the highest number of likes—hundreds of thousands and counting, the tally climbing at a dizzying pace with each refresh.

The repost in question was from the official EV account, featuring a series of snapshots of him.

Recalling his money-making partner's advice to occasionally check the comments, Pink-haired, sprawled on his bed, rolled over and tapped into the comment section.

It was a comment section that bore no resemblance to the usual barrage of bullet chat.

Typically, the live chat would revel in mercilessly mocking him whenever he failed to catch a fish, and offer token applause when he pulled off a skillful move. The most common nickname thrown his way was "Erbai."

Here, however, a quick glance revealed an ocean of "Husband" and "Wife." Having not encountered these terms for years, and with his sparse online presence due to his hectic schedule, it took Pink-haired some time to realize that "Wife" was directed at him.

"…"

Even after all these years, he remained out of touch with internet trends. Despite being as socially adept as Chen Moubai, he found himself at a loss for how to respond to these comments, ultimately opting to set his phone aside and pick up a book from his bedside table instead.

After spending over an hour cultivating drowsiness, Pink-haired finally succumbed to sleep.

While some drifted off into peaceful slumber, others remained perpetually connected to the internet through the night.

Upon release, the images swiftly amassed a digital patina, with the hashtag #EVRevealsMasterpiece trending high on the hot searches, its popularity continuously surging.

Netizens, following the official account's trail, managed to locate the personal Weibo of this fresh-faced handsome man.

Though the account was as new as its owner, it thankfully contained several photos. As netizens replenished their image banks, the comment section saw a skyrocketing increase in activity.

Awakening and stretching till late morning, Pink-haired struggled out of bed. Throwing on a jacket haphazardly, she proceeded as usual to her regular breakfast haunt, where she began her day by guarding the store while engrossed in a book.

It was peculiar.

Today, the shop saw an unusually high number of visitors, mostly young people who seemed to be college students from the nearby university and other members of society.

These patrons didn't come for locksmith services; instead, they mostly bought keychains and then requested to take a photo together.

Since taking photos didn't take much time, Pink-haired didn't refuse such minor requests.

In the morning, Chen Bai didn't receive many repair jobs but sold a fair number of keychains. He had a part-time job at a restaurant in the evening, so when he switched shifts with the landlord at noon, he went back to have lunch and then started making up for the live streaming hours he would miss that night.

With someone else minding the store, the number of people coming in to buy keychains dropped significantly in the afternoon.

The audition results were released a week later, and a week after that, Chen Bai met with his money-making partner once again.

This time, the rendezvous was set in the bustling heart of the city, near their company in the commercial district.

For this outing, Pink-haired had splurged on a fancy hat.

His partner seemed genuinely swamped; each meeting began with a flurry of activity, culminating in a well-deserved breath upon sitting down.

The hatted individual thoughtfully handed over a water glass.

Half the cup drained in an instant, the agent finally came to life, setting aside her documents and a stack of paper bags before turning her attention to the person across from her.

Her first glance failed to spot the familiar Pink-haired figure, causing a momentary pause, but she quickly collected herself, ordered a drink without preamble, and got straight to the point: "I have one piece of bad news and two pieces of good news for you."

She didn't play games, opting not to ask whether he preferred the good or the bad news first. Clearing her throat, she stated bluntly, "The bad news is that the roles for the third and fourth male leads have been cast, and they went to other actors."

A no-nonsense type, she gave no quarter for mental preparation.

Chen Bai raised his eyes slightly, awaiting the rest of the story.

The agent chuckled, waving the documents at hand as he said, "The good news is that Director Zhang wants you to try out for the second male lead."

Compared to roles three and four, the second male lead's screen time represents a qualitative leap, with a notable difference in remuneration.

With the sudden change of role, Chen Bai asked, "What’s the reason?"

"Director Zhang’s exact words were that the second male lead has poor health and spends a lot of time sitting or lying down," the agent managed to say between suppressed laughter, "Perfectly suited for your precarious old back."

In reality, this decision must have had other considerations behind it, but the director chose not to elaborate, preferring to convey it in his own way.

Some directors appear stern and sharp-tongued, but in private, they enjoy a touch of humor.

To think that the comment from the audition day was still remembered; Chen Bai rubbed his face, "Thank the director for saving my old back."

The agent laughed as he took a sip of his drink, saying, "Once the contract details are finalized, they’ll send over the complete script. You can take a look before you join the production team."

Zhang Zhi, being both the director and producer, holds considerable sway. Known in the industry for his love of newcomers, once he decides on someone, he doesn’t renege, and he can withstand pressure from other aspects. His nod is as good as a done deal.

Chen Bai acknowledged, then inquired about the other piece of good news.

"The other good news is that your latest issue of 'EV' has received excellent feedback, making a great start," the agent said after a moment's thought, recalling something. "Do you remember that last outfit from the shoot?"

The Pink-haired one, whose memory was fairly decent, did recall.

The agent continued, "The current season's new model, which is quite similar to that outfit, has sold out."

And this was just within the first week of the magazine's release. There would likely be more sales in the future, with substantial profits, leaving both the magazine and the brand delighted.

A glint appeared in the Pink-haired one's eyes. Sensing what he might be thinking, the agent quickly added, "We don't get a commission on it."

Chen Bai responded, "Oh."

Those brightened eyes returned to their usual state.

—This person was all too easy to understand.

The agent's brow twitched as she slapped a pile of paper bags beside her. "No commission, but they sent these over."

EV had sent every piece of the current season's collection. Since they didn't have his address, they delivered them straight to the company. Her heavy breathing when she entered the store earlier was due to her frenzied unpacking and sorting of clothes at the office.

She felt that Pink-haired was in dire need of these right now.

Previously, she had come across photos shared by netizens online, taken with this person. In every single one of them, she noticed how plain and understated this individual dressed, especially when contrasted against the elaborately dressed fans. The juxtaposition was striking.

Fortunately, this face could carry anything. It was strong enough to elevate an otherwise mundane appearance into something commendable, all thanks to its stunning features.

What Chen Moubai offered wasn't money, but with these, there would be no need to spend on clothes anymore. This indirectly saved a considerable amount, and Chen Moubai extended her gratitude on behalf of her wallet.

In addition to the previous two pieces of good news, there was another piece that could be considered a bonus.

The production she had been working on had already wrapped up filming and was entering post-production. Within a few months, promotional activities would begin.

After finishing their drinks, the agent glanced down at her phone. Then, looking up, she said, "The plans for later have been canceled. I happen to have some free time, so let me give you a ride back."

Pink-haired agreed with a simple nod.

The two left the beverage shop.

Descending the escalator, Pink-haired, hat on head, carried two paper bags in her hands. Her gaze swept over the structure of the mall and the bustling crowd, taking in the scene before her.

A light flickered on for an instant, and he glanced over.

His pale irises met the electronic billboard by the full glass window, prompting him to slightly lift his cap brim.

The person on the screen was familiar.

Noticing the movement from his side, the agent turned her head to look as well. Her brows twitched as she said, "Watching Xu Sinian?"

Pink-haired nodded candidly, turning around to ask, "Can you take a photo for me?"

By "take a photo," he meant taking a photo with the electronic billboard.

The agent saw the familiar peace sign again.

"…"

This time, she chose to give up correcting him, diligently and dutifully taking the photo for him.

The person standing before the electronic billboard slightly raised his cap brim, revealing a strand of pale, crushed hair beneath. His eyes curved into a smile, and even with both hands holding the pockets, he insisted on making the peace sign.

Having taken the photo, Pink-haired dropped her scissors gesture and dashed back with her bag in hand.

The agent handed over the phone, somewhat surprised as he asked, "You like Xu Sinian?"

This person seemed like someone who had no room for men in his heart, treating work as his deity; it was unexpected that he harbored interests in celebrity chasing.

Chen Bai accepted the phone, gave it a glance, and nodded, "He's a good person."

Tucking the phone away, he smiled and expressed his gratitude.

By the time they returned, it was already dusk, the perfect hour to prepare dinner.

Gao Qian finally had some downtime; she had made plans with her close friends for a grand feast. After dropping off Pink-haired, she pressed down on the gas pedal, and the car swiftly departed.

Chen Moubai, on the other hand, meandered back home, carrying his bag slowly.

It was quite fortuitous today, as he happened to bump into his kind neighbor who was also heading home on the street.

From the looks of it, his good neighbor had finished work early, carrying ingredients for tonight's dinner in hand. This saved Chen Moubai an extra trip to the supermarket.

The helpful and kind neighbor took the pile of bags from his hands, now holding groceries for dinner in one hand and paper bags in the other.

Symbolically carrying two light bags, Pink-haired followed the good neighbor into the house, one after the other.

During the break after dinner, the good neighbor inquired about the somewhat excessive number of paper bags.

Chen Bai explained, "They're from the brand of the magazine I worked with before, all free of charge."

Each piece of clothing came with its own paper bag and packaging box; they could probably sell them as scrap for breakfast money.

As he spoke, he suddenly remembered something and said, "Did I ever tell you about the magazine thing?"

The good neighbor's gaze met his, their expression telling the whole story.

Chen Moubai then got up, slipping on his slippers and headed to the room.

When he emerged from the room again, he had an extra magazine in his hands. Handing it over, he said, "Sister Qian gave me one, but it's not very useful to me. Do you want it?"

Xu Sinian accepted it.

Chen Bai watched as the person flipped through the magazine, saying, "I haven't touched it yet, I don't know which page it's on."

Xu Sinian lowered his head to flip through the magazine, turning each page one by one, pausing at a new page, his fingers pressing against the page moving involuntarily.

After Chen Bai had his fill, he lounged in the chair, holding the water cup leisurely and drinking slowly. Not until he noticed that the person opposite him had been still for too long did he raise his eyes and ask, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Xu Sinian closed the magazine and said, "The photos are very well taken."

The Pink-haired, holding the water cup, slightly raised his eyebrows.

It was rare for his good neighbor to use such a degree adverb as "very." If he said it was good, then it must be truly good.

He squinted his eyes and smiled, bringing up what happened after taking a photo with the electronic billboard today.

In short, when the agent finished taking photos, he timely remembered that his photo inventory was running low and came to him to restock.

His photography skills were so hopelessly bad that he was fully aware of it. There weren't many photos in his album, but he remembered that his good neighbor should have quite a few.

Indeed, there were quite a few here at his good neighbor's place.

From the time of General Gathering up until recently, each meeting would invariably be accompanied by a handful of photographs.

Swiftly relocating to sit beside his amiable neighbor, Chen Moubai leaned in to jointly peruse the photo album and extended his thumb, giving a manual thumbs-up to the diligent Chief Photographer Xu as a token of appreciation for his dedication.

It's quite possible that a good neighbor like this could make a fine photographer.

Each photo was quite commendable, surpassing his own attempts by a significant margin. Unable to settle on just one, he compiled all the images into a bundle and forwarded them to his financial partner.

It's not entirely accurate to say every card, as he held one back.

It was a group photo, casually snapped at the Yeh Assembly.

Xu Sinian looked over.

Meeting his good neighbor’s gaze, Pink-haired swiftly set the photo as their chat background and said, "I'm keeping this one for myself."

Afterwards, he glanced at Good Neighbor Lin's album, filled with countless photos of himself, and objectively suggested, "I've received all the photos on my end. They're taking up memory; you could delete them all."

Xu Sinian lowered his brows, reached to dim the screen, the cold, ashen watch on his wrist flashing momentarily, as he said, "No need."

Author's Note:

No need, keep it as a treasured family possession.

Good neighbor, a man of quietly amassing an photo stockpile that surpasses even Fortune Goddess's (nods).