Chapter 34: Perspectives

Chapter 34: Perspectives

The response was unexpectedly swift, and its content was the exact opposite of what they had imagined. The netizens' minds raced at breakneck speed, finally breaking free from the hypnotic loop of '8 kuai 9 mao 1 fen'.

Upon regaining their composure, they found it hard to contain themselves from all angles.

"It wasn't you, buddy? You actually went to study after getting scolded!"

"How did the video end so soon?? I wanted to hear more about Chen Yibai's infiltration into the student group! (Rage)"

"Damn, I spoke too soon, my apologies. So this is a story about someone trying to secretly outperform everyone else, only to be unexpectedly discovered? (Blinking)"

"The director one moment: 'That piece of land in the outskirts is great for a nap'; the next moment: 'Thank you, unexpected traffic!'"

"Re-watched the previous videos, and Zhou Jing really was holding a notebook when he entered the room."

"Fans: Let's see what these two men are up to alone in a room at night. Or Fans: Haha, they're studying, damn it."

"Never expected it to go this way. Now I can't escape the '8 kuai 9 mao 1 fen' meme. Laughing like a maniac in the middle of the night."

Having finished Zhou Jing's updates, a group of netizens shifted their attention to the new posts by Pink-haired, curious about his take on the situation.

Prepared for a barrage of images and lengthy text, given Zhou Jing's multimedia-laden post, they braced themselves for a similar content-heavy response.

Chen Yibai... Chen Yibai retweeted Zhou Jing's Weibo post.

"Chen Yibai: Me too [retweeting post]"

Brief and to the point, strikingly simple.

"Not a single extra character, what a guy!"

"Hahaha, it's akin to 'me too' in its simplicity and effectiveness."

"Please, where did he buy that notebook for 8.91! All the similar ones I found are over 10! As a student, I really need this!"

"Working stiffs need it too! And these notes, they're godly!"

"Laughed so hard, someone was cursing but got the wrong guy, ended up scolding Chen Erbai next door."

"On his way to work, Chen Erbai was unjustly scolded out of the blue."

"Perhaps it's not the most appropriate time, but I still want to ask, Yibai, can I borrow your notes to copy? I'm a student who chose this course (closing eyes)."

In the comment section, some were asking for links, others for notes. Students from their school were stepping forward for photos, while some were still trying to figure out that Chen Yibai and Chen Erbai were two different individuals. The fans of good looks remained steadfast in their admiration. In short, everyone was busy in their own way, a strange order amidst the chaos.

The entire incident had taken an absurd turn, and the night had been surreal.

In a brief span of time, before marketing accounts could even draft posts about the "exposure of a famous male actor's relationship," the situation flipped. The trending search terms changed dramatically.

#ZhouJingStudying#

#ChenBai# #EightYuanAndNinetyOneCents,NotRoundedDown#

#SeekingFate#

A sleepless night passed.

More accurately, it was the early morning of that day. At five in the morning, they crawled out of bed to head to the makeup room. Pink-haired and Gray-haired were quietly sipping on their black coffee, chugging it down.

The two agents, who had been riding the waves of public opinion through the night, only retired to rest after they rose in the morning, leaving their assistants to carry on with the work at hand.

When the incident happened last night, Brother Liu and Little Meng were already asleep, and no one had forced them awake. They only came to know what had transpired when they went to the cafeteria this morning to pack their breakfasts. Now, much like the uninformed onlookers, they were still piecing together the sequence of events.

Chen Moubai alternated between sips of black coffee and soy milk, feeling his soul pendulating between the netherworld and heaven. Beside him, Little Meng reported in a hushed tone, "Brother Bai, your follower count is rising pretty quickly."

"A rapid increase" is a more euphemistic way to put it, but more accurately, it should be described as "skyrocketing".

After forwarding the post yesterday, Chen Yibai switched accounts and paid no further attention. But this morning, noticing the buzz on Weibo, he saw that Chen Erbai—whose name was merely similar to his own—had inexplicably gained a significant number of followers. This was likely due to some inattentive individuals following the wrong person, which suggested that things were quite lively around Chen Yibai's account.

Perhaps due to the overnight developments, other media outlets began to exert their influence, and even Good Neighbors, typically disinterested in such news, became aware of the situation and sent a message over.

After replying to the messages, applying her makeup meticulously, and styling her hair, by the time Pink-haired left the hotel, the once dark sky had brightened somewhat, suggesting another sunny day ahead.

The female actor's makeup and styling were intricate, still ongoing; thus, Pink-haired proceeded with the male lead.

Possibly as a result of last night’s events, there were significantly more people loitering outside the hotel today than usual, forming layers that extended all the way to the cars.

Those at the front didn’t intend to push, but those on the periphery wanted to move inward, leading to a crowd that jostled and pushed, leaving only a narrow path that could hardly be considered a proper route through.

Zhou Jing's assistant paves the way ahead, while Chen Moubai trails behind, reaping the benefits of others' labor. Holding soy milk in one hand and black coffee in the other, his eyes half-open as he glides forward.

Moving slowly through the crowd, they finally board the vehicle. As the door shuts, the noise from outside suddenly diminishes to a murmur.

When they arrive at the filming set, the first person they meet is the director.

The director's face betrays an uncontainable joy, flushed with excitement. He pats them on their shoulders repeatedly, unable to speak, simply beaming with delight.

Not only does he now have two ambitious lead actors, but he has also gained a wave of free and effective publicity, effortlessly saving hundreds of thousands in promotional costs.

In stark contrast, the director and producer from the neighboring production, along with Actor AB's scandal, somehow leaked online, and they're still spending money to suppress the buzz. This juxtaposition makes the difference even more pronounced.

Elated, yet mindful that overexposure could backfire, the director reminds them after his smile fades, stating that future scenes will be held to even higher standards.

If they study but see no improvement, if their acting skills don't significantly enhance the show, the current popularity could turn into a double-edged sword.

These words are spoken, but in reality, the director isn't overly concerned. He knows best whether the actors' performances have truly improved.

Exchanging casual banter with the director, before work officially begins, Chen Moubai manages to have a cordial meeting with his co-star playing the third male lead.

A friendly encounter: Squatting on a low stool, his buddy waved at him. "Morning. Eight kuai and ninety-one fen."

The third male buddy suffered a chokehold.

"..."

The assistants on both sides watched as the two of them fooled around for quite some time before separating to rehydrate themselves.

After drinking water, the buddy opened his eyes and said first, "I asked you before what you did in the evenings. You said watching videos. Turns out they were educational videos."

No wonder he said yesterday that he still knew Zhou Jing to some extent; it turned out they had been secretly overworking together.

Disappointed, he said, "You were overworking behind my back!"

Chen Bai looked at him, "Would you have studied if I told you I was?"

Buddy: "No."

He would only go from playing on his phone with a clear conscience after work to doing so with trepidation.

Buddy: "…"

He understood without needing an explanation, grateful for his friend's well-intentioned efforts.

Skirting the slightly painful topic, he said, "I remember you have weekends off. Coincidentally, I'm also free tomorrow. How about we head into the city and hang out?"

They had grown accustomed to referring to returning to the urban area as 'entering the city' after working in the outskirts every day.

Chen Bai glanced at him, waving a hand dismissively. "Can't do it; I've got work."

Buddy finally remembered that this person was a heartless money-making machine. He sighed. "Then I'll just stay at the hotel. It's no fun going alone, might as well sleep."

Chen Moubai patted him on the shoulder in consolation. "You could visit the film studio. With your actor's pass, you won't even need to pay for entry."

Visiting the film studio on a day off was akin to returning to the office during a holiday to admire one's workstation. Buddy rubbed his face, saying that there was no need to go to such extremes.

It was another day when Pink-haired and Buddy watched Zhou Jing get scolded together.

Perhaps because the incident of secretly hoarding had already been exposed, in the past, Zhou Jing would apologize when he was scolded. Now, when he was scolded, he would not only apologize but also openly take out his notebook worth 8.91 yuan to take notes and ask questions, nearly leaving the director momentarily speechless.

The staff on the film set always felt that this person's style was subtly being skewed by someone else's influence.

In any case, Pink-haired didn't feel that the deviation in style had anything to do with him.

He finished work at eight in the evening and live-streamed online until two in the morning. The next day, he got up right on time at eight in the morning.

It was already long past the time when actors would be getting their makeup done. There weren't many people at the hotel entrance. He pulled down the brim of his cap to cover his unruly hair, put on a medical mask, and blended into the crowd perfectly.

Yesterday, the sun was blazing high in the sky; today, there was wind and overcast skies, and the temperature had dropped a little. He put on the cool and stylish windbreaker kindly provided by his good neighbor.

From the bus to the subway, the fortunate Pink-haired managed not to sit in a single seat, only finding an empty one just after transferring.

Having spent too long on the set, the short week felt like it had passed in ten years. Exiting the subway station and seeing the endless skyscrapers again, he felt a momentary sense of unfamiliarity.

Today, he was working the lunch shift at the restaurant. Having been here so many times, he skillfully took the elevator to the designated floor, walked through the employee passage straight to the dressing room that was usually used as a rest area, and changed out of his cool and stylish windbreaker.

The restaurant had a climate control system. To some extent, playing the piano could be considered a physical job, and wearing a shirt was just right.

(Translated from Chinese to English)

As he emerged from the locker room, Chen Bai happened to cross paths with the manager. The manager appeared quite busy, talking on his phone while walking; spotting Chen Bai, he flashed a smile and nodded in greeting before quickly heading off in the opposite direction, still on the phone, "…in half an hour? Alright, we'll expedite the arrangements for you."

The sound of his voice faded along with his footsteps until it was no longer heard.

Chen Bai made his way to his workstation.

By workstation, I mean the piano bench.

Back when he first started working here, there were occasional requests from customers for photos together, but those had become rarer lately. Now, it seemed that patrons preferred to record videos on their phones. Only the guests who already knew him would approach during brief breaks for a quick chat.

Regardless, whether it was taking photos or recording videos, it all amounted to the same thing for him – just part of the job.

After another break, he glanced at the clock hanging on the wall, its hands ticking away. His fingers brushed against the piano keys as he mentally rehearsed his repertoire, simultaneously calculating how many hours were left until the end of his shift.

Unbeknownst to Pink-haired, who was engrossed in his calculations, the manager swiftly passed by from one side.

The elevator leading straight to the restaurant ascended, came to a halt, and then opened its doors.

A figure dressed in a school uniform followed two others ahead of him, headphones in, paying no attention to the restaurant's interior. Instead, he turned his head toward the window, remaining silent and detached from any conversation. The blue-and-white school uniform stood out starkly against the surrounding environment.

The manager greeted them and then his gaze fell upon the backpack carried by the person trailing behind, asking, "Should we perhaps...?"

The woman in a simple, elegant women's suit waved her hand dismissively, "No need, he can carry it himself."

The manager acknowledged this with an affirming nod, and after brief pleasantries, led the trio to a table by the window.

It was a four-seater table, perfectly accommodating three people with just enough space left for the backpack.

With the backpack settled, Xu Lang leaned back into his chair, the two earbuds still firmly in place. Finally, he raised his head slightly to take in the restaurant around him.

Madam Jiang Nian couldn't help but frown at how this man insisted on wearing his earphones wherever he went, tapping her fingers lightly on the table, she said, "Young Master Xu, would you mind removing your..."

"..."

In a speed that was almost too swift to describe, Xu Lang removed his earphones, swiftly stowed them away in their case, and pocketed it. His eyes lit up, and he sat up straighter.

Madam Jiang: "…?"

Jiang Nian turned to glance at the child's father seated beside her, incredulously asking, "When did my words become so influential?"

The boy's father didn't pick up the conversation.

Unfortunately, what Ms. Jiang Nian said still didn't carry much weight with the high school student.

The reason the high schooler suddenly put away his earphones was because he saw someone he wanted to see.

Returning to school this afternoon, he had originally intended to spend more time on his phone at home. These two people, having some free time, suggested they take him out for a meal since the place is close to the school, and they could head there afterward.

He felt indifferent about such places, preferring to stay at home instead.

—That's how he felt initially.

But then he turned around and saw a familiar face.

He knew that Chen Erbai would work part-time at a restaurant playing the piano, but he never expected it to be here.

Up until now, he only knew that the other person could play the piano; this was his first time listening to a live performance.

Xu Lang has never learned to play the piano, but he just knew that the other person must be very good at it.

Miss Jiang Nian, having come to her senses, followed his gaze and immediately spotted the person playing the piano with their head bowed.

He was a remarkably attractive young man, with rosy hair and clad in a shirt that hugged his slender yet erect back.

To put it simply, he had an excellent appearance and demeanor.

She turned to her own son: "What is it?"

Xu Lang replied: "This is Brother Bai, the neighbor of whom I've spoken before, Chen... no, wait, Brother Bai."

The Jiang couple instantly pivoted their heads in unison to look over.

As if sensing their attention, the pianist slightly shifted his gaze towards them. His pale gray eyes paused momentarily upon seeing the blue-and-white school uniform before breaking into a smile and giving a slight nod as a greeting.

When he wasn't smiling, a serene coolness pervaded him, but when he did, everything about him changed. His smile seemed to radiate warmth, enveloping him entirely like a gentle breeze.

He was the kind of person who made you feel at ease.

For some inexplicable reason, Xu Lang felt a surge of pride and commented: "He's good-looking, isn't he?"

Unable to comprehend what this person was proud of, but not voicing her thoughts, Ms. Jiang cast a few more glances at the pianist and said, "Your brother often mentions him. Turns out he’s quite handsome."

The high schooler raised his eyes. "My brother mentioned him too?"

His brother didn't seem like the type who would bring up his friends at home.

After all, this person had many acquaintances before, yet he never once mentioned them at home.

Ms. Jiang nodded.

A call every few days, and in each one, the other party would mention this individual, with a 100% appearance rate.

Mentioned, but without describing how he looked or his personality; they only knew that the person with the 100% appearance rate seemed to be in poor health but loved to smile.

After their precocious child returned from his last visit, an additional impression was formed in their minds: exceptionally skilled at tutoring homework and capable of managing their high schooler.

They had previously considered visiting the old district during their free time, hoping for a chance encounter. Ms. Jiang never expected to actually meet him in such a place.

Throughout the meal, the high schooler behaved impeccably, sitting straight as an arrow, like the epitome of a model student.

Though the reason was unclear, it was true that he had been thoroughly tamed.

"..."

Jiang Nian felt as if it wasn't her son who had changed, but rather, she had gotten a new one altogether.

In such a restaurant, meals were savored slowly, and dishes arrived at a leisurely pace. Before they could finish their meal, the piano music ceased, signaling the end of Pink-haired's shift.

As she watched him leave, the model student put away her utensils, pulled out her earphones, and said while putting them on, "I'm full."

Perfectly fine, nothing has changed, still as deadpan as ever.

Ms. Jiang Nian lifted her eyes, about to say something, but upon seeing the person approaching from the end of the corridor, she raised an eyebrow and said, "I suggest you remove what you just put on."

Xu Lang responded casually but didn't move, saying, "I'm just going to listen to some music."

The person at the end of the corridor walked briskly, arriving in a few steps, waving and greeting with a smile.

Ms. Jiang Nian and Mr. Xu Ming greeted the couple with smiles as well, introducing themselves briefly.

Through the headphones, Xu Lang recognized the familiar voice and suddenly realized something. Turning his head, he saw the smiling face right beside him.

Pink-haired greeted him with "Long time no see."

Quickly removing his headphones and stuffing them into his school uniform pocket, he nodded in acknowledgment and promptly greeted Brother Bai in the first instance.

After saying that, he took the initiative to grab the schoolbag resting on the chair, clearing space for someone else.

Chen Bai had originally planned to just drop by after work to say hello, not intending to disturb anyone for long. He was going to leave after greeting, but when the high schooler made room and the parents of the high schooler warmly invited him to stay, he sat down opposite the two enthusiastic hosts.

As expected of the parents of good neighbors, both were exceedingly good-looking.

Learning that they were currently on their way to send Little Xu to school, Pink-haired glanced sideways and said, "Being a high school student is indeed tough. It's been quite a while since you've come over to play, hasn't it?"

Xu Lang seized the opportunity to lodge a complaint: "My brother says I can only come over to play if I behave well."

Time could always be squeezed out if one wanted to; it wasn't that he didn't want to come, it was that his brother wouldn't let him.

However, his complaint seemed to have little effect. Pink-haired propped his cheek with one hand and smiled, saying, "Then we'll play together once you've behaved well."

His hand, which had been casually hanging by the table, came into view, drawing attention to his rolled-up cuffs. They were somewhat crudely rolled and extended quite a length, indicating that the shirt was visibly too large for him.

The high school student suddenly noticed something peculiar, casting a few more glances, feeling an uncanny familiarity with the sight before him.

Chen Erbai spoke candidly, "This is a shirt borrowed from your brother."

Restaurant staff must wear formal attire while on duty, but since he was off the clock, he no longer counted as an employee. Thus, he promptly returned to the break room and slipped this outfit on.

Unbeknownst to him, across the table, a woman whose name he didn't know had her eyes light up instantly at the sight.

Pink-haired had engaged in a pleasant conversation with the enthusiastic neighbors for about fifteen minutes, remembering that they were planning to send Xiao Di to school. After exchanging contact information, he put on his cap and departed.

He still had some matters to attend to later that afternoon.

Previously, when his agent was recruiting an assistant for him, the agent incidentally suggested that he should consider moving to a place with better security.

The agent had visited where he lived, gaining insight into the local environment, and felt that it might not be entirely safe.

It was an old part of the city, where residential buildings dated back decades. Some of the apartment blocks had installed security systems at the entrances, but in reality, these proved ineffective. The security gates were often left wide open, allowing anyone to ascend the stairs.

He could pick locks, and there were others who could do the same. Temporary stays in residential buildings were feasible, but they weren't suitable for long-term residence.

He felt that no one would attempt to break into his lock, yet he acknowledged that the place was objectively far from where he usually worked part-time.

Time was also a cost.

Previously, he hadn't had the time, but today happened to be convenient, and he planned to spend the afternoon exploring the area.

The outcome of his afternoon exploration was discovering that the rents were astronomically beyond his budget, to the point where it felt like he needed to pinch himself to wake up from this nightmare.

As the sky gradually darkened, Pink-haired bought a bottle of water and stood in front of the convenience store for a brief moment of contemplation.

Actually, the old town wasn't entirely out of the question.

Primarily because the rent was low, and secondarily because the rent was indeed low.

In the midst of his thoughts, his phone vibrated in his pocket, prompting him to glance down and check it.

It was a message from his good neighbor, estimating that they must have finished work early today. He replied, and shortly after, a call came through.

There was nothing particularly urgent about making the call; it just happened that both of them were free at the moment. Good Neighbor asked where he was.

"On this side of Yulin Road, I've been searching for a place all afternoon, and it's been absolutely fantastic."

The pockets on the windbreaker were quite spacious. As Pink-haired chatted on the phone, he attempted to stuff the water he had just bought into one of them, and surprisingly, he managed to do so. Letting out a small exclamation of admiration, he continued, "The rent is so expensive, I'm thinking of building my own house from scratch right here."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, as if seriously contemplating the feasibility of him constructing a house with his bare hands.

After the pause, Good Neighbor's voice returned: "I happen to have an unoccupied house in the area near Yulin Road. If you're free now, we could go take a look."

Pink-haired lifted his gaze.

"..."

Good Neighbor was a man of action. From the time they hung up the call to when he arrived by car, less than half an hour had passed.

The vehicle pulled over to the side of the road. Recalling what his buddy had mentioned about Good Neighbor's car, Chen Erbai took a closer look at the license plate this time.

Good Neighbor got out of the car, closed the door, and approached, asking, "What are you looking at?"

Pink-haired replied truthfully, "Remember the license plate number."

As they approached, the Xu neighbor glanced sideways at the person beside him and handed over the bag he was carrying, asking, "Did you see Xu Lang today?"

"And Uncle and Auntie," Chen Moubai took the bag and inquired, "What's this?"

Xu Sinian explained, "Cookies. You didn't have dinner, did you?"

Indeed, Chen Bai hadn't eaten. He opened the bag to find cookies from the shop that he had previously found quite delicious.

He glanced at the cookie, and his kind neighbor looked over subtly, asking, "What did you and Auntie Jiang chat about today?"

"Seems like nothing much," Pink-haired had already taken off his mask and wiped his hands, starting to nibble on the cookie. "We talked about work, and also about your impression on her."

He casually held out a cookie in his hand, smiling, "I definitely sang your praises to the high heavens; Uncle and Auntie seemed quite pleased."

Though he didn't quite understand why Auntie Jiang would ask about his views on the good neighbor, she must have had her reasons. He felt that showering with compliments was the way to go.

Author's note:

Erbai and Ms. Jiang, on two different wavelengths but enjoying their conversation nonetheless.