Chapter 35: Another Perspective

Chapter 35: Another Perspective

Good Neighbor: "…"

After a moment of silence, Good Neighbor accepted the cookie without further ado, grateful for Pink-haired's enthusiastic praise.

Pink-haired accepted the gratitude with a clear conscience and helped herself to another cookie.

Good Neighbor’s house was on this very street, in a prime location. Just a three-minute walk from the entrance of the subway station after exiting the residential area's gate.

Upon entering the residential complex, then ascending the building via the elevator while munching on cookies, Chen Moubai pulled out a bottle of water he had purchased from a convenience store, which he had stashed in his pocket.

As he drank, Good Neighbor naturally took back the bag, carrying it in hand.

Arriving at their floor, Xu Sinian bent down to unlock the door.

The sky had already turned dark by this time, and inside the house, it was pitch black. He located the light switch, flicked it with a soft click, illuminating the interior of the house.

Bathed in the sudden light, Pink-haired poked her head in, squinting her eyes slightly.

A good neighbor claims the house is genuinely vacant. It's spacious and very clean, indicating that someone occasionally comes by to tidy up.

It's pristine, yet devoid of any signs of life or habitation, featuring only the essential appliances, arranged neatly like in a model home.

As they move from the living room to the bedroom, Chen Moubai asks the good neighbor, "Have you ever stayed here?"

The good neighbor replies that he stayed here twice while working.

Pink-haired nods in acknowledgment.

Despite lacking evidence and logic, he senses that the two times mentioned by the good neighbor are indeed literal instances.

This abode likely mirrors the dwelling of a deity of wealth, only to be left idle, with usage capped at twice. He raises his hand to strike from behind, "Vile capitalist."

According to an irrational equation uniquely crafted by a certain citizen surnamed Chen who wishes to remain anonymous, all wealthy individuals equate to capitalists.

Though vigorous, the attack is ineffective. Attempting to strike requires a leap, which turns Pink-haired's chokehold into a clinging embrace.

With a person dangling off him, Xu Sinian holds a paper bag in one hand and grasps the wrists of the other to prevent them from falling, guiding them towards the entrance.

The cookies were not dinner; they still had to eat after viewing the apartment.

The attempted assailant was carried back to the entrance and set down on his feet, experiencing the good strength of a good neighbor.

—It was indeed as if one punch could take out ten of him.

The door that had been closed opened again, Pink-haired, while putting on a mask, asked, "How much rent does Comrade Old Xu plan to charge?"

He said, "But living here might be quite troublesome for you. What if you need… when you're working."

The elevator doors also opened at this moment, halting their conversation upon meeting gazes.

A man wearing a brightly patterned hat stepped out of the elevator.

Upon seeing someone, he realized he was on the wrong floor and retreated, but then moved forward again upon hearing something, asking, "Young lad looking for a place to rent?"

"Wanna see my place? Utilities included, all appliances in perfect condition, move-in ready in two months. Direct from landlord, no agents involved. It's cheaper than market price because it's urgent."

His speaking speed was unbelievably fast, finishing his rapid-fire chant before Comrade Old Xu could even quote the rent.

Comrade Old Xu: "…"

Comrade Old Xu lowered his head and noticed that Comrade Little Chen, standing beside him, had his eyes noticeably brighten at the mention of those two key words at the end of the sentence.

His counterpart looked up at him.

"…"

Changing from leading someone to view a property to accompanying someone who was already viewing it, Comrade Old Xu carried his bag and moved from his own floor down to the level below.

Flower Hat lived downstairs and would be moving to stay long-term with her daughter abroad in two months. She had already begun preparations, unwilling to sell her home, so she posted on her social media circle to rent out her place, but received no inquiries. Recently, she had started considering finding a real estate agent.

He said it was fortunate that he pressed the wrong floor and just happened to meet a potential tenant.

The tenant referred to Pink-haired; "just happened to meet" referred to intercepting halfway through.

After looking around, Comrade Old Xu observed that not once did Pink-haired's brows furrow under his wisps of hair, and they fully relaxed when the price was mentioned at the end.

Chen Bai and Flower Hat exchanged contact information amicably.

Brother's rapid recitation of the property details was indeed accurate, and the rent was fitting.

The rent was several times higher than that of a residential building, but considering the general range of rents in the vicinity, it was considerably cheaper.

Further detailed discussions about the rental will take place later; for today, exchanging contact information marked the end of proceedings.

With hopes high for leasing out the property, HuaHua Hat was delighted, smiling as she saw the two off at the door.

With prospects of renting looking good and without troubling their kind neighbor, Pink-haired was also elated, treating said neighbor to a lavish dinner that evening in appreciation for their pivotal contribution to the housing endeavor.

The restaurant was chosen for its proximity and quick service, no waiting required. Amidst his dinner, the enthusiastic and chatty Ms. Jiang sent him a message, to which he replied, briefly recounting his afternoon house-hunting endeavors.

After a brief pause, Ms. Jiang sent another message, congratulating him on finding a suitable place.

Across the table, Xu Sinian's phone, resting on the chair, vibrated slightly.

He unlocked it, lowering his gaze to see a string of "hahas" from Ms. Jiang.

"..."

He didn't reply and turned off his phone again.

After the meal, out of consideration for his good neighbor who had to work the next day and was accustomed to commuting between the city and the outskirts, he politely declined the offer to be driven back to the film studio. He pulled down his cap and waved with a smile.

Not until the figure of the person with pink hair vanished from sight did Xu Sinian turn away and start walking back.

Back in the car, just as he grabbed the steering wheel, his phone rang from the side.

It was Ms. Jiang, who had recently sent a string of "Ha"s.

Slightly lowering the brim of his hat, he picked up his phone and answered it.

As soon as the call connected, Ms. Jiang greeted him warmly, "You wanted someone to stay at your place but didn't succeed?"

Xu Sinian leaned back.

Ms. Jiang continued her friendly greetings, saying, "This must be the first time you've been preempted by someone else."

Following the greetings came another string of laughs, indeed proving she was his mother.

"..."

Xu Sinian tapped the steering wheel slowly and asked, "Is there something you need?"

Ms. Jiang had nothing particular in mind; she simply wanted to call and greet her son whom she hadn't seen for some time. Incidentally, she informed him that they would be traveling abroad again soon, and her dear younger brother would be left in his care over the weekend.

After her genuine greeting, she said goodbye and hung up the phone.

As the cell phone screen went dark, Xu Sinian glanced at it, then started the car, signaled, and pressed down on the accelerator.

"..."

When the call ended, Ms. Jiang Nian calmly put down her phone on the other side.

Mr. Xu Ming, who was beside her, looked over and said, "Weren't you going to ask him what he meant by all this?"

Ms. Jiang admired the newly added photo of herself with Pink-haired in her album and smiled, saying, "Didn't he not deny anything I said?"

Ever since she saw that piece of clothing, she felt that some things were no longer necessary to inquire about.

After all, his younger brother Xu Lang had never worn his older brother's clothes since they were kids.

She handed over the phone, growing more fond of it the more she looked at it, and said, "Isn't he such an adorable child, with a great personality too."

Mr. Xu nodded, glancing at the invitation on the table, and said, "I won't be able to go to Old Man Zhang's place this time."

It was coincidental timing; no sooner had they left than Old Man Zhang's birthday banquet began. Those engaged in filming never attended such events when they were working on set, leaving behind only a high school student who would be better off staying at home for peace of mind.

Jiang Nian stroked her chin and said, "Old Man Zhang should be retiring, right? That Zhang kid... what was his name again, is he still the same as before?"

"Zhang Wenxuan," Xu Ming said, "more or less. He has some ability, but he's still quite playful."

He added, "That Huochuan, who he's close to, is indeed capable."

Though they weren't from the same circle, Jiang Nian knew enough to say, "But his judgment isn't great."

Their interactions were limited, so she didn't know if there was any particular reason behind it or not, only that she had occasionally seen different people by his side each time, yet they all bore a strange resemblance.

In terms of personality, they were similar in a certain way. They had heard about his young lovers causing scenes several times already, though they hadn't heard much about it recently.

Fortunately, his son has good taste.

---

After bidding farewell to Aunt Jiang's fine son, Chen Bai took the subway and then transferred to a bus, finally returning to the film city. Today, his pitiful study partner had to shoot a night scene that would go on quite late. Feeling that it was still early, he took the opportunity to make up for lost time.

Little Friend Qingzhou had been off the air due to some matters these past two days, so he found his previous buddy to play with. Despite not having seen each other for a while, they chatted as happily as before.

However, during the game, the phone on the table kept vibrating, indicating that someone was sending continuous messages. The vibration could even be felt through the keyboard.

When the session ended, he momentarily released his grip on the keyboard and picked up the phone to check. It was a series of messages from Zhang Shenme, filling the entire screen. Not having the time to read all the messages, Pink-haired skimmed through the beginning and end, discerning that the sender was asking if he was available on a certain day this month, inviting him to a banquet for some fun.

In essence, it boiled down to: spending time without getting paid.

That day was a weekend two weeks away, when the restaurant would be closed, and he would have a day off. Objectively speaking, he would have the time.

But his time was precious; it needed to be spent making money.

Thus, Zhang's invitation was flatly rejected.

After replying to the message, Pink-haired put down his phone. His hand had barely touched the keyboard when the device vibrated again from beside him.

A twitch at the corner of his eye, he uttered, "Hold on a moment," before retrieving his phone once more.

Contrary to his expectations, the incoming message wasn't from a wealthy acquaintance, but the tycoon himself.

The benevolent Fortune God has once again arrived to bestow gold coins upon us.

Unlike Zhang, who tends to be verbose, the other party was succinct and straightforward, wasting no words as they expressed their desire to accompany me to a dinner event, offering a generous 200,000 for the single engagement.

Expert gaming companion, Master Chen, swiftly accepted the order without the slightest hesitation.

It has increased by an additional eighty thousand compared to before. Although the reason is unclear, it does seem that my salary has indeed risen.

To my surprise, this job actually has room for advancement.

A salary hike of eighty thousand in one go, Chen Moubai thanked the God of Wealth for his generosity. Originally intending to send an emoticon out of habit, he quickly realized that his current setting wasn't quite suitable for such expressions and promptly restrained himself.

The live streaming couldn't be paused for too long. After replying to the messages, he truly put his phone aside this time.

Streaming until two in the morning, Pink-haired still relied on black coffee to keep him going the next day.

Sucking on black coffee with his eyes wide open, he was finally able to take a brief respite from work after a day of rest. The male supporting actor, who had spent an entire day in deep slumber at the hotel, was now bursting with energy and started surfing the web at high speed early in the morning.

As he read through the script while sipping his coffee, he finished the last sip when he was nudged by his buddy's elbow.

Mindful of environmental protection, he threw the trash into the bin and asked, "What's up?"

His buddy showed him his phone and asked, "Why is there your name in the cast list of 'Ordinary Path'? Same name, same surname?"

The words 'Ordinary Path' hadn't been heard in a long while, and the memory was somewhat hazy. It wasn't until his buddy mentioned it that Chen Bai finally recalled the previous production was indeed called that.

He remembered hearing from his money-making partner a long time ago that the drama had already finished filming and entered the editing phase. Considering the time that had passed, it should have been edited by now. He asked, "Has the show come out?"

"Not yet, I just stumbled upon the cast list," the male supporting actor waved his hand and said, "It's in the preheating stage right now, they're probably going to release the trailer in a couple of days."

Chen Bai nodded and continued flipping through the script.

"Ordinary Path," adapted from the eponymous classic novel by a renowned contemporary writer, has been under close scrutiny since its inception. Throughout the filming process, it intermittently trended on hot search lists, maintaining a high level of attention.

It garnered significant interest, albeit not entirely positive. Many fans of the original novel feared that the TV adaptation would deviate from the plot and distort the core ideas the author intended to convey. There were also concerns about the acting skills of the cast.

While some fretted with anxiety, others had been eagerly anticipating it from the very beginning.

Before any trailer was even released, "Ordinary Path" had already climbed onto the trending topics list, where it stubbornly refused to budge.

On the day the production team promised to release the trailer, the slightly cooled-off topic was thrust back into the limelight, securing the top spot on real-time trending charts.

The first trailer for "Ordinary Path" wasn't particularly lengthy, clocking in at just over one minute, simultaneously launched across various platforms.

In this brief span of time, it managed to tell a captivating story about choices and transformations, about life and warmth.

Unlike most trailers, which typically end with a shot of the male or female lead, this one opted for a different approach. Following scenes of dramatic narrative set against a dimmer backdrop, it transitioned to a bright and clear shot.

The scene was warm and pristine, featuring an old wooden window frame through which swaying tree shadows could be seen, accompanied by the sound of cicadas. By a sunlit table, a young man dressed in a linen shirt lowered his head, gently placing down his pen and closing a book whose pages reflected the greenery outside.

The book closes, the scene fades to black.

"Wow! The casting is spot on! Every character is so true to form!! The female lead really embodies that sense of resilience!"

"Within three minutes, I need every detail about the actor in that final shot! Don't make me beg!"

"A Huai is my favorite silver lining in the entire book! This portrayal is exactly how I imagined A Huai would be!! Who understands my excitement?"

"(At first glance) (realizing something's off) (investigating further) Holy crap, wasn't that Baikewujiuyi at the end! Your dark hair looks surprisingly good too!"

"Tip from a devoted fan of the original work: don't fall for A Huai easily, and don't ship him with anyone lightly (serious)"

"So far, so good—no butchering of the original story! I've spotted several scenes that match the descriptions in the book perfectly! Such dedication deserves success!"

The adaptation shows utmost respect for the source material, with a production team that has excellent taste. Both the male and female leads are seasoned actors, and even the supporting cast is a pleasant surprise. Shortly after its release, the trailer for "An Ordinary Path" saw a surge in views across all platforms.

Swift fans wasted no time, already editing the trailer into various versions, each adding their own creative touch to the mere minute-long video.

Taking matters into their own hands, some fans extracted frames from the trailer, meticulously restoring them, thus birthing a few stunning wallpapers.

The scenes featuring the protagonists that circulated the most, alongside the final shot of the trailer, were truly remarkable in terms of composition, color, and character portrayal. As they were passed around, they eventually degraded to the point where the images resembled pixelated memes due to digital wear. The wallpaper had been shared so much that it too had become akin to a meme-quality pixel block. Yet, "An Ordinary Path" remained far from its full online release.

Upon the trailer's release, Pink-haired had been busy with studies and making a final push for the time extension on his project over the past couple of days. Aside from brief exchanges with his good neighbors and regular online friends, he had largely stayed off his phone.

Every day at the hotel entrance, different people would be waiting, with sizable crowds except during rainy weather. He hadn't noticed any significant changes, only that more people seemed to be greeting him recently.

It was his money-making partner who approached him, asking if he had any photos from when he had black hair.

It wasn't that Master Chen was bragging, but as someone whose photography skills were abysmal, there weren't any decent pictures of himself in his photo album that he'd consider sharing.

His agent agreed, rubbed his face, and forced himself to accept the reality before saying, "Your hair should be pretty long by now."

Without thinking, Pink-haired reached up to touch his hair, only to remember that he couldn't feel it right now, and thus retracted his hand. Nodding, he said, "Yeah, it's pretty long."

Sometimes, his hair would obstruct his view while gaming. Fortunately, he had a long-clip, originally used for holding notes, which he could stretch to just about hold the front strands of his hair, allowing him a clear view of the computer screen.

At this point, as long as the pink hair was cut off, he would be back to his old self.

Chen Moubai said, "It's just a matter of cutting off differently colored hair, something like that I could... do myself..."

Master Chen wanted to add that he had already given himself haircuts numerous times, improving his skills in the process. However, under the watchful gaze of his money-making partner, he prudently chose not to finish his sentence.

Gao Qian said, "When we have our next day off, I'll take you to get a haircut."

Her vigilance seemed baseless, but she chose to trust her intuition and resolved that she must personally take this person to the styling studio.

Putting away her hand that was ready to search for the contact information of a convenient hair salon downstairs, Pink-haired said, "...Okay."

Saying they'd wait until the next day off was easy, but in reality, it wasn't until the following weekend that they actually had free time again.

Remembering his large order worth two hundred thousand, Chen Moubai sprung out of bed early that morning and promptly boarded his money-making partner's car.

Without needing to take the subway this morning, he could catch up on some sleep in the car.

The styling studio was the same one where he dyed his hair pink last time, and the people there already recognized him, greeting him immediately upon his arrival.

Continuing her previous manner, not long after sitting down, Pink-haired started listening to the professionals as they began their deliberations, each contributing a sentence at a time, and there were even conceptual diagrams being discussed.

He had this nagging feeling that the duration of their discussion was more than enough to edit several of his scenes.

But the benevolent Chen Erbai kept his thoughts to himself, choosing instead to take one last glance at the message sent by Cais Shen (God of Wealth) before closing his eyes, drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

Eyes closed then opened again, after a blissful sleep, Pink-haired had transformed into Black-haired.

After washing his hair and blow-drying it, the warm wind continued to whisper in his ears. The guest, who had just woken up from his nap, found his eyelids drooping once more.

It wasn't until he heard the word "okay" from some indiscernible source that Chen Erhei abruptly lifted his head.

The agent, standing by his side, skillfully pulled out his phone, positioning it for a shot, and preemptively instructed, "No need to move your hands."

"..."

A universally beloved peace sign, yet to be conceived in this world, quietly vanished without a trace.

Unable to form the essential photo-taking gesture, freshly minted Chen Erhei retrieved his phone, launched the camera app, and snapped a picture of himself.

"..."

This person's every move was from an extraordinary angle that was hard to find under normal circumstances. In a certain sense, he was also a prodigy blessed by the heavens. The agent glanced a few more times at the fresh photos and asked, "What are you taking these photos for?"

The photography genius, Master Chen, ruffled his hair and said, "To show some friends."

Gao Qian: "..."

Gao Qian felt a pang of sympathy for his friend.

She sent over the photo from the album, gently suggesting, "Why don't you send this one I took to your friend."

Master Chen ultimately decided to forward the received photographs along with the ones he had taken himself.

The agent wiped his face, giving up on persuasion and opting instead to continue with the photo shoot in silence.

In the frame, the person with their head bowed had stray locks of hair cascading down, their eyes reflecting the glow of the smartphone screen. Their face, initially expressionless, suddenly lit up into a smile as a message notification flickered on the device.

He looked up and said, "My friends all say they're very entertaining."

The compliment seemed to have genuinely boosted his confidence; he straightened his back considerably.

"..."

The agent finally understood where this man's confidence came from, the one that allowed him to send such photos to friends without a second thought.

After finishing the haircut, he handed over a cap and mask, swiftly ushering the peculiarly overconfident individual out of the studio.

Exiting the studio, the prodigious photographer climbed into a car that had been waiting by the roadside.

The driver was one of the Huo family's chauffeurs, who had driven him twice before, making them acquaintances. After exchanging greetings, they set off on their journey.

This time, the significant assignment didn't involve directly accompanying the god of wealth to the banquet venue but instead entailed a visit to the same estate they'd previously attended. The god of wealth's family was exceedingly considerate, having arranged for a dedicated vehicle for transportation.

Leaving the city, the vehicle took to the mountain road, leading to the familiar estate. Previously, he had disembarked at the estate's gate, but this time, the gates opened in advance, allowing the car to drive straight in. He stepped out in front of the main building.

The butler was already waiting by the entrance, stepping forward to bow and prepare to open the car door.

However, as soon as the car came to a halt, before he could reach for the handle, the door sprung open as if fitted with a spring, revealing the person inside who had already opened the door and exited on their own.

Having met him only once, the man getting off the car still remembered him, greeting him with a smile and calling out, "Uncle Wang."

Uncle Wang, the butler, also smiled, his face creasing into deep, genuine lines as he led him inside.

Upon entering and turning into the living room, there was only his internet friend, Mrs. Huo Zhang Ling, present.

Uncle Wang explained from the side, "Mr. Huo is in the study, and Miss Huo is still in her room preparing."

Zhang Ling, sitting in her wheelchair, casually adjusted the blanket on her legs, saying, "You see, even at home, no one talks to me."

As she spoke, she lifted her eyes to the approaching figure. Initially taken aback, she then broke into a smile, taking an extra moment to look him over before saying, "You look good like this too."

Chen Bai graciously accepted the compliment from his online friend and replied, "They'll be down once they're done."

His gaze drifted to a simple vase on a nearby cabinet, holding just a few flowers, as he said, "I only found out we were coming here this morning. The timing was tight, so I couldn't buy any flowers."

Zhang Ling waved her hand with a smile. "It's alright; it's enough that you're here."

She continued, "The flowers in the courtyard have just bloomed; they're quite beautiful. Would you like to see them?"

Just as Fortune God and his sister hadn't come down yet, Chen Erbai decided to go see the flowers with his good online friend.

Uncle Wang and the others didn't follow, only the attendant pushing the wheelchair kept up.

The manor was vast, its backyard equally so. Most of the plants were lush and green, except for a towering tree by the pavilion on one side that was entirely white, almost blinding in its brightness.

The person in the wheelchair looked up, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes, saying, "This was planted when those two were still young. It's grown this much already."

The flowers were indeed beautiful. Chen Bai agreed, struggling to imagine what Fortune God looked like as a child.

Shifting from the small path to beneath the pavilion, he stopped, looking up at the flowers, trying to discern their species while chatting away.

Unable to identify the species and with a slight ache in his neck, he gave up on his investigation, turning back to chat with his good online friend.

His good online friend took a sip from the water bottle he had with him, continuing the casual conversation, asking him what he thought of Huochuan.

Caught off guard by the question, Chen Bai responded with, "Huh?"

He seemed to recall someone asking him a similar question not too long ago.

Is it a common practice among parents these days to inquire this way of their friends?