Chapter 51: The Investor

Chapter 51: The Investor

"…"

Chen Moubai rubbed his face.

Turned out that apart from the awkwardness of watching acquaintances act, there was another kind—the discomfort of having acquaintances watch him act.

A tuft of white hair gradually lost its color as he lay on the sofa, becoming a fresh corpse.

Fortunately, he didn't need to lie there for long. This episode happened to be the last segment of the final episode in the advanced viewing schedule, and after it ended, the credits rolled without leading into the next episode.

Zhang Ling sighed along with Huo Qing. The equally engrossed caregiver, who had been watching with them, instinctively started checking when the next airing would be.

The TV screen went black, and the corpse regained some vitality, sitting up again. The Goddess of Fortune's sister gave him a thumbs-up, praising, "Brother Bai acted really well."

The newly revived corpse lay back down once more.

The caregiver got up and took the fruit basket placed on the cabinet nearby, slicing up a plate of fruit.

That afternoon was filled with pleasant conversation. It had been quite some time since they'd seen each other, and Zhang Ling had plenty to say. Chen Moubai, with his wealth of work experiences, never ran out of gossip. The group, including the caregiver, chatted while they ate.

Time slowly passed, the sun slowly moved, and the sunlight shifted from initially shining through the doorway to streaming in from the opposite window.

Even on the top floor, tall trees reached the windows, casting dappled shadows as they followed the sun's path.

Laughter filled the ward. Zhang Ling had a blanket draped over her legs; her mouth dry from talking, she smiled as she picked up a glass of water, leaned back against the wheelchair's backrest, and took a sip before turning to continue listening to the person sitting on the sofa beside her.

The light came in from the side, illuminating one side of the person sitting next to her, revealing a lean silhouette and a head of hair that had been simply combed but had become tousled against the back of the sofa.

The tousled hair was striking, swaying slightly in the air with every movement.

Without much thought, she subconsciously reached out her hand across her waist.

Someone nearby stabbed at a piece of fruit, making a soft sound.

"…"

Before her hand touched the disheveled white hair, she realized what she was doing. Her raised hand paused, then retracted.

"?"

Noticing something seemed to have entered her peripheral vision, the person who had just been chewing on a piece of fruit had their cheeks slightly puffed out. They turned their head and saw the hand still hovering in mid-air. Swallowing the fruit in their mouth, they pointed to their messy hair and asked, "Auntie, do you want to touch it?"

Then, they generously said to go ahead and mess with it, adding, "They say the texture is pretty good."

By "they," they meant the bunch of people on set. His good neighbor had only ever touched it when blow-drying or putting on a hat, never commenting on the feel.

A person whose hair had been mysteriously tugged at by others ever since changing its color had gradually become numb and accustomed to such things. Considering Auntie Good was seated in a wheelchair at a lower height, he considerately lowered his head slightly.

Zhang Ling's outstretched hand did not retract, gently landing on the white hair.

It was indeed very nice to touch. The hair was fine, soft, and plentiful, a bit messy but not bothersome.

She lowered her eyes, slowly helping to comb through the hair.

Accustomed to the storm-like rough handling from others, Chen Yibai waited for the familiar sensation but didn't feel it until he paid closer attention. Only then did he realize someone was combing his hair.

The movements were light and somewhat cautious, allowing him to feel only a faint warmth through the hair, akin to the coziness of a blanket. He almost didn't notice it.

After smoothing out the tousled hair, Zhang Ling withdrew her hand.

Chen Yibai finally lifted his head again, smiling.

With the hair neatly combed, he couldn't be ruffled anymore. Huo Qing, who had tried to reach out several times from the side, left the scene in disappointment, able only to sit and watch.

The room was quiet, with only the sound of voices. As soon as she sat down, footsteps could be heard outside the ward.

No one unauthorized could come up to this floor, and it wasn't the doctors' routine checkup time. She processed this for a moment, then glanced at the time.

It was already the time her brother usually arrived. Realizing who it was, she got up before the person knocked on the door to open it.

"Creak—"

As she opened the door, the person in the hallway was just standing there.

Dressed in a suit as usual, though his jacket was already off and draped over his arm, he walked into the ward while looking toward where the bed was, asking, "How's Mom?"

There was no one on the bed.

This person must have come straight from work, still speaking in the same professional tone as when working. His voice was cold, sounding impersonal and somewhat chilling. Fortunately, Huo Qing was used to it, guiding him toward the small living area and saying, "She's great. Brother Bai came today, and she's been chatting happily."

Huochuan: "Chen Bai?"

Indeed, it was Chen Bai.

Turning into the living area, one glance was enough to notice the person sitting on the edge of the sofa.

He had just lifted his head, a smile still lingering on his face, his eyes curved.

The few people in the small living room noticed him and greeted him. The white-haired one also called out, "President Huo."

Every time they met after a period, this person's appearance would change a little.

His gaze lingered on the person for a moment before moving away. Huochuan nodded, surveying the room.

On the coffee table was a bouquet of flowers, white and green, next to a fruit platter that was mostly eaten and other snacks.

It looked like the place had been lively that afternoon.

Shifting his gaze from above, Chen Yibai, seated on the edge of the sofa, glanced at the time on his phone.

Even the God of Wealth had clocked out; indeed, it was late.

If he returned now and shared a meal with his good neighbor, by the time dinner was over, it would be about the right time for his stream.

With Auntie Hao's family all present, there was no need for him to linger here any longer. He casually put on the hat that was set aside, then reached into his pocket to pull out a mask, before standing up and suggesting that it was time to leave.

Zhang Ling, who was nearby, also checked the time.

Understanding how busy he was, she knew that spending nearly an entire afternoon here was already quite generous. She didn't insist on keeping him any longer, sighing instead as she smiled and agreed.

Worried about him returning alone, her eyes scanned the room, and she called out her son's name, saying, "You should have driven here, right? It's perfect timing to give him a ride."

The God of Wealth as a chauffeur?

Chen Moubai paused in the act of putting on his mask, feeling that this was somewhat sacrilegious.

Just as he was about to raise his hand to decline, the man who had just entered the ward put down the coat draped over his arm without further ado and simply agreed.

Zhang Ling then instructed, "Make sure you see him safely home."

"…"

In a natural yet inexplicable turn of events, Chen Moubai and the God of Wealth left the ward together.

Indeed, the God of Wealth had driven himself today, holding the keys in his hand, without a driver in sight.

Not wanting to truly make the client, the God of Wealth, serve as a driver, he promptly indicated that he could return on his own before they took the elevator downstairs.

The God of Wealth accompanied him onto the elevator, his attitude clear.

To think that he was volunteering to be a driver, Chen Moubai looked at him in disbelief, reasonably suspecting the God of Wealth's mental state.

Meeting his gaze, Huochuan lowered his head and said, "She's in a pretty good mood today."

It was an explanation of sorts.

Since Zhang Ling was in high spirits today, he didn't want to spoil her good mood. Driving wasn't a big deal.

Exiting the elevator, the first floor of the hospital building was bustling with people.

After leaving the building and getting into the car parked in the lot, Huochuan started the vehicle.

Sitting in the backseat would have given the impression of treating the God of Wealth like a chauffeur, so Chen Bai took the passenger seat, buckling his seatbelt. The person beside him in the driver's seat then asked for his address.

He pulled out his phone to check the map and gave the name of the nearby subway station.

The God of Wealth didn't move, asking for the specific location.

This was a genuine intention to ensure he was delivered home.

The residential area where he lived was quite large, with several entrances. Even if one knew which part he resided in, it wouldn't be too difficult. So, Chen Bai provided the name of the neighborhood.

The car started moving, slowly exiting the parking lot.

The last rays of evening sunlight filtered through the roadside greenery into the car, casting shadows and illuminating a section of white hair beneath the brim of the cap next to the passenger seat.

After sending a message to his good neighbor, Chen Bai put away his phone, recalling something. He raised his head and suggested, "Auntie's illness requires rest, but not excessive stillness."

He continued, "It's too quiet for her to be alone in such a large house. Occasionally, she can spend time with her friends. Whether it's playing mahjong or doing something else together, it would be beneficial."

Treating illness involves rest, especially for Auntie Zhang's condition, which requires avoiding emotional fluctuations and extremes of joy or sorrow.

While living in that house was quiet, there weren't many new things happening. When one is quiet, it's easy to dwell on thoughts, leading to negative moods and deteriorating health.

Huochuan didn't contradict him, glancing sideways before returning his gaze to the road and agreeing.

The last vestiges of light in the sky vanished completely, replaced by the glow of streetlights along the road.

Halfway through the journey, the phone in his pocket vibrated. In the dim interior of the car, Chen Moubai sitting in the passenger seat pulled out his phone, the screen lighting up the cabin.

It was a call from Auntie Zhang. He glanced at it and answered.

Auntie Hao had nothing pressing, merely wanting to know how far away he was and how long until he arrived home. Glancing at the navigation display on the car's screen, he replied that he was almost there, estimating a few more minutes.

Whatever was said on the other end, he responded, leaning back against the seat, laughing softly.

At a red light, the car came to a gradual stop. Huochuan held the steering wheel, glancing sideways at him.

Unlike when he usually spoke with him, this person appeared relaxed. Half-hidden in the light, his face bore an unrestrained smile, and the tone of his voice had subtle differences, the pitch rising slightly at the end, easily conveying a good mood.

The car was quiet, save for the hum of the air conditioning. His speaking voice wasn't loud, bordering on soft, but amplified in the silent space, it could be heard clearly.

When the call ended, he turned his head and asked, "Do you really like her?"

The 'her' referred to clearly was Ms. Zhang.

"Mm."

Chen Bai put away his phone, smiling faintly as he lifted his eyes halfway, saying, "Auntie and my mother both loved chatting."

Despite their vastly different personalities in every other aspect, their love for conversation was surprisingly consistent—or perhaps many mothers around the world were similarly aligned in this regard.

Regrettably, he had been too arrogant back then, never managing to have a proper chat with her. Now, even if he wanted to, there was no opportunity.

His face wore a faint smile, devoid of other emotions, his eyes clear, as if merely stating a fact.

Huochuan retracted his gaze, acknowledging with a response.

The vehicle cruised onto familiar terrain, and following the navigation, he parked by the roadside. The passenger in the front seat unfastened his seatbelt and hopped out of the car, closing the door behind him before waving through the window.

It seemed the person had some urgent matter to attend to, for they didn't linger by the roadside. After a couple of waves, they turned and jogged into the residential complex.

Watching the figure disappear, Huochuan retracted his gaze, made a U-turn, and headed back.

In reality, the person with the supposed emergency had nothing pressing at all.

He merely wanted to return home sooner to dine with his good neighbor.

For reasons unknown, Old Xu, always eager to learn, had recently taken up cooking. Though his skills were on par with those of Xu Lang, his younger brother, he had achieved modest success.

Such as being able to safely prepare fragrant steamed rice.

That evening, when he tasted the rice, though he couldn't discern any particular flavor, he still gave a thumbs-up in appreciation, emphasizing emotional value.

Having already arranged to stream online with his online friends that night, time was running short. After eating and washing the dishes together, he proposed leaving.

From the kitchen to the entrance hall, Chen Yibai raised his hand to put his hat back on. Midway through, as if remembering something, he said, "Have you not yet experienced my new fur?"

He removed the half-worn hat and asked, "Would you like to try it?"

"…"

His question was so natural that Comrade Old Xu was momentarily taken aback before realizing what was happening.

When he looked down again, the person standing by the door was still looking up at him, repeating the question.

After a brief silence, Xu Sinian lifted his hand, the cold gray watch on his wrist flashing under the light.

—And just as his hand was about to touch the soft white hair, Bai Mao smiled.

In that instant, the previously still figure swiftly moved, quickly ducking under his hand, leaning forward, and then jumping.

Relying on a series of feints, Chen Moubai placed one hand on his good neighbor's shoulder, taking advantage of the momentary distraction to successfully touch the hair, embarking on a whirlwind frenzy of tugging within a short span of time.

The action was swift, the method wild.

So that was the purpose.

Feeling the weight, neither too heavy nor too light, Xu Sinian took a half-step back, leaning against the entrance cabinet. In the first moment, he retracted his hand to steady the person on him, preventing them from falling.

Chen Yibai, who had complete faith in Old Xu's arm strength, capable of taking on ten of himself in a single punch, continued his frenzied tugging while offering a brief evaluation: "A bit hard, uncertain, let me try again."

Comrade Old Xu allowed him to try.

Then, after finally having his fill, he patted the person's shoulder, was gently lowered, and landed easily.

Back on solid ground, he looked up to admire the fruits of his labor, thoroughly pleased, and snapped a photo as a keepsake.

Having comfortably obtained the hair of a major actor through his own efforts, Chen Yibai was content. After taking photos as a memento, he truly put on his hat.

With the hat in place, he waved goodbye, took a few steps, and pressed the elevator button in a hurry.

Having tugged and run, the actions were swift, leaving his good neighbor standing at the door watching him depart.

The elevator descended, stopping at the next floor, and then fell silent.

"…"

Xu Sinian stood at the door, quietly looking down at his hand.

Chen Bai quickly returned to his own home. Upon arriving, he turned on his computer and resumed his ordinary streaming session.

Seated in front of the computer, he felt as if he had forgotten something but wasn't quite sure what it was. Thus, he didn't dwell on it and connected with his friends for a live chat.

Today was supposed to be an ordinary day where he earned a little money, until a notification popped up on his phone right before he went offline.

It was a transaction notification.

To be precise, it was a deposit notification, showing a credit of 200,000 yuan to his account, from the same account as the previous payments from the God of Wealth.

This was the reward for spending the afternoon accompanying Aunt Zhang, or perhaps a token of gratitude.

Chen Bai hadn't gone to the hospital to visit her solely for the money.

But since the God of Wealth had already transferred the funds to his account, returning them would even incur additional fees, so there was no reason not to accept it. He chose to keep the payment.

Receiving 200,000 yuan at two in the morning significantly improved his spirits. Setting aside his phone temporarily, he went to wash up, changed into his pajamas, and collapsed onto the bed. With his head resting on the pillow, comfortable, he picked up his phone once more.

Calculating the time, he had been here for quite a while, and it seemed he had earned a decent amount of gold coins. His wages from various sources were distributed across different accounts, each accumulating some funds. He hadn't had the time, or rather, hadn't thought much about it, and thus had never consolidated his earnings.

With his mind still alert and some free time on his hands, he rolled over and began checking each of his bank accounts, trying to gauge how far he was from his goal of three million.

The bulk of his savings came from the account associated with the God of Wealth and the account linked to Chen Yibai. There was also a portion from Chen Erbai, including the prize money from the previous competition, which appeared substantial in terms of quantity.

Once Chen Yibai's endorsement deal was signed, the endorsement fee should also be considerable. However, this was something that would happen much later, with a long wait until the actual funds would be credited.

Switching to a split-screen mode, the main screen displayed the balance of his bank account, while the smaller screen showed a calculator. He went through each card, calculating the amounts.

Not letting a single cent slip by, he started with the cards with lesser amounts, even including the figures after the decimal point in the calculator.

The balances of the earlier cards ranged from dozens to hundreds of yuan, with one card holding several thousand yuan, nearly reaching ten thousand. He pondered for a moment, recalling that it was the money earned from locksmith services.

After finishing the calculations for the cards with smaller amounts, when he reached Chen Erbai's salary card, the numbers suddenly jumped, instantly reaching six digits, making the view much more pleasing.

Adding the balance from the account related to the God of Wealth, the number of digits soared to seven.

Glancing at the total in the calculator and then at the balance in Chen Yibai's account, Master Chen's brain slightly churned, sensing something amiss. He sat up straighter, realizing something was off.

The sum of two seven-digit numbers successfully synthesized a seven-digit number starting with three.

"..."

He was now fully awake, sitting up in bed to recalculate the figures.

"= 3,025,063.89"

The result remained unchanged.

Over three million, plus an additional two hundred thousand, and there were still over two months, nearly three, until the final deadline for repayment.

He had unexpectedly completed his task ahead of schedule. Although the thought of the four-hundred-million mountain still looming overhead would make him pause, at least finishing the three million early was a good thing.

Once the money was repaid, the remaining funds would be roughly consistent with what he had when he first arrived here, before entering the hospital.

It was hard to say if it felt like returning to square one or something else entirely.

On an ordinary evening, Chen Moubai suddenly crossed the three-million threshold. In the first moment, he decided to harass his good neighbor, carefully selecting a self-praising emoji to send.

At this late hour, his good neighbor was surprisingly still online, not understanding the situation but joining in the praise nonetheless.

With the praise from himself and his good neighbor, Bai Mao put down his phone and slept soundly through the night.

The endorsement deal was basically settled, but the contract procedures moved slowly, and his money-making partner estimated it would take half a month. They met beforehand.

Meeting at the company was troublesome, far away, and there were other artists' fans lurking downstairs. Meeting outside also posed risks, so the partner had already taken the initiative to consider his residence as a good place to discuss matters, coming directly with issues at hand.

Once again, he was dug out of bed, his hair in disarray, and after washing up, he sat down on the sofa to receive two pieces of news.

One was about the driver issue that his agent had been shouting about since the beginning, which had finally been put on the agenda. The company planned to provide him with a car and a driver, but things were still in preparation and would likely take some time.

The second matter was about script selection.

Currently, "Inquiring Fate" was still airing, with consistently high ratings, far surpassing the second-place show. During this period, many production companies had sent scripts.

Without commenting on the quality of the newly submitted scripts, Chen Yibai, with half-open eyes, skimmed through them briefly. Halfway through, his eyes opened wider, and after pondering for a moment, he tentatively asked, "Aren't we asking for the moon here?"

They were asking for the moon, and yet these people truly recognized the price, each one bidding higher than the last.

His agent smacked his head and said, "You're worth it."

Finding an actor who brings commercial value is fundamentally more than just wanting a usable actor for the team; it's making an investment. And investing means spending money; if you want the commercial value behind the actor, you have to pay for it.

The price she gave to the producers was still conservative, considering how quickly this person's fame had risen, the large fan base but few works, objectively presenting a certain level of risk. In comparison, it was already a very reasonable price.

Perhaps it wasn't just her imagination, but she always felt that this person's self-positioning was unclear, perhaps even still seeing himself as a newcomer.

Chen Yibai, who was still seeing himself as a newcomer, continued to read through the scripts.

There were six scripts in total, the thinnest one at the bottom, just a few pages, but its quote stood out, exuding a boldness from the first glance that spoke of great wealth.

His agent had learned to pour herself a drink, getting up to fetch a glass of water while he read the scripts. When she returned, she saw the script in his hands and said, "This is a movie script. They've been looking for an actor for quite some time, and they'll be starting production soon."

Out of the six scripts, three were for TV dramas, two for variety shows, and one for a movie.

She said, "It depends on where you want to develop next. If you're leaning towards becoming a topic celebrity, you can consider the variety shows. But if you're leaning towards being an actor, my personal suggestion is to try out for this movie."

Both options had their advantages and disadvantages, and the company was also deliberating. Ultimately, it came down to personal preference.

Chen Yibai chose to look at the movie script.

He didn't know much about this aspect, but purely based on instinct, he felt that if he chose the former, comments about husbands and wives in the comment section would increase even more than before.

He had no plans to date and didn't particularly want to commit bigamy.

His agent was unsurprised, as it was within expectations. Holding her glass of water, she sat down beside him and said, "The script for this movie is good, and the role they're offering you is also good."

A good script, a major production, a renowned director, and the other actors who had already been confirmed were reportedly seasoned veterans, making the cast lineup luxurious.

The movie was a wuxia film, and the character was the third male lead, a blind swordsman whose wife had died. In his youth, he was a famous flirtatious swordsman in the martial world, but when he appeared, he was alone, heartblind and visually impaired, unable to wield a sword, having exiled himself to a place of exile.

Chen Yibai felt that this character objectively tested his abilities somewhat and believed that they wouldn't seek him out for this role.

His agent knew this too, saying, "I asked around, and it turns out a major financier recommended you. Do you have any friends, aside from Xu Sinian, who are also quite influential?"

"A major financier?"

Flipping through the already thin script pages, Chen Bai shook his head in denial. "How could I possibly know them."

Author's Note:

The God of Wealth automatically excludes himself from the category of friends (.)

The forgotten thing refers to Old Xu, who has yet to touch Bai Mao due to being deceived by a feint.