Chapter 64 A Feast for Empty Nest Elderly [Added 1300 words]...

"This is a face mask that your father specially developed for us, mother and daughter."

Qi Feizhu magically produced two boxes of face masks, saying as she unpacked them, "Baby, look, your face mask is much prettier than Mommy's."

The child leaned in, let out a "Wow!" sound, and jumped up and down. The little guy was overjoyed.

Yan Xingli glanced at it curiously, then paused, stunned.

It's actually an animal face mask.

Chicks, ducklings, alpacas, tigers, lions, elephants.

This stuff exists on Earth; animal face masks were a very popular internet sensation a few years ago.

Qi Youyu's eyes lit up, and she eagerly offered her chubby little face: "Mommy, hurry up and put it on for me."

Qi Feizhu coaxed, "How about you take a bath first? After you take a bath, Mom will apply a mask with you."

"good!"

The four-bedroom, two-living room, two-bathroom layout is more than enough for two adults and one child. Qi Feizhu invited Yan Xingli to stay and live with them, but Yan Xingli politely declined.

Yu Yu went to her room to get her pajamas, and Qi Feizhu escorted Yan Xingli to the door.

Yan Xingli asked tactfully, "Xiao Qi, does Planet Cang'ai have children's face masks?"

"No."

"Children have naturally good skin, they don't need to use face masks."

Yan Xingli: "What about the animal face mask that Yu Yu used earlier?"

Qi Feizhu covered her mouth and chuckled: "I was just kidding Yu Yu. That face mask is similar to baby cream, it's for moisturizing."

Yu Yu is so smart; she can make spaceships by hand at only three and a half years old, leaving her husband and wife struggling to come up with a gift that would surprise her.

So Yan Cheng simply gave one of the face masks he had given to his wife to Yu Yu.

Qi Feizhu's body language was exactly the same as Yu Yu's, and for a moment Yan Xingli felt as if he had seen Yu Yu grown up.

After leaving the mother and daughter's residence, Yan Xingli returned to his small apartment.

He had the black necklace that Qi Feizhu had given him in his pocket. When he got home, he first put the necklace on the table, and then went to the bathroom to wash himself.

The TV screen in the living room was black, there were no socks flying around on the floor, and no chubby child rolling around on the sofa.

It was completely empty, inside and out.

A sense of loneliness and loss slowly enveloped Yan Xingli. There's a saying, what was it again? Once you've seen the light, you can never go back to the darkness.

The elderly man living alone, Yan Xingli, looked gloomy. He turned on the TV and listened to the laughter and joy of the variety show. He sat on the sofa and stared blankly for a long time.

Why does he feel so empty inside when his child isn't around?

Yan Xingli reflected in his heart, when did he become so pretentious and fragile?

They must be too idle.

Yan Xingli decided to find something to do. He got up, changed out of his bathrobe, and picked up the black necklace on the table to examine it.

According to Qi Feizhu, this neckband should be a device for playing holographic games. How do you play it? Where is the switch?

Yan Xingli fiddled with it for a while and then put the choker around his neck.

The neck ring felt cool to the touch, but it didn't feel as cool as I expected when I put it on.

He raised his hand and stroked the neck ring, found the button embedded on the inside, and gently pressed it with his fingertip. The world before his eyes changed instantly.

One second he was in a modern apartment, the next he was standing on the Milky Way, feeling as light as if he were flying.

This change came too suddenly.

Just as he was wondering if he had traveled through time, several lines of glowing characters suddenly appeared in front of him.

Welcome to the World of Warcraft!

Dear user, please select the mode you wish to challenge.

Am I a player or an actor?

Yan Xingli breathed a sigh of relief; it was just a game, not time travel.

He looked at the virtual screen in front of him and chose "I am an actor" without the slightest hesitation.

The scene suddenly shifted, and the melodious sound of a guqin filled his ears, while a series of cheerful announcements flashed through his mind.

[Dear actors, welcome to the dungeon: "Tyrant, I Don't Want to Have Your Babies!"]

Banquet for Stars: ?

[Your identity: The tyrant's most prized male concubine.]

Study the script carefully, impress the director with your superb acting skills, and you could be tomorrow's star! Good luck and give it your all to pass the level!

Yan Xingli was greatly alarmed. What year is it tonight?

What kind of messed-up script is this?! Are you kidding me?!

Yan Xingli frantically searched but couldn't find the exit button, and the choker he was wearing around his neck had also vanished into thin air.

Now we're truly helpless, with no one to turn to for help. How can there be such a domineering game that forces love?!

Yan Xingli was both angry and helpless; all the loneliness and isolation of being an empty-nest elderly person vanished completely.

The character information was all poured into his head at once, and Yan Xingli turned green with anger after reading the character biography.

Before he could even utter a curse, he had already successfully changed his appearance and location, sitting in an antique-style room getting ready.

"Brother Jiang."

The door to the side room was pushed open, and a slender young man dressed in simple clothes entered with a smile. "The chrysanthemum appreciation banquet is about to begin, we need to hurry over."

The boy's overly soft tone and the mention of Jiang Cairen in his voice sent shivers down Yan Xingli's spine.

He turned around stiffly, waving his hand with a look of utter despair: "I'm not feeling well, so I won't join in the fun."

The boy looked surprised as he gazed at Consort Jiang, who was dressed in jewels and flamboyant attire, and showed concern.

"Brother Jiang, have you caught a cold? That won't do. We men are weak, so we need to keep warm."

The boy held Yan Xingli's hand and said, "Yesterday the Emperor bestowed upon me a fox fur coat, and I'm bringing it here for my brother to wear."

According to the character setting of Consort Jiang, upon hearing these words, she would definitely be furious, then put on all the gold and silver jewelry bestowed upon her by the emperor, and go to the banquet with a proud and arrogant demeanor.

Ultimately, he was severely punished by the Empress for his improper attire and was also disliked by the Emperor.

Yan Xingli knew that the young man in front of him was a scheming girl. He was jealous of Jiang Cairen's beauty and family background, so he deliberately tried to get close to her and please her.

After gaining her trust, he constantly encouraged and flattered her, making the already clueless Consort Jiang arrogant and disdainful of everyone, ultimately making her the first cannon fodder to fall from the palace intrigue.

Having already anticipated the plot's direction, Yan Xingli waved his hand, kicked off his shoes and socks, and sprawled on the bed.

"No need, I just want some peace and quiet."

"..."

The banquet was a delightful plan.

As long as he doesn't follow the storyline, the official team will definitely rule him out and kick him out.

However, he waited and waited, but instead of a warning from the game administrator, he received none.

Just as he was once again lying low and not vying for favor, several female officials in official robes kicked open his door and dragged the defenseless man out on the spot.

Yan Xingli looked completely bewildered: "What are you doing?"

"If you are not Consort Jiang, then who are you?"

"To dare impersonate a concubine of the palace is simply outrageous!!"

Banquet for Stars: ? ? ?

No, have the NPCs become intelligent?

It's okay, don't panic, it's just a game.

Yan Xingli remained calm and composed. Even after being taken to the Censorate, he still praised in an admiring tone, "The scene modeling is quite realistic."

It wasn't until Yan Xingli's passive attitude angered the female officer interrogating him that she unleashed a memory restoration technique on him.

A stick as thick as a bowl struck Jiang Cairen, whose skin was delicate and tender.

Yan Xingli shuddered violently.

etc!

Why are you serious?

Yan Xingli's face contorted in pain.

A cheeky voiceover from the game's official website echoed in my head:

[Dear actors, if you don't follow the plot and add unnecessary scenes, causing harm to your characters, you will be punished by the shrewd NPCs. Please take this seriously, demonstrate professionalism, and treat your roles with utmost care.]

Yan Xingli coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Damn it! Once he beats this game, he'll definitely teach this overbearing game a lesson!

Yan Xingli underestimated the professionalism of this game; the standard for completing the actor mode is not simply acting until the character's scenes are finished.

The key is the actors' professional performance in the scenario.

The game will evaluate actors based on their lines, micro-expressions, physical movements, on-the-spot reactions, and character immersion. Only those who receive a C+ rating can meet the minimum requirements for passing the game.

Most of those who choose the actor mode are film school students, and their performance ratings in "Fengyun Tianxia" will be included in their exam scores.

Yan Xingli, a newbie who joined the game halfway through, was killed three or four times in the dungeon but still couldn't clear it.

If he keeps killing, when will he ever finish the game?

Yan Xingli was forced into a corner.

He hardened his heart, gritted his teeth, shed his idol image, and devoted himself to the role-playing.

She diligently seduced the emperor, honestly humiliated the male lead, aroused the female lead's protective instincts, and was ultimately sentenced to death.

As the saying goes, hard work pays off, and he finally got a C+ rating and gloriously retired from the game.

Upon returning to the real world, Yan Xingli nearly burst into tears.

LOL, after grinding games for so many years, this is the first time I've ever spent an entire night grinding for a game. Who would believe it if I told them?

But when he picked up his phone, he was surprised to find that only half an hour had passed.

Yan Xingli's pupils dilated; were the flow rates of time on both sides actually different?

He stared blankly at his phone screen, then raised his hand to touch his chin. The night was long, so he decided to play a couple more rounds.

This time, he must avenge his previous defeat.

*

The second day's itinerary included the leader accompanying Qi Feizhu to visit the famous historical sites in City A and watch a performance.

Yan Xingli accompanied him throughout the entire process as a special person.

When the grandmother and grandson met in the morning, Yu Yu and Qi Feizhu saw Yan Xingli with dark circles under his eyes, looking like he hadn't slept enough.

Yu Yu raised her little eyebrows, her face showing a wronged and indignant expression: "Oh dear, you're secretly enjoying yourself without me!"

"Uncle, where did you go last night?"

Are you happy?

As soon as she asked the question, Yan Xingli clearly felt a lot more attention on him.

Yan Xingli quickly clarified, "I didn't go out to play."

He's just busy switching between different film sets, determined to achieve the status of a national film emperor.

Qi Feizhu's eyes were teasing: "Grandpa, did you play games all night yesterday?"

Yan Xingli hesitated and was too embarrassed to admit it.

Qi Feizhu understood, and taking advantage of the free time, she gave a brief introduction to the game.

There are two versions of "Fengyun Tianxia": one is for regular players, and the other is for players with ratings.

It is said that the boss who developed this game has a husband who is eager to enter the entertainment industry and dreams of becoming a national movie star. However, the husband has poor acting talent and gets criticized for every movie he acts in.

To avoid upsetting her husband and to realize her dream, the boss invested heavily in a top-notch game development team, spending a year creating this phenomenal holographic game that combines themes such as palace intrigue, action, suspense, school life, and post-apocalyptic settings.

While ordinary players defeat bosses to complete the game, dreamers like the boss's husband, who are pursuing their dreams in the entertainment industry, must fully immerse themselves in playing any NPC or protagonist in the game.

The game will rate the dream chasers' performance, and only those who achieve a passing score can finish the dungeon.

The game, which can be both fun and help actors hone their acting skills and train their voice, stage presence, and physical expression, quickly became popular on the planet Cang'ai.

The highly prestigious A+ rating has become a bonus for obtaining an actor's certificate, and its authority is self-evident.

After listening to Qi Feizhu's introduction, Yan Xingli subtly puffed out his chest.

He got a B+ rating last night in the dungeon where he played the wicked stepmother; his talent is obvious.

*

The box that Qi Feizhu gave away contained thirty vials of nutritional supplements and two sets of skincare products in transparent containers.

The number of dinosaur eggshells collected by Qi Feizhu and his wife was limited, and they couldn't use them all for skincare products. They could only spare two sets to give to Earth.

Medical researchers were the first to conduct detailed tests on skincare products containing extracts of dinosaur eggshells, and found that the active ingredients in these products were highly concentrated and could effectively promote cell metabolism and collagen regeneration.

Qi Feizhu's statement that it helps maintain skin elasticity is a conservative estimate.

Faced with these two sets of products with precious ingredients and cutting-edge technology, the old men in the base, who usually fight and compete for them, showed a rare gentlemanly demeanor this time.

These old men were roughnecks in their youth, spending their lives with instruments and data, and had no interest in grooming themselves.

Now, faced with these two sets of skincare products, they unanimously agreed to give the opportunity to try them to the female staff at the base.

Therefore, the two sets of skincare products were repackaged into several trial packs, allowing women of different ages and skin types to try them for a week to observe the effects.

Upon receiving a week's supply, Dr. Lin Jing immediately thought of her childhood friend.

Her childhood friend was originally a surgeon at the People's Hospital. He was highly skilled and kind, and often quietly helped patients in financial difficulty, allowing them to cooperate with treatment without any worries.

However, this responsible doctor encountered an absurd medical dispute one day.

My childhood friend was deeply hurt during that medical dispute; she could no longer hold a scalpel, and she was left with a scar on her face.

The double blow, both physical and psychological, left Fa Xiao disheartened and she left the job to which she had devoted half her life.

Leaving did not help her childhood friend to cheer up again. Even though the criminal was severely punished by law and paid a heavy price, it did not make her feel gratified.

The scars that could not be completely removed were a constant reminder of her nightmare.

Dr. Lin Jing cannot leave the base at will; her lotion and cream are delivered to her childhood friend by designated personnel from the base.

Dr. Lin Jing called her childhood friend, asking her to help try it out and record the results. The friend agreed without asking any further questions.

On the other hand, Professor Xie Yin, who has already started using the product, takes photos every morning and evening to record the changes in her face.

The change came quietly, and at a speed that exceeded everyone's expectations.

Just three days.

When Professor Xie Yin compared the photos from the third night with the initial photos from the first day, she could hardly believe her eyes.

The age spots that were originally clearly defined and brightly colored have visibly faded in color.

At the same time, the tightness in her skin caused by years of dryness and fatigue also disappeared.

Instead, she experienced a long-lost moisturizing and soft touch, and as she approached seventy, she felt young again.

"Wow, this is much more effective than going to a beauty salon."

Professor Xie Yin sighed as she looked in the mirror.

She loved beauty when she was young and went to beauty salons with her girlfriends several times for skin treatments, including IPL, chemical peels, and Ultherapy.

Those projects are expensive and require long-term commitment, otherwise they are prone to backfire.

On the other hand, this skincare product is painless and fast-acting. If they can successfully replicate it, it will have a significant impact on the entire medical aesthetics industry.

Everything else is easy to deal with, but dinosaur eggshells are the most important and hardest raw material to find a substitute for.

To completely replicate its effect, they would need to fully master the techniques of space jump and spaceship construction.

The thirty vials of nutritional supplements were handled with even greater care, following the concise instructions that came with them.

After discussion, the medical leaders at the base distributed the supplies to researchers who were physically weak or had underlying medical conditions.

Those younger generations who lost their thick hair and slender figures due to scientific research are eagerly waiting.

"Professor, look at me! I'm the most insecure person in our group, and I really need this opportunity!"

"Professor, don't believe him. He's full of energy. I'm the one who really needs him."

To seize this opportunity, research specialist Xiao Wang gritted his teeth, ripped off his wig, and, to the astonishment of his fellow students, burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably:

"I'm over thirty and still single, just because I'm losing hair. No girl wants to talk to me for more than a few minutes."

With tears in his eyes, the research specialist said, "Professor, all I want is to fall in love and start a family QAQ"

Professor Chen, who holds the power of allocation: OO

Ah, this...

"Little Wang."

Professor Chen patted the young man on the shoulder with emotion: "I knew you were a good kid the moment you joined our institute. You'll be the one to try out this nutrient solution. Write the data analysis report well."

Xiao Wang: "Mmm!"

"Professor, please sit at the head table when I get married!"

The others: ...As expected, when it comes to being miserable, you have to be willing to go all out.