Chapter 68 (End of Chapter 68)
Although the scene before them was quite misleading, the police quickly confirmed the serious nature of the case after cordoning off the area and examining the composition of the red wine on the table.
With complete evidence and conclusive facts of the crime, Fang Yucheng was arrested on the spot.
However, because the suspect had bleeding from his forehead, he needed to go to the hospital for stitches.
They first asked Mu Jiu to go to the police station as a victim to cooperate with the statement taking.
The whole matter was not complicated, and Mu Jiu left the police station before it got completely dark.
As soon as I stepped over the steps, I saw Ling Zhao leaning against the door.
He paused for a moment upon seeing her, then casually asked, "Will your agent come to see you off?"
"Yes, I contacted her."
A gust of cold wind blew, and Mu Jiu subconsciously put his hands into his pockets: "Such a big thing as beating up Fang Yucheng, I still need to tell her."
Ling Zhao: "..."
Ling Zhao: "Looks like I'm late."
"No, you've come at just the right time."
Mu Jiu earnestly comforted him, "If he came early, he wouldn't have drugged me, and there wouldn't be enough evidence. If he came late, he might commit violence against a woman like me who is powerless to even kill a chicken."
Even though she had just heard a policeman say that Fang Yucheng's injuries might lead to a concussion, Ling Zhao still nodded in agreement: "You're right."
After a brief conversation, the two of them suddenly fell silent.
Once it quieted down, there seemed to be an indescribable, ambiguous feeling in the air.
Just as Mu Jiu was contemplating whether to break the silence, a jarring sound seemed to suddenly squeeze into her consciousness.
[Beep—Vital signs check complete.]
[System ID 740, Entertainment Industry Comeback System, is at your service. Please select "OK" to bind to the system.]
[After binding with the system, you can obtain upgrade cheat codes and unlock story content.]
Mu Jiu: [...]
Mu Jiu: [You mean you want me to go to jail like Fang Yucheng?]
[Host detected main quest &%……￥%……, discovered#%……￥]
Perhaps her response was like a bug in ordering fried rice at a bar, quickly corrupting the system's C language.
This unidentified electronic being not only couldn't speak fluently afterward, but also spoke in a lot of electronic voice. Finally, as if it had been detected by antivirus software, the mechanical voice disappeared with a crack in the final explosion.
The world fell silent.
Mu Jiu stared blankly at the sky at a 45-degree angle, feeling as if a transparent barrier in his consciousness had suddenly dissolved.
The "transmigration plot" that she had in her mind also inexplicably became blurry.
The perceptions and memories belonging to the real world suddenly found their roots.
She... was not some special outsider.
When she came to her senses, Mu Jiu felt a sense of ease that she hadn't felt in a long time, as if a heavy burden that had been weighing on her for a long time had been lifted off her shoulders.
Just as she was in a state similar to "oxygen intoxication," she heard the sound of a car approaching from the street.
"Ancestor, what are you doing..."
Sister Chen's voice stopped abruptly upon seeing Ling Zhao. She cautiously observed her surroundings before giving Mu Jiu a wink.
She waited until Mu Jiu was close to the car window before lowering her voice and asking, "Did the two of you beat Fang Yucheng so badly he ended up in the hospital?"
Mu Jiu blinked, looking completely innocent: "I'm the victim."
"Victim..."
Sister Chen seemed about to swear but stopped herself, and finally shook her head: "Just say hello to the person and get in the car first, I'll ask you again later."
Seeing the disbelief on his agent's face, Mu Jiu could only shrug.
When she turned around and saw Ling Zhao, she originally only intended to wave casually, but she paused when she met his eyes.
Ling Zhao: "Are you leaving?"
Mu Jiu: "Mm."
I don't know why.
Only after seeing Ling Zhao's eyes did she belatedly realize what was happening.
After the show ends, their future will no longer be like it was before, where they could send messages, make phone calls, and meet up at any time.
Aside from the show's schedule, they seem unable to see each other again without a reasonable work reason.
The night wind brought a chill.
The figure opposite her moved slightly, and Ling Zhao composed himself, simply looking at her intently.
"May I invite you to my concert sometime in the future?"
——
The city's nightscape was illuminated by flowing neon lights, creating a vibrant tapestry of colors. Even five or six kilometers away from the largest concert venue in the area, the roads were already completely jammed with vehicles arriving from all directions.
Police officers were busy directing traffic, while many tourists from other places were taking photos in front of local landmarks.
Although we hadn't even arrived at the venue yet, the sheer number of people already made it clear how agonizing it was to wait in long lines.
Tan Xi leaned against the lamppost and waited, staring at her phone screen while occasionally glancing at the crowd of people passing by.
Just as she was about to turn around, a short-haired girl wearing cargo pants and a hoodie suddenly tilted her head: "Tan Xixi?"
Upon hearing the familiar name, Tan Xi's eyes lit up, and the other person immediately understood and began to introduce himself: "I'm Xiaobai."
"Kirino is still studying abroad and can't come back in time. Watakawa's project deadline is too tight, so he can't spare the time at all. So this time, it should be just the three of us in the group."
Following Xiaobai's introduction, Tan Xi's gaze fell on the girl beside her, and she tentatively asked, "This is... Xingxing?"
Upon hearing her question, the other person readily agreed, making a heart shape with their hands: "Hehe, finally meeting my online friend in real life! And we can even spend New Year's Eve together offline with my girlfriends, life is just too perfect!"
Xiao Bai chuckled and poked her arm: "Oh my, isn't that cheesy?"
The slight awkwardness at first glance disappeared as they started talking about familiar topics. In just half an hour, the three of them were like old friends, strolling hand-in-hand through food stalls and chatting.
Outside the venue, various stalls from all over the country were set up, with the aroma of grilled sausages mixed with the sweetness of roasted chestnuts, and the salty and savory flavor of barbecue wrapped around the fragrance of freshly made hand-pulled pancakes.
They were bombarded with all sorts of delicious food along the way, and amidst the loud shouts of the vendors, they finally made it to the vicinity of the venue with great difficulty.
Looking at the throng of people not far away, Tan Xi couldn't help but sigh, "There seem to be a lot more people than at the last concert."
Xiao Bai: "After all, this is Ling Zhao's first time in Gangcheng, and it's said that the local government has specially approved the largest venue ever. I can't quite remember the exact number of people, but it's not even in the same league as the one in Q City last time..."
As they chatted, Xingxing kept staring at the banners on the stall behind them, unable to take her eyes off them. Xiaobai reached out and tugged at her arm, saying, "Don't get lost! You can't bring anything you buy from these outside support stalls inside. They'll all be confiscated at security later."
Xingxing snapped out of her daze and quickly waved her hand with a smile: "I know, I just didn't expect to see the morning and evening banners from 'I Go' again this year, so I couldn't help but take a second look."
Upon hearing this, Tan Xi couldn't help but glance back.
After the recording of "Our Past" ended, apart from some business collaborations for the first year to satisfy the CP fans, in the following years, Ling Zhao and Mu Jiu were almost never seen together on social media.
Tan Xi couldn't quite explain what he was thinking either.
While her former roommates had long since moved on and stopped talking to her about everything, she still kept track of how the two of them were doing.
But actually, they all did very well after the show ended.
Two years ago, Mu Jiu played the second female lead in a female-centric urban drama and a palace drama. The two dramas were released in different years and were both ratings champions in their respective years.
This year, she has officially participated in the filming of a patriotic film.
Meanwhile, another fantasy period drama that received approval for its publishing license also began airing three months ago.
It was nearing the end of the year, and everyone was putting in their best efforts, with the male and female leads promoting themselves as an on-screen couple. However, no one expected that this fantasy drama, which hadn't been heavily marketed, would suddenly become a hot topic and top the trending searches.
Besides Mu Jiu's superb acting skills, there are of course other reasons as well...
"Chao Mu has become a huge hit this time with 'The Path to Immortality in the Nine Provinces,' and all the drama fans have rushed to the offline event."
Xingxing exclaimed in admiration, "This film is still directed by Director Mo. This is a real revival of the arts and culture scene. We're finally getting to enjoy the good life and celebrating the New Year early!"
Just as Xingxing was about to continue her reflections, she suddenly remembered something, and her expression instantly froze.
Under the questioning gazes of Tan Xi and Xiao Bai, she snapped out of her daze and waved her hand: "I was just thinking about the trending topic #I'mInvisible# after Chao Mu's drama became a hit, which reminded me of my cybercrime record."
"ah……"
"Um……"
Everyone present wore a knowing, subtle expression, as if they had just eaten something disgusting.
Xiao Bai: "I saw someone digging up an old post a few years ago saying that a few years ago, FYC's sasaeng fans went to the police station to stake out the place, but they were invited in for tea by Uncle Hat. They actually bumped into FYC himself and completely changed their ways and stopped chasing stars."
Tan Xi also had a subtle expression: "To be honest, the worst off are the sisters who were fans of Meng Xiangcheng. One of them cut ties with Meng Xiangcheng at lightning speed, and the other slept with a man and took photos. They feel disgusted and want to vomit whenever they think about it in the middle of the night."
Xingxing gasped upon hearing this, clutching her chest and sighing, "How could we have been so blind back then, throwing money at such scum?"
The three looked at each other in silence, and stood still for three seconds amidst the noisy crowd, mourning the huge sum of money they had mistakenly spent back then.
The unpleasant little episode soon came to an end.
After officially entering the venue through the ticket check, the three of them quickly started chatting excitedly again.
Until the lights went out.
The noisy venue was plunged into darkness, with only a few faint lights from cell phones and light sticks flashing in the dark.
The next second, the sound waves from the speakers exploded without warning, and the deep bass and bass chords swept across the skin with a scalding vibration, even the ground underfoot felt slightly numb.
Under the spotlight, Ling Zhao's figure was projected by the light, and his slightly cold voice came through the microphone and speakers.
Amidst the powerful vocals, only one thought remains.
He belonged on this kind of stage.
The concert quietly drew to a close amidst the excitement of everyone present.
After the music stopped, Ling Zhao held the microphone and solemnly looked up: "I am truly grateful to be here today and to see the support of so many fans."
"The next song..."
He looked up at the audience, as if searching for something. Finally, as if he had locked onto something in the crowd, a slight smile appeared on his lips: "It's dedicated to someone important."
Before he could finish speaking, the entire audience realized what was happening and erupted in chaos, with screams nearly lifting the roof off the stadium.
The song is called "Dawn and Dusk".
The intro flows gently, and unlike the previous rock song that was as fast-paced and adrenaline-pumping as a storm, this song is full of the subtlety and restraint of Chinese aesthetics.
The clear, melodious sound of the piano spread out, accompanied by tender and obscure emotions, each word telling a story.
The entire venue gradually quieted down, completely immersed in the singing.
At the end of the music, the large screen camera suddenly cut to the audience.
Her slightly upturned fox-like eyes looked at the camera with a hint of confusion. Even after all these years, she still exuded a pure and scholarly air, like a winter plum blossom.
Mu Jiu.
The moment she appeared, the entire venue finally erupted in cheers.
Ling Zhao raised his hand and gently pressed the microphone, speaking softly, "Sorry, everyone, please wait a moment."
After he finished speaking, he stepped down from the stage.
The camera followed him step by step to the VIP seats, finally landing in front of Mu Jiu.
He lowered his voice, turned off the microphone, and spoke almost in a whisper: "Would you like to come up on stage with me?"
Mu Jiu glanced at him in surprise, but nodded without hesitation.
And so, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the two of them climbed the steps together.
When Mu Jiu stood beside Ling Zhao, she greeted the audience on all sides without any shyness: "Hello everyone, I am actor Mu Jiu."
At this point, she smiled and said, "I didn't expect to be invited to the stage so suddenly. I don't have any special talents, so I can only wish everyone a Happy New Year in advance!"
Amidst the good-natured laughter, a loud voice suddenly rang out: "Together—"
The sound was impossible to ignore, and almost at the same time, Ling Zhao solemnly raised his hand in that direction to make a shushing gesture.
Seeing this, the fans who had just spoken up dared not say anything more.
The excitement inside the venue seemed to gradually cool down.
However, the next second, Ling Zhao picked up the microphone.
"You shouldn't be saying such things."
That usually cold, deep voice was much gentler today.
After the noise outside the venue subsided, he turned to look at Mu Jiu and said, "Thank you for coming to my concert."
Mu Jiu looked at him hesitantly: "You're welcome?"
Hearing her reply, Ling Zhao lowered her eyes, somewhat helpless: "...When I met you, I always thought I was experiencing the worst day of my life."
"I owe rent and utility bills, and even the boss at my workplace is planning to quit. As soon as I open my eyes, my phone is full of text messages about unpaid bills."
"It feels like I've been working hard for a long time, yet it also feels like I've been accomplishing nothing all along."
"When you spoke to me, I was thinking... how can a person live like this, with neither sixpence nor the moon?"
"But later I found out—"
"It turns out that I met my moon that day."
Under the glaring lights, those warm, amber-like eyes looked directly at her.
Ling Zhao: "Miss Mu, I've liked you for a long time."
Ling Zhao: "Would you like to be my girlfriend?"
During this time, the sounds inside the venue seemed to disappear.
Mu Jiu lowered his eyes slightly and rubbed the microphone in his hand.
She could almost hear the crisp sound of wind chimes from inside the coffee shop.
The gaze directed at her never concealed its true feelings from the very beginning.
Even at this moment, one can clearly see the unease beneath his feigned composure.
"Then I..."
Mu Jiu paused, a barely perceptible smile seeming to flash in his eyes: "I guess I was willing a long time ago."
-----------------------
Author's Note: The main story ends here. There will be side stories, yes, there will be, but the author hasn't decided what to write yet (timidly).
Dear readers, please leave a comment if you have any requests for bonus chapters. The author will consider them if there are any delays in the writing process.
I often stay up late during the serialization period, so the extra chapters will be updated more randomly. I expect to finish updating them by the end of January.
——
Some random thoughts on the creative process:
This is a pre-order book that was left gathering dust in a corner three years ago, inspired by the first season of "Transfer Romance".
The sheer scale of the themes in Korean dating reality shows, with their sensationalism and melodramatic elements, shocked me greatly, which inspired me to create my own dating reality show.
However, even after the third season of "Transfer Romance" had ended, the book still had an unbelievable zero-word count.
This year, after finishing her previous Western fantasy light novel, author Gu finally revived a three-year-old idea.
Compared to traditional, conventional dating reality shows, I hope that when you read this story, you can feel the "bittersweet romance," experience the hilarious absurdity, and even feel your heart flutter when you read a certain part of the plot.
Alternatively, if this story can give everyone a pleasant and wonderful experience, and make people smile knowingly when they see certain parts, then that would be the best reward for the author, Gu, in writing the book.
I am very grateful to all the readers who left me messages, gave me comments, and supported the official version. It is because of everyone's encouragement and support that this author has been able to persevere until now.
If you're interested in any of the pre-released stories on the author's column, feel free to add them to your favorites. Hopefully, we'll have the chance to meet again in the next book or the one after that!
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