Cubs Development Plan:
【Side Quest】
Mission Description: Filmmaking is a profound art, and the higher you climb, the harder it becomes. Discussing with renowned industry veteran Ji Meng will surely be helpful, perhaps even opening up new perspectives and helping you break through bottlenecks! It would be even better if you could earn Ji Meng's approval.
Mission progress: Communicate with Ji Meng (0/1) Ji Meng's appreciation (0/1)
Mission Reward: The chance of triggering the hidden ending is increased by 20%, and additional triggering conditions for the hidden ending are included.
…
Capital, Linshui Mansion.
Of course, Wen Xingze couldn't possibly play the suona. Not to mention that he didn't have one, even if he did, there was no way he could play it at Ji Meng's Christmas Eve party! What would that mean?!
Although the atmosphere of the party was obviously more casual, Wen Xingze came in a hooded sweatshirt. He had originally planned to change into formal clothes after arriving. But before he even entered the door, he realized that he might not need to change - people were wearing all kinds of clothes. Not to mention hooded sweatshirts, there was even a middle-aged man who walked in with a thermos cup and a palm-leaf fan, as if he was alone.
After the guests confirmed that Wen Xingze really didn't intend to play the suona, they felt genuinely disappointed, and the atmosphere on the entire first floor suddenly became somewhat depressed:
"I really want to hear it! A friend of mine heard it in the 'Encountering the Dragon Night' group and still brags about it..."
"Ever since I went to a disco listening to Xiao Wen's suona, no other bar I go to has the same flavor!"
"I thought Xiao Wen wanted to play the suona, so he disbanded the band. Man proposes, God disposes."
"Meow--"
"I wouldn't say you're disbanding the band on purpose." Wen Xingze was growing increasingly confused. Had the suona become the exclusive instrument for national holidays without him even realizing it? Wasn't that a bit too sudden? "Besides, isn't this Queen Ji's banquet? How are you going to tell her you're disbanding the band?"
Ji Meng is a woman renowned throughout Chinese film history. Wen Xingze imagined her to be a woman of profound literary talent, possessing a refined aesthetic whose music was often considered unapproachable, and whose music was played exclusively by Viennese masters...
Everyone: “…”
Wen Xingze: “…”
Wait, who was he talking to?
"I already thought they were too expensive, and the music wasn't good. They acted like they didn't want me to live long," the voice that had just spoken to Wen Xingze walked out of the crowd, making way for a path. It was a woman holding a white cat. "I might as well listen to the suona. It's cool."
...It turned out to be Ji Meng himself!
Ji Meng is already in her fifties and has maintained herself very well. Even though the years have left many marks on her body and eyes, this has made her show a unique charm and demeanor, beautiful and free.
She wore a tailored red dress, and the fat white cat in her arms lazily licked its paws. Ji Meng walked down the spiral staircase, and the younger people on the first floor stared at her blankly, feeling a mixture of admiration and a bit of fear as if they were facing a senior.
Ji Meng walked up to Wen Xingze. Wen Xingze didn't know what to do for a moment, so he leaned over and kissed her hand.
This made Ji Meng very happy. Although Ji Meng was from Tianjin, she married a British man. She quite liked this gentlemanly courtesy.
Everyone looked at Ji Meng. Even though most of the elders present were good friends with Ji Meng, they still didn't dare to act rashly when facing the Queen Ji herself.
Ji Meng looked around, laughed, clapped his hands, and announced, "What are you standing there for? Let's eat. Xiao Wen and I are waiting for you to perform crosstalk. Have you forgotten what we came here for tonight?"
Wen Xingze casually replied, "That's right. Can you tell me about it?"
Ji Meng: “?”
Everyone: “?”
"Hmm," Ji Meng suddenly felt like he had met his match. "To make a long story short, we're gathered here today to celebrate our friendship since childhood..."
Everyone felt that the DNA started to move.
Wen Xingze interrupted the spell in time: "What the hell is going on! Let them eat!"
Ji Meng: "Okay, everyone who feeds you must remember to buy tickets and refuse to get away with it for free."
Wen Xingze: "Thank you for listening."
Then Wen Xingze and Ji Meng bowed together to express their gratitude.
“…”
“Hahahahahahahaha!!!”
Everyone burst into laughter!
The slightly awkward atmosphere immediately dissipated. No one had expected Ji Meng to be this kind of person. He wasn't pretentious at all, and he looked so approachable, like a senior! At the same time, they couldn't help but look at Wen Xingze differently. His ability to adapt to changing circumstances and his emotional intelligence were truly unmatched by ordinary people.
Everyone dispersed, each looking for food and friends. Wen Xingze certainly couldn't stand around Ji Meng any longer. Even though he came here tonight specifically for Ji Meng, now was clearly not the right time to ask for advice. Wen Xingze decided to wait for a suitable opportunity later.
"Sister, I'm going to eat first."
Ji Meng was overjoyed to be called "sister" again. There shouldn't be a woman who doesn't want to be called "sister" by a handsome guy. She was so happy that she said, "Okay, whatever you want, just treat it as your own home."
Unexpectedly, as soon as Wen Xingze turned around, a claw suddenly landed on his coat and pulled Wen Xingze's hood:
“Meow——”
Wen Xingze: “?”
Wen Xingze slammed on the brakes, turned around and squatted, staring at the white cat in Ji Meng's arms.
Ji Meng had raised this cat for over twenty years. It was a stray cat, a Linqing lion cat with mandarin duck-shaped eyes, that she found on the roadside while filming a movie. Ji Meng loved it dearly, treating it like a treasure. However, the cat didn't look well—its white fur was dull and it looked listless, as if it were ill.
"Is it sick?" Wen Xingze couldn't help asking. The cat actually handed its paw pad to Wen Xingze's hand and let him rub it.
"I have a cold. I haven't wanted to eat or drink for several days." Ji Meng became worried when she mentioned this. "I've seen a private veterinarian several times. They all said that Ji Mi Tuan just has a cold and that he just needs to take some Sunuo and keep warm..."
It's winter now, and it's normal for older cats to catch a cold. Their cat, Ji Mi Tuan, doesn't like to wear clothes, so Ji Meng can only hold him to keep him warm. But even after taking medicine and never having to keep him warm for so long, his condition hasn't improved.
"...It's okay." Ji Meng shook her head and smiled, realizing that it was pointless to tell Wen Xingze about it. Wen Xingze wasn't a professional veterinarian. Besides, a professional veterinarian wouldn't be able to help.
Jimitian stretched out his voice: "Meow——"
This cat is already over twenty years old, which, in human terms, is equivalent to a centenarian... an old cat. Wen Xingze leaned over, and who would have thought that the white cat suddenly stretched out its claws and patted Wen Xingze's head.
The next second, two snow-white animal ears grew on Wen Xingze's head.
Fluffy, soft, and trembling slightly in the air.
Wen Xingze: “…”
Ji Meng: “…………”
Wen Xingze: "Shh."
The first time is strange, the second time is familiar. Before anyone noticed this, Wen Xingze covered his ears, half-crouched, and heard the white cat's cry, one louder than the other:
"Meow—you little human, can you understand me now, meow?"
Wen Xingze never expected that these animal ears were not just decorations, he could actually understand what this cat said!
Jimitan's golden-blue eyes blinked, finally showing some spirit from his sleepiness. "Meow, I'm so angry! I don't have a cold at all. Those people are talking nonsense to my master and won't let me eat delicious snacks or catch butterflies on the windowsill..."
Wen Xingze thought it was too long-winded, but out of respect for his elders, he still patiently listened to the complaints and incoherent chatter.
"You don't have a cold? Then what's wrong? You look listless." Wen Xingze asked when Jimituan finally stopped nagging.
"Of course I don't have a cold, meow," the white cat licked his paw nonchalantly, "I'm just dying, meow."
Wen Xingze was stunned.
The longest lifespan of a cat is only about twenty years. Unlike humans, many animals in nature have a premonition of their own death.
It was rare for Ji Meng to see Ji Miduan so energetic, so she looked down at her happily. The old white cat raised its head and licked Ji Meng's cheek obediently, then said: "Meow...Pfft, the smell of liquid foundation."
Wen Xingze: “…”
Ji Meng was even more surprised: "Jimituan has never licked me." Cats are different from dogs. Not every cat likes to lick humans.
Jimituan: "Meow! Meow..."
Wen Xingze listened carefully.
Ji Meng stopped talking, as if sensing something, leaving Wen Xingze and the white cat with a moment of absolute silence. After about five minutes, the white cat stopped talking and lay back down in Ji Meng's arms. Wen Xingze's animal ears also returned to their original state.
Ji Meng: "How do you say that?"
"It wants to eat sausage," Wen Xingze said, "the kind you gave it when you first met it."
The salt in ham sausage is actually not good for cats' kidneys, but Ji Mi Tuan didn't like to eat cat food for several days. Ji Meng didn't care that she was still on the way to the banquet and immediately called her assistant to buy ham sausage.
The assistant didn't dare to be negligent and quickly came back with the sausage. As soon as Ji Meng peeled the sausage, Ji Midu, who hadn't wanted to eat for several days, suddenly meowed, opened his mouth, and started to gobble it up!
After eating the two sausages, the white cat suddenly regained its spirits and was even able to walk on its own. It stretched on the ground, hooked its tail around Wen Xingze's leg, circled around Ji Meng twice, and suddenly went upstairs again.
They hurried to catch up.
Ji Mi Tuan went straight to the third floor with a clear destination. After going around every corner, he took out a worn ball of yarn from somewhere and wanted to play with it with Ji Meng as lively as a kitten.
"Xiao Wen, thank you," Ji Jimeng was so happy. "I've heard before that you can do many things, but I didn't expect you to be able to cure Mi Tuan's illness."
Wen Xingze didn't know what to say. His heart felt sore. He couldn't bear to watch any longer. "I...I really didn't do anything. Well, I'll go down first."
A cat's life is very short. Even with the owner's good care, it can only live for more than 20 years at most.
All living things live in their own time scale. For a cat, twenty years is a lifetime. Compared to humans, a cat's lifetime is too short.
——What about human life in relation to cosmic life? What about androids?
On this winter night, Wen Xingze finally realized the problem clearly: he could only live for a hundred years at most.
According to the robot parents' definition, love before the age of 200 is considered premature. But the dragons, vampires, mermen, androids... his parents, his lovers, the most important people in his life, all have lifespans so long that they seem endless.
The coldness of the long river of time slowly crept up Wen Xingze's bones on this night when he was still very young.
One day he will leave them, and this long separation will never lead to a reunion.
"Xiao Wen," Ji Meng's call from behind interrupted Wen Xingze's thoughts. She said, "Wait a moment."
Wen Xingze turned around.
Downstairs, the lights of the banquet hall were bustling, while upstairs, only the soft glow of the moon and the wall lamps covered the air. The night was as cool as water. The old, chubby white cat rolled on the ground with a ball of yarn in its mouth, then walked over to lick Ji Meng's palm.
Ji Meng looked at the cat.
After a moment, she looked up at Wen Xingze again.
Then she smiled and asked:
"Mi Tuan will leave me soon, right?"
Many cats that have never licked anyone in their entire lives will suddenly start licking their owners before they die, which is equivalent to "combing" their owners' hair.
This is an instinctive behavior that makes no sense. It may be that the cat wants to help the owner dress up beautifully, or it may be that the cat wants to keep its scent on the owner for a longer time.
They will also want to play the same games as before with their owner and eat the same food they ate when they first met their owner.
Animals' emotions aren't as rich and varied as humans', but Wen Xingze sometimes thinks that they must be so reluctant to let go that they have such instincts... It's like they want to go back to the past, become children again, and meet the most important people in their lives again.
But the hand of time has always been impartial. Once it clenched its hand, it will not relax at all because of anyone's prayers.
"I actually guessed it, but I didn't expect that this day would come so soon." Ji Meng held a glass of red wine and stood by the window. Ji Miduan, who was tired from playing, lay in her arms and snored.
"It was raining heavily that year, and it hid under my car. It was so small, dirty, and pitiful, but it would follow whoever called it..."
Ji Meng's eyes were a little red, and she quickly blinked to hide her emotion.
Ji Meng didn't actually need an answer to what she said, so Wen Xingze just listened quietly from the side.
"...Xiao Wen, I still have to thank you." After Ji Meng finished speaking, she looked out the window silently. She had slowly sorted out her emotions and could face everything calmly.
Suddenly, Ji Meng looked at Wen Xingze and sighed, "Sure enough, this is the person Chi Yan likes. Chi Yan has such good taste."
Wen Xingze: “?”
"Hahaha, don't worry, I won't tell anyone," Ji Meng said, "I just guessed - today your actor Chi called me several times for the first time ever and asked me to take care of you. It seems I was right."
Ji Meng breathed a sigh of relief: "Come, let's talk."
"Really want to talk?" Wen Xingze immediately felt a little embarrassed, and the tips of his ears turned slightly red. "Uh, I am indeed in a relationship with Teacher Chi. We started out-"
"???" Ji Meng was caught off guard and had his mouth full of dog food. He almost died of laughter, "Hahahahahaha, I say, let's talk about the bottleneck you encountered when filming Lao Li's movie." Who said to talk about the love experience?
Wen Xingze: “…………” This is too embarrassing!
"Why is this child so cute? Where did Chi Yan pick up such a treasure?" Ji Meng pretended to call Chi Yan, and Wen Xingze had to persuade her to stop with great difficulty.
Wen Xingze knew Ji Meng was trying to help him, and he was very grateful, so he didn't refuse. He told Ji Meng in detail about the situation he encountered during the filming, especially the situation with Chi Yan.
Ji Meng thought for a moment and simply said, "Perform a scene for me. Here, this scene."
Wen Xingze performed as he was told.
"Xiao Wen, you are indeed very talented," Ji Meng did not hide her admiration for the young junior, "...Oh! I understand!"
"After all, you've just started making films. I know your current situation... You're pursuing 'skills' and 'perfection', but you've forgotten your own existence."
This is a state that many actors will experience. The higher the talent, the more likely it is to happen. It is commonly known as being stuck in a dead end.
No one's acting is perfect.
When challenging a difficult role, some excellent actors may try to clear themselves out, turn themselves into a complete shell, and then input the soul of that character.
This approach isn't necessarily wrong, but for a child with a distinct personality like Wen Xingze, merging himself with the character is more suitable for him. He is a typical experiential person.
Chi Yan and Wen Xingze excel in different areas of acting. "Your actor Chi can teach you basic skills, but he can't solve your problem."
...Queen Ji is worthy of being Queen Ji. She analyzed Wen Xingze's problem clearly in just a few words. Wen Xingze immediately felt that the fog in front of his eyes had dissipated a little, but he still hadn't completely seen the light.
Immediately afterwards, Ji Meng called his assistant again, and a moment later, the assistant brought a notebook.
"These are some of my insights and experiences I recorded during my early filming years," Ji Meng said. "Take a look at them when you have time; they should be helpful."
"......!" Wen Xingze was immediately flattered and didn't know how to thank her. "Thank you, Senior Ji. When 'Dust Planet' wins the Best Actor Award, I will definitely treat you to a meal..."
Wen Xingze is such a confident kid.
Ji Meng was drinking water and almost choked. The more she looked at Wen Xingze, the more she liked him: "Pfft—Okay, I'll wait!"
Wen Xingze: "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
Ji Meng was surprised: "Aren't you hungry?"
"I'm not hungry." Wen Xingze said immediately. His stomach growled loudly after he finished speaking.
Wen Xingze: “…”
Ji Meng: “…”
Ji Meng was so happy that she sent Wen Xingze away to eat.
"Cub Development Plan".
"Ding Dong, congratulations to the parents, the current side quest has been successfully completed!"
"To facilitate the opening of the travel system and the successful completion of the hidden ending conditions, parent travel applications are open for a limited time. Countdown to ten, nine... Congratulations to the Orc parents, your reservations are successful!"
“…”
Linshui Mansion.
There were still quite a few people waiting for Wen Xingze to play the suona on the first floor. He was afraid he would be surrounded if he went down, so he went to the second floor. The entire Linshui Mansion belonged to actress Ji. The third floor was the bedroom, outdoor swimming pool, and garden, and the second floor was the living room.
Wen Xingze quietly took the dinner plate on the first floor and went up to the balcony on the second floor.
If you are not active in eating, there is something wrong with your brain.
Wen Xingze had actually been hungry for a long time, but he had been thinking about some life questions and discussing acting with Ji Meng, so he had forgotten about hunger for a while. As soon as he finished his work, the feeling immediately came over him, and Wen Xingze was almost starving to death.
The cooking skills of the chef at Queen Ji's house were impeccable. Wen Xingze didn't need to go on a diet in "Dust Planet" and just needed to maintain his original figure. So he took two slices of roast duck on the first floor.
The duck, grilled over fine fruit wood charcoal, boasts a rosy, oily skin and a mouth-watering, crispy, charred aroma. A bite reveals the meat is rich yet not greasy, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside… It's a shame there are only two slices. Wen Xingze, engrossed in this rare delicacy, feels a bit overwhelmed even after finishing.
Wen Xingze turned around and was about to go downstairs to add more food, but he saw someone he never thought he would see here.
——It turned out to be Xu Baijing.
"Wen Xingze, long time no see." Xu Baijing stood behind him and said coldly, "I didn't expect to see me here."
Xu Baijing looked much more haggard, and it was obvious that he had not had a good life. He was no longer dressed as luxuriously as before, and looked like a waiter who had sneaked into Linshui Mansion.
Plop, a drop of water fell from the terrace.
Time seemed to stand still.
One second, two seconds, three seconds... a full five seconds later.
Wen Xingze's eyes were filled with confusion: "...Sorry, who are you?"
Xu Baijing: "..."
Xu Baijing was almost mad: "I am Xu Baijing!!!"
Wen Xingze: “?”
"Fuck, you're definitely pretending," Xu Baijing gritted his teeth. "We were on a variety show together before, you can't have forgotten... I was the star of 'Super Rich Koi'!"
Wen Xingze's confusion didn't seem fake: "??? What are you talking about?"
"Stop pretending! I really want to tear your face apart." Xu Baijing suddenly stopped being angry and sighed. "I know, and you know, that this world is a book... I won't go against you again, you can rest assured."
Wen Xingze: "Have you ever been against me before? I'm sorry, but it really doesn't matter to me. I don't even remember it."
This is the truth...
Xu Baijing: "Fuck me——"
Wen Xingze felt that Xu Baijing was still the same as before, with no tolerance at all. If he said a few words to him, he would get so angry that his face would be twisted.
But surprisingly, this time Xu Baijing actually endured it and said, "I didn't expect to see you here, and I probably won't see you again in the future. I'll take this opportunity to tell you the truth."
Wen Xingze was stunned: "The truth?"
The parallel world they are in is a book called "The Rich Koi is Super Rich". The protagonist is Xu Baijing, and Wen Xingze is the cannon fodder in it - he thought this was the truth, judging from what Xu Baijing said, is there something else he doesn't know?
Xu Baijing opened a can of beer, walked over to Wen Xingze, and said, "Actually, I'm not the protagonist. I'm a person who traveled through the book."
Wen Xingze: "I guessed it."
After he awakened his self-awareness, he vaguely realized that "The Rich Koi" was actually a best-selling novel. If the protagonist of this best-selling novel was really Xu Baijing, it would not have become popular.
"Where's the original Xu Baijing?" Wen Xingze asked him, "You took over his life and robbed him of his family. You owe him an apology."
Xu Baijing laughed at himself and said, "There's no such thing as the original Xu Baijing... Wen Xingze, the protagonist of this book was originally you."
Wen Xingze: “…???”
Grass.
This was something he had not expected.
"I've read this book before. In it, you have five adoptive fathers—because of a certain agreement, they all decided to adopt you. With the help of these five fathers, your life went smoothly and you soon reached the top of the entertainment industry."
"When I traveled through time, I was just a nobody," Xu Baijing said. "I was... jealous. I don't understand why you were born with all that. If I had your conditions, I would definitely be the protagonist of this story."
So, Xu Baijing, who came from the book, switched the baby in the cradle. As a result, he naturally possessed everything he had once envied.
But the result was obvious, he failed.
The plot that Wen Xingze saw after awakening his self-awareness was already modified by the intervention of Xu Baijing, the book traveler. In other words, everything he knew, such as how Xu Baijing hyped up homosexuality, how he snatched resources from various people, and how he had ambiguous dealings with several adoptive fathers, were all the plot trends after Xu Baijing's intervention - if Wen Xingze had not awakened his self-awareness.
That's not how the book originally appeared. It seems I really misjudged the author.
Wen Xingze: “…”
Wen Xingze was shocked.
How can this be so cliché...
"I've lost everything now. There's no place for me in the entertainment industry. All five of my fathers are extremely disappointed in me and have given up on me," Xu Baijing said with a self-deprecating laugh. "I'm only here today because of my friends. I guess Queen Ji personally invited you."
"...I'm sorry," Xu Baijing actually bowed deeply to Wen Xingze. He said in a tone of resignation, "I stole your life. If you want, I can give everything back to you. I can tell my five fathers that the one they should have adopted was—"
Wen Xingze: “???”
Just imagine that Xu Sichao and Xu Bianzhou are his fathers. Wen Xingze is about to explode, and he feels like he is about to get goose bumps all over his body: "No no no no no no, I already have parents, I really don't care... Uh, no need!!!"
Xu Baijing felt that he was being stubborn. How could anyone not want it? Xu Baijing smiled sadly: "Of course I don't need it. They are very capable. With parents like them, you will definitely be even more powerful..."
Muse parents: “???????”
Are humans drifting away or are they no longer able to hold a knife?!
What kind of bastard dares to dream of being their kid's father?!
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