Chapter 46: Both the top and bottom characters reveal their identities; the sweet moments are about to begin...
"Good night." The deep voice, like a cello string being gently plucked, rippled through the quiet room.
Lin Suxing's finger, which was about to turn off the companionship module, suddenly stopped in mid-air.
That sound...
It's all too familiar.
The memories from the garden suddenly resurfaced the night before last.
Li Xinian stood under the tung tree to say goodbye to him. The words "Goodnight, Su Xing," mixed with the fragrance of grass and trees, slid into his ears in the same tone. At that moment, he even felt his ears burning.
How is that possible? How can they look so alike?
If it were just a similar voice, that would be one thing, but even the details like pronunciation and intonation are so similar!
Lin Suxing unconsciously held her breath, her fingertips clenching the hem of her clothes.
He stared intently at the pixelated figure on the screen, dressed in smoky gray loungewear. The figure was standing quietly under a pixelated starry sky, its blue pixelated eyes blinking.
As if to confirm her excuse of needing to rest, the chibi-style figure quickly walked from the terrace into the bedroom, lay down on the bed, and covered herself with the blanket.
Lin Suxing frowned and clicked on Niannian's profile on the right side of the module.
As the intimacy level increased, the content of Nian Nian's profile became much more detailed.
[Character Name: Niannian]
[Age: 26]
[mbti:intj]
[Personality: Taciturn and composed, reliable, but also stubborn]
[Favorite things: ▇▇▇]
[Things I dislike: Rainy days, things beyond my control]
[Residence: Seaview No. 1, S City]
[Permanent office location: Headquarters of Prometheus Innovation Technology Co., Ltd., S City CBD]
[Friends: Wang Shunduo, Gu Jingxing]
Upon seeing the titles of S City Seaview No. 1 and Prometheus, Lin Suxing's mind went blank, as if his soul had wandered off into the distance.
As a native of S City, he certainly knew about this rapidly developing tech unicorn company in recent years, and he also knew about the Seaview One building located in the most prosperous CBD area of the bay area, where every unit costs several small dollars!
How could the information card of a virtual character possibly be exactly the same as the place name that exists in the real city of S?
To verify that he had not misremembered, Lin Suxing even used Tianyancha (a business information platform) to check who the actual controller of Prometheus was.
The three characters “Actual controller: Li Xinian” appeared brightly on the screen.
Lin Suxing read through the information card, and when she saw the words "Friend: Wang Shunduo", she was already heartbroken.
If the previous place names could be directly set by the companion module based on real-world data in order to be closer to reality... then the fact that his friend was Wang Shunduo completely dispelled any remaining hope in Lin Suxing's heart.
How could there be a pixelated character who happens to share the same name as Li Xinian, live in the same place, work in the same company, and even have the same name as his friends?!
The truth is already obvious; all that's missing is a big-character poster plastered on his face as a reminder!
Lin Suxing's face turned deathly pale. She gritted her teeth and yelled at the system, "System, can you explain this to me? You said it was just a game companionship game, so why... why is Nian Nian a real person?!"
The system stammered as it explained, "Host, this module isn't actually called the Companion Module. It's just that it's not perfect yet, so we're using this name for now... Actually, it was originally called the CP Module... It's so that the system owner can keep track of their CP's status and location in a timely manner."
Lin Suxing felt like she suddenly couldn't understand Chinese anymore: "No way? Aren't you just randomly pairing people up? Did you even ask Li Xinian for his consent before you started this mess?"
“...Hmm,” the system said tactfully, “I think he’s quite willing.”
Lin Suxing: "..."
Every year, his little cake is Li Xinian...!
This realization was like a pebble thrown into a still lake, creating ripples that were difficult to quell in Lin Suxing's heart.
He stared blankly at the pixelated figure on the screen. All the previously overlooked and illogical details suddenly surged forth, stringing together a crystal-clear truth.
Those perfectly timed synchronizations are never coincidences.
On several occasions, when he attended banquets, the scene behind the pixelated figure representing him every year was always a magnificent banquet hall.
"Lin Suxing, I've come to find you."
At the time, he felt that the pixelated character's "wait for me" was almost like transcending the virtual world, but he never thought more deeply about the connection between the two.
The dinner party, the garden... Looking back now, it wasn't a coincidence at all. It was because the pixel world was the real world, and the pixelated figure found him in reality through the information he provided.
Lin Suxing lowered her head, feeling that her past self was ridiculously obtuse.
He had long found it strange that in a game-like companionship module, the characters' emotional fluctuations were so realistic, so real that they didn't seem like a bunch of data, but like living people.
The realism of the skin-to-skin contact options in the interactive features also far exceeded Lin Suxing's expectations.
Their physical contact may be no different from a real hug in reality.
And then there were the times Li Xinian helped him without any apparent reason, which he had never understood before.
The aloof, cold, and taciturn heir of the Li family, who never participated in dances and wouldn't even spare a glance for strangers, repeatedly came to his rescue at the banquet, broke with tradition to let him onto the dance floor, and even readily agreed when he took the initiative to invite him...
All this sudden "goodwill" and "special treatment" once confused and even made Lin Suxing feel uneasy.
Now, everything makes sense.
Because he is "year after year".
Because in that secret system world known only to the two of them, they had already established an invisible yet close connection.
That's why the real Li Xinian approached him so naturally and protected him.
It was not a spur-of-the-moment act, nor a condescending act of charity, but rather a natural response stemming from the close bond between them.
Lin Suxing raised his hand to cover his eyes, the skin beneath his fingertips slightly burning. A mixture of shock, realization, and an indescribable flutter of emotion surged within him.
It turns out that the person who seemed so far away had already entered his world under a different identity.
"Host, are you alright?" The system looked at Lin Suxing, whose face was sometimes smiling and sometimes tense, and couldn't help but worry that Lin Suxing might have suffered too much shock, causing mental problems.
"Since he knows it's me, why has he been ignoring me these past two days? What's he so angry about?"
System: "..." Host, you're completely hooked!
“He started ignoring me after we parted at the spring banquet,” Lin Suxing frowned, beginning what he considered a logically sound deduction, “That means it’s because of what happened at the spring banquet. But I didn’t do anything then…”
"Now that you mention it, I do have a theory." After thinking it over, the system felt there was only one possibility.
Lin Suxing couldn't figure it out for a moment: "Tell me."
System analysis: "Li Xinian already knows that you are the one who has been secretly helping him, but you acted very distant when you met him in real life, which is completely different from your attitude towards him online. I think he may be unhappy about this."
"After all, he wouldn't expect that you're observing him from a 2D pixel style perspective. In his view, you already know that he is Niannian, but when you meet him in real life, you are polite like a stranger, pretending not to know him, but online you take the initiative to hug and pinch him, acting so intimately, as if... you're having a secret relationship and don't want it to be in the light of day."
“...It’s quite possible.” Lin Suxing never thought that Li Xinian would be the kind of person to sulk over such a trivial matter, but since he started to regard the little cake that would stick to him and throw tantrums every year as a main character, he suddenly found it quite reasonable.
Nian Nian does seem to be the type who gets unhappy because of her cold and distant demeanor.
"Then it seems I need to find an opportunity to talk to him face to face." Lin Suxing is not one to avoid conflict. Since she wanted to find out the truth, she immediately decided to find Li Xinian offline later.
***
Pushing open the door to the private room adorned with intricately painted angels, Lin Suxing instantly forced a social smile onto her face.
"Su Xing, we've been waiting for you!" "Family, our hero has arrived!" "Su Xing looks incredibly handsome today!"...
Lin Suxing clasped his hands together and apologized: "Sorry everyone, there was a bit of a traffic jam on the elevated road, that's why I'm late. I'll punish myself with three cups of... tea, haha."
The scene was instantly filled with laughter and joy again, everyone was immersed in the success and praise of the filming project, and were extremely excited.
Lin Suxing's cover shoot for the October issue of Figaro has received a strong market response.
Within a week of its release, it set a new record for the highest sales volume of a single issue this year, and the online pre-sale channel required temporary maintenance due to excessive traffic.
Such sales performance undoubtedly proves Lin Suxing's strong market appeal.
In addition to sales, the cover has also received widespread acclaim in professional circles and among the general public.
Lin Suxing's initial concerns about the exposed back and the rather staring camera angles sparked heated discussions, but the positive aspects were...
This set of photos has been praised by many fashion bloggers on Xiaolvshu and Weibo as "a textbook example of fragmented composition".
In particular, the repost by the editor-in-chief of VOGUE China on social media, with the caption "A stunning expression of the new generation's power, a breakthrough in visual language," has pushed the influence of this collaboration to new heights.
Previously, it was rare for domestic artists to receive such public recognition from a fashion authority of this level.
To celebrate the successful completion of the shoot and the achievements made, Figaro magazine specially invited Lin Suxing and his public relations team to a celebration banquet in a private room at a rooftop restaurant on the Bund.
The private room features a low-key yet luxurious design, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the dazzling nightscape of the H River and magnificent landmark buildings, their spires shimmering red against the deep purple sky.
Inside, a long dining table is covered with a gleaming white linen tablecloth, and exquisite silver cutlery and crystal glasses shimmer under soft lighting.
Several modern-style artworks hang on the walls, and a band plays soothing jazz music in the corner, creating an elegant and tasteful atmosphere.
When the editor-in-chief of Figaro himself walked over with the glass of champagne from the top of the tower, the surrounding noise was suddenly silenced.
The man walked up to Lin Suxing, his smile warmer than ever before: "Suxing, the cover received a very positive response; the media and the market both recognize your performance. I look forward to working with you again in the future."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was loud enough for everyone around him to hear clearly.
"This is all thanks to everyone. I am very grateful to you for choosing me as the cover star of this issue of the magazine," Lin Suxing said sincerely.
Before agreeing to direct "Figaro," he had heard many negative rumors about Zhuo Hongjie, the editor-in-chief of "Figaro," such as Zhuo Hongjie always using a male perspective when taking photos, and Zhuo Hongjie liking to gain attention by pushing the boundaries, etc.
However, during the filming process, Lin Suxing discovered that the other party's aesthetic sense was actually very sophisticated and unique. They did not forcefully pursue skin exposure or eroticism, but had different requirements for different themes.
The other party had only one insistence: they would never take conventional, unoriginal photos just to avoid making mistakes.
Zhuo Hongjie had always liked Lin Suxing's humble and hardworking personality, and continued to praise him with a smile: "If a certain media outlet had come here to shoot this cover, it would have been a question whether the magazine could even be sold. With such a tight schedule, we were still able to achieve such good results, all because Suxing is a lucky star."
As he spoke, he personally poured champagne for Lin Suxing, a gesture that drew knowing glances from several brand PR representatives and magazine executives around him.
The cameraman who had expressed some dissatisfaction with Lin Suxing's on-camera performance at the beginning of the shoot now struggled to squeeze to the front from the crowd surrounding Lin Suxing, his tone filled with obvious flattery and familiarity: "Suxing, I told you long ago that your face and temperament were born for the cover of Figaro. You were nervous back then, but look at the sales and the response now, it proves I was right, doesn't it?"
He tried to pat Lin Suxing's shoulder affectionately, but under the young man's somewhat resistant gaze, his gesture subtly shifted to adjusting his tie.
He never mentioned his initial doubts about the concepts of "wet body" and "back exposed," and he dared not comment on any details of Lin Suxing's figure as he would on other models.
Lin Suxing rolled her eyes inwardly.
When filming first started, he wasn't in the right frame of mind and was ridiculed by the cameraman, who said he "had no sense of the camera" and was "too green to even know how to pose properly."
Now that sales are good, this opportunist has immediately changed his tune!
Lin Suxing didn't want to deal with this kind of person, so she turned around and continued talking to the editor-in-chief, Zhuo Hongjie, ignoring him.
Meanwhile, the art director of Figaro came over with a wine glass, patted Lin Suxing on the shoulder, and smiled at the editor-in-chief, saying, "You have a keen eye. You insisted on using a cloudy day as the natural background. Look at this final product. The soft light and wet texture of the cloudy day perfectly convey that fragile yet stubborn emotion, completely breaking away from the usual formula of fashion magazines."
"When the studio lights shone on Su Xing, that feeling between fragility and resilience was just right! His expressiveness gave us a lot of creative inspiration." He looked at Lin Su Xing, his eyes full of unreserved admiration.
Faced with these praises, Lin Suxing actually breathed a sigh of relief.
During the shoot, he was not entirely without apprehension about the look, which featured wet hair, a large bare back, and a fragmented feel created in the cold weather. He worried about public acceptance and whether such an overly artistic expression was too avant-garde.
He even remembered how his muscles tensed slightly from the tension and the coolness when the makeup artist applied special essential oil to his back to highlight its dewy appearance, and how his heart pounded anxiously as a result.
At this moment, the joy of success washed away all the unease.
He stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, outside which lay a tranquil night sky and distant starlight, the noise of the room seemingly shut out by an invisible layer of glass. He looked at his reflection in the glass, dressed in a suit and tie, his figure outlined by the lamplight.
He knows perfectly well that all the respect and courtesy he receives today stems from the fact that he has demonstrated sufficient strength and commercial value.
Just as Figaro itself is pursuing brand benefits and revenue growth in its digital transformation, this circle respects those who can bring tangible results.
The waiter brought him a cup of hot tea, the warm touch of the porcelain filling the air.
He accepted it and thanked the waiter softly.
Despite the changing attitudes of those around him, Lin Suxing maintained a polite smile, but his mind was exceptionally clear. He understood that to continue down this path, he needed to rely on his strength to make this "respect" last.
It's really exhausting. All they do is pursue fame and fortune. It sounds glamorous, but how can outsiders know the hardships they endure?
Sometimes, he was really tired of social niceties, and all he wanted to do was stay in his soft bed at home, and just... pinch Niannian's little face to bring a genuine smile to his face.
"Sigh, why am I thinking about him again?" Lin Suxing sighed helplessly in her heart.
Lin Suxing felt a headache coming on when he heard the system's pretentious and serious voice: "Can't you wait until I finish eating before you talk? What do you want me to do now? Let me tell you, the gossip about Mother Niannian has already been sorted out, so don't even think about blackmailing me into getting involved."
"Host, please capitalize on the buzz generated by the cover of 'Figaro' and strive to become the brand ambassador for the upcoming Greater China region of the European accessible luxury brand 'Aether'. This brand's niche design philosophy, which champions a decadent, wasteland aesthetic, perfectly aligns with the 'broken beauty' image you've recently projected. Reward for successful mission: 500 points, and initial activation of the international brand recognition attribute after upgrading your fashion resources level."
Lin Suxing was focused on slicing the sous-vide veal tenderloin on the plate when he heard this, and his movements paused almost imperceptibly.
He silently replied in his mind, "No. I don't want to take on any new work right now. I want to... take care of some personal matters first." The image of Li Xinian's deep gray-blue eyes flashed through his mind, along with the misunderstanding between them that hadn't been resolved yet. He just wanted to temporarily extricate himself from these work matters.
The previous photoshoot for the Figaro cover and the invitation to Li Xinian to be a dance partner at the spring banquet were all related to the whereabouts of Niannian's mother.
I doubt he would be so proactive in completing these comeback missions if it were for his own sake.
He had always wanted to start his own business; whether he remained in the entertainment industry or not was no longer important to him.
The system seemed to have anticipated his reaction, and immediately changed to a coaxing tone, offering a new bait:
"Low host willingness detected, triggering the 'Special Information' incentive module. Want to know why the smiling editor-in-chief next to you, the operations director to his left, and the brand director to his right will be imprisoned in the next few years? The case details are complicated, the amount of money involved is huge, and it is guaranteed to be fresh and hot."
Lin Suxing: ? ? ?
The topic changed so abruptly that Lin Suxing almost choked on the beef stewed in Burgundy red wine in his mouth.
He forced a calm sip of the Veuve Clicquot champagne that accompanied his meal, inwardly speechless: "...I don't want to. I have no interest in other people's privacy, especially since we're just business partners. Whether they're lawbreakers or not is none of my business."
However, the brief conversation between the system and Lin Suxing, which they considered private, had already been clearly and completely transmitted to the ears of everyone in the private room!
In an instant, the private room, which had been filled with clinking glasses and laughter, fell into a deathly silence.
The polite smile on the face of Figaro editor-in-chief Zhuo Hongjie froze instantly, and the silver fork in his hand slammed into the German Meissen porcelain plate.
The operations director to his left, looking dazed, slowly put down the fork he was holding, which was holding a roll of hollow pasta.
The brand director on the right choked on his Château Margaux red wine, bent over and coughed violently, his face turning from red to blue.
The other executives, including the advertising director and the head of marketing, also stopped eating, their faces drained of color, and they looked at each other in disbelief and shock.
Imprisoned...?
Zhuo Hongjie stared intently at Lin Suxing, his eyes filled with shock, suspicion, and a hint of barely perceptible panic.
Why did they suddenly hear Lin Suxing's inner thoughts without him saying a word?
And there was another voice telling Lin Suxing and the others that they would all go to prison afterward!
The celebratory atmosphere in the private room, which had been celebrating the sales success, vanished, replaced by a sense of oppression and panic, as if a storm was brewing.
These people, who usually wield great influence and appear glamorous in the fashion world, were all deathly pale at this moment, as if they had heard a death sentence announcement.
Meanwhile, the cold, mechanical voice continued to feign liveliness, using this gossip to tell Lin Suxing: "Host, don't you really want to know? Actually, from your previous interactions during filming, you should have been able to sense that Zhuo Hongjie is at least a normal person. He doesn't seem like someone who would do anything illegal or disorderly, right?"
"That's true." From many small things, Lin Suxing could sense that Zhuo Hongjie was a partner who was obsessed with art and could get stuck on details, but had good character.
The system sneered: "Yes, because they are all scapegoats, framed to take the blame for those with powerful connections!"
"How could this happen? Did they offend someone?" Lin Suxing's gaze swept over the people sitting in front of him with a hidden meaning.
If they were imprisoned for various illegal or criminal reasons, Lin Suxing would not ask a single question, because it was their own fault. But being framed does sound rather pitiful.
“Aether is targeting the Empress Dowager Dong, and they’ve chosen the top idols of the moment to be their Asia-Pacific brand ambassadors. You’re asking me to take on the title of spokesperson right off the bat. That’s going to be difficult.” Lin Suxing was the kind of person who would give up at the first sign of trouble.
Lin Suxing's consistent principle is to lie down and get a good night's sleep wherever he is defeated.
The title of brand ambassador is higher than that of brand friend but lower than that of spokesperson, and Lin Suxing really has no confidence in this.
The system completely disregarded his difficulty: "Host, please do your best to complete this, otherwise I can't tell you this juicy gossip~ Collecting gossip every year has exhausted all of the system's energy, and it will be sent to you on time in an hour."
"By the way, if you don't complete this, you might have to watch your partners go to jail for ten years~" the system mischievously reminded Lin Suxing.
It has recently come to realize that Lin Suxing, who is bound to the Counterattack System, is fully capable of doing these tasks; he just likes to put on airs.
Lin Suxing didn't even lift her eyelids, and retorted, "Then let them go to jail."
Zhuo Hongjie, Advertising Director & Head of Marketing: Tonic, tonic!
It's just a matter of securing an endorsement; they can figure out a way to do that!
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