Chapter 13
“Who are you?”
Ning Xi was stunned by the question.
She had only taken a shower – how could Jiang Sheshe not recognize her?
Did she accidentally wash herself into a parallel universe?
With that thought, Ning Xi paused, towel in hand, and addressed Jiang Sheshe with a serious face:
“I’m Qin Shi Huang. Actually, I never died – I’ve just been asleep all this time. Now I’m using this body to wake up for a while. As long as you send me 50 yuan (translator’s note: ‘v me 50’ likely means to transfer 50 RMB via online payment platform; if you know the platform, insert it here), I can be fully resurrected.”
When you’re out in the world, your identity is whatever you say it is!
Yes!
It wasn’t until Ning Xi spoke that Jiang Sheshe finally felt, “This really is Ning Xi.”
She glanced at Ning Xi again, then quickly looked away, her earlobes quietly turning a little red.
Wow… how can Ning Xi look like this without makeup!
Gone was the always-bright, exquisite makeup and the businesslike smile at the corners of her lips.
With her makeup off, Ning Xi’s perfect bone structure was on full display. The features were the same, but now there was a mysterious coldness and sharpness.
A face that looked entirely tired of the world.
Jiang Sheshe was 164 cm tall, and Ning Xi was half a head taller – probably somewhere in the 170s.
Even when they both wore slippers, Ning Xi still had to look down at her.
Downturned eyes, a cold expression, and that look – like she was looking at trash…
Jiang Sheshe clutched her pounding chest and swallowed.
[“Jiang Sheshe, are you acting for me?”]
[“Damn, Ning Xi’s cold face is actually so attractive!”]
[“I can’t believe I’m seeing youthful energy and dominance on my cute Puppy Ning’s face after raising her for four years… Mom must be seeing things.”]
[“Wait, when my girl debuted at seventeen, she still had baby fat. How did she become a cold-faced beauty now? (shocked)”]
[“Motherly love has gone off the rails – all the Mother Fans of Ning Xi are coming in for a kiss.”]
[“Honestly, as soon as Ning Xi puts on a cold face, I just want to sit right down (shy)”]
Ning Xi took a few steps and quickly noticed the camera was still running.
She looked straight into the lens: “Why is the livestream still going?”
Even though Ning Xi didn’t look at her, Jiang Sheshe instinctively replied, stammering a bit:
“I – I used the Privilege Card to extend the livestream by half an hour.”
Ning Xi shrugged. “Oh.”
She seemed to take it completely in stride.
But as she faced the camera, she suddenly didn’t know what to say.
Since her debut four years ago, whenever she appeared in public, her makeup was flawless and her expressions perfectly managed.
Even her naturally downturned lips were always lifted in a smile, making sure fans never saw her unconscious resting face and felt distanced from her.
The idea of “being on” had been ingrained in her since the day she debuted.
Now, suddenly facing everyone bare-faced, she actually felt a bit unaccustomed.
[“Wuwuwu, Baby Xi is nervous. When she’s nervous, she blinks faster. She’s still our familiar Puppy Ning.”]
[“Help, who gets nervous just showing their bare face? With such a beautiful face, why be nervous? Is she faking it? Or is it appearance anxiety?”]
[“Just to clarify: Everyone could tell from today’s livestream that Ning Xi is easygoing and has zero baggage on variety shows. Someone like her wouldn’t have appearance anxiety and is rarely nervous. It’s just that she’s always valued her fans a lot and probably feels that livestreaming bare-faced is a bit disrespectful, and it’s a bit different from her usual on-camera vibe (though we fans don’t think so at all – we love her either way). On the first day of the variety show’s livestream, Ning Xi delivered the most laughs and trending topics, and she didn’t even know the livestream was extended. We really think she did great today, so we’re just doting on her in the chat. We don’t expect everyone else to like her, just please don’t misunderstand~”]
[“It’s okay! Everyone needs encouragement and affirmation. The world is a better place when we hype each other up! Whether you’re the ones staying up late for variety shows, or Ning Xi, who’s nervous because she cares so much about her fans, you’re all awesome! (tears)”]
The chat was almost all praise.
Very soon after:
#Ning Xi bare-faced livestream#
#Ning Xi cold-face killer vibe#
#Ning Xi owner vibe#
The trending topics were filled with all kinds of playful and serious hashtags.
Netizens found this new side of Ning Xi refreshing and fascinating.
Everyone already knew Ning Xi was beautiful, but in the four years since her debut, the public’s impression of her had stayed that of the same kid, with mostly Mother Fans and Career Fans.
But now…
[“When Ning Xi puts on her cold face, the owner vibe is really strong.”]
[Getting slapped by someone like Ning Xi, I think I’d just laugh]
[First of all, I’m not, and second, don’t be so rigid about big sister’s gender]
[Comrade, please discipline me harshly]
Ning Xi’s Mother Fans saw this long string of fangirl comments, and while they condemned them morally, they couldn’t help but give them a like.
Back to the livestream.
Ning Xi was just about to go to sleep when she keenly sensed a burning gaze from somewhere.
She quickly opened her eyes and looked out the window.
“What are you doing! You scared me!”
Jiang Sheshe thought her peeking had been discovered and shouted guiltily.
But Ning Xi looked past her, gazing at the window in the same direction.
“Don’t you feel like there’s something over there?”
“I feel like it’s already met my gaze.”
“Good, it’s gone.”
After dropping these three lines, Ning Xi fell asleep immediately.
Only Jiang Sheshe was left trembling under her blanket: “It? What do you mean by it? Ning Xi, say something! I-I’m not scared at all! Don’t play these mysterious tricks!”
But Ning Xi was already deep in dreamland.
Jiang Sheshe was left with the light on, too afraid to close her eyes, muttering to herself:
“Prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony, freedom, equality, justice, rule of law…”
“Believe in science, I’m a materialist warrior…”
[Ahhhh what did Ning Xi see?]
[Did the dating show livestream just turn into a horror stream?]
[…Everyone still doesn’t understand how unhinged Puppy Ning is. She used to believe in the light on variety shows. She probably just went crazy before bed on purpose to make the ghost think she could see it [sweating]]
[Ning Xi’s Mother Fans apologize to those who just got scared in the chat. I’m going to scold this brat when I get home]
[So Ning Xi has zero pressure on variety shows, and all the stress goes to the Fans, hahahahahaha]
A night of good dreams.
At eight in the morning, Ning Xi turned off her alarm five times before reluctantly leaving her beloved bed, loudly accusing:
“Stop seducing me! I’m going to work hard today!”
Then she hugged her pillow and cried:
“It’s not that I want this! Only you in this world are willing to endure my tossing and turning, selflessly embracing me. I’m iron, you’re a magnet, but love without substance is just a pile of sand-it’ll scatter on its own, no wind needed. So I have to go to work, but I’ll definitely come back!”
After that, she shook her pillow wildly: “Honey, say something!”
[Serious question: Is Ning Xi actually normal?]
[As a psychiatrist, I can responsibly say that talking to your bed is normal-as long as the bed doesn’t talk back.]
[I can hardly believe someone can talk to themselves this much]
After her bout of madness, Ning Xi felt much better mentally.
But when she turned around, she saw Jiang Sheshe, sporting two dark circles, looking haggard and utterly drained.
Ning Xi probed, “Is this your deliberately done ‘stayed-up-all-night’ makeup?”
Jiang Sheshe gritted her teeth: “…Why would I do that kind of makeup? I didn’t sleep all night!”
Ning Xi gave her an understanding look: “A healthy routine is important, but pulling all-nighters is just so thrilling.”
She really got it.
Jiang Sheshe was so angry at Ning Xi’s words that her lungs hurt: “Don’t pretend you don’t know why I didn’t sleep! What did you see last night? Is this villa haunted or not!”
Ning Xi: “Huh?”
Then she got excited: “So you think there are ghosts too? I knew it! Last night, when I was about to sleep, I felt something staring at me. Turns out it was a ghost!”
Jiang Sheshe, hearing this: …
So, last night, Ning Xi mistook her peeking for a ghost?
And she actually lost sleep all night because of Ning Xi’s words?
[At this moment, Jiang Sheshe is shattered]
Jiang Sheshe glared fiercely at Ning Xi:
As expected! Ning Xi is still that annoying Ning Xi! Last night, she actually wavered because of Ning Xi’s bare face! So stupid it’s cute!
Ning Xi, meanwhile, stared at Jiang Sheshe’s resentful departing back, puzzled:
“Did I make her mad?”
“That shouldn’t be.”
“I was just telling the truth, wasn’t I?”
Ning Xi was confused.
But the viewers who watched the whole livestream were already dying of laughter.
[Go Ning Xi! Keep up this obliviousness, you’ll knock out every guest the Program Team throws at you!]
[Now, please welcome Jiang Sheshe and Ning Xi to perform for everyone: ‘No Brain and Unhappy’]