Chapter 165
Chapter 165
The instant the Weibo post went up, tens of thousands of comments flooded in.
The very first one was a massive string of: [????????????????]
The second was: [Holy crap, she really went public. So brave.]
After all, Ning Xi was a top female celebrity. Publicly announcing a relationship was bound to cause a tidal wave among her fans.
However, before the doubt and the fans leaving came the blessings and the people backing her up.
[Ning Xi already transformed from an idol into a solo singer last year, okay? During her time as an idol, she worked diligently and never had a single scandal. Now that her status has changed, we support a young girl’s freedom to date.]
The army of Xi-Lan Flower CP Fans also rushed into the comment section to take control.
[Leopard-Cat CP, I’m here!]
[These are my real parents this time. The moment I was born, I smelled the scent of expensive skincare on my mother. I felt the warmth of the fine jewelry around Mom’s neck and wrist. Then someone took me into his arms, and I felt the texture of Dad’s bespoke suit and heard Father’s hearty old-money laugh!]
[We have no obligation to do anything but bless them.]
[When we meet a real couple, we say-]
[99!!!!]
Fans from other corners of the fandom also came to join the fun.
Netizens who loved watching Fu Zhi’s drama and never thought things were messy enough commented:
[Oh, devoted Fu Zhi, please wait another lifetime.]
[If that mouth of yours doesn’t change, you won’t have a chance in ten lifetimes, okay?]
Ning Xi’s other CP fans also gathered for a little group activity:
[@Wen Lu, stop sleeping, your house is being robbed!]
[It’s over, it’s over. My wife is gone.]
It was unbelievably lively.
Ning Xi’s WeChat was also flooded with blessings from countless friends in the industry. Among all those messages, one private message from a variety show director she had once worked with stood out in a completely different style.
“Xixi, the owner of Yunxing Records asked me to check with you. Would you be interested in signing your singer management contract with them? What a coincidence, your mentor Mike from that audition variety show back then is signed under this company. At the time, Mike even recommended you to the boss. Unfortunately, you had already signed with a company then…”
Ning Xi was practically knocked dizzy by this sudden surprise.
Yunxing Records!
The owner of this record company was a representative figure in pop music. Countless original songs by them had become widely sung hits. Unfortunately, after founding the record company, they had gradually retreated behind the scenes.
In recent years, they had rarely signed new artists. The singers already signed under them were basically the boss’s friends from earlier years.
Being able to sign with this company was simply a dream come true for Ning Xi!
She would get to see her idol every day and do the work she loved.
How had every good thing under the sun fallen into her lap?
“I’m interested!”
Ning Xi replied at lightning speed. The other party quickly sent over the contact information for the owner of Yunxing Records.
As she added her idol’s contact information, Ning Xi’s hands were trembling.
The two chatted for a bit and agreed to meet the day after tomorrow to discuss things in detail.
Her career and her love life were both going so smoothly that Ning Xi found it a little unreal.
“Mm… I asked some friends in the industry. The person you added really is Yunxing’s boss. It looks like your career has hit rock bottom and bounced back. In that case, the thing most likely to go wrong is your relationship. You have to be careful. Don’t tell me you’ve run into a pig-butchering scam.”
On the other end of the phone, Wen Lu fiddled with her tarot cards as she analyzed the situation for Ning Xi with great seriousness.
Ning Xi was baffled. “Huh?”
She looked at the room full of clothes and gifts Xie Lanchen had sent over and suddenly found it a little hard to understand what a “pig-butchering scam” was supposed to mean.
Then Wen Lu abruptly changed her tune. “But what are you afraid of a pig-butchering scam for? You spend all your money every month anyway. No one can scam us out of money, hahahahaha!”
Cruel words could chill a person even in June.
Ning Xi’s heart was pierced. “Enough. Shut your little piggy mouth. When my living allowance arrives next month, I’m definitely going to throw money in your face!”
After so many years since her debut, Ning Xi’s net worth was absolutely in the eight figures.
However, she had still been a minor when she debuted, so her adoptive mother, Madam Ning, had set up a trust fund for her. Every month, she could receive a six-figure living allowance.
If she needed it, she could withdraw the entire principal after she came of age.
After all these years, Ning Xi had gotten used to doing things this way.
Her monthly routine was basically: I have money! So much money! I don’t even know how to spend it! → Where did the money go? Why does it feel like I didn’t buy anything, but it’s all gone?
And so, in a stingy yet muddleheaded fashion, she had spent a great deal of money.
But she had saved even more.
So Ning Xi was still very satisfied with her current situation.
However-
Ning Xi said, “Lulu, from now on, I’ll never live paycheck to paycheck again!!!”
Wen Lu said, “Don’t say things in anger. I don’t believe you.”
Ning Xi said, “I’m going to work hard and earn money to support Xie Lanchen!”
Wen Lu said, “??? You didn’t actually run into a pig-butchering scam, did you?”
Ning Xi took a deep breath.
Then she generously sent Xie Lanchen a red packet.
Xiao Xie only had to follow her from now on and wait to enjoy the good life!!!
After quite a while, the other party still had not accepted the red packet.
Ning Xi: ?
Very good. As expected, she had not misjudged Xie Lanchen. He did not covet her money at all!
Meanwhile…
Xie Lanchen looked at the transfer of 52 yuan and felt somewhat puzzled.
He knew the meaning behind transfers of 520, 5,200, or 5,201,314.
But 52…
Ning Xi had already sent another message: “You won’t take my money? Interesting. I’m growing more and more interested in you. Tonight, I’ll give you the opportunity to dine with me [ok]”
Xie Lanchen couldn’t help laughing. With a casual tap, he transferred back an amount many times larger than 52.
Xie Lanchen: “It would be my honor.”
And just like that, the two of them happily settled on a time for dinner.
While she was at it, Ning Xi screenshotted the chat and sent it to Wen Lu. “See? Xie Lanchen doesn’t care about my money at all. He won’t even accept my transfer!”
After reading the chat history, Wen Lu was silent for a long while before sending back a message. “If I didn’t know you were rich, I’d almost suspect you were the romance scammer here.”
Ning Xi: “?”
Ning Xi: “.”
…
Some time later, Xie Lanchen finally introduced Luo Ze to Ning Xi.
Ning Xi recognized Luo Ze at a glance. She had seen him before during the You Are My Blessing livestream, after all, and Luo Ze’s face and presence were truly impossible to forget.
“Xie Lanchen finally decided to let us meet. You have no idea how he-”
“Ahem.”
Xie Lanchen coughed as if by accident.
Luo Ze immediately cut himself off, and also lowered the hand he’d been about to offer Ning Xi for a handshake.
Fine, fine, fine. Pretend this was his first time meeting Ning Xi. Don’t let Ning Xi notice anything strange. No physical contact with Ning Xi, but don’t act too cold either…
What decent person had to memorize this many rules just to meet a friend’s girlfriend?
Apparently, he, Luo Ze, was that poor sucker!
Ning Xi was curious about Xie Lanchen’s past and asked Luo Ze plenty of questions about what Xie Lanchen had been like before.
Luo Ze, for his part, answered almost everything he could.
Over the course of one meal, the two of them hit it off so well they were practically ready to become sworn siblings from different parents.
But after Ning Xi went to the restroom, Luo Ze turned to Xie Lanchen in shock.
“Ning Xi still doesn’t know about what happened when you two were kids?”
He had assumed that after being together for so long, the two of them would have talked it all through already.
Xie Lanchen nodded faintly. “After she was rescued, she had a high fever. She forgot everything.”
“Then why don’t you remind her?”
“Why should I?”
Luo Ze looked as if he hated that Xie Lanchen was too hopeless to learn, and he was about to give him a proper lesson.
“If Ning Xi knew you two had known each other since childhood, and that she was the one who forgot you, she’d definitely feel guilty. She’d feel even worse for you too. Then the two of you would understand each other even better…”
“I know.” Xie Lanchen lowered his eyes, his raven-feather lashes casting a shadow.
Luo Ze stalled. “You know? Then why won’t you tell her?”
Because-
He had once imagined countless times what it would be like to meet Ning Xi for the first time as Xie Lanchen.
Perhaps he would angrily question her, ask why she had forgotten him.
Perhaps he would pretend nothing was wrong and casually mention their shared past.
Yet when they truly met for the first time, his mind had gone utterly blank, leaving only one thought behind-
Gratitude.
He was grateful that he was Xie Lanchen. Grateful that he could meet Ning Xi with this clean identity.
For so many years, he had walked the roads she had walked, eaten the food she loved, watched the movies she liked.
All those long, hopeless years of chasing after her became as brief as a single second the instant he truly saw her.
That little boy who had once been treated like a dog in front of Little Ning Xi, who had fought dogs for food, whose every shred of dignity had been smashed to pieces-
As it turned out, he too had wanted to come cleanly to the side of the person he loved.
Xie Lanchen’s gaze fell on Ning Xi not far away.
A little kid seemed unable to find his mother and had been bawling nonstop.
Ning Xi had paid out of pocket for the child to try the claw machine, but after ten tries, the kid still hadn’t caught a single plushie. His mouth puckered, and he looked ready to cry again.
So Ning Xi personally stepped in to try grabbing a plushie while communicating with the staff to help the child find his parents. Unfortunately, halfway through, a phone call came in…
The corners of Xie Lanchen’s lips lifted slightly, and he stood to go find Ning Xi.
Before leaving, he suddenly seemed to remember something and looked back at Luo Ze.
“I’m planning to establish an Abducted Persons Rescue Fund. Didn’t you say before that you were interested? I sent the project proposal to your email.”
Luo Ze was stunned.
The Luo Family and the Xie Family both had a set amount of charitable spending every year. In the past, Xie Lanchen had only ever donated money. Why was he now personally getting involved and planning to establish a rescue foundation?
Xie Lanchen only smiled and said nothing.
This life was too short. He was too greedy, and he still dared to hope for another lifetime.
Karma came full circle. Only by doing more good deeds could someone as despicable as him perhaps dare, on the day his life reached its end, to promise her a next life.
“Xie-Lan-chen-”
Ning Xi truly had no skill at coaxing children. Looking at the child who had finished using the claw machine and still had his mouth puckered, hovering on the verge of tears, she decisively called Xie Lanchen for help.
“Xie Lanchen is coming.”
Xie Lanchen answered her, his steps light as he walked toward the person he had longed for all his life.
-End of the Main Story (there are still lots of extras, don’t panic)-
Guys, there are still lots of extras!!!
We’ll fill in the plot threads about the real and fake heiresses, explain what happens next for the main characters (such as Jiang Sheshe and Fu Zhi), and include things like the guests watching You Are My Blessing together, the fun daily life of The Chess Game crew, and so on and so forth.
Honestly, the extras could have gone into the main story too, but I feel like the pacing of the main story ends just right here. Some of the more ordinary everyday-life moments will be covered in the extras!!!