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Chapter 116

unedited

Without even caring about eating the takeaway, Qi Jing first sent a voice chat invitation on QQ. As some say, ‘the food for the body can wait, the food for the soul comes first’.

Shen Yan was probably online all that time, because not even three seconds passed since he started the call before it connected.

“How is it, are you doing okay in Beijing by yourself? Is it cold there?” The voice coming from the earphones was low and worried as he first asked a personal question, leaving the official matters for later.

If he were to count, it was only ten hours since Qi Jing heard this voice, but hearing it now, he felt indescribably moved, his heart suddenly soothed and the fatigue in his limbs washing away. Qi Jing stared as if spellbound at the time on the call timer growing with each second, his smile getting wider along with it.

“Of course,” He exhaled slightly just by the mic on purpose, making it seem as if he was very cold, “It’s even snowing here.”

He was in fact only saying this to hear the exact moment in this guy’s voice when he was getting anxious.

As expected, this guy paused for a bit, then his voice sank, “Did you get cold?”

“Pfft—” Qi Jing sputtered with laughter, so Shen Yan realised that he got teased. After a short spell of speechlessness, he also couldn’t help but laugh as well as he shook his head. At that time Qi Jing finally continued, the corners of his eyes curling up in a smile, “Fine, fine, I won’t tease you anymore. It’s indeed cold here, but they have AC here and I spent most of the time inside, so no need to worry. The matter with the internship is also basically settled, it went very smoothly.”

“Mn.”

The progress with Qi Jing’s job was bound to go smoothly even before he arrived at Beijing, so Shen Yan wasn’t surprised at all. Rather than that, he was more concerned with Qi Jing himself.

“Then what are you doing now?”

Qi Jing’s hand that was in the middle of pulling on the tie paused, then he chuckled shortly, now with a little bit of ambiguity to his tone, “I’m taking off my tie—what, want to have a look?”

The man on the other side seemed to be taken aback, not replying for a moment.

Using that voice—the one with a vague sexiness seeping through that he would use for the audio dramas—he asked again, “If you want to look... then maybe I should turn the camera on. Hm?”

As he spoke, he slowly pulled down the index finger hooked on the tie knot. As the tie loop loosened, the collar of his shirt also came apart in a languid and unruly image. Along with that, he also intentionally brought his head down to let the rustling of the cloth get passed through the mic, so that he could see how Shen Yan would react.

The voice on the other side disappeared for a long while, then after a moment, it sounded again with a low huskiness to it, “...I will wait for you, to come back... to have a look.”

Qi Jing bit his lips slightly, keeping himself from laughing. Sometimes some things are hard to say face to face, but through the internet, now as they were apart and with voice as their only means to interact, it was easy to get bold. So he gave a low chuckle and said, “Turns out you’re the type that likes to act while looking, Dr Shen?”

Faced with such a provocation, Shen Yan would normally be unable to say anything in retort, but with those two knowing each other for so long, he gradually got to more or less know Qi Jing’s nature. If he were to give in now, Qi Jing would go further instead. That’s why, he could as well give him a small retaliation, “Yes, that’s why when you’ll be flying back, better prepare yourself.”

Qi Jing didn’t expect him to say so at all—simply dumbstruck, he felt his cheeks grow hot suddenly. In the end, he was the one who ended up embarrassed.

“You really admitted that...”

“Because I really am the type to ‘like to act while looking’.” Shen Yan even used the tone Qi Jing previously took on as he slowly repeated his words.

Qi Jing couldn’t help but feel deep regret for his nature of digging a hole for himself.

With things like this, he could as well go for broke, “Well then, at that time... Better live up to your words, hm.”

Shen Yan laughed faintly, “I will.”

Hearing this, Qi Jing really had an impulse to leave it all behind and buy a flight back home. He knew that this idea was unrealistic, but still... He suddenly really really wanted to be back by Shen Yan’s side, to let him undo his tie in person, and then... do a bit of something else.

As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder—

“Cough.” Qi Jing coughed lightly to stop his own mind from running astray. The finals were just an hour away, he shouldn’t let his thoughts wander away to those things, “I’m going to eat first. I will listen to you while eating, so I will mute my mic for now.”

“Mhm, it’s okay, eat up.” Hearing him say that he still didn’t have a meal, Shen Yan quickly urged him to eat.

Big Return Date got his time to eat, while Little Return Date was already round from eating a bellyful. Shen Yan sent him the photos of Big Goose and Little Return Date he took that day. In the photo, two little guys were sleeping together in a dog bed after having their fill of food. Little Return Date seemed as if it already completely accepted its new little buddy, even resting all of its paws on Big Goose’s body and cuddling with it while sleeping soundly without any care in the world. With its eyes closed, Big Goose put its snout gently over Little Return Date’s head, appearing peaceful in its sleep.

Seeing this, Qi Jing couldn’t help breaking into a smile.

After finishing his takeaway, Qi Jing also went to take a quick shower, changing the suit and shirt into comfy clothes, then chatted idly with Shen Yan about the small home trifles by the computer. He didn’t feel any of that heavy weight on his shoulders before the finals, his mind relaxed.

The male finals would start at 7 PM, and would last four hours altogether.

At 6 PM, there was already a five digit number of active people listed on the YY channel, and before 7 PM, there were already over thirty thousand people online—truly a grand occasion.

Because there were too many contestants for all the roles in the finals, the performance order would be arranged according to a group number, and the group numbers would be chosen by drawing lots. Before the start, a contestant would get their own “performance group number” announced, but they wouldn’t know who they were to play with before the start of the audition unless they inquired every other contestant for their numbers.

As the host, Yang Chunqu, proceeded to give the usual preamble, the stage managers were to first take care of this task.

“What are your numbers?” After receiving his numbers, Qi Jing was itching to see Shen Yan’s numbers too, hoping that they would have at least one overlap.

Shen Yan only had one side character and one NPC, so he didn’t have that many auditions in comparison. “29, 42, 67.”

Qi Jing held his breath listening to the last number and couldn’t help but a groan of complaint, sighing heavily, “Aaaah... I have 14, 21, 52, 66, 80. Dammit, 66 and 67 are so close but it’s still not good... Running into you really isn’t that easy.”

Hearing this, Shen Yan laughed deeply, “You know, as long as you ask, I can always voice act with you however many times you want.”

That was indeed the case.

“Even if that’s the case, I still want to voice act with you fair and square before other people, at least once.”

That time in ⟪Trap⟫ was done on the sly, not in the least openly, and Shen Yan even shouldered an unspeakable identity of a substitute at the time—Qi Jing found it utterly lamentable.

“Seems like my luck isn’t that good, that’s why I didn’t get paired with you...” Just as he said jokingly, Qi Jing suddenly felt his right eyelid twitch and paused, dumbfounded, “Eh?”

“What happened?”

“My right eyelid just twitched.” Right eye twitching bodes disaster, so can it be...

“It’s just a superstition.” Shen Yan wasn’t wrong about that. But Qi Jing thought of it, and out of curiosity, he still stealthily opened the perpetual calendar to see how was the luck for that day.

【All things adverse】

If someone saw those three words, they would usually know that it’s not boding well.

“I wouldn’t possibly believe in superstitions.” Qi Jing looked silently at his hand that committed the opening of this page and furrowed. If he knew the outcome beforehands, he would rather not do that—after seeing those words, he felt a bit agitated, as if he was hanging in midair.

Following, he very soon experienced what that ‘all things adverse’ meant.

His first audition was “Fang Yisheng” against “Yan Buliu”.

His “Fang Yisheng” was ranked fourth, and his opponent’s “Yan Buliu” was ranked tenth, so their group was ranked as the fourteenth group. Ten, four, grouped into fourteenth or something...

“...” By the time Qi Jing realised that, he had already said this out loud subconsciously. Even if it wasn’t for the sound of it, the tenth contestant who passed the semi-finals was still counted as the first from the end, so in terms of the actual skill, he would be that bit less skilled as compared to the remaining nine contestants. No matter what, he hoped that this ‘cooperativeness’ Pu Yuzhi mentioned before would be possible.

If they would cooperate well or not during the audition was still unknown, but their IDs turned out to match really well—【Don’t ask for my return date】vs.【How long away is forever】

Seeing this ID appear on the mic sequence, Qi Jing secretly wiped his cold sweat. If it was said that the ill luck could cumulate... then it was probably said based on those types of outcomes.

Of course, the audience wouldn’t possibly overlook this kind of joking point.

Audience 1: o(*≧▽≦)ツ Hahahaha, those two IDs in this group look so comical when put together!!

Audience 2: Pfft... Really laughed at that one. “Don’t ask for my return date” with “How long away is forever” on top of it, why not just call this group “Never Coming Back” to make a do. 【Please look into my earnest eyes】

Audience 3: Pfft, “Never Coming Back” group!! (slapping the floor)

Audience 4: slapping the floor! +1

Audience 5: slapping the floor! +2

Audience 6: Just how ominous is it... 【And now on the importance of IDs】_(:з」∠)_

“If you guys were group No.44, the effect would be even better.” Even the main judge Yuan Zhengming impishly took his shot at kicking them as they were down, seemingly having fun watching the lively atmosphere.

Qi Jing felt like his whole person was queasy.

But what made him even more queasy was the mutual self-introduction before the start.

“Both of you have thirty seconds for the equipment check and a brief opening. Of course, if you feel like you can start without this, then you can start right away...”

As Yang Chunqu said those words, Qi Jing suddenly heard this “How long away is forever” contestant shouting excitedly, “Don’t start yet! Don’t start yet! Let me introduce myself first!”

Yang Chunqu was taken aback, then answered, confused, “Ah... Well, well then.”

Qi Jing was also taken aback.

Wait...Wasn’t “Yan Buliu” a sinister and crafty old man? What are you going to do with this sunny and bright style?

He didn’t expect for this bright ray of sunlight to instantly turn into a bashful moonlight. “Re, Return Date-sama, hello... I didn’t expect that I would be assigned to the same group as you, I’m so happy.”

Coloured with bashfulness, his feelings were plain to see through his voice.

And it was spoken in the pure middle-aged uncle voice—

Audience 1: YO!!

Audience 2: YO!! 【What’s happening?】

Audience 3: YO!! 【Pfft, could it be? A confession?】

Audience 4: YO!! 【Hahahaha, I can’t, what’s up with this bizarre style...】

Audience 5: YO!! 【My family’s Return really has this charm! ～\\\\\\\\(≧▽≦)/～】

Audience 6: YO!! 【Wait... Can it be that this fellow here is the legendary boyfriend of Don’t ask for my return date? This voice with this tone, eh... This style really is too bizarre +10086】

Qi Jing’s first reaction was to rush into his QQ chat box with Shen Yan to send twenty “I really don’t know this person aaaaah!” messages.

Shen Yan only replied with a faint smile emoji, so it seemed like there was no misunderstanding there.

Qi Jing was about to breathe a sigh of relief, but this How long away is forever’s next words made him swallow it right back, “I have no immunity for that sexy voice of Return Date-sama, it just fits my taste too well.”

The listeners gradually burst into a hubbub.

The corner of his lips twitched.

...Can you just stop talking...

“Thank you Mr Forever for your appreciation,” Qi Jing finally found a chance to speak. He tried to preserve his gentlemanly bearing, with a gentlemanly smile and a gentlemanly response, “Then, I hope for a happy cooperation.”

The implication was, let’s quickly start it and quickly finish it.

As if realising that he focused at the wrong point, the other laughed silly, “Ah, this, before we start, I have a small request.”

“Ask away.”

“I’m too shy to ask...” Like a big girl squirming with embarrassment.

“No, please, just ask...” Qi Jing couldn’t help but stare with a deadpan expression at the screen.

“Fine,” Out of sudden, the bashful moonlight disappeared, going back to the previous sunny tone, “In a while, after the score for our group are out, if my personal score is higher than Return Date-sama’s... then, can I ask Return Date-sama for one thing?”

How long away is forever smiled radiantly.

Qi Jing couldn’t help but shiver.

Not because of what he said just before the start, but because of the first line of “Yan Buliu”.

“Fang Yisheng, you... You actually didn’t die?”

This one sentence was both coloured in shock and fear, yet this man still didn’t lose his footing—it was the astonished and lost kind of shock and fear. The shock he felt because of the crafty scheme it took for the man before him to flee for his life, feigning his death under the emperor’s eye; fear—because of the acknowledgement for the opponent he has always found a thorn in his eye, who had the ability to live through all the ploys for his life.

He might have also known before that “Fang Yisheng” wouldn’t die, but once he saw it with his own eyes, he still couldn’t shake off the shock.

He was a formidable and ruthless man, not a petty villain.

A petty villain would rejoice in being unrivalled.

A formidable man would only find it infinitely lonesome.

“To have tricked the Heavens and us all, coming back to life once dead—Lord Fang truly isn’t but a normal man.” So after that first sentence, once the shock and fear passed, his face gradually twisted into a gloomy and evil grin, a perfectly logical conclusion.

—No.—If he got swayed now, this wouldn’t be “Fang Yisheng”.

Qi Jing got back to his senses in an instant, uttering a silent ‘good then’ in his heart—he also had to assume the character’s unswaying and calm bearing at this desperate time.

And it had to be as clean-cut as a blade sliding out of its sheath.

“I have said before, ‘the court up on high, the Jianghu faraway’—those two never cross together. The one to die was the ‘Lord Fang’ you just called, but the only one standing today before you is Fang Yisheng.”

After leaving his sheath, each of his words turned into daggers, all pointing at the man before him.

He snorted coldly, “That year, Lord Yan had Lord Fang dead, but right here, right now, you, Yan Buliu, will not have this Fang Yisheng die—”

Audience 1: ヾ(≧O≦)〃Aaaaaaaaah, THE FEELS!!

Audience 2: ヾ(≧O≦)〃My Inn-owner Fang, awoooo!! (licks like crazy) Chief minister... Chief minister is actually also surprisingly hot! (continues to lick)

Audience 3: ヾ(≧O≦)〃That’s the spirit! It feels like watching those sword fighting scenes in movies!

Audience 4: The comparison above is so good! It got this exact feeling!

Audience 5: Ehhh... This How long away is forever fellow, his performance is miles away from the semi-finals? Is he really the same guy? 【my baby heart got toyed with←oi】

Audience 6: Hahaha, it’s also so different from his style in the opening~

“Hehehe,” Only the towering dark clouds were left from that voice that could be both sunny and moonlight like before, like an eve of a gloomy storm, leaving no light to be seen. And it was especially so when he laughed. “Seems like today is the day when either you die, or I perish.”

“No.” Qi Jing cut into his words quite precisely, and quite firmly. With a person to cooperate with, this feel for sensitive timing in the speech was much easier to grasp. “Today, it is only you who will perish.”

“Nonsense!”

With this word, a powerful thunder roared under those dark clouds, his power and authority all in place, not at all inferior to the nine higher-ranking contestants in the semi-finals, “It is this old me’s fault to have not finished a mutineer like you with my own hands. Why would I repeat the same mistake—en garde!”

A minute for two people acting isn’t long, and with few lines of dialogue, it was the speed of getting into the character and the ability to play into each other that was the most important.

After the sixty seconds of allocated time was all up, Qi Jing finally could confirm his guess...

This guy... during the semi-finals, he most probably didn’t go all out.

“Trying to dress as a pig to eat an old tiger?” After getting off the mic, Qi Jing furrowed slightly and muttered. After finishing though, he smiled, unperturbed.

“But an old tiger is still an old tiger, not that easy to eat as you thought after all, right?”

A/N:

The tempo of finals will be much quicker than for semi-finals, for one it’s because there is less time for it now, and two, because it was already more or less described what the are abilities of each contestant before, so there’s no need for as detailed of the descriptions for the finals anymore—or at least I think so. A little change of writing style might be for the better...

T/N:

Lucilla: The rest of the author notes are not directly related to this chapter, but she talks about how because of being tired of people stealing her work and putting it on pirating sites, as well as other tiresome problems arising as she was writing it on jjwxc, she decided to end her contract with this site and make it free to read for everyone. Unfortunately, we cannot support this novel monetarily anymore, but please, share some love with the author and this novel, be it through kind comments on jjwxc (novel link is in the main page) or sharing it with other people.

And thank you all for reading it all the way up till now! ^^