Fate Trading System – Chapter 165

Plan A

Spirit Alliance 6

Program

The knocking was very rhythmic and regular, with three knocks followed by a pause, repeating if no one answered.

Su Xin looked through the peephole and saw an unfamiliar woman. From the spiritual energy she was deliberately releasing, Su Xin could tell she was of the same kind.

Su Xin opened the door and invited the lady in.

The woman appeared to be no longer young, but her skin was exceptionally well-maintained, emanating the aura of a noble lady.

“Hel~lo~ lit~tle~ spi~rit~”

???????

This puzzling speech pattern completely contradicted her image.

“Hello, madam, may I ask who you are?”

“I~ am~ your~ next~ door~ neigh~bor~”

Su Xin waited very patiently for the lady to finish speaking. Though her speech wasn’t particularly slow, it was just one beat slower than normal people, naturally carrying a wavelike pattern.

“I think I know who you are now, you’re Miss Snail from next door, right?”

No wonder her skin was so good.

“Yes~ you’re~ so~ clever~”

Someone less patient might have exploded by now.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Su Xin, a hamster.”

“What~ a~ cute~ lit~tle~ ham~ster~”

“Yes, welcome to my home. Though I might not be home much in the future, would you like some water?”

“Thank you, mineral water would be fine.”

The noble lady resumed normal speaking speed, covering her mouth while trying to suppress her amusement.

“Ah… so you can speak normally!”

“I was just joking with you earlier, hope you’re not angry. Though I did actually speak that way when I first started, many spirits couldn’t stand it, let alone humans. So I practiced tongue twisters and crosstalk [xiàng sheng – traditional Chinese comedic performance], working to improve my speaking speed. But I still find speaking slowly more comfortable.”

Miss Snail said with a smile. Though she was advanced in age, she carried a dignified grace. Even when joking, she didn’t come across as annoying, as it was all in good fun.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I’ll get you some water.”

Su Xin walked toward the water dispenser, glancing at the sofa where she noticed Yangyang wasn’t there, probably having heard the door and quickly hidden.

After all, if guests opened the door and saw a rat in the host’s home, it wouldn’t leave a good impression. Rats are always associated with uncleanliness – such creatures wouldn’t appear unless living conditions were poor.

“Are you watching TV?”

Miss Snail sat down on the sofa, pointing at the television.

“Mmm… yes.”

“I quite enjoy watching this too. Who would’ve thought we’d share the same interest.”

What? 《When A Daughter-In-Law Becomes A Mother-In-Law》?

I’m not, I haven’t!

“Hahaha, really? What a coincidence.”

Su Xin brought Miss Snail a glass of water and sat with her on the sofa.

“This is my welcome gift for you, just a small token. Please don’t think it’s too modest – it’s our company’s newest unreleased product. I’ve already tested it myself, and it works wonderfully. This skincare product has no age restrictions. Though your skin is already excellent, taking good care of it is never wrong, right?”

Miss Snail handed over an elegantly packaged gift box, which Su Xin accepted with a delighted expression.

“Thank you, Miss Snail. This is such a wonderful gift.”

“I’m glad you like it. No need to call me Miss Snail, just call me Sister Manman [nickname meaning ‘slow slow sister’].”

“Alright, Sister Manman.”

“Did you move here through your own efforts, or are you entering the entertainment industry?”

This residential complex wasn’t something just any spirit could afford. As mentioned before, one’s success depended on their abilities. Though wealthy spirits mostly chose to live here among their kind, some preferred solitude. Miss Snail was a brand founder, quite a wealthy businesswoman.

If one wasn’t living here through their own efforts, there was only one other possibility – being signed by Tianyu.

Tianyu Entertainment Company was extremely wealthy, particularly generous with their spirit employees, though it mainly depended on their subsequent performance.

“I’m entering the entertainment industry. I just signed a contract with the boss today.”

“Oh… so you were indeed recruited by that wolf. But you must work hard – that wolf is very practical. If your later performance isn’t good and you don’t bring in the expected income, that woman can be quite ruthless.”

“What? Will she throw me out onto the streets?”

“That’s impossible, of course. Your living conditions might just worsen, and you’ll have to pay rent yourself. Actually, spirits aren’t much different from humans – many spirits are struggling to buy cars and homes, having a tough time. You’re quite fortunate.”

Miss Snail’s words carried a sense of world-weariness, as if she too had gone through a very difficult period before achieving her current success.

“Yes, I think so too.”

This is basically a world where looks matter [literally “looking at faces”]. It’s not that being good-looking allows you to act recklessly, but being attractive provides capital for such recklessness. Being good-looking can really change many things sometimes.

“Keep working hard. If there’s anything I can help with, feel free to find me. Here’s my contact information. You can contact me if needed. While I can’t help with everything, I can lend you some money.”

Miss Snail handed over her business card.

“Alright, thank you, Sister Manman.”

Su Xin accepted the card, saved the phone number in her mobile phone, and dialed it, hanging up before it connected – thus exchanging contact information.

Although Su Xin thought such a day would never come, it was better not to refuse others’ goodwill.

“You’re welcome, but I should warn you about something.”

“What?”

“Every spirit has their own taboo zone [jìn qū – forbidden area/topic]. Although they’re friendly, try not to touch these taboos. That pheasant’s taboo is that she can’t stand anyone saying someone else is prettier than her. Despite being a spirit who’s lived who knows how long, she’s still as childish as a kid. That pheasant can’t stand having any female creatures around her.”

Miss Snail rolled her eyes, clearly feeling helpless about the situation.

“But isn’t she in the entertainment industry? There are so many female celebrities there – she must often be compared to others.”

Wouldn’t that make her furious? Sister Pheasant is indeed quite beautiful, but there are many beautiful people in the entertainment industry, and with other celebrities’ fans being protective, people are bound to make such comparisons.

“She originally planned to personally go after other celebrities’ fans, but fortunately Tiger stopped her. She’s quite afraid of the tiger, and also afraid of the wolf. Though she might speak harshly to creatures like you who are cuter and smaller than her, she doesn’t have bad intentions – she’s just sharp-tongued [dú zuǐ – literally “poisonous mouth”, meaning harsh in speech].”

Now if you search online, there’s plenty of both praise and criticism about the pheasant. She’s always sharp-tongued toward female celebrities, especially when criticizing their clothing, though the pheasant is indeed a fashion icon in the entertainment circle and knows how to dress well.

“In any case, it’s best not to clash with her. Few spirits can handle her temperament.”

Miss Snail looked as if she too had been upset by the pheasant before, her expression quite helpless.

“Alright, I’ll remember that.”

After Miss Snail left, Yangyang emerged from between the sofa cushions, fiddling with the remote control to return to where he’d been watching – the drama was nearly at its finale.

Su Xin was about to head to her room with her phone when Yangyang called out to her.

“Cousin, I’m almost finished with 《When A Daughter-In-Law Becomes A Mother-In-Law》 , could you help me switch to another one later?”

“Sure, what do you want to watch?”

“《My Mother-in-law is My Mom》.”

“Okay… when you’re done, come knock on my door.”

Su Xin nodded, agreeing to Yangyang’s request.

“Hurrah!”

What an easily satisfied rat.

Su Xin returned to her room to continue chatting with Bai Qianqian, quickly checking what she had replied.

Bai Qianqian: Is that so? Thank you very much.

Su Xin explained about having a guest at home, then continued chatting enthusiastically.

Su Xin: Hope you can keep going!

Bai Qianqian: Well… no one supports me, and I have no opportunities left. I feel I might not be suited for this industry. I can’t hold on anymore.

Bai Qianqian replied instantly, her tone very defeated. She rarely showed such a dejected side. Being in a very weak position, she had always been a very strong-willed person since childhood. Her grades were actually good, but she later gave up other paths for her interests and dove into film academy, but unfortunately hadn’t found any good opportunities.

Su Xin: That’s not true! I support you, and I’ll always support you. I’m also trying to enter the entertainment industry now. When I’m able to recommend roles to others, I’ll definitely recommend you. Please don’t refuse – if others won’t give you a chance, I’ll give you one.

On the other end, Bai Qianqian stared at her screen in shock, rubbing her eyes in disbelief.

Bai Qianqian: Really?

She truly loved this field, though she hadn’t gained anything, but she wasn’t willing to just give up. Actually, she didn’t quite believe it, but now she was like a drowning person, wanting to grab onto any passing opportunity.

Su Xin: Of course it’s true. I have no reason to deceive you – what benefit would I get from lying to you? You’re my benefactor, I will definitely repay you. I told you I’m your sister, and I believe you should stand at the highest place.

Though these words were quite sentimental, Bai Qianqian’s heart couldn’t help but beat rapidly.

Bai Qianqian: I’ll keep watch. You’ll make it to the big screen, right?

Su Xin: Of course. Please witness my growth, and remember this – my growth is paving the way for your glory.

Bai Qianqian let out a heavy breath, like someone who had been suffocating for a long time suddenly being released. She began breathing rapidly, clutching her phone tightly, feeling lost and hesitant.

Could such things as pies falling from heaven really exist?

Su Xin: If you have doubts, even though there’s still so much time, waiting isn’t necessarily a bad thing for you, is it? It’s not a waste of time. Even if nothing comes of it, you won’t lose anything. But I still hope you’ll believe in me, and work hard to improve your abilities while waiting.

Su Xin: This isn’t a pie falling from heaven – it’s because you saved me.

There really are no free lunches in this world. Every cause has its effect. Bai Qianqian’s kindness brought her a little spirit’s wholehearted gratitude – who says good deeds go unrewarded?

Bai Qianqian: Alright, I look forward to seeing you on screen one day, and watching over your growth.

Su Xin ended her chat with this mission target and started doing other things to pass the time.

The next day arrived quickly. Su Xin usually didn’t eat breakfast. At noon, she ordered takeout, setting aside a small portion for Yangyang. After both person and rat had finished eating, Su Xin disposed of the takeout containers.

The teacher arrived as promised. He was a renowned professor from the film academy, whose teaching methods were rich and interesting, not limited to textbook theory or just performance techniques, sometimes even considering things like spiritual energy.

This old professor thought very highly of Su Xin, lavishly praising his new student in front of Chu Qiu, saying she had great potential, a brilliant future in stardom, as long as someone paved a smooth path for her.

This was certainly no problem for Chu Qiu – money tree talents were her lifeline. She would naturally pave the way well and resolve any troubles, as long as she could bring substantial profits.

About a month later, the old professor left.

Su Xin’s training was quite demanding, but she felt transformed inside and out.

Of course, it wasn’t a transformation of thought, but of acting ability. Su Xin had received professional training before, but that wasn’t the main course – besides classes, there was mechanics and combat techniques, with some training in acting and medical arts as well.

Ling Tian gave Su Xin a notice to participate in a variety show, starting her career through variety shows, and gave her the basic script.

It was currently a popular variety show, with rich and interesting content that greatly appealed to public taste, featuring handsome men and beautiful women, with dramatic moments and comedy.

The show was called 《The Charmer》 [literally: someone who charms thousands], the newest release. It had three regular guests: veteran host Lemon with strong audience appeal, fresh meat Qu Qu who was a comedy master and quite quirky, and Royal Father Brother Rong, a veteran actor who often performed in historical dramas playing emperors or princes, hence his nickname.

This variety show would invite five guests each time, making eight people in total.

Eight people are divided into two camps, competing for the title of “The Charmer.”

Eight people draw lots, with two people drawing king cards, becoming the leaders of the two camps.

The remaining six people draw blank cards. They don’t know who drew the king cards and must choose whom to follow based on their judgment and wishes. Followers can defect at any time, while kings must use their charm to maintain loyalty.

This is a program of constant alliances and betrayals, and that’s where its entertainment value lies.

When entering the game, everyone wears an armband. Victory is achieved when one king tears off another king’s armband, but if they tear off the wrong person’s armband, they’re eliminated.

This is actually a very brain-burning program, as it requires determining who is real and who is fake. Kings must be careful about revealing their identity since they never know when their subordinates might be won over by others, making it very challenging.

There have been cases where loyal subordinates pretended to be kings, causing everyone to misjudge and leading enemy kings to tear off their armbands, resulting in the enemy’s defeat.

This strategy was invented by Royal Father. When the game started, even viewers didn’t know who the real kings were, having to figure it out through camera footage. At that time, almost everyone thought Royal Father was the red team’s king. When his armband was torn off, people felt disappointed, but when the blue team was declared defeated, Royal Father laughed, and viewers realized they too had been deceived, exclaiming “The older ginger is spicier” [jiāng hái shì lǎo de là – Chinese idiom meaning experienced people are more skilled].

Because of such strategies, the game became even more playable [kě wán – engaging/interesting], and later guests developed various other approaches based on their different personalities.

Although 《The Charmer》 has only aired five episodes, its popularity continues to rise with very high ratings.

This variety show’s immense popularity determined how sought-after its spots were. Ling Tian securing one for her showed very high expectations. If Su Xin participated in this variety show, her fame would definitely increase twofold, even though she was still a newcomer without any representative works. However, precisely because of its popularity, her appearance would inevitably bring criticism.

“On recording day, I’ll accompany you to the site. Your assistant will stay close to you. Are you ready to face both criticism and glory in this first step? There will definitely be people criticizing you, so you must be prepared to handle it. If you can’t bear it mentally, you can choose not to look or listen. In this industry, you must have an indestructible heart [jīn gāng bù huài de xīn – unbreakable spirit, from Buddhist terminology], and be able to self-deprecate at any time, using your own way to counter those who mock you.”

Ling Tian was explaining to Su Xin that the human world is actually very cruel.

“Alright.”

“You must tell me about any issues you encounter, including ones you can’t handle. Don’t deal with things on your own, understand?”

“Understood.”

Su Xin arrived at the filming location on time, accompanied by her two assistant. Though dressed simply, she didn’t look ordinary – she had spent an hour in makeup today, now looking flawless from every angle.

The production team had been notified about this episode’s guest – a complete newcomer without any representative works, but with strong backing, being the new talent that Tianyu Group’s CEO planned to strongly promote.

Such a parachute appointment [kōng jiàng – being placed in a position without working up through ranks] would definitely provoke discussion. The production team found Tianyu’s decision puzzling – shouldn’t she first play some role and gain some fame before participating in their show? However, timing was crucial here – Ling Tian worried that if they waited, the show’s popularity might decline, making any later appearance less effective.

Su Xin received only an outline script, as everyone had considerable room for performance and improvisation.

“Hello, seniors.”

Upon arriving, Su Xin greeted everyone one by one, very obediently.

This episode’s invited guests were: rising singer Song Qiao, veteran actor Zhang Lin, variety show star Xiaobei, promising young actor Yun Yi, and Su Xin.

The veteran actor was a parrot spirit. Chu Qiu, worried about Su Xin being ostracized or running into trouble, first sent her own person to help. Since Zhang Lin was a veteran actor with a good reputation and many nostalgic fans, no one would smear him.

“Hello, Xiaoxin. You’re really cute.”

Lemon was the first to greet her, acting very familiar yet maintaining appropriate boundaries, making others feel comfortable.

“Thank you, Sister Lemon. You look even better in person than on TV.”

For women, sometimes being praised for beauty by other women is more pleasing than being praised by men, especially when the compliment comes from a woman they consider beautiful – it feels even more special.

Who doesn’t like compliments? The smile on Lemon’s face deepened.

“We’re about to start filming. Are you ready? Don’t be nervous.”

Lemon’s words weren’t just for Su Xin but for all the guests present.

“I’ve always wanted to try this show, it seems very interesting. The interactions between seniors are very entertaining. I’m truly honored to participate today.”

Yun Yi was currently a popular “cream idol” type [nǎi yóu xiǎo shēng – young, gentle male actor], having acted in several TV dramas. He was a second-tier actor, not extremely famous, appearing somewhat like a gentle boy-next-door.

“Old Zhang, go easy on them.”

Royal Father patted Zhang Lin’s shoulder. Both were veteran actors, but Royal Father typically played powerful, scheming authority figures, while Zhang Lin often played characters who rose from street ruffians to powerful positions, with excellent acting skills.

“Of course, of course.”

Zhang Lin smiled warmly, looking very kind.

The show was pre-recorded before broadcasting, allowing for adjustments during filming if needed.

Su Xin drew a blank card, as predetermined in the script. She wasn’t meant to be the main character this episode – this episode was mainly meant to promote Yun Yi, with her as an important supporting role.

When the show began, Su Xin immediately went to find Zhang Lin.

“Young lady, I see you have unique bone structure [gǔ gé qīng qí – meaning special talent]. This old master has unparalleled martial arts skills. How about I teach them to you as my disciple?”

Zhang Lin started with a comedic setup, which Su Xin picked up, making an exaggerated formal bow, looking very funny. Combined with her cute face, she looked adorable from every angle.

“If master recognizes my talent, I’d be delighted. Why don’t we, master and disciple, team up and journey west together [qǔ jīng – reference to Journey to the West]?”

“Let’s go.”

Su Xin maintained a constant smile beside Zhang Lin, keeping a perfect expression wherever the camera could capture her.

Her face was getting stiff from all that smiling.

“Master, who do you think holds the king card?”

Su Xin sat on the sofa, while Old Zhang sat across from her, casually sipping tea, looking completely at ease.

“Well, it’s neither you nor me, so whoever it is, it is. Let’s just sit here leisurely and wait, master and disciple. Someone will come to us eventually, and we’ll hear what they have to say.”

An old hand [lǎo jiāng hú – experienced person] was indeed more composed – even participating in this kind of variety show for the first time, he quickly found a suitable strategy.

They had already checked each other’s identity cards, confirming they both had blank cards, standing in the same camp.

“You’re right. Waiter, please bring us some grilled squid.”

Su Xin waved her hand, ordering another dish.

This time, the production team wanted her to play the role of a cute foodie. She didn’t need to do much else – just follow this direction. As a newcomer, she didn’t need to steal the spotlight – or rather, shouldn’t steal the spotlight. It was better to downplay her presence, making people remember her but not making her the main target of criticism, especially since she currently had no works to show for herself, a blank slate.

The cameraman specifically filmed Su Xin eating barbecue, her happy smile not at all forced, as if she was eating the most delicious food in the world, making viewers hungry.

Su Xin’s interactions with Zhang Lin in the show were very smooth, as if they were very familiar, like they had known each other for a long time.

To make Su Xin’s path smoother, Chu Qiu had added another identity for her – Zhang Lin’s former student.

So even in the show, their master-disciple relationship didn’t feel out of place.

Su Xin’s real information was: Su Xin, female, hamster spirit, 0 years old.

But the information to be published would be: Su Xin, female, Han nationality, 19 years old, 161cm.

Su Xin had hesitated and asked if 19 was too young, but Chu Qiu said they could hype up a “died young” narrative when she left.

Nothing to fucking say.

---

---