Questioning
Alright, she didn’t say it, I said it.
Tang Yingxia had rarely played games with Lu Zhenqiu before. She didn’t particularly like gaming. It was only after meeting Yu Wen, who said she didn’t know how to play and asked her to teach her, that she would occasionally log on to play for a bit.
She never thought that this “playing for a bit” would lead to running into Lu Zhenqiu. She also never thought she would run into Jin Shuilan. And she certainly never thought she would see Jin Shuilan and Lu Zhenqiu playing together—and more than once!
A fire was building in Tang Yingxia’s heart, burning until her eyes turned red. Without even thinking, she called Lu Zhenqiu. No one answered. When she went to send a message, she remembered she had been blacklisted.
She gritted her teeth and went to the streaming platform, where she heard Lu Zhenqiu speaking to her fans with a laugh. “Hmm, play a game? Maybe next time. I’m not playing anymore today. I’ll sing in a bit.”
“Where am I? I’m in M City. Yes, in a rented house. The environment? The environment is very nice.”
Lu Zhenqiu’s voice was gentle and soft when she laughed, very pleasant to listen to. The fire in Tang Yingxia’s heart subsided a little. She suddenly remembered that Lu Zhenqiu used to speak to her just like this.
“I went out with Maomao today. There’s a little kid downstairs who really likes Maomao and kept pestering it to play.”
“It rained today. Did it rain where you are? Remember to bring an umbrella when you go out.”
These words seemed to be right beside her ear, yet also very far away. Tang Yingxia dazedly recalled that they hadn’t had a proper, peaceful phone call in a very long time. It was always a rushed hang-up, not even as much as they chatted on their messaging app.
She had just tried to think hard, but she couldn’t even remember the last time she and Lu Zhenqiu had a proper chat on the phone. Tang Yingxia clutched her phone, and only after calming herself down did she send a message to Lu Zhenqiu: 【Qiuqiu, I’m sorry. My tone was too harsh just now. Can you give me a call after you’re done streaming?】
Lu Zhenqiu saw a private message notification flashing in her stream dashboard1. Fearing it was her boss, she opened it and saw it was Tang Yingxia. Lu Zhenqiu didn’t reply and continued chatting with her fans. Her performance today had been too impressive, and quite a few fans had come after hearing about it. Most left after seeing she wasn’t playing games, but a portion stayed to listen to her sing. The stream’s popularity dropped to around one million, which was still a lot in the entertainment section. Even Xiao Yu said, “Now I can enter the entertainment section with peace of mind. Crushing that Lu Yan is just so satisfying!”
Lu Zhenqiu herself had never imagined she’d gain so much popularity after just a few days of streaming. Before coming to Sanshui, she had never thought things would develop in such a bizarre way. She still remembered how Xiao Yu had initially arranged all sorts of plans to promote her, but unexpectedly, her popularity could now occasionally surpass even Xiao Yu’s.
The stream was lively. Around seven o’clock, Lu Zhenqiu sent a message to Jin Shuilan asking about dinner arrangements. Jin Shuilan asked if she wanted to eat from that place, Splendid Box, again. Lu Zhenqiu wasn’t picky and said, “Then I’ll order.”
“Let me,” Jin Shuilan said. “You just focus on your stream.”
Lu Zhenqiu pursed her lips and agreed.
When dinner arrived, she told her fans in the stream and walked out of the room. Maomao obediently leaned against her. Jin Shuilan said, “I just took him for a walk downstairs.”
She’s too good.
Lu Zhenqiu said gratefully, “Thank you, Teacher Jin. If there’s anything you need my help with, Teacher Jin, please don’t hesitate to ask!”
Jin Shuilan glanced at her. “Really, don’t hesitate?”
Lu Zhenqiu nodded, her face full of sincerity. Jin Shuilan said, “Then call me for the next game.”
“Ah?” Lu Zhenqiu was dumbfounded. Jin Shuilan smiled. “I prefer playing games with you.”
It must be because their teamwork today was so enjoyable. Lu Zhenqiu understood. After the game ended, Xiao Yu was still complaining about why they didn’t play one more round. She thought that with Jin Shuilan as her support, she would definitely be invincible. She said, “Of course. As long as Teacher Jin doesn’t mind me being bad.”
“I don’t mind,” Jin Shuilan said. “You play very well.”
Lu Zhenqiu lowered her head to break apart her chopsticks. Jin Shuilan added in a low voice, “I really like—” Lu Zhenqiu looked up. “Ah?” Jin Shuilan smiled. “I said I really like your plays. Very impressive.”
“I’m not the impressive one, Xiao Yu is,” Lu Zhenqiu explained. “The one we played with today.”
Jin Shuilan nodded. “I know.”
That was the rambunctious jungler who, after she thought the game was over, private messaged her asking if she could play just one more round with her, just one round as her support. Jin Shuilan said, “We can queue as three next time.”
Lu Zhenqiu didn’t suspect anything and smiled. “Okay.”
Her complexion was much better than when she first arrived. She had put on light makeup for the stream and was also wearing cosmetic contacts2. The color of her pupils was slightly different from usual, a little lighter. Her skin was fair, and today she had even drawn on eyeliner, making the corners of her eyes appear longer and narrower.
Jin Shuilan stared at her smiling face for a few seconds before lowering her head to eat.
Maomao rested beside them. Lu Zhenqiu was quiet when she ate, not talking much, only occasionally looking up at Jin Shuilan and smiling. Because of her smile, Jin Shuilan couldn’t eat in peace, forcing herself not to look in order to keep her heart steady.
As they were about to finish eating, Lu Zhenqiu asked Jin Shuilan, “When does the recording for the radio drama start?”
“Soon,” Jin Shuilan said. “The promotions will start in the next two days. We’ll have to start work this week at the latest.”
Lu Zhenqiu nodded. Just after finishing her meal, she saw an @all notification in the group chat about the evening’s promotion. The voice actors for the two main leads had already been officially announced. The most anticipated role now was Lu Yin; this character was no less important than the two protagonists, and the readers had very high expectations for her. Ji Zibo had finished the character trailer in the afternoon. Since Jin Shuilan had just mentioned her collaboration with Lu Zhenqiu on stream, some readers had already guessed it, so she simply decided to release the promo tonight.
Jin Shuilan also received a private message. Ji Zibo had sent her the promotion plan. Jin Shuilan confirmed there were no issues and glanced at Lu Zhenqiu. “No problem, right?”
The promotion hadn’t even started, but Lu Zhenqiu’s heart was already racing. She patted her chest, still looking a little nervous. “No, no problem.”
Jin Shuilan stretched out her hand, intending to pat her on the shoulder, but it curled back mid-air. She said, “It’s good that there’s no problem.”
Lu Zhenqiu was busy trying to calm her emotions and didn’t notice Jin Shuilan’s small gesture. Maomao came closer, and Lu Zhenqiu scooped it up, rubbing her cheek against its head. As Jin Shuilan lowered her eyes, her peripheral vision caught Maomao, and she pursed her lips.
The official announcement was made quickly. By the time Lu Zhenqiu returned to her stream, the Weibo post had already been sent out. It was the character trailer for Lu Yin. Countless readers had been eagerly awaiting it. Although Jin Shuilan had heard it several times, she couldn’t resist playing it again. Lu Zhenqiu’s slightly husky voice filled the study.
The compatibility was very high.
Not only were they satisfied, but the readers on Weibo were also greatly surprised after hearing the trailer!
【Just came from the stream, let me just say, the voice is really different, so different!】
【This is the General Lu in my heart! I don’t care, this is General Lu!】
【Holy crap, so amazing. A single trailer got my blood boiling!】
【Is this really our Qiuqiu? I can’t believe it, it’s so vivid. The General Lu in my heart has come to life.】
Lu Yin was different from the two protagonists. She defended her country to the very last moment, dedicating half her life to it. A sense of great righteousness and great love always surrounded her, so she held a different meaning for the fans. The clip Lu Zhenqiu voiced was just a small segment, but many fans said that hearing it reminded them of the final plot, and they couldn’t help but shed tears. The Weibo comment section was a field of wails. The more fitting Lu Zhenqiu’s performance was, the more pained they felt, having been completely drawn into the story.
Ji Zibo read the comments and posted them in the group: 【We didn’t pick the wrong person, right? @Zhenqiu.】
【Of course, our Teacher Ji has great taste.】
【Look who chose her! Teacher Ji’s eyes are wickedly sharp!】
Ji Zibo: 【Your compliments are so perfunctory.】
Lu Zhenqiu: 【Thank you, Teacher Ji, for the opportunity. I will do my best with the voice acting.】
Ji Zibo: 【Look, look, all of you. Qiuqiu, you must not learn their bad habits. But it’s okay if you do, Teacher Ji still loves you.】
Lu Zhenqiu laughed, just about to type.
Ji Zibo: 【Oh, and Teacher Jin loves you too.】
The group was full of laughter. Lu Zhenqiu didn’t mind and replied with a cute sticker. Jin Shuilan, however, tapped on Ji Zibo’s profile picture, then closed the chat window when she saw Lu Zhenqiu hadn’t replied.
The Lu Yin character trailer was successfully launched. Jin Shuilan went on Weibo and reposted it, adding the caption: A little Lu Yin.
【It’s mama’s Lu Yin!】
【General Lu, it’s getting cold. Won’t you come home with me?】
【As long as Lu Yin stands, the city will not fall.】
【I was just laughing like a dog watching Teacher Jin’s stream, and now I’m crying like a dog. Dammit.】
Jin Shuilan closed Weibo and saw a private message from Lu Zhenqiu. It was a “thank you” sticker, cute and adorable, just like Lu Zhenqiu. Jin Shuilan replied “you’re welcome” in a rather good mood.
Lu Zhenqiu beamed when she saw the reply. Seeing how much the readers and fans liked the Lu Yin reveal, half the pressure on her lifted. That evening, she sang mostly sweet songs. As Jin Shuilan listened to her singing, she opened a document. Her QQ kept flashing. She opened it. It was a message from Bai Mao.
【Teacher Jin, you’re so shameless.】
Jin Shuilan: 【?】
Bai Mao: 【Why didn’t you tell me you got Zhenqiu?】
Jin Shuilan’s hands paused on the keyboard for a few seconds, thinking back to when Bai Mao had heard one of Lu Zhenqiu’s roles and grabbed her, saying, “Her, her, it has to be her! Hey! She’s the one for my book, 【Stirred by Emotion】3!”
That was two years ago. At the time, she also had a role she wanted to offer Lu Zhenqiu, so she had Ji Zibo send out two messages at once: one was her invitation, and the other was Bai Mao’s. In the end, both vanished like a stone in the sea. They assumed Lu Zhenqiu was no longer voice acting.
Bai Mao was full of regret, and the radio drama for 【Stirred by Emotion】 was postponed. Later, Bai Mao got busy with a TV drama script, and the radio drama was temporarily shelved. Now, seeing Lu Zhenqiu in Jin Shuilan’s production, she immediately popped up in her private chat.
Jin Shuilan typed: 【What.】
Bai Mao: 【What? What do you think I want? Are you close with her? I heard you two were playing games together this afternoon? Hey, help me ask her.】
Jin Shuilan: 【Already asked.】
Bai Mao: 【???】
Bai Mao: 【Holy crap, bestie! So what did Zhenqiu say?】
Seeing her anxious state, Jin Shuilan couldn’t help but find it amusing. Nowadays, they no longer needed to rely on famous voice actors for their radio dramas; suitability was more important. Bai Mao had been thinking about Lu Zhenqiu for this role for two years, fixated on it. Now that there was suddenly news, it was inevitable that she would be anxious.
Jin Shuilan: 【She said your book has a lot of passion scenes4. Are you an erotica5 writer? Why is your mind always full of that stuff in bed?】
Bai Mao: 【Ah, about that…】
Jin Shuilan: 【Alright, she didn’t say it, I said it.】
Bai Mao: 【????】
The author has something to say:
Thirty red packets, muah.
OMG, a second update today, a second update! It’s all because our Teacher Jin and Qiuqiu are too cute!
Bai Mao: Jin Shuilan, you’re such a dog6!
Jin Shuilan: Thanks for the compliment.
Bai Mao: …
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