Chapter 66 — The consciousness did not successfully merge.
Bai Ruogu stood at the window, his eyes cloudy. He curled his lips into a casual smile, then turned and walked toward the lounge.
When they had just rushed back to planet Ruogu, their half-month vacation had ended.
In the evening, after Bai Ruogu finished his bath, he lay on the bed manipulating his smart brain. He opened the group chat of the <Dusty Life Palace> crew, where both the actors and staff were chatting enthusiastically.
Director: [All members, the filming will continue tomorrow. Everyone should arrive before 8 o’clock tomorrow morning.]
The group chat immediately filled with wailing, but there was no room for negotiation with the director.
[We’ve already had a half-month vacation, and you still haven’t had enough fun?! I bet we’ll wrap up late tomorrow. After such a long break, I’m sure we’ve all forgotten our characters!]
Bai Ruogu smiled, rubbed his temples, and sighed helplessly.
He had originally planned to give the blue ball a body sooner, but it seemed it would be delayed by a few more days.
However, this wasn’t entirely bad. During the free time in the crew, he could design the blue ball’s body more meticulously, making it more perfect in every aspect.
The next day, when he returned to the crew, everyone who hadn’t seen each other for a while gathered to chat. Some people had tanned quite a bit compared to half a month ago.
Bai Ruogu had already prepared his emotions in advance. By the time he had changed into his costume and finished his makeup, the crew had prepared the set and props.
The main content of this scene was the confrontation between Wei Huan and the Grand Tutor. The actor playing the Grand Tutor was Huan Yu, an experienced actor over sixty years old. His role in the drama wasn’t extensive, and due to scheduling conflicts, he hadn’t been on set recently, so he wasn’t familiar with Bai Ruogu’s acting.
He hadn’t watched Bai Ruogu’s performance in <Light Years> and only occasionally heard about the plot. Initially, his impression of Bai Ruogu was average, but later, whenever he went online, he saw overwhelming hot searches about Bai Ruogu.
If it were about his acting skills, that would be fine. However, most of the comments were praising Bai Ruogu’s looks and how exquisite he appeared, which quickly lowered Huan Yu’s opinion of him. He even thought Bai Ruogu was just a traffic star without good acting skills.
Huan Yu attributed the success of <Light Years> to its outstanding plot, which he believed elevated Bai Ruogu’s popularity.
This was his first official visit to the set. Because of Bai Ruogu’s frequent hot searches, Huan Yu recognized him at first glance.
Huan Yu watched the young man walking toward him with a gentle and calm demeanor. The young man’s face held a serene smile, and his every movement exuded elegance. This scene made it seem as if the refined gentleman from the drama had stepped out into reality.
A light flashed in Huan Yu’s deep-set eyes before it quickly disappeared. He discreetly found his position and prepared for the shoot.
This drama wasn’t purely a costume drama but had fantasy elements. For instance, the protagonist, Wei Huan, remembered events from his previous life when he was seven, which made him wise beyond his years and carefree in his approach to everything.
This scene took place in the Imperial Study.
At that time, the princes had just finished an exam. The emperor had high hopes for Wei Huan, but when the results came out, the Grand Tutor called him in alone.
Huan Yu, with deep wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, frowned and tapped the table harshly with a ruler. His voice didn’t fluctuate much, but his tone conveyed an undeniable authority.
The tall and thin shadow of the Grand Tutor loomed over Wei Huan’s small frame. Bai Ruogu didn’t raise his head but could feel the oppressive presence emanating from him.
For a moment, Bai Ruogu felt as if he were truly a student being reprimanded. He clenched his hand lightly and exhaled heavily.
As expected of a seasoned artist, he embodied his character perfectly.
In the past, Bai Ruogu might not have been able to handle it, but now his character coincidentally resonated with his own experiences.
Both had memories of a past life and both had extraordinary experiences…
Bai Ruogu pretended to be as innocent as a child, but the fear on his face was quite evident.
“May I ask, Grand Tutor, what did I do wrong to make you so angry?”
Wei Huan’s voice was light, as if he naturally defied the constraints imposed by others.
Huan Yu furrowed his brows outwardly, but inwardly he was surprised.
Wei Huan’s words made the Grand Tutor feel as if he had punched cotton. He intensified his tone.
“You, as the legitimate son, have been favored by His Majesty since birth. By rights, you should be more outstanding, but to my astonishment, not a single answer on your test was correct! Some of these questions are well-known, yet you…”
Wei Huan almost lost his composure upon hearing this. He raised his head, and his voice grew louder.
His eyes were bright, and he paused every few words.
“May I ask, Grand Tutor… where did I go wrong?”
A small boy suddenly displayed an imposing manner that even the experienced Grand Tutor struggled to handle.
Hiding his surprise, the Grand Tutor calmly took out a piece of rice paper, pointed to a poem on it, and asked decisively.
“Tell me, who wrote this poem, ‘Flower Street’?”
Wei Huan squinted at the poem. Every word was extremely familiar.
He was born in that era, and the poet was his good friend.
Without hesitation, he replied, “Li Fugui.”
However, what he thought was the most foolproof answer was met with reprimand from the Grand Tutor.
“Who is Li Fugui? This poem was written by the famous poet Song Ao…”
“Absurd…” He stared straight at the paper, his tone shifting from clear to mixed, until it became a mere whisper at the end.
“Nonsense!” The Grand Tutor had been planning to ask Wei Huan where he had learned these absurd ideas, but he suddenly noticed an unfathomable look in his eyes—dark and hollow, completely unlike the gaze of a child.
“You…” The Grand Tutor pointed at him, speechless for a long time.
“Hmm?” Wei Huan lightly lifted his head. When their eyes met, the Grand Tutor felt a chill throughout his body, a fear emanating from his very core.
In the room, the young boy smiled.
“Grand Tutor, I think this poem was written by Li Fugui, right?” The innocent voice echoed in every corner of the study room.
The scene finally ended, but many people took a long time to recover.
The director sat in front of the screen, staring blankly at Bai Ruogu’s last look. He muttered, “Brilliant, truly brilliant… That look, who else in the industry can portray that? It’s as if he’s lived an extra lifetime.”
The assistant director nodded in agreement, glancing past the screen at Bai Ruogu, who had just stepped out of the scene with a calm expression. Suddenly, his heart tightened.
His palms grew sweaty.
Somehow, he had a premonition. In a few more dramas, Bai Ruogu would become immensely popular, perhaps even a lasting star across the galaxy.
The scene was already completed. Bai Ruogu respectfully addressed Huan Yu as “senior” and then stepped aside to rest. However, Huan Yu stood in place for a long time without moving.
“This kid…”
That gaze not only stunned the Grand Tutor but also Huan Yu. The chill he felt wasn’t just from the plot but from his own experience.
He trembled as he moved his hand to cover his pounding heart, struggling to calm down.
Was that look really something a young man in his twenties could have?
He had lived for over sixty years and couldn’t portray such an expression.
This kid Bai Ruogu… was incredible. He would undoubtedly become more popular than any star today.
Filming continued as usual. Whenever Bai Ruogu had a break, he designed the final steps for the blue ball’s body, and Huan Yu posted an update on the Star Network.
Huan Yu V: [I must admit, Bai Ruogu is the best young actor I’ve ever seen, no doubt about it. Actor Bai Ruogu from <Dusty Life Palace> crew (attached: two stills of Bai Ruogu)]
As soon as this news came out, the Star Network exploded.
Who didn’t know that Huan Yu was one of the few seasoned actors still active on screen? He usually had no tolerance for those popular idols and had publicly criticized them numerous times.
Very few young actors could earn his praise. To receive even a “not bad” from him was considered the highest compliment to an actor’s skills.
Now, with Huan Yu openly praising Bai Ruogu on the Star Network, it was clear how highly he regarded Bai Ruogu’s acting.
Immediately, the topics #Bai Ruogu’s Acting# and #Dusty Life Palace’s Quality# both trended.
Netizens eagerly discussed this.
[Wow, Bai Ruogu got such praise from Huan Yu? Is this for real?! How good must his acting be?!!]
[I watched <Light Years> before and didn’t think it was that impressive. Has Bai Ruogu’s acting improved that much in this drama?]
[As a fan of the original novel, I was planning to avoid any news about this drama, but now that I’ve seen this trending topic, I’m suddenly looking forward to it.]
[Finally, a drama that doesn’t feel half-hearted. I hope the crew puts in the effort. If it’s good, I’ll support it financially.]
[Sweet and Spicy Braised Squid: Who is Bai Ruogu? I’m suddenly curious and want to see who’s playing my Wei Huan.]
[First floor: Here, this is him (Bai Ruogu’s stills).]
[Sweet and Spicy Braised Squid: Ahhhhhh, his looks are perfect, just like my Wei Huan! And I’ve heard his acting is great too. Where did the crew find such an actor? Finally, they’re not just relying on money, but actually putting effort into the casting.]
[Third floor: You’re overthinking it. It’s still about money. Most actors are pre-selected. But the big boss behind this is Bai Ruogu himself, the one playing your Wei Huan. How’s that? Despairing, aren’t you? Still can’t escape the influence of money.]
[Sweet and Spicy Braised Squid: Despair, my foot?! OMG, he’s rich, good-looking, talented, and powerful… What a hardcore idol! I’m a fan for life, no turning back.]
In no time, Bai Ruogu gained countless fans, especially girlfriend fans.
At the same time, Su Mou, who was collecting statistics: …
On the other side, Bai Ruogu was working on the final step of Su Mou’s body, expecting it to be completed in three hours. By then, Bai Ruogu would have a real boyfriend.
Although the finished body would still soften, Bai Ruogu had specifically designed certain parts for their future life. From then on, some areas would not be touched casually.
Different sensitivities were already set up, and Bai Ruogu only needed to reinforce them to skip straight to the final steps.
Su Mou now had many subconscious human reactions. For instance, when encountering someone he liked, he would instinctively crave and even try to retain them, acting before thinking.
He could lose control due to strong emotions, with reactions like rising body temperature, automatic stiffness, and secreting “sweat.”
Su Mou even had body fluids, though they were highly nutritious. His current body was like a large nutrient generator.
During the manufacturing process, Bai Ruogu had no idea there was an issue inside Su Mou.
It turns out that after the network connection was established, the two “Su Mou” didn’t merge but formed two consciousnesses with shared experiences but different personalities.
No, saying two wasn’t accurate. There were many, including the former manager, vice president, and god… They all had awareness, but the first two had stronger presences and took the lead.
However, although consciousness has varying degrees of strength, it does not mean it is nonexistent. Consequently, one by one, people began to vie for Bai Ruogu.
God of War Su Mou: Bai Ruogu was mine, he could only be mine.
God Su: He was my sacrifice, my possession.
Agent Su: He had always shown interest in me.
Vice President Su: He once had the intention of using unspoken rules with me, so we are the most suitable.
Blue Ball: We have lived together for a long time, and he was originally mine.
Their disputes yielded no results, and they eventually decided that each person could have him for a period of time, except in special circumstances.
Taw’s note: So many consciousness… Bai Rougu’s future night life should be very interesting (人 •͈ᴗ•͈)