Side Story (4) : Pei Shinian x Jing Si (2)
After that, for a full three minutes, the in-game voice chat remained silent.
Realizing that his teammate was the goddess, Pei Shinian became the second mute.
Happiness came too suddenly, almost causing him to ruin it with his own hands.
He must have performed decently yesterday, right? Otherwise, the goddess wouldn’t continue teaming up with him today.
Quietly following Kun Yu’an, Pei Shinian thought apologetically, “Goddess, I’m sorry, it’s all your fault for having such poor taste. For the sake of your future happiness, I must stop being a decent person.”
Pei Shinian’s mind raced.
This account wasn’t among his WeChat friends. It was likely Kun Yu’an’s special gaming account.
Kun Yu’an had been avoiding voice chat, suggesting she might not want to be recognized, probably accidentally opening it just now.
Pei Shinian was always very gentlemanly with girls. Pretending he didn’t hear the voice just now, he silently searched for supplies for a while.
“Brother J, I have a level three armor, take it.”
Regardless of whether she wanted it or not, Pei Shinian dropped the level three armor on the ground and ran away.
Jing Si had just gone to close the door and returned, only to see his drunken teammate running straight toward him, mechanically dropping a level three armor, and then running away.
Jing Si: ?
Yesterday, this guy didn’t even want to give him a bandage.
Casually running into the house, Pei Shinian hid behind the window, nervously observing.
He saw Kun Yu’an standing in front of the level three armor, hesitating for a few seconds before picking it up and wearing it.
Pei Shinian breathed a sigh of relief, pinched his ear, and smiled satisfactorily.
Would Jing Si be so considerate to his girlfriend? Impossible.
Only he could bring warmth to the goddess.
The two of them ran together in the wilderness, entering a large house, where a team of people parked a car at the entrance of their area.
Seeing Kun Yu’an crouching at the stairs on the second floor preparing an ambush, Pei Shinian said solemnly, “You don’t have to move.”
Jing Si hesitated, glancing at his teammate who had just said he wanted to lie down.
Pei Shinian was near the window, holding a grenade in advance, waiting for the enemy’s car to stop. As soon as it did, he threw the grenade underneath it. Taking advantage of the enemies getting out of the car after hearing the explosion, Pei Shinian quickly took down one person from the window, then decisively jumped out, predicting the opponent’s hiding path, flanking from behind the house, engaging in a gunfight, and eliminating the team within seconds.
This round was indeed beautifully played.
Jing Si raised an eyebrow, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips, and sent a complimenting voice message that his teammate liked: “Well done!”
Receiving praise from the goddess, Pei Shinian felt as if he’d been injected with vitality. He sat up straight, raised his index finger to rub his nose.
Pei Shinian found a two-seater motorcycle and got on it. “Get on.”
Brother J jumped out of the house and quickly sat on the back, hugging his waist.
Being embraced by the goddess, Pei Shinian’s abdominal muscles tightened, as if a girl’s soft hands were embracing him. He took a slow breath, feeling a bit warm in his face, and spoke calmly, “Where do you want to go? Brother will take you for a ride.”
Yu, let Brother take you for a spin!
Jing Si’s gaze paused.
Is it Brother again?
Looking at his spirited teammate, the deep brown eyes held a slight hint of a smile.
Previously, when Song Jianchu pulled Jing Si and Pei Shinian into playing games, Jing Si had only added Pei Shinian as a game friend. They weren’t even WeChat friends.
Since this guy didn’t remember who he was, Jing Si had no intention of turning on the mic.
Remembering the awkward silence in the game earlier, Jing Si closed the mic he accidentally opened earlier, knowing that not remembering who he was might make this person enjoy the game more.
Brother J marked a point on the map, and Pei Shinian enthusiastically revved up the motorcycle and zoomed away.
He had never imagined that the goddess would be a gaming expert, which significantly raised his level of excitement but also brought considerable difficulty to his pretense.
For instance, just as he was about to show off, the goddess accidentally stole his kill. As he was about to take her to loot an airdrop, she was quicker than him, charging ahead on a motorcycle, clearing out the enemies near the airdrop, and leaving all the good loot for him.
“Why didn’t you take it?” Pei Shinian arrived later, seeing the full load of good equipment in the airdrop, and was momentarily stunned.
Brother J just silently rode away on the bike.
Pei Shinian hurriedly picked up the equipment and followed behind, feeling once again a palpitation of excitement.
When Pei Shinian and Qin Fang played games with Song Jianchu, they never engaged in this kind of teamwork. Everyone collected resources on their own based on their skills.
So, games could also be played this way.
Pei Shinian had opened the door to a new world and experienced the joy of love.
Although Yu was still someone else’s girlfriend, she would eventually be his!
Excitedly, Pei Shinian drove the car to catch up. “Yu… Brother J, wait for me!”
The speed of the motorcycle in front really slowed down a bit, waiting for him.
Pei Shinian stepped on the gas and caught up. The two entered a circle, tacitly clearing out the village.
Together they played duo overnight again.
Pei Shinian lost track of time and regretted getting too carried away when the morning light seeped in. He decided, “Let’s not play anymore. You should get some sleep early; staying up late isn’t good for your health.”
It’s not good for the skin either; the goddess can’t have me causing her to break out.
As a hardcore internet addict and idol, for the first time, he felt the need to control his gaming time.
Before quitting the game, Pei Shinian politely asked, “Bother J, are we playing together again tomorrow night?”
Brother J: Yeah.
Yes!
Having played through the night for two consecutive days, the goddess should have a good impression of him, right?
Staying up all night playing games with someone else’s girlfriend was something Pei Shinian had never done. The thrill of being immoral made him unusually excited. After logging off the game, his heart was racing, and he couldn’t sleep.
For the next half month, Pei Shinian and the goddess played duo every night.
However, they didn’t play for as long, always ending before midnight.
Pei Shinian noticed that Kun Yu’an seemed quite free; her work wasn’t too demanding. Whenever he logged on to play games, she was always online and idle.
Although he felt a bit self-absorbed for thinking this way, Pei Shinian couldn’t shake the feeling that Kun Yu’an was waiting for him.
This little suspicion quickly took root in Pei Shinian’s mind. The games after the goddess logged off at midnight didn’t seem as fun anymore, and his routine became healthier.
Several times, Qin Fang came in the evening to play games with him, but Pei Shinian either was already in a duo with someone else or just didn’t feel like going online.
“Who have you been playing with these days?” Qin Fang asked curiously. “Can’t you take me with you?”
Pei Shinian had just arrived home, preparing to duo with Brother J. He replied when he found a moment, “Go play by yourself, there’s no room for you.”
“Damn, who is it?” Losing his spot, Qin Fang felt a little sour. “Do you know a professional player?”
Apart from a professional gamer, Qin Fang couldn’t imagine who could arouse such enthusiasm in Pei Shinian.
Pei Shinian entered the game and sent a team invitation to Kun Yu’an.
Kun Yu’an joined the team.
Pei Shinian looked at the silent male character and his heart reflexively sped up. He smiled and said through the mic, “Good evening, Brother J. My sugar daddy insisted on dinner; work ended late. Did you wait long?”
Good evening, my Rain An.
Brother J: No.
Pei Shinian switched back to WeChat, smugly replying to Qin Fang, “What’s a professional player? Games should be played with girls.”
Qin Fang: ???
“Oh my God, are you in a relationship?” Qin Fang couldn’t believe it.
Pei Shinian happily said, “Not yet, I’m trying to win her over.”
Qin Fang was puzzled and gradually baffled, “Win over whom? I can’t see it; are you still this kind of person?”
Thinking of the goddess’s trashy boyfriend, Pei Shinian felt irritated. “Yes, I am now.”
His girlfriend was lonely to the extent that she played games with other guys every night, clearly showing that Jing Si didn’t care about Kun Yu’an at all.
Why leave the goddess for him to fool around with?
Back in the game, Kun Yu’an had already readied up.
Pei Shinian began matchmaking, but his expression became somewhat serious.
For half a month, Kun Yu’an still hadn’t turned on her mic. In fact, Pei Shinian didn’t really understand what she was thinking. However, there hadn’t been any displays of a boyfriend in her social circle.
Pei Shinian had also suspected that if he couldn’t persuade Kun Yu’an to stop playing games every night, Jing Si was around her.
Just the thought of them living together, with Kun Yu’an being the girlfriend of that trashy guy, made Pei Shinian annoyed. He wished he could confront Jing Si face-to-face to sort things out as men and force him to break up with Kun Yu’an.
He absolutely couldn’t let Kun Yu’an bear the stigma of being a bad girlfriend.
He logged off the game at midnight, and Song Jianchu sent a notification on WeChat: [There’s a movie promotional meeting tomorrow; get some rest early and don’t be late.]
[Pei Shinian: Understood.]
Pei Shinian thought it was perfect. He could meet tomorrow and find out if that trashy guy knew about this.
With just over a month left before the movie’s release, the promotional work had also become busy.
At 2 PM, Pei Shinian was driven by his chauffeur to the meeting venue, where a group of his fans had already gathered at the entrance.
His fans were mostly young girls, very enthusiastic, some of whom followed him around all year.
Pei Shinian got out of the car wearing a mask, and the fans holding nameplates screamed, “Ah, Ah Nian!”
“Ah Nian looks so handsome today!”
“Ah Nian, look here!”
Pei Shinian recognized one of his most fervent female student fans, took the autograph board, signed it for her, and kindly said, “Study well, don’t skip classes.”
“Okay!” The girl nodded, moved by the autograph board in her arms. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. “Brother, keep it up! You’re the best!”
“From now on, no more bringing gifts,” Pei Shinian said. “You haven’t started working yet, so don’t spend money recklessly at home. It’s not easy for parents to earn money, you know?”
The fans obediently agreed, “Yes, yes, we know!”
Knowing these little girls probably didn’t take it seriously, Pei Shinian sighed inwardly and, under the protection of bodyguards and assistants, entered the venue.
Upon entering the shared rest area for the crew members, Pei Shinian lazily sat down on the sofa, propping his legs up. He had just taken out his phone, intending to check if Kun Yu’an had updated her moments, when a tall, slender figure blocked the light in front of him. A refreshing fragrance of men’s body wash filled the air.
He held up his phone and looked at the deep brown eyes beneath the black brim of the cap.
Though the irises were warm in color, there was no warmth emanating from them.
Like a wolf.
Pei Shinian silently faced the director he hadn’t seen for a long time. The inexplicable stare made him feel a bit guilty.
He didn’t look away either, trying to assert an unapproachable aura.
Seeing that the man showed no sign of leaving, Pei Shinian, still holding his phone, teasingly arched his lips, “Is there a world-famous painting on my face?”
Jing Si seemed to want to say something at first, but he was cut off by Pei Shinian.
The perpetually displeased face seemed colder, displaying indifference as he shifted his gaze away and sat on the other side of the sofa.
Pei Shinian regretted his teasing.
Before coming here, Song Jianchu had reminded him to get along well with Jing Si. He hadn’t held back and now Song Jianchu would definitely scold him later.
Since he had already put out his attitude, Pei Shinian couldn’t take it back and could only focus on his phone, lowering his head.
The prolonged silence in the lounge cooled down to freezing temperatures.
Relief came when Qin Fang arrived.
Qin Fang was also someone who couldn’t keep a secret, and as soon as he arrived, he caught Pei Shinian and began to interrogate, “Oh man, come on, Pei Shinian, tell me honestly! Did you succeed with the girl?”
Pei Shinian caught a slight tilt of Jing Si’s head in his peripheral vision.
Usually, the sharp gaze from him on set made Pei Shinian feel intimidated, but now it felt like the gaze of an aggrieved party.
Pei Shinian’s heart skipped a beat, gripping the phone tightly in an attempt to remain calm.
D*mn it… I’ve already dug half the wall at the corner, why am I acting so cowardly?
“Soon,” Pei Shinian smiled resolutely. “Give me an early blessing to get out of the single life.”
“Brother, you’re awesome,” Qin Fang said. “Didn’t expect you to be someone who quietly does big things.”
“Getting out of being single is simple; when Brother Nian makes a move, it’s as good as done.”
Jing Si crossed his arms, squinting his eyes, half of his face covered by the shadow of his cap. He looked like a dark block of ice sitting on the sofa.
Pei Shinian avoided eye contact with Jing Si and chatted with Qin Fang about his experience of getting out of being single, glaring at Jing Si in his mind several times.
Yes, I’m trying to woo your girlfriend.
Song Jianchu came in, glanced at his watch, and said, “Is everyone here? We can leave now.”
Pei Shinian was about to get up when Jing Si walked past him, his face cold, and lightly bumped his arm. After staring at him inexplicably for a while, now he seemed disinterested in even exchanging a glance as he walked by.
Song Jianchu frowned and came over to ask quietly, “Did you guys have a fight?”
“Nope,” Pei Shinian shrugged. “I didn’t do anything, but he just doesn’t like me. What can I do?”
Qin Fang also noticed Jing Si’s attitude and looked curiously at the aloof figure who walked ahead. “He was fine just now, what happened?”
Song Jianchu sighed helplessly, advising again, “Speak properly during the interview later. Reporters are keen, don’t let them see anything.”
Pei Shinian put his arm around Song Jianchu’s shoulder and walked out, “Don’t worry, Mr. Producer. This is my first major movie, and I can’t afford to mess it up because of certain people.”
Staring at the cold back walking ahead alone, Pei Shinian sneered inwardly.
Better act now, you’ll cry later.
The press conference ended smoothly, and nothing that Song Jianchu had worried about occurred.
If any internal conflicts within the creative team were exposed, it could affect the movie’s actual reputation in the media gossip.
This work received high praise from industry bigwigs; there was a chance it might win big awards. During this growing period, everything needed to be carefully monitored.
After the press conference, Song Jianchu arranged a small banquet, inviting a few industry giants to maintain relations with the theaters for future screenings.
The daughters of these industry giants also attended, all for Pei Shinian.
For a male artist, occasionally hanging out with the daughters of industry bigwigs was very natural. These private dinners were far from being considered hidden rules; Song Jianchu wouldn’t allow his artists to get involved unnecessarily.
While Song Jianchu chatted with the director and the bigwigs, Pei Shinian was responsible for entertaining three young girls, surrounded by the fragrance of expensive perfumes.
Pei Shinian wasn’t great at chatting with girls, feeling a bit overwhelmed by their questions. So, he decided to play games with them.
“The internet-addicted idol is truly famous, haha.”
“Nian Nian, add me on WeChat, my rank has always been stuck. Let’s duo together in the future.”
Pei Shinian debuted with a sunny and friendly image, rarely dyed his hair, and maintained a refreshing black short haircut. His 1.85-meter tall, healthy and sturdy physique gave a sense of security, making him the most popular boyfriend material among young girls.
The girl wearing a hot dress sat too close, and the wonderful view in front of her chest was visible when he lowered his head. Pei Shinian’s gaze stiffened, not daring to move randomly, and he smiled, changing the topic, “Ready? Let me show you some real skills.”
“Nian Nian, show us your moves!”
“Director Jing, we agreed; you have to work with us next time,” the industry giant extended his glass admiringly.
Here’s the translation of the text you provided:
Jing Si quietly looked at a certain place without responding. Song Jianchu reminded softly, “Director Jing.”
Jing Si withdrew his gaze, even in social situations, his expression remained cold and distant as he clinked glasses with the tycoon. “I will consider it.”
The tycoon was not embarrassed, laughing heartily, “Hahaha, a director nurtured by an artistic family is indeed extraordinary.”
Pei Shinian took a group of low-ranking girls to play games, easily ate several chicken dinners, but felt bored.
He occasionally checked his friend list; J1111 hadn’t been online all night.
Normally, he should have been online at this time.
Pei Shinian suddenly became nervous.
Seeing him playing with others, would Yu’an be upset?
After playing lacklusterly for two hours, he found an excuse to visit the restroom. Standing at the sink, he opened Kun Yu’an’s WeChat, agitatedly ran his hand through his hair, hesitating whether to send a message to explain.
In the end, he decided against it.
Were they in an online relationship? He had teased people discreetly in the game before, and Kun Yu’an didn’t mind. Sometimes, she even cooperated.
Pei Shinian calmly analyzed and felt they were in a vague stage now.
However, their relationship hadn’t reached the level where they could discuss it openly on WeChat.
It was his first love, and Pei Shinian could only plan on paper. When it came time to upgrade, he wasn’t sure how to proceed.
Pei Shinian sighed in frustration and asked the male actor washing hands beside him, “Buddy, got a cigarette?”
The minor actor was addressed by the lead actor and quickly handed over a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, “Sure, Brother Nian.”
“Thanks.”
During high school, Pei Shinian was the typical “bad boy,” an atypical second-generation rich kid who was easygoing and not pretentious. After graduation, his friends learned about his family background, but when skipping class to play games in internet cafes, he always had cigarettes. After debuting, to promote a healthy image for young people, he had quit smoking for a long time. However, occasionally, he still had cravings when frustrated.
Taking a cigarette, Pei Shinian lit it in the smoking area with a troubled mind.
Love troubles were too bothersome; one cigarette wouldn’t solve them.
Pei Shinian regretted not taking the whole pack earlier and heard the sound of a metal lighter clicking nearby.
He turned his head, “Hey, got one…”
He met a pair of deep-set eyes, and the smile on Pei Shinian’s face slowly faded. He withdrew his hand from his pocket.
Jing Si handed over the cigarette box without much expression. Pei Shinian struggled in his mind for a while, but his current craving for a cigarette overcame his rationale. He reached out and took one.
Later, he directly put the cigarette box and lighter into his pocket, showing no intention of returning them.
Jing Si looked at this person’s audaciously natural behavior and raised an eyebrow.
“Director Jing, you are a grand figure. Don’t be so petty,” Pei Shinian patted Jing Si’s shoulder, smoking while leaning against the wall carelessly.
Bathed in the warm yellow light from the smoking corner, Jing Si observed the person in front of him.
With a cigarette in his mouth, Pei Shinian’s eyes narrowed slightly from the smoke. The familiar image of the idol disappeared, and he reverted to the truant gamer boy.
The smoking corner was a magical social place.
Whether they were complete strangers or usually enemies, when here, it was like entering a neutral zone, where they could even chat amicably.
Jing Si looked at him with a faint gaze, seemingly casually asking, “Got a partner?”
Pei Shinian flicked the ash and felt no guilt, “Soon.”
“How soon?”
As soon as you break up, then I’ll be ‘soon’?
Pei Shinian smiled nonchalantly, “Director Jing, are you worried I might affect your masterpiece? Rest assured, I’m very dedicated.”
There was a hint of a smile in Jing Si’s eyes, due to his face and personality, his smile didn’t bring a feeling of warmth. He nodded slightly, ashed his cigarette, and said, looking down, “Not greeting the director is dedication?”
“Is it? Did I not greet you before?” Pei Shinian pretended to be ignorant, spat out smoke, and smiled casually, “Don’t be so petty. We’re not that close, making everyone think we’re enemies.”
“Indeed.” Jing Si smiled meaningfully and extinguished the cigarette.
In his heart, Pei Shinian thought, ‘You’d better leave soon. Small talk is really exhausting.’ He lit another cigarette and looked up, “Director Jing, are you leaving? Tell those girls for me, ask Qin Fang to entertain them for a while. I’ll join later—”
Before he finished speaking, his left shoulder was heavily pressed against the wall by a hand with alphabetical tattoos. His right hand, raised instinctively due to the cigarette, was grabbed at the wrist and pinned in midair.
With the man’s motion of leaning closer and lowering his head, everything darkened in front of Pei Shinian. The smoke he hadn’t exhaled was pried apart by the coolness of a tongue, slipping between his lips.
“!!!”
Jing Si’s lips and tongue were as cool and forceful as the person’s. They completely suppressed him.
His heart suddenly raced.
The pulse spread to his fingers, breaking off a long ash from the cigarette.
His brain, stunned by the shock, was left with only the most primitive emotional words—
…D*mn.
This f***ing…
This f***ing!!!
But I was the one who gave your girlfriend her first kiss!