And so, the player lived a blissfully indulgent life in the Simulator, with the dignified and magnanimous Duan Daying on one side, and the seductive Gu Guiren on the other, enjoying every day to the fullest.
[During the filming of "Ding Feng Bo," you and Gu Xingye continued to interact privately. Because of your close association, some rumors seemed to have quietly begun circulating.]
""Xingcheng" CP fans increased."
"Reporters' attention on you has risen."
Late at night during a heavy rainstorm, a black luxury car sat in the underground parking garage. Though the season wasn't particularly cold, the car's heater was turned up high.
A young woman wearing only a white dress had a black suit jacket draped over her shoulders, nestling dependently in the arms of a dark-haired young man like a well-behaved kitten, utterly endearing.
Duan Mingxuan lowered his gaze, his eyes landing on her clear, slightly pale face. His slender fingers ran through her hair, gently tousling her head: "Sorry, I've been busy lately and haven't had much time to spend with you. Do you want to go out and have some fun after finishing this movie?"
"No, I don't want to go out." The girl shook her head and said enthusiastically, "After finishing this movie, I'm going to start the second and third ones right away… My film career can't have any gaps. If I stop appearing on screen, my fans won't be able to see my beauty and they'll be heartbroken! My beauty is meant to benefit the audience and the world!"
Duan Mingxuan raised an eyebrow: "That strong a drive for your career?"
"Of course." She looked proud. "After all, I'm going to be a legendary Best Actress."
Then she started pestering him again, asking if he'd watched all the TV dramas she'd filmed from beginning to end, and forcing him to admit she was a born Best Actress.
"I only watched a little."
Duan Mingxuan said.
"Only a little?!" The young woman immediately grew angry and began clinging to him relentlessly. "How could you only watch a little? I'm so beautiful, shouldn't you be unable to stop watching? Fine, fine, I know you're usually busy. If you don't have time, you don't have to watch everything—just watch the cuts with my scenes. After you finish, you'll definitely be captivated by my acting and beauty, and willingly fall at my feet!"
Duan Mingxuan propped his head on one hand, quietly gazing at her. Faint halos of light cast subtle shadows on his cold, jade-white face as he said, "But I'm already at your feet."
"Really?" The girl widened her eyes and said innocently, "Then when are you going to give me half of your assets?"
The dark-haired young man let out a helpless laugh.
Actually, he'd lied about one thing.
Although work kept him busy, he'd long since found time to watch all of her works.
No matter how unreliable she was in private, he had to admit she was a born actress. There wasn't a trace of performance in her—the moment she appeared on camera, she became the character. She was Princess Changning.
No one could tear their eyes away from her.
Having watched the brilliant, resourceful Princess Changning for so long, he'd almost forgotten that the person playing her was, in private, actually a fickle, delicate, innocent girl who always bounced around like a rabbit.
With acting like hers, how could she not be considered brilliant?
She was like a piece of uncut jade, destined to shine brilliantly, destined to astonish the world.
He appreciated the splendor of this uncut jade, and he cherished her fragility, so he was willing to shield her from all harm, to make her journey smoother and easier.
The production teams that countless people envied, the top luxury endorsements that countless people coveted—if she wanted them, they were merely a word from him. A princess would never need to worry about a flop causing her resources to downgrade like other internet celebrities. As long as she wanted to act, resources would flow endlessly to her. Even if a project flopped, so what? It was just spending money to make her happy—the important thing was that she was happy.
But what Duan Mingxuan couldn't understand was, even after he'd done all this for her, why did she still carry that inescapable, persistent sense of urgency?
Even if she had an extraordinary obsession with the goal of "leaving her name in film history," there was no need to be this rushed, right? So rushed that she was already preparing for the second and third films before this one was even finished, as if she didn't need rest at all.
"No need to rush so much." Duan Mingxuan said calmly. "You're still so young. You have plenty of time. There's no need to exhaust yourself. You can make films at your own pace—if you like, you can keep making them until you're seventy or eighty."
"I can't take it slow." The girl muttered quietly. "Who knows how much longer I'll live? What if I die at any moment? If I don't become a legendary Best Actress before I pass, I'll die with regrets!"
She seemed to have said it casually, but the dark-haired young man's expression suddenly darkened. He said coldly, "Take back what you just said. You're still so young—why would you suddenly think about death?"
"Everyone must die eventually—ah, don't pinch my face…"
He reached out, pinching her fair cheeks between his fingers, effectively silencing her. He studied her expression for a moment, as if confirming there was nothing unusual, before suddenly saying, "From now on, you'll get a full physical exam once a week. I'll have my assistant inform the crew. No more staying up late during filming—keep it to a four-hour workday."
"Are you insane? What crew only films four hours a day?" the girl protested. "And I'm a big star—when do I have time for a full checkup every week?"
Duan Mingxuan remained unmoved. He furrowed his brow at her, his tone cold and displeased: "Be good. Regular checkups are necessary to protect your health."
"No, no, no! Hate it, hate it, hate it!" The girl flailed at him like a little seal, rapid-fire patting. "I told you, I'm going to be a Best Actress—don't get in my way! I'm perfectly healthy. I could knock out a Duan Mingxuan with one punch!"
She was noisy enough to give him a headache. Duan Mingxuan rubbed his temples, but he also found the little seal quite adorable. He steadied her waist to keep her from toppling over mid-flail. "Then at least get a checkup once a month, and no more staying up late for filming. Your complexion has gotten so pale lately."
"Fine, fine, fine."
Recalling how her recent… activities had drained her Stamina Points severely, Xia Cheng did pencil in a hospital visit on her schedule, planning to restore her stamina.
Though the player had no conscience to speak of, facing UR #1, who was completely in the dark and still showering her with gold coins, she did feel a twinge of guilt.
As compensation, she'd gift him some junk she didn't need.
Xia Cheng rummaged through her inventory for a while and finally found a green heart-shaped pendant.
These heart-shaped pendants were incredibly cost-effective—one game coin could buy a hundred wholesale. They were the perfect gift choice.
The player had once bought a hundred in bulk, and every time she reached a crucial "love token" moment, she'd fob off an NPC with a heart-shaped pendant.
Of course, to avoid getting caught, she'd used a little ingenuity—the hundred pendants she'd bought wholesale came in all sorts of colors, hehe~
"Honey, you're so good to me. I have a gift for you."
She said in a sweet, coquettish voice.
Duan Mingxuan took the pendant she offered. He lightly rubbed it with his fingertip, and a chunk of green paint flaked right off.
"…"
"Um, well…" Xia Cheng looked at him timidly. "Honey, this pendant was handmade by me—not one of those cold, soulless designer pieces. It represents my most sincere feelings. I wanted to give it to you as a love token. Since it was my first try, my craftsmanship isn't very polished—it took several attempts to make just one… You're not going to dislike it, are you? If you do, then forget it…"
She made as if to take it back.
"No need." Duan Mingxuan flipped his hand to pocket the necklace, a rare hint of complex emotion flickering across his handsome, cold brow. "Thank you. I'll treasure it."
"Mhm mhm, I knew you wouldn't dislike it. Honey, you're the best."
Xia Cheng nestled against his chest, secretly letting out a sigh of relief—a necklace that cost one coin for a hundred wholesale, she was lucky he'd even wear it. What more could she ask for?
Duan Mingxuan looked down at the girl in his arms, a faint, barely noticeable silence and unease settling on his cool, handsome features.
To be honest, this had all started as a transaction. Though he did have some fondness and concern for her, he'd never actually thought about marrying her.
He'd assumed they had an unspoken understanding, but things seemed to be spiraling out of control.
It suddenly hit him… she seemed to like him a little too much.
She was always so enthusiastic about being close to him, always calling him "honey" in that sweet voice. Despite being busy filming on set, she'd even found time to handcraft a love token for him.
Her affection for him left him feeling conflicted.
It felt like… he was doing her a disservice.
Perhaps when he returned this time, he should give her an answer.
[You gifted Duan Mingxuan a "Green Heart-Shaped Pendant (Cheap, Damaged)"—he was deeply moved. His Favorability toward you has increased by 100 points.]
[Duan Mingxuan's Favorability toward you has reached "Hearts in Sync."]
Huh? "Hearts in Sync"? With who? Me?
The player was confused. The player did not understand.
"I'll be going abroad for a while in a few days. If anything comes up, contact Assistant He. If he can't handle it, call me."
Duan Mingxuan said.
"You're going on a business trip? Where to?"
Xia Cheng's mind wandered—did that mean she could go wild during this period without worrying about getting caught?
"To the Northern Continent. Some business to handle, and I'll visit my younger brother while I'm there."
At this point, Xia Cheng suddenly remembered that his younger brother was that Duan Lingze whose Favorability toward her was -999. She was genuinely curious as to why his initial Favorability toward her was so low, so she feigned innocence and asked, "Your younger brother? You have a younger brother? Why is he in the Northern Continent?"
"He had some conflicts with the family before and doesn't want to return to the Eastern Continent."
Duan Mingxuan said lightly.
"What kind of conflicts?"
Xia Cheng pressed on.
"Nothing much."
Duan Mingxuan looked like he didn't want to say more.
Xia Cheng didn't press further. Anyway, she had no intention of pursuing that UR, so whether he showed up or not was irrelevant. She'd just treat him as background and ignore him.
But just thinking about how Duan Mingxuan would be away for a while, and she could only seek pleasure with Gu Xingye next, no longer able to alternate between the two, the player felt a bit melancholic. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and coquettishly said, "Hubby, hubby, let's do it one more time…"
The black-haired young man remained expressionless, a hint of forbearance flashing across his cold, delicate brows. He covered his forehead, but a muffled groan escaped his lips: "Stop it. This is an underground parking garage."
"So what if it's an underground parking garage? It's not like anyone else is here…"
She really was like a clingy little kitten. Duan Mingxuan's already wavering resolve immediately crumbled.
Just as the two were locked in a passionate kiss, two intense beams of light suddenly shone from in front of the car. Another luxury car parked across from them had suddenly turned on its high beams. The blazing light abruptly illuminated the dim environment, almost blinding them.
Player: Damn! Which idiot is this? Can't stand seeing people have fun?
That idiot actually got out of the car as if nothing was wrong, walked straight over to their car, and raised a hand to knock on the window with his knuckles.
The window rolled down, and the golden-haired young man smiled as he looked at Duan Mingxuan: "Sorry, I forgot my lighter. Mind if I borrow a light—I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"
Suddenly interrupted, Duan Mingxuan's expression turned icy cold, clearly furious. He took a deep breath and stared at him coldly: "Borrow a light?! Can't you read the room or read the mood? You turned on your high beams out of nowhere just to borrow a light?!"
He tossed the silver lighter back to Gu Xingye and said expressionlessly, "Scram!"
The player, wrapped in his coat, sat quietly in the corner like a quail.
Gu Xingye chuckled softly, gazing at the quail in the corner and said languidly, "Don't be mad. I'm a single dog—running into something like this, it's only natural to feel a bit jealous."