“Ahhh, damn it, so infuriating!!”
By a little past ten in the morning, Lin Haobai finally shook off the dream of that beautiful man and fully woke up.
Lying in his small apartment, even the familiar large bed couldn’t bring him any calm. At this moment, he felt a fire burning inside him.
A roaring, blazing fire.
This fire made him restless all over.
Damn it!!
Clenching his fists, Lin Haobai flopped onto the bed and slammed his face into the pillow several times, as if he could extinguish the flame rising within him that way.
“No, who is this guy? I have to find out! The real you? Cute, flushed little face? I’m clearly a handsome, tough guy!” Lin Haobai shouted angrily into the air, then looked down at his arms, their color unchanged. Grabbing the mirror on his bedside table, he stared at his familiar face.
Handsome, well-proportioned features, except maybe his eyes were a bit too round, how on earth was he supposed to be “cute”? Hmph! And his skin was still chocolate-colored; how could it be flushed?
This beautiful man was lying through his teeth.
No wonder scripts often say, “Beautiful people are always liars.” Hmph, whether male or female, beautiful people were bound to deceive.
Thinking about the fingers that had been teasing him in the dream, Lin Haobai shivered.
Hmph!
Such an unrealistically handsome man, and apparently rich too, he was going to find out who he really was. He needed to see what was going on.
Once he calmed down, Lin Haobai got up to get dressed.
He had the habit of stretching after waking, and as he pulled back the covers, something suddenly flashed through his mind. Before he could grasp that fleeting inspiration, his phone rang.
“[1]“Xiao” (小) means “little” or “young” jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_1763096_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_1763096_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });Xiao Bai! Are you up yet?” The slightly anxious voice of his manager, Wang You, came from the other end.
“Just woke up. What’s up? Brother Wang, something wrong?” Lin Haobai put the phone on speaker, walked over to his wardrobe, grabbed a beige linen long-sleeve shirt, and slipped it on.
“Emergency, emergency! When I cleared your schedule yesterday, I realized you still have a livestream you haven’t done. It’s supposed to start at noon. Can you do it now?” Wang You asked cautiously, his tone full of apology.
It was really due to his manager’s oversight, so this last-minute situation required Lin Haobai to be notified immediately.
Lin Haobai was a very responsible person. Hearing his manager’s words, he froze mid-motion as he put on his pants. He had been planning to look into that handsome man, whether such a male “fairy” really existed in reality, but with work so urgent, he decided to focus on the job first.
“No worries, Brother Wang. Just send me the livestream materials for now. I’ll wash up and start preparing.”
Glancing at the time, he realized there was still an hour left, enough for him to handle a single livestream preparation.
On the other end, Wang You nodded excitedly at Lin Haobai’s response. “Ah, ah, I’ll send it right away. Don’t worry, it’s just a normal brand livestream connection. You’ll just read a few promotional lines and answer a few fan questions collected by the brand, that’s all.”
Lin Haobai nodded casually and hung up.
Fans were his driving force. Even if they asked a dozen questions, as long as they weren’t too private, he would answer them all.
By the time Lin Haobai appeared on camera, he was clean and neat, no elaborate makeup, no fancy clothes, just his most natural self stepping into the livestream room.
This livestream was connected through his personal account to the brand’s account. All he had to do was find a quiet spot and wait for the connection invite.
Within just a few minutes of going live, waves of fans flooded the chat.
【Good morning, Brother Bai. You’re so handsome today!】
【Ahhhh! My favorite is livestreaming today!】
【Amazing! What a divine coincidence. I was just scrolling randomly and saw Brother Bai livestreaming!!!!】
【Brother Bai, Brother Bai, what’s today’s livestream about?】
…
The comments refreshed by the second.
Lin Haobai carefully read through each comment, trying not to miss a single fan message. He picked out questions and answered them earnestly.
“Good morning, everyone! Today’s livestream was arranged last minute by the brand. In about 15 minutes, we’ll connect with the brand. Thank you all for your support!”
Facing the camera, Lin Haobai gave his signature radiant, sunny smile. Instantly, the chat exploded with excited screams.
Reading the flood of “ahhh” comments, Lin Haobai was amused by his fans’ cuteness. He even leaned closer to the screen, afraid of missing the tiny-font messages.
【Ahhhh, Brother Bai, please move your face away!】
【I’m on the subway, about to pass out.】
【Oh my gosh, Brother Bai, mom doesn’t want to be a fan of your looks.】
…
Lin Haobai laughed even more at these comments.
Unlike many popular stars who rose to fame quickly, he had started as a child actor.
He began filming commercials at eight years old, eventually entering the entertainment industry. Although he’s only twenty-two now, he already has twelve years of acting experience, making him a seasoned veteran in showbiz. Even though he had briefly participated in idol training, acting remained his greatest passion. Acting had given him a new life.
Last year, he starred in an action film that earned him a prestigious Best Actor award at a young age. For him, that trophy was the best reward for more than a decade in the industry.
Along the way, he had built up a large fanbase of “dad fans” and “mom fans,” many of whom had watched him grow up, a distinction that set him apart from many other current top actors and actresses.
Reading the comments from those devoted fans asking about his life, Lin Haobai answered every question he could, sincerely and thoughtfully.
Suddenly, a single comment refreshed the entire page.
【Baibai, what are your standards for choosing a partner?】
The moment this sensitive question appeared, the livestream exploded. Fans in the chat screamed, then flooded the chat with the exact same question, no one broke formation.
Lin Haobai had initially thought about ignoring it; after all, questions about personal feelings weren’t easy to answer. But seeing the fans persistently posting the same question, he couldn’t help but smile.
“You guys! Do you really want to know my standards for choosing a partner?” he asked the fans in return.
He did have specific ideas about a future partner.
First, she had to have a strong, resilient character, only such a person could weather the many storms that came with his life. Second, she had to be kind, someone like that could get along well with his mother. Finally, she had to love herself, only someone who loves herself is truly capable of loving others.
Thinking of this, Lin Haobai’s expression dimmed slightly. He shook off the sudden irritation in his mind and lifted his head, smiling: “Me? I just want someone who is kind and brave.”
This simple answer sent the fans into an uproar. Many were clearly not fully satisfied with it.
But before the fans could flood the chat again, the brand’s livestream connection came through. Lin Haobai quickly accepted the request and began professionally presenting according to the materials his manager had sent.
Meanwhile, Ren Tianxing was in an almost euphoric mood.
After finally reaching an agreement with his three friends last night, he felt completely relaxed, but also incredibly exhausted.
Ignoring his friends’ suggestion to rest in a room at the club, he had driven back to his own place. Here, surrounded by familiar surroundings, he could finally sleep soundly.
Still, he woke up in the middle of the night.
Looking at the small figure placed on his bedside, he instinctively held it close to his chest. Somehow, just being near this little figure helped him maintain a calm, easy feeling.
He wasn’t normally the type to have any attachment to toys. Yet this tiny figurine always gave him a unique, indescribable sensation.
Since he liked it, he wanted to hold onto it tightly and never let it go.
Thanks to the special little figure, Ren Tianxing had slept exceptionally well.
Now, he was holding the small figurine in one hand while eating with chopsticks in the other. Directly across from him was a huge projection screen, currently showing Lin Haobai’s livestream.
Watching the fans’ excited, screaming comments, he couldn’t help but feel puzzled. How could fans love a celebrity so much?
In Ren Tianxing’s experience, no relationship lasted; it was always about possession and taking. Yet the young actor smiling so brightly on the screen seemed genuinely loved by his fans.
He could sense this truth through the comments they left.
When he heard the young Best Actor speak about his standards for choosing a partner, Ren Tianxing nearly choked on his food.
It was the twenty-first century, yet someone’s idea of a partner could still be so simple and pure. And he knew Lin Haobai wasn’t joking, this man, so straightforward, was actually quite endearing.
He instinctively lifted the small figurine in his hand.
Through the livestream camera, the real Lin Haobai sat on a chair, wearing a beige outfit, reciting the brand’s lines seriously.
In his hand, the tiny Lin Haobai figurine had the exact same facial features and skin tone as the actor on screen. Only the clothes and body size were vastly different. At that moment, the big and the small Lin Haobai seemed to overlap perfectly in Ren Tianxing’s eyes.
“Interesting. So interesting.”
A low, husky laugh escaped him. Ren Tianxing’s eyes shone as he watched Lin Haobai on the screen smiling and saying goodbye to his fans. Fingers tracing the contours of the tiny figurine, a thought slowly began to take shape in his mind.
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