Chapter 33

Hu Xiu quietly sent a message to Diao Zhi Yu: “Aren’t you working today?”

“Break between shows...”

“Don’t you have any days off recently?”

“Busy season...”

Hu Xiu almost choked; she couldn’t even swallow her steak. Diao Zhi Yu had a particularly irritating habit when texting, always trying to sound cool, replying with only a few words each time. It made him seem very popular but extremely hard to deal with.

She thought of a good tactic and sent a photo of the night view, saying, “I’m having dinner with Pei Zhen.”

Sure enough, the reply came back in seconds: “Having a fancy dinner on a workday?”

“Is that a problem? Dr. Pei’s birthday today.”

Two minutes later, Diao Zhi Yu responded reluctantly, and Hu Xiu could almost feel his sarcastic expression through the phone: “Such a boring guy, going to a restaurant for a date. If he came to Rongcheng, I’d throw him in jail.”

“Transform into Officer Feng and manage the prison then.”

“You don’t even come to visit. I’m waiting backstage...”

Not forgetting to add a couple of ellipses to express his dissatisfaction. Hu Xiu sat with her phone in hand, the corners of her mouth twitching upward. How could a guy be this annoying, teasing a bit and then acting like he wasn’t trying to be flirty?

When she looked up, she noticed that Pei Zhen was quietly cutting his steak, smiling, but there was a slight discomfort in his demeanor—he had probably realized she was chatting with Diao Zhi Yu but chose not to acknowledge it.

Thinking about this, Hu Xiu put down her phone and focused on talking with Pei Zhen about Li Ai’s past, also mentioning the ambiguous relationship with Zhao Xiaoru and the dramatic divorce of the internet celebrity Zhao Xiaoru.

In Hu Xiu’s version, Zhao Xiaoru had divorced for Li Ai. She had always believed this.

“They’ve always been awkward, neither willing to break the ice, but anyone with eyes can see they’re definitely not just friends.”

“Unless something really happens, they’ll probably stay in this ambiguous phase. It’s not easy for adults to take the next step. I know a little about Li Ai’s lawsuit. He probably doesn’t feel like dating until that’s resolved.”

When Pei Zhen spoke about this, he was calm, with a touch of youthful clarity. He straightened his back and sighed, “I can’t finish this meal, my stomach can’t handle it. Usually, I’d be doing surgery at this time, not even thinking about food.”

“Don’t start saying you’re getting older, you sound like you’re fifty.” It was strange, the men she was connected with seemed to all have bad stomachs.

On the way home, Pei Zhen joked that he hadn’t tidied up his house in a while and that she might laugh at it.

Hu Xiu was startled—his place was immaculate, like a model home, it didn’t even look like anyone lived there.

Pei Zhen went on to say that his apartment was a bit far from the subway station, so it must have been tough for her to get there. Hu Xiu thought, does he really think I’m not from Shanghai? His Century Park elevator-finished apartment—this sounded so “old Versailles.”

But Hu Xiu no longer took Pei Zhen’s words as implying anything about his family background. Someone who could be as happy as a child about showing his home, probably truly felt a bit embarrassed for showing it to someone he liked.

With this in mind, Hu Xiu said, “It’s fine, don’t treat me like an outsider. Anyone who helped Li Ai is a good friend of REGARD café.”

“Well, I’ll invite you over sometime.”

“What for?” Hu Xiu certainly didn’t dare entertain such a suggestion in the evening. On a dark and windy night, mentioning things like the “bed” could easily lead the conversation down inappropriate paths.

But she needed to find a more delicate way to deflect. After thinking for a moment, Hu Xiu said, “I could bring my PS4, I bought a second-hand motion-sensing volleyball game recently, with bikini models. It’s really fun.”

She immediately regretted it—why couldn’t she control her mouth?

Pei Zhen, however, actually responded to the joke, “Interesting, I like to exercise in my room.”

Damn it!

The car stopped steadily at the entrance of the community. Hu Xiu opened the car door and ran out, “Goodbye, Dr. Pei!”

Diao Zhi Yu had told her three times to go watch Snowpiercer with Feng Youjin, and she couldn’t keep backing out.

The next day, Hu Xiu finally had a day off. She slept in, leisurely made poached eggs, and after breakfast, went to Snowpiercer. She secretly met with an investigator from Feng Youjin’s team.

The investigator was a sneaky character, publicly working as a liaison to gather intelligence for Feng Youjin, but actually a spy planted by the Japanese, frequently interacting with them under Feng Youjin’s nose, their identity needing to stay hidden from both Feng Youjin and the Communist Party.

As the train whistle blew, Hu Xiu felt a bit sentimental. It had been a month since she last saw them, and the actors had changed roles. No matter what parallel universe, the saying “things change, people change” was always true.

When Qin Xiao Yi appeared, Hu Xiu’s heart remained calm. As long as it wasn’t Diao Zhi Yu’s version of Qin Xiao Yi, she wasn’t nervous at all, in fact, she felt confident, thinking her IQ had just peaked.

The new Qin Xiao Yi was young and handsome, his voice a bit boyish, but lacked the sex appeal of Diao Zhi Yu. Hu Xiu thought, if Qin Xiao Yi wasn’t sexy, how could he maintain his position as Rongcheng’s number one young master? This new version of Qin Xiao Yi just didn’t cut it.

But Feng Youjin needed to have Hu Qi, a typical northern tough guy, tall and heroic like a bandit-hunting hero, but also strict and unyielding.

The previous actor for Feng Youjin was a rugged and imposing man, so fierce that he even got complaints from the players. Diao Zhi Yu might be a bit young to play the role, he probably needed to grow a beard.

When Feng Youjin finally appeared, Hu Xiu lost it. She cursed in her mind, “What kind of abstinent military leader is this? Does wearing a uniform like that count as uniform fetish?”

He wore a leather jacket so tight that you could see his muscles—was that an intentional attempt at SM?

His boots made a clinking sound as he walked, his posture so straight that it looked like his eyes were aimed at the top of his head. And now he was staring at me... at me?

Feng Youjin locked eyes with her, his face showing the satisfaction of recognizing a familiar person, though he still maintained the commanding air of a warlord. Upon entering, he immediately ordered a body search.

After a while, Ning Zechen walked in, as usual, with his shirt collar unbuttoned to reveal his collarbone. He strolled casually to Hu Xiu and pretended to drape an arm over her shoulder. “Minister Qin, what’s there to be afraid of with a body search? Unless, of course, you really have something to hide? Captain Feng, searching her might be more interesting.”

Hu Xiu shrank her neck as Feng Youjin approached. His leather boots clicked with authority on the floor as he walked, each step exuding a commanding presence. His gaze fell on Hu Xiu, and he leaned in close to her face before glancing at the name tag on her chest. “Zhenping... Not interested.”

Her character’s name was Xu Zhenping. Hu Xiu glanced down at her chest, then looked up and glared at Feng Youjin. He had already walked away, leaving behind only an arrogant silhouette as he continued his performance.

Oh, this sly Biao Zhiyu! Using official business as an excuse to ogle female players and then delivering a backhanded jab—it was shameless!

After the first scene ended, Feng Youjin called the group members back to the train. Back on board, he pried open his own compartment door and entered, holding a gun.

The three team members stood together, but Feng Youjin didn’t put the gun away. Hu Xiu thought to herself, Seriously? I haven’t even revealed that I’m the mole delivering intelligence, and he’s already starting with threats?

Feng Youjin glanced around the group and began speaking. “I, Feng Youjin, am a man of loyalty and righteousness. I’ve been in Rongcheng for over ten years.

No matter how the power dynamics change, as long as I have something to eat, you won’t starve.

But if there’s any correspondence in Rongcheng, remember to read it to me. I, Feng Youjin—can’t read much.” He paused for dramatic effect. “As for the tasks I’m about to assign, whoever completes them will be handsomely rewarded.”

And with that, he handed each person a measly 2,000. Hu Xiu couldn’t help but recall: Rongcheng’s four factions, and Feng Youjin’s was by far the poorest. Stingy, bad-tempered, and prone to shouting with a booming voice.

This disparity made her laugh. Despite having such a regal and striking appearance, wasn’t this character setup a bit unconvincing?

Feng Youjin then turned to Hu Xiu, tilting his head as he addressed her. “Why are you always grinning like that? Are you secretly loyal to someone else behind my back?

Let me make this clear: even though we’re both captains, I manage more territory than Ning Zechen. Rongcheng also has a prison. Don’t go running headlong into trouble.”

Hu Xiu boldly leaned her forehead against the muzzle of his gun, successfully eliciting chuckles from the two other players nearby.

Feng Youjin tapped her forehead lightly with the barrel. “I see you really are thick-headed. Think you can beat a bullet with that skull of yours? Want to test it?”

The charming man’s sudden turn to fierceness didn’t impress her—it was boring. After taking the 1,000 from Qin Xiaoyi and combining it with the 2,000 from Feng Youjin, Hu Xiu stood at a crossroads in Rongcheng, mulling things over.

She hadn’t expected Biao Zhiyu to be so immersed in his role as Feng Youjin. A man who once threw money around extravagantly was now a stingy cheapskate, sending his team out to earn their own money.

Later, after gambling twice at a casino and returning, she discovered Feng Youjin back on the train... mending his leather jacket.

With a box of multicolored threads in front of him, he was meticulously stitching. Hu Xiu burst into laughter, her voice rippling with delight. “Captain, your needlework is impressive!”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures. Qin Xiaoyi’s financial mismanagement as Minister of Finance has left the police station in the red.

My wife and child are still in his hands, and I have no idea whether they’re dead or alive. Since you’re here today, you can bear witness to this poverty-stricken reality of mine. I cannot coexist peacefully with Qin Xiaoyi!”

He threw her a flirtatious look—not the faint charm forced out of Qin Xiaoyi’s cold persona, but something deliberate, almost greasy. Hu Xiu thought to herself, You really know how to act.

From start to finish, Biao Zhiyu stayed fully immersed in his role, while Hu Xiu found it dull. She saw him often outside the game anyway, so she turned and went off to complete tasks instead.

At a corner, she bumped into Ning Zechen, who was chewing on a stalk of straw. They made eye contact, and Hu Xiu smiled. “Haven’t seen you around lately.”

Ning Zechen, unusually in character, didn’t mention Zhao Xiaorou. “We broke up.”

“What?”

“She didn’t like me that much, as you all knew. From the moment we met, it was clear this day would come. She has someone she truly likes, doesn’t she?”

His words left Hu Xiu unsure how to respond. Ning Zechen leaned against a phone booth. “Nothing to feel bad about. We’re all adults here. Isn’t this the kind of scenario you see in American TV dramas all the time? You wake up and find your partner’s gone—that’s the best way to avoid awkwardness.”

“But...”

“This is Rongcheng. If it’s nothing to do with me, I’ll be off. I still have a date with Miss Lin Qiumei.”

With a wave of the money in his hand, Ning Zechen left, making no effort to share any with Hu Xiu.

Looking around, she confirmed that there were no cameras at this angle; Ning Zechen must have chosen this spot specifically to slack off.

Hu Xiu called out to him. “Captain Ning, let me ask you something—what are the customs around marriage in Rongcheng?”

In the Snowpiercer, aside from Ning Zechen and Lin Qiumei, players could marry NPCs.

It seemed to be a surprise element the game provided for players—a moment to celebrate love and exchange vows before the ensuing bloodshed. A last bit of sweetness before the storm.

Hu Xiu wasn’t sure how to build enough favorability but purchased a marriage certificate at the department store and went to find Feng Youjin.

Feng Youjin had just stepped out of the prison after interrogating Qin Xiaoyi, still radiating fiery anger. When he saw Hu Xiu, he glanced at the certificate in her hand as if he hadn’t seen it and asked, “What’s that for?”

“I want to be a warlord’s wife!”

Feng Youjin’s expression turned amused, almost incredulous. “A what?”

Things Hu Xiu didn’t dare say in real life were fair game in the game. Taking a deep breath, she declared, “Captain Feng, marry me!”

His pupils seemed to contract slightly, but he quickly replied, “I don’t marry men.”

Hu Xiu chased after him, taking off her name tag and pretending to throw it away. “Rules are dead, but people are alive, Captain Feng. Just think about it.”

“Why should I consider you?”

“Your wife and child aren’t here anymore. Don’t you need someone to keep you warm at night?”

Feng Youjin was so amused he nearly broke character, but he still managed to scold her. “How would a man keep the bed warm? I, Feng Youjin, have a reputation to uphold!”

“Gender equality, Captain Feng. Can’t men keep the bed warm too? If the press department investigates, they might even say you’ve scored big.”

He really got into character with even more enthusiasm—stingy, frugal, irritable, and short-tempered. The personality of Feng Youjin was completely unlike his real self. Perhaps this is what actors call a “challenge.”

Since it was a rare opportunity to be on the Snowpiercer, she decided to play along with him. An idea struck her, and she went to find the female player in Car No. 8. “Miss, can we switch character identities?”

The other player had no idea what was happening. Hu Xiu fabricated a flimsy excuse and managed to obtain the female character’s name badge. Once again, she stood in front of Feng Youjin.

Feng Youjin glanced down and tried to suppress a laugh. “What’s this?”

“Can’t you read, Chief?”

“Mind your tone.” Feng Youjin pulled out a dictionary and slammed it on the table. “Do you think I’m illiterate? Read it aloud.”

After she finished reading the marriage certificate, Feng Youjin closed his eyes with a faint, teasing smile. Staying in character, Hu Xiu added, “Chief, I bribed Minister Qin earlier to have him personally kill your wife and children.

“But don’t be upset—when the old leaves, the new arrives. There’s a feeling right in front of you. Your wife and kids have been gone for so long that you’re probably estranged from them by now. As it happens, I’m very skilled in matters like this. Look…”

Feng Youjin pursed his lips, trying not to laugh as he forced himself to stay in character. “This is the first time I’ve seen someone grind for affection points like this.”

Fifteen minutes later, Hu Xiu and Feng Youjin stood on the stage, receiving the attention of both players and NPCs while pocketing a sizable amount of wedding gifts.

In that moment, Hu Xiu felt a peculiar sense of wonder. The background music was still Night Shanghai, and standing beside her was Feng Youjin.

The military uniform made him look sturdier, but his profile still retained a youthful charm. Perhaps the same perspective would apply if they were truly married...

She zoned out for a moment, only snapping back to reality when Feng Youjin stomped his foot. Standing on the stage, Feng Youjin delivered his wedding speech: “I’ve been roaming the Jianghu for years. This isn’t my first time getting married, but this time, calling it a wedding feels more like being ambushed.”

Hu Xiu, however, played along boldly. “From today onwards, I am the new Warlord’s wife. Please respect my status; otherwise, it’s straight to prison for you!”

The scene unfolded in a lively manner, completely devoid of romantic undertones.

When the game ended, Hu Xiu contentedly left the venue. Zha Zhiyu’s text message arrived quickly: “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“To give you a surprise.”

“This is the first time I’ve seen someone get married like that.”

“Am I not clever? Making you heartbroken and then swiftly marrying you—isn’t this the most unforgettable kind of love? You should praise me for being smart.”

Zha Zhiyu took a few minutes to reply: “Warlord’s wife? The Warlords were from the 1920s, and Rongcheng is set in 1934. Do you even have a brain? Feng Youjin is supposed to be uneducated, but you’re really helping me sell the act.”