Chapter 86
Many thanks to Belegdae and the anonymous donator for the generous kofis!
Editor: Whiteflares
Apologise?But if I really apologise, wouldn’t that be the end of me?
At first, Qi Jing didn’t intend to reply, but seeing that message, he laughed with exasperation, but suddenly, an idea sprouted in his head. It wasn’t that good of an idea, it could even be called ridiculous, but... it was just about the right reciprocation to Bronze Sparrow Terrace and his fans’ ridiculousness.
Either way, Jade Butterfly had said before that Bronze Sparrow Terrace had already been decided on behind the scenes.
Since that was the case, there was no harm in going for broke and giving it a try.
CV – Don’t ask for my return date: Fine.
Da Qiao of Bronze Sparrow Terrace’s harem: !!
Xiao Qiao of Bronze Sparrow Terrace’s harem: !! Don’t ask for my return date, are you for real??
Sound designer – A Lifetime’s Lock: ...Huh-uh, aren’t you surprisingly well-mannered. But since that’s the case, then what’s the matter with those dealings today?? You go and apologise to Bronze Sparow-sama as early as possible and to all of the listeners too. Admit that you slandered him and everything will go back to normal. ╮(╯▽╰)╭
CV – Don’t ask for my return date: Fine.
Xiao Qiao of Bronze Sparrow Terrace’s harem: Just your word is enough!! When are you going to apologize?? Give us a precise time~ （︶︿︶）
CV – Don’t ask for my return date: Tomorrow, when we will both be taking part in the competition, I will talk to everyone when it’s my turn to get access to the mic.
Da Qiao of Bronze Sparrow Terrace’s harem: Don’t you go back on that.
Sound designer – A Lifetime’s Lock: Don’t you go back on that. +1
CV – Don’t ask for my return date: See you tomorrow.
After sending the last three words, Qi Jing closed the production crew group chat and leaned against the back of the chair to carefully think through what he would say the next day.
Tomorrow, during the semi-finals for the main male character “Qin Tuo”, was his and the great god Bronze Sparrow Terrace’s second confrontation. Since Bronze Sparrow Terrace could use foul means even during the audition for an NPC, he would surely be even more careful when it came to the main character. Even if he already had that role guaranteed, he still wouldn’t let any mishap happen.
“The more he’s like that, the better the final outcome.” Qi Jing laughed, his plot already taking shape in his mind.
The line-up for “Qin Tuo” audition was: Bronze Sparrow Terrace as No.10, him as No.12. Such a line-up was just perfect for this plan.
He was thinking it through while tapping on the desk with his fingers when, once again, a private QQ message notification could be heard. He lowered his head to look—it turned out to be the scriptwriter, Puppet Show, who had stayed silent from trepidation in the chat before, too afraid to even say a word.
Puppet Show: /(ㄒoㄒ)/~~ Return Date-sama...
Don’t ask for my return date: I’m sorry for inconveniencing you just now.
Puppet Show: /(ㄒoㄒ)/~~ Although I don’t exactly know what had happened, but seeing them talk like that made me worry about you, so I came over to ask.
Don’t ask for my return date: Mn, thank you for your concern. You didn’t follow the competition, so you’re not in the know with the situation, but to be honest, there’s no need to get into that. Don’t be afraid, the production of the audio drama will go as it’s supposed to. ^_^
Puppet Show: ...
Puppet Show: ...
Puppet Show: ... If I need to be honest, after the first episode got released and I read all of the reviews, I felt that our production crew did you a huge disservice...
Don’t ask for my return date: I know what you’re implying, but don’t blame yourself too much. At that time, I didn’t stand my ground, so it serves me right.
Puppet Show: /(ㄒoㄒ)/~~ I can’t help it, the more you’re like that, the more I blame myself!!
Puppet Show: To say it bluntly, I regret that Rouge agreed to let Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao enter the group chat... The great god himself isn’t even there, so that’s even more the reason to not let the uninvolved people in... But Rouge had said that inviting the great god to the production crew was only thanks to their connections, so she felt bad refusing them and the sound designer lady is also one of the great god’s close supporters... It was the lack of consideration on our, the staffs’, part that led to such an awkward situation. I’m so sorry.
Don’t ask for my return date: Mhm, I can understand this. ^_^
Puppet Show: That’s so strange... This time they’re making a ruckus to make you apologise, but I feel like you did nothing wrong. Sigh... It’s probably because I feel like you were always well-tempered and behaved properly, so I don’t think that it’s you who’s to blame...
Qi Jing was taken by surprise, the furrow between his brows smoothing out without him realising, “Haha&#k2026;”
At least when it came to his image, he wasn’t losing out to the great god.
Don’t ask for my return date: Thank you Puppet, I won’t give up and will keep waiting for the second episode to come out from the oven together with everyone. ^_^
Puppet Show: ...About the second episode... _(:з」∠)_
Don’t ask for my return date: What’s wrong?
Puppet Show: After the first episode got published, I worked quickly to finish writing the script for the second episode, so after I examined it with other staff members and modified it a few times, I sent it to you and the great god. Rouge contacted the great god and said she wanted to do another PIA since the general feedback for the first episode contained a lot of complaints from the original novel’s fans. She wanted the two of you to act together for a bit to correct the general style of the acting, but... she got refused... _(:з」∠)_
Don’t ask for my return date: ...
Puppet Show: The reason was, the sound designer and DaXiao Qiao thought that the first episode was very good, and since we already did PIA for the first episode, there was no need for another one; the great god also said so.
Don’t ask for my return date: ...
No wonder there was no PIA arranged for him and Bronze Sparrow Terrace—turns out that this was the reason...
Bronze Sparrow Terrace’s stance had already been very obvious from his behaviour after the first episode got released; he thought that an audio drama was a “secondary franchise” and didn’t need to stay true to the original work—it was fine as long as the listeners found it pleasing to the ear. Since he gained a further understanding towards this person today, Qi Jing was now even less hopeful about him actually committing to analysing the script and improving his understanding of the character.
Rouge Flower was probably afraid of the two of them getting into a fight and stayed silent about the truth, so she used an excuse of “I’m afraid that the two of your usual schedules can’t be matched up” and made him record on his own to later pass the feedback to each of them through the director.
Speaking of which, it had been a long time since he sent the dry recordings for the second episode, but he didn’t know how the progress was.
Don’t ask for my return date: It’s fine if they think there’s no need for it. Either way, I feel like I’m more comfortable when recording by myself... But now while we’re at it, it’s been a long time since I sent the dry recordings, so has the post-production started already?
Puppet Show: It hasn’t... Seems like the great god is very busy and didn’t have time to record yet. _(:з」∠)_
Don’t ask for my return date: ...
Puppet Show: /(ㄒoㄒ)/~~ That’s even more the reason for me to feel like we’re doing a disservice to you aaahhhhh!!
Don’t ask for my return date: It doesn’t matter, let’s just wait for a bit longer.
Puppet Show: /(ㄒoㄒ)/~~ Return Date-sama, let me tell you... There are times when my brain suddenly ponders a certain particularly dangerous thought—if at first it wasn’t Bronze Sparrow Terrace that Rouge invited to star as a lead gong, but Geese Fly North, how good would that be...
The moment he saw those three words, “Geese Fly North”, the light in his eyes flickered, the tremble seemingly caused by a conditional reflex.
Even his heart skipped half a beat.
Only in the next moment to start pounding madly without stop—
That’s right...
At that time, it was none other that Puppet Show who invited “Geese Fly North” into the ⟪Trap⟫ production crew, resulting in that one evening, that one makeshift PIA which barely anyone knew about.
Now, when a third person mentioned that topic, all kinds of memories from that time started to flood into his mind, changing those white and black pages of the script into scenes from the story. They were so lifelike—in a moment, Qi Jing lost himself to the daze, once again getting immersed in the story.
【I knew from the very beginning that everything you did was a scheme against me.】
The low, exasperated voice.
Its pained, conflicted tone.
Even though he had clearly listened to it who knows how many times, he still couldn’t forget the astonishment he felt when he first heard it... Both his hearing and mind got utterly entranced.
Qi Jing felt a slight heat spreading in his ears and couldn’t help rubbing them.
Recalling those lines easily made him remember how that man used to murmur by his ear in a low voice.
He used to think that since he’d been with Shen Yan for so long, he could already handle his voice pretty well, that he got used to his low timbre when he talked. But “like” was quite a stubborn feeling. It wasn’t a matter of getting used or not—once it sprouted, its roots would stretch deep into one’s heart... and that’s why, no matter how many times he heard it, the feeling he would get would always be “like”.
Qi Jing remained silent.
Puppet Show stayed unaware of the turmoil in his heart and continued to chatter away.
Puppet Show: But that’s impossible, if we decided upon a person then that’s it. What’s more, Uncle Yan also doesn’t accept the main roles...
Puppet Show: About Uncle Yan, he really is so kind-hearted... It clearly wasn’t even his role, but he was still so diligent during the PIA. And he would also always send the recordings quickly and in high quality... Nowadays VAs like him are so hard to come by.
Puppet Show: But I couldn’t contact him for the longest time... It seems like he had retired from the circle?
Puppet Show: /(ㄒoㄒ)/~~ I kinda miss him...
Seeing this message, for some unknown reason, Qi Jing suddenly typed a few words, sending it before he could even think twice.
【Don’t ask for my return date: Me too, I also miss him.】
Miss him.He missed that Geese Fly North who quietly listened to his most intimate thoughts; he missed that Geese Fly North who held his hand tightly, not letting him go.
Only a single wall separated them, yet he still so missed... he so wanted to find the man who had taken him out on that cold and rainy day, to find that intimate moment when, after the door closed slowly, two people’s hearts were at their closest as they embraced.
“Hiss— ” The moment he realised that his fingers had just typed out those words, Qi Jing immediately woke up with a start, his cheeks gradually turning red.
Crap...Crap... What the hell am I saying to a young lady?
Puppet Show: Σ(っ°Д °)っ...
Don’t ask for my return date: Ah! Nonono, please ignore what I had just said!
Puppet Show: Σ(っ°Д °)っ... It seems... like I just got to hear something I wasn’t supposed to know...
Puppet Show: Return Date-sama, wasn’t it that your impression had always been very good... I remember that you used to talk about him a lot with me, asking me about his situation...
Puppet Show: Eh, eheheh?? Can it be, can it be that the meaning behind those words is about the same as I used to headcanon?? Holy!!
—And what were you headcanoning, huh, Ms Puppet?
Qi Jing facepalmed in silence, wanting only to find a hole to bury himself in. Digging his own grave... That’s straight up digging his own grave, his IQ and whatsoever had probably already been gnawed and gulped down by Little Return Date.
Girls in the circle had an extraordinary sensitivity to gossip, yet even though he was in the circle for so many years, he still hadn’t learned his lesson.
Suddenly, Puppet Show cried out loudly.
Puppet Show: AH!!
Don’t ask for my return date: ??
Puppet Show: Right, right!! There’s one thing you would never expect, Return Date-sama!! (rolls around)
Don’t ask for my return date: What would I not expect...
Puppet Show: Did you know, the last time I interacted with Uncle Yan on QQ, it was actually him who initiated the conversation!!
This took Qi Jing by surprise.
For Shen Yan, who had never been good at communicating with strangers, to actively start a conversation with an unfamiliar girl like Puppet Show—he really would never expect that.
Don’t ask for my return date: Why did he look for you?
Puppet Show: Because he wanted to know your QQ number, so he came to ask me!! Holy, now that I think of it, how did I not think of it!! That’s unscientific!!
Puppet Show: ...Eh, wait a minute...
Puppet Show: Σ(っ°Д °)っ I gave him your QQ number at that time, so did he never get in touch with you?? I’m completely baffled...
Puppet Show: Did you get in touch did you get in touch did you get in touch didyougetintouch??
...
...
As for the content of the rest of the interrogation, Qi Jing couldn’t remember any more of it.
And that’s because the moment he saw that “wanted to know your QQ number”, his thoughts were already away from the content of the screen. It was as if the words on it started to wash away under the pattering rain from back when the two of them chatted separated by the internet—they grew blurry, his emotions starting to sink in together with the trails of rainwater.
Qi Jing subconsciously reached out his hand and closed the laptop.
After he moved the hand away, the glossy surface of the laptop reflected his face—and only then he saw clearly the expression on his face. It was for sure no different than during that day, when he received a QQ friend invitation from Geese Fly North—a bit dazzled, but also a bit disbelieving.
Yet... It was also impossible for him to say that he didn’t rejoice in it.
—Are you okay?—I’m fine, thank you.“And you?”
After such a long time, he suddenly realised that he should have ended it with two more words—only then would this exchange be truly complete.
Only like this it would become a whole, and only then they would be able to go on.
After a short spell of silence, Qi Jing laughed twice—but his smile was somewhat bitter.
It didn’t actually matter what the reply would be, what mattered the most was letting that man know that he cared about his reply, whether it were good or bad, as each reply would mean a move forward. It was thanks to that person who so patiently, so devotedly approached him that they were able to arrive at each other’s side.
Shen Yan let them reach each other. And he... he wanted to let them keep walking by each other.
Qi Jing turned on the desk lamp in the study.
The warmth of that lamp’s light was just right, quite similar to the sunlight at the start of the winter—slightly infused with warmth yet not too hot.
“Shen Yan... Are you okay?” He asked with a faint smile as he sat on the bedside, then gently laid half of his body on the duvet, only quietly staying by the other man’s side with no intention to pursue the question.
It was so strange—just now, he was still so filled with anger, but once he turned his computer off and let go of all these trifles from that side of the internet, returning to reality, he suddenly realised that it wasn’t really worth it to get angry about these kinds of people. Instead of continuing to struggle with Bronze Sparrow Terrace and his fans, Qi Jing would rather spend some more time accompanying Shen Yan.
It didn’t even matter if it was a time spent in silence.
Each minute, each second he spent here was far more precious than a couple of hours wasted on those people.
“Is it finished?” Shen Yan cracked his eyes open, his voice a bit hoarse.
He could see that Shen Yan probably fell asleep for some time, but his sleep had to be very shallow, as the fatigue on his face had yet to recede. Qi Jing stared at him from above, his scrutinising eyes full of the hesitation whether he should honour the bet. Then, he suddenly chuckled.
“I lost.” Qi Jing said as he laughed, as if he was appeasing the other man.
He clearly had a hard time accepting that outcome half an hour before, but at this moment of time, he could already say it with ease.
Shen Yan was clearly surprised, coming to completely in a blink of an eye, “...You lost?”
There was no trace of being upset to be found in Qi Jing’s expression—he was still smiling faintly, lowering himself to put his chin on Shen Yan’s shoulder, contentedly claiming its warmth in a child-like manner, “Mhm, I lost, my score was lower than Bronze Sparrow Terrace’s.”
“Why...”
“It’s a long story.” His voice became muffled from burying his face in the other man’s shoulder. But his tone wasn’t stifled with any hard emotions.
For a moment, Shen Yan couldn’t think of anything to say.
Back when he was listening from the sides, he didn’t think Qi Jing could have possibly lost, he at least could overthrow Bronze Sparrow Terrace with no obstacles. That’s why, as he laid on the bed, he tried to make a mental preparation for the longest time, but he was unable to think of what to say. Flurried and distraught, in the end, he was unable to come up with a way to come clear to Qi Jing about his past.
Now, with Qi Jing having lost, he was in turn even more dazed about what to say.
“I...”
Qi Jing interrupted him gently, repeating those words, which were also the very first greeting from their beginning. “Are you okay?”
Shen Yan’s throat bobbed a little, only managing to reply with a muffled “Mhm” before Qi Jing burst out laughing.
“At first you were bold enough to ask other people for my QQ number, yet now, how come you’re not bold enough to be honest?” He raised his brow a bit, his gaze sweeping over the face that was just a few inches from his own as he asked in a low voice.
A/N:
I also missed Kitty’s Papa, hence...
T/N:
Lucilla: Hence... ⊙▽⊙
I wish people on the internet also spent some more time with their loved ones instead of getting frustrated and frustrating others online...
Whiteflare: Ahhhh the snuggles at the end were so soft and warm–like burrowing into ones favorite person/blanket...
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