Tonight, it was destined to be a sleepless night.
At this moment, Lu Qing had no idea that his personal artist, Lubia, was in a state of temporary vitality, using the money he had sent her to place an order for a carton of milk, a pork cutlet takeout meal that cost over 30 yuan, and even managed to sample the six flavors of Pocky biscuit sticks she had always been curious about but had never been able to afford.
Happiness was actually very simple.
Having a meal,
Drinking banana milk,
Receiving orders from the boss,
Being able to talk to the boss,
And simply being alive.
That was enough.
When she had money, she could buy the Hope brand boxed banana milk, which cost 2.5 yuan per box, with a smooth texture and good purity.
When she was in poverty, she would settle for expired, generic bagged milk, not caring about the brand, and of course, it wasn't very good.
Consuming milk at the exact same time every day was a dietary habit she had maintained since childhood,
And it was also the biggest secret to her success in cultivating her ultimate weapon.
She chose banana flavor over papaya because she had read on a little red notebook that "papaya breast enhancement is a scam."
So she eliminated papaya and chose her favorite banana.
Tang Hua considered herself not particularly smart, so she would unconsciously believe in "common sense" from the internet.
After all, she had no close friends or real family to tell her what was right and what was wrong.
Buying Pocky was also something she decided to try after seeing fashionable girls say, "This isn't just a biscuit; it's a toy that can be used to play with your boyfriend."
"Someday, I want to eat it with the boss."
One stick at a time.
"I'll feed it to him."
Tang Hua's heart was filled with joy.
Mhm.
Tonight, she decided to do something unprecedented: take out the trash.
And then, give the room a quick clean.
After eating and drinking her fill, she would directly activate her "Destiny Mode."
Destiny Mode, as she called it, meant "finishing the boss's order in one go."
During this time, she wouldn't sleep, rest, relax, check her phone, watch Japanese dramas, follow anime, play games, or do anything else except eat, drink, wash, and relieve herself.
This was Tang Hua's "Destiny Mode."
She believed that the boss was her "heaven."
The boss's commands,
Of course, were her "destiny."
Hence the name.
This state of being existed because, whether as an artist or other behind-the-scenes professions like composers or editors, they all preferred to complete a large "project" in one go.
After all, if they took a break or slept in the middle, the next day their thoughts would be disconnected, leading to a lack of smooth continuity.
It was like how many people were excited and sensitive at night,
But in the morning, they would become like sages,
Rational and indifferent.
Tang Hua was no different.
She had those moments too.
After putting on her dress, she would pout at the printed paper on the wall and say, "So-so."
She would say things like, "Only a 3D boss can satisfy me."
In her professional field, Tang Hua had extremely high standards for herself.
So much so that she had to finish an order in one go, catch a fish in one go, complete an assignment in one go, and learn something new in one go.
Tasks like Live2D modeling, which were obviously different from drawing novel covers,
Could take several days or even a week.
Some modelers might drag it out for ten days or half a month, by which time the opportunity would have passed.
But Tang Hua didn't.
Usually, when dealing with orders from Taobao, she would only put in 30% of her effort,
Since some clients had poor taste, and even if she drew something as exquisite as "Starry Night," they would still ask for revisions countless times before settling on a plastic figurine.
But when it came to the boss's orders, she would give it her 100% effort,
Knowing that the boss wouldn't ask her to revise it, she aimed to satisfy him in one go.
But now, things were different.
Now, she was facing the challenge of—
"Incorporating herself into the boss's order."
Therefore.
100% effort wasn't enough.
Not nearly enough.
It wasn't enough to show her seriousness.
"This is a one-time opportunity."
She thought.
—Absolutely, absolutely, she had to give it her 300%, exhausting her life potential, unleashing a "one-hit kill" that could obliterate all inferior VTuber skins, even surpassing the likes of Hoshizora Rina by three levels, a nuclear bomb-level performance.
"I need to create a top-tier skin that will sweep through the entire VTuber community."
"I want all the artists on the platform to feel it."
What it's like to be struck by the "giant" shockwave from Blue Bird of the East.
What it's like to experience the mysterious and absolute advanced aesthetics.
"I want the boss to fully recognize my abilities, to truly admire me, and to spend more money on me."
Tang Hua smiled,
Glancing at the craft knife by her pillow,
And made a vow—
"If I can't do it, I'll die."
…
Lu Qing couldn't have guessed that his trust and choice would one day result in a top-tier skin that could make all VTuber fans fall into a trance with just one glance.
Even if they put a mediocre performer in it, the artist's soul-stirring design would elevate the performer to a level infinitely close to the peak.
…
Time flew by.
For three whole days, Bai Xing hadn't shown up at school.
Messages sent to her went unanswered.
Reminders about teachers taking attendance were ignored.
Before heading to school, he knocked on her door a few times, but there was no response.
This made Lu Qing feel a bit uneasy.
"It's Thursday."
Tomorrow would be Friday.
As he walked along the path to the teaching building, he pondered with a solemn expression.
"Has she been upset by Su Ling?"
He could vaguely sense this subtle possibility.
The last time he brought her home, everything went smoothly until they stepped out of the elevator.
He had encouraged his personal actress, giving her confidence to start anew, providing her with new hope, and even issuing her a "sister experience card."
She shouldn't have fallen back into confusion about her future.
But these past few days, the girl had seemed to disappear, not going out, not attending class, and certainly not using her previous skin to broadcast.
"She's completely shut down…"
Lu Qing sighed softly.
It wasn't entirely the girl's fault.
Even he, in front of Su Ling, might have experienced various hallucinations.
"Come to think of it…"
Do I really have a sister?
Lu Qing's mind jolted.
He let out a soft hiss,
Looking up at the sky.
The sun was a bit too bright.
He stood at the school gate, his expression puzzled, his expression suddenly enlightened.
"Su Ling… when did she come to find me?"
His memory seemed to have been eroded.
Although it was something that had happened recently, he couldn't remember the details of their reunion.
He only remembered it was a rainy night,
And now, it seemed they had been together for three years.
"Su Ling…"
He murmured.
These days, under his sister's care, Lu Qing had experienced what it was like to live like a "god."
During the day, he went to school, and it was originally his job to make breakfast for his sister before heading out.
But now, it was the opposite. His sister seemed to wake up earlier than him.
Every time he woke up and went to wash, he would find Su Ling already in the kitchen, making all sorts of delicate and delicious snacks.
"Brother, my baking skills are perfect for making breakfast for you, so you can just rest~ I'll make all your breakfasts from now on, okay?"
His sister's suggestion made sense, but Lu Qing still didn't want her to get up so early every day.
After some back-and-forth, as expected, he failed.
After all, Su Ling had a thousand and one ways to argue with her peculiar logic.
"Brother has to go to school, earn money to support me, and stay by my side to heal my mental wounds. If I can't compensate him with something as small as making breakfast…"
Her pouting expression was almost a guaranteed one-hit kill.
And then, things started to get a bit out of hand.
"Ah…? Su Ling, why did you make this for me?"
"Well, brother is so tired during the day, and at night, you're still thinking about writing. If you also have to do all the shopping, cooking, and washing up, where will you find the energy? So I learned some simple Italian and French recipes and tried to make you a heartwarming pasta dinner~"
"……"
"The wine was bought with the money brother gave me, since I heard it goes well with steak. I'm not very good at choosing, so I did some research on a little red notebook and ordered some Kobe beef for brother."
"……"
“Would my brother scold me for spending money so freely? I just want my brother to get more protein, you know. Otherwise, if his nutrition falls behind, how will he be able to work properly?”
“……”
“Oh, and the sofa bed that my brother wanted to buy last time still hasn’t arrived. That doesn’t seem right, does it? I suspect that the other day, when you were too tired, you held your phone in your hand but forgot to place the order after opening Taobao, causing a temporary lapse in your memory. So, I took the liberty of buying a sofa bed that I thought would be more comfortable for my brother. It’s wide enough for two people to lie down. That way, my brother can finally enjoy the freedom to roll over, right?”
“……”
Defeat had become the dominant theme in Lu Qing’s life recently.
At times, he even felt as though he were hallucinating.
“What did I do to deserve such a sister?”
“Every smile, every movement, every expression she makes in front of me seems like something out of an anime. She’s from the heavens. It’s so surreal, yet it makes me feel so detached.”
This sense of detachment came from an internal dissonance.
—When someone who has long been in a state of solitude suddenly gains an overwhelming amount of happiness without warning, they are bound to experience this illusion of reality and fantasy being torn apart.
Doubting that the world they are in is fake,
Doubting that what they see is not real.
“This is bad.”
Lu Qing stopped in his tracks.
“Could it be that I’m developing some kind of mental illness…?”
He furrowed his brow slightly.
He wasn’t sure.
“……”
Spending so much time with his sister, would he be affected?
They say that patients with severe anxiety and depression have the ability to influence those around them.
If someone with a weak mind stays in the same space as such a patient for too long, they could be gradually consumed until their spirit crumbles.
“Ah… it shouldn’t be that serious, right?”
Lu Qing shook his head.
After all, it’s his sister. No matter what, he couldn’t back down.
“Whatever.”
“At least I’m still rational.”
He convinced himself.
…
In truth,
he could vaguely sense that his mind had started to become muddled lately.
He almost forgot about the project he had to work on for Bai Xing.
The situation was that, until late at night when his sister fell asleep, he jolted awake like a lamb lying in the arms of a devil,
then secretly contacted Lubia and placed an order.
Otherwise, there would be no chance at all.
“Sigh.”
As he replayed recent events in his mind, he couldn’t tell if his life was healthy or decadent.
Either way, it felt like a bizarre slideshow.
On the professional front, although he had refined the character profiles a bit more, making the heroine’s image more three-dimensional,
he couldn’t openly work on the VTB project in front of his sister.
Otherwise, if she found out he was promoting Bai Xing, the consequences would be unimaginable.
“What should I do about this…”
Lu Qing tried to focus.
Fortunately, even in such a poor state, his mental resilience remained strong.
“It seems I’ll have to handle this at school.”
He decided to split his time.
At home, he would deal with the new book and research,
while at school, he would focus entirely on understanding the V-tuber scene.
He aimed to absorb all the knowledge he could before Lubia sent the final draft, and to build a new rapport with Bai Xing.
There was still plenty of time before class started.
He found a sunny spot on a clean stone step at the base of the Master Building, laid down an A4 paper, and sat down.
This building had few students and was one of the school’s “forbidden zones.”
Named the “Master Building,” it was naturally a hub for the academy to invite masters from around the world to set up studios for international exchange.
Only super-rich second-generation students with exceptional backgrounds had the privilege of learning one-on-one with these masters in their respective fields.
Of course, money alone wasn’t enough to become a master’s disciple.
Without a talent that could catch the master’s eye, even if one knelt with cash in hand, the master might not even grant an audience.
“If I remember correctly, the school this year invited… the Spanish classical guitarist, Master Josél,”
Lu Qing murmured, glancing up at the 15-story building towering behind him, which was on a completely different scale from the other three- or four-story teaching buildings.
He couldn’t help but sigh:
“…Even built a rooftop garden. Truly elite.”
He knew that
his roommate Old Li’s goddess, Mu Xia, was most likely studying inside with a renowned Austrian female pianist.
Only public classes had a chance of bringing her into contact with ordinary students like himself.
That’s why he never saw her, as if she didn’t exist in his memory.
“Wait.”
“Yangzi said she’s the student council president, but… doesn’t the student council president handle student council affairs?”
“Why didn’t she show up for the opening speech?”
Mysterious.
Too mysterious.
Lu Qing shook his head and looked away.
Time was limited, and he decided to prioritize Bai Xing’s matters, leaving everything else for later.
After all, he had chosen her as the heroine, and from now on, he had to find ways to solve all her problems.
Clearly, Lu Qing had a trait:
stubbornness.
Extremely stubborn.
Once he made up his mind about something, or someone,
not even the sky falling could change his decision.
“That little girl is as fragile as glass, and her heart is as brittle as it gets. I need to figure out a way to get her to respond to my messages.”
He had a clear plan.
To heal his heroine, he first needed to dispel the negative effects she was under, help her recover from her fear, and pull her up from the abyss.
She had already been pulled up once, but it seemed Su Ling had pushed her back down with brute force.
This made things a bit tricky.
“Every time Bai Xing gets hurt, it gets worse than the last time.”
“And it becomes harder to heal.”
Lu Qing was gradually figuring out her patterns.
As a top-tier author, his observational skills had vastly improved since his LV1 days.
“If I had to guess, she’s probably still holed up at home.”
“Under the covers.”
“Probably hasn’t eaten all day.”
“Not even had a sip of water.”
“And hasn’t washed her hair.”
“Hmm… probably pouting with a sad little face, waiting for me to send her more messages.”
Lu Qing’s lips curled into a smirk.
“Last time at the Panini shop, I couldn’t figure out why you were mad. But this time is different, little one.”
He felt confident in his understanding of her.
—Definitely pouting, right?
Blaming me for not controlling my sister, letting her bully you.
After crying, you couldn’t get back at Su Ling,
couldn’t fight her, couldn’t scold her, so you took it out on me.
Yeah, 90% chance.
So cute.
Lu Qing shook his head.
He stood up, picked up the A4 paper he had been sitting on, folded it, and tossed it into the trash bin at the entrance of the building.
He began to plot.
“Right, although she’s nominally working under a big guild, based on my observations over the past few days, Xsoul doesn’t seem to be taking her efforts seriously or properly valuing her as a VTuber…
They’re just slapping together some low-quality projects, and they didn’t even edit the debut stream properly, let alone make a polished introduction video like other cute little Vtubers usually get before their debut.”
“…Not reliable at all, this big guild.”
He knew that with so many Vtubers under one guild, deciding which resources to allocate to whom became a sensitive issue.
With Bai Xing’s boost, Xing Yue Li Nai had both unique personal charm and irreplaceable technical skills, making her a perfect candidate for Xsoul’s top spot.
However, the guild didn’t provide much support, and the restrictions and lectures were numerous, which made Lu Qing a bit suspicious.
Soon.
Lu Qing figured out the underlying logic.
“Wen Le mentioned that guild leaders might gift a ‘governor’ to their own Vtubers.”
“The purpose is to promote and operate potential newcomers.”
But clearly,
not all guild leaders are good people.
There’s also the possibility of them having ‘old man’ intentions.
If you put yourself in Xing Yue Li Nai’s shoes, is it possible that on the first day Bai Xing joined the guild, she received harassment messages from the guild leader or staff?
Her voice is so sweet, her skills so strong, and even just looking at her QQ avatar, you can feel the soft-girl aura radiating from her.
Based on this, even if the president proposed to meet offline to assess her capabilities, it wouldn't be entirely out of the question.
And given Bai Xing's temperament, she would undoubtedly reject such unreasonable requests outright, eliminating any possibility of hidden rules.
Therefore, the guild stopped allocating resources to her.
They even went so far as to fire her on the spot whenever she encountered issues, and shamelessly pocketed the profits from the four live broadcasts she had brought in, all while positioning themselves as the party suffering losses.
“.”
Lu Qing's gaze darkened.
He knew that, generally speaking, the guild could have handled things much more leniently.
After all, Bai Xing must have operated as an independent streamer before taking on the avatar of Seigetsu Rina. She had likely put it on hold due to various reasons.
Otherwise, where would she have gained so much experience?
Hmm.
“So you like picking on my kid, huh?”
Lu Qing muttered coldly.
“Xsoul.”
“Very well.”
The feud is on.
Suddenly.
He picked up his phone and found the avatar of 「Rina」 on WeChat.
He directly tapped the voice button and, using the voice of a handsome guy, recorded in a mischievous tone:
“Star Baby? Are you there?”
“Since we've become partners now, your avatar has been commissioned, and the plans are all moving forward smoothly. Now that I'm in charge, I believe that whatever others have, my streamer must have it all. Oh, and she has to do it better than the other small Vtubers.”
He paused, a smile appearing on his face:
“Here's the thing, I plan to help you record a current version of your personal introduction video first, showcasing your features and selling points. If I'm not mistaken, your strong suit should be your versatile voice, right? After all, you're from the broadcasting department, so you must be quite professional in this area.
So, I want to collect all the frequency versions of your voices internally first, which will make it easier for me to do post-production and help you select audio materials for editing. What do you think?”
【Whoosh】
After sending it, the avatar of the other person suddenly blinked for half a second with 【The other person is typing】.
Then, as if there was a slight lag, it immediately disappeared.
Wow.
She was definitely waiting.
Waiting for me to coax her, huh?
Three sentences aren't enough, I have to send over 20 messages to trigger a low-probability reply, right?
Alright.
Little thing.
Lu Qing couldn't hold back the expression on his face anymore, but in the voice message, he still very seriously proposed a reasonable suggestion—
“For testing the voice, I think writing a script now is a bit troublesome and unnecessary. So, let's keep it simple.”
He commanded:
“Bai Xing, can you 'meow' 50 times for me?”
……
……