Zhao Wenying stood in the kitchen making dumplings, her phone propped up on a stand playing Dou Sheng’s video.

“Lan-lan is just too good-looking.” She marveled, clicking her tongue as her flour-dusted fingers traced Xie Lan’s silhouette in the air. “Your face shape, your eyes—you’re the spitting image of your mother.”

Xie Lan stood beside her, learning how to roll out the dough from Dou Sheng. “People have said I look exactly like Mama since I was a kid.”

The video panned, and Dou Sheng squeezed into the frame, familiarly slinging an arm around Xie Lan. He introduced their “couple’s outfit of the day” to the camera with casual confidence.

A wave of guilt washed over Xie Lan. He lowered his head and pressed down hard on the small piece of dough on the rolling board. Dou Sheng nudged him with his elbow, signaling him to act natural.

Zhao Wenying didn’t notice anything amiss with the two boys. She simply retracted her gaze with a look of mock disdain and pinched the edge of a dumpling shut.

“Isn’t this a ‘Pretend Boyfriend’ video? You should film Xie Lan more,” she grumbled at Dou Sheng. “Why do you keep shoving yourself into the frame? Who wants to look at you?”

Dou Sheng corrected her breezily, “This isn’t a boyfriend photoshoot; it’s a VLOG recording life ‘pretending’ I have a boyfriend. We’re both the protagonists, okay?”

Xie Lan remained silent, handing an ugly, misshapen dumpling skin to Zhao Wenying, not daring to meet her eyes.

Zhao Wenying huffed. “What are you so smug about? Making Lan-lan do this challenge with you is practically a waste of his talent.”

“Not really, Auntie Zhao,” Xie Lan shook his head instinctively. “Dou Sheng asked for my consent beforehand.”

Zhao Wenying immediately switched to a gentle face, chuckling. “For the sake of Dou-zi’s career as an UP-er, you’ve really sacrificed everything.”

“Sacrifice? We were very restrained in the video, alright?” Dou Sheng smirked and let out a light huff. “Do you even know what we’re like normally?”

Xie Lan’s hand froze.

Suddenly, a hand reached over and tilted his chin up. Xie Lan was forced to look up, meeting Dou Sheng’s face.

“?”

Right in front of Zhao Wenying, Dou Sheng smiled at him. “Honey, are you coming over tonight?”

The air seemed to freeze in an instant. Along with it, Xie Lan’s heart stopped.

“Are you trying to die?!”

Zhao Wenying snatched the rolling pin from Xie Lan’s hand and swung it at Dou Sheng. Dou Sheng ditched the mixing bowl and scrambled out of the kitchen, clattering against the furniture as he fled. Zhao Wenying chased him, laughing so hard she began to cough in the living room.

Outside was total chaos, but the phone on the stand continued to play that video overflowing with ambiguity.

Xie Lan stood dazed for a moment before picking up the dumpling Zhao Wenying had only half-pinched and carefully sealing the edge. His skills were lacking; what was supposed to be a perfectly formed dumpling was mangled into a soggy-looking lump that stood out hideously among the others.

Zhao Wenying’s laughing scold echoed from outside. “Just keep teasing Xie Lan every day! Go ahead and show off. If Lan-lan ever breaks up with you, don’t expect me to play peacemaker!”

Dou Sheng talked back lazily, “Xie Lan would never break up with me. Our love is as solid as gold and as eternal as the heavens.”

“Look at you,” Zhao Wenying’s voice was full of mock disgust. “Who taught you to be so silver-tongued? You won’t even be able to find a proper wife later. I’ll see what you do then!”

“That works out perfectly.” Dou Sheng returned, scuffing his slippers, and went back to rolling dough. “With Xie Lan taking me in, why would I need a wife?”

Zhao Wenying returned as well, abandoning all pretense of dignity to roll her eyes at the ceiling. She nudged Xie Lan’s elbow. “Lan-lan, don’t hold a grudge. He’s sick. From the first moment I saw him when he was born, I felt his brain wasn’t quite right.”

Dou Sheng pouted. “Oho, a keen eye for a hero, I see.”

The video had finished. Zhao Wenying casually clicked on a recommended video from another creator and dropped the subject. She seemed to be in a good mood, humming a song Xie Lan didn’t recognize as she worked, seemingly unbothered by the heart-stopping moment from a few seconds ago.

Xie Lan handed a rolled-out skin to Dou Sheng.

“Nice,” Dou Sheng praised offhandedly as he took it. “You’re getting better at this.”

However, Xie Lan wondered if it was just an illusion. For a split second when he looked up, he thought he saw Dou Sheng frowning—but the expression vanished so quickly he couldn’t be sure.

---

The first round of the Mathematics League fell just before the start of the senior year. Xie Lan had broken through his plateau during the provincial training, and problem-solving had become increasingly smooth for him. As the exam drew nearer, he actually reduced his practice time. Every day before the competition, he only did one set of papers to maintain his “feel,” living a more leisurely life than even Dou Sheng.

In early August, the official account of Tian Ya Shen Wang suddenly announced the collaboration.

@Tian Ya Shen Wang: The second season of “Shao Shi Jian Xin Ming Yue” is set for next summer! We are honored to collaborate with @Xie Lan_em, who will serve as the lead music producer for Season 2. Looking forward to it!

The original director, Prime Minister Lu, was the first to retweet. A sentimental soul, he wrote a several-hundred-word essay about the “fate” of his obscure little anime being uplifted by a single fan song. Xie Lan found it all a bit dizzying.

Ju Jiu followed up by retweeting Lu’s essay, stating concisely: “We will give you the best Shao Shi 2.” It seemed the word count was too high, because he quite rudely deleted a few of Lu’s words.

Xie Lan retweeted politely, copy-pasting Ju Jiu’s words, and also deleted a few of Lu’s words.

Prime Minister Lu had originally commented with a question mark under Ju Jiu’s post. After Xie Lan’s retweet, he came to Xie Lan’s profile to leave a string of ellipses.

Xie Lan’s audience exploded, and many anime fans sent their congratulations. As he browsed around, he unexpectedly found that a group of people had, for some strange reason, gone to the official account of Juvenile on the Strings and Pei Qing’s profile to express collective “heartbreak.”

• Pat pat, Director Pei. Maybe Lan collaborated with the neighbor because he has no pressure now (though the League hasn’t started yet).
• Asking quietly, was the “trash-talking, nonsense-filled” director Ju Jiu mentioned in the stream actually you?
• I don’t know what happened, but I feel a bit sorry for you…
• Heartbreak +1
• Heartbreak +2…

Xie Lan felt suffocated. Just as he was wondering how to distract the fans, Pei Qing stepped out and replied to a few comments.

@Pei Qing: Regarding the “trash-talking, nonsense-filled” neighboring director—I suspect he’s talking about me. That rival producer has trashed me more than once, and he’s tried to poach people I have my eye on more than once. The industry is dark; you guys don’t understand.

@Pei Qing: It’s a pity “Sword Qi as Promised” came out a bit late; I truly missed out.

@Pei Qing: A bit of sadness, but not much anger. Xie Lan is exactly what I imagined a boy of this age to be.

Xie Lan read these posts several times but couldn’t quite grasp the meaning. He looked up blankly and asked Dou Sheng, “What does he mean?”

Dou Sheng was using both hands to massage Wu Tong’s flat cat face. He huffed. “This director might have a masochistic streak. He’s trying to ‘simp’ for you in a way that’s a bit too over-the-top.” He paused, then added thoughtfully, “Let’s wait and see if there’s a follow-up. Based on this, I feel he hasn’t given up on working with you.”

I see. Xie Lan decided to play dead.

---

On the afternoon before the first round of the League, Xie Lan started a live stream. He wanted to play the violin and chat with his viewers to relax.

The songs were randomly requested by the chat. If he knew them, he played them. Over the afternoon, he played his most famous pieces, along with some themes from Miyazaki films. Just as he was about to sign off, a sudden rain of gifts flooded the room.

It was the “TV Spaceship” streak again—that unmistakable “tycoon” vibe. He thought Ju Jiu was back to pay a deposit, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was different.

The donor’s ID this time was “Pei Qing.”

The chat immediately erupted.

• WHAT IS HAPPENING???
• Is that the Strings director?
• Is that the ‘nonsense-filled’ one?
• Holy crap, what is he here for?
• Using money to crash the party?
• I smell major drama!!

As Xie Lan sat there stunned, his phone vibrated. Pei Qing was calling him via voice chat. On the screen, the mogul who had just become the “Governor” of his channel sent a flashy, high-end comment: “Please pick up the phone. Thanks.”

Then, the gifts continued to flood in. The TV Spaceship streak quickly reached 99 with no sign of stopping. Xie Lan was paralyzed with indecision until Dou Sheng suddenly grabbed the phone.

Dou Sheng picked up instantly and turned on the speakerphone.

“Something wrong?” His tone was cold, as if laced with ice shards. “Making such an expensive ‘paid call’—you must be very rich.”

• Hahahaha LOL
• A literal paid call.
• Dou-zi opens his mouth and sounds like an expert gatekeeper.
• Isn’t this paid call a bit too expensive?
• He wouldn’t do this for no reason; he has his eye on Lan-lan.
• After all, Ling Xi and Tian Ya have always been battling.

Pei Qing coughed twice on the other end. His voice was low, ethereal, and a bit raspy, just like on the day of the interview. “What’s your usual rate for a paid call?”

Dou Sheng glanced at the screen. “Ten TV Spaceships per minute.”

He really dared to ask for that. Xie Lan’s eyes went wide, but he didn’t dare say anything.

Pei Qing chuckled. “Fine. I’ve thrown enough money, and I only have a few minutes of talking to do.”

• For some reason, I’m imagining a ‘I’m someone you can’t afford now’ drama.
• +1 to the above, though I don’t know what happened at that interview.
• Don’t talk nonsense; the director clearly came with sincerity.
• Even if Lan-zai is proud, it’s not our place to show off.
• Keep it low-key.
• Let’s thank this financial daddy!

Pei Qing asked, “Where’s Xie Lan? I didn’t pay to talk to you.”

“Can’t you watch the stream? He’s right here.” Dou Sheng tossed the phone onto the table. “Go ahead.”

Pei Qing coughed twice. “Xie Lan?”

His voice was low. His tone hadn’t changed much since the day he was being critical of Xie Lan, but perhaps the continuous coughing created a sense of illness that made him seem softer.

Xie Lan looked at the gift list, unsure of what to say. It took a long time before he managed an “mm.”

The connection on the other end wasn’t very stable. After a moment of static, Pei Qing’s voice became clear. “Have you seen the poll A-Ze posted on Weibo for the Strings theme song?”

A-Ze had recently posted three melodies on Weibo for fans to vote on. Xie Lan had listened to them at the time, but he hadn’t realized they were for Strings. He was taken aback. “Are you asking for my opinion?”

Pei Qing gave an “mm.” Before Xie Lan could react, the live stream chat was already in a heated discussion.

• Whoa, this is intense.
• The boss is really giving him face.
• Wasn’t there an article recently saying Xie Lan represents the musical aesthetic of the youth?
• Too exaggerated… but he really is a leader in the Bilibili music section now.
• Isn’t being a leader enough? His fan base is huge now.
• We count as the target audience for Strings, right?

Pei Qing was also watching the stream, but he didn’t comment on the chat. He just said in a low, peaceful voice: “The team’s opinion leans toward Segment B, and the Weibo poll has B slightly higher. But personally, I prefer A.” He coughed twice more. “I want your opinion.”

Xie Lan was still dazed. After a moment of hesitation, he couldn’t help but whisper, “Is this a case of ‘not being ashamed to ask one’s inferiors’?”

Pei Qing: “…”

Dou Sheng poked him lightly and whispered in his ear, “That’s the wrong idiom. You didn’t mock him; you just insulted yourself.”

• I’M DYING LAUGHING
• Do you think you’re being quiet?!
• The mic is literally pinned to Xie Lan’s collar, oh my god.
• Damn, Dou-zi’s voice felt like it was whispered directly into my eardrum.
• Ugh, headphone users just swooned.

Xie Lan curled his fingers in embarrassment. “Then what should I say?”

“Be adaptable,” Dou Sheng instructed.

Pei Qing laughed on the other end, coughing as he did so, sounding like a man with one foot in the grave. Xie Lan couldn’t help but ask, “Are you alright?”

“I have a cold,” Pei Qing said casually. “I argued with the music team for a day and a night, then got hit by a cold breeze on the way home.”

Xie Lan: “…”

Hearing this, Dou Sheng picked up the phone. “Still haven’t fixed that habit of trashing people? Then how do you have the face to come to Xie Lan for brainstorming?”

Pei Qing paused, then said calmly, “I paid. Let Xie Lan speak.”

“You paid to chat; you didn’t pay for professional consulting.” Dou Sheng pursed his lips. Not only did he not return the phone, but he also pulled over a stool to sit beside Xie Lan. “And this isn’t just ordinary consulting. If you use the answer he gives, it becomes a strategic suggestion, right? It could directly sway the fate of your project. Wait, I recall a friend telling me Strings is an S-level project within Ling Xi? That could very well affect your entire company’s profits, the financial reports, and investors’ future decisions… once you add up all those levers, you’d have to pay Xie Lan eighty or ninety times more. Stop topping up on the platform; they take a cut. Should I just send you my bank account number?”

Pei Qing: “…”

The chat exploded to the point that Xie Lan couldn’t even look.

• LOL, Dou-zi talks too much!
• Look at Lan-zai!! Look at his dazed expression.
• I suspect Lan-zai hasn’t followed Dou-zi’s logic at all.
• I suspect Pei Qing is currently dialing 110.
• Mom is so worried. Don’t be so aggressive, kids; leave a way out for future meetings!
• They aren’t corporate drones! They don’t care!

After what felt like an eternity, Pei Qing chuckled. “What exactly are you to Xie Lan?”

Dou Sheng replied, “I am his fan, and he is my senior.”

“I see…” Pei Qing’s voice remained ethereal. He fell silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke up sharply: “Then as a fan, stay the hell out of your senior’s business. Get lost.”

• 2333333
• I’m laughing so hard I’m gasping.
• My mom is going to hit me!!
• This boss was so angry his true self came out.
• LOL, the client is actually kind of cute.
• Is this a conversation we’re even allowed to hear?!
• Look at Lan-zai.
• Lan-zai is still offline.

In the stream, Xie Lan looked even more confused. Dou Sheng stood up and scooped up the cat to sit on his lap. While petting it, he replied, “I am a fan and his manager. His business goes through me first.”

“Oh?” Pei Qing insulted him calmly. “I’ve never seen a manager as ungracious as you. Xie Lan is lucky he hasn’t ‘faded’ yet while being partnered with you.”

Dou Sheng smiled. “There is indeed a risk of fading, but fortunately, there are clients like you who are eager to pay up anyway. Thanks to you, he won’t be fading.”

“Don’t thank me. Thank yourself and give the phone back to Xie Lan!”

“Forget it! I’ll save the remaining minutes of your ‘paid call’ for next time. We don’t provide commercial advice without payment. Why didn’t you leave yourself a way out when you were being so aggressive during the interview?”

“…”

A long silence followed. The chat was split: one group was heartlessly cheering for the drama, another was worried about their future commercial prospects, and a small group of Dou Sheng’s old fans was calmly stating they were used to it.

The fans wrote: Standard operation, nothing special. We predicted Lan-zai would suffer this fate the moment they became a business duo. Fake (good) boyfriends walk together, arrogant together, and worry together.

Finally, Pei Qing let out a “pfft” of laughter. He slowed down his speech and said leisurely, “Those who know would say Xie Lan suffered a bit of a slight from me. Those who don’t would think I’d done something terrible to you. You made a ‘Pretend Boyfriend’ video and really started pampering Xie Lan like a wife?”

Dou Sheng’s expression turned instantly serious.

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

Xie Lan’s heart also tightened. Just as he was about to say something, Dou Sheng placed a hand on his head—the familiar preparatory movement for a “big move.”

” ‘Wife’? What kind of trashy, old-fashioned word is that?” Dou Sheng sneered in mockery. “If Xie Lan and I were really together, we’d only be calling each other ‘boyfriend’ with total affection. Right, Xie Lan?”

Xie Lan: “…”

The live stream was instantly filled with chaotic “alpha” energy. Because the teasing was so direct, it seemed like nothing more than a joke. The fans were used to it and played along with Dou Sheng.

But Xie Lan couldn’t squeeze out a single word for a long time. His heart was pounding like a drum; he was once again rendered speechless by his boyfriend’s antics.

Pei Qing: “…You win.”