TITCFRIBN 18

Chapter 18

Perhaps influenced by An Cheng’s words, Bai Qing chose a light piece to play, so that by the end, it was like the ripples made by a dragonfly touching the water—subtle and serene as time passed.

Wang Qimeng was very supportive, clapping and suggesting, “Brother Bai, why don’t you try joining the school’s music club? I heard they’re recruiting.”

Bai Qing put the guitar back into its cloth bag and smiled slightly, “No, university is going to be quite busy, I think.”

Wang Qimeng shook his head, “That’s not true. Even if it’s busy, there’s always time. I’m planning to join the gaming club too.”

At eleven o’clock, after finishing his military theory exam, Bai Qing went to bed. As he lay in the dark, he knew sleep would be elusive that night.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed with a message notification.

He thought it might be a group message and was about to silence it, but saw it was from An Cheng.

Guān Wǒ Qù Sǐ: 20x4.9.8.22:32.mp3.

Guān Wǒ Qù Sǐ: The recording from earlier.

Bai Qing’s heart started pounding. He instinctively looked up and noticed a dim light flicker across the room before fading into the darkness.

After sending the recording, An Cheng turned off his phone.

I may have recorded the message, but not named it. That’s still quite aloof, he thought coldly.

An Cheng was ready for bed, and Bai Qing, despite wanting to thank him, replied with a brief message.

“Thank you, Cheng Ge.”

Turning off his phone, he could only hear his own heavy heartbeat in the darkness.

On Tuesday afternoon, after finishing his military theory exam, Bai Qing went out with his guitar.

An Cheng heard the door open and close but didn’t comment.

Instead, he thought, “007, did the guitar find a buyer so quickly?”

The little cat replied, “Bai Qing’s model is a limited edition, long sold out. For guitar enthusiasts, it’s a rare find.”

An Cheng tapped the desk, “Why doesn’t Bai Qing say anything?”

The little cat licked its paw, “His family situation is serious. Even if he talked about it, what would it change? Would he ask you for money?”

“Can I keep making him win the lottery?” An Cheng asked.

“No,” the little cat said decisively. “Relying on the lottery for everything isn’t feasible. My permissions don’t extend that far.”

An Cheng gave up.

Outside Zhiyuan, Bai Qing walked towards the west gate of the university.

The east gate was crowded, while the west gate was spacious and quieter, with brief parking allowed.

Bai Qing chose the west gate for the transaction.

He stood at the gate for a while until a Maybach pulled up. A man in a suit got out.

The man’s eyes lit up when he saw Bai Qing with the guitar. He approached with a gentlemanly demeanor.

The man was mature and refined, combining a scholar’s grace with a businessman’s charm, hard to ignore.

He spoke first, “Are you the student selling the guitar?”

Bai Qing nodded and brought the guitar to the front, “Yes, you can inspect it first.”

The man did not refuse but also did not scrutinize it closely. He glanced at it and nodded, “You can proceed with the transaction. I will confirm receipt on the spot.”

Bai Qing opened his phone but didn’t send the payment immediately. He asked, “May I ask if this guitar is for your personal use?”

The man smiled, “Do I look like the type?”

“My nephew likes it. My assistant saw the ad and recommended it to me,” he added with a touch of humor, “That’s all.”

Bai Qing wanted to ask if his nephew would take good care of the guitar, or if, being from a wealthy family, it might be neglected among many valuable guitars.

But asking such questions might seem intrusive or unnecessary.

Bai Qing nodded, “Alright, I’ll send it now.”

The man took the guitar and, with a raised eyebrow, asked, “Is it hard to part with it because you’re short on money?”

Bai Qing did not respond, “Please take good care of the guitar.”

The man confirmed the receipt, and the payment arrived in Bai Qing’s account immediately. Bai Qing sighed in relief and prepared to leave.

He was handed a business card, decorated with gold, emphasizing the man’s affluence.

The card included the man’s identity and contact details.

The man smiled, “If you need anything, feel free to contact me.”

In the dormitory, the little cat couldn’t resist broadcasting live, “The guitar has been sold.”

An Cheng, having just finished a game, looked at the black screen and sighed lightly.

After finishing a game, Bai Qing returned to the dorm without the guitar, as if he had shed something else in addition to the guitar.

He approached An Cheng, his eyes bright again, “Cheng Ge, you won another game.”

An Cheng, acting aloof, replied, “Can’t lose.”

Bai Qing smiled and said, “Cheng Ge, there’s no evening class today. Let’s go out for skewers! I’m really craving them!”

---

The first Friday of the semester was also the Mid-Autumn Festival.

And Friday was the most intensive day of classes, packed from morning till night. A holiday at this time was a huge relief.

Wang Qimeng was excited as he looked at the calendar.

“Brother Bai, Brother Cheng, do you have any plans for the Mid-Autumn Festival?”

An Cheng replied, “No.”

Qi Le had actively tried to organize an event with An Cheng, but when he found out it was a matchmaking event, An Cheng had rejected him without mercy.

Bai Qing turned to Wang Qimeng, “I still need to tutor Lin Huanhuan on Friday.”

Wang Qimeng shook his head, “That’s fine. The comic convention I want to go to is on Sunday. Do you guys want to come with me? I’ll cover the ticket cost.”

Bai Qing and An Cheng weren’t very familiar with the world of anime and hadn’t been part of that circle before.

Bai Qing said, “I can accompany you, but I might not understand much.”

Wang Qimeng was thrilled, “Brother Bai is so nice! What about Brother Cheng?”

Bai Qing looked hopefully at An Cheng, but he refused.

Would the cool guy go to a comic convention? No, he would only stay coldly in the dorm playing games.

Actually, An Cheng was quite interested in trying it out! Damn!

Considering the plot, An Cheng simply advised, “Be sure to stay safe.”

---

By Friday, Bai Qing went to Lin Huanhuan’s home.

Lin’s mother was about to leave for a business trip and called Bai Qing aside, “It’s the Mid-Autumn Festival today, so no tutoring. But since the nanny won’t be back until tomorrow, can you take care of Huanhuan today? Here’s a thousand yuan. Take him to Happy Valley and have some fun.”

Bai Qing was a bit stunned, not expecting such generosity.

Lin Huanhuan was overjoyed, asking Bai Qing to take him to Happy Valley.

On the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, Happy Valley was crowded, with long lines for every ride.

Having a younger sister already, Bai Qing didn’t find it troublesome to take Lin Huanhuan along. They played from one in the afternoon until six, when Lin Huanhuan finally wanted to go home.

At the exit, Bai Qing and Lin Huanhuan were waiting in line to leave when a competent-looking woman approached Bai Qing and asked, “Sir, would you be interested in being a cosplayer the day after tomorrow?”

That evening, in the dormitory.

Bai Qing looked at An Cheng with anticipation, “Cheng Ge, that’s how it is.”

“You want me to cosplay with you?” An Cheng asked, somewhat stunned.

Bai Qing, feeling a bit embarrassed, lowered his head, “Just for one day. If you’re not interested, it’s fine. I was just asking.”

The woman had explained the situation after stopping Bai Qing.

Happy Valley was hosting a grand comic convention the next day. The publicity had been impressive, but this afternoon, two prominent cosplayers who were supposed to appear had canceled. This was a major mishap and would likely draw criticism from many fans.

Although they had prepared costumes and wigs for these two cosplayers in advance, the cancellation left them in a tight spot. They couldn’t afford to express their frustrations due to some internal conflicts and needed to find replacements urgently.

Finding someone with striking looks, especially who could fit into the anime character roles, was challenging. When they saw Bai Qing, they assured him that all he needed to do was stand there; no additional performance was required.

They let Bai Qing name his price. After a moment of hesitation, Bai Qing suggested, “One thousand?”

The woman smiled gently, “You’re too modest. Let’s make it three thousand.”

“Handsome, do you have anyone else with this kind of look in your circle? Both men and women are fine. If you can find another person, I’ll give you ten thousand for both,” she added.

So, Bai Qing turned to An Cheng for help.

Upon hearing the news, Wang Qimeng was devastated, lying on the desk in despair.

His favorite two cosplayers and anime characters were in jeopardy!

An Cheng’s face was partially shadowed, making him look less approachable.

Bai Qing felt awkward, realizing he might have put An Cheng in a difficult position. He wasn’t expecting him to agree.

An Cheng was conflicted.

He had never been involved in this world, and he wasn’t sure if taking on a cosplaying role would align with his usual demeanor.

He consulted his inner self.

The little cat replied, “It depends on the character being cosplayed. If the character is aloof, it might not be an issue.”

An Cheng briefly inquired about the character’s traits.

Wang Qimeng jumped up, “He’s a avenger, a lone figure misunderstood by the world, burdened with immense pain and hatred, yet choosing to protect the world in the end. Only his childhood friend truly understands him.”

The relationship between the characters was deeply moving. Although many saw it as a romantic relationship, Wang Qimeng believed that whether it was a brotherhood or romance, it was depicted in a way that showcased their personality traits at their peak.

An Cheng summarized Wang Qimeng’s description into two words, “Aloof?”

Wang Qimeng rarely criticized An Cheng, “That’s too superficial.”

The superficiality indicated that An Cheng’s summary was somewhat accurate.

An Cheng frowned for a while, appearing somewhat impatient but eventually relenting, “I’ll give it a try.”

One thousand yuan was a significant sum for Bai Qing, so An Cheng decided to help a bit.

The convention was on Sunday, but the three of them went to Happy Valley on Saturday. The staff worked overtime to get everything prepared, and it took several hours just for makeup and wigs. Thanks to An Cheng and Bai Qing’s good looks, the process was slightly faster.

The organizer came to see them and, upon seeing their makeup, sighed in relief, “We’re lucky to have found you. I can’t imagine how harsh the criticism would have been otherwise. Though there will still be some backlash for last-minute changes, I have confidence in your looks.”

After completing the makeup and costumes, Wang Qimeng looked at An Cheng and Bai Qing with glowing eyes.

“My mistake. How could I doubt my two brothers’ abilities? You are the chosen cosplayers.”

An Cheng couldn’t help but touch his face, feeling the heavy makeup and struggling to breathe.

At dawn, An Cheng and Bai Qing were guided to their positions.

Bai Qing stood somewhat nervously, occasionally glancing at An Cheng, who seemed to exude a powerful yet somber aura in his costume.

Apart from the striking appearance that made him hesitant to look directly, Bai Qing also felt uneasy. He had looked up the characters the previous night and discovered that the most heated discussions online were about their romantic relationship, not their brotherhood.

The organizer had intentionally placed them together, holding a high-quality red ribbon that also suggested a romantic pairing.

An Cheng observed Bai Qing’s golden hair and lively, attractive eyes.

More like a handsome golden retriever.

“Are you nervous?” An Cheng asked.

Bai Qing nodded, “A bit.”

But there were many reasons for his nervousness.

An Cheng handed him a bottle of water, and as he reached out, the red ribbon wobbled dangerously close to Bai Qing’s eyes.

“By the way,” An Cheng noticed the red ribbon and fiddled with it momentarily, “Why is this here?”

Bai Qing swallowed hard, lowering his head to close the bottle and avoiding An Cheng’s gaze.

“I’m not sure either.”

His unpowdered ears were flushed pink, though it wasn’t intentional!

As dawn broke, visitors began entering the venue. Soon, An Cheng and Bai Qing’s positions were surrounded by people eager for photos.

Someone noticed the red ribbon on their hands and suddenly exclaimed.

“I knew the CP I’m shipping is real! Boo-hoo…”

An Cheng: What CP?

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