DYUTVOBGA Chapter 93

Quentin and his two companions were the first three to finish their makeup and styling, and they quickly took a taxi to Lulin Ancient Town after leaving the hotel.

It was not yet time for lunch, but there were already many tourists in the ancient town. The atmosphere of the scenic area’s Halloween activities had spread, and young people wearing ghost and monster cosplay outfits could be seen everywhere on the streets.

“… It’s so hot.”

Yan Qiao shook his wrist, letting the sleeve cuff fall to his elbow. He took a deep breath while fanning his face and neck, his voice muffled from behind the mask. “Don’t tell me we’re going to wear these masks until 2 AM when the activity ends.”

A rare touch of frustration was mixed into the boy’s usually lazy tone. The other two weren’t faring much better.

Quentin was both sensitive to cold and heat, though he wasn’t prone to sweating much. Only during strenuous exercise, when expending a lot of energy, would he sweat profusely.

He held the tourist map they had picked up at the scenic area entrance. After checking the route, he said, “Let’s keep walking forward. There’s a souvenir shop ahead, it should have air conditioning, and maybe even handheld electric fans.”

Cheng Shaozhi walked beside them, speaking very little and silently observing the scenery of the ancient town like a genuine tourist.

Yan Qiao already had one hand on the edge of his mask, ready to lift half of it to let some air in.

But seeing the phone cameras around that were occasionally aimed at their group, he felt helpless. “Why are people always taking pictures of us? Should we find a place to take off the ears and tails first, then put them back on when the evening activities start?”

It was definitely these cumbersome big tails attracting the attention of passersby. Otherwise, what was so special about three boys in Hanfu among the many tourists coming and going in all sorts of exaggerated, bizarre monster costumes?

Quentin looked around at the tourists openly holding up their phones taking pictures everywhere. “Aren’t you used to being photographed?”

“It’s not that I’m not used to it.” Yan Qiao shrugged. “If I weren’t used to it, I wouldn’t want to debut in a boy band. I just want to take off the mask, swap it for sunglasses or something to wear for now. It’s fine if others take pictures, but what if they post them online and someone recognizes us?”

Yan Qiao’s concern was clearly justified. Pictures and videos of their three-fox group wandering around had already begun to spread silently on forums.

Of course, no one had recognized who they were yet. Netizens’ attention merely focused on their exquisite styling, their highly aesthetic classical posture, and the contrast of these three foxes walking together.

Topic: [Does anyone know which teachers are cosplaying the three foxes at Lulin Ancient Town?]
Content:[[Photo]*9]

1L (Original Poster): [The three teachers have particularly good posture and are very dedicated to their roles. Whether walking or chatting, they stay in character. But I don’t follow many anime, so I didn’t recognize who they’re cosplaying. Does anyone know?]

2L: [? It’s probably not a specific cosplay… This is Hanfu. Which Chinese anime character looks like this? And three foxes… I’ve never seen them before.]

3L: [Are they really foxes and not squirrels? (×)]

4L: [OP is good at taking pictures. The three of them walking together have such an aura. The styling is amazing. Just looking at the photos, I can imagine their character settings.]

5L: [White fox: aloof and ethereal; Black fox: wicked and sinister; Red fox: enchanting and captivating everything. Am I guessing right?]

6L (OP): [!!! I think so too! [Shakes hand]]

7L: [Doesn’t anyone think the monster masks are the finishing touch? They save on cosplay makeup while leaving ample room for imagination. These three must have great figures. It’s hard to pull off Hanfu with such a refined, slender, noble young master temperament.]

8L: [OP+1. The key is they aren’t posing for staged photos. This is already the third post I’ve seen about these three foxes. If you search ‘Lulin Ancient Town foxes,’ many tourists have taken their pictures. They’re photogenic from every angle!]

9L: [To achieve such an effect without showing their faces… I believe they have good figures now.]

10L: [Maybe showing their faces would actually make the effect worse.

My imagined white fox: a high-IQ-looking handsome guy, aloof and intelligent.
Black fox: a dashing, wicked, carefree playboy.
Red fox: an incarnated succubus who conquers the world with their face…

If even one of these three could match that, I’d thank the heavens. [Prays]]

11L: [Does 10L think they’re writing a novel? If they really looked like that, they should just switch careers and become celebrities.]

12L (OP): [Maybe it’s because the feeling they give off is too handsome. I really do think they could match the conditions 10L mentioned. Videos can’t even capture their actual charisma.

These three are very eye-catching walking on the street. Many tourists took out their phones to take pictures everywhere. You think they’re taking pictures of the scenery?

Nonono, actually, they’re all pretending. What’s so good about scenery? We’re tired of taking pictures of it. The fox handsome guys are the new scenic attraction. [Drools]]

13L: [Is it that exaggerated? [Doubtful]]

14L: [It really is. Many masked handsome guys came to Lulin Ancient Town today. I suspect they are official NPCs arranged for the Halloween Carnival. All Hanfu + masks, and most give off a very handsome vibe.]

15L: [Is it too late for me to fly to the ancient town now?… Damn it, I left Yanhai the day before yesterday. I should have just stayed to play for a few days after watching the performance that day!]

16L: [If they are official NPCs, then it makes sense. They aren’t cosplaying specific characters, as commercial use requires paying copyright fees.

These Hanfu outfits and hairstyles are definitely done by expensive, professional makeup artists. The black fox’s high ponytail and the red fox’s braid are both three-dimensional, full, and exquisite. The hair quality looks so real, not frizzy at all!

Including the white fox’s white long hair…it doesn’t look like they deliberately styled it, but it’s soft and smooth, and not messy or clinging to the clothes. It must be very expensive…]

17L (OP): [If they’re official NPCs, can they take photos with tourists freely? I want to go…]

18L: [OP, charge! Take more pictures and post them in the thread. Saving a spot!]

19L: [I’m also leaving my butt, OP, go for it!]

…………

“Hufff…huff…” Yan Qiao panted as he pushed the glass door of the souvenir shop open, shivering from the rush of cool air.

He looked back at Quentin, who had slipped in behind him, and couldn’t help but laugh. “What happened just now? Why did people suddenly ask to take photos with us? No one recognized who we are, right?”

He didn’t think he was that popular yet. The show hadn’t been airing for long. How could someone recognize him through a mask while visiting a scenic area? That’s not even how dreams work.

As for the people who asked for photos earlier, where there was one, there would be more. To avoid causing a crowd, they had to slip away quickly through a side alley, tails practically flying up. The group of tourists they were leaving behind still raised their phones excitedly to take pictures of their retreating backs. It was truly unnerving.

Quentin leaned against the wall near the glass door, slowly catching his breath.

A bead of sweat slid down his temple and hit the floor.

He took the tissue Cheng Shaozhi handed him, said thanks, then lifted the mask slightly, using his fingers to press the tissue and wipe his face.

Whether running or dancing, after exercise, some usually lightly colored areas would flush red…like the knuckles, lips, earlobes, and the nape of the neck.

The hint of red was exceptionally visible on his cold, fair skin, a thin layer giving an illusion of softness and fragility.

Only Yan Qiao and Cheng Shaozhi, who were standing very close to him, saw this scene. A strange feeling surfaced in their hearts; they felt like these details had a sense of incongruous conflict with Quentin as a person… But it was oddly captivating.

Cheng Shaozhi lowered his head to put away the remaining tissues, suddenly understanding a little why Yan Qiao was so considerate towards Quentin.

This “NS” top-ranked contestant seemed to possess a kind of magic, making people involuntarily want to care for him and look after him…not to be on his team or ride on his popularity, but simply to be good to him.

Quentin casually tossed the tissue into the trash bin before finally responding to Yan Qiao’s words. “Probably no one recognized us. It’s most likely because there are many people wearing Hanfu and masks, so tourists mistakenly think we are staff.”

As he spoke, he looked towards the people standing near the shelves in the store. “Look, those three should also be trainees, right?”

Yan Qiao narrowed his eyes. “Definitely. I’ve seen these three outfits in the makeup room. I just don’t know who’s wearing them.”

The three of them only glanced from a distance, none having the intention to initiate a greeting, however, the people by the shelves had also noticed them.

“Yo!”

The boy in navy-blue Hanfu, dressed like a wandering martial arts hero, was the first to raise his hand and call out towards them, “Friends over there, what’s your name? Where are you from?”

A roguish, unruly air came through in his voice, casual and nonchalant, sounding like he didn’t really care who had entered, just asking offhandedly.

But to Quentin and Yan Qiao, this voice couldn’t be more familiar.

The moment Yan Qiao heard it, he turned around wanting to leave, his hand already back on the door handle. He felt speechless to the point of wanting to curse.

What damn luck, to randomly find a shop for air conditioning and run into this guy. Once he finds out Quentin is here, it’ll be like getting sticky chewing gum stuck on you. They won’t be able to shake him off all day.

Quentin was just about to respond when the boy seemed to sense something and actively stepped over while muttering to himself, “What a coincidence! Is my luck this good? I just arrived and found him? Who was in a group with Quentin… Yan Qiao, and Cheng Shaozhi…Seems like it matches up…”

“Ahem.” Xue Mingzhu stopped in front of the three, testing the waters. “Are you guys also here to buy souvenirs?”

Quentin shook his head. “No, it’s hot outside.”

“Wow, it really is you.”

Xue Mingzhu recognized the voice as soon as he spoke, and his mood brightened. “Since you’re here, why not explore together? Wen Xinyi wants to buy gifts for his younger siblings. Qi Yang also wants to buy something for his sister. Don’t you guys have any relatives or friends you want to give something to?”

Quentin found it odd. “You guys brought money?”

“Phones were confiscated, but we had to bring some cash with us, right?” Xue Mingzhu laughed. “If we didn’t bring any, we’d ask the production team to lend us some. The director is quite easy to talk to.”

They chatted as they walked further inside. When they reached the shelves, they saw Wen Xinyi, dressed as a scholar and was in Xue Mingzhu’s group, holding a phone, seemingly talking to someone.

“Ahem, that… This is Wen Xinyi. He brought his own phone. But it can’t connect to the internet, it can only make calls.” Xue Mingzhu explained.

Quentin had guessed. He knew Wen Xinyi had a phone before, he just didn’t expect him to have brought it out.

He originally didn’t pay much attention, but upon hearing the familiar prompt in his mind, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

“Host, the progress bar for Main Character No. 2 has moved!”

Quentin’s gaze fell on Wen Xinyi’s back. The mask concealed his observing eyes. “How much did it move?”

The system hesitated. “I’m not sure. It could be 0.01%, or it could be 10%? It’s fluctuating too fast…”

Fluctuating? Doesn’t that mean he’s currently at a key point of some BE plotline? What’s the key point? Wen Xinyi making a call?

Quentin turned to look at Xue Mingzhu. “Who is he talking to?”

The question was rather abrupt, Xue Mingzhu didn’t expect him to ask. He thought for a moment and said, “Probably his younger sister… He mentioned wanting to buy a birthday gift for his sister.”

‘Wen Xinyi’s younger sister…’

Quentin knew of such a person: Wen Xinyi had mentioned how when chatting with them in the dormitory. She was his youngest sister, and the one he was closest to, reportedly still in middle school.

As he pounded this, Wen Xinyi’s phone call was almost over.

“Big Brother, are you really not coming for my birthday?” a girl’s detected voice came from the other end of the line. “I only invited a few of my closest friends…”

Wen Xinyi sighed softly. “It’s not that I definitely can’t come, I’m just not sure. When it’s your birthday, the ‘NS’ finals will have just ended and I’m not sure if there will be other work arrangements that day. If the work isn’t urgent, I’ll try my best to find time to come over, okay?”

The girl responded listlessly, then asked, “Then can I invite Brother Yuchuan to my birthday? I haven’t eaten with Brother Yuchuan for a long time. Is he recently recording that ‘Sing If You Want’? Can Brother Yuchuan get a ranking? He won’t be bullied, right?”

‘Shen Yuchuan… Only he bullies others, how could others bully him.’

Wen Xinyi felt like sighing again.

When he and Shen Yuchuan were on good terms before, he often brought his younger siblings to play with him. Sometimes when he was too busy, he would even entrust Shen Yuchuan to help look after the kids at home.

The other younger siblings were a bit older. Some guessed Wen Xinyi and Shen Yuchuan had a falling out; some simply forgot about Shen Yuchuan.

Only the youngest sister at home still remembered the good looking big brother who used to play with her and bring her snacks.

“Don’t worry, he’s quite capable. No one can bully him.” Wen Xinyi said. “He’s also very busy lately, busier than me. He probably won’t have finished recording his show by your birthday, so he probably can’t come.”

He was mentally prepared to hear his sister’s aggrieved complaints. However, unexpectedly, the girl on the other end of the line just sighed disappointedly, then abruptly changed the topic.

“Big Brother, are you and Quentin on good terms?”

Wen Xinyi: “…Why are you asking this?”

The girl coughed a few times, then said seriously. “I watched your show’s daily dorm life episodes. I saw it all!”

Wen Xinyi didn’t catch on, and asked in confusion, “Saw what?”

“That! That thing!” The girl lowered her voice mysteriously. “Big Brother, you and Quentin… are you together?”

Her tone suddenly became cheerful, the previous gloom vanishing instantly. She said happily, “Everyone says 3A is real, but I think your 303, no, it should be you and Quentin, there must be something between you two, right?”

“You don’t help us tuck in blankets anymore and such, but you still help Quentin. Fang Xu also gets involved, so is Fang Xu your love rival? But you and Fang Xu are also on good terms. Strange, when it comes to the 3A next door…Xue Mingzhu and Yan Qiao’s relationship is just average… Your 303 is so messy.”

Wen Xinyi: “…”

‘What was she talking about… I understand every word, but put together, why is it so hard to comprehend?’

Wen Xinyi’s head buzzed. For the first time, he regretted not asking his teacher for a phone that could access the internet.

What exactly is the production team editing chaotically? What love rivals? Are they promoting a CP? Him and Quentin? And counting Fang Xu in too?

If placed in fan circles, Wen Xinyi’s sister’s behavior would be typical shipping fans confronting the people they ship until they make them question their life.

However, a younger sister is just a younger sister; she wouldn’t follow those fan circle rules. In front of her own older brother, she can jump around however she wants. Even if she plays CP videos in front of Wen Xinyi, or reads CP fanfiction out loud…it doesn’t matter!

Her brother has a good temper anyway; he won’t get angry with her.

Of course, Wen Xinyi’s little sister is still young, she just started middle school. She ships with genuine feeling.

She sincerely believed that her big brother likes Quentin, and she believed the analyses from big CP accounts online…

Things like ‘Quentin is young and vigorous now, doesn’t understand love yet, and doesn’t know the power of slowly boiling a frog in warm water. Once he gets used to Wen Xinyi’s meticulous care, he’ll never be able to leave, being thoroughly trapped.’

The girl automatically ignored her brother’s silence on the other end of the phone, happily sharing the subtle clues she discovered while shipping her CP.

She clenched her fist, cheering for the CP she ships. “Big Brother! I think your current strategy is stable but too slow. You haven’t even created a gap with Fang Xu, let alone that shameless 3A guys over there!”

“Learn from Xue Mingzhu and Yan Qiao! They cling to Quentin day in and day out, practically begging shamelessly. You’re Quentin’s roommate! The pavilion closest to the water gets the moonlight first, do you understand? Do I have to teach you this? I’m only in middle school!”

Wen Xinyi: “…”

‘You know you’re only in middle school too.’

Wen Xinyi covered the phone and cautiously looked back to confirm Xue Mingzhu’s attention wasn’t on him.

At this moment, he still didn’t realize the black fox standing next to him was Yan Qiao, and the red fox was Quentin. Almost everyone his younger sister mentioned on the phone was now present.

“Stop for a moment.”

Wen Xinyi felt it was necessary to correct his sister’s thinking. What is a young mind doing pondering such things? Less time online, more reading. Studying hard and making progress every day is the right path.

He first reflected on his own words and actions when interacting with Quentin, and confirmed there was no problem between them.

So, the blame lies entirely with the production team! It must be the post-production editing adding oil and vinegar, maliciously stirring up drama and corrupting the audience!

Wen Xinyi said earnestly, “You’ve got it wrong. It’s fake. Nothing like that happened. It’s all the show’s chaotic editing. Quentin and I are just simple friends. Fang Xu and Quentin are also just friends. None of that messy stuff exists. Don’t overthink it. Don’t listen to online…”

“Ahhhhhh!” The girl covered the phone and screamed. “Big Brother, stop talking! You’re even lying to your own little sister! You’ve changed!”

Wen Xinyi: “I’m not lying to you. I’m serious…”

“I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it! How could it be fake!”

Wen Xinyi detected his sister’s choked-up voice, and felt both shaken and panicked inside. What did he say? His tone wasn’t harsh. Why is she crying?

“It’s all fake. Xue Mingzhu and Quentin, Yan Qiao and Quentin, that ‘3A’ you mentioned…it’s all fake.”

For a moment, he didn’t know how to comfort her, only finishing his sentence helplessly.

Who would have thought that right after he said this, his sister quieted down. A few seconds later, she sniffled and asked, “3A is fake too……”

Although he still had no idea what ‘3A’ was, Wen Xinyi nodded decisively, “Yes, it’s all fake.”

The girl’s tone became resentful. “Fine. You’re not competitive. You and Quentin… forget it. As long as 3A is fake, the others… whatever, it doesn’t matter.”

She rubbed her eyes and said quietly, “Big Brother, I’ll hang up now. Do your best, okay.”

Wen Xinyi sighed slightly in relief. “Okay. Text me if there’s anything. Bye.”

He put the phone into his inner jacket pocket, still feeling a bit dazed. “What was my reason for calling again… Oh, to buy her a birthday gift. I ended up not even asking what she wanted… Sigh.”

Wen Xinyi put away his phone and turned to see the two foxes who had been standing beside him the whole time. Mask facing mask; he couldn’t see their expressions clearly and didn’t know who they were.

He felt dizzy and muddle-headed from dealing with his younger sister, and temporarily lacked the energy to chat. He just nodded politely and introduced in a friendly manner, “These are all Halloween dolls here. If you want to buy gifts, these are quite suitable to give to people.”

The black fox had one hand propping his chin, appearing thoughtful.

The red fox had his arms crossed, his body slightly turned to the side, but his face was oriented towards Wen Xinyi.

Neither of them made a sound. The two similar monster masks staring at him made Wen Xinyi feel a bit uneasy, and he couldn’t help but suspect inwardly.

‘Was I speaking very loudly on the phone just now? Could they have heard…’