AITAMITB Chapter 59

Sometimes, Zhao Xiaokui’s fans feel truly miserable.

Other people’s idols have selfies on Weibo, paparazzi following them, and encounters with fans. Meanwhile, their idol appears only once every three months and disappears after the appearance. She vanished as if evaporated from the human world.

So when pictures of Zhao Xiaokui appearing outside the Shen Entertainment building were posted online, the Xiaokui Flowers were ecstatic.

“The missing person has finally appeared!”

“Sensational!”

“Ah, daughter, please turn around and let Mom have a look at your face.”

The paparazzo wasn’t discreet. When Zhao Xiaokui slightly turned her head, she found the direction of the camera.

The girl with the phone, realizing that the subject noticed her, flashed an embarrassed smile and quickly said, “I’ll delete it right away.”

Zhao Xiaokui smiled, “No need, it’s okay. Just make sure you capture me looking good.”

The girl clenched her fist, as if undertaking a significant mission, and said confidently, “Sure, you can count on me!”

“The elevator’s here,” Shen Zhifei reminded.

Zhao Xiaokui nodded to the girl taking pictures and tapped her hat. They walked towards the elevator.

They arrived early, and there weren’t many people working at this time. There were only two people in the elevator.

Zhao Xiaokui stepped in, grabbed Shen Zhifei’s hand, and used her finger to hook Shen Zhifei’s palm.

Jealousy mode activated.

Shen Zhifei firmly held onto that mischievous hand, pulling her towards her office as soon as the elevator doors closed, determined not to let others notice Zhao Xiaokui again.

The girl who sneakily took pictures of Zhao Xiaokui stood foolishly waving at the elevator. When the elevator doors opened again, revealing an empty interior, she excitedly flipped through her phone.

In her photo album, dozens of sequentially captured pictures perfectly documented Zhao Xiaokui’s reaction from slight surprise upon discovering the phone to the moment she smiled. The unadorned girl, yet captivating, kept one’s gaze locked on her in each shot.

She covered her chest, feeling the palpitations of her tiny heart, beating vigorously.

“Too beautiful…,” she couldn’t contain her excitement and rapidly typed on Weibo, enthusiastically expressing, [What kind of celestial beauty is Zhao Xiaokui? I couldn’t capture a single unflattering shot even with continuous shooting. Each one looks like a fairy descended from heaven. Those eyes, that nose, that mouth… sob, I’m sorry everyone, I’ve fallen. I solemnly declare, today, I’m Xiaokui Flower! Even if it means death, I want to die in the splendor of her beauty.]

…

The phone made a crisp sound, emitting a clear notification.

Bai Jingru lowered her head, unlocking the screen.

She had specially commissioned a program to push all messages related to Zhao Xiaokui to her phone in real-time.

In the picture, the girl in the white dress had a shallow smile, and bright amber eyes seemingly sparkling with starlight.

All the darkness in the world seemed to fade away before her, leaving only the warmth of sunlight and blooming flowers.

Bai Jingru’s fingers gently caressed the screen, revealing a smile.

For some people, she could feel the beauty of the world just by looking at them.

The morning passed uneventfully.

While Shen Zhifei was busy with work, Zhao Xiaokui wasn’t idle either.

She scrolled through Weibo and, prompted by her fans, finally remembered her identity as an entertainer.

“We don’t ask much from our baby, just as long as she remembers to release songs.”

Remembering… what a joke.

During this period, Zhao Xiaokui was so caught up in her own world that she almost forgot she was a celebrity.

She asked Shen Zhifei for a blank notebook and sat on the guest sofa, burying herself in songwriting.

Ordinary creators might need the assistance of instruments to compose melodies, but for someone like Zhao Xiaokui, who could automatically visualize various instrument sounds upon seeing musical notes, it was completely unnecessary. Just give her a piece of paper, and she could jot down what was in her mind.

Sensitive to sound and music, Zhao Xiaokui could easily write songs without a set theme or goal. Whatever came to her mind became reality. Musical notes danced freely in her mind. Sometimes, she even felt like she wasn’t creating but merely documenting what was already there.

After jotting down the last musical note, Zhao Xiaokui went back to review her work.

Without lyrics, she softly hummed the melody.

Her voice was so soft that Shen Zhifei, who had been engrossed in work, didn’t even notice her humming at first.

It wasn’t until she unconsciously put down her work, closed her eyes, and saw a deep-sea scene that Shen Zhifei realized something was amiss.

She snapped out of the son and stood up. She walked to the office door, opened it, and looked outside.

Sure enough, everyone at Shen Entertainment wore dreamlike expressions.

The sudden footsteps of Shen Zhifei interrupted Zhao Xiaokui’s thoughts. Not knowing what she had done, she turned her head and asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”

Shen Zhifei wiped her face, stepped aside, and said, “Come and see for yourself.”

Putting down her crossed legs, Zhao Xiaokui walked over with paper and pen, looking at the scene with confusion.

Her expression froze instantly.

Turning her head, she stammered, “B-but I didn’t do anything…”

She tried to recall if she had used her extraordinary abilities, but the extraordinary energy inside her remained dormant, obediently refusing to act up. There were no signs of mischief.

People in the office gradually regained their composure, saying with enjoyment, “It sounds so good…”

Someone stretched lazily and exclaimed, “Whose song is this? I feel like I’ve taken a swim in the deep sea; it’s so relaxing.”

Another person said, “My fear of the deep sea seems to have been cured.”

However, no one could figure out who played the song.

Everyone looked at each other, suggesting, “Should we ask the next room?”

The neighboring office claimed not to have heard any song.

All eyes in Shen Entertainment turned to the boss’s office.

If it wasn’t possible from outside, then…

In the office.

“Can I still release this song?” Zhao Xiaokui looked at Shen Zhifei with a somewhat aggrieved expression, waiting for an answer.

Shen Zhifei pondered for a moment and said, “We need to figure out whether it’s a problem with the song or with you.”

Zhao Xiaokui nodded, “Okay, I’ll find someone to test it.”

She called Lin Bai.

Lin Bai, having some free time, quickly found instruments in the Night Watcher’s department. He converted the inputted musical score into music and even synthesized vocals.

With the help of professional analytical instruments, he reached a conclusion in just two hours, “After releasing the song you created, the detected wavelengths do match some hypnotic music. Oh, one more thing, I’m not sure if it’s my imagination, but my headache seemed to ease a bit while listening to the song.”

“No hallucinations?”

“None.” Lin Bai affirmed, “But after listening, there’s a relaxed feeling in both body and mind, similar to the effects of hypnotic music.”

“Did you experience any altered consciousness?”

“None.” Lin Bai continued to provide negative answers, “If your description is accurate, I suggest you come back to the base and try it. The combination of your voice and the song is likely causing an unknown effect.”

Zhao Xiaokui thought for a moment.

Well, there wasn’t any other option.

Taking advantage of delivering documents, the secretary discreetly scanned Shen Zhifei’s office to see if there were any speakers that her memory might have overlooked.

But all she found was a bio-speaker named Zhao Xiaokui.

“Did you find out? Did you find out?” Someone immediately asked as she came out.

“There aren’t any speakers in the boss’s office, and it couldn’t have been a song from a phone. The boss wouldn’t do such a thing,” said the secretary, dismissing the idea of Shen Zhifei playing music from his phone.

The image of Shen Zhifei using a phone to play music through external speakers briefly crossed the secretary’s mind. She shook her head, erasing the eye-catching scene.

Lowering her voice, the secretary said mysteriously, “But I saw that Miss Zhao seems to be composing a song. I suspect that the sound we heard just now was Miss Zhao humming.”

Someone doubted, “Can such a sound really be produced by a human voice?”

Rolling her eyes, the secretary retorted, “If you can’t do it, doesn’t mean the others can’t.”

Others expressed their anticipation for the new song, especially the Xiaokui flowers hidden within Shen Entertainment.

“When our Xiaokui disappeared, she was indeed in seclusion creating. We didn’t misunderstand her. Our lovely Xiaokui is indeed different from those flashy and cheap goods operating every day…”

Having forgotten that she was still an artist, Zhao Xiaokui muttered, “I didn’t… Don’t talk nonsense!”

At noon, the morning work came to an end.

Shen Zhifei took Zhao Xiaokui out for lunch. As they exited the building, Zhao Xiaokui glanced outside and suddenly saw the coffee shop where they had their first meeting.

She pulled Shen Zhifei in that direction and exclaimed, “Do you remember? Our first meeting was there. I opened my eyes, and you said you wanted to give me five million.”

Shen Zhifei also recalled the girl who had removed all her makeup after a trip to the restroom.

That brief encounter still lingered in her heart.

Sometimes, the connection between people is truly inexplicable. A few months ago, she would never have imagined that she would become a couple with the girl by her side.

But some things seemed destined from the moment she saw Zhao Xiaokui walking out of the bathroom with water droplets on her face.

It was destined that she would be with the person in front of her.

Seeing the familiar coffee shop and thinking about their connection, Zhao Xiaokui’s lips couldn’t help but curl up.

She said, “Have I ever told you that when I returned the five million, I was quite upset inside? I didn’t dare to look at the check for fear that I would hesitate and reveal my true feelings in front of you.”

Shen Zhifei smirked.

At that time, she had actually noticed Zhao Xiaokui’s inner struggle. The mermaid thought she had concealed it well, but the pained expression, like a lost candy, was easy to discern.

Back then, Shen Zhifei hadn’t even considered things like soul swapping; she just found the present Zhao Xiaokui… quite cute.

The woman in front of her was almost like a different person from the one mentioned in the records.

She suggested, “After lunch, let’s go to the coffee shop.”

Zhao Xiaokui enthusiastically agreed, “Sure, sure.”

The two found a hotel for a simple lunch outside, and then Zhao Xiaokui urged Shen Zhifei to go to the coffee shop.

Surprisingly, the table they first met at was just vacant. Zhao Xiaokui swiftly claimed the spot, beckoning Shen Zhifei to come quickly.

“May I help you both?” the waiter asked after they were seated.

Shen Zhifei took the menu, “A black coffee, a cappuccino with extra sugar and cinnamon, and a few desserts.”

After placing her order, she asked Zhao Xiaokui, “Is there anything else you want?”

Zhao Xiaokui, who usually struggled with choices, shook her head. She didn’t want to go through the hassle of selecting from a menu, so she found it more relaxing to leave it to Shen Zhifei.

“No, thanks. I just had lunch, and this is enough!”

The waiter, who was recording the order on a tablet with her head lowered, perked up upon hearing this voice. She quickly raised her head, showing a pleasantly surprised expression, and then promptly lowered it again.

Ignoring this detail, Zhao Xiaokui adjusted her dress, took off her hat, and with sparkling eyes, said, “Quick, tell me you want to give me five million to leave your fiancé.”

It was only then that Shen Zhifei understood why Zhao Xiaokui was in such a hurry to drag her to the coffee shop.

Amused, she played along with Zhao Xiaokui’s sudden burst of playful antics. In an instant, she put on a serious expression. She used the small coaster on the table as a check, pressing it with two fingers and arrogantly sliding it towards Zhao Xiaokui, “Miss Zhao, here’s five million. I hope you have the self-awareness to leave my fiancé.”

Zhao Xiaokui “scoffed,” saying, “Five million and you think you can get rid of me? Do you take me for a beggar?”

Shen Zhifei, without changing her expression, asked, “So, Miss Zhao, how much do you think you’re worth?”

Leaning forward, Zhao Xiaokui extended her fingers, hooked Shen Zhifei’s chin, and flirtatiously said, “Darling, what do you think?”

Shen Zhifei pushed away Zhao Xiaokui’s hand, portraying the image of an offended fiancée facing a rival. Frowning, she spoke with seriousness, “Miss Zhao, I hope you can be more serious.”

Zhao Xiaokui snorted, “Darling, why don’t you understand what I truly want? Do you think I fancy your fiancé? The person I like has always been you. As for that man, he’s just for fun, don’t take it too seriously. I have nothing serious with him; being with him is just to get closer to you.”

Under the tablecloth, Zhao Xiaokui lightly hooked Shen Zhifei’s calf with the tip of her foot. “Your fiancé is just a scoundrel, nothing worth lingering over. Sweetheart, consider me instead.”

Beneath the table, Shen Zhifei’s hand gripping the tablecloth tightened continuously.

Helplessly, she said, “Behave yourself.”

Zhao Xiaokui retracted her foot, instantly dropping the act. “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. Every time I see the poor female lead in a TV drama being showered with money by the male lead’s fiancée, I can’t help but want to press their heads together. Wow, that feeling of making the male lead jealous is really satisfying.”

Shen Zhifei: “…”

What to do when having a girlfriend who is a drama queen?

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