"Wow! This is delicious!"
Feixiao picked up a cup of summer beverage and took a big sip.
"Thank you for the compliment, customer. This is a trial sample—would you like to buy a cup?"
Feixiao glanced at the promotional poster's description.
It clearly stated that it contained no alcohol, so why not get one?
Before long,
she happily walked out of the shop. "The shopkeeper is so nice, offering a buy-one-get-one-free deal. But why is the color of the second cup different?"
Coincidentally, Jing Yuan walked out of the neighboring shop carrying a "family bucket."
He had a chicken leg in his mouth. "Crazy Thursday? This promotion is pretty good. Want one? It's really tasty!"
"Sure!" Feixiao grabbed a chicken leg and stuffed it into her mouth. "Mmm!!! Not bad, not bad!
What should we do now?"
"I just got off the phone with my disciple. He said he's already picked up my master.
They'll be arriving on the Luofu soon. Speaking of which, you've never actually met my master, have you?"
Feixiao replied between chews, "You've mentioned her a few times, right? Your master's name is Jingliu?
You told me she's really strong—I'd love to see that for myself."
"That's a good idea. Let's go! By the way, why did you buy two drinks?"
"One was free with purchase. Perfect for us to share!"
"Nah, I prefer hot tea. Su Chen is also on the Luofu—we can go chat with him first."
Meanwhile,
inside the Snow King shop,
the shop owner glanced at the counter. "Where's the cocktail I just put here?"
"Cocktail?"
"Yeah, the cocktail. It looks really similar to the summer beverage, but it's got real alcohol in it—it'll get you drunk!"
The counter staff shrugged. "No idea. Want to mix another one?"
"Fine, I guess. Probably got mixed up in the crowd. The alcohol content isn't that high anyway—it's not like someone would take a sip, get drunk, and start causing a scene, right?"
——
Outside miHoYo Film & Interactive, on a famously treacherous mountain,
Yingxing finally got out of the car in front of a tofu shop.
He looked up. "Baiheng's Family Tofu Shop—this is the place! It's been so long. I wonder if she's changed at all?"
Yingxing knocked on the door and waited calmly, showing no signs of impatience.
After a long while, a blue-haired woman opened the door, rubbing her sleepy eyes and yawning.
"Ah~~~ Sorry, we're out of tofu for today. Come back early tomorrow!"
But then her peripheral vision caught the visitor's appearance, and she instantly snapped awake.
She repeatedly wiped her glasses, scrutinized Yingxing a few times, and then jumped for joy.
"It's really you, Yingxing!!! Wow!!! Didn't you go off to film a web series? Oh yeah, and Dan Feng's also filming one—what was it called again?"
She furrowed her brows slightly. "Let me think… I just watched it yesterday. What was it…
Star Rail! Yeah! That's it—Star Rail!"
Yingxing smiled helplessly. "Baiheng, after all this time, you really haven't changed a bit!
The web series is called Honkai: Star Rail. Actually, the reason I came to find you
is because my boss wants you to join our company!"
"Me?! Join a company? No way—I'm just a tofu seller. What could I possibly…"
"Jing Yuan, Dan Heng, me—and technically, Jingliu should be arriving soon too."
"Jing Yuan? Didn't he become a security officer? And Jingliu?" Baiheng's expression morphed into the abstract "Scream" painting, her hands clutching her head.
"Are you sure she won't just smash your company to pieces?"
Even as she said this, the look in Baiheng's eyes when she heard "Jingliu" was unmistakable!
"Uh…" Yingxing's heart sank a little at Baiheng's words, and some unpleasant memories resurfaced. "Probably… probably not a problem. Jing Yuan said she's been cultivating her temper,
and now she can perfectly control her impulses. So…
it shouldn't be too bad… right?"
Yingxing's voice grew quieter, his confidence dwindling.
"You're way too naive. The more you suppress something, the scarier it gets when it finally explodes.
Right now, she's like a balloon filled to the brim—just a tiny bit of pressure, and boom!"
Yingxing's breathing grew heavier, as if he'd just heard a horror story.
"It's fine. Su Chen's here—he'll definitely have a way to handle it!"
"Su Chen?" Baiheng was puzzled by the name but didn't dwell on it.
"Actually, I've been pretty free lately. I've been wanting to quit the tofu business for a while, and now you're here.
Joining your company—what was it called again, miHoYo? Since it's your invitation, I guess it's fine." Baiheng's tone suddenly shifted.
"But you have to do me a favor first!"
"It's miHoYo, not Hoyoverse! I knew there'd be a 'but.' Go on—what do you need?"
"Today, I'm participating in a mountain road racing competition."
Yingxing maintained a calm expression, but the sweat on his forehead betrayed him.
"Didn't your driver's license get revoked?"
"Funny you should mention that—it just expired today! Once I get it back, I can hit the road again, and then I can…" Baiheng clenched her right fist.
"Three years… three whole years. I want to prove myself, not to show off.
I just want everyone to know—what I lost, I'll take back!
I am the true Drift Mountain Racing Queen!"
Baiheng slapped Yingxing on the shoulder. "And just when I was wondering who to pick as my co-driver and navigator, you showed up! Hahaha!"
Yingxing gulped involuntarily.
"I, uh… actually…"
"I knew you'd agree! All those years I spoiled you in college weren't wasted! You're the best! Let me go freshen up—the house is a bit messy, so make yourself at home."
Seeing the determination in Baiheng's eyes, Yingxing didn't argue further.
After some deliberation, he finally sent a text to Su Chen:
"Boss, did you buy life insurance for me?
If yes, please list Huaiyan as the beneficiary.
If no, please get me a policy immediately!"
——
On the other end of the phone, Su Chen stared at Yingxing's message in confusion.
"What the hell? He's just picking someone up.
Why does it sound like a life-or-death situation?"
Su Chen handed the phone to Jing Yuan beside him.
"What's Yingxing talking about? Did he get hacked? He's never this talkative.
This one text has more words than he usually says in a year.
Normally, it's just 'Mhm,' 'Okay,' or 'Sure.'
Did Silver Wolf take his phone again?"
Jing Yuan leisurely popped a french fry into his mouth.
"Actually, I'm not surprised at all. This is a perfectly normal reaction for anyone."
"Huh?" For the first time, Su Chen wore an expression of genuine bewilderment—which Jing Yuan happened to catch.
He smirked. "Baiheng… seems like you don't know much about her. Want me to fill you in?"
"Sure, why not?"
"Then let me explain in detail.
Baiheng's family runs a tofu shop.
Because her dad loves to drink,
ever since high school,
she's been quietly driving to 'Drift Mountain' to deliver tofu for her family!"
Su Chen chuckled dryly.
"You'd better be talking about Baiheng, not Fujiwara Takumi!"