Chapter 164: The Sandwich Sandwich

Li Luo had no idea what Ying Zhicheng had discussed with Yuan Wanqing in the makeup room, thinking he had already fooled his way through.

After returning to the makeup room, he relaxed slightly, sat beside Yan Zhusheng, and exhaled deeply.

"You seem a bit nervous," Yan Zhusheng glanced at Li Luo's expression. "You okay?"

"Cough, I'm fine." Li Luo wasn't nervous because of the interview—he'd already spoken with the host in the interview room just now.

He was simply startled by Ying Zhicheng's sudden appearance.

But Yan Zhusheng didn't know that; she thought Li Luo was nervous solely because of the interview, so she pulled out a Bluetooth earbud from her pocket and slipped one into his ear.

"Listen to some music," Yan Zhusheng said. "I listen to music when I'm nervous."

"Okay." Li Luo didn't refuse her kindness and shared the earbud with her to listen to songs.

Qianzhou, sitting on Li Luo's other side, watched the couple's antics with a stunned, speechless expression.

Are high school students this open nowadays?

It wasn't that he disapproved of early romance.

Qianzhou wasn't some conservative type—he'd been in high school himself, in a remote small county, where fights and abortions weren't uncommon.

But to actually be in a real relationship and openly show affection right in front of parents? Qianzhou had never seen anything like it.

Did Yuan Wanqing tacitly accept it—or had she just not noticed?

Qianzhou rubbed his arms, which had broken out in goosebumps, silently weeping inside.

Back in high school, he'd secretly liked a girl, confessed to her on graduation day, and was rejected.

His heart shattered, he traveled far to Changning City for university, spending his time reading online novels besides studying—girls in this big metropolis were too youthful and beautiful.

A boy from a small county like him dared not entertain any unrealistic fantasies about anyone.

He drifted through graduation, relied on his massive online novel reading volume, worked hard in interviews, and successfully joined Wenxue Group as a new editor.

But he was still in his one-year probation period.

If he failed to bring in any new authors and didn't meet performance targets after a year, he'd likely be let go.

So when Chongran emerged, he was genuinely excited.

To seize this possible breakout opportunity, he'd even taken a high-speed train all the way from Changning City to accompany him.

Normally, the process didn't require an editor to come in person.

This was just him being overly concerned.

Who knew that upon arriving, he'd run into such a perfect life?

This author known as Chongran was only sixteen, attending a provincial key high school in Yuhang City, dating a girl at campus-diva level, writing a blockbuster online novel earning tens of thousands monthly, and even composing songs for a female singer making a comeback.

What kind of novel protagonist template is this?

Qianzhou stared at Li Luo with a mournful expression, suddenly feeling coming to Yuhang City to meet him was a complete mistake.

It was too demoralizing.

"Editor, what's wrong?" Li Luo, listening to music, turned his head and saw Qianzhou's pitiful gaze—he froze. "Why do you look so sad?"

"Heh… heh… Just suddenly felt like life's turned pitch black," Qianzhou forced a weak smile.

"How could that be?" Li Luo patted his shoulder. "I think you've got what it takes to be a chief editor—maybe even general editor someday."

"Thanks a lot," Qianzhou chuckled helplessly. He hadn't even stabilized his job yet—how could he dare dream of a chief editor position?

But Li Luo knew this was the established fact of his past life.

With Li Luo's achievements bolstering him this time around, as long as Qianzhou didn't screw himself over, he'd surely climb back to the chief editor position.

"Mr. Chongran, really won't you get some makeup?" The makeup artist, having finished Yuan Wanqing's look, smiled at Li Luo and teased the boy. "I'm great at making boys look good."

"No, no," Li Luo waved off. "I won't be on camera anyway—no need to waste time."

He'd already made arrangements with Qianzhou and the host: though he'd join the interview, the final video would use emojis or other graphics to obscure his face.

That way, he wouldn't be exposed.

"Ms. Yuan, it's already two in the afternoon," a staff member pushed the door open and said to Yuan Wanqing. "Are you ready?"

Yuan Wanqing glanced at the mirror beside her; the makeup artist gave her an OK sign. She nodded. "Yes, ready. We can start anytime."

"Perfect. Please, Ms. Yuan and Mr. Chongran, proceed to the interview room for final preparation—we'll begin shortly."

…

Wenxue Group's interview was simple.

After all, they weren't here primarily to interview Yuan Wanqing—they were here for the publicity stunt of a popular singer and an online novel author.

Thus, after briefly introducing the two interviewees' basic information, the host focused entirely on the song "Nianlun" and the book "I Am Really Not a Star," posing a series of questions.

Roughly an hour later, the interview ended smoothly.

Sitting in the interview room, having spoken nonstop to a camera for the first time, Li Luo exhaled deeply, feeling sweat forming on his forehead.

Yuan Wanqing was used to this; after finishing the interview, she stretched, and her assistant immediately stepped forward, whispering: "Sister Yuan, you have another event at four this afternoon."

"I know," Yuan Wanqing nodded. After returning to the makeup room with Li Luo, she turned to Yan Zhusheng. "Mom has things this afternoon. Are you two planning to eat dinner at the company cafeteria, or go home?"

"I'm eating at Li Luo's house," Yan Zhusheng said immediately. "I made plans with Xixi and the others."

"Oh, then go ahead," Yuan Wanqing smiled. "Be careful on the way."

"Mm-hmm," Yan Zhusheng nodded happily, and together with Li Luo, they walked out of Huayue Film and Television.

Qianzhou followed beside them, feeling utterly out of place.

Once they stepped outside the company gate, he waved goodbye. "Since the interview is over, I'll head back to Changning City."

"Won't you stay a little longer?" Li Luo politely urged. "You can come over for dinner."

"No, no—I've booked a high-speed train back at 4:30 p. m.," Qianzhou declined. "Next time I'll come over to mooch a meal, or if you ever visit Changning City, come find me—I'll show you around our company."

"No problem," Li Luo smiled and gave a thumbs-up, then flagged down a taxi and got in with Yan Zhusheng.

After waving goodbye to Qianzhou outside, the taxi headed toward Bihai Lanting in Yinjiang District, arriving at the residential complex's entrance after more than half an hour.

"At lunch, you told Mom about the album's singles—exactly what do you plan to do with them?" Yan Zhusheng asked curiously.

"It's hard to say yet," Li Luo shook his head with a smile. "It was just a passing thought."

"Since the cross-over collaboration worked so well."

"What if, in my novel, I write an original song each time, and Aunt Yuan releases a new song in the real world to match?"

"What do you think the effect would be?"

Yan Zhusheng imagined it for a moment, then nodded. "That's interesting."

"Yeah, interesting," Li Luo said. "But if we do it too often, the audience might grow tired of it. That's why I said the effect is uncertain—we'll discuss it later."

The two chatted casually all the way until they reached the door of 1502.

Li Luo pulled out his key, opened the door, and saw Xu Youyu lying on the living room sofa, legs propped up, licking a small pudding cup while scrolling on her phone.

"Huh?" Xu Youyu heard the door and looked up, surprised. "You're back so early?"

"Mm," Yan Zhusheng nodded. "The interview—"

"We finished recording the song and came back," Li Luo subtly tugged Yan Zhusheng's arm, cutting her off, then pulled a pair of slippers from a drawer and tossed them at her. "Put these on."

Yan Zhusheng blinked, realizing she'd almost slipped up, then immediately clamped her mouth shut and obediently changed her shoes.

"Chanxi doesn't get out until four," Xu Youyu handed the empty pudding stick to Li Luo as he walked into the living room. "We haven't bought groceries yet."

"Then let's go buy some together later," Li Luo took the stick and tossed it into the nearby trash bin, glancing instinctively at the abyss beneath Xu Youyu.

The next second, Xu Youyu tilted her head, her half-smiling gaze locking directly with his.

Li Luo tugged at his mouth, forcing his eyes away immediately.

"You've got time now," Xu Youyu rolled over, got off the sofa, and padded barefoot into the piano room. She returned with the guitar Ying Chanxi had brought from home and handed it to Li Luo. "You wrote a new song—I want to hear it."

"Fine."

As payment for losing the eye game again, Li Luo took the guitar, sat on the sofa, and turned to Yan Zhusheng. "You sing or I sing?"

"You sing," Yan Zhusheng sat beside him. "I want to listen too."

"Hurry up and sing—Zhusheng's our guest. You'd actually make her perform?" Xu Youyu sat on Li Luo's other side, crossed her legs on the sofa, her knees pressing against his.

"Alright, both of you sit still and don't crowd me," Li Luo hugged the guitar, paused briefly, then lightly strummed the strings.

"When I idly tapped the black and white keys~"

"When I hid in my room, lost in joy, performing~"

Li Luo hummed the new song.

Xu Youyu and Yan Zhusheng sat on either side of him—one swaying gently in delight, the other eyes closed, listening quietly.

Meanwhile, Ying Chanxi sat in the competition class at Fuyi Middle School, intensely solving one math competition problem after another.

Unaware of what was happening at home.