Chapter 563: Surprise

The birthday celebration for Li Luo, held on Sunday, ended when the tiny cake figurine was divided into three pieces and eaten by the girls.

But when Wednesday the 21st arrived, Li Luo woke up feeling utterly suppressed.

Opening his eyes, he saw Yan Zhusheng lying atop him; seeing him awake, she said, "Happy birthday."

"Didn't we already finish celebrating your birthday?"

"But today is your actual birthday—Sunday was just an early celebration," Yan Zhusheng corrected him seriously.

"I got your sentiment," Li Luo said, patting Yan Zhusheng's small butt, "Get up and wash up."

"Okay."

Watching Yan Zhusheng obediently get out of bed, Li Luo shook awake Ying Chanxi.

Ying Chanxi mumbled and nuzzled against Li Luo's chest for a while before finally climbing out of bed.

After washing up, Ying Chanxi was fully awake and glanced around Li Luo's desk, then asked, "Where did you put the photo frame I gave you?"

"In the drawer."

"Take it out."

"Are you sure? Who turned red like that last time? I thought you didn't want anyone to see it."

"I didn't!" Ying Chanxi puffed out her lips.

She had indeed been a little embarrassed to be seen with it.

After all, the photo captured their first kiss.

It was fine if Jiang Liuxian and Zhusheng saw it, but if Lin Yi or the other elders ever saw it, it would be too embarrassing.

Yet over these past few days, Ying Chanxi kept noticing the small harmonica hanging from Li Luo's keys, and occasionally saw him pulling out Jiang Liuxian's token to play with.

So, secretly feeling a little jealous, she now wished he'd take out the photo frame.

"Then put it here," Li Luo said, opening the drawer, taking out the frame, and placing it beside his computer screen. He smiled, "That way, when I'm typing, I just have to turn my head to see it—how's that?"

Ying Chanxi stood near the door, realizing this angle meant anyone walking in would see the photo immediately, and felt a fresh wave of embarrassment.

But she'd already said it aloud; she couldn't take it back, so she pouted and nodded, "T-That's fine!"

Xu Youyu was still fast asleep in bed.

She had no morning class today, so she could sleep in longer.

So the three of them changed into their uniforms and left for school.

First they ran on the track field, then went to the cafeteria for breakfast.

"By the way, Jiang Liuxian told me recently that the vice-principal wants to push for a morning exercise program," Ying Chanxi said while eating.

"What do you mean?" Li Luo raised an eyebrow. "Aren't we already doing morning calisthenics during the big break? Why add morning runs?"

"Isn't it because of us?" Ying Chanxi sighed. "Aren't more and more students showing up to run in the morning now?"

"That's true…"

Li Luo hadn't paid much attention before, but with Ying Chanxi's reminder, he recalled in his Memory Palace—and noticed something odd.

A year ago, the three of them ran every morning, with almost no other students joining.

At most, there was Lin Suifeng.

But over time, perhaps because the three of them had become so famous and influential on campus,

the number of students coming to run in the morning had grown steadily.

Counting them up, there were at least fifty or sixty now.

Some boys might just be there to sneak glances at the girls, but still, getting up early to run was a decent improvement.

Still, the vice-principal's idea of pushing morning exercise was a bit far-fetched.

"I'd advise against it," Li Luo said, wrinkling his nose. "Big break calisthenics are enough—why bother with early morning exertion?"

"Honestly, it'd be better to introduce some reward-based rules."

"Like giving students who show up for morning runs a free egg at the cafeteria, or awarding certificates for completing a week, or adding class virtue points."

At that moment, Yan Zhusheng had just peeled a boiled egg, eaten the white herself, and placed the yolk on Li Luo's plate.

Li Luo chuckled, habitually shoving the yolk into his mouth and washing it down with soy milk.

"You can't keep avoiding egg yolks—the real nutrition's all in there."

"Then eat more nutrition," Yan Zhusheng said seriously.

Li Luo: "..."

After breakfast, the three returned to Gao San Class Eight.

After morning self-study, the first class was Chinese.

They had now mostly finished studying the high school Chinese textbook and were in the review phase.

Li Luo only occasionally listened to the reading comprehension questions.

The rest of the time, he mostly did his own things.

He had been continuously developing his Memory Palace ability.

From its initial simple memory function, to later soul-replication abilities, now he had divided the Memory Palace into distinct functional zones.

Since the Memory Palace constantly recorded every scene he saw, Li Luo sorted trivial matters to one side and marked important ones into a special zone.

After all, the Memory Palace wasn't omnipotent.

Recalling something required first having the intention to recall it.

So he specifically carved out zones: Trivial Zone, Study Zone, Priority Zone, etc.

Anything critical he couldn't forget went into the Priority Zone.

When he had free time, he'd mentally replay old hit songs, novels, or TV dramas from his past life and file them into the Works Zone.

For instance, any sensual scenes he encountered during the day, he quietly filed into the Collection Zone.

Of course, class was in session now, so Li Luo certainly wouldn't waste valuable time in the collection section.

While Kong Jun was explaining some simple problems, Li Luo's thoughts drifted into the creation section.

This contained the materials he had reviewed recently—some he found himself, others recommended by Xu Youyu and Xu Rongsheng.

Through this period of accumulation, he had gained a deeper understanding of ancient systems and their evolution.

This made it easier for him to rewrite speculative historical fiction.

At the same time, he researched many historical miscarriages of justice and bizarre cases, made targeted revisions, and organized them all systematically for future use.

Based on his analysis and study of certain works, Li Luo now had some concrete ideas.

If he wanted to, he could start a new novel anytime.

But now wasn't the best time.

Thinking of this, after lunch, during his midday break, Li Luo secretly pulled out his phone and checked his messages—he saw a message from the editor.

【Qianzhou】: I asked about it—the feature you mentioned was actually proposed before.

【Qianzhou】: But you know how it is—developing such a feature never happens immediately after it's suggested; it takes at least three to four months, and if it's slow, maybe half a year.

【Chongran】: I'll launch my new novel the moment this feature is released.

【Qianzhou】: Is it that important?

【Chongran】: Yes, very important. 【Qianzhou】: Then I'll mention it to the chief editor and managing editor? If they push, it'll be far more effective than just waiting.

【Chongran】: Then I'd be in your debt.

【Qianzhou】: It's no trouble at all.

After chatting with the editor, Li Luo leaned back against the pillow and fell into thought again.

The feature he wanted was simple enough—it was just the "Chapter Comments" system.

This wasn't originally invented by Qidian; it first appeared on the neighboring anime online novel platform.

The neighboring platform introduced it based on the danmaku feature from video websites.

But this real-time interaction within the novel text is one of the biggest moats of authentic online novels.

It was only after Chapter Comments emerged that Qidian officially entered the era of one-hundred-thousand-average-subscriptions.

The first novel in later generations to break one hundred thousand average subscriptions, "Great King, Spare Me," rose to fame overnight during the Chapter Comments era.

!

Its negative emotion system naturally aligned with the nature of Chapter Comments, greatly stimulating readers' enthusiasm for ranting and joking, enhancing readability and interactivity.

As a result, readers might spend more time reading Chapter Comments than reading the actual chapter.

Li Luo was waiting for exactly this.

……

"Want to shoot an MV tonight?"

When the last class of the afternoon ended, Ying Chanxi asked Li Luo.

"Aren't we rehearsing today?" Li Luo turned his head and pointed at several classmates involved in the performance, "Aren't the New Year's Eve performances coming up?"

"We've practiced enough already," Ying Chanxi smiled. "A few more sessions before New Year's Eve will be fine."

"So how do you want to shoot the MV?"

"There are still a few shots left from when we filmed 'The Most Beautiful Expectation,'" Ying Chanxi said. "After dinner, come with me and shoot them."

"Then I'll go play badminton with Huanhuan," Yan Zhusheng said beside them.

After dinner, Ying Chanxi brought her filming equipment and dragged Li Luo to a small grove beside the under-construction gymnasium.

Few people came here—everyone was at club activities now.

After setting up the camera, Ying Chanxi pulled Li Luo over to go over the scene.

Among the nine songs in the new album Li Luo wrote for Yuan Wanqing, Ying Chanxi liked "The Most Beautiful Expectation" the most.

But MV shooting wasn't exactly original.

After all, it was always just the two of them as leads, and the settings kept repeating.

In the end, it was either kissing, or heading toward kissing.

As the male lead, Li Luo had been thoroughly taken advantage of by Director Ying.

After finishing the grove scene, Li Luo said: "According to the lyrics, when waking from dreams, each awakening—I think we need a shot of me in bed."

"That makes sense," Ying Chanxi nodded thoughtfully. "Shall we shoot another set at home tonight?"

"Sure."

"Won't it interrupt your writing?"

"I have drafts saved."

So after evening self-study ended, Ying Chanxi cheerfully slung her backpack over her shoulder and went home with Li Luo and Yan Zhusheng.

Yan Zhusheng went to the piano room to practice.

Xu Youyu had evening class, so he wouldn't be returning to the dorm tonight.

Ying Chanxi pulled Li Luo into the master bedroom, then thought his room was too spacious, so she dragged him into her own room.

"How's this?" Ying Chanxi lay on her bed, pulled the quilt over herself, then paused and got up to fetch her pajamas. "Would changing into pajamas be better?"

"Mm." Li Luo nodded. "Why not take a shower first?"

"Then I'll go first."

Eager to shoot, Ying Chanxi hurried into the bathroom to shower.

Li Luo slowly returned to his own room, fetched his pajamas, showered, then opened his desk drawer and pulled something out of a gift box, slipping it into his pocket.

Waiting in Ying Chanxi's room, Li Luo leaned against the headboard scrolling through his phone when he heard footsteps outside.

Ying Chanxi walked in wearing the classic black-and-white panda pajamas, her face still fresh from the shower, faintly damp, her whole figure glowing with vitality.

After entering the room, she closed the door, set up the camera on the tripod with proper form, then eagerly climbed onto the bed.

"How should we shoot it?" Ying Chanxi lay beside Li Luo and turned her head to ask.

"Shouldn't you be the one to decide, Director Ying?"

"Hmm…" At this moment, Ying Chanxi grew shy, "Use your initiative."

"Has the camera started recording yet?"

"Not yet," Ying Chanxi shook her head. "We need to rehearse first."

"Shall I try first?"

"Mmm… uh! Mmm~"

After rehearsing for a while, Li Luo finally stopped, looking at the adorable girl beneath him, her face flushed red—he couldn't help pinching her soft cheek. "Director Ying, how was the rehearsal?"

"Who told you to rehearse like that?" Ying Chanxi turned her head away, muttering softly.

Li Luo loved seeing her this way—saying one thing but meaning another. He tilted her tiny chin and kissed her again.

Only when both were slightly breathless did Li Luo remember the real purpose.

"Director Ying, I have an idea."

Ying Chanxi silently pressed down his hand that had slipped into her pajamas. "... Go on."

"According to the lyrics, we hug and sleep together, then when you wake up, you first realize you're not holding me—you panic for a moment, then turn your head and see I'm still beside you, and sigh in relief."

"How's that effect?" Li Luo asked.

"It's… okay, I guess," Ying Chanxi nodded. "Let's film it first."

"Then I'll turn on the camera?"

"Mm."

Li Luo rolled off the bed, pressed the camera's record button, then climbed back onto the bed, and the two tightly embraced each other.

Originally, Ying Chanxi had followed Li Luo's instructions, closing her eyes to pretend to sleep, gradually loosening her hold on him.

But as she lay still, about to feign sleep for a moment before opening her eyes, she heard a soft rustling beside her ear.

The next moment, she felt Li Luo take her small hand, something cool wrapping around her ring finger, shifting slightly, then settling at the base of her finger.

Only then, when she realized what had happened, did she suddenly open her eyes—but she dared not pull her hand out from under the covers. Instead, she turned her head toward Li Luo beside her, her eyes shimmering faintly.

"Y-You didn't follow the script!"

"You said to use your initiative, Director Ying."

(End of Chapter)