"Nine, what event are we attending?" Niu Jiangxue couldn't hold back her curiosity any longer.
"I'm not entirely sure either. We'll find out when we get there. President Huang sent me an invitation email directly, saying it's a serious meeting," Chu Zhi replied.
But Huang Bo had been vague, only hinting that it would be "very beneficial" and that the company had worked hard to secure the spot.
Niu Jiangxue frowned. "What kind of event is so secretive?" She considered calling the boss for details—flying to Beijing without knowing anything was a waste of time that could've been spent on two other schedules.
"It's in Beishatan, Chaoyang District," Chu Zhi added, sharing his guess. "Probably something organized by the Federation of Literary and Art Circles."
"Something from the Federation?" Niu Jiangxue quieted. If it was a meeting arranged by them, the secrecy made sense—even President Huang Bo might not know the specifics.
The Federation was an umbrella organization overseeing associations for writers, calligraphers, musicians, filmmakers, and other cultural/entertainment groups. Strictly speaking, aside from the Writers' Association, it had authority over all entertainment-related bodies.
"Let's not dwell on it. Don't I still have a voiceover to record?" Chu Zhi changed the subject.
"Nine, maybe you should rest first. The flight will be tiring," Niu Jiangxue suggested.
"What's tiring for me? You're the ones working hard. I'll be in first class—I can rest on the plane," Chu Zhi said.
Celebrities often handled work in transit anyway. Chu Zhi's Shanghai van was even custom-modified for efficiency.
Plus, with photographer Chen Shu ("Uncle Chen") around, recording a few lines was easy. The task was for a new character in the game Flower, Mountain, Heart, Sun—a role that barely qualified as "voice acting."
The game seemed to have blown its entire budget on artwork, leaving no resources for proper voice direction. No lip-syncing, no emotional context—just a few lines treated like narration.
Chu Zhi's role? Xuan Shi, a newly added UR-tier "Royal Free-Spirited Prince"—a scheming conspirator who played the fool.
"The allure of conspiracy theories is so intoxicating, one forgets the brilliance of open stratagems."
"Who says conspirators must lurk in shadows?"
"Time's up—let's see if my hook has caught a dragon."
"Halt! Spare their lives—I confess! I surrender!"
Four lines. Frankly, if Chao Xi Games hadn't offered an irresistible fee, Chu Zhi would've refused—the dialogue was peak cringe.
His voice-acting skills were mediocre, but his vocal tone and singing training carried him through. He delivered the lines with a light head voice, feigning aristocratic languor—somewhat imitating Honor of Kings' Yuan Ge.
By the time they reached the airport, the recording was done and sent off. Even on the plane, Chu Zhi—bursting with energy—didn't rest. Instead, he filmed a short video for [Orange Home].
Ding! Another achievement unlocked: Barefaced in Public ×20—rewarding 5 Personality Coins.
But then—
[Ding! System patch applied. Achievement "Barefaced in Public" now limited to once per month per context.]
Chu Zhi didn't react outwardly, having anticipated this fix. He'd discovered a loophole: posting makeup-free backstage clips to his fan app counted as "public exposure," since over 100,000 users viewed them.
"Who knew fleecing the system could be so satisfying?" Like a Devil Fruit awakening, he'd exploited it ruthlessly—recording multiple clips in Zhangjiajie to bag 9 coins before the patch.
He'd expected the system to act sooner. Waiting until he'd milked two achievements? That called for… negotiation.
"System, why? I followed the rules. Earning coins is hard enough—what did I do wrong?" Chu Zhi launched his protest.
[Due to achievement definition errors, the system apologizes for the inconvenience. Compensation: 1 Song Voucher.]
"We should all have consciences, system. Coins don't grow on trees. And vouchers still cost coins—how is this fair?"
His complaints continued. One voucher? Please. He wanted three.
[Critical system error detected. Compensation upgraded to 3 Song Vouchers.]
"I always thought you were precise and flawless, system. But now… sigh!"
[Major malfunction confirmed. Final compensation: 3 Song Vouchers + 1 Album Voucher.]
Chu Zhi stopped pushing. Squeezing further wouldn't help.
The Album Voucher was new—for 5 coins, it unlocked any full album.
"This is insane value. Song vouchers cost 3 coins per track. Here, 5 coins get me 10+ songs!"
His mind raced through legendary Chinese albums: All God's Children Dance, Common Jasmine Orange, November's Chopin, I Went to the Year 2000, Black Sesame… He barely kept from drooling.
"Stay calm. I already have Still Fantasy—it's on par with Common Jasmine Orange."
Even just "Chrysanthemum Terrace" and "Faraway" could anchor a full Chinese-style album.
Planning next year's release, Chu Zhi was spoiled for choice. Too many options.
Meanwhile, Niu Jiangxue stewed in unease. Unknown agendas unsettled her.
Clueless, the team arrived at 1 Beishatan Courtyard—the Federation's headquarters, despite its unassuming storefront neighbors (tea shops, liquor stores).
Their guide was Secretary Xiao Xi, a brisk 25-year-old woman.
"I was thrilled to hear I'd host Nine today," Xiao Xi admitted. "Never expected you'd attend."
"Are we the last to arrive?" Chu Zhi asked casually.
"No, only Teacher Gu Peng and Teacher Qi Dake are here so far," Xiao Xi said.
Gu Peng (folk singer-songwriter) and Qi Dake (underrated vocalist behind many drama OSTs) weren't household names, but their industry clout was real.
All singers? Chu Zhi relaxed. Music-related matters were safe ground—even if he wasn't a Music Association member, let alone Federation-tier.
Xiao Xi led him to a meeting room (more like a lounge), where Niu Jiangxue's team was diverted elsewhere. Two three-seat sofas, two armchairs, and a coffee table with nuts and melon seeds awaited.
"What would you like to drink, Teacher Chu?" Xiao Xi asked, her tone more formal now.
"Do you have lemon water? If not, hot water is fine."
"Hot water it is." With that, Xiao Xi left.