IBKAWB Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: The Phone Call**

Re-translated by: Namizaki

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Viewers: 12 million

The live stream’s chat was a dense, scrolling wall of comments, causing the entire stream to lag.

Zhong Yin stared in disbelief. He’d seen big-name influencers with millions of followers go live before, but he’d never witnessed such a massive audience—far exceeding the follower count—with this level of engagement.

He’s really popular, Zhong Yin thought. His follower count isn’t inflated at all.

Chi Zhongqiao knew he’d chosen the perfect time to go live—immediately after the drama aired. Many drama fans would naturally tune in. Even so, the sheer number of viewers was staggering.

Holding his phone, Zhong Yin’s palms were slick with a thin layer of sweat. Chi Zhongqiao was the first artist he’d managed, making this his first time handling a live stream with such a massive audience.

He glanced down at the chat, and the sheer density of comments made his head spin.

“My darling Qiaoqiao!”

“So beautiful! Is Qiao not wearing makeup?”

“Ahhh, this breathtaking beauty! I’m literally exploding on the spot!”

Chi Zhongqiao picked a few comments to answer. “En, I’m not wearing any makeup. But it’s not exactly a bare face either, since there’s a beauty filter on.”

“When are you taking on a new role?” Chi Zhongqiao tilted his head thoughtfully. “Actually, I’ve been looking at scripts too. I’ve got my eye on one, but I don’t know if they’ll want me yet.”

“Yes, <Empress of the World> has 65 episodes in total. It’s almost finished airing.”

Chi Zhongqiao said, “Are there any special events planned for the livestream? Yes, we’re currently running the first one: A chat session.”

**Live Chat:**

“A chat session, hahaha.”

“Is there a second event?”

Chi Zhongqiao stood up, turned sideways, and gestured to the items on the table behind him. “Of course there’s a second event: A talent showcase! Want to see it?”

**Live Chat:**

“A calligraphy brush and paper… Is Qiaoqiao going to write calligraphy?”

“Wow, Qiaoqiao knows calligraphy too?”

“I don’t deserve my baby! My handwriting looks like a dog’s paw prints, sob sob sob.”

Chi Zhongqiao stood behind the table. “With the New Year approaching, I’ll write a couple of couplets for everyone. We’ll draw names later and give them away.” As he bent down, Zhong Yin quickly tilted the camera downward, but Chi Zhongqiao suddenly looked up and smiled at the lens. “Free nationwide shipping, darlings!”

Zhong Yin: Could you not say such things with that perfect face? What’s with the full-on Taobao vibe?!

**Live Chat:**

“My idol is toxic.”

“My baby is so cheeky.”

“Cheeky Qiao is kinda cute. Go ahead and be cheeky, Qiaoqiao! Mommy will always love you!”

Chi Zhongqiao put down his brush. Contrary to his gentle appearance, he practiced the Liu Style of calligraphy, yet his style deviated from the orthodox form. The brushstrokes flowed across the paper, leaving traces both graceful and sharp, like a slender, bony hand.

“Holy shit… this is way too fucking beautiful! I thought Qiaoqiao was joking about his talent.”

“This calligraphy deserves to be framed! Who would dare hang something this exquisite outside to be exposed to weather elements?”

“I’ll offer 50,000 yuan. Qiaoqiao, would you write a piece just for me?”

“Was that 50,000 yuan offer serious?”

“Listen, I’m a calligrapher myself, and I’m telling you, it’s worth every penny.”

Chi Zhongqiao finished writing five couplets before setting down his brush. “That’s enough for now,” he said, “just enough to bring the auspicious blessing of the Five Blessings¹The Five Blessings, or Wǔfú, are longevity, wealth, health, a love of virtue, and a peaceful death. These ancient concepts represent an ideal life and are central to the wishes shared during Chinese New Year, with greetings often conveying the hope that these five blessings will be bestowed upon individuals and families in the coming year. to your door.”

He carefully placed the five couplets on the table to dry.

**Live Chat:**

“Over ten million people vying for just five couplets… you’d have to be the Koi of all Koi to win this lottery!”

“How will the drawing work? Brother Qiao wrote these by hand! I want one so badly QAQ.”

Chi Zhongqiao explained, “I’ll post a Weibo update at 10:30 PM. Just follow me, like, and retweet. I’ll draw the winners from the retweets tomorrow morning.”

Seeing the barrage of “What if I don’t win?” in the chat, he suggested, “Or you could try retweeting my lucky Koi emoji first?”

**Live Chat:**

“I think that’s a good idea!”

“Why didn’t I think of that?!”

“Qiaoqiao, you’re such a clever little devil~”

Glancing at the time, Chi Zhongqiao realized it was almost 10 PM. He began tidying up his workspace, preparing to end the stream.

The viewers were reluctant to let him go. Just as they were begging him to stream longer, Chi Zhongqiao’s phone rang.

He glanced down and saw it was Lu Yuzhou calling. Apologizing to the audience, he said, “I need to take this call. I’ll be right back.”

The livestream audience watched as he answered the phone and moved slightly away, leaving his tall, straight back to face the camera. His deliberately lowered voice drifted faintly into the livestream:

“En, I’ll end the stream soon.”

“You’ve finished your work… you’re already here?”

The chat exploded:

“?? WHAT? Who’s Qiao talking to? His girlfriend?”

“That tone… it’s so indulgent!”

“Ahhh! Assistant-nim with the phone, can you tell us who Qiaoqiao is talking to?”

“Am I the only one still obsessing over Qiaoqiao’s five couplets?”

“Me too! Qiaoqiao, please post them on Weibo soon! I can’t wait any longer!”

Zhong Yin typed: “Please spare me! I wouldn’t dare to say it.”

Just as Zhong Yin was about to lose control of the audience, Chi Zhongqiao finally hung up and greeted the livestream fans with a smile: “You’re all so eager to retweet my Weibo post? Alright, I’ll post it now. After that, you can all leave the livestream and go retweet it yourselves.”

With that, Chi Zhongqiao pulled up a chair, sat down, and began composing his Weibo post. As he focused intently on his Weibo, the practice room door quietly slid open.

Zhong Yin looked up and saw the newcomer, his phone trembling in shock.

Lu Yuzhou shook his head at Zhong Yin, who was about to speak, and strode into the camera’s frame without hesitation. The moment he entered, he noticed five couplets spread across the table—bold Liu Style calligraphy on gaudy red paper.

Lu Yuzhou knew Chi Zhongqiao practiced calligraphy, often retreating to his room to write a few characters, but he had never shown his work before. This was Lu Yuzhou’s first time seeing a finished piece.

Yan Jin Liu Gu —the muscular strokes of Yan Zhenqing, the refined structure of Liu Gongquan. Most people might struggle to understand how someone with such a gentle demeanor could master such a dignified Liu Style. But Lu Yuzhou knew that one’s calligraphy reflects their character; his Brother Qiao was indeed someone with a soft exterior and an unyielding core.

Lu Yuzhou leaned down. “Brother Qiao?”

Chi Zhongqiao, who had just finished posting on Weibo, flinched, his hand trembling so violently that his phone slipped from his grip. Lu Yuzhou bent down and caught it.

“Yuzhou? Why do you walk so quietly?”

Lu Yuzhou replied, “Brother Qiao was too engrossed in his phone.”

Being caught so absorbed in his phone by the younger member of the household wasn’t exactly dignified. Chi Zhongqiao cleared his throat. “I’m live-streaming.”

“En, I see,” Lu Yuzhou said. “Aren’t you going to end the stream now?”

“Yes,” Chi Zhongqiao replied. “If I don’t end it soon, I’ll have to pay Zhong Yin triple his salary.”

Lu Yuzhou’s lips curved slightly, his deep-set eyes softening. He glanced at his phone, where the live stream’s comments were scrolling rapidly. He knew he was on camera but didn’t seem to mind.

**Live Chat:**

“So handsome! Is he mixed-race?”

“Is he an actor too? Qiaoqiao’s junior? He looks so young, is he even of age?”

“Ahhh—he looked right at us! Holy crap, that gaze is so intense!”

“Is he over twenty? He’s drop-dead gorgeous! Is he a newbie?”

Chi Zhongqiao noticed the comments and chuckled. “No, he’s our CEO.”

Zhong Yin added in a low voice, “The President of Zhaohui.”

**Live Chat:**

“Wait, did I just hear the CEO call Brother Qiao ‘Brother Qiao’?”

“I-I heard it too…”

“I thought he was Qiao’s Boss?”

Lu Yuzhou also saw the comments. To avoid any misunderstandings, he explained, “Our families have been close for generations, we grew up together, so I’m like a Younger Brother to Brother Qiao.”

Chi Zhongqiao smiled. “Our relationship is great, of course. Yuzhou and I live together. Oh, by the way, I’ve already posted on Weibo, so remember to retweet! This is really the end of the stream now. Good night!”

**Live Chat:**

“They look so good together!”

“For some reason, they seem like a perfect match…”

“Aaaah, I don’t want Brother Qiao to leave! QAQ”

In the final seconds before the stream ended, fans saw the “Big Boss” drape a white down jacket over Chi Zhongqiao’s shoulders. Chi Zhongqiao, who had been facing the camera, turned and smiled at the “Big Boss.”

Aiya, the Big Boss and our Brother Qiao are kind of sweet together!

**********

“Hey, Brother Song?”

Xu Xingzhou was thrilled to receive the call. As expected, the moment Brother Song spoke, he confirmed that the matter Xu Xingzhou had requested was already bearing fruit.

“I got the photos. They were seen entering and leaving Jade Pavilion Garden in the same car.”

Xu Xingzhou suppressed his excitement. “Brother Song, can you send them over for me to take a look?”

Brother Song sent a photo showing Chi Zhongqiao and an unfamiliar man getting into a car together. Chi Zhongqiao’s profile was clearly visible, with Zhaohui Entertainment in the background.

“I took over a dozen shots,” Brother Song said. “The evidence is solid. Pay the remaining balance, and I’ll send you all the photos right away.”

Xu Xingzhou immediately transferred the remaining half of the payment. Brother Song promptly sent over all the photos he had taken.

Brother Song was a notorious paparazzi in the industry, known for uncovering the private affairs of top celebrities. Industry insiders both loved and hated him: they loved that he could dig up dirt on their rivals, but hated that he could just as easily expose their own scandals.

Brother Song charged high prices, but his rates were justified—most of his photos clearly showed faces and were high-resolution, not blurry, unrecognizable blobs.

Xu Xingzhou’s lips curled into a slight smile as he forwarded the photos to the media outlets he had contacted in advance.

**********

Early Thursday Morning

Qin Zhu Media published an article, its text filled with redacted names, but prominently displayed a clear, large photo at the beginning.

[ Shocking! Is a certain young idol named Chi being kept as a kept man? Photos and evidence inside! ]

Unsuspecting readers clicked through, their eyes immediately drawn to the photo: A handsome young man with gentle features, wearing a white down jacket and a slight smile, reaching up to shield the car door frame. Inside the open car, a tall, slender youth leaned down to enter, his half-visible face revealing high, deep-set eyes and a cold, icy handsomeness in the curve of his brows and the corners of his eyes.

The young man in the white down jacket was instantly recognizable: Chi Zhongqiao, the overnight sensation from <Empress of the World>.

Could he really be someone’s kept man?

****************

**Author’s Note:**

My next book, “After Resurrection, I Opened a Cat Cafe,” is seeking favorites!

**Synopsis:**

The shopkeepers on Pomegranate Street noticed that the cat cafe at number seven had quietly changed owners. The new owner was devastatingly handsome, and on opening day, he drew every simp from half the street.

The simps came for the owner, but once inside, they quickly became addicted to the various cats and delicious treats.

What earthly pleasure could compare to petting an Orange Cat while eating Salted Egg Yolk Pastry?!

And what a perfect pairing: watching a Ragdoll drink Red Bean Milk?!

Especially that owner—what divine beauty! Was he a celestial being descended to earth?!

Wait a minute… isn’t that waiter the CEO of a major conglomerate?!

Great Golden Dragon Gong × Great Phoenix Shou—this pairing is called “Dragon and Phoenix Auspiciousness.”

————–

Zaki~ if the above book hasn’t been translated then that would be my next project here 🙂

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  The Five Blessings, or Wǔfú, are longevity, wealth, health, a love of virtue, and a peaceful death. These ancient concepts represent an ideal life and are central to the wishes shared during Chinese New Year, with greetings often conveying the hope that these five blessings will be bestowed upon individuals and families in the coming year.