IBKAWB Chapter 30

**Chapter 30: Heart Ablaze**

Re-translated by: Namizaki

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Just before the Annual Drama Festival began, the Red Bean Milk commercial Chi Zhongqiao had filmed finally aired.

 

The edited commercial ran for exactly fifty-seven seconds, the perfect length for pre-roll ads on various video streaming platforms. That evening, viewers who hadn’t subscribed to premium accounts were forced to sip their sodas and wait for the ad to finish.

 

Most viewers were lounging in bed, unwilling to watch the ad but equally unwilling to do anything else, so they listlessly stared at the timer in the upper right corner of the screen.

 

“Jackpot!”

 

A robust shout erupted from the commercial, jolting the dazed viewers awake. They instinctively glanced at the screen to see a dozen people crowding around a central figure. The person in the middle held up an opened bottle cap, and the camera zoomed in to reveal the words ” Another Bottle” printed inside.

 

Those four words instantly evoked countless memories. The crude and simple marketing tactic of “Another Bottle” had largely faded into obscurity, but many office workers still remembered their student days, when they would rush to the school store after class to buy a drink, eagerly twisting off the cap to reveal the message inside.

 

A few years earlier, during elementary school, the first thing kids did when tearing open a bag of Crispy Noodles wasn’t to eat them, but to rummage inside for a card, hoping to find the words “Another Pack.”

 

Viewers couldn’t help but reminisce about their student days as they watched the commercial. Intrigued, they stopped idly scrolling and watched the remaining half of the ad. By the time the video started, some were still lost in their memories.

 

This advertisement primarily capitalized on the buzz generated by foodies, nostalgia, and Chi Zhongqiao’s “European Emperor” persona.

 

The entire commercial set meticulously recreated the ambiance of a convenience store from the student days of the new generation of office workers. Chi Zhongqiao himself was dressed in a distinctly youthful style, resembling a high school student fresh out of class.

 

The nostalgia campaign was subtle and understated, never explicitly proclaiming what memories it was evoking. Instead, it subtly infused each scene with the atmosphere of years past.

 

Yet this very approach instantly resonated with netizens who had long grown weary of forced nostalgia. It was akin to someone who had grown tired of fast food suddenly returning home to savor a meal cooked by their Mother.

 

Maybe I should buy a couple of milk teas to try? I’m going to drink something anyway, and it’s cold out. Warm milk tea sounds better than carbonated drinks right now.

 

Chi Zhongqiao’s fans were diligently replaying the short advertisement dozens of times, wishing they could extract every frame featuring him to admire in detail.

 

“Beauty Qiao in a school uniform!”

 

Not the Korean or Japanese-style uniforms seen in dramas, but the standard autumn uniform worn by middle and high school students in China. Chi Zhongqiao wore a white turtleneck sweater beneath the loose-fitting blue and white uniform. His soft, short black hair framed a face with makeup so light it appeared almost bare, giving him a youthful, boyish look.

 

“How can he look so good even in a school uniform?!”

 

Fans and other netizens alike recalled their own awkward school uniform days and covered their faces in embarrassment. Truly, a beauty could make even a burlap sack look good.

 

For the fans, this advertisement held special significance. They would buy Bit Sweet’s Red Bean Milk just to support Chi Zhongqiao. After all, it was his first commercial, and he had debuted less than a year ago. His only work so far was the drama <Empress of the World>, a single variety show appearance, and one live stream. Beyond these, they struggled to find other ways to support him.

 

A bottle of Red Bean Milk cost only a few yuan—not some high-priced, hard-to-get photobook or luxury item. All fans had to do was switch their usual drink choice. This low-cost support meant that even casual fans with a slight fondness for Chi Zhongqiao would subconsciously choose Red Bean Milk when they saw his picture on the bottle.

 

For Bit Sweet, this slight bias was enough. When hiring celebrity endorsements, they prioritized two things: The star’s fanbase size and their national recognition, or “public awareness.”

 

While Chi Zhongqiao’s national recognition was somewhat lacking, his luck was undeniable. He had caught the wave of popularity surrounding Red Bean Milk and the “European Emperor” trend, allowing him to become a familiar face to the public.

 

Alongside the official advertisement, Bit Sweet’s official account also released behind-the-scenes footage from the shoot—specifically, the clip of Chi Zhongqiao drawing a lottery card after filming.

 

The video opened with a hand holding several slips of card, their written sides facing the camera. Eight slips read “Thank you for your patronage,” one read “Another Bottle,” and the last read “Another Case.”

 

Chi Zhongqiao stood before the camera, smiling. “A draw lots?” he asked.

 

The camera bobbed up and down, as if nodding.

 

Chi Zhongqiao reached out, his pale fingertips flickering briefly before the camera as he drew a slip of card. He glanced down at the handwriting, then smiled.

 

Flipping the slip over, he said, “A deal’s a deal. You guys really are going to give me a whole case, aren’t you?”

 

The words “Another Case” faced the camera.

 

A one-in-ten chance! He hit it on the first try—truly a European Emperor!

 

This behind-the-scenes clip, combined with the commercial, firmly cemented the Koi and European Emperor image onto Chi Zhongqiao.

 

Unintentionally, Chi Zhongqiao had established a Koi persona. Whether it was genuine or not didn’t matter; most people were just playing along with the official meme. Even so, it inadvertently boosted his popularity.

 

Just as fans were celebrating the newly released commercial and behind-the-scenes footage, the official announcement of this year’s Annual Drama Festival nominations dropped. Chi Zhongqiao retweeted the list, initially puzzling his fans. Then they spotted his name.

 

Fans: “Look what we found?!”

 

“Our Qiaoqiao… got nominated?!”

 

“Best Supporting Actor!”

 

“Does this mean we’ll see our Qiaoqiao at the Annual Drama Festival this year?!”

 

The entire fandom erupted, desperate to let the world know their darling had been nominated. For a brief moment, the comments section under the Annual Drama Festival’s official account was overwhelmed by Chi Zhongqiao’s fans.

 

To prevent his fans from getting too excited, Chi Zhongqiao made a surprise appearance in their group chat that night.

 

[Group Admin: I’m going to camp outside the venue to see Qiaoqiao! *Sobbing* My baby, you’re amazing! A nomination for your very first drama! Your “first” one! ]

 

[ Lihua Bai: Waaah, my Baby Qiao, you’re too good! I can’t go, but I’ll definitely watch the livestream! ] 

 

When Chi Zhongqiao joined the chat, messages were flying by so fast that even his years of lurking and spamming couldn’t keep up with their frenzy.

 

He typed: [“Good evening, ladies.”]

 

His message was quickly buried in the flood of colorful chat bubbles, unnoticed by anyone.

 

Chi Zhongqiao: “……”

 

After waiting a moment and still receiving no response, he cautiously @mentioned all members.

 

Two minutes later:

 

[ Group Admin: Uh… was that just… our Baby? ]

 

[ Yishu Yinhua: I think so. ]

 

[ Lulu Lulu: Where’s Baby? Where did Baby go? ]

 

[ Group Admin: *[Screenshot]* Baby Qiao been here all along… he showed up ages ago, we just didn’t notice. ]

 

[ Chi Zhongqiao: I’m here. ]

 

[ Chi Zhongqiao: Good evening, ladies. Did you all have a good day? ]

 

[ Group Admin: An “amazing” day! Baby, you’ve come so far! Mama’s bursting with pride! ]

 

[ Feng Sheng: My son! “Mwah” to my son! ]

 

[ Lulu Lulu: My precious Baby! Ahhh—the chances of my Baby winning this award must be pretty high, right? My Baby is so amazing! ]

 

Chi Zhongqiao: “……” It’s quite surreal being called “son” by a group of twenty-something women.

 

But…

 

[ Chi Zhongqiao: Winning or not is uncertain. After all, the competitors are all god-tier actors with impressive works too. (Smiling emoji) ]

 

[ Wild Ferry: Exactly! Let’s not let pride and joy go to our heads. We can celebrate privately, but we must never compare ourselves to other actors. We’re all dedicated and good babies. ]

 

Chi Zhongqiao couldn’t help but glance at this username again. He remembered that when his relationship with Yuzhou was exposed, this same ID had calmed the crowd, preventing a minor uproar from escalating into a full-blown war.

 

[ Chi Zhongqiao: For me, the greatest honor is earning your recognition. I’m overjoyed by your daily affection and praise, but I also hope you won’t overlook the performances and efforts of other talented actors. After all, their fans must love them just as much as you love me. ]

 

[ Group Admin: One toxic fan can ruin everything. We remember that, my precious Baby. “Mwah!” ]

 

[ Feng Sheng: Understood! No dragging or trashing! Let’s be good, peaceful babies! ]

 

[ Chi Zhongqiao: En, our girls are so well-behaved. ]

 

Chi Zhongqiao chatted with his fans for a while longer until Lu Yuzhou knocked on his door. He finally put down his phone, slipped into his slippers, and padded off to eat.

 

As soon as he left, the group exploded:

 

[ Chuan Ning: I can’t hold it in anymore! I’m gonna explode—doesn’t anyone else think Brother Qiao calling us “girls” is just too swoon-worthy?! “My” girls! Mom, he’s flirting with me! ]

 

[ Feng Sheng: I can’t hold it in either! He called us “girls,” “girls”! How can he be so doting? I think my maternal instincts are evolving into something else… ]

 

[ Group Admin: Why does it feel like our relationship with Qiaoqiao is so weird…? I treat him like a son, but it’s like my son treats me like his daughter… ]

 

[ Drank Three Lu, Head’s Huge: I lost it the moment Brother Qiao said “Good night, girls”… I’ve never been called that before in my life… He’s killing me! ]

 

[ Group Admin: Wait a sec, guys. ]

 

[ Feng Sheng: Huh? ]

 

[ Wild Ferry: Did you change the group name? “Qiao Family Girls”? ]

 

[ Group Admin: AAAHHHH—I love this man to death! From today on, I’m officially part of the Qiao Family! ]

**********

“This Wild Ferry…”

 

Chi Zhongqiao tapped into the account. The profile indicated the user was female, and aside from a few mood updates, the rest of the content was related to Chi Zhongqiao.

 

From all appearances, it was just a typical fan account.

 

Chi Zhongqiao propped his cheek in his hand. “This girl’s impressive. She’s studying computer science—a real tech genius.”

 

When Lu Yuzhou heard “Wild Ferry,” he glanced at Chi Zhongqiao’s phone but maintained his composure. “Is she one of Brother Qiao’s fans?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Chi Zhongqiao held up his phone. “I remember during that feud with Xu Xingzhou, this account was the first to set a good example, preventing the comments from spiraling into a flame war. Let me find it… Ah, here it is.”

 

He opened the comment section and sighed. “I don’t think she’s even a real fan. She seems more like a shill¹In slang, a shill is a person who pretends to be a genuine, satisfied customer or participant to promote something for their own personal profit or a friend’s benefit, often to deceive or lure others into participating or buying..”

 

And indeed, she was a shill.

 

Lu Yuzhou remained unfazed. “Probably just a rational fan.”

 

Chi Zhongqiao shifted his gaze from the phone to Lu Yuzhou, shaking his head. “No, I think she’s a professional fan—you know, the kind artists hire to infiltrate fan groups as undercover agents.”

 

Lu Yuzhou: “……” Although Sun Qi was indeed on his payroll, hearing it put that way… she’d probably be heartbroken. After all, she was also a genuine fan of Brother Qiao.

 

Chi Zhongqiao stared at his phone for a moment, then exclaimed in sudden realization, “Wait, did Brother Zhuang hire her?”

 

Lu Yuzhou: “……” No, I invited them.

 

Chi Zhongqiao: “That’s not right. Brother Zhuang isn’t that proactive.”

 

Lu Yuzhou’s expression darkened. “Zhuang Fu isn’t paying enough attention to Brother Qiao?”

 

Chi Zhongqiao set down his phone and smiled. “It’s not that he’s neglecting me. He’s quite dedicated. It’s just that I wasn’t his first protégé, so I can’t compete with his established relationships.”

 

The problem wasn’t a lack of resources, but rather an uneven distribution. Zhuang Fu had fulfilled his duties as a Manager, but he couldn’t balance the scales fairly.

 

Chi Zhongqiao continued, “As for Zhuang Fu… I have some reservations. He’s not suited to managing too many artists.”

 

Lu Yuzhou’s expression turned serious.

 

Chi Zhongqiao cupped his chin and said slowly, “Remember that newly signed girl at our company? Yan Yiyun? My acting teacher said she’s quite talented and hardworking. Zhuang Fu is Managing her, and she just landed her first role yesterday.”

 

Lu Yuzhou racked his brain for a moment before recalling the matter. He remembered Zhaohui’s recent promising recruits, and Yan Yiyun stood out as one of the most promising. Even so, he had to strain his memory to recall her name.

 

He couldn’t help but momentarily abandon his professional demeanor. “Brother Qiao seems quite invested in her.”

 

Chi Zhongqiao couldn’t help but laugh. “You sound jealous!”

 

Lu Yuzhou was silent for a few seconds before tentatively leaning closer. “Brother Qiao cares more about her than me.”

 

Chi Zhongqiao was caught off guard by Lu Yuzhou’s sudden lean. Though Lu Yuzhou was clingy, such blatant affection was rare.

 

After a moment’s thought, Chi Zhongqiao decisively patted Lu Yuzhou’s back. Mentally, he felt much older than Lu Yuzhou, and he found it perfectly normal for a young man of his age to act clingy and affectionate. He readily accepted the notion that “the male lead is being clingy with me.”

 

“You’re such a grown-up now… How could I possibly care more about her? It’s not like I’m the one who takes you to lunch every day.”

 

It’s perfectly normal for a kid to be clingy, Chi Zhongqiao thought.

 

Lu Yuzhou: He didn’t pull away. Great, he didn’t pull away.

 

Lu Yuzhou let out a sigh of relief. Chi Zhongqiao’s faint scent lingered around his nose. Closing his eyes, Lu Yuzhou pressed a hand lightly against his chest. Being this close, he felt even his heartbeat slow, reluctant to return to work.

 

Chi Zhongqiao’s heart softened at Lu Yuzhou’s closeness, and his tone unconsciously shifted from professional to affectionate. “Yan Yiyun didn’t even join the first role she was assigned to. He’s completely focused on Zhou Yunmo…” As he spoke, he couldn’t help but frown.

 

Lu Yuzhou straightened up. “I assigned Yan Yiyun to Zhuang Fu earlier because he was handling Brother Qiao and might have more experience. After all, Yan Yiyun shows real promise.”

 

Chi Zhongqiao shook his head. “Zhuang Fu is probably one of Zhaohui’s better Managers, but he can’t prioritize properly. Zhou Yunmo has just been doing some small gigs lately, nothing out of the ordinary. Instead of focusing on Yan Yiyun’s first time on set, Zhuang Fu is running around worrying about Zhou Yunmo…”

 

Chi Zhongqiao shook his head again.

 

Lu Yuzhou said flatly, “Maybe Brother Qiao is just too easy to handle, making him think all promising newcomers are like you.”

 

Since they were at home, and he was talking to his beloved rather than a subordinate, Lu Yuzhou suppressed his anger, though his tone still carried a frosty edge.

 

Chi Zhongqiao suddenly chuckled.

 

Lu Yuzhou: “What’s so funny, Brother Qiao?”

 

Chi Zhongqiao: “Don’t you think I sound like one of those scheming concubines whispering pillow talk to a foolish Emperor?”

 

He found the thought so amusing that he sprawled on the sofa, laughing for a good while. Drawing out his words, he said, “My little tyrant, I’m just telling you this so you can think it over carefully before making a decision. Don’t let lust cloud your judgment—”

 

His eyes, usually so innocent and affectionate, now sparkled with laughter, blooming like peach blossoms.

 

This stirred a fire in someone’s heart… a burning inferno.

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  In slang, a shill is a person who pretends to be a genuine, satisfied customer or participant to promote something for their own personal profit or a friend’s benefit, often to deceive or lure others into participating or buying.