Chapter 19: Yun Xun'er and Wen Xiaoya

"Ding dong." Yun Xuan's phone chimed with the notification sound from a public account.

"Is it a system message?" Yun Xuan unlocked his phone to check.

System message: You have been selected as a question setter for the Xingyue Cup in Fangyu City. Please contact the Xingyue Cup public account.

...

Yun Xuan stared at his phone, utterly bewildered.

"Xuan, what's wrong?" Lin Qingyu glanced at Yun Xuan, who had suddenly stopped to look at his phone, and asked curiously.

"It's... nothing..." Yun Xuan put away his phone, fighting the urge to laugh. The participant and the question setter were the same person? The organizers of the Xingyue Cup probably hadn't anticipated such a situation.

"Something's off. With Beifang Sauce's influence, there's no way I'd be chosen as a question setter for the Xingyue Cup. Unless..." Yun Xuan suddenly thought of Nangong Xiaoxiao.

If Nangong Xiaoxiao had recommended him, then being chosen as a question setter made sense.

Smiling, Yun Xuan returned home and parted ways with Lin Qingyu at the door.

"Brother, was that message just now from Liu Mengyan?" Yun Xue stood at the threshold, her voice soft.

"It was a group message on QQ." Yun Xuan hesitated for a moment. Letting Yun Xue know about this could pose obstacles to his future plans.

"Is that so?" Yun Xue lowered her head, lost in thought.

...

Back in his room, Yun Xuan immediately opened the Xingyue Cup public account and sent a screenshot for verification via private message.

Soon, the official Xingyue Cup account replied to him.

Xingyue Cup: Welcome, Teacher Beifang. You may inform us of your questions one hour before the competition begins.

Yun Xuan considered it and decided to inform the organizers of his unique situation.

Beifang Sauce: If I'm participating as a student from a university in Fangyu City, can I still set questions?

The Xingyue Cup administrator seemed stunned. Ten minutes passed before Yun Xuan received a reply.

Xingyue Cup: This could be unfair to the competition, but there’s no way to assign someone else now. Teacher Nangong highly recommended you, so you may choose to draw lots on site, and we’ll arrange your appearance.

After a brief hesitation, Yun Xuan replied.

Beifang Sauce: Sorry, I don’t want to disclose my identity.

Xingyue Cup: Then please submit twenty questions, and Teacher Nangong will pick from them.

Yun Xuan scratched his head and sent twenty questions.

Xingyue Cup: Thank you for your participation.

Yun Xuan closed his inbox and glanced at the download count.

Downloads: 298,536!

"Nearly 300,000 downloads without any promotion yet. Once it starts, the numbers could multiply tenfold, a hundredfold," Yun Xuan thought, eyeing another folder filled with meme images. He hadn’t posted them yet, intending to use them to boost popularity once the promotion began.

He opened the public account and checked the number of followers—501,253!

This was already a meteoric rise. Ordinary third-rate comic artists only achieved such numbers. First-rate comic artists could easily become bestsellers at a publishing house, second-rate ones usually had just a single signature work, and third-rate ones were essentially backup second-raters: they had works and some popularity, but lacked a defining masterpiece.

...

Yun Xuan shut down the computer and stepped outside.

As he descended the stairs, he saw Yun Xun’er returning, exhausted, casting aside her high heels with no pretense of ladylike grace and collapsing onto the sofa.

"Xun’er, I’ll go make dinner now. You rest for a bit, then take a bath," Yun Xue said softly, wearing an apron.

"Mm, Xue’er, I’m not in a hurry to eat. Let me rest first." Yun Xun’er lay sprawled on the couch, lifting her hand weakly.

"Brother, keep an eye on Xun’er, I’m going to cook," Yun Xue whispered, gesturing toward Yun Xun’er.

"Alright," Yun Xuan replied, sitting beside Yun Xun’er.

Yun Xue finally relaxed and headed into the kitchen.

The fatigue on Yun Xun’er’s face was genuine; to earn more wages, she worked over ten hours daily.

Yun Xuan glanced at his phone balance: over 1.4 million.

"Xun’er, I..." Yun Xuan began.

"Ding dong," the doorbell rang, interrupting him.

"At this hour, could it be Qingyu?" Yun Xuan wondered as he walked to the door.

He opened it.

"Xun’er, I’ve come to see you. Surprise—"

Bang!

Instinctively, Yun Xuan kicked the person rushing through the door right back out.

...

Late at night, opening the door to find a masked stranger holding flowers and bursting in—how could that possibly be a good sign?

"Ugh, ugh, ugh," the kicked-out person looked up at Yun Xuan, bewildered.

"Even if I don’t know who you are, you can’t blame me for kicking you out when you barge in at night wearing a strange mask," Yun Xuan said, peering in the light at the person sitting on the ground—it was a girl.

"You... you live with Xun’er?!" the young woman exclaimed in shock.

"Of course. Is there anything else?" Yun Xuan turned away. The woman, sitting in a skirt, seemed oblivious that Yun Xuan had glimpsed blue and white stripes.

"Xun’er, I don’t care if you’re involved with another man—I love you!" The woman gritted her teeth, stood up, tossed aside her mask, and earnestly addressed Yun Xun’er, who had emerged.

Her refined features showed no flaw, carrying the gentle charm of a southern girl but with unexpected strength. Her figure was graceful—a beauty rated above seven out of ten.

Her waist-length ponytail and short white dress, paired with white stockings, lent her a cute yet striking appearance.

"Xiao Ya, stop fooling around. Come in," Yun Xun’er said softly.

"Xun’er, these flowers are for you." The young woman smiled, handing the bouquet to Yun Xun’er and stepping inside.

...

The three entered. Yun Xuan glanced at the footprints on the woman's dress, rubbed his nose, feeling a bit awkward.

"What would you like to drink?" Yun Xun’er asked.

"Anything. I’d even drink your saliva," the woman replied, wiping her mouth.

"Wen Xiaoya, do you realize how much pressure you’re putting on me?" Yun Xun’er said with exasperation, placing a glass of juice before her.

"Xun’er, I’m sorry... but just thinking about not seeing you for two months over summer break makes me want to spend every day with you," Wen Xiaoya lowered her head, looking aggrieved.

"Enough, go home after dinner. I’m really exhausted," Yun Xun’er sighed.

"You’re so kind, Xun’er. But who’s this guy? He didn’t spare a thought for my feelings and kicked me flying—my chest still hurts," Wen Xiaoya teased, sitting beside Yun Xun’er, glancing at Yun Xuan, cheeks puffed, hand covering her chest.

"This is my brother Yun Xuan. You’ve met Xue’er, she’s cooking now," Yun Xun’er said with a wry smile.

"Brother? Then he’s my brother too. Come here, call me sister and I’ll buy you candy," Wen Xiaoya’s eyes sparkled as she stood, patting Yun Xuan’s head.

"...," was all Yun Xuan could manage.

PS: Please bookmark and vote. Sorry, I forgot to schedule the release this afternoon...