CHAPTER 49: CHAPTER 49: HELLO, BROTHER CHENG

She tried to recall, the rooftop scene in this movie seemed to be the father and son playing basketball on the rooftop court.

It seemed pretty fitting.

But there was a bit of doubt, and doubt kept climbing. There was more than one movie with a rooftop scene involving suits. Mu Qiu started to doubt whether Li Yang was telling the truth.

She stared intently at Li Yang’s actions, and as he took another step closer, she let go and fell backward, instantly disappearing at the entrance of the light well.

Li Yang was startled, quickly lying down at the edge of the light well to look down, "Hey, hey, hey! Mu Qiu! You don’t have to take it this hard..."

The words were abruptly cut off, and the two of them stared at each other from more than a meter apart.

One looked down, the other looked up, close enough that if they were any closer or used more exaggerated language, it wouldn’t be too different from having their faces stuck together like squinting chickens.

Mu Qiu: "..."

For a moment, the awkwardness was overwhelming.

She knew the director was trying to mess with her! A light well not even two meters tall, fooling her eyes with a 3D mode!

Li Yang exclaimed, like a child fishing for toys, trying to reach out and grab her, but Mu Qiu agilely rolled away.

Li Yang reached out to catch again.

Mu Qiu agilely dodged once more.

Flipping back and forth on the bouncy net, her hand suddenly touched the edge of the net. Looking at the model rooftop’s height, subtracting this light well bouncy net’s height, the lower height should just be under one meter.

Mu Qiu silently calculated in her heart, while on the surface dodging Li Yang’s claws, while speaking to distract his attention.

"Why are you so fixated on me? I’m too weak; taking my life wouldn’t even prove your prowess!"

"Who told you to wear a red armband, making you stand out too much."

"... Li Yang, you’ve changed! I was forced to wear this!"

"I know. But knowing is knowing."

Mu Qiu almost rolled her eyes.

She rolled and moved with agility, then asked, "Li Yang, is it your time to experience a movie act? Your scene has been delayed for so long."

Li Yang still persisted in "fishing," "Not yet; my scene hasn’t come."

"Hasn’t come yet? Li Yang, tell me honestly, is your movie really ’The Pursuit of Happyness’?"

Li Yang slowed his action, just about to speak when Mu Qiu quickly added, "Swear by your number of fans that you’re telling the truth!"

"..."

"So it really isn’t; you deceived me." Mu Qiu sweat from all the movement, now panting on the bouncy net, glaring at him furiously.

Although Li Yang wasn’t the same Li Yang from the pilot episode, he was still somewhat naive. Now being exposed, he didn’t know how to remedy it, halted his actions, and spoke with an unnatural smile, "A bad start, my first time pretending got immediately seen through."

Mu Qiu sighed deeply, "You just said you wanted to form an alliance with me. Li Yang, you’ve hurt my heart."

Li Yang felt guilty for a couple of seconds, then comforted himself, "It’s okay, being seen through doesn’t matter; I can just sit here and wait for you."

"I won’t let you have your way," Mu Qiu, using the emotion reserved for writing tragic novels, concluded with the last sentence full of dramatic flair, "You’ll regret it."

Then she flipped over and fell into that bouncy net at the edge of the 3D painted light well by some skilled artist.

A dull sound soon came from below as someone hit the cushion.

Li Yang sat by the light well, dumbfounded, quickly peering inside, trying to peel away the bouncy net to find her, "Mu Qiu! Mu Qiu?! Hey, how could you just jump like that? Am I so frightening? You might encounter others when you escape!"

No one in the light well responded to him anymore.

Li Yang dejectedly sat back, instinctively scratched his head, "Is my disguise so easily seen through? All efforts wasted."

Having barely started off and caught someone easily within reach, only for them to slip away right under his nose.

He was above, doubting himself, while Mu Qiu, who had fallen onto the cushions, was also doubting herself, wondering if Li Yang had somehow gained a godlike perspective for this episode.

Because after she crashed into the army green cushion, supporting herself with difficulty to raise her head, a pair of leather shoes was the first thing in her sight.

First, the shiny black leather shoes, then the black, well-fitted suit pants, wrapped around visibly sturdy legs. Continuing upward, a white shirt, a loosened tie, broad shoulders, an Adam’s apple, chin... eyes like Lian Yan.

"...Hello, Brother Cheng."

Li Yang, damn it, was your prophecy meant for this moment?!

[Hahahahaha I’m dying laughing! Just out of the tiger’s mouth, into the wolf’s den!]

[Brother Cheng, this excellent physique... I reasonably suspect Mu Qiu’s eyes are one of the cinematic shots]

[So tragic, picking the most tiring film, running into two people who covet her life]

[Brother Cheng: I’m just casually wandering, waiting for the plot, suddenly a life falls from the sky]

[This unforeseen life, it’s almost a shame not to collect it, considering Brother Cheng walked so far in dress shoes]

[I’ve begun to want to see Cheng Zhirang personally collecting lives... I might be crazy]

[If not Li Yang’s, it’s Cheng Zhirang’s; Mu Qiu, resign to fate, scratch the card and see if it says ’Thank you for your participation’]

[Come on, Mu Qiuxin! We want to see you escape alive!]

Escaping alive seemed impossible.

Mu Qiu maintained her position lying on the cushion, not moving; Cheng Zhirang waited for her for a moment without her standing up, so he had to squat down himself and look at her.

His tone was nice, like small talk.

"You came down from above?"

The space here was indeed a bit low, but could still accommodate his height. However, the cushion beneath her had four layers; jumping down from the bouncy net above wouldn’t cause an accident.

Mu Qiu resigned, lamenting her luck was not meant for great feats. Now her hands were crossed, chin resting on the back of her hands, answering question by question.

"Mm." Half-heartedly.

"Who’s still up there?"

"Li Yang."

"He didn’t take your sticker?"

"He was about to." Fortunately, the bell hadn’t rung, the program team had some conscience after all.

Her mental activity just ended when suddenly the whole broadcasted a loud electronic ringtone lasting a minute.

"Ring ring ring ring ring ring——"

"The snatching begins."

Murphy’s Law, whatever bad thing you think of will come true; even at low probability, nature conspires.

After the ringtone ended, Mu Qiu silently lifted her head, and Cheng Zhirang met her gaze.

Mu Qiu was exhausted; Cheng Zhirang still gentle.

"Brother Cheng, do you want to snatch this innocent, pitiful, weak person as well?"

Cheng Zhirang’s lips slightly curled, "I don’t snatch people, just want one of your stickers."

"...Understood, you want my life."

Cheng Zhirang remained equivocal, extending his hand, palm near her eyes. Even now, he still gently looked at her, his gaze almost only locally illuminating her face, not looking at the areas exposed by the vest she was wearing.

"Will you give me one?"

Mu Qiu: Damn it, this demand for life is too gentle.