Just like in a Woody Allen film, those around her couldn't understand why she'd become obsessed with going out late at night, dressed to the nines; nor did they realize this accidentally discovered fictional city had already become part of her life.
The man her father introduced was completely unreliable. Though his 183cm frame appeared robust, Hu Xiu easily detected selfishness, boredom, vulgarity, and—concealment in him.
The man had politely found a Hunan restaurant near Hu Xiu's workplace, ordering four dishes and a soup with attentive hospitality. Throughout the meal, he earnestly inquired about her work schedule, income, and future plans, casually mentioning "prime childbearing years." Everything seemed offhand, yet every sentence felt rehearsed countless times.
The most amusing part might be his name—Qian Jinxin, as if his five elements lacked money. The deliberate wisdom in his eyes and cautiously measured enthusiasm made Hu Xiu somewhat sad. In her father's eyes, she only deserved such a man.
"I'll venture to ask—your father mentioned you have a piano grade ten certificate and can perform folk dance. Why didn't you pursue arts?"
"Probably wasn't good enough."
"Fortunately you didn't study those. No offense intended—your father's an excellent teacher. But when girls learn dancing, even with good figures, they end up as football cheerleaders before marrying older men. The proper path in life is full of hardships. Xiao Hu, being a translator now, then quitting to raise children at home while taking interpretation jobs on weekends—that's really the ideal wife for a man."
"Oh..."
"I own an apartment in Minhang district. If your income is decent too, we could afford one downtown, but I don't have local residency. Do you, Xiao Hu?"
Look at these clichéd terms—still saying "football cheerleaders." Hu Xiu awkwardly kept spooning duck blood soup into her mouth, too spicy to speak, buying time.
The man seemed relentless: "What do you enjoy doing in your spare time, Xiao Hu?"
"Playing Live Action Role Playing Games..."
"What games?"
"It's role-playing—solving cases and completing missions together." Hu Xiu unusually elaborated: "It's quite popular in Shanghai too. A friend introduced me, initially thought nothing of it, but got hooked later."
"I really don't understand you youngsters' games. But adults playing these is too childish—it's all fake. I usually play ball sports, burning calories with friends. After all, at my age, high uric acid is a concern."
Every sentence starts with "I"—unbearable. When paying, the man took the Bank of Communications credit card promotion sign ("100-50 on Fridays") to the counter. Hu Xiu sighed in relief, contemplating how to reject this man who seemed more excited about dining discounts than finding a wife.
Relatives and friends pushing unsuitable partners her way, then gossiping behind her back if marriage failed—this was essentially framing.
The thought made her utterly dejected. Her father wasn't underestimating her either, given her recent reality: renting in the suburbs, annual income under 50,000 yuan, spending beyond her means while pouring money into Snowpiercer.
As Zhao Xiaorou put it, Snowpiercer was a money sinkhole where Hu Xiu periodically went to find wild men.Hu Xiu didn't find these words unpleasant at all; in fact, they carried a hint of ambiguity. What more could one ask for than having a wild fling with Qin Xiaoyi? It was far more interesting than being with some tall, strong, boring ordinary man whose whole world revolved around bearing children!
After three weeks on the job, Hu Xiu spent every day handling paperwork, organizing recreational activities for the hospital, and shadowing her senior colleague.
The hospital was urgently understaffed, and when Hu Xiu's resume was discovered by a senior from her university, it was immediately sent to the HR department. She started working almost as soon as she accepted the offer.
From Monday to Friday, she worked in administration, serving doctors and the system. On her first weekend, her senior dragged her onto the battlefield as a translator. Preparing materials made her so anxious she couldn't sleep, and by the end of the day, she was so exhausted she collapsed into bed as soon as she got home. She lost seven pounds in just one day.
It had been a month since Hu Xiu last saw Qin Xiaoyi, after the night he took her home. She got off work at 6 PM, but by the time the evening rush hour subsided, she couldn't make it to the 6:30 PM showings. Weekends were fully booked early on, and Hu Xiu never had a chance to snag a ticket.
Though she consoled herself by thinking she'd splurge on a Friday midnight show as soon as she got her paycheck, Hu Xiu never managed to get a ticket. Even though the midnight screenings cost 598 yuan—more expensive—and required staying up late, why were tickets so hard to come by? Were there really that many young night owls in Shanghai?
Once she figured out the pattern, Hu Xiu stopped fixating on the popular Friday, Saturday, and Sunday slots. As long as she saw a midnight screening, she'd immediately pay to join a group booking.
After successfully joining a group, Hu Xiu lingered on the Snowpiercer page for a long time and noticed a rather special group deal—Snowpiercer Theme Scenario: Birthday Star Extra Scene Consultation Ticket.
Though her birthday had just passed, surely she could treat herself to a belated celebration, right?
The more Hu Xiu looked at the words "extra scene," the more her heart raced. She paid 88 yuan, noted the session and Qin Xiaoyi's name, and eagerly awaited her in-scene date with him.
Not long after, a WeChat friend request popped up: "Snowpiercer Customer Service Joyce."After accepting the request, the customer service representative politely began: "Hello there, miss!" I'm Snowpiercer's customer service. I see you've purchased an extra scene service. May I confirm if you've specified Qin Xiaoyi to deliver a birthday blessing for you?"
"Yes..." Rounding it off, this was practically chatting with Qin Xiaoyi.
"Great, I'll note that for you. May I ask which Qin Xiaoyi you've specified?"
Among the three photos sent, her Qin Xiaoyi was still dressed as Feng Youjin—in a military uniform, his hair tucked under a cap, less roguish and more... uniform seduction.
Blushing, Hu Xiu saved the photo and sent it back to the customer service: "It's this Qin Xiaoyi." May I ask what his name is outside of the show?"
"We can't disclose the actor's name, but we'll communicate with the directing team. You'll find out how the blessing will be delivered during your scheduled session."
Though she didn't get the name, Hu Xiu still flipped through the saved photo repeatedly, imagining Qin Xiaoyi playing Feng Youjin—dressed in a military uniform, full of righteous aura, yet an underground Communist. It was hard to reconcile with his devilishly handsome features.
If he could pull it off without breaking character, then Qin Xiaoyi truly had transformative acting skills.
Having not seen Qin Xiaoyi for so long, Hu Xiu couldn't resist making one more request: "May I ask if I can be assigned a behind-the-scenes role in Qin's group? Just the role of a dance girl."
"No problem, miss. I'll arrange it."At nine o'clock, she took the subway to Snowpiercer.
After changing into the cheongsam and carefully reading the role card, Hu Xiu thought this dancer role deserved a brighter lip color, so she tucked the lipstick into her prop bag as well.
The lipstick was a birthday gift from Zhao Xiaorou, engraved with her name and birthdate, along with the blessing: "Drink the strongest liquor, tame the wildest dogs, be the baddest Hu Xiu."
When she received the lipstick, Hu Xiu was still living a desolate life in the suburbs, hadn't yet met Qin Xiaoyi, and never imagined she'd actually spend so extravagantly for an NPC.
The steam whistle sounded, the iron gate creaked, and Hu Xiu once again hid behind the platform, only her trembling legs visible. Her inner monologue repeated the same old phrases: Damn damn damn, he's too handsome, I'm dying, I'm dying.
Qin Xiaoyi's suit seemed different—darker than before. Scanning the crowd, he spotted the legs hiding behind the platform and Hu Xiu's evasive eyes, then turned with a smile toward the city: "Everyone, we've arrived in Rong City quite late. Follow me."
This was the male lead who'd once held an umbrella for her in the rain and called her a taxi. Dazedly entering Rong City, that familiar, comforting feeling washed over her again.
Waiting on the streets of Rong City was Lin Qiumei in a green cheongsam with a gray shawl, who affectionately winked at her—she remembered Hu Xiu.
Feng Youjin from the first session had transformed into a casino boss, slick-tongued but secretly slipping Hu Xiu a thousand yuan in starting funds.
Everyone felt somewhat familiar, greeting her with knowing smiles. Hu Xiu recalled the film Midnight Paris, where novelist Gil gets lost and stumbles into a celebrities' ball, meeting the Fitzgeralds and Hemingway, falling irrevocably in love with Paris.
Just like in Woody Allen's films, those around her couldn't understand why she obsessively dressed up and went out late at night, while others didn't realize this fictional city she'd stumbled into had become part of her life.
Five minutes after starting, Hu Xiu followed two other players into Qin Xiaoyi's room.
Familiar setting, familiar Qin Xiaoyi, with glasses added on the cabinet and an extra butler seated on the sofa.
Using the quest card to hide her face, Hu Xiu listened to Qin Xiaoyi explain the mission, breathless with tension;
After the other two players were dispatched, Qin Xiaoyi addressed Hu Xiu: "Go to the casino and retrieve the gambling funds Boss Jiang and I left last time. You can keep it all as a welcome gift."
As Hu Xiu stiffly rose, Qin Xiaoyi added behind her: "Don't be so nervous. Is coming to my room that intimidating?"
Hu Xiu thought: More than nervous—one look from you and I'm gone. After retrieving the funds and confidently gambling a couple rounds, she returned to Room 301 to hear Qin Xiaoyi flirting with female players from another group. He laughed: "Coming to my room to dance and drink, such excellent moves. I, Qin Xiaoyi, have never encountered such enthusiastic guests before."
As the door opened, Hu Xiu saw three women chattering as they squeezed out. A female player in a dazzling red cheongsam smiled while bidding farewell to Minister Qin, her bright headlights brushing past Hu Xiu's field of vision. That cheongsam wasn't as nice as hers.But the explosive visual effect truly shocked her, and also shocked Qin Xiaoyi—
His ears were red, seemingly quite satisfied with the previous dance. Hu Xiu was furious, thinking that men were all the same, all creatures ruled by their lower bodies, and those who think with their lower bodies couldn't escape the allure of big breasts.
Growing angrier the more she thought about it, Hu Xiu picked up the glasses from the cabinet and put them on her face. The butler spoke first: "Huh? Why are you taking our young master's glasses?"
"Give them to her. They look better on her than on me." Qin Xiaoyi walked over and smirked mischievously: "You seem to have lost weight."
So what if it's a den of extravagance? Just for that smooth line, the 598 was worth it!
Not to mention the birthday 88 yet to be counted. Hu Xiu wandered around holding the quest card, waiting to see how she would trigger the birthday benefits. Suddenly, a very handsome new actor greeted her: "Miss Mei, you're so beautiful. This piece of cured meat originally costs three thousand, but I'll sell it to you for one thousand. How about giving it to Minister Qin? He loves Rong City's cured meat the most."
Hu Xiu, who never knew how to refuse anyone, thought that with so much money in this scene, she might as well buy some happiness while in a good mood.
Carrying the prop cured meat back to Room 301, Qin Xiaoyi frowned: "Would someone as noble as me, Qin Xiaoyi, eat something like this? What, are you too excited after wearing my glasses?"
More than excited—her IQ was plummeting at light speed. Just then, Feng Youjin suddenly burst into Room 301: "Miss Mei, I heard you have a Communist Party Constitution on you. Please allow me to search you."
Why has the plot changed again? Before Hu Xiu could react, Qin Xiaoyi stepped in front of her: "Don't even think about touching my person."
"Oh? Minister Qin, haven't seen you for a few days. Have you secretly married Miss Mei? Search her!"
Only then did Hu Xiu remember that she did indeed have a Party Constitution in her bag. When Feng Youjin and his subordinates failed to find it on her, they turned their attention to Qin Xiaoyi.
Qin Xiaoyi, who had righteously spread his arms in front of Hu Xiu, was found with the Party Constitution. Before being taken away by Feng Youjin, he glanced back at her: "Protect yourself."
The interrogation scene had been rewritten to show Qin Xiaoyi being beaten for her sake. Hu Xiu stood outside the interrogation room, both excited and heartbroken, listening to the buxom qipao-clad girls calling him handsome. The more she thought about it, the more excited she became: "So what if they have big breasts? Qin Xiaoyi is taking a beating for me!"
The plot seemed far from over. When Qin Xiaoyi emerged and saw Hu Xiu waiting at the door, he put on his suit jacket and took her hand. Still angry, he walked with large strides.
Hu Xiu followed in a daze, her qipao making it hard to keep up. She tripped over a threshold hidden under accumulated snow, and Qin Xiaoyi caught her firmly. His voice was in her ear again: "Are you okay?"
She was physically fine, but Hu Xiu deeply regretted not buying two silicone bra pads—for comfort, she had worn thin cups! And now Qin Xiaoyi's arm was pressed against her chest.
Looking up, she saw the department store. Hu Xiu often came here on missions to send packages. The adjacent jewelry counter was dazzling, but she had no time to look.
Qin Xiaoyi took a key and opened the counter himself, taking out a watch and putting it on her wrist: "Miss Mei, I heard it's your birthday today. Happy birthday."
Stunned, Hu Xiu watched his sexually attractive fingers fasten the watch around her wrist. Her brain stopped working, and she could only manage one question: "You... aren't going to pay?"Qin Xiaoyi laughed, "This entire department store is the Qin family's business. Would I need to pay? You're underestimating me, Qin Xiaoyi. The public election is coming up soon—why don't you hurry and complete tasks to help me secure my position?"
"Alright!" Hu Xiu excitedly stepped back and ran off, only to crash headfirst into a telephone booth. The impact left her seeing stars, her forehead swollen, and her head buzzing with pain until the game ended.
Qin Xiaoyi didn't win the election, but in the third round, he steadfastly guarded Hu Xiu, preventing anyone from getting close enough to harm her.
His warm back acted like a shield in front of her, and only one thought crossed Hu Xiu's mind: "Damn, I'm hooked. I'm done for. This 88 yuan was worth 880!"
Surviving till the end thanks to a birthday bonus, Hu Xiu, under the sharp gaze of the voluptuous cheongsam-clad woman, boarded the Snowpiercer with Qin Xiaoyi personally escorting her.
As the steam whistle sounded, Hu Xiu took a deep breath, reluctant to part, and wanted to ask Qin Xiaoyi one last time if he remembered her—this was the unsolved mystery of her entire love story.
But that breath never came out; they were too close, and she hadn't brought any mint candies.
Instead, Qin Xiaoyi played his role to the very end: "Miss Mei, meeting you in Rong City today has been my fortune, Qin Xiaoyi's. I hope that beyond Rong City, your future days will be filled with happiness."
As the iron door closed, Hu Xiu's love story came to an end once more. Her own story, along with Qin Xiaoyi, with whom she had secretly formed a bond in the tale, were left behind in the parallel world of Rong City, the entire experience feeling like a dream.
Trembling, she returned to the prop room, where the staff saw her tear-filled eyes and asked concernedly, "Was that collision too painful? We saw it on the monitor."
With a mournful expression, Hu Xiu pointed to her wrist and asked, "Can I buy this prop watch from you?"
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