Chapter 45: Why Eat Alone

Before they had exchanged more than a couple of words, Chu Luoxi found it strange—today Bai Yun seemed uncharacteristically excited. One question revealed the reason and was met with a tone of grievance: “Xiaoxi, you really don’t care about me at all. My novel just finished, and you didn’t even know. It ended today, at precisely six in the evening.”

Chu Luoxi was at a loss, shaking her head speechlessly before typing her reply: “Well, congratulations! I just got back from helping a friend shoot an MV and haven’t touched my computer in two days, so I really didn’t know.”

“Hmph, since that’s the case, I’ll be magnanimous and forgive you.” Bai Yun’s haughty reply made Chu Luoxi almost burst out laughing. Was this guy really a man or not? Seriously?

“So, who did you help shoot an MV for this time?” Bai Yun asked, full of curiosity and gossip. He seemed to know about her helping Ji Yanjin last time; he’d even bought the album and caught a glimpse of what Chu Luoxi looked like. As expected of someone from Imperial Pictures—a real beauty!

These days, gossip isn’t just a woman’s domain; even this future literary giant was no exception.

“Oh, that’s a secret for now. The album hasn’t even begun promotion, so I can’t say!” Chu Luoxi knew exactly what could and couldn’t be discussed. This was a matter of professional ethics and reputation. Even if Bai Yun had a tight lip, she couldn’t be careless—after all, he wasn’t really one of the industry insiders.

“Alright, I won’t ask,” Bai Yun replied sensibly. Every circle has its own unspoken rules, and he wouldn’t put his friend in a difficult position. If it could be discussed, Chu Luoxi would certainly tell him. “By the way, I’m ready to start a new novel. I believe it’ll be different from the first one.”

Hearing this, Chu Luoxi’s spirits lifted. Did this mean that the future Bai Yun was about to shine?

In truth, with her reminders and suggestions, Bai Yun had already realized the shortcomings of his first novel. While trying to maintain consistency, he made some changes; as a result, his first work was already much improved compared to his previous life. At least it didn’t flop so badly as to leave him in despair.

Of course, his attempt at stronger logic held him back somewhat. Even if he wanted to revise the later parts, he couldn’t, lest the story become a muddled mess. In the end, the novel was only somewhat improved, with only slight differences.

Now, having fully awakened to his own style, Bai Yun was enthusiastically preparing for his second novel, brimming with confidence. So much so that the completion of his first work even seemed to come a little earlier than in his previous life.

“Really, you’re ready? When will you start?” Chu Luoxi was both surprised and a little anxious. In her past life, Bai Yun had taken a hiatus after his first novel before starting the next. How could he be moving so quickly now? Was something wrong?

“Yep, I’ve been ready. While wrapping up the first, I was refining my outline and ideas for the next, and I’ve even written some parts. I plan to start tomorrow. Do you want to take a look? With your guidance, I finally realized where the issues were. If you see any problems, tell me directly—it’s easier to fix them now.”

“Bai Yun, you’re a novelist—don’t misuse words and lead the nation’s youth astray. ‘Sudden enlightenment’? Did you really commit so many crimes that you needed such a dramatic awakening to mend your ways?” Chu Luoxi laughed, half exasperated, half amused. And just like that, the two began bantering again.

No matter what, Bai Yun’s journey to fame had officially begun. Chu Luoxi was genuinely interested in watching this future literary giant’s meteoric rise—such things were rare to witness.

On June 1st, “Dragon Roar Over the World” officially premiered. Just as Chu Luoxi remembered from her previous life, it swept through the prime-time ratings for days, weeks, and months, dominating every chart like wildfire.

An average rating of over twenty percent injected a fresh vitality into the entertainment industry, which had languished in a slump for so long. It turned out that as long as the work was done well, audiences would still respond. For a time, the quality of many productions in the industry improved noticeably.

As for Xiao Jingxuan, who won over countless female fans with his mere appearance, he consolidated his status as a top-tier star. Seizing the opportunity, he released his second solo album—meticulously produced and of outstanding quality. Straddling both television and music, he sparked a veritable “Xiao phenomenon” in the industry, sweeping across the nation and forcing many artists and companies to yield before his momentum.

Thus, the invincible aura of the great Xiao—unstoppable and overwhelming—began to show its first signs.

Chu Luoxi watched all this unfold without surprise. Whether in print or online media, neither “Dragon Roar Over the World” nor the “Cycles” album could be ignored, and at the center of both was Xiao Jingxuan. She couldn’t help but sigh with genuine admiration—Senior Xiao had truly accumulated his strength for a decisive breakthrough. Four years at university, plus this first year after graduation, and now his success was unstoppable.

“Chu Luoxi, you’re really not much of a friend! It turns out you were the female lead in Senior Xiao’s MV and didn’t even tell us. When I watched ‘Cycles’ for the first time, I nearly jumped out of my seat!” Zhu Xueshuang exclaimed indignantly, accusing her friend of hiding the truth.

Chu Luoxi’s look in “Cycles” was truly stunning, but her roommates, who saw her every day, recognized her instantly and came to demand an explanation.

“It was just an MV, what’s there to talk about?” Chu Luoxi blinked innocently.

Although Zhu Xueshuang and Liu Yujia had landed roles in “Crystal Love,” filming hadn’t started yet. Preparing a TV drama set takes time, and with finals approaching, Li Shuangmu’s schedule suggested shooting would begin right after the break.

“Oh, come on, that’s not the point!” Liu Yujia smacked her forehead, exasperated. “You worked with Senior Xiao again! You could’ve at least told us beforehand. We could’ve visited the set and finally seen the legendary senior up close. Keeping it all to yourself, Xiaoxi, that’s just not fair!”

What? Keeping it all to herself? Chu Luoxi nearly choked on her own saliva. Yujia, could you please not phrase things so ambiguously? She was older at heart and couldn’t help but overthink…

“So that’s what really matters to you,” Chu Luoxi said with feigned disappointment, choosing to ignore the ambiguous comments.

She still remembered when she had a cameo in “Dragon Roar Over the World.” Knowing Xiao Jingxuan was the lead, these two had been beside themselves, clamoring to visit the set. But as a mere cameo, she barely had time to get acquainted with the crew, let alone host visitors.

Only after much persuasion did they finally understand the “rules and customs” and abandon the idea of visiting the set.