Chapter 82: More Than Enough

Two days later, Chu Luoxi actually received a rather hefty package. When she opened it and saw what was inside, the shock was so overwhelming that she couldn't even distinguish between joy and surprise—she simply stood there, dumbfounded for quite a while.

“What’s the meaning of this?” In a hurry, she scrambled onto her computer and quickly typed out the question, sending repeated window nudges to a certain famed writer.

Fortunately, Bai Yun hadn’t gone full-time yet and was still at work in the middle of the day.

“Geez, Miss Chu, have mercy! My supervisor is right here—are you trying to get me fired?” Bai Yun replied in a flustered rush, barely having time to say anything else before vanishing again.

Chu Luoxi pursed her lips, inwardly thinking that Bai Yun would soon resign and become a professional author. Why worry about a supervisor at this point? Still, she didn’t continue pestering him, but calmed herself and glanced at the package box, falling into a bit of a daze.

Why on earth had Bai Yun sent her a laptop? It wasn’t the latest, outrageously expensive model, but it was certainly high-end and practical, a top-tier choice among mainstream options.

Who wouldn’t be astonished? Did he have more money than he knew what to do with, to send her a laptop worth several thousand just like that? And he hadn’t even given her a heads-up—he must have remarkable trust in the courier service.

Chu Luoxi clearly remembered that before Bai Yun’s rise to fame, he’d been just an ordinary wage earner with a decent salary. How had he suddenly become so extravagant?

She waited until after working hours. Bai Yun, after receiving a tongue-lashing from her, could only explain with a wry laugh, “Miss, this is from the first month’s royalties of my second book, all right? If it weren’t for you back then, I might have abandoned my first novel and wouldn’t have the success I do now. I’ve always wanted to thank you, but since we live so far apart, it’s not easy to meet up. So I bought this gift for you… Well, if you don’t like it, you don’t have to react so strongly!”

Of course, that last sentence was just for show. Chu Luoxi had only scolded him for his reckless spending, but it was out of concern for him. Honestly, these days, even giving someone a gift seemed this difficult.

For once, Chu Luoxi was left speechless, and truly moved. Bai Yun’s sincerity toward friends was undeniable. Thinking back, when she first befriended him, her intentions weren’t entirely pure—wasn’t she just hoping to latch onto a rising star?

“It’s not that I don’t like it, I just think you’re being too extravagant.” Chu Luoxi never imagined Bai Yun would express his gratitude in such a way—the first month’s royalties from his second book? That was truly meaningful! After all, the success of Bai Yun’s second novel was already apparent, so he must have earned a sizable sum.

This gift was too valuable—it practically burned her hands.

“It’s not a waste. Sure, it’s my hard-earned money, but it’s also extra income. The thing’s already bought and shipped to you, so let’s not argue,” Bai Yun said, a bit exasperated. Why was it that his female friends always lit up at the sight of gifts, never sparing a thought for wastefulness, but not Chu Luoxi? If she were like them, he’d be spared this whole discussion.

Chu Luoxi had to admit he was right. She couldn’t very well mail it back to him. “In that case, I’ll accept your token of thanks. But why a laptop? Luckily, I was slow to act and hadn’t bought one myself—otherwise, I’d have two piling up for no reason.”

“Didn’t you say you’d be without a computer once you joined the film crew? You got lucky this time, shooting in one place with proper accommodations. If you had to shoot on location, you’d really disappear on us. Now, with a laptop and a data card, you’ll be connected anywhere in the world…” Bai Yun chuckled, clearly pleased with his own cleverness.

Truth be told, ever since he’d started writing daily, he’d found that a few words exchanged with Chu Luoxi were essential for inspiration. He certainly didn’t want her vanishing into the film crew, unreachable for who knows how long. At the very least, he’d know where she was, which put his mind at ease.

“You don’t even work for that company, and yet you’re advertising for them!” Chu Luoxi felt herself blushing in embarrassment. Fame really did make people hard to deal with; get too close and even the last illusions would shatter. “And why are you still so wary of your supervisor? With your current achievements, as long as you maintain your style, you don’t need to worry about your next novel—or the one after that. You might as well go full-time and stop being exploited all day.”

She remembered that, in her past life, Bai Yun had gone full-time when he started his third novel. Surely, he must have had some plan in mind; it couldn’t have been just coincidence.

Though Bai Yun seemed scatterbrained and carefree, he was actually a very methodical person—always thinking several steps ahead. You could tell from his tightly plotted, well-structured stories.

“Come on, I’ve only just received my first royalty payment. No matter how tempted I am, now’s not the time. We’ll see how things go,” Bai Yun replied, clearly fed up with his boss’s airs, but also aware that reality didn’t bend easily—even if he was annoyed, he’d have to endure it for now.

Chu Luoxi stifled a laugh, once more resolving that in this life, she’d live exactly as she wished and never allow herself to be wronged again.

This led the conversation off into broader topics—life goals, reflections, ambitions—and before they knew it, they’d chatted on and on.

At first, Chu Luoxi was secretly glad she’d been too lazy to buy a laptop herself, but her happiness didn’t last long. That evening, when her father came home, she was struck dumb.

He’d actually bought her a laptop too! Barely through the door, he called out, “Xixi, look what I bought for you! You never want to spend money, even when you have it. You should have had one long ago. You’re going to be traveling more, so you’ll need it.”

Chu Luoxi was both amused and touched by his doting tone, but as soon as she stepped out of her room and saw the laptop, she was floored. Was this truly a mainstream high-end model? The laptop her father bought was the exact same brand and model as the one Bai Yun had sent her—even the color matched perfectly…

Gazing at the two identical laptops on her bed, Chu Luoxi could only sigh to the heavens—sometimes, having too much of a good thing was also a burden. Sure, it made sense that her father knew she liked red, but how did Bai Yun know? She didn’t remember ever telling him. Did he just assume red was a woman’s color?

Chu Luoxi thought to herself that this was indeed a blissful day, though perhaps a bit too much so.

She’d spent the better part of a month at home, and soon Imperial Films would begin the new semester. As soon as she returned, she’d be a junior in college. After this year, she wouldn’t need to spend her senior year on campus at all. Soon, she’d be stepping into the harsh realities of the world.