Xu Qiao replied. Dianxing Games was located in the high-tech park of the neighboring city. It took less than an hour by high-speed rail to reach the capital.
The next afternoon, Gao Ming came over and arranged to meet Xu Qiao at a coffee shop.
When Xu Qiao entered the coffee shop during working hours on a weekday, it wasn’t crowded. A few people sat in pairs, some reading newspapers, others typing away on keyboards.
After dialing Gao Ming’s phone number and scanning the surroundings, Xu Qiao saw a man in the corner by the window taking out his phone. Xu Qiao hung up and walked over to him.
“Hello, Mr. Gao.”
Gao Ming looked up and was momentarily stunned upon seeing Xu Qiao wearing a mask and a hat.
Only his eyes were visible, yet it gave the subconscious impression that there must be an outstanding face beneath the mask. He seemed relatively young, with a slender figure and a unique temperament that stood out in the crowd.
Most importantly, Gao Ming felt that the young man in front of him seemed somewhat familiar.
But Xu Qiao’s submitted sketches lacked a full name, only bearing the single character “Xu.” So, Gao Ming pondered for a moment but couldn’t recall where he might have seen this young man before.
Gao Ming stood up, signaling for Xu Qiao to take a seat. After Xu Qiao sat across from him, Gao Ming waved over a waiter and asked, “Mr. Xu, what would you like to drink?”
“Just black coffee.”
While Gao Ming placed the order, Xu Qiao glanced at him.
Around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, wearing glasses with a frame, he appeared refined and handsome.
Soon, the coffee arrived, and Gao Ming carefully began, “Mr. Xu, I am the executive director and manager of Dianxing Games. I’ve seen the sketches you submitted to our mailbox, and I appreciate them.”
Thinking back to that day, Gao Ming still felt a bit uneasy.
Dianxing Games offered a decent reward, attracting a large number of artists to submit their work.
Beautiful sketches flowed into the company’s mailbox like paper notes, each line and color exquisite. Xu Qiao’s colored ballpoint pen sketches, mixed among the meticulously crafted digital submissions, initially appeared like casual doodles.
The new recruit in the art department, responsible for the initial review, took a glance and muttered, “What kind of weird drawing is this?” intending to move Xu Qiao’s submission to the trash.
Gao Ming happened to pass by, overheard the muttering, casually took a look, and thus spared Xu Qiao’s sketches from the fate of being thrown into the trash.
The splendid imagination and the rational beauty of the setting easily captivated Gao Ming, immediately connecting him to Xu Qiao.
Luckily, so luckily, they almost missed each other.
Gao Ming took out the printed sketches from his briefcase. “Mr. Xu—”
His voice abruptly halted.
Across from him, Xu Qiao had already removed his mask, took a sip of coffee, and looked up upon hearing Gao Ming’s voice.
Gao Ming’s breath caught. The young man before him could only be described as handsome.
Sunlight filtered through the transparent floor-to-ceiling glass, wrapping him inside and creating a clear contrast on his face. The mild smile on his face appeared harmless, with the curves at the corners of his eyes giving off a somewhat frivolous vibe. Yet, his gaze was sufficiently cold and aloof.
Handsome, yet not appearing feminine.
Most importantly, wasn’t this damn Xu Qiao??
Gao Ming’s eyelid twitched.
He was a casual critic of Xu Qiao since his debut, never really appreciating this good-looking but seemingly superficial celebrity.
Yesterday, he was online, ranting about what nonsense Xu Qiao was acting.
It was absurd – how could Xu Qiao be that remarkably talented artist named Xu?
Before coming, he had imagined what kind of person might be behind the name “Xu” on the sketches.
Perhaps a young, returned-from-studying-abroad painter, maybe a carefree and unrestrained lecturer from an art school, or even a casually dressed and slightly messy middle-aged man.
In any case, it definitely wasn’t someone like Xu Qiao.
Too absurd.
The praises he had prepared got stuck in his throat, unable to be spoken. After hesitating for a moment, Gao Ming instead asked, “Mr. Xu Qiao, may I inquire about the author of these sketches—”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Xu Qiao glanced at the side of the café where there was a graffiti wall, with easels and paints piled up in the corner, open to customers.
Seeing his inquisitive look, Gao Ming cleared his throat and said, “Mr. Xu, could you demonstrate?”
Putting his mask back on, Xu Qiao walked over, picked up a brush from the murky bucket, and pressed it onto a sponge to remove excess water.
The free drawing tools provided to customers weren’t of high quality – the brush hairs were frayed, the paint was dried, and the paper was the cheapest kind.
Xu Qiao looked at Gao Ming. “What should I paint?”
“Mr. Xu, anything you like.”
Xu Qiao nodded, took the palette, dipped the brush in paint, and soon started freely splashing on the paper. Before long, a picture of a dense forest and clear spring took shape.
Gao Ming observed his strokes, which were free-flowing and relaxed, appearing comfortably smooth. With just a few strokes, one could discern the skill of the artist. The style indeed resembled the sketches he had submitted to the company’s email. This had reduced his doubts by a few points.
Continuing to watch, Gao Ming showed some surprise. “Mr. Xu, do you also dabble in calligraphy?”
Having studied calligraphy since childhood, Gao Ming was quite skilled. Observing Xu Qiao’s painting, he noticed a subtle incorporation of calligraphic charm.
The upward-stretching branches were vigorous and forceful, flowing like clouds and water, reminiscent of wild cursive. The tree trunk featured the bold strokes of seal script, while the playful little fish in the spring were delicately portrayed, as if in meticulous small characters.
Without answering, Xu Qiao rinsed the brush in the water bucket, placed it on the side to air dry, then turned to Gao Ming, asking, “Is it okay?”
Gao Ming smiled awkwardly, rubbed his nose, and turned to go back to his seat. Only then did he realize that at some point, several people had been drawn to the scene, watching Xu Qiao paint. Three or four girls were even taking photos with their phones.
Gao Ming couldn’t help but be relieved that Xu Qiao had both his hat and mask on, preventing any chance of being recognized.
As Xu Qiao finished painting, the people around began to discuss in hushed tones.
“The painting looks really nice!”
“This big brother is also very handsome,” came a childlike voice.
“How could you tell when he’s wearing a mask?”
The cafe’s server approached and asked, “Sir, would you like to take this painting with you?”
Xu Qiao shook his head.
The server carefully took the painting, seemingly preparing to frame it.
Back at his seat, sensing the lingering gazes around, Xu Qiao chose not to remove his mask.
“Mr. Xu, I truly admire your painting skills.” Gao Ming took out the printed sketches again. “Could you explain these conceptual drawings?”
Xu Qiao, holding the cup saucer, casually explained to Gao Ming.
Gao Ming, planning a post-apocalyptic game, had researched various doomsday scenarios. Most games in this genre were often the same old story, but Xu Qiao’s portrayal of the world was refreshingly unique.
Being a tech enthusiast himself, Gao Ming was drawn into the conversation, only starting to raise his own questions when Xu Qiao paused.
Gao Ming pointed to the alien creatures hidden in the bluish-gray glow on the painting. “Mr. Xu, I noticed your annotation mentioning these are anaerobic intelligent beings. How do these intelligent beings solve the high energy consumption issue of their brains?
“And these primitive life forms, as is widely known, their atomic structure isn’t conducive to forming long molecular chains, making them prone to breakage. It’s impossible for them to form living cells.”
Xu Qiao: “……” Hard to believe you’re still so curious.
Was it really necessary to delve this deep into game development? Was it still a game or more like research?
Glancing at him, meeting those eager-to-know eyes, Xu Qiao rubbed his temples.
Borrowing paper and pen from the server, Xu Qiao drew an anatomical chart of the creatures and explained the bonding relationships of elements in the realms of biology and chemistry to Gao Ming.
In the book “Journey Home to the End of Days,” under the perfected world view shaped by will of the world, each creature had its rationale and evolutionary basis.
No one could say for sure whether these beings truly existed in the universe, but the logic within was self-consistent.
Gao Ming was full of amazement. “So, it can be done this way!”
Xu Qiao set down the pen, and stirred his coffee wearily.
“Discussing with Mr. Xu has been incredibly enlightening. I have to admit that my previous imagination was too narrow. In game development, imagination and creativity are exceptionally crucial.”
Gao Ming had completely set aside his preconceptions about Xu Qiao at this point. “I remember my mentor once told me: All life forms humans can imagine are based on existing knowledge. But the universe is beyond imagination. Exploring extraterrestrial life based on Earth’s life as a foundation doesn’t hold much significance.”
Watching Gao Ming’s excited expression, Xu Qiao hesitated to interrupt but considering the late hour, he couldn’t let Gao Ming continue indefinitely. Xu Qiao, with a hint of a smile, said, “I don’t suppose Mr. Gao came here today for a scientific discussion with me, did you?”
Gao Ming cleared his throat. Now he not only confirmed that the imaginative sketches were drawn by Xu Qiao but also had a better understanding of the breadth of his knowledge.
Juggling imagination with skilled craftsmanship in artwork and having a deep understanding of various disciplines was no easy feat. Xu Qiao possessed both qualities, a rarity.
Gao Ming picked up his freshly brewed coffee, his emotions surging.
Breaking away from his family to establish Dianxing Games, he aimed to build his own legacy. The company’s entire focus was on this post-apocalyptic game, pouring everything into it.
Starting from scratch, facing numerous challenges. Xu Qiao’s arrival seemed to lift the fog and vaguely provided him with a path.
Originally, the company just needed an illustrator who could depict the world described in the game’s concept, providing artistic guidance for the subsequent game production.
But Xu Qiao’s artworks came with a complete worldview and setting, practically integrating both planning and artistic aspects.
Even in terms of game mechanics and procedural design, Xu Qiao could offer unique suggestions, and it seemed he had some insights into the development process as well.
Before meeting Xu Qiao today, Gao Ming had come with the purpose of communicating with an illustrator. However, after the exchange with Xu Qiao, his perspective shifted.
In the gaming industry, talent was the most scarce resource.
Setting down his cup, Gao Ming said, “To be frank, Dianxing Games is in its startup phase, and we have significant personnel gaps. Mr. Xu, aside from inviting you to collaborate on the illustrations, I also want to invite you as a worldview consultant and technical support advisor.”
Xu Qiao quirked a corner of his mouth. Was he being considered as one person doing the work of ten?
Gao Ming seemed a bit embarrassed. “Of course, Mr. Xu, your primary responsibility will still be designing conceptual drawings.”
Taking in the rich aroma of coffee, Xu Qiao spoke slowly, “Mr. Gao, I’m sure you know about my current work. I’ll be joining a film crew after the new year to film a series. I have no problem with the design drawings, but I can only give my opinions and suggestions within the limits of my time and ability.”
Gao Ming nodded. “That’s sufficient. I greatly appreciate Mr. Xu’s talent, not just as an outstanding artist but also for your thought process, aesthetic accumulation, and the broad range of professional knowledge, all of which the gaming industry urgently needs.”
“In scene concept design, character design, costume design, weapon and prop design, UI design, as well as promotional illustrations, we will prioritize Mr. Xu’s ideas.
“Additionally… as one of the chief planners, Mr. Xu, your identity is somewhat sensitive. Since we need to interact with users on Weibo, could you consider registering a separate account for communication purposes?”
“That’s not a problem.” Xu Qiao promptly agreed. Creating an alias account was a minor task compared to the job at hand.
With these matters settled, they reached the final step — the discussion on compensation.
If this step failed, all the prior discussions would be in vain.
Gao Ming asked, “Mr. Xu, do you have any expectations regarding compensation?”
Xu Qiao chuckled lazily, facing Gao Ming’s question with ease. “Mr. Gao, how much do you think I’m worth?”
Gao Ming fell into contemplation.
Having not met Xu Qiao earlier today might have been fine, but after the meeting, it was impossible to give up on someone of his caliber.
After a long pause, he slowly said, “One million.”
Xu Qiao’s lips curled into a smile. Not only was Gao Ming asking him to take charge of the main artistic design but also to handle additional tasks, including planning and potentially technical aspects.
The offered price clearly lacked sincerity.
Gao Ming swirled the coffee cup in his hand, making a decisive statement in a hushed tone, “Plus shares in Dianxing. The exact percentage needs further discussion later, but I personally guarantee it won’t be less than 10%.”
Xu Qiao looked into his eyes.
“Mr. Xu, currently, the company can’t afford a higher salary. The shares offered to you are considered as a technical stake. How do you feel about that?”
Gao Ming showed his sincerity, not willing to miss an opportunity to negotiate additional terms.
Xu Qiao extended his hand toward Gao Ming. “A pleasant collaboration.”
Gao Ming shook it with a profound smile on his face.
He aimed to retain Xu Qiao with shares, and whether Xu Qiao was worth it would be proven in the future.
After seeing off Gao Ming, Xu Qiao checked the time and met with the lawyer as scheduled.
After confirming that Mo Chenghong’s contract was satisfactory, Xu Qiao decided to sign with him. He truly needed a professional agent to handle many things on his behalf.
The day after signing the contract, Li Feifei arrived at the apartment in the high-end business car provided by Mo Chenghong, taking Xu Qiao to his new residence.
In the car, Li Feifei was beyond excited. Xu Qiao noticed his legs trembling with enthusiasm.
“Big Brother, SSE’s business car is far inferior to this one!!”
Xu Qiao: “Alright, I got it.”
The signing hasn’t been officially announced yet, and with year-end studio matters piling up, Mo Chenghong suggested waiting until after the broadcast of Chatting About. They would discuss and plan the work specifics later. Xu Qiao saw this as an opportunity to take a break.
Xu Qiao had no objections.
The new residence was in an upscale neighborhood with a prime location and comprehensive security systems. The house was a two-story structure, spacious and well-lit, facing south. The decoration was ready, making it a move-in-ready home. Any additional furnishings could be added later.
Li Feifei parked the car, and they went upstairs. Opening the door, he looked at the house and exclaimed, “Rich, really rich. Big Brother, we’ve made it.”
Compared to Xu Qiao’s previous apartment, this large duplex had nothing to criticize.
In the following days, Xu Qiao packed up his belongings from the apartment and moved them over. After surviving in the post-apocalyptic world for several years, his requirements for living space weren’t high. However, Xu Qiao still added some green plants and flowers to bring more vitality to the home.
Meanwhile, as Chatting About continued to air, its reputation was gradually gaining traction.
Chatting About had its own discussion forum, unlike several other web series during the same period that received a lukewarm response. The forum for Chatting About was lively and bustling.
More and more content creators voluntarily edited videos with accompanying music, fan fiction enthusiasts passionately shipped characters, and talented artists’ fan arts circulated widely. As for the content, Xu Qiao curiously took a glance, only to fall silent upon discovering it was explicit content.
Don’t be like this. Si Cheng is still a child.
Clicking into the discussion forum, initial discussions about Xu Qiao mostly focused on his looks, but in recent episodes, more voices started to delve into his acting skills.
「I shouldn’t have doubted Director Hu. His performance is really good. Xu Qiao’s acting is truly amazing!」
「Entered the fandom for the visual, but Xu Qiao’s acting in the recent episodes truly moved me. His humble and sincere emotions are really touching!」
As the series continued to air, the storyline featuring Guan Han’s cameo for those three days also played out.
Amid positive reviews for several main actors, critiques for Guan Han piled up one after another.
「After scrutinizing Guan Han’s scenes, it’s evident that she was quite perfunctory and didn’t put in much effort into her performance. The later stages were challenging, and attempts to mask the lackluster acting through editing techniques were apparent.」
「Even for a small web series, if you take on the job, act well, can’t you? Meng Xuan’s character has almost no expressions, like a stone-faced person, and she still ended up like this.」
「A bit disappointed. Genuinely followed her career, thought she was dedicated, humble, and eager to learn. Watching the promotional video, that scene in the water dungeon was truly stunning to me. Didn’t expect that the standout moment was actually someone else’s stunt.」
Some people also defended Guan Han.
「To be fair, isn’t the director partly responsible if the actor’s performance isn’t good?」
「Let me say something as an industry insider. Sometimes the blame shouldn’t solely be on the director. From what I know, Guan Han signed on for a three-day role. Three days. If she cooperated, it could have been filmed, but she clearly didn’t have that attitude. The director had to give up for the sake of progress.」
「Exactly, filming isn’t a one-person job. The cameraman has to carry dozens of pounds of equipment, and everyone involved in lighting, props, costumes, and makeup has to stay focused. If Guan Han has to redo a scene, how many people have to repeat their work? The director can’t do anything about it.」
Guan Han, who had been smooth-sailing all along, had never been criticized so one-sidedly. She felt both angry and upset at the moment.
Who would have thought that guest-starring in a small web series would attract so much criticism?
She took a couple of breaths, dialed a number, and said, “Big Brother Chaosheng, help me teach someone a lesson, okay?”
Through gritted teeth and a voice tinged with grievance, she continued, “His name is Xu Qiao. You can look it up for more information.”
***
Thank you, Maite! And thank you, once again, BL_manic36 <3
Ohhhh…. What will she do?
Thanks for the chapter!
People gotta seek death. No zuo no die.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING AWESOME!!!
He didnt even do anything to her but she still wants to take revenge on him smh
Nossa que mulher sem vergonha
Thank you for the chapter 😍 ❤️ ❤️
Thank you for the chapter.
Thank you for the update ❤️💯
Thank you for offering your own neck to the knife…lol
Thank you for the update ☺️
It’s funny how she chose her fight. We reader know that is ALL her fault and director that chose let the scenes pass but she is seeking revenge in Xu Qiao cus she knows that directora walk together if she cause problem to the show is only get worse for her but (in theory, nobody know that Xu Qiao is OP) a fellow actor that just end his contract and is with no subsidy don’t have a way to respond the hate/blame. Cuz is good remenber that the end of the contract was posted on-line and everybody knows.
This untalented little snake just won’t leave my baby Xu Qiao alone.
Thank you for the chapter!