Chapter Thirty-Seven: Ah, This Damnable Sweetness!

When it came to the little trick with the guest actor certificate, Li Shixin pondered for quite a while. But in this unfamiliar city, he simply couldn’t imagine who might have secretly lent him a hand. Since he couldn’t figure it out, he decided to stop dwelling on it altogether.

Thanks to the batch of props Li Shixin had prepared, Zhang Ying had landed a big order and was in high spirits. Given the studio’s narrow scope—accepting only custom prop orders—there were hardly ever any customers dropping by. So she gave herself and Li Xiaomeng a day off.

After a busy morning, lunchtime approached and they decided to eat out. But having tasted Li Shixin’s cooking once, Li Xiaomeng wouldn’t hear of it; she insisted they go to the market for groceries so Li Shixin could cook again.

And so it was that Li Shixin cooked four dishes and a soup at home, and the little family, along with the ever-hungry Li Xiaomeng, sat down together. They had a lively celebration—not just for the studio’s big new order, but also for Li Shixin finally landing the first real role of his acting career.

In the afternoon, after helping Zhang Ying tidy up the house, Li Shixin excused himself for a nap and secluded himself in his bedroom.

Inside the system, the accumulated cheer value now exceeded forty-six thousand. Checking the record of cheer points earned, he saw that aside from the emotions contributed by the group of extra actors—envy, jealousy, and so on—the majority were just blank cheer points.

Those must have come from the users who followed him on Weibo afterward.

Looking at the batches of records, each with only two or three cheer points, Li Shixin rubbed his temples.

Sigh.

These emotionless “like” machines.

It seems his fanbase still wasn’t there yet; the feelings behind their cheers simply weren’t strong enough!

But as a former idol trainee, Li Shixin knew well that developing a dedicated fanbase was not a matter of a day or two. To turn his current followers into diehard fans, he was still lacking in both exposure and work.

What did he need, then?

Naturally, he needed to live long enough!

He opened the system without hesitation and invested thirty thousand cheer points in the longevity option. Seeing his remaining life rise to fifty-six days—including the previous twenty-six—Li Shixin exhaled deeply. The sense of urgency faded, if only a little.

He had twelve thousand cheer points left. After a moment’s hesitation, Li Shixin opened the system’s lottery page.

Though the system had upgraded to level three, the lottery page itself hadn’t changed much. The roulette wheel for the draw had grown larger, with a few additional slots.

Correspondingly, the cost of each draw had increased—from one thousand per spin to two thousand.

Li Shixin considered it, then decided to try his luck.

He fed in two thousand points; the wheel spun madly, then clicked to a stop.

Ding!

Prize: Dentures x1. Description: Once this hard object enters your soft mouth, you’ll never again be powerless to indulge your cravings!

Li Shixin’s expression darkened.

This system... is it poking fun at me for my age?

Again!

Ding!

Prize: Small Folding Stool x1. Description: On crowded buses and subways, always remember your backside—it deserves the most fitting comfort!

Well, thanks for your concern about my backside, he thought dryly. But I don’t need it—I have priority seating for seniors.

Again!

Prize: Thermos x1. Description: In your golden years, this is essential. Please use with goji berries.

Damn it all!

Disgusted, Li Shixin closed the system after seeing the three “prizes” he’d drawn.

He swore to himself: until his remaining lifespan reached at least a hundred days, he wouldn’t spend another point so recklessly.

He risked his life for these draws, and this was the junk he got in return?

Must be a system designed by Tencent.

Scowling, Li Shixin collapsed onto the bed.

Sleep. In dreams, anything is possible.

...

His sleep was deep and restful, and he woke refreshed from his nap. After watching a bit of the national “Treasure Appraisal” program on TV, it was already six in the evening.

After dinner, Li Shixin prepared a pot of goji berry tea in the thermos he’d won from the system lottery, then stepped out with his hands behind his back.

Life is movement; as an elderly man, he still had to make his rounds at the public square.

Carrying his thermos, he strolled downstairs. Along the way, he nodded and gave encouragement to the group of extras who, having just eaten, were gathered in the hallway discussing topics like “Method Acting for Extras,” how to play a dying invader in under a second and still make an impression, and how to infuse a background character with a soul. After cheering them on, he left the community gate.

With few cheer points left in the system, Li Shixin decided against wasting precious points on the peak chewing gum to boost his exercise. Besides, his body was still sore even after two days, so tonight he planned only a gentle walk.

He had hardly stepped out of the gate when he spotted a familiar figure.

“Well, fancy seeing you here, Miss!”

Catching sight of the sky-blue Nike tracksuit, Li Shixin was momentarily taken aback, then broke into a smile and waved.

Hearing his voice, Zhao Jinzhi turned and smiled, “Good evening, Brother Li Shixin!”

Li Shixin paused—he realized he hadn’t told this old lady his name the last time they met.

Seeing his confusion, Zhao Jinzhi giggled. “I saw your video online.”

“Oh!” Li Shixin shook his head with a wry smile. “So I’ve made a spectacle of myself.”

Zhao Jinzhi slowed her pace to walk alongside him, tucking her hair behind her ear as she smiled, “Not at all. In fact, I admire your courage. At your age, coming to Rongcheng to chase your dreams—it’s something to be respected. If I were in your situation, I’m not sure I’d have the heart for it.”

Li Shixin shook his head, sighing. “To be honest, Miss, if my children had been filial, I wouldn’t have had to come all the way to Rongcheng to compete with people decades younger than me. Life cornered me, that’s all.”

Cornered by life?

Zhao Jinzhi pondered his words.

After a dozen silent steps, she looked up at his weathered yet profound face. “Brother, forgive my boldness, but can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“Your son... After you came to Rongcheng, did he really never come looking for you?”

“Hah!” Just recalling those two loathsome faces from his memory, Li Shixin let out a cold laugh.

He looked deeply at the woman before him and said icily, “Miss, if your children are filial, you cherish them as your own flesh and blood. But if they’re not... remember, it’s as if decades ago you had a terrible illness, had surgery, and cut out a lump of filth from your belly.”

The more he thought of his son and daughter-in-law, the angrier he became.

He went on bitterly, “If they grow crooked, if their hearts turn cold, and they become ungrateful wolves, and you still see them as your own flesh and blood, in the end, you’ll only watch as they tear you apart, rip out your heart and lungs, and devour your very flesh! That’s the fate of the accursed!”

Seeing him grit his teeth in anger, Zhao Jinzhi lowered her head.

Is it really so?

“Thank you for your wise words, Brother. I’ll remember them,” she said after a long pause, her eyes now resolute.

“Sigh!” Li Shixin, still unaware of her expression, took a while to calm down. He waved his hand, “No need for such gloomy talk at night. By the way, Miss, I still don’t know your name.”

“Me?” Zhao Jinzhi’s eyes flickered and she gave a soft laugh. “My full name is Zhao Min. But you, Brother, can just call me Xiao Zhao.”