Release that Man

In today’s society, knowledge is a cheap yet precious commodity. Why it is precious couldn’t be clearer; everyone knows education is the great equalizer, right? But why is it cheap? That’s because knowledge has become very easily accessible. Decades ago, people had to visit the library to learn from books, but nowadays, everything is at the tips of one’s fingers.

As long as one is interested, with a tap of the finger, one can gain that knowledge through many different channels. Much esoteric knowledge has become as common as mushrooms after spring rain.

However…

Even with such accessible, readily available channels, it didn’t mean that everyone would be willing to benefit from it. An example would be the golden ratio. A television host would know about something like this, it was equal to common knowledge inside the entertainment field. Refraction and reflection of light was something commonly taught in high school physics class… but who would actively combine and utilize these theories in everyday life‽

After all, real life was unlike written tests, where the variables were given in the questions for you to calculate. Therefore, this ability to discern and quantify all the necessary variables and calculate them like a supercomputer within minutes was the truly scary part of Ye Shuang.

In any case, after knowing Ye Shuang’s photogenicity was completely scientific, and not because he was just lucky or a natural… even after knowing his secrets, this was not something replicable by other people!

Therefore, after the screen test was over, Ye Shuang successfully received a roomful of complicated glances from the film crew. It was not unlike the hatred-filled gazes of the commoners when they glanced at top students in school…

“I hear you created a name for yourself at the shoot today.” After the filming was wrapped up, the big boss, Fang Mo, finally appeared again. He was there to fetch his sister and planned to take Ye Shuang out for a meal.

After meeting the director, he was naturally clued in about Ye Shuang’s supernatural performance. Even Fang Mo, who had already been exposed to how insanely talented Ye Shuang was, was still properly impressed when the director described the incident to him.

After his car left the carpark, Fang Mo glanced at the rear-view mirror as he carefully moved his car into the traffic. He commented lightly, “I assumed physically-impressive individuals like yourself wouldn’t have time to follow cultural and scientific classes.”

“These days, people with master’s degrees and doctorates fill the streets. If I didn’t have an elementary or high school level understanding of physics, how could I survive?” Ye Shuang replied humbly.

Fang Mo didn’t know how to reply. Even though it was true that it did involve a high school level of physics, this level of application might not even be attainable by masters and doctors.

After considering the many weird incidents that had happened after he’d met Ye Shuang, Fang Mo could only laugh while shaking his head. “By the way, you haven’t told me what kind of field you’re in. Just now the director brought up the fact that if you enter the entertainment business, you’ll definitely have a great future. He told me to ask you to consider a future in that field.”

What Fang Mo said was an understatement; the director was just short of writing a script himself for Ye Shuang to star in, all to convince him to join the field. Of course, Fang Mo didn’t promise the director anything, after all, he wasn’t close enough to Ye Shuang to promise something like that yet, and perhaps this new friend of his didn’t want to pursue a career in the limelight.

Or maybe Ye Shuang already had an extraordinary occupation; Fang Mo didn’t believe an extraordinary person like Ye Shuang would have a super-ordinary 9 to 5 job. However, Ye Shuang was stymied by the question. She scratched her head but couldn’t come up with a solid answer, so like most women did, she tossed the question back to him. “Guess.”

“…” If I could guess it, would I need to ask you‽

Ye Shuang didn’t notice the black lines that covered Fang Mo’s face. She turned to look out the window, and when she saw the bus station that was not far away, she called for the driver to stop. “Wait, please drop me off here, I’ll just take the bus home.”

Fang Mo glanced at the rear-view mirror in shock. “Why are you in a hurry to go back? Come join us for lunch, consider it a chance for you and Fei Fei to get to know each other. After lunch, I’ll drive you home.”

Even Fang Fei was attempting to say something, but she was apparently given the silence command by Fang Mo, so she quickly clamped down on her open lips. Frustrated, she could only glare at her brother to signify her dissatisfaction.

Ye Shuang chuckled bitterly. If given a choice, of course, she would prefer to join the pair of rich siblings than go back home to face her incredibly nosy uncle and grandmother, but meeting the parents was an inevitable ritual in any Chinese relationship. Of course, if she insisted on following Fang Mo and Fang Fei, it would have been easy, and her family wouldn’t have said anything to summon her back home. However, that would leave a very bad impression on the two elders, which would make her position when she was in her male form very awkward around the Luo family.

“It’s not that I don’t want to share a meal with Brother Fang, but my fiancé’s elders are visiting San Lin City today. They purposely came to see this future son-in-law of theirs, so I have no choice.” Ye Shuang laughed self-deprecatingly. She had adapted rather quickly to the fact that she was her own fiancé. Ye Shuang didn’t notice that when she mentioned the word ‘fiancé’, the expression of Fang Fei, who was sitting in the passenger seat, changed from pouting to one of shock.

While Ye Shuang didn’t notice it, it was impossible for Fang Mo not to notice it.

His heart couldn’t help but break for his sister. Fang Mo planned to ease his sister into the fact that Ye Shuang couldn’t be interested in her or perhaps wait for her interest to fade away after this commercial. Yet, who would have thought the news that Ye Shuang was on the way to meet his future in-laws would come up so suddenly…

Considering the circumstances, Fang Mo didn’t think it was appropriate to make Ye Shuang stay, so he hurriedly dropped him off. When only the pair of siblings remained in the car, it became incredibly silent. After some time, it was Fang Mo who shattered this awkward silence. “Including today, you’ve only seen him twice; are you sure you like him?”

Even though Fang Fei didn’t confide in him, it hadn’t escaped Fang Mo’s eyes. Fang Mo didn’t want to point it out lest it became awkward like how it was now, but considering the circumstances, it had to be done. He was afraid his sister might do something stupid because she couldn’t put her mind in a good state and face this issue logically.

“Who said I like him‽” Fang Fei retorted as if on reflex, she huffed haughtily. “I— I merely wanted to thank him for helping me last time!”

“… Then, that’s perfect!” Fang Mo glanced at her as he restarted the car. “I think Ye Shuang is not a bad friend, so whenever our family has interactions with him in the future, please don’t purposely make things difficult for him.”

He was perfectly clear with this message; he intended to keep this friend. If it would make Fang Fei uncomfortable, then she was free to ignore Ye Shuang, but if possible, he wished she could also treat him as a friend and only as a friend. Fang Mo had an eye for talent; he believed that befriending Ye Shuang would only be a good thing for them.

Of course, the precondition was Fang Fei not getting upset due to Ye Shuang…

Fang Fei bit on her lips and harrumphed before going completely silent.