NGSB Prologue

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Prologue

Thick European-styled curtains were drawn so tightly that only a sliver of light shone through a crack. The dim, chilly room seemed to have lacked for fresh air and light for days now. Only a single slim yet sturdy figure sat on a long, pale green couch. The tiny glass coffee table in front of him was covered a messy mix of ashtrays. Dirty didn’t even come close to describing the room, which stank of both mildew and alcohol.

Qi Wenyuan[1] tossed aside the crumpled-up newspaper in his hands before his long legs kicked the table. There was a crash–his crystal ashtrays shattered onto the floor, staining the ground with cigarette ashes. He pulled up his pants, tightened his belt, and picked up his car keys to head out, but paused at the mirror in the hallway before opening the door. The pale-faced reflection didn’t look like him at all.

As soon as he left his villa grounds, he saw a sea of heads awaiting him. There had to be at least 70 to 80 people there. Qi Wenyuan glanced over them coldly before starting up his car. A funny thought crept into his head: seems like the entire country’s sent their newspapers and magazine staff here.

He sped along the highway despite the crowded rush hour traffic, going 120KM/H to arrive at the Tianyu Entertainment Building. It was a 35-story office with bright, clear windows that reflected the sunlight in chilly tones. Qi Wenyuan ignored the fines to park right in front of the entrance and opened the door to dive into a waiting crowd.

“Mr. Qi Wenyuan, may I ask when you and Mr. Pan Lun[2] broke up?”

“Mr. Qi Wenyuan, what were you doing in the two days you went missing? Have you come to a secret agreement with Mr. Pan Lun?”

“Mr. Qi Wenyuan…”

Sponge-covered microphones stuck themselves in Qi Wenyuan’s face as he walked. As the reporters pushed and shoved, a man wearing glasses tripped and smacked Qi Wenyuan in the face with his microphone. Soon enough, blood began to seep out the corner of Qi Wenyuan’s lips above his stubble.

“Mr. Qi…” that reporter had a mind to ask him a question, but froze at the sight of Qi Wenyuan’s icy stare. Those pupils were like stagnant water, completely devoid of emotion. He suddenly felt a chill and swallowed his words. As if flicking a switch or breaking a window, all of the other reporters fell silent, too. Everyone held their breaths as they watched the wan-faced Qi Wenyuan without a word.

Qi Wenyuan withdrew his gaze and peered at the building before him. Unfortunately, the windows were reflecting too much light for him to see anything clearly. The next second he focused his gaze in front. The crowd parted like the sea to let him pass, and he entered through Tianyu’s front doors. He took the elevator unimpeded all the way to the 33rd floor–a rare occurrence.

As he stepped expressionlessly out of the lift, his expensive leather shoes squeaked loudly against the marble floor. The usually boisterous 33rd floor was abnormally quiet today with no sign of anyone in the halls. Still, Qi Wenyuan didn’t have time to consider such details.

He went to the highest office in the building before halting his steps. After some hesitation, he raised his hand to knock on the beautifully painted mahogany door.

“Come in,” a familiar voice called from inside. Because it was so quiet, the sound managed to bypass the excellent sound insulation in the walls.

Qi Wenyuan pressed down on the same door handle he’d touched in the past few years and let himself in.

Pan Lun seemed to be expecting him, because he was sitting in his black leather chair with his hands behind his head. He watched as the man strode in. Qi Wenyuan’s gaze was calm as he observed Pan Lun’s casual manner. The years had left their mark on the man; his skin wasn’t as glossy or smooth as it used to be, and there were faint wrinkles around his eyes.

He smiled coldly. The handsome face was one he was familiar with for a decade, but he’d never seen such coldness in those eyes before. It was foreign.

“Wenyuan,” Pan Lun broke the silence first. Qi Wenyuan looked at him in frosty silence. At 33 floors up, they were completely cut off from the hubbub below. Even if the reporters raised a row downstairs, they wouldn’t affect the pair up here.

Pan Lun sighed helplessly. “Wenyuan, it’s my fault. But I’m really getting married.”

When the silence stretched long enough for Pan Lun to grow restless, Qi Wenyuan suddenly lifted his head to stare at him. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Pan Lun got up from his seat and walked towards Qi Wenyuan, sighing with each step. “I can’t do anything about marriage agreements between two families. We can still be together in the future, ah. I didn’t mention it because I was afraid I’d hurt you, or that you’d misunder…” His hand was abruptly knocked aside before he could rest it on Qi Wenyuan’s shoulders. The force of the blow turned the back of his hand red.

“Wenyuan?” Pan Lun suddenly realized that Qi Wenyuan was behaving abnormally. He looked at the cold eyes of his lover and gulped before backing away. There was no expression on Qi Wenyuan’s face when he lifted his head.

“Pan Lun, do you still remember what you said to me 11 years ago on the roof before I accepted you?”

Pan Lun looked at Qi Wenyuan’s strange state and paused to think. But he had never taken such matters to heart, much less something that happened 11 years ago. All he could do was nod his head.

Qi Wenyuan’s lips curved up into a frightening smile. He gave Pan Lun a tender look as his voice softened. “Why don’t we go reminiscence on the roof, A’Lun?”

Pan Lun only shook his head at the odd request. “Let’s stay ins–ah…” A wretched cry came from his lips as fresh blood poured from a knife wound. Pan Lun stared in alarm while clutching his stomach and its traces of blood. He watched on in fear as Qi Wenyuan placed the dripping knife next to his face.

“A’Lun, how about it?”

Pan Lun was too terrified to move. He never knew that Qi Wenyuan was such a lunatic!

“A’Lun, how about it?” Qi Wenyuan repeated. Combined with his soft and tender smile, it turned Pan Lun’s legs into jelly. Before he knew it, they were on the roof.

The cool wind blowing at these heights on a summer day should have been refreshing, but Pan Lun only felt a chill in his bones. It was an ice-cold fear that ever the hot sunshine couldn’t dispel, making him shiver. The roof atop the 35-story Tianyu Entertainment Building was quite spacious. But it was also empty and covered in dust because hardly anyone stopped by. Qi Wenyuan happily circled around the roof a few times before his cheerful mood calmed Pan Lun down. But before he could speak, a white light flashed past his eyes. He cried out in alarm as the knife slashed through his shirt, then swiped a bloody cut across his arm.

“Ah, are you alright, A’Lun? Why were you so careless?” Qi Wenyuan looked at him in surprise. Perhaps it was the wrong time to praise his acting skills, but his innocent expression even looked a little…cute, despite his age, ashen complexion, and obvious signs of stubble. Pan Lun grit his teeth in pain, unable to speak. Qi Wenyuan played with the knife in his hands before he drew near.

“You really can’t remember it, A’Lun?”

Pan Lun backed away, his tall form shrinking from the other man. Qi Wenyuan smiled and said, “Then I’ll help you.”

He jumped back a step and spread open his arms to hug the skies above him. Laughing loudly, he exclaimed, “Pan Lun, I told you back then that I grew up watching my parents fight. Even before they died, all they did was argue and argue. So…” Qi Wenyuan’s grin widened before he dropped his gaze to look warmly at Pan Lun, who kept edging away. “So in the end, I grew sick of arguing. Why fight at all? Who knows if this time’s argument will end in death instead.”

Pan Lun’s left hand was pressed over the wound on his chest while his right was gripping the cut on his left arm. A premonition crept into his thoughts. If I stay any longer with this lunatic, something bad might happen!

“Wen…Wenyuan, it’s all my fault. I…I should’ve told you sooner.”

“Told me what?” Qi Wenyuan grinned.

Pan Lun’s throat felt dry. “I…my intentions to marry the Chen Group’s young Miss…Chen Ru.[3] I really wanted to tell you. I….ah…” The cold edge of a knife pressed against his throat before he felt a flash of pain. It must have sliced through his skin.

“A’Lun, don’t talk about such unhappy things. If you do, we’ll end up arguing.”

“F-fine, I…I won’t mention it, I won’t! Wenyuan, don’t be rash. Let’s go down right now and I’ll cancel the wedding ceremony!” Pan Lun was silently cursing in his heart. He was going to get this crazy guy locked up by the cops as soon as he was free!

Qi Wenyuan only grinned and bent his head. “A’Lun, do you know? You have a very cute habit.” He paused before continuing, “Whenever you lie, your left ear turns red.”

The icy blade trailed up from Pan Lun’s neck to his ear, where Qi Wenyuan blew a puff of hot air. “Right now, it’s looking very red.”

Pan Lun’s pupils constricted. In the next second, he’d stomped Qi Wenyuan to the ground before kicking the dagger aside. Then he ran for his life towards the elevator. But he’d hardly taken two steps when he stopped and fell backwards. His back slammed into something, forcing him to knit his eyebrows in pain. Still, he was in no mood to cry out. He was afraid of the man approaching him now, but there was no place to retreat. Because…he was half dangling over the rooftop railing!

Qi Wenyuan bent down, still wearing his gentle smile. “A’Lun, do you find it refreshing up here?”

“Scram!” Without a knife to threaten him, Pan Lun had enough guts to fight back. He shoved Qi Wenyuan beneath him and pressed him roughly against the railings. Qi Wenyuan gave a muffled protest before pain filled his back as well. But he grit his teeth and bore it with an even wider grin.

“A’Lun, I remember you’ve never beaten me in a contest of strength. Why are you suddenly so much stronger?”

Qi Wenyuan’s arms were wrapped tightly around Pan Lun’s waist, making it impossible for him to escape. Pan Lun suddenly realized that the people downstairs had noticed them and figured out what to do. “Wenyuan,” he cried, “Don’t do anything rash. Be good and let go, we’ll go down together.”

Qi Wenyuan naturally sensed the change in the tides and laughed coldly to himself. But he didn’t stop his acting as a lunatic. “Alright, A’Lun. We can go right now, right here. It’ll be the fastest way.” So speaking, he turned to crush Pan Lun against the railings again.

The people below the building finally realized what was going on overhead. All of the reporters started taking pictures and writing notes. It was some time before someone finally thought to call the police and tell security to go to the roof. Everyone was staring with wide eyes at the two tiny black dots up above them. They knew that the biggest news of the year would probably come from today! Their headlines were all ready. “Former Lover Gets Married, Qi Wenyuan Retaliates in Refusal,” “Rooftop Tussle, Qi Wenyuan’s Move for Love….”

Because they were too far away, it was impossible to see anything beyond the two dots moving back and forth. Photo after photo only caught fuzzy images of the figures on the roof. While everyone was waiting for the fire brigade to show up, a cry broke out from the crowd. All of the reporters removed their cameras to stare as a small dot fell faster and faster from the roof, scaring the crowd into scattering. Less than five seconds later, there was a thump as something heavy landed on the ground. It was a human body. One of the braver reporters stepped forward to see, and before long there were shouts.

“It’s Qi Wenyuan! Qi Wenyuan!”

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Translator’s Notes: I love entertainment/showbiz novels,  especially when they’re written by this author. Will do this project on and off as it hasn’t been translated yet, but my main focus is still on PGC. Please note: this novel has chapters that average 4,000 words each in the raws so I may break up longer chapters into two part chunks.

༺ Chapter Glossary ༻

[1] Qi Wenyuan (齐文远) – our protagonist. Qi is “neat, even, uniform,” “all ready/present, alike,” Wen is “language, character, script, writing, literary,” Yuan is “far away, distant, remote.”

[2] Pan Lun (潘伦) – resident jerk manager. Pan is just a surname, Lun means “logic, order.”

[3] Chen Ru (陈茹) – jerk manager’s future wife. Chen is a surname, Ru can mean “eat, endure/bear.”