Chapter 268 : Praise the Sun
“This... is your so-called solution?” Ling Ning looked at Xia You in complete bewilderment, her expression bordering on disbelief.
At this moment, Xia You was dressed in an odd suit of armor resembling that of a medieval knight. The outfit included a helmet shaped like a small iron bucket and a chest piece adorned with a peculiar sun emblem. The entire look exuded a (comically) solemn aura, one that almost compelled onlookers to join in praising the sun.
Ling Ning had just dropped off the little loli, Dong Xue, at home. After lunch, Dong Xue had started nodding off, and Ling Ning couldn’t bear to drag her around any longer. So, she called a taxi to send the little loli home to nap.
She hadn’t even had a sip of water before hopping into another car and rushing back to the convention center. But the sight that greeted her upon arrival—Xia You decked out as a sun knight—left her momentarily speechless.
Xia You nodded confidently. Thankfully, the event was part of a convention where quirky outfits wouldn’t raise any eyebrows. This whole idea had been a spur-of-the-moment inspiration while playing a game. If not for this solution, no amount of appearance fees could have convinced her to attend.
“By the way, isn’t that armor heavy?” Ling Ning asked, curious.
Xia You shook her head. “Not at all. It’s made from special materials, so it’s lightweight—just really hot~” She knocked on her helmet to demonstrate, and the dull sound suggested it was made of plastic or something similar.
“Well... that’s pretty clever of you~” Ling Ning couldn’t help but admire Xia You’s ingenuity.
Amid countless curious stares, the two made their way to the stage area. What had been a performance stage yesterday had now been transformed into a gaming zone, complete with rows of computers and other equipment.
When the staff learned that this was the legendary “Yuyou One Summer,” their jaws nearly hit the floor. They quickly remembered their director’s warning about her possibly unusual attire.
The program hadn’t started yet. Ling Ning sat beside Xia You, curiously observing her surroundings. Xia You wasn’t the only influencer invited to the event. Ling Ning recognized some and didn’t know others, all grouped in threes and fours across the area.
Unsurprisingly, Xia You drew the most attention. Her sun knight costume was an instant eye-catcher. Moreover, as one of the most famous gaming influencers in the region, “Yuyou One Summer” had never revealed her face, making her a subject of endless curiosity.
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“Hello there~”
A voice suddenly interrupted Xia You as she introduced some influencers to Ling Ning. Startled, Ling Ning looked up to see a strikingly handsome young man smiling at her.
“Hi, may I ask who you are?” Ling Ning asked, puzzled. She didn’t recognize him—was he trying to hit on her?
“I’m Long Aotian. Are you ‘Yuyou One Summer’ by any chance?”
Hearing his question, Ling Ning almost choked on her own saliva. Was this the fabled child of destiny, the chosen one? She could practically see the aura of “kingly dominance” radiating off him.
Noticing Ling Ning’s internal meltdown, Long Aotian offered a sheepish smile. “Don’t misunderstand. My name really is Long Aotian, but I’m not that Long Aotian. Please don’t confuse us.”
It turned out his parents had been avid fans of over-the-top fantasy novels, leading them to name him Long Aotian. While he hadn’t minded much as a child, by middle school, when the name had become a meme, he turned into a walking punchline.
“Oh~” Ling Ning nodded in understanding and pointed to Xia You beside her. “I’m not ‘Yuyou One Summer.’ That would be her.”
“Oh~ so this is ‘Yuyou One Summer’? Hi there! I’m a huge fan. Can I get your autograph?” Long Aotian asked, turning eagerly to Xia You.
Xia You had braced herself to decline a flirtatious approach but was completely caught off guard by his genuine request for an autograph.
After excitedly obtaining her signature, Long Aotian left to rejoin a muscular companion. Ling Ning overheard snippets of their conversation, including words like “darling” and “signature,” which made her pause. Wait… did he just call that guy ‘darling’? What’s going on!?
Before she could process this revelation, the program began.
The event featured well-known influencers engaging in interactive interviews and activities. When Xia You took the stage, she was greeted with cheers and a few boos, the latter from fans who had come specifically to see her face.
As one of the most enigmatic figures on Bilibili, Xia You had never livestreamed or revealed her face. Viewers only knew her by her distinctive voice. Some even speculated she might be using a voice changer and was actually a burly man in disguise.
Adding fuel to the fire was a recent video Xia You had uploaded, featuring gameplay with Ling Ning. Despite no visuals of the gameplay itself, the banter between the two girls had sent fans into a frenzy. Ling Ning’s voice, in particular, had also captured attention, with many fans curious about this new “mystery girl.”
When news broke that Xia You would be attending the convention, fans flocked to the venue in hopes of seeing her true face. But instead, they were greeted by her helmeted, sun knight persona. Disappointment mixed with amusement rippled through the crowd.
What they didn’t know was that Xia You had initially considered cosplaying as an onion knight but ultimately decided against it due to the bulkiness of the costume.
While Xia You was busy on stage, Ling Ning’s focus wasn’t on the other influencers. Instead, her attention was entirely fixed on the beautiful female host—more specifically, on her legs.
The host’s thigh-high stockings were uneven—one higher than the other. Though the discrepancy was minor, Ling Ning’s inner perfectionist screamed at her to march up and fix it. This is torture!
“Next up is the gaming segment. But we’re short on participants, so we’ll be inviting six audience members to join the influencers on stage~”
As soon as the host made the announcement, Ling Ning detected the scent of a setup.
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Author’s Note:
Can anyone save this salted fish~