A Small Studio

Wen Xiancheng glanced at Xiao Xiao and said, "I'll be right over."

With Xiao Xiao in tow, Wen Xiancheng arrived downstairs at Cui Qianqian's dorm.

Cui Qianqian had already brought her belongings downstairs.

But there was someone else there besides Cui Qianqian.

It was the pretty girl in Cui Qianqian's dorm who slept in the bed opposite hers and loved playing games.

Seeing that Wen Xiancheng had actually brought Xiao Xiao along, the girl glanced at Cui Qianqian and whispered, "What's going on?"

A little flustered, Cui Qianqian said, "What do you mean, what's going on? I told you, we're just ordinary friends! I help him process some textbooks with Illusion Arts, and he sells them and gives me a share of the profits. Since we're just friends, why can't he bring a female friend along?"

The girl looked openly skeptical. "Cui Qianqian, really?"

Blushing, Cui Qianqian said, "Why would I lie to you? That bag you saw me carrying earlier held what I earned. It wasn't much, only ten thousand low-grade spirit stones, but I earned it myself. That proves I won't starve even after leaving home."

The girl remained skeptical.

Yet when Wen Xiancheng reached them, her eyes darted thoughtfully, and she smiled and held out her hand. "Hello, Wen Xiancheng. I'm Xue Ning, Cui Qianqian's roommate!"

Wen Xiancheng smiled and shook Xue Ning's hand. "Hello!"

"I hear Cui Qianqian works for you," Xue Ning said. "She doesn't have to spend much time on it each day, and she earned ten thousand low-grade spirit stones this month, right?"

Wen Xiancheng gave Cui Qianqian a questioning look.

What does this mean?

Is there some secret between you two?

Cui Qianqian smiled sheepishly. "It's true, Wen Xiancheng."

Only then did Wen Xiancheng nod. "Yes."

Although this was a little scheme he dared not tell Cui Qianqian about, that really was his intention: to put her to work for him.

Of course, on the surface, he was helping Cui Qianqian build her reputation and establish "Cui Qianqian" as a brand.

He wanted the outside world to know that Cui Qianqian might become a second Liu Lanzhi.

Xue Ning gave Cui Qianqian a meaningful look, then smiled at Wen Xiancheng. "Then could you let me earn some extra cash too? I spend loads of money on games. If I could buy equipment with money I earned myself, my parents wouldn't nag me about it."

Wen Xiancheng looked at Cui Qianqian again.

Naturally, he was happy to agree.

With Xue Ning joining them, his own workload would ease a little.

He was just worried that Cui Qianqian and Xue Ning might not get along that well.

Besides, Cui Qianqian was often bullied.

If bringing Xue Ning in meant Cui Qianqian got bullied, the loss would outweigh the gain.

Cui Qianqian said to Xue Ning, "Ning'er, why bother? Can't you just enjoy your games?"

Ignoring Cui Qianqian, Xue Ning pressed Wen Xiancheng. "Are you agreeing or not? If you don't, that proves there's something illicit going on between you and Cui Qianqian!"

Looking helpless, Cui Qianqian said to Wen Xiancheng, "Do you still have any work available? If you do, let-"

Since even Cui Qianqian had agreed, Wen Xiancheng was naturally happy to oblige. "No problem!"

Xue Ning flashed Cui Qianqian a triumphant victory sign.

Looking at the bags in front of the two girls, Wen Xiancheng was about to pick them up and leave.

But Xiao Xiao stepped forward and picked up a large bag in each hand as though they weighed nothing.

Xue Ning: "."

Cui Qianqian: "."

Puzzled, Wen Xiancheng asked, "Are your things really light?"

Xue Ning and Cui Qianqian both shook their heads.

Xue Ning stared at Xiao Xiao in astonishment. "How can someone so tiny have so much strength? Cui Qianqian and I were exhausted just carrying them downstairs together."

Xiao Xiao did not even spare Xue Ning or Cui Qianqian a proper glance.

A little embarrassed, Xue Ning said sheepishly to Wen Xiancheng, "This little beauty certainly has a strong personality."

Wen Xiancheng noticed her embarrassment too and reassured her. "This is Xiao Xiao, the Machine Puppet belonging to Zhang Lu, the leader of Iceheart Hall. Xiao Xiao treats everyone like this. It's nothing against you. Xiao Xiao says talking is too much bother, that's all."

A Machine Puppet?

Belonging to the leader of Iceheart Hall?

Xue Ning and Cui Qianqian exchanged a look, both their eyes filled with shock.

Xue Ning leaned close to Cui Qianqian's ear. "Damn, Cui Qianqian, you landed someone with connections like these! Keep at it. Your parents will definitely approve of you two being together! Actually, that's an understatement. You'd absolutely be marrying up! He must be Zhang Lu's personal disciple at Iceheart Hall, right? Why else would she let him take something this good around with him? Impressive. You quietly went and found yourself a boyfriend like this."

Cui Qianqian hurriedly lowered her voice. "Don't talk nonsense! We really aren't like that! Although... although I do seem to have a little interest in him, I can tell he isn't actually interested in me."

After a pause, Cui Qianqian added, "At first, I thought my sister had sent him to deliberately put me in my place, but later I realized that wasn't the case. Still, I don't know how he got in touch with me. He knows everything about me."

Xue Ning nudged Cui Qianqian with her elbow and teased, "Now you're showing off! Showing off! So he was the one pursuing you. Who knew our Cui Qianqian was such a charming girl?"

Cui Qianqian's face flushed scarlet. "I told you, it's not like that!"

Seeing that Xue Ning and Cui Qianqian were staying there talking instead of leaving, Wen Xiancheng kept waiting.

Only after quite a while did the two girls realize they had kept him waiting too long. Cui Qianqian hurriedly said, "Wen Xiancheng, then... then take my things to your place first! After that, help me find somewhere to live. The day after tomorrow... summer vacation starts the day after tomorrow, and Xue Ning and I will move over then."

Wen Xiancheng nodded. "All right!"

Xue Ning reminded Wen Xiancheng, "Don't forget my job!"

As Wen Xiancheng left with Xiao Xiao, he pondered.

Me, Ice Cream, Cui Qianqian, and the Mouse Clone.

With Xue Ning joining us now, that makes five who can process textbooks with Illusion Arts.

Five would be enough to start a small studio.

Yes, a studio.

Having made up his mind, Wen Xiancheng took Cui Qianqian's belongings to his place, then found a large, clean, tidy Three-Bedroom Apartment nearby.

As for the mice in the area, Wen Xiancheng planned to send the Mouse Clone to deal with them.

That very night.

After completing the paperwork with his new landlord, Wen Xiancheng moved his belongings over from his old place.

That evening, he also completed the move-out formalities with his former landlord.

The next morning, Wen Xiancheng ordered two large office desks and eight chairs online.

Only then did he call the schools whose numbers he had saved, especially those that had ordered customized textbooks from him, one by one to ask about new types of textbooks for the autumn term.

"We can order customized textbooks. In fact, we could even entrust you with textbooks for several subjects this autumn. But there are conditions. Come over, and we'll discuss them in person," replied Situ Lei, the principal of the elite elementary school that had previously ordered customized textbooks.

Wen Xiancheng said, "All right, I'll be right over!"

Among the orders he had taken last month, the elite elementary school's had not been the largest, but it had paid the highest price and had been quite prompt about it.

Their attitude, however, had been nowhere near as friendly as the others'.

Still, he was doing this to make money.

As long as he could make money, everything else was open to consideration.

Wen Xiancheng put on a suit and tidied himself up in front of the mirror. Once he was sure he looked sharp, he hurried out the door and headed over.

(End of chapter)