Music Sea Ark - Deep Sea Aria

Late at night, Zheng Yanxi finally came back, but she was in bad shape, her face bruised and swollen.

"You're hurt? How did this happen? Are you all right?" Chen Ze hurried over, his face full of concern.

Zheng Yanxi shook her head. "They're just flesh wounds. It's nothing serious."

"Who beat you up?" Chen Ze asked.

Chen Ze led her to the sofa, sat her down, and took out some ointment to apply to her wounds.

"I gave her a beating and finally got back at her for you. She's absolutely awful!" Zheng Yanxi said bitterly.

"Tell me what happened," Chen Ze said.

Zheng Yanxi then told him the whole story.

Chen Ze was stunned when he heard it. He hadn't expected her sister's obsession to run so deep. She had even said she would beat up every man she saw. Didn't that mean he was in danger?

"Why don't you go back and stay with your sister for a while? I'm afraid she'll come back and beat you up again!" Zheng Yanxi said worriedly.

"All right!"

Chen Ze had no other choice. He couldn't beat Zheng Yanxin, so all he could do in this situation was hide from her for now. He hoped he could find a way to resolve the matter in the future.

The next day, Chen Ze moved back into the small villa.

"Oh! Big brother, you're here!" Chen Xixi said happily.

Seeing Chen Ze carrying luggage, she asked in puzzlement, "Big brother, did sister-in-law kick you out?"

Chen Ze felt a little awkward. "What nonsense are you talking about? I was afraid you'd be lonely here by yourself, so I came to keep you company for a while."

"Really, big brother? That's wonderful! I'll help you put your luggage away! Big brother, you know, it's really boring here all by myself..." Chen Xixi was as happy as a lark, chattering away nonstop.

Chen Ze felt a little guilty and comforted her. "It's all my fault. I didn't think about how you felt. Don't worry, I'll keep you company from now on."

"Don't say that, big brother. You'll have to get married someday, so you can't stay with me forever. Don't worry, big brother. Once I grow up, I won't be afraid of anything, and then I'll be the one protecting you!" Chen Xixi said, patting her newly developing chest.

Chen Ze smiled and stroked her head. "Mm, what a good little sister! Once you start school, you'll be able to make lots of friends, and then you won't feel lonely anymore."

After playing around with his sister for a while, Chen Ze opened his laptop and browsed the internet. He had been too idle lately and wanted to find something to do.

Chen Ze discovered that no one in this world had made anything like short videos yet. He remembered how wildly popular a certain Yin and a certain Shou had been in his previous life, and couldn't help thinking that if he could get short videos off the ground in this world, he would make pots and bowls overflowing with money!

He acted as soon as the idea occurred to him. For two days straight, he looked up information on the subject, as well as the requirements for starting a company. He had no shortage of startup capital either; the only difficulty was finding technical talent in the field.

"Ding~ The system has issued a new mission. Host, please establish a company within three months. Mission rewards: 10 points to your temperament attribute, 2 points to any attribute, and 50,000 Empathy Points. Failure will result in the deduction of Attribute Points equivalent to the rewards. This mission cannot be refused!"

The system hadn't issued a new mission in so long that Chen Ze had almost forgotten he even had one.

"The rewards are so generous this time. Looks like it'll be pretty difficult!" Chen Ze muttered to himself.

"System, does simply establishing a company count as completing the mission?"

"Ding~ In response to the host, no. The company must first take shape, with an established core team, for example."

"Got it!"

Chen Ze had originally planned to register a company at random and call the mission complete, but it seemed it wouldn't be that simple.

Chen Ze browsed recruitment websites to see if there were any talented people who knew how to make short videos.

Before long, he actually found a few. After talking with them, he learned their basic requirements, such as their expected salaries, benefits, and working environment.

Since Chen Ze had chosen to start a company, he naturally needed to understand his employees' needs as their boss so he could manage them later.

For now, the first order of business was registering the company, obtaining a business license, and a whole host of other tedious tasks. Reading about them made Chen Ze's head spin.

Chen Ze thought of Shangguan Mingyue. She surely knew about these things.

Thinking of Shangguan Mingyue, Chen Ze remembered that she seemed to have invited him to dinner that evening.

"Mm, I'll ask her then!" Chen Ze shut his laptop and went to bed. He had spent the past two days looking up information and was mentally exhausted. He needed to catch up on sleep!

An unknown amount of time later, Chen Ze was awakened by his phone ringing.

"Hello..." Chen Ze answered the phone in a daze.

"Hello, Chen Ze, you're free tonight, right?" Shangguan Mingyue's voice came from the other end.

"Oh, it's you, Sister Mingyue. I'm free. What did you need me for?" Chen Ze was still a little groggy after waking up.

Shangguan Mingyue's voice caught. This man had forgotten so quickly.

"Did you forget I asked you to dinner tonight?" Shangguan Mingyue said, at a loss for words.

"Oh, I didn't forget, I didn't! Just tell me the time and place, and I'll come find you," Chen Ze said, finally remembering.

"Where are you now? I'll send someone to pick you up and help you with your makeup and outfit while they're at it!" Shangguan Mingyue said.

"Is that necessary? It's just dinner. There's no need to make such a big deal of it." Chen Ze didn't understand. It was just a simple meal, yet she wanted him to have his makeup done.

"Don't worry about that. Just tell me where you are, and I'll send someone to pick you up," Shangguan Mingyue said.

Remembering that he still wanted to ask her about starting a company, Chen Ze had no choice but to agree. "All right, I'm at the small villa."

"Mm, I'll send someone to pick you up now. Don't wander off!" Shangguan Mingyue said.

The two hung up. Chen Ze was a little baffled, and after thinking it over without getting anywhere, he decided to forget about it. Someone else was treating him, anyway, so he wouldn't have to spend his own money.

Half an hour later, someone rang the doorbell outside the villa.

Chen Ze went out and found a luxury sedan parked by the gate.

"Oh, it's you, Assistant Wang!" Chen Ze recognized her as Shangguan Mingyue's assistant. They both belonged to Tianmei Entertainment Company, so naturally they had met before.

"Hello, Mr. Chen. The president sent me to pick you up!" Assistant Wang said respectfully.

"Oh, sorry for the trouble. Let's go!" Chen Ze said.

"No trouble at all, Mr. Chen. You're too polite!" Assistant Wang said as she opened the car door for him.

"Assistant Wang, we're colleagues. You don't have to be so polite to me," Chen Ze said.

"I wouldn't dare!" Assistant Wang said.

This is the person the president likes. I can't afford to offend him, Assistant Wang thought.

The car stopped outside a shop Chen Ze recognized. Shangguan Mingyue had brought him here last time, and he had gone to the banquet after having his makeup done here.

"Oh, Assistant Wang, why are we here?" Chen Ze asked curiously.

"The president said you should get dressed up here before your date," Assistant Wang said.

"Isn't it just a simple meal? Isn't this a bit much?" Chen Ze said in surprise.

A simple meal? I'm afraid that's not what the president thinks! Assistant Wang thought to herself.

"The president arranged it," Assistant Wang said.

"All right. Since we're already here, let's do as she says," Chen Ze said helplessly.

The same man from last time did his makeup, but this time he didn't wear the same outfit.

This time, Chen Ze wore a light blue garment resembling a tailcoat. It was long, reaching all the way to his knees. He wore white casual pants on his lower half and a pair of light blue boots on his feet.

Chen Ze felt a little uncomfortable as he looked at his strange outfit. He had always complained about men's clothing in this world, which came in all sorts of bizarre styles.

"Mr. Chen, you're looking more and more beautiful. Even prettier than last time!" The man looked at his "masterpiece," holding his fingers in a delicate orchid gesture, and spoke with great satisfaction.

The corner of Chen Ze's mouth twitched. Fine, as long as you think it looks good. Whatever you say!

An hour later, Chen Ze got into the car and asked Assistant Wang, "Where are we going?"

Assistant Wang kept her eyes fixed ahead, not daring to look at Chen Ze. She was afraid she would get distracted and drive the car into a ditch. Chen Ze was simply too beautiful at that moment, like a celestial man who had descended into the mortal world!

"To the Music Sea Ark at The Bund," Assistant Wang replied.

Chen Ze had heard of the Music Sea Ark. It was a huge structure built in the sea, with the entire building constructed around an enormous reef. It stood about two hundred meters from shore and was connected to land by a long walkway.

The Music Sea Ark combined dining, entertainment, and leisure facilities, making it a place where wealthy people went to amuse themselves.

The two arrived at The Bund, and Chen Ze finally saw the Music Sea Ark for himself.

As dusk dyed the surface of the sea a gilded gold, the winding silver-gray steel walkway resembled the back of a giant whale breaching the water. It stretched from the end of the beach, cutting through the waves toward the deep sea a hundred meters away. Translucent jellyfish lamps floated on either side of the walkway, their blue halos flickering with the rise and fall of the waves, bathing the passing visitors in hazy silhouettes.

Chen Ze marveled inwardly at the sheer scale of it! Only by being here in person could one feel how breathtaking it was!

People came and went along the enormous walkway. Chen Ze and Assistant Wang crossed it and came to a music-themed restaurant called the Deep Sea Aria.

The moment they stepped into the Deep Sea Aria, a salty sea breeze swept over them, carrying the sound of waves simulated by an electronic synthesizer. Thousands of fiber-optic jellyfish hung from the domed ceiling, their soft blue light flickering with the sound of the waves. Reflected in the mirrored wall of the spiral staircase, the light formed a flowing vortex of light and shadow.

Interestingly, every table here was enclosed by a transparent glass cover, forming individual private rooms.

Like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden, Chen Ze was immensely curious about everything here!