Chapter 8

"Blue Extreme Internet Cafe Fire in Beijing Was Arson; Two Suspects Apprehended" Yan Li strode towards the dressing room, sipping soy milk while skimming through the newspaper he'd bought from the newsstand. This case, which had shocked the nation, had drawn more attention over the past two days than even the national soccer team’s exit from the Korea-Japan World Cup. Many people in The Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties production crew were talking about it. It was rumored that several internet cafes in Hengdian had been shut down as a result. For Yan Li, however, the most intriguing part of this news was a tip-off triggered by his system. The system hinted that certain authorities, due to the negative impact of the incident, were discussing the possibility of abolishing the individual internet cafe operating licenses policy. They planned to regulate the internet cafe market further. Yan Li didn’t fully understand such official matters, but he sensed that there could be profit in this. He wasn’t entirely sure, but from his two years in college and frequent visits to internet cafes, he knew that this business was wildly popular among young people and students. Especially this year, with games like Legend, Warcraft, and CS exploding in popularity, internet cafes were thriving. They were packed to capacity, and people had to queue up to get online. A lucrative business like this was already in short supply, and now the government was planning to impose restrictions. If the remaining cafes monopolized the market without competition, wouldn't they make a fortune? Of course, Yan Li realized it might not be as simple as he imagined. Still, it didn’t stop him from categorizing this tip under the "Money Tree" section in his system. Since obtaining the intelligence system, Yan Li had sporadically gathered a few promising money-making opportunities. However, due to limitations like capital, connections, timing, and ability, he could only watch helplessly as these opportunities passed by. Take the internet cafe business, for instance. Even without the system, Yan Li knew it was profitable. But knowing was useless. He had no money and no background to start a cafe with long-term prospects in Beijing. Forget opening a cafe—buying a computer was already a struggle for him right now. So, he could only set this idea aside for now, storing it for consideration once he had accumulated some capital. “Slurp—” Just as he reached the dressing room, Yan Li finished his soy milk. He crumpled the paper cup, ready to toss it into a trash bin, when he noticed the long-haired girl he had met in the woods following not far behind him. This time, she wasn’t dressed in her usual T-shirt and jeans but was instead in costume. With her Qing dynasty headdress and blue court lady outfit, she looked like a classic Qing imperial character. Her makeup made her appear even more delicate and fragile. “What a coincidence to meet again. Just finished shooting?” The girl, surprised to see Yan Li, hesitated for a moment before nodding. Her exhaustion was evident. “Shot all night yesterday. I’m drained.” “Sounds tough,” Yan Li remarked sympathetically. He glanced at the breakfast he had brought for Wang Xiu, then, without hesitation, offered it to her. “You must be starving. I bought this on the way. It’s still warm.” The long-haired girl waved her hand, declining. “No, no, I’ll get something later.” “Don’t be shy. It’s nothing expensive. Meeting twice in different places feels like fate. Who knows how long it’ll take for you to remove your makeup?” “Well… thank you.” Yan Li’s words seemed to strike a chord. The girl, evidently famished, accepted the breakfast after expressing her thanks. Yan Li didn’t think much of it—it was just breakfast. What intrigued him more was the girl’s costume. She was with the My Fair Princess 3 production crew. “Are you playing Ziwei?” He recalled reading about the major cast changes in My Fair Princess 3. Both Xiaoyanzi and Ziwei had new actresses. He vaguely remembered that Xiaoyanzi was played by Huang Yi, who had starred in Wrong Carriage, Right Groom. He had no impression of Ziwei’s actress, though. Could it be the girl in front of him? The long-haired girl shook her head and explained, “No, I’m playing Zhi Hua.” “Zhi Hua? Who’s that?” Yan Li was puzzled. He’d watched the first two seasons of My Fair Princess and didn’t recall such a character. “She’s a new character in the third season,” the girl clarified. Understanding dawned on Yan Li, who introduced himself. “I’m with The Heroes of Sui and Tang Dynasties crew, playing Yuwen Chengdu.” “Yuwen Chengdu? The second-greatest hero of the Sui-Tang period!” The girl, evidently familiar with the Sui and Tang Dynasties story, showed interest upon hearing this. She examined Yan Li for a moment before nodding in approval. “You do have the air of a Sui-Tang general.” Yan Li felt a bit awkward. People who knew about Yuwen Chengdu often assumed he was a mighty figure in the story. Little did they know, his version of the character was more of a comedic buffoon. After some polite banter, the two reached the dressing room building. Since they were headed to different rooms, they prepared to part ways. “Wait a minute.” Yan Li had barely taken a few steps when the girl called him back, slapping her forehead in exasperation. “I’m so tired I almost forgot. We’ve met a few times and you even gave me breakfast, but I still don’t know your name.” “Yan Li—‘Yan’ as in color, and ‘Li’ as in courtesy.” The girl repeated his name, then introduced herself. “I’m Qin Lan—‘Qin’ as in the Qin Dynasty, and ‘Lan’ as in orchid.” “Got it.” Yan Li made an OK gesture and waved goodbye. Qin Lan watched him leave, then turned her attention to the breakfast he had given her. She took a bite, unable to resist the hunger. Mmm, it’s delicious!