Chapter 89: Your Twin Tails Have No Soul

As an actor, Cheng Yao had at least achieved a performance level comparable to that of a film king. Therefore, in his eyes, Lu Mengyao’s “tea art” was quite impressive. Coupled with her innocent face, she had tremendous potential—a true rising star.

“What do you think?” she asked.

Lu Mengyao was never shy in front of Cheng Yao; after all, they’d already done things far more embarrassing. Looking at her twin ponytails, Cheng Yao stroked his chin and shook his head regretfully. “It lacks soul.”

“Excuse me?” Lu Mengyao looked confused. Wasn’t it just a hairstyle? Did it really warrant such commentary? If you’re bringing up ‘soul,’ I think you’re just being ridiculous.

Cheng Yao shook his head again; it really didn’t work for him. The twin ponytails on Lu Mengyao felt jarring, completely unlike the natural look on Liu Hanyue.

Indeed, if it were Liu Hanyue, everyone would feel that twin ponytails were made for her—she’d look strange without them. That hairstyle only truly came alive in her hands.

Lu Mengyao asked curiously, “Is my hairstyle ugly?”

“It’s way different from what I imagined.”

“Should I change it, then?”

“Huh?”

“Should I change it?”

“Ah…”

Lu Mengyao burst out laughing, her giggles ringing out. Men’s words really couldn’t be trusted; he said it wasn’t what he imagined, yet wouldn’t let her change it.

Cheng Yao turned off the equipment, sighing helplessly. “It’s not what I pictured, but it’s still better than nothing. Let me give it a try first…”

“Try what?”

“We’re done filming for today. How about we do what a man and woman alone ought to do?”

Lu Mengyao pressed her lips together, her eyes gentle as water. Cheng Yao took a deep breath. Although the twin ponytails weren’t what he’d imagined, perhaps they weren’t so bad after all.

The night was filled with the sound of creaking bed springs.

Let us be companions through the mortal world, living freely and boldly,
Galloping on horseback, sharing the splendor of the world together…

That night, not only did Cheng Yao spend the whole night learning English, even the bed itself seemed to be learning. What was that English word again? “Der…” “Ja?” Clearly, Cheng Yao’s talent for English wasn’t great; after an entire night, he still hadn’t mastered the correct pronunciation. He’d need a few more days of practice.

[Your intimacy with “Developing Girlfriend Lu Mengyao” has reached ninety. You have acquired the skill: “Presence.”]

Skill: Presence
Effect: Some people are born with presence; others acquire it through cultivation. You can control your own aura anytime, anywhere, doubling your sense of presence. Wherever the spotlight shines, you will be there.

Cheng Yao was still grumbling about his daily tasks. At this rate, wasn’t he becoming a walking artillery battery? With nightly “fireworks,” even if his physical fitness had improved and he found pleasure in it, after a while, it would surely become tedious.

Still, the skill was undeniably appealing.

He and Zhang Ya shared a tacit understanding. On Saturday, they planned a trip to the Magic City, fulfilling Cheng Cheng’s wish—children loved Disneyland, but adults preferred the Disneyland Hotel.

He sent another message to Zheng Yuechan, who had just finished a social event.

Cheng Yao: I’m going to the Magic City on Saturday.
Zheng Yuechan: I know a few people in makeup and operations, but I’m not sure if they’d be willing to go to Jinling. That’s up to you. By the way, there’s a salon tonight…
Cheng Yao: Can I come?
Zheng Yuechan: I’ll take you to broaden your horizons. You might just change your mind. I know you’re not short on money, but you’ve clearly been gifted with talent—a heavy responsibility bestowed from above.
Cheng Yao: Please don’t try to guilt-trip me. That doesn’t work on me, and besides, I’m half your boss, aren’t I?
Zheng Yuechan: …

After ending the chat, Cheng Yao messaged Wang Yiming, asking him to contact the platform and get information about potential collaborations.

Cheng Yao suddenly realized that, without noticing, his life had gotten busy. School had become a place for him to relax and nurture his spirit.

He had some ideas for his future development. For now, he’d focus on his current projects. The girls like Liu Hanyue were easy to promote; each had her own unique qualities, and with scripts ready, he didn’t have to rack his brains.

Plus, with foreign videos to draw inspiration from, it was all quite effortless.

Could borrowing from literature really be called plagiarism? No, it was just reference!

Cheng Yao slept soundly, and Lu Mengyao was deeply satisfied.

…

The next morning, Cheng Yao bought fried dough sticks and hot milk.

Lu Mengyao gave a smile that was awkward but polite, shaking her head. Her gaze at Cheng Yao had turned a bit strange, almost amused. She thought Cheng Yao was just too creative—even twin ponytails could be used for that?

But remembering how much she enjoyed it at the time, Lu Mengyao’s cheeks burned.

After tidying up, Cheng Yao had breakfast, then drove Lu Mengyao back to campus, arriving just in time for class.

“Cheng, our resident genius, where were you gallivanting last night?”

Such tactless questions—how could you possibly know? Cheng Yao teased, “I moved into a new place, just getting used to it. The space is huge, very comfortable. Since it’s close, I’ll be staying there for now—just two stops away.”

“Damn!”

Wang Wenbo leaned in and whispered, “I met a girl from the Civil Aviation University at the bar—want to join me?”

“From the Civil Aviation University?”

“I have photos.”

Cheng Yao scoffed, “Who wants photos? These days, out of ten pictures, ten are filtered.”

“She looks good in person, I promise.”

“I’ll pass. Next time, for sure.”

Cheng Yao was busy enough as it was, needing to maintain his relationships with Lu Mengyao and Lin Ketong. He didn’t have time to mess around with other girls—he wasn’t some time assassin.

The morning classes passed uneventfully. Cheng Yao received a message from Qin Haoran—there was a small gathering in the evening and he was invited. Since it was at Xinjiekou, Cheng Yao decided to drop by.

At noon, he borrowed a book on “Time Management” from the library.

The sun was blazing, so they chose a secluded spot near the gymnasium.

Liu Hanyue tugged at her skirt. “Does this outfit look okay?”

“Absolutely perfect,” Cheng Yao replied, holding his equipment and smiling candidly. Sure enough, twin ponytails suited Liu Hanyue best—so natural, so wonderful!

“Let’s do the twin ponytail bounce, okay? Let’s see how many of your two million followers are fake. Just follow my instructions.”

After two hours in the afternoon, Liu Hanyue was exhausted.

Wang Churuo, standing nearby, remarked, “It does feel awkward at first, but you get used to it. The results are great. But are you sure about not showing your face?”

“I know what you mean, but the best should always be saved for last—it’s all about suspense…”

Cheng Yao explained, “It’s like writing a steamy story and cutting off right at the climax—the readers get all worked up, browser open, pants down, and then you give them this?”

“That makes sense… though the analogy feels a bit off.”

“It’s fine. No need for pretenses among friends.”

“….”

Wang Churuo was a bit annoyed. Had she and Liu Hanyue really become so unimpressive in Cheng Yao’s eyes?

Cheng Yao smiled and said, “The point is, it’s about suspense. Not showing her face makes people curious—what does she really look like? That’s one of the selling points.”

“Wouldn’t that get annoying?”

“It might, but only a little. After all, self-torture is a human instinct.”

Liu Hanyue was panting, her clothes clinging to her body.

Wang Churuo’s eyes widened. “Hanyue, you’re exposed!”

Cheng Yao looked over, eyes wide as a dog’s.

Liu Hanyue jumped in surprise and turned away.

“Hahaha, just kidding.”

…