Pat Me Please

Generally speaking, when a story comes to an end, it’s time to speed up the narrative.

But in reality, there is no fast-forward button in life; time always progresses at a steady pace, with each day punctuated by events. As soon as you begin to reminisce, you’ll realize that life doesn’t unfold in a linear fashion; instead, it leaps from one significant moment to the next.

Other days whiz past in our memories, as if they never existed at all.

Upon returning from Huizhou, the group threw themselves into work.

In September, Yu Zhou was invited to participate in the Changpei Literature’s author conference in Wu City, a three-day summer event. During her time there, Yu Zhou had a great experience and learned a lot from her interactions with other authors. However, The only downside was that both she and Su Chang missed each other dearly.

Since Yu Zhou had resigned, and after getting back together, she and Su Chang made an effort to spend as much time together as possible and had never been apart for more than three days.

In October, the audio drama “Pat Me Please” was about to go online. Before that, Xiang Wan made an official announcement about her new role as the female lead in a top-rated IP romantic audio drama. Her casting sparked a heated debate.

Critics claimed her ancient-style voice was unsuitable for a modern setting or that her past performances were too gentle to convincingly portray the cloying character. Some even said they were tired of hearing her everywhere.

There were, of course, rumors that Su Chang backed her for ulterior motives.

Having faced scrutiny throughout her career, Xiang Wan was a seasoned professional and understood that the best response was to concentrate on her work. So she chose to remain silent on the matter.

That was until an unexpected news bit surfaced.

Someone had discovered information about Xiang Wan’s registration at the Jiang City Police Station on their official website. The documentation contained her name, age, reason for registration, and the notice period.

Under the picture, the reason for applying for a residency permit was listed as “homeless.”

After the screenshot was posted online, the entire voice acting community erupted. Technically, traffic on government agency websites like this was usually low, so it’s unlikely the information would have been discovered if someone hadn’t gone looking for it intentionally.

Fans checked the official website and confirmed that it was not Photoshopped and indeed true.

Everyone was left dumbfounded.

Xiang Wan, known for her air of pride, sweet voice, elegant grace, and thoughtful kindness towards others, was not a wealthy young princess from an affluent family, nor even from a typical household. She was, in fact, a homeless wanderer.

The revelation caused an uproar. Dozens of threads appeared on forums overnight, some claiming her persona had collapsed, others accusing her of putting on airs, or even questioning her level of education. However, amidst the shock, some expressed sympathy for her plight.

No one dared to speak about the dirtier things directly, only insinuating it through anonymous accounts.

A girl as beautiful as a flower, who knows how long she had been wandering outside, what could she have experienced?

Imagination can really devour a person.

The worst part was that this kind of government’s public information was originally intended for the public to exercise their supervisory rights. One couldn’t even argue that it could be considered a privacy issue.

Su Chang arranged a public relations team for Xiang Wan to handle the PR. In addition to dealing with some excessive foul language, they guided public opinion not to focus too much on private lives, making it clear that they would not tolerate malicious speculation and personal attacks.

The best advice the PR team gave was for Xiang Wan to explain the matter in a timely and sincere manner.

When a matter is exposed, sincerity is always the best way to handle a crisis.

And it should be a time-sensitive sincerity.

Xiang Wan was calm. She didn’t choose the earnest little essay that the PR team prepared. She just glanced at it hurriedly and found that the last two sentences were actually soliciting sympathy. She shook her head, “I don’t need pretentious sincerity.”

Yu Zhou was running around in circles, trying to find a solution for Su Chang. But Su Chang was also helpless, if Xiang Wan didn’t want to take any action, then no one could make the decision for her.

Moreover, she asked Yu Zhou, could the ins and outs of the matter really be made public?

Yu Zhou suddenly sobered up and realized it couldn’t.

She also suddenly realized that both Su Chang and she were in agreement, believing in the fact that Xiang Wan had traveled through time and space. Even Peng Xiangzhi shared the same belief.

How could they “sincerely” explain a matter that they themselves handled with caution, not wanting to mention it to the public?

Xiang Wan, who was in the center of the storm, didn’t post on her Weibo and continued to work as usual. Generally speaking, the freshness of a piece of gossip only lasts for a week, no matter how big the gossip is. Once the parties involved hold a non-responsive attitude, the spectators will gradually lose interest.

Especially when there was never a shortage of more significant gossip in this world.

In November, the annual Voice Festival, agreed upon half a year ago, kicked off in Jiang City. In addition to  Xiang Wan, Su Chang, Peng Xiangzhi and Chao Xin were also invited to attend,. And Yu Zhou managed to get a work permit through her connections and squeezed in.

It was an open venue, somewhat like an award ceremony but not as grand. The seats below were filled with voice actors from the circle, while the majority of the back area was occupied by fans.

This event did not allow any support items, but considerately placed glow sticks on every audience member’s chair. It gave off a vibrant and warm atmosphere without clutter, which could be seen from the stage and was enough for fans who had traveled a long way to express their love and support.

The organizers had gone over the schedule in advance; Xiang Wan only had to go on stage to receive the “New Voice Power” award. It might not have carried great significance, but it was her first award, so she took it quite seriously.

In fact, she wore the same dress she had first appeared in at Yu Zhou’s home. It was designed in the Li Dynasty, and although she had cut her hair shorter than before, it was still long enough for her to pull it into a bun, with pearl hairpins and accessories adorning it, just as they used to.

As she stood backstage, the bustling layers of red surrounded her, making her seem like the midnight queen of the cactus flowers that just burst into this world.

Peng Xiangzhi and Su Chang were preparing on the side of the stage, while Yu Zhou was also beside them. As the host read Xiang Wan’s name, Xiang Wan picked up the hem of her dress and smiled at them, then gracefully ascended the steps, walking into the spotlight.

The long dress of the Minister’s daughter trailed the ground, sweeping across the modern stage made of steel and iron screws. Under the glow of dozens of spotlights, the golden and silver threads shone brightly.

She stood in the center of the stage, and Yu Zhou could only see her small silhouette.

Xiang Wan presented herself in her most authentic manner before the audience, as an unexpected visitor in their world.

Upon receiving the award, she stood gracefully in the center of the stage, a beautiful yet lonely flower, silently blossoming, as if one could see the vitality flowing within.

Holding her most cherished microphone, she made her ageless voice, cold as snow, audible.

“I am a wanderer.”

“Out of the blue, I arrived in this world and began wandering. I have worried about my livelihood, faced obstacles due to ignorance, received help and donations from others, and even hesitated under pouring rain.”

“I have met my mentor, classmates, best friends, family, and even the first person who made my heart flutter. They taught me how to grow, and never hesitated to give me support and affirmation. Later, I encountered a career I was passionate about and many friends I had never met, but who were willing to listen to me, allowing me to make a small voice.”

“Perhaps every one of us in this world is just a wanderer. We originally had nothing, and we gathered pieces of value from piles of insignificant debris. One day, we may find a place to settle down, a home to end our wandering journey.”

“Perhaps every performer and creator is a wanderer, walking alone in a world that does not understand us. We collect precious thoughts along the way, little by little. As we walk, we cry out in our tattered clothes, hoping to meet someone who understands us, who sees the embarrassment and vulnerability at the bottom of our hearts, and joins us on our journey.”

“Every misunderstanding is a visible scar on our nomadic journey. But every time we are understood, it is like putting on a garment. Whether we are voice actors, writers, or performers and creators in any form, we are grateful and cherish these clothes.”

“So, thank you to every fellow traveler, thank you to every listener, thank you to everyone who supports us, thank you… for understanding.”

She smiled, bowing deeply towards the twinkling lights below the stage.

The bright moon bowed to the stars, and the stars rewarded her with their silent brilliance.

Yu Zhou gazed at her, unable to hold back her tears.

Leaning on Su Chang’s shoulder, she lost herself in grief.

The magnitude of emotions she felt at this moment was indescribable, and she didn’t want to say anything.

With a sigh, Su Chang comforted her by patting her head gently, while Peng Xiangzhi looked at Xiang Wan absentmindedly.

Xiang Wan was so intelligent, effortlessly telling a sincere and real story. But everyone interpreted it differently, and only the four of them knew the truth of the matter.

One day, Xiang Wan would stand here again, receiving the biggest award. Peng Xiangzhi smiled through her teary eyes.