ABSML Chapter 29: A Wish

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Becoming famous requires both skill and luck.

But for Chen Zhan, it was simply fate.

The number of reporters staking out on the lawn downstairs was beyond count. With so many people, hiding was futile, so they simply stood there openly.

Compared to them, Chen Zhan had far less patience. Some media outlets were willing to wait months, enduring day and night shifts, just for a potential scoop.

Yet, his routine remained unchanged.

He didn't bother drawing the curtains to hide. During the day, he placed his laptop on the windowsill to write. At noon, he prepared a meal that appeared elaborate but tasted mediocre and ate it in the same spot. By dusk, he set up a chair, leaned against a cushion, and read under the golden glow of the setting sun.

His life was as leisurely as a retiree’s.

This scene was captured clearly by cameras below. The cold weather had already turned the grass yellow. A reporter, shivering in the chill, clutched a colleague’s arm and stared intently at a certain room above.

"Hell is empty."

How could someone with such an awful personality still exist in this world?

His colleague replied calmly, "We’re not exactly in the right either, sneaking around to take pictures."

"It’s not just about work," the reporter muttered through chattering teeth as a cold gust hit, "I also want to know the full story."

They hadn't caught firsthand footage—only got sent here after other media had already broken the news. Many of them had volunteered just to find out the truth.

People are inherently hypocritical. On one hand, netizens demand privacy be respected; on the other, they create alternate accounts to dig for the truth.

【World Detectives: What happens next? Where’s the follow-up? I’ve been dreaming about this for three nights in a row.】

【Sin Hides Under the Sun: I just got a hair transplant last month. If I don’t see the truth soon, I swear I’m going bald.】

【King of Dirt-Dogs: Save us!!!】

Chen Zhan had long since muted his private messages, continuing his daily life at his own pace.

Being a homebody wasn’t difficult for him. He did push-ups at home, had the old man next door pick up groceries for him, and maintained a structured lifestyle that boosted his work efficiency.

Confessions had already reached 300,000 words. According to his original plan, another 50,000 words at most would complete it.

The joy of nearing completion swept away all his recent frustration.

In fact, it motivated him to work even harder—

..........

"My love has withered, but that man’s is just beginning to bloom."

"At her next public appearance, the ring on her finger already said it all."

"For the first time, I felt suffocated."

"I wanted to die for love, but I lacked the courage."

He had heard that not far from here, atop a mountain, there was a temple known for its miracles, granting the wishes of the truly devoted. No one in this world could love her more deeply than he did.

After staying up all night to climb the peak, he gazed at the golden Buddha statue. Kneeling on the prayer cushion, hands clasped together… What should he wish for?

To make her love him? The Buddha might be powerful, but not omnipotent.

Unlikely.

"I've spent this entire life chasing after her," he took a deep breath, "If there is a next life… please let me be reborn as her child… so I can rightfully receive her love and—while I’m at it—infuriate my old man."

"In this life, I loved her for two years. In the next, I want to be loved by her from the very beginning."

"Two people on the same household registration book."

"Recognized by the law."

..........

After rereading it, he deleted the parts that felt off before finally clicking ‘publish.’

The rumors of him being involved in a scandalous love triangle temporarily died down after Lin Chiang issued a legal notice. With the Lin family’s influence, controlling public opinion was not a problem. The tabloid that had first published the false report retracted its statements and deleted the article.

But for netizens eagerly waiting for updates, this was a devastating blow.

The drama had reached a climax—only for the plot to suddenly disappear.

Chen Zhan ignored all the comments demanding the truth. He continued his routine, updating on schedule, adding extra chapters, day in and day out.

The pressure from the Lin family had been strong recently, discouraging self-media platforms from fueling baseless speculations. As a result, the attention on his updates was not as intense.

But as the saying goes: suppression only builds up pressure—until it eventually explodes.

Netizens were like an active volcano. Under the slow tectonic shifts caused by Chen Zhan, they finally erupted from dormancy:

"!!!"

【"The first half nearly made me cry. Then I got to the end, and I broke out in goosebumps."】

【"Thank god Chen Zhan didn't do anything reckless back then. Imagine if the actress really had a son later… and he turned out to be a boy…"】

【"I'm still stuck on the relationships between Chen Zhan, Lin Chiang, and Jiang Ying. No matter who he’s involved with, it’s a full-blown family ethics drama."】

The happiest person amid all the online chaos was the director of Jiang Ying’s upcoming film. Successful marketing is essential for a movie, and Chen Zhan’s situation had just saved them a fortune in promotional costs.

As the heroine of the story, Jiang Ying’s usually enchanting gaze momentarily lost focus when her agent placed the new chapter in front of her.

【Agent: "Do you feel a sense of survival after a disaster?"】

【Jiang Ying held back a headache: "He should live a long life."

The agent chuckled, "At least until you have a child, he absolutely cannot die." Then, in a serious tone, he added, "Don't worry about the process. Your popularity is very high right now, and many people have actively reached out with scripts. For now, it's best to keep a low profile."

Jiang Ying nodded slightly. Finally, she smiled charmingly, but there was an icy coldness in her eyes: "If anyone wants to hijack things halfway, they can go ahead and try."

·

One of the benefits of being a freelancer is the ability to do things according to one's own will. At the very least, Chen Zhan did not have to pretend and socialize like them.

Because he had grown more familiar with Yin Ronglan, the two would sometimes video call instead of simply communicating through cold phone conversations. Of course, the real reason Chen Zhan took this step was to save on phone bills.

In the video, Yin Ronglan was standing outside a supermarket, carrying some groceries.

Snowflakes drifted down from the sky, and a few mischievously slipped into his collar like playful children.

Chen Zhan suddenly felt the urge to have a snowball fight.

Yin Ronglan’s smile remained the same, unaffected by the cold weather: "I’ve seen a lot of news about you online."

Becoming red-hot famous just from an unfounded nine-grid image was probably a first.

Chen Zhan sighed, "I envy that you can still walk around freely."

Although some time had passed, a few persistent media outlets were still keeping watch. Chen Zhan had been moved by their dedication several times and had even asked the old man next door to bring them some hand warmers.

Catching the implication in his words, Yin Ronglan smiled, "Want to go up the mountain to pray for blessings?"

Chen Zhan’s eyes flickered: "Isn’t the mountain closed when it snows?"

Yin Ronglan couldn’t help but laugh: "With the New Year approaching, more people want to pray and offer incense. For the temple, this is the peak season."

At times like these, the mountain wouldn’t be closed.

Chen Zhan thought for a moment. "Then let’s go next Sunday?"

When he asked in a negotiating tone, he rarely received a negative response from Yin Ronglan.

"Alright."

With continuous snowfall over the past few days, the roads were slippery and travel was inconvenient.

The neighborhood parking spaces, which were usually scarce, had gradually become more available.

As Chen Zhan came downstairs, some reporters rushed up, trying to get an interview.

Yin Ronglan didn’t get out of the car but honked twice. Chen Zhan, using the athleticism he had maintained while staying home, dashed out of the blockade and jumped into the car.

"Mr. Chen Zhan!" A voice carried through the glass. "In your latest article, you mentioned wanting to be Jiang Ying’s child in your next life. Is that true?"

Chen Zhan rolled down the window: "I have only one dream—tian tian fa cai (getting rich every day)."

Then he motioned for Yin Ronglan to drive.

The car moved at a moderate pace. Chen Zhan looked at the snow-covered world outside and murmured, "The fifth time or the sixth time?"

"Hmm?" Yin Ronglan glanced at him while driving.

"You've borrowed different cars from your friends."

Yin Ronglan’s answer was impeccable: "Because they are different friends."

Since they had met, his ability to change the subject had significantly improved. "Leaving the window open will give you a cold."

As cold air blew in, his breath turned into faint white mist. Chen Zhan gazed at the scenery outside the window: "It’s rare to see the world without a barrier of glass."

Ever since the media started following him, he had rarely gone outside.

Understanding his frustration, Yin Ronglan said warmly, "Since we left early, we can stay on the mountain a bit longer."

Driving up the mountain in this weather wasn't the wisest choice. Chen Zhan turned to look at him: "Actually, we could just take the bus straight to the foot of the mountain. It’d be more convenient than driving."

Yin Ronglan: "With reporters following, that wouldn’t be convenient."

But Chen Zhan noticed a brief unnatural look in his eyes. He paused for a moment before suddenly laughing: "Could it be that you’re worried I’ll make you the designated driver on the way back?"

Yin Ronglan didn’t reply, but his silence spoke volumes.

Chen Zhan sighed, "Things are different now. I’m not short on money anymore."

Yin Ronglan almost believed him—if not for the fleeting look of regret in Chen Zhan’s eyes.

Sure enough, moments later, he heard Chen Zhan murmur, "It’s easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go back."

No matter how sincerely he spoke, Yin Ronglan simply maintained a faint smile, steeling himself against responding.

The mountains stretched endlessly, and the vast sky felt almost within reach.

The scenery on the mountain always had a way of making people feel at ease.

Perhaps because the New Year was approaching, there were even more people climbing the mountain than before.

Last time they had come simply for a hike, but this time, they only needed to reach the temple halfway up. Upon arrival, they didn’t feel particularly tired.

Chen Zhan was originally admiring the bare trees covered in red prayer ribbons when he suddenly noticed the thick stack of donation money Yin Ronglan had given. He instinctively tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Isn’t that a bit too much?"

It wasn’t that he was stingy, but even after reincarnating once, Chen Zhan still trusted himself more than the gods.

With so many people in the world, how could divine kindness truly shine upon everyone?

Perhaps it was because they were standing in such a serene and spiritual place, but Yin Ronglan’s voice was unusually gentle: "Because I have a very important wish."

At that moment, the people inside finished their prayers, and it was their turn.

Whether one believed in the gods or not, praying always brought a sense of peace.

Chen Zhan’s wishes were simple but numerous—like hoping the old man next door would stay healthy in the coming year, or that his career would continue steadily.

Meanwhile, Yin Ronglan made only one solemn wish.

No one would ever know that when he saw Chen Zhan trending alongside Jiang Ying and Lin Chiang, he didn’t feel happy at all.

It was as if someone had barged into the fragile walls of friendship he had only just built.

Pressing his palms together, he lightly closed his eyes, praying with devotion—

Buddha above, if possible, he hoped that one day he could replace Jiang Ying, or even Lin Chiang, and appear on trending searches alongside Chen Zhan, being discussed by the world about their relationship.

By then, the whole world would see the friendship that belonged to them.

Author's Note:

Next year—

Yin Ronglan donates ten times the incense money: Buddha above, I want to take back last year's wish... Please.

____

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