In the script of the Otherworld, I play the main character.

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It no longer requires the same approach as when starting out, where you make money while simultaneously spending it to expand.

It can be said that the company has passed the most difficult stage, the expansion is complete, and it can start making money by maintaining its brand power.

It wasn't Bai He's idea to rush into collaborating with the calligraphy and painting association. Bai He, with limited education, wasn't particularly enthusiastic about this approach of combining commerce and art. It was Bai Tianyu who proposed the idea and insisted on it, which convinced Bai He to undertake the project.

Bai He didn't think Bai Tianyu was particularly capable or had better judgment than him; rather, Bai Tianyu had stated his purpose: to pursue Yu Xijin. Upon further inquiry, Bai He learned that during Bai Tianyu's period of depression and suspension from school, it was Yu Xijin's encouragement that helped him recover.

It was around that time that I fell in love with Yu Xijin.

For his son's happiness, Bai He, though feeling it was unreliable, still gritted his teeth and began planning the project. And the marriage alliance between the Bai and Yu families was naturally not based on the fees the company paid to the association during their collaboration.

In modern society, arranged marriages are no longer primarily based on social status or wealth; they are mostly driven by self-interest.

In order to secure the marriage, the Bai family promised Yu Xijin substantial protections. Before the marriage, the company's shares would be transferred to Bai Tianyu, and after the marriage, Yu Xijin would have a share as joint property.

Even if the two divorce in the future due to incompatibility, as long as the company exists, Yu Xijin's livelihood will be guaranteed.

It could be said that what was nominally a marriage alliance was actually a one-sided proposal from the Bai family, and the conditions they offered were quite good.

Yu Xijin didn't have a bad impression of Bai Tianyu either. If the two got along well in the future, Yu Xijin would have achieved a social leap. Either way, the Yu family would benefit.

The collaboration between the company and the association will also enhance Yu Xijin's father's prestige within the association.

After much consideration, Yu's father agreed. He wasn't the kind of feudal father who liked to oppress his children, but the conditions offered by the Bai family were indeed very tempting. After thinking it over, he realized that this was an opportunity that Yu Xijin couldn't miss.

Yu's father, displaying his paternal authority, finalized the marriage arrangement and then arranged for Yu Xijin and Bai Guanyu to become engaged.

“Anyway, you and Xijin are already engaged, why don’t we talk to the Bai family and cancel the cooperation?” Bai He said, rubbing his temples. Bai Tianyu frowned and quickly tried to dissuade him.

"No, that won't do. Everyone in the association already knows about this. Canceling it now would just embarrass Uncle Yu."

Chapter 116 Miss, You Are My White Moonlight

"What's wrong? Have you run into any trouble lately? You don't look too well."

In the coffee shop, Yu Xijin asked Bai Tianyu, who was sitting directly opposite her, that she had discussed Bai Tianyu's quirks with Lin Ran yesterday and was planning to come back and test him.

"Does it seem obvious...? There have been some troubles lately, but they're all minor issues, so don't worry."

Bai Tianyu smiled and started talking to Yu Xijin about some interesting things that had been happening online recently. Yu Xijin responded only half-heartedly. Seeing that Yu Xijin seemed a little distracted, Bai Tianyu was a little puzzled.

For some reason, he felt that Yu Xijin had changed in the past two days, becoming more perfunctory towards him. She was also very busy, and during the few times they did meet, she kept her distance.

For a couple, it's easy to notice when their partner subtly maintains distance, especially since Bai Guanyu cares so much about Yu Xijin. Previously, out of respect for Yu Xijin, Bai Guanyu hadn't actively sought to take their relationship closer, but now Yu Xijin's attitude has changed.

These are increasingly indifferent trends.

Yu Xijin took a sip of coffee and turned her head to look out the window. The coffee shop had a nice ambiance. Outside the window, she could see carefully tended green plants. Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the pothos on the roof trellis, casting a pleasant glow on the flowers and plants.

Bai Tianyu looked at Yu Xijin; her profile seemed to glow in the warm sunlight.

"Xijin, I want to tell you a story." "Okay, go ahead."

"It's a very boring and cliché story. Once upon a time, there was a boy with a very awkward personality. He encountered some bad things at school. He was too weak, and just a few classmates made him cry in despair."

Bai Tianyu's voice was as gentle as ever, inexplicably soothing and comforting to listen to. Was this one of the reasons she hadn't objected to the arranged marriage with him in the first place? Yu Xijin thought to herself.

"Is it bullying? Although I've heard many stories about children who have been bullied, hearing about something like this still makes me feel so sorry for them." Yu Xijin thought back to her own school days. She was rather introverted, but fortunately, she didn't encounter any truly bad people. Although she often felt lonely,

Once you get used to it, loneliness won't seem like such an unbearable thing.

"The boy was not good at handling things. He didn't think of any good solutions. Instead, he chose to hide it from his parents. The teacher also thought that the conflict between the students was just a normal minor friction."

Yu Xijin fell silent for a moment: "You're not talking about your past, are you?"

"You found out." "Was it that hard to find out?"

"So, do you still want to listen?" "It's clearly you who wanted to tell me."

"You caught me again. Well, I'll continue."

Bai Tianyu showed no embarrassment at being exposed and continued to recall his wording.

"As expected, the boy got into trouble. It wasn't anything serious, he just had a stomachache and seemed to want to die." "Isn't that a big deal?"

"Of course, it is said that about half of the people in our country have some degree of depression or anxiety. If everyone is like this, can it be considered a big deal?"

"Fortunately, the boy's parents noticed something was wrong, so they arranged for him to take a leave of absence from school and found him a psychologist."

"Your parents treat you quite well. In the stories I've heard, depressed children all have fathers or mothers who are inhumane." "I think so too."

Bai Tianyu nodded in agreement and continued his story.

"With the boy away from school, he suddenly had a lot more free time. The doctor suggested that he find a hobby as a source of emotional support, so that he could feel more fulfilled."

To understand the meaning of life.

When Bai Tianyu said this, he looked at Yu Xijin with deep affection, his eyes seemingly sparkling with starlight.

“The boy had no interest in anything; he found games and TV shows boring until one night he entered a live stream room, a live stream room with no one in it.”

"Then the boy and the streamer became friends?"

"Of course, the streamer's live stream content is playing the piano. The streamer is not very old. Because she doesn't show her face and doesn't talk much, not many people watch her. Moreover, she only streams for one or two hours every night. But after the boy confided his troubles to her, she seriously wanted to help the boy get out of depression."

Upon hearing this, Yu Xijin seemed to recall something, and the tape of her memories began to rewind frantically, finally settling on that summer.

She suddenly understood a sentence she'd seen online: "Dead memories suddenly started attacking me." "Wait, really?"

Bai Tianyu did not answer Yu Xijin's inexplicable question. Instead, the corners of his mouth turned up in a happy smile.

"That was the first time the boy could talk so frankly with someone. He felt the pure kindness from the female anchor, and he wanted to repay her with pure kindness in return!"

"Are you a fish from the stars?"

"Hmm! A string of mysterious numbers, Miss Anchor! You really do remember me!" Bai Tianyu's joy was palpable, but Yu Xijin felt a bit conflicted.

She did do some live streaming online when she was in school, but it wasn't for profit.

She didn't even have a username; her streamer name was just a string of numbers, the platform's default ID. Her few fans who watched her streams called her the "Mysterious Number Girl."

Recalling the events leading up to and following her meeting with Bai Tianyu, she finally understood why something felt off. Even though she and Bai Tianyu hadn't known each other for very long, he had pursued her with unwavering persistence.

In general, it's the man who gets lustful at first sight in such situations, but judging from his experience with Bai Tianyu, he is definitely not the kind of person who gets lustful at first sight.

Even after their engagement, out of respect for her, Bai Tianyu proactively promised not to violate her wishes and to postpone sexual activity after marriage. All these signs made Bai Tianyu seem somewhat disconnected from her, leading her to believe Lin Ran's theory that Bai Tianyu had a cuckold fetish.

So Bai Tianyu really did respect me, and truly loved me; he wasn't some cuckold. Then what had I done? I even wanted Bai Tianyu to suffer such a pitiful fate. My conscience ached slightly; was this some kind of moral condemnation?

Qian Xijin was raising her hand to rub her chest when a dull ache welled up in her heart, only to be suddenly replaced by a completely opposite sensation. It was as if a ticklish spot in her heart had been scratched, a pleasant and refreshing feeling.

It even made Yu Xijin let out a soft moan unconsciously. Bai Tianyu, who was in the throes of pleasure, did not notice that a blush had risen on Yu Xijin's cheeks and that she was biting her lip.

"Miss Digital Package, you are my ideal woman!" Bai Guanyu's eyes seemed to be shining with something dazzling.

Chapter 117 The Plan

"Then why did you stand me up in the first place?"

Yu Xijin suddenly remembered the time when she lost contact with that online friend named Fish from the Stars.

Yu Xijin felt a great sense of accomplishment when she thought she had saved a depressed child into a cheerful and optimistic one.

The fish from the stars actively sought her out to chat every day, finding all sorts of topics to discuss. At that time, Yu Xijin felt like the protagonist in a redemption story.

At that time, Yu Xijin had just been arranged by her family to study abroad, and with her studies becoming increasingly busy, she was preparing to quit the internet. After telling this to Fish from the Stars, Fish from the Stars asked to meet her.

Yu Xijin isn't the type to want to meet people she met online, but she was young and impulsively agreed at the time.

When the agreed meeting date arrived, she didn't see anyone. It was raining that day. After waiting for two hours, feeling like she had been tricked, Yu Xijin left disappointed and deleted the friend from the starry sky.

If Bai Tianyu really was a fish from the stars, Yu Xijin would definitely ask him why he stood her up in the first place. Bai Tianyu's face lit up with understanding upon hearing Yu Xijin's question, and he explained.

Because I had already fallen for you back then, and I asked you out to confess my feelings. I did go that day, but I only dared to watch you from afar. I felt that someone like me wasn't good enough for you, and that I shouldn't bother you.

Bai Tianyu sighed softly at the end, "I'm sorry, I was too insecure that day." So that's how it is, Yu Xijin thought to herself.

"Ah... It's okay, I didn't really take it to heart. I wasn't thinking about dating or anything back then, I didn't even consider that aspect." The same relationship, but the two people had completely different impressions.

Bai Tianyu met Yu Xijin at the age when he was most insecure, introverted, and desperate, and naturally, she captured his entire heart. But for Yu Xijin, Bai Tianyu was just an online friend from beginning to end.

After being stood up, Bai Tianyu's reputation in Yu Xijin's eyes dropped even further. After deleting him from her friends list and leaving the country, Yu Xijin completely forgot about him. "So actually, we already knew each other quite well a long time ago. This is simply fate, Xijin."

Bai Guanyu's affectionate gaze made Yu Xijin feel somewhat uneasy; to Bai Guanyu, this experience seemed like a fairy tale.

But she didn't feel particularly attracted or destined to meet him. After deleting him from her contacts, the netizen with the ID "Fish from the Starry Sky" wasn't even a friend to her anymore.

It turns out the other person has kept me in their heart for so many years... I'm touched, but not really moved.

Subconsciously, Yu Xijin compared Bai Tianyu and Lin Ran in her mind, but just thinking about Lin Ran made her legs feel tingly.

That bad boy was definitely not a good match. But it was really fun! Yu Xijin swallowed and changed the subject.

"Let's not talk about that. Actually, I know what's been bothering you lately. Uncle Bai already told me that you're planning to collaborate with the association to create..."

That sub-brand, isn't it actually very risky and costly?

Bai Tianyu's expression froze. "My dad told you? I specifically told him not to tell."

Yu Xijin smiled gently: "Silly boy, don't you know that there is strength in numbers? If you don't talk to others and only think about solving it by yourself, what if you can't solve it by yourself?"

Bai Tianyu smiled sheepishly, "It's my fault. I don't think we should trouble you to come up with a solution together."

Yu Xijin smiled mysteriously: "Actually... I've already found a way for you." Bai Tianyu was taken aback, then asked with some surprise, "Really? What way?"

In fact, Bai Tianyu didn't want to tell Yu Xijin about the matter for two reasons. First, he didn't want the Yu family to think that the Bai family was incompetent. Second, he genuinely didn't think that Yu Xijin, a girl, could come up with any good solutions.

Although Bai Tianyu likes Yu Xijin, whether a person is good or not and how capable they are are two different things. In this respect, he and his father are professionals, and it is hard to say that Yu Xijin, an art freelancer, can be of any help.

"Yes, I've analyzed the problems you're facing. The pricing of a sub-brand needs to be supported by a strong brand image, and a strong brand image requires significant advertising costs."

Build.

"The association can certainly elevate the image of your brand, but image alone is not enough. What you need most right now is a lot of exposure and publicity."

Yu Xijin's analysis made Bai Tianyu nod repeatedly, and he even looked at her with newfound respect. "You're absolutely right, Xijin, you have a real talent for business."

Bai Tianyu sincerely praised her, but in his heart he still didn't think Yu Xijin had any good ideas. There are many smart people in this world, but not all smart people can be bosses.

The biggest hurdle in business has never been knowledge, but resources. No matter how much you know, it's all for naught without resources. The world doesn't lack people who can analyze problems; it lacks people who can solve them.