121. "If Only in a Dream" — Even a Pair of Stones Can Sing with Chemistry

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Ji Fanxing sent Teng Hai’s “nutritional supplement” test report, along with all concrete evidence, to Mo Xiaodong’s guardian through hacking methods before finally going to sleep.

Five days later, after publicly severing ties with her family and remaining silent ever since, Ji Fanxing finally had new news.

@Huaxia Media Ji Fanxing:

My friend @Ning Ze and I star in the movie “Treasure Quest,” which will premiere tomorrow night. Here’s the trailer; I hope everyone likes it. [Link]

Within five minutes of the announcement, thousands of comments flooded in.

Most netizens hadn’t even fully read Ji Fanxing’s post but were cheering wildly in her comment section.

“Wonderful! The Star Ji is not in any scandal!!!”

“My unruly, unpredictable Star Ji! Why are you only coming now? I’ve been dying to see what amazing work you bring this time.”

“Wuwu, one day apart feels like three years. Now that ‘The All-Round Singer King’ has ended, I can’t even watch her live streams anymore. So unaccustomed.”

“Is Star Ji writing the theme song for the movie this time? It’s called ‘If Dreams’—sounds beautiful! I’m going to listen!”

“The movie title sounds pretty average, probably a flop. But I’m willing to endure it just to hear Star Ji’s song!”

“This movie stars Ning Ze, right? His face plus Ji Fanxing’s song... oh my! Perfect match!”

“How can this not count as a collaboration? Long live the Star-Ze CP flag! Slurp, slurp, I’m going to feast on this.”

“But still, I have to loudly say: Ji Fanxing’s first love is Xu Mo!!!”

“Cult! Get lost!”

“My Chu Xing couple is the coolest! No arguments! ‘Map of Mountains and Rivers’ is their honeymoon plan!”

At the computer, Guan Xiaoyue, once a die-hard fan of Chu Hao and now a staunch supporter of Chu Xing, posted her comment before clicking on the link behind the post.

The video’s thumbnail showed Ji Fanxing and Ning Ze embracing like lovers reunited after a long separation.

The description below read: “My greatest treasure has always been you — ‘Treasure Quest,’ theme song ‘If Dreams.’ See you in theaters on May 20.”

Rubbing her eyes, Guan Xiaoyue accidentally switched out, then realized the post said “My friend Ning Ze stars,” not “My friend’s starring,” and covered her face in despair.

“Oh no! Home invasion!!”

Meanwhile, fans waving the Star-Ze CP flag planted it high and laughed uproariously in the comments.

“Hahaha! You all will eventually be consorts, hahaha!!”

Heartbroken, Guan Xiaoyue was about to close the page when the elegant piano and drumbeat music started playing in the background.

Ji Fanxing’s clear and melodious voice struck straight to the heart.

“Life is but a fleeting dream, how many moments of joy are there?

The wind shakes, the rain falls; where does this heart find rest~”

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Instinctively, she opened the music video.

Beauty, cliff fall, tears, stunningly beautiful!

The sorrowful scenes paired with the exquisite vocals immediately captured Guan Xiaoyue’s heart.

“Run, now’s still your chance,” a sudden comment scrolled by, but she was too absorbed to notice.

The story-driven verses of “If Dreams,” combined with the film clips, instantly immersed the audience.

In the MV, Ning Ze’s character traversed mountains and valleys, seemingly searching for something.

Along the way, he met new companions, faced deadly dangers, and discovered mysterious enigmas deep in the mountains...

The plot unfolded alongside the song’s narrative.

“Memories flow through your eyes,

Forgetting and piecing together at once,

Like my devoutly clasped hands,

Only wishing you may find salvation~”

As the chorus swelled, the injured male lead experienced flashbacks with his lover during hazy moments. Though the scenes were sweet, the mournful song rendered them deeply tragic.

Ji Fanxing’s mastery of enunciation and rhyme was impeccable.

Every word was crisp yet seamlessly connected within the melody, neither forced nor artificial, imbued with heartfelt emotion.

Immersed entirely in the MV’s story, Guan Xiaoyue felt a prick of sadness well up in her nose.

The song’s layers deepened—if the first verse was a gentle narration, the second carried an unforgettable longing.

When the song reached its climax again, the MV’s story advanced: after enduring countless hardships and solving the mystery, the male lead finally sought to reunite with the female lead.

Calling her name eagerly, he was met with emptiness.

“What’s going on?” Guan Xiaoyue’s heart tightened. The MV didn’t explain what happened next; only as the song neared its end did the scene return to the opening shot.

A filter suggested it was a memory.

“Only wishing you may find salvation,

Only wishing you may find salvation~”

Resonant with regret and whispering hints, the song ended but the MV lingered.

Amidst swirling autumn leaves, a woman bathed in white light suddenly looked back and softly called out.

“Achen.”

The MV had long finished, yet Guan Xiaoyue remained unsettled, having forgotten all about the CP rivalry; only a heavy ache filled her chest.

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Though the MV left many mysteries, the plot was clearly the classic old trope.

What was rare was that Ji Fanxing and Ning Ze, the headline stars, delivered surprisingly fine performances. Amid the sadness, they conveyed the beauty of love...

Coupled with the captivating “If Dreams,” and Ji Fanxing’s stunning closing shots, no one could forget it.

As the video auto-replayed, the opening comments had noticeably multiplied.

“Judging by the MV’s tone, this movie is definitely a tragedy. Damn, it hurts so much.”

“I thought the movie used Ji Fanxing and Ning Ze just as a gimmick, but they actually act really well!”

“This MV almost gave me a split personality. When no one’s on screen, the movie looks cheap with rough props, but whenever they appear, it feels so high-end!”

“Because they’re so good-looking, I don’t care. Just for the looks and song, I’m definitely watching.”

“They act so well, the way they look at each other is so sweet. Mom, I’m in love again...”

“This song is amazing; I feel it could make even two stones feel like a CP.”

“So, does the female lead die in the end or not? It’s just one ticket! I’m buying it!”

“The leads grabbed me so hard. May 20 is right around the corner; I’m going to the movies with my boyfriend.”

Back and forth, the fans’ chatter quickly sold out all the presale tickets for “Treasure Quest.”

“Eh? No tickets left? Add more showings!”

“Seriously? The movie is doing hunger marketing too?”

“More tickets, more tickets.”

The executives at Teng Hai never imagined that a small-budget, assembly-line production film would one day sell out tickets like this.

“What are you waiting for?! Add more screenings!”

Teng Hai’s CEO Qian Huanxi urged.

“But the theaters are fully booked. Adding more shows means squeezing out other movies.”

“I remember the movie releasing simultaneously was Feng Xinliu’s ‘Martial World,’ right? Push his to next month!”

Qian Huanxi was jumping up and down, watching millions of people online clamoring to buy tickets.

Teng Hai had brought in the internet buzz, but their profitable underage star had been withdrawn by his parents under the pretext of schooling. With minor protection laws in place, unless voluntary, they couldn’t be forced.

Now, Ji Fanxing was the only profitable pillar.

She was impressive—money came fast.

Qian Huanxi’s eyes gleamed as he said to his secretary, “Call Bi Deng over.”