Upon hearing this, 'Qingque' raised an eyebrow.
Was she being mistaken for a Heliobus?
Well...
The 'Qingque' who had intended to explain reconsidered.
This was the first time she and the real Qingque had actually met.
While a citizen of the Luofu likely wouldn't pass out from sheer terror like Asta's family might, it was hard to say whether Qingque would have some other bizarre reaction.
Besides, trying to explain exactly who she was and why she was looking for her in just a few sentences seemed like a tall order.
So, she figured she might as well play along as a Heliobus for now.
A smile tugged at the corners of 'Qingque's' mouth as she nodded toward the girl.
"Strictly speaking, every Heliobus on the Xianzhou has lived for a very, very long time. However, finding one who knows about Celestial Jade is indeed a bit of a stretch."
She paused for a beat before adding, "Are you curious about this ancient street toy?"
At those words, Qingque's eyes lit up. She nodded vigorously.
"Yes, yes, yes! Do you actually know it?! Can you teach me? I've been studying the rules, but I just can't wrap my head around them."
'Qingque' crossed her arms and tilted her head back slightly, looking down at the original Qingque.
"Of course! Not only can I teach you, but I'm going to grant you a grand destiny! I've already spoken with Fu Xuan. For the time being, you'll be working under me, and in exchange, I'll teach you the ways of Celestial Jade."
"Uh... I think I'll pass on the 'grand destiny' part."
Though Qingque couldn't sense any actual malice, she could smell a trap a mile away.
Good grief.
This person couldn't possibly be planning some world-shaking endeavor to make a name for themselves, could they?
She was just a poor, weak, and helpless little diviner; she had no interest in the limelight.
"Oh, I couldn't have that. After all, I'm borrowing your appearance. Celestial Jade alone isn't nearly enough to settle that debt," 'Qingque' insisted.
Before Qingque could protest, she cut her off.
"Anyway, we can discuss that later. Come, let me show you how Celestial Jade is truly played!"
"..."
Qingque, who had been ready to argue, found herself rooted to the spot the moment she saw her double wave a hand and summon a gaming table along with a complete set of Celestial Jade tiles.
"Is... is this really it?"
For some reason, the moment Qingque saw those square, jade-like tiles, she felt a wave of familiarity. It was as if she had been born to play this game.
"Naturally. Now, watch closely..."
'Qingque' spread the tiles across the table and began explaining the rules. She even threw in some regional variations of Mahjong from her previous life for good measure.
Before long, Qingque was scratching her head in excitement, itching to jump into a game and experience it for herself.
Unfortunately, you can't play Celestial Jade with just two people; it takes at least three to get a game going.
'Qingque' raised a hand to calm her double down. "I know you're eager, but take it easy. This game is best played with four. Right now, only you and I know the rules, so a match is out of the question."
"Then what do we do?"
"Promote it, obviously. If you want to be able to play whenever you want, you need a large enough player base. Word of mouth works, but it's far too slow."
Watching the real Qingque look so restless she was practically climbing the walls, 'Qingque's' voice took on a more persuasive, almost tempting lilt.
"Besides, you're busy with work at the Divination Commission. If you try to spread it on your own, it'll take years to reach the whole Luofu. The best way is to start a company and use its influence to launch a massive promotional campaign!"
"Oh—! That makes sense! But I'm just a lowly diviner. I have no Credits, no Strale, no time... how am I supposed to start a company?"
Qingque scratched her head.
She didn't actually want to do anything big, but because of her love for Celestial Jade, she truly did want the game to spread. If it did, wouldn't the streets be filled with potential players?
"That's not a problem. I'll handle the logistics. However, since my identity is a bit... inconvenient, I'll need to use your name to establish the entertainment company."
"Wait—what?! You're going to use my face to run a company?!"
"Are you afraid of losing money? Don't worry, Fu Xuan will back you. Even if it fails, the debt won't fall on your head."
"Who's worried about the money! I'm saying, if you use my face to run a major company and promote it across the Luofu, doesn't that mean everyone is going to recognize me??"
Qingque was getting worked up—and not in a good way.
Setting aside her parents' constant nagging about "iron rice bowls" and "career planning," if they found out she was neglecting her duties for entertainment projects, she'd never hear the end of it.
The mere thought of walking down the street and being recognized by everyone made her shiver.
Seeing the original Qingque's face go pale with a "my future is ruined" expression, 'Qingque' had to bite back a laugh.
"That's impossible," she said, suppressing a grin.
"You'll be the big boss behind the scenes. Have you ever seen a CEO who stands in the spotlight every single day? Let me ask you, do you even know the face of the person who manufactures your jade abacus?"
"Hmm... I guess you have a point."
Qingque rubbed her chin, frowning. She had overreacted a bit. Come to think of it, most entertainment moguls didn't spend their days parading in public.
"Then... shall we give it a shot?"
"Might as well. You have nothing to lose. You head over to the Artisanship Commission to handle the production of the tables and tiles. I'll get the company structure ready."
'Qingque' quickly delegated the tasks, leaving the game-specific details to Qingque. She planned to ask Fu Xuan and Jing Yuan for help with the rest later.
As for the entertainment company, it wasn't just a whim.
'Qingque' had already decided that since the Originium interface was already built, she might as well use it to create a platform for the masses.
She'd build a company to develop various entertainment projects—games, illusory plays, and the like.
These projects would be launched through the Originium system, using the devices as mobile terminals.
That way, the Originium system would provide a long-term, sustainable, and stable source of emotion points.
To draw in users, 'Qingque' had even integrated the fan-site she'd created during her Aha-simulated antics into the system.
Once Celestial Jade was ready, she'd promote it on the Luofu and the Originium network simultaneously.
Of course, games alone wouldn't be enough. Eventually, she'd need the power of Elation to really hook the players.
But that was a bridge to cross later. For now, it was time to get those tiles made and start building some serious hype for 'CEO Qingque'!
By evening, Qingque had already taken the blueprints and samples to the Artisanship Commission to find an acquaintance for the job.
True to her word, 'Qingque' went to find Fu Xuan.
To have a proper chat with 'Qingque,' Fu Xuan had—unprecedentedly—skipped out on her usual overtime. She led her to her private residence early.
Though the courtyard was spacious, the decor was relatively simple. It was clear the Master Diviner didn't care for flashy ornamentation. On the way back, 'Qingque' filled her in on her meeting with her double.
"So, you want to open an entertainment company in Qingque's name?"
"Mhm. Create some games or interesting things and put them on the Originium system. I have plenty of Credits, and if I run short, I can always ask the IPC for more."
"...Money isn't an issue. The Luofu has plenty of its own."
As Fu Xuan spoke, she couldn't help but marvel inwardly. An entertainment company personally backed by the Arbiter of Myriad Distinctions? There was almost no way it could fail.
Qingque certainly had incredible luck, being shielded by an Aeon like that.
Fu Xuan huffed softly to herself, feeling a twinge of envy toward her subordinate.
At the same time, she felt the urge to train Qingque even harder to ensure she felt a sense of belonging to the Divination Commission—otherwise, if the girl got too absorbed in running a company, she might just quit her post and run off.
Hearing Fu Xuan's response, 'Qingque' turned with a smile toward the Master Diviner, who was now roughly the same height as her.
"Will you help me, Fu Xuan?"
Fu Xuan's face flushed slightly, but she quickly let out a dry cough.
"Whether for public interest or personal reasons, the Luofu will not ignore a request from the Arbiter of Myriad Distinctions. Besides, it's just an entertainment company; it's no great trouble. However, for certain matters, you might still need to talk to Jing Yuan."
High as the Divination Commission's status was, they didn't handle basic civil infrastructure. There were things even Fu Xuan couldn't settle with a single word.
"I'll worry about Jing Yuan later. For now, thank you for being willing to help, Fu Xuan."
'Qingque' looked at the bashful Fu Xuan with a grin. She intentionally took the Master Diviner's hand and stared directly into her eyes.
The result was a Master Diviner who didn't know where to look, her cheeks turning a bright, blushing red.
Say what you will, but seeing the usually dignified Master Diviner get so flustered was genuinely adorable. However, 'Qingque' knew not to push too hard, lest Fu Xuan grow desensitized to it too quickly.
She knew when to quit while she was ahead, transitioning to the next phase of her plan to "recruit" Fu Xuan.
"Fu Xuan, I actually have one more favor to ask. Would you be willing?"
"Feel free to speak. As long as it is within my power."
Fu Xuan's face was still red. She blurted out the promise before her brain had fully processed the situation.
'Qingque's' lips curved upward as she went straight for the heart of the matter.
"Then... would you become my Emanator?"
"Of course, a mere Emanat—wait, a what?!"
The words had nearly slipped out of Fu Xuan's mouth before she jolted, her grip on 'Qingque's' hands tightening involuntarily.
She looked over with an expression caught somewhere between shock and delighted surprise.
It was impossible to tell if she was willing or not. 'Qingque' didn't rush her; she simply waited in silence.
The room grew quiet, so still that the frantic thumping of Fu Xuan's heart became audible.
She looked at 'Qingque,' her mind still seemingly in a state of chaos.
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL