“But since you wrote it, don’t waste it. Show me a song suitable for a male and female duet,” Fu Peiyao whispered.
Mu Li acted as if he hadn’t heard her: “Then let’s sing ‘Target: Pokémon Master’.”
“Hmm?” Fu Peiyao’s voice immediately rose several octaves. “What did you say to sing?”
“Hahaha… I meant a duet, a love song for a male and female duet…” Mu Li chuckled awkwardly. “What Pokémon Master? You must have misheard…”
Fu Peiyao was clearly used to Mu Li’s daily self-destructive behavior and didn’t press the issue.
“Did the Flowers and Youth production team notify you? The first meeting is in two days,” Fu Peiyao suddenly changed the subject.
Mu Li was startled and replied, “I haven’t had a chance yet; I just got out, didn’t I? So, we’ll be able to meet in two days?”
“What? You’re not planning to return to Magic City today?” Fu Peiyao asked, puzzled.
“Hmm… I have to go back to Yangcheng for a trip…” Mu Li explained. “Director Ling’s son is going there for special training, and I need to arrange it. But I’ll be back before the first meeting.”
At this moment, in the National Team’s Pokémon Battle Training Center in Imperial Capital, Ling Fei and Zhu Yuping were discussing the roster for the World Pokémon Battle Exhibition Match.
“The personnel have all been arranged,” Zhu Yuping reported. “But looking at the roster, is Ling Yu not participating this time?”
Ling Fei shook his head and said, “With his strength, going would just be for broadening his horizons. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. This time, A Li has arranged special training for him, and this opportunity is much more valuable.”
As soon as Mu Li was mentioned, Zhu Yuping couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
“What’s wrong?” Ling Fei asked, puzzled.
“Oh, you don’t know yet,” Zhu Yuping said with a laugh. “Actually, it’s nothing. A Li didn’t want to participate in the exhibition match, right? So I set up a trap for him.”
“What do you mean?” Ling Fei was a bit confused.
“He just happened to participate in a travel variety show called Flowers and Youth,” Zhu Yuping explained. “I contacted the production team and arranged for their celebrity guests to participate in this event in the name of our National Team.”
Ling Fei’s eyes lit up: “So, that means A Li will have to go?”
“Definitely,” Zhu Yuping said with a sly smile. “I heard his little girlfriend will also be there, so he’ll definitely participate. Then we’ll…”
“Hehehe…” The two exchanged a glance and a laugh, which could be described as quite lewd.
“Ah-choo…” Mu Li, who had just boarded the plane, couldn’t help but sneeze, muttering, “Who’s thinking of me again…”
At this moment, a topic quietly topped the trending list online—the “Wu Ha” production team discovered ancient ruins during filming.
With the intentional promotion by the “Wu Ha” production team, the topic’s popularity grew higher and higher.
The production team even directly tagged the guests who participated in this “Wu Ha” filming.
Chichi: “??? Why didn’t I know????”
Deng Fei: “??? Why didn’t I know either????”
…
Facing the confusion of the various guests, the “Wu Ha” production team also gave an answer: “Of course, you wouldn’t know. What do you do besides eat and drink? This was discovered by A Li.”
The “Wu Ha” production team’s answer immediately pushed Mu Li onto the hot search.
“Another ruin discovered? This is the second one, right?”
“Does A Li have a ruin-attracting constitution?”
“Last time, he saw the Prince of the Sea. What did he see this time?”
“What kind of ruin is it this time? @Mu Li”
…
Mu Li’s WeChat also started to be bombarded at this time.
In the “Wu Ha” chat group.
Chichi: @Mu Li, come out and explain quickly, when did you discover the ruin? And you didn’t tell us?
Deng Fei: @Mu Li, are you secretly enjoying something by yourself?
Wang Xiang: No need to tag him, he’s on the plane right now.
Fan Yizhi: Director, you knew too? So, we were the only ones kept in the dark, right?
Wang Xiang: A Li didn’t let me say anything…
Deng Fei: He also told you to give us instant noodles, did you?
Chichi: He also told you to give us a seafood feast, did you?
Fan Yizhi: It seems he really did…
Wang Xiang: There are still honest people in this world.
…
Mu Li’s fan group was also incredibly lively at this time.
Pikachu’s Tail: “Can someone explain? What exactly did A Li go to do? Why is he doing archaeology again?”
Doduo Can’t Fly: @Sister Yang.
Yang Yitong: No need to tag me, we all don’t know… We’re not allowed to contact during filming.
Pikachu’s Tail: Where’s A Li?
Pei Pei: On the plane.
Yang Yitong: I feel like I’m a very incompetent assistant, having to learn about my artist’s whereabouts from others.
Pei Pei: …What do you want to say?
Yang Yitong: I backed down, I backed down…
…
By the time Mu Li got off the plane, his phone was practically exploding.
As soon as he had a signal, Mu Li called Fu Peiyao.
“How did you find another ruin?” Fu Peiyao asked with concern. “This time’s ruin isn’t as dangerous as the last one, is it?”
“Uh… was the last one dangerous?” Mu Li asked, puzzled.
Fu Peiyao said earnestly, “How was it not dangerous? There were pirates, deep sea, and such a huge Wailord…”
“Alright. Then this time is much more dangerous,” Mu Li explained. “This time, I just encountered a Dusknoir that was sealed tens of thousands of years ago, and he wanted to open the Netherworld Gate to destroy the world.”
“Ah? How are you? Are you injured?” Fu Peiyao exclaimed.
“No, Gengar kneaded him into a ball…” Mu Li began to tell Zorua’s story, and it took him half an hour to finish it.
“This Dusknoir is really too wicked,” Fu Peiyao’s voice was a bit choked up.
Mu Li remembered that Fu Peiyao seemed to have no resistance to stories about maternal love.
As long as she heard a touching family story, she would be moved to tears for a long time.
However, Mu Li felt the same way; he was easily moved by such stories.
Mu Li guessed that he and Fu Peiyao might be like this because they experienced less maternal love in their youth.
Fu Peiyao’s parents divorced when she was young, and while his parents loved him very much, they spent very little time with him.
The two chatted for a long time, and then Mu Li received a call from Chichi.
“Hello, hello, what exactly is going on with that ruin?” Chichi asked.
“It’s just an ancient ruin, why? Are you interested?” Mu Li asked, puzzled.
“Of course! That’s an ancient ruin, and it was right next to us,” Chichi said grumpily. “Why didn’t you take us to see it then?”
“Uh, it’s dangerous with too many people…” Mu Li explained, “Inside was a Dusknoir that lived for tens of thousands of years. I was afraid you guys would be scared to death.”
“Nonsense, how could I be scared by a Pokémon?” Chichi’s tone was a bit hesitant.
Mu Li couldn’t help but roll his eyes: “I wonder who was scared unconscious by Gengar… If you guys were a bit braver, I would have taken you.”
“Alright,” Chichi sighed. “What about that Dusknoir?”
Mu Li said calmly: “To put it simply, he wanted to destroy the world, but Gengar destroyed him instead.”
Chichi: “…”