Uneasy daily life

"Is something bothering you, Miss Sakurajima?" Bai Ying asked with concern, her hands behind her back. "It's not good to keep things to yourself. Tell me what's wrong."

Telling you this will make you happy, right? You hater.

Mai Sakurajima quickly composed herself, reached out her hand, and asked with a smile, "Screenwriter, let's not bring matters outside of work into the discussion. Where's your script?"

A stack of printed papers was placed in Mai Sakurajima's hand.

Bai Ying said solemnly, "This is the complete script."

Huh? He actually pulled it out?

Mai Sakurajima was somewhat surprised and joked, "Didn't the screenwriter say that actors reading the script beforehand would cause mistakes in their performances?"

"Yes," the white figure smiled slightly, "So, Miss Sakurajima, you must do your best!"

Showing courtesy for nothing is either cheating or stealing.

Mai Sakurajima became somewhat wary, quickly flipping through the script in her hand. Her expression gradually turned surprised and strange. The movies and TV series she usually acted in were mostly youth and school-themed. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with this type of genre, but the problem was that most of them were mediocre. They mainly relied on selling the actors' looks and popularity, and the biggest plot twists were probably the romantic entanglements. They emphasized commercialization, aiming for no mistakes but no success.

The reasons for choosing this production team are twofold: it's rare for art films to produce good works, and it also offers a better opportunity to hone acting skills and identify areas for improvement.

Although she finds it difficult to judge whether a script is good or bad, she can clearly understand the key scenes depicted in the text, as well as the actors' dialogue and inner monologues... Her focus is on the female lead, the character she is playing, and she wants to not only film a 'realistic version' but also the male lead's 'inner version'.

A very stressful and challenging role—after reading the script, the stress and challenge increased even more. It's possible that during filming, I might focus too much on different versions of myself, which could lead to a poor performance.

"Of course, this is just a rough version." Bai Ying took the script away and smiled. "I think we should give Ms. Sakurajima, the biggest star in our crew, some respect. We will expand the female lead's role later."

Mai Sakurajima understood and said with a wry smile, "...Well, thank you very much, Mr. Screenwriter."

You're welcome. Don't forget the performance tomorrow.

The white figure strolled away.

Sakurajima Mai paused, raised her hand to press her forehead, her mind drifting between the female lead in the script and the minor supporting role she would be playing the next day…

Wow! Haters really don't miss any opportunity!

Mai Sakurajima patted her forehead, focusing her attention on understanding the character. She thought that this would make things harder for her, but that would be a gross underestimation of her abilities.

"9527, where is your mouthpiece?"

"Inside the tents that have been set up over there..."

Angelina had just given her superior directions when she suddenly realized what was happening and quickly chased after him: "Sir, it seems the higher-ups at the mouthpiece are busy; there's a sign outside the door..."

Bai Ying kicked away the sign outside the tent that read, "Stuntman in production, Xu Bai and the cat are strictly prohibited from entering," and casually flung open the tent flap to go inside: "Hey, you mouthpiece! Stop staying home fiddling with your figurines, let's go out and play together—!"

The next second, the mouthpiece, with a hammer in its left hand and a chisel in its right, chased after the white figure, engaging in a fierce pursuit in the open space.

The person who was debugging the equipment glanced at it a few times.

Do you think all rich people have some kind of mental illness?

"I don't know if they're sick or not, but maybe all artists are like this."

"Indeed, strange noises always come out of the mouthpiece boss's tent."

A bit noisy.

Witnessing the white figure stumble on the ground and then be tackled and arrested by the mouthpiece, Mai Sakurajima decided to practice her performance in a different place.

……

……

"You bastard! You're always trying to cause me trouble, aren't you?!"

Inside the tent, the mouthpiece, expressionless and furious, tied the white figure to a chair.

The white figure exclaimed, "Well tied!"

Angelina spoke cautiously, "Um... even though the officer made a mistake, it doesn't warrant being tied up, does it?"

"Hmm?" A calm gaze shifted from the throat. "You still don't know?"

Angelina was taken aback: "Know what?"

Bai Ying thought for a moment and then called out, "Come here, let me take a look at your hand."

Angelina walked up, puzzled, and held out her hands.

"Um……"

Bai Ying carefully examined and appraised the item.

As Angelina began to wonder if her hands weren't clean enough and if there was dirt under her fingernails, Bai Ying nodded in satisfaction and said, "Quality inspection passed. They are a pair of hands that bring peace of mind."

"Uh, thank you for the compliment?" Angelina tilted her head and said, "So, does this have anything to do with tying up the officer?"

"He has a hand fetish—no, it should be said that he has a deep-rooted instinct that manifests as a hand fetish. This also brings about a superpower called a Stand. If you don't know, you can read a manga. The specific manifestation is very similar to that of Yoshikage Kira in that manga."

The mouthpiece said, "You really like to make trouble for yourself. Let that thing out, Jie."

"The rest is up to you—Killer Queen!"

Bai Ying took a deep breath and tensed his body. In the eyes of Hou Tongue and Angelina, something gloomy and misty emerged from Bai Ying, instantly forming a strange humanoid figure that enveloped Bai Ying. It was full of cracks, pinkish in color, and had blood-red eyes.

"So it wasn't made of pieces, like an exoskeleton?"

Angelina was a little surprised, then she felt that thing... glance at her?

Is it alive?!

“9527, no need to make such a fuss. I was the one who tried to break it.” Bai Ying curled her lips, and the strange humanoid figure that was moving suddenly froze. “As an outer member, you need to see more of the world and find your own art before you can become a formal member of the troupe and get the code name given by the troupe leader.”

Angelina silently recalled the official members, Mouthpiece, Phantom, and the most familiar White Shadow: "Ahem... I think being an outsider member is pretty good too."

He raised his hands, clasped them together, and pulled them apart, lines appearing between his fingers. He said knowingly, "You think we're all sick."

“Hehehe…” Angelina’s gaze wandered, “Only a little bit, um, just a little bit.”

“Only a madman would do art,” Bai Ying said regretfully. “It seems you’re not artistic enough, 9527—hold on a minute, being naked in front of others still makes me a little hesitant…”

"I'll go out and keep watch!"

Angelina immediately left the tent and stood guard outside the door.

"Do you want a more intensive treatment course or an even more intensive one?"

"Same as always, a course of treatment that's absolutely brutal."

The words coming from inside sounded even stranger!

The tent became exceptionally quiet; there wasn't a sound at all.

Angelina thought for a moment, then took out her phone and searched for Yoshikage Kira.

In short, a villain in the comics appears to be an ordinary office worker, but is actually a serial killer with a hand fetish... The superpower of the other party, which is called a Stand, is indeed very similar to the superpower of the superior, except that one is complete and the other is fragmented.

Isn't this...isn't this strange in every sense?

Angelina was a little flustered. She looked at the tent door, wanting to go in, but she was afraid that she would be like Wei Yan who knocked over the Seven Star Lamp and ruined everything. So she could only try her best to guard the door.

A moment later, the seemingly normal white figure was thrown out of the tent and fell face-first into the mud.

"Damn it! You mouthpiece, you tasteless bastard! I'm giving you a bad review!"

The white figure flipped over and jumped up, making an international friendship gesture towards the tent.

"Sir, are you alright?"

"Don't worry, it's fine." Bai Ying waved her hand and said, "It's just a normal treatment, much better than when I tried to smash myself into the mud back then."

"Is this much better...?" Angelina pointed to the ground and exclaimed in horror, "Um, sir, it looks like your skin is crumbling? Your face seems to be cracking a bit?!"

Some pink fragments, invisible to the average person, were shaking on the ground, and a strange, three-centimeter-long, non-bleeding gash was also present on the side of the white figure's cheek.

"Oh, they'll come back on their own—see, they're back now, aren't they? And the wound is gone, right?"

The fragments floated back to the white figure and disappeared. The original crack healed naturally, leaving no trace.

Angelina was somewhat incredulous: "This...this can't possibly be something from that comic book, can it? Why would superpowers from comic books actually exist?"

"9527—I have a question! Does the universe have an end? What is the meaning of life? Where did time begin? Where does time stop? Is there more known or more unknown?"

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!"

"You're right to get a headache from thinking about it! There are countless things we don't know, and countless questions we'll never have the answers to in our lifetime! We're not rushing to finish a manuscript, so why are we worrying about these questions? We might as well go slack off!"

"Sir! It's your fist that's giving me a headache!"

Angelina struggled violently.

Suddenly, the mouthpiece lifted the tent flap and poked its head out: "Xu Bai, aren't you going back to the troupe?"

"Don't underestimate my art, my mouthpiece." Bai Ying grinned arrogantly, pointing and gesturing. "What can a mere wandering ghost do to me? Besides, I'm not sick, and I don't want to go back to a mental hospital!"

The mouthpiece coldly replied, "You dare suggest I add sex accessories to dolls? You're already in the late stages."

Angelina stopped struggling, staring incredulously at the white figure, and gasped.

Bai Ying immediately retorted, "You must have secretly sold several more, right? Otherwise, how could you have become a tycoon?!"

Angelina looked at the throat in disbelief, and gasped again.

The throat sneered, "I would never do such a vulgar thing."

Bai Ying said knowingly, "It's just that I didn't do it myself, but that doesn't guarantee the buyer didn't, right?"

"That was a necessary sacrifice for art."

"That's right! Officer! It's this guy—a puppet trader who's both high-class and low-class, and goes along with both!"

"Stop talking nonsense and get ready for tomorrow's performance. But this time, I'll definitely be the one who shines the brightest."

The mouthpiece returned to the tent, where the sounds of construction and frenzied clamor continued to emanate.

Angelina, wearing tinted glasses, watched the tent warily.

"Alright, 9527, stop overthinking and come rehearse tomorrow's play with me."

"Huh?" Angelina exclaimed in surprise, "Me? I can't act..."

"Who asked you to act? Just hand me the costume later—come backstage with me. With that mouthpiece's obsessive-compulsive disorder that likes everything to be perfect, the stuff will definitely be ready."

Angelina followed the white figure backstage.

The performance is about to begin.

Backstage.

Angelina withdrew her gaze from the large audience outside through the gap in the curtain, nervously going over the order of each costume in her mind once more.

Huh? Did a day of my time get stolen from me?

Suddenly it's going to be for real!

Ahh—it must be a hallucination caused by being too nervous.

It's alright, it's alright. Just hand the clothes over here to the officer who will come down from the stage and enter the cubicle. It's a very simple matter.

I didn't expect there to be so many viewers. Is it because there's so little entertainment in the countryside?

Chapter 144 Opening

Chitanda Eru has disappeared.

Of course, calling it a disappearance would be too serious. To be precise, the teacher suddenly contacted the student, saying that something had come up and the student couldn't organize the activity at the Kamiyama City swimming pool. The student couldn't find the student in the student's room and heard that the student had gone home yesterday.

Could it be that something has happened to the Chitanda family?

Unless it's a very serious situation, she wouldn't abruptly withdraw from or even want to cancel the event.

And at that time...

Houtarou Oreki sat by the window, lost in thought.

"Is everyone here? Then let's head back—there's a theatrical performance prepared by Bai Ying this evening; those who are interested can go and see it."

After confirming the roll call, Hiratsuka Shizuka signaled the bus driver to drive back from Kamiyama City to Jinde, concluding today's swimming activity in Kamiyama City.

"Speaking of me, don't you also meddle in other people's business sometimes?"

"..."