Chapter 15: Hugo: Who Truly Is the Male Lead?

Zhang Li felt like a starving wolf was eyeing him.

The gazes from these three women toward him were off.

Could it be... they all had a crush on him?

“Is there something on my face?” Zhang Li decided to test them.

“A bit cute,” Yang Mi nodded.

“Indeed,” Liu Shishi agreed.

“Mm,” Tang Yan concurred.

A sparkling, mobile treasure that helped him cheat—how could it not be adorable?

None of the three suspected each other’s fondness for Zhang Li.

From Yang Mi’s perspective, Liu Shishi liked Zhang Li, and Tang Yan showed signs too.

Tang Yan thought Liu Shishi had feelings for him, while Yang Mi’s attitude was just her character.

Liu Shishi believed Tang Yan was influenced by her role, and Yang Mi was an old friend of Zhang Li.

“Cute...” Zhang Li twitched the corner of his mouth. “You’re the cuter ones.”

Three adorable lambs providing him with countless “wool” upgrades.

“I’m cute? You’re the one who said that,” Yang Mi snorted, flicking her hair.

“Don’t talk to your sister like that,” Tang Yan felt pleased but considered herself the beauty in the group.

Liu Shishi smiled at Zhang Li but said nothing.

Hu Ge: “...”

So no one paid attention to him?

Wasn’t he supposed to be the male lead of this drama?

It seemed as if Zhang Li heard his thoughts. He looked at him and said, “Brother Jingtian, it’s not that your acting is bad; it’s just that your state isn’t as good as ours. We’ve been syncing these past couple of days.”

“Whether it’s immersing yourself in your own role or the other roles, you need to find the right entry point.”

“Longqing the hero is right,” Yang Mi said boldly. “Dead Veggie, keep trying. We’re all about experience.”

“Brother Wang, Longkui feels you’re not treating her well,” Liu Shishi accused Hu Ge with pleading eyes.

“I used to play your spouse; now I’m your sister-in-law,” Tang Yan said coldly. “Change your expression and attitude.”

Hu Ge:!

Clearly, he was being treated differently.

“You’re right,” Hu Ge smiled. “Then tonight, Brother Jingtian will treat everyone to a late-night snack.”

“White Tofu, Pig Lady, Sister, and... Sister-in-law, you’re all invited.”

He even raised his eyebrows playfully.

“Alright, Dead Veggie,” Yang Mi slapped Hu Ge’s shoulder. “I’ll give you this face.”

“Okay, big brother,” Liu Shishi obediently nodded, dressed in a wide-sleeved flowing fairy gown.

“As Brother Jingtian said,” Zhang Li bowed gracefully.

Tang Yan said nothing but stood beside Zhang Li, like a perfect partner.

Hu Ge twitched at the corner of his eye: “...”

He couldn’t outperform these four at all.

Still, he wouldn’t be at the bottom.

“I’ll go call others,” Hu Ge brushed his hair and ran over to Li Zichong. “Maomao, want to have a late-night snack with us?”

Li Zichong showed a simple expression and smiled, nodding: “Sure, boss.”

That tone was totally Maomao being Maomao.

Hu Ge: “...”

“Cheers!”

Inside a private room, everyone raised their glasses together.

At the head sat Hu Ge, flanked by Yang Mi, Liu Shishi, Zhang Li, Tang Yan, Guo Xiaoting, Lin Zichong, Huang Zhiwei, Wang Jingze, and Yuan Hong.

With such a seating arrangement, Hu Ge joked that White Tofu was the real lead—truly surrounded by beauties.

“Brother Jingtian, you’re just jealous,” Zhang Li smiled.

Everyone chatted and laughed; after the late-night meal, they had become friends, though some closer than others.

After they were full, Hu Ge suggested going to karaoke. This time, not everyone agreed.

Zhang Li, Yuan Hong, Da Tangshi, and Guo Xiaoting—four women—signed up, and the group headed to karaoke.

Inside the room, Yang Mi, slightly tipsy, was unusually quiet, sitting like a lady.

Liu Shishi and Tang Yan, however, became lively, picking songs and singing enthusiastically.

“Ali, you sing too,” Liu Shishi grinned and pinched Zhang Li’s cheek. “Don’t tell me you’re too shy.”

Zhang Li: “...”

Is Liu Shishi the female rogue?

When filming “The Legend of the Condor Heroes,” she never sang along like this.

The lively spirit was always played by Xie Na, who portrayed Huazheng.

“It’s mainly because I’m afraid after I sing, you won’t want to sing anymore,” Zhang Li replied.

“Bold words!” Suddenly, Yang Mi snatched the microphone, confidently standing up. “I’ll go.”

Liu Shishi, Tang Yan, and Guo Xiaoting clapped and cheered her on.

“Ahem, I’ll go to the restroom,” Hu Ge stood up.

“Let’s go together,” Yuan Hong put away his phone.

“I’ll go too...” Zhang Li was about to join them.

But before he finished, Yang Mi shot him a warning glance.

“Ahem.”

Zhang Li sensibly decided to stay put; better not offend Yang Mi.

Turning to look at Hu Ge and Yuan Hong, he saw their faces adorned with schadenfreude.

“Brother Jingtian, is your kidney bad?” Zhang Li asked. “You just came back from the restroom ten minutes ago.”

The four women all looked at Hu Ge, their faces scrutinizing.

“I just drank too much,” Hu Ge dodged.

“That’s way too fast,” Zhang Li’s eyes showed concern. “Bad kidneys hurt the body; you have to take care or your brothers will worry.”

Then he looked at Yuan Hong sadly. “Brother Yuan, I asked if you wanted to go to the restroom earlier, and you said no.”

“But now you’re going with Brother Jingtian. Did I do something wrong to upset you?”

“I can change.”

At that moment, the scent of tea filled the air.

Yuan Hong and Hu Ge both got goosebumps.

Yang Mi shot them a sharp look. “Do you think I sing badly?”

What do you mean think? Obviously.

Yuan Hong and Hu Ge grumbled in their hearts but smiled on the outside, denying it.

“Then I’ll go after I finish singing,” Yang Mi narrowed her eyes.

The two quickly sat back down.

Tang Yan and the other two women: “...”

Something was off.

Soon, Yang Mi started singing a song by Zhou Bichang.

Everyone: “...”

If you say it’s bad, she has her own flavor and style.

If you say it’s good, it still feels somehow off-key.

But listening carefully, it seemed to be in tune.

After finally finishing one song, Yang Mi got into the mood: “I’ll do another.”

One? More like a billion.

Yang Mi sang two more songs in a row.

Hu Ge decided to snatch the microphone.

But Yang Mi refused: “No, I still want to sing!”

Originally, she knew her singing was unique—deliberately “rewarding” a few people.

But now it was different.

[Your “wailing like a ghost and howling like a wolf” effective duration on Zhang Li increased; vocal range +1 / singing skill +1]

The phrase “wailing like a ghost and howling like a wolf” made her feel deeply scorned.

If her avatar had a physical form, she would have ripped it apart.

But the vocal range +1 / singing skill +1 afterward made her ecstatic, exclaiming, “The cheat is my father!”

This prompt confirmed she had to improve her abilities by focusing on Zhang Li.

As long as she gained enough upgrades, she could become a singer deity, a vocal artist deity, even a goddess of song!

No one could stop her from singing to Zhang Li!

“Let her sing!” Zhang Li supported Yang Mi.

Though Sister Mi’s singing was distinctive, it benefited him.

Hu Ge, Yuan Hong, and the others: “...”

Are we just props in your two-person play?

However, Yang Mi didn’t monopolize the microphone forever.

Others took turns singing a few songs, and Liu Shishi and Tang Yan received “ability upgrade” notifications.

In an instant, the three women transformed into karaoke queens.

“Shall we open another room next door?” Hu Ge suggested.

The next moment, he felt as if death itself surrounded him.