Chapter 697: Another Version Of Myself

Miss Fan, now nourished by the power of the Great Dao, was far more beautiful than she had ever been before. Her snow-white skin seemed to glow with a soft radiance, making her stand out no matter where she went.

Passersby on the bustling street immediately took notice of the trio. When they saw such an extraordinarily beautiful woman clinging to a chubby man and kissing him, many couldn’t help but curse in their hearts,

Tch, what a shameless couple.

The man in particular looked downright sleazy. Some people even wore expressions of confusion.

"Wait... isn’t that Miss Fan, the famous star?"

"She really does look like her!"

"She’s a thousand times more beautiful than she appears on TV."

"Are they filming a commercial?"

"The other girl is stunning too, who is she? She’s even prettier than Miss Fan!"

"But who the hell is that guy? I’ve never seen him before. Couldn’t they have picked a better male lead?"

"Commercial, my ass! Do you see any cameras around? This is breaking news!"

More and more people began to gather.

Ah Qing's expression turned cautious. Her keen eyes scanned the crowd, but she quickly realized that the onlookers were pathetically weak. Their life levels were the lowest she had ever encountered, and posed absolutely no threat to Li Xiaofei.

"Should we leave first?" Miss Fan, startled by the growing attention, quickly suggested, "Otherwise, Master, you’re about to make the front page of the news."

"Alright," replied Li Xiaofei.

Although mobile phone cameras were still low-quality in 2008, Weibo had yet to launch, and self-media was still in its infancy, the commotion just now would be enough to spread rumors about Miss Fan being affectionate with a strange man in public.

The people who had previously kidnapped her would want to figure out what was going on. This was essentially stirring the grass to scare the snake. This little morsel of information was enough.

Li Xiaofei hailed a taxi and left the Olympic Center. Before long, they arrived at a villa community near the Water Park, a place called Meilin Mansion. They used Miss Fan’s face as identification and retrieved the keys from the property manager. This was one of Miss Fan’s properties.

A short while later, her friend arrived by car. Miss Fan’s friend was a woman in her twenties. She was elegant and well-dressed, wearing a wine-red midi dress with matching short hair. Her makeup was refined, and her fashion sense was cutting-edge. She was clearly the kind of heiress raised in an affluent family.

As soon as she walked inside, she exclaimed, "My dear lady, where the hell have you been? Do you know how worried everyone has been? The advertisers have been hounding me non-stop! If the shoot gets delayed any longer, the breach of contract penalties will be astronomical... Huh? Who are these two?"

Only then did she notice Li Xiaofei and Ah Qing.

"They're friends I made on vacation," Miss Fan explained smoothly, sticking to the prearranged cover story. She turned to introduce the newcomer. "This is my good friend from outside the industry, Huang Xu."

"Nice to meet you," said Huang Xu politely, nodding in greeting. She curiously examined Li Xiaofei but her eyes immediately lit up when her gaze landed on Ah Qing.

What a beautiful little girl. She looked as delicate as a porcelain doll.

But what truly captivated Huang Xu was the aura in Ah Qing’s eyes. They were pure, untouched by the filth of the world, like an ethereal fairy untainted by mortal dust.

Huang Xu had always prided herself on her own beauty. She was even confident that she was on par with Miss Fan. However, at this moment, her heart skipped a beat. Her pulse raced like a young girl encountering her first love.

Miss Fan immediately sensed trouble. She knew all too well that her dear friend had one fatal flaw. She was obsessed with beautiful women. She didn’t care for men in the slightest. Whenever she saw a stunning woman, her legs would go weak, and all logic would fly out the window. It was really a shame. She had all the skills of a master playboy, except she was a woman.

Li Xiaofei and Ah Qing were then escorted upstairs to rest. Meanwhile, Miss Fan stayed downstairs to handle her affairs. It didn’t take long for her agent to arrive.

"Where the hell have you been?" asked her agent, Zhai Yunting. She was sharp, efficient, and extremely assertive. The moment she walked in, she fired off questions like a machine gun. "Do you have any idea how worried President Wang, President Zhang, President Chen, Director Zhang, and Director Huang have been?"

Miss Fan had just finished showering. Dressed in casual homewear with a face mask on, she lazily replied, "Relax, it’s nothing. I just needed some time alone to clear my head."

"You can't keep doing this," said Zhai Yunting as she sighed in frustration, clearly exasperated. "My dear lady, you're at the peak of your career right now! This is the best time to push forward and solidify your success. You can't just throw tantrums and disappear whenever you feel like it. Do you realize you're cutting off your own future?"

"My future?" replied Miss Fan. She picked up a glass of red wine and took a slow sip. Her tone was indifferent. "I don't care anymore. I'm done fighting for it. Tell all those 'big bosses' that I won’t be drinking with them anymore. Cancel all my scheduled appearances. I need a break."

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"What?!" exclaimed her agent. She was about to lose her mind.

Her reaction was intense, but Miss Fan had no intention of explaining further. Her entire outlook had shifted after everything she had been through. Wealthy businessmen, high-ranking officials; none of them meant anything to her anymore.

Only people like Li Xiaofei, true powerhouses from beyond this world, were worth attaching herself to. She understood the game. If she could secure a strong relationship with Li Xiaofei, then forget Great Xia, she could practically walk sideways across the entire planet.

But there was a problem. She couldn’t sense any strong attachment from Li Xiaofei. It felt more like he had indulged in a novelty, like someone tired of seafood trying braised pork or a wild vegetable salad for a change. He didn’t see her as a lover. No, he didn’t even see her as a proper mistress.

That was troubling. How could she secure a place in the heart of this extraterrestrial powerhouse?

Her phone rang non-stop. Calls poured in from industry friends, some close, some merely acquaintances. They were all expressing concern and trying to use this opportunity to strengthen their connection with her. This included several of the entertainment industry’s top beauties. They were also famous actresses with legions of devoted fans.

Miss Fan suddenly had an idea. If she alone wasn’t enough, why not bring in a few of her sisters? The entertainment industry was filled with people who would do anything for fame and fortune. As long as the benefits were great enough, some would be willing to pay an unimaginable price, especially women.

Many had already pushed their moral boundaries time and time again for the sake of resources, status, and roles. If word got out that simply spending a few nights with Li Xiaofei could bring about beauty enhancements more extreme than medical aesthetics while also strengthening the body, some of them would likely throw themselves at him without hesitation.

If she could handpick a few actresses that suited his tastes and guided them accordingly, then not only would Li Xiaofei get what he wanted, but her own position in his heart would surely rise as well.

So Miss Fan began formulating a plan.

After dinner, Li Xiaofei declined Miss Fan’s company. He left Meilin Mansion with Ah Qing. There was still a lingering question in his mind. Did this world have another version of him?

After all, the hundred thousand worlds were fragments of Earth extracted from different time periods. If the timeline held true then he should be eighteen years old in 2008. He needed to investigate the truth behind it all. This was important.

He took a walk around the water park before heading to Balitai, where one of the country’s renowned universities stood. This was where the 2022 version of Li Xiaofei had once studied. Now, stepping back onto the campus, he was overwhelmed with nostalgia.

Some of the professors he had once learned from hadn’t yet joined the faculty. Others were still pursuing their graduate studies. Only the old dean, Li Guoshan, was already teaching in the philosophy department, looking young and full of vigor.

The feeling was surreal. When he saw his teachers from their younger years, Li Xiaofei didn’t step forward to greet them. Instead, he rose into the sky on his sword from a secluded corner of the campus. He transformed into a single streak of flowing light and vanished into the night.

His destination was the Northwest. He wanted to visit the home from his memories. To see if, in this world, there existed another version of himself. The thought of possibly seeing his parents made his heart tremble slightly. He was so close to home, yet filled with hesitation. He was both eager and afraid.