Chapter 193: Elf

Chapter 193: The Sprite

"Aiyou Bu-cu?"

"Am I Zhui-zhui?"

Beside a trash can at the entrance of the Shenzhen Universide Sports Center, two of the most famous fans from Meng Fan’s livestream had met in person, both staring at each other in utter bewilderment.

"You’re actually a girl?!"

"You’re actually a girl?!"

Their words and expressions were perfectly synchronized.

After a long moment of stunned silence, they spoke again in unison: "Why do I feel like you look a bit like me?!"

Drawn together by a strange intuition, they huddled close and took a selfie, peering at the screen; the more they looked, the more they resembled one another.

Aiyou Bu-cu looked up: "Do you think we were sisters in a past life?"

Am I Zhui-zhui thought about it seriously: "I think I need to go home and ask my mom!"

They looked at each other and burst into laughter, the frequency of their giggles inexplicably identical.

"What year were you born?" Aiyou Bu-cu asked.

"Ninety-six." Am I Zhui-zhui caught the expression on Aiyou Bu-cu’s face. "You too?! I’m June 6th..."

Aiyou Bu-cu’s face was a canvas of shock, matched only by the barrage of comments online: "666!"

Am I Zhui-zhui was even more stunned: "You too?!"

Looking so much alike, and born on the same day of the same year—this was truly a real-life version of "another me in this world."

Aiyou Bu-cu laughed then: "No, I’m August 8th. I just thought your birthday was so '666'!"

Am I Zhui-zhui paused, then laughed: "You scared me for a second. I was thinking, how could there be such a coincidence in the world!"

However, after they exchanged names, their expressions turned peculiar again. Both of them were named Nana, though one was surnamed Lin and the other Zhuge.

"NANA!"

They both uttered the title of a shoujo manga—a story about two girls with the same name whose fates become intertwined after they meet.

It had even been adapted into a television series titled *Another Me in the World*.

And the reason their own fates had intertwined was, of course, Meng Fan. They had connected online through his streams, and now, thanks to the tickets he had given away for the Double Eleven Gala, they had met in reality.

Meng Fan had previously requested two tickets from Bai Zhi, thinking that if he couldn't perform, he could at least soak up some screen time. Once his performance was confirmed, he gave the tickets away.

The method was simple: proximity. He asked who in the chat was in Shenzhen, pulled them into a group, and held a raffle. The winners happened to be these two Nanas: Aiyou Bu-cu and Am I Zhui-zhui.

Zhuge Nana—Aiyou Bu-cu—made a call, and soon a staff member from Bai Zhi brought the tickets out. They entered the venue smoothly, finding their seats to be quite excellent.

Once seated, a slight awkwardness settled in. They sat in silence for a while before pulling out their phones to take selfies and group photos, posting them to their Moments, fan groups, and Weibo, telling their friends and followers about this miraculous encounter.

"Holy crap, Aiyou Bu-cu and Am I Zhui-zhui are both girls, and gorgeous ones at that! My worldview is shattered!"

"I used to flirt with them thinking they were guys..."

"What do I do? I think I’m being turned straight!"

"They look so much alike!"

"Is this divine intervention?"

"Just thinking about it is terrifying!"

"Meng the Fatty’s raffle was a god-tier move!"

"Winning the ticket was lucky enough, but to meet another version of yourself? I’m so jealous!"

"Post photos! Let’s see if any bros look like me. If there are, I’m flying over immediately, no matter how far!"

"...Sorry, we don't have anyone here who matches your level of beauty!"

"Hahahaha, Ruhu, you’re being naughty again!"

"My name is Ouyang Zhao, is there anyone with the same name?"

"Go ask Bao Qingtian to be your matchmaker!"

The fan groups were buzzing, and the Double Eleven venue was slowly coming to life as more people filled the stadium.

Tickets for the gala weren't sold; they were earned through various activities. There weren't many, as the stadium held only 17,000 people. Less than half were for the public; the rest were reserved for media, video platforms, and a large portion for the merchants themselves.

This year’s gala would be broadcast simultaneously across three major satellite channels and three major video platforms, with the usual massive fanfare. The broadcast was set for 7:40 PM.

By 7:00 PM, the audience was mostly seated, and the directing team began testing equipment. As for the audience, they were busy with selfies, group photos, and social media updates.

At 7:40 PM, the broadcast officially began, and the audience—both in the stadium and at home—finally saw the stage.

After an all-star short film and a series of commercials, a creative opening followed. The hosts took the stage: a lineup of the top anchors from the three major channels, joined by celebrity hosts, representing the best from across the region.

After a segment reflecting on the past and looking to the future, the first performer took the stage: a British singer who had been ubiquitous in China over the past half-year. Her powerful live performance ignited the entire gala.

Around 9:00 PM, after two hosts and a group of celebrities played a game with a football superstar, the main host—known for his "golden tongue"—introduced the next guest: Su Qingcen. She was set to perform one of her signature songs, *The Sprite*.

Dressed in green gauze, Su Qingcen was lifted to the center of the stage. Few could pull off such a look, but on her, she appeared like a woodland sprite. The singer, whose beauty was already breathtaking, silenced the crowd the moment she began. Expectations were off the charts.

She was alone on stage, with no backup dancers.

Su Qingcen had performed this song many times, but it didn't seem suited for a quiet, solo act.

Where were the dancers?

The previous performances had been flashy, each featuring a large troupe of dancers.

Just then, a spotlight hit a corner of the stage, revealing a person and a table.

"Huh?"

Appearing at this moment, it had to be related to the song. But how could someone so far away coordinate with her?

Viewers at home could see the subtitles appearing on screen.

Sand Art: Meng Fan.

They understood then: this was a sand art performance accompanying the song.

Many had seen sand art before, and expectations were high. A tiny fraction of the audience—the fans who knew Meng Fan was participating—were ecstatic. They hadn't known he was doing sand art, expecting a duet instead, given Meng Fan’s charismatic voice.

The music swelled, and the lights grew brilliant.

"I remember that wondrous moment / Like a fleeting phantom / Following the sound / I saw a sprite as pure as a dream..."

Su Qingcen’s moving voice rang out, and Meng Fan, bathed in light, began his sand art. The projection screen displayed the work: a beautiful sprite emerging from a blooming epiphyllum.

The flower bloomed as if it were alive. No one had ever seen sand art move like an animation, yet they could clearly see it was created by hand, using sand and a unique technique—no special effects.

The sprite within the flower was drawn with exquisite, shocking detail.

"...A storm of violent change / A demon awakens in someone’s heart..."

Just then, the stage beneath Su Qingcen’s feet suddenly lit up. The sand art projection appeared under her, and as those two hands moved with lightning speed, Su Qingcen was instantly placed in the middle of a forest—a forest ravaged by a gale, trees being uprooted, branches flying, sweeping Su Qingcen up in the chaos!