Closer to Revealing My True Self-Chapter 278 - 206 Propping up the Facade_1

Since he had already attracted attention, Feng Yi didn’t continue wandering the streets. On his way back, he quickly packed up two more servings of grilled meat and steamed starfish to eat back at the dorm.

Anyway, no one knew how much he had already eaten outside. If anyone asked, he would just say he got it for Jia.

When he returned to the dorm, Jia was still resting, and Feng Yi didn’t disturb him. He left a portion of starfish for Jia and dealt with the rest himself.

While taking care of the food he had brought back at the dorm’s dining table, Feng Yi took out his phone to check his new messages. He hadn’t checked his phone while on the street. He had set alerts for tasks, but these new messages didn’t come with alerts, so he didn’t see them until he got back. Now that he finally had some downtime, he began to scroll through them.

One look, and Feng Yi was dumbfounded.

Who the hell posted a video of me eating online?!!

The Pan brothers had sent him screenshots of the hot comments online, as well as messages from other friends who had seen the trending topic on the web.

In the screenshots, the comment counts from different IDs on the social platform were all over a thousand—and those were from ten minutes ago!

Feng Yi opened the social media app on his phone, and the numbers for shares, comments, and likes were all 999+. He didn’t look through them one by one, but instead checked the latest status he posted while in the restaurant, which already had over three thousand comments.

Many netizens had turned his eating video into a GIF and posted it in the comment section, adding various captions.

Glancing down at the comments:

[Watching him eat makes me hungry. Is it really that delicious?]

[Everyone’s like that when they’re starving.]

[Don’t know about the others, but this place is really good! Their signature seafood fried rice—I just came and ordered the same thing [pic]!]

[In Mo City, on my way to that shop, I’ve already booked online and am waiting in line. Tables for four are now up to number 56, and they’ve stopped taking numbers for smaller tables—fully booked for today.]

[I’m out of town, will check it out this weekend when I return. Seafood is best in my hometown!]

[Those allergic to seafood, I have no interest in that. But Brother Se, you look like a dock worker today. Is that a new job? Gathering starfish? Is it as fun as fishing?]

[Came to Mo City with my roommate for a trip, never expected to run into Feng Yi in the restaurant [pic]! He’s even more handsome in person than in photos!!! I feel embarrassed even standing next to him, his looks are just too high level!]

The comment came with the photo taken with Feng Yi in the restaurant, except the three girls’ faces were pixelated leaving only Feng Yi visible. They had asked Feng Yi’s permission to post the photo online, but they agreed to wait until Feng Yi had left the restaurant.

The girl who posted the picture and her roommates originally intended to show their faces too. It was such a rare opportunity to have a photo with an internet celebrity known for his good looks. But as they edited the picture, they realized—

When it came to looks, they couldn’t compete with him.

Adding beauty filters made it even weirder. Their looks were enhanced, but adding filters to Feng Yi made him look bizarre, like a serpent spirit.

Thus, the final photo posted was unfiltered but only showed Feng Yi’s face.

[Based on his attire, I’d guess he just started working at the coast, hasn’t tanned yet. But man, working by the seaside is tough! Everything’s exhausting with the wind and sun, such a waste of Brother Se’s face. Tsk, what a waste. If I had that face...]

[With those looks, he could easily grab a role in a drama and make more in a month than working at the docks!]

[So, has he really fallen on hard times? I heard he got nothing from the Feng Family inheritance, and aside from the mansion in Yang City, he doesn’t have anything else valuable.]

Refresh. The conversation had moved from "How good is the seafood fried rice?" to "Is Feng Yi really broke and penniless?"

Feng Yi put down his phone and wiped his face.

Lesson learned, from now on, no more posting photos before I finish eating!

He didn’t care what people online were saying, good or bad, it was all the same to him. What concerned him was that he couldn’t swagger through the streets looking for food!

Another new message. Feng Yi glanced at it—it was from Feng Chi:

Feng Chi: [You there? [Eating Champion]gif]

The Eating Champion GIF was the same one that was currently spreading like wildfire online, the one of Feng Yi eating the seafood fried rice.

Feng Yi replied with a stoic face: [Not here, buzz off!]

Feng Chi: [Bro, are you free now, can you video chat? I have something important to discuss with you!]

Feng Yi thought that maybe Feng Chi really did have something important, since he wasn’t joking around.

So Feng Yi replied: [I’m free.]

Feng Chi quickly made a video call.

As soon as the call connected, just as Feng Chi was about to say something, he caught sight of Feng Yi’s situation and changed his question: "Bro, what are you eating? Didn’t you just eat outside? That’s a huge plate of fried rice!" ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

Feng Yi lifted a starfish from his meal box: "This, there’s not much on it that’s edible, just a little post-meal snack, a small box, not much quantity." The larger meal box with the grilled meat was out of the camera’s view.

Feng Chi: "Wow, I want some too! And the signature seafood fried rice you just ate, can you take it to go? Freeze it and send it to me?"

Feng Yi suggested, "Better not send it. You should come to Mo City when you have time and eat it fresh."

Upon reflection, Feng Chi thought that made sense: "Can I catch it in time? I’d like to try the starfish too, but I can only get there in a week. Will I still be able to eat it fresh?"

Feng Yi replied, "You will. It’s not yet the peak of the starfish bloom. Without effective measures, there will be even more starfish in a week. Even if there is a solution, it won’t entirely clear them out in just a week; at most, their numbers might decrease by then."

Feng Chi was relieved, "That’s good to hear. I’ll go myself. That store has now become an internet sensation, and it’s always crowded. Maybe it’ll be less crowded in a week. Bro, your influencer skills are impressive!"

Feng Yi defended himself, "That store was already popular in Mo City, always filled to capacity. It has little to do with me."

Feng Chi picked up another phone and scrolled to a waiting number a netizen had just sent, "Look at this picture and tell me again ’it has little to do with you’! Since the name and address of the store were dug out from your ’eating broadcast’ photo, damn it, it took only twenty minutes! Now there are no spots left for today!"

Feng Yi: "....What was that important thing you were about to mention?"

"Oh, it’s about my ’brilliant idea’."

When it came to this topic, Feng Chi lost interest in anything else; even the incredibly delicious seafood fried rice had to be forgotten!

Feng Chi asked, "Do you have time to come back in the next two days, bro? Any day within three days would do."

Feng Yi: "I’m afraid not. I just arrived in Mo City today, and I have to start working from tomorrow. I may not even have time to go shopping."

Feng Chi, disappointed: "Really not possible? Sigh, then I’ll have to find someone else."

"What for?"

"To help brainstorm. I’ve already set up everything here in the manor. Just need to check for any gaps and see where improvements are needed."

Feng Yi tried to suggest: "How about a video call online?"

Feng Chi: "No way! You have to be there in person to feel that shock! I originally wanted you to be the first to see it."

Feng Yi became more worried, "Didn’t you say it would take a while to set up?"

Feng Chi: "Actually, it’s almost done now. The construction team is efficient, and I’ve been lucky; everything has gone smoothly. Whatever accessories and facilities I needed were in stock and didn’t require queuing for installation. It was all set up quickly, and the weather has been good lately, too."

Feng Yi: "Then take a video for me to take a look at, and I’ll help you think it through first."

Feng Chi: "No! Unless you come in person, I won’t send a video! If you can’t come back, then I’ll invite ten or so of my close friends over, like a normal gathering, and then give them a little surprise hehehe..."

Listening to him, Feng Yi guessed that Feng Chi’s "brilliant idea" had something to do with his own estate, but he couldn’t figure out what fantastic ideas Feng Chi could come up with at home. However, if it was just at home, inviting people over for a normal gathering and some fun probably wouldn’t lead to any trouble, right?

Feng Yi asked, "Is this gathering of yours serious?"

Feng Chi took offense, "What are you thinking? I may act carelessly outside, but I don’t do things that cross moral boundaries or break the law! It’s just a small get-together, eating, drinking, and shooting the breeze. I won’t touch those untouchable things, and my close friends are the same. No matter how boastful they seem, they are actually quite timid!"

Knowing that those people were "quite timid," Feng Yi was reassured, a bunch of people who act tough outside but are soft-hearted inside couldn’t cause much of a ruckus.

Since Feng Yi couldn’t immediately return to Yang City, Feng Chi didn’t prolong the conversation, "Alright, that’s it then. Your mission comes first, the real work is important. Go ahead with your business; I’ll send out invitations to my buddies."

Just as he was about to end the call, Feng Chi asked cautiously, "Bro, are you tight on funds?"

"Not tight," said Feng Yi.

But Feng Chi didn’t believe it.

Feng Chi saw some opinions online and felt they made a lot of sense, and thought more about it.

Everyone online suggested that Feng Yi should go to the entertainment industry to make money, but in fact, if he really went there, the Feng Family would have more opportunities to interfere. Only by staying in the United Guaranty Bureau and following an expert’s path could he avoid the Feng Family’s oppression. My brother has his unspoken hardships!

As for his inheritance, even if our great-aunt left something for Feng Yi, how much could it be? After all, he isn’t her biological grandson.

Worried that Feng Yi was short on funds but too proud to admit it, Feng Chi said softly, "Treat yourself better; there’s no need to work so hard."

"I’m not tired," he replied.

Feng Yi truly didn’t feel tired.

He came here just to catch sea stars, learn a thing or two, and incidentally foster good relations with the big shots. How could he be tired from such an easy job earning credits?

Once the projects at Progenitor Company got underway, he wouldn’t have to worry about money. Now he just needed credits to buy more advanced equipment, do more tasks and then get promoted within the United Guaranty Bureau.

Feng Yi said confidently, while Feng Chi seemed convinced on the surface, what he truly thought, Feng Yi couldn’t know.

Separated by a vast distance and only connected through a screen, Feng Yi couldn’t pick up on the molecular information of any emotional fluctuations on the other end.

Although he didn’t know what Feng Chi was imagining, Feng Yi still emphasized, "Don’t worry, I have money."

Feng Chi: "Well, in any case, if you encounter difficulties or insurmountable problems, don’t bear them all by yourself. I might not be capable of much, but I can still lend a hand. Two heads are better than one, right?"

Feng Yi’s expression was complex.

Feng Chi assumed Feng Yi felt embarrassed and said a few more words before ending the call.

After opening the social media platform and browsing through online discussions, Feng Chi sighed, "My poor cousin really has it tough!"

Forget it, I won’t buy a new car. I’ll save the money and get Feng Yi a high-end waterproof watch instead. It’s perfect since I didn’t give him any decent birthday gift before. I just saw someone saying Feng Yi doesn’t even have a respectable watch to show off, sarcastically commenting how his clothes don’t even cost two hundred and how his image as a wealthy heir is crumbling or whatever.

Feng Chi couldn’t stand it.

I’ll help uphold my brother’s image!