What It's Like Being a Vampire

In the living room of Xia Libing’s house, Tang Baona projected a video from her phone through a projector.

All four people in the room had seen the raw footage of this video before. It was from when they had gone to Tongshi Town for fun, and at the Youlong Restaurant, they filmed a few short segments of the series “Youlong Play Rabbit “.

The script was mainly designed by Xiang Kun, but most of the filming was handled by Tang Baona. Xiang Kun, Yang Zhuo, Xiao Min, Yang Zhen Er, and others were only assisting from the side, taking care of lighting and such. Even the equipment was brought by Tang Baona.

Following Xiang Kun’s script and plan, they took the time to shoot raw footage for two short videos.

However, shooting was just the first step. The raw video needed a lot of processing to achieve what Xiang Kun envisioned, then there were editing, scoring, and sound effects before the final piece could be uploaded.

Xiang Kun thought that Tang Baona might not have time during the New Year holiday, but to his surprise, by the third day of the first lunar month, just a week after they returned from Tongshi Town, Tang Baona had already finished editing and creating the sound effects for one video.

And judging by the quality of the final piece, it was certainly very good.

Tang Baona was not only committed and diligent, but she also had a real talent for post-production of short videos. She understood very well what Xiang Kun wanted to achieve and her rhythm and visual design had a lot of originality.

In the second episode of “Youlong Play Rabbit”, the style resembled the first one, relying on quick cuts and changing viewpoints to create an efficient and precise cooking style.

You Meng starred again, not uttering a word, donned in a cleanliness white chefs uniform, preparing a serving of braised rabbit. Combined with the rapid editing, background music, and sound effects, the a few minutes long video provided a fantastic opticoacoustic experience, so much so that viewers couldn’t help but tap their foot vieing. Even uninterested in the dish, the video was attractive enough to retain viewers.

Xiang Kun earnestly commended, “Nana, I think it’s a shame for you to be an accountant. You could turn this into a full-time profession with your skills.”

Having seen all of Tang Baona’s videos on Bilibili, he knew that her post-production skills were earned from months and years of practice and improvement, and were also well received by audiences and netizens. She had a clear understanding of what internet users like and what kind of rhythm and type they prefer.

Tang Baona laughingly replied, “Indeed, I’ve decided not to work for my uncle this year. I already informed him over the phone yesterday.”

Yang Zhen Er, hearing this news for the first time, exclaimed, “Nana, have you finally decided to become a full-time video uploader?!” Excited, she continued, “Nana, show your face! Come on camera! Let’s do a food review channel. You’ll become internet famous for sure! I’ve thought of dozens of themes. We can even film an episode on rabbit dishes at the Youlong Restaurant in Tongshi Town. Let’s go get a sponsorship from Xiang Kun, dine where they serve their meals!”

Xiang Kun too joined, “There’s certainly no problem if you want to become a full video uploader, have your fandom on Blibili surpassed 700 thousand already?”

“No chance I’m going to do a food review channel. Get this thought out of your head!” retorts Tang Baona, then added with regards to Xiang Kun, “I haven’t fully decided what to do yet. The initial plan is to go to Tongshi Town and shoot a few more videos for the ‘Youlong Play Rabbit’ to accumulate enough content, let it run for a bit and by doing so improve my abilities in taking short movies, taking live-action films. If Xiao Pingguo also has some video ideas, I’ll help her operate her account too, assist in making some videos. I’ll then decide whether to make video editing or equipment introduction and review videos …”

“No, Nana!” Yang Zhen Er couldn’t resist herself from interrupting, “Why focus on music instruments and photography equipment, too niche, there won’t be much viewership. Unless, of course, if you reveal your face, anything you review will be watched. But if you decide to reveal your face, why not make food review videos instead, that’s a lot more enjoyable…”

“Why are you so obsessed with food reviews? You glutton! You can set up your own food review channel, I’ll assist with the post-production,” Tang Baona helplessly complains, “I might not necessarily go full-time as a video uploader, after guiding Xiang Kun, You Meng and Xiao Pingguo in running their accounts, I may further my study on film production at school, then decide on my future. I find quite an interest in this field. I lack talent in music, no matter how hard I try, there is a limit. But recently, while I was editing the ‘Youlong Play Rabbit’ videos, I realized that I have some talents in this field. Furthermore, the many montage videos I made before were well-received, which proves that I understand what the public prefers to watch.”

Xiang Kun nodded, “Well, no matter what choices you make, we will support you…”

Yang Zhen Er ramble quietly, “I’ll support you if you do food reviews…”

“The roasted meats have arrived,” Xia Libing picked up the phone to check, stood up and saying, “I’ll get the takeaway.”

With the roasted meats arriving, everyone paused their discussion and started eating.

The reason Xia Libing ordered grilled food, especially loads of grilled chicken wings, was so Xiang Kun could use the “Illusion Reality” to “simulate” eating in front of others, practicing public dining.

And to make it easier for Xiang Kun to “co-manifest” the same chicken wings, Xia Libing specifically ordered this type of roasted chicken wing from a place that cooks them differently than other barbecues; they are not skewered on bamboo and charcoal-grilled, but instead roasted in an oven.

Every time Xiang Kun picked up a chicken wing, he would use his super perception to judge the direction of Yang Zhen’er and Tang Baona’s gaze, and while they weren’t looking, he would grab a “co-manifested” chicken wing from the box and start to eat it. Once finished, he would “throw” the bone into the trash can next to him without leaving any trace.

Xia Libing also tried to “co-manifest” a chicken wing in the takeaway box before Xiang Kun reaches out his hand, to see if this method is more concealed.

No matter who manifested it—Xiang Kun or Old Xia—it tasted the same. It had the taste that Xia Libing tasted in the dreamland.

Tang Baona and Yang Zhen’er, however, did not notice or suspect that what he was eating was not a real chicken wing.

Instead, Yang Zhen’er said with some uncertainty, “Xiang Da Chef, why do I feel like the chicken wings in your hands seem tastier?”

“That’s totally normal. This is the first law of Yang Lao San: anything in someone else’s hand is always tastier than what’s in your own hand,” Xiang Kun teased with a smile.

“Old Xia, Xiang Da Chef is bullying your sister,” Yang Zhen’er pleaded, pitifully looking at Xia Libing.

Xia Libing blinked, seemingly confused, then, two seconds later, she handed Yang Zhen’er a chicken wing.

“Agh? I didn’t ask for a chicken wing. I wanted you to get revenge on Xiang Da Chef for me…sigh, never mind. My dear little sister must have been bribed by Xiang Da Chef’s culinary assault.” Yang Zhen’er pretended to sigh, took the chicken wing from Old Xia, and started to gnaw on it. Of course, the wing Old Xia gave her was a real one. Although the “co-manifested” items can be “eaten”— they have texture, touch, and taste—at the point of swallowing, you might be able to detect the disappearance of the chewed food. In comparison, if the “co-manifested” item is ice cream, the chance of detecting its disappearance is lower.

Tang Baona laughed and said, “Actually, I feel the same way as Zhen’er. I think it should be that Xiang Kun usually eats very moderately and rarely eats so fast and so appetizingly, so it feels like this chicken wing is tastier?”

These words made Xiang Kun nodded slightly in his heart. Indeed his enthusiasm for eating could give others the impression that he doesn’t consume much.

After “eating” three “grilled chicken wings”, Xiang Kun wiped his hands and stopped eating, saying, “By the way, do you guys remember the game project I discussed with Director Zhang, Director Liu, and others at Tongshi Town?”

“Of course, we remember. Have you decided what game to make?” Tang Baona asked, nodding.

Yang Zhen’er also put in, “Whatever you make, we have already agreed on the plane that we are a part of it.”

Xiang Kun laughed, “Of course, you two are definitely part of it. Actually, I have an internal testing version of the game with some basic functionality. Although it’s still far from the test version that could be launched and most of the features are not completed, it’s playable with just the four of us. Do you want to try?”

“Really, that’s already out? Before when we were in Tongshi Town, Zhang Qian, Yang Zhuo and the others kept asking you but you didn’t tell them what game it was, so we thought you probably only had a general idea and hadn’t started making it yet. Now it turns out you can actually play it? Didn’t you spend all your time making games when you went back to Citong this time?” Yang Zhen’er asked in surprise.

Xia Libing also looked at Xiang Kun with some surprise when she heard this. Of course, she knew very well what Xiang Kun was doing when he went back to Citong for the New Year.

However, Tang Baona laughed and said, “Can we play it now? Of course, we want to try! But what kind of game it is? Zhen’er and I are not that good at games, it’s not too difficult, is it?”

“Hey, hey, Nana, just because you’re not good doesn’t mean I am too. I’m great at games.” Yang Zhen’er rebuked.

Xiang Kun stood up and said, “You can play it on your phone. As for the specific type of game, allow me to keep you in suspense. Give me your phones. Old Xia, can I borrow your desktop computer? Also, what’s the password to your router’s management?”

In fact, this so-called “game” was indeed a task he started working on after returning from Tongshi Town. It wasn’t until he was out shopping this afternoon that he received a report from “Alice”, stating that the game he had requested “Alice” to make had a basic framework in place and could be “played” with a bit of improvisation.