Chapter 83: X’s Marriage Plan (1)
Shoutout to nyanmaru for the commission!
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Bang—
“Congratulations, X! You’re finally returning to China!”
Regulator A was holding a confetti cannon, while Regulator B brought out an apple pie:
“Keep that away! Don’t spray it over here! X, do you have any plans after you go back to China?”
X, sitting in a wheelchair and holding a phone chatting with Chu Feng, smiled:
“Sort of.”
“Sort of?” Regulator B smelled gossip: “Oh—Is it that player from last time? He’s in China, right? Are you two going to meet?”
Regulator C: “Oh, online romance going offline!”
“…”
X: “No romance.”
“You just need to work a bit harder and it could be!” said Regulator A. “By the way, have you got your Chinese identity sorted?”
X shook his head.
This time, the [Dream City] Fifth Anniversary Conference was being held in China, and he used this opportunity to apply to the game’s headquarters to be transferred to China. He planned to stay in China afterward.
“Getting Chinese citizenship is not easy now,” Regulator A sighed. “Can the company help you immigrate?”
X: “It hasn’t been sorted out, just a temporary residence permit.”
Regulator A nodded without further comment. X’s situation was unique. After a shipwreck, his identity was unknown, and no relatives could testify whether he was originally Chinese or an overseas Chinese.
Regulator B: “So… in your case, applying for Chinese citizenship would mean going through the immigration process, right? As a resident of New Caledonia, you’re a foreigner looking to immigrate to China?”
Regulator A: “But X doesn’t have New Caledonia’s nationality either.”
Currently, X only had a temporary residence permit for New Caledonia. He was clearly not an islander, so he didn’t have New Caledonia’s nationality.
“Moreover, it’s hard for foreigners to immigrate to China nowadays, especially…” Regulator A hesitated. X’s situation made him stateless, making any procedure difficult.
Regulator B suggested: “X, you’re so talented, and since this is an official company transfer, you should be able to go through the talent immigration route.”
X: “The company tried, but the immigration application was rejected.”
As a stateless person, with no affiliation, applying for documents in any country is met with suspicion. Even if he was a talent, there was a concern that such a stateless person might be a criminal or a potential threat.
X: “They only issued a fifteen-month temporary residence permit.”
—When it expired, he would need to reapply. As for a Chinese ID or city household registration, that was a distant dream.
Regulator A nodded in understanding, sighing: “Chinese nationality is hard to get. Back then…”
He almost asked if X had any bags or documents from the shipwreck that could prove he was originally a Chinese citizen. But thinking it over, in two years, someone as meticulous as X would have used anything if it existed.
Swallowing his question, Regulator A went to fetch knives and forks.
“Isn’t there any other way to immigrate to China?” Regulator C asked. They could all see that X, knowing he was Chinese, wanted to regain Chinese nationality. But repeated applications had failed.
Having lost his memory, without a sense of belonging, X longed to return to his homeland, yet could only stay with a temporary permit, which was disheartening.
Regulator D: “From what I know, the only way is through talent immigration, which X should qualify for…”
X shook his head slightly: “Not entirely.”
Regulator D found it odd. If X wasn’t considered a talent, what were they?
X: “I don’t meet the educational criteria.”
“I see,” Regulator B, who knew a bit about the policies, said:
“There are two criteria for talent immigration. One is the general standard, like having a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a top 100 world university, and accomplishments such as published SCI papers with significant impact, right, X?”
X nodded.
Having lost his memory, the shipwreck had destroyed all his information and documents, leaving him with no educational background, not even an elementary school diploma.
Regulator D: “If that standard doesn’t work, what’s the other one?”
Regulator B: “The other is through company recommendation. If a top 500 global company strongly recommends you and guarantees you are a talent, you can apply.”
Of course, approval depends on the immigration office.
X’s information, supported by Dream City company, was repeatedly guaranteed as a top talent. But the officials saw X’s information: Education: None, no formal schooling, and his job: game regulator, essentially playing games. Moreover, he was stateless.
Result: [Rejected]
Unable to obtain Chinese nationality, but a temporary residence permit could be issued.
The other regulators looked at X in the wheelchair, feeling genuine sympathy and a desire to help.
Regulator C: “If talent immigration doesn’t work, then investment immigration probably won’t either.”
Even with significant investment, officials would hesitate with X’s stateless status.
“Is there no way to work around it?” Regulator A suggested:
“Get X New Caledonia’s nationality first, then have him immigrate as a regular foreigner through the talent route. Would that work?”
“Tried that,” X said. “Doesn’t work.”
New Caledonia’s nationality required three generations or collateral relatives to be native islanders, or ten years of residency.
The other regulators: “…”
“Then…” Regulator A sighed, “is there really no way?”
They all fell silent.
X lightened the mood, pointing at the apple pie: “Let’s eat before it gets cold.”
As they began to cut the pie, Regulator B suddenly shouted:
“D*mn! I forgot!”
Regulator A: “What? Forgot to add sugar?”
“No! I mean immigration! D*mn, I forgot the simplest way!”
Regulator B jumped up excitedly, abandoning the pie. X looked at him curiously—
“Marriage, X! If you marry a Chinese person, wouldn’t that solve everything?”
Regulator A suddenly realized: “Yeah! Why didn’t I think of that?”
Regulator B: “X, let me tell you, once you get to China, familiarize yourself with the environment first, then find a suitable person to marry and join their household registration. After that, everything like Chinese nationality, ID card, household registration, family, and the rest of your life will be sorted!”
Regulator A: “Exactly! Let me tell you, getting household registration in a first-tier Chinese city is tough. But if you get married, all your problems will be solved! This marriage method is the most effective for immigration anywhere. Hey, X, you’ve tried so many ways to get Chinese citizenship, why haven’t you tried this simplest one?”
X: “…”
The so-called simplest method was actually the hardest. Other immigration methods relied on oneself, but this one didn’t.
—Who would he marry?
The other regulators seemed to see his concern. Regulator B, with an apple pie in his mouth, stood beside X and patted his shoulder:
“X, you’re the boss in this game, but in real life, let me teach you. You must seize this opportunity. Aren’t you about to meet your online romance? Don’t be casual about it. Don’t just think about dating; you need to date with marriage in mind. Understand? This is very important.”
X: “…”
He glanced down at his wheelchair.
Regulator A patted the back of his wheelchair: “Come on, we know what you’re thinking, that you have many surgeries to undergo and you’re afraid of being a burden, right? Look, you earn millions a year, and the company covers all your medical expenses, so surgery costs nothing.”
“Yes, and X, you’ve already had leg surgery,” Regulator C said. “The doctor told you to spend half your time in the wheelchair and the other half walking, right? In a year or so, you won’t need the wheelchair anymore.”
Regulator B: “Yes, X, come on, today’s your farewell party. Stand up and take a few steps for us…”
He expected X to stand up shakily, as he was still in recovery. But as soon as he finished speaking, X, sitting in the wheelchair, propped himself up smoothly and stood up, his 1.9-meter-tall frame casting a shadow over the 1.7-meter-tall Regulator B.
Regulator B, who had been looking down at X in the wheelchair, suddenly found himself in shadow, and he took two steps back in fright:
“…X…you’d better sit down.”
X stood there as if nothing was wrong. He had recovered very well.
Regulator A: “Your leg issue will be resolved soon. Now you just need a skin graft. Have you scheduled the surgery?”
X nodded. His skin cells had been sent for cultivation, and he was waiting for the best doctor’s schedule. Soon, he would undergo pre-surgery checks.
“There’s still one more brain surgery,” X said. “If the skin graft takes too long, I’ll do the brain surgery first.”
“Great, the future is bright!” Regulator A said. “Maybe after the brain surgery, when they remove the fragment from your brain, you’ll remember everything, and then you can reapply for an ID card!”
“Stay focused. When you get to China, make sure you keep your online romance going strong. Don’t chicken out. There’s a saying in China, ‘Every man has his worth.’ Have you made any plans with them? Like eating out or watching a movie?”
X felt like he was in a matchmaking center, not a regulator center.
“Yes, dinner.”
“Behave well at dinner. Yes, and another thing…”
Regulator B suddenly brought over a laptop: “Fill out this form, X.”
Regulator A looked over: “What’s this?”
Regulator B: “Isn’t X aiming for marriage? The fastest way to get married is where?”
B pointed vigorously at the three big words on the screen: Matchmaking Website.
“X, fill this out quickly. Once you’re done, I’ll help you post it on the site and give you top-tier exposure!”
X wanted to refuse politely. He wasn’t keen on meeting anyone other than Chu Feng:
“No, I’ll start with him…”
“Don’t be so rigid. Think about it,” Regulator B said with a knowing smile, full of wisdom. “Meeting and dining with him is private. If things go well, you can start dating. But when it comes to marriage, there’s one big hurdle. What’s the hardest part of getting married?”
X blinked, starting to understand.
—Parents.
Marriage, unlike dating, involved meeting the parents and gaining their approval.
“Yes, that’s right. Matchmaking is like bypassing the hardest part. If his parents support it, everything else will be easy!” Regulator B said with the air of an experienced person.
Regulator A: “But if you post X’s profile, his online romance partner’s parents might not see it.”
Regulator B rolled his eyes: “What are you thinking? The player’s profile shows he’s 29, widowed for two years, still playing the game. Think about it. Even if he doesn’t want to find someone new, his parents would be pushing him to remarry! So it’s obvious.”
Regulator B checked the matchmaking site again: “Your online romance partner is in H City, right? This is the largest matchmaking site in H City. X, fill it out, and I’ll give you top-tier exposure. Check which district your partner is in, and I’ll give you a big push!”
Surrounded by the other regulators, X held the mouse and filled out his profile on the largest matchmaking site in Chu Feng’s city.
***
Half an hour later.
Regulator B: “X, are you done?”
“Yes.” X moved the mouse. “Click here to post?”
“Wait! Let me take a look first.”
Regulators A, B, C, and D crowded around the computer to review X’s profile.
Ten seconds later, B shouted: “No! You need to change everything.”
X, honest and straightforward, had filled in his real situation on the matchmaking profile:
Job: Professional gamer.
Health: Currently using a wheelchair, will undergo skin graft and brain surgery in the near future.
Self-rated appearance: Disfigured.
Past romantic experiences: Amnesiac, don’t remember. Might have dated or even been married before.
Special skills: None.
Other assets: None.
…
Regulator B: “This doesn’t look like you’re trying to date; it looks like you’re here to ruin the party! Ever written a resume before? During the Double Eleven Taobao Shopping Spree, you’d phrase it as: Participated in facilitating transactions worth billions.”
X shook his head: “Never written one.”
Regulator A: “X was directly hired by the boss, no interviews needed, just came straight in.”
—Still the highest regulator.
Having gone through layers of interviews to become a regulator, B said: “I was presumptuous. My apologies, master. Come on, X, let me help you refine it like a resume.”
Ten minutes later, X’s dating profile was completely transformed:
Job: Highest regulator at a top 5 global company, post-tax annual salary in the millions.
Health: Runs daily.
(referring to wheelchair-bound leg rehabilitation)
Appearance: Perfect bone structure.
(implying the skin is disfigured)
Past romantic experiences: Never officially dated.
(you are the first love)
(because of amnesia)
Special skills: Fluent in four languages, extensive overseas experience.
(referring to broken English and three languages spoken in New Caledonia: French, Melanesian, Polynesian, though X doesn’t actually speak them, but has been exposed for two years)
Other assets: Four mobility devices from world-renowned brands.
(referring to four custom-made wheelchairs from a world-renowned medical equipment brand)
…
“Done, all polished up!”
Regulator B finished triumphantly, and the other regulators nodded in agreement.
Finally, the profile was published and pinned at the top of H City’s largest dating site. Regulator B even paid extra for a red highlight to make it stand out, with the title:
Elite Returnee Male, Eager to Marry, Interested Parties Please Contact 2Y&&=…
“This WeChat ID is a small account I created for you.” Regulator B gave X the account details.
“Use this to filter contacts. If you find any connection to your online partner, continue the deep conversation.”
X took the new account and nodded.
Regulator D had some concerns: “Won’t this be like finding a needle in a haystack? What if X’s online partner’s parents don’t even look at these dating sites?”
“Rest assured! They definitely check it regularly!” Regulator B said confidently, “This isn’t a needle in a haystack; it’s a targeted approach!”
…
Buzz—
X’s main WeChat account vibrated; Chu Feng sent him a message.
X looked at Chu Feng’s avatar, then glanced at the dating profile Regulator B had posted.
He opened his phone’s memo app and created a new entry titled:
Marriage Plan
Step one…
X didn’t write much; too many words could expose him. He instinctively avoided this for unknown reasons.
Habitually, X doodled a little flower after “Step one”:
The logo of the dating site.
After finishing…
X hesitated for a moment, as if guided by some habit. He added a small, neat checkmark after the flower.
…
On the other side of the ocean, in China.
Night was falling.
Chu Feng laid in bed, looking at his WeChat conversation with X:
[Looking at flight tickets.]
Normally…
Would someone living long-term on a Pacific island like New Caledonia, especially a high-ranking, busy person like X, fly over just because of a simple “I’ll treat you to a meal if you come to China”?
Moreover, X had survived a shipwreck, disarmed bombs in games, and seemed to be burned and disfigured in real life, possibly in a wheelchair—traveling would be so inconvenient…
Chu Feng thought about it and sent X a sticker: a kitten clapping and exclaiming “Wow~”
—It matched the chat’s tone, expressing amazement and welcome at X’s quick decision to come to China.
Then he explained why he replied late:
[Just finished eating.]
Finally, he asked:
[Are you coming alone?]
X replied immediately: [Yes]
For some reason, Chu Feng pictured X alone in a wheelchair, carrying luggage, rolling out of the airport, with vehicles coming and going but no one there to pick him up.
But then Chu Feng thought, X was a top executive, surely traveling first class, with flight attendants helping with the wheelchair and the game company sending a car. No need to worry.
Eventually, Chu Feng sent an animated gif to X:
Welcome to H City.gif
[Let me know when you arrive in China~]
X: [Okay]
This concluded the chat satisfactorily. Chu Feng returned to WeChat, opened his mom’s messages, two voice notes and a file:
[Check out if there’s anyone you like among these…]
Another matchmaking attempt.
Chu Feng listened to the beginning and then closed it, too lazy to listen further. He converted the voice notes to text, glanced through them, which were essentially about checking out the potential matches his mom found.
Sighing, Chu Feng opened the file. Usually, he’d dismiss it without looking, but his mom had invoked his grandfather this time.
Last time, he had used his grandfather’s connections to investigate a 16-year-old dismemberment case, confirming that 13-year-old Little Xie was the main body. He had promised his grandfather he’d attend the matchmaking this time.
Chu Feng sighed again. The file was filled with detailed profiles, each with a 2-inch photo and background information, looking like company HR screening resumes. He quickly closed it.
Then, he opened WeChat to message Lin Lan:
A large photo popped up—
Before Chu Feng could look at it closely, he heard a voice from outside:
“Cousin! Cousin—! Are you done with the game? I’m coming in—”
Chu Feng: “Come in.”
Lin Lan burst through the door, shouting excitedly:
“Look, cousin! Yes, yes, it’s this person. Doesn’t he look like Brother Xie? It’s like they’re identical! Aunt worked really hard to find this match for you; you have to meet him!”
Chu Feng glanced down lazily at the photo:
The facial features were almost like a cosmetic surgery replica of Xie Shiyu.
Especially the nose—it was obviously augmented, the jawbone had been shaved, and the forehead filled. The eye sockets were far less deep than Xie Shiyu’s, yet the person had tried to mimic Xie Shiyu’s high nose, resulting in a strange, disharmonious look.
Skin can be altered easily, but bone structure is much harder to change.
Chu Feng swiped the photo aside, saying flatly:
“Tell my mom to send me a natural one next time.”
Lin Lan was taken aback: “Cousin, how do you know it’s cosmetic surgery? I thought it looked quite natural. If Aunt hadn’t said anything, I wouldn’t have noticed…”
Chu Feng rolled his eyes at him: “What can you notice? Now, tell me about this person.”
Lin Lan: “Well, he originally wanted to look like a celebrity. He brought several photos to the doctor, but the doctor said others had tried and failed. Then he somehow got hold of Brother Xie’s CEO photo from a news article and said he wanted to look like that.”
Chu Feng: “…”
Lin Lan: “Cousin, won’t you at least see him? He happens to have the same last name as Xie, and he’s four years younger than you…”
“No.”
Chu Feng cut him off and burrowed into his bed: “Close the door on your way out. I’m going to sleep.”
“Alright then… Cousin, rest well.” Lin Lan left reluctantly, closing the door behind him.
Buzz.
WeChat vibrated.
Curled up in bed, Chu Feng checked his phone. Lin Lan, not giving up, had sent a string of messages:
[Cousin, he really looks like him. Are you sure you don’t want to meet him?]
[Mom checked his background. He has both parents, comes from a normal family, and has an honest personality…]
Chu Feng replied: [You’re so noisy.]
Lin Lan sent a crying cat emoji:
[Cousin, meeting him doesn’t mean you have to start a relationship. You’re so well-off, with a big company. Honestly, ordinary people wouldn’t dare date you.]
[Cousin, you can keep playing games, but if you find someone suitable in real life, you could use them as a stand-in. They’d be happy to be paid for that. It would pay much more than a 9-to-5 job, and you look so good that even if you didn’t pay, they’d be willing…]
Chu Feng swiped his finger, too lazy to read further, ready to switch off his phone and sleep.
Buzz—
Lin Lan sent one last message:
[Cousin, don’t be annoyed. Actually, the family is worried you’ll get addicted to games and not come back.]
Chu Feng caught on to a keyword:
Again?
Quickly, he saw Lin Lan retract the message and rephrase it: Actually, the family is worried about you.
Chu Feng had already taken a screenshot before it was retracted. He sent the screenshot back to Lin Lan:
[Explain.]
Lin Lan: …
After a while, Lin Lan responded:
[Okay]
[To be honest, cousin, there’s something you’ve been hiding, but the family has always known.]
Chu Feng: [What is it?]
Lin Lan: [I only found out recently. Mom told me, after Brother Xie passed away, you said you were going to Hawaii to relax. The family pretended to let you go alone, but they had friends in the US watching you. They found out you were playing games alone in the villa for days and rushed you to the hospital.]
[Cousin, you were in a deep coma for 13 days, your heart stopped several times, and the doctors issued several critical condition notices. They tried everything, but you wouldn’t wake up. The doctors said your consciousness was stuck in the game and that if this continued, you might end up brain dead in reality. Even if you survived by luck, you might become a vegetable. They told us to prepare for the worst.]
Chu Feng was stunned as he read the long message.
Even now, he couldn’t face the matter of Little Xie’s death.
Back then, he couldn’t cope with Xie Shiyu’s death, so he escaped reality by playing games. In the game, he couldn’t face the suicide of an entire city of Little Xies, forcing him back to reality, where he miraculously survived.
Every day, Chu Feng would mentally repeat countless times upon waking and before sleeping:
He’s dead. He’s already dead…
Eventually, he completely accepted the reality that “Xie Shiyu is dead.” He handled all of Xie Shiyu’s affairs, took over the company, bought a burial plot, erected a tombstone, and started living alone like a normal person.
Chu Feng knew that being in a coma for so long was life-threatening, but after waking up, the doctors didn’t say much. After a few days of observation, he was sent home, and he didn’t want to probe further.
Lin Lan: [After you woke up, the psychiatrist examined you. You might not remember, but the psychiatrist suggested to the family that they pretend not to know about this and avoid restricting your game time drastically. Instead, they should help you gradually return to reality.]
[The psychiatrist initially suggested pretending temporarily, but your parents kept up the act. They were afraid of stimulating you, so they intermittently arranged matchmaking, hoping that a new relationship might help you move on from Brother Xie’s death.]
[But it’s been two years, cousin, and you haven’t shown interest in anyone other than Brother Xie. Aunt is really anxious, afraid you’ll get addicted to games again, so she thought finding someone similar in real life might at least offer some comfort.]
Chu Feng found his mother’s logic peculiar. In the game, an entire city of 100% accurate Xie Shiyus couldn’t sway him. How could a mere cosmetic stand-in in real life possibly interest him?
Lin Lan: [So… cousin, if you don’t want to meet formally, maybe just see him from a distance? You might find he looks more natural in person.]
[No.]
The chat box still contained his cousin’s two resolute words.
Lin Lan sighed, feeling that all his long-winded explanations were futile…
However, seeing how his cousin was currently behaving in the game, Lin Lan had a hunch that Chu Feng wouldn’t get addicted again.
Last time was so dangerous, 13 days in a coma. Normally, it wouldn’t be possible to return to reality from the game world. Who knows…
Maybe the Xie from the previous generation dream city did something to help his cousin move on.
Lin Lan didn’t know and saw that Chu Feng had no intention of revisiting the past. Lin Lan selectively screenshot his conversation with his cousin and sent it to Chu Feng’s mother:
[Aunt, I tried persuading him, but he doesn’t want to go on the date.]
[Aunt, maybe… just let it go? He seems to be balancing gaming and real life well…]
Lin Lan felt like a mediator, or a sandwich. Being the youngest, he was tasked by the elders to persuade Chu Feng, supposedly because young people shared more common ground.
Then he’d be ignored by his cousin, sent back to relay messages, and scolded by the elders…
Sure enough, Chu Feng’s mother exploded on WeChat:
[How can he not go on dates! Look at the state he’s in!! Aunt is really struggling, but I can’t say anything to his face, afraid of upsetting him…]
Lin Lan had to endure a long rant before she finally got to the point:
[You’ve spent a lot of time with your cousin. Can you tell what type he likes? I can’t understand how he fell for Little Xie back then and can’t move on…]
Lin Lan actually thought Brother Xie was great and that his cousin had good taste. No wonder he couldn’t forget.
Lin Lan: [I don’t know, maybe he likes strong, quiet types.]
Actually, Xie Shiyu wasn’t quiet in private, but Lin Lan said it casually.
Aunt: [Alright, I’ll keep looking. Thank you for your effort…]
***
On the other side of the room.
Chu Feng laid on his bed.
For some reason, Lin Lan’s words echoed softly in his mind:
[It might be good to find a stand-in, someone to see in real life for comfort…]
Chu Feng turned off the photo of the cosmetic surgery look-alike. In his phone’s gallery, there was another photo—
A photo of X.
He had saved it from a player forum by chance, because one of the eyes looked very much like Xie Shiyu’s.
In the sunlight, it shimmered with a slight amber glow.
Suddenly, a thought popped into his head:
[If I really need to find a stand-in for a date, I might as well look for this one.]
The thought flashed by like a meteor across the sky.
Chu Feng found this idea a bit strange and didn’t dwell on it. He soon dismissed it.
***
On the other side of the city.
Chu Feng’s mother was browsing the largest local matchmaking website.
Soon, a top-listed profile caught her eye:
[Elite Returnee Male, Eager to Marry…]
Her eyes lit up, and she quickly clicked to see more:
[Occupation: Senior Regulator at a top 5 multinational corporation, annual post-tax salary in the millions.]
—Stable job, wealthy, successful.
Chu Feng’s mother was pleased. Even though her son owned a large company and didn’t worry about money, he still couldn’t marry a freeloader.
[Health status: Runs every day.]
—Regular routine, excellent, perfect for encouraging her son to join in and run too!
[Self-assessed appearance: Perfect bone structure.]
—Doesn’t need to be stunningly handsome. Good looks can be superficial and misleading; it’s the bone structure that endures. Chu Feng’s mother read on:
[Past relationship history: None.]
Chu Feng’s mother clapped in delight. She disliked people with a messy past. By her son’s age, most had several past relationships, sometimes with lingering ties. The last thing she wanted was someone dating her son while being entangled with an ex.
[Skills: Fluent in four languages, extensive overseas experience.]
Chu Feng’s mother nodded approvingly. Knowing four languages was impressive and indicated a love for learning. She had worked in education for decades and valued a thirst for knowledge and an ambition for a better life.
[Other assets: Four vehicles from world-renowned brands.]
—Goodness, this person probably had quite a few luxury cars.
Chu Feng’s mother immediately saved this elite returnee male’s profile, marked it with a heart and a thumbs-up, and shared it on WeChat—
[Feng Feng, what do you think of this person? Do you like him?]
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