Chasing You (Arc 8+)

Showstopper (IX)

He Xiao had been pondering deeply and digesting on the information Bao Bao told him, his sole reason for why he kept quiet. That was until he heard him say 'rotten'. Tilting his head, he asked.

<Rotten? Is she a fierce corpse that has retained her knowledge somehow?>

<... No, host. She's a human through and through.>

Bao Bao literally forehead slapped himself. It was lucky that he was invisible otherwise, he would be seen as an insane person who likes to abuse themselves and need special assistance. Although his host was knowledgeable in many places, if it wasn't something that interfered in his tasks, helped him along the way inside of the world, or disturbed his current way of life... He wouldn't take the time to find out about it. He was always trying to absorb as much technical knowledge rather than focus of entertainment. One such 'thing' was that one community.

Every single one of them was rotten to the core with no way to save their 'poor' souls that were too far gone.

(A/N: Yui: *raises hand* Oh, oh, oh! I know! It'sㄧ

Bao Bao: ＼(>o<)ノStop! It's my job to say what it is!

Yui: Tch. Foine.)

<...>

Taking a deep breath, Bao Bao tried to stabilize his breathing. How could he tell his child what this was? He felt like he was blackening this child of his! Even though he and son-in-law copulated many times before... This... This was still very difficult to do. (⸝⸝•́દ•̀⸝⸝) Ah, but alas he was the parent! It was his job and his child needed to know.

Before he was even given the chance to do a 'parenting talk'. His child had pulled out his phone and already researched it. Looking at the information he came upon, He Xiao took it into serious consideration. He wasn't aware that such a community existed.

He knew that there were genres with men liking men... But didn't know that their fan base was so extensive. If one has to start explaining what this group was... You would have to start with the center point of it all; 'Yaoi'. 'Yaoi' is a Japanese term used to refer to any male on male romance or sexually explicit stories. The terminology 'BL', what it is currently being referred to, first originated from the Japanese terminology 'shounen-ai' used in the 1970s. 'BL' came from the shortened English translation, 'Boys Love'. Readers of this genre were known as 腐女子 fujoshi as majority of the readers' denizens were females, or a small minority that is slowly growing and the counterpart; 腐男子 fudanshi. The term 腐女子 fujoshi denotes how a female (originally) enjoys fictional gay content and was too 'rotten'; too ruined to be married. The term 腐女子 fujoshi was a homophone to the word 婦女子 fujoshi used for respectable women. Bai Taohua happened to be a devoted fujoshi to this slash fandom.

Taking a glimpse at Bai Taohua, he felt that there was nothing wrong with her. Even if she was rotten, they were just an eccentric group and weren't harmful. There isn't anything wrong with her looking at him as if he was a tasty piece of meat dangling on a stick waiting for the 'fearsome' wolf to come 'eat' him and she, the bystander waiting for a good show to happen... Right?

Finally able to greet all those who came up to him and be able to get the drinks, Hai Pixiu came back. He handed the two of them a bottle of water each. Looking at the fair slender hand that reached out for the bottle of water, he felt that what his girlfriend said was correct. He would be a nice shou. *cough* It couldn't be helped that he was also a member of the BL fandom. He was surrounded by it everyday since he's met Bai Taohua. At first, he found it very strange but was soon convinced otherwise. Her explanation that gender can't define love was very moving for him as she defended them ferociously; shooting down all the discriminating comments. It was also that his father came out to him that he was gay during the beginning high school that had been the key event that caused him to be able to accept it.

Hai Pixiu couldn't be blamed for his orthodox way of thinking. In Ancient China, it wasn't strange for emperors or officials to have male concubines, but the western influences spreading through missionaries during the High to Late Middle Ages altered their way of thinking. Now with the ideology of heteronormativity instilled in their way of life for so long, same couple relationships were commonly seen as an abomination in their society. It was only recently, that many gay couples came out in the light after being discriminated so long and society was slowly starting to accept them. But this didn't mean that they were accepted by everyone, there was still resistance against their sexual preference by some old timers and those who firmly believed in heteronormativity; it was only that they could act intimately out in the public without being pointed or criticized.

This meant that He Xiao had to consider coming out to the public, as there was bound to be some fans of his who did not support his sexuality. For his main tasks, he had to make sure that he did it subtly where his popularity wouldn't take a huge hit.

Before Bao Bao left to observe the other players in this world, they went over the main tasks and side missions.

{Main Tasks:

Reach top ten in idol ranking by the year 2XXX. - 75,000 points

2. Kick Xiao Nongzang off the show by the third round in the show and expose his vicious nature. - 50,000 points

Side Missions:

Befriend Xiao Rui. - 50,000 points

2. Make sure Mother He doesn't pass away due to her health complications. - 75,000 points

3. Collaborate with minimum of ten artists. - 80,000 points

4. Star in a drama:

Male lead - 100,000 points

Second male lead - 85,000 points}

The first task would be harder to do than the second one, but it wasn't undoable. Having six years to complete the first one, he would have to make sure that his reputation would stay pristine and that his music would connect with the people.

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A/N: I used the reference to Japanese as it is an easier connection and explanation to do... The equivalent term for 'yaoi' in Chinese is 耽美 danmei literally meaning 'indulgence in beauty' and it's not wrong~! Sad part is that the stigmatism in China is still strong... Hopefully things will change and turn for the better in!! Anyways enough about the bad things. New things you learn everyday by researching~

Older fujoshi would also refer to themselves as 貴腐人 kifujin literally meaning noble rotten woman. It is a pun and a homophone word for 'fine lady'. Fudanshi also can be referred to as 腐兄 fukei meaning rotten older brother. Now you have more terms to call each other~!

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¹0: Means shou/uke/bottom. '1' would mean gong/seme/top.