When Cheng Ping was still an esports player, he occasionally did live streams and gained some fame for his unique, silent way of roasting others. During these streams, to fill time, he would sometimes click into video sites and randomly open short videos, watching them together with his fans.

Toward the end of his career, when he knew he was about to be kicked out, his mood was low. On one such day, during a live stream, he clicked on a makeup video with his eyes closed. The makeup artist was cheerfully explaining while applying makeup on a model’s face.

The chat room began to flood with offensive comments, mocking the makeup artist for being neither male nor female.

Cheng “closeted for years, recently rejected and backstabbed” Ping’s expression instantly changed. He furiously roasted his viewers: “(Muted) Do you have any decency? Ever heard of (muted) respect? What someone wears is none of your (muted) business! If you can’t say anything nice, then just leave.”

The viewers, shocked at being roasted while watching a live stream, cursed and exited the stream. Cheng Ping soon ended the stream as well.

At the time, Cheng Ping was dealing with a lot of other worries, so this little episode didn’t register as important and was quickly forgotten.

No one knew—at least, not the hardcore esports fans—that the person they had been criticizing, the one with long hair down to the waist and dressed in women’s clothes, was not just any ordinary beauty vlogger but the famous makeup artist, Li Baixi.

Li “fake gay, actually straight, occasionally watches esports” Boxi: Did that really happen???

After hearing about it, Li Baixi watched the stream replay and was stunned by Cheng Ping’s reaction. He never expected Cheng Ping to defend a complete stranger like that.

Li Baixi was deeply moved.

Knowing that Cheng Ping was currently facing a contract termination crisis and a lot of public criticism, he decided to repay Cheng Ping in his own way.

Li Baixi, whose video account was usually reserved only for brand collaborations, suddenly posted a very personal makeup video—Cheng Ping cosplay makeup.

In the video, Li Baixi put on a short wig and gradually transformed his face into Cheng Ping’s likeness.

The audience was astonished.

They had only ever seen Li Baixi with long hair, red lips, and dazzling looks; they had never seen him look so clean and handsome. Since this was a cosplay, did it mean the person he was mimicking was just as handsome?

Quite a few people who had never cared about esports started searching for Cheng Ping.

Not only that, but Li Baixi, dressed in men’s clothing, even changed his speaking style. With a deep and calm voice and a hint of a smile, he recounted how Cheng Ping had defended him during the live stream and expressed his gratitude from afar.

This video went viral for a while.

Without a doubt, it brought Cheng Ping his first wave of popularity outside of esports, and it even became the stepping stone for his post-retirement entry into the entertainment industry—because it handed him a well-crafted persona on a silver platter.

Whether Cheng Ping fully understood the implications behind the video, Li Baixi had no idea. Probably not, though. But since it was a repayment, Li Baixi felt the debt was settled and let it go.

Until six months later, when, under the invitation of the same brand, Li Baixi, wearing high heels and a smile, walked into Cheng Ping’s dressing room.

(If there are discrepancies with the main story’s setting, it’s because this is a new idea, and I’m too lazy to revise the main story. Just consider it a parallel universe.)