The Salted Fish is Rebellious – CH22

Chapter 22

Fu Xiuning unsurprisingly received a message from Qi Changyi.

By the time he finished explaining, the person next to him had already drained their cup of honey water and stood up.

He observed Xing Shi, who wobbled slightly for the first few steps but quickly steadied himself.

The system noticed the brief unsteadiness and asked, “I’ve finished looking into it. Can you listen now?”

Xing Shi remained calm. “Go ahead.”

The system began, “Yu Shu, male, 22 years old, a signed artist under June Cultural Media. He’s a singer and actor currently filming a drama. Later, he’ll be participating in a variety show…”

Xing Shi, holding onto the kitchen cabinet for support, said, “Save it for tomorrow.”

The system fell silent: “…”

Freed from the mental distraction, Xing Shi walked more steadily.

He went to the bathroom for a quick shower and, after tidying up, climbed into bed.

Perhaps it was the alcohol, the room’s soundproofing, the neighborhood’s quiet environment, or simply the exhaustion catching up with his body. Either way, he fell into a deep sleep and woke up feeling completely refreshed.

Around six in the morning, he got up, washed, and went out for a run.

Though unfamiliar with the area, having the system made it easy to map out a suitable route.

The system, observing how Xing Shi could eat so much without gaining weight, attributed it to his high level of physical activity. While he ran, it recited Yu Shu’s details again.

Xing Shi asked, “Do you think he could be a host?”

The system replied, “I don’t know. Why do you ask?”

“I’m just curious,” Xing Shi said casually.

Worried that Xing Shi might cause trouble, the system advised, “With your skills, there’s no need to form alliances. Besides, some hosts, like you, are transmigrators with unknown origins. What if one of them turns out to be dangerous? That’d be a hassle.”

Xing Shi brushed it off with a casual reply, finished his lap, and returned home to find the auntie already cooking breakfast.

The auntie had received a message from Fu Xiuning about the new resident but hadn’t expected someone so good-looking. Her smile instantly became warmer.

Xing Shi greeted her politely and grabbed a bottle of water before heading out.

Fu Xiuning chose that moment to emerge.

Before Xing Shi saw him, he heard a familiar sound.

?Ding Ding?
?Current Favorability: -5?

Neither Xing Shi nor the system was surprised. They figured it had simply reverted.

Fu Xiuning heard it too but ignored it, continuing forward until he spotted Xing Shi coming out of the dining room.

Xing Shi was wearing a sleeveless workout top, his forehead damp from his run. Sweat trickled down his face to his neck, the surrounding skin faintly flushed with exertion.

?Ding Ding?
?Current Favorability: -4?

Xing Shi: “…”

System: “Tch.”

Fu Xiuning: “…”

Xing Shi twisted the cap off his water bottle and met Fu Xiuning’s gaze. “Morning.”

Fu Xiuning, his expression unchanged, replied, “Morning.”

After exchanging greetings, one went back to his room to shower while the other headed into the living room.

It was Sunday, and after breakfast, Xing Shi went to the company for training.

Having taken the afternoon off yesterday and not returning until evening, he was updated by Feng Zifan and Yu Yi during their break about what they had learned. They soon started gossiping.

Feng Zifan said, “Several people from Class 1 filled out the forms yesterday and confirmed they’re joining the factory.”

Xing Shi, having heard about this from Fu Xiuning, responded with a simple, “Mm.”

Feng Zifan lowered his voice. “You’re really not signing up?”

“I can’t do anything yet,” Xing Shi replied.

Feng Zifan dismissed this. “There were contestants in last year’s talent show who couldn’t do anything either, but they were good-looking, and now they’re acting in dramas.”

“I’d rather take it slow and steady,” Xing Shi said.

Feng Zifan, seeing Xing Shi leaning lazily against the wall, felt this wasn’t steadiness but sheer laziness. He sighed, “You’re impossible… Do you even know how low the debut rate for trainees is?”

Yu Yi, curious, asked, “How low?”

With both of them now looking at him, Feng Zifan hesitated, studying their faces. “Never mind, it doesn’t apply to you two. The odds don’t matter.”

He paused, then added, “Wait a second.”

Realizing something, he said to Xing Shi, “Once you debut, won’t the training be less intense? It should get easier, right?”

Xing Shi was satisfied with the current environment, where he only needed to expend physical energy.

Though competition among trainees for debut spots was fierce, and some scheming did occur, no one dared provoke him for the time being, allowing him to enjoy a comfortable situation.

Still, his ultimate goal was to dismantle the main system. If the other hosts were all entertainers, that would change things.

He replied, “We’ll see.”

Break time ended, and they resumed training.

During the third break, Xing Shi received a message from Fu Xiuning.

The boss, who didn’t work on Sundays, had arranged for a desk to be delivered, as promised.

The living room was spacious enough to set up a small study area. Fu Xiuning’s assistant handled everything, delivering a solid wood desk and a bookshelf, both matching the living room’s overall aesthetic.

Xing Shi reviewed the photos sent to him and replied: ?Very satisfied. Thanks, brother!?

Fu Xiuning asked: ?Will you place the books yourself, or should I have someone do it??

Xing Shi: ?Have someone else do it.?

Fu Xiuning: ?Got it. Director He and the others have a flight this afternoon. We’re having lunch together first. Did he mention it to you??

Xing Shi: ?He did.?

Fu Xiuning: ?I’ll pick you up at noon.?

Xing Shi: ?Okay.?

Fu Xiuning put his phone away and instructed the assistant to unpack the books.

The box of books had been sitting in the living room since yesterday. Xing Shi, preoccupied with “stirring things up” after dragging his suitcase into his room, had forgotten to move it. When the assistant noticed it and asked Fu Xiuning about it, he decided to confirm with Xing Shi.

The assistant, having received instructions, moved the box over and began placing the books one by one on the bookshelf.

Fu Xiuning casually pulled out a calculus textbook and flipped through it. Inside, he found sheets of calculation paper tucked among the pages. Recognizing that they contained problems from the latest lecture, he noted with some amusement that the boy was actually paying attention in class.

The hosts who transmigrated usually started in a state of amnesia. He wondered if Xing Shi could even understand the material. His gaze lingered on the end of the formula, where the final result had been crossed out and marked with a question mark. After a moment, he understood.

So, after laboring through half a page of calculations, all Xing Shi had managed was an incorrect answer?

Smiling faintly, he returned the book to its place.

Lunch was at a restaurant serving a different cuisine instead of Linlan Garden.

This time, there were only four of them. When Xing Shi entered the private dining room, Director He and Qi Changyi were already seated.

Qi Changyi waved his phone and said, “Someone’s been asking about you, and they came to me for answers.”

Xing Shi raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Qi Changyi explained, “Didn’t you guys post some training updates this morning?”

Xing Shi nodded. Their personal accounts were temporarily managed by the company, with regular updates. Today, Xing Shi had been assigned to record a short ten-second video.

Seeing his composed reaction, Qi Changyi asked, “So, you haven’t checked the feedback?”

Xing Shi replied, “It’s not like it’s trending again, is it?”

Qi Changyi chuckled. “Not quite.”

Still, the timing was impeccable.

With the talent show just around the corner, entertainment companies were monitoring each other closely. Naturally, June Cultural Media’s trainees were under scrutiny, including from the show’s production team.

When Xing Shi’s new hairstyle debuted in the video, the production team noticed the buzz in the comments section and reached out to Qi Changyi.

“All the companies have pretty much submitted their rosters. The director noticed you weren’t on it and asked if I could get you in,” Qi Changyi said with a smile. “What do you say?”

Xing Shi declined. Filming a talent show required staying at the production site for an extended period, which would be far too disruptive.

Qi Changyi didn’t push him and lowered his head to reply to the messages.

Once Xing Shi sat down, Director He handed him the menu and gestured for him to order.

Xing Shi, unfamiliar with the restaurant, glanced at Fu Xiuning for confirmation. They had eaten together several times, and their tastes were similar. Generally, anything Fu Xiuning approved of was guaranteed to be good.

Fu Xiuning said, “You can order anything here.”

Taking that to mean the chef was reliable, Xing Shi picked out a few dishes he wanted, checked with the others, and finalized the order.

Director He studied his son, making small talk before asking, “How’s your relationship with the other trainees at the company?”

Xing Shi replied, “Pretty good.”

Director He pressed on, “You’re so handsome. Aren’t they jealous of you?”

Xing Shi answered, “Of course, but no one dares show it.”

Director He glanced at Fu Xiuning sitting diagonally across the table. He thought to himself, Of course. With a relationship like theirs, who would dare provoke him?

Suppressing the heavy thoughts in his heart, he observed his son carefully. Xing Shi’s temperament seemed just as it had been last time—not a case of a bad day or a lack of energy.

That morning, he had visited Z University to inquire about Xing Shi. The feedback from his teachers was excellent. He even checked the school forum but found nothing suspicious. His son had simply changed—when, or why, remained a mystery.

The meal was clouded with unspoken worries.

After they finished and paid, Qi Changyi claimed he needed to return to the company and volunteered to take Xing Shi back. Left alone with Fu Xiuning, Director He got into his car to head back to the hotel and asked, “How long have you known Suisui?”

Fu Xiuning answered honestly, “Not long. We met after he signed with the company.”

Director He, striving to sound casual, said, “That kid was such a handful during his teenage years. Now that he’s off at university, his personality has finally improved. He was like this when you first met, right?”

Fu Xiuning’s mind raced, trying to gauge whether Director He had noticed the truth. However, since Xing Shi was now under his close watch, it wasn’t the time to create unnecessary complications. He replied calmly, “Once you’re out in the world on your own, you’re bound to mature.”

Still… he couldn’t help but ask, “What was he like before?”

Different souls exhibit different traits. Sometimes, Fu Xiuning wondered what kind of expressions the original host would have worn. Would they have inspired disappointment—or exceeded expectations?

If he had met the original host that day during the class division, would he have made the effort to get to know him?

And now, how much of his impression of Xing Shi was shaped by that face, and how much by the soul inside?

Director He reminisced, “He used to be pretty cool—came across as hard to approach. But that was just appearances. He usually ignored people unless they provoked him, and then he’d retaliate.”

Fu Xiuning asked, “How did he retaliate?”

Director He laughed. “Oh, his methods were endless, always something new.”

Mid-laugh, the shadow in Director He’s heart returned.

He would rather his son be the same as before—full of life, boldly stirring up trouble, confidently putting him in his place.

He wouldn’t mind. He’d accept the blame for being an absentee father, apologize endlessly, and coax him until Suisui forgave him.

Anything was better than this abrupt maturity.

Abrupt maturity—what good could come of that?

Director He sighed inwardly. “Now… he’s changed a lot.”

Fu Xiuning probed with a calm tone, “Changed as if he’s completely different?”

Director He chuckled. “Not quite, just his personality.”

Fu Xiuning couldn’t suppress his mischievous streak. “Are you sure about that?”

Director He replied, “Of course. A parent can always recognize their child. Even if he had a different face, I’d know it was him.”

After dropping Director He off at the hotel, Fu Xiuning drove back toward his home.

Stopping at yet another red light, he found his thoughts circling back to that last statement.

Impossible, he thought.

He had personally heard Xing Shi transmigrate and bind to the system.

But… with so many exceptions surrounding Xing Shi, what was truly impossible?

The light turned green.

Fu Xiuning pressed the accelerator and headed straight for the company.