Chapter 31
Fu Xiuning took a sip of his drink and brought up Gu Zheng’s scheme, eventually transitioning to the mastermind behind it all—Lin Kecheng.
When Lin Kecheng was mentioned, so was the attempted murder from last time.
Director He, having navigated the entertainment industry for years, was no stranger to people trying every trick to curry favor. But for someone to stoop to manipulating a life-threatening “debt of gratitude” like this, it was truly unheard of. After all, one wrong move and it could cost their own life—who would dare take that gamble?
Clicking his tongue, Director He remarked, “That’s just wicked—born rotten, that one. And he even tried to kill you? How did you manage to escape without getting hurt? Wait a minute, are the marks on your neck from him?”
Although Fu Xiuning’s injuries had healed, the scars on his neck hadn’t completely faded. Director He had noticed them last time and asked about it, but Fu Xiuning had brushed it off as an accidental injury. Now that the topic had come up, they could delve deeper.
“Yes,” Fu Xiuning admitted. “Luckily, it wasn’t fatal. I also had injuries on my back, but those have mostly healed. That day, I was thrown onto the coffee table, and it shattered under me.”
Pouring wine for all three of them, he maintained a polite and deferential demeanor. “I’ve always treated Suisui like my own little brother, so looking after him is only natural. Please, don’t be so formal with me. My alcohol tolerance isn’t great, and my doctor has advised me to avoid drinking for a while. I’ll toast to you with this one, but after two more, I’ll leave the rest to Suisui to accompany you.”
Hearing how dangerous the situation had been, Director He didn’t press him to drink any more.
Besides, Fu Xiuning wasn’t his primary target tonight, so he even stopped Fu Xiuning from finishing his toast, letting him off easy.
The system couldn’t help but let out an excited “Wow!”
Hearing Fu Xiuning mention Lin Kecheng, Xing Shi had already guessed where the conversation was headed. Seeing his father swiftly shift his focus, Xing Shi asked, “What are you wowing about?”
“He called you Suisui!” the system exclaimed, thrilled. “It’s the first time he’s used your nickname! Even though it originally belonged to the previous host, he doesn’t know that. Doesn’t it sound so affectionate?”
Xing Shi thought back and realized this was true. He glanced over at Fu Xiuning.
Fu Xiuning happened to be looking at him as well. With a faint smile on his handsome face, he reached out to place some food on Xing Shi’s plate and said in a brotherly tone, “Eat more. Don’t just sit there praising me—it’s nothing worth mentioning. Your dad doesn’t come by often, so make sure to have a few drinks with him.”
Xing Shi thought to himself, The first time he calls me that, and it’s just to throw me under the bus. Truly a touching display of brotherly love.
He obediently agreed and focused on eating.
“How’s the food?” Director He asked expectantly. “It hasn’t changed, has it?”
Xing Shi slowly swallowed his bite.
He didn’t have any memories to compare it to, but he felt at peace.
Answering the first question, he said, “It’s great.”
Director He raised his glass tentatively. “Have a drink with me?”
Xing Shi clinked glasses with him and then urged him to eat.
Knowing the importance of pacing, Director He alternated between eating, casual conversation about Xing Shi’s life, and the occasional toast.
Xing Shi stuck to his usual principle: he drank until he felt slightly tipsy, then stopped, claiming that drinking too much gave him a headache and that he had to wake up early for training the next day.
Director He wanted to press him but didn’t dare, so he simply continued eating.
A moment later, seeing his son resting his chin lazily on one hand, Director He called out, “Suisui.”
Xing Shi looked up at him.
Director He didn’t see any signs of drunkenness on his son’s face, but after hesitating for a few seconds, he still asked, “Has anyone ever bullied you, whether at school or anywhere else?”
“No,” Xing Shi replied calmly. “Who could possibly bully me?”
Director He thought to himself, That’s true—my son’s personality isn’t exactly one that suffers losses.
But he double-checked. “Are you sure? Really, no one?”
Xing Shi nodded.
Seeing that his expression remained normal, without any hints of suppressed pain, Director He felt somewhat reassured. Muttering to himself, he said, “That’s good, that’s good.”
Fu Xiuning glanced at Xing Shi upon hearing this.
To survive in a foreign world, transforming from a tough kid into who he was now—it couldn’t have been an easy journey.
Moreover, judging by Xing Shi’s ability to absorb energy and his love of food, that world was most likely not a modern one. But with the system around, they couldn’t discuss much. That would have to wait until everything was finally over—if that day ever came.
Raising his glass, Fu Xiuning clinked it against theirs.
Director He had never been close to his son before. Back then, Xing Shi had still been underage. This was the first time they were drinking together, and it made him sentimental. In the end, he managed to get himself drunk.
Drunk and emboldened, he grabbed his son’s hand and earnestly said, “Suisui, if something’s bothering you, just say it. Don’t keep it bottled up, okay?”
“I won’t,” Xing Shi assured him.
“If anyone bullies you, tell me. If you don’t want to tell me, then tell Xiuning—don’t try to handle it alone,” Director He insisted.
“Of course,” Xing Shi said brightly. “My brother spoils me the most.”
Director He nodded in satisfaction. “That’s right. Xiuning’s a good kid, and so are you.”
Holding onto his son, he rambled on for a while. When Xing Shi tried to coax him to go to bed, he refused. Instead, he grabbed the half-full bottle of wine in front of him, poured himself and his son another drink, and insisted that they couldn’t let it go to waste.
Xing Shi drank the toast with his father, only then watching Director He get to his feet.
Fu Xiuning walked around the table, helping Xing Shi support Director He into the guest room. Noticing that Xing Shi was a little unsteady, Fu Xiuning asked, “Are you alright?”
Xing Shi’s mind was completely clear. “I’m fine.”
After placing Director He on the bed, Xing Shi turned and headed for the door.
Fu Xiuning closed the door behind him and followed. He studied Xing Shi’s slightly sluggish pace, likely from that last drink, and offered, “Should I make you both some honey water?”
Xing Shi turned his head to look at him. Just as he was about to gratefully say, “You’re so thoughtful,” he suddenly remembered the last time this happened.
Back then, Fu Xiuning had left the dining area, only to return abruptly to make him honey water. Had he overheard something? What had he and the system been talking about at the time?
Lost in thought, Xing Shi didn’t watch his step and stumbled forward. Feeling a hand grab his arm, he instinctively shook it off. But the exaggerated movement only made him even more off balance.
Fu Xiuning immediately stepped forward to steady him. Xing Shi caught sight of the approaching hand out of the corner of his eye and reflexively raised his elbow to block it. Fu Xiuning smoothly flipped his wrist, seizing Xing Shi’s arm and tightening his grip this time.
Unable to break free, Xing Shi switched to his other hand, aiming for Fu Xiuning’s face to force him to let go.
Fu Xiuning dodged, tilting his head to the side, and effortlessly caught Xing Shi’s other hand. Before Xing Shi could lift his leg, Fu Xiuning stepped half a pace closer and freed one hand to firmly hold Xing Shi’s waist, keeping him stable.
The entire exchange lasted only two or three seconds.
Finally, the system’s panicked voice cut in: “Snap out of it! That’s Fu Xiuning!”
Xing Shi, who had been acting purely on instinct, snapped back to his senses as soon as he regained his footing.
Looking at Fu Xiuning, he suddenly remembered that this young master had trained in combat. His usual refined demeanor often made people forget about that fact.
Seeing that Xing Shi had calmed down, Fu Xiuning glanced him over and asked, “Can you still walk?”
Xing Shi replied, “I can.”
Fu Xiuning didn’t release him entirely, keeping a steadying hand on his arm as they walked back to the living room. Xing Shi, a little curious, asked, “Brother?”
Fu Xiuning replied, “Hmm?”
Xing Shi’s eyes lit up slightly. “Want to spar?”
Fu Xiuning assessed this unusually clear-headed drunkard. “Now?”
“I’m naturally gifted,” Xing Shi said with a grin. “If we don’t do it now, you might lose to me later.”
Fu Xiuning had no interest in indulging him. “Not interested.”
“Just for a bit,” Xing Shi urged, grabbing his arm.
Meeting Xing Shi’s slightly glowing eyes, Fu Xiuning didn’t feel like reasoning with a drunk. “Ten seconds.”
“Deal,” Xing Shi agreed.
No stopwatch was necessary—they could just count internally.
At “one,” Fu Xiuning saw Xing Shi charge at him.
Initially, Xing Shi thought they could exchange a few simple moves. He quickly realized how naive he was. While his mind was clear, his body refused to cooperate. His brain commanded a strike in one direction, but his arm had a mind of its own, always just missing the mark.
Still, with his combat experience, Fu Xiuning couldn’t easily subdue him within a short time.
At “eight,” a sudden click of the door unlocking caught them both off guard.
Fu Xiuning, mid-move, pulled back and stood up straight.
As for Xing Shi… his brain and body remained out of sync. His momentum sent him hurtling into Fu Xiuning, knocking the latter backward. Fu Xiuning stumbled a half-step, hit the sofa, and fell straight onto it.
Xing Shi’s nose collided with Fu Xiuning’s collarbone. He winced, letting out a muffled “Ow” before lifting his head to create some distance.
Fu Xiuning instinctively wrapped an arm around Xing Shi as he fell. Hearing Xing Shi’s pained sound, he lowered his head. Their faces were suddenly inches apart, breaths mingling. Both froze.
[Ding Ding]
[Current affection value: 20]
A very drunk but not entirely asleep Director He stumbled out of the guest room, slurring, “Suisui, Dad’s making breakfast tomorrow. What do you want to eat—ah?!”
His eyes locked on the scene in the living room: his son and Fu Xiuning lying tangled together on the sofa, their faces so close they seemed about to kiss. He froze, his whole body stiffening, and sobered up almost instantly.
He stammered, “You… you two…?”
The two involved quickly came back to reality.
Xing Shi tried to get up, but his limbs wouldn’t cooperate.
Fu Xiuning helped him sit upright, gently placing him on the adjacent seat. Calmly, he explained, “Suisui lost his balance, and I couldn’t hold steady either, so we fell.”
Director He thought, You sure picked a suspicious place to “fall.” He wasn’t buying it but refrained from calling them out.
His gaze flitted between them. Recalling how his son had been praising Fu Xiuning all evening, he pieced things together.
Keeping his expression neutral, he said, “Oh… So, uh, what do you want for breakfast?”
Xing Shi replied, “Anything’s fine.”
“So is mine,” Fu Xiuning added.
Director He nodded stiffly. “Alright then, I’ll head back to sleep. You two, uh… continue… chatting.”
With that, he wobbled back to the guest room, closing the door behind him.
The living room fell silent.
Fu Xiuning internally noted that agreeing to humor a drunk had clearly been a mistake. Composed as ever, he stood up and asked, “Still want honey water?”
The incident had left Xing Shi more sober than ever. Refusing to admit it was his own fault, he said evenly, “Yes.”
Fu Xiuning headed to the kitchen.
Watching his retreating back, Xing Shi’s thoughts wandered to the brief moment their gazes met. The memory of Fu Xiuning’s proximity and the breath they shared felt as if it was only now sinking in. Xing Shi rubbed his nose where it had hit, then quickly looked away.
Fu Xiuning soon returned with a cup of honey water, handing it to him.
Xing Shi accepted it with a polite “Thank you,” holding the cup with both hands and drinking quietly. His expression was perfectly composed.
Fu Xiuning stood nearby, watching him. For some inexplicable reason, the image of Xing Shi’s dazed eyes, slightly misty from the earlier collision, surfaced in his mind.
[Ding Ding]
[Current affection value: 21]
Xing Shi: “…”
Fu Xiuning: “…”
Xing Shi handed him the empty cup. “I’m done.”
Fu Xiuning took it, his tone calm. “Go to bed early.”
Xing Shi gave a neutral “Oh,” said his usual “Goodnight,” and retreated to his room as if nothing had happened.
The next morning, the two met at the dining table and tacitly chose to forget the previous night.
As for Director He, who had both drunk himself silly and suffered a jarring shock, his promise to make breakfast didn’t hold up. The meal was prepared by the housekeeper instead.
Fu Xiuning instructed her to save a portion for Director He before taking Xing Shi to the company.
Xing Shi received a message from his father around ten in the morning.
The deposit for the house had been paid, but additional formalities were required.
Since it was a full-cash purchase, there was no need to provide credit checks or income proofs. The process was fast, and all Xing Shi had to do was stop by at noon to sign the contract.
Replying with a simple “Got it,” Xing Shi noticed that the message field above displayed “Typing…” He waited a moment, only for the notification to disappear, then reappear two seconds later.
After a few rounds of this, his father finally sent:
Hehe: [You and Xiuning… When did that start?]
Xing Shi: [There’s nothing between us. Yesterday was just a coincidence.]
Hehe: [I’m not one of those closed-minded parents.]
Xing Shi: [If something were going on, I wouldn’t hide it from you.]
Director He paused at that, finding it reasonable, and replied: [Alright. But if something does happen, remember to be safe.]
Xing Shi: [Shouldn’t you first confirm my orientation?]
Hehe: [No matter your orientation, you should always be safe. Besides, if there were no issue, you’d have started by saying you’re straight. Relax—Dad’s very open-minded.]
Xing Shi stared at the message for a couple of seconds before replying: [I’m heading to training.]
Hehe: [Alright, don’t push yourself too hard. ?]
Looking at the contact name he’d assigned to his father, “Hehe,” Xing Shi felt like it was mocking him. He changed it to “Dad.”
The system caught on and asked excitedly, “So, you don’t actually mind switching to the romance route, do you?”
“What?” Xing Shi replied absently.
“What do you mean ‘what’?” the system said in exasperation. “Look at how Fu Xiuning’s affection points keep rising. I really think the romance route would be quicker. Wouldn’t dating him be great?”
Having endured years of hardship in the magical world, Xing Shi was indifferent to all types of relationships.
But if he was being honest, he didn’t dislike Fu Xiuning.
Still, the system hadn’t been dismantled yet. Thinking about anything beyond that felt pointless.
Just then, the instructor entered the room, snapping Xing Shi out of his thoughts. He abandoned his laziness, got up, and prepared for training.
However, the instructor wasn’t there to teach a lesson.
She had an announcement: Yu Shu’s new music video required actors, and he planned to select candidates from among the trainees. He was already on his way and would arrive at the company in ten minutes.
Everyone was instantly excited, murmuring with anticipation.
Xing Shi took advantage of the ten minutes to retreat to his cozy corner, where he had placed a neck pillow and cushion—his makeshift sanctuary.
Feng Zifan and Yu Yi followed him over and sat down.
Though Feng Zifan was eager, he looked at the two beside him and knew his chances were slim. “I wonder what kind of song it is.”
Yu Yi was curious. “Will they shoot outside the company?”
“Probably, if the scene requires it,” Feng Zifan replied.
Xing Shi didn’t join their discussion, instead instructing the system to investigate.
The system quickly reported back: “It’s a song about unrequited love. It’s actually pretty good. Is it for Fu Xiuning?”
“Probably,” Xing Shi replied.
The system scoffed. “Then he should’ve acted in it himself—he’d have plenty of emotional resonance. That’s the only way it’d feel truly heartfelt.”
Xing Shi replied, “Maybe that was the initial plan, but he needs a reason to interact with me.”
Perhaps wary of coming on too strong, Yu Shu hadn’t shown his face since his last failed attempt at a coincidental meeting paired with an invitation to eat. This time, he approached under the pretense of work.
But doing something too blatant would also seem suspicious. Xing Shi figured Yu Shu wouldn’t personally choose the actors and asked, “Who’s selecting the cast?”
The system answered, “The MV’s director.”
Xing Shi continued, “He must’ve done something to ensure the director picks me. What is it?”
The system checked. “Oh, the director’s phone has a lot of your short videos in the watch history. He’s viewed your content repeatedly, and second most is Yu Yi’s.”
Xing Shi hummed in acknowledgment, guessing Yu Shu must have recommended him.
The system asked, “Are you planning to accept the job?”
Xing Shi replied, “Of course.”
The system seemed confused. “Didn’t you say you can’t let him approach you too easily?”
“It’s purely professional,” Xing Shi explained. “I’ll do the job and say goodbye when it’s done.”
The system sighed. “Alright, but be careful not to expose yourself.”
Xing Shi said, “I know.”
Ten minutes later, Yu Shu arrived with the director and even had his assistant bring a pile of snacks, apologizing for disrupting their training.
The trainees certainly didn’t mind, their eyes collectively shifting toward the director.
The director understood they had limited time and scanned the group quickly. His gaze landed on Xing Shi, eyes instantly lighting up. He waved. “You, come over here.”
Under the varied stares of those around him, Xing Shi calmly walked over.
The director scrutinized him, confirming that the short videos hadn’t relied on any filters or special effects. Satisfied, he nodded toward Yu Shu.
Yu Shu seemed briefly surprised but smiled warmly and asked Xing Shi, “Director Li wants to cast you. What do you think? Are you willing?”
Xing Shi answered without hesitation, “Sure.”
Yu Shu’s smile deepened, appearing genuinely pleased as he extended a hand. “That’s great. Looking forward to working with you.”
Xing Shi shook his hand with a pleasant smile of his own. “Looking forward to it, Yu Ge.”
With the lead role secured, the director quickly moved on to casting the supporting role. Seeing that Yu Yi matched his online presence, he chose him as well.
Yu Yi was surprised but soon recovered and happily ran to join Xing Shi.
The two followed Yu Shu to sign contracts, finalizing the shoot for three days later.
That evening, Xing Shi told Fu Xiuning about the job.
Director He, who had been staying at Qi Changyi’s house while in Z City, had only stayed with them for one night before leaving.
Fu Xiuning, as usual, sat on the sofa reading. Hearing Xing Shi’s news, he glanced up.
The last time Yu Shu approached Xing Shi on campus, Xing Shi had also informed him. Fu Xiuning had understood Xing Shi’s refusal was a deliberate move to create distance. This time, Xing Shi’s agreement was equally purposeful—a way to dangle some bait for Yu Shu.
After all, energy gained from alliances was minimal compared to directly absorbing a system.
The Lin Kecheng incident had proven that Xing Shi was capable of this. Their next task was to make the system willingly abandon its host.
Fu Xiuning asked, “Where’s the shoot?”
Xing Shi replied, “At our university.”
When Xing Shi first heard this location, he wasn’t sure if Yu Shu chose it for Fu Xiuning’s sake or as a deliberate move to justify his earlier “coincidence” at Z University, framing it as part of his site scouting.
But such details weren’t important.
He looked at Fu Xiuning. “Brother, this is my first job. You’ve got to come see me, right?”
Fu Xiuning nodded. “Of course.”
Three days later, Xing Shi and Yu Yi arrived at Z University.
It was summer break, so the campus was relatively empty. The staff quickly set up, and Xing Shi had his makeup done. As the director explained the scene, Xing Shi listened attentively, trying to understand.
The director asked, “Have you ever had a crush on someone?”
Xing Shi shook his head.
The director patiently explained, “It’s a feeling of wanting to get closer to someone, yearning to spend time with them. Even the most trivial moments feel meaningful. You’d charge into a storm just to share a silly moment with them. But when they don’t return those feelings, or you see them laughing and talking with someone else, it leaves you frustrated, making everything seem wrong.”
Xing Shi silently stared at him.
The director summarized, “It’s a mix of joy and pain.”
“I’ll try to understand,” Xing Shi said.
The director reassured him. “Take your time—don’t rush.”
When Fu Xiuning arrived on set, the first thing he heard was the director’s voice over the megaphone: “Again! Eyes need to shine more, still not enough!”
Yu Shu, also present, noticed Fu Xiuning and immediately approached him. “Boss, you’re here?”
Fu Xiuning gave a slight nod, catching snippets of Yu Shu’s conversation with his system.
“You were right,” Yu Shu said. “Having Xing Shi act is better than doing it myself. When this MV is released, there’s no way Fu Xiuning will watch it. But since it’s Xing Shi’s first acting gig, he’ll definitely take a look.”
“True,” the system agreed.
Yu Shu added, “Isn’t Fu Xiuning too good to him? Coming all the way here for an MV shoot—are you sure he doesn’t have feelings for him?”
“I don’t know,” the system replied.
Yu Shu didn’t press further since Fu Xiuning was now asking about their progress.
Yu Shu explained, “Xing Shi’s never had a crush before, so the director’s helping him get into character.”
Fu Xiuning’s gaze shifted to Xing Shi.
It was July, and despite the overcast sky, the heat was oppressive. Xing Shi stood in a hallway, trying to portray the “bright-eyed” look the director wanted.
The director said, “With your face, when your eyes light up, it should feel irresistibly sweet. Got it?”
Sweating profusely, Xing Shi earnestly replied, “I think I’m already very sweet.”
“Not enough! You can be even sweeter—trust me!” the director insisted.
Xing Shi had heard about demanding directors before, but he thought that only applied to film or TV shoots. He didn’t expect to encounter one for an MV. “I’ll try.”
Fu Xiuning observed for a few minutes before pulling out his phone to call his assistant.
The assistant, who had been tasked with bringing cold drinks for the crew, quickly complied with the new instructions.
Soon after, the assistant arrived at Z University with refreshments and handed them to Fu Xiuning.
Carrying a large vanilla ice cream, Fu Xiuning walked over to the set.
Xing Shi was preparing for another take. Glancing up, he spotted Fu Xiuning, who raised the ice cream in greeting. Xing Shi’s eyes immediately lit up.
The director exclaimed, “Yes, yes, that’s it! That’s the look!”
Excitedly, he continued, “See? I told you you could be even sweeter! What did you just see—”
Turning around mid-sentence, he noticed the ice cream in Fu Xiuning’s hand and fell silent.
So all his painstaking explanations were less effective than a single scoop of ice cream?
