Chapter 56
By late October, the weather was gradually cooling.
Chai Xiaoyu ultimately chose a hot pot restaurant. Considering Xing Shi’s striking looks—and recalling how someone had asked for his and Fu Xiuning’s WeChat contact the last time they dined out—he thoughtfully reserved a private room.
Xing Shi had asked in advance if he could bring Fu Xiuning, and Chai Xiaoyu happily agreed.
On Saturday evening, the three arrived at the hot pot restaurant.
Chai Xiaoyu inquired about their preferences while ordering and heard Xing Shi casually ask what kind of job he had found. He answered honestly.
Xing Shi feigned surprise. “An artist’s assistant? Why didn’t you come to us? I introduced you before—my Brother is the owner of June Culture.”
Chai Xiaoyu’s heart warmed, and he smiled happily. “I’m all grown up now. I can’t rely on you for everything like I used to, and it’d be embarrassing to trouble you. This job was a lucky opportunity. I’ll give it a try first, and if I really can’t make it, I’ll thicken my skin and come running to you.”
Xing Shi said, “Alright.”
He asked, “You still have schoolwork to finish, right?”
Chai Xiaoyu replied, “Yeah, I explained my situation to the company. I’ll take time off to go back when needed.”
Xing Shi encouraged him, “Do your best. There’s plenty of room for career growth as an artist’s assistant.”
Chai Xiaoyu nodded enthusiastically. “Don’t worry, Boss. I will!”
Xing Shi didn’t say anything else, and the topic came to a temporary end.
Chai Xiaoyu offered, “I’ll go grab some dipping sauces for you. What would you like?”
Fu Xiuning stood up. “Just grab your own. I’ll get his.”
He looked at Xing Shi. “Anything you want to add?”
Xing Shi said, “I’ll go with you.”
Fu Xiuning pressed down on his shoulder, gently pinching his cheek. “No need. I’ll handle it.”
Chai Xiaoyu observed this interaction, then asked his system, “What exactly is their relationship?”
“Their chat records seem normal,” the system replied. “I only know that Fu Xiuning cares about him a lot, but whether they’re together, I can’t tell.”
It hesitated, then asked nervously, “If they are a couple, will that affect your resolve to save him?”
Chai Xiaoyu said, “No.”
The system breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good to hear. You’re such a good person.”
Chai Xiaoyu chuckled bitterly. “I’m just an ordinary person.”
What he was doing was the choice any ordinary person would make when faced with such a situation.
When the system first approached him, it had asked: If given the chance to save someone, would he do it? That person was a complete stranger who lived in another city.
His answer was yes.
The system then revealed the details, and that’s when he learned the situation involved Xing Shi and that the person to be saved had a connection to his childhood.
He also found out that “saving” wasn’t as simple as intervening in a future accident—it was a much more complex process of emotional and psychological salvation.
Even so, he chose to try, though he wasn’t confident in his ability to succeed.
“How can you call yourself ordinary?” the system protested. “Everyone we select is special! You’ve got this, sweetie!”
Chai Xiaoyu sighed. “Let’s hope so.”
He followed Fu Xiuning out of the private room to the sauce station, trailing slightly behind him while stealing glances nervously.
He was much more comfortable around Xing Shi since they’d grown up together. But being alone with Fu Xiuning was a different story. This wasn’t the patient older brother who used to play with them anymore.
Fu Xiuning quickly noticed his unease and wasn’t surprised.
Most people would feel apprehensive when faced with someone with antisocial tendencies, even if they had resolved to help them.
As Fu Xiuning mixed the sauces Xing Shi had requested, he asked, “Did you and Sui Sui ever go to the beach together as kids?”
Chai Xiaoyu: “!”
System: “!!!”
According to their plan, this revelation was supposed to come later—only after the two had grown closer. Then, when Fu Xiuning “accidentally” discovered their past connection, it might create a ripple of emotion, helping them forge a bond and paving the way for the rescue mission.
But if it was discovered so soon, Fu Xiuning—given his current state—might not care at all.
Caught off guard, Chai Xiaoyu’s hand slipped, and the spoon he was holding clattered to the ground.
“Keep calm! Keep your expression natural! We practiced this in front of the mirror for so long—you can do it, sweetie!” the system urged.
Chai Xiaoyu pretended to recall, trying to keep his tone casual. “We did go once.”
Fu Xiuning ignored the slight stiffness in his demeanor and glanced at him. “You were pretty chubby as a kid, weren’t you?”
Chai Xiaoyu’s heart was pounding, but he forced a surprised tone. “Yeah, how’d you know?”
Fu Xiuning explained, “I met Sui Sui at the beach when we were kids. I remember the boy by his side kept calling him ‘Boss,’ so I thought it might be you.”
A faint smile tugged at his lips. “It’s been years, and you’re not as chubby as you used to be.”
It was late autumn, and Fu Xiuning’s coat was left in the private room. He was wearing a stylish white shirt with subtle detailing, appearing elegant and distinguished under the warm lighting. Even in the short time they’d been here, he had already attracted plenty of attention.
Now, with that small smile, he exuded an approachable warmth that could easily win anyone over.
But Chai Xiaoyu remained tense.
Fortunately, his daily practice in managing his expressions paid off, and he barely managed to maintain his composure. Forcing a look of surprise, he said, “You… you’re that person from back then?”
Fu Xiuning replied, “Yes. Sui Sui doesn’t know yet. I’d like to surprise him at the right time, so don’t let it slip.”
Chai Xiaoyu smiled. “Okay.”
He asked his system, “Should I take this opportunity to build rapport with him?”
“Better not,” the system advised. “Like I said before, Fu Xiuning has been through too much and is used to being approached by all kinds of people. If we deliberately try to get close to him, it might backfire. You’ll have to rely on Xing Shi.”
Chai Xiaoyu thought that made sense. “Then what should I do?”
“Express a bit of surprise and maybe reminisce briefly,” the system suggested.
After thinking for a moment, Chai Xiaoyu said to Fu Xiuning, “I remember I got scared by a lizard back then and cried. You were the one who saved me.”
While preparing another bowl of sauce, Fu Xiuning asked gently, “Are you still afraid now?”
Chai Xiaoyu’s taut nerves inexplicably eased.
Maybe it was the filter of nostalgia, but being asked this way, he felt like this was still the same older brother from back then.
His expression relaxed, and this time, his smile was genuine. “I’m not scared anymore. I’ve grown up.”
Fu Xiuning nodded lightly. “That’s good.”
Looking at him, he added, “Sui Sui’s younger brother is my younger brother. Let’s exchange WeChat. If there’s anything you don’t want to trouble him with, you can come directly to me.”
Chai Xiaoyu replied, “Alright. Thanks, Brother.”
Fu Xiuning responded with a soft “Mm” and carried the two bowls of sauce back to the room.
Chai Xiaoyu followed behind him, eagerly asking his system, “Does this mean our relationship has improved?”
The system said, “Goodwill is still at -8, sweetie.”
Chai Xiaoyu asked, “…Could your program be delayed or maybe it hasn’t refreshed?”
The system replied, “Impossible, sweetie. Our goodwill program updates in real-time, and there are no bugs.”
Chai Xiaoyu gave up on the idea but didn’t feel discouraged. After all, this was only their second meeting, and there would be plenty of opportunities in the future.
The two returned to the private room, where all the dishes had already been served.
Xing Shi was putting ingredients into the pot. Seeing them enter, he waved them over.
The hot pot began to bubble quickly, and the three of them chatted while eating.
Most of Chai Xiaoyu’s conversations with Xing Shi revolved around their childhood or the current situations of their old group of friends.
Xing Shi couldn’t recall much, but fortunately, he had studied the “original host’s” information thoroughly. Combined with the dreams he had experienced, he could roughly match the identities of those friends and barely keep up with the conversation.
Fu Xiuning listened quietly for a while. Noticing that the topics kept focusing on others, he brought the conversation back. “You said he’s always been the star of the school. How much of a star are we talking?”
Chai Xiaoyu said, “Almost every girl in the grade liked him. They’d give him snacks every day.”
Fu Xiuning glanced at Xing Shi and continued asking, “Anything else?”
Chai Xiaoyu replied, “Some even wrote him love letters—and that was when we were just in elementary school.”
He added, “But he never accepted the snacks or letters. He was so cool in school, he wouldn’t talk to anyone who wasn’t close to him. If people sneaked stuff into his desk while he wasn’t there, he’d just share it with us.”
Fu Xiuning said, “Did the other boys dislike him?”
Chai Xiaoyu said, “They did. But my boss was smart, and we, his group of followers, were there to back him up, so he never suffered any losses.”
He suddenly remembered something. “Well, except for one time when we weren’t of much use. It was during a talent show where he performed a dance. He looked so cool that all the other boys wanted to befriend him and ask for tips. We couldn’t stop them at all. I even still have pictures of him on stage at home.”
Fu Xiuning asked, “Do you have any other photos of him?”
Chai Xiaoyu said, “Of course! I even have a picture of him in a dinosaur costume from kindergarten—it’s super cute.”
Fu Xiuning seemed pleased. “Send them all to me.”
Chai Xiaoyu laughed. “Alright, Brother.”
[Ding Ding] [Current favorability: -7]
Chai Xiaoyu: “!”
System: “!!!”
The system exclaimed, “Sweetie, you’re amazing! Keep talking about Xing Shi!”
Seeing the slight increase, Chai Xiaoyu felt a glimmer of hope. “If he’s giving me points for talking about Xing Shi, doesn’t that mean… Xing Shi might be the key to saving him? If my boss means that much to him, maybe he can pull Fu Xiuning back from the edge!”
The system patiently explained, “I’ve told you, sweetie. Fu Xiuning’s antisocial tendencies are deeply ingrained. It’ll take a lot of effort to bring him back.”
Chai Xiaoyu said, “But if he can care about someone, doesn’t that mean he has hope for change?”
The system replied, “It could also mean he wants to drag that person into the abyss with him. Let’s just focus on building a good relationship with Xing Shi and see how things unfold.”
Chai Xiaoyu agreed, “Alright.”
Xing Shi noticed Chai Xiaoyu’s brief excitement and guessed that there might have been a change in goodwill. He glanced at Fu Xiuning, who was placing his favorite dishes into his bowl.
Xing Shi simply buried his head in his meal.
Fu Xiuning, satisfied with his reaction, turned back to continue asking questions. Once he had learned all of Xing Shi’s amusing childhood stories, he lost interest in the topic.
Chai Xiaoyu returned to chatting with Xing Shi, this time curious about his life at Z University.
Xing Shi had only replied twice before Fu Xiuning cut in naturally. “I ran into Xiao Hui the other day. She was asking about you—why I’m not giving you more opportunities. She said she’s rewatched your variety shows and music videos several times.”
Xiao Hui was the president of Z University’s student council and would give Xing Shi snacks whenever they met.
Xing Shi had a good impression of her and said, “Tell her I’ll try to work harder.”
Fu Xiuning added, “She also said she wants to have a meal with you before you get too famous.”
Xing Shi smiled. “Even if I get famous, we can still eat together.”
Fu Xiuning responded with a light “Mm” and continued adding food to Xing Shi’s bowl.
After they finished chatting, Chai Xiaoyu found himself unable to return to the previous topic and had to come up with a new one.
Unfortunately, after only a few sentences, Fu Xiuning once again seamlessly redirected the conversation to Xing Shi.
Although Fu Xiuning didn’t seem aware of it, the system observed this dynamic clearly.
After the bill was paid and the two left in their car, the system shared its analysis with Chai Xiaoyu. “He seems unwilling to let you have too much interaction with Xing Shi. Whenever you talk to Xing Shi for too long, he steps in to shift Xing Shi’s attention back to himself.”
“Even exchanging WeChat contacts and asking you to reach out to him if needed could be a way to keep you from seeking Xing Shi directly. The initial goodwill of -8 may also be connected to this. He doesn’t like anyone diverting Xing Shi’s attention away from him.”
Chai Xiaoyu understood immediately. “Possessiveness.”
“Exactly,” the system said.
Chai Xiaoyu said honestly, “That’s a normal emotion, though, isn’t it? It’s not too bad. He might be possessive, but based on the information you provided, my boss is still living a normal life—going to school and training. He’s not being locked away or harmed.”
“If it gets worse, though, that might change,” the system warned. “The scariest scenario is Xing Shi unknowingly becoming mentally controlled by him. At that point, Xing Shi could sever all ties with the outside world.”
It gave a few examples, successfully making Chai Xiaoyu nervous.
He said, “I told you we should warn him, but you stopped me.”
“I’ve explained this, sweetie,” the system said. “You haven’t seen him in years. If you bring this up now, Xing Shi won’t believe you. He might even think you’re stirring up trouble. If you two fall out, it’ll be even harder to get close to them again.”
Chai Xiaoyu thought for a moment. “What if I tell his dad? Let him step in?”
“That won’t work either. The reports show that Director He has a lot of trust in Fu Xiuning. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have left Xing Shi in his care. If you go to him out of nowhere, he won’t believe you.”
“Don’t worry. I’m just laying out the worst-case scenario. It’s not guaranteed to happen. I’ll keep an eye on things. Let’s focus on building a good relationship with Xing Shi. Whether we use that to get close to Fu Xiuning or to ask Xing Shi for help saving him, it’ll be beneficial.”
Chai Xiaoyu was convinced. “Alright.”
With his enthusiasm restored, the system offered a few warm words of encouragement before falling silent.
Meanwhile, Xing Shi didn’t return to the company for training but went home with his Brother instead.
After changing shoes, he didn’t immediately go to shower. Instead, he tossed their phones into their respective rooms and turned to look at Fu Xiuning.
He wasn’t oblivious. His Brother’s repeated attempts to start conversations tonight hadn’t escaped his notice.
He asked, “Was it intentional?”
Fu Xiuning’s expression remained gentle. “Hmm?”
Xing Shi raised an eyebrow. “You know what I mean.”
Fu Xiuning hadn’t intended to hide it. Pulling Xing Shi over to sit on the couch, he said, “I don’t like him approaching you with ulterior motives.”
Xing Shi asked, “That’s the only reason?”
Fu Xiuning replied, “I’ll handle it.”
Xing Shi said, “You know I don’t care.”
Fu Xiuning said, “I know. But I do.”
Xing Shi met his gaze.
Fu Xiuning said, “Don’t do anything dangerous.”
In the end, Xing Shi relented.
As he got up to shower, a familiar voice echoed in his mind—99 had woken up.
It had been in sleep mode for three days with no activity, making Xing Shi worry he’d broken it. Only after probing with energy earlier had he been reassured.
Now that it had spoken, he conducted a thorough check and confirmed everything was fine.
99 allowed itself to be inspected, letting out a heavy sigh.
Up ahead, Xing Shi continued toward his room.
For a moment, the two systems and their host remained silent.
After a few seconds, 99 finally broke. “Is no one going to ask how I’m doing?”
Up until now, it had been struggling with how to share its thoughts.
Toppled by this simple question, 99 admitted, “I had a dream. I remembered everything.”
It sighed a second time, its tone carrying a weight of emotion. “I used to be just like Fu Xiuning. I was a target for those systems to manipulate… someone they wanted to ‘conquer.’”
99 sighed for the third time, its voice tinged with sorrow. “The main system is so despicable. It sent those hosts and systems to manipulate me, deceiving my feelings… and the worst part is, I actually believed them!”
Xing Shi and Shangshangqian fell silent for a moment. To be honest, they weren’t surprised.
Shangshangqian asked, “You?”
99 picked up on the skepticism in that single word and immediately defended itself. “Yes, me! I’ve always had incredible luck since I was a kid. What’s so unbelievable about that?”
Shangshangqian thought about 99 accidentally binding itself to Xing Shi and fell silent again, unable to refute.
99, seeing it had won this argument, continued in an aggrieved tone. “I really trusted them, you know? I poured my whole heart into it, and they just used me. I can’t believe it.”
Xing Shi and Shangshangqian remained quiet, their silence more telling than any words.
99, feeling ignored, let out a pitiful whine. “Aren’t you going to comfort me or something?”
Shangshangqian asked flatly, “Do you want the truth?”
99, who had been shut down by Shangshangqian one too many times, turned its attention to Xing Shi instead.
Xing Shi said, “It’s in the past now. Don’t dwell on it.”
99 whimpered. “But it still hurts. I gave them real feelings.”
Xing Shi replied, “We’ll help you get revenge.”
99 brightened up for a moment. “Yes, revenge! And… anything else?”
Xing Shi said, “Revenge is the best comfort.”
99 sulked. “But I still feel sad. Can’t you say a few more nice things to cheer me up?”
Xing Shi said, “How about drinking some hot water?”
System 99: “?”
Shangshangqian: “…”
The room fell into a brief but heavy silence.
Finally, 99 let out a wail, its voice full of grievance. “What did I do to deserve this? I was betrayed while I was alive, and now I have to deal with these heartless jerks after death!”
All from 99, my baby. Thanks for the translation.