The Stand-in Side Character Only Wants to Make Money – CH64

Chapter 64: Four Million Secured

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As the new year began, fireworks rapidly lit up the night sky beyond the overpass.

It was New Year’s fireworks. They were set off far away, but you could still faintly hear the sudden bursts.

Just as the driver uncle had said, the fireworks at midnight were the most beautiful.

This time, they weren’t scattered but grand and brilliant, filling the sky with countless glowing lights.

Amidst the continuous sounds of fireworks, Chen Bai, securely held, reached around the man’s neck. Taking advantage of the fact that both of the other’s hands were occupied, he lightly patted his shoulder, adjusted the nearly slipping brim of his hat, and laughed, “Found me, didn’t you?”

He raised his voice slightly so the person beside him could hear clearly over the sound of the fireworks.

The hand on the back of his head didn’t change its grip, but he felt the arm around his waist tighten just a bit. Before he could say anything else, he heard the other person’s reply:

“Found you.”

The voice was low, each word spoken clearly.

Satisfied with the reply, Chen Bai nodded and tried to step down from his human buffer.

But he couldn’t step down.

The human buffer didn’t seem to be using much strength, but it held him securely, not letting him go.

Chen Bai “…”

After waiting quietly for a while, realizing there was no intention of letting go, Chen Bai patted the person’s neck and whispered, “Comrade Old Xu, I know I was speeding and broke the law, but could you not arrest me just yet?”

He added, “My truck’s carrying a load. Give me a break.”

As he patted him again, he noticed how unusually warm the other person was, much warmer than his own hands.

Unable to resist, he patted twice more, using the opportunity to warm his hands.

After the second pat, the human buffer—who had temporarily turned into a dutiful officer—finally began to loosen his hold.

He had grabbed him quickly but released him as if in slow motion.

Carefully handling the “cargo,” Chen Bai understood and didn’t rush, slowly landing on his feet and standing upright.

Old Xu adjusted Chen Bai’s hat back on his head and asked, “Why did you come?”

“I wanted to see you, so I came.”

Having finally touched the ground, Chen Bai answered honestly, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a packet of biscuits he had been carrying. Lifting the brim of his hat a little, he introduced them, “This is my cargo.”

A packet of biscuits, well-protected and barely broken.

Giving a thumbs-up, he added, “I baked them this afternoon. They’re top-notch.”

As a professional pastry chef, the taste was guaranteed.

Xu Sinian lowered his eyes, hiding the emotions in them, and carefully put the biscuits into a pocket where they wouldn’t get crushed.

When he looked up again, he noticed the white collar of pajamas peeking out from beneath Chen Bai’s coat. His gaze dropped further, and he finally realized that the man was still wearing his pajamas.

Meeting Xu Sinian’s gaze, Chen Bai, who had clearly rushed out in a hurry, rubbed his messy hair that wasn’t covered by the hat and smiled, “I was in a bit of a rush.”

At least he had remembered to change his shoes, not coming out in slippers.

He turned left, then right, giving a half-turn for display, and said, “Aren’t my pajamas nice?”

The pajamas were white, but whatever floral design they had was hidden by the coat. Xu Sinian couldn’t see the pattern, but he still nodded, “They’re nice.”

There were deeper emotions in his eyes, but they were well-concealed.

Chen Bai was pleased.

Xu Sinian glanced at the time and said, “It’s late. There are rooms available at the hotel. Why don’t you stay the night?”

Chen Bai waved it off, “I’ll leave soon. I have work tomorrow.”

Sensing what Xu Sinian might be thinking, he added, “The nature of the job is special. Once I get back, I’ll go straight to sleep. My employer said I can sleep until I naturally wake up, so I’ll get plenty of rest.”

According to Chen Bai’s unique formula, as long as there’s enough sleep, it doesn’t count as staying up late.

He crossed half the city just to see him.

Exhaling, Xu Sinian lowered his head and asked, “Can good friends have one more privilege?”

Without asking what the new privilege was, Chen Bai simply nodded generously, “Of course.”

The man in front of him bent down, and the next thing he knew, he was wrapped in a warm, almost burning embrace.

The cold wind blowing past his ear disappeared, easily blocked by the person. The familiar scent filled his nose, and for a moment, he didn’t react or push him away. He blinked and thought for a while, finally realizing what the new friend privilege was.

Chen Bai “…”

His tall, long-legged friend with a cool guy face apparently also liked holding hands and hugging.

He had hugged people before, after winning basketball games or team competitions, though it felt slightly different from this. Still, a hug was a hug, and he accepted it easily.

His hand, which had been hanging at his side, slightly lifted. Thoughtful as ever, Chen Bai patted the person’s back and said, “Go ahead, hug.”

As soon as he spoke, the arms around him tightened. He heard the person beside him take a deep breath.

The sound of fireworks gradually faded, the streets were empty, and even the occasional passing car had disappeared.

All the noise was gone. Buried in this warm, intense embrace, Chen Bai finally heard the sound that had been constantly ringing in his ears.

It was his good neighbor’s heartbeat, rapid and clear. Having heard it, he spoke up, “Comrade Xu, your heartbeat seems really fast.”

Comrade Xu answered, “Mm.”

The voice was low, slightly hoarse, and Chen Bai could feel the vibrations from his chest as he spoke.

It turned out that his neighbor’s voice was even better when heard up close.

With nothing else to do while being held, Dr. Chen tried to analyze the reason for the fast heartbeat. After thinking seriously, he said, “A rapid heartbeat isn’t good for your health… Patient, have you been under a lot of work pressure lately?”

When a film crew was rushing to meet deadlines, everyone was treated harshly, causing immense mental and physical stress. It was either a fast heartbeat or the heart would stop altogether.

The patient, Xu, laughed. It wasn’t a full laugh, more like a mix of helplessness and other emotions. His fingers sank into Chen Bai’s black hair as he said, “Let’s just say the doctor’s diagnosis is correct.”

Dr. Chen decided to believe he was right.

It wasn’t realistic to tell someone not to work too hard under these circumstances, so all he could do was offer his best wishes, “Well then, I hope Comrade Xu won’t have to work overtime in the new year, goes to bed early, wakes up early, and stays healthy.”

And that I’ll pay off that four hundred million soon.

A simple, humble wish. Even the person giving the blessing realized how plain it was, so he added, “And may all your wishes come true.”

Surrounded by twinkling lights, Xu Sinian, still bent over and holding him, closed his eyes for a moment, then reopened them. “I hope so, too.”

Dr. Chen comfortingly patted his shoulder again, slightly lifting the brim of his hat to look up. He asked, “By the way, are those people your colleagues?”

—They looked like they had something they wanted to say.

Xu Sinian followed his gaze, turned his head, and looked up. Sure enough, he saw a row of people crowded around the windows above.

A group of people, packed together and jockeying for a front-row spot, froze when he looked at them.

Xu Sinian “…”

He turned back, pulled down Chen Bai’s hat, and replied, “Yes.”

Standing back up, Xu Sinian finally released his hold.

Having seen the person and delivered the biscuits, the mission was accomplished. Knowing his good neighbor had work the next day, the considerate Chen Bai didn’t plan to stay much longer. After breathing in the cold night air again, he pulled out his phone and called for a ride back. Although this place was remote, it wasn’t as bad as the mountainside.

The buses and subways had stopped running, so he had no choice but to take a cab. The night breeze blew, but it wasn’t cold; he had his personal human windblocker and heater. Leaning back against his good neighbor instantly made everything warm.

Xu Sinian waited with him by the roadside. When the car arrived, he took a breath, closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again.

The car smoothly pulled up to the curb, and Xu Sinian opened the door, watching as Chen Bai got inside.

The door closed, and through the window, the person inside waved to him with a bright, smiling face.

Xu Sinian smiled back, his hair fluttering in the evening wind as he waved.

In the quiet street, the car set off, driving to the end of the road and out of sight.

Only when the car was no longer visible did Xu Sinian lower his hand, standing there for a while before finally turning and walking back toward the hotel.

“…”

When he returned to the restaurant where the crew was dining, the group that had crowded by the windows had already returned to their seats, eating and drinking as if nothing had happened.

Pretending nothing had happened, but when he sat down, many discreet glances were cast in his direction. They seemed subtle, but their presence was hard to ignore.

The director, who had worked with him several times and was already familiar, leaned over and asked, “Did someone come to see you?”

Then he explained, “I heard people talking.”

He tried to remove himself from the situation, but it clearly didn’t work. The person next to him said, “Third window from the left, you were just there.”

“…Haha, so you saw.”

The director awkwardly laughed and smacked his head. Since he’d already been caught, he didn’t bother hiding anymore and directly asked, “So who was it?”

Around them, people nonchalantly perked up their ears.

It was unexpected and exciting; who would’ve thought a simple crew dinner would lead to such a big reveal?

Reporters had chased this man for so long and never managed to dig up any gossip, but on the first day of the new year, he gave them a huge story, one so intriguing they couldn’t even focus on their meals.

No wonder he rushed downstairs the moment he got that phone call.

Xu Sinian gave a faint smile and said, “A friend.”

“I figured,” the director responded, “only a… friend would come out of their way tonight, right?”

He furrowed his brows, then raised them high. “Huh?”

Everyone around him echoed, “Huh?”

Their expressions were identical to the director’s, clearly overwhelmed by what they just heard. The director gestured dramatically, saying, “Weren’t you just…”

You hugged them just now, and for quite a while too.

Now, suddenly calling them a ‘friend’—even the well-seasoned director, who had seen it all, was taken aback for a moment. What he had imagined was that on what seemed like a typical, even slightly tiring, New Year’s Eve, they had unexpectedly witnessed the public reveal of a legendary bachelor’s romantic life.

But now he was being told it was just a friend.

“…”

Glancing at Xu Sinian’s calm smile, the director felt that even Xu Sinian himself didn’t believe what he just said.

Fine, a friend is a friend.

“And that…” the director remembered something and said, “No one took any photos, so nothing about you and your friend will get out.”

He meant that it wouldn’t spread outside their circle, though within the industry, it would definitely be all over by tomorrow—maybe even by tonight. Logically, there would have been people in the crew who wanted to snap a picture, but with so many people watching, nobody would take the risk. Any photos leaked could easily be traced back to the person who took them.

“Since we’ve known each other for quite a while now,” the director leaned in, lowering his voice, “care to reveal who it was?”

The main issue was that the hotel windows weren’t positioned well. They were too high up, so no one could see the person’s face. From above, all they could make out was a hat and a white coat, just enough to tell that the person was slim.

It was agonizing to have the person right there but not be able to see them clearly, worse than not seeing them at all.

Xu Sinian took a sip of water, his hand brushing against the biscuit packet in his pocket. His expression remained calm as he said evenly, “Maybe some other time.”

—

Chen Bai returned to his hillside manor at around two in the morning. Guessing that his good neighbor was likely already asleep, he still habitually sent a message to let him know he had arrived safely.

The security guards worked in shifts 24/7, so even at two in the morning, there was someone in the guardhouse to open the gate for him.

He had already napped in the car, so after entering the house and changing into his pajamas, he went straight to bed.

In some ways, he had gotten more sleep than usual that day, so he woke up the next morning feeling refreshed.

The first day of the New Year was sunny, and on the second day, after several days of overcast skies, snow finally began to fall during the night.

When Chen Bai woke up in the morning, everything outside his floor-to-ceiling windows was covered in a blanket of white.

Today, he wore his own clothes and, after his usual breakfast, headed out to the yard with Huo Qing.

A City sees snow a few times each year, but it’s usually light, barely enough to build even a small snowman. This, however, was the first big snowfall in three years, and it was even more pronounced on the hillside.

The two creative masters decided to make the most of their talents.

The last time it snowed, Huo Qing, despite being an adult, still loved playing with snow and was very excited. But her older brother had just sat inside, drinking tea and reading, not joining her, leaving her to waste a good snowfall all alone.

But this time was different—this time she had brother Bai.

After a warm breakfast, she and brother Bai teamed up to make the essential snowman.

Their snowman wasn’t round or square but had a unique, irregular polyhedral beauty. While others might have different opinions, the two masters were quite pleased with their work. Huo Qing even placed the snowman right at the entrance so everyone coming and going could see it.

She had originally wanted to touch the snow with her bare hands, but an injury she didn’t even know she had picked up left a cut on her hand, which hadn’t healed yet. Not wanting to risk it, she put on gloves to work.

Normally, there would be a snowball fight after building the snowman, but with only two participants, it felt too sad, so they skipped that part.

After breakfast, Zhang Ling went upstairs to take her medicine, then came back down and was pushed by her caregiver to watch the two playing outside.

Bundled up in a hat, scarf, and coat, with an extra-thick blanket on her lap, Zhang Ling had an additional scarf over the blanket to keep the wind out completely.

When she arrived, the snowman was standing proudly at the entrance, and the two artists had moved on to freeform snow creations, each crouched in their own corner of the yard, buried in the snow, crafting away.

Huo Qing, as usual, activated her creative side, working on abstract snow art with impressive speed. Several pieces had already accumulated beside her, each difficult to understand but somehow incredibly striking.

Her artistic flair had been on full display when baking cookies, so it was no surprise that she was now producing such work with snow.

Chen Bai, on the other hand, was more of a slow and steady type, carefully sculpting a single snowball. Although its final form was still unclear, one could sense he was meticulously crafting a masterpiece. Even the wind blowing his hair into a mess didn’t distract him.

Crouched in the snow, he added the final touches to his snow creation with great concentration. Finally, with the dedication of a true craftsman, he stood up slowly and ceremoniously, having completed his magnum opus.

As soon as he stood, Aunt Zhang, who was seated near the entrance, noticed that he wasn’t wearing gloves and waved him over quickly.

Carrying his masterpiece in one hand, Chen Bai walked through the snow toward her.

When he reached her, Aunt Zhang leaned forward slightly, raising her hand to gently touch his.

His hand was freezing. Long, slender fingers, pale skin—his knuckles were especially pink from the cold. Aunt Zhang looked up at him and said, “It’s so cold, why aren’t you wearing gloves?”

Chen Bai smiled. “It’s more comfortable without gloves.”

Aunt Zhang glanced again at his not-so-thick outfit and took the scarf from her lap, raising her hand to offer it.

Sensing what she was about to do, Chen Bai cooperatively bent down.

A scarf, neither too tight nor too loose, was draped around his neck, which had been exposed to the cold. The warmth was instant. The scarf was a bright red, and after Ms. Zhang made the final adjustments, he smiled and said, “Thank you, Auntie.”

His complexion was naturally pale, and with the red scarf around him, his face appeared even more strikingly white. His nose was slightly reddened from the cold, and his smile, with his eyes softly crinkled, made his light-colored pupils seem like they could see right through a person.

Ms. Zhang also smiled, her face relaxing.

With the scarf in place, Chen Bai then proudly presented the masterpiece he’d spent nearly ten minutes sculpting, manually rotating it to ensure a full 360-degree display.

The nearby caregivers, the butler, and the house staff all turned to observe, studying the creation closely.

“Is that a turtle?”

Before Ms. Zhang could comment, a voice came from upstairs.

It was Mr. Huo, the only one who hadn’t gone outside. He stood by the second-floor balcony railing, holding a cup of water and glancing down at them. Unlike the others, who were bundled up, he was in simple loungewear, looking quite relaxed.

“How rude,” Chen Bai’s eyes widened, raising his sculpture higher for a clearer view. “This is a dog!”

To be precise, it was a Samoyed. He had put extra effort into replicating its fluffy fur.

“…”

Upon hearing that, Mrs. Zhang, along with the butler and everyone else, fell silent.

No matter how hard they looked, it was difficult to see a dog in the awkward, sprawled-out shape before them.

Some skills, like making cookies, Chen Bai had clearly mastered. But handling snow? That was another story.

The only person who understood him was Huo Qing, who eagerly nodded, saying, “I get it!”

She added, “You must have put a lot of effort into making it look fluffy.”

Absolutely correct. Chen Bai nodded in agreement and turned to his aunt, asking, “What do you think, Auntie?”

Mrs. Zhang “…”

After taking another glance at the creation, which very much resembled a turtle, Mrs. Zhang blinked and said, “It’s a lovely dog.”

“?”

The nearby caregivers and the butler immediately shot her questioning looks.

Mrs. Zhang avoided their gazes.

But Chen Bai wasn’t satisfied with just his aunt’s opinion. He then turned to the butler, asking, “What about you, Uncle Wang?”

Suddenly put on the spot, the butler: “…”

Meeting his gaze, Uncle Wang gave a succinct reply, “It looks great.”

Having received affirmation from both parties, Chen Bai nodded with satisfaction, thanked them for their compliments, and then looked up at Mr. Huo on the second-floor balcony. “See?”

With his aunt by his side, he was bolder, even speaking more confidently.

Huo Chuan glanced down at Mrs. Zhang and Uncle Wang. After speaking untruthfully, Mrs. Zhang pretended not to notice, and Uncle Wang shifted his gaze away.

The caregivers and house staff, having witnessed it all, chose to stay silent.

Feeling validated in his skills, Chen Bai turned back to the snow and began sculpting a companion dog for his Samoyed.

By the end of the morning, Chen Bai and Huo Qing’s creations were lined up next to the snowman, a collection of abstract figures with two turtle-like sculptures nestled among them.

Chen Bai took a photo with the irregularly shaped snowman, expertly flashing a peace sign.

After playing in the yard all morning, and with the end of his shift approaching after lunch, Chen Bai returned to his room to pack his things and prepare for departure. Mrs. Zhang, now used to his company, suddenly realized it was his last day visiting.

He still had work to do and couldn’t stay. All she could do was offer a few final reminders before he left, echoing what Mrs. Jiang had said earlier: to remember to eat on time and not to stay up too late.

Chen Bai nodded repeatedly.

After saying everything she could think of, Mrs. Zhang added, “What kind of boss makes someone work during the New Year?”

Chen Bai, who was in the habit of nodding, almost nodded again but caught himself just in time, glancing toward the boss, Mr. Huo, standing off to the side.

The boss, who had indeed made someone work during the New Year, also looked over.

Chen Bai cleared his throat and said, “Maybe the boss has their reasons.”

Mrs. Zhang insisted that he should think more about himself and not prioritize the boss’s needs.

Huo Chuan “…”

With his naturally smiling lips reappearing, Chen Bai didn’t look at the boss again and simply smiled and agreed.

It was likely to snow again that evening, which would make visibility and driving conditions poor, so after packing, Chen Bai left in the afternoon.

The snow-covered ground had already been cleared, making a path for the car. The driver pulled up to the entrance and opened the door.

Mrs. Zhang, seated in her wheelchair, was pushed to the gate by a caregiver and watched as Chen Bai got into the car. The door closed, and from the back seat, Chen Bai turned to look back, still wearing the red scarf from that morning, smiling as he waved goodbye.

The car drove away, leaving tire tracks on the ground as it exited the estate.

Once the sound of the engine faded and the usual conversations ceased, the world suddenly grew quiet.

Mrs. Zhang watched until the car was out of sight, then turned to the two turtle-shaped snow sculptures at the gate and asked the butler, “Do you think he’ll take care of himself once he’s busy with work again?”

She lowered her eyes and sighed, adding, “It would be nice if he were truly part of the family.”

Author’s Note:
Mrs. Zhang: “Heavens, this is basically my own son!”