Chapter 5

Translator: Abo Dammen

The next day, after watching Qin Guchuan leave the Qin estate in his luxurious car, Chen Lu quickly pressed the elevator button and headed upstairs. Chen Lu knew where the study was. It wasn’t far from Qin Guchuan’s bedroom. Naturally, it was designed for the master’s convenience. He had accidentally opened the door once while getting lost before, and the scene inside had left quite the impression. There was no way he’d forget it. 

Come to think of it, for an overbearing CEO who ran the massive Qin Corporation, his personal study—where he supposedly spent hours handling work—had never once been locked. You could just push the door open and stroll right in. Was that really appropriate?

As usual, Chen Lu mentally complained about the logic holes in these vintage-style novels, but since the absurdity now worked in his favor, well, suddenly, it was perfectly reasonable.

Being a shameless, unprincipled hypocrite never felt so good.

He carefully pushed open the door, half expecting he’d have to do a thorough search to confirm whether the important file was even in the room. 

 But…

Chen Lu stared at the brightly colored sealed file folder sitting squarely on top of the massive desk, looking every bit like an over-the-top “classified document.” “……”

Okay, fine, plot requirements and all, but this was just lazy writing!!!

Forget a safe, shouldn’t it at least be tucked away in a drawer or something? 

Chen Lu’s urge to roast the script surged again.

Of course, this was also a good thing for him.

Chen Lu quickly stepped forward and snatched the file. Logically, this should be the moment he sprang into action, but the plan he’d worked out had factored in potential hiccups. He hadn’t expected the “important file” would be this easy to grab, like he was just reaching for a napkin.

So, by his calculations, Qin Guchuan definitely wouldn’t be back this soon… Maybe he could afford to waste a little more time? 

Justifying it to himself, Chen Lu gazed longingly at the item taking center stage on the desk, his eyes full of emotion, attachment, and deep yearning.

It was… the computer!!!

What gamer-slash-streamer wasn’t a hardcore internet addict? He’d been in this world for 10 days now, without even a phone. Who could possibly understand the agony?!

Just one little click! 

Just one!!!

At that moment, Qin Guchuan hadn’t even gone far. The vehicle pulled to a stop just minutes after leaving the estate. He pulled out his phone, opened the feed from the surveillance camera in his study, and, after a brief wait, saw Chen Lu step inside.

Perfect. After grabbing the file, Chen Lu should dash downstairs as per the plot and run into the old butler he’d intentionally stationed on the first floor under the guise of rearranging furniture.

Qin Guchuan immediately had the limousine quietly head back. Based on his calculations, if they went straight into the garage, they’d catch Chen Lu coming out. There was no risk of him using this opportunity to actually run off and derail the plot. 

In theory, his plan was flawless.

But this world had never cared about theory. With the camera in place, he should have been able to precisely monitor the timing of the entire operation.

Theoretically, yes.

Qin Guchuan stared stone-faced at the surveillance feed on his phone. On screen, Chen Lu was gently caressing the computer in his study. The camera angle didn’t show his face, but just from the way he moved his hands, you could feel the soul-deep emotion in every touch. 

Qin Guchuan, already in the Qin estate’s underground garage, “……”

Why are you still in the study!!!

Sure, he knew Chen Lu was a bit artsy who was fond of wistfulness and sentimental moods. Artists had their quirks. Qin Guchuan had encountered a few since gaining self-awareness in this world, and they were all kind of like that.

He’d thought Chen Lu was just another one of them. 

But now? He wasn’t so sure.

Who the hell clings to a computer with this much tenderness and longing?! Even for an artist, this behavior was way over the top, wasn’t it?

Qin Guchuan rubbed his temples.

It was fine. Not a big deal. The plot didn’t specify how to intercept him. He… could just lie in wait in the garage like a patient hunter. 

Qin Guchuan glanced toward the garage elevator.

Meanwhile, having shared several long, intimate moments with the computer, Chen Lu finally judged it was time, just within the window Qin Guchuan had hoped for, and moved on to the next step.

It had been about ten minutes. Qin Guchuan was probably just now discovering the file was gone and making his way back.

Chen Lu took a moment to rehearse his well-practiced “anxious and flustered” expression in front of the mirror in the study. Once he was satisfied with his performance, he bolted toward the first floor in a convincing hurry. As soon as he reached the ground floor, Chen Lu rushed around the hall in seemingly panicked circles, playing up the image of someone flustered and in a hurry. Then, as if just spotting the old butler, he darted over, clutching him with exaggerated urgency and panting, “Uncle Sun! Mr. Qin just called me. He said he forgot this file and told me to bring it to him right away!” As he spoke, he flashed the folder for emphasis. 

The butler had handled that exact file just the night before so he recognized it instantly. Its sudden appearance startled him, and sensing the urgency, he immediately said, “I’ll have someone arrange transport right away!”

“No!” Chen Lu repeated the line straight from the script. “Mr. Qin said I have to bring it myself. Uncle Sun, give me the car keys! There’s no time!”

Just like in the original plot, because Chen Lu had always acted obedient and dependable before, the old butler didn’t suspect a thing. Seeing Chen Lu so visibly agitated, he didn’t think twice, gave a quick order to a nearby servant, and handed over a set of car keys.

“Be careful, Young Master Chen. Get there and back safely,” the old butler urged, handing over the keys. 

“Got it, Uncle Sun.” The final syllable had barely left his lips before Chen Lu had vanished from sight. With the blessing of the only person in the Qin household who held real authority, Chen Lu had no obstacles reaching the garage. Following the script to the letter, everything was going smoothly—at least in theory.

Though that was what he told himself, Chen Lu didn’t skimp on acting out the panic. The moment he stepped out of the elevator, he whipped out the car key and pressed it without hesitation, urgency practically radiating off him like a beacon.

Of course, it would’ve been much better if the very expensive-looking sports car nearby had opened its door in response, and not its convertible roof.

Chen Lu, “……” 

Extra details. Ignore them. Chen Lu swiftly pretended that this, too, was part of his plan and moved on to pressing another button. There weren’t many buttons on the key to begin with, so after eliminating the wrong one, getting the door open wasn’t hard. The real challenge began once he was seated in the driver’s seat.

Chen Lu stared at the overwhelming array of dials, switches, and displays in front of him, pupils practically trembling.

Help!!! How is it that he’s stalled this long and Qin Guchuan still hasn’t shown up?!

Qin Guchuan had, of course, seen Chen Lu enter the garage and immediately alerted the bodyguards to intercept him. Every guard on site was now fully alert, eyes locked on Chen Lu… who was fiddling with the sports car. 

Since the convertible top had been popped open from the start, everyone could clearly see what Chen Lu was up to.

Everyone, “……”

This guy clearly didn’t know how to drive! Reckless driving like this could seriously get someone killed!

At first, the guards had been on edge because their boss told them to be. Now, they were worried for their own safety. 

As for Qin Guchuan himself, upon witnessing the scene, he found himself surprisingly calm. Eerily so. In fact, he even felt a resigned sort of “ah, as expected.”

They were only at the second plot point, and yet Qin Guchuan was already too exhausted to keep track of the deviations.

So much for sticking to the script and keeping the world from falling apart. This is clearly not an easy job. With a weary sigh, Qin Guchuan composed his face into its trademark CEO sternness, stepped out of his car, and strode slowly toward Chen Lu.

Chen Lu hadn’t noticed a single footstep. He was too busy digging around under the dashboard, trying to find the key slot. Weren’t ignition slots normally under the steering wheel?! Why did luxury cars always have to go for this damned sense of individuality?! 

Still muttering internally, Chen Lu suddenly heard the unmistakable click of the car door being opened from the outside. He shot upright and turned his head only to see Qin Guchuan’s strikingly handsome face. At that moment, it practically radiated angelic light in Chen Lu’s eyes.

Right then and there, Qin Guchuan was the most handsome man in the world. No contest.

But upon seeing the starry, hopeful eyes Chen Lu turned on him, like he was some kind of savior, Qin Guchuan’s mouth twitched.

He was here to catch him, okay? Qin Guchuan suddenly felt very, very tired. 

His expression frosted over. Clearly, he’d been too soft before. With a sneer both mocking and disdainful, Qin Guchuan snatched the keys from Chen Lu’s hand and pressed a seemingly decorative pattern on the console. Instantly, the dashboard lit up in a dazzling, wave-like cascade of lights.

He didn’t say the words “you useless idiot,” but his eyes and every movement screamed it loud and clear.

Chen Lu, however, wasn’t the least bit offended. His attention had been thoroughly hijacked by the dazzling car light display. Only after the lights dimmed did he notice the joyful expression plastered across his own reflection on the console.

“……” Chen Lu struggled to suppress the ecstatic grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

According to the plot, having just been caught red-handed, Chen Lu was supposed to go pale, shake in fear, and nearly collapse on the floor.

But he just couldn’t do it!!!

So he half-heartedly bowed his head again, pretending to be devastated and full of regret.

Qin Guchuan stared at the weak, fake reaction in silence for a moment. Then, choosing to silently play along, he reached out, grabbed Chen Lu’s arm, gave it a firm tug, and snapped, “Out!” 

Chen Lu was busy recalling the saddest moments of his life, trying his best to make his complexion look as pale as possible. His attention was completely off Qin Guchuan, so when the latter suddenly yanked his arm, he didn’t react at all. The force of the pull sent him stumbling out the car door, and his limbs instinctively flailed to grab hold of anything to steady himself.

He had no idea what his hands were clawing at, just that they brushed against a bunch of stuff. And somehow, his foot landed on the gas pedal and pressed down. The roar of the engine filled his ears. For a second, Chen Lu’s mind went completely blank. At the same time, the grip on his arm suddenly tightened, and the next thing he knew, he was yanked out and into someone’s arms, followed immediately by a deafening crash.

As he stared at the sparks born from a head-on collision of money and metal, at the once-luxurious sports car now crumpled and twisted, Chen Lu finally understood what true fear was—his face turning genuinely, bone-deep pale.

A single sports car could cost tens of millions. And then there were the one, two, three, four other luxury cars parked up ahead that had gotten dragged into the chaos… 

Just thinking about how much all that would cost to fix made his vision go black. He could live through 80 lifetimes and still not afford to pay it all back. Chen Lu felt like his soul had left his body. At this point, he didn’t even need to act. He was naturally delivering the exact emotional collapse the plot had assigned to ‘Chen Lu.’

Qin Guchuan hadn’t expected things to spiral this way either. Staring at the wreckage not far off, he felt a twinge of lingering fear. If Chen Lu hadn’t taken off his seatbelt while searching under the dashboard for the key slot, there was no way he could’ve pulled him out in time, and the consequences would’ve been disastrous. He glanced down and saw that Chen Lu now looked exactly like how the script described—pale as a ghost, his face frozen in terror. Qin Guchuan pressed his lips into a tight line, his gaze falling on Chen Lu’s ankle, which was swelling rapidly, and regret flickered in his eyes.

In the original script, Chen Lu wasn’t supposed to get hurt. It was Qin Guchuan’s deviation from the plot, which was adding that unnecessary bit about inserting the car key, that had triggered all of this.

Realizing that his unscripted action had led to all this, Qin Guchuan, despite the unrest in his heart at seeing Chen Lu hurt, made a swift decision. 

—He had to keep following the plot. No more accidents could be allowed.

Qin Guchuan let go, letting Chen Lu slump to the ground. He waved at the bodyguards who were rushing over and commanded, “Take him back. Lock him up and let him cool off.”