Chapter 40

Translator: Abo Dammen

After listening to Madame Feng’s tearful account, the friend on the other end of the line was also shocked. She couldn’t imagine Madame Feng being the type to say such things. After struggling to digest the information, she finally calmed down and comforted Madame Feng for a while. 

Once Madame Feng had calmed down a bit, her friend ultimately couldn’t resist asking, “Tiantian, how did you know that person’s family had five million in gambling debts to pay off?”

Madame Feng’s soft sobbing sounds abruptly stopped. Several seconds passed before her equally bewildered voice came through, “Yeah… how did I know?”

That was a really good question. Now it was the friend’s turn to fall silent.

Although she knew this was just how Madame Feng was, sometimes she couldn’t help but feel a little weary. 

Skipping over these confusing details, the friend did her best to comfort Madame Feng. But the more she thought about it, the more something felt off. After hesitating for a long time, the friend finally scrolled through her phone’s contact list, eventually finding Qin Guchuan’s number tucked away at the bottom. After another bout of hesitation, she dialed him. In a tone laced with uncertainty, she relayed the strange events involving Madame Feng to Qin Guchuan.

Over the years, the relationship between Madame Feng and Qin Guchuan had actually been quite harmonious. With no connection through his father anymore, they existed in a state of mutual non-interference.

This time, Madame Feng had truly overstepped.

The friend clearly remembered how tightly Qin Guchuan had held that young man in the banquet hall. There was no way Qin Guchuan wouldn’t find out about Madame Feng’s actions, and the friend had heard rumors about Qin Guchuan’s methods. Rather than waiting for him to settle accounts later, it was better to lay the cards on the table first. 

After explaining the whole situation, the friend began pleading Madame Feng’s case, “Guchuan, you know your Aunt Feng isn’t one for deep thinking. This whole matter is just strange. It might be aimed at you, so I just wanted to let you know.” This was also the friend’s genuine suspicion, not just an excuse.

“The only person who’s been acting a bit strange lately and has been somewhat close to your Aunt Feng is Fang Qizhi. She doesn’t really have the means to investigate people herself, so it’s likely Fang Qizhi told her. Be careful.

“I’ll keep an eye on your Aunt Feng for a while, make sure she doesn’t cause any more trouble, don’t worry. Consider that five million from your Aunt Feng as compensation for… emotional distress for your… partner. If it’s not enough, I have some money too, I can buy him some things. Please don’t take it to heart with your Aunt Feng.”

After listening to his stepmother’s friend, Qin Guchuan pondered for a moment. 

This was unexpected information. It was actually the first time he had gotten a relatively clear picture of how the non-awakened characters in the plot operated.

There had been hints with Zhu Yi before too. When the plot conditions were met, the words they said and the actions they took would strongly lean towards the original storyline. Zhu Yi was also simple-minded, mainly obsessed with his medical research. He was a straightforward person.

So, did that mean people with simpler, more straightforward minds were more prone to following the plot?

“Mm, I understand,” Qin Guchuan responded calmly. “It’s fine. I know Aunt Feng’s temperament. Don’t worry, I’m actually fully aware of this entire situation. You don’t need to intervene, it’s alright, no need to worry.” He still needed his stepmother to follow the plot later, of course he couldn’t let this friend restrict her movements. 

“But…” the friend’s voice was hesitant, not quite believing Qin Guchuan would let the matter drop so lightly. Before she could say more, she heard the sound of a door opening on Qin Guchuan’s end and immediately fell silent. The content of their conversation wasn’t suitable for a third party to hear.

But… the next thing she heard was an extremely lively, joy-filled voice.

“Qin Guchuan, look! Ta-da-da-daaaa~~ A five million cheque from the beautiful lady!!!” Chen Lu’s tone was exuberant. “It’s written so neatly! And it even smells nice! Oh my god, is she really your stepmother? She looks young enough to be your sister.”

The friend who heard everything clearly: “……” 

Recalling Madame Feng’s heartbroken, remorseful sobs from their earlier call, and comparing it to the cheerful young male voice now coming through the phone…

Ah, this…

For a moment, the friend wondered if Madame Feng had gotten the story completely backwards.

She suddenly had the distinct impression that the one who had been viciously insulted and told to get lost was Madame Feng, not Chen Lu… 

And the feeling she got from his tone…

Well… it had a certain sweetness reminiscent of her friend Feng… (?)

Sensing the deathly silence on the other end of the line, Qin Guchuan’s tone remained calm, his faint voice inexplicably carrying a weight of experience. “See? No need to worry. Let them be happy.”

“Yeah, I see…” the friend’s tone was complex, but she did sound completely reassured. She felt she should say something, but also felt there was nothing left to say. “You’ve… had your hands full. I won’t disturb you further.” 

Qin Guchuan put away the now-ended phone and looked at Chen Lu, who had just noticed he was on a call and had hastily quieted down, a face full of guilt. Qin Guchuan calmly picked up the thread of Chen Lu’s initial exclamation. “She is indeed not that old. The old Mr. Qin was an old cow eating tender grass. Aunt Feng is only about twelve years older than me.”

Chen Lu suddenly had an epiphany and voiced his realization. “So, is this a family tradition, then?”

Qin Guchuan, forced by this mention of ‘family tradition’ to confront the six-year age gap between himself and Chen Lu, and feeling the boomerang strike his own knee: “…”

“In the original plot, when the domineering CEO was in university, ‘Chen Lu’ was still in elementary school, right?” Chen Lu clicked his tongue, making a pointing-and-judging gesture. 

Qin Guchuan, the awakened native of the original work, felt an invisible stab to his heart. He couldn’t help but say, “According to the setting, I actually graduated and took charge of the Qin Corporation at eighteen.”

Chen Lu pondered for a moment, his tone becoming even more incomprehensible. “So when ‘Chen Lu’ was still in elementary school, ‘you’ were already playing the domineering CEO? Doesn’t that sound even more beastly?”

After saying this, Chen Lu looked up, his eyes full of confusion as he gazed at Qin Guchuan. “Why are you inserting yourself into the domineering CEO role for this part?”

Qin Guchuan, now riddled with boomerang wounds: “……” 

“Let’s change the subject,” Qin Guchuan said coolly, and proceeded to relay what Madame Feng’s friend had told him to Chen Lu.

“That’s so tragic!” Chen Lu, who listened in stunned silence, couldn’t help but exclaim.

But it was a plot requirement. There was nothing he could do about it except curse this godforsaken plot.

The more Chen Lu interacted with others in this world, the more he realized that the people branded with various extreme labels were, in reality, just ordinary people. 

They all had their own joys and sorrows, completely unlike the caricatures described in the plot, yet they were forced to amplify their emotions and become the people the plot demanded.

And it wasn’t over once the plot finished.

“Usually, the villainous characters who oppose the protagonist in these kinds of stories don’t end well…” Chen Lu said worriedly.

“Mm,” Qin Guchuan acknowledged. “According to the plot, Fang Qizhi and Feng Qian are supposed to be detained and sent to Africa, to experience primitive life.” 

Seeing Chen Lu’s mood rapidly plummet, Qin Guchuan continued in his same calm tone, “So, I’ve already booked a round-the-world flight itinerary. The starting point is Africa, where they can experience the primitive life of the savannah. Then it heads north—Egypt, Italy, all the way up, eventually to the Antarctic, then on to the Americas. It lasts for two years in total. They won’t be returning to the country during those two years.”

After two years, when the plot was over, they could come back if they wanted, or keep traveling if they didn’t. It wouldn’t matter anymore.

Qin Guchuan looked at Chen Lu’s slowly widening eyes, sensing the shock in his heart. Then, with great ‘cruelty’, he said to Chen Lu, “While we’re racking our brains trying to get through the plot, they’ll be on vacation.”

“And… given your relationship with Fang Qizhi, he’ll probably send you photos during his trip,” Qin Guchuan added with great ‘malice’. 

This… was the kind of thing Qin Guchuan’s relatives were currently doing to him.

Chen Lu, feeling Qin Guchuan’s ‘malice’, didn’t make a sound. He blinked, silently noting down this grievance in the little ledger in his heart, then skipped over the topic and asked Qin Guchuan, “Has the plot on your end progressed that far already? What’s the next part?”

He still had a bit of the plot in his mind, but it only went as far as the next day, where ‘Chen Lu’, after accepting the five million cheque, tossed and turned, thinking about the sweetness and palpitations of the previous days, slowly recovering from the shock of the encounter with Madame Feng.

—— ‘Chen Lu’ wanted to talk to Qin Guchuan about the matter, but then he heard Fang Qizhi, who had arrived at the Qin residence at some point, loudly demanding of Qin Guchuan, “Have you considered how Wei Yu-jie will feel when she returns and sees Chen Lu here?” 

—— ‘Chen Lu’s’ steps on the staircase halted. His eyes fixed tightly on Qin Guchuan, shining with a hope he himself hadn’t noticed.

—— Qin Guchuan remained silent.

—— Fang Qizhi looked angrily at Qin Guchuan, who refused to answer, his eyes filled with disappointment.

—— If it were Ling Weiyu, he could admit defeat. But why should it be Chen Lu! Qin Guchuan’s hesitation and refusal to answer deeply wounded Fang Qizhi. Why could ‘Chen Lu’ make Qin Guchuan waver in his feelings for Ling Weiyu? Spotting ‘Chen Lu’ on the upstairs landing, Fang Qizhi grew even more frenzied, grabbing Qin Guchuan. 

—— He knew Qin Guchuan didn’t yet understand his own feelings. He had to make ‘Chen Lu’ hear that answer.

—— “I won’t let Weiyu find out,” Qin Guchuan said.

—— Hearing Qin Guchuan’s words clearly, ‘Chen Lu’ staggered. Meeting Qin Guchuan’s suddenly raised, shocked eyes, he let out a miserable laugh and ran madly back upstairs.

—— Fang Qizhi laughed wildly, hysterically, watching Qin Guchuan’s figure run after ‘Chen Lu’. In that moment, his heart felt as if it were being gnawed by countless poisonous ants, yet there was also a strange sense of satisfaction. 

—— What he couldn’t have, ‘Chen Lu’ wasn’t qualified to have either.

And then the plot in Chen Lu’s mind stopped there. Qin Guchuan had relayed some of the subsequent plot, but his summaries hadn’t reached the part about Fang Qizhi and Madame Feng’s final fates.

“Can you tell me about the new plot on your end?” Chen Lu asked Qin Guchuan.

Qin Guchuan, who had previously revealed his travel arrangements without much thought upon seeing Chen Lu’s low spirits, didn’t expect Chen Lu to immediately latch onto that and ask about the subsequent plot. Qin Guchuan quickly scanned the plot leading up to the duo’s ending and the parts in between, and promptly fell silent. 

Seeing Qin Guchuan’s complicated expression, confusion rose in Chen Lu’s eyes. He asked softly, “Is there… some not-so-great plot?”

“Can’t say it’s not great,” Qin Guchuan said.

“Huh?” Chen Lu was even more confused.

“It’s just that there is… plot that requires a certain level of intimacy,” Qin Guchuan said in his most serious tone.