Chapter 55

Translator: Abo Dammen

Fang Qizhi was relieved that he hadn’t sent Chen Lu the message about the key still being in the main restroom door. But given how things had developed, Fang Qizhi could be considered completely convinced that this world was a book. 

After all, under normal circumstances, even if a black door handle was metal, it couldn’t possibly reflect light with that kind of intensity.

To prove he still had an IQ, Fang Qizhi fetched an ‘Under Maintenance’ sign from the restroom’s storage closet and hung it on the restroom door outside.

He easily locked the door from the outside using the key, then placed the key near the door crack, making it convenient for Chen Lu to open the main door himself after finishing the plot.

See? I’ve considered everything so thoroughly! Fang Qizhi felt his brain was still quite functional. 

After confirming his IQ was actually completely fine, Fang Qizhi thought again about why his intelligence had seemed to go missing earlier.

Finally, after careful consideration…

Fang Qizhi: Why did you immediately rush into a stall as soon as you entered the restroom!!!

This was clearly a deliberate misdirection from Chen Lu! Fang Qizhi, who had no idea about the actual plot, had of course naturally followed Chen Lu’s lead and tried his best to lock the stall! 

One minute later, Fang Qizhi received Chen Lu’s reply, which also seemed to be the result of careful consideration.

Chen Lu: Because in the 2D world, restroom stalls are sacred places.

A lot of stories involving restrooms happen in the stalls, don’t they!

But Fang Qizhi clearly didn’t agree with this point. 

Fang Qizhi: Apologize to the 2D world!!!

Regardless of the twists and turns in between, this plot segment was ultimately accomplished through the joint efforts of the two shirking responsibility.

Chen Lu, knowing he had to follow the plot, had of course made thorough preparations. For example, he brought a power bank to keep his phone fully charged for uninterrupted gaming, and a folding stool he had casually taken from the art studio.

As for the part in the original plot where he was supposed to end up completely disheveled… Chen Lu thought for a moment and decided to put his engineering-student skills to use by fixing the broken faucet on the restroom sink just before evening. 

The ‘Under Maintenance’ sign at the restroom entrance couldn’t just be hung for nothing.

Thus, when the school security personnel passed by the Monet Building that evening, they looked down and pondered the stream of water that had reached their feet, even though there hadn’t been any rain.

Chen Lu, successfully discovered and rescued by the school security personnel, received a thorough scolding.

‘Didn’t you fucking know you needed to turn the water off before fixing a faucet?!’ 

Chen Lu, drenched from the water, seriously pondered this and felt the school security personnel made a very good point. He should have thought of that.

And he deeply believed that the reason he hadn’t thought of it was definitely because this world, in order to make him attract the school security and achieve the ‘completely disheveled’ aspect, had deliberately plucked that idea from his brain.

But still, managing to fix the broken faucet under that powerful stream of water meant he could still say he was pretty capable, right!

Chen Lu, soaked and disheveled, walked home, politely refusing offers of help and various outer garments from many kind-hearted people along the way. To everyone, he sincerely explained that this was his “performance art,” all while feeling the strange looks from passersby. 

…Ah, another day where the reputation of art students suffered.

Slowly arriving at the entrance of his residential area, Chen Lu looked up and saw the familiar luxury car and the familiar figure getting out of it. Following the plot, Chen Lu’s eyes instantly reddened, and he sharply turned his face away.

——Why did Qin Guchuan have to see him in such a disheveled state?

Qin Guchuan, face dark, strode forward, grabbed Chen Lu’s arm, and asked in a low, angry tone, “Who did this?!” 

As soon as the words left his mouth, Qin Guchuan felt a slight tug on his clothes. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he saw Chen Lu taking advantage of him grabbing his arm to wipe his hands on Qin Guchuan’s clothes.

Qin Guchuan, who was still in the middle of the plot, struggled to maintain his expression.

We’re still in a plot scene, take it a bit seriously!!!

“None of your business!” After finishing wiping his hands, Chen Lu forcefully shook off Qin Guchuan’s grip. “I don’t want to see you again.” 

Skipping over several internal monologues and intense exchanges of eye contact, Qin Guchuan looked at Chen Lu’s retreating back with deep sorrow in his eyes. Following the plot, he returned to his car, took out a cigarette, and lit it.

Gazing at the flickering ember of the cigarette, then at the rearview mirror, which reflected Chen Lu’s head poking out from the residential complex entrance, staring at him lighting the cigarette, Qin Guchuan: “…..”

He took out his phone.

Qin Guchuan: Aren’t you going back inside to change? 

Chen Lu: I know!

Chen Lu: I took a photo this time! [Image] Who is this handsome guy?

Qin Guchuan looked at the photo of his own profile, illuminated by the flickering light in the dusk glow. The angle from inside the car hid his eyes, but the dangerous and mysterious “gangster CEO” aura beneath the haze of smoke was, indeed, maxed out.

Is this how I look in Chen Lu’s eyes? 

Does it seem a bit too unapproachable? Qin Guchuan pondered, and then saw a new message fly in.

Chen Lu: [Image] I beautified it for you. You’re welcome.

Qin Guchuan looked down at the “beautified” photo. How should he put it…? Using Chen Lu’s own streaming lingo, it was the real-life version of “big gold chain, flashy watch, and a skewer of barbecue in hand.”

And it seemed Chen Lu’s artistic talent had also contributed to this ‘beautification’. How to describe it… 

It wasn’t just down-to-earth, it was practically connected to the underworld.

Suddenly, Qin Guchuan had no further thoughts about the original photo.

Being unapproachable is actually pretty good.

Qin Guchuan: …Delete the photo. [Money Transfer] 

The status of Chen Lu’s messages instantly changed.

Chen Lu: [This message has been unsent]

Chen Lu: [Transfer Received]

Chen Lu: Okay, boss! Thank you, boss! Love you, boss~ 

Qin Guchuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Seeing the cigarette had burned out, he finished the last bit of the plot—sending the message ‘Investigate what happened to Chen Lu at school’ to his omniscient toolman assistant, Zhou Ji.

Seeing Zhou Ji’s reply ‘Okay, President Qin’, Qin Guchuan called Chen Lu. It took a while for the call to connect, and he could hear a pattering sound on the other end, leaving him somewhat puzzled.

“What are you doing? Have you changed your clothes?” Qin Guchuan asked first.

Chen Lu answered quickly, “Taking a shower.” 

Qin Guchuan was immediately choked up by this answer, his first reaction being to hang up. But Chen Lu didn’t give him the chance. After answering Qin Guchuan’s question, he immediately started ranting about everything that happened at school.

Throughout the entire story, Qin Guchuan listened distractedly, unable to help but notice the subtle changes in the sound of the water.

After talking for a while without hearing any response from Qin Guchuan’s end, Chen Lu slowly sensed that something was off.

“Qin Guchuan, are you listening?” Chen Lu asked. 

“I am,” Qin Guchuan replied, sounding somewhat helpless. After a pause, he gently remarked, “I actually think there should be some privacy between people.”

Chen Lu immediately understood what was going on and was overjoyed, but managed to hold back his laughter. Instead, he spoke as though it were completely natural, as if he had already considered Qin Guchuan’s feelings thoroughly. “I know. That’s why I didn’t turn on the video call.”

Hearing Qin Guchuan cough on the other end as if his lungs were about to explode, Chen Lu finally burst out laughing.

Qin Guchuan felt very helpless and finally said, “Come down after you finish showering. I’ll take you to dinner.” 

“No need. The auntie next door brought me food again. I haven’t even finished yesterday’s portion yet,” Chen Lu said, laughing lightly and playfully. Actually, the auntie had also asked if Chen Lu was being bullied, but he had reassured her by cupping his face and saying, “Who would have the heart to bully me?”

While speaking, the sound of water from Chen Lu’s side stopped, followed by the muffled sound of clothes rubbing, and then Chen Lu continued, “I think the aunties’ cooking is really quite good. You definitely can’t get this kind of food outside. Why don’t you come up and try some?”

Qin Guchuan certainly wouldn’t refuse Chen Lu’s invitation. Before long, Qin Guchuan, having parked the car, appeared in Chen Lu’s home. Simultaneously, a question arrived from the neighbor auntie.

“Xiao Lu, is this your friend?” 

Chen Lu smiled and responded naturally, “Yes.”

The auntie looked Qin Guchuan up and down several times, noting his relatively gentle expression and how close he was standing to Chen Lu, who showed no resistance. They looked quite intimate.

But thinking about what had just happened at the main entrance, she asked Chen Lu, “Did you two have a fight earlier?”

Clearly, Qin Guchuan’s actions downstairs over the past two days hadn’t gone unnoticed by the neighbors. 

“No, he lost a bet to me and is currently serving his punishment,” Chen Lu immediately began talking nonsense.

The neighbor auntie never expected such an answer from Chen Lu. She was shocked, feeling somewhat alarmed by the mental state of young people today. “Punishment?”

“Yes, he has to cooperate with me to complete a performance art piece. It’ll probably last a few more days,” Chen Lu continued his nonsense. “I’m planning to use this for my graduation project. I’m just preparing materials in advance.”

At that moment, Chen Lu suddenly realized just how incredibly useful his identity as an art student was. No matter how absurd the behavior, a single phrase—‘performance art’—could explain everything. 

This was truly the most useful thing this world had bestowed upon him.

Anything involving studying, learning, or graduation, any parent, even if they didn’t understand, could instantly show respect, cooperation, and support. The neighbor auntie immediately said, “I understand, I understand. Xiao Lu, if you need anything for this performance art of yours, just tell Auntie. I’ll get the others to help you too.”

Having received the neighbor auntie’s approving gaze, Qin Guchuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He glanced at Chen Lu, who was waving goodbye to the auntie so well-behaved, and reached out to gently ruffle his head.

Although Qin Guchuan didn’t actually care how others saw him, watching Chen Lu work hard to make up excuses for his reputation was really cute.