Chapter 7

Translator: Abo Dammen

On the third day, after finishing his breakfast, Chen Lu behaved exceptionally well. He didn’t have the slightest inclination to stir up trouble. He lay peacefully in bed, completely still. The script was vague about when the next plot point would unfold, only using ambiguous terms like “in a few days.” 

“In a few days” usually implies a short span. It was definitely more than two, possibly even four or five. But Chen Lu wasn’t willing to endure even one more day of those flavorless culinary assaults where not even a single grain of salt was spared. If this went on any longer, Chen Lu felt that what little good remained in his character would fade away along with his taste buds, now dulled by the blandness.

Closing his eyes calmly, Chen Lu quietly waited for a miracle to happen.

And sure enough, half an hour into his serene waiting, a miracle occurred. The old butler suddenly had a lightbulb moment and checked the time.

He realized it had already been half a month since his last inspection for damages or maintenance issues around the Qin estate. Today was the day he was supposed to begin his second routine check of the month. 

Not long into his rounds, the old butler noticed something odd about Chen Lu’s door. It didn’t look quite right.

Frowning, he examined the misaligned lock. He gave the door a gentle push, and it swung open easily. There wasn’t a sound from inside.

The old butler immediately sensed something was wrong.

It was too quiet, and not the ordinary kind of quiet you’d expect from an empty room. 

He knew this was Chen Lu’s room, so he stepped inside to check, and got a fright from the sight of the lifeless-looking figure lying on the bed. “Young Master Lu?”

Chen Lu opened his eyes and saw that it was the old butler at the door, not Qin Guchuan bearing another plate of “gourmet food.” His eyes immediately welled up with tears.

The plot really triggered at last!

“Uncle Sun, I want to go home,” Chen Lu said with genuine despair. Though it was originally just a scripted line, this time there wasn’t a shred of acting. His words were filled with raw, heartfelt emotion. 

The old butler’s eyes stung with emotion. His own child was about Chen Lu’s age, and he’d always felt a bit of transference when looking after him. He paused for a moment, then walked over and sat by Chen Lu’s bedside, looking at the lingering blankness on his face. Gently, he reached out and patted Chen Lu’s head with paternal care.

“There, there, good child, don’t be afraid,” the old butler coaxed softly. “The eldest young master just has a bad temper but his heart’s still in the right place.

“You might not have noticed, Young Master Lu, but ever since you arrived at the Qin estate, the eldest young master has been coming home a lot more often.

“He truly cares about you,” the butler added, speaking like someone who’d seen it all, his tone oddly satisfied. 

“These past few years, the eldest young master has been through quite a bit…” The old butler stopped abruptly, as if realizing some things couldn’t be said. He looked apologetically at Chen Lu and added, “If you’re worried about your family’s situation, I can try to find out for you. How about I let you know later?”

After hearing all that, Chen Lu tightened his grip slightly and picked at the edge of his blanket. Even though he had already known these lines and this plot twist for two days, hearing the butler actually say them in real time made it hard for Chen Lu to hold back his urge to complain.

Yeah, sure, he had been coming home more often. But it was just to personally deliver saltless meals, wearing an expression he couldn’t even bother to hide. He was smugly pleased, watching him choke those down!!!

 How was this just a bad temper? This was borderline psychotic! 

Still, this behavior did technically align with the plot. In the script, “Chen Lu” picking at the blanket was because his heart had been deeply shaken.

The old butler’s words about how much the eldest young master cared had left the original “Chen Lu” emotionally stirred.

 ——So… Qin Guchuan actually…

——But didn’t he say when signing the contract that he just needed a steady lover to handle internal family matters? 

Chen Lu couldn’t bring himself to truly feel that kind of emotional turmoil, but he could still follow the script and move the plot forward.

“…Uncle Sun, please don’t… don’t tell my family… any of this,” Chen Lu said, carefully mimicking the line. The script only described his tone as “complex,” so he improvised as best he could.

Thankfully, the old butler was clearly a model plot device. He didn’t question the strange delivery at all. He simply smiled kindly and said, “Of course. I understand, Young Master Lu. Please rest well.”

Chen Lu gave a quiet reply and watched the old butler leave… without questioning the broken lock on the door at all. 

What a perfect NPC!

Chen Lu couldn’t help showing a look of envy.

He wished he could have this kind of auto-performance system too.

Blissfully unaware of having been envied, the old butler dutifully fulfilled his plot-serving role. After leaving Chen Lu’s room, he went to Qin Guchuan and subtly reported that Chen Lu’s mental state wasn’t looking too good. 

Qin Guchuan was taken aback by the news.

This round of plot progression had triggered much faster than expected.

So… was Chen Lu’s mental state really not great? Qin Guchuan thought back to seeing him just yesterday. He’d seemed full of energy. That guy had even tried to use his looks to bribe him into eating together.

But as the cold-hearted, domineering CEO from the early stages of the plot, Qin Guchuan had naturally remained unmoved by Chen Lu’s sugar-coated artillery. He withstood that pleading gaze and turned him down without hesitation. 

Maybe his rejection had been too harsh?

Qin Guchuan took a moment to reflect.

According to the plot, Chen Lu was a delicate, sensitive literati type. While Qin Guchuan had thought that a simple “not interested” was pretty neutral, it might’ve felt like a stab to someone like Chen Lu.

Still, this was a good thing. 

He assured the old butler that he understood, dismissed him, and placed the wallet he’d already prepared into his coat pocket. After tidying up his appearance, he headed for Chen Lu’s room, just as the next plot point required.

Lying quietly in bed, eyes closed as he mentally reviewed the upcoming script, Chen Lu heard the door open and those all-too-familiar footsteps approaching. Right on cue, he opened his eyes.

——‘Chen Lu’ opened his eyes, saw that it was Qin Guchuan, and froze. In that instant, he recalled what Uncle Sun had just told him. His emotions stirred. He pressed his lips together and said nothing, simply watching as Qin Guchuan walked to the chair by the bed and sat down.

In other words, don’t speak. Just look emotionally shaken. Let the other guy do all the work. 

Chen Lu had this scene in the bag. He watched Qin Guchuan settle into the chair he had strategically placed next to the bed .It was nice and close, perfect for what was coming next.

Because in the next part of the plot, Qin Guchuan, upon seeing how fragile ‘Chen Lu’ looked, would suddenly undergo a complete shift, becoming gentle and caring. ‘Chen Lu’ would recall the butler’s words and start to believe that maybe, just maybe, Qin Guchuan did have feelings for him. So ‘Chen Lu’ would attempt a seductive move. But upon placing a hand on Qin Guchuan, he would accidentally touch a wallet-shaped object. Curious, he’d instinctively give it a squeeze. Qin Guchuan, startled, would dodge, and the wallet would tumble to the floor, scattering its contents. ‘Chen Lu’ would catch a clear glimpse of a photo inside: a sickly beauty who looked remarkably like him.

Ah yes, the classic old-school stand-in trope. Completely logical for this kind of novel.

Chen Lu, however, couldn’t care less about the supposed tragic beauty. He didn’t even need to act out the inner turmoil described in the script. A half-baked shocked expression would suffice. What he did need to focus on was how to successfully yank that wallet from Qin Guchuan’s pocket. 

And if that was the goal, then of course—the closer, the better!

Looking at how Qin Guchuan was practically pressed up against the bed, Chen Lu figured he could reach into any of the man’s pockets with a casual stretch of his arm.

Perfect!

For Chen Lu, the real challenge in this scene was nailing the timing of the wallet grab. For Qin Guchuan, though, it was easy. He just had to follow the script, say his lines, and do the actions. 

Qin Guchuan looked at the now “frail” Chen Lu and reached over to pull the blanket up gently. His voice remained low, but compared to the earlier iciness, there was a hint of softness now, “Why can’t you ever take care of yourself?”

He paused slightly, glossed over the script’s vague “as if he suddenly thought of something,” and continued, “I’ll go get you a glass of warm water… with honey.”

This was a nod to a moment later in the novel when it’s revealed that Qin Guchuan had quietly remembered the preferences of a certain “white moonlight” after seeing others care for them. Of course, the real “white moonlight” had never even appeared yet. To Qin Guchuan, they were just words in a backstory.

‘Chen Lu,’ who’d been subjected to nothing but sharp rebukes from Qin Guchuan up until now, suddenly hearing such ‘gentle’ concern, would feel his heart skip a beat and start to believe there might be something special between them. 

But for the real Chen Lu right now…

This was supposed to be gentle?

Just how miserable was the protagonist of this book supposed to be? Forget comparing to others, he honestly thought Qin Guchuan’s tone back when he brought those horrific meals had sounded more tender than this.

He’d been a little curious earlier, wondering what “gentle Qin Guchuan” looked like in action. And this was it? Please. Talk about sheltered. 

Though disappointed, Chen Lu still did his part and earnestly played along with Qin Guchuan’s tender routine.

Everything went smoothly. Unlike the last time with the botched garage escape scene, this scene stuck to the script flawlessly.

…So the issue was the car. Chen Lu admitted to himself that the previous scene had derailed mostly because he couldn’t drive. Reflecting on that, he took a tiny sip of the honey water now in his hands.

…Wow. It actually tasted good. 

He was suddenly touched.

This was the first time he’d ever received something edible from Qin Guchuan. Honestly, it was a miracle.

As he sipped the warm drink and let his thoughts drift, he used the corner of his eye to scan Qin Guchuan’s clothing, the plotline of the wallet stealing preparation still in full swing. Honestly, why did he end up transmigrating into a novel instead of some TV drama or movie?

Words can be so deceptive. At first glance, a few of the original novel’s written lines seem full of feeling, as if they’re saying everything. But on closer inspection… all the text really says in this scene was “Chen Lu’s hand fell on Qin Guchuan’s body, then touched the wallet.” 

As for the exact position of the wallet in the other lead’s body, well…. There’s no description whatsoever. Chen Lu had to figure it out himself.

Normally, a man’s wallet would be in his pants pocket, of course, but…

Chen Lu took a glance and felt that the pocket of the pants was… quite delicate. The “Chen Lu” in the plot still had a bit of a wholesome, artsy vibe so if it was him, he wouldn’t just reach there.

What about the upper body then… 

Maybe it was because this domineering CEO’s custom-tailored suit was too high-end, but the wallet wasn’t in view at all. Well, not that Chen Lu could see, anyway.

Still, thinking back to TV dramas, those CEO types usually lifted their coats and pulled their wallets from around the chest area.

Chen Lu’s gaze landed on Qin Guchuan’s chest.

Yeah… it does look a little bulky. 

Chen Lu instantly had faith in his judgment. He felt like he already had the test answer in hand and just needed to fill in the blanks. Reassured, he calmly went on acting out this “tender moment” between him and Qin Guchuan.

Smooth sailing.

Not a single hitch.

Having the script in hand really is the best! Chen Lu sighed in satisfaction, confidently reaching out and placing his hand on Qin Guchuan’s chest, just like the script said. 

He had to admit, whatever fabric this high-end suit was made of, the quality was amazing. The moment his hand touched it, Chen Lu could feel warmth just slightly above his own body temperature.

Of course, a wallet normally doesn’t give off heat. But Chen Lu’s brain didn’t quite register that in time, and he subconsciously gave it a light squeeze, trying to confirm the exact position of the wallet.

The moment he squeezed, Chen Lu’s fingers froze. Even if he wasn’t the brightest, he could still tell through the fabric what he was touching. It definitely wasn’t shaped like a wallet. That alone was enough to tell him something had gone very wrong.

Chen Lu felt the muscles under his fingers tense up instantly. He glanced up, sneaking a peek at Qin Guchuan’s expression. 

Qin Guchuan’s eyes widened slightly, filled with sheer confusion, like a pure, decent young lady who had just been hit with a worldview-shattering shock that’s something far too overwhelming for his soul to bear.

Well… This is actually kind of fun.

Chen Lu had made money as a streamer, so shame and dignity? He’d long since tossed those aside with practiced ease. Besides, for him, two guys casually touching like this wasn’t that big a deal.

After sparing the poor guy a second of silent sympathy, Chen Lu calmly and shamelessly continued his motion, sliding his fingers downward along Qin Guchuan’s muscle line like nothing at all had happened. 

Anyway, “Chen Lu” was supposed to be flirting at this point. This is totally in character. Perfectly reasonable.

Soon, his fingers brushed against something wallet-shaped near the side of Qin Guchuan’s waist and abdomen.

From what Chen Lu could tell, there was no pocket in that spot. Hmm so yeah, it was tucked into the inner lining of the jacket. He hadn’t misjudged, he had just been off by a tiny bit in positioning.

Not a big deal. His guess was still solid. 

Chen Lu very generously forgave himself for this minor miscalculation.

Quietly, he slipped his fingers into Qin Guchuan’s half-buttoned jacket and got a grip on one corner of the wallet in advance.

OK, preconditions successfully achieved.

Mentally giving himself a thumbs-up, Chen Lu waited for Qin Guchuan’s cue to dodge… but two seconds passed, and there was no reaction at all. 

Chen Lu, “?”

The earlier scene with the butler had gone off without a hitch. He hit the precondition and the butler showed up right after. Why was there a delay now?

Chen Lu glanced at Qin Guchuan and saw that the guy’s eyes were blank. He looked like he’d turned completely to stone.

Chen Lu, “???” 

It was bad enough that this world sometimes lagged when sending him the next part of the script. Now even the NPC he was acting with was lagging? What, was this world running on a potato server?

Complaints aside, the lag still needed fixing. If this were a game, Chen Lu would’ve smacked his mouse and started cursing by now. But that obviously wouldn’t fly here. What if doing so counted as him breaking the plot?

After thinking for a bit, Chen Lu separated one finger from the ones gripping the wallet and gave Qin Guchuan’s abs a discreet poke.

As soon as he poked, Qin Guchuan jolted like he’d been electrocuted, stumbling back several steps in a panic, knocking over the chair behind him with a loud crash. 

The loud crash left Chen Lu stunned.

The original plot only said, “Qin Guchuan dodged, putting distance between him and Chen Lu. His coat flared in the air, tracing a distant arc.”

But this reaction was way too dramatic. Could a coat hem really flare “distantly” like that???

Chen Lu pondered the question for a few seconds before noticing the gaze of a certain someone who had finally recovered from his frozen state… and was now staring intently at Chen Lu’s hand. 

Following that gaze, Chen Lu looked down at his own hand which was still slightly outstretched, and saw that he was, in fact, still clutching the wallet in a death grip.

To avoid any mishaps in retrieving the wallet and thus screwing up the major plot point, Chen Lu had instinctively gripped it tightly. Plus, perhaps due to the story mechanics, it seemed like the wallet hadn’t even been tucked very deep into Qin Guchuan’s inner pocket. Most of it was sticking out, making it easy to pull free.

So even though Qin Guchuan’s “dodge” had been unexpectedly intense probably due to the earlier glitch, Chen Lu had dutifully hung on to the wallet like a champ.

The only problem… was that he’d hung on a little too well. 

A slightly guilty Chen Lu, “……”

…With how buggy this world already is, what’s one more error?

Let’s just say he lagged too.

Very reasonable. 

After all, this world’s server clearly sucks.

Chen Lu quietly let go of the wallet, as if nothing had happened, and allowed it to fall in a graceful arc to the floor.

The bed wasn’t very high off the ground, so theoretically it shouldn’t have hurt the wallet. But while the two human “NPCs” in this scene had both glitched and underperformed, the wallet, faithful to its role, executed its part flawlessly, delivering a full-force dramatic performance.

Smack! The contents spilled everywhere. A photo that should’ve been neatly tucked inside flopped right into Chen Lu’s line of sight. 

The person in the photo had skin as white as snow, hair black as ebony, lips red as cherries… Truly, aside from being completely different, every aspect was also totally different (no typos here).

Chen Lu stared at the photo per the script, eyes trembling.

In the original plot, “Chen Lu” was supposed to feel a shock of realization upon seeing this photo, understanding in that moment that he was merely a stand-in, overwhelmed by existential sorrow.

But this Chen Lu’s emotional turbulence came from a different place. ‘How the hell was this supposed to be a white moonlight he resembled???’ 

Were these people just… blind?

The person in the photo wasn’t even the same gender?!

And he counts as a replacement???

Chen Lu quietly sighed. Yep. This world had no logic whatsoever. 

Once Qin Guchuan saw that Chen Lu had gotten a clear look at the photo, he finally stepped forward with a dark expression, just as the script demanded.

“Who gave you permission to look at her!” Qin Guchuan growled, gripping Chen Lu’s jaw with furious force, forcing his head up to meet his rage.

“Mmfh!” Chen Lu yelped from the sudden pain, a sound not in the script, his brow furrowing from the sting.

He knew this was what the scene called for, but still, having someone grab him like that hurt like hell. No amount of mental preparation could stop his body from reacting. Fortunately, Chen Lu quickly caught himself and tried to go blank-faced, but just as he was focusing on controlling his expression, the hand gripping his jaw suddenly loosened. What had been a menacing, dominant move now felt weirdly… half-assed. 

“……?” Chen Lu froze. Another bug? Did Qin Guchuan freeze again? But the next moment, the man’s angry voice came through loud and clear, “You’re not even worth a single hair of hers!”

Ah, good. Still scum. That was reassuring.

“I didn’t… mean to…” Chen Lu began his next line. It was supposed to come out haltingly, choked by pain, but feeling comforted that things were on track, he accidentally let it flow too smoothly and had to slam the brakes mid-sentence.

“Heh.” Qin Guchuan sneered, dripping with contempt. “She would never say something so weak.” 

And with that, he grabbed Chen Lu’s arm, gave a sharp tug, and hurled him into… a pile of pillows.

In the original script, “Chen Lu’s” reaction was to be left dizzy and dazed from being grabbed, and after being thrown aside by Qin Guchuan, he was supposed to curl up, coughing violently while clutching his injured spot. Only after regaining his breath would he slowly sit up, staring blankly at the now-empty room as tears welled up in his eyes.

Of course, the real Chen Lu, having been treated perfunctorily, wasn’t actually hurt. He obediently buried himself in the pile of pillows as the script dictated, coughing a few times while reaching behind a cushion to grab the trauma balm he’d stashed there in advance. He discreetly rubbed it on his fingers, and once he heard Qin Guchuan’s footsteps retreating, he emerged from the blankets. After a silent ten-second countdown toward the doorway, he reached under his eyes with practiced precision. And just like that, two perfect streams of tears slid down his cheeks.

Perfect! 

Chen Lu gave himself top marks for the performance.

That damned tragic romance arc was finally over. He could finally eat like a normal person again!!!

Chen Lu glanced at the clock on the wall. There was still an hour and a half to go before lunchtime, and the kitchen was currently unoccupied! Letting out a silent cheer, he bounced up from the bed in an instant.

The scene had wrapped, Qin Guchuan had stormed off in a huff. Now was the perfect time to sneak into the kitchen for a little snack. 

When it came to food, Chen Lu was all about efficiency. Even with a limp in one leg, he moved like a sprinter in the 100-meter dash. In the blink of an eye, his shoes were on and the door flung open.

…And then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw that someone was suddenly standing just outside his door.

Chen Lu turned his head and saw that the very person who was supposed to have already left, Qin something-or-other, was inexplicably standing there, clutching his chest and staring at him in what could only be described as stunned horror, like he’d just seen a terrorist.

Chen Lu gave his look a second’s thought, then dismissed his thoughts entirely, assuming he must’ve been seeing things. 

After all, he was about as far from “terrorist” as one could get. If anything, as someone about to sneak out of his room, he should’ve been the one spooked.

And so, once Chen Lu snapped back to reality, having once again been caught red-handed, he very sensibly took the initiative. With the utmost politeness and sincerity, he voiced his concern to Qin Guchuan.

“Mr. Qin, is your chest hurting?” Chen Lu asked, ever so gently.

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Author’s Feed: 

Still doing double chapters. One more chapter owed, see you tomorrow!

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Translator’s Feed:

Qin Guchuan: Let’s just cook for him so he doesn’t starve.

After serving the food… 

Qin Guchuan (in his head): He’s gulping down the soup. He probably likes my cooking.

Chen Lu: *in tears* Wuwuwuwu I can’t taste this food at all!!! The power of the plot is too strong!!!

Qin Guchuan: … *subtly glances at the condiments used*

Qin Guchuan: Indeed. 

Apologies for the lack of updates. I will make it up to you guys soon enough TT