Chapter 18: The Tragic Supporting Male Character Modifies the Plot Online

Chapter 18: The Tragic Supporting Male Character Modifies the Plot Online

Both Qin Huaichuan and Qin Guangyuan were men of action. Having declared that Zishi should move out, they had the servants start packing that very evening.

"I heard you bought Shen Mingshu a villa, spending millions on just the renovations? Perfect, you and your mother can reunite," Ji Mingtang, having finally managed to placate his grandson, descended the stairs, speaking in a melancholic tone.

"Grandfather—"

Zishi stood isolated in the living room, the crystal chandelier above casting a light that made him appear as pale as parchment.

"Don't call me grandfather. We're not related. As a child, you pushed Yuru into a lake over a toy, nearly drowning her. Everyone believed it was an accident, but I knew that you genuinely wished for her demise."

Staring intently at Zishi, Ji Mingtang said gravely, "I can see into your heart, filled with envy and selfishness."

Hastily lowering his gaze, Zishi evaded the penetrating stare of the old man.

Tears streaming down her face, Ji Lan cried, "Father! Don't wrongly accuse Zishi! He's always been a good child. You're biased against him! You only favor Qin Qing because he resembles mother! You're selfish too!"

"Silence! Can't you discern who is near and dear? Can't you tell right from wrong?" Ji Mingtang roared in anger.

Instead of defusing the situation, the heated argument only solidified Qin Huaichuan and Qin Guangyuan's resolve to have Zishi move out. Keeping him at home would only invite more chaos.

"Brother-in-law, calm yourself, mind your blood pressure," Qin Guangyuan advised.

Rubbing his temples, Qin Huaichuan said, "Zishi, you should move out now. With you around, this house is always in an uproar."

"Father—"

Zishi's voice choked up, his eyes instantly reddening.

"Huaichuan!" Ji Lan looked at her husband in disbelief. Seemingly recalling something, she suddenly dashed towards the second floor.

On the second floor, Qin Qing sat on the balcony, enjoying the spring evening breeze. Clusters of pink and white roses surrounded him, filling the air with their rich fragrance.

996, with its chubby paws, clung to Qin Qing's leg, pleading, "Qin Qing, please, let Zishi stay! If he's cast out of the Qin family, the plot can't progress!"

"What plot might that be?" Qin Qing leaned back, chuckling softly.

"Um, let me see..."

Pretending to scan its memory, 996's back was covered in a cold sweat.

Qin Qing's lips curved in a half-smile, waiting.

At that moment, the door was forcefully opened. Ji Lan rushed in like a whirlwind, saying breathlessly, "Qin Qing, your father wants to send Zishi away. Please, speak up for him!"

"Mother, I won't help him," Qin Qing replied without moving, the evening wind tousling his hair, casting a melancholic shade on his pale face.

"Why? Why are you so narrow-minded? Zishi hasn’t hindered you in any—"

Interrupting her, Qin Qing said, "Mother, I have just one question for you. Please answer me."

"What is it?"

"If Zishi leaves, his mother will love him. If I stay, will my mother love me? Look into my eyes and answer truthfully." Qin Qing stood up, his dark eyes piercing into Ji Lan's.

Faced with such clear and despairing eyes, Ji Lan, even if she wanted to lie, found herself speechless. Without saying a word, tears began to flow.

All pleas, complaints, and even accusations, at this moment, transformed into a painful and helpless "I'm sorry."

The weight of twenty-five years of emotional ties was too deep and profound. She couldn't let go.

Qin Qing settled back into the wicker chair, sighing deeply, "For the same twenty-five years, I've been burdened with resentment, while he received so much of your love. Maybe I shouldn't have existed from the start. What were you thinking when you carried me?"

What was I thinking? Of course, I wanted to envelop the child soon to be born with all my love, to ensure their happy and joyful growth.

The cherished emotions and profound maternal love felt during pregnancy were reawakened in an instant.

Ji Lan knelt down, gripping her son's wrist tightly, her voice choked with emotion, "I'm truly sorry. I do want to love you, but I need time."

Qin Qing pulled away, gazing deeply into the flowering vines. The pale moonlight highlighted his porcelain-like face, fragile and delicate.

Ji Lan, covering her mouth, cried. After a considerable time, she staggered down to the first floor.

996 hurriedly followed.

It pinned all its hopes on Ji Lan. The script noted that this mother, for the sake of Qin Zishi, could even forsake her own flesh and blood. When Qin Zishi had a car accident and needed a corneal transplant, Ji Lan threatened her own life, forcing the original host to donate an eye.

Such a mother would become the fiercest warrior for the son she deeply cherished!

"Keep it up, Ms. Ji Lan! It's up to you to keep the plot on track!" 996 shouted, wagging its thick tail.

Qin Zishi also glanced at the staggering Ji Lan, his eyes filled with hope.

However, Ji Lan, hand over her mouth, said with a trembling voice, "Zishi, you should move out."

"What?" Qin Zishi exclaimed in disbelief.

"Meow meow meow?" 996 collapsed on the floor.

"Please move out. Qin Qing... he needs me. I want to spend quality time with him. After all, I'm his mother. You understand, right?" Ji Lan said, guilt evident in her tears.

What could Qin Zishi say in response? That he didn't understand? Once he put on the mask of a well-behaved and understanding child, he couldn't remove it in front of others. But why could Qin Qing?

He could be obedient and sensible, but also capricious and easily manipulate others' emotions. His mother had only been gone for a few minutes, and she returned completely changed. He's truly remarkable!

Defeated! In this home where he had lived for twenty-five years, he was defeated by Qin Qing, who had only returned recently. How could this be?

Qin Zishi, seething with rage, suppressed his anger and then replied with a choked voice, "Alright, I'll leave immediately."

996: "Where's the oxygen tank? I need an oxygen tank right now!"

By the time 996 returned to the second floor, Qin Qing was ordering oxygen tanks through an online store.

"How many do you need?" he asked with a gentle smile.

996 glared at him menacingly.

"Let's get two for now. How many packs of little fish treats? Do you want catnip? This foie gras canned food looks delicious…" Qin Qing murmured, browsing on his phone.

996's fierce expression gradually shifted to one of longing, then fully softened into a plea: "Meow, five packs of fish treats. A hundred bags of catnip! And stock up on twenty boxes of foie gras!"

Qin Qing, lips slightly curved, selected the items one by one. Finally, he tossed a cigarette to 996.

996 quickly lit the cigarette with a few swift inhalations.

"If Qin Zishi stays in this house, my future plot would involve being continually sabotaged by him, right?" Qin Qing had some understanding of the fate of supporting characters.

Other than being constantly trampled upon, what role could a stepping stone serve besides accentuating a gem's brilliance?

996 coughed awkwardly, not daring to reply.

Qin Qing glanced at him, an understanding smile on his face.

"You can keep him, you know. Don't you want to defy the plot? By keeping him, you'd be diverging from the expected storyline," 996 made one last attempt to persuade.

"Didn't I mention? I only tread exciting plots. And an intriguing plot requires an interesting adversary," Qin Qing mused, "Maybe this world keeps resetting because Cang Mia doesn't want to play opposite the dull character Qin Zishi. Don't you think?"

996 was stunned.

"Is that really the case? But Cang Mia shouldn't know the plot! He's a character within the story, not an outsider like you. He wouldn't have such awareness."

"Is that so?" Qin Qing smirked, putting an end to the chilling conversation.

Whether Cang Mia knew the plot or not, what did it matter to him? If the world reset, his existence would vanish; if the narrative cycle broke, he'd simply exist somewhere else. Either way, he had grown indifferent…

The next day, Qin Qing arrived punctually at Xu Yizhi's office at nine. He donned a black suit, paired with a plaid tie. The tailored fit outlined his lean waist and the excessively long, straight legs.

His smooth hair naturally fell, partially covering his tender, alluring eyes. As he walked, colleagues from the legal department couldn't help but stare.

Nobody believed he was there for work; they assumed a celebrity brand ambassador had mistakenly wandered into their floor.

Xu Yizhi, seated behind his expansive desk, also wore a black suit. Unlike Qin Qing's understated elegance, his attire leaned towards opulent vintage. His lips, curved in a nonchalant smile, were inviting, but his deep eyes harbored an almost wild, dangerous aura.

He looked Qin Qing up and down, his voice lazy and rich with charisma as he teased, "Did you bring me a gift?"

Qin Qing glanced down at the gift bag in his hand and shook his head truthfully, "No, this is for Dr. Thompson."

"Afraid he'll give you a hard time?" Xu Yizhi joked.

"I'm yours. I don't think I have to fear that," Qin Qing responded with another shake of his head.

Mine...

Xu Yizhi silently mulled over those three subtle words, the amusement in his eyes deepening.

"Here's my access card; you'll need it. Thanks to you, Thompson has been working since last night," Xu Yizhi handed over a golden magnetic card, his voice dripping with jest.

Qin Qing bent slightly to accept the card, his expression subtly apologetic, before heading to the tech department.

The tech department was highly secure; without Xu Yizhi's card, Qin Qing couldn't even access the entrance. However, by the time he reached the core area, Qin Zishi had already arrived.

Dark circles under his eyes, hollowed cheeks, and pallid lips; in just one night, Qin Zishi looked noticeably worn.

He was currently leaning over Thompson's computer, saying awkwardly, "Qin Qing is my older brother. He made some inappropriate remarks yesterday. On his behalf, I apologize. He judged you without truly understanding you..."

This wasn't an apology; it was fanning the flames.

Constantly mentioning Qin Qing's disdain for Thompson would only deepen the rift between them. And with Thompson being Blue Space's technical director, second in power only to Cang Mia and Xu Yizhi, if he bore a grudge against Qin Qing, no one would come to Qin Qing's defense.

The weight of a genius scientist versus a minor employee was clear to both Cang Mia and Xu Yizhi.

Qin Zishi seemed unassuming, but there was guile in every move he made.

Qin Qing offered a resigned smile and walked over, placing the gift bag next to the computer.

Thompson jolted in surprise. When he turned and saw Qin Qing, his face darkened instantly.

"This is my token of apology. I hope you can forgive my earlier rudeness," Qin Qing said softly.

"Take it away! You're interrupting my work!" Thompson snapped.

A brief flash of amusement crossed Qin Zishi's eyes before he nodded to Qin Qing, exchanging a few courteous words.

Qin Qing also responded warmly with a few words of concern, then opened the gift bag and took out a steaming beef burger from an insulated box.

"I saw your tweet. You took leave urgently to go back to the U.S. for your mother's burgers, didn't you? The picture of the burger you posted looked tempting. I tried making one this morning. Have a taste," Qin Qing said, pulling up a chair to sit down.

"Stay away. I'm not eating anything you offer," Thompson's entire demeanor radiated resistance.

Qin Zishi lowered his head and smirked internally. Qin Qing's attempts at winning people over were so elementary. A homemade burger? Really?

"What? Afraid to eat? Worried I might have poisoned it? You're this scared of me after just one interview?" Qin Qing raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise.

The tactic of provocation worked wonders on the proud Thompson. He took a few deep breaths as if deeply offended, then picked up the burger and bit into it with vehemence.

His intense blue eyes remained fixed on Qin Qing, as if he was not biting into a burger but the man's throat. Yet, within seconds, his aggressive demeanor turned to one of astonishment and disbelief.

"This... This tastes exactly like my mom's!" he exclaimed in wonder.

Qin Zishi froze, the mocking gleam in his eyes suddenly dissipating.

Qin Qing, resting his chin on his hand, silently watched Thompson. As Thompson started to vocalize his joy, Qin Qing revealed a contented smile.

"How did you do this? This burger tastes just like the one my mother makes!" Thompson grasped Qin Qing's slender, pale wrist.

Qin Qing let him hold on, his voice gentle, "I went through the accounts you follow on Twitter, found your mother's profile, and then went through her posts to find the recipe for your favorite beef burger. So, does this ease your homesickness?"

Thompson devoured the burger, nodding vigorously, "Yes! I haven't eaten since last night. Having this burger feels like a blessing!"

Who wouldn't feel uplifted when suddenly presented with a cherished hometown delicacy during a moment of extreme hunger?

"So, have you forgiven me?" Qin Qing asked with a smile.

"I forgive you," Thompson said, giving him a piercing look before adding, "I knew what you were up to yesterday. You wanted me to fix that BUG quickly, didn't you?"

Qin Qing shook his head, "No, I didn't just want you to fix the BUG. I wanted to help you establish a strong footing. There's an old saying in Huaguo: 'A new official lights three fires when he takes office.' Are you familiar with it?"

Thompson paused, then slowly shook his head, "I'm not, but I think I can grasp its meaning."

"When an official assumes a new post, he must first establish his authority and show his capabilities, ensuring he garners respect from his subordinates. You're now demonstrating your expertise. Look around; all the technicians here respect you. In just one night, you've integrated seamlessly into their ranks, proving that you're a reigning champion in your field. From now on, your work will be much smoother."

Standing up, Qin Qing smiled and whispered, "I forgot to mention something yesterday."

Thompson, whose ego had been stroked generously, looked up at Qin Qing. His defiantly handsome face, for a change, appeared oddly submissive.

"I deeply admire you, Dr. Thomason, you're truly amazing!" Qin Qing patted Thomason gently on the shoulder, her smile unfolding slowly and tenderly.

That smile was even more dazzling than the blindingly white lights of the lab.

Though Qin Qing had left only moments ago, Thomason remained lost in thought, a blush creeping unknowingly onto his cheeks.

"Oh my God, my heart was racing! Am I sick?" Thomason muttered to himself before turning to Qin Zi Shi with a hopeful look, "You're Qin Qing's younger brother, aren't you? Do you have her number? I've just arrived in Huaguo and don't have any friends. I'd love to befriend her. She's absolutely angelic!"

Qin Zi Shi, who initially intended to sow discord, now looked green with envy.

996 rushed up to Qin Qing, demanding loudly, "Qin Qing, tell me honestly, do you practice sorcery?"