Chapter 3: The Professional Stand-in is Being Summoned!

Chapter 3: The Professional Stand-in is Being Summoned!

Chen Bai ultimately unlocked the door for his taciturn guest.

Verifying property ownership, presenting the registration records, unlocking the door—a clear and professional routine that he executed with expertise.

"Click—"

In the silent space, a sound echoed as the tightly shut door swung open.

Chen Bai rose and casually clapped his hands, saying, "Fifty, thanks for your patronage."

As he pulled up the payment code, he chattered on, "It should really be more expensive, but since you're my handsome neighbor, I'll give you a discount."

The handsome man took out his phone to make the payment.

Upon receiving the hard-earned fee, Chen Bai glanced down at his phone. Then, lifting his eyes with a smile, he promptly packed up his belongings and retreated behind his own door. With a wave before closing it, his eyes shone remarkably bright: "Goodbye, may you have pleasant dreams."

Turns out, this person was indeed a legitimate locksmith after all.

Xu Sinian still held his phone for payment as he watched the door close before him.

The person who had just left must have been in a hurry, closing the door without hesitation, and the faint sound of quickening footsteps could still be heard receding into the distance.

After casting only a brief glance, he shifted his gaze back, pocketed his phone, and stepped through the already open door.

Chen Bai was rushing back to start his live stream.

With the unexpected addition of unlocking the door, he arrived at his computer close to his usual streaming time. After making some simple adjustments to his equipment, he started the broadcast right on schedule.

Having streamed for a period of time, his live room gradually attracted regular viewers who tuned in punctually. As soon as the broadcast began, people started entering, most with familiar IDs.

"Such punctuality from Erbai"

"The daily question: Did Erbai lose today?"

"Didn't lose yesterday, damn it. Let's see if he loses today."

"Bai, your camera seems a bit off."

"You all hope for the best in others, don't you?"

Chen Bai glanced at the barrage of comments while waiting to enter the game, chatting with viewers and adjusting his webcam simultaneously.

The small window in the top left corner of the screen jolted conspicuously twice before beginning to spin, causing the audience's heads to swim as they watched.

"Master, stop shaking it!!"

"It's painful enough to lose one's rank, but Chen Erbai's promotion stings even more."

"Dizzying rotations, but in digital form."

The computer screen had already transitioned into the game interface, and Chen Bai hastened his adjustments, saying, "Bear with me, everyone."

As soon as he finished speaking, the webcam began to swing in large arcs again, suddenly tilting upwards at a certain point, following the line of his neck, only to halt just before his jaw came into view, returning to its usual angle.

"Darn it! So close!"

"I'm curious about what Erbai looks like. By the way, why doesn't Erbai show his face?"

"Well played, kid; the camera shift was timely indeed."

Having finally adjusted the angle to his satisfaction, Chen Bai retracted his hand and glanced at the barrage of comments, chuckling as he said, "I'm not particularly distinctive in appearance; we all have one nose and two eyes, nothing much to see here, so let's not dwell on it."

He launched the game and asked, "Which map would you like to visit today?"

The topic was thus easily brushed aside.

That night, as compensation for the delay, Chen Bai streamed for an extra half hour. After signing off, he washed up and promptly collapsed onto his bed, closing his eyes in serene repose.

Having gone to bed late, when the alarm rang early the next morning, a hand emerged from beneath the covers with uncanny accuracy to find the phone. The person in the bed shut off the alarm without even opening their eyes.

Silence reclaimed the room, and the figure in the bed remained still.

It wasn't until sunlight began to pierce through the window, shining directly into his eyelids, that the motionless form stirred like a corpse coming back to life.

"..."

A vague awareness flickered in his sluggish mind, suddenly registering something. In a sudden jolt, Chen Bai sat up straight from what could only be described as a deathbed recovery, frantically searching the bed for the phone he had tossed aside.

The phone was already switched off.

As he waited for the phone to turn back on, Chen Bai rolled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom in the first instance, his hair a disheveled mess.

It was the beginning of a new month, the day that Supporting Actor Brother had originally scheduled to meet Huochuan.

He had memorized it after seeing it in his calendar, even setting an alarm the day before to ensure he wouldn't oversleep.

Yet, the alarm proved futile.

The alarm went off at half past eight, but Chen Bai didn't rise until nearly ten o'clock. They had agreed to have lunch together, requiring them to meet by half past eleven.

Getting to the designated restaurant from here would take over an hour; taking a taxi would be quicker, but Chen Bai staunchly defended every penny of his wealth, deciding instead to take the subway.

His brain hadn't fully rebooted yet, but his system was already running on autopilot. After exiting the bathroom, the man who had somewhat tamed his unruly hair changed into clothes with remarkable speed.

Although he didn't know much about the Overlord's First Love, he could guess that someone of noble birth like the First Love wouldn't mix a short-sleeved shirt with a jacket from a supermarket clearance sale.

From the depths of his closet, he retrieved a shirt hanging on a hanger, then painstakingly dug out a light gray cashmere cardigan. Chen Bai quickly slipped them on, grabbed his keys, and stepped out the door.

Rushed for time but not forgetting breakfast, Chen Bai resolutely dashed towards the breakfast joint after descending the stairs. It was past breakfast hours, and the store had little left to offer; the owner sold him a leek box pie that he'd reserved for his own meal.

Objectively speaking, the leek box pie was delicious.

Subjectively, Chen Bai's sluggish mind finally booted up, recalling that an ethereal beauty like Bai Yueguang would never eat something as mundane as a leek box pie.

Even less so before meeting someone.

"..."

Without even seeing her face, he already felt the weight of realization that his job, yet to begin, was destined to end today.

Biting down on his tongue while walking and eating, he persevered in devouring the pie.

The restaurant they'd arranged to meet at was located at the top floor of a landmark building in the heart of the city. He arrived by subway right on schedule.

Fortunately, Mr. Huo, preoccupied with his many affairs, hadn't arrived yet. Guided to his seat by a dedicated staff member, Chen Bai didn't bother looking at the menu. After sitting down with nothing to do, he turned his gaze out the window.

His seat was by the window, the highest point around, offering a panoramic view of various buildings and the wide river separating towering skyscrapers below. Cars flowed continuously over the bridge spanning the river, while ferries slowly cruised beneath it. The river's surface shimmered with light, presenting a scene of tranquility.

Then, on the bridge, two cars collided slightly, shattering the tranquility.

The drivers of the two vehicles got out to argue and within a minute, the dispute escalated into physical confrontation. Chen Bai, who was about to look away, froze instantly, his gaze fixed on the scene, his body even leaning forward slightly.

Huochuan arrived later.

He had been delayed by an unexpected matter before coming, arriving later than he had anticipated.

The manager was already waiting, informing him that the other guest had arrived and leading him to where the other person was situated.

As they walked, the manager stole a glance at the man beside him.

Tall and expressionless, Huochuan wore a black suit that moved with him like it carried its own breeze, exuding a commanding presence. As the head of a prestigious family, the manager didn't know much about him but had heard from guests that he was a frequent face on financial channels, known for his impeccable character and lack of scandalous rumors.

This man, known for his scarcity of scandal, looked towards the figure sitting by the window, his previously impassive face finally showing a hint of change.

Outside the window stretched an unbroken expanse of blue sky. The slender silhouette by the window, supporting their cheek, gazed outwards with downcast eyes. The white shirt was pristine, the long eyelashes casting shadows around the eyes in the light.

As if sensing the movement from this side, the man turned his head, his pale gray eyes piercing like an icicle, stabbing straight into one's heart.

He approached step by step until he stood beside the table. Huochuan slightly raised his hand. Just before his fingertips could touch the slightly disheveled hair, the person sitting down shifted his body, narrowly avoiding his touch.

There was a momentary, subtle stillness in the atmosphere.

The manager found it hard to react for a moment, standing silently by the side with his ears pricked up.

Huochuan withdrew his hand and whispered, "I'm sorry."

The seated man replied indifferently that it was fine, causing the manager to steal a second glance at him.

Truly deserving of being the one dining alone with President Huo! This man was so composed even under such circumstances.

In reality, Chen Bai wasn't exactly composed.

It wasn't so much composure as it was the calmness born from anticipating the outcome, allowing any event to pass without stirring his emotions.

From the moment he dodged the hand of his esteemed client, he knew his job was inching closer to its end.

Fortunately, the client didn't seem to have any immediate intention of firing him on the spot. He sat down opposite Chen Bai and asked, "Have you been here long?"

Chen Bai kept his words to a minimum: "Just arrived."

Unaware during the commotion, he now became conscious of the pain in his tongue from biting it while eating his leek box earlier, each word sending a jolt of pain through him.

No longer expecting to secure this job, he chose between losing it after enduring more pain or less; he opted for the latter without hesitation.

Today was destined to be a wasted trip. It was just a pity that due to the interruption, he missed out on the full spectacle. By the time he looked back, he could only see the ambulance leaving, having missed the climax.

It was unclear which driver emerged victorious.

Mr. Huo, the client, unexpectedly showed no displeasure at the brevity of his words, and inquired what he would like to eat.

The lingering taste of the leek boxes still danced in Chen Bai's mind, compounded by the need to soothe his bitten tongue with something less spicy than his usual fare. Uncharacteristically, Chen, a self-proclaimed chili aficionado, opted for dishes on the milder side.

From his personal perspective, mild flavors bordered on tastelessness. Adhering to his fundamental respect for food, he forced himself to finish the bland meat and swallow the flavorless soup. Meanwhile, he engaged in a stilted conversation with the client, exchanging words cautiously, one by one.

After the conversation had run its course, he rose and excused himself to visit the restroom.

On his way to the restroom from his seat, Chen Bai caught sight of an unused piano tucked away in a corner. When he returned from the washroom, he noticed two people standing by the piano, which had previously been unoccupied.

One of them was the manager he had seen earlier, whose composure was clearly not as impeccable as before. His brows were knitted tightly as he said,

"…You're telling me that the accident on the bridge you mentioned earlier, where he got into a fender bender with another car, resulted in him being beaten up and unable to play the piano?"

Chen Bai paused in his tracks, surprised to hear more about the earlier commotion. He glanced at the manager again.

The manager's swift reaction suggested that he too had been engrossed in the spectacle earlier.

"That's not quite it," the other person interjected. "Mr. Zhang just happened to be passing by and got so engrossed in watching that he tripped and fell. Unfortunately, his hand landed on the railing, and he had to be taken away by the ambulance. It looks like he might have a broken bone."

Manager: "…"

Chen Bai: "…"

So that was the person who was taken away by the ambulance.

It's hard to pass judgment on the entire affair; without lingering further, Chen Bai continued to his seat.

As he returned to his place, his client was just putting away his phone, and Chen Bai overheard him say, "We'll talk later."

Instantly, Chen Bai understood that the busy tycoon was likely going to cut this meal short.

His first and last job of its kind was coming to an end.

Sure enough, after sitting down, the man across from him said, "That was a work call just now, there's an urgent matter."

Chen Bai nodded, waiting silently for more.

Then Huochuan said, "Next time we meet, it won't be like this."

"Understood."

A job barely in its infancy had come to an end, and all Chen Bai could hope for was some form of compensation for his efforts. He made an okay gesture, only to realize something was amiss a moment later: "...Huh?"

Next time? What next time?

Huochuan rose to his feet, his gaze sweeping past the slightly astonished eyebrows and eyes. His originally fairly gentle face returned to its expressionless state as he departed.

This man sure knows how to switch expressions quickly.

Huochuan left, but Chen Bai stayed.

Given the choice between seeing his boss off and remaining to enjoy the dessert that hadn't yet been served, he opted for respect towards food. The meal was bland and tasteless, but free; he couldn't afford to waste a single grain of it.

Swallowing the last bite of dessert, he finally remembered something when the manager walked by, promptly calling out to stop the person who was almost about to leave him behind.

Hearing someone call out his name, the manager turned around abruptly, only to be met with a serious face.

He had seen this expression before, on the faces of customers who had previously complained about the dishes in the restaurant. Recalling the dishes introduced today at lightning speed, the manager mirrored the serious expression and asked, "May I ask what you need?"

Chen Bai responded with equal politeness, saying, "Excuse me, is the restaurant currently in need of a pianist?"