Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The moment Fu Xiuning saw Xing Shi, he had a premonition that the favorability value was likely to change.

But resistance was futile, and the notification sound still went off.

He tried to keep his cool and asked, "You dyed your hair?"

Xing Shi toned down his dazzling smile.

He thought to himself that being too handsome can be a curse, and he was really making things difficult for himself, and said, "Yeah, the stylist said it would look good."

He had no concept of "honey gold" and "lavender pink" before, and only learned the specific colors today when he saw the wig samples.

The stylist wanted to dye his hair lavender pink, saying it had a first-love feel. But he found that honey gold was somewhat similar to his hair color in the magic world, so he chose it for good luck, planning to change it after he finishes with the system.

The stylist also liked honey gold and efficiently dyed his hair.

The honey gold, a soft blend of cream and gold, wasn’t as cold as silver, but had a warm, sophisticated tone that complemented Xing Shi’s mature yet youthful charm.

While lavender pink made Xing Shi look vibrant and lively, honey gold gave him a regal and mysterious aura, yet his smile remained disarmingly charming, blending elegance with a playful sparkle.

Fu Xiuning kept his emotions in check. "The place we're going to later will be crowded. Do you have a hat upstairs?"

Xing Shi said, "Yes, I'll get it."

As he turned around, he heard the notification sound again.

"Ding"

"Current favorability value: -5"

He stepped into the elevator, waited a few seconds silently, and asked, "Did it drop again?"

The system said, "No, it didn’t."

Xing Shi said, "Why is it so steady this time?"

The system sighed, "Ah, I knew the favorability might increase after you dyed your hair, and I also knew he would struggle, which is why it dropped again."

The system shrugged. "Not bad. Only dropped by 1 point. Now we’re on par with Lin Kecheng. We’ll catch up soon enough, no need to stress. Just stay calm."

Xing Shi thought, you're actually comforting me now, and said, "Yeah, no rush."

The trainees had just finished class and saw him walking towards them, immediately exclaiming, "Whoa!"

Feng Zifan, seeing him approach, secretly took a breath and said, "Are you even letting anyone else live?"

Xing Shi raised an eyebrow and smiled, "No way, it's natural, give me your cap."

Feng Zifan said, "Are you going to eat directly? Why wear a hat?"

Xing Shi said, "I have something to do."

Feng Zifan handed over the cap and an unopened mask, reminding him to stay safe on his way.

Xing Shi grabbed the cap and mask and headed back to the parking lot.

He put on the cap before stepping out of the elevator, saw that Fu Xiuning was already in the car, so he climbed into the passenger seat.

Fu Xiuning watched as he fastened his seatbelt.

Xing Shi lowered his head slightly, the brim of his hat covering part of his eyebrows and eyes, but the half of his face that was visible had elegant features and was still very captivating.

He shifted his gaze away.

He had known for a long time that he liked this person's face.

Fu Xiuning started the car and slowly drove out, his expression calm.

But by the time he realized his feelings, the other person was already gone, leaving no chance to get to know him.

"Didi."

"Current affection level: -6."

Xing Shi kept his gaze straight ahead, remaining calm.

The system exclaimed, "Why did it drop again!"

Xing Shi said, "He's still conflicted."

The system said, "But it's dropping too fast. How can he be so stubborn? There's nothing wrong with admitting you had a crush on someone at first sight!"

Xing Shi replied, "Take it easy, stay calm."

The system: "..."

It was Friday evening rush hour, and there was a lot of traffic. They hit a few traffic jams before finally merging onto the highway.

Curious, Xing Shi asked, "Boss, where are we going?"

Fu Xiuning said, "The airport."

Xing Shi asked, "Who are we picking up?"

Fu Xiuning's lips curled slightly. "Director He and Qi Changyi."

He patiently explained, "I mentioned a few days ago that Qi Changyi would be coming for a promotional tour. Do you remember? Their flight is today."

Xing Shi was surprised; he had thought they would arrive tomorrow.

He asked, "Are we having dinner with them tonight?"

Fu Xiuning nodded. "It's a rare opportunity. I’ll introduce you to everyone."

Xing Shi looked at him. "Boss, there's actually something I haven't told you."

Fu Xiuning played along. "What is it?"

Xing Shi said, "Director He is my father. Biological."

Fu Xiuning's expression showed surprise. "What?"

Xing Shi said, "It's true."

Fu Xiuning paused for a moment before asking, "With your connections, why did you decide to become a trainee?"

Xing Shi was equally curious about that.

The original owner's profile, like Fu Xiuning's, was a brief, objective summary of life, lacking personal opinions or insights. Many details were inferred from the original owner's actions.

He casually gave an answer: "I want to prove that I can succeed without relying on my family."

Fu Xiuning took it as truth and gently encouraged him, supporting his idea.

Xing Shi was deeply moved: "Thank you, boss. You're really nice."

Fu Xiuning simply nodded, accepting the compliment with ease.

Xing Shi changed the subject: "So can you tell me when you found out?"

Fu Xiuning remained expressionless: "Hmm?"

Xing Shi reasoned: "Those top students from Class 1 are the company's main candidates for the talent show. Shouldn't you be planning for them?"

Fu Xiuning said: "They're about to enter the training camp; they don't need me. Given the recent media attention, you have the most followers. I want to focus on nurturing you."

Xing Shi said: "But for the sake of maximizing benefits, you should bring one or two more people."

Fu Xiuning said leisurely: "Maybe because you're my junior from school, bringing you along makes it seem less self-serving?"

Xing Shi said: "Then we could just meet at the restaurant. Qi Changyi is already the company boss, not only the lead actor of the film but also related to Director He. Having him there is enough. Is there a need for you to personally pick them up? So eager to bring me along, it's like you're trying to give me some warmth."

Fu Xiuning's smile deepened.

"Ding"

"Current favorability: -5"

Fu Xiuning knew this kid was sharp and wouldn't be so easily fooled.

Without hesitation, he spilled the beans: "Qi Changyi asked about you a few days ago, and I inquired."

Xing Shi said: "...What did he say?"

Fu Xiuning said: "He said you're his unmet brother and wants to develop a relationship with you."

Xing Shi and the system: "..."

Sure enough, there's an ulterior motive here, right?

He just said 'Oh' and slumped back, too resigned to ask anymore.

Twenty minutes later, the two arrived at the airport.

Director He's plane landed on time, and before Xing Shi could see them, he received a message informing him they had arrived in Z City that evening.

He didn't reply and waited at the VIP lounge exit. A group of six people emerged, two of them heavily covered with hats and masks, while the remaining four were less covered, either wearing only hats or masks, or nothing at all.

Xing Shi's eyes fell on the middle-aged man wearing only a hat. As the man came closer, Xing Shi saw him more clearly. Average height, slightly built, but with strikingly handsome features. He was smiling and chatting with the person beside him, radiating warmth and friendliness.

A sudden wave of emotion welled up in Xing Shi's chest, catching him off guard. It was overwhelming, yet he couldn't pinpoint why.

For a moment, he was back in the magical continent: the blood-stained dagger from his first life-and-death fight; the dark swamp forest where he hid from pursuers; the cold, sleepless nights of pain; the blood moon valley where he barely survived.

He'd met all kinds of people—witches looking for their sisters, brothers sticking together, hunters risking it all for their wives, fathers avenging their kids... He walked on, and the city lights stretched out before him, but none of the homes were his.

Xing Shi pushed his hat brim down and closed his eyes abruptly.

The system was the first to notice something was off and asked, "Are you crying?"

Fu Xiuning paused and glanced at Xing Shi out of the corner of his eye.

He heard Xing Shi's voice, as calm as ever. "What are you thinking about? I'm just getting into character."

The system didn't understand. "Getting into what kind of emotion?"

Xing Shi said, "To hug He Dao and cry, 'Dad, I was wrong. I won't cause any more trouble. Let's try to live a good life.' Would that work to change his personality like this?"

The system sounded alarmed. "No, don't even joke about that!"

It had only casually suggested making peace at home, mentioning it occasionally without pushing, worried that he might break character and that Qi Changyi might give him a hard time. But the host had bigger plans from the start. It said, "Stay calm. If we're suspected, I can't be sure what they'll do. He Dao is very busy. Let's just get through this, and keep your face grumpy."

"I'll try," Xing Shi said.

After a few more words, his emotions finally eased, and he lifted his hat slightly.

Fu Xiuning casually glanced at him and saw that his expression was normal, with no signs of crying.

During this time, He Dao and his group approached.

Xing Shi had been looking down, so they only saw the gentle and refined Fu Xiuning. It wasn't until this moment that they realized Xing Shi was also there.

He Dao was visibly shaken. "Sui Sui?"

Xing Shi looked at him.

After an unexpected emotional surge, he felt that he was probably the original host. No reason, just intuition.

Losing his memories wasn't a problem; he had read the original host's files.

The conflict between the original host and He Dao was simple. When the original host was eight, his mother died in a car accident. He Dao raised him alone until he was ten, then became fully focused on his career, rarely able to attend to him. Later, he went abroad to make movies and was essentially absent throughout his middle school years.

By the time the original host was a sophomore in high school, He Dao wanted to remarry. The original host figured, if you have time for dating but not for raising a kid, then I don't need a dad.

He Dao, feeling guilty, had been extra careful these past two years.

Xing Shi thought that if he were truly the original host, with his current mindset, he would find this situation insignificant.

Children have their own lives, and parents have theirs. Although He Dao was somewhat irresponsible, he still made time to see him every year and stayed for a few extra days when possible. With grandparents and a nanny by his side, the original host had food and shelter and grew up safely.

When it came to life and death, everything else was small stuff.

He called out, "Dad."

He Dao hadn't been called that in a long time and quickly responded, walking over and sizing him up. "You've lost weight."

Xing Shi said, "I'm okay."

Noticing how calm he was, He Dao hesitated, then reached out to touch his son, but someone else arrived just then.

Qi Changyi took off his mask, a smile on his face. "So this is Sui Sui. I've heard Director He mention you a lot. You're indeed a sharp dresser and a smart guy."

Director He came back to his senses and said, "Oh, right. This is Qi Changyi. You should know him, right? He'll take care of you in the company from now on."

They had already finished talking.

The tense family atmosphere was something that needed to be addressed. Qi Changyi was a few years older than Xing Shi, so the age difference wasn't too big, and they didn't have much of a generation gap. It was decided that Qi Changyi would step in and talk to Xing Shi. Director He trusted Qi Changyi and knew he wouldn't mess with his son, so he agreed.

Understanding where Xing Shi was coming from, Qi Changyi knew the kid wasn't in the wrong. However, the fact that his aunt and Director He had only gotten their marriage certificate and hadn't held a wedding was still true. He wanted his aunt to be happy and planned to build a solid relationship with Xing Shi, one step at a time, slowly easing the tension.

Xing Shi glanced at him and nodded. "Yeah, I know him."

He greeted him casually, "Hey, Cousin."

Director He and Qi Changyi, who had been planning to bring up this connection over dinner, were left speechless.

He said 'Cousin' so smoothly that they were caught off guard and didn't know how to respond.