Chapter 22

Chapter 22

As expected, Fu Xiuning received a message from Qi Changyi.

After he finished explaining, the person beside him had finished their honey water and stood up.

He noticed Xing Shi wobbled a bit at first but quickly regained his balance.

The system also noticed his wobble and asked, "I’ve finished checking. Can you listen now?"

Xing Shi stayed calm. "Go ahead."

The system said, "Yu Shu, male, 22 years old, signed artist with June Culture Media, singer, actor, currently filming a television series, and scheduled to participate in an upcoming variety show..."

Xing Shi held onto the sideboard. "Let’s talk about this tomorrow."

The system: "..."

With no more mental distractions, Xing Shi’s steps became steady again.

He took a quick shower in the bathroom, tidied up, and got into bed.

Maybe it was the alcohol, the room’s soundproofing, the quiet neighborhood, or simply the relief from physical exhaustion. Whatever the reason, he slept like a log and woke up feeling refreshed.

Around 6:30 AM, he got up, washed up, and headed out for a run.

Though he was new to the area, the system easily helped him plan a good route.

The system, figuring his massive appetite didn’t lead to weight gain thanks to all the exercise, watched him run while reciting Yu Shu’s info.

Xing Shi asked, "You think he could be the host?"

The system replied, "I don’t know. What do you want to do?"

Xing Shi said, "I’m just asking."

The system, worried he might cause trouble, said, "We don’t need allies with our strength. Plus, some hosts, like you, come from other worlds. We don’t know where they’re from, and if they’re not trustworthy, it could get messy."

Xing Shi casually responded and, after finishing his run, returned to see the housekeeper already making breakfast.

The housekeeper had received Fu Xiuning's message and knew someone was moving in, but she didn’t expect him to be so good-looking, which made her smile more warmly.

Xing Shi greeted her politely, grabbed a bottle of water, and headed out.

That was when Fu Xiuning appeared.

Before Xing Shi could see him, he heard the notification sound.

"Ding"

"Current favorability: -5"

Xing Shi and the system were used to this by now, assuming the value had dropped again.

Fu Xiuning also heard it but paid no attention. He walked a few steps forward and saw the person coming out of the dining room.

Xing Shi, wearing a sleeveless sports shirt, had just finished his morning run. His forehead was wet with sweat, which ran down his cheeks to his neck, and his surrounding skin had a faint flush.

"Ding"

"Current favorability: -4"

Xing Shi: “……”

System: “Tsk.”

Fu Xiuning: “……”

Xing Shi unscrewed the bottle cap and met Fu Xiuning’s gaze. “Morning.”

Fu Xiuning remained expressionless. “Morning.”

After exchanging greetings, one of them went to take a shower in the room, while the other headed into the living room.

It was Sunday, and after breakfast, Xing Shi headed to the company for training.

He had taken the afternoon off the previous day and didn’t return until late. During the break, Feng Zifan and Yu Yi filled Xing Shi in on what they’d learned and then started gossiping.

Feng Zifan said, “A few people from Class 1 filled out the forms yesterday, confirming they want to enter the company.”

Xing Shi had heard Fu Xiuning mention this. “Hmm,” he responded.

Feng Zifan lowered his voice. “Really not you?”

Xing Shi said, “I still don’t know anything.”

Feng Zifan disagreed. “There were people in last year’s talent show who didn’t know anything either, but they were handsome, and now they’re acting in dramas.”

Xing Shi said, “I still want to take it slow and steady.”

Feng Zifan, seeing him slouched against the wall, thought this wasn’t about being steady but lazy. Helpless, he said, “You’re really something else… Do you even know how low the debut rate for trainees is?”

Yu Yi, curious, asked, “How low?”

Feng Zifan looked at the two faces turned toward him. “Never mind, it doesn’t concern you… No, wait.”

He suddenly realized something and said to Xing Shi, “After debuting, you don’t have to train so hard, right? It should be easier?”

Xing Shi was quite satisfied with the current simple environment where only physical energy was consumed.

While the competition for debut positions was intense and sometimes involved underhanded tactics, no one dared to mess with him, so he was living pretty comfortably.

However, his goal was to dismantle the system. If the other hosts were all artists, that would be a different story.

He said, “We’ll see.”

After the break, they continued training.

During the third break, Xing Shi got a message from Fu Xiuning.

The manager doesn’t work on Sundays, so as agreed, someone was sent to buy a desk. The living room had plenty of space to set up a study area. The assistant took care of it, and besides a long solid wood desk, a bookshelf was also arranged. Together, they matched the overall style of the living room.

Xing Shi glanced at the photos and replied, “Really happy with it, thanks, bro!”

Fu Xiuning asked, “Are you going to put the books yourself when you come back, or should I have someone place them on the shelf for you?”

Xing Shi: “You guys can handle it.”

Fu Xiuning: "Hmm, He Dao and the others have an afternoon flight. We're having lunch together at noon. Did he mention it to you?"

Xing Shi: "He did."

Fu Xiuning: "Then I'll pick you up at noon."

Xing Shi: "Okay."

Fu Xiuning put away his phone and signaled the assistant to put away the books.

The box of books had been left in the living room since yesterday because after dragging his suitcase into the room, the person had been busy with other things and forgot to move it inside. The assistant had just asked about the box, which prompted him to ask Xing Shi.

At this, the assistant brought the box over and began placing the books on the shelf one by one.

Fu Xiuning casually pulled out a calculus book and flipped through it, finding a sheet of calculation paper inside with problems from the latest chapter. He realized the kid had actually been paying attention in class.

The hosts from another world were all in a state of amnesia, and he wasn't sure if they could understand. His eyes traced the formula to the end, where the final answer was marked with a question mark. After a moment, he understood.

So, after all that work, he got the wrong answer?

He chuckled and put the book back.

The location for lunch wasn't at Lin Lan Yuan but at a restaurant with a different cuisine.

This time, there were only four people. When Xing Shi entered the private room, He Dao and Qi Changyi were already there.

Qi Changyi waved his phone. "Someone was asking about you and reached out to me."

Xing Shi raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?"

Qi Changyi said, "Didn't you guys post your practice footage this morning?"

Xing Shi nodded. The company was managing their social media for now, posting regular updates. Today, he was scheduled to film a short video.

Seeing Xing Shi's calm expression, Qi Changyi asked, "So, you haven't checked the reactions?"

Xing Shi said, "I’m not trending again, am I?"

Qi Changyi laughed. "Not quite."

It was just too much of a coincidence.

With the talent show approaching, entertainment companies were closely watching each other, and the directors reached out to Qi Changyi after seeing the comments on Xing Shi's new hair color video.

"Most companies have already submitted their contestant lists. The director knows you're not on it and asked me if I could push you in," Qi Changyi said with a smile. "What do you say?"

Xing Shi declined; participating in the show would mean staying at the facility for months, which would be too much of a hassle.

Qi Changyi didn't try to persuade him and started replying to messages.

Xing Shi, who hadn’t been to this place before, glanced at Fu Xiuning for guidance. They had eaten together a few times, and their tastes were relatively similar. Generally, if Fu Xiuning approved of something, it tasted good.

Fu Xiuning said, "Feel free to order whatever you like."

Understanding this to mean the chef was skilled, Xing Shi ordered what he wanted and asked the other three for their preferences before submitting the order.

Director He looked at his son and, after exchanging a few pleasantries about family matters, asked, "How do you get along with the other trainees in the company?"

Xing Shi replied, "Pretty well."

Director He said, "You're so handsome. Don't they get jealous of you?"

Xing Shi said, "Probably, but no one dares to show it."

Director He glanced at Fu Xiuning, who was sitting diagonally across from him, and thought to himself, *Indeed, with such a good relationship with the boss, who would dare to provoke him?*

With a heavy heart, he observed that Xing Shi's temperament was still the same as before. It wasn't that he had been too lazy to argue that day—he was always like this now.

That morning, he had gone to Z University to ask about his son's situation, and the feedback from the teachers had all been good. He had also checked the school's forum but found no clues. His son had changed for some unknown reason at an unknown time.

The meal was eaten with a heavy heart.

After they finished the meal and settled the bill, Qi Changyi, claiming he had something to do at the company, insisted on taking over the task of sending Xing Shi back. Director He then sat in Fu Xiuning's car to return to the hotel and only then asked, "How long have you known Sui Sui?"

Fu Xiuning answered truthfully, "Not long. I only met him after he signed with the company."

Director He tried to keep his tone light, "This kid used to be pretty wild when he was younger. After going to college, his temperament finally improved. When you met him, was he already like this?"

Fu Xiuning's mind raced, unsure if Director He had noticed anything off about Xing Shi. But since Xing Shi was now under his watch, it wasn't the time to stir up trouble. He simply responded with an "Mm," adding, "When you're out on your own, you have to grow up fast."

However... he couldn't help but ask, "What was he like before?"

*Different people express themselves in different ways,* he thought. *If the original Xing Shi were still here, what kind of expression would that face show? Would it disappoint or exceed expectations?*

*If I had met the original Xing Shi on the first day of class, would I have taken the initiative to befriend him?*

And now, how much was he influenced by that face, and how much of it was related to the soul inside?

Director He said, "He used to be cooler, making people think he was hard to approach, but it was just an act. He was actually too lazy to deal with people. Usually, he only struck back when someone provoked him."

Fu Xiuning asked, "How did he strike back?"

Director He smiled, "He had plenty of tricks up his sleeve, always something new."

Halfway through his smile, a shadow crossed his heart again.

He would rather Xing Shi had remained as lively and mischievous as before, bluntly causing trouble and shutting people down.

It was okay; he had been negligent all these years, lacking in companionship. He could keep apologizing and coaxing him until Xing Shi was no longer mad, instead of this sudden change as if he had grown up overnight.

*What could possibly be good about growing up so fast?*

Director He let out a quiet sigh. "Now... he has indeed changed a lot."

Fu Xiuning calmly probed, "Has he changed like he's been switched?"

Director He chuckled, "That's not the case. It's just his personality that has changed."

Fu Xiuning couldn't suppress his mischievous side. "Really? You're that sure?"

Director He said, "Of course. A parent would recognize their own child. Even if he had a completely different face, I would still recognize him."

Fu Xiuning dropped Director He off at the hotel and drove home.

As he stopped at a red light, the phrase still lingered in his mind.

"No way," he thought.

He had heard Xing Shi being bound as he crossed over.

But... Xing Shi was full of surprises, so what was impossible?

As the light turned green, Fu Xiuning hit the gas and sped off toward the office.