Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Director Li had met Fu Xiuning at a drinking party before and knew that he was the boss of June Culture Media.

It was fair to say that anyone with an eye for good looks would be unable to forget Fu Xiuning after meeting him.

As he turned, he saw Fu Xiuning offering an ice cream to Xing Shi. From this angle, his slightly raised arm partially obscured his face. Only when it was lowered did he recognize who it was. He was taken aback for a moment before quickly standing up.

"Mr. Fu?" he asked in surprise, "What brings you to the set?"

Fu Xiuning said, "I heard he's shooting a music video here, so I came to take a look."

Director Li was even more surprised. It was clear that this wasn't just any trainee, given that the CEO of a company was visiting him on set. Seeing that Fu Xiuning wasn't hiding anything, he asked directly, "Is he yours?"

Fu Xiuning replied, "He's my brother."

Director Li was quite taken aback but reacted quickly. He beckoned to Xing Shi, who ran over, took the ice cream from Fu Xiuning, and eagerly scooped a spoonful.

At this point, the assistant had also distributed cold drinks and fruit to the crew.

Director Li waved his hand and announced a short break.

The crew cheered and dug into their snacks.

They had noticed Fu Xiuning when he arrived and initially assumed he and Yu Shu were friends. Now, upon learning that he was the boss, they couldn't help but discuss among themselves, remarking that this boss was even better-looking than some celebrities.

The director, who had been focused on Xing Shi, only realized from the crew that Fu Xiuning had already been there for over ten minutes. He glanced at Xing Shi, who was enjoying his ice cream, and noted that the brothers seemed close.

He continued to explain the scene to Xing Shi without pause.

The plot of the music video was quite simple, revolving around a character's unrequited love.

In everyday life, every object the protagonist sees and every small event they encounter reminds them of the person they like. This person brings them joy but also distress.

Yu Yi played the role of the protagonist's friend in the video. He was in a relationship with another supporting character, a tall and rugged male model. In the story, the three were friends and would occasionally play basketball or have a meal together. Yu Yi and the male model got along well. As they interacted, the protagonist would zone out and think of the person they loved.

This secondary couple was subtly portrayed. At first glance, they appeared to be just friends, but upon closer inspection, one might suspect they were more than that. Therefore, Yu Yi's role was simple; he just needed to appear happy, without needing to express too much bliss.

By contrast, the protagonist's role was a tougher challenge for a newcomer.

Since the object of affection never appeared in the story, the protagonist had to convey their emotions solely through their eyes and expressions.

Director Li looked at Xing Shi's face ambitiously and said, "I want the effect where, when you light up, the audience can feel the sweetness and be happy for you. When you're down and troubled, the audience should empathize so much that they wish they could rush into the screen and ask your love interest why they don't like you."

Xing Shi, enjoying his ice cream, nodded obediently, "Okay, I'll do my best."

Director Li was pleased. With his striking appearance and strong backing, it was rare to find someone so patient, even after being denied several times on a hot day.

Yu Shu interjected, "Should I share my feelings with him?"

Director Li was startled, then smiled, "That could work too."

He had discussed the music video's concept with Yu Shu before and was aware of the reason, which had been trending on social media and was no secret. He turned to Xing Shi and said, "This song was written for an unrequited love interest, so he has the most insight."

Xing Shi looked over cooperatively, "Is that so?"

Yu Shu nodded with a smile and secretly glanced at Fu Xiuning.

Fu Xiuning held the cup with one hand, his expression as calm and distant as ever, unchanged from their first meeting.

When Yu Shu was first bound by the system, he was immediately drawn to him and without hesitation chose the romance route.

Under the sunshade, there was a round table, with only the four of them sitting.

He said, "Let me tell you first why I arranged for a side couple in the MV. It's because the person I like is also a man."

Xing Shi feigned surprise, "Ah?"

Yu Shu smiled, "Did I scare you?"

Xing Shi adjusted his expression, "Not really, just a little surprised."

Yu Shu asked, "Do you mind this kind of thing?"

Xing Shi said, "No."

Yu Shu said a thank you and then got to the main point, "The person I like..."

He paused slightly, his eyes filled with gentleness, "is an incredibly talented and remarkable person, and many people are pursuing him. I had an instant crush on him, and every time I see him, my heart is filled with joy. I cherish every moment I spend with him. After we part, I listen for news of him through various channels, and even the smallest things about him can hold my attention for hours."

He sighed disappointedly, "I know he doesn't like me, and I also know there's a big gap between us. I don't know how to make him notice me. I often fear that he might suddenly fall in love with someone else. I'm eager to convey my feelings to him but also afraid that he might dislike me, which makes me feel insecure and anxious, and I'm not myself anymore."

He smiled at Xing Shi, "Does that give you any ideas?"

Xing Shi thought for a moment, "A little."

The system couldn't help but snort, "What inspiration? It's all an excuse. He's saying it for Qi Changyi to hear! Maybe later, he'll try to gain your sympathy and ask for your help!"

Xing Shi said, "You're right."

The system gloated, "Of course, I can see through his little tricks. Unfortunately, no matter how hard they try, it's clear that Qi Changyi's heart is on you!"

Xing Shi ignored it and curiously asked Yu Shu, "Have you told him how you feel?"

Yu Shu's expression showed a hint of unnoticeable tension as he shook his head, "No, I didn't dare. I was afraid that a direct confession would lead to rejection and make future meetings awkward. So for now, I'm only trying to pursue him, hoping to close the gap between us soon."

Xing Shi encouraged him, "Keep it up, Brother Yu."

Yu Shu smiled, "I will."

The break ended, and Xing Shi got back to work.

More than half of the MV was the male lead's solo performance. Yu Yi and the male model didn't have much screen time. The director wanted Xing Shi to find his rhythm first, so he signaled them to chat and get to know each other in a cooler spot.

After some interaction, they became slightly more familiar and joined the others to watch the shooting.

Fu Xiuning didn't leave; he sat and waited for someone to finish work.

Seeing Fu Xiuning today was an unexpected joy for Yu Shu, so he stayed and kept him company.

When Yu Yi passed by and saw them, he politely came over to say hello.

Yu Shu kindly encouraged the junior, "You'll probably be up next. It's normal for newcomers to feel nervous and make mistakes during their first shoot. The director is nice, so don't be afraid."

Yu Yi was full of gratitude, "Thank you, Brother Yu."

He then looked at Fu Xiuning and said sincerely, "Also, thank you, Boss, for the cold drinks and for what happened with Boss Qi last time. You may not remember, but I really appreciate it."

Fu Xiuning, knowing it was definitely Xing Shi who made up the excuse about Qi Changyi, calmly acknowledged, "Hmm."

Yu Shu watched Yu Yi leave and asked, "What's up with Boss Qi?"

Fu Xiuning said, "He’s a huge fan of Qi Changyi."

Yu Shu already knew from the system that Yu Yi and Xing Shi were roommates, so he figured Xing Shi must have arranged the meet-and-greet. "Got it."

He wasn’t interested and shifted the topic to Xing Shi. "With Xing Shi’s looks, why didn’t he participate in this year’s talent show?"

Fu Xiuning said, "He didn’t want to go himself."

Yu Shu smiled. "I see. If he had entered, he’d definitely be in the top three."

Fu Xiuning nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, Xing Shi was nailing the sweet scenes.

Thanks to the ice cream, he could now grasp the sweetness the directors wanted and quickly got into character, filming all the sweet scenes in one go.

Next was the bitter scene. After two failed attempts to get the right emotion, the directors decided to try Fu Xiuning’s method.

They bought a few ice creams and lined them up behind the camera, eating them in front of Xing Shi.

The method worked—

"Ease off, this isn’t bitterness—it’s more like resentment."

"Yours is saved for you. Just think that you have to work and will have to wait a bit to eat it... This is still resentment!"

"They’ve only eaten two bites; it’s not that bad, rein it in."

Seeing the commotion, Fu Xiuning came over and heard the system’s voice.

The system was getting frustrated and guided him, "If Fu Xiuning got together with someone else, what would your reaction be?"

Xing Shi thought for a moment. "I’d give him a gift?"

The system said, "...I'm asking about your feelings, not your actions."

It coaxed, "You’re into guys, and Fu Xiuning is one of the best out there who’s really into you. But you’re letting this slip by and watching him date someone else. Wouldn’t that be bitter?"

Xing Shi, wanting to finish the work early, thought seriously for a minute but couldn’t imagine Fu Xiuning dating someone else. "I can’t imagine it."

The system said, "Why can’t you imagine it? For example, he was moved by Yu Shu and accepted his confession."

Xing Shi snorted.

The system got excited. "Are you jealous?"

Xing Shi naturally wouldn’t tell it that Fu Xiuning knew who the host was, signaling it to be quiet as he pondered alone.

He had experienced bitterness in the magic world before. At that time, only he survived from his team, and although many of them had only known each other for a short while, watching his teammates fall one by one still left a bad taste in his heart.

He tried to empathize but still couldn’t get it right.

Director Li stroked his chin. "Much better, but there’s a stronger sense of loneliness and sharpness, like you’re about to snap at any second."

Xing Shi said, "I’ll adjust again."

The system suddenly said, "I’ve got it!"

Xing Shi said, "Hmm?"

The system said, "Suppose Fu Xiuning is no longer your brother. He doesn't let you into the restaurant, doesn't watch the little bears with you, doesn't buy you snacks or send you ice cream... In short, he doesn't care about you anymore and starts pampering someone else. You two go back to square one. What would you do?"

Xing Shi thought, "What else can I do?" and jokingly said, "I'll be his dad."

System: "..."

Do you have a thing for being a dad or what?!

That's way too much.

Although Xing Shi said this, he still seriously thought about the scenario where his relationship with Fu Xiuning broke down.

Director Li exclaimed, "Nice, that disappointment is spot on! Keep it up!"

Xing Shi was startled and caught a glimpse of Fu Xiuning from the corner of his eye, then looked over.

Fu Xiuning was also looking at him, and their eyes met.

"Beep"

"Current favorability: 22"

The system chirped, "Look, he just can't help but like you even more!"

Xing Shi said, "Shut up."

He turned away and heard the director say, "You still need to add some more bitterness. Let me think..."

Director Li knew the kid had never been in love, making it hard for him to get it. He asked, "Have you ever had any frustrating moments in your life?"

Before Xing Shi could answer, Fu Xiuning stepped forward and said, "Like failing two courses in the final exams and having to retake them in the new semester?"

Xing Shi: "!"

System: "!"

That's too harsh!

The director was surprised, "Is this effective?"

He turned to look at Xing Shi and, seeing the painful expression on his face, realized it actually worked. He seized the moment to wrap up that scene, then called Yu Yi and the others to the basketball court.

Xing Shi continued filming until the afternoon.

After being overcast for so long, it finally started raining. In the rain, he acted out both sweet and bitter moments, finally wrapping up the work.

Yu Shu said with a smile, "Congratulations on finishing, well done. I'll buy everyone dinner. Boss, want to join?"

Xing Shi looked at Fu Xiuning.

Fu Xiuning declined.

Yu Shu's face fell for a second, but he quickly plastered on a smile. "Then how about you, Xing Shi?"

Xing Shi said, "Not this time either. I was too excited yesterday and didn't sleep well. I want to go back and catch up on sleep."

He took this job and invited Fu Xiuning to watch him, all as part of a plan to lure Yu Shu.

In front of Lin Kecheng, he can play the role of an innocent and naive person, but he can't do that in front of Yu Shu. This is because Yu Shu doesn't know that he is a host, and all his understanding of him comes from the previous version of him.

According to the information of the "original owner," the previous him was smart and mischievous, making him someone who was hard to approach. Although his current personality has improved, to avoid suspicion, he has to maintain the image of being "hard to approach."

Once this label is set, anyone who wants to pursue him will have to put in some effort.

If Fu Xiuning's attitude towards him is lukewarm, Yu Shu might think it's a waste of time to pursue him and give up.

So today, he wanted Yu Shu to see Fu Xiuning's different attitude towards him, to strengthen his resolve.

After all, compared to someone who is used to all sorts of tactics and generally has a -5 attitude towards people, approaching Fu Xiuning is easier. With such an obvious opportunity in front of him, even if he is hard to approach, Yu Shu will have to make a move.

Yu Shu was rejected consecutively but still wore a smile.

He looked at Yu Yi amiably, "How about you, Yu Yi? You don't have many scenes today, and you're not as tired as he is. Let's have a meal together. Tonight, I'll personally drive you back to your company."

Yu Yi hesitated for a moment and agreed.

Yu Shu sighed in relief and smiled, patting his head, "That's great. If everyone had refused me, I would have been heartbroken."

Xing Shi knew that if anything happened to Yu Yi while he was with him, he would face severe consequences and lose a lot of points. So he would never do anything to Yu Yi. He bid them a perfunctory farewell and got into Fu Xiuning's car, leaving Z University.

By the time they got home, the housekeeper had just finished making dinner.

The two of them quickly took showers and sat at the dining table.

Satisfied after eating a few bites, Xing Shi looked at the person opposite him, "Bro, I feel like Yu Shu is quite devoted to you."

Fu Xiuning said calmly, "That's his business."

Xing Shi recalled, "I remember we mentioned him when we talked about your special physique. Lin Kecheng falls into this category of people. So is he the same as Lin Kecheng?"

Fu Xiuning looked at him, knowing he wouldn't ask about things he already knew, and said, "No, at least Lin Kecheng isn't courting me."

Xing Shi understood the emphasis of the sentence was on the first part.

Given that these two are different, it’s clear that Yu Shu is a transmigrator host. In the system's words, if the pursuit fails, they will take the person away, meaning when he absorbs energy, it's two lives at once?

He asked, "What's his character like?"

Fu Xiuning looked at him and evaluated, "Not a good person."

Among the hosts, the proportion of transmigrators is larger.

The main system selects native hosts who are ambitious but live ordinary lives. They are somewhat stereotypical. Most of them are weak-willed and lack their own opinions. Suddenly obtaining a system out of the blue, they readily collaborate with it.

In contrast, the personalities of transmigrator hosts are more distinct and varied. When they are first bound, they resist the most intensely. Over the years, more than 90% of Level One and Level Two Punishments he has seen were created by them.

However, it's not because their willpower is weak or they aren't smart enough to pretend to be sincere to the system to get by. It's because they seem to have an innate drive to pursue.

They arrive with no memory, and when a strange system binds them, most people's first reaction is defiance. But after seeing him a few more times, their attitude quickly changes.

Fu Xiuning couldn’t quite explain it, but it seemed like he had a natural pull on these people.

They watch him, eager to get close to him and win him over, so they quickly come to terms with the system and begin working together to court him.

Perhaps influenced by another world, compared to native hosts, they are more extreme and will go to great lengths to win him over.

Over the years, only Xing Shi, as a time traveler, has been the exception.

Not only did he resist the system, but even after meeting him several times, his attitude remained the same. Even when he was right under his nose, his attitude didn’t change.

Apart from eating and dismantling the system, his biggest daily hobby might be causing trouble and messing with him, with no intention of getting close to or obtaining him.

"Beep"

"Current favorability: 21"

Xing Shi: "?"

The system exclaimed, "!"

Fu Xiuning: "..."

The system exclaimed, "Why!"

Having encountered a deduction for the first time in so long, it was immediately triggered: "Is it because you keep mentioning Yu Shu, and he’s getting jealous?"

Xing Shi, also confused but knowing it couldn’t be the reason, innocently said, "I have no idea."

The system said, "Stop mentioning him, switch to another topic!"

Xing Shi responded with a "Hmm" to the comment "Not a good person," ending the topic.

Then he took a bite of his meal and secretly glanced at the person across from him, wondering if talking about Yu Shu being a bad guy made him think I’m not a good guy either.

That’s pretty low, considering we’re supposed to be brothers.

He couldn’t help but say, "You never know what’s going through his head, and I’m not trying to steal Yu Shu from you."

The system exclaimed, "Exactly!"

Xing Shi said, "Saying he doesn’t care about Yu Shu but thinking something else in his heart, tch."

The system corrected, "No, he’s worried about you. You can’t keep bringing up other people in front of him, understand?"

Xing Shi said, "I don’t know!"

Fu Xiuning: "..."

Xing Shi had just casually muttered and quickly ignored this side note, focusing on his meal.

After a few seconds of silence, Fu Xiuning also skipped the matter and switched to the main topic: "He will definitely approach you later. If it gets annoying, just throw him to me."

Xing Shi paused his meal and looked up at him.

Fu Xiuning said, "I’ll handle him for you."

Xing Shi understood what the other person meant.

He was worried Yu Shu might go too far and get him into trouble.

He remained calm: "It’s okay, let’s see how he plans to approach me first. Rest assured, no matter what he does, I’ll inform you right away."

Yu Shu contacted him again a week later.

They added each other on WeChat that day when the job was confirmed and set up a group chat with Fu Xiuning.

The other party sent a voice message, filled with obvious amusement.

"The first version of the MV is edited. Do you want to come take a look? It's at Director Li's studio, not too far from the company. I'll send a car to pick you up. How about we grab lunch and then head back?"

Yu Yi was on a break between classes when he listened to the message, his eyes lighting up as he turned to Xing Shi.

Feng Zifan saw his expression and asked, "What's going on?"

Yu Yi whispered the reason to him.

Feng Zifan was really curious and wanted to go, but he remembered they had signed a non-disclosure agreement. They couldn't reveal much about the MV until it officially launched.

He sounded a little jealous. "If it were me, I'd be dying to go."

Yu Yi looked at Xing Shi.

Xing Shi nodded and replied with an "Okay."

At lunchtime, they quickly packed up and headed downstairs to the company lobby.

Yu Shu's car had been waiting for a while, and as soon as they got in, they departed.

Xing Shi lazily gazed out the window, noticing the route was starting to feel familiar. A few minutes later, he got out of the car and saw the sign: Lin Lan Yuan.

Yu Shu had just arrived and was standing with Director Li and the team.

He smiled. "You made it."

Xing Shi raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't we be watching the MV?"

Yu Shu explained, "Director Li and the others have been busy all morning and are hungry. I thought since you've been training so hard, you must be hungry too, so I figured we'd have lunch first, then watch the MV."

Xing Shi nodded and followed them inside.

As they walked down the twisting hallway, they passed a private room. Yu Shu suddenly stopped. "Hold on, I think I heard my friend's voice."

Xing Shi was surprised. "Did you guys hear anything? I didn't hear anything."

Yu Yi hesitated and shook his head.

Xing Shi then looked at Director Li and the others, who also shook their heads, so he turned to Yu Shu.

Yu Shu maintained his expression. "It was just one sound; it seemed very familiar to me."

Xing Shi was impressed. "You could tell from just one sound?"

Yu Shu laughed. "Maybe it's because I'm a singer and more sensitive to sounds. I'll go check; wait for me, okay?"

Xing Shi wanted to know what Yu Shu was up to, so he cooperatively agreed and stood still.

He then called out to the system, "Check who's in that private room."

The system quickly gave him a list of seven people—both men and women, around their age—mostly celebrities or wealthy heirs.

"Nothing too out of the ordinary. What does he think he's doing?"

Xing Shi waited patiently for a few minutes until Yu Shu returned and told them who was inside.

Upon hearing there were acquaintances, Director Li and the others couldn't help but go over, and naturally, Xing Shi and Yu Yi, as newcomers, followed behind.

As the system said, it was filled with young couples.

When the others saw the two of them, all eyes turned toward them and they immediately asked for their names.

Feeling a few intense and hard-to-ignore stares, Xing Shi hesitated for a moment, answered briefly, and pulled out his phone to contact Fu Xiuning.

Xing Shi: "Bro, Yu Shu and I just started eating."

Fu Xiuning: "You already told me that."

Xing Shi: "We're at Lin Lan Yuan."

Fu Xiuning: "What's up?"

Xing Shi: "I’m not sure if I’m reading this right, but I think he might be trying to set me up with someone, so I can feel what he’s going through."

Fu Xiuning: "What?"