Chapter 38

Chapter 38

The intermittent "buzzing" sound in his mind was uncomfortable, but Yu Yi had finally figured out his origins and obtained a system, so he was very patient.

He waited a few seconds and asked, "Nothing yet?"

Shang Shang Qian replied, "Not for now. I don't know your situation well enough to give you any advice."

Yu Yi didn't blame it and shifted his focus to other matters.

Remembering that it had mentioned being Yu Shu's system during the earlier explanation of the mission, he curiously asked, "Was that burst of gas on the ship earlier caused by you?"

Shang Shang Qian said, "Yes."

Yu Yi asked, "How did Yu Shu die?"

Shang Shang Qian replied, "He tried to frame Xing Shi as the host in front of Fu Xiuning. The main system stipulates that Fu Xiuning must not know any information related to the plot, and violators will be erased. This rule is a contract imprinted on your soul at the moment of your transmigration, and we systems are responsible for reminding you. He didn't believe it and ended up being erased. Make sure you don't make the same mistake."

Yu Yi said, "Okay," and continued, "Besides me and Yu Shu, are there other hosts?"

Shang Shang Qian said, "Yes."

Yu Yi became concerned. "How do you recognize me as a host? Can I hide or conceal this? I don't want other hosts to discover me."

"Accidental discovery," Shang Shang Qian said. "I've been with you all this time, just in a dormant state."

When the energy burst occurred, Yu Yi was also there. When the shockwave hit him, he felt a faint, familiar fluctuation. It was on the verge of collapse and instinctively drifted over.

After a brief explanation, it said, "There are a few hosts around Fu Xiuning. As long as you don't make your intentions too obvious or openly declare yourself, no one will know you're the host. We systems can only recognize and bind you at the moment of your transmigration."

Yu Yi asked, "Then why hasn't any system come to bind me?"

Shang Shang Qian said, "I'm not sure about that. Try to get close to Fu Xiuning without revealing your intentions, and I'll send a report once my energy recovers."

Yu Yi said, "Okay."

Shang Shang Qian highlighted Fu Xiuning's profile and finally said, "My data is currently unstable, and I need to hibernate for an indefinite period. I'll notify you when I wake up."

Yu Yi said, "Alright."

After explaining everything, Shang Shang Qian went quiet.

It had lied. It knew Xing Shi was the host and, through Xing Shi's unusual circumstances as a host, deduced that Yu Yi's system should be with him.

The most troubling part was that Xing Shi had the ability to absorb system energy and seemed to be working with Fu Xiuning.

But it wouldn't tell Yu Yi these things.

It had no energy left, unable to bind a host or gain favorability, and couldn't send messages. One wrong move could lead to death for it. Rather than trusting a completely unfamiliar and uncontrollable host, it trusted itself more.

It couldn't risk being betrayed by a host again.

It had two paths to take now.

One was to have Yu Yi spend more time with Fu Xiuning, hoping to recharge. The other was to observe and figure out who the other hosts were, then have Yu Yi approach them and get their systems to report the information.

The first option was theoretical and had slim chances, but it was worth attempting. The second was more feasible, but observing the other hosts would be challenging since Yu Yi couldn't stay by Fu Xiuning's side all the time.

The situation looked grim... Shang Shang Qian sighed to itself and entered hibernation.

Yu Yi listened as the "buzzing" sound from the system in his head disappeared. After thinking for a few seconds, he sent a message to Xing Shi.

"Apart from spicy and greasy food, you don't have any other dietary restrictions, right? I can bring you something yummy for lunch tomorrow, if you're up for it!"

Meanwhile, Xing Shi unlocked his phone and saw the message.

The system caught this and wondered aloud, "He's been coming by a lot. Do you think he's into Fu Xiuning?"

Xing Shi said, "I just remembered something. Gu Zheng and the others mentioned they went easy when they hit me. Do you think it's possible? Maybe Yu Yi wanted to injure me so I'd be hospitalized. That way, he could visit anytime and see Fu Xiuning more often."

The system was furious. "That's pretty twisted! So, he's only hanging around because of Fu Xiuning? Pretending to be your friend but actually trying to steal your love interest. What a jerk!"

Xing Shi thought, *This thing is your real host*, and replied, "Perhaps."

The system said, "Don't let him come anymore, bad luck!"

Xing Shi responded, "I'll be discharged the day after tomorrow, no need to come."

Yu Yi: "I'm bored and have nothing to do."

Xing Shi: "Behave."

Yu Yi: "Alright then [crying]."

Xing Shi: "Pat on the head."

Xing Shi took a screenshot of the message thread and told the system, "Go check on Feng Zifan and Yu Yi's situation. If I contact Feng Zifan now, will Yu Yi see his phone screen?"

The system checked and replied, "He won't see it. After messaging you, Yu Yi looked out the window. Feng Zifan is sitting on the other side."

Relieved, Xing Shi messaged Feng Zifan, "Need to talk, don't let anyone see your screen."

Feng Zifan replied quickly, "OK, go ahead."

Xing Shi forwarded the message record. "My brother said Yu's been secretly watching him and seems interested. Last night, he came to the hospital on his own to see me and even asked for my brother's WeChat. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now. He just promised not to come back to the hospital, but I'm worried he'll find another excuse. Keep an eye on him for me. If he shows up, my brother's guess is probably right. If not, it's just a misunderstanding."

Feng Zifan's expression changed slightly after reading.

He thought back to when Fu Xiuning approached him at lunch, making a big deal out of the meal, and how "You're sharp" felt like more than just a casual comment. He'd been suspicious then, and now it all made sense.

He replied, "Got it. Leave it to me. Don't overthink, get some rest."

Xing Shi handed the phone to Fu Xiuning to update him.

Fu Xiuning looked down, understood the situation, and praised, "Well done."

Xing Shi sighed deeply, "I considered him a good friend, but all he wanted was to use me. Brother, I'm so hurt."

Fu Xiuning had been watching his reaction closely, knowing Xing Shi wasn't truly upset. He asked, "What might make you feel better?"

Xing Shi suggested, "Some ice cream?"

Fu Xiuning said, "If the doc says it's okay."

Xing Shi replied, "They’ll probably say no. But I know my body. I'm experienced with this fever. A little something cold might help me feel better."

Fu Xiuning looked at him, suspecting this was just an excuse to eat something tasty.

Xing Shi looked at him earnestly. "I really am."

Fu Xiuning sent a message to the doctor and, after waiting for a while, relayed the reply, "Your stomach lining might get irritated when you have a low-grade fever. Ice cream will put more strain on your stomach. If your stomach acts up after eating it, you’ll be stuck on a liquid diet for a few days. Are you sure?"

Xing Shi hesitated.

Fu Xiuning knew he was making it up and, seeing his reaction, said, "I’ll buy one, but you can only have a bite and let it slowly melt in your mouth."

Xing Shi’s eyes lit up. "Deal!"

Fu Xiuning opened the delivery app and let him choose.

The system watched him pick his food and tsked, "With a favorability of 51, he really spoils you."

Xing Shi said, "He’s always been nice to me."

The system thought about it and asked, "So, are you two on a romance route now? He’s admitted to having feelings for someone, and the favorability doesn’t lie. You two even hugged in front of everyone on the boat. It’d be a waste not to pursue the romance route. That hug had to mean something, right? He earned points that time, I remember!"

Xing Shi flipped through the menu. "Just to mess with people."

He praised, "Nice one, you figured that out."

The system was proud. "Obviously, I’m not dumb."

Xing Shi immediately admired, "Right. You’re a high-intelligence entity, you really know everything."

The system, pleased with the compliment, humbly said, "Not really, there are still many things I don’t understand. You should tell me directly when you need help next time. We’re on the same side, after all."

Xing Shi said, "Okay."

The system advised, "Also, you should be more restrained in the future. In our situation, we don’t need to personally eliminate those hosts. When we win in the end, the main system will automatically eliminate them. Fu Xiuning’s attempt to drive Yu Shu crazy didn’t go as planned and he encountered a metaphysical event. If it happens again, he’ll definitely become suspicious."

Xing Shi innocently said, "I can’t stop him from targeting whoever he wants. You were listening the whole time this time. He didn’t tell me his plans; I was just improvising."

The system said, "You could have opted out and let him handle it himself."

Xing Shi said, "But I couldn’t resist~"

The system: "..."

Well, one likes playing with monkeys, and the other likes messing with people. They’re practically made for each other.

It was speechless for a few seconds and then skipped that part, turning the conversation back, "So, with a favorability of 51, you two are definitely on a romance route, right?"

Xing Shi countered, "Are we?"

The system said, "Yeah, I feel like you’re just one step away from confessing your feelings. Why don’t you take the initiative to break through that barrier?"

Xing Shi said, "I can’t. Did you forget he’s a passive person?"

Glancing at the guy next to him, he almost said something, but then he saw the shopping app on his phone and held back.

He selected the ice cream and handed the phone back to Fu Xiuning.

Fu Xiuning braced for another round of chatter, but nothing came.

Looking at the phone in front of him, he got the idea and threw in a few random items to hit the minimum order, then checked out.

Xing Shi watched with satisfaction and adjusted his position to get more comfortable. He heard the system say, "With such high favorability, how passive can he *really* be?"

He said, "Then let’s see what happens next."

The system chimed in, "Sure... but what if he doesn’t stay passive? How will you react?"

Xing Shi was caught off guard by the question.

Fu Xiuning kept his eyes on his phone, not looking up.

Xing Shi hesitated, realizing too late that not answering could be interpreted as consideration.

Not saying no meant he was thinking about it.

Before Xing Shi could respond, Fu Xiuning gently took his wrist, almost as if checking his temperature.

The next moment, a familiar notification sound rang out.

"Beep"

"Current favorability: 52"

The system exclaimed, "Check this out! His heart races for you, and this time it’s not just a fluke—it’s deliberate!"

Both Xing Shi and Fu Xiuning knew what was happening.

Fu Xiuning gripped his wrist again, then let go, saying, "Still a bit warm."

Xing Shi nodded, "Yeah."

Fu Xiuning looked up at him, and their eyes met silently. Their eyes locked, and the familiar beep sounded again.

"Beep"

"Current favorability: 53"

Xing Shi: "..."

System: "!"

Fu Xiuning: "..."

Fu Xiuning asked calmly, "Do you want some fruit? I'll wash some for you."

Xing Shi said, "...Sure."

Fu Xiuning got up and left.

The system watched as they were about to make further progress and protested, "You scored points, but now you’re bailing? What’s the deal?"

Xing Shi shrugged, "My head’s pounding."

The system fell silent, feeling wronged.

Fu Xiuning returned with the fruit, having composed himself.

Xing Shi sat obediently, not causing any trouble, playing on his phone while munching on the fruit.

A few minutes later, the ice cream arrived, just as Qi Changyi walked in, fresh from work.

Xing Shi knew that he had come to see him last night and called out, "Cousin."

Qi Changyi responded with a smile and asked about his condition. When he learned that Xing Shi was still running a low fever, Qi Changyi asked, "Any other issues?"

Xing Shi said, "No."

Qi Changyi asked, "Not having nightmares either?"

Xing Shi immediately understood what he meant and pointed to the bedside table. "Open the drawer and see."

Qi Changyi, puzzled, walked over and opened it. Inside were various protective charms from different systems.

Qi Changyi: "..."

Seemed like everything was well-protected.

He quietly closed it.

At this moment, Fu Xiuning unwrapped the ice cream.

Xing Shi's eyes lit up, eagerly took it, and scooped a large spoonful.

Before Qi Changyi could ask if Xing Shi should be eating ice cream while running a fever, Fu Xiuning pressed his hand and took the spoon with the ice cream, removing two-thirds of it, then handed it back.

Xing Shi stared.

Fu Xiuning gently said, "Don't want to eat it, then don't."

Seeing Fu Xiuning about to take it back, Xing Shi grabbed his hand and finished off the remaining ice cream.

Qi Changyi: "?"

It felt like he'd just been blindsided.

He watched them for a moment before asking, "Do you know about that Yu Yi?"

Xing Shi, with ice cream in his mouth, responded with an "Mm."

Qi Changyi knew this kid was smart and not easily outwitted. With a tough Fu Xiuning by his side, he nodded reassuredly. "I saw you filming that MV—does that mean you've officially debuted? Want to take you to some variety show appearances?"

Xing Shi was about to refuse but then considered the unresolved issues with the other hosts. He swallowed the ice cream and nodded. "Sure, why not."

He looked at Fu Xiuning. "Bro, help me choose and give some advice."

Fu Xiuning understood he wanted to pick a job at the same time as the other hosts and agreed.

Qi Changyi didn't stay long, excusing himself after a short while. Before leaving, he gave Fu Xiuning a look.

Fu Xiuning saw him out to the hallway.

Qi Changyi asked in a low voice, "What's going on between you two?"

Fu Xiuning smiled and said, "Take care, drive safe."

Qi Changyi instantly understood. By not answering directly, Fu Xiuning implied that something was going on between them.

He said, "I was wondering what was up with you letting him stay at your place. There really is an issue. Does Sui Sui know?"

Fu Xiuning called out "Take care" again and turned back into the room.

Qi Changyi wanted to ask more, but he knew Fu Xiuning wasn't the type to have heart-to-heart conversations, so he let it go and decided to observe on his own.

Xing Shi rested for a night, and the next day his temperature dropped to 37.1, which meant he was almost recovered.

Both He Dao and the doctor let out a sigh of relief. The doctor thought he could be discharged, but He Dao, still worried, advised him to stay one more night.

Xing Shi, eager to go fishing, readily agreed.

At that time, the trainees began another day of tightly scheduled training as usual.

After the second small class ended, Yu Yi stood up with a cup, heading for the break room.

Feng Zifan glanced at him. "Isn't there still half a bottle left?"

Yu Yi explained, "My stomach's uncomfortable, and I want to fill it with hot water."

Feng Zifan asked with concern, "Is it serious? Should I get the teacher to give you some medicine?"

Yu Yi said, "It's okay, not serious. I'm just going to get water."

With that, he left with his cup and soon exited the practice room.

Feng Zifan remained silent for a few seconds before standing up, walking to the door, and casting a subtle glance as he watched Yu Yi leave.

Once Yu Yi was out of the practice room, he picked up his pace. As he neared the break room, he took out his phone, messaging as he walked and slowing down.

Seconds later, he sped up again and bumped into a guy coming out of the break room.

His phone fell to the ground, and his water cup rolled quite far away. Fortunately, it was made of silicone and didn't break.

Yu Yi hurriedly apologized and ran to pick up the water cup.

The guy chuckled and helped him pick up his phone, his eyes lingering on the screen for a moment.

Feng Zifan, observing from a distance, took in the scene.

The guy was also from their second class, named Hou Zhang, a very manipulative person.

Feng Zifan admitted that he too was scheming, but he knew his limits and never hoped for impossible things. He was also tactful; if someone wasn't interested, he wouldn't push it.

But Hou Zhang was different. He was thick-skinned and would seize any opportunity. He often came to chat with the three of them, wanting to join their small group, but Xing Shi always subtly blocked him.

Yu Yi's pace had been inconsistent, speeding up and slowing down. If he wasn't truly looking at his phone and got distracted, then it was intentional.

He chose to get water during this break because he noticed Hou Zhang was heading there too. It was unclear what was on his phone.

Feng Zifan turned away and went back to the practice room.

He observed the two quietly. After another class ended, Hou Zhang suddenly spoke up.

"I wonder how Shi is doing," he said. "Do you guys think we should visit him at the hospital at noon?"

The people around looked at him. One of them said, "Isn't it just a low fever, and he's about to be discharged?"

Hou Zhang said, "A low fever that requires hospitalization isn't exactly minor, is it? Shi has always been good to us. Whenever we ask him for gossip, he never gets annoyed. He's even trended on social media and opened a personal account. Now that he's hospitalized, if we don't visit him, wouldn't that be a bit inappropriate?"

Everyone immediately agreed. They were all classmates, after all. If they didn’t visit, it would make them look heartless.

Hou Zhang said, "Let’s buy some flowers and fruit together. It won’t cost much. We’ll say a few words and leave, at least delivering our goodwill. It won’t delay afternoon training either. I’ve decided to go at noon. You can decide for yourselves."

The group immediately decided to go and turned to look at Feng Zifan and Yu Yi. They were the only ones who knew which ward Xing Shi was in.

Under their intense gazes, Yu Yi nervously edged closer to Feng Zifan.

Feng Zifan felt a sudden heartache.

No one is made of stone, after all. How could they not have feelings? Even though his initial motives for approaching Xing Shi were impure, after spending so much time together, he had long come to consider both Xing Shi and Yu Yi as friends. Since Yu Yi was introverted and naive, Feng Zifan often took care of him, treating him like a younger brother.

And this “little brother” sure knew how to throw him for a loop.

He took a deep breath and said, "Should I ask him first?"

Hou Zhang hurriedly stopped him. "No, with Xing Shi's personality, he definitely wouldn’t want to trouble us."

Everyone agreed, "Yes."

Hou Zhang said, "We’ll just take a look and come back. You can say we forced you to come."

After a moment of hesitation, Feng Zifan said, "Alright then."

The group cheered and began discussing what fruit to buy.

Yu Yi looked at Feng Zifan and happily said, "Should we bring some food for Xing Shi?"

Feng Zifan nodded, chatted with him for a while, and then went to the restroom three minutes before class started to inform Xing Shi about the plan.

After the morning class ended, they all left the company.

The group first went to a nearby food street to buy lunch, then took a taxi straight to the hospital, planning to purchase flowers and fruit nearby.

On the way, Feng Zifan sent a message to Hou Zhang. By the time they arrived at the hospital and finished buying things, the two found an excuse to go to the restroom, meeting in a secluded spot.

Feng Zifan showed him his chat history with Xing Shi, letting him know this was all a setup, and said, "Xing Shi wants to know what you saw on his phone earlier."

Caught off guard, Hou Zhang cursed, "Damn it," and explained, "It was a chat between him and his mom. He told her that his father is He Dao, his cousin is Qi Changyi, and his aunt is a producer..."

Feeling a bit uneasy, he added, "I admit I wanted to get noticed by He Dao, but I genuinely wanted to visit Xing Shi too."

Feng Zifan suppressed his disappointment and messaged Xing Shi.

The two rejoined the group and went upstairs together.

Xing Shi had just finished lunch when his classmates walked in, looking surprised. "Why are you here?"

Everyone smiled and said, "We came to see you, to give you a surprise."

Hearing the noise, He Dao wiped his hands and came out of the restroom, warmly greeting them, "Are you Sui Sui's classmates? How thoughtful of you, come, sit."

Seeing him, they all froze, their "Hello, Uncle" caught in their throats, "...He Dao?"

He Dao smiled and nodded, continuing to welcome them.

Confused, they sat down and soon realized that He Dao was Xing Shi’s father, all thinking the same thing as Feng Zifan: With that kind of background, why bother being a trainee?!

Xing Shi calmly met their gazes, watching as Yu Yi leaned on him again.

Yu Yi handed him the snacks, his eyes lighting up as he tried to get some credit. "A few of us were set on coming to see you, so I came along too. These are for you, the things you usually like to eat."

Xing Shi smiled as he accepted them, not offering thanks because he had also brought something for Yu Yi.

Yu Yi looked at Fu Xiuning next to him and greeted him as usual.

Fu Xiuning gave a polite nod but didn’t look at him.

Yu Yi wanted to chat more but knew not to push it. He sat in the room for a bit before reluctantly leaving with them.

When they returned to the company, it was almost time for class.

Feng Zifan pulled Yu Yi aside into the hallway and showed him the conversation history on his phone.

It contained all the messages between him and Xing Shi from the previous night until now, including Xing Shi asking him to keep an eye on Yu Yi, as well as the message he relayed from Hou Zhang.

Yu Yi's expression changed instantly.

Feng Zifan said, "Looks like the boss was right."

"Xing Shi said, out of consideration for your acquaintance, he'd give you some face. We're all adults, and he doesn't want to make things too ugly," he said disappointedly, looking at Yu Yi. "You know what happens when you cross him, so be smart and stay far away from us in the future."

In the hospital room, the system was somewhat dissatisfied with Xing Shi's handling. "He almost pushed you down the stairs, and you're still giving him face? Everyone should know what he's really like!"

Xing Shi leaned against the head of the bed and sighed deeply. "I used to think of him like a little brother; I just can't bring myself to ruin him."

The system said, "Then let Fu Xiuning handle it. He's so protective of you; would he tolerate this little trash?"

Xing Shi said, "Don't mention this; let me have a moment. I had some hope for him, but... sigh, it's upsetting."

The system quickly said, "Okay, don't mention it. You should rest."

Xing Shi sadly responded with a soft "Yeah."

Fu Xiuning listened to his act with a calm expression.

Xing Shi did ask Feng Zifan to relay the message, but he never said those words to Hou Zhang, nor did he mention keeping it confidential.

Hou Zhang, always scheming, had been outsmarted and became increasingly unable to swallow his frustration.

Knowing Yu Yi had thoroughly offended Xing Shi, he wasted no time kicking him while he was down.

While Yu Yi and Feng Zifan were still arguing in the hallway, the news of "Yu Yi using Xing Shi to curry favor with the boss" quickly spread throughout the entire floor.