Chapter 43

Chapter 43

The system was all set to hear a juicy secret, but instead, it got this.

The system blurted out, "Just spit it out already. What’s with all the buildup?"

Xing Shi, who had seen his fair share of weirdos, kept his cool.

He looked at the person opposite him and replied, "I do have one."

Yan Feng kept his serious tone, "So, what's your dream?"

Xing Shi didn’t hesitate, "I want to be a huge star."

Yan Feng’s eyes lit up. That’s exactly the kind of ambition he needed in a protégé.

He instructed the system to adjust Xing Shi back to position 12 and said wistfully, "I have a dream too."

Xing Shi asked, "What is Feng Ge's dream?"

Yan Feng's tone was resolute, "I want to stand at the top and become a top star."

He analyzed his situation, "Most of my fans are from when I was on the talent show. I’m solid at singing and dancing, but acting isn’t my strong suit. Over the past year, I’ve taken on a few acting roles—mostly second or third leads—but a lot of those projects haven’t aired yet. Right now, most of my work is in variety shows and other small gigs."

Xing Shi gave a sincere nod, "Getting this much work just a year after debuting? That’s pretty impressive."

Yan Feng said, "But it’s not enough. You need constant exposure to keep the attention and stay relevant. The bigger your influence, the more valuable you become to brands. My current contract has a low revenue share, so to get better resources and treatment, I have to work hard to climb up."

He wasn’t foolish enough to lay everything out for Xing Shi, but he still needed to paint a hopeful picture. "When I stand higher and become stronger, I’ll be able to give back to the company. For example, I’ll be able to share resources with you, giving you more options, and maybe one of them will make you famous."

Xing Shi responded with an "Oh," and thoughtfully added, "Many of your dramas and variety shows haven't been broadcast yet. You’ll get continuous exposure, so don’t worry about people forgetting you. It’s okay to rest for a while before working again."

Yan Feng said, "No, I don’t want to rest until my dream is realized."

"The doctor didn’t say I should stop working completely. I can reduce the intensity of my work and make sure I get enough sleep every day. See, I’m fine now," he softened his tone a little, "Can you help me convince the boss to change his mind? If I succeed, it’ll be a win-win for both of us and the company."

Xing Shi looked at him.

Yan Feng stared back resolutely.

Xing Shi’s eyes narrowed. "You’re thinking about going solo, aren’t you?"

Yan Feng: "!"

The system: "!!!"

Both Yan Feng and the system were caught off guard.

Yan Feng thought, "How did he figure it out!"

The system chimed in, "I don’t know how he figured it out, but the data says he’s sharp."

Yan Feng asked, "Did I slip up somewhere?"

The system recalled, "No, I don’t think so..."

Yan Feng maintained a serious expression as he looked at Xing Shi and denied, "What are you talking about? The company has invested so much in me—how could I ever be ungrateful?"

Xing Shi said, "You didn't hide your emotions in time just now, and that confirmed it for me."

Yan Feng angrily thought, "How can someone be so cunning and devious?" and stared at him without moving.

Xing Shi looked very understanding and said, "It's normal for people to have ambitions; there's nothing wrong with that. Look, isn't our company established by Boss Qi after he left his previous employer? When a person reaches a certain height, they naturally have other choices. You're just confident that you'll succeed and have made your choice in advance."

Yan Feng scrutinized him with some doubt and didn't waste time pretending to be foolish. He asked, "How did you figure it out?"

Xing Shi casually said, "Your attitude towards my brother and Boss Qi is quite indifferent, as if you don't see them as your bosses. When you talk about reaching a higher position to give back to the company, it raised some red flags for me."

Yan Feng: "..."

Xing Shi said, "Don't worry, I feel a connection with you, and if I say I'll keep it confidential, I won't go back on my word."

After staring at him for a moment, Yan Feng openly admitted it.

"A good leader must sometimes reveal their ambitions," he said. "What do you think of me?"

Xing Shi praised him, "Very ambitious, makes others feel ashamed of themselves."

Yan Feng said confidently, "I'll be the same way when I start my company, but I won't demand my people work at the same high intensity as me. And I can guarantee that as long as I have food to eat, I won't let my people go hungry."

He smiled faintly, exuding confidence, "Of course, it's too early to say these things now; let's take it step by step and see how things develop. I hope you'll consider joining me in the future. Trust me, building a new dynasty together will be a rewarding experience."

Xing Shi: "?"

System: "?"

The system whispered, "He knows you're Fu Xiuning's brother, and last time during the variety show, you even called Qi Changyi your cousin in front of him. With such a relationship, it's already very generous of us not to expose him, and he's trying to poach you? What is he thinking?"

Xing Shi said, "Maybe it's confidence."

He recalled Fu Xiuning's evaluation of Yan Feng and caught a hint of malice during the variety show. He realized that Yan Feng planned to climb to the top before making his move against Fu Xiuning, which explained his single-minded focus on his career.

He said to Yan Feng, "We'll see in the future. I'll put in a good word for you with my brother, but whether it works out will depend on his decision."

After finishing, Xing Shi stood up, and Yan Feng invited him, "After getting your food, want to eat together?"

Xing Shi said, "No, I'm going to accompany my brother."

Yan Feng thought for a moment, stood up with his tray, "Alright then, I'll eat over there."

He regretted not building a better relationship with Fu Xiuning earlier and decided to try to mend things. "Go ahead, I'll wait for you over there."

Fu Xiuning was waiting for Xing Shi to finish talking when someone suddenly sat down across from him. He looked up and said, "This spot is taken."

Yan Feng moved into the booth to make space, giving up the outside seat, and said with a faint smile, "I thought I'd join you for lunch."

Fu Xiuning declined, "Not needed."

Yan Feng: "..."

Fu Xiuning waited a few seconds and then slightly raised his voice, "Hmm?"

Yan Feng left with his tray.

This was the first time since arriving in this world that he had been rebuffed by Fu Xiuning. He angrily said, "I’m doing him a favor by agreeing to eat with him. What's his attitude!"

The system said, "He's just like that. If he were that easy to get close to, someone would have succeeded by now in over five years."

Yan Feng scoffed, "Hmph, he's been overhyped. Once I bring him under my control, we'll see if he can still act arrogant!"

The system encouraged, "That's right, boss! You're the best!"

When Xing Shi came back, only Fu Xiuning was there.

He could easily guess what had happened and sat down with a smile.

Fu Xiuning asked, "What did you talk about?"

Xing Shi said, "Dreams."

Fu Xiuning said, "Specifically?"

Xing Shi said, "I can't say. I promised to keep it confidential."

Fu Xiuning had heard Yan Feng's theories before and nodded, not asking any further.

Xing Shi conveyed Yan Feng's request to work, and Fu Xiuning responded with a simple "Hmm," without giving a clear opinion.

Meanwhile, Yan Feng had the system eavesdrop.

Realizing Xing Shi hadn't betrayed him and had indeed vouched for him, he found Xing Shi even more agreeable and said, "This underling is good. Promote him to position 10."

The system said, "Understood."

Yan Feng knew that all he could do now was wait, so after finishing his meal, he went home.

Three days later, he received a call from his agent, asking him to give a lesson to the trainees.

He thought for a moment that he had misheard, "What did you say?"

The agent said, "You have experience in audition shows. The boss wants you to give the trainees a sharing session."

Yan Feng scoffed, "A bunch of inexperienced kids, do you think they can understand my experience?"

The agent said, "You can break it down for them."

Yan Feng refused, "Not going."

The agent, used to his temper, pointed out the obvious, "You want to stay jobless? Even the boss's words don't work for you?"

The system chimed in, "Boss, working with trainees could be beneficial. We might find some promising candidates."

Yan Feng was convinced, "Alright, I'll go. When?"

The agent said, "Three-thirty tomorrow afternoon."

When Fu Xiuning initially mentioned this to Xing Shi, it was mainly to change the subject.

But recently, Xing Shi thought it was actually a good idea and brought it up to Fu Xiuning.

From System 99's perspective, Yan Feng and Yu Shu were in different situations. For one, Xing Shi was unaware that Yan Feng was the host, and for another, Yan Feng currently had no designs on Fu Xiuning.

So they couldn't keep discussing him, or it would raise the system's suspicions. And when they did talk about him, it was always with some ulterior motive.

Fu Xiuning thought for a moment and decided on someone: Yu Yi.

They suspected that Shang Shang Qian might be with Yu Yi, but they hadn’t overheard any conversations about it.

The Shang Shang Qian system was smart and would likely consider the possibility of collaborating with Xing Shi. If it was unable to return due to injury or low energy levels, it would have no choice but to seek help from another host.

Since Xing Shi rarely took on jobs, if Shang Shang Qian found out that the two of them had recently gone out to record a variety show together, it would likely become suspicious of Yan Feng’s identity and prompt Yu Yi to make contact with him.

Therefore, when Xing Shi brought this up, it wasn’t to create an opportunity for himself to meet Yan Feng, but to give Yu Yi a chance.

But in reality, there was no need for Yan Feng to actually teach a class. As long as Yu Yi knew that Yan Feng would be coming to the company, observing his reaction would be enough to guess the answer.

Fu Xiuning looked at Xing Shi.

Xing Shi said expectantly, "I’ve heard that Brother Feng is really good at singing and dancing. Besides sharing his experience, I hope he can also give us a singing and dancing lesson."

Fu Xiuning thought to himself that by mentioning it in two parts, it seemed Xing Shi wasn’t just trying to probe Yu Yi.

Xing Shi asked, "Bro, what do you think?"

Fu Xiuning nodded slightly. "It’s possible."

He then messaged Yan Feng’s agent to arrange everything.

The next morning, Xing Shi shared the good news with his classmates.

Feng Zifan had left to record a variety show the day before, and Hou Zhang felt that his opportunity had come. He eagerly approached Xing Shi, showering him with praise. "Really? That’s wonderful! The boss is really nice, always thinking about us. I have a feeling I’m going to learn a lot from this class."

Xing Shi noticed Yu Yi looking over and said, "Yeah, my brother has always cared about us."

Hou Zhang said, "Yes, but there’s definitely a factor of Brother Shi in this. We’re just riding on Brother Shi’s coattails!"

The others didn’t like how he always included "us" when sucking up, but they had to admit he was right.

One of them asked, "When is Brother Feng coming?"

Xing Shi said, "My brother will have the training department adjust the schedule today. If there are no surprises, it should be in the next couple of days."

As it turned out, his guess was correct. After a quick discussion, they finalized the date: 3:30 PM the next afternoon.

When Yu Yi heard the news, he began mentally calling out to the system.

The last time, the system hadn’t commented on his actions, but he had still sensed its dissatisfaction. It hadn’t fully restored its data yet and, after instructing him to investigate the artist who recorded the variety show with Xing Shi, it went into hibernation again.

He had searched online but found nothing. It wasn’t until after Xing Shi returned from recording the show and Hou Zhang and the others started gossiping that he learned it was *Time Agent*.

June Culture Media’s regular guest on that show was only Yan Feng. Now that Yan Feng was coming to teach a class, he didn’t want to mess up again and tried to wake the system.

Unfortunately, despite calling out all day, he received no response.

The next afternoon, Yu Yi followed the group into the designated classroom with a nervous heart.

The session where senior trainees who had successfully debuted shared their success stories and advice was attended by almost all the unsigned trainees, including the girls from the fourth floor.

The moment Yan Feng stepped into the room, he was met with enthusiastic applause and cheers. Some even asked about his health with concern.

He stepped to the front of the room, surveying the sea of admiring faces below. Suddenly, he realized that this job wasn’t so bad. It would be even better if all these people were his subordinates.

It didn’t matter; he could use his charisma to win them over, make a strong impression, and recruit them later.

He smiled faintly, “Hello everyone, I am Yan Feng.”

The audience erupted in thunderous applause, followed by a wave of screams.

Yan Feng said, “I’m fine now, thank you all for your concern. I’m also very happy to have the opportunity to share my experience today…”

Xing Shi sat in the audience, watching quietly from his seat.

After more than a day of observation, he could confirm that the Shang Shang Qian was with Yu Yi.

Their seats today had been arranged by Fu Xiuning, specifically chosen to be on the side near the corridor. At that moment, Fu Xiuning should have been on the other side of the wall, listening in.

The Q&A session lasted over an hour, and in the latter half, Yan Feng went off-script. Only after several reminders from the system did he reluctantly end the session.

But the trainees weren’t ready to let him go, swarming him for photos and autographs.

Xing Shi noticed Yu Yi was about to rush forward and naturally stepped into the aisle, casually blocking him.

With that block, Yu Yi fell behind, and before he could push his way in, the teachers helped Yan Feng out, protecting him as they left.

Yu Yi, clearly frustrated, called out, “Teacher Yan!”

But Yan Feng had already left the classroom and didn’t turn back, though Hou Zhang and the others looked over, their eyes filled with suspicion.

Hou Zhang sneered, “Isn’t your idol supposed to be Boss Qi? How did you suddenly take a liking to Brother Feng, and call out so passionately?”

Yu Yi’s expression changed slightly, but remembering that the system had told him to stay hidden, he calmly said, “No, I just didn’t get an autograph and was a bit anxious.”

Hou Zhang scoffed, “We’ll see.”

System 99 also witnessed this scene and asked, “What’s he up to now?”

Xing Shi said, “Maybe he really just wanted an autograph?”

The system didn’t believe it, “With his malicious intentions, is that even possible?”

Xing Shi strolled forward slowly, “Even someone with bad intentions can be a fan, right? Haven’t there been news reports of police catching quite a few fugitives at celebrity concerts?”

The system said, “Okay.”

Xing Shi passed by Yu Yi, turning over some thoughts in his mind.

Although it didn’t seem like he meant to, his action had effectively blocked Yu Yi, yet Yu Yi didn’t seem to harbor any resentment towards him.

Reflecting on Yu Yi’s behavior and expressions around him lately, an idea began to form in his mind: Did the Shang Shang Qian not reveal to Yu Yi that he was the host?

He sent a message to Fu Xiuning and eagerly headed to the cafeteria.

It wasn’t quite time for the staff to clock out, but Fu Xiuning, being in sync with him, was already sitting there waiting.

Xing Shi saw a plate of snacks in front of him and asked, “Brother, is it tasty?”

Fu Xiuning shook his head.

Xing Shi was a bit surprised; did this mean he hadn’t heard their conversation? Was it because they weren’t bound, or because the Shang Shang Qian was too severely injured?

Fu Xiuning asked, “How was the class?”

Xing Shi said, "It's going well. I think Feng Ge has the potential to be a great teacher."

Fu Xiuning nodded, understanding that they needed to proceed as planned.

Two days later, Yan Feng received another call from his agent, asking him to teach the trainees.

This time, Yan Feng didn't refuse, but he was still more interested in his work, so he messaged Xing Shi to inquire about the situation.

Xing Shi had been waiting for him and replied quickly, "I understand my brother. He probably wants to remind you of something. You should lay low for a few days, and he'll ease up."

Yan Feng immediately shook off his recent frustration, saying, "Thanks a lot, man. I owe you one."

Xing Shi replied, "Don't mention it, Feng Ge. Actually, I have a favor to ask you too, but it might sound petty."

Yan Feng was hesitatingly typing a reply, having just added the word "when you're free" to "Brother, I'll treat you to a meal," when he saw Xing Shi's message. He quickly deleted everything and responded straightforwardly, "Don't worry, just tell me."

Xing Shi then explained his issues with Yu Yi and got to the point, "After your class ended, he called out to you really loudly from behind. I always feel like he might cause trouble again, but I'm afraid I might be wrong. So I'm asking for your help. If he’s got something up his sleeve, he’ll likely come back to you."

After reading all the messages, Yan Feng was a little shocked, "He and Fu Xiuning are connected in this way?"

The system remarked, "......"

What else did you expect? You've finally figured it out.

But this is good. It means other hosts pursuing a romantic path have no hope now.

The system, shocked, added, "Oh my god, is it really like that?!"

Yan Feng clicked his tongue, "Why do they have to be gay?"

He then said, "As long as it doesn’t affect me, whatever."

So he replied, "No problem, I got this, bro."

Xing Shi discussed the specific plan with him and then put away his phone.

The system had been watching the whole time and asked, "Didn't you say you didn't believe Yu Yi would cause trouble?"

Xing Shi replied, "I was just messing with you."

The system remarked, "......"

You’re training another monkey!

Two days later, Yan Feng came to the company to teach the trainees.

This time, it was a dance and vocal class, and all three boys' classes were combined.

Yu Yi felt more confident after finally waking up the system yesterday, having tried nonstop. It stayed awake but didn’t talk much or initiate conversations with him.

But this was already good enough. At least he wasn't fighting alone anymore.

He waited until the mini-class was over. Noticing Yan Feng was using the bathroom as an excuse to avoid questions, he immediately followed him out of the practice room.

Hou Zhang had already sensed something was off with him and quickly followed as well.

Feng Zifan, who had just finished filming his variety show, glanced at Xing Shi.

Xing Shi shrugged, "Let them handle it."

Yan Feng had just stepped into the elevator lobby when he heard someone calling out from behind.

"Mr. Yan, I’m a huge fan of yours. I’ve always looked up to you," Yu Yi said, approaching him with admiration in his eyes.

Yan Feng replied indifferently, "Thank you."

Nervously, Yu Yi asked, "I choreographed a dance on my own, and I’m not sure how it turned out. Could I come to your office so you can take a look?"

Hou Zhang, who had just walked over, scoffed when he heard this. However, in front of Yan Feng, he refrained from being sarcastic and said, "Mr. Yan just said we should all share more. Why don’t you show it in class later? The others can give you feedback too."

Yu Yi’s face fell.

Yan Feng glanced at Hou Zhang and, after seeing him leave reluctantly, turned back to the person in front of him. "What’s your name again?"

Yu Yi’s eyes lit up as he introduced himself.

Following Xing Shi’s instructions, Yan Feng said, "Yu Yi, I’ll remember you. I’ve seen plenty of people like you. Focus on your training instead of trying to get attention."

Yu Yi’s face immediately turned pale.

Yan Feng stopped looking at him and turned to enter the elevator.

Someone nearby had vaguely heard the exchange, and when Yu Yi returned to the classroom, he was met with various curious gazes and Hou Zhang’s mocking laughter.

Standing in a corner with his head down, Yu Yi was mentally collapsing and said to the system, "How am I supposed to get close? He’s not giving me a chance!"

The Shang Shang Qian replied coldly, "Then just test him directly."

Startled, Yu Yi asked, "But you said not to reveal anything. If he’s not the host, then what do I do?"

Shang Shang Qian said, "If he’s not, then when it’s just the two of you, he’ll only think you’ve gone mad."

Yu Yi: "..."

Shang Shang Qian continued, "Whether it’s social death or testing, it’s up to you."

The next class period came around quickly.

This time, after class, Yan Feng stuck around to talk to the eager trainees for a bit before finally heading out.

Yu Yi, ignoring the disapproving stares, followed him out once more.

Yan Feng stopped and looked at him. "I think I already said—"

"I lied earlier," Yu Yi interrupted hurriedly, "I actually have something very important to tell you, Mr. Yan. It’s not some clichéd confession; it’s serious business! I swear on my life it’s really important. Please give me a chance to explain!"

Yan Feng had expected this—just as Xing Shi predicted, Yu Yi was getting desperate after two failed attempts.

He nodded and gestured for Yu Yi to follow him.

One after the other, they soon reached the rest area upstairs.

Yan Feng didn’t have a private lounge at the company, so he had arranged for this one ahead of time. While Yan Feng was busy with the trainees, Xing Shi had slipped in and hidden somewhere in the room.

Yan Feng secretly scanned the area, guessing Xing Shi’s location, then turned back to Yu Yi, not quite clear about this kid’s intentions. He wasn’t close to Fu Xiuning, so what could he possibly need?

Curious despite himself, Yan Feng asked, "So, what’s on your mind?"

Yu Yi took a deep breath and quickly said, "I recently read a novel that I'd like to share with you, Teacher. The story is about multiple hosts who are bound to systems and need to work together to complete a mission involving a specific person."

Yan Feng: "!"

System: "!!!"

Shang Shang Qian had been closely watching Yan Feng and clearly saw the change in his expression. She immediately concluded, "He’s a host."

Yu Yi felt like crying from relief. He choked up and said, "You're a host, right? I am too. We need to complete the mission involving—"

Yan Feng coldly interrupted, "What are you babbling about?"

But it was too late.

The next moment, Xing Shi rushed out from the adjacent room.

Yu Yi: "!!!"

Shang Shang Qian: "..."

Yan Feng and the system: "..."

System 99 was shocked: "Is Yu Yi actually a host?"

Xing Shi said, "Yes, quite shocking."

After that, he turned his attention to Yu Yi.

This wasn’t just about Yu Yi.

He demanded, "What did you mean by that? Who are you trying to complete the mission involving? My brother?"

Yu Yi's face turned pale, and his hands started trembling.

If Xing Shi found out, Fu Xiuning would too. If Fu Xiuning discovered the mission, the main system would impose punishment... and the blame would fall on him.

Was he... was he going to die?

Both Yan Feng and the system were thinking the same thing.

Both Yan Feng and the system had seen how sharp Xing Shi was. Even though Yu Yi didn’t finish explaining, what he said sounded crazy. They couldn’t afford to be careless.

Fu Xiuning had been dealing with increasingly extreme situations lately, which wasn’t normal. Once Xing Shi caught wind of anything, he’d start piecing things together and getting suspicious, and things could spiral out of control.

Xing Shi... couldn’t be allowed to live!