Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Zhou Huaichen was silent for a few seconds before saying, "I'll search for it."

Ye Weian nodded, reasonably satisfied.

The system, however, reminded him helplessly, "The images of the Zombie King are terrifying. Do you want to scare Zhou Huaichen?"

Ye Weian: "How could they be terrifying? I look quite good."

System: "...That's because you, as the host, were intelligent from the beginning and cared a lot about your personal image! Plus, you were only infected in the finger and still look entirely human, which is why you’ve always been so handsome!"

Ye Weian rubbed his chin.

Right, other zombies did look rather frightening—some with missing limbs, others with half their brains gnawed away, and some even with their intestines hanging out...

Having faced all kinds of zombies and mutated plants and animals day and night for ten years, he hadn’t found any of it particularly scary. But Zhou Huaichen, after all, was a modern person who had never experienced the apocalypse. He’d probably be frightened.

So he turned to Zhou Huaichen and said seriously, "Don’t search for it."

Zhou Huaichen: "Hmm?"

Ye Weian explained, "The zombie images are terrifying. Don’t search for them. I’ll find someone to draw them for you."

Zhou Huaichen’s eyes grew deep: "Draw them for me?"

Ye Weian: "Yes, a cute drawing of the Chill and Handsome Zombie King. I’ll find someone to draw it for you."

Zhou Huaichen’s lips curved into a smile, and he nodded gently: "Alright."

The two walked side by side, their retreating figures looking perfectly matched.

Yan Qing stared fiercely at the two, his gaze turning malicious.

He suddenly rushed forward and stopped them just before they entered the room.

"President Zhou, Yong Nan is on his way and said he’s coming to see you," he said, biting his lip and giving Zhou Huaichen a pitiful expression. "I... can I wait for him inside the private room?"

Before coming to see Zhou Huaichen, he had contacted Zhou Yongnan. If Zhou Huaichen rejected him, he could use Zhou Yongnan to cover his true intentions.

Zhou Huaichen glanced at him indifferently and remained silent.

Just then, the system suddenly flashed red text in Ye Weian’s mind: "Warning! Warning! Yan Qing is trying to seduce the Big Boss. The plot is deviating from the main storyline. Please correct this, Host."

Ye Weian: "?"

So Yan Qing hadn’t come to repay him, nor was it really about Zhou Yongnan—he was purely here to hit on Zhou Huaichen?

In other words, both he and Zhou Yongnan were just tools for Yan Qing to seduce Zhou Huaichen?

Ye Weian: "."

As expected of the protagonist shou, Yan Qing was even more of a player than he had imagined.

However, he didn’t react or try to stop Yan Qing’s behavior, merely staring expressionlessly at him.

Under the silent, cold gazes of both Ye Weian and Zhou Huaichen, Yan Qing’s composure began to crack.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he pleaded softly to Zhou Huaichen, "President Zhou, do you really hate me that much?"

Zhou Huaichen ignored him and instead turned to Ye Weian, asking quietly, "What do you think, President Ye?"

Ye Weian: "He wants to seduce you."

—"Obviously, his intentions are so clear. Can’t you, the Big Boss, see that?"

Zhou Huaichen: "..."

Hearing Ye Weian’s inner complaint, he lowered his eyelids slightly, hiding the amusement in his eyes.

Yan Qing’s face, however, flushed with alternating shades of green and white. He hadn’t expected Ye Weian to so bluntly expose his intentions.

He immediately put on a wronged expression and said, "President Ye, are you slandering me like this because you can’t have me? I’m Yong Nan’s boyfriend, which technically makes me President Zhou’s junior. I have no intention of seducing President Zhou. You can’t just smear me because you’re bitter about being rejected."

Ye Weian: "Oh."

Faced with Yan Qing’s accusation, he felt completely unperturbed inside.

Zhou Huaichen’s eyes, however, darkened as he coldly stared at Yan Qing and said, "Wait outside. When Yong Nan arrives, both of you can come see me together."

With that, he personally pushed open the door to the private room. After Ye Weian entered first, he followed and closed the door, leaving Yan Qing outside.

Yan Qing’s expression instantly turned extremely ugly. He glared furiously at the closed door, his face filled with resentment and unwillingness.

Inside the room, the two paid no attention to Yan Qing’s feelings.

Ye Weian affirmed Zhou Huaichen’s actions: "You did well."

Zhou Huaichen smiled: "Oh? Because I rejected him?"

Ye Weian nodded.

As expected of the Big Boss, able to resist the charm attack of the universally adored protagonist shou.

Zhou Huaichen chuckled softly, seemingly thinking of something that pleased him greatly.

The two ordered dishes. When the food arrived, Ye Weian picked up his chopsticks and began eating while watching Zhou Huaichen.

Zhou Huaichen was puzzled at first until he heard Ye Weian’s inner thoughts.

—"Delicious, tasty."

Seeing Ye Weian’s sparkling gaze fixed on him, Zhou Huaichen suspected that "delicious and tasty" didn’t refer to the food on the table but rather... to him.

Finding himself not only easy on the eyes but also able to whet Ye Weian’s appetite, Zhou Huaichen couldn’t help but chuckle softly, the amusement in his eyes deepening.

Ye Weian didn’t notice what he was laughing about and continued eating intently.

As a Zombie King, his favorite had always been crystal cores. But after returning to being a normal person, his sense of taste recovered, and he had grown quite fond of human food.

Zhou Huaichen didn’t speak either, silently peeling shrimp for him, picking out crab roe and placing it in a clean bowl before pushing it toward him.

Ye Weian ate happily. Although his face remained expressionless, his eyes sparkled with joy.

Unfortunately, the system tactlessly interrupted his pleasant meal: "Host, Yan Qing is sitting outside. Why don’t you go comfort him? Maybe he’ll soften up, be moved by you, agree to be with you, and then your mission will be complete."

Ye Weian continued eating, ignoring it.

The system lamented in despair: "Please remember, your mission is to capture Yan Qing's heart, not to eat, drink, and date with the Big Boss."

The system prompted, "Think about your parents and younger brother. You're probably dying to see them soon, huh?"

Ye Weian suddenly lost his appetite and quietly set down his chopsticks.

Zhou Huaichen, who had been keeping an eye on him, noticed and asked, "Not good?"

Ye Weian looked at his handsome face, which seemed to shimmer like a grape-flavored Purple Crystal Core in front of him.

He picked up his chopsticks again and said, "It's delicious."

—"Even just looking at him makes me hungry! Whatever, I’ll eat first!"

He had to save his parents and brother, but he also had to eat.

Zhou Huaichen, hearing his inner thoughts, couldn’t hold back and let out a deep laugh.

Ye Weian tilted his head. "Hmm?" What’s so funny?

Zhou Huaichen placed the peeled shrimp into his bowl, a smile tugging at his lips. "Nothing, just eat."

"Oh." Ye Weian didn’t dwell on it and buried himself in eating again.

Zhou Huaichen watched him, the smile in his eyes lingering.

After the meal, there was a knock at the door. Zhou Yongnan had arrived, with Yan Qing in tow.

Zhou Yongnan had been called here inexplicably by Yan Qing. When he saw Zhou Huaichen, he was shocked. "Uncle, what are you doing here?"

Zhou Huaichen glanced up calmly. "We’ll talk about it at home."

It was a clear dismissal.

Zhou Yongnan, who was genuinely afraid of him, pouted. "...Okay."

Yan Qing, seeing his spineless demeanor, couldn’t help but feel a flicker of disdain.

He had initially thought Zhou Yongnan would be easy to control—that after marrying into the Zhou family, he could control Zhou Yongnan as he pleased and live the life he desired.

But Zhou Yongnan was far too timid in front of Zhou Huaichen, making Yan Qing question his judgment.

His gaze fell on Zhou Huaichen.

Only a man like him was worthy of him.

Zhou Yongnan, oblivious to Yan Qing’s disdain, prepared to leave with him.

But Ye Weian spoke up, "Since you’re already here, have a seat."

Zhou Huaichen glanced at him in surprise, unsure of his intentions but choosing not to undermine him.

Yan Qing and Zhou Yongnan were equally puzzled and remained standing.

Ye Weian made a call. "Come in."

Soon, a middle-aged man and a middle-aged woman entered together.

"They are my Special Assistants," Ye Weian briefly introduced them to Zhou Huaichen, then extended his hand to the middle-aged woman. "Where is it?"

The woman promptly handed him a document.

Ye Weian unfolded the file and said to Yan Qing, "Since you’re unwilling to repay the debt or be with me, we’ll settle it another way. This is a publicity plan—all signed artists under Ye Corporation’s entertainment division can collaborate with you for hype. As a top-tier celebrity, you should at least bring them some fame."

"Additionally, all earnings from your future engagements will belong to me until the debt is fully repaid."

He pointed to the blank space at the end of the document. "Sign here to make the agreement effective."

Yan Qing: "???"

He was stunned, never expecting Ye Weian to pull such a move.

The system: "???"

It was also stunned, never expecting the host to have an even bolder tactic than printing out transaction records.

Zhou Huaichen: "..."

He, however, laughed.

So, the meal he had actively sought out had been used by someone to discuss business.

And he was merely that someone’s appetite booster?