Chapter 47 Law-Abiding

Chapter 47: Law-Abiding Citizen

Yan Zhoubai turned to Zhan Jiayu, a smile gracing the latter's lips, then swiftly nodded with vigorous enthusiasm at the flight attendant.

Yes, Coke. With ice.

Moments later, two glasses of iced Coke arrived. The first sip brought Yan Zhoubai immense joy, and he couldn't help but tap his feet. He was easily pleased; sometimes, a single glass of iced Coke was all it took.

Zhan Jiayu, seated beside him, observed this small gesture. It instantly brought to mind his recent visit to Great Compassion Temple, prior to offering incense at Cangru Temple. There, he had seen numerous free-roaming stray cats.

That day, the sunlight was warm and gentle, never harsh. The temple cats lay sprawled on the ground, basking, utterly unfazed by the passing tourists. One, half-reclined, lazily swayed a paw, exuding an air of utter contentment and charming innocence.

Now, Yan Zhoubai, before him, mirrored those sunbathing felines—tapping his feet, completely at ease, and incredibly endearing.

Zhan Jiayu wasn't particularly fond of Coke; in fact, he rarely drank soda. Yet, seeing Yan Zhoubai's desire for it, he had, on a whim, requested two glasses from the flight attendant. Witnessing Yan Zhoubai's current blissful state, he too raised his cup and took a sip.

It was excessively sweet—a sensation he'd never experienced with Coke before.

Yan Zhoubai suddenly thrust his phone screen before Zhan Jiayu's eyes. It displayed the Notes app, with a single line: "How did you know I wanted Coke?"

"Because I heard you," Zhan Jiayu leaned in and whispered.

Yan Zhoubai felt a sudden warmth brush his earlobe. A slight discomfort rippled through him, as if one side of his ear had instantly flushed hot.

He couldn't see it himself, nor did he know if it had turned red. But he instinctively reached up to rub his left earlobe.

His hand, still cool from holding the iced Coke glass, now touched his earlobe, and his fingers felt as though they were being scorched by its unexpected warmth.

Zhan Jiayu found Yan Zhoubai's small actions utterly captivating.

"Next time you want something, just tell me directly. I think I'd understand you better than the flight attendant."

Zhan Jiayu savored the moment before straightening up, moving away from Yan Zhoubai's ear. In truth, he feared he wouldn't be able to resist the urge to gently caress that reddened earlobe.

For some reason, Yan Zhoubai suddenly felt a little warm. Despite the perfectly comfortable cabin temperature, the air around him seemed stifling.

When Zhan Jiayu had leaned in earlier, Yan Zhoubai caught a faint, almost imperceptible scent of sandalwood emanating from him.

But he noticed it. Even minutes after Zhan Jiayu had pulled away and sat upright, that elusive sandalwood fragrance still lingered at his nostrils.

He wasn't particularly fond of perfumes, but this scent was quite pleasant.

He covertly turned his head, feigning a casual glance at Zhan Jiayu's profile.

A high, straight nose, a jawline as sharp as if carved, and pale lips. The contours were flawlessly smooth—an absolutely stunning profile. If a photo of just this side of his face were posted online, countless people would surely clamor to know how handsome his full face must be. A single photo, without revealing his entire face, could probably launch a career.

When Yan Zhoubai first met Zhan Jiayu, he had noticed his striking good looks—very refined and perfectly aligned with conventional Chinese aesthetics. But back then, it was merely a general impression; he hadn't pinpointed the specifics of his attractiveness. Now, upon closer inspection, he realized there wasn't a single flaw in his features. The proportions were harmonious, and together, they created an effect far greater than the sum of their parts.

What kind of person would someone like Zhan Jiayu end up with in the future?

"It's hard to say. Even I, the system, don't know. In the original storyline, the villain boss was sent to prison by the protagonist before he could get married. Then the protagonist got the girl, and it was a happy ending for everyone."

Yan Zhoubai was lost in thought and didn't realize he had unconsciously voiced the question in his mind. The system, assuming it was being addressed, answered directly.

"Will he definitely be sent to prison?" Yan Zhoubai's mental query carried a note of anxiety.

The mention of "prison" immediately diverted his attention from "future partner." He didn't notice a crucial detail: while he had long known about the villain's fate in the original storyline, this was the first time he felt such acute worry for Zhan Jiayu because of it.

"Not necessarily. My existence means the original storyline has already been altered to some extent. You were originally a minor villain destined for a bad end, and I'm here to help you change that fate. Consequently, the destinies of others will also be modified, to varying degrees."

Whenever the system discussed its area of expertise, it became serious and brimming with enthusiasm.

"In the original storyline, the villain boss was sent to prison because he committed illegal acts and the protagonist caught him. But since we've acknowledged him as our big brother, we should definitely provide him with crucial information at critical junctures to prevent him from straying down the 'wrong path.' After all, we can't follow a big brother who's destined for prison, can we?"

"Furthermore, if we truly can't change his fate of going to prison, we can at least ensure our own safety and know when to abandon ship. We can't be tied to him indefinitely."

At this point, the system deemed its strategy brilliant—it could leverage the villain's influence without being too deeply entangled, thus avoiding collateral damage if things went awry. Absolutely genius.

"No, we can't do that."

When Yan Zhoubai heard the system suggest abandoning Zhan Jiayu if they couldn't change his fate, his immediate reaction was one of disbelief: "How could we?"

Zhan Jiayu was so good to him—he stood up for him, took him out to have fun. Most importantly, apart from their initial encounter, every interaction with Zhan Jiayu had felt comfortable. Zhan Jiayu made him experience a level of thoughtfulness he had never known before.

Recently, he had noticed a shift in his family's attitude towards him, especially his eldest brother, who had become incredibly attentive and caring, far exceeding his expectations.

But something still felt off. While they were clearly being kind to him, that kindness didn't feel entirely genuine.

Zhan Jiayu was different. They had only known each other for just over a month, yet Yan Zhoubai felt that Zhan Jiayu understood him deeply—knowing what he wanted and what he meant to say. Being with Zhan Jiayu made him feel at ease, as if the very air felt fresher.

He had completely forgotten how terrified he was during their first meeting upon learning that Zhan Jiayu was a villain with shady connections.

"We can't do that. Zhan Jiayu has been very good to me. If we abandon him just because we can't change his fate, wouldn't that be using him? I don't want to do something like that."

Yan Zhoubai conveyed his thoughts to the system in his mind, his lips unconsciously puckering into a pout. He was a little displeased. He didn't like the system's suggestion.

"Don't worry, baby. I'm just saying *if* we can't change the original storyline, not that we definitely can't. We should have confidence in ourselves."

Seeing Yan Zhoubai's agitation, the system quickly reassured him.

"Right, we will change it. I don't want Zhan Jiayu to go to prison," Yan Zhoubai affirmed firmly in his mind.

Zhan Jiayu didn't know what Yan Zhoubai was thinking. He only noticed him spacing out before suddenly pouting, as if someone had upset him. Just as he was about to marvel at how cute it looked, Yan Zhoubai picked up his phone and started typing again.

Then he held it up for Zhan Jiayu to see: "You must abide by laws and regulations. It's different here from Country A."

Zhan Jiayu: ?

What was going on? What bizarre thoughts had popped into that little head in such a short time?

Was he warning him because he knew the Zhan family's overseas businesses weren't entirely legal and wouldn't suit domestic operations? But he already knew that—why bring it up now?

"Do I not look like a law-abiding citizen?" Zhan Jiayu asked with a smile.

Yan Zhoubai immediately shook his head, then nodded. He did *look* the part, but his overseas businesses weren't exactly legitimate.

Zhan Jiayu smiled and ruffled Yan Zhoubai's hair, saying softly, "Don't overthink it. If I weren't a law-abiding citizen, the first thing I'd do after this plane lands would be to kidnap you."

Yan Zhoubai knew he was joking and typed another message into his phone's notes: "Kidnap me? To demand a huge ransom from my family?"

Upon reading this, Zhan Jiayu truly couldn't hold back. His hand moved to Yan Zhoubai's left ear, gently pinching his fleshy earlobe.

He remembered his mother once saying that people with thick earlobes were blessed. Although Yan Zhoubai hadn't lived a particularly blessed life in the Yan family for the first decade or so, Zhan Jiayu believed his future would be full of fortune and happiness.

Because that was what he wished for him.

Zhan Jiayu rubbed Yan Zhoubai's earlobe before leaning in again, deliberately lowering his voice: "What would I need a huge ransom for? Do I look like someone short on money?"

Just as a question began to form in Yan Zhoubai's eyes, Zhan Jiayu's deep voice continued:

"If I kidnap you, it would be to keep you locked up. You're too adorable—how could I ever let you go?"

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Author's note: Here I am! [Let me see]