Chapter 10 Cousin’s Forcible Seizure of You

Chapter 10: The Cousin Who Takes What He Wants

"The first world: You are a person with no money, no brains, and no people skills—a total zero. You are one of the younger generation in a prominent family. You need to rely on... (?? To be explored) to achieve a perfect ending in this level."

"Our aim is to complete hidden objectives. You only need to achieve a perfect ending recognized by the system to finish the task."

Lou Han propped his chin on his hand, carefully studying the terms he saw on his first day here.

Great, now he'd figured out his mission target: his cousin, Xiao Jing.

And Xiao Jing was going to pursue him.

So, Lou Han clapped his hands.

To get out of this world and finish the mission, he just needed Xiao Jing to actively pursue him, and then he'd just have to say yes.

Though the way he was acting toward Xiao Jing was all over the place, which made him a little suspicious of himself.

Lou Han thought it over and believed his logic was sound.

...

"No abnormalities, Boss," Xiao Jie said.

A cold, quiet voice came through the earpiece—Xi Jingqi's. "Did he say anything to you last night?"

Xiao Jie replied truthfully, "After Sir called me over last night, he just asked me to water his roses." He repeated Lou Han's words verbatim.

"Heh." There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a soft chuckle.

Xiao Jie knew, of course, that the laugh wasn't for him.

He moved away from the window in his room, walked to the door, and opened it.

The Lous were a big deal—old money, lots of influence. Last night, Lou Han had contacted the housekeeper. Since the room next to his was vacant, he arranged for Xiao Jie to stay there using the excuse that a friend was visiting.

The housekeeper didn't even question the identity of this so-called "friend" and simply made the arrangements.

Xiao Jie had expected as much. Given the Lou family's current state, they couldn't be bothered with rules or keeping things in order... As for the reason, the Lou family members were only thinking about dividing the family assets, unaware that disaster was about to strike. And in the future, Xiao Jie and his associates would become the very monsters they feared.

Once he was sure the boss had finished, Xiao Jie glanced at Lou Han's quiet door across the hall and then at another room at the end of the corridor—where Lou Zimin, a young master of the Lou family, was currently emerging with a look of annoyance, dragging his feet.

"Sir invited me to have breakfast with him at 6:30 this morning. I declined because I needed to report to you. That Lou Zimin is only just getting up now. I estimate I'll be accompanying Sir to Lou Zimin's company around 10 a.m. to help him sign a contract."

"No need to turn him down for things like that in the future," Xi Jingqi said.

Everything else was unimportant. He said lazily, "You'll accompany him everywhere from now on. I need to know what he likes to eat."

"Yes, sir."

Xiao Jie asked, "Should I install hidden cameras in Sir's room?"

The man didn't respond immediately, pausing briefly before saying, "Not for now."

-

Lou Han crouched on the ground, holding a small booklet and looking at the roses.

Growing roses took some know-how.

Because plants couldn't just survive by being planted in soil, they needed care.

Xiao Jie looked at Lou Han with mixed feelings.

It was already afternoon.

That morning, he had assisted Lou Han in going to Lou Zimin's company.

—This company was one of the Lou family's assets, currently under Lou Zimin's name.

As an observer, Xiao Jie participated in the process of Lou Han and Lou Zimin signing the contract.

And as Lou Han's assistant, he reviewed the various clauses of the contract. But he was kept in the dark about the specifics because Lou Han didn't let him see the details of what they were doing.

At the time, he thought Lou Han was pretty sharp.

These two young men, Lou Han and Lou Zimin, teaming up to pull off something big—weren't they afraid the older generation would disapprove?

Of course they were afraid; they probably already knew the one pulling the strings would intervene.

Quite cunning.

Now, Xiao Jie thought, he'd get to do his part.

Since Lou Han had asked for him specifically, he was bound to have some real work for him, like helping to move things along with Lou Zimin.

However, the development of events was completely beyond Xiao Jie's expectations.

Xiao Jie never expected that coming here would mean helping the boss's kept "little lover" with this kind of thing.

After returning from Lou Zimin's company, Xiao Jie followed Lou Han back to the garden. Then Lou Han said that for the next few days... he'd be staying to help plant flowers.

At that moment, the weather was clear, the sky was a clear blue, and the air was filled with the slightly pungent, fresh scent of soil and grass. Lou Han crouched on the ground in a lush, green corner of the garden. From Xiao Jie's perspective, he could only see the top of Lou Han's head.

Lou Han had a strong presence. His arms were pale, like they rarely saw the sun. The hair on his head was jet-black and smooth. He wore a white shirt and, despite being slender, he still took up space when he crouched because he was so tall.

He was studying the booklet on growing roses very seriously.

But Xiao Jie was questioning reality.

He never imagined that one day in the future, he would be doing this kind of menial labor for his boss.

...Years of hard work, just to plant flowers for the boss.

Lou Han was intently studying the booklet, while Xiao Jie stood beside him, stuck holding the fertilizer bag.

Xiao Jie thought.

He really is good-looking.

No wonder the boss likes him.

But is he a little… off?

The current situation was utterly absurd and completely different from what Xiao Jie had imagined.

By the third day of Xiao Jie being by Lou Han's side,

Xiao Jie felt he couldn't take it anymore.

Lou Han had completely turned him into a farmhand. He was an assassin trained by the boss—an assassin!

These days, all he did in the garden was help Lou Han water, fertilize, and prune—watering, fertilizing, pruning... Lou Han hadn't asked him to do a single other thing.

At first, Xiao Jie figured he'd just go along with it, since it meant less work and more free time for him.

But eventually, he couldn't take it anymore—it was just too boring.

Lou Han was definitely the type of well-behaved, quiet student teachers doted on in school—because he spoke so little.

Lou Han was quiet and focused, with excellent habits: out by seven, back by six, healthy as could be—but he spoke so little.

He left Xiao Jie alone in the garden to tend his flowers, and when he came back in the afternoon, he still spoke so little!

Xiao Jie was alarmed to discover that Lou Han had an almost "shut-off-from-the-world" ability—he could completely immerse himself in his own world, tuning out everyone around him.

Lately, even when right next to him, if Xiao Jie didn't speak first, he was basically ignored. Unless Xiao Jie took the initiative to ask something and got a response, only then did Xiao Jie feel, "Oh, so he *does* see me and knows I'm here!"

Even though Xiao Jie had been putting on his best "open and friendly" act these days—C'mon, get some favors from the boss through me. I hook you up, you're happy, I look good—everyone wins.

But what was Lou Han doing? He just ignored him.

This was not a good feeling at all.

At first, he didn't believe Lou Han could keep up the act.

But he soon admitted defeat. Because aside from going to Lou Zimin's company, Lou Han just went home to tend to the flowers, tend to the flowers, tend to the flowers...

He'd even considered having Lou Zimin "taken care of."

Seriously, from his boss's perspective, seeing Young Master Han interact with no one else day after day...

The person he was closest to was Lou Zimin, and Xiao Jie was so disgusted he almost offered to have the boss deal with Lou Zimin himself.

If it weren't for the fact that Lou Han was just settling for the least worst option and didn't get too wrapped up with him, remaining pretty "above it all," Xiao Jie would've gone through with it.

And Lou Han...

Hadn't contacted their boss at all???

To be fair, Xiao Jie was no stranger to drama, but now he thought the Lou family's seventh young master was something else—a real pro at playing hard to get.

But being noticed by their boss, how could he not be special?

His game was too advanced.

He'd never seen a kept person act like this.

He'd never seen a family power grab go down like this.

Trying to seize a family fortune while being someone's sugar baby, shouldn't you be buttering up your sugar daddy? Scoring more points?

And here was Lou Han, all innocent, independent, and not the least bit clingy. Shouldn't the boss, as the sugar daddy, eat that up?

There were more and more roses in the garden. Looking out, a sea of green spread wildly, with layers of branches and leaves intertwined in shades of deep and light green.

It was another night of Lou Han tending to his flowers.

Crouched down, Lou Han held out a hand.

Xiao Jie passed him the bag of fertilizer he was holding.

Then he watched as Lou Han scattered it.

Xiao Jie finally snapped.

"Young Master, stop messing around." He was at his wit's end.

I get that playing hard to get works, but you just got with the boss. Don't you need to, you know, get close?

Xiao Jie finally asked what had been bugging him for days. "Don't you need to go see the boss?"

Xiao Jie wasn't much older himself, just a couple years Lou Han's senior, still young. But now, Xiao Jie was wearing a large cardigan and slippers, chewing on a blade of grass while staring intently at Lou Han.

—Most of the time, because Lou Han looked so quiet, he really did seem as upright and simple as a little white poplar tree.

Hearing his words, Lou Han finally gave him a strange look.

Then, after a pause, he said four words that left Xiao Jie dumbfounded, "Go see... my cousin?"

Actually, the words themselves weren't a big deal, but it was Lou Han's attitude!

How could he sound so clueless, like seeing the boss was the last thing on his mind!

...Aren't you playing hard to get?

"Yes." Xiao Jie shivered, rubbing at the goosebumps on his arms. He hadn't planned on saying this much anyway.

He reported Lou Han's daily schedule to the boss, and he could tolerate everything else, but this—he couldn't stand it anymore.

The boss hadn't even mentioned wanting to see Lou Han.

Xiao Jie, stuck in the middle, felt like he was being ground to dust.

Xiao Jie struggled to find the words, half-embarrassed, half-incredulous, "Hasn't the boss said that since you two started this relationship, you need to go to him every day?"

What are you doing with that idiot Lou Zimin every day? Don't you know that to get the family assets, you need the boss?

Even your third uncle and fourth aunt have to please the boss, okay?

Even if you don't know the actual situation of the Lou family, you should know that the boss is far more useful than that guy Lou Zimin, right?

"..." Lou Han looked at him, thought for a moment, and said sincerely, "No."

He had no idea why the other man was bringing this up.

Xiao Jie tilted his head and smiled bitterly, "Hasn't the boss said that you must contact him, either?"

Good morning. Good afternoon. Good night.

He'd sent them all.

"..." God. Xiao Jie's eyelid twitched as he slapped his own forehead. "Then has the boss said anything at all?"

Lou Han seemed too lazy to deal with him, looking at this subordinate of Xiao Jing's with speechlessness.

"Of course not." Lou Han thought, otherwise, what should be said? His relationship with Xiao Jing was already very good, so they didn't need to meet every day to maintain it. Sending a text to thank Xiao Jing was already plenty.

Besides, right now, it was Xiao Jing who was supposed to be pursuing him so they could leave the virtual world.

What did it have to do with him going to see Xiao Jing? And maybe Xiao Jing was busy right now; he should just wait for him and not disturb his work.

Lou Han and this world's Xiao Jing were experiencing a pure, innocent first love.

According to Lou Han's understanding, first love shouldn't be so saccharine.

"..."

Xiao Jie thought that he must call his boss tonight to report.

Was he just stringing their boss along?

"Tomorrow is your Lou family's family banquet." Xiao Jie patted himself, thinking calmly, you're on your own.

...Perhaps he didn't understand matters of the heart.

But Xiao Jie was exceptionally competent; his past experiences and the matters he had handled would absolutely surprise the Lou family. Yet he never expected to one day be undone by his boss's "lover."

The order he received before coming was to obey all of Lou Han's demands—namely, the Lou family inheritance.

But this matter couldn't be rushed; the "higher-ups" hadn't yet decided whether to cut the Gordian knot quickly or to indulge the old man's newfound fondness for his precious "Young Master Han" and play house.

As a subordinate with a clear head and no foolish notions, Xiao Jie naturally understood that right now he didn't need to make unnecessary moves but should lie low and wait for orders.

He assessed the situation. In this assignment, where he would need to use his head the most...

—was simply catering to Lou Han's whims.

So at first, Xiao Jie wanted Lou Han to make the first move.

—To actively ask him for resources. Given the complexity of the Lou family's situation, offering a little help wouldn't hurt. If the "little lover" was happy, it would benefit him too. Why not?

Now he had sobered up.

Lou Han seemed to only want to string his boss along.

And tend to his roses.

He didn't want to do any extra business-related things.

By evening, an uninvited guest finally appeared in Lou Han's garden.

Xiao Jie finally let out a sigh of relief, seeing the boss had arrived. He had previously suspected that not only was Lou Han stringing his boss along, but his boss might also have lost interest in Lou Han immediately.

After dinner last night, Xi Jingqi had come.

It was the same kind of evening as their first meeting; Xi Jingqi walked over wearing an overcoat, took hold of Lou Han's hand, and smiled slightly.

"I'm here to see you."

Lou Han blushed, looking at Xi Jingqi standing in his garden. He thought to himself how quickly his relationship with Xiao Jing was progressing in this world.

Under the night sky.

Xi Jingqi looked at him and smiled.

Lou Han smiled too.

"Want to take a walk with me?"

Looking at him, and having missed Xiao Jing for several days, Lou Han felt a bit of longing, so he nodded.

He and Xi Jingqi took a walk together at night.

A gentle breeze brushed against them.

Lou Han was happy that Xi Jingqi had come to see him.

As they walked, Xi Jingqi stole glances at his expression, seeing he didn't seem unhappy.

Finally, under the moonlight, he said lightly, "Tomorrow is your Lou family's family banquet."

Lou Han became pensive, sensing Xi Jingqi watching him from beside him.

Lou Han looked up at the night sky, moonlight washing over his face, outlining a soft profile.

He sighed softly and said, "Yes, Lou family banquets in the past were always tediously elaborate, but there's no helping it; it's a family tradition. Who knows how it will be tomorrow, especially with Grandpa's poor health. I really hope tomorrow's banquet can decide the future of our Lou family."

This was the longest Lou Han had spoken in days.

Because Lou Han was reciting lines.

The system in his mind—had started up again, broadcasting the rules.

【Tomorrow, at the family banquet, Cousin will publicly acknowledge your relationship with him. Completing this might allow you to achieve Task Two: "Accept Cousin's Pursuit of You"!】

Lou Han's eyes lit up. He felt the exhilarating thrill of nearing a game's completion.

Unaware that Xi Jingqi was watching him, taking in his every reaction.

"...I bet Third Uncle and Fourth Aunt will definitely stir up trouble tomorrow." After listening, Lou Han blinked at Xi Jingqi.

Then he looked down at his own feet, voicing his own opinion: "Because tomorrow's banquet will have the most complete gathering of the Lou family. If Third Uncle and Fourth Aunt want to get the inheritance, they'll definitely put on a show."

Xi Jingqi wanted to laugh, thinking his words made it seem as if he himself didn't want the inheritance.

Xi Jingqi even had an absurd thought.

Does he only come forward to talk to me if there's something to gain? He remained expressionless.

As Xi Jingqi walked, Lou Han suddenly moved closer to him.

Lou Han brought his mouth close to Xi Jingqi's ear, forcing him to stop.

He said something that Xi Jingqi found utterly baffling.

But the youth's warm, fresh breath brushed against his neck. With a posture and distance that was both disorienting and intoxicating, Xi Jingqi's attention was fully captured by the person. "—But I don't think it matters, Cousin. You want to do something tomorrow too, right?"

Pursuit! Pursuit! Darling, we can complete World Task Two tomorrow!

"Cousin, you just keep doing what you want to do." Lou Han's voice was like slightly intoxicating wine, exuding subtle, hidden hints.

Xi Jingqi paused slightly, not yet understanding what he meant.

But his youth straightened up, put his hands behind his back, and looked at him with a brilliant smile.

Moonlight like water bathed the two of them. The surroundings were so quiet they could hear each other's heartbeats.

Lou Han coughed, reminding Xiao Jing, unaware that the other hadn't grasped his meaning. "Xiao Jing, you need to perform well tomorrow!"

The person opposite him was stunned for a moment, then smiled with narrowed eyes, a low chuckle emerging from deep in his throat. "Okay."

Author's Note:

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Thank you to every treasure who gave nutrient solution or threw thunder. Updates will be every other day at midnight from now on. If there's no update, I'll ask for leave.