02

 

Bo Chi had lost count of how many times his emotions had been out of control tonight.

He didn't understand what this strange feeling in his heart was all about, only that the air conditioning in the car hadn't cooled down at all, and the air was very hot.

Song Yu sat in the corner, looking very reserved.

Just now, Bo Chi was only focused on staring at that face, and only now did he notice that Song Yu's legs were not wearing ordinary cotton socks, but silk ones, which went all the way from his slender calves to his thighs.

Bo Chi's eyelids kept twitching, and his gaze fell back on Song Yu's neck.

It was clearly his own fault, and now he was going to beg him with tears in his eyes. However, by the time he realized it, the man had already heard his voice.

"Move a little over here."

Song Yu obediently moved a little.

Bo Chi moved closer.

The lace had no elasticity and didn't fit properly, and the skin on his neck was red from being tied up.

It was a bit pitiful.

He didn't say anything more and reached out to untie the iron ring at the back.

But it was probably because the thing was poorly made, or the iron ring was too small, and Bo Chi couldn't untie it after a long time.

He swallowed hard, his back and forehead sweating profusely, veins bulging on his hands. Just then, Song Yu turned around, looking at him expectantly: "Brother Chi... are you done?"

Bo Chi took a deep breath, his voice hoarse: "I'm working on it."

Song Yu pursed his lips and turned away again.

The boy's skin was snow-white and smooth; even a slight touch left a red mark. Bo Chi realized then how delicate his little follower, who always fawned over him, was.

The lace clasp was still on, his fingertips still feeling the soft, sticky residue of Song Yu's skin. He felt incredibly hot and said to the driver in the front seat, "Stop the car, turn the air conditioning down."

The driver: "..."

It was already at its lowest setting.

After parking the car on the side of the road and pretending to lower the temperature, the driver forced himself not to glance in the rearview mirror.

He appeared calm, but inwardly he was shocked: after all, in the past few months, he had never seen Bo Chi give Song Yu a kind look, let alone do such a servile job.

Anyone who didn't know better would think he was possessed.

Sitting in the driver's seat with nothing to do, he let his imagination run wild, finally unable to resist glancing back—

Bo Chi, broad-shouldered and long-legged, looked even more muscular in his suit. He was

leaning slightly forward, his upper body almost touching the boy's neck. It was like…holding someone in his arms and kissing their neck. With

a “scratching” sound—

Bo Chi coldly pulled down the rear curtain.

The sound was frightening; the driver immediately looked away, not daring to hear anything that followed.

He didn't know how long it took, but the lace clasp was finally undone. The next moment, beads of sweat on Bo Chi's forehead trickled down his straight nose,

finally dripping onto Song Yu's snow-white neck.

The boy's thin shoulders trembled slightly, as if burned.

Bo Chi felt a burning sensation in his nose, belatedly pulling back the small piece of lace. Then, he heard the other exhale, his small Adam's apple bobbing a few times as if in relief.

A strong fragrance almost immediately enveloped him.

"Thank you."

Hearing Song Yu's voice, Bo Chi suddenly realized what was happening and immediately moved away.

He instructed the driver to continue driving, then glanced down at the lace ribbon in his hand, a hint of sarcasm in his voice: "They helped you put it on?"

Song Yu pursed his lips and slowly shook his head.

"Where are the clothes? Did they give them to you?"

"..." He nodded.

"Helped you put them on?"

"..."

Song Yu blushed with embarrassment. He didn't really want to bring it up, but he didn't dare anger Bo Chi. At least the other party had just helped him out of that predicament.

So he answered softly, "I put them on myself." "

Where are the socks? You put them on yourself?"

"...Yeah."

"You changed right there in the private room?"

Bo Chi seemed very concerned about this, even asking about some very detailed things. Song Yu himself wasn't quite sure, and he used the excuse that he was drunk and didn't remember.

Finally, Bo Chi asked again, "Do you know who that person in the room was today?"

After he finished speaking, he realized that his question was redundant.

How could Song Yu not know Bo Rancen? Everyone in the industry wanted to exchange a few words with Bo Rancen, let alone the Song family, whose business had been a bit bumpy lately.

Sure enough, the young man nodded.

Bo Chi paused for a moment, then said in a flat tone, "Forget it, stay home for the next few days and don't go out."

Although Bo Rancen had been so unyielding and hadn't had a single scandal for years, almost to the point of being rumored to be sexually apathetic by people in the industry, Bo Chi knew the real story.

It was simply because he had high standards and didn't find ordinary people attractive.

Perhaps seeing Song Yu in this state would make him lose control.

But everyone knew the ways of the wealthy, and Song Yu's status was completely unequal, and she had no dating experience. In the end, she would only be played with.

In the end, she would give him everything, only to be dismissed with a check.

She would probably come back to him pitifully later.

He wouldn't be soft-hearted then.

The fragrance lingered in his nose, making Bo Chi feel irritated. He gritted his teeth in annoyance.

The atmosphere in the car was tense the whole way, and the man's face was also not good, but fortunately, he didn't say anything more. As soon as the car stopped, Song Yu hurriedly said goodbye to him, got out of the car, and walked towards the apartment building without looking back.

It was late summer, and the evenings were getting chilly. Song Yu, wearing short sleeves and shorts, occasionally hunched his shoulders.

The dim streetlights cast a soft glow on the boy's smooth, white neck.

Bo Chi's gaze fell on the lace choker peeking out from the car seat.

Song Yu had forgotten to take it with him.

The driver hesitated for a long time, not daring to ask why Bo Chi was taking Song Yu home, much less remind him that the man had been staring at that back for a full half minute.

*

By the time he got back to the apartment, the hangover cure had fully taken effect. Song Yu looked down, smelled alcohol on himself, and gave a disgusted look.

He took a shower and changed into a comfortable cotton pajama.

By the time he finished, it was already ten o'clock at night.

Song Yu went to the living room, threw the sailor uniform he had taken off into the trash can, and then sank into the sofa, finally regaining his energy to read the information 009 had sent about this world.

This world was a typical story of everyone being hated and then facing a catastrophe after awakening.

The protagonist's name was Gu Zeshu. Gu Zeshu was born into a wealthy family, but he was not happy. He tried hard to please his family, but his father and elder brother were indifferent, and his younger brother, with whom he had a relatively good relationship, actually looked down on him and squandered his good intentions. Even the marriage alliance that was being discussed with the Bo family was rejected.

Nobody liked Gu Zeshu.

Finally, after shielding his younger brother from a car accident, Gu Zeshu had a moment of awakening. He realized he was just cannon fodder in a story, there to highlight his brother, and from then on, he stopped striving. After completely severing ties with the Gu family, his talent was recognized, and his songs became wildly popular.

Everyone began to regret their decision, especially Bo Chi, who had initially disdained the arranged marriage. Unfortunately, it was too late, because Gu Zeshu's lover at this time was the more powerful Bo Rancen.

Song Yu lowered her eyes.

Although the protagonist's path later on was smooth, her previous despair was genuine.

Being ignored by her family must have been very painful.

Seeing Song Yu's low spirits, 009's voice carried a hint of reassurance: [Host, the role you played as the third male lead this time greatly helped the protagonist's growth.]

Song Yu's eyes brightened: [So this time it's not a scumbag?]

009: [No.]

Song Yu: [Then what is my character?]

009: [You are the follower of the second male lead, Bo Chi, and you flatter him because of your family's business.] The other party was too lazy to see the protagonist, so they asked you to deliver a message to the hospital. You met the protagonist at a banquet and have been secretly in love with him ever since. You overheard his conversation with his family and learned he was about to break ties with them, so you took advantage of his vulnerability.

Song Yu: "..."

That sounds only slightly better than being a pervert.

009's filter is very strong; even with such a clumsy and cowardly elementary school kid character, they can find something to praise: "[You're not a womanizer; from beginning to end, you only wanted to take advantage of the protagonist.]" "

[And you're not a scumbag; your pursuit was just a bit problematic.]" "

[It's not your fault.]"

Song Yu was almost convinced: "[...Really? What about my final fate?]"

009: "[After the first and second leads found out about your taking advantage of him, they taught you a lesson. The entire industry stopped cooperating with the Song family, your parents blamed you, and after severing ties, you ended up on the streets.]"

Hmm... still so tragic.

But were the Song family's parents really that heartless?

Song Yu looked around. The apartment was fully furnished, and it seemed like he lived there alone.

They'd gone to the trouble of buying a place; his parents should dote on him.

009: [Your parents only care about money. They bought this apartment in an upscale neighborhood near the second male lead so you could curry favor with him. Furthermore, the apartment isn't registered in your name.]

Okay.

Luckily, he hadn't met either of them, so he wasn't too disappointed.

Having grasped the world's background and the general plot, Song Yu checked the time and went back to his bedroom to rest.

*

After spending the whole day in the apartment, Song Yu was reminded by 009 that it was time for his mission.

[Your first mission in this world has arrived. You are currently trying to win over the second male lead, Bo Chi, and need to contact him. Complete this before 6 PM.]

[Reward: 1000 points.]

Song Yu rolled around in bed wrapped in his blanket a couple of times, whining and pleading with 009 that he didn't want to do the mission, before slowly reaching out a hand from under the covers to fumble for his phone on the table.

After opening his contacts, he scrolled down a bit, and... so many people.

The notes even specifically indicated what kind of business he was in.

He didn't seem like the son of a nouveau riche, more like a top salesman.

Song Yu muttered to 009.

009: "[This is what your parents asked you to do. Actually, you're not exactly outgoing, and you're quite shy, but you don't dare disobey your parents, so you have to do this.]"

Song Yu seemed thoughtful.

That made sense of the later breakup.

Bo Chi was the most powerful person he knew, his number was set as a special caller ID, and his WeChat was pinned to the top.

Bo Chi didn't like being disturbed, so Song Yu didn't dare call him easily; the number he had saved was just for show. He opened WeChat and scrolled through their previous chat history.

They hadn't chatted much; he would greet Bo Chi every few days, and Bo Chi would reply with "Oh," "I know," or "No need."

He seemed very impatient, which matched the sour face Song Yu had seen yesterday.

Song Yu didn't really like interacting with people with bad tempers like this, afraid he would be yelled at. After thinking about the task and points, he pursed his lips and decided to send a WeChat message to the other party.

Song Yu sent something similar to before, a seemingly boring message.

【Brother Chi, are you home?】

After sending it, he heard the "Task approved" sound.

Song Yu breathed a sigh of relief.

This time, the points were a bit easy to get.

Bo Chi definitely wouldn't reply to the message, so Song Yu put his phone aside, got out of bed, and went to the bathroom, preparing to take a shower and rest early.

It was already twenty minutes later when he came out of the bathroom.

Just as Song Yu was about to lie down, he was reminded by 009: 【Host, while you were showering, Gong Er replied to your message.】

He replied?

Song Yu was surprised. Was he going to scold him? He

nervously opened the WeChat message.

Bo Chi only replied with one word: 【In】

Hmm...

very much in line with the other party's personality.

Song Yu stared at the chat box, worried, not knowing what to reply.

But not replying would obviously be out of character.

Song Yu frowned, intending to send another random message like "What are you doing?", but then the other party called directly.

Song Yu paused, her slender white finger tapping the answer button.

A somewhat stiff male voice came from the other end: "Hello."

"Hello, Brother Chi."

The familiar voice reached his ears, and Bo Chi felt as if his phone was leaking electricity, his ears going numb.

He didn't know why he had made this call; after not receiving a reply on WeChat, his mind was filled with images of Song Yu in those kinds of clothes lying on some man's bed, and he dialed the number without hesitation.

Now that it was connected, he felt awkward and didn't know what to say.

So he casually asked, "Not replying to messages?"

Song Yu replied honestly, "I just finished showering."

Bo Chi's breathing became labored. Showering at this hour? What was he doing? His tone became impatient: "Where are you?"

"At home."

"Showering at home at this hour?"

He sounded unconvinced.

Song Yu glanced at the time; it wasn't even six o'clock yet, which did seem out of character for a young person. He slowly explained, "I was planning to rest early."

Bo Chi was skeptical. Usually, Song Yu would come to the villa at this time, sticking close to him, watching him play games or read.

But today, he hadn't come all day.

Bo Chi was a little unaccustomed to this, and after a moment of silence, said, "We're still missing one person for this Ludo game."

The implication was clear, and Song Yu understood—he was being asked to come and make up the numbers.

Though reluctant, he agreed after 009 said a key person would be arriving soon.

Bo Chi hung up the phone.

The butler, standing nearby, said considerately, "Young Master Bo, would you like some Ludo? Would you like to invite a few friends?"

*

When Song Yu arrived at Bo Chi's villa by taxi, three people were already seated in the living room.

The other two were Bo Chi's close friends, both wealthy second-generation heirs, but far more well-behaved than those he'd encountered before, unlikely to attend any disreputable parties.

009 displayed their names and photos on the screen to prevent Song Yu from calling the wrong people.

The man in the middle with almond-shaped eyes, named Zhou Xie, had a rather carefree personality. Seeing Song Yu arrive, he jokingly said, "Oh, your little wife's here, aren't you going to make room?"

Hearing the word "little wife," Song Yu paused.

He wanted to explain, but Bo Chi interrupted him: "Come over here."

Song Yu pursed his lips.

Bo Chi leaned casually against the sofa armrest, dressed in a black casual outfit, his long legs bent, barely touching the floor.

There was an empty seat next to him.

Song Yu walked around the board of Ludo spread out on the floor and sat on the rug. However, the rug was the kind that's hard, and after sitting down for only a few seconds, he felt extremely uncomfortable.

Song Yu was the kind of person whose expressions were written all over his face, and Bo Chi stared at the corners of his drooping eyes, the small red patch looking like it had been dyed, thick and beautiful.

For a moment, he was so focused on staring at him that he forgot what he wanted to ask.

So Zhou Xie across from him beat him to it: "Old Chi, you always have that grumpy face, it's making people unhappy."

Afraid of upsetting Gong Er, Song Yu immediately explained: "No, I'm not unhappy."

But Zhou Xie wouldn't let it go, laughing teasingly, seemingly deliberately making him laugh: "Oh? Then why the droopy face?"

Song Yu glanced at Bo Chi, the man still had that indifferent expression, and he couldn't tell whether he was happy or not.

Bo Chi was indeed unhappy.

He regretted calling Zhou Xie over; why did he have to say so much to Song Yu?

"The blanket isn't comfortable,"

a soft voice rang out, causing everyone present to pause slightly.

Another boy with black-rimmed glasses touched the blanket: "It's quite soft, not prickly at all."

Song Yu's voice was even softer: "A little hard."

After a moment of silence, Zhou Xie chuckled: "Still a princess, huh?"

Even if Song Yu was slow to understand, he could tell that Zhou Xie was calling him spoiled.

And mocking him.

Song Yu was displeased, his eyes downcast.

Bo Chi glanced at Zhou Xie, then gave the butler a look, who immediately understood and went to the room to fetch a fleece blanket.

He was indeed spoiled.

But considering Song Yu's soft skin, his dislike of the blanket seemed reasonable.

Seeing that the handsome young man opposite him was truly angered, Zhou Xie immediately apologized: "My fault, my fault, don't be angry! Here, here, your brother Chi's most treasured blanket is for you!"

He then took the blanket from the butler and handed it to Song Yu.

Song Yu took the card, the soft downy fibers slipping between his fingers, feeling exceptionally comfortable. He felt much better and said "Thank you."

He wasn't sure if he was saying it to Zhou Xie or the butler,

since his face wasn't facing him.

Bo Chi scoffed inwardly, annoyed .

Song Yu had never played Ludo before. After briefly listening to the rules, he felt he could probably win.

He even made a bet with 009: "Don't worry, if I win, I'll buy you screws."

009 was overjoyed.

However, in both games, Song Yu was the biggest loser.

Song Yu: ...Ugh.

Before playing the game, they agreed that whoever lost would have to pay for today's meal.

Song Yu didn't know how much his meal would cost, and looked pitifully at Zhou Xie, who had won the most: "How much?"

Zhou Xie didn't say much: "Just add me on WeChat and transfer it to me."

Song Yu opened WeChat, and the other person accidentally glanced at his screen: "You even pinned Bo Chi to the top of your chat list?"

Bo Chi, who had looked pale for over an hour, paused slightly upon hearing this.

The next second, he heard Song Yu softly hum.

His heart felt like it had been tickled by a feather, both itchy and lightheaded.

Bo Chi stared at Song Yu's fair profile, his mind a jumble.

Song Yu tapped the "Add Friend" button in the upper right corner, about to scan Zhou Xie's WeChat QR code, when his phone was snatched away.

He turned around, and Bo Chi placed his phone aside: "Wait a minute, let's play two more rounds."

Song Yu: "..."

He was certain that Bo Chi really hated him and wanted him to lose more money.

Song Yu dared not speak out, and continued to play, but he was lucky in the next two rounds, while Bo Chi was the one who lost the most.

"Young Master Bo, you'll have to give more."

"Understood."

Bo Chi uttered a few words crisply, and soon, Song Yu received a transfer from the other party—

a full 50,000.

Song Yu's eyes widened.

Thank goodness, he wasn't the one who lost.

After Bo Chi finished transferring the money, he received a phone call, so he got up and went to the balcony to answer it.

Taking advantage of the break, Song Yu fulfilled her promise to 009 and picked out a screw that looked quite exquisite for it.

009 immediately locked it in the safe upon receiving it, afraid it might be stolen by some broken piece.

Its voice carried a hint of cheerfulness: 【Host, the crucial plot has arrived.】

*

Bo Chi received a call from his parents. Although the Bo family had no possibility of a marriage alliance with the Gu family, they were still a prominent family, and the elders hoped he could visit Gu Zeshu in the hospital, at least to save face.

Bo Chi was annoyed by their nonsense.

He didn't know Gu Zeshu at all; what would he do at the hospital?

But he was in a strangely good mood tonight and didn't want to argue with the old couple, so he casually gave a few perfunctory replies and hung up.

Pushing open the glass door to the balcony, Bo Chi saw Song Yu looking up at him with her small face.

His expression seemed worried: "Brother Chi, are you in a bad mood?"

Bo Chi's anger was extinguished, and he answered patiently, "I'm fine."

"With that sour face, how can you be fine?" Zhou Xie chimed in, his eyes darting around, immediately guessing, "It's not that your father sent you to the hospital to see that person, is it?"

Bo Chi hummed in agreement.

Another boy also looked surprised and discussed the matter with Zhou Xie.

"Didn't they not reach an agreement?"

"You two don't even know each other, it would be awkward to go."

“But didn’t he get into a car accident recently? It’s good to go see him , even just

to make a show of it.” Bo Chi sat down again, offering no opinion.

A moment later, he felt his clothes being tugged.

Turning to the side, he saw Song Yu leaning close: “Brother Chi.”

The boy’s shirt collar was loose, and with them so close, the man could easily see what shouldn’t be visible under his collar if he lowered his eyes slightly.

“If you don’t want to go, I’ll go for you.”

Bo Chi didn’t hear a word he said, his body stiffening slightly. He turned his face away and mumbled a vague “hmm.”

Only after realizing what he had agreed to did he understand.

Song Yu had run errands for him before, and the other had always been happy to do so. But today, Bo Chi unexpectedly didn’t want Song Yu to do this.

He was already complaining about sitting on a blanket, let alone taking a bus to a crowded hospital?

The thought of the boy shoving his arms around others in the elevator made Bo Chi incredibly annoyed. Just as he was about to back out, Zhou Xie preemptively said, "My house is nearby, I can give you a ride."

Song Yu's eyes lit up. "Thank you."

He then thanked the other men as well.

Bo Chi's brow twitched, his voice stiff. "No need."

"I'll have the driver take you."

*

Song Yu successfully completed the scene where he went to the hospital to see the protagonist in place of the second male lead.

This was the first crucial point; if he couldn't complete it, the story couldn't progress.

Song Yu sat in the car, looking out the window.

Seeing a flower shop, he said to the driver, "Could you stop for a bit? It's right in front of that flower shop, I'll be there in a bit."

The driver was surprised, stopped the car, and turned around. "Are you buying flowers for the second young master of the Gu family?"

Song Yu nodded.

Still a polite child. The driver's expression softened. "You can take your time choosing."

"Thank you."

Song Yu said and got out of the car.

The driver, watching the clean, slender figure, thought to himself that this didn't look like the son of a nouveau riche, but rather like a pampered young master.

Remembering Bo Chi's earlier instructions, the driver had a bold idea.

Could it be that he'd actually become inseparable from him if he kept clinging to him?

*

Song Yu spent about ten minutes browsing in the flower shop, choosing some brightly colored flowers.

Hospital life was too monotonous; seeing these colors would brighten the patients' moods.

The florist was a young woman, and she helped trim and wrap the flowers into bouquets.

While waiting, Song Yu checked his phone and accepted the transfer Bo Chi had sent him.

These flowers were for Gu Zeshu in Bo Chi's name; Song Yu, thinking about Bo Chi's future revenge, didn't want to spend money on him.

After receiving the money, he paid the florist.

The shop assistant was efficient, wrapping the bouquet in three minutes. Seeing a handsome young man like Song Yu thank him, she couldn't help but ask, "Is this for your girlfriend?"

Song Yu shook his head: "It's for a guy."

The shop assistant seemed thoughtful, nodded, and smiled, "Wishing you happiness."

Song Yu was a little confused, but still said thank you.

He carried the flowers out and noticed a fruit shop next door, so he went over and bought a bag of oranges.

This time he paid with his own money.

After buying the two gifts, Song Yu carried them to the car.

As soon as he got in, Bo Chi called.

Song Yu answered: "Hello, Brother Chi."

"Where are you?"

Song Yu asked the driver, giving him the address.

Bo Chi grunted in response, then didn't say anything more.

He saw Song Yu take the money and assumed he would at least say thank you. But five minutes passed without a word.

Taking the money and then ignoring him?

What an ingrate.

So Bo Chi made this call.

It was as if he deliberately wanted Song Yu to know he was unhappy.

The person on the other end said, "Brother Chi, it's a bit noisy on the street, I'll hang up now," and then actually hung up.

Bo Chi: "..."

He listened to the dial tone, his face sullen, but he didn't know what he was angry about.

After hanging up, Song Yu neatly arranged the bouquet and fruit to the side.

There was still half an hour before they arrived at the hospital, and Song Yu was a little bored on the way, so he went over the rest of the plot with 009.

[After I know that Gu Zeshu has broken ties with the Gu family, should I pursue him?]

According to his role this time, it seems that he has to do these things.

009: [You really want to pursue him, but because you have no dating experience, you do a lot of things that backfire.]

Song Yu had a bad feeling: [...For example?]

[For example, when he was discharged from the hospital, you arranged a hero saving the beauty, but because you didn't rehearse well, you almost hurt him.]

[Also, you know that after he broke ties with the Gu family, he was penniless, and you wanted to give him money, but you were afraid that he wouldn't like you.] Having been influenced by the bad habits of the industry, you anonymously slipped him a credit card, attempting to keep him as a sugar daddy.

Song Yu: "?"

[You wanted physical contact, but were too timid, afraid that if he found out who you were, he would harbor resentment and never speak to you again.]

[So every time you hugged and kissed him in a hotel room, you would turn off the lights so he couldn't see your face.]

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