Chapter 7
There was a police station right in the university town, so the patrol car arrived quickly.
Shao Jianbo was handcuffed and taken away. Xing Shi and the others, who needed to give statements, followed along.
Xing Shi and Fu Xiuning shared a car. He recalled the boy’s furious insults towards Fu Xiuning and wanted to ask the latter about the reason, but realizing there were police officers in the car, he swallowed his words.
However, he thought it over: given his superficial relationship with Fu Xiuning, surely Fu Xiuning would have one story for him and another for the police. So he asked, “Senior, do you know that guy?”
Fu Xiuning had just survived a brief assassination attempt, yet his expression showed no trace of panic, unease, or anger. Instead, he was as gentle and composed as ever, exuding an air of nobility from head to toe.
He glanced at Xing Shi.
Since the hosts they possessed through soul transmigration were all mysterious, he had already noticed Xing Shi’s sharpness when he lifted his hood, and now he was surprised at his agile moves.
He said, “Yes, his name is Shao Jianbo, he’s from our school too.”
After answering, he finally donned the role of the rescued, showing concern: “Thanks to you today. You weren’t hurt, right?”
Xing Shi replied, “No.”
Still curious, he asked, “Do you two have a grudge?”
Fu Xiuning explained, “He’s liked a girl since high school, and that girl likes me.”
Xing Shi had thought Fu Xiuning had done something, but knowing it was a simple matter like this, he found it dull: “Just because of that?”
Fu Xiuning said, “That girl’s personality is as extreme as his. When she pursued me, her methods were intense and caused quite a lot of trouble.”
He sighed softly, as if feeling a bit of pity and misunderstanding: “In the end, she suffered the consequences and became a vegetative state.”
That was the current condition of the previous host.
Fu Xiuning had dealt with her; that was why the main system recruited more and brought Xing Shi here.
He changed the topic: “This matter caused a big stir. You didn’t know?”
Xing Shi hadn’t been very active with the system’s tasks lately to make it anxious, so he only knew a little about Fu Xiuning and hadn’t looked deeply.
He immediately feigned realization: “So it was her! I’d heard about it. Turns out the boy liked her!”
Fu Xiuning quietly watched him act, then nodded: “Yes. Shao Jianbo blames me for everything and hates me.”
He knew the police were listening, so feigned puzzlement: “I haven’t spent much time at school. Last time I saw him, he was just cursing, not to this extent. I don’t know what happened, but suddenly he wanted to kill me.”
Xing Shi guessed: “Did the girl’s condition worsen, and he got more and more angry?”
He asked a key question: “But how did he know you were eating there?”
Fu Xiuning said, “You’ll find out soon.”
“It was all because of me.”
At the police station, Lin Kecheng smiled wryly as he opened WeChat and handed his phone to the officer.
“I accidentally caught senior in a video. Shao Jianbo contacted me, asking if senior was there. I said he had already left, so he didn’t reply. I thought I fooled him, but he still came—and he brought a knife.”
With restaurant surveillance, the police easily understood the sequence of events.
The chat records showed Lin Kecheng and Shao Jianbo had been in contact. Lin said he sensed Shao’s hatred and, out of gratitude to Fu Xiuning for his mentorship, tried to persuade Shao to let go.
The police said nothing, finished taking statements, and let them leave.
The three left the station. Lin Kecheng approached Fu Xiuning, eyes red, full of guilt: “Senior, I’m sorry. I... I almost got you hurt.”
Fu Xiuning sometimes dealt with hosts by proactively solving issues affected by their lives; sometimes the hosts tried to harm him, and he would counter and take them away.
He regretted not being able to send Lin Kecheng off today.
But thinking of Lin’s sudden interference and his flood of shock and anger, he felt relieved and spoke gently: “You meant well. Next time, don’t rush like this. Luckily, nothing happened today. If something went wrong, regret would come too late.”
Lin said, “I didn’t think that far. I just wanted to make sure he wouldn’t hurt you.”
He looked at Xing Shi: “Junior, thank you so much today. I’ll treat you to a meal.”
Xing Shi humbly replied, “I just picked up a few moves from watching short videos. Didn’t expect them to work.”
Lin silently cursed inwardly. He had been subtly provoking Shao Jianbo for a long time. Now that Shao had finally gone mad and acted decisively, he ended up caught. Fu Xiuning wouldn’t reconcile, and Shao would be sentenced. That pawn was ruined!
He forced a grateful expression: “Maybe this was fate, that you happened to watch that video.”
***
The three took a taxi back to school.
Fu Xiuning’s car was there; he intended to return to the company.
Xing Shi had classes in the afternoon but, after the incident, was too lazy to go and decided to follow his boss.
Lin Kecheng had classes too but didn’t go to the teaching building; instead, he accompanied them to the parking lot.
Fu Xiuning hoped he would keep up the effort, curling his lips in a friendly reassurance: “Don’t overthink it. Today’s matter has nothing to do with you.”
Lin Kecheng, moved, watched the luxury car drive away and asked the system, “Is he treating me better now?”
The system agreed but was surprised: “But the favorability score hasn’t changed.”
Lin guessed, “Maybe he’s suspicious about my contact with Shao Jianbo. Once the investigation is over, it’ll be fine.”
He was confident: “Shao Jianbo is an idiot. Even if he’s not crazy, he wouldn’t suspect me. Our chat records are clean. I can easily cover it.”
The system confirmed and excitedly agreed: “Then Fu Xiuning will know you were truly unprepared and that you blocked the knife totally instinctively!”
Lin laughed: “Exactly.”
The system advised: “If you have ideas, tell me. We can strategize and improve success rates.”
Lin said, “Okay, I’ll try to win him over this semester.”
The system encouraged him a bit, then entered their system’s private chat group.
All the systems had identical blockers, unable to detect each other’s locations or know who their hosts were. Only this group allowed communication. Over the years, members came and went, keeping around six.
The main system didn’t forbid alliances but with only one grand prize, competition was fierce. They were cautious and rarely chatted, with messy IDs.
Lin Kecheng’s system sent a message.
“God feeds us well: [A low-maintenance host is just comfortable.]”
Other systems chimed in.
“You all are concubines: [Heh, I know that. Seen quite a few over the years, but they all left in the end.]”
“Latecomer: [You’re surviving well. Senior, what’s your favorability now?]”
“You all are concubines: [Secret.]”
“Congratulations and Prosperity: [Don’t be so harsh. By the way, didn’t a new brother join recently? Why no messages? How’s it going?]”
“Latecomer: [He must have the fewest points, starting at -5, right?]”
System 99 silently nursed a “-9” and stubbornly replied with one word.
“Face obsession forever: [Mm.]”
The others, assuming senior’s stance, shared advice, telling him to be patient.
Lin Kecheng’s system was worried Xing Shi might be the host.
With his striking looks and having saved Fu Xiuning today, if a system bound to him, it might be tempted to reply.
Seeing the colleagues’ reactions, it felt a bit reassured and gave some pointers to the new brother.
System 99 angrily left the group chat and asked, “Why?”
Xing Shi was puzzled: “Hmm?”
The system lamented: “You saved Fu Xiuning! Why didn’t he give you points?!”
Xing Shi said, “He’s a weirdo.”
The system asked, “You’re not angry?”
Xing Shi, used to frustrations in the magical world, replied, “Not yet. You’ll grow up when you see more of the world.”
The system was speechless.
***
Z University and June Culture were only three subway stops apart, about ten minutes by car.
Fu Xiuning drove into the underground parking lot, parked, got out, and walked with Xing Shi toward the elevator, asking, “What classes do you have this afternoon?”
Xing Shi said, “Dance and acting.”
Fu Xiuning looked at him: “Of all the classes at the company, which do you like best?”
Xing Shi said, “They’re all okay.”
Fu Xiuning pressed, “If you had to pick one?”
Xing Shi said, “Dance.”
The elevator doors dinged open.
Fu Xiuning entered first, with Xing Shi following. He heard the system say, “He’s asking because you saved him and is thinking about what kind of resources to give you.”
Fu Xiuning was indeed thinking that way, but it wasn’t about owing a life; he just wanted to understand so his host could start working quickly.
Returning to modern society and wanting to relax after defeating the system, Xing Shi resisted: “I’d rather he treat me to a meal. Do you think he’d take me to some fancy restaurant?”
The system was speechless: “...If you really want that, why not go home and beg your dad?”
Xing Shi said, “No.”
The system sighed: “That’s the original owner’s dad, not your real dad. What’s wrong with begging him? Your dad’s rich enough; you can eat whatever you want. Besides, with his status in the entertainment industry, making you popular would be easy.”
Fu Xiuning was surprised.
Whether hosts were transmigrators or natives, their bodies shared a trait: average or poor family backgrounds, orphans, with simple family and social ties—not complicated.
He had seen Xing Shi’s company profile: the father field was blank; the mother had a name but no contact, with a note saying “deceased.”
He had thought Xing Shi was like others, but apparently not.
Why?
Standing in the ascending elevator, Fu Xiuning glanced sideways at the figure beside him.
Immune to punishment, shrugging off “thanks but no thanks,” and now breaking the usual background of the host—why were there so many exceptions in Xing Shi?
Sensing keenly, Xing Shi turned to look at Fu Xiuning but saw he wasn’t looking at him, so replied to the system, “I never said I wanted to be famous.”
The system was dumbfounded: “You train so hard every day. Isn’t that to debut soon?”
Xing Shi said, “No.”
The system said, “But you’re so serious, even skipping some unimportant classes for training!”
Xing Shi said, “Oh... mainly because the company meals taste better than the school cafeteria and are free. If I don’t skip, I’d only get leftovers when I rush over.”
The system was puzzled.
Fu Xiuning was speechless.
Ding—the elevator reached the third floor.
Fu Xiuning watched Xing Shi leave, feeling unsettled.
He fed him, housed him, clothed him—how could he not make money for him?
The elevator doors slowly closed behind them. Xing Shi heard a familiar notification.
*Beep beep*
*Current favorability: -10*
He kept walking forward, and the system said nothing.
Two people, one ruling peaceful times, acting as if nothing happened, until Xing Shi stepped into the practice room, and the system finally snapped back.
It let out its first roar in this world: “No way, you just saved him! Is he crazy—!!!”