This bonus chapter is specially translated for Nochu! thank you so much for your support on Kofi.
The autumn wind outside was bleak, and the golden sun could not dispel the chill that seeped into the young man’s bones. He pressed his lips tightly together.
“Have you found the anonymous person?”
“We have,” the police nodded, but their expressions remained tense. “The account’s original owner is from City B and hasn’t logged in for a long time; they don’t even know when it was stolen.”
“The login IP address is from abroad. In this situation… it’s hard to trace.”
There are many matters where the police’s power is limited.
Although Xia Yan had encountered several ‘special’ situations, none had posed a real threat, and he couldn’t even confirm whether the three incidents were the same person’s work.
The situation was deemed not significant because of its low danger. Compared to his minor issues, everyone preferred to allocate resources to more challenging cases.
Xia Yan never imagined he could encounter a psycho!!!
He felt a surge of panic inside, wishing he could immediately pack his things and hide at home, avoiding any encounters with the stalker. They wouldn’t be able to act if he didn’t see them!
But the reality was… he had a mission.
As an ‘alternative’ worker, to earn points to revive and return home, even knowing it was a psycho, he had to brace himself and push through.
What was the original owner’s persona?
Arrogant, foolish, and naively cruel, the gold-digging youth.
Even though Xia Yan’s internal alarm bells were ringing loudly, he had to maintain an indifferent facade: “Ha! I want to see what tricks he can play!”
The police saw this and kindly tried to advise him again.
Wu Qin also looked like he was on high alert, and his demeanor was cautious.
The only party involved seemed relaxed and casual, making him stand out. The police had no choice but to remind Wu Qin to keep a close eye on Xia Yan and not let him go alone.
Wu Qin nodded seriously.
Xia Yan: “…” What was the point of two unrelated people reminding each other?
As their conversation neared its end, the police organized the documents and suddenly spoke as if recalling something, “By the way, He Lun wants to apologize to you in person. Do you want to meet him?”
“No.” The youth flatly refused.
“I see.”
The police did not insist, politely exchanging a few words before escorting them out of the office. The lobby outside was still lively, with many people coming and going.
As soon as Xia Yan stepped outside, he immediately spotted a handsome Beta waiting not far away.
The Beta was looking around, seemingly searching for someone. When he saw Xia Yan, his eyes brightened, and he jogged over, his youthful face flushed.
“I’m so glad I didn’t miss you!”
“?”
The Beta took out a white business card, smiling shyly, “This is the business card of the senior I mentioned. It might not be useful, but I hope it helps you.”
The young man probably had just graduated. His features were still youthful, and his sparkling eyes were full of dreams for the future.
Xia Yan hesitated for a moment, not wanting to disappoint the child. He took the card, trying to maintain his character: “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” The Beta waved and returned to his post.
The card felt high-quality, with a clean and elegant design featuring “Halda Corporation” prominently at the top.
However, did he really need to contact someone in sales?
The youth fell into deep thought.
“Aren’t you leaving?” Wu Qin suddenly spoke.
Xia Yan seemed a bit distracted, and upon hearing his words, he followed him outside. Wu Qin noticed this and couldn’t help but grit his teeth; was he being swayed so quickly?
A senior? Which senior? Why was he looking for him?
Using his height, he discreetly peeked at the young man’s business card. With his excellent eyesight, he saw everything clearly and unconsciously read aloud, “Halda…”
“You know about it?” Xia Yan realized that given the size of the company, not knowing would seem strange.
He looked up, only to find Wu Qin with a peculiar expression: “Are you looking for someone from Halda?”
?
Xia Yan’s eyes lit up. Was there a chance? He immediately nodded.
“If you want to buy unreleased new products, contact Wen Changming directly.” Wu Qin assumed the youth wanted to buy something for Shen Wenqing, his voice unknowingly tinged with jealousy.
“But having an ex-boyfriend choose a gift for a current boyfriend…”
He looked at the youth, reproaching him with his gaze.
Little did he know, Xia Yan confusedly replied, “Ex-boyfriend???”
At that moment, an ominous premonition surged in Wu Qin’s heart, “Isn’t Wen Changming your ex-boyfriend?”
The youth was stunned: “When did I date him?”
“…”
“…………”
The two exchanged bewildered glances, each filled with confusion.
–
Ten minutes later, after much back-and-forth, the two finally clarified the situation and found themselves sitting in a black sedan, enveloped in silence.
Wu Qin drove with a blank expression, gripping the steering wheel tightly. The veins on his hands protruded, and his demeanor was cold and intimidating.
But if one looked closely, they would notice his earlobes were slightly flushed, and his gaze was dim and listless, like a salted fish who had lost its dream.
If given another chance, he would never utter such idiotic words.
All because of that bastard Wen Changming, who unilaterally decided Xia Yan was his boyfriend, leading to this massive misunderstanding.
But from another perspective…
Wen Changming could actually slip up too.
Wu Qin didn’t know why he felt a strange sense of delight when he learned the two were not in a relationship—though Shen Wenqing quickly overshadowed that joy.
However, the guilt of undermining an enemy’s relationship was completely different from that of undermining a cousin’s.
Wait a minute…
Why did he use the term ‘undermine’?
Wu Qin’s mind jolted; he almost crashed into the green belt, realizing then that he seemed to… like Xia Yan.
This feeling had quietly crept into his heart, and by the time he realized it, it had already taken root and sprouted.
To uproot it would mean digging out part of his heart, leaving behind a gaping wound.
He slowed the car down, sneakily stealing glances at the youth in the passenger seat.
Xia Yan wore a loose blue and white striped sweater. The seatbelt passed through the middle and pressed down lightly on his chest, accentuating a subtle outline. One hand could…
Ugh! What was he thinking?!
Wu Qin instinctively withdrew his gaze, shaking his head wildly.
Xia Yan: “?”
Is he sick?
He shot a strange glance at the other, quickly pondering his own mission.
According to Wu Qin, Wen Changming was the president of Halda and also his brother. He would surely know about matters regarding the laboratory.
Considering that Wen Changming had been extremely busy for over a week and combining this with the system task, it was highly likely due to something related to the laboratory.
Could it be… a failed experiment?
Every drug, from development to production, requires a massive investment of manpower and resources. It’s common for labs to invest billions over five or six years without yielding results.
But!!!
Why would they come to him for help if the experiment failed?
He was just a modeler, a corporate worker! The professional gap was too large—he was powerless in this.
Xia Yan turned his head, looking at the congested traffic outside the window, feeling that this side quest might be asking too much.
No! He needed to change his perspective.
Based on the last world’s task, he knew that the side missions in the original storyline were always completed. His job now was to find the interfering factors.
Since it wasn’t convenient to make a phone call with Wu Qin right beside him, Xia Yan sent a message, trying to set up a meeting with Wen Changming.
But halfway through typing, he realized—how could he inquire about the lab without arousing suspicion?
Logically speaking, as a regular Beta with love for money, he shouldn’t be interested in inhibitors, let alone know about the covert research at “Halda.”
After three seconds of thought, the young man slowly turned his head, squinting at the man driving next to him.
If the fool slipped up, it wouldn’t be suspicious, right?
Wu Qin: “???”
He’s looking at me!
Happy.
Originally planning to return to the hotel for a nap, Xia Yan changed his mind after coming up with a plan and decided to accompany Wu Qin around town.
With the Alpha’s boundless energy, they wandered everywhere.
They went to the arcade, where they played basketball, grabbed claw machine toys, and played retro arcade games. The place was incredibly noisy, and they had to shout to be heard.
Xia Yan: “…” Plan to gather information—failed.
Holding a pile of game tokens, Wu Qin asked, “Xia Yan, which stuffed toy do you like?”
The rectangular claw machine was filled with a layer of stuffed animals. Lost in thought about the task, Xia Yan absentmindedly pointed at the black, white, and grey penguin in the center.
“I got it.”
Full of confidence, Wu Qin inserted a coin and tried to grab the toy, but he failed.
Unfazed, he kept inserting coins and trying again.
Another failure.
After tossing in more than a dozen tokens without so much as lifting the toy, Xia Yan remembered hearing in his previous life that claw machines were rigged. The owner deliberately loosened the claws and would only tighten after a certain number of coins had been inserted, making it easier to grab the toy.
Instead of trying to grab a toy, you might as well buy one.
He turned to look at the Alpha, who was repeatedly failing and trying again, and explained the trick to him.
He expected Wu Qin to be disappointed, but the Alpha just nodded knowingly. “I know, but as long as I keep inserting coins, eventually I’ll get it.”
Xia Yan: “…That toy isn’t worth much.”
The man responded without hesitation, “But you like it!”
Xia Yan: “…”
What the—why did that sound like a romantic confession?
“Look at other people’s boyfriends,” a girl nearby playfully nudged her partner while pointing.
“Don’t put me down like that!”
“But it’s so sweet! You should take notes.”
Their voices gradually softened, whispering private conversations to each other.
Xia Yan, who was being misunderstood: “…”
The arcade was packed with people, most of them couples, with a few groups of friends. Due to Xia Yan and Wu Qin’s striking good looks, they drew a hundred percent of people’s attention. Everyone couldn’t help but glance their way.
This place was near S University, so there were bound to be some students who had no classes at the moment.
“Isn’t that Senior Wu?”
“Looks like it.”
“Whoa! When did he get a boyfriend? I thought guys like him, so straight-laced, would be single until graduation.”
“The person next to him looks familiar.”
“Take a few pictures.”
The sound of phone cameras quietly clicked as the photographers remained hidden in the crowd, impossible to track down.
–
Wu Qin’s luck was really bad. After spending over a hundred tokens, he finally managed to grab the cute little penguin, just as Xia Yan was about to lose his patience.
“For you.”
The soft, fluffy toy was suddenly thrust into Xia Yan’s hands. Their fingers brushed, bringing a bit of warmth. Before Xia Yan could react, they had already left the arcade.
Wu Qin: “I’ve booked a restaurant on the 21st floor of the next building. It’s a five-minute walk.”
Xia Yan: “…” Fine.
Knowing that Xia Yan liked expensive things, Wu Qin had chosen a high-end French restaurant with a top-tier ambience, taste, and atmosphere. They sat by the window, and the surrounding guests were politely speaking in low voices, accompanied by soft background music floating through the air.
Xia Yan thought this was finally his chance.
He had to gather some information this time.
However…
The ideal scenario was grand, but the reality was bleak.
Wu Qin, despite appearing unreliable, was actually very tight-lipped. He talked a lot about funny stories from Halda.
—Including a story about a certain Alpha executive who looked like they had a full head of hair but was secretly wearing a wig.
But none of his anecdotes touched upon the laboratory.
Outside the window, the sky was pitch black, with a round moon hanging high, casting a silvery glow over the world. Xia Yan sipped some red wine, pretending to be drunk, and casually asked, “I heard big companies have their own research labs?”
This question was broad, with no specific direction.
Wu Qin didn’t think much of it and nodded, “Yes, my father runs two or three labs to develop new products for the company.”
“Oh!” Xia Yan feigned interest. “Does ‘Halda’ do the same?”
“They do a lot more research,” Wu Qin casually replied before quickly changing the subject. They talked about jewelry, watches, and luxury cars, hinting at wanting to buy Xia Yan something.
Xia Yan, who desperately wanted to pry open Wu Qin’s mouth and get him to spill about Halda, had to play along, showing interest due to his character’s role.
By the end of the day, Xia Yan had only managed to get closer to Wu Qin, but hadn’t learned anything valuable. Back at the hotel, he turned to chat with Wen Changming, trying a different approach.
However, Wen Changming, not expecting Xia Yan to be interested in lab matters, missed the hint and merely mentioned he’d send a gift.
Xia Yan: “…”
After replying to Wen Changming, Xia Yan had to switch over and chat with Shen Wenqing as well, juggling between the two conversations.
Shen Wenqing’s attitude remained as warm as ever, seemingly unaffected by yesterday’s events. Remembering the stalker situation, Xia Yan hesitated but decided not to mention it.
After all, he’d ignored Shen Wenqing just yesterday, and now making him worry about him today felt unfair.
His conscience wouldn’t allow it!
Xia Yan casually exchanged a few words, yawned, grabbed his bathrobe, and showered. Halfway through, he vaguely heard a knock at the door.
Knock, knock, knock!
It was faint, almost like an illusion.
