In the opulent grand hall, the harmonious melody of a piano and violin duet lingered in the air, yet few paid it any mind.
The guests, dressed in bespoke formal attire, held wine glasses in hand, smiling as they engaged in conversations with those around them.
In a secluded corner of the room, a man sat on a sofa. Though his suit was understated and conventional, his impeccable physique elevated it to an air of aristocratic elegance. His neatly combed-back hair revealed a smooth forehead and strikingly handsome features.
Most captivating of all were his eyes—dark as obsidian, like a starry night sky. A single glance from them seemed to seize one’s very soul, irresistibly enchanting.
The attendees of this banquet were all here to network and expand their connections, eager to gather in crowded areas. As a result, this corner was left completely deserted.
This solitude gave Chu Qianze the perfect opportunity to familiarize himself with the script.
Propping his chin on one hand, he calmly absorbed the storyline while casually taking a bite of the small cake he had picked up earlier.
[The protagonist is named Yun Zhoujie, the CEO of Group A. He is cold, ascetic, and a workaholic, showing indifference to everyone.
Under his company is a streamer named Zhong Mu, whose appearance is delicate and androgynous. Zhong Mu enjoys cross-dressing and is openly attracted to men. Because of his love for feminine clothing and unapologetic expression of it, he consistently presents himself in a style indistinguishable from a woman’s, earning a following of fans who appreciate his looks or personality.
One time, while attending a banquet, Zhong Mu encountered an instance of unspoken rules in the industry. In his moment of distress, Yun Zhoujie came to his rescue, leaving Zhong Mu smitten at first sight. Later, upon discovering that Yun Zhoujie was his boss, Zhong Mu considered it fate. This led him to become more proactive, both subtly and overtly creating chances to meet Yun Zhoujie in pursuit of a romantic relationship.
Yun Zhoujie, at first, intervened merely because he disliked such shady practices, harboring no personal interest in Zhong Mu. In fact, Zhong Mu’s sudden pursuit initially provoked his annoyance. However, after experiencing…]
“Get to the point,” Chu Qianze said, biting into a piece of fruit.
He had no interest in the convoluted emotional entanglements of these people.
[Your current identity is a food streamer for Yun Zhoujie’s company, Group A’s streaming platform. You’ve never revealed your face to the public and are considered Zhong Mu’s senior. Your key personality traits are gentle and reserved, with your role designed as a supporting character.]
[You only need to play your part well. Once the relevant storyline concludes, you’ll be free to make your own arrangements.]
“After completing the storyline, I’ll have free time to myself? Sounds pretty good,” Chu Qianze remarked, his tone casual.
He had grasped the situation—being dropped into a setting like this definitely meant there was a plot to follow. “So, what’s my next move?”
[Currently, we are in the early stages of the storyline. Zhong Mu has just fallen for Yun Zhoujie at first sight and is eager to pursue him. Upon hearing that Yun Zhoujie would be attending this banquet, Zhong Mu persuaded a friend to bring him along.]
[At this moment, they are in the back garden. Your task is to push Zhong Mu into the cold fountain.]
“Wait a second,” Chu Qianze interrupted, frowning. “Why am I pushing him? And in front of others, as if I’m afraid no one will notice?”
The system paused briefly, as if processing, before responding:
[You fell in love with Yun Zhoujie at first sight a long time ago and have secretly admired him ever since. You agreed to attend this banquet only because you knew Yun Zhoujie would be here. Upon seeing the two of them in the back garden, you became jealous—jealous of Zhong Mu standing by his side and of his carefree confidence in wearing women’s clothing. Overwhelmed by your emotions, you acted without thinking and pushed him into the hot spring.]
The sheer amount of information was almost dizzying.
“Is ‘love at first sight’ such a cliché nowadays? And because of jealousy, I’m throwing someone into a cold fountain? What happened to the ‘gentle and reserved’ persona?” Chu Qianze remarked, popping a piece of chocolate into his mouth with an exasperated expression.
[It’s for the sake of the plot.]
“Is that so,” Chu Qianze deadpanned, clearly unimpressed.
[By the way, Yun Zhoujie is very handsome.]
At the end of the day, it all boiled down to looks. Did the script really need so many flowery descriptors?
“And what’s with being jealous of Zhong Mu for confidently cross-dressing?” Chu Qianze asked, narrowing his eyes as a thought occurred to him.
A sinking feeling began to creep over him. Something didn’t seem quite right.
[Bingo~ Congratulations on unlocking the hidden storyline.]
[The original host had always harbored a special interest in cross-dressing but couldn’t overcome their psychological barriers due to their personality. Completing the cross-dressing achievement will earn you a special reward~]
“No thanks, I’m not interested in cross-dressing,” Chu Qianze said, standing up with a polite smile, decisively refusing.
[Where are you going?]
“To advance the plot, of course. I don’t know exactly where they’ll be, so I should prepare and stake out the area in advance.” While sitting earlier, Chu Qianze had been quietly observing the venue and already knew where the back garden was.
“You’re not planning to stick around forever, are you?” he asked in his mind as he walked.
[If the host requires it, I will always be here.]
“There’s no need. Leave the script, and you can go,” Chu Qianze replied calmly, brushing off the system without a second thought.
The system felt a moment of suffocation—this host was truly difficult to deal with.
“If there’s nothing urgent, I won’t bother you. Feel free to go wherever you like, as long as it’s not illegal,” Chu Qianze added after a pause. “Think of it as a combination of an all-expenses-paid vacation and paid leave.”
[!!!]
[Understood. Call me if you need anything.]
With that, the system zipped away, disappearing without a trace.
It took back its earlier thoughts—this host wasn’t difficult at all. In fact, they were incredibly open-minded, practically an angel!
Chu Qianze: So easy to please.
Arriving in the back garden, Chu Qianze looked around. The night view was beautiful, and the area appeared vast—perfect for a post-meal stroll.
Since he was just here to familiarize himself with the environment and there was still some time before the plot unfolded, he decided to walk down the gravel path.
The lights along the path illuminated the ground just enough to highlight the surroundings without being too blinding.
The soft melodies from the banquet floated over to the back garden, and without the hum of people’s chatter, the music became much more distinct.
Walking in time with the rhythm, Chu Qianze found the experience unexpectedly enjoyable.
Chu Qianze admired the surrounding environment, yet he did not know that he had become the scenery in the eyes of others.
Chu Qianze admired the scenery around him, completely unaware that he had become part of the view for others.
“President Yun, may I have a word with you?” Zhong Mu asked, lifting the hem of his dress as he approached the balcony. He met Yun Zhoujie’s gaze, suppressing the admiration in his eyes.
Yun Zhoujie furrowed his brows slightly, adhering to his manners as he lowered his gaze to look at Zhong Mu. “And you are?”
“My name is Zhong Mu. I attended a banquet some time ago, and I didn’t realize it was a setup like that. I almost got caught, but you saved me. It’s a shame you left so quickly—I didn’t get a chance to thank you properly.”
Yun Zhoujie paused for a moment, recalling the scene from earlier. “Hello,” he responded.
Zhong Mu flashed a smile, his eyes curving into a crescent shape, the smile that fans often described as the most infectious one. “President Yun, this place isn’t really suited for a conversation. How about we walk and talk in the back garden instead?”
Yun Zhoujie thought back to the person he had seen earlier—their relaxed demeanor, as if strolling was the most blissful thing in the world.
He glanced toward the back garden, but the person was already nowhere to be seen.
For some reason, Yun Zhoujie said, “Ten minutes.”
Hearing this, Zhong Mu’s smile grew even brighter. “Alright.”
The two of them descended from the balcony and made their way toward the back garden, attracting curious glances from others.
People knew Yun Zhoujie, but who was the woman walking beside him?
Whispers began to spread among some of the guests.
One person noticed and nudged Ye Chong. “Hey, Ye Chong, isn’t that the person you brought? Why’s she following Yun Zhoujie now?”
Ye Chong glanced over at them, taking a sip of his drink. “I brought her here, what she does is up to her.”
The others exchanged looks but didn’t continue the conversation.
“Hey, this wine’s pretty good! Ye Chong, you should try it.”
Ye Chong poured some more into his glass, took a sip, and nodded. “It’s really good.”
Yun Zhoujie scanned the surroundings but didn’t spot the person from earlier. He glanced at his watch, then stopped and asked, “What do you need from me?”
“President Yun, thank you again for what you did. If it weren’t for your help, I might…” Zhong Mu gently gritted his teeth, his head tilting down slightly, revealing his delicate, fair neck.
“Anyone would have chosen to help,” Yun Zhoujie replied, stepping back half a pace. “I simply did what was right.”
He had noticed the admiration in Zhong Mu’s eyes, a sentiment he was all too familiar with. Not wanting to linger any longer, Yun Zhoujie said, “I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving now.”
“Wait!” Zhong Mu caught hold of the corner of Yun Zhoujie’s coat, his gaze flickering with hope. “Could I have your contact information?”
The water in the fountain flowed from above, sparkling under the lights, creating a captivating glow.
Yun Zhoujie and Zhong Mu stood next to the fountain, at the intersection of the light. At that moment, they seemed unusually conspicuous.
The surrounding areas, in contrast, appeared somewhat dim.
At least in the light, it was impossible to see what might be lurking in the shadows.
For example, there was Chu Qianze, who had taken a stroll around the back garden and was now standing by a tree, watching the scene unfold as part of the “spectator crowd.”
The back garden only had this one fountain, so Chu Qianze had already marked it as his observation point.
Though the streetlights were evenly distributed, why was there that one brightly lit area?
Standing there, didn’t it feel blinding to look at the others?
After observing the lighting setup, Chu Qianze shifted his gaze back to the two people.
He glanced at Zhong Mu. “Really does look like a girl, how does he pull that off?”
Then, his gaze shifted to Yun Zhoujie, and he started pondering a question.
If Zhong Mu had always lived as a woman, did Yun Zhoujie know he was actually a man?
What if Yun Zhoujie thought he was a woman, only to find out, during the actual… operation, that Zhong Mu was actually bigger than him? …Ahem.
Chu Qianze shook off the thoughts in his mind, patiently waiting for his moment to make an entrance.
Although his role was to be a “supporting player,” the atmosphere was so good right now that having an extra player was completely unnecessary.
Honestly, if Chu Qianze had his way, he wasn’t keen on getting involved at all.
These two looked like trouble. If he got mixed up in their business, he might end up tangled in their mess as well.
It still seemed like it was too early. He might as well wait a bit longer.
When they were about done, then he’d make his move. That way, they’d have more time to themselves.
With that thought in mind, Chu Qianze pulled out some gum from his pocket and began chewing it, completely lost in his own world.
“Anything you need, you can contact my assistant,” Yun Zhoujie said, pulling his coat back and turning to leave.
“Wait!” Zhong Mu’s face showed a hint of urgency.
This was a rare opportunity to meet—if he missed it, who knew when the next chance would come?
With that thought, he took a few steps forward to grab Yun Zhoujie again. The ground, uneven due to the cobblestones, wasn’t easy to walk on, especially with the high heels Zhong Mu was wearing. His foot wobbled, and he lost his balance, tipping sideways.
Everything happened too suddenly. Yun Zhoujie felt a tug from behind, and before he could react, his body tilted, losing balance as well, following the direction of the pull.
Splash!
A loud sound of water splashing echoed as both of them fell into the fountain, drenched and utterly disheveled.
Chu Qianze was momentarily stunned by the turn of events. Zhong Mu fell into the water on his own, dragging Yun Zhoujie along with him. Did he still need to make his appearance?
He glanced at the displayed plot progress.
[Push Zhong Mu into the water.]
Alright, then.
Chu Qianze silently wrapped his gum in paper and tossed it into the nearby trash bin. With a few quick steps, he walked out, his face carrying a hint of concern.
“Are you two alright?”
Yun Zhoujie furrowed his brows. Anyone would be in a bad mood after being dragged into a fountain for no reason, and his regard for Zhong Mu plummeted, dropping straight to the bottom.
Just then, a warm voice laced with concern rang out. Yun Zhoujie followed the sound and raised his gaze, only to be caught in the depths of that person’s eyes.
It was like a long, endless night—mysterious and indifferent.
Looking closer, he saw the person standing there with a concerned expression, a hand outstretched toward him. The fingers were long and slender, the joints prominent, almost glowing in the light.
“Thank you.”
The soft voice echoed, but it wasn’t his own—it came from beside him.
Yun Zhoujie turned his head and saw that the person had already helped Zhong Mu up.
“You’re welcome.” Chu Qianze withdrew his hand and glanced at the plot progress.
[Completed]
Just a moment ago, Chu Qianze had lightly pushed Zhong Mu, and the system showed that the plot was complete.
The progress seemed to have two elements: I pushed Zhong Mu, and Zhong Mu fell into the water.
Zhong Mu had already fallen in. If I pushed him again, would that still count as completing the task?
It seemed like he had discovered a bug.
This review process was actually quite amusing.
Chu Qianze thought to himself, but then he noticed a gaze lingering on him. The owner of that gaze was none other than Yun Zhoujie, who was still sitting in the fountain.
?
Chu Qianze extended his hand toward him, saying, “Aren’t you getting up? The water’s really cold.”
