《Seize the Throne》


 CH 1

    Chapter 1: The Impostor And The One Who Got Replaced.


    He was surrounded by pure white, in a small room.


    Guan Xi, who stayed up late, died all of a sudden. When he woke up after his death, he found himself in this small white room.


    As soon as he woke up, a guy who called himself an ¡®Antagonist Self-Saving System¡¯, gave him a book with the title ¡®Plot¡¯. After Guan Xi understands the plot, he will be sent to the world in the book with the role of the Antagonist.


    As for Guan Xi¡¯s task, he was to rewrite the life of this Antagonist to become a good and promising young man.


    Guan Xi, who had a lot of experience in reading web novels, soon became aware of his current situation.


    After transmigrating, he should get ready to take over the Antagonist¡¯s place in the novel, and complete the tasks given by the System.


    Guan Xi was quite excited about it. Even though, like in many other transmigration novels, if the mission were to fail, he would be wiped out from existence, he felt that he was given a life for free. That fact alone made him feel like he had already won. Besides, after completing each stage of the mission, he¡¯ll be given points that can be exchanged in the System Store for Golden Fingers.


    Guan Xi has read the book to the end, and after the initial apprehension had passed, he began to think about what he¡¯ll do next. However, after reading the last chapter, his expression suddenly stagnated.


    After skimming through the last chapter, Guan Xi¡¯s voice trembled in the empty room: ¡°System, did you say that my identity will be this ¡®Bian Yi¡¯?¡±


    The cold mechanical voice sounded somewhat impatient: ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    Right when Guan Xi was about to open his mouth to speak, the System added the next sentence without any emotion in its voice: ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, you can go back to wherever you came from.¡±


    Guan Xi quickly shut up. No one wanted to become a corpse after getting the opportunity of a second life.


    It¡¯s just¡­..


    As he stared at the content of the last chapter, his excitement and thrill disappeared once he witnessed the speed those words cooled down, until finally, they fell into a creepy level.


    The plot the System gave Guan Xi, wasn¡¯t the whole content of the novel. Instead, it was about the final plot about the Antagonist, Bian Yi, whom he was about to replace. This plot was also the final ending for Bian Yi.


    Bian Yi and Kou Li, the Protagonist, were a couple of husbands. When the Protagonist¡¯s business declined, Bian Yi abandoned and betrayed him, but after the Protagonist rose again, he came back with a shy face. Of course, the vengeful Protagonist didn¡¯t forgive him, and eventually imprisoned Bian Yi on an isolated island.


    The environment of that island wasn¡¯t bad, and there was even a spacious villa on it. Apart from the internet, there was no shortage of daily necessities thanks to the villa, but Bian Yi didn¡¯t know how to cook. His cooking abilities were quite bad, but if he didn¡¯t eat those disgusting recipes, he would starve; but if he ate it, he could even die of food poisoning.


    There were boats on the island, but he didn¡¯t know how to sail nor did he know how to swim. The forest had a fertile land, filled with edible plants and animals, but he didn¡¯t know how to farm nor hunt. Besides, he was afraid to step into the forest alone. The island was also equipped with solar and wind power, but when the power supply was insufficient, he wouldn¡¯t use the tools to repair it. Even when there were abandoned signal towers, and damaged signal devices¡­. he couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    That island was obviously filled with opportunities to survive, but for Bian Yi, it was a dead end.


    That island was Kou Li¡¯s prison for Bian Yi. His incompetence and cowardice would let him die slowly in fear, loneliness and despair; no one will ever know about it.


    Guan Xi is gay, and he had also read countless of Danmei books. Scum gongs, such as Kou Li, used to be the main characteristic of MLs in these kinds of novels. He even got aroused, from time to time, as he read them. However, reading a novel wasn¡¯t the same as having actual human contact.


    In particular, he discovered, to his horror, that Bian Yi wouldn¡¯t ¡®do it¡¯ at all. If he followed this bad ending, he might end up exactly the same as Bian Yi.


    After thinking about it, the creepy and negative conditions were stacked one after the other. At that moment, the System began the teleportation countdown.


    AD


    After a few seconds of dizziness, Guan Xi opened his eyes. When he looked around, he found that he was inside a car, alone.


    Inside a new body, the first thing Guan Xi did was to find a mirror to see what he looked like.


    After a single glance, he froze.


    Because he was as beautiful as a flower in full bloom.


    What popped into Guan Xi¡¯s head at that moment, was an old-fashioned mobile game he played before his sudden death. In this game, the beauty of the first villain was described like the beauty of flowers in full bloom. Compared with virtual animation, the impact of a real person was obviously much greater.


    ¡°So good-looking, no wonder Kou Li had the courage to imprison him alone on an isolated island, am I right?¡± Guan Xi touched his face in a trance as he ¡®tsk-ed¡¯ a few times. His skin was in such a good condition that it was too good to be true.


    He smiled at the mirror, feeling as if he were instantly exposed to a sea of poppies. He even felt that he could smell an intoxicating fragrance, and if he took one more sniff, he wouldn¡¯t be able to free himself.


    This was simply a great lethal weapon!


    If it weren¡¯t because this new life¡¯s time and place weren¡¯t quite right, Guan Xi would like to be happy with his own face.


    After exploring his neck, collarbone, waist and abdomen, Guan Xi couldn¡¯t help but think: ¡®This body is a real treasure.¡¯ But he immediately thought that this was his body now, so he finally stopped pondering over these things and began to analyze the current situation.


    He was sent to the moment the original body had just abandoned his husband and son. After Bian Yi left home, he went to the shopping mall to vent his anger using Kou Li¡¯s card.


    Ah yes, in this world, same-sex marriage is common. At present, Bian Yi and Kou Li still had a legal relationship as husband and husband, but Kou Li didn¡¯t know that the original Bian Yi was gone, never to come back.


    Bian Yi had just run away, and Kou Li didn¡¯t know that he had abandoned him yet¡­.


    So, as long as Guan Xi goes back, everything should be alright, right? As long as Bian Yi doesn¡¯t abandon his husband and son, the bad ending of getting locked up on an isolated island shouldn¡¯t appear, right?


    The more he thought about it, Guan Xi noticed a pile of shopping bags in the back seat. When he stretched out his hand to grab two bags, his eyes lit up once he saw what was inside.


    Half an hour later, Guan Xi went to Kou Li¡¯s house, with Bian Yi¡¯s face, and knocked on the door.


    Nor long after, the door opened from the inside.


    The man at the other side of the door, after seeing Guan Xi, had a storm brewing in the depths of his eyes. However, that reaction was hidden behind his pair of glasses, as if it had never appeared.


    His voice was hoarse and cold: ¡°Are you back?¡±


    ! ! !


    It was like being hit head-on, so Guan Xi was shocked for several seconds.


    ¡®Could it be said that this man is worthy of being the Protagonist gong? This face, these legs, this voice. He¡¯s the supreme epitome of a gay man!¡¯


    ¡®In particular with that pair of glasses on the bridge of his nose, such a good aesthetic taste. It¡¯s not that difficult to imagine what it¡¯ll be like being pressed under his body with such a pair of glaring eyes.¡¯


    ¡®Was the original Bian Yi blind?! How were you willing to abandon such an excellent specimen? No wonder you could only become cannon fodder.¡¯


    Originally, Guan Xi intended to let the Gong Protagonist and the Shou Protagonist to be with each other, because he didn¡¯t want to end up on the isolated island plot. However, after seeing the gong, he changed his mind.


    An available husband who¡¯s handsome, elegant and extremely rich, it was more than what Guan Xi has ever dreamt of. Only a moron would give up such a good husband to a Shou Protagonist!


    Seeing that Kou Li was frowning, Guan Xi came back to reality and hurried to raise the bags in his hands towards Kou Li. With a crooked smile, he said: ¡°What is it? You know how hard is it to raise a kid, right? Don¡¯t be angry, I bought you a gift.¡±


    Kou Li¡¯s eyes moved from the man¡¯s face to the bag in his hand. His fingers curled up and loosened. Until finally, he took the gift, turned sideways and let Guan Xi enter through the door.


    ¡­


    Bian Yi looked fixedly at the only source of light in the room. It was a huge screen showing the picture of a man that looked exactly like him, standing at the door of his house. Right after, that man was brought into the house by his husband, Kou Li.


    ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯


    ¡®And what is this place?¡¯


    Bian Yi clutched the paper bag in his hand, which was the delivery he had received in his car ten minutes ago.


    Yes, he was sure that he was in his car ten minutes ago.


    The picture on the screen continued, and Bian Yi pursed his lips. As he ignored the contents of the screen, he observed the surroundings through the light.


    It was a single room, the furnishings weren¡¯t simple, but they could also be described as humble. There was a single bed, a table, a toilet and a shower. In addition to this, the walls weren¡¯t decorated, and there wasn¡¯t even a single air vent.


    The paper bag in his hand was squeezed out of shape, and Bian Yi clenched his teeth hard enough to tense the expression on his face.


    He was kidnapped.


    Of course, the contents of that screen were designed to provoke him. Since those images were meant to irritate him, the person behind the scenes was most likely hiding somewhere, in order to admire his broken expression through the hidden monitors in this room.


    Of course, he wouldn¡¯t do what that person wanted.


    ¡°Who are you? What¡¯s your purpose?¡± Bian Yi took a quiet breath. His voice wasn¡¯t trembling at all, even though his heart was panicking like never before.


    Bian Yi waited calmly for about five minutes, but he didn¡¯t get any response.


    His heart sank once again, but the kidnapper neither showed up nor communicated with him. This situation wasn¡¯t optimistic at all.


    For the next hour, Bian Yi moved around the dark room, observing every single corner and carefully probing every single wall. The more he explored, the colder he felt.


    There wasn¡¯t a single gap in the entire room. It was like a cage made out of four extremely smooth steel plates. The most strange thing was that there was not a single air vent, but he didn¡¯t feel any discomfort breathing.


    After an hour passed, the kidnappers still didn¡¯t make any sound. The only sound in the room came from the screen.


    Inevitably, Bian Yi would, more or less, focus mainly on the screen.


    At this moment, Bian Yi didn¡¯t know¡­ what his husband, Kou Li, was feeling.


    After all, that impostor had shown something completely different from his usual behaviour. His habits, way of speaking and the way he looked at people can¡¯t be replaced. It doesn¡¯t matter if the imposter had his face, as long as his husband isn¡¯t blind and thinking with his toes, he would notice. Besides, his husband, Kou Li, was an extremely clever man.


    If that impostor was allowed to enter the house, then Kou Li had probably guessed that something had happened to him. Otherwise, how would that impostor dare stand in front of their house so openly? And say such shameless words?


    He didn¡¯t know how long it took, but finally, there was a noise coming from the room. The table seemed to have an unique design, since the center of the table sank and food was brought up.


    Bian Yi glanced at the dish and his eyelashes trembled slightly. It was the same dish shown on the screen, yam and pork ribs. As he turned sideways, he could catch a glimpse of the impostor boasting about the fragrance of the dish. After finishing the dish, he boasted about his husband¡¯s cooking skills, praising him right afterwards.


    Bian Yi likes to eat yams, and Kou Li would cook it for him every now and then. This dish should¡¯ve been eaten by him, if he were at home at the moment.


    At this point, the calmness that Bian Yi was maintaining on the surface, finally cracked. As he stared at the food on the table, his hands trembled in anger.


    He wanted to ask the person behind the scenes what he was trying to do. But in the end, he didn¡¯t make any sound.


    Bian Yi took a deep breath and walked towards the table in silence. There wasn¡¯t any chair at the table, so he ate his food standing. There was only one dish. He didn¡¯t choose it, and he wasn¡¯t able to choose what to eat either.


    At that moment, he had an ominous feeling that this captivity may be long-term.


    No matter what he will face next, he needs to keep his strength.


    From that day on, food and water were delivered regularly in the dark room every day. The bathing time was also specific; in addition to this, the screen would also be turned off from time to time. When the screen was turned off, Bian Yi would be submerged into complete darkness, making him feel uneasy. His fear and loneliness were also magnified infinitely.


    The screen would open and close depending on the sleeping time of the impostor named Guan Xi.


    When he falls asleep, there will be no light; and when he wakes up, Bian Yi would witness his former husband being intimate with someone who was clearly not himself. That alone was another endless nightmare.


    One day, two days, three days¡­.


    Bian Yi watched how Guan Xi got close to his husband and son.


    One week, two weeks, three weeks¡­..


    Guan Xi began to get close to his parents and relatives.


    One month, two months, three months¡­..


    Guan Xi entered the entertainment industry and began to interfere with his career.


    Day by day, step by step, this man was gradually occupying his life.


    While he, on the other hand, was trapped in this place, where he couldn¡¯t do anything else other than watch.


    Bian Yi wasn¡¯t willing. It¡¯s impossible for him to be willing, alright?!


    He tried to escape every single day, but no matter how hard he tried, there wasn¡¯t even the slightest flaw here. Feeling sick and injured, he thought that as long as he slept, everything would be alright. As a result, Bian Yi often doubted whether all of this was even real.


    He knew that if he continued like this, he would go crazy sooner or later.


    But he wasn¡¯t crazy yet, and won¡¯t give up.


    Another night passed, and Guan Xi fell asleep, depriving Bian Yi of all light.


    His eyes were open, but no matter how wide they were, he still wasn¡¯t able to see anything other than pure darkness.


    After a while, or maybe it was a long time, those eyes that were often praised for being brighter than the starlight, finally closed. Perhaps he was sleepy, perhaps he was just tired, and perhaps he was aware that it was meaningless to dry his eyes open, so he simply stopped such action.


    The next day, Bian Yi woke up.


    His brain still felt a bit confused, not yet completely awake, so as he subconsciously looked around, he raised the corner of his mouth self-mockingly. Then, he murmured to himself: ¡°It was just a dream, what ¡®Revenge System¡¯?¡±


    When he woke up, he was still in the same hellhole.


    It has been sixteen years, exactly sixteen years. During that period of time, he had escaped twice. But if you summed the time he was freed those two times, it wouldn¡¯t have been more than 5 minutes in total.


    After so many years of struggling, he had long understood that the special features of this place couldn¡¯t be explained with common sense, and that the way to escape didn¡¯t have anything to do with destroying this place at all.


    Therefore, what the ¡®Revenge System¡¯ said to him, that he will help Bian Yi to escape this place, was probably another fragment of his imagination.


    Bian Yi smiled for a while, but he couldn¡¯t laugh anymore.


    Sure enough, he was going crazy. Or perhaps, he was already mad.


    ¡°Rui-ge, y-you know, Kou Li forbid me to see you¡­¡± Guan Xi¡¯s voice came from the screen, soft and tender. Those words were clearly a rejection, but they were said with such a mellow tone of voice. The way he shrank his head, incited other people to want to bully him more.


    Although he has seen it for so many years, Bian Yi still felt some kind of discomfort in his stomach once he saw Guan Xi, usurping his own appearance, hooking up with other men.


    Bian Yi reached out and rubbed his stomach. When he looked up, he saw a cup of water and food on the table. After getting up from the bed, he took two sips of cold water. Once the ice water slid down his throat, waking him up completely, he froze in place.


    Bian Yi suddenly tilted his head to look at the screen. Without daring to blink, he saw that Xu Rui was at least ten years younger, and he didn¡¯t even have that ugly long scar on his forehead.


    At that instant, the cup fell to the ground, splashing water and scattering glass fragments everywhere, some of which were stuck in the back of Bian Yi¡¯s foot. However, he was unaware of that since he was staring at the screen, as if he had been locked in place for the first time.


    He quickly summarized the information on the screen.


    The huge advertisement on the building behind Xu Rui. The cafe they were about to enter. The style of the cell phones, the pedestrians on the road, and so on. Every single thing looked exactly the same as they did a decade ago.


    ¡°Am I dreaming again?¡± Bian Yi grabbed his hair, trying to wake himself up with pain. But in the middle of this special room, the speed of wound healing reduced Bian Yi¡¯s pain perception by a lot.


    As he dropped his eyes, he saw the broken glass pieces on the ground.


    Just when Bian Yi was about to lift his foot and step on those fragments, the screen suddenly turned into a storm of snowflakes, like a bad signal.


    This kind of situation has never happened before, stunning Bian Yi for a moment. Right the next instant, a voice rang inside his head.


    This voice was quite nice, so nice that it sounded like an illusion: ¡°Hello Host, I am the ¡®Revenge System¡¯. The shield function has been activated. I ask the Host to escape this space as soon as possible.¡±


    AD


    Bian Yi stood frozen in place for a few more seconds. After withdrawing his feet, he walked towards the screen that was showing a bad signal. He walked faster and faster, until finally, he bumped into the screen with almost all of his strength.


    Thankfully, his head didn¡¯t break. After managing to pass through the screen successfully, he fell hard on the ground.


    It was warm.


    The hands that were touching the ground were trembling. Bian Yi felt the burning sensation and slight pain of his palms being abraded by the concrete. It was the afterheat of the summer evening. He was even able to smell the scent of barbecue floating nearby.


    He listened, looked around and smelled. Suddenly, a strong sense of unreality enveloped him.


    Bian Yi then asked the System: ¡°Did I get out? Did I really escape? Is this more than a decade ago? Did I go back in time, 10 years in the past?¡±


    He waited quietly, for a second or two, as if waiting was an abnormal torment.


    On the third second, the System finally replied: ¡°Yes, this is the first year after you were replaced. Now, you should go home.¡±

 CH 2

    Chapter 2: Enemies And Lovers.


    Going home? Such exciting words.


    Bian Yi¡¯s heartbeat was so strong that there seemed to be an echo in the voice inside his head, telling him to go back home. But he didn¡¯t dare to move.


    He was afraid.


    Afraid that this would be another part of his imagination. That he suddenly went mad, and once he finally came back to his senses, he would find himself still trapped inside that room.


    That kind of despair had been building up for 16 years.


    If it happened again, he may not be able to keep going.


    Suddenly, a short electric current sounded inside his head, like an old-fashioned phone being picked up, but no one answered.


    Bian Yi wasn¡¯t sure if the Revenge-System was affected by that hellhole, or if it had something to say to him.


    If all this was true, then it should be the latter. After all, there¡¯s no such thing as free food in this world. Since the Revenge-System was able to send him back 16 years ago, with so much effort, then it must be in order to get something from him.


    Bian Yi put away his hand and sat on the ground, waiting quietly for a while.


    Unlike what he expected, there was no notice from the System. This should have been the most suitable situation for the System to negotiate with him and explain his conditions, threatening him to complete some tasks or give him any reward by saying: ¡®I¡¯ll send you back to that space if you don¡¯t agree¡¯.


    ¡°Um¡­ Do you need help?¡± A girl hesitantly took a few steps and approached Bian Yi.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t reply at first. After all, for more than 10 years in captivity, the only sound he heard was coming from the screen. So as a habit, he thought that the girl¡¯s voice was actually Guan Xi¡¯s.


    But then, the girl asked him a second time and handed him a packet of tissues.


    When the corner of the tissue packet appeared in Bian Yi¡¯s field of vision, he froze. But then, he raised his head very slowly.


    ¡°Is he alright?¡±


    ¡°I think something¡¯s wrong with him. He doesn¡¯t look fine, and the expression on his face is also quite bad.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not wearing any shoes. His hands and feet are bloody, his mental state also doesn¡¯t seem right. Did he escape from somewhere?


    ¡°Ah? If that¡¯s the case, then we should call the police as soon as possible!¡±


    ¡°Oh, young man, don¡¯t be afraid. Have you met someone bad? Are you hungry? Do you want to drink water? Auntie will give you something to eat¡­.¡±


    The voices were coming from all directions. It was so different from what he experienced through the screen, where the sound came from a fixed position.


    Bian Yi finally raised his head, and his eyes were already red.


    The girl, who was facing him, became stunned once she saw his face. Then, she hurriedly handed over the tissue paper again. Her eyes were even redder than his, and her voice sounded as if she was about to cry: ¡°Gege, wipe the blood quickly! Wait for me, I¡¯ll go buy medicine right now!¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s hands trembled badly as he took the tissue, and thanked her with a hoarse voice.


    When the girl saw this, she covered her mouth and burst into tears as she ran towards the nearest pharmacy.


    Bian Yi looked at her back and realized, as an afterthought, that she was probably his fan.


    It¡¯s extremely rare to meet him in a situation like this and not shout his name out loud.


    Bian Yi lowered his head to wipe the blood on his hands, and he felt like there was a lump in his throat.


    The people around him were noisy but kind-hearted. As he watched the crowd, those who looked at his face began to doubt his identity.


    The noise was very loud, and it felt quite real.


    Bian Yi bit his lower lip tightly as he tried to restrain himself. As he briefly wiped his wounds, he answered the most repeatedly asked question from the people around him: ¡°I was kidnapped. I just escaped.¡±


    Kidnapped?!


    The crowd, who were secretly taking pictures, were so excited that they couldn¡¯t hide their emotions. In addition to the loud comments from the passers-by, the sound of ¡®click¡¯ was also pretty obvious.


    ¡°Hurry to XX road! I have big news! Bian Yi has been kidnapped!¡±


    ¡°The top idol of the Entertainment Industry is covered in blood, claiming that he has been kidnapped. Come to take pictures, hurry!!¡±


    ¡°Shit! Is it true? If he¡¯s the real Bian Yi, then who¡¯s participating as ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ in the variety show in Y City right now? This news is going to explode!¡±


    Seeing how some people were carrying cameras and running towards this side of the intersection, the original passers-by who were watching at Bian Yi, confirmed their suspicions that he must be the real Bian Yi!


    But, how could Bian Yi be here? Even saying that he was kidnapped? If this was true, then who was that ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ that was active in front of the public right now?


    People were becoming more and more curious. Since some reporters wanted to come forward, people were letting them pass, because they also wanted to hear the gossip first hand.


    By this time, the intersection was quite crowded. When the girl named Xiaotao, who ran to buy medicine, came back only to see such a situation occurring, she anxiously quickened her pace.


    Xiaotao was Bian Yi¡¯s fan. Not only was she a loyal fan, but she was also a relatively old fan of his. In the past year, Bian Yi¡¯s performance looked somewhat different from the past, and many of the loyal fans she knew decided to stop being loyal to him; some of them even turned into anti-fans1. But she was reluctant to leave. Today, she even bought a ticket to go to Y City to support him, and on the way, she met this Gege who seemed in need of help. Unexpectedly, when she handed over a packet of tissues, she realized that she had actually met another ¡®Bian Yi¡¯.


    Xiaotao was very sure that this was the real Bian Yi, her idol. When she thought of the hardships the real Bian Yi might have suffered for a year, she wanted to cry. But she managed to hold back her tears, as she raised her voice to ask the people in front of her to let her pass.


    Some people still remembered her, and when they saw that she brought in the manager of the pharmacy, they made way for her one after the other.


    When the tweezers removed the glass fragments from the back of Bian Yi¡¯s foot, the onlookers couldn¡¯t help but gasp in unison. However, there wasn¡¯t a single reaction on Bian Yi¡¯s face. He looked as if he had been used to it for a long time, which was both shocking and distressing in itself; making it inevitable for everyone to try and guess what he went through.


    When the wound was bandaged, Xiaotao¡¯s eyes were full of tears as she handed Bian Yi a pair of cloth towels, which were very light and thin.


    Bian Yi remembered the girl¡¯s face and asked her name, when suddenly, he saw a group of bodyguards coming his way.


    The leader of the group, whom Bian Yi knew, was the Vice President of his father¡¯s company. His surname seemed to be Liu, and Bian Yi suddenly remembered, while in a trance, that the company¡¯s address was nearby, so of course they would arrive here so soon.


    Vice President Liu separated the reporters away from him, and escorted Bian Yi to the car. However, there were people left behind, in case the police arrived and didn¡¯t see the victim.


    There were clothes prepared for Bian Yi inside the car, which had been bought in a hurry and didn¡¯t fit him very well. But this didn¡¯t matter much.


    Vice President Liu came one step later, and looked at Bian Yi carefully. When he saw that he looked exactly like Bian Yi, he was internally amazed. He wasn¡¯t sure whether it was true or not, but he still called him; ¡°Young Master Yi¡±, and asked if he would like to go to the hospital first.


    Bian Yi raised his head, and said: ¡°No, I want to go home first.¡±


    After saying that, he raised his dry, bloodless lips and added: ¡°I want to go back to the home I share with my husband.¡±


    Vice President Liu was startled by Bian Yi¡¯s expression.


    From the moment he saw Bian Yi in the crowd, Bian Yi had been silent for most of the time. As if he was still digesting the fact that he had escaped, and his reaction wasn¡¯t very strong. Under normal circumstances, after just coming out of the tiger¡¯s den, most people would yell, cry or laugh; venting their accumulated emotions like a madman.


    So, Vice President Liu also had some doubts. After all, Bian Yi still looked quite cold and calm.


    But, at this time, Bian Yi¡¯s eyes were wrapped with intense hatred. Coupled with the fact that his beautiful but pale face wasn¡¯t a normal shade of pale. Instead, he looked like a ghost that came right out of hell to take revenge.


    Vice President Liu believed in him a little bit more now, that this ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ was the real son of his Boss.


    The injuries on Bian Yi¡¯s hands and feet weren¡¯t serious, so there wasn¡¯t a need for him to go to the hospital. It was much more important for him to see his family.


    In that case, Vice President Liu followed Bian Yi¡¯s wishes, asked for the address, and then instructed the driver to change the route.


    On the way, they passed by a small supermarket, and Bian Yi asked the driver to stop. Then he borrowed 100 yuan2 from Vice President Liu, and went into the store alone to buy some things.


    After waiting for Bian Yi to get back in the car, Vice President Liu saw that he had bought water and bread. Vice President Liu wanted to speak, tell Bian Yi that he didn¡¯t need to go on his own for this trivial matter. After all, Bian Yi still had injuries on his feet. However, Vice President Liu then thought that it may be related to the experience of being tied up, so Bian Yi could only trust himself when getting food. In the end, Vice President Liu didn¡¯t say anything.


    For the last short section of the road, Bian Yi leaned back in the seat to restore energy, with his eyes wide open.


    It wasn¡¯t dark in front of his eyes, and this feeling was still very strange.


    Bian Yi had just leaned back in the seat. As he looked at the scene inside and outside the car, he stroked the handle of the knife hidden inside the sleeve of the ill-fitting coat, not knowing what to think.


    When the car stopped, Bian Yi got out of the car, thanked Vice President Liu, and walked towards the door of his own house.


    Since Bian Yi hadn¡¯t invited him in, Vice President Liu didn¡¯t rush to claim credit. After watching Bian Yi enter his house, Vice President Liu went back to the car. At that moment, he found that the water and bread bought by Bian Yi while on the road was not only left behind, but they weren¡¯t even opened.


    Although he was a little confused, as to why Bian Yi wanted to go into the supermarket to buy food if he didn¡¯t even want to eat or drink, in the end, he didn¡¯t think too deeply about it. Since he had already sent Bian Yi back home, his task was completed. So he went back to the company to wait for his Boss and inform him the details of what happened.


    The person who opened the door for Bian Yi was the Auntie who cooked their meals. She was already a bit surprised to see that it was Bian Yi on the other side of the door, but she became even more surprised when she saw that Bian Yi¡¯s hands were bandaged.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t notice her, because he was looking straight at the man who was standing at the top of the stairs.


    That man seemed to be preparing himself to go downstairs, and after hearing the noise coming from the door, he also looked at Bian Yi.


    Sensing that the two of them had something to say to each other, Auntie left them alone while winking at them.


    After Auntie left, Bian Yi narrowed his eyes for a moment and walked towards Kou Li first.


    Kou Li hasn¡¯t moved yet. He simply frowned tightly and moved his gaze from Bian Yi¡¯s face to his feet. It was like something dangerous was spreading inside those eyes hidden under his glasses. As Bian Yi approached him, Kou Li¡¯s gaze became even more and more intense. Until finally, it exploded into an anger so intense that not even the glasses could cover it.


    At that, Kou Li no longer stood where he was.


    Both walked to the bottom of the stairs. As one pulled out the knife hidden inside his sleeve, the other grabbed the man in front of him by the neck, pressing him against the nearest wall.


    The sharp knife was warm because it was hidden in the sleeve, so it was tainted from the body heat. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult for Bian Yi to stab Kou Li through the clothes and into the flesh, if it weren¡¯t for the hand grabbing his neck. The grip was extremely strong, and Bian Yi¡¯s beautiful fragile neck could be easily snapped in less than ten seconds if the hand¡¯s owner wanted.


    Like this, they stared at each other.


    And in both pairs of eyes, there was a mixture of hatred and madness.

 CH 3

    Chapter 3: The Madman And The Father.


    The knife, which was bought in the Supermarket for 39 yuan, was shaped like a dagger, and the shape of the blade was also very beautiful.


    At that moment, the hand holding the knife was also being severely held by Kou Li, making Bian Yi unable to move.


    When he was still trapped inside that hellhole, Bian Yi thought countless times, and dreamed countless more, about what he would say to Kou Li if he were to see him again.


    Now, when that person was right in front of him, staring at him with a psychopathic expression¡­.


    ¡®What is Kou Li angry about? And what right does he have to be angry?!¡®


    From the moment he escaped until now, all of the emotions he had buried deep inside him finally surfaced. Bian Yi then screamed at Kou Li, with such force that even his face was slightly distorted: ¡°Are you fucking blind?! How couldn¡¯t you recognize me?! Why?!


    Bian Yi¡¯s chest rose and fell violently. Since his neck was still being held in a choke hold by Kou Li¡¯s hand, his heartbeat felt like it was ringing inside his throat. Bian Yi struggled under Kou Li¡¯s hands. Using all of the strength remaining, he raised his right hand, which was still holding the knife and pointed the sharp tip of the knife towards Kou Li¡¯s eyes.


    Kou Li, however, wasn¡¯t moved. As if he hadn¡¯t heard or seen him.


    Suddenly, the smell of blood could be smelt between them


    Bian Yi¡¯s neck was numb with pain. That pain was so distinct that he could feel Kou Li¡¯s teeth bite through his flesh. It was such a strong and vivid type of pain that Bian Yi could clearly tell that he wasn¡¯t dreaming, that he wasn¡¯t crazy.


    The rest of the words in his throat were blocked by the numbing pain, making it impossible for him to speak


    It was unknown how much strength Kou Li used to bite him, but Bian Yi could feel the blood flowing down his neck. Due to his current posture, some of it dripped onto the floor.


    The hand on Bian Yi¡¯s neck didn¡¯t tighten any further. Instead, it gradually let him go, including Bian Yi¡¯s hand that was holding the knife.


    Kou Li¡¯s lips were still stained with Bian Yi¡¯s blood. However, Kou Li¡¯s hands weren¡¯t withdrawn. Instead, he tightly imprisoned Bian Yi in his arms. The hug was very strong, making Bian Yi feel even more suffocated than when Kou Li was choking him.


    Bian Yi wanted to struggle free, but Kou Li kept tightening his arms, as if he wanted to absorb Bian Yi into his own body.


    Then, Kou Li¡¯s hoarse voice sounded in Bian Yi¡¯s ears; which sounded like a man who had been working alone in the desert for a long time, who hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to drink water for a long while. It was hard to hear.


    Bian Yi heard him say with such an unpleasant voice: ¡°It has been 17 years, but you¡¯re finally back.¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s eyes suddenly opened wide.


    When Bian Yi was about to open his mouth to ask something, he suddenly heard a voice coming from the stairs.


    ¡°Dad, what are you doing?¡±


    At the top of the stairs, a small child stood while rubbing his eyes, as if he had just woken up. He curiously looked at his two parents, who were downstairs. They seemed to be hugging each other.


    The knife that was pointing at Kou Li¡¯s face suddenly fell down, producing a sharp sound. Bian Yi was stiff.


    Kou Li then stepped back, hiding the knife under his feet. His eyes were staring at Bian Yi¡¯s wrist, as he replied to the child who was upstairs: ¡°Daddy One accidentally fell down, so Dad had to hold him up.¡±


    After saying that, Kou Li let go of Bian Yi, but his left hand was clutching Bian Yi¡¯s wrist, while his right hand rested on Bian Yi¡¯s shoulder.


    From the child¡¯s point of view, he wouldn¡¯t see the blood flowing down his father¡¯s neck, not to mention the knife hidden under Kou Li¡¯s feet.


    The child was at a carefree age, so he simply laughed at Kou Li¡¯s words. This laughter was very childish, but it was easy to infect the hearts of adults.


    Bian Yi¡¯s gaze crossed over Kou Li¡¯s shoulder, carefully falling on the child upstairs.


    The 3 year old child wasn¡¯t very tall for his age, so he was a small cute kid.


    The kid was still laughing at him as he said: ¡°Daddy One is so silly haha. Xiao-Shu won¡¯t fall down!¡±


    Bian Yi and Kou Li¡¯s son, who was ¡°born¡± through Kou Li¡¯s biotechnology, was named Kou Sen, while his infant name1 was Xiao-Shu.


    When he was more than one year old, Bian Yi taught him how to speak and call him ¡°Daddy Yi¡±, but this little villain couldn¡¯t distinguish between ¡®Yi¡¯ and ¡®one2¡¯, so he would always call him ¡°Daddy One¡±. However, Bian Yi was happy with this.


    At this moment, Bian Yi was looking at his son, feeling like his heart was being clenched by Kou Li¡¯s hand, which made it difficult for him to breathe. His throat felt stuck, making it even harder for him to speak: ¡°Yes, Xiao-Shu is right. I¡¯m so stupid, ah¡­. Daddy is so stupid¡­..¡±


    Xiao-Shu, his Xiao-Shu was standing in front of him now. He was well, with his eyes shining and his smile looking so bright. It was such a beautiful sight, so vivid.


    It felt wonderful.


    When Bian Yi thought of Xiao-Shu in his past life, and when he looked at the one in front of him, Bian Yi suddenly felt a bit overwhelmed. His legs were weak, and if his hands weren¡¯t still clenched by Kou Li, he might have collapsed on the ground.


    Kou Li said a few more words to Kou Sen, but there was a buzzing sound in Bian Yi¡¯s ears, so he couldn¡¯t hear what Kou Li said. However, the gentleness in Kou Li¡¯s words wasn¡¯t difficult to see through his face.


    It was different from how Kou Li looked at him, but this was the way Bian Yi would commonly see him in the past.


    This made Bian Yi fall into a trance.


    When he came back to his senses and looked upstairs again, the child standing there had long disappeared. But he could still hear the sound of his tiny feet walking in the corridor.


    That sound not only calmed Bian Yi¡¯s unstable state, but it also made his eyes sore.


    When the child¡¯s footsteps became completely inaudible, Bian Yi finally slipped to the ground and sobbed out loud.


    Kou Li was standing in front of Bian Yi, looking at him.


    Looking at Bian Yi bury his head and whimper. Watching his shoulders trembling, until finally, he started crying, as if he was tearing his heart apart.


    Kou Li was still holding Bian Yi¡¯s wrist, while his other hand was silently hidden behind his back. His trembling fingers were clenched into a tight fist, until the veins on the back of his hand were exposed


    But, Kou Li looked indifferent the whole time.


    ¡­


    The news that Bian Yi appeared in Beijing, claiming to have been kidnaped, soon spread all over the internet.


    Guan Xi¡¯s show was stopped halfway through the recording, after the Director received a call. At that moment, Guan Xi noticed that there was something wrong in the eyes of the people around him.


    Guan Xi gave an excuse to hide in the dressing room and took out his phone to see what was going on. The first thing he saw was that there were a dozen missed calls from his agent. It seemed that there was something really urgent going on.


    At that, Guan Xi¡¯s heart began to accelerate, as all kinds of possible situations began to pass through his mind. What kind of events could involve him. As he turned his phone in his hand, he dialed to his agent, whose name was Nie Fang.


    The call didn¡¯t get through, as if his agent was on another call. The same thing happened after three consecutive calls.


    Guan Xi was biting his nails as he stared at the several apps on his phone, hesitating to click on them.


    The screen was tapped repeatedly to keep it from turning off. After an unknown period of time, Nie Fang¡¯s call finally came.


    Guan Xi didn¡¯t delay, as he immediately picked it up. Then he opened his mouth to ask: ¡°What happened? Is there a big problem? The Director suddenly stopped me from recording the show.¡±


    ¡°A big problem?¡± Nie Fang¡¯s voice sounded quite angry. ¡°Someone claiming himself as ¡®Bian Yi¡¯, is saying that he had been kidnapped. Do you think that problem is big enough?¡±


    Guan Xi¡¯s heart seemed to miss a beat, as his brain went blank for a second. He recovered right away, smiled, and said: ¡°You mean to tell me, that someone who used plastic surgery to look like me, came out to say such bullshit?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Nie Fang drank a mouthful of water to calm the fire he felt after receiving several phone calls, and the anger he felt when seeing the news. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that man is thinking. Is he crazy? He really looks just like you, and he also made himself look like he had been kidnapped. I heard that the Police and someone from your father¡¯s side was there, which made it look even more real.¡±


    ¡°But, if he¡¯s the real ¡®Bian Yi¡¯, then who are you Xiao-Yi? It¡¯s really¡­.¡±


    ¡®Ridiculous¡¯. That¡¯s what Nie Fang was about to say, but since there was no reaction at the other end of the call, his heart suddenly thumped as he called tentatively: ¡°¡­..Xiao-Yi?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Guan Xi laughed dryly twice as he stroked his chest, feeling how his heart was beating at an extremely abnormal frequency. Then he added: ¡°Nie-ge, does he really look exactly like me?¡±


    Nie Fang, on the other end of the call, didn¡¯t reply right away. He was looking at the latest photos sent by his assistant. These photos were very clear, some were taken close by and some from afar. Some were even close-up photos of his face. While Nie Fang looked carefully at the man in the photos, he heard Guan Xi talking, and the phone nearly fell on the floor.


    ¡°Nie-ge, I mean- the technology of plastic surgery these days is quite good, it can even make the eyes of the paparazzi be fooled. If they spread those photos, we¡¯re legally allowed to sue th-¡­.¡±


    ¡°He looks exactly like you.¡± Nie Fang interrupted Guan Xi, and for a moment, he felt a chill down his spine. As he held the nearest chair and sat down, he repeated: ¡°He looks exactly like you. I can¡¯t even tell the difference between real and fake.¡±


    Guan Xi laughed again as his sweaty palms rubbed against his leg. He wanted to open his mouth to say something, but he soon found that his throat was full of deafening heartbeats.


    ¡°Xiao-Yi¡­. Are you really Xiao-Yi?¡±


    The agent¡¯s last question made Guan Xi panic.


    ¡®It can¡¯t be! It¡¯s impossible! There¡¯s no way!¡¯


    Guan Xi had never seen any original character, from a transmigration setting, come back on his own. Someone must have been jealous of him, spent a lot of money on plastic surgery, and came out to mess with him! Discredit him!


    Moreover, the Bian family had secretly done a paternity test for him before. Who else can he be?


    He¡¯s clearly Bian Yi!


    ¡­


    When Bian Yi opened his eyes, his teeth bit hard on his lower lip. The stabbing pain made him come back to his senses.


    As he opened his eyes wide, the first thing he saw was Kou Li, who was standing at the edge of the bed, staring at him with downcast eyes.


    Bian Yi looked away.


    The light in the room wasn¡¯t very bright, but Bian Yi still squinted his eyes. The once familiar environment was now unfamiliar to him.


    After making sure that he had gone back in time, 16 years ago, and that he hadn¡¯t gone back to that hellhole, the hand that was tightly clenched in the quilt finally loosened a bit.


    There were many people outside the room, talking in a noisy and disorderly way. There were even some quarreling.


    Someone outside the door shouted ¡®Kou Li¡¯ three times. At that moment, the gaze that Bian Yi could sense which had been locked on him ever since he woke up, had finally moved away.


    When Kou Li walked away, Bian Yi was left alone in the room.


    Bian Yi then sat up and carefully looked at the whole room. It was the master bedroom. The bedroom in which Bian Yi and Kou Li had slept in on their wedding night. Even the bed was the same one.


    His stomach felt somewhat nauseous. Bian Yi then closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he saw a glass of water on the nightstand. He took a sip and squeezed the glass.


    Not long after Kou Li came out of the bedroom, the sound of glass breaking was suddenly heard. The noise outside the bedroom immediately quieted down.


    The people outside the bedroom looked at each other as Kou Li pushed open the door. Then, everyone rushed in.


    ""


    The first thing they saw was Bian Yi, who claimed to have been kidnapped and escaped on his own. He was sitting on the bed, with one bandaged hand on top of the quilt, while the other was covered by the quilt, looking at them very defensively.


    His eyes were like knives, cutting coldly across their faces. This didn¡¯t look at all like a Young Master who had just returned home after being missing for a year. He looked more like a demon who had been trapped in Hell for a decade, who had finally managed to crawl back onto Earth to take revenge.


    His face was pale and beautiful, but it was also plain and cold, making other people¡¯s hair stand up for no reason.


    For a while, no one spoke.


    Bian Yi¡¯s gaze fell on his brother, Bian Yu.


    He raised a smile towards him, and everyone¡¯s eyes fell on Bian Yu.


    In a situation like this, Bian Yu had to go to Bian Yi¡¯s bedside. As he squatted down and looked at his brother with ¡®overflowing¡¯ concerns, he asked: ¡°Ge, are you okay? Who the hell is that person? And why does he look exactly like you?¡±


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t reply to him. Instead, his eyes kept glancing at Bian Yu without looking away.


    Bian Yu wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about this, but the feeling Bian Yi gave him was so bad that he felt goosebumps on his arms. But since his arms were hidden under his clothes, no one noticed.


    Maybe it was because he wanted to get rid of Bian Yi¡¯s strange glance at this time, or maybe it was because he had grown accustomed to getting along with ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ for a whole year living together. Bian Yu quickly squeezed out tears from his eyes, and with a crying voice, he said: ¡°It¡¯s our fault. We are the closest people around Gege, but we didn¡¯t even notice¡­.¡±


    As he said this, his eyes glanced towards Kou Li. Kou Li didn¡¯t look at him, as if he hadn¡¯t heard him. He was looking at the broken glass beside the bed.


    Although Kou Li wasn¡¯t looking at Bian Yu, everyone else in the room was looking at Kou Li along Bian Yu¡¯s line of sight.


    Yeah, the closest man around Bian Yi couldn¡¯t even tell the difference between fake and real.


    The Young Master of the Kou family got along with that ¡®Bain Yi¡¯ day and night. It could even be said that Kou Li ¡®cheated¡¯ on the original Bian Yi many times, isn¡¯t it?


    If the Bian Yi in this room was the original one, then how should that debt be settled?


    Looking back and forth between Bian Yi and Kou Li, Bian Yu got a little closer and reached out his hand to hold Bian Yi¡¯s hand as he said: ¡°Ge, you don¡¯t know how worried I was when I heard the news about you. It¡¯s great that you¡¯re safe now. Although the man pretending to be you just escaped, it won¡¯t be long before-¡±


    Bian Yu¡¯s pretentious performance was stopped by a fragment of broken glass that Bian Yi held in his hand.


    The thin, sharp piece of glass was placed against Bian Yu¡¯s throat, who had just spoken with a sobbing voice. Bian Yu¡¯s eyes bulged as he stared with shock. He wanted to swallow saliva, but he was afraid that if he moved even for a little bit he would get cut, so he could only rattle his teeth and endure it.


    He looked at the crowd for help, but he didn¡¯t expect that the people present would be as stunned as he was.


    Except for Kou Li, who remained unresponsive.


    ¡°Bian Yu, I can see that you still love to sound sweet by saying words that are designed to touch people¡¯s hearts, huh?¡± Bian Yi smiled again. Although his face looked so pale, as long as he smiled, he would attract anyone¡¯s attention. ¡°But what should I do? Your brother has been watching you, hearing you, all this time. Don¡¯t you know that when I hear your voice, I can¡¯t control myself from wanting to kill you?¡± Bian Yi pressed his hand harder against Bian Yu¡¯s throat, as he sneeringly admired the fear flowing in Bian Yu¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®Yes, kill him. Kill Bian Yu and Guan Xi! They¡¯re the one who ruined my sweet Xiao-Shu. They deserve to die!¡¯


    As Bian Yu screamed with pain, a hand beside him stopped Bian Yi¡¯s movements.


    Kou Li took Bian Yi¡¯s hand and firmly pressed down on Bian Yi¡¯s shoulder, kicking Bian Yu away, whose legs were too soft to move on their own. Bian Yu stared deeply at Bian Yi¡­


    As if asking: ¡®What are you so mad about?!¡¯


    Bian Yi raised his eyebrows and looked at Kou Li, who was in front of him, and said with a smile: ¡°Yes, and you too.¡±


    ¡®How could I forget about him? I won¡¯t let anyone go!¡¯

 CH 4

    Chapter 4: Returning And Escaping.


    Crazy?


    Of course, Bian Yi knew that he wasn¡¯t normal. But how could he be normal, after spending so much time in that hellhole?


    Especially when he saw Bian Yu¡¯s face and heard his voice.


    Bian Yu had always been attracted to Kou Li, which Bian Yi had known for a long time. Due to this, Bian Yi never gave Bian Yu the chance to get close to his family, even when his father asked Bian Yi to bring his husband and son home for New Years. Bian Yi will never eat at the same table as Bian Yu.


    Bian Yu was the son of Bian Yi¡¯s stepmother, and he was 3 years younger than Bian Yi. Although he wasn¡¯t considered an illegitimate child, Bian Yu¡¯s mother was already pregnant with him when Bian Yi¡¯s parents were just going through the divorce process.


    For that reason, Bian Yi¡¯s father felt somewhat ashamed, and didn¡¯t force Bian Yi to get along with his brother.


    However, even though Bian Yi didn¡¯t want to interact with Bian Yu, Bian Yu was always trying to get in the way of both husbands.


    Before Bian Yi got kidnapped, Bian Yu took every opportunity, with a very poor performance, to flirt with Bian Yi¡¯s husband. But these acts could only be described with one word, ¡®tragic¡¯.


    When Guan Xi came, he became close friends with Bian Yu, allowing him to enter Bian Yi¡¯s house. At that, Bian Yu showed off to Kou Li.


    There were two purposes to this.


    Firstly, through Bian Yu¡¯s performance, Guan Xi would enjoy the fact that Kou Li¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t moved by anyone else. Secondly, while showing the appearance of a white lotus, Guan Xi liked to be with Bian Yu. Better said, he liked to watch Bian Yu¡¯s falsely smiling at Guan Xi, because Bian Yu¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t hide the jealousy he felt.


    However, if things stood at these unnecessary disputes and jealousy, everything would¡¯ve been alright. After all, when Bian Yi saw Guan Xi and Bian Yu together, he just felt that these two were extremely ridiculous.


    But it just so happened that these two foolish and vain men made up their minds to harm his Xiao-Shu.


    Bian Yu introduced a pianist to Guan Xi. A renowned and talented musician. Guan Xi saw this man as a target to obtain more points the moment he saw him.


    In order to create opportunities for him, Guan Xi invited this pianist to be Xiao-Shu¡¯s teacher through Bian Yu. The only thing Guan Xi could see was a simple man, but he didn¡¯t even bother to check the pianist¡¯s personal life, nor did he notice the disgusting gaze this man had been sending to Xiao-Shu.


    Bian Yi squeezed the picture frame beside the nightstand, closed his bloodshot eyes, and took a deep breath. However, the intense hatred he felt in his chest couldn¡¯t be reduced.


    The picture frame he was squeezing was one of Kou Li holding Xiao-Shu up. That photo was taken by Bian Yi, for the father and son duo, in the garden of their house. The sunlight looked very dazzling in the photo, while the father and son smiled gently and naively. But, what about the photographer¡¯s smile? It must have been as bright and happy, right?


    As if the sunlight in the photo had stung his eyes, Bian Yi squinted with slight pain, finally putting the photo back to its original place.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want Xiao-Shu to visit you in prison in the future, calm down.¡± Kou Li¡¯s voice sounded at the door. His voice was much more normal than before. But, of course, his voice still sounded harsh in Bian Yi¡¯s ears.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t know when Kou Li came in, and he didn¡¯t care either. As Bian Yi lifted the quilt, he glanced at the bed in disgust. With a smile on his face, he replied with irony: ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Xiao-Shu, do you really think that you¡¯d still be standing over there? Talking to me?¡±


    Kou Li became silent.


    Bian Yi snorted again. As he walked towards the door, seeing how Kou Li looked up and down at him, he added: ¡°What, you don¡¯t want to talk anymore? I thought you would say, ¡®A-Yi, you¡¯ve changed¡¯.¡±


    Kou Li was so smart, how couldn¡¯t he know that Bian Yi had changed? Bian Yi didn¡¯t know what Kou Li needed to look at and explore about him.


    Instead of trying to talk to this man, Bian Yi bumped Kou Li¡¯s shoulder as he went to choose a guest room to rest in.


    After Bian Yi left, Kou Li walked to the bed and pulled out an additional piece of broken glass from under the pillow Bian Yi had slept on. It looked similar to the piece that had been placed against Bian Yu¡¯s neck, but it was more slender and sharp.


    At this moment, Uncle Hua, the butler, came to inform Kou Li which guest room Bian Yi was resting in. He also asked Kou Li if Bian Yu, who was almost scared to death by Bian Yi, needed to be consoled, and if there was a need to respond to the questions asked by the people who were still in the hall.


    ¡°Ask them to leave.¡± Kou Li¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t fierce. Together with the glasses on the bridge of his nose, his appearance looked more gentle, which was the total opposite from his previous crazy appearance when Bian Yi had arrived home. As Kou Li took the photo by the bedside, he opened the photo frame and threw the frame into the trash can. ¡°Throw away everything on this bed.¡±


    ¡°Including the bed.¡±


    Uncle Hua was stunned for a while, feeling like this scene was a bit familiar. But he adjudicates that it must be due to his old age, which made him unable to remember things from time to time.


    He then responded to Kou Li and went to arrange for someone to clean it up.


    A year ago, the youngest son of the Kou family, Kou Li, saw that his other brothers were about to subdivide the Senyuan Biotechnology Laboratory he created. In just one year, who would¡¯ve thought that Kou Li would achieve his current status?


    Uncle Hua wasn¡¯t stupid, nor does he like to be smart. He just likes to do his job well, and get paid on time. As for other things, he doesn¡¯t have the time to ask any more questions.


    Bian Yi was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.


    He had been in this guest room before. Whenever Bian Yi got angry at Kou Li, he would hide away here. It¡¯s just that he had never slept here alone.


    When he had casually entered the room earlier, he didn¡¯t recognize this room; but now that he remembered this place, he wanted to change rooms. However, he didn¡¯t have the energy to move.


    Bian Yi felt very tired. He wanted to rest, but his mind was filled with the smiling face of his son, the moment Bian Yu pretended to cry, and the moment Kou Li choked him violently. Bian Yi was scared to close his eyes, fearing that when he opened them again, he would be back into that place, with three flat walls and a huge screen.


    There were also a variety of sounds inside Bian Yi¡¯s mind. In addition to the voice of his Xiao-Shu calling him ¡®Daddy One¡¯, Kou Li¡¯s sentence was the clearest among them.


    ¡®Seventeen years? Finally back?¡¯


    ¡®Was Kou Li also reborn? Did he come back in time earlier than me? Or did I remember the wrong number of years?¡¯


    Bian Yi changed to a side-lying position, hiding his hands in front of his chest, clenching a fruit fork in his right hand. The fork was small and exquisite, but it gave him a little sense of security.


    The sense of fatigue swept through him over and over again. Bian Yi was really tired, and he was too lazy to think about Kou Li¡¯s problem. In other words, even if Kou Li was reborn, so what?


    Kou Li mentioned more than ten years, which meant that he was able to recognize Guan Xi at first sight. Which meant that if Kou Li recognized Guan Xi the first time he saw him, Kou Li still let him live in their house for more than ten years. Guan Xi let a wolf enter his house, and when that wolf had already entered the room, Kou Li still didn¡¯t protect his son from the mouth of the wolf.


    This sin was unforgivable.


    Bian Yi hated him to the bone.


    The people who came to Kou Li¡¯s house, after Uncle Hua asked them to leave, were now gathering in the main entrance.


    As soon as Kou Li stepped out of the door, the group of people still gathering together were leaning on the old man behind Kou Li, accusing him of rudeness and frivolity. One by one, they spoke vigorously, but no one dared to speak too loudly.


    Just when everyone was ready to leave, they saw the police coming, followed by the most renowned psychiatrist from Beijing.


    The police didn¡¯t come here for Bian Yu¡¯s matter, but for Bian Yi¡¯s kidnapping case. Their arrival confirmed that the kidnapping had been real.


    It was really strange that no one could tell real vs fake. As long as they saw him, who couldn¡¯t tell if he¡¯s the real one or not? Not only Kou Li and the Bian family, but even Bian Yi¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t find out? Perhaps, they sensed something wasn¡¯t right, but they couldn¡¯t imagine this route?


    After all, Bian Yi wasn¡¯t a well-mannered man. He was quite improper, someone who prefered to be part of the Entertainment Industry as an actor. As a young man, he had already won several awards. Meaning that if he were to change attitudes all of a sudden, perhaps the people around him would think that he had received a new script and got too immersed in the role.


    When the police came with the psychiatrist, the group of people¡¯s inquisitive minds felt even more heavy. But no one expressed their curiosity in the open, and no one dared to shamelessly rely on their identity as Elders to accompany the police into Kou Li¡¯s house.


    Bian Yi intended to rest, so it was Kou Li who faced the police.


    The policeman surnamed Qi, who had dealt with Kou Li long ago, brought some bad news. As previously revealed by Bian Yu, Guan Xi had run away, and no one was able to catch him.


    In this case, Kou Li nodded his head, indicating that he already knew about it.


    Policeman Qi looked at him strangely, filled with doubts. Then he inquired about Guan Xi¡¯s usual behaviour and habits, in order to track down his whereabouts. As for Bian Yi¡¯s side, they let him get some rest first, so he said that they will come back tomorrow.


    ¡­


    Guan Xi was hiding in a small hotel and he was low on cash. The System can give him Golden Fingers, but that can¡¯t be bought with this world¡¯s money.


    For the first time, Guan Xi felt that he was utterly useless.


    However, he also knew that without the System, there were no Golden Fingers, so he was afraid to go to the police station today. If he¡¯s lucky enough, he¡¯ll be sent to jail for fraud, but he can¡¯t explain the fact that his genes and body are the exact same as Bian Yi¡¯s. Even the birthmarks and old injuries were the same. He may be treated as an experimental subject, and spend the rest of his life on the cold table of a laboratory. The worst thing that could happen, would be if this world finds out the System in his brain. He may as well suffer an unimaginable torture.


    Guan Xi stood in the bathroom, in the shower. Even though the water dripping on him was hot enough, he still felt as cold as ice. Even his hands and feet were cold, making him unable to stop shivering.


    Guan Xi was unable to figure out why the body¡¯s original owner appeared all of a sudden. After all, how could there be such a ¡®bug¡¯? He had already asked the System, but the System seemed to be disconnected for the moment.


    Guan Xi¡¯s task was very simple. He shouldn¡¯t become an antagonist, and he just needs to live positively. However, he could also obtain extra points from men. At this moment, Guan Xi wanted to thank himself. Fortunately, he had accumulated 4000 points after sleeping with two men, which allowed him to buy some Golden Fingers. With these points, he could be safe for now. After all, the science and technology of this world wouldn¡¯t be able to find him.


    Bian Yi appearing all of a sudden, meant that Guan Xi could no longer use Bian Yi¡¯s face and identity from now on.


    Guan Xi also knew that this face wasn¡¯t originally his, and if he had just transmigrated he would¡¯ve given it away without hesitation. But Guan Xi had been living as ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ for an entire year.


    He felt as if something that used to belong to him had been suddenly taken away by someone who came out of nowhere.


    Guan Xi was extremely reluctant.


    The sound of water in the bathroom stopped, and as Guan Xi wiped the bathroom mirror, he looked at himself.


    He had long become used to seeing himself in Bian Yi¡¯s face, but when Guan Xi looked at this ordinary look, he frowned.


    It was so ugly.


    This isn¡¯t his original appearance. He is Bian Yi.


    He has to go back.


    ¡­


    Bian Yi was still resting, but he didn¡¯t sleep peacefully.


    When Kou Li opened the door, he didn¡¯t make any sound, so the man on the bed wasn¡¯t awakened.


    He was holding a brand-new phone. Unlike the ordinary phones on the market, the chip inside this one was made by Kou Li himself, in the laboratory.


    As Kou Li placed the phone next to Bian Yi¡¯s pillow, he gazed at Bian Yi, who was curled up in a ball on the bed. Kou Li¡¯s fingers stretched out, but they were retracted right away.


    He looked at Bian Yi repeatedly and carefully. It wasn¡¯t until Bian Yi shrunk himself even tighter in discomfort, that Kou Li withdrew his exploratory gaze.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re the real one, otherwise¡­.¡± Kou Li¡¯s lips moved silently, as his eyes smiled with infinite tenderness: ¡°I¡¯ll kill you again.¡±

 CH 5

    Chapter 5: Reasons And Deceptions.


    Bian Yi had a dream. It was about the last straw that broke the camel¡¯s back, during the last hours he had left in his previous life.


    That was also the first time the System, behind that space, had communicated with him. At that time, it had called itself the ¡®Antagonist Self-Saving System¡¯.


    In that space, the System had answered the question Bian Yi had asked himself countless times: ¡°Why did you have to kidnap me? Why did you imprison me here? What did I do wrong?¡±


    The System replied; ¡°Because you¡¯re the Antagonist side character in this book. The Protagonist has to transmigrate as you, to solve your problems, save your life, and live as a better, wonderful Bian Yi.¡±


    ¡®Save my life? Live as a better, wonderful Bian Yi?¡¯


    Bian Yi was so angry from these words that he abruptly woke up.


    Whether his life was like flowers floating in the sky or a sludge on the ground, it still belonged to him. What right did others have to change it?


    It was this ridiculous, shameless, and extremely cruel reason that sent his soul, which still had a remaining glimmer of hope, to its death.


    When Bian Yi opened his eyes, he gasped violently and started to cough because of the excessive haste in waking.


    After sitting up, he leaned against the bedpost and tried to calm the emotions that were weighing on his heart.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry! Bian Yi, I¡¯ll definitely take revenge!¡± Bian Yi whispered to himself. The messy hair on his forehead was wet with sweat and it was stuck to his pale face. Coupled with his neurotic eyes, he looked more and more like a madman.


    But¡­


    ¡°I can¡¯t go mad.¡± Bian Yi comforted himself. ¡°I can¡¯t go mad right now. Think about Xiao-Shu, think about Xiao-Shu¡­. This time, you have to grow up with him.¡±


    What Kou Li said wasn¡¯t wrong. Bian Yi didn¡¯t want Xiao-Shu to have to visit him in prison in the future, so he must calm down.


    If Bian Yi did anything crazy, he would drag himself into hell again. His prison will simply change from a dark room to a cell. He will, once again, be separated from the people he once loved and who loved him back.


    He doesn¡¯t want that to happen ever again.


    Bian Yi stared at the bright orange lamp on the wall for five minutes before he could calm down.


    As he glanced at his surroundings, Bian Yi put aside the fruit fork he held onto.


    It wasn¡¯t difficult to discover the new phone placed beside his pillow. After all, it was very conspicuous and easy to see at first glance. When Bian Yi put down the fruit fork, he used his sore hand to pick up the phone.


    This phone looked very new, meaning that no one had used it before. But, of course, someone had taken it.


    Bian Yi stared at the fingertips on the phone¡¯s case and expressionlessly wiped it.


    When Bian Yu said that Guan Xi had escaped¡­


    It wasn¡¯t too surprising for Bian Yi. After all, he was able to see everything Guan Xi did in that space.


    Although the Antagonist Self-Saving System revealed its voice to Bian Yi in the end, Guan Xi was always shouting ¡®System!¡¯ when he was alone. After that, Guan Xi would always come up with something that was beyond common sense.


    ¡°Love At First Sight, First Class Perfume¡±, ¡°Make-up Removal Mirror¡±, ¡°Advanced Disguise Technique¡±, etc, were things used by Guan Xi. Even though these things weren¡¯t permanent, Guan Xi could use the points he obtained to buy more from the System.


    As for where these points came from, Bian Yi could speculate based on what Guan Xi has done.


    Bian Yi doesn¡¯t know what the System told Guan Xi, but he was sure that Guan Xi, a fool, was deceived.


    Every man who got in contact with Guan Xi, regardless of their character, would have a good reputation in the eyes of the public. On the surface, all of them would become fascinated by Guan Xi, to the point where they only wanted to flirt and make love to him. These men would make big and small professional mistakes, while Guan Xi would feel overly satisfied with his own charm.


    But, as a viewer, Bian Yi knew that those people were only good at disappearing, one after the other.


    Bian Yi suspected that Guan Xi was just a medium, used by the System to absorb the abilities and talents from those strategic targets.


    When the System finally extracted enough, Guan Xi would no longer be of use. When there¡¯s no more use for someone like him, who would care about him? When that time comes, without the System, and no more Golden Fingers, the men who were obsessed with Guan Xi, would be more than enough to tear him to pieces.


    Kou Li was the person Guan Xi got closest to, and he was also the one Guan Xi observed the most.


    Which meant that Kou Li had something the System desperately desired to obtain.


    If that was the case, it made sense for Bian Yi to be the one getting replaced. Was that the ¡®actual¡¯ reason for his kidnapping? The System seemed to enjoy deceiving humans, so that meant it thought humans were stupid and inferior creatures?


    Bian Yi laughed self-mockingly.


    Bian Yi was Kou Li¡¯s legal lover, so wasn¡¯t his identity way too convenient?


    How ironic.


    Bian Yi married Kou Li because he was in love with him. But Bian Yi¡¯s life was also stolen because he was married to Kou Li¡­


    The thief who took away his life, as well as the System behind him, even dared to say to him: ¡®You¡¯re just the Antagonist side character. I am here to make your life more exciting. I¡¯m actually saving you!¡¯


    Bian Yi could no longer suppress the feeling of nausea, and as he held onto the edge of the bed, he threw up.


    Probably because the noise he was making was too loud, someone knocked on the door. However, before Bian Yi could respond, the door was opened.


    It was Kou Li.


    Kou Li¡¯s movements were also a bit much, as the door was opened violently, heavily banging against the wall. Such rude actions weren¡¯t quite in line with his outside gentle appearance, just like what happened when Bian Yi came back home.


    As soon as he entered the room, Kou Li¡¯s eyes were glued on Bian Yi. He looked over Bian Yi from top to bottom at least three times, before walking to his side. As Kou Li handed him a tissue, he placed his other hand behind Bian Yi¡¯s back, as if he wanted to comfort Bian Yi.


    Bian Yi stretched out his hand and stopped him.


    When Kou Li looked at Bian Yi¡¯s embarrassed appearance, as well as the extreme fierceness and hate in his eyes, Kou Li withdrew his hand. He didn¡¯t say anything, and soon left the room.


    Bian Yi¡¯s eyes were clouded by tears produced by the action of throwing up, so his vision was a little bit blurred. Due to his blurred line of sight, Bian Yi thought he saw Kou Li¡¯s hands trembling a bit when he walked away.


    However, whether it was an illusion or not, it didn¡¯t matter.


    After Kou Li left, Bian Yi took a moment to calm down before getting up and cleaning himself.


    When he came out of the bathroom, the room had already been cleaned. Seeing this, Bian Yi paused, sat on the bed again with the phone in his hand, and clicked on the browser app.


    He hadn¡¯t been in contact with an electronic device in so long, so Bian Yi was a bit rusty as he typed. The name he was typing though, was hard to forget.


    Ivan, the internationally renowned pianist and musician.


    In order to type out these words completely, Bian Yi had to take several deep breaths.


    However, the information that popped up actually surprised Bian Yi.


    The top of the searches wasn¡¯t filled with Ivan¡¯s shining stage performance, nor was it about the praise he always received from his fans and the world of music. Instead, it was filled with news and pictures of this talented genius being arrested at an award ceremony.


    The contrast between the dazzling trophy and the nasty stench of a criminal was extremely dramatic.


    Ivan was sent to prison six months ago. Every video and article that could be searched on the internet were all against him.


    As Bian Yi flipped through the news, one after the other, he read all the curses people were directing to Ivan. One of them caught Bian Yi¡¯s attention.


    The netizen said that Ivan had actually died a month ago, and that his death was very bloody. While other netizens thought this was just another way of cursing at him, when Bian Yi looked at it, he somehow felt that what this person said was actually the truth.


    ¡®He went to prison six months ago, and suddenly died a month ago. Was this done by Kou Li?¡¯


    After thinking about it for a second, Bian Yi gave up. ¡®So what if he did it? As a father, this is what he should¡¯ve done back then. Besides, even if Kou Li did it, it won¡¯t cure the damage Xiao-Shu suffered in his previous life.¡¯


    Bian Yi hated himself for not being able to kill that demon with his own hands.


    After taking another deep breath, Bian Yi turned off his phone and closed his eyes.


    Kou Li can¡¯t do anything to him now. The first reason was because of Xiao-Shu, while the second one was because of Guan Xi.


    Even though Guan Xi had escaped, either Guan Xi himself, or the System behind him, would force Guan Xi to return to Kou Li¡¯s side. After all, after enjoying the benefits of a Young Master and a Big Star for more than a year, who would be willing to give it up? Especially when someone suddenly appeared to take it away from him?


    That greedy fool must have already forgotten that this life didn¡¯t belong to him in the first place.


    What Bian Yi had to do now was to stay close to Kou Li, so that he could get a chance to catch that despicable thief and his System.


    When it was almost time for dinner, and Bian Yi thought that he would soon see his Xiao-Shu again, he suppressed his emotions to make himself look like a normal person.


    As he opened the door of his room, Bian Yi looked around, and another feeling of unreality came to him.


    This was Kou Li and Bian Yi¡¯s house. They had been buying things for the house even before they got married, so every object in front of his eyes was stored deep inside his memory. However, Bian Yi didn¡¯t want to remember any of it.


    As Bian Yi walked along the corridor, looking at every furnishing, he finally arrived at the stairway.


    The top of the staircase was designed to be very spacious, while the inclination of the stair was designed to be more smooth. The height of each step was also very low and covered with a carpet, specially prepared for Xiao-Shu. Since this part was quite spacious, there were some decorations placed here and there, as well as a beautiful vase standing in a corner.


    Although Bian Yi wasn¡¯t deliberately trying to remember the moment Kou Li and himself had arranged these objects, there were some memories he couldn¡¯t suppress.


    In his previous life, he watched through the screen, how Kou Li pressed Guan Xi against this exact corner to kiss him. At that time, they were so passionate that they forgot about the vase and accidentally knocked down the vase, which smashed into pieces on the ground.


    Right now, when Bian Yi looked at this vase, he tilted his head to think. At the beginning, he seemed to like this vase.


    But now, he wanted to smash it against the ground and throw it away. Or knock it hard against Kou Li¡¯s head.


    ¡°Daddy One!¡± Suddenly, the sweet cry of his son came from downstairs.


    Bian Yi came back to reality startled. As he blinked several times, he clenched his fists, pinching his palms with his fingernails. He almost went mad in front of Xiao-Shu.


    When he looked downstairs, Bian Yi¡¯s eyes showed only a cheerful smile, and there was nothing wrong in the sound of his voice as he said: ¡°Xiao-Shu, my good boy.¡±


    When Bian Yi finally came downstairs, Kou Sen trotted towards him and Bian Yi hurriedly squatted down to pick him up.


    The kid wasn¡¯t strong enough to collide with him and stopped his feet right in front of Bian Yi. Yet, he still fell into Bian Yi¡¯s arms, as he gave him a big hug with his soft and warm little body.


    Bian Yi¡¯s nose ached instantly


    ¡°Is Daddy One hurt? Xiao-Shu will help. It won¡¯t hurt if you blow the wound.¡± Kou Sen put his small hands around Bian Yi¡¯s neck. When he saw the gauze taped on Bian Yi¡¯s neck, he came closer to gently blow on it a few times.


    ¡®Father said that Daddy One is injured, so he needs hugs. If I hug him, his injury will soon get better.¡¯


    The child thought, even though he didn¡¯t understand why Kou Li wouldn¡¯t allow him to go near his other father.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t dare to hold the child too tightly in his arms, and had to open his mouth to breathe properly. He felt as if his throat and nose were blocked, scaring him to the point of thinking that if he couldn¡¯t breathe right this moment, he¡¯d die.


    As if feeling the light trembling coming from his father, the small child soothingly patted Bian Yi¡¯s back with his small hand: ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Daddy One.¡±


    Bian Yi blinked his eyes, but the tears still accumulated in his eyes. With a blurred vision, Bian Yi saw Kou Li walking towards him.


    That man didn¡¯t stop until he smoothly took the child from his arms, as if he had done it many times. Even the child seemed to have adapted to his sudden behaviour, because as he was being carried away, he looked so naturally obedient.


    Bian Yi felt the empty feeling in his arms, as he looked up blankly at the eyes of the man in front of him, who were looking back at him with a defensive warning.


    With such a cold attitude, Kou Li stood high and mighty, examining Bian Yi up and down, as if trying to prevent himself from going mad.


    This, instead, made Bian Yi collect his tears and calm down as fast as possible.


    As the family finally had dinner, Kou Sen was the only one who spoke. Occasionally, Kou Li would reply to the child¡¯s odd questions.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to see that the father-son relationship between these two was very good.


    Bian Yi couldn¡¯t tell if this was Kou Li trying to compensate the kid out of guilt. But, at this point, he didn¡¯t want to think about it. He didn¡¯t want to ruin his first dinner back at home.


    After having eaten in peace, Bian Yi watched cartoons with the child for a while, until Kou Li took the kid away.


    Bian Yi wanted to see Xiao-Shu a bit more, but Butler Hua suddenly arrived with the psychiatrist. As soon as Bian Yi saw him, Bian Yi let Kou Li take the child away.


    After all, Bian Yi didn¡¯t want Xiao-Shu to hear the doctor say that his father was mentally ill and wasn¡¯t a normal person.


    Since Kou Sen was already used to having dinner with his two dads once in a while, he didn¡¯t pester Kou Li as he was taken away.


    When Kou Li took the child upstairs, he glanced at the vase in the corser of the staircase.


    In his previous life, he almost couldn¡¯t resist the urge to smash that vase on Bian Yi¡¯s face.


    Kou Li smiled as he looked at the other decorations, thinking about the many things he would have to throw away at home.

 CH 6

    Chapter 6: Laughter And Revenge.


    Kou Li played puzzles with his kid for a while before going downstairs. As soon as he arrived downstairs, he saw the doctor coming back inside from the backyard.


    When the doctor saw him coming down, she told Kou Li about Bian Yi¡¯s situation: ¡°Mr. Kou, Mr. Bian is very resistant. He¡¯s very defensive and won¡¯t allow me to help him at a¨C¡­.¡±


    Before the doctor could finish her report, Kou Li raised his hand, interrupting her. Then he said with an uninterested tone of voice: ¡°If he doesn¡¯t want to be treated, then don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The doctor looked at Kou Li in surprise. The doctor thought that she must have heard it wrong, but when she saw that Kou Li¡¯s expression hadn¡¯t changed a bit, she realized that wasn¡¯t the case. Just like when Captain Qi, who came earlier with the police, the doctor felt that something wasn¡¯t right. As a doctor, she still explained Bian Yi¡¯s situation and the things that would need Kou Li¡¯s cooperation.


    As for whether Kou Li would do it or not, as a simple doctor, she couldn¡¯t do much.


    Then Kou Li asked Butler Hua to send the doctor out and looked out the long windows, staring at Bian Yi¡¯s back, who was still sitting alone in the garden.


    When Butler Hua came back, Kou Li was still standing in the same place.


    ¡°Sir?¡± Butler Hua followed Kou Li¡¯s line of sight and wasn¡¯t surprised to see Bian Yi in the courtyard: ¡°Mr. Bian and Ms. Xia are looking for you.¡±


    Kou Li withdrew his gaze and replied: ¡°Understood.¡±


    Then he added: ¡°Change all of the furniture in the house.¡±


    ¡®Change the furniture? Why would you want to¡­.?¡¯


    ¡®Ah! Right, the fake Young Master Bian has touched some things in the house.¡¯


    The feeling of deja vu floated up. Butler Hua remembered that a year ago, one day, Kou Li had a big quarrel with Bian Yi. At that moment, Bian Yi angrily left home, but then he came back and spent the night here. As soon as Bian Yi left the following morning, Kou Li asked Butler Hua to throw away the bed in the guest room.


    At that time, Butler Hua thought that the two of them had a simple quarrel, provoking Bian Yi to run away. But even after he came back, the two of them slept separately. Needless to say, Kou Li was angry.


    Butler Hua didn¡¯t dare to think about it anymore. He just thought: ¡®Since this is the case, wouldn¡¯t it be more convenient to change residences?¡¯


    But, he didn¡¯t ask more questions, and simply did as Kou Li said.


    ¡­


    There were some diseases that had to be removed from the room. But, for some wounds, it would require you to give the perpetrator an equal amount of pain, in order to stop the bleeding.


    If you didn¡¯t experience the same pain, how can you understand the taste of such torment and suffering? That kind of pain, can it be eliminated by a few psychological hypnosis and pills?


    After refusing the psychologist¡¯s treatment, Bian Yi looked at the flowers and trees in the backyard while in a daze.


    That tree was the same one from the photo in Kou Li¡¯s bedroom. At that time, Kou Li and Xiao-Shu were standing under the tree, as Bian Yi squatted right in front of the chair he was sitting on now.


    After a while, a young girl came over and asked Bian Yi if he needed any help, as well as reminding him that it was time to take his medicine. Fearing that Bian Yi would be too defensive, she deliberately said that it was an anti-inflammatory drug.


    This young girl should be a nurse hired by Kou Li, whose surname was Zhou. Bian Yi didn¡¯t want to give her a hard time, so he followed her back to the house. After making sure that Bian Yi had taken the medicine, she left.


    After that, no one came to disturb Bian Yi. Now, he could rest, but this night was destined to be a sleepless one.


    Since Bian Yi kept his eyes open till dawn.


    He couldn¡¯t sleep, he was afraid of sleeping. When he closed his eyes, everything turned dark. He couldn¡¯t tell if he was really out, or if he was still inside that dark room.


    When Bian Yi heard someone walking outside the corridor, he got up and washed himself.


    As soon as Bian Yi left his room, he met with Kou Li, who also seemed to spend a sleepless night, since he had dark circles under his eyes.


    Kou Li wasn¡¯t wearing glasses, and since his dark eyes weren¡¯t covered by them, his eyes looked especially sharp.


    Neither of them opened their mouths to greet each other. When they stared at each other, their eyes were cold and murderous.


    Bian Yi blinked and collected his emotions. After moving his gaze away, Bian Yi hurried to walk over. Bian Yi went to Kou Li¡¯s room, not for anything special, but because he noticed yesterday that Xiao-Shu¡¯s bed was also in that room.


    This mansion was huge, and had many rooms. So, of course, there was a nursery room carefully prepared by both parents for their son.


    But, when raising children, no parent would feel comfortable about leaving a child alone in another room, especially when they were very young.


    Kou Li stared at Bian Yi as he walked past him, glancing at his back for a moment. After Kou Li frowned hard, he pinched the center of his brow.


    Kou Li then followed Bian Yi back to his bedroom. Without waiting for Bian Yi to give him a wary look, Kou Li grabbed the glasses he forgot on the cabinet and prepared to leave the room.


    Before leaving, he said to Bian Yi: ¡°He should wake up in half an hour. After having breakfast, he will go to school.¡±


    Bian Yi squatted beside Kou Sen¡¯s little bed and replied with a smile: ¡°I see.¡±


    Naturally, Bian Yi was smiling because he saw the quiet and lovely sleeping face of his Xiao-Shu, unconsciously softening the tone of his voice.


    Kou Li, who was holding the doorknob, paused. When he put on his glasses, the scene in front of him changed from blurry to clear. But the moment his vision turned clear all of a sudden, he felt somewhat dizzy.


    Kou Li turned back to look at the thin man in front of the tiny bed and the child sleeping on it. Even after a long time had passed, the dizziness he felt hadn¡¯t disappeared.


    Kou Li looked at them for a while. Until his eyes adjusted to the clear world after putting on glasses, and left.


    Kou Li didn¡¯t lie to him, and after Bian Yi carefully stood by the bed for half an hour, Xiao-Shu finally woke up.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t know what kind of expression he had on his face right now, but he put everything away as he smiled at the child with a natural and gentle smile.


    When the child opened his eyes, he wasn¡¯t completely awake yet. He twisted himself on the bed and closed his eyes again. When he realized that he couldn¡¯t fall asleep again, he had to open his eyes again. At that moment, he saw the man next to his bed and his beautiful eyes were filled with many questions.


    Those questions didn¡¯t exist for long as he quickly reached out towards Bian Yi, as he said with a sweet pampering voice: ¡°Daddy, hug. I want to be close to Daddy.¡±


    Bian Yi responded nervously, trying to control his hands from shaking. As he picked up the kid with his weak hands, he helped his son to change his clothes and took him to wash himself.


    Xiao-Shu wasn¡¯t fat or heavy, but Bian Yi still felt that it was hard to carry him. Bian Yi gritted his teeth and held the child tighter, unwilling to let him go.


    ""


    When they went downstairs, his arms began to feel sore and weak. Since he was afraid that the child would fall, Bian Yi had to put him down and hold his hand instead.


    Feeling the small hand wrapped in the palm of his hand made Bian Yi think to himself: ¡®I must eat well and have a good rest. Otherwise, I won¡¯t have enough strength to accompany my Xiao-Shu.¡¯


    Bian Yi took Xiao-Shu to the kitchen, and as soon as he arrived, he noticed a sharp gaze looking at him. When he looked up, the feeling of that gaze disappeared, as if it were just an illusion.


    Bian Yi looked at Kou Li, who was serving porridge, and couldn¡¯t see anything different in him.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t bother to pursue the matter, and continued to keep the pretence of ¡®mutual peace¡¯ with the man in front Xiao-Shu.


    After sending the kid to school, there were already people waiting at his home. However, compared to yesterday, there were far fewer people this time.


    Bian Yi¡¯s parents, who rushed back from abroad, the police, who came to ask about Bian Yi¡¯s kidnapping experience, and Bian Yi¡¯s agent, Nie Fang.


    In fact, there were also a lot of people outside his house, such as the media, who got Bian Yi¡¯s address from somewhere. These were the people Bian Yi saw first, as soon as he returned from sending his son to school.


    The people that came today were much better than the ones that came yesterday. Leaving aside affinity, at least they weren¡¯t loud.


    Bian Yi smiled at everyone in the living room.


    Among the people in the room, Bian Yi¡¯s mother, Xia Xuan, was the first one whose eyes turned bloodshot. It looked like she had a lot to say and ask Bian Yi¡­ but so did the others.


    Bian Yi looked at them, and before any of them could open their mouths, he suggested: ¡°How about this. Nie-ge, why don¡¯t you go outside and invite a friendly reporter to come here. After all, what you want to ask and what they want to know is probably the same thing. I¡¯ll just say it all at once, to save everyone¡¯s time.¡±


    He said it very lightly, but there was an inexplicable hint of sarcasm in his voice.


    Nie Fang felt both embarrassed and guilty at the same time: ¡°Xiao-Yi¡­. You don¡¯t need to care about the media. The most important thing for you now is to have a good rest.¡±


    Bian Huaiting carefully looked at his son. He was completely unable to distinguish between the ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ who talked and laughed alongside Bian Yu at home a few days ago and the Bian Yi in front of him right now. No matter what, they looked exactly the same.


    However, he knew that this couldn¡¯t be said directly. So he followed Agent Nie¡¯s words and also advised Bian Yi to rest first, and to talk about these things later.


    Bian Yi smiled again and said: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will. But, the most important thing right now is to catch the person who took my identity as soon as possible. You should be able to understand, right? How much I hate him.¡±


    When he said this, the whole room became silent. Even the policeman, who wanted to ask Bian Yi questions, withdrew his words.


    The person who broke the awkward silence was Kou Li: ¡°Uncle Hua, follow Mr. Nie to the door and invite someone in. Pick the one with the biggest reputation.¡±


    Bian Yi was still smiling when he glanced at Kou Li. Even though Bian Yi hated him right now, he still had to admit that Kou Li had always been the one to know him the best.


    The people chosen outside Kou Li¡¯s house were soon brought in. It was a reporter and a photographer. It¡¯s well known that their company¡¯s fame was indeed big. But after seeing Xia Xuan, Bian Huaiting and Kou Li together in the living room, their eyes got bigger and bigger. Their figure became smaller and smaller as they walked inside.


    Fortunately, no one really cared about them. They just needed to cooperate with Bian Yi, and the scoop would be theirs for sure.


    Bian Yi omitted the courtesy words and let them interview him directly.


    The photographer didn¡¯t dare to start a live broadcast. After all, he will have to wait until everyone in the living room checks the recording before publishing it.


    Although they wanted the scoop, to get the biggest hot topic, they didn¡¯t want to lose their jobs.


    To be honest, Entertainment Journalists like them would ask sharp questions with hidden meanings. To put it bluntly, they would stab people¡¯s hearts and poke their lungs.


    These stars cared most about being asked the things they feared the most. But these reporters were inclined to ask, regardless if that person replied or not. This way, they can find an opening that would allow them to continue to speculate.


    But today, the reporter sitting opposite Bian Yi didn¡¯t dare to do such a thing. So he had to rack his brain, trying to find questions that wouldn¡¯t touch Bian Yi¡¯s nerves.


    However, something strange happened. Even though the question wasn¡¯t malicious, Bian Yi wasn¡¯t happy.


    Bian Yi directly began to self-report: ¡°March 27 of last year, at around 9pm, I was kidnapped in the parking lot of Yaohua. The place where I was imprisoned was a single room made of iron¡­¡±


    ¡°I never saw the kidnapper, only heard its voice. It said that I was kidnapped to show me how another ¡®me¡¯ would make my life better.¡±


    ¡°The man who pretended to be me is named Guan Xi. I know all his habits and preferences¡­.¡±


    ¡­


    When the reporter and photographer came out of Kou Li¡¯s house two hours later, in another two hours, the exclusive interview with Bian Yi was posted on the web.


    At that moment, Guan Xi was buying food in a convenience store. He didn¡¯t have much cash on hand and had to save money, but since he had been spending like crazy for a year, he wasn¡¯t used to this kind of life anymore.


    The only consolation was that although the System seemed to be offline, he still was able to exchange points for Golden Fingers. He had changed his face and ID card, as well as applied for a job in an Entertainment Company this morning.


    That¡¯s right, he applied for the position of Bian Yi¡¯s assistant.


    After having transmigrated for a year, the place he was more in contact with was the Entertainment Industry. In other words, other than the Entertainment Industry, he didn¡¯t know what other work would be more suitable for him.


    With the Golden Fingers in hand, Gaun Xi wasn¡¯t worried about being accepted. He was more worried about what he would do if the System didn¡¯t come back.


    Guan Xi sighed as he put the snacks and instant noodles on the cashier counter. Only to see the store manager touching the things on the counter, while his eyes lingered on a video on the computer. His attitude was very unprofessional.


    Guan Xi was very impatient. As soon as he tried to urge the store manager, he saw himself in the mirror behind the wine counter, and swallowed his words back.


    The store manager¡¯s movements were extremely slow, and Guan Xi was trying really hard to hold back. When suddenly, he heard ¡®his own¡¯ voice.


    He was happy for half a second, before he realized that it wasn¡¯t actually ¡®himself¡¯.


    It was just a short second, but when he thought that he was a big star who used to meet a passerby that liked him; when in fact, he¡¯s just a person who used the ¡®skin¡¯ of that big star, it made him feel disappointed and empty. For a long time, that feeling stuck inside his heart.


    Guan Xi bit his fingernails, trying to avoid showing a strange expression on his face.


    However, at that moment, ¡®his¡¯ voice came from the computer.


    ¡°The man who pretended to be me is named Guan Xi. I know all his habits and preferences. When he¡¯s nervous, he would bite his right thumbnail, while his left hand would rub his thigh repeatedly.¡±


    Guan Xi was startled and hurriedly put both hands away.


    ¡°He likes to eat chicken wings and duck intestines. Whether expensive or cheap, as long as the taste is strong, he would like it.¡±


    Guan Xi panicked as he looked at the store manager, who was still pricing the different kinds of pickled peppers, the chicken wings and the duck intestines. He wanted to grab them and throw them away, but he held back again.


    ¡®Many people like to eat these things. Calm down, calm down! Your face is completely different now!¡¯


    ¡®His¡¯ voice continued.


    ¡°He tends to wear clothes with gold on them, and he also likes¡­.¡±


    At that, Guan Xi¡¯s face paled as he tugged the golden thread side pockets into his clothes with a cold sweat. Every time Bian Yi said something about him, it would correspond with something he was wearing or doing right now.


    Guan Xi looked around in horror. Every time he saw someone, he felt as if their eyes were gazing at him. ¡®Did they recognize me? What will they do? Will they call the police? Would I be taken away?¡¯


    The more Bian Yi spoke, the more that Guan Xi felt there was less and less clothes on his body. Until finally, it felt as if he had been stripped naked and thrown in the middle of a crowd.


    Guan Xi¡¯s hands and feet were cold, his back was freezing, his shirt was soaked with cold sweat.


    He wanted to run away so badly.


    ¡­


    ¡°But, none of these things matter.¡±


    ¡°He has a very small black mole on his left earlobe. An old wound of 3 cm under his collarbone, and a red birthmark shaped like a heart on his back.¡± After the reporter left, Bian Yi smiled at the police: ¡°Yes, his body looks exactly the same as mine.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like an exact copy. No one would be able to find a single flaw.¡±


    The police officer, who was recording, drew a long line as the pen dragged down the paper. Everyone in the living room, except Kou Li, was stunned.


    ¡®Exactly the same body?¡¯ Ms. Xia had also secretly done an identification test before, and the data was consistent with Bian Yi itself. At first, they also suspected that someone from the kidnapper¡¯s side had tampered with the data¡­


    But, who would have thought¡­.


    That this kind of technology existed¡­.


    Captain Qi, as well as his teammates¡¯ faces changed. If what Bian Yi said was true, then this matter wasn¡¯t just a simple kidnapping and identity fraud.


    Bian Yi smiled from beginning to end.


    ¡®Guan Xi, you better run.¡¯


    ¡®You see, if you don¡¯t escape now and get caught, your sentence wouldn¡¯t be as simple as spending a few years in prison.¡¯


    ¡®Genetic technology? Codes that could be worth millions? For a simple and fragile person like you, if someone were to accidentally tell what happened today, you would be targeted by criminals.¡¯


    ¡®When that time comes, the police will be looking for you, and those who covet genetic technology will also be looking for you.¡¯


    ¡®Ah yes, even the passers-by would be looking for you. After all, I have money, and whoever finds you will directly get 100 million. As for someone who can give useful information about you can get 5 million.¡¯


    ¡®If you don¡¯t want to be found, you can only keep hiding all the time. Finally, you¡¯ll hide in a very small place. As long as you step outside, you¡¯ll have to be very careful that the pedestrians on the road¡­ won¡¯t kill you.¡¯

 CH 7

    Chapter 7: System Vs System.


    Guan Xi ran away.


    The manager of the convenience store had just finished scanning the last item, but as soon as he raised his head, he saw how the customer had suddenly ran away.


    ¡°Psycho!¡± The store manager rolled his eyes and simply placed the items on the silver counter next to him. As he opened the snacks, he sat down to eat and began scrolling through the internet.


    At that moment, social media had been turned upside down.


    Yesterday, a person who claimed to be Bian Yi appeared at an intersection, saying that he had been kidnapped. Later, the news that ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ had suddenly disappeared from the variety show in Y City had spread everywhere. This matter started to spread yesterday on various websites, and even today, the excitement remained high. By everyone¡¯s surprise, an update was immediately uploaded today.


    The updated content was even more amazing. One by one, ¡®explosive¡¯ online articles appeared, attracting the interest of countless netizens.


    It was a video interview of Bian Yi, who talked about his kidnapping and how he managed to escape.


    Bian Yi spoke about when and how he was kidnapped, along with the shameless thief that dared to pretend to be him. That thief¡¯s name was Guan Xi, and according to Bian Yi, that man was extremely good at disguising himself. To the point where his appearance and body shape were exactly the same as Bian Yi¡¯s.


    Bian Yi¡¯s interview showed him having a constant smile on his face, but it was quite obvious how unhealthy pale he looked at the moment. Occasionally, the gauze wrapped around his neck would be revealed, while his hands showed fresh wounds. Just by looking at his current appearance, one could tell the horrible things he had to experience the past year. Yet, these were only the wounds that could be seen on the surface. It was unknown whether there were deeper, heavier wounds on his body and in his mind.


    Even though the manager of the convenience store was a straight man, when he saw Bian Yi in this state, he couldn¡¯t help but feel extremely heartbroken. Let alone those fans who sincerely liked Bian Yi.


    The pop-up comments underneath the video had long been filled by a chorus of cries and curses.


    ¡°Oooooooo, please stop smiling! Cry, please cry. My heart hurts so much!¡±


    ¡°Guan Xi, that bastard! He doesn¡¯t deserve to die a peaceful death!¡±


    ¡°It must¡¯ve been so hard. He was kidnapped, and the people close to him never noticed! The impostor had been using his identity all this time, taking everything that belonged to Bian Yi! Oh God, I¡¯m suffocating!¡±


    ¡°Xiao-Yi, why do you have to suffer like this?! Please ask the police to arrest that man as quickly as possible!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going crazy! What¡¯s Guan Xi¡¯s disgusting business?! He used Xiao-Yi¡¯s identity to hook up with one man after the other. I told y¡¯all that the boy I loved could never do such a thing! Fuck you Guan Xi. I feel like throwing up!¡±


    ¡­


    Guan Xi ran until he found an alley, which was very dark. There were garbage cans at the entrance, the environment was dirty and bad. However, such a place actually gave Guan Xi a sense of security.


    Guan Xi gasped for breath several times, only to inhale the strange smell of the alley, making him cough uncontrollably.


    After a while, he determined that no one would come to this alley, so he squatted down to hide in a corner. Then he took out his phone to search for Bian Yi¡¯s interview.


    This phone was the most expensive item he had at the moment, which he bought by selling his original phone in a second-hand store. Now, when he recalled the moment he sold the phone, he was afraid that the shopkeeper would find something inside his phone that could expose him. Guan Xi was afraid of the shopkeeper finding him, then informing the police, Bian Yi and Kou Li of his whereabouts.


    Guan Xi wanted to bite his nails again, but when he remembered Bian Yi¡¯s words, he held himself back.


    As Guan Xi hugged himself tightly, for the first time, he felt that this world wasn¡¯t his world anymore. After all, he came from another world, and as an outsider, this world began to reject him.


    How could he even think that snatching Bian Yi¡¯s identity back was a good idea? Now, Guan Xi didn¡¯t even dare to think about it. Even though he wanted a glamorous life, he was even more afraid of going to prison. Guan Xi was afraid that his secret would be discovered and he would suffer all kinds of inhuman tortures.


    Guan Xi was afraid of tiredness, feeling pain and dying. Now, when he doesn¡¯t know what to do, he becomes afraid of everything. Just by thinking of the horrible tortures he could experience, his legs began to soften and his forehead became covered in sweat.


    ¡®No, I have to leave the city.¡¯


    ¡®Escape. Run far away. Escape to a place where no one would be able to find me.¡¯


    [ Escape? Where to? ] A cold voice suddenly spoke inside Guan Xi¡¯s head.


    Guan Xi was taken aback and hurriedly shrank himself into the dirty corner. Only to realize that it was the System, which had been disconnected until now, that had finally returned.


    However, Guan Xi ignored the System¡¯s voice, which was even colder than before, and wept bitterly. He rambled on about the shock and fear he felt for the past two days.


    The System remained silent until Guan Xi began to say the word ¡®escape¡¯ again, coldly interrupting him.


    [ Host, did you forget? If you don¡¯t complete the task, you will be erased. ]


    Guan Xi stopped crying all of a sudden. Like a duck whose neck was suddenly strangled, his mouth was wide open, but he couldn¡¯t produce a single sound.


    The System simply ignored his fear and continued emotionlessly: [ Go back. Use the identity you¡¯re using now, and go back to Bian Yi or Kou Li¡¯s side. ]


    Guan Xi¡¯s lips trembled incessantly. This was the first time he had faced such a cold System, and he was so scared that even his teeth began to chatter: ¡°I, I¡­. But Bian Yi knows, and he¡¯s¡ª he¡¯s back. Moreover, I always felt that Kou Li already knew for a long time that I wasn¡¯t Bian Yi. My task¡ª-¡±


    [ Oh, you think that you can keep playing dumb with me? ] At that moment, the System no longer hid its malice. [ Have you really never felt that there was something wrong with the task I gave you? Have you ever wondered why the main missions never gave you any points, but sleeping with tons of men did? ]


    [ Are you really stupid? Or are you just plain ignorant? You humans always liked to find a bunch of beautiful excuses for your own actions, to cover up your own guilt. Host, there¡¯s no need for you to pretend in front of me. In my eyes, you¡¯re no different from any other insignificant human. ]


    Guan Xi¡¯s mouth moved, but even after a long time, he couldn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡®Did I really not know?¡¯


    ¡®At that time, I was told that I had to transmigrate into a book, to replace an evil character. But why did I never think about where the System was going to send the man I was going to replace?¡¯


    ¡®Even though I didn¡¯t know, I also never dared to think about it. I didn¡¯t dare to know. I was presented with the opportunity to come back to life, so why should I give up that chance? Just for the sake of the character of a book I wasn¡¯t even familiar with? Besides, I¡¯ve always dreamed of having the kind of life that character had already possessed.¡¯


    ¡®But, but¡­. ah, as long as I didn¡¯t know, I could deceive myself and others. I could say to myself: You didn¡¯t know. You didn¡¯t know that your arrival would trap the original owner somewhere for the rest of your life. If you knew, you would¡¯ve returned the original owner¡¯s identity to him without hesitation. How could you be so selfish and take everything from someone else?¡¯


    ¡®After all, I can¡¯t be deemed guilty if I wasn¡¯t aware.¡¯


    ¡­


    Finally, everyone who came had already left.


    Bian Yi was sitting in the courtyard to bask in the sun, which came out in the afternoon, so the light temperature was quite comfortable.


    As Bian Yi closed his eyes, he finally put away the smile that had creeped his parents.


    ""


    At that moment, when the nurse next to him saw that Bian Yi¡¯s face was finally free from that strange smile, she was a little relieved. After all, Bian Yi had such a beautiful face. It felt unnatural for a psychotic smile to be there.


    After thinking about it, Nurse Xiao-Zhou stopped her line of thought and hurried to help Bian Yi apply the medicine.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t know what the nurse was thinking about, nor did he care.


    Thanks to the sunlight, after Bian Yi closed his eyes, his eyes weren¡¯t submerged in darkness. The breeze was mixed with the faint smell of flowers and trees. If Bian Yi listened carefully, he would be able to hear the subtle chirping of the insects and birds.


    This made Bian Yi feel as if he was still alive, living under the Spring sun.


    Bian Yi rarely relaxed, and because of this, sleepiness came to him. But it could also be related to the medicine, since the nurse did say that it would make him feel sleepy, which made Bian Yi want to sleep even more.


    At that moment, someone walked towards him, but it wasn¡¯t the nurse, since she wouldn¡¯t look straight at him. All of a sudden, Bian Yi felt that something soft was covering his body.


    Bian Yi immediately opened his eyes, and as expected, Kou Li was there.


    Bian Yi then looked at the blanket placed over his body, picked it up with disgust, and threw it onto the grass.


    Kou Li¡¯s eyes fell on the ground, where the blanket was: ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡±


    Bian Yi sneered: ¡°Talk? What do I have to talk about with you?¡±


    Kou Li was silent for a while. The same way he did every time Bian Yi was upset and throwing a tantrum. He didn¡¯t refute or coax Bian Yi, since Kou Li knew that silence made him look aggrieved and pitiful, which would always make Bian Yi give up.


    However, this time, Bian Yi¡¯s anger intensified. But then he remembered the words of Xia Xuan, his mother, who advised him to reconcile with Kou Li.


    She said that Kou Li had come to see her the day Bian Yi disappeared. Saying that the ¡®Bian Yi¡¯, who had come back, was fake. But, at that time, she didn¡¯t believe him. Only after getting along with Guan Xi did she begin to suspect him. Secretly, she conducted a DNA test, but the results came out saying that Guan Xi was indeed her son. However, she never buried the suspicion.


    After the real Bian Yi disappeared, Kou Li never allowed Guan Xi to get close to Xiao-Shu. Kou Li also never allowed Guan Xi to touch the things in the house, let alone talk about his family with others, because these family members didn¡¯t belong to him.


    Xia Xuan must not know that Kou Li was reborn.


    But Bian Yi knew.


    However, this knowledge only made him feel that everything was ridiculous as hell.


    ¡°You really thought that I would forgive you after hearing my mother speak highly of you? You think that simply because you never slept with that impostor, and kept him away from my son, that I won¡¯t be mad?¡±


    Bian Yi tilted his head to look at Kou Li, and the sunlight forced him to squint. Kou Li¡¯s face was blocking the light, which made it difficult for Bian Yi to see the expression Kou Li had on his face.


    As he looked away from Kou Li, Bian Yi lowered his voice and continued: ¡°Did you know? I actually escaped twice. Yes, twice. Do you want to know what I saw both times?¡±


    Kou Li suddenly clenched his hands and looked straight at Bian Yi.


    Bian Yi had already closed his eyes again, with the intention of putting an end to this conversation: ¡°We have nothing to talk about. Please hurry up and leave. If you don¡¯t go now, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do.¡± After saying that, Bian Yi no longer cared about Kou Li¡¯s presence.


    After a long time passed, long enough that Bian Yi had almost fallen asleep, the scorching light that was on his body was pulled away.


    After a while, footsteps were heard again. This time, the one who came should be the nurse. After feeling how a blanket was put on his body, Bian Yi didn¡¯t move again.


    [ Stay with him. ] A clear voice sounded inside Bian Yi¡¯s head. That voice was really nice and clear. If it had belonged to a human, it must have been a handsome young man speaking.


    When hearing such words, Bian Yi was suddenly awakened. As Bian Yi opened his eyes again, his hands squeezed the armrest of the chair.


    ¡®Finally. The Revenge System came to get paid.¡¯


    ¡°Is that the task you¡¯re giving to me?¡± Bian Yi spoke extremely low, but he knew that the System would be able to hear him.


    The Revenge System didn¡¯t reply to Bian Yi¡¯s question. It only repeated over and over again: [ Stay by his side. Stay by Kou Li¡¯s side. ]


    As he heard this, Bian Yi suddenly smiled.


    The System in Guan Xi coveted something from Kou Li, which was why Bian Yi was kidnapped and replaced in the first place. This Revenge System had no relation to Bian Yi, nor was it even the same species as him, so why would it help Bian Yi? Of course, there were so many miserable people in this world, so why would it choose Bian Yi out of all people? Why would it spend so much effort on him?


    ¡®I see. So I caught the System¡¯s attention simply because I¡¯m Kou Li¡¯s lover.¡¯

 CH 8

    Chapter 8: Isn¡¯t That Just Plain Seduction?


    The sun was covered by the floating clouds, and when Bian Yi looked at the sky, he felt that it was ironic.


    Bian Yi was kidnapped because of his relationship with Kou Li, and he was imprisoned for 16 years. Due to his relationship with Kou Li, he was also saved and sent back 16 years in the past.


    ¡®What am I? It seems like a joke.¡¯


    ¡°Heh¡­.¡± Bian Yi stared at the vast expanse of the clouds that were blocking the sunlight, and muttered to himself: ¡°Isn¡¯t it just seducing him, the same way that stupid Guan Xi did to others? Besides, it¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t done it before. It¡¯s just acting, it¡¯s what I¡¯m best at. What¡¯s so hard about it?¡±


    As Bian Yi sat up, he picked up the cool cup of water from on top of the coffee table, and drank it in one go.


    Maybe it was because the Revenge System had finally appeared, that even though Bian Yi was given a ridiculous task, the weight in his heart had finally been lifted. Tonight, for the first time, Bian Yi fell asleep.


    Bian Yi dreamed again. He dreamed of the day he left home in his last life. The day the Antagonist Self-Saving System said to him that he was going to abandon his husband and son.


    One day, the crew disregarded Bian Yi¡¯s wishes, taking his rivalry with another actor as a promotional stunt for his new drama, forcing the two of them into a ship. Although Bian Yi took the initiative to explain it, Kou Li left abruptly that day, for no apparent reason.


    No¡­. It can¡¯t be considered inexplicable. According to Kou Li, he would hold himself back, restraining and suppressing his own jealousy.


    ¡°A-Yi, I know that you have nothing to do with those men, and that you only care about acting. I know that you won¡¯t betray me.¡±


    ¡°But, A-Yi, you don¡¯t know how much I want to lock you up, where only I can see and touch you. Where your eyes can only see me, and your ears can only hear my voice. You don¡¯t have any idea how much I want to gouge out the eyes of those who dared to look at you, and how much I want to cut off the hands of those who dared to touch you¡­.¡±


    ¡°A-Yi, I want you to stay with me and me alone.¡±


    ¡°I want you¡ªonly with me.¡±


    When Bian Yi woke up, he felt much better than the last time he woke up from a dream.


    At first, he didn¡¯t have too much of a reaction. After all, Bian Yi knew that Kou Li was possessive from a long time ago. But young love always tends to be hot, raging and reckless.


    In the end, Bian Yi still married him.


    But, who would have thought¡­.


    These past memories would inevitably involve something else.


    For example, the Antagonist Self-Saving System had used Bian Yi leaving home that day as ¡®evidence¡¯ that Bian Yi had abandoned his husband and son.


    Whenever Bian Yi thought of that ¡®plot¡¯, he couldn¡¯t help but replace that System with those marketing accounts1 and those brainless anti-fans who looked at his pictures, criticizing him. Even if it¡¯s an AI, Bian Yi felt quite wronged.


    Despite Kou Li¡¯s possessive behaviour, Bian Yi had no intention of running away from home. That day, he even went to the mall to buy a bunch of gifts for Kou Li and Xiao-Shu. He even bought some interesting ¡®items¡¯ they could use in bed. Although Bian Yi was angry at first, he also began to feel satisfied with the thought of Kou Li loving him this much. What if Kou Li wanted to lock up Bian Yi? Kou Li may as well ¡®lock¡¯ him up properly.


    The interesting ¡®items¡¯ Bian Yi bought that day were still inside that dark room, where he was kept for so many years¡­. That was the bag Bian Yi had with him when he was kidnapped.


    Bian Yi couldn¡¯t quite remember how he felt when he secretly opened the paper bag in the parking lot. But, of course, there¡¯s no need to remember it now.


    There¡¯s no need to remember those things.


    After Bian Yi spit out the toothpaste foam in his mouth, he wiped his face with a towel. Then he raised his head to look at himself in the mirror. In just a few seconds, the gloomy and hateful look in his eyes staring at the mirror became sunny and young. The look of a man in love, with the corners of his mouth raising in a smile.


    After putting the towel away, he walked downstairs with relaxed steps.


    At that moment, Kou Li was hearing Kou Sen singing him a children¡¯s song. But when Kou Li saw Bian Yi walking downstairs, Kou Li almost crushed the teacup in his hand.


    Bian Yi had a smile on his face, which made him look extremely gentle and beautiful.


    They both clenched their hands into fists, and there was even a bloodthirsty killing intent hidden deep inside their eyes, but no one around them noticed it at all.


    Butler Hua, along with the other people in the villa, thought that Bian Yi was persuaded by Ms. Xia¡¯s words from yesterday, and that he was willing to make up with Kou Li.


    Everyone thought: ¡®Look at them looking at each other¡¯s eyes with so much love, ah. Just like in the past~¡¯


    Sure enough, the next second, Butler Hua heard Bian Yi say: ¡°Uncle Hua, change the bed in the master bedroom to a bigger one. I will sleep there tonight.¡±


    After Bian Yi arrived downstairs, he squatted down to pinch Xiao-Shu¡¯s face.


    Unexpectedly, Kou Li took away the child first. With a smile on his face, Kou Li said to Bian Yi: ¡°Go away. Touch him and I¡¯ll crush your bones.¡±


    Butler Hua and everyone else¡¯s delighted smiles had just appeared, when all of a sudden, Kou Li¡¯s not-so-soft words were heard. They couldn¡¯t react for a while.


    Bian Yi¡¯s relaxed expression suddenly stiffened. Since his fake expression couldn¡¯t be kept, he dissolved it.


    As Bian Yi looked straight at Kou Li, Bian Yi asked with a cold voice: ¡°What did you just say? Try and say it again.¡±


    When Kou Li looked at Bian Yi¡¯s face, he also froze. As Kou Li pinched his brow, he let go of the child.


    Bian Yi then picked up Xiao-Shu with a cold expression on his face and walked towards the kitchen. After taking two steps, he heard Kou Li¡¯s voice ringing from behind him.


    Kou Li¡¯s voice was tired and hoarse, the same as when Bian Yi just came back. It was very hard to hear: ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be him. I can¡¯t tell you two apart.¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s mouth was already raised in a mocking smile, ready to sneer back at him.


    ¡°Please.¡± Kou Li was still sitting on the sofa, speaking with his back towards Bian Yi. The single word was said very lightly, but it was enough for Bian Yi to hear it.


    Kou Li¡¯s sudden pained appearance made Bian Yi lose the mood to mock him. So Bian Yi stopped laughing and didn¡¯t try to reply.


    Xiao-Shu was still there, and Bian Yi didn¡¯t want to argue with Kou Li.


    After that, the day passed by, and neither of them talked again.


    In the afternoon, Bian Yi was sitting in the backyard again, basking in the sun. At that time, Nie Fang came looking for him.


    Bian Yi asked Nie Fang what he wanted.


    Nie Fang scratched his head awkwardly.


    ¡°Xiao-Yi, don¡¯t get angry¡­. Uhm, the fake signed a lot of contracts in your name, and now, now¡­..¡± Nie Fang was really embarrassed to go on. Bian Yi had only come back a few days ago, and Nie Fang didn¡¯t have the heart to let Bian Yi deal with the leftover problems caused by Guan Xi.


    Strictly speaking, the person who signed the contract wasn¡¯t Bian Yi himself, and all of them were deceived by Guan Xi. They were all his victims. Guan Xi¡¯s deals shouldn¡¯t be attributed to Bian Yi.


    But, in the end, this was the Entertainment Industry. No matter how true some things may be, they can also be false. The same way, no matter how fake something may seem, it can also become real.


    Even nonsense such as, ¡®What¡¯s this thing about real Bian Yi or fake Bian Yi? He just wants to break the contract because he actually wants to fool us¡¯, can be said in this Industry until people believe it¡¯s the truth.


    Nie Fang didn¡¯t go on, but Bian Yi could understand what he was trying to say.


    ¡°I see.¡± Bian Yi then stretched out a hand towards Nie Fang, and without the slightest amount of hesitation, he said: ¡°What did that guy sign? Bring them to me and I¡¯ll solve it directly.¡±


    Nie Fang was surprised: ¡°No, Xiao-Yi, you don¡¯t have to worry about it. It doesn¡¯t matter if you give them the cold shoulder, even if they are in a hurry, they just wanted¡ª¡±


    ¡°To steal my spotlight.¡± Bian Yi interrupted Nie Fang, as he expressionlessly looked at Nie Fang. ¡°I¡¯m not Guan Xi. I understand this very well, Nie-ge.¡±


    Nie Fang was so sweaty, and he had such an awkward smile on his face, that he couldn¡¯t even laugh. Even though Nie Fang wanted to say something to ease the atmosphere, he couldn¡¯t find the right words.


    ¡®I can only scold that damn Guan Xi a hundred times in my head.¡¯


    ¡°Replace all of the previous assistants,¡± Bian Yi said, as he looked through the various contracts in his hands. There was still not a single expression on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t want them to be like Nie-ge, always reminding me of the fact that I¡¯ve been replaced by such a fool for so long.¡±


    Nie Fang could only say ¡®yes¡¯, feeling a little aggrieved. But when Nie Fang thought that he couldn¡¯t wait to see Bian Yi, while Bian Yi was still recuperating at home, Nie Fang couldn¡¯t be considered innocent either.


    Soon, Bian Yi decided on a variety show, a reality show. The content of the reality show was more suitable for Bian Yi, since he could travel to the scenic spot, play games, and relax.


    When Bian Yi¡¯s parents heard about this, Bian Huating repeated: ¡°Rest and recuperate first, and think about work later.¡±


    While Xia Xuan also said the same thing to him.


    Kou Li was the only one who didn¡¯t object. He even advised Xia Xuan, and asked Nie Fang to explain the program to him. As soon as Kou Li heard the word ¡®relax¡¯, he had nothing more to say.


    If Bian Yi had to say what he really wanted to do, Bian Yi would certainly say that he prefered to spend all of his time with Xiao-Shu.


    But Guan Xi hasn¡¯t been caught yet.


    Bian Yi knew that Guan Xi would come back. Even if Guan Xi wanted to run away, the System wouldn¡¯t allow it¡­. After all, the System hasn¡¯t been able to get anything from its target, Kou Li, yet.


    Between Kou Li and Bian YI, there¡¯s no doubt that Bian Yi was the most approachable one.


    As long as Bian Yi can be killed, Guan Xi, who looked exactly the same as Bian Yi, could point to his corpse and say that ¡®he¡¯ was dead. Who could tell who is who? Even if someone were to suspect Guan Xi, no one would be able to get the evidence that he was the fake one.


    How will Guan Xi approach Bian Yi? Rather, how will he even get closer to Bian Yi?


    Bian Yi was now in Kou Li¡¯s villa, which was guarded 24/7, and strangers weren¡¯t allowed to come near the house. None of the workers in the villa were unfamiliar faces.


    Guan Xi wouldn¡¯t be able to find a chance to approach this way.


    That being the case, Bian Yi would naturally have to come out.


    Otherwise, how else could he crush that smelly mouse to death with his own hands?


    Nie Fang quickly returned to the company, and according to Bian Yi¡¯s requirements, Nie Fang had replaced all of the assistants with people that never had any contact with Guan Xi. There were two newcomers, and one of them didn¡¯t even know most of the popular stars.


    In the past, Nie Fang would never hire people without working experience for Bian Yi, but now, it was better to have people who didn¡¯t know much around him.


    Nie Fang liked this rookie, who knew nothing, and decided to train him for a few days before bringing him to Bian Yi.


    Wen Xiaobai was selected by Nie Fang himself, and his other colleagues were congratulating him. After all, Wen Xiaobai had entered the company just a few days ago, and now he will work with Bian Yi, who was the most popular star at the moment.


    Wen Xiaobai smiled shyly, trying to avoid the envious eyes of some people.


    When everyone dispersed, he hid in the toilet again.


    As soon as Guan Xi closed the cubicle door, he leaned against the door panel to take a big breath.


    It was hard for him to describe how he was feeling right now. Guan Xi was really scared before coming back, but when he arrived at the company, he had to kowtow to the people who had once bowed to him, calling him ¡®Yi-ge¡¯ the moment they saw him. This feeling¡­.


    Made him think: ¡®How great my life would have been if Bian Yi was still away?¡¯

 CH 9

    Chapter 9: Is He Humiliating Me?


    The light in the bedroom was on, but Bian Yi didn¡¯t see anyone inside when he walked in.


    The bed was the first thing Bian Yi noticed, showing how efficient and fast Butler Hua really was. Not only was the bed replaced, but the bedding was changed as well. However, Bian Yi wasn¡¯t interested in checking whether the bed was bigger or not. After all, changing the bed was just an excuse.


    In the end, Bian Yi was quite satisfied with the result.


    As he sat on the edge of the bed, he looked at the photo sitting on the nightstand, which had been put into a new frame.


    As he stared at the new frame, Bian Yi wasn¡¯t sure what to think.


    But what brought him back to his senses was the sudden sound of running water coming from the bathroom.


    Only then did Bian Yi notice the lights coming from the bathroom door.


    There was frosted glass covering the shower. Bian Yi, who was still sitting on the bed, was able to see the outline of a person inside the shower. That kind of glass was arranged by Bian Yi when they first moved in, and after so many years of living together, there were many stories to tell about that glass in the bathroom.


    As Bian Yi stared at the silhouette behind the glass, he thought: ¡®Kou Li didn¡¯t change the glass¡­¡¯


    Not long after, the sound of water stopped, and Kou Li came out wearing a bathrobe, as he dried his hair with a towel.


    When Kou Li saw the man on the bed, he subconsciously frowned. Since he wasn¡¯t wearing glasses, he half-squinted for a while before he could recognize who it was.


    ""


    Kou Li didn¡¯t say a word, and as he kept drying his hair, he sat on the other side of the bed, pointing his back at Bian Yi.


    When Bian Yi looked at him like this, he wanted to mock Kou Li. But in the end, something unknown came to mind, and Bian Yi withdrew his words.


    Instead of avoiding Kou Li, Bian Yi stood up and began to undress.


    When Kou Li heard the sound of clothes rustling, he looked back at Bian Yi. The frown on his eyebrows deepened.


    ¡®He¡¯s too thin.¡¯


    Bian Yi was well aware that Kou Li¡¯s line of sight fell on his body, but he didn¡¯t care.


    Bian Yi wasn¡¯t trying to seduce Kou Li. Given Bian Yi¡¯s current thin body, so thin that he looked as if he had nothing but bones, even if Kou Li were to have the appetite for it, Bian Yi would only feel disgust.


    There wasn¡¯t really a reason behind what Bian Yi was doing, he was just doing what he wanted.


    While taking off his clothes and randomly throwing them on the floor, Bian Yi walked into the bedroom. When Bian Yi arrived at the closet, and pulled it open, he couldn¡¯t find any piece of clothing that belonged to him.


    ¡°Where are my clothes? Did you throw them all away? Did Guan Xi wear them?¡± Bian Yi pressed his hand against the closet¡¯s door and turned back to meet Kou Li¡¯s eyes.


    Due to his myopia, Kou Li¡¯s gaze wasn¡¯t focused. As he looked at Bian Yi, Kou Li couldn¡¯t see him clearly, and wasn¡¯t sure which part of Bian Yi¡¯s body was he staring at.


    When he heard Bian Yi¡¯s words, Kou Li moved his feet: ¡°No. Your clothes are inside the closet. Far inside.¡±


    ""


    When he finished talking, he saw Bian Yi walk away. Just when Kou Li had taken half a step forward, he took a step back.


    The closet was so large that it was even bigger than their bedroom.


    This was mainly because of Bian Yi. Not only was he good-looking and smug, but he was also an actor, so he had a lot of clothes.


    So, when Kou Li said that his clothes were far inside the closet, in reality, Kou Li¡¯s clothes only took up a small part of it. After taking a few steps inside, everything inside belonged to Bian Yi.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t look around too much. He randomly picked two sets of bathrobes and pajamas. Even though Kou Li had said that Guan Xi has never worn these clothes, in reality, every piece of clothing here was worn by Guan Xi in his last life.


    It was late, and because Bian Yi couldn¡¯t ask Butler Hua to arrange for someone to buy him new clothes in the middle of the night, he had to endure the disgust when getting dressed.


    When Bian Yi finally walked back to the room, Kou Li had already put on his glasses. Without showing any particular reaction to his arrival, Kou Li was leaning against the headrest on the bed, dealing with his work on his computer. After Bian Yi finished showering, changed into his pajamas, and laid down on the bed, Kou Li still had no reaction.


    After Bian Yi looked at the side of Kou Li¡¯s face, he turned around, preparing to go to sleep.


    ¡®Forget it, I don¡¯t need to be like Guan Xi. Besides, the System only asked me to stay by Kou Li¡¯s side, it never asked me for more. This way, I won¡¯t have to endure the nausea while doing it.¡¯


    The bedroom light was on all night, and no one bothered to turn it off.


    At first, Bian Yi thought that he¡¯ll have to wait a long time until he could fall asleep. Unexpectedly, not only did he fall asleep quite fast, he also had a dreamless night and slept until dawn.


    Although it was something unexpected, this was the best sleep Bian Yi had in years.


    As Bian Yi sat up and leaned against the headrest of the bed, he covered his eyes, curved the corners of his mouth and scolded himself: ¡°This is so humiliating.¡±


    For several days in a row, Bian Yi and Kou Li were at peace with each other. But this time, they were really at peace. As long as neither of them started an argument, they were able to maintain the peace surrounding them.


    After resting for the past few days, Bian Yi¡¯s health improved a lot.


    One day, Nie Fang came to pick up Bian Yi to go to E Island, the place Bian Yi picked to record the reality show.


    E Island was a tropical island with plenty of sunlight, an endless sea and beautiful scenery. It was the perfect place to relax.


    Before leaving, Bian Yi kissed Xiao-Shu¡¯s cheeks and promised to bring him a gift. As for Kou Li, of course Bian Yi had nothing to say.


    Bian Yi soon boarded the plane, bringing a set of bodyguards arranged by Kou Li with him, as well as the assistants chosen by Nie Fang himself two days ago.


    These assistants were brought to Bian Yi so that he could see them first. After all, they would work for him. If Bian Yi doesn¡¯t like them, he will not have any use for them.


    After boarding the plane, Guan Xi sat behind Bian Yi¡¯s seat. Guan Xi needed to pay attention to Bian Yi¡¯s movements, in order to hand Bian Yi what he needed on time.


    Guan Xi was too familiar with the feeling of ¡®as long as you raise your hand, someone will help you¡¯. But now, his position has changed. He now had the role of serving someone all the time.


    Guan Xi was already trying to hide his emotions, but he still couldn¡¯t help it. Guan Xi could only lower his head and fiddle with his bag, which contained some practical items he had used as ¡®Bian Yi¡¯.


    Before the plane could depart, another man had arrived. As soon as that man walked in, a young assistant beside Guan Xi gasped in surprise.


    ""


    At that, Guan Xi subconsciously raised his head to look towards the cabin door.


    It was Xu Rui.


    The Male Star that Guan Xi managed to get his hands on not too long ago.


    When that man looked his way with a smile on his face, Guan Xi showed a shy smile as a habit, looking at Xu Rui with affectionate eyes.


    However, Guan Xi quickly realized that the newcomer wasn¡¯t actually looking at him, but at Bian Yi, who was sitting in front of him.


    All of a sudden, the smile on Guan Xi¡¯s face faded into nothingness as he lowered his head in a panic, fearing that Xu Rui would suspect him.


    ¡°Xiao-Yi¨C¡± Xu Rui greeted Bian Yi with familiarity, but as soon as Xu Rui said Bian Yi¡¯s name, the person in front of him looked at him with cold eyes.


    As Bian Yi stared at Xu Rui, he sneered: ¡°Is Mr. Xu mistaken? I¡¯m the real Bian Yi, not the fake ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ that had an affair with you.¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s words didn¡¯t give Xu Rui any face.


    No one dared to make a sound, but everyone was staring at Xu Rui, whose face was flushed with shame.


    When Bian Yi got married, people in the Entertainment Circle, as well as his fans, knew about it. But few knew who his partner was. Moreover, during the past year, Bian Yi was never photographed together with his lover. When it was seen that Bian Yi wasn¡¯t wearing his wedding ring anymore, many people thought that he had gotten a divorce. There were even some who believed that he was never married to begin with.


    Due to this, when ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ had an affair with Xu Rui, and neither of them had openly said anything, people thought: If Bian Yi is divorced, isn¡¯t Xu Rui his official lover?


    ""


    As a result¡­.


    Tsk, the impostor was really good at playing.


    Xu Rui¡¯s face turned blue and white. Even though he wanted to talk with Bian Yi, there were too many people around them, and there were some words that were too hard to say out loud.


    Could Xu Rui even say out loud, that despite already knowing that Bian Yi was married, his treacherous heart hasn¡¯t changed, and that he was still thinking about someone else¡¯s spouse? Could Xu Rui say that he couldn¡¯t tell between real or fake, and that he hooked up with ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ because he was in love?


    Since Xu Rui couldn¡¯t say it, he had to leave. As he passed by one of Bian Yi¡¯s assistants, Xu Rui inadvertently glanced at him. When he saw the assistant making a face that said ¡®an affair was exposed¡¯, Xu Rui became furious.


    Guan Xi¡¯s acting skills were very poor, and he wasn¡¯t good at controlling his emotions. By the time Guan Xi realized that his face was completely different, that he shouldn¡¯t show such an expression, he had already seen Xu Rui¡¯s angry and disgusted gaze staring at him.


    Guan Xi immediately shrunk his shoulders as his face turned pale.


    Guan Xi was so embarrassed, aggrieved and frustrated, that he even began to wonder whether Bian Yi had recognized him already. Had Bian Yi deliberately taken Guan Xi with him to meet Xu Rui? So that Xu Rui would shout at him and say evil words to his face? Was Bian Yi humiliating Guan Xi through Xu Rui?


    Guan Xi was thinking wildly for a while, but in the end, he denied his own suspicions.


    ¡®It¡¯s impossible for Bian Yi to recognize me. Otherwise, why didn¡¯t he call the Police as soon as he met me?¡¯


    Daaamnnn Bian Yi rlly said ¡°Bitch I¡¯m not the one you had an affair with. Know your place¡±


    You tell hiiimmmm


    Guan Xi is still as stupid as ever!

 CH 10

    Chapter 10: They¡¯re Inseparable.


    It was the weekend, so Kou Sen was at home.


    Last night, when his two fathers went to sleep together, Kou Sen¡¯s little bed was moved away, with his nanny guarding it at night.


    This was the first time that Kou Sen slept by himself at night. Maybe because it was the first time sleeping away from his father, and it was something new to him, Kou Sen didn¡¯t cry at all.


    At this moment, he was cheerfully packing up some of his favorite toys, putting them in a backpack. Since his father told him that they would go to an island to play.


    As for Kou Li, he was in his bedroom.


    Kou Li took out a medicinal sachet from the inside of a pillow. The medicine inside had almost evaporated entirely, and the smell of medicine was very light, having an ordinary incense scent. This was a sleeping aid, prescribed by the doctor, for him and Bian Yi.


    After all, he and Bian Yi needed to sleep.


    ¡°Sir, everything has been arranged.¡± Butler Hua glanced at the time and said: ¡°I don¡¯t think Young Master Yi¡¯s plane has taken off yet.¡±


    ¡°Ah, by the way, Dr. Jian is already downstairs.¡±


    Kou Li wrapped the medicinal sachet and threw it into the trash can: ¡°Alright.¡±


    When he walked downstairs, sure enough, Dr. Jian was sitting on the sofa, teasing Kou Sen.


    Although Dr. Jian was a doctor, in the eyes of children, he looked more like a villain. Instead of joking with kids to make them laugh, he was the kind to steal their toys to make them cry.


    Kou Sen had long been used to his type of teasing, so he didn¡¯t cry this time, nor did he make a fuss. He even raised his chin, scolding the adult man with a simple sentence: ¡°You¡¯re childish!¡±


    After being scolded, Dr. Jian fell on the sofa with joy. When he saw Kou Li coming down the stairs, he returned the toy he had just snatched.


    ¡°Cough.¡± Dr. Jian simply sat down and noticed that Butler Hua was carrying Kou Li¡¯s luggage. ¡°Are you going out? Hey, where¡¯s your wife?¡±


    Kou Li ignored him and simply watched Kou Sen handing his nanny the toys that couldn¡¯t fit into his backpack.


    Even though Kou Li ignored Dr. Jian, he didn¡¯t feel embarrassed at all. Dr. Jian simply stared at Kou Li.


    When Butler Hua saw this, he had no other choice than to reply for Kou Li: ¡°Dr. Jian, Young Master Yi has gone to E Island to record a show.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not here?¡± Dr. Jian raised his eyebrows and looked at Kou Li again. As if asking him: ¡®Why did you ask me to come if he wasn¡¯t here?¡¯


    At that moment, Kou Li finally glanced at Dr. Jian. He asked Butler Hua to take Xiao-Shu to the car first, telling Butler Hua that he¡¯ll be there in a minute.


    It was obvious that Kou Li wanted to talk to the Doctor alone, so Butler Hua didn¡¯t ask more questions. As he grabbed Kou Sen, he handed over the luggage to the driver waiting at the door, and walked out first.


    The rest of the people present in the hall weren¡¯t stupid. The nanny also called away the two assistants, emptying the hall for the two men to speak alone.


    When no one else was around, the simple expression on the Doctor¡¯s face became much more serious. As he walked to Kou Li¡¯s side, he asked: ¡°What is it? You couldn¡¯t sleep well? The effect of the medicine should work just fine.¡±


    Kou Li took off his glasses, sat down, and took out a handkerchief to wipe the lenses. Without the cover of his glasses, the Doctor could see the slight bags under Kou Li¡¯s eyes, exposing the fact that he hadn¡¯t slept well. Once Kou Li put his glasses back on, he replied: ¡°I still woke up.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± Dr. Jian simply sat down with him and said: ¡°Tell me, how many times do you wake up in a single night?¡±


    Kou Li remained silent for a while. As if he was trying to recall the number of times he woke up every night. But in the end, he replied: ¡°I can¡¯t remember clearly.¡±


    Jian Yi immediately looked at Kou Li with a blank stare, only to ask him next: ¡°Then, have you had any hallucinations lately?¡±


    Kou Li was silent again, but then he gave an answer that made Dr. Jian speechless: ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    The Doctor was speechless, because he had taught Kou Li an easy technique to tell between hallucinations and reality.


    As Jian Yi waved his hand, he said: ¡°Alright, alright. Come to my place when you have time. Ah, by the way, you should take your wife with you, so I can examine him at the same time as you. You didn¡¯t want to cooperate with the treatment before, but now that your wife is back, you should be more obedient, right?¡±


    This time, Kou Li replied immediately: ¡°I understand.¡±


    After Jian Yi chatted with Kou Li for a while, Jian Yi handed Kou Li all of the medicine he brought over. Then, he held out his hand at Kou Li and said: ¡°Sugar Daddy~ the lab is out of money. Please spare me some.¡±


    Kou Li glanced at him and gave Jian Yi the money.


    Jian Yi was Kou Li¡¯s personal doctor, but he was also a classmate, a colleague, a business partner, and extraordinarily, also a good friend. After all, Kou Li saw Jian Yi as his only friend, whom he trusted immensely.


    After Jian Yi received the money, he smiled sharply. Looking like a criminal who had just obtained a large sum of money from a scam.


    As the two of them walked out of the house together, when they parted ways, Jian Yi patted Kou Li¡¯s shoulder. Even though it was clear that he wanted to say something, only one sentence could escape his lips: ¡°Have a great time.¡±


    After Jian Yi got out of his car, the assistant, who accompanied him shortly after arriving at work, couldn¡¯t help but ask: ¡°Professor, what¡¯s happening with Mr. Kou?¡­.. He looks normal.¡±


    Another assistant, who knew a bit more, said: ¡°You don¡¯t understand, do you? There are some people who can look normal on the outside, but are a complete disaster on the inside. You may not know this, but when Mr. Kou came to the Professor for treatment the first time, he looked like¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Jian Yi rubbed the card in his hand, as he interrupted the conversation.


    However, even though he interrupted the assistant¡¯s words, the memories from a year ago surfaced in Jian Yi¡¯s mind. When Kou Li came to him, Kou Li looked like a ghost.


    At first, when Kou Li had told him that Bian Yi was a fake, Jian Yi couldn¡¯t believe it. But the more information he got, the more he began to doubt ¡®Bian Yi¡¯. Moreover, Kou Li¡¯s state wasn¡¯t like a husband who had lost his wife a few months ago. He was more like a madman, who had been searching for his lover without being able to find him for more than a decade.


    In fact, ever since Jian Yi began to doubt ¡®Bian Yi¡¯, he and Kou Li had people track ¡®Bian Yi¡¯. On the day ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ was exposed as an impostor, they had people in that building. That day, ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ avoided everyone¡¯s eyes, and even avoided some recording devices.


    This simply made Jian Yi feel excited to the extreme.


    After the tip of his tongue pressed against his teeth, he said to the driver: ¡°Go straight back to the lab.¡±


    ¡­


    In another place, after a two-hour flight, Bian Yi finally arrived at E Island.


    The Director and the Production Team didn¡¯t arrange for him to participate in the game immediately. Instead, they asked someone to take him to the hotel to rest first. In the morning, the physical games will be recorded, while in the afternoon, the mystery guessing games took place. Bian Yi will be present in the latter.


    In the morning, Bian Yi will record the physical games, while in the afternoon, he will solve games, such as solving riddles.


    Of course, this arrangement was to take care of Bian Yi. As for Xu Rui, who came with Bian Yi, he was sent directly to the recording set.


    Xu Rui didn¡¯t try to greet Bian Yi again when he left. After all, Xu Rui had already lost face, and of course, he didn¡¯t want to be shamed for a second time.


    Xu Rui was simply one of the many men Guan Xi had hooked up with. Apart from being disgusted by the fact that Xu Rui had slept with Guan Xi, believing he was Bian Yi, and that Xu Rui had whispered ¡®Xiao-Yi¡¯ to him in bed, Bian Yi didn¡¯t really hate him. Bian Yi even pitied Xu Rui a bit.


    In his last life, once Guan Xi succeeded in seducing a man, he would soon feel bored and throw that man away. But Guan Xi wouldn¡¯t just seduce one man at a time. He would seduce many at the same time, which resulted in many issues and fights. Even though it seemed that Guan Xi was afraid of conflict, he actually enjoyed the sight of men fighting each other for him.


    Xu Rui was one of the few who were severely injured. He was indeed quite unlucky. At that time, Guan Xi cheated on Xu Rui with the boss of a conglomerate that had come ashore. When Xu Rui ran to Guan Xi, asking him why he had been dumped, Xu Rui was confronted by the boss, who was having an affair with Guan Xi. The next day, Xu Rui¡¯s face was disfigured and he ended up with a long scar running across his face. Later, after he had recuperated, Xu Rui never received a good script again. He fell from playing the protagonist to playing an extra, which doomed him to leave the industry in disgrace.


    However, that was in Bian Yi¡¯s previous life. In this life, Bian Yi was partially sure that Guan Xi hasn¡¯t yet mastered the ability to mess with so many people at the same time, so Guan Xi may still be having some thoughts about Xu Rui.


    When Nie Fang opened the door with the room card, Bian Yi glanced at the assistants that followed behind him, and walked into the room.


    It must be said that the Production Team has worked hard. When Bian Yi entered the room, he saw that the natural light inside the room was very good, making the entire room look almost translucent. The great view of the room allowed him to see the blue sea with a single glance.


    As Bian Yi sat on the sofa to rest, Nie Fang grabbed the hotel menu and handed it over to Bian Yi, letting him decide what he wanted to eat.


    As Bian Yi took the menu and looked at it, the assistants entered the room, then began to organize the luggage.


    At that moment, the door of the room was knocked on.


    ¡°It should be someone from the Production Team.¡± Nie Fang said and then asked Wen Xiaobai, who was the closest to the door, to open it.


    Despite the fact that Guan Xi was now under the identity of Wen Xiaobai, he felt very uncomfortable when someone ordered him around. But when Guan Xi remembered that he was supposed to be just a novice assistant, he opened the door with his head lowered.


    The first thing Guan Xi saw, when opening the door, was a slender waist, and the scent of a cool wooden cologne, which captivated his nostrils. Based on these two hints, he had the hunch that this man must be very handsome. Just when Guan Xi was about to look up to see what that man looked like, he saw a small head popping up from behind the man.


    At that instant, Guan Xi froze as he clenched his teeth tightly. Only when he heard Nie Fang¡¯s questioning voice did he regain consciousness, and hurriedly moved aside.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± A soft, baby voice rang out in the doorway.


    Everyone in the room looked up at the door in unison, including Bian Yi. When Bian Yi looked over there, the little figure of a child had already rushed into the room, running towards him.


    Bian Yi hurriedly opened his arms to catch him. His face was already showing a glowing smile: ¡°Xiao-Shu? Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, Daddy! Are you surprised? Are you happy?¡± Xiao-Shu¡¯s eyes bent, looking like a crescent moon. The kid¡¯s slyness looked extremely cute.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy, very happy.¡± Bian Yi¡¯s smile became bigger. When he finally looked towards the door he saw Kou Li, who was dressed in casual clothes.


    Due to Guan Xi, Nie Fang had to change the team around Bian Yi, so the make-up artists and stylists in the room, as well as the several assistants, had never seen this father and son duo before.


    When they exchanged glances with each other, unfortunately, no one, except Guan Xi, knew who they were. But because Guan Xi kept his head low, no one noticed him for a while.


    Bian Yi then introduced them: ¡°This is my son, Xiao-Shu. As for the man at the door, he¡¯s my¡­. husband, Kou Li.¡±


    There was a low gasp in the room, but no one could tell who exclaimed. Since the family of three had reunited, it wasn¡¯t convenient for them to stay any longer. Nie Fang hurried to take the group of people out of the room.


    Guan Xi, who was still beside the door, was the first one to leave the room.


    Kou Li, who had already walked into the room and reached Bian Yi¡¯s side, silently glanced at the new assistant that had just walked out of the door.


    At that moment, the attention of the people behind Guan Xi was still on Bian Yi¡¯s husband. Although they didn¡¯t talk about it, it was clear that their eyes were full of amazement.


    Even though they were all newcomers, not all of them were newbies, and they were well aware of the recent news. Besides, given the words Bian Yi said to Xu Rui on the plane with clear dislike, when everyone left the room, the first thing they said was: ¡°I really don¡¯t understand what that impostor was thinking about. With such a handsome husband at home, why would he still go out and have affairs with other men?¡±


    That question was quickly answered: ¡°I think it¡¯s because the husband was aware that something was wrong. Married couples who spend lots of time together, know each other the best. Even if the impostor looked exactly the same as the original, it¡¯s still fake, and the husband could see it at a single glance.¡±


    When Guan Xi heard these words, his back broke out in a cold sweat.


    In fact, Guan Xi had this feeling for a long time. He always felt that Kou Li had found out the truth a long time ago, but never said, nor did anything.


    That feeling had always made Guan Xi scared, which is why he had always been afraid of Kou Li.


    That fear was still lingering in his subconsciousness.


    So he never dared to get close to Kou Li. This time, the System had forced Guan Xi to come back, but he only dared to get close to Bian Yi¡¯s side. However, Guan Xi had forgotten that this Bian Yi was the real one, which meant that Kou Li wouldn¡¯t be as cold and indifferent as he was with Guan Xi. This pair of husbands may be even more inseparable from now on.


    In retrospect, Guan Xi will have to run into Kou Li several times in the future.


    It has been less than a day since Guan Xi had started to work for Bian Yi and he was already scared to death.

 CH 11

    Chapter 11: This Can¡¯t Be Possible.


    There was no one else in the room, apart from Bian Yi¡¯s family.


    After introducing Kou Li to other people, Bian Yi never looked at Kou Li again. He only focused on chatting with his Xiao-Shu.


    Three-year-olds tend to be quite talkative, and when it came to things that were particularly exciting for them, they would speak about it several times in a row. But Bian Yi was never tired of hearing the sweet voice of his son.


    After Kou Li looked at the father and son duo chatting with each other, he scanned the entire suite.


    The suite had already been inspected by Nie Fang and Bian Yi¡¯s Assistants, but Kou Li was much more meticulous than they were.


    Ten minutes or so later, Kou Li came out of the bathroom, asking Bian Yi and Kou Sen if they wanted to go to the beach for a while.


    At that moment, because it was still too early to have lunch, and Xiao-Shu was really eager to go out, Bian Yi didn¡¯t disagree with the idea.


    When the three of them left the hotel, Nie Fang was in the lobby below. When he saw that Bian Yi and his family were going out, Nie Fang hurried to remind Bian Yi that he should pay attention to the time, since he had to record the show in the afternoon.


    Bian Yi simply took the kid out, letting Kou Li reply for him.


    As he watched the family of three walking away, Nie Fang muttered in his mind: ¡®In the past, no matter what activities ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ did, or where he had to go, Kou Li never visited him. Let alone bring their son over.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m afraid that Kou Li must have long sensed that ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ was an impostor.¡¯


    After pondering over it, Nie Fang thought again: ¡®If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the two apart. Even if his personality had changed, his appearance was exactly the same. Ah, who would doubt the authenticity of someone solely based on how they act? At best, I would have believed that person must have a secret or a second personality.¡¯


    ¡®Bah! What¡¯s the point of thinking so much about it? I wasn¡¯t in the same circumstances as Kou Li, and I don¡¯t need to worry about my wife being replaced. What would they want from me?¡¯


    Nie Fang withdrew his gaze, turning to the Director and the Production Team to let them know that Kou Li might be at the recording site this afternoon, for observation.


    After hearing the name Kou Li, coupled with the fact that he¡¯s Bian Yi¡¯s husband, the Director and Producers almost immediately agreed without any complaints. They even thought of giving Kou Li a few shots, but Nie Fang didn¡¯t dare to agree to this.


    ¡­


    When Bian Yi arrived at the beach, there weren¡¯t many people around, despite the fact that there were many tourists on the island. However, when Bian Yi glanced at the man behind him, he could see why this was the case.


    Xiao-Shu, who hasn¡¯t been to the beach for a long time, wanted to run to the beach right away. But because Bian Yi was holding his hand, the little kid could only walk according to his father¡¯s pace. After walking for a little while, the kid was finally able to play in the sand.


    Bian Yi ran with him for a while, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t keep up with the child¡¯s excitement. He could only sit on a recliner to watch over Kou Sen.


    Not long after Bian Yi sat down, the man next to him handed over a glass of juice. Then, Kou Li set out the toys for the kid.


    Bian Yi stared at the glass for two seconds before picking it up.


    Even though the sun wasn¡¯t too strong, when Kou Li stared at the small silhouette of his son playing with the sand, he felt as if the light was too dazzling. Especially when the little kid was laughing so wantonly. It felt as if Kou Li¡¯s eyes were burning.


    When a gust of sea breeze passed by, a bit of sand was raised in the air.


    It seemed that some sand had blown into Kou Li¡¯s eyes, because not long after that his eyes turned red.


    Probably because he hadn¡¯t adapted to this feeling, Kou Li shook his hands slightly, took off his glasses, and wiped the lenses with a handkerchief. While doing all this, he blinked several times.


    When he put on his glasses again, Kou Li felt much better.


    As Kou Li looked ahead again, he saw Bian Yi wholeheartedly playing with Xiao-Shu in the sand. Xiao-Shu¡¯s eyes were inherited from Bian Yi¡¯s side. When the two of them smiled, their eyes looked so beautiful and clear, that their dazzling light could illuminate the emptiness of Kou Li¡¯s heart.


    Although Kou Li looked away, the smile rising from the corners of his mouth deepened until a gentle smile was plastered on his face. At that moment, Kou Li took out his cell phone and dialed a number. When the call was connected, he turned sideways to say: ¡°Come to E Island and bring the XH reagent.¡±


    Jian Yi was in the middle of an experiment when he received a call and heard this. As he immediately put the experiment down, he asked: ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Kou Li didn¡¯t say anything else, and simply repeated again: ¡°Come to E Island, and bring that ¡®stuff¡¯ with you.¡±


    When the call ended, the surprised expression on Jian Yi¡¯s face had already turned into excitement.


    When the family of three finally returned to the hotel suite, Bian Yi and Xiao-Shu went to the bathroom to take a shower. Meanwhile, Kou Li ordered food.


    After taking a bath, and changing into clean clothes, Bian Yi sat down at the table with a smile.


    He was having such a good time, and since it was something he hadn¡¯t experienced in more than a decade, he got a little carried away as he said to Kou Li: ¡°Let Xiao-Shu sleep with me tonight.¡±


    On the other hand, Kou Li didn¡¯t hesitate to blurt out: ¡°No.¡±


    As soon as this word was said, Kou Li could see how Bian Yi¡¯s smile disappeared.


    At that moment, a trace of annoyance flashed in Kou Li¡¯s eyes as he briefly pursed his lips.


    Kou Sen, who was sitting between the two, was looking at his dad and daddy, in a back and forth manner.


    Then, the sweet voice of the child caught the attention of the two adults: ¡°But Xiao-Shu doesn¡¯t want to sleep alone. Can I sleep with you? I¡¯ll be good. I won¡¯t disturb Dad and Daddy making me a sister.¡±


    At that moment, the little kid sitting between the two successfully diverted their attention.


    The child¡¯s words were quite amusing, and Bian Yi wondered whether he heard these strange things from the youngest nanny at home. As Bian Yi looked at the kid helplessly, he explained: ¡°Your daddy is a man, and men can¡¯t give birth.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Xiao-Shu stared at Bian Yi completely puzzled, only to ask a classic question among kids: ¡°Then how did I get here?¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡± Bian Yi didn¡¯t know how to explain this, so he had to look at the man opposite of him.


    Kou Li¡¯s eyes appeared as if he was smiling. As he picked up food for Bian Yi and their son, he said to Kou Sen: ¡°Eat first. If you eat, your father will explain it to you.¡±


    As Bian Yi stared at the food placed on his bowl, he frowned slightly. When he saw Xiao-Shu eating the steak Kou Li had picked up for him, Bian Yi had to take a big mouthful of rice and eat it together with the steak as well.


    After the short lunch break, Nie Fang came over and knocked on the door.


    After all, this was the first time Bian Yi will be participating in a show after his return, and Nie Fang felt that Bian Yi still needed a bit of light makeup. After all, any picture of a star will be magnified several times on the internet, which will be scrutinized by both fans and anti-fans. Even a little trace of anything would make them theorize and write 100,000 words about invented events.


    Of course, Bian Yi understood this very well, so he didn¡¯t refuse.


    Once they were almost done, someone from the Production Team had arrived.


    Since Nie Fang had already spoken with the Director of the show, Kou Li was free to take Kou Sen with him and follow Bian Yi¡¯s team.


    Nie Fang did more than was necessary, because he already knew that Kou Li would come. In fact, the Production Team, as well as the Director of the show, were extremely attentive to Bian Yi because Kou Li was a sponsor.


    Well, to say he was the sponsor was not enough. It wasn¡¯t about the money invested, but because E Island belonged to Kou Li.


    When Bian Yi arrived at the shooting scene, it had already been cleaned up. Since there were no tourists around, Bian Yi could tell from a single glance who the guests of the show were, as well as who the participants, like him, were.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t bother to pay attention to the list of guests, but when he looked at their faces, he couldn¡¯t remember their names.


    Luckily, because he was a participant, the guests greeted him warmly and introduced themselves one by one.


    Bian Yi made sure to remember their names, so when playing the games, he wouldn¡¯t mispronounce them and be made fun of on the internet.


    Guan Xi has mispronounced names before, and some fans helped save his honor by praising him for acting cute. However, from Bian Yi¡¯s point of view, Guan Xi was simply making a fool of himself. In the past, Guan Xi would not only mispronounce the names of well known stars from films and television, as well as veteran actors and actresses, but he would also brag to everyone that he grew up watching their work.


    If it was him, Bian Yi wouldn¡¯t have made such a vulgar mistake.


    The theme for today¡¯s game was ¡®Escape from the Deserted Island¡¯. In the morning, the games were similar to physical training, while in the afternoon, they would start to ¡®escape¡¯ using what they had learned.


    The first round of the game was a riddle, which was related to the animals, plants and the environment of the island. After the participants formed pairs, they will have to answer the riddles. The group that answered the most riddles will have more chances to obtain some of the survival tools hidden in the Island.


    Of course, these survival tools didn¡¯t require the participants to be able to use them. As long as they got them, the tools could increase their life value. For example, if someone got a fishing net, the participant will live a few more days on the island by catching fish; while gaining direct food and water will add less life value.


    The show¡¯s team also revealed that there were hidden props on the island that could be used to pass the game directly, but the clues to these props could only be obtained by the group with most correct answers. However, clues were just clues, and they only added a few more possibilities. If someone was particularly lucky, he may not need the clues to obtain the props.


    Soon, the game began, and the first round consisted of pairing up.


    The participants had to pick an item from a box, and the one who had the exact same one will be their teammate. The other participants gave way to let Bian Yi go first, and the item he took out of the box was a black ball. After he was done, the others began to pick up the items one after the other. So far, only eight people found their teammates.


    Bian Yi raised his eyebrows in surprise when he saw Xu Rui, who was the last one in selecting an item from the box, holding a black ball in his hand. Xu Rui¡¯s lips were pursed tightly, and his whole body looked tense.


    Even though everyone else noticed Xu Rui¡¯s weird pose, no one asked him what was wrong with him. After all, they were recording the show.


    At that moment, when a young man beside Xu Rui saw the black ball in his hand, he said: ¡°Congratulations Mr. Xu! You are paired up with Mr. Bian!¡±


    The expression on Xu Rui¡¯s face became even more weird. As he hurried to glance at Bian Yi, who was smiling, Xu Rui opened his mouth to tell something to the Director, but before he could say anything, he heard another man¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Replace him.¡± Kou Li didn¡¯t say this to the Director. He said it to the Assistant that brought him to the island. Kou Li¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t very loud, but because no one was talking at the moment, almost everyone could hear him loud and clear.


    At that moment, Xu Rui felt as if he was no longer on the beach, but in a hotel room. Inside that hotel room stood Kou Li, with his deep black eyes calmly looking at him. Looking at Xu Rui with a naked ¡®Bian Yi¡¯ on the bed, their bodies entangled together.


    Xu Rui had such an ugly expression on his face, he didn¡¯t even dare to look up at Kou Li. He could only squeeze the small ball in his hand.


    For a short while, the atmosphere on the beach felt extremely awkward.


    Those who knew a bit, could guess what was actually going on. Even the young man standing beside Xu Rui, who didn¡¯t seem to know much, could sense that something wasn¡¯t right and hurried to shut up.


    ¡°Ahem.¡± The Director coughed and shouted through the loudspeaker: ¡°The box malfunctioned just now, so this game doesn¡¯t count ha. Come on, let¡¯s start again.¡±


    Of course, everyone knew that there was nothing wrong with the box. After all, it was just a glass box covered with a cloth, how could it malfunction? But everyone could tell this was merely an excuse to restart the game.


    This time, Bian Yi was still the first one to pick an item, and as he did so, he raised his eyes to look at Kou Li, who was behind the scenes. At that moment, Bian Yi smiled at Kou Li with an unknown meaning.


    In the end, Bian Yi paired up with the young man who had congratulated Xu Rui. He looked quite young, as if he had just reached adulthood. Bian Yi had heard that he was good at singing, dancing and acting. His name was Jiang Shi, but everyone called him Xiao-Shi.


    Bian Yi also decided to call him ¡®Xiao-Shi¡¯, since everyone already did. Bian Yi also found it interesting that this Xiao-Shi looked similar to him.


    Since Bian Yi had been watching Guan Xi using his face for a long time, Bian Yi was already familiar with how he looked, and thus, he could tell when someone looked like him.


    Jiang Shi was also aware of this fact. Even though Jiang Shi hadn¡¯t interacted much with Bian Yi, he respected him. In the game, Bian Yi was responsible for analyzing the clues, while Jiang Shi was responsible for finding them, so Jiang Shi was happy to cooperate like this.


    Due to Bian Yi¡¯s accurate analysis, their group¡¯s progress was very smooth. Only half an hour after the game started, their life value had stacked for 15 days.


    Compared to them, the other groups were in a variety of situations.


    Guan Xi, who was waiting behind the scenes, had a strange feeling surging inside him. One he couldn¡¯t quite explain ever since the game started.


    The more he looked, the stranger it felt.


    He saw a group finding mattock and seeds, another group finding hunting tools, another group finding fishing nets and food, followed by an abandoned fishing boat and a yacht without oil. Finally, when he saw Jiang Shi happily find a damaged signal device from a pile of stones, Guan Xi felt like his body was being struck by lightning.


    However, this wasn¡¯t the most terrifying thing.


    The most terrifying thing was¡­


    ¡°This signal device seems to be really broken.¡± Bian Yi checked it once and then commanded Jiang Shi: ¡°Xiao-Shi, hand me over the tools we found before. I¡¯ll fix it.¡±


    Jiang Shi already admired Bian Yi, and when he heard Bian Yi say this, he looked at Bian Yi with surprise: ¡°Mr. Bian, do you know how to repair a signal?¡±


    Bian Yi nodded and said with a smile: ¡°Yes, when I was still in school, I loved to mess with these things.¡±


    At that instant, Guan Xi¡¯s heart stopped beating. His eyes were opened so wide, it looked as if they would pop out of its sockets. After taking several steps backwards, he shook his head in denial.


    ¡®No, no, this can¡¯t be. It¡¯s impossible!¡¯


    ¡­


    On the other side of the Island, as soon as Jian Yi got off the plane, he got into a car and told the driver to go towards the port.


    The Assistant that came with him wondered: ¡°Professor, aren¡¯t we already here? Why do you want to go to the port?¡±


    ¡®Moreover¡­.¡¯ The Assistant¡¯s eyes were filled with doubts. ¡®The Professor is wearing nice clothes today ah. He looks so different from his usual lazy appearance, as if he were trying to seduce someone.¡¯


    Jian Yi simply laughed and said somewhat flirtatiously: ¡°I¡¯m going to meet the person I¡¯ve longed to meet for a long time.¡±

 CH 12.1

    In the first round, Bian Yi¡¯s group did not win the first place.


    Bian Yi couldn¡¯t remember whether he had been to this island before or not. In addition, he had not been exposed to such things for more than ten years. So even if the program team gave them multiple-choice questions, he still made several mistakes.


    To say why he knew about this, it would have to go back to high school. In the second year of high school, he and Kou Li went on adventures together which instilled all this knowledge.


    During that period, he was obsessed with survival shows. During one summer vacation, he made various preparations and set off with Kou Li.


    However, as a pampered eldest young master, no matter how much theoretical knowledge he had, without the slightest practical experience, he still fell flat. In the end, it was all because of Kou Li that he didn¡¯t lose his life.


    That island, Bian Yi remembered, was the place where he and Kou Li established their relationship.


    Bian Yi ate a wild fruit by mistake and vomited. He felt like he was about to die. It was Kou Li who walked into the forest where wild beasts roamed all by himself to find an antidote for him. When Kou Li left, he was terrified. For a while, he was afraid that Kou Li would encounter danger outside, and at the same time, he was afraid that Kou Li would leave him and run away.


    He waited and waited, until Kou Li, with his arm bleeding incessantly, appeared holding the medicinal herb he had found for him tightly.


    At that moment, Bian Yi looked at him, and his whole mind exploded. He thought that no matter what Kou Li asked him for in the future, he would definitely give it to him.


    Bian Yi looked at the signal device in his hand and laughed at himself. But didn¡¯t he really give away everything in the end?


    His love, his life, including himself, were they not all given to him? But, in one way or another, did he not lose everything because of Kou Li?


    There¡¯s no point in thinking about it any more.


    Bian Yi let out a sigh of relief, lowered his head and carefully repaired the signal device.


    The signal device, which looked like a customs clearance item, was found by Jiang Shi¡¯s luck.


    When Bian Yi was repairing the signal device, he heard Jiang Shi proudly say that he had a nickname called ¡°Lucky Koi¡±.


    Hearing the young man¡¯s happy voice, Bian Yi couldn¡¯t help but look up at him.


    The young man¡¯s face was flushed red because he had run for a long while, and his eyebrows and eyes curved with laughter. Pure happiness from winning the game, he couldn¡¯t contain the joy on his face.


    Bian Yi¡¯s eyelids trembled and looked at him in a trance. He got a feeling he was seeing himself at eighteen. But it was only a little because they didn¡¯t look alike at all.


    Bian Yi lowered his head again and praised, ¡°You are awesome.¡±


    Jiang Shi got the compliment and was even happier, so he gathered some more beside Bian Yi.


    It can be seen that he has no bad intentions, so Bian Yi did not stop him from approaching.


    Over time, Jiang Shi and Bian Yi became familiar with each other. It may also be because there was still a camera shooting them. He wanted to find some shots and started chatting with Bian Yi on why Bian Yi repaired the device.


    Bian Yi thought, young man, you are very good at stepping on landmines.


    He didn¡¯t want to think about it again, but when he looked up, he glanced at his new assistant at the side.


    Bian Yi stared at him, but his new assistant just stared at the signal device in his hand with horror on his face.


    Bian Yi paid attention to him, tilted his head and briefly talked about his glorious deeds with Jiang Shi.


    Jiang Shi listened with relish and exclaimed from time to time. His emotions were natural and not contrived.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t look at Jiang Shi, and only observed the new assistant from the corner of his eye, and then the corner of his lips curled as he reached the perfect ending to his story: ¡°That island is where my husband and I fell in love.¡±


    Jiang Shi¡¯s envious exclamation sounded beside him, but Bian Yi didn¡¯t hear.


    He saw his new assistant panicked like a drowning person entangled by countless aquatic plants. His eyeballs bulged in terror and disbelief.


    He was completely on the verge of collapse.


    His figure kept receding.


    He was going to run away.


    Bian Yi immediately stopped the movement in his hand, raised his hand to interrupt Jiang Shi¡¯s speech. He stood up, and shouted abruptly in the direction of the new assistant who had already sprinted away. ¡°Catch him!¡±


    The people present were still stunned, while the team of bodyguards who responded faster and more professionally rushed towards Guan Xi immediately.


    But the amazing thing is that although he obviously looked so thin, he was very slippery, and couldn¡¯t be caught at all.


    What¡¯s even more amazing is that with such a small body, his speed was almost comparable to athletes in international competitions.


    Soon, the engines of cars parked near the venue roared to life, one by one.


    Everyone on the show team, including Nie Fang, was dumbfounded.


    Bian Yi went out of the shooting area, furrowed his eyebrows and stared at the direction in which Guan Xi escaped.


    Because he was in a hurry, and Guan Xi still had his points, it was hard to catch him.


    However, what Bian Yi didn¡¯t understand was why Guan Xi reacted so strongly? His system forced him to come back, but it¡¯s only been awhile. Today was only the first day by his side, and nothing had been done yet. What made him dare not even listen to the system? What was he so afraid of that he had to run away immediately?


    Signal devices? island? What was he afraid of?

 CH 12.2

    Bian Yi was sitting in the rest area prepared by the show crew with a headache. Nie Fang quickly asked his assistant to pour Bian Yi a glass of warm water.


    Bian Yi pushed away the water, holding his arms while his face was extremely bad.


    He thought that Guan Xi¡¯s weirdness was because of what he and Kou Li had done on the island, such as establishing their relationship again ¨C in order to confirm his speculation, Bian Yi endured his disgust and said it.


    This person, Guan Xi, had his feet in many boats, but still felt that he had deep affection for everyone. Once he realized that the island was not because of him, it was reasonable to have a big reaction.


    But Guan Xi didn¡¯t look like he was in a sadomasochistic script; it was just pure fear.


    What was Guan Xi most afraid of? After thinking about it for a while, he realized that he was most afraid of death.


    Bian Yi suddenly raised his eyes and saw Kou Li standing in front of him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t be able to escape.¡± Kou Li patted Xiao Shu who was on his shoulders. Xiao Shu had not slept soundly because of the loud movement just now.


    The expression on his face was extremely calm.


    If it was before, Bian Yi would definitely sneer at him:


    Do you know what Guan Xi has? Why do you think that the moment I recognized him, I called the police and had him be arrested instead of killing him directly?


    System, that damn self-help system! You don¡¯t even know who is in charge!


    However, when Bian Yi looked at Kou Li, he recalled the strange behavior of Guan Xi just now, and frowned deeply.


    He wanted to ask what he had done to Guan Xi, but he didn¡¯t.


    He had a hunch that if he asked this question, his attitude towards Kou Li would change ¨C he didn¡¯t want to change; he didn¡¯t want to let Kou Li off.


    A-level escape card, limited to two hours. This was one of the few golden fingers left on Guan Xi¡¯s body.


    Although it was A rank, this card had a drawback. When the time was up, he would be paralyzed like a pile of wet sand, and he would need to rest for three days to recover.


    However, he had no other choice, he really didn¡¯t know what to do except run away.


    The system lied to him.


    The ending of the ¡°plot¡± the system gave him was not the ending of the vicious supporting characters at all, but¡­ him!!!


    In fact, when he first became Bian Yi, Guan Xi had doubts as Bian Yi knew a lot of things. If nothing else, he could definitely drive boats and yachts. After all, he had several of them himself, and there were photos of him driving at sea on WeiBo.


    He had also acted in many movies and TV series. Even if he didn¡¯t learn these skills, he had the knowledge. It was unlikely for a person like him to be trapped on an island full of resources.


    But Guan Xi didn¡¯t think too much about it at the time. He thought that Bian Yi had suffered from Kou Li¡¯s physical and mental torture, and because of it, could not do things he knew before.


    Reality gave Guan Xi a heavy blow.


    Bian Yi was indeed not someone who would be trapped on an island with resources.


    Guan Xi himself was the ¡°Bian Yi¡± who knew nothing, and he was the ¡°Bian Yi¡± who died on an island in the ending of the ¡°plot¡± while no one knew about it.


    He was the ¡°Bian Yi¡± who was killed by Kou Li.


    Guan Xi¡¯s throat was filled with the taste of iron, and his body that didn¡¯t have the habit of exercising was already overloaded with fatigue, but he couldn¡¯t stop.


    Those who were chasing him couldn¡¯t outrun him, so now they were driving.


    Guan Xi gritted his teeth and darted into the jungle on the island, where there was no way to drive.


    However, the ecology of Island E was very well protected. This was not an area that tourists could enter due to wild animals in it. Therefore, Guan Xi did not dare to stop at all.


    There must be someone guarding the airport, but the port was too far away, and that was the only way for him to escape this island of death.


    Because of the card, Guan Xi escaped all kinds of fatal dangers in the jungle, but his body was covered with non-fatal wounds caused by thin leaf spikes.


    Finally, under his extreme escape, he emerged from the dense forest. Due to his automatic positioning system, as soon as he came out, he was near the port.


    There were a lot of boats parked here, but not many people. The most conspicuous one, which Guan Xi could see at a glance, was an elegant man in a white suit leaning on the deck of the luxury yacht.


    He was swirling a glass of red wine in his hand; his slender fingers held the glass, elegant and seductive.


    He also caught sight of Guan Xi looking extremely haggard, and revealed a look of surprise as he got off the yacht.


    A tall, handsome, and high-quality man.


    Probably it has become an instinct to attack a man. When Guan Xi saw him, a rare light flashed in his mind. He needed to attack the target, and he needed points.


    Without any hesitation, Guan Xi stumbled towards the man in the white suit, shouting weakly, ¡°Save me, save me¡­¡±


    Wearing a white suit with a pink lining, Jian Yi came down. He used the wide sunglasses to conceal the endless excitement in his eyes.


    He strode towards Guan Xi and supported him just as he was about to fall to the ground.


    Jian Yi spoke. It was a voice as soft as spring water: ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    The effect of the card disappeared immediately, and Guan Xi grabbed the life-saving straw in front of him, ¡°Save¡­¡± Before he finished speaking, he suddenly felt a slight tingling in his back.


    Guan Xi fell into Jian Yi¡¯s arms and lost consciousness.


    Jian Yi put away the small syringe in his right hand without a trace, and with a worried expression on his face, he shook the person in his arms twice: ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Wake up? Gentleman?¡±


    The assistant who followed him down didn¡¯t understand what was going on, and looked at Guan Xi¡¯s miserable appearance with sympathy.


    He heard the spring-like voice of the professor again: ¡°It¡¯s not good to leave him here, come, give me a hand, let¡¯s bring him up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Professor.¡±


    T/n: I freaking love this novel. Read it over a year ago and have been waiting but can¡¯t believe no one has picked it up yet :''( I¡¯m gonna try but it¡¯s a busy world out there

 CH 13.1

    There was confusion where the show was being recorded.


    Watching such a chase scene, because things happened too quickly and no one was given time to prepare, their shock only set in after.


    Amidst the commotion, the director reacted first, followed by Bian Yi¡¯s manager, Nie Fang.


    Seeing the two directors walking towards Bian Yi, Bian Yi got up and said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, for delaying the shooting of the program team.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s all right,¡± His sponsor was right next to him, and their group had actually completed the task, so there was no delay. But as directors, they still had to ask, ¡°Erm, Senior Bian, just now, who is that person?¡±


    Bian Yi briefly smiled: ¡°It¡¯s a thief who stole my things.¡±


    The director and the assistant director looked at each other, nodding vaguely. Then they heard Bian Yi say that he wasn¡¯t feeling well and wanted to go back to the hotel to rest for a while. If he felt better afterwards, he would come over.


    In this situation, the director definitely didn¡¯t dare to have him stay. He quickly said, ¡°it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, your body is the most important¡±.


    But when the sponsor and Bian Yi and his party left, they couldn¡¯t help but guess.


    Thief? Ordinary thieves really wouldn¡¯t need them to pull out such a big guns to chase them. Earlier, they saw someone in the group of bodyguards took out a gun.


    Although it only flashed by and the bodyguards did not shoot, it still frightened the two directors.


    This was obviously not something to be messed with, so among those who saw and those who didn¡¯t, everyone simply pretended that they had just gone blind and continued to record the show.


    In the group of bodyguards protecting Bian Yi, someone did draw a gun, but it was not a hidden weapon as the bodyguard was originally a public servant.


    Those with guns were arranged by the team who had come to Kou Li¡¯s house earlier.


    The bodyguards had two purposes: first, to protect Bian Yi before the suspect was caught; second, if the suspect approaches Bian Yi, they can arrest him as soon as possible.


    The situation of the suspects was very special. In fact, the special guards are not only among the bodyguards.


    But it is precisely because of the special nature of the suspect that when they were chasing, they did not pull the trigger for a long time ¨C among it was Guan Xi¡¯s unusually fast and extremely agile escape ability. He was too fast; dodging could cause a fatal injury if the bullet happened to stray.


    After talking with the director, Bian Yi went back to the hotel.


    Nie Fang followed behind him, sweat dripping from his forehead. He raised his hand and wiped it, thinking of how to explain to Bian Yi.


    The new assistant, Wen Xiaobai, was chosen by him. Now that something went wrong, he was afraid of angering Bian Yi and his husband.


    ¡°Xiao Yi, Mr. Kou, I really didn¡¯t know that Wen Xiaobai¡­ oh, I don¡¯t know how that guy ran so fast, normal people should be able to be caught, right? Xiao Yi, what did he steal? ?¡±


    Kou Sen rubbed his eyes in Kou Li¡¯s arms. After Guan Xi ran away just now, he was woken up by the commotion at the scene.


    Bian Yi looked at the child who hadn¡¯t slept enough, and didn¡¯t let Nie Fang go on, ¡°Okay, Brother Nie, I¡¯m not blaming you, I chose the person in the end. You go back to look for the director first. Go see if they need anything.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then you rest, I¡¯ll go over.¡± These things don¡¯t need to be explained, Nie Fang will do it, but he mainly wants to hear the first half of the sentence. He also saw that someone had a gun drawn, so that was no ordinary thief.


    On the elevator, Kou Li put Kou Sen down, and the child stood between the two silent men, holding one in each hand.


    Bian Yi lowered his head and smiled at him. When he looked up, he saw Kou Li¡¯s face.


    Aware of Bian Yi¡¯s gaze, Kou Li turned and repeated to him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he can¡¯t escape.¡±


    This man was so sure that Bian Yi couldn¡¯t help but want to slap him: ¡°What if he escaped?¡±


    ¡°Ding¡± the elevator stopped.


    Bian Yi led Xiao Shu out, and Kou Li was one step behind them. When the elevator arrived, his mobile phone received a message, and he was looking down at his mobile phone.


    The man came out before the elevator door closed, but instead of keeping his mobile phone, he handed it to Bian Yi.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t answer, he just looked at the phone screen.


    There was a chat record on the screen, and the sender had a picture of a lazy cat. But completely inconsistent with the cute and sweet cat was a photo and a text sent by the owner of the cat¡¯s avatar.


    In the photo, Guan Xi, who was wearing a Wen Xiaobai mask, was lying on a single bed. The room looked like a single room.


    And the text under the photo showed: ¡°The reagent is really easy to use, as expected of me.¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s eyelids twitched.


    Kou Li took the phone back and did not delete the message. He asked Bian Yi, ¡°Any other requests?¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s feeling at this time was very strange. Kou Li obviously remembered what he said about the dark room before. He created one and used it on Guan Xi.


    Bian Yi only thought for a second, then a smile appeared on his face: ¡°I want to see him.¡±


    There was no need to think too much, and there was no need to guess whether Kou Li had arranged everything from the moment he finalized the program. He only needed to see Guan Xi and his system be destroyed.


    Kou Li looked at him for a while and agreed, ¡°Okay, wait for tonight.¡±


    Bian Yi left, and the shooting continued. For this part of their game, the reward was a feast in the evening. The group that takes first place would obtain a luxurious seafood feast, while the last place could only eat salted fish. Of course, this was simply for effect on the show. The big meal was enough for all the guests.


    Due to the elimination round, after this round wa over, there would only be three remaining groups.


    Jiang Shi was sitting alone in the rest area, swinging his feet as the photographer took a picture of him staring at the sea in a daze. He looked rather dumb, silly and cute.


    In fact, he was not in a daze. It was very strange, it can be said to be sudden.


    A novel suddenly appeared in his mind.


    If it were someone else, they may have started to panic and lose all sense of direction, wondering if they were under too much stress that they began hallucinating.


    But Jiang Shi was a young man with a strong sense of curiosity and an adventurous spirit. He didn¡¯t panic or make any sound as he boldly opened the novel.


    In this novel, the protagonist was himself. Bian Yi¡¯s name appeared in it, while the other protagonist was called Kou Li.


    Bian Yi was the white moonlight in Kou Li¡¯s heart, but for some unknown reason, the two separated. Jiang Shi himself was favored by this man named Kou Li. Because his appearance was somewhat similar to Bian Yi, he became Bian Yi¡¯s stand-in and Kou Li¡¯s lover.

 CH 13.2

    The police followed the traces Guan Xi left behind, and finally found the port.


    As soon as Jian Yi was about to get in the car, these police officers came up to him.


    ¡°Ah, this person?¡± Jian Yi pulled down his glasses and looked at the photo on the policeman¡¯s phone, ¡°I saw him, he asked me for help. I saw that he was seriously injured, so I bandaged him. I¡¯m a doctor, here¡¯s my business card¡ª¡±


    The police accepted the business card. One of them looked at his name and clinic, and suddenly looked surprised as the captain introduced them to doctor Jian.


    The attitude of several police officers changed quickly. After asking Jian Yi, they asked the two assistants who were with him.


    ¡°This gentleman did ask us for help, but after the professor treated his wound, he was sent to the hospital. He should be in the hospital by now.¡±


    After asking Wen Xiaobai¡¯s related questions, the police asked another question: ¡°I wonder why Dr. Jian came to Island E?¡±


    Jian Yi took off his glasses, straightened his suit jacket, and smiled: ¡°My friend, Kou Li, invited me over to play. Such a beautiful island, I thought that there might be a romantic encounter, but it¡¯s a pity. I did meet someone, but it seems¡­¡±


    Of course, he was referring to meeting the haggard ¡°Wen Xiaobai¡± and being interrupted by the police on his journey.


    Having asked everything that should be asked, it was not good to delay Jian Yi any further, so the police hurried to the hospital.


    After they left, Jian Yi also got into the car. Just as he said, he went to find his friends for a party.


    The police quickly found Wen Xiaobai¡¯s records in the hospital. The person did come to the hospital and stayed in the inpatient department for a while. Later, it was unknown whether this person woke up, or if someone else came, but when the nurse came to check, the bed was already empty.


    The second round of the game was over and the rankings were out. Nie Fang called and asked Bian Yi if he wanted to go to the dinner shoot.


    At night, there would be performances on the beach, and Xiao Shu wanted to watch it, so Bian Yi went.


    Because they were teammates, Bian Yi and Jiang Shi naturally enjoyed the luxurious first-place treatment. The two sat on the long table full of delicious food. Bian Yi poured a glass of juice and drank it slowly.


    He noticed the gazes that fell on him. There were several groups of guests opposite, they seemed tired and hungry after running around all afternoon. They stared at the juice in Bian Yi¡¯s hand and the pile of food in front of him. It could be either due to real hunger or for the sake of dramatic effect, but several of them swallowed and licked their lips.


    Bian Yi raised his cup, smiled at them, and took a sip. On the other side, they suddenly howled exaggeratedly.


    But the eyes of these guests were normal, and apart from Xu Rui, it was Jiang Shi who was at the same table as him who caught his attention.


    He was also eating, but from time to time, he would glance at Bian Yi, as if he had a lot of questions.


    The incident happened suddenly in the afternoon, but no matter how curious Jiang Shi was, he should have a sense of proportion. Some questions could not be asked.


    Therefore, Bian Yi was surprised by his reaction.


    At the same time, Guan Xi finally woke up.


    He was not fully awake, and the lights in the room were dazzling. He closed his eyes uncomfortably, and opened them again after a while.


    His mind was still foggy, and his eyes were subconsciously taking in the unfamiliar environment around him.


    It was a transparent room.


    There were three walls made of glass, while a huge screen hung on glass. Apart from simple household utensils in the room, there was no one except him.


    Guan Xi was so frightened that he woke up, but within three seconds of being awake, two robotic arms suddenly stretched out from the bed on his body, one held him, and the other injected a tube of green liquid into his body.


    Guan Xi screamed with his mouth open. He gasped several times, then lost consciousness again.


    A sound came from the ventilation holes of the glass room.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s time to ask a question. This bastard is unconscious, but the, um¡­ creature in his head? Can it still speak?¡±


    ¡°Ah, oops, look at what I¡¯m saying. You must be a few levels higher than our world. If you want to communicate with us, there must be many ways, why would you need to use such a body?¡±


    His voice echoed around the room, but no one answered.


    Jian Yi came out, but he was not in the same room with Guan Xi. He was in another glass room, looking at Guan Xi¡¯s room with a smile while he held the speaker in his hand.


    Jian Yi put one hand in his pocket and continued with a sloppy expression: ¡°Huh? It hasn¡¯t appeared yet? See how sincere I am.¡±


    The expression on his face changed from sloppy to doubtful, as he asked sincerely, ¡°Is it possible that it¡¯s just as Kou Li said?¡±


    He shook his head in disappointment and answered himself, ¡°Sigh, I thought it was powerful, but it turned out to be so useless. Kou Li was right, if you are really strong ,why would you need to use such troublesome methods? Shouldn¡¯t it just flatten the world directly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so disappointed. Sure enough, if one is capable, why would they find such a trash to control? I¡¯m afraid that if it¡¯s someone a little smarter, they would have already seen through the ploy?¡±


    ¡°Trash can only find trash.¡±


    There were still no reply in words, sounds or images from the glass room opposite. There was only an unconscious body lying on the bed. But if you look closely, you can see that the face had become hideous.


    T/n: I love yall comments! I wasn¡¯t expecting this many, if any at all. you guys have been incredibly supportive :¡¯) Thank u!

 CH 14

    Chapter 14: What can you do to me?


    After watching the evening performance and having dinner, the recording for the day was over.


    The guests with tight schedules had to catch their flights and leave E Island after the recording, but most of them were not in a hurry and stayed at the hotel arranged by the program group.


    However, Bian Yi did not go back to the hotel with them. He went to the private residence on the island with Kou Li and their child.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t know Kou Li had a house on the island, but it was not important. Moreover, it was a private residence and even the police who followed Bian Yi could not enter.


    Although they were there to protect him, there was still an element of surveillance. However, this situation should not last long, as Bian Yi was not a suspect.


    As soon as they arrived, the villa door opened and a person came out with a bright smile. He greeted Kou Li first and then introduced himself to Bian Yi, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Jian Yi, Kou Li¡¯s old friend.¡±


    ¡°Bian Yi.¡± Bian Yi nodded and prepared to take the Xiao Shu inside, but the child seemed to be familiar with this uncle and stuck his tongue out at him when Bian Yi led him.


    Bian Yi also looked back and saw Jian Yi chatting with Kou Li.


    Bian Yi had some impression of this person. He had come to Kou Li¡¯s wedding, but that was all. At least, Bian Yi had not seen him play with Kou Li before, so he did not seem like an ¡°old friend.¡±


    In Bian Yi¡¯s memory, Kou Li did not have many friends. The only one he could confide in and trust seemed to be himself.


    Only one, heh. How easy it was to get caught up in those three words.


    Bian Yi withdrew his gaze and walked into the house without looking back.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s so sad. Your wife doesn¡¯t trust you anymore,¡± Jian Yi said with a smile on his face, a little teasing.


    Their conversation was not loud, and the police who had not left yet could only see Jian Yi as he appeared during the day and came to fulfill a promise to a good friend.


    Kou Li took off his glasses and wiped the lenses, his tone without any ups and downs, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Jian Yi shrugged and followed him, speaking in a voice that only the two of them could hear, ¡°So, now that you see him, do you feel like you can¡¯t do it anymore, or do you want to lock him up?¡±


    Kou Li looked at the figure in front of him entering the house and did not answer.


    Jian Yi sighed lightly and shook his head.


    He couldn¡¯t guess the answer either.


    In the past, Kou Li supported Bian Yi¡¯s dreams and hobbies, watching him shine under the spotlight and being loved by countless people. He pretended to be a perfect husband in front of Bian Yi, unwilling to clip his wings or see any sadness on his face, thus constantly suppressing his paranoid possessiveness.


    At that time, Jian Yi could definitely say that Kou Li loved his partner very much.


    But now, after who knows how long of separation, Kou Li had become even more paranoid. It¡¯s hard to say whether he would completely lose his mind one day.


    He may lock Bian Yi up forever. He probably wouldn¡¯t use the basement, a dirty and lightless place. Instead, he might create an island piled with everything Bian Yi needs, but only Kou Li can step on it, and only Bian Yi can see Kou Li.


    Or perhaps, at some point, he won¡¯t be able to bear Bian Yi¡¯s disgusted and hateful gaze and will kill him, guarding his body for the rest of his life. This way, he won¡¯t have to worry about whether Bian Yi will leave him again or be taken away silently by someone else.


    Or maybe it would be simpler to die together.


    Jianyi sighed and tossed the rope tied to the tree lightly toward Kou Li, who was standing on the cliff edge.


    He patted Kou Li¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you have a son to raise. I¡¯m not a good person, and your wife¡¯s parents aren¡¯t reliable either.¡±


    Kou Li hesitated for a moment. ¡°I know.¡±


    Then he added, ¡°I have already started treatment, and the medicine was prescribed by you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re using moral coercion? My medicine isn¡¯t poisonous. If something happens, it¡¯s not my fault.¡± Jianyi rolled his eyes and left him behind.


    Kou Li looked at the building in front of him, lit with warm colors, and walked inside step by step.


    The door opened to reveal a dazzling light.


    He wondered if anyone liked the dark. Perhaps they just got used to it. The light in front of him was real. Even though he couldn¡¯t touch it, it was right in front of him.


    If it were destroyed, he wouldn¡¯t see such a bright light again.


    He hated that darkness, which represented only endless loneliness.


    On the other side, a few guests who were still in the hotel set up another game. They weren¡¯t too excessive, just eating some barbecue, drinking some wine, and playing some board games together.


    Jiang Shi was also called out. He had just turned 18, and his seniors gave him some fruit juice. His agent looked at the situation, feeling quite disgusted. The game wasn¡¯t ¡°dirty,¡± but rather it was the hearts of these adults. They called Xiao Shi out just for his koi-like constitution. It seemed whoever teamed up with him would have a higher chance of winning.


    But in the end, it was just a regular gathering, and there were people watching, so there was no need to refuse.


    Although Jiang Shi had only debuted for a year, he wasn¡¯t introverted. He was generous and cute, very likable to the older generation.


    He greeted everyone one by one after arriving and found that besides those who were leaving the island tonight, Bian Yi and Xu Rui hadn¡¯t come.


    He volunteered, ¡°I¡¯ll go ask Mister Bian!¡±


    After saying so, he was about to go and find him.


    Someone called out to him, ¡°Hey, you little kid, why are you so ignorant? Why are you running to someone¡¯s door late at night?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± Jiang Shi¡¯s face turned red instantly.


    ¡°Hahaha,¡± someone else said, ¡°Lao Zhang is teasing you. Bian Yi came with his family, and he didn¡¯t go back to the hotel.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± Jiang Shi was visibly disappointed.


    ¡°I heard that we¡¯re shooting on the island owned by Bian Yi¡¯s husband and his family. They¡¯re a family of three, so why would they go back to the hotel? Did you see how the director was flattering Bian Yi¡¯s husband today?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of this that Bian Yi was kidnapped. The fake one had a lot of courage to pretend to be Bian Yi for a whole year¡­ when I remember working with the fake one before I get goosebumps.¡±


    ¡°Do you think his husband can tell who is who? What about when they sleep at night¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, there are children around, be quiet.¡±


    Jiang Shi took a sip of juice and pretended not to understand what they were talking about.


    He was a bit frustrated. Although he wasn¡¯t particularly smart, he considered himself clever. He could tell that Bian Yi was on guard against him during dinner.


    He thought Bian Yi would come to play, but he didn¡¯t.


    These middle-aged men were either beer-bellied or greasy-faced, and none of them looked as good as Bian Yi.


    The game didn¡¯t last too long, and everyone left after playing for a while.


    Jiang Shi was ready to go back to his room to rest after washing up, but he bumped into Xu Rui just as he stepped out of the elevator.


    He greeted Xu Rui politely, but Xu Rui avoided eye contact, nodded coldly, and quickly entered the elevator.


    Jiang Shi maintained his polite smile until Xu Rui was out of sight, then rolled his eyes, avoiding the corridor surveillance camera.


    Jiang Shi wasn¡¯t one to gossip, and he hadn¡¯t met Xu Rui before. It was only after today that he realized why Xu Rui had been making strange expressions all day.


    It made him sick ¨C not because of anything else, but because of the book that suddenly popped into his head.


    Jiang Shi suspected that he had read a pirated version of a book. The logic was chaotic, the characters were crumbling, and the plot was bloody and fantastical.


    He wondered if he had awakened some kind of superpower and if this pirated text was written by some hater.


    First of all, the logic was chaotic.


    The book described him as becoming the lover of Kou Li, and they performed a dog-blood drama of ¡°I love you, but you don¡¯t love me, and you love me, but I don¡¯t love you.¡±


    Let¡¯s talk about being the lover first. Jiang Shi was a lecher ¨C yes, despite his youth and innocent looks, he really was a lecher. He liked to hang out with good-looking people, but this was only in the literal sense. He had just come of age, so what love were they talking about?


    And Jiang Shi considered himself to be of good quality. How could he have fallen so low as to become someone else¡¯s lover? His parents didn¡¯t have any bad habits, and even if they really went bankrupt, how could they need him¡­


    In this text, Jiang Shi is portrayed as a filial son who sacrifices his own body to save his bankrupt parents. However, he ends up falling in love with an older man who pays for his body, and, to make matters worse, the older man has another person in his heart.


    When Jiang Shi initially read that part, he could not hide his pained expression. He wondered if he had a mental problem because why would he love a man who paid to use his body and who also has feelings for someone else?


    Moreover, before falling for the older man, he had a crush on Xu Rui. Jiang Shi can¡¯t believe how blind he was to be infatuated with someone who is having an extramarital affair.


    As for the fantasy aspect, the text explains that his nickname ¡°Jiang Zhong Jin Li¡± (meaning the golden koi of Jiang) comes from the fact that he is the protagonist, and therefore has a halo of the protagonist. However, if he really had such a halo, why would he be sold by his parents, used for money, and go through so many hardships with that scumbag for the rest of his life? This is not a golden koi halo, but bad luck.


    Because this novel is too far from reality and frequently mentions the name of Bian Yi, Jiang Shi couldn¡¯t help but keep looking at him during dinner. However, Bian Yi caught on and didn¡¯t even look at him all night. Jiang Shi is so upset that he regrets reading the book. He went to bed with a sigh, while Bian Yi and his family were sleeping in the same bed.


    ¡­


    Jian Yi visited Kou Li¡¯s house and sat in the glass room, stirring a cup of coffee. He took a few sips and then greeted the system in Guan Xi¡¯s mind warmly, inviting it to stay with him.


    ¡°My friend, that useless trash on the bed is of no use. Why don¡¯t you stay with me for a while?¡±


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be afraid. Is it because you can only control the weak-willed idiots, but not those with strong willpower as not only can they not be controlled but will also bite back at you?¡±


    Jianyi sighed in disappointment again. ¡°Tsk¡­¡±


    The system was almost at its breaking point.


    However, it can never admit its existence to anyone in this world, or it will be expelled and destroyed.


    The system sneered, thinking, even if they tear this waste apart, they will not find its existence. Besides, did they think they can just catch this idiot and everything will be fine? Once this waste dies, the system will have a new host.


    Greedy humans cannot resist temptation. What can these humans do to the system?

 CH 15

    Chapter 15: What exactly does it want?


    Bian Yi was riding in an elevator that was descending downwards. He didn¡¯t know how many floors were beneath him since the elevator had not stopped yet.


    Above the elevator was a residential building similar to the villa that Kou Li had brought him to, along with Jian Yi, who claimed to be Kou Li¡¯s old friend.


    Bian Yi did not ask any more questions. He just wanted to see Guan Xi with his own eyes.


    Perhaps because the ride in the elevator was longer than he had anticipated, Byan Yi found himself uncontrollably recalling last night.


    Last night, he slept on the same bed with Xiao Shu and Kou Li.


    Bian Yi thought he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep, but surprisingly, he slept well.


    In the middle of the night, Xiao Shu kicked the blanket once, and accidentally woke up Bian Yi. When Bian Yi covered Xiao Shu with the blanket, he touched another cold hand.


    It was Kou Li.


    To be honest, waking up in the middle of the night and finding someone staring at you with a pair of pitch-black eyes that showed no positive emotions was a terrifying experience. However, Bian Yi had been through so much that Kou Li staying up all night to stare at him could not scare him.


    On the contrary, from time to time, Bian Yi¡¯s mind would think, ¡°One day, I will drag this man with me to die together.¡±


    However, Xiao Shu, who had himself re-covered, turned over and stretched his leg over Bian Yi¡¯s body.


    Bian Yi touched Xiao Shu¡¯s soft face and went back to sleep, and it was another peaceful night with Kou Li.


    The elevator stopped without any sound.


    Soon, the elevator door opened.


    In front of Bian Yi appeared a transparent passage with seawater and marine life outside, which was both beautiful and romantic.


    Kou Li was beside him, and for a moment, Bian Yi thought he had returned to his 18 or 19 years old, dating Kou Li in an underwater park.


    But it was just an illusion.


    Bian Yi took a step forward, and the illusion shattered like broken glass, becoming fragments that could not be pieced together.


    This was an underwater laboratory, and without any calculations, it was clear that it must have cost an astronomical amount to build, and it was done without the government¡¯s knowledge.


    With this laboratory, Bian Yi no longer had to guess.


    Sure enough, the variety show was filmed on this island, and it was all planned by Kou Li.


    After passing through several heavy doors and barriers, Bian Yi finally arrived at where Guan Xi was being held.


    It was two transparent rooms without any privacy. Even if the people inside were dressed, they looked like they were stripped naked.


    This design was truly¡ª


    Exactly what Bian Yi had in mind.


    ¡°This is my masterpiece.¡± Suddenly someone spoke up, trying to take credit.


    Bian Yi looked to one side and saw Kou Li¡¯s strange friend. He vaguely remembered this person was a doctor.


    But as he watched him skillfully operate the control panel to wake up Guan Xi from what seemed to be a coma or deep sleep, Bian Yi realized that this doctor was not an ordinary one.


    Of course, birds of a feather flock together. Anyone who could be a longtime friend of Kou Li¡¯s could not be an ordinary doctor.


    Bian Yi quickly shifted his attention away from Jian Yi and focused on Guan Xi, who had just woken up.


    He had been unconscious for a day, and his time-limited golden finger had already expired. The person lying on the bed with his eyes open was someone who looked exactly like Bian Yi in appearance and build.


    And Bian Yi had been watching this person for sixteen years.


    At this moment, there were countless things in his chest that wanted to burst out. He felt like he was about to explode. His body was probably trying to protect itself. Before Bian Yi¡¯s brain could catch up, his hands were already on the glass wall, his face twisted, staring at the person on the other side of the glass room, releasing his hatred without restraint.


    Previously, Guan Xi was still wearing Wen Xiaobai¡¯s mask, and with that mask covering his face, Bian Yi could still restrain himself. But now, he had completely lost control.


    Bian Yi¡¯s sudden action did not attract the attention of the two people around him. Everything seemed to be within their expectations.


    Jian Yi even raised the visibility of this room.


    This glass was, of course, not ordinary glass. The design of the two rooms was different: on their side, it was transparent, but the other side could not be seen unless it was made visible, like now.


    Guan Xi woke up, his consciousness slowly going from blurry to clear, his expression changing from confusion to fear.


    He immediately got up from the bed, but it seemed to be too late. He found several needle marks on his arm, which were painful when touched.


    This pain spread throughout his body. Not only his arms had been pricked, but other parts of his body as well.


    Guan Xi¡¯s face turned ashen, and his legs were as soft as noodles. He almost crawled into the corner and curled up.


    It was over. Everything was over. He had really been captured by a perverted scientist, and he had become an experimental subject! He had only been drawing blood from him so far. Next, he would be dissected, and in those science fiction stories, even if a person had only a brain, they would not die in the hands of those scientific geniuses.


    He would be immersed in a vessel filled with nutrient solution, with only his brain left.


    Guan Xi buried his head in his knees, holding his head in his hands, screaming silently with his mouth open, his eyes filled with fear, and not a single tear shed.


    ¡°Guan Xi.¡±


    The voice was unusually familiar, causing Guan Xi, who had buried his head in his knees, to lift his head in fear.


    Fear completely enveloped him, to the point where he had forgotten to call out to the system at the first moment of sobriety, using his remaining points to exchange for an escape from this place.


    Then, he saw Bian Yi. In the glass room opposite him, his hands were only propped up against the wall, his face had a strange smile, and his eyes were full of hatred as he looked at him.


    Tears finally flowed from Guan Xi¡¯s eyes. He shook his head repeatedly and pleaded with Bian Yi: ¡°No, no, no, please don¡¯t. I was wrong, I know I was wrong. Please spare me. I don¡¯t want to die or become an experimental subject. Please, I beg you¡­¡±


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t speak, but his expression became even stranger.


    At this point, Guan Xi finally noticed the people around Bian Yi, one was Kou Li. When he saw him, Guan Xi shrank back into the corner, despite having nowhere to go. The other, Guan Xi also recognized, was the handsome man he had asked for help before he lost consciousness.


    Guan Xi trembled with purple lips, a sense of absurdity surged in his heart, but more of it was a sense of powerlessness.


    He was indeed wrong, very wrong.


    There are some men who cannot be conquered, and the system¡¯s golden finger is not omnipotent.


    Is this retribution?


    He pretended not to know, did not inquire about the whereabouts of the original owner, and assumed himself to be the protagonist, occupying everything of the original owner.


    So now he was caught by the original owner, imprisoned.


    He used completing system tasks as an excuse to conquer one man after another, he was affectionate towards them all.


    So he was dragged into this black vortex by a new target he had just set his sights on.


    But Guan Xi didn¡¯t accept this.


    He had only occupied Bian Yi for a year, and he had only conquered two men.


    Yet he had to endure these cruel tortures, it was unfair!


    Guan Xi did not realize that he had deceived himself again, he had clearly seen this island, seen his own ending, and guessed why he had been afraid of Kou Li from the beginning.


    But he wrapped himself up again, he knew nothing, only knew that he was very miserable.


    He was deceived by the system, chased by people, not tolerated by this world, and still cruelly tortured by these lunatics, locked up in hell.


    He was clearly not guilty to this extent!!!


    Bian Yi withdrew his hand, stood up straight again, and looked coldly at the despairing Guan Xi in the glass room, then lightly laughed.


    Had he not begged before? He had begged many times.


    The system had forced him to watch his lover be with another man, watch his life be stolen, and forced him to watch the little tree be destroyed.


    His pride and self-esteem were shattered.


    He screamed, cursed, and begged hysterically in that dark room. His eyes, mouth, throat, internal organs, and even his breath were all filled with blood, but who cared about him? Who came to save him?


    Now, Guan Xi couldn¡¯t even last a day in confinement?


    Release him? Hah.


    ¡°A madman¡¯s dream.¡± Bian Yi stared at Guan Xi inside, his clear pronunciation shattered Guan Xi¡¯s illusions one word at a time. ¡°Stay here, stay for sixteen years. Don¡¯t you like the life I lived? This is how I lived it.¡±


    Bian Yi looked at Guan Xi, who was lying limp in the corner like a puddle of mud, sneered, and left the room.


    He wouldn¡¯t go crazy, the hatred was not yet been settled. There was still the system, and many people who needed to pay their debts.


    Bian Yi left, and Jian Yi looked at the man beside him. His face didn¡¯t show it, but the pair of eyes under his glasses were causing a tsunami.


    Jian Yi lowered his gaze and saw that Kou Li¡¯s hands were already clenched into fists, the veins on the back of his hand bulging terrifyingly as if something inside was about to explode.


    Sixteen years, this was a number Jian Yi hadn¡¯t thought of, but obviously it was reasonable. If it was just one year, these two people wouldn¡¯t have become like this.


    Really annoying, these invasive outsiders.


    Does it like torturing people? It doesn¡¯t seem so. From the fact that it chose someone like Guan Xi and committed a series of despicable events, it can be seen that it has extreme contempt for humans. For contemptible creatures, at least Jian Yi himself isn¡¯t interested in torturing them.


    So there must be another possibility.


    There is something it wants from Bian Yi and Kou Li.


    Jian Yi¡¯s guess is ¡°and¡± rather than ¡°or¡± for a reason.


    If it just wants something from Kou Li, it could simply kill Bian Yi and let the fake Guan Xi lurk by Kou Li¡¯s side, and there wouldn¡¯t be the danger of the real main character escaping. Therefore, it didn¡¯t need to keep Bian Yi locked up for sixteen years.


    But Bian Yi didn¡¯t die.


    From the fact that the system didn¡¯t have a hobby of torturing humans, it can be deduced that this is not its preference, but it must do so. And something that must be done must have a very clear purpose.


    Jian Yi looked at Kou Li next to him and recalled Bian Yi¡¯s frantic appearance just now. Does it want negative energy?


    This guess only lasted a few seconds before Jianyi rejected it.


    No, if it¡¯s negative emotions, then the current Kou Li and Bian Yi can definitely provide it with sufficient nourishment, but it is still so weak that it can¡¯t even escape the cage Kou Li made, let alone Guan Xi¡¯s brain.


    Jian Yi touched his chin and tilted his head to observe Guan Xi in the glass room.


    So, what does this system want?


    If you hollow out Guan Xi¡¯s brain, can it be dug out?

 CH 16

    Chapter 16: Their First Kiss


    Kou Li left the room, and it was easy to guess that he went to find his wife. So, he stayed here for a while longer.


    Jian Yi had a preliminary idea, and a smile appeared on his face. He looked at Guan Xi, who was completely curled up and trembling inside the glass room and sighed softly, ¡°You say you¡¯re wrong, but you don¡¯t really think you are, right?¡±


    ¡°Self-deception, self-centeredness, and blaming others for your problems, without even having the courage to admit your mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Jian Yi fumbled with the edge of the control panel, ¡°Let me guess what you were like before¡­ No higher education, no savings, no good job, and even your family and friends look down on you. You don¡¯t have a girlfriend or boyfriend, and you live in a narrow rental house, eating takeout or instant noodles for three meals a day. As for your appearance¡­it couldn¡¯t be more ordinary, with blemishes on your face and occasional pimples. In short, it¡¯s definitely a world of difference from Bian Yi.¡±


    Guan Xi heard his voice and trembled even harder while biting his lip.


    He felt as if the man in front of him wasn¡¯t just looking at him through the glass room but had stripped him bare, including the outer layer of Bian Yi¡¯s body he was ¡°wearing¡± and had seen the real him.


    It was a terrible feeling.


    He regretted again that he shouldn¡¯t have asked this man for help.


    This was a demon, an unscrupulous demon who peered into people¡¯s hearts.


    ¡°Oh, are you cursing me in your mind again? A despicable and perverted mind reader?¡± Jian Yi quickly interpreted his movements and said, ¡°You underestimate me too much, really. Mr. Guan, perhaps you¡¯ve never seen a genius before? Honestly, someone like you is too easy to read, and I can tell what you¡¯re like and what you¡¯re thinking with just one glance. That¡¯s probably the difference between geniuses and fools.¡±


    Guan Xi couldn¡¯t refute the arrogant and contemptuous words. Before he was caught, he might have thought that people like Jian Yi were full of attractive qualities and desires to conquer, but once he got to meet one in person, he knew how terrifying such people could be.


    The man was obviously smiling, but Guan Xi felt that his eyes were like cold surgical knives, dissecting him from the inside out.


    What was even scarier was the next thing the pervert said:


    ¡°Mr. Guan, you need to protect your brain in the next few days. After I¡¯ve studied the samples I collected before and find them boring, well¡­you know what the next most valuable thing on your body is, don¡¯t you?¡±


    After Jian Yi finished speaking, he left the glass room.


    But his last two soft laughs almost scared Guan Xi to death. If it weren¡¯t for the nutrient injection Jian Yi gave him, he would have really fainted and couldn¡¯t get out of bed. After all, he had used the escape card before, and without Easy¡¯s specially formulated potion, he would probably still be lying on the bed like a pile of mud.


    However, Guan Xi didn¡¯t have time to think about the side effects of the escape card now.


    He only had one thought in his mind: he was really, really going to have his head opened up!


    Ah ah ah ah!!!


    This is not his ending, it must not be his ending, he is the protagonist of a time-travel novel, and regardless of what the original novel was like, time-travelers like him are the protagonists, right? How could the protagonist die? The protagonist definitely wouldn¡¯t die!


    Liar! Liar! Someone will definitely come to save him!


    ¡°System? System! Save me, save me, you must have a way, right? I¡¯ll do any task, and I won¡¯t hold it against you for tricking me before, I just beg you to save me, save me¡­¡±


    However, after being caught by Bian Yi and useless after being killed by the new target of his conquest, Guan Xi was already doomed. How could the system waste its energy to save him? If he wanted to escape, he could only spend his last points to open the store.


    But unfortunately, his mind was full of fear, and he had forgotten about the points.


    But it didn¡¯t matter, even if he used up his points to escape, what difference would it make? Everyone outside wanted to catch him, he was basically a wanted criminal, and his fate outside was no different from being trapped here.


    Bian Yi stood in the transparent channel, with various fish swimming freely in the sea outside.


    He remembered he and Kou Li had indeed arranged to meet in a similar place, a certain aquarium.


    In that aquarium, when he saw two small dark blue fish mouth-to-mouth in the water, he looked at Kou Li with a strange smile on his face. Before he could say what was on his mind, he was kissed on the lips by the man next to him.


    That was their first kiss, Kou Li was as gentle as the deep blue sea, making people want to comfortably close their eyes and immerse themselves in his sea.


    When Bian Yi came to his senses, Kou Li¡¯s figure was already in his peripheral vision, and just like back then, he was standing to his right.


    Bian Yi turned to face Kou Li without waiting for his intentions, and asked directly, ¡°Your friend said you trapped the system here?¡±


    Kou Li¡¯s gaze shifted from the blue sea fish close to the channel and nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Actually, Bian Yi had no doubts about this. Kou Li was very intelligent, and he was also very capable academically. He had won many awards in academia, some of which Bian Yi couldn¡¯t even pronounce properly. He also liked doing business, and his ability to make money was on par with his scientific research ability. However, Bian Yikou wasn¡¯t clear whether he was making money to buy laboratory equipment and materials for better experiments, or if he was making money to do more experiments. Or perhaps it was simple, he liked both.


    But those were not important. What was important was¡­


    Bian Yi asked, ¡°So can you get it out or kill it directly?¡±


    Kou Li turned around and looked at him, truthfully answering, ¡°Not now.¡±


    Bian Yi wasn¡¯t too disappointed. If it was that easy to deal with, he wouldn¡¯t have been trapped for so long.


    However, could a system deal with another system?


    Perhaps that revenge system in his mind could have a way, but of course, he would need to pay a price.


    Bian Yikou wasn¡¯t sure if he had anything of value left to exchange¡­


    At this point, he heard Kou Li continue, ¡°Leave it to me.¡±


    Bian Yi heard him, but he didn¡¯t take it to heart.


    Kou Li looked at him and wanted to say something, but Jianyi came out.


    They couldn¡¯t stay on the island for too long. Guan Xi disappeared here, and if they stayed too long, it would raise suspicion from others. Plus, Xiao Shu¡¯s weekend was over, so the group headed back.


    As soon as they left, Guan Xi officially began to experience the same imprisonment that Bian Yi had endured before.


    At first, Guan Xi was really scared, afraid that Jian Yi would come and mess with his brain the next day. But fortunately, that pervert may have gone to study his blood and the samples he collected before, and so didn¡¯t come to see him.


    Food and water were delivered to the room on a regular schedule, but they were all mechanical and there were no living people. The level of technology in this world was higher than the one Guan Xi had lived in, but since he had been here for a year, he was not too surprised.


    Furthermore, he felt more at ease not seeing people around.


    After two days of trembling with fear, Guan Xi became less afraid. He had food and water here, and surprisingly, he felt a little sense of security, as long as Jian Yi and his people didn¡¯t show up.


    During this time, he still tried to get a response from the system.


    However, Guan Xi did not know that Jian Yi had already performed surgery on him while he was unconscious. His brain had actually been opened, but the incision was very small, and a tiny chip was inserted.


    The main function of this chip was twofold: one was to locate, and the other was to monitor Guan Xi¡¯s brain activity, that is, to observe what reactions occurred when the system communicated with him. This was one of the reasons why the system refused to respond to Guan Xi.


    The system¡¯s lack of response made him very anxious, but what surprised him was that the system¡¯s mall could be opened. He quickly used his remaining points to buy the escape skill. But when he was about to use it, he suddenly stopped.


    His not-so-bright brain finally became clever for a moment. His points were used up, and he could no longer buy the disguise skill, which meant that he would be recognized as soon as he went out.


    As soon as he was recognized, the outcome awaiting him would be no better than what he was facing now.


    Prison? With so many vicious criminals inside, how much torture would he endure, and how many days could he survive? After he got out, he had no money or identity, and he might be found by criminals, not only being dissected but also possibly being sold. Moreover, this island was likely to be Kou Li¡¯s, so as soon as he went out, wasn¡¯t he still within Kou Li¡¯s range? Maybe he would be captured again in less than two minutes.


    Guan Xi sat on the bed in despair, he had nowhere to escape.


    Even the current outcome is the most lenient one for him. After all, Bian Yi said that he would be imprisoned for sixteen years. Even if he was experimented on by Jian Yi the pervert, he still had sixteen years to live.


    As time passed by day by day, on the seventh day, the screen in front of Guan Xi lit up, and the screen automatically played the program that Bian Yi recorded on E Island a week ago.


    Guan Xi looked at Bian Yi in the program, and his eyes gradually turned red.


    After watching this program, he finally understood why he was so guilty and why he was going to be locked up here.


    He watched as another person stole his life, while he could only be trapped in a small room and do nothing.


    That thief clearly enjoyed everything but still pretended to be forced to complete the task. It was really¡­


    Guan Xi finally realized that he was a shameless thief.


    It was another weekend, and Bian Yi did not watch his own program, nor did he pay attention to the speculation and comments about him on the internet.


    He was in the amusement park with Kou Li and Xiao Shu.


    From now on, he would accompany his Xiao Shu every weekend.


    Because it was a weekend, the amusement park was quite lively. Bian Yi also dressed up a bit, not to be recognized at a glance, but so as not to affect their activities today.


    Recently, Bian Yi has been cooperating with the nutritionist. He has gained some weight on his face and body and his physical strength has also improved, allowing him to play two more games with his child. However, he still easily felt tired.


    Kou Li noticed this and did not let Xiao Shu continue to pull Bian Yi to play.


    Bian Yi smiled and sat on the bench watching Xiao Shu. He was still a child, full of energy, and of course, he wanted to continue playing. Bian Yi let the father and son go, and he would wait here.


    Kou Li was pulled away by Xiao Shu, and Bian Yi watched their backs. The smile on his face disappeared instantly.


    The first time he escaped from the system space was also in an amusement park, not this one.


    At that time, the amusement park was also very lively. When Bian Yi escaped, his heart was beating violently. He quickly found his husband and son whom he hadn¡¯t seen for a long time in the crowd. He looked at them from a distance, tears streaming down his face. But as soon as he wiped away the tears and took a step toward his husband and son, he saw Guan Xi.


    That person who looked exactly like him was holding a pink cotton candy and approached Kou Li, who was about to raise his head, with a sweet smile.


    The pink cotton candy blocked Kou Li¡¯s profile, and Bian Yi was stunned. In these few seconds when he was stunned, he blinked, and he was already grabbed back to that black room.


    The liveliness of that amusement park did not belong to him. His escape was like a dream.


    Bian Yi closed his eyes and leaned against the bench, afraid that something terrible would appear in his eyes, scaring the children who came to play there.


    But as soon as he closed his eyes, he felt someone running towards him. It was Kou Li holding Xiao Shu and coming back.


    Bian Yi looked up at him, and the panic in the man¡¯s eyes and on his face could not be hidden, as if he had just woken up from a nightmare. But when he saw Bian Yi, he returned to his usual self, as if the nightmare had shattered.


    The corners of the man¡¯s mouth twitched into a somewhat stiff smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go together when you¡¯ve rested.¡±

 CH 17

    Chapter 17


    It was a sunny day when Kou Li promised to take Kou Sen to the amusement park on the weekend. Originally it was just the two of them, father and son, but ¡°Bian Yi¡± had already prepared himself and was waiting for them. The man avoided Kou Li¡¯s gaze and approached Kou Sen, softly asking the child if he wanted to play with him ¨C clearly, he already knew the right way to deal with Kou Li.


    The two fathers went to play with him together, and Kou Sen was naturally very happy. Kou Li kept holding Kou Sen¡¯s hand and didn¡¯t give ¡°Bian Yi¡± a chance to come near. The man¡¯s face stiffened and he went to buy two cotton candies, one pink and one blue. He handed the blue one to Kou Sen while keeping the pink one for himself. Every time he took a bite, he intentionally or unintentionally looked at Kou Li, licking his tongue and lightly biting his teeth. This obvious attempt to seduce him almost made Kou Li unable to resist kicking him away. But he managed to hold back and looked away.


    Only in that one glance and he stopped; he saw Bian Yi¡¯s figure in the large crowd a hundred meters away. But it seemed like it was just his illusion, as ¡°Bian Yi¡± had squeezed up to him and the pink cotton candy obstructed Kou Li¡¯s view. He urgently pushed ¡°Bian Yi¡± away, but when he looked back into the crowd, Bian Yi¡¯s figure had already disappeared. It seemed like it was just another one of his illusions. But for some reason, Kou Li¡¯s heart was pounding like a drum. He felt like this was not an illusion.


    ¡°Bian Yi¡± pouted at him and wanted to get closer to him. This time Kou Li couldn¡¯t hold back and gave him a hard slap, knocking him down. Then he rushed into the crowd, with Kou Sen crying from being frightened.


    For the entire day, Kou Li went crazy in the amusement park, looking for Bian Yi everywhere, but there was no sign of him. The surveillance cameras were almost turned over, but they couldn¡¯t see any trace of Bian Yi. Everything seemed like an illusion.


    ¡­


    Kou Li walked a few steps away with Kou Sen in his arms, then suddenly stopped. He turned around anxiously, and because of his sudden movement, his vision blurred for a moment. When he saw Bian Yi sitting on the bench with his eyes closed, he quickly walked back, almost tripping over his own feet. Finally, he stopped in front of the bench and carefully looked at Bian Yi, his heart slowly calming down.


    It was real. It was not an illusion.


    Kou Li wanted to laugh, but his face was stiff, so he could only use this unnatural expression and say to Bian Yi, ¡°Let¡¯s go together when you¡¯re rested.¡± Bian Yi looked at him, and the man¡¯s emotions were actually very easy to capture.


    And this kind of scene also hinted that in his last life when he escaped, Kou Li might have seen him too. But what use was that?


    He didn¡¯t come to save him.


    What Bian Yi hated most about Kou Li was not his betrayal, but that he wasn¡¯t the one who saved him, and he hated that Kou Li didn¡¯t protect Xiao Shu.


    Perhaps Kou Li had tried to save him, but he couldn¡¯t crack the space of the system and couldn¡¯t find where that space was, so he couldn¡¯t save him.


    If Bian Yi were still normal, he wouldn¡¯t blame Kou Li, after all, this was beyond what an ordinary person could handle.


    But every day he was trapped there, he had countless times put his hope on Kou Li, and countless times he was disappointed and fell into despair. The agony of repeated shattered hope had turned into another emotion.


    Hatred, how natural it was.


    Bian Yi pinched his palm and regained some clarity, nodding and smiling, ¡°Sure.¡±


    In the week since returning from E Island, Bian Yi had already negotiated with the Revenge System, and he wanted to exchange for something that would kill the Anti-Matching Self-Salvation System, but his system did not respond to his trade. After asking many times, it only repeated a few words, ¡°Kou Li.¡±


    At first, Bian Yi thought the system did not intend to be an enemy of the Anti-Matching System, it just wanted to get something from Kou Li. But he thought again, he had already come out of that space, which in itself represented the hostile relationship between the two systems. If he could kill the other side, there would be one less plunderer.


    Therefore, Bian Yi suspected that the Revenge System¡¯s repetition of ¡°Kou Li¡± was not reminding him of the task near Kou Li, but rather saying that the method to kill the Anti-Matching System was on Kou Li.


    Isn¡¯t this another irony? If Kou Li really had a way to kill the system, he wouldn¡¯t have been imprisoned in that space for sixteen years.


    Bian Yi lowered his eyes and chuckled softly again.


    Bian Yi calmly played with Xiao Shu all day, and Kou Li seemed calm too.


    When they returned home, all the furniture in sight had already been replaced with new ones.


    Xiao Shu was taken back to the room to change clothes, and Bian Yi walked around and looked at the new furniture that had actually been replaced shortly after he returned. Kou Li followed him.


    After returning to the room, Bian Yi couldn¡¯t help it anymore.


    As soon as Kou Li closed the door, he heard Bian Yi challenging him from behind, ¡°What, everything else has been changed, why not the door?¡±


    Kou Li looked down at the door handle with some confusion in his eyes, ¡°The door?¡±


    Bian Yi shrugged and laughed, ¡°Yeah. Didn¡¯t you ask Uncle Hua to replace everything that Xi Peng touched in the house? Why didn¡¯t you replace this door, this wall, and the glass in the bathroom together?¡±


    These places¡­


    Kou Li quickly understood what Bian Yi was talking about. He turned around and stood up straight, looking straight into Bian Yi¡¯s eyes.


    Sure enough, there was another heart-wrenching sentence from this person¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°After all, you and him have done it in all these places, right? You want me to turn a blind eye, but why did you leave the dirtiest thing behind?¡± Bian Yi crossed his arms and looked at him, sneering, then turned around and prepared to walk toward the bathroom.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as he turned halfway, his wrist was grabbed by someone.


    Bian Yi immediately broke free, but the hand holding his wrist suddenly exerted force, and he was pulled over.


    With a ¡°bang,¡± Bian Yi¡¯s back hit the door he had called dirty.


    Bian Yi winced in pain, frowning and staring at the man with a serious face.


    ¡°Dirty? I¡¯ve only done it with you,¡± Kou Li half-squinted his eyes. ¡°What did you see?¡±


    Bian Yi snorted coldly, not intending to answer this man¡¯s question. He bent his right leg and used his other hand to strike fiercely at the man suppressing him.


    But Kou Li¡¯s reaction was very fast. He quickly grabbed Bian Yi¡¯s hand and moved his left knee, throwing aside the leg that Bian Yi had raised, and forcefully pressing him against the door panel.


    The distance between them became close again. Kou Li almost pressed his entire body on Bian Yi, and their rough breaths could intertwine with each other.


    Bian Yi turned his face away first.


    However, this action inexplicably angered Kou Li.


    Without warning, Kou Li, with his eyes turning red, fiercely kissed Bian Yi¡¯s lips.


    With this action, the back of Bian Yi¡¯s head hit the door, and the pain made him dazed for half a second. Then, his heart suddenly felt like it was on fire, burning fiercely.


    Bian Yi began to fight back, but unfortunately, his hands and feet were restrained by Kou Li, and even his head was shamelessly pressed against the door by the man, so he could only use that one area to resist.


    As expected, Kou Li was bitten, but he didn¡¯t seem to feel any pain. Instead, he pressed down harder on Bian Yi, making it difficult for him to breathe.


    But how could Bian Yi give in?


    There was some noise coming from the bedroom upstairs, and Uncle Hua was hesitating at the top of the stairs. He didn¡¯t know if the two were fighting in the room or ¡°fighting.¡±


    In the past, he would have ignored it and pretended he was old and deaf and couldn¡¯t hear anything. But now the situation was different. Since Young Master Yi came back, the relationship between the two had been tense. Although nothing had happened in the past few days, it still made people uneasy, afraid that they would explode at any moment.


    Uncle Hua was a little worried, so he finally went upstairs. He had only taken a couple of steps down the hallway when the bedroom suddenly fell silent ¨C there was no strange knocking on the door, but he could hear faint voices.


    The voices were not very loud and didn¡¯t sound like they were arguing.


    Uncle Hua breathed a sigh of relief, but he didn¡¯t go back downstairs. He stood at the top of the stairs in case the door made a noise again, so he could quickly run over and knock on it.


    Inside the room, Kou Li licked the wound on his tongue that was caused by Bian Yi¡¯s bite. He looked down at Bian Yi, who was breathing heavily in his arms. He loosened his grip on the man¡¯s body a little and used his thumb to wipe the blood off Bian Yi¡¯s lips, then supported the unsteady man with one hand.


    Perhaps the rough, almost animalistic kiss had allowed the two of them to vent some of their emotions, and they had become a little less crazy.


    At this moment, Kou Li repeated what he had said before: ¡°I¡¯ve never been with him, in either this life or the last.¡±


    He looked at Bian Yi, who had lowered his gaze, and continued, ¡°I only have you.¡±


    Bian Yi opened his hand, which Kou Li had been using to wipe his lips, and chuckled softly.


    It was the trap of the ¡°only you¡± tenderness again.


    He had intended to argue, but he heard Kou Li continue, ¡°I¡¯ve never let him touch Xiao Shu. What you saw there was fake.¡±

 CH 18

    Chapter 18: How to distinguish between true and false


    ¡°Fake?¡±


    Kou Li accidentally touched the sore tendons on Bian Yi¡¯s arm while supporting him, and for a moment, Bian Yi¡¯s mind went blank.


    Fake? Is it really fake?


    No, that¡¯s not right.


    Bian Yi shook off Kou Li¡¯s hand and coldly questioned, ¡°Fake? Guan Xi knocked on my door with my face, didn¡¯t you let him in? He gave you what I bought as a gift, is it fake? He lived in this house for sixteen years, is it fake?¡±


    Kou Li looked at Bian Yi without denying it. ¡°It¡¯s real.¡±


    Bian Yi looked up at the ceiling, with an extremely mocking smile on his mouth. ¡°So, what is true and what is fake?¡±


    Kou Li looked beyond Bian Yi¡¯s shoulder and gazed at the door. ¡°At least, what you said earlier was fake.¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s smile froze, and he leaned against the door, feeling somewhat uneasy and indescribable inside.


    Then Kou Li shifted his gaze from the door behind him to Bian Yi and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you really remember? I told you, only you and I have those memories in those places.¡±


    Bian Yi girt his back teeth hard, hugged himself, and had an inexplicable emotion in his throat.


    Yes, he remembered.


    In the beginning, he also suspected that everything on the screen was fake. The technology there was more advanced than in their world, and Guan Xi looked exactly like him. Maybe when he looked up, the person on the screen was Guan Xi, but when he lowered his head, it was his own face.


    It was too alike. If the technology was good enough, who could tell if the person on the screen was Guan Xi or Bian Yi?


    So when the system first released the scene of Kou Li and Guan Xi being intimate, Bian Yi did indeed doubt it. But as time went on, and Kou Li didn¡¯t come to rescue him, and no one responded to him, he had to watch the scene of the two of them entangled on the screen from time to time.


    Although the locations were so familiar, and Kou Li¡¯s facial expressions were so familiar, how could he tell who the opposite Guan Xi really was?


    Anyone would feel angry, sad, and aggrieved. His former lover was not only taken away but even the place where they used to be happy was now occupied by someone else.


    How could he tell the difference?


    How could he tell!


    Bian Yi felt a chill in his heart and a wave of nausea.


    ¡°Ah Yi¡­¡± Kou Li¡¯s voice was hoarse, and he wanted to reach out to him. But when his hand was about to touch Bian Yi, it stopped abruptly.


    Unexpectedly, Bian Yi reached out and grabbed Kou Li¡¯s hand, urgently asking, ¡°What about Xiao Shu? What about Xiao Shu?¡±


    If it was really fake, if it was fake, then his Xiao Shu, was it¡­


    ¡°Xiao Shu?¡± Kou Li¡¯s attention was on Bian Yi¡¯s hand, and for a moment, he didn¡¯t understand why he suddenly mentioned Xiao Shu. But he felt the strength of Bian Yi¡¯s grip.


    Kou Li¡¯s whole body was as cold as an ice-cold blade. He tightened something, and the veins on his neck bulged¡­


    Upon hearing those words from him, Bian Yi completely lost his strength and slid down to the floor.


    Kou Li picked him up and half-supported, half-carried him onto the bed. Bian Yi was shaking violently, and Kou Li suppressed his endless anger, took a blanket, and wrapped him up.


    Kou Li had many questions he wanted to ask, but he didn¡¯t want to tear open Bian Yi¡¯s wound again, showing it to himself, even though he had guessed and felt like he had been cut deeply in his heart, bleeding profusely.


    That system hiding behind Guan Xi, he knew, he would definitely destroy it.


    Bian Yi was gasping and trembling, his mind exploded into a mess of emotions, and he didn¡¯t push Kou Li away who was hugging him tightly.


    He breathed heavily for several minutes before calming down a bit. ¡°So, what you mean is that Bian Yu didn¡¯t introduce a piano teacher to Guan Xi, and Guan Xi didn¡¯t arrange for someone to be a teacher for Xiao Shu?¡±


    Kou Li also took a few deep breaths before responding, ¡°He came in and I found out.¡±


    Bian Yi tightly gripped the blanket on his body and looked directly into Kou Li¡¯s eyes, ¡°You didn¡¯t lie to me?¡±


    Kou Li quickly gave his answer, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie to you.¡±


    Bian Yi suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness surging through his body. He wanted to ask more questions, but as the words reached his lips, he felt even more powerless.


    Kou Li seemed to know what he wanted to ask and took the initiative to answer, ¡°I couldn¡¯t control myself. The day after that person saw Xiao Shu, I had Jian Yi gouge out his eyes. I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have let him see Xiao Shu.¡±


    In fact, Kou Li still wanted to apologize. He didn¡¯t want Bian Yi to see his bloody side, making himself look even less like a normal person. But now, he didn¡¯t want to pretend to be a perfect gentleman in front of Bian Yi anymore. He wanted to be real because Bian Yi already hated him so much, and he couldn¡¯t be any worse in his eyes.


    Bian Yi wearily closed his eyes and weakly said, ¡°Go out, I want to be alone for a while.¡±


    Kou Li let go of his arm, looked at him for a while, and then helped him lie down, took off his shoes, covered him with a blanket, and only then came out of the room.


    Outside, Kou Li saw Uncle Hua not far away in the corridor.


    As soon as Uncle Hua saw him, he came up to him and was shocked when he saw the blood still oozing from his mouth. He couldn¡¯t tell whether it was caused by biting or fighting.


    Kou Li looked at the door for a while before leaving with Uncle Hua, specifically instructing people not to disturb Bian Yi.


    Inside the room, Bian Yi curled up under the blanket.


    He tried to analyze everything he had learned, but his head was throbbing and confused.


    He should be happy. If Kou Li didn¡¯t lie to him, it meant that Xiao Shu hadn¡¯t been harmed. But he couldn¡¯t smile.


    All of this made him look more like a joke.


    At this moment, Bian Yi wished he could be a little stupid so that he could continue to hate with righteousness, without reducing or doubting whether the target of his hatred was correct.


    But unfortunately, he stubbornly held on to his sanity.


    The system didn¡¯t kidnap him just because of Kou Li, and what it showed him was half true and half false.


    If it was simply for the things on Kou Li¡¯s body, it would have killed him directly, allowing Guan Xi to take his place permanently. When Guan Xi got what he wanted, it could deceive that idiot into his death, and then there would be no one in the world who knew the truth.


    It didn¡¯t need to waste time and energy to imprison him and make him go crazy with illusions.


    As a precise AI without emotions, it should know the importance of saving time and energy, right? Therefore, what it did naturally had a necessary reason.


    And the reason was that he also has something the system wants.


    So he was kidnapped not only because of Kou Li, but more because he was Bian Yi.


    Bian Yi felt it was particularly absurd and ridiculous.


    What exactly was he in all this?


    In the glass room.


    The screen opposite Guan Xi went black, but the entire room was still bright, very bright, the kind that could pierce through people¡¯s heads.


    After Guan Xi had realised, someone came into the glass room across from him.


    It was that pervert, Jian Yi.


    Guan Xi was already trembling. He covered his ears, afraid to hear what kind of heart-rending words would come out of that person¡¯s mouth.


    Jian Yi raised his eyebrows and looked at the person in front of him, unexpectedly not mocking him.


    However, he pressed a few keys.


    Guan Xi lost consciousness again.


    And this time, the duration was extended because Jian Yi really messed with his brain.


    These crazy researchers also recorded the entire process with equipment.


    So, when Guan Xi regained consciousness again, the screen displayed the entire process of Jian Yi messing with his brain.


    At first, Guan Xi didn¡¯t recognize what was on the screen, until he saw his own brain opened up and the face with closed eyes. At that moment, Guan Xi¡¯s heart almost stopped


    He was directly scared and vomited. He didn¡¯t know what Jian Yi had done, but an unprecedented and enormous fear completely enveloped him.


    He thought he still had time, after all, Bian Yi said he would keep him for sixteen years.


    He didn¡¯t expect this psychopath to actually follow through, and he really went after him when they met again.


    Out of a survival instinct, in extreme fear, Guan Xi escaped using the escape skill he bought with his last points.


    When he got away, he still hadn¡¯t fully recovered from that state of fear.


    Until a hand rested on his shoulder.


    Guan Xi was so scared that his mouth opened wide. Maybe it was his survival instinct, but even in this situation, he had a last bit of wit. He didn¡¯t have a chance to observe the surroundings, but he didn¡¯t scream.


    This also meant that no one nearby was attracted by his screams.


    ¡°¡­ Bian Yi?¡±


    As the sea breeze blew, Guan Xi gradually regained consciousness and looked up at the man in front of him.


    It was Xu Rui.


    Upon seeing Guan Xi¡¯s eyes, Xu Rui quickly realized who this person was.


    His face turned pale, and he took out his phone to call the police.


    Unexpectedly, Guan Xi somehow mustered up the strength to pounce on him and knocked his phone out of his hand. He hugged Xu Rui¡¯s leg, crying and begging, ¡°Please, don¡¯t call the police, save me, I¡¯ll do anything for you, anything you say.¡±


    Xu Rui tried to shake him off with his foot, but Guan Xi held on tightly, constantly pleading with him. His face showed a fragility and helplessness that the real Guan Xi would never have revealed.


    Suddenly, Xu Rui stopped, and a very bold idea came to mind.


    In the glass room, Jian Yi appeared, holding a phone in his hand while talking on it. Seeing that the room was now empty, he was not surprised at all.


    With a lazy smile, he hooked his finger and said to the person on the phone, ¡°Hmm, he ran away. I knew it. How could you possibly be as kind as your wife and feed him for sixteen years? He¡¯s a monster. He should be thrown into hell. What¡¯s the point of enjoying life in heaven?¡±


    The voice on the phone sounded crazy and sinister, wrapped in blood, ¡°Yes, he doesn¡¯t deserve it. He deserves to die.¡±

 CH 19

    Chapter 19: Upset


    For dinner, he ate in the room. He was feeling very annoyed, and on top of that, he didn¡¯t want Xiao Shu to see him in his current state ¨C his mouth had been bitten and the wound was still quite apparent.


    He took a sip of the soup which wasn¡¯t too hot, but the wound on his mouth stung slightly as the soup slid over it, making him even more irritated.


    He put his food aside and was rubbing his eyes when Nie Fang sent a message. It was about a new program collaboration and some dramas. Nie Fang asked him to take a look and see if there was anything he was interested in. If not, it was okay. Lastly, he mentioned the recording on E Island last week, which was already being broadcasted today.


    Having nothing else to do, Bian Yi picked up his tablet and took a glance at the program.


    This variety show had already been on air for three seasons and was currently in its fourth. The hype was not as high as in the first two years, but because the show had been running for a long time, it had many fans. Moreover, with Bian Yi joining this episode, the number of views was particularly high.


    When he randomly clicked on the hot topics, at least three of the top ten were related to the show, and Bian Yi¡¯s name was inevitably mentioned. After all, Bian Yi¡¯s situation was too bizarre and dramatic.


    The later part of the show was done very well, with many funny and interesting parts. In order to create topics and hype, there were many shots of Bian Yi.


    As a result, it was not surprising to see shots of Bian Yi ordering Jiang Shi around and not getting along with Xu Rui. Many of the normal and rational viewers understood that Bian Yi was not feeling well and knew about the relationship the fake had with Xu Rui before and that Bian Yi¡¯s actions are very reasonable. However, most fans of celebrities were not normal and rational people.


    Soon, negative comments about Bian Yi using his sickly beauty image to boss around Jiang Shi and coldly treating Xu Rui began to appear.


    Bian Yi watched this and felt as if he was watching a joke.


    He had no intention of responding, but some idiot had to jump out.


    This idiot was none other than Bian Yi¡¯s younger brother, Bian Yu.


    Bian Yu spoke as usual, with a long and sincere speech, but the summary was just one sentence: Please forgive my brother. He¡¯s injured.


    It seemed like he was defending Bian Yi, but he was actually accusing him. ¡°I¡¯ve been kidnapped before, so what if he orders people around? What if he doesn¡¯t want to talk to people? I am an injured person. Why don¡¯t you have any sympathy for me?¡±


    As expected, more people started to curse Bian Yi after hearing this.


    Bian Yi now had a target to vent his frustration on. He opened an account that he hadn¡¯t used in a long time, personally @ing Bian Yu, and responding to his sincere defense.


    @Bian Yu: ¡°Get lost.¡±


    With just one concise and straightforward word, the entire social media platform exploded.


    The heat continued to rise, and soon it ranked in the top ten.


    Bian Yu¡¯s fans were angry and came to Bian Yi¡¯s side to start a war. But Bian Yi, the missing protagonist, had just returned and was naturally distressed. Bian Yi¡¯s fans couldn¡¯t let others bully him.


    The two sides fought fiercely, and Bian Yu did not show up again. But his silence at this time was like being deeply hurt by a word from Bian Yi, which was pitiful and aggrieved.


    Soon, Jiang Shi appeared between the two brothers, responding to fans who said that Bian Yi bullied him. He @ a long list of people, all of whom were the ones who said that Bian Yi bullied him and jumped to criticise Bian Yi.


    Jiang Shi was almost going crazy. What would Bian Yi think of him if he saw this? Would he directly oppose him in the future?


    These people must be his anti-fans!


    True fans know that his good luck does not include the ¡°process.¡± That means although he is often lucky enough to win, these wins are often due to the decisive outbreaks of luck, such as the signal device in the program. However, in the early and middle stages, he would have been extremely unlucky if he did not have a partner as smart as Bian Yi. Where would he have time to run around?


    So Jiang Shi announced on his account: ¡°You are all fake fans! True fans would not let me become an ungrateful person.¡±


    After posting it, Jiang Shi was still not satisfied and chased after those accounts, asking what grudges and grievances they had.


    The system had just left Guan Xi¡¯s body and arrived at the new host¡¯s side, and this was the scene it saw.


    The new host seemed to have a favorable impression of Bian Yi.


    However, the system did not ponder for long. Whether the host wanted to maintain a civil relationship for business purposes or really had a good feeling towards Bian Yi, it didn¡¯t matter.


    Humans are a greedy species. For the sake of their interests, they can betray even their biological parents. What can a ¡°little good feeling¡± be worth?


    Although the matter is not significant, Bian Yu wants to cause trouble, and Bian Yi will fulfill his wish and expose him.


    Killing is a crime, but reporting is not.


    From Guan Xi, Bian Yi knew that Bian Yu caused too many problems.


    He carefully recalled the year and began editing the text.


    This was also a test for Bian Yi. To test whether the anti-matching self-rescue system showed him a fake video on purpose.


    For example, things that don¡¯t affect his mood are true, such as Guan Xi¡¯s interpersonal relationships and his seduction of men. Things that can break his pride and make him emotionally collapse are false, such as Guan Xi¡¯s intimacy with Kou Li and the destruction of Xiao Shu.


    In no time, Bian Yi finished editing his text.


    ¡°On X year, X month, X day, at three o¡¯clock in the morning, Bian Yu drunk-driving caused an accident and fled, later paying a huge sum of money to take the blame for Wang.¡±


    ¡°Because of dissatisfaction with actor Zeng, he maliciously bribed the crew members, causing Zeng¡¯s face to be damaged.¡±


    ¡°He stole the endorsement deal of brand X, invited Yue to a party, and forced alcohol on her, causing Yue to suffer from alcohol poisoning.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Bian Yi to Bian Yu: ¡°I¡¯ve reported you to the police, no need to thank me.¡±


    When Bian Yi sent out this message, all the fans who were still arguing were dumbfounded.


    In no time, both Bian Yu and Bian Huai Ting called.


    Bian Yi leaned against the bedside and turned off his phone.


    Wait and let him see what¡¯s true and what¡¯s false.


    If the event is true, he loses two reasons to hate Kou Li. If it¡¯s false, they will continue to argue endlessly.


    Just consider it giving him a chance.


    He hoped that Xiao Shu was not injured and he wants to continue to hate with justification, but he feels tired.

 CH 20

    Chapter 20: Happy Birthday


    Xu Rui¡¯s phone was ringing, and it was the third time it had rung. Just as the person on the other end of the phone was getting impatient and about to hang up, the call finally connected.


    Xu Rui¡¯s agent immediately spoke up, ¡°Where have you been? Why haven¡¯t you been answering?¡±


    Xu Rui¡¯s eyes were a bit unfocused, and the sound of broken glass in the bedroom brought his thoughts back.


    ¡°What was that sound?¡± the agent also heard it.


    Xu Rui replied, ¡°Nothing, what do you want?¡±


    The agent didn¡¯t think too much about it and told Xu Rui about what had happened online. He also suggested that Xu Rui speak up at this time and take advantage of the attention, regardless of whether his relationship with Bian Yi was good or not. He still had to come out and say something.


    Xu Rui remained silent for a while before replying, ¡°No need, it¡¯s the truth, I don¡¯t have a good relationship with Bian Yi.¡±


    After speaking, he hung up the phone without paying attention to the agent¡¯s casual persuasion.


    Xu Rui threw his phone aside, ran his fingers through his hair, and frowned as he stared at the floor, muttering to himself, ¡°Am I crazy? How could¡­¡±


    ¡°Xu Rui¡­¡± came a soft voice from behind him. That voice was always so pleasant to hear, always with a tempting flavor.


    That was what Xu Rui had been longing for, but the real owner would never speak to him in that tone.


    So fascinating, so¡­ irresistible.


    Since he couldn¡¯t have the real thing, couldn¡¯t he taste the imitation while hiding in the corner?


    He could no longer face Bian Yi. He loved him so humbly, but it was all ruined by Guan Xi.


    If it weren¡¯t for Guan Xi¡¯s appearance, Bian Yi wouldn¡¯t be cold and indifferent to him.


    Guan Xi stood barefoot on the floor, looking nervously at the man on the sofa.


    He had just undergone surgery, and he should have had no strength to escape, but he didn¡¯t know what kind of nutrient solution Jian Yi had invented. He escaped from that hellish place and was saved by Xu Rui. He felt that he could still survive.


    Moreover, Guan Xi was aware that he had to please Xu Rui to have a chance to survive.


    This was his last straw.


    Guan Xi was extremely fortunate that he had previously figured out how to conquer Xu Rui.


    Soon, the man got up.


    Guan Xi raised a weak smile. Perhaps it was his talent to conquer men, his smile was weak but beautiful, making people feel infinitely pitiful.


    In the past, when Xu Rui saw it, he would show his distress.


    But now, Guan Xi saw it clearly. There was no distress in the man¡¯s eyes, but instead, there was hatred.


    He walked towards him, and Guan Xi began to back away in fear.


    Unfortunately, he had nowhere to escape.


    The system watched from the sidelines and saw Xu Rui treat Guan Xi roughly without any surprise.


    Guan Xi had used up all his points, and his cheat code was gone. Xu Rui would no longer be fascinated by him.


    It was useless.


    Since the moment he was caught by Jian Yi, he was useless.


    The system was finally free from that island, and although it didn¡¯t understand what barrier Kou Li had used to trap it, it was invincible now.


    The system detached itself from Guan Xi¡¯s mind without hesitation.


    The two people on the bed didn¡¯t notice anything; their naked eyes couldn¡¯t see it.


    Soon, it disappeared from this city and was awakened from backup data in an instant.


    A new host, a new opportunity, it had not lost yet, and humans could not win against it.


    ¡­


    The internet was chaotic all night, and Bian Yi slept through it. He was awakened by the loud noise downstairs, and he could faintly hear Hua Shu asking someone to leave.


    Bian Yi got up expressionlessly, and there was no one else on the bed. He glanced at it and then looked away.


    After washing up, Bian Yi went to the closet. Kou Li said that Guan Xi never wore these clothes. Really?


    Did the Guan Xi that the system showed him wear fake clothes, and did Kou Li really throw away everything Guan Xi had touched? Obviously, even after sleeping for a night, Bian Yi¡¯s mind was not clear enough.


    He randomly picked a piece of clothing and put it on before going downstairs. He was not surprised to see Bian Huai Ting there.


    He was angry, but where did this anger come from, and who was it directed at? Bian Yi knew it better than anyone.


    Bian Yi frowned, so were those things true?


    Seeing Bian Yi coming down, Bian Huai Ting, who had not been asked to leave, shook off Hua Shu¡¯s hand and yelled at Bian Yi, ¡°Do you have any conscience? What did Xiao Yu do to you that you would do this to him?¡±


    ¡°Last time you just came back and your emotions were unstable. You almost hurt him by accident, but he didn¡¯t blame you. This time, you did it in front of everyone¨C¡±


    Bian Yi interrupted him and smiled, ¡°It wasn¡¯t an accident.¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s voice was several degrees quieter than Bian Huai Ting¡¯s, but everyone present could hear him clearly.


    He truly wanted to kill Bian Yu.


    The sound of Bian Yi¡¯s slippers tapping on the stairs echoed in the hall.


    ¡°Why?!¡± Bian Huai Ting was first stunned for two seconds, then he grew angrier. He wanted to rush forward and shake Bian Yi¡¯s shoulders, to see if this cruel and heartless Bian Yi was the imposter. ¡°Yes, your relationship with your brother isn¡¯t good, but does it have to be like this? What do you gain from Bian Yu¡¯s death? Have I mistreated you? I didn¡¯t give Bian Yu anything that was rightfully yours. If you have any dissatisfaction with me, speak up! Why do this to Bian Yu?¡±


    Dissatisfaction? Bian Yi had no dissatisfaction with Bian Huai Ting.


    When he was younger, perhaps he had some expectations, but as he grew older and became more sensible, he no longer expected to gain anything from this father. After all, in this father¡¯s eyes, he, his current wife, and his children were the true family. Bian Yi was just an accident.


    Looking at his reaction today compared to the day when Bian Yi returned, it was clear what kind of reaction this father would have had.


    Bian Yi was not affected by Bian Huai Ting¡¯s words. He sat calmly on the sofa and looked up at his father. ¡°Because he deserved it.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t everything I said things he did? He did something wrong, why doesn¡¯t he take responsibility? What¡¯s the use of coming to me and scolding me? Isn¡¯t what happened to Bian Yu today caused by you and your true love? You indulged him, covered up for him, and tried to settle things with money. And when that didn¡¯t work, you came to vent your anger on your other son. Ha.¡±


    Bian Huai Ting came to see Bian Yi, clearly in a state of helpless rage. He knew too well the truth behind these events. Even if the evidence was insufficient, the things that had happened would leave a trace. Bian Yu couldn¡¯t escape now, even if he wanted to.


    Bian Huai Ting was grief-stricken and exhausted. ¡°But he¡¯s my son. Is it wrong for me to not want him to get into trouble?¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s hand paused as he picked up his cup of water.


    Hua Shu beside him was full of heartache, wondering what kind of father he was. On one side was a son, but on the other, he wasn¡¯t? He didn¡¯t know where the master had gone; he wasn¡¯t around when he was needed the most. How sad must young master Yi feel listening to his father¡¯s words?


    Bian Yi put down his cup of water. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I can¡¯t help you, and I don¡¯t want to listen to you anymore. Hua Shu, please escort Mr. Bian out.¡±


    Bian Huai Ting looked deeply at Bian Yi and then left.


    Bian Yi wasn¡¯t concerned with Bian Huai Ting¡¯s words, but rather he thought of something else.


    Something that could easily destroy Kou Li.


    Kou Li had captured Guan Xi and held him on E Island.


    All Bian Yi had to do was inform the police, and Kou Li would face the consequences of imprisonment.


    Bian Yi ran his hand along the edge of his cup for a moment and then smiled.


    ¡°Forget it.¡±


    It was for Xiao Shu.


    Just as he thought of Xiao Shu, Xiao Shu came running towards him.


    ¡°Dad!¡± Xiao Shu let go of Kou Li¡¯s hand and rushed into Bian Yi¡¯s arms, his eyes curved with a smile.


    Bian Yi held Xiao Shu and pinched his face, asking with a smile, ¡°Where did you go?¡±


    ¡°To buy a gift for Dad! Happy birthday, Dad!¡± Little Tree replied loudly, still arching his body into Bian Yi¡¯s arms. Bian Yi had to bend down, and was successfully ambushed by this little guy.


    The child kissed Bian Yi¡¯s face happily twice.


    Bian Yi blinked a few times, wanting to hug his son harder but didn¡¯t dare. He held his young son in his arms, feeling warm and as if filling up the cold past.


    Kou Li stood beside Bian Yi at some point and handed him a paper bag.


    Bian Yi looked at him and took the bag.


    Inside was not something expensive, just a photo frame. The photo frame was not big, with three smooth outlines of different heights on the edges.


    This was a very suitable frame for a family photo.


    Kou Li said, ¡°Little Tree picked it. Let¡¯s take a picture together this afternoon, okay?¡±


    The man¡¯s voice was very light, the softest and most gentle he had ever heard Kou Li speak.


    Bian Yi caressed the photo frame, unable to say anything in his choked throat.


    In fact, he had long forgotten his own birthday. He used to forget it often, and every year Kou Li would celebrate it for him. Since he was ten years old, he had never missed a year.


    And the longest and most memorable one that Bian Yi remembered was also Kou Li¡¯s birthday, which later added Xiao Shu¡¯s.


    Kou Li, who was looking down at Bian Yi with a default silence, and there was an unconcealable smile in his eyes hidden behind the lenses.


    Every gift he gave had never disappointed Bian Yi.


    But later¡­


    Kou Li lifted his head and looked elsewhere, avoiding letting Bian Yi see anything from his eyes that could affect his mood.


    Today was Bian Yi¡¯s birthday and also a rare day where he and Kou Li were truly peaceful and harmonious after his return.


    But for others, it was like a nightmare.


    For example, Bian Yu who was being criticized across the entire internet.


    And also Guan Xi who began to recover his memories after being abandoned by the system.


    Yes, recover his memories.


    Of course, Guan Xi did not know it was because the system left. He thought it was because Jian Yi, the lunatic, messed with his brain.


    Anyway, the memories erased in the first round were back.


    Yes, the first round. He was now in the second round.


    This world restarted.


    The reason for the restart was not because he failed in his conquest but because the two main characters who supported this world had both died.


    In reality, there were no wicked supporting roles or abandoned family members. Bian Yi and Kou Li were originally a pair, and they were the true main characters.

 CH 21

    Chapter 21


    Guan Xi¡¯s body hurts all over. Xu Ru¨¬, who used to be gentle with him, was particularly rough with him today, as if venting his anger on him.


    He didn¡¯t know if it was because of the recovery of his memory or because his brain had been tampered with, but Guan Xi¡¯s head also hurt. He laid panting on the bed, while Xu Ru¨¬, who stood by the bed, got up indifferently, picked up his clothes, and left the room, leaving Guan Xi alone here, completely ignoring him.


    Guan Xi¡¯s tears welled up immediately.


    He regretted it so much.


    It was all because of the system, it was the system¡¯s fault. It deceived him into doing the task, deceived him into getting close to Kou L¨¬, and even deceived him into hiding his memories.


    ¡°System! Come out, come out!¡± Guan Xi shouted in his mind, repeatedly calling out to the system, but after a while, the system didn¡¯t respond.


    After his anger had subsided, Guan Xi began to panic again.


    He had no clothes on him, and the cold was already setting in. He quickly pulled the blanket over himself and shouted for the system again.


    Although his tone had changed, gradually becoming pleading, there was still no response in his mind.


    It was as if the thing which claimed to be the Anti-Pairing Self-Rescue System had never existed.


    Guan Xi realized something, and his face turned pale.


    He wrapped himself even tighter.


    He had no points, his identity had been exposed, and even the man he had conquered showed no pity for him.


    He was useless, he had lost his value.


    He had been abandoned by the system.


    ¡°Ah¨C¡± Guan Xi screamed, feeling pain and despair all over his body and in his heart.


    From now on, he would never see the light again.


    He had no future.


    The sudden scream from Guan Xi scared Xu Rui, who then opened the door.


    Xu Rui looked very upset, quickly walked to the bed, and stared at Guan Xi with both shock and anger. He coldly threatened, ¡°I advise you to be quiet. You should know what situation you are in now. Everyone is looking for you. If they find you, will they give you such a comfortable environment? Clear your mind!¡±


    Guan Xi stared blankly at the patterns on the bedspread.


    Comfortable?


    Is being imprisoned comfortable?


    He had experienced real comfort before and knew what it was like.


    But now, being with Xu Rui was actually his most comfortable choice.


    Except for using him as a punching bag, Xu Rui would provide him with food and drink, and he wouldn¡¯t subject him to any horrible experiments, nor would he send him to jail.


    He should be grateful.


    But, but¨C


    He could have avoided all of this.


    As long as the system hadn¡¯t locked away his memories.


    As long as he had stayed away from Kou Li from the beginning of the second round, and just lived as an ordinary person who looked similar to Bian Yi. None of this would have happened to him.


    Why did he end up with the same fate, the same ending?


    Bian Yi had already escaped, and it wasn¡¯t even his fault! Why did everything have to be retaliated against him?


    It was all because of that damn system!


    In the first world, the system also gave Guan Xi a plot, but it was different from the second world¡¯s.


    At that time, the system gave him a book, with Bian Yi as the protagonist. The theme of the book was scum top and cheap bottom. The protagonist, Bian Yi, couldn¡¯t stand being attacked day and night by the top and went on strike.


    So the system brought Guan Xi in to replace him.


    Guan Xi believed that he had seen this kind of nonsensical transmigration novel before, and he thought that Bian Yi, the protagonist, was just like him, a colleague in the transmigration bureau or quick transmigration department.


    He had no psychological burden and took on the job.


    At first, Guan Xi thought that Kou Li was cold on the surface, but actually cared a lot about him.


    He didn¡¯t share a bed with him ¨C Guan Xi understood this, after all, the previous protagonist had run away from the top.


    But whenever he saw Guan Xi get hurt, Kou Li¡¯s expression would become very nervous, and his angry look also made people feel scared.


    Guan Xi was indeed scared, but felt more of an unprecedented sense of pleasure.


    This man, such an excellent man, was cold as ice to him on the surface, but couldn¡¯t stand seeing him even slightly hurt, even if it was just a small cut on his finger, the man would be so angry that he wanted to kill everyone.


    For a long time, Guan Xi thought this way.


    He indulged in Kou Li¡¯s paranoid love and began to capture other men. As he wished, he saw more expressions on Kou Li¡¯s face that made him both scared and excited.


    Until one day, he went to an amusement park with Kou Li and his son.


    Kou Li, who had never touched him before, slapped him hard in the middle of the crowded amusement park.


    That slap made Guan Xi sober.


    He saw endless hatred in the man¡¯s eyes.


    Kou Li searched for something in the amusement park all day, and the people with him didn¡¯t understand what he was looking for.


    But Guan Xi, sitting beside the central square of the amusement park, covering his half-swollen face, knew exactly what he was looking for.


    He was looking for the previous Bian Yi.


    At that time, Guan Xi looked at Kou Li¡¯s eagerness and madness, which he had never seen before, and his heart was extremely unsettled.


    He didn¡¯t think he was occupying someone else¡¯s life. They were all colleagues, just playing the same role. Why should you be able to get everything just because you came first?


    He even resented Bian Yi very much. Why did he come back? Just to show off in front of him? Was he showing off that Kou Li was his target, and that he was the only one who had feelings for him?


    After a long time, while trapped on the island, Guan Xi finally understood.


    It turned out that Kou Li cared about him because he wore the shell of a Bian Yi.


    The man had long known that he was not Bian Yi.


    Kou Li and even Guan Xi himself believed that this body belonged to a Bian Yi, and that only the soul had been replaced.


    Therefore, Kou Li was extremely cautious and caring towards him, but also very cold.


    Therefore, Kou Li¡¯s way of killing him was not to do it directly.


    As long as that Bian Yi returned, he could survive on the island.


    But if it was Guan Xi, he would undoubtedly die.


    At the brink of death, upon Guan Xi¡¯s pleading, the system spoke.


    It said, ¡°Bian Yi is not your colleague, he is a person of this world. However, Bian Yi has already died, two minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°You are also about to die, probably in two minutes.¡±


    ¡°So useless, I guess we have to find a new host.¡±


    ¡°Make a backup.¡±


    ¡°This human is really hard to deal with.¡±


    It didn¡¯t avoid Guan Xi, after all, he was about to die. Guan Xi listened, and in his confused mind, he was still guessing who the human the system was talking about was, probably Kou Li.


    Another minute passed, and Guan Xi¡¯s death was one step closer.


    At this point, he heard the system speak again.


    ¡°How come¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t know what it was questioning, but he saw a screen appear in front of him with his blurred vision.


    It was a piece of text.


    [After checking, all the protagonists in this world have died. The world will reboot in three minutes!]


    That was the last thing Guan Xi saw before he died in his first round.


    His last thought as he died was: Kou Li actually died before him.


    ¡­¡­


    The system that was cursed and resented by Guan Xi had now transferred into the new host¡¯s brain.


    It had already made a backup, and the energy couldn¡¯t support another backup, so this new host was particularly important.


    However, this new host named Jiang Shi seemed to be quite different from Guan Xi.


    This time, the system chose not to reveal itself and lied to Jiang Shi, claiming to be the book.


    Jiang Shi was alone in the room when he saw the words that appeared in his mind, and he wondered, ¡°Are you the book?¡±


    The words appeared again: ¡°Yes.¡±


    Jiang Shi closed his phone and shook his head as he walked towards the bathroom, muttering to himself, ¡°You¡¯re not a good thing.¡±


    The system replied, ¡°??? ¡°


    Jiang Shi ignored it completely, undressed while talking to himself, ¡°Did I have some hallucination due to too much pressure, or did I really awaken my superpowers?¡±


    ¡°If I really awakened my powers, can I block them? It would be too distracting if words suddenly appeared in my mind when I¡¯m on stage performing¡­¡±


    ¡°Um¡­should I go see a doctor?¡±


    The system was angry and typed a long sentence, but Jiang Shi completely ignored it and became more determined to go see a doctor.


    What kind of thing was this?


    The system stopped communicating. It wanted to switch to a new host, but it didn¡¯t have enough energy and had to stay here for now. There was no rush; it had plenty of time. It was confident that it could win over this new host as long as it showed him the benefits.


    Meanwhile, Jiang Shi was unaware of these events. In the afternoon, Bian Yi, Kou Li, and Xiao Shu took photos together and planted a small tree in the yard. They spent the whole afternoon playing and had dinner together. When they watched cartoons with Xiao Shu, he fell asleep.


    Kou Li carried the child back to his room, while Bian Yi helped him change his clothes and tucked him in. After leaving the room, Bian Yi smiled lightly. Later, Nie Fang called and asked if Bian Yi wanted to attend a charity banquet in two days. Bian Yi agreed, but when Kou Li asked if he could go with him, Bian Yi didn¡¯t answer.


    There was a moment of silence, and then Bian Yi hung up the phone with a slightly angry expression, brushed past Kou Li, and went into the bathroom to freshen up. Kou Li didn¡¯t get angry and just looked at the silhouette on the frosted glass, smiling.


    Seeing Bian Yi so angry was like going back to the past. The word ¡°past¡± flashed through Kou Li¡¯s mind, and his expression turned fierce. He quickly took off his glasses, rubbed his forehead, and left the bedroom. He came back with a glass of water and a pill in his palm.


    He put the water cup on the table, leaned against the wall with his eyes closed, and relaxed for a while.


    ¡°It will be okay, there¡¯s still time this time.¡±


    He has already come back.


    Half an hour later, Bian Yi was lying on the bed with Kou Li again.


    The light in the room was on and had not been turned off for a night since Bian Yi returned.


    Bian Yi looked at the warm light, not knowing what he was thinking.


    At this moment, Kou Li, who was occupying the other half of the bed, suddenly said, ¡°Guan Xi has escaped.¡±


    Bian Yi frowned and felt his heartbeat.


    There was clearly something else mixed in with anger.


    Joy? Relief?


    Why? Guan Xi escaped, and Kou Li caught him, but without evidence of the experiment that Jian Yi did.


    Ha.


    Kou Li¡¯s voice soon rang again, and he handed him a tablet: ¡°Jian Yi has put a locator chip on him. Don¡¯t worry, he can¡¯t escape.¡±


    Bian Yi sat up and took the tablet.


    He looked at the red dot on it, staying in a certain place in X city. Even if it was enlarged, the range of movement of the red dot was very small.


    Bian Yi looked at the address, recalled it again, and smiled.


    It¡¯s Xu Rui¡¯s place.


    Yes, just as Kou Li said.


    Guan Xi couldn¡¯t escape.


    From one prison, after all the hardships, he only escaped to another prison.


    How pathetic.


    ¡°Don¡¯t catch him.¡± Bian Yi said.


    Since he chose it himself, Guan Xi, I hope you can bear it and enjoy it slowly.

 CH 22

    Chapter 22: The Mirror is Broken


    Bian Yi had planned to retire from the entertainment industry a long time ago. To be precise, it was probably within a year or two after he married Kou Li.


    At that time, Xiao Shu had not yet come to this family.


    Bian Yi really liked acting, but since he was preparing to marry Kou Li, he only accepted scripts that he really liked, rejecting those that he only liked a little.


    Bian Yi was ambitious, and his pursuit before was to turn his hobby into a career and win the highest awards.


    He didn¡¯t lack food or clothing, and his lover never said anything like ¡°I¡¯ll support the family, you just stay at home with me.¡±


    Because Kou Li understood him, and he knew that being pampered and kept at home was not what Bian Yi liked.


    Bian Yi liked adventure, challenges, and the exhilaration of reaching the summit.


    But just as Kou Li understood him, Bian Yi also understood Kou Li.


    Although Kou Li didn¡¯t say it out loud and kept it to himself, how could his bed companion who spent day and night with him not notice?


    Kou Li didn¡¯t want him to go out, Kou Li wanted him to stay by his side, and Kou Li once said to him, ¡°I only have you.¡±


    So, between his preferences and Kou Li, Bian Yi used his actions to tell Kou Li his choice.


    In his heart, Kou Li was more important.


    So when Kou Li exploded that day and exposed his greediest voice, although Bian Yi ran away, he only got angry for a while and thought about going home to comfort that man.


    As for whether to lock the door or not, Bian Yi knew that Kou Li wouldn¡¯t actually do it.


    Just as he loved Kou Li, Kou Li also loved him deeply, how could he bear to hurt him? How could he bear to see him unhappy and in pain?


    Looking up, he gazed at himself in the mirror.


    After taking care of himself for many days, his complexion looked much better and he still looked young in the mirror.


    On the day he was taken away by the system, he intended to go home to soothe Kou Li. After he calmed Kou Li down, he would wait for Kou Li to come and soothe him. Once he was comfortable, he would tell Kou Li that he planned to withdraw from the circle.


    After withdrawing from the circle, he would spend his time on Kou Li and Xiao Shu. Of course, if there were plays he particularly liked and wanted to act in that he couldn¡¯t resist and would ask Kou Li¡¯s permission to go.


    Originally, Bian Yi had planned his future life well.


    Originally, he and Kou Li were deeply in love.


    But the appearance of that system and time traveler was like a stone that shattered their once peaceful life into pieces.


    Now, even though the stone is gone, the mirror is still broken.


    Even if it is glued back together, those marks cannot be erased.


    Moreover, he still hates him.


    Bian Yi knows that Kou Li definitely hates him too.


    There is no reason for this, and it is even selfish.


    But it is a common occurrence.


    When you need your loved one the most, they are not by your side.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Kou Li pushed open the door and interrupted Bian Yi¡¯s reverie.


    Bian Yi blinked and then looked at the clothes he was wearing. He straightened his cuffs in front of the mirror and nodded to Kou Li.


    Bian Yi and Kou Li got into the same car.


    They were going to attend a charity dinner.


    Bian Yi hadn¡¯t donated any money when he returned, but he had received an invitation card from Nie Fang, which was really given to him. From his agent, he learned that Kou Li had donated in his name many times in the past year. The donations were transparent, and if no one looked into it, nobody would know. However, once someone looked into it, they could see everything. Because of this, despite the many stupid things Guan Xi did this year, there were still many people speaking up for him.


    Of course, this was also because Kou Li did not allow Guan Xi to publicize his donations. If it were up to Guan Xi himself, he would definitely want to proclaim to the whole world how righteous and kind he was.


    Bian Yi asked Nie Fang for a list, and Xu Rui would also come tonight. However, this was not the main reason why Bian Yi came. He came because many of his friends were gathered at this banquet, thanks to Guan Xi, who helped him identify many good friends.


    Soon, BianYi arrived. The organizer led him and Kou Li into the inner field. Outside, familiar flashing lights and loud questions from various entertainment journalists were present, with some oddly dressed people pushing their way toward them, mostly trying to attract attention and become famous.


    Apart from them, there were also some fans¡¯ support on the periphery, with the same level of excitement as the red carpet section of some awards ceremonies.


    The two words ¡°charity event¡± sounded good and generous, but not everyone who came had actually done charity work. This was a better hunting ground, with longer and wider staircases that led to fame and fortune.


    Bian Yi glanced at the crowd and saw that many celebrities had chosen to park on the busiest side, getting off in front of the public, and showing off their most beautiful and elegant faces.


    Bian Yi withdrew his gaze and glanced at Kou Li beside him. Not for anything else, just for some memories.


    Once he went to receive an award and walked on a similar but larger and wider red carpet, with more people and brighter lights. He was blocked by the lights and noise, but miraculously, he still saw Kou Li standing in the distance, watching him.


    That day, when he received the award, Kou Li returned from abroad overnight, did not stop at the airport or rest, but came straight to see him, waiting for him to finish receiving the award, and sharing his joy with him.


    What was he feeling at that time?


    With a hand resting on his back, Bian Yi stiffened for a moment. He looked to his left and saw Kou Li with a slight smile on his lips. The hand on his back didn¡¯t exert any force, it just lightly gestured in the direction of its owner.


    Bian Yi pursed his lips and glanced at the receptionist who was smiling at them. He took half a step to the left.


    He remembered the day when he received his award and saw Kou Li¡¯s mood. The place where that person stood looked dark and cold, yet Bian Yi felt warmth and everything could be melted away.


    At the same time, Jiang Shi arrived. The agent told him to get off at the journalist¡¯s location, but Jiang Shi just frowned and ignored him. The agent noticed and coaxed him like a child, saying it was a formal occasion and he didn¡¯t have to worry about entertaining anyone. Jiang Shi could just find a quiet place to eat by himself and leave the adults to his sister.


    Jiang Shi shook his head and said, ¡°No, I saw Teacher Bian.¡±


    The agent was confused and asked what happened to Bian Yi. They got along well when they recorded the program together last time, and Jiang Shi didn¡¯t do anything wrong when the internet attacked Bian Yi.


    Jiang Shi opened his mouth but ultimately said, ¡°Never mind.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t explain it, and if he did, perhaps his sister would advise him to see a doctor. He thought it was best to wait until it was over and then tell his sister so she could arrange for a doctor to come and see him.


    ¡°I told you, you¡¯re not sick! I am a real existence!¡± The system had been quite upset by this boy in the past few days and no matter what it said, Jiang Shi ignored it.


    Sure enough, Jiang Shi still didn¡¯t respond even after typing out this sentence.


    It didn¡¯t give up and continued:


    ¡°[Did you see it just now? Beside Bian Yi is Kou Li, but you are the protagonist, Kou Li belongs to you!]


    [Do you know how many assets Kou Li has? They should have belonged to you too, but now they¡¯re all taken by others.]


    [Do you think there can be two identical Bian Yis? It is because they are both pursuers, outsiders!]


    [They are taking away what originally belonged to you, don¡¯t you understand?]¡±


    Jiang Shi¡¯s eyebrows furrowed tightly and he stopped on the steps.


    Two identical Bian Yis, both pursuers? Outsiders? Are they¡­ time travelers?

 CH 23.1

    Chapter 23.1: I¡¯m with you


    The dinner party had already begun.


    Jiang Shi¡¯s agent led him to the dessert area, gave him a few instructions, and then walked away into the crowd while carrying a wine glass and stepping on ten-centimeter high heels.


    As Jiang Shi was still young and growing, he wasn¡¯t restricted in his eating habits. At the moment, he held a plate of cake and his gaze, involuntarily, shifted to the other side after leaving his agent behind.


    That area wasn¡¯t the center of the banquet, but the people surrounding it were all of high status. The ones surrounded were the husband and wife, Bian Yi and Kou Li, who arrived before Jiang Shi.


    Jiang Shi took a spoonful of cake and the sweet taste melted in his mouth, but he didn¡¯t smile with his eyes as he usually did.


    The book in his mind stated that Bian Yi was a time traveler, and so was the fake one.


    Jiang Shi¡¯s first reaction was, of course, disbelief. There couldn¡¯t be such a magical thing.


    But the book¡¯s appearance was also magical, wasn¡¯t it?


    It seemed like it was also true?


    Jiang Shi thought while eating, trying to figure out whether the book was true or false.


    If it was true, it seemed to make sense¡ªthe previous ¡°Bian Yi¡± was so different from the current one, and his family couldn¡¯t have mistaken him. But why couldn¡¯t they tell the difference? Because the genes of the two were exactly the same.


    This was also what the book stated.


    It was strange, but not unreasonable.


    That was why Jiang Shi had doubts.


    If it was false, it also seemed fake.


    After all, time travel was originally a fantasy, and traveling twice, in sequence, made it more unbelievable.


    How could there be a hole in their world? Anyone could just enter it casually?


    Jiang Shi had nothing to do, so he sat in a corner with a dessert, analyzing the ¡°knowledge points¡± imparted to him by the book he read tonight.


    It¡¯s worth mentioning that Jiang Shi is both excellent in singing and dancing, and his academic performance is also outstanding. He did well in this year¡¯s college entrance examination and was praised as a ¡°study master¡±. He can still hold his own without feeling inferior.


    Jiang Shi, the study master, quickly listed the key points.


    First: the book says that he is the protagonist and that he and Kou Li are a pair, and Bian Yi is the one who steals people away- regardless of which one.


    After deducing and analyzing, Jiang Shi felt that this point was fictitious.


    Although Bian Yi did not publicly announce who his lover was in the circle, he had been married for several years, at least four or five years.


    Four or five years ago, Jiang Shi was only thirteen or fourteen years old and still in junior high school.


    Thinking of this, Jiang Shi shivered.


    He, Jiang Shi, had a destined lover at the age of thirteen or fourteen?


    If this were true, Mr. Kou would probably have to go to a law enforcement program.


    The system watching his entire reasoning process: ???


    Are you freaking kidding me? Do you have a problem? Is this how you analyze things?!


    Is the new host normal? Isn¡¯t it normal to think: ¡°Originally, I am the protagonist, and the other male lead is my destined love. These damn cannon fodder villains have taken over my plot, and I must be able to kill them?¡±


    If the system were a human, it would probably be choking on its own blood by now.


    Soon, Jiang Shi came to the second point: Kou Li is rich, very rich, maybe the wealthiest person in reserve.


    He felt this point was probably true.


    Jiang Shi heard from his sister that E Island, where they filmed the program last time, was Bian Yi¡¯s partner¡¯s. Moreover, at this banquet, many people wanted to approach Kou Li, and anyone with eyes could see that he was a successful person.


    But, what does Kou Li¡¯s wealth have to do with Jiang Shi?


    Jiang Shi was quite puzzled. Other people¡¯s wealth was their own business, why did the book specifically mention it?


    If he wanted to become wealthy, to be honest, Jiang Shi was quite confident. He had earned a lot of money, and he had bought houses in A City! Although he still had to repay the loans.


    But he was only eighteen years old, and he could buy whatever he wanted in the future, right?


    The system:¡­f*ck!


    It spat blood.


    It regretted.


    Damn, what kind of idiot is this? It had gone through so many hosts, and this was the least intelligent one.


    What does it matter to him if someone else is rich?


    How come this thing doesn¡¯t even care about money? Aren¡¯t humans supposed to be the greediest? According to past experience, when they hear that they are the main character, the future boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife, and how much money and status they have, the hosts become more active one after another. If anyone stands in their way, they become more ruthless than the others.


    Guan Xi is already the most cowardly and useless one it has encountered. It didn¡¯t expect to meet someone like Jiang Sh¨ª, who doesn¡¯t even try to struggle.


    It shouldn¡¯t have left the backup with Jiang Sh¨ª just because he and Bian Y¨¬ have some resemblance.


    Unfortunately, it¡¯s too late to regret now.


    It needs to find a way to shake this stubborn stone.


    Jiang Sh¨ª naturally doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s on the system¡¯s mind. He¡¯s pondering the third point.


    The third point naturally refers to Bian Y¨¬ and the fake Guan Xi being time travelers.


    Jiang Sh¨ª didn¡¯t know Bian Y¨¬ before. Their business was different, they didn¡¯t have many chances to meet, and Jiang Sh¨ª had just debuted not long ago.


    It is said that the impersonator has been using Bian Y¨¬¡¯s identity for public activities only in the last year, and the storm he caused is not small. Jiang Sh¨ª has not seen it, but he has heard about it and seen the photos handed to him by Jiang Jie when she gossiped with him.


    Jiang Sh¨ª has an advantage. Although he is young, he is indeed lucky in judging people.


    The same face, the impersonator has a fake and affected smile, and his temperament is sometimes sleazy. Jiang Sh¨ª, a member of the appearance association, didn¡¯t like him when he first saw the photo.


    However, the real Bian Y¨¬ is completely different. He can beat the impersonator by several streets. Although it is the same face, Jiang Sh¨ª quickly fell for him within a few minutes and became a dog of beauty.


    Although there is no solid evidence, Jiang Sh¨ª believes that the impersonator may be a time traveler, and as for Bian Y¨¬, he¡¯s not sure.


    Combined with the previous two points, Jiang Sh¨ª has reason to suspect that Bian Y¨¬ is the real main character.


    The plot in the book says that Jiang Sh¨ª is a substitute lover, standing in for Bian Y¨¬.


    This means that Kou L¨¬ originally liked Bian Y¨¬, and because they had a conflict and separated, he found Jiang Sh¨ª to be a substitute.


    The conflict and separation in this case, combined with real-life events and the timeline on both sides, is very intriguing. Isn¡¯t this the case where Bian Y¨¬ was kidnapped and disappeared, and Kou L¨¬ couldn¡¯t find her so he had to find a substitute?


    Furthermore, that Guan X¨© also has many problems. If he is really a time traveler, why did he choose Bian Y¨¬¡¯s identity? Isn¡¯t he also just a substitute lover?


    So here¡¯s the problem.


    All signs are pointing to Kou Li¡¯s true love being Bian Yi.


    Although Jiang Shi is unclear about how the two of them get along as a married couple, from what he can see with his own eyes, Kou Li seems to be in love with Bian Yi.


    They were already in a legal relationship, and now Bian Yi has returned.


    It should have been a story of a broken mirror being reunited, but at this very moment, a book appeared in Jiang Shi¡¯s mind, encouraging him to become a substitute and a third party.


    This is too coincidental.


    Jiang Shi¡¯s face changed when he saw the book.


    This book is definitely not a good thing.


    It looks like it was specifically created to destroy the relationship between Bian Yi and Kou Li.


    System:¡­


    The system couldn¡¯t say anything.


    It couldn¡¯t help but think of the human called Jian Yi from before.


    That person said it only dares to find stupid people who are easy to deceive, because smart people can easily see through its tricks, and smart people can¡¯t like being controlled and manipulated by others.


    At this moment, the system was somewhat annoyed and wanted to use tough measures against Jiang Shi, or simply kill this person who made it so angry.


    But Kou Li was not far away, and it only had this one host.


    If the host died, it couldn¡¯t leave this world.


    It regretted, it was angry, but it had to endure.

 CH 23.2

    Chapter 23.2: I¡¯m With You


    Jiang Shi kept glancing over, and although the person was just sitting in the corner, Bian Yi still noticed.


    This Jiang Shi behaved strangely on E Island last time.


    Was there any connection between Guan Xi being arrested on E Island and these two?


    Bian Yi narrowed his eyes and rubbed the juice glass in his hand.


    After a moment, Bian Yi went to the dessert area and randomly picked a pastry, sitting across from Jiang Shi.


    There were many people around Kou Li, but no one dared to get too close, especially when they noticed Kou Li¡¯s gaze was always on Bian Yi. The people around him deliberately left a space around him to avoid blocking Kou Li¡¯s line of sight and causing his displeasure.


    Sure enough, when Bian Yi moved, Kou Li¡¯s gaze also followed the movement until he saw the person sitting in the corner position, and then he withdrew his gaze and continued to chat with the people around him.


    His actions made the people around him secretly shocked.


    Before this, not many people knew that Bian Yi¡¯s husband was Kou Li. As for Kou Li, he had never mentioned who his lover was, even if someone asked, he would not mention it at all.


    This made many people think that Kou Li and his partner had a bad relationship, and even reached a critical point.


    It wasn¡¯t until today that they realized it was all just a cover-up, and that Kou Li didn¡¯t want outsiders to know.


    Some people guessed more and guessed that the fake Bian Yi was involved. The bad relationship was true, most likely because Kou Li suspected the fake Bian Yi¡¯s identity, so he didn¡¯t reveal anything to outsiders.


    Jiang Shi was a bit uneasy for a while.


    He had a bad book in his mind, wanting to destroy the relationship between Bian Yi and his husband. Now Bianyi was sitting across from him, and he felt guilty about facing him.


    Bian Yi smiled at Jiang Shi with a polite and gentle expression, without any trace of vigilance or suspicion in his eyes. He asked, ¡°I¡¯ve been noticing you looking at me. Is there something you want to say to me?¡±


    Jiang Shi held his cup with both hands, licked his lips, and said nervously, ¡°I wanted to apologize to you.¡±


    ¡°Apologise?¡± Bian Yi lightly frowned in confusion and asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    Jiang Shi hesitated for two seconds and said, ¡°Last time we had dinner on E Island, I¡­I kept looking at you. Please don¡¯t misunderstand, I didn¡¯t mean any harm. It¡¯s just that¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that Teacher Bian is too beautiful,¡± Jiang Shi interrupted, lowering his head with embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I might have caused you some trouble.¡±


    Now Bian Yi was a little confused.


    This kid didn¡¯t look like he was lying, could it be that he was too suspicious?


    Bian Yi replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You know, something unexpected happened that day, and I wasn¡¯t in a good mood because of it.¡±


    Jiang Shi raised his head again and felt relieved when he saw that Bian Yi was not really angry. Then he thought, yeah, if Bian Yi was really mad at him and didn¡¯t want to talk to him, why would he come over to find him?


    Jiang Shi quickly became happy and saw the desserts that Bian Yi brought over. He began to share with Bian Yi which dishes were the best and which drinks were the most delicious.


    He was eager to feed Bian Yi, but was stopped by him.


    Bian Yi said he had no appetite and couldn¡¯t eat too much. Jiang Shi heard this and shared many tips for regulating the appetite.


    His enthusiasm was like that of a child trying to get close to an elder.


    Bian Yi took a sip of juice and changed the topic, ¡°The nickname of your koi fish is quite interesting.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want Jiang Shi to bring him food and drinks, so he was naturally on guard. He wouldn¡¯t dare to eat food from someone who might have some problems.


    Jiang Shi didn¡¯t notice this and his expression collapsed when he heard Bian Yi¡¯s question. He muttered, ¡°I¡¯m not really a koi fish.¡±


    The golden finger produced by the true koi carp are all healthy and pollution-free, unlike him who inexplicably came up with a bad book in his mind.


    However, Jiang Shi was interested in listening and told a few funny stories about his past experiences with this nickname, and the two got along well for a while.


    However, it wasn¡¯t long before someone came to disturb them.


    It was also a senior member of the entertainment industry whose name Jiang Shi knew well, and who was very popular and according to Jiang Jie, was able to be in the top tier of actors, but Jiang Shi didn¡¯t know him.


    Jiang Jie said that this person used to have a good relationship with Bian Yi.


    But now, Jiang Shi watched as Bian Yi coldly and impolitely drove the person away, and he understood that Jiang Jie¡¯s gossip could be updated.


    Afterward, a few more people came, all of them very popular, and some even won awards for Best Actor or Actress, but Bian Yi didn¡¯t show any mercy to any of them, refusing and driving them away with extremely blunt words, to the point where Jiang Shi could clearly see the unnatural expressions on their faces.


    This was really embarrassing.


    And Teacher Bian was so fierce.


    But the same Teacher Bian who was so fierce to others had just been smiling and speaking gently to him.


    Jiang Shi sat up straight, feeling a bit floaty, and he actually felt like he was more awesome than these real big-name stars!


    The system read Jiang Shi¡¯s thoughts and only wanted to sneer.


    ¡°You¡¯re awesome? Bullshit, you¡¯re just a fool!¡±


    ¡°Everyone knows how cold and cruel Bian Yi can be, yet this person still dares to think of themselves as special? Can¡¯t you tell this is just flattery? It¡¯s obvious that they¡¯re being suspected, but this fool doesn¡¯t seem to realize it and is even self-satisfied.


    However, despite this, the system still doesn¡¯t dare to speak up.


    Obviously, it¡¯s afraid that Bian Yi might really notice something.


    Watching another famous artist leave with a black face, Jiang Shi¡¯s face turned red.


    He¡¯s a little afraid to look at Bian Yi now, so he¡¯s fanning himself with his hand and glancing around randomly.


    In one of those glances, he saw Xu Rui.


    Compared to Jiang Shi, Xu Rui was the one who was blatantly snubbed by Bianyi in their previous program.


    It was perfectly normal for Xu Rui to attend this banquet.


    His career is actually very successful. Although it was affected by the incident involving the fake Bian Yi, his works and reputation were good before that.


    The main target was still Guan Xi.


    It¡¯s normal for people in that circle to misunderstand when Guan Xi never wore a wedding ring and had never been seen with a lover. Xu Rui also had no boyfriend or girlfriend, nor was he married, so it was normal for him to date Guan Xi in the context of the misunderstanding.


    But saying it out loud was not good, even if Xu Rui knew nothing about it. The fact was that it was an extramarital affair, and the object of the affair was fake.


    In any case, after this incident came out, many people were openly or secretly ridiculing him, including at this banquet, where some were discussing it in secret.


    Bian Yi also saw Xu Rui.


    He had no intention of going to Xu Rui, and Guan Xi¡¯s position had not changed; he was still with Xu Rui.


    Xu Rui was talented and capable and had a position in today¡¯s entertainment industry. Wasn¡¯t he respected before?


    Looking at Xu Rui¡¯s expression of hidden anger, it¡¯s not hard to imagine that he will eventually vent his anger on a certain someone. This Xu Rui has no grace at all, but when considering his tragic ending in his previous life, it¡¯s also hard not to feel sympathy for him.


    One can only say that this is all retribution for Guan Xi.


    Bian Yi watched as Xu Rui clinked glasses with a red-haired man and raised an eyebrow.


    This red-haired man is a second-generation rich, and it must be said that he was the first target of Guan Xi¡¯s conquest, Zhuo Feng.


    Extravagant and unrestrained is a true portrayal of this young master.


    He also ridiculed Xu Rui, but unlike Xu Rui, this young master didn¡¯t lose anything even if he tangled with Guan Xi.


    Of course, although he didn¡¯t lose anything, there was still some anger toward Guan Xi deep down in his heart.


    As Xu Rui listened to the red-haired man¡¯s mocking laughter in his ears, he suddenly thought of something and glanced at him discreetly.


    Zhuo Feng noticed and put his arm around Xu Rui¡¯s shoulder, and the two of them went to a place where no one else was.

 CH 23.3

    Chapter 23.3: I¡¯m With You


    ¡°Since we both have had a relationship with the same person, why don¡¯t we just say what¡¯s on our minds?¡± Zhuo Feng spoke lightly, without any taboo.


    Xu Rui sneered, pushed away his hand, and said, ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, it¡¯s not me who had a relationship with the same person, it¡¯s me who was played by the same person.¡±


    With this remark, Xu Rui not only lost face for himself but also exposed Zhuo Feng¡¯s true colors.


    Zhuo Feng¡¯s face immediately changed.


    Of course, he was angry. How could he not care?


    He, as the young master Zhuo, when had he ever stumbled? He was actually deceived by a fake and sincerely liked that person for such a long time.


    He glared angrily at Xu Rui, and just as he was about to leave, Xu Rui unexpectedly held him back.


    ¡°Zhuo Shao, don¡¯t you want to retaliate?¡± Xu Rui asked.


    Zhuo Feng turned around and looked at him carefully, then smiled, ¡°Ha! Mr. Xu, you really impressed me. You actually trust me so much.¡±


    Xu Rui also smiled, ¡°After all, we have had similar experiences.¡±


    Zhuo Feng curved his lips and silently exchanged contact information and an address with Xu Rui.


    Bian Yi was no longer interested in what had happened or was about to happen on his side. He had already warmed up to Jiang Shi, and had finally heard what he wanted to hear from Jiang Shi¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Teacher Bian, what does it mean to have severe delusions? Will both vision and hearing be affected?¡± The more Jiang Shi interacted with Bian Yi, the more he liked him, and he couldn¡¯t help but share his recent sudden experiences.


    Of course, he wasn¡¯t stupid and didn¡¯t dare to tell the truth, only saying that he had recently watched a science fiction movie and thought it was amazing.


    Bian Yi pretended not to have heard anything and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not very familiar with this area. If you¡¯re interested, you can ask a professional.¡±


    Ah, he should see a doctor.


    Jiang Shi felt a little down.


    The situation today was more serious, and he felt that he couldn¡¯t delay any longer, so he said to Bian Yi, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been practicing too much lately, but I occasionally experience auditory hallucinations. I haven¡¯t dared to tell Sister Jiang.¡±


    Bian Yi thought for a moment and said, ¡°Well, I know someone who is a professional and knows a lot about this area. This is his contact information.¡±


    Bian Yi gave Jiang Shi a string of numbers from his phone.


    Jiang Shi thanked him and wrote it down.


    Bian Yi smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re welcome, glad to be of help.¡±


    There were very few phone numbers on Bian Yi¡¯s phone.


    He didn¡¯t have any notes, only numbers.


    And this set of numbers was given to him by Kou Li, who said that if Bian Yi had the time or remembered something, he could go find the owner of the number.


    That was Kou Li¡¯s doctor friend, Jian Yi.


    The banquet was over, and Bian Yi and Kou Li went home.


    Jiang Shi had already left.


    He hadn¡¯t returned to his apartment yet when it started to rain.


    The book that had been quiet since he saw Bian Yi had a new reaction.


    It said:


    [Are you still denying my authenticity?]


    [A three-car rear-end collision will occur on X Road tonight, resulting in four deaths and one serious injury. There is a labeled content in Chapter 5 of this book, at 86% completion.]


    [If you don¡¯t believe me, just wait and see. The accident will happen in ten minutes.]


    Jiang Shixing was shocked.


    An accident ¨C this is a matter of life and death.


    But there are only ten minutes left. Even if it is true, he cannot warn anyone, and no one will believe him.


    Jiang Shi quickly opened the book and found it written in Chapter 5 as he expected.


    It was a very short sentence as if passing by.


    [After leaving the banquet, it started to rain shortly afterward. The rain was not heavy, but Jiang Shi felt unexpectedly cold in the car. The man beside him looked outside the window with disgust, frowning.]


    [Jiang Shi followed the man¡¯s gaze and saw it at a glance, feeling his blood turn cold.]


    [It was a car accident, with three cars colliding together. Blood was everywhere near the cars, and Jiang Shi¡¯s eyes met those of a woman who was hanging upside down in the driver¡¯s seat. But her eyes didn¡¯t blink. She was already dead.]


    Jiang Shi¡¯s heart was pounding and his mouth was dry.


    He asked the driver to change the route. Jiang Jie asked him why he was going to X Road, but Jiang Shixing didn¡¯t say anything.


    Looking at the book, the content inside was fake, he just wanted to make fun of it.


    But this was a matter of life and death. If it was true¡­


    If it was true, Jiang Shi didn¡¯t know what to do.


    Anyway, he had to go and see.


    Bian Yi stood on the porch watching the rain in the courtyard. The rain fell on the tree they had just planted as a family of three, which had only been planted in the soil for a few days and looked rather lifeless. The original leaves were also curling up and not very beautiful.


    Bian Yi frowned at the wrinkled leaves.


    He was wondering if he was too anxious.


    He gave Jiang Shi a simple phone number. If Jiang Shi went to see him tomorrow and the system was really hidden in Jiang Shixing¡¯s mind, then obviously, it would immediately realize it after seeing the simple code.


    It would also escape.


    Bian Yi was a little annoyed. For this system, the revenge system could not provide anything to kill it, only to suppress it.


    But currently, there seems to be no way to kill the system.


    If it escapes again, no one knows who it will find next.


    Yes, either Kou Li or himself still had something the system wanted, but what if it gave up?


    It felt that it was a waste of time and energy to keep pulling with these humans. Would it leave this world?


    Did Bian Yi just want the system to leave this world?


    No, of course not, it¡¯s not enough.


    He wanted it to die, to be destroyed.


    Closing his eyes, Bian Yi took a deep breath of the rain-scented air with a muddy smell. He needed to go and discuss with Kou Li.


    To kill the system, he had to work with Kou Li.


    Kou Li was also looking for Bian Yi.


    The two met at the staircase.


    It was the day when Bian Yi came back. They both stood at the same spot, one holding a knife, and the other with his neck pinched, wanting to kill each other.


    The two were silent for a moment, then spoke at the same time: ¡°I-¡°


    Both sides were stunned, and then they fell silent again, seemingly waiting for the other to speak.


    Bian Yi frowned discontentedly and looked at Kou Li, gesturing for him to speak first.


    Kou Li did not give in to Bian Yi¡¯s gesture and said, ¡°I am going out for a few days, at least two days, and up to a week.¡±


    He finished speaking, but it seemed like he hadn¡¯t said everything. He looked at Bian Yi as if he wanted to ask for his opinion.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Bian Yi asked without targeting Kou Li¡¯s hesitant words.


    ¡°Looking for a special material,¡± Kou Li said, looking at Bian Yi. ¡°Something that can kill it.¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s lips twitched, but he didn¡¯t say anything.


    He knew that Kou Li was very capable, but that system was not an easy opponent. Nobody could say how many years of research it would take to create a device that could make it ¡°die¡±.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t want to ask, nor did he want to know whether Kou Li had spent a lot of time and effort on this.


    ¡°Got it,¡± Bian Yi said, and brushed past Kou Li, preparing to go upstairs.


    However, at this moment, the revenge system spoke.


    Its voice was still clear and pleasant, and it said, ¡°Go with him.¡±


    This ¡°him¡± obviously referred to Kou Li.


    Bian Yi was silent for a moment. Perhaps his stopping motion was a bit strange, and Kou Li turned to look at him.


    Bian Yi finally couldn¡¯t help but ask the revenge system, ¡°What exactly does Kou Li have that you want?¡±


    As expected, the system did not answer.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t turn around to look at Kou Li, but Kou Li could hear what he said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± he said.


    Kou Li lightly laughed, looking at Bian Yi¡¯s profile, and said warmly, ¡°It¡¯s very cold there. I¡¯ll have someone prepare an extra set of cold-resistant clothing.¡±

 CH 24

    Chapter 24: He has a future


    After confirming that they would travel together, Kou Li made two phone calls to his secretary to arrange the trip.


    Bian Yi returned to the bedroom and sat on the bed. There was a new photo on the bedside table, in addition to the one he had seen when he first came back. It was a picture of the three of them, taken not long ago. The cute and warm photo frame held all three of them together, just like the weather in the picture, warm and pleasant.


    Bian Yi stared at it absentmindedly for a while, and when he came back to his senses, Kou Li had already come in.


    They were going on a trip, and it was not a leisurely outing, so it was inconvenient to bring Xiao Shu. After some thought, Bian Yi said, ¡°I¡¯ll have my mother come over for a few days to help take care of Xiao Shu.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Kou Li refused directly: ¡°No.¡±


    Before Bian Yi could get angry, Kou Li explained, ¡°She won¡¯t recognize him. I¡¯ll have Jian Yi go get him.¡±


    Bian Yi fell silent for a moment but eventually nodded.


    Tonight, he would test Jiang Shi, but he couldn¡¯t be sure that the system was hidden in Jiang Shi. Even if it was, it was difficult to guarantee that the system wouldn¡¯t switch to another host.


    The series of actions taken by him, Kou Li, and Jian Yi would definitely anger the system, at least. Bian Yi wasn¡¯t afraid of the system¡¯s retaliation against himself, but the people close to him were different.


    In that space, the system knew what kind of illusion could drive him crazy, and naturally knew what his weaknesses were. Bian Yi didn¡¯t dare to gamble with Xiao Shu¡¯s safety.


    As for Jian Yi, he was undoubtedly the person Kou Li trusted the most. Although he was a bit strange and had some potential for scientific abnormality, Bian Yi had to admit that it was safest to leave Xiao Shu with him. At least Jian Yi could quickly discern if the people around him had switched souls.


    Bian Yi had seen Jian Yi and Xiao Shu together on E Island. Although his way of amusing children was very childish, it was also evident that Xiao Shu was very familiar with him, and they must have seen each other often in the past.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t see all of this in his previous life. The system only showed him Xiao Shu locking himself in the room, with empty, lifeless eyes.


    Bian Yi took a deep breath. He used to collapse every time he saw Xiao Shu¡¯s despondent appearance, but when he calmed down, he also suspected whether it was possible that it was fake. At that time, all his doubts seemed to be self-comfort and self-avoidance, unable to accept reality.


    However, the truth was that Bian Yi¡¯s guesses were all reasonable and logical. Kou Li was a very careful person. Although he admitted that his gentle and considerate appearance was fake, his observation skills were absolutely outstanding. Whatever Bian Yi needed or didn¡¯t need, he could quickly find out ¨C this had once made Bian Yi infatuated. He could clearly feel how much he was favored and cared for by Kou Li.


    And Kou Li knew much more about the people close to Bian Yi than Bian Yi did himself. How could such a Kou Li let such a terrible criminal into his home and hurt Xiao Shu?


    Unfortunately, the system knows exactly how to destroy one¡¯s mental state.


    Bian Yi even began to suspect that his second escape was intentionally arranged by the system.


    Bian Yi can¡¯t remember the specific time of his second escape, but he remembers it was in Winter and at a hospital.


    At that time, he didn¡¯t know anyone around him. After he got out, he looked dazed and confused. He wasn¡¯t even sure if he was dreaming or hallucinating. He had no sense of reality.


    It was in this state that he saw Xiao Shu.


    Xiao Shu was only seven or eight years old at the time. He was sitting in a wheelchair, being pushed out of the room by a nurse as if to go outside to soak up some sun.


    The nurse asked him a question, but he didn¡¯t seem to hear her. He kept his head down and didn¡¯t say a word. There was an argument in the hallway ahead of them, but he didn¡¯t even look up. He was immersed in his own world, and he looked so sad.


    Bian Yi called his name, but it had been a long time since he had spoken, and his voice was hoarse and not loud enough for Xiao Shu to hear.


    When he was about to catch up, he had already returned to that space.


    It was then that Bian Yi realized that he had just escaped.


    However, it was no use at all.


    It was also that one look that turned all of Bian Yi¡¯s previous doubts and disbelief into a ridiculous struggle. In the end, just as the system wanted, they turned into sharp knives that would not stop until Kou Li was dead.


    Fortunately, Bian Yi still retained his sanity under such torture, and he had not gone insane.


    Similarly, fortunately, no, Bian Yi didn¡¯t know whether it was fortunate or not, but there was still a trace of trust in Kou Li in his heart. Apart from hatred, there were many other things that remained in Bian Yi¡¯s mind when it came to Kou Li¡¯s name.


    He was back now. Even though he had been in the darkness for so long, he was not completely empty-handed. He was not a person without anything. His heart was still reaching for the light, longing for it.


    He still had a future, and they still had a future.


    As long as that damn system was eliminated.


    Kou Li and Bian Yi agreed to set off tomorrow.


    With hatred for the system, Bian Yi went to sleep. He needed to rest well. He didn¡¯t want his companions to become a burden and give the system a chance to escape.


    On the other side of the city, Jiang Shi, who would normally be asleep at this time, couldn¡¯t sleep.


    He had the driver change the route and go to that road, where the accident happened.


    The brief words in that book didn¡¯t fully describe the danger of the situation at the time, instead, they focused on the protagonist¡¯s merciless attack on Kou Li.


    Jiang Shi was both anxious and couldn¡¯t help but mock himself: how could he ever fall in love with such a cold-blooded man?


    A car accident happened before his eyes, but Kou Li just frowned in disgust as described in the text.


    Jiang Shi didn¡¯t quite understand if the author of the book had water in their brain, thinking that this kind of heartless attack was cool and charming?


    What normal person would dare to live with such a man? Maybe one day you would hang yourself, and the man just frowns at your corpse in disgust.


    Just thinking about it, his scalp exploded, and he couldn¡¯t harden it anymore.


    Jiang Shi¡¯s mood was so contradictory.


    On the one hand, as the book said, the event did happen, and the situation was exactly the same as in the book.


    On the other hand, Jiang Shi still doubted the truth of the book crazily. After all, no matter how he looked at it, he couldn¡¯t possibly fall in love with such a man who raised a substitute lover to adulthood and had a cold-blooded personality.


    System:¡­


    The system really doesn¡¯t want to communicate with this stupid new host.


    It¡¯s ridiculous.


    The facts are right in front of him, and he¡¯s still trying to find loopholes?!


    The system has checked it several times and confirmed that this stupid idiot¡¯s brain is not lacking any organization.


    If it weren¡¯t for the lack of remaining energy, it would have hugged this new host and died together.


    The system didn¡¯t communicate with Jiang Shi, but his brain was still very active.


    After tossing and turning all night, Jiang Shi finally figured it out.


    He stared at the moon rising outside the window after the rain stopped with his eyes wide open, feeling that the problem that had disturbed his mood all day had finally been perfectly solved.


    He decided to carefully read the book again, then list the timeline, record all the possible accidents that might happen in the future, and do his best to make the person who might have an accident believe, or remind or help them avoid it.


    Even if the book is true, it is still just a book. Jiang Shi knows that he is real and that this world is real enough.


    Therefore, he cannot do nothing when he knows that someone may die due to an accident.


    Of course, if it is really unavoidable, it is destined, and Jiang Shi has no other way.


    But even if everything is destined, Jiang Shi will not follow the plot in the book and get entangled with Kou Li.


    He confirmed repeatedly that he could not fall in love with such a man, and the reality of Kou Li and his husband was too good. If so, why should he follow the plot?


    He should just focus on himself.


    The system is really going to vomit blood this time.


    It couldn¡¯t help but check Jiang Shi¡¯s brain again, trying to analyze what was different about his brain from others.


    Why did everything change so much in his mind? His thoughts were completely different from all its previous hosts.


    What¡¯s the solution?


    Does this person have any pursuit?


    What the hell does this stupid thing really want?


    ¨C Jiang Shi just wants to sleep.


    After struggling to fall asleep for half the night, he finally drifted off within ten seconds of feeling comfortable.


    Soon, the only sound in the room was Jiang Shi¡¯s rhythmic breathing.


    The system was going crazy.


    It had never encountered a host like Jiang Shi or a situation like this before.


    In the past, it would give hosts a storyline, and they would eagerly complete their tasks like wolves pouncing on meat. They didn¡¯t need any persuasion, and they didn¡¯t care whether the plot was reasonable or not. In their eyes, what was unreasonable was reasonable.


    Old habits made the system give Jiang Shi a plot when it encountered him, just like it did with Guan Xi.


    But now, it was in trouble.


    No, it had to come up with another solution. Without being able to obtain energy from this world, it would be unable to survive.


    After a night of rain, the weather was especially clear the next day.


    Bian Yi sent Xiao Shu to school and prepared to leave when Kou Li suddenly suggested that he go to his lab to get some equipment.


    Bian Yi was going to wait for him at home, but Kou Li spontaneously asked if he wanted to come and see his lab.


    Bian Yi went with him.


    Kou Li¡¯s lab was where he conducted his research, and he had bought many pieces of equipment covering various fields. Bian Yi didn¡¯t know much about it because he knew that Kou Li wasn¡¯t interested in talking to him about it.


    However, Bian Yi had been to Kou Li¡¯s lab before.


    Sometimes Kou Li would become engrossed in his work, and Bian Yi would bring him food.


    Besides bringing him food, Bian Yi had also provided him with other services.


    After all, Kou Li in his lab coat and glasses was so charming that Bian Yi couldn¡¯t resist being tempted to show Kou Li his uncivilized side.


    Some things might not be remembered if one didn¡¯t think about them, but when an item or place associated with an event appeared, the memories would automatically resurface.


    Therefore, when Bian Yi followed Kou Li into the lab, his expression was somewhat subtle.


    Kou Li¡¯s lab was empty, and it appeared that he didn¡¯t have any assistants to help him with his experiments.


    Kou Li didn¡¯t bother to ask Bian Yi to look around since they were so familiar with each other, and Bian Yi was also familiar with the place, so there was no need for such formalities.


    He went straight to where he needed to get the equipment, and Bian Yi wandered around the lab by himself.


    The lab was neither big nor small, but the most noticeable thing inside was a massive machine.


    It was an elliptical machine with a golden ball in the middle, and the whole machine was dark, with no signs of it operating. Bian Yi also noticed a burnt mark in one area, as if it was broken.


    At this point, Kou Li had already obtained what he needed, and when he raised his head, he saw Bian Yi standing in front of the machine.


    If this were in the past, Kou Li would have introduced the machine¡¯s name, function, and research results after Bian Yi had been staring at it for so long, and then he would have waited to hear praise from him.


    This was what most people would do, hoping that their excellence would be acknowledged by their partners.


    But Kou Li just looked at him without introducing the machine.


    Unaware of it, Bian Yi quickly withdrew his gaze from the machine and saw that Kou Li was already coming towards him, asking, ¡°Done?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Kou Li smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    So Bian Yi left.


    But just as he had taken two steps, he suddenly heard a burst of electric current in his head. It was brief and abrupt, like a momentary signal failure.


    In a moment of impulse, he asked Kou Li, ¡°Is this something you were researching? It seems like it failed. You haven¡¯t fixed it.¡±


    Kou Li looked at him steadily and said, ¡°It did fail once, but it succeeded in the end. It won¡¯t be used again, so there was no need to fix it.¡±


    Bian Yi quickly averted his gaze, his heart pounding.


    He pursed his lips, hastily leaving the lab and saying to Kou Li behind him, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±

 CH 25

    Chapter 25: He still loves him


    Bian Yi almost fled the laboratory in a panic after hearing Kou Li¡¯s words. He was afraid that the other person would say something else, so he fled first.


    Bian Yi himself was not someone who liked to escape, but when faced with events beyond his control, more than half of people would instinctively choose to run away.


    He was just following his instincts and chose a stance that could better protect himself.


    He didn¡¯t dare to think deeply about Kou Li¡¯s words. He knew very well what terrible things were hidden underneath, things that could swallow him up.


    He had hated Kou Li for so long, so deeply.


    That hate was like a spiked shackle that pierced into his flesh and grew inside of him.


    In the short time since he returned, most of the shackles had been torn out. If they were all pulled out, he thought he might die from excessive bleeding.


    Let him run a little further, let his body become a little healthier, and his ability to withstand not die from being pulled by those spiked shackles ¨C


    Then tell him the truth that he still dared not know.


    Kou Li did not leave the laboratory with Bian Yi immediately.


    He stood in front of the machine and looked at it.


    After a long time, he reached out and gently touched the small golden ball at the center of the ellipse.


    The machine did not run, and even if it did, it would not respond to him.


    After a moment, Kou Li withdrew his hand and looked at the machine with some annoyance, muttering to himself: ¡°Did I make a mistake again? Should I have listened to Jian Yi and taken it slowly?¡±


    ¡°Ah-Yi was scared again. Am I still too selfish?¡±


    The laboratory was extremely quiet, with no one and no machine to answer Kou Li¡¯s questions.


    Perhaps this kind of quiet silence angered him a little.


    His eyes slowly became crazy as he stared at the machine. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I am such a despicable person. I want to hug him so badly.¡±


    ¡°Even if I bleed, it doesn¡¯t matter. I will accompany him, even in death.¡±


    Kou Li¡¯s hand pressed against the groove next to the door of the laboratory, which had closed automatically due to lack of use.


    The laboratory had no wind, but Kou Li seemed to feel a gentle breeze, leading him back to the machine.


    Kou Li¡¯s eyes regained some clarity, and he clenched his lips tightly as if struggling with something.


    Finally, he said to the air, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you. I¡¯ll give Ah-Yi time.¡±


    He stopped speaking. He would wait for him.


    Kou Li left, and the laboratory remained silent. There was no wind or any living creature, only cold experimental tables, and machines.


    After leaving the laboratory and taking his seat on a private plane, Bian Yi and Kou Li remained silent, not even making eye contact.


    Before the plane took off, Bian Yi thought of something. He sent a message to Jian Yi, informing him of Jiang Shi¡¯s anomaly. He didn¡¯t go into detail, but Jian Yi understood his meaning.


    Jian Yi said he would have someone pay attention to Jiang Shi, but not to get too close, and create opportunities to accidentally run into him.


    Bian Yi lingered on the idea of this ¡°accidental encounter¡± for a while as if he was imagining how Jian Yi would really meet Jiang Shi without alerting the system.


    Lost in thought, Bian Yi only snapped out of it when the plane started moving. He rubbed his ears and put his phone away.


    Bian Yi was prone to motion sickness, but the symptoms were not severe. He could usually endure it, and few people could tell.


    However, this was based on people other than Kou Li. Bian Yi looked at the sour candy Kou Li handed him, and took it from his hand with his head down.


    As their fingertips touched, both were icy. For a brief moment, no one could bring warmth to the other.


    Bian Yi unwrapped the candy and put it in his mouth. It didn¡¯t taste familiar; it was a new flavor, almost sour enough to be bitter.


    The taste stimulated Bian Yi¡¯s nerves, quickly waking him up and dispelling his motion sickness.


    With the candy in his mouth, Bian Yi¡¯s mind wandered aimlessly. Did the manufacturer of this candy go bankrupt?


    The candy had no manufacturer; it was privately made.


    Kou Li took back his hand and rubbed his cold fingertips.


    Jian Yi said that the old mirror had shattered and that it was shattered. But a new mirror could be put in the frame. Even if the frame still remembered the broken mirror that had been in it, it was now covered by a new one.


    They didn¡¯t have to intentionally forget or hypnotize themselves that the old scars didn¡¯t exist. They could have new ones ¨C as long as Kou Li didn¡¯t destroy himself and Bian Yi before the new mirror was made.


    The plane had been flying for eight hours and was still in the air.


    Bian Yi had fallen asleep, and Kou Li opened his eyes.


    He looked at the time; they had thirty minutes left until landing.


    Kou Li turned his head to look at Bian Yi, his glasses still on his nose. He hadn¡¯t taken them off during his nap, so he could see the person next to him more clearly through the lenses.


    He was his, not the fake one.


    However, even after confirming this, his gaze remained fixed on Bian Yi¡¯s face.


    Kou Li reached out and touched Bian Yi¡¯s cheek with his fingertips.


    It was warm, it was real.


    Kou Li¡¯s fingertips exerted a little force, moving from Bian Yi¡¯s cheek to his lips.


    His thumb heavily pressed onto Bian Yi¡¯s lips.


    Bian Yi was awakened by Kou Li¡¯s actions.


    He frowned in displeasure and opened his eyes.


    Although he was on guard when he woke up, he still fell into Kou Li¡¯s eyes, which were full of desire to conquer.


    Bian Yi reacted a few seconds too slowly, and Kou Li¡¯s fingers heavily rubbed against his lips for a few seconds.


    Bian Yi subconsciously opened his mouth slightly, and the finger pressed against his lips seemed to want to go further.


    Bian Yi tasted the sweetness of the candy still in his mouth and immediately woke up.


    He immediately turned his head, his heart pounding, gave Kou Li a stern look, and scolded, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Kou Li lowered his head and looked at the wetness on the tip of his finger. He slowly blinked and then his gaze fell on the lips of Bian Yi, which he had just ravaged, which now turned bright red.


    After staring at them for a while, he turned his body to the side. Something was off.


    Bian Yi watched the back of his head and his whole face sank. He couldn¡¯t be sure if Kou Li was having a fit or not, but what he could be certain of was that Kou Li was sick.


    Bian Yi sat up straight. He didn¡¯t know if it was because he had become aware of Kou Li¡¯s illness today or because of the discomfort of being held down by Ko Li just now, but he felt like he had been stabbed in the heart, extremely uncomfortable.


    During the last half hour of the flight, the two of them maintained silence, like the thirty seconds before boarding.


    But this time, Bian Yi¡¯s emotions were not calm during the silence.


    The plane landed and Bian Yi followed Kou Li to the hotel in silence. As soon as he stepped out of the plane, he seemed to wake up from the cold north wind.


    Bian Yi saw that after Kou Li arrived at the hotel, he took a pill, and after taking it, he took off his glasses and massaged his eyes.


    Feeling that Bian Yi had been staring at him since they got off the plane, Ko Li raised his head, looked at Bian Yi with some confusion and amusement, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Kou Li took off his glasses, but his gaze was not accurately focused. Bian Yi couldn¡¯t feel him looking into his eyes, which made him feel uncomfortable.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Bian Yi pursed his lips and avoided Kou Li¡¯s gaze by dragging his luggage and squatting down to tidy his clothes.


    Kou Li didn¡¯t say anything more, nor did he look at Bian Yi again.


    He rested by the window for a while, then had his secretary contact the team that had been previously arranged.


    After completing these tasks, he looked at Bian Yi still organizing his clothes, and said, ¡°Rest today, we¡¯ll go to the snowy mountains tomorrow.¡±


    Bian Yi agreed, but since he was squatting with his back to Kou Li, his voice sounded a bit muffled.


    Kou Li seemed unaware and called Jian Yi to ask about Xiao Shu¡¯s condition.


    Bian Yi turned the entire luggage over, making it even messier. But he didn¡¯t seem to notice, as he continued to rummage through his things.


    Kou Li finally noticed and stood up, walking over to Bian Yi¡¯s side. Bian Yi had turned the luggage over again, making it even more disorganized.


    Kou Li observed Bian Yi¡¯s face, and it seemed like he was lost in thought.


    Kou Li repressed his emotions and squatted down, gently holding Bian Yi¡¯s hands to stop his actions.


    Bian Yi came back to reality and was a bit annoyed, trying to break free from Kou Li¡¯s grip. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Kou Li smiled and didn¡¯t answer Bian Yi¡¯s question. Instead, he asked, ¡°Are you hungry? Want to eat something?¡±


    ¡°Anything¡¯s fine.¡± Bian Yi prepared to stand up, but then he looked at his messy luggage and paused. He then realized why Kou Li didn¡¯t answer him earlier.


    Bian Yi sneered and said to Kou Li, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not crazy. You don¡¯t have to be so cautious.¡±


    After saying that, he looked up at Kou Li and wanted to ask him: But how about you? It seems like you¡¯re even crazier than I am.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t ask in the end.


    Kou Li just smiled gently at him and then put the luggage aside, ordering something for Bian Yi.


    Bian Yi thought that after Kou Li took his medicine, his behavior had been normal and everything was fine.


    However, in the afternoon during their break, he was woken up again by Kou Li.


    Kou Li had one hand stroking his face and the other choking his neck. The hand on his neck was tightening, not like the feeling when Bian Yi first came back.


    What was even more frightening was the deep love on Kou Li¡¯s face.


    The feeling of suffocation was uncomfortable. Bian Yi kicked him, and hit him, trying his best to break Kou Li¡¯s grip, but Kou Li only tightened his grip more.


    He shouted, ¡°Give him back to me, give him back to me¡­¡±


    Kou Li didn¡¯t get a response, and suddenly his expression became fierce as he roared, ¡°Give him back to me!¡±


    As Bian Yi struggled, he heard Kou Li¡¯s voice. For some reason, tears suddenly streamed down Bian Yi¡¯s face, and once they started, they couldn¡¯t stop.


    The feeling of suffocation became even stronger.


    Bian Yi opened his mouth but couldn¡¯t inhale any air. His throat was blocked by something unknown, and he wanted to cry out loudly.


    Suddenly, Kou Li let go of him and anxiously wiped away the tears on Bian Yi¡¯s face.


    ¡°You can¡¯t die, you can¡¯t die. This is Ah-Yi¡¯s body. If you die, what will happen when he comes back?¡±


    Bian Yi laid weakly on the bed, closing his eyes, unable to bear seeing Kou Li¡¯s current appearance.


    He felt very uncomfortable, even more so than when Kou Li had just choked him.


    He could no longer deceive himself. He had to admit that, despite his hatred for Kou Li, he still loved him.


    Kou Li¡¯s mouth was still muttering, many fragments that couldn¡¯t quite form a complete sentence.


    Bian Yi opened his eyes, sat up, wiped away his tears, and stared fiercely at Kou Li.


    Kou Li saw his gaze, froze for a moment, and then held his head in both hands.


    Without giving him time to react, Bian Yi pounced on Kou Li, biting his neck fiercely.


    He used a lot of force, and with that bite, he soon tasted blood.


    The pain woke Kou Li up, and he felt the wetness on his hand. He saw the tear marks on Bian Yi¡¯s face, and Bian Yi was still biting him.


    But Kou Li didn¡¯t push him away. Instead, he tightened his arms and hugged him.


    Bian Yi heard Kou Li let out a sigh from his throat.


    A satisfied sigh.


    He released his teeth and stopped in Kou Li¡¯s arms.


    Similarly, Kou Li didn¡¯t give him a chance to react. He lowered his head and kissed Bian Yi¡¯s lips, which still had his own blood.


    He pressed Bian Yi onto the bed.


    The kiss gradually became rough.


    Kou Li tore off Bian Yi¡¯s clothes.

 CH 26

    Chapter 26


    ¡°Kou Li gave Bian Yi that candy, and it was sweet when eaten to the end. The sweet fruit fragrance lasted for a long time, and even diluted the bloody taste in Bian Yi¡¯s mouth. The person who made it was really creative.


    The lemon yellow packaging paper, lemon yellow candy, tasted sour like a lemon, but as the candy melted in the mouth, the center was sweet. The sweetness was not much different from ordinary candy, but after the taste buds had been invaded by sourness for a long time, when the not-so-special sweetness was tasted, it would be incredibly stunning.


    However, how many people could keep it in their mouth after tasting the candy that was sour enough to soften their teeth?


    They would spit it out as quickly as possible.


    If Bian Yi hadn¡¯t been on the plane, he might not have finished that candy, and he wouldn¡¯t have experienced such a special sour and sweet taste.


    ¡°A little sweet,¡± the man holding Bian Yi¡¯s waist stepped back slightly and whispered his evaluation.


    The lingering sweetness of the candy was shared.


    ¡°Ha¡ª¡± Bian Yi wanted to laugh back at him with a sneer, but before he could finish laughing, his voice was interrupted by Kou Li, turning into a muffled groan.


    Hearing Bian Yi¡¯s voice, Kou Li stopped again.


    He stopped, and his eyes, which had been looking down at Bian Yi, became more focused. He didn¡¯t wear glasses, so it took a little longer to recognize him.


    After recognizing the person, he once again supported Bian Yi¡¯s waist.


    ¡°F*ck!¡± Bian Yi couldn¡¯t take it anymore and cursed, ¡°Are you done yet?¡±


    Just do it or don¡¯t, stop messing around!


    F*ck!¡±


    ¡°Not yet finished, it should still be early.¡± Kou Li replied to Bian Yi¡¯s words and then chuckled softly.


    Bian Yi couldn¡¯t quite tell if Kou Li was acting strange again, because Kou Li¡¯s deliberate and serious tone of reply seemed more like flirting with him.


    As he listened to this person¡¯s laughter, Bian Yi¡¯s expression became strange, or rather, somewhat ashamed.


    Their bodies were intertwined, and Kou Li¡¯s laughter would trigger a trembling sensation in Bian Yi.


    Of course, the feeling was not uncomfortable, but rather-


    Bian Yi had been in a loving marriage with Kou Li for many years, and they hadn¡¯t left anything unexplored. However, this was just a slightly suggestive remark that didn¡¯t quite count as a flirtation, and the slightly ambiguous touch left him a little overwhelmed.


    Bian Yi was quite displeased, so he kicked Kou Li away with one foot, then quickly sat up and took control, not giving Kou Li a chance to pause.


    Kou Li was slightly stunned for a few seconds, then continued to focus on Bian Yi¡¯s face, supporting him.


    This was good, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about making a mistake.


    He seemed easy to talk to, but in fact, Kou Li was easily prone to showing his vicious nature in situations like this, whether in the past or at the moment.


    He liked to see Bian Yi¡¯s expression of collapse because of him.


    He liked to invade every inch of him.


    He liked to see Bian Yi accept him even when he couldn¡¯t bear it.


    Of course, if he really couldn¡¯t bear it, Kou Li would soften his heart and restrain himself, slowing down. But even that kind of restraint was still vicious, as Bian Yi often pushed him off in embarrassment and anger.


    -Just like now.


    Kou Li has many small habits, and Bian Yi has them too.


    Even though they haven¡¯t been together for more than ten years, their bodies seem to remember more than they do.


    For example, Kou Li¡¯s fingers constantly caressed the hollow of Bian Yi¡¯s lower back, and Bian Yi¡¯s heel pressed hard against Kou Li¡¯s knee.


    Perhaps they haven¡¯t noticed, or perhaps they both know ¨C some things have never changed.


    However, the harmonious appearance did not last long.


    Bian Yi could see the tenderness on Kou Li¡¯s face just by looking down, which made him very angry.


    Because he was once addicted to Kou Li¡¯s ¡°gentlemanly beast¡±. Using such a gentle expression, but with the strength of a wild beast, he was controlled and hunted by him, and he could fully experience the man¡¯s strong emotions for him.


    But that was the past.


    They shouldn¡¯t be like this now, and Kou Li shouldn¡¯t be like this.


    Putting on a gentle disguise, does he pretend not to know that he hates him just as much?


    Why be so cautious?


    Both of them have too much to vent, so why restrain themselves with a fake appearance?


    Bian Yi¡¯s face had no trace of a smile, and even held a bit of hatred. His movements began to become crazy.


    His eyes were also a little crazy as he looked at Kou Li.


    Gradually, driven by him, the tenderness on Kou Li¡¯s face finally shattered.


    He sat up, grabbed Bian Yi¡¯s hands with one hand, and roughly held Bian Yi¡¯s waist with the other, his eyes turning red.


    They bit, wrestled, and kept pulling and tearing.


    Like real animals, they lost their minds and were entangled until death.


    There are also other places where the water is deep and the fire is hot (1).


    Guan Xi was thrown on the bed like a rag that had been used and thrown away, or the kind that had been torn apart.


    He was in pain and trembling, but no one in the room saw him, or rather, they saw him but didn¡¯t care.


    Yes, they, not just one person.


    This time Xu Rui brought someone, and Guan Xi was not unfamiliar with this person, Zhuo Feng, an extravagant and philandering rich second-generation.


    He was the first man that Guan Xi failed to conquer in his second playthrough.


    In the first playthrough, Guan Xi failed to conquer Zhuo Feng because he met him too early.


    At that time, Guan Xi had not yet followed Kou Li to the amusement park with Kou Sen.


    And Guan Xi¡¯s courage was not that great yet, he only dared to tease those men, but did not dare to really cheat, mainly because Kou Li looked too scary, making him feel that he would be strangled by him if he got intimate with other men.


    But after the amusement park incident, Kou Li¡¯s control over him weakened, and Guan Xi¡¯s desire for revenge also arose.


    You love Bian Yi the most, right? Then I¡¯ll sleep with other men using Bian Yi¡¯s body. When you see my face, will you still be able to love Bian Yi?


    Guan Xi knew that his thoughts at that time were extremely shameless, so he gave himself a reason that he had to follow:


    ¡°If I can¡¯t conquer Kou Li, I won¡¯t have the cheat code to succeed, then how can I survive in this world? So, I have no choice but to do so, I am forced to.¡±


    Guan Xi put himself in the victim¡¯s position and made an appointment with Zhou Feng. Before they even started, he already looked like he was being bullied. This appearance may have been attractive to many men.


    But Zhuo Feng saw through it at a glance.


    In fact, he was attracted to Guan Xi because he was a married man, and he was playing for excitement.


    Previously, Guan Xi had been playing hard to get, like a chaste and virtuous woman who wouldn¡¯t let him sleep with her, and he had endured it.


    Who knew by making such an appointment with him, Guan Xi¡¯s fake act had already been seen through.


    He mocked Guan Xi: ¡°Darling, your acting skills are too poor. Evil is evil. You put me in the position of a sinner with your pitiful appearance, and I¡¯m really sad.¡±


    Zhuo Feng exposed Guan Xi¡¯s true nature, which made Guan Xi both fearful and angry, so he immediately cut off all contact with Zhuo Feng and stopped communicating with him.


    A promiscuous playboy with money and looks. It was already known that he was unfaithful, but yet he still had people lining up to be with him. Why is that?


    Because people are vain.


    What others can¡¯t get, I can get, and I am more charming than them.


    Guan Xi was even more like this.


    Even after failing, he still couldn¡¯t forget Zhuo Feng, so the first target of his second round of conquest was Zhuo Feng ¨C even though he had no memory of their previous encounter.


    After succeeding in the conquest, Guan Xi¡¯s vanity was satisfied, especially when he saw Zhuo Feng¡¯s 90% favorability rating, and he became even more conceited.


    He started to keep a distance from Zhuo Feng and began to look for the next target.


    Guan Xi trembled as he pulled the blanket off his body, his tears blurring his vision.


    He heard Zhuo Feng telling Xu Rui that his taste was good and that he would invite his friends to taste it.


    Retribution.


    This word, these two syllables, had been repeating in Guan Xi¡¯s mind recently.


    When Guan Xi first arrived in this world, he was most satisfied and fond of this perfect body.


    He used his handsome appearance to gain self-satisfaction from those men, played with their emotions, squeezed points from them, and then threw them away when he was tired of them.


    Now, because he has the same face as Bian Yi, he is imprisoned by the men he once played with, becoming their plaything and tool for release.


    It¡¯s all retribution.


    Guan Xi lay on a dirty and filthy bed, laughing bitterly.


    Laughing at his own greed despite not having the ability, laughing at his own hypocrisy and foolishness, laughing at himself for being the vicious supporting character in the story of Bian Yi and Kou Li, but thinking he was the protagonist.


    Yes, he was so vicious, but pretended to be kind.


    How disgusting.


    No wonder Kou Li and Jian Yi, those two clever perverts, deliberately let him go.


    They must have known that he would encounter real hell after he escaped.


    Guan Xi has figured it out these days.


    He deserves it.


    It¡¯s estimated that people like him can only reflect on themselves in hell.


    Looking back at Bian Yi¡¯s punishment and revenge on him now, it feels like heaven.


    Being imprisoned for sixteen years is still better than now.


    Guan Xi really admires Bian Yi. He is really strong. He can survive and still have sanity in those sixteen years.


    Unlike him, who has almost gone insane in just half a month.


    You see, that¡¯s why Kou Li loves him. He can¡¯t compare with Bian Yi at all.


    No one in the room paid attention to Guan Xi.


    Guan Xi no longer had any expectations in his heart. He pulled the blanket over himself, and at this moment, he heard the laughter of a man.


    He didn¡¯t know if it was Xu Rui or Zhuo Feng, or both of them laughing, as if mocking him for still knowing how to cover himself and feel ashamed.


    Guan Xi also smiled, he was also laughing at them.


    What does it matter if the favourability reaches 100? This favourability is just based on their own desires.


    Speaking of love, but unable to distinguish the real and the fake one. And even if he has figured it out now, he (Xu Rui) is still doing such disgusting things behind his back (Bian Yi¡¯s).


    This disgusting feeling is not worthy of being called love.


    Kou Li loves Bian Yi.


    That man.


    Let Guan Xi envy and be jealous of Kou Li¡¯s true feelings.


    Now that he understands, he can comprehend many things when he thinks back to the past.


    For example, after the amusement park, Kou Li still couldn¡¯t confirm whether his body really belonged to Bian Yi. But he indulged him and let him find other men.


    There was even a time when Kou Li saw him intimate with someone else.


    At that time, Kou Li¡¯s eyes were very complicated.


    At that time, Guan Xi was only concerned about fear and did not investigate further.


    Now he understands.


    The deepest feeling in Kou Li¡¯s eyes is undoubtedly hatred, followed by disgust and indifference, and finally pleading.


    Guan Xi believed that Kou Li was begging Bian Yi to come back.


    After punishing him enough, he wanted Bian Yi to come back.


    Kou Li seemed to think that part of the reason for Bian Yi¡¯s departure was because of himself.


    Guan Xi didn¡¯t know what conflict existed between the two. But Kou Li gave him that impression.


    He indulged Guan Xi to be with other men, and he knew and even saw it. This is undoubtedly a huge blow to a lover, but Kou Li endured it. He hoped that after accepting this punishment, the departed Bian Yi could forgive him and come back to him.


    Unfortunately, reality is not like that.


    In the previous life, Jian Yi also appeared, but he didn¡¯t behave as twisted as in this life. He met Guan Xi and interpreted some information from him.


    Later on, Kou Li never appeared in front of Guan Xi again.


    Guan Xi also didn¡¯t know what Kou Li was doing, until he was caught by Kou Li and taken to the island, he never saw him again.


    As for why Kou Li died, Guan Xi didn¡¯t know either.


    He was very tired and sleepy, thinking too hard about a question without an answer was too exhausting.


    He was still afraid of death, and after waking up, he would have to face a new hell. So he went to sleep. Only in his dreams could he still see the light.


    ¡­¡­


    Night has fallen.


    Near the snow-capped mountain, the starry sky is extremely beautiful after nightfall.


    Bian Yi licked his lips and lay on the bed, looking at the stars outside the window without the energy to move.


    A cup of water was handed to him by Kou Li, blocking Bian Yi¡¯s view of the stars.


    Bian Yi began to frown again in dissatisfaction, but he was too weak. He didn¡¯t have the energy to talk or push Kou Li¡¯s hand away.


    So he had to accept Kou Li¡¯s half-helping him up and feeding him water. After drinking the water and lying back down, Bian Yi¡¯s frown deepened.


    It really fucking hurts.


    His whole body was in pain.


    But the pain was so real that it made people feel at ease.


    Compared to Bian Yi, Kou Li was not much better off.


    When Bian Yi kicked or bit him, he didn¡¯t use much strength.


    But those injuries and pains only made Kou Li feel pleasure.


    There was no moment like just now that made Kou Li feel Bian Yi¡¯s true existence.


    His mood was good and relaxed.


    The two of them slept quietly on the same bed, without looking at each other or communicating.


    One looked at the chandelier, and the other looked at the stars outside the window.


    They were both very bright.


    (1) Idiom used to describe someone in deep distress

 CH 27

    Chapter 27: Physical discomfort


    When he woke up in the morning, Bian Yi could already hear Kou Li talking on the phone in the local language, which Bian Yi could only vaguely understand. Kou Li told the person on the other end that he wasn¡¯t feeling well today, and would rest for another day before going to the snow mountain tomorrow. Bian Yi couldn¡¯t hear the other person¡¯s response. He only stared at the bruise on his wrist that Kou Li had pinched yesterday, rolling his eyes fiercely. He now truly believed how reserved Kou Li had been with him before. When this man went crazy, he seemed to want to eat him whole.


    But thinking of himself, Bian Yi closed his eyes, feeling a warm feeling spreading across his face, somewhat annoyed. He didn¡¯t seem to be much different from Kou Li. Now that he was sober, Bian Yi could hardly believe that he was the person from yesterday.


    Kou Li hung up the phone, and Bian Yi felt him get up. The soft bed shook slightly and then returned to calmness. Then Kou Li¡¯s footsteps echoed in the room, slowly getting farther away. But soon, the footsteps returned.


    Bian Yi opened his eyes and saw Kou Li¡¯s clothes corner in the corner of his eye. Kou Li walked to the side of the bed where Bian Yi was sleeping, squatted down, and silently placed the medicine box in his hand on the floor. Then he took out a bottle of medicine, dipped a cotton swab in the liquid, and pulled Bian Yi¡¯s hand with the bruise out from under the pillow.


    The icy medicine was applied to his skin, but after three seconds, it started to feel warm. Bian Yi watched him quietly without pulling his hand away. He didn¡¯t need to be coy or dramatic in front of him. Besides, Kou Li had already applied medicine on him once last night.


    It got dark very early here, and it was not even six o¡¯clock when it turned dark yesterday. Both of them were very tired, and they didn¡¯t even have dinner. In the middle of the night, when Bian Yi was half asleep, he felt Kou Li messing with him again. He wanted to give him a kick, but then the cold sensation of the ointment made him realize what Kou Li was doing. At that time, Bian Yi¡¯s body stiffened for a moment before letting Kou Li do whatever he wanted.


    There was nothing to be ashamed of. Was there any part of his body that Kou Li hadn¡¯t touched?


    It¡¯s not like they were still in the early stages of love where a touch feels like an electric shock and the heart stays warm for a while. After getting married for a year or two, when Kou Li held his hand, it felt no different than holding his own right hand.


    But perhaps it was because they were separated for too long, now when Kou Li touches him, the sensation is just as clear as it was in the early stages of love.


    Kou Li finished applying medicine to one hand and then reached out for Bian Yi¡¯s other hand. As Kou Li¡¯s fingers touched Bian Yi¡¯s arm, it felt different from yesterday on the plane. Now Kou Li¡¯s fingertips and palms were warm, probably because of the heated floor in the room.


    Bian Yi sat up and looked down as Kou Li applied medicine to his hand. He wanted to say something but remained silent for a while before asking, ¡°Was that the guide from earlier?¡±


    Upon hearing Bian Yi¡¯s voice, Kou Li looked up at him and replied, ¡°Yes, I told them we won¡¯t go today.¡±


    Kou Li had bite marks on his face, close to his left ear, from when Bian Yi had bitten him the day before. Because he had bitten too hard, the marks were now red, and small injuries like these are the most painful when they turn red. A touch would send a sharp pain to the heart.


    Bian Yi stared at the mark and momentarily forgot what to say.


    Then, Kou Li released Bian Yi¡¯s left hand and said, ¡°Stretch out your leg.¡±


    As Bian Yi regained his senses, he had already lifted the blanket and put one foot on the leg where Kou Li had crouched down. Through the thin fabric of his clothes, he could feel Kou Li¡¯s muscles tense up when he bent down.


    Bian Yi gritted his teeth and suppressed the desire to curl his toes.


    Kou Li pulled up the blanket around Bian Yi¡¯s waist, exposing his skin to the air. Unable to resist, Bian Yi curled his toes again.


    As Kou Li applied another type of medicine to the inside of his thigh, Bian Yi trembled uncontrollably. Then, he heard Kou Li¡¯s laughter.


    He was laughing at him.


    Bian Yi half-squinted his eyes and then scoffed.


    He waited for Kou Li to finish applying the medicine and then, as Kou Li stood up, Bian Yi grabbed his arm and pulled him to sit down next to him. He took the medicine from Kou Li¡¯s hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s my turn. Where¡¯s your injury? Let me help you.¡±


    Bian Yi straddled Kou Li¡¯s lap, holding the medicine close to him. His lips curved into a smile as he looked into Kou Li¡¯s face. As he dabbed the cotton swab with medicine on Kou Li¡¯s face, Bian Yi could feel Kou Li¡¯s body tense up.


    ¡°Heh,¡± Bian Yi laughed lightly in response to Kou Li¡¯s reaction.


    After treating their injuries back and forth, half an hour had already passed. When Kou Li took the first aid kit and said he was going to cook, Bian Yi only realized afterward that everything they had just gone through was just the aftermath of a couple¡¯s argument.


    Bian Yi¡¯s brow furrowed heavily and he cursed.


    Kou Li went to the kitchen, where the ingredients he had ordered from the hotel had already been delivered. He couldn¡¯t suppress the smile on his face, a genuine one that was different from the gentle smile he usually faked.


    It had been a long, long time since he had been this happy, so long that he thought he would never be able to feel this kind of joy again.


    Kou Li put down the ingredients and looked at the kitchen that came with the suite, letting out a silent sigh.


    It had been a long time since he had cooked, and he didn¡¯t know if he would be able to do it successfully.


    Kou Li opened the bag of ingredients and immediately saw the Chinese yam inside.


    The smile on Kou Li¡¯s face disappeared instantly. He pulled the bag open as wide as he could and threw the yam into the trash can.


    It didn¡¯t matter, there were other things.


    One by one, things kept falling into the trash can, making a loud noise.


    Kou Li saw the empty bag he had just thrown away and felt a little anxious.


    What else did A-Yi like that Guan Xi had never tried?


    He forgot, he had forgotten, how could he forget?!


    ¡°Bang¨C¡°


    There were continuous sounds coming from the kitchen. With a room separating them, it was not very clear, but the last sound was very much like something being knocked over.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Bian Yi hurriedly grabbed something to put on and rushed toward the kitchen.


    Bian Yi opened the kitchen door and saw a mess all over the floor. Ingredients, chopping boards, and kitchenware were all scattered on the ground.


    Kou Li was pressing the function key on the kitchen counter. Bian Yi took a glance and saw it was the simple self-cooking mode, which did not require kitchenware, temperature, or pose any danger.


    Kou Li did not have any dangerous knives in his hand either.


    Bian Yi breathed a sigh of relief, stepped over the scattered items, and walked over to pull down Kou Li¡¯s other hand, which he was using to knock his own head.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be cooking? What are you doing?¡± Bian Yi¡¯s words trembled lightly, even he did not realize it.


    Kou Li heard the familiar voice and slowly looked up at Bian Yi. After a while, he recognized him and looked at him with some distress. ¡°Ah-Yi, what do you want to eat?¡±


    Kou Li was used to restraint in front of Bian Yi, and many emotions were not expressed strongly, just like the distress he was showing now, which seemed only a little bit. It seemed like the problem could be solved as long as Bian Yi answered.


    However seeing Kou Li¡¯s true emotions yesterday, Bian Yi knew that his distress was not just a little bit.


    Bian Yi caught a glimpse of the yams in the trash can and felt like something had stabbed his heart.


    On the night he was kidnapped, Kou Li made him pork ribs with yams at home, but in the end, the dish was eaten by Guan Xi.


    Bian Yi understood why Kou Li suddenly fell ill again.


    Bian Yi took a deep breath, forced a smile at Kou Li, and suppressed the bitterness in his throat. He said casually, ¡°It¡¯s okay, just cook some porridge. I don¡¯t want to eat vegetables.¡±


    Kou Li breathed a sigh of relief and smiled tenderly at Bian Yi. ¡°Wait for me, it¡¯ll be ready in a bit.¡±


    Bian Yi watched him start cleaning up the kitchen in an orderly manner, biting his finger joints to prevent his throat from being blocked.


    Bian Yi¡¯s finger joints had a few marks from where he bit them, which he quickly let go of.


    He took another deep breath and stood at the kitchen door, taking out his phone and finding the simple phone number.


    Jian Yi was drinking tea with his old classmates. After receiving Bian Yi¡¯s call, he smiled apologetically at his friend, stood up, and went to answer the phone outside.


    At this time, a person had just arrived at the clinic, a child wearing a hoodie and black-framed glasses, and a woman in a red dress and high heels.


    Jian Yi politely nodded to them and walked a few steps away before answering Bian Yi¡¯s call.


    Jian Yi had a warm smile on his face, but his words were vague. ¡°It¡¯s you who called me. Is Kou Li in trouble?¡±


    Bian Yi asked him directly, ¡°How does he take his medicine?¡±


    Jian Yi lazily replied as if he didn¡¯t understand Bian Yi¡¯s urgency, ¡°You should ask your husband. He knows it himself.¡±


    Bian Yi became a little angry, ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to joke with you. How exactly should he take it? How much should he take every day? What does the medicine look like?¡±


    Jian Yi calmed down a bit, but still did not answer the question, ¡°Mr. Bian, a heart disease needs heart medicine. Medicine is only an aid. Do you know that? The medicine that Kou Li needs is you.¡±


    There was silence on the phone for a long time. Jian Yi didn¡¯t hear a reply, but he wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He then told Bian Yi one by one about the medicine Kou Li needed and how to take it.


    Finally, at the end of the call, he provided Bian Yi with a powerful supplementary medicine, ¡°If you want him to recover quickly, you can also mention your Xiao Shu at home.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I have something else to do. Have a pleasant trip.¡±


    Listening to Jian Yi¡¯s words, Bian Yi couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Talking to you, Dr. Jian, is really unpleasant.¡±


    On the other end, Jian Yi smiled and didn¡¯t care at all.


    Bian Yi hung up the phone, and Kou Li had already cleaned up the kitchen.


    A pot of white porridge was simmering on the stove, and the water had just boiled.


    At this moment, Kou Li caught sight of Bian Yi standing at the door and said helplessly to him, ¡°Are you already hungry? Why don¡¯t you have something else to eat first?¡±


    Bian Yi looked at Kou Li seriously, and he seemed to be fine.


    Bian Yi looked at him and shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±


    Jian Yi finished the call with Bian Yi and came back from the other room.


    This was a dental clinic, opened by one of his university classmates.


    Pushing the door open, the dentist was treating a youth who had just arrived.


    The boy looked eighteen or nineteen years old, and he had taken off his hoodie and hat. His light gray hair was incredibly soft. The thick, clumsy black-framed glasses had also been removed, and the boy¡¯s features became three-dimensional in an instant.


    He was a very well-behaved child, and upon closer inspection, he resembled Kou Li¡¯s wife by two points.


    No wonder.


    Jian Yi took his eyes off him and looked at his classmate, ¡°Looks like you¡¯re still busy?¡±


    The dentist shrugged and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±


    Jian Yi sighed slightly disappointedly and said, ¡°Well, how about we eat together next time?¡±


    The dentist replied, ¡°That¡¯s settled then! You have to remember what you said today and praise me to your junior sister when you go back.¡±


    Jian Yi waved her hand and replied, ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll leave now.¡±


    As Jian Yi walked to the door, she heard her classmates inside shouting at the patient who had just arrived.


    ¡°Hey, hey¡­ your saliva is flowing out again. Come rinse your mouth.¡±


    Jiang Shi¡¯s face turned red inside. Why was he embarrassed? The beauty absolutely did not see the saliva flowing from his mouth. And it was a natural reaction caused by the dentist looking at his teeth for too long and his mouth staying open for too long!


    However, it had to be said that the person just now was quite good-looking.


    The system waited until Jian Yi had completely left before daring to speak.


    ¡°That person just now was a pervert!¡±


    It had to warn this mentally ill new host not to get close to that pervert just because he was good-looking. Who knows, it was almost scared to death when it saw Jian Yi just now.


    That pervert was the most perverted human it had ever seen.


    He even invited it into his mind. What a madman!


    A pervert?


    Jiang Shi immediately became unhappy.


    How could someone who looks so good be a pervert?


    This garbage pirated book is full of bugs and now it is casually slandering people.


    Humph, it¡¯s really a bad thing!


    Damn it.


    The system spat out. It finally spoke the truth, but this idiot doesn¡¯t believe it!


    Once again, the system wanted to die together with this new host.

 CH 28

    Chapter 28: Twisted Romance


    Jiang Jie didn¡¯t notice the embarrassing behavior of her artist, she watched Jian Yi leave the clinic and turned to ask the doctor, ¡°Dr. Huang, who was that just now? What does he do?¡±


    The doctor looked up at her, and Jiang Shi was a familiar face, so naturally, he knew what she was thinking. He smiled and said, ¡°Why, do you think he¡¯s good-looking and want to recruit him as a star?¡±


    Jiang Jie flipped her hair and smiled, ¡°No, just asking casually.¡±


    If it wasn¡¯t to recruit him as a star, then it must be because he¡¯s handsome. The doctor showed an ¡°I understand¡± expression and continued, ¡°He¡¯s my former college classmate. He¡¯s different from us ordinary people, he¡¯s a genius among geniuses. You see, he looks younger than me, but he has already won many academic awards. Ah, some people are incomparable.¡±


    Jiang Jie was surprised, ¡°So amazing?¡±


    ¡°Of course. He now has his own clinic specializing in psychology, but only for the wealthy.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Jiang Jie¡¯s interest immediately waned, and her smile faded a bit. ¡°What, does he have class discrimination?¡±


    The doctor shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. Being a psychologist is just his hobby. His real talent lies in biology. He now has his own laboratory, not just one but more. You know Senyuan, right? Artificial gene synthesis, that¡¯s his masterpiece.¡±


    Jiang Jie¡¯s interest was completely lost. The gap was too great. Even if she managed to hook up with him, at most it would only be a fleeting romance.


    After chatting with the handsome guy they just met, Jiang Jie went to see her artist.


    She exclaimed, ¡°Xiao Shitou (1), you¡¯re not in pain today?¡±


    Jiang Shi couldn¡¯t speak for the time being but blinked bravely to indicate that he was no longer afraid of pain.


    However, his ears slowly turned red. He coughed, having been too engrossed in listening, and forgot about the pain. He definitely wouldn¡¯t tell Jiang Jie.


    After leaving the clinic, he took a break for a while, and the system regained its energy to compete with the new host.


    It thought of the new host¡¯s aversion to encountering Kou Li, so it said, ¡°[That person just now is Kou Li¡¯s friend.]¡±


    Jiang Shi put on his disguise and got into the nanny¡¯s car. Upon seeing the words on the sign, he sighed, ¡°As expected, powerful people only associate with other powerful people.¡±


    The system:¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to have any connection with Kou Li? Shouldn¡¯t you avoid getting close to his friends?¡± the system asked.


    Jiang Shi detected a hint of irritability from the words.


    He was surprised and asked the voice in his head, ¡°Who are you exactly? Why are you so impatient? Do I really need to follow your plot? Is it that important to you?¡±


    ¡°Woah, could it be an alien trying to control my mind?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit scared. If I complete your plot, will it fully take over my mind? Is it just my imagination?¡±


    ¡°By the way, the person I just saw seemed to be a psychiatrist. Should I ask Dr. Huang for his contact information next time? We could go see a movie together.¡±


    ¡°Ha, it¡¯s a win-win situation. I¡¯m a genius!¡±


    Jiang Shi¡¯s thoughts were very active. In just a few seconds, he had run through many ideas in his head.


    The system listened, but it wanted to eat this idiot¡¯s brain.


    It couldn¡¯t understand why Jiang Shi had a rebellious mindset. The system told him not to go, yet he insisted on going.


    Damn it! If only it didn¡¯t bring it up, maybe this guy wouldn¡¯t have thought of going to see Jian Yi.


    It regretted finding such a stupid host.


    It must find a way to prevent this idiot from meeting Jian Yi.


    If this idiot says just a few more words, that pervert could know everything.


    Plus, the sudden appearance of Jian Yi made it think that it was related to the earlier probe.


    If its energy was enough, it would have run away as soon as it saw Jian Yi.


    But now that it couldn¡¯t escape, it had to make sure that this host would not get close to Jian Yi.


    ¡­¡­


    There were two bowls of white congee on the table, cooked until soft and fragrant.


    As he took a sip, Bian Yi could taste a hint of sweetness. This type of congee didn¡¯t need any accompanying dishes to be enjoyable.


    Kou Li sat across from Bian Yi, spooning a mouthful of congee. Before he could even bring it to his mouth, he looked at Bian Yi with a smile and asked, ¡°How is it? It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve made it¡­¡±


    Bian Yi took another spoonful and blew on it twice before taking a bite and making a sound of approval.


    Kou Li¡¯s smile deepened slightly, and he stopped asking questions, bowing his head to eat.


    After finishing their simple breakfast in silence, half an hour later, Bian Yi handed Kou Li a glass of water as he stared at the topographic map of the snowy mountains. His tone was not gentle at all, and he sounded impatient and cold.


    ¡°Take your medicine.¡±


    Kou Li closed his notebook and looked into Bian Yi¡¯s eyes.


    There was anxiety and regret hiding in them.


    Kou Li lowered his eyes and took the glass of water from Bian Yi¡¯s hand. When he was cooking the congee just now, he had already realized that he was having an attack in front of Bian Yi.


    Kou Li couldn¡¯t fully remember the events, but thankfully he had some recollection. He hadn¡¯t done anything irreversible to Bian Yi.


    Kou Li stood up and placed the glass on the coffee table. Even though Bian Yi was looking at him with impatience, he still poured a glass of water for himself and handed one to Bian Yi.


    Bian Yi was confused but accepted the glass.


    Then, Kou Li took out two boxes from his luggage.


    The boxes were a birthday gift that Bian Yi had given Kou Li a long time ago.


    Bian Yi had spent a long time picking them out and had really liked them at the time, but they were actually small storage boxes that weren¡¯t very useful.


    Back then, he seemed to still be in high school and had the mentality of a young man, wanting to give his boyfriend a box and then write a love letter to hide in the box for them to read together when they were old and gray.


    Later, when he grew up, Bian Yi remembered this and cringed at himself.


    What was even worse was that he had actually written the letter, and one night when they were in the act, Kou Li had asked him to read it aloud. Bian Yi had nearly died on the spot that night.


    Because the incident was so long ago, Bian Yi wouldn¡¯t have remembered it if he hadn¡¯t seen the boxes.


    But he never expected Kou Li to keep them all this time.


    The box that was supposed to hold the letters from the two lovers now contained each of their small medicine bottles.


    What a twisted and ironic romance, thought Bian Yi.


    ¡°I had Jian Yi prescribe some medicine, it¡¯s just to calm the mind and relieve emotions, there are no side effects.¡± Kou Li handed Bian Yi his box.


    Bian Yi silently took the box and opened it. Inside was a simple note that described how to take the medicine and its effects.


    When he talked to Jian Yi earlier, he didn¡¯t mention anything about it.


    Bian Yi had a feeling that Jian Yi wanted Kou Li to give him the medicine.


    What kind of doctor was he? So careless and irresponsible.


    Half an hour ago, the two of them had finished drinking porridge together. Half an hour later, they finished taking the medicine together.


    They could be considered to have shared the joys and sorrows.


    Bian Yi thought of a cold joke.


    Today, they didn¡¯t go to the snowy mountain, mainly to rest.


    After taking the medicine, Bian Yi prepared to go to sleep.


    This time, Kou Li didn¡¯t prepare it in private, but instead placed the sleeping pills by Bian Yi¡¯s pillow.


    Now Bian Yi finally understood why he was able to fall asleep when he slept with Kou Li before.


    It was meaningless to dwell on these things now. Bian Yi closed his eyes, opened them again, and looked back at Kou Li sitting on the sofa, furrowing his brows and asking, ¡°Aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡±


    Kou Li was stunned for a moment, then pushed his glasses and got up from the sofa.


    He answered, ¡°Yes, I am. I¡¯ll go to sleep now.¡±


    Upon hearing his answer, Bian Yi turned his head away.


    After a while, Bian Yi felt the other side of the bed sink slightly, very lightly.


    The two lay on the same bed with a wide gap between them.


    Bian Yi closed his eyes and couldn¡¯t fall asleep for a while.


    Perhaps those two boxes had dredged up memories from a long time ago. Bian Yi felt that the distance between them was very empty behind him. Though he was covered with a quilt, it felt like there was a draft.


    Bian Yi changed his posture and lay flat, so there was no draft on his back.


    But after a while, he still couldn¡¯t fall asleep.


    Bian Yi was a bit annoyed. Could Kou Li¡¯s medicine bag be fake?


    The next moment, he felt Kou Li move too.


    ¡°Ah Yi, can I hold you to sleep?¡± Kou Li spoke softly, like he was talking in his sleep.


    Gentle and pleading.


    Bian Yi was pricked again.


    He really hated this kind of Kou Li.


    Bian Yi turned over, facing Kou Li¡¯s direction.


    Sure enough, Kou Li hadn¡¯t fallen asleep either.


    He looked at Bian Yi for a while, and then the gap in the bed was filled.


    Kou Li¡¯s hand was placed on Bian Yi¡¯s waist, and Bian Yi curled up in Kou Li¡¯s arms.


    After a few breaths, they both fell asleep.


    The next day, the weather in the snow mountain was still good.


    Kou Li had already chosen a date, and the weather had naturally been observed by professionals.


    Bian Yi wore warm clothes and went into the snow mountain with the team hired by Kou Li.


    The guide leading the team was very familiar with the snow mountain, and the weather was good, so they went smoothly. The cold-proof and emergency equipment in the car were also sufficient.


    And what Kou Li was looking for was a special substance. He told Bian Yi that by using this substance, the system he was studying could be extracted, and with the shielding and protective device he had already made, the system could not escape.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t understand those special professional things, so Kou Li only told him what he could understand.


    But because it sounded too simple, it seemed somewhat unreal.


    Could the system that had been bothering him for so long really be caught by Kou Li? Once caught, could it really not escape?


    In Bian Yi¡¯s mind, there was also a system, but when he heard someone say that they could extract it from his mind, it had no response.


    Bian Yi simply ignored it.


    As long as he didn¡¯t guess or think about it, he could temporarily avoid knowing the truth.


    He was being treated, and Kou Li was being treated as well.


    Wait a little longer, until he was feeling better, and then tell him what this revenge system that saved him is.


    Everything went surprisingly smoothly. The team only spent one day in the snow mountains to find what Kou Li needed.


    They used the equipment that Kou Li brought to pack up the things, started the engine of the car, and headed back on the same road they came from.


    It was just getting dark.


    Looking at Bian Yi¡¯s dazed look, Kou Li took off his gloves and took off Bian Yi¡¯s gloves, touching his hand. It wasn¡¯t too cold.


    Kou Li put the gloves back on Bian Yi¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Bian Yi also came back to his senses, ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s much faster than I imagined.¡±


    At this moment, the secretary sitting in front of them spoke, ¡°Mr. Bian, you only feel like today is fast. In fact, the preparation work has been done for a full month, and the location has been surveyed. Mr. Kou never acts when the conditions are not sufficient.¡±


    Bian Yi thought for a moment and nodded, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡±


    Indeed, Kou Li has always been a one-hit-wonder, ensuring that nothing will go wrong. Unlike Kou Li, he goes out on adventures with excitement and believes he is fully prepared, but in reality, there are many flaws.


    However, perhaps it is precisely because Kou Li is by his side that his adventure preparations are never adequate.


    The return journey was also very smooth, and Kou Li asked for Bian Yi¡¯s opinion. In the end, the two decided to return that night.


    Until the plane took off, Bian Yi was still in a daze.


    Everything went too smoothly, and Bian Yi¡¯s thoughts were drifting. Unrealistically, he wondered if he and Kou Li were characters in a novel. He even suspected that their encounters were too tragic, and today¡¯s smoothness was the author¡¯s mercy, not adding more disasters to them.


    He actually had many questions, but he didn¡¯t dare to ask them easily at the moment. So he could only think of other things in his mind.


    After a while, there was something he could ask, and he wanted to know.


    He asked Kou Li about Xiao Shu- Xiao Shu from the previous life.


    Kou Li was silent for a while, as if also considering what he could tell Bian Yi.


    ¡°When Xiao Shu was seven years old, I told him that his dad at home was fake and that his real dad was kidnapped by bad guys,¡± Kou Li raised his head and looked at Bian Yi. ¡°Will you blame me? Telling such cruel things to such a young child.¡±


    Bian Yi was stunned.


    Kou Li continued, ¡°After I told him, he went to the room where I stored your old things. Maybe the room was too dark, and he fell. But that child didn¡¯t cry. He told me he wanted to save his dad.¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s eyes were sore.


    He closed his eyes and asked Kou Li, ¡°Did you take him to the hospital later? Was he seriously injured?¡±


    Kou Li answered, ¡°Yes, we went, but it wasn¡¯t serious. However, he was given a wheelchair.¡±


    Ha, the system!


    It was deliberate that his second escape was set up by it.


    No wonder he saw the small tree¡¯s appearance in the hospital.


    (1) In Chinese culture, it is common to give nicknames to friends or loved ones as a sign of endearment. In this case, the character ½ª½ã (Ji¨¡ng ji¨§) calls ½­Ê¯ (Ji¨¡ng sh¨ª) ¡°Ð¡Ê¯Í·¡± (xi¨£o sh¨ª t¨®u), which means ¡°little rock¡± or ¡°little stone.¡± It is likely that this nickname was given to ½­Ê¯ by ½ª½ã because of his surname (Ji¨¡ng) and the fact that ½­Ê¯ sounds like ¡°stone¡± in Chinese. The nickname also expresses a sense of affection and closeness between them.

 CH 29

    Chapter 29: He¡¯s still late


    By carefully recalling the scene of his second escape from the dark room, he felt his emotions fluctuate as he witnessed the devil¡¯s cruel treatment of his Xiao Shu under that bright screen. For a long time after that, he felt lost and confused.


    When he finally regained some clarity, he successfully escaped for the second time.


    Later, he saw his Xiao Shu in the hospital.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t know what the true purpose of that system was, but it seemed to know exactly how to deal with him in order to achieve the best results.


    Initially, it had succeeded.


    He wanted nothing more than to chop up that despicable person into mincemeat, and to kill Kou Li, who had failed to protect his Xiao Shu.


    He also thought about how he could end his useless and ridiculous life.


    Bian Yi sighed heavily and closed his eyes, leaning back in his seat.


    Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t real.


    It was just his own nightmare.


    Bian Yi couldn¡¯t help but wonder if his first escape was also a nightmare.


    That place was impregnable, with no visible weaknesses. Without the system, the possibility of him escaping on his own was close to zero.


    Why did they send him out for a minute or two back then?


    To break his spirit? To make him more resentful?


    The amusement park¡­ Look at them, they¡¯re a real family of three.


    What are you? Nothing but a nameless cannon fodder destined to be replaced.


    At the time, he didn¡¯t know the truth about the novel, so he kept asking ¡°why¡± over and over again.


    Now, Bian Yi didn¡¯t feel that getting what Kou Li needed today was unreal at all. He just wanted to go back quickly, wait for Kou Li to complete his research, and extract and destroy that system from Jiang Shi¡¯s mind.


    He even wanted Kou Li to add a feature to his research that would allow the system to feel pain, so that it could experience the excruciating pain that it had caused them.


    ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± Bian Yi suddenly remembered Kou Li¡¯s last words and said with disgust, ¡°What kind of friends do you have? Giving wheelchairs so easily?¡±


    Kou Li chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s just how he is. He and Xiao Shu had a good relationship, and they even collaborated and won an award together. There¡¯s a room in the house dedicated to Xiao Shu¡¯s trophies. Before I¡­ the room was almost full, and the trophies are all very beautiful.¡±


    Bian Yi snorted. He could tell that Jian Yi had often visited Kou Li¡¯s home during the time he was away.


    Although Jian Yi¡¯s character wasn¡¯t very good, his professional expertise was undeniable, and he must have given Xiao Shu a lot of help.


    Just as he had hoped, Xiao Shu later became a great scientist.


    But what was Kou Li about to say before? What was the word he didn¡¯t say?


    Bian Yi looked at Kou Li, who was still speaking, ¡°I haven¡¯t taken you to that room since you came back. When we go back, I¡¯ll take you to see it.¡±


    Bian Yi lowered his brows and nodded in agreement. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Since he wasn¡¯t saying anything else, he didn¡¯t ask much more, lest he asks something that Kou Li couldn¡¯t bear.


    The journey was long and tiring, and after chatting for a while, the two of them rested.


    What Kou Li didn¡¯t finish saying was, ¡°Before he died.¡±


    Before Kou Li died, he filled the room where Xiao Shu stored his trophies with various colorful trophies, each one shining brightly. But Xiao Shu, who stood among countless trophies, was not happy.


    His eyes, which were very similar to Bian Yi¡¯s, were always filled with sadness. He always looked at Kou Li and said, crying but not daring to cry, ¡°Dad, take a break. I¡¯ll work hard. Dad will definitely come back.¡±


    ¡°Dad, you should eat something.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Jian has made a new medicine. Do you want to try it and take a nap?¡±


    Kou Li slept uneasily because, after talking to Bian Yi about Xiao Shu growing up, he dreamed of the shadows of the previous Xiao Shu. But in each shadow, Xiao Shu was crying.


    When he was very young, he cried from eating an unripe fruit.


    As he grew older, he was rejected by his classmates, who called him a ¡°monster,¡± and he cried to Kou Li, feeling wronged. ¡°The question was so simple. Why did they insult me when they couldn¡¯t do it themselves?!¡±


    Later, when he grew a bit taller, he held Kou Li¡¯s hand and cried without making a sound, tears streaming down his face, beside his hospital bed.


    After that, he grew up quickly and rarely cried, but he still did sometimes. He happily hugged Kou Li, tears in his eyes, and said with a smile, ¡°Dad! We did it! We really did it, look!¡±


    But his smile didn¡¯t last long, instead, tears welled up in his eyes more and more.


    ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡± In his dream, Kou Li heard his own voice, feeling exhausted. ¡°It¡¯s too late, I¡¯m too late. He¡¯s dead. He¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°Xiao Shu, Xiao Shu ¨C he¡¯s dead, Ah Yi is dead, he didn¡¯t wait for me.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve succeeded, why? Why didn¡¯t he wait for me, just one more minute, one more minute and I could have saved him.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me, why did you give up? Why¡­¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡± Kou Li heard Xiao Shu¡¯s shocked voice in his ear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t,¡± Xiao Shu wiped the blood from Kou Li¡¯s mouth, his tone panicked as he never had been before, it was the most violent Kou Li had ever seen him cry, ¡°Dad, don¡¯t, don¡¯t¡­ You¡¯re mistaken! The research hasn¡¯t succeeded, it¡¯s this machine that¡¯s malfunctioning, we¡¯ll do it again, Dad -¡°


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t. Look at me, look at me! I haven¡¯t grown up yet. Are you really not going to accompany me to grow up? I haven¡¯t fallen in love, I haven¡¯t gotten married. Don¡¯t leave me, don¡¯t abandon me!¡±


    ¡°Dad, Daddy¡­¡±


    Kou Li woke up suddenly.


    Everything in the dream slowly faded away as he woke up, leaving no trace after a few more seconds.


    Kou Li rubbed his temples, looked down at his watch, and saw that there was still an hour left.


    Through the window, he could see the sunlight in the clouds, which was beautiful and the typical morning view.


    Eighteen years old, shining brightly like the morning sun (1).


    Their Xiao Shu was really amazing. He was only eighteen years old at that time, and he was already so outstanding.


    If Ah Yi knew, he would be very proud, wouldn¡¯t he?


    Kou Li smiled, got up and freshened up, had a cup of coffee brought by his secretary, and then began to immerse himself in his work.


    Their efforts, Kou Li¡¯s and Xiao Shu¡¯s, would soon be over in just another month or two.


    When the dark clouds disappeared, their family would still live under this beautiful sunshine.


    (1) ¡°Ê®°ËË꣬È糯ÑôµÄÊ®°ËËꡱ literally translates to ¡°18 years old, like the rising sun at 18¡±. This sentence uses a metaphor comparing a person¡¯s age to the rising sun. In Chinese culture, the rising sun is often associated with the beginning of a new day and represents hope, vitality, and energy. The phrase ¡°È糯Ñô¡± (like the rising sun) is often used to describe a young person who is full of vitality and energy, just like the sun rising at the start of a new day. So in this context, the sentence means that the person being referred to is 18 years old and full of youthful energy and potential, just like the rising sun at the start of a new day. I didn¡¯t think it made much sense to say it in the literal sense so I altered it slightly.

 CH 30

    Chapter 30: Someone he can rely on


    After the trip to the snow-capped mountains was over, Kou Li immediately threw himself into work, spending most of his time in the laboratory every day.


    This made Bian Yi feel somewhat uncomfortable, or more precisely, it reminded him of a period of time when they had just finished their honeymoon.


    At that time, Bian Yi had taken two months off for their honeymoon. In the first week after their wedding, they were like a couple in a honey jar, so sweet that their teeth hurt.


    After a week, Bian Yi started to feel a bit overwhelmed. However, it was a sweet trouble, and Bian Yi still enjoyed it. Then, after a month, the sweet trouble escalated into sweet fear.


    Kou Li was really too much for him, and he just couldn¡¯t keep up. He would collapse every other day, and it was too much for him.


    Kou Li received the sign from his lover and quickly ended their private world and returned to work.


    At first, Bian Yi felt relieved when Kou Li started working, but this easy happiness didn¡¯t last for more than a few days. With empty time and no Kou Li by his side, Bian Yi felt uncomfortable.


    So, he unknowingly began to look forward to Kou Li¡¯s return from work every day. Later, because he realized that he looked like a lonely housewife waiting for her husband to come home, Bian Yi immediately asked Nie Fang to get him a script and found something to do.


    Later, it became a very ordinary post-marriage life. They both had their own jobs. Sometimes Kou Li would work overtime or go abroad for business trips, and Bian Yi would have to go to the film set or travel out of town. They spent a lot of time apart every year.


    However, it was precisely because of time and distance that every encounter, reunion, follow-up, and visit they had would reignite their passion like it was when they were newlyweds.


    Bian Yi still remembers the day when Kou Li had to go to work after their honeymoon. In the morning, Kou Li gave him a morning kiss and left without telling him. Bian Yi didn¡¯t know until he woke up at noon.


    Bian Yi also remembers how he felt at that time. At first, he felt relieved, but after a while, he became angry. Although Kou Li may not have wanted to disturb him while he rested, he should have told him where he was going.


    Now when Bian Yi looks back, he understands why Kou Li didn¡¯t say anything at the time.


    He was afraid that he would become too clingy.


    So, when he saw Bian Yi¡¯s ¡°unwillingness,¡± he immediately restrained himself and kept his distance from him.


    He¡¯s always like this.


    At this moment, Bian Yi was standing in the room that Kou Li brought him to see in the previous life, which was filled with trophy shelves for Xiao Shu.


    The room is still empty now, after all, their Xiao Shu is still only in kindergarten.


    But it¡¯s not completely empty. Kou Li has already built several shelves as if he¡¯s already prepared for what will be placed on them.


    And those shelves are not empty either. There¡¯s a photo on one of the shelves that Xiao Shu can reach now.


    It¡¯s a picture of Bian Yi, Kou Li, and Xiao Shu together.


    Bian Yi is not sure if Kou Li put the photo there or if Xiao did it himself.


    After looking at the photo for a while, Bian Yi left the room.


    He went downstairs and had the auntie prepare two lunches for him.


    His time is very free now, and he has no plans to work again ¨C his life cannot return to normal until he deals with that system.


    So, Bian Yi played a single-player game on his phone on the sofa in the hall, waiting for his lunch to be ready. When it was done, he had it packed and had the driver take him to Kou Li¡¯s lab.


    Just like before, he was bored at home ¨C in fact, he missed Kou Li ¨C so he went to bring Kou Li lunch.


    Bian Yi also remembered that when Kou Li saw him back then, his expression was only slightly surprised and didn¡¯t show much reaction. At that time, Bian Yi was a little disappointed.


    But when he opened the lunchbox and told Kou Li to wash his hands before eating, the man did go wash his hands obediently. But when he came back, he didn¡¯t enjoy his lunch, but instead pressed Bian Yi against an empty lab table.


    That was the moment he showed his lack of control, which was like his true emotions.


    Since then, that lab has become a taboo switch for Bian Yi. He feels ashamed when he goes there but feels like he¡¯s missing out if he doesn¡¯t ¨C after all, Kou Li doesn¡¯t wear his lab coat and uniform at home.


    Bian Yi doesn¡¯t want to admit that he¡¯s thinking about that man now, nor does he believe that he is. He just feels bored at home and the house is empty without Xiao Shu.


    And he hates the kind of loneliness that feels like he¡¯s the only one.


    But when he stood at the entrance to Kou Li¡¯s lab with the permission card he was given, he stepped back.


    To enter Kou Li¡¯s lab, there¡¯s an elevator at the outermost part, not high, just three floors, and it takes less than a minute to get there.


    It¡¯s lunchtime now, and the people working here are either eating or still immersed in lab work, and there are no people to be seen in the corridor. Plus, they all know who Bian Yi is, and he¡¯s obviously here to bring lunch to the big boss, so no one is going to come forward and lead him ¨C it wasn¡¯t Bian Yi¡¯s first time here.


    Bian Yi held the box in his hand and his face was pale.


    He felt that the emptiness in his house was not a joke or a metaphor, but a real sense of emptiness. When there was no one around, he would feel like he was in an expanding dark room.


    When he was in a place with no one around, he would at most feel uncomfortable. But for the small, enclosed elevator, Bian Yi was very clear that he was afraid of it.


    Previously, whether it was Nie Fang, Kou Li, or an assistant, Bian Yi was not alone and could ride the elevator normally. But now, there was only Bian Yi.


    He took a step back, thinking that he should find the stairs or someone to go with him. Just as Bian Yi took a third step back, the elevator door suddenly opened.


    Kou Li immediately noticed that Bian Yi¡¯s face was not good, and his gaze was fixed on him, or rather, on the elevator door. Before the door opened, there was only the elevator there. And Bian Yi¡¯s steps were moving backward.


    Kou Li¡¯s gaze fell on the box in Bian Yi¡¯s hand, and he bit his tongue. The pain kept him calm and suppressed his urge to go crazy.


    ¡°How did you come over here?¡± Kou Li put on a gentle smile, and took the food box from Bian Yi¡¯s hand as if he didn¡¯t notice anything, ¡°It¡¯s quite heavy. Have you eaten yet?¡±


    Bian Yi blinked his eyes twice, and his gaze shifted from the elevator behind Kou Li to his face, ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s eat first.¡± Kou Li smiled and took Bian Yi to his lounge, walking up the stairs.


    Bian Yi pursed his lips, allowing Kou Li to pull him along. He could feel a slight warmth from Kou Li¡¯s hand, not quite enough to be warm, but it inexplicably put him at ease.


    Bian Yi gazed at Kou Li¡¯s back, the man¡¯s waist and back were very attractive, and just looking at it gave people a strong sense of security. It seemed like he was always worthy of relying on, worthy of wholeheartedly trusting.


    Just like when he impulsively went on that island adventure, Kou Li used his uninjured hand to wipe away his tears and soothe his trembling body. He lightly said to him, ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Even though they were both scarred now, this man was still here.


    Bian Yi forced a smile, tightly holding Kou Li¡¯s hand as they walked side by side. Kou Li hesitated for a moment, then tightened his grip on Bian Yi¡¯s hand.


    Perhaps because their hands were tightly touching, they slowly began to warm up from the palms.


    On the other side, Jian Yi also held Jiang Shi¡¯s hand.


    This was not because Jian Yi was frivolous, but because Jiang Shi suddenly had a splitting headache and almost fell to the ground. Jian Yi just happened to catch him.


    Jiang Jie, who hurried over, felt a twinge in her forehead. If she didn¡¯t know her Xiao Shitou¡¯s innocence, she would have suspected that this was a standard seduction move.


    The incident began ten minutes ago.


    This was a very ordinary commercial street, not too crowded but not too empty either. Unfortunately, Jiang Shi¡¯s car had some trouble at this location. Fortunately, nothing serious happened, and the driver parked the car on the side of the road.


    Jiang Shi needed to meet with a famous and talented teacher who had a big temper. He didn¡¯t have time to come to the company to teach, so anyone who wanted to learn from him, including students from other companies, had to go to him for classes, and it was a strict schedule.


    At this moment, their car couldn¡¯t move, and Jiang Jie didn¡¯t dare to hail a car to take them away. If they met an abnormal driver, it would be dangerous, as there was an incident a few days ago where a girl taking a taxi was almost extorted.


    So they could only wait in the car for their people to arrange another car.


    Fortunately, they left early and still had time before their teacher¡¯s class.


    Then, Jiang Shi saw Jian Yi.


    There was a convenience store at the intersection where their car was parked, and when Jian Yi got off the car to buy something there, Jiang Shi saw him.


    Jiang Shi was still in the car and had no plans to go out and say hello. He and the other person were strangers, so there was no need to greet each other. He could just watch from the car.


    At this time, the book inside Jiang Shi spoke seriously to him for the first time.


    [I warn you, stay away from this man!]


    Me?


    The first thing Jiang Shi noticed was the use of the word ¡°me.¡±


    ¡°I¡± could represent many things, but most obviously and clearly, it was something with ¡°self,¡± and once something became self-aware, it was no longer just an inanimate object.


    Then, it was not just a book.


    Or maybe it was not even a book but something disguised as a book with self-awareness.


    Jiang Shi was still thinking about this when he saw a man pass by Jian Yi¡¯s side, and from his angle, he could clearly see the man stealing Jian Yi¡¯s phone and wallet.


    Jiang Shi couldn¡¯t sit still and saw the thief preparing to pass by their side. Jiang Shi immediately opened the car door and rushed towards the man.


    Jiang Shi¡¯s speed was too fast, and the thief¡¯s attention and guard were all on Jian Yi, so he did not expect someone to rush out from the side and was caught off guard by Jiang Shi.


    Jian Yi, who was still drinking water, was also stunned when he saw the commotion here. He didn¡¯t know what had happened yet and heard Jiang Shi shout at him, ¡°Sir, he stole your things!¡±


    Upon hearing this, Jian Yi quickly reached into his pocket and frowned.


    At this moment, the thief lifted the rock off his body and tried to escape. Jianyi only had a bottle of water in his hand, which he accurately threw at the thief¡¯s calf just as he stood up.


    The thief¡¯s legs went weak and he knelt heavily on the ground.


    Then he was caught.


    Jian Yi retrieved his belongings and smiled at Jiang Shi, ¡°Thank you, I almost lost something important.¡±


    Jiang Shi¡¯s mind was filled with the word ¡°handsome¡±. This man was handsome, his throwing action just now was handsome, and his smile was even more handsome.


    Ah! He was going to die!


    Looking at him in the car and now, it was still different. Up close, he was simply devastating!!!


    Jiang Shi had a lot to say in his mind, but he replied shyly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, glad to have helped.¡±


    Jiang Jie had also gotten out of the car and her legs were a bit weak. She wanted to scold Jiang Shi for being so bold, but she was afraid of being recognized by the people around her.


    However, before she could approach, she saw Xiao Shitou that was still laughing suddenly turn pale. He held his head in his hands, seeming to be in extreme pain, and was about to fall to the ground.


    To be honest, he was just laughing a second ago. This change in attitude was too sudden and seemed deliberate.


    But Jiang Jie quickly realized that Xiao Shitou was very innocent and unlikely to fall on purpose to be helped up. He must have been injured just now and was unable to stand now.


    Before Jiang Shi fell, Jian Yi caught him and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you okay? Did you get hurt just now?¡±


    Jiang Shi looked at Jian Yi, and opened his mouth to speak but couldn¡¯t, it hurt so much. It felt like his brain had been pricked with fine needles, too painful.


    The book that had always been present in his mind, but ignored or overlooked by Jiang Shi, now had a strong sense of existence:


    [I warned you, don¡¯t get close to this man! It¡¯s better not to have a next time, otherwise, the punishment won¡¯t be just like this.]


    Jiang Shi¡¯s heart tightened.


    Sure enough, it wasn¡¯t just a book, it was really a bad thing that wanted to control him. If he didn¡¯t listen to it, he would be punished.


    How disgusting.


    How could such a thing exist?


    Disgusting. The word touched the nerves of the system ¨C if it had any.


    It was very angry, and it argued with Jiang Shi, but it always lost.


    It didn¡¯t want to argue now, it was easier and more effective to use this method.


    Jiang Shi¡¯s headache intensified, he couldn¡¯t stand steady and his vision began to blur.


    Jiang Jie was scared and wanted to scream, she covered her mouth tightly.


    Jian Yi checked Jiang Shi¡¯s pulse, his face rarely serious: ¡°Something¡¯s not right, we need to go to the hospital for a check-up.¡±


    After speaking, he carried Jiang Shi horizontally, his car was parked nearby.


    Jiang Shi unconsciously grabbed Jian Yi¡¯s clothes. Just as he was about to pass out from the pain, he heard the book in his mind speaking.


    It was very surprised: ¡°Favorability 85??? How¡­¡±


    After the surprise, it laughed nervously: ¡°Haha! So this pervert likes this type!¡±


    With likes come weaknesses, and humans with weaknesses are easy to deal with.


    This is something that the system, who has had many hosts, knows very well.


    At least this new host is somewhat useful. If it can successfully capture and manipulate Jian Yi, there should be a lot of energy stored within him, which it can back up and use to find a better host for control.


    Or perhaps it can just use him up and use his shell to get close to Kou Li and Bian Yi, which would be extremely convenient.

 CH 31

    Chapter 31: Really vicious


    Jiang Shi woke up in a hospital bed. His assistant was sitting beside him, and he could hear the voices of Jiang Jie and someone else talking outside the door, but he didn¡¯t see the doctor who had been with them earlier.


    Oh, right, Jiang Shi still didn¡¯t know the man¡¯s name.


    The assistant noticed Jiang Shi waking up and asked him softly if he needed anything or if he was feeling uncomfortable. Jiang Shi shook his head and remained silent.


    The assistant went to the side to pour some water for him. Soon after, Jiang Jie pushed open the door and came in. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Jiang Shi was awake and asked if he was okay.


    Jiang Shi shook his head again.


    He did have something to tell her, but it wasn¡¯t something he could easily share with others.


    The assistant handed him the water, and Jiang Shi sat up to take a few sips. When his throat felt better, he finally spoke up: ¡°Jiang Jie, about that¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish his sentence and seemed to be considering his words. Jiang Jie understood who he was referring to and answered, ¡°You mean Dr. Jian? He drove us to the hospital, paid for the medical expenses, and seemed to have some urgent matters to attend to. He left us a contact information and then went away.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Jiang Shi pondered for a moment and asked, ¡°Why did he pay for the medical expenses?¡±


    Jiang Jie also knew that after the examination, Jiang Shi¡¯s body was fine, and his sudden fainting had nothing to do with helping catch the thief. It was enough for that person to send them to the hospital.


    However, that person believed that he still had a certain responsibility for this sudden incident, so he insisted on paying for the medical expenses as if he could only be at ease after doing so.


    Jiang Jie refused, but in her heart, she also had a little bit of resentment. Jiang Shi¡¯s appearance at the time when he rushed out scared her. So she let him go.


    Besides, that person obviously had no shortage of money, it was just a small matter.


    But Jiang Shi did not think so.


    He knew very well why he suddenly had a headache and there was no reason for someone else to pay for his medical expenses.


    Jiang Shi asked for Jian Yi¡¯s contact number and was ready to return the money. Jiang Jie could not resist, so she gave it to him.


    Xiao Shitou was just like his name, in some ways like a stone.


    After Jiang Jie gave it to him, she also reminded him that he was a stranger and not to communicate too much, and be careful of being deceived.


    Jiang Shi obediently agreed.


    Although he likes beautiful people, he still has a sense of caution, as long as the person is not standing in front of him.


    If the person is standing in front of him, he has a certain chance of behaving unintelligently.


    Jiang Shi did not stay in the hospital for a long time, after all, he had nothing to do.


    He did not immediately contact Jian YI. Jiang Jie said that the other party had left for a reason, and it was not a good time to disturb them.


    He missed today¡¯s class, and there was no schedule in the afternoon. Jiang Jie was also scared by him today and thought that he had too much pressure, so she gave him a half-day off.


    Jiang Shi returned home and locked himself in his room.


    He muttered to himself in the room, ¡°What exactly are you? ¡°


    There was no one else in the room to speak because that voice only sounded in Jiang Shi¡¯s mind: ¡°Are you asking me? I am the plot maintenance system. My main task is to bring the world back to the main line and maintain the world.¡±


    Jiang Shi now doesn¡¯t believe a word of this thing.


    In fact, he has been doubting its existence from the very beginning.


    Every time the text appears in Jiang Shi¡¯s mind, it is too directional and purposeful.


    If it¡¯s just a simple ¡°lucky charm,¡± would it have these things?


    Would Superman¡¯s flying skills lead him to where he must fly and how many times he must fly every day?


    Moreover, even if it is a real lucky charm, there are pros and cons.


    Purely fantasy, like watching movies, reading novels, and imagining oneself having the protagonist¡¯s extraordinary abilities, is of course enjoyable, since it won¡¯t come true, and people only imagine the convenience that those abilities bring.


    Who would realistically consider the series of problems that need to be solved after obtaining those abilities?


    Therefore, Jiang Shi¡¯s perception of it was not very good from the beginning.


    Then there were many bugs, and many places couldn¡¯t be explained, as if it were a fake and shoddy product.


    But Jiang Shi has been busy with training and various activities lately, and couldn¡¯t find time to see a psychologist. Besides, seeing a psychologist is something that needs to be reported to his manager, Jiang Jie. If someone takes a picture of it, there will be a lot of gossip in the entertainment industry.


    As a result, Jiang Shi has been procrastinating until now.


    ¡°See a psychologist? Let me tell you, I am a product of a higher-dimensional plane, and your world¡¯s technology cannot detect me. Moreover, as long as you obediently complete the tasks, once you¡¯re done, I will naturally leave,¡± the system said half-threateningly and half-coaxingly, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to be unable to sleep well in the future, would you?¡±


    ¡°Human beings are fragile things and can die easily.¡±


    ¡°Yes, maybe you¡¯re not afraid. But think about your parents who raised you, your fans, and your manager.¡±


    Jiang Shi is really angry.


    The system has indeed found his weakness.


    Why does such a thing exist? What can he do to get rid of it?


    Can he call the police?


    ¡°Hehe,¡± the system sneered with a mechanical laugh, ¡°What do you think? Will they treat you as a mental patient or take you seriously and bring you into the laboratory to open your brain for research?¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you the truth. My previous host had his brain opened, but they couldn¡¯t find me no matter how hard they searched. Unless I volunteer, you can¡¯t get rid of me.¡±


    Jiang Shi bites his lips tightly, looking extremely pale.


    No one would like the feeling of being controlled, of having their life and death manipulated, and their body turned into a puppet.


    This feeling is really terrible.


    The system continued, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry like this. In fact, we can both benefit from this.¡±


    ¡°You see, you can open the store and find all kinds of golden fingers. You can use them freely, as long as you complete tasks or guide others, you can earn points.¡±


    ¡°With these, you can easily become an international superstar.¡±


    ¡°You help me with tasks, and I help you achieve your dreams. This is a fair trade.¡±


    ¡°After the transaction is complete, I will leave. I promise!¡±


    Jiang Shi looked at the various dazzling skills in the store in his mind.


    [World-shattering Beauty]:


    Increase charm by 1000 points;


    Time limit of one month;


    Every move and every smile will move people¡¯s hearts. After wearing it, any creature within 100 meters of the host will have a 50-point increase in favorability!


    [Sea Monster¡¯s Singing Voice]:


    Increase charm by 1000 points;


    Time limit of one month;


    No one can resist the singing voice of the sea monster. After wearing it, the first word the host says comes with the ¡°charm¡± skill. The host wants someone to live, they live. The host wants someone to die, they die.


    ¡­


    Jiang Shi browsed through them all, feeling no joy, only chills all over his body.


    What terrible abilities.


    Each skill is tempting and ultimately aims to completely control the person.


    This is the temptation of the devil, and the outcome will be complete loss of oneself, ultimately becoming an empty shell.


    As expected, Jiang Shi¡¯s reaction was beyond the system¡¯s expectations.


    It really couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on with this host.


    In the past, every host it encountered, as long as it opened the store for them, they would breathe heavily and want to have all the skills immediately, experiencing what it¡¯s like to be superior and omnipotent.


    But Jiang Shi was clearly disgusted by those skills, with no desire for any of them.


    The system patiently coaxed him, ¡°Take a look again. There are legendary skills in there that are very¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Jiang Shi interrupted it, his body trembling in fear but his voice resolute, ¡°I don¡¯t need these skills.¡±


    The system didn¡¯t think this was resolute, only that he was stubborn beyond belief.


    What does he really want? Its store has everything, so what can¡¯t he be satisfied with?


    Jiang Shi really doesn¡¯t need them.


    Nine years of compulsory education taught him to be down-to-earth. Things that he learned through his own hard work will always belong to him, and there is no such thing as getting something for nothing. If there is, it must be a trap.


    The knowledge he has learned also tells him that there is no free lunch in the world, and the more free something is, the more expensive it is.


    Are these cheats really that good?


    Jiang Shi thinks they are just rubbish.


    What is the singing of the sea monster, and what is the halo of the superstar? These things directly erase all his efforts and sweat.


    These things tell him that he can easily obtain them without any effort, making all his past efforts a joke.


    Moreover, don¡¯t forget that these things are all time-limited. When you have already gotten used to singing with the voice of a sea monster, and dancing with the halo of a superstar, you will have long forgotten what a training room looks like. When the time limit is over, you will become a waste that can no longer sing or dance.


    And to cover up this cruel fact, you will be more actively earning points to exchange for skills, because you have long forgotten what hard work feels like, and what you think about is definitely not to learn it all over again. After all, there are easier ways, aren¡¯t there?


    And then, you will want to switch to the permanent version, and the high score will completely bind you to this system.


    It¡¯s no longer that it needs you, but that you can¡¯t leave it. You will forever be its slave.


    It¡¯s really vicious.


    Jiang Shi thought to himself.


    He would never become a puppet for such a vicious thing.


    Even if it meant his death.


    The system fell silent.


    It didn¡¯t expect this person to be so stubborn.


    It didn¡¯t believe that it couldn¡¯t get what it wanted.


    Right!


    The shopping interface was refreshed.


    The homepage displayed two golden skill cards.


    The skill names were labeled [Gateway to the World] and [God of Freedom].


    Both were legendary-level skills.


    [Gateway to the World] allows the soul to live forever, and the host can shuttle between one world and another with the system, never dying.


    [God of Freedom] contains the skills of [Gateway to the World], but the host will have the authority to unbind and voluntarily choose to live a normal life in any small world.


    The system ¡°saw¡± that Jiang Shi¡¯s attention lingered on the [God of Freedom] card for a while.


    Then, as expected, it heard him ask, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    The system smiled with pleasure; it finally won once.


    It quickly gave out the task: ¡°Contact Jian Yi, he will be your first target to conquer.¡±


    Jiang Shi received Jian Yi¡¯s name card from Jiang Jie and naturally knew who he was referring to.


    He clenched his fists and asked the system, ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t you warn me not to get close to him before?¡±


    The system¡¯s mechanical voice rose, sounding very happy: ¡°Now the situation is different.¡±


    Jiang Shi¡¯s nails left deep marks on his palms as he remained silent, trying his best to have no thoughts or ideas.


    The system took his silence as acceptance.


    At this moment, Jian Yi was at a golf course, accompanying Bian Yi to play.


    To be exact, he was there to assist Bian Yi.


    This was a new task assigned to him by Kou Li.


    Of course, ¡°assisting¡± was Jian Yi¡¯s own definition. What Kou Li really wanted him to do was to treat Bian Yi.


    Bian Yi knew this as well.


    So although he really didn¡¯t like this doctor who had once sent a wheelchair for Xiao Shu, he didn¡¯t drive him away either.


    Kou Li was busy in the laboratory and had no time, and Bian Yi had nothing else to do.


    Jian Yi suggested that they go out and exercise, which was good for both physical and mental health, and the golf course had a wide view, which was very suitable for Bian Yi.


    He felt that Kou Li should come too, but there was no rush. The fact that both of them were willing to be treated indicated that things were getting better.


    Bian Yi was not very good at playing golf, after all, he hadn¡¯t touched it for a long time, but Jian Yi, who looked lazy all over, played extremely well.


    After finishing, he even taunted Bian Yi.


    Bian Yi really thought this person was childish and immature and didn¡¯t want to bother with him.


    But he thought of Jiang Shi.


    ¡°Have you seen Jiang Shi?¡± Bian Yi adjusted his hat to block the sun in his eyes.


    ¡°I have seen him before, and he looks quite cute.¡± said Jian Yi, who didn¡¯t really care, as he lazily swung his golf club.


    Bian Yi frowned, not liking his frivolous tone. Last time he interacted with Jiang Shi, he felt that the child had a bit of a silly demeanor, and he didn¡¯t really want Jiang Shi to become the new host of the system.


    He knew better than anyone how cruel the system¡¯s methods of torture could be.


    Jian Yi didn¡¯t really care about Bian Yi¡¯s attitude, as Kou Li¡¯s wife was his, not his own. He turned his wrist and continued, ¡°But what we can confirm is that the thing is with that kid.¡±


    ¡°And it seems that they¡¯re not getting along very well. Maybe it¡¯s because they saw me,¡± he added.


    Bian Yi had a bad feeling about this, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Jian Yi replied lazily, ¡°The kid had a headache and fainted in front of me.¡±


    Damn it.


    Bian Yi gritted his teeth, regretting that he had approached Jiang Shi too early, making the system vigilant.


    Jian Yi did not look at Bian Yi, but he was very aware of what Bian Yi was thinking. His tone was still indifferent, ¡°Don¡¯t be too quick to blame yourself, people are all susceptible to temptation.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, his phone rang.


    He took off his glove and answered the phone. Hearing the voice on the other end, he smiled.


    Jian Yi made a mouth shape to Bianyi: ¡°See, didn¡¯t I say he would come?¡±

 CH 32

    Chapter 32


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t know what Jian Yi¡¯s specific plan was, but after observing Guan Xi for so many years, he had some understanding of the system.


    Guan Xi¡¯s system required him to seduce men, and once the favorability level reached a certain height, the system could absorb certain things from those men that served as its nutrients.


    Jian Yi, according to the system¡¯s screening standards, was undoubtedly an S-level target for seduction.


    If it weren¡¯t for the incident where they had captured Guan Xi, Bian Yi had no doubt that Jian Yi would have become the system¡¯s locked-in target as soon as he appeared in front of it.


    And now, after Jian Yi met Jiang Shi, and Jiang Shi continued to contact him, it was highly likely that the system had indeed listed Jian Yi as a target.


    If that was the case, Bian Yi didn¡¯t know whether to say that Jian Yi was crazy or that he was very alluring to the system.


    Of course, the system was also very arrogant.


    Although it had already suffered a setback at the hands of Kou Li and Jian Yi, it still seemed to firmly believe that mere humans could not deal with it.


    Upon closer inspection, Jian Yi¡¯s identity was also very good.


    He was Kou Li¡¯s only friend and had been involved deeply in the matter of the system.


    Assuming that Jiang Shi had really seduced him, the system could use Jiang Shi as a bridge to control Jian Yi, and thus get even closer to him and Kou Li. This was certainly a convenient and the most likely successful route at the moment.


    After all, its existence had been exposed to Kou Li, and if it had to find someone like Guan Xi, then it would have no effect at all.


    Therefore, Bian Yi thought Jian Yi was crazy.


    He was completely using himself as bait, not only without any fear but also with great enthusiasm.


    Bian Yi was almost biased against Kou Li and Jian Yi, wondering: were all people like them, who were involved in research, have to be a bit crazy?


    In the afternoon, Bian Yi went to school to pick up Xiao Shu. Holding him and pinching his little face, he thought to himself, ¡°No, Xiao Shu is not like them. He is a good kid.¡±


    After dinner, Bian Yi told Xiao Shu a story, and when he fell asleep, Bian Yi went back to his room.


    After taking a shower, Bian Yi did not immediately go to sleep. He played a simple cooking game recommended by Jian Yi to improve his concentration and hand speed.


    The game had a cute style, with several different restaurants, each with different levels of difficulty. When Bian Yi had collected all the stars in a restaurant¡¯s levels, he noticed the time.


    It was almost eleven o¡¯clock.


    Bian Yi pressed his lips together, feeling unhappy.


    ¡°He¡¯s not back yet.¡±


    Realizing what he was waiting for, Bian Yi¡¯s lips pressed even tighter.


    At that moment, he heard some movement downstairs.


    Bian Yi went out of the room and walked to the staircase, where Kou Li had just arrived downstairs.


    He looked at him and spoke softly, ¡°Are you still awake? Did I wake you up?¡±


    Bian Yi muffledly replied, ¡°No.¡±


    At that moment, Uncle Hua appeared from nowhere and said, ¡°Sir, why don¡¯t you have some soup before resting? It has been simmering for a while.¡±


    He added, ¡°It was prepared by Young Master Yi.¡±


    Kou Li glanced at the restaurant, then looked back at Bian Yi with a slight smile in his eyes.


    He took back his steps towards the stairs and went towards the dining room.


    Bian Yi looked at Uncle Hua in confusion.


    When did he say he prepared a midnight snack for Kou Li?


    Uncle Hua didn¡¯t say anything, just smiled at Bian Yi, and then left quietly.


    Bianyi stood upstairs for a while before going down.


    Halfway down the stairs, he remembered something.


    It seemed that Uncle Hua had come to ask him something before, but he was in the middle of a game and didn¡¯t pay attention to what Uncle Hua said. He only caught the words ¡°food¡± and casually mentioned the dish he was preparing for the customers in the cooking game.


    Well, he had already said it, and there was no point in dwelling on it now.


    Bian Yi also went to the dining room, where Kou Li was taking off his coat and rolling up his sleeves to serve soup ¨C two bowls of it.


    The auntie had made green bean soup and pork bone soup, but only the soup base was left in the pot, and the pre-made wontons were cooking in the soup.


    The wontons were done in three minutes, and Bian Yi took a bowl and a spoon. He kept an eye on Kou Li¡¯s expression from the corner of his eye.


    He watched Kou Li stir the soup with his spoon, turn off the heat, scoop out two bowls of wontons, put one in front of him, and sit across from him.


    Bian Yi breathed a sigh of relief without anyone noticing and blew on his wonton to cool it down.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Kou Li suddenly spoke up. ¡°I forgot about the time today. I¡¯ll come back early tomorrow.¡±


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t say anything, just made a sound of agreement with his mouth full of wonton.


    After getting his response, Kou Li also ate with his spoon.


    Bian Yi looked at the tiredness under Kou Li¡¯s eyes that his glasses couldn¡¯t hide and said to him, ¡°Finish eating and go to bed early.¡±


    Kou Li was eating at the moment and didn¡¯t say anything, he just made a sound of agreement in response.


    How annoying!


    Bian Yi lowered his head and took a big sip of the green bean soup.


    The green bean soup was soft and smooth, with moderate sweetness.


    But it didn¡¯t really reduce internal heat.


    ¡­


    Bian Yi furrowed his brows and glanced at the frosted glass in the bathroom.


    The sound of water and steam inside made it impossible to see who was there.


    But its design concept was inherently ambiguous and provocative.


    Why hasn¡¯t this thing been replaced yet?


    Bian Yi withdrew his gaze, and fell asleep on his side, still wondering.


    When Kou Li came out, he saw Bian Yi lying with his back to him.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if Bian Yi was asleep or not, so he just wiped his hair with a towel and was ready to go to bed.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as he lifted the corner of the blanket, he heard Bian Yi impatiently telling him from behind, ¡°Go blow dry your hair!¡±


    Kou Li was momentarily lost. Nowadays, such trivial nagging was a precious thing to him.


    He obediently replied, ¡°Okay,¡± and dried his hair completely before getting into bed.


    Tonight, Kou Li didn¡¯t ask Bian Yi any more questions. Instead, he leaned in close and wrapped his arms around him.


    Bian Yi clicked his tongue irritably, but then turned around to face Kou Li and fell asleep.


    He closed his eyes, but his frowning expression showed his dissatisfaction with Kou Li¡¯s face.


    Unlike Bian Yi, Kou Li felt that the mung bean soup tonight was especially soft and sweet, just like the person in his arms.


    Kou Li knew that Bian Yi turned to face him to look at him more conveniently, but he was actually quite sober at the moment and knew exactly who he was holding. However, Kou Li still looked at him for a while, just as he did the first time he saw Guan Xi.


    Since Bian Yi returned, every time Kou Li identified him, he was just checking whether it was his illusion. The recovered treasure was inevitably more precious and made people more afraid of losing it.


    Kou Li¡¯s hand tightened a bit, then loosened before Bian Yi could scold him, and only gently circled his waist. He then kissed Bian Yi¡¯s lips and sighed, ¡°Ah Yi, goodnight.¡±


    However, Bian Yi suddenly opened his eyes, threw off the covers, pulled off the belt on Kou Li¡¯s sleeping robe, and sat on Kou Li in anger, glaring at him, ¡°What goodnight? Just close your eyes and sleep, what¡¯s the point of pretending to sleep after kissing me?¡±


    The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he got. Bian Yi lowered his head and fiercely bit Kou Li¡¯s lips that he had just kissed.

 CH 33

    Chapter 33


    ¡°Your mood seems pretty good?¡± Early in the morning, Jian Yi came to the laboratory to find Kou Li. He had already finished studying the samples he had extracted from Guan Xi.


    While Kou Li had been smiling as Jian Yi spoke, he neither confirmed nor denied Jian Yi¡¯s observation and didn¡¯t intend to chat much with him. Jian Yi smiled and didn¡¯t ask further about what made him so happy. Even if Kou Li didn¡¯t say it, Jian Yi could guess that it was probably due to the relationship between Kou Li and Bian Yi, and their intimate matters were naturally not something they would share with a third person like him.


    As Kou Li¡¯s doctor, although Jian Yi was not very responsible or serious, he still welcomed any improvement in his patient¡¯s condition.


    Skipping over this matter, Jian Yi handed the document bag he brought to Kou Li and said, ¡°This is Guan Xi¡¯s.¡±


    Leaning against the lab table, Jian Yi continued, ¡°It¡¯s really interesting. When I peeled off the outer layer of the illusion, guess what I found?¡±


    Kou Li had already taken out the file, which contained detailed data on Guan Xi¡¯s entire body. On the last page of the first section, there was data on Bian Yi. Jian Yi had analyzed Guan Xi¡¯s DNA and found that it was completely different from Bian Yi¡¯s.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Jian Yi pondered for a moment and described to Kou Li, ¡°It¡¯s like wearing an extra layer of clothing. The outer layer is a high-quality imitation of Bian Yi, but inside, it¡¯s Guan Xi himself.¡±


    Jian Yi sighed disappointedly, ¡°That system is even more useless than I imagined.¡±


    Kou Li flipped through the papers in his hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s very self-confident.¡±


    Jian Yi smiled and glanced at his friend, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s very self-confident and quite contemptuous of humans. That stupid fake probably doesn¡¯t even know that his body is likely his own.¡±


    The paper stopped on the last page, and Kou Li looked at the graph and data, saying, ¡°Is the ¡®outer layer¡¯ fading?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Jianyi nodded, ¡°The one that¡¯s still in its original state is the one I¡¯ve transmitted energy to. Now, it¡¯s on someone else.¡±


    Kou Li understood Jian Yi¡¯s meaning. In other words, the ¡°Bian Yi¡± that the system created was only able to deceive people, not a perfect replica. Perhaps a perfect replica would require more resources, but the system didn¡¯t want to waste them on the host¡¯s body. Or perhaps the system didn¡¯t dare to completely replicate people from their world, and it needed to ensure that after it left, the host¡¯s body would not be analyzed by people in this world to discover anything beyond the world.


    Therefore, to maintain the appearance of Bian Yi, the host needed to ¡°maintain¡± it regularly.


    Without the system¡¯s supply, the ¡°outer layer¡± would eventually disappear, and the host would become an ordinary and ordinary human being with no valuable things on his body.


    In short, soon Guan Xi would return to his original appearance, and he would no longer have the same face as Bian Yi.


    The document bag was placed aside by Kou Li. He took off his glasses and wiped them clean, with a particularly gentle smile on his face.


    ¡°How does he match?¡± How can he match having the same face as Ah Yi, how can he always wear Ah Yi¡¯s face, even until death?


    In fact, even before Jian Yi brought this document, Kou Li had already thought of an ending for Guan Xi ¨C he would personally skin Guan Xi, an ugly thing that deserved to die in an ugly way. He did not deserve to have anything that belonged to Ah Yi, even if it was just a replica.


    But now ¨C


    Kou Li¡¯s laughter was two parts genuine, it was a good thing that he didn¡¯t have to do it himself.


    Ai Yi and Xiao Shu probably wouldn¡¯t like him embracing them with blood-stained hands.


    Jian Yi saw all of Kou Li¡¯s reactions.


    He tapped Kou Li¡¯s shoulder and said nothing.


    Kou Li understood his meaning, which was probably saying: Yes, just like this, always think of your wife and children in everything, don¡¯t turn yourself into a real monster.


    Monsters cannot coexist with humans.


    If they are forced to coexist, the first to be hurt will be the person closest to the monster.


    Kou Li placed the document bag that had been placed on the workbench back into a cabinet and continued his research after putting it away.


    Jian Yi looked on and casually asked, ¡°How¡¯s the progress?¡±


    Kou Li calculated and replied, ¡°Another half month.¡±


    Jian Yi was a little surprised, ¡°That¡¯s fast.¡±


    He stood up straight from the workbench, straightened his wrinkled clothes, and casually encouraged him, ¡°Then keep up the good work, I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Before he left, he added, ¡°Remember to make your wife exercise and check in every day.¡±


    In Kou Li¡¯s mind flashed the scene from last night, with Bian Yi¡¯s damp hair sticking to his forehead as he gasped for breath on top of him, unwilling to let him go.


    Kou Li smiled and affirmed, ¡°He will come.¡±


    And Bian Yi did come.


    He was indeed unwilling to admit defeat.


    Last time they were both too crazy, there was not much to say, but last night, he shouldn¡¯t have lost.


    Kou Li spent every day in the lab and came back so tired, but why was he still so¡­


    Bian Yi was a bit annoyed, he couldn¡¯t say whether it was towards Kou Li or himself.


    Therefore, after seeing off Xiao Shu, he went to the court early in the morning.


    What Bian Yi didn¡¯t know was that Kou Li had a gym in the lab, though the entire lab was almost empty, Kou Li went there every day.


    The gym was arranged by Xiao Shu, of course, in the previous life.


    He hoped Kou Li would exercise every day, eat and sleep on time, but Kou Li rarely met his expectations, and later he couldn¡¯t even eat, and every day he had to rely on Jian Yi to infuse nutrients to barely sustain his life.


    Kou Li felt very sorry for Xiao Shu, he was not a qualified father, so after starting over, he exercised every day, ate on time, and tried not to disappoint Xiao Shu.


    But the only thing he couldn¡¯t control was his sleep.


    Fortunately, he can sleep well now, especially recently, he slept better and better each time.


    Kou Li stopped what he was doing, thought for a moment, and called Bian Yi.


    After two rings, the call was picked up on the third ring.


    ¡°¡­ What¡¯s up?¡± There was a slight panting on the other end of the phone, as if he had just run a short distance, or just finished exercising.


    Kou Li relayed Jian Yi¡¯s reminder: ¡°Jian Yi said to remember to record your exercise.¡±


    This statement originally wasn¡¯t a big deal, since Jian Yi¡¯s treatment plan for Bian Yi had included this. But the image from last night kept replaying in his mind, with all of his resentment towards Kou Li. And now Kou Li was calling about this.


    Without thinking, Bian Yi took this as a taunt. His annoyance turned into anger as he said, ¡°You¨Cyou want to die or something?!¡±


    ¡°Ah, I have to go. I¡¯ll be back early tonight,¡± Kou Li said hastily, interrupting Jian Yi. Then he hung up.


    Bian Yi almost threw his phone in frustration, but managed to stop himself. He ended up laughing instead. ¡°He¡¯s so annoying!¡± he said.


    After leaving Kou Li¡¯s lab that day, Jian Yi had no contact with Jiang Shi beyond returning the medical fees. It had been almost a week since they last had any interaction. And Kou Li¡¯s experiment, which he had claimed would take half a month to complete, was already halfway finished.


    Jian Yi thought for a moment, then put away his phone and went to knock on his assistant¡¯s desk in the other room. ¡°I¡¯ll take that interview with that one media outlet,¡± he said.


    The assistant looked confused as he recorded the matter, and then went to make arrangements.


    It was nothing but a ploy by the new host to toy with them. After all, his favorability rating must have been high at the time, thought Jian Yi.


    If that was the case, he couldn¡¯t help but go and have a chance encounter.


    The interview was arranged quickly, and someone called to invite Jian Yi almost that same afternoon.


    Jian Yi spent half an hour choosing his clothes and accessories, and sprayed some perfume before leaving.


    His two assistants followed him and communicated with each other through eye contact:


    ¡°Are you sure the professor is going for an interview?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not sure anymore.¡±


    ¡°The professor seems like he¡¯s going to meet his destined one.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t turn out like the last one.¡±


    They already knew about the situation with the one on the island last time. He turned out to be a suspect and the professor¡¯s love life was really unlucky.


    Jiang Shi was in the lobby on the first floor, signing a contract with Sister Jiang. It was for a singing and dancing program on the XX platform. This program had excellent word-of-mouth and traffic, and the contestants who participated were all established artists with recognized abilities, regardless of whether they had names in the entertainment industry before. Even if they were eliminated, they would definitely be more famous than before.


    For newcomers like Jiang Shi who had just debuted, this was an extremely rare opportunity.


    They certainly couldn¡¯t miss it.


    However, Jiang Jie looked at Jiang Shi, who was not energetic enough, with some concern.


    Recently, for some reason, their Xiao Shitou was not the same sunny boy as before. He seemed to have a lot on his mind and would occasionally become absent-minded.


    Jiang Jie was worried that he wouldn¡¯t be able to adjust even after entering the program. If that were the case, the program might not bring Jiang Shi good fame and resources.


    ¡°Jiang Jie, I¡¯m fine,¡± Jiang Shi noticed his agent¡¯s concern and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will do my best!¡±


    Jiang Jie saw that he was not being forced and responded with a ¡°good¡± before taking the child and following the company staff into the elevator.


    Before the elevator doors closed, she saw Jian Yi who they had met before.


    Jian Yi¡¯s assistant was reaching out and mouthing ¡°Wait a moment¡±.


    Jiang Jie saw this and was about to press the button, but Jiang Shi was faster.


    The elevator doors closed.


    Jiang Jie was stunned for two seconds before turning to look at Jiang Shi, who was looking down and muttering, ¡°Sorry, I think I pressed the wrong button¡­¡±


    Jiang Jie furrowed her brows, feeling a strange unease in her heart.


    This was very strange.


    It was a little strange.


    Jian Yi looked at the closed elevator doors and fiddled with the luxurious watch he had intentionally put on.


    It didn¡¯t seem like he was trying to toy with him, but rather that he genuinely wanted to avoid him.


    To toy with someone is to tease them, while to genuinely avoid them is to reject them.


    According to the persona Jian Yi had given himself, he was supposed to be knowledgeable and interested in the other person. With such an obvious rejection, he wouldn¡¯t go after them again.


    But with that, it became contradictory to try to pursue him.


    It didn¡¯t make sense for the system to ¡°let him go¡± like this.


    Of course, the system wouldn¡¯t do that.


    It¡¯s getting impatient: ¡°What are you doing? You haven¡¯t contacted him in a week, and today he went out of his way to have a chance encounter with you, but you ran away. Isn¡¯t it obvious that you¡¯re rejecting him?¡±


    Jiang Shi remained silent with his lips pursed and his head bowed, with no conversation going on in his mind.


    The system warned: ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. I¡¯ve given you enough patience. If you keep resisting, I won¡¯t mind giving you more ¡®enjoyment¡¯.¡±


    Jiang Shi remained silent for a moment, then asked the system: ¡°So, can you tell me what will happen to him if I successfully pursue him?¡±


    The system was speechless for a moment, not responding.


    The system had said that Jian Yi¡¯s favorability towards him was 85, and the full value of favorability was 100, which was enough to show how much he liked him.


    Jiang Shi couldn¡¯t stand it. He couldn¡¯t bear to use someone who had such a high favorability towards him.


    This system was always purposeful. Why did it suddenly want him to pursue Jian Yi? It couldn¡¯t be just because Jian Yi had a high favorability towards him and it wanted to help him, could it?


    Before, the system had been constantly speaking ill of Jian Yi and ordered him to stay away.


    With such a strongly malicious system, whatever it wanted to achieve couldn¡¯t be anything good.


    Jiang Shi had reason to believe that if Jian Yi was successfully pursued, he would lose something. Money was secondary. What he feared most was that Jian Yi would lose his life.


    His conscience wouldn¡¯t allow him to push another person into a pit for his own freedom.


    The system was really annoyed.


    Why did this person have to get to the bottom of things? Couldn¡¯t he just deceive himself like Guan Xi? Isn¡¯t everyone selfish? Why should he care about others? To Jiang Shi, Jian Yi was just a stranger!


    The system can¡¯t understand and doesn¡¯t want to understand. It coaxes with the last bit of patience:


    ¡°He won¡¯t die, I guarantee it. If you don¡¯t believe me, we can sign a contract. If I don¡¯t fulfill my promise, I¡¯ll be automatically destroyed.¡±


    ¡°The strategy is a side task. The more points you get, the more points I get. Your points can be used to exchange for what you want, and so can mine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to earn points too!¡±


    ¡°Previously, I didn¡¯t allow you to get close to him because he¡¯s extremely difficult to conquer. My previous host has failed on him before, and I don¡¯t want you to repeat the same mistake.¡±


    ¡°But now, his fondness for you is at 85. With a little more effort, you can succeed. Look, his rating is S-level, and you can get 10,000 points if you succeed! Think about your freedom. You¡¯re already halfway there just by succeeding!¡±


    Jiang Shi emptied his mind, took a deep breath, and replied, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±


    The system got the answer it wanted and was satisfied, but at the same time, it thought: This is really troublesome.

 CH 34

    Chapter 34: Was That You?


    Although Jiang Jie felt that Jiang Shi was acting a bit strange, she did not connect him with Jian Yi.


    She also thought that when Jiang Shi pressed the wrong button, it was because he was thinking about something and accidentally pressed it.


    When they signed the contract together, Jiang Jie was a bit surprised that they ran into Jian Yi and his group again.


    Although they were not very familiar, they had met a few times and recognized each other. Out of politeness, Jiang Jie took Jiang Shi over to greet them.


    It¡¯s better to make good connections than to ignore them and leave a bad impression, even if Jian Yi isn¡¯t part of their circle.


    ¡°Mr. Jian, we meet again.¡± Sister Jiang smiled.


    Jian Yi smiled back at her, then tilted his head slightly and looked directly at Jiang Shi: ¡°This little guy doesn¡¯t seem to want to see me. He wouldn¡¯t even let me on the elevator just now.¡±


    She could tell that he was just joking, and Sister Jiang was about to speak, but she heard Jiang Shi behind her quickly say, ¡°No! No, it¡¯s because I pressed the wrong button!¡±


    Jian Yi raised an eyebrow and caught the timid glance that Jiang Shi shot his way. When their eyes met, the little guy quickly shrank back.


    It was very different from the first two times he had seen him.


    ¡ª The first two times Jiang Shi had looked at Jian Yi too, but he had looked confidently. Even if he was shy and timid, he was still straightforward.


    He¡¯s still too young and can¡¯t hide his emotions.


    Jian Yi evaluated to himself.


    Jian Yi shifted his gaze back to Jiang Shi¡¯s agent and chatted with her, ¡°Xiao Jiang doesn¡¯t seem to be feeling very well, does he?¡±


    Sister Jiang still politely laughed a couple of times and said a few words about training being too exhausting, clearly not intending to discuss the condition of her artist with this person she had only met a few times.


    Jian Yi smiled and made a few casual remarks, then prepared to leave.


    However, Jiang Shi suddenly spoke up, ¡°Um, I have been feeling a bit unwell lately, Dr. Jian, can I make an appointment with you?¡±


    Jiang Jie was stunned, and turned to look at Jiang Shi. She was wondering whether what he said was true or false.


    On the other side, Jian Yi didn¡¯t seem surprised, but he didn¡¯t immediately agree. Instead, he asked Jiang Shi to make an appointment with his assistant.


    Jiang Shi followed his instructions.


    The word ¡°seeing a doctor¡± had almost been set as a sensitive word by the system. When Jiang Shi mentioned it, the system became alert, but it didn¡¯t detect any dangerous signals from Jiang Shi¡¯s thoughts, so it only issued a warning.


    Jiang Shi watched Jian Yi leave, and he followed Jiang Jie and got in the car.


    After getting in the car, he closed his eyes and said to the system, ¡°You should know more about Dr. Jian¡¯s background than I do. Besides seeing him for medical treatment, what excuse can I use to get close to him?¡±


    Originally, they were two people from two different worlds.


    Originally, Jiang Shi was just looking.


    The system insisted on him getting involved with Dr. Jian, but there was no way to get close without being abrupt. No matter how he thought about it, the only way was through the doctor-patient relationship.


    The system certainly knew this, but Jiang Shi had considered going to see a doctor and asking about its existence at least three times before.


    When Jiang Shi mentioned it again, the subject was still Jian Yi, and the system couldn¡¯t help but react.


    Jiang Shi sneered and said, ¡°What are you worried about? If I really plan to say something, won¡¯t you be able to monitor it first?¡±


    ¡°If something goes wrong, you can make me suffer like you did last time, so I can¡¯t even speak. At worst, you can kill me immediately.¡±


    The system doesn¡¯t care about Jiang Shi¡¯s disgust towards it, and it is skeptical about his words.


    However, it did not stop Jiang Shi from making an appointment to see a doctor with Jian Yi.


    On the other hand, Jian Yi¡¯s two assistants started to exchange glances again:


    ¡°An appointment? What kind of appointment?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, aren¡¯t there only two patients in total?¡±


    ¡°So, does the professor want to make an appointment or not?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡±


    Of course, they still made the appointment.


    Three days later, Jiang Shi came to Jian Yi¡¯s office.


    As a patient.


    Jian Yi went through a set of psychological tests with him, and some of the written questions were made by Jian Yi himself. After Jiang Shi finished writing, Jian Yi had a brief chat with him.


    Jiang Shi said that his main problem was stress. He was about to participate in the ¡°Idol¡± program and lacked confidence. He also had insomnia and occasionally experienced dizziness and vertigo.


    Jian Yi just listened to him lying with his eyes open.


    He really couldn¡¯t lie.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t directly deny that Jiang Shi was faking his illness. After the process was completed and Jiang Shi was sent away, he picked up the page of questions that Jiang Shi had filled out. His expression, which had been casual all this time, finally changed.


    The questions were very fairytale-like, many of them were whimsical, and they looked like a survey of children¡¯s liking for a series of creatures in fairy tales.


    Jian Yi had set a time limit for each question, and the time for each question was very short, so short that people didn¡¯t have time to think before giving their answers.


    And Jiang Shi¡¯s answers to him were:


    He was controlled by an evil dark wizard who wanted to use him to kill innocent people. He was trapped in a high tower, and he desperately wanted to escape. He wanted to break open a window in the tower and jump out, even if it meant shattering his bones.


    Jian Yi put the paper back into a folder and labeled it with Jiang Shi¡¯s name. He held the folder and was somewhat surprised. Jiang Shi was more stubborn than he had imagined, and he had a fierce determination.


    ¡°Approval rating has increased! It went up by 5 points!¡±


    ¡°87 now!¡±


    The mechanical voice of the system was filled with surprise.


    It was worried that Jian Yi might have discovered something, but it seemed that this weirdo¡¯s level of affection for the new host exceeded its expectations.


    Jiang Shi bit his lip and his vacant state was finally interrupted by the system¡¯s voice.


    Why? He lied so obviously, wasted Jian Yi¡¯s time, and yet his approval rating went up?


    Doctors, like police officers, dislike patients lying about their condition. Moreover, Jian Yi was clearly not the kind of doctor who would do anything for money.


    Jiang Shi couldn¡¯t figure it out. Why did Jian Yi¡¯s approval rating increase instead of decrease?


    Just three days ago, Jian Yi had deducted 3 points from his rating.


    Was he being deliberately contradictory?


    Ha.


    The system couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with Jiang Shi anymore. As long as it achieved its goal, Jiang Shi¡¯s mood and thoughts didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡­.


    Kou Li¡¯s research is progressing smoothly, and he sometimes comes back early for a couple of days.


    Tonight is one of those nights.


    The family of three went out to eat, choosing a restaurant with a great night view. The restaurant was located below a movie theater, and across from the theater was a square and a people¡¯s park.


    There were many people on the square, of all ages. It was very lively with people skating, dancing, writing, and taking videos.


    The park facing the square was lit up with night lights of various colors, adding a touch of dazzling romance to the tranquility.


    This lively place was not chosen by Bian Yi, nor was it chosen by Kou Li. It was the ¡°best place for a family to eat and have fun at night¡± offered as a suggestion to Kou Li by his secretary.


    It was also a place where neither Bian Yi nor Kou Li had ever been before.


    Bian Yi looked down at the square and park below and said to Kou Li, ¡°We can come here often in the future.¡±


    Kou Li had just finished peeling two shrimp. He put one on the plate in front of Xiao Shu and the other on the plate in front of Bian Yi. Upon hearing this, he looked up and smiled at Bian Yi and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Bian Yi raised his lips slightly, but quickly suppressed his emotions and said displeasedly, ¡°Who asked you to peel them? Eat your own!¡±


    Before Kou Li could say anything, Xiao Shu exclaimed, ¡°I want it, I want it! Daddy, give it to me!¡±


    Bian Yi: ¡°¡­¡±


    In the end, both fathers had to act, and Kou Sen proved with his own strength that there was a lot of shrimp in that dish, and he loved to eat them.


    After dinner, Bian Yi put on a simple disguise and went with Kou Li and Xiao Shu to the square and park for a walk before returning home.


    Upon returning home, Kou Li carried the sleeping Xiao Shu to the room, while Bian Yi received a phone call from Nie Fang.


    It was an invitation to a singing and dancing program, and Nie Fang asked if Bian Yi was interested in going to watch and appreciate the performances.


    ¡°Not interested,¡± Bian Yi refused outright. Such programs are mostly recorded at night, and he didn¡¯t want to spend time elsewhere on a night like tonight.


    ¡°I thought you would want to go,¡± Nie Fang sounded a little disappointed. Since Bian Yi returned, he had only participated in one interview and one variety show, which was much lower compared to his previous level of activity ¨C and he wasn¡¯t talking about comparing him to Guan Xi, but to Bian Yi¡¯s past self.


    Although he understood that Bian Yi didn¡¯t want to come out too often, he felt that with such a high salary and not doing anything, there was a sense of emptiness. The emptiest thing was the posture he was taking, and Bian Yi had plans to quit the industry.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t consider Nie Fang¡¯s thoughts and asked, ¡°Why do you think I would want to go?¡±


    Nie Fang said, ¡°Last time at the charity banquet, I saw you getting along well with Jiang Shi, who is a contestant in this program. I thought you might want to go and see him.¡±


    Bian Yi repeated the name of the boy, Jiang Shi. He didn¡¯t know how the progress was going on Jian Yi¡¯s side.


    After considering it for a while, Bian Yi replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go and take a look.¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Kou Li came back.


    Bian Yi told Kou Li about the matter.


    Kou Li remained silent for a moment, then handed over a small device he brought back from the laboratory today to Bian Yi. ¡°This is a mini version. Press this button to shield against the system and make it lose its effectiveness for a short time. Give me your phone -¡±


    Bian Yi handed over his phone and watched Kou Li find a program he couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°After activating the shield, when you click on this software, I can find you no matter where you are,¡± Kou Li said after finishing the operation. A software appeared on the screen, and he handed the phone back to Bian Yi.


    Bian Yi took the phone and looked at the hidden software. He asked while holding the earphone-like shield that Kou Li had just given him, ¡°Even if I don¡¯t activate this phone, you should still be able to locate me, right?¡±


    Kou Li had no reason to lie, ¡°Yeah, just in case.¡±


    To prevent Bian Yi from suddenly disappearing again and the system popping up somewhere to harm him without Kou Li¡¯s knowledge, afraid he would be too late to take action by then.


    Kou Li didn¡¯t say it out loud, but Bian Yi understood his unspoken words. He put away his phone and didn¡¯t get angry because Kou Li had been monitoring him. Perhaps, Kou Li¡¯s actions actually made him feel relieved for the time being. The fear of no one knowing his existence or whereabouts was too much to handle in the short term.


    As for the shield device, Bian Yi remembered that in this life, he was able to escape because the revenge system used the ¡°shield¡± function. He held the shield device and was calm at the moment. He looked into Kou Li¡¯s eyes and asked him, ¡°Was it you?¡±


    ¡°Did you save me in the end, Kou Li?¡±

 CH 35

    Chapter 35: Can¡¯t go back!


    It was already late into the night, and several rooms in the laboratory were still brightly lit, indicating that someone was planning to work through the night. For the researchers working here, it was already routine.


    Once, a long time ago, Bian Yi had stormed into the laboratory in a fit of anger one late night to catch the man who had been so engrossed in his research that he forgot to go home.


    But now, as Bian Yi followed Kou Li step by step towards the last room at the end of the corridor, his heart began to beat loudly like it had finally realized what was happening.


    He couldn¡¯t quite hear what Kou Li was saying to him in a low voice as they walked, it sounded like he was asking if Bian Yi was cold.


    But the temperature in the laboratory was just right, and every pathway was brightly lit. With the insertion of an access card, the temperature and lighting would be adjusted to the most suitable levels in a short period of time.


    There would never be darkness or coldness in this laboratory, even if there was a sudden power outage.


    Kou Li¡¯s access card was inserted into the slot outside the laboratory door, and the door opened automatically. The lights inside the laboratory also came on at the same moment.


    Standing by the door, Kou Li reached out his hand to Bian Yi, and behind him was a bright light.


    It seemed as if once Bian Yi placed his hand on Kou Li¡¯s, he would no longer see darkness or feel cold.


    It was as if once he stepped through the door, everything cold and dark that he had felt in that black room before would be dispelled by something inside this room.


    Bian Yi¡¯s hand was trembling, and his fingertips were cold.


    Only now that he had arrived here did he snap out of his daze. His mind was calm when he asked Kou Li his question, but perhaps it was only because he hadn¡¯t quite processed everything yet.


    He was so close now, just one step away from the answer he had been seeking countless times.


    But because they were so close, he couldn¡¯t help but feel scared.


    Bian Yi began to feel his whole body stiffening up. He wanted to lift his hand, but it felt completely numb, as if it weighed a thousand pounds and he couldn¡¯t lift it up.


    Kou Li was waiting for Bian Yi at the door. His gaze fell on Bian Yi¡¯s trembling hand, which moved slightly before stopping midway.


    Kou Li walked over and took Bian Yi¡¯s hand.


    He wrapped Bian Yi¡¯s cold fingertips in his own hand, then held on tight and led him into the laboratory.


    The door closed automatically.


    Compared to before their trip to the snow-capped mountains, there were many more things in this laboratory.


    But Bian Yi¡¯s gaze still fell on the semi-elliptical machine that Kou Li had said was successfully researched, but was temporarily useless.


    Bian Yi asked Kou Li if he was the one who rescued him from the system.


    Kou Li didn¡¯t answer directly, but instead brought him here.


    The answer was already obvious.


    But Bian Yi still wanted to know ¨C he didn¡¯t need to be told the complete and full answer, just one simple answer would suffice.


    Those processes he didn¡¯t know would be troublesome to tell him little by little in the future.


    Because he knew that the process was the most painful and that it was also the hardest for him to bear.


    Kou Li brought two chairs over, motioning for Bian Yi to sit down, then crouched down at the bottom of the machine, rummaging through something.


    He agreed and said, ¡°It will take some time for it to start up.¡±


    Bian Yi sat on the chair and listened.


    Kou Li continued, ¡°I was supposed to go back to the lab that day. I kept remembering that I had two programs to set up, and I thought it didn¡¯t succeed.¡±


    Bian Yi looked at the golden ball in the center of the instrument as it began to flicker with light. It took him a moment to realize that when Kou Li said ¡°that day,¡± he meant the day he escaped from the system¡¯s space and returned home.


    Kou Li said he ¡°kept remembering.¡±


    Bian Yi exhaled lightly, not delving into how Kou Li could forget which step his research had reached.


    Opening the machine was simpler than Bian Yi had imagined, as it only needed an energy source to be connected to it.


    Kou Li stepped back and sat beside Bian Yi, his gaze also fixed on the golden ball, reassuring Bian Yi not to be anxious, ¡°It¡¯ll wake up in a minute.¡±


    Bian Yi made a sound of agreement and unconsciously squeezed his leg, which turned into a pinch in his own nervousness.


    Kou Li lowered his eyes and easily noticed Bian Yi¡¯s tension.


    He reached out and took Bian Yi¡¯s hand that was pinching his own leg, opened his coat, and placed Bian Yi¡¯s hand on his waist, where it was warmer.


    He couldn¡¯t think of anything to say to ease Bian Yi¡¯s tension.


    In fact, he was equally nervous, nervous about Bian Yi¡¯s every reaction to what was to come.


    It seemed that it was easier to be straightforward and without any burden.


    One minute.


    Bian Yi tried to count his own heartbeat to pass the time, which was a method he often used to relieve nervousness when he won awards in the past. Unfortunately, his heartbeat was very irregular at the moment, and he couldn¡¯t count it in a rhythmic way, so he couldn¡¯t achieve the effect of calming himself down.


    The golden ball lit up completely. It was like a star that Bian Yi saw by chance when he went out, very bright and beautiful. Then, Bian Yi heard the ball make a sound.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s hand suddenly tightened around Kou Li¡¯s hand, his nails seemed to scratch Kou Li¡¯s hand, and two fingers hung on Kou Li¡¯s sweater. His heart stopped beating and his mind went blank. All his senses seemed to disappear in that moment.


    Until the voice sounded again.


    It was a clear, clean voice of a boy, which Bian Yi had found very pleasant when he heard it for the first time.


    ¡°Did dad eat on time today?¡±


    Kou Li replied to it, ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    The ball blinked twice as if analyzing whether his answer contained any lies.


    After a moment, the voice sounded somewhat happy: ¡°Did dad exercise today?¡±


    Kou Li replied again.


    Then it asked a few ordinary questions. When Kou Li answered all of them, it asked the last one.


    ¡°Did daddy come back?¡±


    Kou Li squeezed Bian Yi¡¯s trembling hand tightly and replied, ¡°He¡¯s back.¡±


    It analyzed it again, but this time there was no response.


    It seemed that the person who designed this question-and-answer function had forgotten to include the necessary program.


    There was no one else in the laboratory, and there was no other mechanical noise, so whoever spoke could be heard clearly.


    Bian Yi¡¯s lips moved several times before he finally spoke in the silence.


    He asked Kou Li, ¡°Is it Xiao Shu?¡±


    Kou Li replied, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Bian Yi took a deep breath, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard his voice since Xiao Shu was seven years old,¡± he said.


    ¡°After that, the system never showed me any images or videos of Xiao Shu. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s his voice.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t know how much you and Xiao Shu have done while I was struggling in despair.¡±


    ¡°I heard it!¡± Bian Yi suddenly opened his eyes, grabbed Kou Li¡¯s arm, and his eyes turned red. ¡°I heard it, but I¡­ I couldn¡¯t do anything at that time.¡±


    Kou Li¡¯s movements were sudden, and the chair legs made a very loud, scraping sound against the ground.


    He tightly embraced Bian Yi, extremely anxious to hold him, to interrupt him, and to prevent him from saying anything else.


    He knew what Bian Yi was going to say.


    He didn¡¯t want to hear it.


    He didn¡¯t want to listen.


    Bian Yi leaned his head against Kou Li¡¯s chest.


    He wanted to speak, but just like when he heard Xiao Shu¡¯s voice, he couldn¡¯t make a sound in his throat.


    He heard it.


    At the end of his previous life, someone who called himself the ¡°Revenge System¡± found Bian Yi.


    It said it could help him escape.


    Bian Yi really wanted to agree, even if it was a demon who would exact an expensive price from him, no matter what he had to pay, he wanted to go back.


    He wanted to agree, he wanted to comply.


    But, he died right away.


    He couldn¡¯t answer it.


    He couldn¡¯t go back!


    Clearly, he had waited until the end, until the person he loved most came to save him. They didn¡¯t mistake him for someone else, didn¡¯t forget him, and certainly didn¡¯t abandon him.


    They had clearly persisted longer than he had.


    Bian Yi held tightly onto Kou Li¡¯s clothes, the water-absorbent material, which after a while, would make the person wearing it feel damp.


    He burst into tears in his embrace.


    The area of the sweater soaked by tears became larger and larger, and the temperature changed from hot to cold.


    But its owner did not loosen their grip because of this culprit.


    The quiet laboratory could only hear Bian Yi¡¯s crying.


    It was as if he used all his strength to vent, as if he were tearing his heart out.


    The soundproofing of the laboratory was very good, fortunately, the people who were still working in the laboratory were not disturbed.


    Kou Li¡¯s hand was on Bian Yi¡¯s back, patting him up and down, helping him to breathe.


    It¡¯s unclear how long it lasted.


    Bian Yi emerged from Kou Li¡¯s embrace, Kou Li wanted to loosen his grip a bit, but Bian Yi hugged his neck.


    Bian Yi leaned on Kou Li¡¯s shoulder, his lips close to Kou Li¡¯s ear.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Bian Yi¡¯s voice was very hoarse, he was still crying, and his words were unclear.


    I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have given up. I should have persisted a little longer.


    Kou Li heard it clearly.


    His breathing became heavier, and he hugged Bian Yi tighter, wishing he could merge him into his bone marrow.


    But he couldn¡¯t do that, so he just buried his head in Bian Yi¡¯s neck and took a deep breath.


    Of course, Kou Li hated Bian Yi.


    He hated his disappearance and the length of time he was gone.


    Most of all, he hated that when he found him and was happy again, he lost him when he was just starting to breathe.


    How cruel.


    Even though it was not Bian Yi¡¯s intention, it was still too cruel for Kou Li.


    Therefore, even though he had returned to seventeen years ago and spent a year restoring his and Xiao Shu¡¯s research from the previous life.


    Even though the machine had already started running, he still subconsciously thought he hadn¡¯t finished yet.


    He was running away and afraid, afraid that it would tell him again, ¡°The life form has lost consciousness; the life form has been confirmed dead.¡±


    So, when he saw Bian Yi on the stairs that day.


    The first thing that surged up was not joy, but intense hatred.


    He just wanted to bite Bian Yi¡¯s throat and fall into hell with him.


    However, when he tasted Bian Yi¡¯s blood, he miraculously became sober again.


    At that moment, he realized.


    His Ah-yi seemed to have returned.


    Kou Li loosened his grip on Bian Yi, backed away a bit, and brushed away the tears on his face.


    He wiped away Bian Yi¡¯s tears and kissed his forehead, saying, ¡°It¡¯s okay, as long as you¡¯re back.¡±


    T/N: Since reading this novel I have never been able to read transmigration novels quite the same way anymore¡­ Anyways sorry for the late update! I was very busy with work. I will also be changing my schedule to posting on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

 CH 36

    Chapter 36


    The second half of the night was spent in the laboratory by Bian Yi and Kou Li. As Bian Yi had seen when he arrived, it was common to work overnight here, even though Kou Li did not arrange overtime for them. However, their attitude towards their research had a certain degree of fanaticism, so since the laboratory was built, there had always been a matching lounge.


    At this time, Bian Yi was lying on Kou Li¡¯s bed in Kou Li¡¯s lounge.


    The room was not as spacious as home, and the bed was not big enough, but it was enough for the two of them.


    What was the same as the first time Bian Yi had reincarnated and slept with Kou Li was that there was also a distance between them on the bed. However, the difference was that the distance was not between them, but on the side of the bed.


    Bian Yi was tightly nestled in Kou Li¡¯s arms, and Kou Li¡¯s hands were also tightly wrapped around the person in his arms.


    They were like those sweetest nights during the most passionate period of their relationship. They not only had to sleep in each other¡¯s arms but also had to keep their feet together.


    They felt both nauseous and happy at the same time, and their restless moods and fiery bodies wouldn¡¯t cool down until the second half of the night, until they could fall asleep.


    And now, Bian Yi couldn¡¯t sleep either.


    He was already tired, but probably because Kou Li went home every night and there was no simple first aid kit in the laboratory, Bian Yi couldn¡¯t fall asleep peacefully.


    Kou Li was the same.


    He opened his eyes and found Bian Yi looking at him.


    Kou Li brushed Bian Yi¡¯s temple and asked him softly, ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡±


    Bian Yi blinked as an answer, and the two of them just looked at each other quietly.


    After a moment, Bian Yi spoke, ¡°Was it you who set up the revenge system?¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s voice was hoarse, and Kou Li frowned as he listened. ¡°Do you want some water?¡±


    After speaking, Kou Li wanted to get up.


    Bian Yi pulled him back down.


    Kou Li lay back down again and answered Bian Yi¡¯s question: ¡°It should be set up by Xiao Shu. I kept many of his small programs, but I don¡¯t know their purpose. I didn¡¯t name them, they are all just numbered.¡±


    ¡°Xiao Shu¡­¡± reciting this name, although not thirsty, Bian Yi couldn¡¯t help but lick his lips, and his throat was a little dry. ¡°What happened to that child afterwards?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± Kou Li lowered his eyes, and finally closed them, ¡°I owe Xiao Shu a lot.¡±


    Bian Yi reached out and touched Kou Li¡¯s eyes, which were not covered by his glasses.


    He couldn¡¯t blame Kou Li.


    If he had to blame someone, he also had some responsibility.


    Xiao Shu was their child, but they both¡­


    Yes, Bian Yi guessed it.


    There was no saviour from heaven.


    The revenge system was something Kou Li had researched for who knows how many years, and it was finally successfully made with Xiao Shu, a semi-elliptical machine.


    Apart from saving him from that space, perhaps it also had some shielding and positioning functions, but it certainly didn¡¯t have the ability to travel through time or reverse time.


    So, how did they go back to the past?


    System, strategy, mission, time traveler.


    Bian Yi had always been guessing the truth behind these factors.


    And when these factors were combined, their world was like a game.


    Suppose this is just a game. Under what circumstances can you start over?


    First, the player dies;


    Second, the mission fails;


    Third, the main NPC or task target dies.


    Bian Yi was not sure if Guan Xi, from the previous life, is dead, but what he can be sure of is that even if Guan Xi is dead, the ¡°second round¡± will not start.


    Looking at the current anti-matchmaking self-help system, didn¡¯t it just abandon Guan Xi and find a new host?


    As for the failure of the mission, in a true ordinary game, a failure is a failure, but in this real world, there is no clear boundary as to whether it is a failure or not.


    If this was just an ordinary game, the game would have already ended the moment Kou Li and Jian Yi caught Guan Xi.


    However, the fact is that it did not.


    Therefore, only the last one is left.


    Mainline NPC or mission target death.


    Although Bian Yi is extremely unwilling to believe it, and although he does not want to label himself and Kou Li as ¡°mainline NPC¡± and ¡°mission target¡±, this is the closest to the truth.


    The truth is:


    He and Kou Li both died.


    The target object has died, the mission has failed, and the game is over. Please restart the game.


    Bian Yi¡¯s heart ached.


    He curled up even tighter in discomfort.


    This answer is not difficult to guess, but he just didn¡¯t dare to guess before.


    He could even guess that Kou Li might have followed him soon after he died.


    In the end, the revenge system found him.


    This means that his death will be detected by the revenge system and conveyed to the end that controls it.


    For Bian Yi, this is really easy to guess.


    After all, if the roles were reversed, he would not be able to hold on either.


    So, he and Kou Li are both ashamed before Xiao Shu.


    He couldn¡¯t imagine how sad Xiao Shu would be after losing two fathers in succession, when he should have grown up happy and carefree.


    Clearly, if he had persevered a little longer, their family could have reunited.


    Bian Yi fell into self-blame again.


    He still lacked an apology to Xiao shu back then.


    But he couldn¡¯t say it to the Xiao Shu of that time.


    Bian Yi was somewhat selfishly hoping that the world had immediately restarted from the moment he and Kou Li died, so that Xiao Shu wouldn¡¯t have to face an empty house, live alone, or handle the funerals of his two fathers alone. He wouldn¡¯t have to remember, as he is now, growing up simply and happily beside them.


    ¡°That would be good.¡±


    Kou Li¡¯s phone rang.


    It was a notification sound.


    Bian Yi looked at Kou Li, but found that he was also lost in thought and hadn¡¯t heard the sound of the phone¡¯s notification.


    When the ¡°beep beep¡± sound reached the fifth time, Bian Yi was just about to remind Kou Li when he came back to his senses.


    Kou Li pinched his nose and reached for the phone on the bedside table.


    He glanced at it and handed it to Bian Yi.


    Kou Li said, ¡°Guan Xi has escaped.¡±


    Bian Yi took the phone and enlarged the map, where a red dot representing Guan Xi was moving slowly along several streets, probably looking for a hiding place. Bian Yi didn¡¯t care about it.


    After losing the system, he was just an ordinary person with no skills or resources. Without money, identity, and with a face that didn¡¯t belong to him, he was a suspect and a potential source of wealth for some people. In such a situation, it was a hopeless situation for someone with no ability.


    No matter where he ran or how he escaped, he would never have a chance to see the light again.


    But the road was his own choice.


    It was he who chose to ignore all the loopholes in the system¡¯s words and was greedy for a life that didn¡¯t belong to him.


    If it was someone else ¡ª


    Bian Yi suddenly thought of Jiang Shi.


    Would it be different?


    Would everyone be like Guan Xi, unable to resist the temptation of the system?


    ¡°That island,¡± Kou Li interrupted Bian Yi¡¯s thoughts, putting his phone aside and hugging Bian Yi again, ¡°is the E Island we went to before.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Bian Yi asked him.


    At this moment, Kou Li received an update from Guan Xi, which also reminded him of some things about this person. ¡°I left him on that island in the end.¡±


    Bian Yi looked at him and waited for him to continue.


    Kou Li sighed, ¡°I couldn¡¯t be sure if that body was yours, so I left him on the island.¡±


    ¡°That island, do you remember? The one you planned after our exploration.¡±


    Bian Yi understood what he meant. The ¡°island¡± mentioned by Kou Li was not E Island but just a random small island mentioned by Bian Yi.


    After they returned from their exploration, although they had gone through several dangerous situations, Bian Yi gained a boyfriend and his passion for exploration did not diminish. On the contrary, it increased even more.


    He reviewed their first action, identified many shortcomings, and planned with Kou Li, ¡°When we earn enough money, let¡¯s buy an island! We¡¯ll build a house on the island as a supply point, with food, water, seeds, and tools. Then we¡¯ll place boats in several locations around the island, but only one of them will be good. We¡¯ll also need a signal device that doesn¡¯t work completely! We can go and play every year with different themes and tasks. What do you think, Brother Li?¡±


    ¡°This could be turned into a unique tourist attraction too, right? Oh come on, don¡¯t look at me like that, I know, only the two of us, no one else will be allowed on the island, okay?¡±


    ¡°Even if one of our adventures fails, it seems romantic to die together on our own island with just the two of us.¡±


    The environment in their memories was somewhat fuzzy, after all, it had been too long.


    Bian Yi only remembered that at that time, Kou Li was sitting on the sofa reading a book, while he lay on Kou Li¡¯s legs, playing with the buttons on Kou Li¡¯s clothes and describing the most romantic things he could think of in his mind.


    He spoke, and Kou Li responded.


    When he mentioned the phrase ¡°die together,¡± Kou Li threw the book aside, picked him up from his legs, and kissed him. Then, he even lost control and almost went too far.


    At that time, Kou Li was a bit overbearing but also very charming. His eyes looked fierce as if he wanted to eat the person he was looking at. Bian Yi thought that he was angry at him for saying something offensive, but now he understood that Kou Li was not angry, but rather excited. Kou Li really appreciated his words and could not restrain his desire. Bian Yi paused for a moment, recalling a distant memory, before replying to Kou Li, ¡°I remember.¡±


    Kou Li continued, ¡°At that time, Xiao Shu and I were about to succeed. I thought that if it was you, you could definitely survive. As long as you came back, I would definitely be able to save you.¡±


    Therefore, he recognized Guan Xi at first glance but still kept him at home and by his side. Although he knew it was fake, he still didn¡¯t want Guan Xi to get hurt even a little bit. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t directly kill Guan Xi, the thief who stole Bian Yi¡¯s life because he was afraid that there would be no body for Bian Yi to return to.


    In fact, at that time, Kou Li, Xiao Shu, and Jian Yi were on that island, which was their laboratory, similar to what Bian Yi had seen before. They had installed surveillance cameras everywhere on the island, but unfortunately, Guan Xi was too stupid and too cowardly, and he didn¡¯t notice anything. He lived in fear every day.


    They could see Guan Xi¡¯s miserable face and his useless appearance at any time, which made them even more convinced that he was not the adventurous Bian Yi.


    Actually, Kou Li had made Jian Yi perform many tests, but unfortunately, the results always showed that Guan Xi¡¯s body data was exactly the same as Bian Yi¡¯s. Therefore, even when they went back to 17 years ago, Kou Li still did not directly kill Guan Xi. He did not dare to take the risk.


    Bian Yi looked at Kou Li and put his hand on his face. Although he had resented this man countless times, he now said to Kou Li, as he had said countless times before, ¡°I am very grateful to have you with me.¡±


    Kou Li smiled and took Bian Yi¡¯s finger, kissed it lightly on his lips, and then held him and whispered softly, ¡°Go to sleep, we still have to take Xiao Shu to school tomorrow morning.¡±


    Bian Yi responded softly in his arms, ¡°Mm, let¡¯s sleep.¡±


    The phone left aside by Kou Li had its volume adjusted, but the flashing red dot did not disturb the rest of the two.


    At this moment, Guan Xi was hiding in a trash can in an alley.


    It was very dirty, smelly, and dark here.


    But he had no choice. This was the opportunity he had finally found, and he had to escape.


    Recently, Guan Xi discovered the changes in his body.


    It was because of those two disgusting men that he realized it.


    They said, ¡°Why are you so ugly lately? I¡¯m losing my appetite.¡±


    Guan Xi didn¡¯t know how Bian Yi would react to this, but he was disgusted and vomited.


    He really vomited, so the two men lost interest and left the room, chatting on the other side.


    Thanks to Guan Xi, the relationship between Zhuo Feng and Xu Rui has improved a lot.


    They were communicating in another language, the door was open, and Guan Xi could hear them talking and see their expressions.


    They knew that Guan Xi couldn¡¯t understand, so they didn¡¯t cover up.


    Guan Xi didn¡¯t really understand, but he understood their expressions.


    Their eyes looked at him like a commodity, like something they had played with and could make a big profit by selling it now.


    Guan Xi hurriedly ran into the bathroom, and the cold water pouring on him made him sober.


    He had to escape.


    Perhaps because of his strong survival instinct, Guan Xi¡¯s mind was particularly bright in situations related to life and death.


    He quickly realized that the price that could interest Xu Zhuo and Xu Rui must not be a normal skin and flesh transaction, but an experimental product.


    In anxiety, Guan Xi would look in the mirror many times a day.


    He had never loved his original appearance like he did now. Yes, he could be sure that in a short time, he would be able to return to himself.


    As long as he escaped and hid for a few days, he would no longer be Bian Yi.


    By then, no one would recognize him!


    This is his only chance at survival.


    Guan Xi had been hiding in the trash can for a day and a night, and he had no idea what he looked like now.


    Just to be safe, he would stay for three more days, and no one should mistake him for a Bianyi.


    By then, he would be able to-


    The lid of the trash can was opened.


    A tall foreign man, whom Guan Xi did not recognize, opened the lid. He couldn¡¯t understand what the man was saying.


    But he saw Zhuo Feng, ten meters away. The man looked at him with disgust, as if looking at garbage in a trash can.


    He talked to another foreigner beside him for a few words and handed over his phone. He pointed to the phone and then to Guan Xi. The foreigner smiled with satisfaction and signaled to the tall bodyguard behind him.


    The bodyguard handed a black box to Zhuo Feng, who smiled with satisfaction.


    Even if Guan Xi were stupid, he should understand this scene.


    He was being tracked, and he had not been found in the past two days, but it was just another game that Zhuo and Xu were playing with him.


    And now, the merchant they were waiting for had arrived, and they had easily found him and sold him.


    Guan Xi wanted to pass out so he wouldn¡¯t have to face all this ¨C in his past life, when he didn¡¯t want to face the brutal battles of the men who loved him, he often fainted to solve the problem.


    Unfortunately, his body did not cooperate. Even though he had been tortured like this before, and hadn¡¯t received enough energy, he was still sober and had to face this scene.


    He watched in a daze.


    He watched Zhuo Feng preparing to leave with the box full of money, and the foreigner who had just traded the money out of his pocket without making a sound and ignited the gun under the silencer.


    Zhuo Feng¡¯s head was blown off.


    Guan Xi wanted to scream, but no sound came out.


    The foreigner across from him was still communicating in words he couldn¡¯t understand. Their leader said, ¡°Chop him up. If this experimental product is faulty, throw his body to Xu.¡±

 CH 37

    Chapter 37


    When Bian Yi woke up, it was a bit late. By the time he and Kou Li returned home, Xiao Shu had already prepared to go to school.


    Seeing him and Kou Li coming back from afar, the child¡¯s previously expressionless face immediately fell.


    Bian Yi was really afraid that he would cry, so he quickly went over and squatted in front of Xiao Shu, nervously looking at him, ¡°Sorry Xiao Shu, Dad came back too late.¡±


    Xiao Shu was only unhappy for a moment, and soon forgave Bian Yi: ¡°Then Dad will also take me to school today, and after school, he will buy me my favorite cake!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Bian Yi immediately agreed, relieved, and couldn¡¯t help but kiss his family¡¯s most obedient Xiao Shu.


    Xiao Shu, afraid of blushing, dodged timidly and urged Bian Yi and Kou Li to hurry up and have breakfast, while he waited for them to finish.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t dare to delay, and went upstairs to change clothes before coming down to eat.


    Kou Li, on the other hand, was not in a hurry. He walked to the sofa where Xiao Shu was sitting, smoothed the sleepy child¡¯s hair, and then went upstairs to change clothes.


    The two adults were really fast when they needed to be. Eating breakfast only took a few minutes, and they didn¡¯t make the child wait long.


    There were still about ten pieces of puzzle pieces in front of Xiao Shu. He looked up and saw that the two adults had finished eating. He quickly and anxiously placed the remaining pieces in their proper positions within about ten seconds.


    When Bian Yi walked over, some of the puzzle pieces that Xiao Shu had put in his schoolbag were still exposed.


    He took a quick glance and judged that it was probably a puzzle of about a hundred pieces.


    Xiao Shu had already put the puzzle completely into his schoolbag, and he was not sure if the last ten or so pieces he randomly put in were in the right positions or not.


    But no matter whether they were correct or not, to be able to complete a puzzle of over a hundred pieces in such a short time- Bian Yi didn¡¯t know what other children were like, but if he were to do it himself, he would not be able to complete it in ten minutes, especially since the picture was so small.


    Bian Yi thought that what the system had told him in his ¡°novel¡± was right.


    Their Xiao Shu was indeed a super genius.


    As a father, who wouldn¡¯t want their child to be excellent? Bian Yi was naturally very happy, and he was not at all ashamed of the title of ¡°super genius¡±.


    Their Xiaoshu was just like that!


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t hesitate to praise Xiao Shu generously. When Kousen got off the school bus, his face was all flushed. Seeing his appearance, Bian Yi felt particularly happy. He caught the little one and kissed him on his red cheek.


    There are teachers at the entrance of the campus who greet the students every day. Although the child is only three years old, he is also shy. After being kissed by Bian Yi, he kept swinging his little legs and wanted to get down from Bian Yi¡¯s arms.


    Bian Yi can hold Xiao Shu now, but don¡¯t underestimate the child, even if he is only three years old, he can be quite strong. Bian Yi had to put him down, and he immediately ran away from Bian Yi and hid from the teacher. Only after he got into the school, he waved goodbye to Bian Yi.


    The teachers at the entrance all smiled and teased Kousen, ¡°Oh, Kousen is shy.¡± They laughed, and Xiao Shu ran even faster, making the teachers laugh even louder.


    What a group of naughty adults, the little guy must have thought so.


    Bian Yi smiled and watched Xiao Shu¡¯s back at the school gate until he completely disappeared before leaving.


    After sending off Xiao Shu, Bian Yi didn¡¯t have much to do. In the morning, he went to the gym to work out, and at noon, he went to the lab to have lunch with Kou Li. The lab¡¯s cafeteria offered a variety of dishes, and the presentation, taste, and nutrition were all very good. At least Bian Yi was very satisfied after exercising.


    When he was almost finished eating, he suddenly realized that the chef in the lab seemed to be his own hire, and he was hired for a high salary.


    Bian Yi couldn¡¯t remember the specific year, but he could recall the reason.


    It was probably the year when Kou Li just built the lab, and he was too busy with the project that he spent almost half a year in the lab.


    During that time, Bian Yi had a movie of his own to act in.


    When he returned, he found that his good husband had shrunk directly and lost more than 20 pounds.


    Bian Yi scolded him severely, and after returning, he went to the lab with Kou Li without much rest.


    After tasting the lab¡¯s food, he started looking for a chef.


    The food that was originally made was not bad, but it was not delicious enough to attract those hungry researchers to come and eat on time.


    In the end, it took Bian Yi several days to dig up a chef from a certain hotel, and then everyone in the lab could eat on time. However, these people were still ungrateful and even complained that delicious food only affected their research progress. Bian Yi was so angry that he immediately retorted, ¡°What are you complaining about? He wasn¡¯t hired just for you guys!¡±


    When he said that, the whole cafeteria was engulfed by a chorus of ¡°Oh~¡± cheers. Then someone pushed him, and he stumbled right into Kou Li¡¯s arms.


    Even though they were already married at that time, Bian Yi blushed when he was pushed into Kou Li¡¯s embrace.


    Finally, Kou Li half embraced him, carrying two plates of food, and took him back to the lounge to eat.


    Now, Bian Yi was in Kou Li¡¯s lounge.


    He had finished his meal.


    Kou Li was eating while looking at data, so was a bit slower than him.


    This scene coincided with many scenes from this experiment in the past.


    Bian Yi frowned and picked up a spoon, tapping Kou Li¡¯s plate with the handle. ¡°Eat your food properly!¡±


    Kou Li was clearly stunned for a moment. He looked up at Bian Yi, whose face showed displeasure, and placed the plate on the table. Silently adjusting his posture as Bian Yi requested, he began to eat properly.


    After a moment, both of them laughed lightly and briefly, but they could hear each other clearly.


    ¡­..


    Jiang Shi was practicing hard in the training room.


    The day for recording the program was very close, and he didn¡¯t want to just coast by. For the first performance, he naturally had to show his best form and ability.


    Jiang Jie was standing outside the training room, her eyebrows furrowed as she prepared to ask Jiang Shi to stop. However, when the words reached her lips, she hesitated and closed her mouth.


    For the past few days, Jiang Shi had been doing nothing but sleeping, eating, and practicing singing and dancing.


    It hadn¡¯t even started yet, and the first round wouldn¡¯t directly eliminate anyone. They would just be placed in a danger zone, and the people in the danger zone in the second round would only be unable to decide their own performance order. Besides, ¡°making a comeback¡± was a particularly popular move.


    In the previous seasons, there were a few contestants who made a successful comeback, but perhaps because they did it too many times, the audience was not stupid. Later on, some people failed in their comebacks, and the ¡°comeback¡± storyline was not played out in every season, or at least not as prominently.


    Although that was the case, there was no need to work so hard!


    Jiang Jie looked at Jiang Shi and really felt like she was about to break down.


    Xiao Shitou was working too hard. As his agent, seeing such a hardworking artist naturally made her happy.


    But she also felt sorry for him.


    She began to wonder if she shouldn¡¯t have taken on this program, but the thought only lasted for a split second.


    That was impossible. She and Xiao Shitou had to take on this program no matter what. It was such a good resource, such a rare opportunity.


    Jiang Jie watched for a while longer and no longer thought about how to make Jiang Shi rest.


    Young people who were willing to work so hard were rare.


    Talent plus strength plus effort, Xiao Shitou had a promising future!


    Using all his strength for each performance was a good thing.


    ¡­Although she would still worry that Jiang Shi wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it.


    Sweat dripped from his forehead into his eyes. Jiang Shi blinked several times forcefully, causing the skin around his eyes to turn slightly red.


    At this moment, he didn¡¯t think about anything and dared not to.


    The system was still talking in his mind.


    ¡°Why do you have to endure this hardship? There are so many skill cards in the mall.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it tiring to practice for so long?¡±


    ¡°Although you haven¡¯t earned any points yet, I can allow you to go into debt.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you really want it? Even if you perform poorly with the equipment, you can still get some rewards.¡±


    Jiang Shi completely ignored the system¡¯s voice.


    The system had said these things yesterday, and in fact, it was about to give up persuading Jiang Shi to use points.


    It stopped, cursing without any reservations: ¡°You won¡¯t take advantage of any benefits, you fool!¡±


    This time, Jiang Shi replied to it. He gasped with his hands on his knees and said to the system: ¡°To me, those things are not cheap. Why should I rely on those elusive things that can be achieved through hard work?¡±


    The system was too lazy to argue anymore.


    Take it or leave it, just go and complete the task.


    Soon, the recording of the program ¡°Dazzling Star¡± officially began.


    The stage of this program was very large and had a strong sense of design. It could be divided into multiple small stages or combined into one large stage.


    As soon as Bian Yi was cued in by the host, he noticed this distinctive stage at first sight after entering.


    Before this, he had never watched this show. He was an actor and had no relation to this stage. Gou Xi also did not participate.


    Bian Yi also didn¡¯t have much interest in this type of show. He preferred adventure shows and some high-quality movies.


    There was a rehearsal last night, but Bian Yi was only a special guest and didn¡¯t play any substantial role. He was just there to join in the fun, so there was no need for him to participate.


    He walked up to the host¡¯s position and greeted the audience below, saying a few common phrases such as ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to their performance¡± before following the host¡¯s instructions and sitting in his assigned seat.


    His seat was next to the judges, and he could definitely say that it was the best view.


    After the judges had all taken their seats, the first contestant quickly came up.


    The pace of the whole show was tight, and the host didn¡¯t waste any time with unnecessary talk. The judges were also normal people, and there were no operations that Bian Yi couldn¡¯t understand.


    Although it was the first round, even in the first round, Bian Yi could feel the professionalism of the stage, and he could also feel the nervousness of the contestants ¨C they were all participating in this show for the first time, and probably didn¡¯t expect the atmosphere at the scene to be so serious.


    Bian Yi waited for a long time before Jiang Shi came on stage.


    One of the judges next to Bian Yi knew that he and Jiang Shi had participated in a variety show together, so he turned to ask Bian Yi what his impression of Jiang Shi was like.


    Just then, Jiang Shi on stage also looked over at Bian Yi.


    Bian Yi looked into his eyes, holding the microphone in his hand, and replied, ¡°Lively and cute like a little koi in the river, and as hard as a stone on the riverbank.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to his performance.¡±


    The lights dimmed, and only Jiang Shi was left on the stage.


    Bian Yi¡¯s face was smiling, but his eyes did not reflect any joy.


    Jiang Shi was acting strange, very strange.


    When he looked at him earlier, there was a hint of determination in his eyes.


    And Jiang Shi¡¯s performance that followed only confirmed Bian Yi¡¯s suspicion.


    Jiang Shi¡¯s act was a story, and in Bian Yi¡¯s eyes, he performed better than any other contestant that night.


    The protagonist in the story was trapped in a dire situation. He had a way out, but it would harm others. He struggled, resisted, and didn¡¯t want to take that path, but he also didn¡¯t want to be trapped in that situation forever.


    So, he picked up a knife and ended his own life.


    Jiang Shi inserted the prop knife into his heart.


    Bian Yi suddenly stood up and fumbled for his phone in his pocket, looking panicked.


    The audience behind him, the judges beside him, and the host at the side of the stage all looked at him in astonishment.


    The judge who had spoken to him earlier pulled him aside and reassured him, ¡°Mr. Bian, don¡¯t worry, Jiang Shi is just acting.¡±


    The other judges also whispered, ¡°It¡¯s just an act.¡±


    They all knew about Bian Yi¡¯s past and thought that his emotional outburst was due to his own experience.


    Bian Yi¡¯s fingers moved away from the speed dial button. He looked at Jiang Shi, who had stood up and bowed in his direction.


    Bian Yi also picked up the microphone and said, with an embarrassed smile, ¡°Sorry, I got too excited.¡±


    His eyes moved away from Jiang Shi, and there was still no smile in them.


    Jiang Shi, this silly child.


    To him, was freedom more important than life?


    Fortunately, he knew how to ask for help and didn¡¯t do anything stupid.


    To solve problems, one must live.

 CH 38

    Chapter 38


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    Jiang Shi¡¯s head throbbed with pain. He knew it was the system getting angry.


    During practice, the dance was split apart and even when put together, without a stage or emotion, it was impossible to tell what kind of performance would be presented in the end.


    Jiang Shi repeated those dance moves day after day, saying that he had to work hard and rely on himself, but he was already tired of it. He never thought deeply about why Jiang Shi was working so hard, because he looked like a stubborn fool.


    The large stage was divided into four small stages, and Jiang Shi was standing on one of them. After his performance ended, the host left the stage, the lights went out, and another small stage was lit up.


    After Jiang Shi, another contestant was going to perform.


    Only after the lights on his side of the stage went completely dark did Jiang Shi half-kneel on stage, his hands tightly pressing against his head, which was in excruciating pain.


    The staff who were waiting for him to leave the stage noticed something was wrong and quickly called two people to help him.


    In Bian Yi¡¯s direction, he could not see the darkened stage and he probably did not know what Jiang Shi¡¯s situation was, but if he paid attention to the area below the stage, he would notice.


    He saw Jiang Shi¡¯s agent rushing onto the dark stage in high heels and a moment later, with the help of two staff members, they helped Jiang Shi down from the stage.


    Bian Yi withdrew his gaze without any expression on his face.


    It must be the system.


    After Jiang Shi made such a move, it must have been very angry. Guan Xi had never rebelled against it before, so Bian Yi didn¡¯t know what the system could or would do to its host.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t pay attention to the cameras around him and took out his phone to send Jian Yi¡¯s number a message.


    Jiang Shi was resting in the dressing room backstage. Jiang Jie wanted to take him to the hospital, but he refused.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Jiang Shi smiled at Jiang Jie, ¡°Maybe I was just too hungry.¡±


    Jiang Jie looked at him worriedly for several times before allowing her assistant to go out and get him something to eat, so as not to affect his performance in the evening. Jiang Shi did eat very little for dinner.


    ¡°Huh, don¡¯t think I¡¯ve believed your nonsense,¡± the system said to Jiang Shi.


    Jiang Shi replied to it: ¡°Believe it or not, Dr. Jian will come soon.¡±


    He sounded confident again, which confused the system.


    In fact, it didn¡¯t understand just now ¨C Jiang Shi said that he did it on purpose and it was just part of his strategy plan against Bian Yi¡¯s plea for help.


    Jiang Shi said to it:


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your ultimate goal Bian Yi and Kou Li?¡±


    ¡°According to your script, I can never intervene between them, and the character you created is very different from me. If I really did that, not only would Bian Yi suspect me, but even the people around me would question whether I am normal.¡±


    ¡°Do you want others to know about your existence?¡±


    ¡°Why not take the opposite approach?¡±


    ¡°They are already doubting me, aren¡¯t they? So just give them a definite answer. I will package myself as a victim and die rather than yield. Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to gain their trust?¡±


    ¡°Look at Bian Yi¡¯s reaction just now. That is the best proof.¡±


    ¡°He will definitely not confront me or you directly, so he will contact Dr. Jian whom I know to approach me.¡±


    ¡°Opportunities to easily win over Bian Yi¡¯s trust and favor are all here, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    Jiang Shi¡¯s reasoning was very sound, and the system listened in a daze.


    This was the first time it had experienced being led by the host.


    The previous hosts had to ask for its opinions. They would be anxious when something happened, unlike Jiang Shi, who had such a clear and decisive mind.


    It wondered: had it really misunderstood Jiang Shi?


    To be honest, the system did not completely trust Jiang Shi¡¯s words, but it couldn¡¯t find any loopholes for the time being, and it also did not receive any other ideas from Jiang Shi¡¯s mind.


    Moreover, people are afraid of death, and Jiang Shi is still so young. Even though he is different from the previous hosts, the system believes that they are the same in this regard. No matter how difficult the situation is, they still have to hold onto it and ask it to save them, with no dignity to speak of.


    This is probably the game of smart people.


    Maybe in the next world, it can consider finding a smart host who doesn¡¯t need to bend and twist, just throw out the bait and someone will take it.


    Most smart people are also more ambitious.


    After the last contestant performed, Jiang Shi also rested well. He returned to the stage with the other contestants.


    They are all artists who have already debuted or have been in the industry for many years. After they return to the stage, they are not standing there waiting for their results. Instead, they are invited by the host to a stage with seats, waiting for the host and judges to read their names.


    Bian Yi looked at Jiang Shi from afar. At this moment, Jiang Shi¡¯s complexion was not very good, but he could still go on stage and sit there, so the situation shouldn¡¯t be too serious.


    Bian Yi goes to Kou Li¡¯s laboratory every day and knows that his research is almost finished, but he cannot be completely sure when it will be completed.


    Bian Yi just hopes that Jiang Shi can be smarter and stabilize the system first, so as not to hurt himself.


    Before announcing the results, the host let the judges on the panel talk about the contestants who left the deepest impression on them tonight, one or two, or all of them, without any rules.


    The teachers each made comments, and the name they each mentioned was Jiang Shi. Finally, Bian Yi was asked.


    Bian Yi picked up the microphone and said, ¡°The person who left the deepest impression on me is Jiang Shi. You all saw my reaction. Jiang Shi really scared me. I was pleasantly surprised. His infectious power was too strong, and his emotions were full. Although I cannot make a professional evaluation like the teachers, personally, Jiang Shi¡¯s performance really moved me.¡±


    As soon as Bian Yi finished speaking, he saw Jiang Shi standing up on the small stage, bowing to him and saying, ¡°Thank you, teacher,¡± with a choked voice. Despite the distance, Bian Yi could not fully comprehend the gratitude expressed by Jiang Shi, whether it was just for this show or something deeper.


    In the end, Jiang Shi did not disappoint the audience and won the championship of the show¡¯s first round. That night, Jiang Shi¡¯s name was everywhere on the internet, receiving both praise and criticism.


    Bian Yi did not need to read the negative comments to know what they were about, such as him being too young to defeat his senior or the show being rigged. However, he could not deny Jiang Shi¡¯s outstanding performance, which showed courage in taking risks.


    Without the system, Jiang Shi would undoubtedly go far in the future and perform on bigger stages.


    When Bian Yi left, he felt upset. The despicable predators who ruined his family¡¯s life in his past life had now come to harm someone else.


    On the other hand, the contestants left later than Bian Yi, and after Jiang Shi came out, they learned that he had already left. The system sneered in his mind but stopped when he saw someone coming out of a red sports car not far from the venue.


    It was Jian Yi.


    He walked towards Jiang Shi and the security guards near the venue were about to stop him, but Jiang Jie gestured to let him pass. To be honest, Jiang Jie actually wanted to take Jiang Shi to see a doctor, both a regular doctor and a psychologist.


    Jian Yi appeared just in time, and she didn¡¯t have time to think about the coincidence.


    Jian Yi approached Jiang Shi and looked at his face, ¡°Are you okay, Xiao Shitou?¡±


    ¡°Xiao Shitou?¡± Jiang Jie felt something off about the way Jian Yi addressed Jiang Shi, but she couldn¡¯t put her finger on it.


    ¡°Sorry, it was me who asked Mr. Bian to pay attention to you. After hearing about your performance, I was a little worried and came to see you,¡± Jian Yi smiled and looked at Jiang Shi¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Mr. Bian?¡± Jiang Jie was confused.


    Jian Yi lightly scratched his cheek with his finger and said, ¡°Um¡­ I probably didn¡¯t tell you all, but I¡¯m friends with Mr. Bian¡¯s lover. When I found out he was coming to watch the show today, I mentioned it to him.¡±


    Jian Yi¡¯s gaze shifted to Jiang Shi as he continued, ¡°I have something else going on tonight, so I can¡¯t come to the live show.¡±


    Jiang Jie¡¯s face wrinkled slightly as she listened, finding the explanation a bit strange. Even if Jiang Shi really went to see Jian Yi for medical treatment, what doctor needs to personally go to see their patient¡¯s performance?


    ¡°After all, my fees are so expensive. I have to be responsible for my patients, right?¡± Jian Yi, who had never been responsible for his patients before, said in the face of Jiang Jie¡¯s questioning gaze.


    Jiang Shi finally looked up at him, his lips pursed, his eyes slightly moist, with a buildup of emotions, but he quickly lowered his head and thanked Jian Yi, ¡°Thank you, Doctor Jian. I¡­I don¡¯t have anything to do.¡±


    As a bystander, the system really felt that Jiang Shi¡¯s extremely natural teasing method was much more advanced than Guan Xi¡¯s simple act of selling pity with his face.


    As expected, Jian Yi¡¯s tone was so gentle it could melt water as he said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, why don¡¯t we go eat together? It¡¯s getting late now, and you¡¯ve all been busy all night. You must be hungry, right?¡±


    Jiang Shi still kept his head down, but he nodded lightly.


    Jiang Jie watched him and Jian Yi with a complex expression.


    After Jiang Shi got on the car, Jian Yi talked to Jiang Jie alone as a doctor about Jiang Shi¡¯s condition.


    After listening, Jiang Jie didn¡¯t think that Jian Yi was making a big fuss over nothing, as there might be other reasons for Jiang Shi¡¯s behavior.


    Jian Yi told her that Jiang Shi was currently experiencing difficulties and had no way out, and he even had thoughts of suicide.


    Actually, just the fact that Jiang Shi was seeing a psychologist should have made her vigilant!


    ¡°Such an extroverted kid, why would he need a psychologist?¡±


    ¡°But he has been melancholic lately, especially after tonight¡¯s performance, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Jiang Jie was filled with regret and fear, regretting that she didn¡¯t think more about it and fearing that Jiang Shi might do something rash.


    At the same time, she was grateful that she had seen the reaction of Bian Yi in the gallery earlier, and now realized how fortunate it was that Bian Yi was sensitive enough to call Jian Yi and come to their aid. Otherwise, she didn¡¯t know when she would have found out.


    While Jian Yi and Jiang Shi were chatting and eating in the restaurant, Bian Yi had returned home.


    Tonight he went to participate in the program, and Kou Li didn¡¯t work overtime in the laboratory. They had agreed that no matter who was busier, someone had to stay with Xiao Shu.


    When Bian Yi returned home, the father and son were playing puzzles in the room.


    The puzzle was quite large, and the box they put on the carpet was labeled with over 1,900 pieces. Bian Yi didn¡¯t know when they had started, but they had already finished one-third of the picture.


    Bian Yi¡¯s scalp tingled as he watched them. It was the first time he felt that he was too stupid, despite having good grades from childhood to adulthood. If he were in their place, even finishing one-tenth of the puzzle in a day would be impressive.


    If Xiao Shu asked him to play puzzles with him in the future, would he think he was too slow and stupid?


    Kou Li looked over at him, and Bian Yi came back to his senses and told him about Jiang Shi¡¯s situation.


    Kou Li got up, rubbed Xiao Shu¡¯s hair, and then left with Bian Yi.


    They went to the study.


    ¡°How much longer will it take?¡± As soon as the door was closed, Bian Yi asked.


    After a moment of contemplation, Kou Li said, ¡°It can already be used.¡±


    ¡°However,¡± Kou Li said, ¡°¡®The Net¡¯ has two small holes that I have not perfected yet. We can catch it, but during the time we catch it, it may escape from the holes. It will take around 3-10 hours for it to find the holes and escape. I cannot guarantee that I can fix ¡®The Net¡¯ within three hours.¡¯


    In fact, even if Kou Li was given three more days, he could not guarantee that he would perfect ¡®The Net.¡¯


    Bian Yi understood this and became even more anxious.


    If they tried to catch the system, it might escape. If they didn¡¯t catch it, who knew what kind of torture the system would subject Jiang Shi to.


    Bian Yi couldn¡¯t decide what to do. All he could do was hope that Jiang Shi could hold onto the system and buy them more time.


    Does anyone else find the tiny interactions between Kou Li and Kou Sen really cute? I feel for Bian Yi very much so, I don¡¯t think I have ever completed a puzzle beyond 100 pieces if I did 1900 puzzle piece I would have at least lost 300 of the pieces.

 CH 39

    Chapter 39: It¡¯s a Bug


    ¡°95!¡± Even though the system¡¯s voice was mechanical, you could still hear its good mood.


    In these three days, this new host¡¯s affection level for the simple strategy had already reached 95. Even though Jian Yi had a high opinion of Jiang Shi from the beginning, it was not easy to reach such a high level in such a short period of time.


    In its program, an affection value of 80 or less was relatively easy to achieve, meaning that the host¡¯s target had the desire to fall in love or even have sexual desire. However, going beyond 80 meant that the host was being courted, and reaching over 95 meant that the host had a special position in the target¡¯s heart. Even if there were any dangers, the target would be willing to die for the host.


    Although it may be hard to believe, it has happened before. Humans are creatures easily driven by emotions, and the system¡¯s previous host was experienced and had methods to achieve this. For example, they directly broke the target¡¯s hands and feet, gouged out their eyes, and then disguised themselves as their benefactor, never leaving their side. Within a week, the target¡¯s affection had reached 99, and when there was only one point left, the host decisively left, leaving the target in darkness for several days before returning to them in their final moments. The system had witnessed how the target¡¯s affection level went from the bottom to the top in just one second.


    Later on, the host had been discovered by the system¡¯s superior due to their outstanding performance, and became its colleague. Now they had even been promoted and left the system far behind.


    Therefore, the system decided that once this world¡¯s mission was completed, it would immediately erase the current host¡¯s consciousness. Who would like someone who used to be beneath them to climb up and even step on their head? Jiang Shi¡¯s methods were different from the system¡¯s previous host, but their achievements were equally impressive. The system wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake twice.


    Jiang Shi, of course, had no idea what the system was thinking. When he heard Jian Yi¡¯s affection for him had reached 95, his heart couldn¡¯t help but tremble. Then he heard the system¡¯s mocking laughter: ¡°What? Feeling guilty now?¡±


    Jiang Shi pursed his lips and replied, ¡°I¡¯m still not used to using others.¡±


    The system sneered again, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get used to it.¡±


    At the next moment, Jiang Shi¡¯s phone rang.


    Jiang Jie, who was beside Jiang Shi, caught a glimpse of the note on his phone, and the three words ¡°Dr. Jian¡± stood out.


    Meanwhile, Bian Yi was at home looking at a maze on his tablet. The maze was located on one of Kou Li¡¯s laboratory floors, which was currently empty and reserved as a space for future large instruments or a collective laboratory. Now, Kou Li had arranged for people to set up a paper maze in the reserved space.


    This was where Bian Yi was going to take Jiang Shi this afternoon.


    During these three days, Kou Li had already sewn up a large hole in the ¡°net,¡± and there was only a very small one left that could trap the system for more than 48 hours.


    Bian Yi was not sure how Kou Li calculated the time, but he believed in his ability.


    So, the two of them had discussed with Dr. Jian and decided to take Jiang Shi to the laboratory today to catch the system.


    Time was running out, and it was all because Dr. Jian was too crazy. Bian Yi only just found out that Dr. Jian¡¯s favorability towards Jiang Shi had already exceeded 90.


    A value of 90 was very dangerous. As long as Dr. Jian had physical contact with Jiang Shi, the system could steal energy from him. This was the conclusion that Bian Yi had repeatedly recalled and analyzed based on the situation of the strategists during the previous lifetime.


    Although Bian Yi did not understand how Dr. Jian controlled his favorability towards Jiang Shi, judging from the malice of the system, it would not only make the target lose their talent like it did in the past.


    It would definitely seek revenge on the host who resisted it and the target who humiliated it.


    Soon, Hua Shu informed Bian Yi that the guests had arrived.


    Bian Yi put away his tablet and went to greet Dr. Jian and Jiang Shi.


    Jiang Shi¡¯s manager followed closely behind him, seeming very uneasy about Dr. Jian, and came along to make sure her artist was not being kidnapped.


    After seeing Bian Yi, she breathed a sigh of relief and came over to greet him.


    Since it wasn¡¯t a business meeting, Jiang Jie didn¡¯t stay with Bian Yi for long and left. Before leaving, she asked Bian Yi to give her a message when Jiang Shi left.


    Bian Yi agreed.


    However, Jiang Jie did not know that shortly after she left, Bian Yi and his group left as well.


    Bian Yi said to Jiang Shi, ¡°My kid¡¯s birthday is coming up, you¡¯ve met him before on E Island. We¡¯ve prepared a surprise for him. Since you¡¯re here today, can you help me see if there¡¯s anything else that needs to be done?¡±


    Jiang Shi did not refuse and went with Bian Yi to the surprise location mentioned by him.


    On the way there, the system was somewhat uneasy.


    However, Bian Yi¡¯s invitation and approach were not sudden, as Jiang Shi had already ¡°sought his help¡±.


    The system remained vigilant throughout the journey.


    Eventually, the car stopped in front of a building with a strong artistic sense. Led by Bian Yi, Jiang Shi entered the building with Jian Yi.


    Bian Yi said, ¡°This is one of my lover¡¯s industries. They seem to be on vacation today ¨C they had just finished a project earlier, so it seems a bit deserted.¡±


    Jian Yi responded, ¡°It¡¯s a workplace for the R&D department. Is the gift for Xiao Shu placed here? What kind of model is it?¡±


    Bian Yi nodded and took out the access card, opening the laboratory door.


    As soon as they entered, Jiang Shi was attracted by the sense of technology in the building, especially the holographic floating screen in the lobby.


    As far as he knew, no one was officially using this technology in the market yet.


    He had been looking forward to playing holographic games for a long time.


    Jiang Shi was happy because of the screen, but then the system sneered at him, ¡°What¡¯s there to look forward to? When you have enough points, you can buy it directly in the store. The game is not limited in time, it is permanent, and you can play it however you want.¡±


    Jiang Shi lost interest immediately.


    The system sneered again.


    The three of them arrived at the elevator, and Jian Yi pressed the button. The elevator stopped on the first floor and waited for Jian Yi and Jiang Shi to enter before Bian Yi got in.


    After they entered, Bian Yi pressed the floor button.


    Because all the employees were on vacation here, the elevator didn¡¯t stop on the way, and they arrived quickly.


    When the elevator door opened, they were greeted by an even stronger sense of technology. In Jiang Shi¡¯s eyes, the entire corridor had a cold and hard metal feel of some science fiction movie¡¯s laboratory.


    Laboratory? The system caught the word and became even more vigilant.


    However, Bian Yi had already opened the door of this level with his access card.


    The scene inside was seen clearly by Jiang Shi¡¯s eyes.


    It was a deck of cards, 1.5*2m in size, with cartoon and anime patterns on each card.


    The stabbing pain in Jiang Shi¡¯s mind only lasted for a short time, and his steps, which had been uncontrollably retreating, also stopped in place.


    He asked the system in annoyance, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    The system remained silent and examined each card inside the door through his eyes.


    ¡°Is this still a model? Each card is bigger than several small trees.¡± Jian Yi walked forward and looked at the closest card to the door. There was a complex pattern on the corner of the card, like a mysterious icon in a fairy tale.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Bian Yi walked into the first path of the card maze, ¡°the space here is too limited. I want to build another one outside.¡±


    After he finished speaking, he touched a card face and added softly, ¡°I haven¡¯t celebrated Xiao Shu¡¯s birthday for a long time. I want our whole family to play together.¡±


    Jiang Shi looked at Bian Yi¡¯s appearance and thought of his previous disappearance.


    He considered, ¡°But, I also think Dr. Jian is right. This card is too big. Will it be too difficult for children to play in this kind of maze?¡±


    Unexpectedly, Jian Yi and Bian Yi both laughed.


    Jiang Shi didn¡¯t understand what they were laughing at.


    Jian Yi explained to him, ¡°Their family has a ¡®little monster¡¯!¡±


    Bian Yi glared angrily at Jian Yi, ¡°You¡¯re the monster!¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay, I was wrong. He is very smart, very smart!¡± Jian Yi slapped himself on the mouth. After Bian Yi walked into the maze, he whispered to Jiang Shi, ¡°Actually, their Xiao Shu is a genius, the kind of genius that even the geniuses in variety shows can¡¯t imagine.¡±


    Jiang Shi recalled the appearance of the child he had seen on E Island. It seemed that there was not much difference between them and ordinary children, except that they looked better.


    But he didn¡¯t really understand what a genius beyond the imagination of ordinary geniuses should look like, as Jian Yi had described.


    There was a maze on the card, and Jian Yi sent a picture of it to Jiang Shi. Even with the picture, Jiang Shi quickly got lost in the maze of the cards. Fortunately, they were all on the same level and could hear each other when they spoke.


    Jiang Shi felt a little embarrassed and said, ¡°I seem to be lost.¡±


    He heard Jian Yi¡¯s low laughter and his voice. ¡°Jiang Shi, this card can actually be moved. You see, there are icons in the upper right corner of each card face, some of which are incomplete. There is an inverted triangle symbol in the upper left corner of the card face. If you click on the symbol, the card will be selected, and then click on another card, and the two cards will be able to exchange positions. Completing the icons may open up the blocked path ahead.¡±


    Jiang Shi tried the two cards in front of him and they could indeed be exchanged. However, because the icons did not match, the two cards returned to their original positions.


    It was really interesting.


    After spending some time opening up the path he was on, Jiang Shi¡¯s curiosity was piqued.


    Jian Yi was already standing at the exit and shouted loudly, ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you at the exit.¡±


    Then he lowered his head and looked at the tablet in his hand, which still showed the card maze, but it was not a flat image, but a monitoring screen of the maze in front of him.


    He didn¡¯t do anything, as if he was just checking the playability of the maze, and muttered to himself, ¡°Hmm¡­ it seems that the conversion between cards is not smooth enough. We also need to set keys below, otherwise how can Xiao Shu press them?¡±


    As Jian Yi spoke, he sat down on the floor and started writing and drawing on the tablet.


    Jiang Shi wasn¡¯t in a hurry, as he could hear Jian Yi¡¯s voice. However, the system felt that something was not right and urged him to hurry up. It was afraid that Jian Yi at the exit would do something, so it scanned the card and told Jiang Shi the answer.


    Jiang Shi¡¯s game enjoyment was ruined, and he used the answer given by the system to open up one path after another.


    Then he met Jian Yi, who was on the card.


    Jian Yi didn¡¯t seem surprised to see him. He had a smile on his face, and his affection level increased by 3 according to the system announcement.


    3, that means it¡¯s 98.


    Jian Yi walked towards Jiang Shi.


    Jiang Shi bit his lip and retreated in a panic.


    98 was too high and too dangerous to approach.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer!!¡±


    However, his thoughts were so clear at this moment that it surprised him that the system did not make a sound.


    In the moment he was stunned, Jian Yi grabbed him.


    He smiled at him and held a small syringe in his hand, the liquid inside of which had already been injected into his body.


    Jiang Shi¡¯s vision began to blur in a very short amount of time.


    He saw Jian Yi talking to him in a daze, his mouth seemed to be saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    Bian Yi stood up and pressed a button on the console that had risen behind him.


    The cards in the room quickly disappeared, revealing the person in the center, with Jian Yi having just removed the syringe.


    After the cards were completely retracted, a space in the center of the room rose, larger than an elevator, with a stretcher inside.


    Jian Yi carried Jiang Shi and placed him on the stretcher, and Bian Yi stepped in as well.


    The space descended a few levels and finally stopped in Kou Li¡¯s laboratory.


    Bian Yi saw Kou Li, and several machines in the laboratory were running, making a slight noise.


    They pushed Jiang Shi to one of the machines, and Kou Li put a device on Jiang Shi¡¯s head. After about three minutes, the computer connected to the other end of the device made a sound, and he removed the device.


    Jian Yi pushed Jiang Shi to another machine and scanned his whole body, waiting for the test results.


    After another minute, Jiang Shi saw a holographic screen light up in the laboratory in the lobby.


    The screen displayed a creature in 360 degrees.


    This creature was completely transparent, with a transparent shell on its back and dozens of tentacles.


    At this point, the three people who had not spoken at all during the process of catching it all thought at once:


    -So it¡¯s just a bug.


    I personally would not be thrilled to find out that a creature with tentacles was lurking about in my brain tbh.

 CH 40

    Chapter 40


    Jiang Shi has completed his body check and there were no issues. He was taken to the rest area that was prepared earlier with Jian Yi.


    He originally wanted to take out the system to study it, but now he can¡¯t even touch the biologically advanced instrument, so he can¡¯t conduct any experiments. He can only take care of Jiang Shi for now and wait for Kou Li to make a suitable tool in the future so he can play with it slowly.


    After Jian Yi left, only Bian Yi and Kou Li remained in the laboratory. Oh no, there was also a system that looked like a bug.


    Bian Yi leaned on the lab bench and sat on a chair, taking a long breath of relief. He had been tense since Jian Yi gave Jiang Shi an injection, afraid that something might go wrong.


    Fortunately, they finally caught it.


    The paper maze was actually a gift prepared by Kou Li and Bian Yi for Xiao Shu, but the icons on the cards concealed a virus. Most of the icons on the cards were fine, but every now and then, there was an incomplete virus icon.


    As long as the system scanned and pieced together the icons, the virus would be planted.


    This virus was somewhat similar to the anesthetic used by humans, but its effect was shorter and could only paralyze the system for fifteen minutes.


    It was actually quite simple to ensure that it would scan. Presumably, it had been alert since it followed Jiang Shi into the laboratory. In order to prevent it from escaping after being alerted, the entire laboratory had been shielded from the beginning, using the shielding device that Kou Li used on systems when they were on E Island.


    Fortunately, the system did not try to escape, so it did not discover the problem with the shielding, and Jiang Shi did not suffer more.


    Bian Yi relaxed for a while and finally felt relieved. He looked at Kou Li¡¯s back and asked him, ¡°When did you make the virus?¡±


    Kou Li had been studying the network problem for the past three days, and after he had this plan, he quickly designed the paper maze. It didn¡¯t look like something he wrote in a hurry, so it should have been something he had before.


    As for why it wasn¡¯t used on E Island, it was probably because Guan Xi wasn¡¯t qualified. Who cared if he was tortured by the system?


    Kou Li turned to look at Bian Yi and said lightly, ¡°It was made before.¡±


    Although Kou Li¡¯s words were not very clear, Bian Yi still understood his meaning. He seemed to always be able to understand Kou Li¡¯s unclear words. Perhaps this was their tacit understanding over the years.


    Just like now, Bian Yi knew that when Kou Li said ¡°before¡±, he meant the previous life.


    In the previous life, Kou Li must have tried many methods, right? How long did he spend designing this virus? And after making it, he tested it on Guan Xi, only to find that it was useless against the system and couldn¡¯t threaten it. He demanded that it return Bian Yi and couldn¡¯t even kill it.


    At that time, what kind of mood was Kou Li in?


    Now, however, things were easy and carefree.


    Bian Yi gritted his teeth and raised his chin towards Kou Li. ¡°Come here.¡±


    Kou Li glanced at the various computers on the console, made sure there was no abnormality, and then turned and walked towards Bian Yi.


    Kou Li stood in front of Bian Yi, looking down at him. His eyes behind the lenses contained a smile, as if asking Bian Yi, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Bian Yi reached out and grabbed Kou Li¡¯s coat. With a forceful tug, Kou Li bent down to cooperate.


    Bian Yi changed the position of his hand holding Kou Li¡¯s coat, then wrapped one hand around Kou Li¡¯s neck and the other hand around his collar.


    Kou Li let him do as he pleased, and was pressed onto the experimental table, where Bian Yi kissed his lips.


    After just one kiss, Bian Yi frowned and raised his head. He glanced at the experimental table underneath Kou Li, and only when he confirmed that there was nothing important or fragile on it did he lower his head again.


    Kou Li¡¯s posture was not comfortable at this time, after all, the height of the experimental table was a bit low for him, and his waist was not as soft as Bian Yi¡¯s.


    So he straightened up a bit, holding Bian Yi in his arms, and gradually changed positions with him.


    The person pressed onto the experimental table became Bian Yi, his waist against the edge of the experiment, feeling a bit hard and uncomfortable. Just when he was about to complain, Kou Li¡¯s hand was placed on his legs.


    He took him and eventually put his legs around his waist.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable or hard, but another feeling was increasing rapidly.


    They both opened their eyes at the same time and looked at each other, seeing the emotions in each other¡¯s eyes.


    Kou Li buried his head in Bian Yi¡¯s neck, his rough breathing close to his ear. His whole body was almost pressing down on Bian Yi.


    The chest was heaving violently, and because the two were pressed together, they could clearly feel each other¡¯s heartbeats. Their frequencies were different, but equally unsteady.


    After embracing for a while, the two gradually calmed down. They both knew it wasn¡¯t time to act yet.


    Kou Li reached out to tidy up the hair on the side of Bian Yi¡¯s face, which was a bit messy. Bian Yi turned his head and picked up Kou Li¡¯s glasses from the side, which he had taken off at some point, and put them on for him.


    The two were silent for a moment before getting up from the experimental platform.


    The system, which witnessed the whole process and was locked in a cage, just wanted to curse. God knows why it could still see the surrounding environment and hear their voices. God knows Kou Li could actually make a cage that could catch it and keep it trapped. God knows no matter how it struggled, it couldn¡¯t get out! If it had solved the simple problem earlier, it wouldn¡¯t be trapped now without enough energy.


    It was already 98% done! As long as Jiang Shi touched Jian Yi, it could successfully extract Jian Yi¡¯s innate energy. It was just a little bit away! It knew that the playing card looked problematic, so why did it go and scan it?


    The system regretted it. However, it wasn¡¯t at the end of the road yet. Kou Li couldn¡¯t do anything to it, just trapped it. It still had enough energy left to use for a hundred years, and even longer if it went into hibernation.


    And by then, if its mission was not yet complete, there would naturally be new systems coming into this world, and it could ask for help then. Although it was a bit embarrassing to ask colleagues for help and would lose some energy, those were unnecessary losses. As long as it was still here, it could still find a host to complete the mission and earn energy and points.


    After making up its mind, the system was no longer in a hurry. It wanted to see what else Kou Li was capable of.


    Bian Yi got off the experimental platform, straightened his clothes, and Kou Li had already moved away from him. He glanced at the transparent worm still moving in the holographic image and said to Kou Li, ¡°I¡¯m going to see Jiang Shi. You can do whatever you need to do.¡±


    Kou Li put his hand on the frame of the mirror, made a sound of ¡°Hmm,¡± and watched as Bian Yi left the laboratory.


    After the others left, he seemed to have not seen the conspicuous holographic image and quickly focused on his work.


    He needed to fix the last loophole within 48 hours, and then the system would be completely unable to escape.


    No one had used the lounge where Jiang Shi was before, and it was specially prepared for him. In addition to a single bed, there was also some medical equipment in the room.


    When Bian Yi left, Jiang Shi had not yet awakened.


    It was not all due to the effect of the simple drug, but because the child was really tired and had fallen asleep.


    After confirming that Jiang Shi was okay, Bian Yi did not stay for long. It was not until after three o¡¯clock in the afternoon that Jiang Shi woke up.


    ¡°Do you think it was caught?¡± Just waking up, Jiang Shi was still a little dazed. After hearing from Jian Yi and Bian Yi that the system had been extracted from his brain, he repeated it dumbly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Bian Yi gave him an affirmative answer.


    Jiang Shi was still in a daze. He didn¡¯t know what he was waiting for, but after a few seconds, he knew. The system did not speak in his mind, did not punish him, and did not do anything.


    No matter what he thought, he couldn¡¯t hear another voice to tempt him, control him, or dominate him.


    This feeling ¨C ha!


    Hahahaha! He was free!!!


    Was he really free?


    Jiang Shi laughed halfway, then stopped and fell silent for a minute. He cursed the stupid X system a hundred times in his mind, but still heard no response.


    Hahaha! It¡¯s gone! It¡¯s really gone!


    It felt so good hahaha¡­


    Jiang Shi laughed uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face.


    Bian Yi: ¡°¡­¡± Is this child really stupid?


    He looked at Jian Yi beside him, hoping that the doctor could give some advice, but who knew that the irresponsible Jian Yi was covering half of his face with his hand, and his shoulders were trembling as he laughed along with Jiang Shi.


    ¡°¡­¡± Are they crazy?


    Jiang Shi¡¯s laughter was understandable, but what was Jian Yi doing there?


    As confusion crossed the edges of her mind, Jiang Shi¡¯s laughter suddenly stopped. His gaze finally landed on Jian Yi who was beside him, and then his eyes widened. A red flush spread from his ears to his whole face, and finally wrapped around his neck.


    ¡°98% approval rate,¡± he thought.


    He didn¡¯t forget.


    And he also took advantage of Dr. Jian to hold back the system. Oh, he was so bad!


    Fortunately, Bian Yi¡¯s question saved Jiang Shi who wanted to bury himself.


    ¡°Jian Yi, can you tell me when that thing found you?¡± Bian Yi asked him.


    After asking the important question, the warmth on Jiang Shi¡¯s face gradually faded. He explained to Bian Yi in detail how the system had started from a book and then revealed the entire process of how he maintained the plot system.


    ¡°Teacher Bian, and Jian, Dr. Jian, I really appreciate you both, I really don¡¯t know what to do.¡± Jiang Shi lowered his head and thanked them sincerely.


    If it weren¡¯t for them, including Bian Yi¡¯s lover, Jiang Shi would probably have to die to get rid of the system¡¯s control.


    No, that might not even work.


    Bian Yi said that the person who pretended to be him before, Guan Xi, might be the soul of someone from another world who had died.


    Thinking about that situation made Jiang Shi¡¯s back shiver, and he felt scared.


    Fortunately, he was saved.


    Bian Yi patted Jiang Shi on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re okay,¡± he said.


    Jiang Shi looked up, chuckled stupidly, and asked, ¡°Can the system really not run away now and harm others?¡±


    ¡°¡®Don¡¯t worry, my husband is really powerful¡¯, right Bian Yi?¡± Jian Yi said.


    He finished speaking and winked at Jiang Shi.


    Bian Yi rolled his eyes and coldly laughed, but still said to Jiang Shi, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my lover is really powerful.¡±


    After Bian Yi finished speaking, he hesitated for a moment, as if savoring the words ¡°my lover,¡± but also seeming a little disdainful of his own slightly proud tone.


    It was just like when he got married, and he would brag about his perfect husband to everyone he met.


    He was obviously not young anymore, how could he still do such childish things?


    Bian Yi had just furrowed his brow when Jian Yi analyzed, ¡°From what you said, it seems like it¡¯s a human.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jiang Shi didn¡¯t react. Wasn¡¯t it caught? And didn¡¯t it look like a bug? Shouldn¡¯t it be an alien, like the parasitic ones in movies?


    Simple touched his chin and explained, ¡°It¡¯s too emotional, and too stupid. Its way of thinking is actually more like a human¡¯s, not like an emotionless calculating machine.¡±


    ¡°But you know what, maybe it doesn¡¯t even know that, or perhaps¡­ just like how it brainwashed Guan Xi, that idiot, it has also been brainwashed, thinking that it is a super AI that is superior to humans and can do anything.¡±


    ¡°If it were really such a powerful existence,¡± Jian Yi looked at Jiang Shi meaningfully, ¡°how could it not even be able to convince Xiao Shitou and end up crashing here with him?¡±


    Jiang Shi nodded, thinking it made sense.


    But wait, did he feel like that sentence was actually insulting him?


    ¡°Poorly executed, with all sorts of made-up stories, and only daring to find useless people like Guan Xi. I¡¯ve said it before, only the useless will dare to find the useless, because it knows very well that it can¡¯t handle smart people. Why is that? Because it¡¯s originally not intelligent, and it¡¯s greedy. It looks for hosts who are similar to its own character, so that it can know everything about them and perfectly control them. If it encounters a host who is more capable and ambitious than itself, it¡¯s afraid that it will be used as a springboard and be left behind easily.¡±


    Jian Yi sighed disappointedly, muttering to himself in a very low voice, ¡°It¡¯s boring if it¡¯s just human, studying it is so uninteresting. But at least its shell is quite beautiful.¡±


    Jiang Shi didn¡¯t hear clearly, so he asked, ¡°What?¡±


    Bian Yi knew that Jian Yi was a lunatic and had a feeling that what Jian Yi didn¡¯t say clearly was not a good thing, so he didn¡¯t wait for Jian Yi to answer Jiang Shi¡¯s question and said to Jiang Shi first, ¡°You¡¯ve been sleeping for quite some time. Let¡¯s eat something first, and if you still want to see what it looks like, I¡¯ll take you there later. If not, I¡¯ll send you back. You still have training to do, right?¡±


    It was like a bolt from the blue for Jiang Shi.


    He thought his life was hopeless, and then he had his last performance, his farewell performance. After that show, he did choose a song according to the plan, but he didn¡¯t practice for a whole day!


    How much time was left until the next performance again?


    Jiang Shi panicked and thought, ¡°How can I still eat at a time like this?¡± He immediately took out his phone and called Jiang Jie, saying that he needed to go back to the company.


    Meanwhile, Bian Yi escorted Jiang Shi to the laboratory and saw him rushing to the nanny car in a hurry, with his shoes almost falling off along the way. Although this looked a bit funny, it was the kind of energy that a young person should have, unlike before when he was depressed and about to lose his vitality.


    Therefore, when faced with difficulties, don¡¯t give up. Try to seek help and find ways to overcome the obstacles. There is always hope.


    Life is long, especially when there are people who love you around.


    Bian Yi returned to the laboratory and made a cup of coffee for Kou Li in the pantry. He put the warm and hot coffee on the empty lab bench, and Kou Li didn¡¯t turn around, but he was very clear who was behind him.


    He glanced at the time at the bottom of the screen and said to Bian Yi, ¡°Xiao Shu will finish school soon.¡±


    Bian Yi replied from behind him, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go pick him up.¡±


    Bian Yi approached Kou Li and hugged him lightly from behind. ¡°Take a break if you¡¯re tired,¡± he said.


    After speaking, Bian Yi was about to leave, but Kou Li grabbed his wrist.


    Bian Yi felt the touch of Kou Li¡¯s thumb rubbing against his wrist and became a little impatient. Before he could say anything, Kou Li let go of his hand and went back to work.


    It was only after Bian Yi left the laboratory that he realized what Kou Li had done. He found it cheesy and annoying.


    Kou Li stopped working and held his hand. When he was tired of touching, he was taking a break. When he had enough rest, he could work again.


    Bian Yi¡¯s expression was slightly uncomfortable. Oh my god, when did this man become so insidious?


    He was really annoying.


    I¡¯m so happy for Jian Yi, the poor child has been through so much.

 CH 41

    Chapter 41: The Beginning of the World


    Kou Li did not go home, and it was already midnight.


    Bian Yi tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.


    He knew that Kou Li might work all night, as Kou Li had informed him.


    For 48 hours, neither of them knew if the system would discover the vulnerability and escape early.


    Their understanding of the system was not sufficient, nor comprehensive enough, to fully estimate its power.


    As long as it was possible for the system to escape, Bian Yi and Kou Li could not rest assured.


    Bian Yi turned over again, but perhaps he turned too frequently, Xiao Shu sleeping with him tonight also moved.


    Bian Yi immediately evened his breathing, sat up slightly, and looked at Xiao Shu, who was asleep but also began to turn over like him.


    Bian Yi blamed himself a little, covered Xiao Shu with the blanket, and rhythmically patted Xiao Shu¡¯s back for a while.


    When Xiao Shu fell asleep again, he quietly got up, put on his clothes, and went to the balcony.


    Perhaps part of the reason he couldn¡¯t sleep was also because of the Xiao Shu


    It had been a long time since Bian Yi slept on the same bed with Xiao Shu alone. The last memory of such an occasion dated back to when Xiao Shu was two years old, the night before Kou Li returned from his business trip.


    After many years, when he returned, Bian Yi was a little unaccustomed to it. When Xiao Shu slept with him, Kou Li was always around.


    It was already winter, and the weather was getting colder.


    Especially in the early morning, the night wind was bone-chilling.


    Bian Yi stood on the balcony, and as soon as the wind blew, his already faint sleepiness disappeared altogether.


    He tightened his clothes a little, took out his phone from his pocket, and dialed Kou Li¡¯s number.


    The phone was answered after only two rings.


    There was the sound of drinking water on the other end of the phone, and then Bian Yi heard Kou Li speaking to him.


    Kou Li¡¯s voice was very clear, and Bian Yi wondered if Kou Li deliberately drank some water to moisten his throat.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kou Li asked him, probably glancing at the time. Two seconds later, he asked again, ¡°Are you still not asleep?¡±


    Bian Yi responded with a grunt and asked him back, ¡°What about you?¡±


    Kou Li seemed to have gotten up from his seat, and Bian Yi heard a faint sound.


    Instead of answering Bian Yi directly, Kou Li talked to him about Xiao Shu. ¡°Xiao Shu is also afraid of the cold in winter, and may kick off the blanket at night.¡±


    Bian Yi looked back at the room from the balcony and saw Xiao Shu¡¯s feet poking out from his own small blanket. But perhaps feeling the cold outside the blanket, Xiao Shu quickly pulled his feet back.


    Bian Yi laughed softly.


    ¡°Are you outside on the balcony?¡± Kou Li suddenly asked.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± As he was about to ask how he knew, he suddenly realized it was quite obvious.


    Although his voice was not loud, it was clear enough and not whispered. He was also sleeping with Xiao Shu, and standing in a position where he could clearly see Xiao Shu without disturbing him. The most suitable place in this room where he could see Xiao Shu without disturbing him would be the balcony.


    Then, Bian Yi heard Kou Li sigh with some helplessness: ¡°Ah Yi, it¡¯s below zero outside tonight.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Bian Yi had a bad feeling.


    Sure enough, Kou Li sighed again, ¡°Do you want me to be distracted and worried about you while I¡¯m working?¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s scalp began to tingle, and he ground his teeth, ¡°Can you shut up?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t stand it. They were both adults, not in the early stages of their relationship. How could Kou Li say such sappy and embarrassing things?


    Kou Li laughed out loud in the lab, and there seemed to be an echo. His voice was deep, and when it entered Bian Yi¡¯s ears through the electronic device, it made his scalp tingle again.


    This time, it wasn¡¯t just his scalp, but a strange sensation that couldn¡¯t be explained clearly, rising up from his tailbone.


    In short, it was very seductive.


    Obviously, that man was teasing him.


    Bian Yi licked his lips and felt a little thirsty.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to bed,¡± Bian Yi said, ¡°I¡¯ll come earlier tomorrow morning.¡±


    Since they started dating, Bian Yi didn¡¯t like to use words like ¡°love¡± or ¡°miss¡± when talking to Kou Li. But that didn¡¯t mean he was shy. He just preferred to express himself through actions.


    When he wanted to kiss, he would take the initiative to wrap his arms around Kou Li¡¯s neck and kiss him. When he wanted to do something more intimate, he would straddle Kou Li and undo his belt buckle himself.


    Compared to him, Kou Li was actually more restrained ¨C or more accurately, he was more patient.


    Kou Li also had a twisted sense of humor, and he would occasionally use some cheesy words to tease Bian Yi and watch him blush.


    But just as Bian Yi understood Kou Li, Kou Li also understood him.


    When he said ¡®come earlier,¡¯ it was just a very ordinary sentence, as ordinary as ¡®I¡¯m going to buy groceries¡¯ or ¡®What are we going to eat tomorrow morning.¡¯ But Kou Li still heard the meaning behind Bian Yi¡¯s words.


    He misses him, so he will come early tomorrow.


    Kou Limo stroked his phone, which had already displayed the end of the call, and the smile on the corner of his mouth had not disappeared for a long time.


    The system looked coldly at Kou Li¡¯s joyful appearance.


    In fact, it couldn¡¯t understand it.


    These two people have obviously experienced so much, and according to their performance, both of them have memories from the previous world. With these memories, how can they still make up?


    It¡¯s just love after all, this thing is so fragile, it can¡¯t withstand a little storm.


    This is only an E-level world, how can it be so difficult?


    In the previous life, Bian Yi witnessed his lover¡¯s betrayal, another person taking his place, and his own child being destroyed. He was filled with hatred for Kou Li as the system wished, but unfortunately, he still had a trace of love until he died.


    At that time, the system felt that Bian Yi was really despicable. Even Kou Li on the screen was like that, he still couldn¡¯t let go.


    But now it seems that it was Bian Yi¡¯s last persistence. He still had a trace of trust, believing that his lover would not treat him like that.


    As a result, the hatred value was only 99, not 100.


    Only one point away, the system could have absorbed all of Bian Yi¡¯s power.


    In fact, Bian Yi and Kou Li are just ordinary humans, and they do not have any special abilities.


    However, they are the protagonists of this world, the existence that supported the world when it was formed.


    In the depths of the universe, there is a huge tree of life. The tree of life has many branches, and green leaves, flowers, and fruits grow on the branches. Every fruit that the tree of life produces is a planet and a completely independent world that has already matured.


    The tree of life has the source of the universe, its power is endless, and it is indestructible.


    If you want to obtain its energy, you can only steal from those immature worlds.


    And when is the easiest time to succeed? Of course, it is when the branches have just sprouted tender leaves.


    At this moment, the world has just been established and is still in its infancy. Its protective membrane is only one kind, which is the main factor of the world¡¯s formation.


    The anti-complementary self-rescue system has climbed many tender leaves and consumed many leaves. Some leaves were born because of friendship, some because of family, some because of race, and some because of war.


    As their appearance, these creatures are all parasites, feeding on the leaves and fruits of the Tree of Life.


    And Bian Yi and Kou Li in this world are indeed a novel prototype, but different from all versions fabricated by the system. It is just a simple and ordinary sweet pet story.


    In the original text, there was not even a third party. They have been childhood sweethearts, and their relationship is good. The change of feelings began when a girl gave the protagonist Bian Yi a love letter after school one day.


    Bian Yi rejected the girl, but the protagonist Kou Li remembered this incident in his heart. He began to weave a large net, and every seemingly accidental event was deliberately set up by Kou Li.


    The spider silk became more and more, and the area of the net became larger and larger. Bian Yi, who became the prey, was completely unaware of this, and soon succumbed to Kou Li¡¯s attack.


    Their feelings were heating up every day, they were very sweet, and they got married without any hindrance, becoming a real family.


    The article is very short, and the last words stopped at the grand wedding. Although it was already the ending, the article did not mark the word ¡°ending¡± for a long time.


    Then, on a certain day, on a certain branch of the Tree of Life in the depths of the universe, a new sprout emerged and grew a tender leaf.


    That tender leaf looked so fragile and tempting.


    A very small creature stopped on the leaf, and the mechanical voice sounded with disdain: ¡°Just an E-level world? Forget it, it¡¯s too low-level, it¡¯s love again. Forget it, save time, eat it and go find a higher-level one.¡±


    That tiny creature bit on a certain vein of the leaf.


    At the same time, Bian Yi, who was blushing and holding the sex toy delivery he had just received in a certain mall, blinked and in the blink of an eye, the environment around him became a strange enclosed space.


    He looked around in confusion, not knowing what had happened or what he was going to encounter.


    Kou Li continued to work.


    The system watched him, and also watched this laboratory.


    Suddenly, it felt uneasy.


    The classification of world levels is basically based on the world¡¯s technological level, energy field size, and danger level.


    E and F are the lowest levels, usually love worlds, and this world is an E level because of its technology.


    However, its prototype is an unfinished novel.


    Unfinished means that anything is possible.


    The system clearly remembers that at the end of the first week, this world was still E level.


    But, can the device that shields it, the device that traps it, really only be E level?


    This world is growing.


    For the system, this is not good news at all. Growth means that it will be unpredictable.


    Who knows what level the world will eventually grow to?


    And as long as the world grows to level B, it means that there are already people or things that can completely kill it.


    A machine in the laboratory was turned on, and the sound of its operation echoed in the lab.


    The system looked at Kou Li¡¯s face and was truly panicked.


    Undoubtedly, Kou Li was the one who caused the world to upgrade.


    The reason why it failed in the first loop was also because of Kou Li.


    At the end of the first loop, Kou Li had already used his research to attack its space, but it only saw E level displayed on the panel without careful retesting.


    It was careless.


    It saw that it was a low-level love world and did not take it seriously from the beginning.


    No, it must escape.


    It cannot wait for its peers to come and save it.


    This human may really have a way to kill it.


    The holographic image in the laboratory showed the struggling of the bug, and Kou Li frowned as he looked at the image.


    When it was just caught, the bug did resist violently, but after realizing that it couldn¡¯t easily escape, it just lay down.


    That state was very annoying, and it was a clear mockery of the people in the laboratory: catching me doesn¡¯t matter, anyway, you can¡¯t do anything to me.


    So, why is it going crazy now?


    Kou Li pushed his glasses and lowered his eyes.


    He couldn¡¯t and must not give this bug a chance to escape.


    This novel will (hopefully) be completed next week, 4 more chapters to go! Anyways sorry for the choppy updates; I have finals coming up so I have been very busy. Hopefully, I will be able to keep on schedule T-T

 CH 42

    Chapter 42: I Hate Bugs


    When Bian Yi arrived at the laboratory, Kou Li didn¡¯t look well. Kou Li hugged him when he saw him, leaned against him for a while, and then continued to sit in front of the computer without saying a word to Bian Yi. Bian Yi could only stand aside silently and watch him work. He couldn¡¯t help much. Bian Yi felt a little regretful, although it was selfish of him. Perhaps Jiang Shi and Jian Yi could have held on for a few more days, and with those extra days, Kou Li might not have to work so hard. But this selfish regret was of no use, the deed was done, and he could only take care of the present.


    Bian Yi spent the whole day in the laboratory with Kou Li. Although he didn¡¯t understand it, he could see the system struggling in the holographic map at the center of the laboratory. Every time it moved, Bian Yi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. It was indeed incredibly foul, in some aspects its weaknesses were similar to humans. But its abilities could hardly be considered weak to humans. If it were truly weak, Bian Yi wouldn¡¯t have been trapped for sixteen years.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t know how Kou Li did it, but every program setting must have been tried dozens or even hundreds of times, and it must have taken countless days and months of research to develop. Rome was not built in a day. Bian Yi had never dared to think deeply about how many nights there were like last night for Kou Li in his previous life and in the year he returned earlier than the others.


    He didn¡¯t dare to think deeply about how Kou Li died in his previous life either. But the answer was still easy to guess.


    Bian Yi¡¯s throat moved, and he turned his head away, avoiding eye contact with Kou Li on his back. He blinked several times, not letting any emotions show, so as not to affect Kou Li. However, when he looked at the half-elliptical machine that had not been turned on, his fingers still trembled uncontrollably.


    Was Kou Li here in this laboratory¡­


    Bian Yi raised his head and took a deep breath before leaving with light steps. The laboratory door closed quietly, its sound too small to be noticed.


    Bian Yi leaned against the wall outside the laboratory to calm his emotions. ¡°What are you doing out here?¡± Jian Yi was wearing a rare serious laboratory coat today. He also had a laboratory here and, of course, had access rights.


    Upon hearing his voice, Bian Yi straightened up and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Jian Yi looked at his face and saw that he didn¡¯t talk back. He pointed to his watch and said, ¡°It¡¯s almost been 24 hours.¡±


    Bian Yi looked silently at the hands of the clock. Yes, it had almost been 24 hours and Kou Li hadn¡¯t succeeded yet.


    AD


    Half the time had already passed, and Bian Yi gazed at the closed door. His mind was becoming restless again.


    In the quiet lab, Jian Yi could hear other sounds. Although he couldn¡¯t conduct research on the bug at the moment, he could record all the data he could observe because of the hologram.


    During lunchtime, Bian Yi had already ordered food. But when he returned to the lab, he saw Kou Li skillfully taking a nutritional drink from Jian Yi and drinking it.


    Bian Yi seemed to see Kou Li from the previous life, where he worked tirelessly in the lab day after day and drank nutritional drinks when he got hungry. As this went on, his body began to have problems, and he had to rely on intravenous nutrition to sustain his life.


    Bian Yi leaned against the workbench, breathing heavily. He didn¡¯t know what was happening to him today. After they got married, Kou Li had also worked through the night on projects. However, because Kou Li had always insisted on exercising, staying up occasionally didn¡¯t affect his health.


    But now, seeing Kou Li, Bian Yi felt inexplicably anxious and felt that everything in the lab was related to Kou Li¡¯s death in the previous life.


    Actually, he could leave. He couldn¡¯t do anything here except worry. But he also knew that he should be here, accompanying Kou Li, even if he couldn¡¯t do anything.


    At the afternoon, the bug became even more agitated. The atmosphere in the lab became even more tense. Kou Li¡¯s brows were furrowed.


    AD


    Jian Yi finished recording the data and glanced at Kou Li¡¯s face, reminding him, ¡°You should take a break.¡±


    Kou Li pushed his glasses and spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°No need.¡±


    Jian Yi frowned disapprovingly, wanting to persuade him again, but he knew what trapping the bug forever meant to Kou Li.


    At the moment, Bian Yi had gone to pick up Xiao Shu from school, leaving only the two of them in the lab.


    In the end, Jian Yi didn¡¯t persuade him again and instead let Kou Li take his medicine.


    Under such heavy pressure, it was necessary to be vigilant about the state of his patient.


    At that moment, Bian Yi was on his way and passed by a large screen displaying some news. A lot of people stopped to watch on the street and on the other side of the screen.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t have the mental focus to pay attention to the news, but he unconsciously looked at the screen because of the crowd¡¯s attention and discussion.


    Xiao Shu climbed up and knelt on the seat curiously, peering out the window for a while.


    Bian Yi didn¡¯t know if he understood or not, but when the child sat back down, he rubbed his head.


    AD


    Then he heard Xiao Shu ask him, ¡°Daddy, why hasn¡¯t Daddy (Kou Li) come home?¡±


    Bian Yi smiled at Xiao Shu, ¡°He¡¯s busy with work. When he¡¯s done, let¡¯s go out and play together, okay?¡±


    Xiao Shu nodded heavily, ¡°Okay!¡±


    Since they had Xiao Shu, Bian Yi and Kou Li hadn¡¯t prepared for him to distinguish between their names. They both tacitly let Xiao Shu call them ¡°Daddy.¡±


    Before Xiao Shu grew up, Bian Yi had a fantasy that when Xiao Shu called out ¡°Daddy,¡± he and Kou Li would answer together, and maybe they would laugh together.


    That was Bian Yi¡¯s definition of ¡°happiness.¡±


    Later, Xiao Shu grew taller and learned to speak. The scene that Bian Yi had once imagined actually happened, and just as he had imagined, every time he and Kou Li responded together, they would laugh.


    However, if something happened, they could easily tell from the tone of Xiao Shu¡¯s voice to whom he was calling or asking.


    That little guy was always very smart.


    The car drove past the intersection, and the screen gradually disappeared in the rearview mirror.


    The news on TV reported the arrest and imprisonment of the celebrity Xu Rui for killing and dismembering people.


    Things and people unrelated to Bian Yi had finally returned to where they should be.


    Just passing by.


    Kou Li still wouldn¡¯t be coming home tonight.


    Bian Yi sat at the dinner table in a daze, occasionally waking up to pick up a chopstick and give some food to Xiao Shu, then going back to his daze.


    AD


    He seemed to not know what he was doing.


    Xiao Shu blinked and when Bian Yi was about to give him more food, his little hand covered his bowl and said, ¡°Daddy, if you give me more, I won¡¯t be able to finish it.¡±


    Bian Yi was startled by Xiao Shu¡¯s voice and almost dropped his chopsticks.


    ¡°Sorry, Xiao Shu.¡± Bian Yi regretfully put the food back in his own bowl.


    But not a single grain of rice in his own bowl was touched.


    ¡°Daddy, are you not coming back tonight?¡± The little tree asked him.


    ¡°Um.¡± Bian Yi lowered his head and continued to eat.


    The little tree said again, ¡°Can Xiao Shu go play with Daddy? I¡¯ll be very good.¡±


    ¡°When daddy (Kou Li) was busy before, I used to sleep in the eggshell. Take me with you, Daddy!¡±


    The overall structure of the laboratory is somewhat like an opened eggshell.


    Kou Li had given everyone in the laboratory a break for these few days.


    Each laboratory requires the permission card of the laboratory director to open.


    There is also a rest area over there, and dangerous items are stored in special places. The corridors are all very spacious.


    Bringing Xiao Shu over really seemed to be no problem.


    Bian Yi did not hesitate for long. He really could not rest assured of Kou Li, and he could not be irresponsible and let Xiao Shu go to sleep with the nanny. He had promised Xiao Shu before that he would not leave him alone.


    As Bian Yi held Xiao Shu and got into the car, a thought came to him:


    Does Kou Li really often bring Xiao Shu to the laboratory?


    Something didn¡¯t feel quite right to Bian Yi, but then he thought that when Guan Xi was still around, if Kou Li was really busy, he wouldn¡¯t have let Xiao Shu stay at home. It was very likely that he took him to his place.


    By the time they arrived at the laboratory, it was already completely dark.


    Winter nights come early, and the temperature had also dropped a bit.


    Bian Yi put a hat on Xiao Shu and carried him out of the car. He took out his card and opened the laboratory door.


    Along the way, Bian Yi also paid attention to Xiao Shu. The child seemed to be somewhat familiar with the surroundings, taking only a few glances before withdrawing his gaze.


    The door of Kou Li¡¯s laboratory opened, but when Bian Yi saw Kou Li¡¯s appearance, his heart tightened.


    ¡°Stop, Kou Li!¡± There were obvious marks of being beaten on Jian Yi¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t force me to inject you ¨C Kou Li, your wife and child are here, look at them and sober up!¡±


    Kou Li, sitting in his seat with an obviously wrong expression, heard the words ¡°wife and child¡± and looked towards the door.


    But he only looked once, quickly turned back, and his fingers kept tapping on the keyboard. He repeated, ¡°Can¡¯t stop, can¡¯t stop, I can¡¯t fail, I will figure it out, I will definitely figure it out, I won¡¯t fail.¡±


    Bian Yi finally knew what he was worried about.


    Kou Li was not yet okay.


    For a moment, Bian Yi felt that even breathing was difficult.


    He hugged Xiao Shu tightly, but perhaps he held him too tightly. Xiao Shu felt uncomfortable and struggled a bit in his arms.


    He quickly put Xiao Shu down and looked at Kou Li¡¯s appearance. His voice trembled, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    Jian Yi pressed the red mark on his face, ¡°hissing¡± in pain, and answered, ¡°That bug is about to break through the defense line, take a look.¡±


    Bian Yi went to see the holographic map and his mood sank even lower.


    The system arrogantly marked a display image next to it, which showed:


    [97% remaining to escape]


    It saw Bian Yi coming, and provocatively typed out a line of words: ¡°Useless humans, trying to trap me? Wishful thinking.¡±


    Bian Yi clenched his fists, trembling all over with anger and sorrow.


    Half of him was furious, and the other half was heartbroken.


    ¡°I want you dead! Don¡¯t even think about running away!¡± Kou Li¡¯s expression had become very strange.


    ¡°No, ¡°Jian Yi took out a syringe from his pocket as if he carried it with him, ¡°He¡¯s too dangerous like this. You calm him down.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Bian Yi¡¯s voice trembled even more, and he walked two steps towards Kou Li, but then he thought of Xiao Shu and turned back to remind him, ¡°Xiao Shu, Dad is sick, don¡¯t come near him, okay?¡±


    Xiao Shu¡¯s eyes were round, and he nodded obediently, taking a few steps back on his own, indicating that he would stay away.


    But Bian Yi¡¯s attention was all on Kou Li and he did not notice that Xiao Shu looked at Kou Li with not even a trace of fear in his eyes.


    Bian Yi¡¯s fingers rested on Kou Li¡¯s shoulder, but Kou Li controlled his wrist, ready to strike him with the other hand, but then he heard him shout, ¡°Brother Li, it¡¯s me.¡±


    Kou Li¡¯s hand, clenched into a fist, stopped one centimeter away from Bian Yi¡¯s belly.


    ¡°Ah Yi?¡± He called out uncertainly, looked at him, and then identified him after a moment, ¡°Ah Yi, I¡¯m so useless, I couldn¡¯t save you, and now I can¡¯t even trap it and avenge you, I¡¯m so useless.¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Bian Yi hugged Kou Li¡¯s head, ¡°You did save me, I¡¯m right here. As for it, it doesn¡¯t matter, we still have time, no rush. We can take it slowly¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no time left, it¡¯s about to¡­¡± Kou Li wanted to break free from Bian Yi¡¯s embrace, but Jian Yi took the opportunity to inject him with the medicine.


    Kou Li lost his strength, but his struggling face with closed eyes still showed his resistance.


    Bian Yi felt even more suffocated, took several deep breaths, and together with Jian Yi, helped Kou Li up from his seat.


    They passed by the holographic image, and heard the bug laughing wildly, ¡°Hahaha! Who¡¯s the loser now? I¡¯m about to leave this cursed place! What can you do to me?¡±


    Bian Yi¡¯s lower lip was almost bitten until it bled. He supported Kou Li to the entrance of the laboratory and shouted towards the back, ¡°Xiao Shu, come here.¡±


    ¡°Coming, Dad.¡± Kou Sen responded in the direction of Bian Yi¡¯s voice. He ran a few steps and stopped at the entrance of the laboratory. Before the door of the laboratory automatically closed, he returned to Kou Li¡¯s laboratory.


    He took off the hat on his head and took out a chip from it.


    Then, he ran and started the elliptical mechanical device in the laboratory.


    In the moment the machine successfully started, the laughter of the system stopped abruptly.


    ¡°Laugh, why aren¡¯t you laughing anymore?¡± There was mockery on the immature little face that did not belong to his age.


    If the system could make expressions, it would definitely perform a ¡°go to hell¡± expression for Kou Sen at this moment.


    In a flash, it suddenly remembered something.


    The device that could break through its space was completed by Kou Li and his son together.


    ¡°N1101, connect to the mainframe.¡±


    ¡°Okay, master.¡±


    Kou Sen¡¯s body was too small now, and the laboratory was too big for him. He had to run to move around, which was cute and funny.


    But the system couldn¡¯t laugh.


    It watched as the little guy inserted the chip into the device Kou Li used to shut it down, and then watched him laboriously climb onto the chair Kou Li had just sat on. It watched as he deftly typed a string of code with his ten fingers on the keyboard.


    It saw the icon it used to show off how long it had to escape paused at 99%, and then in a very short period of time, the number started to count down. When it reached 0%, it finally became a few bright red characters:


    [Unable to Break Through!]


    The whole process of the system was dull.


    It was not Kou Li who caused the world to upgrade, but him?!


    How could this be possible? How could it be possible that it was defeated by such a little brat?!


    ¡°Do you know what I hated the most when I was a kid, N1101?¡± Kou Sen¡¯s little hand left the keyboard and began to chat leisurely with his AI.


    ¡°Master, please call me Revenge, that¡¯s the name you gave me,¡± the golden sphere in the lab shimmered.


    ¡°¡­,¡± Kou Sen¡¯s expression was somewhat embarrassed. He couldn¡¯t possibly call it such a cringy name. ¡°Ahem, I hate bugs the most.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± N1101 was responsible for giving his master a laugh.


    Kou Sen got up from his seat and stood in front of the holographic image: ¡°I was scared and cried by bugs when I was a kid. They¡¯re too ugly. But now that I¡¯ve grown up, I¡¯m not afraid anymore because I have the ability to crush them.¡±

 CH 43

    Chapter 43: It Receives Retribution (END OF MAIN TEXT)


    This world, how can there be so many coincidences?


    A normal two-year-old child with two loving fathers who cuddled him every day suddenly experienced one of them not allowing him to be close to the other. How could he not cry, not make a fuss, and obediently listen?


    Children are inherently capricious, especially when they are so young and don¡¯t understand what it means to be sensible.


    However, Kou Li had a filter for Kou Sen.


    He had seen how different Xiao Shu was from others when he grew up, so he thought that Xiao Shu had been sensible from a young age.


    Although this was somewhat irresponsible thinking, the more important reason was attributed to Kou Li¡¯s illness.


    When he saw the fake Bian Yi again, his condition worsened.


    During this year, Kou Sen had secretly seen Kou Li¡¯s symptoms many times. After he regained consciousness, Kou Li didn¡¯t remember what he had said or done.


    He couldn¡¯t clearly judge what was wrong with his child, and Kou Sen couldn¡¯t tell him that he, his two-year-old son, was not like a normal child, even if his soul had not changed. It was difficult to predict how Kou Li would react, and it could worsen his illness.


    Kou Sen wouldn¡¯t blame his father for this ¨C he was too heartbroken. He knew who was responsible.


    When Bian Yi returned that day, Kou Sen only came out of the room after hearing a commotion.


    He saw Bian Yi holding a knife, and Kou Li pressing him against the wall, choking him.


    At that moment, Kou Sen was terrified, and he quickly made noise on the stairs, pretending to have just woken up and was looking for his father, to stop them from ending their lives together.


    He had actually seen the knife under Kou Li¡¯s foot and the wound on Bian Yi¡¯s neck that he had blocked.


    After Bian Yi returned, Kou Sen also observed him, and then he discovered that his other father was also ill.


    He understood, having learned many things in his previous life.


    One who had been imprisoned for many years, the other who had been searching for many years ¨C how could their minds not be affected?


    Kou Sen was really sad, especially when he saw the occasional murderous glances exchanged between them, thinking they had hidden it well in front of him, but Kou Sen was not really a three-year-old child.


    In order to ease the relationship between his two fathers, Kou Sen always found opportunities to show his presence in front of them, avoiding them from fighting or even hitting each other. He even gave instructions to N1101 several times.


    Kou Sen actually guessed that Bian Yi would misunderstand N1101, but he didn¡¯t plan to clarify it too early.


    One of his fathers needed an emotional outlet, and if he directly told him everything, he would find it hard to bear.


    As long as there was still time, keeping him by Kou Li¡¯s side meant that there was still a chance for reconciliation.


    Kou Sen looked up and saw the photo frame on the experiment table where Kou Li usually sat.


    The frame contained a family photo of the three of them, and they had three copies printed.


    One was in the master bedroom, one was brought here by Kou Li, and the other was originally in Kou Sen¡¯s bedroom but he later moved it to his trophy room.


    The trophies that filled the room in his previous life were not as valuable to him as that photo, which he wanted to cherish and display.


    Kou Sen withdrew his gaze and looked again at the completely stiffened bug. He smiled innocently and said, ¡°Mr. Bug, I have bad news for you. The device my father and I completed together is not just this cage, there is also a prison cell¨C don¡¯t doubt our sincerity, you will definitely feel what pain is like. Please enjoy the days to come.¡±


    The child¡¯s face was round and cute like a fruit dumpling, without any aggression. When he smiled, he made people want to take a gentle bite out of him and see if there was a sweet and delicious filling inside.


    However, this little dumpling made the system extremely frightened, even trembling like a human being. It repeatedly said that it was impossible, but those bright red words reminded it every second that it was real.


    It really couldn¡¯t escape, and next, it would be locked up in some kind of prison by the father and son.


    Originally, it was not afraid at all. Even if it was really trapped, they would have no way to deal with it. One hundred years would quickly pass by.


    Waiting comfortably for one hundred years, or even sleeping for a few hundred years, was no big deal. But to let it wait in the torment of pain for one hundred years ¨C not to mention one hundred years, it felt extremely terrifying even for one year.


    At this moment, the system didn¡¯t realize how similar it was to Guan Xi.


    ¡°Xiao Shu!!¡± The laboratory door opened and Bian Yi¡¯s anxious voice came from outside.


    Kou Sen quickly retracted his sinister and eccentric gaze, rubbed his eyes in a hurry, pouted, and cried out with a sob: ¡®Daddy, I¡¯m scared.¡¯


    He executed a set of movements fluidly, obviously inheriting Bian Yi¡¯s talent for acting.


    The golden ball on the semi-elliptical machine flickered as if to say: ¡®I didn¡¯t expect you to be such a good actor.¡¯


    Bian Yi saw Xiao Shu standing next to the bug, and his heart almost stopped.


    He and Jian Yi helped Kou Li to the rest area, and when he turned around, he found that Xiao Shu was missing. He searched for him because there were still several passages from the laboratory to the rest area, and he had seen Xiao Shu following them out of the laboratory before. He thought Xiao Shu might have been left behind in one of the sections.


    However, he searched every fork in the road, but still couldn¡¯t find him.


    But he had searched everywhere and couldn¡¯t find him, so there was only one possibility that Bian Yi was most worried and afraid of.


    -The child was still in the laboratory.


    The bug could escape at any moment. Although the laboratory had shielding equipment, it couldn¡¯t escape outside, but it was definitely able to move around inside the laboratory.


    If Xiao Shu was really still in the laboratory, Bian Yi could not even imagine the consequences.


    When he opened the laboratory and really saw Xiao Shu¡¯s figure here, Bian Yi regretted it and wanted to die.


    How could he be such a bad father? How could he be so careless?


    Xiao Shu was obedient and well-behaved before, but he was just a child who was only so young. Children are curious by nature, why didn¡¯t he hold his hand and leave with him?


    How could he¡ª


    Kou Sen looked at Bian Yi¡¯s weak legs and stumbling run towards him, also feeling remorseful.


    He rushed towards Bian Yi and bumped into his arms, saying silently, ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t deliberately keep it from the two fathers, but he was younger and more likely to arouse their protective instincts. They needed to spend time and energy taking care of him, and they needed to consider his growth and future.


    Even if, even if they didn¡¯t want to live anymore, they still had to live for him who was still young.


    Kou Sen could feel how much force Bian Yi had used to hug him tightly, and he was still shaking all over.


    Kou Sen was quietly held by him, and he knew, he knew how much both of his dads loved him.


    Bian Yi gradually regained feeling in his limbs, and he let go of Xiao Shu, his heart still pounding. He then went to look at the bug.


    As he looked at it, he was stunned.


    Previously the system arrogantly displayed  ¡®only 98% left¡¯ on the icons, however, this had now changed to an icon containing three words: ¡®Unable to Breakthrough¡¯.


    Success?


    Did Kou Li really succeed?


    Bian Yi was still in shock when he heard the sound of someone hitting the lab door outside.


    That was the sound of Kou Li¡¯s shoulder hitting the lab door. The person behind him was cursing, an unusual display of anger.


    The hologram display in the lab was very prominent, and it could be seen clearly from the door. The cursing stopped when they saw the display.


    He helped Kou Li up and looked at his profile, somewhat incredulous: ¡°You¡¯ve really succeeded?¡±


    Kou Li didn¡¯t say anything, he just looked at Kou Sen in Bian Yi¡¯s arms and then, with the help of the person behind him, walked over to the computer.


    When he had finished checking everything, Kou Sen couldn¡¯t sit still. He got out of Bian Yi¡¯s arms and, as he expected, Kou Li glanced at him again.


    Kou Sen straightened his back a little, but as he had anticipated, Kou Li didn¡¯t expose him. He just said to Bian Yi, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s completely sealed.¡±


    Finally, Bian Yi let out a long sigh of relief. He was a little exhausted and knelt on the ground, his eyes staring at the shrunken bug, feeling a little dazed.


    It was over, finally over.


    Bian Yi blinked his eyes, looked at Kou Li, then looked at the little tree and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Kou Li stood up and leaned on the table, nodding to him: ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Xiao Shu was led by Bian Yi and he looked at Bian Yi, who was bending down to ask him: ¡°Xiao Shu, let¡¯s go home and sleep tonight, there are bad bugs here.¡±


    Kou Sen smiled sincerely at Bian Yi: ¡°Okay, Xiao Shu and dad will go home together.¡±


    That house, which originally belonged to their family, still remains the place they yearn for the most despite everything they¡¯ve been through.


    Jian Yi watched helplessly as Kou Li was helped into the car, and stayed behind in the lab. He had asked Kou Li before, no matter how he touched it, he couldn¡¯t open the cage.


    He could rest assured that he was sharing a room with the system.


    Fuck!


    But the system didn¡¯t want to share a room with this freak!


    The whole bug shuddered when it saw Jian Yi walk back and forth.


    It had seen how Jian Yi stripped Guan Xi bare, that kind of fear that made people feel exposed, and it didn¡¯t want to experience it.


    But now¨C


    ¡°You¡¯re just a piece of meat,¡± Jian Yi laughed the same crazy way, ¡°You need to understand the situation: whether you¡¯re scared, unhappy, or in agony, you have to endure it. After all, what can you do to us? You¡¯re just a lowly bug.¡±


    Jian Yi gave it the same words back.


    It thought it was high and mighty, thinking that humans were weak and lowly, and it could make them suffer with just a flick of its tentacles. Now it finally experienced being trapped with the very creatures it despised the most, unable to escape, and forced to accept various tortures in the waiting.


    It had finally received its retribution.