Even the scummiest man wouldn’t stoop to screwing himself over—he wasn’t a player, after all.
Chi Zhan didn’t take it to heart.
“Relax. We’re just friends. Nothing’s going to happen.”
…Can he say that every single one of his friends who got played said exactly the same thing before it happened?!
The vibe at the end of the last workday of the week was always extra chill. Chi Zhan packed up his things, ready to leave, but Zhou Yanxing was still holed up in his office.
Lately, it was like Zhou Yanxing had moved into the company altogether.
Chi Zhan hesitated, then knocked on the door.
“President Zhou, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head out.”
Zhou Yanxing responded with a low hum.
“I’ll pick you up at eight tomorrow morning. Don’t be late.”
“I can go on my own, no need to trouble you—”
Before he could finish, Zhou Yanxing shot him a glance, sharp and cold, words practically written in the air: You wanna repeat that?
Alright then. Still the same old domineering CEO. Well, this would be the last time he had to deal with this buggy version of President Zhou. Tomorrow, his favorability would reset to zero.
Chi Zhan turned away, a faint tinge of melancholy in his chest as he prepared to leave.
“Secretary Chi,” Zhou Yanxing called out behind him.
Chi Zhan turned back, puzzled.
“For tomorrow’s banquet, you’re my date,” Zhou Yanxing said with his usual air of command. “Don’t go flirting with anyone else. Got that?”
“……”
When had he ever flirted with anyone else?!
***
When Chi Zhan arrived at his apartment, the door across from his was wide open. Several boxes had already been stacked neatly outside. Inside, Tao Ran was packing things into storage bins.
“So you’re moving out already?”
Tao Ran turned and saw him—and immediately burst into tears with a dramatic wail.
“I didn’t expect the transfer notice to come so fast! I have to catch a train tomorrow to report in. I don’t want to leave you!”
Chi Zhan sighed. Seeing the mess scattered all over the floor, he rolled up his sleeves.
“I’ll help.”
Tao Ran was Chi Zhan’s first friend. Even though their personalities were quite different, they got along surprisingly well and shared a lot of common interests. Hot pot, gaming, complaining about their bosses—they’d done it all together. You could call them soulmates, in a way.
“You’re transferring to City B, right?” Chi Zhan asked, thinking aloud. “I’ll be on a business trip there the day after tomorrow. If you’re free, let’s meet up.”
“Deal. Also, I’ve got one more favor to ask. After I leave, someone else is moving in. The landlord’s gone back to their hometown and asked me to pass the key along, but I really don’t have the time. Can you give it to them when they arrive?”
“I won’t be home for the next two weeks,” Chi Zhan replied as he packed some mugs into a box, carefully wrapping them in bubble wrap. “When’s the new tenant moving in?”
“In two or three weeks. I’ll call you when it’s time. If you’re busy, I’ll get in touch with them directly.”
With Chi Zhan lending a hand, their packing speed doubled. An hour later, everything was boxed up. Tao Ran looked around, full of emotion.
“You’re so meticulous. Whoever gets to marry you is going to be the luckiest person alive.”
Chi Zhan didn’t think much of it. Romance had never been on his radar—he didn’t see it as something to pursue.
Right now, his top priority was…
Being the perfect support NPC. And then earning his freedom.
What came after that? He’d figure it out later.
By the time Chi Zhan got back to his apartment, it was already almost midnight. He collapsed onto the couch, too exhausted to move. But he still forced himself up, pressed his suit, polished his shoes, and took care of all the prep before finally flopping into bed.
He cracked his eyes open, bleary and tired, and glanced at his phone screen.
Eleven minutes to midnight.
…Eleven minutes and fifty-three seconds until Zhou Yanxing went back to normal.
Chi Zhan’s eyes slid shut as he sank into deep sleep.
In his dreams, he felt like he was chasing something. Fragments of light flitted past him—flashes of color, fleeting glimpses of things he couldn’t quite grasp. He reached out instinctively, but came away with nothing but empty air.
—Riiing! Riiing! Riiing!
“Ugh…”
After what felt like the millionth alarm, Chi Zhan finally opened his eyes. His head was heavy, thick with grogginess. He stared blankly at the ceiling for a few seconds before remembering what he had to do today.
The actions in his dreams seemed to bleed into the real world, leaving him even more drained. A dull ache pulsed behind his temples.
Get up. Get dressed. Start another dull, repetitive day.
As he walked to the dining table, pulling a slice of toast from the oven, he accidentally kicked the robot vacuum.
“…Why are you here?” Chi Zhan muttered. He bent down to return it to its usual spot, but the robot’s sensors suddenly lit up red, and it spoke in its flat mechanical tone.
“NPC 013, please respond.”
“The System?” Chi Zhan answered dully. “Why are you back?”
His energy today felt utterly depleted, like someone had wrung him out with a sponge. The overcast sky outside only made it worse—gray and dreary, with not a single ray of light.
His best friend was leaving. His familiar boss was about to become a stranger. He didn’t know which one hurt more.
Not that the System would ever understand.
NPCs didn’t matter. No one cared whether they were happy or sad. As the saying went, the joys and sorrows of code are not shared.
The robot vacuum spun in place, facing Chi Zhan. But he just sat down at the table, absentmindedly spreading condensed milk on his toast.
“Please listen carefully to what I’m about to say,” the System instructed.
“Alright, go ahead,” Chi Zhan replied, taking a sip of coffee.
He didn’t like his coffee too sweet—unlike Zhou Yanxing.
Too much milk and sugar turned it into just another boring drink. Bitterness was the true soul of coffee.
“The diagnostic report on target Zhou Yanxing is complete. The main System has issued the full results. They are confirmed to be entirely accurate and indisputable.”
The main System never made mistakes. That was one of the fundamental rules of their world. If it ever did, the entire simulation would fall apart.
