Since that day he suddenly asked for leave during class, Lu Zhuonian hadn’t come to school for a whole week.
Xiao Kesong called both Lu Zhuonian and Chen Zemian dozens of times. Most of the calls went unanswered, and the few that were picked up revealed nothing about what Lu Zhuonian was so busy with.
On Sunday, while Xiao Kesong was drinking with friends at a nightclub, Lu Zhuonian suddenly called Ye Chen.
Something was happening.
Xiao Kesong immediately leaned over to listen in.
Ye Chen glanced at him. Xiao Kesong was already focused, his ear practically glued to Ye Chen’s side as Lu Zhuonian’s voice came through the phone. “Help me ask for another week off tomorrow.”
Ye Chen was a little surprised. “Again?”
Lu Zhuonian’s tone was as calm as ever. “Yes. I’m sick.”
“You don’t sound like it,” Ye Chen said, switching the phone to his other hand. “You actually sound like you’re in a good mood. Did something good happen?”
Lu Zhuonian replied matter-of-factly, “How did you know that Chen Zemian confessed to me?”
Ye Chen: “…”
He really had asked a redundant question.
Seeing Ye Chen’s speechless expression, Xiao Kesong couldn’t contain his curiosity. He slipped around to the other side and leaned in again to eavesdrop.
Ye Chen walked out of the private room and closed the door behind him. He bent one leg and leaned against the frame, effectively locking Xiao Kesong inside.
Xiao Kesong tugged at the door a few times but couldn’t open it. He spun around in frustration.
Lu Zhuonian’s voice came again through the receiver. “Are you listening?”
Ye Chen replied lazily, “No.”
Which obviously meant he was listening.
Lu Zhuonian continued, still in that cool, declarative tone. “He also said he likes me. A lot.”
Ye Chen asked, “So are you together now?”
Lu Zhuonian was silent for a few seconds. “…”
Ye Chen hit the mark. “Still no official status?”
Lu Zhuonian replied, annoyed, “Hang up.”
“Don’t hang up.” Ye Chen glanced at the private room’s door where Xiao Kesong was clawing like a trapped cat, his expression both pitiful and dramatic. Since the guy used to be the previous “dad” of Little Maine, Ye Chen kindly asked on his behalf, “Where’s Chen Zemian?”
“He went out,” Lu Zhuonian answered indifferently.
Ye Chen raised a brow. “So you’re not at school, and you’re not with him. What have you been up to?”
“Decorating the house,” Lu Zhuonian said simply.
Ye Chen was confused. “Decorating?”
Standing on the glass terrace of his villa, Lu Zhuonian overlooked the construction site next door, bustling with activity. “Do you not understand decorating, or do you not understand house?”
Ye Chen frowned. “Didn’t you already decorate the villa you’re living in exactly how you wanted?”
“Chen Zemian wants an audiovisual room,” Lu Zhuonian replied, twirling a lighter in his hand. “He also wants to move the gym to the first floor.”
Ye Chen blinked. “You’re changing the layout for him?”
“How could I?” Lu Zhuonian said calmly. “He has his preferences, I have mine. It’s not a conflict. There are two empty villas. I’m decorating the other one according to his tastes.”
Ye Chen: “…”
“It’s the other half of my villa,” Lu Zhuonian added nonchalantly, flicking the lighter. “There’s a secret passage in the basement that connects them. It’s pretty cool. I’ll invite you over when it’s finished.”
Ye Chen declined flatly, “Can I not go?”
“No,” Lu Zhuonian replied without missing a beat.
Ye Chen couldn’t help asking, “What’s even fun at your place? I have to lay down a whole layer of cushions just to sit on the sofa.”
“I dug an infinity pool in the backyard. You can come swim,” Lu Zhuonian said.
Ye Chen scoffed. “Chen Zemian can’t even swim. You’re giving him the house and then building a pool in his backyard. Does that make any sense?”
Lu Zhuonian spoke in a composed tone, though he couldn’t quite hide the hint of pride: “It was his idea. He said since it’s inconvenient for me to swim outside, he’d build one in the backyard.”
Ye Chen sighed inwardly. This guy was really lucky. He said sarcastically, “So it’s still your house, and you’re the one paying for the pool?”
“Nope,” Lu Zhuonian said, unfazed. “I hired someone for the renovations, but the pool design was drawn by Chen Zemian himself. He even contacted the construction crew. I didn’t spend a cent.”
Ye Chen couldn’t take it anymore. “You haven’t even locked down the relationship status, but the wedding house is already under construction.”
Click.
Lu Zhuonian hung up without a word.
He pressed the lighter and lit a cigarette, standing silently on the terrace.
Unfortunately, nicotine couldn’t soothe the anxiety in his chest.
Half a minute later, he put out the cigarette and called Chen Zemian.
After a few rings, Chen Zemian picked up.
Lu Zhuonian rubbed the edge of the lighter with his thumb. “Are you busy?”
Chen Zemian was in a meeting with the game team, finalizing the couple skin packs. “Not really. We’ve wrapped up most of it. Just one thing—the female tactical leg-holster looks off. It’s thinner than the male version, so it’s less cool and more… suggestive. I suspect the lead artist is trying to push boundaries, but he says it’s just a proportions issue.”
Lu Zhuonian responded bluntly, “If even you think it’s sketchy, then they’re definitely crossing a line.”
“Exactly,” Chen Zemian replied, then paused. “Wait, what do you mean?”
Lu Zhuonian chuckled. “Nothing. Just have them change it. That’s not what your game’s selling point is. Don’t let them steer it off course.”
“Yeah, that guy’s trying to sneak in his own taste,” Chen Zemian lowered his voice and muttered, “I’m going to fire him.”
Lu Zhuonian held back a laugh. “Wow, Mr. Chen flexing his authority.”
Chen Zemian cleared his throat. “Anyway, did you call just for this?”
“I wasn’t feeling well earlier,” Lu Zhuonian said as he watched the flame flicker. “Thought I was about to have a seizure. So I called.”
There was a pause.
“You okay now?” Chen Zemian asked, sounding concerned.
“I’m fine,” Lu Zhuonian said softly. “Just hearing your voice helped.”
“…Is my voice that seductive?” Chen Zemian joked.
Lu Zhuonian rolled his eyes. “Hang up. Go do your work.”
Chen Zemian listened to the busy tone, then quietly slipped his phone into his pocket. He headed back to the meeting room, but his mind was already elsewhere.
For Lu Zhuonian—someone so used to self-control—to admit he didn’t feel well and actually call him… that was a clear signal.
Even if he said he was fine later, Chen Zemian wasn’t entirely reassured.
As he turned a corner, he ran into Zheng Huaiyu, his top secretary.
Zheng Huaiyu had noticed the name “Mr. Lu” flashing on the caller ID earlier. Based on his experience, he immediately guessed that Lu Zhuonian had called to drag Chen Zemian home—or at least, to remind him he existed.
Even if he hadn’t said it directly, once that call came through, it was obvious Chen Zemian wouldn’t be able to focus.
So Zheng Huaiyu had already taken the initiative to resolve the issue with the game’s skin design. He fired the main artist, and instructed the art team to unify the proportions of the leg-holsters for both skins.
He handed the revised design to Chen Zemian.
The update looked much better.
Chen Zemian used a stylus to add a bit of contrast color to the black holster—matching the outfit—and it instantly looked more cohesive.
Zheng Huaiyu nodded approvingly. “Excellent aesthetic sense.”
“That’s the one,” said Chen Zemian. “Have them refine it based on this. Add some decorative touches—maybe a dagger. No weird stuff.”
“Understood,” Zheng Huaiyu smiled.
Instead of returning to the meeting room, Chen Zemian headed to his office to grab his car keys.
Zheng Huaiyu followed and personally opened the car door for him, like a professional valet.
Chen Zemian got in, then gestured for him to lean down.
Zheng Huaiyu rested his arm on the car window. “Yes, Mr. Chen?”
Chen Zemian looked around, then cleared his throat. “Did you look into the thing I asked about?”
“The overseas marketing plan? We’ve contacted distributors and started localizing for regional preferences.”
“I’m talking about the car,” Chen Zemian said. “Koenigsegg One:1. Can we order it?”
Zheng Huaiyu raised his brows. “You can, but just the car alone is nine figures. Add taxes and shipping—you’re looking at 200 million minimum.”
“I’ll order it for 300 million,” Chen Zemian said calmly.
“You’re insane,” Zheng Huaiyu muttered. “You’ve only earned 300 million from the game so far, and you’re blowing all of it on a car?”
He wasn’t insane.
Chen Zemian just felt that keeping money lying around was pointless. Better to spend it on something real.
Ever since he came to this world, he’d somehow gotten rich. It felt surreal—like playing a business simulator where success brought automatic rewards.
Especially after the game took off, his bank account became a string of meaningless numbers.
Projected profits for the year were expected to exceed a billion dollars. So 300 million meant nothing to him now.
He handed over his bank card. “There’s more money to be made. Just buy the car. I need it.”
“You in a rush to drive it?” Zheng Huaiyu asked.
“I’m not driving it,” Chen Zemian admitted. “I’m giving it to Lu Zhuonian. He gave me his Fengshen. I’m returning the favor with a sports car.”
“Oh,” Zheng Huaiyu said, realization dawning. “So it’s for him.”
“Don’t call him ‘Mr. Lu.’ He doesn’t like that,” Chen Zemian corrected.
“He told you that?”
Chen Zemian nodded.
“All right,” said Zheng Huaiyu, then added, “But answer me one question.”
“You want to know why I’m giving him a sports car?”
“Bingo.”
Chen Zemian looked around furtively, then motioned for him to come closer.
Zheng Huaiyu nearly climbed into the car for this juicy gossip.
“I’m confessing,” Chen Zemian said. “The car’s my gift.”
“What if he says no?”
“He won’t,” Chen Zemian said confidently.
Zheng Huaiyu laughed. “So he likes you?”
Chen Zemian was slightly embarrassed but still answered, “Mm.”
“And you like him too?”
Chen Zemian’s gaze softened. “Yeah.”
Zheng Huaiyu tucked the card into his pocket. “All right. I’ll place the order today. But even expedited, it’ll take over a month.”
Chen Zemian nodded. “As long as it’s here before he goes abroad.”
“And the confession?” Zheng Huaiyu asked. “Want to prep fireworks, drones, curtain drops?”
“I’ve already planned it,” Chen Zemian said. “You can help me tweak it.”
He explained:
“I’ve booked the rooftop restaurant at Century Tower. The car can be hoisted up. That evening, with the golden sunset behind us, we’ll sit down for dinner. The waiter will ask about drinks. I’ll say, ‘I can’t drink—my boyfriend won’t let me.’”
“When Lu Zhuonian hears me call him that, he’ll instinctively turn to look at me. I’ll hand him the car keys. At that moment, the curtain will drop, and there’ll be a carbon black Koenigsegg sports car behind it.”
“Then I’ll say: ‘Lu Zhuonian, I was drunk the first time I met you. Since that day, I’ve felt like I’m living in a dream—one I couldn’t quite believe. But as we got closer, every step I took brought me deeper into this world.’”
“‘I tried watching from afar, even considered running away. But in the end, I chose to face everything. So today, I’m standing in front of you to say—’”
“‘I belong to this world. And I belong to you.’”
*****
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Author: LazyHermitGal
A Lazy Hermit Gal wondering in the void and falling into the translation abyss.
