11 1.11 (2/2)

Chen Yu grinned and stopped listening before the details of the attack were finalized.

Being informed would let him defend himself, but that would make this play so boring.

Setting aside the computer, Chen Yu contacted the system for the first time since the plotline was transmitted.

[Please be aware that, as in previous missions, the system cannot interfere very much in the task worlds.]

Lounging in bed, Chen Yu waved his hand. ”Don't worry, I don't need you to do anything except answer a few questions. First of all, how's the task progress?”

The system calculated for a few seconds. [Task progress is at 73%. Would the host like a breakdown?]

”No,” Chen Yu rolled his eyes. ”Obviously it's mostly from Liu Yao's hatred and the popularity of Xiao BaoBao.”

[...The system wishes the host happy travels as always.]

”Yes yes okay. One more question. If I fill the mission quota, how long can I stay in this world?”

Following a brief search, the system recited, [According to regulations, the host may choose to leave the task world at any time once the mission quota has been met. If the host chooses to stay, he is able to live out the natural lifespan in that world.]

Satisfied, Chen Yu shooed the system away and rolled over.

Meanwhile, Zhao Cui sat in his hotel suite anxiously gazing at the monitor which showed his baby playing music ceaselessly, not realizing that Shao Li had long fallen asleep.

Chen Yu passed the next few weeks comfortably.

With his identity as Xiao BaoBao revealed, Shao Li bashfully received praise from everyone in the academy, indulged in music, and frequently talked on the phone with Zhao Cui, who had eventually returned to Z Country to manage the backlog of work.

Occasionally, Chen Yu would amuse himself by observing Liu Yao hiding in her home and Feng Min failing to find a new job.

He Qiang had told Madam Liu of the plan to kill Shao Li, and, apprehensive that her daughter would stupidly cause trouble and bring on suspicion if she wasn't informed, Madam Liu had in turn relayed the information to Liu Yao. Needless to say, Chen Yu had obligingly preserved these exchanges.

Watching Liu Yao throwing things and cursing Shao Li, Chen Yu's lips curled. Since Liu Yao was so impatient, he'd take her out of there soon.

As for the former headmaster, he had long been deserted by Liu Yao, so there was no communication between the two to incriminate Feng Min in this murder attempt.

But Chen Yu hadn't intended to use the law on the second male lead anyway.

For a self-made man like Feng Min who didn't have a strong family, his pride depended on his talent and willpower. If he was sent to jail, he could convince himself that his inability to recover was because he didn't have the opportunity. But if he was free to look for a position in the outside world, every rejection and dismissal would chip away at his self-esteem and leave him with no excuse.

As for how Chen Yu could guarantee that this tolerably shrewd person wouldn't be able to rise again, it was because he'd planted a virus that automatically informed any prospective employers Feng Min was interested in of his past. The positions Feng Min applied for had plenty of candidates, so one with a flaw like this would be directly disregarded.

Since the news broke disclosing who Xiao BaoBao was, several media and entertainment companies had been reaching out to Shao Li for interviews, contracts, and so on, but Chen Yu consistently declined.

To begin with, the original owner had aspired not to be famous but to teach and share his love of music. Combined with Chen Yu's laziness and Zhao Cui's possessiveness, it was simply too much trouble to develop as a celebrity if there was no use for it.

To brush up Xiao BaoBao's popularity and make the upcoming murder attempt newsworthy, however, Chen Yu did post one more music video under his anonymous account three days before the scheduled assault.

As expected, He Qiang, unable to delay anymore, ordered the mercenary group to continue despite the risk.

The evening before the day of the attack, Zhao Cui leaned against his office desk with a shot of whiskey and pulled up the surveillance monitor to confirm that Shao Shao was awake.

When the phone flashed Zhao Cui's name, the boy nervously rubbed his hands on his pants and sat up straight, a faint blush rising from his delicate collarbones to his cheeks. Picking up the phone, he cleared his throat, showed a shy smile and softly answered, ”Mr. Zhao.”

Zhao Cui's heart nearly burst from his baby's cuteness, and he reached out to stroke the image on the computer.

In a low, hoarse voice, he asked, ”Shao Shao, how can you call your lover Mr. Zhao? Why don't you try addressing me as gege?”

On the screen, Shao Li's eyes widened, and he curled his petite body around a pillow, hiding his red little face in the cushion.

Zhao Cui smiled at his embarrassment, but he insisted, ”Shao Shao, let me hear you, baby.”

Seeming to struggle, the boy peeked out between his silky hair. After some hesitation, a watery voice whispered, ”G-gege,” then Shao Li immediately buried his face back into the pillow.

Out of sight, Chen Yu gritted his teeth and bit his tongue. What 'gege,' he'd lived tens of thousands of years more than Zhao Cui, okay?

Zhao Cui laughed happily. ”En, Shao Shao, that's good. Make sure you address me like that, I won't answer to anything else.”

The two spoke for a while, then Zhao Cui noticed the time and said, ”Alright baby, I'll see you in a couple days, tell me if you want to go anywhere. Don't play any more and go to bed now, alright?”

Shao Li agreed obediently and ended the call.

Well, they'd probably meet sooner than Zhao Cui expected.