The villain turns into the infatuated second male lead

Just then, a figure appeared in the alley to their left.

He looked around and couldn’t help complaining about the chaotic roads in the urban village of Ningchuan City, which had caused him to get lost while trying to find his companions.

“Ling Su,” Qiu Yiyuan stopped in his tracks, his long phoenix eyes fixed on the figure ahead. His legs felt as heavy as lead as he hoarsely called out.

Before he could react, Yin Zhiyi had already noticed the person to their left. It was evident that the other party had not yet recognized the man with the wavy hair as his target. Yin Zhiyi discreetly blocked Qiu Yiyuan behind him.

“Shh.” He signaled Qiu Yiyuan to stay calm with his eyes, constantly rehearsing the upcoming situation in his mind. He calmly approached the dark-skinned man.

“Hey, do you know the way?” The dark-skinned man, who had been wandering around for a while, brightened up when he saw a passerby.

“Yes, are you lost, brother?” Yin Zhiyi’s warm and sincere smile, combined with his refined appearance, eased most of the man’s wariness.

The dark-skinned man did not perceive the well-mannered stranger as a threat. He began thinking about where he should meet his companions, speaking with uncertainty due to the poor cell signal in the area. “I don’t recognize this place either, but there seems to be an adult store nearby…”

Bang.

Before the man could finish his sentence, he received a blow to his abdomen. Yin Zhiyi seized the moment to strike while the man was still pondering, and as the man reflexively curled up, Yin Zhiyi delivered another chop to the back of his neck.

It seemed the dark-skinned man hadn’t expected the seemingly harmless man to attack him. He staggered, full of disbelief, “Are you fucking crazy?”

They had no enmity, so was this guy a lunatic?

Yin Zhiyi hadn’t hit hard enough to knock out the sturdy man immediately. After shouting his frustration, the man retaliated with a punch. Though powerful, his sluggish reaction made it miss Yin Zhiyi. Undeterred, he tried again, only to be dodged once more.

The man, rubbing his dizzy head, angrily lunged at Yin Zhiyi, intending to tear a piece off him. But before he could act, a sharp pain hit the back of his head, and darkness overcame him.

Yin Zhiyi followed the direction of the blow and saw Qiu Yiyuan, who looked peculiar in his makeshift disguise, holding a brick from the ground. Smiling, he said, “Thanks.”

Honestly, his hastily donned female disguise looked rather comical, at least to Yin Zhiyi.

Who could imagine the stern and imposing general manager of the Haiyue Group wearing a wig and pretending to be a woman?

Fortunately, he was tall but slender and lacked bulky muscles. From a distance, apart from his distinctly male facial features, he still looked like a powerful beauty.

“Why so polite?” Qiu Yiyuan scrutinized Yin Zhiyi, relieved to see he wasn’t hurt. He lightened up a bit and joked, “Do I need to show my gratitude in action?”

Hearing this, he seemed to think of something, his cold expression breaking for a moment. The two quickened their pace, and after a few seconds, Qiu Yiyuan asked in a low voice, “Where are we going?”

Although they had temporarily misled their pursuers to the night market, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t run into more of them. Leaving here was the only way to feel secure.

“My car is parked at the end of this alley.” As Yin Zhiyi’s calm voice fell, they passed through the dim alley and saw the familiar car in the distance.

The car door shut with a dull thud. As the car slowly joined the traffic flow, both men breathed a sigh of relief. They didn’t notice the phone lying in a secluded corner of the alley, hidden by unkempt grass and a broken streetlamp.

Ningchuan City had excellent infrastructure, with lights illuminating the way. By the time they reached the rented apartment, it was already 3 a.m. Yin Zhiyi handed Qiu Yiyuan a glass of warm water, his serene gaze fixed on the handsome man sprawled on the sofa.

“I just went out to buy something,” Qiu Yiyuan, having just relaxed from his tense state, said seriously, despite his exhaustion.

“Alright. If you need anything next time, I can help.” Yin Zhiyi nodded, sitting beside him with a teasing smile. It was unclear if he believed his explanation.

The faint scent beside him was particularly pleasant, and a flash of memory of the alley scene crossed Qiu Yiyuan’s mind. Quickly hiding his fluster, he said, “What I need, you might not know where to buy. I thought going out at night would avoid running into those people.”

“Really? I’ve been wondering why you’ve been avoiding me lately.” Yin Zhiyi watched all of his subtle expressions, moving closer, his gentle eyes filled with mock distress. As expected, he noticed Qiu Yiyuan’s breath hitch slightly. His clear voice carried an unexpected allure in their close proximity: “I’ve lost sleep thinking about it.”

“So you followed me when you heard me leave?” Qiu Yiyuan subconsciously pulled at his collar. Though the September night wasn’t hot, he felt unbearably warm. His deep, magnetic voice trembled slightly, a mix of excitement and joy barely noticeable.

So, Ling Su would lose sleep over him?

So, when he tried to distance himself and suppress his feelings for him, the other cared enough to mind the distance?

This realization made his heart burn. Even if the concern wasn’t love, it was enough to drive him crazy. But he dared not show it and could only follow the conversation.

“Heh…” Yin Zhiyi chuckled, his soft laugh filling the room. He then said gently, “You made quite a noise. It was hard not to notice.”

“Did I?” Qiu Yiyuan was taken aback, recalling his careful movements from a few hours earlier.

“Really?” Yin Zhiyi rose slowly from the sofa, feigning contemplation. After a moment, he teased, “Maybe it’s because I always pay attention to you that I have this illusion.”

“…” Qiu Yiyuan’s previously calm expression almost froze. His heart felt like it was being played with. Though he knew the words were unintentional, a person in love couldn’t help but cling to such remarks, especially after the thrilling and ambiguous events of the night. As a single man in his twenties, not indulging in such thoughts felt like a betrayal of his long-suppressed feelings.

It was like a dying man finding an oasis in the desert. Even if it was a mirage, he couldn’t help but hope. The string of reason in his mind was on the verge of snapping.

If it weren’t for Ling Su’s kindness, if Ling Su weren’t so perfect, he wouldn’t hesitate to imprison him by any means.

But…if it weren’t Ling Su, would he still fall in love?

As the sound of running water from the bathroom continued, Qiu Yiyuan’s ears turned red. He looked down, glancing at himself. His stern expression finally broke, and he took a deep breath, returning to his room.

“So innocent.” Yin Zhiyi let the water wash over his hair, his face devoid of the previous gentleness. His eyes, now narrowed in disdain, murmured lazily.

Indeed, the best way to deal with a hopeless romantic is to romance them.

When he came out, clean and refreshed, the living room was empty. His dark eyes showed no sign of sleepiness. Next to the sofa was a novel about a protagonist binding with a system.

Ever since figuring out Qiu Yiyuan’s mindset, he had been treating life like a game.

No, to him, this felt like a live-action role-playing game.

“Huh?” His deep eyes flashed with surprise as he searched his discarded clothes and possible locations. With a shrug, he said helplessly, “My phone’s gone.”

Ling Su’s phone was old, but since it was a birthday gift from Xia Wanshi, he insisted on repairing it even after it malfunctioned, spending more than its original value.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t Ling Su, and he had deleted everything he could. With the violent damage it had sustained, recovery was unlikely.
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