The villain turns into the infatuated second male lead

Yin Zhiyi’s cool fingers flipped through the book in his hand, eyeing the task progress bar of the protagonist inside. He couldn’t deny its allure.

Currently, he could only gauge his importance through the last scene where the protagonist, to avoid implicating Ling Su, chose to divert the pursuers. His ill-fated younger brother was still unaware that his beloved foster brother’s body had turned to ash, living under the same roof.

However, whether it was himself or the other shareholders who had already broken ties with the Qiu family, they would not let him go once they caught him. He believed his nominal brother should understand this too.

It seemed that completing the task was just a matter of letting Qiu Tongfu breathe his last, or perhaps creating a condition that would greatly enhance their bond in the upcoming days. Yin Zhiyi pondered calmly.

“System, are you a defective product?” He adjusted his sleeve, muttering under his breath.

Otherwise, how could he explain the lack of functions such as the system store and progress bar, apart from the occasional prompt sound? When asked, it was always insufficient permissions; even communication seemed difficult.

[Ding. This system is the master system at the universal level, commanding countless lower systems.] After a long silence, the system projected a mechanical screen in response.

Staring at the screen only he could see, Yin Zhiyi raised an eyebrow, as if he had thought of something, and smiled, “It sounds impressive, so why do you seem to lack intelligence?”

[Ding—Insufficient energy, unable to support dual-line operation.]

The pale blue screen flickered a few times and then went completely silent. Even when he called out in his mind, there was no response. It was all blocked with insufficient permissions, almost like the first day.

This piece of scrap metal made it hard for him to believe that it was truly the main system, as it claimed to be, considering his own world was also a novel, making the comparison reasonable.

“What is dual-line operation?” He pressed his knuckles against his chin, contemplating the ordinary ground. He then walked softly to the window, pulling the curtain back and letting the faint frost-white moonlight pour in.

He became increasingly certain that when he was struck by lightning, the system indeed spoke in his mind. The current situation seemed to be due to insufficient energy, making direct communication impossible.

“Is your purpose for energy?” His expression was indifferent, recalling that his reason for rebirth was escaping control and nearly killing the protagonist, thus being struck down by the world’s will.

So, was this why the system chose him?

He stopped speculating further and sat on the sofa in the living room, beginning to sort through the plot and consider how long he should stay in this world. He had never truly traversed different worlds before, and although he knew the system had no reason to scheme against a small figure like him, he still had some concerns.

In the warm and peaceful rental house, both individuals were destined for sleepless nights, albeit for different reasons. While Yin Zhiyi contemplated the uncertain future, Qiu Yiyuan also tossed and turned, only falling asleep in the later hours when he could no longer stay awake.

Yin Zhiyi’s intentional closeness made him uncontrollably hopeful, reminiscing about the events of the night. The gentle, clear voice like melting first snow carried a mesmerizing magic.

The scenes in his dreams were somewhat blurred, but he vaguely remembered Ling Su’s dark eyes reflecting his sweat-drenched image. With no one else to disturb, everything continued smoothly until the end of the dream when Qiu Yiyuan got stuck.

“Who was on top, who was below?”

When this thought emerged, the images in the dream vanished instantly.

He opened his eyes abruptly, shame flooding him. His dark eyes were obscure, his Adam’s apple bobbing as sweat beads formed on his forehead.

He felt he must be going mad. His heart was like an endless swarm of ants, causing intense discomfort. He closed his eyes again.

He desperately needed Ling Su’s embrace. Just a bit of kindness from the other would be salvation.

He was on the verge of madness, but his rationality imprisoned him, leaving him with an unending void inside.

Click.

The sound of the door handle turning echoed in the quiet living room. Yin Zhiyi, who had been contemplating life all night, lifted his chin towards the guest room, holding a meat bun in his hand.

“Good morning, breakfast is on the table.” Yin Zhiyi, composed and observant, noticed the dark circles under the protagonist’s eyes. He narrowed his eyes slightly, then acted as if he had noticed nothing, greeting naturally.

Just having done something disgraceful, Qiu Yiyuan’s heart unconsciously quickened at the sight of the main character. His Adam’s apple moved, and a trace of unease flashed across his sharp, handsome face.

He pursed his lips, picking up the bun on the table. His gaze wandered aimlessly around the living room, unable to settle on Ling Su.

Suddenly, his eyes paused on the ticking clock, surprised. “It’s only seven in the morning. Up so early today?”

Logically, they had come home around three in the morning, barely escaping with their lives. Exhausted, they should have fallen asleep immediately.

Yin Zhiyi chewed his bun, observing the subtle changes in Qiu Yiyuan’s expression with interest. After swallowing, he replied with a smile, “Mm, I was worried those people might find us, so I kept watch.”

Qiu Yiyuan’s heartstrings tightened. Unaware it was a lie, he relaxed his icy demeanor and murmured, “No one saw us leave; they won’t find us. If you’re worried, I’ll keep watch, and you can rest.”

“I’ll rest later.” Yin Zhiyi waved the bun in his hand, showing no guilt for deceiving his brother, meeting Qiu Yiyuan’s gaze with a calm and sincere smile.

Qiu Yiyuan’s eyes flickered, and he suddenly remembered something, his heart racing. He ate his bun but kept his attention on Ling Su. Since that thought entered his mind, it became hard to dismiss.

“Isn’t it tasty?” Yin Zhiyi asked politely, his eyes meaningful.

“Cough…” Qiu Yiyuan coughed uncomfortably. When Ling Su spoke, his heart skipped a beat. He hesitated, then spoke in a hoarse voice, “Ling Su, just curious, do you prefer being in control or in a subordinate position in things?”

“Ha.” Yin Zhiyi couldn’t help but laugh softly. He looked at the person in front of him, who showed little emotion, tilting his head without answering, his deep eyes seemingly able to see through people.

Qiu Yiyuan seemed particularly persistent about this answer, meeting that gaze with silent determination. Just as he was about to give up and change the subject, Yin Zhiyi spoke.

“Of course, I prefer to keep things in my own hands.” Yin Zhiyi raised an eyebrow, smiling.

Upon hearing this, Qiu Yiyuan’s ears burned. His struggle and disbelief were apparent as he asked again, “Anything?”

Yin Zhiyi answered calmly, “Of course, anything.”

With a definitive answer, Qiu Yiyuan’s composed demeanor shattered. He frowned, biting his lip, struggling with disbelief and difficulty accepting it.

A faint sense of discomfort and shame arose. He instinctively resisted, but looking at that face smiling at him, he felt calm. He clenched his fists unconsciously, closing his eyes with a long sigh.

In that moment, a ridiculous thought crossed his mind—what would it feel like to be entered by Ling Su?

Seeing Qiu Yiyuan seemingly making the most difficult decision of his life, Yin Zhiyi’s gaze rested on those slightly red-rimmed eyes. Without changing his expression, he finished his bun and said calmly, “I’m going to rest.”

“Okay.” Qiu Yiyuan lifted his eyes, gazing deeply at him, emotions surging within him. After making up his mind, he felt unexpectedly relieved.

Ding.

As the piano room door closed, the long-unheard ringtone of a phone sounded from his pocket. Qiu Yiyuan’s expression instantly turned serious as he checked the screen, unsurprised to see a string of missed calls from Yin Miaoyan.

Despite his tumultuous emotions last night, Qiu Yiyuan hadn’t forgotten his reason for taking risks. After slightly calming down, he had texted Yin Miaoyan and then turned off his phone until morning. It wasn’t until now that she saw the message and called frantically.

“Hello.” His deep, cold voice was devoid of emotion, his dark eyes sharp.

“Yiyuan, is it really you? Yiyuan!” Yin Miaoyan, who had been anxiously waiting for almost half a month, was excited beyond calm upon hearing his voice. Despite their relationship being merely friends, her heart ached for him. With tears in her eyes, she said, “Are you alright? Should I come to pick you up?”

“I’m safe for now. How are things at Haiyue?” Qiu Yiyuan’s thin lips pressed into a hard line, his cold aura making him seem unapproachable.

Hearing he was safe, she relaxed. She smiled through her tears, “Everything is fine. Uncle Qiu just got out of the hospital. My father will definitely stand with you in protecting Haiyue.”

Qiu Yiyuan’s eyes flashed with confusion. He lowered his voice, “Is Yin Zhiyi really letting things unfold like this? Could it be a trap?”

“Are you talking about your ungrateful foster brother?” Yin Miaoyan’s smile faded with disdain. She delivered a shocking piece of news: “You probably don’t know, Yin Zhiyi is already dead. Unfortunately, he left a will early on, and now we have to figure out how to buy back his shares.”

The voice on the other end gradually faded. Qiu Yiyuan was stunned to hear his enemy had died just like that.

“Ha, surprised?” Yin Zhiyi’s tall figure leaned against the piano room door, arms crossed, listening closely to the conversation outside. From the intermittent words, he roughly understood the situation.

Hidden in the shadows, his face was seductively handsome, his thin lips curling slightly, his eyes devoid of emotion.
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