The villain turns into the infatuated second male lead

In the cozy bedroom, Qiu Yiyuan lay helplessly on the bed, staring at the white ceiling. His blurred vision seemed to conjure up the image of Ling Su smiling and introducing himself. The other man’s appearance was undeniably striking.

Gentle, clean, and modest—every positive word seemed to suit him.

“Ling Su…” He murmured these two words, his expression unreadable.

He had actually already known the pronunciation of the name from Xia Wanshi, but what really concerned him was that he might be ill. When Ling Su bid him farewell, he had a strange sensation, as if Yin Zhiyi was speaking to him. The chilling feeling on his back was still fresh in his memory.

The turmoil in the male lead’s mind was unknown to Yin Zhiyi. When he came out of the bedroom, he happened to see Xia Wanshi, who had just dried her hair. Her soft, black hair hung obediently at her waist. Her fair skin was still misty from the shower, and she wore a white nightgown, looking exceptionally pure with her bare face.

The television in the living room had been on since they returned, with the host methodically reporting recent news. The calm tone served as the best background noise, slightly stabilizing the complex emotions of the people inside.

“Ling Su, how is that person?” She glanced at the closed guest room door and couldn’t resist her curiosity.

“He’s already awake.” His eyes flickered briefly before he smiled and replied calmly. He sat on the living room sofa and poured a glass of water for her, suggesting, “He’s an adult male with many enemies behind him. I can’t be at ease with just you here. Why not have him stay at my place for a few days?”

His idea made sense, and she understood his reasoning. However, she had been worried about the gunshot wound on the man’s leg during her shower. His enemies were armed, and she was concerned they might still be nearby. If they were discovered during the transfer…

Just imagining it suffocated her. Although she had no romantic feelings for Ling Su, he was her childhood playmate and the most important person to her besides family. After hesitating, she said, “It’s very dangerous. If he’s a bad person, wouldn’t everything we did be in vain?”

Yin Zhiyi looked at the female lead sitting with a water cup, comforting her with a smile, “It’s fine. If you’re not comfortable, we can just let him leave.”

It was fine to let Qiu Yiyuan leave the female lead’s apartment, but Yin Zhiyi wouldn’t agree to let him leave his side. After all, he finally got a chance to be close to the target of his mission and wasn’t going to let it go.

In his plan, to become the most important person to the male lead, and since the system did not limit the time, being a life-and-death confidant and friend was the only suitable way. According to this world’s trajectory for Qiu Yiyuan, the most important person in his life was his beloved partner, Xia Wanshi, followed by his biological parents, with no close friends by the end.

He didn’t think the male lead’s romantic inclination would place love before friendship. So, he might as well ensure Qiu Yiyuan had no romantic attachment. Coincidentally, the original body’s wish was to prevent his beloved woman from being with the male lead again. Reducing the interaction between the male and female leads was a win-win situation.

As for the male lead’s parents, he wasn’t sure if they would live to a ripe old age. Although Qiu Tongfu had committed many crimes, he was the male lead’s biological father. In the original work, it was never stated whether he died by the end.

However… Yin Zhiyi was confident he could outlive him.

With his mission at stake, he couldn’t really ignore Qiu Yiyuan’s well-being.

Xia Wanshi was moved by his words but looking at Qiu Yiyuan’s handsome and righteous face, she found it hard to associate him with a bad person. What if he was an innocent bystander caught up in this?

Moreover, the man’s leg injury might prevent him from walking independently for days.

Thinking it over, she decided it was best to ask directly. If Qiu Yiyuan lied and refused to be honest, it would clearly indicate he had ill intentions, and then she would have no choice but to call the police.

“Let’s talk to him first and then decide. What if he has a hidden reason?” She got up from the sofa, suggesting cautiously.

When they moved Qiu Yiyuan to the guest room earlier, they had checked him over. Besides his injuries, he had nothing on him, which gave her the courage to probe.

“Alright.” Yin Zhiyi raised his eyes to look at her, his emotions hard to read. After a moment, he smiled and agreed, turning off the TV.

When they returned, Yin Zhiyi had used the excuse of worrying about the noise alerting the neighbors to turn the TV volume up high. Now that the male lead was awake, turning off the TV was a logical move, but he deliberately slowed his actions to attract attention.

Despite the ordinary look in his eyes, Xia Wanshi inexplicably felt guilty. Her eyes wandered around the living room, catching a glimpse of the TV screen just before it went dark. Her face changed dramatically, and she exclaimed in a low voice, “Wait a minute!”

She hurriedly grabbed the remote and turned the TV back on to rewatch the content. Yin Zhiyi followed her gaze, rubbing his brow and lightly ‘hmming.’

Haiyue Corporation’s General Manager and the second son of the chairman, ‘Qiu Yiyuan,’ was now missing and suspected to be in danger. Any citizen providing important clues…

She didn’t read further. Her eyes were glued to the face on the TV screen. Uncertain, she asked, “Does he… look like the person we saved?”

More than just similar. Despite Qiu Yiyuan’s current disheveled state, he was identical to the well-dressed man in the photo.

“Yes, he does.” Yin Zhiyi raised his eyebrows slightly.

She was not surprised. Compared to her childhood friend, she was more shocked by the whole situation. Not only were they providing important information, but they had also directly found the person.

If they could contact Haiyue Group, it would mean a whole… She counted the amount on the TV and then happily jumped up, exclaiming, “Ten million!”

Their family might be well-off, but they certainly didn’t disregard ten million. Her previously anxious mood instantly turned cheerful.

Only now did she realize why Qiu Yiyuan’s face seemed familiar. Her teacher had once been invited by the Qiu family to play the piano, and she had followed along, catching a fleeting glimpse of him. It was a scene of paper and gold.

Seeing her happy expression, Yin Zhiyi’s smile was no less bright. He had gambled that the news would be broadcast just in time, and he had won.

According to the original plot, Qiu Yiyuan had realized something was wrong in the car and immediately sent a message to the supporting female lead, Yin Miaoyan. When she couldn’t find him, she offered a large reward. The timing was just about right.

When the huge reward caused an uproar, Xia Wanshi was still taking care of the male lead. It wasn’t until they developed feelings for each other that they discovered Qiu Yiyuan’s true identity.

If this was revealed early on, would they still open their hearts and fall in love with each other?

While Yin Zhiyi pondered, Xia Wanshi didn’t rush to contact Haiyue Group. Instead, she knocked on the guest room door to confirm first.

“Come in.” Qiu Yiyuan, hearing the knock, sat up and hoarsely responded.

The wooden door was gently pushed open, and a man and a woman walked in. Qiu Yiyuan’s gaze shifted with them.

Yin Zhiyi placed a cup of warm water on the bedside table and smiled at him, “Drink some water.”

“Thank you.” Qiu Yiyuan instinctively moved a bit further away before taking the cup and drinking. His gaze briefly stayed on Xia Wanshi. She was good-looking, seeming like someone untouched by the harsh realities of society.

For some reason, the girl gave him a subtle feeling, making him momentarily forget the fear that had raised his hackles not long ago.

Every subtle reaction was caught by Yin Zhiyi, who maintained his polite smile.

Maybe it was the feelings accumulated from living under one roof. Even with a different face, his dear “brother” still instinctively moved away from him. This was what people meant by recognizing someone even when they turned to ashes?

As he seriously contemplated whether his body had truly turned to ashes, Xia Wanshi lightly coughed, trying to appear gentle and composed. She softly asked, “How are you feeling? Is there anywhere that still hurts?”

“I’m okay.” Qiu Yiyuan, feeling a bit embarrassed by her bright, jewel-like eyes, lowered his gaze to the cup.

That gentle and composed demeanor reminded him of Ling Su.

Yin Zhiyi silently observed the female lead. According to Ling Su’s understanding of her, she had no romantic feelings for the male lead at this moment. Her mind was likely focused on the ten million reward. Seeing her slender hand gripping the corner of her dress in excitement, he smiled.

She wasn’t greedy, but there was no reason to refuse free money. She placed a hand on her chin, gracefully suggesting, “How about we send you back tomorrow? Or contact your family to pick you up.”

Her words made Qiu Yiyuan freeze mid-drink. He gripped the cup tighter, suspicion in his eyes, “I don’t think I told you that I’m an orphan.”

Such a filial son.

Yin Zhiyi chuckled inwardly. If it weren’t for the inappropriate timing, he would have been tempted to record this for Qiu Tongfu to hear what his precious son said behind his back.

“An orphan?” Xia Wanshi hadn’t expected this response. Seeing the male lead’s current state, she felt she had understood. She sincerely and gently said, “We are not bad people, you know!

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