Oh No, the Host Is Really Going to Fall for Someone in the Book

Duan Xun: ...

Damn it, his wife had taken advantage of him.

Lin Cheng, who was driving in front, glanced through the rearview mirror, then continued driving without changing expression, utterly unfazed.

With someone else present, Duan Xun did not want anyone to see Song Mingzhou's aroused expression. He turned his head and pulled him away, only for Song Mingzhou to cling to him again and stare at him pitifully. "No more kissing?"

"..."

"Brother?"

"... Shut up."

"Kiss."

"..." Duan Xun's vision went dark. He looked outside and saw they had just reached a less populated stretch of road. After considering it, he said, "Lin Cheng, pull over."

"Yes."

"Get out first."

"Yes." Lin Cheng unhesitatingly opened the door and got out.

Only the two of them remained in the car. Duan Xun narrowed his eyes, gripped the back of Song Mingzhou's neck, and kissed him fiercely.

Their kiss became so intense that they nearly lost control again. The last of Duan Xun's reason made him pull the clingy Song Mingzhou away in time and hold him tightly in his arms.

Song Mingzhou knew they could not continue either. He did not want to do it.

He only wanted to kiss.

He enjoyed that feeling of their souls intertwining, so intimate that it felt as though they were very close, their heartbeats close too.

He really liked that comfortable feeling.

Duan Xun lowered his head and lightly kissed his forehead, cheeks, nose tip, lip corners, and ears, inch by inch, gentle and unhurried.

Song Mingzhou closed his eyes in enjoyment.

He thought: Duan Xun really is the perfect sugar daddy. He's rich, handsome, gentle, attentive, and smart. He always knows what I want, like he's living in my stomach.

He was also... the perfect lover.

The moment that thought occurred to him, Song Mingzhou's ears burned. Why had he thought that? This was only a mission. How could he have such thoughts?

He shook his head.

Duan Xun's expression went blank for an instant before it vanished. He gently rubbed Song Mingzhou's temples. "What's wrong? Feeling unwell?"

"No." Song Mingzhou felt a little guilty.

He was using Duan Xun to complete his mission. How could he deserve Duan Xun treating him like this? When his mission was complete, what would Duan Xun do?

And what would happen to them...

Would Duan Xun get angry then? Would he be hurt?

"Don't overthink it." Duan Xun kissed his lips and soothed him. "Things will work themselves out when the time comes. You should enjoy the present."

Song Mingzhou: ???

How had Duan Xun guessed he was overthinking again??

Song Mingzhou could not help calling out to the system: [Little 7, does Duan Xun have a system?]

527 scanned him once and answered responsibly: [No. You're the only one in this world who has one. Two systems can't appear in the same world, or it won't be able to bear the load and will collapse.]

[Are you sure?]

[Absolutely.]

[Then why can Duan Xun always guess what I'm thinking? Is he just a blind cat stumbling across a dead mouse nine times out of ten?]

527 thought it over and came to a conclusion: [He's smart, probably. After all, he's the biggest villain. It's normal for him to have a smart brain.]

[Are you sure? If he were smart, he wouldn't have failed to win over even Shen Qing. Gu Yanting even messed him up that badly. Can that be called smart?]

[Hey, you can't put it that way.] 527 grew a little uncertain. [-He's the villain. No matter how capable he is, he can't be more capable than the protagonist.]

[Twisted logic.]

[Really, Host, don't worry.]

Fine, then.

Once he confirmed that Duan Xun truly did not have a system, Song Mingzhou relaxed. It seemed that he was simply intelligent, except that his intelligence automatically went offline around the protagonist and worked normally around him.

That had to be it.

Duan Xun had heard the entire exchange. By now, he had trained himself to listen to Song Mingzhou's conversations with the system without changing expression. No matter what he heard, he could keep it from showing.

"Brother?"

"Hm? What is it?"

"Nothing. Call Lin Cheng back. It wouldn't be good if someone saw us." With Duan Xun's fame, even his personal assistant had gained considerable exposure.

Duan Xun nodded and said okay, then called Lin Cheng. A minute later, Lin Cheng opened the door and got back into the car.

"Let's go."

"Yes."

Lin Cheng started the car and took them to their usual place. Only after escorting them inside did he turn and leave.

What a competent assistant.

Song Mingzhou sighed inwardly, and Duan Xun explained, "If my assistant were useless, how could he stay by my side?"

That was true.

Wait.

Had he said that out loud???

Duan Xun explained again, "Your eyes asked it. I understood your question."

"..."

Fine.

Duan Xun picked him up. "Go take a shower."

Song Mingzhou was horrified. "I-I can wash myself." He looked so terrified that he might as well have had "protecting my ass" written across his face.

Duan Xun kissed the tip of his nose. "Okay. You can wash yourself."

"Mm."

Duan Xun obediently backed out and truly did not come in to disturb him. Song Mingzhou took a comfortable shower, and when he came out wrapped in a bathrobe, Duan Xun was fiddling with something in the living room.

"Brother, what are you doing?"

"You're done showering?" Duan Xun beckoned to him. "Come here."

"Okay."

Song Mingzhou walked over and was pulled down to sit. Duan Xun naturally crouched by his feet and lifted his leg up.

"..."

"Be good. I'm putting some medicine on it so it doesn't leave a mark."

Song Mingzhou pressed his lips together and said nothing. It had hurt a little when he bumped it, but he barely felt anything now. There was only a faint bruise, yet being treated with such care still moved him.

Duan Xun carefully applied the medicine, his brows and eyes focused as though he were handling some precious treasure.

Song Mingzhou did not refuse again and obediently let him apply the medicine.

Afterward, Duan Xun let out a breath and reminded him, "Be careful on set too. Don't hurt yourself. Your director said you have a little over a month until filming wraps, and you still have one episode of that variety show to film in between."

Only then did Song Mingzhou remember. He nodded. "Right, yes."

"After this drama is finished, try auditioning for the male lead in my new script, okay?"

When Duan Xun said that, Song Mingzhou did not know whether it was his imagination, but there seemed to be a trace of nervousness and caution in his voice.

Song Mingzhou knew what he meant. It seemed his sugar daddy was finally going to exercise his power and feed him resources.

Song Mingzhou was not so pretentious as to want it while acting above it. Since he had become a canary, he would not put on airs in front of Duan Xun. He agreed immediately. "Okay, I'll audition."

Duan Xun was only giving him an opportunity and a threshold. Whether he could get the role would still depend on himself.

He did not lack ability. He merely lacked a threshold he could reach.

"Okay."

Duan Xun smiled and ruffled his hair.

Song Mingzhou smiled back at him. "You should go shower too. You've been tired all day."

"Mm. Watch some TV by yourself. I'll be out in a while."

"Got it."

Duan Xun kissed him before leaving.

Song Mingzhou's slightly cool fingertips slowly touched his lips, as though the warmth from before still lingered there.

He drifted off again.

It seemed as if something had changed, yet it also seemed as if nothing had.

527: ...Oh no, the Host is really going to fall for someone in the book.

Song Mingzhou happily turned on the television, but he did not take in a single word of what was playing. Duan Xun's face filled his mind.

As he kept thinking about it.

The water in the bathroom shut off.