What are you running for?

Wen Lin wanted to make a few more sweetly manipulative remarks, but the director immediately appeared with a little megaphone. The show's popularity had soared, and he now found Yu Xiuyuan very agreeable.

"We film once a week, for three days and two nights each time. This week's rooms have already been assigned, but they can be reassigned next week. You're free to do as you please now. There are ingredients in the kitchen; help yourselves."

Yu Xiuyuan had stolen far too much screen time earlier, so everyone else suddenly became enthusiastic and swarmed into the kitchen. Whether they could cook or not, they all wanted to show off a little.

Of course, award-winning actor Yun Chuan was not among them.

Yu Xiuyuan looked at the bustling kitchen. Perfect. With other people cooking, he could focus on waiting to eat.

All he needed to do now was behave, stop riding the award-winning actor's coattails, keep a low profile, finish filming without making trouble, and quietly await retirement. He turned and went upstairs to rest in his room.

Seeing that Yun Chuan hadn't moved, Wen Lin approached him, lowered his head, and asked shyly, "Mr. Yun, are there any foods you avoid? I'm a pretty decent cook, so if there's anything in particular you'd like, just let me know."

Yun Chuan pushed himself up using the sofa's armrest, polite but distant. "I don't have any dietary restrictions, and there's no need to make special arrangements for me."

Then he turned toward everyone in the kitchen. "Sorry, I filmed through the night yesterday to wrap up on schedule, so I'm a little sleepy. I'll go rest in my room first. Thanks for your hard work. I'll wash the dishes after we eat."

"Not at all, not at all! Go get some rest, Mr. Yun!"

Yun Chuan turned and went upstairs. Opening the door, he found Yu Xiuyuan already lying on his stomach on the bed, playing on his phone, his lower legs raised and swinging back and forth. He didn't seem to be watching the livestream, either.

"What are you playing?"

The sudden voice made Yu Xiuyuan flinch. The towering stack of Tetris blocks on his screen triggered the game-over sound.

"Sorry. I didn't realize you startled so easily."

"No, no, it's not your fault. I was too absorbed in the game. Are you going to rest? I'll go play downstairs." As he spoke, he scrambled off the bed and headed for the door without even looking up.

"Scared of me?" Yun Chuan raised an eyebrow and casually closed the door.

"Of course not! I just don't want to disturb your rest." Yu Xiuyuan stopped short, gave an awkward smile, and backed up two steps.

"Then what are you running for?" His voice was low and resonant.

Yu Xiuyuan felt there was something odd about the way Yun Chuan was talking. Was the award-winning actor really this chatty?

"Um... I got overexcited when I saw you earlier and did something stupid in the heat of the moment. Thinking about it now, it's pretty embarrassing."

He solemnly raised three fingers in an oath. "Don't worry. I absolutely have no improper intentions toward you, and I won't do anything weird to you!"

Looking into his sparkling eyes, Yun Chuan's Adam's apple bobbed.

This kid changed from one moment to the next. A change of clothes had practically turned him into a different person.

He wore a matching outfit, yet chose the sofa farthest away from him.

He schemed to get them assigned to the same room, yet tried to run away the moment Yun Chuan returned.

And those sparkling eyes didn't look like an act.

What kind of tactic was this? Playing hard to get?

Unable to figure it out, he sighed inwardly. What a shame about that uniquely hideous outfit he had on earlier. I'd wanted to use him to give my family a scare, so they'd stop meddling and nagging me to get married.

That probably wouldn't work now. How could someone this pretty scare anyone? He'd be more like an offering delivered straight to their door.

Unfortunately, the rooms had already been assigned, and changing them would be inconvenient. They would leave things as they were for now.

Countless thoughts raced through his mind, but his expression betrayed nothing.

He took off his jacket and hung it up, his tone casual. "I'm not blaming you. Keep playing; there's no need to go downstairs. I brought earplugs, so you won't disturb me. I'll catch up on sleep first. Wake me when the food's ready."

His tone was somewhat commanding, but not unpleasant.

Maybe he's just naturally friendly like this. He really does have a good temper. After mulling it over for a moment, Yu Xiuyuan went back to staring at his phone.

He seemed to be playing a game, but his mind was hard at work.

He had returned to the room specifically to sort through his memories. His mind was a mess, and the memories never seemed quite complete.

Wen Lin was the original novel's main bottom, adored by everyone.

The original owner of this body had considered Wen Lin his best friend and obeyed his every word.

But Wen Lin always used subtle hints to steer him down the wrong path. Once he made a mistake, Wen Lin would publicly urge him to mend his ways in the capacity of a good friend.

The original owner refused to learn and grew increasingly extreme, while Wen Lin never gave up on him.

Only after his "persuasion" turned the original owner into a celebrity criminal did Wen Lin shed tears on a livestream and announce that he was cutting ties with him.

He had used the original owner as a stepping stone to gain wave after wave of attention, cementing his image as sincere, kind, and righteous.

Before filming began, Wen Lin had often whispered in the original owner's ear:

"God Yun is so amazing. Surely the reason he's never had any romantic rumors all these years is that no one's dared to pursue him. Maybe he likes someone passionate and proactive, the domineering, forceful-love type?"

The original owner had mindlessly believed him and acted on it. Then Wen Lin had delivered a round of sweetly innocent remarks, stepping on him to win traffic and goodwill.

After grinding his teeth, Yu Xiuyuan tried to find a silver lining, telling himself that the original owner's storyline wasn't all that bad.

At least he hadn't been cast as the kind of desperate simp who gave everything only to get his entire family killed through someone else's schemes.

Transmigration novels were all like that these days: the same formula, melodramatic as hell.

All he had to deal with was a flood of scandals, plus having just offended an award-winning actor. No big deal.

Uh... wait. Something wasn't right.

Images flashed through Yu Xiuyuan's mind, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

Was the original owner actually a simp?

The kind whose simping was known all over the internet?

The original owner simped for some bastard, and that bastard simped for Wen Lin?

And that bastard even played the victim, using the attention he got from Yu Xiuyuan's relentless simping?

Yu Xiuyuan had actually simped him all the way into becoming a second-tier young actor??

Then that bastard simped for Wen Lin, boosting Wen Lin's popularity?

Was this a whole supply chain?

Wen Lin had that bastard under his thumb. Once the man's popularity reached a level where he was useful enough, easy to use, and wouldn't get in the way, Wen Lin noticed.

So he decided to move the original owner, his convenient tool, somewhere else and keep using him?

He suggested that the original owner seduce Yun Chuan to make that bastard jealous and win his heart.

True to his role as a tool, the original owner promptly believed him and charged ahead. Full speed!

Wen Lin continued stepping on him to gain goodwill and attention.

Good heavens, what breed of little dumbf*ck was the original owner?

Was he really that easy to use? He went wherever Wen Lin pointed.

A purebred, surely.

No wonder Wen Lin had kept signaling him with his eyes earlier while saying he liked God Yun. So that was the reason.

Now he had become that "purebred little dumbf*ck."

As for everyone who had used the original owner, he would take his time. They could line up to be dealt with one by one.

He would consider it a little entertainment for his retirement.

With his thoughts sorted out, he focused on his game.

Yun Chuan lay in bed catching up on sleep, while Yu Xiuyuan lay on his stomach on his own bed playing games. It was a picture of peaceful contentment.

The camera in the corner diligently recorded everything.

The award-winning actor's fans in the livestream were dumbfounded.

"Uh..."

"Um... something's not right."

"God Yun started a conversation with someone? Since when has he talked this much? Did he just use up three days' worth of words in three minutes?"

"Ah-was your award-winning actor teasing him?"

"Oh my god! God Yun has never been like this! My untouchable, aloof beauty! He's always polite and distant with everyone!"

"He's always stayed as far away as possible from anyone who showed interest in him!!!"

"That familiar tone... I have a bad feeling about this."