Nan Qing's little face flushed rose-red, and he stood rooted to the spot.
Even the little box in his hands began to feel hot. He could neither keep holding it nor put it down.
"The task time limit has been reached. Calculating overall task results-"
The system's mechanical voice suddenly rang out.
"Universally despised fake young master of a wealthy family: task completion 100%. Achieved." "Troublemaking industry plant in the entertainment industry: task completion 100%. Achieved." "Bullying the protagonist shou, Bai Ruanruan: task completion 100%. Achieved." "Bullying the villain Huo Yuzhou during his downfall: task completion..."
The system emitted a stretch of busy tones. Holding an entire box of contraceptive supplies, Nan Qing widened his eyes and even began breathing more softly.
Another burst of thunder and lightning came from outside. He saw Huo Yuzhou a few steps away, whose eyes seemed to curve ever so slightly.
But he had no attention to spare for him.
All his attention was fixed on the system's mechanical voice. Finally, after the long stretch of busy tones, he received his answer.
"Bullying the villain Huo Yuzhou during his downfall: task completion 100%!"
Nan Qing felt a sudden rush of relief.
"Not achieved!" "Task failed!!!"
Bright red words abruptly appeared in his mind, and even the system's mechanical voice became grating.
The joy in Nan Qing's eyes had yet to fade before it was entirely replaced by utter bewilderment.
"Current task, 'After the Fallen True Young Master Becomes Everyone's Darling,' failed! Unbinding..."
Nan Qing's pupils dilated. Before he could call out to the system, a white light flashed through his mind.
Just as when he had first bound himself to the system after his accidental death, dazzling white light shone into his eyes, making them ache and sting.
Nan Qing could not help closing his eyes.
When he opened them again, his mind was empty. The system was already gone.
Nan Qing froze.
His clear eyes reflected the light, which turned his distinctly dark pupils a pale tea brown beneath a thin film of tears.
Soon, that moisture spread through his eyes, filling them completely.
His cheeks were pink, and even the tip of his nose began to redden.
Through his blurred vision, hurried footsteps sounded. The man's large hands cupped his cheeks, his voice very, very soft.
"Afraid?"
Tears soaked his eyes, and one slipped from the corner.
A sigh threaded through the man's low voice as he carefully wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.
"There, don't cry."
Nan Qing burst into loud sobs.
That damned Vicious Cannon Fodder Bureau, and that damned unscrupulous system!
They had just unbound themselves like that, without even giving him time to adjust!
They had it easy, handing out tasks without a care. When the task failed, they dusted off their hands and left without so much as a peep.
They had left him all alone in this world, with no one to rely on.
And right when he had offended everyone he was supposed to offend, when everyone wanted his head like a rat crossing the street, his reputation utterly ruined.
Did a cannon fodder NPC's life not count as a life?
Nan Qing sniffled and felt himself drawn into a broad embrace.
Outside the window, fierce winds howled amid thunder and lightning.
Raindrops battered the window like mad, and the shrieking cold wind let out a low wail.
Nan Qing wiped his tears in Huo Yuzhou's arms, feeling that his life had really been rather bleak.
Before transmigrating into the book, he had been a young master from a well-off family. Later, he had entered the entertainment industry full of ambition, only to be struck squarely by a billboard while filming an outdoor commercial.
After finally transmigrating into the book and getting a second chance at life, he had worked painstakingly on his tasks, diligently bullying people. Fortunately, every task had gone smoothly, earning him the achievement of being loathed by everyone and utterly disgraced. Even his task completion had reached 100%, yet somehow the task still had not been completed.
His life was simply unlucky as hell.
Hiding in Huo Yuzhou's arms, Nan Qing sniffled twice. He no longer wanted to cry, but he did not want to face Huo Yuzhou, who coveted his ass, either.
Nan Qing squeezed out two halfhearted tears and began counting on his fingers to see what he had left.
After counting for ages, he finally realized that he still had nothing-
He had bought his way into university, and his major was utterly useless.
His home had been taken back, he had only 33.8 yuan in his bank account, he had no car, and he had signed a five-year contract with his management agency.
In this life or his last, he had never been this miserable.
At least he still had his life.
Nan Qing's tears subsided.
His temper came quickly and passed just as quickly.
Life had given him the middle finger, so he might as well kick off his pants and sit on it.
Whatever could not crush him would have to give him a good time.
After all, he had caused this much trouble and still had not been written out. Perhaps heaven had destined him to come to this world!
With the torrential rain pouring outside, Nan Qing finally soothed himself.
He straightened up in Huo Yuzhou's arms.
The stitching on Huo Yuzhou's shirt had pressed red marks into his soft, fair little face. A glistening layer of tears covered his rounded eyes, and their upturned corners were red.
His lashes were wet, and so were his lips.
He looked like a homeless kitten sheltering beneath the eaves on a stormy night, gazing pitifully at passersby carrying umbrellas.
Huo Yuzhou gently touched his cheek and wiped away the tears still clinging to his eyelids.
The pitiful kitten looked up at him, holding the box in his arms.
"Shall we continue?"
After the task he had worked on for over a decade had come crashing down in failure, Nan Qing felt he needed to unwind.
His eyelids still felt a little heavy, and Nan Qing rubbed his eyes.
When he opened them again, Huo Yuzhou was still watching him quietly with those deep eyes.
It was strange as hell.
Huo Yuzhou looked at him as though he were some young man who had gone astray.
Nan Qing pursed his lips and was just about to hurry him along.
Huo Yuzhou's handsome face suddenly leaned closer, and his pleasant scent grew stronger.
Cupping his cheeks, Huo Yuzhou lightly touched his forehead with his lips.
It was a kiss devoid of lust. With his expression so serious, it even seemed solemn.
Nan Qing did not understand what he was doing and merely widened his eyes in surprise.
The slightly cool touch left his forehead as soon as it landed. Huo Yuzhou held his cheeks, his voice very, very soft.
"Qingqing, don't rush into decisions when you're feeling impulsive."
For a moment, Nan Qing felt as though the other man had seen right through him.
He blinked slowly, lifted his pretty little face, and stubbornly insisted,
"You're so long-winded. It's not even an important decision."
"What if I'm a bad person?"
"The sort of well-dressed beast who specifically deceives young men like you."
Huo Yuzhou spoke in a low, measured voice, neither hurried nor slow, making it easy for his words to sink in.
"You only want to relax to distract yourself, but how can you be certain I haven't tampered with this room?"
"Perhaps, to control you and make you my plaything, I've installed cameras in every corner of the room to monitor you from every angle."
"I'd record every move you made, including your face and your expressions. I might use those recordings to blackmail you into doing all sorts of things that cross the line."
"Even then, wouldn't you be afraid, Qingqing?"