Return back into the Novel as the Antagonistic Playboy
Author: Wandering Cat© Webnovel
Chapter 1: Reborn Back Into The Novel’s World
Translator: TNTG Editor: alteringviews
“The station is back with breaking news.”
“Tonight, the police released a public statement. A young man was found dead in a rented apartment today. He was lying in front of his computer.
“Based on the information on the computer and the roommate’s testimony, the young man was an author who was recently signed by a famous online literature website. The cause of death was determined to be the irregular lifestyle he led which involved writing too much without any regard for his health.
“The young man was passed over to the relevant authorities since he didn’t have any family members or relatives. Before we end this broadcast, the station would like to remind everyone to cherish their own lives and live healthily.”
*****
“He’s a villain that can only be found once in a thousand years. Why didn’t you just let him die?! It would save a lot of people trouble since he would no longer be able to harm anyone. You should stop saving him, Dr. Chen. If not, this Young Master might even start harassing you after he has recovered.”
He could hear a female voice lingering in his ear. He slowly opened his eyes and saw a white ceiling. As he turned sideways, medical equipment came into view. There was also an IV drip hanging next to the bed.
He was in a hospital. That’s great, he, fortunately, escaped death.
“Stop dwelling on it. He was injured in the hospital. There was no way we could just ignore him. We can’t just abandon our ethics as doctors because he’s a villain.” Another brisk female voice said.
He strained to lift his head even though he felt drowsy. He saw a pair of people, a doctor and a nurse, both in white standing in front of his bed. The nurse, who was facing him, quickly lifted her hand to cover her mouth when she noticed he was awake. The nurse then winked at the doctor.
The doctor who was wearing a medical mask noticed and took a glance at him before she said, “You’re awake.”
“You are…” He attempted to sit up but felt a piercing pain radiating from his ribs.
“Please don’t move! We just fixed your broken ribs.” The doctor advised. She stood quite some distance away and a slight mix of wariness along with loathing could be seen in her eyes.
When the pain from his ribs eased slightly, he took a few deep breaths, almost gasping for air before asking, “I only remember fainting in front of my computer. How did I break my ribs?”
The doctor was stunned by what he said. She asked in a tone full of surprise, “Do you not remember? You fell down a flight of stairs in the hospital the day before yesterday. You suffered grievous injuries. Your broken ribs pierced your internal organs causing major internal bleeding. Your life was in question at that time.”
He was confused momentarily. He still remembered sitting in front of his computer rallying for more monthly votes. At that time, he felt a sharp pain in his heart and blacked out, losing consciousness. Thus, he was confused. Why would the doctor say he fell down a flight of stairs in the hospital?
Taking a glance at the bandage on his head, the doctor’s eyebrow lifted and she softly said, “Could it be short-term memory loss due to a concussion?”
“Do you know where this is?” She asked.
He took a look around. He realized he was in a ward that seemed a bit too luxurious, it was like a suite in a five-star hotel.
When the doctor saw him looking around in bewilderment, she frowned. She then turned to look at the nurse beside her and said, “Little Wang, please go and bring a neurologist here.”
After the nurse left, the doctor continued with her questions. “Do you know who you are?”
“Of course, I know. My name is…” Just when he was about to blurt out his name, he saw a blurred reflection of himself on the LCD TV hanging on the opposite wall. However, it was the face of a stranger. He asked, rather abruptly instead, “Do you have a mirror?”
The doctor couldn’t process what was happening but she still took out a small mirror from a drawer before passing it to him. He could see his own image clearly in the mirror and was totally stupefied by it. Without a doubt, it was the face of a stranger.
Could it be that I was reborn?!
As an author, he saw too many stories about being reborn and starting a new life. However, it never crossed his mind that it could happen to him.
Could this be a dream?
He looked closely at the face in the mirror as he moved his facial muscles, opened his mouth and licked his lips. His world seemed to have been turned upside down and all of his odd actions were closely observed by the doctor. She contemplated it for a moment before she sneered, “Song Shi Cheng, can you stop putting on an act in front of me?”
His body trembled involuntarily as he turned his head and looked at the doctor in her eyes as he asked, “What did you just call me? Song Shi Cheng?” Not only was he more confused because of the name the female doctor called him, but it was also a name he was familiar with. It was the antagonist’s name in his novel.
The antagonist was an outrageous young master. He portrayed him as someone who was despicable, vicious and shameless. He was someone who committed all kinds of unforgivable and sinful acts.
He followed the standard plot of a novel in creating the antagonist. The role of his antagonist lied in being a stepping stone for the protagonist. He would be constantly defeated by the protagonist before coming to an early demise near the end of the novel’s arc.
Before he blacked out, he was writing about the struggle between the protagonist and the antagonist near the hospital stairs. Towards the end of the scene, the protagonist kicked the antagonist down a flight of stairs. The antagonist lost consciousness after suffering grievous injuries and eventually died.
Wait a moment, fell down a flight of stairs and suffered grievous injuries?
He subconsciously started to check the injuries on his own body before recalling what the doctor said about how he got injured.
“This couldn’t be just an act right?” The doctor mumbled. She was at a loss as to what to do based on how he was behaving. She then raised her chin and asked, “What about me? Do you know who I am?”
She looked at his bewildered face before she removed her mask revealing a beautiful face. With a cold tone, “So, Young Master Song, you can’t recognize me either, this granny of yours?”
His gaze was frozen, staring at the doctor’s face. He slowly moved his eyes down over her large chest. The name on her nametag was Chen Xiao Yan.
Chen Xiao Yan?! Wasn’t that the name of the heroine in his novel?!
He was stunned as a preposterous idea invaded his thoughts.
“My name is Song Shi Cheng and your name is Chen Xiao Yan. If that’s the case, is this Hua Hai city’s Qing Mao Hospital?” He asked. It was the fictional name of the city and hospital in his novel. He was petrified when the granny in front of him nodded in acknowledgment.
What is this?! Not only was I reborn, but I was actually reborn into my novel?!
The most ridiculous thing about the situation was the character he had been reborn into. It was actually the novel’s antagonist! However, at that moment, a far scarier thought crossed his mind…
He was very familiar with the protagonist of his novel. Although he was a grassroots protagonist, his Chinese medicinal skills were extraordinary. The last paragraph he wrote came back to him. The protagonist would sneak up behind the antagonist and jab a silver needle into the lower part of his body rendering him impotent.
Chapter 2: Antagonist Counterattack System
Translator: TNTG Editor: alteringviews
“Aahhhh!!!”
When that last bit of information came to mind, he couldn’t help himself and screamed aloud. He almost pulled down his own pants right in front of the beautiful doctor to check.
In the current time, the concept of being reborn wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. He should have been reborn into the body of the young master of a good household though. But what was this?
He was reborn into the world of his novel! He had read many novels where the protagonist was reborn but he had never encountered this plotline!
The most depressing part of the entire situation was his identity. He actually entered the body of the antagonist. A character for which he personally wrote a fate filled with misery and misfortune. It was better just to kill him!
After witnessing the hysterical exclamation, Chen Xiao Yan almond-shaped eyes widened as she said, “It seems like he has gone crazy.”
Right at that moment, the ward’s door was pushed opened and several people rushed in.
“Ah Cheng!” the woman leading the group said. She rushed and sat beside the bed. She placed her hand on his shoulder and tried to assess his body’s condition. “My son, what happened to you? Mom is really worried here. If anything unfortunate happened to you, how do you expect me to continue living?”
As she spoke, her voice started to break and her eyes started to well up with tears. He looked at the graceful women in front of him right now, he immediately concluded she was the antagonist’s mother, Ji Jing.
“Ah Cheng, you don’t have to fret. I just spoke to the doctor. Your life is no longer in danger. You’ll be fine after a few days of rest.” The person speaking was a sturdy middle-aged man in a suit. He had a faint moustache and his shiny hair was meticulously combed backward. He was the exact image of a gentleman.
He was Chen Xiao Yan’s father, Chen Guo Tao. He was also the chairman of Qing Mao Medical Group. The group was a first-rate private medical institution with nearly a hundred other medical institutions across China.
Qing Mao Hospital, where he was currently hospitalized, was one of the institutions under the group.
Sure enough, all the characters were the same as the ones in his novel. Another revelation came to him now that the others had arrived. In the novel, Chen Guo Tao was the antagonist’s ally.
Chen Guo Tao looked at him for a moment before turning his head to look at Chen Xiao Yan and asking, “Xiao Yan, he’s fine right?”
Chen Xiao Yan wanted to nod but she didn’t. After some hesitation, she pointed at his head implying that there was something wrong with Young Master Song.
“If that’s the case, let the doctors do a comprehensive examination. There shouldn’t be a major issue though.” Chen Guo Tao waved his hand dismissively before summoning a group of specialists to begin the examination.
He wanted to say that he was fine but refrained from doing so when he saw the worried look on his mother’s face. He could only comply obediently to avoid causing a scene. Once the examination was complete, it was concluded that he was fine. The doctor said the short-term memory loss was due to the concussion.
“There’s no infection or any other ailment. He’s absolutely fine.” Chen Guo Tao was smiling when he made the statement. “Ah Jing, Ah Cheng is fine. We should let him rest. I happen to have something that I would like to discuss with you, right now.”
Ji Jing wanted to stay and keep an eye on her son.
He had to accept the fact that he now had a mother, “Er… mom, I’m fine. I just want to get some rest now.”
“Alright then, I will just let the nurses outside do their job. Just let them know if you need anything.” Ji Jing gently said before leaving the ward with everyone else.
Chen Xiao Yan looked at him slightly confused before leaving the ward. Her instincts were telling here there was something wrong with the young master who had just woken up. However, she was unable to point out exactly what was wrong. Her eyes were still filled with contempt and loathing when she looked at him.
Of course, he was very clear how a decent heroine would see him. The previous him, the antagonist, had committed so many heinous crimes. There were too many to name. The only thing he hadn’t done was molest Chen Xiao Yan.
Fortunately for him, Chen Xiao Yan was steadfast when it came to a doctor’s ethics. Otherwise, his injury would have been made worse under her care.
If this followed the mainstream plotline of someone who had been reborn as a young master, he would then work hard to transform himself into a decent man. He would do numerous things whether they would be intentional or not to restore the heroine’s view of him. He would change the disgust she felt towards him to love and she would eventually join his harem.
There was one critical problem for him. Although he was reborn into the world of his novel, he wasn’t the protagonist. Since that was the case, how was he supposed to launch a comeback?! Even more important, he had already been rendered impotent by the protagonist!
Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, Song Shi Cheng pulled down his pants. At first glance, everything seemed to be fine. However, a few of his key acupoints had been sealed off by the silver needle. He would no longer be able to get a reaction from that lower part of his body.
The protagonist had done it so subtlety that the doctor hadn’t discovered the anomaly. Even he would still be in dark if he wasn’t the author of the novel.
“I must say I’m the most unfortunate person who has ever experienced rebirth.”
For others who had been reborn, they only had to endure hardships. As for him, how was he supposed to continue moving forward given his current predicament? Song Shi Cheng was saddened and filled with grief as he thought about the miserable fate he wrote for himself. He could only wonder why. If only he had known this was going to happen.
When Song Shi Cheng recalled how extraordinary the protagonist’s Chinese medical skill was in the novel, he couldn’t help but shudder.
Without a doubt, it felt good for both the author and readers when there was a scene where the antagonist was completely suppressed. Now that he had become the antagonist, he wasn’t going to allow himself to continue being subjected to such oppression. No author would dare to continue writing so oppressively when placed in the same predicament!
As he was wallowing in his sorrows and feeling hopeless, the room suddenly turned cold. A virtual interface then emerged right in front of his eyes accompanied by a mechanical voice.
Antagonist Counterattack System has been selected. Initiating… 10%, 20%, 50%, 100%. Initiation was successful! The Antagonist Counterattack System has been activated!
What the heck? Could this be the legendary rebirth gift pack: the Golden Finger System?!
Song Shi Cheng was once again stunned. He had become highly adaptable after being reborn. He started to study the system when his senses returned.
There were four attributes listed on the interface:
[Destiny] : 7
[Mission] : None
[Inventory] : Empty
[Mall] : Locked
The interface was simple and easy to understand.
However, what the heck is Destiny?
As he was wondering about it, the interface opened a new window.
Destiny can be described as such: The novel’s protagonist will begin with a Destiny value of 100. In order for the Antagonist to launch a successful counterattack, he will have to weaken the Protagonist Destiny while at the same time enhancing his own Destiny.
Hmmm…
Song Shi Cheng now had a fairly clear idea how Destiny worked. Any Protagonist in a novel possessed an overabundance of Destiny. For instance, they would manage to obtain a great martial art after falling off a cliff. They would have rather average looks yet be favored by a beautiful woman. A simple act by them would somehow gain them the appreciation of a supreme expert.
(TN: I supposed the Author is referring to the ability to trigger fortuitous encounters)
That was what Destiny was all about. As the novel’s Antagonist, he would receive the opposite treatment given the same scenario. For instance, he was wealthy, tall and handsome yet the beautiful woman would find him repulsive. He would end up embarrassing himself when he tried to show off. He would also be robbed by his own partners when he tried to expand his business.
With only 7 points of Destiny, he was definitely made for the role of the Antagonist. Although both the Author and the readers would agree that the Protagonist should have an overabundance of Destiny, it was pretty obvious he could no longer accept it now that he was the Antagonist.
He wouldn’t allow himself to be killed no matter what. If he needed to, he would just have to kill off the Protagonist he created. Song Shi Cheng had quickly come to the decision about how to move forward.
Chapter 3: The First Mission
Translator: TNTG Editor: alteringviews
After resting for a few days, he had almost recovered from his injury. He had also rather reluctantly come to terms with his new identity as Song Shi Cheng. He was now the descendant of a famous tycoon in the country and the heir apparent of Feng Hua Group.
As for his current unfavorable predicament, he could only explore it thoroughly and adapt to it. He had the advantage of knowing almost everything there was to know about his life. The importance of the information didn’t matter. After all, he was the one who wrote the story.
This fact didn’t stop him from evaluating the new world he was in. Everything had changed from 2-D to 3-D. Almost all of the media outlets had been recently focused on finding out and reporting the details of his injury. There were reporters standing outside the hospital all day. It was no different than the attention most top-tier celebrities would receive.
At first, he was rather confused about how he attracted the nation’s attention. There was nothing special about him. He was just at the fringe of the business world and an heir apparent who only knew how to enjoy life. He finally figured it out after thinking about it carefully.
When he had written the novel, he had avoided certain elements, at the request of his editor, to avoid any issues of internet censorship. The world he had created didn’t have any underground organizations or civil servants who were corrupt. It also had minimal government presence in it for that reason. This made the major corporations the real decision makers of the world. As such, corporations like Feng Hua Group and Qing Mao Medical Group controlled all the major sectors like real estate, medical care, finance and energy which contributed to nearly half the country’s GDP.
There was no way the society would not pay close attention to any news that might affect it. It was a world where freedom of speech was absolute too. It was normal for the society to pay close attention to him considering his status. He was at the top of the social pyramid.
In addition, the original Young Master Song was tied to a lot of scandalous news. He was notorious on the internet. His situation was rather similar to a wealthy young master from a novel world. The only difference was that wealthy young master still had his father’s protection. The young master only needed to think about how he could spend his wealth.
When it came to his own situation, he wasn’t optimistic. No one had asked him to kill off his own dad when he wrote the story. That’s right, he had killed off his own father! As the creator of the novel’s world, he shouldn’t have casually killed off one of the supporting characters.
In order to adhere to the like father, like son sentiment, Young Master Song’s father had committed a lot of monstrous crimes as well using the wealth he possessed. Old Song was shot and killed during a construction site inspection by a foreman because of an unpaid salary dispute. He did this to further undermine the antagonist’s influence and strength.
He remembered at the time he had used two proverbs to describe Old Song’s tragic death. It was merely the Cycle of Cause and Effect and Rightful Retribution. The event had caused significant damage Feng Hua Group and made them unstable.
Shortly after his father’s death, Young Master Song had been admitted to the hospital with a grievous injury. The whole affair instantly triggered the public’s attention. The recent developments had led to him, a mighty figure that no one dares to provoke, becoming the laughing stock of the general public.
“I have ended up falling into the hole that I personally dug!”
Song Shi Cheng could only shake his head, sigh, and put down the newspaper. The ward’s door was pushed open and the sound of high heels filled the room before he could go back to researching the Counterattack System.
“Son, why are you sitting up? Quickly lie back down. It would be troublesome if you reopened your wound,” Ji Jing said.
She immediately rushed over to support her son when she saw him sitting up on the bed. Song Shi Cheng’s heart warmed up when he saw the concern and affection on Ji Jing’s face. There weren’t too many details about Ji Jing in the novel. He only mentioned that Ji Jing was a mother who pampered her son to the extreme.
She would support her son no matter if he was in the right or wrong. He had subconsciously accepted her as his very own mother based solely on the unconditional love she gave him. He didn’t consider whether Ji Jing had a good or bad character and didn’t care about the blood ties.
In his previous life, both his parents had died when he was still very young. He had lacked parental love since childhood. His heart was naturally filled with envy and longing whenever he saw the love his peers enjoyed.
Now that he had arrived in this new world, he had finally obtained the care and love of a mother after getting a new identity. How could he remain unmoved?
“Mom, I’m fine. The wound has pretty much closed up now. Didn’t the doctor say I can be discharged in two more days?” Song Shi Cheng said in response with a smile.
“Someone once said that broken bones take a hundred days to mend. You had a very serious injury. What if had to endure a long-term aftereffect? You need to be careful,” Ji Jing said while lovingly caressing her son’s hair.
“Your dad has already passed away. Son, you’re my whole life now. You can’t suffer any other injuries. If you do, how is your mom going to continue living onward, ” she said with a sob.
“Mom, we’re only having a conversation. Why would you start crying?” He said.
Song Shi Cheng reached out and wiped the tears off Ji Jing’s face. He was feeling depressed and ashamed. Wouldn’t things have been fine if he hadn’t killed off Old Song? However, how could he have guessed today’s event would transpire?
“Madam, please don’t be overly sad. You should take better care of your own health,” said a middle-aged man.
He had just entered the ward and immediately tried to console Ji Jing. He was well-dressed and carried himself in a refined manner. When compared to Chen Guo Tao, he was more stable, capable and experienced but less awe-inspiring.
Song Shi Cheng had noticed him when he had first woken up but he didn’t have any impression of the man. After inquiring about it, he found out that the man was Ye Wen Sheng, the chairman’s personal aide. He was a veteran who had been working with Old Song since the Groups founding. He was another character who was rarely mentioned in the novel.
He was mostly responsible for cleaning up the messes that Young Master Song caused. Ye Wen Sheng had a secret. He was a distant relative of the novel’s protagonist, the miracle doctor Ye Tian.
Ji Jing gradually stopped crying. After her emotions stabilized, she seemed to recall something and turned towards Ye Wen Sheng.
“Assistant Ye, I found out you were the one who introduced Ye Tian to Qing Mao Hospital so he could work. Otherwise, it would be impossible for someone with such a poor background to work here,” she said critically.
Ye We Sheng nodded.
“Good. Ah Cheng is with us now so, I will just be direct with you. Not only is he someone you introduced, but he is also your nephew. He caused Ah Cheng such a serious injury. What is Assistant Ye planning to do about this whole matter?” Ji Jing said aggressively.
Song Shi Cheng knew his mother was criticizing Ye Wen Sheng. She was asking in this way to force him to pick a side. Ye Wen Sheng was now in a bit of a dilemma. It was obvious from his expression.
Finally, he gritted his teeth and turned towards Song Shi Cheng. He bowed.
“I won’t protect him! I’ll let the law handle it. I would also like to sincerely apologize to Young Master Song. It’s my fault for not teaching him properly which lead to him committing such a terrible act,” Ye Wen Sheng said.
It all made Song Shi Cheng uncomfortable. After all, he was no longer the previous arrogant antagonist. This was just retribution for all the previous sins he had committed. So, it was inappropriate to blame a loyal veteran for everything that had happened. As he was deciding how he should handle the situation, he heard a familiar voice in his head.
Releasing Career Plotline Mission: Retain the company’s Veteran Ye Wen Sheng. Note: This is a yellow grade mission. You will be rewarded with Destiny points upon completion of this mission.
Chapter 4: Turning Over A New Leaf
Translator: TNTG Editor: alteringviews
Song Shi Cheng looked like he had just seen a ghost when it popped up. He had been researching the Antagonist Counterattack System over the past few days but failed to make it show itself. It was surprising for him that the first mission had been released at this very moment.
The shock he was experiencing was due to the missions content.
Retain Ye Wen Sheng? Does this mean he plans to resign and leave? Song Shi Cheng thought.
He was motivated by the prospect. When he saw the look of disappointment in Ye Wen Sheng’s eyes, he could already guess that Ye Wen Sheng had become disheartened with his family and the company. It was obvious that he intended to resign.
First and foremost, Assistant Ye had been working with Old Song for decades before he died. However, after Old Song had passed away, Ji Jing, who had just taken over the company, had been wary of Assistant Ye. As for Assistant Ye, he had his own reservations.
Even the most loyal of retainers would not be willing to serve someone like him who only knew how to eat, drink and have fun. When that was paired with the turbulence Feng Hua Group was currently facing, it was within reason that Ye Wen Sheng had decided to leave.
Assistant Ye might have been hesitating to leave before. Ji Jing was questioning and blaming him now. He no longer had any more reluctance regarding the matter.
Ji Jing on the other hand was totally unconcerned. There was only her son in her eyes. She would never let anyone who dared to pick a fight with her son go. Although Ye Tian, who had caused her son such a serious injury had been arrested, she still couldn’t bury the fury in her heart. Thus, she had directed her anger towards Ye Wen Sheng, who was Ye Yian’s uncle.
Song Shi Cheng immediately stepped in when he saw Ji Jing planned to push Ye Wen Sheng further.
“Uncle Ye, please don’t act like that. I can’t afford to accept such a gesture,” Song Shi Cheng said as he went over to help Ye Wen Sheng stand up straight.
“Not only are you my elder, but you have also been assisting my dad since the very beginning and have contributed greatly to the company’s current success. If my dad was still alive, he would skin me alive for subjecting you to such petty grievances.”
Ye Wen Sheng’s body froze when Song Shi Cheng grabbed him. He even trembled twice after hearing what the young man had to say. He lifted up his face and stared at his playboy of a young master with eyes filled with disbelief.
Ji Jing was stunned as well. After all, a mother understood her own son the best. She never knew about Song Shi Cheng having a kind and generous side. Based on his past actions, he would usually just air his own grievances without considering his fault in the matter. Then he would rush to Ye Wen Sheng and demand for him to eliminate the person who had offended him.
Right now, he was behaving like a totally different person. He had actually taken the initiative to comfort Ye Wen Sheng. Had the concussion caused some damage to his brain?
“Son, you intend to…” Ji Jing started.
“Mom, we will let this whole matter end here. That’s my intention,” Song Shi Cheng said very calmly.
“If you look at the underlying cause, it was me who started this conflict in first place. Moreover, the culprit is now in police custody. He should be held accountable for his own actions. There’s no reason to blame Uncle Ye for what happened.”
Under Ji Jing’s gaze, Song Shi Cheng turned his head and said, “Uncle Ye, my mom was just being overprotective of me. There are just too many things happening at home and in the company right now. So please bear with my mom since her mood will definitely be bad. I apologize if we wronged you in anyway.”
Ye Wen Sheng immediately stopped Song Shi Cheng when he saw him about to apologize by bowing.
“Stop. Don’t do this, Young Master Song. I have been following your father for decades now. Both your parents treated me kindly all this year. How can I fuss over such a small matter?” Ye Wen Sheng said.
“I can be at ease then,” Song Shi Cheng said with a laugh.
“As such, this matter is now resolved. Don’t bring it up again in the future. Uncle Ye, you have been serving our family wholeheartedly all these years. This bond will always be kept in our heart. I have already seen you as one of my relatives. So, how can I resent you just because of this matter?”
Song Shi Cheng’s last few words were not spoken in vain. Who didn’t know that the old Song Shi Cheng had never placed Ye Wen Sheng in his sight before? The old Song Shi Cheng only saw Ye Wen Sheng as a devoted dog serving the family. Respect wasn’t even considered.
Ye Wen Sheng was flooded with a range of different emotions after hearing what Song Shi Cheng said. He couldn’t help but recall all the ups and downs he had experienced serving the Song family all these years. It could be said that because of all the ups and downs a strong bond between him and the Song family was formed.
“Although Ye Tian is a relative of yours, I know you’re not close to him. I know that you had the family’s interest at heart when you first recommended him to work at this hospital. It’s not surprising that he was able to move you since he’s very talented. No matter what, I believe you’ll be able to separate reason from emotion and make a wise judgment,” Song Shi Cheng said righteously.
Since he was the novel’s author, he had the advantage of knowing exactly what the relationships between all the characters were.
“Rest assured Young Master Song, I know what needs to be done,” Ye Wen Sheng said with a sigh and a nod.
Although he was clueless what had led to this playboy of a young master’s odd behavior, the trust he had been shown was truly heart-warming. It had also made him rethink his decision to resign.
“Son, do you need me to ask a doctor to give examine you?” Ji Jing asked.
She felt her son had been behaving abnormally since he woke up from his injury.
“Mom, there’s nothing wrong with me. In fact, I’ve been more clear-headed since I woke up. I know I haven’t been very sensible in the past. I have caused all sorts of trouble for you and dad because of the outrageous acts I have committed. It’s only fair for me to bear the blame for the series of incidents that have happened,” Song Shi Cheng said.
Song Shi Cheng recalled the common words of repentance used by most protagonists in modern literature after they were reborn into the body of the playboy young master. The things they would tell the person’s loved ones at least. So, he conveniently blurted out those lines next.
“I’ve been reflecting a lot these past few days while I’ve been hospitalized. Whatever I did in the past, I shouldn’t have pushed things to the limit. A lot of things could have been avoided if I hadn’t been so extreme with my actions,” he said.
Ji Jing was shocked by what she was hearing. She was surprised by her son’s transformation. Yet, her son had begun to evoke memories that reminded her of her late husband. If her late husband had not deliberately defaulted on paying his construction workers’ salaries and backed them into a corner, he wouldn’t have been shot dead in the first place.
Sadly there was no medicine for regret. The incident had already happened. Now, Ji Jing could only hope that her son could avoid repeating her late husband mistakes.
“Son, you… you definitely have grown up,” Ji Jing said.
She felt delighted and emotional at the same time. She burst into tears again soon after. Once again, Song Shi Cheng had to wipe his mother’s tear sand console her.
“Mom, let go of the past. We should look towards the future instead. I will assist you in shouldering the heavy responsibility of bringing the company back from where it is,” he said.
Ye Wen Sheng’s emotion also fell into turmoil when he heard that. Song Shi Cheng waited for his mother’s emotions to stabilize before he continued.
“Mom, I still have something to do. I would like to speak to Uncle Ye alone. Why don’t you wait outside for the time being?” he asked.
Ji Jing’s looked at both of them in puzzlement with her swollen eyes before she finally nodded in agreement. After his mom left the ward, Song Shi Cheng let out a sigh in his heart. All the things he had said just now were for the purpose of appeasing Ye Wen Sheng. However, this also made it impossible for him to eliminate the protagonist, Ye Tian.
It was not because he was unwilling to destroy a character he had personally created. It just was not the right time to deal with Ye Tian yet. It was inevitable that their conflict with each other would only continue to escalate given how their relationship had developed so far. He would only end up losing everything if he became too soft-hearted.
Based on his understanding, Ye Tian might have been arrested but the police should be releasing him soon. It wouldn’t have made much of a difference even if he tried to pull some strings.
Chapter 5: Destiny Point Reward
Translator: TNTG Editor: alteringviews
If he followed the common plotline of the popular urban literature, the protagonist would have to first establish a good relationship with other influential figures before he could launch his counterattack. The protagonist would naturally have the superpower of making friends due to his medical skills as a miracle doctor.
Previously he had written in the novel that Ye Tian had encountered a very successful businessman who was critically ill. He had managed to save him with his skills in acupuncture. Without a doubt, this had won Ye Tian the goodwill of that businessman.
It turned out that the businessman was one of the ten most prominent tycoons in the country and also the leading figure in the internet sector. His company was even more powerful than Feng Hua Group. Now that Old Song was dead and Feng Hua Group had suffered for it, the gap in power had widened even further.
Ye Tian had actually dared to assault Song Shi Cheng simply because he could rely on the internet tycoon to bail him out. This was another hole he had ended up digging for himself. If he hadn’t died which lead to him being reborn, he would have written that Ye Tian suffered abuse at the police station.
The internet tycoon would have stepped in to save him. Of course, there would also be a scene where Ye Tian acted like a wolf amongst a flock of sheep while he was there. Next, the internet tycoon would invite Ye Tian to join his company. The collaboration would lead to great success for him and bring his life to a new peak.
Although the chapter wasn’t written as he planned, he had already paved the way for it to happen from all the previous chapters he had written. This meant the storyline he planned would soon transpire.
Two days ago, he had heard his mom complaining about how Chen Guo Tao had been requested by someone to be a mediator and resolve the conflict that had happened. The person who had made the request was, of course, the internet tycoon.
It seemed like the other party was attempting to use the peaceful approach before resorting to aggression. It also seemed that the other party was resolute in his decision to rescue Ye Tian even if meant falling out with them.
He could only blame himself for this. Why did he even write that the internet tycoon was extremely grateful for the protagonist? It would pose a great threat to him if he were to disregard such a remarkable adversary who was destined to oppose him.
It was rather regrettable that it was nigh impossible to eliminate this adversary of his for the time being. He could only take things slow due to the situation. As a whole, the silver lining here was he had managed to obtain an overpowered Golden Finger System. As long as he followed the system instructions and completed the missions issued to him step by step, he might just be able to make a comeback.
Right now, he needed to figure out a way to accomplish his first mission. Thus, he looked at Ye Wen Sheng who was wearing a hesitating expression and started to act like the protagonist usually did.
“Uncle Ye, are you planning to resign?” he asked.
Ye Wen Sheng was shocked by how direct Song Shi Cheng was being. The ward suddenly went quiet. Ye Wen Sheng had no idea what he should say when he saw the serious expression on Song Shi Cheng’s face. It had totally thrown him off balance.
He did have plans to resign. This was something he had not told anyone, even his own family members didn’t know. Thus, it was unexpected that Song Shi Cheng had become aware of his intentions. Song Shi Cheng laughed with an expression that baffled Ye Wen Sheng.
“Seems like my guess was right. Uncle Ye, women have a very sharp sixth sense but men’s sixth sense isn’t that far behind. What’s more, we have known each other for more than twenty years now. You have been behaving quite unusually lately,” Song Shi Cheng said.
Oh, it was just a guess. Ye Wen Cheng thought.
He was relieved for a short moment before more shock set in. This young master of his had always been a playboy since when had he become so sharp and intelligent? Ye Wen Cheng couldn’t even regain his composure before Song Shi Cheng continued.
“Uncle Ye, I have one more question for you. What do you think of my dad?” he asked.
Ye Wen Cheng was dumbfounded. He tried to recover from his confusion before speaking.
He said, “Er… why would you suddenly bring up this subject? Chairman… was naturally an outstanding entrepreneur. He was a visionary, very ambitious and smart. He managed to build a business empire from scratch. It’s a pity he died prematurely.”
“I agree that my dad is smart. However, I no longer think that he’s a visionary or very ambitious,” Song Shi Cheng said shaking his head and smiling bitterly.
“Even if you don’t say it, I’m well aware my dad was a decent guy when you were helping him build his empire. It’s regrettable that the more money he earned, the colder he became. He became downright unscrupulous for the sake of higher profits. The company’s real estate development had constant problems. Everything from forceful demolition to cutting corners to defaulting on the workers’ salary should sufficiently describe the whole matter,” he continued.
“Young Master Song, I don’t think it’s proper to say that about your own dad…” Ye Wen Sheng said.
His expression was rather complicated. Song Shi Cheng had accurately touched upon his inner thoughts. In his mind, the open-minded older brother he once knew had been totally corrupted by money.
“It’s not my intention to condemn him. I’m just reflecting on my dad’s past mistakes and learning from them,” Song Shi Cheng said calmly.
“These past few days while recovering in the hospital, I have been reflecting on all my family’s past deeds. I realized at some point that we could only blame ourselves for all the incidents that had happened. Our family has indeed committed too many sins. This was God’s punishment for our family.
“We should let the departed rest. I am lucky enough to have survived and learned a valuable lesson as well. So, it’s time for me to change and not repeat my dad’s mistakes. At the same time, I hope you’ll help me and my mom overcome this current predicament considering our past friendship. Are you willing to do so?”
Since the friendship card had been played, Ye Wen Cheng couldn’t help but feel a bit sentimental. He was sad at the fact that his feelings for the Song family, which used to be like his own close family, had regressed to their current point. It was fortunate that the only descendant of the Song family had finally changed. This was something his Brother Song, in the afterlife, should be celebrating.
“Young Master Song.” Ye Wen Cheng started.
“Uncle Ye, you can just use my name like how it was when I was a kid. It would be nice,” Song Shi Cheng said.
Ye Wen Cheng took a deep breath before responding, “Rest assured, your dad has been very kind to me all these years. Now that he has left you with such a large organization, your Uncle Ye will not abandon you. Regardless of how difficult things may be, Uncle Ye swears upon this old life of his that he’ll overcome it with you and your mom!”
Ding! Retaining Ye Wen Cheng has succeeded! The reward is 1 Destiny point! Please keep up the good work!”
In the wake of Ye Wen Cheng’s firm statement, the system also made an announcement. This made Song Shi Cheng laugh happily.
*****
Ye Wen Sheng noticed Ji Jing was still waiting outside when he exited the ward.
“We’ll have to return to the company. There are still many things that need to be handled,” she said.
She didn’t probe about the conversation that had happened between him and her son. She walked towards the exit and Ye Wen Cheng quickly followed her.
“Sorry Old Ye, we’ve been treating you unfairly,” Ji Jing said.
“Chairwoman, why would you say something like that?” Ye Wen Cheng asked in astonishment.
“You don’t have to continue. Deep down, I know the truth,” she said.
Her voice was calm but her face was filled with sorrow.
“All these years, our family has been heavily indebted to you. My son was right. We have reaped what we’ve sowed. The mistakes have already been made but that doesn’t mean we should continue making those same mistakes. I should start creating some good karma for my son.”
Ye Wen Cheng only let out a sigh and didn’t say anything in response. They walked a bit before Ji Jing suddenly thought of something.
“Oh yeah, the girl from the Chen family has not visited since Ah Cheng has been hospitalized. No matter what, they were engaged to be married. That is inappropriate. Could it be the Chen family has second thoughts?” she mumbled.
“Cheng Guo Tao’s attitude these past few days has been quite unusual. Most likely this has something to do with the turbulence we’re currently facing. I suggest we start preparing a contingency plan…” she continued.
Both of them were busily discussing the matter as they walked. They didn’t even notice the shadow of a beautiful lady when they passed by a corridor.
Chapter 6: Wang Ba Jelly, Golden Scale Tonic
Translator: TNTG Editor: alteringviews
Song Shi Cheng was currently examining the result of his accomplishment with great interest. Although he was only rewarded with a single Destiny point for retaining Ye Wen Cheng, the system had given him a pleasant surprise by unlocking the [Mall] function!
The character has successfully passed a minor trial, the [Mall] function is now being unlocked. Please exchange Destiny points for the items.
Song Shi Cheng pressed the [Mall] icon and three categories appeared on the virtual screen that he could choose from.
[Permanent-Effect]: Items that grant a permanent effect.
[Skills]: Items used to gain skills.
[Temporary-Effect]: Items that grant a temporary effect.
Unfortunately, his fervor to shop was dampened soon after as if he had been splashed with cold water. The items he could buy across the three categories could be counted with his two hands.
“Can this even be considered a mall? You can’t even call it a small stall,” he said.
Song Shi Cheng frowned obviously discontent. A window popped up with an explanation. The items available for purchase are restricted to only items the character can afford to pay for with their Destiny points.
Even the menu options were discriminatory! After all the effort he had put in, the only items he was allowed to view were those which had a price of 8 Destiny points or less. He wasn’t even qualified to view any of the items which were priced higher than 8 Destiny points.
On a positive note, at least, he wouldn’t end up yearning for things he couldn’t afford. After Song Shi Cheng corrected his mindset, he started to review the items he could afford. He eventually managed to pick out two items which had piqued his interest.
The first item was from the [Temporary-Effect] category. Its name was Wang Ba [1] Jelly and it was priced at 2 Destiny points.
“Isn’t this Guilinggao? [2] If that’s the case, why give it such an appalling name then?” Song Shi Cheng asked.
He was staring at the square-shaped jelly on the screen. He could only smile bitterly after reading the item’s introduction. He had an idea of how the appalling name came about now.
[The main ingredient of Wang Ba Jelly is the shell of a thousand years old Wang Ba turtle and hallowed ground smilax china [3]. The shell of a thousand-year-old Wang Ba turtle allows the user to exude the aura of a Wang Ba. For a short period of time, the user will have a huge boost to his charm and clout. The hallowed ground smilax china helps to purge the filth from one’s body. For a short period of time, it will allow the user to leave a favorable impression and establish a sense of intimacy with others. This essential medicine will be your best friend during business negotiations.]
Song Shi Cheng was speechless. It made him think about the standard plotlines in some novels. The protagonist would be idolized by all his younger brothers while attracting the hearts of all the beautiful girls in the surroundings because of this so-called Wang Ba aura.
Simply put, he would be able to enjoy the privileges of a protagonist for a short period of time after eating the Wang Ba Jelly. Song Shi Cheng couldn’t help but curse such a cheating system while he was browsing through the rest of the items. The system had only shown him items that were currently useless to him.
The [Skills] category was totally empty. It was pretty obvious the cheapest item in that category required more than 8 Destiny points. As for the [Permanent Effect] category, there was only one item inside. However, this item had made Song Shi Cheng’s heart race. He felt like he had just picked the winning lottery numbers.
[Golden Scale Tonic is made from an ancestral recipe of the Zou family. After consumption, the user won’t feel tired regardless of how much intercourse he has. If used consistently, the item can even strengthen the body and prolong the user’s life. This is an essential item for those who intend to start a harem.]
Fuck! He thought.
He could finally sleep soundly. He had been anxious all this time after being rendered impotent by the protagonist, Ye Tian. The [Mall] had offered him a great tonic and it was an item tailored just for him. The keyword here was Golden Scale. It made him recall his research on sex back when he was a teen. Was this the miracle drug used by the important supporting characters during sex?
No matter what, the most important part was that it could cure his current illness. When he was about to press the Redeem button, Song Shi Cheng turned stiff. He had finally looked at the number of Destiny points required to exchange for the item.
It was plain ludicrous! The tiny bottle of medicine actually required 8 Destiny points! Song Shi Cheng was suddenly in a predicament. He wanted the item but at the same time, he feared the misfortune that might befall him in the future if he used all his pathetically limited Destiny points.
He had nearly died when he had only 7 Destiny points. One could imagine what might possibly happen to him once he no longer had any Destiny points at all. Before he could even become the world’s most successful celebrity, he would have been struck dead. He wouldn’t even be able to embark on this journey.
After staring at the screen for a very long time, Song Shi Cheng’s head was hung low when he finally closed the screen with a sigh. What the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over.
He just had to let it be for now. It was not like he was in a hurry to do those sorts of things. He should just compliantly complete the missions given to him, accumulate Destiny points and slowly filled up the large hole he had dug for himself.
Since Song Shi Cheng was wallowing in his sorrow, he didn’t notice the door being pushed open gently or the beautiful lady arriving in front of his bed.
“What? Has Young Master Song lost all his vigor after the fall?” she said.
Song Shi Cheng lifted his head when he heard the taunting voice. He was petrified when he saw who it was. The woman standing in front of him had well-defined, delicate facial features. She was wearing a professionally tailored office suit that fit her body well. Beneath it was a white shirt. The top two buttons had been left unbuttoned and revealed her fair skin.
She gave off the appearance of a beautiful, young, and charming urban lady with a slight hint of maturity. Song Shi Cheng was not scared because she was beautiful but because he was attempting to make a quick guess about which female character she was in his novel.
“Could it be what they said was true? The concussion caused some brain damage?” She said smiling playfully.
She was wearing a pair of crystal high heels. She walked towards the sofa in an elegant manner and sat down.
“I’m doing quite well. It’s just that my reactions are still a bit slow. Oh yeah, my mom just left. Didn’t you bump into her outside?” Song Shi Cheng said.
He could only test her carefully to try to figure it out.
“I did see her, but I didn’t greet her since she was walking fast as if she had somewhere to be,” she said.
She crossed her legs and casually took out a pack of ladies’ cigarettes from her handbag. She lit one for herself and it seemed she planned to light another for Song Shi Cheng.
“Right, you never got used to smoking a ladies’ cigarettes,” she said knowingly.
Song Shi Cheng was speechless for the second time today. He had already concluded this woman was not the novel’s heroine. It needed to be said that all the heroines in his novel were conservative and possessed the three positive values. This also meant she wouldn’t have a smoking habit.
“At any rate, we’re in a hospital ward. Don’t you think smoking is inappropriate?” Song Shi Cheng asked with a bitter smile.
“Oh, I didn’t expect you to be so conscious about the rules,” the woman said with an odd smile.
She exhaled and a puff of smoke filled the area in front of her.
“I’m just worried we’ll get reprimanded if a doctor drops by to check on me,” he said.
From the conversation they were having, he could at least determine that she was a friend of Young Master Song. The woman burst out laughing after she heard those words as if she had heard the funniest joke ever. She leaned back after she stopped laughing and took another drag of her cigarette.
“Reprimanded? Why don’t you try finding someone in this hospital who will dare reprimand me? I would like to know who would have the courage to do so. After all, this hospital belongs to my family. What’s there to fuss about if I smoke?” she said confidently.
What type of situation was this? She’s Chen Guo Tao’s daughter too? He thought.
There was such a character in his novel. Not only that, but she was also the woman Young Master Song was engaged to!
CREATORS’ THOUGHTS
TNTG1. Wang Ba can either mean a cuckold or a pimp
2. Guilinggao – A Chinese medicinal dessert. You can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guilinggao
3. Smilax China – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_root
Chapter 7: A Very Different Fiancée Plotline
Translator: TNTG Editor: alteringviews
It was not because he had a poor memory that he had forgotten. He had written hundreds of thousands of words and the number of characters, especially side characters who made an appearance in the novel was numerous. Most of the characters were like Ye Wen Sheng, their appearances were brief and rare. As long as it was not a character which belonged to the protagonist’s camp, he hadn’t placed too much emphasis on them.
The woman in front of him was another side character who had made a few brief appearances. To be even more precise, she was just a side character that belonged to the antagonist camp. Her existence was merely there to act as another stepping stone for the protagonist.
She was Chen Guo Tao’s other daughter. Her name was Chen Yi Xian. She was the heir apparent of the Chen family. In the novel, she was portrayed as an aloof Fuerdai [1] who was arrogant and domineering. She was a typical female fatale character. She loved to harass the poor and trample on their dignity for her own amusement.
She had only made one appearance in the novel before this. In that particular scene, she had driven away a poor patient who couldn’t afford to pay his medical bill. The words she had used to drive him away were filled with contempt and humiliated the man. Naturally, the protagonist, Ye Tian had taken action and tried to stop Chen Yi Xian by accusing her of being heartless.
This had greatly angered Chen Yi Xian and she had wanted to sack Ye Tian on the spot. It was also at that time that a senior government official had suffered a medical emergency. Ye Tian was then brought in to treat this official under the recommendation of the internet tycoon. Naturally, Ye Tian had miraculously saved the official. Ye Tian had taken the opportunity to request that the trembling, poor patient be admitted to the hospital as a reward. This had given Chen Yi Xian a figurative slap to the face!
As the event came to a conclusion, not only was Chen Yi Xian’s ear talked off by Chen Guo Tao’s scolding under the scrutiny of the senior government official, Ye Tian had also escaped being sacked. Thus, Ye Tian had easily sorted out the whole affair.
As for the marriage arrangement between Song Shi Cheng and Chen Yi Tian, it was something he had written out of sheer convenience. When he wrote about the marriage arrangement back then, he felt that it was only proper to match this pair of unscrupulous people and make them a couple. Moreover, it was also meant to be a marriage of convenience between the Song and Chen family. He had never foreseen that he would end up being stuck in the arrangement.
Was this the legendary Fiancée plotline? He thought.
All the fiancées of the protagonists in novels were peerless beauties who were upright and kind-hearted. As for him, his fiancée was a femme fatale!
After seeing Song Shi Cheng’s complicated expression, Chen Yi Xian skillfully got rid of the ash from her cigarette before she asked with interest, “Are you pretending to suffer from amnesia?”
“It’s just a side effect from the concussion. I beseech the Chord Queen and ask her to be magnanimous!” Song Shi Cheng quickly stated.
“Not bad, you still remember this lady’s nickname. That is good enough,” Chen Yi Xian said.
It was fortunate that Song Shi Cheng still remembered Chen Yi Xian’s nickname. He took another glance at Chen Yi Xian and realized there was a slight difference between her current appearance and what he had described in the novel. In his original description of her, Chen Yi Xian was quite plump yet the person standing in front of him right now was a fair and beautiful lady.
“Err… did you lose weight?” He asked.
“Did you just notice?” She said in response.
Chen Yi Xian mood improved significantly as she showed off her elegant figure. She raised her beautiful face and giggled, “I recently received a few face-lifting injections, exercised and watched my diet. The results are pretty decent. This is not some temporary ruse. Our wedding date is fast approaching. I will have to leave a good impression since there will be many guests and media attending the event.”
“Oh, got it. You’re really putting a lot of effort into this,” Song Shi Cheng said.
He was rather embarrassed when he found out it was the result of a minor aesthetic procedure. However, he shouldn’t have found it surprising since she had the money and her family’s business was in the medical sector as well. It was not always easy being content with your given figure.
As the saying went, in this day and age, there is no ugly woman, only a lazy woman. As long as a woman put on make-up, wore some branded clothes and put some effort into maintaining her weight, she would look quite pretty. It also needed to be added that both Chen Yi Xian and the heroine, Chen Xiao Yan were sisters. Given how beautiful Chen Xiao Yan was naturally, how much worse could her sister be?
He had previously written that Chen Yi Xian was quite plump just to adhere to the common theme of an ugly female antagonist. It was fortunate that this female antagonist had failed to live up to the script and had meticulously reinvented herself. He had thus avoided the fate of marrying an ugly woman. At the same time, Song Shi Cheng also felt that something wasn’t quite right about the whole affair. He just couldn’t pinpoint what it was.
Just when his imagination was starting to run wild, the ward’s door was pushed open again. Several doctors and nurses entered the ward. Chen Xiao Yan was amongst the group of people.
“Director Chen, you’re here!” the group said excitedly.
The medical team immediately rushed over to greet her. Chen Yi Xian acknowledged them with a slight smile and nod. She continued smoking while giving Song Shi Cheng a glance to remind him of the joke he’d made earlier.
Even Chen Xiao Yan hesitated for a moment before she reminded Chen Yi Xian with a bitter smile, “Sis, this is a ward. It’s not appropriate for you to smoke here.”
“I forgot there’s still someone who would dare to reprimand me,” Chen Yi Xian said.
She rolled her eyes as she was being reprimanded by her sister. She stuck the cigarette into a pot nearby.
“Doctor Chen is truly dedicated and loves her job. If only the hospital had a few more dedicated staff like you, the chairman and I would have fewer worries and less work,” she said.
Although she had phrased it nicely, everyone who heard it could tell it was filled with sarcasm.
“Sis, it was just an observation. There was no hidden meaning,” Chen Xiao Yan said.
There was a small tinge of fear in her voice.
“Doctor Chen! You should pay attention to formalities during working hours.” Chen Yi Xian rebuked her coldly with an indifferent expression, “Although we’re related by blood, our relationship should not be mentioned during working hours. I have already reminded you numerous times. I hope this will be the last time I have to do so.”
Chen Xiao Yan’s eyes dropped to the floor as she nodded. Song Shi Cheng could only sigh as he watched it happen. Without a doubt, he was well aware of the reason why the relationship between Chen Yi Xian and Chen Xiao Yan was so poor. Although both of them were Chen Guo Tao’s daughters, there was quite some gap in their statuses.
Based on the background he had given Chen Yi Xian in his novel, she was the daughter of Cheng Guo Tao’s first wife. She was the beloved daughter, heir apparent and had been doted on since she was young. She joined the family’s company immediately after graduation and was given the responsibility of managing a few of the hospitals under the company. Qing Mao Hospital was just one of the hospitals under her care. It could be seen from this arrangement how deeply Chen Guo Tao loved this daughter of his.
Chen Xiao Yan’s background was the polar opposite. Her mother had very lowly origins. She had only entered the household after Chen Guo Tao’s first wife had passed away but even then Chen Guo Tao had never given her official status as his wife. (TN: This means Chen Guo Tao never married her legally.)
In ancient times, Chen Xiao Yan would be classified as an illegitimate daughter of the family. Thus, her treatment in the family was worse and she wouldn’t be entitled to any inheritance. Not only was she just one of the many regular doctors when she started working in Qing Mao Hospital, but her eldest sister would also frequently harass her.
Why would the author write such a plotline?
He had intentionally made the heroine a regular doctor so that she could have daily interaction with the protagonist, Ye Tian. In the future, Chen Xiao Yan would abandon her family in a fit of anger after all the bullying and grievances she suffered were too much. She would then join the protagonist, Ye Tian, and his camp to oppose Song Shi Cheng and Chen Guo Tao, the main antagonists in the novel.
As of right now, the relationship between Chen Xiao Yan and Ye Tian was still quite plain. At most, she only had a favorable impression of Ye Tian. Maybe she blushed or her heart raced when they met. Their current interaction was almost nonexistence.
Releasing Romance Plotline Mission: Marry the heroine. Note: This is a red grade mission. Mission completion is mandatory. Otherwise, the character will be erased upon failure to do so!
CREATORS’ THOUGHTS
TNTG[1] Fuerdai – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuerdai
Chapter 8: It’s Only Right And Proper To Pursue The Heroine
Translator: TNTG Editor: alteringviews
All the other medical staff in the room was holding their breath. They were doing their best to avoid being caught in the conflict between the two sisters. Song Shi Cheng had also extricated himself from what was going on because of the sudden system notice.
It was outright outrageous! This cheat-system wasn’t anything he should be excited about. It was actually toying with his life! He had just completed a mission yet another had been issued before he could even catch his breath. Most horrifying of all was the mission itself. What sort of a mission was this?
Romance Plotline Mission: Marry the heroine. Note: This is a red grade mission. Mission completion is mandatory. Otherwise, the character will be erased upon failure to do so!
Song Shi Cheng was petrified looking at the system screen that had popped up. Not only was the mission’s content surprising, but he also found the so-called red grade confusing.
It was totally different from the previous Corporate Plotline Mission issued to him for retaining Ye Wen Sheng. That mission was just yellow grade. If that was the case, why would a Romance Plotline Mission be red grade? Not only that, he would die if he couldn’t complete the mission?!
After thinking about it for a moment, Song Shi Cheng finally garnered some understanding of how the grading worked. Yellow should be the lowest grade. He should be fine whether the mission succeeded or failed.
To elaborate further on the previous mission, it would not fundamentally affect Song Shi Cheng’s counterattack even if Ye Wen Sheng had moved over to the protagonist, Ye Tian’s camp. There would be other Corporate Missions he could undertake to make a comeback and gradually bring his family’s business back on track.
As for Chen Xiao Yan, she was the novel’s main heroine and obviously played a crucial role in the romance plotline. Losing her in the romance plotline would mean he wouldn’t be able to complete his counterattack against the protagonist. It wouldn’t matter how well his corporate plotline was progressing.
The red grade was an alert! He thought.
After he had thought about it up to that point, Song Shi Cheng subconsciously turned to look at Chen Xiao Yan. Chen Xiao Yan who was pitifully facing her sister could only endure her temper.
She helplessly nodded and said, “I understand Director Chen. I will pay attention in the future.”
Chen Yi Xian wasn’t appeased and snorted. She turned around to pick up her handbag and approached the bed. She winked at Song Shi Cheng.
“I need to meet my dad. So, get a good rest and recover soon. You’ll need to make preparations for our wedding,” she said.
She turned back midway as she was leaving as if she had suddenly recalled something and asked, “About the boy, Ye Tian, do you need my help to deal with him?”
Chen Xiao Yan tensed up when she heard it. She was well aware of how cold-hearted her sister was and what atrocities she was capable of committing.
Song Shi Cheng was silent for a while before he answered, “There’s no need for the time being. We’ll let the legal system handle the matter.”
“Wow. I’ve noticed today that you like to crack jokes. Legal system? Aren’t we the embodiment of law?” Chen Yi Xian said.
She laughed as she slammed the ward’s door shut. Everyone loosened up immediately after the door closed. The medical staff tacitly pretended as if nothing had happened and started to examine Song Shi Cheng.
Chen Xiao Yan had been standing near a corner and her expression was filled with unhappiness and worry. It was apparent that she was still unhappy from the humiliation and abuse Chen Yi Xian had subjected her to. At the same time, she was worried about Ye Tian’s current predicament.
After all, the two of them had been colleagues for quite some time now. Ye Tian’s medical benevolence had left a good impression on Chen Xiao Yan. Thus, she couldn’t bear to witness anything untoward happening to Ye Tian.
Ye Tian had been arrested by the police after the conflict between him and Song Shi Cheng. The police had yet to conclude the case even now. Ye Tian claimed it was self-defense while Song Shi Cheng claimed Ye Tian had purposely injured him and even had the intent to murder him. In short, it was a situation of one person’s words against another.
From the looks of it, Chen Xiao Yan was extremely worried. She finally noticed Song Shi Cheng staring at her oddly. She assumed he had evil intentions. Thus, she lifted up her face and glared back at him with crystal clear eyes. They were filled with hate and contempt.
Song Shi Cheng only maintained eye contact for a short while before retracting his gaze. He was obviously playing a mind game with her.
If he was to be honest with himself when it came to marriage, he would without a doubt choose Chen Xiao Yan over her sister. This was not simply out of favoritism towards the heroine. There were actually a few key factors to his decision.
Firstly, there was appearance. Chen Yi Xian was indeed beautiful. After losing weight, she was the perfect example of a mature career woman. Although she did have good genes, she still needed the assistance of cosmetics, branded clothes and medical injections to achieve her current appearance.
As for Chen Xiao Yan, he had used every available word there was in the past to describe her beauty. Right now, Chen Xiao Yan had only put on some light cosmetics, tied up her hair into a bundle and was wearing a white robe yet she still had the appearance of a graceful, tall national beauty. There was an old saying that fit her perfectly, just like the fireflies at night, so dazzling and magnificent.
There was personality to consider as well. Chen Yi Xian belonged to the antagonist’s camp. She was wicked, ruthless, cruel and fickle-minded. She had also completely inherited Chen Guo Tao’s style of being totally unscrupulous in pursuit of her own interests. Her statement about them being the embodiment of law was more than enough to explain the type of person she was. Who in their right mind would be willing to marry a woman like her who didn’t possess any of the three positive values?
As for Chen Xiao Yan, there was nothing to nitpick about. As the novel’s main heroine, he as the author had given her all the values cherished in a traditional Chinese lady. She was kind, gentle, reserved, and sincere… in short, she was perfect in every way. It could also be said, she was the epitome of the ideal lady that could only be found in novels. This sort of lady had been extinct in the real world for centuries now.
Last, of course, was feeling. As for Chen Yi Xian, Song Shi Cheng was very clear about how she felt. Although they were going to be married soon, she had no romantic feelings for him. The tone she used with him was clearly no different from that she used with any other friend. So, it was inconceivable that they would start having feelings for each other after they were married. The marriage certificate was meant to be a symbol of an alliance between their two families.
As for Chen Xiao Yan, he shouldn’t have any delusions about if he would be able to gain the heroine’s heart. In fact, her feelings toward him would most likely not change even as time passed. There might also come a day when the heroine might suddenly decide to pick up a scalpel and castrate him in his sleep. The possibility had completely derailed his train of thought.
Nonetheless, his thoughts were meaningless now that the System had issued such an inflexible mission. In short, he had no choice but to marry Chen Xiao Yan if he wanted to save his own life and make a successful counterattack. He absolutely couldn’t allow her to fall into Ye Tian’s hands.
Although the mission seemed extremely bleak and difficult right now…
While he was thinking through everything, the doctors had actually completed their examination. The doctors told him a few matters he should take note of and quickly left soon after.
Chen Xiao Yan hesitated for a moment and remained in the room. She arched her eyebrow as she looked at Song Shi Cheng as if there was something that she would like to say but had second thoughts about mentioning.
“Is there anything else?” Song Shi Cheng asked.
He had quickly noticed her odd behavior when he came back to himself. Chen Xiao Yan pursed her lips and looked away. She started speaking stiffly and it looked as if she was speaking to no one in particular.
“I would like to discuss the fight between you and Ye Tian the other day. Although I’m not sure who attacked first, surely both sides are at fault here. Now that you have almost recovered while he’s still in lockup, I don’t think it’s necessary for you to blow the whole matter out of proportion. As the saying goes, it’s better to forgive and forget,” she said.
“You want me to let him off? Well, I can consider it. Your request isn’t exactly impossible…” Song Shi Cheng said letting the sentence trail off.
He let the sentence end on an intentionally ambiguous note. When he saw Chen Xiao Yan’s doubtful expression, he just smirked.
“I’m someone with social standing. There’s no need for me to lower myself to his level. Moreover, I’ll have to give your request due consideration since you are pleading on his behalf. It’s just that I’m at the short end of the stick here, even if I’m willing to let the matter pass, my family will not be willing to do so. Unless… you’re willing to make it up to me on Ye Tian’s behalf,” he said.
Chapter 9: Love Life Calamity
Translator: TNTG Editor: alteringviews
Chen Xian Yan was quiet for a moment before she cautiously asked, “What are you basing your reasoning on that you would want me to make it up to you?”
“Doctor Chen, are you truly muddleheaded or you’re just pretending to be muddleheaded? Are you feigning ignorance? The conflict between me and Ye Tian started mainly because of you in the first place,” Song Shi Cheng said with a meaningful smile.
The conflict the other day started because Young Master Song had also wanted to covet the beautiful Chen Xiao Yan and had the intention of possessing both sisters. After being repeatedly rebuffed, he had asked Ye Tian to meet him by the stairwell when he saw how good the relationship was between Ye Tian and Chen Xiao Yan. The meeting was for the sole purpose of warning Ye Tian to stay away from Chen Xiao Yan.
What followed next was the standard plotline threat of I’ll make sure you won’t be able to survive anywhere in this country which was then followed by a stream of insults. It’s also what had caused the conflict to escalate. Although Chen Xiao Yan was pure and innocent, the author had also endowed her an intelligent trait. After giving it some thought, she could pretty much figure out how the whole thing went down. Her beautiful face, which could charm anyone, turned bright red.
She didn’t want to get involved in a conflict between two men that started due to jealousy. She also didn’t want the upright Ye Tian to be harmed because of her. Thus, she could only suppress her conflicting emotions.
“So, how do you want me to make it up to you?” she asked.
“Doctor Chen, it fully depends on how much sincerity you’re willing to show,” Song Shi Cheng said and then continued with a serious expression, “I’m definitely not interested in money. So long as you can make me happy, let’s say…”
He stopped mid-sentence and let his gaze casually fall on Chen Xiao Yan. She noticed that his eyes were filled with improper intentions. She covered up her neck and chest with her hands and took a few steps back.
She then angrily exclaimed, “You rogue! You’re extremely shameless! Don’t even think about it!”
“I haven’t even said anything yet. I was actually considering being lenient with Ye Tian if in the future Doctor Chen would show me a smile whenever we met. It’s unfortunate you would accuse me of having impure intentions,” he said with a lift of his eyebrow and a laugh.
Chen Xiao Yan’s face was even redder now that she realized was being teased. She almost wanted to stomp towards Young Master Song and chastise him.
“Let’s not mention the matter again. Haven’t I already made it clear? We’ll let the legal system take its course,” Song Shi Cheng said unhurriedly. “Can I have some peace and quiet now?”
Chen Xiao Yan ended up glaring at him without saying a word. In the end, she didn’t even bother to reply to him and left the ward, slamming the door shut as she did. Song Shi Cheng could only scratch his head. He was at a loss. It was not that he was trying to be a playboy while flirting with Chen Xiao Yan. He was using this as an opportunity to test out her current bottom-line.
The current situation was pretty obvious now.
Although the system had not given him a deadline for his current mission, he knew that the wedding between him and Chen Yi Xian was quickly approaching as per their previous conversation. If he couldn’t change the marriage agreement before the event happened and win over Chen Yi Xian instead, he would definitely die.
Time was not in his favor. He couldn’t consider how he could annul the marriage agreement and his original intent to win over Chen Xiao Yan’s heart slowly was no longer an option. Since the approach of the prodigal son turns over a new leaf thus winning the beauty’s heart wouldn’t work, he could only resort to using underhanded methods.
The most likely way to do so was to coerce Chen Yi Xian into being with him. It was for this reason that he had used Ye Tian as a bargaining chip. However, this approach would not work given how hostilely she had reacted.
First and foremost, Chen Xiao Yan and Ye Tian were only colleagues. Secondly, Ye Tian’s situation wasn’t exactly perilous. Thus, these two factors alone wouldn’t be sufficient enough to coerce Chen Xiao Yan into submission.
Song Shi Cheng sighed. He could only open up the [Mall] interface and hoped to find a breakthrough with one of the few available items.
“If I were to eat Wang Ba Jelly, will she immediately fall in love with me if I were to confess my undying love and devotion?
“Or should exchange for a Golden Scale Tonic? Maybe it will be more practical for me to force myself on her leaving her little choice but to submit,” he thought out loud.
As he continued to weigh his options, an item under the [Temporary-Effect] category suddenly caught his attention.
Love Life Calamity Pendant, redeem with 1 Destiny point.
[This is a cursed pendant. Once worn, the character will suffer from a love life calamity within five minutes. Please exercise caution when using this item.]
Song Shi Cheng was well aware that this item existed but he had disregarded it since he had never thought there would ever come a day when he would need to use it. In other novels, the Protagonist would usually get a cheat-like item to avoid a love life calamity. This was the first time he had seen an item which caused a love life calamity. He was wondering what sick thought the system had when it had created such an item.
Song Shi Cheng had now changed his opinion about it. Although there was no way he could win the heart of Chen Xiao Yan for the time being, at the very least he would be able to annul the marriage contract between him and Chen Yi Xian. With this, he would gain a significant increase in the amount of time he had to complete his mission.
“Rather than sit and wait, I might as well take the initiative!” He said firmly.
Song Shi Cheng steeled himself and prepared to exchange for his very first item from the [Mall].
*****
In an office on the top floor of the hospital, Chen Yi Xian was having a discussion with her father Chen Guo Tao. She had no idea that Young Master Song was currently racking his brain trying to figure out how to annul their marriage contract.
“My daughter is getting prettier by the day. I have repeatedly said that you have been neglecting your image. Otherwise, the number of suitors you would have could easily fill up the whole hospital,” Chen Guo Tao said.
He was smoking a cigar and looking at his daughter with warm eyes.
Chen Yi Xian indifferently replied, “What’s the use of having many suitors? Not like I can be in a relationship with anyone of them. I already accepted my fate when I was nineteen years old.”
Chen Guo Tao smile gradually subsided, “What? Are you still upset with dad for forcefully breaking up your old relationship?
“Not anymore. I know you did it for my own good. You’re just preventing me from committing myself to the wrong man,” she said.
Although Chen Yi Xian was smiling at her dad, she was lamenting on the inside. Back when she was in university, Chen Yi Xian was still young and innocent. She had fallen in love with a very talented but poor student. She had a huge argument with her dad because of the matter.
Later Chen Guo Tao had created a ploy to reveal the poor student’s true colors. He was a pretentious, frivolous profit-seeker and was using her feelings to help him climb the social ladder. The whole situation had taught Chen Yi Xian an unforgettable lesson in regards to love. Sadly, it was to such an extreme that she came to hate all poor people!
Chen Guo Tao could only nod as he asked, “So, are you not satisfied with the current marriage arrangement?”
Chen Yi Xian remained indifferent when she answered almost as if the matter had nothing to do with her, “Does it matter whether I’m satisfied or not? Do I even get a say in this? In our social circle, we don’t get to choose how we live our life. Since that’s the case, I might as well settle for someone appeasing to the eyes. Song Shi Cheng has quite a decent height and decent looks.
“Although their family is currently suffering some setbacks, it’s more than enough for me. Our two families will form a strong alliance after we get married. We will have a lot more opportunities to grow our fortune. We might even get a chance to fish in the troubled waters and swallow up a huge chunk of benefits from the Song family. That’s exactly what you’re thinking right, dad?”
Chen Guo Tao didn’t get mad at Chen Yi Xian for questioning him and just said, “Little Xian, you’ve got it wrong. As much as your dad loves money, I would not go to the extent of sacrificing my own daughter in pursuit of it. You’re my treasured daughter. Of course, I hope you will have a happy marriage. Otherwise, how could I ever face your mom who has passed away?”
Chen Yi Xian who had been indifferent the entire time finally got emotional and asked in confusion, “Dad, how come I don’t fully comprehend what you’re trying to tell me?”
“What your dad means to say here is if you don’t want to marry into the Song family, that’s fine too. Dad will not force you to do so,” Chen Guo Tao said sounding fair and decisive.
Chen Yi Xian was hesitant when she asked, “But… haven’t you already come to an agreement with the Song family? Not only that, the marriage has already been announced to the rest of the world too.”
“Yes, I did make an agreement with them.” Chen Guo Tao lowered his head to tap off the cigar ashes before he continued, “I only said that I would be marrying off my daughter, but I didn’t explicitly state which daughter of mine was getting married.”
Chen Yi Xian was shocked as she muttered, “Are you considering…”
Chapter 10: A Conflict Caused By An Old Flame
Translator: TNTG Editor: alteringviews
After Song Shi Cheng had put on the Love Life Calamity Pendant, he was sitting quietly on the bed waiting for the arrival his love live calamity. However, everything seemed too calm even after waiting for more than half a minute. He immediately realized he had made a mistake.
A love life calamity meant that there must first be the possibility of a romantic encounter before a calamity could happen. There was not even a female in his ward. How was he going to have a romantic encounter?
With that thought in mind, Song Shi Cheng got up off the bed and rushed out of the ward. He happened to meet a nurse outside and immediately asked her where Chen Guo Tao was.
“The chairman… I just saw him heading towards the office on the top floor,” she said.
The nurse apparently knew who Song Shi Cheng was thus she didn’t waste any time and answered him. He rushed off again after he got his answer. There were only four minutes left.
Maybe he should intentionally crash into Chen Yi Xian and defraud the hell out of her. After pressing the elevator button and planning to head to the top floor, a couple exited the elevator as he was attempting to enter it. The couple blocked Song Shi Cheng’s path when they noticed it was him.
“Young Master Song, a patient shouldn’t be running around. We happen to be here to visit you,” the well-dressed young man said.
He laughed rather dramatically and asked, “I heard you suffered a head injury. Do you still remember this brother of yours?”
Song Shi Cheng frowned as he took a quick glance at the man and noticed his close resemblance to Chen Yi Xian. After the recent interaction with Chen Yi Xian, Song Shi Cheng quickly came up with who this key supporting character was. Chen Yi Zhu, Chen Guo Tao’s son and also Chen Yi Xian’s twin brother.
He was a character almost similar to the original Young Master Song, another typical playboy. His name sounded quite close to an impure proverb and anyone who met him would immediately associate him with the impure proverb.
Not only that, as his name implied, his hobby was womanizing. If you asked anyone within the social circle where he was, they would tell you he was either in the midst of womanizing or he was on his way to do so.
As for their relationship, he was one of his so-called-friends from within the Fuerdai circles. Both of them were also part of The Four Young Master of Hua Hai. Although their relationship seemed harmonious on the surface, the fact was that these young masters liked to compete on pretty much everything. These two had also quite frequently clashed and fought over female affection.
When Chen Yi Zhu was first introduced in the novel, he was fighting with the old Young Master Song over a female university student who had been drugged. The delay caused by the fight had given Ye Tian time to play the role of the prince saving the damsel in distress thus spoiling the two young master’s good plan.
“Chen Yi Zhu, I’m not free to talk nonsense with you right now! Step aside!” Song Shi Cheng yelled.
He was currently in a hurry to enter the elevator.
“If there’s nothing wrong with you, you should still remember this old flame of yours right?” Chen Yi Zhu said as he refused to let him pass and pushed the woman clinging on to him in front of Song Shi Cheng, “Jessica, why don’t you greet your old flame?”
“You’re horrible, Young Master Chen. Aren’t you just embarrassing me here?” The woman said.
The alluring woman licked her lips in embarrassment as she fearfully took a few glances at Song Shi Cheng, “Young Master Song, you haven’t paid me a visit in a very long time. I thought you had long forgotten about me. At the same time, Young Master Chen was pursuing me. So I… Sorry, please don’t be mad at me.”
Jessica… It seemed like I did write something about Young Master Song having a third or fourth tier actress as his girlfriend. He thought.
Chen Yi Zhu had actually dared to snatch his girlfriend away from him while he was hospitalized. Not only that, he had intentionally made a special trip here just to mock him as well. Song Shi Cheng was silently cursing the elite circle for being truly chaotic.
He couldn’t help but lower his head to look at the Love Life Calamity Pendant on his chest. He couldn’t help thinking that the item was way too effective. He had only worn it for a brief moment but it had already caused a romantic conflict.
When he realized the effect of the item would be diminishing soon, Song Shi Cheng was too lazy to entertain this old flame of his any further. He pushed this ex-girlfriend of his aside after saying ‘I wish both of you happiness’ and entered the elevator.
Chen Yi Zhu thought Song Shi Cheng would be furious after finding out he had been cuckolded. He had been left dumbfounded after hearing Song Shi Cheng’s unnatural sentence. Thus, he immediately dragged Jessica back into the elevator the moment he regained his senses.
“Young Master Song, I know you’re just trying to maintain your image but there are no outsiders here. Given that we are close buddies, why don’t you let it all out? If you’re still not satisfied, I can return Jessica to you. A woman is just clothes anyway!” Chen Yi Zhu said.
Chen Yi Zhu assumed that Song Shi Cheng was just feigning indifference. He continued to provoke Song Shi Cheng while ignoring the ugly expression on his own girlfriend’s face. Since Chen Yi Zhu already had his fun with her, he only saw Jessica as a trophy he could brag about to others.
Song Shi Cheng was delighted by what he heard. It seemed this bunch of playboys were just a bunch of incompetent fools whose only purpose in life was eating, drinking, whoring and gambling. They could only strive to outperform each other in such vices to satisfy their own vanity.
“Since you said that she’s just clothes, go ahead and take it since you like it so much. I’m already tired of wearing it.” Song Shi Cheng casually said.
He pressed the button for the top floor. He only had two more minutes when he checked the time again. Given how casual Song Shi Cheng was when he answered him, he had managed to make Chen Yi Zhu extremely angry. He was almost foaming at the mouth because the words made him felt like his heart had been viciously stabbed a couple of times.
He had come to humiliate Song Shi Cheng yet the result was he had ended up being humiliated. If what happened here was to spread how could he still show his face within his social circle again? He was too clouded by fury and totally overlooked Song Shi Cheng’s abnormal behavior. He shoved his trophy clothes aside.
He asked angrily, “Song Shi Cheng! What are you trying to say?”
“You want to quarrel? Why don’t the two of us do it right in front of your dad?” Song Shi Cheng said without batting an eye.
Chen Yi Zhu restrained his anger when he realized the elevator was rising towards the top floor. He didn’t have the courage to cause trouble in front of Chen Guo Tao. However, he went and blocked the elevator entrance when it opened because he just couldn’t stomach the anger.
“Young Master Song, don’t forget our circle’s customs. The one who has his girlfriend snatched has to give the snatcher a prize. Why don’t you tell me now what you’re going to give me?” he said.
“Get lost!” Song Shi Cheng said.
He had truly wanted to punch this wastrel just to get rid of him. It was unfortunate that he had just recovered and Chen Yi Zhu had a massive frame. Both of them ended up in a deadlock.
“I think this pendant is pretty nice. Why don’t you let me have it?” Chen Yi Zhu said.
He had noticed the Love Life Calamity Pendant on Song Shi Cheng’s chest and reached out to grab it. Due to the quick spontaneity of Chen Yi Zhu actions, Song Shi Cheng was unable to react in time to stop him. He didn’t bother to retrieve the pendant from Chen Yi Zhu when he saw there was only half a minute left until the pendant’s effect was gone. There was no way he could find Chen Yi Xian in time and convince her to break the marriage.
“Young Master Song, I have actually done you a great favor here. Aren’t you going to be marrying my sister soon? Although my sister won’t interfere even knowing what’s been going on, I, as your future brother-in-law had the obligation to eliminate any danger that might affect your marriage. It’s best for you to curb your own lust in the future. If there are still a bevy of young girls surrounding you, I will have a duty to get rid of them as well,” Chen Yi Zhu said.
After gaining a slight advantage, he couldn’t resist pushing forward. It seemed like he had the intention to continue snatching Young Master Song’s lovers in the future.
“Come here babe, this is a prize given by your old flame. You should take good care of it,” Chen Yi Zhu said.
He happily tied the pendant on Jessica’s neck. He had totally forgotten all the intentions he had to abandon this clothes of his without even hesitating just now.
“You look pretty wearing it. Aren’t I right, Young Master Song?” he said.
“Yup, it’s great that both of you like it,” Song Shi Cheng said with a sneer.
He planned to take the elevator back to his ward, but he couldn’t help taking one last glance at the Love Life Calamity Pendant on his ex-girlfriend’s neck.
Chapter 11: Who’s The Grandfather And Who’s The Grandson Now?
Translator: TNTG Editor: alteringviews
In theory, the effects of the Love Life Calamity Pendant had yet to pass. If so, did it mean that this little celebrity in front of him would soon suffer a love life calamity as well? While he was ruminating over the issue, the doors of the other elevator opened up and three men walked out of it.
The group was led by a big-bellied, bald old man. Based on the thick gold chains and the branded clothes he was wearing, he was undoubtedly one of those nouveau-rich bosses. The two tall burly men following behind him were most likely his bodyguards.
“Oh, it’s you?!” The nouveau-rich boss said.
He couldn’t help frowning when he saw Song Shi Cheng. It seemed like he was another minor character. Based on his tone, they shouldn’t be very close. Not only that, Song Shi Cheng got the vibe that the other party didn’t really like him. While Song Shi Cheng was trying to figure out who this fella was, the upstart noticed Chen Yi Zhu who was being all intimate with his trophy clothes and his expression immediately darkened.
“Jessica! What are you doing?!” The nouveau-rich boss yelled.
He charged over to her furiously. Jessica turned pale due to the fear. Her body also started trembling when she saw the man.
She was stuttering as she said, “Chief Ma…”
“You ungrateful bitch! Not only do you spend my money regularly, I even put up the money that allows you to have a footing in the entertainment sector and you actually dare to cheat on me with this pretty boy?!” Chief Ma said.
He was gnashing his teeth and his eyes were burning with fury. The adulterous couple had been caught red-handed. It was a great day. Song Shi Cheng was laughing cheerfully as he watched everything that was happening. He had never expected Jessica to be so capable, hooking up with two sugar daddies at the same time.
She probably thought she had everything figured out and her ploy was fool-proof. She had never expected there would come a day that her ploy would get exposed! The strong magical effects of the Love Life Calamity Pendant was a given. Song Shi Cheng knew that what had just happened was not a mere coincidence. He was no longer in a hurry to return to his ward. He planned to remain and watch the good show.
“You unfaithful slut! You just watch how I’m going to teach you a lesson,” Chief Ma shouted.
Chen Yi Zhu was startled by the sudden turn of events, but he immediately yelled back, “Hey, you old baldy! Who the hell are you? Do you actually dare to cause a disturbance here? Do you know which family’s territory you’re in? Do you even know who I am?”
“I don’t give a shit whose family’s territory this is. I, Ma Jin Biao, will let you know today who’s the Grandfather and who’s the Grandson!” Chief Ma gestured with his hand and said, “Beat up this adulterous couple!”
The two bodyguards rushed towards Chen Yi Zhu and Jessica. Although Chen Yi Zhu looked tall and burly, he was actually just a paper tiger. Very quickly, he had been knocked to the ground. Soon after, the sound of pleading and wailing could be heard. Ma Jin Biao grabbed Jessica’s hair and shoved her to the floor. He then slapped her repeatedly.
“Chief Ma, I won’t dare to do it anymore. Please spare me.” Jessica pleaded.
Her pretty face quickly swelled from the beating.
“Young Master Song, please save me!” She asked.
“Sorry, you’re no longer my clothes.” Song Shi Cheng said indifferently.
It was only natural that he wouldn’t show any pity to such a used up and superficial slut. He also didn’t pay any attention to Chen Yi Zhu. He kept his focus on Ma Jin Biao. This nouveau-rich boss had announced his name out of anger thus saving Song Shi Cheng the need to guess his identity. It was true that they know each other but that was about it.
There wasn’t any friendship between them because Ma Jin Biao, strictly speaking, belonged to the Protagonist’s camp. He was the internet tycoon’s brother and also a very capable person (Please don’t ask the Author why the internet tycoon’s surname is Ma. [TN: For those who don’t get the author’s pun, I believe it’s because the CEO and founder of Alibaba Group is also surnamed Ma]). In the company, his main responsibility was the search engine division. He was outspoken and crude but loyal.
Due to the novel’s plotline development, his relationship with Ye Tian at this point was still quite superficial. However, going by the saying a friend’s enemy is also an enemy, Ma Jin Biao was upset when he saw Song Shi Cheng solely because of his affiliation to Ye Tian.
Song Shi Cheng didn’t really care about his cold treatment, what was at the top of his mind right now were two other questions. First, he had never written in the novel that Ma Jin Biao had a sugar baby. If that’s the case, was his relationship with Jessica a result of the Love Life Calamity Pendant? If that was true, then the effect of the pendant was truly scary!
Second, Ma Jin Biao belonged to Ye Tian’s camp yet he had come to this hospital at such a sensitive time to meet Chen Guo Tao. His reason here was definitely worth thinking about. Was he here to be a peacemaker? He would probably be lobbying with Cheng Guo Tao to let Ye Tian off easy.
The wailing and screaming had finally attracted the attention of security and medical staff. Even Chen Guo Tao and Chen Yi Xian had been alarmed by the ruckus.
After witnessing what was going on, Chen Guo Tao immediately yelled, “Everyone, stop!”
Ma Jin Biao and his bodyguards stopped. They saw Chen Yi Xian rushing over to assist Chen Yi Zhu who was lying on the ground. She helped him stand up and Chief Ma felt rather awkward as he realized they were brother and sister. Thus, he could only smile bitterly at Chen Guo Tao who was fuming in anger.
“Chairman Chen, is he your son? Sorry, I didn’t recognize him since I have never met him. I couldn’t control my anger when I saw him being all intimate with my girlfriend. So, I…” he said.
“Ok, I understand!” Chen Guo Tao said.
He just waved it off with his hand but his expression was dark. Song Shi Cheng could only smile when he realized this Ma Jin Biao in front of him was another slippery one. He just used a few sentences to explain what happened and even drug Chen Yi Zhu through the mud to resolve the situation.
As furious as Chen Guo Tao was, he couldn’t make a big fuss out of the whole affair because he had to protect his image. How could he publicize the fact that his son was beaten because he had been having an affair with another man’s woman?
“Little Xian, bring him downstairs to have his injuries checked,” Chen Guo Tao instructed with a dark expression.
“Dad, you need to address my grievances. These few bastards actually dared to beat me up in our family’s own territory! You couldn’t bring yourself to beat me no matter what since I was young but these bastards actually dared to do so!” Chen Yi Zhu said.
He was complaining grievously and kept rubbing his bruised face. He was behaving like a child, complaining to his parent and sounding quite arrogant while doing so.
“Stop causing trouble!” Chen Guo Tao said while angrily glaring at his son.
“Settle down. Let’s get moving now. Stop being rude and impetuous,” Chen Yi Xian said.
Knowing what had transpired, Chen Yi Xian escorted Chen Yi Zhu towards the elevator without waiting any longer. She couldn’t help but groan when she saw Song Shi Cheng standing there.
“I’m just out for some fresh air, just passing by. This matter has nothing to do with me at all,” Song Shi Cheng explained while smirking.
He then quickly made himself scarce by getting into the elevator. Chen Yi Zhu was ticked off. It wasn’t easy for him to steal his rival’s thunder yet he had ended up in such a miserable and embarrassing state. How could he still hold his head high up in the future?
Right now, he didn’t even want to spend a single second near Song Shi Cheng. However, Chen Yi Xian didn’t care about such trivialities and had directly dragged him into the same elevator. The elevator was surprisingly quiet as it moved downwards.
Chen Yi Zhu was too embarrassed to face Song Shi Cheng. As for Song Shi Cheng, he was not in the mood to mock this idiotic young master. He had also sensed that Chen Yi Xian’s attitude was a bit strange. From the corner of his eye, he noticed that she kept taking peeks at him.
“Actually I had the intention to save him just now but I have just recovered, so I’m still powerless to do so. Please don’t reproach me,” Song Shi Cheng said breaking the silence.
“It’s fine. This stinky brat has thick skin. This lesson is long overdue,” Chen Yi Xian said while lightly smacking the back of her little brother’s head.
The sullen Chen Yi Zhu, on the other hand, was consumed with the desire to blow the hospital into smithereens.
Chen Yi Xian hesitated for a moment before she finally asked, “That baldy, do you know who he is?”
“I believe his surname is Ma. He’s in the search engine business right?” Song Shi Cheng said as if he knew vaguely.
“That’s right. Our company has a business relationship with him. Most of our hospital’s online advertisements are handled by him,” Chen Yi Xian plainly said. “Moreover, it seems like he has a pretty decent relationship with Ye Tian. So, you should be mentally prepared.”
Song Shi Cheng only nodded. Chen Yi Xian had revealed two things from what she had just said. There was ongoing business interest between the internet tycoon and the Chen family’s Qing Mao Medical Group. The internet tycoon would also definitely protect Ye Tian.
As such, the Chen family would most likely give the internet tycoon face and remained neutral on the conflict between him and Song Shi Cheng. If it was just on this matter, Song Shi Cheng wouldn’t be too concerned. Except for the simple-minded Chen Yi Zhu, the attitude of Chen Yi Xian and the Chen family as a whole had recently turned rather ambiguous.
It seems like the downhill slump that Feng Hua Group was currently facing had caused a deterioration in their alliance.
Chapter 12: He’s The Protagonist?
Translator: TNTG Editor: alteringviews
There was an old saying: a household is on the decline when the one in charge is a woman. At the core of their problems, Feng Hua Group was currently in a state of chaos and disunity. Although Ji Jing had a tough temperament, she didn’t possess the strength to weather the storm. Moreover, she had also retired and become a housewife for a long time now.
Now that she was being forced to take the lead, it was basically them pushing her into a position beyond her ability. Thus, there was no way she could carry on the good work of his late husband. As for Song Shi Cheng, he was just an idiotic young master.
If you added in the fact that their own shareholders couldn’t wait to make a move on the mother and child duo and the fact that the government had been vigorously enforcing compliance in the real estate sector, it was likely the Song family would not be able to survive any longer than three to five years.
This was what Chen Guo Tao had said in his office. He had quickly and clearly summarized the threats faced by the Song family internally and externally. As their old ally will soon be history, Chen Guo Tao had no intention to help them weather the storm. The details of their original marriage agreement would need to be re-evaluated as well.
Chen Yi Xian heart started racing the moment she thought about her dad’s next move. In a way, this would be good for her. At least she didn’t have to marry for the time being. She would be able to continue living her carefree and leisurely life. As for the fate that was about to befall the Song family, it had nothing to do with her.
In the current day where personal interest reigned supreme, a relationship had less value than a piece of toilet paper. As she took another glance at Song Shi Cheng’s smooth and tender skin, she thought it would be quite interesting to take in a despondent young master after the Song family collapsed.
*****
On the top floor, Chen Guo Tao instructed one of his staff to take Jessica, whose hair was all disheveled, away. Of course, he also didn’t forget to give out a warning to everyone present.
“I hope everyone forgets everything that has just happened. Otherwise, let’s just say we still have a lot of empty beds in the new psychiatric department,” he said.
Everyone present fearfully acceded to the demand. None of them wished to be labelled as mentally ill. After everyone had dispersed, Ma Jin Biao smiled as he apologized again for what had just happened.
“Chief Ma, will you want to take care of their medical fees for the rest of their life or will you personally settle the matter for me?” Chen Guo Tao said.
His words were filled with murderous intent. Ma Jin Biao eyes twitched as he realized the other party was demanding some kind of accountability. Knowing that he was partially at fault, he could only turn his head and look at his two loyal bodyguards.
“Go back and find a large criminal case. Then go to the police and confess that it was done by you. Rest assured, I will personally take care of your families. I will make further arrangements for both of you after you’ve served your time in prison,” he said.
The two bodyguards originally wanted to beg for mercy but knew it would be futile when they saw Ma Jin Biao’s cold expression. If they had not agreed to do so, they knew they would end up with permanent disabilities. Not only that, but their family would also be implicated as well. Thus, they could only nod.
“Chairman Chen, are you satisfied now? If not, we can move to a more suitable place to discuss this,” Ma Jin Biao asked with a smile.
“There’s something important I need to take care of today. So, it’s not convenient for me to entertain you today,” Chen Guo Tao said.
He was still being obstinate. He turned around and walked away. He totally ignored Ma Jin Biao’s flustered and exasperated expression. One shouldn’t just take his feelings for his son to at face value based on how coldly he had treated Chen Yi Zhu just now.
Chen Yi Zhu was after all his son. After witnessing how his son had been bullied, how could he still maintain his own reputation if he continued to be polite and amiable to the other party? Furthermore, he was very clear of Ma Jin Biao’s purpose coming here.
He was here to be a peacemaker. He was here to convince the Song family to give up on suing Ye Tian. Secondly, it was to sow discord between him and the Song family and enhance the cooperation with the Ma family.
Although Chen Guo Tao was too lazy to involve himself in the dispute between the younger generations, he was still very interested in enhancing their cooperation. Nevertheless, there must be sufficient sincerity from the other party. As such, he had to put on a lofty front and fish for their interest.
This was in order to maximize his profit when they did cooperate in the future. He would have to delay them for the time being and instill a sense of urgency in them before he would have the opportunity to gain the biggest piece of the profit. In the end, it didn’t really matter to him whether this big chunk of profit was gained from the Song family or the Ma family.
*****
Very quickly, the day Song Shi Cheng was to be discharged arrived. After freshening up, he changed into a new set of clothes and stood in front of the mirror, shamelessly admiring his good looks.
He had dug a lot of holes for himself, but he had left himself a few beneficial advantages. For one, he had very smooth, soft skin. Like most novels’ antagonists, Young Master Song was described as tall, handsome and wealthy. Factoring in the high-end outfits, he did have a close resemblance to Korean male idols.
“This set of clothes, belt, and shoes were personally selected by mom. The old stuff was inauspicious and need to be disposed of,” Ji Jung said.
Ji Jing came over and voiced her satisfaction as she tidied up her son’s clothes cheerfully.
“My son is really handsome. I wonder how many ladies you have mesmerized,” she said.
“That’s because I have inherited my mom’s good genes,” Son Shi Cheng said and smiled.
During these past few days, while he had been hospitalized, he had thoroughly enjoyed Ji Jing’s motherly affection and care. His heart, which had long turned cold in the previous world due to living a life of solitude, had slowly started to thaw and accept his new reality.
Song Shi Cheng no longer cared if her mother was part of the original antagonists camp or about any bad personality traits. All that mattered to him now was this woman who had blood-ties with him who was sincerely showering him with affection.
“Enough with the sweet-talking,” Ji Jing said with an expression filled with love and delight.
“Chairlady, the house has been tidied up and awaits you twos return,” Ye Wen Sheng said from the side.
Ji Jing silently nodded. She started to leave the hospital while holding on to her son’s hand. It was also at this time that Chen Guo Tao came into the ward while laughing loudly. Chen Xiao Yan was following behind him.
“I have reserved a private room in a nearby hotel. Why don’t we have lunch before you leave?” Chen Guo Tao asked.
“We’re so close. There’s no need for you to be so courteous,” Ji Jing said.
She just laughed along as she discreetly made eye contact with Ye Wen Sheng. This time around, she could clearly felt the ambiguity in Chen Guo Tao’s attitude. That’s why she didn’t drop by to greet him before leaving the hospital with her son.
he had also done so with the intention of testing the other party’s response. However, it seems like Chen Guo Tao was currently behaving amiably on the surface as per usual.
“This is necessary. Although this hospital was established by me, I sincerely hope that you have to come here as little as possible. This meal is meant to help Ah Cheng purge the bad luck and start afresh. He’ll be in good health for the foreseeable future and won’t need to be admitted here again,” he replied.
Chen Guo Tao speech style was smooth and pleasing as usual.
After seeing Ji Jing nod in consent, he turned his head and said, “Xiao Yan, quickly change your clothes. You’re going to be accompanying Auntie Ji.”
“Oh, ok,” Chen Xiao Yan said.
She was rather surprised and also quite pleased with the request. Her father had never brought her along for such social events. Her common origins made Chen Guo Tao unwilling to take her to any social events.
Ji Jing frowned for a split second hearing what was said but didn’t comment on it. While Chen Xiao Yan went to change clothes, the group moved towards the parking bay. They would wait for her there. Two unfamiliar high-end luxury cars were waiting for them there.
Just when they were about to enter their cars, a compact black car stopped right beside them. An average-looking young man got out of the car. Whether it was his looks or his height, it was the type that could be found amongst anyone in the general public.
When Song Shi Cheng and the youngster’s eyes met, it was like a legendary scene. It seemed like sparks flew when their gazes met.
Ye Tian!
Song Shi Cheng quickly figured out the young man’s identity.