Xingshi followed his three roommates back to the dormitory. After ordering takeout, he casually played with his phone—while actually closely monitoring the system’s condition.
The magic circle was running smoothly. There were no signs of memory loss, and everything seemed stable.
He injected a bit of energy into the system and instructed it to retrieve data. Since the external programs were also functioning normally, he concluded that there were no major issues.
The next step was to detach another host, transfer the absorbed energy to its body as camouflage, and then send it back into the main system.
99 was skeptical. “Are you sure it won’t turn against us after we send it back?”
Xingshi remained calm. “It can’t betray me.”
The moment 99 and Shangshangqian heard this, they knew that Xingshi must have written something into the program, and they immediately felt reassured.
The newcomer didn’t hesitate this time and said seriously, “Boss, I’m going back.”
99 glanced at it. “You’ll die.”
The newcomer replied, “I know.”
But there are some things in this world that you just can’t be afraid of.
Ever since it regained its memories and understood how it became a system, it had already decided to go back.
Not for anything else—but to give itself an answer.
With a light tone, it said, “I died a long time ago. If I stay here, I can’t help you much—I’d just be a mascot. How can that compare to revenge?”
99 fell silent for a few seconds. “…You’re right.”
The Best Fortune also made a sound of acknowledgment.
The newcomer, feeling relieved, suddenly became excited. “So, Boss, is it their turn now?”
Xingshi said, “Soon.”
The newcomer cheered, “Great!”
99 frowned. “…Isn’t your mood swing a bit too extreme?”
This time, the newcomer wasn’t afraid of 99 at all. Instead, it smirked and said, “Watch your attitude. I’m now the Boss’s direct subordinate, while you’re just a rogue system that bound to the wrong host. Got it, brother?”
99: “…”
The Best Fortune: “…”
Xingshi played with his phone for a bit before suddenly remembering something. He asked, “If I put you back into Yan Feng’s body, can you absorb his soul energy?”
The newcomer was startled. “…Maybe?”
Xingshi continued, “If we absorb him, will he still be conscious?”
The newcomer thought for a moment before answering, “Maybe? But for hosts who have traveled through time, we always absorb their energy first before leaving. That energy gets transferred directly into the energy pool.
“There’s no physical carrier there—it’s just a pure energy flow. So even if they retain some consciousness, we can’t hear them.
“But if we’re talking about soul fragments, we’re just tiny remnants floating in that massive energy flow. Even if we are aware, it’s likely to be a state of confusion.”
Xingshi asked, “If we send him back to the main system, will he report you?”
The newcomer hesitated. “…I’m not sure. The main system is responsible for handling time-traveling hosts, and we don’t know the specifics of what happens after they return.
“All we know is that the strategy records are stored within our systems, and the main system analyzes them for future reference.
“But don’t worry, Boss. I’ve taken control and will delete all related records.”
Xingshi asked, “Did the main system ever say what happens to the hosts after they return?”
“No. It just ordered us to devour their soul energy if we were low on power, and it promised to compensate them later.
“In short, its top priority is making sure we return safely—it doesn’t care what happens to the hosts.”
Xingshi pondered for a moment. “Can you identify their soul fragments?”
The three systems answered in unison, “Yes.”
The newcomer explained, “Their soul energy has unique fluctuations. Otherwise, we never would have thought they were human, and we would have discovered the truth a long time ago.”
Hearing this, Xingshi finally felt reassured. “If I send you over now, can you do it?”
The newcomer brightened up. “Of course! You’re my boss!”
Xingshi praised, “Not bad.”
The newcomer immediately swaggered proudly in front of 99 and The Best Fortune.
99: “!”
The Best Fortune: “…”
99, feeling jealous after being repeatedly overshadowed, said angrily, “Xingshi, I’m next!”
Xingshi replied, “No rush. You’re the third one.”
The magic circle he had designed for 99 was slightly different from the ones used on The Best Fortune and the newcomer. He still needed to gain more experience before applying the final transformation.
For now, Fu Xiuning’s favorability remained stable between 88 and 90. That meant they could survive for a while longer—giving him enough time to prepare for 99’s upgrade.
A short while later, the takeout arrived.
Xingshi unpacked his lunch, and just as he was halfway through his meal, his phone buzzed.
It was a message from Chai Xiaoyu.
Chai Xiaoyu:
[Boss, I’ll be free after dropping off my friend’s little brother at school. I’ll probably be staying in City Z for five days. Are you free tonight? Want to grab dinner?]
Xingshi:
[Sure, I’ll pick the place.]
Chai Xiaoyu:
[No way! When we were kids, you always treated me. Now that I’m grown up, it’s my turn to treat you. 😂]
Xingshi:
[You’re only here in City Z for a short time, so I’ll treat you this time. You can treat me back if we meet again in the future.]
Chai Xiaoyu:
[Alright, then I won’t argue. 😆]
Xingshi:
[Okay, I’ll book the restaurant and send you the details.]
Chai Xiaoyu:
[Great! Looking forward to it~]
After putting down his phone, Xingshi once again called out, “Shangshangqian, check him.”
They had only exchanged a few messages before his focus shifted elsewhere, but there were still unresolved questions.
Xingshi asked, “Which city is he mainly active in now?”
The Best Fortune replied, “City C.”
Xingshi continued, “Is he in school or working?”
The Best Fortune answered, “He’s still in school. His grades are average, and he’s attending a junior college.”
Xingshi recalled that Chai Xiaoyu was a year older than him. Since he was a junior this year, he would soon be looking for a job.
He acknowledged the information with a simple “Hmm,” then asked, “When did he and that friend next to him become acquainted?”
Shangshangqian answered, “They attended the same high school. Based on chat logs, they often played games together.”
Xingshi ate a piece of vegetables and fell into deep thought. After a while, he asked, “Any other important details?”
The Best Fortune replied, “Nothing else.”
But then, Shangshangqian added, “There’s one thing—they mentioned meeting another child back then. The three of you played together for several days.”
Xingshi said, “Hmm,” and didn’t ask anything further. After finishing his meal, he took a short rest before heading to the teaching building.
That afternoon, he only had one professional class. After class, he went straight to the company and headed for Fu Xiuning’s office, saying that he needed the car that evening.
Fu Xiuning asked, “What for?”
Xingshi replied, “I’m having dinner with someone. I ran into a childhood playmate at school today—he was helping his friend’s younger brother move in. He happened to see me and recognized me.”
Then, he glanced at Fu Xiuning. “Our families once went to the beach together.”
Fu Xiuning, in the middle of reading a document, paused before looking up at him. “I’ll drive you after work.”
Xingshi nodded. “Alright.”
He then went downstairs to train and, during his break, picked out a restaurant, sending the address to Chai Xiaoyu.
At 5:30 PM, Xingshi met Fu Xiuning in the parking lot and got into the passenger seat.
Fu Xiuning opened the navigation system, entered the destination, and saw that it was a local specialty restaurant—one among many similar spots near Z University.
He asked, “Why this place? Is their hotel nearby?”
Xingshi replied, “I didn’t ask where they’re staying. I picked this spot because the route is more convenient.”
Hearing this, Fu Xiuning zoomed in on the navigation map. The moment he saw the hospital where Yan Feng was, he glanced at Xingshi.
Xingshi said, “Some things shouldn’t go to waste.”
Fu Xiuning knew that Xingshi had been rushing his transformations recently. Understanding his meaning, he started the car and left the company.
Since it was rush hour, the roads near the hospital were congested.
Xingshi got out halfway, put on a baseball cap, and walked into the hospital to find the assistant who had been watching over Yan Feng.
Yan Feng had a bad relationship with his family and had been trending on Weibo before his accident. Back then, he even posted his will, stating that upon his death, all his assets would be donated to charity.
Because of this, his family didn’t dare show up to claim anything, afraid of public backlash. The company had been guarding him the entire time.
The assistant was surprised to see him. “Brother Shi? What brings you here?”
Xingshi said, “I was passing by and needed to use the restroom, so I figured I’d check on Brother Feng. How is he?”
The assistant sighed. “Still the same.”
Xingshi secretly transferred some energy to the newcomer system, ensuring that it had enough power for a round trip before letting it go.
He then asked, “Have you eaten yet?”
The assistant nodded. “Yeah, I already did.”
Xingshi chatted briefly with him, waited until the newcomer returned, then said goodbye and left.
The newcomer system reported, “I did as you said and left him some energy. He should last another day or two.”
Xingshi praised it.
The newcomer beamed. “Boss, do you want this energy?”
Xingshi answered, “Yes.”
His magic core had only recently been activated, and it still wasn’t fully charged. On top of that, he had been consuming energy for his transformations, so he needed to replenish it.
First, he ordered the newcomer to extract Yan Feng’s soul fragments, then he absorbed part of the stored energy, leaving the other half for it.
99, watching this unfold, suddenly realized something and hesitated. “…So it’s really leaving?”
The newcomer was resolute. “Yeah. I’m ready.”
Xingshi said, “No rush. We wait until the news about Yan Feng dies down.”
Currently, the newcomer system was offline. When the news of Yan Feng’s death was released in a few days, everyone—especially the other systems—would assume that Yan Feng was the original host of the B&B system.
They would also believe that the newcomer system left because it realized its host’s body was deteriorating and didn’t want to wait around.
Additionally, after Yan Feng’s final outburst, the remaining systems would immediately conclude that the real host of The Best Fortune was Yu Yi.
If any host got curious and contacted Yu Yi, they would probably ask why he didn’t have a system.
Because of this, delaying the process would create more confusion—making it harder for the other systems to figure out the truth.
99 let out a relieved sigh. “Good. That’s a better plan.”
The newcomer, watching this, was somewhat moved. “Didn’t expect a hostile system like you to be so sentimental. If I weren’t heading back to deal with your master, you’d actually miss me, wouldn’t you?”
99 instantly snapped, “Shut up and get lost!”
The newcomer laughed. “Relax, I was just kidding.”
99 ignored it, floating away angrily.
Meanwhile, Xingshi glanced at Yan Feng’s soul fragments, still trapped in energy. Seeing them, the newcomer felt uneasy. “Boss… this thing—I mean, Yan Feng—how do we deal with him?”
Xingshi replied, “Let’s see if he wakes up first.”
With that, he left the inpatient ward.
Fu Xiuning had already driven past the hospital and parked further ahead. The moment Xingshi returned, he merged back onto the main road.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the restaurant.
Fu Xiuning parked the car and followed Xingshi inside.
Chai Xiaoyu had already arrived. The moment he saw Xingshi, he stood up excitedly and waved.
Fu Xiuning’s gaze shifted toward him.
Although Chai Xiaoyu was slimmer than in the photos, Fu Xiuning could still see traces of his childhood self—the silly, chubby kid from back then.
As the distance closed, he suddenly heard a familiar notification sound.
【Ding—】
[Current Favorability Value: -5]
His expression remained unchanged as he continued walking forward.
【Ding—】
[Current Favorability Value: -6]
【Ding—】
[Current Favorability Value: -7]
【Ding—】
[Current Favorability Value: -8]
Fu Xiuning stopped right in front of Chai Xiaoyu.
Chai Xiaoyu: “…”
System: “!!!”
The system, clearly shocked, let out a lively but bewildered female voice.
“Why?!”
It sounded confused and aggrieved.
Chai Xiaoyu, sensing the system’s distress, comforted it before looking at Xingshi. “Who’s this?”
Xingshi introduced him calmly. “My brother.”
Xingshi explained, “I get recognized sometimes when I go out, and he worries about my safety, so he brought me here. The traffic is bad, and it’s already too late for him to head back for dinner. We figured he’d just eat here, but don’t worry—he’ll sit at a separate table, and we’ll eat on our own.”
Chai Xiaoyu quickly said, “That’s too much trouble. I see people are already waiting for tables outside. Why don’t we just eat together?”
Xingshi glanced at Fu Xiuning, as if seeking his opinion.
Fu Xiuning met his gaze and replied calmly, “Alright, I have no objections.”
For a brief moment, Xingshi’s expression deepened, but it quickly faded as he pulled out a chair and sat down.
Since this was Chai Xiaoyu’s first time in City Z, he should follow the host’s lead.
Xingshi took the initiative to order food, submitted the order, and started chatting.
Chai Xiaoyu said, “My friend is also visiting City Z for the first time. We did some research before the trip. Do you have any recommendations, Boss?”
Xingshi replied, “I haven’t explored much myself. Brother, what do you think?”
Fu Xiuning then listed several popular attractions, all of which were worth visiting.
Chai Xiaoyu smiled, thanked him, then turned back to Xingshi and started talking about recent life updates.
His college program was only three years long, so this year, he was looking for internships while finishing classes. He hadn’t yet decided whether to stay in City C or move elsewhere.
“I’ve lived in City C my whole life. I kind of want to move to another city to grow. Boss, are you planning to stay in City Z permanently?”
Xingshi replied, “Unless something unexpected happens, yeah.”
Chai Xiaoyu nodded. “If I struggle to find a job in City C, I might come check out City Z.”
Xingshi smiled. “Alright.”
Chai Xiaoyu studied him for a moment. “If I do find work in City Z, I’ll treat you to dinner then.”
Xingshi simply nodded in response.
Meanwhile, the three systems, having nothing better to do, were staring at each other.
99 suddenly spoke. “He keeps sneaking glances at Fu Xiuning—I caught him!”
The newcomer added, “His family background isn’t great, and yet he wants to develop in City Z… and he’s the Boss’s childhood friend. Think the host is here?”
The Best Fortune remained silent.
99 snickered, “But Xingshi is a time traveler! Past friendship won’t help him now. He should just leave already!”
The newcomer immediately chimed in, “That’s right! No one can outshine the Boss! The Boss is powerful and dominant!”
99 shouted, “Yeah!”
The Best Fortune: “…”
Just as they were bickering, the food arrived, and the three humans began eating and chatting.
Chai Xiaoyu smiled. “You were always good-looking, even as a kid. Everyone in the neighborhood liked you. My parents used to say you’d become a star one day—and they were right.”
Then, he curiously asked, “I thought you’d only act in your uncle’s films. How come you became a trainee?”
Xingshi replied, “I wanted to learn more.”
“How are your parents?” he asked.
Chai Xiaoyu replied, “They’re doing well. Come back to City C sometime—we’ll have a meal together. You were trending this summer, and my mom kept talking about you.”
Xingshi said, “Sure.”
Chai Xiaoyu took a sip of juice, secretly glancing at Fu Xiuning again. Inwardly, he sighed.
Fu Xiuning… really isn’t the same as before.
He was a year older than Xingshi and hadn’t forgotten what happened back then. The moment the system mentioned it, his memories came flooding back.
Feeling a little melancholy, he said, “You don’t know… He used to be really nice. He’d take us out to play, buy us snacks, and teach us how to swim. He even saved our eldest brother from drowning.”
The system, still feeling hurt and confused, responded in a grievous tone, “We know. That’s why we don’t want to see him keep going down this path. That’s why we found you.”
Chai Xiaoyu hesitated. “But… he seems to value my Boss a lot. Will he really hurt him?”
The system responded firmly, **“Yes, dear. You’ve seen Fu Xiuning’s profile. People around him always get into trouble.
“And don’t forget—he has an antisocial personality now. The more he cares about someone, the more dangerous he becomes.
“You heard it yourself—his favorability towards you is -8!”**
Chai Xiaoyu frowned. “But… it’s not really his fault. He’s just been through too much.”
The system sighed. “That’s just fate. There’s nothing we can do to change his past—but we can fix things before they get worse.”
Chai Xiaoyu fell silent.
The system pressed on. **“Can you make a decision now? Your Boss is in danger. He needs to be saved, right?
Fu Xiuning once saved you—so now, it’s your turn to save him.”**
Chai Xiaoyu didn’t hesitate. “Yes!”
But…
He wasn’t smart.
He had never been smart—not as a kid, not as an adult. Back then, all he knew how to do was follow the eldest brother around for food and fun. Even now, he hadn’t made much progress.
How was he supposed to protect his eldest brother and make Fu Xiuning a better person?
He tightened his grip on his cup. “What do I do?”
The system reassured him, “Don’t worry, we’ll help you.”
Then it added, **“Don’t mention to Fu Xiuning that you knew each other as kids. It’s better if he figures it out himself—otherwise, he’ll suspect you of having ulterior motives.
And don’t tell Xingshi about Fu Xiuning either. You haven’t seen each other in years. He trusts Fu Xiuning more than he trusts you.
If you slip up and say something in front of Fu Xiuning, he might hurt Xingshi immediately.”**
Chai Xiaoyu immediately promised, “Got it. I won’t say anything.”
The system continued, “Stick to the plan. First, find a job in City Z. Establish a good relationship with Xingshi. Then, through him, slowly get closer to Fu Xiuning.”
Chai Xiaoyu asked, “He won’t hurt my Boss before then, right?”
The system sighed. “I can’t say for sure… That’s why you need to hurry, dear.”
Chai Xiaoyu took a deep breath. “…Okay.”
Fu Xiuning had listened to everything, his expression unreadable.
The meal went smoothly. During their conversation, Xingshi learned that Chai Xiaoyu was staying near Z University. After dinner, Fu Xiuning dropped him off.
As he got out of the car, Chai Xiaoyu looked at Xingshi one last time and waved. “Goodbye, Boss.”
Xingshi replied, “Enjoy your time in City Z. If anything comes up, just call me.”
Chai Xiaoyu smiled. “Okay.”
Xingshi watched him disappear into the hotel before turning back to the car.
When they got home, Xingshi changed his shoes and was about to go shower.
But before he could take two steps, a hand grabbed his wrist.
Startled, he turned and met Fu Xiuning’s gaze.
Fu Xiuning’s eyes were searching, his grip tightening slightly.
Xingshi’s heart sank.
He understood exactly what Fu Xiuning was thinking.
Because of him, his childhood playmates had gotten involved.
And this was only the beginning.
Some people would be lucky enough to survive.
Others would be replaced—absorbed by the main system—and die.
Fu Xiuning had long grown accustomed to this.
The classmates you once knew could turn into strangers overnight.
People you barely met once or twice could reappear one day—with ulterior motives.
Fu Xiuning had long grown accustomed to this.
He wasn’t worried about himself.
He was worried about Xingshi.
Afraid that he would be hurt.
Afraid that he would be sad.
Or worse… feel guilty.
Xingshi softly called out, “Brother.”
Fu Xiuning let out a quiet hmm.
Xingshi stepped forward and hugged him tightly.
Fu Xiuning’s gaze darkened for a brief moment before he reached up, pressed his hand against the back of Xingshi’s head, and held him close.
【Ding—】
[Current Favorability Value: 90]
【Ding—】
[Current Favorability Value: 91]
Suddenly, Xingshi pulled away, grabbed Fu Xiuning’s hand, and…
Started singing to him—affectionately.
Fu Xiuning: “…”
The three systems: “…”
The favorability notification did not sound again. It stopped at 91.
Fu Xiuning, completely thrown off, felt his train of thought derailed. His emotions, which had been on the verge of overflowing, were abruptly shut down.
Expressionless, he said, “Go take a shower.”
Xingshi smiled and hugged him again. “We’ll talk later.”
Fu Xiuning stood there, watching as Xingshi disappeared down the hallway before finally heading back to his bedroom.
99, staring at the favorability score, felt conflicted.
On one hand, this was getting dangerously high.
On the other…
It couldn’t stop itself from shipping the CP.
It clicked its tongue. “Tsk. If you hadn’t interrupted with that singing, who knows how much higher the score would’ve climbed? A male college student in emotional distress? That’s prime favorability boost material.”
Shangshangqian, though not optimistic, still evaluated things objectively. “The higher the favorability score, the harder it is to increase.”
The newcomer agreed. “Yeah. It gets harder to raise in the later stages, so it stopped increasing quickly this time.”
99 disagreed. **“Who says? You guys don’t get it. When male college students get emotional, they’re hard to control. They used to fight each other, and now they’re hugging each other.
“And what’s more—their rationality is still intact. That’s what makes it wild.
Half-brothers? Sure. But that just makes it more dramatic.”**
Meanwhile, under the shower, Xingshi stood with his eyes closed, letting the water wash over him.
As he processed his earlier emotions, he suddenly asked, “You all planning to rebel?”
99 immediately shut up.
The newcomer suddenly jumped in, acting all righteous. “This is OUTRAGEOUS! How can a system tease its own host like this?! Where’s your professional ethics? Do you even respect our Boss?! No wonder you’re from the hostile faction—you guys have absolutely no class!”
99: “???”
The Best Fortune: “…”
The newcomer sighed dramatically, looking heartbroken.
“Boss, there’s no order without rules! A system behaving like this… isn’t this worthy of a good ol’ energy stream beating?”
99: “!”
The Best Fortune: “…”
![Marrying the Male Lead’s Disabled Uncle [BL]](https://i1.wp.com/bestnoveltranslations.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Marrying-the-Male-Leads-Disabled-Uncle-BL.jpeg?resize=151,215 "Marrying the Male Lead’s Disabled Uncle [BL]")
