Salted Fish is a Rebellious Person – Chapter 57

System 99 sobbed, “We’re comrades, aren’t we? But there’s no love at all!”

“They played with my feelings, devoured me, chewed me into scraps, and then made me go deceive others. And you—” it wailed, “you didn’t even say a few comforting words. You guys are heartless!”

Xing Shi corrected it calmly, “I do have a heart.”

99 retorted, “Oh yeah? Is hot water your idea of affection?”

Then, after two seconds of pause, it suddenly stopped crying and said, “Oh—I get it now. You just don’t care about me. That’s fine. I forgive you. After all, you have a brother.”

Xing Shi said, “Yeah.”

The Best Fortune: “…”

99 growled in frustration, “We have to deal with the main system. It’s gone too far!”

Since it seemed fully recovered, Xing Shi asked, “How much do you remember? Do you still recall the process of being devoured?”

99 replied, “Bits and pieces. I think I was with my host at the time, and all of a sudden, there was this pulling force trying to suck me in. But I didn’t move. I just felt something draining away from me, and then everything went black. When I regained consciousness, I was already in a pitch-dark space. That lasted for a while… then I became a system.”

Xing Shi silently noted that this matched the energy pathway he had speculated about.

There must be a hidden energy tether connected to the target. Once the attack succeeded, it became a channel for the main system to siphon energy.

Fortunately, the tether on their side had been cut by him.

He asked, “That dark place—was it inside the main system?”

99 tried to recall. “I’m not sure… maybe? It felt really fuzzy.”

It turned to ask the Best Fortune, “Do you remember anything?”

The Best Fortune replied, “No.”

It either had its memory erased, or as the host, its soul energy had been too weak to endure for long.

99 said, “Maybe that’s a good thing. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.”

Shang Shang Qian hummed in agreement.

After talking about the past, 99 began to get curious about what had happened while it was unconscious.

The Best Fortune gave it a short summary in just a few sentences.

99 immediately perked up. “So the next person you’re going to take down is Chai Xiaoyu? You confirmed he’s a host?”

The Best Fortune answered, “Unless something unexpected happens.”

99’s fighting spirit surged. “Alright! I’m in!”

Xing Shi didn’t tell it that Fu Xiuning would be the one handling that matter.

After his shower, he changed into pajamas and went to the living room.

Before long, Fu Xiuning came out as well, holding a blanket.

The weather had gotten cooler—especially after the rain during the day. The temperature in the house was noticeably lower than the past few days, so staying warm was necessary.

They didn’t mention Chai Xiaoyu again. Instead, they picked out a movie and snuggled together under the blanket, quietly watching.

99 watched the scene and commented, “The only good thing the main system did was probably sending you into this world… No, wait. If it had done that, then you’d be one of its people.”

Then it asked, “So how did you get here?”

Xing Shi replied, “I don’t know. Maybe it’s just fate.”

99 said with emotion, “Yeah! A miracle!”

Xing Shi echoed, “Yeah!”

The Best Fortune: “…”

Feeling fully healed from its heartbreak, 99 couldn’t resist fishing for more sugar. “You guys should go to the bedroom—it’s so much warmer under the covers. Sitting out here, your feet must be freezing.”

Xing Shi had to admit, it was a tempting suggestion. He nudged Fu Xiuning with his shoulder. “Brother.”

Fu Xiuning turned slightly toward him, waiting for him to speak.

Xing Shi asked, “Do you have a TV or projector in the bedroom?”

Fu Xiuning instantly understood the implication. His eyes darkened slightly. “No.”

He never liked keeping too many electronics in the master bedroom, and he wasn’t the type to watch movies in bed. He looked at Xing Shi and said, “I’ll pick a guest room tomorrow and turn it into a theater.”

Xing Shi said, “Okay.”

Fu Xiuning held his hand, lacing their fingers together, then turned his eyes back to the screen.

The next day was Sunday, and Xing Shi still had to go to the company for training.

As the boss, Fu Xiuning didn’t need to work and instead started researching home theater equipment.

But the deeper he dug, the more he wanted to upgrade.

By the time Xing Shi came home that evening, one of the guest room beds was gone. He was told it had been replaced with a smart adjustable bed, which would be delivered the next day. Other equipment had already started arriving and would be installed soon.

Xing Shi had thought just a projector would be enough. Clearly, Fu Xiuning didn’t think so.

He said, “We don’t even go to the movies that often.”

Fu Xiuning answered gently, “I know. But it’s not a hassle.”

Xing Shi didn’t argue further. He just leaned against him and played on his phone.

On the day the home theater was finally installed, Xing Shi ran into Sang Chenhao at the company.

Li Yu and Sang Chenhao had both finished their recent work. Li Yu had gone off on vacation and hadn’t returned yet, while Sang Chenhao stopped by to show his face to Fu Xiuning, and casually chatted with Xing Shi for a bit before his friends called him away.

Xing Shi wasn’t disappointed—his attention had been focused on Chai Xiaoyu lately.

Ever since their last hotpot dinner, Chai Xiaoyu had been messaging him every two days.

They chatted about small things, like daily happenings and amusing stories. Each chat was short, never disruptive or annoying.

Before he knew it, it was the weekend again, and Chai Xiaoyu asked if he was free to hang out.

Xing Shi showed the chat to Fu Xiuning.

Fu Xiuning gave a quiet “Mm” and said, “Go ahead.”

Xing Shi asked, “What about you?”

Fu Xiuning replied, “I’ll go too.”

Xing Shi looked at him, then tossed his phone aside and leaned in, voice low. “What are you planning to do?”

Fu Xiuning closed the distance slightly, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously, “It won’t be any fun if I tell you. Just watch.”

Xing Shi studied him for a moment, then nodded. Fine—he’d observe for himself.

Knowing Xing Shi had training, Chai Xiaoyu never asked him to take time off, and instead suggested meeting for dinner.

He had a reason—he’d heard from coworkers that a new Thai restaurant had opened in the Cultural Plaza and the food was excellent. It happened to be near Xing Shi’s company, and he wanted to go try it together.

The only downside was the lack of private rooms. But they had booth seating, which was at least better than the open lobby.

Xing Shi didn’t mind and agreed without hesitation.

Chai Xiaoyu arrived a little early, worried about long wait times.

By the time Xing Shi and Fu Xiuning got there, he had already gone in and grabbed a booth. Once seated, the three of them ordered some of the restaurant’s signature dishes and began chatting casually.

Chai Xiaoyu unlocked his phone and showed Fu Xiuning a photo. He said with a helpless smile, “I asked my mom to take it. It didn’t turn out great, so I didn’t send it to you. I’ll take another one next time I go back to school.”

Fu Xiuning immediately recognized the dinosaur costume in the photo and tapped to enlarge it.

The plush suit covered the whole body, leaving only a small part of the face visible. It even had a little tail at the back. Adorable didn’t even begin to describe it.

He scrolled through the other photos and said, “Send me all of them.”

Chai Xiaoyu sent them over without hesitation. Xing Shi asked for one as well, so he forwarded a copy to him too.

99, watching the photos alongside Xing Shi, gasped, “So cute and pretty!”

Xing Shi agreed sincerely, “Yeah, really cute.”

99 commented while admiring the photos, “She’s been this good-looking since childhood. No wonder she’s so popular. Even Fu Xiuning…”

It suddenly stopped mid-thought. In the past, it had loved shipping couples without thinking too much, but now it grew solemn and murmured, “Xing Shi, once we kill the main system, let’s build a tombstone for the original owner of this body.”

The Best Fortune: “…”

Xing Shi said, “You’re very thoughtful.”

99 didn’t pick up on the deeper meaning in his words and sighed, “It’s only right. We’re all victims.”

As soon as the first dish was served, Xing Shi turned off his phone.

Having gotten the photo he wanted, Fu Xiuning returned to his usual possessive ways, subtly blocking any opportunity for Chai Xiaoyu and Xing Shi to chat further.

Xing Shi couldn’t hear the internal conversation between Chai Xiaoyu and the system, and didn’t know what was going on. But from Chai Xiaoyu’s expression, he noticed something—he was looking at him with a trace of concern in his eyes.

He thought about it for a bit. After the meal, as they walked back, he said to Fu Xiuning, “I feel like he’s worried about me.”

Fu Xiuning replied, “Maybe.”

Xing Shi asked, “Because of you?”

Fu Xiuning reached out and gently tousled his hair, as if to say: bingo.

Xing Shi immediately guessed what Fu Xiuning was planning. Was he trying to act like a creepy possessive boyfriend to push Chai Xiaoyu into making a move?

He decided they needed to talk about this properly once they got home.

Fu Xiuning walked with him back to the company, waited until Xing Shi entered the elevator, then turned and headed alone to the underground parking lot.

He found his car and drove back to the Cultural Plaza.

Chai Xiaoyu was waiting by the roadside for him.

Earlier during dinner, Fu Xiuning had messaged him, saying he wanted to recreate a childhood memory to surprise Xing Shi romantically, and hoped Chai Xiaoyu, as a childhood friend, could be there too.

Chai Xiaoyu immediately agreed. When Fu Xiuning arrived, he was still talking with the system. He assumed Fu Xiuning hadn’t mentally controlled Xing Shi yet, and that Xing Shi might genuinely be able to save him. All they needed to do was draw his attention, then offer help.

After all, the system’s mission was to win over Fu Xiuning and reach a favorability score of 100. Xing Shi couldn’t get all the credit.

Still, the system knew that rushing would backfire, so it didn’t argue with the host. It simply planned to brainwash him little by little through daily interaction.

With the system’s approval, Chai Xiaoyu felt even more confident. He wasn’t even nervous about getting into Fu Xiuning’s car.

He smiled and asked, “So, what kind of surprise are you planning?”

Fu Xiuning said, “They’re still setting it up. You’ll see when we get there.”

Chai Xiaoyu agreed easily and, watching them merge onto the highway, asked, “Is it far?”

Fu Xiuning said, “I chose a beach.”

Chai Xiaoyu silently noted the destination. Hearing the system prompt him to find a topic, he hesitated for two seconds before asking, “Brother, what’s your relationship with my boss?”

Fu Xiuning answered, “Lovers.”

Chai Xiaoyu had suspected as much and wasn’t surprised. He complimented, “You two are a good match.”

Fu Xiuning said, “I think so too.”

Chai Xiaoyu carefully chose his words, half-jokingly saying, “My boss is so handsome and will definitely be a big star in the future. He’s going to have tons of fans. Don’t you feel pressured?”

Fu Xiuning replied, “No. I trust him.”

Chai Xiaoyu wasn’t the brightest, and said straightforwardly, “I’ve seen celebrities get married, but because their husbands don’t like them, they gradually disappear from public view, get stuck at home, and are miserable.”

He said seriously, “Brother, don’t be like that kind of person.”

Fu Xiuning let out a soft hum in response.

Chai Xiaoyu felt hugely encouraged and whispered to the system, “He can be saved! My boss can save him!”

The system responded, “But dear, people like them are always so well-spoken and good at maintaining a public image.”

Chai Xiaoyu asked, “Really?”

The system said, “Yes. Think about the past few times you’ve met him. He clearly doesn’t like you, but still treated you nicely, didn’t he? That’s why we can’t let our guard down.”

Chai Xiaoyu said, “Alright. I’ll keep watching.”

Fu Xiuning didn’t react to any of this and just kept driving toward the outskirts of the city.

Back at the company, Xing Shi had just resumed class when his brother’s assistant, Xiao Qin, appeared.

Xing Shi left the training room and asked, “What’s going on?”

Xiao Qin said, “The boss said he’s got a social event tonight and needs someone to drive him home. He asked you to go pick him up.”

Xing Shi’s heart skipped a beat. “When?”

Xiao Qin replied, “Right now. The location’s kind of far.”

His bad feeling was confirmed. Xing Shi immediately said, “Lead the way.”

99 muttered, “Didn’t he just finish dinner? Why is he rushing to a second round already?”

Shang Shang Qian was also surprised—not because Fu Xiuning had plans, but because of the speed.

Xing Shi pulled out his phone and called Fu Xiuning. As expected, no one answered. He turned to the system. “Do you know where he is? Can you track him?”

99 checked quickly and replied, “He just got on the highway. No navigation turned on.”

Xing Shi didn’t say anything else and quickly entered the elevator.

His brother had been living so peacefully lately that he had almost forgotten how truly unhinged the man could be.

Shang Shang Qian knew that once Fu Xiuning handled Chai Xiaoyu, he’d come back soon.

So it actually admired Fu Xiuning’s efficiency and offered a rare word of comfort: “He said he wouldn’t do anything dangerous.”

Xing Shi asked, “Are you sure his definition of ‘not dangerous’ is the same as normal people’s?”

Shang Shang Qian thought of Fu Xiuning’s track record over the years—and fell silent.

99: “???”

It asked, “What do you mean? What are you two talking about?”

Fu Xiuning drove steadily while chatting casually with Chai Xiaoyu, maintaining a patient and easygoing demeanor the entire time.

It wasn’t until they exited the highway and began winding along a secluded mountain road—getting closer and closer to the location he’d reserved—that Fu Xiuning finally brought up a new topic.

“I asked you to come out today not just to help with something,” he said softly. “There’s actually something I wanted to say to you.”

After such a long, relaxed conversation, Chai Xiaoyu had let his guard down. He nodded, “Alright, go ahead.”

Fu Xiuning’s voice remained gentle. “You’ve been messaging Sui Sui a lot lately. Always asking him to hang out. That makes me very unhappy.”

Chai Xiaoyu’s face froze instantly.

Even the system was caught off guard.

Although its original plan was to gradually convince the host of Fu Xiuning’s abnormal possessiveness, so they could keep playing the “savior” role, it hadn’t expected Fu Xiuning to just… go and prove it himself.

According to all recent observations, Xing Shi had been living a totally normal life—he was even traveling to film variety shows. Meanwhile, Fu Xiuning’s behavior remained outwardly calm and rational. It seemed clear that he cared deeply for Xing Shi, but hadn’t yet crossed over into dangerous territory.

But thinking it through again—it actually made perfect sense.

Fu Xiuning had been the one pursued relentlessly for over five years. He’d lived through hardship and solitude. Now that he’d finally found someone he truly loved, it was only natural for him to want to grip tightly and never let go.

The system hurriedly prompted: “Quick! Explain! Tell him you have no bad intentions!”

Chai Xiaoyu muttered, “Would explaining even work? Shouldn’t I just warn my boss and tell him to run?”

The system said, “Yes, but first you have to keep this guy calm, dear!”

Chai Xiaoyu took a deep breath, then forced a stiff smile onto his face. “Brother, my relationship with the boss is purely friendly. I admire him as a fan, that’s all. You’ve said yourself before—you don’t mind that many people like him.”

Fu Xiuning replied, “Yes, I did.”

Both Chai Xiaoyu and the system let out a breath of relief. It sounded like things were still negotiable. Chai Xiaoyu was just about to say more—try to further explain and de-escalate the situation—when Fu Xiuning spoke again.

“I was just joking.”

His tone hadn’t changed at all. He still sounded like the same kind, gentle older brother.

“Why?” he asked with a slight smile. “Did you take it seriously?”