The Male Stand-in Just Wants to Make Money – Chapter 03

Chen Bai finally unlocked the door for his quiet neighbor.

He followed the standard procedure—confirming the house’s ownership, checking records, and unlocking the door. His process was smooth, professional, and efficient.

“Click—”

The quiet sound of the lock turning echoed in the still corridor, and the tightly shut door opened.

Chen Bai stood up, casually dusted off his hands, and said, “That’ll be fifty.”

As he brought up the payment code on his phone, he added with a grin, “It should be a bit more expensive, but since you’re my neighbor and you’re handsome, I’ll give you a discount.”

The handsome man silently pulled out his phone and paid.

After receiving his fee, Chen Bai glanced down at his phone, then looked up with a bright smile. Without hesitation, he packed up his tools and returned to his apartment. Before closing the door, he waved and said cheerfully, “Goodbye, and have a good dream.”

So, it turned out, this guy was actually a serious locksmith.

Xu Sinian, still holding his phone from the payment, stood in the hallway, watching the door close in front of him. The man who had just left seemed to be in a hurry—his footsteps could still be heard, quickly fading away.

After a moment’s pause, Xu Sinian put his phone away and stepped into his now-open apartment.

Meanwhile, Chen Bai was rushing back to his livestream.

The unexpected door-unlocking job had delayed him slightly. By the time he returned to his computer, it was close to his usual broadcast time. He adjusted the equipment quickly and started the stream right on schedule.

By now, Chen Bai had developed a small but loyal audience. More and more viewers showed up as soon as the stream began, and many of them had familiar IDs.

[Good timing, Erbai!]
[Daily Question: Did Erbai lose today?]
[He didn’t lose yesterday, ugh. Here we go again!]
[Bai, your camera looks a little crooked.]

“You’re all just waiting to roast me, huh?” Chen Bai said with a laugh as he glanced at the barrage of comments. He adjusted the camera while chatting with his viewers, waiting for the game to load.

The small window in the upper left corner of the screen shook twice, then began to spin, causing dizziness for anyone watching.

[Stop shaking the camera, master! My head hurts!]
[It’s painful to see myself get demoted, but it’s even worse to see Chen Erbai get promoted.]
[The world is spinning… but it’s the digital version!]

The game interface loaded on the screen. Chen Bai sped up his adjustments and said, “Hang in there, everyone. Almost done.”

The camera suddenly tilted in a wide arc, rising dramatically along his neck and stopping just before his chin came into view. Then it returned to its usual angle.

[What the heck! So close!]
[I’m curious what Erbai looks like. Why won’t he show his face?]
[This guy has perfect timing when it comes to avoiding the camera.]

Finally satisfied with the camera angle, Chen Bai withdrew his hand, glanced at the comments, and said with a smile, “I don’t look special. Just the same nose and two eyes as everyone else. Nothing worth showing.”

He opened the game and asked, “Which map should we play today?”

The topic of his face was easily brushed aside.

To make up for the time he’d lost earlier, Chen Bai extended his broadcast by half an hour. After signing off, he washed up and collapsed into bed, closing his eyes with a sense of peace.

It was late at night when he went to sleep, and the next morning, the alarm rang sharply. A hand shot out from under the quilt, blindly fumbling for the phone until the alarm was silenced. The room fell quiet again, and the figure on the bed remained motionless.

It wasn’t until sunlight streamed through the window, shining directly on his eyelids, that the “corpse” on the bed finally stirred.

“…”

Chen Bai’s half-asleep brain vaguely registered something important. Suddenly, he sat up in shock, searching frantically for the phone he had tossed aside earlier.

The phone was already off.

Muttering a curse under his breath, Chen Bai stumbled out of bed and into the bathroom, his hair a chaotic mess.

Today was the start of a new month—January—and the day the supporting character had originally scheduled to meet Huo Chuan.

Chen Bai had seen the memo on his phone and even set an alarm to make sure he didn’t oversleep.

The alarm didn’t help.

It had gone off at 8:30 AM. He got out of bed at nearly 10:00 AM. The meeting was scheduled for lunch, and he needed to arrive before 11:30 AM.

The restaurant was over an hour away by subway. Taking a taxi would be faster, but Chen Bai was determined to save every penny and opted for public transport.

Still half-asleep, his body moved on autopilot. By the time he emerged from the bathroom, his brain had finally caught up. He quickly changed into something more appropriate.

Although he didn’t know much about Huo Chuan or his Bai Yueguang, Chen Bai could guess that someone from a noble, wealthy background wouldn’t appreciate a short-sleeved shirt paired with a bargain-bin jacket.

He dug deep into the closet and found a crisp shirt hanging on a hanger. After some effort, he located a beige wool cardigan and threw it on. Grabbing his keys, he rushed out the door.

In his haste, Chen Bai didn’t forget breakfast. He stopped by the breakfast shop downstairs, but it was already past breakfast hours, and most of the food was gone. The shop owner kindly sold him a leek pie she had saved for herself.

Objectively speaking, leek pies were delicious.

Subjectively speaking, Chen Bai’s brain, now fully awake, suddenly remembered that Bai Yueguang types would never eat something like a leek pie.

No one eats leek pies before meeting someone important.

“…”

He sighed deeply, realizing that this job, which hadn’t even started yet, was already doomed.

Still, Chen Bai bravely continued chewing his pie. Unfortunately, he bit his tongue while walking and eating at the same time.

The restaurant was located in the city center, on the top floor of a landmark building. By the time Chen Bai arrived via subway, he was just barely on time for the appointment.

Luckily, Mr. Huo was busy and hadn’t arrived yet. A staff member escorted Chen Bai to his seat. Ignoring the menu, he turned to look out the window.

The restaurant’s seating offered a spectacular view. From this height, he could see the city’s sprawling skyline, the river that cut through the high-rise buildings, and the steady flow of cars on the bridge spanning the water. Below the bridge, ferries glided slowly across the sparkling surface of the river.

For a moment, it felt peaceful.

Then, two cars collided on the bridge, shattering the tranquility.

The drivers got out to argue. Within a minute, they were fighting. Chen Bai was about to look away when something froze his gaze. His body leaned forward slightly, and his eyes locked on something—or someone—below.

Huo Chuan arrived later than expected.

Something urgent had delayed him, but when he finally made it to the restaurant, the manager was already waiting to escort him to his table.

“This way, Mr. Huo,” the manager said, leading him to where his guest was seated. As they walked, the manager stole a few glances at the man beside him.

Huo Chuan was tall, with a blank expression that gave nothing away. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, and his trousers, which fit immaculately, seemed to flow with his every step, exuding an aura of authority and intimidation.

Huo Chuan wasn’t just the head of a prominent family—he was a figure who frequently appeared on financial news channels. The manager had heard whispers about him from other customers. He was known for being clean, disciplined, and rarely involved in gossip.

When they arrived at the table, Huo Chuan’s gaze finally shifted. His normally expressionless face showed a subtle change as he looked toward the figure by the window.

Outside, the endless blue sky stretched on, but the person sitting by the window drew more attention. A thin figure, dressed in a crisp white shirt, sat propping his face against his hand, gazing out the window. His overly long eyelashes cast faint shadows around his light gray eyes, which were lowered in thought.

As if sensing movement, the figure turned his head. His light gray pupils, sharp and cold like ice needles, seemed to pierce straight into one’s heart.

Huo Chuan approached, step by step, until he stood beside the table. He reached out slightly, his fingertips about to brush against the other man’s slightly messy hair.

But just as his hand was about to make contact, Chen Bai subtly turned his head, avoiding the touch altogether.

For a moment, the atmosphere froze.

The manager, who had been standing nearby, found himself at a loss for how to react. He remained quiet, his ears perked up in curiosity.

Huo Chuan withdrew his hand and said softly, “Sorry.”

Chen Bai, as calm as ever, replied, “It’s fine.”

The manager couldn’t help but take another look at Chen Bai.

As expected, anyone who can have a private meal with Mr. Huo must have nerves of steel.

In truth, Chen Bai wasn’t as calm as he appeared.

It wasn’t that he was naturally composed—it was more that he had already anticipated how things would play out. When you expect the worst, nothing comes as a surprise.

From the moment he dodged Huo Chuan’s hand, Chen Bai knew his job as a stand-in was already nearing its end.

Thankfully, Huo Chuan didn’t fire him on the spot. Instead, he sat down across from him and asked, “Have you been waiting long?”

Chen Bai kept his response short. “Just arrived.”

As he spoke, the faint sting of his bitten tongue reminded him of the leek pie he had wolfed down earlier. Each word sent a small jolt of pain through him.

This job really isn’t going to work out, Chen Bai thought. Between losing the job with less pain or enduring more pain and still losing the job, he decisively chose the former.

It had already been a wasted trip. The only regret he had was missing the conclusion of the drama on the bridge. When he looked back out the window, the ambulance was already gone.

I wonder which driver won the fight.

Huo Chuan, surprisingly, didn’t seem bothered by Chen Bai’s lack of words. Instead, he asked, “What would you like to eat?”

Still tasting the lingering flavor of the leek pie and seeking some comfort for his sore tongue, Chen Bai—a lover of spicy food—ordered a light dish instead.

For someone like him, “light” was equivalent to “tasteless.” Yet, out of respect for the food, he forced himself to finish the bland meat and soup while making polite small talk with Huo Chuan.

When the conversation naturally came to an end, Chen Bai excused himself to go to the restroom.

On his way to the restroom, he noticed a piano placed in an empty corner of the restaurant. On his way back, however, two people were now standing near the piano.

One of them was the manager, who looked visibly upset. His frown deepened as he said, “…So, about the accident on the bridge earlier—you’re saying the pianist got into a car accident and can’t come to play?”

Chen Bai paused, his curiosity piqued.

The other person replied, “Not exactly. Mr. Zhang wasn’t driving. He was just passing by and got so caught up watching the commotion that he tripped, fell, and hit his hand on the railing. He was taken away by ambulance. Looks like he broke a bone.”

The manager was speechless.

Chen Bai: “…”

So, that’s the person who got taken away by the ambulance.

Without lingering, Chen Bai continued back to his seat.

When he returned, Huo Chuan had just finished a phone call. Chen Bai caught the words “talk to me later” before the call ended.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was happening. The busy boss was about to end their meeting early.

Well, that’s it. My first and last stand-in gig is over.

Sure enough, after Chen Bai sat down, Huo Chuan looked at him and said, “That was a work call. Something urgent has come up.”

Chen Bai nodded, waiting for the inevitable goodbye.

But then, Huo Chuan added, “It won’t be like this next time we meet.”

“Got it,” Chen Bai replied automatically.

Only after a beat did he realize something was off. “…Huh?”

Next time? There’s a next time?!

Huo Chuan stood, his gaze briefly lingering on Chen Bai’s slightly stunned expression. His previously gentle demeanor vanished, replaced by his usual cold, unreadable face. Without another word, he turned and left.

This man changes his expression faster than flipping a page, Chen Bai thought.

Huo Chuan left, but Chen Bai stayed.

Between seeing the boss off and finishing the dessert that had just been served, he chose the latter. The meal had been bland, but the dessert was free—and Chen Bai wasn’t one to waste food.

After taking the last bite of his dessert, he remembered something. When the manager passed by, Chen Bai called out to him.

The manager turned, his expression serious. Judging by Chen Bai’s face, he seemed to think there was a complaint about the food.

“Excuse me,” Chen Bai said earnestly, “is the restaurant short of someone who can play the piano?”