Time swiftly passed, and Ye Zhizhou reinforced the illusion formation for Wu Kaien several times after that. Unfortunately, the chances of them falling in love remained stuck at 30%, and there was no change. Xiao Rui had almost finished repairing the handkerchief, donated all the toys for charity, and even befriended Shi Jianwen under the pretext of watching cats. The boring days continued, with him sitting in front of the computer every day, keeping a close eye on the protagonist's movements and meticulously calculating the timeline.
Another half month passed, and Wu Kaien finally met his "aberration" partner. Xiao Rui had completely repaired the handkerchief, Wen Jia and her busy donation activities had come to an end, Shi Jianwen's studio had gotten on track, and just when Ye Zhizhou was about to lose his patience and take the initiative, there was finally some movement on the protagonist's side—he was going to Y province with Chang Yao!
He quickly packed his bags and gathered his materials. He kicked open the door and sat in Gu Yi's car, then turned to Wu Kaien, who was crying outside the car, and smiled, "Kaien, Professor Yin is such a high-quality man, you should cherish him."
"Master, you can't say that!" Wu Kaien clung to the car window, tears and snot streaming down his face. "He's not an aberration! He's clearly a demon who will ruin my life! And, and he even wants to do that thing on top! Even though he has a handsome face... No, no, Master, are you mistaken? My partner can't possibly be Yin Lie!"
Gu Yi began to roll up the car window, and Ye Zhizhou waved to Wu Kaien. "Good luck! Men all like little demons in bed. I wish you a successful transformation."
Just as Wu Kaien's hand was about to be caught in the closing window, he pulled it back in time. The car sped away, and he despaired, wiping his tears and sniffles. He pouted and wailed, "I don't want this! I... I want to find the next one in the photo! Sob, Master must be tricking me..."
"Find the next one?" A familiar, indifferent voice and a familiar sensation on the back of his neck.
Wu Kaien froze for a moment, then ran without looking back. "Ghost! Ahhh!"
After running a few steps, his collar was tugged, and he was pulled back. His body was forcibly turned, and then an expressionless, demonically handsome face appeared before his eyes. The man's cool fingers threatened his neck as they brushed against his skin.
"Have you written the paper I assigned you?"
Wu Kaien shivered uncontrollably. "N-No... Professor, what are you doing here?"
"Aren't you going to call me 'beauty'?" Yin Lie focused on the small patch of skin on his neck, seemingly studying the thickness of his blood vessels underneath the skin. "Why haven't you written the paper? Don't tell me you can't?"
Wu Kaien was on the verge of tears. The biggest regret of his life was impulsively going to school to see Yin Lie. It was all because of Master! He said his partner was an aberration, so he was attracted to anyone who looked a bit unusual. But, this Yin Lie might look like an aberration, but his personality was a combination of an iceberg and the King of Hell. He couldn't handle it, sobbing... He refused to believe that this person was his partner. He couldn't possibly fall in love with him and fight to the death... He didn't believe it!
"Why aren't you saying anything?" Yin Lie moved his hand from Wu Kaien's neck to his collarbone, then leaned in closer with a slight smile. "Do you want me to teach you to do your homework like last time, hmm?"
Last time... Tears welled up in Wu Kaien's eyes, and he hugged Yin Lie's leg. "Professor, please spare me. I won't play pranks on people anymore. I promise to be a good student, study seriously, and become a useful member of society..."
Yin Lie lowered his eyes to look at him and patted his head. "You can still play pranks."
Wu Kaien stopped crying, looked up at him, and said, "But only pranks on you."
Yin Lie took out a handkerchief and wiped away his tears and snot, then pulled him up. "Let's go, I'll teach you how to do your homework."
Wow, he was unexpectedly gentle?
Wu Kaien was overwhelmed and realized that Professor Yin was indeed very good-looking... If Professor Yin was willing to let him do "that" with him, he didn't mind if his future partner had a quirky personality...
The two of them walked to the car, and just as Wu Kaien's mind was filled with inappropriate thoughts, he asked, "Dear, are you sure that Xiao Rui and Wen Jia's fate is tied to each other?"
"Yes." Gu Yi retracted his hand, infected by Ye Zhizhou's tone, and his lips curled slightly. "But their path to love will have some ups and downs. Even without the soul flags and Qin Bai's interference, it will still take them three to five years to get together."
Three to five years were indeed too long. He thought for a moment and asked, "What if there's an external force pushing them together? Will it speed up their relationship, or will external influence damage their fate?"
"In this world, the influence of others won't work. All living beings are bound by fate. Disturbing one part will affect the whole." Gu Yi glanced at him and smiled. "But you can. You're not part of this world's karmic cycle."
He knew this well; external forces had their limits and privileges. He leaned back in his seat, munching on snacks, while his mind calculated and whirled. The unexpected relationship between Xiao Rui and Wen Jiahe was one of the most surprising and, after some thought, the most reasonable thing. In the original storyline, Xiao Rui and Wen Jiahe had always had a good relationship. If it weren't for the appearance of the protagonist and the debt of gratitude that came with it, Xiao Rui and Wen Jiahe might have really ended up together. Xiao Rui, this straight guy, was not so much turned by the protagonist as he was turned by Wen Jiahe, and then the protagonist took advantage of the situation due to the influence of the soul flag.
Suddenly, he felt a bit sorry for the original storyline's Wen Jiahe. He had diligently guarded a precious cabbage, and just as the cabbage was about to ripen, someone else plucked it, and the one who plucked it even owed him a debt of gratitude. So, Wen Jiahe's slowly developing "affection" for the protagonist in the original storyline was actually a way of letting go of his own hopeless feelings... The protagonist was better than he had imagined, worthy of Xiao Rui's affection, so he was prepared to give his blessing... and then the protagonist created a harem, and Xiao Rui, like an idiot, got together with the protagonist, so Wen Jiahe stayed behind?
... What is this? The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed. Xiao Rui didn't seem like someone who would share his lover with others, and as for Shi Jianwen... Seeing how Xiao Rui was treated by the protagonist without any real feelings, wouldn't Wen Jiahe want to win his loved one back? He even got together with the protagonist; had he lost his mind?
After arriving at the airport, Gu Yi parked the car, took the snack bag from Ye Zhizhou, helped him unfasten his seatbelt, and then expertly carried him out of the car, leading him towards the airport lobby.
"You guys are really slow," Xiao Rui, yawning, staggered over, and his body slumped against Wen Jiahe's. "Ye Zhizhou, why did you invite me and Jiahe to Y Province? I still need to prepare for the exhibition."
Wen Jiahe, with a hint of helplessness, supported him. "I told you to sleep early last night, but you didn't listen. With your body all messed up like this, it won't hold up for long."
"Isn't it because I thought I could catch up on sleep on the plane?" Xiao Rui buried his face in Wen Jiahe's shoulder and rubbed it, as if he was about to fall asleep. "Jiahe, why do you smell so nice? What kind of shower gel are you using?"
"What kind of shower gel smells nice on a grown man? Shut up." Wen Jiahe's ears turned red secretly, but his face showed no sign of trouble.
Ye Zhizhou finally snapped out of his trance, glaring at Wen Jiahe. With their relationship reaching this point, they hadn't confessed yet, and they were still pretending to be peaceful! Xiao Rui's sticky behavior clearly showed that he had developed feelings, but he was oblivious. It was a classic case of the people involved not seeing clearly. Either one of them could have spoken up to resolve this situation!
Wen Jiahe, feeling puzzled by Ye Zhizhou's glare, asked with concern, "Ye Zhizhou, what's wrong? Is your eye twitching?"
"..." I'm tangled up with you guys!
Xiao Rui rubbed against Wen Jiahe's shoulder again and closed his eyes completely. "When does the plane take off? I'm so tired."
"It'll take off soon." Wen Jiahe changed to holding him and sighed in resignation. There was a hint of indulgence in his eyes.
Ye Zhizhou rolled his eyes, handed them their boarding passes, and said, "This gemstone gambling event in Y Province will be exciting. I'll take you to broaden your horizons. Oh, by the way, someone else will be coming too, but he has something to attend to and will be on a later flight than us."
Wen Jiahe took the boarding passes and asked in confusion, "Someone else? Who? Another jewelry expert?"
"No, it's Shi Jianwen, the young master of the Shi family. He's been bored lately, so I invited him as well. I hope you don't mind having more people joining us." Having all the main characters together would make completing the mission easier, and Ye Zhizhou had certainly not spared any effort to please the young master of the Shi family.
Wen Jiahe shook his head to indicate that he didn't mind, then politely declined Ye Zhizhou's suggestion to wake up Xiao Rui. Instead, he struggled to find a seat for Xiao Rui in the airport lobby, where they waited for security checks and boarding.
Once on the plane, Xiao Rui indeed fell asleep. Ye Zhizhou discreetly cast a small dream formation on his seat, anticipating some entertainment.
Halfway through the flight, the sleeping Xiao Rui suddenly shifted uneasily and mumbled Wen Jiahe's name. Wen Jiahe, who had been reading a book, turned to look at him but found that his eyes were still closed, and he had not woken up.
"Talking in his sleep?" Wen Jiahe put down his book, moved closer, and gently pulled the blanket over him. A slight smile appeared on his face involuntarily. "What is he dreaming about, calling my name like that..."
Ye Zhizhou used the cover of a magazine to discreetly pull the control thread of the illusion formation, his eyes shining with excitement.
"Jiahe..." Xiao Rui muttered in his sleep once again, then suddenly reached out and hugged Wen Jiahe, tilting his head and kissing him.
Wen Jiahe's eyes widened, and Ye Zhizhou almost cheered in his excitement. The dream formation could trigger the deepest desires hidden in a person's heart and turn them into actions. The dream formation Ye Zhizhou had set for Xiao Rui was a kind of sub-formation that only stimulated the hidden feelings in his heart. Ye Zhizhou wasn't sure what Xiao Rui had dreamed about, but he was surprised to see Xiao Rui becoming increasingly passionate as he kissed Wen Jiahe, and his hands were even trying to slip under Wen Jiahe's shirt.
Gu Yi, with a stern expression, turned Xiao Rui's head back and said coldly, "They look good? Mind the occasion."
"I have a sense of propriety." Ye Zhizhou pushed his face away, then sneakily glanced at Wen Jiahe's actions, which had gone from struggling to submission. He reluctantly broke the formation and used Teleportation to remove the disposable dream formation hanging on Xiao Rui's chair.
Xiao Rui, still groggy, opened his eyes and couldn't help but tighten his arms around the person in his embrace. His lips were carefully nibbled, and he regained his senses. Shockingly, he found himself in an embrace with Wen Jiahe, their lips connected, and his hand had already pulled Wen Jiahe's shirt out.
Noticing his pause, Wen Jiahe opened his eyes in confusion. Then, upon making eye contact with Xiao Rui's astonished gaze, he instantly regained his composure. He quickly pushed Xiao Rui away, sat down properly, and nervously adjusted his clothes. He cleared his throat and said, "You, you were talking in your sleep... We, we..."
Xiao Rui looked around and, seeing that no one had noticed them, breathed a sigh of relief. But when he saw Wen Jiahe's bright red ears and his cautious gaze, he felt a bit baffled. "Jiahe, you..."
"It's all a misunderstanding!" Wen Jiahe hastily interrupted him, his eyes showing a hint of sadness. "I know you're straight, you were just having a dream, and then... It's my fault, I shouldn't have... I'm sorry."
The scenes from the dream were still vivid in Xiao Rui's mind. He looked at Wen Jiahe's soft facial features and slightly lowered eyelashes, and he inexplicably felt a twinge of heartache. Acting on impulse, he pulled Wen Jiahe back into his embrace, soothingly stroking his back. "It's not your fault. I know it's my issue... Since it's like this, let's give it a try."
Wen Jiahe was stunned, then reached out and firmly grabbed Xiao Rui's shirt. His voice trembled with excitement as he asked, "Xiao Rui, are you saying...?"
"Even in my dreams, it's you... I think I'm not so straight anymore." Xiao Rui didn't understand why he had bent so easily, but just thinking about how flustered Wen Jiahe had been apologizing for a mere kiss made him feel uncomfortable. His heart was filled with the idea that if this person wanted it, he was willing to give everything.
Wen Jiahe still couldn't believe it entirely, instinctively saying, "Xiao Rui, think it through. You're not..."
"Then let's confirm it again."
"What?"
Xiao Rui released him, cupped Wen Jiahe's face, and kissed him once more. "Let's confirm if your kiss can make me feel something."
[Wen Jiahe and the protagonist's likelihood of falling in love has dropped to 0%. Fourth soul flag removed. Congratulations, host. Please continue to work hard.]
[Xiao Rui and the protagonist's likelihood of falling in love has dropped to 0%. Fourth soul flag removed. Congratulations, host. Please continue to work hard.]
It's done!
Ye Zhizhou excitedly clenched his fists. Three soul flags at once, he was really amazing!
"Had enough?" came a chilly voice.
He hurriedly calmed down and turned his head to bury himself in his lover's arms, closing his eyes. "Ah, I'm so tired, I'm going to sleep." He pretended to snore.
Gu Yi looked down at his fluffy head, unable to bring himself to get angry. He held him, covered him with a blanket, and lightly patted his back while muttering, "Don't try to deceive me like this next time. You're always so restless."
The snoring gradually subsided, and Ye Zhizhou actually fell asleep.
This person... Gu Yi pinched his ear, feeling too annoyed to scold him, and just bit him lightly. Wasn't this a demon who slept like a pig instead of a dog? He fell asleep so quickly.