Chapter 70 - My Patron is Really Cool
Translated by Eve
Edited by Kara
Chapters in this arc: 14
1. My Patron is Really Cool
【Ding, transfer to the new world complete. Memory transfer in progress.... 】
Xie He’s identity in this world was a really famous celebrity named Si Minghui. He had both a handsome face and strength. Right now, he was extremely popular—the new male god of the populace. However, what very few people knew was that their aloof male god, Si Minghui, wasn’t only gay but also had always been kept by a financial backer. Actually, his situation was not at all as glamorous as the public thought. In order to talk about the specifics, first, we would have to go back to eight years ago.
Eight years ago, he wasn’t called Si Minghui. His name was Liu Ming. Liu Ming was brought up in a single-parent family. Mother Liu raised him all on her own. However, Mother Liu had been diagnosed with cancer when Liu Ming was in high school. For the sake of paying for his mother’s treatment, the outstanding student, Liu Ming, dropped out of school and began working. Not long after, he was scouted because of his good looks. Since he had needed the money, the young and naive Liu Ming was swayed into signing a contract with a company, selling himself into practically slavery. He originally thought that he would make a lot as a star, but later on, he realized that someone like him, who had no backing, would not be able to stick out in this ruthless, vicious, and greedy entertainment industry. He hadn’t earned any money and ended up experiencing many instances of the unspoken rules of the industry.
In the beginning, he had refused to submit. However, faced with Mother Liu’s hospital fees and his experiences of only being able to make progress with great difficulty, he had no choice but to surrender to reality in the end.
The first time he had agreed to take on a customer, the customer’s friend, Yi Ze, took a fancy to him. From then on, he stayed with Yi Ze, albeit they were not in any official relationship. Yi Ze only saw him as a play thing with a pretty face to relieve his boredom. Only, because Liu Ming was always well-behaved and sensible, never caused a fuss, and had a very good sense of self-awareness, this sugar daddy-sugar baby relationship unwittingly continued for eight years.
Although Yi Ze didn’t take Liu Ming seriously, he was generous with the people by his side. He was willing to be his backing, and when his mood was good, he would do something for him in support. Because of Yi Ze’s care, Liu Ming was immediately valued by his company. After changing his name to Si Minghui, he very quickly received several good TV scripts, and his reputation had soared.
Si Minghui knew that he couldn’t really rely on Yi Ze. Therefore, he was extremely hardworking. He was willing to endure any hardship and even found the time to study on his own. Although he had someone backing him, he was never insolent. He climbed up one step at a time. Very soon, he was standing out amongst his peers. It could be said that although Yi Ze had given him the opportunity to stand out, he was able to do it mostly because of his own sweat and tears.
Right now, Si Minghui actually didn’t need to rely on Yi Ze anymore. However, he was perfectly happy to stay by Yi Ze’s side as an unofficial lover...because he had fallen in love with Yi Ze.
Although he knew that he shouldn’t have, he had still fallen head first....Yi Ze was not only the only man he’d ever been with but also the person who had given him the chance to change his fate. He didn’t treat him badly. Aside from the fact that he didn’t love him, there wasn’t anything bad about him. After all, this was a relationship based on mutual benefits. He was in the wrong for having fallen for the other man.
Faced with Yi Ze, Si Minghui actually felt very inferior. He had never thought that he and Yi Ze were on equal footing.
It was just that, even if it was like this, he couldn’t help but delude himself with a tiny sliver of hope. Although Yi Ze’s bed partners came and went, he, however, had remained at Yi Ze’s side for the longest time. Eight years...Could it be that Yi Ze had developed even a thread of affection for him?
Towards Si Minghui’s delusion, Xie He only scoffed. Love always made people ignorant. Although Si Minghui was so in love that he was willing to give everything for nothing in return, he had still ended up developing delusions he should not have had. In Xie He’s opinion, the main reason Yi Ze had let him stay by his side all these years was because Si Minghui was tactful and sensible. A lover...What was most important was that they were sensible. If they weren’t, then there was no need for them to stay.
Xie He summed things up. Si Minghui was a hardworking, good child, who understood what it meant to return someone’s kindness. He had just ended up falling in love with someone he shouldn’t have.
Xie He had just finished combing through the memories when he heard 444 stirring up a big fuss.
【444：~\(≧▽≦)/~Lalala~ Host dada!!! I am now a level four system, la!】How exciting! You had to know that the amount of experience points to level up is double that of the previous level! For him to level up to level four after just four worlds had put him at the top of the system rankings, ne! He wanted to go out and show off!
【Xie He：Not bad. What new abilities do you have?】
【444：The system store has leveled up. Many new items have been unlocked, oh! Moreover, all items below S rank are now 5% off! My monitoring scope has also increased, my pain barrier has increased to 40%, and there are also many more, blahblahblah~】
【Xie He：Very good. I’ll take a careful look later. Baby, who’s my target in this world?】
【444：Yi Ze】
【Xie He：A piece of cake.】
【444：( ⊙ o ⊙ ) Ah! Really? Si Minghui couldn’t move his heart at all even after spending eight years with him, ah!】Yingyingying, he felt that Si Minghui was really pitiful, ah....
【Xie He：That’s very normal. You should know that a man’s nature in love is to plunder, not to give alms.】
【444：Yi?】
【Xie He：It’s always been an unrequited love on Si Minghui’s end. He also lowers himself in their interactions. How would Yi Ze understand his feelings? If you’re going to wait for Yi Ze, who’s used to being aloof and remote, to take pity on you and give you love...leaving would be less stressful. Smile.JPG】
【444：How is this easy, then....? _(:зゝ∠)_】
【Xie He：You just have to speak to a man’s instinct to chase after those who play hard to get. He doesn’t want those who will rush to hand their love over to him. But, those who don’t love him may tempt him. It’s like if a dog who would always dash over and shake his tail at him for eight years was to suddenly stop wagging his tail as he followed from behind. He would feel some sense of loss. Especially if said dog was replaced with a living, breathing person.】
&#k3010;444&#kUU1J;&#k2026;&#k2026;&#k3011;
&#k3010;Xie He&#kUU1J;Of course, that’s not to say that this world isn’t hard at all. The difficulty of this world doesn’t lie in how to capture Yi Ze but in how to do so while making sure I don’t OOC.&#k3011;
&#k3010;444&#kUU1J;(&#k2299;o&#k2299;) Oh? Is it really hard? You successfully finished the previous worlds without OOC-ing, ah!&#k3011;
【Xie He：Baby, it seems that your IQ didn’t increase with your system upgrade. Regret.JPG】
【444：......】Ah ah ah ah ah, I’m so angry! All my happiness suddenly disappeared! I don’t want to maintain my smile! QAQ
Xie He stood up from the sofa, putting on slippers to head to the washroom.
With Si Minghui’s self-abased love, it was really difficult to make him not run over to kneel and lick at Yi Ze’s feet. However, how can blind deference and patience ever move the heart of someone like Yi Ze, ne? What Yi Ze lacked the most was not people who were willing to obey and pander to him. That’s why Xie He had said that the difficulty in this world laid in trying not to OOC. Only, this actually also wasn’t that difficult. Xie He rubbed his chin. Love...When you’re forced to face reality, you’d end up giving up.
Xie He finally reached a mirror and peered into it. The man reflected back had a slender and well-proportioned body. Because he was a celebrity, he had taken care of himself very well. His skin was fair and unblemished; his nose was straight, his lips thin, his sword eyebrows slanting upwards, and his eyes looked like they held the stars. When he didn’t smile, he appeared cold but handsome. When he smiled, the air around him changed. Regardless of whether you looked at him from the front or gazed at his profile, he was perfect. Xie He was very satisfied.
Si Minghui had been a part of the entertainment industry for eight years and was handsome to boot. Of course he wouldn’t be as naive and childish as he had been in the past. Even so, no matter how much he’d changed, the place Yi Ze had in his heart never did.
Xie He smiled. What a pitiful love.
Si Minghui lived very well. He owned a more-than-300-square-metre condo located in a very expensive neighbourhood. Xie He took a tour and was rather pleased with the decor. He then walked into the walk-in closet to take a closer look. As a celebrity, many of Si Minghui’s clothes were designer and custom-made. Xie He changed into a light grey blazer and pulled out a pair of large sunglasses from the drawer before leaving.
He had just noticed a message pop up on Si Minghui’s phone. It was from Yi Ze. It was a simple message of two words: “Come over.”
Yi Ze would always command him like this when he wanted him. So long as he got Yi Ze’s message, no matter how busy he was, Si Minghui would run over.
....................................
Yi Ze’s villa was a bit far away. Xie He drove for about half an hour before arriving. As Yi Ze’s longest-lasting lover, he had a key to Yi Ze’s home, so he directly entered.
Xie He followed the memories in his brain and decisively headed to the study to look for Yi Ze.
At this moment, Yi Ze was sitting in front of his desk. He looked up at the door when he heard movement, revealing a cold and stern visage. His skin was a healthy wheat colour, and his long and narrow eyes looked distinguished but fickle. He didn’t move and only said, “You’ve come.”
His insipid and deep voice seemed to be naturally callous.
【Xie He：What’s his Favourability Value?】
【444：40.】
Xie He’s expression changed slightly. It seemed that things weren’t as simple as he had thought. Originally, he had thought that the Favourability Value would be at least between 60-70. A trifling Favourability Value of 40 led to Yi Ze sleeping with Si Minghui for eight years without tiring of him. Si Minghui being obedient and sensible couldn’t be the only reason. There was a hidden motive here.
Xie He’s outer appearance didn’t change though. He directly knelt at Yi Ze’s feet.
....................................
Xie He smiled while looking up at Yi Ze. He licked his pink lips slightly, affection in his eyes. Clearly, he had such a cold face, but he was able to do something like this so naturally. He called out softly, “Yi ge.”
Yi Ze’s desire was aroused. His eyes darkened, and his voice seemed to lower a bit, “Go to the bed.”
Xie He obediently walked over to the bed and began to strip off his clothes. Each article fell to the ground, one by one.
Yi Ze’s eyes darkened further.
.......................................
Yi Ze’s stamina had always been very good. This body below him seemed to taste even better than it had in the past, making him want more and more. The person below him was as cooperative as before. Yi Ze gazed down on that face that was flushed with desire.
It was precisely because of this person’s face that he had let him stay by his side for eight years. Only, fake goods were still fake goods in the end. He was inwardly nothing but worthless, depraved trash. Disdain flitted through Yi Ze’s eyes, and his actions became more rough and violent.
When Yi Ze finally let Xie He go, Xie He felt that his legs were a little soft. He thought that Si Minghui’s luck was actually rather good. When he had been at a time of great despair, he had met a handsome, rich, high quality patron, who also had a big thing. From then on, he only had to sell himself to Yi Ze. He couldn’t completely blame him for falling for Yi Ze. If Xie He was really a shou, he would have even spent money to keep Yi Ze, a man who was both attractive and good in bed. This was an era when even young girls would shout aloud that they wanted to sleep with their male god....
His life was already so beautiful, and yet, he just had to have developed real feelings.
Only, the show must go on.
Xie He forced himself to get out of the bed. Yi Ze only ever called Si Minghui over to sate his lust. He would never let him stay the night. At this time, Xie He should clean himself and then leave.
Only, this time he hesitated. He struggled for a moment before bolstering his courage to ask Yi Ze, “Yi ge, do you have time tomorrow night?”
Si Minghui had never taken the initiative to ask about the other’s plans before. Today’s action was obviously abnormal. Yi Ze glanced at him expressionlessly, “Speak.”
Xie He pulled out a delicately printed invitation card from the pocket of his blazer, handing it over to Yi Ze with both hands. There was a look of anticipation in his eyes, “Tomorrow night is the awards ceremony. Will you be able to attend, Yi ge?”
This was very likely the first time in his life that he would be crowned Best Actor. This was the greatest recognition that could be given to his eight-year-long struggle, to his hard work over all of these years. Finally, he could enjoy this moment of glory. The person he most wanted to see this moment was Yi Ze.
Without Yi Ze, he would never have had such a day.
Disdain flashed through Yi Ze’s eyes. He originally thought that Si Minghui was sensible. It seemed...that as time had passed, he had begun to forget his place. He casually accepted it and placed it by the bedside, “We’ll see.”
Xie He’s eyes dimmed when he heard this. In the end, he didn’t say anything more and got up to go to the washroom.
【444：Host dada, will he come?】
【Xie He：Of course not.】
【444：Then, why did you give it to him...?】
【Xie He：Oh. It’s not me who wanted to give this to him. This was prepared by Si Minghui a while ago. I’m just handing it over on his behalf. Smile.JPG】
【444：(⊙o⊙) Oh!】
【Xie He：Truly such a pity. A vain hope is always the beginning of disappointment, ah.】
【444：Now that you mentioned it, why did you cater to him like that just now...? _(:зゝ∠)_】It was the first time he had ever seen Host dada take the initiative to show this side of himself! He had always been forced, forced, and forced in the previous worlds!
【Xie He：Hehe, this much means nothing. I can also lift him so high up into the sky that he will practically stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the sun.】
【444：......】
【Xie He：This way, he’ll hurt when he falls down. :)】
【444：......】
....................................
Xie He returned home to rest for a while. The next day, he punctually headed to the awards ceremony at night.
As the youngest Best Actor nominee and also because of his handsome appearance and outstanding aura, Xie He caused a stir as soon as he entered the venue. The flashing lights practically blinded the eyes. Xie He flashed fitting, graceful smiles to the journalists on both sides right until he found his spot and sat down.
Because he thought that Yi Ze probably wouldn’t want to expose their relationship, the seat he had reserved for Yi Ze was in front of him and to the left. Yi Ze, however, didn’t show up.
Xie He looked disappointed.
【444：Host dada, you’re so dedicated to your work! You’re even acting when no one’s watching, ah!】
【Xie He：Baby, your vigilance still needs to be improved.】
【444：......】
【Xie He：Help me check the Favourability Value of the man next to me in a bit.】
Right at this moment, a man naturally sat down next to Xie He. His elegant face had a light smile pasted on, corners of his lips raised, “Minghui.”
Xie He looked at him and quickly rescinded the disappointment and sadness in his eyes. He smiled in a polite and distant way, “President Fu.”
Fu Yuan noticed the disappointment in Xie He’s eyes. The relationship between Yi Ze and Si Minghui was an open secret amongst the upper stratums...Everyone knew that Si Minghui was only a plaything in Yi Ze’s eyes, but Si Minghui had genuine feelings for Yi Ze.
Fu Yuan really appreciated Si Minghui. In the beginning, he was but an unremarkable boy. He was shy, timid, and unable to grab the stage. Everyone thought that Yi Ze would just play with him for a few months. However, he ended up quietly staying by Yi Ze’s side for eight years. In the end, he was like a caterpillar, breaking out of his cocoon and transforming into a butterfly, turning into the current hottest star. Fu Yuan and Yi Ze were different. Fu Yuan’s business mostly had to do with the entertainment business. Therefore, he would frequently take notice of Si Minghui. He had seen with his own eyes how the other slowly rose up. In the beginning, he hadn’t taken Si Minghui seriously. But gradually, he was attracted by his hardwork and perseverance.
Fu Yuan was used to the filth within the entertainment industry. Compared to some other things, although Si Minghui was being kept, he was still mostly a clear stream. He was not frivolous or ostentatious like other little celebrities who were being kept. He was prudent and modest. He didn’t act self-important. He was also not the type to be lazy and shirk work. He was well-known for being serious and hardworking when it came to filming. He had never complained of being tired or that work was too hard, let alone did he indulge in illicit affairs. He was hell-bent on Yi Ze...What was most incredible was that he had never changed, even after eight years.
Not only did he have a good character, but he also grew out of this mud, unsullied, untainted from it all from start to finish. This was not easy to do.
In the beginning, Fu Yuan had only admired Si Minghui. Later on, his heart was gradually moved. Yi Ze didn’t take Si Minghui seriously, but Fu Yuan was not the same. He really liked Si Minghui.
Fu Yuan smiled at Xie He and said, “President Yi isn’t coming on your important day?”
Xie He’s expression stiffened slightly, “No.”
Fu Yuan turned towards him slightly, gazing at Xie He’s earlobe and smiled, “Did you invite him?”
Xie He pressed his lips together in a straight line and did not speak. Sadness once again emerged in his eyes. He didn’t want others to see this side of him. But today, he couldn’t hold back the disappointment in his heart.
Fu Yuan looked at Xie He’s expression, his own changing. He thought that Yi Ze really was an insensitive fellow....He could afford to give a little thought to his kind of incredible lover from time to time. If it was him, he would have certainly been willing to dote on him a bit. Fu Yuan knew that Si Minghui must have invited Yi Ze, but Yi Ze hadn’t come. Only, he didn’t plan on exposing this point and said instead, “Are you worried about your relationship being exposed? Actually, it’s no big deal. Those people don’t dare to talk recklessly about President Yi’s affairs.”
Xie He’s smile became even more forced, “Many thanks for President Fu’s concern.”
Fu Yuan felt tenderness bloom inside himself and chuckled. He didn’t speak again.
【444：His Favourability Value is 70....】
【Xie He：Mn, the foundation is not bad. After a bit of guidance, he’ll be a good helper gong.】
【444：......】
After only sharing a few short words, Xie He had basically gotten a good understanding of Fu Yuan’s personality. He was a sly fox beneath his smile. He was fully aware of the relationship between Si Minghui and Yi Ze. What he had done just now was silently stab at the other’s sore spot with underhanded tactics. Anyway, Xie He was very satisfied with this kind of covert attack quality. If he took advantage of this, Fu Yuan could become the wedge between Si Minghui and Yi Ze.
So, Xie He had not come here today for no reason. Very soon, the awards ceremony reached its ending segment. The most exciting Best Actor award segment finally began. When the award presenter read Si Minghui’s name out, the entire venue burst out in thunderous applause. Xie He’s expression, however, was very calm.
He slowly stepped up onto the stage, posture tall, straight, and relaxed. His face was handsome like jade, and he flashed a smile appropriate for this occasion in front of everyone. As usual, he thanked everyone who had helped and supported him. Just as he was about to leave the stage, he looked at Fu Yuan, pausing for two seconds.
Fu Yuan looked at the man on stage, his radiance overflowing from all directions. At this moment, it was like there was a halo wrapped around him.
From his hopeless beginnings, he had fought his way to this day and finally attained success. With his hard work, he had proved to everyone of his excellence, establishing his position....He was already no longer that little pitiful boy, who was waiting for someone to take pity on him. He was instead a beautiful butterfly who had spread open his wings.
Fu Yuan stared into Xie He’s eyes and suddenly wanted to have him. Yi Ze simply didn’t understand how to appreciate his beauty.
【Ding, Fu Yuan’s Favourability Value +5. The current Fu Yuan is 75. 】
Xie He descended from the stage with his award. He nodded to everyone who congratulated him with a smile. Only when he sat back down in his seat did his smile disappear.
Fu Yuan’s expression changed slightly. He raised his lips into a smile, “Congratulations.”
Xie He replied politely, “Thank you.”
Because of Yi Ze’s care, very few people dared to have any intentions towards Si Minghui. Those who did, Si Minghui didn’t dare to offend. Fu Yuan was one of them.
Eve: Can I just say...I love this kind of setup. I love the “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone” cliche regretful gong trope. I already can’t wait for the ML abuse in this one.
Kara: Ah!!?? Entertainment world? Another weakness of mine!!! I’m so excited!! I’m also a huge fan of the regretful gong trope. Hehehehehe...The novel is only getting better and better! I can’t wait for what kind of schemes Xie He will use this time! (I just hope my heart won’t hurt too bad this time.) (۶ꈨຶꎁꈨຶ )۶ʸᵉᵃʰᵎ
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