Chapter 5

When Ji Qingzhou woke the next morning, Chu Cheng had him locked firmly in his arms. Still groggy with sleep, he stared at Chu Cheng for a good while before it finally sank in: yesterday, he had transmigrated into a novel, becoming the Ji Qingzhou in its pages. He had just cut ties with Fang Yaoxuan and was now about to move in with Chu Cheng.

Only now did Ji Qingzhou finally have the time and the presence of mind to curse this fucking transmigration. Why pick him? Just because he and the body's original owner had the same name? What a ridiculously unreliable way to choose someone! All he could do now was count himself lucky that he had arrived fairly early. Had he come just a little later, after the original owner of the body had moved in with Fang Yaoxuan, he might as well have jumped straight out the window. The sooner he died, the sooner he could be reincarnated—better that than getting tangled up with Fang Yaoxuan in some 'you're crazy, I'm a fool' affair that tormented both body and soul.

Although Ji Qingzhou had grown up in a single-parent household, with only his mother and himself to depend on each other, they had been comfortably off. He had always had a healthy outlook and could stay positive and optimistic when things happened. Now that he was here, going back was hardly realistic. Fortunately, his mother had married Uncle Li, who had been courting her, two years ago. Even without him, she would have someone to keep her company and look after her. That was some comfort, at least.

So the most pressing concern right now was his own situation.

At that thought, Ji Qingzhou glanced up at Chu Cheng. He was still asleep, his handsome eyes closed, looking both good-looking and harmless. Watching him, Ji Qingzhou thought back to the few descriptions of Chu Cheng in the novel: a prominent family, young and accomplished, wealthy. There was also the vague impression he had formed while reading: because Chu Cheng was young, he disliked beating around the bush and spoke his mind. Yet that same youth and straightforward nature meant he disliked forcing others, too. Most of the time, he was quite willing to talk things over as equals.

Recalling their interactions since his arrival yesterday, Ji Qingzhou felt certain of that. Chu Cheng really was pretty easy to talk to, as long as you were willing to communicate with him properly.

And Ji Qingzhou felt he was more than willing!

Chu Cheng woke later than Ji Qingzhou. Looking at the person in his arms, he was confused for a moment before remembering: Ji Qingzhou had refused to pay back the money and chosen to pay with himself instead. So Chu Cheng had brought him home, intending for them to live together.

He released Ji Qingzhou and sat up.

Ji Qingzhou hadn't been in any hurry to get out of bed, afraid of waking Chu Cheng and annoying him. Now that Chu Cheng had let go of his own accord, he sat up too and asked, "What do you want to eat is? I'll make us some breakfast."

"No need," Chu Cheng said. "Let's eat out. We can get you moved on the way."

"This early?"

Chu Cheng looked up at him. Ji Qingzhou knew better than to argue. "Morning is the best time to start the day. Better early than late. The earlier, the better."

Chu Cheng chuckled. "You really know what to say, don't you?"

Ji Qingzhou smiled. What else could he do? It wasn't as though he had much choice.

After washing up in the bathroom, they went downstairs for breakfast together, then Chu Cheng drove Ji Qingzhou to his place. The body's original owner hadn't had many possessions, nor anything particularly valuable, so Ji Qingzhou took only his clothes and the money he had saved. Everything fit into a single suitcase.

Ji Qingzhou had meant to give up the lease. After all, the place would be empty now, with no one living there; paying rent every month seemed like a waste. But Chu Cheng stopped him. "I'll cover the rent. Keep it for now."

Ji Qingzhou didn't quite understand what he meant and looked at him in confusion. Chu Cheng said calmly, "You can't live at my place forever. Keep this apartment. Consider it a gift from me. When it's time for you to leave, you can come back here."

Ji Qingzhou hadn't expected him to say that. Chu Cheng's meaning was perfectly clear: there was no possibility of anything more between them, no future. Once their arrangement as a kept lover and his keeper ended, Ji Qingzhou would have to leave. Yet Ji Qingzhou thought it was rather kind of him to think of leaving him somewhere to fall back on, so that when he left Chu Cheng's place, he wouldn't be a sorry sight with nowhere to go.

"Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome," Chu Cheng said. "Come on. Let's go back to my place."

Ji Qingzhou nodded and followed him.

Chu Cheng had things to do that day, so he left after taking him home, saying only that Ji Qingzhou could buy whatever else he needed without asking him.

Ji Qingzhou didn't make a fuss about it, either. He went to the supermarket and bought himself some everyday necessities. When he got home, he checked the time. It was almost five. He hurried to cook a pot of rice porridge and ladled it into a food container, then took out the pickled mustard stems he had just bought at the supermarket—a favorite of Ji Qingzhou's mother—and packed those as well before carrying everything out the door.

As he got off the bus, Ji Qingzhou received a WeChat message from the body's original owner's agent, Zhou Chengfeng, asking whether he was busy.

Ji Qingzhou replied: Going to the hospital to see my mom.

Zhou Chengfeng wrote: Come by the company after your visit. I need to talk to you about something.

Ji Qingzhou replied: Okay.

He actually had quite a favorable impression of the original owner's agent. When the original owner's mother's condition had first taken a turn for the worse, Zhou Chengfeng had met him, signed him, and lent him a large sum of money, getting him out of a desperate situation. Wait, Ji Qingzhou suddenly realized. Didn't that mean he was the one who had to pay that money back now?!!

Ji Qingzhou felt utterly drained. Before transmigrating, he had managed to save a little money and lived an easy, carefree life. Now that he had transmigrated, he was up to his ears in debt instead. Wasn't that a bit too much of a difference? Garbage transmigration. Once again, he scorned it!

Ji Qingzhou bought a few steamed buns for Ji Qingzhou's mother outside the hospital, then went inside, called the elevator, and went up to her room.

Wang Fang seemed to be doing fairly well today. She ate two buns and two bowls of porridge with the pickled mustard stems, asking Ji Qingzhou what he had been busy with lately as she ate.

Ji Qingzhou gave a few vague answers to brush the question aside. Wang Fang asked him, "Are you making money?"

Ji Qingzhou smiled. "Quite a lot."

Wang Fang looked at him. She knew her son was working as an entertainer now, and entertainers certainly made far more than most people. But she had also heard people say that the entertainment industry was a mess. She couldn't help blaming herself. Taking his hand, her heart aching for him, she said, "Make sure you get enough rest. Don't wear yourself out."

Ji Qingzhou nodded. "Don't worry."

To be honest, he didn't feel much of a familial bond with Wang Fang yet. After all, he wasn't her actual son, and this was their first time meeting. But Wang Fang was a good mother in the novel, and he himself had grown up with only his mother to depend on. Looking at Wang Fang, he couldn't help thinking of his own mother. Since he had taken over the original owner's body, he would naturally do right by Wang Fang as a son and make sure she lived well. At the very least, he wouldn't let her end up as she had in the original novel, where Fang Yaoxuan's and Luo Yuxin's words convinced her she was a burden on Ji Qingzhou, and she quietly chose to take her own life.

He chatted with Wang Fang for a while, then left the hospital when she began to look sleepy and took a car to the company.

The original owner had signed with Xiyu Entertainment, a Chu family company and one of the best entertainment companies in the country. A Z-lister like him, with no influential background, no connections, and no following, would ordinarily never have landed a contract there. But he had the protagonist's halo: the agent Zhou Chengfeng had taken a liking to him and given him this opportunity.

When Ji Qingzhou arrived, Zhou Chengfeng was on the phone. Seeing him, he tossed the script on his desk over in front of him and mouthed, "Take a look."

Ji Qingzhou opened it. Before he had read more than a few pages, Zhou Chengfeng finished his call. He put down his phone and told Ji Qingzhou, "I got you a role. It's a web series with a so-so production team. You don't have many scenes, but it's a good character. Filming starts at the end of this month. A good chance for you to make some money."

Ji Qingzhou was a little surprised. The end of the month? He would be acting that soon?

He thought back over the plot. Yes, something like this did seem to happen in the original novel. But Fang Yaoxuan had read the script and thought the whole production was too low-end. Besides, because of Chu Cheng, Fang Yaoxuan was determined to get "Ji Qingzhou" out of his contract with Xiyu Entertainment. So he hadn't let "Ji Qingzhou" take the role, instead having him sign a termination agreement with Zhou Chengfeng. He had paid the termination fee for "Ji Qingzhou," signed him to his own studio, and had him act in productions alongside him.

But he was also afraid that "Ji Qingzhou" would soar too high for him to control, and that if he did, he might cross paths with Luo Yuxin, Fang Yaoxuan's idealized beloved. So he hadn't given him any major roles, only supporting parts. That was why "Ji Qingzhou" had remained a Z-lister right up until he finally left the industry.

Fang Yaoxuan had never intended to let him fly. He had shut him in a cage of his own making. And the original owner? He had been slow to realize it, but his feelings for Fang Yaoxuan had made him forgive him again and again.

But none of that had anything to do with him anymore, Ji Qingzhou thought. After all, he had absolutely no relationship with Fang Yaoxuan now.

Ji Qingzhou picked up the script and answered, "Okay."

It was quite a coincidence, he thought. The original owner was an actor, and he happened to be a graduate of an acting school. If not for this inexplicable transmigration, he would have woken up and gone to audition for a film his teacher had recommended. Even though he had transmigrated, acting was still something he knew well.

"All right, then. Go home and read the script." Zhou Chengfeng took out a cigarette and put it between his lips. "Come ask me if there's anything you don't understand."

Ji Qingzhou nodded.

Zhou Chengfeng lit his cigarette and took a drag. Unaccustomed to the smell of cigarette smoke, Ji Qingzhou moved a little farther away.

"Come on. I'll treat you to dinner," Zhou Chengfeng said, getting to his feet.

"I've already eaten," Ji Qingzhou said. He had brought Wang Fang too much congee and too many steamed buns, and she hadn't finished them, so he had eaten what was left.

"Then just keep me company while I eat. It's this late, and I still haven't had dinner."

At that, Ji Qingzhou didn't argue any further. "All right."

While they waited for the elevator, Ji Qingzhou checked his watch. It was almost nine thirty. Earlier, he had worried that Chu Cheng might come home for dinner, or call when he got home that evening and found him gone. Yet all this time had passed without Chu Cheng contacting him. It seemed that even though they were living together, Chu Cheng wasn't going to keep much of an eye on him. That was good.

The elevator opened in front of them with a ding. Ji Qingzhou and Zhou Chengfeng stepped inside, but just as they were about to close the doors, a voice called, "Wait!"

The voice sounded a little familiar. Ji Qingzhou reached out and held the door-open button, and sure enough, someone soon hurried inside. Looking at the newcomer, Ji Qingzhou could only think, Speak of the devil. Wasn't this Chu Cheng, the very person he had just decided wouldn't be keeping much of an eye on him?

Chu Cheng smiled when he saw him. "I thought you were at home."

"My agent needed to see me about something," Ji Qingzhou answered honestly.

Chu Cheng turned to Zhou Chengfeng, who looked from one of them to the other. "You two know each other?"

Chu Cheng said nothing, merely looking at Ji Qingzhou.

Faced with that almost-smile as Chu Cheng waited for his answer, Ji Qingzhou could only steel himself and say, "We're... friends?"

"Friends?" Chu Cheng echoed.

"Then... boyfriends?"

Author's Note:

Chu Cheng: Aren't you afraid you'll scare your agent to death?~

Zhou Chengfeng: Who am I where am I am I hearing things???!!

Ji Qingzhou: [Well-behaved.JPG]

In the next chapter, young President Chu is going to flirt with Qingzhou. Qingzhou really can't handle being flirted with [covers face]