A hypoglycemic episode was unbearable, but it also passed quickly once sugar was replenished.

Shen Ci pressed his forehead. After a brief dizzy spell, he propped himself up on the soft cushion beneath him and sat up, "Many thanks."

He still had the candy in his mouth, so his speech was mumbled and mixed with a bit of a nasal tone, completely different from his usual cold and clear intonation. Xie Yu glanced at him, inserted the key, and said, "Don't you still have a meeting? Get out, I'll come find you next time."

After saying that, he closed the door, locked it, started the ignition, turned the steering wheel, and turned onto the main campus road.

Shen Ci watched him leave. It wasn't until the Bentley disappeared from his line of sight that he lowered his eyelashes and took the lollipop out of his mouth.

This inconspicuous little thing was an expensive imported good. It was vanilla milk flavored, and its color showed a soft, glutinous beige. Both the milk and vanilla used were top-quality ingredients.

Shen Ci pinched the stick and scrutinized it for a moment, unable to guess the price.

He rarely ate candy when he was a child. At that time, his family was always very poor. The town's small shop was several hours away from the village. Even if he wanted it badly, no one would get him these delicate treats. Later, when his grandmother fell ill, Shen Ci's meager salary was completely poured into the hospital. He usually ate at the cafeteria and even hesitated to add some toppings to his noodles. He had never tasted Young Master Xie's expensive and useless snacks, nor had he ever thought about tasting them.

But now...

Shen Ci looked at it for a moment and put it back into his mouth.

It was indeed very sweet.

With the candy in his mouth, his mind wandered, and he started thinking about the evening's experiment again. There was still more than an hour before the meeting started. Shen Ci planned to go back to the laboratory first to get the experimental data, and then go eat and change clothes. As he thought about it, he walked back. Before he knew it, he had swiped his card and walked into the laboratory.

The lights in the laboratory were on; Li Yue and Han Yunyun hadn't left yet.

Han Yunyun was copying experimental data. Hearing the sound, she looked up, "Senior Brother, you're finally back. This is our experiment for today... ah?"

She suddenly choked on her words.

Shen Ci originally didn't think there was anything wrong, but Han Yunyun's startled reaction suddenly made him realize something, and he abruptly paused.

"S-Senior Brother?"

Shen Ci gave an "En," feigning calmness. He took the data, glanced at it, picked up the report, and went out.

Han Yunyun didn't speak for a long time.

It wasn't until Shen Ci walked far away that Han Yunyun woke up as if from a dream, "Li, Li, Li Yue, what was Senior Brother eating?"

Li Yue: "..."

He looked suspicious, "A lollipop?"

Senior Brother Shen, who usually never smiled or joked, came to the laboratory with a lollipop in his mouth, the candy propping up his cheek into a round curve. The two stared blankly as they watched him walk away, not daring to say a single word.

Han Yunyun mumbled, "Is Senior Brother possessed, or am I possessed?"

On the ring road highway, the System silently reappeared in front of Xie Yu.

The fluorescent blue light dots flickered, "Congratulations, the important plot point [Racing Track Incident] has been completed. Key dialogue completion is 100%, character persona retention is 80%, and the protagonist felt emotions such as [Humiliation], [Pain], and [Dizziness] during the incident. Emotion matching degree is 50%."

"According to the System's evaluation, the matching degree of this performance is 75%."

Xie Yu: "Pretty high."

He only aimed for a passing grade, cheering 'long live 50 points,' but ending up with an extra fifteen points was a completely unexpected delight.

"Do I have any more scenes tonight?"

System: "There are no more main storyline plots. The next plot point is the [Weekend Gathering], where you will take the protagonist to attend He Zhiyuan's banquet."

"Can I move freely?"

The System flipped through the novel, "But there is a segment of background plot. Hmm, your father will ask you to return home for a trip."

In the original text, "Xie Yu" was greatly displeased by the protagonist's disobedience. Not to mention tormenting the person half to death in the car, he even wanted to drag him to a hotel to continue. It was only because Xie Yuanshan called and asked his son to come home that the protagonist managed to escape a disaster.

Xie Yu asked, "This Xie Yuanshan, what kind of personality does he have?"

Playing the role of the original owner's son, he naturally needed to know his biological father's temper so as not to reveal any flaws.

System: "Xie Yuanshan is a marginal supporting character in the novel, with not much description. The keywords extracted by the System are 'bad-tempered, irritable, and highly controlling.' However, he doesn't interact much with the original owner, so you don't need to worry about blowing your cover."

Xie Yu was originally tuning the radio. He repeated the words and sneered, "Bad-tempered, irritable, and highly controlling? How is he so much like my own biological father?"

The System explained, "As the chosen host, you have a certain degree of similarity with the original owner. This similarity includes name, height, appearance, family background, childhood experiences, and so on. Therefore, if you feel that the 'father' in this world is similar to the one in your original world, it is also possible."

Just as they were talking, Xie Yu's phone rang three times. The caller ID showed Xie Yuanshan.

The original owner's cheap dad.

Xie Yu pressed answer, "Hello?"

Xie Yuanshan's voice came through, "Xie Yu, where are you?"

The voice was deep and stern, faintly harboring anger. It didn't sound like a father speaking to his child, but rather like a boss disciplining a subordinate. When Xie Yu didn't reply for two seconds, the other side spoke in a deep voice, "Speak."

Xie Yu paused, then gave a chuckle, fully adopting the posture of a wealthy playboy, "I'm out playing, is something the matter?"

Xie Yuanshan said coldly, "Come home tonight, I have something to discuss with you."

Xie Yu: "What is it about?"

"Company matters."

"..."

After a moment of silence, Xie Yuanshan's patience was exhausted, "I don't care what you're doing tonight, at eight o'clock, I want to see you at the dining table."

After saying that, he didn't explain a single word and directly hung up the call.

Xie Yu turned off his phone and casually tossed it into the console slot. He gripped the steering wheel and didn't speak for a long while. Then he leaned forward and turned the radio knob, just happening to switch to a live opera broadcast. The male actor was dragging out a long aria, his singing voice echoing with countless twists and turns. He hummed along for a few lines, and then set the navigation, "Locate hotel."

System: "Host? The original owner's father asked you to go home, are you not going back?"

Xie Yu retorted, "Why should I go back?"

System: "It's certainly okay if you don't go see him, but the original owner was afraid of his father and mostly listened to his words. According to logic, it's better if you meet him."

Xie Yu's acting performance had always hovered around the passing mark. If he could avoid losing points off-stage, he should try his best not to lose them.

Xie Yu was silent for a moment before suddenly scoffing, "Truly a lingering ghost."

The voice of the original owner's father was exactly the same as Xie Yu's biological father's.

At exactly eight o'clock in the evening, Xie Yu entered the Xie Family home on time.

This was Xie Yuanshan's residence in Jiang City, a large flat overlooking the river. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room faced the river water perfectly. In recent years, due to municipal planning, neon lights had been installed on the high-rise buildings on both banks. At a glance, the bright lights and vibrant colors made it extraordinarily bustling.

The lights in the house were not turned on, leaving it pitch black. There was only the light shining through the window, making it strangely desolate. Xie Yu pushed the door open and entered. Xie Yuanshan lifted his eyelids at the dining table, "You're back? Turn on the lights."

Xie Yu turned on the lights. The cold white halos of the downlights poured down, shining on the iron-gray marble countertop, making it seem even more desolate.

Xie Yu sat down at the dining table and saw Xie Yuanshan's face clearly.

His cheekbones were prominent, yet his cheeks were sunken. His eyebrows were thick and heavy, and the distance between his eyes was extremely narrow. From afar, they looked like two bricks pressing down on his eyes. A deep, needle-like crease between his brows resembled a split ravine in a canyon.

He sneered silently, thinking to himself, 'He really does look eighty percent alike.'

Xie Yu didn't believe in fortune-telling or face reading, but just looking at Xie Yuanshan's face, one could tell he was a master of violent temper and extreme personality.

The System typed out a line of small text, silently prompting: "The original owner's relationship with his father is average, and they rarely speak. Please grasp the situation."

Xie Yu lowered his eyebrows and nodded, asking faintly, "What did you call me back for?"

Xie Yuanshan critically scrutinized him for a moment and tapped the table. This was the gesture he used to direct his secretary to pour water for him, but Xie Yu remained perfectly still. He slightly furrowed his brows, "You're in your twenties this year, right?"

Xie Yu: "24."

Xie Yuanshan looked at him sideways, "Already 24, at this age, yet you still spend all day outside provoking trouble, acting like a complete scoundrel."

Xie Yu only smiled and didn't speak.

He was indeed 24 this year, but the original owner was only 22. He deliberately reported himself two years older, and Xie Yuanshan didn't notice in the slightest.

Xie Yuanshan frowned, "What are you smiling at?"

Xie Yu scoffed, "Nothing, you're absolutely right."

As a famous entrepreneur in the city, Xie Yuanshan's time was very precious. He also had no intention of wasting more of it on Xie Yu, simply saying, "You are my only son. At 24, you need to get in touch with some business knowledge. I have prepared an initial sum of capital for you to see your investment skills."

Xie Yu raised his eyebrows and watched as Xie Yuanshan pushed a black card over.

Xie Yu picked up the card with one hand to inspect it. The card had rolled gold edges and refracted a halo like shattered diamonds under the light. He examined it for a long time before suddenly smiling, "Then if I use this money to invest in a grave for Mom, there's no problem, right?"

When he said this, Xie Yu was looking sideways at Xie Yuanshan. His eyelids were half-closed, and the light and shadows in his eyes fluctuated and flickered, as deep as a freezing pool.

Xie Yuanshan was visibly stunned for a moment, "What?"

"Nothing, just joking." Xie Yu broke into a smile again. He pinched the card between his fingertips and asked, "How much is in here?"

"10 million." Xie Yuanshan obviously loathed his son's slacking attitude. He frowned tightly, "Xie Yu, you know my temper. If you can't produce results in six months..."

When Xie Yuanshan spoke, he liked to say half and hide half, leaving people to guess.

Xie Yu smiled, "Alright, I know."

The original owner ultimately didn't achieve anything from this, and was packed up and thrown abroad to study by Xie Yuanshan.

Studying was painless and inconsequential for Xie Yu, but for the original owner, it was indeed a punishment. His bad friends were all in Jiang City. Accustomed to being surrounded by people like stars around the moon, suddenly going abroad to study meant losing a bunch of bootlickers kissing his ass, and his living expenses were also cut. The original owner was very unaccustomed to it.

Of course, before he could even figure out the basics, Xie Yuanshan suddenly died of an acute illness. Young Master Xie was caught and brought back by Shen Ci, who had already become a big shot, got his fingers broken, and was locked up in a psychiatric hospital. Naturally, there was no need to tell Xie Yuanshan about these things.

They sat across from each other, a bizarre silence falling over the table. After finishing the main business, the father and son couldn't say a single word of pleasantries.

Xie Yuanshan had set up a family dinner, probably wanting to educate his son while eating, but Xie Yu didn't want to listen to his lectures. He just pulled back his chair, "Alright, do you have anything else? If not, I'm leaving."

Xie Yuanshan also didn't want to say more, waving his hand, "Go."

Xie Yu then chuckled, pocketed the black card, strode briskly down the corridor, and reached back to close the main door behind him.

When the Xie Family door closed with a loud thud, the System doubtfully typed out a question mark, "Do you hate him a lot? I feel like he treats you pretty well."

The System counted on its fingers, "Giving you money, sending you abroad to study, and having you join the company when you return. Isn't this very good?"

Xie Yu said, "That's because Xie Yuanshan has fertility issues, and I am his only son."

If it weren't for that, he wouldn't even be able to enter the door.

The host obviously didn't want to say more, so the System had to stop and ask, "What about that black card? What do you plan to do with the 10 million? Are you really going to invest it?"

Six months wasn't even enough time for financing. Xie Yu knew nothing about business. Six months wasn't even enough for him to get started. What reliable project could he possibly invest in?

Xie Yu propped his chin up, "I didn't plan to do any serious investing in the first place."

He would be locked up in a psychiatric hospital in a few years, what was there to invest in?

He pondered, "I remember that at the end of the novel, I was locked in a psychiatric hospital by Shen Ci, and I was locked up for more than twenty years, right?"

The System was baffled, "Right, but what does that have to do with investing?"

Xie Yu: "How about this, let's invest in the psychiatric hospital."

System: "???"

Huh?

"Although I don't need to be there all the time during the twenty years of being locked in the psychiatric hospital, Shen Ci was also severely ill at that time. He often came to the psychiatric hospital to see me, to see if I was doing 'well.' At those times, I have to be present to act, right?"

"Right..."

Xie Yu spread his hands, "It's going to be my home for the rest of my life, after all. Spending a few million to upgrade the infrastructure, getting a comfortable bed, and fixing up the yard will make it more comfortable to lie down when I move in."

"..."

"Host." The System evaluated honestly, "You are the most bizarre host I have ever seen."

Xie Yu cupped his hands, "I'm flattered."

He drove back to the hotel, actually opened his computer, and started looking at the information of psychiatric hospitals in the city.

The original book didn't write the name of the hospital where the original owner was eventually locked up, so Xie Yu had to investigate them one by one.

There were a total of three psychiatric hospitals in Jiang City. The largest one was a public hospital with complex personnel coming and going. Locking a normal person here would easily leak information, so Shen Ci definitely wouldn't choose this one.

The remaining two private ones were both in the outer suburbs. The hospital websites were very beautifully made, making it impossible to tell which was good or bad. Xie Yu prepared to invest a little in both and just see which one he hit.

He copied down the hotline numbers for the psychiatric hospitals, planning to call them tomorrow during working hours to ask if they needed investment, but when he was saving the numbers into his phone, he paused and slightly raised his eyebrows.

This number was already saved in the original owner's phone.

Xie Yu clicked open the notes: 1735******, Doctor Xu of Qingshan.

And this psychiatric hospital was called Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital.

Xie Yu clicked on the number and linked it to WeChat. The original owner and Doctor Xu were actually friends on it. Over the course of half a year, the two had sent dozens of messages to each other. They were all the original owner making appointments, and the other party giving the time.

They should be in a doctor-patient relationship, and a long-term, stable one at that.

Xie Yu scrolled up. There were no chat records from before half a year ago. The original owner seemed to have changed phones, so no more messages could be seen.

Xie Yu: "System, what's going on?"

System: "The novel has no similar content; it should be content automatically supplemented by the world."

Xie Yu nodded. Imitating the original owner's tone, he tentatively sent a message: "Doctor Xu, appointment."

Ten minutes later, Doctor Xu: "Saturday evening?"

Xie Yu: "Saturday won't work, I have a gathering in the evening."

According to the novel, Saturday was an important plot point. He Zhiyuan would organize another gathering at the bar to make up for tonight's absence. He warmly invited Xie Yu and specifically told him to bring Shen Ci along. Then there would be another large segment of censored plot.

Xie Yu: "Sunday afternoon?"

The other side sent an "OK."

The conversation came to a pause.

Judging from the fluency of their replies, the original owner and Doctor Xu were very familiar with each other. There was no need for detailed explanations; they could understand each other's meanings clearly and efficiently.