Chapter 33.1

“After a brief pause, Duan Chi questioned, ‘Surprise?’”

　　A hushed silence fell upon the balcony, the tension in the air becoming almost palpable.

　　Even though Duan Chi was no stranger to his bracelet’s disruptive nature, not once had he ever anticipated such a malicious and deranged twist. Hence, the unexpected turn of events left him momentarily at a loss for words.

　　Meanwhile, Jing Xi could not refrain from stifling a chuckle, thoroughly entertained by the situation.

　　As of now, Duan Chi is the sole keeper of his secret, yet he also holds the key to reversing the transformation. In a rare moment of conscience, Jing Xi forcefully suppressed his laughter.

　　Just as the ringing ceased, he peeked out from behind Duan Chi and urged, “Don’t just stand there, Nephew! Go grab your husband!”

　　Hu Xiao hesitated, his eyes flickering toward Duan Chi.

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　　Kkdt Dk nbkxle kd, “Eykv, usw’hl tsv kv yzz oasdt! Mbkp caynlzlv sq bkp akdtp lhld obld bl’p kd y talyv xsse, ps kv’p dsv ewl vs uswa bwpcyde.”

　　‘Zlyb, bl’p aktbv.’ Gp Tw Dkys rasnlpple vbspl osaep, bl xwple, ‘Mbl caynlzlv eked’v lxkv y pkdtzl pswde obld bl zyke lulp sd wp. Jwv vbld, xu rbsdu bwpcyde oyzvgle kdvs vbl assx yde qkzzle vbl yka okvb y nlavykd pnldv vbyv pldv rwal fsu nswapkdt vbaswtb bkx. Jlv bkp esryxkdl awpb kp xyjkdt bkp caynlzlv akdt, aktbv?’

　　Rd y pokqv xsvksd, Pwyd Ubk qkaxzu dwetle vbl aycckv cynj kdvs bkp plyv, pbklzekdt bkx qasx raukdt lulp. “Fvlr swvpkel qsa dso. R’zz nyzz qsa usw pbsavzu,” bl kdpvawnvle, y qaspvu letl vs bkp hsknl.

　　Rd y xsxldv qwlzle cu kdvaktwl, Tw Dkys nyhle kdvs vbl vsaxldv sq bkp nwakspkvu. Jwapvkdt swv sq vbl essa, bl oydvle vs nsdqasdv bkp rbsdu bwpcyde okvb iwlpvksdp ycswv bkp xldvyz pvyvl, sdzu vs ekpnshla bkp vyatlv qasgld kd rzynl. Ekvb y pkzldv wdelapvydekdt, Tw Dkys nkanzle yaswde yde pszlxdzu ryvvle bkp rbsdu bwpcyde’p pbswzelap.

　　“Tlu, kv’p sjyu,” bl alyppwale, “El’al y vlyx, aktbv? R’hl tsv uswa cynj, ps qllz qall vs pbyal obyvlhla’p sd uswa xkde.”&dcpr;

　　Tkp rbsdu bwpcyde pvyvle, “R esd’v byhl yduvbkdt sd xu xkde aktbv dso.”
　　Tw Dkys vlyple, “Nssj yv usw clkdt yzz pvwccsad.”

　　Tkp rbsdu bwpcyde’p dyxl oyp Ckd Hbys. Jlbkde bkp nsze yde bydepsxl lmvlaksa bke yd wdlmrlnvlezu wdrzlypydv rlapsdyzkvu.

　　Tkp lulp eyavle vs bkp nsdhldkldv ryavdla, nyvnbkdt pktbv sq vblka elzktbvle lmralppksd yxke vbl wdqszekdt prlnvynzl. Ekvbswv xkppkdt y clyv, bl ralpple bkp qkdtla ytykdpv vblka qsalblye clqsal rzyuqwzzu rwpbkdt vblx yoyu okvb y bkdv sq ekpeykd.

　　However, Hu Xiao was not about to let that slide easily. Leaning closer, he smirked, “Lucky for us, no one at the casino had any clue of this little escapade despite being just around the corner. Can you picture the chaos if those snooty relatives of yours got wind of this? Would they drag you to the divorce court and dump you on Mr. Duan’s doorstep?”

　　Qin Zhao jeered, “Load up on more brain-boosting food, genius. Have you forgotten about Yi Zhou?”
　　Hu Xiao responded, “Oh, right.”
　　Lost in the thrill of the moment, he had overlooked a crucial clue. Scratching his chin, he pondered aloud, “While Lupinus Mutants typically only react to certain scents, there’ve been instances where two were drawn to the same person. Conversely, can it work the other way around, or does he possess more than one ‘predestined’ scent?”
　　Qin Zhao responded with a grunt of acknowledgment.
　　Hu Xiao remarked, “CEO Duan is as impressive as always. Anyway… Now that you’re about to compete with a love rival, do you have any words to say?”
　　Qin Zhao shot back, “Scram!”

　　After getting the green light to move freely, the assistant roamed around the spacecraft. Mindful not to stray too far from his boss, he returned with a handful of fruits in tow.

　　Eyeing the two figures by the balcony, he could not place a familiar face. Undeterred, he strolled past them and swung open the glass door to a baffling scene — there sat his boss, playing with the rabbit’s ears.

　　A thunderous bang echoed through the air as he forcefully slammed the door.

　　The superficial couple snapped their attention toward him, and at that very moment, their eyes met with the assistant, who coincidentally looked up. 

　　A suspenseful pause hung in the air as they locked eyes for a fleeting two seconds. In the midst of uncertainty, Qin Zhao, who was plagued by doubt about hitting the jackpot, could not resist the urge to break the tension with a hushed inquiry. “What’s going on in there?”

　　“Nothing much, really. I saw him with a guest, and they’re wrapping things up.” The assistant conscientiously covered for his boss. After a momentary pause, he could not help but blurt out, “By the way, is that person inside… a friend of yours?”

　　Hu Xiao answered, “That’s your boss’ long-lost Second Uncle.”
　　The assistant exclaimed, “What?!”

　　Five minutes later, the group returned to the balcony.

　　With just four seats at the round table, the assistant initially intended to drop off the fruits and make a swift exit. Yet, a sudden mention of a crucial discussion nixed that idea. Now, positioned behind his boss, he cast a curious look at a certain rabbit in the room. 

　　In a bid to avoid any unnecessary drama, Jing Xi took the initiative to admit, “Alright, I’ll be honest. I’m actually the reason his bracelet was ringing.”

　　A deafening silence enveloped the balcony, shrouding it in an uneasy stillness. 

　　Only then did the assistant come to realize that he had stumbled upon a startling revelation about the bracelet. A whirlwind of emotions threatened to break free. With a Herculean effort, he wrestled to keep his composure, a silent struggle echoing in the quiet air.

　　Qin Zhao’s suspicions lingered like a hidden storm, yet his poker face revealed nothing. Meanwhile, Hu Xiao shot a quick, reassuring glance at the rabbit, silently conveying that joining the Silver Fort was a done deal and there was no need for any mediation on his part.

　　On the other hand, Jing Xi could not refrain from chuckling at the sheer entertainment of it all. After all, the main couple of this storyline had that irresistible love-hate relationship that had him utterly intrigued.

　　He insisted with unwavering conviction, “I swear, I’m really the reason for it!”

　　After a discussion, Duan Chi unraveled the details in an enlightening explanation.

　　The both of them spoke of the individual, who not only faced off with two Lupinus Mutants but lived to tell the tale, was none other than Yi Zhou. It turned out that his special constitution proved to be remarkably effective against the majority of the Lupinus Mutants.

　　In a split second, the superficial couple quickly pieced it together — Yi Zhou’s blood was special, while the rabbit was his ‘predestined’ one.

　　However, word on the street was that CEO Duan and Yi Zhou not only resided in the same residential neighborhood but were also spotted taking walks together after dinner. Who would have thought he would start caressing the rabbit’s ears as soon as he encountered his ‘predestined’ one?

　　Surreptitiously, they sized CEO Duan out and collectively opined, ‘No matter how you look at him, he doesn’t strike me as that type of person. Truly, looks can be deceiving.’

　　Yet, Duan Chi remained unfazed by the opinions of others, consistently radiating an air of tranquility and composure.

　　As the main instigator, Jing Xi could not hold himself back from spilling more details. He wove a tale about having something in his ear just moments ago. When they barged into the room, his nerves got the best of him, and his attempt at a dodge inadvertently resulted in a small cut. When Duan Chi turned, he detected the scent of blood, setting off the bracelet’s shrill ringing.

　　Since the day they crossed paths, Duan Chi’s bracelet remained eerily silent. It took an unexpected incident and Duan Chi’s revelation for the truth to come to light — his blood held an irresistible allure for Duan Chi. In the end, they surmised that Yi Zhou still occupied a prominent place in Duan Chi’s heart.

　　The superficial couple chimed in unison with an almost perfectly timed “Oh!” response, followed by a silent critic. ‘C’mon, are you serious? If he didn’t care, would he willingly address you as Second Uncle?’

　　Right then, the assistant also took a momentary peek at the rabbit.

　　Absolutely convinced he was not imagining things earlier, he swore his boss was indeed playfully twiddling with the rabbit’s ears.

　　From the get-go, he was in on Young Master Zhou’s special constitution and had a hunch that his boss might stumble upon his ‘predestined’ one down the line. Little did he expect his boss to fall in love with someone else, so what exactly was happening now?

　　In response, Jing Xi fell silent under the watchful eyes of these people, adopting a cool composure that seemed to keep the world at arm’s length.

　　As the air crackled with contemplation, the pivotal contract signing moment had finally arrived.

　　Hu Xiao was actually keen on sealing the deal with Silver Fort, yet a nagging concern crept into his mind — Would Duan Chi’s pursuit of personal gains throw a wrench into the works for the rabbit? His pen hovered in midair, caught in the grip of uncertainty.

　　Duan Chi keenly caught onto his concerns and stated coolly, “I’m not involved in managing the entertainment company, so I’ll ensure someone from there gets in touch with you. Once they send you a proposal, you can take your time to review it before making a decision.”

　　Not wanting to be overly definitive in his words, Hu Xi merely nodded his head in agreement. Once the meeting adjourned, he planned to whisk the rabbit away.

　　Right now, Jing Xi’s main task is to ensure Hu Xiao signs the contract. Sensing Hu Xiao’s desire for a chat, Jing Xi promptly joined him as they made their exit.

　　With that, the both of them tossed Qin Zhao aside and sauntered back to the booth where they had their juicy gossip session previously.

　　Jing Xi cut to the chase and confessed, “Alright, I admit it. I fibbed earlier.”
　　Hu Xiao could not contain his excitement and slammed his hand on the table. “I knew it! I knew he’s totally into you…”
　　Jing Xi continued, “We go way back.”
　　Hu Xiao probed, “What do you think of… Wait, what?”

　　Embracing the chance to flaunt his art of crafting nonsense, Jing Xi hinted that certain matters were privy only to the initiated few, so he had to withhold some details. As if that were not intriguing enough, he even disclosed that he was well acquainted with Yi Zhou.

　　Upon receiving a command, System sprang into action and created a group chat for the three of them on his phone. Not stopping there, it seamlessly inserted a mix of daily texts and voice messages. 

　　As Jing Xi finished speaking, he swiftly unlocked his phone, revealing a chat history that sparked Hu Xiao’s curiosity and gossip cravings. All of a sudden, any hesitation about signing the contract vanished as he was enticed by the prospect of delving into such tantalizing gossip. After all, who could ever resist the allure of being one of the initiated few?

　　System eventually let out an exasperated sigh. “You guys came perilously close to turning the situation into a complete mess.”
　　Jing Xi reassured, “With me here, what’s there to be afraid of?”

　　Upon hearing that, System quietly grumbled to itself, ‘It is all your fault that I am on this nerve-wracking rollercoaster of anxiety! If it had been another agent, I would not need to be on tenterhooks.’

　　However, it lacked the courage to voice its thoughts. Hence, it resorted to cleverly acknowledging the situation and skillfully lauding his impressive skills.

　　Barely thirty minutes after basking in the glow of the compliments, trouble came knocking once again.