ABSML Chapter 12: Side Hustle

 Previous | Table of Contents | Next

Chen Zhan and the new system maintained a state of peaceful coexistence.

The new system was highly pragmatic—so long as the daily quota of "redemption points" was met, it didn't care what Chen Zhan did.

After a heavy downpour, the weather suddenly turned colder.

The next day, Chen Zhan stayed indoors, staring at the screen and contemplating new ways to make money.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Chen Zhan closed his laptop, instinctively thinking it was Yin Ronglan, but when he opened the door, he found Lin Chiang instead.

“What do you want?”

Lin Chiang replied, “To talk.”

Chen Zhan reminded him, “It’s only been a little over twenty hours since we last met.”

Lin Chiang sat down in front of him. The hardness of the chair made his brows furrow slightly.

Feeling the room was stuffy, Chen Zhan opened the window, letting in a gust of wind carrying the earthy scent of damp soil. Fortunately, the morning sunlight was warm enough to let him momentarily forget about his heating pads.

He said casually, “I didn’t mention you in yesterday’s article.”

“I know.” Lin Chiang gave him a complex look. “But I already saw this morning’s entertainment headlines.”

A single article by Chen Zhan could have an impact that outperformed an entire PR team. Jiang Ying was off filming in the remote mountains, yet somehow, she had unknowingly ended up on the trending list.

Chen Zhan grabbed an apple and started eating, waiting for Lin Chiang to continue.

Watching him eat half the apple in silence, Lin Chiang finally spoke:

“Last March, Jiang Ying received a flood of threatening letters. You didn’t even think to hide your fingerprints and were quickly arrested. A month later, you’d just been released when you tried to sneak into her hotel room, only to be discovered and thrown out by security.”

Chen Zhan half-closed his eyes, rubbing his temples lightly. The original owner of this body had done plenty of despicable things. Being confronted with them now made for a rather complicated feeling.

“I’m not here to settle old scores,” Lin Chiang added, giving him a sharp look. “But your recent behavior—getting smarter all of a sudden—is quite unusual.”

As he spoke, Chen Zhan merely lifted his eyelids lazily, showing no reaction.

Lin Chiang’s gaze swept over him, then, without warning, he took a step closer. “A person might have a sudden epiphany, but for their IQ to increase overnight? That’s rare.”

Chen Zhan shrugged, meeting his gaze directly. “Time is precious. Get to the point.”

Lin Chiang sat back down. “I’m just throwing out a question—you don’t have to answer it.”

Chen Zhan replied, “I was cursed. Later, I lifted the curse.”

“……”

Faced with silence, Chen Zhan remained as composed as ever, continuing matter-of-factly, “I was obsessed with sorcery, so I experimented on myself. Later, I became a self-taught expert and managed to save myself.”

Spouting these wild, far-fetched lies, he looked up to see Lin Chiang staring at him with deep, unreadable eyes. Then, in an ambiguous tone, Lin Chiang said, “Come with me to meet someone.”

Chen Zhan raised an eyebrow. “You actually believe that?”

Lin Chiang grabbed his car keys and pushed back his chair. He made an offer: one day of Chen Zhan’s time for ten thousand yuan.

Chen Zhan accepted without hesitation.

Everyone had their own driving style. Yin Ronglan’s was steady. Lin Chiang’s, in contrast, was all about speed, shaving off every possible second.

At a red light, Lin Chiang glanced at him. “You’d risk going with me just for a bit of money? Aren’t you afraid I might harm you?”

Chen Zhan stared straight ahead. “If I go missing, you’ll be the number-one suspect in the entire country.”

Perhaps intentionally, he stretched his recently uncast wrist while speaking.

For the rest of the ride, Lin Chiang didn’t speak again. Chen Zhan hadn’t slept well the night before, so he leaned against the car window and closed his eyes to rest.

The car arrived at its destination—a luxurious villa.

Calling it a villa was an understatement; given its vast size, "estate" might be more accurate.

Billions of Stars was a romance novel, but its basic setting still retained some extravagant "Mary Sue" elements. This was the first time Chen Zhan had seen such an opulent residence since arriving in this world.

Upon entering, they were greeted immediately. The interior decor wasn’t excessively lavish, but Chen Zhan still took note of a few particularly interesting ornaments.

He didn’t have much time to admire them, though. Lin Chiang led him straight through the long hallway, exiting through the back door.

A unique little world appeared before Chen Zhan’s eyes.

He stopped in his tracks. Lin Chiang leaned against the doorframe, gazing forward.

Following his line of sight, Chen Zhan saw a woman standing on the lawn not far away—an oval-shaped face, flawless skin that made her age hard to determine.

“That’s my mother.”

Chen Zhan’s gaze deepened. “Bringing me to meet your parents—don’t you think that’s a bit inappropriate?”

Lin Chiang ignored the sarcasm, his brows furrowing slightly. “She’s changed a lot recently. Take a good look. Do you think she’s been cursed?”

Chen Zhan coughed, choking on his own breath.

“My mother is gentle by nature, always kind to others,” Lin Chiang continued, glancing sideways at him. “But recently, she froze my bank accounts over a single article, and she has occasional unexplained episodes of anxiety. Her sleep has also been restless.”

Chen Zhan wasn’t sure if he was really listening. After a pause, he said, “So because of that, you think she’s under a spell?”

“She had a full medical check-up earlier this year. My father hasn’t been fooling around outside, either,” Lin Chiang’s brows knit together. “There’s no logical explanation for this kind of sudden change.”

He didn’t believe in the supernatural, but he still wanted to test the possibility.

The woman seemed to sense the strange gazes upon her. She turned her head and noticed that her son was standing next to Chen Zhan.

Realizing that something was amiss, she started walking toward them.

Since it would be rude to avoid her, Chen Zhan stayed where he was, standing still.

As she approached, a faint fragrance drifted over.

Lin Chiang called out, "Mom."

The woman ignored him and withdrew her gaze from Chen Zhan. "Why are you two together?"

She had seen this young man in the news. Chen Zhan had done plenty of reckless things in the past, and since it involved her son's girlfriend, the chances of them reconciling were practically nonexistent.

"Talking business," Lin Chiang replied expressionlessly.

The woman turned back to Chen Zhan, this time without scrutiny. In a gentle voice, she asked, "I'll pay double—what are you discussing?"

Chen Zhan maintained professional integrity and valued confidentiality. He remained silent at her words.

She didn't press him further. "Since you're already here, have some afternoon tea before you leave."

Chen Zhan raised an eyebrow at Lin Chiang… Just like that, she was letting it go so easily?

Before Lin Chiang could respond, the woman slightly lifted her head and glanced at the surveillance camera installed by the door. She called for the butler and instructed him to retrieve the footage from earlier.

Chen Zhan noticed something he had previously overlooked: despite the vastness of the estate, surveillance cameras were installed in every corner. He wasn't particularly concerned since he had been invited as a guest. As for Lin Chiang… Well, the best Chen Zhan could do was not add fuel to the fire.

The tea was slightly bitter but carried a hint of sweetness. Though he wasn't an expert, even he could tell it was of exceptional quality.

After about three sips, the woman had already reviewed the footage and understood the situation.

Lin Chiang explained, "It was just a passing thought."

The woman showed no clear emotion as she asked Chen Zhan, "What do you think?"

"Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, drink some herbal medicine if necessary, and maintain a regular sleep schedule," Chen Zhan said. He then deliberately paused, looked directly at Lin Chiang, and enunciated, "In my opinion, this is called menopause, not a curse."

Lin Chiang: "…"

Before being 'politely' escorted out of the Lin family home, Chen Zhan calmly finished his premium tea and bid farewell with impeccable manners.

He wasn’t sure what Lin Chiang would face after he left, but his instincts told him it wouldn't be pleasant.

Chen Zhan sincerely wished him well—at least well enough to endure whatever punishment awaited and still be able to pay his fee.

His phone vibrated a few times. Thinking it was a payment notification, he checked it, only to find an unknown caller.

"Who is this?"

"I'm Wang Cheng."

Wang Cheng?

Chen Zhan tilted his head, searching his memory. Back when the original Chen Zhan had been obsessively pursuing Jiang Ying, he had tried to enter the entertainment industry, believing proximity would help. He had spent money to make connections and eventually met Wang Cheng, an agent at Star Entertainment.

But Wang Cheng had a preference for men and had repeatedly hinted at starting a different kind of relationship. Though he never coerced him, he did try to pursue him with money. The original Chen Zhan, a die-hard straight man, had felt deeply insulted and knocked out one of Wang Cheng's teeth with a punch, effectively shutting the door on his entertainment career.

Chen Zhan chuckled. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Wang Cheng, ever the smooth talker, had a voice that carried an oily charm. "No need to be so defensive. I called for serious business."

Chen Zhan remained silent, signaling that he was listening.

The sound of a chair swiveling came through the phone. He could picture a chubby man spinning idly in an office chair. "Didn’t you want to enter the entertainment industry before? I think we can revisit that discussion."

Chen Zhan had no talent or interest in acting, but taking on a supporting role as eye candy to boost his visibility wasn’t a bad idea.

Since he had an article to write when he got home, he scheduled the meeting for the evening. They agreed to meet at the Ka Huang Bar.

Ka Huang Bar was a unique establishment in Y City. Unlike typical clubs, there was no dancing, and the interior had an elegant, refined design. After 9 PM, it only admitted VIP members.

Standing at the entrance, Chen Zhan took in the imposing stone lions flanking the doors and thought that a chastity memorial arch might have been more fitting.

Unexpectedly, this kind of establishment had a loyal following. Luxury cars pulled up one after another, and the place was filled with stunning women.

"Surprising, isn’t it?" A voice chuckled behind him. A chubby hand clapped his shoulder as Wang Cheng said, "They call it a bar, but inside, it's more like a high-end club."

A VIP card allowed one guest entry. The usher who led them inside was good-looking, and Wang Cheng couldn't resist sneaking a few extra glances. Since the private rooms were expensive, Wang Cheng, reluctant to spend too much, opted for a regular seat.

Interlocking his chubby fingers, he leaned forward slightly. "What would you like to drink?"

Chen Zhan glanced at the menu, filled with romantic and whimsical names. He casually pointed at something under the liquor section. "This one."

Wang Cheng ordered the same. Today, his gaze toward Chen Zhan lacked desire; instead, he exuded the cunning air of a businessman, as if their past conflicts had never happened. He opened the conversation with ease. "How do you like this place?"

"It's nice," Chen Zhan replied. "Even the drinks have stage names."

Just then, his phone buzzed with a payment notification. Surprisingly, the amount was twice what they had initially agreed upon—Lin Chiang had sent him ¥20,000.

The attached message read: Hush money.

_____

T/N: Please give support in my ko-fi page, thank you😊