ABSML Chapter 13: Better Safe Than Sorry

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When Chen Zhan smiled, the corner of his mouth lifted on one side, perfectly embodying the classic "devilish smirk" of a cliche male lead.

The server brought their drinks. Wang Cheng took a sip and said, "Your demeanor has improved a lot."

He still remembered when Chen Zhan had first come to him—good-looking, yes, but every glance carried a hint of mockery.

Chen Zhan lifted his glass. "Heartbreak makes people grow."

Wang Cheng wasn’t interested in the reasons behind his transformation. He got straight to the point. "I watched your recent livestream. I’m sure you now have a basic understanding of your commercial value."

Chen Zhan smiled but didn’t confirm or deny.

Wang Cheng continued, "Our company is about to produce a web series. If you agree, you can take the role of the third male lead."

Chen Zhan raised an eyebrow. He had expected a minor role, maybe fourth or fifth billing, not something this generous.

Wang Cheng maintained his smile. As long as the promotional value was high enough, he had no problem maximizing the benefits.

Chen Zhan lowered his head in thought, and Wang Cheng did not urge him, his expression filled with confidence. While waiting, he appeared relaxed, casually glancing at the handsome men and beautiful women passing by. When his gaze swept past a certain corner, his eyes trembled violently.

The person he was staring at seemed to sense it and turned their face in his direction.

“Yin…” Just as his lips formed the word, the man pressed his index finger to the center of his lips, signaling for silence.

“I think…” Chen Zhan lifted his head and had just started speaking when he noticed Wang Cheng looking utterly dazed. Following his gaze, he quickly locked eyes with Yin Ronglan.

Good looks and an excellent physique were attributes that Yin Ronglan embodied to perfection. He strode over with long steps, and although Wang Cheng had the impulse to stand up several times, he restrained himself, recalling the previous gesture of secrecy.

“What a coincidence,” Yin Ronglan said, looking at Chen Zhan.

With Wang Cheng sitting between them, Chen Zhan found it inconvenient to ask how Yin Ronglan got in. However, his suspicion about the man’s identity deepened.

To Wang Cheng, it felt like watching a horror movie—he couldn’t comprehend how Chen Zhan was connected to Yin Ronglan. Fortunately, after years in the entertainment industry, he was no stranger to imagination. He quickly abandoned unnecessary doubts and extracted the key point: Yin Ronglan did not yet want Chen Zhan to know his true identity.

“How did you end up here?” Unlike Chen Zhan, Yin Ronglan asked the question on his mind without hesitation.

“Discussing some business.” Saying this, Chen Zhan glanced at Wang Cheng.

Yin Ronglan responded, “The other two tables are reserved. Would you mind sharing?”

Before Chen Zhan could answer, Wang Cheng had already made a welcoming gesture.

After Yin Ronglan sat down, Wang Cheng tried his best to conceal the excessive flattery in his tone and cooperated as much as possible. “A chance meeting is fate. Drinks are on me.”

Yin Ronglan didn’t refuse and ordered a drink.

Chen Zhan caught a faint scent of mint. Yin Ronglan swirled his glass slightly, and the aroma instantly turned spicy.

Chen Zhan commented, “Why does this smell like baijiu?”

Wang Cheng shifted uncomfortably in his chair—this was the first time he had seen someone publicly undermine Yin Ronglan.

However, Yin Ronglan was not annoyed. He smiled and explained, “The most unique thing about this drink is its transition—it starts sweet but is actually strong.”

Wang Cheng chimed in, “That’s right! Just looking at it, you can tell it’s one of a kind.”

Yin Ronglan glanced at him. “Seems like you’re knowledgeable about drinks.”

Despite his words, he didn’t take a sip.

Wang Cheng nodded repeatedly in agreement and even ordered another glass.

With Yin Ronglan’s unexpected arrival, the business discussion was disrupted. Seeing that it was getting late, Chen Zhan decided to give his answer later.

Wang Cheng had no intention of staying longer either. As he went to pay at the counter, Chen Zhan accidentally glanced at the bill, startled by the long string of numbers.

Outside, the wind was damp and cold. After parting ways, Wang Cheng drove off first, while Yin Ronglan offered to drive Chen Zhan home.

The night breeze seemed to cool even one’s gaze. Chen Zhan stopped in his tracks. “To be honest, your struggling actor persona before—was that carefully crafted?”

Yin Ronglan did not deny it. In fact, he had deliberately left clues, hoping this chance encounter would clear up Chen Zhan’s misconceptions about him.

The fact that he could freely enter and exit Ka Huang Bar, coupled with Wang Cheng’s overly cautious flattery, already said a lot. In his view, letting Chen Zhan uncover the truth step by step was better than him hearing it from someone else.

At least it wouldn’t leave a rift between them.

Chen Zhan grabbed Yin Ronglan’s wrist and pulled him into a nearby alley, lowering his voice. “You’re so young—even if life is tough, you shouldn’t take the wrong path.”

Things were not going as he had expected. Yin Ronglan was momentarily stunned. “The wrong path?”

Chen Zhan took a deep breath and stated firmly, “Being a drink scammer is illegal.”

“…”

Wang Cheng was fond of good-looking men, and Chen Zhan had obviously mistaken his flattery as romantic pursuit.

Under the heavy moonlight, a sigh broke the silence: “You were meant to be a noble, yet you chose to be a thief.”

“…”

At that moment, Yin Ronglan seriously considered whether to just reveal everything.

Seeing the sincerity in Chen Zhan’s eyes, he decided that being too direct might hurt his pride. Choosing a gentler approach, he explained, “I’m not a drink scammer. I rarely drink.” After a pause, he added, “I only come here occasionally for business meetings, which sometimes involve having a drink or two.”

“A hired drink companion?”

First impressions dictate subconscious bias, and Yin Ronglan was curious about what kind of image he had in Chen Zhan’s mind.

“Just normal business interactions.” He emphasized the word “normal.”

Chen Zhan studied him for a few seconds before choosing to symbolically believe him.

Yin Ronglan found this amusing—he actually felt a sense of relief.

Avoiding any further awkwardness, he dropped Chen Zhan off at his apartment.

“Take care.” Chen Zhan bent down, waving at him through the car window.

Yin Ronglan waited for him to go upstairs before restarting the engine. But after driving only a short distance, he pulled over again. He chuckled at himself for almost revealing the truth but withdrawing at the last moment due to some unknown emotion. Resting his hand on his forehead, he murmured, “Humans and their petty amusements.”

A sleepless night later, he arrived at the office particularly early.

Since he hadn’t gone for his morning run, he chose to take the stairs for some exercise.

The twelfth floor housed the dining area. The aroma of breakfast filled the air, accompanied by the chatter of employees.

“Recent dramas are so bad. Every single one features a domineering CEO pretending to be poor and falling for a girl from the slums.”

“I have no idea what the screenwriters are thinking. Sure, there are rich people who keep a low profile, but that’s not the same as faking poverty.”

“Exactly! They live in completely different worlds. Unless the CEO has a mental disorder.”

Laughter followed the discussion.

Someone added, “Instead of watching those brainless shows, I’d rather watch Confessions.”

“Agreed! At least it has a fresh plot.”

“I’m telling you, Lin Chiang’s style is the real CEO aesthetic—”

“No change for small bills.”

The last three words were said in perfect unison.

Laughter abruptly stopped the moment Yin Ronglan appeared.

His gaze swept over the people who had been speaking, finally landing on a bottle of Xiangxi Green Tea on the table.

The project manager felt unlucky recently, as if experiencing constant setbacks. While passing by a convenience store in the morning, he spotted a bottle of Xiangxi Green Tea and suddenly recalled the latest update of Confession from the previous day. On impulse, he bought a bottle.

"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated," he mumbled, trying to justify his decision. Then he handed the unopened drink to Yin Ronglan. "Would you like to try it?"

Yin Ronglan remained composed. "Do you think I have a mental illness?"

Only then did the project manager recall the widely popular saying about Xiangxi Green Tea: "Are you out of your mind? Have a bottle like Chen Zhan to cure yourself."

The others weren't sure if this was the CEO making an impromptu joke, so they awkwardly chuckled along.

Caught in a moment of awkwardness, the project manager watched as Yin Ronglan finally accepted the drink, nodded in thanks, and turned to enter the elevator.

The employees at breakfast exchanged glances. The project manager rubbed his head and let out a deep sigh. "What a disaster!"

But the real victim was Chen Zhan. As the root cause of this whole mess, he remained completely unaware that his updates often caused unintended trouble for multiple people.

Later That Day

The rain poured heavily. Chen Zhan’s scheduled update was delayed because he had to deliver an umbrella to the old man living next door.

"Scrap recycling prices aren’t high these days, and the weather is getting colder. You should take a break," Chen Zhan advised.

The old man shook his head. "I grew up in hardship. This has become one of life's little joys."

Stepping inside to shake off the chill, Chen Zhan watched as the old man hung up his coat.

"I heard from Ronglan that you two went hiking together last week?" the old man asked casually.

"That sport really doesn’t suit me," Chen Zhan replied, setting the umbrella aside.

It had taken him days to recover his energy.

The furniture was made of wood, and on rainy days, it exuded a faint musty scent. Sitting on the sofa for a while, Chen Zhan stood up and said, "I happen to be replacing my own sofa soon. I can buy an extra set for you—there’s a discount for buying two."

The old man refused outright. "No need to waste money. I’ve used this one for years and grown attached to it."

Then he added, "One day, you can redecorate however you like."

Chen Zhan froze for a moment, not fully grasping the implication.

The old man took out a folded piece of paper and spread it open. It contained a phone number and an address. "This is my lawyer's contact information. Life is unpredictable. If anything happens to me, you will inherit everything I have."

He hadn't intended to reveal this so soon, but knowing how free-spirited Chen Zhan was, he worried that one day he might move away and become unreachable. In that case, even a will might not be enough to ensure everything went smoothly.

Chen Zhan’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, about to refuse immediately.

But before he could say a word, the old man raised a hand to cut him off. "Being neighbors with you has been a joy. You’re the only one who regularly checks in on this old man."

Speaking so directly left Chen Zhan little room to argue. He could only offer a tactful suggestion: "You could donate it to someone more in need."

The old man smiled and shook his head. "To be honest, I’ve spent most of my life helping others. When my time comes, I’d rather leave my possessions to someone who has helped me."

Chen Zhan frowned. All this time, he had been wary of Yin Ronglan, fearing that the man was getting close to the old man just to seize his inheritance.

And yet, in this story he had been scripting for others, the real schemer turned out to be… himself?!

【System Notification: Poor thing. You tried to turn from a villain to a decent person, but a villain you remain.】

Chen Zhan silently made a mental note to get back at the system later. With a forced smile, he said, "Mr. Yin also takes good care of you."

With Yin Ronglan’s wealth, the old man’s entire fortune wouldn’t even amount to his pocket change. But he feared revealing this would hurt Chen Zhan’s pride. With a scoff, he pretended to be annoyed. "If you weren’t around, maybe I’d consider him. But compared to you? He doesn’t even come close."

"..."

Chen Zhan was stunned. Did he just… steal Yin Ronglan’s place?

Author’s Note:

Chen Zhan: I swear I’m not a schemer.

Yin Ronglan (deep in thought): "You were born a beauty, but fate made you a thief."

Chen Zhan: ...

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