ABSML Chapter 52: Inertial Thinking
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ANNOUNCEMENT
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Yin Ronglan had been keeping an eye on Chen Zhan out of the corner of his eye. Seeing his expression, he asked, “What’s trending now?”
Chen Zhan pressed his right middle finger lightly against his temple and sneered. “Case closed.”
Thinking about how Lin’s father once seriously admitted that his financial support was just to secure a role, it was hardly surprising that Lin Chiang, as his bloodline successor, would do something like this.
After saying that, he placed his phone on his lap and closed his eyes, lost in thought.
The screen was still lit, and from just a few visible popular comments, Yin Ronglan deduced the general situation. He said calmly, “I heard a long time ago that his desire to win is quite strong.”
“And yet, he still manages to run the company so well?”
Yin Ronglan chuckled. “Lin Chiang is quite shrewd in certain aspects.”
“True.” Chen Zhan sighed softly, recalling how Lin Chiang had agreed to invest in the movie back then. Although the scale wasn’t large, he still brought in a few other investors to spread the risk.
About half an hour later, as traffic gradually resumed, they approached the next intersection. Yin Ronglan asked, “Are we still going to the police station?”
Chen Zhan shook his head. “Find a place to turn around. Let’s go back.”
On the way, he skimmed through the online rankings. Confessions remained firmly in the top spot. He remarked lightly, “He got what he wanted. He should settle down now.”
Yin Ronglan’s grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly but quickly returned to normal. When they arrived at the residential area, the two of them casually picked a restaurant for dinner.
But even just during a bowl of noodles, when Chen Zhan checked his phone again, his brows twitched. The tipping leaderboard had unexpectedly been overtaken by My Idolized Male Friend. Looking at the Weibo comments, netizens were even more invested than he was, even capturing screenshots of the exact moment it surpassed.
[“What a legendary battle. I bet this tipping war is fueled by Chen Zhan’s friend.”]
[“Tsk tsk, now I finally understand why businesses engage in cutthroat competition.”]
[“Kind of feel bad for South Pole Star. How will they even verify this data?”]
[“Feeling bad for South Pole Star +999.”]
[“You’re all mistaken. If they keep competing and even go bankrupt over this, South Pole Star might actually be the biggest winner.”]
[Every refresh brought a new wave of witty comments.]
Chen Zhan looked at the man sitting across from him. “Why are you messing around just like him?”
Yin Ronglan looked up, clearly puzzled. “What?”
Chen Zhan was suspicious. “You’re not the one battling Lin Chiang on the tipping leaderboard?”
Yin Ronglan chuckled. “How could I be?” After a pause, he added, “Besides, haven’t we been together this whole time?”
Chen Zhan’s doubts eased slightly. Based on the timeline, it didn’t quite add up.
Yin Ronglan remained calm. “Maybe some netizens didn’t want to let him have the last laugh and started tipping just for the spectacle.”
The logic was barely passable, so Chen Zhan accepted this explanation.
Seeing this, Yin Ronglan subtly relaxed inside, though his expression remained unchanged. He handed over a napkin and smoothly changed the subject. “The forest park is offering free admission lately. Want to check it out?”
Chen Zhan rationally declined.
Yin Ronglan smirked. “The artificial lake is blocked off now, so you won’t end up a drenched mess from trying to save someone.”
Chen Zhan replied, “I’m managing two ongoing projects now. More work means I have to get back to writing.”
After dinner, they waved goodbye. Seeing that it was still early, Yin Ronglan drove to the office.
The first quarter was a slow season, and overall, the company's employees were in a rather idle state.
With the efforts of the sales department, Yuanrui's sales steadily increased. The sales manager deeply regretted voting in favor of acquiring Yuanrui—what was originally an insignificant project had now taken up more than half a year just to prove a point.
Xiao Zhao gave him a look. The sales manager turned around and immediately straightened his posture as if he were greeting a king on an inspection tour—his superior was approaching.
Fortunately, the superior only came to ask for a report. Watching as Xiao Zhao and his boss walked away together, the sales manager let out a long sigh of relief.
As they walked, Xiao Zhao reported the past two days’ itinerary and asked if any changes were needed.
Yin Ronglan shook his head.
Xiao Zhao closed the file and brought up another matter: "‘My Idolized Male Friend’ is already in the lead. Should we continue sending rewards?"
Yin Ronglan waved his hand. "No need."
He was still looking at the report when he suddenly commented, "How ridiculous."
Chen Zhan had finally written a book inspired by himself, yet the trending topic was still about him and Lin Chiang.
Understanding the meaning behind his boss’s words, Xiao Zhao wisely kept silent at this critical moment.
Yin Ronglan's gaze swept over him.
A chill ran down Xiao Zhao’s spine. After some hesitation, he sincerely suggested, "Maybe… you should consider uninstalling Weibo?"
If you're not meant to be trending, then stop struggling.
"Oh?" Yin Ronglan smiled amicably.
In an instant, Xiao Zhao knew that after the ‘Yin Kulan’ incident, his bonus might once again slip through his fingers.
The road had just been cleared, but by dusk, snowflakes began to fall again.
Chen Zhan had a natural fondness for rain and snow. This kind of weather made people feel at peace… so peaceful that he wanted to close his eyes and take a nap.
After splashing cold water on his face, he felt much more awake. He washed a plate of fruit and placed it beside him before starting to type—
...........
Yin Ba is a few years older than me and is very measured in his actions.
No matter where I go, he always manages to find different cars to pick me up, claiming they belong to friends.
We gradually became familiar with each other.
In my eyes, Yin Ba was great in every way, except that sometimes he was a little odd.
One time, on the way back, I bought two bottles of yogurt.
He unscrewed the cap, about to drink, but suddenly glanced at me, then started licking the yogurt lid instead.
Later, while filming in a neighboring city, we came across a really cool model race car while strolling around.
We decided to each buy one. Afterward, we bought some local specialties. Since we had too much stuff, we decided to ship them back.
When Yin Ba was filling out the shipping form, he suddenly crossed out the half-written address and asked for a new form.
By that time, I had already filled mine out. Standing next to him, I asked in confusion, "Cold?"
Yin Ba shook his head.
I found it even stranger. "But your fingers seem to be trembling."
He forced a smile and completed the form somewhat unsteadily.
Whenever I return from a trip, my city always feels somewhat fresh again.
Life was more relaxed than before. I spent more time chatting with the old man next door and accidentally overheard him mention that Yin Ba had a slight cold these past two days.
Although the old man never deliberately brought it up, from our occasional conversations, I was able to piece together bits of Yin Ba’s past.
Perhaps because I had similar experiences, I could empathize.
My emotions suddenly grew complicated, and I decided to check on him.
I bought some cold medicine and took a pot of freshly cooked millet porridge with me.
Half an hour later, I stood by the roadside and dialed Yin Ba’s number.
"Hello." His voice was a little hoarse.
I had planned to give him a surprise, but now, standing in the wind, I asked, "Tianxi Street No. 236?"
He sounded slightly puzzled. "What?"
"The address you filled out on the last shipping form." I looked up at a giant sign and sneered, "You live in a wildlife park?"
"…"
............
Halfway through writing, Chen Zhan shook his head helplessly. Yin Ronglan hadn’t initially intended to pretend to be poor, which left many inconsistencies in his persona. He had just subconsciously ignored them before.
Fortunately, Yin Ronglan was quick-witted. Even when fatal flaws appeared, he always managed to patch things up.
After updating two chapters in a row, his back felt stiff. Chen Zhan stretched a few times and took the empty fruit plate to the kitchen for washing.
When he returned, he noticed a missed call on his phone.
He called back, and the background noise on the other end was a little loud.
Yin Ronglan asked, "Where are you?"
Chen Zhan countered, "Hiding my lover—where else do you think I'd be?"
Laughter came from the other end. "Mind coming out for a bit? I brought some things for the old man, but there’s no parking spot in your complex."
Chen Zhan walked to the window and looked down. The sides of the street were packed with cars, leaving only a twisted path in the middle.
"I'll come down now."
The cold wind drilled into his collar as he pulled it up and walked briskly.
Just as he arrived, a car pulled out, freeing up a parking spot.
Yin Ronglan got out and opened the trunk, which was filled mostly with premium fruits.
As soon as they took the boxes out, a loud bang sounded. Chen Zhan instinctively flinched. When he turned around, he saw an electric pole crackling with blue sparks before the entire residential complex plunged into darkness.
Some passersby called emergency services while others started recording videos.
Chen Zhan had left his phone upstairs in a hurry, so they relied on Yin Ronglan’s phone flashlight to find their way.
Lifting a box, Chen Zhan shrugged. "I guess your car isn’t leaving anytime soon."
The only consolation was that the newly freed parking spot was still there.
After locking the car, they groped their way upstairs in the darkness. Knowing the old man went to bed early, they decided to deliver the items the next day.
Yin Ronglan, carrying three gift boxes, moved a bit slower. Chen Zhan set his box down, went down a level, and took one from Yin Ronglan’s hands.
In the darkness, their hands brushed against each other—one cold, one warm.
There were no candles in the house, and outside, the sound of fire trucks could already be heard. According to the neighborhood chat group, repairs were underway, so they could only wait patiently.
Chen Zhan asked, "Want some water?"
Yin Ronglan suddenly sat down beside him and lightly touched his soft earlobe.
For a brief moment, Chen Zhan was caught off guard, but he quickly held his breath and listened. There was a faint sound in the room.
A thought crossed his mind—when he had gone downstairs to meet Yin Ronglan earlier, he had left the door slightly ajar, thinking it was just one floor away.
Yin Ronglan gestured in a certain direction.
Chen Zhan deliberately turned up the volume on his phone’s video and signaled, "I'll open the door first, then we’ll go to the bedroom together and drag the guy out."
Yin Ronglan asked, "Why open the door?"
Chen Zhan replied, "If we can't beat him, we can run."
"…"
In reality, he made even more preparations—grabbing a mop from the bathroom and picking up a couple of tools from the kitchen.
A small room had its advantages. The wardrobe was a compartmentalized design, impossible to squeeze into without contortionist skills. That left only one possible hiding spot… under the bed.
Chen Zhan swept the mop back and forth under the bed. "Get out."
The intruder reacted quickly, scrambling out from the other side and attempting to slide down the pipes through the window.
After tugging at it twice, he realized in despair—the window was broken.
He turned his head, and under the dim moonlight, he saw Chen Zhan standing there, holding a knife. He dropped to his knees in terror. "Big bro, I was wrong!"
Chen Zhan and Yin Ronglan exchanged a look, and something in their expressions turned cold at the same time.
Taking a step forward, Chen Zhan stared icily at the burglar, who was begging for mercy, and asked bluntly, "Tell me, did Lin Chiang send you?"
Author’s Note:
Burglar: ???
Lin Chiang: … Leave me out of this.
Note: Always remember to lock your door when leaving home. If a burglar gets in, escape first and call the police.
Another note: Since repetition would feel redundant, My Idolized Male Friend primarily records the daily interactions between the two that weren’t covered in previous stories. So many events may feel unfamiliar.
______
T/N: Please support my ko-fi page so I can post more, thank you🌸🌸🌸
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