ABSML Chapter 53: Dialing the Wrong Number

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ANNOUNCEMENT

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• Chapter 51-60
• Chapter 61-70
• Chapter 71-80

The thief clearly had no interest in gossip and cautiously asked, "Who is Lin Chiang?"

Chen Zhan raised the kitchen knife, and the thief was so scared that he was on the verge of tears, earnestly pleading, "I really don’t know him."

Feigning ignorance, Chen Zhan sat at the edge of the bed. Under the moonlight, his face looked eerily sinister. "He sent you to steal the manuscript, didn’t he?"

The thief, who had only intended to snatch some cash, found himself in an impossible situation.

Clenching his teeth, he suddenly stood up and reached into his pocket. Thinking he was about to pull out a weapon, Chen Zhan instinctively leaned back a little. To his surprise, the thief instead pulled out a phone and, moving at lightning speed, dialed a number.

"Hello, police? Help! I’m at—"

He swallowed hard and glared at Chen Zhan in terror. "I called the cops. You can’t touch me now."

Chen Zhan sighed lightly. So, it really was just a coincidence.

The police, as always, arrived swiftly. The moment the thief saw them, he ran straight into an officer’s arms before they could even take out the handcuffs.

"Save me!"

The scene, illuminated by the officers’ flashlights, revealed a group of pale, frightened faces.

Chen Zhan cleared his throat and stated matter-of-factly, "This is the thief."

The officer hesitated. If not for the thief frantically swearing he would never steal again, the officer might have mistaken their roles.

After a brief explanation of the situation, the officer asked, "Was anything stolen?"

Chen Zhan, who had no cash at home, glanced at his still-intact computer and shook his head.

With that, the chaotic episode came to an end. An hour later, the neighborhood’s power was restored.

Noticing that it had just passed eleven o’clock, Chen Zhan, while tidying up the drawers the thief had rummaged through, offered, "You can stay the night."

Considering the weather outside, Yin Ronglan nodded. "Thank you."

After tidying up, Chen Zhan found him a fresh set of toiletries.

Since there was only one thick blanket, Chen Zhan also pulled out two additional throws and, as an afterthought, slipped a few quirky and slightly creepy protective charms into the bedding.

"For warmth," he said.

To be honest, after half a year, Yin Ronglan still hadn’t gotten used to the terrifying-looking charms.

But with them nearby, even ghosts would think twice before approaching.

The snow continued for several days, keeping Chen Zhan indoors and diligently writing. His update schedule for The Years When I Harassed the Queen of Film was one chapter per day, while The Idolized Male Lead had double the frequency.

Thanks to his skillful storytelling, the character Yin Ba had become a national favorite.

Not everyone was content to let their beloved character remain confined to the pages of fiction. Within niche circles, a movement began: Finding Yin Ba.

Initially, Chen Zhan found it amusing. But two days later, the internet actually dug up a real-life counterpart.

Pei Yinqiu. Male. Prestigious university graduate. Super-rich second-generation heir.

He was an eccentric one, passionate about acting yet refusing to pay for publicity, spending most of his time performing in theater.

Since Chen Zhan had also dabbled in acting before, netizens speculated that they might have crossed paths privately.

Pei Yinqiu wasn’t conventionally handsome, but his eyes were deeply expressive. When fans edited their photos together, they found that… they matched well!

There are many types of shipper fans. Some only care about aesthetics. After scrolling through the comments, Chen Zhan found it quite amusing. Despite their enthusiasm, fans were cautiously reminding each other to stay low-key to avoid causing trouble for the real people involved.

Just as he was appreciating how considerate most fans were, he noticed a comment with a link labeled as a "portal."

Curious, he clicked on it and discovered a forum dedicated to fanfiction. He randomly opened two stories—both featuring highly explicit content.

Giving an objective critique, he left a comment: "The plot could use more depth."

That single remark caused an uproar.

Readers immediately declared that if the author toned down the explicit content because of him, he would be a sinner for all eternity.

Chuckling, Chen Zhan exited the forum and turned his attention to the calendar, studying the dates he had marked.

Not long ago, Yin Ronglan had called to inform Chen Zhan about an upcoming event at a winery in two days. If he was interested, he could come along.

The winery was privately owned, and if Chen Zhan could gain the owner’s favor and become a brand ambassador, it would greatly benefit his career.

To prepare, he crammed information about wine. After consuming a large amount of complex material, he reached a simple conclusion—at the event, the best strategy was to speak less and observe more.

The winery owner had an extensive social circle. Chen Zhan had speculated that he might run into the Lin family there, but the number of familiar faces far exceeded his expectations. Even before all the guests had arrived, he had already spotted a young man he once met in Zhehai City, along with several people he had seen at a wedding banquet.

The interconnections among the wealthy ran deeper than he had imagined.

Yin Ronglan was engaged in conversation, his tall frame accentuated by a black coat. Chen Zhan stood in an inconspicuous spot, intending to greet him once he was done talking.

At that moment, a soft chuckle reached his ears.

Chen Zhan looked up and locked eyes with the approaching man.

"Pleasure to meet you." The man extended his hand. "Pei Yinqiu."

Chen Zhan had seen videos of him online, but in person, he appeared thinner, exuding a classical elegance.

"I enjoy your books," Pei Yinqiu said.

"Thank you," Chen Zhan replied. "Would you like an autograph?"

Pei Yinqiu smiled and declined.

Glancing around, Chen Zhan commented, "I didn’t expect a gathering like this in winter."

In his mind, wine tastings should take place on a sunny day, with lush green grass, people swirling their glasses while engaging in lively conversations.

Pei Yinqiu revealed the reason. "The winery owner’s son just returned from studying abroad. He’s at the age for marriage discussions."

"I see," Chen Zhan responded.

As they spoke, a family of three walked past them. A teenage girl in the group shot them a knowing wink, her expression clearly conveying: I knew I was shipping the right CP!

Pei Yinqiu chuckled. "Looks like everyone assumes I’m Yin Ba."

"You could clarify the misunderstanding," Chen Zhan suggested.

Pei Yinqiu shook his head. "The more you explain, the worse it gets."

Meanwhile, the Lin family had just arrived by car. Lin Chiang, sharp-eyed as ever, immediately spotted Chen Zhan and was about to sneer when Jiang Ying stopped him.

"What are you trying to get involved in?" she asked.

"I was just going to say something," Lin Chiang replied.

Jiang Ying held him back, locking eyes with him before shaking her head slowly. After a moment, she lowered her voice and said, "Wherever Chen Zhan is, conflict is inevitable."

Lin Chiang had no choice but to follow her lead.

Since it was cold outside, the wine tasting was held indoors.

Many attendees were more interested in networking than the wine itself—Chen Zhan included.

He was contemplating how to approach the winery owner when someone sat beside him. A familiar voice spoke.

"The view is better up front."

Chen Zhan turned to see Yin Ronglan and smirked. "And what does the view have to do with anything?"

"There’s a performance later."

Chen Zhan had already noticed a few celebrities at the event and shook his head. "No need. Sitting in the front row is too attention-grabbing."

The gathering was casual, with desserts being served alongside the wine.

At one point, a man stood in the center and lightly tapped his wine glass. Gradually, the chatter quieted.

As the winery owner delivered his opening remarks, Yin Ronglan leaned over slightly and whispered, "If you want to get close to him, you could ask Jiang Ying to make the introduction."

Chen Zhan raised an eyebrow. "Insider information?"

Yin Ronglan chuckled. "He and his wife are both Jiang Ying’s fans."

Chen Zhan lowered his gaze, lost in thought. Taking a sip of wine, he found the taste remarkably lingering and couldn’t resist taking another.

Seated on his other side, Pei Yinqiu remarked, "Everyone will receive a complimentary bottle as a parting gift."

"That generous?"

Pei Yinqiu nodded. "It’s a way to build goodwill and maintain relationships."

After a brief pause, he turned to Yin Ronglan and greeted him directly. "I’ve heard a lot about you."

Yin Ronglan responded with a polite compliment. "Mr. Pei’s theater performances are excellent."

Pei Yinqiu smirked. "Netizens mistakenly believe I’m Yin Ba. If I’m not mistaken, you’re the real inspiration behind the character."

His insight was sharp. While most people only saw the humor and dominance in the novel’s protagonist, Pei Yinqiu had grasped the essence.

Yin Ronglan simply smiled and did not deny it. "You could say it’s a special kind of fate."

Listening to their conversation, Chen Zhan thought that if circumstances led to the two actually becoming friends, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. Yin Ronglan often spoke about leveraging friendships for assistance, but Chen Zhan always felt he didn’t have many true friends.

The winery owner, in high spirits, performed a song to entertain the guests, and everyone clapped along.

Many in attendance knew him personally and didn’t hold back on teasing.

The wine tasting was just a pretext—the main purpose was to introduce the winery’s new product set to launch in the second half of the year. Many attendees promised to help with promotions when the time came.

"Then I’ll be counting on everyone," the winery owner said with a smile. "Oh, and I have a young friend who specially invited a well-known provincial theater troupe to perform today."

The indoor temperature was slightly high, and Chen Zhan started feeling a bit drowsy. Just as he was about to yawn, a sudden loud shout jolted him awake. That was when he realized the performance had already begun.

On stage, there were only two actors—one with his face painted black, the other tall and imposing.

Chen Zhan frowned and tilted his head slightly. "What’s this play about?"

Yin Ronglan simply smiled without answering.

After watching for a while, Chen Zhan soon figured it out. "The True and False Li Kui?"

Yin Ronglan nodded.

The play wasn’t long, and soon, it reached the climax where Li Kui drew his waist knife, causing the impostor to scream in terror before dramatically collapsing.

Suddenly, Yin Ronglan clapped. "Bravo!"

A few people nearby, confused but instinctively following suit, also started clapping enthusiastically.

Only Pei Yinqiu’s expression twitched slightly. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this performance had some underlying implications—but he had no concrete evidence.

On the other side, Jiang Ying observed the entire scene and let out her usual cold, elegant smile.

Lin Chiang, having also seen the online rumors mistaking Pei Yinqiu for Yin Ba, simply chuckled knowingly. As someone who knew the truth, he found the whole thing amusing.

Jiang Ying said indifferently, "This well-orchestrated play must have been arranged by Yin Ronglan himself."

After all, where in the world would such a coincidence exist? The theater troupe just happened to choose the story of "The Real and Fake Li Kui."

After a moment, she suddenly shook her head and slightly parted her red lips. "I just don’t know what he’s trying to achieve."

It was nothing more than netizens digging up the wrong information, which was, in essence, a fortunate mistake.

"Isn't it obvious?" Lin Chiang leaned against the chair, his eyes full of sarcasm as he spoke slowly, "Helping in the shadows, becoming a confidant..."

Halfway through his sentence, he deliberately paused and unconsciously mimicked the tone from Chen Zhan's novel: "Oh my God, he is completely mesmerized by this man."

"…"

____

Author's Note: Irresponsible Mini Theater:

Yin Ronglan: I don’t care; you must tell the whole world that I’m the real one!

Chen Zhan (expressionless): Oh, how?

Yin Ronglan, after careful thought: …How about posting on Moments first and doing a like-gathering event?

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T/N: Please support my ko-fi page so I can post more, thank you🌸🌸🌸