Chapter 27

After asking his counselor for two days off, Lin Zhi left with Song Mian that evening. Tong Xu couldn’t hold back his comment: “Song Mian has something to do, and you take leave to follow him? You really are his little wifey?”

Lin Zhi didn’t refute it. After all, how could he say he was the husband too? If he refuted it, Song Mian might end up as the husband instead.

They arrived at the hotel in S City after ten o’clock.

The room was a large bed suite. After Lin Zhi climbed onto the bed, a sudden illusion hit him that he was sharing a room with a man. Lin Zhi felt like backing out: “I’d better sleep on the sofa.”

The back of Lin Zhi’s collar was grabbed. When he turned around, Song Mian’s threat came: “Sleep on the sofa, and I’ll do you.”

Lin Zhi wasn’t sleeping!

Lin Zhi endured his sleepiness and didn’t sleep. After Song Mian lay down, he sneakily opened the search bar but hesitated to type anything. He glanced at his phone, then at Song Mian. Phone, Song Mian.

After repeating this several times, Song Mian finally couldn’t take it anymore and opened his eyes. Lin Zhi quickly tucked his phone against his chest and shot a wise look: “You’re pretending to sleep!”

Song Mian took a deep breath. “I’m not looking at your phone right now.”

“Not right now?” Lin Zhi asked suspiciously.

Song Mian: “……..”

Lin Zhi threw off the covers and slipped off the bed to the balcony.

As soon as Lin Zhi sat in the balcony chair, Song Mian followed. Lin Zhi gave an “I knew it” expression: “And you say you weren’t trying to see my phone.”

Song Mian draped a thick coat over Lin Zhi’s shoulders, grumbling, “It’s cold. Don’t catch a chill.”

Lin Zhi’s body immediately warmed up.

Feeling guilty, Lin Zhi said, “Sorry.”

Song Mian instructed, “Come back in ten minutes.”

Lin Zhi obediently replied, “Got it.”

After Song Mian left and Lin Zhi confirmed he was back in bed asleep, he crouched down and searched: [condoms]

The Romance Survival System, which desperately wanted to hear its host’s thoughts but heard nothing, dutifully reminded him: [Host, no condoms! The goal of this mission is to let the Male Lead marinate you thoroughly. Once you’re steeped in his scent, you’ll take on his luck, and the cannon fodder fate will be completely eliminated!]

Lin Zhi froze.

Marinate… marinate thoroughly?

“B-being marinated in what?” Lin Zhi’s inner voice trembled.

Romance Survival System: [You know…]

Lin Zhi’s straight-guy worldview collapsed once again.

Romance Survival System: [Host, don’t dwell on it! Go sleep properly now. You’ve got five times to do tomorrow.]

Lin Zhi resolutely declared, “I’ve already chosen death.”

Romance Survival System: [Then why search for condoms?]

Lin Zhi didn’t explain.

The system got really angry: [You’re hiding things from me again! Think fast.]

Lin Zhi didn’t think. He wobbled back to bed, and after Song Mian pulled him into his arms, Lin Zhi resignedly nestled into Song Mian’s embrace.

On Wednesday, Song Mian attended lectures and partnership discussions, where Lin Zhi couldn’t help, so he slept in the hotel and waited for Song Mian to return for dinner.

After lunch with local specialties, Song Mian went off to handle more business. Lin Zhi played games alone on the balcony. The Romance Survival System was frantic: [Host, seven times in one go will wreck your body!]

Lin Zhi ignored it.

By Thursday morning, Lin Zhi started feeling anxious.

That Thursday afternoon, after Song Mian finished his itinerary, he asked Lin Zhi if he wanted to stay another day in S City for fun. Lin Zhi glanced at the time: 6:30 PM, leaving only an hour and a half until 8:00.

The Romance Survival System’s electronic voice sounded helpless: [Host, you really are one iron-willed straight guy! In my infinite mercy, I’ll block your pain receptors.]

“Little system, sorry to disappoint. I’m actually just a tough-talking straight guy,” Lin Zhi said profoundly.

At that moment, his survival instinct surged. Lin Zhi looked at Song Mian, grabbed both his arms, and asked with heroic resolve: “Can you do it seven times in one hour?”

His gaze was so determined that Song Mian couldn’t misconstrue it.

“Seven times what?” Song Mian’s throat bobbed hard.

Lin Zhi shouted to bolster himself: “Do it, raw, no condom.”

Song Mian’s pupils shrank. He pulled Lin Zhi into his arms, grinding his back teeth: “Do you know what you’re saying?”

Facing death in an hour, he could finally ditch his straight-guy pride and all that shame!

Lin Zhi said candidly, “I know. Can you?”

Song Mian lowered his gaze, his eyes filled with unmasked possessiveness, his voice thick with desire: “Impossible. Once is possible. But tonight’s long. I can satisfy you.”

Lin Zhi’s face instantly flushed red. He pushed at Song Mian, feigning calm: “That won’t do! I’m leaving.”

Song Mian held him tightly: “Tease and run?”

Lin Zhi didn’t run. His eyes darted evasively, but his voice was righteous: “You can’t even do seven in an hour!”

Song Mian’s face darkened, his tone heavier: “Who can do seven in an hour?”

Lin Zhi lifted his timid eyes and backpedaled: “Two hours then?”

Song Mian: “No.”

Lin Zhi’s voice held doubt: “Not that either? Three hours?”

Song Mian: “……”

Song Mian leaned down and sealed Lin Zhi’s mouth.

This kiss was fiercer than usual. Lin Zhi’s lips went numb. He tried to dodge, but Song Mian gripped his chin, not releasing him until he was breathless and fully invaded by Song Mian’s scent.

Lin Zhi’s legs went weak again. He instinctively glanced down.

“Don’t look. I’m hard,” Song Mian’s hoarse voice murmured in his ear.

Lin Zhi looked up, eyes trembling, but steeled himself: “I-I’ll help you.”

Song Mian rubbed Lin Zhi’s face: “So eager tonight? What’s your scheme?”

No scheme.

He was about to die anyway. Satisfy his bro—he’d helped him before. Besides, after death, everything reset.

These past days, he’d thought it over secretly. Condoms didn’t count, and getting drunk wouldn’t work. Seven in an hour was impossible for most, but Song Mian was the Male Lead—surely not average? Yet he couldn’t. He’d planned to do it in the final hour if possible.

At life’s end, Lin Zhi could abandon straight-guy dignity and shame. But now, even three hours was a no— it was a marathon.

Fine, die a few more times. More contact with Song Mian each time—maybe he’d accept it eventually, and get more “carrots” too.

The Romance Survival System finally heard: [Oh! Host, so that’s your plan! But you’ve been brooding over this these past two days?]

Lin Zhi thought he’d done well. Facing death had unleashed massive survival will. Song Mian just couldn’t deliver.

Lin Zhi tremulously extended his hand.

Song Mian’s breathing grew heavy. He grabbed Lin Zhi’s hand: “Sure?”

Lin Zhi: “Mm!”

But just before contact, Lin Zhi yanked it back, looking up innocently to play dumb: “Let’s chicken out.”

Song Mian wasn’t listening anymore. He seized Lin Zhi’s hand. It ached terribly, but Lin Zhi was too embarrassed to complain. In the end, his palm was rubbed raw and red.

Lin Zhi lay on the bed resting for a good while, sighing with a flushed face.

Song Mian patted his head like a bunny’s: “What do you want for dinner tonight?”

Spinach.

Wait, did he even have a tonight?

Lin Zhi sat up from the bed, but Song Mian hugged him again as he rose. Lin Zhi stubbornly checked the time: 7:45 PM, only fifteen minutes until death.

He couldn’t die in front of Song Mian, right?

Lin Zhi pushed. Song Mian let go.

Still red-faced, Lin Zhi put on his shoes, head down, mumbling an excuse to leave: “Don’t follow me. I’m going to buy you a flower.”

Song Mian’s eyes lit up: “Okay.”

Lin Zhi reached the door and turned back. Song Mian watched him intently. Lin Zhi suddenly felt like crying. He still didn’t want to die. Just do it—get poked! Even if it took a day, he’d live!

That was the massive survival will before death.

Lin Zhi sniffed: “Wait for me, okay?”

Song Mian: “Mm.”

Lin Zhi closed the hotel door. Song Mian’s smile faded. He went to the balcony, pulled out a cigarette, then remembered Lin Zhi’s usual “smoking is bad for your health” and put it away.

Song Mian rested his hands on the balcony railing. Soon, he spotted Lin Zhi leaving the building and walking in the courtyard, furtively looking around.

Song Mian chuckled softly.

Nothing had changed.

Suddenly, Song Mian’s pupils contracted sharply. His eyes nearly bulged as he gripped the railing and roared: “Lin Zhi, move!”

Lin Zhi had just looked up.

Bang!

An electric scooter sped out, instantly knocking Lin Zhi flying. His body lost sensation immediately.

Since he knew the system had blocked pain, his fear lessened a bit. Lin Zhi struggled to get up. He hadn’t even left the hotel gate! He had to see which idiot was joyriding in the courtyard, evading his watch!

But Lin Zhi couldn’t rise. In a daze, he felt himself lifted. Trembling hands stroked his face, cold water droplets splashing on it. Lin Zhi forced his eyes open to see Song Mian’s bloodshot ones.

“Does it hurt a lot? We’re going to the hospital right now. Why did I let you go buy flowers alone?” Song Mian’s voice trembled fiercely, thick with self-blame.

Lin Zhi felt a little sad. He wanted Song Mian not to be upset—he could still live.

“Didn’t buy it. Lied to you. Next time… buy flowers for you.”

“Don’t talk. Breathe slowly, okay?”

No, he was about to stop breathing. Wait, how was Song Mian here?

“You sneaked… followed me…”

Lin Zhi had no strength left to speak.

The Romance Survival System panicked in his mind: [The Male Lead didn’t sneak after you—he jumped from the second floor! Host, I blocked pain, but I can’t rewind time!]

Lin Zhi: ??

Was he really dead?

Damn! He should’ve really done it!

Blood surged from Lin Zhi’s mouth. He gradually lost consciousness. When he opened his eyes again, he saw himself lying quietly on the bed with eyes closed.

Huh?

Lin Zhi reached out. Then who was he now?

Lin Zhi looked around and widened his eyes. It was Song Mian’s bedroom, now plastered with strange talismans on all walls, candles lit one by one on the floor. And lighting them was… Song Mian!

Song Mian’s gaze was even more indifferent, a faint deathly aura around him. Lin Zhi somehow floated to Song Mian’s side: “What are you doing?”

Song Mian didn’t look up, continuing to light them.

Lin Zhi tried to stop this weird ritual, but his hand passed right through Song Mian’s arm in horror.

What the—??

Was he a ghost?!

Lin Zhi belatedly ran to the bed and passed his hand through his own body.

What the—!

He was really dead!

[Host, look at me!] Suddenly, Lin Zhi heard a familiar electronic system voice.

Lin Zhi searched.

[Host, I’m stuck in the window!]

Lin Zhi looked over.

It was a white, paper-thin ghost-like thing, only its head inside, body… Through the transparent window, Lin Zhi saw the body floating outside.

Lin Zhi floated over.

“A9901, Romance Survival System!” Lin Zhi exclaimed joyfully.

[It’s me, Host. Quick, pull me in!]

Lin Zhi tentatively touched the ghost’s head. It swayed like paper, but he made contact!

Lin Zhi grabbed the paper—no, ghost head—and laboriously dragged the system inside. Instantly, the paper ghost inflated into the form the system had once shown in Lin Zhi’s mind.

No eyes.

The A9901 system couldn’t hear Lin Zhi’s complaint.

Lin Zhi felt less scared now, curious: “What’s going on? I must’ve missed something epic. How’d you get stuck? What’s Song Mian doing?”

Romance Survival System: [The Male Lead is summoning your soul. He drew yours here. I sensed something off in the bedroom and tried entering through the window. But my neck was too thick!]

The Romance Survival System shook its body.

Lin Zhi was dumbfounded.

Summoning… souls?

Lin Zhi questioned deeply: “Is this really just a simple wealthy family upgrade novel?”

The Romance Survival System’s electronic voice sounded quite heavy: 【I’m also very confused. Host, you’re now in a spirit state, and this system was forced out of your consciousness. Originally, I was going to reset the time, but because the Male Lead was present at the scene of your death, and he is the center of this world’s operations with extremely powerful awareness, this system simply couldn’t use its abilities while he was there. Sorry, Host. This is also the first time this system has dealt with a Male Lead novel—it’s my oversight. I need to wait until the Male Lead and you are no longer in the same space before I can reset the time again.】

Lin Zhi suddenly felt sad. “Did Song Mian cry?”

The Romance Survival System’s electronic voice sounded utterly dejected: 【Host, did you even listen to what I said?】

Lin Zhi replied, “Then should I leave now?”

Lin Zhi floated to the door, but he unexpectedly found himself blocked by it. Unwilling to believe it, he bumped into it again, and his spirit body flew back, tumbling through the air.

“Am I not a ghost?” Lin Zhi’s soul sprawled out awkwardly in all directions.

The Romance Survival System explained: 【It has nothing to do with whether you’re a ghost or not. Once the Soul Summoning ritual is activated, you can’t leave for seven days. Look, the doll the Male Lead took out of the box should become your body for the next few days.】

Lin Zhi looked down in confusion.

At some point, an opened box had been placed beside Song Mian, containing an extremely exquisite doll.

A circle of candles had already been lit, and Song Mian placed the doll in the center.

Lin Zhi hurried over for a closer look at the doll.

It was a very refined humanoid doll, almost proportionally scaled down. Its head was slightly round, and the entire body was about the length of two of Song Mian’s palms. The hair was detailed down to individual strands, but a pair of long white ears protruded from it—like rabbit ears?

The face was… a miniaturized version of him! But cuter, with round black eyebrows, big sparkling eyes that looked embroidered on, incredibly lifelike. The hands were somewhat large and appeared fluffy, quite adorable.

It wore a hooded white sweatshirt, baggy brown flared pants, and white sneakers—exactly his usual outfit. Even on its wrist was the watch Song Mian had once given him, worth 500,000.

And strangely, there was a white fluffy ball embedded at its rear.

This… was him. Lin Zhi suddenly recalled Song Feng saying Song Mian treated him like a rabbit—it hadn’t been a lie. Was this Song Mian’s design for his sub-form?

But why did Song Mian have such an exquisite doll resembling him? Lin Zhi wasn’t wealthy, but he knew a custom doll this refined had to be extremely expensive and couldn’t be made in a short time.

Lin Zhi asked the Romance Survival System, “How many days have I been dead?”

The Romance Survival System replied, “One day. It’s Friday evening.”

One day—impossible to make such an exquisite doll in one day, let alone with custom clothes, shoes, and watch. Not even a week would suffice!

A vague sense of something wrong stirred in Lin Zhi’s heart. Just then, a gust of wind blew through, extinguishing all the candles. Lin Zhi’s soul suddenly lost control and drifted uncontrollably toward the doll.

Lin Zhi panicked.

“System bro, save—save this ghost!”