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Chapter 16 — All Sorts of Crazy Turning Points
Xiao Han had wanted to silence the ringing, but it was evident that the sound transmitted faster than he could move. Both Zhuo Fan and the other man he was speaking with heard the ringing, and they turned to look at him in unison.
Not only was this man’s back familiar, his face was quite familiar as well. Xiao Han cut the call off, and his calm footsteps did not reflect the surprise and disappointment in his eyes.
“We haven’t met in a while… Ah Han.” The man addressed him very intimately, but his expression seemed uncomfortable. His brows were expressive, and his eyes contained unspoken complications.
Xiao Han stopped in front of them. With one hand in his pocket, he loosened his dark blue tie a little with the other hand and nodded slightly at him. “Yes, it’s been a while, Chenli.” His voice was steady. After so many worlds of edification, he could now flawlessly conceal all his complaints and emotions. While facing any type of plot with an aloof naturalness, his comments and grumbles would automatically appear in his head, completely with different colors and font sizes.
Actually, it was extremely difficult to hold back his laughter, his anger, his tears, and his snark, but having gotten accustomed to it, Xiao Han felt that his composure index had already broken through the cap.
Just like now, Liang Chenli still had the role of a cannon fodder bottom, a plaything of tragedy. However, he at least had a little more of a status now — Xiao Han’s ex-boyfriend. It was a step up from being a “good friend” in the first world, and there was no need to even mention the third world. He was glossed over with just a photo, and it was even cut up.
Logically speaking, things like ex-boyfriends were usually used to make the current boyfriend jealous so as to develop their feelings further, right?
Should love rivals not be extremely jealous, disparaging, and fighting with each other when they met? Why were these two looking like old friends instead, whispering over here? Thinking about how he met Wen Muyan for the first time, he was basically set for a showdown. Should that not be the correct way of meeting each other?
“How do you know each other?” Xiao Han’s profound gaze swept past their faces, finally falling back onto Liang Chenli.
If he heard it correctly just now, it seemed that this fellow had told Zhuo Fan, “Xiao Han is heartless and ungrateful. How he dumped me in the past will be how he dump you in the future. You should wake up now.”
Was there a need to blacken his name so much? How much hatred did he have for him?
“Oh, I met Zhuo Fan at a press conference earlier this year.” Liang Chenli spoke in an open and direct manner, finally smiling at him. “I heard that the two of you are together now, I won’t disturb your date anymore. Goodbye.” He glanced meaningfully at Zhuo Fan who had remained quiet the entire time before leaving.
In actual fact, Xiao Han wanted him to disturb them for even longer. It was not that Xiao Han had feelings for him, but just that having the three of them together was better than having just him and Zhuo Fan alone. It was also easier for him to figure things out secretly, but Liang Chenli had left too quickly, and did not give him a chance to stop him.
Xiao Han did not speak out rashly, only eyeing Zhuo Fan from the corner of his eyes. He saw that Zhuo Fan had his head bowed, and did not know what he was thinking. He felt that this person seemed to be a little different from how he was like in the other worlds, but he could not point out exactly where the difference was.
Just as Xiao Han was about to find an excuse to slip away, Zhuo Fan grabbed his arm and cast a sidelong look at him discontentedly. “I came here especially to pick you up from work, why do you look rather unhappy about it?”
Furrowing his brow inwardly, Xiao Han slowly pulled his arm covered with goosebumps back, saying coolly, “I’m not free tonight. You should go have dinner by yourself.”
“Why aren’t you free?” Zhuo Fan was even more dissatisfied, and his tone became unhappier. “In the past, you would eat with me no matter how busy you are. If you’re not free tonight, then, tomorrow night should be fine, right?”
“I’m not available tomorrow night as well.”
“Why?”
Having gained his freedom now, Xiao Han of course could not be bothered to talk to him anymore. However, as he did not know what the script was planning, he dared not go too far. He could only think of a random excuse, and answered him expressionlessly, “I always have a few days of discomfort every month.”
“…” The corner of Zhuo Fan’s mouth twitched, and he felt that his IQ had been insulted.
Xiao Han walked away, only to hear Zhuo Fan gloomily speak behind him, “If you won’t accompany me, then I’ll go look for some other friends to eat with me.” He even deliberately placed a heavy emphasis on the words “some other friend”.
It was most likely that person. Xiao Han stopped resolutely, turning back with some anticipation. “Which friends?”
In the end, Zhuo Fan completely missed the point, and with a firm face, he interpreted the question with his unique way of thinking. “Since you’re so unhappy that I’m close with other people, can’t you just watch closely over me instead?”
“…” Xiao Han had thought that his composure index was full already, but why was it that every time he spoke to Zhuo Fan, he could push it further?
He simply only wanted to know if he was referring to Wen Muyan. Quick, look at his earnest eyes! His eye boogers were even about to fall out!
Zhuo Fan saw his lover gazing directly at him. He smiled in pride and satisfaction, but deliberately said, “Alright, I’m going to eat now. It’s up to you. I haven’t seen my friends in a long time, we’ll probably end up chatting late into the night. I won’t go back tonight.”
Not right, something was extremely wrong here. According to Zhuo Fan’s trash bottom settings in the past worlds, why would he say something like this? This sort of cat and mouse attitude, retreating for the sake of advancing, was this what they called the legendary prideful queenish bottom?
However, what was with this sudden change? Could it be that this fellow had also transmigrated?
Unconsciously, Xiao Han frowned slightly. Of course, in Zhuo Fan’s eyes, this naturally became a sign of his jealousy. His mouth could not help but quirk up slightly, awaiting the upcoming “overbearing forceful kiss” and Xiao Han’s “refusal to let him meet his friends” as well as how Xiao Han would “insist on going to keep an eye on him as Zhuo Fan refused to give in” and other various tropes.
However, after waiting for a long time, Xiao Han did not do anything. Zhuo Fan was very anxious, he had long been prepared to struggle, to push and pull, but why was this guy not moving at all?
Thinking for a while, he still could not think of why Xiao Han did not act. As such, for today’s plan, Zhuo Fan could only take it step by step. However, Xiao Han had no plans on following the script, and he just casually nodded, saying just one word, “Oh.”
“…”
Watching Xiao Han who had just turned and walked away, Zhuo Fan was stunned. He gritted his teeth so hard that they were about to shatter. This was impossible! He thought over it, then recalled Xiao Han’s cool and overbearing setting, and looked like he had just gained a revelation. Xiao Han must have been unable to put his dignity away, so on the surface, he pretended to not care about it, but in actual fact, he was very angry about it. Later on, Xiao Han would definitely secretly follow him.
The more he thought about it, the more he believed that would happen. Zhuo Fan now had a confident and victorious look upon his face. Taking out his phone, he scrolled through his contact list. Tapping on the listings Cannon Fodder Top 1, 2, and 3, he sent each person a text. Trying his best to suppress his secretly gleeful expression, he pretended to look as though he was anticipating a meeting with good friends, and slowly walked out.
If Xiao Han was able to read minds, if he could read what Zhuo Fan was thinking at the moment, he would most likely speechlessly beat him up. If he could hold himself back, his composed index would definitely reach up to the stratosphere.
Unfortunately, he could not read minds, and he also did a very stupid thing — just as what Zhuo Fan had speculated, he really secretly followed after him.
What was even stupider was, Xiao Han’s skills at pretending was top-notch, but his following skill was really nothing much. On top of Zhuo Fan’s intentional probing, his presence was soon noticed, and Zhuo Fan was so pleased with himself that he could have laughed aloud.
Of course, Xiao Han did not follow him to “watch over his lover closely”. His objective only had to do with Wen Muyan.
Zhuo Fan deliberately slowed his steps. He had chosen a restaurant nearby, mainly because there was a stage in the middle of it, and offered a service along customers to select songs. Xiao Han found the place without any effort, but going in like that was too attention grabbing. It would not be good if he was discovered by Zhuo Fan.
Xiao Han surveyed the surroundings, and decided to go into the clothing store next door to disguise himself. After wearing the necessary trench coat, sunglasses and brimmed hat for following people, he quickly placed a newspaper under his arm and walked into the restaurant from the side. Fortunately, to allow him to spy on him easily, Zhuo Fan had purposely selected a seat next to the window. Thinking he was lucky, Xiao Han quietly sat in a corner, and ordered a bottomless cup of coffee and pretended to be reading the newspaper.
A while later, Zhuo Fan’s first friend soon arrived.
Xiao Han removed his sunglasses, poking two holes in the paper. His eyes could then look through it, and when he saw that friend, he got a shock. This person had a stern, squarish face. He was not tall, and his body was growing sideways. In a cheap suit, his belly looked very obvious — was this not Shao Ze from the second world who had a secret crush on Zhuo Fan?!
Could this Spare Tyre No. 2 been given a status? No, it couldn’t be. Judging by at his poor, ugly and short setting, he clearly had no hope. However, this world was truly a gathering of the members, how lively.
Xiao Han lowered his head and drank some coffee. It was so bitter his brows creased, and he immediately added a few cubes of sugar to it.
Seeing that the person was not Wen Muyan, Xiao Han had no interest in eavesdropping on them. He was so damn bored that he started seriously reading the newspaper instead.
In order to agitate Xiao Han, not only did Zhuo Fan ask concernedly after Shao Ze whom he normally could not even be bothered to glance at, he even deliberately did all sorts of ambiguous actions. Shao Ze was completely overwhelmed, so moved that he nearly teared up and cried.
Taking the opportunity that the other love rivals were not here yet, he decided to quickly take action. Looking at the empty stage, he immediately said that he wanted to sing a song for Zhuo Fan. Although his looks were average, he had a very nice voice. To arouse Zhuo Fan’s love, Shao Ze selected an old song he was good at, Zhang Yusheng’s <The Sea>.
Just as Xiao Han was about to fall asleep reading the paper, Shao Ze’s voice shocked him awake. The line “If the sea could take away my sorrow” twisted in his ears.
If the sea could take away your shortness and your ugliness, then you’ll be left with being poor…
He looked at the affectionate short, fat dumpling on stage, and could not help squeezing out a tear of sympathy.
Right at this moment, another acquaintance appeared.
Xiao Han was completely astonished when he saw this person. Was this not Liang Chenli who had just walked away from them?
Seemed like his god-like intuition had not lied to him. Looking at this situation, it clearly was a cannon fodder bottom turning into a friend of the main bottom together with other cannon fodder tops.
Ever since Liang Chenli arrived, Zhuo Fan’s attention was immediately drawn to him. Shao Ze could only remain sad by the side.
However, Xiao Han did not have the heart to sympathize with him, as the third person had arrived. What frustrated him was, this person had his back facing him, and his figure was similar to that of Wen Muyan. Feeling anxious for a moment, Xiao Han decided to walk out of the restaurant and past the window to look at this person’s face.
Fortunately for him, Zhuo Fan had chosen a table next to the window. Outside the window were bushes half the height of a man, and it was perfect for concealing him. As such, Xiao Han wore his sunglasses and hat, sneakily moving to the window. He crouched down, quietly spreading the bushes apart to peep at them.
Shao Ze and Liang Chenli both went to the restroom. Zhuo Fan’s back was towards the window, and that man happened to just turn his head to speak to Zhuo Fan, a smile on his face. With this turn of his head, he immediately met the eyes of the wretched peeping tom outside.
“…”
His smile stiffened as he saw Xiao Han’s face plastered flat against the window.
Wen Muyan quietly turned his head back without a change in his expression, silently chanting, I don’t know this idiot I don’t know this idiot…
Just as Xiao Han was confused and glum about how Wen Muyan had ignored him, Wen Muyan somehow found an excuse, hurriedly walking out from the restaurant. Looking around, he saw Xiao Han immediately, and rushed forward in a few steps with a dark face. Grabbing at back of Xiao Han’s ridiculous trench coat, he dragged him off.
Treated like a burlap sack, Xiao Han was shocked. This was not right, what happened to his weak strength? How did he suddenly turn into Astro Boy?
Wen Muyan seemed to know what he was thinking about. Turning his head around, he smiled proudly. “I ate spinach!”
“…”
Xiao Han, who knew the truth, shed tears.
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- TOL Chapter 7 - May 11, 2019
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Pfffft! 🤣
Xiao Han’s spying skills suck!
This tranmigrated version of Zhou Fan seems even worse than the one from previous worlds.
Thanks for the chapter!
Thanks for the chapter! Yaay, they found each other at last. X’D Now I wonder how this is going to turn out.
Wow imma take back my first comment….