Chapter 23

In Jin Chuwan's plan, in order to avoid becoming the villainous female supporting character in the original work, she should always keep a low profile, and if possible, stay completely away from the protagonist.

After all, this is the world of online novels; who knows if there will be a mechanism that forces actions to develop the story?

What if there is?

The afternoon sun was scorching. Jin Chuwan pulled her suitcase and looked at the exotic tourist resort in front of her.

Although the goal is set, there always seems to be some deviations during execution.

"Miss Jin, the eldest young lady is calling."

The man beside her respectfully handed her a phone. Jin Chuwan stared blankly at the man in the cool black suit and sunglasses.

Ever since Cheng Ya learned that she was traveling alone, she has been very enthusiastic about planning her itinerary. So, what was supposed to be Jin Chuwan's solo trip gradually turned into an endless cycle of running around and checking in, thanks to Cheng Ya's efforts.

Just now, Kim Cho-man was getting off Sung's private jet.

She had considered refusing, but as soon as she opened her mouth, Cheng Ya sobbed and asked if she had done something wrong, or if she felt that she was disturbing her life too much, so Jin Chuwan finally gave up.

"Miss Jin?"

The man beside her asked again before Jin Chuwan finally took the phone as if waking from a dream.

"Cheng Ya?"

Because she was worried that Jin Chuwan might be in danger alone, Cheng Ya sent her personal butler over. Cheng Ya said that this butler was a top-notch martial artist and very reliable.

But these scenes, which only exist in animation or novels, really made Jin Chuwan want to dig a hole and hide...

Why is it that, even though she has already strayed far from the storyline in the novel, she still feels like she's stuck in a quagmire?

"Wanwan!" Cheng Ya seemed to be in a good mood. "Have you arrived yet?"

Upon seeing the call connect, the handsome butler, wearing cool black sunglasses, politely stepped back a few paces, while Jin Chuwan pretended to be an ordinary passerby and quietly walked away.

"...I just got off the plane."

"You've gotten off the plane? Did you get airsick today?"

After hearing Jin Chuwan say she was feeling much better, Cheng Ya felt relieved. She slumped in her office chair, looking slightly annoyed, and said, "I was originally planning to arrange for you to go to the island to relax at my uncle's property there, but the weather has been bad these past few days, so you can only stay here for a few days. But don't worry, Chuwan, as soon as I finish my work, I'll fly to Binhai to find you—"

Upon hearing Cheng Ya's slightly apologetic voice, Jin Chuwan quickly waved her hand in response.

"No, not at all. I think it's great here, really—"

Rather, it's more accurate to say that she has never experienced the life of a wealthy person.

Hearing this, Cheng Ya seemed relieved. "I'm glad you're happy. I should have stayed with you, but I'm a complete newbie right now, and there's so much to learn at the company..."

Hearing this, Jin Chuwan comforted her, "Don't worry too much. You'll definitely adapt quickly. Besides, we'll have plenty of opportunities to play together in the future."

It was peak tourist season, and the seaside resort was packed with visitors, many of whom stared in surprise at the conspicuous private jet.

As Jin Chuwan gazed at the surging gray waves in the distance and listened to Cheng Ya's excited musings on the phone, her thoughts suddenly drifted away.

No matter how many promises are made now, they are just promises made in moments of happiness. In the future, she will go to her own world, and she will stay where she is.

Sooner or later, they will all become a blurry shadow in each other's memories.

This is a summary of Jin Chuwan's life in his previous life.

But at this moment, she remained silent because of this conclusion that she thought was objective.

After ending the call, Jin Chuwan returned the phone to the housekeeper, who respectfully took it and then picked up Jin Chuwan's suitcase and walked into the hotel.

Jin Chuwan followed behind. They had been doing this for days. Although they escorted each other, they hardly spoke a word. For some reason, the butler who was walking in front of her suddenly thought of Jiang Chen.

Both of them seemed to be the aloof and taciturn type, but in Jin Chuwan's memory, she rarely saw Jiang Chen's back.

Perhaps it's the difference between acquaintances and "people you know"?

--

Although she was supposed to be on vacation, Jin Chuwan ended up staying in her room for three whole days after arriving at the resort.

To put it bluntly, someone like her who doesn't like exercise is simply not suited for long-distance travel. Even if she goes to a scenic spot, she still prefers to stop and rest.

The television was broadcasting news about a change in the shareholding of a certain group. Jin Chuwan watched for a while and then changed the channel.

One of the rules governing this world is that the protagonist's family is always invincible in the business world.

Therefore, it can be concluded that only another protagonist family can stand against the protagonist's family.

Jin Chuwan flipped through several channels but couldn't find a program she liked. She stretched and got out of bed. Cheng Ya had called in the morning to say that there would be some good activities at the resort tonight.

It seems to be a concert or something.

She decided to go and join in the fun.

After changing her clothes, Jin Chuwan carefully opened the door. She really didn't want the butler to come along.

Thinking back to the exquisitely tailored tuxedo she wore when they first met, Jin Chuwan only wished she could erase that memory as soon as possible.

There was no sound from the door next door, so Jin Chuwan breathed a sigh of relief, then slung her small bag over her shoulder and fled like a thief.

The beach was indeed lively tonight. Jin Chuwan glanced at the area where the crowd was gathered and went over to join them.

By this time, the sky was gradually darkening, seagulls flew low overhead, and the breeze carried the coolness of the sea. Countless banners and small flags were hung on the roadside bulletin boards.

The concert hadn't started yet, and the area under the curtain was still empty, with only a few staff members testing the microphones on stage, but the seats in the audience were almost completely filled.

Jin Chuwan heard several young people mentioning a singer's name, but she had no recollection of it at all. Perhaps it was because this was another world, and the celebrities here were completely different from those in Jin Chuwan's previous life.

After a while, the backstage staff carried boxes down and distributed glow sticks. Jin Chuwan took one, but was startled just as she was about to thank them.

It turned out that the singer was coming on stage. Jin Chuwan quietly covered her ears as she heard the enthusiastic applause and cheers.

When the stage lights came on, the audience suddenly fell silent again.

As the woman's ethereal voice filled the air, Jin Chuwan immediately understood why so many people liked her.

It sounds really good.

Jin Chuwan immediately opened her phone and searched for the singer's name, but the next moment an arm suddenly landed on her shoulder, startling her so much that she turned around abruptly.

The fans around them were engrossed in the music, and no one noticed this small corner. The boy wearing a baseball cap was staring at the girl's phone screen, his silver-gray hair slightly obscuring his eyes.

"Yin... Yin Zhihua?"

Seeing Jin Chuwan staring at him in surprise, the boy smiled.

"I didn't realize you were a fan of my mom's music. I thought she only had older fans."

The young man chuckled, but Jin Chuwan's eyes widened in even greater surprise as she stopped her glow stick in the direction of the stage.

"That...is your mother?"

Doesn't it look like it?

The boy's head rested against the back of Jin Chuwan's chair. Jin Chuwan glanced at the photos of female celebrities on her phone, then at Yin Zhihua behind her.

To be honest, you really can't tell they're mother and son just by looking at them. Yin Zhihua's mother looks like a cool and tall beauty. If Yin Zhihua resembles her in any way, it's probably only in his height.

Seeing that Jin Chuwan hesitated for a long time without answering, Yin Zhihua laughed again.

"I was just asking casually, don't take it so seriously..."

The boy shifted his posture and looked at Jin Chuwan. "Actually, I'm more like my father. I'm the kind of handsome man who is elegant and gentle."

Jin Chuwan listened carefully and looked at Yin Zhihua's face, and suddenly realized what was going on.

"It seems so..."

After all, he was the third male lead. Although the female lead didn't choose him in the end, his appearance was indeed impeccable.

Upon hearing Jin Chuwan's reply, Yin Zhihua suddenly felt uneasy.

"Aren't you going to try something sarcastic... or something?"

Upon hearing this, Jin Chuwan raised her eyes and stared at the boy for a moment before turning her gaze back to the stage in front of her.

Although she found Yin Zhihua's request a bit strange, she could be tolerant as a friend.

"If you like it this way, I can change it later."

Yin Zhihua was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, and then he raised his hand to encircle the girl's neck.

"I was just joking, don't jump to conclusions..."

The boy was only pretending, but he still accidentally pulled a strand of the girl's hair.

Jin Chuwan's face changed color because of the pain.

Yin Zhihua realized that his fingertips had pulled on something, and his movements froze.

"Fine, I was wrong. You can imagine whatever you want..."

Their eyes met; one looked indignant, the other slightly guilty.

After this minor incident, Yin Zhihua became much more obedient, resting his hands on the back of Jin Chuwan's chair and quietly watching the stage.

As the third song ended, Jin Chuwan's chair suddenly tilted. Just as she was about to turn around, she found that everything suddenly went black.

The boy was smiling as he placed his baseball cap over Kim Cho-wan's head.

In the dimly lit audience, the boy tilted his head and looked at Jin Chuwan, who had pulled off her hat. He pointed to the stage and then quietly left his seat.

A moment later, the stage lights suddenly dimmed, and a few seconds later, a beam of light shone down.

Jin Chuwan heard even more excited cheers suddenly erupt around her, and several girls sitting not far away were screaming.

"GIN——GIN——GIN——"

The scene shocked Jin Chuwan. She looked at the extremely excited fans in the venue, but unconsciously drifted off into thought.

Because the characters in the story ultimately originate from the author's design, she couldn't help but start to overthink.

Could it be that... the author of this novel... also enjoys watching a detective anime that started in 1998?

At that moment, Jin Chuwan seemed to have glimpsed the secrets of heaven, and she looked up at the stage once again.

The boy wore a half-butterfly mask on his face, and under the light, only his delicate jawline and half-smiling eyes could be seen. He was dressed in a handsome performance outfit, and as his fingertips danced, beautiful piano music flowed out.

At this moment, Jin Chuwan had an indescribable feeling. She clearly knew that this was just a fictional world, but her memories of the real world made her increasingly aware of the differences between them.

Jin Chuwan looked at the silver-haired boy, who seemed to be looking in her direction.

The crowd was still buzzing, but the exaggerated cheers and screams had subsided. There was some distance between them, so Jin Chuwan wasn't sure if their eyes had met.

Only the secret has been exchanged and quietly stored away.