Chapter 61 Cannon Fodder Substitute Lover 9 As long as they do enough intimate things...
When Gu Qingyan arrived at the airport, Jiang Ming was alone.
He stood alone in the waiting area, looking somewhat dazed.
Gu Qingyan followed Qin Mo and the others toward him. His heart, which had been pounding in his throat, calmed down when he didn't see the figure he expected. But for some reason, he still felt a sense of emptiness, especially when Jiang Ming looked at him with a complicated expression, which made him feel even more flustered.
Gu Qingyan glanced around almost imperceptibly. There were a few other people waiting for a car, but none of them were Li Qingran.
"No, I just forgot to silence my phone. I explained it to you guys later, didn't I? It's okay, really okay, it was just a little mishap..."
Jiang Ming was catching up with Qin Mo and the others, and Gu Qingyan wasn't paying much attention to their conversation until Jiang Ming suddenly shifted the topic to him.
"I was just thinking, since you're already here, I won't have my driver come to pick me up. I can just hitch a ride with you. So, Gu Qingyan, I wonder if I would have the honor of riding in your car again?"
"?"
Gu Qingyan was stunned.
Qin Mo, standing nearby, reacted quickly and immediately answered for Gu Qingyan:
"Of course! We've been friends for so many years. Let alone taking a car, even if you rode his bike there, I don't think he would object, right, Lao Gu?"
"……roll!"
Why don't you let him ride you?
Gu Qingyan glanced at Qin Mo speechlessly, then looked at Jiang Ming and hesitated before saying:
"I--"
"I didn't mean anything by it, I just wanted to ask you something."
Before Gu Qingyan could finish speaking, Jiang Ming interrupted him.
"So, is it okay? Just this part of the road..."
"..." Gu Qingyan stared at Jiang Ming, but did not immediately agree to his request.
The silent tug-of-war between the two men was making Qin Mo, who was standing next to him, a little annoyed. He wished he could transform into one of Jiang Ming and Gu Qingyan and either change cars or just agree. What were they all standing there for? Were they cosplaying as statues?
However, rather than letting Jiang Ming change cars, Qin Mo, as their longtime friend who had watched them go from being loving to breaking up, secretly wanted them to reconcile.
After all, everyone had their own difficulties back then. Gu Qingyan had found so many substitutes after Jiang Ming left, and seeing these things reminded her of her past. Jiang Ming still seems to have not completely let go. So, we should give him a push if we can.
It's better to help someone find a partner than to break up one!
Thinking this, Qin Mo pursed his lips and whispered in Gu Qingyan's ear:
"Just agree to it. No matter how things develop between you two, you still need to make things clear. Jiang Ming left without saying a word back then, don't you regret it?"
"Now, whether you continue or cut ties completely, you have to give yourselves a final explanation for what you did back then."
"..."
Whether he was persuaded by Qin Mo's words or had thought things through and realized that certain things should be said when the time comes, Gu Qingyan ultimately invited Jiang Ming to get in the car with him.
With a "bang," the black car door slammed shut, and the slowly rising windows blocked the view from the outside, making it impossible to glimpse even a fraction of what was inside.
Gu Qingyan and Jiang Ming sat on either side of the two car doors, with enough space in between for two more people to sit.
The atmosphere between the two was nothing like the long-awaited reunion Qin Mo had imagined, full of passion and tenderness. They didn't even have the thought of exchanging glances. One looked out the window, while the other stared straight ahead. The atmosphere was icy cold.
After a long while, Gu Qingyan finally spoke first.
Why are you all alone?
"How many people do you think I should bring with me when I meet you?"
Jiang Ming turned to look at Gu Qingyan, his thin lips parted slightly, and he spoke each word clearly.
"One? Or...two?"
Gu Qingyan frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
What two people?
Could it be that Li Qingran met with Jiang Ming with other people?
Gu Qingyan was very puzzled, but Jiang Ming had no desire to answer his question.
He simply said, "It doesn't mean anything, it's just that you seem quite interested in the people around me."
Gu Qingyan: "..."
He wasn't being overly sensitive about the people around Jiang Ming; he just wanted to know if the person who spoke to Jiang Ming at the time was indeed Li Qingran.
Gu Qingyan took a deep breath to calm her anxious mood, then pursed her lips, thinking about how to get Jiang Ming to talk without being too abrupt.
However, while he was pondering how to bring it up tactfully, Jiang Ming, after a brief moment of hesitation, was ready to fearlessly go straight for the point.
Regardless of whether it's right or wrong, ask first!
It's just a matter of saying a few words; asking won't hurt you.
Thinking this, Jiang Ming directly addressed Gu Qingyan:
Do you know Lu Renjia?
"Who?" Gu Qingyan was a little confused by Jiang Ming's question.
"What random passerby?"
Is this some kind of new movie being filmed without cameras? How did a random passerby suddenly appear?
Although Gu Qingyan knew that Jiang Ming was a straightforward person and had considered that he might directly ask him about the stand-ins, he really hadn't expected this random passerby.
Why is there another extra in the scene?
Gu Qingyan looked completely bewildered.
Jiang Ming was also suspicious. "Is it really not someone you know?"
"……no."
Putting aside whether he knows this person or not, just considering the name, who would name their child someone like a nobody?
Is this really not a fake name that the other party made up to fool Jiang Ming?
Gu Qingyan's lips twitched; he tried to hold back, but couldn't.
Are you sure that's really his name?
"Well... I guess so."
When the boy said his name, he looked very natural, and Li Qingran next to him did not react with surprise. When talking about their relationship later, he mentioned the name "Mr. Lu" very smoothly. If it were a fake name, it would be impossible to do it like that.
But it's not impossible...
Jiang Ming pursed his lips, lowered his eyes as if in thought, and after a moment asked again:
“I heard that you found many body doubles for me.”
They still came.
Although he had been prepared for this question, Gu Qingyan still felt a little embarrassed when the person in question actually asked it.
He reached up and touched his nose, his gaze shifting to the side. When faced with Jiang Ming's question, he only gave a vague "hmm".
"But don't worry, I've realized I did something wrong, so I'll dismantle those Stands later—"
"So those stand-ins really are just like Qin Mo said, only resembling me in certain aspects?"
Before Gu Qingyan could finish speaking, Jiang Ming asked again.
Interrupted, Gu Qingyan paused for a moment before nodding under Jiang Ming's gaze:
That's true, but—
"Are there any faces in there that look a lot like mine?" Jiang Ming then asked.
"..." Gu Qingyan also sensed something was amiss amidst Jiang Ming's series of questions.
Why are you asking this question?
Could it be that the person Jiang Ming was with before wasn't Li Qingran, but a man who looked like Jiang Ming but had the same voice as Li Qingran?
Gu Qingyan pondered silently in his heart.
On the other hand, Jiang Ming was also having his own plans.
He was thinking that if the name Lu Renjia was really fake, then the boy was most likely one of the substitute lovers that Gu Qingyan had found.
After all, what a coincidence! On the very day he returned to China, he encountered someone who looked eight parts like him. Unlike his own stunned and shocked reaction upon seeing the other person, the boy's eyes only showed a hint of surprise at the very beginning.
It was that kind of surprise, like "How did you get here?", as if he shouldn't be there, or at least not with Li Qingran.
Afterwards, he watched as the boy directly pulled Li Qingran out of the airport.
Neither of them had any luggage, so there was no possibility that one of them was picking the other up. In addition, the boy most likely used a fake name... which at least means that the other person knew him and knew exactly who he was and had some kind of connection with certain people. They were afraid that he would mention them to others, so they just gave him a random name to fool him.
Jiang Ming couldn't think of any other possible identity for the boy besides Gu Qingyan being a double.
As for Li Qingran...
Jiang Ming unconsciously bit his lip. He cooperated so naturally with the boys' game of hiding their identities, so their relationship must be very good.
Could it be a relationship where they like each other?
Jiang Ming tightened his grip on his hands at his sides, and under Gu Qingyan's suspicious gaze, he asked again with great urgency.
"Really? I think so, right? There should be, isn't there?"
Gu Qingyan was startled by his eager attitude and nodded subconsciously.
Yes, there is, but you asked this—
What are you doing?
Before those three words could even be uttered, Jiang Ming had already followed up with his next question.
"What's his name?"
“…Xu Luo.”
Gu Qingyan was almost driven crazy by Jiang Ming.
"Calm down first, can you answer my question first?! Why are you dwelling on this?!"
Could it be that the person he met at the airport was a man who looked like Xu Luo but had the same voice as Li Qingran?
Are there really such coincidences in the world?
Gu Qingyan didn't know.
He didn't want to know.
At this moment, Gu Qingyan only wanted to find out...
"I heard there were other people on your end of the phone. Who was that person? You're not asking me so many questions because of him, are you?"
"What else?" Jiang Ming glanced at Gu Qingyan upon hearing this. "You don't actually think I still have feelings for you, do you?"
Gu Qingyan: "...Please be more polite when you speak."
"You should know that I'm being very polite to you right now."
Jiang Ming was still troubled by Li Qingran's relationship with Lu Renjia and didn't want to talk to Gu Qingyan about it.
"Alright, I've asked enough questions. If there's nothing else, please don't say anything. Let's just quietly go to the party."
? ? ?
Gu Qingyan was almost amused by Jiang Ming's matter-of-fact attitude.
"You've finished asking your questions, but what about mine?!"
What's your problem?
"What were you trying to achieve by asking me those questions about body doubles?"
"Want to know more?" Jiang Ming said, a slight smirk playing on his lips.
"What, you're allowed to do something like this to disgust me, but I'm not allowed to ask you a few questions?"
In fact, Jiang Ming asked these questions just to confirm Lu Renjia's true identity. However, he was not sure whether Xu Luo, whom Gu Qingyan mentioned, was the same Lu Renjia he had met, so he did not intend to say much to Gu Qingyan.
But just because he didn't say anything didn't mean Gu Qingyan wouldn't ask, even though Jiang Ming found his use of a body double quite disgusting and absurd.
In this matter, Gu Qingyan admitted that he was in the wrong, but there were some things he needed to know.
"So you suspect that the person I met at the airport was a body double I hired?"
"Um."
Is that the only one?
"How many more do you want to find?!" Jiang Ming asked incredulously.
“…No, I was just asking.” Gu Qingyan said, then thought for a moment and asked directly:
"Is this the person who spoke to you when I called you?"
Why are you asking this?
Although there were no longer any feelings between them, they had spent so much time together before, and Jiang Ming was still very familiar with Gu Qingyan's emotions and little habits. At this moment, he could clearly sense that Gu Qingyan cared about this issue.
Perhaps that's why he chose to talk to him, and then he went on to say so much nonsense.
Why?
Why is Gu Qingyan so concerned about the person who appears on the phone?
It's definitely not because she still has feelings for him.
Jiang Ming could tell that Gu Qingyan, like him, had no lingering feelings for the relationship between the two of them. Her gaze towards him was cold and indifferent, showing no sign of lingering affection.
So here's the question: if Gu Qingyan didn't ask this question because he cares about him, then who is it that Gu Qingyan is asking him about?
Could it be because he cares about Li Qingran?!
Do Gu Qingyan and Li Qingran know each other?
Or perhaps, it was because of Lu Renjia that he reacted so strongly to Li Qingran's voice.
After all, a domineering CEO is a bit chauvinistic. He can find many body doubles, but those body doubles cannot be his partner.
Regardless of the situation, Jiang Ming keenly realized one thing: he could not let Gu Qingyan know about Li Qingran's existence.
At least not with him.
So, after Gu Qingyan repeatedly asked, Jiang Ming only replied with feigned impatience.
"Otherwise what? Why would I be so polite to him? Am I out of my mind to be so kind?"
Gu Qingyan: "..."
Whether he's lost his mind and is just randomly showing kindness, Gu Qingyan doesn't know. All he knows is that as long as that person isn't Li Qingran, it's fine.
With a huge weight lifted from his heart, Gu Qingyan looked much more relaxed.
He even kindly offered Jiang Ming a comment.
"Don't worry, the person you met at the airport was definitely not Xu Luo."
Jiang Ming turned around curiously, "Why do you say that?"
“Because Xu Luo’s voice isn’t like that,” Gu Qingyan said.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Ming smirked, "So, you're quite familiar with his voice."
That's not the case.
He was simply familiar with the voice he heard on the phone.
But there's something he definitely can't tell Jiang Ming.
Gu Qingyan pinched the bridge of his nose. After figuring things out, he lost the desire to communicate with Jiang Ming and turned to look out the window.
As the surrounding scenery receded and changed, Gu Qingyan's mind gradually became clearer.
He was certain that he didn't care about Li Qingran because of Jiang Ming.
He simply cared about Li Qingran as a person.
He cares about Li Qingran.
He fell in love with Li Qingran.
At this moment, Gu Qingyan felt somewhat annoyed, but at the same time, he also felt a bit fortunate.
What's frustrating is his current sugar daddy/sugar baby relationship with Li Qingran, but what's fortunate is that it's also a sugar daddy/sugar baby relationship between the two of them.
After all, with this relationship, he can see the other person anytime, spend more time with boys, and then gradually change the abnormal relationship between the two of them in the little things of daily life.
But before that, he needs to deal with the other relationships around him.
He'll deal with the other stand-ins first, then go and have a proper talk with Li Qingran.
That's what Gu Qingyan thought.
However, just as he finished dealing with all the stand-ins, composed himself, and finally decided to see Li Qingran and have a fresh start with her, he was greeted only by a dark, empty house.
Li Qingran was not at home.
Instead, it was at Xu Luo's house, which was separated from Gu Qingyan by only one wall.
"Boom—"
Li Qingran turned her head and glanced out the window. Large raindrops pattered against the windowpane, as if creating an atmosphere of impending crisis, adding an indescribable sense of oppression to the already dim living room.
He didn't speak.
The boy sitting opposite him had his head down and didn't seem to have any intention of speaking.
[What's wrong with the protagonist? Something feels off. Is he about to mutate?!]
Whether it was frightened by its surroundings or by Xu Luo himself, 888's voice remained soft, even though it knew that no one but Li Qingran could hear it.
As if afraid that if it made a loud noise, Xu Luo would suddenly jump up and dismantle its parts.
Li Qingran didn't know what was wrong with Xu Luo either.
During this time, he has been strictly following the mission requirements, staying comfortably in his room, never leaving the house, not worrying about the main characters' relationships, and not replying to Jiang Ming's messages, strictly slapping his cannon fodder identity on his forehead.
If Xu Luo hadn't personally come to invite him over today, he would most likely still be lying in his room pretending to be dead, facing his constantly beeping phone.
"So he invited you over just to compete with you in how well you can play dead?" 888 quipped.
After finally managing to get them to come out, they won't say a word. What are they doing?!
Why can't you use this time to go and have a romantic conversation with the main character?
【no. 】
As if in response to 888's complaint, after a long silence, Xu Luo's system, Little Six, finally couldn't help but speak up:
[Host, as you know, after a mission failure, we can only apply for a maximum stay of one week. Even that time requires a lot of points to redeem, which is really not worth it. You've completed so many missions to earn points, and to waste them in a failed world is a real waste!]
If it's just to win over the main character and reverse the failed mission, then that's one thing.
The question is, is it really worth it for a cannon fodder character who doesn't even know if they like you?
It's important to understand that, unlike the main characters who have a very high probability of awakening, characters like Li Qingran, whose story is only briefly mentioned, basically have no chance of awakening. They will simply follow the ending that has already been written for them by the rules of the world, and continue to cycle through life day after day, year after year.
So why bother?
Even if he wastes so many points, what difference does it make if he makes Li Qingran fall in love with him within a week?
In the next cycle, Li Qingran will not remember him at all.
In the end, the only one trapped by this relationship was Xu Luo herself.
[You should know more about this than I do, so—]
[That's why I'm even more determined to bring him back this week! Do you remember the senior who successfully brought a world-plot character back to the Bureau before? He said that as long as you have enough close contact with the person and establish a strong enough connection, you have a chance to bring him out.]
[As long as we're close enough, as long as we do enough intimate things together this week...]
"Boom—"
Another bolt of lightning struck.
Just as Li Qingran learned that Xu Luo's mission had failed, she hadn't even recovered when she looked up and met a pair of dark eyes. Reflecting the lightning outside the window, they flickered, like ghosts, captivating the soul and bewitching the spirit.
I feel a little dizzy.
Several seconds later, Li Qingran saw Xu Luo speak to him:
"Ranran, I'm not feeling well. Could you take me to the bedroom to rest? Please..."
-----------------------
Author's Note: Bye-bye: Oh no! People from other companies are coming to steal our employees!!! [Crying][Crying][Crying]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com