After Unbinding the Simp System, I'm Targeted by the Villain - Chapter 48

Yu Jingchen took a sip of soup, his expression indifferent. “No. The ones Mom showed you were filtered strictly by pheromone compatibility. The ones I’m showing you now consider compatibility, family background, and social standing.”

Yu Chucheng put down the tablet, truly unwilling to look at any more muscular Alphas. “When did you pick these?”

Yu Jingchen, who had spent the entire afternoon in his office urgently handling this matter, said airily, “Several days ago.”

Yu Chucheng: “Brother, are you setting me up on a blind date?”

Ji Zhou was right, after all—even if it was just the digital version.

Yu Jingchen arched an eyebrow. “You don’t like any of them?”

Yu Chucheng retorted immediately, “Of course not. Besides, I haven’t even met these people.”

The servants carefully cleared the table, removing plates stained with oil and soup and replacing them with fresh ones.

Yu Jingchen looked at him calmly. “If you want to see them, they can appear before you with a single phone call from me.”

“I don’t! I don’t want to at all!” Yu Chucheng poked at the food on his plate, his attitude resolute.

After a long silence, Yu Jingchen spoke slowly. “Does it have to be that Duan Huaijin?”

Yu Chucheng froze, realizing his brother had misunderstood something. “I didn’t—”

“Then why are you unwilling to even look at anyone else I introduce? These people match you in both pheromones and status, unlike a certain penniless university student.”

Yu Jingchen’s face was taut. It was the first time he had been this serious in front of Yu Chucheng, and the low pressure radiating from him made one want to shiver.

“He is not as simple as you think.”

Yu Jingchen had taken over the family’s domestic companies early on. His years of experience in judging people told him from the first glance that Duan Huaijin was wearing a mask. It wasn’t that he wanted Yu Chucheng to start dating so soon; he just knew that if Duan Huaijin really wanted to play games, Yu Chucheng would be no match for him.

He didn’t want Yu Chucheng to get hurt. Rather than letting him fall too deep, it was better to sever these ties early.

Yu Chucheng remembered Xin Yihuan telling him the same thing. He lowered his eyes, gripping his chopsticks tightly. “You’re overthinking it. I don’t like him.”

Though he admitted Duan Huaijin was indeed charming at times… they were just ordinary friends.

“Is that so?” Yu Jingchen’s scrutinizing gaze landed on Yu Chucheng’s face. Growing up, he knew Yu Chucheng’s “guilty conscience” expressions better than anyone.

Like right now—pretending to be nonchalant while being unable to look him in the eye. Perhaps even Yu Chucheng himself hadn’t realized it, thinking he was telling the absolute truth.

“Can’t I just simply not want to date? Being single is great; no one controls what I do,” Yu Chucheng grumbled with a pout.

Yu Jingchen pinched the bridge of his nose. He had only left Yu Chucheng alone for half a month, but it seemed he was already a step too late. “Fine. Then stop staying so close to that kid.”

Better late than never, Yu Jingchen comforted himself, desperately suppressing his rising blood pressure.

Yu Chucheng steeled himself. “Fine. I’ll stay away.”

But the moment the words left his mouth, he regretted it slightly.

His pheromone dependency on Duan Huaijin wasn’t solved yet. If the dependency flared up and he couldn’t see Duan Huaijin or have the extraction liquid, he’d be back to square one with the insomnia.

But having just made the vow, Yu Chucheng couldn’t slap his own face. He could only double down on the bet with his brother to save face.

If his brother lost, he couldn’t interfere with Yu Chucheng’s romantic life anymore and had to buy him a luxury car of his own. If Yu Chucheng lost, he had to hand over three months’ worth of living expenses and write a ten-thousand-word self-reflection essay.

Three months’ living expenses—that was one million yuan!

Yu Chucheng winced at the thought. As for the pheromone dependency, he’d just have to endure it and cross that bridge when he came to it.

* * *

“What’s up? Looking at your face, did Brother Chen really drag you to a blind date yesterday?” The next morning, Ji Zhou managed to bring up the one topic Yu Chucheng didn’t want to hear.

Yu Chucheng yawned, his tone sour from morning grumpiness. “Shut up. Why did you wake me up so early?”

“Well…” The usually boisterous and thick-skinned Ji Zhou suddenly turned bashful, rubbing his hands together. “I want to ask my goddess out for a movie today. But since we just met, I’m afraid she’ll be uncomfortable if it’s just the two of us. I want you and Xu Mengshu to come along; it won’t be as awkward with more people.”

Yu Chucheng leaned against the doorframe and chuckled. “Not bad, kid. School’s been in for less than a month and you’re already making moves.”

Ji Zhou, a “single-since-birth” type, was finally having his first crush and turning out to be a man of action. Yu Chucheng didn’t have much else to do, so he readily agreed.

Ji Zhou received a “yes” from his goddess and said happily, “Should we invite Duan Huaijin too?”

Yu Chucheng choked slightly, rubbing his neck in a cover-up. “Just us. Your goddess doesn’t know him; too many people might make her uncomfortable.”

Ji Zhou nodded. “True!”

In the afternoon, the group gathered at the mall near the school.

Xu Mengshu, hearing her cousin was finally pursuing his goddess, had put on full makeup and her best dress. Yu Chucheng looked the same as usual, but he dazed for a moment when he saw Ji Zhou’s goddess.

The girl was tall, fair-skinned, with long hair draped over her shoulders and curled ends. Aside from being the same gender as Ji Zhou’s previous “ideal type,” she was different in every other way.

Sensing Yu Chucheng’s questioning gaze, Ji Zhou pulled him aside and whispered, “The past is the past; no need to mention it in front of my goddess, haha.”

Indeed, a man’s heart is fickle.

Ji Zhou had booked the tickets. When Xu Mengshu went to pick them up, she immediately felt her brother was going to fail. Who in their right mind invites a girl to a documentary for the first date? Even if the ratings were high, someone uninterested would fall asleep halfway through.

Someone like Yu Chucheng.

Only a quarter into the film, Yu Chucheng was nodding off. To support Ji Zhou, he relied on a cup of iced Coke to stay awake. But perhaps the drink was too cold, or the theater’s AC was too strong; after finishing it, his stomach felt uncomfortable. He leaned back in his chair, pressing his thumb against his stomach to dull the ache.

By the time the movie ended, he had no idea what the documentary was about, only that the world’s first atomic bomb exploded at the end.

“It’s still early, should we go to an internet cafe and play some games? My brother is really good at gaming.” Fearing the goddess was unimpressed by the movie choice, Xu Mengshu grabbed her arm and winked frantically at Ji Zhou.

Ji Zhou reacted a beat late. “Ah, right! There’s an internet cafe I go to often. It’s not big, but the environment is nice and it’s close by.” He paused, nudging Yu Chucheng. “Let’s go together, we can play in a squad of four.”

Yu Chucheng had been focused on his throbbing stomach and only heard “go play games,” not catching which cafe Ji Zhou mentioned. Seeing Ji Zhou so active in his pursuit, he wanted to help his bro, so he agreed without thinking.

But the moment they got out of the car and stood in front of the familiar storefront, Yu Chucheng turned to run.

Ji Zhou grabbed him just in time. “Why are you running? Didn’t you top up 100,000 yuan here? Might as well use it; come play with us today.”