After Unbinding the Simp System, I'm Targeted by the Villain - Chapter 51

“Extracted directly? What does that mean?”

A terrifying thought rose from the depths of Yu Chucheng’s heart. His throat was dry, and he struggled to squeeze the words out.

Xin Yihuan sighed. “It means going to the hospital to have pheromones drawn to be made directly into an extraction liquid. That way, the concentration is high and the effect is the best. I’ve never had it done, but I know pheromones are very difficult to condense into liquid. To produce a whole bottle, they probably had to draw a lot.”

That night at the club, he was the only one who had smelled the evaporating pheromones.

He hadn’t intended to tell Yu Chucheng. He knew that once he did, he would never be able to catch up to Duan Huaijin again. Xin Yihuan asked himself honestly: if it were him, he couldn’t go that far. And because of that, he had pretended nothing happened.

But as the days passed, the incident didn’t fade; instead, it became like a thorn in his heart, sinking deeper and deeper, leaving him with a wave of guilt every time he remembered it. So today, he finally made up his mind to speak out. After all, he felt he wasn’t inferior to Duan Huaijin. He liked Yu Chucheng, and winning his favor through honest strength was what he truly wanted.

Seeing that Yu Chucheng was silent, Xin Yihuan assumed he was deeply moved by Duan Huaijin’s actions. He hurriedly started praising himself over the phone, trying to gain some ground.

“Chucheng, I admit Duan Huaijin is indeed good. Although he seems a bit two-faced, in some matters, I’m the more reliable one. Actually…”

Yu Chucheng didn’t hear the rest. He held the phone, standing motionless.

If he remembered correctly, Duan Huaijin was still in his rut that day. Extracting pheromones during a rut to make a liquid… the purpose was self-evident.

Yu Chucheng’s heart felt as if it were tightly entwined by vines, sharp thorns hooking into his flesh. With every breath, the thorns embedded themselves an inch deeper.

“Thank you.”

Yu Chucheng truly wanted to say that to Xin Yihuan, but he didn’t remember if the words came out clearly before his finger pressed the end call button. He only had time to grab the jacket hanging on the back of his chair and bolt out the door with a bang.

He was going to find Duan Huaijin right now. No reason, no excuses needed.

Since Duan Huaijin had barged into his life without a word of warning from the very start, it was destined that things between them wouldn’t be peaceful.

Yu Chucheng mashed the elevator button, watching the numbers climb slowly, feeling for the first time that time was agonizingly long. Where would Duan Huaijin be? Yu Chucheng didn’t know, and he didn’t plan to ask. There were only a few places; he would find him eventually.

Finally out of the apartment, Yu Chucheng—perhaps dazed by the sheer volume of information tonight—started sprinting toward the internet cafe.

It was after 8:00 PM. Many students were returning to their apartments from class, and many elderly folks were heading home after square dancing. Everyone was walking leisurely, enjoying the evening breeze that grew cooler by the day.

When someone suddenly started sprinting in the opposite direction, everyone couldn’t help but steal a few glances. Some looked with curiosity, some with confusion, and some looked at him like he was an idiot.

But Yu Chucheng didn’t care. When he ran with all his might, he was more like a gust of wind than the breeze itself.

To hell with the Flag—let’s just say a dog said it.

If I have to hand over three months of living expenses, so be it.

What’s a ten-thousand-word self-reflection? It’s not like I haven’t written them in school before!

Yu Chucheng ran through two streets and three sets of traffic lights before his stamina finally gave out. His chest throbbed with a dull pain from the heavy gasping, and his throat felt scorched. Only then did he think of hailing a taxi.

When Yu Chucheng charged into the internet cafe, the door slammed against the wall with a bang, making the owner—who was watching short videos at the front desk—jump. Thinking it was an inspection, the owner hurriedly closed his phone and entered “Level 1” combat readiness.

Recognizing the newcomer, the owner let out a massive sigh of relief, patting his chest. “Aiya, my ancestor, you scared the life out of me.”

Yu Chucheng scanned the room frantically, unable to even catch his breath. “Where’s Duan Huaijin?”

“Huh? Duan Huaijin?” The owner pulled two tissues to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. “It’s his birthday today, so I specifically gave him the day off. Didn’t he tell you?”

Yu Chucheng’s mind went blank for a second.

Birthday. Today was actually Duan Huaijin’s birthday. He had never noticed that information while reading the book. Yu Chucheng backed away, trying to think where Duan Huaijin might be. On a special day like a birthday, he definitely wouldn’t be at home. Maybe he should just call him.

Regret, urgency, and anticipation—several emotions swirled together like a chaotic stew, nearly overflowing. Yu Chucheng had never experienced such a complex state of mind. He strode toward the door, phone in one hand, lifting the door curtain with the other.

As luck would have it, someone was coming in at the same time. Being distracted, Yu Chucheng couldn’t dodge and slammed right into them.

“Hiss…” Yu Chucheng rubbed his head. Fortunately, he was “original factory parts” from head to toe; otherwise, his nose might have been knocked crooked by that impact.

“In such a hurry to meet your maker?!” the person he hit shouted irritably.

Yu Chucheng: “Sorry.”

Normally, he would have stood his ground and argued—it was a big door, he didn’t know someone was behind it, and besides, physics says the force was mutual; he had a bump on his head too. But now he had no time for that. He just wanted to see the person he was looking for.

The person behind him was still grumbling, but Yu Chucheng tuned it out. He crouched by the roadside, the phone ringing for a long time. Just as he thought no one would pick up—

“Hello?”

Duan Huaijin’s voice was clear and magnetic, coming through the phone and the wind simultaneously.

Crouching by the road, Yu Chucheng froze for several seconds before reacting and whipping his head around.

Duan Huaijin, with his jacket draped over his arm, had just come from the school. He was holding a plastic bag containing scent blockers. He hadn’t expected to see Yu Chucheng here today; a flash of surprise crossed his usually expressionless eyes.

Duan Huaijin cut the call. At the moment Yu Chucheng turned around, Duan Huaijin felt his heart gripped by an invisible claw. “You…”

Yu Chucheng dropped his phone. Blood rushed to his ears with a roar, and the wind billowed his clothes. Before his brain could react, his body moved first—he lunged forward and threw his arms around Duan Huaijin.

The sudden impact forced Duan Huaijin back half a step. His breath hitched. He instinctively raised his hands to return the embrace, but in the end, he chose to keep them hovering in mid-air.

“What’s wrong?”