The Stolen Phone and the Golden Protagonist

Fine, misty rain pelted against the transparent car windows.

The black car pulled up outside a private villa. A waiter wearing white gloves gently opened the door. Ji Yanli, dressed in a sharp suit, stepped out of the vehicle. A large umbrella was instantly held over his head, shielding his hair from the rain the moment he emerged.

Following him, another youth climbed out. Chu Ci awkwardly tugged at the hem of his suit, following Ji Yanli with a clear air of unease.

Chu Ci kept his head down, trying to avoid being recognized by any onlookers. Compared to Ji Yanli’s steady, composed pace, he looked rather frazzled.

He didn’t look like a personal bodyguard at all.

This was the “special identity” Ji Yanli had forced upon him so he could attend this banquet.

Chu Ci stole a glance at his surroundings. On both sides of the red carpet stood rows of tall, imposing bodyguards.

He felt a mental breakdown looming.

Did Ji Yanli’s lies have to be this absurd?

Fortunately, the walk in was smooth. No one stopped them just because they didn’t recognize Chu Ci.

Entering the garden in front of the villa, the cobblestone paths were slick with rain, but the red carpet laid over them prevented any slips. Raindrops splashed into puddles, creating tiny ripples. The magnificent European-style architecture was hidden behind layers of camphor trees, gradually revealing its grand facade as they drew closer.

The villa’s grand doors were wide open, and the long red carpet extended all the way inside. Guests in glamorous attire filtered in, occasionally brushing past Ji Yanli and Chu Ci. Three people stood at the entrance—two older adults and a younger man. The woman was wrapped in an expensive mink stole, greeting every guest with a practiced smile.

The youth standing beside them maintained an air of elegant poise. Every movement exuded an aura that was impossible to ignore. He was handsome, with slightly sharp features. His dark eyes flicked upward and immediately caught sight of Ji Yanli approaching.

He froze for a second. His polite smile deepened into something more genuine, and his eyes lit up. “…Xiao Li.”

Song Qichen murmured the name, the joy in his voice impossible to hide.

Chu Ci heard the soft call.

He looked up and saw the youth standing at the top of the steps.

The sound of the rain seemed to fade. The figures of the passing guests blurred, as if for a fleeting moment, the entire world’s focus had shifted to the two protagonists.

Standing to the side, Chu Ci looked from Ji Yanli to Song Qichen, and an inexplicable sense of stifled frustration bubbled up in his heart.

‘So, outside of the original plot, Ji Yanli and Song Qichen met this early.’

‘Then why did Ji Yanli ignore Song Qichen at the start of the story?’

‘He was definitely jealous and angry, wasn’t he?’

He lowered his lashes and looked away, fidgeting with the damp hem of his suit. The smooth fabric was soon wrinkled by his fingers. Since the clothes belonged to Ji Yanli anyway, Chu Ci felt a strange, destructive sense of satisfaction.

Ji Yanli heard the movement behind him. He gave Song Qichen a brief glance and a slight nod in acknowledgement. Just then, Song Qichen’s parents noticed Ji Yanli and hurried over to exchange pleasantries.

“Oh my, Xiao Li has grown so tall.” The woman looked at him warmly, patting his shoulder. “In my memory, you and Qichen were just little beans, barely reaching my waist.”

She gestured with her hand, laughing. Ji Yanli lowered his gaze and replied, “I’ve grown up, Auntie.”

“Of course, of course.” Song Qichen’s mother nodded repeatedly. “Go on inside. The rain is heavy out here. I’ll have Qichen find you in a little while.”

Ji Yanli gave a soft “Mm,” then quietly took Chu Ci’s hand and led him inside.

His cool fingertips pressed against Chu Ci’s warm skin, pulling Chu Ci’s drifting thoughts back. Looking down at their interlocking fingers, Chu Ci’s heart began to thud violently.

The sound of his heartbeat filled his ears. His Adam’s apple bobbed. Aside from their mingled footsteps, Chu Ci couldn’t hear a thing.

The temperature in his palm rose steadily, and a fine layer of sweat broke out on his brow. In the massive ballroom, an orchestra was playing; the heavy beat of the drums felt like it was hitting Chu Ci’s very heart. His head felt dizzy. It wasn’t until Ji Yanli released his hand that Chu Ci finally caught his breath.

A waiter carrying a tray of wine approached, handing half-filled glasses of red wine to both Chu Ci and Ji Yanli. Ji Yanli gave a slight nod and led Chu Ci on a targetless stroll.

Ji Yanli didn’t recognize most of the people at the banquet. The relationships in the business world were too complex, and he had no desire for deep contact with them. Instead, he led Chu Ci to the dessert table. The long table, covered in a plush cloth, was laden with various cakes. The rich scent of cream immediately caught Chu Ci’s attention.

He set down his untouched wine glass, his eyes sparkling at the sight of the cakes.

‘The banquets of the rich really are eye-opening!’

‘Damn… I’m starting to feel the class envy.’

‘I really want money!!’

Ji Yanli let out a low laugh. He took a sip of his wine and patted the table. “You can take whatever you want.”

“These are laid out for people to eat, after all.” Ji Yanli picked up a cream cake topped with a bright red strawberry. He brought it to his nose to sniff it, then held it to Chu Ci’s lips. “Want a taste?”

Chu Ci swallowed hard. Thinking that Ji Yanli had a point, he lowered his head and took a bite.

The fluffy cream melted in his mouth, and the strawberry was sweet and tart, its juice sliding down his throat.

With a dab of cream on the corner of his red lips, Chu Ci looked at Ji Yanli with glowing eyes. “This is delicious! It tastes completely different from the ones in the bakeries!”

“These were specially made by the Song family’s top pastry chef.” The smile on Ji Yanli’s lips deepened. He stared at the conspicuous bit of cream before finally reaching out and wiping it away for him.

Chu Ci’s previous gloom vanished instantly. He even pulled over a chair to begin a focused feast.

As the saying goes, he was turning his grief into appetite. Naturally, he treated the cakes in front of him as Ji Yanli and Song Qichen.

‘This “Ji Yanli” is quite tasty. This “Song Qichen” is just average… Hmm, Song Qichen’s chocolate is okay, but the grapes on Ji Yanli are sour as hell…’

The strange inner monologue drifted into Ji Yanli’s ears. He shook his head helplessly. Bringing Chu Ci here was indeed a selfish move; he knew Chu Ci couldn’t adapt to this atmosphere, so he could only bring the youth here to eat some sweets to ease the tension.

Seeing that Chu Ci was in a better mood, Ji Yanli felt a bit relieved. Then, the phone in his pocket vibrated. Ignoring a previous message from Song Qichen, he saw one from his mother, Jiang Yue: “Xiao Li, where are you? We’re on the second floor with Qichen now. Come over quickly.”

The short text annoyed Ji Yanli. He frowned subtly and glanced at Chu Ci. The youth was eating like a messy little cat. Ji Yanli’s heart softened. He leaned in and whispered, “Wait for me here. I’ll come find you in a bit.”

His mother’s messages were becoming more urgent. Ji Yanli wasn’t sure if Chu Ci had heard him; he gave him one last look before hurrying away.

Once Chu Ci had eaten his fill, he tilted his head back and let out a long sigh of satisfaction. He looked around but couldn’t see Ji Yanli anywhere. Stunned for a moment, he pulled out his phone and saw a message from Ji Yanli: “My parents found me. I’ll be back soon. Don’t wander off.”

He blinked and sent a reply. After waiting a few minutes without a response, Chu Ci put his phone away, cleaned up his food scraps, and obediently put the chair back. He then began walking around the villa to digest his meal.

The house was truly enormous; the hall alone felt like a stadium. Chu Ci looked up but couldn’t see the ceiling, only the massive, blinding crystal chandelier hanging in the center.

He squinted, counting the crystals on the chandelier as he walked. He felt dizzy from the light and quickly looked down, rubbing his eyes.

Suddenly, someone hurried past him, carelessly bumping into his arm. Chu Ci hissed in pain, but as he was about to turn and scold the person, he realized the phone in his pocket was gone.

Holy crap.

Chu Ci’s eyes widened in shock.

No way… a thief at an event like this?!

Do you have any idea you just robbed the poorest person in the room!!

Fuming, Chu Ci grabbed the nearest waiter to report what happened, then dashed off to chase the annoying thief.

The person was fast. Chu Ci chased them for a good while before catching a glimpse of a shadow. The person was wearing a simple black hoodie with the hood up. Perhaps hearing Chu Ci’s footsteps, the person glanced back.

The mask on their face made it impossible to see their features. Chu Ci sped up, following them in circles around the villa.

Slowly, Chu Ci’s stamina began to fail. He had a heart condition, after all; even minor exertion was painful. His heart began to ache sharply, and he had to slow down, clutching his chest.

Damn it, if it weren’t for this sickly body, he’d have caught the thief and pinned them to the ground!

Chu Ci gritted his teeth, unwilling to let his phone go. He stubbornly pushed forward, cursing the person who stole from the poor.

However, once he calmed down, he noticed something strange. The person didn’t really act like a thief. Sometimes, after pulling far ahead, they would even stop and wait for him.

Realizing this, Chu Ci intentionally stopped and dove into a bush.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before the familiar black hoodie appeared. The person circled the area, seemingly looking for something. As they approached the bush where Chu Ci was hiding, he lunged out and tackled the “thief.”

“Got you!!”

Chu Ci was thin, but he was still a 1.7-meter high schooler. Caught off guard, the other person fell flat on the ground. Chu Ci pinned them down, gripping their wrist tightly. “How many lives do you have, stealing from me!”

The pinned youth panicked. In the struggle, his mask snapped off and his hood fell back, revealing a head of brilliant golden hair.

Seeing the person’s beautiful face, Chu Ci froze.

“Lin… Lin Ci’an?!”