The Root of Jealousy and a Secretive CEO

When Mo Huan rejected him, his reason was simple: “I have no intention of dating while still in school.”

Xiao Chun found it incredibly difficult to accept at first, but slowly, as he reconsidered, he began to understand. Mo Huan was the star student of the performing arts department, earning national awards every year. Even his professors lauded his talent, predicting a brilliant future in the entertainment industry.

Xiao Chun reasoned that perhaps Mo Huan’s ambition wouldn’t allow him to divide his focus by pursuing romance. His rejection, then, was merely temporary.

He, too, planned to enter the entertainment industry. The circle was small; they were bound to meet again professionally in the future. Once they collaborated, there would be ample opportunities for deeper connection with Mo Huan.

Xiao Chun believed that prolonged exposure would breed affection. If he persistently followed in Mo Huan’s footsteps, he was certain that one day, Mo Huan would reciprocate his feelings.

But all these fantasies were shattered by what he witnessed today.

Though he knew the two weren’t officially dating, the sight of Mo Huan’s loving gaze directed at Jian Ye still sent a jolt of panic through Xiao Chun. An unspeakable mix of jealousy and resentment welled up inside him.

‘Why? Why, despite all my effort, can’t I win his favor?’
‘Is it just because Jian Ye has a pretty face?’

Xiao Chun stared at his own reflection in his phone screen, suddenly finding many imperfections in his features. His face was rather thin, with narrow, single-lidded eyes. His eyebrows were finer than those of most men, his nose bridge of medium height, and his lips relatively thin, giving him a distinctly delicate appearance.

In truth, his face, when made up, possessed a unique, alluring beauty. Last year, his choreographed performance incorporated traditional Chinese cultural elements, and his slightly feminine makeup had been stunning.

In terms of stylistic transformation, it somewhat overlapped with Jian Ye’s performance today. Yet, Jian Ye’s viral success far outstripped his own.

If Mo Huan’s attitude towards Jian Ye was the initial spark for Xiao Chun’s dislike, then Jian Ye’s spectacular performance today was the true root of his intense jealousy.

He had made inquiries. Jian Ye had barely attended classes last semester, his participation grades almost entirely deducted. He had only shown up for the final examination of their major. Despite such a perfunctory attitude towards his studies, he could still burst forth with such brilliance this semester.

It was precisely because Jian Ye didn’t exert himself yet still performed so exceptionally that Xiao Chun felt an even deeper sense of injustice.

‘Heaven is truly unfair,’ Xiao Chun thought, his heart filled with dark, bitter resentment.

The following day.

When Jian Ye awoke, the space beside him was already empty. He groggily sat up, picked up his phone, and was startled by what he saw.

‘Holy crap, why so many messages? Did my phone explode?’

Worrying that something serious had happened, he quickly checked, only to find they were all about his dance performance going viral. Jian Ye scratched his head, a little surprised. He knew his dance would cause a stir within the school, but he hadn’t expected such a massive reaction online.

It was Jian Ye’s first time experiencing the sensation of being a trending topic. In his original world, he had merely been a thirty-eighth-tier actor. Forget trending—it was difficult enough for people to remember his name on the street. The sudden surge in popularity made Jian Ye wonder if someone was orchestrating it.

However, recalling Yi Siyu’s peculiar jealousy yesterday, Jian Ye dismissed the thought as impossible.

‘Fortunately, the trending topic has already subsided today. Yi Siyu… he probably didn’t see it, right?’

After replying to everyone, Jian Ye finally noticed Yi Siyu’s message buried at the very bottom, appearing quite forlorn in its isolation.

[Yu]: Something came up at the company, so I left early. There’s breakfast in the insulated container in the dining room. I made it myself.

Jian Ye hadn’t expected Yi Siyu to cook for him personally. ‘Is he already starting to pursue me?’

‘CEO Yi’s initial preparations are quite good. I’ll reward you with a pinned chat message.’

Jian Ye smiled, swiping his phone screen. His eyes darted around, then he tapped into Yi Siyu’s profile and changed his contact note.

Soon, the top entry in Jian Ye’s contacts changed to: [CEO Yi Isn’t Indulging Today].

[It’s Ye Not Zhui]: I’m awake. I’ll go try your cooking.

Jian Ye sent the message, then went to wash up. The reply was instantaneous.

[CEO Yi Isn’t Indulging Today]: [Image]

Jian Ye clicked it open, seeing Yi Siyu had sent a picture of his hand.

[It’s Ye Not Zhui]: ?

[CEO Yi Isn’t Indulging Today]: Oil splattered on my hand this morning while frying eggs.

Jian Ye hadn’t even noticed the tiny, sesame-seed-sized red mark until Yi Siyu mentioned it. It was already barely visible.

‘If I had sent my message any later, that small red burn mark would have completely disappeared, wouldn’t it?’
‘Yi Siyu’s behavior… why does it feel so familiar?’

[System 748: That’s a green tea move, dear.]

[Jian Ye: Oh, you scared me! Can you not just pop out like that?]

[System 748: Tsk tsk, Host’s thoughts are no longer with me. So, have you decided if you want to date him?]

Jian Ye choked slightly.

[Jian Ye: Let’s… let’s see his performance. Didn’t he say he wanted to pursue me? Let him pursue me first. What if he truly falls for me?]

[System 748: Hehe, do you need some green tea tricks to firmly capture your husband’s heart?]

[Jian Ye: What’s the difference between manipulating Siyu-gege’s feelings and controlling a compliant puppet?]

Yi Siyu was a living, breathing person in this world. Jian Ye no longer wanted to view the people here as mere strings of data. If he were truly to be with Yi Siyu, he hoped their feelings for each other would be genuine, unhindered by system interference.

[System 748: I was just joking, Host, don’t be angry.]

[Jian Ye: I’m not angry. When have you ever seen me truly angry? Speaking of green tea coins, how many green tea points do I have now?]

[System 748: Host had 2500 green tea points upon completing the second stage goal, and gained another 50 later, so you currently have 2550 green tea points. Does Host wish to convert them all into green tea coins?]

[Jian Ye: If I don’t convert them, what else can green tea points be used for?]

[Jian Ye: Then I’ll convert 550 green tea coins for now and save the rest.]

[System 748: Understood. Conversion complete for Host. Green tea coins have been deposited. Please check.]

A flash in his mind, and Jian Ye discovered a new ‘Wallet Balance’ option in the mall, displaying the exact amount of green tea coins he had just converted.

Jian Ye browsed the system mall. Among the items, a glowing yellow orb caught his eye. Inside, a card floated in mid-air, bearing three characters.

[Jian Ye: What’s this for?]

[System 748: This card allows Host to monitor a chosen person for five minutes. Simply mentally recite their name.]

‘Isn’t this equivalent to installing a remote surveillance device on someone? Tsk, how improper!’

This card was practically testing the limits of legality. ‘Isn’t this spying on someone’s privacy? What if I see something I shouldn’t?’

The system, fully aware of its host’s thoughts, immediately clarified.

[System 748: It’s not like that. The monitoring card does not permit adult content. If the target is showering or undressed, the monitoring card will not activate. It must be under normal circumstances for monitoring to proceed.]

[Jian Ye: You systems really have a strong will to survive.]

[System 748: After all, this is a harmonious society, Host, you understand.]

Jian Ye: ‘…’

Whether this world was harmonious or not, he didn’t know. But for this book to be on a certain green reading app, it absolutely had to be pure and harmonious.

Jian Ye saw that one monitoring card cost 50 green tea coins. With his current substantial assets, he bought one out of curiosity. Soon, the yellow glowing orb containing the monitoring card dimmed, and the words [Sold Out] appeared below it.

[Jian Ye: There’s only one monitoring card?]

[System 748: Each item in the mall refreshes only once a day. If Host wishes to purchase the same item again, you must wait until it refreshes the next day.]

A system mall, yet it employed scarcity marketing. How cunning.

Jian Ye silently recited Yi Siyu’s name in his mind. Immediately, a clear image of Yi Siyu’s current location appeared in his thoughts, like a TV screen.

The man was in his office, reviewing documents, glancing at his phone every few seconds. Jian Ye tried to zoom in, discovering that this monitoring card could even switch perspectives 360 degrees without blind spots. It was incredible!

Yi Siyu’s phone screen displayed his recent chat with Jian Ye. Seeing no reply from Jian Ye, he couldn’t resist picking up his phone to type again.

Jian Ye chuckled, deliberately sending a message while the other party was still typing.

On the other side, Yi Siyu: “…”

The ‘typing’ indicator abruptly stopped. The man paused for a moment, then a slight curve touched his lips.

Jian Ye laughed heartily at home, clutching his stomach. This monitoring card was so much fun, allowing him to peek into what others were doing, offering a secret joy. The item was quite good, though the duration was a bit short.

In just this short while, two minutes had already passed.

The remaining three minutes were uneventful. Yi Siyu truly obediently began to work seriously. Once the five minutes were up, the image in his mind vanished.

Jian Ye had no idea that after the monitoring ceased, in the CEO’s office, the man walked into the lounge connected to his office.

Yi Siyu opened a wardrobe, where Jian Ye’s red gauze outfit from yesterday’s dance was neatly placed. The man reached out, pinching a corner of the sleeve. After a long moment of silence, he brought it to his nose, inhaling deeply.

Even after an entire night, the garment still carried Jian Ye’s scent from yesterday. The fragrance had lingered for so long. Yi Siyu had never seen Jian Ye use any perfume; this scent was distinctly different from artificial fragrances.

That faint, elusive aroma not only tantalized one’s sense of smell but also stirred one’s emotions. His mind couldn’t help but recall the youth’s graceful dance on stage yesterday.

Just thinking about it sent a wave of heat through his lower abdomen. The man closed the wardrobe and went into the private bathroom in the lounge, remaining inside for over half an hour.

If Jian Ye’s monitoring card had lasted just a few minutes longer, he would have caught a glimpse of a certain person’s hidden side. Hiding his clothes and sniffing them—this was a scene that Jian Ye, upon seeing it, would undoubtedly declare “perverted.”

System 748, however, had certain privileges regarding the monitoring card, including a more flexible duration. Thus, it was able to witness the subsequent events.

Considering that such a scene might utterly shock its Host, System 748 decided to be a considerate little system. All the joy would go to the Host, while the system would humbly conceal its achievements and fame.