The Tool Brother Thinks It’s Not Okay [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 18

This road movie was filmed entirely on location, giving Qin Yunran the chance to travel through half of China. Every time he arrived in a new place, Cheng Kaixin would receive packages filled with local specialties—food, souvenirs, and everything carefully selected.

During one of their video calls, Cheng Kaixin asked, “Are you filming a movie or shopping? Where do you find the time to buy all this stuff?”

“I planned ahead and had my assistant do the shopping,” Qin Yunran replied. “You like spicy food, right? How was the Sichuan spicy jerky?”

“I finished that ages ago,” Cheng Kaixin said with a smile. “But what’s with all the sweets?”

To him, regional desserts all tasted pretty much the same, cakes and pastries, all so sweet he didn’t even want to look at them. Yet half the packages Qin Yunran sent were filled with these things.

“We’ll eat them together when I get back,” Qin Yunran said, sounding genuinely excited.

Cheng Kaixin refused without hesitation. “That’s not happening.”

Qin Yunran sighed in disappointment.

Cheng Kaixin picked up a small pastry. “This dessert is called apple crisp. I seem to remember someone saying they were allergic to apples?”

Qin Yunran, who had lied out of jealousy, shifted his gaze slightly before saying with a straight face, “Allergies can be affected by your mood. Maybe because you’re so good to me, I’ve been happier, and my body’s resistance has improved. That might have cured it.”

Cheng Kaixin stared at him, speechless. “Well, then I guess I’m just an ordinary little genius at curing diseases.”

They say travel can change a person. Not only had the protagonist in their drama grown and transformed, but Qin Yunran’s own demeanor had subtly shifted as well, perhaps due to the long hours spent filming outdoors, which had gradually tanned his skin to a warm bronze. Or maybe it was the buzz cut he’d gotten for his role, which gave him an inexplicable air of maturity.

Six months later, when filming wrapped up, Cheng Kaixin suddenly realized that the person standing before him… seemed a little taller than before.

The feeling intensified when Qin Yunran pulled him into a hug. His warm breath brushed against Cheng Kaixin’s skin as he held him tightly, murmuring, “Finally back.”

Cheng Kaixin reached up to touch their heads, confirming that Qin Yunran had indeed grown taller. The short, stiff stubble on his head felt rough under his hand. He clicked his tongue. “You’re already twenty-four. How are you still growing?”

“You’ve really grown taller,” Qin Yunran said, looking down at him with a smile in his eyes. “Want me to lift you up?”

Cheng Kaixin’s expression remained cold. “If you don’t lift me, it’ll be a sunny day.”

“Lift you? Of course I’ll lift you!” Qin Yunran exerted his strength and hoisted him a few centimeters off the ground.

Cheng Kaixin: “……” Lift my ass.

Along the Way premiered just before the end of the year, squeezed among a crowd of commercial blockbusters. Yet its box office performance remained remarkably strong, thanks to overwhelmingly positive word-of-mouth that steadily increased its daily screenings.

The film’s intricately woven plot sparked widespread discussion and reflection among viewers.

The protagonist’s social anxiety is literally me! Always wearing a hat and mask when going out, the sheer dread in his eyes when answering the phone, even being too afraid to ask for the correct change when buying a jianbing guozi… It’s a daily struggle. Watching him slowly break free from his cage, you can almost feel his growth.

Qin Yunran’s acting is mind-blowing! From his initial silence and compliance with the robbers to his later cunningly turning them over to the police, the transformation in his eyes when he removes his hood to face the sunlight is pure genius! I need to watch this three more times!

At first, I wanted those three robbers to explode on the spot, but as I watched, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the youngest one. He was tricked by a con man into believing three million yuan could cure his autistic son, which drove him to risk robbing the bank.

No matter how desperate you are, that’s no excuse for hurting others, right? Some people are just too saintly.

It’s not about being saintly. The youngest robber clearly had a conscience. He stopped the other two from hurting the hostages several times. All three robbers had distinct personalities, perfectly portraying the complexities of human nature. The director did an amazing job!

My child also has autism. The chances of a cure are slim, and the costs are enormous. My child’s life, and mine as a parent, are ruined. I hope this film will raise more awareness about children with autism.

Soon, the Golden Elephant Awards nominations were announced. Besides nominations for Best Film and Best Director, the most anticipated category was Best Actor, where Qin Yunran’s name stood out. This was his first film, and as the lead actor, he had carried it to such box office and critical acclaim. Even without winning an award, he had already reached heights many could only dream of.

At the Golden Elephant Awards ceremony, the venue glittered with stars, and the flashing cameras created a dizzying spectacle.

On the awards stage, the dazzling female host skillfully built suspense, drawing out her words: “And the Golden Elephant Award for Best Actor goes to…”

Cheng Kaixin, seated in the audience, suddenly heard the System’s urgent voice in his mind: “Host! Something’s gone wrong!”

“…Qin Yunran for Along the Way!”

“What is it?” Cheng Kaixin’s gaze remained fixed on Qin Yunran, who was smiling calmly on the screen, and he paid the System no attention.

The System had been silent for over half a year, as if it had vanished entirely. Now, at this crucial moment, it reappeared, sounding frantic.

“Remember Lü Yiyan? He was arrested, right? Ma Heng infected him with STDs, and his mental state deteriorated. Recently, his condition worsened, and he was hospitalized!”

“So what?”

On stage, Qin Yunran stepped up to accept the award and began his acceptance speech. The entire theater fell silent as his clear, resonant voice filled the hall: “I want to thank my parents, my family, my team, and the director for their belief in me and their support…”

“He’s escaped!” the System cried anxiously. “And he’s heading here! Who knows what a madman like that might do? Go check on him now! Don’t let him hurt the protagonist!”

“With so many security guards, he wouldn’t even make a ripple, even if he had wings,” Cheng Kaixin said, unconcerned. “He won’t get near Qin Yunran.”

“No, wait!” the System exclaimed. “He’s carrying a bottle of sulfuric acid!”

“Damn it!” Cheng Kaixin shot to his feet and strode out of the room. “Where is he?”

The System fell silent, knowing this man would only panic when his face was threatened.

Following the System’s directions, Cheng Kaixin found the red carpet lined with fans and reporters.

“He’s behind the crowd!” the System said.

Lü Yiyan, bundled up tightly, had somehow slipped through the security and was pushing his way through the crowd.

As the awards ceremony ended, the stars began to emerge onto the red carpet. Lü Yiyan’s eyes, hidden beneath the shadow of his hat, burned with madness. A faint stench clung to him, causing those nearby to recoil.

His hand, hidden inside his coat, gripped the bottle tightly as he crouched in a dark corner.

He wanted Qin Yunran to suffer more than death!

Imagining the scene to come, he began to laugh softly, his laughter abruptly turning into a piercing scream. “Ah!”

The crowd startled and turned to see a strangely dressed man pinned to the ground, his arm twisted behind him, his cheek pressed against the pavement as he struggled wildly. “Let me go! Let me go now!”

Lü Yiyan glanced at the person holding him down and screamed through gritted teeth, “It’s you! Lu Jinhua! Why do you always get in my way?!”

He strained his eyes upward, revealing a large expanse of bloodshot whites as he struggled. A bottle and a sharp knife fell from his grasp, sending the surrounding crowd scrambling backward in fear.

Two security guards rushed over. “What’s happening here?”

Cheng Kaixin easily subdued Lü Yiyan and looked up. “This man intended to commit violence. Take him to the pol—”

Before he could finish, his body suddenly stiffened.

On the awards stage, Qin Yunran’s gaze swept the audience, searching for Cheng Kaixin as he spoke slowly, “To have reached this point, the person I most want to thank is right here. He’s my boss…”

The camera panned to Cheng Kaixin’s empty seat.

A wave of disappointment washed over Qin Yunran. The smile on his lips faltered slightly, and under the bright lights of the big screen, everyone could see the shift in his expression.

Suppressing a sudden unease, Qin Yunran continued, “I want to thank Mr. Lu for his unwavering support…”

“Ah—!” A commotion erupted near the theater entrance, as if the crowd had exploded.

To everyone’s shock, Lü Yiyan suddenly broke free, grabbed a sharp knife, and lunged back at Cheng Kaixin, who stood frozen in terror.

The security guards reacted too late. Within seconds, two guards had Lü Yiyan pinned to the ground, his face and body splattered with crimson blood as he let out a wild, maniacal laugh.

Amidst the piercing screams, Cheng Kaixin rose from the ground.

More precisely, his soul detached from Lu Jinhua’s body.

Even in his spectral form, Cheng Kaixin’s face remained cold and stern, his voice icy. “System,” he demanded, “can you explain this?”

The System remained silent.

Cheng Kaixin rarely felt lost. Yet now, as he watched the chaotic crowd surge and shove, saw police cars wailing their approach, and witnessed Qin Yunran sprinting out of the theater, he hovered in the air, utterly bewildered.

Qin Yunran cradled the blood-soaked figure, his hands trembling so violently he couldn’t even press firmly on the wound. The body slowly grew cold, mirroring the numbness that had settled in Cheng Kaixin’s heart.

Fans at the scene couldn’t hold back their tears.

A reporter, desperate for a scoop, rushed forward, firing questions: “Sir, do you know why Mr. Lu suddenly…”

“Get the hell out,” Qin Yunran rasped, his voice hoarse with grief.

“How dare you insult him?!” the reporter shouted, lunging forward, only to be yanked back by an angry fan.

“Ranran told you to get lost!” the fan cried, shoving him away. “Have you no humanity? Mr. Lu… Mr. Lu…”

The cacophony of sirens, ambulance wails, and screams mingled with the blinding flashes of camera lights, as if to erase Qin Yunran’s mind. His thoughts seemed to have congealed into a sticky mass. Though people shook him and shouted in his ear, he remained unresponsive, clutching the person in his arms tightly.

“…Don’t cry,” Cheng Kaixin murmured, crouching before him. His hand passed through Qin Yunran’s face, leaving no trace.

Qin Yunran couldn’t hear him.

[Mission complete. World exiting.]

 A sudden surge of energy pulsed through Cheng Kaixin’s soul, bringing back the familiar dizziness of soul departure. Before he could react, the world before him had dissolved into a swirling vortex.

Everything blurred. Only Qin Yunran, at the vortex’s center, suddenly looked up, as if sensing something.

His dark eyes locked onto Cheng Kaixin, piercing through the boundaries of time and space.

How long passed? It felt like an instant, yet also like decades. When Cheng Kaixin regained consciousness, he found himself in a pure white space.

He looked around. There was nothing but a ball of light floating in the air.

He narrowed his eyes and walked closer, then suddenly reached out to grab it, but his hand passed right through the light.

System: … I’m a little scared.

It spoke in a trembling voice, “Host, your soul isn’t strong enough. You can’t touch me right now.”

“Now you’ll talk?” Cheng Kaixin asked, his eyes dark. “What was that just now?”

“I had no choice!” the System argued. “The romance plot in this world is crucial! The male lead can stay single, but he can’t end up with you. Your reckless actions will ruin us both!”

“When you say ‘us,’ who do you mean?” Cheng Kaixin suddenly smiled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “If I fail the mission, aren’t I the only one who disappears?”

The System fell silent again, refusing to answer no matter how Cheng Kaixin pressed. “So you’ve learned to stonewall me now?” Cheng Kaixin said coldly.

The angrier he became, the calmer his voice grew. Yet the System shivered at the utter lack of warmth in his tone.

The space was utterly silent, with no sense of time passing. Anyone with a weak will would be driven mad. Cheng Kaixin’s resolve was strong, but even he felt a growing urge to destroy everything.

Staring into Cheng Kaixin’s murderous gaze, the System’s glowing orb nearly flickered out. It quickly tried to divert his attention. “Mission complete! We can collect the energy now!”

A blank wall shimmered, revealing a translucent screen. Cheng Kaixin’s eyes narrowed as he saw Qin Yunran’s image within.

He watched Qin Yunran become Best Actor, reach the pinnacle of his career, yet remain utterly alone, finding joy only in acting.

He watched him invest in Lingxing, buy that house, and often stare blankly at Maoqiu, lost in memories of their shared past.

He watched him call out Cheng Kaixin’s name during moments of self-relief, each cry filled with immeasurable pain.

Shortly after his parents’ deaths, Qin Yunran was discovered alone in his home, having passed away. At the height of his career, in the prime of his life, he had vanished like a fleeting ephemera, leaving behind countless classic memories for posterity.

The System sobbed heartbrokenly, “The protagonist was so pitiful…”

Cheng Kaixin’s heart clenched into a tight knot. He instantly erupted in fury, almost laughing hysterically. “You have the nerve to cry?”

The System whimpered, “I had no choice, Host. Please don’t blame me…”

The screen flickered, then dissolved into a swarm of glowing particles that converged toward the System’s orb.

It was as if Qin Yunran had transformed into light. Cheng Kaixin instinctively reached out to gather the glowing particles, and the moment his fingertips touched them, a blinding light erupted before his eyes.

When the light faded, a figure suddenly appeared before him.

It was Qin Yunran, just as he had been before Cheng Kaixin left the world.

Qin Yunran gazed at his restored, youthful hand, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

The System shrieked, “H-how did he wake up?”

“Wake up?” Cheng Kaixin seized on the key word. “What do you mean?” He took two steps forward, but his hand passed right through Qin Yunran again.

He remembered what the System had said: because his soul’s strength was insufficient, he couldn’t touch the other man.

In the next instant, however, the hand that had passed through Qin Yunran’s body suddenly tightened.

Qin Yunran had gripped his wrist.

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