The Tool Brother Thinks It’s Not Okay [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 5

“Mr. Lu? What are you doing here?” Lü Yiyan’s face stiffened, and he quickly scrambled to his feet, wincing in pain. He forced an awkward smile, but it wouldn’t come.

Did they hear everything?

“What else would I be doing in the restroom? Relieving myself,” Cheng Kaixin said with a mocking tone. “Unless you have some special needs?”

His gaze swept down to Lü Yiyan’s knee. “Quite special indeed.”

Lü Yiyan’s lips twitched as he stammered, “I… I was just here to use the toilet too. I slipped.”

Cheng Kaixin chuckled. “Ah, the great male lead of wuxia dramas! Even your falls are uniquely dramatic.”

Qin Yunran finally couldn’t hold back a snort of laughter.

Lü Yiyan’s face turned green.

Cheng Kaixin’s playful mockery was devastatingly effective. The power imbalance prevented Lü Yiyan from feeling any real anger, leaving him seething with resentment.

“Mr. Lu, I… I’ll be going now.”

As Lü Yiyan limped out the door, Qin Yunran caught his hateful glare. Unfazed, Qin Yunran simply smiled and nodded. “Take care, Mr. Lü. Watch your step.”

Lü Yiyan suddenly felt a sharp pain in his leg, making it difficult to walk.

Inside the restroom, Cheng Kaixin studied Qin Yunran with a hint of curiosity.

The System had been frantically warning him that Qin Yunran was in danger, insisting he intervene immediately. Annoyed beyond measure, Cheng Kaixin had no choice but to come.

But this protagonist, whom the System described as “gentle, refined, pure, and kind,” clearly possessed considerable combat skills.

“Are you sure he needed my help?” Cheng Kaixin asked.

“I’m just trying to help you two get to know each other better,” the System replied, shrinking back awkwardly under Cheng Kaixin’s teasing.

Qin Yunran mentally savored Cheng Kaixin’s sharp retort.

So satisfyingly precise.

However, the restroom wasn’t exactly the ideal place for conversation. Being a perceptive and tactful person, Qin Yunran had no interest in awkward small talk. He simply smiled politely at Cheng Kaixin and turned to wash his hands at the sink.

Unexpectedly, Cheng Kaixin stepped closer and asked directly, “Would you be interested in coming to Lingxing?”

Qin Yunran’s hand froze momentarily under the running water before resuming its movements. Amidst the clear, flowing water, his voice remained calm and measured. “Is Lingxing trying to recruit me, or is Mr. Lu?”

“What’s the difference?” Cheng Kaixin casually turned on the faucet and splashed water on his hands.

“Not much, it seems.” Qin Yunran looked up, meeting Cheng Kaixin’s gaze in the mirror. “But Mr. Lu’s sincerity caught me off guard, so I couldn’t help but ask.”

“Sincerity?” Cheng Kaixin raised an eyebrow. “Where did you see that?”

Qin Yunran’s gaze fell on Cheng Kaixin’s hands, which were idly playing with the water. His long, slender fingers moved like fish darting through the stream. He smiled. “Otherwise, why aren’t you rushing to the restroom? Why are you here washing your hands with me?”

Right. This wasn’t about using the restroom; it was about finding him specifically.

Most people trying to poach talent from a rival company would seize the opportunity, playing up their sincerity to win him over.

But Cheng Kaixin’s mind worked differently, and he had none of the aloofness expected of someone in his position. After a moment of staring at Qin Yunran through the mirror, he suddenly flashed a shallow smile. “I was afraid you’d feel inferior.”

Qin Yunran understood instantly, driven by a man’s instinctive pride.

System: “Huh? What does that mean?”

“My manager is pretty good. I don’t plan on changing anytime soon,” Qin Yunran said, turning off the faucet, his rejection polite but firm.

Jiaxing was one of the industry’s three entertainment giants, with abundant resources. His current treatment at the company was decent, and his career was steadily advancing. There was no logical reason to switch companies on a whim.

Cheng Kaixin showed no disappointment at the rejection. He almost seemed to be waiting for Qin Yunran to finish washing his hands, turning off the faucet himself.

Qin Yunran pulled out a tissue and meticulously dried his hands.

“Please, make yourself at home. I’ll be going now,” he said with a faint smile. “I wouldn’t want to keep you from… admiring yourself.”

His gaze seemed to flicker downward for a moment, or perhaps it didn’t.

After Qin Yunran left, the System was still puzzled. “What did you even mean by that? Why would Qin Yunran feel inferior? And what were you supposed to admire?”

Cheng Kaixin ignored its burning curiosity, replying instead, “Your precious protagonist is neither gentle nor virtuous.”

The System scoffed. “Nonsense.”

Soon after, the historical wuxia drama premiered, its extensive promotion generating considerable buzz.

Qin Yunran had recently trended on social media, boosting his public profile. His standout performance in the drama further captivated audiences, drawing even more attention.

I’d only seen him play the campus heartthrob Zhang Ziming before. He was so natural, it felt like he was just being himself. I thought he could only pull off those aloof, god-like roles. But his villainous turn is absolutely electrifying! He’s such a hidden gem!

This Martial Arts Alliance Leader’s character is so complex! A refined gentleman in public, but his eyes burn with ambition in private. He feigns composure when his schemes unravel, yet his final moments are filled with both regret and acceptance… I’ve made so many GIFs of him! Every scene is brilliantly acted!

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Seriously, he’s stunning from every angle! I was on set—I was the folding fan in his hand!

Scrolling through the comments, Qu Wen’s spirits soared.

“We need to capitalize on this momentum and land another hit drama,” he declared, gesturing to several scripts on the table. “These look promising. Have you read them yet? Anything catch your eye?”

Qin Yunran picked up the script for Elegant Shadows of Espionage. “Is this a spy drama?”

“Wow, this is huge!” Qu Wen suddenly sat up straight, his eyes gleaming with gossip. “You know Lingxing, right? The Lu Group’s subsidiary. Guess who their new boss is? Lu Jinying’s younger brother! A true heir of the Lu Family.”

Qin Yunran replied calmly, “So what?”

“This is his first project as CEO, and you know what they say: ‘New broom sweeps clean.’ It’s going to be a massive production. Everyone’s watching to see what he does. But guess what?” Qu Wen winked. “They specifically asked for you to play the male lead.”

He dragged out the last word, but Qin Yunran showed no surprise. Disappointed, Qu Wen sighed, “Why aren’t you even a little surprised? If I were you, I’d be jumping for joy! This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance—the lead role in a major male-lead drama!”

When Qin Yunran ignored him, Qu Wen stroked his chin and muttered, “Still, it’s a bit odd, isn’t it? This opportunity seems almost too good to be true.”

He studied Qin Yunran for a moment, then suddenly hissed, “Looking at you now, you’re really quite striking. Do you think some important person has taken an interest in you and wants to promote you?

Qin Yunran set down the script, glanced up at him, and suddenly smiled. “If that were true, what would you do?”

His demeanor remained as warm as a spring breeze, but his eyes seemed to hold frost that had never melted.

“Just kidding, just kidding! Who would dare make a move on you?” Qu Wen, unnerved by his gaze, quickly changed the subject. “This novel is pretty famous, with a solid fan base. A big-budget adaptation like this could be a huge hit.” He analyzed objectively, “But there’s also a significant risk.” If the script deviates too much from the original story, or if the director’s style or the actors’ portrayals don’t match the source material, the original fans will tear it apart.”

“I’ve read the novel. The script’s well-adapted, not a butchered mess.”

“You’ve read the novel? When? I thought you didn’t read novels,” Qu Wen asked, puzzled.

Qin Yunran paused, then said, “Just skimmed through it.”

“That must be fate! Let’s go with it!” Qu Wen stood up to make a phone call.

Qin Yunran flipped through the script, but his mind wasn’t on the plot. Having read the novel, he already remembered most of the story.

He hadn’t initially taken Lian Weiwei’s invitation seriously. But during his downtime, he’d found the novel and read it through.

Even though he had turned down Lingxing’s offer, he was still looking forward to working with Lu Jinhua. It would be interesting, he thought.

Lost in thought, he was surprised when Lingxing actually sent over the script for the male lead. If Qu Wen was right, did that mean Lu Jinhua had taken a liking to him?

With anyone else, he might have been suspicious. But Lu Jinhua… Qin Yunran’s lips curved into a smile as he thought of the man’s striking looks. “Who’s really getting the short end of the stick here?” he murmured to himself, half-joking.

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