The Vicious Cannon Fodder Despised by Everyone Really Doesn't Want to Go Viral - Chapter 6

Blue smoke curled in the air as the solemn black-gold censer stood tall. Behind the newcomer was a grand hall with red walls and green tiles. Golden sunlight refracted downward, illuminating a tall divine statue that was partially visible through the mist and shadows. Its lowered eyelids seemed to gaze upon all living beings with compassion.

The surrounding worshippers paid no mind to this small interlude, bowing repeatedly to heaven and earth with sincere devotion. A tremor sent a flake of incense ash drifting to the ground, much like Lin Zhiyu’s heart, which finally felt as though it had landed on solid ground.

Amidst the dense mist of incense, Mu Sui sat quietly in his wheelchair. He wore a black, traditional Tang suit with frog buttons and intricate embroidery snaking from his left shoulder to the collar. The top button was undone, revealing a section of his pale neck. In the flickering light of the incense, his skin appeared as white as fresh snow.

With long brows and a high bridge to his nose, his facial contours appeared even more cold and inviolable against the blurred backdrop of the smoke. He looked like a statue of cold jade, detached from the mortal world.

Lin Zhiyu took a moment to admire his beauty, thinking to himself that this man was quite meticulous; he had even coordinated a themed outfit just to burn incense at a temple.

Seeing that Lin Zhiyu had regained his composure, Mu Sui slowly released his grip. His well-defined fingers rested quietly on the armrest of the wheelchair as he spoke coldly. “Watch where you are going.”

Lin Zhiyu glanced back at Assistant Zhou, who had just returned after lighting incense, and forced a smile. “Thank you, Mr. Mu. The ground was too slippery and I lost my balance. I almost ended up flat on my back. What a coincidence to see you here offering incense.”

No wonder his former colleagues often said the wealthier people are, the more they believe in metaphysics. Seeing this now, it appeared to be true.

Mu Sui’s gaze swept indifferently over Lin Zhiyu’s hand. Upon seeing the pink fortune slip, he arched an eyebrow mockingly.

“No need for thanks,” Mu Sui replied. “I simply do not wish to have another cripple in the house.”

Lin Zhiyu was speechless. How was he supposed to respond to that? Should he say, You are so handsome that even being “crippled” does not diminish your charm?

However, Mu Sui did not seem to expect an answer. He expressionlessly took the incense offered by Assistant Zhou, holding it between his thumb and forefinger against his forehead. He closed his eyes and silently recited a prayer.

Lin Zhiyu wondered if staying here was useless or simply awkward. He raised his hand to silently signal Assistant Zhou that he was leaving first. However, Mu Sui seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. Before Lin Zhiyu could lower his hand, the man spoke. “Zhou Ming brought the car. If you are heading back, wait and come with us.”

Lin Zhiyu had no choice but to stop.

He did indeed need to go back. Mu Sui’s apartment was far from the temple, and there was no direct public transportation. While he could afford a taxi, he preferred to save money whenever possible. After all, it was not as if he had never hitched a ride with a boss before. If things got truly awkward, he was an expert at pretending to fall asleep instantly.

After speaking, Mu Sui raised the incense and bowed three times. On anyone else, the act of bowing three times while seated might have looked slightly comical, but Mu Sui performed it with an air of lonely, noble elegance.

Lin Zhiyu rubbed his fingers, thinking of the story’s protagonist, Mu Yunji. Since they shared the same father, why was Mu Yunji such a reckless, hot-headed fool?

Though, in the latter half of the original book, Mu Sui also became disturbingly dark. No one knew what kind of ruthless heart lay beneath that cold, abstinent exterior. Lin Zhiyu sighed inwardly, hoping those strange “special interests” would never be turned on him.

Assistant Zhou placed the three sticks of incense into the censer. Lin Zhiyu took the initiative to push the wheelchair, but before he could grab the handles, Mu Sui glanced back at him. Lin Zhiyu was confused until he saw Mu Sui silently grip the joystick on the armrest and push it forward.

My mistake, Lin Zhiyu thought. I forgot that wealthy people can buy any kind of electric wheelchair they want.

The car was parked in the lot at the foot of the mountain. To accommodate the wheelchair, Lin Zhiyu followed them on a longer, flatter route. The back of the car was equipped with accessibility features. Lin Zhiyu watched as Assistant Zhou stowed the wheelchair before quietly entering from the other side.

The car’s interior was sophisticated to the point of being cold. The leather-wrapped seats were soft and smooth to the touch. As Assistant Zhou started the engine, Lin Zhiyu peeked at Mu Sui, who was leaning against the seat looking out the window. His gaze then lingered on the car’s built-in refrigerator between them.

Noticing his “longing” look through the rearview mirror, Assistant Zhou said, “Mr. Lin, if you are thirsty, there is water in the fridge.”

Lin Zhiyu smiled. “I am fine, not that thirsty.” Even so, his hands could not help but start investigating how to open the refrigerator.

Unexpectedly, a hand as pale as porcelain reached over and pressed down gently on the fridge cover. Lin Zhiyu resigned himself to the fact that his “clueless” persona was showing again, but he was shocked to see what the fridge was stuffed with.

It was XX Brand Cold-Pressed Lemon Juice! He truly did not want to see that stuff ever again!

Lin Zhiyu pulled out a bottle with a dead soul. “Haha, it seems Assistant Zhou really likes lemon juice.”

Assistant Zhou glanced back through the mirror to explain. “Actually, this…”

“A business partner sent two crates. These are what remained after distribution,” Mu Sui interrupted coolly.

Assistant Zhou smiled subtly and said to Lin Zhiyu, “That is how it is.”

After that, Mu Sui leaned back into his seat. The sunlight from outside softened his usually cold features. The car fell silent, save for the low hum of the engine. Lin Zhiyu occasionally stole a glance, but Mu Sui kept his eyes lowered, seemingly indifferent to the attention. His expression was detached and distant, looking like a quiet painting framed by the shadows of the car.

The daytime breeze swept past the scenery outside. Lush trees cast dappled shadows on the asphalt. The noise of the city was stripped away by the car’s insulation, leaving only the pillars of light that occasionally flickered across their eyes.

Lin Zhiyu finally spoke in a low, soft voice. “I heard the fortunes at the temple are very accurate. Did you pray for anything, Mr. Mu?”

Mu Sui turned to look at him and blurted out, “I do not believe in…” He stopped abruptly and let out a light laugh, realizing the contradiction between his words and his actions. “I do not believe in the fate others give me.”

But you still pray to gods and Buddhas, Lin Zhiyu added mentally, finding the man quite strange.

“As for you,” Mu Sui paused, his voice suddenly deepening. “Did you come to ask about your fate with him again?”

What did he mean by “again”?

“No, of course not,” Lin Zhiyu explained with a bright smile. He took the pink marriage fortune from his pocket and flattened it out. “I accidentally sought the wrong deity. I intended to ask about my career, but I ended up at the Old Man under the Moon.”

Recalling the experience, Lin Zhiyu’s voice rose slightly. “No wonder he refused my request the first time, and the second time he just knocked the whole container over. He probably got annoyed by the third time and just threw one out to get rid of me. It does not count.”

Mu Sui’s eyes swept over the phrase “A Rare Good Match” on the paper before looking away. He said coldly, “It is a good fortune.”

Fearing a misunderstanding—and even more afraid of losing his 300,000 allowance—Lin Zhiyu quickly added, “Even the best fortune is useless. I signed an agreement with you. For this year, I will remain as pure as jade for you. Even if I see a top-tier catch, I will absolutely not be moved!” He even held up two fingers as if swearing an oath.

Mu Sui turned his head and stared at him with dark, brooding eyes. Perhaps it was because of the backlight, but Lin Zhiyu felt his gaze held too many unreadable emotions. It was a bit unsettling. Ultimately, Mu Sui said nothing, and it was unclear if he believed the guarantee.

The sleek black business car glided smoothly into the underground garage. Because Lin Zhiyu was present, Mu Sui did not have Assistant Zhou follow them up as usual. Lin Zhiyu was not exactly a sergeant to being alone with a boss, but thankfully, Mu Sui’s apartment was much larger than a hotel room. He excused himself and hid in his bedroom.

He read the script Xu Dongdong had sent from beginning to end. Although he did not want to attend the audition tomorrow, he was a man of dignity. He did not want to show up without knowing the script and perform poorly. He decided to at least put in a minimal effort.

The hired housekeeper had recently taken some time off, so Mu Sui ordered takeout for lunch. Starving, Lin Zhiyu was about to look in the fridge for a snack when he smelled the aroma of meat from the dining table. His new boss might have a questionable temper, but he was a decent person and had ordered a portion for him.

However, when they sat face-to-face at the table and Mu Sui took a bite, his expression visibly soured. Lin Zhiyu guessed it was from a high-end restaurant he frequented, but the delivery process had significantly lowered the quality. Lin Zhiyu tried the stir-fried meat Mu Sui had just tasted; being used to pre-packaged meals and small workshops, he thought it was actually fine.

“How about I cook tonight?” Lin Zhiyu suggested tentatively. “You probably spent a lot of money on this, and it is not satisfying after being delivered so far. It is better to just cook at home.”

Mu Sui raised his eyelids and asked, “You know how to cook?”

Lin Zhiyu nodded, gesturing with his fingers. “A little bit.”

That evening, after finishing the script for the third time, Lin Zhiyu rushed out of his room. After some activity in the kitchen, he served two bowls of tomato and egg soy sauce noodles.

Mu Sui looked down at the bowls, his expression seemingly even gloomier than at lunch. Lin Zhiyu ignored it and took a couple of bites. He thought he heard Mu Sui let out a sigh before the man finally used his chopsticks to pick up a piece of fried egg.

Lin Zhiyu looked up and could not help but laugh when he saw Mu Sui’s cold expression, which looked as though he were a soldier heading toward his execution.

“What are you laughing at?”

Lin Zhiyu waved his hand frantically. However, Mu Sui was not to be brushed off and stared at him intently.

Lin Zhiyu could no longer hold it in and broke into a wide smile. “I just thought of a very common and classic trope from movies and novels.”

Mu Sui looked confused.

Lin Zhiyu continued, “The ‘commoner’ female lead always invites the overbearing president to eat at a roadside stall. At first, the president disgustedly wipes the greasy table over and over with alcohol and wet wipes, his face full of loathing. But after taking one bite, he is stunned and exclaims that this is the true flavor of the mortal world.”

He ended up amusing himself with the thought. Unexpectedly, after hearing it, Mu Sui let out a small laugh as well.

He replied, “It is barely edible. Hardly stunning.”