At this very moment, Xie Jinghe felt somewhat restless.

His four-month-long movie shoot had finally wrapped. He had already asked his assistant to pack his luggage and was just about to board the manager’s van to go home, but at the very last second, he was intercepted by the director, Shao Wei.

“Xiao Xie, don’t rush off yet.”

The director was a middle-aged man with a square face, thick sideburns, and a slightly stout build. He waved at Xie Jinghe and said warmly, “I have dinner with the executive president of NO1 tonight. They are the biggest investors in our film; why don’t you come with me?”

Seeing Xie Jinghe’s hesitant expression, Shao Wei stroked his beard and joked, “I’ve invited a few other actors too. What are you afraid of? I wouldn’t sell you off by the pound.”

“I heard NO1 plans to fully develop their entertainment division. By the way, aren’t you currently in a legal battle to terminate your contract with your agency?” Shao Wei gestured, “Isn’t this perfect? I’ll introduce you; consider it building some connections.”

NO1 was an up-and-coming media company with great momentum in recent years. They had invested in several blockbuster film and television dramas, raking in profits, and had signed many artists, including some A-listers, thanks to their reputation.

As someone in the industry, Xie Jinghe had naturally heard of NO1. The company had appeared out of nowhere three years ago and was growing extremely fast. The founder was very mysterious and had never appeared in front of the media. Rumor had it that the owner behind NO1 was a descendant of a high-ranking noble family who was interested in the entertainment industry but found it inconvenient to appear personally, so all external operations were handled by the executive president, Pei Yue.

Xie Jinghe wasn’t ungrateful; knowing the director was looking out for him, he naturally nodded in agreement.

After Shao Wei left, however, Xie Jinghe couldn’t help but look troubled. After hesitating repeatedly, he pulled out his phone and sent a message to the pinned contact in his WeChat.

[Xie Jinghe: I have a business engagement tonight. I’ll be back late.]

At this time, his assistant, Le Yan, also got off the van. Clutching a large backpack, she leaned toward Xie Jinghe and lowered her voice as much as possible: “Xie Ge, you’ve suddenly stood that person up… cough, do you think he’ll start acting up again?”

Le Yan had been with Xie Jinghe for many years and was well-aware of his private life. She knew he had suddenly had a flash marriage with a civilian three years ago, and she knew that person was incredibly jealous and paranoid.

…There was no way to hide it.

Le Yan grumbled, “Xie Ge, what exactly do you see in that guy? He treats tabloid gossip as absolute truth and finds all sorts of ways to take his anger out on you. Before, when you had a fever, he still wanted you to go to a brand event. That was too much!”

After that incident, Xie Jinghe was photographed by paparazzi at the hospital. Some tabloids were bottomless, writing horrible things like [Film Emperor spends the night with a sponsor, ends up in the hospital from exhaustion].

None of that happened!

Although he knew Le Yan was standing up for him, Xie Jinghe couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward and hurriedly changed the subject: “It’s fine. You go ahead. I’ll sit in Director Shao’s car and go over in a while.”

Seeing that Le Yan was still indignant, Xie Jinghe explained, “Actually, he’s quite good to me. It’s just that his work hasn’t been going smoothly these past six months, so his temper has changed a bit.”

Le Yan suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and pretended to believe him.

While waiting for the director, Xie Jinghe checked his phone from time to time. Seeing no reply from the other side, he couldn’t help but send another message.

[Xie Jinghe: I’ll try to be back as early as possible.]

Still no reply.

Just then, Shao Wei drove over. Xie Jinghe put away his phone, but the anxiety and uneasiness in his heart only intensified.

…Is he angry?

The city lights were flickering on, and the wind was howling.

Inside the private room.

With Shao Wei as the middleman, the main cast and production team were having dinner with several investors. Unfortunately, the biggest investor was late, but after several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at the table was quite lively.

As the male lead, Xie Jinghe was urged to drink a lot and was the center of everyone’s conversation.

The director, sitting on his left, suddenly leaned over and asked curiously: “Xiao Xie, do you have some urgent business?”

Xie Jinghe, who was looking down at his phone, blanked the screen in a second and smiled, shaking his head. In reality, he was restless, his mind full of the reply from that person just a few minutes ago.

It was very short, just two characters.

[Heh.]

Just then, the door to the private room was pushed open. A woman in a high-end designer dress with wavy hair walked in on high heels. A brilliant, vivid smile tugged at her red lips, and she announced loudly in apology:

“My flight was delayed. Looks like I’m late.”

The people at the table were all discerning; no one wanted to offend this heavy-hitting investor and famous “female devil” of the industry, so they hurried to greet her: “President Pei, sit, sit, sit!”

Pei Yue had drawn her eyeliner upward; her cat-like eyes were both seductive and sharp. She waved her hand and laughed: “What President Pei? I’m just a professional agent working for others. There’s a big boss sitting on top of me.”

As she spoke, she gestured toward the back of the young actress, and a pair of jade-white hands rested quietly on the seat. The actress was stunned for a second but quickly stood up, while the others continued to chat and laugh as if they hadn’t seen this happen.

The next second, Pei Yue sat down leisurely. While she let others toast her, her gaze fell on the man to the side, and she took the initiative to greet him.

“Mr. Xie, it’s nice to meet you.”

The man was wearing a light-colored casual suit without a tie, but the top button of his shirt was fastened. He had a well-proportioned figure and looked very good in a suit.

Xie Jinghe also tilted his head and nodded, revealing a polite social smile. That pair of affectionate eyes, capable of bewitching anyone, seemed full of charm even when he was just sitting there like a pillar. Because of this, fans affectionately dubbed him the “CP Holy Body.”

For this reason, Pei Yue, seeing Xie Jinghe in person for the first time, smiled brilliantly on the outside while sighing internally.

What a good-looking guy.

The boss is really a jerk…

As the drinking session neared its end, Pei Yue took the initiative to exchange contact information with Xie Jinghe. When she stood up, she pretended to be drunk and unsteady, stumbling toward Xie Jinghe, her red lips grazing the back of the man’s shirt collar unintentionally.

It was an extremely hidden spot, and since it was already late at night, it was even harder to notice.

Staring at the man’s slightly anxious retreating figure, Pei Yue leaned against the car door, lit a cigarette with one hand, and used the other to pinch her phone, sending an emoji to the person on the other end of the chat.

[Pei Yue: [OK.JPG]]

In November, Tong City had cooled down early.

The sky was oppressively dark, and the night wind was blowing in gusts. Shi Linchuan was lounging comfortably on the sofa watching TV, his glasses resting casually on the coffee table, along with his phone.

Buzz, buzz.

Shi Linchuan picked up his phone, glanced at it, and quickly switched the WeChat to the background, opening another navigation map app.

Of course, it did more than just navigate.

When Shi Linchuan saw the little red dot on the map gradually approaching the location symbolizing his own little red dot, he couldn’t help but whistle a brisk tune, saying soundlessly:

“System, he’s almost here.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a mechanical electronic voice rang out in Shi Linchuan’s mind—the voice of the [System] he had just referred to.

According to its own introduction, the full name was—

[The “Ex-Husband” Role-Playing System]

The system said: “Host, actually, you only need to complete the key plot points; you don’t have to copy the original plot verbatim. My last host just barely passed the mission requirements and finished it very easily!”

Hearing this, Shi Linchuan sneered: “Who do you think you’re looking down on?”

System: “…”

Seeing the red dot on his phone getting closer, Shi Linchuan turned off the windows and the TV, then lit an entire pack of cigarettes, filling the room with thick, murky smoke.

Finally, he adjusted the black-rimmed glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. His temperament changed instantly, becoming incredibly ordinary.

For the next five minutes, Shi Linchuan kept his eyes wide open without blinking. Thin, dense bloodshot veins appeared in the whites of his eyes, adding a touch of haggardness and irritability, his brows gloomy.

He examined himself in the mirror.

Very satisfied.

A quintessential “all bark, no bite” scumbag image that fit his current outward characteristics: [Decadent and manic after losing his job].

Oh, and he was also a paranoid, super-masculine, jealous husband in the late stages.

Having prepared everything, Shi Linchuan sat back on the sofa.

The room was silent.

The man stubbed out all the half-burnt cigarette butts in the ashtray, leaving only one. He held it between his fingertips, brought it to his lips, and took a deep drag, the exhaled smoke blurring his facial features.

He was thinking,

…Role-playing a scumbag is actually quite interesting.

The whole thing started about three years ago.

Three years ago, Shi Linchuan died of overwork and was bound by this existence that called itself the [Ex-Husband Role-Playing System].

The system projected his soul into the world of a book, claiming that as long as Shi Linchuan played the role of the scumbag ex-husband from the original novel and completed the key plot points, he could be resurrected and return to his original world.

He hadn’t lived enough yet, so of course, he agreed.

For this, Shi Linchuan made a great sacrifice—he was a lifelong bachelor who loathed marriage, yet his very first task upon transmuting into the book was to get bed-bound and have a flash marriage with the protagonist.

The world of the book originated from an urban novel set in the entertainment industry, with the protagonist named Xie Jinghe.

And the role Shi Linchuan played was the cannon fodder scumbag, a husband who took advantage of the protagonist during a period of loneliness, abused him both physically and emotionally during their marriage, and refused to let go even after the divorce.

In the original novel, Xie Jinghe was an orphan. He dropped out of school to work at sixteen, and relying on his handsome looks and inspired eyes, he was spotted in a crowd by an auteur director, landing the lead role in his debut.

It turned out that director had a good eye.

Xie Jinghe was a true prodigy. His debut work defeated a crowd of veteran actors, and he won the Best Actor award at an unbelievable age, becoming an overnight sensation, with his momentum remaining strong for years.

It was as if God himself was chasing him to feed him.

But Xie Jinghe didn’t enter the entertainment industry just for fame and fortune; he did it in hopes of finding his relatives, though he had found nothing after many years.

On his twenty-fourth birthday, the day he had been abandoned years ago, Xie Jinghe was feeling down. He went to a small bar in disguise for a drink and happened to encounter the “big brother” from the same orphanage he had stayed in as a child.

In other words, the scumbag ex-husband himself.

They reunited after a long time and sat down for a few extra drinks, only to lose control and spend a night of indulgence.

After waking up, Xie Jinghe was incredibly embarrassed.

But the premeditated scumbag ex-husband proposed to be responsible for him. Xie Jinghe happened to be a young man craving the warmth of a home, so under the scumbag’s sweet talk, the two were flash-married after dating for less than two months.

Of course, it was a secret marriage.

The scumbag ex-husband didn’t care.

Compared to Xie Jinghe’s legendary experience, the scumbag ex-husband’s life trajectory was mundane. He was just a small office worker on a fixed salary, living a life like stagnant water. Encountering Xie Jinghe, getting him drunk, and taking advantage of the situation was probably the smartest decision he ever made.

For a long time after the marriage, the scumbag ex-husband maintained the image of a gentle, good man, only gradually failing to hide his true dark nature later on.

For example, although Xie Jinghe was talented, he didn’t have much ambition for his career. After the marriage, he preferred staying home to enjoy daily domestic life, but the scumbag ex-husband coaxed him to work and make money all day long.

For another example, the scumbag ex-husband knew he was ordinary and had even been laid off by his company, while his partner was a top-tier celebrity. After losing his job, he became even more sensitive to every one of Xie Jinghe’s rumors, doubting all day that his partner was wearing a green hat…

Therefore, the scumbag ex-husband forced and coaxed Xie Jinghe into agreeing to tattoo his name on the inside of his thigh.

There were countless other examples.

No help for it. The original novel loved to abuse the protagonist.

One day.

Xie Jinghe was accidentally photographed by paparazzi showing a corner of his tattoo, which instantly ignited public opinion. Coupled with the actions of the agency…

For a time, tabloid accounts unanimously exposed “insider information,” saying Xie Jinghe achieved success so young because he relied on a sugar daddy. They claimed that while he was pure and bright by day, he was abused in his sponsor’s bed by night, telling the story as if it were absolute fact.

The agency he was in a legal battle with also piled on.

Xie Jinghe ignored the scumbag ex-husband’s objections and directly confessed the fact of his secret marriage. Not only were his fans furious, but he also broke into arguments with the scumbag ex-husband time and time again.

Argue once, reconcile once. Such was the cycle.

The scumbag ex-husband was determined not to let Xie Jinghe go, while Xie Jinghe was hopelessly falling in love despite knowing the truth. He clung to that small amount of domestic warmth and refused to let go.

At this time, a divorce variety show titled Why Are You Unhappy? came knocking.

Xie Jinghe wanted to save his marriage, so he nodded and agreed.

However, in this variety show, he discovered—

The other party seemed to have never loved him at all.

The following plot was simple; it was nothing more than the protagonist awakening, no longer being bewitched by the scumbag, and resolutely choosing divorce. And while the scumbag, divorced and refused to let go, could only watch helplessly as the protagonist pulled himself together, met true love, and finally ran toward a new life without looking back.

Under Shi Linchuan’s promotion, the plot had entered the stage where the scumbag ex-husband was tragically laid off.

During these months of unemployment, his condition had deteriorated from a twisted jealous husband to a hyper-masculine, jealous husband.

Once Xie Jinghe got home later, Shi Linchuan would make a scene out of a small issue, take the moral high ground, have a huge argument with him, and then force him to agree to tattoo his name on his body, while delivering the key lines.

The task was as easy as pie.

Shi Linchuan played with the extinguished cigarette butt between his fingers, his glasses glinting with white light, a cryptic smile curling at the corner of his lips.

After a while.

There was a sound at the door.

Shi Linchuan’s expression changed instantly, becoming dejected and manic, his eyes blood-red, as if holding back a towering rage.

The system’s electronic voice rang out gloomily:

“…Host, you are truly more of a jerk than the original character.”

Shi Linchuan sneered.

“System, mind your own business when it comes to the Host.”