Mastering the Rogue Playbook Chapter 5

【444: Ding, the target's current favorability is 60. 】

[444: It really went up by 10 points! Great host, I really admire you_(:3ゝ∠)_ How come you got such a big increase when we haven't even met! ]

【Ethan Xie: It’s not scary to have tasted the most delicious food, but it’s scary to never be able to taste it again after having tasted it once. I will keep thinking about it, day and night, until this delicacy has been beautified to an unimaginable degree.】Although it’s only an entry-level dish, it’s also a genuine heartthrob bloodline. How can it be a most delicious food that ordinary people can eat?

【444：+_+】I don’t understand at all!

【Ethan Xie: Be quiet now, don’t affect my performance. 】

Ethan Xie stared blankly at the man sitting in the main seat, his whole body stiff, his hands and feet cold.

Zhou Yian felt that Ethan Xie's hand was suddenly a little cold. He stood stupidly at the door and thought that he was nervous. He smiled and said, "It's okay. This is my brother, Zhou Yizhe."

Zhou Yizhe smiled slightly, and looked at Ethan Xie as if he was looking at a stranger he met for the first time. He walked over and extended his right hand to Ethan Xie: "Hello."

Ethan Xie remained motionless, his eyes blank. The hand that was stretched out in front of him had slender fingers and was flawless. However, in his eyes... it was like the hand of a demon stretched out from a nightmare. With it came the fear of it becoming a reality. He instinctively took a step back.

Zhou Yian showed a puzzled look. Although the young man was usually a bit shy, such impolite behavior was too abnormal.

Just when the atmosphere was becoming awkward, Zhou Yizhe naturally withdrew his hand, without any anger at being rejected, and laughed sweetly and deeply: "Don't stand at the door, sit down."

This sentence woke Zhou Yian up and also reminded Ethan Xie.

Ethan Xie’s expression changed slightly. He had just lost his composure. Zhou Yian would find out! He couldn’t let Zhou Yian find out…especially…when that man turned out to be Zhou Yian’s brother…If Zhou Yian knew the truth, how would she hate him? He would lose Zhou Yian!

Ethan Xie slowly relaxed his body. Only then did he notice that Zhou Yizhe had not exposed his plan. This discovery made him feel relieved.

"Hello, hello..." Ethan Xie called out softly, and obediently sat down under the guidance of Zhou Yian.

But the next moment, Zhou Yize's action made Ethan Xie's hair stand on end. Zhou Yize actually sat next to him!

Ethan Xie, who was sandwiched between the two brothers, had cold sweat on his palms.

Ethan Xie had tried his best to remain calm, but his abnormality was as obvious to the two brothers as a searchlight in the dark night, and it was impossible to ignore it.

Zhou Yizhe's smile deepened slightly, and he suddenly asked, "Do I look scary?"

Ethan Xie took a deep breath and didn’t dare to look at him at all.

Zhou Yian glanced at his brother and said with a smile: "You must look too scary." He gently pressed the back of Ethan Xie's hand and comforted him softly: "It's really okay. My brother looks a little serious, but he is actually a good person, and he definitely won't hate you. Right, brother?" The last sentence was directed to Zhou Yizhe.

Zhou Yizhe slowly poured a cup of tea for Ethan Xie: "Well, I like him very much."

Zhou Yian was very happy to hear that, and said to Ethan Xie proudly: "I told you, my brother will definitely like you! We will be a family from now on, don't be so nervous."

Ethan Xie’s eyes went dark. He still wanted to become a family with this man!

"Okay, the more you talk, the more nervous he gets." Seeing Ethan Xie's increasingly pale face, Zhou Yizhe 'kindly' came to the rescue and then asked the waiter to serve the dishes.

Soon, all kinds of delicious food were served.

Ethan Xie saw the delicious food but he didn't have any appetite. However, the two brothers seemed to be unaware of it. Zhou Yian kept serving him food attentively, while Zhou Yize would considerately ask from time to time if he liked it.

This kind of treatment was not bad, but Ethan Xie felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. His expression became more and more stiff and ugly.

Zhou Yian finally felt something was wrong and asked worriedly, "Are you feeling unwell?"

"Nothing... nothing, I'm going to the bathroom!" Ethan Xie suddenly stood up.

He can't stay here anymore!

【Ethan Xie: I can’t stay here any longer! There are so many delicious foods but I can’t eat them to my heart’s content. I’ve been treating myself too badly these days.】

【444: (⊙o⊙) Oh? 】

【Ethan Xie: Last time I saw the Laika Galaxy's secret sauced meat for sale in the system store. It should be worth a try. Although the price is a bit expensive, if you don't know how to enjoy life, what's the point of living.】

[444: Nod, Nod, Nod] The host is a person who believes in living for the moment!

Ethan Xie certainly didn’t really want to go to the toilet. He stayed there for a while, and thinking that it was about time, he prepared to go back.

[444 suddenly spoke up: Host! Zhou Yizhe is just outside the door!]

Ethan Xie’s eyes fixed for a moment, and then he walked out slowly with a natural expression.

Just as he reached the door, someone grabbed his arm and dragged him back! His back hit the wall, and then a tall shadow enveloped him.

Ethan Xie raised his head in anger, and saw Zhou Yizhe standing in front of him, looking down at him. There was no smile on that handsome and cold face, and he was observing him coldly, which was completely different from his previous behavior.

"What are you doing?" Ethan Xie glared at him angrily.

"I should be the one asking you this. What are you doing with my brother?" Zhou Yizhe's eyes were as sharp as a knife, and his oppressive posture put tremendous pressure on his opponent. His voice was cold: "And facing the person who has helped you again and again, don't you have anything else to say? It seems that ungratefulness is your nature."

Ethan Xie opened his eyes wide in shock, not understanding why he should accept such accusations? After a long while, he gritted his teeth and said, "If you talk about that incident... I... I have already... thanked you..."

"It seems...I should tell Zhou Yian what happened that day." Zhou Yize said slowly.

Ethan Xie's pupils shrank, and he grabbed Zhou Yizhe's collar, shouting fiercely: "You can't do this!"

It turns out that when pushed into a corner, they will also stretch out their claws. Zhou Yizhe's eyes flashed with a hint of amusement. He glanced at Ethan Xie's hand that was holding his collar and said calmly, "Why not? As Zhou Yian's brother, I certainly have the responsibility and obligation to give him the right advice on his choice and to help him check and prevent him from being deceived by bad people. This is also the reason why I met you today. I didn't expect... that person would be you."

The understated and flawless words gradually broke down the defenses in Ethan Xie’s heart, and his expression gradually became more desperate.

Ethan Xie's eyes were red. He looked at the cold man in front of him for a long time. Then his voice became lowered, with a hint of pleading: "Please... don't say..."

Zhou Yizhe looked at the young man under him. His fragile eyes made him feel itchy. Did he go too far just now? Zhou Yizhe's tone softened a little, "I haven't said it yet."

Ethan Xie was stunned for a moment, and a glimmer of hope reappeared in his eyes. He looked at Zhou Yizhe expectantly. Those sparkling, moist eyes were so beautiful that they made people want to possess them... or destroy them...

Zhou Yizhe's eyes darkened. He lowered his head, and his lips were just a little bit away from touching the tip of the young man's nose. He whispered, "But now I'm beginning to doubt whether it's right for me to hide it for you, because you don't know how to be grateful, and you are mean and dissolute. If I hide the truth, it would be irresponsible to Zhou Yian, isn't it?"

"I, I'm not that kind of person, you misunderstood..." Ethan Xie's face showed a look of shame and anger, but he had to defend himself.

"Oh? Were you not the one who held me tightly, crying and begging me to have S3x with you?" Zhou Yizhe's thin lips curled up in a disdainful arc, and he spat out ruthless words one after another, "Or were you not the one who repeatedly showed disrespect and rude words to the people who helped you?"

With every word Zhou Yizhe spoke, Ethan Xie’s face turned paler, and the light in his eyes gradually faded.

Things weren’t like this, they shouldn’t be like this…but…Ethan Xie opened his mouth, he couldn’t refute.

Ethan Xie lowered his eyelashes, his lips trembling slightly, and finally had to succumb to reality and said humiliating words: "Yes, I'm sorry... I didn't mean it... Thank you for helping me, please... don't tell Yi An."

When he said this, he looked like a prisoner awaiting the death sentence, exuding an air of decadence.

After a long time, a deep voice came from above my head, "Raise your head."

Ethan Xie did not dare to resist. He bit his lower lip and slowly raised his head. He unexpectedly fell into a pair of black eyes that were as deep as a pool. There was no contempt and disdain in those eyes as he thought. Instead, there was another emotion that he could not understand.

[444: Ding, target's favorability +5, current favorability 65]

"Let's go back." Zhou Yize resisted the urge to K!ss those moist eyes and spoke slowly.

At first, he just wanted to see Zhao Qing again, but after seeing him, he couldn't help but do something inappropriate. Zhou Yizhe realized that he couldn't go on, because he found that his mind was being drawn to the person in front of him. So, the joke should end.

Ethan Xie stared blankly at Zhou Yizhe as he took a step back, then turned around and walked out. After a moment...his face turned as pale as a prisoner sentenced to death.

Zhou Yize rejected him, and he wanted to tell Zhou Yian the truth... No, no!

Ethan Xie suddenly rushed over and hugged Zhou Yizhe's arm tightly.

"You---" Zhou Yizhe turned around in astonishment, and saw Ethan Xie looking at him stubbornly and persistently with red eyes. These eyes were clean and pure, without any lustful color in them, but Zhou Yizhe suddenly remembered the young man who moaned softly under him that night, and his rationality was on the verge of breaking again.

"Please... don't say it..." Ethan Xie looked at him pleadingly. The words he used to beg for mercy were very poor, and he just repeated these few words over and over again.

But Zhou Yize felt that the pleading that flowed from those pale pink lips... was like the most wonderful and powerful aphrodisiac... just like the desperate pleading for his mercy that night... a slight trembling ending tone was worth a thousand words.

[444: Ding, target's favorability +5, current favorability 70]

"Let me go." Zhou Yizhe narrowed his eyes and said word by word, "I won't tell you."

"Really? Really?" Ethan Xie's eyes revealed an expression of disbelief.

"I'm different from you. I'm a man of my word." Zhou Yizhe said coldly, "But if you still refuse to let go, maybe I'll change my mind."

"Yes, I'm sorry!" Ethan Xie suddenly let go of his hand, as if Zhou Yizhe was a hot potato.

Zhou Yize felt a little aggrieved at the fact that he was abandoned without hesitation once the goal was achieved, but he couldn't stay any longer.

Zhou Yize walked away with a cold face.

Ethan Xie sneered in his heart, boy, you are good at confusing right and wrong and calling a deer a horse. I will let you be proud for a while.

【444: Host, it’s already 70! 70! Incredible!】

【Ethan Xie: Don’t make a fuss. 】

[444: But I can't tell at all! He looks really unhappy! That expression tells me his favorability is -10 and I believe it!]

【Ethan Xie: Baby, do you think everyone has to show their expression on their face? 】

【Ethan Xie: He wanted to play with me, but he found that he seemed to have accidentally played with himself. With Zhou Yizhe's personality, how could he look happy?】

【444: (⊙o⊙)】

When Ethan Xie returned to the box, Zhou Yizhe was gone. He looked at Zhou Yian with a puzzled and somewhat apprehensive expression: "You, where is your brother?"

"Oh, he just went out to answer a phone call. He said he had something to do at the company and left first." Zhou Yian smiled nonchalantly.

Ethan Xie suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. Zhou Yizhe really didn’t say it. He asked cautiously, “Shall we go back now?”

Zhou Yian put his arm around his shoulders and said with a smile, "Why go back? Eat your fill first, so as not to waste this table of delicious food."

Ethan Xie couldn't persuade Zhou Yian, and he felt guilty, so he had to sit down and continue eating.

...

The next day, Ethan Xie said to Zhou Yian: "I have rested for a long time. I should go to work tomorrow."

Zhou Yian was a little reluctant to let Ethan Xie go to work. He was always afraid that Ethan Xie would get into trouble again, after all, the last accident had not been cleared up yet. But Ethan Xie didn't want to stay at home all the time. The fear that he might be exposed at any time made him feel more and more guilty when facing Zhou Yian, and he couldn't even sleep at night. Maybe going out to work could change this suffocating atmosphere a little.

Zhou Yian was not a dictatorial person. He thought about it and realized that it was impossible to continue like this, so he compromised and said, "You can go to work, but don't do other part-time jobs."

Ethan Xie hesitated for a moment, "But... the salary alone... is not enough..."

Zhou Yian smiled and scratched his nose, "Stupid, your husband is rich. I will support you in the future, just go to class as you like."

Ethan Xie's expression was evasive: "This...is not good..."

Zhou Yian hugged him and said aggrievedly: "Are you blaming me for not telling you about my family situation before? I'm sorry...but my family...is complicated. I did this for a reason. You will know it later. I promise not to hide anything from you again."

This made Ethan Xie's breathing stagnate for a moment. He was silent for a few seconds and said, "It's okay."

I can't ask anything of you because now...I'm the one hiding the truth.

I’m sorry, Ethan Xie hugged Zhou Yian, he felt that what he was doing now was very wrong, very wrong...but he had no choice.

After sending Ethan Xie to work, Zhou Yian took out the dusty bank card to withdraw money.

Not long after taking out the money, Zhou Yian received a call from Song Ruyi. He frowned. He had known that using the family's money would be so troublesome, so he had been reluctant to use it before. After a long while, he finally answered the phone and said in a cold tone: "Hello."

"Yian, is this the tone you use when talking to your mother?" Song Ruyi said.

"If you have anything else to say to me besides going home and going to the company, I might be able to change my attitude." Zhou Yian said sarcastically.

Song Ruyi was choked and said, "I'm doing this for your own good..."

"Oh? That's really strange. I thought it was to help you consolidate your position." Zhou Yian said coldly. He didn't understand when he was a child, but when he grew up, he knew the true meaning of the contemptuous looks surrounding him and his mother. If possible, he would rather be an ordinary person than be the illegitimate child of the Zhou family.

Song Ruyi was a little embarrassed and annoyed. Her son had grown up and refused to obey her. He didn't understand his mother's difficulties at all. Her voice became a little cold. "I really want to talk to you about something else today."

"Say." Zhou Yian said casually while waving to stop a car.

"That little guy you love so much is called Zhao Qing. I met him a few days ago." Song Ruyi spoke directly.

"What did you say?!" Zhou Yian stopped in his tracks. He knew his mother's snobbish personality, and it must be bad news for her to see Zhao Qing! At this moment, he remembered Zhao Qing's disappearance and abnormality some time ago. Could it be related to his mother...

"I gave him 100,000 yuan to ask him to leave you. How can a man of this background be worthy of you?" Song Ruyi said, "The young lady of the Fu family is very good, but she asked you to see her but you refused."

Zhou Yian said sternly: "Who told you to touch him!"

His heart was in agony. So that was it. It turned out that the real reason was with him! His mother had hurt the person he loved, and he knew nothing about it!

Song Ruyi snorted disdainfully: "You are the only one who treats this kind of stuff as a treasure. Do you know who he has been fawning on recently?"

"I won't believe your instigation." Zhou Yian said coldly, "You'd better not have any ideas about him again, otherwise I won't forgive you!"

Song Ruyi said "eh" with a sharp tone: "Who dares to go after him now! Your good elder brother protects him very well! Do you still remember Ding Ming, the kid from the Ding family? Just because he wanted to go after Zhao Qing, he was sent to jail by your elder brother! You can't imagine that he looks so honest, but he pretended to refuse my money, and then he hooked up with your brother and made him dizzy... He can even deal with a cold-blooded person like your brother. Even I have to admire his method!"

"Haha, do you think I would believe you?" Zhou Yian sneered. They had dinner together yesterday, and Zhou Yize didn't know Zhao Qing at all.

"You can ask others. Zhou Yizhe admitted that he was his man. Who in the circle doesn't know about this? I'm the only one who can't bear to see you being kept in the dark." Song Ruyi said sarcastically, "Silly child, I've told you to fight for what you deserve, but you refused. If you had half the ability of your brother, would Zhao Qing throw himself into someone else's arms without hesitation? And treat you like a fool? Although I'm not a good mother, I'm so angry when I see you encounter such a thing... What does he think of us mother and son? This face was slapped! Okay, don't argue with me. Anyway, you don't believe what I say. I'm just telling you today, so you can take care of yourself. Don't be stupid and get cheated and still count money for others!"

Zhou Yian's hands were creaking as he held the phone.

No, that's impossible!

At the same time, Ethan Xie was working in boredom.

He worked as a clerk in a small company. He didn't have much to do every day. He usually just typed. It was too unskilled. While working, Ethan Xie browsed the system store in his mind. It was a pity that he didn't eat well yesterday. Well, let's eat first before going back! This secret sauce meat from the Insect Star is good, and that immortal wine brewed from thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum is also good, and this and this... Well, it seems that I still have to complete the tasks well to gain experience points. In the system store, 1 experience point can buy a cart of compressed food, but those unique delicacies are often expensive. There are even the legendary peaches of the Queen Mother, but I can't afford them...

After finally getting to the end of the workday, Ethan Xie was packing up when his cell phone suddenly rang. He picked it up casually, "Hello."

"It's me." A deep voice came from the phone.

Ethan Xie's eyes suddenly changed, and he immediately entered combat mode! This is Zhou Yizhe's call! He was a little surprised. Zhou Yizhe shouldn't have contacted him so soon. Did he misjudge Zhou Yizhe's character?

"You...what's the matter..." Ethan Xie said in a nervous tone with a slight stutter.

"Cloud Hotel 608, come here now."

"I want to go home at night..." Ethan Xie tried to resist.

Zhou Yizhe laughed softly over the phone: "Is that so... I'll just go to your house. I have something to talk to Zhou Yian about."

Ethan Xie's heart was filled with alarm bells, and he immediately said, "Don't! I...I'll go find you now!"

After he hung up Zhou Yizhe's call, he sent a text message to Zhou Yian: "I'm working overtime today, so I'll be back a little late. You can eat first and don't have to wait for me^_^"

After sending the text message, Ethan Xie left the company in a hurry.

Half an hour later, Ethan Xie stood at the entrance of the hotel, looking at the automatic glass door of the lobby with a fearless look, until passers-by nearby began to cast strange glances at him, and then he finally took a step and walked in.

Details determine success or failure! Ethan Xie will never leave any loopholes for himself because of laziness!

The door of Room 608 was ajar, as if waiting for his arrival. The slightly dim light in the suite gave the place a hazy look.

Ethan Xie stepped on the soft carpet and looked at the man on the sofa with a bewildered expression.

Zhou Yize put down the red wine in his hand and calmly watched the young man like a cornered animal, helplessly walking step by step into a place he knew was a trap... both pitiful and cute.

He originally didn't want to make a move on Ethan Xie. He had never lacked men and women who would throw themselves at him, and he even disdained to touch anyone who would touch his brother.

But... it was like he was cursed. Since that day, he kept recalling the taste of youth. This was the first time he missed someone like this. So he met Ethan Xie again under the pretext of checking for his brother. Maybe after seeing him, he would stop thinking about him.

However, that meeting not only did not dispel his desire, but on the contrary, his desire became even stronger.

He was always decisive in doing things and would get what he wanted, so he called the young man and planned to try again... to see if he was really interested.

"Come here." Zhou Yize ordered in a low voice.

Ethan Xie bit his lip and walked step by step to the man. Although he was standing and Zhou Yizhe was sitting, facing the oppressive feeling brought by Zhou Yizhe, it seemed that he was the one who needed to look up.

Zhou Yizhe looked at the person in front of him with a calm and almost cold gaze, and said lightly: "Take off your clothes."