QT: Don't fall in love with the Male Lead

Chapter 159: Don't be caught unaware

The day of the final comes and all remaining twenty NNI contestants spend every available second ahead of the live performances practicing choreography, songs, and the scenes they're supposed to act in.

Xi Zirui does it because he's contractually obliged to, but mostly because he's in debt to Ni Ni.

Something she apologizes for at least twice a day, or, about as often as Xi Zirui thinks about it.

He's still determined to find out who leaked the photos, because whoever did it surely has it out for him and Han Yu.

Maybe it's competition inside the show, maybe it has something to do with the events of the past that led them all here.

Maybe it's a lingering resentment from the previous worlds.

Either way, Xi Zirui will get to the bottom of it.

[Shizunfucker: I think it's Shen Yun]

[Not an Idol: Why?]

At that exact moment, Xi Zirui has an unobstructed view of Shen Yun doing his stretches on the living room rug. Making a big deal of bending backwards on his stomach and touching the top of his head against the tip of his feet while a cameraman hovers around him like a hungry fly.

Show off.

But that's exactly why Xi Zirui doesn't think it's him.

Shen Yun hates not being the center of attention. Even if it's in a bad way. He's definitely the kind of person who thinks that all publicity is good publicity.

He would never give Xi Zirui free press.

[Shizunfucker: little rat bastard gives me the creeps. Plus he tried to scrap me for parts when I was an Android, remember?]

[Not an Idol: I remember, I loved Android you <33]

[Shizunfucker: Thank you Rui-er, that means a lot]

Xi Zirui smiles fondly at his phone. He doesn't know what he would do if he had the full memories of seven lifetimes all cohabiting inside his mind.

It would most likely drive him crazy.

It's a testament to Han Yu's resilience that he manages to endure all of it.

He's composing another message to Han Yu when Ji Limei's voice sounds through the speaker system.

"Hello darling trainees! Our journey together is coming to a close, which is why we have prepared a special goodbye activity so that you can all reminisce over some of your best moments in the NNI house."

There's a chorus of cheers from the usual bootlicking suspects.

"Please take a seat on the sofa while we show you a compilation of some of your best moments in the NNI house," Ji Limei says. "And pay attention to everyone's videos and find the hidden clues for a chance to win a last one-on-one mentorship session with one of our mentors before the final!"

Xi Zirui lets himself fall on the sofa with a resigned sigh. Han Yu who was training with Jade team in the garden walks inside the house and makes a beeline for Xi Zirui as soon as he sees him, politely sidestepping another trainee to sit beside him on the sofa.

Just feeling their thighs brush together is enough to send a delicious little shiver down Xi Zirui's spine. He feels like they're doing something illicit just by sitting together in full view of all the others.

Once everyone is in their seats a video starts playing, showing random moments of past challenges set to soulful emotional music.

It soon becomes obvious they're watching Shen Yun's retrospective, as flashes of his face and hands speed by on the screen.

"These have been the most incredible three months of my life," Shen Yun's voice says, overlaid with the footage of him smiling and hugging a trainee who has long left the show.

Xi Zirui watches this all happen with a look of supreme boredom while Shen Yun pretends to be extremely touched by this silly trip down memory lane, but soon the footage changes and the focus shifts to another trainee.

And so on, and so on, until Xi Zirui sees a short snippet of himself practicing an acting scene in Jin Ranyu's arms.

Suddenly he has a bad feeling about this whole thing.

At his side, Han Yu goes very still, his expression closed off.

The footage shows a few seconds of Jin Ranyu looking forlornly into the distance, and then switches to a few seconds of Han Yu and Xi Zirui having their dinner together from one of the first challenges when they were in the same team.

Xi Zirui thinks he knows where this might be going.

"While some of our hopefuls found a way to chase their dreams, some trainees found much more than they ever thought possible," Ji Limei's voice-over says.

Han Yu physically cringes, doing his best to disappear into the couch cushions.

The footage changes again, this time showing Cao Fei looking longingly at Jin Ranyu talking with Han Yu.

"I don't want to be here," Xi Zirui's voice on the screen says.

The footage on screen changes to a shot of Han Yu sitting in a chair in an interview-like confessional, and Xi Zirui knows what words are going to come out of his mouth before he says them.

"I'll find whichever contestant has the best chance to debut as center, and become his biggest buddy," the Han Yu on screen says, smirking into the camera.

The trainees sitting on the couch next to them all start talking loudly among themselves, exchanging looks of barely suppressed excitement.

Shen Yun is positively preening.

Xi Zirui thinks someone is trying their hardest to make sure he debuts as center, because all of today's footage will be broadcast live.

The video ends, and Ji Limei's voice rings out through the speaker system again, bubbly as ever. "Those were just  some intense memories that I'm sure none of you will ever forget."

Xi Zirui rolls his eyes so hard they hurt. 

"Did anyone catch the secret message in our video?" Ji Limei asks, "don't miss out on the chance for some last minute coaching!"

Seeing this video has given Xi Zirui an idea of who might be behind all the recent leaks, and even that odd fanfiction that got spread around.

Two people actually.

One of them, Xi Zirui is sure has previous memories back.

"The NNI logo flashed on the background during the voiceover segments," Xi Zirui says, before anyone else can speak.

"That's right! Congratulations, do you know who is the mentor whose help you want?" Ji Limei asks, her voice unchanging.

"Su laoshi," Xi Zirui says, drawing a mildly concerned look from Han Yu.

---

He's taken to Su Xueyi's office by the same cameraman who films his entire walk there, focusing on his profile.

Xi Zirui walks into Su Xueyi's office without waiting to be invited in. 

Su Xueyi raises an eyebrow at him from his reclined position on his chair. "What do you need my help for? Aren't you acting as Jin Ranyu's dying brother-in-arms in the final?" He smirks. "I think you have the performance down.

"Dismiss the cameraman," Xi Zirui says, ignoring Su Xueyi's derision.

"Why would I do that?"

"You should listen to your husband," Xi Zirui says meeting Su Xueyi's eyes.

The cameraman looks more confused than anything, but leaves the moment Su Xueyi points him the door with a curt. "Out, delete this footage."

Xi Zirui takes a seat on the chair in front of Su Xueyi's desk and smiles at him. "Long time no see, hubby."

Su Xueyi returns his smirk. "We aren't married here."

"We never did get that divorce," Xi Zirui returns.

"You know, I really believed you." His tone is mocking, but Xi Zirui thinks he sees a faint glimmer of sincerity behind his cold eyes. "And you just left me to rot."

Xi Zirui clicks his tongue. "That's how it goes." He gives Su Xueyi a long sideways look. "I'm curious, did you get any other memories back?"

Su Xueyi opens a wide smile. "Enough to know I had my chance to get back at you." He tilts his chin at Xi Zirui with a disdainful curl of his upper lip. "It's a shame the scars on your back are probably gone now."

Being reminded of how Su Xueyi made Han Yu whip Xi Zirui's back until he bled is unpleasant at the best of times, having such mocking words come out of Su Xueyi's smiling lips fills Xi Zirui's stomach with bile.

But there's a reason why he's here, and he needs to stay focused on that.

"In the past, when we were married, you mentioned we used to be gods...I've always wondered about that," Xi Zirui says, hoping to sound casual, but knowing he's probably missing by a mile.

He doesn't have much time, but only by watching the video earlier did he realize who was probably behind all the fuckery in the competition -- someone who not only hated him and Han Yu, but also Cao Fei and Jin Ranyu.

Only Su Xueyi with the full extent of the third world's memories would take such glee at toying with them in such petty ways -- the only ways available to him while they were all under the show's protection.

Something that will come to an end later that night.

The worst part is that Xi Zirui fears he might have discovered it all too late to do anything to prevent whatever Su Xueyi is planing. 

To Xi Zirui's question, he answers with a mild chuckle and shake of his head. "That was nothing, just the ravings of mad man. The man you made that way."